Difference between revisions of "Air Powers (FiD)"

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Air powers deal with gases and atmospheric conditions such as wind, precipitation and cloud formations. It can be quite useful in that it can alter the battlefield itself, rather than the abilities of the combatants, evening the odds in an unfair fight by preventing the use or overwhelming odds or allowing escape from a hopeless battle. It is most practical when invoked over a small area, possibly dangerously powerful if used over wide areas.
 
Air powers deal with gases and atmospheric conditions such as wind, precipitation and cloud formations. It can be quite useful in that it can alter the battlefield itself, rather than the abilities of the combatants, evening the odds in an unfair fight by preventing the use or overwhelming odds or allowing escape from a hopeless battle. It is most practical when invoked over a small area, possibly dangerously powerful if used over wide areas.
  
Air attacks by buffeting and tossing opponents, which is powerful against fliers and good at distracting and delaying, but very poor at doing actual damage.  
+
Air attacks by buffeting and tossing opponents, which is powerful against fliers and good at distracting and delaying.
Escalated air attacks can create a vacuum that does significant damage to creatures that breathe.
+
They easily cause eardrums to break, headaches, vertigo, and nosebleeds.
 +
Tackling and buffeting can move targets which may cause a lethal fall.
 +
Focused shockwaves can cut like blades.  
  
 
Air elementals appear as billowing cloud-creatures or as dust devils, transparent by nature. They are visible when they act but invisible while at rest. Creatures that manifest air are birds and winged and flying creatures of all kinds, including fantastic ones such as pegasi, winged horses.  
 
Air elementals appear as billowing cloud-creatures or as dust devils, transparent by nature. They are visible when they act but invisible while at rest. Creatures that manifest air are birds and winged and flying creatures of all kinds, including fantastic ones such as pegasi, winged horses.  
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|valign="top"| '''Cloud Cruiser''' <br> Ride an air mount or air vehicle.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Cloud Cruiser''' <br> Ride an air mount or air vehicle.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Misty Melee'''  <br> A fine and potent Air close-range attack, or give crew Cloud Cruiser.
 
|valign="top"| '''Misty Melee'''  <br> A fine and potent Air close-range attack, or give crew Cloud Cruiser.
|valign="top"| '''Gust Guide'''    <br> You can do fine manipulation of air, creating tiny whirlwinds, clouds, and local over- and under-pressure that can push a button and move objects.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Gust Guide'''    <br> Fine manipulation of air: tiny whirlwinds and local pressure can push a buttons and objects.  
|valign="top"| '''Storm Swipe'''  <br> You create a storm of air blades, suppressing the effect of multiple opponents and acting as a fine potent weapon.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Storm Swipe'''  <br> A storm of Air blades, suppressing scale and acting as a fine potent weapon.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Hunt'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Hunt'''  
 
|valign="top"| '''Cloud Chaser'''          <br> You can track a flier, even if they don't leave a mundane trail.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Cloud Chaser'''          <br> You can track a flier, even if they don't leave a mundane trail.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Zephyr Zap'''            <br> Air attack similar in effect to a fine and potent stun rifle.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Zephyr Zap'''            <br> Air attack similar in effect to a fine and potent stun rifle.  
|valign="top"| '''Atmospheric Architect''' <br> Control wind and weather. You can cover a single room indoors or a city block outdoors.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Atmospheric Architect''' <br> Control wind and weather.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Assault'''          <br> Air attack similar to a fine and potent stun grenade.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Assault'''          <br> Air attack similar to a fine and potent stun grenade.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Prowl'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Prowl'''  
|valign="top"| '''Shroud'''    <br> Become transparent when standing still, but cause wind and mist effect when you act.
+
|valign="top"| '''Shroud'''    <br> Transparent standing still, wind and mist when you move.
 
|valign="top"| '''Flight'''    <br> Fly fast but clumsily, not suited to cluttered environments.
 
|valign="top"| '''Flight'''    <br> Fly fast but clumsily, not suited to cluttered environments.
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Circus''' <br> Bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight.
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Circus''' <br> Bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight.
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|valign="top"| '''Air Skirmish''' <br> Air close-range attack, similar to a saber or pistol.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Skirmish''' <br> Air close-range attack, similar to a saber or pistol.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Potent Air'''  <br> Air Skirmish, and the attack is fine and potent.
 
|valign="top"| '''Potent Air'''  <br> Air Skirmish, and the attack is fine and potent.
|valign="top"| '''Whirlwind'''    <br> Create wind and mist that negate scale.
+
|valign="top"| '''Whirlwind'''    <br> Wind and mist negate scale.
|valign="top"| '''Gale Fury'''    <br> Strike out in all directions, attacking all enemies in an area.
+
|valign="top"| '''Gale Fury'''    <br> Gale of blades attack all enemies in an area.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Study'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Study'''  
|valign="top"| '''Analyze Air'''    <br> Identify gasses and creatures of Air and see the use of Air powera.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Analyze Air'''    <br> Identify gasses, creatures of Air, and Air powers.  
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Lore'''      <br> Learn the powers and abilities of gasses you analyze.
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Lore'''      <br> Learn the powers and abilities of gasses you analyze.
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Echo'''      <br> Read the past events of a gas container.
 
|valign="top"| '''Air Echo'''      <br> Read the past events of a gas container.
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|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Survey'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Survey'''  
|valign="top"| '''Detect Air'''       <br> Sense air, Air creatures and powers.
+
|valign="top"| '''Detect Air'''       <br> Sense air, Air creatures, and powers.
|valign="top"| '''Eye of Air'''      <br> Choose an a volume of air that you have detected; you can perceive as if you were at that spot. You can perceive out of thin air, but doing so disturbs the air, creating small clouds or vortices.
+
|valign="top"| '''Eye of Air'''      <br> Choose air that you have detected; perceive as if you were at that spot.
|valign="top"| '''Aero Scout'''      <br> Choose a location or creature. You gain an Eye of Air at the nearest suitable space of air, which is usually right on top of the target.
+
|valign="top"| '''Aero Scout'''      <br> Choose a location or creature. You gain an Eye of Air at the nearest suitable space of air.
|valign="top"| '''Omnipresent Air ''' <br> You perceive from all air at once over a wide area. This is harder if the air is closed of or must pass a narrow passage to give you access.
+
|valign="top"| '''Omnipresent Air ''' <br> You perceive from all air at once over a wide area.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Sway'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Sway'''  
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|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Tinker'''
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Tinker'''
|valign="top"| '''Bellows'''      <br> You can handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.
+
|valign="top"| '''Bellows'''      <br> Handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.
|valign="top"| '''Fan'''           <br> You can shape sir, and it will retain their new shape for some time. You become capable of creating vacuums or stronger winds.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Weave Wind'''   <br> Shape gases and vacuum, and they will retain their new shape.  
|valign="top"| '''Aeromorphosis''' <br> You can create air out of nothing, or transform an object from or into air as long as you know the power required for the other form. You can separate air into its components and purify or pollute air.
+
|valign="top"| '''Aeromorphosis''' <br> Create air out of nothing, transform air into matter of another power.
|valign="top"| '''Skyshaper'''    <br> You can do create effects on a huge scale, affecting the weather or air of an entire region.
+
|valign="top"| '''Skyshaper'''    <br> Weave Wind on a huge scale, affecting the weather or air of an entire region.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Wreck'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Wreck'''  
|valign="top"| '''Air Smash'''        <br> Air lacks precision in wrecking, but can jimmy even very large things, such as vehicles and small houses. Noisy.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Air Smash'''        <br> Air lacks precision in wrecking, can noisily smash even very large things.  
|valign="top"| '''Tempest Tackle'''    <br> Similar to Gust Shove but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.
+
|valign="top"| '''Tempest Tackle'''    <br> Air Smash but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.
|valign="top"| '''Vanishing Gale'''    <br> Similar to Air Smash, but destroyed targets silently disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
+
|valign="top"| '''Vanishing Gale'''    <br> Tempest Tackle and destroyed targets silently disappear.
|valign="top"| '''Aero Annihilation''' <br> Similar to Air Smash, but over a large area. This can level a city block, blow a spray of sand or water, raze a city wall, and similar massive destruction.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Aero Annihilation''' <br> Tempest Tackle over a large area. Level a city bloc or make a sandstorm.  
 
|}
 
|}
  
'''Atmospheric Architect''' <br> Control wind and weather. You can cover a single room indoors or a city block outdoors.
+
== Expanded Air Powers ==
 +
=== Attune ===
 +
Harness the power of Attune to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from other planes of existence.
 +
 
 +
The consequences usually depends on what happens around you when you do it.
 +
Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene.
 +
 
 +
'''Sky Sight
 +
You can sense air creatures and active air powers.
 +
 
 +
This is usually done to spot a disguised summoned creature.
 +
However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature.
 +
Limited effect suffices against a creature you can clearly see.
 +
You need greater effect against against a creature that is hidden (standard effect) or behind a wall (great effect).
 +
The position usually starts controlled, with the usual consequence that you cannot try again.
 +
 
 +
'''Zephyr Zapper
 +
Dismiss an Air creature. End the and effect of Air or that affect air.
 +
 
 +
Dismissing a creature is hard, and might require the creature to be weakened, either by previous attempts to dismiss it, or by other attacks, interactions, or by being set up.
 +
If a powerful creature resists being dismissed your position is at least risky.
 +
 
 +
Dispelling is usually easier.  
 +
You can dispel any air power and powers affecting Air creatures.
 +
It can be used as a defense against others' use of Air powers, or it can be used to break a continuing effect.
 +
 
 +
Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers.
 +
Normally improves the position of the supported action.
 +
 
 +
When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety.
 +
Against an opponent that uses power to fly or even breathe you can have a better effect.
 +
 
 +
When dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will not negate the power but instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.
 +
 
 +
'''Zephyr Zeal
 +
Summon an Air creature.
 +
 
 +
Summon a creature from a place of Air.
 +
This can bring you a group of allies to fight or labor for you, giving you scale.
 +
Summons can use simple Air effects and maintain Air powers you have created.
 +
They can also give advice and information related to air.
 +
In general, you can summon generic creatures one tier lower than yourself without having to do a flashback.
 +
Such a creature is similar to a gang member in ability.
 +
 
 +
To summon a particular creature, similar to a cohort, you need its unique identity, often called true name in the mystical power traditions. For a technomancer this would be a  type id number, a blueprint, or a block of data.
 +
Learning about the right creature to summon is a task in its own right, often requiring a flashback or downtime activity to use Command, Consort, Study, or Sway to gain information.
 +
 
 +
It might be worth the extra effort to summon a creature of higher tier, but this is also much more demanding, using the usual rules for tiers.
 +
 
 +
Summoned creatures generally come in two types, elementals and creatures with powers.
 +
 
 +
An elemental is a simple creature made up of air. 
 +
Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of animals such as birds, tough clouds, whirlwinds, and humanoid forms are also common.
 +
 
 +
Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional Air powers.
 +
A landbound creature with Air powers might be able to fly.
 +
Creatures with both Air and Electricity powers are commons, such as the thunderbird.
 +
Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune powers.
 +
 
 +
Depending on your degree of effect the creature is willing to do different things.
 +
Limited effect allows you to ask questions of an intelligent creature or demand a short period of physical labor from a simple creature. The creature will not fight for you. If forced into a fight due to circumstances, it will resent it.
 +
 
 +
Standard effect allows you to ask for any service appropriate to the type of creature.
 +
Air elementals are flexible, but have little staying power, they don't like extended tasks.
 +
They don't mind dangerous tasks such as combat if they can be completed quickly.
 +
 
 +
Great effect allows actions outside the creature's comfort zone, but not things it directly opposes. An air creature might agree to power your ship but not your submarine. Lengthy service also requires great effect, like summoning the creature to guard a treasure, and an Air creature is likely to stray.
 +
 
 +
The position is usually risky. The creature is being forced to serve and might lash out.
 +
Typical consequences are:
 +
The creature strikes out at you once.
 +
A tightwire struggle to keep the creature under control
 +
The creature breaks things around you, demands concessions from you.
 +
Overly literal interpretations of your commands.
 +
The creature deliberately does its tasks poorly.
 +
 
 +
Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature can make the position controlled, with consequences like half-heated efforts, demanding not to be summoned again until some time or event has passed, or just general sulkiness.
 +
 
 +
'''Gate of Gales
 +
Create a portal to a plane of air.
 +
 
 +
This is situational, but can be vital in exceptional circumstances.
 +
The plane of air is usually seen as just empty air, a landscape of solid clouds, or perhaps a land of mountains and windswept plains and seas.
 +
 
 +
There are things that are possible to do on the plane of Air that are not allowed in the regular world, most Air effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master.
 +
This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master.
 +
Such effects rarely reach outside the plane of Air, but if they affect creatures there the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.
 +
 
 +
Gate of Gales can allow access to creatures too powerful to summon, so you instead ask for an audience.
 +
The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, or just communicate with you.
 +
 
 +
Using a gate is usually played out as a score, which means there is an engagement roll.
 +
Depending on how quickly the matter is resolved, the game master may require a separate use f the power to return home.
 +
If you do this in a scene that is dangerous, such as asking for help against an enemy too powerful for you to defeat, the position is usually much worse.
 +
Once you have established a connection to a certain place or audience with a certain creature, you can usually do so again from a controlled position.
 +
 
 +
=== Command ===
 +
Command and intimidate creatures based on your power, projecting authority.
 +
Position and effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.
 +
 
 +
'''Gust Guide'''
 +
Command Air creatures even if you don't share a language.
 +
 
 +
You can command Air creatures, and they will understand you, but you cannot understand them unless you normally could.
 +
This does not grant you any additional authority, but creatures may be so surprised that they can understand you that they have a positive attitude.
 +
 
 +
This is useful for intimidating creatures under your power and commanding foreign or alien subordinates.
 +
Combined with the basic power of Sway, it allows two-way communication.
 +
Many Air elementals and Air animals are not intelligent enough to speak, but they can understand you when you use this power.
 +
Such creatures will often accept your commands as they identify you as one of them.
  
== Expanded Air Powers ==
+
'''Wind Whisper'''
Expanded descriptions of effects that differ significantly from [[Powers (FiD)#Typical Powers and How to Use Them|Typical Powers]].
+
Have the wind carry your words far away.
 +
 
 +
You can communicate with creatures and places far away.
 +
The wind will carry them to a person or place, repeat them for some time, and carry a message back to you.
 +
Air is conductive to communication and this power usually works as long as a path of air exists between you and the target.
 +
 
 +
'''Aerial Authority'''
 +
Command Air creatures as if you were their superior.
 +
 
 +
You can speak to and understand Air creatures, and they will regard you are a creature of authority.
 +
Targets will see you as an officer, professional superior, alpha, or other leader type outranking them.
 +
This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts.
 +
Understanding the social order of your targets helps avoid conflicting with their established loyalties.
 +
Orders that go with the nature of targets are more effective.
 +
Asking Air creatures to just fly off is easier (needs less effect) than telling them to act disciplined and persistent.
 +
 
 +
Limited effect might result in a creature not doing what it might not have done anyway, acting on whimsy .
 +
Standard effect makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, like a bird carrying a message or an elemental causing a gust of wind. Air creatures are scrappy and won't mind a fair fight.
 +
Great effect means targets will ignore their normal routine and go out of their way to please you, like fleeing from a fight, staying on a task, or acting humble or servile.
 +
 
 +
The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you.
 +
A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior, usually just making retrying harder.
 +
A risky position is typical against a creature that sees itself as your equal and not your enemy, possibly leading to heat, misunderstood orders, or small rebellions.
 +
Ordering a creature that sees itself as your superior is a desperate position
 +
 
 +
'''Typhoon Tyrant'''
 +
Permanently bind air creatures to service.
 +
 
 +
This won’t work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Authority but potentially permanent. A creature under your enemies' care may break free over time. Strong emotions can also break your control, but otherwise, it lasts until dispelled.
 +
 
 +
Commanded Air elementals will take your orders, but continue to be creatures of air.
 +
Tedious or regulated tasks will be done, but randomly and without discipline.
 +
 
 +
=== Consort ===
 +
Consort powers changes your form and later that of other creatures.
 +
These powers might also be used as a set-up action for a later Consort roll.
 +
This will often give a bonus to effect or improved position or even allow an action that a human could not do.
 +
 
 +
Consequences might reveal your disguise to some observers, but not all or require you to do something special to maintain your role.
 +
More common consequences is that you are mistaken for someone, or that your form is somehow odd or exceptional.
 +
 
 +
'''Mist Mantle'''
 +
Imbue clothes and accessories with air and mist.
 +
 
 +
You do not physically change yourself, you change your accessorize and outfit.
 +
The effect is usually limited and the position controlled, but some changes might require more effort.
 +
 
 +
'''Aeromorph'''
 +
Assume the form of an air creature.
 +
 
 +
This is a true physical transmutation.
 +
You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the gamemaster agrees your new form matches the power you use.
 +
 
 +
Aeromorph can work as a set-up action for a number of other actions but may penalize other things, as appropriate to your new form.
 +
Your form may be able to use Basic and Advanced Air effects intrinsically.
 +
If you turn yourself into an air elemental, flight and wind control make reason as inherent abilities that don't require you to use a power.
 +
 
 +
With limited effect you can transform into yourself like you would have been, had you grown up as the creature whose form you assume. Those familiar with you will recognize you.
 +
Standard effect can make you a generic creature, very hard to recognize as yourself.
 +
Great effect allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.
 +
 
 +
'''Aerify'''
 +
Shapechange a willing or helpless creature into an Air creature.
 +
 
 +
This is Aeromorph applied to another creature.
 +
The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary.
 +
Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score.
 +
Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the the story.
 +
If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional effect, see Shapechange.
 +
 
 +
This is sometimes used as a kind of poetic justice, transforming the target as a punishment, a curse that is very hard to break.
 +
 
 +
'''Sky Hunt'''
 +
Aerify a number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction.
 +
 
 +
This is where Consort becomes a combination of the Aeromorph and Zephyr Zeal effects.
 +
Instead of summoning a host of allies, you transform a number of existing creatures and give them a task that they will perform with gusto, turning them into single-minded minions.
 +
Targets must be willing, non-sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, many tiers below you.
 +
 
 +
This is usually used to create a host of goons that will fight and chase for you.
 +
Such goons are more interested in chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat.
 +
Or they can be given bit parts, like the seagulls from Finding Nemo.
 +
 
 +
=== Finesse ===
 +
Exercise finesse with your power, manipulating and attacking with precision.
 +
 
 +
'''Cloud Cruiser'''
 +
Ride an air mount or air vehicle.
 +
 
 +
This allows you to use Finesse with Air mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with.
 +
You can bypass simple locks, but not more serious security.
 +
You can ride beasts even if they are not trained to carry a rider.
 +
They must still be physically able to carry you.
 +
 
 +
'''Misty Melee'''
 +
A fine and potent Air close-range attack, or give crew Cloud Cruiser.
 +
 
 +
Blades of air can cut.
 +
Winds can buffet and twist.
 +
They easily cause eardrums to break, headaches, vertigo, and nosebleeds.
 +
You are good at tackling and moving targets which may cause a lethal fall.
 +
This substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective at pure damage.
 +
Using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.
 +
 
 +
'''Gust Guide'''
 +
Fine manipulation of air: tiny whirlwinds and local pressure can push buttons and objects.
 +
 
 +
This allows you to open and close doors and windows, trigger or hinder fans, or perform other minor manipulations a focused gust of wind could do.
 +
 
 +
'''Storm Swipe'''
 +
A storm of Air blades, suppressing scale and acting as a fine potent weapon.
 +
 
 +
As Misty Melee, and you also create distractions.
 +
The effect is like having a number of trusty but entirely defensive allies in the fight.
 +
This negates any scale advantage an enemy gets for having allies.
 +
 
 +
=== Hunt ===
 +
Track, attack, and unleash devastating barrages with the power of Hunt.
 +
 
 +
'''Cloud Chaser'''
 +
You can track a flier, even if they don't leave a mundane trail.
 +
 
 +
Consequences here are mainly to lose the trail, but depending on the environment and targets, it might lead you to get lost, into traps, or even into an ambush.
 +
 
 +
'''Zephyr Zap'''
 +
Air attack similar in effect to a fine and potent stun rifle.
 +
 
 +
Essentially, this serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent ranged weapon would be equally effective at doing damage. 
 +
 
 +
'''Atmospheric Architect'''
 +
Control wind and weather.
 +
 
 +
Control wind and weather.
 +
This is usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—rain, smoke, or snow and the like are likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out as the case may be.
 +
This does not inflict any direct damage.
 +
You normally cover a single room indoors or a city block outdoors.
 +
 
 +
'''Wavering Winds'''
 +
Control local weather.
 +
 
 +
Control the local weather, about a block outdoors or a room of any size indoors.
 +
This can cause mist, winds, and rain, tough the effects are muted indoors.
 +
Usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—rain or snow  are likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out as the case may be.
 +
This  does not inflict any direct damage.
 +
 
 +
'''Air Assault:'''
 +
''Air attack similar to a fine and potent high-explosive grenade.
 +
 
 +
An escalation of Potent Snipe. Less precise, this affects all creatures at a location.
 +
Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct damage, but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.
  
 
=== Prowl ===
 
=== Prowl ===
Prowling using air is quite powerful, because you can fly, and because hiding in air is very convenient.
+
Prowling using air is quite powerful, because you can fly and hiding in air is very convenient.
  
'''Shroud:'''
+
'''Shroud'''
''You can become invisible in air. This is similar to how air elementals work; you are transparent when passive, but cause wind and mist effect when you act.
+
Transparent standing still, wind and mist when you move.
  
 
This makes you invisible as long as you stay still, and you can hide out in the open at a distance, or in turbulent weather.
 
This makes you invisible as long as you stay still, and you can hide out in the open at a distance, or in turbulent weather.
  
'''Flight:'''
+
'''Flight'''
''You can fly. This is fast but clumsy, not really suited to cluttered environments.
+
Fly fast but clumsily, not suited to cluttered environments.
 
 
"This is fast but clumsy" means much easier to fly at speed than it is to hover. This makes flying easy when there is room, away from everything. Flying in built-up areas is harder, indoors both slow and dangerous.
 
  
'''Air Circus:'''
+
This is fast but clumsy" means much easier to fly at speed than it is to hover. This makes flying easy when there is room, away from everything. Flying in built-up areas is harder, indoors both slow and dangerous.
''You can bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight. These allies still use their own Prowl action.
 
  
Now you and your allies can Prowl in places where your power is at home.  
+
'''Air Circus'''
 +
Bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight.
  
'''Cloud Walk:'''
+
'''Cloud Walk'''
''You and allies can fly very fast from one location to another in the same region.
+
Crew fly very fast from one location to another.
  
 
Unlike most apex Prowl effects, Cloud Walk is not teleportation, instead it is fast flight.  
 
Unlike most apex Prowl effects, Cloud Walk is not teleportation, instead it is fast flight.  
 
This has both advantages and disadvantages.  
 
This has both advantages and disadvantages.  
It is slower, but you can adjust where you go once you come nearer to your destination.
+
It is very fast, but slower than true teleportation.
 +
You can adjust where you go once you come nearer to your destination.
 +
 
 +
=== Skirmish ===
 +
'''Air Skirmish'''
 +
Air close-range attack, similar to a saber or pistol.
 +
 
 +
Air attacks pummel and overbear targets or cut with blades of air.
 +
Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, mundane weapons are just as effective.
 +
 
 +
'''Potent Air'''
 +
Air Skirmish, and the attack is fine and potent.
 +
 
 +
'''Whirlwind'''
 +
Wind and mist confuse movement and negate scale.
 +
 
 +
This hinders cooperation and prevents the use of scale.
 +
Consequences include having your own movement and cooperation hindered.
 +
 
 +
'''Gale Fury'''
 +
Gale of blades attack all enemies in an area.
 +
 
 +
Turns you into a one-man army. Not only do you negate the advantage your enemy may get from numbers, you also spread your effect to hurt all your enemies in the skirmish.
 +
 
 +
=== Study ===
 +
Study and analyze objects and creatures imbued with your power to gain insight and knowledge. The effect required depends on range, limited effect for touch, standard effect for line-of-sight, and great effect to reach a target you know of or have some link to, but which is out of line-of-sight.
 +
 
 +
Position depends on the situation. Safely in your base the position is controlled. In the middle of a fight or when pinned down the position might be desperate.
 +
 
 +
'''Analyze Air'''
 +
Identify gases, creatures of Air, and Air powers.
 +
 
 +
This gives precise mundane information, but not supernatural or exceptional abilities like those of powers.
 +
 
 +
'''Air Lore'''
 +
Learn the powers and abilities of gases you analyze.
 +
 
 +
You learn of any powers or special abilities the creature has. This includes actual rules and game effects.
 +
 
 +
'''Air Echo'''
 +
Read the past events of a gas container.
 +
 
 +
The problem with reading the past of gasses is that they are not static things.
 +
Air and gasses drift around.
 +
The easiest case is a closed room or gas container; the gas inside remains the same.
 +
Other things you can read the past of are weather phenomena such as a squall, thunderhead, cloud, fog bank and such - all rather temporary.
 +
 
 +
The information you gain includes previous  how the object has moved moved as well as significant scenes from its history. You can view from the vantage point of the phenomena, which is highly useful when cloudwatching. The power zooms in on events of interest to you.
 +
 
 +
'''Omniscient Air'''
 +
Air Lore in a wide area.
 +
 
 +
Provides a detailed view of events involving air and gases as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like ventilation ducts and clouds of particular gasses. You can then use Air Echo to learn the history of up to three such locations.
 +
 
 +
=== Survey ===
 +
Perceive and locate air, gasses, and Air creatures. The effect you need depends on the target's concealment. Limited effect finds targets in concealment. Standard effect finds those hiding behind cover and in far places you can only barely see. Great effect can look behind walls and into hard cover.
 +
 
 +
'''Detect Air'''
 +
Sense air, Air creatures, and powers.
 +
 
 +
This is a basic spotting power, selectively sensing things related to air.
 +
Decide if you are looking for air, a particular gas, Air creatures in general, or a specific type of Air creature.
 +
 
 +
The clearer your image of what you are looking for, the better.
 +
 
 +
Detecting air gives a rough estimate of negative space, detecting hollows in other materials, but the power is to imprecise to detect breathing.
 +
 
 +
'''Eye of Air'''
 +
Choose air that you have detected; perceive as if you were at that spot.
 +
 
 +
You move your perception to a spot of air or other gas and sense as if you were at that spot as long as you maintain concentration. You still sense things at your actual location, but only very dimly
 +
 
 +
'''Aero Scout'''
 +
Choose a location or creature. You gain an Eye of Air at the nearest space of air, which is usually right on top of the target.
 +
 
 +
Similar to Eye of Air but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position. Automatically directs towards the best vantage point provided by a some air, which is often uncomfortably close. Fails if no suitable viewpoint is available.
 +
 
 +
'''Omnipresent Air'''
 +
You perceive from all air at once over a wide area.
 +
 
 +
Enhances your senses impossibly, akin to being multiple individuals spread across a huge volume of air. Creates a comprehensive mental image of the area, revealing numerous details simultaneously.
 +
This is harder if the air is closed off or must pass a narrow passage to give you access.
 +
It's challenging for targets to hide unless they are aware of the need to conceal themselves and what kind of sense they have to hide from.
 +
 
 +
=== Sway ===
 +
Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate Air creatures.
 +
Position and effect are determined normally, depending on the situation and your relation to listeners. 
 +
 
 +
Limited effect works if it follows the target's existing impulses, just overcoming fragile self-restraint.
 +
Standard effect can convince a target with no particular stake in the matter. Great effect will convince a reluctant target, but not a passionate one.
 +
 
 +
'''Aero Ear'''
 +
Understand Air creatures and learn the objectives of air creatures.
 +
 
 +
You can gauge the mood and motivations of Air creatures and understand what they are saying. This does not allow you to be understood. Used together with the basic Command power, this allows full communication.
 +
 
 +
'''Aeromancy'''
 +
Crew can communicate with air creatures. Influence folk to be inspired and flexible.
 +
 
 +
This allows you to use the Sway action with full effect, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers. Unless you also use the advanced Command effect, you are persuading, not speaking with authority. In addition, you can spread an airy mood in any intelligent creature, making them inspired and flexible.
 +
 
 +
'''Aerial Urge'''
 +
Post a suggestion in the mind of an air creature.
 +
 
 +
This is essentially an enhanced Sway attempt, allowing you to implant suggestions that will trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion is activated. The target will not remember being swayed, and if you succeed, you can give them instructions that will activate later in a situation you specify.
 +
 
 +
Suggestions cannot be absurd to the target. A typical use would be to sway a servant to leave a window open or a irregular soldier to forget to load their weapon. Suggestions fade over time depending on the level of effect achieved: limited effect lasts for the immediate situation, normal effect lasts for the duration of the score, and great effect can extend beyond the score if it fits the story.
 +
 
 +
'''Air Implantation'''
 +
Permanently change the personality and motivations of air creatures.
 +
 
 +
This power is permanent but blatant.  It changes the target on a deep level, altering their priorities and loyalties. Target remember their past but considers it unimportant compared to their new motivations. There are limits to this power—you cannot make an Air creature love a strict routine or to be underground or underwater. Exceptional creatures and circumstances can break this change.
  
 
=== Tinker ===
 
=== Tinker ===
Line 125: Line 494:
 
Things made out of air don't last unless you force them to.
 
Things made out of air don't last unless you force them to.
 
Instead you do dynamic things, like create wind or smoke.  
 
Instead you do dynamic things, like create wind or smoke.  
 +
 +
The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with.
 +
The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last.
 +
Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long.
 +
Much shaping will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score.
 +
 +
Position depends on the tranquility of your workspace and if you are working on something dangerous in itself.
 +
 +
For long-term projects, Tinker powers can substitute for missing tools, but that is all they do until you can Skyshape.
  
 
'''Bellows'''
 
'''Bellows'''
''You can handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.
+
Handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.
  
 
This mainly substitutes for tools, up to a small workshop.
 
This mainly substitutes for tools, up to a small workshop.
 
The things you do only last as long as you keep maintaining them.
 
The things you do only last as long as you keep maintaining them.
The exception is that you can create or dissipate mist and smoke.
+
The exception is that you can create or dissipate mist and wind and that will last until nature re-creates them.
  
'''Fan:'''
+
'''Weave Wind'''
''You can shape sir, and it will retain their new shape for some time. You become capable of creating vacuums or stronger winds.
+
Shape gases and vacuum, and they will retain their new shape.
  
This is where you can work with air and the effects last at least a little while.
+
This is where you can work with air and the effects last at least a while.
 
You can create wind, whirls, dust devils, and even complex air streams that follow paths you set up that could not occur naturally.
 
You can create wind, whirls, dust devils, and even complex air streams that follow paths you set up that could not occur naturally.
 
This may allow you to set up traps or devices that would normally require extensive equipment.
 
This may allow you to set up traps or devices that would normally require extensive equipment.
  
The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with.
+
'''Aeromorphosis'''
The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last.
+
Create air out of nothing, transform air into matter of another power.
Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long.
 
Most shaping will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score.
 
 
 
'''Aeromorphosis:'''
 
''You can create air out of nothing, or transform an object from or into air as long as you know the power required for the other form. You can separate air into its components and purify or pollute air.
 
  
This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create matter related to your power out of nothing. This is raw matter (or energy, depending on the power used) and needs to be shaped and refined to be of much use.
+
This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create air out of nothing. This can be fairly complex, to the level of fine and potent effects, but won't last past the end of a score.
  
The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute material connected to one of your powers into material connected to another power.  
+
The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute air into material connected to another power.  
The result will maintain its form as if affected by the Shape ability.
+
The result will maintain its form as if affected by Weave Wind.
 
The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows.  
 
The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows.  
 
A door could be changed from wood to air, you then pass through and the door reverts to wood.
 
A door could be changed from wood to air, you then pass through and the door reverts to wood.
Line 157: Line 530:
 
A mass of earth can be turned into air to create a pit, and then turn back to earth to trap those who fall into that pit.
 
A mass of earth can be turned into air to create a pit, and then turn back to earth to trap those who fall into that pit.
  
'''Skyshaper:'''
+
'''Skyshaper'''
''You can do create effects on a huge scale, affecting the air and weather of an entire region.
+
Weave Wind on a huge scale, affecting the weather or air of an entire region.
  
This is where you can affect the entire sky and really change the weather.
+
This is where you can affect the entire sky and really change the weather, create, or change the atmosphere of a city or small asteroid.
 +
This is much harder if the volume of gas is subdivided into smaller spaces, you cannot change all the air in a ship that is compartmentalized into many separate volumes.
  
 
=== Wreck ===
 
=== Wreck ===
 
Air wrecking differ from most other powers in that you don't destroy air so much as using air to wreck other things.  
 
Air wrecking differ from most other powers in that you don't destroy air so much as using air to wreck other things.  
Air can easily wreck large things that the air can push.  
+
Air can easily wreck large things susceptible to high winds.  
Flipping a car over is easier than moving a single brick.
+
Flipping a car and moving a single brick are about as hard.
Making a building fall over is easier than breaking a door open.
+
Collapsing an entire wooden building is easier than breaking a specific door.  
  
Stronger construction is harder to break.
 
 
Limited effect can overturn wooden or tinny construction.
 
Limited effect can overturn wooden or tinny construction.
Standard effect can affect more solid things, like timber, adobe, and precast concrete.
+
Standard effect can affect more solid things, like a wooden building, car, or brick. Can also wreck anything made to exploit wind power, like sails or windmills.
Great effect can topple stone construction and unreinforced concrete, but against reinforced structures the effect is still not great.
+
Great effect can topple stone constructions or unreinforced concrete, but reinforced concrete structures with rebar will still not be affected.
  
'''Gust Shove:'''
+
'''Air Smash'''
''Air lacks precision in wrecking, but can jimmy even very large things, such as vehicles and small houses. Noisy.
+
Air lacks precision in wrecking, can noisily smash even very large things.
  
 
This can do things up to the scale of flipping a car over or overturning a free-standing wall.
 
This can do things up to the scale of flipping a car over or overturning a free-standing wall.
  
'''Air Smash:'''
+
'''Tempest Tackle'''
''Similar to Gust Shove but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.
+
Air Smash but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.
  
You can hurl a car, flip a truck, and collapse a small house.
+
You can hurl a car, flip a tank, or collapse a house.
  
'''Vanishing Gale:'''
+
'''Vanishing Gale'''
''Similar to smash, but destroyed targets silently disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
+
Tempest Tackle, but destroyed targets silently disappear.
  
 
The real difference here is that wrecking things is now silent when you have the right power.  
 
The real difference here is that wrecking things is now silent when you have the right power.  
You also leave less traces, as what you wreck disappears.  
+
You also leaves less traces, as what you wreck disappears.  
 
This can also be used to get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence matches your power.
 
This can also be used to get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence matches your power.
  
'''Aero Annihilation:'''
+
'''Aero Annihilation'''
''Similar to smash, but over a large area. This can level a city block, empty a canal system of water, raze a city wall, and similar massive destruction.
+
Tempest Tackle over a large area. Level a city bloc or create a sandstorm.
  
 
Rather straightforward, this just scales things up.
 
Rather straightforward, this just scales things up.

Latest revision as of 20:20, 16 July 2024

Fox in the DarkFox in the Dark logo
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Powers (FiD)Fox in the Dark logo

Air is an elemental power that affects gasses, and to a limited extent vacuum.

Air powers deal with gases and atmospheric conditions such as wind, precipitation and cloud formations. It can be quite useful in that it can alter the battlefield itself, rather than the abilities of the combatants, evening the odds in an unfair fight by preventing the use or overwhelming odds or allowing escape from a hopeless battle. It is most practical when invoked over a small area, possibly dangerously powerful if used over wide areas.

Air attacks by buffeting and tossing opponents, which is powerful against fliers and good at distracting and delaying. They easily cause eardrums to break, headaches, vertigo, and nosebleeds. Tackling and buffeting can move targets which may cause a lethal fall. Focused shockwaves can cut like blades.

Air elementals appear as billowing cloud-creatures or as dust devils, transparent by nature. They are visible when they act but invisible while at rest. Creatures that manifest air are birds and winged and flying creatures of all kinds, including fantastic ones such as pegasi, winged horses.

Air Power Effects Table

Action Basic
No minimum
3 Stress
Advanced
Minimum 2 Dice
5 Stress
Master
Minimum 4 Dice
7 Stress
Apex
Minimum 6 Dice
13 Stress
Attune Sky Sight
You can sense air creatures and active air powers.
Zephyr Zapper
Dismiss an Air creature. End the and effect of Air or that affect air.
Zephyr Zeal
Summon an Air creature.
Gate of Gales
Create a portal to a plane of air.
Command Gust Guide
Command Air creatures even if you don't share a language.
Wind Whisper
Have the wind carry your words far away.
Aerial Authority
Command Air creatures as if you were their superior.
Typhoon Tyrant
Permanently bind air creatures to service.
Consort Mist Mantle
Imbue clothes and accessories with air and mist.
Aeromorph
Assume the form of an air creature.
Aerify
Shapechange a willing or helpless creatures into an Air creature.
Sky Hunt
Aerifya number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction.
Finesse Cloud Cruiser
Ride an air mount or air vehicle.
Misty Melee
A fine and potent Air close-range attack, or give crew Cloud Cruiser.
Gust Guide
Fine manipulation of air: tiny whirlwinds and local pressure can push a buttons and objects.
Storm Swipe
A storm of Air blades, suppressing scale and acting as a fine potent weapon.
Hunt Cloud Chaser
You can track a flier, even if they don't leave a mundane trail.
Zephyr Zap
Air attack similar in effect to a fine and potent stun rifle.
Atmospheric Architect
Control wind and weather.
Air Assault
Air attack similar to a fine and potent stun grenade.
Prowl Shroud
Transparent standing still, wind and mist when you move.
Flight
Fly fast but clumsily, not suited to cluttered environments.
Air Circus
Bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight.
Cloud Walk
Crew fly very fast from one location to another.
Skirmish Air Skirmish
Air close-range attack, similar to a saber or pistol.
Potent Air
Air Skirmish, and the attack is fine and potent.
Whirlwind
Wind and mist negate scale.
Gale Fury
Gale of blades attack all enemies in an area.
Study Analyze Air
Identify gasses, creatures of Air, and Air powers.
Air Lore
Learn the powers and abilities of gasses you analyze.
Air Echo
Read the past events of a gas container.
Omniscient Air
Air Lore in a wide area.
Survey Detect Air
Sense air, Air creatures, and powers.
Eye of Air
Choose air that you have detected; perceive as if you were at that spot.
Aero Scout
Choose a location or creature. You gain an Eye of Air at the nearest suitable space of air.
Omnipresent Air
You perceive from all air at once over a wide area.
Sway Aero Ear
Understand Air creatures and learn learn the objectives of air creatures.
Aeromancy
Crew can communicate with air creatures. Influence folk to be inspired and flexible.
Aerial Urge
Post a suggestion in the mind of an air creature.
Air Implantation
Permanently change the personality and motivations of air creatures.
Tinker Bellows
Handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.
Weave Wind
Shape gases and vacuum, and they will retain their new shape.
Aeromorphosis
Create air out of nothing, transform air into matter of another power.
Skyshaper
Weave Wind on a huge scale, affecting the weather or air of an entire region.
Wreck Air Smash
Air lacks precision in wrecking, can noisily smash even very large things.
Tempest Tackle
Air Smash but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.
Vanishing Gale
Tempest Tackle and destroyed targets silently disappear.
Aero Annihilation
Tempest Tackle over a large area. Level a city bloc or make a sandstorm.

Expanded Air Powers

Attune

Harness the power of Attune to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from other planes of existence.

The consequences usually depends on what happens around you when you do it. Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene.

Sky Sight You can sense air creatures and active air powers.

This is usually done to spot a disguised summoned creature. However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature. Limited effect suffices against a creature you can clearly see. You need greater effect against against a creature that is hidden (standard effect) or behind a wall (great effect). The position usually starts controlled, with the usual consequence that you cannot try again.

Zephyr Zapper Dismiss an Air creature. End the and effect of Air or that affect air.

Dismissing a creature is hard, and might require the creature to be weakened, either by previous attempts to dismiss it, or by other attacks, interactions, or by being set up. If a powerful creature resists being dismissed your position is at least risky.

Dispelling is usually easier. You can dispel any air power and powers affecting Air creatures. It can be used as a defense against others' use of Air powers, or it can be used to break a continuing effect.

Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers. Normally improves the position of the supported action.

When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety. Against an opponent that uses power to fly or even breathe you can have a better effect.

When dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will not negate the power but instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.

Zephyr Zeal Summon an Air creature.

Summon a creature from a place of Air. This can bring you a group of allies to fight or labor for you, giving you scale. Summons can use simple Air effects and maintain Air powers you have created. They can also give advice and information related to air. In general, you can summon generic creatures one tier lower than yourself without having to do a flashback. Such a creature is similar to a gang member in ability.

To summon a particular creature, similar to a cohort, you need its unique identity, often called true name in the mystical power traditions. For a technomancer this would be a type id number, a blueprint, or a block of data. Learning about the right creature to summon is a task in its own right, often requiring a flashback or downtime activity to use Command, Consort, Study, or Sway to gain information.

It might be worth the extra effort to summon a creature of higher tier, but this is also much more demanding, using the usual rules for tiers.

Summoned creatures generally come in two types, elementals and creatures with powers.

An elemental is a simple creature made up of air. Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of animals such as birds, tough clouds, whirlwinds, and humanoid forms are also common.

Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional Air powers. A landbound creature with Air powers might be able to fly. Creatures with both Air and Electricity powers are commons, such as the thunderbird. Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune powers.

Depending on your degree of effect the creature is willing to do different things. Limited effect allows you to ask questions of an intelligent creature or demand a short period of physical labor from a simple creature. The creature will not fight for you. If forced into a fight due to circumstances, it will resent it.

Standard effect allows you to ask for any service appropriate to the type of creature. Air elementals are flexible, but have little staying power, they don't like extended tasks. They don't mind dangerous tasks such as combat if they can be completed quickly.

Great effect allows actions outside the creature's comfort zone, but not things it directly opposes. An air creature might agree to power your ship but not your submarine. Lengthy service also requires great effect, like summoning the creature to guard a treasure, and an Air creature is likely to stray.

The position is usually risky. The creature is being forced to serve and might lash out. Typical consequences are: The creature strikes out at you once. A tightwire struggle to keep the creature under control The creature breaks things around you, demands concessions from you. Overly literal interpretations of your commands. The creature deliberately does its tasks poorly.

Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature can make the position controlled, with consequences like half-heated efforts, demanding not to be summoned again until some time or event has passed, or just general sulkiness.

Gate of Gales Create a portal to a plane of air.

This is situational, but can be vital in exceptional circumstances. The plane of air is usually seen as just empty air, a landscape of solid clouds, or perhaps a land of mountains and windswept plains and seas.

There are things that are possible to do on the plane of Air that are not allowed in the regular world, most Air effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master. This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master. Such effects rarely reach outside the plane of Air, but if they affect creatures there the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.

Gate of Gales can allow access to creatures too powerful to summon, so you instead ask for an audience. The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, or just communicate with you.

Using a gate is usually played out as a score, which means there is an engagement roll. Depending on how quickly the matter is resolved, the game master may require a separate use f the power to return home. If you do this in a scene that is dangerous, such as asking for help against an enemy too powerful for you to defeat, the position is usually much worse. Once you have established a connection to a certain place or audience with a certain creature, you can usually do so again from a controlled position.

Command

Command and intimidate creatures based on your power, projecting authority. Position and effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.

Gust Guide Command Air creatures even if you don't share a language.

You can command Air creatures, and they will understand you, but you cannot understand them unless you normally could. This does not grant you any additional authority, but creatures may be so surprised that they can understand you that they have a positive attitude.

This is useful for intimidating creatures under your power and commanding foreign or alien subordinates. Combined with the basic power of Sway, it allows two-way communication. Many Air elementals and Air animals are not intelligent enough to speak, but they can understand you when you use this power. Such creatures will often accept your commands as they identify you as one of them.

Wind Whisper Have the wind carry your words far away.

You can communicate with creatures and places far away. The wind will carry them to a person or place, repeat them for some time, and carry a message back to you. Air is conductive to communication and this power usually works as long as a path of air exists between you and the target.

Aerial Authority Command Air creatures as if you were their superior.

You can speak to and understand Air creatures, and they will regard you are a creature of authority. Targets will see you as an officer, professional superior, alpha, or other leader type outranking them. This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts. Understanding the social order of your targets helps avoid conflicting with their established loyalties. Orders that go with the nature of targets are more effective. Asking Air creatures to just fly off is easier (needs less effect) than telling them to act disciplined and persistent.

Limited effect might result in a creature not doing what it might not have done anyway, acting on whimsy . Standard effect makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, like a bird carrying a message or an elemental causing a gust of wind. Air creatures are scrappy and won't mind a fair fight. Great effect means targets will ignore their normal routine and go out of their way to please you, like fleeing from a fight, staying on a task, or acting humble or servile.

The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you. A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior, usually just making retrying harder. A risky position is typical against a creature that sees itself as your equal and not your enemy, possibly leading to heat, misunderstood orders, or small rebellions. Ordering a creature that sees itself as your superior is a desperate position

Typhoon Tyrant Permanently bind air creatures to service.

This won’t work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Authority but potentially permanent. A creature under your enemies' care may break free over time. Strong emotions can also break your control, but otherwise, it lasts until dispelled.

Commanded Air elementals will take your orders, but continue to be creatures of air. Tedious or regulated tasks will be done, but randomly and without discipline.

Consort

Consort powers changes your form and later that of other creatures. These powers might also be used as a set-up action for a later Consort roll. This will often give a bonus to effect or improved position or even allow an action that a human could not do.

Consequences might reveal your disguise to some observers, but not all or require you to do something special to maintain your role. More common consequences is that you are mistaken for someone, or that your form is somehow odd or exceptional.

Mist Mantle Imbue clothes and accessories with air and mist.

You do not physically change yourself, you change your accessorize and outfit. The effect is usually limited and the position controlled, but some changes might require more effort.

Aeromorph Assume the form of an air creature.

This is a true physical transmutation. You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the gamemaster agrees your new form matches the power you use.

Aeromorph can work as a set-up action for a number of other actions but may penalize other things, as appropriate to your new form. Your form may be able to use Basic and Advanced Air effects intrinsically. If you turn yourself into an air elemental, flight and wind control make reason as inherent abilities that don't require you to use a power.

With limited effect you can transform into yourself like you would have been, had you grown up as the creature whose form you assume. Those familiar with you will recognize you. Standard effect can make you a generic creature, very hard to recognize as yourself. Great effect allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.

Aerify Shapechange a willing or helpless creature into an Air creature.

This is Aeromorph applied to another creature. The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary. Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score. Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the the story. If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional effect, see Shapechange.

This is sometimes used as a kind of poetic justice, transforming the target as a punishment, a curse that is very hard to break.

Sky Hunt Aerify a number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction.

This is where Consort becomes a combination of the Aeromorph and Zephyr Zeal effects. Instead of summoning a host of allies, you transform a number of existing creatures and give them a task that they will perform with gusto, turning them into single-minded minions. Targets must be willing, non-sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, many tiers below you.

This is usually used to create a host of goons that will fight and chase for you. Such goons are more interested in chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat. Or they can be given bit parts, like the seagulls from Finding Nemo.

Finesse

Exercise finesse with your power, manipulating and attacking with precision.

Cloud Cruiser Ride an air mount or air vehicle.

This allows you to use Finesse with Air mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with. You can bypass simple locks, but not more serious security. You can ride beasts even if they are not trained to carry a rider. They must still be physically able to carry you.

Misty Melee A fine and potent Air close-range attack, or give crew Cloud Cruiser.

Blades of air can cut. Winds can buffet and twist. They easily cause eardrums to break, headaches, vertigo, and nosebleeds. You are good at tackling and moving targets which may cause a lethal fall. This substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective at pure damage. Using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.

Gust Guide Fine manipulation of air: tiny whirlwinds and local pressure can push buttons and objects.

This allows you to open and close doors and windows, trigger or hinder fans, or perform other minor manipulations a focused gust of wind could do.

Storm Swipe A storm of Air blades, suppressing scale and acting as a fine potent weapon.

As Misty Melee, and you also create distractions. The effect is like having a number of trusty but entirely defensive allies in the fight. This negates any scale advantage an enemy gets for having allies.

Hunt

Track, attack, and unleash devastating barrages with the power of Hunt.

Cloud Chaser You can track a flier, even if they don't leave a mundane trail.

Consequences here are mainly to lose the trail, but depending on the environment and targets, it might lead you to get lost, into traps, or even into an ambush.

Zephyr Zap Air attack similar in effect to a fine and potent stun rifle.

Essentially, this serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent ranged weapon would be equally effective at doing damage.

Atmospheric Architect Control wind and weather.

Control wind and weather. This is usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—rain, smoke, or snow and the like are likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out as the case may be. This does not inflict any direct damage. You normally cover a single room indoors or a city block outdoors.

Wavering Winds Control local weather.

Control the local weather, about a block outdoors or a room of any size indoors. This can cause mist, winds, and rain, tough the effects are muted indoors. Usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—rain or snow are likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out as the case may be. This does not inflict any direct damage.

Air Assault: Air attack similar to a fine and potent high-explosive grenade.

An escalation of Potent Snipe. Less precise, this affects all creatures at a location. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct damage, but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.

Prowl

Prowling using air is quite powerful, because you can fly and hiding in air is very convenient.

Shroud Transparent standing still, wind and mist when you move.

This makes you invisible as long as you stay still, and you can hide out in the open at a distance, or in turbulent weather.

Flight Fly fast but clumsily, not suited to cluttered environments.

This is fast but clumsy" means much easier to fly at speed than it is to hover. This makes flying easy when there is room, away from everything. Flying in built-up areas is harder, indoors both slow and dangerous.

Air Circus Bring allies along when you use Shroud and Flight.

Cloud Walk Crew fly very fast from one location to another.

Unlike most apex Prowl effects, Cloud Walk is not teleportation, instead it is fast flight. This has both advantages and disadvantages. It is very fast, but slower than true teleportation. You can adjust where you go once you come nearer to your destination.

Skirmish

Air Skirmish Air close-range attack, similar to a saber or pistol.

Air attacks pummel and overbear targets or cut with blades of air. Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, mundane weapons are just as effective.

Potent Air Air Skirmish, and the attack is fine and potent.

Whirlwind Wind and mist confuse movement and negate scale.

This hinders cooperation and prevents the use of scale. Consequences include having your own movement and cooperation hindered.

Gale Fury Gale of blades attack all enemies in an area.

Turns you into a one-man army. Not only do you negate the advantage your enemy may get from numbers, you also spread your effect to hurt all your enemies in the skirmish.

Study

Study and analyze objects and creatures imbued with your power to gain insight and knowledge. The effect required depends on range, limited effect for touch, standard effect for line-of-sight, and great effect to reach a target you know of or have some link to, but which is out of line-of-sight.

Position depends on the situation. Safely in your base the position is controlled. In the middle of a fight or when pinned down the position might be desperate.

Analyze Air Identify gases, creatures of Air, and Air powers.

This gives precise mundane information, but not supernatural or exceptional abilities like those of powers.

Air Lore Learn the powers and abilities of gases you analyze.

You learn of any powers or special abilities the creature has. This includes actual rules and game effects.

Air Echo Read the past events of a gas container.

The problem with reading the past of gasses is that they are not static things. Air and gasses drift around. The easiest case is a closed room or gas container; the gas inside remains the same. Other things you can read the past of are weather phenomena such as a squall, thunderhead, cloud, fog bank and such - all rather temporary.

The information you gain includes previous how the object has moved moved as well as significant scenes from its history. You can view from the vantage point of the phenomena, which is highly useful when cloudwatching. The power zooms in on events of interest to you.

Omniscient Air Air Lore in a wide area.

Provides a detailed view of events involving air and gases as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like ventilation ducts and clouds of particular gasses. You can then use Air Echo to learn the history of up to three such locations.

Survey

Perceive and locate air, gasses, and Air creatures. The effect you need depends on the target's concealment. Limited effect finds targets in concealment. Standard effect finds those hiding behind cover and in far places you can only barely see. Great effect can look behind walls and into hard cover.

Detect Air Sense air, Air creatures, and powers.

This is a basic spotting power, selectively sensing things related to air. Decide if you are looking for air, a particular gas, Air creatures in general, or a specific type of Air creature.

The clearer your image of what you are looking for, the better.

Detecting air gives a rough estimate of negative space, detecting hollows in other materials, but the power is to imprecise to detect breathing.

Eye of Air Choose air that you have detected; perceive as if you were at that spot.

You move your perception to a spot of air or other gas and sense as if you were at that spot as long as you maintain concentration. You still sense things at your actual location, but only very dimly

Aero Scout Choose a location or creature. You gain an Eye of Air at the nearest space of air, which is usually right on top of the target.

Similar to Eye of Air but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position. Automatically directs towards the best vantage point provided by a some air, which is often uncomfortably close. Fails if no suitable viewpoint is available.

Omnipresent Air You perceive from all air at once over a wide area.

Enhances your senses impossibly, akin to being multiple individuals spread across a huge volume of air. Creates a comprehensive mental image of the area, revealing numerous details simultaneously. This is harder if the air is closed off or must pass a narrow passage to give you access. It's challenging for targets to hide unless they are aware of the need to conceal themselves and what kind of sense they have to hide from.

Sway

Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate Air creatures. Position and effect are determined normally, depending on the situation and your relation to listeners.

Limited effect works if it follows the target's existing impulses, just overcoming fragile self-restraint. Standard effect can convince a target with no particular stake in the matter. Great effect will convince a reluctant target, but not a passionate one.

Aero Ear Understand Air creatures and learn the objectives of air creatures.

You can gauge the mood and motivations of Air creatures and understand what they are saying. This does not allow you to be understood. Used together with the basic Command power, this allows full communication.

Aeromancy Crew can communicate with air creatures. Influence folk to be inspired and flexible.

This allows you to use the Sway action with full effect, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers. Unless you also use the advanced Command effect, you are persuading, not speaking with authority. In addition, you can spread an airy mood in any intelligent creature, making them inspired and flexible.

Aerial Urge Post a suggestion in the mind of an air creature.

This is essentially an enhanced Sway attempt, allowing you to implant suggestions that will trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion is activated. The target will not remember being swayed, and if you succeed, you can give them instructions that will activate later in a situation you specify.

Suggestions cannot be absurd to the target. A typical use would be to sway a servant to leave a window open or a irregular soldier to forget to load their weapon. Suggestions fade over time depending on the level of effect achieved: limited effect lasts for the immediate situation, normal effect lasts for the duration of the score, and great effect can extend beyond the score if it fits the story.

Air Implantation Permanently change the personality and motivations of air creatures.

This power is permanent but blatant. It changes the target on a deep level, altering their priorities and loyalties. Target remember their past but considers it unimportant compared to their new motivations. There are limits to this power—you cannot make an Air creature love a strict routine or to be underground or underwater. Exceptional creatures and circumstances can break this change.

Tinker

Manipulate, shape, and create air. Things made out of air don't last unless you force them to. Instead you do dynamic things, like create wind or smoke.

The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with. The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last. Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long. Much shaping will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score.

Position depends on the tranquility of your workspace and if you are working on something dangerous in itself.

For long-term projects, Tinker powers can substitute for missing tools, but that is all they do until you can Skyshape.

Bellows Handle air and gases as bellows or a fan, air pump, or compressor.

This mainly substitutes for tools, up to a small workshop. The things you do only last as long as you keep maintaining them. The exception is that you can create or dissipate mist and wind and that will last until nature re-creates them.

Weave Wind Shape gases and vacuum, and they will retain their new shape.

This is where you can work with air and the effects last at least a while. You can create wind, whirls, dust devils, and even complex air streams that follow paths you set up that could not occur naturally. This may allow you to set up traps or devices that would normally require extensive equipment.

Aeromorphosis Create air out of nothing, transform air into matter of another power.

This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create air out of nothing. This can be fairly complex, to the level of fine and potent effects, but won't last past the end of a score.

The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute air into material connected to another power. The result will maintain its form as if affected by Weave Wind. The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows. A door could be changed from wood to air, you then pass through and the door reverts to wood.

A mass of earth can be turned into air to create a pit, and then turn back to earth to trap those who fall into that pit.

Skyshaper Weave Wind on a huge scale, affecting the weather or air of an entire region.

This is where you can affect the entire sky and really change the weather, create, or change the atmosphere of a city or small asteroid. This is much harder if the volume of gas is subdivided into smaller spaces, you cannot change all the air in a ship that is compartmentalized into many separate volumes.

Wreck

Air wrecking differ from most other powers in that you don't destroy air so much as using air to wreck other things. Air can easily wreck large things susceptible to high winds. Flipping a car and moving a single brick are about as hard. Collapsing an entire wooden building is easier than breaking a specific door.

Limited effect can overturn wooden or tinny construction. Standard effect can affect more solid things, like a wooden building, car, or brick. Can also wreck anything made to exploit wind power, like sails or windmills. Great effect can topple stone constructions or unreinforced concrete, but reinforced concrete structures with rebar will still not be affected.

Air Smash Air lacks precision in wrecking, can noisily smash even very large things.

This can do things up to the scale of flipping a car over or overturning a free-standing wall.

Tempest Tackle Air Smash but stronger. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat. Noisy.

You can hurl a car, flip a tank, or collapse a house.

Vanishing Gale Tempest Tackle, but destroyed targets silently disappear.

The real difference here is that wrecking things is now silent when you have the right power. You also leaves less traces, as what you wreck disappears. This can also be used to get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence matches your power.

Aero Annihilation Tempest Tackle over a large area. Level a city bloc or create a sandstorm.

Rather straightforward, this just scales things up.