the Art of War, Blade & Sorcery:
Bruce O'Brian had always been fascinated by the rich history of European martial arts and their unique techniques, his dreams filled with its whispers as his father had once shared with him stories from the old country, Lugh, Cu Challain, Brian, Celtchar and so on, and only reinforced as he read Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian. He believed that these ancient forms of combat held immense value, but they had been largely forgotten over time, and thus determined to revive and preserve this forgotten knowledge, Bruce embarked on an ambitious journey- the ever distant dream. Over the years as he worked tirelessly to build of his professional reputation as an actor, he slowly built up the connections with those that shared his deep passion for historical combat, eventually managing to secure a private funding for a study into these arcane matters, hiding its funding in a business expense. With the door finally opened after nearly a decade of it being a pipe dream, Bruce poured much his heart and soul into the research, traveling to various libraries and archives, scouring ancient texts and manuscripts. It was during one of his expeditions that he stumbled upon a remarkable discovery. Hidden within the hallowed shelves of
a dusty, forgotten library the Smithsonian, Bruce found a recently found manual written by the Roman writer Claudia Nerva. The manual contained detailed descriptions and illustrations of ancient Roman martial arts techniques, and while it was fairly bare bones and not at all as impressive as much as her other works, it was still a treasure trove of forgotten knowledge, a key to unlocking the secrets of the past.
Excited and filled with a sense of purpose, Bruce dedicated himself to deciphering and understanding the contents of the manual, gathering other researchers, other martial artists like Jackie and Yuna, to aid him. He spent countless hours studying, analyzing, and practicing the techniques described within its pages. It was a process that took him almost half a decade to overcome the greatest of its challenges,
those challenges that tested his perseverance, skill, and dedication to resurrecting the ancient European martial arts, from: translating Latin to decipher its text to translate it accurately, with him needing to to consult numerous experts in ancient languages (including one
very eager Jesuit) and rely on his own research skills to decode the meaning behind the words and expressions used in the manual; the general lack visual references as many of the illustrations in the manual were not always clear or detailed, making it difficult for Bruce to visualize and understand the techniques accurately, forcing him and others to rely on their knowledge of basic martial arts principles, and using historical context to fill in the gaps; a general lack of contextual understanding, as historical martial arts techniques were often deeply rooted in the culture and time period in which they originated, forcing him and the others to immerse themselves in the historical context of the manual to comprehend the underlying principles and strategies behind the techniques, which often required extensive research into the cultural, social, and historical aspects of ancient Europe; some were physical imitations, as some techniques described in the manual may have been physically demanding or required a level of flexibility and strength that differed from modern martial arts practices, forcing them to adapt and train their bodies to perform these techniques accurately, often pushing himself beyond his comfort zone and breaking through physical limitations; the availability of historical texts and references on European martial arts was limited, compared to the wealth of information available on other martial arts styles from Asia, which didn't often translate perfectly due to many of them lacking a weapons component, and as Bruce had to rely on fragmentary sources, obscure manuscripts, and archaeological findings to piece together the puzzle of ancient European combat techniques; and finally, the preservation of authenticity, as Bruce's goal having been from the begining to recreate European martial arts in their most authentic form possible, meaning he had, more than often, to resist the temptation to modernize or adapt the techniques to fit contemporary martial arts styles, requiring a level of discipline and a deep respect for historical accuracy to ensure that the essence of the ancient techniques remained intact.
But still, he persevered.
As Bruce's knowledge grew, he one day realized that he had stumbled upon something
truly unique, a diamond in the rough. Created from a patchwork from across the entirety of Europe, involving no less than a hundred martial artists and researchers, all of them, together, had not only rediscovered ancient techniques but also developed a deeper understanding of their historical context, and recognizing the need to distinguish this martial art from others, to honor its roots while acknowledging its revival, after much contemplation, Bruce decided to name his creation "Historical European Martial Arts" or HEMA for short.
With the knowledge he had acquired and the techniques he had honed, Bruce set out to spread the word about HEMA. Using Bruce Lee's Gym, he began a series of workshops, seminars, and demonstrations, sharing his passion with fellow martial artists, enthusiasts and the after school kids. His dedication and expertise attracted a growing community of practitioners, all eager to learn the forgotten ways of the European warriors. The journey had been long, tireless, and honestly just a
little too much to juggle at times, but Bruce O'Brian's tireless efforts had paid off, becoming a respected figure in the field of historical combat, as his dedication to authenticity and unwavering commitment to preserving the legacy of European martial arts became something of an inspiration for many. But much of that didn't matter, as he had accomplished what he had set out to do: to breathe new life into forgotten traditions, bridging the gap between ancient and modern martial arts. And while many in these specialized fields saw Bruce O'Brian, the student of Bruce Lee and friend of Jackie Chan, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of martial arts, forever remembered as the visionary who brought Historical European Martial Arts back to life, all Bruce was proud of was this: This was the closest he had ever come to actually
feeling like Cu Chulainn, Aragorn, and Conan, a myth from the old legends.
Now though, now was the time to make
new legends.
And as he stared out over his first class on the subject, full of an anxious energy to showoff this cool thing he'd made, it struck him how surreal it all felt, now that the dream had fully crystalized into reality; so he took a deep breath, and began with the basics, pacing at the front of the classroom as he did so, his fellow instructors for today, Yuna, Carrie and Brandon, behind him.
"
Many of those skilled in technological warfare believe that physical training and discipline are unnecessary. With the atom bomb, rockets, tanks, and the mental resources to direct them, muscular strength and agility are thought to be merely conceits. They are wrong. The mind and body are linked together in a meshwork of oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and neuron health. Physical exercise drives that meshwork, stimulating the brain and freeing one's intellect. Simulated combat has the additional virtue of training the eye to spot small errors and exploit them. A change in focus can also allow the subconscious mind to focus on unresolved questions. Simulated combat often ends with the warrior discovering that one or more of those questions has been unexpectedly solved. And occasionally, such exercise can serve other purposes."
He paused, and focused unexpectedly sharp eyes on his students.
"And so, in the grand tradition of old, I will expect nothing less than your best...let's begin with the basics."
Unbeknownst to Bruce, Carrie had George had recording this class for posterity, and already his mind swarmed with ideas and concepts beyond imagining.
[
EDIT: While virtually identical to the OTL version of HEMA, there are a few differences, mostly stemming from what was mentioned earlier, but Bruce also instituted stricter standards for "ranking up" (ie mastery) and requiring the usage of a primary/secondary weapons pair (typically spear/longsword, but not always).]
And while usually a sucker for unknowns, this time Imma go for a New Skill...plus Mary's gonna make friends with everyone anyway.