This is known as Dissolution, and while it can be effective, it is also quite expensive, draining and risky for the Shadow to attempt. However, if the Shadow can somehow succeed, it will have scored a massive victory against its Wraith - one that she may never fully recover from. In order to activate Dissolution, the Shadow must have 10 Tainted Essence in its possession. It then decides whether to attack one of the Wraith's Anchors, or the Wraith's Corpus. It is generally easier for Shadows to weaken a Wraith's Anchors than to dissolve chunks of her Corpus, but that doesn't stop some Shadows from thinking large. Once the decision is made, and the Tainted Essence spent, the Shadow makes its roll: pitting Manipulation + Angst against the targeted Anchor's Rating + Eidolon, or the Wraith's Permanent Corpus, + Eidolon {if applicable}. As with Harrowings, no modifiers are allowed on this roll. Successful applications of Dissolution are devastating: gobs of the Wraith's Corpus catch fire and burn down to nothing, for an effect not unlike someone being splattered with acid. The damage may be cosmetically healed, but the loss of Corpus cannot be healed, or fixed with Shaping; She will now seem less substantial and distinct for her pains. Anchors so affected are corroded, decayed or cracked within seconds. Living Anchors suffer accidents, or are stricken with strokes, heart attacks or other swift and debilitating illnesses. Buildings catch fire, public parks are overrun with locusts and monuments are backed into by 18-wheelers. And while the damage to the object or person may be fixed, or healed, the connection to the Wraith is still gone. Cost: 10 Tainted Essence Dice Pool: Manipulation + Angst vs Anchor Rating + Eidolon/Permanent Corpus + Eidolon Action: Contested Dramatic Failure: N/A Success/Failure: If the Shadow fails, nothing happens, and the Shadow has spent ten Tainted Essence for nothing. Also, the Shadow may do nothing against the Wraith - not even speak to her - for an entire week. If the Shadow succeeds, then one dot is removed from the Anchor or Corpus rating. Exceptional Success: If the Wraith scores an exceptional success against the Shadow, then not only is the Shadow silenced and neutered for a week, but it also loses a dot of Angst. However, if the Shadow gains an exceptional Success, then not only was the one dot removed from the Anchor or Corpus rating, but each success past the first returns a dot of Tainted Essence spent on the roll. |