Champions Shining Resolve

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. This ritual targets a character, who must be present throughout.

This ritual is an enchantment. A target may only be under one enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

The target gains two additional hero points.

The target also experiences a roleplaying effect: You feel an urge to demonstrate your prowess to everyone, and have a sense that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

An Imperial Orc target experiences an additional roleplaying effect: you are more likely to hear your ancestors while under this enchantment.

The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event.

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters from the same banner. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 12. Additional characters must be present throughout.

Option

Any caster who has mastered the ritual may choose to substitute Green Iron for crystal mana when contributing to it. Every 2 ingots of Green Iron spent counts as 1 crystal mana when contributing to the ritual.

Description

Great deeds - if not necessarily heroic deeds - are at the heart of the Summer Realm. This ritual functions a little like the empower incantation, but is even more versatile. As with crafted items such as the Triumphant Blade or a suit of Runeplate it is most effective when it is used to enchant someone who either already possesses a reserve of passion and heroic drive, or who is armed with a Butcher's Cleaver or similar item that can be 'powered' by the ritual.

Even without other uses, the ability to steel the will and resist outside influences is sometimes useful in its own right; anyone can benefit from the ability to overcome malign spiritual forces, even if it is only for a short time.

The name of the ritual is the subject of some controversy. Some magicians claim it is Champion's Shining Resolve, intending it to be used on one or two glorious and heroic warriors. Other magicians claim it is Champions' Shining Resolve, meaning it is most appropriate to use it on multiple warriors so that all can benefit. The Highborn and Urizen magicians who make a study of such things suggest that one can learn something about one's peers by asking them what they think the ritual is called.

Common Elements

This ritual often involves anointing the target in some way, often with wine or blood. It may also include a symbolic crowning with green leaves or (especially in The Marches) a circlet of woven corn or grass. The names of heroic individuals (especially powerful ancestors, even for targets who are not themselves Imperial Orcs) or particularly inspirational Paragons and Exemplars are another common element, as are symbols of Pride.

When green iron is used during the ritual, especially by a Dawnish coven, the ingots are often pressed against and into the weapons and armour of the target, often as part of a formal act of girding the target.

Any of the Summer runes might be evoked, but Feresh, the rune of majesty, is the most common. An evocation of The Stallion or The Oak may be appropriate with this ritual, as may evocations of horses; animals that represent pride or majesty such as eagles or lions; and legendary or heraldic beasts such as gryphons, chimerae and unicorns.