Arafelis/FFMA
A brief explination.
Zetes and Calais are brothers, by agreement if not by parent- two Raksha born of the same dreams. Zetes becomes interested, then obsessed with mastering the principles of Creation's Martial Arts. He begins his development of Fair Folk Martial Arts, creating a Terrestrial style (which I have not developed, and may or may not bother with, as it would be a plot point which is intentionally incoherent as a MA). Observing Immaculate Dragons, Zetes learns the trick of practicing Celestial-level MA, and, relatively quickly, re-discovers the Tiger-and-Bear Charms (from the PG). He later develops a uniquely Raksha "Initiation" set. He is, however, stymied in his early attempts to develop styles which mimic those of Immaculates, and eventually ends up with hybrid elemental/virtue martial arts. Each Charm Tree is a story of the development of the Art.
Like Terrestrials, Fair Folk cannot simply activate a Celestial-level Martial Art Form-type Charm and be done with it. They require an additional Component, something that has to happen in order for them to successfully include the Form in their definition of themselves. This could be any sort of event-"There must be a birth" would be a valid Component- and it must occur near the Raksha activating the Form. "Near" is deliberately left undefined, for in particularly dramatic cases it might be a metaphysical nearness rather than a physical one. These Components are therefore very easy for a Raksha to come by in the Wyld; one simply stunts or shapes the required event. In Creation, the martial artist must often be more creative.
Fire / Conviction
World - Eating Blaze Arts
(Zetes)
In my meditations I sought to find the true principle of the warrior-artisans of Creation. I dreamt a world of harmony, then, in an aesthetic rigour, allowed a stream of Wyld through... a cascade to vitalize my vision. I soon found it was only here, within the freezing heat of primal dissonance, that I could appriciate the harmony I sought to contemplate.
As a lotus, I floated through my world. I was disturbed by a foreign presence - thinking it was a messenger come to fetch my attention, I demanded,
"What do you want?"
Field of Flowers and Intentions Posture Simple/Instant
In the relaxed pose of one entering a discussion, the martial artist's early blows question the truth of another's desire to engage in conflict. Roll the opponent's Willpower + Conviction against the martial artist's Essence + Martial Arts. If the opponent fails, they must disengage from combat. They may spend a Willpower point to re-roll each turn against the same difficulty (the martial artist's first successes). If the raksha attacks, the effects of this Charm are broken. This Charm may only be used within the first three turns of combat.
No response came. I tried to resume my meditation, contemplating harmony as a central willow.
Denying the Question Reflexive/1-turn
With a dismissive gesture, the martial artist redirects impulsive blows. The target of this Charm has a base (Ability + Attribute + Specialty) die pool of no more than their Conviction or Essence, whichever is higher, for attacks against the raksha this turn.
The presence did not leave. The droplets of the Wyld trailing from my branches smouldered with my frustration as the struck the ground I grew from. "What do you want?"
Fire Rains Desire Reflexive/Scene
Aware of the sincerity of his foe's desire, the raksha at last awakens his own will to fight. His blood grows hot and firey stigmata appear on his wrists, cheeks, and possibly back or legs. Each blow from the raksha deals lethal damage, and additionally adds his Conviction to the damage roll. This firey blood may smoulder on paper or set oil alight, but is not hot enough to cause major destruction in its own.
Perhaps I did not wait long enough to change my leaves to torches. My frustration at my art's slow progress centered itself as anger against this intruder.
World - Eating Blaze Form Form: Simple/Scene
Component: Something must break or shatter.
Assuming the nature of a consuming fire, the martial artist is briefly washed in flame, left covered in streaks of soot or dust and often bears fresh burns or sullen smoke-stung eyes. His exaggerated movements mimic the leaping of flames and tigers.
The raksha may move his Conviction in yards in response to any attack he makes or is targeted with. He must end this movement on a solid surface. By spending a health level or 2 goassamer, he may transform his body into flame for this movement. Passing around or through a flammable object will typically set it alight, while passing over an opponent subjects them to flames of an intensity equal to the raksha's Essence.
I felt it stir as if to speak. I waited- I think so I might find my anger righteously justified by this interloper's triviality.
Fighting Fire with Fuel Reflexive/Variable
Drawing forth the essence of his foe's attack in a stream of fire, the raksha may steal damage from his enemy's blows. Each mote spent takes one die from an opponent's raw damage and adds it to a floating pool- manifesting as crackling fire around the martial artist's hips and shoulders. He may choose to use some or all of this bonus damage in any attack he makes, but must choose before the attack is rolled. Such blows are accompanied by a visual display (which may prompt foes to activate defenses of their own). Stolen damage fades at the rate of two dice per turn.
I heard,
"If there was nothing to struggle against, would your conviction create a foe to defeat?"
Principles of Disagreement Reflexive/Instant
Objecting to the basis for an opponent's blows, the raksha answers a failed attack with its counterpart. The raksha may channel Conviction on a parry enhanced by this Charm, using Conviction alone if he has no other pool to add to. Whether or not he does so, this Charm has a second effect: if the enhanced parry is successful (causes the attack not to hit), the raksha may make a counterattack at the same number of successes as the parried attack. This cannot be parried itself without the use of stunts or Charms, only dodged.
"Would you have me believe I am your maker?" I demanded.
"Am I your enemy?"
Jaws of the Pyre Reflexive/1-turn
With scornful laughter, the raksha allows his foe to create their own funeral pyre. Each mote of Essence his opponent spends this turn grants the raksha a bonus automatic success on one attack and converts one damage die on that roll to an automatic success. The raksha may add no more than his Conviction in successes to any one attack.
"What do you want?"
"You."
"Then take me, if you can!"
And I dreamt my world to burning.
Island of Self Amidst a Sea of Flame Special/Inherent
The raksha adds his Essence in dice to the Conviction roll to regain willpower each morning and may channel a point of Conviction at any time to duplicate this roll. This Charm only functions while Conviction is the virtue so used.
Style Notes
This Martial Art works well with Imposition of Law making all parries automatically successful, and essentially requires the raksha to have some method of parrying lethal attacks with martial arts (as it grants none). An alternate ultimate charm I envisioned would allow the raksha to spread the effects of any of the single-target Charms of this style (most of them) to others at a cost of 1 WP each. All the Virtue Styles benefit from Spectacular Insanity, Ambrosial Ascention, Driven Madness and Raging Vortex Form.
Comments
These charms seem quite neat in style, especially the first two. Denying the Question is quite painful, really good against those dice-adder addicts. -FrozenHermit
