View source for Monsoon Needles

''This artifact really exists to change the mechanics of lunar charm experience. Rather than just blatantly change the rules mid game, these needles allow a narrative reason why the game changes. These rules make extensive use of the [[exalted:LiberiLunaris|Liberi Lunaris]]''.

A close examination of these three-inch moonsilver acupuncture needles reveals a slightly different design than most such needles. Instead of a long pin capped with wider bulb, these needles are instead extremely thin cones, starting from the sharp tip and gradually widening into no more than half a millimeter.

In spite of their name and appearance, these needles are actually learning tools, containing the knowledge of the First Age lunar [[creator::Iron Monsoon]] who, along with his solar mate [[Wyr'palja]] studied lunar charms more rigorously than nearly any others. Not long before the Usurpation, many of Wyr'palja's terrestrial followers convinced Monsoon that his mate had grown out of control and needed to be stopped, which Monsoon eventually did, taking his own life immediately afterwards. Though convinced of the correctness of his own actions, he did not trust his terrestrial co-conspirators either, and hid these needles by injecting them deeply into his own body. Consequently, the needles were buried along with him and, while his body has since turned to bones and dust, the needles remain pristine. [[owner::Guen]] recovered the needles, and carries them now.

There are nine needles in all, one containing Monsoon's knowledge on each of the Attributes. When five motes are committed to a needle, the moonsilver begins to shimmer like water and the base of the cone begins to expand. As it does so, the needle grows shorter until, within a few seconds, the needle has transformed into an impossibly thin disk of moonsilver a yard across. In its expanded form, minuscule markings become visible on both sides. These markings are clearly some form of coded writing, looking similar to to a psychotic mix of Old Realm, Claw-speak and several other languages. This writing is impervious to deciphering by charms, but becomes crystal clear to the person who attuned motes to the needle is a full-blood lunar. Such lunars can read everything Monsoon knew about attributes, the nature of shape and lunar magic.

Any attuned user, even if they are not a lunar, immediately realizes that the needle is attuned to one of the attributes, and will know that it can help teach about that attribute. They also understand that they can return the needle to its original shape at will, along with vague notion that a needle is used by pushing into into the back of their own neck. Doing so immediately floods them with an awareness of what is possible with the attribute in question, how that attribute exists within themselves and ways they may make themselves better. This is a confusing jumble at first, but can be sifted through with concentration. If the user is also a lunar, this flood of information also contains truths about the nature of shape and secrets of how lunar magic expresses itself through this attribute.

== Mechanics ==

The primary use of the needles is to reduce the experience cost of attributes and lunar charms. They can also reduce training time for both. To use them for training, 5 motes must be committed for the duration of the training. During this time, the student cannot regain Willpower naturally, all his focus going towards study. Only one needle may be active at a time and the needle must be inserted into the neck whenever the student is training. While training, the student is at -4 to do anything else, as sifting through the knowledge in his head is very distracting.

Anyone making use of these needles can improve the attribute associated with the needle as if they had a tutor. They also pay one less experience point to learn the attribute. Further, if their ''current'' score in that attribute is less than their Essence, they cut the training time in half and reduce the experience cost by another point.

In lunar hands, the needles are much more capable. They gain the same benefits others do when improving attributes; however, lunars ''always'' cut the training time in half, regardless of their Essence score. Note that the experience reduction from the needle stacks with the xp reduction for favored attributes.

Lunars also gain benefits when learning charms. When a needle is in place, charms of that attribute may be learned as if that attribute was favored (correspondingly reducing both the training time and the experience cost). If the attribute is already favored, the charm costs two fewer experience points.

The needles assume knowledge of certain charms, so do ''not'' act as tutor for learning general charms; however, Monsoon uncovered a number of secrets of lunar magic, and these are encoded in the needles. His basic breakthrough was the realization that certain known lunar charm techniques could actually be better accomplished by a process that ''evolved'' the capabilities of existing techniques rather than creating new charms for the purpose. While this isn't always possible, these '''Evolutions''' make certain techniques much cheaper to learn. Monsoon encoded new charms in his needles as well.

Charm evolutions allow certain existing charms to be expanded as the lunar grows in experience and Essence. Evolutions function like charms on which they are based in terms of minimum requirements, activation cost and effect unless noted otherwise here. Evolutions, however, cost only six experience to learn.

Knowledge of both these Evolutions and some new charms are encoded into the needles. When using the needles to learn them, the needles act as a tutor. The net effect of the needles is to manipulate the lunar charm trees into a form summarized below and diagrammed here:

*[[Media:monsoontrees.pdf|Adjusted lunar trees]]

=== Strength ===

* Knowledge in this needle is sufficient to prepare the student for changing her shape to fight. Any charm that has Body Weapon Technique as a prerequisite can be learned without it.
* The needle provides a more complete understanding of Body Weapon Technique, changing it into a permanent charm allowing the lunar to reflexively make an unarmed attack lethal for 1 mote. 
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Full Moon's Strength]].
* Bow-Bending Method may be learned without knowing any other prerequisite charms.

=== Dexterity ===

* Any charm that has Sensing the Deadly Flow as a prerequisite can be learned without it.
* Golden Tiger Block may be learned as an Evolution of Steel Paw Style
* Cat Paw Climbing Style may be learned as an Evolution of Tree-Dwelling Jaguar Claws
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Full Moon's Dexterity]].
* Lightning Sword Method may be learned as an Evolution of Spinning Blade Attack
* Flying Tiger Technique may be learned as an Evolution of Panther Stride Stance
* Cat-Falling Attitude may be learned as an Evolution of Predator Grace Method
* Silver Waterfall may be learned without knowing Two-Target Method. Knowing the Arrow's Path is sufficient.

=== Stamina ===

* Adder Fang Method may be learned without Knowing Claws of the Silver Moon. Deadly Claw Blow becomes sufficient.
* Fire-Walking Prana may be learned as an Evolution of Heat Adapting Method
* Will of the Stoic Warrior may be learned as an Evolution of Pain-Numbing Prana
* Luna's Fortitude may be learned without knowing Will of the Stoic Warrior
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Full Moon's Stamina]].

=== Charisma ===

* Rabid Beast Bite may be learned as an Evolution of Adder Fang Method
* Many-Faced moon Transformation may be learned as an Evolution of Shaping the Ideal Form
* Blossoming Gift of Luna may be learned as an Evolution of Calling Luna's Favor
* Twisting Monkey Wrist may be learned as an Evolution of Surprising Gibbon Attack
* Ally Concealing Method may be learned as an Evolution of Object-Concealing Method
* Track-Sweeping Essence may be learned as an Evolution of Traceless Passage Technique
* Fearful Luna Form may be learned as an Evolution of Imposing Presence Attitude
* Crowd-Calming Pronouncement may be learned with only Emotion-Shaping Technique as a prerequisite.
* [[Rushing River of Return]] may be learned as an Evolution of Pack-Calling Cry
* The new charm [[Thousand Forms as One]] is specified by this needle.
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Changing Moon's Charisma]].

=== Manipulation ===

* [[Favored Companion Feeding]] may be learned as an Evolution of Calling Luna's Favor
* Deadly Viper Strike may be learned as an Evolution of Adder Fang Method
* Scimitar Claw Technique may be learned as an Evolution of Claws of the Silver Moon
* Ossific Shard Shot may be learned as an Evolution of Cunning Porcupine Defense
* Weapon-Snatching Coils maby be learned as an Evolution of Startling Tentacle Attack
* Tentacle Spear Strike maby be learned as an Evolution of Startling Tentacle Attack
* Weapon Clutching Method may be learned as an Evolution of Surprising Gibbon Attack
* Gill-Breathing Technique may be learned as an Evolution of Whale-Breath Technique
* Weapon-Shaping Prana may be learned as an Evolution of Weapon Fusion Method
* Stunning Moonsilver Blow may be learned as an Evolution of Weapon Fusion Method. It may also be activated in the same turn as Weapon Fusion Method without a Combo.
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Changing Moon's Manipulation]].
* Perceiving the Hidden World may be learned as an Evolution of Night Is Day
* Courage-Building Address may be learned with only Emotion-Shaping Technique as a prerequisite.
* The new charm [[Sympathetic Companion Transformation]] is specified by this needle.

=== Appearance ===

* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the Changing Moon's Appearance]].
* The new charm [[Internal Geomantic Symmetry]] is specified by this needle.
* The new charm [[Eloquent Stare]] is specified by this needle.

=== Perception ===

* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the No Moon's Perception]].
* Wary Swallow Method may be learned as an Golden Tiger Block
* Arrow-Breaking Shot may be learned as an Evolution of Finding the Needle's Eye
* Divining the Hidden Truth may be learned as an Evolution of Lore-Speaking Method
* Heightened (Sense) Method may be learned as a single charm with three Evolutions: Sight, Hearing & Touch, Scent & Taste. One of these Evolutions is learned for free when first learning Heightened (Sense) Method at normal cost.
* Truth-Scenting Method may be learned as an Evolution of Emotion-Revealing Scent
* Wyld-Sensing Instincts becomes a charm called Sensing Instincts, a permanent with several Evolutions: Wyld-Sensing Instincts, Weather-Scenting Method, Unerring Earth Direction Sense. It also has changes its prerequisite to Sense-Sharpening Change.
* [[Binding Companion Connection]] can be learned as an Evolution of Sense-Borrowing Method.

=== Intelligence ===

* Regaining Breath Exercise may be learned without knowing any other prerequisite charms.
* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the No Moon's Intelligence]].
* Cobra Eye Method may be learned as an Evolution of Burning Saliva Attack 

=== Wits ===

* The new charm [[Embodiment of Luna|Embodiment of the No Moon's Wits]].
* Soporific Venom Attack may be learned as an Evolution of Burning Saliva Attack 
* River of Words may be learned as an Evolution of Wind-Speaking Method
* Calls of the Human Prey may be learned as an Evolution of Comprehending Ears Meditation
* Feral Ears Metamorphosis may be learned as an Evolution of Comprehending Ears Meditation

== Charms ==

{{Include|Embodiment of Luna|3}}
{{Include|Binding Companion Connection|3}}
{{Include|Eloquent Stare|3}}
{{Include|Favored Companion Feeding|3}}
{{Include|Internal Geomantic Symmetry|3}}
{{Include|Rushing River of Return|3}}
{{Include|Sympathetic Companion Transformation|3}}
{{Include|Thousand Forms as One|3}}

[[Category:Magic Item]] [[system::Exalted| ]] [[campaign::Forgotten Suns| ]]
[[summary::Needles containing unique knowledge of lunar charms| ]]