Viper's Kiss

Nature: Technical Origin: Kun'lao Flourish: Lingering

Viper's Kiss is an assassin art developed by the Xiao Family, an infamous ruling clan of Heaven's Peak, one infamous for its use of assassins. Typically speaking, only the Xiao Family is taught this style. Its secrets are not taught to outsiders, and even its own family kill each other over knowledge of certain techniques. Viper's Kiss is most infamous for its means of crowning new masters: When a Xiao Family master retires, every student of theirs must fight to the death until their is only one survivor. That survivor goes on to become the new master and teach a new generation of students.

Viper's Kiss is a highly technical style that makes use of numerous very specific techniques that have very specific goals. Its adherents will make use of techniques such as Windwalking, a Qi technique that allows for the users to become so light they appear as if they are walking on air. They also make use of numerous poisons and pressure point strikes. It is because of these practices in particular that Viper's Kiss has the Lingering Flourish.

Core Principles

There are a few key elements to those who practice Divine Void. These elements are central to the martial art's key concept: The usage of specific techniques to completely ignore an opponent's defenses and deal extreme damage.

• No Defense: Viper's Kiss is specifically developed to combat defensive fighters. Its poisons and pressure point strikes make blocking useless. In addition, the style teaches its students to make use of great agility or stealth, teaching them to end a battle before it even really begins.

• Unreal Nature: Viper's Kiss is one of the most surreal martial arts styles to encounter. Its practicioners come across as almost supernatural. They can often float through the air through Windwalking, hide in the shadows, and make use of mysterious attacks that are not entirely easy to comprehend. This makes Viper's Kiss pracitioncers masters of psychological warefare.

• Assassin Art: Viper's Kiss is intended to be a style for assassination, first and foremost. It is not particularly useful in straightforward confrontations. Instead, the style's strength is focused on ending the fight with a sneak attack, or the use of a pressure point or poison before it has the chance to truly begin.

Weapons

Viper's Kiss makes usages of numerous weapons; not a surprise considering its roots as a martial arts style for assassins. Although Viper's Kiss has its roots in hand to hand combat, it makes use of many weapons as well.

• Short Sword: The most straight forward of Viper's Kiss' weapons. A short blade that is easy to conceal and eloquently sharpened. Intended mostly for thrusting attacks, and usually coated in poison.

• Folding Fan: A folding fan with bladed ridges. Often disguised as a normal fan so that it may be sneaked into secure areas. Can be used as both a short blade or as a ranged attack. Some users will even apply Windwalking to their fans so that they may fly through the air.

• Throwing Fangs: The discarded fangs of a serpent, dipped in poison and used as throwing knives. They are so small that they are easy to conceal for assassination.