Country of Origin: Ussura
Salon: None (the School is taught only by the Vitzi Boem, and traditionally only to its own members)
Founded: 1597

Description: The Vitzi Boem is well known for their exquisite performers: typically dancers, singers, and musicians, but many consider their acrobatic troupes to be a Théan sight one simply must see before one dies. A number of these acrobats, however, live a secret double life: smiling jongleurs by day, but relentless assassins by night. In an effort to combine their acrobatic talents with their evening activities, one of the vitzi’s most talented fighters developed this School and passed it on to a few hand-picked followers, who passed it on to their own followers, propagating the School throughout the generations.

Boem Swordsman quickly learn the value of a well-handled weapon (or weapons; more specifically a pair of well-balanced rapiers), training to demonstrate quickness, flash, and panache in a fight. They emphasize style as much as (or even more than) skill when engaged in a battle, punctuating both offense and defense with nimble leaps, daring flips, and graceful pirouettes. For all their fancy swordplay, however, they remain remorseless killers, and will stop at nothing to emerge victorious in a fight, especially if it is to the death.

Unfortunatlely for Boem Swordsman, their natural showmanship can lead to disaster against a well-trained opponent. Acrobatic moves and even swashbuckling dialogue are such an integral part of the School that a Swordsman makes simple actions complicated, and complex actions ridiculously difficult. A canny opponent knows that a Swordsman is vulnerable when he is halfway through a tumble or a turn and will strike in those moments, while preparing to defend against the inevitable attack that will come at the movement’s completion.

Basic Curriculum: Acrobat, Fencing
Knacks: Disarm (Fencing), Double Attack (Fencing/Fencing), Exploit Weakness (Boem), Riposte (Fencing), Tagging (Fencing)

Apprentice: Boem Swordsmen train to use two rapiers in tandem (and if deprived of one sword, they take great delight in stripping a weapon from an opponent and killing him with it), and suffer no off-hand penalty when wielding a second rapier. In addition, their acrobatic training provides them with a Free Raise to any Active Defenses they attempt using a Knack in the Acrobat Skill.

Boem is not sanctioned by the Swordsman’s Guild, and it is unlikely that it ever will be (though anything is possible). Consequently, students of the School receive the Combat Reflexes Advantage for free in lieu of Guild membership.

Journeyman: Journeymen of the Boem School maintain a steady, running patter of dialogue, and use this to distract and infuriate their opponents while becoming inured to it themselves. When using the Repartee System during combat, Journeymen receive a Free Raise to any rolls made to affect an opponent, or two Free Raises if attempting a Taunt. Conversely, they receive a Free Raise to any rolls made to resist the effects of the Repartee System, whether in combat or not.

Master: Boem Masters have learned to strike suddenly and unexpectedly, and this sets up devastating attacks that can quickly incapacitate an opponent. Masters of the School may use Interrupt Actions to make an Attack Roll using Attack (Fencing) or Double Attack (Fencing/Fencing). If they do, they may add the lower of the values of the two Action Dice directly to their Attack Roll (or Rolls). This technique may not be used in conjunction with the Lightning Reflexes Advantage.