Advancement and Ordeals: It isn’t enough for a Child of the Phoenix to heal, they must make a difference. Ordeals among the Children require followers to use their abilities to make a difference. Typically this involves healing something larger than just some wounded, but a community, a devastating disease, a generations old feud that continues to claim lives, etc. Children who solely heal the sick and injured earn no less respect among their peers, but they do not advance among them. Healing the body is the easiest thing to heal, but many wounds run deeper.
Elders meet throughout the year and discuss the deeds performed by Children. Any whose actions have merit and work to heal more than just the superficial injuries in Barsaive are considered to advancement. Most decisions are unanimous, but this is not always the case. Some Children push the boundaries on what is acceptable in an effort to make a difference and realize the necessary healing. The Children of the Phoenix are traditional, but actions cannot be denied. This can bring strife to an order accustomed to harmony, which makes some followers uncomfortable or resentful of their peers.
The ceremony for advancement is a simple affair. Children in the area gather to hear the accomplishments of their peers as they are related by the elders who supported their advancement. The Children reaffirm their oaths and those advancing receive a pearl to place in their bracer.
Karma Ritual: Changes to Karma Rituals after joining the Children are often subtle, though most notable for adepts whose rituals contain acts of violence. These may appear superficially similar, but close observation shows they are more defensive and often in the act of protecting imagined innocents. For example, a Nethermancer may speak of esoteric healing techniques, or seek to mend fences between differing spirits. While a Weaponsmith still fashions an imperfect weapon and shatters it, the meaning is not just because it’s defective, but because they seek a world where it’s unnecessary.
Half-Magic: The adept can also use their Half-Magic to find other Children of the Phoenix and know the history of the Children of the Phoenix. Additionally, the adept can make Half-Magic tests to know basic information about Namegiver physiology, diseases, and poisons, as well as medicinal plants. This does not replace the more detailed and valuable knowledge from an appropriate Knowledge skill.
Child of the Phoenix Talent Cost
- Journeyman, Maximum Rank 5
Child of the Phoenix Rank Bonuses
- Rank 2: +1 Social Defense
- Rank 4: +1 Mystic Defense
Child of the Phoenix Talent Options
Rank 1+ (Purchased as Journeyman tier talents)
Cold Purify, Conversation, Danger Sense, Empathic Sense, Etiquette, First Impression, Graceful Exit
Rank 5+ (Purchased as Warden tier talents)
Diplomacy, Lifesight
Child of the Phoenix Talents
Child of the Phoenix
Step: Rank
Action: NA
Strain: 0
Skill Use: No
This talent measures the adept’s advancement on the Child of the Phoenix Path. The adept can learn one Child of the Phoenix talent option for each rank and gains their Child of the Phoenix rank as a bonus to Interaction tests for making an impression or asking for favors of other Child of the Phoenix and those who are sympathetic to their cause. In Barsaive, this typically includes at least Purifiers, and questors of Garlen and Mynbruje. This talent’s maximum rank is 5 and costs Journeyman tier to advance.
Child of the Phoenix Knacks
Cold Purify
Breath of the Phoenix
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 9, Lifesight rank 5
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 5
Step: Rank+CHA
Action: Standard
Strain: 4 (special)
Skill Use: No
The adept has learned a dangerous technique to revive a target who has more current damage than their Death Rating—the target may have had current damage above their Death Rating no more than the adept’s Cold Purify rank in minutes. The adept must touch the target with both hands and breath into the target’s mouth, exhaling their life energy into the target. The adept spends a Recovery Test and makes a Breath of the Phoenix test against the target’s Mystic Defense (this cannot be reduced and is not affected by being knocked down or similar; though the target can have thread or pattern items enhancing it hastily removed). The adept may give a bonus to this test up to their Breath of the Phoenix Step + Toughness Step + Willpower Step. If successful, the target makes a Recovery test with a +2 bonus for each additional success. This knack can only be used once per target per day. The target does not spend a Recovery Test for this.
After the effects are assessed—the results of the Recovery test if one is made—the adept suffers Step X damage where X is equal to the bonus they previously applied to their Breath of the Phoenix test.
Cleansing Chill: See The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 226. This Cold Purify knack can be learned as a Cold Purify knack with Child of the Phoenix rank 2 as an additional restriction.
Counteract
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 6
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 1, any Discipline 7
Step: Rank+WIL
Action: Standard
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept empowers their ability to heal poison and disease using their life force. The adept touches the target’s open wound, spends a Recovery Test, and transfers their energy into the target, drawing the poison or disease out by making a Counteract test against the poison or disease’s Effect Step. If successful, the effects of the poison or disease are stopped and the victim recovers a number of Damage Points equal to the difference between the test result and the Difficulty Number. The blood falls to the ground thick and sickened—it cannot be used to further spread poison or disease.
Improvised Poultice
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 7
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 3
Step: Rank+PER
Action: Sustained (1+ hour)
Strain: 5+ (special)
Skill Use: No
The adept can quickly produce temporary healing aids to assist in recovery from injuries, poison, or disease. The adept chooses the type of poultice (injury, poison, or disease) and makes an Improvised Poultice (10) test. Each success produces a suitable improvised poultice. This uses 5 silver pieces of appropriate alchemical reagents per poultice and takes one hour per poultice. The adept may choose to make less poultices than the full number they can, if they wish to take less Strain, don’t have enough alchemical reagents, or don’t wish to take the full time. Improvised poultices last for five days, after which they are rendered useless.
Injury poultices provide +4 to the target’s next Recovery test within one hour. The target cannot engage in strenuous activity after the poultice is applied and before the Recovery test is made, or the benefit is lost. Poison and disease poultices add +3 to any tests to resist the effects of a poison or disease currently affecting the target for 24 hours.
Mending Frost: See The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 226. This Cold Purify knack can be learned as a Cold Purify knack with Child of the Phoenix rank 5 as an additional restriction.
Purge Pattern
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 9, Lightsight rank 9
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 5, any Discipline 10
Step: Rank+WIL
Action: Sustained (1 hour)
Strain: 4
Skill Use: No
The adept ends lingering magical effects on the target’s pattern by spending a Recovery Test and making a Purge Pattern test against the highest Dispel Difficulty (Player’s Guide, p. 265) of the effects on the target (this includes beneficial effects). The adept can remove one effect for each success—they may not know exactly what each effect is, but get a general idea of the consequences. This cannot affect Horror powers, but can affect talents, spells (including those cast by a Horror), devotions, and other curses. This ability can be used once per month on a target. More than that risks permanent pattern damage.
Touch of the Phoenix
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 7
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 3
Step: Rank+CHA
Action: Standard
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept empowers their ability to heal injuries using their life force. The adept touches the willing target’s open wound, spends a Recovery Test, and transfers their energy into the target by making a Touch of the Phoenix (5) test. If successful, the target spends a Recovery Test and makes a Recovery test with a +2 bonus per additional success. This talent always generates at least one success.
Comfort of the Phoenix
Talent: Cold Purify
Requirements: Rank 6
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 2
Step: Rank+CHA
Action: Standard
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept temporarily relieves the target of their fatigue and pain. The adept touches the willing target and makes a Comfort of the Phoenix test against the target’s Mystic Defense (this cannot be reduced and is not affected by being knocked down or similar; though the target can have thread or pattern items enhancing it hastily removed). If successful, the target ignores penalties due to fatigue and Wounds up to the number of successes for Cold Purify rank ×10 minutes. This does not treat or eliminate the underlying causes.
Child of the Phoenix
Bearing of the Phoenix [Karma]
Talent: Child of the Phoenix
Requirements: Rank 4
Restrictions: None
Strain: 0
The adept can spend a Karma Point on an Interaction test (Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 144) to Make an Impression, gain Insight, or ask for a Favor. The favor must be selfless in nature.
Embrace of the Phoenix
Talent: Child of the Phoenix
Requirements: Rank 5, Cold Purify rank 8
Restrictions: None
Step: Rank+TOU
Action: Free
Strain: 0
Skill Use: No
The adept may spend a Recovery Test to add their Embrace of the Phoenix Step as a bonus to a Cold Purify test.
Hand of the Phoenix [Karma]
Talent: Child of the Phoenix
Requirements: Rank 1
Restrictions: None
Strain: 1
The adept can spend a Karma Point on a test to heal or treat the injuries of a living target (including disease and poison). This knack can be used once per round.
Sincerity of the Phoenix [Karma]
Talent: Child of the Phoenix
Requirements: Rank 2
Restrictions: None
Strain: 1
The adept can spend a Karma Point on a test to convince a target of their sincerity and earn the target’s trust. The adept cannot deceive the target, though they are not required to be wholly forthcoming.
Vision of the Phoenix [Karma]
Talent: Child of the Phoenix
Requirements: Rank 3
Restrictions: None
Strain: 1
The adept can spend a Karma Point on a test to assess the health or pattern of a target. This includes using Lifesight to detect living targets.
Diplomacy
Enhanced Trust
Talent: Diplomacy
Requirements: Rank 6, Trust of the Phoenix
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 5
Step: Rank
Action: Free
Strain: 1
Skill Use: No
The adept gains their Diplomacy rank as a bonus to Trust of the Phoenix tests.
Path of the Righteous
Talent: Diplomacy
Requirements: Rank 5
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 5
Step: Rank
Action: Standard
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept uses their assumed authority and purpose to cut through a crowd, including a hostile crowd. The adept must state loudly and clearly their purpose and authority, waving back those in their path. Onlookers don’t need to understand exactly what is said as long as the intent, tone, and body language are clear, but it is more difficult if they do not speak the language. The adept makes a Path of the Righteous test against the highest Social Defense among those gathered; +1 for each additional five targets directly impeding their path. If successful, the targets are moved out of the adept’s way, creating a 4-yard wide and Diplomacy rank ×4 long.
If the adept or their companions use this access to take advantage of anyone (such as conducting espionage, violence, transgressing, etc.), this violates the Path’s blood oath and the adept is immediately in crisis. Targets betrayed in this fashion are immune to all future tests by the adept against their Social Defense to influence them or win their trust. Their anger and outrage gives them a +2 bonus to any tests they make against the offenders.
Empathic Sense
Gift of the Phoenix
Talent: Empathic Sense
Requirements: Rank 8
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 4
Step: NA
Action: Standard
Strain: 1
Skill Use: No
The adept touches their willing target and transfers a Recovery Test to the target. This Recovery Test is lost if not used before the target regains their daily Recovery Tests. Recovery Tests gained from devotions and talents cannot be transferred in this fashion. This knack can be used once per target per day.
Etiquette
Trust of the Phoenix
Talent: Etiquette
Requirements: Rank 5
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 1
Step: Rank+CHA
Action: Standard
Strain: 1
Skill Use: No
The adept convinces anyone preventing them from healing a patient of that need. This can include a reluctant patient, guards preventing them from reaching the patient, or a similar situation. This cannot end active combat, nor will it change the mind of anyone who wants to see the patient harmed. The adept makes a Trust of the Phoenix test against the target’s Social Defense. If successful, the adept’s progres is no longer stymied by the target. Each additional success allows two companions to travel with the adept.
If the adept or their companions betray this trust in any way (such as using their access to conduct espionage, burglary, violence, etc.) and are discovered (including by the adept), this violates the Path’s blood oath and the adept is immediately in crisis. Targets betrayed in this fashion are immune to all future tests by the adept against their Social Defense to influence them or win their trust. Their anger and outrage gives them a +2 bonus to any tests they make against the offenders.
Graceful Exit
Shield the Innocent
Talent: Graceful Exit
Requirements: Rank 6
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 2
Step: Rank+CHA
Action: Standard
Strain: 1
Skill Use: No
The adept places targets weaker than the adept under the adept’s protection, preventing hostilities against them as long as the adept does not engage in any aggressive acts. The adept makes a Shield the Innocent test against the highest Social Defense in the opposing group. If successful, the opposing group cannot attack those under the adept’s protection for Graceful Exit ×10 minutes. This offers no protection to the adept and if the adept falls unconscious, this talent no longer provides any protection. If the adept or those under their protection act aggressively in any way (such violence, hurling insults that should be answered, theft, etc.), this ends the talent’s effects and violates the Path’s blood oath and the adept is immediately in crisis. Targets betrayed in this fashion are immune to all future tests by the adept against their Social Defense to influence them, win their trust, or use this talent against them. Their anger and outrage gives them a +2 bonus to any tests they make against the offenders.
Lifesight
Assess Living Pattern
Talent: Lifesight
Requirements: Rank 8, Cold Purify 8
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 4, any Discipline 10
Step: Rank+PER
Action: Standard
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept assesses the target’s pattern and injuries with Lifesight, seeing how to best heal them. The adept makes a See Injuries test against the target’s Mystic Defense (this cannot be reduced and is not affected by being knocked down or similar; though the target can remove thread or pattern items enhancing it). If successful, the adept gains a bonus equal to their Lifesight rank to their next Cold Purify test against the target. This test must be made within Lifesight rank minutes.
The adept may spend additional successes to glean information about the target, though some healers consider this invasive and unnecessary. One additional success provides information about the target’s injuries and how they were sustained. Two additional indicates information about the target’s physiology, such as old wounds. Three additional successes reveal congenital effects, some the target may not realize. Four additional successes can indicate magical effects hidden in the target’s pattern, though no details on what exactly they are.
Mystic Surgery
Talent: Lifesight
Requirements: Rank 9, Cold Purify rank 9, Assess Living Pattern
Restrictions: Child of the Phoenix rank 5, any Discipline 11
Step: Rank+PER
Action: Free
Strain: 2
Skill Use: No
The adept uses their Lifesight to assist in treating injuries, disease, poison, and/or Wounds with Cold Purify, allowing the adept to use much less invasive techniques. The adept makes a Mystic Surgery test against the target’s Mystic Defense (this cannot be reduced and is not affected by being knocked down or similar; though the target can remove thread or pattern items enhancing it). If successful, the adept does not need to cause a Wound to treat the target, but only inflict 1 point of damage.
Path Knacks
Child of the Phoenix [Path]
Talent: Thread Weaving
Rank: 5
Cost: 500 Legend Points
Requirements: Must complete a Child of the Phoenix ordeal
Restrictions: Any Discipline Circle 5
The adept performs the initiation ritual and weaves a thread to the Child of the Phoenix pattern, taking 2 Blood Magic Damage, and gains Child of the Phoenix at rank 1.