Sarah Lockwood Nimbus

Immediate Nimbus

Sarah's nimbus is like two warring sides sparring for balance rather than one cohesive force. The radiant white light of life twisting and weaving against the fiery reds of the minds passion. Although both of them work together to provide those near a sense of peace while calming by pulling their anxiety or passions into Sarah as if devouring them.

Nimbus Tilt

Soothing Tilt (Resolve -1d)

Signature Nimbus

Sarah's Signature Nimbus leaves behind wisps of white-blue and red energy spiral away as strands of helix DNA begin to fall apart.

Long-Term Nimbus

Sarah's Long Term Nimbus can cause a sense of doom if they oppose her or a sense of peace and comfort if they are standing with her.

Nimbus Resistance

Resolve + Gnosis 4d

Stamina + Gnosis 3d

Composure + Gnosis 4d

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Nimbus (p88)

Nimbus

Most supernatural beings in the Chronicles of Darkness are possessed of an “aura,” a spiritual presence that tells those who are sensitive that the being is something else. Vampires have a predatory aura; werewolves have a powerful, feral mien about them. Mages’ souls are wrapped in the stuff of the Supernal, marking them as glorious and terrifying.

Most supernatural beings in the Chronicles of Darkness are possessed of an “aura,” a spiritual presence that tells those who are sensitive that the being is something else. Vampires have a predatory aura; werewolves have a powerful, feral mien about them. Mages’ souls are wrapped in the stuff of the Supernal, marking them as glorious and terrifying.

This phenomenon, the Nimbus, is based on numerous factors including a mage’s Path, Legacy, and other pieces of personal symbolism. Her Shadow Name and her magical tools can influence its appearance, for example. It’s wholly invisible except when spellcasting, and even then only to Mage Sight most of the time.

A Nimbus takes three forms, a Long-Term Nimbus, an Immediate Nimbus, and a Signature Nimbus. Each comes into play in different circumstances.

Long-Term Nimbus (p88)

Long-Term Nimbus

The Long-Term Nimbus is a series of subtle coincidences that surrounds your character. These are purely story-based effects, bits of strangeness that align with your character’s Path. For example, around Thyrsus, spirits are more likely to show up, strange pathogens might infect people, and likewise terminal diseases can vanish. Moros bring ghastly hauntings, decay, rust, and mechanical breakdowns. Obrimos cause religious revelation, extreme weather swings, or blackouts. Acanthus cause strange luck, lost memories to rise up, or visions of possible fates. Mastigos cause people’s fears to well up, and sometimes they see their internal devils.

It’s important to note that the Long-Term Nimbus is not a controllable force; it’s just a matter of strange, fractal geometry in the universe. Patterns converge around your character. However, a character’s Gnosis determines its general Potency. While subtle at first, it can become truly obvious at six or more dots of Gnosis. Wisdom determines the range of the Nimbus’ effects, as it spreads along your character’s sympathetic ties (p. 173). At the Enlightened Wisdom tier, your character’s Nimbus is left on Strong connections. At Understanding level, Medium connections. At Falling level, on even Weak connections.

Immediate Nimbus (p89)

Immediate Nimbus

The Immediate Nimbus is a powerful aura directly surrounding the mage, wrapping close to her soul and flashing out as the Supernal World ebbs and flows against her. When she casts a spell, her Immediate Nimbus becomes visible to those with any active Mage Sight, regardless of the Arcana she’s using to cast. The Immediate Nimbus appears based mostly on the character’s Path. It’s a force, a halo of raw creation stuff. Sometimes, this is visible — sometimes it’s a sensation, a smell, or a muddy, primal emotion. Here are a handful of examples: For Thyrsus, this might look like a mist of blood, or might cause a deep rutting instinct. Moros might cause subtle rot around them, or melancholy. Obrimos bask in holy light, or cause remarkable inspiration. Acanthus appear as if time bends around them, or cause fatalism. Mastigos glow with a sickly green fire, or cause temptation to swell in onlookers.

When the Immediate Nimbus flares, it causes a Nimbus Tilt unique to your character, with a strength depending on what caused the flare. If the Nimbus flared because of a spell, use the spell’s Potency as the Nimbus’ strength, and the Tilt lasts for the spell’s Reach in turns or one turn at a minimum. Alternatively, once per scene a mage can force her immediate Nimbus to flare for a single turn without casting a spell by spending a Mana. In this case, roll the character’s Gnosis and use successes as the Nimbus’ strength. Deliberate flares like this are visible even in the Fallen World and can therefore affect characters not using Mage Sight, although Sleepers will suffer Quiescence after the Tilt ends.

Compare the Nimbus strength to any witness’s Resolve. If a character’s Resolve is equal to or lower than the Nimbus strength, the Tilt takes effect. If for whatever reason a character is aware of the effects, she can willingly submit to the Tilt regardless of her Resolve. Mages can pit their own Nimbus against the aura as per the “Interactions with Other Auras” rules, below. While characters without Mage Sight cannot see the aura, the subtle cues still affect them with the Tilt. This is almost always imperceptible, but some particularly clued-in witnesses may note when something’s awry.

Signature Nimbus (p89)

Signature Nimbus

The Signature Nimbus is just that, an identifier your character leaves on the things her Awakened will has touched. When she uses a spell, Praxis, Rote, or Attainment, she leaves little wisps of her identity on that magic. A mage utilizing Focused Mage Sight can recognize those signatures she’s seen before. If the signature comes from a particularly great Gnosis (6+), it offers a bonus to Rev elation rolls regarding that Pattern. For every dot of Gnosis above five, add one die to relevant dice pools. By default, this lasts for a week. However, the bonus dice afforded by high Gnosis fade one per week instead. Once the last die is gone, it fades one week later.

A Signature Nimbus looks the part of a residue from or remainder of the Immediate Nimbus. If your character has a fiery Immediate Nimbus, her Signature Nimbus might be charring and ash, for example. Or if her Immediate Nimbus causes intoxication, her Signature Nimbus might feel like a hangover.

If a mage wishes, she can imprint her Signature Nimbus on an object, place, or person at the cost of one Mana. In this case, add her Gnosis to any rolls to scrutinize that Nimbus. This fades at one bonus die per week. Spending a Willpower point turns those weeks into months.

Nimbus Factors

Nimbus Factors

Path Denied

Path Taken

Order

Shadow Name

Magic Tools

Immediate Nimbus

Sarah Lockwood Immediate Nimbus 01 by Graylion on MidJourneyAI

Signature Nimbus

Sarah Lockwood Signature Nimbus 02 by Graylion on MidJourneyAI

Persona

Sarah Lockwood Symbol 01 by Graylion on MidJourneyAI