DarkheartOne/FiveFoldEssenceForgingPath
Contents
Whiny Preamble
Mostly here so I can collect my ideas and explain what in the hell this is and how it's supposed to work, or not work. Also, input is HIGHLY appreciated, as I want to make something that's actually workable in game terms as well as metaplot terms.
What IS the Five-Fold Path?
Okay, the basic idea is that the Immaculate Order has gotten a bit too big for the Sidereals to monkey around with... so I imagined what would happen if a decidedly powerful Siddy had taken it upon him/herself to create a sort of... spinoff of the concept, in a way. Or it could be something completely DB-created, for all I care. The basic idea is that the Path is built to help forge the DB's innermost self into a vessel more capable of understanding, appreciating and manipulating the power of the Immaculate Dragons that flows in them. Such an understanding would be forged through meditation, teaching, social functions with deeper meanings, and the harsh reality of combat against the enemies of the Realm (Anathema, pirates, Fair Folk, barbarians, blah blah) all with the intended goal of making the DB stronger within and without.
So... is it a Martial Art?
Not really, no. It would probably work in a similar manner, as far as cost and whatnot, but the Path's combat abilities are meant to interface with Melee, Martial Arts and Brawl... and in some cases even Archery and Throw.
Got a tree layed out already?
http://home.earthlink.net/~spirit1229/fivefoldv01.jpg
The Crunchy, Subject-To-Change Bits (Charms)
Here, lemme use this to explain how it flows, as well as how it works. Also, considering splitting the offensive (left) branch and defensive (right) branch, making the miscellany branch mandatory and forcing a decision between the two others... mostly to do away with the general 'heft' of the tree. Anyway.
Five-Fold Initiation Process</b>
<b>Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Ability: Martial Arts, Melee or Brawl ●● Minimum Essence: ●● Prerequisite Charms None
You'll start out with the initial 'charm', tentatively called Five-Fold Initiation Process. This really isn't so much a charm as it is an awakening; through means unknown, a part of the DB that's slumbered for ages opens up, and they grow slightly closer to the element that map onto. One can't just up and join, though. Potential candidates for the Path are given subtle hints, clues and such here and there, all leading to a meeting point where they can find one of their future trainers. If they succeed in locating her, and pass a subsequent test (to be determines later), they are initiated onto the first step of the Path... which is, oddly, spoken of like dance steps: motions and movements put together to form beauty.
Upon finishing the initiation, the DB gains...
--A special 'reservoir' of internal essence motes, equal to their permanent Essence + 1, that can only be used for Committing to artifacts. This improved again to double that number at the Refinement stage, and triple that if the DB reached complete Reforging. (Tentative)
--An innate Elemental Sense that requires no motes to function. The sense differs for each Aspect, and can be focused to gather specific details for the cost of a single mote and an Awareness check. (All below are VERY subject to refinement)
---Fire: Can, natch, sense fires and sources of intense heat within [Essence * 100] yards. This can be fine-tuned to determine what caused the source or to home in on the body heat of living beings, acting as a sort of early-warning system with a shorter range... maybe [Essence * 10 yards].
--Air: Windsense; a general idea of how the wind flows in [Essence * 10] yards. This can be used as a sort of second sight, allowing an Air Aspect to navigate at half their usual speed if blinded or in a dark area. Fine-tuned, the DB can move at full speed without worry of hitting anything, and can perform tasks (or even fight) with a small penalty.
---Wood: Plantsense. Needless to say, the Wood aspect can sense plants within the Essence * 100 range, can can fine-tune the sense to determine what kind of plants are actually there. This also covers fungi.
---Earth: Similar to the above Wood sense, the Earth Aspect can 'feel' through the earth, detecting movement... but only through earthen material that hasn't been too heavily altered. A hewn-stone road would do, but something like asphalt wouldn't. Also, fine-tuned, an Earth Aspect can sense non-magical metals, crystals and MM jade.
---Water: Similar to Windsense. Sense of water sources, as well as a focused effect to determine purity and movement. Can be used like Windsense underwater for a Water-Aspect DB, coupled with their Anima ability.
The DB then much choose a 'minor' aspect to study. Their 'major' is their own Aspect. The minor chosen allows the DB to use that elemental version of the charms they learn, but at a price; like with non-Aspect charms, there is a 1-mote surcharge per use, and the DB's Essence is considered (for purposes of determing length of time, effects, so on...) to be one lower. No abilities in the tree function for an Essence 1 character, it should be noted.
Learned Focus of Elemental Beauty</b>
<b>Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Ability: Martial Arts, Melee or Brawl ●● Minimum Essence: ●● Prerequisite Charms Five-Fold Initiation Process
Having passed the initial Process and commited herself to a minor subject, the Pathwalker now has to undergo the first of three self-searching observations of (and meditations on) their Aspect element. This is an undertaking that takes (at the very least) a month of learning, understanding and soul-searching before the charm unlocks a little more of the power of the Elemental Dragons.
The subject of this time is understanding the beauty of the character's prime element, and this can be carried out in many ways...
-A Fire-Aspect could devote half their day to tending to a quiet room full of candles, or could spend days on end contemplating something as simple as a campfire in the middle of a forest clearing.
-An Air-Aspect could spend their time at a particularly blusterly part of the Isle, while making windchimes with their teacher, or could simply hike up a mountain and spend a week or so living near the peak.
-An Earth-Aspect could find themselves tending to a Zen-style stone garden, or simply become the proud owner of a unworked stone that they have to work to a smooth finish without the use of Charms.
-A Water-Aspect could find themselves spending time at a waterfall, or perhaps just travelling along the banks of a gentle stream to see where it ends.
-A Wood-Aspect will quickly find themselves doing anything from tending to an orchard to becoming the caretaker of a bonsai badly in need of trimming.
The purpose is mainly to allow the DB to see the subtle (or not) majesty of their element, and to understand how it brings light and life to the mortal world. Once the Focus is complete, the DB is granted a few more bonuses.
-Their innate soak is increased by 2B/1L, they gain 1 mote of Personal and 3 motes of Peripheral Essence, and they gain an Aspect-specific bonus that comes into play only when their Anima is at the damage-causing point.
[Bonuses to be added later!]
