Through relentless questioning and furtive research, I have unearthed the secrets of two heretofore obscure martial arts and brought them, quivering, into the light. These rare traditions are presented below in the GURPS format for the interest of hoplologists.
If you'll excuse me, I need to phone up and find out why my life insurance policy has been abruptly cancelled.
Bibliokration
6 points
This style claims to have originated in the Great Library of Alexandria, where weapons were forbidden. It was first documented in Byzantium in the 9th century, and slowly spread across Christendom as literary culture did. The books of the period were both immensely valuable and often heavily bound, making them effective improvised weapons and even shields for monks who rarely carried weaponry. It has persisted in academic institutions, benefiting from the secrecy and heavy traditionalism that lingers in library circles. Tight-lipped librarians don't discuss the style with outsiders, and usually profess ignorance.
In other worlds, Bibliokration is one secret style amongst many. The stern librarians of arcane universities or secretive institutes may use this style to defend their collection from thieves, black-ops assault teams, and brawling students. Proprietors of occult bookshops meld it with psychic talent and magical defences.
Because the style revolves around wielding books, practitioners may learn the Improvised Weapons (Books) perk as soon as they have a point in Brawling (instead of the usual 10 points in skills and techniques).
Skills: Brawling; Intimidation; Professional Skill (Librarianship); Stealth; Throwing. At appropriate TLs, add Computer Operation/TL.
Techniques: Disarming; Ear Clap; Fighting While Seated; Hammer Fist; Kicking; Papercut; Two-Handed Punch; Uppercut.
Cinematic Skills: Invisibility Art; Kiai; Light Walk; Mental Strength.
Cinematic Techniques: Focus Kiai; Hand-Clap Parry (Only with an open book); Shush.
Perks: Extra Option (Rapid Fire with thrown weapons, Only with books); Fearsome Stare; Grip Mastery (Books); Form Mastery (Books); Hefty Tomes; Improvised Weapons (Books); One-Task Wonder (Spot book theft); Professional Quiet; Sure-Footed (Ladders and kickstools); Unusual Training (Hand-Clap Parry, Only with an open book); Unusual Training (Invisibility Art, Only in libraries); Unusual Training (Kiai, Only against noisy targets); Unusual Training (Light Walk, Only in libraries); Weapon Adaptation (Melee weapons to Brawling, Only with books).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved Perception.
Advantages: Contact Group (librarians); Eidetic Memory (Only book details, -80%); Higher Purpose (Curate knowledge); Language (any); Rank (Academic or Company); Silence; Single-Minded; Trained By A Master.
Disadvantages: Callous; Focused or Single-Minded; Odious Personal Habit (Pedantry); Phobia (Fire); Vow (Silence, Only in libraries); Workaholic.
Skills: Detect Lies; Fast-Draw (Book); Lip Reading; Speed-Reading; Research; Shield; Teaching; any appropriate subject-matter skill.
Techniques: Attack from Above; Low Fighting; Memory Palace.
White Hall
6 points
This style arose amidst the brutal wrangling of parliamentary lobbies. It is a patchwork style above all else, shamelessly stealing from other traditions without heed for anything other than brutal effectiveness.
The style’s distinctive feature is its seamless fusion of self-defence and self-aggrandisement, blending one-to-one brawling with mass media offensives. Few White Hall practitioners survive long without acquiring an array of scars, though they are typically ethical rather than physical. No known schools exist for White Hall, and even the style’s name is more a matter of popular association than a formal title. It’s perpetuated through exposure and apprenticeship.
Skills: Brawling; Carousing; Fast-Talk; Savoir-Faire (Parliament); Sleight of Hand (Rhetorical).
Techniques: Coordinated Attack; Counterattack; Evade; Pig in a Poke; Reverse-Sacrificial Block; Short Change; Spinning Attack; Targeted Attack.
Perks: Dirty Fighting; Drunken Fighting; Technique Adaptation (Coordinated Attack defaults to Propaganda); Technique Adaptation (Evade defaults to Fast-Talk); Technique Adaptation (Feint defaults to Makeup, Only during interviews); Technique Adaptation (Projection defaults to own guilt, Only when lacking moral high ground); Technique Adaptation (Short Change defaults to Public Speaking, Only against the general public); Technique Adaptation (Spinning Attack defaults to Propaganda); Technique Adaptation (Staying Seated defaults to Propaganda); Technique Adaptation (Strangle Hold defaults to Propaganda, Only against the Overton Window).
Optional Traits
Advantages: Administrative Rank; Contact Group (Media Proprietors); Contact Group (CEOs); Contact Group (Disgraced Millionaires); Political Rank; Status; Wealth.
Disadvantages: Alcoholism; Bully; Callous; Compulsive Liar; Cowardice; Greed; Lecherousness; Low Empathy; Megalomania; Obnoxious Personal Habit (Braying Laughter); Selfish.
Skills: Connoisseur (Wine); Current Affairs (Business); Diplomacy; Finance; Law; Makeup; Politics; Propaganda; Public Speaking; Savoir-Faire (High Society); Scrounging; Shadowing (Only when “in the wilderness”).
Techniques
Bookmark Face*
Hard
Default: Prerequisite skill-3.
Prerequisite: Brawling or Judo, the Improvised Weapons (Books) perk, and Trained By A Master; can't exceed prerequisite skill.
You can snap an open book closed around an opponent’s face. You must first take a Ready action to open the book; a successful Fast-Draw (Book) roll can negate this.
While their face is trapped, your victim can’t use bites and similar attacks (except to attack your weapon) and is blinded. Targets with unusual anatomy may be affected differently.
You suffer a -5 penalty on Quick Contests when your target tries to break free, or if you attempt a takedown (+0 if you are using both hands).
This technique may be used defensively to parry a bite, headbutt or similar attack; base it on the prerequisite skill’s Parry.
Focus Kiai*
Average
Default: Kiai-2.
Prerequisite: Kiai.
You can channel your chi more tightly, preventing anyone other than the victim from hearing it.
Papercut*
Average
Default: Brawling-3.
Prerequisite: Brawling and the Improvised Weapons perk; cannot exceed Brawling.
You deftly rake the edge of a document across an opponent’s skin, creating a shallow – but painful – cut. Roll Papercut and note the margin of success, minus any DR. Instead of injury, your victim suffers moderate pain (p. B428) for a number of seconds equal to this total. On a critical success, your victim suffers severe pain instead!
Shush*
Average
Default: Prerequisite skill-1.
Prerequisite: Intimidate or Kiai.
Instead of inflicting mental stun, this technique renders a target temporarily speechless, preventing them from talking or even crying out.
Under-Bus Block*
Hard
Default: Politics-8.
Prerequisite: Politics and appropriate Rank; cannot exceed Politics-3.
This technique allows you to interpose a subordinate between yourself and physical or professional danger. To use it, a subordinate must be within stepping distance of you. This is a type of Block; roll this technique instead of your normal Block. On a success, your subordinate becomes the target instead of you; he can defend himself as normal. You can attempt this technique even with a superior, but any failure is treated as a critical failure!
Modifiers: A modifier equal to the difference between your own relevant Rank and your proxy's; this is a bonus if you have higher Rank, and a penalty if you have lower Rank.
Perks
Hefty Tomes*
This perk combines the benefits of Huge Weapons (SM) and Huge Weapons (ST), but only for using books as improvised weapons.
Professional Quiet
You can use a specific Professional skill instead of Stealth to move quietly and avoid drawing attention. Typical examples are servants, waiting staff, librarians, and duty nurses. This only applies in the course of your duties or in similar circumstances, e.g. eavesdropping on customers’ conversations, or exploring a library without being noticed.
It’s not appropriate for professions that revolve around stealth, or for sneaking up on people; assassins, snipers, and the like must raise Stealth instead.
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