Dark circles sagged under the prisoner’s eyes. He hadn’t slept more than a few minutes since his failed rebellion three days ago, and sleep wasn’t likely to come anytime soon. Ajad and Qu had joined him in his prison cell. 

It was quiet down here. Before Nehramus had set the imprisoned free, the cells had been nearly full. Petty thieves and murderers rotted beside those who dared speak out against the king and his family. No longer did the Shumad Empire jail the hungry for stealing food — someday, perhaps, no one would be hungry in the first place. For now, such thefts were left to the community to deal with. More violent offenders were conscripted as laborers, and exiled if they proved more trouble than they were worth. 

Only a few of the most dangerous criminals had returned to their cells, hauled in while they awaited judgment from one of the Green Sun Princes. Ajad, Nehramus, or Qu would offer a choice: obey the laws or die. Cinnabar might recruit a couple for his crew. Six would probably just kill them. The criminals had rolled the dice when they squandered their chance at a new life.

Today’s prisoner, however, had never seen the inside of a cell before. He’d been a leader before the city fell, a businessman of some renown. The Circle had decided to root out only the royal family itself, letting Nerim’s other citizens choose a new life for themselves. A small group of royalists, however, had set their sights on ousting the new leaders.

“It was well put-together, I’ll hand you that,” Ajad said as she paced back and forth before him. Mortal questioners had already had their turns, but the prisoner’s loyalties ran deep. He was holding back.

At least he had the good sense to flinch when Ajad crouched down before him. 

“You could just tell me.”

His throat clicked when he swallowed. “There’s nothing more to say.”

“I tried.” She might have been talking about a vase she’d failed to glue back together. Ajad took hold of his head and held him tight. Pale green light enveloped them both as she forced him to meet her gaze. For a moment, her features mirrored his own: the pointed chin, shadowed eyes, his creased brow. Both of their mouths opened: his in despair, Ajad’s a mockery of his misery.

Then the prisoner began to scream. His limbs twitched and flailed. He tried flinching away from Ajad, as though she held a blade to his skin and was slicing him apart bit by bit. But she held no weapon, and he had nowhere to go.

After long, bloody, viscous screaming, names finally spilled from his lips. His voice cracked with each one, and sometimes his breath hitched in a sob.

From the corner where he sat taking notes, Qu watched phantom scenes play out in the air above the man’s head. Ajad reached up and reshaped them: removing someone from the memory, swapping in another. She whispered as she did so, dictating new details, planting seeds of doubt and guilt.

Qu found the procedure inelegant. His Circlemate had no finesse, and no desire to develop even a modicum of that virtue. The woman was brilliant, but vulgar. She ran roughshod over every problem laid out before her — in her own way, she was as reckless as Six or Cinnabar, but all the more dangerous for that magnificent mind of hers. Scowling, Qu took her dictation as Ajad recounted everything they needed to know about the royalists and their hiding places.

Hey folks, Vance and Elliott here. Want another sneak peek at Infernal Charms? Wish granted. ^_^ 

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 1

Type: Reflexive

Keywords: Stackable

Duration: Indefinite

Prerequisite Charms: Temple Self Apotheosis

When the Infernal hears someone express dissatisfaction or dislike for their current state, she temporarily grants him up to (Infernal’s Essence/2, rounded up) dots in an Attribute, (Essence) dots in an Ability, or (Essence) specialties. She must be there in person to hear him. If the target’s player is unwilling, she must make a special ([Charisma or Manipulation] + Presence) bargain roll against him. He can pay one Willpower to resist. Granted traits don’t count as bonuses from Charms. The target can gain them permanently by spending experience or incurring experience debt (p. XX), with no training time needed. 

If the Infernal maintains this Charm for at least a full story, her target falls into her debt. The same is true if he purchases the granted trait permanently. She may demand that he perform a single inconvenient task (Exalted, p. 216). He is not compelled to obey, but if he refuses, his wish curdles into a curse, causing him to suffer (Infernal’s Essence) botches at a dramatically appropriate moment. The consequences reflect the nature of his wish: if a merchant prince wished for great beauty, a botched influence roll might cause a potential business partner to become hopelessly enamored with him, getting in the way of business.

If the Infernal ends this Charm, her target immediately loses the granted trait unless he’s purchased it with experience. She has until the end of the story to call in any favors owed by him.

The Infernal may use this Charm multiple times simultaneously in response to a single expression of discontent, waiving the Willpower cost of uses past the first. She can bless multiple characters, but can’t stack more than (Essence) uses per character. Multiple uses potentially allow her to accrue multiple debts.

Reset: The Infernal can only use this on a given character once per story. This is reset if he learns the granted trait permanently with experience.

Bestowal of Accursed Fortune (Essence 2): The Infernal can grant a character a total of up to five dots of the Backing, Contacts, Followers, Mentor, Retainers, or Resources Merits, which are drawn into his life by the end of the current session or the next one. She can’t grant more than (higher of her Essence or 3) dots in the same Merit. Her target can lose these Merits based in story events even if he incurs experience debt, but this refunds any experience spent.

Scoured Perfection of Form (Essence 2): The Infernal can grant a character up to five dots of mutations as a body-altering Shaping effect. These mutations are often monstrous or demonic, though sometimes they’re possessed of an alien beauty.

As You Wish (Essence 3) (+1wp): The Infernal can pay a one-Willpower surcharge grant wishes even if she isn’t personally present, like when she hears a prayer with Penitents Like Scattered Grains.

Miracle Gift Mastery (Essence 3, Bestowal of Accursed Fortune, Scoured Perfection of Form) (+5m, 1wp): The Infernal can pay a five-mote, one-Willpower surcharge to instantly grant a character a Charm, spell, thaumaturgical ritual, or similar magical power whose prerequisites he meets. This applies even for magic the Infernal can’t learn, like Solar Charms, though it can’t teach Sidereal Martial Arts. The target must incur experience debt to gain it — the Infernal can’t sustain this Charm with a mote commitment.