Hearthstones

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Breaking Hearthstones

Hearthstones are very durable items formed from pure magic. They're far too hard to break in the heat of combat, even with a weapon forged from one of the five magical materials. The easiest way to destroy a hearthstone is to damage the manse whence it springs. Failing that, a character with Occult 3 and Craft (Air) 3 can, with several days of study, find a natural seam down which a chisel made from one of the five magical materials will split the gem, rendering it into chunks of raw gray stone.

A player must make a difficulty 1 (Perception + Craft [Air]) roll for his character to do this. A single success destroys the stone, but a botch indicates that the stone was split along the wrong plane of fracture, releasing wild magical effects similar to the results of high-circle countermagic spells. Two characters—a sorcerer and a jeweler—can work together to split a stone, combining their skills, but the difficulty of the (Perception + Craft [Air]) roll increases to 2.

Hearthstones are the talismans of the Exalted. Where mortal men gather mementos of magic, the Exalted harvest its very fruits. From the heart of a manse grows a crystal of pure magic, usually about the size of a large chicken egg. Such crystals are of unearthly beauty, growing naturally in beautiful cuts. Yet, it is not for their luster that the Chosen prize them. Many items made of the five magical materials have sockets in them to permit the mounting of these crystals. When an Exalt is attuned to a manse, places that manse's hearthstone into an item made with one of the five magical materials and then invests Essence in the item to attune it to himself, the hearthstone resonates as well. Such a resonant hearthstone has a beneficial effect on the Exalt who carries it. This effect is determined by the architecture of the manse that produced the stone and the nature of the demesne that forms the manse's foundation. Some provide minor bonuses, while more powerful hearthstones grant great magical powers.

An attuned hearthstone is a hearthstone whose bearer is attuned to the hearthstone's manse. A resonant hearthstone is an attuned hearthstone set in an artifact to which the bearer is attuned.

Hearthstones of Air

Gemstone of Surface Thoughts (Manse ••)

This round, light-blue gem allows the bearer to read someone's surface thoughts. He just has to concentrate on his target, who must be within (Essence x 10) yards, and the wind whispers her thoughts into his ear. The bearer's player rolls (Perception + Awareness). The more successes achieved, the clearer the information is. A single success will bring only words and perhaps a short phrase. Four or more successes will give a detailed idea of what the target is thinking. If the target suspects what is happening, she may resist with (Wits + Integrity), making the use of the stone a contested roll.

Gemstone of Surface Thoughts (Manse ••)

This hearthstone is perfectly clear—so clear that it becomes invisible if submerged in clear water. A character bearing this hearthstone has his reflexes enhanced, allowing him to knock aside or dodge arrows and thrown attacks with casual ease. When this character is subject to a ranged attack, he may apply his DV (Dodge or Parry DV, at his choice) without defense penalties or onslaught penalties and can parry lethal attacks unarmed. This effect does not refresh his DV; it merely lets him ignore the relevant penalties to his DV when defending against ranged attacks.

Hearthstones of Earth

Gem of Adamant Skin (Manse ••••)

This hearthstone is a glittering, flawless black ovoid. The character who bears it is difficult to cut, and her bones are virtually unbreakable. Lethal damage done to her is automatically converted to bashing before soak is applied. Bashing damage may still convert to lethal due to excess damage, as normal. This hearthstone has no effect on aggravated damage.

Gem of Immortality (Manse ••••)

This hearthstone is a smooth, darkest black, with the faintest rainbow sheen playing across its surface. While he bears the stone, the character does not age, nor does he suffer from the infirmities and illnesses of old age, should he already be old when he gets the stone. He cannot die of old age or illness, but he can be harmed and killed through other means. If he stops carrying this stone or loses attunement to the manse, he will start to age normally.

Hearthstones of Fire

Gem of the Calm Heart (Manse •)

This hearthstone is teardrop-shaped, and the bright red of heart's blood. It serves to bank the fires of the character's heart, allowing him to act out of reason rather than anger. The hearthstone allows the character who bears it to spend three motes of Essence, in the place of a temporary Willpower point, to suppress a Valor check.

Jewel of the Hungry Fire (Manse ••)

This gem is bright orange-red around the edges, deepening to a glowing brick red at the center, like the coals of a banked fire. The hearthstone draws heat and flame into itself, protecting the character. Add six to the character's soak when applying damage from fire attacks. Also give him two bonus dice for rolls related to resisting heat, such as might result from being lost in the desert.

Hearthstones of Water

The Freedom Stone (Manse •••)

This stone is a murky blue-black, full of shifting colors. A character who bears this hearthstone can never be physically restrained. Shackles and ropes will fall away, knots and nooses will come undone. All grapple, clinch, hold and throw maneuvers attempted against her will automatically fail. Note that while the character cannot be restrained, she can still be confined—this hearthstone does nothing to counter locked doors and barred gates.

Seacalm Gemstone (Manse ••••)

In appearance, a fist-sized drop of brilliant azure seawater caught in perfect stasis, this hearthstone brings the character incredible luck at sea. No matter how severe the weather or how poor the handling, the character's ship will never founder at sea and will, in fact, emerge unscathed. Note that this does not protect it from rocky shoals, pirates or anything of the sort—it only protects the character's ship from weather-related mishaps. Note that this is more powerful than it sounds—a character can ride before a gale with full sails and have no fear of ripped cloth or snapped masts. Storm spirits may respect, fear or hate the character bearing this hearthstone according to their temperament.

Hearthstones of Wood

Stone of Healing (Manse •)

This hearthstone is a healthy earth-brown, mottled with spots of green. It is round in shape and could have come from the bottom of any common streambed, were the colors not so vibrant. The stone enhances the medical talents and knowledge of any character who bears it, making an unskilled character into a skilled surgeon and a gifted physician into a brilliant healer. A character bearing this stone has three dice added to all Medicine rolls made by her player.

The Monkey Stone (Manse ••)

This hearthstone is a rich reddish brown, with a surface that looks like bark. It gives the bearer the agility of an arboreal primate. Any character who possesses such a stone reduces the difficulty of all Athletics rolls involving balance, jumping or climbing by two (to a minimum of difficulty 1) In addition, the stone doubles the character's climbing speed and the distance she can jump.

The Monkey Stone's ability to double a character's jump rating does not stack with Charms or Sorcery. Use the greater of two effects to determine jumping distance.

Celestial Hearthstones

The majority of demesnes are associated with one of the five elements, and the manses built upon them reflect this fact. However, a small fraction of manses and demesnes form from Essence attuned to one of the types of Celestial Exalted—Abyssal, Lunar, Sidereal or Solar. Abyssal manses usually lie in the Underworld, though some were once normal manses now tainted by the presence of a shadowland. Lunar manses are generally found in uncivilized regions of Creation, unfortunately sometimes in areas dangerously affected by the Wyld. Sidereal manses are most often found within the Celestial City of Yu-Shan, but some lie in hidden locations of great auspiciousness. Solar manses are universally the remnants of First Age glory, now mostly held by the power of the Realm or remaining untouched due to terrible defenses that are still intact.

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Wilderness Gem (Manse ••••)

This Lunar hearthstone is pale purple and rough in texture. Regardless of the environment, this gem will allow its bearer to survive in the wilderness. The gem gives the Exalt an instinctive knowledge of where safe shelter and campsites can be found, what plants and animals are safe to eat and how to recognize the signs of the onset of dangerous weather. The gem adds four successes to any Survival roll the bearer's player makes, and it allows the character to take part in supernatural tracking contests.

The Gem of Day's Light (Manse •••••)

This Solar hearthstone is a yellow gem burning with an inner light. It allows the Exalt who owns it to travel confidently, knowing that the light of the Unconquered Sun will be with her. She has only to concentrate on the gem to make it glow like a mini-sun, illuminating everything within up to a mile's radius with the light of day. The Exalt can determine how far the effect stretches by concentrating on the gem. The effect lasts for as long as needed. Concentrating to activate the effect is a miscellaneous action, though it can be ended reflexively.