BrassLeviathan/EnlightenedDragon
Enlightened Dragon Style
Name: Enlightened Dragon Style
Level: Celestial
Armor: Shield is allowed, All other armor is disallowed.
Weapons: Spears, Slashing swords and their artifact counterparts.
A tale dating back to the first age mentions a dragon blooded warrior so outstanding in his proficiency that he moved his solar commander to create a martial arts style solely for his benefit. Of course, with the style being as efficient as it is, many other Blooded have learned it over the years, and it was only abandoned with the founding of the Immaculate Order and Philosophy, that which portrayed it as heretical to the dragons (In fact, the Sidereals feared that styles created by solars would have some hidden traps in their very essence manipulation channels, such that will damage or hinder the sidereal goal).
The style stands out in it's high efficiency (Small cost, big bang), it's large reflexive selection and it's final charms which grant the Blooded practitioner access to techniques formally reserved to the solars.
The charms are written for dragon bloods, but celestials can, of course, practice this style as well.
Heightened Shield Awareness Prana
Cost: 4 motes Duration: Scene Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: None
The first step in the Enlightened Dragon style is to open one's senses to the greater flow of essence, and not only during meditation, but in combat as well. This charm sharpens the practitioner's senses so that he doesn't lose track of his foes and their weapons. If the practitioner is using a shield, it adds 1 to the difficulty penalty the shield imposes on foes. (In 2E, adds 1 to the character's PDV)
Rapid Reaction Technique
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: None
The Martial artist is always ready to fight, even without preparation nor warning. This charm adds the practitioner's martial arts rating to his initiative for one turn. (In 2E, adds 2 successes to his Join Combat roll)
A Perfect Phalanx
Cost: 4 motes + 1 mote per member of the formation other than the practitioner Duration: Until Released Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Heightened Shield Awareness Prana, Rapid Reaction Technique
The Martial Artist is deadly alone, but nigh untouchable with others of his expertise. The moment this charm is invoked, the martial artist and his comrades at arms form an impenetrable phalanx, covering every inch of flesh with shields. While this charm is active, all ranged attacks, including area-effects, are made at difficulty 4 + 1 for every person in the formation besides the one who activated the charm, this difficulty replaces the normal shield difficulty, but is considered to be a shield difficulty. All hand to hand attacks suffer difficulty 2 + 1 for every other person in the formation. This charm cannot be activated if there isn't at least one other martial artist who knows this charm near the character, and all members of the formation must know this charm. This is a synnergistic charm. The tight formation has it's downsides, and it's members move together no more than the lowest of their (Dexterity) ratings in yards. Also, coordinated attacks become impossible. (In 2E, it raises PDV against ranged attacks by 2+1 for each extra formation member who knows the charm and H2H PDV by 1 + 1 for every extra practitioner)
Enlightened Dragon Form
Cost: 5 motes Duration: Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: A Perfect Phalanx
As the Enlightened Warrior achieves mastery over the basics of this style, he suddenly unlocks a fearsome power, a power which's potential lays within each Dragon Blood, and it fills the practitioner with pity for the others who are not as advanced as him. The Enlightened Warrior may invoke any single terrestrial form charm immediately without further payment, and reduces the cost of all terrestrial martial arts charms of that form's style by 1 mote. If the practitioner is holding a weapon or a shield, he may not invoke form charms of styles which do not allow them, but if he is unarmed, he is not limited. As a side-effect, created both from the inherent arrogance of this style and the curse that was present in the Solar who created it, Dragon blooded who learn this form lose 1 dice from all social rolls involving other dragon blooded other than leadership or oratory rolls (In which the DB does not relate to specific other dragon bloods, and therefore does not condescend), this loss is permanent. (In 2E, it does the same.)
Rapid Dragon Strike
Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Extra-Action Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Enlightened Dragon Form
Elemental dragons can attack simultanously with several limbs, and the practitioner learns to use his spear or hands to that end. He gains his Essence in extra attacks, which may be directed against the same target or a different one, as long as all of his intended targets are within his reach. The character may not split his dicepool in a turn he invoked this charm in. (In 2E, it grants a magical flurry with the martial artist's Essence in attacks, with the speed of the slowest attack and a DV penalty equal to the highest penalty any one attack imposes)
Patient Dragon Strikes True
Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Rapid Dragon Strike
When most warriors lay in waiting, their efficiency lessens. The Enlightened Dragon is patient, never losing his concentration. As the opportunity displays itself- an opening in a foe's defense, a break in the enemy's formation or even the shifting breeze which may better direct his attack, The Martial Artist strikes viciously. He can hold his action for as many initiative ticks as he wants, and the maximum penalty on his attack roll will be 5 dice. (In 2E, the charm is reflexive and can be activated when invoking an Aim action, the Aim action does not lower his DV)
Opening the Eyes of the Willing
Cost: 10 motes + 1 Willpower + 1 XP per trainee Duration: 1 Month Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Enlightened Dragon Form
An essential part of the life of any Dragon Blooded warrior should be to train the mortals underneath him, help them achieve greater skill and access to their meager, yet present essence. The dragon blood spends a month of brutal training with as many as his Essence mortal warriors, the training is so painful and so extreme that some mortals perish and only the most devout can willingly undertake it. To survive, the mortals must suffer potentially fatal injuries or trials, at the ST's discretion. After a month, every mortal can purchase the Essence Awareness merit. (In 2E, it does the same)
Forcing the Closed Lid
Cost: 5 motes + 1 Willpower + 1 XP Duration: Instant Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Opening the Eyes of the Willing
Sometimes, the mortals simply need a strong hand guiding them rather than a benevolent master. The dragon blood attacks a mortal, striking his chakras in rapid succession and forcing his essence flows outwards. If the attack hits, calculate damage normally, if the mortal survived the attack, he can now purchase Essence Awareness. The practitioner may not pull this blow or restrict it's damage in any way, as the harm inflicted upon the mortal trainee is an essential part of his enlightment. (In 2E, it does the same and is an attack with speed 5, DV penalty -2)
Striving for Unearthly Glory
Cost: 4 Motes, 1 willpower Duration: Turn Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Enlightened Dragon Form
Even in the heat of battle, The martial artist's awareness contains the battlefield, and nothing can catch him unprepared. The artist utilizes the celestial essence flows, and is able to intercept all attacks that he is aware of. During the turn this charm is active in, the practitioner gains a reflexive parry at full dice-pool against all incoming attacks that he is aware of. (In 2E this charm is reflexive, costs 5 motes and keeps the character's PDV refreshed to it's maximum until his next action, Like Bulwark Stance)
Pinnacle of Terrestrial Achievement
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower, 1 HL Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Striving for Unearthly Glory
Sometimes, as the tide of battle rages to and fro, victory becomes a matter of momentary actions, the right touch in the right time in the right place. As the martial artist approaches mastery, he can percieve these moments and their significence, and put all of his resources behind a single motion of the blade. This charm completely parries any single attack against the practitioner that he is aware of, including unblockable attacks. This is a perfect defense. Sadly, the unnatural channeling is extremely costly, and causes damage to the Terrestrial's body. Celestials practicing this style do not pay the willpower or health level cost for this charm, but must apply Virtue flaws as described in Heavenly Guardian Defense, 2E Corebook page 193. (In 2E, treat this as Heavenly Guardian Defense with heightened costs)
Enlightened Dragon's Flight
Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Pinnacle of Terrestrial Achievement, Forcing the Closed Lid, Patient Dragon Strikes True
At the pinnacle of this style, the character is open to the world, knowing it's terrestrial aspects from his own form and it's celestial glory, learned through pain. The martial artist reacts with ease to his surroundings, and scorns his foes. During the scene in which this charm is active, the dragon blooded can reflexively parry all incoming attacks he is aware of with his Ability+Specialty+Defense rating. (In 2E, this charm functions like Five-Fold Bulwark Stance, but it does not negate the DV penalty imposed by the DB's own actions, unlike the solar version)
Talk about this Style
It looks good, and fun to play with! The phalanx, and the training pair in particular do wonders to set the general feel of the style. -Reso
- Thanks Reso! I'm gonna overhaul most of the charms' flavour texts when I have the time to try and make them as cool :) BrassLeviathan
- Someone saw 300. :) Kukla
- Oh, you bet I did. Several times. And then ran off and wrote two characters and this style, and still counting. ;-) On another note, any chance you can set your crunchy super-senses to help me polish up the style's mechanics? BrassLeviathan
- Someone saw 300. :) Kukla
