Artifact (Aligned Form Type)
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Mimesis
Knowledge Requirement
acting skill of 25 or higher, mimicry skill of 25 or higher, physics skill of 75 or higher, biology skill of 75 or higher, philosophy skill of 75 or higher or metaphysics skill of 75 or higher
Facility Formula
20% of intelligence plus 20% of leximancy skill plus 5% of telesma skill plus (15% of philosophy skill, 15% of biology skill, 15% of metaphysics skill, 15% of physics skill, 30% of acting skill, or 30% of mimicry skill, whichever is highest), with diminishing returns on a scaling factor of five
Energy Costs
one hundred twenty-five points of spiritual energy
Process to Actualize Form
visualize two facing mirrors
Mimesis is a very general phenomenon and there are many ways to approach it, but due to the visualization which serves as the basis for its actualization, this form is typically classed as artifactual. Mimesis is a striving for faithful imitation, and it occurs frequently in nature -- in biologically advantageous mimicry -- and in anthropic civilization -- in the form of all manner of learning and art. It can also be taken to reflect a deeper metaphysical principle: that like causes like. This form is a sum of all of these instances of mimesis, and mimesis itself is a summative principle of the harmony and interconnection of all elements of the universe. The actualization of this form is expressed as a flurry of motes of light that surround the actualizing Aligned. These are colloquially known as "mimetic motes" to those Aligned who frequently use this form, which is a great many Aligned. This motes have a receptive principle in them that allows them to be impressed by any number of different kinds of energy exchanges. An impressed mote can then be called upon to duplicate that energy exchange. In practice what this most often means is that an unimpressed mote will create a copy in itself of an energy discharge used in combat, from a spell or some other esoteric form of attack. The impressed version of this attack can then be executed by the Aligned.
There are several things to note about this capacity. The first is the number of energy exchanges that can be stored: each mote can store one exchange. The number of motes that manifest is a function of one's facility with this form. Secondly, one cannot, for whatever reason, get a mote to impress with an attack that one has initiated or otherwise caused. Thirdly, the impression is not perfect. It gets more perfect as one's facility increases, but it will always be somewhat weaker than the original. Every time one uses the impressed principles, it degrades somewhat more, until the impression fades altogether. As one might expect, more intense and powerful principles will take longer to degrade. Fourthly, the intensity and complexity of the principles that one can store in a mote is a function of one's facility with the form. Finally, the energy one must expend to give the impressed principle impetus is ordered energy, in proportion to the intensity and complexity of the stored form. The required quantity is typically somewhere between 10 and 50 points, but for more intense principles it can be higher. There are other nuances and subtleties of impressed principles that one must learn with practice, particularly what kinds of energy exchanges can and cannot be mimetically impressed, which is a somewhat unpredictable and fickle matter.
When one has mimetic motes present, one can exercise control over it with concentration. 'Concentrate on the mimetic principles within the motes around me' will give you a list of the motes that one has impressed and some sense of the nature of the impressed principle. 'Concentrate on erasing the mimetic impression within mote <number>' will wipe the impression within that mote clean. 'Concentrate on releasing any mimetic principle at <target/"my opponent">' will release one of the stored principles at a specified target or one's current primary opponent. Typically the weakest stored principle is selected for this operation, as they are more readily available and less energetically demanding. 'Concentrate on releasing the mimetic principle within mote <number> at <target/"my opponent">' will release the principle within the specified mote at one's target or one's current primary opponent.
Keeping the mimetic motes manifest gradually drains one's spiritual energy. To dispel the field, execute the same procedure required to manifest it.
Spring
Knowledge Requirement
have at least 100 points among 10% of weapon lore skill, staff skill and 50% of physics skill
Actualization Requirement
have at least 225 points among leximancy skill, telesma skill, 50% of weapon lore skill and 50% of physics skill
Facility Formula
15% of charisma plus 15% of intelligence plus 25% of weapon lore skill plus 22.5% of leximancy skill plus 22.5% of physics skill plus 10% of telesma skill, with diminishing returns on a scaling factor of five
Energy Costs
one hundred points of spiritual energy and twenty-five points of order energy
Process to Actualize Form
visualize a coiled spring
The staff is the most common weapon for Aligned: it doubles as a walking stick and other useful tools, unlike most weapons designed purely to inflict injury -- and when it comes to inflicting injury, sophisticated weaponry has no improved much over the physics of leveraged concussive blows. This form was discovered by Opgomon, an Aligned gnome with a penchant for clever mechanical modifications to his staff. After his initial discovery, it became more easily accessible and widespread. The actualization of this form manifests a bo staff with one of Opgomon's favored modifications: a hallow shaft fitted with an internal spring, and wood treated to be slightly flexible. This allows one to recover energy from the bo's bounce, making it both a more efficient walking stick and a faster weapon in combat. (Typically these staves are etched with a hare, which perhaps either explains or is explained by the fact that Opgomon was a fan of the Hanoman melapine.)
Like all Aligned weapon manifestations, it will last either until banished, until one no longer has the order energy to maintain it, or until one disincarnates. To banish a staff, concentrate on returning the form within it to a potential state.
