Swordsmanship



=Swordsmanship=

The swashbuckling style of swordsmanship was originally created by the Phaedrans and later adopted and further refined by the Zandir, Gao and the Cymrillians. Due to the uniqueness of their environments and cultures, the three cultures developed their own styles of swordsmanship.

Basic Swordsmanship Techniques
Although swordsmanship has broken into three distinct styles, there is still quite a bit of common ground between them simply called ‘The Basic Techniques of Swordsmanship.’

These basics form the very core of Swordsmanship and every student must first learn these before advancing in the appropriate style.

- Swordsman have no 'off hand' when using a single weapon in combat (for Grim games, use a -2 penalty for the 'off hand')

- May use two weapons to parry and attack in the same round without penalty

- May parry any number of opponents attacks in the same combat round with a -1 cumulative penalty (for Grim games, use a -3 cumulative penalty)

- Feint: with a successful feint, the Swordsman draws the opponent into a trap by causing them to open up their defense in another area. The Swordsman's next attack gains a +3 bonus (alternately, the Swordsman's next attack roll is treated as one level higher on the Action Table)

- Disarm: By making an attack roll at -10, the Swordsman can disarm an opponent, optionally, the roll can be made at -15 and the Swordsman can decide in which direction, and how far, the opponents weapon will go.

- Lock Blades: Using this maneuver, the swordsman attempts to tangle the opponents blade in his own, in order to threaten the opponent, give them a chance to surrender, attack them with their free hand, push them to the ground, whatever the Swordsman feels like attempting. In order to lock blades, the swordsman must make a Swordsmanship roll at -5 and receive at least a Full Success on the Action Table. The Swordsman will be able to keep the blades locked with opposed skill rolls each round of combat.

The following benefits use the Brawling skill:

- Pommel Punch: when using the pommel or hilt of their weapon to punch an opponent, the Swordsman gains a +2 bonus to hit

- Off Hand Punch: when using their empty hand (in the case of a swordsman utilizing a single weapon) the Swordsman receives a +2 bonus to hit

- Kick: although usually employed as a means to shove an opponent, some unsavory characters will use this maneuver to 'hit below the belt' so to speak. Kicks receive a +1 bonus to hit, and the attacker must state their intention (either to shove or damage) before the attack roll is made (I would personally increase the bonus to a total of +3 if the intention is to shove an opponent)

- Grapple with empty hand: grappling with the empty hand receives a +1 bonus, +3 if blades are locked

-Trip: This simple maneuver puts the opponent prone. By making an attack roll at -3, the attacker may use whatever is at hand to sweep the opponents feet out from under him.

Gao-Din
The Gao-Din, with their reliance on piracy, further developed swordsmanship specifically for combat on the seas. Like their predecessors, the Gao-Din commonly use two blades in combat, the dueling sabre and a dagger. The Gao-Din style also incorporates a large amount of the romanticized pirate lore of the last 200 years.

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">As such, the Gao-Din style focuses mainly on parries, blocks, blade locking techniques, witty banter and gentlemanly conduct, as the Gao-Din swordsman will often allow an opponent to regain their feet after falling and generally be a 'good sport.'

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">It must be remembered, that although the Gao-Din style does focus on non-fatal techniques, it can still be quite deadly.

Benefits of Gao-Din Swordsmanship
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- All the benefits of Basic Swordsmanship

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- +3 bonus when attempting stunts onboard a seagoing vessel

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- +1 bonus when attempting stunts onboard a windship, due to the similarities of windships and ships of the sea

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- Fast draw from teeth. The Pirates of Gao-Din will commonly stick their secondary weapon (usually a dagger or large knife) in their teeth to perform a stunt or climb the rigging of their ships, this weapon can be drawn with no penalty at any time for use in combat

<p align="LEFT">

Zanth
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">Born out of the smoldering coals of the Phaedran Empire, the Zandir style of Swordsmanship is considered the 'purist' of the varying styles. The Zandir style is divided between two separate schools: those who use magic (Radicals), and those who do not (Purists).

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">In either case, the Zandir Duelists can be said to be the most ruthless of opponents. Acrobatics, flair, style and dirty tricks are taught along with the basic swordsmanship movements and tactics in order to confuse and disorient opponents.

Purists
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">Purists employ the dueling sword and dagger almost exclusively, although the rare duelist will use a hand axe in his off-hand, or possibly even a cloak with a rigid edge who are commonly referred to as ‘cloakfighters.’.

Radicals
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">Employing magic in a way to increase combat effectiveness does have its downside; the magician cannot carry a weapon in his off-hand.

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">To make up for this loss, some Radicals prefer to employ defensive spells cast prior to combat, Alter spells that are cast on themselves or their weapons, or using the Attack mode to actually create the weapons they employ.

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">This style of swordsmanship is in no way as capable as the Cymrillian style (detailed below) when it comes to using magic as the Radical School of Zandir focuses more on casting the spells prior to combat.

Benefits of Zandir Style Swordsmanship
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">These benefits apply to both the Purist and Radical schools of Zandir Swordsmanship

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">All of the Basic Swordsmanship techniques

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- Confusing: opponents suffer a –2 penalty, -4 if employing a cloak or cape in lieu of secondary weapon

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- Carve initials: -0, -2 per additional stroke

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- All-out carve: carves the initial in a single action, -10 in addition to above

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- May employ a cloak or cape instead of second weapon for the purposes of confusing opponents, binding weapons and disarming

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- May employ any item as a secondary weapon with no penalty

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- +2 bonus to attempt dirty tricks

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- +2 bonus to stunts attempted in urban areas

Cymril
<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0.17in">The Cymrillians, by their own admission, have improved greatly upon the ancient Phaedran style that the Cymrillian Swordsmage style is based on.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0.17in">By changing the focus of the style from two weapons to a single weapon, and by learning techniques that allow the magician to change their gestures during spellcasting, the Cymrillians have found a way to alter Swordsmanship to allow them to cast spells with their off-hand.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0.17in">If the Cymrillian Swordsmage elects to use a weapon in his off-hand, he loses the benefit of spellcasting and only receives the basic Swordsmanship benefits.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0.17in">This style of swordsmanship is taught only to Cymrillian Swordsmages in the employ of the 7 Kingdoms government, and is a closely guarded secret.

Benefits of Cymrillian Style
<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- May cast spells with empty hand while performing a Full Parry, spellcasting rolls are at –5

<p style="text-align: LEFT;">- May cast spells with empty hand while performing a Full Parry, spellcasting roll receives no penalty, casting time increased by 1 round/2 spell levels