[3E] The Artifact and Evocation Workshop

[Myradmir]

Perception of Impulse (Orichalcum-and-Jade Infinite Chakram) Artifact (3)

This infinite chakram is crafted of white jade, shot through with veins and runes of orichalcum inscribing the thirty-three names of Olgur-Zalesh. Crafted by a master smith of the Realm for his Immaculate cousin, it is specifically intended to hunt and kill demons - though it has slain more than one Anathema in its time as well. Marek the Bold was the first to die beneath its razor edge at the hands of Cynis Syazana, but not the last. At least three Lunars were killed by the Wyld Hunt that bore this chakram, and countless spawn of the Yozis have fallen to its strikes. For all that, it still hungers for the blood of demons.

Whenever a Solar or Dragon-Blood who is attuned to this Artifact makes a successful decisive Thrown attack with Perception of Impulse against a demon, he adds that demon's Circle to his base Initiative upon resetting.

Ricochet
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Withering-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None

The least of Perception of Impulse's powers is a simple ricochet trick, guided by its wielder's Essence. This Evocation can only be activated when the wielder succeeds at a decisive Thrown attack made with Perception of Impulse. If the attack is successful, before resetting to base Initiative, the wielder can make one reflexive withering Thrown attack with Perception of Impulse at any one character within Close range of the first target. This Evocation's cost drops to 1m if either target is a demon.

Kiss of Momentum
Cost: 10m ; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Ricochet

Perception of Impulse amplifies its thrown force at its wielder's command. This Evocation is activated after a successful decisive Thrown attack made with Perception of Impulse. If the damage roll generates at least one success, the target is knocked prone by the force of the blow. The more damaging the blow, the more forcefully her opponent will be knocked away from him:

For at least three successes, the opponent is lifted and bodily hurled into an object or surface within close range, hitting it with an impact equivalent to falling a short distance, destroying any less-obdurate objects she collides with, such as wooden furniture.

At four or more successes, the foe is knocked into an object at close range with tremendous force, or is sent sailing a remarkable distance by the force of the blow. If the former, the opponent hits a surface with force sufficient to leave cracks in a stone wall, impacting with a surface as if he had fallen from a medium distance. If the latter, the force throws him to short range with a short-distance falling impact.

If the target of this attack is a demon, the Evocation's cost drops to 5m.

Forceful Banishment
Cost: 10m; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Withering-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Kiss of Momentum

Demons are tricky monsters, able to phase into and out of reality with a thought. Perception of Impulse dislikes this, and forces them back into the material world. This Evocation supplements a withering Thrown attack made with Perception of Impulse against a dematerialized entity. The attack deals no damage, unless the wielder can also strike dematerialized spirits, but if the attack is successful, the wielder may immediately engage in a battle of wits with the spirit. The wielder makes an immediate (Wits + Occult) roll against the spirit's Resolve. If successful, the spirit is forced to materialize reflexively and at no mote cost. The spirit cannot dematerialize for one round per point by which the Occult roll beat its Resolve unless it spends two Willpower to overcome this mind-influencing effect.

If this Evocation is used against an unbound demon, instead of forcing the target to materialize, it banishes the demon instantly as if through the Demon of the First Circle spell. It literally hits the demon so hard it ceases to exist in Creation.

First Evocation should allow for the withering attack after resetting the base initiative but immediately. Otherwise, the initiative gained is lost immediately upon resetting, which is only a problem if you play with a Rules Lawyer who's ire you have somehow managed to draw.

Second Evocation nice.

Third Evocation should have the Psyche Keyword. It also seems more like it should be a gambit, therefore decisive only and you could drop the price a tad Maybe 5m, 1wp since it's similar to sorcery? Also, it doesn't banish unbound demons of higher circles, apparantly, which is understandable but you might allow a Solar or DB to use it against Demons of the Second Circle as well.

Overall, the artifact has a good theme to it, and the evocations clearly support the theme.

[Octopoid]

First Evocation should allow for the withering attack after resetting the base initiative but immediately. Otherwise, the initiative gained is lost immediately upon resetting, which is only a problem if you play with a Rules Lawyer who's ire you have somehow managed to draw.

Hmmm. Hadn't considered that. Will alter.

Second Evocation nice.

Thank you!

Third Evocation should have the Psyche Keyword. It also seems more like it should be a gambit, therefore decisive only and you could drop the price a tad Maybe 5m, 1wp since it's similar to sorcery? Also, it doesn't banish unbound demons of higher circles, apparently, which is understandable but you might allow a Solar or DB to use it against Demons of the Second Circle as well.

Overall, the artifact has a good theme to it, and the evocations clearly support the theme.

Will alter once I re-read the rules for gambits. Thank you!

[Caladon]

As with others, please be aware of the formatting you do to an artifact before porting it over to the forums. It won't show up when you post, but when you try to quote anything it'll show all the tags from font, sizing, etc and it makes it a real struggle to go through bit by bit.

I wanted to comment on Shattered Storm but it's just got too much in it for me to go through in the time I have at work. Suffice to say that I like their direction and structure, but I'm hesitant about allowing Balanced and Smashing tags on the same weapon, based on discussion I've seen in other threads. I'm sorry that I don't have the time to go through it step by step, because I'm not inherently against long evocation trees. I just don't have that kind of time to review them.



As for Sharkbite, I like your evocations for it. My questions are merely 2.

1) The essence pool the weapon gets. Does it come into existence full? Can it ONLY fill up from Sail actions? How long does it stay full for, forever? These details will be asked in game, so be specific.

2) Flash Flood feels at LEAST Essence 2 in power. An unblockable against multiple oppoents that also creates an environmental effect is super powerful. I'd drop the unblockable if you want it to stay Essence 1, personally. Also, I noticed that it creates a water pool 1 Range Band in diameter... meaning it only effects everything in Close range. However, Shark As Surfboard Approach lets you surf multiple range bands as long as it's in water. If you intended for FF to allow SASA to work for you, you'd need to use FF, move, FF again, move, FF again, and THEN cross 2 range bands back to the starting point. Does that make sense? I'm not saying FF is underpowered at all (far from it), but SASA doesn't really work with it as written (if that was the intent) so might need to rethink on that.

With shattered storm, I'm cool with just removing the balanced tag. I mostly just liked the flavor of one blade being smashing and the other piercing. Balanced got tossed on as an afterthought because daiklaves get it.

For sharkbite
1) The pool starts out empty and can only fill up from sail actions. It stays full until used. I will edit it
2) FF can lose the unblockable. I put it there because how do you block a pool of water, but I see your point about how powerful it is. I want to leave it at Essence 1 because all of the other evocations require a source of water. The intent with SASA was that you have to start your turn in water to use it, and it will carry you up to 2 range bands away even if that takes you outside the water.

[Seeker]

Okay, so in my first attempt at anything custom in Exalted (I very briefly played 2e, but I'm super psyched about 3e), I wanted to create a pair of artifact flame pieces that complemented both the Righteous Devil style and an Eclipse Caste who seeks to help Creation find unity against its enemies. Further, I wanted the pieces to be able to work as lesser artifacts when separate--my GM has the idea to start me off with one and have the other be discovered over the course of the story.

I don't stress my inexperience to imply you should go easy, but rather to ask that if you have aaaaany advice, for, against, etc, anything at all, please let me know and explain if you can!

I couldn't think of a decent smith name (I figured since they're guns, it'd make more sense to seek a southern smith as opposed to that famous western volcano smith), so figured maybe I'd seek some advice. Also, the name is still basically a work-in-progress...

[[ NOTE: This has been revised. Please check here. ]]

Omens of the Pyre [Corona + Umbra]
(Orichalcum, Moonsilver, and Starmetal Flame Pieces) Artifact ••••• [•••+•••]

Tags: Lethal, Archery (Short), Flame, Mounted, One-Handed*, Slow

In the glory and tumult of the First Age, Solars fought against all forms of Creation’s enemies, from the raksha of the Wyld to the hellbeasts and demons of Malfeas, and even against their own kin, should they fall into wickedness. Such was the path of the Nameless Solar, known as the Pitiless Devil, the Blind Exemplar, and the Righteous Master all. He sought to purify the world with fire and will, and taught his unnamed arts to what few he deemed worthy to take up the mantle. This was the path taken by Heaven-Striving Flame.

However, he lacked the inner rage of the Dawns, the single-minded devotion of the Zeniths, and the meticulous apathy of the Nights, for he received his second breath as a Harmonious Voice, a Wheel of Peace—an Eclipse, exalted with the purpose of unifying differences into a cohesive whole that would be greater than the sum of its parts. He reconciled his roles by viewing himself as a gardener of Creation. With the righteous fury of his blaze, he pruned away at the weeds and decay that weakened Creation’s beauty, such as Fair Folk and akuma, and with the compassionate warmth of his conviction, he nourished the life that deserved its chance to grow, if only he could know what it needed. This was the nature of his Eclipse, bearing both the might of the Unconquered Sun and the compassion of Luna as a bridge between and beyond. With this understanding, he sought out a gunsmith of great caliber near the Pole of Fire to request weapons that might represent the duality he would bring to his Righteous Master.

[Gunsmith] knew precisely what was necessary, but her efforts took months and more than a few favors within the Heavenly Bureau. First, she obtained the metals required—equal parts orichalcum and moonsilver, with a hint of refined starmetal. The metals were melted down in the heat of that same volcano, then divided for two separate alloys that needed to be worked in-tandem; one held two-parts orichalcum to its one-part moonsilver, and the other was reversed, while each carried trace amounts of the starmetal. But [Gunsmith] would not work these metals until the time was right and all was in place. In the meantime, she tasked Heaven-Striving Flame with three tasks, each more difficult than the last. First, she sent him to slay four different Fair Folk princes, each of a different Major Grace, in order to collect their Wyld essences. Second, she called for the blood of a Demon Prince justly slain for interfering with Creation. Third, and finally, she asked for a single tear, caught in its descent from the eyes of one who found genuine redemption and mercy from the growing cause of the Righteous Master.

These conditions met, and Heaven-Striving Flame’s virtue proven in her eyes, [Gunsmith] moved her work to the Imperial Mountain and bade her time until the awaited hour—the coming of a total solar eclipse in the midst of Calibration. Only then would the raw essence of this craft most closely align to its would-be master. The moon rose, taking its place in front of the sun; [Gunsmith] held her tools, and her breath, until the blinding ring was set ablaze in the shadowed sky—and like a machine divinely inspired, she set to work. It was as if time stopped within her workshop, the two-fold gaze of the celestial bodies bearing down on her through an oculus above.

As the event came to a close, she was done, holding two masterpieces as one. Corona, forged to embody the indomitable might of the Unconquered Sun, glimmered with the brilliance of gold as moonsilver wound its way around the frame; Umbra, made to honor the primal guile of Luna, shone with ephemeral white beauty as orichalcum shone like starbursts in the streaks that held it. Both were infused with starmetal, particularly molded into the firing and triple-cylinder mechanisms, as well as lining their frames with ornate, prismatic filigree. In passing to the hands of Heaven-Striving Flame, their unified purpose blended together the essence of craft and wielder, revealing to him an awakening desire to cleanse the world of taint forever.

When the Nameless Solar claimed his students in a blaze of judgment, Heaven-Striving Flame burned like the rest, and his pieces crashed to the floor. There they lay, buried in ash and, with the passing of time, sand and stone, waiting for the next virtuous wielder capable of using them both.

Evocations of Omens of the Pyre
Omens of the Pyre is a single pair of flame pieces, but each piece is unique in both composition and essence. The weapons innately hold compassion toward Creation’s ilk and fury for Creation’s enemies (henceforth defined as including raksha, demons, Abyssals, and other non-divine outsiders), but most importantly, they ache to help their wielder fulfill some righteous ideal. Either piece can work on its own as a weaker, separate artifact, but together, they form a stronger, unified front.

A Solar attuned to Corona who maintains an initiative advantage gains a +2 on influence and read intent roles; against enemies of Creation, she instead ignores 2 soak and hardness. A Solar attuned to Umbra who maintains an initiative advantage treats her enemies Resolve and Guile as weakened by -1; enemies of Creation instead have their Evasion and Parry are lowered by -1.

A Lunar or Dragon-Blooded attuned to either piece instantly unlocks Soul Fuels Ignition free. A Lunar attuned to both gains +1 die on all attack rolls against a target each time she successfully Reads Intentions via Soul Fuels Ignition or she otherwise influences her target through the other evocations; these effects are cumulative against a single opponent, and doubled against enemies of Creation. A Dragon-Blooded attuned to both gains +1 die on all attack rolls against a target upon a successful Read Intentions via Soul Fuels Ignition and shares this bonus with all of her allies against this target; these effects are doubled against enemies of Creation.


Evocations of Omens of the Pyre
Omens of the Pyre is a single pair of flame pieces, but each piece is unique in both composition and essence. The weapons innately hold compassion toward Creation’s ilk and fury for Creation’s enemies (henceforth defined as including raksha, demons, Abyssals, and other non-divine outsiders), but most importantly, they ache to help their wielder fulfill some righteous ideal. Either piece can work on its own as a weaker, separate artifact, but together, they form a stronger, unified front.

A Solar, Lunar, or Dragon-Blooded who attunes to either piece unlocks Soul Fuels Ignition for free.

A Solar or Lunar attuned to both who invests an extra 1 mote gains 1 non-charm die on in-combat social and damage rolls.

A Dragon-Blooded attuned to both who invests an extra 1 mote gains 1 non-charm die on damage rolls.

Against enemies of Creation, so long as the wielder maintains an Initiative advantage, they receive 1 additional non-charm die (to their respective bonuses).


Soul Fuels Ignition
Cost: 2m or 3m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None

The devils of old converted internal power into external flame, setting their own essence ablaze to ignite the heart of their foe, and the wielder has learned this secret through the legend of her weapon. As the wielder inhales, she perceives flesh and bone as heart and soul, and in that moment of clarity she pulls the trigger, her own essence bursting forth as a bolt of golden gossamer flame that sets her victim’s soul alight. In their unified burning, she can read his soul as much as her own, deducing the reason for her enemy’s opposition.

This evocation allows the wielder to forgo firedust, using motes of essence instead. Further, for an additional mote, her attack is enhanced with a Read Intentions action, which receives bonus dice equal to the number of extra successes on her attack roll; if successful, the primary Intimacy that drives her opponent to fight her is revealed to her in the essence-flames. She can use this multiple times, learning different Intimacies each time, going first through those most oppositional down to those benign.

This affects battle groups, with the generally strongest opposing “intimacy” being revealed.


Wicked-Searing Coalescence
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Uniform, (Psyche)
Duration: Instant (One Scene)
Prerequisites: Soul Fuels Ignition, Corona

Many of Creation’s foes cloak themselves in deceit and shadows, and Omens of the Pyre seeks to shine the light of the Unconquered Sun’s fury upon them. As the wielder pulls the trigger and the hammer ignites the blaze, the weapon consumes the fires instantly, glowing with golden light. In that moment, divinity is channeled, and the barrel unleashes a burning ray of essence that causes even the staunchest of convictions to wither.

As raw essence instead of billowing flame, the attack’s possible range is increased by one band; as judgment manifest, the essence pressure weighs down upon the target, applying the user’s Essence in successes on the attack roll. If successful against an enemy of Creation, this additionally inflicts a -1 penalty on all rolls for the rest of the scene, the manifest effects of divine judgment on their willfully opposing essence.

Finally, if she knows the Intimacy that drives her opponent to oppose her, whether by Soul Fuels Ignition or other means, then the attack may double as an attempt to weaken that Intimacy by one level for the remainder of the scene (using [Charisma + Presence] as normal). This attempt receives bonus dice equal to the number of extra successes on her attack roll.


This affects battle groups, affecting the generally-agreed oppositional Intimacy.


Villain-Revoking Lash
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Soul Fuels Ignition, Umbra


Those who would openly oppose righteousness are blights on Creation, and Omens of the Pyre unveils Luna’s wild contempt at their sin. The flames unleashed in this method move unnaturally, whipping around the target’s hands and wrists (or whatever appendages are equipped with weapons) to sear them to the bone, preventing them from taking action against the wielder.

This evocation supplements a disarm attempt. The attack roll enjoys her Essence in bonus dice. If successful, the target’s weapon-wielding hand and wrist are burned, and he treats any actions with that hand with an off-hand penalty of -1 until it receives proper treatment. This charm explicitly allows disarming dual-wielders and applying the effects to both hands and wrists.

Against enemies of Creation, the off-hand penalty is instead half the number of extra successes on the Disarm Gambit roll, rounded down, minimum 1.

If the wielder knows her target’s opposing Intimacy via Soul Fuels Ignition or other means, then a successful Disarm also creates an instant Instill roll to create a Minor Tie (Fearful Respect) toward the wielder.

This charm can affect battle groups, under the condition that its cost increases by 2 motes for every Size category beyond 0, and a point of Willpower at Size 4 and above.


Purging God Presence
Cost: — (1a per bonus success, or 3m on failure); Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Psyche
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Dual Omens Culling

As her flames burn the flesh of her foes, the wielder also burns away at their will to resist her purpose; at their lowest point, foes see her empowered conviction as raw, crushing presence. Against ordinary opponents, this presence is capable of inspiring them to atone for the immorality that brought them against her; against Creation’s foes, this presence threatens to tear asunder the fabric of their existence.

Should the wielder crash her target or otherwise reach an initiative advantage of 10+, her will presses down on the disadvantaged victim, enhancing a social influence roll (determined by opponent’s classification according to Omens) of [Charisma+Presence+Essence] against Resolve.

• An ordinary opponent is forced to question everything that brought him against the might of the wielder. This acts as a reflexive attempt to Instill a Guilt-based Minor Tie matching the wielder’s own purpose for fighting, such that he grows to sympathize with her cause; if such a tie already exists, or if Villain-Revoking Lash successfully instilled a tie of respect, this charm attempts to elevate it while also imparting the presence of this shared bond to both combatants in a moment of empathic union.
• Creation’s foes feel as if the foundations of their lives are beginning to crumble as judgment settles upon them. If successful, the victim suffers a penalty on all actions equal to half the wielder’s Essence (rounded up) for the remainder of the scene.

If the wielder’s anima banner is at the level of Iconic/Bonfire, she may instinctively convert levels of her anima into raw, overpowering presence, adding one success per level. In the event the target resists by spending Willpower, the wielder’s righteous conviction may become mystically inflamed by their refusal, driven to seek retribution. For 3 motes, her next attack or influence roll against the same target within the same scene gains the strength of her opposed Intimacy in bonus dice.

This ability can only reoccur on the same target if that target recovers from crash, and then crashes again due to the wielder’s actions.

This affects battle groups, occurring when the Magnitude track fills up and ignoring the penalty for socially targeting multiple people.


Prophet of Hope and Hellfire
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Supplement
Keywords: Perilous, Psyche, Aggravated
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Purging God Presence

Just as valor must be balanced by temperance, so too must conviction be balanced by compassion, lest the righteous become the damned. The wielder aims at her target and ignites her eyes with the essence of her conviction such that they burn with the intensity of the sun’s corona, allowing her, in a moment of searing clarity, to see the language of his conviction; by her fiery will, she reaches out to insist on surrender, and she knows the results by the stature of his soul.

This charm enhances an Aim action with a Threaten action at no flurry penalty, gaining her anima level in bonus dice. Against ordinary foes, if she has instilled new Intimacies, it is instead a Persuade action playing on whichever new Intimacy is strongest, gaining the strength of the Intimacy in question in bonus dice in addition to her anima bonus; against enemies of Creation, if they have been affected by Purging God Presence, the Threaten roll instead gains her Essence in bonus dice in addition to her anima bonus.

Should her effort completely succeed, the target finds his will to fight the wielder dwindling to nothing; he feels compelled to surrender at once and hear her out, and any temporary Intimacy effects she has caused become permanent. Should he somehow be convinced to join battle against her again in the same scene, the effects of failure immediately apply.

Should her effort fail, the target perceives the coronal brilliance of her eyes turning black as the umbra of a solar eclipse, and he becomes cursed by her judgment; all Evocations henceforth treat the target as an enemy of Creation, and all her attacks on the target do aggravated damage instead of lethal, the righteous fury of wielder and weapon coming together to strike at his very soul.

Should her effort fail against one who is already considered an enemy of Creation, all attacks do aggravated damage henceforth, and her next attack becomes a guaranteed success, receiving her Essence in bonus damage dice (aggravated if decisive).

This affects battle groups, with her essence-sight judging the stature of their collective will.


Conflagrant Purification
Cost: 8m, 1wp, 1a per die; Mins: Essence 4
Type: Supplement
Keywords: Perilous, Psyche, Aggravated, Decisive-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Prophet of Hope and Hellfire

Judgment has been passed, and the defendant has been declared guilty of opposing Creation in the eyes of the Omens and their wielder. The punishment is a cleansing that will burn away his impurities or his life, the inferno striking beyond his physical form.

This charm can only be used against one whose soul has resisted the effects of Prophet of Hope and Hellfire, and it supplements a decisive attack. However, rather burning at his body, it assaults his most oppositional Intimacy; as such, Resolve is used as a Gambit difficulty rather than Hardness, and it may not be enhanced using the Intimacy under assault. She may funnel the raw power of her anima into the strike, as well, gaining a bonus die for every level of flaring essence converted. Should the attack succeed at all, the Intimacy is destroyed, burned away in essence flame.

If he is insistent on saving the Intimacy, the defender may spend 1 Willpower per rank, but never completely save it, bringing it only up to a rank below its original strength. If he does this, the fires that would burn it completely are instead vented into his flesh, and he takes levels of aggravated damage equal to the successes as a normal decisive attack.

This affects battle groups, the fire of the attack swirling amongst them and seeping into each one to affect the group as a whole.

If a Defining Intimacy is destroyed, or only preserved at Minor level, a sense of success fills the wielder's soul as she knows the target has a chance at redemption yet again—refunding the point of willpower spent on the charm.

Special Activation Rules: This evocation unlocks in the event that Prophet of Hope and Hellfire is resisted.


Dual Omens Culling
Cost: 10m; Mins: Essence 5
Type: Simple
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Wicked-Searing Coalescence; Rebuke of the Blazing Ideal

Sometimes, there is no hope of peace without action to spur it onward; as such, when the powers of Corona and Umbra are united under the purpose of a single wielder, they surge with the power of the solar eclipse, the grand omen perceived across the world as the combined ire of the Unconquered Sun and Luna. The wielder’s reflexes surge with righteous essence, and in one motion, she unleashes a two-pronged blast of flame, an attack from each piece. The outcome varies on target and attack choice:

• If attacking the same target twice, the first attack may be withering and the second may be decisive. If so, the player simply rolls accordingly, with the decisive attack being treated as a staggered, near-instant follow-up.
• If attacking the same target twice, the attacks may both be withering. If so, the player rolls attack and damage once, applying the normal flurry penalty, dealing with all soak and other effects normally, before applying the same results again.
• If attacking two different targets, the attacks may only be withering. Each attack is treated normally, applying the normal flurry penalty.

If she has learned of their opposing intent or influenced them in this battle, then the attacks carry the burning contempt of the Incarnae against those who continue to oppose the wielder, such that the wielder ignores her Essence in soak and hardness.

Against enemies of Creation, all damage rolls enjoy double 10s.

[Ikari Gendo]

I got this response to my first version of this item:

Right.

Emerald, Sapphire and Adamant Evocations are not a thing.

First Evocation. Permanent non-charm successes at ess 1 are bad. Admittedly, most of the time it will be adding Zero save against battle groups so it may well be limited. Now. How does the Legendary Size merit effect this?

Second Evocation is fine.

Third Evocation is unclear, to keep it simple it might be better to roll against the poisons Toxicity, or allowing the attuned to substitute wits + MA to Sta + Res against Poison.

Forth Evocation is more or less fine, bit over priced maybe. Maybe make it so that it requires concentration and give it the Perilous keyword, cause if you're crashed, concentration is not a thing you have.

Right, so if you want MAs to be mastered, I assume you mean at 5 dots because demanding charms up to Form Type is a bit of a tax and would drop the artifact down to 3 despite its power.

Fifth Evocation... Flavorful. It's great, fits the theme and is useful. Might perhaps switch the duration to 'For as long as the Battle Group exists', and that way if they get wiped, you get a small surge of power as they break.

Sixth Evocation. This is great for Derangements and low end crippling injuries. However, crippling penalties go up to -8, so you'll have difficulty meeting those. Also, this artifact seemingly lets you do everything with one ability. While this is good, you risk stealing other player's spotlights if you can literally punch all problems out of existence.

Seventh Evocation. Not re-assuring from the 'I can punch everything to make it better front' BUT better than the previous one. Thematically appealing. That said, non-Charm Successes and possibly a tonne of them. Possibly none of them.

Eight Evocation. No point repeating myself.

Ninth Evocation. Should have the aggravated keyword. Otherwise, fine.

Tenth Evocation. Again. No repetition and you should probably say whether or not they can use it at a range with styles that aren't normally ranged.

It would also help having Type be below Cost and Mins, because it could be important when looking it up at a glance.

And there's my two cents and I will admit, seeing the Emerald/Sapphire/Adamant split was something I found vexing, so I may have been somewhat harsh in my evaluation.

I do like the restrictions on the Artifact, and the backstory is good. That said. It's a little too 'I can do everything' for what the past of the Artifact says about it. Maybe focus more on striking down the unworthy, possibly punching the badness out of them and go from there to being able to cure illnesses, derangements etc.

So,
First Evocation: I know it's permanent non-charm successes, but in the vast majority of cases, it's +0, so I think it's OK

Third Evocation: I phrased it just like Body-Purifying Admonitions (p. 344).

Fourth Evocation: Changed it as suggested.

I do mean knowing the form charms, which is kind of why it got a bit overpowered at the high end, I cut it back for the 3rd tier evocations.

Sixth Evocation: I put a limit on how often it can be used, to prevent abuse. This was inspired by Ken curing the blind girl at the beginning of "Fist of the North Star."

Seventh Evocation: I eliminated the non-charm part of it and reduced the successes generated. This was inspired by Cologne from "Ranma 1/2" tapping a block of wood with her pipe, splitting it and casually pulling out an ear spoon. This evocation requires that the crafting project already exist. You can't punch stuff out of thin air.

Eighth Evocation: Completely replaced. I really hadn't thought about stepping on other player character's shtiks.

Ninth Evocation: Corrected

Tenth Evocation. Clarified.

And here is the New and Improved...

Whispers of Perfection (Silken Armor, Artifact ••••)

Dawn Caste martial artist Thundering Drum was offended by martial artists who relied on the finest weapons money and politcal connections could buy. He set out to create armor which would help him perfect his Martial Arts, and designed Whispers of Perfection. It is made from the silk of wood spiders, anhules and pattern spiders, which he interwove with orichalcum threads to create a brilliant red ghi, brocaded in gold and green and black with images of the creatures which inspired martial arts.

Thundering Drum died on an expedition to the underworld, but his circlemates retrieved his panoply and passed it along to his successor, The Illustrious Chen Wu. Chen was killed 82 years later in the Usurpation, and the armor passed to her student/assassin First Leaping Tiger. Whispers of Perfection became the uniform of the sifu of the Greater Tiger All-Styles School in Parapet until RY 644 when Jade Caiman the Apostate declared that she had no worthy heirs, closed the school, and was buried with the armor in a tomb in Sijan in RY 670.

The armor wants its wearers of develop their own power. Anyone attuned to Whispers of Perfection cannot attune to an artifact weapon or to a hearthstone with combat abilites. If one is already attuned to such an item, Whispers of Perfection will refuse to attune. Whispers of Perfection will never evoke a charm which directly aids in one-on-one combat against a mortal martial artist, but does have evocations which will help a martial artist to win against dishonorable enemies, or to perform other tasks where it is appropriate to ask for help.

There are hints that if its wearer masters 25 seperate styles, this may unlock some special evocation.

Whispers of Perfection possesses no hearthstone sockets.

1st Tier Evocations

Stone Stands Against the Ocean
Cost: —;
Mins: Essence 1;
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: None
As waves break against a boulder, hordes break against the Exalted. This evocation is unlocked automatically on attuning to Whispers of Perfection. The wearer adds non-charm successes to join battle equal to the size factor of the largest battle group opposing him.This evocation only looks at number of attackers; legendary size does not activate it.

Fists Break on Stone
Cost: 5m, 1wp;
Mins: Essence 2;
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Stone Stands Against the Ocean
Just as an untrained fighter can crush his knuckles, those who attack the Exalted risk crushing themselves. If the wearer is ambushed, he has full defense and can launch an immediate decisive counterattack.

Stone Crushes the Scorpion
Cost: 4m, 1wp;
Mins: Essence 1;
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Stone Stands Against the Ocean
Heroes do not fall to vermin and poisonous vermin deserve no mercy. When poisoned, the wearer uses her physical training to expel the venom, Roll (Wits + Highest Martial Art) against the toxin's duration. Every 2 extra successes lowers the duration by 1. Completely eliminating the toxin from an envenomed weapon earns the martial artist one willpower.

Stone Ignores the Wind
Cost: 4m;
Mins: Essence 1;
Type: Simple
Keywords: Perilous
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisites: Stone Stands Against the Ocean
As a boulder is unmoved by breezes, the true warrior's heart is not moved by mere words. By performing mental katas, the wearer is able to ignore attempts to reduce intimacies. Use highest Martial Arts score in place of Integrity to figure Resolve.

2nd Tier Evocations
In order to unlock Whispers of Perfection's 2nd Tier Evocations, the Solar must first awaken at least two of its 1st tier Evocations and have learned the form charm of one Martial Art.

Stars Surround the Moon
Cost: 5m;
Mins: War 1, Essence 2, appropriate Martial Art 4 and form charm;
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisites: Fists Break on Stone, Stone Stands Against the Ocean
The beauty of the moon is enhanced by the stars around it. Such is the glory of the Exalted when they are surrounded by an army of mortals. By training a Might 0 battle group of at lest size 1 equipped with form weapons (such as training spearmen in White Reaper style) for one day per size factor, the Exalt grants the unit Might 1.

The Key That Locks Also Unlocks
Cost: 5m;1wp;
Mins: Medicine 2, Essence 2;
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Stone Crushes the Scorpion
The same knowledge that inflicts injuries can also treat them. The Exalt can treat non-amputating crippling effects and derangements by inducing her essence into specific chakras. Make a (Dexterity + Highest Martial Art) roll vs, the crippling penalty or 3,4, or 5 for a minor, major or defining derangement. Each extra success lowers the penalty or derangement rating by 1. If a condition is not completely removed, the condition returns at a rate of 1 dot per day. This evocation may be used by Whispers of Perfection's wearer once per day, but on anyone else only once per month.

The Smith's Favored Hammer
Cost: 8m, 1wp;
Mins: Essence 2, appropriate Craft specialty;
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None
A Craftsman uses the tools he knows best, even if they are not the tools another might choose. Once per craft project (but no more than once per day), the wearer may roll (Attribute + Martial Art) and add half the result (round down) as successes to the project. Whispers of Perfection will allow an Exalt to attune to any artifact or hearthstone created using The Smith's Favored Hammer. This evocation specificly allows basic projects to be punched into existence; i.e., smashing a block of wood and picking a perfect wooden comb out of the kindling

3rd Tier Evocations
In order to unlock Whispers of Perfection's third Tier Evocations, the Solar must first awaken at least two of its 2nd Tier Evocations and know the form charms of two martial arts.

The Master's Harsh Tutelege
Cost: 5m;
Mins: Essence 4;
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: The Key That Locks Also Unlocks
The sifu is foremost a teacher. Stubborn students need more brutal lessons. This charm can only be used on an opponent who, in this scene, attacked the Exalt from ambush, with poison, or with significantly superior numbers (generally by commanding or being part of a battle group.) The hero may use a gambit to roll (a social stat + Martial Arts) vs. Resolve to instill a minor tie of deferential respect. A crashed opponent cannot spend willpower against this attack.

Shining Fist of Heaven
Cost: -;
Mins: Essence 4, mastery of 5 Martial Arts;
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Decisive, Aggravated
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: None
Virtuous Exalts project the authority of heaven against against all enemies of creation. While the hero has a form charm active, his decisive attacks can do aggravated damage to demons, fae and undead.

Sifu's Wu-Jen Breaking Touch
Cost: 6m,1wp;
Mins: Essence 4, mastery of 5 Martial Arts;
Type: simple
Keywords: Decisive
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Shining Fist of Heaven
Fists that smash iron may also break subtler targets. The wearer of Whispers of Perfection may use a gambit to attempt to counter or distort sorcery using Martial Arts in place of occult. The Exalt must make a Martial Arts attack, using the normal range of that attack, which targets the spell. The normal target numbers for damaging sorcery apply. Completely negating a spell earns one willpower.

[Myradmir]

Much improved. That said, the mention of Emerald/Sapphire/Adamant Evocations isn't a thing and is a throwback to the Leak, so I might avoid those. That said, a system of tiered evocations is fine for the occasional artifact. Not all of them though.

[Sunder the Gold]

DARK SOULS 3: ABYSS WALKERS BOSS WEAPON (skip to 2:05)

Inspired by the boss's weapon in the second phase of the fight.

My real darling Evocation in the following post is "Warding Flames", which is my absolute best attempt to model the tactical wonder that is creating a temporary shield (of sorts) with each and every swing of your weapon.

When conjuring other elements, such as wind, water, or earth, the waves might actually work like shields!



WAKE OF FIRE (Red Jade Daiklave) Medium; Melee, Lethal, Balanced

This wonder was forged by a rival to the creator of Seething Drake and Ashwright, who placed more value in conjuring fire with grace and control than in generating overwhelming heat. It went on to have a long and storied history in the hands of a Prince of the Earth who made it his mission to guard Creation against the depredations of the Restless Dead and other Anathema.


Evocations of Wake of Fire:
A Terrestrial or Solar Exalt may reflexively commit 3 motes to this sword to set the blade ablaze, adding +4 to the raw damage of its attacks and enabling the use of its Evocations.


Warding Flames
3m; Supplemental, Instant; Uniform; Essence 1 – None

This Charm supplements a swinging attack with the sword, producing a streamer of fire that traces the blade's arc. These flames guard the opening left in the swordsman's defenses and perhaps provide him a chance to escape. The flames die out quickly, so the window of opportunity is short.

Until the swordsman's next turn, the target of the attack will be exposed to a bonfire environmental hazard if she opposes a Disengage action made by the swordsman, targets him with a Rush action, makes use of a successful Rush action's reflexive movement towards him, or attempts to use a non-projectile attack against him. She can only be subjected to one bonfire from this Evocation per round.

These protections are automatically extended to anyone the swordsman is protecting with a Defend Other action, and he may choose to include someone he is holding in a clinch as well, should some magic allow him to maintain his hold and attack another character in the same turn.

This Evocation is less effective against battle groups, which can surround the swordsman and attack from unprotected angles; when making a close range attack, a battle group may choose to ignore the bonfire in return for foregoing any attack or damage bonus from Size.


Veils of Fire
5m; Simple, One Round; Perilous; Essence 1 – Warding Flames

By swinging the sword vigorously about himself, the swordsman may cut off all avenues of approach with walls of flame.

Until the swordsman's next turn, a bonfire environmental hazard afflicts anyone he desires who enters his range band. He cannot use this Evocation while embattled, as minding his defense does not permit him to swing freely enough to employ this Evocation.


Salamander's Tail Dare
5m; Reflexive, One Round; No Keywords; Essence 1 – No Prerequisites

The swordsman trails his sword behind him as he runs, and his sword trails behind it fire.

Supplement a movement action that takes the swordsman into another range band; it may be a reflexive movement action provided by a successful Disengage or Rush action.

Until the swordsman's next turn, anyone who enters the range band where the swordsman ended the supplemented Movement action will suffer a bonfire environmental hazard, so long as they traveled roughly the same path. Someone closing in from the other side or diving down from above is not exposed.

Additionally, anyone using the movement provided by a successful Rush action to pursue the swordsman and enter the range band he vacated (or anyone using a Disengage's reflexive action to enter the vacated range band in order to escape him) will also suffer a bonfire environmental hazard. But even if the swordsman somehow traveled more than one range band and the pursuer (or escapee) does likewise, she suffers only one exposure due to moving through the flames quickly.


Rushing Firestorm Concentration
+1m; Permanent; Uniform; Essence 2 – Salamander's Tail Dare

Why leave behind perfectly good fire? Sword and swordsman may cooperate to pull their trail of fire forward, to launch it at their enemies.

If the swordsman used Salamander's Tail Dare previously in this turn, he may cancel the effects of that Evocation to extend the range of a bonfire created with Dragon's Sword Blast by one range band, or to double the raw damage of any single bonfire conjured with this sword.

Alternatively, if the swordsman used Warding Flames previously in this turn, he may cancel the effects of that Evocation to double the raw damage of a bonfire conjured with Salamander's Tail Dare.


Dragon's Sword Blast
5m; Simple, Instant; Uniform; Essence 1 – None

This Charm supplements an attack with the sword, projecting a wave of fire out to short range. A target struck at short range is afflicted with a bonfire environmental hazard. A target struck at close range suffers an additional amount of raw damage equal to the raw damage of a bonfire.


Fire Dancer Mastery
Variable; Reflexive, Instant; Perilous; Essence 2 -- Dragon's Sword Blast

The swordsman may spend motes or points of Initiative to raise the environmental hazard difficulty rating of a bonfire created by this sword as though the difficulty were a static value derived from their (Dexterity + Melee) total. Dragon-Blooded count a Melee Specialty for Wake of Fire as applicable for their dice-cap.


Scorched Earth
6m; Simple, One Round; Uniform; Essence 3 – Dragon's Sword Blast, Veils of Fire

The swordsman targets a range band at short range. Until the swordsman's next turn, a bonfire environmental hazard afflicts anyone currently within that range band whose first action is not moving out of the range band (a successful Disengage action counts) as well as anyone who enters that range band. This Charm's range can be extended by Rushing Firestorm Concentration.


Cutting Off Escape
6m, 1wp; Simple, One Round; Uniform; Essence 3 – Dragon's Sword Blast, Veils of Fire

As per Dragon's Sword Blast, but must be made against an opponent at close range so that the fire may wash past and burn behind them. Not only is the target subjected to a bonfire environmental hazard, but she cannot attempt to Disengage from the swordsman until after his next turn without being subjected to a second bonfire.

This Charm's range can be extended by Rushing Firestorm Concentration, so that it may target an opponent at short range and force them to attempt a Disengage action to move away from the swordsman on their next turn, or else suffer a bonfire.


.

[Octopoid]

I really like this artifact, mechanically and thematically, but shouldn't the Evocations have costs?

[Sunder the Gold]

I really like this artifact, mechanically and thematically

Glee!

but shouldn't the Evocations have costs?

Sorry.

Wasn't sure which costs were appropriate, and I mostly wanted to get the VISUAL and MECHANICAL representations down and out of my head before I lost the interest to finish. Especially because I still have other projects I want to finish as well.

I wasn't even sure what attunement bonus this weapon should give, but at least I can blame that on not knowing exactly what Dragon-Blooded Charms will let Terrestrials do with swords and fire.

[Sunder the Gold]

Okay, I went back and added in some costs that should be roughly okay.

I also settled the attunement bonus and made the initial idea into another Evocation, and I folded Vigorously Burning Bridges into Rushing Firestorm Concentration.

Sorry for not taking the time to offer a more complete product from the start.

[Octopoid]

Okay, I went back and added in some costs that should be roughly okay.

I also settled the attunement bonus and made the initial idea into another Evocation, and I folded Vigorously Burning Bridges into Rushing Firestorm Concentration.

Sorry for not taking the time to offer a more complete product from the start.

No need to apologize! This is all for fun, and I think you've done a magnificent job. After re-reading with the mote costs added, I can't say anything except that I would love to have this weapon in my games.

[Sunder the Gold]

I can't say anything except that I would love to have this weapon in my games.

Cool. Maybe you'd also like my starmetal mirror shield?

[Iethloc]

If anyone has the time, I would love to get a thorough critique of this artifact weapon. I'm doing a bunch of unusual stuff with it, and I'm not sure how balanced I can get it on my own. In case anything's off about the formatting, I originally tried copy-pasting this from a file, but that went...very wrong.

Huang and Loong (Orichalcum and Red Jade Flametongue Repeaters), Artifact ••••
There are a few paired flametongue repeaters in existence, such as Huang and Loong. They are unusual in how talkative they are, even when not attuned. While their voices often cannot be heard over the roar of their flames, the wielder can usually make them out. Huang is more talkative, never afraid to let her soothing voice be heard, exhorting the wielder to never hold back and never miss an opportunity to strike. Loong speaks rarely, yet simmers with unmotivated anger, taunting enemies about the inevitability of their deaths.

Huang and Loong are fairly young, as artifacts go. They were forged well into the Shogunate Era, as an example to the spirit world about the rising dominance of the Immaculate Philosophy. Huang and Loon were once a goddess of the hearth and a lesser elemental dragon of fire (respectively), entwined in a romance that offended a powerful Shogun. The irony of their downfall is that as immortal weapons of love and glory, Huang and Loong are known and respected by many, while the Shogun who ordered their deaths is scarcely remembered even by the ghosts of former subjects.

Huang and Loong are modeled strangely, for flametongue repeaters. They have revolving cylinders, but fire from the bottom chamber rather than the top. This leaves much room for ornamentation on their low-set barrels, carved from yasal crystal and gilded with orichalcum. Huang is modeled after a majestic species of bird long forgotten, her beak resting atop the muzzle and her dimly glowing eyes judging all who meet their gaze. Loong is modeled after a serpentine dragon, his coils gracing the sides of the barrel and his yawning mouth, with drooping tongue, barely managing to stay above the muzzle. They have no hearthstone slots.

Huang and Loong can be wielded paired with no off-hand penalty. Each holds five shots, and they may be reloaded simultaneously. A single five-mote attunement is sufficient for both. They are medium archery weapons.

Tags: Lethal, Archery (Short), Flame, Mounted, One-Handed, Special

Evocations of Huang and Loong
Each attack with Huang and Loong creates a buildup of searing heat within the weapons, but without a mote commitment it dissipates almost as fast as it is stoked. The wielder may reflexively commit a single mote after attacking (hit or miss) to retain and control the heat, creating one point of a unique resource called a "divine ember", which are manipulated by evocations. Divine embers dissipate at the end of the scene, if unused, and the commitment may be released reflexively at no cost (save for a display that obviates stealth).

A Solar or Dragon-Blooded may draw power from the divine embers when reloading both Huang and Loong. Roll one die for each divine ember, gaining one initiative if there are any successes. Each success also counts as a peripheral mote spent for the purposes of anima flare.


Crucible Cannonade Flare
Cost: 1m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Perilous, Withering-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None

As the divine embers build up within Huang and Loong, the flames they release are stoked ever hotter. A withering attack enhanced by this evocation can have some of its withering damage rolled as decisive damage dice which ignore hardness (instead of granting initiative). Up to one level may be converted at 1-5 divine embers, two levels at 6-10 embers, or three levels at 11+ embers (this does not consume any embers). The wielder decides how many levels to convert before the attack is rolled, but this may be reduced if she does not roll enough withering damage.


Phoenix Spreads Her Wings
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Withering-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Crucible Cannonade Flare

The wings of the phoenix cast a burning shadow across all the battlefield, bringing all under her gaze. This evocation allows the wielder to make a withering attack once each with Huang and Loong without the usual penalties or restrictions of a flurry. Withering damage dealt by these attacks does not grant the wielder any initiative, but are still compatible with its prerequisite. She gains only the base initiative for hitting and any initiative breaks.

The player is explicitly allowed to stunt this so as to appear to be making even more attacks than are mechanically represented, taking a dozen or perhaps even more shots.

If the wielder knows Resplendent Crimson Thunder, she may pay a three-mote surcharge on this evocation when she activates it after reloading Huang and Loong, and make three attacks instead of two. If the wielder knows Funereal Blaze, she can pay a total of 7m, 1wp activating this evocation after reloading Huang and Loong to make two attacks with each, for a total of four. Regardless, these attacks still follow the rules given above.


Dragon Stokes His Flame
Cost: - (1+m); Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Crucible Cannonade Flare

The heart of the fire dragon is a blazing furnace, and no strife can do anything but make it burn brighter. This charm can be activated while rolling Join Battle in order to generate up to three divine embers. Increase this limit by one each if the wielder knows Resplendent Crimson Thunder or Funereal Blaze.


Resplendent Crimson Thunder
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Perilous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Phoenix Spreads Her Wings, Dragon Stokes His Flame

The wielder vents the built-up heat of Huang and Loong outward, unleashing a blastwave of superheated air and smoke. This evocation requires 2+ divine embers to be activated, and creates a decisive attack that does not need to be aimed, ignores hardness, and does not require ammunition. Instead of using initiative for decisive damage, the wielder uses the number of divine embers as the raw damage, consuming all of them. This attack also does not reset the wielder's initiative, and does not cause her to lose initiative if the attack misses. On a miss, she loses 2 divine embers if she had 2-10, or 3 at 11+, instead of consuming all of them.

Special Activation Rules: In order to awaken this evocation, the wielder must create a new positive Defining intimacy towards another character of her own volition. Thereafter, the ability to use this evocation relies on maintaining this intimacy and the relationship this represents, as much as the story and circumstances allow. The wielder cannot activate any of Huang and Loong's evocations against them, even if she is betrayed. If the subject of the intimacy dies, the wielder may form a new one that qualifies for this evocation.


Funereal Blaze
Cost: - (+3a); Mins: Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Perilous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Resplendent Crimson Thunder

The wielder uses the heat of her divine embers to ignite her anima banner, unleashing an enormous plume of flame that dances and writhes across the battlefield. This evocation modifies Resplendent Crimson Thunder when activating it after crashing a non-trivial opponent while totemic. Her anima banner is returned to the dim level to power an attack that targets all crashed enemies within range, otherwise following the rules of Resplendent Crimson Thunder. Only a single attack roll is made, but it adds extra successes to the raw damage against each target. Furthermore, the wielder gains motes (outside of her normal pools) equal to her initiative to enhance this attack with instant charms, with any excess being lost.

After performing the Funereal Blaze, the wielder both consumes all of her divine embers and resets to base initiative. This upgrade may only be used once per scene, with no reset.

Special Activation Rules: In order to awaken this evocation, the wielder must have gone through some great loss, such as the death of someone represented by a positive Defining tie. Thereafter, the ability to use this evocation relies on maintaining a Defining intimacy towards the memory of what was lost. The wielder cannot use any of Huang and Loong's evocations if doing so would somehow disrespect this memory.

The loss must have been inflicted by outside forces. The wielder cannot simply cut herself off from a Defining intimacy (or have an ally do it) to be able to purchase Funereal Blaze, unless the target of the intimacy did something to deserve such abandonment.

[Elkovash]

Posting this while its on my mind.

A bit of a joke present for my Supernal Brawler player. Theme here is just "cram as many rediculous anime powers into one spot as possible while having them connect to each other". Take it for what it is i guess.

Sublime Percussion (Orichalcum Smashfists • • •)

Sublime Percussion is a net of moonsilver chain linking the hardened and glorious segments of Orichalcum etched with ancient script and a few hollows that once contained precious gem settings. In its normal state, the artifact looks like little more than a gaudy mess but once attuned it takes its rightful place, wrapped about the forearms of its master like a set of golden scale bracers. When set into combat positioning the chains wrap about the hands of its master and link the segments together to form impressive gauntlets. The missing gem settings do not detract from the appearance of the weapons, instead serving as a message to those that would see Sublime Percussion in the form it was crafted for - perfection of form, no room for arbitrary embellishments.

Attune: A Solar or Lunar Exalted that attunes to Sublime Percussion may freely flurry the ‘ready weapon’ action without penalty, to bring the artifact to bear against their enemies. The magic of the artifact allows it to conform to any natural weapons possessed by its master and grants the light artifact weapon traits to any hoof, claw, fist or other such natural limbs regardless of the form they take.

Semblance of the Youthful Sun Dragon
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Scene
Prerequisite: None
Once activated, this evocation grants the attuned exalt a Drive pool that fills during battle. Each attack suffered (whether successful or not) grants one Drive point and when the attuned exalt suffers decisive damage, they gain one drive point plus the wound penalty of the box marked for each health level lost.
Special Activation Rules: Semblance of the Youthful Sun Dragon may be activated a second time for the cost of 2m as a reflexive action. Once active, the exalt no longer gains drive points but can spend those already accumulated to replace the initiative cost of any charm, ability or action (including gambits) but may not add more drive to a single decisive attack than their permanent Essence score.

Zone of the Hot-Spirited Tiger
Cost: 1m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Semblance of the Youthful Sun Dragon
Activating this evocation allows the attuned exalt access to one weapon tag of their choosing from Reaching, Smashing, Chopping or Piercing. They may apply it immediately to their attack. Paying any requisite costs.
Special Activation Rules: While the special activation of Semblance of the Youthful Sun Dragon is active, this charm’s mote cost can be replaced by drive points.


Solemnity of the One Punch Man
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Perilous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Zone of the Tiger
Solemnity of the One Punch Man is a decisive attack that has raw damage equal to the number of drive points spent since Semblance of the Youthful Sun Dragon was activated. This attack does not reset the attuned exalt to base initiative after attack resolution but in all other ways counts as a decisive attack, including losing initiative for failing.
Special Activation Rules: If the attuned exalt has not attacked the target of this evocation at all during the current combat, this charm loses the perilous keyword and can explicitly launch a decisive attack from initiative crash. Succeeding at such an attack immediately resets the attuned exalt to base initiative.

[rungok]

The Emerald Rose
(Sorcerous Initiation, Merits, and Evocations)
Of all artifacts dealing with Malfeas, none is so beautiful or as desired as the Emerald Rose. It appears to be a precisely carved blooming rose made of emerald, with a twisted adamant stem. The bloom is as large as two clenched fists, and the stem long and sturdy enough to wield the artifact like a mace, if one was inclined to try using it for such (treat as a light artifact weapon with the Bashing tag). It is no fragile crystal though; the rose is seemingly indestructible.
In truth, the Emerald Rose is formed from the crystalized tears of Ligier, who was forced to cry once during the 1st age by a performance so beautiful that even the fetish souls of Malfeas wept.
Those who stare into the emerald petals of the rose find reflected back on them glimpses of an ancient text. Those of sorcerous persuasions can discover that the rose reflects back upon them an image seen in it's surface long ago: an intact copy of the bindings and agreements that lock the Primordials within Malfeas. Further study shows many other sorcerous writs and documents from throughout the ages, including one book not yet written.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gathering Rituals:
The sorcerer can grip the stem of the Emerald Rose tightly, biting the thorns into her hands and drawing her blood into the artifact and converting them into sorcerous motes. By taking 1 level of aggravated damage, the sorcerer can make a full Willpower+Occult roll, gaining 1 sorcerous mote per success garnered on the roll. This damage disappears at the beginning of a new day, but the sorcerer can only use this ability when she has no damage from prior uses of the rose.
The sorcerer can call upon the sorcerous writings reflected upon the rose's petals, allowing them to stunt casting her spell through the rose. They gain a number of sorcerous motes for the spell equal to the stunt rating +2.
The sorcerer can make the rose the focus of a summoning ritual, rolling Intelligence+Occult to accrue sorcerous motes. Every success gains her 1 mote from any summoning spell, but when used with any of the demon summoning spells, they generate 2 motes per success. These motes last 1 day per dot of essence of the exalt, and can be used to fuel spells.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Merits of the Emerald Rose:
Mark of the Emerald Sun (o)
This ability works like Infernal Nobility (See Bargain with Mara) except it is the fact they carry a tear of Ligier that garners the demon's respect.
Smells half as sweet (oo)
Sometimes someone attuned to the Emerald Rose can smell when a summoned creature is not loyal to her. When the sorcerer is within short range of a summoned demon or elemental that is not loyal to her or a task assigned by her, she may make a Perception+Occult roll, difficulty 3, to be alerted to their presence. This is the only time that the Emerald Rose has a scent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evocations:
Emerald Lackey Designation:
Cost: 5m, 1w, - (1m)
Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite: None
The Emerald Rose is a scepter of authority over demons. The exalt may touch the Rose to the body of a materialized demon and grant it improved prowess and marking it as the exalt's favored creature.
The motes spent on this evocation are committed while the evocation is active, but willpower spent recovers normally. This effect lasts indefinitely, or until the end of the scene in which the exalt ends her commitment to this evocation.
A demon graced by Emerald Lackey Designation is made a better servant, increasing the demon's physical attributes, join battle, soak, and granting them a hardness equal to the exalt's essence score. Should the exalt's essence increase while this evocation is in effect, the demon's bonuses increase to match.
Once per scene, the exalt may spend 1m to pull the demon to them from anywhere in creation to her side.
Special Activation Rules: An exalt who knows the Demon of the First Circle spell automatically learns this evocation the next time they pick up the Emerald Rose.
Emerald Rebuke
Cost: - (2m)
Mins: Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Emerald Lackey Designation
Sometimes an example needs to be made. Whenever the exalt uses the Emerald Rose to make a decisive attack on a demon they summoned, they may pay 2m to have their attack count Double 10's, and add extra successes to damage.
Emerald Siphon
Cost: 3m/8m
Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Emerald Rebuke
This evocation is explicitly allowed to be activated while the exalt is making the shape sorcery action. When activated, the exalt may siphon 1 mote of essence from every summoned demon she controls within close range of her, adding those motes to her sorcerous motes gathered for that turn. A demon loyal to her cannot refuse this siphoning, but cannot give motes it doesn't have.
The exalt may instead pay 8 motes to siphon essence from every demon under her control within short range.