Ethereal Sight Incense – GearAscendancy.com

Ingredients:

1 Mantis Wing Powder sachet
Dried sunshade leaves
3 ground twilight berries
Essence of an echo crystal

Preparation: In a stone bowl, mix the Mantis Wing Powder with dried sunshade leaves. Add the ground twilight berries and mix until the blend is even. Charge the mixture with the essence of an echo crystal by allowing the crystal to hover above the blend for a cycle of the Saṃsāra moon. Store in a silk pouch. Burn a pinch of this incense to glimpse brief visions of the near future.

Lore of Ethereal Sight Incense: In Saṃsāra’s verdant lands, there lies the tale of Liora, a seer who longed to glimpse the threads of the future. While most visionaries of her time relied on dreams or trances, Liora believed the answer lay in the very elements of the world. Drawing inspiration from ancient scrolls and whispered legends, she embarked on a quest to create a medium that could unlock the tapestry of time itself.

The Mantis, with its poised stillness, was said to have eyes that transcended the present moment. Harvesting its wings, Liora acquired the foundational element for her incense. The sunshade leaves, growing in the darkest nooks yet named after the sun, represented the duality of time – the past shadowing the present. Twilight berries, blooming at the cusp of day and night, held the essence of temporal transitions. Finally, the echo crystal, a relic from forgotten ages, captured reverberations from time’s flow.

Upon crafting the Ethereal Sight Incense, Liora experienced fleeting, yet profound visions of events to come. Her predictions, eerily accurate, garnered her respect and awe. As her fame spread, the incense’s recipe became a coveted secret, sought by many, known to few.

Appearance of the Incense: The Ethereal Sight Incense takes the form of a fine, silvery-gray powder. Upon closer inspection, one can see tiny, luminescent specks—likely remnants of the echo crystal—interspersed within, creating a shimmering effect.

Cost: For a Tier One avatar, acquiring the Ethereal Sight Incense would be quite an expense. The Mantis Wing Powder, given its rarity and significance, would be the priciest component. Sunshade leaves, while not exorbitantly priced, are difficult to harvest due to their shadowy habitats. Twilight berries, being seasonal, could vary in price. The essence of an echo crystal, ancient and mystic, would add substantially to the cost. Given the incense’s ability to glimpse the future, it would undoubtedly be a luxury item.

Procedure:

Under the shimmering canopy of Saṃsāra’s night sky, lay out the ingredients on an altar of aged wood.
Using a stone bowl and pestle, combine the Mantis Wing Powder with the dried sunshade leaves, grinding till fine.
Incorporate the ground twilight berries, ensuring an even blend.
To infuse the mixture with the essence of the echo crystal, place the crystal above the blend, letting it hover (or be suspended) for a complete cycle of the Saṃsāra moon.
Once charged, transfer the incense into a silk pouch for preservation.

Tags: Visionary, Temporal, Mystical, Rare

Service: The Ethereal Sight Incense is stored in intricately designed silk pouches, often embroidered with symbols of time and foresight. When one desires a vision, a pinch of the incense is placed on a small, ornate burner. As the incense smolders, it releases a silvery smoke that spirals upwards, carrying with it a faint, otherworldly aroma. Those nearby, especially the one who seeks a vision, are advised to inhale the ethereal fumes deeply, closing their eyes and opening their minds to the whispers of the future.

Smoke Tale of Time-See

Long-past, Liora, sight-seer, seek-look future-path. Not dream-walk, but world-element touch-know. Old-speak scrolls hint; echo-tales whisper. She journey-gather for smoke-see time.

Mantis-eye see beyond-now. Its wings, Liora take. Sun-shadow leaf from dark-bright places, time-twist capture. Between-day berries, when light meets shadow, she find-harvest. And old-time stone, world-echo keeper, she whisper-ask.

Smoke-see made, Liora see tomorrow-yesterday dance. People awe-praise her time-know. Many want, few know-smoke secret.

Moral of the story: True-see not just eye-look but heart-know. Seek deep, find-see beyond-now.

Sensory Activation upon Using the Ethereal Sight Incense:

Sight:
- Perceived: Swirls of silvery smoke with shimmering specks.
- Description: The smoke seems alive, dancing and weaving intricate patterns in the air, hinting at the mysteries of the future.
- Positives: Mesmerizing and can aid in focusing the mind.
- Negatives: Too much exposure may lead to a temporary silvery haze in the user’s vision.
Touch:
- Perceived: A gentle coolness enveloping the skin.
- Description: As the smoke spirals around the user, a refreshing cool sensation spreads, similar to a gentle evening breeze.
- Positives: Calms the body and readies the mind.
- Negatives: Prolonged exposure might result in mild numbness.
Smell:
- Perceived: An ethereal aroma, blending the scents of the sunshade leaves, twilight berries, and a hint of the vast cosmos.
- Description: A scent that is both grounding and elevating, tying the earthly realm to the mysteries of the universe.
- Positives: Aids in deep relaxation and meditative states.
- Negatives: For some, the aroma might be slightly overpowering.
Taste (though not consumed directly):
- Perceived: A faint metallic aftertaste in the air.
- Description: Likely a result of the echo crystal’s essence and the Mantis Wing Powder.
- Positives: Acts as a palate cleanser, neutralizing other tastes.
- Negatives: Unpleasant to those not used to it.
Hearing:
- Perceived: Soft whispers, almost beyond the edge of hearing.
- Description: These could be the echoes of time carried by the essence of the echo crystal.
- Positives: Enhances focus and induces a trance-like state.
- Negatives: Straining to catch the whispers can be distracting.
Extra-sensory Perceptions:
- Temporal Awareness: An enhanced understanding of the flow of time.
  - Description: Events of the near future become slightly more predictable, akin to seeing the outline of an approaching figure in thick fog.
  - Positives: Helps in decision-making by providing a vague sense of upcoming events.
  - Negatives: Over-reliance on this awareness can lead to indecisiveness.
- Astral Projection: A fleeting sense of being disconnected from the physical body.
  - Description: The user might feel as if they’re floating or observing themselves from a distance.
  - Positives: Offers a broader perspective and a feeling of interconnectedness.
  - Negatives: Might be disorienting or unsettling for some.

Buffs Derived from the Recipe:

Temporal Intuition: For a short duration, the user gains an enhanced ability to anticipate near-future events, granting them a slight edge in decision-making or reactions.
Astral Clarity: The user’s mind becomes attuned to the astral plane, allowing for clearer and more insightful meditative or trance sessions.

Upon focused meditation during the incense’s usage, the effects can be internalized, transforming them into stored buffs within the user’s spirit. When required, these internalized buffs can be channeled as an action, granting the user their benefits at a chosen moment. Once stored, these buffs remain active for up to three cycles of the Saṃsāra moon. If not activated by then, their essence dissipates harmlessly.

Suggested conversion to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu:

Item: Ethereal Sight Incense

Effects:
- Grants a +10% bonus to any skill rolls related to foresight or precognition for 1 hour.
- Provides a temporary insight into an impending event, at the Keeper’s discretion.

Dungeons & Dragons 5e:

Item: Ethereal Sight Incense, uncommon

Effects when burned:
- For the next hour, you gain advantage on Insight and Perception checks related to predicting near-future events.
- Once during the duration, you can gain a flash of foresight, allowing you to reroll one d20 roll.

Knave:

Item: Ethereal Sight Incense

Uses: 1
Effects:
- For the next hour, you gain a bonus to any rolls related to foresight or detecting imminent dangers.
- Allows a single reroll during its duration, representing a brief glimpse into the immediate future.

Numenera & Cypher System:

Cypher: Ethereal Sight Incense (consumable)

Level: 4
Effect:
- For the next hour, grants an asset to tasks involving prediction or understanding immediate future outcomes.
- Once during the duration, the user can reroll a failed task.

Pathfinder 2e:

Consumable: Ethereal Sight Incense, Level 5

Price: 75 gp
Activate: Interact (burn)
Effect:
- For 1 hour, you gain a +2 status bonus to Perception checks to foresee imminent events.
- Once during its effect, you can reroll a failed check as you briefly glimpse the near future.

Savage Worlds:

Gear: Ethereal Sight Incense

Effects:
Grants a +2 bonus to Notice checks related to predicting the immediate future for the next hour.
Once during its duration, a failed roll can be rerolled due to a momentary vision of the impending result.

Shadowrun:

Gear: Ethereal Sight Incense

Availability: 6R
Cost: 500¥
Effect:
- For the next hour, grants a +2 dice pool bonus to any tests related to foresight or predicting immediate outcomes.
- Once during its effect, you can reroll a failed test due to a brief precognitive flash.

Starfinder:

Consumable: Ethereal Sight Incense, Level 5

Price: 150 credits
Usage: 1
Effect:
- For the next hour, grants a +2 insight bonus to Perception checks to foresee imminent events.
- Allows one reroll during its duration as a brief vision of the immediate future guides your actions.

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay):

Item: Ethereal Sight Incense

Effects:
- Grants a +10% bonus to any rolls related to foresight or detecting imminent dangers for the next hour.
- Once during its duration, a failed roll can be rerolled due to a fleeting vision of the near future.