Revlid
2011-01-02, 09:41 AM
Here you go, Horngeek!
This is the first in a series of Infernal Charmsets I hope to write, based off the Four Ruinous Powers of the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 universes. No particular precedence has been given to any incarnation of the Greater Gods, and if they need to be twisted or trimmed to fit into the ranks of the Exalted Yozis, then they will be.
No Urge, Torment, or Act of Villainy yet exists for Tzeentch - I hope to come up with those once I've finished the Charmsets of the other three gods.
Enjoy (and buy Chaos In The Old World - it's a damned fun boardgame).
SACRED NUMBERS: Each Chaos God Excellency mentions a sacred number. Actions bolstered by this number, or multiples of it, may always benefit from the appropriate Excellency, no matter how unrelated, unless it is strictly forbidden. For example, Nurgle may always use his Excellency to direct troops using War, provided their total number or Magnitude is a multiple of seven, and Slaanesh may always enhance a Melee flurry provided he makes six attacks. Actions that oppose this number are not negatively affected.
TZEENTCH
The Great Mutator, The Eternal Maze, The Changer Of Ways, The Puppeteer Of Feathers And Shade, The Capricious Azure, The Eye Of Sorceries, The Lord Of Change, The Coloured Flame, The Subtle Schemer, The Alchemist Of Realities
FIRST TZEENTCH EXCELLENCY
Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker; Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Great Mutator is capricious and seemingly random. He engages in labyrinthine plots and byzantine conspiracies, plans within plans that exist sometimes for a purpose, sometimes for his own obscure amusement. Convolution and trickery are the tools of Tzeentch, and he is ultimately a showman, a puppeteer for whom all the world is a stage and all its peoples dancing puppets. Tzeentch fosters ambition and hope, no matter how senseless or impossible, for he is the patron of change and evolution. Despite his colossal intellect, Tzeentch finds it hard to resist engaging in deceit and complexity, even when his plans would be better served by simplicity or honesty. He is no stranger to self-defeat, as his drive for change leads him to upset all stability, even that which benefits him. The Changer Of Ways is the greatest of sorcerers, and encourages curiosity and the gathering of knowledge, no matter how ill-advised or forbidden. He scorns tradition, inciting dynamism and mutation in all things, be it society or the physical form. Tzeentch has no problem with turning on his followers, as loyalty is far too steady for his tastes, though he is loathe to abandon a plan, preferring to incorporate it into one of his other myriad plots. The sacred number of the Eternal Maze is nine.
Characters may apply this Charm to actions that facilitate significant change, as well as those that aid the development and progression of long-term or convoluted plots. Sorcerous or thaumaturgic actions may always benefit from this Charm. Attempts to conceal one’s goals or actions generally benefit, as does any action taken with the goal of manipulating another, though open and grand displays are not opposed to this Charm at all. This Charm may never be used to keep something static, nor may it support an action that has been openly predicted by another; actions that resonate with Conviction are less likely to qualify for this Charm. Finally, this Charm may always aid attempts to harm or hinder Nurgle and his servants.
TZEENTCH MYTHOS EXULTANT
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: First Tzeentch Excellency
Tzeentch is a master of chance, a feathered serpent with poorly-rolled die for eyes. Though it amuses him to see lesser beings scrabble against randomness of the world, he is careful to see that his fire is unable to burn him. An Infernal with this Charm may, after rolling the stunt-enhanced dice pool, remove up to (Stunt Rating x3) of the individual dice results and roll them again, applying the second result as reality refolds itself around his actions, cushioning him against the failings of fate. Applied to a static value, this allows the Exalt to increase his effective (Attribute+Rating) by (Stunt Rating +1).
ASCENDANCY MANTLE OF TZEENTCH
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 5; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: First Tzeentch Excellency
The Infernal can spend experience to buy his Essence rating up to a dot higher than his age should permit (see Exalted Corebook, p. 275). As Tzeentch relies on his cultists and sorcerous hideaways, whenever the Infernal is recovering motes at a rate of less than ten motes per hour, he loses all benefits from excess Essence (similar to Cecelyne). This drawback persists only as long as the character’s Essence rating is higher than it could be without this Charm. Upon reaching the age that Essence 10 is naturally available, the Infernal replaces this Charm with another of his choice. The Infernal may learn only a single Ascendancy Mantle Charm.
HAND OF CHANGE
Cost: 1+m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Desecration, Obvious, Shaping, Sorcerous, Stackable, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Tzeentch sees no appeal in the static forms of Creation. Where his clawed fingers touch, the world ripples and warps, changing in hideously beautiful ways. When the Infernal activates this Charm, he pays one or more motes (to a maximum of (Essence+2) motes per activation) and applies positive physical mutations to the target based on the number of motes spent. A pox costs one mote, an affliction costs two motes, a blight costs three motes, and an abomination costs four motes. These mutations are applied normally as a Desecration effect (though the Creature Of Darkness mutation does not count toward the cost of the Charm), and fade at a rate of (target’s Essence) of mutation dots per day, rounding up if necessary, and starting with mutations of the highest value. The mutations themselves are Sorcerous, and may be dispelled with the appropriate countermagic.
At Essence 3+ the Infernal may increase the cost of this Charm by one point of temporary Willpower to make any mutations applied by this Charm permanent, at the usual xp cost. Doing so prevents the mutations from being Sorcerous, making them immune to countermagic.
At Essence 4+ the additional cost to make mutations permanent is waived if the Charm is used on a willing target.
MOULT THE FORM
Cost: — (+2m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Time is immaterial to the Eternal Maze, as minutes and ages rebound off its mosaic walls like echoes in a concert hall. What does it matter if change comes now, or within a century? It is all the same to Tzeentch, an omnidimensional patience upset only by his love for showmanship. This Charm enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to delay the application of any mutations (or other effects) generated by it. When using Hand Of Change, the Infernal may pay an additional two motes (these do not count toward the maximum cost of the Charm). If he does so, the effects of the Charm do not manifest immediately, but are instead condensed into a Sorcerous mark somewhere on the target’s body, ranging in size from a small coin to a handprint. This mark is invisible to normal sight, but any form of Essence sight reveal a stylised blue symbol of some sort, often a two-tailed comet or feathered serpent; an Infernal can always see their own marks, even through clothing or armour.
The Infernal may reflexively pay one mote at any point to make one of these symbols visible to normal sight, and may (upon doing so) cause the mutations stored within to suddenly erupt into the target’s body, as though the prerequisite Charm had been applied at that moment. If the mark is dispelled, the mutations in question are lost.
Unless it is dispelled, this mark lasts until the death of either the Infernal or the target. There is no limit to the number of marks an Infernal may have placed, nor is there any limit to the number of times a single character may themselves be marked for mutation.
SERPENT FOLDS ITS WINGS
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Moult The Form
Tzeentch knows well the value of subtlety. Sometimes, it simply isn't productive to be a winged serpent the size of a planet. Sometimes it is best to slither into conformity, ready to burst forth when the time is right. This Charm enhances Hand Of Change. When using that Charm, the Infernal may instead suppress active mutations, condensing them into a Sorcerous mark somewhere on the target's body. This costs a number of motes equal to the cost to generate those same mutations, with the usual limits on mote expenditure applying. The mark in question acts exactly as the one described in Moult The Form, with the exception that dispelling it causes the suppressed mutations to immediately and painfully return.
This Charm may not suppress natural mutations, such as those describing the form of a beastman or engineered race, but may suppress other mutations, even those not applied by the Infernal himself.
GNARLED PENDULUM INFUSION
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Evolution is not purely beneficial. Birds lose flight, fish lose gills, bears lose sex drive. In the hands of Tzeentch, however, evolution can be outright malicious. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to inflict negative physical mutations as well as positive ones, at a cost of one mote per deficiency, two motes per debility, and three motes per deformity. The Infernal may also inflict mental and spiritual mutations, as well as physical ones. These mutations otherwise function just as normal ones applied by that Charm.
WARP-TINTED LENSES
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Gnarled Pendulum Infusion
A thousand eyes blink and stare beneath Tzeentch’s feathers, and each time they open they look upon the world anew, their pupils morphed, their irises a different shade, their perceptions totally flipped. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the martial artist to use it to alter his target’s perceptions of the world. He gains access to the following unique mutations, which he may only apply through this Charm;
• Pox - Friends To Lovers: One of the character’s intimacies has its context altered. This may not make a positive intimacy into a negative one, or vice-versa, but there are no other restrictions on the new context. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses both the intimacy and the new context.
• Affliction - Love To Hate: This mutation is equivalent to taking Friends To Lovers twice, and has the same effects, with the exception that no restrictions of any kind are placed on the new context.
• Blight - Nobody To Nemesis: One of the character’s intimacies has its subject altered. The character must be at least aware of this new subject, but otherwise needs no justification for transferring their love for their wife (or their hate for their foe) to them. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses both the intimacy and the new subject.
• Abomination - I Always Feel Like: One of the character’s intimacies is marked for either erosion or reinforcement, as their mutated mind twitches and reinterprets events as the warlock wishes. If it is marked for erosion, then any scene spent reinforcing this intimacy instead counts as a scene spent eroding it. A scene spent interacting with the subject of the intimacy, or the Infernal who applied this mutation, always counts as a scene spent eroding this intimacy. If it is marked for reinforcement, then the same occurs, except that any scene spent eroding the intimacy instead counts as a scene spent reinforcing it. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses the intimacy in question.
When these mutations fade or are removed, any intimacies they affected return to normal, unless they have been removed completely or otherwise altered in that time. Applying these mutations permanently never incurs an xp cost.
BROKEN ON THE ETERNAL WHEEL
Cost: — (+1m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Gnarled Pendulum Infusion
Change wears down lesser beings, grinding them like an ever-turning millstone. Tzeentch cares not - twice as many new horrors will be born from their broken bodies, returning to a cycle of infinite variations. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to drain a single point of temporary Willpower from his target at a cost of one mote. This is still a Shaping effect, but it does not count toward the maximum motes that may be spent on the Charm, and may not be done more than once per activation.
At Essence 4+, this Charm automatically upgrades, allowing the Infernal to assail the minds of those who resist the certainty of uncertainty with leering illusions that mirror their inner madness. If the target of Hand Of Change perfectly defends against its Shaping effects (such as through the Charm Integrity-Protecting Prana; effects that would require a roll, or an additional cost per usage, such as Emerald Angel Unfurling or Purity Of Madness Defense), are obviously not considered perfect) the Infernal may reflexively pay one point of temporary Willpower to increase the target's current Limit track by one point as an Illusion effect that requires the expenditure of two points of temporary Willpower to resist. This may inflict a maximum of (target's Essence) Limit per scene on a single character. Obviously, this has no effect on characters without a Limit Track, but inflicts a single point of Resonance on Abyssals and reduces the temporary Clarity of an Alchemical by one (Alchemicals with a Dissonance track instead increase it by one).
BURNT OFFERING TRANSFERAL
Cost: — (+hl+); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Fire turns wood to ash, but nothing has been lost - it is just another example of change. Soon the ash will blow away, and make the ground where it falls more fertile, allowing further growth. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to trade his health in order to further a glorious metamorphosis. When using Hand Of Change, he may voluntarily suffer any number of unsoakable bashing health levels of damage in order to decrease the mote cost of the Charm, to a minimum of zero. Motes discounted in this way obviously do not count toward the maximum number that may be spent on the Charm, effectively increasing the maximum number of mutations that may be applied per Charm activation.
FLICKERING FLAME OF MUTATION
Cost: 1m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
The fire of Tzeentch does not burn, but writhes in his many palms like a pinned piece of an aurora. The warlock gestures toward his foe, sending forth tongues of heatless flame that flow from one colour into the next. This flame is targeted with (Willpower+Occult), with an accuracy bonus of (Essence), and a range of ([Occult+Essence]x10) yards, ignoring cover entirely (though enemies in 100% cover are still invalid targets). If it hits, the Infernal may immediately apply the effects of Hand Of Change, at the usual cost (this is not a separate Charm activation).
The Infernal need not actually use his hands to project this fire (Tzeentch himself only has access to actual hands about half the time). Eyes, tentacles, feet, or a protruding tongue would work just as well.
SWEEPING WARPFIRE VORTEX
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The flames of change drip from a demon's maw like mad napalm, touching children, houses, towns, cities, and leaving none unchanged. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the warlock to reduce the accuracy modifier of the flame in order to increase the radius of its area of effect, at a rate of one point of accuracy bonus to one yard. The lowest he may reduce his accuracy modifier to in this way is –(Essence). If this Charm strikes multiple targets, the warlock must pay for and select each of their mutations separately (he may choose not to apply any mutations at all, in order to conserve motes).
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ upgrades it, allowing the warlock to only pay the mote cost for the mutations of the most expensive target of each Flickering Flame Of Mutation. Other costs must still be paid separately.
At Essence 10+ the Infernal may instead reduce his accuracy bonus to zero to increase the Charm's radius to one square mile.
FLAMMULE-TO-FUEL TRANSMUTATION
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Obvious, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Infernal's mutating flames drip heatlessly over his fingers, falling to the ground. Where they touch dirt, it twists into new and alien shades, leaving a thin trail as the tiny mewling fires crawl back to the Infernal, reinfusing themselves into his burning Essence. This Charm grants the Infernal an Overdrive pool with a capacity of five motes. Initially empty, it gains a single mote every time the Exalt uses Flickering Flame Of Mutation on a target other than himself.
If the Infernal knows the Charm Mutable Ether Blade, then the capacity of the Overdrive pool granted by this Charm is increased to ten motes. In addition, it gains a single mote the first time in a tick the Infernal makes an attack with a weapon enhanced or created by that Charm. Finally, it gains a single mote at the end of any tick in which the Infernal has inflicted more than (Essencex2) points of mutations, spread across any number of characters (mutations he inflicts upon himself do not count for this purpose, and nor do pre-existing mutations that he releases from suppression).
NINE FACES OF DIVINITY
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flammule-To-Fuel Transmuation
When the Changer Of Ways straddled Creation alongside his brethren, he would sometimes spend the time between turns in the Games Of Divinity with a clutch of randomly selected gods. He would take them up into his hands, and let them fall between his fingers, catching and turning them over again and again, smiling as his very touch warped and mutated them. By the time he was called back to the Games, dropping his hobby like an afterthought, the divinities he had toyed with were little more than unrecognisable horrors – or worse. Many of the darker shames of Yu-Shan are still touched by the leftovers of Tzeentch’s attentions.
This Charm permanently enhances Flickering Flame Of Mutation, allowing the Infernal to use it to affect immaterial targets just as easily as material ones, ignoring the natural resistance to mutation possessed by gods and elementals. If the Infernal has enhanced or created a weapon with Mutable Ether Blade, then it can strike immaterial targets as well.
It should be noted here that ghosts cannot be mutated by Tzeentchian Charms (at least, not without employing Heretical Charmtech), being static creatures fundamentally opposed to his paradigm of chaos and organic change. Instead, they suffer one die of unsoakable aggravated damage for every three points of mutations they would have normally acquired. Non-ghostly creatures of death, such as zombies or Abyssals, are affected normally. They are, however, completely disgusting.
IT ROLLS ONWARD
Cost: 4m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame of Mutation
Change, to put things as simply as possible, changes. It shifts from one paradigm to the next, never static, never fixed. Mutation and madness flow into the Infernal, and flow right back out again, his skin bubbling up to the fingers as his fires are vented. The Infernal may activate this Charm in response to any undesired Shaping effect targeting him. The effect is immediately negated, and the Infernal must reflexively use Flickering Flame of Mutation as an innate power, applying a number of mutation points with it equal to the minimum Essence rating of the original Shaping effect. If there are no valid targets for the flame, the Infernal may still use this Charm to negate Shaping, but discharges the chaotic energies into the ground or air, resulting in a warped section of earth with wriggling tendrils and blinking eyes, or a cloud that sings disturbing rhymes.
EMBERS OF EVOLUTION
Cost: — (+1wp); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The revolution has not been put down. It simmers, cells of cultists and anarchists lying in wait, embers prepared to erupt at the slightest incitement to change. The Infernal may use Flickering Flame Of Mutation with a surcharge of one point of temporary Willpower, as well as the cost of any mutations he wishes to inflict through Hand Of Change, to lay a trap on any surface within range. This trap is a Sorcerous environmental hazard with a radius of (Essence) yards, which takes the form of softly glowing ember-like lights at the centre of the hazard. This will obviously be more suspicious in some places than others – it will likely be unnoticeable in a fire or on a jewel, but placing it in a dark room or a flat marble floor will allow it to be spotted easily. This hazard lasts until the end of the scene.
The first character (other than the Infernal) to step into the radius of the embers immediately suffers an attack by Flickering Flame Of Mutation, using the Infernal’s usual dice pool (he may not augment this pool with Charms). If the target had not noticed the Charm upon triggering this effect, he must roll (Wits+Awareness) against the warlock’s (Essence) or else suffer it as an unexpected attack. If the attack hits, it proceeds as though the target had been struck by a normal iteration of Flickering Flame Of Mutation, using the mutations paid for by the warlock upon setting the trap. After the resolution of this attack, the embers gutter out into nothingness, leaving no trace beyond some twisted discolouration where they once laid.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+ allows the Infernal to charge his embers such that they can strike up to (Occult) different characters before being removed, at a cost of an additional two motes per additional character to be affected. Alternatively, he may lay up to (Occult) individual embers, each capable of affecting one character, at a cost of two additional motes per additional ember.
In addition, the warlock may place a geas on his overeager embers when creating them, forcing them to lie dormant. Instead, they will erupt (as normal) when a specific condition is met within their range while a valid target is also in range, targeting the closest valid target. This condition may range from "At noon" to "When the red-headed dragonblood with the jade powerbow embraces her mother". The embers will not recognise characters by name, though descriptions can be as needlessly specific as the Infernal likes, and they are not fooled by illusions. After this eruption has been resolved, the embers will act as normal, disappearing or waiting for further valid targets if they have more charges in store.
GREEN FIRE OF TREASON
Cost: — (+2m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Great Mutator is a selfish titan, gazing through a universe of infinite complexity and seeing only where he might prevail. Viewed through the heat-shimmer of his emerald flame, others can understand a fragment of this mindset. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite. When using Flickering Flame Of Mutation, the warlock may pay an additional two motes (these do not count toward the maximum number of motes that may spent on the Charm). If he does so, then any character struck by it must roll (lowest Virtue) or suffer the effects of the Limit Break Curse Of The Heartless Weasel for the rest of the scene as a Shaping effect. This effect may be resisted at a cost of two points of temporary Willpower, but if it completes its natural duration, the affected character regains one point of temporary Willpower (there is never any Limit reduction from the effects of this Charm).
MUTABLE ETHER BLADE
Cost: 3m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Puppeteer Of Feathers And Shade generally avoids such pedestrian weapons as blades, but when he must, he wields a great saber crafted from burning time, its edge formed from a thousand carefully sharpened anti-seconds that shimmer with an oily light. The warlock uses this Charm and spends three motes on any melee or martial arts weapon he is currently wielding, enveloping it in an shimmering aura of heatless flame. For the rest of the scene, any attack with the weapon is treated as an attack by Flickering Flame Of Mutation, with a successful hit allowing the martial artist to apply the effects of Hand Of Change, at the normal cost.
At Essence 4+ the effects of this Charm may also be applied to ranged weapons, a corona of mutating fire bursting into existence around each arrow or throwing star.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows the martial artist to create appropriate ammunition of any quality for ranged weapons enhanced by this Charm, at a cost of one mote for each shot costing Resources • or less, and two motes for more expensive ammunition (thrown weapons are treated as ammunition for the purposes of this Charm, with their Resources cost reduced by one). Ammunition created in this manner is formed entirely of the rainbow fire of Tzeentch, its solid parts formed from crystallised flame.
The warlock may now also create an entire weapon by using this Charm with a one mote surcharge, using the stats for any mundane weapon of any quality with a cost of Resources •• or less (he may create multiple weapons with a single activation, provided their total cost is within the boundaries of that allowed by the Charm). The weapon in question erupts into his hand, a shimmering manifestation of rainbow flame or twisted air, and acts exactly as a normal weapon of its type, with the exception that it cannot be sundered or disarmed, may be dispelled by appropriate countermagic, and is under the base effects of this Charm.
A third purchase at Essence 4+ increases the power of weapons created with this Charm, allowing the Infernal to pay an additional point of temporary Willpower when activating it. If he does so, he increases the maximum cost of created weapons to Artifact •• or Resources ••••. Artifact weapons created by this Charm do not benefit from any magical material bonus. The warlock may also pay this additional Willpower cost when enhancing a pre-existing weapon, increasing its quality rating by two levels, to a maximum of Perfect quality (Artifact weapons lack a quality rating, but may be enhanced in this way to add the Fine bonus to their statistics). A weapon enhanced in this way returns to its normal quality when the Charm deactivates, but its aesthetics are forever warped into something alien to Creation; perhaps it now possesses an unsettling oily sheen or a living eye set into its hilt.
If the warlock is wielding a weapon he created or enhanced by paying Willpower, he may channel Flickering Flame Of Mutation through it, reducing its total cost by one mote.
BURNING RAINBOW BACKDRAFT
Cost: 3m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Mutable Ether Blade
To play with fire is to be burned. Humans first learned this from the Changer of Ways, in the most obvious fashion. The warlock may activate this Charm in response to any attack made against him while he is wielding a weapon enhanced or created by one of his Charms, granting him a counterattack against the attacker in Step 9 of the original attack using his created-or-enhanced weapon. If the weapon in question is one created by Mutable Ether Blade, he may pay an additional two motes to make this counterattack unblockable, as his flames flow around any guard. If the attacker is currently affected by a Sorcerous effect created by the Infernal, this counterattack is undodgeable, his magical resonance drawing the conjured blade as surely as a magnet.
FLESH LIKE MELTED WAX
Cost: — (+1m/+3m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
The bodies of those touched by the Capricious Azure roil and fold, their skin restitching into fur, their wounds becoming perfectly healed mouths. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to heal those he mutates. When using Hand Of Change, the Infernal may spend one mote to heal a single level of his target’s bashing damage, or three motes to heal a single level of lethal damage, both of which are Shaping effects. These motes do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, and he may restore any number of health levels with each use, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes healing a character than he spends on the main effect of the Charm.
A second purchase of this Charm allows the Infernal to heal Crippling effects at a cost of three motes per effect, or four if the effect is an amputation, as wrigglings tendrils reconnect lost limbs and eyes recurdle within their sockets. A third purchase extends his mutating medicine to Sickness effects, which cost three motes to heal, or four if the illness is magical in origin. Both of these are also Shaping effects.
POTENTIAL-UNLOCKING CARESS
Cost: — (+2+m/+3+m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flesh Like Melted Wax
Within the Eternal Maze are all possibilities, and each turn may bring a traveller to a new path. Whether that path leads to the summit of Qaf, the heart of the Realm Defense Grid, or the maw of a river dragon is unknown to all but the blind fetich Kairos. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to improve the traits of those he mutates. When using Hand Of Change as a Desecration effect, the Infernal may increase his target’s ability ratings or attributes as a Shaping and Training effect costing two motes per ability dot and three motes per attribute dot. This may not increase the target’s traits over their natural maximums. These motes do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes healing a character than he spent on the main effect of the Charm.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ allows the Infernal to increase his target’s trait ratings up to one dot past their normal maximums, although doing so increases the resultant xp cost for the dot in question by half again. When the mutated character in question uses these unnatural skills, he leaves prismatic afterimages behind his movements, and the things he makes bear the undeniable aesthetics of Tzeentch, set with blue feathers, rainbow flames and numerous eyes. If they wish to avoid notice, they may elect not to use their Infernally-granted abilities, dropping their dice pools (and caps) for the roll accordingly.
CALL TO GLORY
Cost: — (+5m, 1wp); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Potential-Unlocking Caress
The potential for greatness lies within every being, in Creation or beyond, a truth exemplified by the process of Exaltation. It is by Tzeentch's carefully considered hand, however, that any pawn on the board may become a queen. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to elevate those he mutates. If his target with Hand Of Change is a mortal extra, he may expend five motes and a point of Willpower to confer a new and heroic motivation (chosen by the target mortal’s player) as a Shaping effect. Doing so transforms the extra into a heroic mortal. Motes spent on this do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes elevating an extra than he spent on the main effect of the Charm. When using the Charm in this way, the Infernal may apply dots of the Demonic Inheritance background as though it were a Blight mutation.
This is the first in a series of Infernal Charmsets I hope to write, based off the Four Ruinous Powers of the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 universes. No particular precedence has been given to any incarnation of the Greater Gods, and if they need to be twisted or trimmed to fit into the ranks of the Exalted Yozis, then they will be.
No Urge, Torment, or Act of Villainy yet exists for Tzeentch - I hope to come up with those once I've finished the Charmsets of the other three gods.
Enjoy (and buy Chaos In The Old World - it's a damned fun boardgame).
SACRED NUMBERS: Each Chaos God Excellency mentions a sacred number. Actions bolstered by this number, or multiples of it, may always benefit from the appropriate Excellency, no matter how unrelated, unless it is strictly forbidden. For example, Nurgle may always use his Excellency to direct troops using War, provided their total number or Magnitude is a multiple of seven, and Slaanesh may always enhance a Melee flurry provided he makes six attacks. Actions that oppose this number are not negatively affected.
TZEENTCH
The Great Mutator, The Eternal Maze, The Changer Of Ways, The Puppeteer Of Feathers And Shade, The Capricious Azure, The Eye Of Sorceries, The Lord Of Change, The Coloured Flame, The Subtle Schemer, The Alchemist Of Realities
FIRST TZEENTCH EXCELLENCY
Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker; Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Great Mutator is capricious and seemingly random. He engages in labyrinthine plots and byzantine conspiracies, plans within plans that exist sometimes for a purpose, sometimes for his own obscure amusement. Convolution and trickery are the tools of Tzeentch, and he is ultimately a showman, a puppeteer for whom all the world is a stage and all its peoples dancing puppets. Tzeentch fosters ambition and hope, no matter how senseless or impossible, for he is the patron of change and evolution. Despite his colossal intellect, Tzeentch finds it hard to resist engaging in deceit and complexity, even when his plans would be better served by simplicity or honesty. He is no stranger to self-defeat, as his drive for change leads him to upset all stability, even that which benefits him. The Changer Of Ways is the greatest of sorcerers, and encourages curiosity and the gathering of knowledge, no matter how ill-advised or forbidden. He scorns tradition, inciting dynamism and mutation in all things, be it society or the physical form. Tzeentch has no problem with turning on his followers, as loyalty is far too steady for his tastes, though he is loathe to abandon a plan, preferring to incorporate it into one of his other myriad plots. The sacred number of the Eternal Maze is nine.
Characters may apply this Charm to actions that facilitate significant change, as well as those that aid the development and progression of long-term or convoluted plots. Sorcerous or thaumaturgic actions may always benefit from this Charm. Attempts to conceal one’s goals or actions generally benefit, as does any action taken with the goal of manipulating another, though open and grand displays are not opposed to this Charm at all. This Charm may never be used to keep something static, nor may it support an action that has been openly predicted by another; actions that resonate with Conviction are less likely to qualify for this Charm. Finally, this Charm may always aid attempts to harm or hinder Nurgle and his servants.
TZEENTCH MYTHOS EXULTANT
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: First Tzeentch Excellency
Tzeentch is a master of chance, a feathered serpent with poorly-rolled die for eyes. Though it amuses him to see lesser beings scrabble against randomness of the world, he is careful to see that his fire is unable to burn him. An Infernal with this Charm may, after rolling the stunt-enhanced dice pool, remove up to (Stunt Rating x3) of the individual dice results and roll them again, applying the second result as reality refolds itself around his actions, cushioning him against the failings of fate. Applied to a static value, this allows the Exalt to increase his effective (Attribute+Rating) by (Stunt Rating +1).
ASCENDANCY MANTLE OF TZEENTCH
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 5; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: First Tzeentch Excellency
The Infernal can spend experience to buy his Essence rating up to a dot higher than his age should permit (see Exalted Corebook, p. 275). As Tzeentch relies on his cultists and sorcerous hideaways, whenever the Infernal is recovering motes at a rate of less than ten motes per hour, he loses all benefits from excess Essence (similar to Cecelyne). This drawback persists only as long as the character’s Essence rating is higher than it could be without this Charm. Upon reaching the age that Essence 10 is naturally available, the Infernal replaces this Charm with another of his choice. The Infernal may learn only a single Ascendancy Mantle Charm.
HAND OF CHANGE
Cost: 1+m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Desecration, Obvious, Shaping, Sorcerous, Stackable, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Tzeentch sees no appeal in the static forms of Creation. Where his clawed fingers touch, the world ripples and warps, changing in hideously beautiful ways. When the Infernal activates this Charm, he pays one or more motes (to a maximum of (Essence+2) motes per activation) and applies positive physical mutations to the target based on the number of motes spent. A pox costs one mote, an affliction costs two motes, a blight costs three motes, and an abomination costs four motes. These mutations are applied normally as a Desecration effect (though the Creature Of Darkness mutation does not count toward the cost of the Charm), and fade at a rate of (target’s Essence) of mutation dots per day, rounding up if necessary, and starting with mutations of the highest value. The mutations themselves are Sorcerous, and may be dispelled with the appropriate countermagic.
At Essence 3+ the Infernal may increase the cost of this Charm by one point of temporary Willpower to make any mutations applied by this Charm permanent, at the usual xp cost. Doing so prevents the mutations from being Sorcerous, making them immune to countermagic.
At Essence 4+ the additional cost to make mutations permanent is waived if the Charm is used on a willing target.
MOULT THE FORM
Cost: — (+2m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Time is immaterial to the Eternal Maze, as minutes and ages rebound off its mosaic walls like echoes in a concert hall. What does it matter if change comes now, or within a century? It is all the same to Tzeentch, an omnidimensional patience upset only by his love for showmanship. This Charm enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to delay the application of any mutations (or other effects) generated by it. When using Hand Of Change, the Infernal may pay an additional two motes (these do not count toward the maximum cost of the Charm). If he does so, the effects of the Charm do not manifest immediately, but are instead condensed into a Sorcerous mark somewhere on the target’s body, ranging in size from a small coin to a handprint. This mark is invisible to normal sight, but any form of Essence sight reveal a stylised blue symbol of some sort, often a two-tailed comet or feathered serpent; an Infernal can always see their own marks, even through clothing or armour.
The Infernal may reflexively pay one mote at any point to make one of these symbols visible to normal sight, and may (upon doing so) cause the mutations stored within to suddenly erupt into the target’s body, as though the prerequisite Charm had been applied at that moment. If the mark is dispelled, the mutations in question are lost.
Unless it is dispelled, this mark lasts until the death of either the Infernal or the target. There is no limit to the number of marks an Infernal may have placed, nor is there any limit to the number of times a single character may themselves be marked for mutation.
SERPENT FOLDS ITS WINGS
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Moult The Form
Tzeentch knows well the value of subtlety. Sometimes, it simply isn't productive to be a winged serpent the size of a planet. Sometimes it is best to slither into conformity, ready to burst forth when the time is right. This Charm enhances Hand Of Change. When using that Charm, the Infernal may instead suppress active mutations, condensing them into a Sorcerous mark somewhere on the target's body. This costs a number of motes equal to the cost to generate those same mutations, with the usual limits on mote expenditure applying. The mark in question acts exactly as the one described in Moult The Form, with the exception that dispelling it causes the suppressed mutations to immediately and painfully return.
This Charm may not suppress natural mutations, such as those describing the form of a beastman or engineered race, but may suppress other mutations, even those not applied by the Infernal himself.
GNARLED PENDULUM INFUSION
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Evolution is not purely beneficial. Birds lose flight, fish lose gills, bears lose sex drive. In the hands of Tzeentch, however, evolution can be outright malicious. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to inflict negative physical mutations as well as positive ones, at a cost of one mote per deficiency, two motes per debility, and three motes per deformity. The Infernal may also inflict mental and spiritual mutations, as well as physical ones. These mutations otherwise function just as normal ones applied by that Charm.
WARP-TINTED LENSES
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Gnarled Pendulum Infusion
A thousand eyes blink and stare beneath Tzeentch’s feathers, and each time they open they look upon the world anew, their pupils morphed, their irises a different shade, their perceptions totally flipped. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the martial artist to use it to alter his target’s perceptions of the world. He gains access to the following unique mutations, which he may only apply through this Charm;
• Pox - Friends To Lovers: One of the character’s intimacies has its context altered. This may not make a positive intimacy into a negative one, or vice-versa, but there are no other restrictions on the new context. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses both the intimacy and the new context.
• Affliction - Love To Hate: This mutation is equivalent to taking Friends To Lovers twice, and has the same effects, with the exception that no restrictions of any kind are placed on the new context.
• Blight - Nobody To Nemesis: One of the character’s intimacies has its subject altered. The character must be at least aware of this new subject, but otherwise needs no justification for transferring their love for their wife (or their hate for their foe) to them. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses both the intimacy and the new subject.
• Abomination - I Always Feel Like: One of the character’s intimacies is marked for either erosion or reinforcement, as their mutated mind twitches and reinterprets events as the warlock wishes. If it is marked for erosion, then any scene spent reinforcing this intimacy instead counts as a scene spent eroding it. A scene spent interacting with the subject of the intimacy, or the Infernal who applied this mutation, always counts as a scene spent eroding this intimacy. If it is marked for reinforcement, then the same occurs, except that any scene spent eroding the intimacy instead counts as a scene spent reinforcing it. The Infernal that applied this mutation chooses the intimacy in question.
When these mutations fade or are removed, any intimacies they affected return to normal, unless they have been removed completely or otherwise altered in that time. Applying these mutations permanently never incurs an xp cost.
BROKEN ON THE ETERNAL WHEEL
Cost: — (+1m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Gnarled Pendulum Infusion
Change wears down lesser beings, grinding them like an ever-turning millstone. Tzeentch cares not - twice as many new horrors will be born from their broken bodies, returning to a cycle of infinite variations. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to drain a single point of temporary Willpower from his target at a cost of one mote. This is still a Shaping effect, but it does not count toward the maximum motes that may be spent on the Charm, and may not be done more than once per activation.
At Essence 4+, this Charm automatically upgrades, allowing the Infernal to assail the minds of those who resist the certainty of uncertainty with leering illusions that mirror their inner madness. If the target of Hand Of Change perfectly defends against its Shaping effects (such as through the Charm Integrity-Protecting Prana; effects that would require a roll, or an additional cost per usage, such as Emerald Angel Unfurling or Purity Of Madness Defense), are obviously not considered perfect) the Infernal may reflexively pay one point of temporary Willpower to increase the target's current Limit track by one point as an Illusion effect that requires the expenditure of two points of temporary Willpower to resist. This may inflict a maximum of (target's Essence) Limit per scene on a single character. Obviously, this has no effect on characters without a Limit Track, but inflicts a single point of Resonance on Abyssals and reduces the temporary Clarity of an Alchemical by one (Alchemicals with a Dissonance track instead increase it by one).
BURNT OFFERING TRANSFERAL
Cost: — (+hl+); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
Fire turns wood to ash, but nothing has been lost - it is just another example of change. Soon the ash will blow away, and make the ground where it falls more fertile, allowing further growth. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to trade his health in order to further a glorious metamorphosis. When using Hand Of Change, he may voluntarily suffer any number of unsoakable bashing health levels of damage in order to decrease the mote cost of the Charm, to a minimum of zero. Motes discounted in this way obviously do not count toward the maximum number that may be spent on the Charm, effectively increasing the maximum number of mutations that may be applied per Charm activation.
FLICKERING FLAME OF MUTATION
Cost: 1m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Shaping, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
The fire of Tzeentch does not burn, but writhes in his many palms like a pinned piece of an aurora. The warlock gestures toward his foe, sending forth tongues of heatless flame that flow from one colour into the next. This flame is targeted with (Willpower+Occult), with an accuracy bonus of (Essence), and a range of ([Occult+Essence]x10) yards, ignoring cover entirely (though enemies in 100% cover are still invalid targets). If it hits, the Infernal may immediately apply the effects of Hand Of Change, at the usual cost (this is not a separate Charm activation).
The Infernal need not actually use his hands to project this fire (Tzeentch himself only has access to actual hands about half the time). Eyes, tentacles, feet, or a protruding tongue would work just as well.
SWEEPING WARPFIRE VORTEX
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The flames of change drip from a demon's maw like mad napalm, touching children, houses, towns, cities, and leaving none unchanged. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the warlock to reduce the accuracy modifier of the flame in order to increase the radius of its area of effect, at a rate of one point of accuracy bonus to one yard. The lowest he may reduce his accuracy modifier to in this way is –(Essence). If this Charm strikes multiple targets, the warlock must pay for and select each of their mutations separately (he may choose not to apply any mutations at all, in order to conserve motes).
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ upgrades it, allowing the warlock to only pay the mote cost for the mutations of the most expensive target of each Flickering Flame Of Mutation. Other costs must still be paid separately.
At Essence 10+ the Infernal may instead reduce his accuracy bonus to zero to increase the Charm's radius to one square mile.
FLAMMULE-TO-FUEL TRANSMUTATION
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Native, Obvious, Overdrive
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Infernal's mutating flames drip heatlessly over his fingers, falling to the ground. Where they touch dirt, it twists into new and alien shades, leaving a thin trail as the tiny mewling fires crawl back to the Infernal, reinfusing themselves into his burning Essence. This Charm grants the Infernal an Overdrive pool with a capacity of five motes. Initially empty, it gains a single mote every time the Exalt uses Flickering Flame Of Mutation on a target other than himself.
If the Infernal knows the Charm Mutable Ether Blade, then the capacity of the Overdrive pool granted by this Charm is increased to ten motes. In addition, it gains a single mote the first time in a tick the Infernal makes an attack with a weapon enhanced or created by that Charm. Finally, it gains a single mote at the end of any tick in which the Infernal has inflicted more than (Essencex2) points of mutations, spread across any number of characters (mutations he inflicts upon himself do not count for this purpose, and nor do pre-existing mutations that he releases from suppression).
NINE FACES OF DIVINITY
Cost: — ; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flammule-To-Fuel Transmuation
When the Changer Of Ways straddled Creation alongside his brethren, he would sometimes spend the time between turns in the Games Of Divinity with a clutch of randomly selected gods. He would take them up into his hands, and let them fall between his fingers, catching and turning them over again and again, smiling as his very touch warped and mutated them. By the time he was called back to the Games, dropping his hobby like an afterthought, the divinities he had toyed with were little more than unrecognisable horrors – or worse. Many of the darker shames of Yu-Shan are still touched by the leftovers of Tzeentch’s attentions.
This Charm permanently enhances Flickering Flame Of Mutation, allowing the Infernal to use it to affect immaterial targets just as easily as material ones, ignoring the natural resistance to mutation possessed by gods and elementals. If the Infernal has enhanced or created a weapon with Mutable Ether Blade, then it can strike immaterial targets as well.
It should be noted here that ghosts cannot be mutated by Tzeentchian Charms (at least, not without employing Heretical Charmtech), being static creatures fundamentally opposed to his paradigm of chaos and organic change. Instead, they suffer one die of unsoakable aggravated damage for every three points of mutations they would have normally acquired. Non-ghostly creatures of death, such as zombies or Abyssals, are affected normally. They are, however, completely disgusting.
IT ROLLS ONWARD
Cost: 4m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame of Mutation
Change, to put things as simply as possible, changes. It shifts from one paradigm to the next, never static, never fixed. Mutation and madness flow into the Infernal, and flow right back out again, his skin bubbling up to the fingers as his fires are vented. The Infernal may activate this Charm in response to any undesired Shaping effect targeting him. The effect is immediately negated, and the Infernal must reflexively use Flickering Flame of Mutation as an innate power, applying a number of mutation points with it equal to the minimum Essence rating of the original Shaping effect. If there are no valid targets for the flame, the Infernal may still use this Charm to negate Shaping, but discharges the chaotic energies into the ground or air, resulting in a warped section of earth with wriggling tendrils and blinking eyes, or a cloud that sings disturbing rhymes.
EMBERS OF EVOLUTION
Cost: — (+1wp); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The revolution has not been put down. It simmers, cells of cultists and anarchists lying in wait, embers prepared to erupt at the slightest incitement to change. The Infernal may use Flickering Flame Of Mutation with a surcharge of one point of temporary Willpower, as well as the cost of any mutations he wishes to inflict through Hand Of Change, to lay a trap on any surface within range. This trap is a Sorcerous environmental hazard with a radius of (Essence) yards, which takes the form of softly glowing ember-like lights at the centre of the hazard. This will obviously be more suspicious in some places than others – it will likely be unnoticeable in a fire or on a jewel, but placing it in a dark room or a flat marble floor will allow it to be spotted easily. This hazard lasts until the end of the scene.
The first character (other than the Infernal) to step into the radius of the embers immediately suffers an attack by Flickering Flame Of Mutation, using the Infernal’s usual dice pool (he may not augment this pool with Charms). If the target had not noticed the Charm upon triggering this effect, he must roll (Wits+Awareness) against the warlock’s (Essence) or else suffer it as an unexpected attack. If the attack hits, it proceeds as though the target had been struck by a normal iteration of Flickering Flame Of Mutation, using the mutations paid for by the warlock upon setting the trap. After the resolution of this attack, the embers gutter out into nothingness, leaving no trace beyond some twisted discolouration where they once laid.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 3+ allows the Infernal to charge his embers such that they can strike up to (Occult) different characters before being removed, at a cost of an additional two motes per additional character to be affected. Alternatively, he may lay up to (Occult) individual embers, each capable of affecting one character, at a cost of two additional motes per additional ember.
In addition, the warlock may place a geas on his overeager embers when creating them, forcing them to lie dormant. Instead, they will erupt (as normal) when a specific condition is met within their range while a valid target is also in range, targeting the closest valid target. This condition may range from "At noon" to "When the red-headed dragonblood with the jade powerbow embraces her mother". The embers will not recognise characters by name, though descriptions can be as needlessly specific as the Infernal likes, and they are not fooled by illusions. After this eruption has been resolved, the embers will act as normal, disappearing or waiting for further valid targets if they have more charges in store.
GREEN FIRE OF TREASON
Cost: — (+2m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Sorcerous
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Great Mutator is a selfish titan, gazing through a universe of infinite complexity and seeing only where he might prevail. Viewed through the heat-shimmer of his emerald flame, others can understand a fragment of this mindset. This Charm upgrades its prerequisite. When using Flickering Flame Of Mutation, the warlock may pay an additional two motes (these do not count toward the maximum number of motes that may spent on the Charm). If he does so, then any character struck by it must roll (lowest Virtue) or suffer the effects of the Limit Break Curse Of The Heartless Weasel for the rest of the scene as a Shaping effect. This effect may be resisted at a cost of two points of temporary Willpower, but if it completes its natural duration, the affected character regains one point of temporary Willpower (there is never any Limit reduction from the effects of this Charm).
MUTABLE ETHER BLADE
Cost: 3m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Flickering Flame Of Mutation
The Puppeteer Of Feathers And Shade generally avoids such pedestrian weapons as blades, but when he must, he wields a great saber crafted from burning time, its edge formed from a thousand carefully sharpened anti-seconds that shimmer with an oily light. The warlock uses this Charm and spends three motes on any melee or martial arts weapon he is currently wielding, enveloping it in an shimmering aura of heatless flame. For the rest of the scene, any attack with the weapon is treated as an attack by Flickering Flame Of Mutation, with a successful hit allowing the martial artist to apply the effects of Hand Of Change, at the normal cost.
At Essence 4+ the effects of this Charm may also be applied to ranged weapons, a corona of mutating fire bursting into existence around each arrow or throwing star.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 4+ allows the martial artist to create appropriate ammunition of any quality for ranged weapons enhanced by this Charm, at a cost of one mote for each shot costing Resources • or less, and two motes for more expensive ammunition (thrown weapons are treated as ammunition for the purposes of this Charm, with their Resources cost reduced by one). Ammunition created in this manner is formed entirely of the rainbow fire of Tzeentch, its solid parts formed from crystallised flame.
The warlock may now also create an entire weapon by using this Charm with a one mote surcharge, using the stats for any mundane weapon of any quality with a cost of Resources •• or less (he may create multiple weapons with a single activation, provided their total cost is within the boundaries of that allowed by the Charm). The weapon in question erupts into his hand, a shimmering manifestation of rainbow flame or twisted air, and acts exactly as a normal weapon of its type, with the exception that it cannot be sundered or disarmed, may be dispelled by appropriate countermagic, and is under the base effects of this Charm.
A third purchase at Essence 4+ increases the power of weapons created with this Charm, allowing the Infernal to pay an additional point of temporary Willpower when activating it. If he does so, he increases the maximum cost of created weapons to Artifact •• or Resources ••••. Artifact weapons created by this Charm do not benefit from any magical material bonus. The warlock may also pay this additional Willpower cost when enhancing a pre-existing weapon, increasing its quality rating by two levels, to a maximum of Perfect quality (Artifact weapons lack a quality rating, but may be enhanced in this way to add the Fine bonus to their statistics). A weapon enhanced in this way returns to its normal quality when the Charm deactivates, but its aesthetics are forever warped into something alien to Creation; perhaps it now possesses an unsettling oily sheen or a living eye set into its hilt.
If the warlock is wielding a weapon he created or enhanced by paying Willpower, he may channel Flickering Flame Of Mutation through it, reducing its total cost by one mote.
BURNING RAINBOW BACKDRAFT
Cost: 3m; Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Obvious, Sorcerous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Mutable Ether Blade
To play with fire is to be burned. Humans first learned this from the Changer of Ways, in the most obvious fashion. The warlock may activate this Charm in response to any attack made against him while he is wielding a weapon enhanced or created by one of his Charms, granting him a counterattack against the attacker in Step 9 of the original attack using his created-or-enhanced weapon. If the weapon in question is one created by Mutable Ether Blade, he may pay an additional two motes to make this counterattack unblockable, as his flames flow around any guard. If the attacker is currently affected by a Sorcerous effect created by the Infernal, this counterattack is undodgeable, his magical resonance drawing the conjured blade as surely as a magnet.
FLESH LIKE MELTED WAX
Cost: — (+1m/+3m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Hand Of Change
The bodies of those touched by the Capricious Azure roil and fold, their skin restitching into fur, their wounds becoming perfectly healed mouths. This Charm permanently enhances its prerequisite, allowing the Infernal to heal those he mutates. When using Hand Of Change, the Infernal may spend one mote to heal a single level of his target’s bashing damage, or three motes to heal a single level of lethal damage, both of which are Shaping effects. These motes do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, and he may restore any number of health levels with each use, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes healing a character than he spends on the main effect of the Charm.
A second purchase of this Charm allows the Infernal to heal Crippling effects at a cost of three motes per effect, or four if the effect is an amputation, as wrigglings tendrils reconnect lost limbs and eyes recurdle within their sockets. A third purchase extends his mutating medicine to Sickness effects, which cost three motes to heal, or four if the illness is magical in origin. Both of these are also Shaping effects.
POTENTIAL-UNLOCKING CARESS
Cost: — (+2+m/+3+m); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Flesh Like Melted Wax
Within the Eternal Maze are all possibilities, and each turn may bring a traveller to a new path. Whether that path leads to the summit of Qaf, the heart of the Realm Defense Grid, or the maw of a river dragon is unknown to all but the blind fetich Kairos. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to improve the traits of those he mutates. When using Hand Of Change as a Desecration effect, the Infernal may increase his target’s ability ratings or attributes as a Shaping and Training effect costing two motes per ability dot and three motes per attribute dot. This may not increase the target’s traits over their natural maximums. These motes do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes healing a character than he spent on the main effect of the Charm.
A second purchase of this Charm at Essence 5+ allows the Infernal to increase his target’s trait ratings up to one dot past their normal maximums, although doing so increases the resultant xp cost for the dot in question by half again. When the mutated character in question uses these unnatural skills, he leaves prismatic afterimages behind his movements, and the things he makes bear the undeniable aesthetics of Tzeentch, set with blue feathers, rainbow flames and numerous eyes. If they wish to avoid notice, they may elect not to use their Infernally-granted abilities, dropping their dice pools (and caps) for the roll accordingly.
CALL TO GLORY
Cost: — (+5m, 1wp); Mins: Tzeentch 0, Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Potential-Unlocking Caress
The potential for greatness lies within every being, in Creation or beyond, a truth exemplified by the process of Exaltation. It is by Tzeentch's carefully considered hand, however, that any pawn on the board may become a queen. This Charm permanently enhances Hand Of Change, allowing the Infernal to elevate those he mutates. If his target with Hand Of Change is a mortal extra, he may expend five motes and a point of Willpower to confer a new and heroic motivation (chosen by the target mortal’s player) as a Shaping effect. Doing so transforms the extra into a heroic mortal. Motes spent on this do not count toward the maximum cost of Hand Of Change, but the Infernal cannot spend more motes elevating an extra than he spent on the main effect of the Charm. When using the Charm in this way, the Infernal may apply dots of the Demonic Inheritance background as though it were a Blight mutation.