Swordmasters

Swordmasters are warriors who have devoted their life to mastering one weapon - the blade. Learned in ancient meditative techniques, they practice the art of ak'anginta: thought-to-form, where the blade becomes an extension of self, and acquires form. Using these "Ginta" or "forms", a swordmaster becomes one of Avendar's most formidable opponents, displaying a mastery of his weapon unparalled by any other.

Swordmaster Skills Swordmaster Forms Notes From the Legends

Skills

       Ordinary Skills                     Swordmaster Specific Skills
1 sword
Swords are perhaps the most common of weapons in Avendar, known and used by all professions save those of the scholars and druids. A sword typically consists of a hilt (place to hold the sword), a crossbar, and a blade. Blade lengths can be anywhere from 2' to 8', with the very largest swords usable only by the giant races. Blades on swords can either be one or two-sided, curved, straight, or even barbed to inflict more lasting damage. Usually, a sword will inflict stabbing, slashing, chopping, cutting, piercing, or cleaving damage. Swords have traditionally been the weapon of choice for enchantments and other such magics.

1 dagger
Daggers are short bladed weapons, most commonly used by the rogueish classes and those of scholarly bent who lack the time to learn more complicated weapons. Dagger attacks usually involve quick thrusting, piercing or stabbing attacks. Daggers offer very little in the way of parrying, but their quick speed makes them hard to dodge.

1 enhanced damage
This skill allows you to strike at your enemies with harder blows.

1 parry
Parry is a skill learned for deflecting attacks, and is succesful more often than dodge. Parry requires a weapon for full success, the hand-to-hand skill may also be used, but results in reduced damage instead of no damage. The best chance of parrying occurs when the defender is skilled in both his and his opponent's weapon type.

1 recall
RECALL prays to the gods for miraculous transportation from where you are back to the appropriate temple of your hometown.

5 rescue
Rescue allows you to intercede in combat, protecting weaker characters from bodily harm. Success in rescuing depends on the skill rating, as well as a comparision of level, dexterity, and speed between the character and the target.

5 second attack
The second attack skill allows one to make two attacks per round. Possessing this skill does not ensure two attacks will be attempted, but it does increase the liklihood of this occuring.

6 fast healing
This skill allows you to regenerate hit points faster.

8 dodge
The dodge skill exploits a character's natural agility to the point where many blows will miss the target. The chance of dodging is also affected by the dexterity of the attacker and the target.

8 kick
The kick skill is an extra attack performed in combat, used for extra damage. Kick can be attempted each round if desired.

12 dual wield
The ability to dual wield is a skill which classes with at least some devotion to fighting may master. As its name it implies, it allows the user to attempt to wield two weapons at once. In order for this two occur, the following must be true: You must be wielding a weapon in your "main hand", and have your other hand free (not carrying a held item. etc.). You then must attempt the second weapon. If the weapons are compatible, the second weapon will automatically go into your off hand. If the weapons or not compatible, the second weapon will replace the first. Compatiblity depends on a number of factors, but a good rule is that to ensure the proper balance, the second weapon must be two-thirds the weight of the first. Certain small weapons, such as daggers, are an exception to this rule. Giant sized races, such as the alatharya, may be able to dual some two-handed weapons due to their enormous sizes. Your skill at dual wield will determine how often you are successfully able to use your second weapon to hit.

12 third attack
The third attack skill allows one to make three attacks per round. Possessing this skill does not ensure three attacks will be attempted, but it does increase the likelihood of this occuring.

13 offhand parry
Unimpressed by the phalanx-shields of fighters, swordmasters have mastered the art of parrying with their secondary weapons. Swordmasters operating on this level will find no need of a shield, instead substituting an equally useful parrying technique.

15 trip
The trip command attempts to bring an opponent down by knocking their feet from under them. Tripping is most successfully practiced by the quick and nimble, and fails on opponents who are flying or otherwise not tied to the ground. Trip can either be used to start a fight, or in combat, where the argument is optional.

15 meditation
The ability to meditate is a skill which allows for swifter than normal recovery of mana through various mentaltechniques.

16 disarm
Disarm is a somewhat showy and unreliable skill, designed to relieve your opponent of his weapon. The best possible chance of disarming occurs when you are skilled both your own and your opponent's weapon.

20 lore
The lore skill is not currently implemented. Expect it soon, but don't ask, as we've got bigger things to worry about.

21 trance
An enhanced version of the meditative techniques prevalent throughout Avendar, the skill of keeping the mystic portion of one's consciousness in a trance state increases like the ability to regain magical potential. Like meditation, the trance skill is automatic.

22 versatility
Swordmasters, with their intense focus on one particular type of weapon, can become equally versatile with both hands. This will allow the swordmaster to maintain his form if his weapon is disarmed, along with the swordmaster to assume a form, even if only his secondary weapon is a sword.

23 offhand disarm
Requiring more precision that the standard disarm skill, the offhand disarm is practiced by the swordmasters, who can use it to remove items carried in an opponent's offhand.

25 fourth attack
The fourth attack skill allows one to make four attacks per round. Possessing this skill does not ensure four attacks will be attempted, but it does increase the likelihood of this occuring.

45 favored blade
Swordmasters, who spend their entire lives in the use of swords, are in a unique position to appreciate the pecularities of a particular weapon. After many long hours of use with a given type of sword, they will often find a special insight into using that weapon in combat. Long hours are often required to gain this insight, but it justifies the namesake of the swordmasters.

To the top of the page

Forms

15 form of the bull
The first offensive form that a swordmaster learns, the form of the bull is used to strike more damaging blows at the opponent, sacrificing accuracy as a consequence.

16 form of the serpent
The counterpart to the form of the bull, the form of the serpent is used by a swordmaster to make strikes more accurately at their foes, while reducing their ability to do damage.

17 form of the mongoose
Imitating the exotic mongoose, swordmasters who assume this form find themselves capable of delivering more attacks in combat than before. With each successful attack, an additional attack may be attempted.

18 form of the boar
A general purpose offensive form, swordmasters modelling their attacks after the charging boar increase their ability to hit and do damage to the foe, at the expense of making themselves easier to hit. As a swordmaster advances in rank, this form becomes more effective.

19 form of the reed
In the form of the reed, the swordmaster focuses all of abilities on using his weapon to beat back his opponents attack. Bending like a reed in the wind, he diverts his foe's attacks in Avendar's greatest defensive form. This attention does not come without a price, however: The number of attacks the swordmaster can make is drastically reduced.

21 form of the monkey
Similar to the form of the reed, the form of the moneky is assumed for defensive purposes. While a swordmaster parries less often than in the form of the reed, he loses fewer attacks.

22 form of the eagle
In the form of the eagle, the swordmaster mimicks the diving attacks of the great bald eagle, striking with swiftly through his opponents defenses every round with a punishing eagle strike.

24 form of the cat
The form of the cat is used by swordmasters to delay and confuse their opponent. Drawing their opponent into a maze of feints and counterstrikes, the unwary will find themselves unable to accomplish their intended actions.

26 form of the hawk
Swordmasters who employ the form of the hawk do so for a variety of reasons. Dancing through the opponents blows like a nimble hawk, the swordmaster finds that his ability to protect himself increases. Moving rapidly from place to place, the swordmaster moves with an elegant grace, dodging attempts to trip up his motion. Those who attempt to trip a swordmaster in the form of the hawk will expose themselves to a round of attacks.

27 form of the crab
When a blademaster assumes the form of the crab, he imitates the motion of the blue shelled beach crab, sidling his way toward his foe, then delivering a pincer strike, using his weapons to disarm his opponent's weapons. A swordmaster must be dual wielding to use the form of the crab.

28 form of the spider
The form of the spider is used to lure the unsuspecting into longer fights than they had prepared for. Drawing their opponents into a complicated series of strikes, the swordmaster tires their opponent considerably, striking and withdrawing, pulling the unwitting opponent into his trap.

29 form of the panther
Mimicking the stealthy motions of the great jungle panthers, swordmasters move silently through combat, dodging attempts by their opponent to bash them to the ground. This stealth also makes it difficult for their opponent's to determine the direction a swordmaster withdraws from a fight.

30 form of the whirlwind
One of a swordmaster's most exhausting forms, it allows a swordmaster to strike at all foes who are in combat with him. Moving like a whirlwind among his foes, swordmasters have been known to triumph even when vastly outnumbered.

31 form of the mockingbird
The form of the mockingbird is used exclusively when an opponent is another swordmaster. Mirroring the motions of his opponent, the swordmaster in the form of the mockingbird distracts the opposing foe into breaking concentration, and stepping out of his form. In addition to the deleterious affects on other swordmasters, the form of the mockingbird also allows the user to block the complicated special moves of other warriors, block their attempts at using their own weapon.

32 form of the viper
Using their already precise striking ability, swordmasters can use the form of the viper to inflict strategic hits against an opponent, which will affect an opponent's strength or quickness. The effects of the form of the viper are cumulative.

33 form of the dragon
Modelling this offensive form after the legendary dragons, a swordmaster in this form sacrifices some of his own ability to parry and instead begins a series of ferocious attacks against his opponent, drastically reducing their ability to parry.

34 form of the rose
The form of the rose is one of the most intricate yet visually impressive form of swordmasters. Turing their opponents attack against them, at every successful parry they have a chance to strike a damaging slice at their opponent.

35 form of the bear
Like the great bears, swordmasters in this form attain a new mastery of striking and damaging their foes. Reducing their own ability to parry, they focus on making their sword strikes more accurate and more damaging, mauling their foes.

36 form of the wasp
This form is characterized by it's sharp, piercing strikes deep into an opponent's bodies. With each successful hit by the swordmaster, the opponent will acquire more bleeding wounds.

To the top of the page

Notes From the Legends

Skrinlare N'mahru, the Blade of Law:
As you enter the room, you notice a chaja bodyguard on each side of the door and an elderly shuddeni sitting in a high-backed chair behind an ebony desk. The eyeless face looks up from some paperwork as you approach and smirks slightly.

"You are a brave one. Coming into the middle of Yithoul just to get advice." He pauses a moment and then continues, "But bravery will only take you to the Void if you are not prepared and skilled. I assume you come to learn what little I, Skrinlare, can offer?"

As you nod, the elderly shuddeni turns slowly and walks back behind his desk. Moving his chair out of the way, he reaches down and opens up a chest. Reaching in, he comes back with two finely crafted rapiers. "I am weaker now than I once was, so I have to use these lighter weapons." Turning his gaze upon the smaller chaja bodyguard, he says some words in the shuddeni language and the guard steps out of the room. As the guard leaves, the shuddeni starts stretching and shifting into the different forms he knows. "All of these forms have various uses," he says as he exercises. "Most will require your own experimentation to figure out their usefulness. Though I do recommend you not bother with serpent, it is a complete waste of time."

The door opens and two new chaja enter along with the guard behind them. The first is large and very strong, while the second is pathetic and child-like. The shuddeni smiles and finishes his warm-up. He looks at the small chaja and says some words in shuddeni with an encouraging smile on his face. The little chaja grins and runs toward the elderly shuddeni. With a sudden twist in stance, the shuddeni twists into the form of the wasp and lances out with one of the swords, giving the little chaja a deep gash by the neck. The chaja cries out in pain and runs towards the door. The guards move to intercept him, but again the shuddeni says something in the rasping language of his kind, and the guards move out of the way. The shuddeni looks at you and says, "Here is your first lesson: Come here."

You hesitantly follow the shuddeni towards the door. The shuddeni turns and says, "Look outside, what do you see?"

You look outside and see nothing but a darkness filled corridor. As you turn around to tell him you found nothing, the little chaja stumbles out of the shadows to the floor where his lack of blood had weakened him and caused him to stumble. The shuddeni turns to his smaller bodyguard and mutters something. The bodyguard walks out of the room, grabs the kid, tosses him over his shoulder and carries him off.

Your attention is brought back when the shuddeni asks, "Did you understand that? Really, the lesson is quite simple; a bleeding wound like that will prevent thieves and other rogues from being able to hide and sneak as effectively. Another thing, I cannot demonstrate this, but an assassin relies heavily on his motor skills, use form of the viper to reduce his capabilities."

"Second lesson! As you will learn, fighters of equal experience are hard to hit. If you can disarm their weapon, good, you can probably take them. But if you cannot disarm them, it gets a bit more complicated. I was puzzled over this problem until an opponent of mine helped me figure it out." With that statement, he barks a command to the chaja. The chaja roars and charges at the shuddeni. He stands calmly until the last moment then dodges out of the charging chaja's way. With a grin of malice and delight, the shuddeni closes ground with the chaja. You notice the chaja's inexperience compared to the shuddeni's, but the chaja's defense is excellent and he is able to make the shuddeni stay at bay with expert jabs from the spear.

"You see how he can keep me at bay, correct?" As soon as you nod, the shuddeni slides his stance into the form of the eagle. He steps inside the chaja's guard quickly and jabs into the chaja's stomach with his sword. The chaja grunts and quickly steps back to get the shuddeni out of his guard. Again, the chaja is able to keep the shuddeni at bay, and again, the shuddeni steps into the chaja's guard and delivers a punishing eagle jab. The chaja drops his spear and falls to his knees begging the shuddeni for mercy. The shuddeni motions to his other guard, it walks over to the downed chaja, picks him up, and carries him out of the room.

"Since I will not waste the time of an Archmage, much less anger one of the clergy, I will tell you that dragon and cat are the forms I have found most useful in killing scholars. Now, this is your final lesson, boy." He walks back behind his desk and pulls out four practice swords. "You look experienced enough to use these," he says as he tosses two of them to you. With the same bravery that carried you into Yithoul, you grab the weapons and prepare to fight. The shuddeni grins and says, "Come, I will be gentle enough."

As you step forward, the shuddeni whips out with his practice sword and lands a solid blow on your ribs, it only hurts slightly, even the practice swords are of high quality. "You need to work on your guard, you carry it too high." With that statement, he closes in and takes more swings at you, you parry some and barely dodge the rest. Thinking to yourself that you can't just do nothing all day, you retaliate. Again, the shuddeni grins and twists his stance. The grace you saw before was nothing compared to now. Your blows are already on their way as the shuddeni parries them and sent back lightning quick ripostes that hammer the wind from your body and leave a whelp across one of your cheeks.

The shuddeni steps back. "Form of the rose, deadly to any who are foolish enough to use a sword against a master of the blade. The rest I leave for you to learn yourself." He turns his back on you and walks back to his desk. The two bodyguards come back into the room as the shuddeni sits down and he says something again in the language of the shuddeni. The bodyguards step up, one on each side of you and grab an arm, escorting you out.

To the top of the page