Embedded Files
Tricksters, political schemers, and all others who want to make others to act, and think in a specific way that they want. More controllable than Epic Charisma, and Epic Appearance, Epic Manipulation is a very intentional, and specific Epic Attribute, much like a scalpel to the sledgehammers of the others. Even more importantly, Epic Manipulation is subvert, allowing a being with it to have others play into their hands without knowing that they are, or even thinking that they are acting in direct opposition to the Manipulative being's plans.
Some of these Knacks are taken from Modern Mythos (Brent Not Broken) and Gotham By Night (John and Anne). We intend to implement a complete overhaul of Epic Manipulation, including powers that help with disguise, among other Manipulation powers.
Improved Manipulations
Improved Manipulations
BLURT IT OUT
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Able to make beings who are trying to conceal something to trip up and reveal their hand without thinking, a Scion may pay a point of Legend and attempt to overwhelm the MDV of their target while asking a direct question. If they are Successful, their target immediately answers it to the best of their ability.
KILL THE MESSENGER
Cost: 3 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Academics
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Blurt it Out
Able to quickly mentor another in the ability of manipulating others, a Scion with this power can spend the activation cost, make the roll, and sit down with their target, explaining the exact situation they wish them to manipulate on behalf of the Scion. Explaining how to have the target, or multiple targets to think, and draw the conclusions the Scion wants. For a number of days equal to the Successes gathered, their target may, when in the specific situation the Scion mentored them on, may use the Scion's Automatic Successes from Epic Manipulation instead of their own.
SECONDHAND PERSUASION
Cost: 1 Legend or 1 Legend and 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Blurt it Out
The skill of manipulating a being in person is something that is quickly mastered by manipulative Scions, able to place subtle associations, play off the emotions, Virtues, and beliefs of others. But, it takes some experience to learn how to do so through other mediums where you can't see your target, able to change the plan of manipulations as the situation unfolds directly. By paying the cost, the Scion may write something, either physically, or a didigital document, and bind a manipulation roll into it, giving them their Autosuccesses as they do so. The Scion can specify a specific person this will work on, or if not, it will activate on the first person who reads it. Otherwise, they may spend a point of Willpower to make the document permanently convincing, effecting all who read it.
RETURN TO SENDER
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Kill the Messenger
Scions with Epic Manipulation often work through intermediaries, giving them plausible deniability, and keeping themselves safe from the machinations of others, and the possibility of being stabbed or otherly brutalized. When they send another being out to accomplish something, imbued with an Epic Manipulation Knack to do so, or be more successful at their appointed task, they may spend the cost of this power to have the being return to a specific point when they finish their task. As soon as they arrive, they are free from the effects, and may do as they will.
EXTENDED INFLUENCE
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Secondhand Persuasion.
Expanding their skills of Manipulation even further, a Scion with this Knack may use their Epic Manipulation and Knacks through additional mediums. Anything from sign language, to radio, to smoke signals can have the Scion's influence imbued in them if they just pay the activation cost.
Controlling Knacks
Controlling Knacks
Overt Order
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Command (v.s MDV)
Type: Persistent
Confidence, and good timing will make almost anyone just do as they are told, people preferring when someone who understands the situation more than they do to guide them. With this Knack, the Scion may empower one of these mundane manipulations with their Legendary ability, pitting their activation roll against the target's MDV, and if they are successful, have a basic, non-suicidal action carried out. From "Hand me that tablet." to "Shoot the man next to you in the skull." are acceptable commands, but not, "Go and find me a battleaxe." or "Shoot yourself."
HARD SELL
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Command (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Overt Order
Expanding their power, a Scion who has practiced the ability of Overt Order may expand its effects to a group of beings to a number of people equal to their Successes on the activation roll. This Knack still follows all the rules of Overt Order, the activation roll needing to breach the MDV of each effected, and no suicidal, or extended actions be demanded.
INSTANT HYPNOSIS
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Command (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Hard Sell
Commands are rather blatant, and hard to conceal by their nature. But, with this power, a Scion can subtly place commands into the minds of others, not even having to speak a word, just having to make eye contact for a brief moment. The command they place in their target must be something relatively simple, such as, "Do not hide." or "Stab your father." and must be given a triggering situation, such as "When you hear Cataract." or "When you enter Nuada's hall." allowing the Scion to be far away from the situation as it unfolds. This power must overcome the target's MDV when the power is triggered, not when it is placed, for otherwise it could take advantage of Gods who have Avatared down, or leaving a command lingering in a Scion from the moment of their Visitation, only to trigger at their Apotheosis, having targeted their Legend 2 MDV.
IMPLANT FALSE MEMORY
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Instant Hypnosis
Now able to make their plots and schemes even more failproof, a Scion with this power is capable of tampering with the minds of those around them, leaving their targets with memories of things that never happened, yet another tool in the Scion's toolbox of manipulations. The power must overwhelm the MDV of their target in order to function, but if it does, the Scion may create a memory for their target to wholeheartedly believe happened, even if there are some strange disconnects between it and real memories. This Knack can only be fixed through uses of Deprogramming, and, of course, some Avatars and Ultimates.
DEPROGRAMMING
Cost: 1 or more Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Presence (v.s Opposing roll)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Instant Hypnosis
Just as dangerous as they are with their many manipulations, a Manipulative Scion knows that there are others like them, effecting their friends, or important parts of their manipulations through their own. Sitting down with their target, and systematically ripping all the falsehoods from their mind, the Scion must pay a number of points of Legend equal to the amount that the being who placed the powers spent, and they must gather more Successes on their roll than the original aggressor did with the powers they placed on the target. If they are Successful, they can free their target of mind effecting powers, though the Scion must possess any power they are removing.
MASS HYPNOSIS
Cost: 1 Legend and 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Command (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Instant Hypnosis
Implanting subliminal commands in targets takes quite a lot of time, and effort if one needs to influence a large amount of targets. With this power, they are able to do so without these limitations, able to place a command in the minds of an entire group at once by paying the cost, and making the activation roll. They may target a number of beings equal to their Successes, and as with Instant Hypnosis, the targets resist the power not when it is applied, but when the command is triggered.
Societal Manipulations
Societal Manipulations
RUMOR MILL
Cost: 2 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Politics
Type: Miscellaneous
While the thoughts of an individual can be incredibly powerful when twisted to the will of the Scion, the thoughts of groups can be even more potent. With this power, spending the cost and making the roll, the Scion can cause a rumor to spread like wildfire, reaching as far as the chart below explains. There is no direct mechanical benefit to this, but Storytellers should keep its effects in mind, a powerful tool for character assassination, among other things.
This lasts for a number of weeks equal to the Scion's Dots of Epic Manipulation.
TRENDSETTER
Cost: 2 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Politics
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Rumor Mill
Just as they are able to spread ideas, Scions are able to spread concepts, actions, and other social trends. Anything from a new saying, to spreading a new religion, a Scion is able to spend the cost of this power, showing off the trend they wish to start somehow, and make the activation roll, causing the trend to quickly take hold of an area based on the chart.
This lasts for a number of weeks equal to the Scion's Dots of Epic Manipulation.
COMMANDMENT
Cost: 1 or more Legend
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Trendsetter
Scion with this much expertise in manipulating societies may make their powers last even longer. When they activate Trendsetter, or Rumor Mill, they may spend a point of Legend to increase the duration from weeks to years, three Legend to increase it to decades, and five to increase it to centuries.
ADVANTAGEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
Cost: 3 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Politics
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Trendsetter
Effecting nations now coming easily to the Scion, they are able to effect things on a slightly smaller scale now. With this power, the Scion can observe a Scene, and make any action. They spend the Activation cost, make the roll, having to overcome the combined Legend of everyone in the Scene, and tell the Storyteller what they want to happen. Anything from, "I want the key to the cell to be given to me." to "I want Zeus to tell Ares how much he hates him.", and if they were Successful at their roll, that single action they took to kick off the power will set off a series of convoluted events which will quickly lead to the situation they asked for.
Emotional Manipulation
Emotional Manipulation
SEDUCTIVE MEIN
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Presence (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Probably the manor of seduction looked most down on by modern western humanity, a Scion with this power is able to seduce their target through watching them, and manipulating their emotions, making themselves appear more desirable through meticulously selecting their responses, statements, and other interactions with their target. By spending at least five minutes observing, and interacting with their target, they are able to use this power to seduce their target.
This ability may only be used once a day.
OPENING ACT
Cost: 2 Legend
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Seductive Mein
Context is everything. By putting on some kind of initial performance (warming up a crowd, hosting for a main event, or being a wingman) you ensure that someone else has been built up to seem more impressive and meaningful than they would by themselves. A Scion who spends at least a few minutes attempting to make someone else sound more important grants the target of her opening act bonus successes equal to her dots of Epic Manipulation. This may never be used in a combat situation.
NOT IN THE FACE
Cost: 1 or more Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy (v.s MDV)
Type: Reflexive
Prerequisite: Seductive Mein
When a Scion with this power is about to be struck, they may flinch, shout, or take another action to attempt to stray the blow coming towards them, pay a point of Legend, and attempt to overwhelm their MDV with the activation roll. If they are successful, the target's action is delayed by one tick, and they must select a new action that is not an aggressive action towards the user of this Knack. They may attack Band mates, seduce the user of this Knack, or anything else such as that.
If this power is used on the same target more than once a Scene, though the Legend cost continues to increase by one ever time they use the Knack.
BLAME JAMES
Cost: 2 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Seductive Mein
When blame falls on a character with this power, they are able to deflect it entirely. Not that the blame vanishes, oh no, but shifting it onto another person. All the blame for their action, be it thieving, to mass murder, to more, shifts onto their target as long as they are able to overcome the MDV of the being who is blaming them for whatever they did.
Lying Knacks
Lying Knacks
TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE
Cost: None
Dice Pool: None
Type: Persistent
Manipulative to a fault, the Scion is so used to their own machinations, tricks, and lies, that when someone else with equal or lower Dots of Epic Manipulation attempts to lie to them, they instantly know. Though, they do not know what the truth is, just that they are being told a lie. Additionally, they don't know specifically what part of what they have been told is a lie.
GOD'S HONEST
Cost: 1 Legend per use
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Takes one to know One
A liesmith in their own right, a Scion who has this Knack is able to convince anyone of the most outlandish lies possible. By spending the cost, and giving some tiny assurance that they are trustworthy, even if it is nothing more than a handshake or a "Scout's honor", they may attempt to overwhelm the target's MDV. If they are Successful, no matter how outlandish the lie is, they will believe it until direct evidence to the contrary is presented to them.
STENCH OF GUILT
Cost: None
Dice Pool: None
Type: Persistent
Prerequisite: Takes one to know One
The skills of absently noticing lies taken to an extreme, a Scion with this power is so utterly used to intense subterfuge, lies, and tricks, that they can instantly notice when someone is covering something up when they have to do so in conversation as long as they have equal or less Epic Manipulation than the user of this Knack. The details of what is being covered up are unknown to them, only that something is.
SUB ROSA
Cost: 3 Legend
Dice Pool: None
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: God's Honest
The champion of subtlety, a Scion who has this Knack is able to put hidden commands inside other commands they make with Epic Manipulation Knacks. Whenever they tell a target to do something through Epic Manipulation Knacks, they may use this power to have the true command be entirely different than the verbal one. So, a Scion could use Hard Sell and say, "Please calm down!" and have the truth of the order be, "Kill the Tailor.". All who hear the command are able to make a Perception + Awareness roll against the activation roll of the augmented power to figure out what the Scion really meant.
KNOWING GLANCE
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Presence (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Stench of Guilt
Being caught in a lie is a horribly stressful situation, and for this Scion who absent mildly notices them, they may play on this fact. If they think someone is hiding something from them, they may pay the cost, and attempt to overwhelm their target's MDV. If they are successful, their target immediately feels that they have been caught, that the user of this Knack knows one of their deep secrets, and instantly loses their entire Willpower pool. However, if the target is not hiding anything damning, such as their only secret being that they are planning a secret outing for themselves and their spouse on their anniversary, or that they are helplessly in love with a Bandmate, it won't do anything. (Though, if that Band mate is somehow related to them, then it would be an applicable use of the power)
Memory Manipulation Knacks
Memory Manipulation Knacks
TOTAL RECALL
Cost: 1 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Presence (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Memory is such a delicate thing. Easily manipulated by those who understand it. With this power, the Scion may pay the cost when something happens that they want their target to remember perfectly, needing to overwhelm their MDV to do so, unless the target forgoes their defense. From then on, that memory is perfectly seared into their mind, and may only be removed through Deprogramming, or other such abilities.
WHO, ME?
Cost: 3 Legend
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Politics (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Total Recall
Just as they can make someone remember, a Scion with this power can just fade away, while still being present. Vanishing into the background, still existing, and being visible, but filling the same layer of attention that is reserved for potted plants, and butlers. As long as the Scion does not take violent action, or becomes a key part of the Scene, no one is able to notice them, even during a combat.
OBLITERATION
Cost: 5 Legend and 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Politics (v.s MDV)
Type: Miscellaneous
Prerequisite: Who, Me?
Able to force people to remember, and pay no heed to them, they too are able to force people to forget. If the Scion activates this power, from that point on in the Scene, no one will be able to remember who they were after the fact. Only a Intelligence + Politics roll that overcomes the user's Successes will reveal to someone who they were. Allowing a user of this power to steal, murder, speak out against a tyrant, or anything of a number of things, and get away scot free, no one knowing just who it was.
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