MartialArts/BenevolentSongstressStyle

Benevolent Songstress Style

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A terrestrial style made by the infernals, heavily compassion/performance themed.

Background

Many negative, horrible things can be found in Malfeas: dread, lies, pain, tortment, unending amounts of wrath, etcetera. But in one aspect of their lives are the demons forthright, honest and even in a way compassionate. This is the song and dance that goes on continuously within the infernal city: the noise that protects all and keeps Adjordan, The Silent Wind at bay. The Benevolent Songstress Style is the embodiement of the artistry of Malfeas, and it can be simultaneously fearsome and beautiful to behold.

The Benevolent Songstress Style is a terrestrial martial arts style originating from the denizens of Malfeas. Made long ago to aid in the warding of Adjordan, the Silent Wind, the Benevolent Songstress Style has been passed on through generations of demons. Mostly the style doesn't leave Malfeas except through a select few demon-blooded who grew up in the infernal prison and thus had an opportunity to be taught the style. However the style has and can trickle into Creation through demon summoning and getting the summoned infernal to teach the summoner the style.

Training

Benevolent Songstress martial artists draw deeply from their inner reserves of compassion, augmented by martial skill and training in song and dance in an attempt to ward themselves and others from great threats.

Weapons and Armor

Benevolent Songstress Style favors the war fan as it aids the dance performance, and is incompatible with armor and shields of any type.

Charms

Wail of the Infernals

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None

An infernal wail can be quite an unsettling thing and even to the battle hardened it is at the very least distracting. By wailing at someone the martial artist distracts or unnerves them momentarily, potentially disrupting attacks. Whoever the martial artist's target is attacking becomes more difficult to hit: increasing the difficulty by 1 for melee, or 2 for ranged. This difficulty does not stack with shields of any kind. You must declare use of this Charm before the attack is rolled.

Invigorating Whisper Technique

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Wail of the Infernals

Although it requires very loud noise to stave off Adjordan even a whisper if uttered by the proper person can calm an internal storm. When the martial artist uses this Charm it allows their target to stave off the effects of wound penalties for the remainder of the turn. Please note this Charm doesn't actually heal any health levels, and certainly doesn't prevent a character from being incapacitated or getting killed.

Benevolent Songstress Form

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Invigorating Whisper Technique

The character takes on the posture and demeanor of one of Malfeas' finest artists, her words start flowing more easily and her movements become more fluid. The Benevolent Songstress is a beautiful yet terrible sight, and compells enemies not to strike against her. The character also draws on the inner reserves of her nature. She adds 2 to her Compassion score for the remainder of the scene. This bonus is capable of raising the Virtue above 5.

Scalding Song

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Range: 20 * Essence
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Benevolent Songstress Form

The songs of the city of infernals can touch the heart of things, not only for purposes of warding but also for destruction. The character makes a ranged attack against one target using a pool of Performance + Compassion that deals lethal damage equalling the attack's successes plus the character's Permanent Essence rating. This attack ignores armor and shields of any kind: it may only be soaked using Stamina and other supernatural effects such as Charms or Hearthstones.

Performance of the Dark City

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Benevolent Songstress Form

Through the demonic arts of the dance and its sometimes erratic movements the character's actions and motions become unpredictable. For the remainder of the scene the character may add her Compassion score to her Dodge pool, though she may add no more dice than she has points in Dodge.

Soothing Euthanizing Touch

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Scalding Song

Death comes swiftly, but it does not always hurt. When used this Charm adds the character's Compassion score to her damage when attacking in close combat and her attacks deal lethal damage even if unarmed. However when the target is struck they feel no pain. Any additional wound penalties inflicted by this attack may be ignored by the target.

Wrath's Clemency Waltz

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Performance of the Dark City

The waltzes of the damned ward many things. This Charm allows the character to reflexively parry one attack made against any target with a pool equal to her Performance. If the character fails to parry said attack they take damage instead of the attack's intended target using their own soak to determine damage. Additionally the character can parry attacks unarmed without suffering any penalty for doing so.

Drive Off the Silent Wind

Cost: 2 motes per target
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Soothing Euthanizing Touch, Wrath's Clemency Waltz

By channeling 2 motes of Essence for every affected target the character dazzles them with their infernal performance. Those affected must roll their Willpower versus a difficulty equal to the martial artist's Compassion score or their attack is forfeit. This must be rolled before the attack itself is rolled. Alternately they may spend one point of Temporary Willpower to disregard one roll and attack the martial artist as normal.

Comments

Major refactoring of this page. It should now be done-ish and of a proper TMA level. Comments for tweaks are good, just please don't expect me to extremely throw around much of this. -- Morrigu

Hmmm, nice style, Morri! But I'd like to suggest some things / ask for clarifications...

• Being an Infernal-ish style, shouldn't Words of Power be listed amongst its weapons? After all, that's how Demon-Blooded would likely song-fight...
• The first charm could cost 1m. That's minor, but since the effect can't be stacked, and doesn't stack with shields, it really should cost 1m. Even if it DID stack with shields! (It should, really, there is no good reason for it not to! >.>)
• Performance of the Dark City seems to be the result of a re-write... it's 3m, one turn, and the text says you can dodge for a scene? Shouldn't it either be 3m and do last one turn, or something like 4m, 1wp to dodge for a scene? (and either way, if it can make a pool from 0, it should say so!)
• Soothing Euthanazing Touch should be able to add to ranged attacks as well, otherwise, it cannot aid on Scalding Song. An alternative might be to Key Scalding Song as a 'song' attack, and say Euthanazing Touch can aid close combat or song attacks!
• Drive Off the Silent Wind is nice, but most other charms of this style allow you to defend for others, and shouldn't it do so as well? I'd recommend allowing it and adding a wp to its cost...
• Finally, minor, but isn't the Form a little bare? Should add some side-benefit! Also, the fixed bonus looks... odd, on Charms. Should make it something like (Essence/2, rounded up), or something!

... my two cents, anyway ~GoldenCat