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Inward Coiling Dragon Style

by FiatVictrix and Moxiane

Background

A Terrestial Martial Art that is as much dance as combat, the Inward Coiling Dragon is largely followed by dancers and others who must appear graceful and deceptive at all times, such as courtesans and palace functionaries. It is filled with lithe, sweeping motions that distract the opponent as to the true motives and motions of the stylist, and if used correctly can end a fight before it truly begins. The Inward Coiling Dragon is a strange martial art, often considered somewhat heretical by the more orthodox sifus, because it has not one but three pinnacle Charms, each of which works only with one of its signature weapons – although all three operate normally if the stylist is barehanded.

As well as being used unarmed, Inward Coiling Dragon Style allows the use of paired straight swords, paired wind-fire wheels or the seven-section staff with its Charms, treating them as unarmed attacks.

Charms

Make Love, Not War

 Cost: 3 motes
 Type: Simple
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 2
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites:  None

The first lesson of Inward Coiling Dragon is never to fight unless the outcome is already decided. To this end, the character rolls her Appearance + Performance + any applicable specialties against a difficulty equal to the target’s current Willpower total. If successful the opponent will accede to an alternative method of solving the conflict. If the character uses this pause to attack her opponent again, that opponent is forever after immune to this Charm as used by the character.

Dragonfly Dance

 Cost: 4 motes
 Type: Supplemental
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 2
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites:  None

The second lesson of Inward Coiling Dragon is that the most puissant strike fails if it misses the target. Thus, skilled practitioners emulate the unerring flight of the dragonfly. An attack enhanced with this Charm adds the character’s Essence to the difficulty of all attempts to defend against it, but consumes counts as two attacks for the purposes of Rate.

Shining Smile Step

 Cost: 3 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 2
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites:  None

The third lesson of Inward Coiling Dragon is that the appearance of strength is as valuable as the truth. With this in mind, practitioners step forward into danger with a smile. Each parry supplemented by this charm adds the character’s Appearance in dice to the pool. This charm may be used to generate a parry attempt, but adds no other positive modifiers.

Ride the Lightning Technique

 Cost: 4 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 3
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites:  Make Love, Not War, Dragonfly Dance

A powerful lesson taught by the masters of the Inward Coiling Dragon is that an opponent who attacks will often overextend himself in a way that allows for a counter stroke. Upon successfully parrying a close-combat attack the character can immediately make a normal Martial Arts attack against her opponent. This Charm may not be used in response to any normal counterattack Charm, and its cost must be paid for before the parry is rolled.

Stroke the Fire Method

 Cost: 4 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 3
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites: Dragonfly Dance, Shining Smile Step

The Inward Coiling Dragon teaches that deceptive movement can lead to victory or escape. Upon a successful Martial Arts parry of a close combat attack the character can choose to either make a normal move (Dexterity + 12 yards) away from her attacker, or to slide around behind him. The cost of this Charm must be paid before the parry attempt is made.

Inward Coiling Dragon Form

 Cost: 5 motes
 Type: Simple
 Duration: 1 scene
 Min. Martial Arts: 4
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites:  Ride the Lightning Technique, Stroke the Fire Method

With this Charm the Exalted adopts of the pose of the Inward Coiling Dragon, her arms swirling inwards against her body, loose and ready to strike at her attackers, while still being deceptive as to her strengths and weaknesses. A character with Inward Coiling Dragon Form active inflicts Lethal damage with her unarmed attacks and can add her Martial Arts to all attempts to deceive an opponent as regards her strength (or weakness) or as to the sincerity of a surrender. Each attack parried gives a +2 dice bonus on the character's next attack, up to a limit of the characters Wits in bonuses. This only applies to one opponent, and is explicitly not considered to count for the purposes of dice-buying charm limits. Characters may only have one Form-type Charm active at any given time, should the character activate another during the scene Inward Coiling Dragon Form is ended.

Triangle of Desire Prana

 Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
 Type: Simple
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 3
 Prerequisites:  Inward Coiling Dragon Form

Dancers and courtesans soon learn the strength of the three passion of life – anger, fear and lust, and how to judge when a person is in thrall to one of them. The character with this Charm learns to change the anger of her opponent into either lust or fear, to end the combat at that point. The character makes a normal Martial Arts attack, but rather than doing any damage she reflexively rolls Manipulation + Martial Arts + any applicable specialties (if this attack benefited from the Form’s bonus dice, then half of that number is added to the second roll). If she is trying to change the target’s anger into fear then he resists by rolling his Willpower + Valour – if the Exalted wins then the target is terrified of the character and will attempt to flee the scene. Conversely, if she wishes to change her opponent’s anger into lust her roll is opposed by the target’s Willpower + Temperance – if he does not win the contest then the target finds the character sexually irresistible. The effects of this Charm linger for a number of turns equal to the Exalted’s permanent Essence, but it has no effect on a target with a permanent Essence greater than that of the character. This Charm can only be used if the character is barehanded or wielding paired wind-fire wheels.

Enfolding Crush

 Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
 Type: Simple
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 3
 Prerequisites: Inward Coiling Dragon Form

The character wraps her arms around her opponent, Essence strengthening her attack to the point where the target’s armour does not protect against the blow. The character makes a normal Martial Arts attack against his opponent, which ignores the armour soak, if any, of the victim. This Charm can only be used if the character is barehanded or wielding a seven-section staff.

Rapacious Thrust

 Cost: 5 motes
 Type: Supplemental
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 3
 Prerequisites:  Inward Coiling Dragon Form

The strongest movement of the Inward Coiling Dragon is a powerful lunge that will countenance no barrier or wall to block it, unerringly striking its target. An attack enhanced with this Charm is considered unblockable (although it may be dodged as normal). The character can only use this Charm is barehanded or wielding paired straight swords.

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