MartialArts/ShadowSpiderStyle
Shadow Spider Style
Background
Shadow Spider Style was invented by Lunars with the hunting spider as their totem, but it can be learned and used effectively by non-Lunars, and has had some following among Night-Caste Solars and Sidereals, who sometimes learn it as a preparation for Charcoal March of Spiders Style.
Shadow Spider Style is compatible with daggers and fighting chains, as well as magical material versions of these weapons. Shadow Spider Style is not compatible with any form of armor.
Charms
Essence Armor Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote/point Duration: One Scene Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequesite Charms: None
By channeling essence through his flesh, the martial artist gains something approaching the tough exoskeleton of the spider. For each mote spent on this charm, the martial artist gains a bonus to his bashing and lethal soaks, up to a maximum of his Essence + Martial Arts.
Many-Legged Scuttle Stance</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequesite Charms: None
By crouching low and imitating the spider’s low scuttling gate, the martial artist gains access to unparalleled speed and dexterity. Until the end of the scene, the martial artist doubles his running and jumping distances. So long as he does not stop moving, the martial artist can also scuttle along the horizontal and upside-down. In any turn that the martial artist does not move at least (10MartialArts/Martial Arts) yards, the effects of this charm cease, and he must either grab hold of something or he will fall.
Spider Stillness Style</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes Duration: Until Ended Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequesite Charms: Many-Legged Scuttle Stance
The martial artist emulates the stillness of the hunting spider. Until he chooses to end the charm, he is perfectly comfortable standing or sitting in complete stillness (the motes spent to activate this charm are considered committed). This utter stillness gives a difficulty penalty equal to the martial artist’s Essence to any attempts to spot him. Furthermore, if he attacks from surprise, he automatically wins initiative in the first round and rolls twice as many attack dice as normal. This effect is not considered a charm and need not be comboed with other charms for that first strike to be an attack. Using charms does not end this charm unless they cause the martial artist’s anima banner to flare, but any kind of movement does.
Master of Venoms</b>
<b>Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequesite Charms: None
This charm grants the martial artist the ability to resist and process most poisons. The martial artist gains twice his Essence + Martial Arts in bonus dice for the purpose of resisting natural poisons. Against supernatural poisons, this bonus drops to Essence + Martial Arts. Once the martial artist successfully resists a supernatural poison, he is thereafter immune to it.
This power is an important antecedent to many further powers, which only allow the martial artist to duplicate the effects of poisons he has become resistant to.
This charm is not hindered by armor.
First Degree Poison</b>
<b>Cost: None/3 experience points Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequesite Charms: Master of Venoms
At this level of mastery, the martial artist learns to hold and mix simple poisons in his body. A first degree poison is any poison that effects only the body, but not those that cause death instantly. By spending three experience points, the martial artist may mix the posisons he currently has in his “poison library” and create a whole new poison. This takes as much training time as learning a new charm and is subject to approval by the storyteller, who may rule that a poison is too strong to be considered a first degree poison or that making it requires the character expose himself to some exotic poison.
This charm is not hindered by the use of armor.
Spider Fang Strike</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes/die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequesite Charms: None
By channeling essence into his weapon or striking hand, the martial artist delivers a vicious attack that emulates the quick and deadly efficiency of the spider’s bite.
The martial artist adds a number of dice to his attack equal to half the number of motes spent, with a maximum bonus equal to his Dexterity + Martial Arts. His attack deals lethal damage, even if unarmed, and later in the same turn he may parry lethal attacks unarmed without a stunt. If his attack hits and deals damage, he may deliver any poison he knows through the three degrees of poisons charms of this style.
Shadow Spider Form</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequesite Charms: First Degree Poison, Spider Fang Strike, Spider Stillness Style
By adopting the stance and attitude of the spider and filling his body with its cunning, poisonous essence, the martial artist becomes a veritable killing machine and master of poisonous attacks.
A martial artist who has adopted this form gains adds a bonus to his base initiative equal to his Martial Arts score, a bonus to attack and damage equal to his permanent Essence, unarmed lethal attacks and parries, and the ability to use any poison he knows at no extra cost, so long as his attack hits and deals damage. Furthermore, the martial artist may take an extra action each round equal to the number of pairs combat-effective limbs he posseses. For most characters, this will be two. For a Lunar Exalt in his Deadly Beastman Form, this may be far greater number. These limbs may be split any way the martial artist likes, but he looses these extra actions in any turn that he uses an extra action charm.
In the turn that the martial artist activates this charm, he may also activate Essence Armor Technique and/or Many-Legged Scuttle Stance at their ordinary costs, and Incomprable Spider Carpace, if he knows that charm.
This is a form style charm, (etc...)
Essence-Borne Poison</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequesite Charms: None
By moving his hands and body in tune to the essence flows of the universe, the martial artist lashes out at a range with a deadly strike that can carry the poisons of the style. With this charm, the martial artist may make a martial arts attack out to a range equal to his Essence x 10 in yards, delivering any poison he knows at no extra cost, as per Spider Fang Strike.
Incomperable Spider Carpace</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequesite Charms: None
By channeling essence through his skin, the martial artist borrows some of the strength of the spider’s exoskeleton. Until the end of the scene, the martial artist soaks lethal damage with his entire stamina and gains a bonus to his bashing and lethal soak equal to his Essence. He also gains a hardness rating equal to his Essence.
Second Degree Poison</b>
<b>Cost: None/6 experience points Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequesite Charms: Shadow Spider Form
The martial artist’s mastery of poisons extends to second degree poisons. Second degree poisons include all those that effect the mind, as well as those that cause instant physical death. The cost for creating new second degree poisons is six experience points. In all other ways, this charm is identicle to First Degree Poison.
This charm is not hindered by the use of armor.
Third Degree Poison</b>
<b>Cost: None/9 experience points Duration: Permanent Type: Special Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequesite Charms: Second Degree Poison
At this level, the martial artist’s mastery of poison is supreme. He may now store, deliver, and create third degree poisons, poisons that effect the very soul and essence of their targets. New third degree poisons cost nine experience points. In all other ways, this charm is identicle to First Degree Poison.
This charm is not hindered by armor.
Shadow Hunter Style</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequesite Charms: Shadow Spider Form
By moving with the deadly grace of the hunting spider, the martial artist can walk in silence, unseen and unheard, until he is ready to strike. For the rest of the scene, he adds his Martial Arts to all Stealth rolls. Furthermore, he can fade from sight as a simple action with a Dexterity + Stealth roll, with the bons. If he gains more successes than any witnesses permanent Essence, he vanishes. This is not so much invisibility as it is taking advantage of shadows, and if he calls attention to himself, he will become visible again.
Shadow Step Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequesite Charms: Shadow Hunter Style
Emulating the essence-manipulating movements of the pattern spiders that weave the threads of fate, the martial artist steps into any man-sized or larger shadow and emerges from another up to his essence in miles away. He may choose to emerge from either a specific shadow, or merely the closest shadow to his target. The martial artist will always emerge in a place that is environmentally safe, and he need not worry agout materializing inside a solid object.
