Sefadel - Regalti Martial Arts

Sefadel is the traditional martial art of the Fevarik Regalti that uses wooden weapons made from Veil Trees. The word Sefadel roughly translates to "Four Trees" or "Four Arts", but can also mean "Art of the Sword". It is practiced by many fevarik regalti and variations of this martial art has even spread to other nations. Several sports have arisen around the use of Sefadel, but the majority of people practice it as a way to mold their emotions and steel their body and minds.

History

Sefadel has its origins in the kingdom of Vefaria. Around three thousand years ago, this nation was established in a volcanic area that was rather metal poor known today as the The Sunken Lands. While there were some copper deposits in the mountains on the western edge of their empire, Vefaria instead used wood from Veil Trees to make their weapons. This wood, when treated properly, can be equivelant but still somewhat weaker than a well made bronze weapon. Only spears and arrowheads, and especially important armor pieces were made of metal during these times.

At first, various clubs were made, and then as techniques were refined, swords resembling those from other lands were made as well. In order to defeat metallic weaponry, specific techniques had to be developed. It is said that the four original masters of Sefadel lived around 2700 years ago, during the time of Rua the Wandering Saint. Their story is more myth and legend than reality, but it has been retold countless times as the Legend of Four Masters. From these four masters arose different styles of fighting. These four weapon arts have changed a little in the thousands of years since and are still widely practiced today.

Even after the regalti figured out how to work Iron, the fevarik continued to use wooden weapons in war for several hundred years. The switch to iron weaponry finally happened around 1800 years ago when large deposits were discovered in the Ancestor Desert. After this, wooden weapons became ceremonial in nature and was practiced as a form of mental discipline. They were also used in duels and executions all the way until a few decades before the exodus happened.

Styles and Masters

Originally there were four arts of Sefadel: Ash, Rain, Wind, and Stone. While those will be the focus here, multiple sub-arts have spawned out of these four, from the Art of Snow to the Art of the Storm. All arts of Sefadel use a straight sword as a weapon of choice, but from there, each art has at least one unique weapon of their own.

Art of Ash

The art of Ash relies on making flashy, unpredictable strikes. practitioners of this art rely on making sometimes risky plays, lunging into danger in order to strike their opponent first. The art of Ash also allows the use of dual weapons, but depending on skill level, this offers little advantage.

Weapons

Straight Sword - The Standard weapon of all Sefadel arts.
Dual Swords - Each sword is the same size and weight as a standard straight sword.
Dual Clubs - Shorter and heavier than dual swords. Often a colorful cloth is tied to the end, pulling focus away from the movement of the weapon.

Tami the violet flame

Tami was the original master of Ash. She was a hot-headed girl that survived a volcanic eruption, but as punishment from the gods, her skin was burned away. Unable to change color like other regalti, she put her focus on fighting.

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Art of Wind

The art of Wind relies on making calm, deliberate strikes. Practitioners of this art rely on letting their opponent do all the unnecessary movements. They look for an opening and then exploit it, often ending most fights with a single strike. Many people who practice this art often don't participate in fighting at all, instead using it as a way to calm the mind and soul.

Weapons

Straight Sword - The Straight Sword is usually the only weapon used by practitioners of the art of wind. With their calm and deliberate strikes, they are often able to defeat any weapon used by any opponent.

Yord of the Gentle Breeze

A calm man from an unnamed city in Northern Vefaria and the most mysterious of the four masters. He was said to have traveled with Rua the Wandering Saint for a time as her bodyguard.

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Art of Rain

The art of Rain relies on making ordered, persistent strikes. practitioners of this art rely on overwhelming their opponent with quick movements as well as constant attacks and feints. Practitioners of Rain are also known to fake their emotions, which changes their color, to purposefully throw their opponents off balance, easily beating those who can't see through them.

Weapons

Straight Sword - The Standard weapon of all Sefadel arts.
Short Staff - A pole weapon about as tall as the user.

Nadia of the Void

Nadia was a shrine priestess near a location now known as the Void Lagoon. The water was once clear, but after the boiling mountain erupted, the water turned impossibly black. Nadia set out to find the cause of the darkness, but was said to have embraced it herself.

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Art of Stone

The art of Stone relies on making Powerful strikes. practitioners of this art rely on attempting to break their opponents weapons. Practitioners of Stone use large weapons like greatswords and great clubs. Skilled users can end a fight quickly, but less skilled users often drag a fight out by using their's weapon's size advantage to tire their opponents.

Weapons

Straight Sword - The Standard weapon of all Sefadel arts.
Greatsword - A large, slightly curved sword. One swing from this is often enough to break most other weapons except a great club or another greatsword.
Great Club Even larger and heavier than a greatsword. Can end fights quickly, but lighter opponents with lighter weapons can run circles around great club users.

Halkas of the Mountain

A man of few words, from a tribe of Nomads in the mountains. He is known to hit things really hard.

Sport and Competitions

Two versions of the sport exist, the ordered and unordered version. The main difference between the ordered and unordered version is that the ordered version has standards for striking, and points might not be awarded, even taken away, if proper form is not followed.

In both versions, weapons are made of a softer variety of veilwood than traditional weapons. This is to lessen the impact on opponents, and make it easier to break a weapon. Breaking an opponents weapon can even end the match depending on the version of the sport.

Armor pieces are often worn in competition by younger practitioners, protecting the head, shoulders, chest, and forearms. Older practitioners often only wear head and forearm protection. In high level competitions, armor isn't worn at all. This greatly increases the risk of injury, but is more exciting and has made the sport more popular, attracted billions of fans over the years.

This infinitly repeating and alternating circle-square pattern is the symbol used for the Ordered verson of Sefadel.

Ordered Sefadel

A match is performed between two opponents in a very small ring. Movement is downplayed.

The match ends when one opponent makes five successful strikes.

Emphasis on proper form and function of attacks, sportsmanship, and posture.

Points can be awarded for breaking an opponents weapon, but only if certain conditions are met.

Points can be taken away for failure to execution actions properly.

Injuring an opponent results in disqualification.

Unordered Sefadel

A match is performed between two opponents in a large ring. Movement is encouraged.

The match ends when one opponent makes five successful strikes, pushes the opponent out of the ring, or breaks the other opponent's weapon.

Emphasis is on winning.

Points are never rescinded.

Injuring an opponent results in disqualification.

Plot details...

Two Regalti, Elya Sarai and Raini Fior, regularly spar with each other. Elya uses the Art of Rain, and her weapon of choice is a straight sword. Her father is a Sefadel master with several regional and national championships. Elya isn't that interested in competing. Raini uses the art of Ash, and her weapon of choice are dual swords. Raini used to take competitions rather seriously, and has been able to win multple regional championships. Despite this, she has never won a match against Elya.

There is a room on the Starship Void Chaser that looks completely different from the rest of the ship. It has wooden mats on the floor, what looked like a shrine to a god, and also has various wooden weapons stacked on the wall. Elya and Raini regularly spar with each other on the ship, and often use it as a way to pass the time. Another regalti, Kaline Serna, often brews tea and watches them fight.

Of the humans, Juan has a passing interest in melee weapons. Ryan did practice Historical European Martial Arts for a short time, though when he tried to spar with Elya, he lost, badly, not expecting there to be that much difference. Sarah refers to Sefadel as a less rigid form of Kendo that is practiced by Asian Space Elves, and seeing the few similarities between the two makes her feel uncomfortable. Asha...is probable playing a video game somewhere and cares little for fake-real-life sword fighting.