Velvet Charms

PRESENCE
Listener-Swaying Argument
Cost: 3m; Mins: Presence 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar’s passionate appeals can soften even the stoniest of hearts. This Charm supplements an instill or persuade action, granting the Solar one automatic success and additionally granting one non-Charm bonus die for every two points the target’s Resolve is boosted by any means. The Solar cannot gain more than three bonus dice in this fashion.

Harmonious Presence Meditation
Cost: 5m or 7m; Mins: Presence 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Lawgiver embodies virility, magnetism and grace, empowering her forces of persuasion. For five motes, this Charm grants three bonus dice to all forms of social influence from all Abilities except Stealth. In addition, the cost of all social influence Charms are reduced by one mote, to a minimum of one. The seven mote version of this Charm extends the duration to indefinite.

Tiger’s Dread Symmetry
Cost: —; Mins: Presence 3, Essence 1
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Lawgiver is a singular and terrifying being, awesome to behold. Learning this Charm grants one bonus die to all Presence rolls and allows the Exalt to reroll (Essence or three, whichever is greater) non-successes on rolls to intimidate. In addition, if the Solar has activated Majestic Radiant Presence, a character must resist an automatic intimidate attempt before he’s able to attempt an ambush attack. This effect does not make the Solar aware of her attacker—it simply means that, as her assassin draws a bead on her from the shadows, her fierce look and deadly grace emanates forth to cow him. The intimidate action may only be supported by Charms that are ongoing or otherwise can be used unconsciously.

Impassioned Discourse Technique
Cost: 3m; Mins: Presence 4, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: NoneDuration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Listener-Swaying Argument
The Solar argues from her beliefs, persuading listeners with the depth of her emotion. This Charm supplements a persuade action, granting the Solar one automatic success. In addition, when the Solar argues from a Prin-ciple she holds, she gains two, three, or four bonus dice, based on the intensity of the Principle. In essence, this Charm persuades a character to act as the Solar would act. She might argue from her own compassionate prin-ciples to convince her target to be merciful or generous, or principles reflecting temperance, to convince the target to abstain from debauchery, vice, dereliction or iniquity. Likewise she might invoke valorous Intimacies to urge courageous action, or she might sell a course of action with the force of her conviction.

Majestic Radiant Presence
Cost: 6m; Mins: Presence 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Harmonious Presence Meditation
Her incandescent spirit magnifies the Lawgiver with aspects of glory and terror. While this Charm is active, characters must pay a point of temporary Willpower to speak against her or attack her. Her enemies need only pay this price once per scene. In addition, all threaten actions against her suffer a penalty equal to her Essence.

Underling-Promoting Touch
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Majestic Radiant Presence
With a touch, the Exalt raises a servant to the role of a champion. By using this Charm and touching a person who serves or follows her, the Lawgiver temporarily makes her subject the beneficiary of respect and admiration usually reserved for the Solar. Characters who have ties of loyalty, respect or admiration to the Solar now also feel the same way toward her charge. Additionally, the character also inherits any social station or role it is within the Solar’s right to grant, and all characters who are subject to that station instantly recognize that they are subject to the promoted one’s authority.

Threefold Magnetic Ardor
Cost: 4m; Mins: Presence 4, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Harmonious Presence Meditation, Listener-Swaying Argument
The Solar’s intense sexuality magnifies her powers of persuasion, making any instill or persuade actions made with Presence, Performance or Socialize more compel-ling. Normally when a character has higher Appearance than her target’s Resolve, she enjoys a non-Charm dice bonus equal to the difference of the two values. This Charm converts the difference into automatic successes. This bonus counts as dice added by a Charm. Note that this Charm still works if the character has the Hideous merit, as the amplification of her horrifying Appearance has an equally profound effect on persuasion. In this case, Threefold Magnetic Ardor also supplements threaten actions.


Awakened Carnal Demiurge
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Threefold Magnetic Ardor
Through intense preparation, the Lawgiver magnifies her own appearance, increasing the magnitude of her presence. The Solar enacts a simple dramatic action lasting five minutes, in which she verbally induces her inner greatness to external form. For as long as she commits Essence, the Solar’s Appearance is increased by one, even if this raises her Appearance above five. In addition, any seduction attempt she makes treats her target as if he had one less Resolve, both lowering his resistance and increasing the effectiveness of her Appearance rating.

Authority-Radiating Stance
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Majestic Radiant Presence
The Lawgiver exudes rightful authority. This Charm pre-vents every ally within medium range from succumbing completely to fear. As long as they can see the Solar or hear her voice, they suffer no fear-based penalties to their actions. The Exalt’s rally rolls (p. 210) are also enhanced, gaining one automatic success. This Charm does not protect characters from supernatural terror or from being threatened by a Dawn Caste.

Prophet-Uplifting Evocation
Cost: 4m, 1wp, 2xp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Underling-Promoting Touch
With a gesture, the Solar uplifts a favored follower and grants him true power. This Charm permanently empowers a character under the effect of Underling-Promoting Touch, granting him a personal Essence pool of four motes plus up to five more, provided by the Solar upon using this Charm. The character becomes inured to supernatural terror, and may resist it with a +2 bonus to his Resolve. In addition, if the character has Integrity 3+, then he’s granted a Charm called Unhesitating Dedication. This Charm allows the prophet to defend a Defining Principle from being decayed by reflexively paying three motes. The Lawgiver may have (Essence x2) prophets. If a prophet is slain, the Solar recovers experience points spent in the Charm’s cost.

Worshipful Lackey Acquisition
Cost: —; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Underling-Promoting Touch
As the sun rises in prominence, shadows grow long upon the earth. Whenever the Solar achieves a goal through lecture, prophecy, oration, or other forms of performance, those who conspire against her are twisted against them-selves. Enemies who witness her success must roll (Wits + Integrity) with a penalty of the Solar’s Essence, against a difficulty of the Solar’s strongest Social Attribute. Those who fail become enthralled with the Solar’s wisdom and greatness and are inclined to follow her and do as she commands as if they had a Principle defining them as one of her acolytes. The character does not stop hating the Solar, but must grovel, cloy and defer to her for (Essence) days. Occasionally when this effect ends, if the character was treated well by the Solar, his negative Intimacies for her are diminished or destroyed and he becomes one of her true allies.

Fulminating Word
Cost: 1wp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Impassioned Discourse Technique
When the Lawgiver argues from one of her defining prin-ciples, it is nearly impossible to disagree. Her words sow dissent within a target’s soul. Upon successfully beating a target’s Resolve with a bargain, threaten or persuade action, but before a Decision Point has been entered, she may activate this Charm to magnify the impact of her ar-gument. Doing so raises the cost of the Decision Point to two Willpower. If the target acquiesces to the Solar’s demands, then the Exalt gains a point of temporary Will-power when she realizes her success

God-Heeling Gesture
Cost: 4m
Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Majestic Radiant Presence
Presence suffused with the Essence of divinity, the Solar wields her charisma to restore order. The Exalt may use this Charm once per round on her turn to make a sud-den gesture or action that completely reverses a lesser miracle. Generally this works without a roll, but if the Storyteller deems it necessary, roll a clash between the Charisma + Presence of the two characters. Thus with a clap of her hands, the Solar can cause a withered flower to stand back up and bloom brightly. With a stomp of her foot she can cause a spring that dried out centuries ago to well up with fresh water. Altering a spirit’s dominion in this fashion automatically informs the spirit of the presence of one of the Solar Exalted. No other being could so casually gainsay a god.

Crowned King of Eternity
Cost: —; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 4
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Authority-Radiating Stance,Fulminating Word
The Lawgiver sits at the cycle of events, shining with a spirit that casts all others in relief. Once per scene, she may use this Charm to enact a free full Presence, Performance, or Socialize Excellency.

PERFORMANCE
Masterful Performance Exercise
Cost: 2m; Mins: Performance 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Mute
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar’s talent is not free or instinctual, but rather the hard-won excellence that comes from a lifetime of practice. This Charm supplements a Performance-based action, granting one automatic success and rerolling1s until 1s fail to appear. This Charm also makes the Exalt’s 1s unavailable to magic that might interfere with herperformance.

Respect-Commanding Attitude
Cost: 5m; Mins: Performance 2, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: One Performance action
Prerequisite Charms: None
The return of the Solars is a miracle never before seen. The universe inclines to hear their voices once again. When this Charm supplements a Performance action of any length, characters are inclined to stop and listen. This does not guarantee that the Lawgiver is persuasive in her arguments, but it does guarantee that her audience listens respectfully to her entire performance. Characters may pay one Willpower to leave the performance, but if they wish to interrupt or attack the Lawgiver, they must pay two Willpower, and may only approach her by blending into her demonstration, capping the actions of each affected character by their individual (Charisma + Performance) ratings until one of them is able to successfully stop her act. This Charm does not function after combat has started, but if activated beforehand, it remains active after Join Battle has been rolled, up until the Solar is forced to stop her performance.

BRAWL
Fists of Iron Technique
Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
This Charm allows the Exalt to parry lethal damage with her bare hands. In addition, her bare-handed decisive strike does lethal damage and her withering damage ignores (Essence + Intimacy) soak. The Intimacy in this context can be a Tie (as the Solar strikes a hated enemy or defends a beloved friend) or a Principle (as the Solar exults in the thrill of violence).

Ferocious Jab
Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar strikes her opponent with a fury-enhanced blow. This Charm supplements a physical strike, and adds a number of dice to the damage of a withering or decisive attack equal to the target’s current onslaught penalty.

Thunderclap Rush Attack
Cost: 3m; Mins: Brawl 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar’s aggression fuels her Essence, quickening her movements, allowing her to blur into combat range of an opponent to make a first strike. This Charm allows the Solar to move a single range band without consuming her movement action, to make an attack regardless of her position in the Initiative order. The attack in this instance must be made the moment the Solar blurs forward, and so this Charm can only be activated at short range. This attack counts as her turn for the round, and doesn’t have to be a Brawl attack. If contested by another character using Thunderclap Rush Attack, the better stunt wins. The target of Thunderclap Rush Attack may not use a Clash (p. 202) to defend against the Solar’s attack unless he’s using a Charm with the Clash keyword.
At Brawl 5, Essence 3+, the character may add one Willpower to the cost of this Charm—when she uses it against her opponent, it automatically strips (Essence or 5, whichever is lower) Initiative from her target and awards it to her, before the attack is made. This Charm can be used once per target, per scene, but can be refreshed against a single target by crashing that target.

Falling Hammer Strike
Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 4, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Thunderclap Rush Attack
The Solar is as relentless as the coming storm. This Charm supplements a withering or decisive attack, preventing the onslaught penalty to her target’s Defense from fading on his next turn. The Solar’s onslaught can only be abated by escaping her long enough to suffer no attack for at least one round. If the Solar is unable or unwilling to attack her target, the effect ends and the target’s Defense refreshes as normal. Falling Hammer Strike does not maintain onslaught penalties from other characters’ attacks, nor does it supplement grapple attacks.

Heaven Thunder Hammer
Cost: 7m; Mins: Brawl 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ferocious Jab
At the moment of impact, the Solar sends a surge of Essence up her arm or down her leg, multiplying the force of her blow many times over. This Charm is activated after a successful decisive Brawl attack. If the damage roll generates at least one success, the target is knocked prone by the force of the blow, and loses a point of Initiative, which is added to the Solar’s base value (typically 3) when her Initiative resets. This blow strikes with the force of a hurricane condensed into the Solar’s fist. The more damaging the blow, the more forcefully her opponent will be knocked away from her:
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 (see falling damage, p. 232), destroying any less-obdurate objects he 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 of the blow throws him to short range with a short-distance falling impact.
At five or more successes, the foe is thrown to short range and suffers an impact like falling from a medium height. The Solar can use Heaven Thunder Hammer to knock her opponent into a high ceiling, forcing him to contend with falling damage on the way down. She might also choose to smash him through a weak point in a nearby wall, causing him to suffer a collapse. She might aim to hurl her opponent into a spike protruding from a surface, turning the damage lethal, or knock her enemy from a rooftop, causing him to suffer a fall from a much greater distance. The player should include the environment in their stunts to enhance this Charm’s effectiveness.
At Essence 3+, double the successes for determining the
distance the victim is hurled. At 7+, the victim can be
hurled to medium range with a medium height impact

Vicious Lunge
Cost: 1m; Mins: Brawl 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
In a burst of violence, the Solar launches herself at an opponent, seizing him with tremendous force. This Charm supplements a grapple gambit, adding one automatic success to the attack roll, and (Essence or three, whichever is greater) dice to the Initiative roll.

Devil-Strangling Attitude
Cost: —(3m); Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 1
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Vicious Lunge
The fury-driven might of the Lawgiver can crush the life from even the gods. This Charm allows the Solar to roll (Strength + Brawl) to attack with a grapple gambit. At Essence 2+ she may pay three motes to double extra successes on the control roll when using Oak-Curling Clinch.

Burning Fist Burial
Cost: 4m + 1m per die; Mins: Brawl 4, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ferocious Jab
The Solar’s blow sends a surge of Solar Essence crashing and burning through her foe’s bones and internal organs. This Charm adds extra successes from a decisive attack to the damage roll at a rate of one mote per die, and is activated after the attack succeeds.

Oak-Curling Clinch
Cost: 2m; Mins: Brawl 4, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Vicious Lunge
Locked in a deadly struggle with her opponent, the Exalt draws on the inner fire of her Essence, channeling savage might into her limbs. This Charm may be used after the Solar has succeeded at a grapple gambit, converting extra successes on the attack roll into bonus dice on the control roll.

Adamantine Fists of Battle * 2
Cost: 4m; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Burning Fist Burial
Hardening her fists until they are unbreakable, the Exalt strikes a shattering blow. When this Charm supplements a withering attack made with the Solar’s bare hands, her strike gains an Overwhelming bonus equal to her Strength. For example, the Overwhelming value of a punch attack is 1. If the Solar’s Strength is 5, then her Overwhelming for this attack is 6. On a decisive attack, her damage is lethal, has double 10s, and rerolls 10s. On the tick she uses this Charm, the Lawgiver can parry lethal attacks with her bare hands without a stunt. A repurchase allows the Solar to use a Simple version of this Charm with a duration of one scene and a cost of five motes, one Willpower. This version may be activated reflexively for two motes, one Willpower ifthe Solar uses the supplemental version to successfully damage an opponent.

Orichalcum Fists of Battle
Cost: 8m, 3a, 1wp +1m per turn; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Adamantine Fists of Battle (x2)
While using the scene-long version of the prerequisite, the Solar may channel the raw fury of her iconic anima down into her fists, suffusing them with blazing Solar Essence. For the rest of the scene, her decisive attacks ignore hardness, and her base Initiative is increased by one. In addition, when she is at base Initiative or lower, her decisive damage gains (Essence) bonus dice and rerolls 1s and 10s until 1s and 10s fail to appear, retaining any successes from rerolled 10s. This effect costs one mote per turn to maintain. This Charm requires three levels of anima to use, and use of this Charm returns the Lawgiver’s anima to the dim level. While this Charm is active, the Solar’s fists glow gold-to-white and her Caste Mark shines brightly. These effects cannot be muted.

River-Binding Wrath
Cost: 2m or 4m; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Oak-Curling Clinch
The Exalt leaps through her anima like a burning apparition of glorious anger, capturing a foe in her iron grasp. For two motes, this Charm enhances a grapple attempt or the control roll, allowing the Solar to reroll 5s and 6s until 5s and 6s fail to appear. For four motes, it enhances both rolls.

Dragon Coil Technique
Cost: 3m; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Devil-Strangling Attitude
The Solar wraps her mighty arms around an opponent and attempts to crush the life from him. The Solar gains (Essence) automatic successes to land a grapple attack, and on the control roll, she treats the opponent’s 10s as her own single successes. In addition, when the Solar controls a clinch with Dragon Coil Technique, her withering and decisive savaging attacks and slams enjoy (Essence) bonus dice of damage. The Exalt can choose whether this damage is bashing or lethal. In addition, if the Exalt uses Dragon Coil Technique to defend herself from a grapple and wins control, she can keep control of the grapple rather than merely escaping. Finally, if the Solar uses her (Strength + Brawl) to land a grapple attack, Dragon Coil Technique expressly allows the Solar to grapple characters of prodigious size—tyrant lizards, river dragons, siaka and other similarly sized beasts are all valid targets for the Solar’s dread grasp. However, creatures of truly titanic proportions such as Juggernaut or Mount Mostath can only be gripped in bits and pieces, with the most likely result being that the Solar tears away a massive chunk of her opponent, rather than being able to exert enough force to hold or throw such a gigantic being.

Ten Calamities Technique
Cost: 5m; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Until the grapple ends
Prerequisite Charms: Dragon Coil Technique
While controlling a clinch, the Solar locks a ruinous hold on her captive in an attempt to force his submission. The player can describe this as any kind of signature joint lock,chokehold, or scenery-assisted torment they can imagine, applying the damage roll normally. Remember, savaging attacks always hit, and serve only to boost the damage result, per the rules described on page 201. Each consecutive round the character inflicts damage with a grapple, her raw damage grows—+2 per round for withering or +1 for decisive. Thus, a character who made three withering attacks and then a decisive attack would enjoy bonuses of +2, +4, +6 and +4 respectively. Decisive attacks made with this Charm ignore hardness. Ten Calamities Technique does not enhance throws or slams.

Crashing Wave Throw
Cost: 5m; Mins: Brawl 4, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Vicious Lunge
The Solar concentrates her anima around the arc of a throw, hurling her opponent like a meteor to the ground. When the Exalt aborts control of a grapple to make a withering or decisive throw (see p. 201), the damage pool is boosted by +2 damage per round of control forfeited by the throw. The Exalt can throw her opponent up to short range. If she used Dragon Coil Technique to establish control of a clinch, she can hurl truly massive opponents across the battlefield. At Essence 3+, the Exalt may expend two or four rounds of control, decreasing the throw’s damage in order to increase its length, allowing her to throw afoe to medium or long range, forcing him to contend with short or medium distance falling damage assuming she didn’t hurl him into an abyss, an empty well, an open cave mouth, or some other deep fissure.

Lightning Strikes Twice
Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Brawl 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Crashing Wave Throw, Heaven
Thunder Hammer
After launching an opponent with one of the prerequisite Charms, the Solar channels Essence through her arms and legs and rips through the space between, flashing into her opponent to make an additional attack using any Ability and allowing the Exalt to reflexively draw a weapon to do so. When the Exalt uses Lightning Strikes Twice after using one of the prerequisites to unleash a decisive attack, her Initiative does not roll over until after the extra attack has been completed. Making this attack has slightly different effects depending on whether the Charm was triggered with Crashing Wave Throw or Heaven Thunder Hammer:
Crashing Wave Throw: The Solar strikes her opponent after he bounces off a hard surface and take damage from Crashing Wave Throw. If the Exalt uses this version of Lightning Strikes Twice, she may meet her falling opponent in the air and make a grapple attack with his Defense set to 0. Succeeding in the roll for clinch control means the Solar must make an immediate throw or slam, hurling her opponent into further hard surfaces or driving him bodily into the ground.
Heaven Thunder Hammer: The Solar must knock her foe to short or medium range on the attack in order to use this Charm. Doing so allows her to flash in to range before he impacts, cancelling his impact with scenery to strike him again. In this case, the Solar cannot grapple her opponent, but makes a strike against him as if it were a surprise attack.
Using Lightning Strikes Twice counts as the Exalt’s movement action, but note that it’s possible to move several range bands while chaining multiple uses of this Charm. Lightning Strikes Twice can only be used once per combat, but can be reset by gaining 10+ Initiative on a single tick.

MARTIAL ARTS
VIOLET BIER OF SORROWS STYLE
Once, there was a Maiden who was always looking forward to the way things would be.
She said, "Someday, I'm getting out of this place."
"And while I wait, I don't much mind,'cause it's better to dream tomorrow than to be there."
"I'm holding at bay," she said, "what I know to be true."
"That I'll never get out. I won't let my dreams die!"
"I'll hang on to hope," she said, "until Time itself ends. But-"
"There's always an ending," said Time.

Secrets of Future Strife
Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The only certain truth is death; of all the secrets that Jupiter holds, Saturn knows this one best. When the martial artist makes her first attack in the scene, if her target has a lower initiative than she does and it is a martial arts attack, reduce his Defense by (higher of Essence or 2).

Flight of Mercury
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: Mastery
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
The only journey that all must walk is that from birth to the grave; of all the journeys that Mercury watches, Saturn knows the destination. Flight of Mercury allows the martial artist to suddenly explode forward in order to strike at a foe; she advances one range band towards an enemy, and must take either attack or rush action. Flight of Mercury can only be used once per scene.
Mastery: If the martial artist crashes the enemy she attacked or rushed when using this charm, she may use it again against another target.

Blade of the Battle Maiden
Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: Dual, Terrestrial, Mastery
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
It is only when the struggle ceases that there is peace; of all the battles that Mars fights, Saturn knows that is one her sister cannot win. Blade of the Battle Maiden enchants the martial artist’s attacks with this truth. When making a withering attack, she increases her post-soak damage by (higher of Essence or 3). When making a decisive attack, she reduces the target’s Hardness by (higher of Essence or 3).
Terrestrial: For a Dragon-Blooded to use this Charm, they must make a sacrifice of pain; increase the cost by 1lhl.
Mastery: When the martial artist assumes the Violet Bier of Sorrows Form, she may also reflexively activate Blade of the Battle Maiden by spending an additional 1wp.

Joy in Adversity Stance
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Withering-only, Terrestrial
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
It is the temporary and ephemeral nature of love that makes it worth having; of all the joys that Venus knows, Saturn knows they are most keenly felt when lost. Joy in Adversity Stance enhances this understanding; when the martial artist is crashed by an opponent at close range, she may make a reflexive withering attack against him, even if she has already attacked this turn.
Terrestrial: Joy in Adversity Stance costs an additional 1wp to activate.

Violet Bier of Sorrows Form
Cost: 8m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: Form
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Flight of Mercury, Blade of the Battle Maiden, Joy in Adversity Stance
Meditating on the mysteries of the Gull, the Peacock, the Gauntlet and the Sorcerer, the martial artist embodies the ending of all things and in all things. She gains double 10s on decisive damage rolls. Additionally, her base initiative after resetting from a decisive Martial Arts attack is (Martial Arts) instead of 3.
Special Activation rules: Whenever the martial artist makes two consecutive decisive attacks, or makes a decisive attack which kills or incapacitates a non-trivial opponent, she may reflexively activate Violet Bier of Sorrows Form.


RESISTANCE
Ox-Body Technique*2
Cost: —; Mins: Resistance 1, Essence 1
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Stackable
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The bodies of the Exalted are much more durable than those of mere mortals. To help simulate this, an Exalt may buy extra health levels with this Charm. The purchasing choices are based on the character’s Stamina rating:
At Stamina 1 and 2: One -1 and one -2 health level.
3 and 4: One -1 and two -2 health levels.
5: One -0, one -1, and one -2 health level.
The Solar may purchase Ox-Body Technique (Resistance) times. If she increases her Stamina after purchasing Ox-Body Technique, her health levels automatically change to reflect the new rating.

Durability of Oak Meditation
Cost: 3m; Mins: Resistance 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Dual
Duration: One tick
Prerequisite Charms: None
A child cannot cleave a tree with a dull knife, nor can a foe hope to strike down the Solar with his petty blade. Against a withering or decisive attack, this Charm reduces raw damage by two. Against a decisive attack it also grants the Exalt four hardness. Note that the hardness bonus cannot be applied during crash.

Spirit Strengthens the Skin
Cost: 1m per damage die removed; Mins: Resistance 2,
Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Withering-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Durability of Oak Meditation
The Solar channels Essence through her enduring toughness, hardening her skin and muscles beyond their mortal limits. After an attack hits her, but before damage is rolled, she may increase her soak at a rate of one mote per point. She may no more than double her natural soak in this fashion. This effect is incompatible with any magic that allows the Exalt to soak a decisive attack with withering-only magic.
At Resistance 5+, Essence 3+, the Solar may use this Charm to remove successful dice of withering damage after damage has been rolled, at a rate of two motes per success. This use costs one point of Willpower, two points of Initiative, and has the Perilous keyword.

Iron Skin Concentration
Cost: 2m or 6m; Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant or Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Spirit Strengthens the Skin
This Charm hardens the Exalt’s skin, making it incredibly difficult to cut or pierce. Against a withering attack, the
Solar can pay two motes to apply her Stamina as soak against unsoakable damage as an instant effect. Against a decisive attack, she may pay six motes after damage has been rolled to create (Stamina) -0 health levels, which take damage first, effectively shunting the attack away from her bones and vital organs. She still feels the pain of the strike, but a blow that appears to run her through may be shrugged off while drawing a mere trickle or no blood at all. If the created health levels exceed the damage successes for that attack, subsequent attacks’ damage is automatically applied to remaining created -0’s before damage begins registering with her regular health levels.

Diamond-Body Prana
Cost: 5m; Mins: Resistance 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Dual
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Iron Skin Concentration
The Exalt inverts her anima, turning the substance of her existence into something far beyond normal harm. For the rest of the scene, basic scenery damage, such as crashing through a window, running through a bramble, or step ping through a burning corridor (flames of less intensity than 4L per turn) does her no harm. The Solar can’t be hurt by light contact with normally damaging edges. Her skin is tough enough for the claws of a tiger to skid off harmlessly, so long as the tiger isn’t actually striking her. This Charm provides the following protection against withering attacks: when activated, the Solar rolls (Stamina + Resistance) dice with (Essence or three, whichever is higher) automatic successes and adds the successes to her soak for the rest of the scene. This roll cannot be enhanced by other magic. Against decisive attacks, this Charm provides (Stamina) hardness, and can stack with Durability of Oak Meditation, reducing that Charm’s hardness bonus to +2. Diamond-Body Prana is incompatible with armor.

SURVIVAL
Food-Gathering Exercise
Cost: 3m; Mins: Survival 1, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One hour
Prerequisite Charms: None
The land gives its strength to the Lawgiver. The Solar may use this Charm to make a ([Charisma or Wits] + Survival) roll against a difficulty assigned by the Storyteller. Each extra success on this roll represents enough food gathered to feed a single person for a day. The fare guaranteed by this Charm is of a meager sort—berries, grubs, nuts, seeds, insects, and small animals—but the Solar has no need of a spear or bow or net to hunt such game. If the Storyteller decides there simply isn’t any sort of sustenance in the region, or the player fails the roll, the Solar still finds enough food to feed at least one person. In addition,for every hour the Solar continues to use this Charm,the Solar works toward a climactic encounter with the rawest expression of survivalist skill possible. This guarantees that after repeated use, the Solar will have at least one chance per day to catch a large fish, kill a game animal, trap a large bird or find a fruit-bearing tree. This encounter will happen regardless of Storyteller decree, but is still contingent on a difficulty 6 roll in the worst case scenario.

Hardship-Surviving Mendicant Spirit
Cost: 5m; Mins: Survival 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One day
Prerequisite Charms: None
Through the use of this Charm, the Solar becomes able to survive in even the most hostile conditions without special preparation. This Charm negates all environmen-tal penalties to Survival rolls and eliminates the deleteri-ous effects of exposure to extreme climates. The coldest glacier and the hottest desert are no more deadly to the Solar than the gentlest rolling plain. She ignores inclem-ent weather even when lightly dressed, and does not suffer undue blisters, bug bites or plant poison even when walking barefoot through the jungle. This Charm does not protect the Exalt against environmental damage.In addition, Hardship-Surviving Mendicant Spirit lowers the difficulty to forage and find shelter by 2, to a minimum of 1.

Friendship with Animals Approach
Cost: 3m; Mins: Survival 2, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Through the use of this Charm, the Exalt can deal with nearly any wild animal. Herbivores and smaller omnivores will not break and run when the Solar approaches, and will even become somewhat docile, allowing the Exalt to pet or handle them. Predators are less susceptible to this Charm, and most will simply let the Solar pass unmolested through their territory. This Charm does not work on sentient animals or familiars, animals that are trained to attack, or animals that are maddened by pain, hunger, or disease.

Element-Resisting Prana
Cost: —; Mins: Survival 5, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hardship-Surviving Mendicant Spirit
Through this Charm, the Solar becomes able to survive in any environment. When the prerequisite is active, the Solar can withstand the heat and toxic fumes in the caldera of an active volcano, can walk underwater with no ill effects, and can even withstand the hostile and inimical climes of the Elemental Poles. While Hardship-Surviving Mendicant Spirit is active, reduce damage from all ele-mental sources of environmental damage by the Exalt’s Resistance rating.

Elements-Sculpted Avatar
Cost: 6m
Mins: Survival 5, Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: Food-Gathering Exercise, Friend-ship with Animals Approach, Element-Resisting Prana
The Solar communes with the elements and with the beasts of nature, gaining harmonious elements of both. This Charm requires use of Hardship-Surviving Mendicant Spirit and is completed by a Simple action in which the Lawgiver spends an hour meditating in a place where the elements are strong and fierce, such as the center of a sandstorm or beneath a massive waterfall. Over the course of the hour, the Solar’s physical appear-ance becomes shaped by the surrounding elements. She gains distinct elemental and / or bestial features, though not the benefits associated with true mutations. This ethereal transformation raises her Appearance by one, even if this raises her Appearance above five. In addition, she gains one non-Charm bonus die to soothe or comfort any elemental, beast, or Lunar Exalted through the use of social influence.

INTEGRITY
Divine Mantle
Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Integrity 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Bridge
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Eminent Paragon Approach, Invincible Solar Aegis or any 15 Caste Charms
The Solar Exalted are paragons of mythic heroism, with reputations earned by completing impossible feats. Through Divine Mantle, the Lawgiver can further embody the Principles most central to her character by temporarily learning the Charms of spirits that represent the Principles the Solar has embodied.  However, the Exalt may only take Charms from spirits whose nature match one of her Defining Principles, and may only take one spirit Charm for every six Solar Ability Charms she knows which match both the spirit’s nature and the Defining Principle in question. Thus, the more strongly she em-bodies a certain Principle, the more Charms she can take from the god in question. The Story-teller can pick from published spirits or can make up appropri-ate Charms on the spot for the purposes of this Charm.The Exalt may take up the Charms of multiple different spirits simul-taneously, but she may have no more than ten spirit Charms through Divine Mantle. However, if the grounding Principle is lowered in intensity or destroyed, or if any being successfully impugns her embodiment of said Principle by usurping her authority, defeating her, or destroying or harming the subject of her Principle, then she loses her ability to perform the greater miracles of the spirit’s office until she has taken actions to undo the harm or restore her damaged Principle.If the Solar wishes to change which spirit Charms she is using, she must spend one hour per Charm meditating on the target Principle. This allows her to move up or down the spirit’s Charm trees as needed. She can also swap (Essence or three, whichever is greater) Charms through one use of Mind-Cleansing Prana. Adding the Charms of a new spirit to her repertoire requires a new activation of the Charm

SPIRIT CHARMS
Graceful Victory Repose
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: War 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords:
Duration:Instant
When a war is waged in the name of love, foes can become friends, so long as a general's heart remains open and filled with compassion. When an enemy force begins to route, the lawgiver may activate this charm to attempt to quell their fear and inspire peace. The solar rolls (charisma+war) as an instill action against the enemy Force's resolve. If successful, the routing forces gain a minor positive tie of gratitude to the lawgiver, and cease fleeing the battlefield.


OCCULT
Spirit-Detecting Glance
Cost: 3m; Mins: Occult 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar can look through the pall of reality to glimpse the realm of spirits beneath. With this Charm, the Solar can see (but not touch) immaterial spirits,

Spirit-Cutting Attack
Cost: 1m; Mins: Occult 2, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Spirit-Detecting Glance
The Solar infuses her attack with the emotive force of her anima, to strike an immaterial spirit. This Charm supple-ments a single attack to strike a spirit which has not ma-terialized. If the Solar is not using the prerequisite or another similar magic, this attack is made at -3 dice. Spir-it-Cutting Attack may be used in combination with the Charms of other Abilities

Ghost-Eating Technique
Cost: 3m; Mins: Occult 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Spirit-Cutting Attack
This Charm is the technique by which the Solars slew the enemies of the gods, and spirits hate and fear it. This Charm may supplement attacks made by other Abilities. An attack supplemented by this Charm does aggravated damage against spirits, and draws a number of motes from the spirit equal to the highest wound penalty inflicted by the attack. For example, striking off a number of -1 health levels would give the Solar one mote. Striking off a number of -2 health levels and a -4 would give the Solar four motes. If a spirit is slain by this attack, it is destroyed permanent-ly, and the pattern of its Essence is subsumed by the Solar’s anima. Destroying a spirit with this Charm grants the Exalt (Solar’s Essence + spirit’s Essence) motes.

Ancient Tongue Understanding
Cost: 6m; Mins: Occult 3, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalt expands her knowledge of the realm of spirits to all corners of her mind, shunning knowledge that binds her understanding. While this Charm is in effect, the Law-giver automatically speaks and understands Old Realm, even if it is not a language she has learned, but loses her ability to comprehend any other language. In addition, the Solar also naturally comprehends other spirit lan-guages as old and strange as Old Realm, languages for which there exists little to no record. While this Charm is in effect, the Solar gains (half her Essence, rounded down, minimum one) automatic successes to all Occult rolls and shaping actions.

Supernal Control Method
Cost: —; Mins: Occult 5, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Ancient Tongue Understanding
The Exalt directs the flow of her Essence out of the world and draws it in, bringing back a quickening breath of realms beyond. Once per scene, the Solar may enact a free full Occult Excellency. This Charm may be reset by raising the Exalt’s anima to iconic and shedding it back to the dim level.

WAR
War God Descendent
Cost: 3m; Mins: War 1, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Solars descend from the highest war god in Heaven. They speak armies into existence, and their mere presence is a call to arms. This Charm supplements the Strategic Maneuver roll (p. 211); as the Lawgiver develops a tactic for victory, fighters of the world are drawn to her call to glory. Ignore the -1 penalty for troops with poor drill, and increase the battle group’s effective Size by one upon joining battle.

Ideal Battle Knowledge Prana
Cost: 3m; Mins: War 2, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Sun’s Chosen speak in tongues of valor and know the ways of war. As one who has studied or waged war for a lifetime, the Solar simply knows what to do in any combat situation. This Charm applies the double 9s rule to all of the Solar’s order actions (p. 209). At War 5, Essence 3+, the Exalt may pay six motes, three Initiative to enhance her orders with double 8s.

League of Iron Preparation
Cost: 5m; Mins: War 3, Essence 1
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: War God Descendent
Reaching out to the hearts of her charges with an impas-sioned speech and fatal purpose, the Solar invokes their reasons for fighting. This Charm is activated when the Exalt begins the long, arduous process of drilling her soldiers. As she toughens them with want and rain, she reminds them of the hardships they have endured at the hands of their tormentors. When they hunger, her words feed them. When they shiver, her exhortations warm them. Fed by the Solar’s will, they suffer less from long marches, empty bellies, or harsh climates. Whenthe Lawgiver is finished drilling these troops, her com-mitment to the Charm ends, and her soldiers are forever improved: they cannot suffer demoralizing effects (such as the Demoralize stratagem on page 212) that are not created by Reflexive or Simple types of magic. In addi-tion, ignore penalties on the Strategic Maneuverroll having to do with hunger, bad weather, or the phys-ical exhaustion associated with long marches over dif-ficult terrain.

Tiger Warrior Training Technique
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: War 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: League of Iron Preparation
At the dawn of the world, man knew nothing of the gods save that they were inviolate and could not be vanquished. The Solar Exalted changed that. Through the use of this Charm, even the worst gutter-sweepings and bandits can be trained into an elite fighting force. This Charm enhanc-es the effects of Drill (p. 206). The Solar’s training regimens are brilliant, ingraining her troops with perfect actions codified from a peerless mind for war. With this Charm, she can train an undisciplined unit up to Average after just a week, and she can instill an Average unit with Elite status after only a month. Any unit which gains Average Drill under the aegis of this training also gains the combat traits of battle-ready soldiers, while any unit raised to Elite Drill gains the combat traits of elite troops (p. 497). In addition, at Essence 3+, the Solar can further enhance an Elite battle group with her transforming will.
Demon-Fighting Principle: For 2xp, she can train her elite units to be more effective at fighting ghosts, demons, and other nighted creatures from the haunted tractsof Creation. The battle group gains +2 Might againstsuch foes.
Giant-Slaying Tactics: For 2xp, the Exalt’s elite are versed in battle tactics having to do with fighting gigantic oppo-nents. Her forces gain +2 Might against behemoths or other titanic foes. This effect does not stack with Demon-Fighting Principle.
Glory of the Inevitable: The Solar’s Tiger Warriors need no truth but life is death, and death comes on the battle-field. For 3xp, she can instill her elite battle group with perfect morale (p. 210), making it impossible to fail a rout check without powerful magical influence.

SORCERY
Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
Cost: —; Mins: Occult 3, Essence 1
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
1Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Solar steps through the First Circle and is forever transformed. Upon learning this Charm, the Exalt gains the ability to learn and cast spells from the Terrestrial Circle of sorcery. In addition, the Solar learns one shaping ritual (p. 466) and one Terrestrial spell for free. The spell selected becomes the sorcerer’s “control spell,” and may feature in the anima iconography and be referenced in the mechanics of certain Charms.

Celestial Circle Sorcery
Cost: —; Mins: Occult 4, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
The Solar ascends to the Second Circle and becomes an avatar bearing aspects of Heaven and Hell in her mind. In all the world, there are only a handful of sorcerers at this level of power. Upon learning this Charm, the Exalt gains the ability to cast spells from the Celestial Circle of sorcery. In addition, the Solar learns one shaping ritual and one Celestial spell for free. The spell selected acts as an addi-tional control. Celestial Circle Sorcery may not be learned prior to Essence 3 by selecting Occult as a Supernal Ability.

Solar Circle Sorcery
Cost: —; Mins: Occult 5, Essence 5
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Celestial Circle Sorcery
The Solar rises to the Third and final Circle of sorcery and becomes a herald of untold power. Spells of the Solar Circle are the most powerful sorceries ever imagined. Only the Solar Exalted have the power necessary to master spells of this magnitude. Learning this Charm grants the ability to cast spells from the Solar Circle of sorcery. In addition, the Solar learns one shaping ritual and one Solar spell for free. The spell selected acts as an additional control. Solar Circle Sorcery may not be learned prior to Essence 5 by selecting Occult as a Supernal Ability.

Anima Powers
Zenith Anima Effects
• For one mote, the Zenith’s anima leaps from her hand to a corpse she’s touching, igniting it in Solar flame. This power incinerates the corpse and ensures the soul of the deceased will not return as a hungry ghost. In addition, the Zenith may perceive the strongest Intimacies of the deceased and may choose to accept them. When she is ready, she may pay one mote, touching a target of those Intimacies to pass on feelings of peace, love, and assurance, shedding them in the process. She may also transfer them to an object, allowing it to convey comfort or a sense of duty to the subject. Conversely, she may touch someone who caused the deceased to suffer, paying one mote and rolling ([A social Attribute] + Presence) with three automatic non-Charm successes against their Resolve to transfer pain suffered by the deceased back on the one who caused it. The Storyteller is free to dictate the length and weight of such attrition.
• For 10 motes, one Willpower, the Zenith channels her Essence into an aura of divine retribution, surging around an attack. This power supplements a successful decisive attack against a creature of darkness, preventing the Solar’s Initiative from returning to its base value after the attack. When the Zenith’s anima is at bonfire, reduce the cost of this power by five motes and ignore the Will-power. This power may only be used once per day, re-setting when the sun is at its zenith.
• For seven motes, the Zenith may order a dematerialized spirit to manifest using a (Charisma + Presence) persuade action with (Essence) automatic successes. All spirits in-herently recognize the Unconquered Sun’s authority in the priest-kings and are compelled as if by a Defining Intimacy, but may still have Defining Ties or Principles which counter this advantage. If successful, the Zenith’s very command draws the spirit into the material world, so that it does not need to pay the cost to materialize.


Manse
In addition to ownership of the manse itself, possessing this Merit atfive dots, the character is the owner of a manse raised atop an exceptionally powerful demesne, with a concomitantly powerful hearthstone (replicating the benefits of the four-dot Demesne and Hearthstone Merit.
Oasis Demesne: The character gains control of an ex-ceptionally powerful demesne. She respires four extra motes per hour outside of combat, the difficulty to detect Essence-use becomes 1, and using the demesne as a Means grants two extra intervals.
Stone of Hidden Safety (Greater)
Keywords: Linked
This stone protects a single settlement, which can be as large as a small city or as tiny as a village of a dozen people. It cannot be used to protect a vast metropolis like Nexus, Chiaroscuro, or the Imperial City, because such settlements are simply too large to be hidden. This stone protects the city against anyone traveling there via mundane means with an intent to conquer, rob, harm or disrupt the city as a whole or a large number of its inhabitants. It has no ability to deter anyone with a supernatural ability to locate places, but everyone else hostile to the city will become lost. A seemingly straight road to the city seems to twist and double back upon itself in impossible ways. This stone increases the difficulty for hostile people to locate this settlement to 5, even if they are traveling on a road that seems to head directly to the city or town. Anyone without hostile intent must still make a difficulty 1 roll to locate this settlement. If a hostile person or army accompanies a guide with no ill intent, the guide is almost certain to become separated from the bandits or invaders. Merchants, pilgrims, performers and other travelers have little trouble locating the city; only those who seek to harm it will be unable to locate it.