Moonlight On the Bay
Black Jade Reinforced Buff Jacket, Artifact 4
Many Artifacts of House Peleps attempt to trace their lineage back to the woman herself, the Roaring Captain Astride the Currents. The Mijana family is more successful than most.
Moonlight On the Bay was originally forged for Peleps Tondro, one of many officers to serve aboard the Spear of Daana’d. Tondro was charged with mutiny after a paranoid breakdown lead her to ignore Peleps’ orders and strike out on her own during the Battle of Shining Spear Bay. Rather than have her executed, Peleps referred Tondro to the Empress, who elevated her as a magistrate.
Tondro’s paranoia was concentrated into a sorcerous catalyst and refined into an alloy, which laid the basis for her armor. Her powerful sense of worry would now and forever serve her and her descendants to protect them. Her foggy mind would clear as the fog itself bent to protect her.
The Mijana family inherited Moonlight On the Bay long ago. It once served Peleps Clear Blue Sky in her time as a wandering hero; now that she is older and her wandering has turned to law, she gifted the armor to her first daughter, Peleps Tempest. It ought to help the young captain restrain herself.
Aesthetics
Moonlight on the Bay is a single-breasted greatcoat in black and gray. Around the waist, two panels of black jade scale protect the upper legs; elsewhere, it is padded with inset plates of jade alloy. The dark cloth is woven through with glistening thread-of-jade. The outermost piping is thread-of-hungry-silver.
Evocations of Moonlight on the Bay
While attuned to Moonlight on the Bay, you never take penalties from water-based obscurement. Thick fog and dark water do not obscure your vision. Pouring rain and crashing waves do not stuff your ears. You suffer no penalty to move in watery concealment.
Once per turn, as a reflexive action, you can clear watery obstruction nearby. For example, you can exhale sharply to cut a pathway through thick fog, or you can clear particulate from the water in a bubble around you. You may either clear all obscurement within close range, or a line or path out to short range.
Because it is a jade artifact, you unlock Fog Soul Expression for free.
Essence 1
Fog Soul Expression
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Simple; Duration: Instant
Keywords: None
Prerequisite Charms: None
Fog pours out from your armor and hands as the nascent armor awakens.
When you activate this Charm, an area out to short range from you is filled with thick, moonlit fog. Inside the fog, it is almost impossible to see. Individuals in the fog take a -3 penalty to visual Awareness checks and -1 to other checks where the fog interferes.
The fogs persist until the end of the scene. Storm winds and the noonday desert sun can disperse it as quickly as (Essence) rounds. Stunts which include how characters chop through the fog or carve paths through it can mitigate the penalty.
If you reactivate this Charm while the fog is still active, pay only 4m. Choose:
- Increase: The fogs swell out to fill another range band; first medium, then long, then extreme, etc. The fog cannot fill more than (higher of Essence or 3) total range bands.
- Repair: All corridors, patches, and holes in the fog are instantly re-filled.
Reflection of Ill Intent
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental (Join Battle); Duration: Instant
Keywords: None
Prerequisite Charms: Fog Soul Expression
An eerie tingling along your spine alerts you to that which you cannot yet perceive.
Reroll 6s until they fail to appear. In the very first round of battle, you may count your Initiative as being (Essence + 3) higher in order to avoid being caught unaware by a surprise attack.
Misty Morning Insight
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive; Duration: Insant
Keywords: Mute
Prerequisite Charms: Fog Soul Expression
The fog clouds the lungs and the mind. Deceit is harder in the scrutiny of the armor.
Reflexively profile your target. You cannot target someone you are currently engaged in combat with, and you must be in an enclosed space with them.
When you activate this Evocation, fog and mist pour out from the armor for your target to inhale. It is Mute, because it does not make your anima glow; it is still clear that you have used some kind of magic.
Essence 2
Bay-Stalking Spirit
Cost: 6m; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Reflexive; Duration: One scene
Keywords: None
Prerequisite Charms: Fog Soul Expression
Within the fog, your shape is blurry and your edges unclear. You move like a hint in the fog.
As long as you are in watery concealment, all enemies get -1 success to hit you. Withering attacks you make against opponents in the fog get +1 Overwhelming; decisive attacks you make against opponents in the fog get +1 free commitment.
Choking Mists Embrace
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Supplemental (Grapple); Duration: Instant
Keywords: Perilous
Prerequisite Charms: Bay-Stalking Spirit
Peleps Tempest is a whirlpool, and under her command, the mists are eager to drown.
If you succeed on your grapple roll, you may take a reflexive 5i-level Create an Environmental Hazard gambit, to trap your grappled target in a dense, drowning patch of fog. He takes damage every round he is grappled; if you release or throw him, the fog clings and persists for the next round, rendering him incapable of moving.
Mist Monster Method
Cost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Simple; Duration: Instant
Keywords: None
Prerequisite Charms: Fog Soul Expression
Your form looms in the fog, illuminated from behind like a terrifying beast. Your shape is terror.
Roll (Appearance + Presence) as an Inspire action to evoke fear and primal dread against a set of targets who are currently in your fog. Ignore the group influence penalty.