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A common style in the Lap, Elusive Wind style was begun by an Outcaste Martial Artist named "Xenchu Barrai" who studied the desert winds that spread through the South for several decades during his time as a Caravan Guard along the Sun's Sea. The style grew out of his appreciation of the "Forge's Breath", as the Southern Winds are sometimes called, becoming a style of elusive dodges and light blows that slowly sap one's endurance.
The Elusive Wind style is most commonly fought unarmed, but allows the use of a Staff with it's fighting maneuvers. Practitioners are allowed the use of Buff Jackets, but no heavier armor is permitted with these charms.
Dune-Running Gust
Cost: 1 mote Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Southern Wind moves swiftly and unceasingly over the endless expanse of the Sun's Sea, unimpeded by the harsh terrain. An Exalt with this charm emulates this ability in a quick gust, adding his Martial Arts to his movement rate (Dexterity + 12 yards, base). In addition, the Exalt ignores any circumstance penalties or difficulty penalties imposed by terrain. The effects of this charm last for a single turn, but the charm can be maintained for 1 mote per turn. This does not require using the charm again.
Strength-Sapping Forge Wind
Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Dune-Running Gust
The relentless Southern Wind can sap the strength from even the most rugged of travelers. An Exalt's strike adopts some of that harsh air, with each successful strike draining away some of his opponent's energy. Each successful strike that lands (even if it does no damage) requires the target to make a Stamina + Endurance roll against a difficulty of 1 or his armor's fatigue rating. Each additional strike during the scene raises the difficulty of this roll by 1, to a maximum of 5. Each failed roll gives the fatigued victim a -1 penalty to all actions. Accumulated penalties caused by this charm fade away at 15 minutes per point.
The Wind Slips Away
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Dune-Running Gust
The Wind is elusive and hard to catch, constantly slipping out of one's fingers. An Exalt who activates this charm becomes like that wind, slipping away from an attacker and further harm. After successfully dodging an attack, an Exalt may activate this charm and flit away from his attacker like the wind. The attacker moves half of his full movement rate, putting him out of the range of attackers with multiple attacks who cannot follow. This charm does not provide a dodge, it only reflexively supplements the effects of a successful dodge.
Elusive Wind Form
Cost: 5 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Strength Sapping Forge Wind, and The Wind Slips Away
Once an Exalt has mastered the basic maneuvers of the Elusive Wind Style, she may master the emulation of the Southern Wind. The Exalt takes on the aspect of the forge's breath, becoming swift and deadly, uncaring of lesser beings, a proud sirocco. For the remainder of the scene, the Exalt's unarmed attacks do piercing damage and he may double his Dexterity score to determine his running speed. If he has a Dodge action (from another charm or a dedicated action), he can add his Martial Arts score to the dodge roll. Lastly, he ignores the mobility penalty of any Buff Jacket he might be wearing. Characters cannot use more than one martial arts form-type Charm at a type. Using a form-type Charm ends the effects of any other form-type Charm the character was previously utilizing. This charm is not compatible with armor other than a Buff Jacket.
Uncatchable Wind Prana
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Elusive Wind Form
The wind slips through your fingers, impossible to hold or tie down. A master of the Elusive Wind style is similarly hard to restrain, and may use this charm to add his Essence in automatic success to a clinch roll. If the Martial Artist wins the contest, he must choose to escape from the clinch and may move his full movement distance away from the clincher. If the Martial Artist fails the roll, he may invoke this charm next turn to add an additional automatic success to his roll (on top of his Essence rating). Each additional use is similarly cumulative, until the Martial Artist escapes.
Mela's Relentless Fury
Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Uncatchable Wind Prana
In the proper circumstances, the Wind does more than just sap the strength from the unwary traveler -- in some places in the South, the wind can kill, leaving a desiccated husk or burying the victim in sand. A master of the Elusive Wind style is similarly lethal when he wishes to be, and can use this charm to add his Martial Arts rating to the damage of a single unarmed attack. This attack now does lethal damage.
Dancing Wind Strike
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Elusive Wind Form
Those from the South know that the wind can kill a man, and it is all the more feared due to the fact that it cannot be fought. A master of the Elusive Wind style is similarly feared, for he can slip through the clutches of his enemies while still bringing them low. When invoked, this charm gives the Martial Artist the benefit of a full dodge in addition to his normal action. It should be noted that due to the limitations imposed on Extra Action charms the character cannot split his normal action, but may otherwise use it as he wishes. The full dodge is identical in every respect to the effects of aborting to a full dodge, described on page 231 of the Exalted corebook, except for the notes above.
Howling Sirocco Assault
Cost: 4 motes per attack, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Mela's Relentless Fury, and Dancing Wind Strike
The martial artist surrounds himself in the howling essence of the sandstorm, launching himself in a furious attack against his opponent. Much like the sandstorm works its way past all barriers and kills even men heavily protected against it, so does a martial artist using this charm slip past the armor of his opponent, scouring him harshly with the power of his assault, soakable only with natural soak. The willpower cost of this charm only has to be paid once for turn, even if the Exalt uses this charm multiple times. This charm cannot be used with a weapon.
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