EdgeofHeaven/IntMountainHeart

Heart of the Mountain Sutra

(Earth Style) The development of the Mountain Heart Sect's characteristic Internal Style mimics the arduous journey of newcomers in their progression from initiates, who do the mean and humble work in the Thousand Bodhisattva Caves, to apprentices, who begin the exacting work of carving their own image of the Buddha, to full-fledged monks, whose completed Buddha-statue is added to the thousands of the statues from the monks who came before him. This style cultivates an even disposition and a strong constitution; it is said that there is no hardship that masters of this style cannot bear.

Basic Technique
1: Leave the Past Behind
A man came to the gate of the Thousand Bodhisattva Caves; he had wandered the barren land on foot for many days to get there, and arrived encumbered with all the necessities of survival. "Lay your burden aside," a monk enjoined, "and join us."

• Treat a single action or breath penalty resulting from a Passion, Inspiration, Curse, Influence or Prediction as one step less severe.
  

Advanced Techniques
2: Strong-backed Initiate
“I have come to leave suffering behind,” the man said. A monk smacked his head and pointed to a pile of detritus. “First, get to work.”

• You have a +10 bonus to Toughness.

2:Initiate Breaks the Rocks
“I have come to break my illusions,” the man said. A monk smacked his head, handed him a hammer, and pointed to a large boulder. “Break that first.”

• You have a +10 bonus to Damage.

2: Initiate Walks the Caves
“I have come to find enlightenment,” the man said. A monk smacked his head, and sent him running on errands to temple’s forge, to its deepest recesses, and to its icy lake. “Find your way around here, first.”

• You have a +10 bonus to your Chi Aura when rolling to protect against Energy Attacks.

2: Initiate Sweeps the Ground
“I have come to purify my heart,” the man said. A monk smacked his head, handed him a broom, and sent him to a workroom. “Clean the floor, first.”

• You have a +10 bonus to Shaping Waves or Knockback Marvels

3: Apprentice Learns Attention
The man knelt before his master. “Allow me to carve my Busa, master.” The elder monk sent him away with an order to watch his betters work for a month and a day, and to observe everything they do.

• You have a round-long +15 bonus on any roll to analyze an opponent or see through trickery.

3: Apprentice’s Second Chance
The man comes before his master bearing his first effort; the elder monk shakes his head, and casts it to the ground. “Again.”

• Reroll your Defense roll.

3: Apprentice’s Stone Heart
The man complained to his master that his fellows taunt and tease him, and that they speak evil words about his efforts. His master reproved him. “Their words trouble you? Let the mountain be your heart, and put its weight behind your rebuke.”

• You have a +10 bonus to your Chi Aura when rolling to protect against a Courtier or Priest Secret Arts Attack.
• If the Secret Art Attack hits, you may Reply against your opponent and inflict one Ripple.

4: Lungs of the Mountain
Again, the man was buffeted by the elements: the heat of the forge where the tools were made, the cold of the icy pools, the stale air of the deepest caves. They bothered him still less now; indeed, they seemed to nourish him!

• You have a round-long +20 bonus to your Chi Aura when rolling to protect against Energy Attacks.
• When an opponent uses an energy attack against you, you may respire an additional 2 normal Chi or 1 Earth Chi at the end of the round.

4: Careful Blow Finds the Seam
For a whole day, the man studied the stone that sat before him. He observed its contours and composition, seeing where it was strong and where there are small fissures. Only then did he strike, and the strike was true.

• This technique and its target must be declared at the start of the round, and you have a -10 penalty to your Initiative result;
• You have a +15 bonus to Strike and Damage;
• This attack ignores armor, and any Chi Aura used to protect against this damage costs 2 Chi/die to purchase.

5: The Buddha in the Stone
After years of patient work, the man looks at the stone, and sees the Buddha image that he has carved into it. He had chipped away everything inessential, everything that detracted from the stone’s capacity to represent the Buddha. He understood. Now his real work could begin.

• Round-long duration. You may spend Chi each round to extend the technique’s duration another round; you must spend the Chi at the beginning of each new round. The first extension costs 1 Chi, the second costs 2, and so on.
• Ignore all action and breath penalties.
• Immediately recover from any Disrupt or Disorient conditions;
• If you activate this technique at any time during combat, any attempt by an opponent to inflict a Passion, Inspiration, Curse, Influence or Prediction as an end-of-combat condition suffers a -25 penalty.