Xia: Broken Mirror

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"You're right, I'm no good at this game. My position is untenable. Doesn't look like there's anything I can do. So I may as well let General Shen take over. Who is General Tang, you ask?

"Greetings, boy... I am General Tang, of the Thirteenth Tiger Dynasty. Shall we play?"

Overview

This page is a Lore Sheet for Broken Mirror, a set of Shen Secrets relating to the insight in madness and the power of random action. Such techniques are shunned by right-thinking sages as being likely detrimental to the health of your Shen.

These techniques relate directly to mental conflict.

The Broken Mind

As soon as you take your first Shen Secret from this Lore Sheet your mind breaks, just a little. Any Inner Masteries you know from the Way of Perfected Shen are instantly lost, and you can never again learn Inner Masteries from that Lore Sheet. Also, your Mental Trait is permanently reduced by -1. If this reduces your Mental Trait to zero, you become a gibbering lunatic, with no mental function worth speaking of, and effectively become unplayable as a character.

Assuming you have at least Mental 1 remaining, you should still roleplay out your character's fractured sanity. Delusions, hallucinations, affective disorders and tics are all suitable.

Strength in Madness

"What's that, little flower in my head? you want to spread your roots into my dreams? Alright, but let us let the white horses past first, as they wish to graze, and time is short."

Cost: 2 Yang Chi and 2 Yin Chi.

Keywords: Action; Mental; Concentration; Graceless;

Effect: Your Mental Resilience is reduced to 1, and then you regain 3D6 Mental Resilience. You cannot use this kung fu secret if you have 0 Mental Resilience.

Insight of the Deranged

"Have the cavalry go over there, back away from the battlelines. Have them charge at full pace and scare off the flock of birds that are there. Why? I don't know... just do it!"

Cost: 2 Yang Chi.

Keywords: Action; Mental; Attack; Concentration; Graceless;

Effect: Make a Mental Attack. Roll a D6 to determine power of the attack, then another D6 to determine motion, then a D6 for accuracy. The target of this attack may not use any channelling or kung fu secrets in defence against your attack.

New Personality

"I think I'll let General Tang handle this one."

Cost: None.

Keywords: Preparation;

Effect: Roll a D6 and deduct one: this is your new Mental Trait. Roll another D6 and deduct one: this is your new Social Trait. These trait levels stay in place for the next D6 hours. During this time you cannot use New Personality again.

Note that if you roll a 1 on either D6, then for the duration of the power you will be a gibbering wreck, unable to function in any conflict of any sort.

Credits

This page created by Asklepios.