A little known ancient martial out found in a small Klibward region near the city of Noah, where men are men and ferrets are scared. Where black pudding is a delicacy and things that are cool are "grand".
Eckythump was first developed by a coal miner called Stan from the small town of ByGum as a means of protecting himself and his mates from thieves and brigands after night at pub. It did not become popular until a red-headed "dark-skinned" docker and ship builder called Uncle Thumper. He laid down a series of rules and code of behaviour expected of an adherent of the art. As one learned and gained the knowledge from a trained master, usually on a Tuesday after darts, one could progress from a basic acolyte, a "Pip Squeak" through to "Bubble and Squeak" three levels later (the intervening being: "Mushy Pea", "Lard Breath" and "Slice Wi' That") . From these junior levels one could then progress to full time training and "claim the cloth".
As Eckythumper First Class one could be recognised and admired from the "cloth". This being a herring-boned dark and hard wearing cloth shaped into a distinct cap. Women would swoon and young boys look on with envy and ambition. From here one could progress further through the arts and rites of the art, and one day claim the sole position of Grand Puddin'.
There were two further steps in the history of this subtle and sometimes maligned art. The first was 200 years ago when war ravaged this particular area of the Known World and the Eckythumpers were called to aid in the defence of the swamp, mist and unique dwellings of four-room-two-storey-with-two-rooms-on-each-level, attached on each side with a similar dwelling. Things were going badly as the invaders were well-armed and at this stage in the Eckythump history, the art was a self-defense unarmed one only. Evan Eccles was the Grand Puddin and he saw that the only way forward was to arm the brave and trustworthy band of fellow brave fighters. Unfortunately, it was early morning when he came to this realization, and it had occurred to him coincidentally at the same time as 20 raving long haired skirt wearing infidels broke down his front door. He grabbed the nearest weapon available, the morning's breakfast, a 12 inch long black pudding and leapt forward to meet the invaders. The rest is history and now the young ladies swoon for the "cloth" as well as the large swelling that could be found in the front pocket of any Eckythumper First Class and above.
The Eckythumper weapon was refined and improved over the next 60 years, and a larger version was introduced to the ranks with a handle on one and, being a diameter of approximately 3 inches and 3 to 5 feet in length. It was at this stage that major plagues of insects began attacking the region and the Grand Pudding Kenneth concluded that the reason for this was the martial artists love of the new weapons, but their lack of ability in providing sufficient preservative during creation of the new weapons. To this end he commissioned a weapon-smith to create a weapon made of standard weaponry materials to replace the entrails-oriented materials being use up to that time. The new weapon was a great success: a long thin double-skinned canvas bag filled under pressure with sea sand and then placed into a long tube of thin fine chainmail and then attached to a finely-crafted handle called the "Geordie". To give it its distinctive rancid odour and compliment of blowflies, several pails of molten lard, suet and dripping were smeared and soaked into the canvas. This had the added benefit of protecting the chainmail from the ravages of rust.
A final note to those unaware on how to greet a fighter of the Eckythump and how to tell their rank. The usual greeting is "eh oop there" and "Ta Ra" when leaving. The rank can easily be picked by the size of the cap worn, being small with ears uncovered at the early levels, through to shading the eyes, hiding the entire face, and finally needing to be taken off in order to enter and leave a room.
Under no circumstances should one provoke a master of the art, and the best way to not to do this is to not make rude lard or olfactory based comments about his weapon.