Investigation Charms

Unblinking Sentinel Gaze

Cost: 3m; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: One scene Prerequisite Charms: Courtier’s Eye Technique, Judge’s Ear Technique

Righteous Lawgivers easily separate out friends and enemies. If the Solar personally perceives any character who is a creature of darkness while this Charm is active, that fact becomes Obvious to him. The creature of darkness must be physically present. Portraits, hologlyphic reproductions, magical projections and remote scrying will not trigger Unblinking Sentinel Gaze.

At Essence 5+ this Charm’s cost drops to one mote and its duration may be extended to Indefinite.

Legacy-Detecting Glance

Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 4 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Know the Soul’s Price

The superior detective is aware that the physiognomy of a subject may reveal that subject’s history. The Lawgiver knows this and more, for he may see into souls. The character makes a quick study of a subject, allowing him to see his target’s genetic inheritance so acutely that he may discern their ethnicity and even the bloodline from which they arose—commensurate with his Lore rating. The character’s discernment of heredity is so keen that he can tell which gente’s bloodline a Terrestrial descends from at a glance.

As the Lawgiver grows in experience, so does this Charm’s capabilities. At Investigation 5+, Essence 5+, the Solar catches physiognomic cues more readily; he can know if people are genetically related just by looking at them, and in what manner; or what a Dragon-Blooded target’s Breeding is and exactly who the Terrestrial is descended from. The Law-giver is also able to see into spirits; by glancing into a person’s eyes or speaking to them for any length of time, the Lawgiver can see who they were in their former life.

At Investigation 6+, Essence 6+, the Solar need only look at someone while using this Charm to see directly into their soul: the Exalt can see his target’s past 10 incarnations. By using Legacy-Detecting Glance at this level while speaking with Celestial Exalted, the character’s past life memories begin to resonate with the Exaltation before him, discerning the previous bearer of the subject’s Exaltation. If the Lawgiver were to handle an Exaltation in Lytek’s office directly while using this Charm, he could discern the identity of every person to have contained that Exaltation.

At Investigation 7+, Essence 7+, the Lawgiver can use this Charm to see directly into a targeted Chosen’s Exaltation and discern all of the bearer’s past incarnations; alternately, he may examine the subject’s soul and witness its last 100 incarnations.

At Investigation 8+, Essence 8+ the Solar may examine a subject’s soul and trace its reincarnation history all the way to the beginning.

When activating this Charm, the Solar may choose to look into the genetic, mimetic, or Exalted history of his subject, but not all three at once. The benefits of this Charm extend beyond genealogical trivia. If the Solar knows Evidence-Discerning Method and has ever used it to profile any previous incarnation of the subject’s soul or Exaltation, he automatically recovers that profile and may employ Evidence-Discerning Method against the subject for a cost of 1m.

Oracular Magistrate Understanding

Cost: -; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Evidence-Discerning Method

The Solar’s Evidence-Discerning Method is permanently enhanced, strengthening the connection to those she has profiled. The Charm’s Duration becomes Instant; profiles no longer require committed Essence to grant a mechanical benefit. A profile remains valid until the subject’s Motivation or Virtues permanently change (temporary changes brought about by magic will not spoil a profile).

At Essence 5+, the Solar may roll (Wits + Investigation) one month before an individual he has profiled is planning to undertake any sort of premeditated larcenous enterprise (examples might include robbing a bank, staging a kidnapping, attempting an assassination, or, in the case of the Yozis, escaping from Hell). This roll has a difficulty of half the subject’s (Intelligence + Larceny), rounded down. Success grants the Solar an idea of what the subject plans to do, including at least the general location, and nature of the crime. Examples include: “Splendid Magister is planning to illegally experiment on hun souls within a private, hidden manse on the Blessed Isle,” “the Ebon Dragon is going to try to break out of Hell with the assistance of a Yozi cult in Denandsor,” or “Tammuz is going to attempt to murder his Solar Mate aboard a pleasure yacht.”

At Investigation 6+, Essence 6+ the Lawgiver may also make this roll to realize from subtle context clues whenever a profiled subject comes within (Investigation x 10) miles of him. The Solar may also anticipate non-premeditated larceous actions at this level, though he suffers a -3 external penalty on attempts to do so.

Lawgiver's Parable Defense

Cost: 3m; Mins: Investigation 7, Essence 7; Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK, Native Duration: Indefinite Prerequisite Charms: Oracular Magistrate Understanding

A Lawgiver can stop the hands of time to protect the ones he loves. This Charm allows the character to find evidence of crimes that have yet to be committed, thereby preventing future tragedies. The Solar may make (Wits + Investigation) rolls to detect impending threats to any person or location he has an Intimacy toward, even those posed by individuals he has not profiled. The difficulty of this roll is always 5. This warning manifests itself one week before the danger actualizes itself. For example: “The mercantile district of Hollow will be destroyed by a magically-triggered earthquake” or “My Lunar mate will be slain by another Exalt.” Spending one Willpower when the roll is made grants the Solar a flash of intuitive insight gleaned through context clues in his surroundings—the Storyteller informs the Solar’s player of a place where he might profitably begin investigating the impending disaster.

As the Era of Dreams progresses, a growing number of Solars have stopped using this Charm, suspecting some defect in its design—surely Lawgiver’s Parable Defense must be in error when it points to the Solars themselves as the threats that menace the things they love.