MartialArts/StygianStyle
Stygian Style Martial Arts
By Josh Bain
Background
Stygian Style Martial Arts is a highly improbable style that centers on, tremendous physical skills. Sometimes called Netherworld Kung Fu by younger Exalts, practiced by Deathlords, Deathknights, and specialty trained Forgotten Caste Assassins
Charms
Lure of the River Styx</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: None
The Exalt projects the powers of the underworld, at an opponent, disrupting their concentration with the deceptively luring powers of the River Styx. The opponent subtracts the Exalts Martial Arts from their initiative rating. This Charm also negates charms like Thunderclap Rush Technique that allow automatic initiative.
Raging River Offense</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes per success Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Lure of the River Styx
The Exalt makes a Martial Arts Attack roll; after the roll is made they may purchase additional successes at a cost of 3 motes each. They may purchase no more successes in this way than their Martial Arts + Essence and they may not more than double the total number of successes + essence.
Wending River Defense</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes per success Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Lure of the River Styx
The Exalt attempts either a dodge or parry roll, after the roll is made they may purchase additional successes at a cost of 2 motes each. They may purchase no more successes in this way than their Martial Arts + Essence and they may not more than double the total number of successes + essence.
River Styx Form</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Raging River Offense, Wending River Defense
The Exalt takes upon themselves the character of the winding twisting, raging, but deceptively calm river of the Underworld. For the rest of the scene they double their martial arts score for the purposes of attacking and defending dice pools, this also expands the maximum number of additional successes they can purchase with other charms in this tree. Only one Martial Arts form-type charm may be active on a given character at a time, enacting another causes the character to have to drop the one they are currently using.
Twisting River Stance</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: River Styx Form
The Exalt, becomes a twisting sliding tempest of skill, when this charm is enacted, making it very difficult to hit them. The character may reflexively dodge or parry all incoming attacks, even ones they are not aware of with their Martial Arts trait only. However this includes bonuses from River Styx Form. If parried with a regular dodge, or parry the effects stack and their Martial Arts Trait acts as a dice pool bonus.
Depths of the Styx Block</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 health level, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Twisting River Stance
The Exalt may block a single incoming attack they she is aware of without a roll. Any attack to which a parry action is applicable is automatically deflected, including the attacks of beings such as Yozi and Deathlords. However the cost is great, the Health Level lost to this charm is Aggravated.
Waves on the Shore Attack</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: River Styx Form
The Exalt becomes a furious rain of blows, unleashing the hidden rage of the Underworld River, they may make a number of additional attacks in this turn equal to their essence rating, so long as they use their Martial Arts ability.
Darkness of the Styx</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Waves on the Shore Attack
The Exalt summons forth the cold and Darkness of the Underworld in her hands, and feet, for the rest of the scene, anytime she strikes a supernatural opponent and deals at least one Health Level of Damage, she also draws forth a number of essence motes equal to her permanent essence score, from their essence pool and adds them to her own.
Stygian Undertow Strike</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 health level, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Waves on the Shore Attack
The Exalt makes a single Martial Arts attack, they make the hit roll normally, but no matter how well their opponent parries or dodges they attack still lands and deals damage. Only Heavenly Guardian Defense, Life Saving Attitude, or a similar total defense charm can deflect or avoid this attack.
Memory Tearing Attack</b>
<b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 health level, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Darkness of the Styx, Stygian Undertow Strike
The Exalt summons forth the ultimate power of the Underworld River, the power to steal memories. The Exalt attacks and resolves the attack normally, however if even a single health level of damage is dealt, the Exalt may name an ability and the target instantly looses all dots in that skill as the knowledge is torn from their mind, they also loose the ability to loose any charms they no longer qualify for. This knowledge returns at the end of the scene. Dark rumors persist in the Underworld of Deathlords that have truly mastered this style, and are able to permanently removes peoples memories through it.
