Seed of Other Lives

Created just after the Usurpation by a half-man lunar sorcerer being manipulated by an ambitious young sidereal, only seven of these small artifacts are known to exist, though rumors exist of others. In their inert state, each appears as a metal acorn rafted from moonsilver and starmetal. Though unheard of in creation, these seeds are fairly well known (and coveted) by sidereals.

When swallowed, as seed allows the user to alter his or her own features to appear as anyone they like. This transformation process lasts for 10 minutes, while the seed sends tendrils throughout the user's body. This procedure is extremely painful, dealing three health levels of unsoakable lethal internal injuries as the seed takes root. The transformation is not an illusion, but a long-lasting physical transformation that can change the user's voice, sccent and even gender (with such cases operating similarly to the Many-Faced Moon Transformation charm [Lunars, pg 128]).

If used to duplicate the appearance of a specific person, the user must first make a disguise roll (Exalted, pg. 255) to determine how well the person is mimicked. If the user has any Craft skill based on study and/or reproduction of the human form (e.g. sculpture, portraiture, etc.), she may add those dice to this test. In addition, the seed provides two automatic successes in addition to those rolled. The storyteller should set the difficulty of this roll based on how well the user has studied the person they wish to imitate.

If, on the other hand, the user elects to don an invented appearance (as most sidereals who use these seeds do), this disguise is considered nearly perfect. Should circumstances arise where someone might suspect the user's true identity, they would be able to do so withe Perception + Awareness roll as a difficulty equal to the Intelligence + Larceny + Essence of the use when she activated the seed.

THe startmetal in the acorn is enchanted to specifically assist the Chosen of the Maidens in the generation of resplendent destinies. Sidereals who change into an invented appearance intended specifically for use with a resplendent destiny reduce the difficulty of the prayer roll for creating that destiny by one and add two dice to the effect test.

Making any type of appearance change requires 5 motes be committed to the seed. Under the new form, the user retains all abilities, powers and attributes except Appearance, which becomes that of the new form. The user must remain in that form at least until the next full moon rises. Any attempts to uncommit the essence simply fail, with the seed grabbing the essence for itself. While in this form, the user may not voluntarily be the target of any shapechanging charms or effects. At any time after the next full moon, the artifact may be deactivated normally.

Upon deactivation, the thousands of tendrils the seed has spread through the user's body come out through his or her skin, inflicting five health levels of unsoakable lethal damage. Once into the open air, the tendrils seek the user's navel, where they meet and reshape back into an acorn.

Instances

Stag holds one of these seeds, though he has not used it.

Game Information

Commitment: 5
Artifact: ••
  Power: •••
  Usefulness: ••
  Game Impact: •••
  Script Immunity: ••
  Essence Drawback: ••• (-• damage on use)
  Component Drawback: ••
  Deactivation Drawback: •
  Notoriety Drawback: •
  Maintenance Drawback: x