A Fencing subskill

[Mikka]

The second part of the topic description is probably 'So I'm a bit more likely to finish it', as if I leave things in my word documents, they never get done, but if I put them where other people can see them, I'm more likely to use them for something. This is yet to be finished (in fact, I haven't even edited it from first draft): the lores are obviously horrible, the skills aren't well thought out, the locations aren't finished, the pheme and spell isn't even started and I'm sure there's twenty other mistakes that can quickly be noted. But... yeah, putting it up so I can work on it better.

 

And also ask if there would be any chance in people being interested in this. If the Legate doesn't think it would fit (which I can understand: it's sort of silly and they probably have better plans), I can try and mod it in.

 

...Oh, and any of this can be changed/edited/danced on by who the heck ever. Don't even worry about crediting me: collaborativeness is good, I think.

 

 

FENCING

 

(This could fit under Athletics or Heraldry. It may be best in the second, as to not bloat an actual-course, but it really shouldn't be using Charm as it's primary attribute. It might also fit paired with Ride in the Raid skill, if you squint a bit. Whatever works.)

 

An art or a sport? A practice of the noble or a practice of the barbaric? The only honorable way to answer a challenge, or the first resort of fools and brutes who can’t understand the word compromise? The philosophers debate the questions, but the fencers know the truth. The act of dueling with swords is a dozen things to six different people, but it is one thing to all who have picked up the sword: a quest for a single moment of transcendent brilliance. People fence for pride, honor, and fun, but in their hearts, each fencer also fences for the moment in which they, flesh, mind, and body, will become one with the sword.

 

Attribute: Fitness

 

Should have a moderately high training modifier. Not Danger Sense high, but high.

 

 

01. Why Fencing Is Useless (Lore)

02. The Fencing Ring (location) ; Academagia Limitations on Fencing (Lore)

03. The Perfect Blade (Lore)

04. The Way of the Sword (Lore) ; Gain Sword (Pheme)

05. Lunge (duel Action)

06. Cheating in Fencing without being caught, as told by an anonymous Safaviore Alumni (Lore)

07. Show Not A Thing, a parent’s warning (lore)

08. The Ring of Master Dhu (location), The Swords of Master Dhu (merchant)

09. An excerpt from ‘the Most Bitter Betrayal’ (lore) ; Gain Dance of the Seven Swords (Spell)

10. Third Arm (passive Ability)

11. Transcend (Ability)

 

 

Lore!

 

Why Fencing Is Useless

There is only one thing you can do with a sword- stab someone with it.

 

With spells, I can stab people, too. With icicles! But I can also set them on fire, douse them with water, dump a boulder on their head or open the island between their feet, cut off their air, blow them away, electrocute them, strip their flesh from their bones, bury them in sand, and I think I can heal them all up, too.

 

Any wizard who learns fencing is just limiting themselves. Magic’s cooler and more versatile, and magic duels are much more fun to watch then fencing duels, which are really boring. People just hit each other over and over. A Mage’s duels are much more refined.

 

 

Academagia Limitations on Fencing

(Spoken of during an assembly in 1633)

“We understand that fencing and swordplay has become a popular interest of the student body. We encourage such worldliness in our students, and are happy to see all of you taking such an interest in a truly noble sport. Yet we must urge caution. A fencing duel does not have the same safety and limitations as a traditional duel. All fencing duels must be to the first blood only, and must be supervised by a member of the staff or one of our fifth-year fencing masters.

 

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the sport being banned on campus.”

 

 

The Perfect Blade

“A thin blade of a meter in length. A heavy pommel. A large, elaborate guard. A tight grip. The proper Elumian would never dream of discarding any of the necessary elements for their dueling sword, but time has proven that more and more Elumians forget the word ‘proper’. In the south, they slam their curved blades against each other with no care for protocol. In the far east, they duel with heavy swords that slash more then thrust. In the west, they refuse their gloves. Far north, they take the blades they use for dueling and use them for hunting as well! Even in Mineta, the younger generations banter as they fence and the spectators clap! Fencing is going the way boating did, full of brutes and churls who don’t know the proper etiquette even when they are beaten with it!"

 

 

The Way of the Sword

Do not love a sword without loving its maker.

 

The sword is never too short. You are merely too far away.

 

The doubter’s sword is the dead man’s sword.

 

Your enemy is little more then a feather, until their sword is drawn.

 

Your sword is your pride. Do not risk it needlessly, but do not hesitate to defend it.

 

Rest. Raise. Lunge. Stab. Withdraw. Lower. Sheathe. One moment, one action, one thought.

 

 

Cheating in Fencing without being caught, as told by an anonymous Safaviore Alumni

The first thing they check is the sword. Never enchant it; enchant your gloves and bracelets instead. Instead, coat the tip of your sword in a lethargy poison. Make sure it’s not too fast-acting that it’ll attract attention. Cover your gloves in chalk before the match: it’ll give you a better grip, and protect you if the poison runs down the blade.

 

 

Show Not A Thing, a parent’s warning

We tell our children to duel in masks and gloves for safety, but we lie. It is so we can protect them, but we do not worry about their body. In the moment when sword touches sword, the two fighters understand each other as two lovers do. Cover yourself in white and never meet your opponents eyes. Reveal nothing.

 

 

An excerpt from ‘the Most Bitter Betrayal’

“The fight is over, my liege,” proclaimed the Herald. He was exhausted, but less then the six of us, all that remained of the King’s Honor Guard. The King ignored the herald, but at a gruff nod from the captain, he continued hesitantly, “We must retreat.”

 

“I agree,” I said. I spoke far too quickly, betraying my fear. “We’re putting you in danger, my king, by staying here.”

 

“So says the recruit,” one of my seniors snorted, but he looked no more willing to head back to the field then I.

 

We were silent for a time. Finally, the Herald repeated, even more hesitant, “My liege?”

 

The King finally looked around, seeing first us, then the dead, then the scavengers, and finally, the scouts from the other side. He seemed overcome with his grief, but finally he stumbled to standing. He wept, but silently. Then, with great strength, he took the sword on his belt and unsheathed it, throwing it violently to the ground.

 

“Even this! Even the sword can no longer be trusted! Yet another betrayal to add to the list.” He spat on the ground then turned, walking away. The others followed, but the captain stayed. I stayed with him, then reached to retrive the sword.

 

“Leave it,” the captain said. He looked as old as the King had, if only for a moment: he shook his head. “…The sword did not betray him. It was he himself who betrayed the sword.”

 

“Pardon?” I asked, but the captain would not answer. He just gestured for me to follow.

 

 

Abilities!

 

Lunge

A lunge is one of the most basic movement in fencing. Put simply, it’s the forward thrust used to quickly score on your opponent. In a fencing duel, both duelist attempt a forward thrust to place them in each other’s scoring area. Your knowledge of fencing has allowed you to use the move in magical duels as well, even if you don’t have a sword in hand. By lunging, you may move twice as quickly towards your opponent, turning a long match in to a melee in mere moments.

 

Sadly, lunging offers no help if you need to retreat. It only works for forward movement.

 

 

Third Arm

After training for so long with a sword in hand, you’ve ceased to notice it’s weight: rather, you notice the absence of it. Your dueling sword is more another limb that it is a heavy metal object to weigh you down. The lack of notice you pay to your sword’s heaviness works for other objects, as well. Your carrying capacity is permanently raised by two, allowing you to tug along large objects with little notice of their weight. If only the teachers could be convinced to not notice them, either…

 

 

Transcendence

…Still coming up with something cool. Flawless Timing, Danger Sense, Awareness, Compete, and Fencing (duh) are all skills this could touch. Hm.

 

 

 

Locations!

 

The Old Fencing Ring

A short walk from the Archery Range is the Academagia’s old fencing ring. Not as well cared for as it could be, occasionally weeds peek out from under the fence and attempt to grow on the smooth ground the fencers duel on. More common at the ring then duelists is students of Artifice studying the ground material. As white as marble and as tough as granite, the floor has been constantly enchanted to receive no scratches from dropped (or dragged) swords and to repel rain, ice, and even sweat and water so it can allow duelists to keep firm footing no matter what the weather.

 

While fencing was once a huge deal among the student population, the fad has passed due to the heavy (if necessary) restrictions placed on the ring’s use. Now, it’s almost abandoned, a fact that hasn’t escaped a small portion of the student body. While the instructors no longer paying as much attention, duels break out around once a week, usually by upperclassman in the darkest of night.

 

Some have even spoken about reforming the Academagia’s Fencing Society as a secret society unknown to the professors, but most people consider that just little more then useless talk. If anything does start, though, it’s likely that the Fencing Ring will be where it begins.

 

For now, a student can study at the Old Fencing Ring, gaining increased knowledge on how to create the strange and bizarre. Or a student can practice fencing.

 

(Passive location: grants +1 Materials Knowledge, +1 Engineering, +1 Curosity. May switch this to a ability? Hm.)

 

(Active location: grants +1 Fencing and +1 Competition.)

 

 

The Ring of Master Dhu

Master Dhu- and all refer to him as master, whether they’re being taught under him or not- is tall, gruff, man from Alesfan. He attracts rumors like rats attract flies: everyone has a theory about him, and everyone’s rather eager to share their theory. Just not when he’s around. No matter what the truth of his origins and why he came to Mineta, there’s one thing that can’t be disputed: Master Dhu is an incredibly skilled swordsman.

 

If it can be done with a sword, Master Dhu’s probably done it, or so the saying goes (one that tends to fly over the head of his apprentices, but causes polite chuckles (or overwrought gasps) from the adults). Sword-swallowing, sword-dancing, and all the many arts of blade and war are familiar friends to him, but these days, he concentrates on fencing.

 

Master Dhu takes on only a handful of apprentices (never more then five), and once they’re apprenticed, the bond isn’t broken until their twenty- longer then most students are willing to stay, considering that most schooling and apprenticing ends at eighteen. He’s also an unorthodox teacher, who insists on instructing his students on all methods of fencing no matter how obscure or strange they may seem- which makes nobles and commoners alike leary to recommend their children to attempt to gain apprenticeship.

 

Still, the competition for a chance to be Master Dhu’s apprentice is indeed strong. So far, he has yet to agree to taking a mage as an apprentice, but all followers of fencing, no matter the age, are invited to watch the semi-weekly challenges that take place at his ring, or to buy some of his finely made swords.

 

(Watch the Fights active: increase Fencing, Observation, and Perception? Hm.)

(Store! Sells various sabers and a few other swords.)

(An Event would be triggered at first arrival at the place, in which the PC is informed that the Master doesn't take Mage Apprentices, which would open up an Adventure to prove that you can be the best fencing mage that ever is or was; success would unlock two new abilities here: Train under the Master, and Accept a Challenge. But that's far planning.)

 

 

Spelly-stuff!

 

...Haven't even started. :[

[Legate of Mineta]

Mikka;

 

Not only does Fencing fit, but it was originally included. Dueling was scaled down fairly dramatically from the original design- something I hope we have the time to address in Year 2.

 

Edit: It's not likely we would add this in a DLC, though- the reason is we need to carefully address it. We do not want to place it under Athletics if ultimately we decide to restore some of the larger components of Dueling into Year 2...in which case, Fencing would almost certainly go under a form of Swordsmanship Parent Skill. We'll see how we can place it.

[Mikka]

Hm... that makes sense! I'll focus on the idea I had with the Ring, the Master, and the Adventure there: those should be translatable in to year 2 easily enough (or even an early start in year one if I fiddle with the idea).

 

The more you guys talk about Year 2, the more I want to play it. XD It sounds like it'll be great...

[Legate of Mineta]

Well, we hope you will enjoy, that's for sure!

[Schwarzbart]

I hope you dont have to cut many of the things you have anounced here in the forum out of year 2 bevore it get released.

[Legate of Mineta]

Me too.

[CremePudding]

There is only one thing you can do with a sword- stab someone with it.

 

You can also chop up food, slash people, and also make people goes ooooh and aaaah by eating the sword.

Master Dhu- and all refer to him as master, whether they’re being taught under him or not- is tall, gruff, man from Alesfan.

Master Dhu the Alesfan? We need Mhadi here, NOW!

 

Like a rival in the adventure to gain access to Dhu's trainning?

 

11. Transcend (Ability)

Don't you mean Transcendence?

[Leoshi]

Fencing subskill + Magic abilities = Battle Mage

 

Or + Cooking = Battle Mage with excellent cooking skills.

[Legate of Mineta]

Leoshi;

 

It's the Iron Chef...mage.

[Schwarzbart]

A Confused Alchemist Cook is much more interesting

[Legate of Mineta]

Hahaha, a well-armed Confused Alchemist Cook.

[Adrian]

The shop should sell a "Light saber"

 

A saber so light that it floats on water... more or less. Of cause due to the weight it is not much good in a battle and breaks easily. The weight does make it easy to carry though, and the engravings are kindda pretty, if you are into that sort of stuff.

 

Might be a bit too much?

 

Anywho I am glad that fencing is going to be added, even if it is "only" from the second year.

[Leoshi]

(Iron Chef...mage ) <---

 

Anyways, the weapons-smith subskill will compliment this fencing subskill well.

[Mikka]

Hah! Okay, I love you all. Or at least like you all. Lots of amusing ideas.

 

What I'm going to do is zero in on Master Dhu and the quest of the Mage PC to become his apprentice, with some help from Mhadi. Maybe. Until he realizes what you're trying to do and becomes competition, anyway. The Fencing Ring could be unlocked at say, Weaponsmith 8 or Compete 4 or so, and for your first year of training, would focus on some 'knowing the sword' before you can wield it mumbo-jumbo, in which a student would be taught some weapon-smithing, be encouraged to find the proper dueling blade for your specific character, and then research, watch competitions, and learn how to properly wield and carry a sword around safely before you're going to get a chance to poke someone with it. Having the memory of becoming an apprentice might then make fencing a bit easier to study next year. Or something.

 

I don't know,it makes sense in my head. I think it could fit pretty well as an adventure and studying place for Year One and the lack of fencing, while still setting up to lead in to year two.

 

Also, for some reason, there will be cooking, as I'm now hungry. Hee.

[Exfides]

Mikka;

 

Not only does Fencing fit, but it was originally included. Dueling was scaled down fairly dramatically from the original design- something I hope we have the time to address in Year 2.

 

Edit: It's not likely we would add this in a DLC, though- the reason is we need to carefully address it. We do not want to place it under Athletics if ultimately we decide to restore some of the larger components of Dueling into Year 2...in which case, Fencing would almost certainly go under a form of Swordsmanship Parent Skill. We'll see how we can place it.

 

I would just like to state that I really like the idea of sword (or even a few other weapon-based) Parent Skills, and I strongly hope Swoardsmanship makes it into Year 2!