The Clan Alvaak Lightsaber

The "Claymore" Lightsaber

The correct grip for the Alvaak Lightsaber

The Alvaak Dark Jedi Clansmen Lightsaber is based on an ancient design used in the days of the Sith and the Krath. This design differs mostly in the length of the handle and the blade. The handles typically measure 30-40 centimetres and the blades can extend to as much as 2 to 2.5 meters (6 to 7 feet)! This is achieved through the use of boosted powercells and FIVE focusing crystals of the highest quality (Adegan Crystals are required to construct the specialised Alvaak lightsabers). Although the length of the blade is permanently fixed during its construction, the additional crystals are required to maintain the unusually lengthened amplitude. To make the Alvaak Lightsabers easily recognisable in battle, each has been modified to fluoresce a distinctive, purple-hued color. There are tales of horror spun by survivors of battles with the Alvaak Dark Jedi Clansmen wielding these monstrous but extremely deadly lightsabers. With intensive and unusually long training, the Alvaak Dark Jedi Clansmen have learned to wield these effective and deadly weapons with the utmost precision. Alvaak Dark Jedi Clansmen do not receive their Lightsaber until they have reached the Rank of Dark Jedi Knight in the Dark Brotherhood.

Combat With a Claymore

As expected, lightsaber combat with a 2.5-meter long blade is a lot trickier than usual. It means that a lot more control needs to be kept with the blade unless the combatant is in an open space, and that you have to have a brilliant situational awareness in order to be able to keep collateral damage to a minimum. However, there are advantages. The blades themselves inspire fear among our enemies, the length alone startling opponents and the extra reach proving invaluable. After many years of practice, the clansmen of the first clan of the brotherhood, Clan Alvaak, devised and perfected a new variation of form VII, in which the claymore is utilised. The style of this variant form is unique, at all times never letting the user’s emotions get near the surface, keeping them deep down, also keeping the opponent as far away as possible. Unlike the other forms, the attack/parry zones are not standard, three are three general zones, far, mid, and inner. Alvaak clansmen aim to keep the opponents at the “far” zone. The mid zone is where they get within striking distance with the tip of their blade, and the inner zone is where they could touch you with a limb. There are a number of moves and counter moves, plus special tricks that have been created with the claymore sabre in mind, listed below:

• Far slash: this is basically an attack at long range, where the blade is smashed against the opponent’s with both hands fully around the handle, whilst not over-reaching and leaving oneself open.
• Far Jab: an attack at long range with the tip of the blade, intended to impale the opponent.
• Far block: A block of either a blaster bolt or sabre hit in the far zone.
• Mid-block: blocking an attack in the mid quadrant.
• Mid-slash: uppercut slash in the mid quadrant.
• Inner block: a block in the inner quadrant.

As shown, it is virtually impossible to attack in the inner zone with standard moves, however there are exceptions:

• “Desperation”: This is the name given to a last resort move when an opponent proves to be exceedingly difficult and can get through you’re far and mid zones. It is a series of blocks and attacks using the base of the blade ending with hitting the head of the opponent with the hilt of the sabre.
• “Alvaak Spirit”: A flash of rage where the user launches into a flurry of offensive attacks, pressing the attack and concentrating on the head and torso.
• “Ronin’s Divider”: the combatant raises the sabre above his head, spins it around three times in a full circle before bringing it down with a cross slash from one shoulder to the opposite hip. If the strike is landed successfully, the attack will be a devastating Sai Tok.
• “Gallandro Spin”: This manoeuvre is extremely tricky, and while can be pulled off with a standard Sabre, it is made all the more effective with a claymore. It was first used in the 4th Great Jedi War by Proconsul Frey Gallandro to defeat the pirate leader, with stunning success considering its complexity. The user deactivates the lightsaber, holds the hilt at the middle, and levitates it, while spinning it around in a circle at extreme velocity. The user then telekinetically thumbs the activation switch, activating the blade and creates in essence, a disk of light energy. This disk is then shot at the enemies again via telekinesis. Because of the complexity of this attack, only SBM and above my attempt it.
• “Cox's Disappearing Blade”: This move was first mastered by Auctoritas Aedile Chris Cox for use against an opponent who is adept at parrying your own blade away. When the opponent goes to parry the combatant's blade out of the way, the combatant turns the blade off just as the blades are about to clash together, causing the opponet to go off balance, and giving the combatant time to assault his opponent while he is off balance.
• “Darkonis Deathstrike”: Originally performed by Jeron Darkonis Astoris, this move is used by Jedi adept at wielding two Claymore Sabers at once. Using the force to aid him the combatant whirls the two blades above his head in order to momentarily confuse his opponent. The combatant then attacks with both blades, aiming one at the midsection and one ot the neck.