MartialArts/ThousandDemonStyle
Thousand Demon Style
By Ikselam
Background
This is the third version of my First Charm Tree Ever.
I freely admit that this nonsense was inspired by a certain Street Fighter who shall remain nameless.
Mnemon Seret danced back, nimble footwork belying his muscular bulk. The Anathema's clawed fingers sliced through the air, barely missing the Immaculate monk's face. Growling in frustration, she bore down on him, attacking wildly. Seret evaded her undisciplined strikes easily, dodging back across the courtyard towards the crumbling pillars which were the only part of the ancient structure that had not fallen to rubble.
"Die! DIE!!" screamed the woman, short hair whipping about her face as she continued to press the assault. Seret almost sighed; this was simply shameful. The girl clearly had no idea how to do anything but attack, and she wasn't even very good at that; her style was like an animal's. She was deceptively fast, and there was obviously a great deal of strength behind her blows, but she had no discipline. Defeating her wouldn't be like triumphing over a worthy opponent, it would be like putting down a rabid dog.
Maneuvering between the columns, Seret leaned to the side, causing the Anathema's vicious kick to shatter the pillar next to him, raining dust and rocks down around the two fighters. As his opponent recovered from her overextension, Seret continued his movement, smoothly flowing down, forward, up and around. The young woman regained her balance just as he completed his graceful turn, the back of his fist slamming into her sternum with sledgehammer force. Earth Essence and the monk's own considerable strength lifted her off her feet and sent her skidding across the courtyard in a plume of yellow dust. Seret remained still for a moment, eyes closed as he recentered himself. There wasn't any hurry; he'd felt the bones snap when he hit her. If the Anathema wasn't dead, she was close to it.
Behind him, he heard a cough. Suprised, he turned. His opponent had dragged herself to hands and knees, retching blood. Seret grimaced and started forward, shaking the dust from his shoulders. There was no honor in this. He froze in his tracks as the woman threw back her head and screamed, convulsing in pain as leprous fire flared about her. He took an involuntary step back as she slouched upward, rising drawn by wires.
The Anathema settled into a low, crouching stance, shoulders thrown back, arms hanging loose at her sides. In her dark eyes was something that made Seret flinch. "Afraid, monk?" The words bubbled unhealthily in her throat, but her posture was confident and strong.
Seret gathered his wits and resumed his Earth Dragon stance. "Of you, demon?" He shook his head. "Your foul powers may slay me, but I am sworn to fight evil such as yours unto my last breath. Today is a good day to die."
The Anathema grinned, blood dripping from her mouth. "It is always a good day to die."
Born in the pits of Malfeas, this style was created for use by the Yozis' corrupt Exalted servants. Like their masters, practitioners of the Thousand Demon Style endure unspeakable torments, their bodies and minds abused in every way imaginable. Like their masters, they learn that pain and hatred can bring incredible strength to those willing to embrace them.
Demons take perverse pleasure in teaching this style to those in their service, as it affords a twofold opportunity to torment the hated Exalted. Once, by unleashing nigh-unstoppable killers upon their former fellows, and twice, by teaching its practitioners to torture themselves in order to feed their rage and agony. The Thousand Demon Style destroys its followers' minds and souls slowly but surely, ultimately sending them spiralling down into oblivion. The Yozis and demons delight in watching the process unfold, savoring the irony that their hated enemies are destroying themselves of their own volition.
None of the Charms in this tree are compatible with weapons or armor of any kind. Thousand Demon Style cannot be practiced by anyone who does not accumulate points of Limit (e.g., Dragon-Blooded, Abyssal Exalted).
Merciless Berserker Onslaught</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: none
Many honorable warriors frown upon striking an opponent who is lying on the ground. Thousand Demon practitioners are not particularly noted for their honor. If the martial artist knocks his opponent down, or his opponent falls down for some other reason, he may activate this Charm to make an immediate Martial Arts attack at full pool against the prone victim.
Merciless Berserker Onslaught may only be used once against a given target in a turn. The extra attack it grants is a reflexive action, and cannot benefit from non-Reflexive Charms. This Charm does not provide the user with extra movement; if a target falls down, and the character cannot close to hand-to-hand distance as part of his normal action, he cannot use the Charm.
Furious Devil Method</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote per point Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Merciless Berserker Onslaught
Letting rage guide his movements, the Exalt attacks his opponent with startling ferocity. For each mote spent, he adds one to his base initiative. A character cannot spend more motes powering this Charm than his current Limit score.
Unbridled Bloodlust Attack Prana</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Furious Devil Method
The martial artist fuels her blows with hatred, striking with unnatural strength. Her attack does lethal damage, and adds her Martial Arts score to its base damage.
Thousand Demon Form</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Unbridled Bloodlust Attack Prana
Adopting a low, aggressive stance and curling his fingers into claws, the Exalt taps into his inner reserves of anger and pain. For the remainder of the scene, his attacks do lethal damage and add his permanent Essence to their base damage. He also gains a bonus to his initiative equal to his Martial Arts score, and may soak lethal damage with his full stamina.
This is a form Charm. It does not work with armor, or with other form Charms.
Pain Strengthens the Spirit</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Thousand Demon Form
The martial artist draws strength from her pain, shrugging off wounds that would cripple a lesser person. For the remainder of the scene, she adds her permanent Essence to her bashing and lethal soak totals, and ignores all wound penalties up to and including Incapacitated. Any other dice-pool penalties caused by pain or physical damage are also ignored.
A character under the effects of Pain Strengthens the Spirit may not flee from battle, and may turn on her allies when no new enemies are at hand. Once all enemies have fled or fallen, she must make a Willpower check every two minutes until the Charm's duration ends in order to keep from attacking anyone else who is nearby. Ending the Charm prematurely requires no roll, but causes the character to immediately gain a point of Limit.
Blood Frenzy Meditation</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Pain Strengthens the Spirit
The martial artist enters a state of controlled frenzy. His blows land with ferocious strength, and his seemingly-uncontrolled strikes home in on opponents' weak spots with uncanny accuracy. For the remainder of the scene, he adds his current limit score to the base damage of any attacks he makes.
While under the effects of this Charm, a character cannot retreat from battle, and will turn on her allies after all enemies have fled or fallen. Ending the Charm prematurely requires a Willpower roll at difficulty 2, and causes the character to immediately gain a point of Limit.
Implacable Hell-Warrior's Endurance</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Thousand Demon Form
Through sheer force of will, the martial artist pulls himself back from the brink of death. If, after damage is rolled, an attack does enough damage to kill or incapacitate him, he may choose to activate Implacable Hell-Warrior's Endurance and roll his Willpower. Every two successes negate one level of damage from the attack.
This Charm is ineffective against aggravated damage or instant-death attacks.
Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Implacable Hell-Warrior's Endurance
A powerful practitioner of the Thousand Demon Style can continue fighting even when catastrophically wounded, her broken body sustained by nothing but the infinite fires of her rage. If, after damage is rolled, an attack does enough damage to kill or incapacitate her, she may choose to activate Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude and roll her current Limit score. The difficulty of this roll is 1 for lethal damage, and 3 for aggravated damage or effects which cause instant death. Versus bashing damage, success is automatic. Success on the roll means that she cheats death and remains at her -4 health level. If for some reason she has more than one -4 health level, she remains at the last one before Incapacitated.
If Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude is used to successfully negate an instant-death attack, the character immediately suffers enough lethal damage to reduce her to her last -4 health level. As with normal damage, the player may wait until the attack's effect is resolved before deciding whether or not to activate the Charm.
Devil's Rending Talons</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Thousand Demon Form
Extending flows of Essence from her fingers like invisible claws, the martial artist reaches past opponents' armor to rip the flesh beneath. Her strike does lethal damage. In addition, she adds a second lethal damage pool equal to her permanent Essence to any successful strike. This damage bypasses armor, but is reduced as normal by Stamina-based soak. The one-die rule still applies.
The extra damage will bypass damage-ignoring effects that have a threshold, such as Invulnerable Skin of Bronze, Incomparable Body Arsenal, or Lunar oversoak. It will not penetrate perfect soak defenses such as Adamant Skin Technique, and has no effect on abilities such as the Twilight or Mars anima powers, which negate damage levels rather than dice.
Devil's Rending Talons allows the character to strike incorporeal spirits, but only the bonus damage will be rolled. The Charm does not confer the ability to perceive dematerialized beings.
Spirit-Ripping Strike</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Devil's Rending Talons
The martial artist strikes not at his opponent's body, but at his anima, aiming to tear away his Essence. The attack is rolled as normal, and may be parried or dodged. If it hits, the Exalt rolls his Essence + extra successes on the attack. Every success causes the target to lose a number of motes equal to the Exalt's permanent Essence. Peripheral motes are lost before Personal.
Motes lost to this technique count toward the target's anima banner, just as though she had spent them powering Charms. This Charm can affect incorporeal spirits, although it does not grant the ability to see them.
Unfolding Agony Fist </b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Devil's Rending Talons
Striking at her opponent's pressure points, the Exalt brutally crushes nerves and joints. If her attack hits and does damage, the target doubles all wound penalties for the remainder of the scene. Multiple uses of this Charm are cumulative, but operate under the normal rules for doubling; that is, using it twice would cause the victim's wound penalties to be tripled, not quadrupled, and using it three times would cause his penalties to be quadrupled rather than octupled. There is no limit to the penalties inflicted by this Charm.
Soul-Burning Attack</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 health level Duration: Instant Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Unfolding Agony Fist, Spirit-Ripping Strike
The martial artist once again strikes at his opponent's anima, but this time uses it as a conduit to channel his own soul's fury and pain into the target's body. Victims of this attack appear to be torn apart from within; in extreme cases, the flesh may literally explode off their bones. The Exalt makes a Martial Arts attack at full dice pool, which may be blocked or dodged as normal. If it hits, he rolls his current Limit score. Every success on the roll inflicts one level of unsoakable lethal damage on the target. Tens do not count as two successes.
This attack can affect incorporeal spirits, although it does not grant the ability to see them. Versus such beings, the damage it inflicts is aggravated. Spirits killed by Soul-Burning Attack are permanently dead.
Burning Hands Strike</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Thousand Demon Form
Wreathing her hands in searing flame, the martial artist augments the force of her blow a hundredfold. Her attack does lethal damage. If it hits, the target is hurled away from her for a number of yards equal to her current Limit score, and is automatically knocked down.
This technique may be used to propel a target in any direction, even straight up, but operates as per the rules for knockdown; the target won't take any extra damage from falling or striking solid objects (unless those objects happen to be covered in spikes, dripping with acid, or what have you).
Deadly Hellfire Explosion</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes, 1 health level Duration: Instant Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Burning Hands Strike
The martial artist gathers and focuses his rage, channeling it through his hands in a tremendous, roaring blast of fiery energy. He makes a Martial Arts attack at a single target, at a range of up to twice his current Limit score in yards. This attack has a lethal damage pool equal to the Exalt's current Limit + permanent Essence + extra successes on the attack roll.
Raging Demon Form</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower, 2 health levels Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude, Blood Frenzy Meditation, Deadly Hellfire Explosion
The martial artist stokes the inner fire of her anger until it burns hotter than the sun, overwhelming her senses and transforming her into an unstoppable dervish of annihilation. Activation of Raging Demon form is typically accompanied by its user screaming and convulsing in agony as the power of her hatred literally rips its way through her body. Martial artists under its effects are easy to spot, since not only does blood stream from their noses, mouths, and sometimes even eyes, but fiery energy dances along their limbs, leaving burnt and blistered skin in its wake.
While under the effects of this Charm, the martial artist no longer takes wound penalties; any dice-pool penalties inflicted as a result of wounds or pain are instead applied as bonuses to her attack pools; treat Incapacitated as a -4 level. Furthermore, the Exalt's initiative is increased by her permanent Essence, and her bare hands inflict aggravated damage.
While this Charm is active, its user MUST attack at least once per turn if she is able. If she is not able to attack, she MUST attempt to place herself in a position where she can. She may not block or dodge until the Charm's duration ends. This includes parries and dodges provided by Charms, Hearthstones, Artifacts, or any other source. Soak-enhancing abilities may be employed normally, provided they would not cause the character to forfeit her attack.
Characters under the effects of Raging Demon Form may not flee from battle, and may not stop attacking until no new targets are at hand; this includes her allies. Although she will not typically begin attacking her friends until all enemies are gone, someone who is foolish enough to get between her and a victim will almost certainly become her new target. A difficulty 3 Willpower check allows the character to hesitate for one turn, giving her friends time to flee or get out of the way.
When Raging Demon Form's duration expires, the character immediately takes three levels of aggravated damage. If this would be enough to kill her, she may attempt to use Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude to save herself. If the attempt is successful, three of her non-aggravated wounds immediately become aggravated. If she does not have three health levels not filled with aggravated damage, she will die regardless of whether or not she uses Relentless Ravening Demon Attitude.
Ending Raging Demon Form prematurely requires a Willpower check at a difficulty of the character's permanent Essence, and causes her to immediately gain three points of Limit as well as taking the normal three levels of aggravated damage.
This is a form Charm. It does not work with armor, or with other form Charms.
Instant Hell Murder</b>
<b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Raging Demon Form, Soul-Burning Attack
The martial artist glides smoothly forward, appearing to almost float above the ground as he bears down on his target. When he hits, blazing cascades of Essence obscure both him and the hapless target as he explodes into a ferocious barrage of attacks. The Exalt makes a Martial Arts attack against a single target up to his normal sprinting distance away. If he hits (he need not do damage), he immediately receives an additional attack at full dice pool. Every time an additional attack hits, another attack is awarded, until the Exalt either misses or the target dies.
All attacks made as part of the Instant Hell Murder inflict aggravated damage, and add the martial artist's current Limit score to the difficulty of any parry or dodge attempted against them.
If Instant Hell Murder is placed in a Combo with Supplemental or Simple Charms, there is a very real possibility that the user will run out of motes, Willpower, or health levels before he misses or kills the target. In such a case, the Instant Hell Murder will continue awarding normal attacks until he does. If the user runs out of health levels, he won't die until the Instant Hell Murder ends.
Comments
New version up. This version has some issues (in particular, Unfolding Agony Fist and Blood Frenzy Meditation are problematic), and the tree is a little too sprawling, but I feel that it's still significantly better than the original version.
At some point in the not-particularly-distant future (knock on wood), I will probably retool this style yet again as part of the IkselamInfernal project -- the frenzy and damage-negation effects will be sent to Endurance and Resistance where they belong, and the tree will become much more focused.
