Post by Puck on May 13, 2015 17:08:46 GMT
KI INTRODUCTION
Before continuing, it is recommended you read this page as it also gives the basic understanding of both Magic and Ki. Also another warning is that most of this is lore fluff, but at the least it would be good to read anyway.
Ki has been central in martial arts, it is no different for the Ki Artist styles. Ki is commonly known as "life energy" or even "breath". Others may call it Od, Mana, or even Prana. Whatever it is called, it is commonly in living beings as part of their vigor and/or life force. Those who learn to control it can be recognized as a member of the Martial Forest Coalition's society, or even be called a Ki Artist. While it is a source of energy found in the body, it is not so simple as the Ki Artist systems recognize there are four basic components in the human body as a whole: Mind, Breath, Body, and Spirit.
It is important to note that each component will affect the other. Meaning, a decrease in Mind has a depreciating effect on the rest of the components in a number of ways. This list below is to show what happens if you are heavily lacking in one component or are in excess of another compared to the rest.
In summation, it is best to have a balance of these four components as not only as a Ki Artist, but as a living being.
Ki has been central in martial arts, it is no different for the Ki Artist styles. Ki is commonly known as "life energy" or even "breath". Others may call it Od, Mana, or even Prana. Whatever it is called, it is commonly in living beings as part of their vigor and/or life force. Those who learn to control it can be recognized as a member of the Martial Forest Coalition's society, or even be called a Ki Artist. While it is a source of energy found in the body, it is not so simple as the Ki Artist systems recognize there are four basic components in the human body as a whole: Mind, Breath, Body, and Spirit.
- Mind: One's ability to think, react, and visualize. This is most prevalent when trying to focus and circulate Ki. Especially when meditating.
- Breath: Ki. The supply of Ki in a living being whether it be inside and outside.
- Body: The rest of the physical components that make up the physical frame. These are muscles, bones, blood vessels, and so on. It is also the medium in which Ki Artists use to perform their techniques.
- Spirit: The pure will to achieve an effect. This plays in with the Understanding and Logic side of Magic, thus allowing the realization of Ki Arts techniques.
It is important to note that each component will affect the other. Meaning, a decrease in Mind has a depreciating effect on the rest of the components in a number of ways. This list below is to show what happens if you are heavily lacking in one component or are in excess of another compared to the rest.
- Inferior Mind: If the mind suffers, then the Artist cannot achieve the most potential possible as cognitive abilities are hindered which is crucial for the individual Artist's development.
- Superior Mind: Excessive cognitive abilities would lead to the diminishing of the other three components.
- Inferior Breath: As Ki is life energy, a lack of this means there are issues in one's body. Such instability usually results to health problems in which human growth may even be retarded and even weakened.
- Superior Breath: The body has its own limitation of how much Ki it can hold up. Too much of it would lead to its destruction, meaning death. Basically an overflow of Ki can kill someone.
- Inferior Body: Usually linked with Superior Breath. Someone weak in body is unlikely to hold up much Ki either. If more Ki is introduced, the body would be forced to keep up with it and could be pushed too hard to the point of death.
- Superior Body: Usually linked with Inferior Breath. This term can be confusing. But it is clear that the body can be "superior" in a way that the supplied Ki may not be enough to sustain it. Thus it could lead to the deterioration of the body as mentioned in Inferior Breath.
- Inferior Spirit: One must have the effort to devote oneself to the Art. If that is lacking, then the rest will also fall behind. Effort is important for one's devotion to the Arts.
- Superior Spirit: A boundless will is formidable, but without power, it is only delaying the inevitable. Being stubborn and devoted is good, but taking it too far may lead to self-harm by overexerting.
In summation, it is best to have a balance of these four components as not only as a Ki Artist, but as a living being.
MERIDIANS, PRESSURE POINTS, AND THE KI CENTER
On another note, within the body, Ki is circulated within through meridians, pressure points, and the Ki Center.
- Meridians: The channel network in which Ki may flow throughout the body, such networks may even span across the central nervous system and even internal organs. Though various styles may have different beliefs of what kind of network Ki is, but they are ultimately similar. It seems to be commonly accepted that there are 12 meridians in the human body. Nearly all the training of Ki Artists endeavor to "widen" their Meridians as much as possible to help facilitate larger flows of Ki. Some Mystic Kind may have similar numbers or may have similar placement.
- Pressure Points: The vital points on the body in which Ki can flow in and out of the body, they are lined up with the meridians. These points maybe pressed for various effects such as debilitation, cause or rid of tremendous pain, or even cutting of Ki flow to prevent an enemy from using Ki Arts. There maybe as many as 360 Pressure Points on the human body, but the bodies of some Mystic Kind are fairly similar in placement and number.
- Ki Center: The location in which most of a Ki Artist's Ki will reside, the most important part of a Ki Artist's body. Basically, the pool of their Ki. Hence, the name. It is also another pressure point located below the navel about three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel. It goes to say that disrupting activity there could cause complications of one's bodily functions and even possibly preventing someone from ever using the Ki Arts ever again. However, this requires tremendous amounts of force in order to do it. So it is not easy to break a Ki Center, even harder to break a Ki Artist's as they have such large pools of Ki. It goes by various names such as: dantian, elixir field, sea of qi, and energy center.
KI TECHNIQUES
Ki techniques usually are categorized in these five types. There may be some overlap at times. And of course, this is only the general categories. There maybe more out there. Please note that techniques will rarely add a + or - modifier since you are already strengthening yourselves through mere physical and meditation training anyway. So it shall be up to staff scrutiny if you are allowed to have a technique that does this. But at the least you can put other effects for your techniques.
- Offensive: Fairly self-explanatory. Techniques made to harm whether it be strikes, throws, grappling, and so forth. Others may use pressure points to cause pain or to seal movement. Some may throw out a combo of strikes that are so fast that it almost seems as if each strike was all done at once at the same time. Sometimes the best offense can be the best defense as well.
- External Offensive: Attacks meant to be destructive on the external. This covers punches, kicks, throws, and grappling techniques that merely are made mostly for destruction. They usually do not focus on attacking the internal, but because of that they can still be stopped by a stronger external defense.
- Internal Offensive: Attacks that are not meant for solely destroying things. These are meant to attack the enemy's weakest points and their internal organs. Like the name, these techniques are made to attack the enemy's internals and bypass external defenses. Pressure point techniques are also categorized here as they affect the insides of the enemy, their pressure points.
- Defensive: Not hard to explain, techniques for protection. This can be from "reinforcing" one's body against attack. But remember that a Ki Artist normally will not be resistant against Magic given its physical nature of the Arts. Others may be decisive counterattacks. Sometimes it can be overlapped with Offensive at times.
- External Defensive: Techniques geared for defense. They may focus on reinforcing certain parts of the body so that the user doesn't gain any damage when attacked there. Such techniques may even let Ki Artists to even block against swords and perhaps small caliber firearms. That said, they can still be bypassed by Internal Offensive techniques and some may have important weaknesses to be exploited.
- Internal Defensive: A technique made to defend the insides of the body. It is a countermeasure to ensure one's internal organs are protected, especially bones and joints. However, it is still possible to suffer from lacerations and bruises from an enemy using necessary means. This shows that it doesn't protect one's "exterior" such as the skin.
- Movement: Mostly techniques of evasion and even closing distances. There are few techniques that a considerable distance in an instant with movement techniques. Others that help evade multitudes of attacks as if they were simply walking past without being injured. There are some techniques that allow to "deceive" enemies similar to External Mind techniques, where movements are irregular and hard to discern. These movements does not create "clones" like those of External Mind as it requires a bit of "intention".
- Circulation: Techniques to circulate Ki through your own body or through another medium such as an injured patient. These techniques tend to be long and complicated as it is more difficult to maintain and heal than it is to destroy. Such techniques can also be used to help purge poisons, toxins, or some illnesses in the body, though it depends.
- Mind: Meditation techniques or even self-suggestion. Means to help resist mental pressures/influences. But at times it can be used as a way for training through mental imagining of enemies. Such imagination can be so profound in a way it's almost virtual reality, but inside your own mind. These techniques are more common to the more religious Sects. Some of these techniques can also be used on the enemy, but their uses are very "subtle".
- External Mind: The applications of one's ability to deceive the enemy's senses. Such things are very "subtle". Most of these techniques deal with one's killing intent to feint effectively so that they could gain the advantage. Or even commit to movement that would create after-images, "clones". It goes without saying that Ki Artists can't simply make overly flashy images such as fireballs or a meteor. That said, it takes perceptive Ki Artists or some perception ability to look past through them.
- Internal Mind: A special state of mind where the Ki Artist can either use it to enhance themselves, ignore pain, resist mental pressures/influences, and so on. Techniques of meditative nature with their own unique means. Many of these techniques are taught within the more religious styles, but they don't necessarily have a monopoly on such techniques. Even secular ones may have a couple in their curriculum. There are some meditation techniques in which they can use their imagination as a training ground, like virtual reality in your own mind.