Jade Monkey

Nature: Aggressive Origin: Kun'lao Flourish: Hidden

A martial arts developed by the Jade Monkey Society, a cult of thieves that operate all over Kun'lao. It is believed to have developed from humans who learned both Imperial and Lost Monkey styles from the Simian Khanate, before developing the style further into something useful for theives. Jade Monkey is an extremely aggressive and acrobatic style built around delivering powerful blows at a breakneck pace. The style is intimidating and overwhelming, with numerous tricks and techniques developed to either take someone down from the shadows or escape if one is detected.

Jade Monkey is an extremely acrobatic martial arts style. Users are taught parkour-style techniques to navigate the peripheries of their opponents' vision. It is not uncommon for Jade Monkey adherents to skillfully navigate their surroundings or even their oppponents' bodies in order to stay out of their field of vision. This is why Jade Monkey's Flourish is Hidden.

Core Principles

There are a few key elements to those who practice Jade Monkey. These elements are central to the martial art's key concept: Being useful for both overwhelming opponent's with aggressive busts of offense and also for navigating the shadows.

• Movements of the Ape: Practicioners of Jade Monkey copy the movements of a monkey. It's aggressive, acrobatic, and dirty when necessary. Acrobatic kicks and wild combos of punches are not uncommon. Jade Monkey users will run on fours, roll across the ground, and flip through the air, all with the purpose of confusing and outmaneuvering their opponent.

• A Style for Thieves: Jade Monkey style teaches numerous stealth takedowns, allowing for adherents to put targets down from the shadows, or drop down on them from above before quickly taking them out. It teaches users to make use of misdirection, training them to make their opponent think they're attacking one way when they're planning on using something completely different. It also teaches its users how to make quick escapes if overwhelmed.

• Psychological Warefare: Jade Monkey style is one of the most effective martial arts to use psychological warefare. Its practicioners are taught how to use the shadows and their environment to overwhelm and strike at opponents where they would never even guess of being attacked. Jade Monkey pracitioners are recommended to taunt their opponents, scare them, and howl like monkeys in combat, all for the purpose of throwing them off.

Weapons

Jade Monkey style makes use of numerous weapons. The more well armed someone can be, the better. A few examples of weapons they can wield include:

• Dagger: Jade Monkey practicioners are taught to use daggers, especially because they can be well hidden and use to strike from the shadows. Infamously, Jade Monkey adherents often hold their daggers in their mouth before running at their opponents on all fours before striking them down with their blade.

• Monkey Staff: A staff most often associated with the warriors of the Simian Khanate, and a holdover from the origins of their style. Despite not being the most stealthy weapon, it is well regarded as a weapon that someone can excuse holding in public, as wooden staffs are often not suspicious to use as a walking stick or tool throughout most of Prisma.

• Thieving Gadgets: The Jade Monkey Society often develops numerous tools that are useful for thieving, such as smoke bombs, tranquilizing darts, fireworks, and gliders. It is not uncommon for Jade Monkey practicioners to incorporate these gadgets into their style.