The Chosen of Serenity are those Sidereal Exalted whose patron is Venus, the Maiden of Serenity.
Overview[]
Life is pleasure. Life is defined by the series of moments that bring joy and happiness to the people of Creation. The birth of a child, the taking of a lover, the support of a community, the defeat of a rival—these moments shape people and mark the paths into their futures. All aspects of pleasure, from the joy of a wonderful dream to the deep satisfaction of breaking a Great House’s legions, fall under Venus’s domain. Now, her Chosen oversee the health and happiness of all Creation.
During the First Age, the Chosen of Serenity advised the Solar Deliberative on the health and well-being of Creation’s millions of mortals. The Chosen of Serenity examined the Loom of Fate for outbreaks of misfortune and spreading dissatisfaction, alerted provincial governors to the problem and wove destinies of joy to bless the efforts to restore harmony. When the time came to overthrow the mad Solar Exalted, the Joybringers planned the perfect banquet and tied the threads of relaxation to their master’s elusive fates.
Creation groaned in misery and grief after the Great Contagion, and the Chosen of Serenity worked hard to return Creation to contentment. The destinies they laid inspired the survivors to rebuild their farms, their cities, their lives and their dreams. The Chosen of Serenity crafted abundant destinies for doctors and courtesans, and recreational trade in all its forms flourished when Joybringers put their hands to the Loom. Their work filled people with hope, making them once again believe that their lot was worth defending—and that they could defend it.
Children destined to become Chosen of Serenity often enjoy their lives more than most people do—or just the opposite. Joybringers find their pleasures in all the small things of life, the moments of peace and the knowledge of another’s happiness, but don’t neglect the large joys. Some Joybringers focus on the ecstasies of sex and drugs, but more remember the simple contentment of a healthy body and a hale family. They do not seek pleasure for pleasure’s sake, but transformation through joy: the realization of destiny through serenity.
When a Chosen of Serenity supports a faction, she oversees its ceremonies and helps it function smoothly. Bronze Faction Joybringers help the people of the Realm and its tributaries stay content and healthy, lend a subtle hand to the eugenics of the Realm’s Dragon-Blooded, keep the Blessed Isle’s slave population quiet and bring crowds to Immaculate rituals. Gold Faction members strengthen the Realm’s enemies through the same tactics, limiting Immaculate expansion by making local religions and cults more attractive while drawing members and Solars to the Cult of the Illuminated, arranging strategic marriages within the Scavenger Lands and bringing joy and prosperity to any group that accepts Solar leadership. Even other Sidereals need advice on their lives from the Chosen of the Maiden of Serenity.
Powers and Abilities[]
Caste Markings[]
Joybringers’ eyes have blue irises; tiny star-points of blue spangle their pupils. When they expend Peripheral Essence, the Sign of Serenity shines on the Chosen’s forehead in bright blue light.
Anima Effect[]
A Chosen of Serenity reflexively makes the Lesser Sign of Venus for 10 motes. The Chosen’s anima billows outward in a brilliant blue that embraces all those affected. For one scene, the Sidereal and all her allies within (her Essence x 10) yards add (her Essence) successes to all Performance rolls. Allies enjoy this advantage only as long as they remain within range. With the Sidereal’s anima banner in the 11 to 15 mote range, this costs only five motes. If the banner is fully manifest (16+), this costs only one.
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