Dummy Fight
Tenebrae - Friday, April 03, 2015, 10:23 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A03: Arena *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Like the Behemoth, Himself, the Arena rests heavily in the midst of the district. Seats line its sides like the forefront of a great stage. At its center is a noteworthy, if somewhat stained, stone floor. Each end is overseen by the opposing statues of Kor and Angoron, their arms raised and each holding weapons in gestures of triumph. Staged at a crossroads, their stone gazes stand in eternal challenge over the battlefield floor.
Construction here is on the massive scale. The Arena's stone form, carried piece by piece from the Redridge, on the shoulders of ancient oruch and formed by the tireless hands of the khazad, is second to none in craftsmanship. Ancient tribal and clan symbols, nearly worn away, show occasionally on the floor and at times provide places for blood to pool in ways that bring to life, if only for moments, memories of warrior traditions past. It is for this reason the Arena serves as a diplomatic grounds for some cultures, as well as sport and competition.
Beneath the arena's stage are preparation rooms for competitors, and retiring areas for the wounded. These unseen areas run alongside a cleverly, khazad-designed system to flood the arena's floor for certain performances. When flooded, the arena draws waters from the nearby Tornmawr. During these occasions anything is possible, as even the Nar-Sektoth have been known to visit from far off Am'shere, and display their powers beneath the war gods' banners.
The encircling seats provide a grand view, while vendors often walk the aisle ways between, selling food or taking bets. Clear as blood is the single, red line drawn down the arena's center between the twin statues, a universal symbol of competition, of "cross if you dare." At the far end of it, poised at its precise center, the beautiful face of Ceinara looks on, the traditional source of the two gods' conflict, aside from the lust and fire for battle, itself.
Te'Andra is sitting in the stands quietly nibbling ice in her fingers, and ignores those behindher commenting on blicking the fiew.
Munch wanders his way out of the storage area, dragging a few cheap practice dummies into the practice area. The metal man nods with casual familarity to the passing Arena Staff, obviously knowing his way around the place.
Te'Andra smiles, and nods to munch as he comes near. "Hello. What brings you here tonite?"
Munch peers a moment, magicite eyes blinking with a soft click, and shrugs. "Practice. Other places get mad when I break stuff. I don't recall seeing you around before." The metal man sets up the simple dummies, little more than wodden posts with a wide base, into a rough circle, perhaps twenty feet across.
Te'Andra says, "I enjoy the watching of combat issues. Being of the Magic side of things, it is never bad to know fighters and such types, it helps when one might get a job with the Guild."
Kroth has arrived.
Munch buzzes with amusement, stepping into the middle of the circle of practice dummies, and removing the large adamantine greataxe from his back. "Yeah, well, there's magic types, and there's Magic Types. Anyway, I'm Munch TerrorMaw, and this is Reaver the Axe. Nice ta meet ya."
Te'Andra nods quietly, and smiles. "Te'Andra TorsDatter, pleasure to meet you Reaver. And your Friend Munch." She looks on as the metal man goes into the dummy area.
An oruch can be seen entering the training area. He wears no armor and carries no apparent weapon. He glances around for a moment, noting who all is here before moving over to one of those kung fu dummies, the kind you can spin and hit with all the little stick arms coming out of it. He removes his robe and hangs it on another dummy next to it.
The DragonHead of the Axe blinks an eye, peering at Te'Andra. "The pleasure is mine, miss." The conversation is cut short as Munch begins to spin Reaver in great sweeping arcs, not so great for combat, but a good way to warm up. Given the speed of the turns, either the blade is a heck of a lot lighter than apperance would suggest, or, more likely, the golem is really quite strong.
Te'Andra smiles, and doesn't seem to react to the Axe talking. just another strangeness of the Small Folk. Seh tursn to watch the Oruch, and raises an eyebrow. "Hand fighting isn't the safest thing, I've found. But most of my fighting has been done where touching our opponents makes it worse"
The Oruch takes a few moments, stretching his arms a bit, swinging them around, that sort of thing. He then stretches his legs a few times, leaning over. The usual warm ups someone might do before doing some serious exercising.
Munch attacks, taking a quick step foreward as the axe swings around, blade slicing cleanly though a wooden dummy. A half-step, and the blade circles around again, chopping into a second target. A couple steps back towards the middle, and as the blade swings around, it... melts. The dragonhead softens, losing it's sharp edge, and turns, flying away from the haft with a thick metal trail behind. In a moment, it hardens again, a soild dragon head at the end of a short chain neck, attached to the long handel. Another turn in the air, and the heavy flail smashes into a third dummy, splintering the wood.
Te'Andra grins, and claps quietly when the metal man smashes and tears at the dummmies. "Very impressive"
When Kroth is done stretching, he starts with some slow exercises. Punches, kicks, elbows. The dummy turns with some of the blows and Kroth uses an arm, or leg, or steps out of the way to avoid the moving arms of the dummy. His speed starts to pick up after a moment, and the attacks become quite rapid.
Munch whirls, sending Reaver the Flail crunching into two more dummies before the weapon shifts again, the long chain going soild in an extended haft, the dragon head shifts back to a blade, though far smaller. Two more targets are chopped in rapid sucession, before reaver transforms once more, an extended claw upon the end, spearing into a final dummy from halfway across the established circle.
Te'Andra claps slowly for Kroth too, as she is an equal opportunity spectator. "Seems those dummies won't be threating The good citizens of the City ever again. A proud moment!"
Kroth frowns a bit at the comments, glancing at the woman for a second before going back to focusing on his practice. He keeps hitting the dummy and making it spin to attack him back, or however that whole thing works.
Munch buzzes quietly, Reaver returning to his Axe shape, as the pair peer towards Kroth. "Eh, is good practice. The whole back-and-forth thing isn't for me, but know it's effective for those who know how to do it."
Te'Andra says, "I tend to have to practice on squirrels and ducks and the like. I'm afraid it's hard to practice magic on inanimate targets. There's a finity for life that's part and parcel of the magic process. So, I'm always fascinated watching physical types doing their practice."
Kroth finally stops, stepping back and stretching a bit more. He turns and nods to the pair, focusing on Te, "You speak of practicing magic? Have you considered enchantments on people who seek to learn how to resist them better? That way you and someone else can improve."
Munch mmms, nodding to Kroth. "Depening on the type of magic. Have see a small army of wodden dummies taken down with a ball of fire. Squirrels and ducks are quick, but not exactly difficult or fierce targets. Geese, on the other hand, are a true battle. The have -teeth- on their -tongues-." The golem sounds somewhere between impressed and jealous.
Te'Andra says, "I have considered that, but I'm focussing on energy manipulations and such right now. Perhaps when the Gods grant me more magic, I will learn such things. I am just a tyro in these effects. Barely able to claim Guild Qualifications."
Kroth nods, then points to the gauntlets. "And those? Have you trained with them along with your magic?"
Munch nods, starting to sort out the dummies he attacked; most damaged but easily repaired, while a few were ruined to scrap. "Everyone starts somewhere. Keep training, keep learning, and you'll be taking on dragons before you know it."
Te'Andra says, "They were a gift from my Clan when I went out amongst the small folk. I can use them poorly, but they are a tie from home, and pleassant to me.""
Kroth nods, "I see, well, if you ever wish to learn how to fight close up with them, I would be willing to assist you." He then turns back to focus on his dummy, and starts another series of blows and blocks.
Munch nods, taking up a chunk of broken wood, his face spliting open along both vertical and horizontal axis, the row upon row of adamanintine fangs within whirring quietly until the wood hits. A few moments of grinding, and the golem swallows, grabbing another piece. "So why Alexadros? There's lots of small folk lands you might have traveled to instead."
Te'Andra says, "I will thank you for the offer, and take you up on the instruction when I might have the time to take off. I'm not entirely sure when that might be, but it is appreciated." She turns to Munch. "It's where the mercenary company I joined released me from my contract" This seems fairly simple an explanation to her. "And I don't have money to travel on.""
Kroth continues to hit his dummy, doing the fancy kung fu stuff. Some of it isn't really that useful in an actual fight, but it helps build reflexes and coordination.
Munch buzzes with amusement. "Traveling is one of the best ways to make money, if you can fight. Just find a merchant heading where you want to go, and get hired as a guard. May take some shopping around to get a good wage. But this is a good place to be anyway. Centrally located, lots of interesting stuff around. And while the locals can be a little dull, most of them aren't judgemental."
Te'Andra says, "So I have found, so I have found. It has been a pleasure to meet the both of you, But I must to my bed. Enjoy teh day both of you."
Te'Andra has disconnected.
Kroth continues to exercise for a while on the dummy, but finally stops and grabs his robe, though not putting it on yet.
Munch cleans up the rest of the scrap, putting the merely damaged dummies away to be repaired. Glancing to Kroth, he inquires "Anything interesting planned?"
Kroth looks to Munch, then shrugs, "Nothing planned at all really. I was probably going to run for a while before heading to get a late meal. I don't feel like I've worked out enough today."
Munch nods. "Think I'd head into the woods, see if can find anything dumb enough to attack me. Caravans tend to be safe, but always that guy who gets seperated."
Kroth chuckles, "I am not sure what would be foolish enough to attack you, I saw you with the axe, it was impressive. Maybe I can go with you and be your bait, I seem to always draw things to attack me."
Munch ehs. "Bandits can be dumb, espically if they think you're outnumbered. Few monsters that just attack whatever moves. And spiders seem to go after me a lot. I think it's the wings, their little brains see 'bug' and go for it."
Kroth nods, "Perhaps that is it. I have not had too many encounters with spiders yet. Mostly things like Ogres and such, I always seem to run into large things."
Munch nods. "'Large' is a pretty relitive term. Went the townsfolk say there's a large spider in the other room, they mean as big as their hand. In the woods, we mean as big as a horse."
Kroth chuckles "Ahh, yes, that is true. So many people have a different view of things."
Munch nods, and peers a moment. "You use you fists for combat, or was that just a practice thing?"
Kroth nods, "I am trained with my fists, though of late I've been using some brass knuckles. Its easier to have them enchanted than my hands, and some creatures require magic to harm. I am learning how to harm them with my bare hands though."
Munch nods. "I've always favored an axe, though of course Reaver now takes presidence. Never quite got into bare handed fighting, though have done well enough with my own take on it." The golem holds out a hand, and the rubbery flesh pulls back from the fingertips, leaving sharp silvery claws exposed.
Kroth nods as he looks at the claws, "Quite useful. One thing I will not be able to do with my hands is cut things like you can. It can be a problem."
Munch nods, and taps Reaver. "One of the reasons I enchanted Raeven to shift forms. Have run into a few too many things that don't cut properly. And being able to get some extra reach from the deal is a nice bonus."
Kroth pulls out a set of brass knuckles from a pocket of his robe, he looks them over, "I could probably get this to do the same, small weapons of course, but something to cut with would be useful in some cases."
Munch nods. "It's powerful magic, but if you've one particular item already heavily enchanted, can be a nice add on. If just need something to cut, might be easier to just carry a knife. I've still a simple sap from a job over a year ago, needed to take a guy alive. Not something I'm very good at, though we got the job done."
"Taking someone alive is something I could do easily, without the troubles others might encounter." He holds up a hand, "I know several places to hit on people that can cause them to be disoriented or to completely knock the wind out of them. Its one of the more in depth parts of my training."
Munch nods. "I tend to just hit it until it holds still. 'Subtle' isn't really my thing."
Kroth nods, "Sometimes it is simply easier to hit them until they stop moving."
Munch nods, and glances towards the sky. "Any case, I'd best get going. The hour's growing late, and I should grab something more substancial to eat. Will see you around."
The oruch nods, "Good luck in the forest." He starts to put on his robe as you depart.