In a fantasy game featuring the
D&D version of the Rakshasa, I want to feature distinct martial art styles for these proud, but predatory beings, who live among humans under a veil of illusion.
I want to base these on the martial arts of the Indian sub-continent, both real and mythic. Mythologically, of course, archery would be most important, but as the PCs will be encountering the rakshasa in a city, wearing the shapes of human merchants, priests and other people unlikely to be wearing full war panoply, I feel comfortable assuming that close-quarter combat is the most likely scenario.
My rakshasa may assume any human shape, but in their natural form, they have the reversed hands and animal heads of the modern conception of rakshasa. Most rakshasa have tiger heads, but some have the heads of other great cats, apes, monkeys, Asian black bears, crocodiles, snakes, elephants or mantises. Multi-headed rakshasa may exist, but would be among the most powerful of their race.
Most rakshasa tend toward cruelty, viciousness, haughtiness, arrogance and pride, but they may also display a surprisingly strong adherence to a species of twisted honour. They may deceive, steal and murder to their heart's content while assuming the shapes of humans and living in luxury as the mortal they replaced, but when dealing with other rakshasa or opponents powerful enough to know their true nature, rakshasa nobles are punctilious about speaking no direct untruths, keeping their word once given and adhering to a warrior code. Essentially, they are a supernatural caricature of a fierce warrior aristocracy, ruthless, decadent and uncaring for lesser sorts, but capable of honourable behaviour when dealing with something approaching their peers.
I'll need to detail at least three distinct styles or at least variations of a broader style. I'm thinking that most rakshasa, certainly the vast majority of those whose natural form is tiger-headed, favour slashing and ripping foes their fearsome claws or something that resembles a tiger's claws, such as the
bagh-nakh.
Wrestling holds, joint locks and pins are viewed as less impressive than slashing blows or raking with claws. While modern rakshasa are not as completely ignorant of wrestling as
Ravana was when he was effortlessly subdued by Vali/Bali, King of the Vanara, they definitely favour countering holds over applying them. Those who focus less on brawn and skill at arms and more on magic might omit any study of
malla-yuddha from their martial education, while no rakshasa would be untrained in the use of his claws or of human weapons like knives and swords.
The first fighting style is for
Ak'Chazar rakshasa, nobles who resemble slender anthropomorphic albino tigers and are masters of necromantic magic. I'm thinking they favour an elegant
tulwar saber and a live hand for casting spells. Deathtouch is likely to be a popular attack spell, probably following a feint with the sword.
The second style is for
Naztharune rakshasas, spies and assassins whose natural form resembles anthropomorphic black leopards or very slender black tigers. I imagine that they enjoy cutting throats with their claws, bagh-nakhs and knives. Naztharune rakshasa are not spellcasters, but enjoy an affinity with shadows and stealth that is supernatural in its efficiency. They are also
extremely agile and possess superhuman hand-eye-coordination (DX 16+). The specific style I'm going for will feature two long knives or short swords, maybe katars.
For a third style, this would be for a rakshasa
rathi, a professional warrior of the noble caste, the rakshasa equivalent of a knight. He'd be schooled in all weapons and techniques, but this one would favour the use of a sword in one hand and heavy steel gauntlet ending in claw-like blades on the other. He'd use the gauntlet as a buckler, for parrying, and in-built would be protrusions to catch enemy weapons, as on a sai or parrying dagger. Offensively, the gauntlet would work like a Bladed Hand (
MA p. 226).
I'd welcome any suggestions or comments.
Some of the things I'm especially wondering are:
1) Would a technique analogous with Exotic Hand Strike work with Claws?
2) What skills, Perks or techniques best represent extensive training to
counter grappling or to use it as the prelude to a close-quarter strike, but leaving the martial artist less capable than a dedicated wrestler with holds, locks and maneuvering for position and leverage in grapples?
3) Does the GURPS skill Judo make sense for an Indian-esque martial art? Neither Kalaripayit nor Malla-yuddha (Indian Wrestling) have it in their write-ups in
GURPS Martial Arts, even as an Optional Skill, but India is huge and has many martial arts that aren't written up in GURPS. Would any real-world Indian style use what GURPS calls Judo?
4) Does anyone have suggestions from Indian myth for skills or techniques that would be particularly appropriate for rakshasa martial artists?