Arms of the Nioh

## Melee Weapons

The melee weapons used by the Nioh differ in variety and individual choice, though each and every one is specifically chosen by their user in effort to be able to slay and vanquish Yokai.

### **Katana**

Katanas are most often singular bladed swords, with a slight curve to them, although variations do exist. A mainstay blade of the warriors of Japan for their versatile and practical use, they have been the weapon of choice for many over the centuries past. Flexible and light, they are well suited to any type of build a warrior has, whether they be light on their feet or donned in heavy armour. The katana can be used to slice, chop and thrust, making it a jack-of-all weapon, although an individual who has attained mastery of the weapon is a deadly threat to any opponent.

### **Dual Blades**

Dual Blades is the term given when a wielder uses a singe handed bladed weapon in both hands. While the most common Dual Blade user would brandish twin katanas or ninjatos, the term can apply to dual hatchets, sai and anything in between. To use dual blades, the user must have attained true ambidexterity, as the weapons are to be used as a whole, always in perfect sync with one another. Some see the challenge this brings as too much, but the few who travel down this road are rewarded with the ferocity of not just one, but two weapons, and twice the destructive power.

### **Odachi**

The odachi is a large, to the point of being oversized, katana. Originally created for the purpose of fighting cavalry, whether chopping down a horse or removing its rider, the odachi has become a weapon utilised by many across Japan since. One has to train hard to wield this giant and heavy blade, but the sheer power it offers in return cannot be matched, being able to slice through even the sturdiest opponents with near ease as the blade comes crashing down.

### **Spear**

Though the samurai are most often associated with the katana, the spear is just as used by them, if not more so. A bladed weapon with the advantage of range, the spear can be used remarkably well in both offence and defense. While it can be used to chop, the spears main power lies in thrusting and piercing attacks, especially with momentum built up to inflict maximum damage. While the standard is for spears to be built without one, some can have a cross guard under the blade, allowing for easier weapon locks and parrying.

### **Naginata**

The naginata is similar to the spear in its build, with the main difference being its blade. The blade is modelled less on that of an arrow, and more on a katana, giving it even further range. While the weapon is still held like a spear, gripped with both hands across its long shaft, it is much more efficient at cutting and slicing, although can still be used to thrust and pierce. An ideal weapon for those who value the range of a spear, but the cutting prowess of a sword.

### **War Axe**

The war axe is a two-handed weapon comprised of a long shaft, and a large single or double ended axe blade at the crown point. Like the odachi, this weapon is superb at cutting through nearly anything with enough momentum, although the requirement to wield such a weapon is years of strength training, with the war axe being one of the heaviest weapons wielded by the warriors of Japan.

### **War Hammer**

Like the war axe, the war hammer is a large, two handed hammer, with a blunt edge on either side of the shaft. Where the war axe excels in slicing through material, the war hammer crushes near all in its path, designed only for pulverising rather than dismemberment or piercing. Like the war axe, the key to the war hammers power is momentum, requiring even more strength training than its bladed cousin to wield it effectively.

### **War Club**

The war club, also called the kanabō, serves as a somewhat fusion of the war axe and hammer, offering sheer crushing power but with the ability to pierce through an opponent's guard with the metal rivets or spikes that the club is usually coated in. Like its cousins, the war club relies on momentum for its most powerful blows, and can only be wielded by those of great sturdiness and strength.

### **Kusarigama**

The kusarigama is a lightweight versatile and deadly weapon, but requires the utmost skill and training to wield effectively, as an untrained user would be just as much a danger to themselves using it as those around them. Comprised of a sickle blade, a chain and a metal weight at its end, the kusarigama can be used to cut, slice, grapple, stun and many more. A trained kusarigama user is a sight to behold, spinning and wrapping the weapon around their body at breakneck speed, before striking in the blink of an eye.

### **Tonfas**

Tonfas are light weapons traditionally made of wood, although they can be crafted from other materials such as iron. Gripping them so they are placed under the arms, the two weapons are used as one, similar to dual blades, but they are much more used for quick successive battery and assaults rather than slicing, although tonfas may have blades fitted onto them. Incredibly fast and able to deliver quick blows, the tonfas are favoured weapons among those more inclined towards martial arts and disciplines such as ninjutsu.

### **Switchglaive**

The Switchglaive is an ingenious weapon developed by the Sohaya themselves. While in full appearance it resembles that of a scythe, the weapon can be folded in half, utilising itself as more of a glaive. It has become a popular weapon among the Sohaya over the years, used by both the nimble and the powerful to deal out carnage in their own way.

### **Splitstaff**

The splitstaff is another invention of the Sohaya based off an already existing weapon. Traditionally made of wood with metal weights, while appearing as a simple bo staff in its whole form, the staff is actually three separate parts, joined together by a thin chain or wire. The weapon can be wielded as a whole staff, but comes to life when separated. Gripped in the middle section, it not only increases the range of the weapon, but allows the individual parts to be spun around creating concussive force. Atop that, the wire used to connect the individual parts is usually of a razor sharp variety, enabling it to cut through or dismember opponents.

### **Gauntlets/Greaves/Claws**

Gauntlets and greaves are the favoured weapons of the martial artists among the Sohaya. Generally constructed of metal, the pieces are strapped to the users fists and feet to provide extra force to their blows. While the weapons are usually used as more of a blunt instrument, they can be adapted to include attached or spring/based blades to them, creating them into claws and talons. These provide not only extra force behind blows but also methods for slicing and cutting.

## Ranged Weapons

Ranged weapons are favoured by those who prefer distance between themselves and an enemy, but can be just a deadly as any weapon within close range. While there are some who use a ranged weapon as a secondary arm alongside a sword or a spear, there are those who exclusively use bows or guns.

### **Bow**

Bows, like katanas and spears, are a staple of the Samurai and practiced widely across the caste, though many others use bows as an affective alternate to melee rang weapons. While normal bows are used to fire arrows with the intent of merely piercing an enemy, the Sohaya have developed arrows to not only cause physical damage, but to inflict ailments upon their enemies, such as poison, paralysis and so on.

### **Pistol/Rifle**

Pistols and rifles have recently become commonplace in warfare, since their import to Japan and use by the armies of such Daimyos as Nobunaga. Possessing much greater piercing power than bows and able to tear through many types of defenses, pistols and rifles are seen as highly effective weapons. However, their drawback is that unlike simply firing an arrow from a bow, they are often single shot or very limited in ammunition in most cases, and take a lengthy and complicated process to reload them, meaning they should generally be used sparingly. As such, pistols in particular are usually utilised as sidearms in accompaniment to melee weapons.

### **Hand Cannon**

Hand Cannons are the ultimate ranged weapon developed by the Sohaya. Able to be carried unlike a traditional cannon, they fire large cannonball-inspired bullets that can cause massive damage to opponents and structures alike. Like pistols and rifles of the time however, they can only be shot a limited number of times before needing a reload, which is an extensive process and can leave a user wide open, so the shots should be used only when needed.

### **Side Arms**

Aside from main melee weapons, the Sohaya in particular also utilise a number of side arms in their tools. These can range from standard shuriken and kunai used by shinobi, to ones that inflict poison and paralysis, but also other weapons and tools such as grappling hooks, daggers, various powders that can cause itching and confusion, caltrops, firecrackers, bombs and many others.

## Onmyo

Onmyo is the term for what many refer to as 'magic', utilising control over the elements and the world around for both offensive and defensive purposes. While there are those outside the Sohaya who are able to use magic, they number in few, with magic being seen as unnatural and even evil by the general populace. Most blessed with the inherent ability to use onmyo are able to use no more than one or two elements, although it is not unheard of for a rare user to be able to wield and control the entire spectrum.

Onmyo is devastatingly powerful, but like any powerful force, it has its restraints. onmyo use drains a user of their stamina, the more powerful the spell, the greater the drawback. If a user was to exert themselves through their use of successive onmyo, they would risk complete exertion, to the point of collapse, even falling into a coma if the magic used was particularly powerful.

### **Fire**

The fire element can be used in a multitude of ways, depending on the level of power. A onmyo user can send out fire in the forms of balls, streams, walls, explosions and so on. It can also be used to create fire familiars, fire clones and to coat the user's weapon in flames. Those who control fire can also use it to make themselves more resistant to fire based attacks or environments, such as burning buildings or alight forests.

### **Water**

The water element can be used in a multitude of ways, depending on the level of power. A onmyo user can send out water in the forms of balls, jets, walls, pools, waves and so on. It can also be used to create water familiars, water clones and to coat the user's weapon in water. Those who control water can also use it to make themselves more resistant to water based attacks or environments, temporarily enabling them to breathe underwater and move through it unhindered.

### **Earth**

The earth element can be used in a multitude of ways, depending on the level of power. A onmyo user can send out earth and ground in the forms of balls, boulders, vines, walls, mounds and so on. It can also be used to create earth familiars, earth clones and to coat the user's weapon in rock or earth. Those who control earth can also use it to make themselves more resistant to earth based attacks or environments, such as by covering themselves in rock armour or magnetising their feet to the ground.

### **Wind**

The wind element can be used in a multitude of ways, depending on the level of power. A onmyo user can send out wind in the forms of gusts, gales, vacuums, concentrated blasts and so on. It can also be used to create wind familiars, wind clones and to coat the user's weapon in wind, making it much sharper. Those who control wind can also use it to make themselves more resistant to wind based attacks or environments, such as by increasing their speed or enabling themselves the temporarily levitate from the ground.

### **Lightning**

The lightning element can be used in a multitude of ways, depending on the level of power. A onmyo user can send out lightning in the forms of balls, blasts, arrows, storms and so on. It can also be used to create lightning familiars, lightning clones and to coat the user's weapon in lightning. Those who control lightning can also use it to make themselves more resistant to lightning based attacks or environments, such as by creating a lightning field around themselves.

### **Non-Elemental**

As well as wielding elemental powers, onmyo can also be used in many other non-elemental forms. Several examples include:

* Sloth - The user can inflict this upon an opponent to severely limit their speed and movements.
* Protection - The user can place this upon themselves or others around them, strengthening their durability.
* Heal - The user can heal themselves or others around them, the extent of the healing depends on their ability.
* Divination - The user can grant themselves enhanced detection skills, such as enhanced hearing, vision, or even glimpses of foresight.
* Resistance - The user amplifies their resistance to ailments such as poison, paralysis and so on.
* Impurity - The user can transfer their own ailments onto an enemy.