Poisoned Shadows - Swordsman Schools

Description: This school was founded by a middle-aged Castillian Swordsman, Adriano Lavanha de Gallegos del Castillo, shortly after he retired to the Highland Marches in 1663. Impressed by the great strength of the claymore-wielding Highlanders, intrigued by the challenge of educating a handful of them in “modern” fencing techniques, and ultimately bored to death by retirement, he developed the fencing school that bears his name in his first year in the Marches. He took on his first students in 1664, and received Guild sanction in 1666. Several Eisen Swordsmen have expressed interest in opening an academy in Freiburg, impressed by the school’s reliance on force and the sheer power of its students. For the time being, however, Adriano is content with his modest success training the Highlanders (and the occasional Castillian who finds his way to Kirkwall with news of the homeland).

The school’s primary foci are force, force, and more force. Its students are taught to manhandle their opponents by virtue of their superior strength. Even the most basic maneuvers become devastating: a simple disarm relies on hammering an opponent’s weapon to the ground, rather than using finesse to twist the blade from his grasp. When attacking, Lavanha Swordsmen increase the power of their swings by pivoting at the hips, waist, shoulders, elbows, or wrists (or some combination thereof). When they parry, they do not simply deflect a blade—they forcibly swat it aside.

Unfortunately, a Lavanha attack is rather like a bull rush: every strike takes an extra split second to set up (as one draws back before attacking), and leaves the Swordsman momentarily off-balance after it is delivered. Shrewd opponents take advantage of these moments to brace for an attack before it lands, and retaliate afterwards when the Swordsman is least able to defend himself.

Basic Curriculum: Dirty Fighting, Fencing

Swordsman Knacks: Beat (Fencing), Disarm (Fencing), Exploit Weakness (Lavanha), Pommel Strike (Fencing)

Apprentice: Lavanha Swordsmen are greatly feared for the damage they inflict when they strike, particularly with their unique two-handed grip. When Lavanha Swordsmen wield their rapiers with both hands, they roll an extra Unkept die (+1k0) on all damage rolls.

Journeyman: As they advance in their training, Lavanha Swordsmen continue to perfect the powerful attacks that make them famous. After successfully executing a Beat, if the attack inflicts at least one Dramatic Wound, the opponent is knocked prone (as if the Swordsman had made a successful Corps-á-Corps attack). The opponent does not take any additional damage from being knocked down.

Master: Masters of the Lavanha school have learned to use their superior power to full effect. When using any of the school’s Swordsman Knacks, or any Knack from the school’s basic curriculum, the Master may substitute his Rank in Brawn for his Rank in Finesse or Wits when making Attack rolls, Active Defense rolls, or attempts to Disarm an opponent.