Vestments of the Endless Revel

(Soulsteel Reinforced Buff Jacket, Artifact ***)

Once there were six monks. They wandered all over Creation, first circumnavigating the Blessed Isle acting as monks do, then they crossed the frozen North in mere robes and sandals, sailed on many ships across the West as even the pirates did not begrudge their passage, crossed the burning South without ever seeking shade, and then they came to the Scavenger Lands.

Not once did they seek fine food or drink, nor glorious regalia, never anything more than the minimum needed. While all across their journeys the people were awed by the weathered ascetics, who seemingly could not be encumbered by age or any other burden, but the monks preached nothing and in fact revealed nothing of their beliefs, but offered wise judgment nevertheless.

Then they passed into Sijan, and no more was heard of them.

Those rare few who had met the monks and who passed into Sijan were able to learn the truth of their fates, as such was never actually hidden. The monks' souls had been forged into a suit of armor by a mysterious, but terrifying smith. They never uttered a sound of complaint throughout the process. For that matter, it was at their own request.

The Vestments are not at all what one would expect of such a process. The soulsteel components are ordinarily flawless, no screaming faces in this instance, although a heedless joy can be perceived in sufficiently stimulating situations. The leather possesses a similar black gloss, as though for costume rather than armor. All of it is further embellished with glittering gemstones, fine silks, meticulous scrimshaw, and strangely thriving flowers, all in uncanny hues of blue and purple. While it is normally easy for a wearer to tailor the Vestments' appearance to their personal aesthetic, those who have attempted to strip it down to a more sober cast have found that the armor swiftly restores itself, if not becoming even more ostentatious as a direct result.

The monks were ascetics, true, but with a very unusual purpose. Their philosophy aimed for a lifetime of denial and an eternity of precisely the opposite. This was the solution.

Attunement: 5m Type: Medium Tags: Silent Hearthstone slots: 2 (Breastplates)

The Vestments impart both the monks former stoic denial and their current blithe hedonism. The Exalt adds (Essence) dice on both rolls to endure or bypass hostile environments and hazards, as well as to procure anything desirable for reveling. This benefit ceases to function for a day if the Exalt chooses to go without the finer things in life for any reason but self preservation; such behavior makes the monks quite cross indeed.

Corpses Make Fertile Soil

Cost: 5m, 1hl; Mins: Essence 1 Type: Simple Keywords: Resonant Duration: Instant Prerequisites: None

Riches abound from sacrifice. The Exalt drops a flower petal from the Vestments, which grows into a small flower garden. Collected in the blooms are a set of items of Resources (higher of Essence or 3). By default, this consists of the paraphernalia necessary for a good party: wine, drugs, fine clothes, and more. They don't otherwise have any practical value, and disappear if attempted to be sold. If the Exalt knows of an applicable Intimacy they may tempt a person with, they additionally gain an item suitable for doing so, so long as they meet its Resources requirement. The target suffers an additional point of penalty to their Resolve on any influence that exploits this for as long as the party lasts (at least a scene, but the Exalt may potentially keep it going longer), unless they are so gauche as to resist.

Reset: Once per day. The Exalt may only specifically target the same person once per year unless she discovers another way to tempt them.

Resonant: The total Resolve penalty also applies to the target's Guile, again only if he accepts.

Protection in Abandon

Cost: 3m, 2i; Mins: Essence 1 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Dissonant, Perilous, Resonant Duration: Instant Prerequisites: None

The Vestments urge their wearer on and on, and are more than willing to assist in such endeavors. The Exalt gains +1 Defense and (Performance or Presence) armored soak against an attack. The Exalt must then either rush or disengage from their opponent at the next opportunity, although a successful roll on either rewards the Exalt with two Initiative.

Dissonant: The Exalt doesn't gain Initiative.

Resonant: If the Exalt wasn't damaged by the attack, the next use of this Evocation in the same turn has its cost waived.

Gleefully Mocking the Stumblebum

Cost: -; Mins: Essence 1 Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Protection in Abandon, Faithless Shadow Betrayal

Revelry welcomes all. But if one makes an ass of oneself, what can one expect? When a character fails an opposed movement roll, a threaten roll, or a read intentions roll against the Exalt, she may reflexively use Faithless Shadow Betrayal against him in response, and gains the Essence he loses.

Letting Scents Out the Window

Cost: -; Mins: Essence 2 Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Corpses Make Fertile Soil

So you've thrown a fantastic party. How to follow? More and better partying, naturally. When the Exalt uses Corpses Make Fertile Soil, she may additionally produce coded invitations that may be spread around for up to (Essence) miles. Any who may be hostile to the Exalt suffers a -3 penalty to any rolls to understand the invitation, unless she's targeting them specifically.

Many Ways to a Heart

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2 Type: Supplemental Keywords: Uniform Duration: One day Prerequisites: Protection in Abandon

One day's fellow revelers may be bitter enemies, and vice versa. It's all the same song. This Evocation supplements a read intentions roll or an attack. On a read intentions roll, if successful, the Exalt learns an Intimacy whose exposure would leave the target vulnerable; for the duration of this Evocation, the Exalt rerolls (Intensity) failed dice on attack rolls against the target, starting with 6's. On an attack, if it deals damage, for the duration of this Evocation the Exalt rerolls (Socialize) failed dice on any read intentions rolls against the target, starting with 6's, so long as they're looking to uncover similar Intimacies.

If the Exalt succeeds in gaining one benefit, they may use this Evocation to gain the other without paying its cost.

Once There Were Six Monks

Cost: 18m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3 Type: Simple Keywords: None Duration: Instant Prerequisites: Letting Scents Out the Window, Many Ways to a Heart

Now there are only revelers. The Exalt draws forth six shades from the Vestments. They have the semblance of elegant, louche courtiers, and firmly deny ever having been austere mendicants... albeit rather insincerely. They won't absolutely obey the Exalt but won't betray her either, and are happy to go along with revelry, socializing, and combat, and can be convinced to begrudgingly aid in lesser pursuits. The better the Exalt's relationship with them, the more enthusiastic they'll be. That said, they swiftly wither and dissipate if they become bored, and can't be summoned again until the next stroke of midnight. Even if they're killed by magic that can permanently destroy them, however, they simply dissipate unless the Vestments have been broken or destroyed.

By default, the ghosts have a few similar traits: Essence equal to the Exalts, Appearance 5, and the ability to materialize and dematerialize. They each have excellent capability for social situations, and reasonable combat capability. The player and Storyteller should collaborate on appropriate skills and magic for them to possess beyond the baseline.

Special Activation Rules: The Exalt may use sorcerous motes to pay for this Evocation's mote cost, whether they know sorcery or necromancy.

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For some reason I wrote horrifying orichalcum armor and (relatively) fun-time soulsteel armor. Obviously it's got Umbrals in mind, but Gleefully Mocking the Stumblebum can easily have some gambit or other Simple debuff Charm subbed in. Tomorrow I'm going to get started with even more Umbral stuff.