Fire on the Mountain

Fire on the Mountain (•)

 * Regalia
 * Action: Permanent
 * But sit down in that chair, right there, and let me show you how it’s done.

A musical instrument becomes part of the Noble’s Regalia, on which she plays beautiful, captivating music. The Regalia bonus applies to performing on the instrument or composing for it. There are variations of this Charm built on every performance art; these give Regalia appropriate to the art they’re based on (e.g. a beautiful pair of dancing shoes, a choker for a classical singer or actor, a handheld microphone for a pop singer) and apply the Regalia bonus when used to perform that art.

The Noble’s skill with her instrument lets her put strangers at ease with her. If she opens a social maneuver by putting on a performance, her first impression on her subject will be good unless her past history with him has left him hostile.

Upgrade: Inspirational
The Noble may use her art to direct her Echo toward a more specific inspiration. If she performs on her instrument for at least one minute before trying to raise an Echo, the Noble gains two benefits: first, she spends a Wisp, not a Willpower point, to raise the Echo; second, the Inspired Condition gained by her audience is based on the meaning of her performance, not her Virtue or Vice. (To inspire people as she intends, the Noble needs to succeed on a mundane Wits + Expression roll.) However, the Echo raised in this way can’t be used to resist another Echo or aura, and only those who listen to all of the performance are inspired by it.

Upgrade: Magical

 * Requires Quality

The Noble weaves her magic into her chosen art. She can add her instrument’s equipment bonus to her Charms to offset a Commonalty penalty, if she incorporates playing the instrument into the Charm activation. The instrument’s bonus will not reduce the Commonalty penalty to less than -0; if a Charm doesn’t take the Commonalty modifier, the instrument provides no benefit.

Upgrade: Sentimental
The Noble may use her art to tune her Echo, producing a specific mood in those who can hear it. If she performs on her instrument for at least one minute and spends a Wisp, all characters who hear her quiet Echo become aware of the emotional state her performance evokes. (To send the emotion she wants to convey, the Noble needs to succeed on a mundane Wits + Expression roll.) This can be used both to influence her direct audience, as they can benefit from her Echo on actions consonant with the emotion she expresses, and to send signals to her distant friends.

If a character happens to be using a supernatural power that reads emotions or probes minds on the Noble at the moment she spends the Wisp, the flood of passion from her performance overwhelms him and disturbs his concentration. While the pulse doesn’t interfers with the power, he takes the Stunned Tilt [CofD 286] from the psychic overload.

Upgrade: Communal (Metallo ••) [Dawn]
The Princess’s performance brings people together and fosters relationships. When holding a performance using Expression as an extended action before a crowd, her threshold is equal to the highest Resolve rating in the crowd and she makes a roll once per dot of Resolve she possesses. If she reaches the threshold, the crowd gains a Commonality Modifier, with one step added per dot of Metallo the Princess has. One dot is Casual, two is Interested, three is Interested and four dots makes the crowd dedicated. This typically only lasts one scene.