his jacket around Scotts neck and began to squeeze.

Scott struggled, of course, but George still outweighed him, and soon the deed was done. George looked down at the body, and thought for a moment. He then went to the kitchen, wiped the sweat off his forehead that had acquired during the scufe, and collected some trash bags. He piled Scott into the bags, grunting at the exertion, and then dragged his grisly package down to the basement. He hefted the body into the crawlspace, and made sure that it was placed precisely

against the wall, very neatly, before heading back upstairs to take care of that unsightly dirt on his clean doormat. A small part of George was concerned, and worried, and lled with grief and remorse about killing his friend but it was a much smaller part than George expected. Instead, a much larger part of him felt justied in his actions after all, he was simply defending what was his to keep in order. It was only right and natural that there would be repercussions for such an incursion. Everything had its place, after all.

CENTIPEDE STYLE
by Tom Iverson; Indianola, IA
Centipede Style is a Celestial Martial Arts style. Solar and Sidereal Exalted most often practice this style. Centipede Style is uncommon and seldom seen as a primary style for any Exalted and none may learn this difcult style unaided; however, Exalted who combine the Charms in this powerful style with their own favored style nd their current abilities augmented by the speed, venom, and resilience of the centipede. The form weapons for Centipede Style are hook swords, iron boots, and the seven-section staff. Centipede Style Charms treat attacks and blocks with these weapons (and their artifact analogs) as unarmed attacks and blocks.

CHARMS
Motion of Myriad Legs Technique
Cost: 2m or 1m (See Below); Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reexive (Step 1) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: 1 action Prerequisite Charms: None The centipede strikes with a speed that belies its small stature. This Charm augments a urry, which contains at least one unarmed Martial Arts attack. This Charm may also aid actions granted by an Extra Action
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Charm as long as at least one action in the Combo is an unarmed Martial Arts attack. Motion of Myriad Legs Technique adds one to the Rate and Accuracy of the Exalts unarmed Martial Arts weapons until the Exalts next action. In addition, this Charm reduces the attack Speed of all such weapons by one until the Exalts next action. For example, a Kick would have Speed 4, Accuracy +1, and Rate 3 for the duration of this Charm. A martial artist who knows the Centipede Form Charm may invoke a special version of this Charm. The Exalt may spend only 1m of Essence to activate Motion of Myriad Legs Technique; the Charm then adds one to

Rate and subtracts one from Speed but does not modify any weapons Accuracy. This effect is considered the same as invoking the original version of the Charm; an Exalt may not use different versions of the Charm during the same action. The speed bonus granted by this charm does not stack with other speed bonus effects, such as the magical material bonus to speed granted by jade.

The 99 More Technique

Cost: 3m, 1hl; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reexive Keywords: Combo-Basic, Counterattack, Obvious Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Blurry Scurry Prana When a centipedes leg is held, the centipede may detach it to escape with the remaining ninety-nine legs. The 99 More Technique allows an Exalt to similarly sacrice a portion of themselves to escape the clutches of an adversary. The 99 More Technique is activated after an opponent successfully places the martial artist in a clinch, but before the martial artist becomes inactive due to the opponents success or the opponent chooses the results of the clinch. Once the Exalt activates this Charm by paying three motes of Essence and one unsoakable level of bashing damage, the opponent must immediately perform a clinch renewal due to a crunching shift of the Exalts sinew or a grip made slippery by the Exalts shed blood. The opponent rerolls their ([Strength or Dexterity] + Martial Arts), opposed by the Exalts ([Strength or Dexterity] + Martial Arts). The winner controls the clinch as per the clinch renewal process. This is a Counterattack effect, but the Exalt does not suffer a Counterattack DV penalty due to this Charm.

Blurry Scurry Prana

Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious Duration: 3 ticks Prerequisite Charms: Motion of Myriad Legs Technique The centipede is a blur as it darts from place to place. The Exalt activates this Charm and then performs a Dash action. Their form blurs as every movement is magnied. The Speed of the Dash action is considered to have a value of 1. There is no DV action penalty for the Dash action this Charm affects. The martial artist may parry normally during the Dash action. These modications apply to all Dash actions the Exalt performs during the duration of the Charm. Once anyone under the effect of this Charm does not perform Dash movement (either through moving less than 2 meters/tick or taking a non-Dash action), the effect ends even if the Duration has not expired. A martial artist with Essence 4 or higher may reexively spend one mote of Essence to continue the Charms duration by 3 ticks. As long as the Charms conditions are met, the Exalt may continue the Charm as long as they are able to pay the Essence cost. This Charm is explicitly able to be placed in a Combo with Charms from other Abilities.

Centipede Form
Cost: 7m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple Keywords: Form-type, Obvious Duration: One scene Prerequisite Charms: Chitinous Chilopod Shell, The 99 More Technique When under the effect of the Centipede Form, the Exalts limbs move quickly, almost of their own accord. Arms may appear to multiply, or be in many places at one time. Legs seem to be striding toward an opponent, kicking them, and bracing the Exalt in case of a counterattack. For the rest of the scene, the Exalt negates multiple action penalties up to a value of half their Essence (round up). The Exalt also negates onslaught penalties up to a value of the Exalts Martial Arts score. Additionally, the Exalt negates coordination penalties up to a
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Chitinous Chilopod Shell

Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Reexive (Step 8) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Blurry Scurry Prana A centipedes hard shell is crushed only by mighty force. When this Charm is activated, the Exalts skin gains Hardness equal to (Essence + Martial Arts) for one attack.

value of the Exalts Essence score. The Exalt may parry lethal and ranged attacks unarmed without a stunt. The Exalt may not be suffering a mobility penalty due to armor and still receive the effects of this Charm (although donning armor that gives a mobility penalty does not end the Charm prematurely, but the Exalt still loses the charms effects). An Exalt may only have one Form-type Charm active at any given time; the original Form-type Charm must end before another begins.

Venomous Maxilliped Strike

Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-Basic, Poison Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Centipede Form <The venom of the Varang Violet Centipede kills hundreds of children and elders every year. Venomous Maxilliped Strike gives an Exalt the ability to deliver a more potent poison to their foes. After this Charm is activated, the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack. If the attack does at least one level of damage to the opponent, an Essence-fueled poison is also introduced into their body. This poison has a Damage of (Attack Damage Levels + Attackers Essence) delivered as Levels of Bashing Damage per Action. The poison has a Toxicity of (Attackers Essence), and a Penalty of (Attackers Essence). If an Exalt has an Essence of four or greater, a stronger poison may be delivered. If the Exalt pays a cost of 6 motes of Essence instead of 3 motes, the poison inicts levels of Lethal damage instead of Bashing damage. If an Exalt knows Numberless Blows Technique, a vicious poison can sear the veins of an opponent. If the Exalt pays a cost of 6 motes of Essence and 1 point of Willpower instead of 3 motes, the poison is delivered as Levels of Aggravated Damage instead of Bashing Damage. This use of the Charm is sometimes given its own infamous name, Vitriolic Fang of Damnation. Only one version of the Charm may be used per action.

Keywords: Combo-Basic, Poison Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Centipede Form Many types of centipedes have bites that are painful, but ultimately harmless. Martial artists of the Centipede Style are feared not only for the ability to bring a swift and direct end to their opponents, but also for the ability to bring a slow and painful death to their foes. After Agony of One Hundred Hells is activated, the martial artist makes an unarmed Martial Arts attack. If the attack does at least one level of damage to the opponent, an Essence-fueled poison is also introduced into their body. The poison does no damage, but has a Damage value of (Attack Damage Levels + Attackers Essence). This is the number of actions the poison remains in the victims system. The poison has a Toxicity of (Attackers Essence), and a Penalty of (Attackers Essence x 2). With one successful Toxicity check, this poison is ushed out of the victim, as if the poison did Bashing dice of damage. If an Exalt has an Essence of four or greater, a stronger poison may be delivered. If the Exalt pays a cost of 6 motes of Essence instead of 3 motes, the poison requires two successful (Stamina + Resistance) checks to be ushed out, as if the poison did Lethal levels of damage. If an Exalt knows Numberless Blows Technique, a resilient poison can be created to make even the stoutest Solar double over in pain. If the Exalt pays a cost of 6 motes of Essence and 1 point of Willpower instead of 3 motes, the poison requires three successful Toxicity checks to be ushed out, as if the poison did Aggravated levels of damage. Only one version of the Charm may be used per action. The effects of this Charm do not stack with previous applications of this Charm.

Tenacity of the Centipede

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple Keywords: None Duration: One scene Prerequisite Charms: Centipede Form If a centipede is carved in half, both segments may scuttle around, as if the creature is merely inconvenienced by being cut in twain. By force of will, martial artists of the Centipede Style may duplicate
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Agony of One Hundred Hells Strike

Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental

this resilience. Once this Charm is active, the Exalts wound penalties are halved (round down). In addition, Bashing damage at the Incapacitated level is only considered a -4 wound penalty (which is not halved); the Exalt may still function as normal for the duration of the Charm, albeit with a -4 wound penalty. The Exalt will still be Incapacitated if this wound level takes Lethal damage or if the Charm ends with the Bashing Incapacitated wound level unhealed. Bashing Damage is still converted to Lethal damage after the Incapacitated Health Level is lled with Bashing Damage. Tenacity of the Centipede also allows the Exalt to ignore Crippling effects for the duration of this Charm.

Numberless Blows Technique

Cost: 12m, 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5; Type: Extra Action Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious Duration: Instant

Prerequisite Charms: Venomous Maxilliped Strike, Agony of One Hundred Hells, Tenacity of the Centipede The master of Centipede Style martial arts is a whirlwind of limbs and motion. The Exalt seems to grow not taller, but longer to accommodate all the arms and legs they need to perform their duties. This Charm is a magical urry with a total number of actions equal to the sum of the Exalts Dexterity and Martial Arts values. These can be any actions that can be urried, as long as the actions would not take longer than 7 ticks on their own and at least one unarmed Martial Arts attack is included. The DV penalty of this urry is always zero, no matter what actions are taken. This Charm is considered Combo-OK with other Centipede Style Charms, and other Centipede Style Charms are also considered Combo-OK with it, even if they are normally Combo-Basic. However, a Combo with Numberless Blows Technique and Combo-Basic Centipede Style Charms may not contain Charms from other styles or Abilities.

Aby TIME FOR TEA Kevin S. Taylor; St. Louis, MI

Starlight Watcher sat quietly on the veranda, set into the upper levels of the School of Philosophy. From the height she could see out over the city of Nexus, and wonder at the sheer magnitude of humanity that went about their daily lives in the city, oblivious to and uncaring of the nature of Creation that allowed them to live in such an environment.
Finally, she sensed movement and turned her head slightly to see Summer Wind. Summer was the ofcial gatekeeper of Nexus, and also a fellow member of the Gold Faction. Summer was dressed casually but ofcially, something that Starlight was pretty sure that only teachers could do. Summer kicked off her sandals before sitting, enjoying the chance to be barefoot, and she poured herself some tea. So, what do you think of the city, Watcher? Its easy to go unnoticed, even for me. Indeed, Summer replied. Looking over Starlight, who was plain already, she could see how easy it would
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be for her. As a Sidereal with plain features, Starlight would always be just another woman to humanity at large. I nd it very easy to maintain Resplendent Destinies in this city, due in part I think to the sheer number of people who want to take no long term notice of their neighbors. Starlight laughed. She had noticed that tendency already, even when she sat at a table with people in the Happy Goat. So, are you here to use the gate, or on other business? Summer sipped her tea, patiently awaiting a response, as the loom weaved the future of that response.