[MA/Powers] Daimonomachia: the Art of Spirit Fighting

Mercator · 03-19-2008, 02:01 PM

This is a Martial Arts idea I've been playing with. I hope somebody finds it useful.

Background

The Heraklidai are a group of Greek warriors dedicated to the defense of Hellas and the worship of Herakles. Rumors say that they are all Herakles' sons. Heraklidai are widely known all over Hellas as sworn protectors of all Hellenic people against external enemies and Returned creatures -they are specially eager to follow rumors of new chimerai (aberrations) to fight-, and their distinctive lion skins and clubs make them instantly recognizable everywhere behind the Aegis.

Heraklidai are rather less-well known as a mystery Cult centered around the death and apotheosis of Herakles to godhood. Their religious practices, although largely unknown, are believed to be very rich and complex and to revolve around iniciatic journeys, rebirth after death and spiritual transformation but, as befits their Patron, with a very martial, physical perspective instead of a meditative, introspective one. Some believe that the mysteries behind Herakles' apotheosis might give its worshipers great power over the unseen world.

It is rumored that a chosen few have mastered these mysteries to the point of being able to affect spectral beings with sheer willpower. These warriors might be able to fight spirits and immaterial beings as if they were physical, and command them by wrestling them into submission. They are masters of daimonomachia, the art of spirit fighting.

Rules & questions

In essence, daimonomachia is just a form of Pankration whose techniques affect Insubstantial beings. It would follow the Pankration writeup of p. MA188, maybe adding the Two-Handed Axe/Mace Skill at higher levels. A practitioner (daimonomachos) can fight a spirit and force it to obey using the rules of Pain in Close Combat from p. MA119. At higher levels, it might include the power to negate the ability of the opponent to change shape, transform into water to escape (for water spirits), etc. The latter is quite easy to do with Static, Afflictions, etc.; however, I'm not sure how to model the basic power. How do I make Affects Insubstantial a learnable modifier of the Pankration skill set?

Adding a bunch of ST-based Innate Attacks seems a bit clumsy. The best idea I've had so far is to make fighters learn the cinematic Martial Arts Skills like Power Blow, Pressure Secrets, etc., modified according to Rev. Pee Kitty's rules for modifying spells, to include AI and balance it with FP costs, Concentrate maneuvers, etc; this way, you can be a normal Pankration fighter, but become a daimonomachos by learning the adequate esoteric Skills.

Another option is to make the spirit-affecting attacks learnable Techniques of the main Skills at -4 (-1 / 5%).

Both approaches would require an Unusual Background of some sort, as I want this martial art to be rare.

What do you think?

Cheers,
M

03-19-2008, 02:01 PM	#1
Mercator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia	[MA/Powers] Daimonomachia: the Art of Spirit Fighting This is a Martial Arts idea I've been playing with. I hope somebody finds it useful. Background The Heraklidai are a group of Greek warriors dedicated to the defense of Hellas and the worship of Herakles. Rumors say that they are all Herakles' sons. Heraklidai are widely known all over Hellas as sworn protectors of all Hellenic people against external enemies and Returned creatures -they are specially eager to follow rumors of new chimerai (aberrations) to fight-, and their distinctive lion skins and clubs make them instantly recognizable everywhere behind the Aegis. Heraklidai are rather less-well known as a mystery Cult centered around the death and apotheosis of Herakles to godhood. Their religious practices, although largely unknown, are believed to be very rich and complex and to revolve around iniciatic journeys, rebirth after death and spiritual transformation but, as befits their Patron, with a very martial, physical perspective instead of a meditative, introspective one. Some believe that the mysteries behind Herakles' apotheosis might give its worshipers great power over the unseen world. It is rumored that a chosen few have mastered these mysteries to the point of being able to affect spectral beings with sheer willpower. These warriors might be able to fight spirits and immaterial beings as if they were physical, and command them by wrestling them into submission. They are masters of daimonomachia, the art of spirit fighting. Rules & questions In essence, daimonomachia is just a form of Pankration whose techniques affect Insubstantial beings. It would follow the Pankration writeup of p. MA188, maybe adding the Two-Handed Axe/Mace Skill at higher levels. A practitioner (daimonomachos) can fight a spirit and force it to obey using the rules of Pain in Close Combat from p. MA119. At higher levels, it might include the power to negate the ability of the opponent to change shape, transform into water to escape (for water spirits), etc. The latter is quite easy to do with Static, Afflictions, etc.; however, I'm not sure how to model the basic power. How do I make Affects Insubstantial a learnable modifier of the Pankration skill set? Adding a bunch of ST-based Innate Attacks seems a bit clumsy. The best idea I've had so far is to make fighters learn the cinematic Martial Arts Skills like Power Blow, Pressure Secrets, etc., modified according to Rev. Pee Kitty's rules for modifying spells, to include AI and balance it with FP costs, Concentrate maneuvers, etc; this way, you can be a normal Pankration fighter, but become a daimonomachos by learning the adequate esoteric Skills. Another option is to make the spirit-affecting attacks learnable Techniques of the main Skills at -4 (-1 / 5%). Both approaches would require an Unusual Background of some sort, as I want this martial art to be rare. What do you think? Cheers, M __________________ Behind the Aegis - My dark fantasy setting in Classical Greece (discuss it here!). Conversion of the supernatural skills in the *Basic Set* to Powers. Last edited by Mercator; 03-19-2008 at 02:08 PM.