FLIGHT OF SEPARATION
Cost: 10m
Target: Caster
The sorcerer speaks the Word of Ten Thousand Birds, part of the song that all the birds of Creation sing when they gather in one place. Because humans cannot speak this word, the caster is suddenly transformed into a flock of birds in a burst of Essence. The birds fly together at a speed of 20 miles per hour and can travel up to a number of miles equal to the caster’s Essence. Once the birds reach this distance (or some nearer destination), the birds complete the Word of Ten Thousand Birds, and coalesce to become the sorcerer once more. This spell has special timing rules. The character can cast it as a reflexive Shape Terrestrial Circle Sorcery action that takes 0 ticks. It follows all of the other normal rules for sorcery actions, except the character takes her Cast Sorcery action as her next normal action after she re-forms.

While transformed into a flock of birds, the sorcerer keeps all of her Attributes, Abilities, Willpower, health levels, Virtues and soak (including armor). Her Dodge DV increases by an amount equal to her permanent Essence. She cannot, however, take any actions other than Move actions. She may not attack, use Charms, communicate or use her Parry DV. Any health levels of damage are reflected by the deaths of several birds until the caster re-forms, whereupon the damage manifests as wounds and the slain birds dissolve into pools of the caster’s blood. Each sorcerer always becomes a particular species of bird. Abyssal sorcerers invariably become carrion-eating birds.

Flight of Separation
Cost: 10m, 1wp; Circle: Emerald; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
Keywords: Component, Counterattack, Counter-Resist, Sustain, Shaping
Duration: Until no longer Sustained

The sorcerer speaks the Word of Ten Thousand Birds, part of the song that all the birds of Creation sing when they gather in one place. Because humans cannot speak this word, she is suddenly transformed into a flock of birds in a burst of Essence (the only Obvious part of this spell). This metamorphosis happens reflexively in Step 9 as a counterattack, and can break flurries. The birds fly together at a Move speed of (Essence x 5) yards per tick—or (Essence x 10) miles per hour—and can travel any distance, although long-distance travel requires checking for strenuous activity (see Exalted, p. 130) as the sorcerer is required to Sustain the spell. Once the birds complete their journey, they finish the Word of Ten Thousand Birds and coalesce to become the sorcerer once more.

While transformed into a flock of birds, the sorcerer keeps all of her normal traits and equipment, but just like Lunar shapeshifting, all her inventory goes Elsewhere. The sorcerer still has one mind, and the magic of the spell allows her to control her multiple bird bodies with ease, including using and processing all the birds' senses. Due to her small and fluttering size, the sorcerer's Dodge DV gains a bonus of (Essence). She can only take the miscellaneous action to Sustain the spell and reflexive non-attack actions, however, such as Move actions. She may use any Charms or other effects that do not conflict with this restriction—most likely reflexive Charms.

The size of the sorcerer's flock is equal to ([the number of health levels she possess] x Essence). Every (Essence) birds is considered a single target. Therefore, attacks against the sorcerer that cannot strike multiple targets at once only can hit one set of birds at a time, and do at most one health level of damage. Damage is otherwise tracked normally. When a set of (Essence) birds are slain, they dissolve into a pool of the caster's blood, often while it is plummeting through the air. No bird can be further than one yard from another.

Each sorcerer always becomes a particular species of bird. Abyssal sorcerers invariably become carrion-eating birds such as rations.

Component: The sorcerer must begin to speak the Word of Ten Thousand Birds to cast this spell. If she cannot, this spell cannot be cast. She, in her flock-form, must also be able to speak or else she will not be able to end the spell.