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- Avalanche Style (Physical 50) — This style can only be learned by those who train
at Kurlotz’s Training Hall located on the northern edge of the
Misty Mountains in the Kingdom of Kent. Kurlotz’s style with two-handed weapons allows for an additional,
risky attack with the back, pommel or handle of the weapon. A
character using the avalanche style may make one attack over his
normal allotment at the end of a round for 1d3 points of damage
(plus Strength bonuses, but no bonus for a magical weapon or specialization).
Using this option means the character must approach closer to
the enemy than his weapon comfortably allows, and he automatically
loses initiative the next round as he maneuvers to regain a favorable
position. This style applies only when using a weapon with both
hands.
- Bladesong Fighting Style (Mental 50, Physical 50) — Dedicated elfin warriors take their
craft seriously enough to have created a uniquely elfin fighting
style. Unlike the martial arts of other races, the elfin fighting
style, also known as the Bladesong, emphasizes beauty and economy
of movement over sheer destructive power. However, the elfin Bladesong
is deceptively dangerous, for all its seeming gentleness and apparent
grace.
- There are two types of bladesingers: those who learn it as an
additional skill (described below), and those who have made it
their lives — characters who have taken the bladesinger kit.
- Bladesong is so named for several reasons. The first and most
obvious reason is because of the whistling of the blade as it
slices through the air when this style of fighting is used. The
second is for the haunting, wordless tune its practitioners sing
as they fight.
- Those who practice the Bladesong appear to dance when they fight.
Their movements appear misleadingly slow and elegant, deflecting
opponents’ blades while lazily drifting back to score hits in
return. 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.
- Bladesinging can be done with any small- or medium-size melee
weapon, although the majority practice their art with the sword.
Due to the awkwardness of polearms and two-handed weapons, there
are no known students of Bladesinging proficient in using the
style with these weapons.
- To take advantage of the Bladesinging benefits, the character
(who must be warrior, priest, rogue or warrior/mage) must devote
at least 50 mental and 50 physical skill points to learn the style.
Otherwise, the character gains no benefits from the technique.
This cost does not include the initial skill points devoted to
learning rudimentary use of a weapon.
- Rogues and priests cannot learn this technique until they reach
the fourth-level or higher and they must spend a significant amount
of time away from adventuring to learn the fighting style. Thus,
the style is usually practiced only by warriors and warrior/mages
.
- Elves never teach this style to non-elves, including half-elves
and it is unknown to the Drow and Oceanus elves (who are rumored
to have their own unique fighting styles). Elves make no exceptions
to this rule, even for those who have proven themselves eternal
friends to the elves or those who have married into an elfin family.
The elves have several reasons for this policy.
- First, this style could prove a terrible weapon against the elves
should non-elf students choose to use it that way. Though an elf
may trust a companion with his life, he will not reveal the secret
of the Bladesong — the teaching of this art is most definitely
a racial secret — a secret that will not be revealed even under
pain of death. The only conceivable way for a non-elf to gain
this knowledge is by using powerful magics to force it from a
practitioner. In such a case, all elves who learn of the theft
of knowledge would swear a blood oath and doggedly hunt the thief
until he was destroyed. They would not hesitate to use every trick
at their command.
- Secondly, there are very few master teachers of Bladesinging.
This elite group has no desire to devote the time required to
any other than elves. They are adamant on this matter. While a
handful of other creatures might have the grace necessary for
the intricacies of the Bladesong, they certainly do not have the
judgment and discernment most elves believe they possess.
- Finally, and most compellingly, few other beings have the time
necessary to properly learn Bladesinging. In the years it takes
to master even the rudiments of the Bladesong, a human could raise
a family, build a successful business, and retire a wealthy man.
There are numerous other ways to become a fierce fighter, all
of which demand less time than learning the Bladesong. Even most
elves are not willing to take the time necessary to learn this
technique. Only the most fiercely devoted will spend the decades
required to learn this fighting style.
- Advantages: Although the cost to learn Bladesinging is rather steep, its
practitioners swear by its value. Its wide versatility often astounds
those who are not familiar with the style's intricacies. The things
even an amateur bladesinger can do with a single blade come close
to tricks that accomplished warriors can do with two weapons or
with a weapon and shield.
- An elf willing to devote skill points to learn the rudiments of
Bladesinging may use any one of the following benefits once per
round:
- Gain a +1 bonus to AC. If the elf spends an additional 50 physical
and 50 mental skill points, this bonus is increased to +2, the
highest possible bonus for a character who chooses Bladesinging
as an additional skill;
- Gain a +1 to hit bonus. If he spends an additional 50 physical
and 50 mental skill points, the elf may boost this bonus to +2
to hit., the highest bonus possible with this style;
- Take their full range of attacks and one free parry in the same
round.
- Note, these benefits are not cumulative; practitioners cannot
use more than one benefit at a time. However, the benefit used
may be changed at the beginning of each melee round.
- Disadvantages: The most obvious disadvantage to acquiring the Bladesinging
Weapon Style is that a character cannot carry a shield and practice
the style at the same time. This technique requires far too much
concentration on movement and flow and a shield impairs the grace
and balance necessary to successfully use the style.
- A more esoteric disadvantage is that this style is most often
used by loners — solitary individuals who have no desire to be
part of a group. Since Bladesinging is a very demanding style,
the training is intense, difficult, and, above all, long (a minimum
of 10 years are required to increase the to hit and Armor Class
bonus benefits from +1 to +2). Therefore, a PC would be well advised
to study this style in his early years before joining up with
a group of adventurers or else develop some long-lived and understanding
friends.
- Changing Seasons Style (Physical 50) — Ymaris “Blue-eyes,” a Paladian warrior of great
renown, teaches this fighting style at The Highfolk Archery School,
located outside the Paladian capital of Lydia. Only characters that attend the school may learn the style.
- A character proficient in Ymaris’ melee style may change from
one fighting style to another without penalty, once per round
at the end of the round. They use this ability skillfully to adapt
to changing combat situations. Thus, a character might begin with
two-weapon style. If seriously injured, the character might switch
to weapon and shield style, sheathing his secondary weapon and
readying a shield. Neither an initiative penalty nor lose of attack
penalty applies when changing styles.
- Close-quarter Fighting (Physical 50) — A character with skill in this fighting style
has learned to fight in the cramped confines of dungeons and underground
lairs. In such locations or in other extremely close fighting
conditions, the character can fight normally (without penalty)
with natural weaponry (claws, etc.), any small-size weapon or
a bludgeoning or piercing weapon of any size. The attack roll
of a character who has learned this fighting style is never penalized
when fighting in a confined or cramped environment.
- Specialization: A character armed with a bludgeoning or piercing weapon (or
his own natural weapons) receives a +2 bonus on attack rolls if
he spends 50 physical points to specialize in this fighting style.
Slashing weapons cannot be used in Close-quarter Fighting. This
bonus is not cumulative with Wild-fighting.
- Racial modifiers: Any character can take this skill, but some races are more adept
at it than others. Dwarves, gnomes, goblins and kobolds receive
the first level of this skill at no cost. Elves (except Drow),
humans and lizardmen must spend 100 physical skill points to acquire
this combat style.
 
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