The Art of Wands

From Summoner

Revision as of 04:18, 30 January 2008

South-Facing Compass (O)

The first step to a successful exploration is to know your way home. Through the use of a divining rod, ranging from an unwieldy tent pole to the tiny pointer of compass, the Summoner gains an instinctual understanding of the direction of someplace "safe" within the Mirror, or places touched by its influence.
Once this Art is purchased, the Summoner is treated as having a Direction Sense for the World. This amounts to very little when the Summoner is actually in the world, but may prove invaluable when somewhere else. Due to the nature of the Mirror, this is by no means a guaranteed escape, since space and perception warp as freely as air moves about. This power, however, grants the Summoner a roll of Wits + Composure + Wands to orient himself to some sort of stable pattern or pathway.
Lastly, whenever the Summoner walks into the presence of the Mirror's influence, he will know it, if only because he will have a sense of where the World is...instead of being fairly certain he's in it.

Cost: None
Dice Pool: Wits + Composure + Wands
Action: Instant

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The Summoner has stumbled into a truly deadly patch, and finds its center (usually alive, aware, and of varying gentleness) more "real" than the World.
Failure: No successes are garnered, and it is difficult to know more than the vaguest sense that the World is 'out there' somewhere.
Success: The Summoner succeeds in getting his bearings, and can chart a rough course towards his destination by instinct.
Exceptional Success: Not only does the Summoner gain an idea of the easiest ways out, the Summoner gains a general idea of where dangerous places may be, granting a +3 bonus to deal with ambushes or environmental factors.

Suggested Modifiers

(Table to Follow)

Spectral Analysis (OO)

The Three of Wands speaks of a goal, an ambition, or a journey. It speaks of a goal achieved, and to the Peasants, a goal acheived is knowledge won or stolen. And, more of than not, a little knowledge can get them a long way towards their aims. Spectral Analysis gives the Summoner an innate understanding of the traits, meanings, and threats of demons and Mirror things. It is far from encyclopedic, but in a pinch, sometimes knowing about a being's tendency to breathe fire and devour children may come in handy.
With a moment's focus, the Summoner submits his own Ego to the impressions of his target, letting that power cast a shadow onto the canvas of his perceptions. From there, he can draw a mental shape, and gain impressions from it. A rare few Wand Peasants are rumored to be able to do soul paintings, artworks that reveal a great deal to those with the eyes to read them.
Cost: 1 Id
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Investigation + Wands - Finesse
Action: Instant

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The Summoner gets false impressions about the being he's scanning, beguiling lies written into the demon or location's nature.
Failure: The Peasant stares really hard and might get a bit of eyestrain.
Success:The Summoner gains insight into the nature of the demon. He may ask one question per success, from the following: Is the demon more or less powerful than myself(Ego-wise)? Roughly how much Power, Finesse, or Resistance does the demon have? What sort of Influences or Numina does the demon possess? What is one of its strengths? (Two successes) What is one of its weaknesses? What is its immediate goal? Questions towards more complicated things of Ego or more esoteric questions are left to Storyteller discretion.
Exceptional Success: As with a normal success, except that the Summoner laso may ignore up to his own Ego of the subject's Defense if events come to blows. He knows how the subject will react to his every move.

Suggested Modifiers

(Table to follow)

Man is an Island(OOO)

Create penalties to supernatural effects within a radius of a stave or wand. The Five of Wands speaks of challenges and competion, struggles to be overcome on the road to success. The Wand Peasants, though less fond of the card nomenclature than others with their Art, can take enough of a lesson from this card to put its power to use. Some battles must be fought, and it can be a hard road. But with perseverance, the day can be won.
Channeling raw Ego through the symbol of a 'wand', though this symbol can truly vary, the Summoner creates a haze or heaviness about herself. In that place, they are more 'real' than reality, and everything else is somehow lessened. Mortals find it difficult to breathe, nauseating, and may suffer a single level of bashing damage should they fail a Resolve + Stamina roll. The true effect of this field is when supernatural dangers present themselves, however.
The wave of being creates an island of stability, forcing supernatural effects to take heed. Against powers that seek to warp the body, control the emotions, or bend the mind of the Summoner, she gains a bonus equal to the successes on the power's activation as long as the aura is in effect. This bonus can apply either to contested rolls as a bonus to the Summoner, or to increase the penalties caused by a Resistance trait to an opponent's roll.
This power remains for a single scene, or as long the Summoner continues to possess the 'wand' used, whichever is shorter. Using this power without such an implement costs a point of Willpower. The effective radius is equal to a number of yards equal to the Summoner's Ego + Wands. Physical powers than emanate from beyond the field are not diminished. Any offensive actions on the Summoner's part, or on the part of an Alter Self, ends the power.
Cost: 1 Id
Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult + Wands
Action: Instant

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The character's Ego fails to exert itself, and tires. He loses a point of Willpower.
Failure: The Summoner cannot muster a strong enough aura to protect himself, but mortal are still uneasy and even sickened.
Success: The Summoner creates an island of stability and self, protecting himself from outside harm.
Exceptional Success: Not only is the defense strong, but mortals must succeed in a roll of Resolve + Stamina to remain conscious if caught for more than a round within the knee-buckling presence. This roll, once made, allows them to function, but at a -2 penalty to all rolls.

Suggested Modifiers

(Table to follow.)

OOOO - Get Thee Behind

Force a demon to flee...or at least buy time to escape.

OOOOO - Through the Looking Glass

Allows the Summoner to travel from one familiar mirror to another.