Brawling

From Mizahar Lore

Brawling is the term given to the type of fighting anyone can learn but few truly excel at. It is most commonly used in reference to fighting drunk in a bar. Brawling involves punching, kicking and using pretty much anything one can get their hands on as a weapon. It is considered a type of combat although it is not exactly a formal style which one spends years learning the ins and outs of. Those who do expand their skill at brawling find that it can be as formidable as other combat styles and just as deadly. While a novice brawler learns enough to get themselves in trouble and limit to some extent harm to themselves by others, those of greater competence are truly dangerous to all of those on the receiving end of their skill. It is not solely a weapon skill or form of unarmed combat but a mix of both.

History

Brawling has been around as long as there has been conflict among humanoid races. Most if not all formal combat styles originated from brawling. Someone would discover an especially useful type of punch or kick or some other form of striking and build upon that. Eventually, an entire series of fighting techniques were created. All of them can trace their roots to brawling. Often seen as a "dirty" form of fighting, brawling remains the most widespread style of combat seeing use in nearly every race, culture, region and city.

Prerequisite & Maintenance

Anyone can learn how to brawl. All that is required is the ability to strike someone else either with one's own body or an exhaustive list of possible improvised weapons. One is not trained to brawl, they learn from simply doing it. As one engages in brawling, they learn what works and what doesn't. They discover what hurts more and how to better cope with injuries suffered in a brawl. Although it isn't necessary to regularly practice the skill of brawling, it does help to get into a few fights here and there to help maintain not only a good repertoire of brawling techniques but also maintain one's reputation as a knock-down, drag-out fighter who others don't want to mess with.

Skill progression

Novice (1-25)
	Novice brawlers have, in their lives, found themselves in a fight or two. They know enough to defend themselves and even a bit of how to ruff others up. Chairs, table-legs and glass bottles become weapons in the hands of a novice brawler. Fists and feet as well as heads, teeth legs and arms also become useful weapons. There isn't a whole lot of finesse or real technique involved in a novice's brawling but they can get the job done. Avoiding an opponents attacks usually consists of getting out of the way all together either by throwing someone else in the path of the strike, ducking behind something or someone, and sometimes just running away. A novice who instigates a brawl often does so by knocking someone else into a potential target or throwing something at someone else in an obviously antagonistic manner. Of course, simply throwing the first punch works just as well.
Competent (26-50)
	Those who become competent brawling have had their fare share of bar-fights and perhaps grew up on the city streets where they had learn to defend themselves and fight for what they needed in order to survive. These brawlers have become more proficient in making better use of their surroundings in a fight. Physically directing a brawl as to position an opponent toward a disadvantage is common; for example, leading an opponent to stand in front of a tipped over chair to be able to better trip the person. Also, a competent brawler, while still trying to avoid getting hit altogether, learns to a hit and shrug off more of the effects. They learn to ignore the pain of getting hit long enough to get in a few punches of their own. They know where to hit an opponent so as to make hurt more and they discover how to move and carry themselves in a way that is more intimidating to would-be opponents. So even if a fight breaks out, the competent brawler can impose doubt in an opponent.
Expert (51-75)
	Expert brawlers have seen a lot and felt even more. They often bare the scars of many a fight as both the winner and the loser; hopefully more of the former. They don't need worry much about getting out of the way of a punch or taking the pain from getting hit as they are quite proficient in blocking an opponents strike. These are the people who, when a punch is thrown at them, catch the punch in the palm of their hand and crush the opponent's fist. They are the ones who grab an opponent's leg when kicked and twist the guy's ankle to break it. They use their surroundings as a weapon; strategically positioning an opponent to be thrown into a table or through a window. They see weapons where others wouldn't such as their own shirt sleeves torn and used to choke an opponent. Pain becomes something of an ally to an expert brawler in that they are quite capable of shrugging off painful hits while unleashing their own barrage in turn. These guys get hit, they get mad, others get hurt. Experts can even win a fight before it begins through truly intimidating looks and ways of carrying themselves. Others look at the brawler and think twice before standing against him.
Master (76-100)
	A brawler who reaches the point of being considered a master is truly a frightening individual. They shrug off being stabbed, bludgeoned and burned as if it were a tap on the shoulder. It is rumored that brawlers of this stature can be ran through with a sword, hit by a couple flaming arrows and still throw a punch so vicious that it literally shatters a person's skull upon impact. They wear an aura of intimidation as if it were a second skin and crowds part for the master to pass while bartenders hand them free drinks by the dozen. Ironically, these individuals hardly ever need to fight as would-be opponents seldom stick around long enough in their presence.