Mastery of the Scythe - Pendulum Style

The Scythe, both a Holy Symbol to Jergal and a Farming tool, is rarely used in combat due to the fact it's commonly brought forward towards you while cutting mushrooms and, apparently, surface crops. The slow, methodic action does not make for a particularly useful style of fighting.

However, through religious devotion, a desire to look impressive while fighting, or in my case a scythe being the only weapon at hand, you can always find people who have experience in using the farming impliment as a weapon.

While, apparently, many styles exist, mine is unique. I am putting it down here so former generations may master the Pendulum Style, that combines so fluidly the beauty of Lliira, queen of dances, and Tempus' brutal act.

Oddly enough, between the next page is a small, scrappy piece of paper with writing on it. Most of the words on it are scribbled out and corrected as best as possible. The end result isn't too impressive.

old man grumbls is elping me rit dis jernal ding lik e cald it. iv bin ird for d burning monkeys gang, an old man grumbls is th boss. i like im. ees a gud bos an e is gud to me. we takked dis gang today an we ad to kil dis lady coz she screemd and i dint lik doin it, but murk sed we ad to an dat i shouldn care. but she mad me dink of wat append to dad. i don lik gangs but i lik grumbls. ees nice.

Rule 1 of the Pendulum - Momentum.

Without momentum, this fighting style means nothing. If you would care to inspect your scythe, or buy one and return, you'll notice the blade if safe heavier than the rest of the weapon. In pendulum style, you use this to your advantage.

First, you must build up momentum. You may stab yourself a lot, so it is better to practise this until you've mastered it with the blade wrapped in leather. To gain momentum, you must swing the weapon around. The faster the weapon goes, the more momentum it has, and the more deadly it is.

If you swing it once then strike, you are losing potential momentum from the weapon. If you give the weapon momentum by swinging it around yourself before striking, the blow can gain more force and thus become more deadly. So, practise swinging the weapon fluidly around you.

Before striking, you must understand that the wild blade can potentially strike you. So, you must control it. Hold the handle lightly, but make sure you are holding it at all times, and do not be afraid to let it slip almost entirely out of your grasp if you are confident you can grasp it again at the last moment to show your mettle and make the audience wow (or strike even more smoothly.)

Once you have mastered swinging the weapon around you, you must learn to do it one-handed. While at most times, especially when striking, it is important you hold the weapon with both hands, otherwise you should be able to control the spinning blade with a single hand so it may go, for example, behind you, above you, and even at times below you. By doing this, you'll also gain the potential to spin it about a set axis, for performance value and to gain momentum with little room, but remember that the weapon is heavy and dropping or losing control can result in disaster. You should only hold it one-handed for brief moments between a firm grasp with both.

Once you believe you have mastered the momentum of the pendulum style in a purely practise or performance area, you are ready to move onto striking.

Another scappy bit of paper, this one with the same amount of crossing out but considerably better spelling.

i hate grumbles. i hate them all. every gang. all they care abouts themselfs. just like they killd dad, they killd a mum and dad and tryd to hire the kid just like they tryd to hire me. when he said no they killd him. they werent even in our way, and they killd them. and old man grumbles dont care. he says its how it works, that lowers free land for grabin. i hate him. i hate all of them.