Hatot gave a nod, and then the hint of a smile crossed his lips as he reflected upon her question regarding the pressure points and his willingness to teacher. "Gladly," he said with a pleased tone in his voice, lending weight to his pleasure of teaching.
Hatot gazed for a moment, observing the Akalak children and their own practice with the training dolls. Satisfied with what they were doing, Hatot then motioned Kavala over to one of the free training dolls. Walking over with her, he stood next to the doll itself. The training dolls seemed to be nothing more than a humanoid shaped manikin. It's skin a hemp fabric covering with the insides stuffed with straw, feathers and other soft materials similar to the floor. However, when Hatot grasped one of it's arms and lifted it, it remained in place, revealing that had a flexible wire skeleton to it. "The initial pressure points learned in the form relate mainly to the joints of the body, as well as the muscles that perform certain motor control of movements," Hatot began to explain, a patient and practiced tone in his voice as he began to point out various places. "For instance, the joint of the shoulder and areas of the bicep. Striking these make it more difficult for a assailant to lift and swing their weapon. Striking the forearm and wrist joint can, in turn, cause an assailant to drop his weapon entirely."
Hatot lowered himself to one knee. "The spot just below the sternum when struck correctly can hinder an opponents breathing as well as the base of the throat," Hatot continued before moving down to the legs, "and the knees as well as the thighs can hinder an opponents movements."
Hatot then slowly stood back up, cupping his hands behind his back as he looked to Kavala. "There are several points along the body that can be utilized to hinder or otherwise incapacitate an opponent. Some are, of course, more advantageous than the other, but in this form of open handed defense, one learns to take any opening after avoiding an attack, even if it is a minor one," Hatot explained.
Hatot then slowly lowered the training dolls arm. "In later stages of the forms teachings, other pressure points are learned that allow one to temporarily slow the flow of blood in an opponent, knocking them out, or target certain nerve clusters that cause intense, but temporary, pain or paralysis in the afflicted area," Hatot then said, looking back to Kavala, "It is rumored that true masters of this form have learned of pressure points that allow them to slow even the flow of energy in a magic weaver's body, hindering them from casting further magics if they be foe, or, if they be friend, preventing them from, as was said to me, unknowingly overindulging in dangerous energies."
Hatot then tilted his head to the side slightly, giving Kavala and inquisitive look. "Would you be interested in training in this form?" |