 About Shiruba SanshiroShiruba Sanshiro
Gear:
--Equipped-- Speed Fists +3 (I am not sure how ABP and unarmed strike work. Assuming +3 bonus) Moderate Fortification, Brawling Mithril Chainshirt +4 1100 --Handy Haversack-- 2000 Healer's Kit 50 Bedroll .5 Blanket .1 Small Tent 10 Everburning Torch 110 -Magic Items-
Gold: 8409.4
-------------------- Skills:
6 class + 2 Int +1 FC = 9 x 15 = 135 Class ()Autohypnosis (14)Acrobatics (Dex) +32 ()Bluff (Cha) (4)Climb (Str) +11 (7)Diplomacy (Cha) +14 ()Disable Device (Dex) ()Disguise (Cha) (14)Escape Artist (Dex) +25 (+27) (14)Heal (Wis) +25 ()Intimidate (Cha) (10)Knowledge (local) (Int) +15 (10)Knowledge (nature) (Int) +15 (10)Knowledge (religion) (Int) +16 (14)Perception (Wis) +30 (14)Sense Motive (Wis) +25 (14)Stealth (Dex) +23 non-class
Background Skills
-Modifiers-
-------------------- Racial Abilities/Traits/Feats:
Ability Score Racial Traits: Human characters gain a +2 racial bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature. Size: Humans are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size. Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet. Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common. Humans with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages. Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level. Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level. --Traits-- Peace Maker: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is a class skill for you. Open Hand and Mind: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Acrobatics and Knowledge (religion) checks. If you have a ki pool, once per day as a swift action, you may channel your ki during an unarmed strike, gaining a +2 trait bonus on one damage roll. This additional damage is precision damage. --Feats--
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (wakizashi) (class free): You make attack rolls with the weapon normally. Quick Draw (class free): You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action. You can draw a hidden weapon (see the Sleight of Hand skill) as a move action. A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow). Mixed Combat: You can sheathe your weapons as free actions that do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If you use this feat to change from a melee attack to a ranged attack against the same target, your ranged attacks do not provoke attacks of opportunity from that target. Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike): You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon. Weapon Finesse: With a light weapon, elven curve blade, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls. Improved Unarmed Strike: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your choice. Greater Unarmed Strike (1d8): Deal damage as if you were a monk half your character level (minimum 1). If you have levels in monk or brawler, apply 1-1/2 times your character’s Strength bonus to damage rolls with unarmed strikes. Two-Weapon Fighting: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. See Two-Weapon Fighting. Improved Two-Weapon Fighting: In addition to the standard single extra attack you get with an off-hand weapon, you get a second attack with it, albeit at a –5 penalty. Greater Two-Weapon Fighting: You get a third attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a –10 penalty. Agile Maneuvers: You add your Dexterity bonus to your base attack bonus and size bonus when determining your Combat Maneuver Bonus instead of your Strength bonus. Flowing Mithril Fist: You treat unarmed strikes as Mithral Current discipline weapons and as silver weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction or dealing additional damage to a creature vulnerable to silver. In addition, you can sheath your hands once per round as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity (even if it isn’t your turn) by placing them in your pockets, under your sleeves, or in an otherwise non-threatening position. Normal: Unarmed strikes are not Mithral Current discipline weapons. Improved Trip: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a trip combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to trip a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to trip you. Greater Trip: You receive a +2 bonus on checks made to trip a foe. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by Improved Trip. Whenever you successfully trip an opponent, that opponent provokes attacks of opportunity. Combat Expertise: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack or a full-attack action with a melee weapon. The effects of this feat last until your next turn. Improved Disarm: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a disarm combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to disarm a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to disarm you. Greater Disarm: You receive a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to disarm a foe. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by Improved Disarm. Whenever you successfully disarm an opponent, the weapon lands 15 feet away from its previous wielder, in a random direction. Mithral Current Style (combat, style): While you have a sheathed weapon on your person, you can make a feint against an opponent within your melee reach as a swift action. You may make Perform (dance) checks in place of Bluff checks when feinting in this way. Mithral Current Flow (combat): Whenever an opponent misses an attack against you, you can move up to 10 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity as a free action, even if it isn’t your turn. Mithral Current Slice (combat): Your first attack in a round in which you drew a weapon deals damage to your target as if they were vulnerable to silver.
-------------------- Stalker Special Abilities:
Maneuvers: A stalker begins his career with knowledge of six martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to him are Broken Blade, Mithril Current, Riven Hourglass, Solar Wind, Steel Serpent, Thrashing Dragon, and Veiled Moon. Once he knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by stalkers is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. His maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and he does not provoke attacks of opportunity when he initiates one. He learns additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown above. The stalker must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it. See the Systems and Use chapter. Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even numbered stalker level after that, he can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, the stalker loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. The stalker need not replace the old maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he likes, as long as he observes his restriction on the highest-level maneuvers he knows. The stalker can swap only a single maneuver at any given level. A stalker's initiator modifier is Wisdom. Maneuvers Readied: A stalker can ready four of his six starting maneuvers, but as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he must choose which maneuvers to ready. He readies his maneuvers by meditating and focusing his ki for 10 minutes. The maneuvers he chooses remain readied until he decides to repeat this again and change them. Stalkers do not need to sleep or be well rested to ready their maneuvers; any time he spends 10 minutes in meditation, he can change his readied maneuvers. He may not ready any individual maneuver more than once. He begins an encounter with all readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he may have already used them since he chose them. When the stalker initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (until they are recovered, see below). Stalkers may recover his Wisdom modifier in expended maneuvers (min of 2) as a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, centering his spirit completely to re-align his perceptions of the battle and change his place in it. When recovering his maneuvers as a full round action, he may move up to his base speed and adds a +4 insight bonus to his Armor Class as his ki defends his form while he re-centers himself. In addition, the next attack he makes this encounter adds his deadly strike damage if it hits. Stances Known: Stalkers begin play with knowledge of one stance from any discipline open to stalkers. At the indicated levels (see class table), the stalker selects an additional new stance. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended and he does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to him at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description. Unlike with maneuvers, the stalker cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows. Iaido (Ex): In addition to his normal maneuver recovery, a bushi can recover his maneuvers by sheathing his blade and taking a brief moment of quiet contemplation. When he sheathes a weapon (normally a move action), he recovers one maneuver. He cannot recover more than one maneuver per round this way, no matter how many weapons he sheathes or how many times he sheathes an individual weapon per round, nor can he use a maneuver in the same round it is recovered in this way. A bushi cannot use this ability to recover a maneuver in the same round in which it was initiated. Iaido Training (Ex): At 1st level, a bushi gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana) and Exotic Weapon Proficiency (wakizashi) as bonus feats, even if he does not meet their prerequisites. Quick Draw (Ex): At 1st level, a bushi gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. In addition, the bushi may sheathe his weapon without provoking attacks of opportunity. Ki Pool (Su) 15/day: At 1st level, a stalker gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in the stalker's ki pool is equal to 1/2 her stalker level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). At 1st level, the stalker may spend 1 point of ki to grant himself a +4 insight bonus to a single Perception or Sense Motive check as an immediate action, as he uses his ki to feel out the vibrations of others and their hidden motives. At 5th level, the stalker may use his deadly strikes in conjunction with his combat insight to "read" his opponent's defenses and deliver devastating blows beyond his foe's guard. The stalker spends one point of ki as a swift action to read his target opponent, and may apply his deadly strike to all martial strikes initiated by the stalker for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom modifier against this target. If the stalker scores a successful critical hit against the target while this ability is active, then he activates deadly strike as normal. At 7th level, the stalker may spend 1 point from his ki pool to gain a +4 insight bonus on a saving throw as an immediate action. At 9th level, the stalker can delve into his subconscious in battle and remember key lessons from his training. The stalker envisions potential scenarios where martial abilities he has not readied come into play and gains a momentary burst of martial insight. A number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier, the stalker can spend one ki point as a swift action and trade one readied maneuver for another maneuver known of the same level or lower. The new maneuver is immediately readied and accessible for use. The character may initiate this maneuver and recover it as if he had prepared at the beginning of the day (or when ever the stalker readied his maneuvers last) until the end of the combat encounter. The ki pool is replenished each day after 8 hours of rest and meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive. If the stalker possesses levels in another class that grants points to a ki pool, stalker levels stack with the levels of that class to determine the total number of ki points in the combined pool, but only one ability score modifier is added to the total. The choice of which score to use is made when the second class ability is gained, and once made, the choice is set. The stalker can now use ki points from this pool to power the abilities of every class he possesses that grants a ki pool. Deadly Strike (Ex): The stalker is capable of maximizing his deadliness whenever he lands a critical blow upon his opponent, opening his target up for future punishment as the stalker becomes attuned to his prey. The stalker's deadly strike activates whenever the stalker scores a successful critical hit against a target, and is active against that target for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom modifier. Deadly strike inflicts extra damage, to only this target creature, on all of the stalker's attacks. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 for every four stalker levels thereafter. When the stalker scores a critical hit, this extra damage is not multiplied, it is simply added to the damage. If the stalker scores a successful critical hit during the time his deadly strike is active, the duration of this ability is extended by one round (no more than one extension can be made per round). Ranged attacks can count as deadly strikes only if the target is within 30-ft.. Deadly strike is more effective with weapons with higher critical multipliers, such as scythes and battle axes. Weapons with a x3 critical multiplier inflict damage with deadly strikes using a d8 instead of a d6, and weapons with a critical multiplier of x4 use d10's. Damage multipliers higher than x4 use d10's for deadly strikes damage. Deadly strike may not be used with weapons that inflict non-lethal damage. The stalker must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. Creatures immune to critical hits or precision damage cannot be targeted by a deadly strike. A stalker cannot deadly strike while attacking a creature who has concealment. Combat Insight (Su): At 2nd level, the keen senses and awareness of the stalker delivers him a sort of sixth sense. This insight performs as an intuitive alarm, alerting him of danger. Through his rigorous practice and learning to trust his instincts and intuition to an unearthly level, the senses of the stalker are unusually sharp. At 2nd level, the stalker's combat sense opens his third eye, granting him defensive reflexes that protect him in combat. The stalker may add his Wisdom modifier to his initiative score and to Reflex saving throws as an insight bonus. At 4th level, the heightened perceptions of the stalker allow him to know when his prey could get the jump on him, granting him the uncanny dodge class feature (see rogue class for details). At 8th level, the killer's instinct in the stalker is honed to a razor's fine edge, allowing him to add his Wisdom modifier as a competence bonus to confirm critical hits. This ability counts as if the character possessed the Critical Focus feat, and for the purposes of taking critical feats that the character qualifies for. The character may not select the Critical Focus feat once he has this ability, and should he have it before he gains this ability, he loses the Critical Focus feat and may select a critical feat in its place. At 12th level, the stalker's insight allows him to funnel the ki of his foes into his form with his deadly attacks. The character can recover a single expended maneuver when he scores a successful critical hit against a living creature. This ability does not function against constructs, undead, or creatures with under 1/2 HD. At 18th level, the heightened precognitive abilities of the stalker manifest in his ability to sense things around him that others cannot, granting him blindsight of 30-ft.. This is a supernatural ability. Dodge Bonus (Ex): The stalker's heightened perception of danger allows him to defend himself from attacks as they are made against him, anticipating the attacks as they come. A stalker gains a +1 dodge bonus to his Armor Class at 2nd level, which improves by an additional +1 every four stalker levels thereafter. When recovering maneuvers as a full round action, the character may add his Wisdom modifier to his AC as an additional dodge bonus; his defensive precognition being heightened by centering his ki through maneuver recovery. Stalker Arts: As a stalker gains experience, he learns a number of arts that aid him and confound his foes. Starting at 1st level, a stalker gains one art; he gains an additional art at 3rd level and new arts every four class levels attained after 3rd level. A stalker cannot select an individual art more than once (unless noted). Stalkers select their arts from the following list. Alacrity (Ex):[/b] A stalker's land speed is faster than the norm for his race, gaining a +10-ft. enhancement bonus to his base speed and he may add his Wisdom modifier to Acrobatics checks, due to his nimble and finely honed body. The stalker enjoys this benefit only when he is wearing no armor or light armor, not using a shield, and not carrying a medium or heavy load. As a swift action, the character may spend a point of ki to pour extra speed to his step to increase this bonus from 10-ft. to an additional 30-ft. for one minute, but he is fatigued afterward for 1d4 minutes as he catches his breath. [i]Evasion (Ex): A stalker can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks by channeling his ki into his reflexes. If a stalker makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful Reflex save he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a stalker is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless stalker does not gain the benefit of evasion. Bushido (Righteousness) (Su): The bushi knows right from wrong on an inherent, instinctual level. The Bushi can use Detect Good, Detect Evil, Detect Law or Detect Chaos at will. This ability functions like a paladin’s Detect Evil ability, except that it can be used to detect Good, Chaos, and Law as well. The Bushi can only detect one alignment component at a time. Rogue Talent (Stand Up) (Ex): A rogue with this ability can stand up from a prone position as a swift action without provoking attacks of opportunity, or as a free action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Dual Strike (Ex): Once per day at 10th level, the stalker's deadly skill in combat improves, allowing him to initiate two martial strikes as a full round action. The strikes the stalker initiates must have an initiation action of one standard action, and he must have both strikes readied. Boosts may not be applied to a dual strike due to the need to concentrate on two separate martial movements. When a dual strike is used, the action must be declared beforehand when used, both strikes are resolved separately and are expended. At 14th level the character may use dual strike twice per day, and three times per day at 18th level.
-------------------- Martial Tradition:
The Sultanate of Beggars Alignment: Any non-lawful. Symbol: A cloth mask marked with sigils of protection. Disciplines: Broken Blade. Oath: Sultans are offered no tests to be able to swear their oath, but they are asked to remain within a city for several months after swearing it to the one who inducted them, where their behavior is carefully observed. Those who cannot hold to their oath are beaten soundly, stripped of their rank, and asked politely not to come back. “I join a brotherhood ennobled not by wealth, but by strength. I shall aid the destitute against those who prey on them and shelter them from prisons of both debt and slavery. I shall not abide those who desire to own their fellow sapients, nor fail to give aid and succor to those escaping the chains of enslavement. On my honor, let it be.” Allegiance Benefit: A Sultan of the Sultanate of Beggars gains a +2 anarchic bonus to his CMB against bull rush and grapple attempts. In addition, he does not take the normal –4 penalty when making attacks with improvised weapons, and treats improvised weapons as monk weapons for the purposes of class features and feats. A Sultan who breaks his oath (such as by permitting slavery) the bonuses to his CMD (but not access to the Broken Blade discipline or the other allegiance benefits) until he atones by meditating for seven days and nights on the nature of his crime, or else by donating 100 gp per character level (or equivalent service) to the poor and destitute. He may also find himself targeted for an educational beating by his fellow Sultans. Description: Founded by ex-gladiators, the Sultanate of Beggars opposes slavery and tyranny wherever they may be found. Its members dress humbly and speak softly, and often choose to dwell amongst the poor and destitute, the better to personally protect them from predators both within and without. Many a mugger or goon has attempted to threaten a crippled old man only to find that he had aimed his knife at a Sultan who is now extremely upset. The Sultanate encourages its members who choose to adventure, especially those who oppose the activities of slavers and bandits, but it is most famous for its more stationary membership. This order of vigilantes hides among the populace it protects, projecting an image of weakness that entices predators to attack the hidden warriors. More merciful Sultans attempt to reform those who try to abuse them; others let them stand as final examples of the wages of sin. The Sultans know they lack the numbers to police every part of their adopted communities, but by placing the fear of their retribution in predators, they appear more numerous than they actually are. Though decentralized, the Sultanate of Beggars exists in a state of mutual respect from member to member. Each Sultan claims a group or territory (such as their neighborhood, a brothel, or their adventuring party), and other Sultans do not interfere in that claim unless invited to do so or if they have evidence of misconduct on the part of their brother Sultan. This attitude of respect essentially governs their relaxed organizational structure, with the Sultanate resembling a philosophy more than anything else. It makes it difficult for the Sultanate to consolidate its power when truly major goals need to be accomplished, but it also affects their overall purpose better, and that is a tradeoff the Sultans are willing to make. In places where the Sultanate acts more boldly (such as if they feel stronger than local law, or have a positive relationship with local law), it maintains houses of hospitality marked subtly with their symbol. In these houses, all and sundry are promised freedom from both violence and eviction for at least three days and nights, provided that they help with the chores and commit no violence or abuse upon others. The Sultans who run these houses take their responsibilities over them seriously, and few things are as wrathful as a Sultan whose house has been defiled or dishonored. Common Tasks: The Sultanate operates on a system of mutual respect; a Sultan asking a favor of his fellow does so in the expectation that he will have to repay that favor. Traveling Sultans who stop in a city often pick up a variety of tasks from the rumors and intelligence they gather there, usually involving dealing with corrupt lords, slavers (and slave-taking cultures such as gnolls), and sometimes with facilitating improvements for a fellow Sultan’s domain. Repayment can be expected for these services. Available Services: Aside from favors drawn from one’s fellow Sultans, the Sultanate has friends in low places and contacts in various rebel movements the world over. They quietly collect weapons that are made available to members and maintain safe houses and secretive escape routes marked by signs known only by one’s fellow Sultans. What the Sultanate lacks in sheer luxury of service they make up for in their incredibly broad network.
-------------------- Maneuvers:
Warlord Initiator Level: 15 Max level Maneuvers: 8th Maneuvers Known 18:
Broken Blade: Brawler's Attitude (Boost) - Gain a +4 bonus on CMB checks to perform an unarmed trip, dirty trick, disarm, or grapple attempt. Veiled Moon: Inner Sense (Counter) - Spiritual senses grant a +2 insight bonus to a saving throw. --2nd-- 3
Mithril Current: Calm the Storm (Counter) - Make an opposed attack roll to negate an attack against you. If the attack is negated, the attacker must make a Reflex Save or be unable to attack you again this round. Steel Serpent: Weakening Venom Prana (Boost) - Next attack inflicts an additional 1d4 Strength damage. --3rd-- 2
Steel Serpent: Sickening Venom Strike (Strike) - Attack which inflicts 2 points of Constitution damage and chance to sicken opponent. --4th-- 3
Veiled Moon: Fading Leap-As a move action, the disciple may teleport to a spot up to twice his movement speed away. Steel Serpent: Sting of the Adder-Strike-Attack that inflicts an additional 5d6 points of damage and 1d4 points of Wisdom damage, with an additional 2 points of Wisdom damage the following round. --5th-- 3
Mithril Current: Flowing Stream (Counter) - Make a Perform (Dance) check to negate an attack or in place of a Reflex Save. If you succeed, you can move up to your speed, drawing a sheathed weapon and making an attack back against the creature for +3d6 damage. Steel Serpent: Steel Fang (Strike) - Attack which ignores DR and inflicts an additional 8d6 points of damage, potential to daze an opponent, and increases poison virulence. --6th-- 2
Mithril Current: Quicksilver Wave (Strike) - Your melee attack deals +8d6 damage. If you drew your weapon as part of this strike, you can make this attack against a creature within close range, your target must make a Will save or become vulnerable to silver, and you can trip them with a bonus on your CMB check equal to your initiation modifier. --7th-- 1
--8th-- 1
Maneuvers Readied 10:
Stances Known 6:
Broken Blade Stance - Add initiator level to Acrobatics checks and may make additional attack as part of a full attack action. Spirit Sensing Stance - While in this stance, the initiators gains the scent special ability and he may detect creatures on the Ethereal plane that are near the Material plane within 30-ft. of his position. Spiritual Weapon Stance - In this stance, the character is treated as having ghost touch on offensive and defensive items and weapons, gains spell resistance, and attacks inflict an additional 2d6 points of force damage. Poisoner's Stance - Gain poison use, increased DC on poisons. Hooded Cobra Attitude - Gain gaze ability to temporarily paralyze a foe while focusing on them. -------------------- Background:
Outside the Sanshiro dojo, the rhythmic sound of Kiai's could be heard for some blocks. In the central, outdoor training area, many students went through simple forms. Each attack was punctuated with a loud shout. A Kiai. This was to teach them proper breathing, intensify the strike and potentially frighten the opponent. Though practice weapons stood in stands around the white, tiled training area, no one was wielding them at the moment. Their master, and thus the school, focused on a weaponless art known as the Mithril Fang. It utilized ones inner strength to harden the hand into a blade sharp enough to pierce the defenses of the opponent and weaken them internally. A combination of sharp and soft style. One of the older students stood at the front to guide the others while Master Sanshiro sat to the side, mediating. Every student had worked up quite the sweat despite the cool weather so it was obvious they had been going a long time. To their relief, the student at the front let out one intense Kiai and stopped completely. He then turned to the students, fists behind his back and feet shoulder width apart, their "at ease" stance. The others followed suit, breathing slowly through the nose and slowly out the mouth. A moment passed of slow rhythmic breathing. Then another. Then another. They all looked over at Master Sanshiro who continued to sit there, still and silent. The awkward silence lasted so long, the students begin to fidget. Some looked at each other but no one moved from their spot. Eventually, even the head of the class looked over at the master. "Master," he hissed. Nothing. "Master Sanshiro," he said louder. Nothing. "MASTER!" he shouted, startling the students. He sometimes had a habit of falling asleep mid-lesson and a shout was needed to wake him. Still their master did not move. Nervously, the head student walked over to his master. "Master Sanshiro," he said. He even poked him gently and quickly withdrew. Their master also had incredible reflexes. He hadn't hurt anyone as he'd stopped before impact, but it was enough to make even the best students weary. He poked his master again, a little harder. Now all protocol was gone. The other students began to gather around, whispering to one another. "Is he okay?" "Is he sleeping?" Is he even breathing?" "Is he dead?" "Should we call a healer?" The whispers got more and more frantic the longer he sat there. Then a sound cut through the whispers like a knife. "Frrrrrrrrrt." A second later, the entire front row of students recoiled, making gagging and disgusted noises. Finally, their master opened his eyes and cackled in laughter. "Ehehehehe. How do you like my secret technique, eh? I call it sleeping skunk. Ehehehehe." He continues to laugh as the smell spreads and more students succumb. The ones in the back, who didn't get a nose full, laugh just as hard as their master. As the smell dissipates, Master Sanshiro lays down some wisdom. "Unexpected things will happen," he says, pacing before them. He is heavily hunched over and keeps his hands behinf his back, fists together. "You can't prepare for everything. But only fool doesn't learn from these experiences. Wisdom is born from experience. And experience comes from doing things. From living. Prepare as best you can but don't be afraid to let your guard down and try new things. Balance in life, in body and in mind, is how we draw strength." He then puts his hands behind his back and shouts "Shiu." Instantly the students follow suit. "Alright, bugger off. See you tomorrow." The students laugh a bit and watch as he goes. He gets to the bottom of the steps and stops. Another awkward silence passes through them as no one moves. "You think he's dead this time? Maybe he has to fart again. Well I'm not getting close enough to check." "I am not dead yet," Master Sanshiro turns and yells. "Oh. My back." He freezes as if paralyzed and falls over in a comical fashion. After a laughing a bit, and debating whether this is another gas trap, they go to help him up only to receive feeble smacks of annoyance. He makes it very difficult to help him up and several students are standing around him when, "Frrrrrrrrt." The nearest recoil yet again from the smell while their master cackles again from the ground. "Ehehehe. The wounded skunk." "Those aren't special techniques. You're just covering for your old man farts. He smells dead," his students shout in aggravation. Slowly, Sanshiro gets up and slowly walks away, laughing the whole way. "We have the weirdest master," one student comments. "Yeah. But he's still the best around," says another. "...that's kind of sad." "Frrrrrt." "Son of a...c'mon" "Like master like student." "Hahahahaha." --------------------- Shiruba Sanshiro walked out of the dojo a few hours later to wander the streets for a little while. He liked these walks. It was a good cool down from the exercises he did at the dojo and gave his mind time to take in the days events and study them. He liked to pick out a few things he'd learned that day and focus on them so he'd remember them better. He liked to learn something new everyday. He also liked to make sure any exciting events were re-lived and remembered as well. His memory of his earlier years were already fading. Might as well fill the void with something new and positive. But not three blocks from the dojo, his mental process was halted by a would-be attacker. Sanshiro had the presence of mind to be aware of his surroundings at all times. He could also feel, almost on an instinctual level, the true motivation of just about any individual. So when he sensed the assailants presence and their lack of truly evil motivations, he decided to let himself get caught. He was grabbed by the collar and yanked into a dark ally, but not so violently as be thrown against the ground. "Look here old man. Gimme all your valuables and no one has to get hurt," they said while brandishing a knife. He couldn't see too well in the dark ally, but they appeared to be a teenage female. Very thin and weak by the how hard he was pulled in. The elderly were probably the only ones she could attack. He could also tell she'd never used a knife before. Her hand shook with fear. "The only one going to get hurt her, young lady, is you if you don't grip that thing tighter. You're just asking for a sprained wrist." To prove his point, smacked her hand and the blade went flying. She dove for it and came back up, gripping it much tighter in both hands. "Quit foolin old..." "There you go. But not with both hands," he says speaking over her. "Grip it whatever way feels comfortable, forward or reverse, but keep your empty hand in front." He shows her what he is talking about, taking a knife fighters stance. His balance is low and centered, left hand forward and open and right hand back and miming, holding a dagger. "Stop it. This is a robbery," she says in frustration. "I know, but you are doing a terrible job. Now listen. The left hand is the covering hand. Block incoming attacks or grab the opponent. When you block, dive in at the same moment. Knives have very short reach but you can attack faster and more accurately with them. And remember, always keep moving." Master Sanshiro starts to sway, duck and weave like a snake but slow enough that she can follow. Then he suddenly jumps forward. Frightened, his assailant swings in a panic. He easily blocks the strike, Twists her arm painfully and steals the dagger. He then sweeps a leg and puts her on one knee facing the ground. He twists her arm to the point she can barely stand it. "Could you grab my coin purse young lady? This old back isn't what it used to be." She doesn't have enough time to wonder what he was talking about when the pain in her arm disappears and coin purse lands in front of her. She looks up at him then at the two figures standing behind him. Two guards are looking at her curiously. She looks at Sanshiro and he winks at her. "I think its right in front of you. Or it could be a rat. Can't see too well anymore. Be careful." She looks at the coin purse hungrily. She considers bolting with it. But with two guards that close she'd not get far. She grabs it and slowly gets up, wincing a little at the pain in her arm. She hands it back to the old man very slowly, not willing to let go of so much money. "Bless you girl. And they say youth today don't respect their elders." The guards begin walking away and the two of them watch them go in silence. "Sick parent? Or sibling maybe?" he asks without turning around. There is a long pause. "Grandma. Rest are dead," is the response, filled with more sadness than a girl her age should know. He continues to watch the guards go, listening to the soft sniffles behind him. Its not long before he hears a few deep breaths and one final sniffle. Out of his long sleeve he pulls the dagger and a the coin purse and hands both over to the girl. "Take care of your grandmother as best you can. And should you need a more legal source of income or just a real bed to sleep in, there's a dojo a few blocks south run by a kooky old man who used to be pretty poor himself. Most of his students were too. I am sure he could find room for another." Without looking back, he continues his walk down the street. He can sense a positive shift behind him and makes a mental note to change the roster to make room for one more.
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