Standing on a Pedestal

Standing on a Pedestal (••••, Specchio •••)

 * Action: Extended, 30 minutes/roll, threshold = target’s Willpower
 * Dice pool: Presence + Persuasion, modified by Sympathy
 * Cost: 2 Wisps, 1 Willpower
 * Duration: 1 month

In a lengthy ceremony, invoking all she knows of him, the Noble weaves the thread of another person’s fate into hers, giving him opportunities to prove himself worthy of her.

When she reaches the threshold, the target gains the Entwined Destiny Merit with her until the Charm ends, with all the benefits and drawbacks of that Merit. The target’s Entwined Destiny makes him a seeker for the Noble’s approval; she can choose what kind of favor he is destined to seek. He may be a romantic suitor, and fulfill the destiny when he earns a sign of her affections. He may seek her social favor, and fulfill the destiny when she compliments him on his apparel, or invites him to a party. He may even seek her intellectual favor, and fulfill the destiny when she publicly approves of an idea he had. The general rule is that the target gains Willpower when the Noble chooses to bestow a sign of her approval upon him, and reaches a breaking point when he refuses an opportunity to seek the Noble’s favor. He does not suffer when he makes a genuine attempt, regardless of how the Noble reacts.

Unlike the Radiant Queens’ Charms of Entwined Destiny, it is perfectly possible to use Standing on a Pedestal on an unwilling target. It is however a compromise to do so, with a -3 penalty to the roll. (It is not a compromise to use the Charm on targets who already desire the Noble’s favor.) Further breaking point rolls may be called for if the Noble takes advantage of people she has woven a destiny for. As a general rule, it doesn’t count as consent if they’re only saying it as a result of an artificial destiny.

Collective

 * Requires Specchio ••••
 * Modified by Commonalty
 * Cost: +1 Willpower

The Noble may bind many favor-seekers to herself at once, if they are all present; the Charm is modified by Commonalty of the target group, instead of by Sympathy.

Taut

 * Cost: +1 Wisp

The thread that ties the Noble to her target pulls them together. The Noble and her target are linked by an Intimate sympathetic connection, regardless of the connection they had before. Their original level of Sympathy returns when the Charm ends.

If the Noble applies Collective and Taut, she becomes a member of the target group for the purposes of Commonalty Charms, instead of improving her Sympathy with any of them.