Tamriel Data:Rain of Sand

Book Information Rain of Sand
Added by	Tamriel Data
ID	T_Bk_RainOfSandTR
	75		3
Skill	Hand-to-hand
Locations
Found in the following locations: Banathi Ebon Tower, Palace: Emperor's Quarters Firewatch Library, First Floor Old Ebonheart, TEM Princess Morgiah

Rain of Sand

by Cusius Victus

An old Khajiit sage talks about martial arts techniques

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The Khajiit are not known for their cultural or military achievements. Their records in the fields of science, art and literature are unimpressive. However, there is one field in which the Khajiit can claim an undisputed mastery - unarmed combat. Though their claws and instinctive agility give them a definite advantage, they are the only race to have honed unarmed fighting into an art. Rather than relying on natural abilities, Khajiiti martial artists have perfected techniques that enable the practitioner to overcome an opponent of superior physical prowess through skill. Students of all races travel to Elsweyr to study under the wizened masters of Khajiiti arts. In the south, there are many renowned temples of combat, such as the temple of Two-moons-dance in Torval, or the temple of Whispering Claw in Alabaster.
Some students, however, feel that the southern teaching methods have become diluted by years of outside contact. In search of "pure" martial arts, these pilgrims travel to the badlands regions. Here, they seek a certain caste of wandering sages. These sages have practiced a form of the art known as Rawlith Kharj that has been handed down from one sage to another for centuries. Seeking to document the existence of these sages I travelled to the Khajiiti province. My search was difficult and perilous, but just when I considered giving up, I stumbled upon a small caravan. These nomads were students of a venerable sage named Do'Shavi. After a suitable display of respect, I was allowed to speak with the master and record his words for the publication of this manuscript. The withered Suthay had a body that was gnarled like an aged tree, and spoke slowly, with a heavy accent. When I asked him to tell me about Rawlith Kharj and its history, he spoke the following:
"Khajiit are the most clever at using the body. Though Orcs may be stronger and Elves may be better mages, the Khajiit can use foot, tail, claw and tooth to defeat them all. What human can run as fast as the wind? What Elf can climb up to the two moons? What Orc can hide behind darkness? Only we can use the body as such a weapon.
We have many ways to do this. The mighty Cathay often favor the art of "Gout Fang". This they use to hold their enemies, so that they cannot get free, and to break their bones like mere stalks of Kreshweed. The whispering claw is from the Dagi. Dagi use their speed to strike quickly, and let the enemy bleed until they faint.
Do'Shavi has mastered many arts of the body, but Do'Shavi finds only one to be the best- Rain of Sand (called Rawlith Kharj, in the Khajiiti tongue). It is the most powerful, because of its many forms. Even smooth-skins can learn some crude and simple forms of Rain of Sand. These forms are each an art in themselves, but when used together, they make a fighter practically unbeatable.
There are six famous forms of Rawlith Kharj that each student must learn; the three heavenly forms and the three earthly forms. Heavenly forms favor grace; a student uses soft seemingly smooth motions to sweep away the blows of his enemy. The three heavenly forms are: wind, rain and storm.
Masters of the wind form are beautiful to see. Wearing the traditional flowing "mashi", they seem to float on the air, but deliver the force of a hurricane in their powerful kicks. The rain form teaches its students to strike sure as the rain. By using the primary joints, the foot, the hand and the head together, rain warriors strike from many directions very swiftly. They can no more be stopped then a sky of falling raindrops. Warriors of the storm use sudden and deadly force to end all conflicts swiftly. They learn to focus the energy that lives in the air to summon great strength.
Earthly forms are forms of strength. A student uses hard motions to beat down enemy attacks. The earthly forms are: sun, sand, and two-moons-dance. Sun form is a spiritual way. The students of the sun form spend much time meditating and learning magicka. In combat, a sun master uses subtle, dignified movement to turn an attacker's energy against him. Sand form is the most common of the Rain-of-Sand. Sand is practical, yet deadly.
A 'sand fighter' does not make use of legs or tail, but hands alone to fight - hence why it is so popular with the soft skins. Masters of the sand can beat away almost any attack and quickly perform a counter attack with deadly strength and precision.
Two-moons-dance is a difficult form. While the movements of the form look similar to that of a dance, they hide a deadly form that is swift and easily fools untrained eyes."