MartialArts/CarmineMandalaofConsumptionStyle

Carmine Mandala of Consumption Style

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Style still under construction. See Comments.

Background

The common belief amongst martial art savants is that the Carmine Mandala of Consumption Style originated sometime during the Primordial Wars. The thought is that only the incredibly hostile and lethal environment of the Wars would encourage the development of such a self-destructive and aggressive style. Fire is a common metaphor and is seen as the the truest form of Consumption in actual application. Practioners of this syle seek to master a complicated set of ideals and motions which serve as a focus for the consumption of everything. They are marked by a flagrant disregard for their, or anyone else's safety, and most possess an aggressive nature which borders on the unhealthy. For them, consumption is a path and patron, a lifestyle they dedicate themselves to body and soul.

Weapons and Armor

This style is incompatible with unnatural armor of any variety, including 'non-armors' such as Silken Armor. The original texts make reference to practioners enhancing their strikes with chemical volatile substances. Contemporary martial artists frequently employ firedust as a substitution for the blast gel or Ignition Gauntlets called for in the style's manual.

Firedust~ If properly ignited (a diceless action if the character possesses no charm to do so) adds 12L to the character's base damage. In addition target must make a stam + resistance check, diff 3, or be knocked back/down. This inflicts an unsoakable level of lethal damage on the character.

Blasting Gel~ First Age equivalent of Firedust. Functions identically. In addition it can work if it's wet. Treat Pyromantic Gel from E:FF as Blasting Gel

Ignition Gauntlet~ Artifact 2, commit 3~spd +0, acc +1, dam +2L or special, def +1, rate 5*~ An Ignition Gauntlet has two main uses: It can be used to reflexively spark off a prepared blasting charge at no cost or, for the cost of 2 motes, create an explosion on its own with no need for a blasting charge. Has a single hearthstone setting. Allows the user to parry lethal damage.

Charms

Note: Any charm which has effects based on the number of wounds currently suffered inludes any health level costs that charm may have as part of that number.

Investment of Pain</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms:: None

Consumption is not an easy master. The first lesson its students must learn is that pain is inevitable. The next lesson they learn is that surface pain is but an illusion of true pain. Practioners are taught to tap into this true pain so that my later call upon it for strength. When this charm is activated it doubles all of the exalt's wound penalties for a number of rounds equal to their Martial Arts rating.

Fuel Attracting Grasp</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms:: none

The faster a fire is fed, the greater its flames become. The ability to quickly ready fodder for sacrifice is one of the fundamental skills taught ot all students. While this skill is primarily taught as means of quickly readying a firedust charge for use, it may be useful in other stituations. Through use of this charm an exalt may instantly bring an object to hand. Any object within his reach is a valid target, so long as its easily accessible. An object on a table is valid, an item in a foe's possession is not.

Fuel Invoking Motion</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms:: Fuel Attracting Grasp

A fire cannot exist without fuel to burn. Through use of this technique students can turn almost any object into suitable fuel for consumption. By paying two motes and exalt can substitue any handful of material as a firedust charge by infusing it with essence. The material remains volatile for a number of rounds equal to the exalt's martial arts rating before becoming inert.

Reckless Abandon Approach</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes per +1 initiative and damage
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms:: none

Fire consumes everything, including itself. The faster it takes, the faster it brings about its own demise, but it continues on regardless. Students are taught to emulate this example, engaging their foes with the reckless strength of a bonfire. For every two motes spent powering this charm the exalt enhances the speed and damage of an attack by 1. This bonus cannot exceed the character's Martial Arts rating for any given attack. In addition, for every two motes spent increase the accuracy of all attacks agains the character by 1 until his next initiative. This bonus is only applied once regardless of the number of times this charm is used in a turn and always at its highest value.

Breaching Palm Strike</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms:: Reckless Abandon Approach

When a simple spark is fed the appropriate fuel it blossoms into an insatiable ball of fiery destruction. One of the basic techniques of the Carmine Mandala of Consumption is the ability to supercharge one's essence into a searing spark of energy. On its own, this charm lends a searing sting to the exalt's blows, but this is not its primary use. This charm exists to serve as a catalyst for tbe specialy prepared exlposive aids employed by practioners of this style. When used unarmed, this charm adds the character's essence to the base damage of a martial arts attack. It also causes the attack to inflict lethal damage. In an emergency, this charm can be used to supplement a martial arts parry allowing the martial artist to parry a lethal attack. If the exalt has a firedust or blasting gel charge readied then the charge is set off in addition to the above effects. In this case, knockback/knockdown is automatic. If this charm is used to supplement a parry while a charge has been readied, then the character may reflexively attempt to disarm his opponent with a pool equal to the base damage of his attack.

Investment of Flesh</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote per -0 HL, 2 motes per -1 health level, 3 motes per -2 health level, 1 willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms:: Breaching Palm Strike, Fuel Invoking Motion, Investment of Pain

The most trusworthy and reliable source of fuel is one's self. Students learn to optimize the quality of their offering before sacrficing it to Consumption. Through use of this charm the martial artist may convert any of his other health levels into -4 health levels on a one for two basis. It costs 1 mote to convert -0's, 2 motes to convert -1's, and 3 motes to convert -2's. At the end of the scene the character's health track is restored to normal. Total the damage inflicted to bonus -4 health levels granted by this charm and divide it by two (rounded up. Immediately apply the result as lethal damage to the character's wound track.

Carmine Mandala of Consumption Form</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes, 1 health level
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms:: Investment of Flesh

By this point in their studies, practioners of this style have internalized the neccessary motions and techniques to execute the Imperfect Mandala in celebration of consumption. There hands and feet are constantly in motion, invoking a complicated, dance-like pattern. Each step and gesture is a small sacrifice of the exalt's energy to honor Cosumption. So long as the Carmine Mandala of Consumption form is active the Exalt gains strength from his state of constant deterioration. Not only does he ignore all wound penalties, but he instead receives a number of bonus dice equal to 1/2 of what his would penalties should be. These bonus dice apply to all martial arts rolls. Further, he adds 1/2 of his wound penalty value to his base initiative as well. This is a form type charm and the exalt may only receive the benefits of one form type charm at any time.

Sharing the Inner Loss</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes +1 mote per success bought, 1 health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental or Simple (not sure)
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms:: Carmine Mandala of Consumption Form

This charm builds directly upon the principles of the Breaching Palm Strike. As more and more of the exalt's body is consumed he develops a cache of spiritual strength from his bond with Consumption. Through use of this technique the martial artist can tap that cache and create a much more damaging burst than the tiny, essence generated spark created with the Breaching Palm Strike. Attacks enhanced by this charm have their base damage increased by the exalt's essence + his current wound penalty. In addition, he may convert a number of post-soak damage dice, which cannot exceed the number of wounds he is currently suffering from, into automatic successes. This costs 1 mote per success. This charm may be used to ignite a prepared charge. As is the case with Breaching Palm Strike, knockback/down is automatic.

Courage Consuming Battle Stance</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes
Duration: MA in turns
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms:: Burning Mandala of Consumption Form

Martial Artists trained in this style are terrifying opponents to face in combat. Even the toughest of warriors are sometimes shaken by the utter recklessness and abandon with which practioners conduct themselves. Characters versed in this technique can captilize on this fear and strengthen it. Once this charm is activated all of the character's opponents must succeed at a valor check with a difficulty equal to 1/2 the exalt's essence, rounded up. Success indicates they lose a number of dice equal to the exalt's essence on all attacks against him. Failure means that the difficulty to hit the exalt increases by his essence. This penalty lasts for the duration of the charm. This charm is less effective if it sees repeated use within the same scene. Opponents recieve a bonus die to their valor roll for each successive activation of this charm they are subjected to within the same scene.

Blazing Effigy of Sacrifice</b>
<b>Cost: 7 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level to intiate/ 4 motes, 1 health level to maintain
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms:: Sharing the Inner Loss, Valor Consuming Battle Stance

One of the more feared, and questioned, techniques of this style, the Burning Effigy of Sacrifice allows the martial artist to turn himself into a potent, if fleeting, monument to Consumption. The exalt employs a special mudra and annoints himself with blasting gel (an adaptation has developed for the use of firedust where the practioner envelopes himself in a cloud of the stuff)and then ignites it with a spark of essence. The character becomes engulfed in a whirling conflagration of hunger infused essence. The initial explosion inflicts an amount of lethal damage equal to 6 + the exalt's essence + the number of wounds he is currently suffering from to everything within a number of yards equal to the exalts essence. The explosion is dodgeable but not parryable and is soaked as environmental damage. Targets may make a stamina + resistance roll, with a difficulty equal to the character's essence, to half that damage (round down). The character continues to 'burn' for a number of rounds equal to his martial arts score. During this time anything that comes within his essence in yards suffers a number of levels of lethal damage equal to the character's current wounds. This is environmental damage. Once the duration is up, the exalt has the option of keeping the charm active by paying 4 motes and 1 health level as a reflexive charm action. As a side effect, if both Burning Effigy of Sacrifice and Courage Consuming Battle Stance are active at the same time, increases the difficulty of the valor checks inspired by Courage Consuming Battle Stance by 1. This charm may only be initiated once in any given scene.

consume your foe charm</b>
<b>Cost: -
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Type: 
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Minimum Essence: 
Prerequisite Charms:: 

an attack that does essence damage or maybe echo damage to the opponent

vampiric health regain charm</b>
<b>Cost: -
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not sure if this is in theme or not

unknown</b>
<b>Cost: -
Duration: 
Type: 
Minimum Martial Arts: 
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need a charm here, not sure what to put in. maybe something based on points of essence missing from your pools?

Perfected Mandala of Consumption</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level
Duration: either scene or ma in turns 
Type: simple 
Minimum Martial Arts: 5 
Minimum Essence: 4 or 5 
Prerequisite Charms:: the six charm which precede this and follow the form  

add MA to damage. reduce post soak damage by essence. maybe some bonus health levels as well. character unable to dodge, parry, or otherwise actively defend himself while charm active. form must be active in order to activate charm.

pinnacle </b>
<b>Cost: some number of motes plus the character's remaining health levels, plus some xp 
Duration: instant 
Type: simple  
Minimum Martial Arts: 5 
Minimum Essence: 5 
Prerequisite Charms:: perfected mandala of consumption 

uber attack. if the character manages to kill his foe with it he is immediately reborn from his foe's corpse at full health and essence. make an essence check with a difficulty equal to the number of times the character has used this charm. success = nothing happens, failure = loss of permenant willpower. botch = loss of permenant essence.

Comments

Need to work on the latter half of the style. It's intentionaly set up to follow the: 6 charms, then the imperfect mandala (which is the form) followed by another 6 charms then the perfect mandala. That's where that blank spot fits in. As you can see my major theme is inflicting as much damage as possible before your opponent (or your own attacks) kill you. I tried to work in a little bit of the psychological factor inherent in facing a foe who is apparently willing to kill himself so long as you die first. Trying to come up with interesting iterations on the consumption theme. I realize the art is in its fledgling stage and hard to critique, but any feedback you guys can supply to help me gel things up into a beta version will be very much appreciated.- Ambisinister