Home
((Comment-As there are martial arts out there for Caldari and now also Matari, I thought the Amarr, especially the Sarumites, deserve a martial arts system themselves. It's inspired by La Verdadera Destreza, the Spanish system of fencing (and obviously takes the name from it) as per Carranza, as well as Aikido and Parthian/Mongolian bow))
E Verdhart Destrasaj is an Amarrian martial arts system. The word “destrasaj” comes from the words “destra”, which is commonly translated as “main/sword hand”, and "rasaj", which is most often translated as “skill”, but also as “wisdom”, “perfection”, “access” or “art”. The full name is possibly best translated from Amarrad as “The veritable art of swordsmanship”.
Swordsmanship, then, is what E Verdhart Destrasaj puts the prime focus on, but one needs to keep in mind that it is a well rounded martial arts system, aiming at preparing it's students for combat and war with a sufficient repertoire of skills for any situation. Ultimately it's being intended as a universal method of fighting applicable to all weapon and bare hand fighting.
Being a martial arts system Destrasaj mainly consists of three intertwined martial arts: fencing, unarmed and ranged, that are conjointly understood as forming one unified system:
All students begin training in fencing learning to handle the traditional weapons like the rapier, sabres, swords first, the more advanced student uses those also in combination with dagger, cloak, buckler and shields. Once the student mastered those to the degree that he is adept in their use, the melee school of Destrasaj offers taining in using dagger and knife, the two-handed sword, the flail and pole arms.
Alternatively many students go for one of the alternative ways, that is the bow and hand-to-hand combat. Unarmed combat in Destresaj focuses on a wrestling style that mainly employs throws and joint locks.
The bow techniques usually come together with riding exercises, as they're having a focus on horseback techniques, especially in regard to shooting and students that are focusing on ranged combat are reputed to be incredible exact marksmen while moving, showing clear Khanid influences in this branch.
In modern warfare it's principles are applied successfully to the use of laser rifles, bayonets and such.
E Verdhart Destrasaj is tied to an intellectual, philosophical and moral ideal, that is firmly informed by Amarrian religion. Its precepts are based on important fields of a well-rounded Amarrian education and thus firmly grounded in reason, anatomy, mathmatics - especially sacred geometry, certain occult parts of the Scriptures and the Amarrian religion, understanding itself as a science of how to employ the human body and mind as effective weapon as well as a philosophy that guides one in the use of the science, holding up to a code of chivalry, defending the faith and holding up righteousness.
In style it is distinguished from other martial arts systems by a tight focus on bio-mechanics and a general preference for circular movements over straight lines, downward movements over upward movements and also by stressing tempo/rhythm. The three branches of Destresaj are unified by a more conceptual and theoretical approach than most other Amarrian martial arts: it aims to require little physical strength, rather using the opponents momentum against him or making use of the lever principle or advantageous angles of attack. In accord with that, special importance is placed on training the intellectual and spiritual qualities of the students, not only their physique, thus involving solving geometrical problems as well as meditating on famous sayings of ancient teachers and certain parts of the Scriptures.
E Verdhart Destrasaj training is thought to represent the struggle between good and evil, in which the practician of the art should be firmly on the side of good. This struggle is mainly understood as an inward one, but also one that is represented by actions in the outside world. There is a connection to various monastic and mystical movements in the Empire as well as to some of the Khanid cults that have a martial bend. Training is usually opened by the fighters dedicating themselves to the good cause and to further the divine plan. There is a prevalence for metaphors that make use of light (and darkness).
Destrasaj is mainly practiced in the Sarumite domains, but it claims to have an unbroken tradition reaching back to the first Reclaiming, arising as an alternative to the more traditional schools of fighting as practiced in the times of inner Amarrian conflict between the city-states. It claims to have been the first rationally systematized study of the martial arts within Amarrian culture. There is some evidence for that in the book "The Philosophy of Arms and of Its Art and the Amarrian Offense and Defense" by a minor holder, who had his estates in the then conquered lands of Ves-Udor which the Sarum family can track as one of it's ancestors. This is one of the reason that many practitioners of Destrasaj feel some degree of loyalty to Sarum.
Even though E Verdhart Destrasaj is known to produce great masters of the martial art, it's not very commonly studied within the Empire, due to it's rigorous and encompassing training program, that requires a lot of dedication and the encompassing requirements that it puts on its students, physically, mentally and spiritually. Few people have the energy to pull through this, especially if they simply want to learn to defend themselves. Even amongst the Sarumites most nobles rather dedicate themselves to leading troops and the study of strategy and tactics. Amongst the commoners it's competing with other (systems of) martial arts. It remains, thus, in the hands of a relatively small elite.
Quotes from famous practitioners and teachers:
"Learn modesty, if you desire knowledge. A highland would never be irrigated by river."
"A well executed thrust is as piercing and inescapable as a logically sound and valid argument."
"Solving the problem of indecisiveness is the advent of veracity."
Original Thread and comments:
http://backstage.eve-inspiracy.com/index.php?topic=4258.0
E Verdhart Destrasaj is an Amarrian martial arts system. The word “destrasaj” comes from the words “destra”, which is commonly translated as “main/sword hand”, and "rasaj", which is most often translated as “skill”, but also as “wisdom”, “perfection”, “access” or “art”. The full name is possibly best translated from Amarrad as “The veritable art of swordsmanship”.
Swordsmanship, then, is what E Verdhart Destrasaj puts the prime focus on, but one needs to keep in mind that it is a well rounded martial arts system, aiming at preparing it's students for combat and war with a sufficient repertoire of skills for any situation. Ultimately it's being intended as a universal method of fighting applicable to all weapon and bare hand fighting.
Being a martial arts system Destrasaj mainly consists of three intertwined martial arts: fencing, unarmed and ranged, that are conjointly understood as forming one unified system:
All students begin training in fencing learning to handle the traditional weapons like the rapier, sabres, swords first, the more advanced student uses those also in combination with dagger, cloak, buckler and shields. Once the student mastered those to the degree that he is adept in their use, the melee school of Destrasaj offers taining in using dagger and knife, the two-handed sword, the flail and pole arms.
Alternatively many students go for one of the alternative ways, that is the bow and hand-to-hand combat. Unarmed combat in Destresaj focuses on a wrestling style that mainly employs throws and joint locks.
The bow techniques usually come together with riding exercises, as they're having a focus on horseback techniques, especially in regard to shooting and students that are focusing on ranged combat are reputed to be incredible exact marksmen while moving, showing clear Khanid influences in this branch.
In modern warfare it's principles are applied successfully to the use of laser rifles, bayonets and such.
E Verdhart Destrasaj is tied to an intellectual, philosophical and moral ideal, that is firmly informed by Amarrian religion. Its precepts are based on important fields of a well-rounded Amarrian education and thus firmly grounded in reason, anatomy, mathmatics - especially sacred geometry, certain occult parts of the Scriptures and the Amarrian religion, understanding itself as a science of how to employ the human body and mind as effective weapon as well as a philosophy that guides one in the use of the science, holding up to a code of chivalry, defending the faith and holding up righteousness.
In style it is distinguished from other martial arts systems by a tight focus on bio-mechanics and a general preference for circular movements over straight lines, downward movements over upward movements and also by stressing tempo/rhythm. The three branches of Destresaj are unified by a more conceptual and theoretical approach than most other Amarrian martial arts: it aims to require little physical strength, rather using the opponents momentum against him or making use of the lever principle or advantageous angles of attack. In accord with that, special importance is placed on training the intellectual and spiritual qualities of the students, not only their physique, thus involving solving geometrical problems as well as meditating on famous sayings of ancient teachers and certain parts of the Scriptures.
E Verdhart Destrasaj training is thought to represent the struggle between good and evil, in which the practician of the art should be firmly on the side of good. This struggle is mainly understood as an inward one, but also one that is represented by actions in the outside world. There is a connection to various monastic and mystical movements in the Empire as well as to some of the Khanid cults that have a martial bend. Training is usually opened by the fighters dedicating themselves to the good cause and to further the divine plan. There is a prevalence for metaphors that make use of light (and darkness).
Destrasaj is mainly practiced in the Sarumite domains, but it claims to have an unbroken tradition reaching back to the first Reclaiming, arising as an alternative to the more traditional schools of fighting as practiced in the times of inner Amarrian conflict between the city-states. It claims to have been the first rationally systematized study of the martial arts within Amarrian culture. There is some evidence for that in the book "The Philosophy of Arms and of Its Art and the Amarrian Offense and Defense" by a minor holder, who had his estates in the then conquered lands of Ves-Udor which the Sarum family can track as one of it's ancestors. This is one of the reason that many practitioners of Destrasaj feel some degree of loyalty to Sarum.
Even though E Verdhart Destrasaj is known to produce great masters of the martial art, it's not very commonly studied within the Empire, due to it's rigorous and encompassing training program, that requires a lot of dedication and the encompassing requirements that it puts on its students, physically, mentally and spiritually. Few people have the energy to pull through this, especially if they simply want to learn to defend themselves. Even amongst the Sarumites most nobles rather dedicate themselves to leading troops and the study of strategy and tactics. Amongst the commoners it's competing with other (systems of) martial arts. It remains, thus, in the hands of a relatively small elite.
Quotes from famous practitioners and teachers:
"Learn modesty, if you desire knowledge. A highland would never be irrigated by river."
"A well executed thrust is as piercing and inescapable as a logically sound and valid argument."
"Solving the problem of indecisiveness is the advent of veracity."
Original Thread and comments:
http://backstage.eve-inspiracy.com/index.php?topic=4258.0
