Need advice on spell

[wordman]

The Ruins of Rathess contains the following line (page. 94): "Characters using powerful sorcery to raise and civilize a large number of Dragon Kings...". Meanwhile, my players are coming to the end of long quest to a First Age tomb, and I want to plant some of the knowledge to raise Dragon Kings in the booty. Naturally, this includes information about the Dragon-Soul Enlightening Method charm, but I also want to include the aforementioned "powerful sorcery".


I'm thinking it might be a spell that works something like this:

Dragon-Soul Sun
After an hour long ritual, a column of sunlight shines down on a one mile circle of open ground. High up in this column, a faint effigy of the Unconquered Sun coalesces, stretching one of his four hands out in benediction of those below. Small seeds of solar fire rain down on the area, seeking out Dragon Kings and flying right into the heart of any they find.


The seeds are actually minor spirits, which automatically possess any uncivilized Dragon Kings in the area. These spirits have little will of their own. Instead, they act to immediately, but temporarily, raise the Essence of their hosts to 2 and allow them to speak and understand any language known by the caster. This enlightenment lasts only for one week. At the end of this period, after the spirits return to where they came, around 1% of the affected Dragon Kings will spontaneously elevate themselves to Essence 2, after a short period of returning to savagery.


Should the Dragon-Soul Enlightening Method charm be used on Dragon Kings while they are elevated by this spell, the number of Dragon Kings affected by the charm is multiplied by five. In addition, the training time is greatly reduced, down to a single week.

So, questions:

1. what do you think of the spell?
   
2. What circle do you think it should be?
   
3. What should it cost? (I'm thinking it needs to cost something other than motes, like a sacrifice to the US of some kind.)

 

[Vanman]

what do you think of the spell?

I like it, though I must admit I don't have a good grasp of how Dragon Kings come into their power. I know it's a gradual sort of thing, but I don't know specifics.

What circle do you think it should be?

Celestial or Solar. I'm thinking Solar, since it directly invokes, indirectly, the US.

What should it cost? (I'm thinking it needs to cost something other than motes, like a sacrifice to the US of some kind.)

Maybe the heart of another Dragon King, to help awaken them? Maybe even the heart of an enlightened Dragon King, thought that would kind of defeat the purpose. Maybe the heart of a claw strider/tyrant lizard and a human, to represent both the animal and the logical side of the brain? Or, if not human, another sentient being. As for motes, I'm thinking in the 40-60 range, but I do admit I am terrible at pricing things. Just my two cents.

 

[Hanat-Osul]

The sacrifice of mortal's heart would work very well as part of this ritual, since that's what the DKs used to offer up to Sol Invictus. In my games, the US has a kind of ancient Greek flavor, so I would allow either several bulls or one God-Blooded bull instead of a human.


As for the power level of the spell: at this point I would say it has Solar flavor and Celestial power. Bring it up to Adamant Circle by changing the number of DKs who retain their enlightenment, perhaps by rolling a flat number of dice (caster's Essence or Occult?) for every DK affected, with success indicating they stay enlightened.

 

[Charon]

Isn't there a Charm to train Dragon-Kings back to cvilized status?  I could swear I saw one, and an official one too.  I think it was linked to Tiger-Warrior Training as a pre-requisite.


Rings any bell to anyone?


---


EDIT : Yes, found it.  In Exalted Player Guide (P.158)


Dragon-Soul enlightening method


20 motes, 3 Willpower


Minimum Performance (Now War in 2nd ed) : 5


Essence : 4


1 Month


Pre-requisite : Tiger Traing Technique


Basically allows you to train Essence X 3 stalker in a month.


I think it makes more sense as a training charm than a spell, IMO.  After all, the Dragon-King already have a soul at birth.  They don't need anything added to their soul, just instructions.  And speed training is very much something Solar are known for.


Arguably, in 2nd edition, that charm could be put in Lore and linked to Harmonious Academic Methodology instead of Tiger-Warrior Technique.

 

[Jukashi]

He already mentioned that he was aware of the Charm, and that he wanted a spell for more epic flava.


Personally, I think the number of DKs enlightened is too low, especially since you'll lose numbers to the ones that aren't civilised.

 

[Charon]

He already mentioned that he was aware of the Charm, and that he wanted a spell for more epic flava.
Personally, I think the number of DKs enlightened is too low, especially since you'll lose numbers to the ones that aren't civilised.

Err... Nevermind then.   ops:


Though I think if you find the number of DK trained too low, you should just have higher power charms that cost no essence and improves that ratio.


Kind a like this


Dragon-Soul freeing prana


Essence cost : -


Minimum (attribute) 5


Minimum Essence : 5


The Dragon-Soul Enlightening Method now trains essence x 10 stalker.


It's very much a training effect, I feel.  I don't quite see it as a spell.

 

[Malekith]

I like the spell, and I think it should prolly be solar in level; its pretty life changing for those DK's


I do have one complaint though, if you are still running your campaign, how come you havent posted updates on your webpage!!!

 

[wordman]

I do have one complaint though, if you are still running your campaign, how come you havent posted updates on your webpage!!!

Good Lord! Someone reads that?


Two reasons there haven't been many updates: 1) our meetings got very sporadic for a while and are now on hold until some of the player's personal stuff gets finished. 2) I'm really lazy and haven't updated the sessions we've actually had.

 

[Malekith]

I used your forgetten manse adventure for my campaign, and have used some of your background material also for inspiration.


So get back to work! I need fresh stuff =P


JK [kinda], but I like your stuff so far