Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Welcome to the Warder Yards. This is the place for Warder and Trainee roleplays. Informal non-training interactions take place here, as well as some extended role plays.
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Welcome to the Warder Yards. This is the place for Warder and Trainee roleplays. Informal non-training interactions take place here, as well as some extended role plays. Yet these events may take place at any area of the Tower, and sometimes outside of it, since the images to the left merely serves as inspiration towards the sceneries of your stories. Channelers are always welcome, and might even find his or her bondmate through the threads that are displayed below.
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Eve
"The Fires of Heaven"
Posts: 214
Joined: April 17th, 2015, 6:58 am
PC: Zhenquan
SC: Caddoc Svan
Location: Texas, USA
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Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Eve » June 1st, 2020, 5:21 am

Zhenquan put down the axe he had been using to chop wood and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His days at the Tower had become more physical the longer he had been here, and a part of him appreciated it. It kept him busy. Another part of him, however, was starving and more than a little aware that he still had about an hour to go before lunch. Even as he thought that, the bell chimed out the end of his chore time and he swiftly grabbed his shirt from where it had been sitting and put the axe back in it’s rightful place for the next person that needed to wield it. Stacking the woods swiftly, he exited the area and practically ran inside to get to a sink. He needed to rinse his face and arms before his training session in the Yards, or else he might get a chiding for looking like something the cat had drug in. He didn’t have time to change his undershirt, but at least he had taken off his uniform jacket while chopping, so that he wouldn’t be covered in sweat. Splashing water on his face and arms, he dried off and donned his jacket. One last running of his fingers over his hair (thankfully he had braided it today) and he was off, out the door and towards the Yards.

He arrived minutes later with about a minute left to spare before the next bell. Breathing heavily, he let his chest rest before entering the Yards proper. He glanced around at those training there, not for the first time marveling at all the levels of skill he saw displayed, and all of the different weapons. Moving to the practice weapons, he picked out the dagger and long dagger he favored, palming the long dagger in his right hand before heading in to where he was meant to be for the last block of time before lunch. My, he couldn’t wait for lunch.
Last edited by Eve on June 7th, 2020, 4:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Lysira)

Post by Bella » June 6th, 2020, 6:24 pm

The bell was still ringing as a woman of average height and seemingly average build walked into the training circle where the trainee had just entered and chosen a wooden practice dagger. She had bright red hair and hazel eyes that moved everywhere quickly and gave the impression of missing little; it was that predatory gaze that Gaidin were known for, even if the eyes were set in a face they seemingly didn't match. A hint of mischief lived eternally at the corners of her mouth.

"Drin Zhenquan?" she asked simply as she walked around to come stand in front of him and take in the look of today's student.

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Eve
"The Fires of Heaven"
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Joined: April 17th, 2015, 6:58 am
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Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Eve » June 7th, 2020, 4:51 am

Zhen had just been looking around when he spotted someone walking towards him. The woman had that careful look that marked Gaidin, and so his eyes focused upon her. When she entered the circle and came around to fully face him, he nodded his head. “Yes, Gaidin.” He said, standing at attention, his practice daggers held comfortably in his hands. The daggers themselves were different from one another, one was a long dagger. Long, but not yet long enough to be considered a short sword, it was gripped in his right hand and was ‘sharp’ only on one side. The other was a basic dagger, straight and short, sharpened upon both sides.

He let himself look this Gaidin over, knowing he was about to be in for quite the lesson. Though he looked forward to any chance to learn more, he knew that it would likely not be one that was comfortable for him. He steeled himself and tried to draw himself up to height to look like more than a new comer to the Tower.
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Bella » June 7th, 2020, 6:44 pm

Natlya inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement and greeting, although she never lowered her eyes. "Natlya Gaidin," she introduced herself. "And I will be teaching you a thing or two with the dagger today." Her eyes flashed as she straightened up, her lips curving up slightly in a smile.

She gestured for him to enter the training arena while she took up a pair a practice dagger of her own. "First, tell--or show, as need be--what you've learned so far. Or tell me if it's been nothing at all. I need to know our starting point." Pun intended.

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Eve
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Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Eve » June 8th, 2020, 5:07 am

“It is an honor to meet you, Natlya Gaidin.” He responded automatically. She obviously knew who he was, so he did not introduce himself. He did, however, respond to her smile with one of his own. He was one that had always been quick to smile. Then he gave a curt nod of his head.

“I am only just learning anything beyond the basics, Gaidin.” He said, lifting up the front dagger and taking a mock stance to indicate with the weapons. “I have been taught to use them a little bit before I came to the Tower, but I was never called upon to actually use that knowledge. Not until I was out in the world. Then it was…mostly untaught learning. However, since coming to the Tower I have learned much better footwork, and to work on my speed. The main dagger I hold,” He held it up, showing that it was ever so slightly curved. “Is to slice, but it is also to parry a sword here along the back, and to hook behind a shield and pull it away. The off hand dagger,” he lifted up the basic dagger that he used in his left hand. “Is for speed more than power, to dart in and plunge deep across vital areas. I have also learned a little bit about using my body as well as my daggers..” he thought of his last spar, and how he had been surprised when his opponent had swept his feet out from under him, and how she had later rolled away from an attack.
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Bella
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Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Bella » June 23rd, 2020, 8:58 pm

Natlya listened, nodding here or there to acknowledge that she had heard what he said. "Experiences in your life prior to coming to the Grey Tower can be very useful," she commented when he had stopped. "In some instances, we use them as lessons about what not to do again..." She smiled wryly. "While other things, we actually can learn to adapt to our training and use in better ways."

If there was anyone in the Tower who knew that latter lesson, it was Natlya herself. The thief and conwoman turned guardian of the world's servants and saviors?

"First of all, we're going to do a little training with just one dagger for the time being," Nat said, nodding at the pair of them in his hands. I am sure that you are doing well utilizing both, but we will focus on perfecting the walk before we perfect the run." She smiled and gestured for him to set the second dagger aside. "We'll get back to it. I promise. For now, you said you've learned basic footwork and I presume stance? I'd like to see your offensive and defensive stances. Moving between the two if you feel so enthused."

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Eve
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Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Eve » June 27th, 2020, 4:49 am

Zhenquan returned her smile. He did understand unlearning bad habits. He was pretty sure he had picked up a few on the way here, learning how to defend himself. He nodded his head, and kept his attention upon her. When she said he’d be working with only one dagger today, he frowned. Just one? That would be like moving about on one leg… He knew that some could fight like that but…that was not the way he had been taught. Then again, there was a large chance that there would be times he would lose one dagger or another, so it would probably be a very good idea to learn how to handle that situation. He nodded to this, as well. Looking down at his smaller, off hand dagger he seemed like she was asking him to tie his hand behind his back, but he obeyed her and moved to the side to place it upon the practice rack with the others. Then he returned to her.

He nodded. “Yes, Gaidin.” He said. “Yes, I have learned a few stances as well. It will be strange with the weight of my weapon off, but I will do my best.” Holding the long dagger in his right hand, where it belonged, he slipped back into a defensive stance. His empty hand was before him, out and open to balance him as he held his long dagger a few inches behind, the sharp edge out, the rounded edge about fourteen or so inches before his chin. His shoulders were relaxed, his right hip cocked slightly back, and his right foot back and slipped out at a forty five degree angle. The left food was forward, squared with the hip above it, and pointed out towards his imaginary opponent. From here he could shift his weight easily and move, when it was called to. He was still working on his speed, but this part at least was easy.

Holding it for a moment, softly bouncing to keep his balance light, he then shifted into a more aggressive stance. This was almost the opposite of the defensive one for his upper torso. His right hand slipped forward, out furthest now, the sharp edge still out but the blade cocked diagonally up now. His left hand pulled closer to his face, palm open and out to grab (he guessed) or block. Right shoulder now up and back alert and erect, he seemed poised and waiting. His feet had stayed with left foot forward, right foot back, but his left foot had slid closer in, making his profile slimmer, and he had gone up onto the ball of that foot so that he could strike and move swiftly. He held this stance as well, looking into his teacher’s eyes to see how he had done.
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Bella » July 5th, 2020, 6:01 pm

"Very good," she commended, taking in his stances as he moved from one to the other. "Which one do you prefer? What do you see as the benefits and drawbacks of each?"

After the answer and response, she continued, "Your basic strikes... I presume you know both the cutting and piercing strikes? Please demonstrate."

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Eve
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Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Eve » July 9th, 2020, 5:36 am

“Honestly,” he said after a moment’s thought. “I prefer the defensive stance more. It is more...” He thought about this for a moment. “More...varied in what you can do with it. You can move more freely, shifting left or right by changing very little about your pose. The offensive stance is higher up, making your balance more precarious. It’s something you shift into, use swiftly during the actual clashing, and then back away and move back into the freer defensive stance.”



He nodded his head at her next command. “Yes, Gaidin.” He said. Shifting back into the afore mentioned offensive stance, he brought his right hand, holding his now lone dagger, across from left to right in a cutting strike that would have caught the assailant across the throat. His thumb stayed on the top of the hilt, guiding his strike at all times, his other fingers curved under the hilt to provide stability. He brought the knife out wide to give himself room and moved low. Switching his hold, he laid the flat of the blade against his forearm, now holding the dagger so that it pointed down towards his arm. He brought his hand back up, cutting the air from low right to high left in another basic cutting strike. Then he stepped back, switched the dagger back into its original, basic hold, and steppd forward again as he stabbed the air straight forward, towards an invisible stomach, placing the weight in his hips and the power in his shoulder and popping it out at the last moment. That done he returned to defensive stance and looked at the Gaidin to see how he had done.
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User avatar
Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Dagger Training (Attn: Natlya)

Post by Bella » July 11th, 2020, 9:50 pm

Natlya listened, and then she watched. These were two skills that she had already been somewhat exceptional at prior to being hauled into the Grey Tower--somewhat unwillingly--all those years ago. As a little thief and grifter on every city street she came upon, watching and listening were very important. Who knew they would be as important in her latter life?

"Good," she complimented with a nod. "I see that your previous training and experience has done well for you." A faint smile curved the corner of her mouth as she inclined her head--ever-so-slightly. Her gaze never dropped from his, although that was instinct now more than it was a conscious decision. "But as they say, your offense is only as good as your defense."

Okay, so, really, she wasn't sure who "they" were, but she knew it was true so she was just going with it.

Now she brought up her own wooden blade. "I will strike, and you will defend." For a moment, she was taken back to her time in the class where she had learned these same things. It seemed so long ago... "I will move slow. This is about you showing me what counters you know and can use familiarly. Any questions before I begin?"

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