PLLanet/Transcendent Warlord

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A basic Celestial Level Style my husband and I have been working on. It has not been extensively playtested.

Transcendent Warlord

Style Level: Celestial

Armor Allowed: Any

Weapons: Required. This style may not be used unarmed, including with Fighting Gauntlets or Cesti.

Charms

This Yard of Earth

Cost: 0 Motes

Duration: Permanent

Type: Special

Martial Arts: 3

Min. Essence: 2

Prereq Charms: None

A true warrior does not retreat. Through the use of this charm, the Warlord achieves the fortitude necessary to stand his ground on his chosen battlefield. For each purchase of this charm, the Warlord receives one permanent -1 and -2 health level. The character may not purchase more instances of this charm than he has dots in Martial Arts.

Pricking the Throat Technique

Cost: 1+ Motes

Duration: One Turn

Type: Supplemental

Martial Arts: 3

Min. Essence: 2

Prereq Charms: This Yard of Earth

He who strikes first strikes twice. With a flash of light on metal, the Warlord focuses his Essence through his weapon for a preemptive strike, adding one to his initiative per mote spent. He may not spend more motes in this manner than he has dots of Martial Arts.

Uncompromising Authority Directive

Cost: 5 Motes

Duration: One Scene

Type: Supplemental

Martial Arts: 3

Min. Essence: 2

Prereq Charms: This Yard of Earth

With a shout that reaches the heavens and the four corners of Creation, the martial artist armors himself in the surety of his divine purpose. Whether his authority stems from the Blessings of Luna, the Creation Ruling Mandate, or from Samsara itself, the effect is the same; for the rest of the scene, the Warlord's lethal and bashing soak is increased by his martial arts rating. He may also soak lethal with his full stamina.

Transcendent Warlord Form

Cost: 5 Motes

Duration: One Scene

Type: Simple

Martial Arts: 3

Min. Essence: 3

Prereq Charms: Pricking the Throat Technique; Uncompromising Authority Directive

The Martial Artist executes a powerful, deliberate kata, rolling his shoulders and readying his weapon. He will be neither delayed nor denied. For the rest of the scene, any attack which is not completely mitigated by a parry or dodge does a minimum number of health levels equal to the Warlord's permanent Essence after soak. Note that this does not require a perfect defense; the defender must reduce the Warlord's attacks to net zero dice after a parry or a dodge, or remove himself from range. In addition, all 9s rolled on the Warlord's attacks count as two successes. Finally, the martial artist may ignore wound penalties equal to half his permanent Essence score.

Forgemaster's Melody

Cost: 3 Motes per Parry

Duration: Instant

Type: Reflexive

Martial Arts: 4

Min. Essence: 3

Prereq Charms: Transcendent Warlord Form

Narrowing his eyes in response to attack, the martial artist bides his time, waiting for an opening as the song of steel plays out around him. He may make a number of parries at his full dice pool, paying a surcharge of 3 motes per parry. The Warlord may not make more parries in this fashion than his Martial Arts score. If all attacks are parried successfully, he may make a single counterattack at his Dexterity + Martial Arts. This may not be used to counter another counterattack charm.

Honored Opponent Exultation

Cost: 6 Motes

Duration: One Scene

Type: Simple

Martial Arts: 4

Min. Essence: 3

Prereq Charms: Transcendent Warlord Form

An experienced fighter will underline the importance of measuring one's adversary. An honest fighter triumphs in the knowledge that the challenger is indeed worthwhile. Buoyed by his revelation, the Warlord selects an opponent. For the rest of the scene, he gains a bonus to his Valor equal to the higher of the target's Valor or Conviction. This may bring his Valor total over 5. This Valor may be channeled via Willpower, with the temporary channels used first.

Crimson Sage Interception

Cost: 5 Motes, 1 Willpower

Duration: Instant

Type: Reflexive

Martial Arts: 5

Min. Essence: 4

Prereq Charms: Forgemaster's Melody

War roars through the Exalt's veins, the battle internalized and its hounds baying with every beat of his heart. In response to an attack, expected or otherwise, the character may block without rolling, even if the attack is normally unblockable. This is a perfect effect.

Pansophic Khagan Alignment

Cost: 10 Motes, 1 Willpower

Duration: One Scene

Type: Simple

Martial Arts: 5

Min. Essence: 5

Prereq Charms: Crimson Sage Interception, Honored Opponent Exultation

The Warlord's understanding of war transcends the mortal. He has refined himself into the embodiment of conflict, and as such takes on the aspects of his divine patron. The effects of this charm vary according to the Exalt type of the practitioner, though not by caste - he is channeling the martial intent of his Incarna, no matter his role in that hierarchy.

Invictus at Dawn: The golden sunburst of the Dawn caste blazes on the Warlord's brow, superimposing itself over any lesser mark. He radiates the supremacy of the Unconquered, and those who seek to oppose him know that to strive against him will bring only defeat. For the rest of the scene, he functions under the effects of the Dawn caste anima power at no additional mote cost, which extends to golems, automata, demons, and undead. In addition, he is capable of wielding two handed weapons in one hand as two arms of golden Essence burst into being to grip them at the hilt. His attacks deal aggravated damage to creatures of darkness. Stealth is impossible during the use of this charm, and stealth charms may not be activated.

Banner of the Red Wolf: The crimson shield-and-spear of Battles ignites on the Warlord's brow, superimposing itself over any lesser mark. She embodies the authority of the Battlemaiden, the Enforcer of Heaven's Will, and those who seek to oppose her know that, at the root, all armies belong to Mars. For the rest of the scene, she functions under the effects of Lesser Sign of Mars at no additional cost. Its effects may reduce damage below one. In addition, she may add a number of +1 bonuses equal to her permanent Essence to the Close Combat, Ranged Attack, Damage, Drill, Might, Armor, or Morale of a unit under her command. This effect causes the Magnitude of the unit to be recalculated until the end of the scene. Her attacks deal aggravated damage to creatures outside Fate. Stealth is impossible during the use of this charm, and stealth charms may not be activated.

Chariot of the Horned Queen: The brilliant disk of the moon at full flares on the Warlord's brow, superimposing itself over any lesser mark. She swells with the ferocity of the Argent Madonna, who hunts Creation's borders. Those who seek to oppose her know that there is no escape from the Wardens of Creation. For the rest of the scene, she functions under the effects of the Full Moon caste power at no additional cost. This bonus stacks with those provided by other Charms, and is applied in sequence rather than separately; a character who doubles her movement speed twice moves at four times her speed. In addition, she may internalize her chosen arena, gaining strength from its blood and chaos. If she fights within the Bordermarches, she receives the respiration benefits of a one dot Cult background. Middlemarches increases this to two, Deep Wyld to three dots, and Pure Chaos to four. This is calculated separately from any cult rating the Lunar actually possesses. Her attacks deal aggravated damage to creatures of the Wyld, including Fey, Unshaped, and creatures with mutations that total more than half their permanent Willpower. Stealth rolls function at -2 dice while this charm is active, and stealth charms cost one more more to activate.

It is unknown what effects would occur should this charm be activated by an Alchemical or Abyssal Exalt. It can be assumed that emulation of Ignis Divine would prove unpalatable (or incompatible) to the flows of necrotic Essence within a Dusk, and would surely invoke the wrath of his Deathlord. It is rumored that a variant charm exists for those Terrestrials who have undergone Celestial initiation rites which emulates the passion (and destruction) of Hesiesh.

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