Stars

AXIS OF HEAVENS ●Cost: NoneDice Pool: None

Type: Passive

All of heaven's revolves around a single point, where all the heavens move, and dance through the sky, the Pole Star, the axis of which all of heaven revolves around. The Deities of the Starry nights tend to be similar. Where all their fellows dance, they sit unmoving and unphased.

A Scion, though a minor member of the Celestial dance at this point, may emulate this, and where their fellows will rage, and love, and hate with all their hearts, they may hold restrained, unmoved by the world. Once per Session, a Scion with this Boon may automatically pass a Virtue check, not having to pay any Willpower.

Author Notes: The first Boon of the Purview follows with both the theme of Transience, and the theme of Distance. While the Boon may not be spectacularly useful, it will benefit later Boons, and will help players who wish to play transient Deities a benefit.

ASTRONOMER'S EYE ●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Passive

Many ancient cultures looked to the sky to learn things. Sometimes, the Will of Heaven. Other times, they sharpened their minds on the stars, through mathematics, learning of the dance of the celestial lights, and mastering what they could teach.

A Scion with this Boon may watch the Stars to make similar observations, sharpening their mind, or learning whispered secrets from the distant stars. Once per Session, a Scion with this Boon who can see stars of the night sky +6 Automatic Successes to an Academics or Occult roll.

Author Notes: The Boon is one of the powers that draws upon the idea of mathematics which was linked deeply with Stars by many mortal cultures. The Boon represents this. The specificity of the need for see the night sky gives a degree of balance to the benefit of having two options of Skills, though, I think I would like to have the player pick between the two.

Stars Two

STAR STEEL ●●

Cost: None.

Dice Pool: None.

Type: Miscellaneous.

Sometimes, on rare moments, a star will fall. Falling, burning to the earth. Just what this means is varied, depending on the culture. To the Teotl, the Aesir, and the Tuatha, this would mean different things. An evil, a spark from the realm of fire, or a large hunk of something that fell out of the sky. Maybe the sky is falling.

No matter what Pantheon, however, there is power in the stars. To the Teotl, the power of The Enemy. The Aesir, the power of the realm of fire. To the Tuatha, well, who knows? Either way, a Scion with this Boon can wield some of this might, though, it may be disapproved of to some Pantheons. They may imbue a weapon of theirs with this power, gaining +2 Automatic Successes to attacking others with it.

Author Notes: It’s important to have a power to represent meteoric iron, it’s a very mythic concept, even though it rarely shows up. However, this Boon does provide a flat bonus to attacking, which is not preferable. No real easy alternative? No Star Dropping yet.

Author Further Notes: Still don’t like this, not sure how to work it.

Even More Notes: Still dislike very much. Want to change.

FOLLOW THE STAR ●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None or Stars + Survival

Type: Miscellaneous

Ancient mariners, those who braved to risk leaving the safety of the shore used the stars to find their way through the featureless sea. A tale which affected the course of the history of the world deeply featured the guidance of a star. A Scion with this Boon can invoke this power, being guided by a star.

To use this power, a the wielder first must state a destination. This could be as specific location the Scion knows, such as “Yonge Street, Toronto”, or a location they do not know, past a name, such as “Merlin’s Tomb”. As long as the location is physically capable of being reached from wherever the Scion is at the moment of using this Boon, they will take note of a bright, shining star in the sky, visible even in the day. If they follow this star, they will eventually reach their destination.

However, there are two caveats to this. Firstly, the Star points the most direct route, not taking note of any mountains, oceans, deserts, or other inhospitable locals. Secondly, the Scions are not the only ones who notice this star. Any being at the location the Star is illuminating becomes aware that someone is coming, though not the specifics, making the power rather unsubtle. Additionally, other beings will notice the star, and will likely follow it too. The Storyteller is encouraged to have the Scions encounter these other followers along the way, friendly, or not.

If a location is being hidden through some magical means, the user of this Boon must overcome the activation roll of the Boon used to hide it with this Boon’s Stars + Survival roll.

Author Notes: This Boon is rather important, representing both the navigation capacities of Stars, but also things such as following the star that hung over the manger. It manages to not step on the toes of Travel as the journey is not touched, only providing guidance. However, this is wordy as fuck.

POLARIS ●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Passive

Through the pole star, all can find their way. From the pole star, they can track the heavens, the single unmoving point giving reference to construct the patterns that swim around it. From the pole star, a navigator can find their way over featureless seas, the single constant allowing wayfinding.

A Scion with this Boon becomes the Pole, those around them guided as if they were in the presence of the true Pole Star, giving everyone in the Scene a +2 bonus to Survival and Academics.

Author Notes: A second navigation Boon. While Rank 2 is rather packed with Navigation, it fits best at Hero, higher tiers of play both have the concept outshone by other Demigod and God concepts in the other Purviews. However, I am tempted to change this from a passive bonus aura to something that is activated, but prevents others from leaving the Scene, forced to move around the Pole Star. Sort of the Tidal power Moon never gets because it’s a modern concept with the Moon.

Stars Three

THE FARTHEST REACHES ●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Passive

The Gods and Goddesses of the stars are often beautiful. Ishtar, and Radegast stairing with distant perfection down on the world of mortals, and even with distance from the rest of their Pantheons. This distance, and beauty often marks them as separate from their fellows, as distant as the Stars themselves.

A Scion taking this Boon may develop a physical feature reminiscent of the distant stars above, be it jet black hair studded with miniscule lights, or eyes that shine with the silver flame of the aether. Due to this, they gain +2 Automatic Successes to all Appearance rolls. Furthermore, they are too marked by the distance of the Stars, a distance not necessarily physical. A Scion who takes this Boon permanently removes one of their Virtues (though not one mandated by a Boon they also possess, for example, no removing Order if one possesses Me (Me 1)), becoming distant from their Pantheon. Additionally, the Scion may chose to spend one of their Virtue Channels to automatically pass any Virtue roll required to act against a Virtue, or to regain an amount of Willpower equal to the Dots of the Virtue.

Author Notes: I am surprised this was the first Boon to give me difficulty. My original intention was to give four Stars Virtues to replace one of your Pantheon Virtues with, Opposition, Withdrawal, Transience, or Unfettered. However, I’m very unsure about ‘adding Virtues’, even if they are not really Virtues. I want to give an alternative to just scrapping one of your Virtues, or maybe give a benefit for doing so. It is a heavy loss, only having 3 Virtues, mechanically, but it fits very well for Star’s theme of emotional distance and withdrawal from their Pantheons.

Further Commentary: So, I’ve settled on giving the sacrifice the ability to auto pass Virtue violations for a Channel (further working inside the removing Virtues theme) and additionally able to regain Willpower through them. Now, it’s not very substantial at God, so may need review after initial testing. I suppose for some players, losing a Virtue would be a benefit.

Further Still: Later Boons use # of missing Channels and Channels themselves as resources again, which makes me worry people won’t take this Boon just to make them better at those later Boons, which runs contrary to the theme I’m going with. I’d expect the result is to make this Boon tastier, but, I’m not sure? Technically you are losing a lot by giving up a Virtue.

FOUR HUNDRED EYES ●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Awareness

Type: Miscellaneous

The Sun and the Moon dominate the Heavens. Colossal, brilliant spheres staring down at the world below. It is not surprising many cultures had their Lunar and Solar figures as ones who watched the world with perfect awareness. The infinite stars are often forgotten, far behind the Moon’s silvery gaze. But, they too watch, silently.

A Scion who activates this Boon may observe the world from the heavens, watching the world far below. From a single point, high in the sky, the Scion can observe all the goings ons around them for one mile per Success, though limited from this single fixed point in the sky, obviously unable to see through thick canopies, inside buildings, or in the bowels of the earth. However, if used at night, this Boon’s effects are altered. Rather than watching from a single fixed point, they may watch with all the infinite eyes of the stars, observing from any angle in the firmament, shifting and dancing rapidly to achieve the best angle as they watch the world below.

While in this state, observing the world from above, the Scion’s sight is disconnected from their body, which brings up the clarification that this Boon only transmits sight. Sound, smell, all of that is outside of the realm of the Stars.

Author Notes: I really want this Boon to exist, I feel it fits Stars very well, but I can’t decide if it is overpowered, or underpowered compared to the other Rank 3 Perception Boons. It seems most similar to Earth’s, which is sinking one’s awareness into the ground for a similar effect, but from a different angle. But, for some reason, the current rendition of this Boon doesn’t sit well with me.

HEAVENLY CALCULATIONS ●●●

Cost: Varies

Dice Pool: Stars + Academics

Type: Miscellaneous

The stars were a key to much ancient understanding of the world around them, accurate information, or not. Just as early mathematics cut its edge watching the stars, learning about the function of the heavens, growing capable of predicting the dance of the heavens, and learning the flow of the seasons in a mathematical sense, prediction now not just a possibility, but a growing necessity of early agriculturalists. They too, however, watched the stars for the will of Heaven, watching the movement of the stars, searching for the will of the Divine in these movements.

A Scion with this Boon can learn a similar feat. Prediction, not Prophecy. The stars teach us grand patterns, and this will lead to that, and so on. One growing akin to the Stars starts to learn these great patterns, and can impose them on the world.

To use this Boon, the Character must make an observation of some kind, and then state what they believe will result. Nothing minor, no, “I have observed that man point a gun at the deer, I believe the deer will be shot”, important observations, “If Merlin’s Prison is a tree, it must be fed. Therefore, this river will lead us there” is a possible example.

When making this observation, the Scion rolls Stars + Academics, which determines the maximum they may ‘bet’ on this observation. Whatever resources the Scion bets on this observation they immediately lose, as if they spent them. If the Scion’s theory is proven correct, no matter the amount of time between, they immediately regain twice what they invested. Any excess legend or Willpower becoming Phantom resources that stay until they are spent, or the end of the Story.

If the Scion’s theory is never proven, they regain nothing, effectively losing their investment.

Author Notes: So, I feel that this is Star’s ‘big Hero thing’. It’s unobtrusive, which is always a good start for Hero, but is potentially quite powerful, and is unique, which is what makes it the sort of thing to lure people to Stars. It covers two concepts which have, up until now, been exceptionally difficult, but important to Stars. Firstly, it covers Star’s link with Prophecy, by creating an almost but not really Prophecy Boon. It is a mundane prediction. Secondly, it works in tandem with other Purviews, which is beneficial as Stars is very commonly linked with other Concepts. This allows augmentation to Mystery, Fertility, Sky, and so on, but doesn’t just make it better, which was the problem with bonuses to other Purviews. If someone wants to be the best at Fertility, they don’t need Stars, unless they want to gamble, and even then, they won’t be better.

And yeah, it’s supposed to work really nicely alongside Prophecy. Making predictions about your visions and the like.

Stars Four

WORDS OF HEAVEN ●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Occult

Type: Miscellaneous

In the Stars, the will of the Divine is written. Mortals often stared up looking for meaning in the infinite expanse of night, from angst ridden teenagers searching for the meaning of life, to High Priests atop ancient stone Ziggurats worried about what Marduk wants now.

A Demigod may reach up into the distant expanse of night, and write hidden messages. When they scribe in the stars their message, they roll Stars + Occult to determine who can read this message, and who can not. For every three Successes, the Scion may chose one individual who can see the message left in the stars for them.

Author Notes: So, this Boon is sort of like Heavenly Calculations in concept, except from the other end. Messages and insights in the Stars is a very common and important theme for the Purview, and this allows the other side of it, the actual inscription of messages, without intruding on Prophecy itself.

APATHY OF DISTANCE ●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Miscellaneous.

The firmament is far away from the world, far away from society, and culture. Not in the sense that Primeval forests are the antithesis of society and culture, but in the sense of total void. There is no culture, no society, no anyone, in the far distance of the firmament.

A Scion wearing the mantle of the firmament is already withdrawn from these things, but, their fellows are often not. Puller hither and yon by the screaming passions of the Divine. With this Boon, they may reach out, and pull their friend to the far spot they themselves stand, giving their fellow the effects of Axis of Heavens (Stars 1) for the remainder of the Session.

Author Notes: Sort of standard Share Immunity, not too interesting unfortunately. But, that just tends to be the case for Immunity Boons. Not sure if all the others persist for the Session, they probably should.

CLOAK OF STARS ●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + ???

Type: Miscellaneous

The Constellations come and go as the seasons pass, dancing across the sky, coming and going, returning next year. Too do the Stars themselves, fading with the light of dawn, fleeing with the death of the night.

A Scion so distant, and akin to the distant Stars themselves may take on this aspect of them. By using this Boon, the user winks out of existence for one Hour per Success. Appearing at the instant this time is up, not a second having passed for themselves. If an object or person is where they were previously, they appear at the closest free location.

Author Notes: So, this Boon is almost like the RAW version of Stars which had to do with Time. Rather than actually doing anything with time however, the Scion fades out of existence for a time. The Boon may seem tricky to use effectively, but it’s great for party crashing, and similar effects. Also for saving yourself when you are about to die.

Stars Five

PATRON STAR ●●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Passive

Many Deities were identified with different Stars. The Roman Pantheon the most well known example of this, it is far from unordinary. Even the Teotl, who regard the Stars as the very enemy of the Fifth World, have a member of their kin who is synonymous with the ??? (ask Griff what it was).

With this Boon, a Scion may to gain a Star (or Planet) as a symbol, of even a part of one’s self in rare cases. Upon taking it, they chose a Star or Planet (asides from the Sun, and from Earth) to associate with themselves, as long as no current member of their Pantheon has claimed the same celestial object. Possessing this Boon gives the Scion two new resources, one to use once per Session, and the other once per Story.

Celestial Guidance: Once per Session, the Scion may use a Stars Boon without a Legend cost, as if their Divine Parent had Stars Favored, if they sacrifice a Virtue Channel. This does not use their per Session Channel.

Celestial Might: Once per Story, a Scion with this Boon may sacrifice a number of their remaining Virtue channels to gain +1 Automatic Success on all Stars rolls per Channel sacrificed for the remainder of the Scene.

Author Notes: So, this is a fundamental need for the Purview. Patron Stars, or Planets, is a mandatory part of the Purview. I feel that a 1/Session and a 1/Story power are appropriate for it, giving it potential frequent use, and a big, knock down, nasty power. Honestly not sure at all what it could be.

Further Commentary: Right, so, I feel like I’ve sorted this out. Both introspective powers that further encourage uses of Stars. Both little benefits in return for sacrificing Virtue channels. Not a big deal at Demigod, but it should get players in the habit to even do it at God. The flat bonus to all Stars Boons for the Scene may appear a bit powerful, but, it’s only for a Scene, and you’re not getting the most favorable exchange rate, unless you use a buncha Stars Boons in the Scene, in which case, it can come out favorable.

CONSTELLATION WEAVER ●●●●●

Cost: X or YxAlot

Dice Pool: Stars + Occult

Type: Miscellaneous

The Pantheons place many things in the sky as Constellations. Objects, sometimes even people at times. Chiron the Centaur, and the harp of Orpheus were both placed there for honor, and, in the case of Chiron, salvation from a terrible pain.

A Scion with this Boon may do both of these things, adding to the infinite stars in the sky, placing new Constellations at their whim. To place an object, the Scion rolls Stars + Occult, placing it in the sky for all to see, and outside the reach of most. To place a being, make the same roll, but the target must be totally and entirely consenting to the process. While stored in the night sky, the being or object sits in stasis, eternal, and unchanging.

However, this Boon may also pull objects out of the sky. At any time, a being may pull any entity they themselves placed in the Stars and pull them back into physical existence, the Constellation fading from the sky. To take an entity placed there by another being, the user must overcome the initial Successes achieved on the use of this Boon to place them there. However, doing this has a good chance of offending whoever placed it there.

Author Notes: So, again, obviously a needed part of the Purview. Normally this is put up at God level by GBN and I believe RAW, but that’s honestly really dull God tier stuff. It fits better at Demigod. The Boon can be used as an infinite storage device, but also like a Cloak of Stars effect for others, or a way to save a friend by tossing them into stasis until they can be saved.

And, you know, you can pull Draco out of the sky if you can beat Zeus’ roll (Zeus probably needs Stars as part of his Heavens nonsense, uses this Boon enough) but the dude, and the fuck off Dragon, will probably not be happy.

Remember that Scion idea focused on Instant Snatch? I’d give them Stars and spend as many Birthright Dots as necessary to be able to grab people’s weapons and reflexively toss them into the night sky.

Stars Six

ALONE IN THE DARKNESS ●●●●● ●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + ???

Type: Miscellaneous

Radegast stands far from his fellow Bogovi, Nut far from the embrace of her children and her beloved husband. The Stars watch from the void of night, watching Huitzilopochtli carry the sun with fury in their eyes, detached, and far from the world that spawned them.

A Demigod learning these ways and skills may armor themselves with this theme, protecting themselves from the meddling of others. By activating this Boon, the Scion need not make any Virtue rolls when acting in opposition to them, and may be reflexively activated to snap themselves out of a Virtue Extremity. Additionally does something to make it fucking difficult as shit to mess with their MDV.

However, this withdrawal from the world hampers the Scion. Their detachment limits their capacity to connect with their fellow Deities, even members of their own Pantheon. While this Boon is active, the user loses access to all PsP Boons from the same Tier of play as they are currently in. So, Demigods lose access to their Demigod Boons, but retain use of their Hero Boons.

Author Notes: So, this is the first example of a Boon that fucks with PsPs. This is a continuation of the Virtue idea explored at Hero. The more withdrawn, the less attached to your Pantheon you are, along with the world in general. The obvious ways to represent this are through the Virtues and PsPs.

But, onto the actual mechanics. I have no idea how this should buff MDV. You are making a really big sacrifice by willingly removing your own PsP Boons, so the MDV benefit should be quite nice. But, a flat bonus is against the split of the system.

DANCE OF THE POLE STAR ●●●●● ●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Presence

Type: Miscellaneous

All the sky dances around the Pole Star, the single, unmoving point in the entirety of the heavens. As seasons come and go, so do the constellations, and far distant stars that watch over the world, but the Pole Star remains, and, in time, the same celestial figures will return, and the dance will begin again.

Harnessing this power, a Scion with this Boon can draw others into her influence, taking the role of the Pole Star unto herself, and in the process, casting all others present as the rest of the celestial dance. All beings in the Scene must compare their MDV to the result gathered by the activation roll of this Boon, and, if overwhelmed, are faced with a strange situation. They may not leave the Scene the user of this Boon is in, through any means. Most benignly, leaving will seem like a foreign concept to a being encapsulated by this Boon. However, if provoked by some outside effect, they will find that they are physically incapable of leaving. Attempting to leave through a Boon must overcome the activation roll of this Boon with its own (if no Activation role exists, it is resisted with Purview + Legend). Attempting to leave by walking, flying, or swimming away results in the Scion always ending up back in the presence of the user of this Boon, encapsulated by the Pole Star.

Author Notes: So, I didn’t like a Medium Summon for Stars. There are a lot of Celestial things that could be summoned, but most of them are relatively useless or not particularly useful (Moon’s handmaidens for the Persians, piglets for the Netjer, horrible uncontrollable monsters seeking to eat and kill pregnant women and children for the Aztecs). Instead, I thought another Pole Star Boon would be nice, drawing from the concept I had for an alternate Rank 2. It was too powerful for Rank 2, but is a handy power still at Rank 6.

Stars Seven

REGENT OF EMPTY REACHES ●●●●● ●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Passive

The empty reaches of the far distant firmament are this Demigod’s home, either physically, emotionally, or both. They are one of the rare figures who wield the power of the distant celestial lights, or, in Pantheons who have had yet no myths of Stars, a trailblazer, and the preeminent power in their Pantheon.

As they have reached this new precipice of power, the earliest skills mastered by a Scion of the firmament grow in power, and changing to fit their new heights.

Axis of Heavens: May be used twice a Session.

Follow the Star: Can now be used without a destination in mind, leaving the direction in the hands of Fate.

Heavenly Calculations: Now, for 10 Successes, a Legendary Deed may be bet.

Cloak of Stars: 1 Success can now correspond to 1 Day if desired.

Author Notes: It’s a Rank 7 Improver, you know. Nothing too interesting. Cloak of Stars upgrade is quite nice. Follow the Star could prove exceptionally useful. I’m sure someone can work out some silly nonsense with Heavenly Calculations.

CELESTIAL HARBINGER ●●●●● ●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Academics

Type: Miscellaneous

A Blood red comet streaking through the night sky, a starless night, a terrible red star watching the world. These, and more, omens were seen by ancient cultures who watched the celestial heights for the will of heaven, or Fate. A Demigod of the starry night can wield this power, calling forth a terrible omen to rattle others.

When activating this Boon, the Scion must either choose to either invoke this power on an individual, or on the Scene in general. Either way, all beings under assault by this Boon must compare their MDV to the Successes gathered with this Boon. All beings who are unable to resist this are struck down with the terrible sight of the omen hanging in the sky. If a single target was chosen by the user of this Boon, the user of this, they chose between the following two options. If an entire Scene is selected as victim, each individual may chose for themselves depending on if they abide by the warning, or reject it.

Abiding: In the process of trying to avoid the terrible omen struck against them, the being is wracked by their anxiety and fear, and immediately withdraw and inverse whatever action they were taking when the Boon was used. For example, a General witnessing the omen on the field of battle with attempt to withdraw and sue for peace, or a bride at her wedding witnessing the omen will refuse the marriage (or flee, if she is not able to refuse the marriage due to the choice not being hers).

Rejecting: Witnessing the terrible portent, and choosing to ignore it, still wracks a being. While the suffer no immediate downfall, the Sword of Damocles hanging over their head causes them to become their own worst enemy. The next important decision they make, deemed so by the Storyteller, they immediately make the worst possible choice imaginable. In their attempt to avoid their impending doom, becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.

It should be noted that this power has no connection with Fate, only the perception of others. The belief of the terrible omen is enough to make it real in a sense, in the fact that for the anxiety and fear it wroughts brings about any change.

Author Notes: So, again, this is a Boon that works with the concept that Stars and the Fate Purviews are linked. It is a ‘curse’, sort of, but only in the fact that people are afraid of the Star. I was debating in having the resistance to it be Int + Academics, failing if you get more Successes than the user of this Boon, having only intelligent targets affected, but that would encourage trying to keep this roll artificially low, and punish others for being good at something, which isn’t really good design.

Stars Eight

WITHDRAW ●●●●● ●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Reflexive

The Stars are distant, and far from the world. Where the Sun has been knocked from the sky, and the Moon hangs close to the world, the Stars are almost unfathomably far. Literally, and figuratively. Deities of Stars are oft uninvolved with their Pantheons, just as the Stars are oft uninvolved with the rest of the world.

When targeted by an attack, either through a Boon or physically, a Scion who possesses this Boon may reflexively activate it to ignore all of the impending damage by withdrawing from the world. However, this is a more extreme withdrawal than is done with Cloak of Stars or Constellation Weaver. The Deity is instantly transported to the edge of the Titanrealm of Stars, and getting home from there is up to them.

Author Notes: I’ve got all these emotional withdrawal powers, and I’ve sort of foreshadowed a power like this previously, where someone can pop themselves ‘out of time’ but not really. I thought it was only appropriate to have an actual physical withdrawal power. Moving other people physically was too much in the realm of Travel, so moving one’s self seemed the best. Doing it reflexively to avoid bad stuff also sounded like a nice power.

CELESTIAL ISOLATION ●●●●● ●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: None

Type: Miscellaneous

When the stars are not distant, they can be worse. From existing in the peripheries, they can too become worse. The Teotl know this, and their world is dominated by the eternal opposition to the distant Stars. To the Great Anunna of the Fertile Crescent, Ishtar is not an enemy, beloved, and welcomed, but has at times threatened the world if her way was not given into, and wild sexuality deviates from the proper. To the Bogovi, where the entire Pantheon upholds staunch rules of the separation of Divinity and Mortality, while often in the same breath rampantly ignoring these, Radegast stays separate, only appearing for comment when Stribog stole his cloak, ignoring the beautiful Moon Goddess pining for him.

This great separation of the Stars can be tapped by Deities who wield their power, or, in come cases, are them. Their divergence encouraged by the nature of the Stars themselves. They may activate this Boon to further cement this great divide, and for the remainder of the Scene, gain +1 Automatic Success to their MDV, and Appearance rolls for each empty Virtue Channel + half their Stars Rank, for the remainder of the Scene.

Author Notes: Technically potentially slightly more powerful than Stoneskin (Earth 8) in numbers (not sharing any benefited areas), the Boon is both behind in a Attribute, in order to reach such a height, the Scion needs to be missing Virtue Channels. This further encourages the idea of sacrificing them with previous Boons, which plays into the theme of being less Virtue-y.

Stars Nine

TURN THE HEAVENS ●●●●● ●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Survival

Type: Miscellaneous

The seasons of the world come and go with the eternal dance of the heavens. The constellations changing as the year passes from summer to autumn, and autumn to winter. A Deity of the distant stars can shift the heavens, changing the world far below. Either by moving the colossal spheres that make up the Vault of the Sky, herding piglets through the heavens, or whatever method is appropriate for their Pantheon, a Scion with this Boon may alter the heavens, and in the process, alter the earth.

When using this Boon, the Scion must decide what season they wish to change the hemisphere to, and role the activation power of this Boon. For one day per Success gathered, they entirely alter the seasons of the planet to correspond to their desire. The hemisphere the Scion is in changes to this new season, while the other half of the planet alters to become the opposite, as normal.

Other users of Stars in the world find their own Star Boons altered by this Boon for the duration if they are unable to resist the activation with Stars + Integrity. Additionally, if used in an area normally without altering seasons, or without hemispheres, the change still occurs, but without the opposing hemisphere’s change, though the effects of the new season come into full swing.

Author Notes: So, the last ‘time’ Boon for Stars. As ‘time’ and Stars are actually not linked at all and we only perceive a connection in hindsight, none of the ‘time’ Boons actually interact with time, only appear to, again, in hindsight. A Stars Scion can withdraw from ‘time’, but they are really just withdrawing from the world for example. With this Boon, I wanted to give Stars a global effecting power like Sun and Moon, and thought a seasonal shift would be appropriate. They are not actually changing time, or changing the seasons, but shifting the heavens, and the world alters in response.

I was not sure the actual effect of these new seasons, so I decided to only give them minor little seasonal tidbits, and then each season alters the functionality of Stars Boons to better correspond to the specific season.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS ●●●●● ●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + Occult

Type: Miscellaneous

Humanity has searched for answers in the stars for millennia now, both mystic, and scientific. The will of the Pantheons, what can be gleaned of gravity by observing the distant planets, the secrets of Fate, new worlds to reach. In the stars there are answers, or, so it is believed. Fate might leave messages in the celestial night for Prophets, and seekers of hidden knowledge, and some of them may leave messages for their followers in the celestial lights. Those Deities who write in the stars, be it their direct will, what they know of Fate, or something in between, many look to the stars for guidance, and the stars are happy to give it.

With this Boon, the Star Deity may bind a specific piece of information into the Stars, something as simple as “Marduk is Great,” to as machiavellian as “Metis Lives,” to explaining Fate’s will. Whatever the message is that the Deity wishes to leave, others will believe it, for the stars hold answers, don’t you know. When initially setting their message, idea, or concept in the stars, the Deity may chose it to only affect a specific being, a specific region, not set any parameters and have it affect all on the plane. All affected entities who stare up into the night sky see the message, as if it is spelled out in the stars themselves, or noticing it through subtle occult shifts, or whatever the Deity wishes. They must then compare their MDV to the activation roll of this Boon. If it has overcome them, whatever the Deity wrote in the sky they believe to be an absolute truth, even if it contradicts previous knowledge, they will believe what they knew previously was flawed.

Author Notes: The final ‘Stars - Fate’ Boon, and still, has nothing actually at all to do with Fate, just the perception of Fate. Though someone with Prophecy could leave information in the stars with this to accommodate those myths. I believe this is one of those Boons that is not obviously powerful, but one could cause a truly colossal degree of fuckery through this Boon. It’s like Rumor Mill on crack, though more limited in scope (can only affect the plane), though capable of being more surgical.

Either way, while not overtly powerful, I think someone could pull off some total nonsense with this Power, and it stands fairly nicely with the “Stars hold secrets” or “Stars are the will of Fate” thing which is normally exceptionally hard to actually deal with.

Stars Ten

PAST THE FARTHEST REACHES ●●●●● ●●●●●

Cost: 22 Legend and 2 Willpower

Dice Pool: Stars + Occult (vs PsP + Integrity)

Type: Miscellaneous

In the distant dark stand the Star Gods and Goddesses. A departure, physically, or figuratively, from their fellow Deities. From Radegast’s detachment from the politics and lawbreaking of the Bogovi, to Ishtar’s disruption of society, to the Four Hundred South Stars diametrically opposed to Huitzilopochtli, or Nut irrevocably separated from her lover Geb, Star Deities are often separate in their own way. Detached from their Pantheons, existing on the peripheries, sometimes socially, through transience of behavior, or physically, through chains or banishment. To these Celestial Deities, this is often something they accept (except for Nut), this withdrawal. The Four Hundred South Stars oppose the Teotl, and Radegast has his own business to attend to (presumably). However, other Deities may not be familiar with this isolation, and from this, comes one of the most terrible skills of a Star Deity.

By activating this Boon, the user immediately has a contested (Stars + Occult) roll facing off against a (PsP + Integrity) roll from their target. If the target can resist this power, they suffer no penalty. But if they fail, they suffer the terrible fate of being metaphysically ostracized from their own pantheon. Their Pantheon Specific Purview temporarily fades from their grasp, and leaves them alone, as if they belonged to no one. The Theoi’s great skill fades, the rightful ownership of Mes vanishes, the all consuming Fates of the Aesir flicker, and the like.

This effect lasts for one day per Threshold Success.

Author Notes: So, the big final emotional / societal withdrawal power, building off the established system of Rank 10s being capable of Banning Purviews (Sun - Darkness, Frost, Illusion. Fertility - Artistry, Travel, Mystery. Ect), but instead focusing on a single Purview. Now, this is both more and less powerful in different ways. Firstly, it will almost be guaranteed every Pantheon member, and Titans from respective Pantheons will possess their PsP at quite a high Rank, however, it additionally only targets a single entity, where other Rank 10 Banns effect vast areas. Additionally, this lasts for longer than a Scene at a day per Threshold Success, which is in return for the Boon being single target, rather than being capable of effecting massive areas in a swath, and because banning an APP banns more Boons than just a PsP (for example, Sol Invictus [Sun 10] banns 21 + 21 + 21 Boons [63]).

STARFALL ●●●●● ●●●●●

Cost: None

Dice Pool: Stars + ???

Type: Miscellaneous

The wrath of heaven often displayed in martial might through the Thunderbolt, all the fury and the rage of a white hot flash shattering an ancient tree and setting it alight capturing the minds of humanity. Rare were those to witness the crash of a meteor, but, the terrible power no less great than that of the Thunderbolts. With this Boon, the Deity can harness this might, and wield the power of the Stars. For some Pantheons, this will be pulling a Star from the sky and calling it crashing down, where for others it may just be a blast of the cold white light of the stars (for the Pantheons whose Stars are living entities, such as the Egyptians or the Zoroastrians).

By using this Boon, the Player makes a quick calculation. They take their Star Rank and take away their total number of Virtue Dots (including Phantom Dots if they currently have any). The remaining number (with the minimum being 1) are the number of attacks the Scion has banked now. After this, they roll Stars + ??? to determine two further things. Firstly, this determines how long it takes one of the attacks to land after invoked, taking 60 ticks - 1 tick per Success gained, potentially arriving instantly with a high enough roll. Secondly, it determines the attack itself, with it being opposed by either DDV or BDV, depending on the target’s wishes. This attack deals half aggravated damage and half lethal damage, rounded up. During the initial activation, the Star Deity may activate as many of their banked attacks as they wish, or preserve them all. However, only one being may have an impending attack at once, though using one of these banked attacks is a reflexive action during any of the Deity’s other actions. Additionally, if a target flees the Scene through any Power, including Withdraw (Stars 8), these attacks will still seek them out. If they have fled to an Underworld, an Overworld, to the furthest reaches of a Titan Realm, or deep into the sea, the attacks will land.

Author Notes: So, I’ve always loved the idea of dropping Stars on people. I’m not really sure if there is any mythological precedent, but I’m pretty sure someone somewhere is using shooting stars as arrows or something. I think India. Anyways, it’s cool, and what else can you really give Stars for their Rank 10 Attack?

Anyways, I’ve pretty much used all of the different combinations of single DV, Agg, Armor Ignoring, and whatnot. So, for Stars, I wanted to try out giving multiple attacks. Less Virtues you have, more attacks you get, which helps give a Benefit for Star Deities lacking in Virtues, and encourages them to keep their total number low, to keep in theme. Additionally, it gives some really fun interactions. Using Sun and various PsPs and other APPs, one could theoretically force-bump a Stars Deity so full of Phantom Dots of Virtues, this attack wanes in power. Using Frost, someone could void a Stars Deity of all of their Virtues, making this attack really fancy. Fun interactions for both ways. Because of the many charges this attack possesses, I thought making it all Agg would be a bit much, but Lethal is so easy to deal with at God, thought Agg was needed in there somewhere to keep this competitive. The duration to arrive is just fluff really, but it shouldn’t be hard to have instant attacks. Not being able to smash a single target with all of your attacks at once prevents it from being a just better Blitzkrieg. Honestly, I think the most interesting part of it is that the attacks will find you. BTTing away with a Boon to escape an attack is a legitimate tactic, even against the Rank 10 attacks. But, what this Boon pays for in outright power (such as the target being able to chose how to defend), it means you can’t run from these.