MartialArts/DragonsGardenStyle
Contents
Dragon's Garden Style
- by Telgar
- back to TerrestrialMartialArts
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- back to MartialArtsInitiations
Background
The Dragon's Garden Style is one of the least practiced Martial Arts in Creation. Only a handful of Terrestrials have ever learned it and few others have the interest. The Style is broken into three segments, each building upon the other to create the whole of the Style. The segments follow the path of growing seeds, from Spring when the seeds are placed in the ground, to Summer when they are in full bloom, and then to Fall when the plants die. The Spring Charms form a Terrestrial Martial Art which, when mastered, moves into an Initation Cascade that represents the transitional stage of Summer. The final mastery of the Style encompasses a Celestial Martial Art which embodies the dying glory of Fall. Rumors persist that a fourth segment of the Style exists, devoted to the hibernation and rebirth of Winter, but such rumors are unsubstantiated.
Season of Spring – Terrestrial Martial Art Charms
Seed’s Inexorable Fall</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: None
As a seed falling from the planter’s hand, an opponent faced with this attack will find themselves likewise greeting the nurturing dirt of Creation. The force of the blow automatically knocks down the target.
Climatic Acclimation Shock</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: Seed’s Inexorable Fall
Sometimes a seed requires time to become used to its home in the rich soil. After being struck by a Garden stylist, the opponent requires time to acclimate to his new wounds. This Charm may be activated whenever the character knocks down another character. For every level of damage the attack did, the victim remains knocked down for 1 turn, unable to rise without aid of Charms or allies.
Nurturing Embrace</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes per person Type: Simple Duration: Special Min Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: Climatic Acclimation Shock
Good soil will grasp at the seeds planted in it, refusing to release them back to the harsh world above that might seek to harm them. By slamming his feet sharply into the ground the martial artist ensures that his enemies will be cared for equally well. Any prone character can be made a target of this Charm and forced to remain prone until the Charm is released. This Charm can not be maintained for more turns then the character has dots in Essence.
Endless Love of the Land</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: None
Just as the land can take many seeds into its rich loam and nurture them, so can the martial artist take many enemies into his arms and defeat them. The rate of any unarmed attack, even a Clinch, made by the character is raised by his Martial Arts score.
Overabundance of Resources</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes per dot Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: Endless Love of the Land
When resources are spread across many seeds, the ground can not offer the same nutrients and support as it can when its resources are taxed by only a few. In the same way, a fighter who spreads his attention is weakened in the devastation he visits upon each target. Using this Charm the character may opt to sacrifice the Rate of his attack to gain additional dice of accuracy and damage. Each dot of Rate gains 1 accuracy or 1 damage.
The Planting Stick</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Type: Extra Action Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prerequisites: Nurturing Embrace and Overabundance of Resources
To ensure the health of his seeds, a good gardener buries them well so they are not washed away by rain or stolen by hungry squirrels. In much the same way, the martial artist does not wish his enemies to be stolen from him and so, he buries his opponent in blows. If the first attack made against the target succeeds in knocking him prone, another attack may be made. Otherwise, this Charm is void and the motes are not expended. After the second attack, the opponent may make a reflexive Stamina + Athletics roll to rise. If they fail, another attack can be made. The martial artist can continue to deliver attacks until his opponent regains his feet.
Season of Summer – Martial Arts Initiation Charms
Drinking the Light</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prerequisites: The Planting Stick
Opening his petals to the sun, the character drinks in the violence around him and draws in its power to fortify himself. For every attack made during the previous turn, the character gains 1 die in a pool which may be used to make a single combat action of any sort. This pool can not be split, nor can it benefit from Charms. This action does not count against Rate and does not require later actions to be split. It is partially independent.
Supping on Air</b>
<b>Cost: None Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prerequisites: Drinking the Light
A further refinement of the ability to drink in violence and Essence, the internalization of that power becomes complete with this Charm. The extra power can be diverted to whatever activity suits the character’s desires. Instead of using the pool gained from Drinking the Light for an action, the character can opt instead to divide those dice however he wishes among his normal actions for the turn. Any dice not given to another action are lost. This Charm simply adds an extra dimension to Drinking the Light, it does not prevent its predecessor from being used to grant an action.
Season of Autumn – Celestial Martial Arts Charms
Staining the Thumb</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes, 1 willpower Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prerequisites: Supping on Air
The joy that a gardener feels in his creation and care he gives it is sometimes contagious. Even if only for a brief time, after witnessing a truly skilled gardener at work those observing will wish to help. Those struck by the Garden Stylist are likewise compelled to assist life come into being. For as many turns as the martial artist has dots of Essence, the target of his successful attack must either engage in some activity that nurtures or creates life or else suffer a penalty on all actions equal to the martial artist’s Essence.
Piles of Fallen Leaves</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prerequisites: Staining the Thumb
With a sweeping series of kicks that vastly disturbs the local scenery the character shrouds himself in debris and detritus. All attacks directed against him have their accuracy reduced by half unless they are supplemented by some magic that ignores environmental or vision penalties.
Impenetrable Deadfall</b>
<b>Cost: 7 motes Type: Simple Duration: Special Min Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prerequisites: Piles of Fallen Leaves
With a mighty blow the Garden Stylist breaks apart a nearby tree or other large object and shelters under it. So long as an object at least as large as the character himself is within his movement range, this Charm can be activated. For the remainder of the combat round the character is protected by total cover. This means that the difficulty of the roll to hit him is incalculably high, only perfect attacks or attacks that bypass cover and/or environmental penalties can harm him.
Shower of Crimson</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes per attack Type: Extra Action Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prerequisites: Staining the Thumb
Like a flurry of leaves disturbed by the wind, the blows of the Garden Stylist come from all angles and end only when there are no more leaves. For every object within his movement range at least twice his height, the martial artist may make an additional attack.
Storm of Rainbows</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prerequisites: Shower of Crimson
The baffling shower of leaves and light that is so common in the autumn can become deadly when a skilled martial artist emulates its motions. By doing so he causes each of his blows to disorient his opponent. For every attack made in the turn this Charm is activated, the target of the attacks suffers a -1 penalty to all physical actions. The attacks must be successful in order to inflict the penalty and the penalty is only as great as the number of attacks that have been made at the point when it is inflicted; the penalty does not increase as the turn goes on. Penalties are non-cumulative.
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prerequisites: Staining the Thumb
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prerequisites:
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prerequisites: Staining the Thumb
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prerequisites:
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prerequisites: Staining the Thumb
Charm Name</b>
<b>Cost: Type: Duration: Min Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prerequisites:
