Charms/WillowsInfernalMartialArts
Infernal Martial Arts
Infernals are not particularly good at Martial Arts - descending from Gaia, a Free Primordial, they do not have access to Yozi-descended effects (metarule breaking, etc.). Thus, Infernals are wholly incapable of developing Styles; instead they develop metastyle Charms that allow them to better apply the knowledge they steal from Creation.
Blanket Statement: These Charms are incompatible with Sidereal-rank Styles. Their effects only work with the lesser Styles. It is impossible to develop meta-Charms that affect Sidereal Arts as a whole, though it is possible to develop Style-specific meta-Charms.
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Yearning of the Sword
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Martial Arts: 3
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: One complete Celestial-rank Martial Arts Style
The Infernal binds a melee weapon into his anima with this Charm, making it as a part of himself. This permits him to use Martial Arts Charms with that weapon as though he were unarmed. The weapon he binds in this way must be one of his weapons of choice, a prized instrument of combat. Each time he learns this Charm, he may buy an additional weapon; he may buy this Charm as many times as his Essence score. When he uses a weapon in this way, it appears as though affected by Writhing Discontended Blade or similar Charms. This Charm does not allow the Exalt to consider Charm-created Essence projections from the bound weapon (Sandstorm-Wind Attack, for instance) as unarmed. However, Essence projections from other sources (Infinite Jade Chakrams, for instance) are still eligible.
Hero's Soul Projection Scheme
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Martial Arts: 5
- Min. Essence: 4
- Prereq Charms: Yearning of the Sword
This Charm permits the Infernal to bind ranged weapons with Yearning of the Sword. There is no added cost to using this ability; it simply expands the previous Charms capabilities. This channels effects through the arrows shot from a bound bow, or through a single Thrown weapon.
Edge of the Floating World
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Martial Arts: 4
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: Yearning of the Sword
Each time the Infernal learns this Charm, he may master a single type of weapon; he may buy this Charm as many times as his Essence score. He may thereafter use that type of weapon harmoniously with any Martial Arts Style he has mastered, though he does not get the benefits of fighting unarmed.
Flower of Enlightenment
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Martial Arts: 4
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: One complete Celestial-rank Martial Arts style
One observer of the Great Usurpation is said to have described the Celestial Exalted to 'bloom instantly with the fire of wisdom' when attacked. Once an Infernal has mastered this Charm's principles, he too can call up great power in an instant. This Charm allows an Infernal to activate several scenelong Charms of a Style he has mastered simultaneously and reflexively; this costs him 1 Willpower Point and 1 lethal Health Level in addition to the summation of the costs of Charms activated. This activation counts as the usage of a single Charm, and always flares the anima as though peripheral Essence were being used, regardless of effects like the Ebon Dragon Chosen anima power or the usage of personal Essence.
Example: Innocent Symphony, an exponent of the Sixfold Crane Style, is ambushed by a talon of the Wyld Hunt. Her anima flares frosty white as she spends 21 motes, 2 Willpower, and 1 lethal Health Level to raise the Crane Form, the Plumage of White Jade, the Lofty Perch Stance, and Crane Awaits the Tiger in a single instant. Long before the Dragon-Blooded arrows reach her throat, her skin rejects them as a waterbird's feathers reject moisture. As her eyes alight on the hunters before her, she chooses the victim of her Tiger-Awaiting power: a figure robed in red and gold, whose anima burns a featureless red, like a ruby's heart.
Surpassing (Style) Contemplation
- Min. Martial Arts: 5
- Min. Essence: 4
- Prereq Charms: Flower of Enlightenment
Except as noted, this Charm is identical to the Solar Charm Transcendent (Style) Mastery.
Watchful Kirin's Eye
- Cost: (1 experience point)
- Type: Reflexive
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Martial Arts: 5
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: Flower of Enlightenment
This Charm allows the Infernal to extrapolate the inner principles of a Style from observing its use. Whenever she sees a Martial Arts Charm activated, the Infernal may reflexively roll Perception + Awareness at a difficulty of the Charm's Essence prerequisite. If she succeeds, she may immediately spend 1 experience point. From then on, if she meets the Charm's other requirements, she may learn the Charm as though tutored by training for the necessary amount of time and spending the remainder of the Charm's experience cost. The Exalt may never learn the final Charm of a Style in this way.
Unfolding Dragon Meditation
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Martial Arts: 5
- Min. Essence: 5
- Prereq Charms: Surpassing (Style) Contemplation, Watchful Kirin's Eye
Having learned the Form Charm of a Martial Arts Style, the Infernal may instinctively derive its advanced techniques from the principles the Form embodies. Once the Infernal has learned the Form of a Style, she may learn all the following Charms of the Style without the help or benefit of a tutor. However, this does not permit Infernals to develop alternative advanced techniques for Styles; even if two different Styles begin in the same manner, the Form implicitly encapsulates the knowledge a stylist has of its advanced techniques, and therefore binds the Infernal into the same path of learning.
Comments
Wow, you don't waste any time, do you? :) -- DaveFayram
Dude, it was either this or make three trips to the library trying to retrieve interlibrary loans and return Chinese dictionaries. - FourWillowsWeeping
Flower of Enlightenment looks pretty scary, though if it only allows the use of scene-long Charms from a single Martial Art per use, it might be OK. Being able to use it in concert with a Combo might be too much, but I'll leave the question to those with crunchier minds than mine. I will note, however, that I'm pleased to see my own Crane Style in action. :) - Quendalon
Mm. Do you see Meta-Charms being a general Exalted thing, or an Infernal Specific thing? And, if the later, how are the Infernals 'bad' at Martial Arts? Are they restricted to the Terrestrial Level, only able to learn the Celestial through a reigme akin to the Five Glorious Paths?
Cause, as is, they're better at Martial Arts than anyone else. They can bring a Grand Daiklaive to a Snake fight.
Also- where can the Solar Charm Transcendent (Style) Mastery be found?
And finally, Edge of the Floating World makes not so much sense. You can use a non-MA class of weapon as if they were Martial Arts Weapons, but not treat your attack as unarmed while using them? The whole point of a MA weapon is you can treat your attack as unarmed while using it...
That's the intention of Flower, yes. You can't use it to pop up all those Crane Charms and something out of Tiger too.
Darius: No, these aren't Infernal-specific strategies; metastyle technology is available to anyone. Infernals specialize in it because they cannot develop Styles on their own; that's how they're 'bad' at MA. Theoretically Sidereals don't care about metatech because they have Sidereal-rank styles, which don't play well with these Charms, and Lunars are inexplicably not interested. Solars and Abyssals should have similar developments, eventually. Transcendent (Style) Mastery is a theoretical Solar Charm, discussed at the WW forum, that allows one to compose Combos dynamically; I haven't written it because the mechanics scare me. Finally, there are Styles that distinguish MA attacks in general from unarmed attacks, like Earth Dragon.
