Essence, The Prismatic Arrangement Of
Creation
The Student’s Sutra of
Essence: Once, there were maidens…
Deadly Starmetal Offensive (JI)
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Five turns
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
…and their names were JI and
PENG and LU and ZHOU
The character infuses her
fingernails with Essence, hardening them, sharpening them, lengthening them
into weapons ― and, most importantly, causing them to bend, influence and
predict the path of fate in the manner of starmetal. The inflict Strength +7L
damage, with +2 to Speed, Accuracy and Defense, and can parry both lethal and
ranged attacks. Treat attacks and parries enhanced with this Charm as unarmed;
they are legal weapons for any martial arts style.
Orichalcum Sheathing Stance (PENG)
Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Five turns
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character wraps her body in
a sheath of Essence, mirroring in its interaction with her own anima the link
between Solar Exalted and orichalcum. She adds (12L/12B) to her soak. This
bonus acts as armor in all respects save one: It does not interfere with the
use of any Martial Arts Charm. Thus, attacks that ignore armor ignore this
soak, while aggravated damage does not. The character invokes this Charm
on her initiative. She can also invoke it when attacked but must declare the
use of the Charm before her opponent’s player makes his attack roll.
Flickering Moonsilver Approach (LU)
Cost: 10 motes
Duration: Five turns
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character traces patterns
through the air that echo the slippery, mutable ways in which moonsilver twists
the flows of Essence around it. Opponents cannot precisely determine the
Sidereal’s location: He can make an unarmed Martial Arts attack against anyone
within (his Essence x 5) yards, and the target subtracts his Martial Arts from
her dice pools to defend against him.
Five Jade Fury (ZHOU)
Cost: 10 motes
Duration: Five turns
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character binds the
substance of Creation to her Essence, shifting into a pattern of attacks that
radiates the elemental authority of jade. Each gives a gift, which apples only
to unarmed Martial Arts attacks. Her blow can be bashing or lethal, as she
chooses, reflecting the compassion and conviction of green jade. The grace of
black jade steers her attacks well: She supplements attack rolls with one extra
automatic success for every three dice rolled, rounded up. The reliability of
white jade ensures reasonable damage: She supplements damage rolls with one
extra automatic success for every three dice rolled, again rounding up. The
force of blue jade knocks opponents back one yard for each level of damage
inflicted. Finally, the swiftness of red jade adds +3 to her initiative.
Four Magical Materials Form (HOU TUI)
Cost: 15 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: One
complete martial art (all Charms), Deadly Starmetal Offensive, Orichalcum
Sheathing Stance, Flickering Moonsilver Approach, Five Jade Fury
And HOU TUI
The character attunes herself to
the Essence of the world, drawing on the flows of interwoven fates, raw power,
progressive change and elemental stability that play out all around her. In
this fashion, while she maintains the Form, she becomes a living artifact. This
Form does not mimic the Essence of soulsteel.
When using this Form, the
character continuously receives the benefits of the four stances from which it
derives. In addition, she becomes unbreakable: She automatically converts any
lethal damage she receives to bashing damage, before soak, unless the attack
could damage one of the Five Magical Materials.
Characters cannot normally use
more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Charm Redirection Technique (AN)
Cost: 7 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
and AN and CAI and LI and HUA
JI
The character learns to catch,
tangle and throw the Essence flows of Charms as if they were the flailing limbs
of her hapless foes. This is a Martial Arts parry action. Therefore, before the
character’s initiative, she can abort to the Charm Redirection Technique.
Afterward, she can use Martial Arts parry actions (obtained through a pre-split
dice pool or a Combo with a Charm allowing a reflexive Martial Arts parry) for
the Charm Redirection Technique.
When someone uses a Charm
against her or when someone within three yards uses a Charm, the Sidereal’s
player rolls her character’s Dexterity + Martial Arts against a difficulty
equal to the Charm user’s Essence. The character must invoke the Charm
Redirection Technique before her opponent’s player rolls the Charm’s effect, if
applicable.
Should the Charm Redirection
Technique succeed, the Sidereal learns a one-sentence summary of the chosen
Charm’s effects. She can then choose a new target for the Charm (if possible)
or annul it entirely. The rules for annulling Charm are as follows:
• The target must have the
option to not use the Charm. (Charms that invoke themselves, such as Surprise
Anticipation Method, are immune.)
• The target pays for the Charm
normally, but nothing happens. For simple or extra action Charms this also
means the target cannot act that turn. For supplemental Charms, he must take
the original dice action, unassisted by the Charm.
• Annulling a reflexive Charm
allows the target to immediately rouse it. For example, if the character annuls
Seven Shadow Evasion, the target can reinvoke it before the relevant attack
resolves.
The key rules for redirecting
Charms are as follows:
• A redirection is only valid if
the original user could apply the Charm to the new target. For example, the
Sidereal can redirect a Solar’s Sandstorm-Wind Attack against any target within
(10 x the Solar’s Essence) yards of the Solar. The redirection must also make
sense. A Solar’s impassioned words can accidentally seduce the wrong target,
but Eye-Deceiving Camouflage cannot accidentally hide the wrong person.
• Redirecting the Charm does not
change the variable effects. Base these on the original user’s Traits and mote
expenditure. For example, a redirected Blazing Solar Bolt uses the Solar’s
Dexterity + Melee pool, not the Sidereal’s.
• The victim whose
Charm the Sidereal redirected pays for the Charm normally. For simple Charms,
the Charm also represents his action for the turn.
• Redirecting a supplemental
Charm also redirects the associated dice action. This uses the original user’s
dice pool.
• Reflexive Charms cannot be
redirected.
• Redirecting extra action
Charms redirects all possible associated dice actions to the new target. If the
extra action Charm does not allow the application of every roll to a single
target ― the Arrow Storm Technique being an example ― the character
chooses as many actions to redirect as possible, and any remaining actions
proceed normally.
This Charm does not work against
Charms established in previous turns or against Combos. It does not work
against Martial Arts Form-type Charms or sorcery ― they cannot be
redirected or annulled.
Sequential Charm Disruption (CAI)
Cost: 5 motes + mote cost of
Charms affected, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Charm
Redirection Technique
This Charm extends the Charm
Redirection Technique, allowing the character to:
• Annul the effects of
established Charms. For example, she can cancel an ongoing Flow Like Blood
Charm.
• Annul or redirect a Combo. This
follows simple rules: If the Exalt can legally redirect all the simple,
supplemental and extra action Charms in a Combo, she can do so, as a single
invocation of Sequential Charm Disruption. If she can legally annul all of
them, she can do so, again with a single invocation. She chooses whether to
annul or ignore the reflexive Charms in a Combo individually, as they are used.
To use Sequential Charm
Disruption, the character must be a target of the Charm or effect or the
character must be a target of the Charm or effect or the character must come
within three yards of the Charm’s original user. She then uses a Martial Arts
parry action against the Charm itself, her player rolling Dexterity + Martial
Arts against the Charm user’s Essence. When disrupting Combos, if applicable,
the Sidereal must invoke Sequential Charm Disruption before her opponent begins
rolling the Charms’ effects.
Like Charm Redirection
Technique, this Charm does not affect Form-type Charms or Sorcery. The Essence
cost for this Charm equals the Essence cost for all the Charms affected, plus 5
motes.
For Example: Swan’s Combo
includes Striking Serpent Speed, Crippling Pressure-Point Strike, Serpentine
Evasion and Thunderbolt Attack Prana. Nerys wishes to thwart Swan and his
associate Imri using Sequential Charm Disruption. The Sidereal splits her dice
pool and attacks him. Swan invokes Serpentine Evasion, declaring the Combo and
spending 1 Willpower. Nerys ignores this Charm, and Swan successfully evades.
Then, Swan attacks. He spends 4 motes and 1 Willpower on Striking Serpent
Speed, his player rolling the Eclipse’s Essence and discovering that he can
make three attacks that turn. Each attack costs 6 motes and 1 Willpower, for a
total cost of 22 motes of Essence and 4 Willpower. Nerys uses her second action
to parry and disrupt the Combo, with a difficulty equal to Swan’s Essence. This costs 27 motes and 1 Willpower. She cannot redirect
Swan’s actions to different targets because of the rules for redirecting extra
action Charms. However, if Imri happens to be standing near Swan, Nerys can
legally redirect all of these Charms at her. Swan shrinks into a tight crouch,
then explodes upward in a leap, blazing with golden Essence. Nerys catches and
twists the power radiating from Swan. Instead of enabling a terrifying assault
against Nerys, the energy flow from Swan’s Combo draws him, with absolute grace
and helpless beauty, into a series of three fierce attacks upon Imri. Each blow
casts off spherical shockwaves of white energy, and not until all three land
can Swan wrench himself free from the tangled Essence flow.
Spell-Shattering Palm (LI)
Cost: 12 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character uses martial arts
to yank the threads of a delicate construct of sorcery out of place. Upon
contact with the effects of sorcery, she activates this Charm and makes a
reflexive unarmed Martial Arts attack against the structure of the spell. The
difficulty equals the sorcerer’s Essence plus the spell’s circle. If she
succeeds, the spell shatters, as if dispelled by countermagic of its own
circle.
The Exalt can work an even
greater mischief if someone actually casts a spell within her reach. Her player
makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack roll as described above. If she succeeds,
the Sidereal can abort the spell as above. Alternately, she can cause the
entire structure to unravel as if the sorcerer had botched a distraction roll.
This Charm functions against
necromancy as well as sorcery, but only if the Sidereal Exalted has had
extensive opportunity to study the dark magics of the Abyssal Exalted.
Astrology Interruption Method (HUA JI)
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character uses her education
in the nature of fate of conjuration with her martial skill to disjoint, snarl
and otherwise tangle the fates the spiders weave. By lightly striking the target
in the five points where the threads of the Loom of Fate attach, the Sidereal
can negate the effects of Sidereal astrology. Upon contact with a Sidereal
astrological effect, she may activate this Charm and make a reflexive unarmed
Martial Arts attack against the threads of destiny. The difficulty equals the
Essence + College of the Sidereal who created the effect. If she succeeds, the
effect is dangerously torn or frayed, and the pattern spiders abandon it. This
causes • Paradox to both the martial artist attacking the effect and the Sidereal
who created it and may trigger an inquiry by the bureau.
This Charm can target
resplendent destinies, even ones lurking in the target’s background. If the
target has multiple effects active at once, the martial artist will have to
attack them each separately. Roll first for any active resplendent destiny,
then any other effects, highest Essence + College first.
Soul Fire Shaper Form (QIAN JING)
Cost: 15 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: One
complete martial art (all Charms), Sequential Charm Disruption,
Spell-Shattering Palm, Astrology Interruption Method
and QIAN JING
The character balances her
actions so perfectly to the local flows of Essence that the world around her
― whether Creation, the Wyld, the Underworld or Malfeas itself ―
cannot help but support her victory.
While using the Soul Fire Shaper
Form, the character increases her effective permanent Essence score to 10. This
does not give her additional temporary Essence, although it does increase her
maximum temporary Essence. It does not allow her to purchase Charms, familiars
or acquaintances she would otherwise be unable to possess. Otherwise, treat her
Essence as 10 for all effects.
In addition, the character can
make one free use of Charm Redirection Technique, Sequential Charm Disruption,
Astrology Interruption Method or Spell-Shattering Palm in each turn. This is
part of the Form’s effect and does not count as the character’s action or Charm
for that turn.
Characters cannot normally use
more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
and ZUO GU and YOU PAN
The character steps into an
object or person, displacing its natural spirit with his Essence manipulations
as easily as a master of legerdemain might steal a mortal’s coat. The
Sidereal’s player rolls Charisma + Martial Arts against a difficulty equal to
the Essence of the Exalt’s target ― the body he wants to steal or the god
or the least god of the thing he wishes to possess. The target’s player can
make a simple Willpower roll against difficulty 2 each turn to regain control
over her body. In the meantime, the Exalt’s body dematerializes. He can move
and take Martial Arts actions through the stolen flesh, using the body’s
Strength, Dexterity or Stamina if they exceed his own. This Charm imbues the
stolen body with supernatural flexibility and mobility. Thus, possessed trees
can attack and unattended ox-carts can charge.
The character cannot possess
soulsteel. He can only possess objects made of other Magical Materials if he
knows the style’s Charm for emulating that Magical Material.
(Type) Exalt Ways (YOU PAN)
Cost: 10 motes, 1 health level
Duration: Five turns
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
The character strikes his
throat, abdomen, spine, brow and crown chakras, forcibly reshaping his Essence
and altering how his anima interacts with the world. This is actually a set of
Charms. Each allows the character, for five turns, to mimic the anima banner
and anima effects of one other type and caste of Exalted. Most Sidereals on
this path choose No Moon or
Knowing
Games Of Divinity Form (WU JI)
Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: One
complete martial art (all Charms),
and WU JI
The character adopts the
attitude and posture of the spirit courts, moving with the infinite baroque
complexity necessary to the management of Creation. Directed by the four powers
of her mind ― aspiration, effort, intention and analysis ― the
whole of her Essence flows as one. Simultaneously, even the smallest mote of
her being directs itself toward managing its own affairs.
Though no imperfect creature can
truly master it, this Form has a perfect beauty to it. While the character uses
this Form, enemies’ players must fail a Compassion roll if these enemies wish
to harm her. Subduing her or manipulating her remains acceptable. Enemies
cannot spend Willpower for the roll to deliberately fail. Those who witness the
Games of Divinity Form become addicted: So long as they remember the Sidereal
or the Form, they crave to see it again. Their player must succeed at
Temperance rolls for their characters to refuse any reasonable opportunity to
behold, once again, the Games of Divinity Form.
Dreamstones provide a more
intense experience than this Form. Dreamstone addiction both wipes away and
prevents addiction to the Form. However, witnessing or performing the Games of
Divinity Form is an unpleasant but palatable dreamstone alternative for even
the most desperate of addicts.
Characters cannot normally use
more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Demesne Emulation Practice (KAO)
Cost: 20 motes, 1 Willpower, 1
health level
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: None
and KAO
Tugging gently on the flows of
Essence around him, the character forms himself into a
nexus, a convergence point through which power pours. The Sidereal’s player
rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts, unmodified by any other Charms. For the
remainder of the scene, each of the Exalt’s successful unarmed attacks also
does aggravated damage equal to the number of successes rolled for the Demesne
Emulation Practice Charm. This damage is soaked separately. The Sidereal’s hand
upon an enemy’s chest burns her with raw Essence, his elbow in her ear fills
her head with Essence lightning, and his foot against her knee is as terribly
cold as the Essence of a saltwater siren’s heart.
Demesne And Manse Form (CHUNG TING)
Cost: 12 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: One
complete martial art (all Charms), Demesne Emulation Practice
and CHUNG TING!
The character adopts the stately
grandeur of a temple and radiates the ancient power of a Manse. She can now
properly channel and constrain the raw Essence flow that the Demesne Emulation
Practice feeds into her, coalescing it around her
Caste Mark into a Hearthstone set in her brow. This Hearthstone only exists
while the character is using Demesne and Manse Form. When the Sidereal
terminates the Form, the Hearthstone fades.
When using the Form, the
character receives the Hearthstone’s benefits, as if it were properly set in a
starmetal circlet. The player and the Storyteller should work together to
determine its effects, developing a 4- or 5-dot Hearthstone that reflects the
character’s personality. Treat major changes to the character’s nature as
architectural alterations to a Manse, adjusting the Hearthstone’s abilities
appropriately.
Characters cannot normally use
more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Prismatic Arrangement Of Creation Form
(TAO)
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 5
Prerequisite Charms: Four
Magical Materials Form, Soul Fire Shaper Form, Games of Divinity Form, Demesne
and Manse Form
The Elder Sutra of Essence:
The last maiden’s name was TAO. These were their names, but they knew them not.
As she assumes this Form, the
character vanishes into the flows of Essence around her. For a long moment, she
is nowhere and everywhere, embodied in the dance of all things. Then, she
manifests again, in every movement consummately aware of everything around her,
reacting to intentions before they are formed, actions before they are taken
and to the battle as a whole as easily as to a single blow.
This Charm doubles the
character’s base initiative (Dexterity + Wits). Charms such as Opportune Shot
and Thunderclap Rush Attack do not automatically win initiative over her. The
Exalt is aware of every attack against her and is immune to sensory penalties
― this is a perfect effect. She can sense every effect, object and
creature within (her Essence x 10) yards. Noticing something hidden requires a
reflexive Perception + Awareness roll, adding the Sidereal’s Essence in
automatic successes.
While using the Prismatic
Arrangement of Creation Form, the character can also invoke any or all of its
subsidiary Forms, paying the normal Essence cost. As long as the Prismatic
Arrangement of Creation Form is active, the Four Magical Materials Form, Soul
Fire Shaper Form, Games of Divinity Form and Demesne and Manse Form can coexist
with it and with one another. The character can also invoke other Form-type
Charms, but this limits her to a total of two other Forms. For example, she
could invoke Prismatic Arrangement of Creation Form followed by either Earth
Dragon Form and Games of Divinity Form, Tiger Form and Ebon Shadow Form or
Snake Form and Charcoal March of Spiders Form. The Prismatic Arrangement of
Creation Form is transcendent and embraces other Forms as lesser parts of itself.
While this Form is active, the
character may have access to unexpected weaponry. Any weapon treated as an
unarmed attack by a style whose Form-type Charm she
has active is treated as an unarmed attack for the purpose of all Martial Arts
Charms. This is a specific benefit of the Prismatic Arrangement of Creation
Form and not a general rule. For example, Tiger Form allows the use of tiger
claws as unarmed attacks. If she has both Prismatic Arrangement of Creation
Form and Tiger Form active, the Sidereal can use tiger claws to inflict the
Water Spider Bite ― whether or not she also has Charcoal March of Spiders
Form active. This effect does not extend to armor.
The Prismatic Arrangement of
Creation Form is complete and perfect in every respect, but to perform it
correctly requires a deep understanding of the other styles that it subsumes.
Sidereal masters estimate that a complete understanding of roughly 40 styles
would allow an essentially accurate adoption of this Form, possibly increasing
the power of this Charm.