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Post by oracle on Jan 14, 2011 20:44:02 GMT -5
Wren approached from the woods with a stick that looked appropriate enough. This would be a really reduced lesson, Rynak already knew that. After all he couldn't possibly teach everything about using a dagger in the course of their short trip.
"Alright so the first thing you need to do is know your weapon. We'll worry about specific moves later. Fighting with a dagger is nothing like fighting with a great sword, even if they are both blades, you see what I mean?" Rynak paused only long enough for a confirmation nod.
"I'm sure you can tell which end of the blade goes into your target so I won't worry about that, but how do you use the blade so it does maximum damage? What parts of an opponent's body are the most damaging to hit? Is it more effective to slash or stab?"
Rynak offered all the questions to Wren as he began every weapons lesson.
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Post by Spectre on Jan 15, 2011 9:53:52 GMT -5
Ironically, Wren had assumed fighting with a dagger and longer blade were the same- he nodded anyway to cover his ignorance. "I'm sure you can tell which end of the blade goes into your target-" For a second, he became angry, but quickly realized Rynak meant this as a joke.
As the commander went on, Wren listened intently to the different instructions and advice, knowing that this was nothing like the fancy swordplay some of the high-up traders practiced in Iah. This was real swordfighting, and he would need to learn as much as he could.
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Post by oracle on Jan 15, 2011 10:51:03 GMT -5
Wren wasn't reacting to his questions, but fortunately Rynak knew the answers himself so he could continue anyways. He gave Wren a decent pause to make sure he knew that in the future answering would be prefered.
"With a dagger it is much harder to deal crippling blows, it's easier to slice an arm off at the shoulder with a broadsword than a little dagger. Also a dagger is by definition not a very long surface for slicing. However it has its advantages, because its small its easy to control, and can be used more accurately than a long blade." That was only the beginning of Rynak's annalysis. He looked just slightly above Wren as he said all this, because he was actually trying to figure it out himself.
"The answer to whether a slash or stab is better is that its better for a dagger to stab. More control means you can stab more accurately, but a smaller blade means less area for slashing. As to the most important targets for you, the best ones with a dagger are in the chest and stomach, large target where you can do a lot of damage with a stab. Most opponents guard their body pretty well though so you'll have to know some other targets. Throat or face will do serious damage with a dagger," As Rynak listed body parts he used himself as a model to show exact points to hit with the dagger. "You can also attempt to slash at the inner arm or inner leg to make them bleed a lot." Rynak found the blue lines on his body and pointed to them as well, wrist, inside elbow, bicep, near the ankle and so forth.
"Notice I've only covered attacking basics with the dagger?" Rynak asked rehtorically, "That's because a dagger is so small the parrying surface will be very tricky to learn, and I want you to ingrane a different idea in your head first. In a fight I want you to remember this above all: Be first. Daggers have short reach, if you don't get inside an opponent's reach early, you will spend the whole fight stuck too far away to attack. You can't win a fight if you don't attack."
Rynak took a step away from Wren and lifted the stick in his right hand to a ready position. "Think you're ready for some sparring?"
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Post by Genesis on Jan 15, 2011 23:47:51 GMT -5
Dred fled the town arm over his eyes. Corpses of the constable's men lay in the streets, as well as several members of a mob that had nearly pummeled him into submission. His makeshift veil had been lost in the fracas, causing his eyes to burn. His wounds felt as if they were festering with some disease, but he knew where the balm lay. He had to have his scarf back, a comfort from the fury. So he ran, not exactly sure where to, but he ran, following a scent that didn't exist. Anywhere to escape the sun.
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Post by Spectre on Jan 17, 2011 19:38:27 GMT -5
Wren's respect for the man grew as Rynak continued the lesson. This man was a military genius- it wasn't hard to see why he'd been appointed to his post.
He raised his own branch, holding the base away from his body with both hands. "I'm ready."
(OoC: I'm not really sure how we can write this up; if you have an idea, you could take the whole thing, and I'd jump back in after the fight. Yes?)
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Post by oracle on Jan 19, 2011 14:48:33 GMT -5
(OoC: Combat writing practice. Always useful, though I agree that most of the time writing combat is best done without too much description, for now I'll be descriptive and let you respond how you would. Probably just going to write out the first round or so. Please respond with your own character reactions.)
Rynak was playing the stick as though it was a longsword. He needed to drill the idea of strike first into Wren so that was step one, but after that Wren would need to practice getting inside opponent's guards. Rynak began to circle, and began testing Wren's guard with simple short quick attacks that were really too far away to connect. They gave off a sense of Rynak's range with the blade, but also made it harder to get inside the guard. "Strike first!" Rynak reminded loudly as he made another short slash in the area of Wren's left side.
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Post by Spectre on Jan 19, 2011 22:41:36 GMT -5
Wren's mind raced as he frantically dodged the blows, not knowing they wouldn't reach far enough anyway. Strike first? It seemed too late for that! But perhaps that was part of the test?
He began to size up Rynak's swings, trying to judge the distance he'd need. At this point, there was really only one thing the commander wouldn't expect- if Wren followed his advice immediately.
An attack was coming from his left; he made sure to stay out of its reach, but as soon as Rynak's stick passed him he lunged forward with a stab.
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Post by oracle on Jan 20, 2011 9:49:30 GMT -5
He'd gotten the first point this time to a degree. Rynak saw the stablike manuever coming and twisted his body slightly away while bringing his stick back to block Wren at the last moment, personally he really didn't want to get poked. "Follow up!" Rynak announced as Wren was still inside his guard he could keep striking. Last thing he wanted Wren to think was that he had to try an all or nothing lunge every time.
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Post by Spectre on Jan 20, 2011 18:18:48 GMT -5
It seemed simple. The move was working- and suddenly Rynak twisted, avoiding the strike and bringing his own weapon up to block.
"Follow up!"
The momentum of the stab, deflected by Rynak's block, carried his stick too far; Wren awkwardly tried to swing it back in a lower, horizontal slice.
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Post by Genesis on Jan 21, 2011 10:56:10 GMT -5
Adrian continued to play his flute, and watched the sparring pair with mild interest. He hadn't had much combat training, magic was his preference, but he figured it'd be good to know what an opponent might do if he was forced into a hands on situation. He personally prefered a mace over a blade, but the hammer was his gift, so the hammer he used.
(ooc: hey oracle, could ya PM me a quick run down of how magic works in this place, 'cause I'll wanting to be using some at some point.)
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Post by oracle on Jan 21, 2011 11:05:32 GMT -5
Wren was off balance and it was easy for the veteran combatant to stop the second strike, but he still didn't retaliate. After all this was early sparring practice and he wanted to go through it slowly. "Multiples Wren! You're using a dagger the fact is you're not going to win if you're expecting the first stab to kill." As he spoke Rynak maintained his press against Wren's attack, thus allowing Wren to strike first once again.
Liam returned from gathering firewood and began setting up a fire near the area Adrian and the huntress had gathered. "Rynak teaching fighting? He's been fired for precisely one day and he's already doing his old job again." He remarked to the two gathered nearby.
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Post by sapphiresmoke on Jan 21, 2011 13:11:59 GMT -5
Mura watched as Rynak trained Wren, listening carefully to Rynak's instructions. She had a knife, too, and if enemies managed to get in close range of her, she'd best know how to use it.
A soldier came over and started building a fire, and she flushed lightly as he mentioned Rynak's losing his job - because of her - and bit the inside of her lip. She couldn't just ignore the man, though.
"Mm," she replied. "He seems good at it."
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Post by Spectre on Jan 21, 2011 23:18:38 GMT -5
Multiples, huh? Wren could do that. He planted his back foot and begain to attack more quickly, using feints often. Rynak was either waiting for an opportunity, or purposely letting him move first; he had blocked or dodged most strikes.
Arms tired, Wren attempted an overhead slice. At the last minute, though, he brought the stick back and stabbed forward, trying to rattle his opponent.
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Post by oracle on Jan 23, 2011 21:53:49 GMT -5
Better for sure, Rynak parried whatever came his way though. Feints were well and good but Rynak used sheer athleticism to keep up with them, always forcing them just barely far enough away. At least until the last feint. Rynak moved to block the high strike, but when Wren changed he couldn't move fast enough to stop the stab. He did manage to side step it enough that it went just outide his ribcage. Then he pinned the stick to his body by bringing his arm down. He stepped away from Wren, with the stick pinched in his armpit and dropped his own stick.
"Oh woe is me!" At this point Rynak feigned spinning around once and stumbling around the site. Then in a very dramatic finish he collapsed to the ground, Wren's stick up from him into the air.
"The best in Naost," Liam responded to Mura, "The King and the General are going to regret losing him, but they never liked him much. They don't like much of anyone outside their own family." Suddenly Rynak went into his fake death sequence and Liam's eyes were drawn to the fake fight. He chuckled a little bit to himself as he watched the stage death. "Your talents were wasted in the guard!" Liam shouted to his commander now laying on the ground.
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Post by sapphiresmoke on Jan 24, 2011 19:22:20 GMT -5
"Seems like a funny way to run a kingdom," Mura muttered in response to Liam's comment, but he had been distracted by Rynak's theatrics and she wasn't sure if he'd heard.
She laughed quietly as Liam called out to Rynak, "Your talents were wasted in the guard!"
"Oh, I don't know," she murmured. "He could always fake his death on the battlefield to take an enemy by surprise."
(OoC: Sorry if that's pathetic. My head is pounding.)
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