North Star Cobra School

Less so a "school" and more so the legacy of a single very dangerous man, North Star Cobra martial arts is a deadly assassination art built around manipulation and torturing one's opponent. Utilizing some truly strange and sinister techniques, North Star Cobra users have traditionally been rivals and enemies of the Liao School. Although its founder, the immortal alchemist Lao Jiu, is dead, it continues through its practicioners today. Although they are rare, they continue North Style Cobra's tradition of torture.

History

North Star Cobra martial arts originates from an immortal alchemist known as Lao Jiu. A cruel being obsessed with obtaining immortality, they would devote their life to researching the deepest, darkest depths of alchemy, regardless of any ethical implications. They manipulated and served in the courts of Emerald Emperors, they experimented on thousands of innocent people, and created new profane alchemical beings that would horrify all those who witnessed them. Lao Jiu was even willing to torture and kill others to get what they wanted. However, not wanting to be implicated in such actions, and having a distaste for weapons, Lao Jiu instead focused on creating a hand-to-hand combat style built for assassination.

They experimented on themself and developed new Qi techniques to further assist them in battle. The end result was North Star Cobra, a martial arts style built for death and torture. The technique involves an Enhancement Style Qi technique known as Cobra's Limbs, an ability which softens one's limbs to the point where they can twist and turn with ease. The style also has access to numerous pressure point strikes which can bring about immense pain upon the target.

Over the years, the style grew more effective as Lao Jiu experimented with the style. It became even more dangerous as Lao Jiu learned how to increase the pain of their pressure point strikes, and how to further mutate their own body into a weapon of destruction. Lao Jiu rarely taught this style to others, although they have taught North Star Cobra to proteges every now and then over the centuries.

Culture

Although Lao Jiu is still dead, North Star Cobra outlives them. Lao Jiu has had a few proteges over the last few centuries, teaching them North Star Cobra if knowing it would assist them. This has led to these proteges occasionally taking on students, although such a scenario is rare. In many ways, North Star Cobra looks set to to disappear in the new future. For the most part, the remaining practicioners are those who learned the style from Lao Jiu. Many of them are former members of Black Dragon, few are respectable people. Black Star Cobra doesn't really have any real culture about it. It's just a loose collection of former acolytes of Lao Jiu who continue to use their deadly style to spread death and misery.

Membership

Although the exact number is unknown, adherents to North Star Cobra are few in number. They are unorganized, and there is no official means of learning the martial arts or ranking its practicioners.

Qi Techniques

The following are examples of prominent Qi techniques often used by the North Star Cobra school. Note that this list is not comprehensive, and actual abilities can vary wildly.

• Enhancement Style - Cobra's Limbs: A Qi technique that allows the user to temporarily loosen the muscles and bones of their body so that they are more akin to whips than human limbs.

• Enhancement Style - Sense Removal: A Qi technique that allows the user to remove the sense of their targets upon touching them. Sense can range from sight to taste. Added to the style by Alistair Smith, the last Dragon's Head.