MartialArts/WorldlyCanvassedCalligrapherStyle

Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style

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This martial arts Style is part of the Ascendant Quill Cascade.

“Who would stand before a master of the Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher and not tremble in fear? They control the flow of combat as readily and elegantly as a quill in their palm, making them unstoppable!”

Pieced together by unknown hands in the first Age, Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style stands alongside the Immaculate Arts as both the pinnacle of Terrestrial martial enlightenment. Furthermore, it exists as a means through which Celestials can further their own understanding to ever greater heights. It focuses on manipulation and strategy over many of its more brutal peers.

Dragon-Blooded who have mastered Tranquil Scholar Style may learn Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style as though it was Air-aspected. With the exception of the initiations used, the restrictions on Terrestrial characters learning Immaculate Arts apply to Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style also. Celestial Exalts who master Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style may progress to learning Achromatic Lexicon Of Creation Style without tuition, despite the latter being a Sidereal martial art.

Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Style treats attacks with quills and pens as unarmed attacks. In the hands of a practitioner of the Style, they possess the statistics of throwing knives when used in combat (both in melee and at range). This Style is incompatible with armour.

Sketching In Ink Approach

• Cost: 2 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum Martial Arts: 3
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Prerequisite Charms: None

A calligrapher knows the consequence of rash decisions, and would rather take his time than risk spoiling his work. As her blows are turned at the last moment, the martial artist inflicts agonising rather than deadly wounds. Any attack enhanced by this Charm explicitly deals bludgeoning damage, even where other effects would dictate otherwise, and adds the character’s Essence to its pre-soak damage. The damage conversion is a perfect effect.

Scathing Signature Strike

• Cost: 2 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum Martial Arts: 4
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Prerequisite Charms: Sketching In Ink Approach

Adding an unlikely flourish to her strike, the martial artist leaves a mark behind – an insignia in broken skin, an elegantly sliced hair or even something as simple as a provocative new cut on her foe’s clothing. Should an attack enhanced by this Charm hit, the target is goaded toward the character for the remainder of the scene; the next time he wishes to target something other than the character, he must spend a point of temporary Willpower in order to do so.

Uncredited Masterpiece Approach

• Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum Martial Arts: 4
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Scathing Signature Strike

As the martial artist’s expertise improves, she learns to put unusual twists and angles to her blows before they have struck. An attack enhanced by this Charm, though subject to all normal restrictions and able to be defended against normally, leaves no evidence that the character landed it. Whilst she can be identified as guilty by inference (such as her ownership of quills identical to the ones used), her movements are not apparent, and the attack seems to originate from a misleading direction.

Unhindered Wrist Method

• Cost: 3 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum Martial Arts: 4
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Prerequisite Charms: Sketching In Ink Approach

Those who pursue artistry in texts embellish their own with touches subtle and unique to themselves. The character learns to turn a blow expressively, striking past barriers raised in defence. The martial artist makes a reflexive Charisma + Martial Arts check against a difficulty equal to her opponent’s Wits. If she succeeds, her attack is unblockable by anything short of a perfect effect.

Sudden Encapsulating Flourish

• Cost: 3 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum Martial Arts: 4
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Unhindered Wrist Method

A skilled calligrapher can write in undifferentiated blocks, before finishing each with a momentary flourish that gives it definition. In emulation of this, the martial artist embarks on a series of faints and misleading gestures, her strike coming only when it is least expected. She makes a reflexive Manipulation + Martial Arts check against a difficulty equal to her opponent’s Perception. If she succeeds, her attack is undodgeable by anything short of a perfect effect.

Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Form

• Cost: 5 motes
• Duration: One scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum Martial Arts: 5
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Uncredited Masterpiece Method, Sudden Encapsulating Flourish

The martial artist focuses Essence into the tips of her fingers, or the quills within them, and wisps of ethereal incandescence coalesce, in a colour unique to her. The character’s movements are fluid and elegant, the luminescent essence leaving intricate and evocative trails across her opponents’ vision as her hands twist and turn in loose patterns. Looking upon them suggests she moves one way where she moves another, does one thing whilst she does the other. At the beginning of each turn, she designates an opponent – that opponent reduces his dice pools for attacks, parries and dodges by the martial artist’s Essence, provided those pools are directly opposed by the martial artist.

Evocative Illustration Technique

• Cost: 4 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Reflexive
• Minimum Martial Arts: 5
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Form

Twisting herself in an evocative gesture, the martial artist uses another’s violence to stir their emotions into a howling maelstrom. This Charm may be activated in response to any attack; that attacker must either spend a point of temporary Willpower to suppress their feelings, or channel a Virtue of their choice appropriate to the situation (which consumes a point of temporary Willpower, as normal).

Artful Guiding Hand

• Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Reflexive
• Minimum Martial Arts: 5
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Worldly Canvassed Calligrapher Form

A calligrapher can teach another his art by guiding their hand, but the resultant piece will, in essence, be his own. As another prepares to strike her, the martial artist weaves her movements and intertwines them with another. Activating this Charm in response to an attack directed at her, she may choose another character within melee range of her and make a reflexive Appearance + Martial Arts check at a difficulty equal to the attacker’s Intelligence. If successful, the attack is redirected toward the chosen character, and is rolled for normally.

Framing The Immaculate Creation

• Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Simple
• Minimum Martial Arts: 5
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite Charms: Evocative Illustration Technique, Artful Guiding Hand

So beguiling are the martial artist’s actions, that focus and determination are required to resist becoming an instrument of her will. With a series of gestures and enticements, the character embeds a suggested action into the mind of another; this can be anything non-suicidal that does not require the use of Charms, Sorcery or other magics on the part of the target. Unless her victim spends a point of temporary Willpower, his next action will be that one suggested.

Elegant Tapestry Of War

• Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
• Duration: One scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum Martial Arts: 5
• Minimum Essence: 4
• Prerequisite Charms: Framing The Immaculate Creation

Through her Essence-infused gestures, the character weaves together all those about in a pattern of conflict of her own choosing. When activating the Charm, she may designate an opponent for each person present, who feels compelled to harm that opponent for as long as they remain in the fight.

Refusing to follow this compulsion costs a character a variable amount, dependant on their prior attitude to them; choosing not to harm an ally requires nothing; choosing not to harm an otherwise neutral person requires one point of temporary Willpower; choosing not to harm a foe requires a point of Willpower and a reflexive Willpower check against a difficulty equal to the martial artist’s Essence. Should they fail this check, they may spend more points to purchase rerolls, until they are successful.

Feedback

1. I like the concept of these styles very much.
2. Artful Guiding Hand is a cheaper but equally-powerful version of the pinnacle of the Terrestrial style in this trio. That may not be a good idea.
3. Are real throwing knives style weapons too?
4. My name is... IanPrice

1. Me too. Glad we agree!
2. But it also requires a difficult check to perform correctly, and allows redirection to third parties. It seemed thematically appropriate, but perhaps superfluous. Discuss?
3. Nope.
4. And mine is...DeathBySurfeit

1. 1. It is generally bad form to make a prerequisite obsolete; it's known as "speed-bumping." With the costs as they stand, I feel that this is what you are doing; the roll is not all that difficult. It will, on average, be 7 dice against a difficulty of 2 or 3. That's almost a guaranteed success. I recommend changing up the costs. After all, Terrestrial charms are usually cheaper than Celestial charms, if less flexible and ultimately less powerful.
   2. So, why does Uncredited Masterpiece Approach mention knives? For that matter, does this charm actually do anything? For instance, does someone who sees the attack take place (such as the target) know that you did it, or not? Does it leave a bleeding wound, or does it really leave no sign at all? Would it disrupt Respect Commanding Attitude, or other effects which are disrupted by hostile actions?
   3. I am the spirit of questioning... IanPrice

1. 1. Good call. Done!
   2. Because I'm silly, and I've expanded upon the Charm's effects to clear up the rather unbecoming lack of clarity.
   3. I am the guardian of answers...DeathBySurfeit