Zinn'ka: Tessared-Tohiba

”You would think that a small thing like a pixie would not be able to bring a giant to its knees, right? But I have done so and I would do it again if another one attacks me.”
~Famous pixie practitioner of Tessared-Tohiba, Little Rainbow talking to a group of students

Tessared-Tohiba:

General

As it is known, Tessared-Tohiba is based on combat for those of the smaller stature. So it is that this school of Zinn’ka emphasizes on the efficiency of the ability of the student to make great impact and to evade despite of the student’s size. Practices of meeting force and attacks head on is frowned at, as this will be put one’s small stature at disadvantage. So how do one increase the efficiency of one’s unarmed combat abilities?

Through Tessared-Tohiba, a student will learn how to add leaps and jumps to their attacks to increase the power behind the attacks, as well as learning the weak points of their opponents and to use this knowledge to extract greater efficiency from the attacks with what the Halfling can use. Tessared-Tohiba also promote “dirty fighting”, which is to do what ever is needed to win a fight, even if it appeared to be despicable to others. An example will be the use of teeth in close quarters. Adding to all these, Tessared-Tohiba has amazing arrays of tactics, which purpose is to make use of what is available to confuse and to hinder the opponent. Tessared-Tohiba is after all based on Halflings and Halflings are known for their strange ability to confuse and hinder people.

Please note that there is a special version of all these techniques for those of even smaller stature like the pixies.

History

The creation of Tessared-Tohiba can be attributed to an event rather than that of gradual development of combat arts. The event that triggered the creation of Tessared-Tohiba was the killing of the orc, Purtok, by the Halfling, Pelgrim Ire. The creators of Tessared-Tohiba were by two humans, Joni Tessared and his student, Hondo Tohiba.

When the news of the death of the orc, Purtok, was spread throughout the lands then, there was great rejoice for the threat that orcs represented had deemed diminished with the death of the orcs’ leader. One human took especially great rejoice in that fact. The human was Joni Tessared. This was because that Joni’s whole family was killed by the orcs. Joni had joined the then newly formed Royal Guards, in hope that he would get the chance to kill the orcs. Joni got his chance when Constantine attacked the orcs, but in Joni’s view, what Constantine had done was not enough to eradicate the orcs.

As a result of this view, Joni left the military and struck out on his own to do what he thought was “enough” to eradicate the orcs. It was a long and difficult part of Joni’s life journey as Joni pursued his vengeance against the orcs. And it finally paid off when Joni was in the party of men that caught Purtok. However, what Joni wanted to do then, was to kill Purtok immediately, but that was not granted and Joni again felt that this not “enough” was done. And so the story goes, Pelgrim Ire killed Purtok later when the party of men escorted Purtok back.

Joni left the army once more after the death of Purtok, believing that the orc threat was eradicated. He then embarked on another mission, this time to create something in memory of the Halfling, Pelgrim Ire. After Pelgrim Ire killed Purtok, derisions and charges were leveled at him. The command at that time wanted Purtok to be alive as Purtok was more valuable alive than dead. Pelgrim Ire left the camp and Joni was not able to find him even after intensive finding. So in order to return the gratitude that he felt to Pelgrim Ire, or more broadly the entire Halfling race, for killing Purtok, Joni went on to create an unarmed combat system for the Halflings, so that no one would ever belittle the Halflings for being small and unable to fight with their bare hands.

With this idea, Joni set out to create something that would change the view of Halflings. Being that he was in Constantine Royal Guard, Joni had learned Shaasskah and was considered a Master in Shaasskah. With the knowledge of Shaasskah, Joni began his observations of the Halflings to see what can he do to make an unarmed combat skill based on the Halflings. Through many eras, Joni had gathered lots of information on the Halflings and other races of small stature and through much try and error, come up with the first forms of Tessared-Tohiba, or as it was called then, Ire, after Pelgrim Ire. But being human, the first form that Joni created was not exactly suitable for those of the smaller stature. The job of creating the final forms was left to his student, Hondo Tohiba.

Hondo Tohiba was in a better position to creating the final forms than Joni Tessared due to one simple fact; Hondo was much closer in stature to the Halflings than Joni. Joni was six feet tall while Hondo was five feet, much closer to those of the smaller stature. So based on the information left from Joni, and through some help from those of the smaller stature and some experimenting, the final forms of Tessared-Tohiba was created by Hondo Tohiba in his fifties. The name of the art would then be called Tessared-Tohiba, or TT for short form, after Joni Tessared and Hondo Tohiba, rather than Ire, for then, the orc city of Orckon was already renamed Ire. Thus, with the final forms, Hondo taught this school of Zinn’ka to all who would learn and TT was known throughout the whole of the Aelyrian Empire.

The Levels

Basic Level

The student starts with the simple techniques and principles of Tessared-Tohiba. The techniques will emphasis on how to put force behind the attacks for those of small stature. How to put force behind attacks? The answer is that the students will usually learn to jump or leap forward, using parts of the body that are already hard to attack. The student will also start on some aspects of “dirty fighting”. The “dirty fighting” aspects will be how to attack an opponent’s weak points and to use whatever is available to win a fight.

Examples of techniques at Basic level:

Basic Stance - The most basic stance from which all stances come from. This stance emphasize on being mobile and being able to react quickly from attacks.

Straight Punch - A punch with an added step forward for more power. At higher level, this technique can be used with a simple grapple that leads off from a blocks, using the hands to lock the limbs of the opponent. This is so that the Straight Punch can be used to smash critical pressure points and weak points.

Shin Kick - The origin of the name came about as the Kick attacks the shin. The Shin Kick is a kick forward and attacks a vulnerable part of the body, the shin, which a person of smaller stature has no trouble to access to. The bottom front part of the foot is used for this Kick.

The Stomping Foot - This kick is about using the heel to stomp on one’s opponent on parts like the foot, hands on the ground or if it is possible, the stomach.

Intermediate Level

From the Basic level, the student will now learn the more powerful and sometimes more complex variation of what the student had learned at Basic level at the Intermediate level. There will be more jumps and leaps compared to the Basic level. The student will also now get to learn more body parts that are weak points and are excellent points to attack when in a fight to gain the advantage in a fight. The student may be involved in demonstrations of where such body parts are to prove a point to them. So the emphasis is this: “To fight dirtier than your opponent and to get in a critical hit in!”.

Examples of techniques at Intermediate level:

The Poke - The Poke is an interesting technique as it consisted of using the fingers to poke at one’s opponent along with a small leap or jump forward. Knowledge of some soft spots, like the eyes, will also be taught to be poke at to help give some advantage to the student.

Headbutt - Even with no training, one’s head is already quite hard. So making use of one’s head to attack one’s opponent is possible. If the student wants, some conditioning techniques to make the head even harder can be taught.

The Shoulder- The Shoulder is somewhat like the Headbutt in that this technique uses an already hard body part to inflict pain. A leap or small jump usually accompanies the Shoulder.

The Jumping Shin Kick - The Jumping Shin Kick is the Shin Kick executed with a great jump, aimed at the higher placed vulnerable parts of an opponent’s body.

Advanced Level

At Advanced level, the student should by now have no problem fighting “dirty”. In fact, the student should enjoy fighting “dirty”. The principle is very simple, fight “dirty” to win. In addition, techniques that teach the student to deliver devastating blows even if one is small in stature will be taught too. Students are encouraged to travel around, somewhat like the satisfying the wanderlust of Halflings, in order to hone their skills before they proceed on with the training at Advanced level.

The “dirty” fighting at Advanced has by now gained a precision and aim that are almost an art form. Students are taught to aim well to fight “dirty” well. For without precision, the effectiveness of any “dirty” fighting is diminished. Conditioning may even be required to bring out the effectiveness of the techniques. Together with the devastating techniques that can actually make a full-grown human fly for a feet or two even if it is used by a Halfling, and techniques to escape some situation, the student has the potential to become a mean fighting creature.

Examples of techniques at Advanced level:

The Groin Grasp - As the name implies, this technique involves the grasping of groins with one’s hands. As one practice in higher levels, parts other than that of the groin may be grasped to give the same effect.

The Bite - This technique uses the teeth to clamp on one’s opponent. A somewhat unorthodox but effective technique to use in a tight situation. With some conditioning, it is possible that when one uses this technique, blood and flesh may come out with just one bite.

The Foul Breath - It is noted that by eating some food and maintained a certain life style, one can actually control the smell of one’s breath. And so the Foul Breath came about. The Foul Breath distracts the opponent by using one’s bad breath and when the opponent is distracted, one can get a vital strike.

Gnome’s Roll - With some observation, it is noted that Gnomes can roll quite well on the ground, and so the Gnome’s Roll came about. The Gnome’s Roll involves a lot of rolling to and fro, and the attacking of the lower parts of one’s opponent. A great way to make use of the smaller stature and to attack the enemy.

Expert Level

Students should have already traveled intensively around and have seen many schools of Zinn’ka before they proceed on to Expert level. With this experience and the gauging of others’ skills, the student should be by now be able to know the weakness and strength of both Tessared-Tohiba and other schools of Zinn’ka. The knowledge gained can be used to improve one’s skill in Tessared-Tohiba, while at the same time, help one to be better positioned to deal with other schools of Zinn’ka.

After the traveling, the student can start learning the new techniques of Tessared-Tohiba at Expert level. The techniques at Expert level emphasis on the merging of critical hit, fight “dirty” and to use what are available to one. The combination of these three factors should become second nature to the student. Techniques that teach the student on how to escape from certain situation may also be taught at Expert level. Although some simple techniques may have already be taught in the earlier level, the escape techniques at Expert level is of a higher level and are much more complex to use.

Of course, if fighting “dirty” becomes second nature to a student, will the student become “dirty” as a result? So the student is expected to maintain a good nature and character even though the student is expected to fight dirty.

Examples of techniques at Expert level:

Dodging Halfling - The Dodging Halfling is a technique that teaches on how to avoid attacks. The Dodging Halfling teaches on how to use the environment and amazing footwork to avoid being attack. While dodging, the student can get in a critical hit.

One-Inch Punch – One of the most powerful punches in Tessared-Tohiba. With the synchronizing of the body and breathing techniques, one can actually execute a punch so powerful to make one’s opponent fly a distance away with just one inch of space between the fist and one’s opponent’s body.

Bone Breaker - The bone is one of the hardest parts of the body, but even so, with skill, a halfling can break bones and this is how the Bone Breaker came about. With the knowledge gained already of the pressure points and weak points, the student will now learn on where the bone is easier to break than others. Then, with smashing techniques, one can easily break bones.

Gnome’s Escape - Due to the gnome’s size, it is very hard for those of the bigger stature to gain a firm hold of a gnome. So the gnome can easily escape from any hold or grapple. The Gnome’s Escape builds upon this trend in gnomes and come up with a systematic way to escape from known holds and grapples. At higher levels, a student can actually escape from any hold or grapple even if the student knows nothing of the hold or grapple.

Master Level

The time has come for a rare gifted student to precede on to Master level, and the student must fulfill many criteria to attain the Master level. The student have to first of all, visit many practitioners that are of Master level to gain their approval. One-way of getting of approval is that a practitioner of Master level will give the student an object of approval if the practitioner likes what he or she see. The execution of the student’s techniques, good character and behavior of the student are some of the points that the practitioners look for as they gauge the student. After the student had gained the required amount of approval, the student needs to see the practitioner that is going to give his final approval to relay the Master level techniques to the student. After the student had passed some tests by the practitioner, the student can start in his or her lessons and gain the title of “Master” by consensus of the many practitioners of Master level that the student had gained approval from.

The techniques at Master level will be taught to the student or to be more precise, guide by a teacher. The teacher will teach techniques that will test the student ability to merge the three principles of fighting “dirty”, giving critical hits and to use what was available to student. Such merging and execution should not just be second nature but of an instinctive nature. The student does not have to think when the student executed the techniques. Only when the student can do such with guidance from the teacher, is the student deemed to be ready for Master level.

Examples of techniques at Master level:

Death Touch - With all the knowledge gained by the student, the student should have learned all the locations of points that can lead to death. This knowledge with powerful techniques like that of the One-Inch Punch can mean instant death for one’s opponent.

Tickling Touch - To make a person feel ticklish and to laugh takes a lot of skill and ability. And thus, the Tickling Touch is the ability to make your opponent laugh at the slightest touch and to give a devastating blow.

The Spit - The Spit is concerned with the spit, saliva that is spit out. With practice and conditioning, a student can control the direction and strength of the spit. It is even possible that a gulp of water in a student’s mouth can become a potential array of flying object.

Slipping Halfling- To escape from holds and grapples, sometimes, techniques are not enough. So the next logical thing to do is to learn how to push muscles and bones to the limit to escape from holds and grapples. At the extreme, a student can even make his or her limbs dislocate and then pulls the dislocated limb back again with no great injury to the student in order to escape from a hold or grapple.