High Summoning

High Summoning is one of the Exclusive Attributes introduced in the first Peculiar Book, Unlikely Flowerings, of the Society of Flowers supplement for Nobilis. High Summoning governs a character's ability to form pacts with creatures from outside Creation whom they can then summon and request assistance from. Summons may also be later banished from Creation.

High Summoning Rules
Below are the basic rules for a High Summoning

Obtaining High Summoning
A character cannot simply purchase dots in High Summoning. To receive a High Summoning rating, a character must first invest energy into the study of High Summoning, reflected in the purchase of High Summoning Miracle Points (HMPs). After a character has bought 5 HMPs (excluding any gained from Handicaps), they obtain a High Summoning score of 0. Additional ranks in High Summoning may then be purchased for 3 Character Points per dot, as with other Attributes.

Alternatively, if a character lives in a Chancel with the High Summoning Chancel Property, they may instead use Spirit Miracle Points (SMPs) in place of HMPs and freely purchase ranks in High Summoning at the normal 3 Character Points per dot. Mortals in such environments can also practice High Summoning, but receive no Miracle Points and have no rank in High Summoning.

Most characters with High Summoning also take the Handicaps Imperfect Command, Imperfect Knowledge and Student of Summoning.

High Summoning Titles
Depending on a character's level in High Summoning, they obtain certain Titles along with the level. These are:
 * Level 0: Severed Sage
 * Level 1: Companion to Monsters
 * Level 2: Lord/Lady of the Beyond
 * Level 3: Peer of the Most Distant Realm
 * Level 4: Sovereign Beyond
 * Level 5: Emperor/Empress Beyond

High Summoning Mechanics
A character must first form a Pact with the creature they wish to summon. This often requires the character to make some sort of sacrifice or fulfill some other requirement set forth by the creature they are summoning in order to gain its cooperation. This is not, however, always the case. Also, a summoned creature is under no obligation to always do what the summoner asks. A character can have up to their High Summoning level +1 pacts at any time. The summoner's High Summoning level also determines the number of Floating Character Points they have to distribute amongst their summons. These are:
 * Level 0: 0 CP
 * Level 1: 5 CP
 * Level 2: 15 CP
 * Level 3: 25 CP
 * Level 4: 35 CP
 * Level 5: 45 CP

The level of the High Summoning Miracle used to bind the creature determines the total Character Points it receives, as well as the the Templates that apply to it. These are:
 * Level 0: Animal - 10 CP; Animal (Unintelligent) Template
 * Level 1: Monster - 10 CP; Animal (Intelligent) Template
 * Level 2: Horror - 15 CP; Inheritor OR External and Animal Templates
 * Level 3: External Inheritor - 15 CP; Inheritor, External and Animal Templates
 * Level 4: Noble - 20 CP; Noble and Animal Templates
 * Level 5: Unearthly Noble - 20 CP; Noble and Unearthly Templates

Finally, a High Summoning Miracle with a base difficulty equal to the level of the pact is required to Summon, Bind, or Banish a summon as an Ally.

Coercion
A summoner may exercise a certain amount of control over their summons. The base difficulty to do so is equal to the level of the pact used to create the summon. If a character uses a High Summoning Miracle of a lower level than required to Bind or Summon a creature, it may exercise some control over the power or is in general hostile toward the power and cannot be banished against its will. The following table explains coercion:
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty + 8; Command
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty + 4; Full Cooperation
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty + 2; Grudging Cooperation
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty + 1; Civility
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty; Summoning, Binding, Banishing as an Ally
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty - 1; Creature can force civility from the Power OR it actively dislikes them
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty - 2; Creature can force grudging cooperation OR it loathes them
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty - 4; Creature can force cooperation OR it hates them and will actively try to harm them
 * Miracle Level = Difficulty - 8; Creature can force obedience