• Solo • The Way of the Sword

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Doran
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Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2016 3:43 am
Race: Mortal Born
Profession: Alchemist
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The Way of the Sword

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After The Way of the Mind.

Vhalar 20, Arc 721

Doran spent the thirty bits after he had taught a brief lesson on Menochoros, his unarmed combat style of choice, on the upper level of the building that followed the length of the exercise area. There, he sat in the covered stand, surrounded by other spectators, and watched some of the fights and lessons below while he relaxed and occasionally took a bite from his snack – a type of rice cake that was topped with an avocado spread as well as smoked salmon. Such food helped keep one’s endurance up during a long workout session, and he’d offered to hold another demonstration later on.

To his left, a human woman with bright red hair was stuffing something that looked both bizarre and interesting at the same time into her mouth – fried potatoes that were topped with a copious amount of gravy and melted cheese. To his right, a young biqaj couple discussed a fight that was just taking place in the arena below. He turned to watch it as well as he was curious what exactly they were talking about. The fighters, two men that were both approximately thirty arcs of age were using swords, and they were, by his estimates, of average skill, or below. He found their match quite entertaining, nevertheless.

The two biqaj, both with blonde hair and fair skin, were talking about what they would have done if they had been in the fighters’ place and trying to point out their mistakes, unfortunately only occasionally correctly. Doran was just wondering if he should join in on their conversation, not in order to criticize them, but because he found the excitement of the people around him somewhat contagious – when the female half of the couple changed the topic, slightly.

“Mister Foy has done a great job with this festival in my opinion. I hope it will become a regular occurrence”, she remarked to her companion. “I can’t help but wonder if the rumours about him are true though. Do you think he really worked for one of the Pirate Lords? I wonder where they went”, she murmured, just as one of the fighters lost his sword. The crowd cheered loudly for the winner that bowed before he shook his opponent’s hand. The loser picked his sword up, and they left the arena.

Doran watched them for a moment before he turned to face the young couple again, hoping that they would not mind his raising his voice. He could not help but be interested though – he had never heard that particular rumor before and was wondering if it might be worth investigating. “A lot of people worked for the Pirate Lords, so it might very well be true. Professor Doran Thetys. I’ve done some research into the history of the island”, he introduced himself and extended a hand for the two to shake.

Both of them took it before the man asked, “So, professor, which aspects of the combat festival have you liked best so far? I enjoyed the swordfights, but I’m also quite curious about archery. I hope that there’ll be a lesson about that during the festival”, he admitted which the woman assured him would almost certainly be the case – she had seen a couple of people that had brought bows and crossbows before.

Doran did not usually chat a lot, but he found the conversation with the two biqaj, there, above the arena, while the fall sun shone down on them and the sounds of the fighters could be heard, enjoyable. Eventually, he bid both of them farewell though – the time for his second demonstration of the afternoon had arrived – but not without telling them where he’d go. He was not somebody who bragged about his skills, but he liked sharing his knowledge with others.

Maybe, they’d be interested in learning more about his combat technique?
Notes
From the Scalvoris calendar:

Bramwell Foy has decided to hold the first event ever at The Proving Ground. From the 18th of Vhalar to the 21st of Vhalar, practitioners of various armed and unarmed combat styles will demonstrate their skills and even give short impromptu lessons. To that end, Mister Foy is looking for people that are willing to work for him for one or all four trials. Furthermore, there are competitions where people can test their combat skills, with small prizes to be won, and spectators can enjoy drinks and snacks.

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            Doran
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            Re: The Way of the Sword

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            Doran made his way downstairs and into the sandpit where a couple of people were already waiting got him – including his training partner Taelis. The Eidisi who was visiting from Viden for a while had agreed him to help with his demonstration and brought the materials that they would need with him – a couple of ropes as well as a long wooden pole.

            “Good afternoon”, Doran greeted the men and women that looked at him in anticipation in a firm tone of voice and inclined his head slightly.

            A part of him was surprised that people had actually come to watch him – his celebrity status as one of the heroes of the Forging still took some taking used to – but it was a pleasant surprise. He would never be someone that craved fame and that let it get over his head, but he was proud of his accomplishments, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others.

            Besides, being famous for his skill as an alchemist, for his skill with the blade and for his part in the salvation of Scalvoris was far preferrable to whatever fame he had had in Etzos.

            “I am Professor Doran Thetys, and this is my training partner Taelis”, he introduced his companion in case some of his spectators had not read the announcements – Mister Foy, the manager of The Proving Ground had put up signs, so that people would know which demonstration and which fight would take place when – or already forgotten all about them. “I have come here to show you one of my combat techniques – and to show you how much one can be capable of with regular training”, he spoke.

            “Taelis?” he asked, just as the biqaj couple that he had talked to before arrived, and the Eidisi rammed the pole into the ground before he attached the first three ropes to it, tied them together with a bit of string and finally stepped back. Doran shook the pole a bit in order to make sure that it was stable, checked if the ropes were sufficiently taut and nodded. A moment later, he drew his longsword and addressed the audience once more.

            “Normally, not only a decent amount of strength would be necessary in order to sever all three of these ropes at the same time”, he explained to them in a calm tone of voice. “You’d also have to execute a wide swing with your sword in order to generate enough momentum”, he continued before he stepped forward and shifted the sword in his hands in order to adjust his grip. He was using a longsword made of Embersteel that was heavier than normal – doing so enabled him to hone his strength and his skill with the blade at the same time.

            “Like that”, he remarked before he struck, making sure that the angle of contact matched the path of the moving arm. At the apex of the forcefully executed swing he switched to a forward position. A moment later, the lower half of the bundle of ropes landed on the sandy ground, and a few members of the audience applauded while others looked on. Doran inclined his head in order to show them that he appreciated their reaction.

            “By combining the power of multiple muscle groups and synchronizing them, I can all but bypass the need to generate momentum though”, he continued once they were all paying attention to him once more. “I can generate just as much force by moving my sword a mere fifteen or twenty centimetres”, he spoke and nodded at Taelis who attached a new bundle of ropes to the pole. When he had done so, Doran approached the pole and extended his sword so that the blade was approximately fifteen centimetres away from it.

            He moved his body slightly, tensing and centering his torso in the process so that he would be perfectly balanced, and so that his attack would be more effectively before he stepped forward with his right foot. A moment later, he aligned his sword, tensed his arm and struck, cutting the bundle of ropes in half. This time, the audience applauded noticeably more loudly and enthusiastically, and Doran smiled slightly before he lowered his sword and bowed.

            Taelis in the meantime inclined his head slightly and picked the fallen ropes up.

            “There is no magic involved in this”, Doran explained a few moments later. “It is all just the result of science and a familiarity with one’s body and one’s sword, as I’ve already hinted at before. Given enough time, anybody can learn this technique. Now then, do you have any questions about what I’ve just shown you?” he wanted to know and looked at them, patiently answering whatever they wanted to know.

            His first experience with Bramwell Foy and The Proving Ground had left something to be desired, but he found that he enjoyed taking part in the combat festival, greatly so, and he hoped that some of spectators would be interested in taking part in Menochoros or sword lessons now, after they had seen what was possible, given enough time and practice.
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                      Pig Boy
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                      Re: The Way of the Sword

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                      Player Name: Doran

                      Points awarded: 10
                      Magic xp: none

                      Knowledge:

                      Blades: Cutting a bundle of ropes in half with a sword
                      Blades: Centering your torso renders your attacks more effective
                      Endurance: Certain kinds of food help keep your endurance up
                      Strength: Melee Smash: All but bypasses the need for momentum

                      Renown: 10
                      Loot: none
                      Injuries/Overstepping: none
                      Wealth Points: none
                      Consequence: Optional Consequence: Doran has impressed a good few people, and word spreads that a grandmaster of the sword and fitness has made a demonstration at the Festival. Within the next day or so, he'll find some people ask him to arrange for lessons. Whether Doran acquiesces is up to him, although they'll likely be disappointed should he turn them down flatly.

                      Skill Review: All Skills used appropriately to PC's level
                      Notes: I like the way you set this one up, with Doran observing the critiques of less trained people critiquing fighters for this or that technique, particularly the detail about how they were wrong in some of their assumptions. As ever, Doran is thinking in terms of the knowledge gaps, and this reflects that tendency effectively.

                      That said, a demonstration seems like a good way for Doran to show off his immense skills for the masses at the combat festival, given that he'd mop the floor with anyone who tried to beat him in a sword duel. The people may not have been as impressed, had he fought against some flavor npcs, but what Doran did, demonstrating his strength capstone and its utility in combat, really seemed to do the trick at impressing folks.


                      If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!
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