Difference between revisions of "Sinanju"

Latest revision as of 09:28, 11 February 2016

Sinanju Raven Xanthus

The Sinanju is less a style to learn and more a way of life. The origins of the Assassin's Way started in a backwoods village that was starving and hand nothing to sell or trade to the local powers. In desperation the strongest warrior of the village went to a king, it has long been lost who the first king was, and sold his unequaled skill in death-dealing for the resources his people sorely needed. From these humble first steps the art known only as the Sinanju, named for its village of origin, has become a well-known, though not widely spread, Martial Arts used by assassins of the greatest sort, indeed a certain degree of proficiency in Sinanju is oft considered a prerequisite to being a skilled assassin.

Note: The Independent Keyword on Hero who Feeds the Children of Sinanju means that is doesn't need to be taken for the Style to count as complete. This allows someone to master the three main charms and leave the last one alone without suffering the experience surcharge that such an action usually incurs.

Weakness Overwhelming Transmigration
 Cost: --- 
 Min:  Essence 1, Martial Arts 4, Stamina 3
 Type:  Simple
 Keyword:  Native [Human]
 Duration:  Permanent
 Prerequisite:  N/A
Fluff: To become Sinanju one must accept that he is flawed. With this step he gains great insight into the workings
of his own self and thus learns how the flawed parts of himself can be reformed into a better shape, but the process to
reforge the body is one that needs sacrifices. 
This Foundation of the Sinanju Way allows its user to endure greater hardships in trade for an ascetic lifestyle.
Crunch: The Martial Artist must henceforth swear off all foodstuffs other than rice, native herbs, poultry and fish.
This oath isn't for simply ascetic reasons though, in return for the Martial Artist dedication to the Sinanju Way he
gains the following benefits.
First, the Martial Artist's Lethal Soak is now considered ([Stamina/2]+ Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju)).
Second, the Martial Artist may add his Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) [Minimum of 0] to his Stamina for the purposes of
calculating Bashing Soak.
The bonus to Soak granted by Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) is considered armor.
Finally, this Charm allows the Martial Artist to stop Bleeding as if he were an Exalt.
However, should the Martial Artist betray this regime for any reason his inner energies are thrown into disarray. This
means he treats any foodstuffs other than those listed at the beginning as a Supernatural Poison with the following
traits:
Damage (Martial Artist's Essence x4)B/Minute, Toxicity (Essence)L, Tolerance -/-, Penalty -2. 

Reverse Striking Method
 Cost: --- 
 Min:  Essence 1, Martial Arts 4, Strength 3
 Type:  Simple
 Keyword:  Native [Human]
 Duration:  Permanent
 Prerequisite:  N/A
Fluff: To become Sinanju one must accept that he is flawed. With this step he gains great insight into the vibrations
of his enemies, allowing him to strike at the very core of their being.
This Foundation of the Sinanju Way allows the user to strike with overwhelmingly dangerous blows.
Crunch: The Martial Artist must henceforth swear off all weapons other than his unarmed strikes and thaumaturgicly prepared
form weapons. Weapons that Attune to his inner energies, such as Artifacts, do count to this limitation unless they are
thaumaturgicly prepared. In return for the Martial Artist's dedication to the Sinanju Way he gains the following benefits.
First, the Martial Artist treats any natural attacks or thaumaturgicly prepared weapon attack as if it had the Overwhelming
tag equal to the Martial Artist's Specialty (Sinanju).
Second, should the Martial Artist natural attacks deal Post-Soak damage equal to or exceeding the target's Stamina
or Resistance (Whichever is Higher) the target will also take a -1 penalty for each successful point of damage to the
target's Dice Pools and DV for the next action. This is considered a Crippling Effect.
Finally, should the Martial Artist attack ever be considered Unexpected the difficulty of sensing it coming
increases by the Martial Artist's Specialty (Sinanju).
To thaumaturgicly prepare a form weapon for the Vibration Transcending Strike Method the weapon must be soaked in the
Martial Artist's blood (Enough to deal a point of Aggravated Damage) and be ritually inscribed with a Koan (Lore 2)
about the nature of weapons and humanity.
However, should the Martial Artist ever use a weapon that isn't of their body they suffer a -2 to all Dice Pools and
PDV as well as the fact that each round you use such a weapon you must attack it as if you were actively trying to break it.

Harmony of Nature and Body Prana
 Cost: --- 
 Min:  Essence 1, Martial Arts 4, Dexterity 3
 Type:  Simple
 Keyword:  Native [Human]
 Duration:  Permanent
 Prerequisite:  N/A
Fluff: To become Sinanju one must accept that he is flawed. With this he gains an understanding of the environmental
vibrations as well as his own. Using this new knowledge grants the Sinanju his legendary ability to still himself
into 'ignorance' and 'listen' to silence.
This Foundation of the Sinanju Way allows the user to expand his senses and stealth skills exponentially.
Crunch: The Martial Artist must henceforth achieve Perfect Stillness at the beginning of the day to utilize the
abilities below.
This is done by succeeding a Dexterity+ Martial Arts roll at  Difficulty 7. This is an Extended Action that takes a
minute a try, but you are able to retry up to your Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) per day. In return for the Martial
Artist's dedication to the Sinanju Way he gains the following benefits.
First, any Awareness test made to detect the Martial Artist when he is actively hiding suffers a -1 internal penalty
for each Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) [Minimum of 0]. This negative doubles if the Martial Artist has not
moved in the last ten ticks.
Second, the Martial Artist is able to sense the vibrations of the environment allowing him to enhance his Awareness
by his Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju).
Thirdly, the Martial Artist may respond to any Unexpected attacks whose source is within the Martial Artist's Martial
Arts Specialty (Sinanju)x10 yards by detecting the vibration. This is done by making a Perception+ Awareness roll vs
Difficulty 4.
Success means the attack loses its Unexpected tag. Attacks with a  source outside the Martial Artists range are unable to
be responded to in this way normal. The Difficulty increases by 1 for every Martial Artist's Martial Arts Specialty
(Sinanju)x10 yards the source of the attack exceeds this limit.
Finally, the Martial Artist now stunts as an Exalt.

Hero who Feeds the Children of Sinanju
 Cost: 1 Lethal Damage or 2 Willpower
 Min:  Essence 2, Martial Arts 5, Dexterity 4, Strength 4, Stamina 4
 Type:  Simple, Independent
 Keyword:  Native [Human]
 Duration:  Permanent
 Prerequisite:  N/A
Fluff: The capstone of the Sinanju Way is found in its duty. To feed the children of Sinanju who starved once the Hero is
able to go to lengths far greater than any would believe.
Crunch: The Martial Artist is henceforth sworn to the Sacred Brotherhood of Sinanju and takes the Intimacy Sinanju (Beloved
Home) no matter his origin. In addition he must send a equivalent of one dot resources to the town of Sinanju every month
from his own accumulated wealth.
In addition, the Martial Artist has grown to hold a vast aura of unseen, though not unfelt, Essence. The Martial Artist
gains a pseudo Anima Banner which can be felt by anyone with a Awareness of 4+, so long as the Martial Artist isn't
actively hiding his Essence in some way or utilizing the abilities detailed in Harmony of Nature and Body
Prana.
Whenever any of the following techniques is Activated the aura flares into visible ranges for a number of DV
Refreshes equal to the Martial Artist's Essence. While this 'Battle Aura' is active anyone who gazes at the Martial
Artist must make a Valor+ Conviction at a Difficulty equal to the Martial Artist's Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju),
or they take a internal penalty to all attacks for the next three refreshes equal to Martial Artist's Martial
Arts Specialty (Sinanju).
In return for the Martial Artist's dedication to the Sinanju Way he gains the following benefits.
First, the Martial Artist may now take a Lethal Damage (Unsoakable) to increase all of his Physical Attributes by
his Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) for one scene, but doing so is extremely exhausting, the Hero must make a
Stamina+ Resistance+ Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju) at a difficulty equal to the number of DV Refreshes the Hero has
undergone or take an unsoakable Bashing Damage.
This ability can go beyond the limit of the user's Essence and may only be used once per scene.
This use of this ability has a Speed of 7 and a Defense of -2.
Second, the Martial Artist is able to take a Bashing Damage (Unsoakable) when his attacks to grant his attacks the Unexpected
Tag for a number of DV Refreshes equal to Martial Arts+ Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju)
This is a Reflexive Action.
Finally, when the Martial Artist gains this Charm he builds an alternate state that has (4 x Essence)+ (2 x
Martial Arts Specialty (Sinanju)) Mutation Points in addition to the Martial Artist. When the Martial Artist activates
this ability he may spend two Willpower and enter the altered state for a number of actions equal to the Martial Artist's
Current Willpower.
This use of this ability has a Speed of 6 and a Defense of -1.

Note: This is loosely based off the fictional martial art found in The Destroyer pulp fiction novels and in following with the Creative Commons I have noted my activities as such.

In addition this is also a bit of a thought exercise in which, like the Infernal Charm trees, I've give crunch consequences for my Charm limits, like how one has to become morally bankrupt to get at particular low-hanging fruit in the Infernal trees. I feel that by making the limits real in crunch I made up for the sheer power this style grants.