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Dragon Sentai Style Martial Arts

Ever since the time of the Contagion, the Seventh Legion of Lookshy has resisted the encroachment of the Realm and its upstart Empress. Rather than bowing their heads and pledging their hearts to the Immaculate Philosophy, the Dragon-Blooded of Lookshy follow the Immaculate Way, which venerates the concept of the Perfect Soldier. Part of this discipline includes a martial arts style developed over the years by teams of Dragon-Blooded officers. Since Lookshy does not have the intensive eugenics system valued by the Realm, their bloodlines are somewhat thinner than the Houses of the Scarlet Dynasty. No matter. Through the study of Dragon Sentai Martial Arts, a team of Terrestrial Exalted are able to blend the capabilities of its members, becoming more than the sum of its parts.

Dragon Sentai Martial Arts involves a team of Terrestrial Exalted known as a 'sentai'. Most sentai consist of no more than five members (usually, but not always one of each Aspect) which have been bound together into a sworn brotherhood. By drilling with each other and the troops under their command, the sentai is able to develop the martial techniques that emulate the Perfected Soldier. It is possible for any type of Exalt to join in a sentai, but they must also be bound into the sworn brotherhood. It is rumored that the Lunar Exalted study a similar philosophy, called Wolf Style Martial Arts, which draws upon the bonds created by the Charm Brotherhood of Lake and River and will be discussed elsewhere.

There are a number of sentai in Lookshy, and there is quite a bit of friendly rivalry between them, as conflict breeds excellence. It is considered a great honor for a Terrestrial Exalt to be asked to join a prestigious sentai, one which is rarely refused. The few Immaculate missionaries in Lookshy decry the style as heretical, as it glorifies one's own achievements over the splendor of the Five Elemental Dragons. This is simply one more thing that drives the Lookshy chaplainry away from the Mouth of Peace. As a result, there are no Dragon Sentai stylists on the Blessed Isle--rather, Five Dragon Style and the Glorious Immaculate Paths are preferred. Some mercenary sentai also exist throughout the Scavenger Lands, pursuing their fortunes together.

Many synergistic Charms in the cascade derived from Troop Invigorating Prana refer to 'leader' and 'support' characters. This does not necessarily refer to the titular leader of the sentai (though it often is). Rather, the 'leader' is the first character in the sentai activating the Charm, and 'support' characters lend their aid after the Charm is activated. In this case, characters in a sentai may reflexively abort to a Charm-support action. This is a Martial Arts dice action that counts as a supporting character's Charm-use for the turn. Any sentai-brother may support a Charm while it is active for its duration, and must pay the Charm's cost in addition to any support costs. Charms of Instant duration must be supported at that Charm's activation, even if their effects linger on after the fact. A Charm may never be part of a Combo when being used in its support mode. Unless otherwise noted, a support character must be within Essence x 10 yards to support a leader's Charm.

Exalted who use Dragon Sentai Martial Arts Charms to add dice to actions are bound by the limitations in the Charm's description, even if they are a type of Exalt that allows more dice. This is a limitation inherent in the methodology of Dragon Sentai Martial Arts, and cannot be circumvented short of developing an entirely new style. Also, at the Storyteller's option, any Charms that affect a character's Command Background may instead affect intelligent Familiars or Followers. Sidereal Exalted may not use these Charms to augment Acquaintances, as a more intimate relationship is necessary.

Dragon Sentai Martial Arts is a Terrestrial-type Martial Art that permits the use of swords and spears (including daiklaves and dire lances). It does not permit the use of armor.

Troop Invigorating Prana
Cost: 1 mote per 2 soldiers
Type: Reflexive
Duration: One scene
Minimum Martial Arts: 1
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: None

The first thing a student of Dragon Sentai Martial Arts must learn is that he functions as part of a whole. A successful fang is one that works together as a single unit, rather than as a rabble of individuals. This Charm grants any soldiers under the Exalt's command (as a result of the Command background) one bonus die to any actions taken while following the character's orders. Similarly, the soldiers become immune to the damaging effects of the Exalt's anima, allowing them to fight shoulder-to-shoulder without fear of harm.

Mail and Steel: Costs 5 motes per Magnitude, and adds one to the unit's Hand-to-Hand Skill or Ranged Skill (not both). All sentai-brothers in a given unit may spend motes on this Charm as a Charm-support action.

Grizzled Sergeant Style
Cost: 1 mote per soldier
Type: Simple
Duration: One day
Minimum Martial Arts: 1
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Troop Invigorating Prana

The Exalt now begins to learn to deal with the hardships of duty and the necessity of discipline. By barking orders at his troops, the character is able to drive them on, even in the face of exhaustion, by causing discipline to overwhelm fatigue. By spending one mote per soldier in his Command Background, the character is able to reduce the fatigue value of their armor by his Essence. Also, he is able to make a Charisma + Performance roll. Each success adds one mile to the maximum distance the unit is able to march in one day. Sidereal Exalted may always use Conviction with this Charm.

Mail and Steel: This Charm may buy fatigue points, up to the unit's normal maximum, without need for the standard Charisma + Performance roll. This costs 2 motes per Magnitude, and may only be used at the start of a long turn.

Brother-In-Arms Attitude
Cost: 1 mote per die
Type: Supplemental
Duration: One turn
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Grizzled Sergeant Style

At this point, the sentai begins to learn how to function together, supporting each other with their Charms. Activating this Charm adds dice to one Martial Arts, Presence, Performance, or Craft (War) roll. The character may not add more dice than the Ability + Specialty. This is a synergistic-type Charm with support options. Each support character may spend motes to add up to his rating in the relevant Ability + Specialty to the leader's roll, even if this exceeds the leader's normal dice maximum. This Charm is explicitly permitted to be placed in a Combo with Presence, Performance, and Craft (War) rolls, but only those that relate directly to battlefield leadership or tactics.

Dragon Officer Technique
Cost: 5 motes
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Martial Arts turns
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Grizzled Sergeant Style

With this Charm, a character becomes able to inspire his troops with his commanding attitude and masterful demeanor. All friendly troops within visual range of the character may reroll a number of failed Valor rolls equal to the character's Essence. This effect persists for a number of turns equal to the character's Martial Arts score. If the source of the Valor roll is magical in nature (such as the Dawn Caste anima power), then the affected troops must succeed on two re-rolls, expending however many attempts they require to succeed twice.

Exampli Gratia: Karal Lysander is leading his scale of troops against Dace's Circle. Dace flares his anima in an attempt to deny Lysander the advantage of his troops. Lysander responds by activating Dragon Officer Technique. Since Lysander has 3 Essence, his troops may reroll their Valor up to three times to resist Dace's terrifying glory. However, since Dace is Exalted, they must succeed twice in order to resist his anima.

Mail and Steel: Reduce the difficulty of Valor rolls to avoid rout by the unit commander's Martial Arts. Only the unit commander may benefit his unit with this Charm, unless the user successfully hijacks command of the unit.

Dragon Sentai Form
Cost: 6 motes
Type: Simple
Duration: One scene
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Brother-In-Arms Attitude, Dragon Officer Technique

This Charm allows a sentai to benefit from the best characteristics of its members. When this Charm is learned, the character chooses one of the following characteristics:

• Add Martial Arts to initiative
• Add Valor to damage
• Add Compassion to bashing and lethal soak
• Add (Conviction x 2) motes of Peripheral Essence
• Add (Essence) -0 health levels

Once chosen, the character always adds the same benefit to the Charm. If he wishes to donate a different characteristic, he must learn the Charm again, choosing a different characteristic. This is a synergistic-type Charm with support options. As each character activates the Charm, he gains the benefit donated by any sentai member with Dragon Sentai Form active, including his own. The same benefit may not be added twice--thus, as sentai-brothers learn this Charm, they coordinate with each other so as to gain maximum benefit without doubling up.

Exempli Gratia: Nefvarin Caius, Karal Astrid, and Pure Morning are part of the Yellow Orchid Sentai. While facing down a rampaging behemoth, Caius activates Dragon Sentai Form as leader, while Astrid and Pure Morning abort to activate Dragon Sentai Form as a Charm-support action. Caius donates his Martial Arts, Astrid donates her Essence, and Pure Morning donates his Conviction. Thus, all three characters add Caius' Martial Arts score to their initiative, Astrid's Essence as -0 health levels, and twice Pure Morning's Conviction as motes of Peripheral Essence. Later in the combat, their sentai-brother Stout Forest joins the battle and activates Dragon Sentai Form. Not only does he gain the previous three benefits, but all the characters gain Stout Forest's contribution, adding his Compassion to their bashing and lethal soaks. The last member of their sentai, the outcaste Ragara Nei, does not gain any benefits because she has not yet mastered this Charm. Once she does learn it, however, at the urging of her sentai, she will donate her Valor to the sentai's damage; any of the other options would be wasted, as they cannot be added twice.

A character using Charm-disrupting effects such as Charm Redirection Technique must target all sentai members using Dragon Sentai Form in order to disrupt it completely. Otherwise, only the donation of the character targeted with the Charm-disruptor is affected.

Daimyo Defending Stance
Cost: 1 mote per die
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Instant
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Dragon Sentai Form

The most honorable action a Perfected Soldier may take is to sacrifice his life for that of his commanding officer's. Through the use of this Charm, an Exalt may do just that. The character chooses a target within his Martial Arts x 10 yards. He may spend one mote to transfer one damage die the target suffers to himself. This Charm may be used after soak is applied, but before damage is rolled. The damage type remains the same, and the character does not have to transfer all damage dice, choosing instead to share the attack with his target.

Mail and Steel: A hero unit may use this Charm to be considered the unit commander whenever he is attacked. This does not allow the hero character to command the unit, although he may still hijack command normally. This simply allows him to be attacked in place of his unit's commander.

Essence Reservoir Technique
Cost: 1 Willpower
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Permenant
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Dragon Sentai Form

The magic of the Dragon-Blooded is often limited by the fact that they have comparatively little Essence to fuel their power. A sentai with this Charm is able to overcome this obstacle, somewhat. Upon learning Essence-Reservoir Technique, a sentai-brother becomes connected to a pool of Essence that is stored Elsewhere, one that is available only to his sentai. As a reflexive action, the Exalt may donate motes of Essence to this Essence Reservoir, which then become available to all sentai members regardless of their location in Creation. Non-Earth Aspects must pay the out-of-element surcharge in order to donate motes to the Essence Reservoir, which is not added to the total Essence available. Only characters with Essence-Reservoir Technique may add or remove motes from their sentai's Essence Reservoir.

Sentai-brothers may spend 1 Willpower to draw up to their Martial Arts score in motes from the Essence Reservoir. This is a dice action that uses the character's Charm action for the turn. These motes are spent as Peripheral Essence, regardless of the source, and will add a tinge of the donating character's anima to whomever uses them. A sentai-brother may make a reflexive Perception + Martial Arts roll at any time to assess exactly how many motes are in the Essence Reservoir, and who has donated them. The pool will remain Elsewhere, even if it is empty--it is created at the instant the first sentai-brother learns this Charm. The Essence Reservoir may only be accessed by the sentai that created it, and it is immune to all Essence-draining Charms, spells, or effects.

Morale-Shattering Shout
Cost: 3 motes per +1 difficulty
Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Dragon Sentai Form

As any officer knows, a military unit depends upon its morale to function. Maintaining morale is critical in order to fight effectively, while breaking the opponent's morale is a deadly weapon. By filling his lungs and uttering a thunderous kiai, the Exalt is able to strike fear in the hearts of his foemen. Roll Charisma + Presence. The character may pay 3 motes per success to add +1 to the difficulty of all dice actions for all opposing troops within hearing distance. The difficulty increase may not exceed the leader's Martial Arts score. This is a synergistic-type Charm with support options. Any sentai member within range may spend 1 mote to add a die to the leader's Charisma + Presence roll, up to the support character's Presence + Specialty. In addition, every support character increases the maximum difficulty the leader may buy by one. Sidereal Exalted acting as support characters may always roll their Valor with this Charm.

Mail and Steel: This Charm can be used to demoralize enemy units. The character may pay 2 motes per Magnitude to reduce an enemy unit's Drill by one. This does not affect enemy units whose Might is higher than his Essence. Any sentai-brother in the unit may abort to a Charm-support action to help shoulder the cost of this Charm. Add +1 to the leader's effective Essence per support character to defeat an enemy's Might.

Distant Espionage Style
Cost: 5 motes
Type: Simple
Duration: One scene
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Essence-Reservoir Technique

The flexibility of a sentai is in its multiplicity--the more members of a sentai, the more options they have available to them. Through the use of this Charm, one sentai-brother is able to gain access to another's senses. Only one sense may be 'borrowed' at any time--in order to use another sense, the character must re-activate Distant Espionage Style. This Charm functions out to the Exalt's Essence in miles. While it is active, he experiences the borrowed sense as though he were at his sentai-brother's side. There is no limit to how many sentai-brothers may 'borrow' a sense at any given time. Thus, it is possible for a single sentai-brother to scout ahead, while the rest of the sentai remains behind to see through his eyes. A character whose senses are being borrowed knows when Distant Espionage Style is activated and which sentai-brothers are using it. While this Charm is active, the borrowed sense supersedes the character's own. He is at +2 difficulty to all Awareness rolls in his own vicinity while Distant Espionage Technique is active. This Charm does not permit communication at a distance--Wind-Carried Words or some other distance-communcation method is recommended instead.

Blended Anima Kata
Cost: 5 motes + anima cost
Type: Reflexive
Duration: One scene
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Daimyo Defending Stance, Essence Reservoir Technique, Morale-Shattering Shout

By this level, the sentai's Essence is so completely unified, each sentai-brother is able to draw upon the anima of the others in his sentai. By activating Blended Anima Kata, a character may choose the anima effect of any one of his sentai-brothers. For the rest of the scene, he replaces his own anima with the chosen anima. Only one anima may be 'borrowed' at any time. If he wishes to use a different sentai-brother's anima, the character must pay the Charm's cost again. Activating Blended Anima Kata immediately flares the anima in question--choosing a different anima causes the effect to shift to the new choice. The Exalt using this Charm manifests the Caste Mark and iconic totem of the borrowed anima, although they remain the appropriate color for his own type. This Charm functions anywhere in Creation. A sentai-brother will instinctively know if his anima is being used, and who has used it. Characters borrowing the Eclipse or Moonshadow Caste anima may not learn Charms normally forbidden to them (although they may still sanctify oaths).

Unstoppable Sentai Hadouken Attack
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 health level
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Blended Anima Kata, Special (see Charm text)

The ultimate Charm of Dragon Sentai Martial Arts combines the awesome force of the sentai into a single devastating attack. The entire sentai funnels its power into a screaming blast of hot air and Essence. While not as destructive as the terrifying weapons of the First Age, the Unstoppable Sentai Hadouken Attack is a force to be reckoned with, standing on par with siege weaponry.

This is a synergistic-type Charm with support options. The leader rolls Dexterity + Archery or Thrown (his option) to target the attack. It has a base range of 50 yards, an Accuracy bonus equal to his Martial Arts, damage of 5L, and affects everything within a five-yard circle. This attack may not be parried, and may only be dodged with a stunt (unless a perfect defense Charm is used). In addition to Blended Anima Kata, the leader must know an appropriate Charm based on his type. Terrestrial Exalted must have Elemental Bolt Technique. Abyssal Exalted must know Crypt Bolt. Sidereal Exalted must know Many Missiles Bow Technique and must sacrifice a prayer strip marked with the scripture of the Clay Maiden. Lunar Exalted must have Silver Waterfall Technique. Solar Exalted must know Blazing Solar Bolt.

Support characters need only know Blended Anima Kata to support this Charm. Each support character may spend one mote of Essence to either add 50 yards to the range, +1 to the Accuracy, +2L damage, or widen the area of effect by one yard. They may spend no more motes than their Martial Arts, but may combine effects. As the attack is fired, the animas of all characters involved in the Unstoppable Sentai Hadouken Attack blend and merge into a single whole. The number of motes spent by the entire sentai counts towards each sentai-brother's anima banner, regardless of the source. Any character involved in the Unstoppable Sentai Hadouken Attack may not split their dice pool when leading or supporting this Charm. This Charm is explicitly permitted in Combos that include Archery or Thrown Charms. This Charm may not be Comboed with any Extra Action-type Charm or Charms that enhance a character's initiative.

Exempli Gratia: The Brilliant Blade mercenary sentai consists of Ora Jonna (a Chosen of Battles), Karal Senus (a Water Aspect), Thunder Cloud (an Air Aspect), Black Ruby (an Earth Aspect), and Prince Robur Kensai (a Dawn Caste). They have rallied to the defense of Lookshy against the Mask of Winters, who has raised the Juggernaut against them. Jonna takes her place as the Charm leader since she knows Many Missiles Bow Technique, so she will make the attack roll. She activates Unstoppable Sentai Hadouken Attack, which she has Comboed with Five Seasons Approach. She chooses to buy a perfect success with her Combo, bringing the final cost of her Combo to 16 motes, 3 Willpower, and 2 health levels. In addition, she sacrifices a prepared prayer strip to Mars, praying for victory. Senus spends five motes to add 30 yards to the range and +2 Accuracy. Thunder Cloud spends five motes to widen the attack by 3 yards and add +4L damage. Black Ruby spends his five motes to add +6L damage and 20 yards to the range. Lastly, Prince Robur spends 5 motes to add +6L damage and add +2 to Accuracy.

Normally, Jonna would roll her Dexterity + Archery, adding +4 Accuracy dice. But thanks to her Combo, she scores a perfect succes--14 in this case. The Juggernaut's head looms 100 yards over the sentai, which is just inside the attack's 100 yard range. Furthermore, everything within a 8-yard sphere must soak 35L damage. The whole of Juggernaut's head is engulfed in a blast of screaming Essence. The icon of three elemental dragons lash about in the palms of an armored vision the Unconquered Sun. The entire panorama is bathed in motes of blood-red stardust, looming over the whole sentai in defiance of the undead behemoth. Mask of Winters is deeply vexed.

Commentary?

Well, this is a very innovative way to blend MA and the synergistic Charms. Two things, though.

1. Does the Dragon Sentai Style have favored weapons, and does it function in armor?

2. I was going to ask about the synergistic Charm limitation (only DBs) when I noted that it was an MA and thus, by default, should be accessible to all (as a Terrestrial MA, at least). Also, this Charm seems to have been developed in the Shogunate era, which was still pretty much anti-Anathema. Why would this style be developed to allow Celestials to participate? Solars and Lunars are verboten, and Sidereals aren't even supposed to exist in front of most DBs. AFAIK, DBs specialize and optimize their Charms... and part of that would presumably involve gearing it to Terrestrial Exaltations and Essence channelling.

Unless, of course, you simply say that it was developed in the First Age, and had the Celestial-support ability built in to enable them to contribute (I can imagine FA Solars must have had Virtues and Essence in the region of 8-9, and the Form seems to take advantage of Virtues and Essence).

Apart from that, it seems very well thought-out, being somewhere between the "buff self" high power Charms and the "buff army" low power effects.

- Damarus

1. It does--see the revision above. How oversightful of me. ^_^v

2. You're partly correct. Dragon Sentai Martial Arts was developed after the Contagion as a way to compensate for the lack of Immaculate martial artists in the ranks, as well as an expression of Lookshy's Immaculate Way. It wasn't developed, per se, to allow Celestials to participate. But there's nothing that can really prevent them from participating. Since Exalts with Martial Arts as Favored can learn Martial Arts Charms instinctively, the only real thing that stymies Anathema from learning Dragon Sentai Style is lack of an actual sentai. The Style just isn't that great when you use it alone, which would lead most solo Celestials to study higher-level Martial Arts.

--BurgerSlave