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Transience: The Monochrome Storm of Butterflies

Cherry Blossoms Fall Like Snow in Moonlight

The three brothers had been seated nearest the Ecclessiastic Butterflies that Call the Soul to Nihility, an honor befitting the sole living celebrants at a banquet of the dead. Furtherest from her sat Astol, a dark young man whose eyes moved quickly amongst the ghosts speaking with him, seeking his opinion of the maladies of the body as well as the soul; he listened carefully and spoke softly, so softly that those listening leaned in, trying to seperate his soft but clear voice from the din. To her left sat Juervo, the eldest of the three and already red-faced from the potent wine served. He faced a group of three beautiful women, their complexions purest porcelian and their eyes black as the night sky. They too leaned forward towards him, as he spoke loudly of the tribesmen he had killed on the river, before they'd sailed into the Shadowland unknown. And to her right sat Taln, his green-upon-green vest bringing out the sharp emerald of his eyes. He spoke to the lady herself, of the wonders he had seen in his brief trip through the Underworld, and of other relics and mysteries the three had navigated. The lady listened demurely, sipping her wine only as he paused in his tales.

Though the brothers had thought the feast grand, with foods both foreign and recognizable, but before they had more than sampled a few of the platters, ghostly servants quickly came and whisked away trays, filling wine glasses discreetly as they did. The brothers had barely the time to blink before a loud voice came from the other end of the table:

"Now that our appetites have been whet, let the feast begin in earnest!" a pale rotund man boomed. Picking up a wine glass filled with dark red liquid, he continuted, "But first, a toast! To our guests of honor, the three young heroes who traversed the dangers of the wild woods above, and the darker wilds below!"

Raising his glass to Astol, he said, "To Astol, whose medicinal expertise both cured the deadly poisons of the wild woodmen tribes above and found sustenance suitable for mortals in the cold jungles to our west, which," he added, "despite the plenty seen at our Lady Yuko's table, is no easy thing to muster." A few chuckles were heard from around the room; Astol smiled unsteadily, touching his lips to his wine only briefly as the others drank deeply.

The rotund man lowered his glass and wiped the red stains from his lips before continuing, "And to Juervo! Strongman, warrior, and object of desire for all women," he said, the porcelain ladies around Juervo tittering in crystaline voices, "who single-handedly paddled UP our very own River of Weeping Rage, the Sarna, while fighting off the spider-fish who hunt there! Not an enviable position to be in, as many of us can attest!" Juervo held his glass out proudly, draining it completely before setting it down.

"And to our third guest of honor, Taln! For, my friends, it is Taln who remembered the ancient and honored ways of our cold realm, who negotiated his way through that veritable labyrinth of intrigue which is the Forest Court, and made his way to our humble abode. Few may boast the wits, guile, and," the ghost grinned conspiratorily, "merchandise necessary to navigate such a trial." Taln smiled back at the man, raising his glass and drinking it with the others.

"And finally, to our honored Lady Yuko, without whom we would have no reason to celebrate! Let us drink to her and be merry! After all, it is a rule in this Tower of White Jade that we may not feast without toasting our Lady Yuko at least once!" Laughter echoed around the table, and the lady at the head of the table smiled, raising her glass to a loud cheer. She sipped lightly, putting the glass down before saying:

"Have I not told you before that I am no longer the Lady Yuko?" she chastised, the large man giving an exaggerated cringe in response "Whatever shall I do with you, Sintarin?" she continued lightly.

"My deepest apologies, I'm afraid it once again slipped my tounge. Please forgive me," he said, bowing low but keeping the large grin on his face, "oh Ecclessiastic Butterflies that Call the Soul to Nihility, my Lady."

Juervo, looking a little confused, turned to right and asked thickly, "Lady Ecclastic Butterflies that Call the Soul to Nullity? So does that mean your real name is Yuko?" he asked. The lady did not answer, instead hiding her smile behind a fan and looking on coyly. There was a moment of silence before the three ghostly women by Juervo burst into chimes of laughter, which spread around the table like a roaring flame. The laughter had barely begun to subside when an urgent voice cut in through the noise: "My lady! Get away from the table!"

A young pale girl with somber features roughly pulled the Lady Ecclessiastic out of her chair and away from the table, interposing herself between the lady and the chair of Taln. A chair now empty, its previous occupant toppled over and convulsing on the floor, red and green liquid dripping from his open mouth in a growing pool beneath him. Astol stood up immediately, eyes wide, looking immediately at his fallen brother, then to Juervo, then to the collected room of ghosts, then back to Taln. The room was silent. He swallowed, looking around again at the expression on the Lady Ecclessiastic's face.

Juervo pounded his fist on the table, causing Astol to visibly jump, and shouted, "Don't just stand there Astol! Do something, damn it!"

A thin voice came from the girl guarding the lady: "Approach and die, mortal. There is treachery here, and any attempts on the Lady will be met with harshly." The girl's eyes moved around the room smoothly, her hand resting lightly on her hilt.

"But my brother is DYING!" Juervo shouted, slamming his fist on the table again, rattling the glasses on the table. "It's just like the last time! If Astol doesn't fix it now, Taln's gonna DIE!" Juervo looked at his fallen brother, and Astol, and between the two frantically. "Do something, Astol! Why aren't you helping him!?" Astol swallowed again, looking at Taln and the young expressionless girl returning his gaze coldly.

"...just like when he got shot by those damn wood people." Juervo muttered again "...there's not much time before the poison kills, you said, last time." Juervo looked at Astol, his eyes narrowing. Juervo then looked down at the table, still empty except for the glasses of wine. Glasses of wine, all emptied in the toasting. All emptied except for one. Astol's glass.

Realization spread Juervo's face, contorting it into a parody of rage and sorrow. "Poison!" he choked out, "You did this! You killed your own brother!" Astol went pale, eyes flickering around the room, searching, but he said nothing. "How could you!? Your own bother!" said Juervo, looking down for a moment, his eyes happening to rest upon his own glass, empty. A second realization spread across his face and the fury deepened in his voice, "Both of us! You wanted it all for yourself, didn't you!? You wanted it so much you'd poison me too..." Juervo said, his expression hardening, "...but not fast enough, brother, not fast enough." And with a flash of steel, Juervo's long hunting knife was out and he had launched himself across the table towards Astol.

Astol shook his head in denial as he backed away from his brother, but tripped on his chair and fell in a heap not far from the table. Juervo was on him in an instant, driving the blade clumsily through his brother's shoulder. Astol tried to push him off, but it was obvious that the elder brother was much stronger. The two writhed around on the floor as the assembled ghosts watched, silence broken only by the sounds of struggle and steel crashing into the jade floor.

Then, Astol broke free, scrambling away from his brother. Juervo seemed to move jerkily as he crawled after Astol, a loud high pitched moan coming from him with every laborious movement. He had barely moved a single body length when he dropeed his knife with a clatter, balling his fist and pounding the white floor of the hall once, twice, three times. Then the action lost cohesion and his entire body began to shudder, spasms quickly ramping up until his legs and arms gave out from underneath him and he began to shake uncontrollably on the floor. His eyes, impossibly wide and white, shook as well; only Juervo's high pitched moan seemed to remain constant. Astol backed away from his convulsing brother, streaking blood on the white floor with every movement.

The girl guarding the Lady Ecclessiastic closed her eyes and turned away for a moment, before returning her cold glare to the young man still retreating on the ground before her, and said, "Filth. You will not desecrate my Lady with your presence any more, mortal." Her grip on her sword tightened and she took a single step towards Astol before a hand restrained her sword arm.

"It's okay, Youmu," Ecclessiastic Butterflies that Call the Soul to Nihility said calmly, "There's no danger here."

"But! My Lady--" the girl sputtered.

"Youmu, end the warrior's suffering and see to the hall. I will look after our young guest."

"But--" the girl started after the Lady Eclessiastic, who was already kneeling by the young mortal. The girl stopped mid-stride, and closed her eyes. Opening them again, all hint of expression had vanished, and she turned around, walking down the hall and giving instructions to the ghostly staff. As she walked by the convulsing, moaning human on the floor, she drew her sword and removed his head from his body without breaking her stride or turning to look at him. She re-sheathed her sword with a click and continued her calm orders.

Astol sat in a heap on the floor, not fifteen feet from the headless, still-shaking body of his brother, staring down at his hands. They held a tiny knife, slick with blood. He gripped the knife tightly and closed his eyes, envisioning himself convulsing on the floor with his two brothers. There was probably still enough poison on the blade.

But before he could act, he felt a soft arm around him, pulling him up. He opened his eyes to see the Lady Ecclessiastic putting his arm across her shoulder, supporting him as she coaxed into standing. Before he knew what had happened, she had gently taken the knife from his hands. She looked into his brown-tinged eyes, and smiled warmly. Astol had no words as she slowly helped him out of the room.

Later that night, Astol found himself awake in bed, staring at the cieling of the topmost chamber of the Tower of White Jade. He sat up slowly, wincing in pain as he gingerly pulled the still-wet wound on his shoulder off the silk sheets. The dressings must have come off during the night's exertions, he thought to himself. Sitting on the edge of the vast bed, Astol looked down at his hands, trembling once again.

"Juervo, Taln, my brothers," he said, sobs creeping into his voice, "My brothers...." The young man wept in near silence as the unblinking stars of the underwold watched silently.

Then he felt female flesh, soft and cool, press against his bare back. He could feel her head leaning onto his shoulder, her hair across his neck, and her cool hands reach around his chest.

"I should have tried to calm him, he's senseless when he drinks! If only he'd waited a moment, if only I'd said something, if only that girl hadn't been there, if only I hadn't brought that damned dagger, if only..." his voice trailed off for a moment.

"...if only! Gods! What have I done!" he sobbed, "My brother, Juervo. My brother... what have I done. oh what have I done? what have I done? my brother, my brothers, Lexis, my love, beautiful, innocent Lexis, oh what have I done? my brothers, my love...." the young man cried as cool arms entwined around him. She held him gently, painlessly.

And whispered, "Look to the future, mortal. Nothing lasts forever."

Overview

Stylistically, this charmset is based around Yuyuko Saigyouji.
http://johnsgrsp.home.comcast.net/yuyuko.jpg

A distinctive quality of this charmset is all charms except the form charm are supplemental with a duration of 5 rounds, and no charms require Dex + MA, instead typically using a social attribute instead of . Furthermore, every charm has three entirely separate effects:

• The first effect, called the maiden aspect of the charm, occurs when the charm is invoked, and lasts the duration of the charm so long as the motes used to invoke remain committed, just like a normal charm.
• The second effect, called the border aspect of the charm, may be invoked when decommitting motes from the charm. This aspect grants a single reflexive MA + <attribute> dice action which may not be split. The particular pool granted is usually something unusual such as Appearance + MA or Essence + MA that doesn't see much use outside this style. Invoking the border aspect of a charm usually also releases spectral butterflies into the area, which are then used in various effects. This cloud of butterflies is known as The Border of Life and Death, or simply, border, by practicioners of this style.
• The third effect, called the butterfly aspect of the charm, is invoked by decommitting motes from the charm and taking a particular MA + <attribute> dice action; this dice action is usually gained from the corresponding transience aspect of another charm, but may be taken as normal dice actions as well.

The Border of Life and Death dissapates at the rate 10 yards radius per turn, and follows the martial artist; at the beginning of every short turn may be assumed to be perfectly centered. However, fast movement increases the rate of dissapation: making the border move more than 20 yards per short turn causes it to lose 20 yards radius, and 30 or more causes a loss of 30 yards radius. The Border of Life and Death has a maximum radius of 50 yards per point of permanent essence the martial artist possesses.

Several effects within this style change the nature--and color--of the border. These border effects are plainly visible, as the butterflies making up the Border of Life and Death all simultaneously switch color to reflect their current status. It is from this visual of huge swarms of butterflies, without marking and identical in hue, that the style gets its name.

Additionally, motes committed by charms of this style are very visible. All motes committed by any charm of this style counts towards the anima banner of your character as if it had been spent that round, with one difference: the normal theme of that character's anima is replaced with a butterfly motif. The portion butterfly of a character's anima banner depends on the number of motes committed as well as motes spent on other charms. When very large numbers of motes are committed, use the following guidelines for anima size:

• 18-30 motes: Banner size equal to Terrestrial Sorcery display
• 30-50 motes: Banner size equal to Celestial Sorcery display
• 50-70 motes: Banner size equal to Solar Sorcery display
• 70+ motes: Butterfly Banner level.

Attacks made with fans are considered unarmed by charms in this style, and no charms of this style are compatible with armor.

Charms

Student's Sutra of Transience: Once, there was a maiden...

Lost Soul's Village

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: 5 rounds
Type:  Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: none

who dreamt she was a butterfly, flying in a sunlit garden.

The maiden aspect of this charm, invoked with a Wits + MA dice action, sets the user spinning into a graceful and elusive dance, difficult to strike and frequently just out of reach. Every two motes committed to this charm gives an extra success on all dodge rolls, up to a maximum bonus of (dice rolled to dodge)/3, rounded up. Further committed motes have no effect.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Perception + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when a single mote is decomitted.

The butterfly aspect of this charm grants the user sudden and erratic bursts of movement, mimicing the butterflies' bobbing flight. Invoked by decommitting 2 motes from this charm accompanied with a Wits + MA dice action, this allows the user to move up to MA x Essence yards reflexively. This movement may not take the character outside The Border of Life and Death. Furthermore, if the character is part of a complementary unit, this reflexive movement cannot be taken and instead translates into a full pool dodge, usable only when the martial artist is specifically targetted.

Sins of Times Past

Cost: 1+ motes
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Lost Soul's Village

She drank freely from all the flowers of the garden:

The maiden aspect of this charm, invoked with a Wits + MA dice action, starts convoluted twisting dance, with movements within movements and attacks coming unexpected, almost too complex to see. The martial artist may commit motes equal to the number of successes on the Wits + MA roll. Those who wish to figure out the intracies of the martial artist's dance may take Perception + MA dice actions at a difficulty of one for every two motes the martial artist has committed to this charm; this difficulty may never exceed 10. The Perception + MA roll may be an extended action and may be split normally. However, until this action has succeeded all attacks from the martial artist count as surprise attacks. Once an opponent has successfully made a perception + MA roll, this charm has no effect until all motes have been decommitted and the charm is re-invoked, or additional motes are committed, surpassing the number of accumulated successes on the opponent's Perception + MA roll.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Charisma + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when single mote is decommitted.

The butterfly aspect of this charm, invoked by decomitting 10 motes and taking a a Manipulation + MA dice action, causes the Border of Life and Death to become thick grey and opaque, flying close-knit and blocking vision. Everything inside the border has the same visual conditions as Heavy Snow, Day (see Exalted Core, page 237). This is an essence effect and is therefore not bypassed by any type of essence vision; only effects that improve normal sight or bypass vision completely will improve detection within the border. Furthermore, the twisting flight of the butterflies within the border knowingly confuses those seeking a specifc target, misdirecting them and blinding. Those attempting to find a specific target within the border face an additional difficulty to their task equal to the number of successes on the Manipulation + MA dice action. This explicitly affects the "Attacking a Unit Leader" action (Player's Guide, page 225), and only effects that improve detection within the border may decrease this added difficulty. This is a border effect, and immediately replaces any previous border effect. This effect changes the border to a dark ashen grey.

Axiom of Mortality

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: none

the lilly, the iris,

When the maiden aspect of this charm is invoked, the martial artist sees beyond the immediacy of the fight and to something greater: the inevitibility for all to be ended. This seemingly ultimate truth permeates his strikes, filling them with the finality of the end of things. Invoked with a Perception + MA dice action, this charm adds one difficulty per every two motes committed to any parry attempt made against the martial artist's attack, up to a maximum penalty of (dice rolled on attack)/3, rounded up.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Wits + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when a single mote is decommitted.

The butterfly aspect of this charm takes this rule of death and spreads it, preventing renewal. Making a Perception + MA roll and decomitting 10 motes, the martial artist makes the Border of Life and Death a suffocating place, preventing those within it from regaining essence. Any mote regeneration effects which take place within the Border of Life and Death generate one less mote success rolled on the Perception + MA dice action. This affects motes gained from all sources not explicitly perfect, be they charms, artifacts, or stunts. This is a border effect, and immediately replaces any previous border effect. This effect changes the border to a pale green.

Poisonous Moth

Cost: 1+ motes
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Axiom of Mortality

the hyacinth, the narcissus,

With a Perception + MA dice action, the martial artist may invoke the maiden aspect of this charm, spending motes up to number of successes rolled. So long as this charm is active, the martial artist is filled with an ethereal poison, damaging the very essence of those who touch him. Those coming into contact with the martial artist's flesh must resist a poison of difficulty equal to the martial artist's essence. Failure dissapates a number of motes equal to half the motes committed to this charm, rounded up. Success dissapates a number motes equal to one quarter the motes committed, rounded up. Motes of essence dissapated in this fashion also lower the number of motes counting towards the anima banner level, as the radiance of power surrounding the character seems to break apart into tiny butterflies. Dissapated motes may be regained normally.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Manipulation + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when a single mote is decommitted.

Invoking the butterfly aspect of this charm with a Charisma + MA dice action and decommitting two motes, the martial artist's essence dissapates, flowing through raw channeled essence and essence-containing objects as though they were her own flesh, ignoring the barriers they would normally place between her and her opponents. For the rest of the turn, the martial artist may consider objects containing a character's committed essence to be that character's flesh for any effects requiring direct contact; she may consider purely essence effects powered by a character to be that character's blood or other internal fluids for any effects requiring contact of blood or fluids. This applies both to the martial artist and her opponents, until the next initiative starts.

Flowered Soul's Butterfly Delusion

Cost: 1 mote
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Full Celestial MA

and the rose.

Invoking the maiden aspect of this charm with a Charisma + MA dice action, the martial artist may gain power and momentum from essence used, unfolding her normal anima banner into that of a butterfly. The martial artist may consider motes spent on Instant duration charms, or Sorcery/Necromancy not requiring mote investment, to be committed by this charm. The maiden aspect of this charm must be invoked at the same instant the motes for the other effects are spent for this transfer to be successful; the maiden aspect of this charm may never be activated to commit motes from any effect which normally requires mote committment.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Appearance + MA dice action when one mote is decommitted: additional motes add dice to this roll, up to a maximum of double the original pool to be rolled; the Border of Life and Death is increased by 10 yards for every 2 motes decommitted from this charm.

The butterfly aspect of this charm, activated with a Manipulation + MA dice action allows the essence stored in this charm to flutter about and around, powering other magics. The martial artist may decommit from this charm a number of motes up to permanent essence. For every two motes decomitted, a single mote may be reflexively committed to any charm of this style except the form charm.

Monochrome Storm of Butteflies Form

Cost: 8+ motes
Duration: scene
Type: simple
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Flowered Soul's Butterfly Delusion, Poisonous Moth, Sins of Times Past

She drank from them all, bitter though they were.

The martial artist assumes the Form of the Butterfly of Ghostly Dream, a mysterious and elusive, both advertising and masking her true potential. Butterflies seem to dance around her, and her every movement seems both refined and spontaneous. The maiden aspect of this charm allows the committment of up to (permanent essence) x2 motes, and no more motes than this may ever be committed to this charm. Effects which lower permanent essence cause the immediate dissapation of essence committed in excess of this maximum. Once this charm has been invoked, additional motes may not be committed to it by any effect.

While the maiden aspect of this charm is in effect, the martial artist is granted two additional charm actions every turn, which may only be used by charms of this style. These charm actions may be used exactly like the normal charm action given every turn, in that a single charm invoked multiple times only uses one charm action. These two additional charm actions, as well as any reflexive actions gained through the maiden, border, or butterfly aspects of charms in this try, may be used at any time, even during effects which normally prevent charm or reflexive actions, such as spellcasting. All other requirements for charm activation must be met normally. Furthermore, motes committed to this charm in excess of 8 grant the martial artist Presence (Delicate Beauty) specialties, on a one-for-one basis. The maiden aspect of this charm does not end when immobilized or unconcious; only death, end of the scene, or having fewer than 8 motes committed to this charm will end it. And, like all form charms, only one form charm may be active at any time.

The border aspect of this charm, invoked by decomitting two motes, grants the martial artist one of the two following effects

• A reflexive Martial Arts dice action using any attribute. This may be an attack, parry, feint, or anything else appropriate to the attribute used.
• The Border of Life and Death increases by 50 yards.

The butterfly aspect of this charm, invoked by decommitting 10 motes with an Essence + MA dice action, allows the martial artist to freely re-arrange committed motes between charms of this style as he sees fit. However, no motes may be committed to charms not yet invoked (ie, those with zero committed motes), nor to the form charm.

Sign of Spirit: Ageless Dream

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 6
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Monochrome Storm of Butteflies Form

Elder's Sutra of Transience: Once, there was a butterfly who dreamt she was a maiden. .

Invoking the maiden aspect of this charm with a Charisma + MA dice action, the martial artist glows with a perfectly white radiance, experiencing the fullness of growth. Every three motes committed to this charm increase the permanent essence of the martial artist by one, up to a maximum permanent essence of 10. Further mote committment has no effect. This increase in permanent essence increases all effects which depend on permanent essence, but does not increase mote pools and will not allow the character to buy charms or attributes that she could not learn in the absence of this charm.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Manipulation + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when one mote is decomitted.

Invoking the butterfly aspect of this charm with an Appearance + MA dice action and decommiting two motes, the martial artist shapes the glowing white aura around him into a perfectly symmetric butterfly with 4 wings. This butterfly remains in existance for a full scene, and immediately flies to a target within the Border of Life and Death, landing on the back of the neck and unfolding its wings until it lays flat. The target may remove this butterfly as a dice action, and once removed, the butterfly will dissapear; for anyone besides the target to remove the butterfly requries the ability to interact or strike dematerialized spirits and a successful attack at difficulty +3; the martial artist may dismiss any or all of these butterflies as a reflexive action. While the butterfly is in place and the target remains within the border, the target is considered to have an arcane link to the martial artist and gains the following benefits:

• the target is not considered an extra
• any items attuned to the martial artist are also considered attuned to the target
• any objects under the martial artist's control may also be controlled by the target
• the target may add one to her Martial Arts, Occult, and Presence. This may not raise any of those abilities higher than the martial artist's

Additionally, all targets affected by this link may speak instantaneously with each other, and all attempts to mentally affect or control any of the targets are redirected towards the martial artist; multiple re-directed effects are resisted with a single resist by the martial artist, applied to all effect instances.

When all relays of a unit under the martial artist's command are under the effects of the butterfly aspect of this charm, the unit gains the following benefits:

• +1 drill; this scales for units whose rank-and-file consists of automatons: butterflies applied to the unit in excess of relays grant an additional +1 drill per 2 butterflies applied
• when rolling for rout, the martial artist may use the higher of the average member's valor or the Martial Artist's valor. Mounts are unaffected.
• all special characters within the unit recieve the benefits of protection and mid-combat spellcasting the sorceror usually recieves

Glass Phantasia's Ascent to Hell

Cost: 10 motes, 1 will
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 6
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Sign of Spirit: Ageless Dream

She kept a garden, beautiful and cold.

Invoking the maiden aspect of this charm with a Manipulation + MA dice action, a thick stream of tiny black butterflies seep from the martial artist's mouth as she draws out the basal fury and hunger of her po. These butterflies hang thickly around her face, allowing viewers only glimpses of a single eye. While the maiden aspect of this charm is in effect, the martial artist may ignore all darkness effects upon visibility, and all attacks made by the martial artist are hungry strikes and, when damage is rolled from any of the martial artist's attacks, failures on the damage roll may be re-rolled once, with successes resulting in damage as normal. If, at any time, less than 10 motes are committed to this charm, the maiden effect immediately stops and the charm must be re-invoked to regain it. Also, the maiden aspect of this charm is suppressed so long as the martial artist is in direct sunlight.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Essence + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when one mote is decommitted.

Invoking the the butterfly aspect of this charm, the butterflies within the Border of Life and Death turn glassy and reflective. From these thousands of flying mirrors step the dark fears and nightmares of those around them, brought to reality, if only for a short time. Even the terrain itself warps, as though the very land dreams uneasily. By making an Appearance + MA roll and decommitting 20 motes from this charm, the martial artist may create a nightmare landscape within the border. All terrain within the border is considered difficult terrain, granting 50% cover.

Furthermore, all characters within the area of effect have their darkest nightmare made physical. This nightmare is still a part of that character and may, for the sufficiently valorous, be controlled by its owner. Nightmares are treated as a weapon wielded with willpower which may be used either hand-to-hand or at a range. The power of a nightmare is based upon it's owner; used as a hand-to-hand weapon it has the following stats: spd -(temperance); acc (valor - compassion); dam (willpower + conviction); def 0; rate (essence). Used as a ranged weapon it has stats of: acc 0; dam (conviction); rate (essence); range (willpower x10). Any time a nightmare weapon is used, the user must roll valor at difficulty 2 or be the target of that attack, resolved normally. For characters without virtues, treat a virtue which always succeeds as a 6, and a virtue which cannot succeed as a 0.

For complementary units in the area of effect, add +1 difficulty to all valor checks in the nighrmare landscape, and an additional +1 if that unit decides to wield nightmares. However, if the unit does wield nightmares, re-calculate the hand-to-hand and ranged skill/damage based on the average nightmare weapon of the rank and file, substituting willpower for the various Dexterity + Ability pools. Any time a unit hesitates in a nightmare landscape, it automatically loses a point of magnitude, and if that unit fails the following Charima + Presence roll, it loses all magnitude, becoming a solo unit. Finally, all unordered units must check for rout every turn; the storyteller should strongly consider treating masses of non-combatants as unordered units for the purposes of this charm.

Use of the buttefly aspect of Glass Phantasia's Ascent to Hell in the Labryinth does not have the normal effect; instead the landscape within the Border of Life and Death crystalizes into purest black obsidian; and the border itself immediately dissapates. At the edge of the former border, tunnels shift rapidly; within it, the ever-present whispers of the Malfeans can be heard. All characters in this area of black obsidian gain +3 Whispers; Spectres are frequently drawn in great numbers to the increased whispers of the area, and on more than one occasion, a Hekatonkhire is also drawn; leaving the area has the effect of encountering a terrain shift (see page 73 of Exalted: the Abyssals). After exactly 108 minutes, the shifting tunnels come to rest and the whispers end; those still remaining find that the area has made its way to the bottom of the Well of the Void, within sight of the tombs of the Malfeans.

The butterfly aspect of Glass Phantasia's Ascent to Hell is a border effect, and immiediately replaces the previous border effect. Its color is a translucent black.

Perfect Cherry Blossom

Cost: 6 motes, 1 will
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Monochrome Storm of Butterflies Form

She walked beneath the cherry tree,

Activating the maiden aspect of this charm with a Manipulation + MA dice action, the martial artist causes the Border of Life and Death to grow cold and barren, seeming to drain those within it of their essence; this cold, once felt, bites deeply into the soul and lingers. All charms activated within the Border of Life and Death have an additional mote surcharge added to them. Wood aspect charms are affected by this most strongly, and they face a two mote surcharge. These surcharged motes are considered to be committed to this charm, and may not be decommitted by their owners. Only the martial artist may decommit the surcharged motes taken by this charm. Additionally, all characters with motes committed to this charm suffer a penalty of -1 to all actions for every two motes committed. Units consisting of essence-users are at -1 Might within the Border of Life and Death while this charm is active. The martial artist is immune to these penalties as well as the surcharge; the maiden aspect of this charm immediately ends if less than 6 motes are committed to this charm, although she may decommit her own motes while leaving those taken from others to power the effect.

The border aspect of this charm grants an Appearance + MA dice action when one mote is committed; further motes decommitted grant an extra die on this roll, up to double the original rolled pool. The Border of Life and Death is increased by 10 yards for every mote decommited from this charm.

The butterfly aspect of this charm causes the immediate decommitment of motes to a single effect within the Border of Life and Death. Any essence effect having committed motes may be targetted by this, although this charm in no way helps the martial artist see these effects; the Martial Artist must have some sort of essence vision or other means of detection in order to target a given effect. By taking an Essence + MA dice action and decomitting a number of motes equal to those committed by the targetted effect, the targetted charm or effect is immediately ended and the motes committed to it are dispersed. This is a perfect offensive effect.

Fatal Light Trap

Cost: 15 motes, 1 will
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 6
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Monochrome Storm of Butterflies Form

and came upon a sleeping butterfly.

The maiden aspect of this charm, invoked with an Appearance + MA dice action, brings forth from her chest a number of 5-winged butterflies equal to the successes on the Appearance + MA roll. These butterflies float lazily around the character, seemingly inert, and immediately dissapear if less than 15 motes are ever committed to this charm. However, when the martial artist empowers them, they may form instant physical reflections of the martial artist, allowing her to multiply her strikes and defenses. For the duration of the charm, the martial artist may reflexive spend and commit an additional 3 motes to this charm to perform any one of the following abilities:

• The martial artist may disperse her strikes through the butterflies, allowing a single attack to strike a number of different targets equal to the number of butterflies summoned. These attacks are resolved with a single roll which must be then defended against normally. The additional strikes may come from anywhere in a 10 yard radius of the martial artist that she chooses, but gain no additional bonuses from doing so.
• The martial artist may disperse her defense through the butterflies, allowing a single parry to defend against a number of attacks equal to the number of butterflies summoned. The attacks defended against must all occur at the same instant, and need not all have the same target. However, any target must be within 10 yards of the martial artist to be defended with this effect. A single parry is rolled, and then applied to all the attacks affected.
• The martial artist may focus her strike against a single enemy, preventing it from dodging. If the number of butterflies summoned is greater than the Dodge score of the target, then that strike is undodgeable.
• The martial artist may focus her defense against a single attack, parrying attacks not normally able to be parried. If the number of butterflies summoned is greater than the Ability used to attack the martial artist, then she may attempt to parry it, even if it is normally unparriable.

The border aspect of this charm grants a reflexive Charisma + MA dice action and increases the Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when one mote is decommitted.

The butterfly aspect of this charm, invoked by decomitting 25 motes from this charm with a Manipulation + MA dice action, Border of Life and Death into a delicately beautiful field of flowing butterflies, striking all who cross one of their paths. These strikes, while rarely lethal, slow down oppoents and sap them of their strength. Other units within the border suffer a reflexive counterattack for every 20 yards moved. This counterattack may be made as an unarmed attack, or by using Appearance + Presence. These counterattacks do a base damage of 4B, and are a purely essence effect. Other units may consider the border to be abatis, though it grants no cover, and must disengage as though facing a Drill 3 opponent if they wish to move at all within the border. The martial artist suffers no ill effects from the buttefly aspect of this charm. This is a border effect, and immediately replaces any previous border effect. Its color is a brilliant blue-white.

Dead Butterfly, Floating Moon

Cost: 15 motes, 1 will, 1 lethal health level
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 6
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Fatal Light Trap

She froze her eyes open with a kiss,

Invoking the maiden aspect of this charm with a Charisma + MA dice action, the martial artist attempts to experience soul death, removes her own soul from her internal self, diffusing it into her external self. While the maiden aspect of this charm is active, the martial artist may protect her soul with her essence, and may perfectly defend against any effect which targets her soul by succeeding on a Temperance check and spending 5 essence and 1 health level. The occulted nature of her soul removes the applicability of many of the rules of creation; the martial artist is both there and not there. She may choose to be affected by anything targetting her as though she were dematerialized or entirely physical, may float at a height of up to 10 yards per dot of permanent essence, and silvery light, comparable to the full moon. Finally, her virtues and willpower, integral parts of her soul, are replaced by more superficial things:

• Valor is replaced with Charisma
• Conviction is replaced with Appearance
• Compassion is replaced with Manipulation
• Willpower is replaced by the sum of the martial artist's two highest social stats.

Only Temperance remains, staying as the anchor by which the rest of the soul may return. These substitutions do not change temporary willpower or virtue channels; however, willpower and virtue channels gained during the course of this charm in excess of their natural maximum are not lost until the character sleeps. The maiden aspect of this charm immediately ends if less than 15 motes are ever committed to it, and causes an additional level of health level when it ends.

The border aspect of this charm gratns a reflexive Essence + MA dice action and increases teh Border of Life and Death by 10 yards when one mote is decommitted.

The butterfly aspect of this charm, invoked by decommitting 5 motes with an Appearance + MA dice action, focuses light suffusing through her body into her anima, where it coalesces and leaps out as a beam of coherent essence. This is an unarmed attack considered have success equal to those rolled on the Appearance + MA dice action, and may strike a target up to Essence x100 yards away.. This attack is considered an unarmed essence attack; any charms or combos which may normally be applied to unarmed strikes may be applied to this attack. Use of Extra Action charms (or combos) is possible, although if more attacks are available than the butterfly aspect of Dead Butterfly, Floating Moon can provide, the charm or combo immediately ends.

Butterflies of Returning Souls

Cost: 20 motes, 1 will 
Duration: 5 rounds
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 7
Min Essence: 7
Prereqs: Dead Butterfly, Floating Moon; Perfect Cherry Blossom; Glass Phantasia's Ascent to Hell

and said, "Know, love, and despair."

Comments

Older comments have been removed as they don't really apply any more, but they were highly appreciated! Issaru, I think I ended up doing largely what you suggested, if in a somewhat more indirect way than you probably envisioned. ~Capric