Superweapon in Oven Mitts
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To Codify the Echani Martial Arts to help expand roleplay for those that use the skill.
- Image Credit: n/a
- Canon: Yes, expanding on a canon martial art
- Links: [x] [x]
GENERAL INFORMATION- Media Name: The Journey of Ten Thousand Steps
- Format: Book & Passed through practice of Master & Student
- Distribution: Common
- Length: Years of training to Master
- Description: The art itself. What is Echani, and how does it relate to us? Echani's roots have been debated for a very long time, but a lot of the source materials point to the idea it is a Chinese art. Essentially, from my understanding, it is based out of Northern Shaolin - that is, the art that the Shaolin monks of the Temple use, as a primary base; Northern Shaolin is one of the oldest Chinese arts and is generally used as a root art for many other Chinese arts. The reason why this works so well in my paradigm is that a lot of the associated imagery never has blocking given to it. It's all intercepting an attack with strikes (you may know this concept from Bruce Lee - the way of the intercepting fist, also known as his famous Jeet Kune Do!) and it's generally described as constantly moving, fluid, dynamic, and highly varied based on location and family - and that is the description of a Chinese art to the letter. Northern Shaolin is a very basic Chinese style, and has a lot of modifications to it and some personal variants. As such, being a base art, it's the perfect place to start for this document.
That's the idea, at least.
What will this entail, aside from hours upon hours of research?
- A basic introduction to the art - internal versus external.
- Methods of training - body conditioning, forms.
- Introductory techniques - methods of movement, hand techniques, foot techniques and stepping.
- How forms work and their principles.
- Weapons - specifically the Echani dagger, and the telescoping staff, and how weapons are related to the unarmed system.
SOCIAL INFORMATION- Author: Qae Shena
- Publisher: N/A
- Reception: Widely Accepted for REALLY long time. This is also the style that the Varanin family has been taught and perfected.
The training for Echani Martial Arts varies between towns/villages/cites. In the Capital its very common to find dojos and temples that were created to teach the skill to the inhabitants. In some cases, families that have been around for generations also teach their own form of the Martial Art, but all stem from the same origin.
CONTENT INFORMATION
Echani
The Echani martial art first appeared in Star Wars in Crimson Empire, as the martial art of choice for the Emperor's Royal Guard; their training in double-vibroblades and force pikes, as well as unarmed combat, was in an insane method reminiscent of the most extreme Chinese training - including a final duel over a pit before the Emperor's eyes, to which the loser would fall to his death or be killed before that. Since then it has been established primarily as one of the most deadly arts in the Galaxy, appearing most notably in Knights of the Old Republic II under the aegis of the Handmaiden, which sheds some light (but unfortunately not much) on it. What we do know is that Echani is taught in three 'tiers', and not much else.
In almost every RPG sourcebook that Echani appears in, which serves to be the most common source of information, Echani is invariably a rapid-striking, vital point-focused art, described as fluent and powerful together. Nerve points are a very large part of what they do, and Echani has a very formidable understanding of the body and its inherent mechanics due to the 'understanding opponents through battle'. There is not as much a spiritual aspect to it, which lends credence to the argument that it is an 'external' martial art, in the same vein as Northern Chinese arts, as well as many Japanese arts.
While many people make the argument that the Echani were purely unarmed combatants, this is simply a blatant lie. The Echani had more weapons than you could poke a telescoping staff at, and their armies were still fierce and formidable anyway. The Thyrsians, the basis for the Emperor's Royal Guard, were still Echani warriors and they were all about heavy armour and blasters and melee weapons. The Echani armies would still fight using blasters and standard tactics, but they had one of the most reliable things to fall back on.
Unfortunately, the material on Echani as an art is ridiculously small and ends there, so I felt it prudent to examine fan works as well, to see if there were any others who came to the same conclusions as this. What I found was an overwhelming amount of material to support my theory that it was a Chinese art; fansites everywhere are essentially saying the same thing. Fluent, fast, almost entirely about counter-striking to vital points - it's essentially a shoe-in. The long-time roleplaying website, the Dark Jedi Brotherhood (which has existed since the early 90s), publishes their own fan-made hand-to-hand arts guide, which says exactly this. Most fan-made RPG-based rulesets, which appear in droves should one Google 'Echani (martial art)', are in total agreeance as well. Thus, I'm using this as an extrapolation and
Which then brings us to...
Northern Shaolin
Northern Shaolin kungfu is a very broad umbrella. In fact, 'Northern Shaolin' itself in specific art terms is just one specic art called 'Northern Shaolin Boxing School'. What we are studying is essentially the core of the arts studied at the Shaolin temple - which actually has a staggering 72 sub-arts. Primarily, 15 of these sub-arts are taught at the Shaolin temple, under the current guidance of Grand Master Shi De Yang and Abbot Shi Yongxin, who have both released instructional material to the world as part of their plan to keep the Shaolin Temple in the limelight of the world stage.
What we're using is the more broad umbrella art, given that Echani itself is also a broad umbrella with many facets and indvidual changes; Chinese arts at their root have variations and changes based on the practitioner and the master who teaches it. This is a pretty convenient set-up for us and lets us look at this art from a number of different angles. It would not be wise for us to restrict ourselves to a single way of looking at this, given that the variant arts make a perfect argument for individuality. While they use the same core techniques, there are mindsets and variations on small things which allow us to make the basic arguments we need.
The Shaolin monks are world-renowned for being some of the deadliest warriors in history. Even in small numbers, they have turned tides of battles in China after being conscripted by the government. After a strong, silent lineage, it is only recently that the Temple has opened up its gates to allow foreign students to study there, due to the fact that they want to ensure a pedigree that is perfectly transmitted from master to student. A common misconception is that all monks of the Shaolin temple study kungfu. The Temple is primarily a monastery for Chan buddhism; the warrior-monks practise kungfu as a spiritual extension of their beliefs, and it is not a massive percentage of monks who practise kungfu.
Northern Shaolin at its heart is an external art, focusing on the body and its toughness, flexibility and speed. Many people have seen a Shaolin demonstration team in action, performing insane feats like balancing on the point of a spear. Needless to say, these monks are the pinnacle of human strength.
As an art, it is fast-paced, fluid, always in motion and invariably about defending with counter-strikes as opposed to a dedicated system of blocking, striking with every part of the hand. There are many kicks and stances, with the foundation techniques of the art being taught in 18 core techniques of stances and kicks in conjunction with hand techniques with a wide variety of applications to these techniques. These 18 core techniques can be found on Youtube or purchased online through some fairly reputable martial arts stores, performed by Shi De Yang and Shi Yongxin themselves and their top students, which does lend some credence to what we see.
(By the way, Shi De Yang? He's amazing.)
First I'd like to talk a little about Buddhism and why it relates so heavily to what will be referred to in the notes here. It's important to have a very quick background on it to understand a few simple concepts.
Buddhism
As mentioned in my last article, the Shaolin temple practices a subset of Buddhism known as Chan, which translates to ‘meditation’ – also known as Zen in Japan and the Western world. Chan Buddhism can essentially be boiled down to enlightenment through self-realization of studying texts and simply practicing the precepts throughout daily life. Meditation allows for this self-realization and is a very important part of Chan.
How does it relate? Buddhist concepts rear their heads constantly through Shaolin kungfu in very small ways, generally by way of numbers – pressure points to attack, numbers of techniques, vital areas of the body, methods of training. As a prime example, the number 108 is one of the most sacred in Buddhism – a Buddhist rosary generally has 108 beads representing every reincarnation before enlightenment. 108 and its factors appear very often throughout kungfu and other Eastern martial arts in a variety of ways. Many karate schools name their kata (forms) after the number of moves – 18, 54 and 108 being some of the major ones. In fact, in one of the biggest karate styles, a kata known as Suparinpei, the Chinese pronunciation of 108, is their ultimate kata. There’s obviously the Chinese traditional medicine and other such links that make themselves prevalent, too.
Why does this matter? Simple – for Shaolin monks, perfection of mind and body is their method of achieving enlightenment. This is their religion. This is what they do day in, day out, and how they express their beliefs. It’s important to keep this in mind as we go through the next section. Needless to say, Buddhism is a strong influence on kungfu and that influence has shone through via mind and body training. But enough about that! Let’s get on to the most important part of this entry: internal versus external martial arts.
Internal Versus External Martial Arts
For Chinese arts, internal and external are two very different types of art. In summation, an internal art focuses on inner-body/spiritual elements as part of its training, while external arts use external body. Spiritual versus physiological strength, if you will. From an outsider’s, non-spiritual, point of view, this distinction is very difficult because an internal art is something that Western culture is not used to having to process.
An external art is a very easy thing to explain – it relies on having a tough body, great flexibility, a lot of strength and constant, rigorous training of body to achieve mental and spiritual strength. This is the way of the Shaolin kungfu and of almost every single Western martial art; very few arts really practice spiritual strength in the Western world. And, as Northern Shaolin falls directly into this category, so does Echani. Certainly there is a religious/spiritual aspect to this, but this is less emphasized than it is in other formats.
Internal arts are a little trickier to understand. The requirements of an internal art as dictated by Chinese tradition are that it uses mental and spiritual strength to move the body, has a sound development and expression of qi (internal energy), and applies Taoist principles of daoyin (yoga-based meditation), qigong (internal energy arts) and neigong (breathing). Tai Chi is a perfect example of an internal art. While many people see it as meditation and relaxation (which is certainly true), it’s also one of the longest-standing martial traditions in the world and is just as deadly in the hands of a master as a professional boxer or karate champion. There are some non-Chinese internal arts, such as the Japanese aikido, but it is never found outside Eastern martial arts. There is not a single martial art that is ‘internal’ in nature.
This distinction is important, because it tells us just how detailed the art becomes when it comes to internal energy. Yes, there is certainly a need for ‘qi’ in Shaolin, and yes it does have its own breathing and spiritual aspects, but not in the same way that an internal art does. For example, the Yijin Jing, a qigong manual that works on hardening the body through postures, poses and movements that closely resemble many Shaolin boxing techniques, also improves natural qi. However, given that its focus is on the body’s strength to improve spiritual strength, it’s an external art method.
It’s an important concept to understand, but a very fine line to walk from our understanding. It comes down to three things: intent, method and end result. An internal art can improve the body as an end result, just like an external art. If the intent is to improve spiritual strength and promote awareness of mind through gentle motions that use no muscular strength, however, then it falls more under the internal art banner. We in Western culture see martial arts as something to improve fitness, self-control, confidence, coordination, et cetera – we see it as a fighting method and little more. For the Chinese, the martial arts are a tradition as old as their nation, older than many Western nations combined, and their spiritual beliefs have crossed into it. Needless to say, the precepts of Chinese medicine as it focuses on qi have spilled into both internal and external as a result, and we’ll discuss qi in a future article and how it applies to what we’re doing here.
However, hopefully this gives you a tad more background on what we’re doing here, and I’ll demonstrate how it’s going to apply to Echani later on.
Training Methods
Any student of Echani must be expected to be able to handle a wide variety of training methods. The art is difficult to learn and takes skill to master, but almost every school of Echani will teach in the exact same time-honored method in order to teach their students and transmit the style of learning from master to disciple.
The order of training during a student’s career goes as follows: first, a student will begin with some body conditioning. Then, a student will begin learning the core techniques to all Echani schools, which gives them a foundation to build upon what they learn in future. Next, they will begin by learning their school’s primary form, which introduces them to the concepts and tenets that the school revolves around. They are then introduced to the formative combinations of techniques employed by the school in order to develop responses to certain situations. This in turn will lead in to self-defense drills with partners as well as higher-level techniques, freestyle sparring and finally advanced training methods that may include weapons, more advanced-level forms, or even progression to secret techniques.
Conditioning
Conditioning of the body is arguably the most important and fundamental part of Echani training. Without the body being in good shape, there is no art; without the body honed, there is no mental or spiritual strength. As such, Echani training takes body conditioning very seriously. Some schools take this to extremes – half-day training sessions daily focused solely on conditioning for years upon years to achieve a perfect physique, and that method has certainly produced some amazing fighters. However, we will examine some basic training methods and the importance of conditioning.
Aside from basic exercises (pushups on hands, knuckles and fingertips, situps and crunches, plank position, cardio training, weight and strength training, as well as stretching for flexibility) there are a wide variety of unique training methods for Echani. As a more lithe, agile body type is preferred by the Echani style, much of the work done revolves around lean power. Some of these vary between schools, but there are two or three constants.
First and foremost is the ‘diamond skill’ – an exercise that works multiple parts of the body – wrists and arms and core strength. Put simply, it is a side-plank in which one foot rests on top of the other and the body is held up on the knuckles of the index and middle finger. Second is the use of bronzium rings – these rings weigh roughly a pound and are around an inch thick, and are placed on the arms, with more rings added over time. Exercises are done by moving through in low stances with palms facing up, forcing the student to develop good arm strength. Finally extended use of a low crouch/horse stance, for long periods, in order to develop leg strength, is one of the most traditional and famous exercises.
The other aspect of conditioning is hardening the body to take and deliver strikes by increasing resistance around nerve clusters. This comes in a variety of forms – body on body contact, such as kicking the thighs and shins or striking forearms together, driving hands through grains of rice, sand or small stones to toughen the hands, even simply being hit in the stomach to improve the ability to take a hit. Extreme schools will take these to higher extremes, such as striking the body with sacks of gravel or durasteel ball bearings at higher levels.
Put together, these aspects practiced constantly will make for a very tough body, despite the soreness a student might wake up with the next day or two afterwards. This conditioning will put a student at peak form, a requisite for Echani training.
Forms
Forms are the very basis of Echani schools. A form is, in essence, a self-contained fighting style that is comprised of a series of movements, which teaches not only self-defense techniques but also principles and ideas that center around that particular method of learning. For example, one family style may use all closed-hand techniques that focus on grabs and ground fighting, whereas another may focus on evasion and counter-striking. Each school or style will have at least one associated form, but very rarely more. Mastery of a form can take years, but being able to truly master a form and understand the complexities of the techniques demonstrates how well a student has progressed.
Whereas a combination is usually a sequence of between three to ten moves, a form can be anywhere from twenty techniques to one hundred, depending on complexity, and will incorporate all manner of moves. It can take any number of appearances, generally making use of most (if not all) of the techniques that the school practices, which can be taught in small sequences that link together to complete the entire form. Some schools have adopted common basic forms in order to teach a student the core techniques more effectively, and this is a growing trend amongst schools with many students. Many older and more traditional schools eschew this method to maintain the ‘purity’ of their school – both methods are entirely valid.
Thematically, a form can tell a story – a ‘self-defense story’ against imaginary opponents, if you will, and requires a certain level of focus and understanding of the techniques involved. From start to finish, a form requires total concentration and requires that the student devote their entire being to its execution. At its best, a form demonstrated by a master is graceful, powerful and inspiring all at once. This requires a real understanding of the applications of techniques – one technique can be interpreted multiple ways, which makes true mastery of a form a long road to travel. At high levels students are expected to demonstrate applications of forms, including multiple applications for individual techniques.
While every form for each school is obviously different, there are a few common ideas; mobility is preferred; rarely is a student of Echani ever found to be standing in one place for very long. Each form is intended to fight multiple opponents in different ways and develops the skills needed to react to a wide variety of attacks and scenarios. Finally, each form teaches a student to ‘finish a fight’, such that an opponent is guaranteed to be defeated.
Some forms can be performed with weapons – some are dedicated weapons-only forms. This is down to the individual school and their preferences, as well as the time they dedicate to weapons training.
Combat Techniques
Echani techniques are characterized by flowing circular motions that allow smooth transition from one technique to the next with very little interruption. These circles serve three main purposes: first, to keep the hands moving and able to defend at all times; second, to keep all techniques consistently flowing and always doing something if not directly attacking; finally, to keep the opponent off-guard as one technique can flow (in theory) into any other basic technique, which prevents an opponent from reading too closely into attacks and predicting it early. This makes an Echani fighter unpredictable yet smooth and flowing, promoting grace and speed over raw strength.
All students of all Echani schools are taught a core set of 19 very basic techniques: five stances, six kicking techniques, five striking techniques and three blocking techniques. While a school will certainly branch out from these at some point and diversify, these techniques are critical to all Echani styles and are taught to everyone. These are taught both on their own and in set combinations of strikes, kicks and blocks while in varying stances, moving through in set patterns.
Stances
Stances are used as transition – while they’re usually clear and obvious as to purpose, it’s never intended that you stay in that stance for too long. Each stance will easily change from one to the next. The most obvious thing is that they are low, strong stances, usually with deep knee bends and a very slight lean forwards.- Horse stance - Horse stance is the core mainstay of stances, and one of the few that isn’t just used as transition. The feet are two shoulder-widths wide and pointed outwards. The knees are bent deep such that the thighs are almost parallel to the floor. This is a very low, solid stance, with a low center of gravity.
- Bow stance – Bow stance resembles a primitive bow and arrow, hence the name. The feet are roughly one shoulder width wide and two shoulder widths deep. The back foot is turned out and the leg is straightened, and the front foot points slightly in the same direction with a bent knee, pushed forward. Two-thirds of the body weight should be on the front foot. This stance is primarily used as moving resistance, and to deliver strikes.
- Crouch stance – Crouch stance is the lowest stance used in Echani. The buttocks are only inches off the floor. One foot is extended with a straight leg and the foot turned perpendicular to the leg. The other knee is bent low and the foot pointed in the same direction as the leg. This stance is used to avoid high techniques and also to help use leg sweeps.
- Rest stance – Rest stance can be performed in two ways, high or low. High rest stance has one knee sit behind the other, both knees bent and the back heel lifted off the ground. Low rest stance has one thigh behind the other calf, and the back knee is bent such that it is about an inch off the ground, the ball of the back foot still touching the ground.
- Empty stance – Empty stance is used to avoid leg sweeps and to deliver fast snap kicks off the front foot. The back foot is turned to face outward and the knee bent so that the buttocks are parallel to the ground. The front foot is one shoulder width forward with no weight on it and the ball of the foot on the ground, foot turned straight.
Kicks
Most kicks are prepared first by lifting the foot to the knee, foot pointing down, with two exceptions. A kick is pushed out by driving the hip through in the direction of the kick to generate power.- Front kick – The front kick is a fast, direct kick to the front of the user. It can be performed with either the ball of the foot or the heel. One is used more for faster, snapping kicks (the ball of the foot) and slower, stronger thrust kicks (the heel).
- Side kick – The side kick uses the outer edge of the foot, also known as the blade, to strike. This can be used for slower thrust and faster snap kicks, but is executed the same in both fashions. The supporting foot twists out in the opposite direction to prevent the ankle from being damaged.
- Crescent kick – The crescent kick is used mostly for disarming an opponent or for lowering their guard by knocking their hand or wrist away. The lift to the heel is performed first, before a circular motion of the foot is used. A crescent kick can be performed by crossing over the body with the kick first (outside crescent kick, using the blade of the foot) or going out then across the body (inside crescent kick, using the inside edge of the foot).
- Whirlwind kick – The whirlwind kick is a famous Echani kick known for essentially being a jumping spin kick. The body turns almost one full rotation after jumping off one leg. The other leg is brought around to kick using the shin or instep of the foot, landing on the same leg used to kick with.
- Hook kick – The hook kick is a deadly and deceptive kick that can be used for a very effective knockout. The leg is lifted to the knee first and then the foot extends to the side of the opponent. From there, it hooks back in using the heel with a hip twist, hence the name. There is a spinning variation in which the leg is crossed over and a one-eighty turn is used, using the heel effectively as a bludgeoning weapon.
- Leg sweep – The leg sweep is designed to take an opponent off-balance by attacking either one or both legs. The user drops low to crouch stance and swings a fully extended leg around three hundred and sixty degrees, attacking the ankles (and no higher) with the shin and instep of their leg.
Strikes
Strikes are fairly straightforward. When taught in basic technique sets, the non-striking hand is almost always brought back to the waist, ready to repeat the motion on the other hand. These techniques are also used to intercept oncoming attacks directly by attacking incoming limbs.- Straight punch – The straight punch is easily the most common strike in Echani. The fist is closed with the thumb locking in the first two fingers, the wrist held straight and level, the punch delivered in a straight line (hook punches are very uncommon due to shoulder strain) and done using either the first two knuckles if horizontal or the last three knuckles if vertical.
- Double punch – The double punch is essentially two straight punches delivered horizontally at shoulder level to the sides, to attack two opponents coming in from both sides simultaneously. While uncommon, it is nonetheless effective and useful.
- Chop strike – The chop strike makes use of the outer side edges of the palm. In both variants, the thumb is tucked in and can be delivered either horizontally or vertically. Vertical strikes tend to roll in then back outside while the horizontal strikes can be likened to the swinging of a sword.
- Palm strike – The palm strike is one of the mainstays of Echani. It is delivered with the heel of the palm (the bottom), with the fingers and thumb curled very slightly to keep them out of the way. This is a popular option to prevent fingers breaking against solid bone.
- Spear strike – The spear strike makes use of the fingertips in order to attack. Typically all the fingers are straightened and locked together and delivered in straight-line attacks. However, in some cases, the middle finger can be bent slightly to be in line with the ring and index fingers, slightly reducing the chance of breaking the finger if bone is struck.
Blocks
These blocks are designed specifically with defensive applications in mind that a strike simply cannot cover. For this reason, a blocking technique is just as important as a strike, and can typically be turned from a strike to a block. The hands can be open or closed in all techniques.- Double block – The double block is used to block kicks coming from the sides. One hand crosses the body to rest above the opposite shoulder, while the other arm is straightened downwards and turned either knuckles in or knuckles out.
- Guard block – The guard block is one of the most common defenses and is executed using the top of the forearm sweeping past the face, down past the groin horizontally or across the center of the body in either direction, which keeps the hand close to return to a fighting guard.
- Cross block – The cross block is made by crossing the wrists and is typically used for catching low kicks, knees or trapping punches.
Grabbing, Throws and Takedowns
An important part of Echani is grabbing, throwing and taking an opponent to the ground. When an opponent’s balance is not centered (say their head is tilted back too far after being hit, or being pulled into a punch), it is the best time to use the legs to throw or take an opponent to the ground. Almost every throw is done by placing the hip slightly under the opponent’s to get a lower center of gravity, then pulling over an extended leg. These throws must be immediately followed up by a strike to finish the opponent off.
Core Concepts
There are a few critical concepts to the way an Echani fighter needs to act that are shown in all of their techniques. Remembering these principles will keep any Echani fighter at a high level of proficiency and make them able to adapt to any situation using correct technique.- The Best Defense Is A Good Offense – With three very specific exceptions, almost every strike should be used to intercept an oncoming attack. This is the reason Echani has so few defense-specific techniques. Even these defenses can be used as strikes in their own way.
- Strike Vital Points – It is imperative to aim all your attacks at vital points to make them all effective. Vital points include joints, groin, throat, eyes, nose and the solar plexus. It is better to strike once efficiently than ten times to no effect and interrupt an opponent’s attack rhythm by rendering a limb unusable.
- Weight Forward – There’s always a slight lean forward to every technique to generate some forward momentum. It’s not huge, only a few degrees, but it’s definitely visible. Too far forward and the head becomes a target, too far back and forward momentum goes out the window. Lean slightly forward, eyes on the target.
- Breathe Out – Breathing out tenses the core muscles (the abdominal muscles and that band around the back) when you strike, so breathing out allows for maximum strength when striking. It also maintains the flow of energy through the body, which is equally important.
- Stay Rooted – It is extremely important to stay rooted to the ground. This prevents being swept off balance and also helps generate strong technique. Being rooted means two things: firstly, keep your stance low. Two, never over-extend the body and disrupt your center of gravity.
- Two Hands Together – Both hands work together in every technique. Even if one hand is coming back to the waist when it isn’t striking, it’s doing something, like pulling an opponent into your fist. If one hand remains static during a technique, there must be a very good reason for this.
- Constant Motion – A student of Echani is always in motion; whether they’re finding a better angle of attack, making it harder for the opponent to hit them, or re-positioning after being hit, standing still and fighting for a long time is not a principle that an Echani fighter ever uses. Movement creates momentum, which is a strong source of power.
- Hips, Not Shoulders – The common misconception for a strike with the hand is that it is thrown with the shoulder. This is untrue, and can cause muscle damage. All hand techniques generate speed and power through the slight rotation of the hips. The hips connect the upper and lower body together, meaning it has the capacity to generate more power with more full-body force.
- Limbs Follow The Body – Wherever the body goes, your arms and legs have to follow, given that they’re attached. If your body moves, or turns, your hands and feet will have to follow. Don’t waste your times flinging your arms and trying to attack where your body simply isn’t pointing.
- No Excess Movement – Every movement is precise and calculated and done deliberately. If something is done, it is done on purpose, whether it is a lure or an extended block to lock an arm and trap it. Many see Echani as a flashy, excessive style, but the flashy and excessive motion is done in training with purpose that many do not understand. Do not waste your energy on needless things. Keep things compact, deliberate and efficient.
- Your Whole Body Is A Weapon – Your hands, feet, knees and elbows aren’t the only weapon your body is blessed with. Forearms, shins, even foreheads – if you can generate sufficient force with it and it has been hardened, you can use it. Never doubt the strength of a strike using the forearm through the throat, or how hard a kick with the shin can be to the thigh. If you have it and can use it effectively, use it.
- Mind Over Matter – A fight is always won by the mindset of its fighters. If you walk into a fight believing that you will lose, your mind will make that happen. The more you tell yourself you can’t do something, the more your mind makes it true. Trust in your training, your abilities, keep it simple, and you will walk away victorious.
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Echani Weapons
Weaponry in Echani is highly varied – there are as many weapons forms as there are schools, but it is one of the most integral parts of the art that it is impossible to overlook. There are way too many weapons to cover in a single document, so the most recognizable and common weapons will be covered here, as well as some important concepts for adapting other weapons to existing Echani forms.
Most weapons are taught through forms and free sparring using practice weapons. There are very few ‘basic techniques’ taught per weapon for the sheer fact that most Echani practitioners will liken the weapons directly to the techniques that they are taught from the beginning of their training. However, certain weapons have their own unique techniques that are taught immediately for the sake of maximum efficiency.
Echani Vibrodagger
The vibrodagger is arguably the most commonly used weapon in Echani arts for its simplicity and availability. A dagger is an easily acquired weapon, meaning it can be found almost anywhere in the Galaxy, rendering it a handy and convenient weapon for any practitioner of Echani to use. One unique feature of the normal vibrodagger is that the blade is only three or four inches long, making it concealable and simple to use. Being a standard vibroweapon, it tears through flesh with relative ease, making it an ideal weapon for self-defense in that it will end a fight quickly should it need to be used. For most practitioners, this is the first weapon learned, given how easy it is to adapt the most basic techniques to the vibrodagger’s use.
Echani makes use of the vibrodagger in two ways: first, by holding it in the hand as one would hold a sword; second, by placing the hilt between the first and second knuckles and employing it as a punching dagger for improved impact and penetration of normal techniques. In both cases, it is almost entirely used as basic techniques. Many forms emphasize this early, teaching the vibrodagger to relatively new students to get them used to the idea that a weapon is no more than an extension of one’s own arm. Punching and slashing techniques are the most commonly used for the obvious reason that they are the most efficient with this kind of weapon.
When using a vibrodagger, one must stay in very close range for the weapon to be effective. There is no change to distance of striking based on the weapon in use, so an Echani practitioner with a vibrodagger must be prepared to fight exactly the same as they would without one.
Echani Quarterstaff
The quarterstaff is an iconic weapon, one recognized throughout the Galaxy. In all its forms, it is a telescoping weapon with roughly a one-meter center hilt that extends out to its full height that, on average, is around six feet – very slightly taller than the practitioner, which can scale to shorter or taller users. The telescope allows for ease of transport, as well as added surprise. The weapon is held in the middle, as opposed to one end, freeing up both ends of the weapon for striking and defending. The quarterstaff comes in two forms: first, a simple bludgeoning staff with no bells or whistles beyond its telescope; second, a double-bladed vibrosword that was made most popular around the Galaxy by the Sovereign Protectors of Emperor Palpatine’s Royal Guard.
The primary concepts of the quarterstaff are that it is held in two hands, whether one end or two are extended; new techniques such as the straight thrust and the figure eight are taught. In both variations of the weapon, the staff is used exactly the same: an unending flurry of blows, using the same rotation to deflect an attack and then follow through with a strike. Typically an attacking weapon will be deflected out wide in order to give the second end time enough to come through and strike. Spins and twists are very common with the quarterstaff, in order to maximize the rotation of the weapon and deliver more force per strike. The reach of this weapon makes it ideal for long-ranged attacks and keeping an opponent at bay. The major appeal of the quarterstaff is that it can be used to hold an opponent away from their strike distance using only the length of the weapon.
Other Weapons
While the vibrodagger and the quarterstaff are the most famous weapons, they are by no means the only ones. Single and paired swords, tonfa, ball and chain, mace, flail, spear – even blasters have their own place in certain schools, much to the chagrin of some practitioners; this is a highly controversial move in certain circles, but one nonetheless effective. The idea that Echani only ever employ melee weapons is a myth, one that many opponents have discovered the hard way – with a blaster bolt drilled perfectly between their eyes by an Echani practitioner with an unerring understanding of angles.
What is most important to remember that any weapon can, in theory, be adapted using core principles. Even a chair or a stick can serve as an effective weapon in the right hands. Body mechanics do not just go away, and it is this idea that makes any weapon a deadly one in the right hands.
Weapons Concepts- Extension Of The Arm – All weapons are treated as an extension of the arm. One does not just move the weapon; one moves their whole body. One must strike as if it was their fist doing the attacking directly.
- Grip – The grip of almost every weapon is performed exactly the same. The grip is similar to a pistol grip; the thumb rests between the index and middle fingers, not locking over other fingers. The little finger is the tightest held on the weapon for most dexterous control, while the index finger is the most loosely held. Holding too tightly prevents the weapon from being pliable and having the weapon struck may break your grip; too loosely and you may drop it mid-strike.
- Basic Techniques – In almost every weapon form, the techniques employed by the weapon can be directly compared to a technique from unarmed combat. This is a very important idea that needs to be kept in mind no matter what weapon is being used.
- Never Ignore Your Unarmed Concepts – Every concept that applies to unarmed combat applies to armed combat, too. Use the hips. Weight forward. Strike vital points. Keep rooted. Everything above still applies here, and in many cases it is doubly more so important given that you are employing more than just your body.
- Constant Flow – A weapon must not stop moving in order to maintain its momentum, unless it is a requisite that it comes to rest for a reason such as trapping an opponent’s weapon against it. These situations are rare. As such a weapon should, in almost every situation, continue to move and attack consistently.
- Maintain Appropriate Distance – Safe distance with any weapon is one step outside the maximum reach of any weapon that your opponent uses. To maintain safety with two equal weapons, one should remain one step outside of the maximum striking distance using the weapon that you are employing. Always be mindful of the reach of your opponent’s weapon, as well as yours.
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Internal and External – Energy and You
All martial arts around the Galaxy can be classed as internal or external. An internal art focuses entirely on energy generated within the body that is spiritual in nature, while an external art focuses on perfecting the body to improve the spiritual condition – and this is the explanation at its most basic. Echani is classed as an external art, though it has some internal elements; Echani is more personal as opposed to being spiritual, with the pursuit of the art being paramount through the rigorous and demanding training to improve the mental and spiritual condition. Nonetheless, it has certain spiritual aspects relating to the personal nature of this art – everyone treats Echani as a personal journey and a method of self-expression, and this makes it a very important aspect of the experience.
In terms of its limited internal aspect, Echani focuses on the creation and usage of internal energy through proper body mechanics. Energy transference is a concept found both in the spiritual sciences found in the esoteric libraries of reclusive monks as well as physics and anatomy, so its importance does not need to be explained. This energy is generated in the body and then used in the techniques employed by the practitioner. Some Echani schools are more internal than external, though this is for the very reclusive and extremely dedicated, more like monks than any particular kind of warrior. These schools take the energy comparison to greater depths and use it for feats of the physical condition beyond those even the external schools are used to, but the depth and complexity of these arts is not for a basic student of Echani.
There are two parts to understanding this energy: how it is created and expended, and how it travels around the body. Most important to understand is that this energy is not like the Force; this is simply a mechanic to explain and demonstrate proper body mechanics. It is, in essence, a result of focus, explained best as the body being a vessel for the transference of energy – kinetic and spiritual in equal parts. The spiritual science is based primarily on the actual science, and is an ancient tradition that has not quite been abandoned – and is far easier to explain than the entire body mechanics involved.
First is the creation and expenditure of internal energy. Energy is created very simply by taking in breath, likened to drawing in the energy of the world around the practitioner. Air gives life, so drawing in air is perpetuating the cycle of life itself, which creates the energy of life. This fuels the body for continued use. Expending this energy is done every time one breathes out, which is done at the same time as a technique connects with an opponent; proper body mechanics, such as hip rotation, employ the body.
The way the energy travels about the body is equally important. Drawing in breath is both spiritually symbolic and physiologically necessary. On a spiritual level, the air drawn in becomes energy when it enters the body and travels through every part of the body from a point near the solar plexus then around in a large circuit, touching vital points and nerve clusters that visit the rest of the body following paths linking these points together. On a physiological level, air re-enriches the blood to give it nutrients, which is pumped around the body to fuel the muscles and organs, which is re-enriched once the blood travels back to the heart and absorbs more oxygen, continuing the cycle. This energy is expended when the body is in motion, when that fuel is used up - for the sake of the Echani explanation; the energy transfers much like kinetic energy, from the practitioner’s body to the target. Striking vital points is considered to be an interruption of the flow of energy in an opponent, which is why it is held in such high regard. Disrupting an opponent’s flow of energy to attack them is considered to be one of the most critical parts of Echani self-defense practices.
As such, the science lends credence to the viability of the concept of internal energy. Certainly it is steeped in a little of the metaphysical, but for the most part it is very grounded in real science – in short, internal energy is the product of having a healthy body. Internal energy can be improved by stretching, exercise and training the techniques of Echani, which sharpens both body and mind. This is similar to improving the cardiovascular system and improving heart rate, as well as simply training the muscles in the body to be stronger. Those who are skeptical of the concept of internal energy are always pointed to the science and are informed that it is a method of teaching, much akin to teaching moral lessons through stories, as well as being a method of envisioning the correct techniques needed to maximize efficiency of movement.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Echani Martial Art
The Echani martial art is an art steeped in Galactic tradition. One of the oldest known martial arts, and also arguably one of the most famous, the Echani martial art is both beautiful and deadly. Its fame (and its name) comes from the white-haired Echani people of Eshan who, to a fault, study it and propagate it across the Galaxy. Their penchant for using it as a method for communicating and learning more about their opponents just from the way they fight is renowned all across the Galaxy. It is said that an Echani can learn more about someone in five minutes of fighting than they would from hours of discussion; this is a testament to the depth and complexity of the art at its highest tiers. So too has it been adapted by a wide variety of military groups such as Emperor Palpatine’s Royal Guard and the Thyrsus Sun Guard, for its lethal efficiency.
Echani is very much about motion and application of force to the correct place at the correct time. Many describe it as overly showy, which in many cases is intentional to mask the true intent of the techniques on show. It is a powerful yet flowing art that can be adapted to almost any situation with a wide variety of applications, teaching sound combat principles that have survived many millennia in their efficiency. There are some spiritual elements to the art that certain detractors complain about, but it has withstood the test of time nonetheless.
This guide is not a be-all and end-all for everything one needs to know; instead, it is intended as a reference material that explains the core basics required for Echani, which can be adapted to suit personal tastes. At its heart, that is the essence of Echani: it is a personal journey in which one expresses their spirit and ideas in their own way. This guide will cover many things, including basic techniques, the idea of forms, weaponry, an explanation of internal energy and the ideas needed to make use of Echani martial arts.
Studying Echani
Like many martial arts, Echani’s basics are easy to pick up but difficult to master, taking years of training and a deep understanding of the martial art as well as a finely honed body. Learning Echani is fairly accessible as Echani schools are available all across the Galaxy, for the right price. These schools are typically able to teach the basics of Echani and take a student to intermediate levels even at the most commercially oriented schools. To reach higher levels, one must seek a well-renowned school with a tried and true master, one who is well versed in the art and can express ideas and concepts well. Eshan is a very popular place for students to make a pilgrimage to study the art in the heartland, as it were.
Echani is taught in three tiers, each with its own set of techniques and concepts, some of which are unique to the school that the student learns from. Some take on the characteristics of certain animals from across the Galaxy. Some teach special internal arts that focus on the precise manipulation of pressure points across the body. Some are more dedicated to extreme feats of the body. No matter what school the student is from, every school is fairly equal in the measure of their tiers; almost every school universally teaches the first tier exactly the same. The third tier is generally very different, but being of this third tier denotes a mastery of the art—whereas mastery denotes a sound knowledge of the techniques of the first two tiers and their applications, as well as the ability to adapt those techniques and learn new ones, while comprehending their meaning and use. Mastery is not in any way a reason to say ‘I am perfect’ – in fact, the more a good student learns, the more they realize they know very little. Generally, those on a higher tier can teach those of a lower tier with a great degree of proficiency.
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