Prax/PestilentialViper

Pestilential Viper Style

Pestilential Viper is a Celestial Style that is believed to have been developed by the Dowager of the Irreverent Vulgate and thus one of its sole masters is Shoat of the Mire. However, the Mask of Winters has also studied the art extensively through his spies and one of his servants the Death Knight known as Malice of the Wounded has completely mastered the style and begun teaching it to others within Mask of Winter’s retinue. Strangely other Abyssals not associated with either the Dowager or Mask of Winters have also begun to independently develop aptitude in the style. Hinting at origins for this deadly martial arts style that predate the Death Lords.

Practitioners of Pestilential Viper learn to inflict debilitating wounds upon their opponents. Masters of the style need only strike an opponent once to bring about a foes complete downfall. Most Pestilential Viper techniques do not inflict immediate harm, but rather have more long-term debilitating effects. Chain-weapons, whips and sectional staffs are considered form weapons for Pestilential Viper Style.

Piercing Fang Technique:

 

Cost: 1m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Obvious

 

Duration: Instant

 

Prerequisite Charm: None

 

The first thing a Viper Stylist learns is where to strike her opponents to inflict the most harm. By focusing her senses the Viper Stylist perceives her opponent's chakra points then strikes with essence enhanced accuracy to perfectly pierce them with a touch like viper's kiss. Piercing Fang Technique can only be used to supplement an unarmed Martial Arts attack. This Charm causes the attack to inflict lethal piercing damage.

Burning Blood Atemi:

 

Cost: 3m, Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5)

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Crippling

 

Duration: One scene

 

Prerequisite Charm: Piercing Fang Technique

 

The first of the Viper Style atemi techniques, this one infects the victim with tainted essence that heightens the body’s sensitivity to pain and opens the way for additional debilitations. When this Charm is invoked the Viper Stylist makes an unarmed martial arts attack against her opponent. If the attack is successful, regardless of whether it inflicts any damage the target must make a Stamina + Resistance roll at a difficulty equal to the Viper Stylist’s attack successes. If the roll succeeds nothing happens, if the roll fails double all of the target’s wound penalties for the rest of the scene. The effects of this Charm are not cumulative with multiple uses. Automata and the undead are immune to the effects of this Charm.

Pestilential Viper Form:

 

Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 4)

 

Keywords: Form-type, Obvious

 

Duration: One scene

 

Prerequisite Charm: Burning Blood Atemi

 

The Viper Stylist opens her senses to her victim’s pulse so that she can feel the life force of her opponents as it ebbs and flows throughout the body. For the rest of the scene the Viper Stylist gains an accuracy bonus to all of her Martial Arts rolls against living opponents equal to half the target’s remaining health levels rounded down. This attack bonus may not exceed the Viper Stylist’s Martial Arts ability. In addition increase the damage of the Viper Stylist’s unarmed martial arts attacks by an amount equal to her permanent Essence.

Striking Viper Retaliation:

 

Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 9)

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Counterattack

 

Duration: Instant

 

Prerequisite Charm: Pestilential Viper Form

 

When an opponent attacks, he opens himself up to attack himself. The Viper Stylist learns to take advantage of this momentary weakness to inflict debilitating damage of her own. Once this Charm is invoked the Viper Stylist makes an immediate unarmed, martial arts counterattack. This attack inflicts lethal piercing damage and cannot be dodged.

Choking Coils Technique:

 

Cost: 1m per penalty; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Crippling

 

Duration: Until next action

 

Prerequisite Charm: Pestilential Viper Form

 

This Charm can only supplement a clinch attempt. Once invoked this Charm causes the Viper Stylist’s opponent to suffer a -1 Internal Penalty to all actions for each mote expended on the activation of this Charm. This penalty lasts until the Viper Stylist’s next action, regardless of whether the Viper Stylist maintains the Clinch or succeeds in controlling it. The Viper Stylist cannot spend more motes per activation of this Charm then twice her permanent Essence.

Fivefold Constrictor Atemi:

 

Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Crippling

 

Duration: Instant

 

Prerequisite Charm: Choking Coils Technique

 

Being in close quarters provides the Viper Stylist the opportunity to do serious harm by snapping bones, dislocating joints and twisting vital nerve centers. This Charm can only supplement an attempt to crush an opponent in a clinch. Once invoked this Charm causes the crush damage to become lethal. In addition each health level of damage inflicted by the crush attack, up to a maximum of the Viper Stylist’s permanent essence, causes the target to suffer a –1 Internal Penalty to all actions for the remainder of the scene. These penalties count as Wound Penalties for the purpose of effects that mitigate or increase Wound Penalties. Multiple uses of this Charm only inflict cumulative penalties up to a maximum of the Viper Stylist’s Essence. However, each use after that extends the duration of effect by one scene or fifteen additional minutes for Exalts.

 

Mortal opponents can be permanently crippled with even one use of this Charm. For the first use of this Charm treat each –1 penalty inflicted by this Charm as a –1 Lethal Health Level for the purposes of healing. For the second use of this Charm each –1 Penalty counts as a –2 Lethal Health Level. With a third use, each –1 Penalty counts as a –4 Lethal Health Level. A fourth application of this Charm means that the affliction is permanent for mortals without the intervention of magic or an Exalted physician.

Venomous Atemi Strike:

 

Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok, Obvious, Toxin

 

Duration: Instant

 

Prerequisite Charm: Pestilential Viper Form

 

An unarmed martial arts attack enhanced with this Charm channels an essence infused toxin into the victim’s blood stream so long as the attack is successful and inflicts at least one health level of damage. The inflicted toxin has a Damage of 3 Health Levels every Action, a Toxicity equal to the Viper Stylist’s permanent Essence, no tolerance and a Penalty of –3. Undead and automata are immune to the effects of this Charm.

Perfected Atemi Method:

 

Cost: 5m, 1w; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple

 

Keywords: Crippling

 

Duration: One scene

 

Prerequisite Charms: Venomous Atemi Strike, Fivefold Constrictor Atemi

 

The Viper Stylist opens her inner eye to the vital points in her opponent’s body where both blood and essence pool. She then becomes capable of targeting these points, inflicting debilitating pain with every blow she strikes. For the rest of the scene anytime the Viper Stylist’s martial arts attacks inflict at least one health level of damage on an opponent the victim must make a reflexive Stamina + Resistance roll at a difficulty equal to number of health levels lost in the attack. If this roll fails, the target suffers an additional –1 Wound Penalty for the rest of the scene and loses a mote of Personal Essence. Treat this as a Crippling effect. The effects of multiple attacks are cumulative. Automata and undead are immune to the effects of this Charm.

Deadly Viper’s Wisdom Methodology:

 

Cost: 8m, 1w; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental

 

Keywords: Combo-Ok

 

Duration: Instant

 

Prerequisite Charm: Perfected Atemi Method

 

Honing her expertise, the Viper Stylist learns how to strike a deadly mortal blow that few individuals even of Exalted status can withstand. This Charm can only enhance an unarmed martial arts attack. Once invoked, this Charm causes the attack to inflict aggravated damage and converts a number of dice of post-soak damage, up to the Viper Stylist’s permanent Essence, into automatic successes. Undead and automata are immune to the effects of this Charm.

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