Vampire: the Middle Kingdom - MrGone's Character Sheets

Virtues
Chi Virtues
A Cathayan's Virtue ratings signify his temperament and personality, and determine the nature of his weakness. They don't
serve the role of Nature, but have bearing on how that Nature manifests; examples are given below. Rather than being a determiner of
behavior, Chi Virtues both reflect and inform it; a passionate and impulsive mortal that rises as a Kuei-jin will be Yang-Balanced. If he
learns restraint and detachment as he progresses in unlife, this change is represented by an increase in Yin. (For rules on staking, see
pg. 28 of this document.)
Yin-Balanced: A character with a Yin rating two or more dots higher than his Yang is Yin-Balanced. Such vampires tend to
be calm, introverted and dispassionate. They also appear a little paler than is healthy, and are cool to the touch. A Yin-Balanced Bravo
might be a methodical torturer, while a character with the Director Nature and strong Yin is likely a plotting bureaucrat. Yin-Balanced
Wan Kuei, like Kindred, are staked by wood (a Yang element).
Yang-Balanced: A Hungry Demon with a Yang rating two or more dots higher than his Yin is Yang-Balanced. Those with
pronounced Yang are passionate, and often impulsive and expressive; many channel this energy into physical and social aggression. Of
all undead, Kuei-jin attuned to Yang appear the most vital and lifelike (often too much so), and their skin feels almost as warm as a
mortal's. A Yang-Balanced Hungry Demon with the Bravo Nature would probably be a violent bully, while his Director counterpart
would likely excel as a fiery orator or charismatic leader. As metal is attuned to Yin, a sharp metal instrument may be used to stake
Yang-attuned vampires.
Balanced: A vampire with equal ratings in Yin and Yang, or with Chi Virtue ratings within one dot of one another, is
Balanced. Neither the fires of Yang nor the ice of Yin drive his behavior. However, many Balanced vampires (especially those new to
the undead condition) find lack of focus in this equilibrium, and haven't a strong rating in either Chi Virtue. A Balanced Bravo is
characterized neither by rash anger or clinical cruelty, but perhaps straightforward sadism; a Director with a Balanced perspective is
well-suited to diplomacy, a Court official's representative or management, but may lack the strength of personality to connive or
persuade his way into a position of great power. Balanced Demons are immune to being staked, but suffer temporary imbalance if they
have two or more points of one type of Chi than its counterpart.
Yin
Yin Chi: The vampire can store a number of Yin Chi equal to his Yin Virtue before becoming imbalanced.
Resisting Fire Nature: The roll to avoid Fire Nature is a reflexive [Composure + Yin - P'o] roll; success indicates Wind
Nature is retained. See Soul States, pg. 29.
Ghostsight: Spending a point of Yin allows a vampire to read mortals' deathmarks for one scene, and thereby estimate how
close to death that person or living creature is (this ability doesn't apply to other vampires, wraiths or other beings that are not truly
alive). Three turns of concentration and a [Wits + Occult + Yin] - Wall roll allows a character can perceive the Yin world and its
inhabitants (including ghosts) for a number of turns equal to the successes on the roll.
Sense Weakness: With three turns of concentration and a [Wits + Medicine + Yin] roll, a Kuei-jin can sense a living
creature's physical weaknesses, determine the presence and extent of injury, or detect disease; this can be resisted with [Stamina +
Composure] if the victim is aware of the attempt. A similar roll is allowed to detect structural flaws and damage in objects; use Crafts
in place of Medicine. In either case, a successful roll grants a bonus die when making attack rolls against the subject. Alternately, this
extra die may be applied to [Intelligence + Medicine] rolls to treat a mortal's sickness or repair an item. In no case may this ability be
used against undead or spirits, though living shen are fair game. This benefit lasts for one scene.
Aspecting the Corpse: Kuei-jin animated with Yin Chi are considered “black cycled.” Black-cycled vampires needn't spend
any more Chi to animate for ten days, but are pale, corpse-like and unwholesome: they suffer a -1 penalty to all Social and Empathy
rolls when dealing with mortals.
Yin Imbalance: A vampire with three or more dots in his Yin Virtue than in Yang is imbalanced, and is known as a ch'ing
shih. On the plus side, his wound penalties are halved (rounded down), and he takes lethal (rather than aggravated) damage from fire.
However, he must spend Yin every night to animate himself (gaining none of the benefits of black cycling), and he can't scarlet cycle.
All Hun, P'o and Den rolls suffer a -1 penalty (including most uses of Soul Arts, unlocking Demon Chi, and checks for Wave and Fire
Nature), as the character is “numb”to the urgings of his higher and lower souls, and tends to view auspicious events and moments of
blindness with clinical detachment. Finally, every time a ch'ing shih takes damage from sunlight or backlash from Chi imbalance, the
Social roll penalties inflicted become permanent (maximum -3) as he grows to resemble a rotting, walking corpse.
A ch'ing shih restored to balance (through a Yang Virtue increase doesn't instantly regain his normal appearance, but may
heal a lost Social die as if it were three levels of aggravated damage. Each point so restored requires a lunar month. (A vampire that
suffers a -3 penalty can restore his appearance as if it were nine levels of agg over the course of three months.) Special Yang infusions,
alchemic treatments or mystical curative powers may hasten this recovery.