Ittasu Ryu Hojojutsu
By Kuseru
Entrance Requirements: Limited to those of Honorable Alignments. Minimum Attributes include P.S.: 12, P.P.: 10.
Skill Cost: 5 Years (3 Years as a Secondary Martial Art Style).

Ittatsu Ryu Hojojutsu is a Japanese rope tying style used from sometime during the Edo Jidai (1603-1869) to modern day. This martial art was used by Japanese law enforcement to control criminals and important prisoners. The knots used reflected the crime, social caste, gender, as well as the season of the year. Hojojutsu is composed of three characters; ho/tori (catch/seize someone), jo/nawa (rope), and jutsu (art or skill). Taken together this can be read as torinawajutsu or hojojutsu and means "the art of tying with rope." Some ryu prefer alternate terms such as tasuki-dori (tying-binding) and hobaku (rope binding). This style is usually taught as a secondary style to another martial art.

There are four rules in hojojutsu:
1. Do not allow the prisoner to slip his bonds.
2. Do not cause any physical or mental injury.
3. Do not allow others to see the techniques.
4. Make the result beautiful to look at.

Rule three stems from not allowing criminals and other people to learn the techniques so as to be able to undo them. Since police officers worked in groups of at least four, they could have one person secure the prisoner while preventing the prisoner's escape and coincidentally shielding the performance of the technique from view.

Securing a prisoner for various degrees of control resulted in several methods being developed. Some techniques only restrict the use of the arms, others restrict only the use of the legs, while some completely immobilize the subject. More advanced techniques of binding could be used to induce pain or loss of consciousness for struggling prisoners or to ensure that extremely violent people, strong people or those capable of slipping out of knots could not escape their bonds. Other techniques were developed to illustrate which caste of society the prisoner came from, what his offense was, the sex of the offender, as well as other factors. These tying techniques included specialized knots depending on the needs of the person employing the technique. In addition to the tying skills, several techniques of throwing and restraining are employed.

Though several types of ropes and cords are used in Hojojutsu, all are considered torinawa. Silk ropes were primarily used for practice because it was easy to slip from bonds made of these ropes. Hemp, beaten until soft, and often linen were most often used for actual performance of techniques. Different lengths of rope were used because the style of tying varied with both the crime and status of a prisoner. For instance, a thirty feet long rope was used to convey groups of prisoners somewhere, whith hand loops securing each prisoner to the next. Single prisoners were transported with a rope measuring 23 feet. Most commonly, ropes of nine feet in length or less are used. Emergencies could call for the use of a much shorter rope, such as the sageo (retaining cord) of a sword which measured anywhere from three to one feet in length. These ropes also came in different colors, changing their significance over time. Early on four colors were used, associated with the five directions of Chinese Taoism; blue was used for spring, east, left, and represented the blue dragon; red was used for summer, south, front, and represented the red phoenix; white was used for autumn, west, right, and represented the white tiger; black was used for winter, north, back, and represented the black tortoise; during late July and early August, a yellow rope, representing the fifth Chinese Taoist element was used. At the height of the Edo period, using colored rope to denote particular crimes and status became popular. The type of crime was denoted by the use of either a white rope (for minor crimes) or a blue rope (for serious crimes). Status was shown through using a violet rope for high ranking prisoners and a black rope for low ranking ones. At the end of the Edo Jidai, white and indigo where the only colors used and represented the branch of police using the ropes. The most commonly used ropes include the following:

Hayanawa (fast rope) is a short rope (measured in roughly 2.5 hiro, with each hiro roughly equivalent to a fathom (6 feet/1.8 meters)) used initially for a quick restraint. Ideally this rope could be used to secure the subject within 10 seconds, without risk of injury to the subject and maintaining it's beautiful look. No knots were used to avoid causing disgrace in case the suspect apprehended was innocent, so the Hayanawa typically came with a jakuguchi (small loop) or metal ring to prevent escape. The Hayanawa was often employed from behind or horseback to increase it's effectiveness.

Hon-nawa (main rope) is the long rope used to restrain and transport suspects securely. It comes in 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 hiro lengths.

Kaginawa (hooked rope) is a rope, typically 13 shaku long though not fixed in length, equipped with a hook or metal barb and used to hook a target's obi, collar, or hair.

In modern times, the Japanese National Police use a two meter long rope for their most drunk, drugged, or violent offenders and in situations with multiple suspects, especially riots. In addition to securing a single suspect, they typically secure several people with the same rope to further hinder the possibility of escape.

Koshinawa, especially those of the Chinese type (Kara Uchi No Himo) are fastened to a samurai's belt and used for securing prisoners. In addition, these ropes could be used for other purposes, Kura Gatame (securing a saddle), Shiba Tsunagi (tethering a horse), climbing a wall, securing a boat, or even hanging up armor.

In addition to these, there are other torinawa, including a short rope, one shaku, two sun (about 14 inches) long, used to secure seated suspects by tying their arms securely in place.

In addition to just rope, there were many accessories which could be used to aid in Hojojutsu techniques. These included the loops, metal rings, and hooks mentioned above as well as weights, a small bar with two holes, or even a second loop.

Special Note! Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu is unique because it is designed to work with several sub-styles, including Isshin Ryu Kusarigamajutsu, Kasumi Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu, Ikkaku Ryu Juttejutsu, Ittasu Ryu Hojojutsu, and Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu. When a character has Shinto Muso Ryu and one (or more) of the listed substyles, then all the attacks per melee, bonuses, abilities, and powers of Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu are used in wielding weapons, weapon proficiencies, and weapon kata of the sub-style (or sub-styles). Any martial art powers and abilities from one of the sub-styles are used with Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu.

Costume: Karate Gi
Stance: Facing opponent with one foot forward and the other back, arms about half an arm length out from the body, griping the Torinawa with either hand.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add +1 to P.P.
Add +5 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 2
Escape Moves: Maintain Balance, Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
Attack Moves: None.
Basic Defense Moves: Dodge, Entangle, Parry.
Advanced Defense Moves: Circular Parry, Combination Parry/Attack, Disarm.
Hand Attacks: Knife Hand.
Basic Foot Attacks: Tripping/Leg Hook.
Jumping Foot Attacks: None.
Special Attacks: Choke, Combination Strike/Parry, Elbow, Forearm.
Holds/Locks: Arm Lock, Wrist Lock.
Weapon Kata: W.P. Grappling Hook (New! Training in the use of a variety of rope weapons, including rope darts, meteor hammers, and kyoketsu-shoge (also requires W.P. knife). Also trained use of a grappling hooks for climbing, scaling walls (adds +5% to climbing), boarding vessels, tripping an opponent (by hooking the foot, ankle or leg. Does no damage, but knocks victim to the ground and he loses initiative and one melee attack) and impaling (does 1D6 damage). For using rope weapons as lassos, lariats, and restraining devices, see the skills Roping (Cowboy) and Hojo-jutsu (Espionage). This weapon cannot be used to parry.

+1 to strike or entangle at levels 3, 6, 9 and 12.), W.P. Snare (Used exclusively as a weapon of entrapment to catch an opponent's neck, wrist, or ankle. A snare can not be used to parry and does no damage on impact. However the snare is designed to pinch and gouge as it tightens, creating pain in susceptible targets. Also see the Entangling combat skill. This skill also includes training in braiding snares out of ordinary string or rope, or out of strips of cloth or leather.).
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Knockout/Stun.
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: Select a total of ONE (1) Martial Art Power from among Atemi and Martial Art Techniques. If desired, any number of Martial Art Powers can be traded, on a one-for-one basis, for Basic Skill Programs (excluding Physical).
Languages: Japanese
Cultural: Advanced Hojojutsu (Special! An advanced version of regular Japanese Binding, this skill emphasizes quick tying techniques and escape proof bindings. At first level the character can secure one prisoner in 15 seconds (one melee round). This time decreases to 10 seconds (two-thirds of the character's attacks, rounding up) at fifth level, five seconds at tenth level (two attacks), and very fast at fifteenth level (one melee attack). Another person can be tied in the same amount of time at levels 4, 8, and 12. Otherwise, adding an additional person doubles the time required. In addition to quicker tying times, the character learns how to make escape proof bindings. At first level, the techniques known by the character give an opponent a -15% chance to their escape rolls, at third level this improves to -20%, at sixth level this improves to -25%, at ninth level the penalty is -30%, at twelfth level the penalty increases to -35%, and at fifteenth level, the penalty is a whopping -40%. Base Skill: 40/20%+5% per level of experience. The first number represents a binding done quickly, the second number indicates a binding that is to be escape proof. When doing an escape proof binding quickly, use the second percentage.

Kinbaku (rope torture techniques) are also taught. Kinbaku techniques teach two ways of tying a prisoner which result in pain. The first method is called the Prawn position, where the person is tied bent over so that the head can be tied to the legs, with the legs crossed in front and hands behind. The second technique is called Suspension, where the prisoner is tied at the wrists and ankles, with the arms pulled behind the back and the body suspended face down, occasionally with heavy stones added. Regardless of the method used, the victim must make a Saving Throw vs Pain every hour, failure means that the victim loses consciousness until revived and takes 1D6 damage directly to Hit Points. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience.)
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Grappling Hook (See description above), W.P. Snare (See description above).
Philosophical Training: Zen Buddhism.
If this is your Primary Martial Art then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Ikkaku Ryu (2 Years), Isshin Ryu Kusarigamajutsu (4 Years), Kasumi Shinto Ryu (2 Years), Uchida Ryu (3 Years).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +1 to Parry/Dodge, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
2nd: +1 to Strike, +2 to Entangle.
3rd: + 1 to Initiative.
4th: Pain Entanglement/Binding (When a victim has been successfully bound, any failed attempt to escape results in the victim being required to make a Saving Throw vs Pain or take 1D6 damage.).
5th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Atemi or Martial Art Techniques.
6th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Strike.
7th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Knockout/Stun on a Natural 19 or 20.
8th: Knockout Entanglement/Binding (When a victim has been successfully bound, any failed attempt to escape results in the victim being required to make a Saving Throw vs Pain or lose consciousness until revived.).
9th: +1 Attack per Melee, +2 to Entangle.
10th: +1 to Strike, Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Atemi or Martial Art Techniques.
11th: +1 to Parry/Dodge.
12th: +1 to Initiative.
13th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Critical Entanglement/Binding (When a victim has been successfully bound, any failed attempt to escape results in the victim being required to make a Saving Throw vs Pain or take 2D6 damage.).
14th: +1 to Strike, +2 to Entangle, Critical Strike on a Natural 19 or 20.
15th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Atemi or Martial Art Techniques.
Why Study Ittasu Ryu Hojojutsu?
Gives new meaning to the term, "Police Custody." Houdini doesn't mess with these guys.