MartialArts/DragonOfEmeraldandBrass
Dragon of Emerald and Brass Style by Haku
Celestial Martial Arts [2nd Edition Exalted]
A heretical style, according to the Immaculate Order, used only by those who have strayed off the Immaculate Path, lured by the temptations offered by the Yozi Princes in their hellish prison.
The 'Dragon of Emerald and Brass Style' was said to have been created in the time before the righteous Ursuption by one of the Unclean, who studied in depth the courts of the Yozi Princes, going so far as to dwell amongst them year after year.
Eventually, he emerged from Melfeas bearing with him the fruits of his labors after sucking at the tits of the Ebon Dragon and its peers. Like an insane parody of the blessed Immaculate Dragon, Mela, he unveiled his pride and joy, the martial arts style known as 'Dragon of Emerald and Brass' style.
That is all that remains of this proud style, or at least spoken of it. The style was created in the First Age by an Twilight who was most curious as to those who came before and what they had become in their imprisonment.
Secluding with various demons of the second and third circles, the twilight gained profound understanding into the workings of essence.
Eventually, the copper spider ventured into the demon city of Malfeas by invitation from the Fetich souls of various Yozi Princes and had concourse with the imprisoned Primordials. From his stay in Malfeas, the twilight learnt much of the Yozi mindset as well as the inner workings of essence and how it impacted others and the enviroment.
It was from this insight into Yozi view that allowed the unnamed Twilight to create the 'Dragon of Emerald and Brass' style.
While, it is possible that the twilight could have been subverted and becoming an Akuma with the patronage of the Yozi princes, he was given a clean bill of health by his fellow solars after being interviewed and inspected spiritually by them.
The style considers Dragon Claws (stylized Tiger Claws and their artifact equivilants, such as Razor Claws), Dragon Talon Whips (Stylized Whips and their artifact equivilants) and Binding Dragon Chains (Stylized Fighting Chains and their artifact equivilants, such as Dire Chains, Lightning Chains) to be form weapons. The style allows armour to be worn while being used.
Corrections for the Whip in the 2e Exalted Corebook on page 368, as it seems silly that mention of clinch ability is made, but no actual stats were provided. Also created an artifact whip.
Whip
A whip is a handle with a coil of leather thongs or tightly woven cord, primarily used by drovers to control beasts. Whips inflict more pain than damage, but a skilled user can entangle foes or wrench weapons from their grip. If a character uses a whip for a clinch, then she must use her Martial Arts Ability for the attack. Treat a flexible rod or cane without an attached lash as a whip, but without the disarming, reach and clinch enhancements. Authorities in some regions use caning as a means of punishing petty criminals.
Speed 5 / Accuracy +1 / Damage +1B / Defense +0 / Rate 2 / Minimum Strength 1, Dexterity 3 / Cost 1 / Tags : (D)isarm, (R)each
Clinch stats
Speed 6 / Accuracy +1 / Damage +0B / Defense NA / Rate 1 / Minimum Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Martial Arts 3 / Cost 1 / Tags : (C)linch, (D)isarm, (M)artial Arts, (P)iercing, (R)each
Power Whip (Artifact 2)
As hinted at by its name, the power whip is an artifact whip, forged one of the five magical materials. The power whip is almost like a rod or cane comprising of extremely fine threads of magical material woven almost like a mortal whip. Unless attuned, the whip is solid and inflexible. Upon attunement of 5 motes, the artifact is ready to use.
The power whip also typically, has claws or set of talons attached at the end of the whip, so as to allow lethal damage. In addition to making ordinary attacks, power whips can be used to perform clinches and stunts involving grabbing onto, swinging from and pulling objects.
Speed 4 / Accuracy +3 / Damage +6L / Defense +2 / Rate 2 / Minimum Strength 2, Dexterity 4 / Artifact 2 / Attunement 5 / Tags : (D)isarm, (R)each
Clinch stats
Speed 5 / Accuracy +3 / Damage +4L / Defense NA / Rate 1 / Minimum Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Martial Arts 4 / Artifact 2 / Attunement 5 / Tags : (C)linch, (D)isarm, (M)artial Arts, (P)iercing, (R)each
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Charms
Charm placement02--03 07--08 / \ / \. 01 06 11 \ / \ /. 04--05 09--10
01 ) Oneness with All Illusionary Technique
Cost : 3 motes
Type : Supplemental
Keywords : Combo-OK
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 2, Essence 1
Requires : None
The eternal dragon appears to be everywhere and nowhere, his coils transverse all that he surveys. So too does the martial artist emulate the dragon with this charm, seeking to move faster, to react quicker so that he may seem to be everywhere and yet, paradoxically, nowhere.
This charm doubles the martial artist's join battle die pool at a cost of 3 motes.
02 ) Flaring Dragon Pearl Distraction
Cost : 6 motes
Type : Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords : Combo-OK
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Requires : Oneness with All Illusionary Technique
Possessing great powers, the dragon's pearl glows with supernatural brilliance. The unwary may be caught unawares by the light of the pearl, and find their very essence and power fleeing as their blows go awry. Emulation of the dragon allows the martial artist to pulse his essence, allowing it to flare out and simply disperse the energy of an attacker's strike.
This charm allows a martial artist to inflict an Internal Penalty equal to (his martial arts and essence traits) on an attacker, provided that the attacker enhanced his attack with a charm of some sort.
03 ) Scales of Brass and Emerald
Cost : 3 motes
Type : Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords : Combo-Basic, Obvious, Stackable
Duration : Scene
Minimums : Martial Arts 3, Essence 3
Requires : Flaring Dragon Pearl Distraction
Against those who possess sight like one of the gods, and strikes swift and terrible as that of a demon, the eternal dragon may oftimes that the best defense is to take their pitiful strikes, and allowing it to flow harmlessly over its scales.
The charm allows a martial artist to temporarily increase his durability as translucent dragonscales form over his body and accrouments like additional armour. While this charm is active, the martial artist gains additional lethal and bashing hardness equal to his martial arts. This bonus stacks with the hardness provided by other sources, such as armour.
04 ) Merciful Dragon Claws
Cost : 2 motes
Type : Reflexive (Step 1, Step 2)
Keywords : Combo-ok, Obvious
Duration : Until Next Action
Minimums : Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Requires : Oneness with All Illusionary Technique
With the knowledge that under all of Heaven and above that the Dragon is without peers, it must beware of those who would upset the natural order. With regret for the misguided notions and thoughts of those who would attack it, the dragon strikes swiftly and relentlessly, giving the mercy of death and rebirth.
The martial artist, who emulates the eternal dragon of emerald and brass in this aspect, finds his arms covered with bulging dragon-like limbs forged of emerald essence with wicked claws at the finger tips.
Until his next action, the martial artist is able to do lethal damage and use his Parry DV to defend against attacks that do lethal damage.
Should the martial artist be using a form weapon (or is capable of doing and defending against lethal damage via another charm, spell or supernatural effect), he will gain an additional bonus to his 'weapon' statistics of accuracy, damage and defense equal to (martial artist's essence trait).
05 ) Transcendent Method of Movement
Cost : 3 motes
Type : Reflexive (Step 1, Step 2)
Keywords : Combo-ok, Obvious
Duration : Until Next Action
Minimums : Martial Arts 4, Essence 2
Requires : Merciful Dragon Claws
Caring not for such concepts as gravity, or the notion that it is bound by the laws of Creation, the dragon may travel freely without a care in the world. The exalt strives to emulate the dragon, however, he is still but a mortal. Even in his inperfect emulation, the martial artist finds that he can almost fly, such is his skill that he can run on motes of dust in the air.
Until his next action, the martial artist may freely move (but not dash, dashing ends the charm immediately) in any direction, without needing to step on anything solid. The martial artist MUST keep moving every single tick or the charm will end. Should the charm end while the martial artist is in mid-air, he'll start falling.
06 ) Dragon of Emerald and Brass Form
Cost : 5 motes
Type : Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords : Form-type, Obvious
Duration : One Scene
Minimums : Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Requires : Scales of Brass and Emerald, Transcendent Method of Movement
The martial artist breaths in deeply, and exhales slowly as he performs the flowing kata that emulates the smooth movements of the eternal Dragon of Emerald and Brass. The profoundness of his movement and the patterns of essence forming within his body as he moves brings a visage of serenity to the martial artist's face and body langage.
Once the charm is active, the martial artist's movements leave behind after-images as he fades in and out of his material state, allowing him to interact with dematerialized beings on an equal level.
The martial artist is able to talk to, hear, smell, feel and touch dematerialized beings; treating them as valid targets that he can see and affect with attacks.
The martial artist also adds (half his essence trait. rounded up ) to his DV values.
07 ) Catching the Moon Technique
Cost : 4 motes
Type : Supplemental
Keywords : Combo-ok
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Requires : Dragon of Emerald and Brass Form
When ealing with the spirit of the moon, the Dragon of Emerald and Brass was annoyed with the way the Moon would flee across the heavens. The celestial lord felt that it was necessary to chastise the spirit, and thus reached out with a taloned arm to catch the fleeing celestial spirit.
Reaching out across great distances, the martial artist may sieze an opponent in a grip and pull him in.
The charm allows a martial artist to make a clinch attempt up to (essence x 10 ) yards away, gaining the (R)each tag even if not armed with a weapon with said tag. Should the clinch attempt succeds, the martial artist makes a reflexive contested roll pitting (his Strength + Martial Arts ) against (his Opponent's Strength + Athletics ) to pull the opponent closer.
08 ) Harnessing the Five Maidens
Cost : 6 motes
Type : Reflexive (Step 1, Step 2)
Keywords : Combo-ok, Obvious
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Requires : Catching the Moon Technique
Even the almighty Dragon may wary of moving under his own power, and yet there may be an urgent matter that he needs to see to. In such events, the dragon leashes and harnesses the Five Maidens and uses them to pull a heavenly chariot so that he may be where he is needed.
Emulating the Dragon, the martial artist rides upon the weaves of fate and essence to gain the advantage of being where he is needed or where he desires to be.
This charm allows a martial artist to move instantly up to (his move rating ) without physically doing so. This movement allows an exalt to make an ambush attempt or attack from behind with successes equal to his martial arts trait for the stealth roll. If used for defense, this charm requires a (wits + martial arts ) roll at a difficulty equal to the attacker's Essence (up to a maximum of 6).
If successful, this charm allows the exalt to dodge the attack irregardless of how many successes is rolled for the attack, as long as the attack is not undodgeable or unexpected. Should the charm fail, the martial artist may still rely on his normal Parry DV, but not his Dodge DV.
09 ) Trapping the Sun in One's Palm
Cost : 4 motes, or 2 motes ( to maintain)
Type : Simple (speed 5)
Keywords : Combo-basic, Compulsions
Duration : Until ended
Minimums : Martial Arts 4, Essence 4
Requires : Dragon of Emerald and Brass Form
The sun may travel all over the heavens of Creation in a single day, but all of Creation spins in the palm of the Dragon of Emerald and Brass. And thus, while the sun may travel far and wide, it still dances unknowingly in the palm of its master.
The martial artist strives to emulate the Dragon's mastery. In his aping of the infinite Dragon, he may trick those that he face to dance in his palm. Looking his opponent in her eyes, the martial artist activates the charm... and as his opponent charges him, she finds that she can not approach him. No matter how fast or how far she runs, or how much essence she spends, she can not draw close to him. Should she stop, she will discover that she has been running in circles. Still, certain strong willed beings can resist this charm's effect.
The martial artist makes a (manipulation + martial arts) roll against his opponent's MDV, who may resist this as an unnatural mental influence as normal. Should the the martial artist defeat his opponent's MDV, his opponent will run around in circles if she attempt to charge him or attack him. The target may spend 2 willpower to resist the effect with render her immune to the effect for the rest of the scene.
The charm lasts until the next action, the martial artist may reflexively maintain the effect by spending an additional 2 motes.
10 ) World Shattering Stance
Cost : 6 motes, 1 willpower
Type : Simple (speed 5, -1 DV)
Keywords : Combo-ok, Obvious, Shaping
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Requires : Trapping the Sun in One's Palm
Before there was a Creation, there existed something else. An endless sea of chaotic essence, from this sea arose Those Who Came Before. It is by their essence that Creation was forged out of the Wyld. It was by their design that the currents of the Wyld did not tear apart the nascent reality. In those days, the Primordials had to be careful least their very movements tear apart the fragile world.
Calling upon the might reminiscent of the Primordials, the Martial Artist endows a single attack with such force and power that the world shatters around his fist as he strikes at his opponent, striving to unmake him. The splintered reality reveals the Void and the Wyld that came before and will be left when Creation ends. Those with less fortitude than the martial artist can be driven mad by the sight of the colors outside of time.
The martial artist makes a single punch or kick that does aggravated damage. Should the blow successfully bring the target below the (-4) health level, the target is utterly unmade into essence that rejoins Creation. There is no possibility of surviving or returning as certain spirits and ghosts can, nor will there be a ghost or corpse left behind. If this kills an exalted, his shard is released and allowed to seek out a new host. A tattooed lunar is immune to the unmaking effect and will leave a corpse behind if killed with this charm.
People who see the attack in action with a MDV equal or less than the martial artist's essence trait gain a derangement. Those with a MDV greater than the martial artist's essence trait are unaffected, but they likely are disturbed by the sight of the charm in action.
11 ) Invoking the Wisdom of the Ages
Cost : 15 motes, 1 willpower, and 1 health level to end the charm
Type : Simple
Keywords : Combo-ok, Obvious, Shaping
Duration : Instant
Minimums : Martial Arts 5, Essence 5
Requires : Harnessing the Five Maidens, World Shattering Stance
The martial artist who has stands astride Creation, one who has mastered those who were created to serve Those Who Came Before, gains a glimpse into the mentality and might of the Primordials. With this profound insight, the martial artist may unlock the essence within himself and assume a mantle much like the Dragon of Emerald and Brass.
Performing a slow kata as he recites a koan on the true natures of those who came before, the martial artist shatters the chains that binds his body and essence. Permiting his essence to run wild, the martial artist's body is frayed apart into motes of shadow leaving behind a shining star of blinding brilliance. As that star ascends into the heavens, it pulls to it all the shadows in the area.
At the end of the koan recital, the martial artist is no more... instead only a mighty and fell dragon of shadow armoured with darkened brass scales, who sees all with glowing eyes of emerald and verdigris, flies over where the martial artist once stood.
The martial artist in this state possess a staggering number of powers and effects, not the least is the ability to treat the pre-form charms as innate abilities rather than charms in terms of activation. He must still abide by their activation timing, nor may he use the same charm more then once to stack their effects.
Given that he is now armoured with scales of brass, the martial artist gains a soak and hardness bonus of 6L / 12B / 6A.
The martial artist may also freely swim about in the air at a speed equal to his normal movement.
Because he is also now rather larger than he previously was (a length of essence x 10), the martial artist may flurry his clinches, should he choose to do so. His rate for clinches is now equal to his essence trait and he may clinch up to (his essence x 2) beings total, due to the fact that he can still move and take normal actions while clinching.
Due to the fact that he isn't human-like, the martial artist uses the following statistics for unarmed combat
Claw - Speed 5, Accuracy +4, Damage +6L, Defense +3, Rate 4
Bite - Speed 7, Accuracy +3, Damage +7L, Defense +0, Rate 1
Tail-Swipe - Speed 6, Accuracy +3, Damage +10L, Defense +1, Rate 3
Clinch - Speed 7, Accuracy +2, Damage +4L, Defense NA, Rate (Essence), Piercing
All this power doesn't come without cost. The martial artist is now considered a Creature of Darkness by charms with the Holy tag, irregardless of his intentions or origins.
Worse, if the martial artist stays too long in that state, his mind and soul expands beyond what can be contained by a human, even one who is an Exalted. And should that happen, his exalted shard detaches from his soul as he becomes an ancient God Monster that is rightfully called a behemoth.
This transformation by the charm is instant. The transformation has an indefinite duration, however, reversing the transformation results in the martial artist taking a level of unsoakable aggravated damage as he attempts to discard the enlightenment and insights he has gained while in the dragon state.
For every scene after the first, the martial artist makes a willpower roll at +1 difficulty. Should he fail the roll or botch the roll, he can never return to human form and is forever an inhuman behemoth. The character is to be considered dead by the Player who has to create a new character.
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Peanut Gallery
Any and all comments are welcome. Really.
I actually Like this style. It uses tiger claws, which is cool. it also make me think of WoWs shadow form...cool too.
I think that the roll to maintain self in the last charm should be willpower+integrity. Integrity should play a role in maintaining ones identity....
Also, emerald and brass makes me think of Gaia and Autochton....Woulde be intresting to see some corresponding styles for those.
Other then that, I am shamelessly hoping for an X2 update of Five Dragon bound as One. Tried myself. but it didn't work out well. -Azurelight
- Heh... emerald and brass = Gaia and Autochton instead of Malfeas and Ligier? With a side order of the ebon shadow? As for the roll, I admit intergrity should likely be in there... I just didn't want to make it something that Lunars can't buy die for, unlike the others... so I made it strictly willpower, which doesn't allow die-buying for anyone.^_^;;;
- As for 5 Dragon Bound as One... that's alot harder to do then to create a new MA style. ~ Haku
We do not know how lunar dice adding for integrity will work. I am fairl sure tha such an option will be availible. it woulde be far to0 stupid otherwhise. I meant that the name makes me think of Gaia and Autochton, not the style per se
It IS hard, isnt it? I guess it's just me wanting to be able to use the last charm again^_^;;;-Azurelight
- Well in the context of that last charm, it basically changes your motivation and inflicts something to the effect where going against the winner is basically considered an unnatural mental effect, or something. As for Lunar integrity, definitely agreed. ~ haku
