Seventeen Cycles Symphony

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Performance 5, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Mute
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Heart-Compelling Method, Plectral Harbinger's Approach

The Solar becomes a conduit of divine music; beautiful unnatural melodies flow through her. When confronted with a natural environmental hazard such as a forest fire, a driving blizzard, a hurricane, and so on, the Solar may dispel nature's fury with overriding music. Roll the Lawgiver's Charisma + Performance with Essence au¬tomatic successes against the difficulty of the hazard. If successful, she creates a safe path for a group of followers (Essence + [one per two extra successes]) in Size. A rag¬ing inferno that covers a hundred miles will snuff out in a path large enough for her party to pass safely through, a river of magma becomes cool enough to cross barefoot, and a hurricane may be diverted narrowly from its course. The Solar's music need only contend with elemental forces for a handful of seconds in order to dispel them, but this effect lasts (Essence x 30) minutes, despite the listed duration. Lastly, the effect is centered around the Solar, and if she is still in a state of danger from the environmental hazard when this Charm's time is up, she becomes aware of her need to re-use the Charm at least five minutes in advance. In that case, waive the Willpower cost to reactivate the Charm. A repurchase of this Charm allows the Exalt to deal with supernatural environmental hazards and unusual hazards such as acid baths. She can turn a cauldron of boiling oil into a warm bath or ward off the demon winds of Malfeas. After a repurchase, at Essence 4+, the Solar can use this Charm to destroy a sorcerous working that is barring her in the pursuit of a Defining Intimacy, rolling Charisma or Manipulation + Performance against the Resolve of the sorcerer who placed it, even if they are dead. A success allows her to shatter a minor working, or undo a major working until she has safely passed through it. Such a working is typically never an environmental hazard. It might be a massive seam where two mountains were fused to seal a path, an immovable capstone over a cave of lost dreams, a mind-worm whose screams force your best friend to fight you to the death, and so on. On Seventeen Cycles Symphony The backer wanted a Charm that would allow him to play a Solar Orpheus, able to quell nature's wrath. I liked the idea so much I decided to expand it to make it a real homage to the mythical hero, who would stop at nothing in his quest.

Storytellers should allow some creative latitude in basic interpretation of this Charm. A bank of thick fog over a rocky bay might not count as an environmental hazard in the strictest terms, but you should let a Solar dispel the fog so her captain can steer a safer course. Her song can't get rid of the rocks, but perhaps it can calm the tides. You also might note that using this to cut a swath through a blizzard won't make it magically warm and sunny. It will just get rid of the worst, most dangerous and threatening conditions of the blizzard, allowing your group to pass. Backer: Nathan Henderson