Country of Origin: Montaigne
Salon: Crieux (Average)
Founded: 1614
Sanctioned (Swordsman’s Guild): 1646

Description: The Bruyère School was founded by Élisabeth Bruyère, a one-time student of Francois Valroux du Martise. After excelling under Maestro Martise’s tutelage, Élisabeth branched out to study the (at that time) antiquated Aldana style in Castille, more out of curiosity than anything else. In the decade that followed, as Élisabeth traveled throughout Théah showcasing her skill in duel after duel, she began to realize that Aldana and Valroux were not as different as she originally thought. She began to weave the two Schools together, and in 1614, she perfected the combination.

Borrowing from both Aldana and Valroux, Élisabeth made the rapier the primary focus of her School, with the main gauche used almost solely for defense. Like Aldana, a Bruyère student narrows his stance by presenting his side to his opponent, leading with his rapier so that an enemy must contend with the sword, as well. The main gauche is held up, over the Swordsman’s head and pointed towards the enemy. Offense is the prime focus: defenses rely primarily on drawing the rapier back and bringing the main gauche down to intercept attacks.

It is this shift in stance that serves as Bruyère’s primary weakness. When the Swordsman draws his rapier back, an opponent knows that no attack is forthcoming, and with the short-bladed main gauche presented to the opponent, an opponent with a longer weapon (such as a rapier) has the reach advantage.

Basic Curriculum: Fencing, Knife
Knacks: Exploit Weakness (Bruyère), Flourish (Fencing), Lunge (Fencing), Riposte (Fencing), Tagging (Fencing)

New Swordsman Knack: Flourish. When attacking an enemy, you can declare a Flourish. You roll Panache + Flourish, and must roll a number of Raises equal to your enemy’s Panache in order for your Flourish to be successful. If you are successful, he cannot avoid the attack using any Active Defense. The Raises taken on this roll add Unkept Dice to your damage roll as usual.

Apprentice: Bruyère teaches its students to wield a rapier and main gauche in tandem; the student never suffers a penalty for wielding a main gauche in his off hand. Furthermore, as the main gauche is used solely for defense, students receive a free Raise on all Parry (Knife) Active Defenses he attempts.

Journeyman: Bruyère emphasizes tricks and flashy moves, and the swordsman is well used to such things: you can’t kid a kidder, as they say. The Journeyman’s TN to be hit is increased by five whenever he is targeted by a Swordsman Knack, or by ten if he is targeted by a Feint or Flourish.

Master: A Master of Bruyère has learned how to defeat an opponent before striking a telling blow by getting into his mind. Whenever the Master succeeds with his Tagging Knack, the effect is doubled. Thus, the Master may deprive an opponent of two Drama Dice until the end of the battle, or he may gain two Drama Dice until the end of the battle. The Master may do this as often as he wishes.