Aspects

Aspects are rotes, or specific trained uses of Synthesis. Each comes from a particular Tribe or Outlook; at character creation, you may only learn Aspects from your former Tribe and current Outlook. In play, you can learn any Aspect that someone is willing to teach you.

It takes one minute to work up the appropriate trance-state to use an Aspect, and the Spiritual Health cost is tripled without it. It is absolutely appropriate to roleplay the hell out of uses of Aspects.

Please note that using any Aspect to target a Z'bri automatically costs triple SH; therefore someone targeting a Z'bri with Passion and not spending one minute to reach the required trance state would need to spend 9SH to overwhelm the Z'bri with sensations, rendering them incapable of aggressive action and more susceptible to following commands and suggestions for one minute. Using an Aspect (such as Battle, Rage or Righteousness) on yourself shortly while facing a Z'bri does not incur this penalty.

Certain Aspects require you to present the target with a “show-me” lammie outlining their effects. As such, these powers cannot be used in combat (although using them shortly beforehand is fine).

Anima (Evan): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may touch a target and either:

• Restore all lost Physical Health
• Restore all lost Spiritual Health
• Cure one Deep Wound

Each use of Anima can only be applied to one person at a time, but you can do all of the things above if you choose, by spending multiple points of Spiritual Health. You cannot use Anima on yourself.

Battle (Joanite): for each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may use two additional Manoeuvres in the next combat, which must be within ten minutes or otherwise this Trance is wasted. You may reduce yourself to zero Spiritual Health in this way, but will not suffer the ill-effects until the end of the combat (or until five minutes has passed, whichever comes first). You must still have the relevant Weapon Use skill, and an appropriate crafted weapon, to use these Manoeuvres. While under this effect you feel the desire to make battle plans and prepare for combat.

Celtic Cross (Yagans and Doomsayers): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may learn one secret from a specified target, using a Guide as an intermediary.

Curse of Dream (Yagan): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may inflict a curse on a target that lasts one day. The effects of this curse can include:

• Reduce maximum Physical Health by 1 (to a minimum of 1)
• Reduce maximum Spiritual Health by 1 (to a minimum of 1)
• Inflict a minor change of appearance
• Cause minor discomfort

Each use of Curse of Dream can only be applied to one person at a time, but you can do all or a combination of the things above if you choose, and/or inflict multiple instances of the same effect, by spending multiple points of Spiritual Health.

Dahlia’s Doorway (Dahlian): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may open a hole through any material, 1” in any dimension, for one minute.

Dance of Masks (Dahlian): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may spend one minute as a person that the target trusts – you don’t get to choose the person, but you act in such a way that they absolutely trust you. This will take the form of a roleplaying effect on the person you target, which you inform them of by presenting them with a “show-me” lammie.

Dream Travel (Yagan): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may leave your body and move about as a spirit for five minutes (putting your hand above your head to indicate you aren't present). You may alternatively enter the River of Dream in this way, bringing one extra person with you per additional Spiritual Health you (or they) spend up to a maximum of 8 including yourself - if you do this you are not bound by the 5 minute limit. Anyone you take with you must consume a dose of Libs and is not able to craft anything within dream unlike an Active Dreamer.

Hide’n’Seek (Agnite): You may hide behind something and then go out of character, putting your hand above your head. You must move immediately to behind someone within line of sight, where you reappear. This person must be within 5m (large paces) per Spiritual Health you spend.

Luck (Agnite Scouts and Dahlian Mascots): You may pull the exact right piece of equipment or information from your pack at a cost of 2 Spiritual Health. This will not work on unique items. You may only use Luck once per event.

Manifestation (Magdalite): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may spend ten minutes in whatever human appearance you desire (and can phys. rep.)

Metamorphosis (Dahlian): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may permanently change one type of crafted object weighing 1lb into another type of crafted object weighing the same or less. You may increase the size of object you can effect by spending multiple Spiritual Health, and you can “make up the difference” in mass by spending one Spiritual Health per missing pound. One dose of drugs, or a small thrown weapon, weighs 1lb. A one-handed weapon or a thrown javelin weighs 3lbs. A two-handed weapon weighs 6lbs. A shield weighs 8lbs. A longbow weighs 2lbs and a crossbow weighs 7lbs. Heavy leather/fur armour weighs 20lbs, and plate/chain/tyre/flak jacket armour weighs 40lbs. Note that if you turn a crafted object into a smaller crafted object, any excess mass is lost.

Naiveté (Agnite): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may fill a target with a sense of childlike wonder for one minute, rendering them gullible and easily-influenced. This will take the form of a roleplaying effect on the person you target, which you inform them of by presenting them with a “show-me” lammie.

Nitrous (Magdalite): When you sleep overnight, rather than regaining lost Physical and Spiritual Health or engaging in Active Dreaming, you can instea enter a target's Dreams, and interrogate them. For each topic you wish to investigate, you may spend 1SH to receive vague information, 2SH to receive basic information, 3SH to receive detailed information, or 4SH to receive secret information. The target will receive either pleasant dreams or nightmares (your choice) on the topic as you rifle through their subconscious.

You may also use Nitrous to enter the River of Dream by passing through the Dreamscape of someone else who is going to the River. This costs you just 1SH but you immediately leave the River when they do. However, the two of you can swap Dreamcrafted items if either of you can make them with Active Dreaming.

Passion (Magdalite): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may overwhelm a target with sensations, rendering them incapable of aggressive action and more susceptible to following commands and suggestions for one minute. This will take the form of a roleplaying effect on the person you target, which you inform them of by presenting them with a “show-me” lammie.

Piggyback (Evan): You can subsume your soul into that of a spirit within a number of metres equal to the number of points of Spiritual Health you spend, and thereby travel into the River of Dream. When you do this you will either take on an aspect of the spirit that you piggyback or gain a piece of information that they knew through your communion with them. Which of this occurs is determined by the Guide on the scene.

Puppetshow (Dahlian): You can pull out a target’s deepest, darkest memories and fears to parade in front of them, overwhelming them with fear and/or shame for one minute per point of Spiritual Health you spend. This will take the form of a roleplaying effect on the person you target, which you inform them of by presenting them with a “show-me” lammie.

Rage (Children of Lilith):

• In the Physical Orb: For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you gain any one additional Manoeuvre and one additional Physical Health for the next combat, which must be within ten minutes or otherwise this Trance is wasted.
• In the River of Dream: For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you gain any one additional Manoeuvre and one additional Spiritual Health (as armour - may not be spent on your Eminences' Protection, the Dreaming skill, or any sort of Conjunctional Synthesis) for the next combat, which must be within ten minutes or otherwise this Trance is wasted.

You must still have the relevant Weapon Use skill, and an appropriate crafted weapon, to use these Manoeuvres. The effect will last for five minutes after combat starts. Whenever you are struck with a Sundering effect (e.g. Holding, Inferno or Sunder), you must immediately call “Synthesis 1” against the Sunderer, causing them one point of damage to their Physical Health. You may reduce yourself to zero Spiritual Health in this way, in which case you will enter an uncontrollable killing frenzy until no one remains within line of sight that is either wielding a weapon or using supernatural powers. You do not need to track how many times you get hit in this state, but at the end you are reduced to zero Physical Health and suffer one Deep Wound per point of Spiritual Health you spent on the Aspect (at the Guides' discretion, you may also suffer one or more Spiritual Critical Wounds if you used it in the River). While under this effect you have a dramatically shortened temper and an increased tendency to resort to violence.

Righteousness (Joanite, Jacker and Children of Lilith): For the next combat, which must be within ten minutes or otherwise this Trance is wasted, you may opt to spend one point of Spiritual Health to resist one Sundering effect (e.g. Holding, Inferno or Sunder), or to use the Dodge or Turn Aside Manoeuvre against attackers who have been Touched by the Seed (usually Serfs or Z’Bri). You must still have the relevant Weapon Use skill, and an appropriate crafted weapon, to use Turn Aside. Note that while under this Aspect, you may not use any other forms of Conjunctional Synthesis, including other Aspects. Your tolerance for anything tainted is dramatically reduced.

Sacrifice (Joanite): By spending one point each of Physical and Spiritual Health, you can restore all of a person’s Health of any one type by touching them. Alternatively, you can spend one Spiritual Health and take one Deep Wound from another person onto yourself.

Shadowstepping (Doomsayers): This was the first Aspect developed by humans, rather than the Fatimas. For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may travel invisibly (this is not an instantaneous teleport) from one shadow to another within a mile. You should put your hand in the air and go out-of-character, as you will probably have left the playing area by doing this.

Smothering (Evan): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may touch a target and either:

• Reduce them to zero Physical Health
• Reduce them to zero Spiritual Health
• Cause one Deep Wound

Each use of Smothering can only be applied to one person at a time, but you can do all of the things above if you choose, by spending multiple points of Spiritual Health. Please note that because this requires you to touch the target, and that our grapple rules do not allow for unarmed combat, it is not possible to use this ability in combat.

Tradition (Terasheban): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you may look back in time up to one year to learn the truth about or understand the past of a person (dead or alive) who you can touch – consult with a Guide!

Treason (Magdalite): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, you gain one Manoeuvre to be used against the target within the next 24hrs, as you understand their weaknesses. You must still have the relevant Weapon Use skill, and an appropriate crafted weapon, to use these Manoeuvres.

Truthsaying (Terasheban): For each point of Spiritual Health you spend, the target is compelled to truthfully answer one question or else lose one point of Physical Health. They can incapacitate themselves in this manner.