In Nomine Revisited: Moo Thai.

I knew that there was something associated with Ronald, Prince of Cows, that I hadn’t put up yet! I knew it!  And here it is.

…Sorry about that.

Moo Thai – Google Docs

Moo Thai

Ronald, Prince of Cows, is a big believer in giving his precious bovine servants every advantage that he can think of — and, given the obsessive tendencies of your average Djinn Superior, he thinks of cows a lot.  A workable martial arts form was probably inevitable, all things considered.

What wasn’t considered was that a certain Archangel and a certain ethereal pantheon would decide that the idea should be considered on its own merits.

Creating a Moo Thai Adept

 

First off: you need a cow, or a cow vessel, or somebody with the Numinous Corpus: Cow Song.  If the first, fiddle with the Supercow Attunement that Ronald uses so that the doubling of Corporeal Forces applies to hoof-to-hoof attacks. A few modifications to your potential Servitor’s skeletal and muscular system are also necessary, the better to let the cow stand fully upright.  If the second, just make sure similar modifications are incorporated into the vessel’s design.  If the last — actually, you’re good to go as is.

Second, find a teacher.  The only teachers of Moo Thai dwell among demons serving the Prince of Cows, angels serving the Archangel of Animals, and the Hindu pantheon. Well, sure, Michael is an adept, but that’s because the Archangel of War collects fighting styles the way that other entities collect pocket lint.  Anyone who isn’t a Servitor of Cows, Animals and/or the Hindu gods is going to have to jump through hoops to prove his or her worthiness: that’s how it goes, and there isn’t much you can do about it, so suck it up.

The third and final thing to do is to get a stock explanation ready about why you want to play a bovine martial artist: a certain ability to ignore pointing and laughing might not be amiss, as well.

Moo Thai (Strength) (No Default)

 

This skill represents the ability to fight using a bovine body.  It is an unarmed skill — well, obviously it is; cows don’t have hands.  What I mean is that you can’t use weapons at all.  Ronald’s working on that, but don’t hold your breath.  Also, this skill can only be used on the corporeal plane: the Hindu gods are working on that, but see previous comment re breath holding.

What makes this skill interesting is that it takes advantage of the superior bulk of your average bovine: being kicked by a cow hurts, damn it (how do I know?  I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me).  The available maneuvers are listed below:

Maneuver                            Power         Accuracy

Fore Hoof Strike                   -1                    +0

Back Hoof Strike                  +0                    -1

Horn Strike                           +2                   -2

Fore Hoof Jab                      -2                     -1

Back Hoof Jab                     -1                     -2

Push                                    n/a                   -3

Pin                                        0                     -3

Piledriver                            +4                     -5

Fore Hoof Strikes and Back Hoof Strikes are more or less equivalent to punches and kicks, respectively.  Bonuses for weighted hoofs are already factored in.  A Horn Strike is a head slam: sharpening the horns is worth an extra +1 to Power, but the horns must be sharpened before every combat, and cows don’t have hands to hold the file.  Fore Hoof Jabs and Back Hoof Jabs are quick attacks that sacrifice power and accuracy for speed: the Moo Thai practitioner can make a number of attacks equal to (Corporeal Forces): Supercow does not help with this.  A Push does no damage, but a successful attack requires the target to make a Strength roll, minus the CD of the Moo Thai roll, or be flung back 1d6 yards.  Pin is a “sit on the target and suffocate him” attack: the target must win a Quick Contest of Strength roll to break free. failure to do so means that the target will take 1 hit of damage each turn after the first Pin.  Piledriver is just what it sounds like.

There is one other, generic maneuver: all practitioners of Moo Thai may add their base skill level to any Dodge rolls made to avoid a unarmed or hand weapon attack.

A Moo Thai practitioner may buy off the above accuracy penalties.  Each Accuracy penalty must be bought off separately at a rate of 1 point per CP, and cannot go above 0.  Also, the level of penalty bought off cannot be higher than the base Moo Thai skill: for example, a Hellcow with Moo Thai/3 must spend 3 points to reduce its Piledriver penalty to -2, and cannot further reduce that penalty until it raises its base fighting skill.

 

Esoteric Skills

Well, more esoteric — but you know what I mean.  The skill roll is (Esoteric skill + Moo Thai skill + Characteristic): no Forces are added to the roll.

Bovine Stare (Perception) (Requires Moo Thai/1)

A successful roll will give a +(CD-3, minimum 1) to all Dodge rolls involving the opponent.  This skill takes two rounds to use.

Cud of Rejuvenation (Will) (Requires Moo Thai/3)

A successful roll will heal CD/3 hits, rounded down (minimum 1)

 

Moo (Precision) (Requires Moo Thai/4)

This is the bovine Kiai skill: a successful roll will stun an opponent for CD/2 rounds.  The opponent may resist with a Will roll.

Udders of Death (Precision) (Requires Moo Thai/6)

Ranged milk attack, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.  Power +6, Accuracy -1, Range 5 yards.

 

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