Once more with feeling/Custom Martial Arts

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Here is where we put the custom martial arts for the game Once More, With Feeling!.

Contents

Terrestrial

High-Flying Daredevil

High-Flying Daredevil Style.png
  • This style was created by a Chosen of Battles to enhance the capabilities of Terrestrial warstrider pilots.
  • New Keyword:
  • Warstrider: Charms with this keyword can only be used from inside warstriders, but doing so counts as channeling Essence through them, which can damage common and scout warstriders.

Motonic Afterburner Surge

  • Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Warstrider
  • Duration: (Essence) ticks
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • Activating this charm increases the Daredevil's per-tick movement rates by (Essence x 10) yards. Using this Charm causes a trail of cloudy white Essence to coalesce behind the character as he moves.

Essence Missile Method

  • Cost: 1m per 1L; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Warstrider
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Motonic Afterburner Surge
  • This Charm permits a Daredevil to fire a glowing bolt of concentrated essence toward a target. The bolt is targeted with (Dexterity + Archery) or (Dexterity + Martial Arts), whichever is preferred, with an Accuracy bonus equal to the Daredevil’s Essence and a range of (Essence x 50) yards. The bolt inflicts one die of lethal piercing damage per mote spent up to a maximum of (Essence) motes.

High-Flying Daredevil Form

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5, DV -0)
  • Keywords: Form-type, Warstrider
  • Duration: Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Essence Missile Method
  • This charm provides two benefits to the Daredevil:
    • It allows him to channel Essence through his warstrider without damaging its components.
    • It provides an additional bonus die to stunts performed while piloting a warstrider. This bonus die does not affect the rewards from stunting.

Devil-May-Care Evasion

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Warstrider
  • Duration: One tick
  • Prerequisite Charms: High-Flying Daredevil Form
  • This Charm negates all Mobility penalties to the Daredevil's Dodge DV for a single tick. As the Daredevil evades wildly, he leaves a trail of afterimages behind him.

Interception and Elimination Kata

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Warstrider
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: High-Flying Daredevil Form
  • This Charm allows Daredevils to use ranged weapons to parry attacks made by other ranged weapons, using their ranged Abilities and their weapon's Accuracy rating in place of a Defense rating when calculating their Parry DV.

Overwhelming Missile Storm

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Warstrider
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Devil-May-Care Evasion, Interception and Elimination Kata
  • This Charm permits a Daredevil to fire a volley of dozens of glowing bolts of concentrated essence, the volley can attack up to (Archery or Martial Arts) targets. For each target, roll (Dexterity + Archery) or (Dexterity + Martial Arts), whichever is preferred, with an Accuracy bonus equal to the Daredevil’s Essence and a range of (Essence x 50) yards. Each successful hit deals ([Essence] x 3) dice of lethal piercing damage. Extra successes on the attack roll do not add to damage, and this attack cannot be dodged or parried without a stunt or magic.

Pathwalker

  • The Pathwalker style is a Terrestrial martial art so far practiced exclusively in a cluster of small communities in the Hundred Kingdoms. Outsiders inquiring about the style are told that it was invented recently by an itinerant Immaculate who, after bringing some stability to the region through his great deeds, taught it to them so they could defend themselves after he had moved on. The fact that many of the style's techniques bear more than a passing resemblance to the Water Dragon Style lends credence to their story.
  • Weapons and Armor: The Pathwalker style's form weapons are the cestus, fighting gauntlet, staff, and tiger claws. It can be practiced in armors up to medium weight.

Experienced Traveler's Footwork

  • Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The first lesson learned by Disciples of the Walker's Path is how to evade and block the strikes of the enemy. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of some of their own accuracy and striking power. A Pathwalker may activate this Charm as he makes an attack roll by committing 1 mote of Essence; he then chooses either his Dodge or Parry DV. For as long as he maintains the commitment, his selected DV increases by 1, but his dice pools for attacking are reduced by 1. Pathwalkers are explicitly permitted to invoke this Charm twice, choosing a different DV each time.

Unthreatening Pilgrim Guise

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (see text)
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic, Compulsion, Illusion, Social, War
  • Duration: Until your first action
  • Prerequisite Charms: Experienced Traveler's Footwork
  • Pathwalkers know how to make themselves seem unthreatening. Any time the Disciple would roll Join Battle, Join Debate, or Join War, she may reflexively activate this Charm. If her opponents do not succeed on a (Perception + Investigation) roll against a Difficulty of the lower of Pathwalker's Martial Arts or Essence, they do not view her as hostile and will not take any action against her. On her first action, the Pathwalker may make an unexpected attack on any opponent who failed the (Perception + Investigation) roll; this is an explicit exception to the rule that mass combat units can only make unexpected attacks from physical concealment. However, the opportunity created by this Charm lasts only until the first time the Disciple's tick comes up; if she does not take advantage of it then, the opportunity disappears.

Pathwalker Form

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
  • Duration: Once scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Unthreatening Pilgrim Guise
  • The Disciples of the Walker's Path seek to emulate their teacher in as many ways as they can, and thankfully, he taught them this Charm, which grants them some measure of his own resilience. A Pathwalker with this Charm active is surrounded by a field of blue, wavering essence crossed by wavy golden lines, like might be caused by small waves in a shallow, sunlit pool of water. This field allows the Pathwalker to soak bashing and lethal damage with his Stamina as if one of the Exalted, and to parry lethal attacks while unarmed.

Dancing Through the Rain Technique

  • Cost: --; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Pathwalker Form
  • This Charm permanently enhances Experienced Traveler's Footwork. Whenever a Disciple activates Experienced Traveler's Footwork, she may commit a number of motes up to her permanent Essence; her Dodge or Parry DV increases by 1 for each mote committed, even as her dice pools to attack decrease by 1 for every mote committed.

Summer Thunderstorm Strike

  • Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Pathwalker Form
  • Summer thunderstorms often seemingly appear out of nowhere to detriment of unwary travelers, and Disciples of the Walker's Path learn to imitate that speed in their own strikes. When making a Martial Arts-based attack, add an extra die to his attack roll for every mote the Pathwalker spends, up to the Pathwalker's permanent Essence.

Slaver-Smiting Prana

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Dancing Through the Rain Technique, Summer Thunderstorm Strike
  • This Charm functions exactly like Rippling Water Strike (Dragon-Blooded, p. 208), except that it can only be activated if the attack it supplements would strike an animate being, and that instead of a ripple in the air it takes the form of an expanding, spherical field of Essence like the Essence field created by Pathwalker Form.

Celestial

Heavenly Union

  • “What fool would dare enter the presence of one who has mastered Heavenly Union Style? Their bedchambers are more deadly than any battlefield! Every inch of their bodies is a potential weapon! They single-handedly prove that sex is more offensive than violence.”

History

  • Most taboo amongst the Celestial arts, the methods of Heavenly Union Style were developed recreationally – an irony not lost on historians. As the Usurpation was begun, many of the Lawgivers were slain before the insurgent hordes. Not the legendary Zenith sensate Ayatilia, however, nor her Lunar consort Sweat and Tears. As the bloodshed began, she swept the pair away, deep into the safety of her sorcerous sanctum in the North.
  • Through the long and cold nights, wont of other company or meaningful pursuit as they awaited their discovery, the pair... experimented. The Wyld Hunt reached them after five years, to find them in no condition to fight. The art itself would have perished with its creators, but for the Chosen of Serenity overlooking the expedition – realising its potential, he quickly confiscated their (mindblowingly obscene) notes as 'evidence of their decadance'.
  • A dirty secret (in all senses of the word), the Style is kept under wraps deep in the Cerulean Lute of Harmony. In this Age of Sorrows, it seems to have re-emerged amongst the reawakening Solars and their consorts. It is uncertain how they acquired such sensitive information, but evidence points to someone in the higher echelons of the Cult of the Illuminated.

Rules

  • Heavenly Union Style allows the use of no weapons, teaching its students that they are armed enough with the uncounted tools the Incarna granted them. Armour is likewise spurned in its every form – any inhibitor of movement, sensation or indecency is anathema to its tenets.
  • The Style's progression begins with a number of meditations and practices to establish its basic tenets. It then branches into two wings (each with an according Form), embodying on one hand the piercing might of the sun, and on the other the delicate embrace of the night.
  • Whilst the principles (and techniques) of each wing can be employed simultaneously through original thinking, the Forms themselves are created to resonate with a given physical form. If the martial artist is in the appropriate sex (or adopts a hermaphroditic shape somehow), and has a Form active, all Charms in the wing are enhanced with a Harmony bonus whilst these conditions remain.
  • At the culmination of the Style, the martial artist learns (as the founding couple did) to pass beyond conceptions of shape and gender, and to unite the two wings together into a transcendant whole. Until then, however, a practitioner cannot perfectly conceive and apply one half of the teachings - more ambitious adherents should make use of some gender-altering magic to apply themselves fully.

Charms

Smiling Across The Heavens

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Emotion
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • Whilst the forces of the Incarna struggles, in the mortal heavens as in the Games of Divinity, their eyes are not filled with hatred for one another; at their heart, they know that the conflict is the very source of their bond. The practitioners of Heavenly Union Style learn to adopt a lover's face, pardoning and inviting their foes even in the grittiest throes of combat. When they activate this Charm, they may add their attacker's Compassion to their DV.

Bonded Heart Revelation

  • Cost: None; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Across The Heavens
  • Expanding upon their understanding of the arts of love and war, the martial artist twines their emotions with those of their partner, to better complement their actions and to better share their jubilation. Whenever someone channels a Virtue in a roll (or defence) made against an Exalt with this Charm, the Exalt is immediately (and candidly) aware of it. They may spend 1 Willpower to channel the same Virtue of their own in response; this channel does not count against their maximum channels per story.

Thousand Leagues Understanding

  • Cost: None; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Bonded Heart Revelation
  • As the Incarna paint the entire sky with the vibrance of their union, so do practitioners learn to make use of their entire body. Every inch of skin, every proturberance and crevice is discovered anew, a source of rapturous enlightenment. Martial artists of Heavenly Union Style seem fluid and untroubled even amidst a swarm of foes, for they have a part of themselves for everyone. Exalts with this Charm have a new grapple option: Engage. This allows them to attempt a Hold on their existing grapple partner(s), whilst making a grapple attack on another person within range. If successful, they are treated as grappled also. Resolve control rolls between all present; the winner may take separate grapple actions against each person. The martial artist may have no more than their (Essence) partners at any given time, but may voluntarily release partners to take on new ones.

Radiant Shaft of Sunlight Form

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Thousand Leagues Understanding
  • The Exalt hones his might through one moment of balanced tension to the next, becoming expertly in command of how his strength flows. At each maneouvre, he focuses all of his strength into one point, able to pin his foes helpless even as the rest of his body is free to move. When grappling with an opponent, his DV suffers no penalty.
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in male shape, his natural weaponry is strong enough to rend through the toughest armour; his crush and unarmed attacks deal piercing damage.

Bowel-Loosening Surprise Assault

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Radiant Shaft of Sunlight Form
  • Such was the speed and severity of this maneouvre that victims would lose all control of themselves! Many who heard of this Charm assumed that this is what its name meant. Not so. This Charm supplements a grapple attempt made as an unexpected attack, adding the exalt's Martial Arts in automatic successes on the roll to establish surprise.
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in male shape and has Radiant Shaft of Sunlight Form active, he adds an automatic success to all rolls to determine control of the resultant grapple until it is broken. Grapples formed by other methods do not receive this benefit.

Dazzling Courtship Method

  • Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Emotion
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Radiant Shaft of Sunlight Form
  • The Unconquered Sun's conquest of the sky is a blinding assault, undeniable in its strength and majesty. Becoming as the Sun himself, the martial artist learns how to make his attacks like advances, laden with unbidden promise and overwhelming to those that do not see past his base intent. This Charm supplements any grapple attempt. The defender's DV against this attack cannot exceed their DMDV.
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in male shape and has Radiant Shaft of Sunlight Form active, his Charm is treated as an innate power instead, as with (Ability) Essence Flow.

Velvet Folds of Night Form

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Thousand Leagues Understanding
  • The Exalt performs a series of provocative katas, loosening her body into sinuous responsiveness. Like the night sky, she yields before brilliance; even as she appears to submit to her foes, she envelops them in her embrace, free to do with them as she pleases. When grappling with an opponent, her DV is not adjusted to 0, but instead suffers a -2 external penalty. She adds her Essence in automatic successes when determining control of a grapple. If she wins, her opponent still has control but cannot break the hold (either as a grapple action, or a special move).
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in female shape, she is able to exhaust her partner with overwhelming waves of scintillating energy. The damage of all her martial arts attacks that deal bashing damage (including crush maneouvres) is increased by her (Martial Arts).

Darkness's Indiscriminate Embrace

  • Cost:' 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Duration: Instant
  • Keywords: None
  • Prerequisite Charms: Velvet Folds of Night Form
  • The night sky cares not for what invades its domain – its limits are beyond mortal comprehension. Instead, it draws in all approachers until they are lost in its inky depths. Activated in response to a successful attack, this Charm allows the Exalt to make an immediate grapple counterattack. She may not use this Charm if she is already grappling her limit of attackers (typically her Essence, due to Thousand Leagues Understanding).
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in female shape and has Velvet Folds of Night Form active, she may activate this Charm in response to an unsuccessful attack also.

Sunlight's Shadowy Mirror

  • Cost: 2m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Velvet Folds of Night Form
  • Darkness envelops light, marking its every boundary and reflecting its every movement. The martial artist learns to emulate this darkness, complementing their partner's every move. Whenever she is the subject of an effect in a grapple (throws, crushes, or more esoteric effects such as Throat-Baring Hold), she may activate this Charm to apply that effect to her grappler.
  • Harmony bonus: If the Exalt is in female shape and has Velvet Folds of Night Form active, this Charm is treated as an innate power instead, as with (Ability) Essence Flow.

That's a wise answer to a tcriky question

House of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony

  • Just as the other kinds of Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted possess their own distinctive style of supernatural martial arts. Actually, they possess their own distinctive styles of martial arts, there are five such styles - one style for each caste of Sidereal. The Maiden of Endings, in her supernal excellence at understanding the destiny of martial arts, worked with each of her sisters to craft a style for each of their chosen and with her understanding of all things martial art created an art for her own chosen. Each set of chosen can learn their Maiden's style with no instruction, purely on understanding of their own Essence, and the Chosen of Endings, as those chosen to have a destiny fully tied to martial arts, can learn any of these five styles without instructions.
  • Of course, the Seers do not speak of any of these as a "Sidereal Hero Style" of supernatural martial arts. Instead, they call the Martial Arts Charms they received from each of their Maidens as the Style of her Astrological House, giving them the Golden Barque of Heavens Style, the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style, the Crimson Panoply of Victory Style, the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style, and the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style. The Sidereal believe these were the first of all supernatural martial arts, but often engage in lively debate about which may have been created first. The Chosen of Endings are often torn between claiming that theirs was created first as the Maiden of Endings is the supreme martial artist and claiming that theirs was created last in the most advanced form from the understanding granted by creating the prior.
  • The five styles of the Houses Sidereal are Celestial martial arts. Sidereal sifus could teach any of them to anyone who could learn such martial arts - most notably, other Celestial Exalted or Dragon-Blooded trained as Immaculate martial artists - but long ago the Five-Score Fellowship made moves to keep their secrets safe from spreading far from their rightful place with the Maidens' Chosen. The Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style of the Astrological Houses is known for producing martial artists who sweep through a room leaving calm in their path, many foes defeated but none recalling any specific violence. Its students master arts of persuasion as readily as they do the techniques of gentle combat.
  • Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with long bows, staves and wind-fire wheels (as well as all of their artifact versions) as unarmed attacks. These Charms do not function if the character wears armor.
  • Complementary Abilities: To make the most of this style practitioners constant study the arts of Integrity and Performance simultaneously to practicing the forms of this style. This makes for practice sessions that can be quite beautiful or quite confusing to outside observers who see the students sparring while singing and masters singing in confounding, disharmonious melodies to disrupt their students combat and mental equilibium.
  • This Style is one of the five Styles of the Houses Sidereal
  • The Charms of this Style are considered native for the Chosen of Venus, the Maiden of Serenity.

Serenity in Savagery Technique

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The character knows the calm of combat and the struggle of everyday living. The character has wrapped the threads of his fate in the strength of these opposing situations and is ready for any variation of them. He always pulls just away from the most savage of blows and happens to be hit by the cleanest portions of enemy weapons. This Charm doubles the character's unmodified dice pools to resist bleeding or infections caused by wounds and effects that would otherwise disfigure the character's appearance. The character's appearance automatically resists being disfigured by even Aggravated damage, although they can still be maimed by amputation and specific charms that cause disfigurement must be rolled against to resist.

Verve of Venus

  • Cost: 1 mote per action; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: Serenity in Savagery Technique
  • The Maiden of Serenity recognizes that conflict arrises in life, but chastens her followers to respond as gently as possible. While this Charm is active attacks by the character are made to look as peaceable as possible, not appearing as attacks at all but rather as gentle brushings or light touching of the victim, and the character can choose to inflict no actual health levels of damage on any attacks while still allowing other adverse effects. The target can suffer wound penalties, poisoning, contamination, and the powers available through certain Charms. Some effects use the number of health levels lost to determine their extent and, if the character using this charm chooses to do no actual health levels of damage, then these effects are calculated as if the damage done was zero. Each mote spent confers this benefit for one action, but the character cannot spend more motes than her Martial Arts rating.

Completion in Compassion Stance

  • Cost: 5+ motes; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Serenity in Savagery Technique
  • Those who emulate the Maiden of Serenity learn the benefit of using their Compassion as both a weapon and a shield throughout life. Whenever this Charm is active and the character channels his Compassion, the character rolls his Essence against a difficulty of that virtue and, if successful, does not use up a temporary willpower or a use of that virtue while still gaining the appropriate number of bonus dice from the channelling. If the character is in a Limit Break or Flawed Fate associated with this virtue, then roll Essence+Willpower against a difficulty of the virtue. This Charm costs 5 motes to activate for the scene, but when channeling his Compassion the character can reflexively (not counting as a Charm use for the action) gain bonus successes up to his Essence score on the roll for this Charm at a cost of 2 motes per success. The character must face true adversity in order to enjoy this Charm's benefits. If the character could easily succeed at his task without channelling his Compassion then this Charm does not affect the channelling.

Sanctum of the Serene Maiden

  • Cost: 2+ motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Serenity in Savagery Technique
  • Cerulean essence flares around the martial artist, giving him the fate of a wise sage and a monk at peace with his place in Creation. For the rest of the scene, the character can convert a number of dice into automatic successes as they serenely find their proper place in combat. Every two motes spent activating this charm converts one die of every Martial Arts roll into an automatic success, to a maximum of Essence dice converted. Only natural dice may be converted, not dice added by charms, hearthstones, artifacts, or other external devices. Additionally, the character is so at peace with his environment that he gains soak and hardness that is only effective against environmental effects in an amount of equal to motes spent on this charm . These bonuses only apply if the character does not wear armor (even if the character uses Charms that permits armor, such as from their Melee charm tree or the Earth Dragon Style of Martial Art described in Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon-Blooded, though so long as the character is not in armor they would receive these bonuses).

House of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Form

  • Cost: 6 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Verve of Venus, Completion in Compassion Stance, Sanctum of the Serene Maiden
  • With serene contentment, the character takes a stance emulating that of Venus herself when she makes her Sign over someone whose life is just reaching the equilibrium of peace. The character learns to make all facets of their expressiveness and their stoicism a part of their martial arts and vice versa. While he uses this Charm, the character adds his Performance score to his Martial Arts score for all purposes and adds his Integrity score to his Bashing and Lethal Soaks. Additionally, the character adds his Martial Arts score to his Performance and Integrity scores for all purposes, including Social Combat and Charm usage, for the remainder of the scene.

The Lovers Tangle and Part

  • Cost: 4 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Form
  • A talented lover knows all of their partners softest spots and how to press at them for the greatest effect. Upon the successful roll of at least one die of damage, the martial artist's player may reroll any damage dice that did not show successes, to a maximum of (Essence x 2) dice. Successes on that roll inflict damage as normal.

The Pillar is a Pedestal

  • Cost: 4 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Form
  • The martial artist at peace with himself, his surroundings, and his weapons can readily accept changes in any of these things. Once a martial artist activates this charm, he may use any weapon with his Martial Arts ability and his Martial Arts Charms, excluding any Charms with the Touch keyword. Additionally, the character can wield even the heaviest weapon in one hand. The Accuracy and Defense bonuses of the weapon are ignored - the weapon becomes too much an extension of the martial artist to benefit in those ways.

The Peacock Preens and Pecks

  • Cost: 4 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Form
  • The martial artist is too poised and too precise to allow an enemy within his bounds without being prepared. Using this charm a character can take an enemy's weapon and return it to them forthwith to show them the results of their ill manners. After an opponent attacks, with the perfect timing that only a Charm can provide, the martial artist counterattacks twice. First he performs a disarm counterattack on his attacker's weapon. Unlike usual attempts to disarm, this suffers no external penalty and adds two automatic successes to the attack roll. Second, if the disarming counterattack succeeds, the Exalt automatically makes one attack with that weapon against his attacker. If the weapon is one that the character cannot use with his Martial Arts ability, then he uses the lower of his Martial Arts or the most appropriate ability. After this attack the character can finish either holding the weapon, dropping it, or throwing it (Strength + Athletics) yards in any direction. A character can use this charm even if his hands are seemingly full, but if he wants to finish holding the weapon then he either needs a hand free or to reflexively drop or sheath something else he was holding. If this charm is used against a ranged attack then the disarm roll is applied against half the number of successes from the attack and making the counterattack requires that the character have an appropriate means of launching the projectile (i.e., the character only needs to have a hand to return a thrown weapon but to return an arrow launched at him requires having a bow on hand).

Master of the Flowing Defense

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 lethal health level or 1 aggravated health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fate, Obvious, Prayer Strip
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: The Lovers Tangle and Part, The Pillar is a Pedestal, The Peacock Preens and Pecks
  • The Seer has learned that the destructiveness of enemies is often just their misunderstood way of helping fate. With this Charm a character can redirect their enemy to the helpfulness they were surely striving for. Against any attack for the rest of the scene this charm can have one of two effects. A successful parry means the martial artist deflects the attack toward someone in the direction from which the attack came. Successfully dodging against an attack allows him to redirect the assault toward someone in the direction the attack was going. The new target must be within (Essence) yards.
  • Using a prayer strip is not necessary with this Charm, since it represents the culmination of a Celestial martial art, but a Sidereal who knows this Charm can augment it with a prayer strip (hence the use of the keyword). The character uses a strip on which is written the Scripture of the Peacefully Strumming Maiden, infusing the strip with Essence when he activates the Charm and affixes the prayer strip to herself so that it lays vertically across his waistline. When the character does this he exchanges the level of Lethal damage for a level of Aggravated damage while activating Master of the Flowing Defense. This charm acts as an augmentation to the Sidereal Dodge Charm Neighborhood Relocation Scheme. While the Prayer Strip for Master of the Flowing Defense is active the cost of Neighborhood Relocation Scheme is reduced to 11 motes plus 1 temporary willpower for it to modify this charm in several ways. The dodge charm allows the very landscape and destiny of location to be rearranged by the Seer. This cuts the number of successes an attacker has in half (round up) before being compared to this character's DV, although should the character's defense fail, the attack hits him as if the successes had not been halved. Additionally, parries and dodges that redirect attacks may do so in any direction and after any successful defense the character can choose to swap positions with his attacker.
  • Note: The prayer strip aspect of this Charm can only be used by Sidereals, or by Eclipse or Moonshadow Castes who learn Master of the Flowing Defense as a Sidereal Charm rather than as a supernatural martial arts Charm. This is part of the Sidereal Exaltation, not the training in Martial Arts and Essence control that underlies the other Charms of the style.

The Scripture of the Strumming Maiden

Once, there was a maiden...
...who kept a chaste lover locked high within a tower.
She kept him high and kept him locked and gazed up to him every day.
When she was in the mood to dance they would dance...
And when he was in the mood to weep they would weep...
But they did not suffer, for he knew her truth as well as he did his confinement;
"Love is never letting go," she said.

House of the Crimson Panoply of Victory

  • Just as the other kinds of Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted possess their own distinctive style of supernatural martial arts. Actually, they possess their own distinctive styles of martial arts, there are five such styles - one style for each caste of Sidereal. The Maiden of Endings, in her supernal excellence at understanding the destiny of martial arts, worked with each of her sisters to craft a style for each of their chosen and with her understanding of all things martial art created an art for her own chosen. Each set of chosen can learn their Maiden's style with no instruction, purely on understanding of their own Essence, and the Chosen of Endings, as those chosen to have a destiny fully tied to martial arts, can learn any of these five styles without instructions.
  • Of course, the Seers do not speak of any of these as a "Sidereal Hero Style" of supernatural martial arts. Instead, they call the Martial Arts Charms they received from each of their Maidens as the Style of her Astrological House, giving them the Golden Barque of Heavens Style, the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style, the Crimson Panoply of Victory Style, the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style, and the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style. The Sidereal believe these were the first of all supernatural martial arts, but often engage in lively debate about which may have been created first. The Chosen of Endings are often torn between claiming that theirs was created first as the Maiden of Endings is the supreme martial artist and claiming that theirs was created last in the most advanced form from the understanding granted by creating the prior.
  • The five styles of the Houses Sidereal are Celestial martial arts. Sidereal sifus could teach any of them to anyone who could learn such martial arts - most notably, other Celestial Exalted or Dragon-Blooded trained as Immaculate martial artists - but long ago the Five-Score Fellowship made moves to keep their secrets safe from spreading far from their rightful place with the Maidens' Chosen. The Crimson Panoply of Victory Style of the Astrological Houses is recognized as the forerunner in wartime martial arts. Its students dominate their foes with ferocious attacks timed with supernal military genius.
  • Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with spears, spread-the-water knives and wind-fire wheels (as well as all of their artifact versions) as unarmed attacks. This is the only one of the five Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal that is completely unrestricted from armor.
  • Complementary Abilities: The Crimson Panoply martial artists are often seen accepting savage blows with wooden clubs until their master gives a subtle signal and they spin into action knocking aside the club, disarming their opponent and turning the club back on them. Consequently, high Melee and Resistance abilities are useful to this art.
  • This Style is one of the five Styles of the Houses Sidereal
  • The Charms of this Style are considered native for the Chosen of Mars, the Maiden of Battles.

Battle in Balance Methodology

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • A savant of the Maiden of Battles must be prepared to attack at any time and from any direction with equal facility. Practictioners of this style have trained themselves to have equal skill on both sides of their body. Learning this charm removes the penalty to using a character's off-hand for any purpose (if merits and flaws are being used and a character with the Ambidexterity merit takes this charm, then its effects increase to removing one point of penalty from the first attack made with an offhand weapon in a flurry).

Fixation of Mars

  • Cost: 1 mote per tick; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) ticks
  • Prerequisite Charms: Battle in Balance Methodology
  • The followers of Mars recognize every attack as a battle to win and learn to internalize their focus on each one despite all distractions. While this Charm is active an Aim action can be extended, with increasing bonus dice, for a number of ticks equal to the character's Martial Arts rating and aiming can be flurried with non-attack actions. However, aborting to any action besides attacking her chosen foe causes an internal penalty equal to half the bonus dice accumulated (rounded up). Each mote spent confers this benefit for one tick, but the character cannot spend more motes than her Martial Arts rating and this charm must be maintained at its full costs until the character makes her attack on the chosen foe or the aiming pool of bonus dice drops back to three.

Victory in Valor Stance

  • Cost: 5+ motes; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Battle in Balance Methodology
  • Those who emulate the Maiden of Battles learn the benefit of bravery used to push past any obstacle. Whenever this Charm is active and the character channels her Valor, the character rolls her Essence against a difficulty of that virtue and, if successful, does not use up a temporary willpower or a use of that virtue while still gaining the appropriate number of bonus dice from the channelling. If the character is in a Limit Break or Flawed Fate associated with this virtue, then roll Essence+Willpower against a difficulty of the virtue. This Charm costs 5 motes to activate for the scene, but when channeling her Valor the character can reflexively (not counting as a Charm use for the action) gain bonus successes up to her Essence score on the roll for this Charm at a cost of 2 motes per success. The character must face true adversity in order to enjoy this Charm's benefits. If the character could easily succeed at her task without channelling her Valor then this Charm does not affect the channelling.

Fortification of the Final Maiden

  • Cost: 2+ motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Battle in Balance Methodology
  • Violet essence flares around the martial artist, giving her a fate of certainty and finality in combat that prevents her from being stopped before she has won her battle. Every two motes spent activating this charm adds one bonus -4 heath level to the character for the scene, to a maximum of the character's Essence in added health levels. Additionally, the character gains a number of bonus dice equal to motes spent that add to resisting knockdown, stunning, and unstable footing, which could otherwise slow the character from finishing her battle.

House of the Crimson Panoply of Victory Form

  • Cost: 6 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Fixation of Mars, Victory in Valor Stance, Fortification of the Final Maiden
  • With vigorous intent, the character takes a stance emulating that of Mars herself when she makes her Sign over someone about to enter the most brutal conflict of their life. While she uses this Charm, the character counts rolls of 10 on damage dice as two successes and can spend 1 mote reflexively in Step 7 to reduce the damage from any incoming attack by the character's Martial Arts score to a minimum of one (which may be reduced further by starmetal armoring effects). Additionally, the character can make lethal attacks and parry lethal attacks barehanded without a stunt.

Horrific Wreath (Alternative)

  • Cost: 2 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Holy, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Crimson Panoply of Victory Form
  • Crimson energy surrounds the character's hands, feet or weapon for a moment.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.
    • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 182.

Unobstructed Blow (Alternative)

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Crimson Panoply of Victory Form
  • The martial artist uses the fate of a strike unerring to attack his foe.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.
    • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 182.

Crimson Palm Counterstrike (Alternative)

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Crimson Panoply of Victory Form
  • The fate of any attack is retaliation and this charm brings that fate to the fore.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.
    • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 183.

Master of the Heraldric Array

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 lethal health level or 1 aggravated health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fate, Obvious, Prayer Strip
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Horrific Wreath, Unobstructed Blow, Crimson Palm Counterstrike
  • When a Seer uses this Charm, she gains a strength of unity so deeply with her troops and throughout her very soul that every attack she makes coordinates the attacks of those around her. With every attack the character makes she may make a free roll to Coordinate the attacks of those also attacking that same target on that tick. This roll replaces Charisma + War with Willpower and gains the character's Essence in automatic successes. So well unified is her soul that enemies always feel as if a circle of spears surrounds them. Whenever a character using this Charm makes an attack against an enemy then that foe is beset by up to the character's Essence in phantom attackers that Coordinate with the attack of the character. These phantom attackers do no health level damage, but cause momentary pain with their touch to push the enemy into a well coordinated position for the character to attack them. If the character is in melee with an enemy then as many of them as possible will fill any open spots around the target.
  • Using a prayer strip is not necessary with this Charm, since it represents the culmination of a Celestial martial art, but a Sidereal who knows this Charm can augment it with a prayer strip (hence the use of the keyword). The character uses a strip on which is written the Scripture of the Practicing Maiden, infusing the strip with Essence when she activates the Charm and letting the prayer strip hover beside herself. When the character does this she exchanges the level of Lethal damage for a level of Aggravated damage while activating Master of the Heraldric Array. This charm acts as an augmentation to the Sidereal Archery Charm 'Many Missiles Bow Technique. While the Prayer Strip for Master of the Heraldric Array is active the cost of Many Missiles Bow Technique is reduced to 8 motes plus 1 temporary willpower. This augmentation has three effects. It allows the character to apply the effects of Many Missiles Bow Technique to any sort of attack they make at the cost of 1 mote per tick of attacks, with non-projectile attacks momentarily taking on the fate of the phenomena before flickering back to usual at the end of the tick. It also allows the character to use Generalized Ammunition Technique to make any sort of weapon they can weild reflexively for 1 mote per tick they use that weapon. Lastly, it allows ammunition and weapons made from Generalized Ammunition Technique to be used with the transformations of Many Missiles Bow Technique.
  • Note: The prayer strip aspect of this Charm can only be used by Sidereals, or by Eclipse or Moonshadow Castes who learn Master of the Heraldric Array as a Sidereal Charm rather than as a supernatural martial arts Charm. This is part of the Sidereal Exaltation, not the training in Martial Arts and Essence control that underlies the other Charms of the style.

The Scripture of the Practicing Maiden

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was as strong as fate...
...who was as tall as mountains...
...who was as wide as the West...
...who ate five meals of five courses every day.
"Survival is repetition," she said.

House of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy

  • Just as the other kinds of Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted possess their own distinctive style of supernatural martial arts. Actually, they possess their own distinctive styles of martial arts, there are five such styles - one style for each caste of Sidereal. The Maiden of Endings, in her supernal excellence at understanding the destiny of martial arts, worked with each of her sisters to craft a style for each of their chosen and with her understanding of all things martial art created an art for her own chosen. Each set of chosen can learn their Maiden's style with no instruction, purely on understanding of their own Essence, and the Chosen of Endings, as those chosen to have a destiny fully tied to martial arts, can learn any of these five styles without instructions.
  • Of course, the Seers do not speak of any of these as a "Sidereal Hero Style" of supernatural martial arts. Instead, they call the Martial Arts Charms they received from each of their Maidens as the Style of her Astrological House, giving them the Golden Barque of Heavens Style, the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style, the Crimson Panoply of Victory Style, the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style, and the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style. The Sidereal believe these were the first of all supernatural martial arts, but often engage in lively debate about which may have been created first. The Chosen of Endings are often torn between claiming that theirs was created first as the Maiden of Endings is the supreme martial artist and claiming that theirs was created last in the most advanced form from the understanding granted by creating the prior.
  • The five styles of the Houses Sidereal are Celestial martial arts. Sidereal sifus could teach any of them to anyone who could learn such martial arts - most notably, other Celestial Exalted or Dragon-Blooded trained as Immaculate martial artists - but long ago the Five-Score Fellowship made moves to keep their secrets safe from spreading far from their rightful place with the Maidens' Chosen. The Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style of the Astrological Houses produces students that know just when to appear and which target is the lynch pin to their opponents plans. Its students are known for their guile and their ability to take on a multitude of opponents simultaneously to focusing on their true target.
  • Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with natural weapon enhancers (cesti, fighting gauntlets, iron boots, and razor harnesses), seven-section staves and wind-fire wheels (as well as all of their artifact versions) as unarmed attacks. These Charms do not function if the character wears armor.
  • Complementary Abilities: This style is based thoroughly enough in the concept of Secrets that a high Stealth ability is recognizably essential to the full and potent practice of the style. Knowledgeable practicitioners, with high Lore abilities, often seem to leave the most terrifying impression on their foes as they find the most useful piece of information to bring to bear just in time to lock their opponents down.
  • This Style is one of the five Styles of the Houses Sidereal
  • The Charms of this Style are considered native for the Chosen of Jupiter, the Maiden of Secrets.

Ending of Precipitous Strife

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The character trains herself to sense the secret yearnings of combat. She reacts twice as quickly to surprises as an opponent expects as if her destiny could not be waylaid by such simple ruses. This Charm doubles the character's unmodified dice pool to recognize concealed attacks.

Embrace of Jupiter

  • Cost: 1 mote per action; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: Ending of Precipitous Strife
  • Knowledge is at its most powerful when it is held tightly in secret, at least this is the view of the Maiden of Secrets and is seen readily in the Martial Art that emulates her understanding. While this Charm is active a character can maintain a previously made clinch on an opponent even after letting go. Paying for this charm forces the opponent to remain held and inactive for up to (Martial Arts) extra actions. The attacker cannot crush or throw her victim using this Charm. The victim can attempt to break free normally each action as if the attacker were maintaining a grapple with the original number of successes. The character can only hold one opponent with this charm at any one time. Each mote spent confers this benefit for one action, but the character cannot spend more motes than her Martial Arts rating.

Transcendence in Temperance Stance

  • Cost: 5+ motes; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Ending of Precipitous Strife
  • Those who emulate the Maiden of Secrets learn the benefit of tempering their actions to become an unforseen complication to their enemies. Whenever this Charm is active and the character channels her Temperance, the character rolls her Essence against a difficulty of that virtue and, if successful, does not use up a temporary willpower or a use of that virtue while still gaining the appropriate number of bonus dice from the channelling. If the character is in a Limit Break or Flawed Fate associated with this virtue, then roll Essence+Willpower against a difficulty of the virtue. This Charm costs 5 motes to activate for the scene, but when channeling her Temperance the character can reflexively (not counting as a Charm use for the action) gain bonus successes up to her Essence score on the roll for this Charm at a cost of 2 motes per success. The character must face true adversity in order to enjoy this Charm's benefits. If the character could easily succeed at her task without channelling her Temperance then this Charm does not affect the channelling.

Shroud of the Secret Maiden

  • Cost: 2+ motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Ending of Precipitous Strife
  • Emerald essence glimmers around the martial artist as she fades into obscurity, giving her the fate of a secret to terrible to behold. For the rest of the scene, miscellaneous actions to reestablish surprise lose their associated DV penalty and when flurried with an attack the multiaction penalties are 1 less than usual. Additionally, every two motes spent activating this charm adds one success to all attempts to use Stealth and to detect the use of Stealth by others, to a maximum of Essence sucesses added. These bonuses only apply if the character does not wear armor (even if the character uses Charms that permits armor, such as from their Melee charm tree or the Earth Dragon Style of Martial Art described in Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon-Blooded, though so long as the character is not in armor they would receive these bonuses).

House of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Form

  • Cost: 6 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Embrace of Jupiter, Transcendence in Temperance Stance, Shroud of the Secret Maiden
  • With contemplative grace, the character takes a stance emulating that of Jupiter herself when she makes her Sign over a secret newly discovered and then hidden away. The character learns to read the subtle nuances of every gesture a foe makes and to make this understanding flow directly into instinctual actions in combat. While she uses this Charm, the character can automatically make a clinch counterattack against any foe she successfully defends herself against in hand-to-hand combat and all foes that attempt to clinch her or take control of her grapple on them are forced to use the lower of their Dexterity or Strength to make their grapple check. Additionally, the character makes all grappling clinch attacks and inactive actions she is forced into by foes' successful clinches one tick faster than usual.

The Shadow Behind the Mask

  • Cost: 1 or 2 motes per object; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Form
  • A master of secrets must have a place that is wholly his own and hidden from all others. The emulators of Jupiter must learn to carve a hiding space from a piece of his own soul and thereby keep their most dangerous and powerful secrets in reserve. This charm allows the martial artist to secretly hide up to their Martial Arts score in objects in Elsewhere. It costs 2 motes to activate this charm and place an object in Elsewhere, but only 1 mote and a reflexive action to bring them back into their hand or on their person. Objects sent away return to exactly the position they were in before leaving allowing for several useful ways of representing the secret that was hidden.
  • (Examples: Yozi Crushing Yentu wants to slip through several identities in an afternoon so he first puts on a monk's robe before sending it to Elsewhere, then puts on a guard's lamellar armor before sending it away, and finally puts on the clothing of a Dragon Blooded courtier before sending it away; now any of these can be recalled and YCY will be wearing them just as before. YCY also wants to get into the good graces of a certain king and he knows that assassins are going to shower the king's envoy with arrows later this week (YCY hired them), so he takes an arrow and shoves it into a non-vital spot on his body before sending it Elsewhere; now as the arrow storm starts and he leaps in front of the king he can recall the bloodied arrow to have a realistic wound without worrying about it hitting something important!)

The Door Behind the Key

  • Cost: 4 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Form
  • One cannot know secrets without knowing what is well known and a master of secrets knows full well all that is occuring around them. When the character is involved in a grapple, she can use this Charm to swing her partner around and into the way of an incoming blow. The partner can use their full PDV against the attack, but if the attack is successful then the raw damage is split evenly between the two grappling characters in Step 7, before applying soak.

The Fist Behind the Guardian

  • Cost: 4 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Form
  • The essence of a secret is that it is something that has truly happened, but that no one knows about. Masters of this style learn to make their attacks as secrets from all. This charm allows the character to launch a single undetectable attack. If the character uses a weapon they could unsheath, strike and then sheath again without any noticing. Unless the target has a magical means of detecting unexpected attacks, this attack automatically counts as unexpected. If the target does have such means then a normal Dexterity + Stealth versus the target's Wits + Awareness is rolled with the user of this charm gaining their Essence in automatic successes and the target gaining any appropriate bonuses from their attack detecting charm.

Master of the Shining Darkness

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 lethal health level or 1 agravated health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fate, Obvious, Prayer Strip
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: The Shadow Behind the Mask, The Door Behind the Key, The Fist Behind the Guardian
  • Masters of the Style of Secrets become a sort-of balance point to the universe; for every action there is a reaction, for every point there is a counter-point, for every known thing there is a secret. With this charm a martial artist has moved beyond the grapple of bodies to grappling the very truth of their opponents existance. Every successful clinch attack against a foe banishes that foe to Elsewhere. A foe grappled into Elsewhere can be acted on with a Crush or a Hold as preferred by the martial artist, but the enemy is gone from the battle field and the martial artist is not restricted at all from defending herself from other attackers. The martial artist may flurry her actions to make further grapple Crush attacks against Elsewhere held opponents (as well as act on other enemies), but otherwise they are kept in a Hold trying to break the grapple against the number of successes that originally trapped them. If the foe should surpass the martial artist's number of successes on the grapple crush attacks used against them or the original number of successes holding them, if they are only being held, then they break free of Elsewhere to fall prone on the ground next to the martial artist. Foes that do not break free can either be released at the martial artist's leisure (as crushed corpses or hopefully subdued foes) or when the charm ends, whichever comes sooner. The character may hold up to (Essence) foes trapped in Elsewhere with this charm. In addition, while this charm is active the character automatically adds (Essence) successes to grapple checks and damage rolls from grappling.
  • Using a prayer strip is not necessary with this Charm, since it represents the culmination of a Celestial martial art, but a Sidereal who knows this Charm can augment it with a prayer strip (hence the use of the keyword). The character uses a strip on which is written the Scripture of the Observing Maiden, infusing the strip with Essence when she activates the Charm and affixes the prayer strip to her own hand. When the character does this she exchanges the level of Lethal damage for a level of Aggravated damage while activating Master of the Shining Darkness. This charm acts as an augmentation to the Sidereal Lore Charm Transcendent Hatchet of Fate. While the Prayer Strip for Master of the Shining Darkness is active the cost of Trancendent Hatchet of Fate is reduced to 12 motes plus 1 temporary willpower and changes its type to Reflexive when used against foes who has been grappled into Elsewhere. This synergy also removes the limit on how many foes can be held in Elsewhere.
  • Note: The prayer strip aspect of this Charm can only be used by Sidereals, or by Eclipse or Moonshadow Castes who learn Master of the Shining Darkness as a Sidereal Charm rather than as a supernatural martial arts Charm. This is part of the Sidereal Exaltation, not the training in Martial Arts and Essence control that underlies the other Charms of the style.

The Scripture of the Observing Maiden

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was born to great destiny, "Rulership of all or understanding of all," was proclaimed by the astrologers.
To gain her the rulership of all, her parents shielded her from all the worries of the world.
She knew no poverty, no plague, no death, no unhappiness...  But she slipped from her home to learn.
She saw the poor and was worried, the diseased and became frightened, the dying and felt dead inside.
Then she saw a man concentrating on his sutras, neither demeaned nor ill, but content; a scholar.
"To know the world is to see it truly," she said.

House of the Golden Barque of the Heavens

  • Just as the other kinds of Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted possess their own distinctive style of supernatural martial arts. Actually, they possess their own distinctive styles of martial arts, there are five such styles - one style for each caste of Sidereal. The Maiden of Endings, in her supernal excellence at understanding the destiny of martial arts, worked with each of her sisters to craft a style for each of their chosen and with her understanding of all things martial art created an art for her own chosen. Each set of chosen can learn their Maiden's style with no instruction, purely on understanding of their own Essence, and the Chosen of Endings, as those chosen to have a destiny fully tied to martial arts, can learn any of these five styles without instructions.
  • Of course, the Seers do not speak of any of these as a "Sidereal Hero Style" of supernatural martial arts. Instead, they call the Martial Arts Charms they received from each of their Maidens as the Style of her Astrological House, giving them the Golden Barque of Heavens Style, the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style, the Crimson Panoply of Victory Style, the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style, and the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style. The Sidereal believe these were the first of all supernatural martial arts, but often engage in lively debate about which may have been created first. The Chosen of Endings are often torn between claiming that theirs was created first as the Maiden of Endings is the supreme martial artist and claiming that theirs was created last in the most advanced form from the understanding granted by creating the prior.
  • The five styles of the Houses Sidereal are Celestial martial arts. Sidereal sifus could teach any of them to anyone who could learn such martial arts - most notably, other Celestial Exalted or Dragon-Blooded trained as Immaculate martial artists - but long ago the Five-Score Fellowship made moves to keep their secrets safe from spreading far from their rightful place with the Maidens' Chosen. The Golden Barque of the Heavens Style of the Astrological Houses is well known for its emphasis on movement as the key to both defense and offense. Its students take control of a battlefield by being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.
  • Weapons and Armor: Charms of this style treat attacks with knives, war boomerangs and wind-fire wheels (as well as all of their artifact versions) as unarmed attacks. These Charms do not function if the character wears armor.
  • Complementary Abilities: Practicioners of this style find that having high Athletics and Ride abilities are often quite useful to this continually moving and flowing style of combat.
  • This Style is one of the five Styles of the Houses Sidereal
  • The Charms of this Style are considered native for the Chosen of Mercury, the Maiden of Journey.

Journey of Forever in One Step

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The fate threads of battle are tread upon lightly, but with assurity, by the practitioner of the Golden Barque of the Heavens Style. In fact, any movement they make is done so more swiftly then opponents can account for. The character adds his Martial Arts score to any calculation of combat movement (ie. a standard Move is Dexterity+Martial Arts in yards, a Dash is Dexterity+6+Martial Arts in yards). This Charm also enhances movement by personal mounts and vehicles the character directly controls.

Dash of Saturn

  • Cost: 1 mote per action; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: Journey of Forever in One Step
  • The Seer has learned to blend continuous motion and his great speed with every moment of combat. While this Charm is active a Dash is a (2/-1) action and any flurry that includes Dashing has its multiaction penalties decreased by 1. Each mote spent confers this benefit for one action, but the character cannot spend more motes than her Martial Arts rating.

Campaign in Conviction Stance

  • Cost: 5+ motes; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Journey of Forever in One Step
  • Those who emulate the Maiden of Journeys learn the benefit of picking the path of their actions and then travelling down them to their sure conclusion. Whenever this Charm is active and the character channels his Conviction, the character rolls his Essence against a difficulty of that virtue and, if successful, does not use up a temporary willpower or a use of that virtue while still gaining the appropriate number of bonus dice from the channelling. If the character is in a Limit Break or Flawed Fate associated with this virtue, then roll Essence+Willpower against a difficulty of the virtue. This Charm costs 5 motes to activate for the scene, but when channeling his Conviction the character can reflexively (not counting as a Charm use for the action) gain bonus successes up to her Essence score on the roll for this Charm at a cost of 2 motes per success. The character must face true adversity in order to enjoy this Charm's benefits. If the character could easily succeed at his task without channelling his Conviction then this Charm does not affect the channelling.

Jaunt of the Journeying Maiden

  • Cost: 2+ motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Journey of Forever in One Step
  • Saffron essence flares around the martial artist, giving him the fate of a wanderer with an unerring sense of direction through battle. For the rest of the scene, the character can ignore a number of penalties. Every two motes spent activating this charm removes one point of penalty from the character's actions in a single tick, first removing external penalties and then internal penalties with multiaction penalties removed last. Multiaction penalties ignored are spread as evenly as possible across the character's actions (if a character with 8 motes invested in this charm had no other penalties to account for flurried two attacks then both would lose 2 points of multiaction penalty, if the character flurried three attacks then each would lose 1 point of penalty except one attack that lost 2). The maximum number of penalty points that can be ignored is equal to the character's Essence. Additionally, the character is never fatigued by battle or travel while this charm is active. These bonuses only apply if the character does not wear armor (even if the character uses Charms that permits armor, such as from their Melee charm tree or the Earth Dragon Style of Martial Art described in Manual of Exalted Power - The Dragon-Blooded, though so long as the character is not in armor they would receive these bonuses).

House of the Golden Barque of the Heavens Form

  • Cost: 6 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Dash of Saturn, Campaign in Conviction Stance, Jaunt of the Journeying Maiden
  • With gleeful anticipation, the character takes a stance emulating that of Mercury herself when she makes her Sign over a long journey to be swiftly travelled. While he uses this Charm, the character's actions all have their speed decreased by 1 (to a minimum of Speed 2 on any action) and any Dash actions are increased by +4 yards per tick. Additionally, while this Charm is active, uses of Dash of Saturn are enhanced to make Dashes (1/-1) actions.

Spokes of the Ship's Wheel

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Golden Barque of the Heavens Form
  • No fortress or armor is impenetrable and if one can take the time to study it then its gaps seem as wide as the spokes on a ship's wheel. Take the time or be fast enough to attempt all possibilities at once. Master's of this charm learn to attack in such a blur that they touch every side of an opponent at once, but they only push through with force when they feel empty defenses. By using this Charm, the martial artist enables a single martial arts attack to slide right past an opponents defenses. The attack is treated as piercing and if it would have been piercing from some other source (such as another charm or using a piercing weapon) then the attack ignores armor altogether.

Lightning Crashes Against the Mast

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Golden Barque of the Heavens Form
  • The martial artist has learned to bounce their footsteps through the fatestrings of creation in such a way that each step launches them further along their path than any mortal eye can keep up with. They use the mighty speed this produces to devastating effect in battle. When this charm is used a character can enhance their defenses and their offenses. When used against an incoming attack the character can add his Martial Arts score to the DDV calculation because of his blinding speed and at the end of the tick he can be standing anywhere within five times his normal move distance away from his starting point. When used to enhance an attack the character can move up to five times his normal move distance on the tick of the attack, adds (Martial Arts + Essence) to the raw damage, and adds (Essence) to the minimum damage of the attack because of the amazing momentum built up. The character must move at least 5 yards to make use of this charm, if it is used in a flurry of attacks then the character must move at least 5 yards before each attack he wishes to apply it to. Movement can be to any end point they can see that is on a solid position to stand and does not have an immobile barrier in the way (the character could jump to the roof of a building, run across a river, or smash through a window into a house, but couldn't suddenly be in the hearthstone room of a manse unless they could see an open doorway to it).

Weapons Obey the Captain

  • Cost: 7 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Extra Action
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: House of the Golden Barque of the Heavens Form
  • The masters of this style learn to command the essence of the journey in all of their actions. They can command their weapons, be it fist or war boomerang or any other at their disposal, to be at several points on the journey of an attack simultaneously. This charm allows the character to make a single attack roll that is applied against up to Essence enemies within range of the attack, which is only immediate foes for a fist but can be quite far with a Skycutter. Targets apply their DVs individually as normal. The martial artist counts the extra successes from his attack twice when adding them to his raw damage total, and he rolls damage seperately against each target (based on how well their DVs defended them).

Master of the Serpentine Pathway

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 lethal health level or 1 aggravated health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fate, Obvious, Prayer Strip
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Spokes of the Ship's Wheel, Lightning Crashes Against the Mast, Weapons Obey the Captain
  • Masters of this style achieve a perfect balance between the reality of the journey they walk through life and the metaphor of the journey they walk as a martial artist. With this charm the martial artist opens himself to the Blessing of the Maiden of Journeys into a form fitting a master of movement and combat; the form of a dragon. The form does not match that of any type of Elemental Dragon and gods that see this form often avert their eyes only willing to call it a Lesser Celestial Dragon and that with much pressure. The Dragon has glistening starlight like a moonless sky across its form, with highlighting ripples of yellow essence (or for Sidereals the color of their anima tinted with yellow if not Chosen of Journeys) trailing each star as the Dragon moves. The martial artist's Dragon form is typically not as large as even the Lesser Elemental Dragons, but they are covered in thick scales, have a jaw filled with rows of teeth, and have very developed prehensile hands - ready to carry weapons built for humans and yet still ending in adamant-hard claws. The character's Physical Attributes become equal to (Essence+2), she develops armored scaling equal to Soak +12B/+16L/+16A with Hardness 10, her bite is a weapon with Speed 6, Acc+0, Dam+7L, Def -, Rate 1, each clawed hand becomes a weapon with Speed 5, Acc+0, Dam+3L, Def+0, Rate 2, and she develops the Creation-Spanning Flight ability allowing her to fly at 500 mph (combat Move of 240 yards per tick) and swim at 200 mph (combat Move of 100 yards per tick).
  • Using a prayer strip is not necessary with this Charm, since it represents the culmination of a Celestial martial art, but a Sidereal who knows this Charm can augment it with a prayer strip (hence the use of the keyword). The character uses a strip on which is written the Scripture of the Rambling Maiden, infusing the strip with Essence when she activates the Charm and affixes the prayer strip to her own hand. When the character does this she exchanges the level of Lethal damage for a level of Aggravated damage while activating Master of the Serpentine Pathway. This charm acts as an augmentation to the Sidereal Ride Charm Riding The Dragon. While the Prayer Strip for Master of the Serpentine Pathway is active the cost of Riding The Dragon is reduced to 15 motes plus 1 temporary willpower and at the end of that Charm's duration the Lesser Elemental Dragon changes back into the person, animal or minor god it once was without being burnt out by the charm's use. The character's acquaintance or familiar maintains its intelligence, though also recalls the torturous process of being forced into the form of a Lesser Elemental Dragon and an equally painful reversal.
  • Note: The prayer strip aspect of this Charm can only be used by Sidereals, or by Eclipse or Moonshadow Castes who learn Master of the Serpentine Pathway as a Sidereal Charm rather than as a supernatural martial arts Charm. This is part of the Sidereal Exaltation, not the training in Martial Arts and Essence control that underlies the other Charms of the style.

The Scripture of the Rambling Maiden

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was fond of bright lights...
...who was a seeker of far sights...
...who once heard a lullaby used to wake the dead...
...who once bought a house just to rest her head...
The maiden said, "It is not just...  Oooh!  Butterflies!"

House of the Violet Bier of Sorrows

  • Just as the other kinds of Exalted, the Sidereal Exalted possess their own distinctive style of supernatural martial arts. Actually, they possess their own distinctive styles of martial arts, there are five such styles - one style for each caste of Sidereal. The Maiden of Endings, in her supernal excellence at understanding the destiny of martial arts, worked with each of her sisters to craft a style for each of their chosen and with her understanding of all things martial art created an art for her own chosen. Each set of chosen can learn their Maiden's style with no instruction, purely on understanding of their own Essence, and the Chosen of Endings, as those chosen to have a destiny fully tied to martial arts, can learn any of these five styles without instructions.
  • Of course, the Seers do not speak of any of these as a "Sidereal Hero Style" of supernatural martial arts. Instead, they call the Martial Arts Charms they received from each of their Maidens as the Style of her Astrological House, giving them the Golden Barque of Heavens Style, the Cerulean Lute of Harmony Style, the Crimson Panoply of Victory Style, the Forbidding Manse of Ivy Style, and the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style. The Sidereal believe these were the first of all supernatural martial arts, but often engage in lively debate about which may have been created first. The Chosen of Endings are often torn between claiming that theirs was created first as the Maiden of Endings is the supreme martial artist and claiming that theirs was created last in the most advanced form from the understanding granted by creating the prior.
  • The five styles of the Houses Sidereal are Celestial martial arts. Sidereal sifus could teach any of them to anyone who could learn such martial arts - most notably, other Celestial Exalted or Dragon-Blooded trained as Immaculate martial artists - but long ago the Five-Score Fellowship made moves to keep their secrets safe from spreading far from their rightful place with the Maidens' Chosen. The Violet Bier of Sorrows Style of the Astrological Houses is dedicated to honing the instincts of its practitioners, that they may know the proper instance of their opponents death and their own graceful parting. Its students are known to be relentless and remorseless, yet also for their compassion and dedication to preserving that which is not yet meant to end. This version of the Violet Bier of Sorrows style is meant to replace the version seen in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals to better fit with the other martial arts of the Astrological Houses.
  • This Style is one of the five Styles of the Houses Sidereal
  • The Charms of this Style are considered native for the Chosen of Saturn, the Maiden of Endings.

Secrets of Future Strife

  • Cost: ––; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The character is ready for combat at the slightest indications of fate.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 180.

Flight of Mercury

  • Cost: 1 mote per action; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
  • The martial artist can move as swiftly as an ending already completed.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 181.

Joy in Adversity Stance

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
  • The martial artist becomes an engine of essence in the face of her opponents defeat.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 182.

Blade of the Battle Maiden (Alternative)

  • Cost: 2+ motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Secrets of Future Strife
  • Scarlet essence flares around the martial artist, giving her the fate of an armed and armored warrior. For the rest of the scene, the character's Martial Arts attacks (including clinches) inflict lethal damage. The character can also parry lethal damage from physical attacks (including ranged attacks) without using a weapon or stunt. What's more, every two motes spent on this charm adds one die to the damage roll of every unarmed Martial Arts attack the character makes and adds one level to the character's soak (both lethal and bashing), adding a maximum of the character's Essence to both. This soak bonus acts like armor in all respects, except that it does not interfere with the use of Martial Arts Charms. Attacks that ignore armor ignore this soak, although aggravated damage does not. These bonuses only apply to unarmed Martial Arts attacks and only if the character does not wear armor (even if the character uses Martial Arts Charms from a style that permits armor, such as the Earth Dragon Style described in Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon-Blooded, though so long as that character is not in armor they would receive both the armor bonus and would receive the damage bonus with both fists and grand goremauls as those both count as unarmed for Earth Dragon Style).

Violet Bier of Sorrows Form

  • Cost: 6 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Flight of Mercury, Joy in Adversity Stance, Blade of the Battle Maiden
  • The martial artist takes on the very persona of Endings herself.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 182.

Death-Parrying Stroke

  • Cost: 2 motes per health level; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Violet Bier of Sorrows Form
  • The martial artist finds the fate of surviving a blow as easy to grasp as the fate of swinging one.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 182.

Metal Storm (Alternative)

  • Cost: 3 motes per attack; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Extra Action
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Violet Bier of Sorrows Form
  • The martial artist brings their foe to a fate of Ending in but a mere moment of fury.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 183.

Life-Severing Blow (Alternative)

  • Cost: 2 motes per health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Violet Bier of Sorrows Form
  • The martial artist can make a blow as deadly as her preference in bringing a foe to a proper Ending.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.
  • Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 183.

Conclusion-Pursuing Approach (Alternative)

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 lethal health level; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fate, Obvious, Prayer Strip
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Death-Parrying Stroke, Metal Storm (Alternative), Life-Severing Blow (Alternative)
  • The martial artist not only takes on an aspect of Endings but the entirety of its inevitability.
    • Other than the above changes, this charm is as written in Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.

Source: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 184.

The Scripture of the Expectant Maiden

  • This scripture is as printed on page 184 of Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals.

Glorious Blade

The martial artist understands that sometimes, what is needed is not subtlety or gentleness, but the knowledge of the largest and sharpest of weapons. Utilising this understanding, she takes up the study of the heaviest of swords. This Style treats attacks with Great Swords, and their artifact equivalent, the Grand Daiklaves, as unarmed. All forms of armour are compatible with this Style.

Rhythm-Breaking Brutality

  • Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: None
  • One brutal blow can disrupt the flow of an enemy's attacks. This Charm supplements an attack that is not part of a flurry. If the opponent uses his Parry DV or a perfect parry, reduce the Rate of the weapon he used to parry by the number of base successes rolled on this attack, with a cap of your Essence, and to a minimum rate of 1. This reduced rate lasts until the end of the target's next action.

Immense Weapon Deflection

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: None
  • The martial artist can use the great size of his weapon of choice to tremendous effect. If he successfully parries an attack, he automatically successfully parries a number of additional attacks in the same flurry or onslaught equal to the Rate of his weapon, so long as he is capable of blocking the attacks at all.

Swordmaster's Imperious Grasp

  • Cost: 7m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: None
  • Even unarmed, a master of the great blades cannot be defeated by fools who would use their weapon of choice against them. When attacked with a form weapon of this Style while his hands are empty, he may make a counterattack. If this counterattack has any successes, he may make an opposed Strength roll, with a number of automatic successes equal to his permanent Essence (and his opponent receiving bonus dice equal to the accuracy of his weapon). If the martial artist wins this opposed roll, he disarms his opponent and now has the weapon in hand. By committing the Essence of this Charm AND an additional amount equal to the commitment cost of the weapon, he may act as if he is attuned to it for the remainder of the scene. The martial artist may explicitly employ this charm while wearing fighting gauntlets or smashfists.

Glorious Blade Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prereqs: Rhythm-Breaking Brutality, Immense Weapon Deflection, Swordmaster's Imperious Grasp
  • The student of the Glorious Blade is highly accurate with her chosen weapons. While this Charm is active, she reduces multiple action penalties on attacks with form weapons by 4. This does not stack with any benefits from Extra Action Charms.

Furious Sword Mudra

  • Cost: 1m per attack; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: Glorious Blade Form
  • In time, the martial artist comes to understand that anger is a powerful tool in the hands of those who know how to wield it. When she flurries, she doubles the onslaught penalty to her opponents' DV for each attack she enhances with this charm.

Battlefury Attack Prana

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: Furious Sword Mudra
  • The martial artist is mistress of her rage. She channels it into her attacks. This Charm increases the damage dealt by a successful attack by three dice prior to soak.

Effortless Onslaught

  • Cost: 3m per -1; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Stackable, Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: Glorious Blade Form
  • The Glorious Blade Stylist attacks quickly and without effort. To mortal onlookers, she appears to move as the wind. Every 3 motes spent on this Charm allows the Glorious Blade Stylist to reduce the Speed of an attack utilising a form weapon by 1, to a minimum of Speed 3.

Blade Like Lightning Kata

  • Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Extra Action
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prereqs: Effortless Onslaught
  • The martial artist attacks like lightning. When she activates this Charm, she makes (Rate)*3 attacks.

Sword As Feather Meditation

  • Cost: -- ; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords:
  • Duration: N/A
  • Prereqs: Glorious Blade Form
  • To the martial artist, even the heaviest of swords are as light as a feather. The student of the Glorious Blade can spend an extra 4 motes when activating Glorious Blade Form to increase the Accuracy of all form weapons by 1.

Fame of the Honourable Blademaster

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Compulsion
  • Duration: Scene
  • Prereqs: Glorious Blade Form
  • The Fame of the Blademaster is such that dishonourable opponents fear to face him. Those who have commited evil deeds cower in his presence. Anyone attacking the Blademaster suffers the Blademaster's Essence in internal penalties. This costs 1wp to ignore.

Infinite Understanding of the Glorious Blade (Pinnacle)

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prereqs: Battlefury Attack Prana, Blade Like Lightning Kata, Sword As Feather Meditation, Fame of the Honourable Blademaster
  • The master of the Glorious Blade can make many attacks at a speed which would leave any mere mortal dazzled. While this Charm is active, she increases the rate of any weapon she uses by 2.

Panoply of the Maiden of Battles

PotMoB Style.png
  • This style can be learned natively by Chosen of Battles using the Loom 2.0 charmset; however, as normal, they cannot create expansion charms for it. Its form weapons are the slashing sword and the spear, and their artifact equivalents the reaper daiklave and the dire lance. It allows the use of shields and all types of armor without restriction.
  • New Keyword:
  • Panoply: Charms with this keyword may be activated as part of the same action as the Panoply of the Maiden of Battles Form. When activated in this way, their mote costs are halved.

Awareness of the Battle Maiden

  • Cost: --; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The red eyes of Mars and her Chosen see all conflicts as they grow, and so are swift to act when the time comes. The Stylist's dicepool for Join Battle, Join Debate, and Join War actions is doubled in size.

Lance of the Battle Maiden

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Panoply, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Awareness of the Battle Maiden
  • Committing the mote cost of this charm summons a spear of red light with the stats of a Dire Lance made of a magical material appropriate to the user's Exaltation.
  • In Mass Combat, a red glow limns the weapons of the Stylist's soldiers, increasing a complementary unit's Close Combat Damage rating by the Stylist's Essence.

Shield of the Battle Maiden

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Panoply, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Awareness of the Battle Maiden
  • Committing the mote cost of this charm summons a round target shield of red light with the stats of a Thunderbolt Shield (Oadenol's Codex, p. 35) made of a magical material appropriate to the user's Exaltation.
  • In Mass Combat, a red glow limns the armor and shields of the Stylist's soldiers, increasing a complementary unit's bashing and lethal soak (as provided by its Armor rating) by the Stylist's Essence.

Sword of the Battle Maiden

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Panoply, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Awareness of the Battle Maiden
  • Committing the mote cost of this charm summons a sword of red light with the stats of a Reaper Daiklave made of a magical material appropriate to the user's Exaltation.
  • In Mass Combat, a red glow limns the weapons of the Stylist's soldiers, increasing a complementary unit's Close Combat Attack rating by the Stylist's Essence.

Guise of the General Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious, Panoply, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Lance of the Battle Maiden, Shield of the Battle Maiden, Sword of the Battle Maiden
  • With this form active, the Vizier's dicecap for taking martial actions is increased by his Martial Arts rating. Martial actions always include those based on Archery, Martial Arts, Melee, War, or Thrown, but other abilities can be included under this Charm's effect with an appropriate stunt.
  • In Mass Combat this Charm increases a complementary unit's Drill and Might ratings by half the Stylist's Essence.

Guise of the Judge Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Lance of Mars, Shield of Mars, Sword of Mars
  • Mars is impartial and perfectly skilled. Activating this Form, the Martial Artist sanctifies a formal contest (such as a duel or race) between willing participants, one of which must be the Stylist. If she or an opponent attempts to cheat, either themselves or through an ally, the cheater suffers a number of botches equal to (Essence)/2, occurring as per the Eclipse anima power.

Guise of the Sifu Form

  • Cost: 15m, 2wp; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
  • Duration: Indefinite
  • Prerequisite Charms: Lance of Mars, Shield of Mars, Sword of Mars
  • As long as the Chosen of Battles keeps motes and willpower committed to this form, she gains the ability to train soldiers as with the Solar Charm Tiger Warrior Training Technique.

Guise of the Soldier Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious, Panoply, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Lance of Mars, Shield of Mars, Sword of Mars
  • When Mars takes the form of a common soldier, she fights best with comrades by her side. The Martial Artist and her allies gain +1 to their Parry DVs for every two comrades fighting alongside them, up to a maximum of half the Stylist's (Martial Arts + Essence).
  • In Mass Combat, any unit she leads or is part of has Perfect Morale.

Panoply of the Maiden of Battles Form

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious, War
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Guise of the General Form, Guise of the Judge Form, Guise of the Sifu Form, Guise of the Soldier Form
  • When activating this Charm, the Stylist can also activate Charms possessing the Panoply keyword as part of the same action, paying half their normal mote costs (as per the effects of the Panoply keyword) in addition to the cost of Panoply of the Maiden of Battles Form. This explicitly allows the Stylist to have more than one Form-type Charm active at the same time.

Raging Hippotamus

  • There are many who see the hippopotamus as nothing more than a fat, clumsy and good-natured beast. However, there are those who recognize the strength and ferocity of the hippopotamus. Fast and agile, especially in water, the hippopotamus fiercely defends its territory and its family from all threats. The hippo doesn't worry about danger, for anything it cannot overcome with its prodigious strength, it can evade by slipping away into the waters of its home. Feeding mostly on a diet of river and terrestrial grasses, the hippopotamus is known for occasionally devouring its foes in its wrath. To mortals, the hippopotamus is a confusing contradiction of traits, and those who do not respect it quickly learn to fear it.
  • Some martial artists draw upon the strength of the gargantuan mammal, and even some who are of the spirit world are envious of the creature for its seemingly steady lifestyle. Students of the Raging Hippopotamus Style practice strength-enhancing exercises and moving through water with the hippo's speed and agility, as well as meditating on mental grounding techniques to enhance their resoluteness in combat. The training of these warriors’ centers on acting to protect what is theirs, not upon acting irrationally or without thought. Those who practice this art see the hippopotamus as a shining example of strength and stability. They seek to find the steadfast purpose that defines their meaning. Those who are able to do so earn the nickname Unbendable Philosophers, for they are certain of their path and nothing is able to shake their faith or bend their wills.
  • Raging Hippopotamus Style was developed by a trio of Lunars after the fall of the Solars, during their time in the Wyld. They sought the constant nature of the beasts of Creation to give them the strength to bring retribution down upon the heads of the treacherous Dragon-Blooded and the Sidereals, and later, to give them the power to remain pure and untainted in the Deep Wyld. Even though maintaining their purity was not within the power of their martial prowess, the style remains a powerful tool in the fight against injustice. The style is still practiced by Lunars and enlightened beastmen and other mortal followers of the Lords of the Silver Pact, but it is also practiced by a few sifus who have had the style passed on to them throughout the ages.
  • This style is particularly powerful for Lunars who can take the form of the hippopotamus as well as Water-Aspected Dragon-Bloods, and the Charms of this style grant extra power to such practitioners.
  • Weapons and Armor: Characters who practice this style can use the club, sledge or tetsubo freely (considering them as unarmed Martial Arts attacks) as well as their artifact equivalents. This style is compatible with the use of any armor up to and including normal or artifact superheavy plate.

Hidebound Arms

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The hippopotamus is a resolute and strong creature, capable of withstanding some of the heaviest blows from its foes. Like the hippopotamus, Exalts using this Charm can also shrug off heavy blows. The martial artist can, for one action, add their Stamina score to his Parry DV, either unarmed or with a form-weapon for this style. He can also parry attacks that would inflict lethal damage while unarmed.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, this Charm adds an additional +1 to their Parry DV.

Strength of the Ungulate

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Essence actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • Reknown for their potency, the hippopotamus is one of the strongest of land-based creatures, and this Charm allows the Exalt to borrow some of that strength for a short time. For a number of actions equal to her permanent Essence, the Exalt nearly doubles her strength, adding (Strength -1, minimum 1) dots to her Strength score, her muscles bulging and rippling, straining against her clothing and armor. No combination of Charms can increase the Exalt's Strength score by more than the character's Strength or Essence, whichever is higher, and this bonus is treated as a dice bonus from Charms.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, this Charm doubles their Strength score for the duration of the Charm.

Submerging Hippo Technique

  • Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The character is able to slip off into any body of water and, using the strength of the hippopotamus, launch themselves through the water at amazing speeds. This Charm doubles the character's movement while the character remains in water, whether they're swimming, diving or running through a shallow pool of water.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, this Charm triples the character's movement instead of doubling it. All others using this Charm gain this ability automatically at Essence 3.

Raging Hippopotamus Form

  • Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -0)
  • Keywords: Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Hidebound Arms, Strength of the Ungulate, Submerging Hippo Technique
  • The character adopts the stance and prowess of the hippopotamus––standing firm and calm, ready for whatever their opponent might bring to bear against them. While using Raging Hippopotamus Form, the character adds their Stamina score to their raw damage for both unarmed attacks and those made with the form-weapons of the style. The character also adds a number of points equal to their Willpower, split between their bashing and lethal soak as they choose, but the character cannot assign more than two-thirds of their Willpower to their Lethal soak. This counts as natural soak and bonuses added from Charms. Additionally, the martial artist is able to add one bonus success to any attack made using Charms from Raging Hippopotamus Style.
  • When Raging Hippopotamus Form is active, all offensive Charms from this style that are used while the Exalt is in water count as unexpected attacks provided that the Exalt pays an additional willpower to the cost of the Charm.

Paralyzing Bellow

  • Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -0)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Stackable
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Raging Hippopotamus Form
  • Taking a solid stance, the character lets out a deafening roar that causes their opponents to quake in fear. Every creature who is able to hear the Exalt's roar within a 20 yard radius, regardless of whether they are friend or foe, must make a reflexive (Stamina + Willpower) roll at a difficulty of the Exalt's (Presence + Essence) or be stunned for a number of ticks equal to the Exalt's Willpower. The effects of this Charm can be used again to add to the amount of time that the Exalt's opponents remain stunned, and the results are cumulative. Essence-wielders who hear the roar can attempt to resist the effects of the stunning sound for a cost of one Willpower, but they are at -3 to all rolls until the effect of the Charm wears off.

Rage of the Just

  • Cost: 4m or 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Raging Hippopotamus Form
  • When attacked, the hippopotamus moves with a speed and ferocity unlike that of most any other creature. The boundless rage that wells up from the heart of the attacked creature causes her muscles to surge with strength and her reflexes to become preternaturally sharp. This Charm gives the character an unarmed Martial Arts counterattack, but this Charm can only be used in response to an unexpected attack. The dice pool for the attack equals the Exalt's Martial Arts score plus the number of successes rolled on the opponent's attack. The original attacker's damage is rolled as normal. Note the rules for counterattacks on Exalted, pages 150 and 183.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, this Charm allows the character to add her permanent Essence to the counterattack pool for an additional two motes. All others using this Charm gain this ability automatically at Essence 5.

Thunderous Charge

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Raging Hippopotamus Form
  • Summoning up the skill of the raging hippopotamus, the Exalt lets their Essense flow through their entire body. They set their feet in a solid stance and charge at their opponent, striking against their foe with their shoulder, inflicting their (Strength +1) on a successful (Dexterity + Martial Arts) attack at +1 to their Accuracy. From here, the Exalt has several options. They can either allow their opponent to suffer normal knockback, doubling the distance the character is knocked back and lowering the victim's threshold for resisting knockback by 1, or the character can make an automatic clinch against their opponent if the number of successes on the attacking martial artist's damage dice is greater than their opponent's Stamina. On the character's subsequent action, they follow clinch rules as normal.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, this Charm costs 1m less to use. All others using this Charm gain this ability automatically at Essence 5.

Armor of White Anger

  • Cost: Varies; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 10)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Paralyzing Bellow, Thunderous Charge
  • Attacking a hippopotamus only makes it angrier, and by the same token, attacking an Exalt with Charm does the same. Whenever the Exalt takes damage, they can choose to pay 2m for each level of damage inflicted upon them to add to their natural soak for the remainder of the scene. The soak gained is equal to the wound penalty, but if the wound penalty for the level of damage taken is 0, the Exalt cannot add to his soak and thusly spends 0 motes for it. But, when the wound penalty is at -1, the Exalt adds 1B/1L soak to his natural soak. If the wound penalty on the damage level is at -2, they add 2B/2L to their soak, and so on. Naturally, Exalts who have more -1 health levels bought with Ox-Body Technique receive less benefit from this Charm than Exalts with more -2 health levels, and Exalts with additional -0 health levels receive even less benefit, but for the wise Exalt, they can increase their soak to phenomenal levels. This protection lasts for the remainder of the scene. This Charm is incompatible with any other soak-increasing Charms, Sorceries or Charm-like effects outside of Raging Hippopotamus Form and this Charm explicitly ignores the limit caps for bonuses added from Charms.
  • Example: Jogon, a Full Moon Lunar Exalt, faces off against Acid of Oblivion, a Dusk Caste Abyssal Exalt. Acid of Oblivion strikes out against Jogon with his soulsteel daiklave, inflicing 4 levels of lethal damage upon him. Jogon spends 6m to add 4B/4L to his natural soak, 2m for the first -1 health level inflicted gaining +1B/1L soak, 2m for the second -1 health level gaining another +1B/1L to his soak, and 2m for the -2 health level gaining an additional +2B/2L to his soak.

Cavernous Maw

  • Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Paralyzing Bellow, Rage of the Just
  • Stretching his mouth impossibly wide, the character is able to make a bite attack against their foes, rending flesh and armor alike. The Exalt's player makes a bite attack (Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage +4L, Defense 0, Rate 1) against their opponent, which is treated as piercing. Additionally, against mundane armor, for each level of damage the Exalt inflicts upon their opponent, their opponent's armor loses an equal number of Bashing and Lethal soak permanently. Armor damaged in this fashion can be repaired so long as the armor does not lose all of its protection. If this occurs, the armor is rendered completely useless.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, add the Crippling and Stackable keywords, and for every two levels of lethal damage the Charm inflicts against an opponent, the victim suffers a -1 external penalty to their DV for a number of actions equal to the Exalt's permanent Essence score. All others using this Charm gain this ability automatically at Essence 6.

Unbreakable Stride

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Rage of the Just, Thunderous Charge
  • The character summons up her power and infuses her limbs with Essence and force of will. For the rest of the scene, the Exalt becomes an unstoppable juggernaut, walking in stride through the toughest adversity. So long as the Exalt makes a Move action every action they take, there is almost nothing that can slow or stop them. They cannot suffer from knockdown or knockback, their progress cannot be barred by mundane doors or walls, and they cannot be held by anything living, nor can they be held by spirit or automaton creatures. If the Exalt stops moving of their own volition, this Charm automatically ends.
  • For Water-Aspected Dragon-Blooded and Lunars who are in the form of a hippopotamus or hippopotamus-like war form, the Exalt is able to add their Strength in yards to their Move action so long as they are in water. All others using this Charm gain this ability automatically at Essence 6.

Behemoth of Earth and Water

  • Cost: 10m, 2wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Armor of White Anger, Cavernous Maw, Unbreakable Stride
  • Drawing upon the depths of power within the hippopotamus, the Exalt suffuses himself with its prowess and character. Upon activating this Charm, the Exalt channels the spirit of the totemic animal of this style. The character's unarmed attacks and attacks made with form-weapons of this style now inflict aggravated damage, and the character is able to shrug off all but the mightiest of blows, gaining natural Hardness equal to 8B/8L which is stackable with bonuses from armor. Additionally, all attacks that successfully hit their target, regardless of whether they do damage, cause automatic knockback equal to (the Exalt's permanent Essence x 5) yards.

Raging Phoenix

  • Raging Phoenix was a Lunar exalt in the late First Age who desired a simple easy to learn, and direct martial art that could be easily taught to young Lunars. After having them study under several masters with little success she decided to create one for them. The style she wished for would do away with most of the philosophy behind martial arts and focus only on ending any confrontation as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  • After several years of studying she was unable to create more than a few basic katas and her attempt stalled until a meeting with one of the foremost Solar martial masters, Emerald Dragon. During their encounter they laid the ground work for what would become one of the more violent and simplistic celestial martial arts styles.
  • The style teaches the 'nine points of contact' ; head, hands, elbows, knees and feet. A practitioner of this style looks almost berserk when attacking but is horrendously in control of his vicious attacks. The style is quick, precise and deadly, it is not meant to show a path, or contemplate ones navel, it is designed to start and end confrontations quickly and efficiently.
  • As this style was intended for Lunars, it can be learned easily by them; when learned by them is tied to Strength.
  • This is a highly physical celestial martial art which emphasizes speed and offense. Learning the style is painfully done as the senior students and master break and rebuild the prospective Fighter into a combat machine.
  • The basic tenets of the style harden and toughen the physical body and depend not on normal charms, but rather methods that change the way essence naturally flows in the user and the response of his natural reflexes.
  • Practitioners must have at least three dots in Athletics to begin learning this style.
  • Weapons and Armour: Stylists often wear light armors such as the breastplate and chain shirt. Small easy to use light weapons such as the gauntlet, heavy boot, knife, staff and fighting stick as well as their artifact equivalents, Smashfists, God-Kicking Boots, Switchklaves, Short Daiklaves, Wrackstaves and Banerods, count as unarmed attacks for the purposes of this style.

Exploding Ember Response

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • Students are introduced quickly to the methods of this style as they are attacked by the older students as soon as they are excepted by the Sifu. This continues for several weeks and if they do not learn to respond quickly and unhesitatingly to these constant attacks they will not continue be taught.
  • The Fighter responds automatically to the first sign of hostilities and gains an immediate counterattack against the first melee attack made to initiate combat even if it is unexpected. Note that this charm does not make the Fighter aware of any such attack.
  • This counterattack is resolved before any join battle roll.

Unhesitating Aggression Opening

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Exploding Ember Response
  • Fighters learn early that the winner in any fight is he who lands the first truly damaging blow.
  • This charm can only be used before combat is initiated.
  • Launching himself into his foes headlong the Fighter lashes out viciously attempting to disable them before they can mount an effective response. The first attack made by the Fighter is considered unexpected and reflexive Wits+Awareness roll verses the Fighters Martial Arts score is needed to use ones DV.
  • Every attack made by the Fighter on his first action that deals damage has that damage type increased by one level, bashing to lethal, lethal to aggravated. If this attack would deal aggravated it inflicts only one level of damage and applies all other damage dice as -1 internal penalties to the target due to the overwhelming pain. The penalties can be 'shaken-off' by spending two points of temporary willpower when the target next acts. Note that this pain does not effect automata or inanimate objects.
  • Using this charm provokes a join combat roll from everyone nearby.

Nine-Edged Weapon Method

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Unhesitating Aggression Opening
  • Students of this style are taught to fight, not wait. Learning this style means that violence is your first response, no talking, no meditating or discussion, learning this style is about beating your opponents until they are incapable of responding.
  • This permanently enhances the Fighters unarmed natural attacks. Their speed is reduced by one and he gains another natural attack, the headbutt: Speed 5 Accuracy -1 Damage +3B Rate 1 and the target must check for knockback (note the headbutt is itself not effected by the speed and rate bonuses of this charm).

Living Weapon Prana

  • Cost: -; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Unhesitating Aggression Opening
  • Students must beat hardwood mannequins over and over until they can shatter them with a few well-placed blows. Then the stone ones are brought out.
  • The Fighter may deal and parry lethal damage at his leisure and the damage of his natural attacks are increased by one.

Overwhelming Violence Commitment

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 4)
  • Keywords: Form, Combo-Basic
  • Duration: Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Nine-Edged Weapon Method, Living Weapon Prana
  • The Fighter lives for action and cannot be deterred from maintaining it. While fighting he is barely heard other than in yells and whoops and his determination can be seen plainly on his hardened features. Some stylists even begin to smile viciously as they pummel their foes with essence hardened strikes while seeming to be unaffected in return.
  • For the duration of this charm the Fighter ignores any wound penalties and adds his Essence to the base damage of all unarmed attacks.
  • In addition he may ignore Valor rolls; he passes or fails them at his leisure.

Anvil-Fisted Embrace

  • Cost: 8m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Multiple-Action, Combo-Basic
  • Duration: Till End of Clinch
  • Prerequisite Charms: Overwhelming Violence Commitment
  • The Fighter is dangerous at arms length, when grappled he becomes nearly unstoppable.
  • When the Fighter rolls to control the clinch he may also attack, making two normal unarmed attack actions which gain the Piercing tag, Overwhelming equal to his Martial Arts Score and no flurry penalties. When using the effects of this charm he may only take the Hold action while maintaining this clinch.

Weakening Onslaught Prana

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental (Step 8)
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Overwhelming Violence Commitment
  • Wildly launching attack after attack the opponents of the Fighter are left not knowing how to defend themselves.
  • This charm supplements a flurry of at least two attacks.
  • If the attack hits it deals no damage but adds each post-soak damage die as an additional onslaught penalty to the target. This charm can be activated multiple times during the flurry, once during each attack in it.

Frenzied Inferno Assault

  • Cost: 12m, 1w; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 6 DV-5)
  • Keywords: Multiple Action, Knock-back, Combo-Basic
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Weakening Onslaught Prana, Anvil-Fisted Embrace
  • How do you run from wrath? What use is steel to harm rage? How do you shoot fury? Escape this attack alive and you might know. The Fighter commits everything as he launches himself at his foe all weapons flailing dangerously, the pure viciousness of his assault forcing his opponents to wonder if he is destruction given form.
  • The Fighter invokes this charm and may immediately attack with a number of his natural or form weapons equal to his permanent Essence and each weapon may attack a number of times equal to its rate. Flurry penalties do not carry over from weapon to weapon as is normal; as if each weapon has its own action.
  • Example: he attacks with a pair of Short Daiklaves, each with a rate of two and with a kick. He will take flurry penalties on the first set of attacks, -2, then -3. He will the reset the flurry penalty back to -2 and -3 for the next Daiklave. Then for the kick he does not flurry and attacks once with his full die pool.
  • Any target damaged by one of these attacks must check for knock-back, with an increase in the standard difficulty equal to the amount of damage taken. The fighter may choose to reflexively follow a target knocked-back by this charm in order to keep attacking him.

Shark

  • Shark Style is a Celestial level Martial Art. It seeks to emulate the characteristics of one of the deadliest predators of Creation's oceans: The shark.
  • An unrelenting killer instinct and unsurpassed swimming techniques make this skill most effective in the West or other regions with many bodies of water. However the style is still effective, even on land, applying quick and precise strikes to harm and cripple their opponents before closing in for the final kill. This philosophy tends to encouage a degree of cold cruelty in the life of this style's unusually quiet disciples. This sytle, like Tiger Style, is popular among the Lunar Exalted.
  • To learn this style, the student must possess at least Athletics 2 and Awareness 2. The form weapons for this style are Khatars, Chopping Swords and Saw Fish Swords and their artifact equivalents, the Reaver Daiklave and the Sawklave.

Gills and Fins Technique

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • This charm endows the character the aquatic grace and marine nature of a hunting shark. The character may move as easily as if he was on land. He swims his normal walking distance as a reflexive move action and can breathe water. Additionally, his vision functions without penalty. While potent, Gills and Fin Technique does not completely overcome the inherent clumsiness of the human body in water. The character remains subject to the combat dice pool penalties for fighting while submerged. Also complicated underwater maneauvers still require swim rolls and any mobility penalty still applies in full.

Crushing Jaws Maneuver

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK,
  • Duration: One action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The shark attacks quickly and with force, trying to fell his prey with one single mighty bite. The martial artist adds his Essence to his Accuracy and Damage until the next action. However he also reduces his weapon's rate by 1, to a minimum of 1. If this attack also successfully inflicts at least one health level of damage, consider the martial artist having tasted his victims blood for the use of other charms.

Shark Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV -1)
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Gills and Fins Technique, Crushing Jaws Maneuver
  • The martial artist adopts the silent grace and terrible bite of the shark. He furthers his resilience as his hide takes on the properties of that of the shark, cutting the fools trying to hold the practicioner and slipping out of their grasp.
  • The martial artist's unarmed attacks deal lethal damage and he can parry lethal attacks with his hands. Add the stylists Martial Arts to his movement and ignore all movement penalties when moving in water or muck. He can also ignore all penalties to combat resulting from being in or under water. He also ignores all penalties (internal and external) caused by negative magical effects based on the element of Water. This includes but is not limited to Dragon-Blooded charms with the Elemental keyword.
  • He also adds his Essence to his natural bashing soak, and may use this value to replace his natural lethal soak. His smooth hide also allows him to add his Martial Arts in automatic successes when trying to free himself from restraint. This also applies to rolls to control a clinch under the condition that he will break the hold, should he succeed. Whenever an opponent chooses to crush, hold or throw him in a grapple he can reflexively spend 1 mote to instantly inflict Strength + Essence damage on his attacker. This damage is piercing and this does not count as a Charm use for the turn.
  • A character cannot use more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time. The character must end Shark Form to assume another Martial Arts form.

Drowning the World Technique

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 5, DV -2)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Shark Form
  • Using his own essence to infuse the surrounding air with the properties of water, the air behaves like a fluid. Breathing is not hindered, but -(Essence / 2, round up) external penalties are inflicted on all beings within Essence x 2 yards, including the Martial Artist. These penalties come from being underwater, so anything able to effortlessly move within water can ignore these penalties.
  • At Essence 5 or above, the character can spend 6 additional motes and one additional willpower to automatically activate Shark Form when activating this charm.

Superior Hunter's Senses

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV-1)
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Shark Form
  • The sharks of Creation are predators known for their excellent senses. They can smell blood for many miles and sense vibrations caused by hiding or fleeing foes.
  • The martial artist can fight perfectly in darkness or underwater, ignoring all vision penalties when fighting enemies within the range of this charm. He may also add his Essence in additional dice to all awareness rolls. When locating certain foes, he can also add their wound penalties in additional dice (the highest one in case of multiple foes). If he has tasted their blood previously, add 2 automatic successes to locate them. This charm has a range of Essence x 5 yards on land and Essence x 100 yards in water. When in the same body of water as his enemies, he can not be surprised or surrounded, even if that body is only a small, ankle-deep puddle.

Maiming Bite Attack

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Stackable
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Shark Form
  • The wounds caused by the many rows of shark teeth are terrible and painful.
  • An attack enhanced with this charm causes lethal damage. If the attack has at least one dice of post-soak damage (wether it causes damage or not) an additional -1 penalty is inflicted. This penalty is treated as an additional wound penalty (directly substracting from DVs, movement rates and reducing dice pools beneath essence) and it affects the victim until healed. One -1 penalty is removed whenever one health level is healed. Once a character is fully healed remove one remaining penalty per additional hour spent resting. This time is doubled for mortals.
  • If this attack also successfully inflicts at least one health level of damage, consider the martial artist having tasted his victims blood for the use of other charms. The wound also bleeds profusely, raising the difficulty to close wounds reflexively by 2.

Cunning Shark Taste

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Superior Hunter's Senses
  • With the taste of an enemies blood on his tongue, the cunning shark is able to gauge his prey.
  • Roll Wits+Investigation or Wits+Awareness with a difficulty of the opponents Essence and divide successes as follows: Reveal one Charm (decided by storyteller) for 1 success, type of being for 3 successes or important combat statistics such as Join Battle or accuracy (one stat per success). Attack successes are divided amongst different pieces of information as the character’s player sees fit. This charm can be used only once per enemy per encounter.

Blur of Teeth and Blood Technique

  • Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 and 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Maiming Bite Attack
  • Sharks are known for their powerful and deadly hit and run attacks, leaving their prey wounded and bleeding before they return for the final kill.
  • When using this charm in step 1, the attacker may reflexively move his regular dash distance in yards before attacking. If he moved at least (10-Essence) yards toward his enemy, he may double his excess attack successes for the purposes of determining damage. This attack also causes piercing damage. If used with weapons that double armor it removes this disadvantage, resulting in armor being applied only once.
  • Furthermore, for spending an additional 2 motes at the start of step 9, before any counterattacks take place, the attacker may instantly move a number of yards equal to his regular move speed (modified as appropriately). If this takes the martial artist out of the counterattacker's range, then no counterattack takes place. This also breaks off any potential flurries of the attacker.
  • If this charm is used underwater, the martial artist may reflexively spend 2 motes to attempt to reestablish surprise, by hiding in the mist of blood and bubbles caused by his furious attack.

Unrelenting Predator Focus

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: One Week
  • Prerequisite Charms: Cunning Shark Taste, Blur of Teeth and Blood Technique, Drowning the World Technique
  • Once the Shark has chosen it's prey, it can no longer be stopped. The cold hunter pursues his target with relentless and deadly efficency.
  • The martial artist may use this charm on any one opponent whose blood he has tasted at least once within the last 24 hours. Once activated, the charm is in effect for one week, and it can always only be in effect on one person at a time. During this time, the martial artist finds it hard to concentrate (temperance rolls as appopriate) on anything else than bringing his prey down. His motivation is temporarily changed to "hunt and destroy target" and he never fails a conviction or valor roll related to this goal. However he automatically fails all compassion rolls in regards to his target and anyone in his way.
  • He has no difficulty tracking his prey, smelling his blood up to a distance of Essence x 10 miles on land or Essence x 200 miles in water. Hunting a target on a ship or similar water vessel counts as if that target was in the water. Add Martial Arts in additonal successes to all rolls to track the target when a roll is neccessary.
  • While actively pursuing and attacking his prey, the practicioner may ignore all wound penalties inflicted on him. He also raises his DVs and MDVs against his target by 2 during this time. He can also eschew the need for sleep without negative effects by spending 2 motes per night. Finally, the practicioner knows his opponents weakness, inflicting Essence additional dice of damage with each attack.
  • To prematurely end this charm, the character needs to successfully roll temperance against a difficulty of (5 - days spent hunting, minimum 1). Once the chosen opponent is dead, the charm ends prematurely and the motes spent are decommitted.

Smiling Kitsune

  • This style was created by a rather diminutive Lunar Waning Moon caste during the First Age known as Laughing Fox. He was often mocked for his size, despite his acquaintances knowing his strength. He just took it all in with a smile and laughed. His friends called him the "Smiling Fool," but his enemies referred to him as the "Smiling Demon," as no matter how enraged he seemed, even in the grips of Relentless Lunar Fury, he would just smile. Despite his odd mannerisms, he was an excellent fighter and eventually used his talents to create this style.
  • This style became Laughing Fox's signature, and he adapted his war form over the centuries to complement its unique form. This only seemed to enhance how disturbing and frightening he was in battle.
  • Smiling Kitsune Style is named after Laughing Fox's spirit shape, which was seemingly compact and unintimidating. However, such appearances are used to baffle and surprise enemies with incredible speed, cunning, and ferocity. Being developed for the Lunars' special talents, this style is peculiar in that many of its charms can be used as gifts or are fury-ok.
  • Weapons and Armor: Form weapons of this style have very limited range, as they are meant to mimic the fox's natural weapons. These include tiger claws, knives, khatar, and sai as well as their artifact equivalents. This style cannot be practiced in armor.
  • Complementary Skills: Students of this style must possess at least 3 dots in Socialize and Larceny. A Lunar may instead bypass this requirement with 4 dots in Manipulation.

Now I feel stupid. That's claered it up for me

Heart of the Fox

  • Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Vulpine Grace
  • Foxes are, by their very nature, evasive. Although they are carnivores, they are scavengers, not predators. They prefer to avoid confrontation and wait for the appropriate moment to take action. The martial artist takes on this behavior with this charm. In response to any attack that the martial artist successfully dodges, he may activate this charm. It allows him to leap away up to (permanent essence x 2) yards away, and possibly cut flurries short. This movement must be in a line (on the horizontal plane) and the user cannot move if completely surrounded.

Cornered Ferocity

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -0)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Fury-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Vulpine Grace
  • While not confrontational, a fox who is cornered fights back ferociously. The martial artist using this charm lashes out with great speed, not giving any ground. This charm makes an attack with a lower speed and DV penalty than normal, and he adds his essence to damage.

Deceptive Musk

  • Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Gift
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Vulpine Grace
  • One thing that is most noticeable of foxes is their scent. They possess a very pungent musk. However, this smell, while it lets people know of their presence, is so powerful that it is difficult to pinpoint where they are precisely. This charm aids in attempts to re-establish surprise. It does not provide a situation for the martial artist to do so, but it grants him his essence in dice for such attempts, which do not count against normal dice adding caps. Note that the opponent is made aware of your presence and may still activate appropriate charms to locate you such as essence sight, or may activate charms that allow them to react to unexpected attacks as if they were expected. This charm has absolutely no effect on any opponent who lacks a sense of smell.

Smiling Kitsune Form

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-Type, Obvious
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Heart of the Fox, Cornered Ferocity, Deceptive Musk
  • This form allows the martial artist to transcend the fox as an animal and acheive a connection to its greater spiritual being. When activating this form, the martial artist adds half of his dots in martial arts to his Dodge DV and can now inflict lethal damage with unarmed attacks. Finally, this grants them increased mobility, adding the user's martial arts to all pools to calculate movement and jumping distances. This charm is obvious because, when active, the user's essence forms a number of glowing tails equal to their (essence - 1).

Elusive Cunning

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Kitsune Form
  • Foxes use their diminutive size to great advantage as it grants them greater mobility. This charm allows the martial artist to redirect a hand to hand attack that fails to overcome his Dodge DV into another target within range. This need not be another person, and with a stunt, the character can use this to make a contested dexterity or strength check against the opponent to force their weapon to stick into a nearby object (if appropriate, as it is rather difficult to force a hammer to "stick" into an object).

Fox Fire

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Elusive Cunning
  • Used by the gods as messengers in many cultures, foxes bear deep spiritual connections. Invoking this spiritual nature of the fox, the martial artist's body is engulfed in white flame that burns with no heat and does not damage or burn anything it touches. This allows the character to both see and interact with dematerialized spirits. It also has another unique and dangerous benefit in that when it is active and the user successfully uses Elusive Cunning to redirect the person's weapon into an object, the martial artist may choose to spend a point of willpower. Doing this forces the weapon's wielder to unattune it if it is artifact weapon (and also lose the abilities of any hearthstones that might be attached). The essence that was once committed is instead lost as it bleeds back into Creation.

Bite of the Fox

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic, Illusion, Compulsion, Stackable
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Smiling Kitsune Form
  • The spiritual nature of the fox flows from its very being. It is a master of illusions and can trick those who are of weak will. This attack does not affect the opponent's body, but rather his mind. The martial artist rolls an attack as normal, but checks against the targets Dodge MDV instead of his physical DV's. If it hits, it deals no physical damage, but rather the martial artist rolls his essence. Each success reduces the target's temporary willpower by one. If an opponent is reduced to zero temporary willpower by this attack (or this attack is used on somebody who has no temporary willpower remaining), the target believes that one of his allies and the martial artist who used the charm have switched places, filling in any gaps of logic that might be necessary. If the target has no allies with him, he believes the martial artist has run away, and his senses seem to back up this belief. While temporary willpower lost is permanent until regained through normal means, the illusion effect is rather short-lived and only lasts a number of actions equal to the user's permanent essence score. During this period, the affected target cannot regain willpower through stunts due to confusion and inability to properly focus, but it does not prevent others from using charms or other abilities to grant the target willpower. It can also be dispelled if the martial artist attacks the target before the charm's effects end. Essence sight defeats this effect as do other mental defenses against illusions or compulsions, so long as they do not require willpower to be spent (since the target has none left to use).

Laughing at the Hunter

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-Ok, Counterattack, Illusion
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Fox Fire, Bite of the Fox
  • Foxes are known as being masters of trickery and illusion in certain cultures. The martial artist displays similar skill when using this charm. This charm may be used when the target is attacked by an opponent who fails to overcome his Dodge DV. The martial artist switches places with the target and simultaneouly invokes an illusion, making a single (Manipulation + Martial Arts) roll against all other opponent's Dodge MDV's. Anyone who fails to defend against this mental effect believes that the martial artist and the target have not actually switched places. This effect lasts a number of ticks equal to the user's permanent essence score. If a character strikes one of them, then the illusion ends for that person. Also, should they have some other reason to suspect something odd happened, they may spend a point of willpower to end the effect.

Stag

  • Background: Developed during the First Age, the Stag Style was designed to fight against slower-moving opponents, those who lacked the reach and agility to easily close distance. Its users depend on destroying their opponents at a decent distance, knocking aside blows long before they can close in, and driving their foes back only to close the distance and destroy them at the last moment.
  • Weapons and Armor: Practitioners of Stag Style use primarily polearms; in fact, the style is designed in such a way that polearms function almost more effectively than battling truly unarmed. Attacks with polearms are treated as unarmed attacks for the purposes of these Charms.

Forceful Antler Method

  • Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Knockback, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The character moves to block an attack, and the force of her attack drives her opponent back. This Charm may be triggered when the character applies his parry DV; the character's attacker is knocked back a number of yards equal to the character's Essence. If the attack was not completely blocked, it still affects the character as normal.

Just read a great story about Ed Parker, Jr.. One of the highlights of my maatirl arts life was the opportunity to meet and train with his father, when Austin, TX Kenpo Master Brian Duffy brought him to town. Another highlight was meeting his son what a fun guy to be around! He's also an amazing artist and the kind of guy who never had an enemy.

Startled Fawn Defense

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Knockback, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Charging Elk Approach
  • The character reacts to an attack by falling back from it. If the character attempts to apply his dodge or parry DV unarmed, she may also move her Martial Arts x5 yards away. This Charm is explictly permitted to be part of a combo with any Charm that enhances DV. It is not compatible with the use of armor.

Stag Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 4, DV-1)
  • Keywords: Form-Type
  • Duration: Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Startled Fawn Defense, Forceful Antler Method
  • The character settles back into the Stag Form, opening her soul to the fury of the forest. While in Stag Form, the character reduces the speed of all martial arts actions by 1, as well as adding half of her essence, rounded up, to parry DV. This is a Form-type Charm. It is incompatible with the use of armor.

Pre-emptive Charge Strike

  • Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack (step 2)
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Stag Form
  • The character attacks with lightning speed, striking his enemy before he can move into range. If the enemy must move at least two yards before striking you, you may immediately trigger this charm to make an unarmed attack against him. This Charm is considered to be a counter-attack charm; however, apply damage to the attacker before he attacks you. It cannot be used if you cannot strike your opponent.

Sweeping Antler Method

  • Cost: 3m/attack; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Extra Actions
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Stag Form
  • The character sweeps through his opponents, attacking any enemy within range of his fists. The character may purchase a number of extra unarmed attacks up to his essence; no more than one attack may be applied to a given opponent, and the attacks cannot be split; the character sufffers only the highest DV penalty for any one attack. In addition, the charm nullifies the first -2 DV penalty from the aforementioned attack, to a minimum of 0.

Strengthened Hide Method

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Stag Form
  • The character strengthens her hide against even the strongest blows. For the duration of the scene, the character’s bashing and lethal soak is increased by her Martial Arts score. This Charm is not compatible with the use of armour.

Twisting Antler Strike

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Stag Form
  • The character twists around weapons to strike at her enemy’s unprotected body. This Charm may and must be triggered when the opponent declares that they will use their parry DV. The Parry DV is reduced by the character's martial arts.

Gouging Prong Strike

  • Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (step 9)
  • Keywords: Combo-ok, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Twisting Antler Strike
  • The character twists his weapon as he strikes, gouging out his opponents’ side. This Charm must be activated on an unarmed strike, before the opponent applies soak-boosting Charms, but can be applied after standard soak is determined. Every die of damage on the roll is converted into an automatic success.

Antler Shedding Defense

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Sweeping Antler Method, Gouging Prong Strike, Strengthened Hide Method
  • The character uses her weapon as a focal point for damage, enabling her to avoid even the worst of blows. This Charm may be activated after a failed unarmed parry attempt. The character automatically parries the attack; however, in doing so, he loses his weapon, which is knocked back as normal inside of the character. If the character is truly unarmed (as opposed to wielding a polearm), his blocking arm is lost; however, it will regrow over the next week, and no health levels are lost. This is a perfect defense; it can block ANY attack with a physical component. Using a non-Magical Material weapon to parry very strong attacks will likely result in the destruction of the weapon in question.

Water Dragon

  • Here are rewrites of select Charms from the style to pump up their power a little bit and bring them closer in line with the 2e ruleset.

Flowing Water Defense

  • Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: (Essence) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • While this Charm is in effect, the Immaculate suffers a -1 internal penalty to his attack pools, and anyone who tries to attack him suffers a -3 internal penalty to their attack pools.

Drowning-in-Blood Technique

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 4)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Rippling Water Strike
  • After a successful Martial Arts attack, instead of doing damage, roll (Strength + Martial Arts) and compare it to the target's (Stamina + Resistance + Essence)/2, rounded up. Treat the latter as a DV for the purposes of Excellencies and similar Charms. If the roll succeeds, the target suffers internal bleeding and loses one dot of Stamina for a number of actions equal to the Immaculate's Martial Arts.
  • Subsequent uses of this Charm on the same target cause the loss of another dot of Stamina and extend the effects by (Immaculate's Martial Arts) actions. Targets with Stamina 0 take damage straight to their Dying health levels, and take damage normally when targeted again by this Charm.

Flow Reversal Strike

  • Cost: --; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: Water Dragon Form
  • This Charm permanently enhances Drowning-in-Blood Technique. When using Drowning-in-Blood Technique, the Martial Artist rolls (Strength + Martial Arts + Essence) instead of (Strength + Martial Arts), and the Charm gains the Crippling keyword, which removes the time limit on the Stamina loss. Once lost, the dots of Stamina remain lost until healed naturally or with magic.

Crashing Wave Style

  • Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Extra Action
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Flow Reversal Strike
  • This Charm is a magical flurry of Martial Arts-based attacks which ignores multiple action penalties and rate. The Immaculate makes a total number of attacks equal to his (Martial Arts).

Theft-of-Essence Method

  • Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Water Dragon Form
  • This Charm supplements a Martial Arts-based attack. If the attack succeeds, the Immaculate's player rolls (Essence + Martial Arts) against a difficulty of the target's (Essence)/2, rounded up, stealing 2m for each threshold success from his target and adding them to his own pools – Personal first, then Peripheral, as normal. If used against a target that lacks an Essence pool, or whose Essence pools are empty, this Charm has no effect.

(Paperback) Dipersloot has been practicing vairous forms of the soft' martial arts for quite a long time. This volume covers his discovery of the importance of Qigong standing meditation from three masters. He then discusses some finer points of Taiqi's Grasp Bird Tail' which is the only moving form now practiced by the senior master he trained under.Dipersloot has quite a lot of good tips for standing meditation which is great since too many authors seem to imply there is nothing to it. It is true that, like sitting, you just need to stand _but_ it does help to have some pointers. That is, if you start standing meditation then eventually your body will find the correct Qi position but this could take a long long time for many.His points about the correct posture and breathing from the Dantien are communicated quite clearly. So are the guidelines from Master Cai about the energy points and general alignment. There is a great section, taken from one of Master Cai's discussions, that very succinctly covers the important aspects of meditation in general and standing meditation in particular.The real weakness here are the very crude computer-modified photos . Diepersloot apologizes at the beginning about the quality of the photos (he was busy writing down everything the masters said) but that is not an excuse for what is used in the book. Spending some extra time with some volunteers to get quality photos would help the give the book the image of quality it requires; they would also help make some points much more clearly.A good reference for anyone with some questions about standing meditation. Should go up on the shelf with Mantak Chia, Qigong Empowerment and The Roots of Qigong . better yet, find out when WISH is holding a class near you and go meet a real master for proper instruction.

Tsunami Force Shout

  • Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Essence-Dousing Wave Attack
  • The Immaculate rolls (Essence + Martial Arts) as an attack which radiates from him in a 45-degree arc, extending out to (Essence) yards and dealing (Essence + Martial Arts) dice of aggravated damage. Parry DVs are inapplicable against this attack.

Wedded Moon

  • (with thanks to Tornado Wolf of TFS)
  • Wedded Moon Style.png
  • This Celestial martial arts style finds its origins among the Lunars of the First Age who worked with the circles of their Solar mates, focusing on teamwork and cooperation and drawing on the strength of their bond. After the Usurpation, some wondered if the style would fade from use, but practitioners discovered that while their Solar mates were gone, they could still benefit from the techniques they had learned. Wedded Moon is native to Lunars, who can learn it without a teacher and may substitute their Dexterity rating for their Martial Arts rating when learning and using Charms from this style.
  • Weapons and Armor: Wedded Moon Style is incompatible with armor, and tiger claws are the only compatible weapons.
  • New Keyword
  • Bond: Charms with this keyword have enhanced effects when the user possesses the Solar Bond background.

Leaping Interposition Method

  • Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2 or 6)
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Wedded Moon stylists are devoted guardians and leap to defend that which they have chosen to protect. This Charm can be activated in response to an attack on any ally that the Wedded Moon can physically reach. When invoked in Step 6 of attack resolution, the Wedded Moon merely adds half of his Martial Arts to the target's DV. This does not count against the defended character's DV hard cap. When invoked in Step 2 of attack resolution, the martial artist interposes himself completely, making the attack target himself. If the attack defeats either of his DVs, it strikes him. Leaping Interposition Method cannot be used to defend someone against a counter-attack.

Pack Mentality Practice

  • Cost: -–; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
  • Keywords: Bond
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • This Charm permanently enhances the Wedded Moon stylist. From now on, she may take part in a coordinated attack even when the character choosing whom to coordinate did not include her. This Charm may also be used even when the Wedded Moon herself is the one who coordinated the attack. If the stylist is included in coordinated attack roll, that roll automatically gains one success, which stacks for each character chosen for coordination who knows this Charm.
  • When the Wedded Moon stylist is included in a coordinate attack roll with the character for whom she possesses the Solar Bond background, that roll automatically gains bonus successes equal to the Wedded Moon's Solar Bond rating.

Wedded Moon Form

  • Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5)
  • Keywords: Bond, Form-type
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Leaping Interposition Method, Pack Mentality Practice
  • The Wedded Moon stylist moves quickly to his allies' aid and works flawlessly in pursuit of their common goals. While this Charm is activated, the Wedded Moon's jumping distance and movement rates double as long as he is moving toward an ally, and allies reduce the DV penalties for coordinate attack actions and attacks made as part of coordinated attacks including the Wedded Moon by 1. This second effect explicitly may benefit the Wedded Moon himself.
  • When the Wedded Moon stylist or the character for whom he possesses the Solar Bond background takes a coordinate attack action that includes the other while this Form is active, no participant in that coordinated attack suffers DV penalties for attacks made as part of that coordinated attack.

Herding the Sheep Method

  • Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Bond, Combo-OK, Obvious, War
  • Duration:One action
  • Prerequisite Charms: Wedded Moon Form
  • By moving in such a way as to manipulate the movements and arrangement of her target and her allies, the Wedded Moon stylist counts as two characters for the purpose of determining whether a foe is surrounded by the maximum number of characters.
  • If the target is in such a position that only two attackers can harry him from the same general direction (as opposed to two different sides), this Charm can be used without an ally, but the Wedded Moon will not receive a natural unexpected attack for it.
  • If the target is already surrounded by the total number of possible attackers, then the target must grant two unexpected attacks, one to the Wedded Moon and the other to another character.
  • Two characters are explicitly permitted to use this Charm against the same enemy, stacking the effects; thus they would need only one other ally to effectively surround an enemy on an open field with three people.
  • In mass combat, a character is explicitly permitted to use this Charm as a solo unit against a complementary unit.
  • When the Wedded Moon stylist is working to surround a target with the character for whom she possesses the Solar Bond background, then that character also counts as two characters when determining whether the target is surrounded by the maximum number of characters.

Opportunistic Flanking Practice

  • Cost: 8m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: Wedded Moon Form
  • This Charm may enhance any unarmed Martial Arts attack against a character who has been attacked since his last action.
  • The Wedded Moon's attack imposes a coordinated attack penalty equal to the Wedded Moon's Martial Arts. This penalty is explicitly allowed to stack with regular coordinated attack penalties, even if the total exceeds the normal maximum. If the supplemented attack happens to be unexpected, the Wedded Moon instead adds a number of automatic successes to his attack equal to the penalty this Charm would have otherwise inflicted.
  • If the last person to attack this Charm's target was the character for whom the Wedded Moon possesses the Solar Bond background, the coordinated attack penalty imposed becomes equal to the Wedded Moon's Martial Arts + Solar Bond.

Bond-Forging Meditation

  • Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
  • Keywords: None
  • Duration: One day
  • Prerequisite Charms: Wedded Moon Form
  • The Wedded Moon's strength is her comrades. By spending an hour meditating, the Wedded Moon creates a mystical bond between the Wedded Moon and up to (Essence) allies, giving her a positive Intimacy toward each, if she does not already have such an Intimacy. Though temporary, this bond is enough like the bond of a Lunar to her Solar that it allows her to use the enhanced effects of Charms with the Bond keyword, as if she had dots in the Solar Bond background equal to her Conviction rating. The bonds and the Intimacies fade at the end of the day.

Glorious Sublimation of the Wedded Moon

  • Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Bond, Combo-OK, Obvious, Social
  • Duration: (Essence) actions
  • Prerequisite Charms: Herding the Sheep Method, Opportunistic Flanking Practice, Bond-Forging Meditation
  • Whenever the Wedded Moon takes an action to locate, move towards, examine, care for or otherwise act protectively towards an ally to whom she has a positive Intimacy, she gains a number of bonus dice equal to her Compassion. Add any dice gained from this Charm as automatic successes to movement rate.
  • Finally, for the duration of this Charm, the Wedded Moon can channel Compassion for the purpose of attacking an enemy that an ally is also attacking, and for the purpose of making an Attack Coordination roll.
  • If reactivated immediately after the duration ends, this Charm costs no Willpower.
  • A Wedded Moon stylist receives bonus successes rather than bonus dice from acting protectively toward the character for whom she possesses the Solar Bond background.

Sidereal

Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny

  • The first Sidereal Martial Art created was crafted in its entirety by the five greatest grandmasters of the Sidreal Exalted on what was to be the last day of the Primordial War. One grandmaster came from each Caste to represent their Maiden on this day of great discovery. Throughout the war Sidereal Exalted had proven their worth in and out of combat time and again, but these five masters knew that something more was waiting unseen but within their reach. As the only type of Celestial Exalted that could not craft charms all their own, each was a brilliant designer of martial arts having designed many Terrestrial and Celestial Martial Arts for use throughout the war. But this too hinted at something more, why did the Martial Arts come so easily to them and yet not feel used to its full potential?
  • These sages gathered on a day signs pointed to having a great destiny. They pondered the purpose and extent of martial arts for the first five hours of the day. At the end of the fifth hour they had completed a scroll outlining the Perfected Lotus of Understanding. This work was only theory in its discussion of the Blossom of the Perfected Lotus, but they still saw the glimmer of its truth in the Sidereal Martial Arts Mastery charm and in their unused potential. A glimmer without a true light source, however, is a mere whisp of fantasy they knew. They intended to prove this glimmer a bonfire capable of proving its own worth and existance across the face of Creation. They spent the next five hours scouring themselves for a view of Creation that was worthy of expansion into this surety of greatness that awaited them.
  • Fate. Destiny. Inevitability. These concepts called to them. These concepts rang out true to their souls as the true purpose of Creation, the true lens through which to see it and the true means through which to effect it. By the end of the second five hours of the day they had formulated these concepts into a view that brought their enlightenment to the fore and built them into a framework that would be accessible to students. They, of course, framed fate within the bounds they already knew of it. Five houses. Each magnificent. Each a facet of destiny. Each house able to be seen as ascending, descending, or resplendent in its turn. For the next fifteen hours they conceptualized the fifteen phases of astrological houses into the charms of the first Sidereal Martial Art.
  • And on the first minute of the next day, the day that would herald the end of the Primordial War, they each simultaneously conceived of the Form-Charm that would tie the five houses of fate into an unbreakable bond of destiny. In conceiving it they learned it, the entirety of the style from concept to mastery in moments as Sidereal Martial Arts was brought to true birthing on that day. In the moment of crafting they each found a different Student Sutra singing in their minds, the Sutra representing the House of the Caste, but each heard the same Elder Sutra singing in their souls. They wept for the beauty of both and again upon hearing the others Student Sutras. They saw the shimmering rainbow of brilliance they and their teachings had crafted and named it the most fitting name they could, the Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Style of Sidereal Martial Art.

Weapons and Armor

  • Charms of this style treat attacks with wind-fire wheels (and their artifact equivalent, fate rings) as unarmed attacks. Additionally, each Astrological House of the style, as noted by the five House capping Resplendent charms, is associated with an additional weapon that counts as unarmed for that division. These weapons (and their artifact equivalents) are war boomerangs (skycutters) for the House of Journeys, long bows (long powerbows) for the House of Serenity, spears (dire lances) for the House of Battles, natural weapon enhancers (including cesti, fighting gauntlets, iron boots, and razor harnesses; with artifact equivalent smashfists, god-kicking boots, and bloodspike harnesses) for the House of Secrets, and straight swords (daiklaives) for the House of Endings. After a character has mastered this style then all of these weapons count as unarmed for the entirety of the style. Characters using this style can only wear armor while using the charms from the House of Battles. Wearing armor prohibits using the Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Form Charm and all Charms from the four Astrological Houses besides the House of Battles.

Sutras

  • This style is unusual in that a different student sutra is learned upon mastering each Resplendent charm. Each student sutra is only effective for that Astrological House of the style, made up of that Resplendent charm and the two charm prerequisites to it. Upon mastering the style, by learning the Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Form charm, a character learns the elder sutra, which may be applied across all charms of the style as normal.

Charms

Golden Barque of the Heavens Ascending

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Knockback, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Student's Sutra of Journeys: Once there was a dying maiden...
  • Like a powerful battering ram or the charge of a yeddim, the martial artist's attack smashes into its target with such force that it goes flying away. The martial artist's player rolls a normal Martial Arts attack, which inflicts standard damage if it succeeds. The target is then launched backwards from the attack at a speed per tick equal to the higher of the martial artist's or the target's movement, taking into account all movement enhancing effects for both. If the target uses a charm or other effect to negate knockback, then they do not move from the effect of this charm but all of the damage from the original attack is aggravated. The knockback effect of this charm lasts for one tick per pre-soak damage die the martial artist's attack had. This effect does not stack, but when the charm is used repeatedly on the same target the longest duration prevails.
  • The target takes damage for every object crashed into with damage dice rolled for every yard travelled since first being launched or since the last object they struck. Damage for striking a large moveable object, such as another person, is bashing, for striking a large immovable but breakable object, such as a tree or wall, is lethal, and for striking a large immovable and unbreakable object, such as a large artifact of magical materials or adamant tower, is aggravated. The target's movement is not arrested by striking these objects and he will knock aside those that can be, break those that can't be knocked aside, and reflect off in another direction of movement those that cannot be knocked aside or broken.
  • Additionally, whenever this charm is used, the weilder can choose to affect the target of this charm or someone else within touching distance (including herself), but one single target alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Hound-Chases-Rabbit Blessing.

Golden Barque of the Heavens Descending

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Until next action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • ...who found herself content...
  • This charm is invoked in response to an attack, expected or unexpected. It acts as a perfect Dodge Defense against any attack, even if it is undodgeable, but suffers from the Virtue Flaw of Conviction. While this charm is activated in response to a single attack it continues to defend the character perfectly until the martial artist's next action. Additionally, whenever this effect is used to defend against an opponent the martial artist can choose to affect the attacker, and them alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Heart-Piercing Curse.

Golden Barque of the Heavens Resplendent

  • Cost: 15 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Golden Barque of the Heavens Ascending, Golden Barque of the Heavens Descending
  • ...after taking five steps.
  • This charm allows the character to become an iconic representation of Journeys. The character's fate becomes that of speeding caravan. She pulls the greatest destiny for movement from up to (Essence) other people and grants it to all others in that group for the remainder of the scene. This allows all of those enhanced to use the greatest movement of anyone within the group, to attack, physically or socially, with the greatest speed of anyone else in the group and use the greatest attack rate of anyone within the group despite actually attacking with a different weapon or social ability. When used outside of combat this charm allows up to (Essence) magnitude of people to travel at the highest movement speed of anyone within the group, including by the use of charms, mounts, personal vehicles, and spells, for the duration of five hours. When the character assumes this representation she also assumes a specific facet of the House of Journeys by choosing one Resplendent Destiny from that House to be the aspect of her destiny she shows to the world. The character can use the Resplendencies of that Resplendent Destiny by replacing the Endurance cost with motes of essence and replacing paradox dice with temporary willpower points. Sidereal Exalted may use their Endurance from any hanging Resplendent Destiny and may accept paradox dice to power the Resplendencies from the Destiny provided by this charm.
  • In addition to its other effects, this charm acts as a unifier of the charms for the Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal. While this charm is active, any motes spent on activating any of the following charms simultaneously act to activate all of the other charms on this list that the character knows; Dash of Saturn, Verve of Venus, Fixation of Mars, Embrace of Jupiter, and Flight of Mercury. These charms are all considered one charm while Golden Barque of the Heavens Replendent is active and anytime one is used, including in a combo, all of the others are considered used with the same mote investment at the same time.

Cerulean Lute of Harmony Ascending

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Student's Sutra of Serenity: Once there was a travelling maiden...
  • Like a childhood lullaby or the vision of a target's lust, the martial artist's attack slips a wellspring of emotion into its target at the same time as its blow lands. The martial artist's player rolls a normal Martial Arts attack, which they can choose to inflict standard damage or none at all on if it succeeds. The target then has their entire emotional world taken over by the whims of the martial artist. This attack does not compulse the target to act nor change their basic motivation, but it does allow the martial artist complete control over how the target feels towards all things including their own actions and motivation. This also allows the martial artist to replace all of the target's current intimacies with any of his choosing for the duration of the effect so long as they do not conflict with the target's motivation. The target is never confused by these changes and finds perfectly logical explanations for any action he has taken in light of this new emotional reality. The emotion effect of this charm lasts for one tick per pre-soak damage die the martial artist's attack had even if they chose to inflict no damage and the martial artist can change the target's emotions toward anything as a reflexive action on every tick. This effect does not stack, but when the charm is used repeatedly on the same target the longest duration prevails.
  • Additionally, whenever this charm is used, the weilder can choose to affect the target of this charm or someone else within touching distance (including herself), but one single target alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Blissful Idiot Blessing.

Cerulean Lute of Harmony Descending

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Until next action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • ...who found herself in battle...
  • This charm is invoked in response to a mental influence used against the martial artist, expected or unexpected. It acts as a perfect Parry Mental Defense completely eliminating the influence, even if PMDV is considered inapplicible by the type of influence being used, but suffers from the Virtue Flaw of Compassion. While this charm is activated in response to a specific influence it continues to defend the character perfectly until the martial artist's next action. Additionally, whenever this effect is used to defend against an opponent the martial artist can choose to affect the attacker, and them alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Ruin Without Failure Curse.

Cerulean Lute of Harmony Resplendent

  • Cost: 15 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Cerulean Lute of Harmony Ascending, Cerulean Lute of Harmony Descending
  • ...after tasting five pleasures.
  • This charm allows the character to become an iconic representation of Serenity. The character's fate becomes that of a harmonious society. She becomes both the leader and all of the other members of a complementary social unit of (Essence) magnitude with the same stats and equipment as herself, except that all other members are extras with health levels as such and cannot act as special units or use any charms. This complementary unit has a policy identical to the character's motivation and intimacies. When the character assumes this representation she also assumes a specific facet of the House of Serenity by choosing one Resplendent Destiny from that House to be the aspect of her destiny she shows to the world. The character can use the Resplendencies of that Resplendent Destiny by replacing the Endurance cost with motes of essence and replacing paradox dice with temporary willpower points. Sidereal Exalted may use their Endurance from any hanging Resplendent Destiny and may accept paradox dice to power the Resplendencies from the Destiny provided by this charm.
  • In addition to its other effects, this charm acts as a unifier of the charms for the Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal. While this charm is active, any motes spent on activating any of the following charms simultaneously act to activate all of the other charms on this list that the character knows; Campaign in Conviction Stance, Completion in Compassion Stance, Victory in Valor Stance, Transcendence in Temperance Stance, and Joy in Adversity Stance. These charms are all considered one charm while Cerulean Lute of Harmony Replendent is active and anytime one is used, including in a combo, all of the others are considered used with the same mote investment at the same time.

Crimson Panoply of Victory Ascending

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Student's Sutra of Battles: Once there was a leisurely maiden...
  • Like a devestating rain of arrows or charge of cavalry, the martial artist's attack crashes into its victim with a clap of thunder to leave them shaken and shuddering. The martial artist's player rolls a normal Martial Arts attack, which inflicts standard damage if it succeeds. The target then feels the ripples of that blow throughout the very core of their being. The target then begins to suffer a progressive crippling effect, losing one die from all dice pools every tick. This effect lasts for one action per damage die the martial artist's player rolled. This effect does not stack, but when the charm is used repeatedly on the same target the longest duration prevails.
  • Additionally, whenever this charm is used, the weilder can choose to affect the target of this charm or someone else within touching distance (including herself), but one single target alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Fortified Spirit Blessing.

Crimson Panoply of Victory Descending

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Until next action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • ...who found herself knowledgeable...
  • This charm is invoked in response to an attack, expected or unexpected. It acts as a perfect Parry Defense against any attack, even if it is unblockable, but suffers from the Virtue Flaw of Valor. While this charm is activated in response to a single attack it continues to defend the character perfectly until the martial artist's next action. Additionally, whenever this effect is used to defend against an opponent the martial artist can choose to affect the attacker, and them alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Name-Destroying Curse.

Crimson Panoply of Victory Resplendent

  • Cost: 15 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Crimson Panoply of Victory Ascending, Crimson Panoply of Victory Descending
  • ...after fighting five wars.
  • This charm allows the character to become an iconic representation of Battles. The character's fate becomes that of a vigilant army. She becomes both the commander and all of the other members of a complementary military unit of (Essence) magnitude with the same stats and equipment as herself, except that all other members are extras with health levels as such and cannot act as special units or use any charms. This complementary unit has drill equal to the character's War ability and perfect morale. When the character assumes this representation she also assumes a specific facet of the House of Battles by choosing one Resplendent Destiny from that House to be the aspect of her destiny she shows to the world. The character can use the Resplendencies of that Resplendent Destiny by replacing the Endurance cost with motes of essence and replacing paradox dice with temporary willpower points. Sidereal Exalted may use their Endurance from any hanging Resplendent Destiny and may accept paradox dice to power the Resplendencies from the Destiny provided by this charm.
  • In addition to its other effects, this charm acts as a unifier of the charms for the Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal. While this charm is active, any motes spent on activating any of the following charms simultaneously act to activate all of the other charms on this list that the character knows; Jaunt of the Journying Maiden, Sanctum of the Serene Maiden, Fortification of the Final Maiden, Shroud of the Secret Maiden, and Blade of the Battle Maiden. These charms are all considered one charm while Crimson Panoply of Victory Replendent is active and anytime one is used, including in a combo, all of the others are considered used with the same mote investment at the same time and paying the willpower cost for one counts as paying the willpower cost for all.

Forbidding Manse of Ivy Ascending

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Comgo-OK, Illusion, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Student's Sutra of Secrets: Once there was a ferocious maiden...
  • Like a shadow that seems a snake or a hallucination from the wyld, the martial artist's attack flashes across the target's senses at the same time as its blow lands. The martial artist's player rolls a normal Martial Arts attack, which they can choose to inflict standard damage or none at all on if it succeeds. The target then has their entire sensory world taken over by the whims of the martial artist. She can add, subtract, or change whatever perceptions she wants. This can bury the target in a hallucinatory world with no connection to their own or can subtly alter her perceptions just enough to achieve their goals. This effect can make a person believe that they were damaged by an illusary effect or believe that they were healed from real damage taken, but it has no effect on the target's actual wounds or wound penalties. The illusion effect of this charm lasts for one tick per pre-soak damage die the martial artist's attack had even if they chose to inflict no damage and the martial artist can change the target's perceptions as a reflexive action on every tick. This effect does not stack, but when the charm is used repeatedly on the same target the longest duration prevails.
  • Additionally, whenever this charm is used, the weilder can choose to affect the target of this charm or someone else within touching distance (including herself), but one single target alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Artful Prodigy Blessing.

Forbidding Manse of Ivy Descending

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Until next action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • ...who found herself at a loss...
  • This charm is invoked in response to a mental influence used against the martial artist, expected or unexpected. It acts as a perfect Dodge Mental Defense completely eliminating the influence, even if DMDV is considered inapplicible by the type of influence being used, but suffers from the Virtue Flaw of Temperance. While this charm is activated in response to a specific influence it continues to defend the character perfectly until the martial artist's next action. Additionally, whenever this effect is used to defend against an opponent the martial artist can choose to affect the attacker, and them alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Sloped-Floor Curse.

Forbidding Manse of Ivy Resplendent

  • Cost: 15 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Forbidding Manse of Ivy Ascending, Forbidding Manse of Ivy Descending
  • ...after learning five tales.
  • This charm allows the character to become an iconic representation of Secrets. The character's fate becomes that of an all-knowing sage. She instantly becomes knowledgeable about the statistics and abilities of the (Essence) people or complimentary units most important to her immediate situation. She also begins to act as the secret keeper for all the knowledge of (Essence) people or complimentary units she is associated with within (Essence) miles preventing others from using charms or other effects to learn anything of their statistics and abilities. When the character assumes this representation she also assumes a specific facet of the House of Secrets by choosing one Resplendent Destiny from that House to be the aspect of her destiny she shows to the world. The character can use the Resplendencies of that Resplendent Destiny by replacing the Endurance cost with motes of essence and replacing paradox dice with temporary willpower points. Sidereal Exalted may use their Endurance from any hanging Resplendent Destiny and may accept paradox dice to power the Resplendencies from the Destiny provided by this charm.
  • In addition to its other effects, this charm acts as a unifier of the charms for the Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal. While this charm is active, any motes spent on activating any of the following charms simultaneously act to activate all of the other charms on this list that the character knows; Master of the Serpentine Pathway, Master of the Flowing Defense, Master of the Heraldric Array, Master of the Shining Darkness, and Conclusion-Pursuing Approach. These charms are all considered one charm while Forbidding Manse of Ivy Replendent is active and anytime one is used, including in a combo, all of the others are considered used with the same mote investment at the same time and paying the willpower cost for one counts as paying the willpower cost for all.

Violet Bier of Sorrows Ascending

  • Cost: 5 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Holy, Obvious
  • Duration: Instant
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • The Student's Sutra of Endings: Once there was a knowledgeable maiden...
  • Like a gentle wind or caress of rain, the martial artist's attack flows through its target and then takes a piece of their soul with it. The martial artist's player rolls a Martial Arts attack that can either be an obvious blow or a gentle touch, which inflicts aggravated damage if it succeeds. Creatures of darkness and beings outside of fate suffer an even worse pain as the essence of Endings flows through them. For every level of damage they suffer on the target's next action they must soak or suffer an equal number of aggravated damage dice and this pattern repeats on subsequent actions until they suffer no levels of damage at all. This effect does not stack, but when the charm is used repeatedly on the same target the currently largest wound of aggravated damage prevails to become lesser wounds.
  • Additionally, whenever this charm is used, the weilder can choose to affect the target of this charm or someone else within touching distance (including herself), but one single target alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Enlightened Saint Blessing.

Violet Bier of Sorrows Descending

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive
  • Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
  • Duration: Until next action
  • Prerequisite Charms: None
  • ...who found herself on a journey...'
  • This martial artist invokes this charm immediately before the effects of a charm or similar effect take place. This charm is a perfect defense against all special types of damage, such as Compulsion, Crippling, Emotion, Holy, Illusion, Poison, Servitude, Shaping, or Sickness effects, ending them completely. While this charm is activated in response to a specific effect it continues to defend the character perfectly until the martial artist's next action. Additionally, whenever this effect is used to defend against an opponent the martial artist can choose to affect the attacker, and them alone, with an astrological destiny. The destiny has a simple trigger and will effect them for the remainder of the scene. This destiny, and its trigger, must be related to the combat the characters are in or the reason for it. Creating this destiny does not invoke any paradox. While Sidereal Exalted can choose to grant any providence through this destiny, if a non-Sidereal uses this charm then the providence is always the Soul-Withering Curse.

Violet Bier of Sorrows Resplendent

  • Cost: 15 motes; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
  • Keywords: Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: Violet Bier of Sorrows Ascending, Violet Bier of Sorrows Descending
  • ...after dying five deaths.
  • This charm allows the character to become an iconic representation of Endings. The character's fate becomes a pale of halted actions and stymied urges across all that surrounds them. This aura of nothingness feeds on the will to power as its ultimate antithesis and thus while this charm is activated all beings within (Essence) miles must fail a willpower roll or they cannot take any action. Alternatively a being can spend one temporary willpower point for each action they wish to take and after spending five temporary willpower points they are immune to this effect. When the character assumes this representation she also assumes a specific facet of the House of Endings by choosing one Resplendent Destiny from that House to be the aspect of her destiny she shows to the world. The character can use the Resplendencies of that Resplendent Destiny by replacing the Endurance cost with motes of essence and replacing paradox dice with temporary willpower points. Sidereal Exalted may use their Endurance from any hanging Resplendent Destiny and may accept paradox dice to power the Resplendencies from the Destiny provided by this charm.
  • In addition to its other effects, this charm acts as a unifier of the charms for the Celestial Martial Arts of the Houses Sidereal. While this charm is active, any motes spent on activating any of the following charms simultaneously act to activate all of the other charms on this list that the character knows; Golden Barque of the Heavens Form, Cerulean Lute of Harmony Form, Crimson Panoply of Victory Form, Forbidding Manse of Ivy Form, and Violet Bier of Sorrows Form. These charms are all considered one charm while Violet Bier of Sorrows Replendent is active and anytime one is used, including in a combo, all of the others are considered used with the same mote investment at the same time. This charm does still obey the rule on only one Form-type charm able to be activated at one time, but so long as the appropriate Replendent charm is active these charms are not considered Form-type charms and are not effected by that rule.

Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Form

  • Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple
  • Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
  • Duration: One scene
  • Prerequisite Charms: One complete Celestial martial art (all Charms), Golden Barque of the Heavens Resplendent, Cerulean Lute of Harmony Resplendent, Crimson Panoply of Victory Resplendent, Forbidding Manse of Ivy Resplendent, Violet Bier of Sorrows Resplendent
  • The Elder Sutra of Destiny: The maiden looked to her sisters and knew they were she.
  • This charm is the final culmination of destiny. Destiny is not merely the fate of a being or many beings in some facet of journey, serenity, battle, secrets, or ending, but it is all those things seamlessly brought together for the benefit of all. The user of this charm becomes fated in all facets of life. While this charm is active in every period between the martial artist action and their next DV refresh they can choose one action to be an auspicious success with all dice automatically counting as successes. Alternatively this ausipiciousness can be held to double their DV agaist a single attack in that period.
  • While Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Form is active the martial artist can reflexively activate any Resplendency charm of this style as a speed 3 miscellaneous action that does not count as a charm use, but for its usual mote cost which can still receive sutra bonuses. Additionally, for any Astrological House that the martial artist has a Resplendency charm active the Form-type charm of that House's Celestial Martial Art loses the Form-type keyword and can also be activated as a speed 3 miscellaneous action without it counting as a charm use, but again for the usual mote cost.
  • This Form-charm makes all other charms from this style and from all the CMA of the Houses Sidereal non-Obvious even when they have the Obvious keyword. This Form makes all the charms of the Sidereal House CMA eligible to share in its sutra bonuses and makes the form weapons from the Iridescent Synthesis of Destiny Style count as form weapons for all of its associated CMA. This is a Form-type charm and while it is active no other Form-type charm may be activated, except for from any Astrological House CMA that the Resplendency charm is also active in which case they do not count as Form-type charms.