Shine, Kenna's Reflections.
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Couldn't sleep this night.
The Katana sword i just bought - for a small fortune of 20 000 gp - deserved a nice name to have.
Finally got it ... 'Shine'.
Reflecting moonlight during night, reflecting light of the day.
In the darkness of the night, the light is needed the most.
'Shine' is a name for a certain meditation as well.
Reflecting thoughts and feelings as wielder observes her mind, during and after meditation.
In Shou and High Shou, languages of Kara-Tur - land in the far east of Narfell we live in, word 'Shine' means: 'Die!', and word: 'Korosu' means: 'to kill'.
'To die' can be understood either in spiritual way - killing one's ego, killing one's own demons in mind, or in vulgar way - as murdering someone.
Can murdering someone be spiritual ascent?
... either way, i'll train dilligently to be 'one with this weapon'.
-- Kenna, a Martial Artist, oneness with her Katana sword.
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Lost in Mists.
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I've been training in my Dojo, and exchanged lessons with our dear Sensei, Haitn.I should do some unarmed fighting training to get rid of my unhealthy attachment to my katana sword, at least a little bit.
How unhealthy my attachment is?
Like that of the 5th Dan Kendo Master's.
Word: 'Kendo' means: 'The Way of the Sword', and 5th Dan means 5th Mastery Level. After initial training of basics, there are 10 Mastery Levels to attain.
By the Enlightened Masters of Kara-Tur, the amount of attachment that I have, would be considered quite unhealthy.
It's not so easy to separate me from my katana sword.
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Anyway, when i took a walk outside to get some fresh air and calm my mind, I noticed that night is cowled in mists. Weather by Icelace lake can be whimsical. People were talking in hushed voices, and i've overheard a talk between Wavebreaker Lietentant Feron and Seafarer named Larel. About 30 of seafarer people were missing then found dead, and Larel established that involvement of Wavebreakers is highly unlikely. No particular pattern about murders was found either.I've volunteered to try get this matter solved, and first thing that came to my mind was to look around and collect gossip. Larel agreed to send me Seafarers' robes in which i'll loiter around the docks. We agreed that when i have something and want to contact him, i'll leave notice at seafarers that supply of crossbolt bolts is wanted, then he will find me in my dojo.
If i succeed, i'll get a reward, will be considered an investor in the Seafarers' business.
Wavebreakers and Seafarers are two guilds that do some trading over the Icelace.
Icelace is a lake, but it's VERY big, almost like sea.
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I've been practicing a difficult technique with my katana swords.
It's name is: 'Round Slash to the Heavens'.
Usually I combine it with two focused slashes at first, then move a bit to the side and execute a rotating jump while slashing from bottom-right side to left and upwards.
I've been travelling with a modest nice girl from Kara-Tur, trying what I learned in real combat. Her name is Xiulan Ming. The cold road and long road offer nice challenges of us two.
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Also, did some training dummy exercise near old Jiyyd, near the Legion Hall.One of the Legion members watched me train and praised me and my efforts.
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I've started to feel the inner energies, Ki energies. I can feel and direct energies, direct where I need them, to fight for long before fatigue overcomes me.I am sure that it is because I've included Qi Gong exercises in my training.
Qi Gong is a martial arts lesson of working with energies.
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Someday i'll consider myself one with my katana sword, for now I am just on the way to reach that goal.-- Kenna, Adventuress on the Way of the One with the Sword.
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Dojo.
Peltarch's bureaucracy handled, place, equipment and people found, fees paid - and my Dojo is officially open.
Dojo is Kara-Turan (far eastern) word meaning: 'Training Place', but some people consider it also 'Temple of Martial Arts'.
Beside our training services, we sell basic training equipment for those who want. We have secured virtually unlimited supply of these - if many people want to buy much.
In this place we'll teach Arts of Unarmed Combat (both hand/leg striking and grapple/throw/levers), Kobudo (Peasant Weapons) and Katana-Jutsu (katana sword fighting techniques).
We're open to allow anyone train with any weapon/armor/technique as long as he or she is reasonable, peaceful and knows what he/she is doing. But from our side, we have only three lessons (Unarmed, Kobudo and Katana-Jutsu) to offer. We gladly try these against other weapons, armors, lessons and techniques.
We allow for any kind of nonlethal duels or group fights in our arena, as well.
Unarmed Fighting.
In Kara-Tur - far east - peasants are not allowed to train combat. They train secretly, during the nights to have a fighting chance against trained soldiers.
We practice mostly striking martial arts - hand strikes and various kicks at vulnerable points of enemy's body. Vulnerable points are called: 'Atemi' points.
For those interrested we have also lessons of grappling, throws, chokes, levers and pressures - both for fighting while standing and for fighting on the floor.
We also teach use of Ki - internal energies, and of breath meditations that improve calmness and focus.
Kobudo - Peasant Weapons.
In far east - in Kara-Tur - peasants are forbidden to train or carry weapons, so lessons occur at night, secretly. Weapons are traditionally peasant tools, as walking sticks, sai - knife for planting rice, kama - tool for cutting rice, nunchaku - flail for threshing rice, tonfa - stick for grinding rice, and so on.
These weapons can be quite deadly in skilled hands and give peasant a fighting chance against armed soldiers.
Peasant weapons combat is called Kobudo in eastern martial arts.
Katana-Jutsu.
It's said that Katana Sword is the pinnacle of weaponsmithing.
It's beautiful and deadly in skilled hands, and it's weapon of choice of samurai, knights under Kara-Turan Daimyo's, feudal lords.
Traditionally, Katana Sword is used either two-handed, or in one hand - but without shield.
Here i advise our students Adaptation over Tradition - using Katana Sword with Tower Shield. Katana with Shield works well here, in lands close to Narfell.
Synergies.
Word: 'synergy' means: 'more than sum of all parts'.
Unarmed Combat is a good start that prepares student for Kobudo and Katana-Jutsu lessons. Unarmed Combat and Kobudo is good starting point for Katana-Jutsu lessons.
These three lessons (Unarmed, Kobudo and Katana-Jutsu) work well together. One can kick enemy in belly before cutting off head, for example. After a succesful kick in belly, enemy bends forward, leaving his/her head vulnerable for cutting off.
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Katana & Shield - Between Tradition & Adaptation.
For a long while, thought of using Katana with Shield made me feel distaste.
In Kara-Tur, Katana Sword is wielded one handed or two handed. There are no shields, just shorter companion sword named Wakizashi.
Why there are no shields in Kara-Tur?
... i don't know, but that's the Tradition.
... i don't want to break Traditions, so avoided shield use so far.
Then thought came to my mind - different nations fight different way. All depends on neighbouring countries, there are regional fighting styles.
... in Narfell, Katana Sword and Big Shield 'just works'.
... i've bought a Fireproof Towershield in Stonepeak (town to North of Peltarch, in Giantspires).
... will see how/if it will help me in fight.
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Name: Kenna.
In the far east of Faerun - in Kara-Tur - word 'Ken' means: 'Sword' and 'Na' means: 'No'.
Use the Sword or not?
She was so peace-loving girl that parents told her she should become a warrior-ess.
Only a peace-loving people can wield weapons responsibly, after all.'Na' at the end of a sentence also means seeking confirmation, learning.
In this case it implies following the Way of the Sword (Ken-na), becoming One with the chosen weapon.'Na' is also related to 'Onna', which means: 'woman'.
So, the word-suffix 'Na' is also a sort of a feminine form too.Age: 24.
Gender: Female.
Race: Human.Description:
Small yet athletic build, this young woman seems carefree - calm and happy. Open to befriending others, as well as ready to help everyone a little. She can be seen wearing either training outfit or armour. She has simple yet beautiful Katana sword in a sheath at her belt.
Background:
Born and raised in Damara, at the age of 17 she went on a pilgrimage to Kara-Tur where she sought Teachers of the Katana Sword, Teachers of Unnarmed Martial Arts, and the Teachers of Peace Meditations.
At her age of 23 she returned to Narfell, where her life 'truly started'.
Spirituality:
- Tempus, Lord of Battles (god of war, primarily concerned with honorable battle, forbidding cowardice and encouraging the use of force of arms to settle disputes),
- Red Knight (deity of strategy and battle tactics).
More than deity worshiping, she also meditates and seeks liberation (from suffering) and elightenment - as many people in kara-tur do.
