<<?Way of the Fist?>>

Two warriors primed with emotional energy pour their soul into a conflict that will change the destiny of their world. Every person, every object, and every place linked to these warriors will feel the impact of their battle, as one by one those relationships fuel the conflict for good or ill.
With every strike and block, the players describe elements of the world, the relationships that drive their actions and reactions, and the elements of the world that have led them to this this place, at this time, for this battle. They hold no weapons, no armour, for reality only transforms when chakras collide and flesh is bruised. This is a game of unbridled passion channelled through two incredible warriors, a story told in flashbacks driven by emotions. 
Requirements: Each player needs a pile of six life tokens as well as a printed set of combat cards, soul cards, relationship cards, and power cards. There also needs to be 8 blank event cards, 12 people cards to be randomly drawn, a pencil, an eraser, and a pen. 

Stage 1. Define the Setting

a.	The two players of this game need to define an overall context for the battle, this help define the types of backstory that may evolve and the feeling of the narrative. Is it a martial arts showdown in the style of 1970s Hong Kong cinema? Does it have an anime vibe?

b.	Describe the Arena. Agree mutually, or roll a die to determine the Arena.
1.	An abandoned monastery.  
2.	An old stone bridge.
3.	Well-worn crossroads.
4.	A clearing in a primordial forest.
5.	A long neglected graveyard
6.	A secluded tea house

c.	Describe the Stakes (this stake must appear in at least one event scene):
1.	One of the people is loved by both warriors.
2.	One of the related people is dying.
3.	An ancient feud passed down generations. 
4.	A dishonour that needs to be avenged.
5.	A swirling portal has opened to the realm of heavenly celestines, or infernal tempters.
6.	A dreamscape, neither a part of this reality or the next. How did you get here?

Stage 2. Define the warriors 

To define their warrior, each player starts with a standard set of combat cards (6 Attacks, 6 Defences). They create nuances in their warrior by choose six soul cards reflecting the emotional energy within them (up to three from any particular emotion), six relationship cards, and six power cards. Onto the six soul cards each player writes the six relationships for their warrior (this may be done in any order). Each player also begins with 6 blank event cards, these will be filled in as a result of the flashbacks as the combat unfolds. 

<<Example:>>

Stage 3. FIGHT!

Fight Set-Up: Place the eight blank event cards and eight randomly selected people cards (face down) in a pair of lines between the two players.
Taking turns, one card at a time, each player places six face down relationship cards adjacent to the face down people. As the relationship cards have been placed on the table, try to ensure every person is related to at least one of the warriors (this means there should be two people connected to the first warrior, two connected to the second warrior and four connected to both). 

                  (P1)
                  * *     * * * *
[][][][][][][][]  [][][][][][][][]
                  *   * * *   * *
                  (P2)
				  
Each player also has six health tokens and three face down piles, one each for their combat cards, soul cards, and power cards. 
Round Sequence: At the start of every round, each player chooses a hand of 6 Combat Cards (No more than 4 attacks, or 4 defences), and a random Soul Card. A player may choose to substitute one of their combat cards for an additional random Soul Card.
During the first round, randomly determine who acts first. During subsequent turns, the warrior with the lowest number of combined life tokens and Soul Cards on the table goes first (random the die in the case of a tie).
Each player plays cards from their hand as Actions until their hand is empty (some powers may allow multiple cards to be played at once or manipulate cards in some other way , so if one player ends up depleting their hand first, the other player takes consecutive actions at the end of the round until their hand is emptied).
Once both players have emptied their hands, a new turn begins with a new hand of cards being drawn, and all exhausted soul and power cards refreshed (turned face up).
Action Sequence: On a players turn, they may either play one of their attack cards, or play a Soul Card on the table. 
Soul cards simply come into play, they infuse the warrior with extra life force and the potential to empower special actions (power cards). Once a soul card is revealed, turn the corresponding relationship face up and the person card it is associated with (if it hasn’t already been revealed). Soul cards may be considered fresh (face up) or exhausted (face down). Exhausted Soul Cards still provide life energy, but may not fuel powers. 
Attack cards may be infused with a power and may be blocked. To infuse an attack card with a power, a player may choose any of the fresh cards from their power pile, then exhaust one or more Soul Cards of a specific type (as indicated on the Power Card). This power is now considered active and attached to the attack. 
Once an attack has been declared, the opposing player may reveal a defence card. If the defence card matches the attack card’s location, the attack is considered “blocked”; otherwise it is “unblocked”. Whether blocked or unblocked, the victim may optionally exhaust emotional energy to add a Reactive Power card of their own.
If an attack is unblocked, the victim loses 2 life tokens or soul cards (defender chooses which are lost).
When a Soul Card is first put into play, and every time it is exhausted, a player must describe something that is triggering that emotional response. This is a specific sentence event that is written on one of the event cards. Events must be written as follows:
1.	If this is the first sentence, write an opening that describes the scene and why your warrior felt this way (don’t write a scene outcome yet). 
2.	If an opening line has been written on the card, flip a face down person card who your warrior has a relationship to. Write a sentence about how they were at the event (How the emotional response to this event impacts on your warrior’s relationship links to this person). 
3.	If your warrior has a link to the person in this event, you may write a complication sentence based on the emotional energy linked to a soul card. If your warrior is not linked to the person on the event, choose another event card to write on.
Sentences should be no more than about ten words, and are written in pencil unless a power card states otherwise (so they may be erased by certain power cards). If a power card specifically states that a sentence is written, this counts as a second sentence that may be written by the warrior’s player. When both the attacker and defender write sentences after an attack exchange, the attacker writes their sentence first, the defender writes their sentence next.  
The aim is to gradually reveal the past events that have led up to this emotion filled combat. As new sentences are revealed in each scene (and pencilled sentences erased), the stories may change and the fundamental nature of this fight may become something quite different than first suspected.

Stage 4. End Game

The game ends when one of the warriors has completely run out of life tokens and soul cards, or when every card has at least five sentences on it.
If one player wins through life tokens, they decide what happens to every person to whom they have a relationship (based on the event scenes described).
If the sentence condition is met, the two warriors step part are realise they don’t need to fight any more. They take turns describing the outcome for each person (starting with the warrior who has the highest total of life tokens and soul cards in play).

Relationships

* Sibling
* Former Lover
* Rival Student
* Travelling Companion
* Parent
* Old Friend
* Star-Crossed Lover
* Secret Confidante
* Work Partner
* Child
* Mentor
* Neighbour

People Cards

* Amethyst Dragon
* Black Flower
* Bronze Fist
* Golden Spider
* Hidden Crane 
* Iron Tiger
* Jade Moon
* Mountain Horse
* Quiet Eagle
* Silk Flame
* Stone Bear
* Topaz Fox

Combat Cards

* Attack – Head
* Attack – Torso
* Attack – Right Arm
* Attack – Left Arm
* Attack – Abdomen
* Attack – Legs
* Defence – Head
* Defence – Torso
* Defence – Right Arm
* Defence – Left Arm
* Defence – Abdomen
* Defence – Legs

Soul Cards

* Love
* Desire
* Despair
* Fear
* Hate
* Pride
* Hope

Power Cards <<Powers need names>>

* (Reactive) Exhaust a Love Card to trace over any sentence in pen, as long as that sentence involves something good happening to a person in that scene.
* (Active) Exhaust a Desire Card to add an open ended incident to an event (write this in pen). This incident may only be resolved in a later scene or through this combat.
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Despair Card to trace over any sentence in pen, as long as that sentence involves something bad happening to a person in that scene. 
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Fear Card to turn an event card with at least one sentence upside down. This card may not be written on for the rest of the round. It is turned face up at the start of the next round.
* (Active) Exhaust a Hate Card to add a sentence in pen to a card where a person has been mentioned. This sentence must describe a moment of tension between this person and a related warrior.
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Pride Card to erase any sentence involving a person with whom you have a relationship.
* (Active) Exhaust a Hope Card to write a sentence on an event in pen, this sentence must describe the goals of a person and must be resolved in a later scene or through this combat. 
* (Active or Reactive) Exhaust a Hope or Hate Card to restore a lost life token. Exhaust one of each to restore up to three lost life tokens.
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Pride or Fear Card to block an additional point of incoming damage. Exhaust one of each to block all incoming damage from a single incoming attack.
* (Active) Exhaust a Despair or Hate Card to erase the last sentence written on an event card. Exhaust a point of each to write your own sentence instead. 
* (Active) Exhaust a Fear or Desire Card to change an attack card to a random location (roll a d6 to determine location). Exhaust one of each to render the attack unblocked, regardless of any defensive card that might be used by the opponent. 
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Love or Despair Card to draw an extra defensive card into your hand after this action. Exhaust one of each to trace the last sentence on any event in pen.
* (Active) Exhaust a Hope or Desire Card to write an sentence on a card that links to a previous event, show how this event fixed something that went wrong in that event. Exhaust one of each to write on a card you wouldn’t normally be able to.
* (Active) Exhaust a Pride or Love Card to write sentences on two event cards (the combination of these events inspire you at this time). Exhaust one of each to write this sentence in pen. 
* (Active or Reactive) Exhaust a Love or Desire Card to establish a bond to a random person with a relationship to the opponent. Exhaust one of each to immediately write a sentence in pen on an event involving this person.
* (Active or Reactive) Exhaust a Desire or Despair Card to remove a random card from your opponent’s hand. Exhaust a point of each to look at their hand and remove a card of choice.
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Fear or Despair Card and discard this power card to force the acting player to discard the power card they’ve just used (both cards removed from game). Exhaust one of each to force them to discard any Soul Card(s) that were used to empower the effect also.   
* (Active or Reactive) Exhaust a Hate or Fear Card to reveal a face down person on the table. Exhaust one of each and remove this card from the game to destroy the opponent’s relationship to this person. 
* (Active) Exhaust a Pride or Hate Card to deal an extra point of damage to the victim. Exhaust one of each to deal two extra points of damage (extra damage occurs regardless of whether attack blocked or unblocked).  
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Hope or Pride Card to swap any two adjacent event cards with sentences on them, these events were remembered in the wrong order. Exhaust one of each to swap any two cards in the event line.
* (Reactive) Exhaust a Love or Hope Card to add a person with whom you have a relationship to an event that already has a person in it. Exhaust one of each to write this sentence in pen.