Tai Chi

» Name Of Character: Mirja Eeola

» Link To Character: https://www.platinumhearts.net/t16312-mirja-eeola-approved-0-4

» Upgrading: Tai-Chi Fist: An ancient martial arts style, and one of great potency on the battlefield. Learned from the same book as Wudang-an-han, this is far more than the modern sport. Rather, a style based around control of one's own power and the mastery of one's Dantian. Incredible martial prowess is demanded to ever continue past the first steps, and pass the inital point, solid Reiki control is a necessity. But once the person become skilled at this, then they can truly see the power inherent in Wulin's Strongest Style. This is the basic primer, the palm strikes, punches, and kicks that make up the foundation. There is very little cultivation of the Dantian, and this is not within the nine ranks of Tai Chi, merely the most basic of all forms. If a person was to learn this and no more, they could still make a living in Wulin. But for those who want more, there is a whole world behind this technique.

Dantian Cultivation: The basis of Tai Chi is the energy gathered within Dantian, the energy centre of the body. Cultivation begins with drawing Jing [raw energy] into the Dantian and compressing it, slowly processing it into a refined form, Qi [refined energy]. The drawing in of Jing is similar to the manipulation of Reiki, which is why the user needs to be skilled in the use of his Reiki before he can manage to reach beyond the foundation of Tai Chi Fist. Jing is created in the Kidneys, and can be drawn from with there Wudan-an-han's second Kata, the Exhale. Once within the Dantian, the process is either by Stoic Meditation, Martial Meditation, or a combination of the two, depending on the person in question.

The refinement of Jing to Qi is slow, to begin with, but certain herbal elixirs can stimulate the Dantian and allow it to refine Jing at a quicker rate for a limited time. Overuse of elixirs can rupture the Dantian and cause intense spiritual pain for the user, as well as causing them to lose considerable progress in their cultivation, as the Jing escapes, and the Qi leaks out. On it's own, Jing can allow the usage of the Rank 1 technique, The Hundred Armed Fists. However, once refined to Qi, It can grant the user access to Ranks 2 through to 6, depending on the level of cultivation. Each rank requires a greater level of Qi to function. Expended Qi becomes Moetsukiru [Expended energy] and returns to the Kidneys to be invigorated back into Jing. Experience allows for faster cultivation, and with a few months of experience, then the user can fill the Dantian with Qi within a few hours.

The techniques ranked 7, 8 and 9, require Qi to be refined into Shen [perfected energy] which first becomes apparent when the user masters Rank 6 technique, Dantian Exploding Penetration Strike. With the explosion of their Dantian and the focus of the massive degree of Qi to a singular point, the intense pressure compresses a small amount of this Qi into Shen, which the Dantian will instantly adapt to accommodate. The cultivation requires great effort to compress Qi to Shen, but this allows access to a much more potent energy source, reducing the need to cultivate constantly, and allowing much more powerful techniques to be used. Shen is much slower than Qi to begin with, but effort and tenacity will eventually reward them with a Dantian of incredible size and power, allowing the epitome of Tai Chi, Breaching Heavens Gates, to be used.

There exists three Forms of Dantian, each one with it's own traits and nature. These are the Twelve Lightning Bolts, the Five Fire Pillars, and the Great Ocean Beast. Determining your nature is easy with the right knowledge, and it allows you to cultivate in the most efficient manner, as well as determine how to use one's techniques.

Twelve Lightning Bolts is a Dantian that has the power of it's name sake, crackling Qi powering the user's techniques, but it has the longevity of a lightning bolt as well, and empties quickly in the heat of battle. However, it's small size means that it can also be filled quickly, allowing them to strike a balance between Martial Meditation and Tai Chi use in the heat of battle. It also allows them to compress Jing into Qi rapidly, allowing them to refine in battle, as long as there is Jing to refine.

Five Fire Pillars is a Dantian that spits heated Qi that warmed the body and burns the foe with it's strikes. The depth of it is decent, and so a user may fight a pitched battle and not worry that their supply will run dry unless it becomes extended, or they are thrust into battles beyond the first with no time to rest. Compression of one's Jing requires some effort, it does not happen at a running pace like the Dantian of Twelve Lightning Bolts, and with the sizeable storage, it is not something that can be done in a snap.

Great Ocean Beast is a Dantian that grants the power of it's namesake, the Ocean. Raging seas and crashing waves allow for a might beyond the usual of Qi, and also grants a Dantian the scope of the very seas themselves. Vast, and broad, the usage of techniques is not a thing that should be paid any mind to one with a full Dantian, however, like the Ocean it is a long and arduous process to fill once emptied. The cavernous size also hampers compression of Jing and results in a slow process from raw energy to purified energy. The work of many continuous hours, those who possess this Dantian develop a strong sense of patience.

The level of a person's Dantian is measured in stages. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Black Gold, and finally Yu-Shan. Each stage is split from 1, to 5, denoting how strong your cultivation has become within this stage. Once you reach rank 5 in a stage, diligent cultivation will allow you to ascend to the next stage, with your store of Dantian and it's potency increasing and allowing the user to compress a larger degree of Jing in one sitting. The usage of Shen, however, requires at least Gold 1 Dantian, as a Dantian below this will not have sufficent power to compress Qi sufficiently. One's Dantian does not just allow them to power the following techniques, but also invigorates the body and sharpens their movement, allowing them to be stronger and faster than they otherwise would be. This enhancement increases the stronger their Dantian becomes.

[Note, that these techniques are written thematically and a character's overall stats and abilities factor into both the user and the target for the final outcome]

Rank 1: The Hundred-Man Armed Fists: With the basis of Reiki control, the user can focus their Jing to their fists. Being a technique entirely based on it's strength and resistance this allows them to throw a punch as it if were from a hundred men with gauntleted fists. The style itself focuses on basic but solid fist strikes that are easy to throw, and lack any level of straining nature on the body or the energy supply, making it a good opening technique, or a technique best used against someone you are trying to exhaust. It does not stand well against those highly skilled in Martial Arts, however, as the basic nature of the technique makes it easy to see through. Basic does not mean it is a lacking technique, and those without considerable Martial Prowess will still be overwhelmed by it, it is simply in comparison to the other techniques of Dantian.

Rank 2: Circling Nine Cranes: Focusing one's Qi to their feet, the user's manoeuvrability increases, allowing them to slip around a target many times with ease, throwing them off with a constantly moving target and striking out with their nails, clawing skin and drawing blood to debilitate and eventually defeat their enemy. A technique suited to the slow crippling of the enemy, it bleeds them over time until they can no longer stand, and as such, can be passed over by some who wish more immediate results, or against targets with strong defensive abilities or explosive offensive abilities.

Rank 3: Illusionary Palm: Focusing their Qi to their arms, the power allows them to make movements that are not entirely truthful to the naked eye, causing a scattered delay in the ability to see the strike coming, and making the enemy perceive several palms for every one that is thrown. This rank is focused on palm strikes, the stunning and disrupting of the target's stance and flow, or in more dramatic cases, their organs and bodily functions. The degree of Qi put into the palm dictates how many are seen alongside the real one, and so a true fighter will judge their opponent, and adjust accordingly.

Rank 4: Three Thunder Fists: A master of Hundred-man Armoured Gauntlet decided that he needed something greater, something more powerful if he was going to continue in Wulin. And so, he cultivated, trained, and partook in elixirs until one day he broke through into Three Thunder Fists. An advanced form of Hundred-man Armoured Gauntlet, the user focuses their Qi to their fists, and then strikes with such might, their impact creates a thunder clap. It retains it basic roots, but enhances the use of Qi and the technique of the strike, allowing it to be superior in strength, but also more draining.

Rank 5: Shrieking Mountain Wind: A technique designed for those who would rather avoid being in close quarters, Shrieking Mountain Wind focuses Qi to the arms and then allows the user to strike out, with palms similar to Illusionary Palm. However, the culmination of the technique is radically different, as the Qi and the focused palm strike allows the user to fire compressed balls of air at the enemy, striking them without stepping into range. This is not something that is best used on a person more comfortable at range, nor does it hit as heavily as the other techniques, and so it is more a technique to fill in a gap, or keep a target at bay.

Rank 6: Dantian Exploding Penetration Strike: The apex Qi technique, Dantian Exploding Penetration Strike gathers all the Qi the user has cultivated to their fist, and then makes a swift and strong forward thrusting punch, resulting in an explosive attack of incredible destructive power. It is here that the Qi is put under such pressure it is compressed into Shen, and so this technique is the gateway to the profound lands of Shen manipulation.

Rank 7: Soul-Crushing Strike: Drawing their Shen to their fists, or feet, the user then strikes a targeted location with such delicacy it could be considered the caress of a lover. However, with the enhancement of Shen, even such a caress holds dark connotations, as the power of Shen passes through the obstacles of skin to splinter bone and impact organs, sometimes rupturing them entirely, based on the degree of Shen in opposition to the sturdiness of the target.

Rank 8: Wulin Spliting Legs: Channelling their Shen to their legs, the user becomes empowered by the raging energy, that they may split Wulin asunder with their power. The technique revolves around a lot of leg work, with immense power and precision, granting superior range to the fist, and allowing the user to smash through any obstacle they are confronted with in their goal to bring about their target's defeat.

Rank 9: Breaching Heavens Gates: The epitome of Shen Manipulation, this technique is highly draining to use, and so only Great Ocean Beast masters can use it for more than a short burst. It channels the power of Shen to the entire body, and fills it with unparalleled strength, enpowering them to use the true Tai-Chi Fist style, striking with a vicious, but focused power from every point of their body, and overwhelming their target until it lays defeated before them, and they have triumphed.

» Why: N/A

» Extra: I want to get these reviewed so they are around to slowly develop into.