When mothers tell their children of a sacred grove whose sole tree blooms only once each lifetime, the sole guardian changes with each and every telling. It is a beast with claws that crush intruders; it is a demon that lures men in to eat their flesh; she is a woman, as elegant as a flower and deadly as nightshade with emerald eyes and cloven hooves. It is she who wields Jade Dew. It is her grove, 100 miles from any mortal city, that inspires the legend.
In ages past, Solars often sought the nature of her grove and she struck them down with crippling blows. Gods and spirits alike avoided the region marked by sorcerous borderlines. Lunars have theorized she is a Fair Folk drawing on tales of a sword that was forged before her conception. Others see her as an elemental whose sole duty is to protect the tree. The few cults who revere her see her as an incarnation of Mara, the Shadow Lover. She does not speak an answer if any have asked her.
The grove is always shaded, the sun just below the treeline, with grass as deep green as jade. One look reveals its beauty, a second look reveals that throughout the perfect circle of the grove, a single blade of grass is sewed in and out of the ground to mark the edge of the domain where nothing grows except for it, the single tree in the center of the enclosed wood, and the swordswoman with her blade. Those who step beyond the boundaries are intoxicated, but the emerald eyes glare at them and the guardians hand drops to her blade. She allows no trespassers.
Attunement: 5m
Type: Medium (+3 ACC, +12 DMG, +1 DEF, OVW 5)
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Balanced
Hearthstone slots: 2
Era: War of the Gods
Evocations of Jade Dew
When the wielder of Jade Dew faces someone with an addiction, they add bonus dice to their attack rolls equal to the intimacy representing that addiction. If the character lacks a relevant intimacy but has the addiction flaw, add +2 dice as if it were Minor. If the character suffers from Sweet Sapling Blight, calculate this bonus with the Intensity of the disease instead (+2 for Minor, +3 for Major, +4 for Defining).
Jade Dew resonates with the guardian of the grove, regardless of the Storyteller’s choice of who or what she is.
Dew-Eyed Guardian
Cost 2m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dissonant
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: None
The scent of intoxication becomes visible as the wielders eyes briefly flicker the color of her sword. When she rolls Join Battle with an Awareness based roll, activating this charm allows her to apply her result against the Guile of all enemies in the scene as a Profile Character action, immediately learning if any of them suffer from an addiction. If they do, she gains a point of initiative and her base initiative becomes one higher for the scene.
Special Activation Rules: As long as she is not dissonant with Jade, the Exalt unlocks this evocation as soon as she attunes to Jade Dew.
Sweet Sapling Blight
Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Dissonant, Resonant
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Dew-Eyed Guardian
Her blade long and deep green, verdant with wild essence, deadly with nature’s bounty. Its cuts remind trespassers of their failings and drive them wild for them. As long as a Decisive attack supplemented by this evocation deals at least one level of lethal damage, her target suffers withdrawal no matter how recently he has indulged his habit and is exposed to Sweet Sapling Blight, a supernatural disease with the following rules:
Sweet Sapling Blight:
Virulence (3+highest addiction intimacy), Morbidity (3), Interval (One Week)
Anyone who does not have an addiction is immune to Sweet Sapling Blight
It is resisted with Stamina + Integrity and only magically-enhanced medical treatment can prove effective.
Minor: As all minor disease, but the character also suffers from withdrawal (-1 penalty to all actions) unless he is able to indulge his addiction each day.
Major: As all major diseases, but the character suffers from withdrawal unless he indulges his addiction each hour. In addition, anytime that he is able to acquire his addiction in a scene, he must roll current temporary Willpower against the Morbidity to indulge unless he spends a 1wp to resist.
Defining: As all defining disease, but the character suffers from withdrawal unless he indulges his addiction each scene. In addition, any time he is able to acquire his addiction in a scene, he must spend 1wp and then roll current temporary Willpower against the Morbidity to indulge unless he spends an additional Willpower to resist.
Dissonant: The Exalt’s enemies only suffer withdrawal if they contract Sweet Sapling Blight.
Resonant: Each 1 and 2 rolled in the Virulence and Morbidity rolls (and any rolls to treat the disease) subtracts one success from the end result.
Bleeding Poppy Reaping
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Resonant, Dissonant
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Sweet Sapling Blight
When a poppy is cut, it bleeds out its sweet addicting nectar. The blood of the addicted is merely Jade Dew returning the favor. A decisive attack supplemented by this evocation rolls only half the Exalt’s initiative, rounded down, as damage. It however increases their intimacy towards their addiction by one step or decreases the same intimacy by one step. An intimacy cannot be raised above defining, but a character with a Minor (or no relevant intimacy) can instead be cured of their addiction.
This evocation can only be used once per scene per target and cannot be reset by the Dawn caste anima power.
An Essence 3+ repurchase allows a character to cause an infected character damaged to immediately make a Morbidity check against Sweet Sapling Blight.
Dissonant: A dissonant character cannot repurchase this evocation.
Toxin Rooting Flow
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Resonant
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Bleeding Poppy Reaping
Expelling what is impure, Jade Dew soaks in the taint like a root in toxic soil. Whenever the Exalt succeeds on a roll to resist a poison or addictive substance that she has ingested or inhaled, she roots the toxin through her weapon. By releasing the commitment to this charm’s motes she can cause her blade to drip with the substance as a reflexive action at the start of her turn. Her next decisive attack, if it hits, will cause her victim to suffer the same poison or substance.
Resonant: The Exalt gains one non-charm success on the roll to resist ingested and inhaled poisons and addictive substances, even if she does not plan on using this evocation to hold them.
The grove’s guardian protects the grove without ever falling for its addictive charms. This evocation causes any social influence aimed at indulging in an addicting activity to be treated as unacceptable influence as if protected by Righteous Lion Defense.
The Solar may choose (or be forced) to indulge in taking drugs, addicting substances, or be exposed to the Wyld’s taint, but never talked into doing so. If she does become a victim of such things, this evocation causes her to roll twice to resist and take the higher result or for the effect to roll twice and apply the lower result - whichever is applicable at the time.
Indulgent Battlefield Delusions
Cost: 6m; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual, Dissonant
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Bleeding Poppy Reaping
Those who fight in the grove of the guardian falter as their senses lure them away from the battle, but into the edge of her daiklave. A withering damage roll supplemented by this evocation doubles 9s against a character suffering from a Minor addiction or Sweet Sapling Blight intensity, doubles 8s against a character suffering a Major addiction or intensity, or doubles 7s against a character with a Defining addiction or intensity. A decisive attack supplemented by this doubles up to (1+steps of intensity) dice of damage.
Dissonant: A character dissonant with Jade cannot double more than (Essence) damage with this evocation.
Special Activation Rules: This evocation can only be used once per scene unless reset by increasing Sweet Sapling Blight’s intensity with a use of Bleeding Poppy Reaping.
Heart-Pleasing Razor
Cost: 6m; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: Resonant, Dissonant
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite: Indulgent Battlefield Delusions
The groves beauty is a taint that touches her sword and as the blade is sheathed and drawn, her enemies feel their minds fog. The wielder makes a simple action of sheathing and drawing her sword, when she does, she rolls (Manipulation+Presence) against the resolve of any enemies who she has struck. On a success, enemies find themselves addicted to her blade and being cut by it. They must spend a point of temporary Willpower in order to apply their defense to the swordsman’s attacks, but need only pay this price once per scene. Even if they do, they take a -1 penalty to their defense for the remainder of the scene. This evocation can only be used once per scene.
Resonant: The addicted opponents take a penalty to their Resolve equal to the steps that Sweet Sapling Blight has progressed
Dissonant: Wielders dissonant with Jade cannot awaken this evocation.
Reaper of Intemperate Weeds
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-Only, Perilous, Resonant
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite: Heart-Pleasing Razor
The guardian is also reaper and harvester - anything that flowers in her grove is hers to cut. Only a wielder Resonant with Jade can awaken Reaper of Intemperate Weeds.
As soon as an opponent who holds an addiction to her sword moves within Close range of her, she may make an immediate decisive attack against them, even if she has already acted this round. Her opponent cannot clash this attack. This decisive attack has a base damage of (Essence) plus a bonus equal to the current level of their addiction or Sweet Sapling Blight intensity, whichever is higher (+2 for Minor, +3 for Major, +4 for Defining) and benefits from the effects of Indulgent Battlefield Delusions even if the wielder has already used that charm this scene.
Accompanying its entry in a book of first age legends centuries old artificers wax poetic on the majestic and ferocious blade. The relic is accredited to a Lunar huntress whose scabbard depicts a great hunt of a wolf pack in unity pursuing its prey on a moonlit night and at their heart is the moonsilver blade, an untamable beast cruel and proud. The blade is twisted in a terror inciting display of lupine ferocity and as the wind passes over the hollows in its spine a mournful howl rings out from the lone blade. The moonsilver blade cannot be cleaned, never forgetting a kill, nor can the peerless jade be marred, unable to hold even a memory of violence.
The true sleeping wolf was born under the moon but grew up in the sterile walls of Rishati, in chains, contained and alone. He was let out only when its maker decided to play with it in her spare time. Her play was not the kind most could stomach, as she trained the wolf into a malformed mass of fear, agony and despair, the gouged holes that once held its eyes wept puss and blood as even its flesh begged for death. She held it for 60 years on the brink of death, shredding its soul into tatters until she tired of the game of yo-yo. With its tongue having long been pulled out from the root, the wolf died with its shattered jaw agape crying soundlessly as its body fell into a crucible of moonsilver. Under her hammer she forged its essence deep into the metal and pulled from the flames a wicked blade. As for the wolf, its demented soul, weak from torment, scattered before reaching Lethe.
Knowing few would raise such a despairing blade, its forger made up its face in onyx and ivory jade, covering its horrors in finery and wonder. The twisted blade was sheathed in lies of honour, dignity, comradery, and humble victories. She gifted it to Twinned Chaos Jackal making a pair alike in duplicity.
Attunement: 5m
Type: Medium (+3 ACC, +12 DMG, +1 DEF, OVW 5)
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Balanced
Hearthstone slot(s): 3
Era: Dreams of the First Age
Evocations of Sleeping Wolf
Looking upon its wielder none could imagine the horrors she could wreak on her foes. Even as another ventures beyond her facade, he only finds in her a depth of kindness uncommon in even the most philanthropic of folks. If anyone suspicious of her motives fails to overcome the wielder’s Guile on a read intentions action, he finds only her benevolence. This is equivalent to a Minor Tie of trust towards the wielder. An affected character may pay one point of Willpower to shake off the effect and become immune to it for the rest of the scene. However, if his Resolve is lower than the wielder’s Guile, he does not notice or remember his exertion.
The Evocations of this weapon cause foes deeply intimidated by the wielder to become daunted. Daunted enemies suffer a -1 penalty to Defense against attacks made by the wielder, as well as a -1 dice penalty on attack rolls against her.
The demure curve of the Exalt’s smile turns wolfish as she is beset by foes, and by inaction she brings to the fore her greatest weapon: confidence. Instead of drawing her weapon, the wielder may roll (Appearance + Presence). This is treated both as her Join Battle roll and as an inspire roll against all enemies who can see her. Those whose Resolve is overcome are inspired with fear and become daunted.
Special activation: Unless the wielder is dissonant with moonsilver, this Evocation awakens at no cost the first time she is about to Join Battle against an enemy who has a Major or Defining positive Tie towards her.
Lunging towards its quarry, the Wolf rings out with an eldritch keening as wind moves through the punctures along its spine. A successful withering attack applies the attack roll’s threshold successes against the target’s Resolve as an attempt to create a Tie of fear towards the wielder, or if he already has one, to make him daunted. A daunted enemy instead suffers a -2 penalty to movement, command and social actions until the end of his next turn.
The only thing more thrilling than the kill is the chase. Should her quarry turn heel, the Wolf fills his wielder with a sublime thirst allowing her to lash out at the coward with unnatural speed. If the Exalt successfully contests an opponent’s disengage action, she may activate this Evocation to reflexively roll a withering attack against him. The wielder gains no Initiative from this attack. If this attack deals at least one point of damage, he is inspired with fear and becomes daunted. An opponent who was already daunted instead immediately falls prone from sheer terror.
Beware the Dog
Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: Psyche, Perilous, Dissonant, Resonant
Duration: One scene
Prerequisites: Such Big Teeth We Have, Baying Hounds Chase
As the wielder of the Wolf finally reaches for her weapon, a sense of doom overwhelms the battleground. Those who catch the glint of Sleeping Wolf’s steel cannot help but feel that a grievous misstep has been made. This Evocation can only be activated if the wielder has not yet drawn Sleeping Wolf in this scene, and it ends should the wielder sheath or lose grip of her weapon.
From the moment she draws her weapon, daunted enemies treat the Wolf as the subject of any negative Ties they may have toward the wielder. All enemies with a Tie of fear towards the Wolf suffer a penalty of (Intimacy + 2) dice to rolls to disengage from the wielder or to contest a rush by the wielder.
Dissonant: The wielder loses one point of Initiative at the beginning of each turn that this Evocation is active.
Resonant: The first time the wielder succeeds at a rush against a daunted opponent, she regains a point of Willpower.
Whetted with blood, the wielder turns on those who remain as the Wolf becomes her. Once per scene, after incapacitating or forcing a non-trivial opponent to surrender using His Master’s Dog, the Solar may activate this Evocation to roll Join Battle. If used in conjunction with Such Big Teeth We Have, enemies suffer a -2 penalty to their Resolve to resist the inspire roll as their will is shattered by the wielder’s ferocity.
The Wolf’s bloodlust reaches even those outside of his master’s grasp, and she need only loosen his leash. The blade leaps from the wielder’s hand as moonsilver and anima join to become a body of a great wolf that leaps to obey his master’s command. This Evocation is a difficulty 4 gambit against a daunted target at short range, sending the Wolf to hamstring her quarry before it faithfully returns to her hand. If successful, her foe suffers a -3 penalty to all movement actions and treats all ground as difficult terrain.
This crippling lasts for (Essence) days unless treated by magic such as Wound-Banishing Strike (Exalted, p. 342). Mortals may require special treatment to heal the injury. Botching the attack roll causes the Wolf to instead become embedded in scenery at short range. Using this gambit does not end Beware the Dog unless the wielder botches.
Dissonant: Characters dissonant with moonsilver cannot awaken this Evocation.
Let Sleeping Wolves Lie
Cost: —(1wp); Mins: Essence 4
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Psyche, Resonant
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Beware the Dog
The child cried thrice, but there was no Wolf. As the fight ends and the blade is returned to its scabbard, the bloody horror of the Wolf fades like a hazy dream and an eerie calm surrounds the wielder. This Evocation permanently upgrades its prerequisite. If any daunted enemies remain when she ends Beware the Dog by sheathing her weapon, the wielder may pay one point of Willpower to make a special (Presence + Manipulation) instill roll to permanently shift any negative Ties they hold towards her onto the Wolf. Enemies may resist this effect by paying one point of Willpower.
Resonant: Enemies must pay three Willpower to resist unless they hold a Principle offended by the wielder.
As the Wolf lunges forward for the killing blow, the wielder presents her prey with a choice: the Wolf’s mercy, or her own. The target suffers a Defense penalty against this attack equal (his strongest Tie of fear towards the wielder or the Wolf). If the target is daunted, he subtracts a further two points from his Defense.
If the enemy chooses the Wolf’s mercy, the sword snarls as monstrous fangs sprout from its edge and tear into its prey. The damage roll gains double 9s, or double 8s if the target is daunted or holds a Major or Defining Tie of fear towards the wielder. If both are true, the damage roll doubles 7s.
If he instead chooses the wielder’s mercy, he is forced to accept a crippling injury (Exalted, p. 201) as the Wolf gores his flesh. He must mitigate as much of the damage as possible with this injury. This does not count against the once per story limitation on taking crippling injuries. With this choice, the target surrenders the fight and accepts a Defining Tie of fear towards the wielder and the Wolf as every waking moment reminds him of what he lost.
This Evocation can only be used once per scene, unless reset by using Howling Blade Strike to land 4 withering attacks against daunted non-trivial enemies and building to Initiative 15+.
