By Antuan Wallace ("Hibiki") (hibikix0x@aol.com)
"It was during Ling's journeys that she came upon the brotherhood of Akashic 'Lightning Men.' She was quite impressed with the strange mortals and traveled as a student of their teachings to master their ways of balance and harmony. She even began to embark upon her journey of the mystical steps of Do. It is said that Ling spent a thousand nights in acute meditation and study under the wisest of these monks. Ling began to reach a state of balance and awareness never before achieved by the wan kuei; all was right in the world. But it was not to last as the Brothers refused her pleas to study the more arcane steps of Do, and so it was that she once again left to wander. For a time she was lost to her P'o and was said to have destroyed cities in her anger.
"In her despair Ling returned to Ki and shared her wisdom with her master; Ki listened and was enlightened. The two traveled together for a time, but the wandering spirit within Ling one again drew her away from her master and it was that she left his presence and roamed the wilds for a thousand nights in righteous meditation.
"It was at the end of this journey that she encountered the Heavenly Dragon, and entered his palace at the base of Mt. Meru. It was a most auspicious event for from the Heavenly Dragon it was that she was illuminated and taught the 'Ten Thousand Poses of Heaven.' It was in her stay with the Heavenly Dragon that she encountered a most strange demon, Li a son of Zao-Lat and of the Wu-Zao. It was that she was so mesmerized by the peace and savage strength of his will that the two became lovers and spent a thousand nights in bliss. In turn Li taught her the Way, the path to subduing the P'o through martial abstinence. But in the end Heaven once again called upon the wanderer and Ling left the company of the Heavenly Dragon.
"Ling retreated to a serene waterfall and meditated on the teachings of her life. From the Akashic Brothers she had learned balance and the art of Do. From the Heavenly Dragon she had been shown the path to the Hundred Clouds. From her lover, Li, she had learned to master her P'o. So it was that Ling pondered and meditated for ten thousand nights. A monkey joined her and made Ling laugh. From the sky an eagle landed and died, and brought Ling sadness. Nearest the falls she saw a white crane and was pleased. A black tiger ate the crane and she was enlightened.
"It was with great vigor that Ling turned her path towards harmony with the All, and utilize the P'o as one would a trained war dog. In her nights of exercise she developed the 'Ten Thousand Katas,' a discipline of not only seeming harmony but also uncanny martial arts. She had discerned her place in Heaven, and so it was that she would spend the rest of her nights in devout training to the Way.
"It was during these exercises that Ling met Fo, a wrathful Devil Tiger of the Yellow Emperor court. Fo, a powerful wan kuei, set upon Ling, and attempted to kill her. Ling easily bested the wrathful demon and sent him sprawling to the five directions. Fo rose and was greatly shamed; he renounced his court and became a disciple of Ling and learned of the secret arts she had wrestled from Heaven.
"Ling, ever the wanderer, left her student to travel once more and was never again seen by mortal or immortal eyes. Fo, himself a master of the Ten Thousand Katas, took to a life of wandering across the Middle Kingdom and spreading the philosophy and knowledge throughout the courts. And so it was that the 'Path to Heaven,' as Ten Thousand Katas is referred to in the Quincunx, was brought to the wan kuei. It should be noted that Fo still lives deep in the wilderness mastering the art and discerning his place in Heaven -- or so it is said."
These are the only tenets and commandments of the Ten Thousand Katas. This, along with the Tale of Ling consummate the base of the Ten Thousand Katas. These very loose sets of rules have created many debates throughout the wan kuei of the Middle Kingdom. Many try to place meaning behind the cryptic Path of Five Directions, leading to many interpretations and "schools" of thought. As with most things dealing with the ten thousand demons, these schools do not always agree.
It must be noted that this art is not considered the "Perfect Martial Art"; it is considered a path of living, a way of being. Perfection is viewed as an antithesis to everything the Way proposes, for in perfection there is no growth only stasis. Stasis leads to the P'o subsuming the Hun, as lack of growth makes the demon grow strong.
It should be noted that the gaki of Japan practice this art but call it Chouten-Ryuu, loosely meaning "Perfect Heavenly Dragon". The gaki practitioners believe that the true master was the Heavenly Dragon and that it was not Mt. Meru that the palace was located but at Mt. Fuji. The gaki in general also believe that Chouten-Ryuu is "Perfect," for it is continuous motion and can be any and all movements. This point of difference is only one of many differences that has estranged the schools of the Quincunx and those of the Clans of the Rising Sun.
This division within philosophy has further divided schools. Some practice the art as simply a grouping of exercises that calm the mind and give one focus. Other schools such as the brutal Black Tiger focus on mastery of the P'o and are quite dangerous. All believe they espouse the true style; ironically they may be all right. Ten Thousand Katas is considered a formless style; "to not be like the mountain but the shapeless wind" is a popular proverb among many masters of the Way.
System: No roll is needed; the effect is automatic as long as the vampire is in a state of wind soul or shadow soul. The difficulty rolls of all Martial Art rolls is reduced by one and may use any special maneuver "hard" or "soft" in combat. It should be noted Martial Art rolls made for the discipline powers couldn't be reduced, as they are extensions of ones understanding of the Way.
System: The vampire spends a point of Willpower and rolls Perception + Martial Arts (difficulty 6) at the beginning of the turn. Every attack made against the vampire must be the number of successes the vampire made to even hit him. If the vampire ties the attacker's successes he simply dodges. If the vampire has one success over his attacker he may throw the attacker at his leisure; the opponent must be in close combat, and the attacker may not defend. If the vampire garners two successes over the opponent then he may redirect the opponent's attack as he sees fit. If used against another opponent, he may attempt to defend if able; use the attacker's attack roll for success of attack. The vampire may also simply choose to turn the attack upon the attacker who may not defend; either way the attacker must be close range combat.
System: At this level of skill the vampire may use melee weapons with her Martial Arts skill. In addition the character may utilize the P'o to commit horribly powerful feats.
Strike as Lightning: If the vampire wins the initiative she may spend Demon Chi, making appropriate checks for shadow nature, and commit a Lighting Blow. If she garners three successes on the roll the victim may not defend the attack.
Dragon's Auspicious Fury: The vampire taps into the P'o and attempts to draw grand fury from its rage and evil. The character rolls P'o (difficulty of Willpower). If successful at the end of the next turn and each turn there after the vampire gains 1 point of Demon Chi. If the roll is unsuccessful, the vampire succumbs to fire soul. If the roll is botched the vampire falls to Shadow Nature. This power lasts until the end of the scene, or until the "adrenaline" would die down.
Thunderous Blow: The vampire channels her P'o through her body and exerts it into a terrible attack that can shatter bones and break iron. The vampire spends a point of Demon Chi, making the appropriate checks for shadow nature, and rolls to strike as normal, if successful the attack does aggravated damage; if the attack fails the Demon Chi is still lost.
System: The vampire spends a point of Chi (either type) and may either attack, or more often defend (gaining more success than the attacker at difficulty 6). The vampire, if the action is successful, pinpoints a pressure point and gracefully incapacitates the foe, causing no damage. Mortals automatically succumb to the to the ability; shen may roll Willpower (difficulty of the vampire's Hun + 4) as can well trained mortals.
P'o System: The vampire spends a point of Demon Chi, making appropriate checks for shadow nature, then rolls to strike or defend as normal (difficulty of 6). The vampire may, on a successful action, incapacitate the opponent by snapping bones and rending muscle, doing lethal damage equal to the vampire's P'o which cannot be soaked except by supernatural means. Unless the damage is soaked the opponent is considered incapacitated; shen may roll Willpower (difficulty of the vampire's P'o + 4) to maintain consciousness, still suffering the effects of the wound. The vampire can utilize the attack to snap necks or break spines; in such situations the difficulty of the roll is 8. If successful the mortal is most likely dead, or at the very least paralyzed for life. Shen, if they take 3 or more damage after soaking, may roll Willpower (difficulty same as before) to defend against this grievous attack or be struck incapacitated, until the damage is healed, and depending on the shen, paralyzed for life.
System: The vampire spends two points of Chi (Demon, Yang, or Yin) depending on the Chi spent the effect is different upon the victim. The vampire rolls to strike (difficulty 8). If successful, the victim falls to the blow of Dim Mak, may heaven take pity on his soul. As an aside, the master has gained a deep understanding the body and how Chi affects the flow of positive and negative aspects of it. She may use her Martial Arts for Medicine rolls for healing purposes and using her knowledge of the body's workings. This level of skill is capable of both great harm and great healing.
Yang System: The victim is consumed with a violent convulsive affliction, immediately incapacitating the victim. The victim also bleeds from his orifices uncontrollably. The victim takes bashing damage equal to his strength; make a resisted roll between Strength and Stamina to determine damage, as he convulses. The victim also takes one point of lethal damage per turn from the bleeding. This convulsive affliction lasts for as many turns as the vampire has Yang. Shen may defend but must spend a point of Willpower, then make a Willpower roll (difficulty of 8); if successful they are not affected. As expected, normal mortals have no defense, except specially trained mortals who may defend as shen.
Yin System: The victim is afflicted with a wasting disease, albeit not immediately, but a gradual wasting death. The victim, within two days, becomes ill and loses 2 dice from all dice pools. Each week afterwords the victim loses a point from her lowest physical attribute; when it reaches zero the victim is bedridden, and it starts again with the next lowest attribute. As an aside, every two points of physical attributes the victim loses a point of permanent Appearance is also lost. When all the physical attributes reach zero the victim dies a painful death. This power affects shen and mortals alike, although mortals have no defense versus the attack. Shen may spend a point of Willpower then roll their Willpower (difficulty 8) to avoid the effects, as can specially trained mortals. The Withering Death can be cured through potent Chi magics and rituals, of which it is up to the Storyteller to decide. If healed the lost attributes return at a rate of 1 per week up to their original level.
P'o System: The victim is afflicted with a touch of instant death, as the vampire utilizes his control of the P'o to expel the soul from the body. This is a most terrible attack and can even kill shen outright. The victim, if mortal, is instantly killed; there is no roll, only a quick death. To affect shen the vampire, who automatically enters shadow soul as he draws the P'o to the forefront, must make a resisted roll using his P'o versus the shen's Willpower. If successful, the attack will slay the shen. If the vampire chooses not to make that sacrifice the affect on shen is variable. Kin-jin fall into Torpor, kuei-jin suffer Little Death, hengeyokai and other shen succumb to a deep sleep. The shen may defend against this attack by spending a point of Willpower and rolling it (difficulty 8); this is only done if the contested roll is not made. As usual specially trained mortals may also defend this way.