Latest revision as of 01:17, 6 April 2010

Wrapt-in-Crystal Initiation

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This Sidereal initiation was developed by a one of the few Solars whose shard was free during the Shogunate. Slowly he cracked the code of SiderealMartialArts, enabling him to use them to great effectiveness. Since this cascade was developed outside of Sidereal tutelage, its structure deviates from Sidereal tradition; its three charms that permit the user to interact with the world precede the one that expands his perceptions. Any being capable of learning SMA can learn and use this initiation.

With thanks to Moxiane and haren.

Charms

Ivory Essence Stylus

Cost: 3 motes

Duration: Instant

Type: Reflexive

Min. Martial Arts: 4

Min. Essence: 3

Prerequisite Charms: None

The first step to understanding how a thing functions is to take it apart. This Charm can counter the activation of any effect that is dependent on physical symbols to function. This explicitly includes Scriptures, Sutras, and certain Linguistics Charms. Casting a long bolt of ivory-colored Essence, the martial artist rolls his Wits + Martial Arts, at a difficulty of his opponent's Essence. The bolt causes inks and dyes to fade, and marks symbolic objects with the Essence of non-significance. If the martial artist succeeds, then this fading is enough to cause the effect to fail. The user of the symbol regains the mote cost of a successfully countered effect, and if he is careful, succeeding at a Wits + (relevant Ability) check at a difficulty of the martial artist's Essence, he can withdraw his Essence from the symbol in a way that repairs it, making it possible to reuse it with a subsequent activation of his ability.

Submerged Pearl Orthography

Cost: 3 motes

Duration: Instant

Type: Supplemental

Min. Martial Arts: 5

Min. Essence: 3

Prerequisite Charms: Ivory Essence Stylus

With this Charm, the Exalted surrounds an onerous symbol - the same kind that can be countered with the Ivory Essence Stylus - with a shell of pearly Essence, suspending it in time. He must strike the symbol in order to do this, with a Martial Arts attack; either the wearer of the symbol or the symbol itself (in the case of self-defending Scriptures and Sutras) can dodge or block this. If he succeeds in touching the symbol, he must pay 1 Willpower point in addition to the cost of this Charm and commit two motes. The symbol becomes blurry and pearlescent; it seems as if it is seen through a depth of water. The effect and its duration are suspended until he releases these motes.

Alabaster Monolith Collapse

Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower

Duration: Instant

Type: Supplemental

Min. Martial Arts: 5

Min. Essence: 3

Prerequisite Charms: Ivory Essence Stylus

Understanding an arts's effects on its artist is another essential step towards enlightenment. With this Charm, the user learns techniques of social and physical interaction that manipulate other martial artists by taking advantage of the worldviews that their styles instill in them. He performs a Social action, specifically choosing a Celestial or Sidereal Style to target. He adds to the successes of this action for the purpose of determining how well it affects adepts of the Style he targets - those who have learned the Style up to at least its Form. The additional successes are half his Martial Arts, rounding up, for a Celestial Style, and his full Martial Arts score for a Sidereal Style. This is because Celestial Styles are more open to interpretation, making their manipulation more difficult, whereas a Sidereal Style is a natural outgrowth of a comprehensive mindset.

Original Opal Nature

Cost: 5 motes

Duration: Instant

Type: Reflexive

Min. Martial Arts: 5

Min. Essence: 4

Prerequisite Charms: Submerged Pearl Orthography, Alabaster Monolith Collapse

Learning the Elder Sutra of a Sidereal Martial Art allows Sidereals to manifest the art's power more efficiently. Solar Exalted have no such opportunity, but once he has learned this Charm, a Wrapt-in-Crystal initiate is able to apply its lessons in other ways. By activating this Charm, he weaves the diaphanous opal Essence of flexibility into an Elder Sutra. Once the Essence is woven into the sutra, it behaves as any other sutra would, glowing in the colour of its Style and lazily orbiting its master. It leaves a numinous, multicoloured trail.

The sutra so transformed powers other Charms related to its concept, rather than charging the Martial Art it is associated with; it has the same effect as a Student's Sutra with reference to these Charms.

Some Charms that the Sutras may encompass include (this is not an exhaustive listing):

• Consumption: Charms that allow the Exalt to subsist on unusual foods, or Charms involving eating or drinking, such as the various bloodsucking Charms of the Abyssal Exalted.
• Essence: All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight or Mark of Exaltation.
• Decay: almost any Medicine Charm.

Initiation Effect

Solar Exalted who have mastered this Initiation may use the Student's Sutra of a Sidereal Martial Art.

Comments

Is "wrapt" even a real word? _Ikselam

wrap v. wrapped, or wrapt (rpt) wrap·ping, wraps v. tr.

Yep. - Seiraryu

For the sake of Clarity, might it be useful to have a page explaining Sutras? I couldn't find a good explanation in the SiderealMartialArts page or here, so I'm still in the dark. Cool charms, by the way, even if the real meaning eludes me. -Alaron