by Garry Eckert
 

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Dungeons & Dragons	Dragon magazine	-	Classes	The Dragon #18

As it is stated in Blackmoor, monks can use weapons. There are
many different kinds of weapons.

In Japan men were trained to fight in Kedo or with swords. The
metal swords are called “live blade”. The bamboo swords are called
shimia. The wooden swords are called bokutois. There are eight different
attacks used.

    1. Shomen: a vertical cut delivered to the centre of the forehead.
    2. Hidari-men: an oblique cut at the left temple.
    3. Migi-men: an oblique cut at the right temple.
    4. Migi-do: a downward cut at the right side of the breast plate.
    5. Gyaku-do: downwards cut at the left side of the breast plate (rarely used).
    6. Kote: a cut at right wrist of lower forearm.
    7. Hidari-Kote: a cut at the left wrist or lower forearm, but only
        valid if the arm is raised to shoulder height or higher.
    8. Tsuki: a thrust at the throat to strike the beard of the man.

The Japanese bow was about seven feet long. This art was known
as Kyudo. This bow is between one and-two inches thick, depending on
the strength of the draw required. The draw was 40 to 50-pound pull.
An expert can draw up to 90-pounds. The arrows are 39 inches in
length. The bow can be fired while standing, crouching, or on horse
back.

A Naginata is a curved-bladed spear used to maim the enemy’s
horse before dealing with the fallen rider. The three basic cuts are
waterwheel, windmill and butterfly.

The Yari is a straight-bladed spear. The spear is between seven to
nine feet in length. The primary use is for tsuki (thrusting) or use from
horseback. The primary targets are the groin/stomach, chest/throat
regions.

The Okinawan weaponry is an example of everyday implements
turned in to weapons. First, there is to rokushakubo, which means six
foot staff. The diameter is one to two inches. The attacks are thrust or
striking. Secondly, there is the Kama; A rice-harvesting hand sickle.
The blade is set at right angles to a hardwood handle the thickens
toward the butt. The attacks are slash, rake, hook, chip, deflect, or
block. The third weapon is the ton-fa or tui-fa. This is a handle used to
turn the hand-operated millstone for grinding. It is tapered hardwood
billet between 15 and 20 inches in length with a short projecting sidehandle
set at right angle about six inches down from the thicker end of
the billet. With either end lying along the underside of the forearm, a
person can very effectively punch and strike, as the opposite end is employed
to jab with devastating force at vital areas. It is also used to
block cuts or blows in a manner dictated by technique. It can be used in
pairs.

Nunchaku are two equal lengths of hardwood hinged by a short
piece of silk or chain. It is used for blocks, smashing blows, and can be
thrust in vulnerable areas.

The sai is the short sword about 15 to 20 inches in length. It can be
used in blocking, cutting, stabbing.

Some of these-weapons needs special skills to use them (i.e., the
nunchaku).

Novice: can use the naginata, yari, kama, and the sai
Initiate: can use the shimia, and the bokutois
Disciple: can use the live blade
Immaculate: can use the rokushakubo, and the ton-fa or tui-fa
Master: can use the nunchaku
Grand Master: can use the 7-foot bow with 40-50 lb. pull
G.M./North Wind: can use the 90 lb. pull bowbow

KEDO COMBAT

moves	shomen	hidari-men	migi-men	migi-do	gyaku-do	kote	hidari-kote	tsuki	front block
shomen	--	ala	ara	x	x	ara	x	x	--
hidari-men	dla	--	ara	dra	x	ara	x	x	x
migi-men	dra	dar	x	dra	ara	x	x	x	x
migi-do	x	dra	ara	x	--	ara	ara	x	x
gyaku-do	x	x	dra	--	x	ara	ara	x	x
kote	dra	dra	x	dra	dra	x	x	x	x
hidari-kote	x	x	x	dra	dra	x	x	--	--
tsuki	x	x	x	x	x	x	--	x	--
front block	--	x	x	x	x	x	--	--	--

NOTES
dla: defender’s left arm is cut
dra: defender’s right arm is cut
x: cut is made
—: cut is blocked
ara: attacker’s right arm is cut
ala: attacker’s left arm is cut