Thlipit Contestant
Martial art using a prehensile tongue, tail, or similar appendage in fluid, mobile combat; combines whip-like motions with wrestling leverage through quick strikes, grasps, and thr...
According to folklore, the thlipit martial art began with a wager. A group of bored tripkees looking for a little sport devised a game of using their tongues to gather fruit out of nearby trees.
No matter the origin, variants of the game and the martial art it spawned have become mainstays in tripkee society. In contrast to other fighting styles, thlipit doesn’t stand on ceremony or rigid discipline. Practitioners refer to themselves as contestants and play off the forms and moves as mere exercises or games. Despite this veneer of frivolity, thlipit can be just as dangerous in the mouth of an adept as any other weapon.
Thlipit combines fluid movements reminiscent of whip fighting with the leverage of a wrestler’s stance. It favors quick smacks, brief grabs, and short throws. Friend, foe, and the contestant themselves always remain in motion. Moves are often exaggerated to play up stylish elements for spectators or lure brash opponents into attacking early.
No formal schools exist to teach thlipit. Many tripkees are familiar with the style from childhood games, even if they haven’t developed the physicality to be considered a true contestant. Self-directed instruction remains common, though aspiring contestants will seek out veterans and ask to be taken on as apprentices. Even though this sort of self-directed instruction happens frequently, a veteran contestant will still occasionally take on a student or two to pass along particular forms or styles.