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Ataru (Form IV)

     Ataru was an aggressive combat form relying on a combination of strength, speed, and agility. Due to this, it was also called the Way of the Hawk-bat or the Aggression Form. Practitioners of Ataru were always on the offensive, attacking with wide, fast, and powerful swings. Form IV practitioners constantly called upon the Force to aid in their movements and attacks. By allowing the Force to flow throughout their body, they could overcome their physical limitations—including old age, as was the case with Master Yoda—and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the slashes and strikes of their opponents. Jedi utilizing Ataru needed to incorporate all the Force powers that involved surpassing normal physical ranges of motion, speed, and agility in order to be successful. Running, jumping, and spinning were all emphasized in learning the elaborate kinetics of the form.
     Those who used Form IV could move at high speeds and could rain strong blows, jumping and attacking through the air. Powerful and quick spinning attacks could be utilized from all angles, either from ground or air. A master in Ataru combat could appear like a blur to their opponents, attacking from all directions—the front, the sides, overhead, or behind. The Force not only allowed them to perform athletic feats not possible otherwise, but it also helped guide their actions and movements in combat.
    Schools: Possibly on planet Jurai
     Members: Sabrina Blade
     Concepts: Jedi, Sith
     Prerequisites:
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers:
     Special Maneuvers: Hawk-Bat Swoop, Saber Swarm
     Quote: "Against multiple enemies, only a true Ataru master will prevail."

Bladesong

     The bladesong itself is an extremely demanding martial art, the epitome of Elven mastery of the sword, almost never taught to those not of Elven blood. The bladesong is a primarily defensive style of combat, with devastating strikes considered less important than a superior guard position. From this superior defensive posture, magical attacks and spells may be used without fear of successful counter-attack, when performed by an Elf fully proficient in the style. In addition to the violent purpose inherent to all martial arts, the bladesong is uniquely Elven in the fact that the aesthetic components of the style are as important as its martial efficacy, with its dance-like movements and the haunting whistling sounds produced by the sword blade cutting through the air being the source of the name bladesong.
     These dedicated elf warriors take their craft seriously enough to have created a uniquely elven fighting style. Unlike the martial arts of other races, the Elven fighting style emphasizes beauty and economy of movement over sheer destructive power. However, the Elven bladesong is deceptively dangerous, for all its seeming gentleness and apparent grace.
     Bladesong is so named for several reasons. The first and most obvious is because of the whistling of the blade as it slices through the air when this style of fighting is used. The second, according to some, is for the haunting, wordless tune many of its practitioners are said to sing as they fight. Other sources indicate that Bladesingers practice an ancient Elven variant of the art of Spellsong which they have adapted to suit their uniquely Elven arcane-martial style.
     Those who practice the bladesong appear as if they are dancing when they fight. Their movements seem misleadingly slow and elegant, deflecting opponents' blades while lazily drifting back to score hits themselves. The technique requires, above all, misdirection and subtlety. The bladesingers do not believe in smashing blows or strong and crushing offense, but rather in guiding their opponents to anticipate a different attack entirely, thus overbalancing the foe and making him seem clumsy.
    Schools: Elves never teach this style to non-elves, including Half-Elves and Dark Elves (the latter of whom have their own teachers and their own style anyway). Elves make no exceptions to this rule, even for those who have proven themselves eternal friends to the elves or even those who have married into the Elven life.
     Members: Elranda Llelyn
     Concepts: Bladesinger
     Prerequisites: Elf
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers:
     Special Maneuvers:
     Quote: "One does not choose to become a bladesinger; one is chosen to become a bladesinger!"

Bojutsu

     Bojutsu is the Japanese art of staff-fighting, using the rokushakubo, or bo, a six-foot-long wooden staff. The bo is a deceptively simple weapon, and can be lethal in the hands of a skilled user. Further, it has a greater reach than most weapons, including swords.
     Schools: Bojutsu schools can only be found in Japan.
     Members: Renki' Sar Kane, Cara Kane
     Concepts: Samurai
     Prerequisites: None
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers: Staff Sweep
     Special Maneuvers:
     Quote: “I don’t have to get close to hit you.”

Kenjutsu

     Kenjutsu, the art of the sword, is the swordfighting style of the Samurai, which uses various types of Japanese swords, including the katana, wakazashi, and no-dachi. Begun in the fifth century AD, Kenjutsu was a very popular style among Japanese warriors, and in present times has been converted into the sport of kendo.
     Kenjutsu is divided into many styles, but all place little emphasis on blocking, as the valuable katanas would be damaged by it. Instead, warriors are taught to strike first. The styles vary in terms of their preference for speed or power, choice of weapons (though the Nito style, which uses the combination of a katana and wakizashi is probably the best known).
     The level of Kenjutsu may be used for the use of any sword weapon.
    Schools: Kenjutsu is taught all over Japan, and occasionally in some hard-to-find schools in major cities in other parts of the world.
     Members: Artanis, Bahn Xiao, Joesph Ash'neel Dar Kane, Rahan Akero, Walker Akero
     Concepts: Jedi, Sith
     Prerequisites:
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers:
     Special Maneuvers:
     Quote: "Against multiple enemies, only a true Ataru master will prevail."

Knight Sword Fighting (German School of Fencing)

     The German school of fencing (Deutsche Schule; Kunst des Fechtens) is the historical system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods (14th to 17th centuries), as described in the Fechtbücher ("combat manuals") written at the time. The geographical center of this tradition was in what is now Southern Germany (Augsburg, Frankfurt, Nuremberg). During the period in which it was taught, it was known as the Kunst des Fechtens, or the "Art of Fighting". It notably comprises the techniques of the two-handed longsword, but also describes many other types of combat, notably mounted combat, unarmed grappling, fighting with polearms, with the dagger, the messer with or without buckler, and the staff.
     Most of the authors are, or claim to be, in the tradition of the 14th century master Johannes Liechtenauer. The earliest surviving treatise on Liechtenauer's system is contained in a manuscript dated to 1389, known as Ms. 3227a. More manuscript treatises survive from the 15th century, and during the 16th century, the system was also presented in print, notably by Joachim Meyer in 1570. The German tradition is eclipsed by the Italian school of rapier fencing by the early 17th century.
Fencing with the German longsword has been one focus of historical European martial arts reconstruction since the late 19th century (Alfred Hutton).
     The term "German school of fencing" is quite misleading and can bring confusion, because there were and there are different German fencing schools. For example: both German academic fencing and the old German theatrical swordplay are both referred to today as "German school of fencing".
    Schools: Swordfighting styles are a little harder to come by, except among the growing subculture of medieval enthusiasts and live-action role-players, who make use of swords (preferably wooden or padded) in their activities.in which competitions also are held.
     Members: Generic sword fighters, nearly everyone not specialized in foreign swordsmanship
     Concepts: Knights
     Prerequisites: Getting Medeival at 3 or higher
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers: Fleche, Riposte
     Special Maneuvers:
     Quote: “The blade is a means to victory. You must choose the right one, and know it as yourself.”

Naginatajutsu

     Naginatajutsu is the Japanese martial art of wielding the naginata. Multiple theories concerning the weapon's exact origins are in debate. It has been suggested that it developed along the same lines as Okinawan kobudō weapons as a modified farming tool. Another theory states that it is the result of the Japanese modifying a Chinese Guan Dao that bears a similar appearance. Others say that a creative samurai in need of a longer weapon attached a sword to a pole.
     Perhaps the simplest explanation is the natural development of polearms. Polearms are intended as mass weapons, to be used not just by individual warriors, but by formations of soldiers together on field battles and not for dueling. When fighting in close order, two-handed cut-and-thrust weapons, such as halberds and glaives, are much more efficient than mere spears or swords because of their versatility compared to spears and longer reach compared to swords. Fighting in massed formation does not require similar individual weapon-handling skills as required by a skilled swordsman. Naginata are almost identical in appearance to both the glaive and the guan dao, and it is most likely result of parallel evolution.
    Schools: Most naginatajutsu practiced today is in a modernized form, a gendai budō, in which competitions also are held.
     Members: Illyana Kane
     Concepts: Samurai
     Prerequisites: None
     Initial Bonuses:
     Basic Maneuvers: Fleche, Riposte
     Special Maneuvers:
     Quote: “Do you dare face my whirling blade?”

AKERO INVESTIGATIONS ©2000-2013 Walker Pennington, Peter Molski, and Tommy Streets. All Rights Reserved.
These character writeups are used with express permission from their players.
EARTH SPECIAL FORCES ©1999-2010 Zak Eltzroth. All Rights Reserved.

USUAL GANG OF IDIOTS © 1997-2010.
All Rights Reserved. ©2011 Walker Pennington.