Jiu Jue Hsiong (Nine Cutting Bear Kung Fu)
By Ray Bull <mailto:[email protected]>
Entrance Requirements: None
Skill Cost: 12 Years (Primary), 6 years (Secondary)

Caravan guards were once at the forefront of martial arts research. By the very nature of their profession, guarding caravans in the wilderness between the cities of China and along the Silk Road, their skills were tested almost daily. These trials led to the refinement of existing styles or the creation of new ones when old styles failed. Nine Cutting Bear is an example of the latter.

This style started with a combination of Bear kung fu and the whirling double broadsword techniques of Tam Tui kung fu. As it evolved Gau Jyut Hung, as it is called in Cantonese, added and discarded techniques from other martial arts. Eventually it crystallized into the system studied by today's students.

Unfortunately after the end of World War Two, and the rise of the Communist Party to power, caravan guards were not as needed, nor as welcome, as they once were in the past. This led to the Nine Cutting Bear style falling into disuse. With the advent of the Cultural Revolution and the pogrom against classical martial art masters, this style became even rarer.

Luckily grandmaster ____ ____ ____ survived the purges and kept teaching in secret. Later, in the early 1990's when classical martial arts had come back into favor, he escaped to the United States. The grandmaster made his new home and school in the "big sky country" of the American mid-west.

Combat for a student of Jiu Jue Hsiong is a whirlwind of constant motion. Parrying and striking with a sword in each hand, they are always moving forward. An opponent is always kept at arms reach. Before combat actually starts though, a Nine Cutting Bear stylist will attempt to back an opponent down using the Debana-o-kujiki Kata.

The original statistics for this art were averaged out from Gui Long and another art (I've forgotten which). The only real change was from a +2 bonus to Maintain Balance to a +2 bonus to Leap. If the Martial Art Powers seem a little much, Choy Li Fut has two powers & 3 weapon katas & one special kata. I'm not sure where the name came from. It's been sitting in my notebooks for a couple of years.

Costume: Standard clothing
Stance: A side leaning stance with a sword held in each hand. One leg is out straight, holding no weight. The other is bent holding all of the bodies weight, with the torso held straight above it. One sword is held over the head, parallel with the ground, in the arm away from the extended leg. The other is held vertically along the body, under and behind the arm that is held aloft.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add 5 to Chi
Add 1 to M.E.
Add 2 to P.P.
Add 1 to Spd.
Add 5 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: Three
Escape Moves: Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Leap, Backflip, Somersault
Attack Moves: Leap, Backflip, Somersault
Basic Defense Moves: Dodge, Parry, Automatic Parry
Advanced Defense Moves: Disarm, Combination Strike/Parry, Multiple Dodge, Circular Parry, Backflip, Twin Sword Trap (This defense can only be performed with W.P. Swords (Paired). To use this defense the character has to sacrifice Automatic Parry for the melee round. The character slides both swords across each other so that the tips form a "V". The opponent's weapon is then caught and held in this "V". This acts as an Entangle.)
Hand Attacks: Strike (Punch), Bear Paw
Foot Attacks: Kick Attack, Reverse Turning Kick
Special Attacks: Leap Attack, Deathblow, Combination Parry/Attack
Weapon Kata: W.P. Broadsword, W.P. Broadsword (Paired), W.P. Two-Handed Broadsword
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Critical Strike From Rear, Pull Punch
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: Automatically receive Special Katas: Debana-o-kujiki Kata, Bassai Kata, and Yadome-Jutsu Kata (Yadome-Jutsu Kata can only be performed with W.P. Broadsword (Paired).)
Languages: Chinese (Mandarin)
Cultural: Horsemanship, Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment
Survival: Wilderness Survival
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Broadsword, W.P. Broadsword (Paired), W.P. Two-Handed Broadsword
Philosophical Training: Buddhism
If this is your Primary Martial Art style then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time:
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +1 to Parry/Dodge, +1 to Leap (add 5 feet to Leap distance)
2nd: +1 to Strike, Critical Strike from behind
3rd: +1 Attack per Melee, Automatically receive Martial Arts Technique: Iai-Jutsu
4th: +1 to Leap (add five feet to Leap distance)
5th: +1 to Strike
6th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact
7th: +1 to Parry/Dodge
8th: +1 to Strike, Automatically receive Martial Arts Technique: Eight Horse Stomp
9th: +1 Attack per Melee, Deathblow on a Natural 20
10th: Double Existing Chi, Critical Strike on a Natural 18+
11th: +1 to Somersault, Automatically receive Martial Arts Technique: Sword Chi
12th: +1 Attack per Melee, Add two levels to Weapon Kata: W.P. Broadsword (Paired)
13th: +1 to Strike, Add two levels to Weapon Kata: W.P. Two-Handed Broadsword
14th: +1 to Backflip
15th: +1 Attack per Melee, Automatically receive Zenjorike: Karumi-Jutsu
Why Study Jiu Jue Hsiong?
A classical style centered around weapon use.