Inner Mitten Fasting
[7/9, plus Psionics]
A deliberate corruption of immer mitten festung (German for “Always in the middle of the fortress”), this particular martial art was put together by a black ops CIA project in the 1950s to train up its East German psionic espionage assets. The original goal was the usual telepathic deep viewing network, of course; but it turned out that the recruitable psions in that part of the Iron Curtain were mostly telekinetics, instead of telepaths. The CIA shrugged, and started training up psychokinetic assassins instead.
Inner Mitten Fasting (IMF) adepts were primarily boxers, as that was a perfectly acceptable martial art to study behind the Iron Curtain. And, as boxers, their skills were perfectly legitimate. But the real value of IMF adepts was in their telekinetic abilities. A graduate of the CIA program had Telekinetic Control/6 [48] (GURPS Psionic Powers, page 54) and Psychokinesis Talent 2 [10], with the Telekinetic Control (IQ/Very Hard) skill at IQ [8] and the Gecko Grip, Hydrokinesis, Ignition, and Strong Blade Psychokinesis perks [4]. Additional abilities like Cyrokinesis and PK Shield were also common; as were building up Maneuvers like Brain Squeeze, Throat Squeeze, and Nerve Damage. A very good IMF adept had a variety of ways to kill you with a touch, which is always handy when one is trying to arrange authentic natural deaths.
The ultimate fate of the IMF program after the fall of the Soviet empire is unknown. Very carefully unknown, in that special way that governments have in encouraging people not to ask impertinent questions. But if you can find one, an adept from those days — or their favored students — certainly qualifies as a Master when it comes to teaching cinematic skills and maneuvers.
Skills: As per Boxing (GURPS Martial Arts, pgs 152-153), Observation, Running, Savior-Faire (Gym).
Techniques: As per Boxing, Low-line Defense (Boxing).
Cinematic Skills: As per Boxing, Pressure Points, Pressure Secrets.
Cinematic Techniques: As per Boxing.
Perks: As per Boxing.
Customization note: This martial art can get expensive, very quickly. It is not reasonable to assume that 600 point adepts will be in every German boxing club, but a version of the martial art without the psionic parts is actually not too uncommon. Someone with psychokinetic abilities will be able to realize fairly quickly that IMF seems amazingly suited for them; this can reasonably turned into an adventure hook, as the martial artist goes looking for an appropriate master.
The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.
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