[center][color=cyan][SIZE=17px]O[/SIZE][b]_[/b][SIZE=17px]O[/SIZE][/center]

[left]Okay, well. Some corrections are clearly needed; [color=#999999]l[color=#999997]a[color=#9A9A96]s[color=#9A9B95]t[color=#9B9C93] [color=#9C9C92]t[color=#9C9D91]i[color=#9D9E8F]m[color=#9D9F8E]e[color=#9E9F8D] [color=#9FA08B]I[color=#9FA18A] [color=#A0A289]w[color=#A0A287]a[color=#A1A386]s[color=#A2A485] [color=#A2A583]v[color=#A3A682]e[color=#A3A681]r[color=#A4A77F]y[color=#A5A87E] [color=#A5A97D]t[color=#A6A97B]i[color=#A6AA7A]r[color=#A7AB79]e[color=#A8AC77]d[color=#A8AC76] [color=#A9AD75]a[color=#A9AE73]n[color=#AAAF72]d[color=#ABAF71] [color=#ABB070]c[color=#ACB16E]l[color=#ACB26D]e[color=#ADB36C]a[color=#AEB36A]r[color=#AEB469]l[color=#AFB568]y[color=#AFB666] [color=#B0B665]a[color=#B1B764]p[color=#B1B862]p[color=#B2B961]r[color=#B2B960]o[color=#B3BA5E]a[color=#B4BB5D]c[color=#B4BC5C]h[color=#B5BC5A]i[color=#B5BD59]n[color=#B6BE58]g[color=#B7BF56] [color=#B7C055]t[color=#B8C054]o[color=#B8C152]t[color=#B9C251]a[color=#BAC350]l[color=#BAC34E] [color=#BBC44D]i[color=#BBC54C]n[color=#BCC64B]c[color=#BDC649]o[color=#BDC748]h[color=#BEC847]e[color=#BEC945]r[color=#BFC944]e[color=#C0CA43]n[color=#C0CB41]c[color=#C1CC40]y[color=#C1CD3F];[color=#C2CD3D] [color=#C3CE3C]t[color=#C3CF3B]o[color=#C4D039]d[color=#C4D038]a[color=#C5D137]y[color=#C6D235] [color=#C6D334]I[color=#C7D333] [color=#C7D431]h[color=#C8D530]a[color=#C9D62F]v[color=#C9D62D]e[color=#CAD72C] [color=#CAD82B]h[color=#CBD929]a[color=#CCDA28]d[color=#CCDA27] [color=#CDDB26]f[color=#CDDC24]i[color=#CEDD23]v[color=#CFDD22]e[color=#CFDE20]?[color=#D0DF1F] [color=#D0E01E]l[color=#D1E01C]e[color=#D2E11B]t[color=#D2E21A]'[color=#D3E318]s[color=#D3E317] [color=#D4E416]s[color=#D5E514]a[color=#D5E613]y[color=#D6E712] [color=#D6E710]f[color=#D7E80F]i[color=#D8E90E]v[color=#D8EA0C]e[color=#D9EA0B] [color=#D9EB0A]c[color=#DAEC08]a[color=#DBED07]n[color=#DBED06]s[color=#DCEE04] [color=#DCEF03]o[color=#DDF002]f[color=#DEF101] Mountain Dew, so let's see how it goes![/left]

*[i]ahem[/i]*



[center][color=cyan][b]collected facts about incense[/center]

In Eastern traditions, although it's almost universal to burn funerary incense, there is no one incense closely identified with death or funerary practice. In Western traditions, however, myrrh has been associated with death and the dead for over four millennia, dating from its use by the ancient Egyptians in mummification.

The East does have its share of incense-related traditions, however. To quote EDICT:
[quote]反魂香 【はんごんこう】 (n) incense which supposedly allows the spirit of a departed loved one to be seen in the smoke[/quote]
That's "Hangon-kō", usually translated into English as "Spirit-Recalling-Incense", following [url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/igj/igj05.htm]Lafcadio Hearn's treatise on the subject[/url]. It's a mythical form of incense associated, somewhat appropriately, with Taoist sorcery. (There were supposedly other incenses for other magical purposes, as well.)

Myrrh was not unknown to the Chinese; in Chinese alchemical medicine, Wikipedia alleges, myrrh is considered "blood-moving".



[center][color=cyan][b]what, really?[/center]

[quote="rcnr"]
[X]Ampersandwich
[/quote]
Not even going to wait for the corrections? :D (Especially with an extra +25 to work with. Again, it is an embarrassment of riches.)



[center][color=cyan][b]^_^;;[/center]

[quote author=Valette-Serafina link=topic=639.msg127370#msg127370 date=1411149468]That's a +50, btw.  :D[/quote]
... okay then!


[quote author=Valette-Serafina link=topic=639.msg127370#msg127370 date=1411149468]They do not, only the highest applies.[/quote]
Ah. So if we get smoke-blood (and there seems to be consensusward movement for that), there's no [i]mechanical[/i] reason to apply further Altered Body traits; it'll remain at +50?

(Which very specifically does not rule out applying other traits for thematic reasons, aesthetic reasons, or simple convenience, of course.)


[quote author=Valette-Serafina link=topic=639.msg127370#msg127370 date=1411149468]Beryl does.[/quote]
... who? (Do you mean Queen Beryl? I can see it, but...)


[quote author=Valette-Serafina link=topic=639.msg127370#msg127370 date=1411149468]For a ten point cost increase, and it will destroy them beyond repair.[/quote]
[color=#604060]"... for I am Death, 'gainst whom no lock may hold nor fastened portal bar."[/color]

This puts it at 30 points for the five-second version. It's also the dual of Perfect Touch, so it's looking very tempting, even without the augmentation. (If Flaw Perception no longer requires Morbid, it's mechanically superior, but less so thematically...)



[center][color=cyan][b]before the taking of a toast, and tea[/b][/center]

A second draft of a suggested expenditure sheet:

[table]
[tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][center][color=white]Credits[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]+52[/td][td][/td][td][color=#555555](initial DP)[/color][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]+50[/td][td][/td][td]Altered Body [color=#555555](fragrant incense as blood; no menstrual cycle)[/color][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]+5[/td][td][/td][td][s]Blood[/s] Incense Magic [color=#555555](☴ ☯ ☲ ☯ ☱)[/color][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]= 107[/td][td][color=transparent]_[/color][/td][td]total DP[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][color=transparent]_[/color][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][center][color=white]Debits[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-20[/td][td][/td][td]Kānshǒu [color=#555555](perceive magic; precog at QM whim)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-5[/td][td][/td][td]Crossing [color=#555555](may enter and exit dreams physically; may bring anything by touching it)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-15[/td][td][/td][td]Yìrén [color=#555555](may shape dreams, creating wonders therein)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-15[/td][td][/td][td]Mantle of Death: 2 options [color=#555555](a many-layered white kimono)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][color=transparent]____[/color] Comfort[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][color=transparent]____[/color] Artifact [color=#808000](Magic Brush?)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-20[/td][td][/td][td]Those who Went Before [color=#555555](summon spirits of ages past)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-10[/td][td][/td][td]Undying [color=#555555](and death shall have no dominion)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-3[/td][td][/td][td]Specialty die: History d2 [color=#555555](quasi-retcon: Fumi "always" had this)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]-3[/td][td][/td][td]Specialty die: Magic d2 [color=#555555](non-retcon: acquired due to event)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]= -91[/td][td][color=transparent]_[/color][/td][td]used DP[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][color=transparent]_[/color][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][center][color=white]Special Debits[/td][/tr]
[tr][td][right]☥☥☥[/td][td][/td][td]Peaceful Touch [color=#555555](the laying on of hands)[/td][/tr]
[/table]


That leaves us with 107-91 = 16 DP remaining, which have several possible uses:
[color=#806080]e0.[/color] Miser: 16 DP hoarded for later use.
[color=#806080]e1.[/color] Core: -12 DP to increase Core die size to d7. 4 DP unspent.
[color=#806080]e2.[/color] Core + Skills: -12 DP to increase Core die size to d7. -4 DP to increase specialty die sizes in (e.g.) Perception and Willpower.
[color=#806080]e3.[/color] Skill Splurge: -16 to increase all specialty dice except Computers and History to d3.
[color=#806080]e4.[/color] Skill Splurge Plus: +4 DP from 1 donated Yunqi. -20 to increase all specialty dice to d3.
[color=#806080]e5.[/color] PoE: +4 DP from 1 donated Yunqi. -20 DP to buy Palm of Endings (unaugmented version).
[color=#806080]e6.[/color] Sīlìng: +4 DP from 1 donated Yunqi. -20 DP to buy Sīlìng.
[color=#806080]e7.[/color] Mantle Plus: -15 DP to increase Mantle options to 4 (which?). 1 DP unspent.
... and so on.

Of the options I've listed there I'll donate a Yùnqì for e5, but I'm currently leaning towards e1. Given that Sīlìng cannot be acquired later, though, I could be talked into it. (Certainly, if someone else wants to spend a Yùnqì...)



[center][color=cyan][b]a scythe is traditional but also slightly awkward at parties[/center]

The Magic Brush mentioned is ... presumably a brush with which Fumi can draw things to cause magical effects. (She's a manga-ka, after all.) It may be something as mundane as a brush-shaped staff weapon, or a focus for onmyōdō-style magic, or a tool that lets her draw things that then become real or come to life. (Perhaps this is even part of how TWWB works: she sketches a likeness of the person to summon?) Since the Weapon Orb is a valid artifact then it could even be both a staff-weapon (possibly even with bonus floating die attached) and a magical focus, although probably not of more than one sort.

Alternatively, perhaps, a Skeleton Key? (See above Pratchett quotation concerning locks, bars, and Death.) It could again be a staff weapon, after the fashion of Sailor Pluto, although that's perhaps getting a little too Kingdom-Hearts-ish.

My thoughts on other suggestions so far:
[list][*]the Weapon Orb is not useful enough without Physical dice;[*]just getting Physical dice is mechanically solid, but goes somewhat against our character concept; and[*]the Disguise Pen specializes us for an approach that may often not be viable, is less necessary without obvious physical changes, and while not actually contradictory to it still goes somewhat outside our character concept... but, for all that, is not really a bad choice.[/list]



[center][color=cyan][b]important, yet almost forgotten[/center]

[X] Talk (Gather Info)
-[X] Blurt out: "So I am supposed to be the cause of your death?"