The Origin of Martial Arts in Norrath and the Rise of the Fist of the Five Winds
-- Deth, Chronicler of Erudin
The Fist of the Five Winds would like to express our gratitude to Deth for his help in compiling this history.
When first the Gods of Norrath created the human race from the raw clay of the barbarians, the new race looked out on the world with wide eyes at the diversity areound them. Not only were they surrounded by wild animals of every description, from the mighty Northern Bear to the powerful Lions of the Karanas, but sentient races surrounded them on all sides, and in most cases bitterly resented the prolific newcomers.
Indeed, in most cases the human race survived and prospered. In large part this was due to natural selection...most humans who went up to a lion and tried to make a pet of it became part of its balanced diet, and therefore did not contribute to future generations' lack of reasoning. It was also due in part to the tools the humans used.
However, in some remote locations where dwarves and gnomes tread not, the tools were fairly rudimentary in nature. In these locations, the combination of attacks from wild animals, assaults by members of the elder races, and the lack of weapons lead many of the inhabitants to look within themselves for the tools they lacked. These were the first monks. Isolated folk who, for survival's sake, perfected their bodies to enable themselves to withstand the trials forced upon them. For a large number of them, this meant emulating some of their most fearsome enemies: the creatures of Norrath who insisted on adding them to their dietary requirements.
Hence, schools of martial arts sprang up. In the far North, certain humans who lived alongside their barbarian cousins formed the Father Bear Clan. Based on the ground-holding fighting style of the Northern Bear, these warriors would stand their ground and fight, never moving from a central position. In contrast, the monks of the Plains of Karana emulated the strike-and-fade style used by the Lions of that area. They would hit fast and fade away before their enemies could hit back with the might at their command. Of course, in the forests of the east, the monks emulated the tactics of the swift Shadow Wolves by attacking in packs and going for crippling strikes so that the downed enemy could be finished off at leisure. There existed, at one time, more schools tahn can be conveniently listed here.
However, once the continent became more civilized, the need for the young of these isolated communities to be trained in the ways of their fathers declined. Once the disciplines faded, the monastery-fortresses that were spread over the land fell into disuse and, in most cases, were taken over by orcs and other races of dark intent. Only two schools exist today, albeit much diminished. They are the Silent Fist Clan of Qeynos, practitioners of the Lion art, and the Ashen Order, based in Freeport and mainly following the mighty Kodiak Bear style.
Of late, there has been much concern between the two guilds that their flame has passed, and that they too will follow the other monasteries into the darkness that surrounds thought and memory. A group of monk-philosophers from both guilds resolved to do something to reverse this trend of decay and to pull the monkish way out into the world once more.
These elders looked closely at the traditional forms that had gone before, and decided that a new approach was needed. They took the old styles, and decided after much debate -- both on and off the sparring ground -- what worked and what did not, and then proceeded to try to isolate why some tactics worked and why others did not.
From these philosopher-monks came a new style, called the Way of the Five Winds. Referring to the four winds of the world, and a fifth wind, the wind that blows through mortal souls and gives them life, this style attemps to unify body, soul, and mind into one cohesive unit.
Naming themselves after this new style and the Dream of the Winds that forms the base of their philosophy, these philosopher-monks have now become known as the Fist of the Five Winds.
It starts with the first wind, the Wind of the North, representing the element of Earth. At this beginning level one learns to stand one's ground, to yeild not to force, to be centered and present at all times. It primarily involves power movements, builds up strength of the body for the more advanced styles, and is a very "hard" style. Its main weakness is that it users often fail to notice when the time to run has come. Most novices of the Fist of the Five Winds use this style.
Once one has started to master the Wind of the North, one faces a trial of stamina designed by one's mentor. If a student passes this test, the student starts on the path of the Wind of the East, which signifies the element of Water. A fitting match to the power of the Wind of the North, this style teaches one to use the strenth of an enemy against itself. Yeilding, soft, water is not concerned if it is hit, for all that results are ripples. However, over time, water will wear away the strongest rock known. More difficult to master than the Earth style, Water concentrates mainly on body conditioning. It is not unknown for Water disciples to train with heavy weights attached to their extremities, and undergo ritual fasting and dreamquests to strengthen their resolve. This "soft" style is used by senior students and some junior trainers as their primary style, and in the hands of a master can be extremely frustrating for an enemy, as he will inevitably fight himself.
Once a student has begun to use the Wind of the East readily, the mentor will set him a task, usually involving fighting a foe without being hit. If the student manages to pass this test, the student will be judged worthy to start training in the Wind of the West. This Wind is based on the precepts of the element Air. This is perhaps the most dramatic of the Fists' "Winds", as it is full of aerial movements and attacks from sudden directions. The Wind of the West primarily works on a monk's flexibility, and some monks training under this style are noted for their practice of leaping everywhere to build up their leg strength and their agility. Often used by senior trainers, this style is dramatic, effective, and showy, and seems to be a favorite of the younger members of the Fist of the Five Winds.
If a student can pass the test of air given by the mentor, typically diving from a towering cliff and surviving the fall, the student begins to learn the last of the physical winds, the Wind of the South, which holds the element of Fire. This is the most destructive of the Winds. Fire moves from attack to attack with no halt; it destroys all in its path and uses its victims as a platform to mount attacks on others. This Wind is designed for combat against multiple opponents simultaneously and works mainly on a monk's speed, strength, and will to battle on against overwhelming odds. Fire is dangerous to the monk using it, as it can burn the initiate as well as the foes. Only a true elder of the order can use this with some degree of safety.
The members of the Fist of the Five Winds train constantly in the fifth wind, known as the Center Wind. Mastered by none, this is the Wind that holds the mind, body, and soul in such harmony amongst their order. Much ritual meditation trains the members of the Fist of the Five Winds in the use of their minds, and philosophical debate is strongly encouraged. One of the first meditations enables even novice monks to ignore the pain of crippling injuries. In fact, many of the Fist of the Five Winds have been known to fight on even whilst their limbs are ripped from their bodies. Also amonst the order's rituals are mediations that enable one to slow the heart's beat to the merest whisper, and to grasp iron straight from the fire without flinching.
Before one can say that one is truly a Master of the Five Winds, one's intellect must be honed to as close an edge as one's fighting style. Many of the foremost thinkers of our time have come from the ranks of the Fist of the Five Winds, and their membership includes many noted philosophers of Norrath.
All Materials on this page by Cyrus McEnnis
Editing by Nathan ALbro and Simonne Grant
Copyright 2000