Earth

An extremely rare Kiho only taught among some of the older Orders, this remarkable ability destroys toxin, disease, and other impurities in the body of the Monk. The focus and calm required to master this Kiho is rare, and the Brotherhood knows it could lead to reckless behavior in the wrong hands. This Kiho can only be activated after two hours of uninterrupted meditation. After the time has passed, you may activate the Kiho as a Complex Action (it can only activate in this manner).

The grip of a monk can be like stone, crushing those who find themselves trapped in his grasp. Opponents engaged in a Grapple with you while this Kiho is active suffer a number of additional Wounds per Round equal to your Earth Ring, regardless of who is winning the Grapple. This damage is inflicted during the Reactions Stage. This effect lasts a number of minutes equal to your Earth Ring.

Earth is many things, but fleet is not among them. By delivering an atemi attack against an opponent and activating this Kiho, you cause their earthen chi to become ascendant. The opponent's Water Ring is considered to be 2 ranks lower for the purposes of determining how far they can move as part of a Move Action. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to twice your Earth Ring.

Many sohei orders are considered reckless and wild by outsiders, and to some extent this is true. The Temple of Osano-Wo and the fierce warrior monks of the Spider Clan are brutal fighters who focus far more on offense than on protecting themselves. Many of them simply rely on their physical endurance to carry them through the fight, while others master the Shadowed Mountain Kiho to surprise and confuse their enemies. When this Kiho is activate, you may choose to enter the Full Defense Stance immediately before you are attacked.

As the Crab say, the mountain does not move, and neither does one who shares its strength. While this Kiho is active, attempts to use the Knockdown Maneuver against you require 2 extra Raises to be successful. Any attempt to force you to move against your will, including Knockdown Maneuvers, requires a Contested Earth Roll in addition to any other costs or Contested Rolls. You may not make Move Actions without dispelling this effect.

The principles and strengths of Earth usually deal with the Element when it is at rest, but the fury of moving Earth can be a terrible thing. Sohei who focus on a study of Earth find this Kiho extremely useful, as it channels the usually benign Element into devastating power. This Kiho is delivered via an atemi attack that deals normal unarmed damage. However, if the strike is successful, your damage roll is increased by +Xk0, where X is your Earth Ring.

One of the greatest lessons of Earth is not its endurance, but its resilience. As a man chips away at a stone, he finds harder and harder stone beneath. The strength of one who would break a mountain stone by stone will fail long before the strongest layers are even seen. So, too, does a master of this Kiho become more and more difficult to harm as an attacker tries harder and harder to do so. Once activated, this Kiho lasts a number of Rounds equal to your Insight Rank +1.

Easily among the most difficult and most sacred of all Kiho, this technique is restricted to a handful of orders within the Brotherhood. It functions by reversing the chi flow of a Tainted individual, causing them excruciating pain and temporarily restoring clarity of thought. This Kiho requires an atemi attack to be activated. The attack deals normal unarmed damage (despite being an atemi attack), plus an additional number of unkept damage dice equal to the opponent's Shadowlands Taint Rank.

When this Kiho is activated, you must remain perfectly still for a number of Turns equal to ten minus your Earth Ring. Once this is accomplished, you are immediately able to detect any spiritual and physical impurities within a range of fifty feet times your Earth for one Round.

Embracing the essence of stone grants a monk incredible powers of resilience. When this Kiho is active, your TN penalties at all Wound Ranks are reduced by an amount equal to your Earth Ring. You may also continue to take Simple Actions when at the Down Wound Rank. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to your Earth Ring.