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Moonlight Weaver Style

Even the masters of Moonlight Weaver Style are not sure where or when the style began. What they do know, however, is that they are the keepers of a secret, a secret that many would kill to protect. Cautiously, even to each other, they whisper: Jupiter, the Maiden of Secrets, is hiding a mystery so powerful that even her own Chosen do not know it. The secret... is that Jupiter does not exist. Under her flowing green robes is none other than the Changing Lady; Jupiter is nothing more than one more face worn by Luna Herself.

Those who are not practitioners of the Moonlight Weaver Style consider this heresy of the worst kind, and, predictably, none moreso than those Sidereals who follow Jupiter. The Maiden of Secrets herself, though never one to speak directly to any topic, was once heard to murmur, "Anyone who believes a ray of moonlight can illuminate my secrets is foolish indeed." And yet, out of their impossible beliefs, Moonlight Weaver Style was born.

The masters of the Moonlight Weaver - almost all of whom are, unsurprisngly, Lunars - believe that the No Moons of the Silver Pact have misinterpreted Luna's intent when examining her decisions about who will become her Chosen. Survival, though frequently associated with her Chosen, is not tuly what drives her decision, these elders claim. Instead, it is heroism, the will to reshape one's own destiny, that sparks Luna's interest. In order to follow their patron, these masters learn to shape the course of their own fates, turning destiny aside in favor of their own will.

Weapons and Armor

Moonlight Weaver Style uses daggers and javelins as Form weapons, which may be used either as hand-to-hand or ranged weapons. It does not permit the use of any armor with a Mobility penalty.

Charms

Shimmers of the Weaving
Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Scene
Prerequisite Charms: None

Drawing on the threads of moonlight that touch the world, the martial artist lays a complex web of Essence across her eyes. For the remainder of the scene, she suffers no visibility penalties for any illumination short of total darkness. In addition, the moon-white flickers of destiny blur and shift around her opponents, granting her insight into their actions that she may use to gain +3 to all DVs and 3 automatic successes to all Martial Arts attack rolls. These bonuses are lost if her opponent stunts his attack or defense, as appropriate; each die of stunt also eliminates one bonus success or point of DV modifier.

Set the Warp</b>
<b>Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious
Duration: Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Shimmers of the Weaving

The Changing Lady is the architect of Fate, not its pawn. With a flicker of moonsilver Essence, the martial artist speaks the three words that define the course she intends for destiny to take in the next few moments, which then weave themselves into the fabric of her soul. Those words become a new, additional Motivation for her for the purposes of stunt bonuses while this Charm lasts. In addition, whenever she both stunts an action and channels a Virtue for that action in the pursuit of her new Motivation, she also regains the spent Virtue channel if the stunt gains her a Willpower point.

My Hand on the Shuttle</b>
<b>Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 4)
Keywords: Combo-Basic
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Shimmers of the Weaving

The obstacles faced by others are not to be borne by those who take destiny into their own hands. When fate appears to stand in the way of the martial artist, she forces the world to another path, as is her right. She may activate this Charm whenever she makes a Martial Arts attack to reroll any dice that do not roll higher than her Valor. She may also activate it when makes a social attack to reroll any dice that do not roll higher than her Temperance (the Charm gains the Social Keyword if she does this). This Charm may not be placed in a Combo with any other reroll Charm, and no other reroll Charms may be used on the same roll as this Charm is, such as through Moonlight Weaver Form; it may, however, be placed in a Combo with Charms of other Abilities or Attributes. This Charm may only used once on any given attack.

Moonlight Weaver Form</b>
<b>Cost: 7m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
Duration: Scene
Prerequisite Charms: My Hand on the Shuttle

The Moonlight Weaver understands the cost that her destiny must ask of her and pays it gladly. At the same time, she shapes the destinies of others into the larger, grander design. She adds her Compassion to her bashing and lethal soaks for the scene and her Conviction to the Accuracy of any Martial Arts attacks she makes during the same period. Additionally, once per tick, she may activate the Third Martial Arts Excellency without it counting as a Charm use.

Yesterday is Tomorrow Practice</b>
<b>Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Moonlight Weaver Form

The martial artist knows that the threads of tomorrow are spun out of the actions of yesterday. By drawing on the past, she can define the future. The martial artist must attempt a stunt when making an attack, as long as it is the same attack she has made previously this scene. For the purposes of this Charm, "same attack" is defined as an attack against the same target, utilizing the same weapon and the same Charms (except this one), and no others. The usual benefits of the stunt are replaced with the following: rather than getting a 1 die bonus, the attack becomes either unblockable or undodgable, as determined by the martial artist (and appropriate to the stunt). Rather than getting a 2 die bonus, the attack becomes both unblockable and undodgable. Rather than getting a 3 die bonus, the attack becomes unexpected, as well as unblockable and undodgable. If the defender stunts a defense, subtract the value of the defender's stunt from that of the attacker's stunt before determining the benefit from this Charm, but not below 1 die. The martial artist gets all the usual rewards of a successful stunt, regardless of the effectiveness of the defender’s stunts.

Fraying Patchwork Design
Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious
Duration: Instant/Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Moonlight Weaver Form

Every pattern has a weakness, a point at which small changes can drastically affect the entire project, and the weavings of Fate are no different. In order to use this Charm, the martial artist must already be using Shimmers of the Weaving. Her weapon, whether her bare hand or one of the weapons of this style, become viciously barbed with moonsilver Essence, but the barbs are designed to catch in a person’s soul rather than his flesh. This attack gains the Piercing tag if it did not already have it. In addition, if the attack deals any damage, the victim’s Wound Penalties are increased by an amount equal to (the martial artist’s highest Virtue minus the victim’s lowest Virtue) for the remainder of the scene.

The Vision Yet Unwoven</b>
<b>Cost: 7m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-Basic
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Yesterday is Tomorrow Practice

In a brief vision, the martial artist sees a glimpse of the attack she in about to unleash. Forewarned by this insight of the obstacles she might face, she adapts her efforts to overcome them. By using this Charm, all of the martial artist’s Attribute dice on a Martial Arts or social attack are automatically converted to successes (do not roll them). If used on a social attack, this Charm gains the Social Keyword. This Charm is considered a reroll Charm, and cannot be used on the same action as any other reroll Charm. It may, however, be placed in a Combo with Charms of other Abilities or Attributes.

Sever the Knot
Cost: 2m, 1hl; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fraying Patchwork Design

What can be made can be unmade. Just as she is about to take damage from an attack, the martial artist grasps the razor-sharp threads of the assault and undoes them. In the process, however, she separates herself from her destiny, setting herself adrift until Fate can entwine her once more. This Charm perfectly negates all damage and any Crippling effects from an attack. For her next two actions, however, the martial artist gains no benefits from any successful stunt, including motes, Willpower or other rewards; she is still awarded bonus dice for the stunt itself and can use other Charms in this style that require stunting as normal.

Take Up the Weaver’s Mantle
Cost: 15m, 2wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV –2)
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Scene
Prerequisite Charms: The Vision Yet Unwoven, Sever the Knot

The martial artist comes to fully understand her role as weaver of her own destiny. She pulls a moonsilver cloak from the Essence that surrounds her and wraps herself in it. Her skin, hair, and eyes take on the moonsilver sheen, and the destinies of the world spread before her.

While wearing the Weaver’s Mantle, the martial artist gains a number of potent benefits. She adds two dots to all her Physical Attributes. These dots are considered natural; they do not count toward dice caps, and any dice caps that include the artist’s Attributes are raised accordingly. She also soaks lethal damage with her entire Stamina. She gains the benefits of Glimmers of the Weaving automatically while this Charm is in effect (she need not activate it). She may produce weapons from the mantle if she requires them: either javelins or daggers as she wishes. The weapons produced are exceptional; in addition, they gain +2 Accuracy and +2 Defense and are considered to be composed of moonsilver for the purposes of Charms and effects. Finally, any stunt dice she is awarded by the Storyteller are converted automatically to successes, they need not be rolled.

Comments

Cool and thematically awesome, but seems like this should be an essence 4-5 or even 6 MA, or even sidereal. I'm also a little confused about sever the knot and what exactly is going on with stunts there. ~Overshee

Well, it tops out at Ess 5, and I think the pinnacle is relatively balanced against Perfection of Earth Body (which I admit is on the high end of Celestial, Essence 5 power). Which particular points were you concerned about power-wise? As for Sever the Knot, what it means is that, for the next two actions, you don't get motes, Willpower or Virtue channels (if you're using Set the Warp) back for stunting. You get your dice, and you can even trade out dice for attack bonuses like Yesterday is Tomorrow Practice, but a successful stunt (note the wording there) doesn't get you anything during that time. Essentially, the lack of stunt rewards is the Charm's Flaw of Perfection. - Hapushet, who appreciates the feedback greatly

OK! You might want to clarify that you get dice, but not motes because it's not totally clear. Also, is this rewarding you for having high compassion and conviction and low valor and temperance? ~Overshee

I thought I did - now re-edited for additional clarity (I hope). As for the Virtues, you mean for My Hand on the Shuttle? No, quite the opposite. If you have a Valor of 2, you can reroll any dice that come up 1 or 2. If you have a Valor of 5, ou can reroll any dice that come up 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Since none of those numbers are successes, you get more benefit from being able to reroll a larger number of dice. It is a powerful ability - that's why I upped the cost from the 3rd Ex and limited its Comboability - because you only reroll dice that are failures. - Hapushet