Back to Martial Arts Charms
Invented by a fairly old Outcaste Fire Aspect Martial Artist from Harbourhead, this style has caught on throughout most of the Southeast. In particular, its lesser mortal forms are widely taught among the various dojos and martial arts schools of the region and these secrets have even caught on among the Rohan Legions (who desire to mimic the fighting style of their leader, Johann Illhousen). While actual Exalted followers of the style are somewhat rare, the style has grown so widespread that its not uncommon among Southern Outcastes.
This style uses dual Swords as its signature weapons, and is most often practiced with the aid of Hook Swords which provide additional benefits when used by Stylists. More importantly, the charms in this stlye can only be used with Swords -- they cannot be used unarmed. Mortal practitioners of this style typically have Dual Hook Swords as a martial arts speciality, the ambidexterity merit, and similar traits purchases that mark them as practitioners of the Two Blades Style.
Two Hooks Method
Cost: 2 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The martial artist readies his weapons, often drawing them from crossed shoulder-sheaths or simply whipping them about into position, naturally falling into a stance and method that maximizes the advantages of his unique fighting style. For the rest of the scene, the Two Blade Stylist suffers no penalities for attacking with two weapons. In addition, if he is using two Hook Swords and has the form active, the Martial Artist ignores their accuracy penality.
Disarming Pincer Technique
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Two Hooks Method
The Two Blades Stylist reacts to an attack with a lightning fast pincer manuever designed to block the attack and disarm his opponent at the same time. This can be activated whenever the character makes a parry attempt, enhancing that parry so that the character gains a free disarm counterattack if he rolls more successes than the attacker. This counterattack functions identically to a normal disarm attempt, and is resolved using the statistics of the characters off-hand weapon if the two have different stats. If the character is using two Hook Swords and has the form active, the Martial Artist resolves the disarm counterattack at difficulty 1. The charaacter cannot use this charm to make a disarm counterattack against another counterattack.
Spinning Blades Stance
Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Two Hooks Method
The martial artist using this charm handles each of his two blades with finesse and quickness, able to casually divide his attention between them. The Martial Artist gains one extra action with his off-hand blade, which he can use for an attack or a parry. Other melee related actions are also possible with a stunt. If using two Hook Swords with the form active, the user of this charm instead gains two extra actions that he can use for either a parry or an attack.
Two Blades Form
Cost: 5 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Disarming Pincer Technique, Spinning Blades Stance
The master of Two Blades Style can casually slip into the Two Blades Form, holding each blade at the ready and with a casual grip, legs relaxed to allow quick and flowing movements in responce to any of his opponents actions. While this form charm is active, the Master of the Two Blades Style can utilize the full combined rate of both of his swords when splitting his actions and lowers the penality of any multiple action involving one of his swords by an amount equal to his Essence. He also gains a phantom speciality in "Dual Hook Swords", which explictly stacks with any other specialities he might have (but does not count for dice-adding purposes for Dragon-Blooded charms).
Double-Bladed Defense
Cost: 5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Two Blades Form
The Two Blades Stylist reacts quickly and naturally to an approaching attack, one of his weapons moving to intercept the attack while the other naturally flows along a natural line of assault and makes a counterattack against the attacker. The stylist must designate which weapon is used for which purpose, and make all the required rolls for the defense and attack. It is possible for the defense roll to fail while the counterattack roll succeeds, or vice versa. The stylist cannot use this charm in responce to a counterattack.
Stryck Wiki