A Blow o' the' Lippes

Something Matt asked of us a while back, that I, at first considered only generally and idealistically, was "When considering swords, what kind of weapon would your character use?"

I have now investigated a bit more thoroughly, and I think I can definitively say Toby's weapon of choice would be the Sabre.

There are three weapons in modern competitive fencing: the foil, the sabre, and the epee. The foil is a very light thrusting weapon that you score only with the tip/point of the blade, with the target area confined to the torso. The epee is a heavy thrusting weapon, with the entire body comprising the target area. It is sometimes known as the barbarians' weapon because the target area is so broad, and it does not adhere to the rules of right of way, the way foil and sabre do. The epee blade itself and its rules are most similar to an actual duel.

While the whole heavy thrusting and barbarian thing sound good for me, I maintain my psyche and technique is most like the sabre. Sabre is kind of a hybrid between the other two blades. It combines the ferocity of the epee with the structure of the foil, because the target area is again confined to the torso. The technique tends to be much more aggressive and attack based. It is the only weapon where cutting is a valid way to score a hit, and so the strokes tend to be more broad and ferocious, as opposed to the more acute thrusts and lunges of the other two weapons. Sabre fencers appear to kind of barrel at each other, and the mentality is kind of "the best defence is a good offence."

These kinds of attacks are apparent in the way I interact with the other characters, especially Malvolio and Andrew. The kind of bullying I'm constantly subjecting Andrew to is reminiscent to the furious advances and slashes of the sabre. My interactions with Malvolio are a bit different but still truthful to the style, because Malvolio actually parries some of my attacks, but rather than preparing to parry his riposte (counter-attack), I follow up with yet another attack (known as a remise). The only person who ever really puts me on the defensive is Maria, because I am completely disarmed by her stillness and rigidity. She changes my inherent tempo, and therefore can get me to do whatever she wants.

The restriction of the target zone represents my history with structure and rules, and I continue to demonstrate adherence to the training I've been subjected to throughout my youth.

So there's the kind of brutish attack, attack, attack mentality, with respect for "the modest limits of order." So you can bet, when I draw my sword, even though it looks like an umbrella, it's a sabre.