The Illuminated Maiden

iii.

"It is known as pagaradman in the West and kaliradman in the rest of Sriurvana, save for the southernmost realms who practice a different fighting style much more akin to the one practiced in Begawi and Kamenangan. The Urvanese art employs primarily the use of short blades and even longer ones like kampilans, but one may also use a variety of other weapons such as rattan sticks which warriors employ in training.

It is a style unique to Sriurvana, in that it emphasizes more on reaction to strikes than strikes themselves. This is virtually unheard of in other forms, but melee strikes in warfare are simple enough, yet there seems to be little focus on how to counter or defend against strikes in the battlefield.

Many would scoff at its focus on defense and parries (cowardly, say the ignorant), yet it is also an art that emphasizes mid- to close-range combat, which is ideal when fighting in tight environments such as rainforests. The timawas are, of course, particularly proficient at the art which is not so easily learned. An instructor is usually needed, putting to mind the importance of groups when it comes to training with deflects and how to handle strikes from the enemies.

This is not to say that strikes in pagaradman and kaliradman are simplistic—far from it. An observation from anyone would be that for every strike a warrior makes, three or four more strikes follow rapidly, as if the warrior makes a fanning motion with his blade. For the uninitiated, it appears playful or they may not notice it at all, as it happens so fast, but it often results in several cuts that could well disable the enemy, disallowing him to wield a blade in a principle known to warriors as 'defanging the snake.' Then, the kill follows.

All that would make the Urvanese fighting method an effective style on the battlefield."

—Baidingo the War Chronicler, 1042 UP