Sunzi Dynasty
History
Legend tells of the great general and military adviser of China, Sun Tzu (also known as Sun Zi, or Sun Wu), and how not only did he envision a great many successful military strategies, but pioneered a new way of thinking about all strategic endeavors, codified in his seminal Art of War. So talented was that his sheer essence within poured into the children that his concubines bore him, creating a line of magically blessed children known to the Awakened world as the Sunzi Dynasty.
Legend, of course, tends to be a little nebulous. The truth of the matter, as far back as the Sunzi themselves can devise with the help of Silver Princes of their own Dynasty, is that an Acanthus archmage took interest in Sun Zi's legacy. Rumors abound as to why: some say he wanted the man to marry the archmage's own daughter and bear his own descendants, others say that the military strategies that Sun Zi devised saved the archmage's loved ones or that they provided the Acanthus himself with the strategic means to put down his enemy. Whatever the truth, Sun Tzu's descendants were truly blessed.
At some point in the Sunzi's history, there was an amicable (in that it wasn't all out war) schism that created the two first Houses of the Dynasty: House Dragon (diplomatic, but definitely more affiliated towards the political aspects of power and strategy) and House Phoenix (more closely associated with ritualistic processes and a more academic frame of mind). These two Houses, while not at war, were not friendly until a third schism, brought forth by much more aggressive members of both Houses, created a third: House Tiger. Despite their newly formed rival, over the centuries the three Houses have rivaled each other quite consistently.
Recent attempts to bring House Dragon and House Phoenix together via the important (and opportune) joining by marriage of some of the most important members of either House in the United States has not gone unnoticed by House Tiger, who see the attempt as a betrayal of a triangular balance held for hundreds of years.
Practices
Houses
[Dragon], [Phoenix], [Tiger]
Blessings
[Blessings subject to change pending Mage: The Awakening, Second Edition.]
Fate: The Sybil's Sight (**), Fortune's Protection (***), The Perfect Moment (***), Swearing an Oath (***), Superlative Luck (****)
Time: Temporal Wrinkles (**), Perfect Timing (**), Postcognition (***), Acceleration (****), Strike in the Perfect Moment (****)
Other: Self-Healing (***), Aura Perception (**), Gain Skill (***), Coaxing the Spirits (**), Spirit Tongue (**), Omnivision (**), Speak with the Dead (**)
Curse
The curse involves having to make up for social slights and affronts to reputation and face. Small affronts require small favors (and are common especially with young Sunzi) while really bad stuff might require much greater services. Depending on the severity, the Sunzi takes between -1 and -5 dice to any roll that isn't towards the achievement of making amends.
Heritage Path
Acanthus