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Overcoming the Balance

As one approaches the City of Nashaki, trains of caravans lead through the sprawling outskirts to the numerous open city gates. The largest gate is on the west side and leads past the fortified walls into an octagon of eight districts. Each district features unique markets and is maintained by one of the eight Towers that rule Nashaki. In the city, heavily guarded, is the prized oasis that supports the Nashaki people to flourish in such an unforgiving land.
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Kaladis Anar
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

[Maker’s Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

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Date: 34th of Ashan
Location: The Maker’s Hall

Morning, Dry, Warm Weather
The Scrolls of Anar Verse One, Rising from Mediocrity, #23 Overcoming the Balance.

K
aladis had no idea if he was on good terms with the Makers or not. Frankly after being given the run around to bring Laventia out of hiding, he believed he was owed the original two remaining training lessons he was promised. He could never prove the Makers were responsible for giving Laventia his location, but it all seemed far too coincidental that Laventia just happened to be at the Musical Atrium when he’d arrived looking for clues. Thankfully that was the last time he’d ever hear from her again, though there was still the matter of the sister working for Asfern, and who knew where that trio stood.

Thirty trials had passed since then. Who had he to trust? Himself, that was always what it came down to. When he turned up at the Maker's healing gardens, he noted the four corner guards keeping out of sight as always, dressed in their bronze, and carrying their obvious colors of their allegiance, they'd probably been alerted to his approach twenty bits ago.

K
nocking three times on their door hard, as usual nothing happened. From his time trying to return the research materials Kaladis knew the Makers rarely admitted anyone they didn’t specifically have a plan for, this time however Kaladis was beyond caring. Banging three times again he demanded entrance, “you owe me two training sessions. Vhalar demands you keep your promises fairly.” Invoking the name of Vhalar was sometimes enough to insure a response, here however the Makers had a reputation for trading and contracts to consider. For the Maker to a break a contract would be poor form also, which unknown to Kaladis was what actually opened the door.

It seemed in all his trials he had yet to earn the respect of the Makers, something Kaladis would demand more of in time. Taking his shoes off at the door as was custom, from his trips here he had gauged the rough stone floor was actually used to slow entrance or exit in a hurry when barefooted; unknown to him there was also a trap underneath it to be armed in emergencies.

When he approached the main hall, clean stone pillars and intricate carvings awaited him as always. Three men were also waiting for him, and none of them happened to be Aaranius his former tutor. One was dark skinned but not a Qi’ora, the other two were human’s and seemed to be in training attire. Kaladis was in his chainmail, shield on his back, sword and knives across his belt as usual.

“Aaranius is away on business, you can come back in seven trials.” The response from the man’s tone seemed unfriendly but not outright hostile. The Makers rarely gave him even that much of an indication how they felt about him, almost having neutrality down to an art form.

“Are there no others who can train me in the shield?”

“No. What I teach you are not ready for,”
the Instructor said with a certainty to his voice.

“Try me.” Kaladis had come for a workout from the best, and that is what he was going to get.

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~
word count: 565
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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Kaladis Anar
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

P
ride stood him tall there, facing the dark skinner instructor and his two human students down. When he had first come to the city he might have retreated, he was done running. They owed him and by Vhalar’s seal he collected on his debts or contracts.

Nobody moved.


“A lesson you will have.” The instructor stood in front of Kaladis at arm’s length, Kaladis looked at him and waited for him to get a weapon. “Having second thoughts?” The instructor asked. “You will be sparring unarmed?” Kaladis was surprised, it wasn’t shield training but at least he could get a valuable education. The Eidisi started to remove his gear and the instructor stopped him, “I will be unarmed, you will be armed.” Kaladis’s forehead tensed. “Attack me when you are ready.”

He had been given the minimum safe distance to draw the blade before by his other instructor here, but such was Kaladis's overconfidence in facing a man unarmed, he began to draw his blade and before he could the instructor did two short sharp palm strikes to his sword hand. “Your opponent cannot fight if he cannot draw his weapon.” The Eidisi flexed his sore fingers, and the man stood ready facing him again, fist pressed into his own palm to start.

“Today you will learn open palm,”
Kaladis narrowed his eyes and took three steps back, for which his instructor followed three steps forward. “Maintain the distance you wish the melee to be.” Not only was Kaladis getting an instruction, the other two students watched on with anticipation also. Kaladis had to give his instructor credit, it was a clever way of shaping the melee to your own advantage.

T
rying something new, his shield was still on his back so Kaladis spun around and went to draw his weapon. The instructor made a kick and then shoulder roll against the back of Kaladis’s knee’s which sent him falling backwards over him. “Never turn your back on your opponent, leave that for the storytellers and legend makers.” Kaladis cursed under his breath, and got back to his feet, which in his chainmail, swords, knives and shield took some time. His frequent dislike of being played with reared its head. This time however his weapon was drawn ready when he rose, having swapped sides with the instructor.

“Never start the melee unready for it. The precious time to draw your weapon is often the time you die.”
The instructor nodded at him, “when you are ready.” Oh Kaladis was ready alright! Breathing deeply he focused his concentration, bringing himself to a more disciplined readiness, when he was composed he struck.
~
word count: 454
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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Kaladis Anar
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

T
he Instructor stepped back a half step avoiding him, which left room for Kaladis to strike again. The Eidisi did another horizontal cut, his instructor moved to his side and blocked the sword arm with the flat of his palm, the half step having given him closer reach. Kaladis swung around and the instructor did it again, far more nimble than Kaladis in his armor, and staying one step ahead. The Eidisi realised he’d never keep up with him and backed off instead, but it didn’t stop the instructor sidestepping around him again. “You’re dead three times.”

The Eidisi tried to grab the man and throw him aside, which was met with some success in as far as getting facing him again, the instructor also put him in a wristlock and forced his grip loose, using reversing pressure either side of it. Trying something simpler, Kaladis brought up his knee aiming for the groin, two hands connected with the joint forcing it down flatly with a sting. The Eidisi had already began an overhead swing, not having enough room to go for a lunge or sideways cut, and rather than push his hands up to stop that, his instructors elbow didn’t so much as connect with Kaladis’s chainmail as push the arm strike away. Following up the elbow push against the overhead strike, the instructor’s entire weight snapped forward, and pushed Kaladis away with a thrust of the hips, shoulder first.

Staggered, Kaladis realised he’d not even come close in anything he’d tried. This was a Master, this was who he’d come to find. The Eidisi had seen enough. “I want to learn this,” he stated. There would be times he was without a sword, times even without his armor and he wanted whatever technique the man practiced. The man didn’t seem convinced, and though it irked his pride Kaladis bowed his head, “Master.” The mark of respect was enough to sway the dark skinned instructor back to neutrality or even acceptance.

The human instructor bowed his head in return and waited watching him. Kaladis didn’t take long to understand what the silence meant, he began to strip out of his chainmail hauberk and coif. The weathered clothes underneath had seen a lot of use. Shield came next, then he lay his sword belt down on the ground, knives and weapons resting beside him, boots finally followed. His gear was unnervingly far away in case he was set upon, he had to remind himself he wasn’t totally defenseless with his arcana if that were to happen.

Their instructor said something in Umaya, looking like a command to make ready. Lining up beside him the two students stood shoulder width apart and put their arms by their sides, Kaladis was soon copying them. Another command in Umaya followed, none of which Kaladis could make out yet. The two students raised their hands up, palms in their fist. ““Open Palm,” their instructor said in common, perhaps translating what he had just said. Kaladis copied the three of them, and the first thing the instructor did was come over and put Kaladis's thumb underneath his fist, adjusting how he placed the hands together and straightening his shoulders.

“Without the basics it is nothing, and without the philosophy it is a series of mechanical moves.”

With the instructor looking at Kaladis squarely, he adjusted Kaladis's posture, the Eidisi's feet were pushed to be more exactly positioned and a small bend added to his knee.

“We will start with both.”
~
word count: 607
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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Kaladis Anar
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

Open Palm or Hiandon, As The Desert Wind.

V
ery slowly the instructor pushed his palm forward and the three students did the same, using the left arm by the hip and twisting the body slightly to apply pressure. Kaladis copied this as best as he was able locking his hip. “Do not push the hand or commit to a change”, the Master told Kaladis, “block from the wrist, it leaves you room to adjust to your opponent.” He demonstrated a punch against another student, who blocked from the wrist and then when the Master altered his punch slightly, the student was able to adjust. “Throwing your weight in fully leaves you no room adjust.”

This took a moment to sink in, the instructor did not have the patience of others he had learned from. Walking over and punching slowly at Kaladis, who tried to block the punch with his palm, Kaladis blocked easily enough as the punch was intentionally very slow; what the Master then did was push inward slightly, as if he’d of scuffed Kaladis’s chin by moving through the technique.

“The difference between deflection and overpowering. Many martial arts will train you to overpower, or control the motion of their arm, rather than control the point of attack and your position.”

Kaladis was out of his element, he was in an intermediate class, but his pride would not allow him to show this in his technique. Sadly every time he copied the simple side to side wrist deflection he was being taught, he put a lot of power into it, there had not been finesse in any of his martial training at all to date.

“Face Vaarlan.” The instructor told Kaladis curtly. Vaarlan was the biggest of the two students, he motioned to the one he meant. “Two types of fighters exist, those that use strength and those that use skill. If you’re intent on overpowering your opponent, you better hope you are stronger than them.”

A command was given in Umaya to Vaarlan, and a slow hook punch came toward Kaladis, who tried to block as he had been shown. Pushing the wrist against it, Vaarlan then pushed his arm using his superior strength to push right through the block. “You are committed and you lost. Open Palm is like the wind against the rock, it adjusts.” Moving Kaladis out of the way, the instructor demonstrated, asking in Umaya for two punches to be slower then faster. Kaladis was beginning to pick out that much from the simple repetitive commands. As the heavier punch came in, rather than committing his full arm and weight into it, the instructor altered his position slightly so to avoid it with minimal force.

“Now you.”
~
word count: 464
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

S
lowly over the next break this the most basic of preparation technique was demonstrated on each arm, over and over till it was learned. Repetitive movement began to test his muscle's endurance at the shoulder more than the joint, because each technique wasn’t a fully committed block, it was the preparation for the block or strike. He now realised the double tap technique that had been used on him, a kick to prepare for a roll, a tap to prepare for a strike against his sword hand, and the sideways move to prepare for the strike, each was a two-step move to set up then act.

When Kaladis began to tire the instructor kept him going anyway. He had said he was ready, so ready he was! Both the instructor wanted to prove a point, and Kaladis’s pride had a point to prove to himself! His endurance had been improving somewhat but it was far from adequate yet, and resisting the burning in his arms not only built resistance to the effects of fatigue, but also endurance from the repetition of the technique to stop that fatigue from ever appearing.

T
hough an older Eidisi would have risked injury, the young seemed to be able to bounce back from strains or pulls. Kaladis didn’t think of himself as young or old, but he was keenly aware of where his limits were and as they fast approached he wondered if he could hold on. Not only that but the small bend in his knee was beginning to tire them fixed in one position as they were, another subtle test of the endurance and building up the leg muscles to stand firm. As sweat began to run down his blue face, his eyes narrowed and disciplined focus exerted itself on the wall ahead of him. Even or perhaps especially because Kaladis was tired, the instructor would come back and adjust this simple repetitive technique to see it didn't slip: One preparation with the palm, two preparation with the palm, on and on this went, the founding principle of open palm.

His instructor looked at him squarely wondering when he’d give in. Kaladis didn’t give in, didn’t give up, he wasn’t Ralari who sort the easiest path in life, his dreams were grand and ambition restless. Impressed, the Instructor tested Kaladis's technique with demonstrated punches, showing Kaladis how to extend the preparation into pushing the instructors arm away from inside the elbow. This change showed Kaladis the first application of the double tap. For another thirty bits they trained, and by now the Eidisi’s endurance was at an end, his arms like lead and muscles locked up.

“Hundak.” The Instructor said, which actually meant finish or some equivalent. The students bowed their head forward, Kaladis copied them and moved to the edge of this meeting hall come training area. So far he’d seen this space used for many things, the Makers seem economical with their interiors at least, unless this training was more ceremonial than he realised.

Whatever this Hall's real purpose, the instructor came over to him and looked like he wanted a word.
~
word count: 542
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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Kaladis Anar
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

T
oday had been a trial he’d bothered to listen to commands in Umaya, albeit out of necessity, having neglected it as beneath him for the most part till now. Expecting a lesson in philosophy at the end nothing came. Kaladis was surprised when the two students left through a side door, this room seemed to have an infinite amount of them, he hadn’t even spotted the one they’d left through till now, so cleverly masked by the patterns of the wall art.

“You mentioned philosophy being important?”

“I did. Crucial to the technique.”
The instructor looked him over, Kaladis felt sore from the waist up, especially the shoulder areas, putting on the chainmail was a struggle so he stopped and decided to bundle it up under his arm when he was done.

“Will that be a separate lesson?” The Eidisi went on dressing, clipping the swords to his waist, he couldn’t leave without them and the shield fixed ready.

“You already had it. Did you miss it?” This wasn’t so much a question but a statement, something he’d come to expect from the Makers. It left the Eidisi puzzling as to what the instructor meant. “Kaladis you trained well but you lack foresight. Ask for me again a seven’trial from now if you would like to continue. My name is Master Tugun.” Offering a small bow of his head, Kaladis returned the respect, wanting to keep up appearances. It crossed his mind he might have at least alleviated himself from being unwanted, back to utter neutrality here, not that it did him many favours; being on neutral terms with the Makers was like having an unwanted parent checking over your shoulder when you least wanted it.

Through a completely different side door the Master pressed his hand to an engraving and then exited, leaving Kaladis to wonder if he’d ever work out this place. He could swear he could feel people watching him, but no matter how many times he looked over his shoulder he saw nothing. Were these engravings more than just markings to the Markers? A question for another trial. Leaving the hall, which to him seemed a courtroom ever in judgement of those that entered it, he realised they'd given him a valuable gift which could not be taken away. Open palm, to be in preparation, not in action or reaction.

Fin
~
word count: 411
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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[Makers Hall] The Art of a Strong Defense.

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Kaladis


Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: NA (solo thread)
Structure: 5/5
Knowledge:

Blades:(Longsword): Slicing cut
Blades: (Longsword): Overhead swing
Discipline: Keeping control of your emotions in a combat
Endurance: Pain in your hands
Endurance: Fighting in armour is exhausting
Endurance: Repetition burns in your muscles
Endurance: Fighting fatigue
Etiquette: Removing shoes is customary in some places
NPC: Master Tugan: Open Palm style of fighting
NPC: Master Tugan: An excellent teacher
NPC: Master Tugan: An arrogant man?
Unarmed Combat: Martial Art: Open Palm basic fist
Unarmed Combat: Martial Art: Open Palm basic stance
Unarmed Combat: Martial Art: Deflect rather than overpower

Loot:
None
Fame:
+2 for persevering and being a good student.
Magic:
These points may NOT be used for arcana

Overview:

General comments. ~ Just to clarify, I think maybe the reason you are not getting resistance knowledge where you are trying for it is because resistance is about resisting poisons, drugs, alcohol that kind of thing. Endurance is enduring physical pain, resistance is building up a resistance to substances. Hope that makes sense!
Story Ohh I like this location and the NPCs. Interesting stuff! I enjoyed the story and you took what could have been a very "grindy" thread and made it interesting.
Structure No worries.

Please do PM me if you've got any questions or feel I've missed anything.
word count: 224
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