Blame this.
Korusetto
One of the more specialized schools of the High Steam Age, this style is quite popular among suffragettes, bluestockings, and the more genteel sort of demimonde. It’s one of the few styles out there that attempts to work with upper-class Victorian female fashions; for that matter, it’s one of the few martial arts in a Steampunk milieu that actually uses body armor. Korusetto uses kicks for attacks, and defends by evasion, or by redirecting hand attacks to the torso, where hopefully the blows will be repelled by the (typically-reinforced) corset worn underneath. Failing that, weapons can be caught and trapped in the martial artist’s voluminous cloak, sleeves, or skirts. ‘Traditional’ weapons of this style are the umbrella and fan, both of which are used to apply leverage and disarming techniques. Continue reading New Martial Arts Style: Korusetto. [GURPS 4e]