Zinn'ka: Rhingorda

To be merciful to your enemies is to be cruel to yourself. ~ Famous Vysstichi proverb

Rhingorda:

General

What is Rhingorda? Some will say that it is a sport and some will say that it a deadly unarmed combat skill. Both views are correct, it just depends on what context is Rhingorda used in.

In the context of where two people faced each other in a regulated place like a fighting ring, and where rules and regulations are kept and enforced by another person acting as a referee, Rhingorda is like a sport. In the above situation, the aspect of life threatening is being minimized, as the referee often stops a fight before it gets life threatening. People that engaged in Rhingorda are not supposed to fight to the death and most people that engaged in Rhingorda usually come out of a Rhingordra fight, not mortally harmed, with a few bruises and at most a few broken bones. However, in some especially intense fights, it is possible to for one of the two fighters to die if one is not careful. Most Nobles in the Aelyria Empire preferred this kind of Rhingorda.

Then, there is the other context and situation. There are no rules and no regulation regarding Rhingorda and there is no one to stop a fight if it becomes life threatening. Such forms of Rhingorda are often malicious and aim to maim the opponent rather than killing the opponent. This can be attributed to the influences of the Vysstichi Noble Houses on Rhingorda as the Vysstichi Houses had taken up Rhingorda and the techniques that they invented flow out to the rest of the Aelyria Empire.

History

As it is known, the origins of Rhingorda begin with the Nobles of the Aelyria Empire. It was the era that the De Lylles started their dynasty and Nobles Houses sprang up. A young minor Noble, known as the Baron of Rhingorda and another young Noble, known as the Baron of Yawse, decided to have it out by fighting with their bare hands. The reason that started this fight was said to be a woman. To ensure that no one would be seriously hurt in the fight, the Nobles tied down the rules and regulations for the fight, and that there will be a neutral party to act as a referee. One of the rules then was to only use the hands only. So in their untrained way, the two Nobles fought each other. After a long and tough fight, the Baron of Rhingorda won the match. And soon, many Nobles followed in the wake of this fight to organize fights of their own, using the same rules and regulations, as a way to settle grudges. Such a way of fighting was named Rhingorda after the winner of the fight in which the Baron of Rhingorda won, and Rhingorda developed into a kind of sport for the bored Nobles, in addition to its original function as a way to settle grudges.

So the sport flourished and techniques were invented for the art. Many Noble families held open Rhingorda contest during festivities, inviting all to join in. Such contests had two purposes, one is to let the usually pampered Nobles have a certain amount of exercise, the other, which is more sinister, is to let rivals have a go at each other legally, out in the open. So it not surprising that sometimes, the techniques were quite brutal with the aim to maim the opponent rather than just defeat the opponent…But with a referee around, such brutality was kept to a minimum.

In the Vysstichi circles, the brutality is more evident. Vysstichi Noble Houses have a noxiously reputation for being close minded and so it is a mystery of how Rhingorda made its way into the Vysstichi society. Maybe it was dealing with a Noble in Vortex or it was in Prime, but somehow Rhingorda was taught to the Vysstichi and the Vysstichi came up with their version of Rhingorda. The techniques that the Vysstichi invented were cruel, and aimed to maim and leave the enemy helpless to escape. Slaves were said to be experimented on by using the techniques on them to see how long it would take to die from an injury from a technique. And again, by means no known to the outside world, the Vysstichi techniques flowed out to the Aelyria Empire, giving a cruel twist to what a student learns.

Somewhere in between the forming of Rhingorda as a sport and the Vysstichi learning Rhingorda, another influence was added to Rhingorda which could be used in any context. It was the adding of kicks by a Dorin, Wan Cha Adu, strangely enough. Wan was a traveling Dorin that was formerly in the Imperial Army and had learned Shaasskah. Wan entered the service of House Maarkan as a guard and also as a Zinn’ka instructor. Rhingorda caught his interest and in an effort to further improve upon Rhingorda, he added kicks and from then on, kicks were included in Rhingorda fights and rules were adapted for included situations that involved kicks, not that the rules mattered to those like the Vysstichi.

The Levels

Basic Level

Rhingorda was started with punches and thus, students usually start Rhingorda by learning punches and other hand techniques. Most of them are fairly instinctive and should be quite easy to learn for the students. Students are also expected to do some basic conditioning exercise to build up endurance and speed.

Examples of techniques at Basic level:

The Basic Jabs – In Rhingorda, there are two kinds of basic jabs that a student can learn. One is the short version, which is more powerful and one is the version with a longer ranger, which is less powerful.

The Basis Stances – The stances are very much unlike the stances in the other schools of Zinn’ka. Most stances in other Zinn’ka emphasis on stability of the stances. In Rhingorda, however, the emphasis is the ability to be mobile in the stances.

The Basic Blocks – The Basic Blocks in Rhingorda are quite instinctive and are not as complex as the blocks that may be taught at the higher levels. The blocks usually concerned with the protection of the face, stomach and the groin.

The Straight Fist – A simple and yet powerful punch is the Straight Punch if a student managed to master it. The Straight Fist is a simple punch forward with a step forward and the utilization of the shoulder and back muscles.

Intermediate Level

Punches are still very important at Intermediate level, and so the student will still learn punches at Intermediate level. The punches at Intermediate level are less instinctive and much effort is needed to master them. This is in addition to blocks, stances and kicks, as the student will start to learn some kicks by then. Students are expected to link punches, blocks and kicks together to form basic combos. Conditioning to build up strength, speed and stamina to ignore pain will be continued to so as for the student to fight more effectively.

Examples of techniques at Intermediate level:

The Traditional Upper Cut – The earliest adaptation and change of the Straight Fist into another technique. When one is close to an opponent, it is hard to use the Straight Fist. And so the needs for a technique with the arms bend, using the same muscles as the Straight Fist.

The Cross Block – A more advanced block at the Intermediate level. When this block is done correctly, the chances of blocking of attacks are quite high. This is because the cross formed by the two hands covers quite a large area.

The Snap Kick – As it is implied, the Snap Kick is done by a snap with the legs. The quicker the Snap Kick is executed, the larger the strength of the Snap Kick will be. So the student is encouraged to practice diligently to get the increase in speed of the Kick.

The Boxer’s Dance – The Boxer’s Dance is a set of basic footwork and body movement for the students to weave around the opponent as one tries to evade attacks from the opponent.

Advanced Level

Students by Advanced level should have some experience in fighting with Rhingorda. Such experiences are important for students to have a better understanding of Rhingorda.

Techniques are getting more and more difficult to master, and sometimes more brutal. Punches and kicks are still the main stream of Rhingorda, along with the occasional blocks and handgrip technique. Many of the techniques at Advanced level and beyond show Vysstichi influences. Conditioning of the physical body for more speed, strength and stamina is continued. Such conditioning prepared the student for the powerful techniques at higher levels that will require a higher level of strength, endurance and speed.

Examples of Techniques at Advanced level:

Adu’s Block – A block as much as an attack is Adu’s Block. Adu’s Block is usually done as a student blocks an attack, the student moves quickly into the inside of the opponent and launch an attack.

Lamb’s Spring Punch – A more powerful and risky version of the Traditional Upper Cut. Like the Traditional Upper Cut, it is used when one in short range. The addition is a jump added for more force like a lamb springing on its feet and it could be used when one is low on the ground.

Brute Knee – The invention of the Brute Knee is quite instinctive for one that is close to an enemy and needs a leg technique for close fighting. The Brute Knee further gives strength to an knee attack by attacking soft areas on an enemy’s body.

Rush Breath – Students in Rhingorda need to be quick and there are many ways to do that. Conditioning of the body is one way, and breathing techniques is yet another way. The Rush Breath helps the student to get the breath needed for a short burst of speed to fight.

Expert Level

There will be a need for the serious judging of the student’s skill at Rhingorda at Expert level. The teacher could do this judging as he or she looks when the student fights in front of the teacher for a few matches. The teacher usually organizes such matches and the student will usually face an opponent of about the same level.

As it goes without saying, techniques at Expert level are much more powerful than at Advanced level. The emphasis will not changed much, as it will be still on punches, kicks, blocks and maybe some holds. This is along with the emphasis on the student being able to connect the techniques together to form effective combos. A student good enough in Rhingorda should be able to link up to four to six techniques in one combo.

Examples of techniques at Expert level:

The Corkscrew Punch – One need the spiral of a corkscrew to open a bottle of wine, and this can be applied to fighting techniques too. The Corkscrew Punch adds a spin to a person’s punch and this amplifies the power of a person’s punch greatly. So great is this amplification, a student can actually kill an enemy with this punch.

The Eight Legs – Do not be misled by the name of this technique. The Eight Legs is actually a technique that uses both the hands and legs at the same time and seems so quick to attack, that it seemed that a person got eight legs.

The Serpent’s Coil – If one has seen a serpent coil around a prey, one will get an idea of how the Serpent’s Coil works. The Serpent’s Coil is a technique that teaches a student of how to get close to an enemy and slowly attack the enemy relentlessly with the legs, while one sticks to the enemy by using the hands, until the enemy dies

Bone Crusher – A technique that is most suitable for a vile enemy. The student will get to learn how to use the hands and legs to slowly and surely destroy the bones of an enemy without letting the enemy die off immediately.

Master Level

At Master level, the judging of the student needs to be more impartial and sometimes, more formal. And so it is not uncommon for practitioners of Master level to be asked to judge a student and to verify the student’s ability in Rhingorda. It is also not uncommon for a student to travel widely going around, fighting and gaining a reputation as the student goes in search of different practitioner of Master level to give the verification of the student’s skill. Then, at the student’s discretion, the student will then go before a panel of practitioners of Master level to be given the final verdict of whether the student is of Master level material or not.

After the student is allowed to continue, the student will embark on the final stages of Master level training. At Master level, the techniques are usually open ended, open to the interpretation of the students. Often, each student will have a different interpretation of the same technique and this is encouraged. This is to let each student have his or her own favor of fighting, rather than a uniform style of fighting

Examples of techniques at Master level:

Death Punch – The pinnacle of the fist techniques for Rhingorda. Summing up all the techniques and principles behind all fist techniques, the student is now able to execute a punch so deadly that an enemy will, after a few moments after the contact of the fist, die.

Eagle’s Claw – Getting to close to an opponent is often a problem faced by many students in a fight. The few jumping kicks in Rhingorda are the solution to this problem and the Eagle is one of the toughest to execute. The Eagle’s Claw is usually executed by the student jumping swiftly towards an opponent and attack with the heel along with other combination of attacks, like an eagle swooping down swiftly on a prey. Such execution of the Eagle’s Claw usually leaves the enemy maimed and covered in his or her own blood.

Bloody Mari – A cruel and devastating technique to employ on an enemy. The Bloody Mari is a technique that employs the short and strong attacks of a student repeatedly, along with the intimate knowledge of the blood arteries of an enemy’s body. When successful, the fate of the enemy will be like Mari, a human male that was said to be the technique’s first victim, bloody and dead.

The Kiss of the Wind – The Kiss of the Wind is a technique that employs breathing techniques and the vast experience of the student on the body movement of oneself and one’s enemy to attack an opponent and escape away quickly before an attack can get in. Can be used for extended period of time.