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These
are a pair of a long kind of sword with a single edge. Each
blade is crescent-shaped, and the handle is actually embedded
as part of the non-sharp edge of the blade. The handle is
on the inside of the curve near one end, and the blade is
the outside of the curve. When grasped normally, the tip of
the blade extends about a dagger-length above the foreclaw,
and the rest of the blade follows the forearm and extends
past the elbow sort of like a wing. The blade is roughly as
long as a ss'tiss' arm, and a pair of them are weilded at
a time. The blade is one-handed, two-handed for any race other
than minotaur or ss'tiss (which makes it much less useful.)
The blade may be reversed and wielded like a scimitar as well.
Generally, though, this is done for a single overhand blow,
such as a mercy blow.
The
Sunblades are used almost as an extension of the arm, a razor-sharp
edge along your forearm. Fighting with these weapons is a
spinning, flowing style, which can both bring the tail into
play and allows you to face multiple opponents more easily.
The blades can be used as sheild as well, to block many attacks.
In
addition, this martial art provides one of the few protections
a ss'tiss may have against the mystical arts. A ss'tiss who
learns this martial art learns to still his mind and to ward
his thoughts against those who might ill-affect them. Such
protections engage automatically while fighting in this style,
and may be deliberately invoked when not fighting though it
is more difficult. If not deliberately invoked and maintained
or if the character is not fighting in this style, this discipline
offers no protection. Note that this protects only against
specific mental effects; a clever mind-mage can find his way
around this skill.
At
first level, a ss'tiss merely invokes unnatural calm which
enables him to bring all the powers of his mind to bear on
his task, increasing his concentration, his accuracy and his
reaction time. At second level, a ss'tiss gains the clarity
of insight to see through illusions wrought from mind-magic.
Third level renders him fearless from natural or magically-induced
fear, as well as other emotions. A ss'tiss mind remains a
sea of calm. At Expert, a ss'tiss's mind is protected from
magical command, and the ss'tiss may not be forced to do anything
against his will.
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