This is our take on writing this martial art up for Rifts RPG

"www.silambam.com © Denis Brunet". This is one of the sources we used for gathering background material for our fictional conversion of this martial art during March-May 2005. The Nillaikalakki style of silambam is presented on this source website. Much of the terminology and background material we used for our conversion is borrowed from this source.

Silambam

Silambam martial art was invented in Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, somewhere in the Kurinji mountains by the Narikuravar people. It was adopted by the Hindu scholars, yogies as part of their training when they saw it during their trips of meditation in the mountains. It became part of the royal courts Cheran, Cholan and Pandian emperors, powerful empires in Indian history. It was demonstrated in the royal courts, and the Silambam duelling ground became the place to recruit royal guards.

Silambam is short for Silam bamboo. Silam is the Tamil word for Mountain, and the "Bam" part is short for Bamboo sticks. Silambam therefore can mean the stick from the mountains. Some ancient records credit its creations to a divine source, Lord Muruga, and Tamil mythology says its inventor was sage Agasthya. Some ancient literature refers to Silambam masters were aided by charms, spells, and magical abilities given to them by the people who they championed in the duels they fought.

During the British Raj weapons weren't allowed to be carried on the person by the people in Tami Nadu, as was done elsewhere on the Subcontinent. This meant all overt weapons were confiscated and many Silambam practitioners hid in the wild hills. The staff became their primary weapon, because it wasn't seen as a lethal weapon, and its possessors, could claim it had other uses, like helping in walking, or measuring river depths for crossing and to knock down fruit from tall trees. By the late 20C many schools of Silambam only taught the staff weapon. Others weapons may well have been taught but their use became limited to a few schools. The staff is a weapon that can be improvised at a moment's notice, so in a time when no weapons were allowed to be carried, being able to use a staff helped you a lot, because you simply improvised a weapon from your surrounding. Further still you could improvise a Spear or Halberd from your improvised staff, by simply sharpening the ends of the staff or more likely adding blades or blade and axe heads to the staff point.

Silambam practitioners also improvised a weapon by using deer horns (Madu). By putting two deer horns on either end of a small wooden handle, you had a lethal weapon, which could be concealed, and wouldn't appear as a weapon. When gripped, one deer horn point extends on the little finger side, and the other extends out from the thumb side. These weapons were used as paired weapons.

In the Rifts world, much of the Silambam knowledge has been learnt again by the interpretations of the post rifts masters who recreated this martial art from martial art DVD's and literature. This wasn't a complete record of the art, so they improvised. Reading about great silambam masters using magical weapons and having magical powers, naturally led them to assume it was a mystical martial art, and in the world of Rifts Earth, where Mystical Energy is rampant, they came up with a mystical martial art. Most literature did not reveal that the ancient Silambam masters had others bestow spells, charms, and magical abilities on them.

Many Rifts Silambam experts carry charms, talismans, and have wards put on their weapons and equipment.

A Silambam student must go through and (Othukal murai). The latter is the defensive techniques covering the 96 angles of defence and the former is offensive techniques covering the 96 angles of offence. After this a Silambam novice learns (adi kambugal), essentially 36 mini katas of 12 hits. After learning these the student of Silambam moves into the more advanced and difficult techniques of Silambam, such as the (Kurivaithiu adipethu)- this is the vital points techniques. Next is the study of (Kanthan) or the tricky techniques. This is where the novice is taught how to apply the knowledge he has learnt in combat situations. How to fight in a real combat situations, where anything can go, such as throwing dirt into your opponents face to get the edge, distracting him. Do whatever works to survive the fight. Only when these have been learnt by the Silambam practitioner does he move onto learning the extremely difficult, yet beautiful (Narikuru movements). The last stage in the learning of traditional Silambam is known as (Utchekattha nillai). This is where the student is tested on his knowledge of Silambam and his use of those skills in combat.

Entrance Requirements: Min P.P 11, Min P.E 11, Min P.S 11, Min M.E 9, Min Spd 11

Skill Cost: Traditionally 7 Years, But on Rifts Earth it is 10 years due to the additional Mystic Training.

Costume: Traditionally chest guard, turban, shield, langots and sleeveless vests, can be various colours, traditionally materials close at hand were used, such as canvas for shoes, wicker-work for shields, chest guards was similar to the one worn by Palmyrah tree - climbers.

Character Bonuses:

+1D6 to P.P

+1D4 to P.S

+1D4 to P.E

+2 to M.E

+2D4 to Spd

+10 to Chi

+6ft to Leap and +2ft levels 3,5,7,9,11,13 and 15.

+6D6 SDC

NB: In Silambam there is an initial period of physical training (Otthai vitchi) but that is it, and the focus of the Silambam practitioners on Rifts Earth is on the mystical aspect of this ancient martial art, and because of this it is one of the few martial arts that does not teach Demon/Body Hardening Exercises.

Combat Skills:

Attacks Per Melee: 2 (TWO)

Escape Moves: Roll with punch/fall/impact, Maintain balance

Basic Defensive Moves: Dodge, Parry, Automatic Parry

Advanced Defences: Automatic Dodge, Automatic Roll, Circular Parry, Multiple Dodge, Disarm

Hand Attacks: Strike (Punch),

Basic Foot Attacks: Kick Attack,

Jumping Kick Attacks: None

Special Attacks: Using Staff or other Weapon (not empty hand) Death blow, Leap Strike, Combination Strike/Parry, Combination Dodge/Strike, Staff Sweep, Backward Staff Sweep, Staff Automatic Flip/Throw, Critical Staff Flip/Throw. Staff Elbow (using elbow strike movement with staff/weapon, so that an enemy to the rear is hit square in the face with the butt end of the staff. Double damage and opponent must make save versus maintain balance or lose attack and initiative), Circular Staff/Weapon strike (This strike allows the practitioner to attack opponent irrespective of the direction he is coming from, whether from side or rear, without the need to face him. The silimbam practitioner can thus concentrate on opponents facing him, while dealing with attacks coming in from other directions). Tripping/Staff hook, Power Staff/Weapon strike. Staff/Weapon Paralysis Attack, (opponent takes damage and is stunned for 2d6 melees, can not attack, loses all bonuses and is -2 to parry and dodge). Staff Entangle and knee to groin (2D4 dam and opponent stunned for 1D6 minutes), Staff Pin/hold (once an opponent is swept off their feet, they are pinned to the floor by the staff. Impossible for opponent to escape without taking damage 3D6 (SDC or off armour). (In Rifts MDC opponents/armour take 3D6 dam {if an MDC staff is being used}. The opponent must make save versus pain and one of his rib/chest bones is broken. If wearing armour, the armour will lose 25% of damage, and in Rifts there will be risk of a a breach in full EBA if escaping from this hold. Staff Neck Choke (the staff is positioned horizontally on throat of opponent and takes 1D6 dam direct to hit points (for one hand staff choke BUT 4D4 for two hand staff choke) for each attack of practitioner he is pinned) Opponent is -1 attacks and -2 to all combat moves. NB: The practitioner may attack opponent with his other free hand if he chooses, while doing one hand staff choke. Sometimes a Silambam practitioner may use the staff pin/hold on the throat of swept opponent to pin him to the ground, rather than on chest. In this case the opponent will take 1D10 dam direct to hit points per attack, but can escape from this pin without risking broken ribs or damage to armour.

Hold/Locks: None

Weapon Katas: Staff, Improvised Spear, Improvised halberds, Short Sticks, Shield, Paired Short Sticks, Madu (double deer horns {can be made out of steel}), Paired Madu, W.P Improvised short Stick/Staff, W.P Paired Improvised Stick/Staff, W.P Paired Stick/Madu, W.P Improvised madu, W.P Paired Improvised Madu

Modifiers to Attacks: Pull Punch, Knock-Out/Stun, Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Rear

Special Katas: At level 1 pick 1 (ONE) of these Silambam Katas. The animated animal movements are known as the Narikuru, then he also pick 1 (ONE) of these Silambam Katas at levels 3,5,7,9,11 and 13. NB: the Fox Hit Narikuru can only be selected if character wants once he reaches 7^th (SEVENTH) level of experience. The Fox Hit Narikuru kata can't be selected any earlier than 7^th level of experience

Monkey Hits: practitioner tries to use full range of staff weapon, by doing long circular sweeping staff strikes. This attack can hit 1D6 opponents each time, and on a successful strike they take damage from staff and are knocked down, Opponent can only dodge, not parry the strike. Practitioner loses automatic dodge, loses combination strikes (basically can only do this long sweeping circular strike and parry) can only circular parry and dodge normally, add +2 attacks, + 2D6 to damage, + 3 Parry and, Dodge and roll with blow,

Snake hits: practitioner fires a rapid burst of strikes at the head or chest of opponents (any part of the body can be targeted but the focus is based on type of atemi effect the practitioner wantsl). The tip of the staff is thrust into the target. For Game Purposes treat the effects of this attack the same as a "Jodo Strike" from Rifts Japan book, page 59. The difference in this case is that the damage done may well be done direct to hit points because this attack could also be a Blood Flow Atemi attack and/or it can be a Neutral Atemi attack and/or it can be a Withering Flesh Atemi attack. It could be a Blindness atemi attack. NB The Silambam Practitioner must know these Atemi abilities to be able to perform these additional effects during the Snake Hit kata, otherwise he can only do the Jodo Strike type attack during Snake Hit kata. During Snake Hit kata, the number of attacks a practitioner has are Doubled. During this kata, the practitioner does not concentrate on parrying or dodging attacks. Thus he can strike multiple opponents from multiple directions, but is unable to defend himself from enemy attacks. Therefore other than his and his staff's rapid circular movement, he has no defence during this kata. All Opponents are -5 to hit him during this kata and character can roll autododge straight dice rolls (no P.P or other bonus). A successful roll means his rapid movement meant he had already twirled to new position before attack landed. No Parries or other defensive moves, he is not concentrating on defensive or any other types of attacks, just concentrating on delivering as many Snake Hits as possible during this kata. Only Snake Hit attacks can be done during this Kata.

Hawk hits. This kata allows the practitioner to fight up close and personal with opponent, and striking him on the head with power strikes. This also allows practitioner to do a (Ghost Touch Strike) hidden move against opponent. This hidden move usually involves a punch or kick concentrating on Knocking out opponent during an overhead strike. Opponent can not actively defend against it, can't dodge, parry, entangle or evade it intentionally, because they aren’t expected it and are concentrating on overhead attack to their head. It can be used once only against each opponent, but it can be used ONCE during a melee against each multiple opponent. The power strike do the head is a very damaging attack, or it would be if it was actually an attack, it is purely a ruse, a feint done to distract the opponent from the Ghost Touch being delivered. In the Rifts World, it is said the Ghost Touch, strikes fear in the heart of an opponent, it sends a chill through his bones, paralysing him with fear. The truth is a little less romantic, because the Ghost Touch Strike is usually a paralysis strike or a Grasping Hand Atemi (if known by Silambam Practitioner). NB: During this Kata the practitioner usually uses first attack of melee to get in close to opponents and the last attack to get out of range. The Staff must be used to deliver the Ghost Touch Strike. The Ghost Touch Strike is the only offensive movement that can be done during Hawk Hit kata, BUT remember it can only be done ONCE against an opponent, but can be used ONCE against a different opponent for each attack the character has for the melee. During Hawk Hit melee, the character is able to defend himself normally from enemy attacks, using his autododge, circular parry, combination parry/strike or Combination Dodge/attack. He is only limited on doing Ghost Touch Strike as an offensive move.

Spring Hits: This kata allows the practitioner to do spinning leap power strikes against opponent, one such attack can be made against each multiple opponent during melee to the head. Opponent must make save versus maintain balance and knockdowns. At level one the practitioner can only do one such attack during this kata, but add +1 of these attacks against a different opponent during melee at lvls 3,5,7,9,11,13,15. The practitioner can not do any other type of attack or defensive moves. In fact his only defence is the opponent not hitting him while he is in the air doing this move, opponent is -5 to strike, and the practitioner can roll straight dice roll autodoge (no P.P or other bonuses to this roll). This means at level one the practitioner gets this autododge move once during melee as he only has one attack, but as he gets more attacks for this kata, he can roll this autododge during each of those attacks. During this kata, a high level practitioner barely touches the floor with the toes of one of his feet.

FOX Hits: NariKuru techniques are extremely difficult to do yet beautiful and breathtaking to behold, their difficulty and beauty is insignificant when it is compared to the Fox Narikuru movement. It is extremely difficult to duplicate, breathtakingly stunning to see in action and extremely dangerous to the practitioner who is attempting to do it. Only masters of Silambam even attempt to perform lightening acrobatic movement. In the world of Rifts it has taken on a mystical edge, for masters speak of becoming one with the Megaverse and riding the dragonlines. The Fox Movement allows the Silambam master to use his skills/knowledge abilities to the full, while in this kata, in fact it can be said to be the use of all the other Narikuru movement and knowledge the Silambam practitioner knows. In simple terms what you see is the Silambam practitioner being out of combat range, striking opponent, and being out of melee combat range. Like the Fox that this movement imitates, the character darts in feinting to bite at one point, but snaps at another point entirely, and before opponent has recovered, the fox is out of range. This is exactly what you see when the Fox Hit is being done. The Practitioner has to be extremely quick, agile and flexible to do it. He goes for one point on opponent, but his body bends in an extraordinary angle and lands an attack at another point.

During Fox Hit, the character is at +4 to all Offensive/Defensive Combat Moves. Is +3 to Attacks, he moves double the distance in ONE attack/Action than he would normally do. For example he can use the other Narikuru movements he knows during this kata without the restrictions those kata's normally have, while he is doing Fox Hit kata. He can even combine those NariKuru movements during Fox Hit kata. He can combine all his martial knowledge/abilities to maximum effect during Fox Hit kata. Therefore he can do a spinning Leap Ghost Snake Hit or a spinning leap Money Hit to any opponent or as many opponents during the melee. In game Terms he can strike an opponent with impunity without fear of opponent being able to parry or dodge his attack or the opponent being able to hit him. Effectively the opponent will have to roll a Natural 20 to block/parry one of his attacks or to hit him with his attacks. Only by luck can an opponent block him or strike him. Another aspect is the character can deliver all his attacks in the initial first attack, if he has initiative against one opponent or use them against multiple opponents, then spend remaining of melee doing automatic dodge or parrying attack. In Rifts when this is being performed the character appears to be possessed by some entity. In game Terms this effect is similar to the Chi Kata: Yin-Yang kata in Palladium's Mystic China book. If this is active he can use Ley Line teleport like a line walker for the duration of the kata (which is a melee).

There is a limitation to this Kata, and that is the character has to roll a critical roll to actually do it. By adding his Fox Hit katas Offensive Strike Bonus (applicable once kata is activated and it is also applicable for its activation, and the bonus to strike at level ONE for Attune Staff. He therefore needs to roll a NATURAL 13 (THIRTEEN) or more to activate this kata (gets +4 from Fox Hit Kata, +2 from Attune Staff at level 1. At level seven he needs to roll a 19 or 20 to do a critical hit. 13 +6 equals 19, which is a critical hit for Silambam at level 7.

However if he fails, Roll maintain balance to see if he stays on his feet. This will just stop him looking silly at failing to activate Fox Hit kata, because there is now a 35% chance of the character at the very minimum pulling/tearing muscle/tendon or dislocating a joint of even breaking a bone. At the first failure to activate Fox Hit movement, the practitioner should have minor penalties, such as losing a few attacks, essentially something that harms him during fight or puts him out of that fight. a second failure during same fight would mean something that puts him out of action for day, and needs medical help for recovering. A third failure during same fight, should mean out of action for a few scenarios for the player. needs time to recover and medical treatment. This should be because he suffered broken bone or torn ligaments.

Torch Silambam. Traditionally Silambam practitioners had to be able to use a staff set on fire at either end, usually used only for demonstration of their skill and used for training purposes. Grab wrong part of staff while twirling it for new attack/defence posture and you got burnt. This quickly ensured a novice mastered the Staff as an offensive and defensive weapon. In rifts though as Silambam practitioners tried to relearn this forgotten art from it being mentioned by survivors of the coming of the Rifts or it being mentioned in Prerifts martial art DVD's. No one really know what it was, and some of those early Post Rifts experienced practitioners tried to invent Torch Silambam. This eventually led to some masters developing and releasing a Pyrokinesis type ability through their Staff weapons. For Game Terms a Practitioner is at will able to encase their Staff in flames and use that staff without harm to self. Allowing them to fight MDC opponents. At Lvl one torch Silambam Staff will do MDC dam of the SDC damage done by practitioner using staff. So if stuff attack does 2D6 SDC, while in Torch Silambam, it will do 2D6 MDC. At level three double the MDC damage done by the Torch staff, and then add +1D6 at levlels 4,5,7,9,11,13, and 15. With the Torch attack, if the practitioner wants to there is a 20% +3% chance per lvl of anything struck by Torch Staff to set it alight. This includes MDC armour and supernatural Flesh-save vs Pain needs to be done. This setting ablaze will do 1D6 dam per melee, But add another 1D4 damage to this for every other such successful attack. A long range attack of this is also possible, exactly the same amount of damage and effects as melee attack. However because both ends of the Staff are lit, a Simultaneous blast can be fired, from each flaming end of the staff. Effective Range is 100ft + 50Ft per level. This attack appears to be a mixture of the psionic power of Pyrokinesis and an elemental fire spells. It maybe that due to the intense meditations and soul searching of the Post Rifts masters on Torch Silambam, some fire elemental released (gifted) this ability in the practitioners of Silambam. This ability can only be done by Silambam practitioners and then only through their Staff. (no other way!).

Roaring Silambam: The Post Rifts Silambam masters read in Prerifts literature that the Silambam Staff was used to generate noise to intimidate opponents. This was due to the staff having holes drilled into it, much like a flute, and when the practitioner swung it, it would generate a noise. Noise generated would depend on how it was swung and direction it was swung in, into the wind, away from the wind, as well as the combination of swings for what noise would be created. Other noises were generated by how the staff was struck against an object or the nature of the material it was struck against. In prerifts this like Torch Silambam was used mainly to demonstrate skill of the Silambam practitioner. In the Rifts world, not knowing what it could be, the Postrifts Silambam masters tried to reinvent it. What they are able to do is drill holes into their staff, by removing the staff's innate Chi, and they are then able to use the Roaring Silambam kata to create various effects. The first is by swinging the staff at the opponent but not striking him, they are able to create noise which effects an opponent as if he has been hit by a Open Hand Atemi attack (any of its four attacks can be done per attack of the Silambam expert). The other effect that can be generated is the same as the Kaijutsu (any of its four attacks can be done per attack of the Silambam expert). Another type of attack that is possible with this is the Howling Wind attack. This attack generates a Wind Rush Spell and the noise the wind makes means opponent target must make a save vs Horror Factor of 16, each time this attack is used in melee. An effect similar to Finger -Snap Tien Hsueh can also be done per attack if practitioner wants. Another type of attack that can be done is to create a hellish noise, in game terms the person must save versus the Agony Spell. All the aforementioned type attacks can be done per attack, and each type of attack can be interchanged per attack during the melee of this kata. The Silambam practitioner is also able to generate a noise for the entire melee of the Kata, usually done outside of combat, and this is a beautiful piece of music, that entrances the affected people. In game terms each melee of play of these tunes produces affects similar to Arrows of Exorcism, or it could be the Arrows of Enticing Beauty from Rifts Japan Book Page 38- only the levels are changed, they are the levels of the Silambam Expert. Or it could be similar to the music produced by the AMENONORIGOTO, music like the Song of Heavenly Senses, and/or Song of Spiritual Comfort, and/or Song of Summoning or Banishing. See Rifts Japan Book Page 41. These are just some of the effects that the Roaring Silambam kata is able to produce. There are of course others, leaving it up to GM to what other affects may be produced by this Kata and that they allow in their games. Masters of Silambam maybe able to produce other types of effects with the noise/music they generate by doing this kata. NB: A silambam does not need to know these abilities, like Open hand atemi or Kaijutsu or agony spell, because he isn't actually isn't using them, But actually the Mystical noise he generates through Roaring Silambam, Produces the effects similar to these things. In the world of Rifts those who see the world as Chi, like the Blind Mystic or the White Tigers, will see the Roaring Silambam staff with gaps in its Chi, all round it, including the ends. The Flow of Chi through and around the stuff depends on how the character is holding it, which Chi holes are covered. When he swings it and changes grip during it, these people will see the flow of latent Chi of character, opponents and the in the area being affected, and its flow pattern changing for an instant, similar to the change of flow brought on when mystic Invocations are done.

Parry/Block Stones/Arrows: Silambam practitioners training traditionally involved practitioner standing in the centre of a crowd, and having to ward off stones thrown at him by numerous people from numerous directions. In Rifts this means he can attempt to parry/block long range incoming attack, including arrows and energy blasts and bullets with his staff. This works against Multiple opponents. For Game Purposes a Silambam practitioner can parry long range attacks with his staff, just as efficiently as he parries melee and HTH attacks.

Attune Staff. A silambam practitioner sees the staff as the ultimate tool, she treats it exactly as a swordmaster treats his sword. In the worlds of Rifts this means that the Silambam practitioner transfers a bit of their essence into the Staff. It's effect is very similar to an athlete doing high altitude training or removing a bit of his blood, then train and then having the removed blood put back in his body (blood doping). In both these cases the effect on athlete is an increase in blood cells, as the body compensates for the depletion in oxygen uptake, either due to environment (high altitude) or the removal of the blood cells. The effects of transferring a bit of his essence into the Staff are similar for the Silambam practitioner. Though he will never be at 100%, he is building up his essence as time passes (level progression), and he can always reabsorb most of the essence stored in the Staff, if he needs to.

At level One, he can transfer 25% of his Essence into the staff. He can reabsorb upto 20% of this anytime he feels like and use to fight (ONCE only then needs to rest for 8 hours or meditate and recover three times faster). At level TWO his body has recuperated 10% of the essence it lost and at second level the practitioner can again put 25% of his new maximum essence in the staff. At Level Three the practitioner again recovers another 10% of his lost essence, and at Third Level the practitioner can again put 25% of his new maximum essence into staff. EXAMPLE: if practitioner had 100SDC at level one, he would put 25SDC into staff, if need be he could reabsorb 20SDC before needing to rest for 8hours or meditate for THREE hours, to be able to do that again. At second Level The practitioner now has 110SDC, as his body recovered 10% of his maximum SDC at level one. At second Level he can now put 27SDC into SDC (25% of 110 SDC always ROUND DOWN). At third level the practitioner now has 121SDC as he gains another 11SDC due to 10% compensation. At third level he can store 30 SDC into Staff. At fourth level he will have 133SDC as he gains 12SDC due to 10% compensation and so on for each level.

For Game Purposes, a Silambam Practitioner can Store 25% of his essence each level into staff, and his body grows more powerful by 10% at the next level. NB: always ROUND down the percentage calculations for this. A practitioner can store his SDC/MDC and Hit Points, PPE, ISP, Chi. He can even do this for all his attributes, but it means all his attributes are reduce by FOUR points and he only gets to add +1 to each Attribute every other Level. He can reabsorb 3 Points for each attribute from the stored attribute points if the need arises, ONE point for each attribute must be left in staff. HE can even do this for his Skills BUT again he has to Store FOUR Skills, and gets to pick ONE New Skill every other Level. He loses the use of these FOUR skills, except when he reabsorbs any THREE skills, but one skill must be left stored into the staff, before rest is needed. A mage or psionic can do this with spells and psionics. Four Spells/Psionics can be stored in staff, and ONE spell/psionic is gained every other level. Three stored spells and/or Psionics can be reabsorbed once every EIGHT hours if need arises, but one Spell and/or psionic must be left in staff. The other limitation is the spell/psionic gained can not be higher than the level of the character. So 5^th level character can gain a new spell from all levels upto and including Level 5, but not from level six or above. The other limitation is category, so if psionic can only have sensitive psionic powers, he will gain only new sensitive powers, not from physical or healing category. If the mage is temporal mage only, then he can only gain temporal spells, not from other categories like Necromancy or normal spells.

Attune Staff also gives these abilities and bonuses to Silambam practitioner. Due to a little essence being in the Staff, the Silambam gets Zanshin ability as long as he is using the Staff or has it on him or staff is within Zanshin awareness range. The Practitioner is aware of whatever his perpetually alert essence is aware of, as it doesn't exist on the material plane, his staff also allows the seeing of auras, invisible creatures, entities, ghosts and so on, all EM spectrums. This essence is aware of weakness in opponents and objects and makes it easier for practitioner to exploit that weakness (two heads are better than one). This means can do an attack that does double Death Blow damage on opponent or object by concentrating on weakness for a melee, and using his attacks. During that melee to exploit weakness, add +4 to strike for first attack, and then +1 to strike for each attack of melee used to concentrate on exploiting weakness. The attack must be used before melee is up, if not, the concentration is broken and must start afresh for new melee. The Attuned staff is aware like the character, so if left in a room, it will be aware of what is happening in room, such as what was said. Once recovered by character, the character can get something akin to "Total Recall Remote/Retro Viewing", ideally within last EIGHT hours, anything more is very hazy and more like what an "Object Read" reveals. In this way a Silambam master can reconnoitre an area by turning staff into a spear and throwing it over an area he wants to learn about, without revealing himself. Of course the Staff must be recovered to do this.

Attuned Staff also gives Practitioner +2 to ALL Offensive Combat moves with this Staff. This +2 can count as a natural dice roll. The dice rolls don't have to be natural dice rolls to count as a critical, deathblow, knock out/stun dice roll when being used with this Attuned staff. Example. If at level the character needs to roll a natural 20 for a Deathblow strike, BUT when he is using the Attuned staff he only needs to roll a natural 18 to make a Deathblow strike using his Attuned Staff.

Add +1 to ALL offensive combat moves with Staff at levels 3,5,7. (These additional level bonuses do not count towards Natural dice rolls!)

Add+4 to ALL Defensive moves with this Staff and Add +1 to ALL defensive moves with staff at levels 3,5,7,9.

Add +2 attacks with this Staff, at level One, and Add +1 attack with Staff at Levels 3,5,7

Add +3 to Initiative with this staff at Level 1, and then +1 to initiative with staff at lvls 2,4,6,9 and 11.

At Level 4 (FOUR) the practitioner can send waves outwards from him by driving the staff point into the ground. For Game Purposes treat the effects of this as an advanced form of EIGHT HORSE STOMP martial art technique ability from Palladium's Mystic China book. The shock waves are sent out in all direction from Staff, roughly 200ft (61m) + 20ft at each subsequent level. Everyone must roll fall/impact versus character's strike roll. Those who fail will fall down, lose attack/initative. There is a 30% + 5% per level chance of them dropping anything in their hands, or anything that is vulnerable to going of by violent tremor being set off, like explosives on opponent, or anything on them that is not securely fastened to fall of. Everyone hit by shock waves will take normal staff damage from staff strike + an additional 1D6 Hit Points damage for every other level of character. This Strike takes 2 (TWO) attacks to do, and once in ground, This staff acts as a simple Protection circle 10ft + 5ft per level of character. While in ground it acts as a ground for incoming Chi, ISP, PPE. For Game Purposes, every melee that the staff grounded, then upto 10 incoming chi/isp/ppe per level of character can be grounded/dispersed this way. Works similar to the Sea Inquisitor's magic/psionic Dispersal ability in Rifts Underseas book.

At level Seven the character can create and/or infuse his Staff Weapon with Chi. For Game purposes double normal damage of staff and add 1D6 for each level of character. This damage will do sdc damage to sdc/hit point targets and MDC damage to MDC opponents. The other benefit of this is the character can now dissipate his staff and appear to be without it. If he left his staff somewhere or someone took it, or used it as a spear, he can teleport it to him. This dispersal of staff and reappearance of Staff takes 1 (ONE) melee for Silambam expert. NB: The Zanshin and other abilities mentioned above for this staff, only work when it is solid form and in the material Plane where character can use it. When it is dispersed, it exists as CHI only, totally. Most silambam masters will not use staff created of Chi, they will actually use one that they have infused with Chi, and released its own latent Chi, so it can become pure Chi, so that they can shape it to staff form or disperse it as a Chi.

At level ONE the character is also able to use Point strike of staff to "mark" an opponent. This allows character to track the opponent mystically and recognise him in the future. He can sense this character via Zanshin for 1000 Metres per level. It lasts for 4D6 hours per level of character. At level this becomes 1D4 weeks per level of character. He can only Mark one opponent or spot per level. Marking a Spot just allows him to use his staff's Zanshin ability from long range. So at level one he will be able to sense the radius of Zanshin range from around the Marked Spot from 1000ft away. However he will not have Zanshin around him for each attack his attention is diverted to Marked spot. The Marked Spot will also him to recreate his staff at the Marked spot at Level seven, so he use it as described above.

Pivot Defence. This is a defence move, where the Silambam master uses the staff to balance, as such he can ADD the above defensive move bonuses to his Maintain Balance roll. It is extremely difficult to knock down or knock out/stun a Silambam master when he is using this Staff. He can use the Staff Pivot defence to snap out of a Knockout/Stun attack, Stay on his feet from Knock down attack, use it to take normal damage from a critical hit, or use it as a BREAKFALL or use it to roll with punch/fall/impact. This defence move takes uses up an Attack.

Bonus Skills and Abilities:

Martial Art Powers: Starts out with Healing Atemi and 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Katas , and Select 1 (ONE) Power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki abilities.

Language Skills: Tamil, Hindi

Training Skills: Holistic medicine, Wilderness Survival, dancing, Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Prowl

Philosophical Training: Hinduism

Level Advanced Bonuses:

1^st +2 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +2 Autododge/Parry, +2 Maintain Balance, Critical Strike 20, Knock Out/Stun 20, Death Blow 20, critical strike from Rear., +2 to Rear Attacks

2^nd +1 to Maintain Balance, +1 strike, +2 entangle/disarm, +10 Chi

3^rd Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki, +2 to body flip/throw (does 3D6, rather than normal 1D6) and +2 to critical body flip/throw

4^th+1 Attack Per Melee, +1 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +1 Parry/Autododge, +1 Maintain Balance, +1 Initiative

5^th Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki,

6^th+1 entangle/disarm, +1 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +1 to Rear Attacks, +1 Initiative, +10 Chi,

7^th Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki. NB: is able to select Fox Hit kata. +1Maintain Balance, Critical Strike 19-20, Knock Out/Stun 19-20, Death Blow 19-20

8^th +1 Attack Per Melee, +1 strike, +1 to body flip/throw and critical body flip/throw.

9^th Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki. NB: is able to select Fox Hit kata, if not selected.

10^th +1 Initiative, +1 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +1 Autododge and Parry, +1 Maintain Balance.

11^th +1 Attack Per Melee, Add +10 Chi, +1 strike, Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki. NB: is able to select Fox Hit kata, if not selected

12^th +1 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +1 entangle/disarm, +1 Maintain Balance

13^th Double Chi, +1 to body flip/throw and critical body flip/throw, Select 1 (ONE) Silambam Special Kata, and Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki. NB: is able to select Fox Hit kata, if not selected

14^th +1 Attack Per Melee, +1 to Rear Attacks,

15^th Select 1 (ONE) additional power from Atemi/Advanced Atemi Ability or chi powers (including advanced/chi katas) or from Zenjoriki.

Why Study

Maybe you want to become a weapon master but swords are not your thing The staff is known as one of the best weapons for defence. With this martial art it also becomes one of the deadliest weapons. This martial art is excellent against multiple opponents. It is a rigid martial art form, and its heavy reliance on the staff is a weakness and a strength. It is not an empty handed martial art, as such a Silambam practitioner can appear to totally lack martial skill, and many underestimate them because of this, because with a staff in his hands a Silambam master becomes a wholly different proposition.

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