The Way of Five

Up is Down.
Drink the Tar.

Forward is Back.
Drink the Tar.

Love is Hate.
Drink the Tar.

War is Peace.
Drink the Tar.

Good is Evil.
Drink the Tar.

Babel Tar has always played an important role in Chironite society. A powerful hallucinogenic and narcotic,
it is frequently used (illegally) as a recreational drug, and less illicitly as an anaesthetic. However, a less
publicized use was discovered first by the monks of St. Bertulf. Very small quantities, taken regularly,
produce a state of impenetrable calm, objectivity, and, at times, precognition. Others had found ways to
achieve this state without use of the drug, but by “brute-forcing” the condition, enough practitioners were
assembled to make serious strides in understanding the state through sheer force of numbers.

The monastic order used this altered state to develop a martial arts system. Initially, the system was used
as an exercise, to maintain a religious experience despite violent and hectic surroundings, imposing a
sense of order and piety on a chaotic world. Eventually, however, the system was tested in battle and found
to be superbly effective. The monks were called upon to defend the faith against infidels and outsiders, and
eventually became a militant order.

Now, centuries later, The Way of Five has been adapted for modern use, and elements of the style have
found their way into military shooting stances, drills, and reloading routines--but the true art, the art of
precognition and unnaturally ordered and efficient movements, has remained the field of mystics and
warrior-monks. There are three primary groups who hold to this tradition--the Paladins, who serve the
State, the Clerics, who serve the Church, and the Pilgrims, who serve nobody. There are other practitioners
and imitators throughout the Void, but most take some inspiration from the original three.
Templars
A blanket term for a related international network of Military Societies who experimented with Babel Tar as
far back as 500 years ago. The Templars are firm believers that violence is a desirable activity, a necessary
part of the human experience, and, in the case of religious orders, a sacrament to God. However, they also
believe that the only honorable form of violence is personal violence. Violence up close, where men can
look each other in the eyes as they kill. As a result, the Templars have steadfastly refused to take up
modern arms in war, and have at times violently protested the use of artillery, bombs, and other impersonal
weapons in battle. They tolerated muskets because the bayonet was still essential, but since the
emergence of the rifle, they have been a constant thorn in the side of every nation's war machine.
Modern Templars have agreed to cooperate with their national governments in return for rules of war being
implemented which prohibit gas attacks, firebombings and other acts of indiscriminate slaughter, but they
still aren't happy about the whole “artillery” thing, or the existence of planes and tanks. Even so, they are
excellent warriors, and many have found their ways into the military as NCOs or Officers of stormtrooper
units.
The Templars use melee weapons primarily—though the kind varies. The Order of the Stave from Albion
use quarterstaffs, as absurd as that sounds, while the Order of the Rose from the same country prefer
sabers. The Ximbri Brotherhood famously wield two-handed messers, and the Lucani Extraodinarii prefer
to use spears. A small group in Chiron called The House of the Trench are infamous for eschewing fancy
weapons in favor of shovels. Whatever the weapon, a Templar's abilities render him a terrible and lethal
opponent to any foe.

Pilgrims
The Pilgrim Order was originally a splinter-faction of Templars who took their ideology one step further, and
rejected warfare entirely as inhuman and contrary to the values of their “perfect violence.” Pilgrims despise
the idea of the State, and reject all human authority. They seek violence on their own terms, and they are
not so concerned with the personal nature of killing as they are in the personal nature of conflict. A Pilgrim
will only engage an enemy whom he has a personal desire to fight, but he will do so with whatever means
he sees fit—a gun, a knife, a bomb, whatever. The Pilgrims are best known for fighting with a pair of pistols
in a very distinctive style that is both hypnotic and terrifying. Pilgrims are often hired as mercenaries,
though the tenants of their faith require them to be persuaded that the cause is just before they will accept
payment for intervening. It is common knowledge that Pilgrims will usually protect those in need, so many
of them try not to advertise their status too openly—those who do, however, do so in the form of dress,
wearing puritan outfits with no buttons and no adornment, and most particularly wide-brimmed buckled
hats.

The use of the Way of Five revolves around Focus. Focus is the state of supreme calm that allows one to
make use of the superb abilities of the martial art. A character’s supply of Focus replenishes at the start of
every Round.

Way of Five at Character Creation

 Magic Points User Level Focus Limit

5 Novice WIP

Purchasing additional Focus Limit at Character Creation costs 5 Magic Points for 4.
Purchasing additional Focus Limit with Arc during gameplay costs 8 Arc Points for 1.
Being part of a Tradition at Character Creation costs 10 Magic Points in addition to the initial 5.

The Five Axioms

Unless specified otherwise, each of the listed effects lasts for the entire Round. A character may activate
any number of Axiom abilities in any combination, so long as they have the Focus required. Axioms must
be activated at the start of the Round before any Phases are resolved.
Activating both Abilities in any given Axiom also activates the [Axiom] Ability.
Templars only need to activate the [Templar] ability to activate the [Axiom]. If it is a Passive ability, then they
are always considered to have the Axiom activated.

A character's Focus is reduced by Pain.

Way the First Up is Down

(The Way of Avoidance)
Calculated Evasion [3]: You gain a +4 bonus to Defense if you are not in Cover.
Mobility [3]: You gain a +10 bonus to Athletics this Round.
[Templar] [Passive]: You gain a +2 bonus to Defense when performing an Active Defense.
Axiom—Up is Down: If you remain stationary, you may perform an Active Defense without expending
an Action, and attack normally.

Way the Second Forward is Back

(The Way of Defense)

Fight Geometry [3]: You may count Cover as one level of coverage higher than it actually is, up to Full
Cover.
Calculated Suppression [3]: You gain +2 Defense against any enemy against whom you have made a
Shoot attack this Round.
[Templar] [Passive] Precognition: So long as you have a melee weapon drawn, you gain a +2 bonus to
Defense.
Axiom—Forward is Back: You gain a +2 Defense in all situations.

Way the Third Love is Hate

(The Way of Dueling)
Bullseye [4]: You gain a +8 bonus to any Regular Fire attack if you only fire one shot. You may change the
Hit Location of this shot to Chest: Non-Vitals after rolling for hit location.

Quickdraw [4]: You gain +4 AGI for the purposes of Initiative.

[Templar] [5]: Your gain +4 AGI for the purposes of Initiative, and you may Charge an additional 20 meters.

Axiom—Love is Hate: You gain a +4 bonus to Defense this Round. For each enemy after the first who
makes an attack of any sort against you, your Defense reduces by 3 for the remainder of the Round. This
penalty can exceed 4.

Way the Fourth War is Peace

(The Way of War)
Ride the Storm [4]: You gain +2 Defense against attacks incurred by Suppressive Fire.
Turkey Shoot [4]: You may count enemy Cover as being 1 stage less than it actually is for the purposes
of Shooting.
[Templar] [8]: If you have a melee weapon drawn, the first attack incurred against you by Suppressive
Fire each Phase automatically fails. You gain a +4 bonus to Initiative Contests in any Melee you engage
in this Round.
Axiom—War is Peace: You do not suffer Pain or Stun penalties this Round, except to Focus.

Way the Fifth Good is Evil

(The Way of Desperation)

Not today! [1]: You gain +8 to Defense. Next Round, your Focus is reduced by 3.

No no no no NO [1]: Reduce the damage of any Explosion you are exposed to by half. Next Round,
your Focus is reduced by 3.

[Templar] [We are ALL going to die!] [15-X]: This ability's cost is reduced by 1 per Wound you
currently have. You may ignore all Pain and Stun penalties this Round, except to Focus. You may
charge an additional 20 meters, you gain a +4 bonus to Defense this Round, you gain a +4 bonus to
Agility this Round for the purposes of Initiative, the first attack incurred against you by Suppressive
Fire each Phase automatically fails. You gain a +4 bonus to Initiative Contests in any Melee you engage
in this Round. At the end of each Phase, you suffer 1 Bloodloss per Wound you currently have.

Axiom—Good is Evil: Any Wound of Level 5 you suffer this Round cannot be prevented with Luck.
Any Wound of Level 4 or lower that you suffer this Round is reduced to Level 0.