MartialArtsKatas/DreamingPearlCourtesanStyle

Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style Kung Fu (PG, pg. 250 - 253)

This is a Celestial Martial Arts Style updated for the MartialArtsKatas system.

This Style may be practiced by anyone, not just Solars - counter to the note on pg. 249 of the Player's Guide.

Prerequisites

• Abilities required to reach Form: Brawl 4, Dodge 2, Melee 2, Resistance 2
• Abilities required to reach Mastery: Brawl 5, Dodge 5, Lore 3, Awareness 5, Presence 5, Thrown 3, Melee 2, Resistance 2

Katas

Demure Carp Feint</b>

 <b>Cost: 2 Motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Reflexive (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Dodge 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite: None

(description in E:PG, Pg. 250)

This Kata must be declared immediately after an attack is declared, but before the attack is rolled. It imposes an external penalty to that attack equal to the Martial Artist's Essence.

Pearlescent Filigree Defense</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 Motes
 Duration: One Scene
 Type: Reflexive (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Resistance 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite: None

(description in E:PG, Pg. 250)

This Kata increases the Martial Artist's natural lethal and bashing Soak by her Essence, which does not count as armor.

Lethal Paper Fan Attack</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 Motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Melee 3
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite: None

(description in E:PG, Pg. 250)

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to make a melee attack with a prop as if it were a lethal weapon. Use the following stats for various props:

- Robe, Sash, Streamer or Hair (Whip): Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +1L, Defense +0, Rate 2
- Ink Brush, Knitting Needle, Chopstick, Flower Stem (Dagger): Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +2L, Defense +0, Rate 3
- Fan, Paper, Make-up Brush, Tea Whisk (Wind-Fire Wheel): Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage +1L, Defense +2, Rate 3
- Hairpin, Sewing Needle, Acupuncture Needle (Khatar): Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage +0L, Defense +0, Rate 3

If used on a prop being controlled with the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form, the prop counts as "in hand" for the duration of the attack, and the kata only costs 1 mote. Props which are weighted for use as weapons may be used with this Kata; in this case, use the weapon's base stats, but add the Martial Artist's Essence to either the weapon's Damage, Accuracy, Defense, or Rate.

Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form</b>

 <b>Cost: 5 Motes
 Duration: One Scene
 Type: Simple 
 Minimum Abilities: Brawl 4, Presence 2, Socialize 2
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite: Demure Carp Feint, Pearlescent Filigree Defense, Lethal Paper Fan Attack

(description in E:PG, Pg. 250)

Upon activating this Form, this Kata allows the player to control a number of props up to her Essence independently. So long as these props are on her person, she may use each one up to their Rate in a flurry while taking her normal turn action(s) with her own two hands. Additionally, while this Form is active, the mote cost for Lethal Paper Fan Attack or Flurry of August Leaves Concentration is reduced by 2 for props she is actively controlling, and the Martial Artist adds her Essence to all Presence and Socialize rolls.

The character may not add or remove props from her control without dropping and re-executing this Form.

Flurry of August Leaves Concentration</b>

 <b>Cost: 4 Motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Thrown 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite: Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form

(description in E:PG, Pg. 251)

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to make a Thrown or Brawl (clinch) attack with a prop as if it were a lethal weapon, duplicating the effects of Lethal Paper Fan Attack at range. Use the following stats for various props:

- Robe, Sash, Streamer (Whip - Clinch): Speed 6, Accuracy +0, Damage +0B, Range 1, Rate 2
- Ink Brush, Knitting Needle, Chopstick, Flower Stem (Throwing Dagger): Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage +2L, Range 15, Rate 3
- Fan, Paper, Make-up Brush, Tea Whisk (Chakram): Speed 4, Accuracy +0, Damage +1L, Range 20, Rate 3
- Hairpin, Sewing Needle, Acupuncture Needle (Needle): Speed 5, Accuracy -1, Damage 1L, Range 10, Rate 3

If used on a prop being controlled with the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form, the prop counts as "in hand" for the duration of the attack, and the kata only costs 2 motes. Props weighted to be naturally usable as weapons may be used with this Kata, adding their Essence to their Damage, Accuracy, Rate, or Range.

Resplendent Sash Grapple Technique</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 Motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Thrown 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite: Flurry of August Leaves Concentration

(description in E:PG, Pg. 251)

With this Kata, the Martial Artist is able to use her flowign garments with a prehensile dexterity to grapple opponents and their weapons. This Kata allows the Martial Artist to make a clinch counterattack with a robe, sash or streamer as if it were a lethal weapon, using the stats given below. This is a standard Dexterity + Brawl counterattack.

- Robe, Sash, Streamer or Hair (Whip - Clinch): Speed 6, Accuracy +0, Damage +0B, Range 1, Rate 2

Hurting the Ones You Love Approach</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Brawl 5, Awareness 3, Investigation 2
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite: Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form

There is a saying that the most vicious fights are the ones between siblings or lovers. The person who knows someone the most intimately can circumvent his defenses and hrut him the most deeply. It is in the spirit of this aphorism that this technique was developed.

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to add her Compassion or Conviction (her choice) to the damage roll of an attack, but only if the Martial Artist knows and intimately understands the target's Motivation.

Vindictive Concubine's Pillow Book Understanding</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Awareness 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite: Hurting the Ones we Love Approach

Between the intimate, there can be no barriers - even the ones we may wish to keep erect. The vindictive paramour can always find a way to wound those who have raised their ire, regardless of their defenses or their fortitude.

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to ignore up to her Essence in her target's armor soak and hardness when making an attack. This includes any armor-based Charm effects, but not natural soak or hardness. Thus, if her target's armor had a Soak of 12L/15B and a Hardness of 4L/5B, and the Martial Artist had an Essence of 3, the target's armor would effectively have a Soak of 9L/12B and a Hardness of 1L/2B after the execution of this Kata.

Fragrant Petal Fascination Kata</b>

 <b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Presence 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite: Hurting the Ones we Love Approach, Flurry of August Leaves Concentration

(description in E:PG, Pg. 252)

This Kata causes all of the Martial Artist's suggestions to be considered unnatural compulsions to those within (Essence) yards, and reduces the Dodge and Parry MDV of all affected parties by the Martial Artist's Essence (to a minimum of 0). Additionally, all those affected will suffer a strange melancholy for a number of days afterwards equal to the Exalt's Essence, adding +1 difficulty to all Conviction rolls until they shake off the malaise.

Seven Storms Escape Prana</b>

 <b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Abilities: Dodge 5
 Minimum Essence: 4
 Prerequisite: Fragrant Petal Fascination Kata

(description in E:PG, Pg. 253)

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to teleport (Essence x 5) yards as a Dash action.

Dulcimer of Heartstrings Meditation</b>

 <b>Cost: 5 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Simple (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Presence 5, Lore 2
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite: Fragrant Petal Fascination Kata

So enrapturing and enticing is the Martial Artist's presence, that her every wish is the desire of those around her - even those that may end in pain.

This Kata allows the Martial Artist to render a target's Dodge or Parry DV (attacker's choice) inapplicable to a single attack. This is a perfect effect, and is subject to one of the Four Flaws of Perfection. This kata cannot affect perfect defenses.

Invoking the Dreamer's Desire</b>

 <b>Cost: 15 motes, 1 Willpower (+1 Willpower to end)
 Duration: Indefinite
 Type: Simple (Combo-Ok)
 Minimum Abilities: Presence 5, Athletics 5, Lore 3
 Minimum Essence: 4
 Prerequisite: Dulcimer of Heartstrings Meditation, Resplendent Sash Grapple Technique, Seven Storms Escape Prana

It is believed by the masters of this style that all things in Creation are expressions of duality, a marriage of Essential form and the infinitely possible Wyld, and that all sentient creatures experience this potential from the safety of their dreams.

Masters of this style seek to achieve a perfect waking and lucid union of this dual principle. With this Charm, they are briefly able to breach this threshold and achieve its perfect form, rivaling the power of the Unshaped Raksha.

Until this Kata is ended, the Exalt moves with a dreamlike fluidity, reducing the Speed of all actions by half his Permanent Essence (rounded down), to a minimum Speed of 2. Thus, an Exalt with an Essence of 5 would reduce the Speed of all actions by 2, to a minimum Speed of 2. Additionally, her speed with any Move or Dash action is multiplied by her Essence, and her body takes on the fierce inhuman beauty of the Fair Folk - adding her Essence to her Appearance while the Kata is active. Exalted with this Kata active may participate in Fair Folk-style Shaping Combat with their Virtues as if they were Graces.

There is, however, a certain risk involved when Invoking the Dreamer's Desire. The Exalt experiences ane cstatic bliss while in this form, and if she is not careful, she will forget that she was mortal and lose herself to the collective Dreaming and the limitless potential of the Deep Wyld, become transcendent and pass out of this realm of existence. This Charm lasts for as long as the Exalt wishes,and she must spend a point of temporary Willpower to end it. For every scene after the first she remains in this form, she must make a Willpower roll at an additional +1 difficulty. If at any time she fails this roll, she disappears in a blinding flash of pearlescent light and Wyld energy. The Exalted have lost some of their mightiest martial artists in this way. Once thus transcended, none ever return - although occasionally, strange and powerful Raksha have been known to appear who bore uncanny resemblance to long-lost Masters of this Style.

Comments

Ok, comment on your proposed replacement for the gazelefish, at my first glance it seemed not to have combat utility, I only saw the movement bonus and shaping combat, which will loose you your character really fast, but when I saw the comabt bonus it made me think it might be too powerful, the minimum essense of the charm is really 4 and thus it makes almost any action speed 1, which I think might break the 2nd edition comabat system in some way, not sure beyond that - Blackedout

Fair enough, does 1/2 Essence (round down) sound better? (Incidentally, I'm considering re-writing this entire Kata tree, into 2nd Edition - do you think I'll violate copyright?) - Ialdabaoth

1/2 essence does sound better, and as for the copyright issue, I believe that we have a disclaimer on the site giving credit to White Wolf, I think that updating the style with that in place should be ok, but I don't have any real knowledge on copyright law. - Blackedout

Well, here goes then. --Ialdabaoth

Okay. I added a lot of the flavor text, modified the effects of the Katas slightly for 2nd edition compatability, and added two more Katas to replace the Investigation Charms. Hope this is acceptable. -- Ialdabaoth