Codex Tailor Guide To Fighting¶
A Tailor's Guide to Fighting
by Kyi Martyr
Dedication
I do not hold tailors above all other trades, nor do
I think that tailors are able to learn more than any
other of the residents that are not known for fighting.
While I am biased...I did marry one...I want to offer
my thoughts and perhaps 'wisdom' towards being able
to protect yourself, no matter what your abilities.
Mind you, this guide will not keep you from dying if
you make poor choices. However, with a little training,
anyone can learn to protect themselves and perhaps have
have fun with a new hobby.
This guide is dedicated to my wife, Melina Martyr, who
inspires me daily with her excitement and her desire
to learn.
Table of Contents
Page 3 What weapon should I choose?
Page 4 Maybe brawling?
Page 5 Not getting hurt
Page 6 Where to practice?
Page 7 How good is good enough?
Page 8 Strategy
Page 9 Common sense and planning
Page 10 Closing
What weapon should I choose?
With the great assortment of weapons and disciplines
available, it seems like the world is completely open to
you. While I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from
picking a trident if they fall in love with it, or an
axe that is as tall as you because it looks amazing,
I would suggest a few practical weapons and why I find
them the best choices for those who don't primarily
make their coin by adventuring.
A knife may be a good choice if you favor speed, ease of
movement and not carrying a bulky weapon. Practically
everyone carries a utility knife of some sort, from the
hard working woodsman to the crafty thief. Usually, a
knife or small bladed weapon will be inexpensive. Also,
if you needed to draw your weapon without anyone
noticing, this weapons may be the easiest to do so.
If fighting up close makes you a tiny bit squeamish,
then perhaps a better choice for you would be a stave.
Staves can be as light as three or so pounds if they're
made of pine and can also be found with pointy ends.
Equally at home fighting up close or at range, they
offer a flexibility that no other weapon quite matches.
Additionally, if you fight with a partner who is quite
skilled in defending himself as well as guarding, you
can better focus on some of your attacks. Lastly, it
is fairly easy to attack while backing away, keeping
you at a safe range.
Maybe brawling?
Though I have saved it for last, learning to fight with
your bare hands is my favorite choice for those who
make their coin in more peaceful ways. In most cases,
you won't cause as much pain or injury as you would
with an axe or a club. However, what you gain in
flexibility and safety may outweigh these concerns. A
reflexive swatting block at a surprise attack requires
no planning and no weapon or shield. In fact, I would
consider this type of defense to be invaluable for
medics who desire to drag people away from a heated
fight.
As for the offensive benefits, learning to fight with
your bare hands may be the most natural weapon and
quickest to learn. Throwing a punch, for instance is
not hard to learn and is very precise once it is thrown
correctly. Also, learning to brawl puts you in the
mindset of economy of motion. Punching for the nose,
stomping a foot and slamming your head into someone
intentionally focuses on areas that are vulnerable by
nature. One caution...without learning how to properly
throw your strikes, they will likely be without power.
Not getting hurt
As well as you may learn a weapon and as deadly as your
strikes may be become, there is nothing more valuable
than being able to block an attack, or more importantly,
being able to avoid the attack all together. It would
be expected to learn whichever weapon that is chosen,
attacks and blocks. But, being someone who might not
devote every waking moment to fighting, such as
spending time in a trade, a weapon won't always be in
hand, ready to ward off an attack.
It goes without saying that dodging an attack should be
learned quite well. However, the most important thing
that can be learned from the beginning is how to fall
back quickly when you realize you would be better off
walking away.
Lastly, you won't be able to avoid every attack, so
consider what type of armor is necessary and best fits
your needs. If you carry a stave and are rarely in
danger from ranged attacks, then minimal armor should
be sufficient. If you carry a knife or fight with your
empty hands, then a bit of bronze covering your vital
areas would be highly advised.
Where to practice?
Your first lessons in your fighting ability are most
important. This raises a question the question of
where to train. Not everyone finds usefulness in
aiming attacks at a fixed practice dummy. I would
suggest heading to Lighthouse Island and practicing
on the little creatures that reside there. If you
have a dog that could use some exercise, it should be
fairly safe to bring it along, which might give you
some advantage of distracting the critters as well as
providing you with a few more openings.
Other choices, though they will be a bit tougher, would
be the pits near the arena, the dumps just outside of
town and a burnt out villa to the north of the city.
The pits have lots of rats that come out of hiding when
their home is invaded, so the pace will keep you busy.
The dumps require a bit more walking, though if you can
stomach the smell, the hounds are not typically as hard
to hit as the rats that outweight them. The burnt
villa is home to large beetles and much more dangerous
wasps. Take someone with you who can take down the
wasps quickly and the beetles will provide you with
good practice of aiming and impact to get through their
tough shells.
How good is good enough?
Training can be all encompassing, especially if you
don't have a goal. If your goal is to be able to walk
around and not have to worry about getting knocked out
in the city, then a few months of traing should get you
to the point where, when wary, you could easily back
away and walk off. Be learned in the abilities you use
the most.
If your goal is to be able to go to the dangerous places
with your best friend, then your training will take
several years. All aspects of your fighting style should
be outstanding, including your blocking and dodging, as
well as not learning to not drop your weapon and how to
get back on your feet quickly if you get knocked over.
If you want to be able to go the most dangerous places
alone, then be prepared to spend years and years devoted
to little else. Expect to be a grandmaster at everything
related to your weapon as well as avoiding getting hit.
Also, expect to spend time building muscle and running
laps. Some people are naturally gifted in the way their
bodies work, but most of us have to work hard to get into
shape. Additionally, if you're not a healer by trade,
you may need to dabble in it a bit, just in case.
Strategy
The people who spend the least time being tended are not
necessarily those who are the most skilled. No matter
how much time you spend in training, you will always
benefit from thinking about how you are fighting. You
may be able to handle fighting off a wolf. However, if
you are suddenly in the midst of a group of men carrying
axes, know how to deal with it, whether it is by a quick
retreat or by management.
When you are hunting with others, play to each other's
strengths. Some are better at controlling the situation
with sweeps or stunning hits to the head. Others can hit
from far and do it with strength and accuracy, but
require someone to keep the anyone from getting too close.
Lastly, never underestimate the little things, like
dropping extra weight, taking a healer or knowing the
area well enough to get to safety quickly.
Common sense and planning
Years of observations provide a wealth of wisdom when it
comes to safety. It should be clear that while training
is a component of surviving, proper planning and caution
can be even more important. I follow certain rules to
better my odds of avoiding unexpected circumstances.
If you're going on a trip out of town, don't announce it
to everyone. Take a friend or two with you and don't
follow the most common road when travelling between
cities.
If you are carrying expensive things, be extra careful.
If you're carrying lots of coin for a purchase in Monlon,
be even moreso. Bandits lay in wait for those who seem
to be easy prey...and if it looks like you're off to make
a purchase, that's just asking for trouble.
When visiting unfamiliar places, take a guide with you.
There is no sense stumbling into traps in some forgotten
place or getting lost when a guide can teach you what to
look for.
Closing
Anyone can learn to fight, from the tailor to the broker.
I know tradesmen of all types who have little fear of
being seriously hurt, even without being exceptionally
trained.
Lastly, never forget your first love. Visit the lock
shop and tend a few patients. Sew a new robe or commune
with nature. Write poetry or have a nice cup of tea
among friends. Maybe among the things you talk about
will be that new scar...