Ask a simple question, Awakened edition

[Isator Levi]

That said, learning of a target's relevant stats is surely a Knowing spell, so it's not the most onerous thing to find out.

[Tessie]

In many cases you can also figure it out by observing the effect. If your Potency 4 Know Spirit spell gets two questions, you don't have to waste a question to know it's Rank 2.

Just to repeat: The player decides the Potency of the spell when casting it. If the spell doesn't have enough Potency, it simply doesn't have an effect. A reminder: The subject can also spend WP to momentarily increase their Withstand rating by 2.
If their Withstand rating decreases after the fact, any non-instantaneous spells increases in effective Potency, potentially allowing spells that were reduced to zero Potency to suddenly take effect. Example: Mage casts a Life spell to transform two subjects into frogs with a Potency 4 spell. The first subject has Stamina 2 but spends WP to raise it temporarily to 4, staving off the transformation for one turn. The second subject has Stamina 4 and is unaffected. The mage casts Degrading the Form with Potency 5 to reduce the second subject's Stamina by [Potency 5 - Stamina 4 = effective Potency 1] and their Stamina is now below the Potency of the first spell and the subject turns into a frog.

[Isator Levi]

Although I think it's interesting to look at a few examples of the kinds of spells where a mage might not be initially sure if the effect has taken hold or not. You throw Exceptional Luck to hex somebody whose Composure turns out to be higher than you expected, it would take further observation to be sure of whether or not they're actually being inhibited.

[TakWrote]

The entry for Brontium in Signs of Sorcery says that Brontium items give a "+2 bonus to defend against debilitating effects". What does this bonus apply to?

EG - if I have an active ghost shield spell on myself, and someone casts "Enervation" on me, which I think pretty clearly qualifies as debilitating - do I get +2 dice on my clash of wills from Ghost Shield, +2 on my Stamina Withstand, or both?

Is this an equipment bonus, and so only applies if the equipment could be used to defend against the debilitating effect, or does it simply apply to any opposed roll/stat against any debilitating effect?

As written, it reads like a benefit to defense against pretty much any possible negative condition or tilt, which seems .... strong.

[21C Hermit]

The entry for Brontium in Signs of Sorcery says that Brontium items give a "+2 bonus to defend against debilitating effects". What does this bonus apply to?

EG - if I have an active ghost shield spell on myself, and someone casts "Enervation" on me, which I think pretty clearly qualifies as debilitating - do I get +2 dice on my clash of wills from Ghost Shield, +2 on my Stamina Withstand, or both?

Is this an equipment bonus, and so only applies if the equipment could be used to defend against the debilitating effect, or does it simply apply to any opposed roll/stat against any debilitating effect?

As written, it reads like a benefit to defense against pretty much any possible negative condition or tilt, which seems .... strong.

Looks like an equipment bonus. It should work for contested actions, but dunno about Clash of Wills. Most likely not intended to raise Withstand, though. Still, yeah it’s handy to have.

[TakWrote]

Makes sense. Maybe if you use the brontium as a tool Yantra for the defensive spell you could get the equipment bonus to the clash of wills.

[KaiserAfini]

Makes sense. Maybe if you use the brontium as a tool Yantra for the defensive spell you could get the equipment bonus to the clash of wills.

My understanding is that, apart from the bonus it gives the +2 bonus to any protection or warding spells, the user gains 2 extra Withstand levels against any spells that apply negative Conditions, as well as those reduce Attributes or Skills. By that standard, and the fact it can be mass produced either by a Master of Matter or Time (using Blink of an Eye near an Avernian Gate. Loci or portal to Twilight) and the fact that it does not require any kind of resource recharge means its arguably a more valuable resource than Thaumium. Such a property makes it essential equipment for any combative mage (or experienced Banisher) Something as innocuous as a kassiterium coin in a subject's wallet can make a notable difference in their survivability without requiring any spells.

[Isator Levi]

What is the Master of Matter doing, and how does Blink of an Eye help?

[KaiserAfini]

What is the Master of Matter doing, and how does Blink of an Eye help?

Sorry, my mistake, Disciple of Matter is all that is needed. In the case of a Master of Time, they can use Blink of an Eye near a portal to Twilight (or a similar gateway to the Underworld or Hisil) to shorten the time needed to naturally perfect metals. The passes take mere moments and the time needed for the base materials to rest can be shortened, allowing the entire process to be completed very quickly.

[Isator Levi]

Sorry, my mistake, Disciple of Matter is all that is needed.

I would have issues with referring to the use of that spell (of any spell) as mass production. There is the matter of how it caps a bit at the ten that the most resolute and composed person in the world can manage before they can't relinquish it anymore and are going to be wracking up Reach for every additional spell they're casting and retaining.

And presumably making Indefinite, so that's at least two Mana per casting. That's going to drain the pool fairly quickly, and the options for replenishing it are a bit sparse.

I guess a character could relinquish their Perfecting spells (which still cost two Mana a pop) unsafely, but that might hurt their reputation if they're giving out material that is going to ultimately have the spell decay.

I'm personally inclined to be a bit rigid with the application of Blink of an Eye, that its power largely affects things that take the form of extended actions in any case, and that particularly with regards to perfecting material an idea that the metaphysics of the process can't accelerate the convalescence period.

[TempleBuilder]

Silly question, but does Speak with Beasts work on humans?
I’d assume so, but I don’t have the book on me.

[KaiserAfini]

Silly question, but does Speak with Beasts work on humans?
I’d assume so, but I don’t have the book on me.

Probably so, since humans are technically highly intelligent animals. However, since this involves gesturing that sound approximately correct or the target speaking in their own language, which the other party somehow understands, the effect is probably very overt. That means it would probably be seen as obvious magic when used on any Sleepers, but should allow mages to speak with other supernaturals without having to learn a new language (or use Mind magic). Plus it can allow them to bribe animals to spy for them with zero traceable spells (or pings on the Peripheral Sight), which combined with Animal Handling makes for a very subtle spy network.

[Isator Levi]

However, since this involves gesturing that sound approximately correct or the target speaking in their own language, which the other party somehow understands, the effect is probably very overt.

Although now I'm thinking that a subject of the spell could mumble towards somebody in what sounds like an approximation of their language, and the listener could assume that they're comprehending something inarticulate but recognisable. Or possibly that the subject keeps it simple and then lets a listener run on the idea that they're getting the gist of something reasonably understandable in the first place.

Plus it can allow them to bribe animals to spy for them with zero traceable spells (or pings on the Peripheral Sight), which combined with Animal Handling makes for a very subtle spy network.

Although fairly limited in their capabilities, depending on the chosen animal. They won't necessarily have a good sense of information that would be useful to a mage or much retention, and their commitment might lag a bit; not necessarily loyal to any food provided now, or attached to promises of more food later if they have a need to eat and opportunity presents itself elsewhere.

Plus how more than a few animals that might go unnoticed won't necessarily have senses useful for acquiring the kind of information a mage might require. You send insects to watch a person, but they don't perceive the same mental picture that we do; you'd need a Weaving to give them something like a human visual acuity first.

[Demigod Beast]

I have an absolutely crazy idea, and thought I’d consult people here before doing any writing.

Is it possible for a single location to be a Locus, a Hallow, a Verge, an Aedes and a Manteion simultaneously?

[Isator Levi]

I have an absolutely crazy idea, and thought I’d consult people here before doing any writing.

Is it possible for a single location to be a Locus, a Hallow, a Verge, an Aedes and a Manteion simultaneously?

Signs of Sorcery outright describes stacking multiple types of those locations together. Doesn't use Locus in its specific wording, but also mentions ley line Nodes and passages to Emanations. The intention is very much that they can be customized by virtue of not being exclusive. Just suggests that there should be a common theme weaving them together.