Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Weapons of Mass Deduction...

Miggipedia Mannuals: Nanyang Customs - Traditional Weaponry

Introduction
Weaponry in Nanyang is most often used as a form of entertainment and re-creational art rather than for pain-intended causes or for self-defence, although the later cases are possible. Instead, people ussually 'fight' with each other in peacful intentions and plainly for the record. But nevertheless, competitors in weaponry-involving sports, whether it be Swordsmanship or Firearms' Battle, fight with the determined mind to win, or be his/her 'death'.

Due to the fact that this Mannual covers a broad spectrum of the weaponry field, it shall be divided into three Volumes: Volume I - Swordsmanship, Volume II - Firearms and Volume III - Traditional Minor.


Volume I - Swordsmanship

Chapter 1 - Types of swords
Swords are well known for their physical ussage, being that it takes a lot of movement(s), in addition to the strength applied, to fight with them. There are basically three types of swords to fight with, as listed and introduced below:

The PointerPen
Length: 62cm
Weight: 2.5g
Best advised for: Free Fencing, Fourth Desk Fencing, Light Fighting.
Least advised for: Heavy Fighting.
Additional comments: The PointerPen is really just a pointer stick that can somehow be used as a pen. But this presentation tool is also well-reguarded in the school as a sword of its kind and is concidered precious. It's even convenient with its ability to be assembled from a pointer to a pen, thus allowing it to be stored in pockets and pencil boxes. Besides the cost (Price: $3.~~), the lightweight weapon is well sought after and concidered the best sword for Light Fighting. Also can be used for Stunt Proceedial, but be cautious: the PointerPen is slightly fradgile and if too much force isapplied, the sword may break.

The Metallic Ruler
Length: 31-32cm, depending on the brand.
Weight: 3-3.7g, depending on the brand.
Best advised for: Free Fencing, Fourth Desk Fencing, Heavy Fighting.
Least advised for: Stunt Proceedial.
Additional comments: Made of hard alluminium or titanium, depending on the brand, the Metalic Ruler is a hard-based sword that is best for those who want to use full strength in a battle. The sword is also flat, thus it has a rather good grip, another characteristic required for Heavy Fighting swords. It is concidered fair to fight with two Metallics instead of one to substitute for the shortage of length and it's opptional if you want to sharpen the sides of the Ruler. With great experience and practice, the Metallic can also be used as a musical instrument.

The Icecrond (or The Candlestick)
Length: Not generalized, average is 67cm
Weight: Not generalized
Best advised for: Practice, Stunt Proceedial, Light Fighting.
Least advised for: Free Fencing, Fourth Desk Fencing, Heavy Fighting.
Additional comments: The Icecrond (say EYE-seh-KROND), also known as the Candlestick, is really just a trainee sword and can easily be reguarded as a 'baby weapon'. The weapon is heavy in relation to the other types of swords and is made of ice-cream sticks bundled together by rubber bands to make a sword-like figure that ussually spans to an average length of 67cm. Both features, Heavyweight and Cheap-material Content, makes the Icecrond perfect for practicing the right strokes with other opponents in a friendly match. It is not advised to use such a sword in one-arm sword battles (e.g. the Fencing fights) as the weight may harm the arm and shoulder muscles over a long duration.

There is also the acception of a shield, commonly known as The File. This shield is basically worn by closing the file ontothe non-dominant arm. The file is not used often in battles, as it has been reguarded as an item that 'drains the fun of it all'.

Chapter 2 - Ways to Fight
As you may have already noticed in the previous chapter, there are many types of ways to battle. Here is a list of the most famous versions (Note: Fencing=One Arm Battle, Fighting=Double Arm Battle):

Free Fencing
Permitted Weaponry: PointerPen, Metallic Ruler
Target Areas [Points]: Heart [3], Lower Abdomen [2], Genitles [2], Arms [1], Legs [1].
People Involved: 2 Fencers, 2 Observers
Terrain: Free choice
Steps:
1) The fencers stand about 2 meters away from each other.
2) Imagining that there's an imaginary line between the fencers, the observers stand on either side of the line, ensuring that they don't stand in the way of the swords.
3) The match starts at any fencer's first strike.
4) Fencers fight normally and are free to move around in the terrain.
5) Observers observe a fencer each and alerts the group if either one sees that his/her fencer is hit in a target area.
6) Once hit, the opposing fencer wins the amout of points required.
7) Game point: Free choice

Fourth Table Fencing
Permitted Weaponry: PointerPen, Metallic Ruler
Target Area [Points]: Heart [5], Upper Abdomen [2], Lower Abdomen [4], Genitles [3], Legs [1], Arms [2], Upper Head [1], Lower Head [3]
People Invloved: 2 Fencers, 4 Observers
Terrain: Forth Table Terrain
-Mark out a strip 1 classroom width long, 3 desks wide.
-At both ends of the strip, place two desks 4 desks away from the edge of the strip.
-It should look like this:


Steps:
1)The fencers stand about 2-3 meters away from each other.
2)Each left table of each end of the strip stations an observer while the remaining two observers stand on either side of the strip.
3)The match starts at any fencer's first strike.
4)Both fencers can only stay within the strip area and are not allowed to move pass their apponent.
5)One fencer can enter his Border zone (Border line to edge of strip) but is not allowed to enter his/her apponent's, as the same for his/her apponent.
6) Standing observers observe a fencer each and alerts the group if either one sees that his/her fencer is hit in a target area. The stationed observers ensure that an apponent doesn't cross the stationed observer's fencer's Border line, and also makes sure that his/her fencer stays in his/her Border zone for only up to 8 seconds.
7) Once hit or forfieted for staying in one's Border zone beyond 8 seconds, the opposing fencer wins the amount of points required.
8) Game point: 15.

Light Fighting
Permitted Weaponry: PointerPen
Target Area [Points]: Same as Free Fencing
People Involved: Same as Free Fencing
Terrain: Same as Free Fencing
Steps:
Same as Free Fencing.

Heavy Fighting
Permitted Weaponry: Metallic Ruler
Target Area [Points]: Same as Forth Desk Fencing
People Involved: Same as Forth Desk Fencing
Terrain: Same as Forth Desk Fencing
Steps:
Same as Forth Desk Fencing.

Chapter 3 - Sign of Respectful Defeat
Since these battles are after all friendly, it's a custom for the defeated player to perform the Sign of Respectful Defeat after every match, just to show that there are no hard feelings between both players.

How to do the Sign of Respectful Defeat
1) The Defeated kneels down in front of the Defeater, bowing his head down.
2) The Defeater taps his/her sword on the Defeated's head, then swings it to his/her side.
3) The Defeater then strokes his/her sword along the Defeated's arm, which ever is closer to the sword (e.g. Right-hander would stroke left arm, and vice versa.).
3b) If it's the final match, the Defeated does an extra step of softly tapping on the Defeated's neck.

Next Volume > Volume II - Firearms

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