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View Full Version : Thousand Torments Style- Exalted 2E Homebrew



Cyborg Mage
2011-04-27, 08:31 AM
Pain. Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is what birthed the way of the Yozis, the Reclamation, and ultimately-the Infernals themselves. There are those who understand that fact- and then, there are those who turn it into a weapon.

So, this is my first attempt at a homebrew Martial Arts style, with the intention of giving the Infernals something truly befitting their style and home. The most enthralling gorefest I could come up with.

YE OF WEAK HEART AND/OR STOMACH DO NOT READ ON.

So, here goes:

Blood-Halting Hand
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 5)
Keywords: Combo- OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None

Blood is the fixation of more than just the Abyssal exalted. Infernals know it as the symbol of life, the provider of health- and when spilt, a trophy of victory. When this charm is used in conjunction with a Martial Arts attack, the user's essence creeps below the target's skin, tightening their blood vessels and clogging the fluid itself. Any Bashing or Lethal damage inflicted with this attack takes twice as long to heal naturally.

Red Torrent of Slaughter
Cost: 7m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo- OK, Mutilating
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Blood-Halting Hand

The ultimate plan of the Yozis, or at least those of any worth, is to taint Creation, to turn it against itself so that the Yozis may walk its surface once more. This charm represents that, turning the source of life into a lethal weapon. The user makes a Martial Arts attack as normal, as tendrils of green, smoky essence seep below the skin, working its way into the bloodstream. And there, it does its work. The fluid flows faster, pressurizes, heats up and acidifies, melting skin and corroding bone. The target takes one unsoakable Lethal damage every two ticks after this charms' use, and after six ticks it takes full effect. The essence-infused blood bursts violently to the surface, spraying burning and scalding gore 10' in every direction. The target instantly takes (User's Essence x 2) damage, and everyone within the 10' radius takes half this damage, which is still unsoakable save for natural or non-physical protection.

Death Begins Within
Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 4)
Keywords: Combo- Basic, Mutilating
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Blood-Halting Hand

The Yozis have had untold millenia to understand the tortures inflicted on them- and, more importantly, to create their own. And nothing inflicts more pain than one's own body being turned against them. Upon activating this charm, they must clinch the target for three ticks (Technically, the only real requirement is three ticks of unbroken physical contact) while their essence seeps through the target's bones, splintering and deforming them. After these three ticks, (2d10) needles of sharpened bone skewer up through the target's skin, dealing (Essence)d10 leathal damage as they do so. Additionally, these spikes can be broken off the target and used as a weapon; used as an arrowhead or throwing weapon, they have the same effect as a target arrow, while in melee combat they are treated as needles.

Death Continues Without
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 4)
Keywords: Mutilating, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Death Begins Within

It is both the duty and the pleasure of an Infernal to devise new and painful ways to torture and corrupt their foes. When the user activates Death Begins Within, they may pay the cost of this Charm to add its effects to the attack. After the three turns of clinching, the needles explode out of the target's body, making one automatic attack per every five needles against every target within (Essence x 10) yards, utilizing the user's (Essence+Thrown).

Thousand Torments Form
Cost: 8m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Basic (Speed 6)
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Death Continues Without

Pain is the basis of this entire style, and as a Martial Artist trains themself for this charm, they understand that. Every wound lets more of their anger pour forth, every bruise strenghens every one of their own blows, even the sharpest pain serves only to sharpen their prowess. While this charm is active, the user subtracts their wound penalty from any Martial Arts attack or damage roll, and subrtacts half of that from the mote cost of any Thousand Torments Style charm.

Sharpened Upon The Soul
Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Basic (Speed 4)
Keywords: Mutilating, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Thousand Torments Form

No weapon hurts more than one that comes from within. Especiallly if taken literally. With this charm, the user reaches down the throat of any nearby dead or Incapacitated mortal-sized bodies, tearing through skin and muscle and pulling out the target's spine (This is lethal to Incapacitated characters), which then pulses with veins of green essence, elongating and sharpening. This weapon is from then on considered a Vitriolic daiklaive, automatically attuned and considered both a martial arts weapon and a form weapon for Thousand Torments Style.

No Prey Too Large, 5xp: With this upgrade, the user can perform the charm on any mortal-sized or larger body. Larger ones can produce either a grand daiklaive or a warstrider-sized form of either version. Most of the specifics of this are up to the ST- one such specific being at which size performing this charm becomes physically impossible.

To Know Malfeas
Cost: 9m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Mutilating, Obvious
Duration: Ten Ticks
Prerequisites: Sharpened Upon The Soul

Perhaps only the Abyssals can match the Green Sun Princes in brutality and sadism. The target of this charm, once the attack makes contact, has threads of green essence writhe and jump upon their skin, before they sink in and the true power of the charm is activated. The target's flesh begins to boil and liquify, dealing half the user's essence as unsoakable lethal damage every tick for ten ticks, rounding down. Additionally, any biological creature that makes contact with the liquid flesh generated by this charm is subjected to a weakened version, suffering one quarter of the user's essence as unsoakable damage every tick for five ticks. Damage dealt by this charm can only be healed using magical methods.

Mutilating

Any Extra targeted with this charm is killed, either instantly or when the charm is specified to activate. Anyone seeing this charm in action must make a Valor roll to avoid fleeing at the sight of this carnage, and then a Compassion roll to see whether or not they simply throw themselves at the offending Martial Artist in a rage. Any damage dealt by a charm with this keyword cannot be healed without some form of outside assistance.

So there you go. The style can be performed unarmed, or using cesti, tiger claws or someone's spine.

Enjoy your gorefest, people!

Tavar
2011-04-27, 08:37 AM
Mutilating seems way to strong. Especially for a keyword.

Still reading the style.

Primal Fury
2011-04-27, 10:19 AM
You know what I really want to say? I want to say that this is not a style by itself. I want to say that these are Infernal Monster expansions. The form could certainly be a permanent enhancement to Infernal Monster Form. These definitely need some tweak, but they do look like fun.

On the Mutilation keyword... It seems like you could do without the Compassion roll; the Valor roll is enough by itself.

Cyborg Mage
2011-04-27, 10:29 AM
Yeah, I was sorta thinking the same with the compassion roll. As for not being an independent style, no. Let's say Infernal Monster represents Malfeas, which it probably does. It's designed to use ovewhelming power and anger. This style would probably represent the Ebon Dragon- designed to inflict suffering in every way a person can think of and more.

Primal Fury
2011-04-27, 10:48 AM
As for not being an independent style, no. Let's say Infernal Monster represents Malfeas, which it probably does.
Except it doesn't. Infernal Monster Style emulates The Infernal Monster, which is a different being on its own.


This style would probably represent the Ebon Dragon- designed to inflict suffering in every way a person can think of and more.
That's exactly what the Infernal Monster was created to do. You're fighting a Solar, his mortal wife (who is pregnant) is nearby. You leap on her, and begin wielding her like a club. The Solar can't bring himself to harm her, or even defend himself with his blade, so all he can do is try to dodge while you beat him to within an inch of his life. Just when they think you're going to kill them, you go a step further: You activate Hero-Sundering Hands, and tear the unborn child from her womb. You don't even want to kill them at this point, doing so would rob you of their anguish.

You can't be serious when you say these charms don't belong to the Demon Monster. :smallamused:

Cyborg Mage
2011-04-27, 11:13 AM
Hey, I'm not too familiar with Infernal fluff. But yeah, I suppose this could mabye be considered a sub-style or something until we flesh it out a little.

Excuse me, I'm going to tear out that woman's spine and make the baby's blood vessels explode with it.

Primal Fury
2011-04-27, 12:51 PM
I do hope you'll see things my way. These are simply too good to keep away from the Infernal Monster.

But enough of that. On to the crunch.

Blood Halting Hand seems too expensive. I'd lower the cost to one mote since it has no immediate effect. It also might need the Shaping keyword, based on how you described it. Of course, you could change the fluff to fix that. Rather than "My essence seeps into your body and constricts your blood vessels" (which is clearly Shaping), you could go with "I punch you so freaking hard, that your blood vessels collapse, and can't heal that wound properly" (which is not Shaping, since it's all about extreme power).

Red Torrent of Slaughter needs to be further up in the tree. The distance of the sprayed blood should be in yards, as that's Exalted's default unit of measurement. The damage is also unclear; is that meant to be in levels of damage, or dice? And the final portion would make a bit more sense if it said "This damage is unsoakable without the aid of charms." It's also definitely Shaping since it's boiling the victims blood. No way around that one unfortunately. :smallfrown:

Death Begins Within is also Shaping, and it needs the Touch keyword as well. I'd take out the part about "Three ticks of unbroken physical contact" since I find it hard to imagine a situation in which you wouldn't be clinching them. You could also treat the bone-splinters as form weapons, regardless of how they're used. And that (Essence)d10 of lethal damage needs to change; this ain't DnD son! :smallfurious: I'd recommend one die of damage for every two needles... maybe even one level since it's Shaping.

EDIT: Oh my god! Combing that with World Breaker Grip! You've got yourself a giant club, covered in bone-spikes!

Death Continues Without should be a permanent charm enhancing its prerequisite. And the attack roll here should be (Essence + Martial Arts).

The Form charm could use some rewording... I recommend adding the wound penalty to Bashing and Lethal soak, half that to the Parry DV, and subtracting half of that from the cost of these charms.

Ha! Finally one that isn't Shaping! Well... It wouldn't be if you... changed it to ripping the victims spine and skull, then wielding that as a goremaul. Also, Infernals don't have a magical material of their own (unless you count Brimstone, my very own creation). And No Prey Too Large is good enough to be its own charm.

And... another one that is Shaping. I'm not quite sure about To Know Malfeas. It's strong to be sure, but I'm not sure if it's too strong, or just right. Gonna have to think on it.

Cyborg Mage
2011-04-27, 01:24 PM
I do hope you'll see things my way. These are simply too good to keep away from the Infernal Monster.

But enough of that. On to the crunch.

Blood Halting Hand seems too expensive. I'd lower the cost to one mote since it has no immediate effect. It also might need the Shaping keyword, based on how you described it. Of course, you could change the fluff to fix that. Rather than "My essence seeps into your body and constricts your blood vessels" (which is clearly Shaping), you could go with "I punch you so freaking hard, that your blood vessels collapse, and can't heal that wound properly" (which is not Shaping, since it's all about extreme power).

The idea is that the user punches you REALLY hard, and then their essence sort of solidifies in the bloodstream. Result? Extremely severe, borderline gangerene bruising.


Red Torrent of Slaughter needs to be further up in the tree. The distance of the sprayed blood should be in yards, as that's Exalted's default unit of measurement. The damage is also unclear; is that meant to be in levels of damage, or dice? And the final portion would make a bit more sense if it said "This damage is unsoakable without the aid of charms." It's also definitely Shaping since it's boiling the victims blood. No way around that one unfortunately. :smallfrown:

It's meant to be health levels. I intended it to be one of those optional, non-progressive charms, but there may be one or two charms added to this or something. Otherwise, that will all be implemented.


Death Begins Within is also Shaping, and it needs the Touch keyword as well. I'd take out the part about "Three ticks of unbroken physical contact" since I find it hard to imagine a situation in which you wouldn't be clinching them. You could also treat the bone-splinters as form weapons, regardless of how they're used. And that (Essence)d10 of lethal damage needs to change; this ain't DnD son! :smallfurious: I'd recommend one die of damage for every two needles... maybe even one level since it's Shaping.

EDIT: Oh my god! Combing that with World Breaker Grip! You've got yourself a giant club, covered in bone-spikes!

Who knows, you could be trying to get the jump on an assassination target or something by setting this off without them noticing. The rest will probably happen.


Death Continues Without should be a permanent charm enhancing its prerequisite. And the attack roll here should be (Essence + Martial Arts).

For one, I thought it would be useful to make the explosion optional if they, say, want to make more ammo for their powerbow-toting friend. And I just don't see how hard you can punch someone would have any bearing on the strength of bone splinters flying out of their body.


The Form charm could use some rewording... I recommend adding the wound penalty to Bashing and Lethal soak, half that to the Parry DV, and subtracting half of that from the cost of these charms.

I'm taking this in a rather literal manner- that the wound penalties are in fact negatives being added to the dice roll instead of positives being subtracted. Take away a negative from anything, and you're basically adding a poisitive. Plus you do realize that the last suggestion would be basically useless, seeing as you'd have to be (assuming rounding down) at -4 before you start having any charm cost reductions. Really, who's going to want to be at -4 to just have a minor effect on how many motes they spend on one martial arts style? ONE STYLE?


Ha! Finally one that isn't Shaping! Well... It wouldn't be if you... changed it to ripping the victims spine and skull, then wielding that as a goremaul. Also, Infernals don't have a magical material of their own (unless you count Brimstone, my very own creation). And No Prey Too Large is good enough to be its own charm.

I dunno, that sort of ruins what I was going for. It's bad enough they can rip out a person's spine, but they can also snap off the skull in one motion? And unless I'm mistaken, can Infernals not turn magical materials into Infernal-y ones with Vitriol? In all other respects, the spine-klaive isn't considered to be made of any magical materials.


And... another one that is Shaping. I'm not quite sure about To Know Malfeas. It's strong to be sure, but I'm not sure if it's too strong, or just right. Gonna have to think on it.

To Know Malfeas was one of the original charms I came up with. And DAMNIT, I forgot that one that's supposed to suffocate them by blocking off their lungs with a layer of bonespikes. I'll put these suggestions in soon.

Primal Fury
2011-04-27, 01:52 PM
The idea is that the user punches you REALLY hard, and then their essence sort of solidifies in the bloodstream. Result? Extremely severe, borderline gangerene bruising.
That still sounds like Shaping though. Creating changes in someone's essence is the epitome of Shaping. I once read a Solar charm that had much the same idea, except it cut off the flow of essence by striking chakras. So think less amount "solidifying" the essence itself, and more about "constricting" the flow of essence.


Who knows, you could be trying to get the jump on an assassination target or something by setting this off without them noticing. The rest will probably happen.
Mmmmm. Fair enough.


For one, I thought it would be useful to make the explosion optional if they, say, want to make more ammo for their powerbow-toting friend. And I just don't see how hard you can punch someone would have any bearing on the strength of bone splinters flying out of their body.
The explosion can still be optional. Nothing FORCES you to use permanent enhancements to charms; they are merely options. As for the flying bone-splinters, I don't see what how hard you can throw something has to do with bone-splinters flying out of their body since you're not actually throwing them. It's just... you don't want to create reliance on other abilities when your making charms. Martial arts stays with martial arts, melee stays with melee, etcetera.


I'm taking this in a rather literal manner- that the wound penalties are in fact negatives being added to the dice roll instead of positives being subtracted. Take away a negative from anything, and you're basically adding a poisitive. Plus you do realize that the last suggestion would be basically useless, seeing as you'd have to be (assuming rounding down) at -4 before you start having any charm cost reductions. Really, who's going to want to be at -4 to just have a minor effect on how many motes they spend on one martial arts style? ONE STYLE?
The thing is your using a charm on yourself that modifies someone else's action. It just makes more sense to buff yourself that to debuff another character. The latter is just fine, but the former implies that there should be some way to resist it.

And honestly, I'm still operating under that assumption that these are Infernal Monster expansions, allowing that 1 mote discount to benefit ALL of Infernal Monster Style. :smallredface:


I dunno, that sort of ruins what I was going for. It's bad enough they can rip out a person's spine, but they can also snap off the skull in one motion?
Yeah, how is that hard to believe? Though it might be easier to reach into someone's back and do that, rather than down their throat. But that might be a personal thing. I'd have more fun wielding a spine-and-skull flail than a sword. I'd call it a Gore-Flail. :smallbiggrin:


And unless I'm mistaken, can Infernals not turn magical materials into Infernal-y ones with Vitriol? In all other respects, the spine-klaive isn't considered to be made of any magical materials.
True. I just want to plug do a little plug is all. Better add that link too. ^_^


To Know Malfeas was one of the original charms I came up with. And DAMNIT, I forgot that one that's supposed to suffocate them by blocking off their lungs with a layer of bonespikes. I'll put these suggestions in soon.
Well carry on then.

Primal Fury
2011-04-27, 08:57 PM
On second thought, you can add a more immediate effect to Blood-Halting Hand, likely a damage adder. I'd go with doubling your Strength for the purpose of determining raw damage. It stays with the whole "I am THIS GODDAMN POWERFUL" idea behind the charm. Perhaps raise the cost to 2... maybe 3 motes. Probably 2 motes.