Knifeplay (skill)

Knifeplay

Knifeplay is the art of combat using agility and a sitara. A sitara is a blade finely crafted from the bones of a fallen foe, using the strength of that victim as a foundation for the characteristic of the weapon. An Idras learns how to manipulate the sitara in both defensive and offensive maneuvers, thus becoming a deadly opponent.

Stances

The art of Qa-Sital is a difficult one, and much different from swordplay. The most important concept you must grasp is the interaction of stances and Knifeplay moves.

Each stance is a combination of physical posture and mental state. The Laesan stance is defensive in nature, and so an Abhaen in that stance is better positioned and better prepared for defence.

Each Knifeplay move can only be done from certain stances, and will cause you change stance. For example, lateral slash can be done from the Vae-Sant stance, leaving you in Ein-Fasit. Vertical slash can be done from Ein-Fasit, returning you to Vae-Sant. By choosing your moves wisely, you can flow between stances without ever being forced to stop attacking and change stance.

Abhaen combat is based on combinations of Qa-sital attacks. Many apprentices will begin with the brace form, allowing them to perform two attacks in rapid succession. An attack can be defined as a Qa-Sital strike or a change of stance. With further training in Qa-sital, you will soon learn to strike in triplets, allowing three attacks. Those few who master the Qa-Sital when provoked will be able to strike in a devastating quartet.

Start in the Ein-Fasit stance and perform vertical then lateral slashes. You will finish back in the Ein-Fasit stance, ready to repeat as soon as you regain balance.

            Vertical              Lateral
 Ein-Fasit ----------> Vae-Sant  ----------> Ein-Fasit

You may equally well choose to start in the Vae-Sant stance.

            Lateral               Vertical
 Vae-Sant  ----------> Ein-Fasit ----------> Vae-Sant

Alternately, lacking a sitara, you may use the swiftkick move instead. The stance flow for this move is an alternation between Ein-Fasit and Vae-Sant, like so:

            Swiftkick              Swiftkick
 Ein-Fasit ---------->  Vae-Sant  ----------> Ein-Fasit

Begining from Vae-Sant is also possible, and it would be the same combination of two swiftkicks.

Stance Chart

 --------------------------------------------------
| Move        | x | ? | Stances                    |
|--------------------------------------------------|
| Bleed       | E |   | G -> L -> V -> R -> E      |
| Butterfly   | G |   | E -> L -> R -> G, V - > G  |
| Crescentcut | V | * | R -> L -> V, G <-> E       |
| Feint       | R | * | V -> L -> E <-> G          |
| Flashkick   | R | * | G -> R, E -> L <-> V       |
| Gouge       | L | * | G -> E -> R -> V -> G      |
| Jab         | R | * | L -> G <-> V, E -> G       |
| Lateral     | L |   | G -> V -> E -> L, R -> E   |
| Lowhook     | R | * | L -> G <-> V, E -> G       |
| Pinprick    | E | * | L -> G -> R <-> V          |
| Raze        | V |   | G -> L -> E -> R -> V      |
| Slit        | N | * | R -> G -> E -> L -> V -> E |
| Spinslah    | E |   | G -> V -> E, R -> L -> E   |
| Swiftkick   | R | * | G -> L -> R, V <-> E       |
| Trip        | V |   | L -> R -> G -> V, E -> G   |
| Vertical    | L |   | R -> E -> V -> L, G -> L   |
 --------------------------------------------------

 --------------------------------------------
| KEY                                        |
|--------------------------------------------|
| x - Stance from which move is impossible   |
| ? - Whether move can be repeated by itself |
| N - No stance                              |
| G - Gyanis                                 |
| V - Vae-Sant                               |
| R - Rizet                                  |
| E - Ein-Fasit                              |
| L - Laesan                                 |
 --------------------------------------------

Sitaras

Before carving a sitara, a bone must be cleaned and dried. Be warned that both the preparation and carving steps can take quite a bit of undisturbed time.

Colour    Advantage
--------------------------------
Black     %50 Unblockable damage
Grey      Psychic damage
Clear     Asphyxiation damage
Yellow    Electrical damage
Red       Fire damage
Green     Poison damage
Blue      Cold damage

Skill Table

Name	Rank	Percent	Description
Knifecrafting	Inept	0	The art of the true Predators.
Stances	Inept	50	Smoothly shift between the knifeplay stances.
Lateral	Novice	0	The basic slash.
Ambidexterity	Novice	33	Two hands are better than one.
Vertical	Novice	66	A more powerful slash.
Brace	Apprentice	0	Combine two attacks at once.
Swiftkick	Apprentice	12	A swift and accurate kick.
Parry	Apprentice	33	The ability to parry attacks.
Gouge	Apprentice	66	A disfiguring slash.
Jab	Capable	0	A piercing blow to the arms.
Feint	Capable	33	Fake out your opponent.
Pinprick	Capable	66	Effectively disarm your foe.
Raze	Adept	0	Attack the defences that would keep your sitara away.
Bleed	Adept	33	Drain the blood of your foe.
Flashkick	Adept	66	A blow to leave them reeling.
Crescentcut	Skilled	0	An attack of brute force.
Triplet	Skilled	33	Attack with three hits.
Lowhook	Skilled	66	Spin low to render legs useless.
Slit	Gifted	0	Cut the throat of a helpless victim.
Pommelwhip	Gifted	33	They're easier to handle unconscious.
Envenom	Gifted	50	Coat your sitara in toxins.
Trip	Gifted	66	An effective method of bringing him down.
Takedown	Gifted	83	Knock them down from their high horse.
Spacing	Expert	0	Keep yourself beyond arm's length.
Freefall	Expert	33	The blade from above strikes true.
Notching	Expert	66	A crafting skill to enhance your knife.
Edgehook	Virtuoso	0	Catch your enemy's blade.
Backstab	Virtuoso	25	Attack from the shadows.
Cover	Virtuoso	50	Defend your comrades in battle.
WolfCharge	Virtuoso	66	Quickly dismount for hand to hand combat.
Spinslash	Virtuoso	75	A powerful double-cut.
Circle	Fabled	0	Move like water, cut like steel.
Knifethrowing	Fabled	25	Fling your blade like a projectile.
Trueparry	Fabled	50	Your blade makes you impervious.
Prowess	Fabled	75	Keep a look-out for openings.
Bloodscourge	Mythical	0	Your own essence is as good a poison as any.
Butterfly	Mythical	25	A whipping acrobatic attack.
Triad	Mythical	50	Dispatch thrice as many.
Tidalslash	Mythical	75	Use your enemy's magick against him.
Bladesurge	Transcendent	0	The spirit of the fighter fully realised.