The Demented One
2009-08-17, 06:39 PM
Wheel-Turning Sage King Style
When the Celestial Incarnae first came together to stand against the tyranny of the Primordials, it is said that Saturn unveiled the first of their many weapons–the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style, the first supernatural martial art ever devised within Creation. And it is further said that the instant the Unconquered Sun witnessed what the Maiden of Endings had wrought, he instantly conceived the Wheel-Turning Sage King Style in its totality, the Celestial Martial Art that would embody his own perfection and majesty. When the Exalted went into battle against the Primordials, they were armed with both the Violet Bier and the Wheel-Turning Sage King styles, trained at the hands of both the Unconquered Sun and Saturn. And so it was that the Wheel of Ages was first turned at the hands of the Exalted, heralding the beginning of the glorious First Age.
But in the days following the Primordial War, the Wheel-Turning Sage King style was more and more forgotten. The Unconquered Sun ascended to Yu-Shan to play the Games of Divinity, and has never since taught the art to one of the Exalted. Many of the War's veterans, they who would become the Golden Hero Vassals, were masters of the style–but they saw it as a privilege of their lofty rank and their seniority. Newly-incarnated Exalted would find no sifu to teach them the style–such was the overbearing pride of the Chosen!
In the Age of Sorrows, there are perhaps a dozen masters of the Wheel-Turning Sage King style alive. The Unconquered Sun, of course, has mastered it fully, as have Mars and Saturn–but drawing them away from the Games of Divinity would be an epic task in and of itself. Both Chejop Kejak and Lilith, as two of the greatest martial artists alive, may have knowledge of the style–but such would be a fantastically unlikely occurrence, as neither one fought in the Primordial War. Beyond them, only ancient and powerful gods or demons, such as Five Days Darkness or Ligier, or nigh-immortal Exalts of millennial age could have any training in the style dating back to the First Age.
But there is another way. In the last five years, Exalted with a keen affinity for their past lives have found themselves blessed or cursed with potent visions, flashing back all the way to their original incarnation's training at the hands of Sol Invictus. Thus, any Celestial Exalt with the Past Lives merit, or Infernal Exalt with the Past Life background, may learn Wheel-Turning Sage King Charms without any tutor, so long as their rating in the merit or background is equal to or exceeds the Essence minimum of the Charm. Already, Lunar and Sidereal Elders have begun training their students in the style, and at least one newly-Exalted Solar fought off an entire Wyld Hunt with Charms from the style. As more and more Exalts recall their ancient memories of the style, it becomes more likely that it will undergo a Creation-wide revival.
Weapons and Armor
Wheel-Turning Sage King style has no form weapons, nor does it allow armor. Charms of the style cannot be used while the martial artist wears armor or wields any weapons.
Prodigious Hero Arete
Cost: – (1m)
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Unmatched is the heroism of the Exalted, unbridled their passions! It was only with hearts full of hot blood and virtuous spirits that they were able to overcome the Titans. This Charm enhances the martial artist's ability to stunt when making unarmed Martial Arts attack rolls or parrying an attack unarmed. When he does receive stunt dice for doing so, he may reflexively spend a mote to double the stunt dice awarded. The extra dice do not count towards the maximum limit of dice from Charms.
Style-Discerning Glance
Cost: – (1m)
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Before the Exalted could hope to stand against the Primordials, they would have to understand how they might be defeated–thus was this Charm born. Whenever the Sage King makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack, he may reflexively spend a mote in Step 2 to learn if his opponent has enhanced his DV with Charms. If any of those Charms provide a perfect defense, the martial artist knows it, as well as what Flaw of Invulnerability the Charm possesses. Likewise, this Charm may be used in Step 8 to learn if a foe has enhanced his soak or hardness with Charms, as well as the flaws of any such Charms that allow a perfect defense. Alternatively, this Charm may be used defensively. When the martial artist is attacked, he may reflexively spend a mote in Step 2 to learn if the attack has been enhanced by Charms, and if any of those Charms allow a perfect attack, one that is guaranteed to hit.
Ten-Thousand Hours Kata
Cost: 1m+
Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: Prodigious Hero Arete, Style-Discerning Glance
It is said that before a man can be considered a master of any art, be it martial arts or flower arranging, he must first practice for ten-thousand hours. The Exalted laugh at such foolish limitations! When they trained in the Wheel-Turning Sage King Style with the Unconquered Sun, every moment of instruction they received was as a year; every day, a lifetime. With such mastery, how could they fail? When the martial artist invokes this Charm, he may spend up to (Essence) motes. Doing so assures his mastery–whenever he makes an unarmed Martial Arts attacked, he always rolls a minimum number of successes equal to the number of motes spent, even if he rolled lower (before adding in any extra successes). Furthermore, when he parries an attack unarmed, his DV cannot be reduced below the number of motes spent by any penalties.
Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
Cost: 6m
Mins: Martial Arts 4/Essence 2
Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -1)
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Ten-Thousand Hours Kata
Even the Primordials feared the Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, for the potent essence they channeled with this form assured their success, becoming true weapons of the gods. Upon entering it, the martial artist seems to shine, for but a moment, with the light of his patron Incarnae: silver moonlight for Lunars, pale starlight for Sidereals, and the blinding golden radiance of the sun for the Solar Exalted. While in this form, the martial artist may deal lethal damage with unarmed attacks, and may parry lethal attacks unarmed without a stunt. He adds (Essence) to his Parry DV whenever he makes an unarmed block.
Finally, the form allows the martial artist to draw on hidden strength when he most needs it, using desperate effort and unshakable determination to ensure he succeeds. Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack, he may choose to forgo any number of rolled successes. These successes instead go to a special pool granted by this form, which may hold up to (Essence) successes. Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack or rolls damage for such an attack, he may expend these banked successes to enhance it. In addition, he may expend successes to enhance his Parry DV when blocking unarmed, increasing it by one for each success spent. Successes spent from the pool count as being added by Charms.
Humble Sage Audacity
Cost: 6m
Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
The Sage Kings showed all respect to the Primordials before they attacked, bowing low and praising their hated enemy's fighting prowess–such humility! And yet, the Sage Kings attacked in the same instant as the Titans did, deeming themselves equals of the world's creators–such audacity! This Charm supplements a Join Battle roll. The martial artist is always treated as having rolled a number of successes equal to the highest rolled by any combatant, acting on the first tick of battle along with them–no matter what! Even if a Charm were used to assure a character perfectly succeeded on his Join Battle roll, guaranteeing that he would act before all others, this Charm would still allow the martial artist to act on the same tick.
Apocalypse-Outlasting Stance
Cost: 1m
Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive (Step 8)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
When the Primordials descended to fight the Chosen, the weapons they brought to bear were awful in their sheer power and majesty, the mightiest arms ever unleashed within Creation. He who became Malfeas flung mountains, and fought with a sword whose blade scraped the sky; Oramus tore apart reality itself and cast the Exalted into the emptiness of Elsewhere; Kimberry unleashed tsunamis of burning acid. And in the face of all these, the Sage Kings did not once flinch.
This Charm is invoked immediately before the damage of an attack or similar effect is rolled. Though it offers no defense against the attack, it ensures the martial artist survives–any levels of damage that would fill his Incapacitated or Dying health levels are negated, though others are unaffected. At Essence 5, the martial artist may spend an additional 3 motes to increase this Charm's duration to one action, preventing any damage they take during that time from filling their Incapacitated or Dying levels.
However, they cannot use this Charm to render themselves invincible, for it bears a high cost. If the martial artist uses this Charm while he has no empty health levels above Incapacitated, he must permanently sacrifice a dot of Stamina to do so. The dot of Stamina cannot be healed or recovered by any means, save for spending experience points to buy a new dot of Stamina. If the martial artist ever reduces himself to Stamina 0 with this Charm, then he remains alive long enough to take one final action–afterwards, his body crumbles to dust, unmade by essence backlash of this Charm.
Virtue Triumphs Over Tyranny
Cost: 3m, 1wp
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
Drawing on strength unknown even to them, the Exalted were able to finally overthrow the tyranny of the Primordials, casting Creation into the glories of the First Age. To invoke this Charm, the martial artist must expend a banked success from the pool granted by Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. It supplements a single unarmed Martial Arts attack, allowing the Sage King one perfect blow. The attack is guaranteed to hit–if it would have missed, calculate its raw damage as if 0 attack successes were rolled.
Setting the Sky Ablaze
Cost: 5m
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Virtue Triumphs Over Tyranny
When the Exalted first went to war, they slew beings behemoth in both form and soul. The beings they fought were as world-circling rivers, all-encompassing deserts, massive legions of demons, and very worlds–and they were all defeated, broken at the hands of the Chosen. To invoke this Charm, the martial artist must expend a banked success from the pool granted by Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. It supplements a single unarmed Martial Arts attack, causing it to deal aggravated damage in a blaze of essence-unbinding energies that proved bane against even the Primordials. The minimum damage of the attack becomes equal to the Sage King's Martial Arts, rather than his Essence.
Salvation of the World Enlightenment
Cost: – (+10m, 1wp)
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Apocalypse-Outlasting Stance, Humble Sage Audacity, Setting the Sky Ablaze
The Exalted were born to be kings, princes of the universe. Into their hands was given both the means to save Creation, and the means to rule it. When the martial artist enters the Wheel-Turning Sage King Form, he may spend an additional 10 motes and a point of Willpower. As he does, his anima banner flares to its full totemic radiance–but the form it takes is a gleaming mandala of gold and silver, a symbol embodying the very creation of the Celestial Exaltations at the hand of the Unconquered Sun, Luna, and the Maidens.
Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack or a damage roll for such an attack, he adds a number of automatic successes equal to the number he has banked with the Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. In addition, he increases his Parry DV by an amount equal to the number of banked successes. These successes stack with any banked successes that are actually spent on the roll, but still count as being added with Charms. In addition, the martial artist may spend a banked success in place of a point of Willpower to channel a Virtue.
When the Celestial Incarnae first came together to stand against the tyranny of the Primordials, it is said that Saturn unveiled the first of their many weapons–the Violet Bier of Sorrows Style, the first supernatural martial art ever devised within Creation. And it is further said that the instant the Unconquered Sun witnessed what the Maiden of Endings had wrought, he instantly conceived the Wheel-Turning Sage King Style in its totality, the Celestial Martial Art that would embody his own perfection and majesty. When the Exalted went into battle against the Primordials, they were armed with both the Violet Bier and the Wheel-Turning Sage King styles, trained at the hands of both the Unconquered Sun and Saturn. And so it was that the Wheel of Ages was first turned at the hands of the Exalted, heralding the beginning of the glorious First Age.
But in the days following the Primordial War, the Wheel-Turning Sage King style was more and more forgotten. The Unconquered Sun ascended to Yu-Shan to play the Games of Divinity, and has never since taught the art to one of the Exalted. Many of the War's veterans, they who would become the Golden Hero Vassals, were masters of the style–but they saw it as a privilege of their lofty rank and their seniority. Newly-incarnated Exalted would find no sifu to teach them the style–such was the overbearing pride of the Chosen!
In the Age of Sorrows, there are perhaps a dozen masters of the Wheel-Turning Sage King style alive. The Unconquered Sun, of course, has mastered it fully, as have Mars and Saturn–but drawing them away from the Games of Divinity would be an epic task in and of itself. Both Chejop Kejak and Lilith, as two of the greatest martial artists alive, may have knowledge of the style–but such would be a fantastically unlikely occurrence, as neither one fought in the Primordial War. Beyond them, only ancient and powerful gods or demons, such as Five Days Darkness or Ligier, or nigh-immortal Exalts of millennial age could have any training in the style dating back to the First Age.
But there is another way. In the last five years, Exalted with a keen affinity for their past lives have found themselves blessed or cursed with potent visions, flashing back all the way to their original incarnation's training at the hands of Sol Invictus. Thus, any Celestial Exalt with the Past Lives merit, or Infernal Exalt with the Past Life background, may learn Wheel-Turning Sage King Charms without any tutor, so long as their rating in the merit or background is equal to or exceeds the Essence minimum of the Charm. Already, Lunar and Sidereal Elders have begun training their students in the style, and at least one newly-Exalted Solar fought off an entire Wyld Hunt with Charms from the style. As more and more Exalts recall their ancient memories of the style, it becomes more likely that it will undergo a Creation-wide revival.
Weapons and Armor
Wheel-Turning Sage King style has no form weapons, nor does it allow armor. Charms of the style cannot be used while the martial artist wears armor or wields any weapons.
Prodigious Hero Arete
Cost: – (1m)
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Unmatched is the heroism of the Exalted, unbridled their passions! It was only with hearts full of hot blood and virtuous spirits that they were able to overcome the Titans. This Charm enhances the martial artist's ability to stunt when making unarmed Martial Arts attack rolls or parrying an attack unarmed. When he does receive stunt dice for doing so, he may reflexively spend a mote to double the stunt dice awarded. The extra dice do not count towards the maximum limit of dice from Charms.
Style-Discerning Glance
Cost: – (1m)
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Before the Exalted could hope to stand against the Primordials, they would have to understand how they might be defeated–thus was this Charm born. Whenever the Sage King makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack, he may reflexively spend a mote in Step 2 to learn if his opponent has enhanced his DV with Charms. If any of those Charms provide a perfect defense, the martial artist knows it, as well as what Flaw of Invulnerability the Charm possesses. Likewise, this Charm may be used in Step 8 to learn if a foe has enhanced his soak or hardness with Charms, as well as the flaws of any such Charms that allow a perfect defense. Alternatively, this Charm may be used defensively. When the martial artist is attacked, he may reflexively spend a mote in Step 2 to learn if the attack has been enhanced by Charms, and if any of those Charms allow a perfect attack, one that is guaranteed to hit.
Ten-Thousand Hours Kata
Cost: 1m+
Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: Prodigious Hero Arete, Style-Discerning Glance
It is said that before a man can be considered a master of any art, be it martial arts or flower arranging, he must first practice for ten-thousand hours. The Exalted laugh at such foolish limitations! When they trained in the Wheel-Turning Sage King Style with the Unconquered Sun, every moment of instruction they received was as a year; every day, a lifetime. With such mastery, how could they fail? When the martial artist invokes this Charm, he may spend up to (Essence) motes. Doing so assures his mastery–whenever he makes an unarmed Martial Arts attacked, he always rolls a minimum number of successes equal to the number of motes spent, even if he rolled lower (before adding in any extra successes). Furthermore, when he parries an attack unarmed, his DV cannot be reduced below the number of motes spent by any penalties.
Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
Cost: 6m
Mins: Martial Arts 4/Essence 2
Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -1)
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Ten-Thousand Hours Kata
Even the Primordials feared the Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, for the potent essence they channeled with this form assured their success, becoming true weapons of the gods. Upon entering it, the martial artist seems to shine, for but a moment, with the light of his patron Incarnae: silver moonlight for Lunars, pale starlight for Sidereals, and the blinding golden radiance of the sun for the Solar Exalted. While in this form, the martial artist may deal lethal damage with unarmed attacks, and may parry lethal attacks unarmed without a stunt. He adds (Essence) to his Parry DV whenever he makes an unarmed block.
Finally, the form allows the martial artist to draw on hidden strength when he most needs it, using desperate effort and unshakable determination to ensure he succeeds. Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack, he may choose to forgo any number of rolled successes. These successes instead go to a special pool granted by this form, which may hold up to (Essence) successes. Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack or rolls damage for such an attack, he may expend these banked successes to enhance it. In addition, he may expend successes to enhance his Parry DV when blocking unarmed, increasing it by one for each success spent. Successes spent from the pool count as being added by Charms.
Humble Sage Audacity
Cost: 6m
Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
The Sage Kings showed all respect to the Primordials before they attacked, bowing low and praising their hated enemy's fighting prowess–such humility! And yet, the Sage Kings attacked in the same instant as the Titans did, deeming themselves equals of the world's creators–such audacity! This Charm supplements a Join Battle roll. The martial artist is always treated as having rolled a number of successes equal to the highest rolled by any combatant, acting on the first tick of battle along with them–no matter what! Even if a Charm were used to assure a character perfectly succeeded on his Join Battle roll, guaranteeing that he would act before all others, this Charm would still allow the martial artist to act on the same tick.
Apocalypse-Outlasting Stance
Cost: 1m
Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive (Step 8)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
When the Primordials descended to fight the Chosen, the weapons they brought to bear were awful in their sheer power and majesty, the mightiest arms ever unleashed within Creation. He who became Malfeas flung mountains, and fought with a sword whose blade scraped the sky; Oramus tore apart reality itself and cast the Exalted into the emptiness of Elsewhere; Kimberry unleashed tsunamis of burning acid. And in the face of all these, the Sage Kings did not once flinch.
This Charm is invoked immediately before the damage of an attack or similar effect is rolled. Though it offers no defense against the attack, it ensures the martial artist survives–any levels of damage that would fill his Incapacitated or Dying health levels are negated, though others are unaffected. At Essence 5, the martial artist may spend an additional 3 motes to increase this Charm's duration to one action, preventing any damage they take during that time from filling their Incapacitated or Dying levels.
However, they cannot use this Charm to render themselves invincible, for it bears a high cost. If the martial artist uses this Charm while he has no empty health levels above Incapacitated, he must permanently sacrifice a dot of Stamina to do so. The dot of Stamina cannot be healed or recovered by any means, save for spending experience points to buy a new dot of Stamina. If the martial artist ever reduces himself to Stamina 0 with this Charm, then he remains alive long enough to take one final action–afterwards, his body crumbles to dust, unmade by essence backlash of this Charm.
Virtue Triumphs Over Tyranny
Cost: 3m, 1wp
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wheel-Turning Sage King Form
Drawing on strength unknown even to them, the Exalted were able to finally overthrow the tyranny of the Primordials, casting Creation into the glories of the First Age. To invoke this Charm, the martial artist must expend a banked success from the pool granted by Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. It supplements a single unarmed Martial Arts attack, allowing the Sage King one perfect blow. The attack is guaranteed to hit–if it would have missed, calculate its raw damage as if 0 attack successes were rolled.
Setting the Sky Ablaze
Cost: 5m
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Virtue Triumphs Over Tyranny
When the Exalted first went to war, they slew beings behemoth in both form and soul. The beings they fought were as world-circling rivers, all-encompassing deserts, massive legions of demons, and very worlds–and they were all defeated, broken at the hands of the Chosen. To invoke this Charm, the martial artist must expend a banked success from the pool granted by Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. It supplements a single unarmed Martial Arts attack, causing it to deal aggravated damage in a blaze of essence-unbinding energies that proved bane against even the Primordials. The minimum damage of the attack becomes equal to the Sage King's Martial Arts, rather than his Essence.
Salvation of the World Enlightenment
Cost: – (+10m, 1wp)
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Apocalypse-Outlasting Stance, Humble Sage Audacity, Setting the Sky Ablaze
The Exalted were born to be kings, princes of the universe. Into their hands was given both the means to save Creation, and the means to rule it. When the martial artist enters the Wheel-Turning Sage King Form, he may spend an additional 10 motes and a point of Willpower. As he does, his anima banner flares to its full totemic radiance–but the form it takes is a gleaming mandala of gold and silver, a symbol embodying the very creation of the Celestial Exaltations at the hand of the Unconquered Sun, Luna, and the Maidens.
Whenever the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack or a damage roll for such an attack, he adds a number of automatic successes equal to the number he has banked with the Wheel-Turning Sage King Form. In addition, he increases his Parry DV by an amount equal to the number of banked successes. These successes stack with any banked successes that are actually spent on the roll, but still count as being added with Charms. In addition, the martial artist may spend a banked success in place of a point of Willpower to channel a Virtue.