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Radiant Pillars of Heaven

The power of Essence lies at the heart of Creation and Heaven. Essence flows through the dragon lines, bringing life and power to the world. Essence empowers the gods, the Exalted, even the enemies of Creation in their own quests. The Radiant Pillars of Heaven Style takes full advantage of this, understanding the powerful flows of energy that run through the world, following them to their pinnacle, and turning them against enemies.

The Radiant Pillars are an extremely common style for Sidereals to learn a few Charms from, for two reasons. The first is that the Occult requirement for the style is one that most Sidereals find fairly easy to master, meaning that the Charms can be learned without significant difficulties. The second is that they have extensive non-combat applications, allowing Sidereals to use them in their subtler confrontations with other Exalts.

Limitations

Characters must have an Occult score of 3 and a Temperance score of 2 to learn Radiant Pillars of Heaven. They must have Temperance 3 to learn Radiant Pillars of Heaven Form, and Temperance 4 to learn Games of Divinity Incarnation.

Prismatic Arrangement of Creation is an unarmed style, and cannot be used with weapons or in armor.

Charms

Student's Sutra of Essence: Once, there were maidens...

Charm Nullification Technique</b>

<b>Cost: 8 motes, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4, Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Crippling
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None
And they were named JI and PENG

Essence is a powerful force, and to cut it off is even more powerful. This Charm may be activated in response to any Charm use that targets the character or is activated by someone within three yards of the character. It may not be activated in response to Form Charm activation, or activation of a Charm inside a Combo, and the Charm being targeted must be consciously activated by the target. The character need not be consciously aware of the Charm's activation - Charm Nullification Technique handles that. The character also does not need to know what the Charm's effects will be should it succeed.

The character rolls (Dexterity + Martial Arts), applying an external penalty equal to the Charm user's Essence. If the roll succeeds, the Charm is cancelled, and none of its effects are applied. The Charm's user still pays all Essence and Willpower costs associated with the Charm, but not any other costs. If the Charm was Reflexive, the target may reactivate it immediately, but must spend Essence to do so in addition to the Essence spent for the failed Charm. If the Charm was Simple, the target may take a nonmagical action of the same type, if any is applicable.

Annulled Charms still count as a character's Charm use for the action, and thus other Charms may not be activated (although other iterations of the same Charm can be.)

Sequential Charm Disruption</b>

<b>Cost: 5+ motes, 1+ Willpower, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4, Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Crippling
Duration: One Action
Prerequisites: Charm Nullification Technique
And LU and ZHOU

As a character grows to understand the flows of Essence, her ability to dampen them increases. This Charm may be activated whenever the character comes within three yards of a target under the effects of a pre-existing Charm, or whenever another character uses a Combo against the Sidereal or within three yards of her.

The roll for Sequential Charm Disruption is the same as for Charm Nullification Technique, and like the former it cannot be used against Form Charms or Charms that do not require conscious activation. It also cannot be used against Permanent Charms. The character rolls (Dexterity + Martial Arts) at a difficulty of the target's Essence. If successful, the Charm or Combo being targeted is cancelled. The cost to cancel the Charm is equal to its original cost in motes and Willpower, in addition to the basic 5 motes, 1 Willpower to activate Sequential Charm Disruption.

If the character cancels a Combo, she does not have to cancel every Charm in it. Whenever a Charm is activated inside the Combo, the character decides whether or not to cancel it. Characters may continue to cancel Reflexive Charms that have be re-activated due to being cancelled, as long as they pay the mote cost each time.

A character may only activate Sequential Charm Disruption once per action.

Spell-Shattering Palm</b>

<b>Cost: 12 motes, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4, Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Charm Nullification Technique
And HOU TI and AN

The character's mastery over Essence extends to the raw magics that empower Creation. The character may use this power if she is the target of a spell, or if a spell is cast within a yard of her, or if she is within a yard of the centre of an existing spell. She immediately rolls her (Dexterity + Martial Arts) score, applying an external penalty equal to the caster's Essence. One success is sufficient to break Terrestrial Circle spells, while three successes break Celestial spells and five successes break Solar spells. Only spells that can be targeted with countermagic may be shattered in this way.

If the martial artist is successful, the spell is broken as though it were countered by countermagic of the same level. The martial artist is not automatically protected from any fallout that results from this. A character who gets a chance to properly study necromancy, Protocols, or similar sorcerous powers may use this Charm against them as well.

Radiant Pillars of Heaven Form</b>

<b>Cost: 12 motes, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5, Type: Simple
Keywords: Form-Type, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Spell-Shattering Palm, Sequential Charm Disruption
And CAI, LI, and HUA JI.

Taking a hold of her own Essence flows, the character reshapes them into a more pleasing form. Upon activation of this Charm, the character's Permanent Essence rating increases by 1. This increase applies to all effects, including Charm calculations and mote pool calculations, although it does not automatically provide additional motes. In addition, the character's own Essence flows are far more fluid than usual - once per action, he may activate any one of the earlier Charms in this style without the use of a Combo.

Elder Sutra of Essence: And their sisters were QUIAN JING AND ZUO GU

Demesne Emulation Practice</b>

<b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5, Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Radiant Pillars of Heaven Form
And YOU PAN and WU JI

The character learns the practice of raging Essence, and flows of unstable power lance out with every strike the character levels against her foes. For the duration of the scene, any successful attack against the target deals Essence dice of aggravated damage. This damage is soaked seperately and cannot be soaked by armor, but can be soaked by any Charms or natural effects that provide aggravated soak, and can be soaked down to 0 dice.

Demesne And Manse Nature</b>

<b>Cost: 12 motes, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5, Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Demense Emulation Practice
And KAO and CHUNG TING

The character crystallizes the Essence that runs within her, transforming her body into a Manse. When this Charm is purchased, the player chooses a Hearthstone that resonates with the character's nature and style. This Hearthstone may be any level up to level 5, but it is very rare for Hearthstones below Level 3 to form. Upon activation of this Charm, that Hearthstone takes shape on the character's forehead, granting her all of its benefits. In addition, the character gains a number of motes at the start of each action equal to (her Essence - the Hearthstone's rating).

Games of Divinity Incarnation</b>

<b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5, Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious, Emotion
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Demense and Manse Nature
The last maiden's name was TAO. These were their names, but they knew them not.

Ultimately, the design of the Primordials was for all of Creation to flow upwards to the Games of Divinity, the emblem of perfection against which all else is compared. The character takes on the least aspect of those transcendent games, and all who see her must gape at her beauty, as her graceful movements play directly on their hopes and desires. While this Charm is active, anyone wishing to harm the character must fail a Compassion roll. Anyone wishing to take an action that does not directly involve the character must fail at a Conviction roll. Anyone wishing to leave the character's presence must fail at a Valor roll. Finally, anyone who attempts to end or protect themselves from the Incarnation in any way (through the character's death or through defenses) must fail at a Temperance roll. Characters may spend Willpower to suppress their Virtues, at the usual cost, and must roll for each action that they take.