MartialArts/PeacockStyle
Peacock Style
By Jabberwocky
Background
A highly ornamental martial art, Peacock style is found in vogue with the self-conscious as oft as the diplomats. Whether being knocked to the ground, having your eyes gouged out, or correcting an offense in Court, one well-trained in Peacock Style is sure to look graceful as they do so. Generally a backup to more civilized interaction, its Charms may be used with any Martial Arts weapon, or sword-type weapon with a minimum strength requirement of one. War fans are common, as are daggers, though paired weapons are often used regardless of type. This form is compatible with armor without a mobility penalty prior to any Magical Material bonuses.
Charms
Preening Recovery of Demeanor</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 1 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: None
Attractiveness should be maintained at all times, lest the martial artist not be taken seriously. Using Preening Recover of Demeanor, the Exalt can shed the grime of less refined travel, setting frizzled hair in place and temporarily easing worn muscles. With a momentary gentle glow, the character is cleaned as though she had just showered and changed into a fresh pair of clothes; note that this will only be sufficient for Essence + Presence days, until even Essence is strained to keep her appearance fresh.
This Charm also functions to temporarily reduce physical weariness, though generally just long enough to flash a pleasant smile before proper rest. For the turn in question, all fatigue and wound penalties are halved.
Impudent Tail Flare</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: Until next offensive action Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Preening Recovery of Demeanor
The character stands proud and mocking, distracting any attacks made against her or her character. She rolls her Appearance + Presence, and her successes are subtracted from the pools of anyone making an offensive against her, whether with a sword or a sharpened tongue. This effect persists until her next non-defensive action, or until the end of the scene.
For the purposes of this Charm, a non-defensive action is considering a non-reflexive action which fulfills another goal besides ensuring the immediate safety of a character. For example, unclasping the vizier’s wife's brassiere (without intending to parry with it or otherwise defend oneself) or a counterattack would end Impudent Tail Flare, while activating a Form (or otherwise boosting your statistics) or knocking down a table with the intent to jump behind it would not. Talking or pantomime is not prohibited, regardless of subject; as well, external effects with the intent to immediately defend others (shoving them behind aforementioned table, etc.), are allowed.
Peacock Form</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Impudent Tail Flare
Measuring her steps and movements to remain graceful under pressure, the Exalt sways between the eddies and flows of combat, infuriating her opponents with her devil-may-care attitude. For the rest of the scene, the martial artist adds her Appearance to initiative, and her Presence to any dodge attempts. If she doesn’t make a dodge, she may use her bonus dice as a Reflexive pool, though this cannot be increased using dice adding Charms or other bonuses. Whenever an attack is successfully dodged, the opponent that attempted it suffers a -1 penalty for the character’s Performance in turns; these are cumulative with one another up to the character’s Charisma, and apply to all non-defensive actions, so a partner trying to make up a lack in quality with a quantity can expect to be rebuffed readily. Additionally, the martial artist does not suffer off-hand penalties when wielding a pair of weapons compatible with the Style.
Characters cannot use more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Uncanny Charismatic Stance</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Essence in turns Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Peacock Form
The Exalt gains such control over her sharp tongue that it gains temporary control over her physical being. For the character’s Essence in turns, the player adds her character’s Social Attributes to her Physical; Charisma to Strength, Manipulation to Dexterity, and Appearance to Stamina. During this time, actions involving Physical Attributes for the purposes of looking good (e.g. dancing, athletics, or a unique sexual position) gain Essence automatic successes. This is a mental change, rather than a physical, and while a character’s stance may change to match her cocky attitude, she still delivers blows with her hands, rather than her tongue, and dodges on her feet, rather than her repartee.
Trilling Rebuke</b>
<b>Cost:2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Uncanny Charismatic Stance
An attack on one's character deserves equal retribution. However, one should not be expected to overexert himself for a half-hearted partner. When activated in response to a hand-to-hand attack successfully hitting, the character immediately rolls her full Dexterity + Martial Arts pool in a counterattack, though her successes are limited by the number of successes the opponent had to strike her. Successes over this amount decrease an opponent's damage dice by one apiece.
Trilling Rebuke is not an action, and in no way affects her actions for the turn. There is no limit to the number of Trilling Rebukes a character can make in a turn, assuming she has Essence to pay for them, though she can only counterattack a single attack once, and cannot use her counterattack to counter another counterattack.
Step Stealing Meditation</b>
<b>Cost:4+ motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Trilling Rebuke
A keen eye for the minute movements of her opponent’s body leads the Martial Artist to execute an opponent’s attack moments before the opponent himself has a chance. Paying the base cost of the Charm allows the character to mimic any single attack being attempted on her before the opponent has a chance, compromising his chance to attack, although he may abort to a defensive action. This pool is rolled exactly as though the opponent had attacked with his own weapon, disregarding the character’s minuses or weapon choice, while applying the opponent’s minuses and weapon bonuses. Attacks from opponents with vastly different physiologies are generally impossible to steal, as are ranged attacks, though clever Stunts can remedy these.
This Charm can also counter Charm-enhanced attacks at increased cost. The Exalt spends the number of motes used to enhance the original attack and steals the attack as normal, but without the benefit of the Charm, be it dice-adder or special effect. Step Stealing Meditation cannot imitate attacks using a Combo or any Charm with a Willpower cost.
Mocking Bird Laugh</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes Duration: Until disturbed Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Peacock Form
Whether a shrill laugh or an insipid chuckle, Mocking Bird Laugh will throw off the graces of even the most poised foe. For as long as the character remains laughing or otherwise visibly or audibly insulting, one targeted opponent looses the character’s Manipulation in dice from all actions. The mocking need not be seen or heard by others in order to have an effect. This Charm has no effect on automatons, the undead, or any such opponent with a similar social indifference.
Brilliant Crest Stance</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Until disturbed Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Mocking Bird Laugh
The Exalt lock eyes with an opponent, who becomes so enraptured with the Martial Artist as to be unable to move. As long as the character remains moving slowly, within his foe’s field of vision, the opponent is restricted from moving, and both may only take defensive actions. The opponent may not speak above a level regulated tone. As soon as either participant takes a level of damage, the effect of the Charm ends. There is no roll to resist Brilliant Crest Stance, but it has no effect on undead, automatons, and the like; creatures without sight; or those with a higher Essence than the Martial Artist. Characters should roll Stamina + Presence to maintain the Charm over his Stamina + Performance minutes.
Everything for the Dance</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes, 1 health level Duration: One Scene Type: Extra Action Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Step Stealing Meditation, Brilliant Crest Stance
Determined to impress her opponent, an Exalt using Everything for the Dance gains a number of actions equal to her highest social trait against a single opponent. These may be used reflexively during the current scene to attack or avoid attack, and are subject to and benefit from any Charms used or in effect. Attacks may only be taken on or after a character’s initiative, but dodge or parry attempts may be made at any time, and also gain Essence automatic successes. This Charm may only be used against each individual once in a given scene.
For the purpose of Charm applicability, these attacks are considered Extra Actions, and as such cannot be used offensively in the same turn as an Extra Action Charm.
Resplendent Plumage Defense</b>
<b>Cost:7 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Everything For the Dance
The Martial Artist has gained such a control of her movements as to be able to rebuff physical attacks as well as social. The character is considered to always be attempted a full dodge, and may roll to avoid any attack she is aware of as per full dodge rules (-1 for the second dodge, -2 for the third, and so on). Regardless of outcome, she may also make an immediate counterattack against her opponent. If she successfully dodged, she is considered to have received at minimum successes equal to net successes to dodge, and deals bashing, while if she is still hit, she can have no more successes than the net successes to hit her, but deals lethal. Either counterattack does Charisma base damage, and can only be soaked with stamina or soak-enhancing Charms against the damage, delivered in the form of a scything word or mockingly weak-looking blow. The counterattack is not applicable to against characters who cannot understand or comprehend the Exalt, nor against another counterattack, though the dodge may be used regardless.
