MartialArts/SouthernMaidenStyle
History and Description: One of the younger Chosen of Battles living in Heaven attracted Ahlat's attention. Seeing political adventage for himself in her he wooed her and with his fame and charm earned her affections. A dangerous game perhaps but signs of how it will pay off soon became clear. She crafted two styles in honor of her lover. The first style was Terrestial in nature and designed for use by mortals. The second was the Bull Style. Southern Maiden Style is fast and deadly. Its slow introduction has not yet alerted the Realm but how they or the Bronze faction will respond to the young independants invention will all depend on how the Age of Sorrows has progressed. Whatever they decide Ahlat is sure to defend this style as the learning of it and its use acts like prayer to the mighty war god. This style has no elemental aspect.
Weapons and Armor: Used best in groups the shields the maidens bear help to gaurd each other while their spears strike swift and run red with the blood of their foes. The style does not permit armor except for shields. Spears and their artifact equivilants are acceptable form weapons and used far more then using the style unarmed.
Complementary Abilities: Since they must learn to fight in the rough southern heat outside training is crucial to those who learn this style. Those who would learn this style in other parts of the world, were it to happen, would likely train in closed heated rooms to force them to toughen up. As well the training in this style demands koans, mantras and prayers to Ahlat in it. Practitioners of this style need a dot of Resistance and Performance.
Ox-Hide Wall Technique
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
Going into battle without armor they must use something to keep their enemies blades from marring their flesh. After using this charm the martial artist does not suffer any mobility penalty for using their shield for the scene. They may also use a long spear one handed so long as they have a buckler or target shield on their other arm.
Honored First Cut
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
In a duel the first cut can often denote the victor. This charm supplements an attack by increasing the accuracy by 2 and reducing the speed by 1. If she has not yet done a level of damage to her opponent use of this charm does not count as a charm use. Any attack that hits and beats the targets hardness will at least cut the person and make them bleed though the small wounds this can make do not actually cause damage if the damage roll yields no successes. Any attack that uses this charm can not reduce the speed of the attack below 3.
Maiden's Battle Cry
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Special
Prerequisite Charms: Honored First Cut
Unleashing a mighty battle cry the deadly southern maiden strikes terror into her enemies heart before she moves in for the kill. She rolls her Charisma or Manipulation + Martial Arts. If she beats her targets DMDV the target suffers an external penalty of 2 to her all her Defense Values for a number of turns equal to 5 minus her Conviction. A person may only suffer this penalty once a day.
Southern Maiden Form
Cost: 5m; Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; <b>Type: Simple(Speed 4)
Keywords: Form-type
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Maiden's Battle Cry, Ox-Hide Wall Technique
The warrior maiden's of the south do not fight alone. Working together they can be an almost unstoppable phalax and woe to those who would surround a circle of them. While this form is active the Defend Other Action is now a reflexive action without a DV penalty when used on another practitioner of this style. However she can not use this Defend Other Action on someone if they are using one on her. She also adds her Essence to her lethal and bashing soak.
Face Breaking Shield Slam
Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Southern Maiden Form
Slamming her shield hard into the face and skull of her foes she stuns them while she and her fellow fighters surround and take them down. She makes an unarmed attack roll with her shield's DV bonus as bonus successes. On a hit she her target is stunned for the martial artists Essence + levels of damage done turns. This crippling stun effect prevents the target from making offensive actions during that time. If she has no shield she can still make this attack however she gets no bonus successes from this charm.
Night of Consumation Stamina
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Essence+1 turns
Prerequisite Charms: Southern Maiden Form
The first night with her husband is important. If its a short tryst with both soon asleep its a bad omen for the future marriage. Better to go all night and into the next day. War is a little more tiring but some of that same stamina can still serve her well. After using this charm the martial artist doesn't suffer wound or fatigue penalties for a number of turns equal to her Essence+1.
Fury of the South
Cost: Special; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Face Breaking Shield Slam, Night of Consumation Stamina
After taking a long deep breath she screams out to Ahlat and is emboldened by the might of the Southern War God. The character spends up to her Essence in Willpower points. Each point she spends adds either 2 to her attack dice pools or 1 to her DV. These count as dice added by charms and can only be used once a scene. Use of this charm can attract Ahlat's notice and to act in ways displeasing to him after using it may bring about reprecussions. Acts of cowardice, treachery or mass slaughter of defeated foes will generally cause Ahlat to use his Scourge on them removing 2 dots of Strength, Valor, Archery, Melee or Martial Arts as well as 5L/5B soak. This curse can be removed by making a successful prayer to the God at a normal difficulty plus the Essence rating of the one so cursed.
