The Ghost:TMAs/Path of the Stave Church Style

This wood aspected style is fairly common throughout the majority of creation. Focusing on the use of common walking sticks and quarter staves and their artifact equivalents as combative weapons this style is favored by insurgent rebels and the rare common villager who manages to achieve enlightenment.

History of the Hidden Master Style

The origins of the Hidden Master Style lie in the depths of history, before even the primordial war. Back in those days it was practiced by human renegades struggling to overthrow the Dragon Kings and the Raptok agents that hunted them. Several of these human rogues became exalted when the battle lines of the primordial war were drawn up, and among the Wood aspected dragonblooded they style was especially common.

However, as the war came to a close other wood aspected styles which did not relly on props such as staves came to be

Weapons and Armor

This style may be practiced with Quarterstaves, Batons, Sticks, Canes, and Staff Slings or their artifact equivalents which are treated as 'form type' weapons. It may not be practiced while wearing armor with any fatigue or mobility penalty. The style also is 'imperfect' and except where noted otherwise may not be used unarmed.

Charms of the Hidden Master Style

The following is a list of the charms of the Hidden Master Style, both the nine charms of the Path of the Stave Church and the three distinct 'Mastery' charms.

The Basic Style

Though the Hidden Master Style has three distinct capstone charms the road which brings a person to that choice does not vary. Nine charms must be mastered by the person who would learn one of the three 'master' charms and be acclaimed a Hidden Master. These nine charms are referred to by the practitioners of the style as the Path of the Stave Church, a reference to some long forgotten temple where this style was once taught and in which for a time the last 3 masters of the style dwelt during the period known as the Time of Cascading Years

Twirling Baton Distraction

Cost: 3m

Minimums: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1.

Type: Supplemental

Duration: Instant

Keywords: Combo-OK.

Prerequisites: None

Description: By spinning his weapon in a hypnotic whirl the practitioner of the Hidden Master style may distract foes at a critical moment. This charm supplements a join battle roll, allowing the practitioner to add (The lower of Martial Arts or Performance) dice to the roll. These dice count as dice from charms for the purposes of dice pool maximums.

Up and Over Attack

Cost: 4m

Minimums: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1

Type: Supplemental

Duration: One Tick

Keywords: Combo-Basic.

Prerequisites: None

Description: The practitioner of hidden Master style learns to use their stave or baton to aid their fighting by vaulting their opponent to strike at their undefended back, taking them by surprise. This Charm Must be used as part of a flurry. The Hidden Master Style practitioner takes a jump action and roll's their (Strength + Athletics + Relevant Specialty). If they score more successes than their opponent's Parry DV they vault over their opponent and any attacks which fall after this maneuver in the flurry are considered unexpected.

It's Just My Walking Stick

Cost: 6m

Minimums: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1.

Type: Reflexive

Duration: Instant

Keywords: Combo-Basic, Social.

Prerequisites: None

Description: By feigning weakness and infirmity leaning on their walking stick the Hidden Master Style exerts a seemingly sourceless natural mental influence to allow the individual to retain their 'crutch' and cease to see it as a weapon. Persons with a dodge MDV less than the practitioner's (Essence + Compassion) must roll their own compassion and fail in order to deny them their walking stick or staff, no matter what fate may befall them for failing to take it away. However, if the consequences merely for allowing the invalid their 'crutch' would be serious such as dismissal or torture they are expressly permitted to roll conviction to suppress their compassion. Person's with a MDV higher than the practitioner's (Essence + Compassion) are subject to a Subtle (Manipulation + Performance) attack to convince them to allow the 'walking stick' anyway. If the attack beats their MDV they are convinced that the invalid is harmless and allow her to take the 'crutch' through the checkpoint or other zone. This charm is ineffective once join battle is rolled or if the practitioner does not adopt a posture of infirmity and helplessness. Those effected by this charm may spend willpower to resist the social attack as normal.

Aged Hickory Infusion

Cost: 2m/D or 5m

Minimums: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2

Type: Enhancement

Duration: One Scene

Keywords: Combo-OK.

Prerequisites: Twirling Baton Distraction, Up and Over Attack, It's Just My Walking Stick

Description: In the Hands of a serious student of Hidden Master Style any stout stick can be a lethal weapon. There are two versions of this charm, learning the first of the two versions of this charm a character masters costs the normal amount of experience, learning the second of the two only costs one point. Not all dojos of Hidden Master Style teach both versions.

One Version of this charm allows the practitioner of Hidden Master Style to add dice to the damage rating of any of the form type weapons of this style at a cost of 2 committed motes per die added. They may add no more than their Essence dice to the damage rating in this way. Weapons with multiple damage ratings may only have one of them so enhanced.

The other version of this charm allows the practitioner to change the damage type of the form type weapons of this style from basing to lethal for 5 committed motes.

Both Versions last until the end of the current scene, and motes committed to these charms may not be uncommitted before that happens or another effect forces the charm to end.

The Three Mysteries

The following three charms each represent one perfected understanding of Hidden Master Style. Only one such charm may ever be learned, and having learned one such charm prevents the user from even attempting to train the others.

Stave of Legends Mastery

Cost: 5m

Duration: One Scene

Type: Enhancement

Keywords: Combo-OK, War

Description: When this charm is activated the weapon with which the chosen practices the Hidden Master Style has it's MM bonuses doubled. If the practitioner is a mortal using an artifact weapon they instead gain the magical material bonus of that weapon as if they could fully attune to it.

Empty Hands Mastery

Cost: 5m,1wp

Duration: One Scene

Type: Reflexive

Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, War

Description: Some of those who practice the Hidden Master Style learn to transcend the need for props such as canes and staves, instead temporarily drawing such tools from raw essence and force of will. When using this charm the master summons forth a mundane example of the form weapons of this style from essence and willpower. The weapon persists for the scene and then fades from existence as though it had never been, only the wounds it has left on the master's foes marking it's passage through the universe. This quasi-real force construct is treated as a normal weapon in all respects, being neither an artifact weapon nor of any exceptional quality. The type of weapon is determined in the instant the charm is activated and may not be changed their after in that scene without reactivating the charm.

Grace Beyond Nature Mastery

Cost: 5m

Duration: One Scene

Type: Supplemental

Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, War

Description: The Quality of the weapon matters little to those who master this charm, being able to use a punky fallen branch and a fire hardened hickory stave with equal effectiveness. While the Hidden Master has this charm active any of the mundane weapons which are form weapons of this style which he uses are treated as their artifact equivalents for the duration of his use in the scene. If the user is one of the chosen they are treated as being composed of Green Jade* and are considered attuned at no cost. If the user is a mortal, ghost, god, fae, or other being besides an Exalt they do not gain any material bonuses. This charm has no effect on non form weapons or weapons that are already artifacts.

• (See Oadenol's Codex page 21 for statistics.)