Razdissi Fighting Styles

Name of the Style: Embattled Tower Style

Description: This style is relatively recent, devised by the notable general Herig, who was subsequently ennobled into Herig of the Embattled Tower Clan for inventing the style. It is a style practiced nearly exclusively by the Razdissi military, as it relies on open ground and well armed and organised humanoid enemies of above dwarven height, both of which, whilst seen relatively often by the military, are rarely encountered by the general Razdissi population.. The weapons associated with this style are the thrusting sword and the large Razdissi shield, often studded or spiked. The style focuses on the shield more than many others, with the practitioner using it as a weapon almost as much as the thusting sword.

Notable moves: The style is new, and constantly evolves to match the current enemy's fighting style. During a past campaign against goblins, the focus was on sundering the primitive weapons carried by them. Recently, variants have been developed that focus on thrown weapons, close-packed melee (the most widely used), and spear formations.
Specific moves common to most variants include:
Exposing Lever Manoeuvre: the practitioner thrusts at the knees of the foe, then turns the movement into a slash behind the enemy's guard.
Breaking The Base Of The Column: the practitioner slams the thick rim of their large shield down on the feet of their enemy, possibly breaking them.

Notable users: Herig of the Embattled Tower Clan is a prominent user of this style; she invented it, after all.
Most users of this style are relatively unrecognised; it is seen as rather lower class amongst most of the rather conservative Razdissi.


Name of the Style: Underfoot Warrior Style

Description: Whilst Embattled Tower is more likely to be used by soldiers, Underfoot Warrior is more traditional, and used by heroes. It is the oldest fighting style of the Razdissi, based on their short stature and deceptively swift movements. The signature weapons of this style are the thrusting sword and either a buckler or a parrying dagger grasped in a thick metal gauntlet. Underfoot Warrior is more useful than Embattled Tower in the cramped conditions within the caves of Razdis, and in single combat. It is a style for individuals.

Notable moves: Underfoot Warrior is far more fluid that Embattled Tower, with the participant always attempting to close with their foe.
Specific moves include:
Ukkhe's Kiss: the practitioner moves almost within kissing distance of the enemy (hence the name), hopefully too close for an average humanoid or giant beast to bring their weapons to bear, but just close enough for a determined dwarf with a shortsword.
Tane's Gambit: the practitioner slashes down with their thrusting sword to draw the eyes of the foe downwards, using the buckler or dagger in their other hand to strike the foe in a vulnerable place, typically the nape of the neck in humanoids.

Notable users: The Unbroken Line Clan are trained in this style from childhood, in order to defend themselves on the battlefield and in duels. Many other lesser clans imitate this, as do those dwarves on the frontier who may often need to defend their caverns against bandits or things from below.
Yessesi of the Nine Spears Clan held the tunnel gate at Dismil against a horde of ferocious dire beetles, and survived without a wound.