Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu (Exclusive)
By Kuseru
Entrance Requirements: Limited to those of Honorable Alignments. Minimum Attributes include P.S.: 12, P.P.: 10.
Skill Cost: 17 Years.

If we can believe the legends--and there are more legends than facts concerning these two martial artists--the only person to beat Miyamoto Musashi in a duel was someone as outlandish and eccentric as he was. And to top it off, he did it with a wooden stick. In so doing, Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi gave birth to a martial arts system that would elevate the humble wooden staff to one of the preeminent weapons of the bugei of Japan.

Gonnosuke studied the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, Kashima Jikishinkage-ryu, learning its secret method called the "ichi no tachi". According to legends, Gonnosuke thereupon engaged in various duels throughout Japan to test his skills, never losing any of them until he met Miyamoto Musashi. The Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu had bojutsu methods using the rokushaku bo (six-foot staff), as did the Sekiguchi-ryu, Bokuden-ryu and Takeuchi-ryu (or, as it is alternatively called, Take-no-uchi-ryu). If we follow the lineage line charted in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten, then Gonnosuke was a student of a teacher of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, which is why his style, the Shinto Muso (or Shindo Muso) -ryu contains the appellation Shinto (Waay of the Gods).

Gonnosuke lost the first duel. Mortified, he withdrew to Homangu, part of the Kamado Shinto shrine atop Mount Homan, in Chikuzen province, (present-day Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture) Kyushu. For 37 days he meditated and performed rites of austerity. On the last night night, while praying in front of an altar, he collapsed and had a divine vision.The cryptic vision compelled Gonnosuke to whittle a short staff about four shaku, two sun and one bu in length (128 cm.). This was longer than the standard tachi long sword of that period, which was three shaku, two sun and one bu, but shorter than the long rokushaku bo. By taking advantage of the short staff's ability to shift rapidly in the hands of a skilled artist, Gonnosuke was able to beat Musashi in a second duel. It is unclear how Gonnosuke did that, but the use of the jo in present-day Shinto Muso-ryu practice might give us a hint. If a jo is blocked by a juji-dome, it is an easy matter to quickly flip the jo out of the block and in the same motion strike a kyusho (weak point) on the swordsman's body. Gonnosuke also created a system of five secret methods (hiden gyo-i) that incorporated all the techniques of his new jo style. Gonnosuke managed to defeat Musashi without causing him great harm. Gonnosuke became artial arts instructor to the Kuroda clan, located in northern Kyushu. Muso Gonnosuke, profoundly changed by his encounter with Musashi and by the divine vision atop Mount Homan, had created a preeminent staff art, the Shinto (or Shindo) Muso-ryu jojutsu. The Heavenly Way of Muso's staff.

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 sub-styles, 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 Jo with either hand.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add +1 to P.S.
Add +1 to P.P.
Add +5 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 3
Escape Moves: Maintain Balance, Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
Attack Moves: None.
Basic Defensive Moves: Automatic Parry, Dodge, Parry.
Advanced Defenses: Breakfall, Circular Parry, Combination Parry/Attack, Disarm, Multiple Dodge.
Hand Attacks: Palm Strike, Punch.
Basic Foot Attacks: Backward Sweep, Kick Attack, Snap Kick.
Jumping Foot Attacks: None.
Special Attacks: Choke, Combination Strike/Parry, Death Strike (New!), Elbow, Forearm, Hip Throw (New!), Leap Attack, Shoulder Throw (New!).
Holds/Locks: None.
Weapon Kata: W.P. Bo (Staff), W.P. Bokken (Blunt), W.P. Jo (Staff).
Modifiers to Attack: Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Behind, Knockout/Stun, Pull Punch.
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Arts Powers: Automatically receives Zanshin. Select a total of TWO (2) Martial Art Powers from among Special Kata or Martial Art Techniques. Except for Zanshin, any number of Martial Art Powers can be traded, on a one-for-one basis, for Basic Skill Programs (excluding Physical).
Language: Japanese.
Cultural Skills: Meditation.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Bo (Staff), W.P. Bokken (Blunt), W.P. Jo (Staff).
Philosophical Training: Zen Buddhism.
If this is your Primary Martial Art Style then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Ikkaku Ryu (2 Years), Isshin Ryu (4 Years), Ittasu Ryu (2 Years), Kasumi Shinto Ryu (2 Years), Uchida Ryu (3 Years).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1^st: +1 to Strike, +1 to Dodge, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Critical Strike from Behind.
2^nd: +2 to Parry, +1 to Maintain Balance.
3^rd: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Special Kata or Martial Art Techniques.
4^th: +1 to Strike, +1 Attack per Melee.
5^th: Critical Strike on a Natural 18, 19, or 20.
6^th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Death Strike on a Natural 20.
7^th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Special Kata or Martial Art Techniques.
8^th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Parry
9^th: +1 to Maintain Balance.
10^th: +1 Attack per Melee, +2 to Parry.
11^th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Special Kata or Martial Art Techniques.
12^th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +1 to Strike.
13^th: +1 Attack per Melee.
14^th: +2 to Dodge, Knockout/Stun on a Natural 19 or 20.
15^th: +1 Attack per Melee, Select One (1) Zenjorike.
WHY STUDY Shinto Muso Ryu?
Muso Gonnosuke was able to defeat the renowned Musashi with the staff, what could you do with it?