MartialArts/SouthernInfernoStyle

Southern Inferno Style

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Favored by ancient Anklok, Southern Inferno Style is a brutal fighting art that demands mastery of both itself and the Path of Flickering Fire.

Weapons and Armor

As with any Dragon King Martial Art, Southern Inferno Style is compatible with armor. Form weapons for the style are the sword-club and its artifact counterparts, the swordstick and crystal warclub.

Charms

Shimmering Ember Stance</b>

<b>Cost: 1 mote/point
Duration: 1 turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: None

By attuning his Essence to the basic principles of movement, the Dragon King learns how to overcome the base limitations of physical form. He may increase his weapon’s Rate (including his unarmed Rate) by 1 point per mote. He may not spend more than his Martial Arts rating in motes this way.

Leaping Spark Attitude</b>

<b>Cost: 2 motes/dot
Duration: 1 turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Dragon King’s movements are graceful and beautiful, yet startling in their celerity. He may increase his Dexterity for the purposes of determining his initiative and movement by one dot for every two motes spent. This enhancement is cumulative with, and applies before, other movement enhancers. The maximum increase is equal to his Permanent Essence.

Flaring Blaze Defense</b>

<b>Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Leaping Spark Attitude

The Essence of movement resides deep within the Dragon King’s being. This awareness allows him to place his weapon precisely where it is needed to deflect an attack. He may add his Martial Arts rating to a single parry attempt, even one made by an ability other than Martial Arts. This can give him a parry equal to his Martial Arts rating if he has no other dice in the pool.

Southern Inferno Form</b>

<b>Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Shimmering Ember Stance, Flaring Blaze Defense, One Fire, Many Flames

The Dragon King takes on a rippling, endlessly moving stance, imitating the eternal flames of the Elemental Pole of Fire. For the remainder of the scene, the Dragon King may reduce multiple action penalties by his Permanent Essence. This includes dice penalties for Full Dodges and Full Parries as well. He may also add his Essence to any Athletics roll that does not involve a feat of strength. He may not have more than one Form-type Charm active at a given time.

Burning Celestial Guard</b>

<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Southern Inferno Form

In a blaze of fiery Essence, the Dragon King effortlessly wards against any mundane attack. He may perfectly parry a single attack. This Charm cannot be used against attacks made with weapons composed of the Five Magical Materials, nor can it be used against sorcery or attacks enhanced by Charms.

Perfected Southern Fury Fist</b>

<b>Cost: 4 motes/success
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Southern Inferno Form

After making an attack roll but before the target makes any defense roll, the Dragon King may purchase additional successes on his attack. The maximum number of successes he may purchase is equal to his Permanent Essence or the number of successes rolled, whichever is lower. Do not count any difficulty penalties when counting successes for this purpose (the purchased successes may be used to overcome a difficulty normally).

Weakness-Searing Blow</b>

<b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 health level
Duration: see below
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Perfected Southern Fury Fist

A nimbus of eerie red-white Essence appears around the Dragon King’s claw. If this attack, which must be unarmed (this specifically excludes the use of signature style weaponry), is successful, it deals the Dragon King’s Essence in aggravated damage dice to the target instead of the usual damage. Every turn until the duration expires, this damage is dealt again, but the number of damage dice is reduced by one. The damage remains aggravated, but the Charm ends when the damage is reduced to zero dice. No other Charms or Path abilities may be used to enhance this attack. Multiple uses of this Charm are not cumulative – while one use of Weakness-Searing Blow is affecting a target, any other uses discharge harmlessly on contact.

Endless Flickering Transformation Prana</b>

<b>Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Burning Celestial Guard, Weakness-Searing Blow, Twice-Flickering Flame

Essence flows through Creation like the subtle movements of a single candle-flame, while simultaneously roaring like the heat of a towering bonfire. The Dragon King taps into this understanding and mirrors it within himself. For the remainder of the scene, the Dragon King may activate Reflexive Charms or Reflexive Path abilities without requiring a Combo and without using his Charm or Path activation for the turn. This ability functions exactly like the ability naturally possessed by Terrestrial Exalted.