[open] Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!

[disdainfully]

Who: OPEN!!! Anyone and everyone is welcome here, please drop in!
When: March 15th.
Where: The Thorsson backyard.
What: Sparring! Characters who have no weapons yet but want to try out something, or who want to try out new weapons, are welcome as well!
Warnings: Violence.


Imagine that there was a network post asking for people to come to a afternoon of sparring and training/trying to force echoes. There was a specific emphasis in the post for people to not bring powers or firearms into the mix, only all kinds of short range weapons - swords, axes, knives, maces, halberds, anything really. A part of the idea, as was explained, was not only to provide a place to try out different weapons but also to have multiple people use weapons in a small area, allowing for battle echoes.

So the day has come! The place is the backyard of the Thorsson's downtown store/private buildings, a relatively large areal closed off with buildings belonging to the family on all sides.

There are all kinds of weapons - real ones and some larp weapons as well - on a table in a corner of the backyard that cannot be used for sparring since swings, a sandbox and a bench are located there. Protective gear like chainmail and helmets can be found as well. Some refreshments in form of apples, juice boxes and bananas, all in open boxes, have been placed next to them along with water in bottles.

So those that brought no weapons can borrow those proffered, and those that brought their own ones can try out others as well.


[OOC: Please post your own thread starters and tag each other!]

Comments

Peanut Gallery

[youngestone]

Killian is here, despite being unable to put too much stress on his leg without everyone yelling at him. Instead, he's relaxing off to the side with Röska and Thalfi (the Thorsson's newfie and Effing-Huge-Dog-Killian-Doesn't-Know-The-Breed-Of) to watch the carnage. He does have his bow and quiver nearby, though, in case he gets bored and wants to shoot something.

[mysteltinn]

Owen approaches, with a backpack: different from the one he smuggled his sword in, at least. If the dogs worry him he sure doesn't show it, walking right up.

"Kils! Hey! Guessing you're stuck playing cheerleader, huh?"

[notbloody]

[There is a tiny dog on Thalfi's back when the dog comes back to Killian from a walk around the backyard. Someone must have placed the puppy there, and she seems to be doing pretty well, all in all, while Thalfi seems to barely notice her.]

[proudbraveandtall]

Yelling at him indeed. Obviously the entire family is keeping an eye on the youngest member, but Hjalti's keeping an eye and a half on him for even more obvious reasons. Killian may not be the silliest teenager he's ever met by a long shot, but he's still a teen and therefore can have really stupid ideas more easily than most people.

He drops by to check up on him, giving Thalfi a good scratch on the head as he takes a seat on the dog's other side. "You'll be out there soon, too."

[theboywiththebook]

The boy had been quick to notice the one guy sitting around with the large dogs doing nothing. It didn't bother him much for the first little while but as time went by it just seemed odd to sit and watch. So, it was about time to Henry go and ask questions. Except asking him why he's here soon goes out the window when he see's the bow and arrow. Instead he points and asks "Those are real, right?"

Thorir

[disdainfully]

Thorir will be available with three weapon combinations over the course of the day. He'll start out with just his new sword, Orcrist, then realize that his fighting technique implies the usage of a shield, and later try his hands at a battle axe.

Scenario A: Thorir comes towards your character who just arrived or is standing in front of the table with the weapons on it and greets them: "Hello."

Scenario B: They've already been fighting for a bit, maybe one minute, maybe a few. Right now, he's taking a step back to dodge a strike and blow and get s a bit of distance between the two of them, trying to regain the advantage of a superior range.

Scenario C: Swapping tricks and moves! So more a discussion-and-look-like this thing than an actual sparring.

And of course the obligatory wild card!

A!

[mysteltinn]

Owen arrives early: probably before anyone else not in the family, in fact. Ever since the invitation he had been practically vibrating with eagerness. Thank god his ribs were pretty much healed at the impromptu 'clinic' or he'd never be able to do this. Though, he probably shouldn't NOW either- but instead of broken ribs he just has deep bruising and a dull ache. He so has this.

The moment he feels safe in not being seen by non-Numbered folks he takes Missletainn out of his dufflebag, strapping the belt around his waist. Such he was doing when Thorir approaches.

"Hey Sir!" he grins, thumbing back at the table. "You didn't make all these, did ya?"

[lordofimladris]

More than anything, Eliot wishes that he could recall anything of how to use the sword which had been returned to him. It's an elegant piece, but a deadly one.

But at Thorir's urging he had come, and he had been patiently following Thorir's guidance on some basic moves until his muscles ached. "You have been most patient," he said with a grateful smile once they had finished another exercise and he has to take a small break, stretching out a bit. Perhaps he would be ready to try a sparring session later, he was at least optimistic.

B

[flamberge]

It may have only been a minute but it's been a good, eventful minute. This is Karl's first time sparring like this and he's honestly enjoying it. Thorir cannot be called a half-bad opponent and that only makes this practicing all the more enjoyable.

At the attempt at putting some distance between them, Karl instantly tries to close it back again and not let up in his attack. He rushes in with the intent to thrust the blade at the other man's torso.

[thebalrogslayer]

Gabriel's sword is long and two handed, but the blade is an odd, curved shape. He wields it with skill, though, that skill having returned with the blade even if he isn't yet quite tall or strong enough to put the strength and flexibility behind the movements that his past self must have had.

He's found himself the space to go through a few training movements, a serious look on his face as he tries to make up for the odd inbalance between muscle memory and actual ability. It's taking up more of his concentration than he'd care to admit, and while he's aware of the immediate space around him, he won't notice anyone approaching until they're within the danger zone: close enough to get in the way of his blade. He don't want to hurt anyone, and the sword is sharp.

[notbloody]

Gabriel seems to know what he is doing, and maybe that is why Floweregg decides that he looks like someone that her mistress needs to talk to.

So there is a little dog in the range of his sword now, headed for him. Someone needs to send people in the direction of her mistress so she'll not just have come to stand there with a sword and freeze at how to talk to people.

Eliot

[lordofimladris]

Where the sword had come from, Eliot doesn't know but the weight of it in his has too familiar to ignore. Hadhafang in hand, he arrives dressed in simple, loose clothing ready to try to figure out how to use it. His hair is tied back, a plain black elastic headband covering the tips of his pointy ears.

Honestly, he has no idea what he's doing with the sword. Aside from the fire, all of what he knows about his past self seem to be that of a healer. But here he is, he figures that he should at least learn to use it the best to his abilities.

Owen

[mysteltinn]

After bumming around with Killian for a bit, Owen is ready to spar. He has his sword out, swinging at nothing a few times. The weapon is in poor shape- nicked and battered all to hell. But oddly is also polished and clean. A piece of shit treated like a hunk of gold.

He certainly moves like he knows what he's doing... but at the same time is taking no care to not wear himself out. Echo'd skill but no physical stamina to back it up.

"Who dares to challenge the great Scion of Justice!" ...at least he looks like he's enjoying himself.

Henry

[theboywiththebook]

Henry had managed to get out of the house again, saying he was just going to a friends place to play or something. And he would be playing all right. With swords. So in the back yard with everybody else, Henry's already magick'd up his own sword from just a stick.

Currently he's just kind of swinging it around at some blades of grass. He's almost positive he used one in his old life. Want to comment on the kid's lack of form?

Now that I've compiled/submitted an echo list, let's try this

[proudbraveandtall]

There's a kid here. Why was there a kid here? It's not like what they're doing isn't dangerous - his memories are rougher than any of his family's, but he knows for sure that his past self could fight and that that fighting was not easy nor safe.

Of course, with all the crap that's happening in the city, kids probably need to learn how to defend themselves, too. What a world they're living in, huh?

But Hjalti is fairly protective of children, though he's not one of those people that underestimates them, so he watches Henry for a few moments before walking over himself. At the moment he's only got a very long wooden staff, not quite as tall as he is but still plenty tall considering he comes from a family of giants. The lack of form doesn't get a comment (although it's pretty obvious), but he does have a question for the kid.

"Do your parents know you're here?"

[sjokolade]

Meanwhile, Abby wasn't much better when it came to form. After finding out that she got an echo knowing that she used sort of weapon? She might as well start finding out how to better use it right? Of course, said weapon was a violin of sorts but she wanted a better weapon to protect herself with!

That was when she ran into a familiar looking boy when she began swinging around a sword. At first, she was shocked to see him here but then again...was she one to talk?

"Hey...what are you doing here?"

Fred

[seriallylucky]

What Fred really wants is to be useful if something like the Wise Snake shows up again. And his sword didn't even make a dent in that.

On the other hand, the sword in question did show up as a Pulse, which means two things. First, that it has something to do with his other self, maybe his preferred weapon, so logically Fred should have some level of head start or shortcut. And second, since the other self in question definitely had magic, maybe the sword will eventually too. Besides, he's already got it (which is more than he can say for any other weapon), so he should at least be sure he knows how to use it.

And to be fair, he does have at least some of that. He's certainly not perfect, but he does at least have an idea of how to stand, how to hold a blade, and how to move.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Fil wasn't sure what his past self's preferred weapons was; his past self carried so many and different weapons on him. A hedgehog, his cousin and past self's brother had called him, and it wasn't a bad description. The knowledge on how to use an ax had luckily come back during the entire Wise Snake business but more practice never hurt with something like this. At least his Uncle had a real ax for him to borrow this time instead of the fireman's ax he made do with during that mess.

"Hey...wanna try sparring against this?" He asked Fred when he saw the other man with a sword nearby.

Filbert

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Instead of a sword, Fil has one of the imitation axes his Uncle makes for ren fairs/cosplay in hand. All that knowledge about how to use an ax was useful, but he figured he should actually practice with it. He was in okay shape for a guy his age but Fil figured he doesn't have anywhere near the endurance or strength his past self does. Right now he's in a boxer's stance, bouncing a bit in place on the balls of his feet, axe in a loose grip with both hands.

Completely ready to start a spar, or anything else.

[youngestone]

It's while Fil is fighting some guy Killian doesn't recognize from his position that he decides his brothercousin needs a little heckling. And--well, he just learned a new language. Why not use it?

"C'mon, Fil, my grandfather moves faster than that!" He calls out the last bit in Dwarvish, snickering to himself.

Hjalti

[proudbraveandtall]

Hjalti had spent a very long time at the tables with all the weapons on it staring down at the various blades, real and imitation, to try and decide which to use. He'd always been a person more prone to handling problems with his fists, but enough memory-threads have come through that he knows vaguely that he was a fighter of some sort in that past life. Or maybe it's just that he knows no dwarf would have gone on that quest they were apparently on if they couldn't take care of themselves. Whatever the reason, he knows and completely agrees with why Thorir called for this session, and he's actually fairly eager to see what pops up for him. But... well, they all look so nice.

It takes him a good five minutes before he finally reaches for what seems to be calling to him the most - a pair of twin axes, obviously meant to be used with one in each hand, handles not as long as a traditional waraxe but with blades nearly as big. He's a big guy, and he's in good shape, so picking them up is no problem and swinging them back and forth in a couple of practice strokes isn't either - not to mention that recent pulse seems to have made a lot of things less problematic over the past few days. This could possibly be very, very fun.

He turns to look for a partner to practice against.

[oncedevil]

Okay, so, he couldn't keep his distance forever and finally curiosity won out over caution, and Tony found himself inspecting the weapons with interest. Granted he didn't know a thing about weapons, he'd never been in that kind of a fight before. Fists sure, maybe a broken bottle or blunt object here or there, but nothing that took real knowledge or skill to use.

These things, though, he didn't even know where to begin. And that was how, while looking in awe at the various weapons, he accidentally blundered right into a rather large guy with some axes. Oh god, please do not kill him sir today is an awful day to die.

Michiru

[elegantsoldier]

None of the weapons seem right in Michiru's hand but she is determined to learn out to fight. She wants to build some kind of endurance and it doesn't seem like a good idea to depend too much on her strange abilities.

She picks up a short sword, turning it over in her hand before swinging it slightly, getting a feel for it in her hand without looking behind her first. It's not something she's used to, the sword nearly drops from her hand when she swings it just a little too far, nearly cutting herself in the progress.

[vaimo]

"Oh, be careful!" Åsa jumps, worried for the other woman. She'd been watching her because the sword attached to her belt is of a similar length. "Are you all right?" On the one hand she is glad that she's not the only one that has a sword but not the skill to use it, but on the other... these aren't exactly training swords. Or hers isn't, at least. She doesn't want to see anyone get hurt.

Anthony

[oncedevil]

Maybe this was a bad idea. Some of these people looked huge, he was still injured from taking a statue snake to the chest, and horribly out of his element. Which is to say, around people when not panhandling at all, really. Not one to let his anxieties show easily, Tony sucked in a deep breath, kept his chin up, and tried to look like he thought he actually belonged there.

Nope. Not at all. This was a terrible idea why did he come here?

Oh, right, echoes. Because the only way he was going to be at all useful to anyone even potentially was to figure out why he was involved in this insanity at all, and if he was even capable of being useful to the cause. After all the griping about not wanting to be involved he felt a little guilty, so this was at least some effort put forth to try to accept it. Not that he'd admit that out loud, mind you. Only there out of curiosity, that's his story and he's sticking to it.

As such he was mostly just wandering around, watching other people do the sparring thing and whatnot, and trying to keep himself away from the weapons for the moment. He'd promised himself he'd not risk injuring himself worse. Unfortunately he was very bad at keeping promises to himself.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Fil was done with axes for now; he wanted to try a sword. Or maybe two swords, since his past self carried two on him. So here he was at the weapons table looking at swords. He picked up two, one in each hand, each not too big or long so he could pick

"What do you think? Do I look properly badass with these?" He called out cheerfully to Anthony, who he'd noticed hanging around but not actually doing anything. If the other man was here, he could at least look at the weapons even if he didn't feel up to sparring, Fil reasoned.

Abby

[sjokolade]

There was no way that she should be here right now. She should be going off, buying groceries for her family and probably get started on cooking whatever was going on for dinner. However, she couldn't help but be a little curious as to what this place had to offer. After all, she was defenseless against those attacks from the snakes. If she didn't know how to fight, what else was she good for here?

After much thought, Abby decided to go for one of the smaller swords. If she knew that she could fight with a violin, then this weapon shouldn't be any different right? Although, based on the way she was swinging it, it clearly showed that she had no idea she was doing.

[vaimo]

"Abby!" Åsa brightens to see another familiar face. And someone else who's picked up one of the short swords! ...And someone else who doesn't know how to use it. Not that Åsa can talk, the sword sheathed at her waist is still a mystery to her.

Åsa jumps back quickly, back out of the range of the sword, but when he's sure that Abby won't swing again steps back in, smiling brightly. "How've you been? Did you get home safely on sunday?"

Toushirou

[icy_heavens]

It was so much easier to get to places when he didn't have to lie to Granny anymore. She'd . . . taken the revelation of what had been going on and his part in it surprisingly well. He hadn't seriously thought she would react horribly, but he didn't expect the level of acceptance she had over the whole thing. Even got a Pulse off of that.

Awesome, accepting grandmothers seem to be a thing for him. He can definitely go with that.

Of course, allowing him to come here had only been contingent on him promising he wouldn't do any actual practice. He was in no shape for that, as the cast on his arm would indicate to anyone casually noticing him. Mostly, he just wanted to be out and about. Being stuck around the house wouldn't have been tons better than being stuck in the hospital.

So he contented himself with snacking, and watching everyone else practice. Anyone with a sword that was doing something wrong? He would inform them of their mistakes. Look, he was being helpful, okay?

[notbloody]

After a while, a small white puppy comes up to him and barks. Get her up on the bench, too!

Karl Aurion

[flamberge]

One of the people who drop by this little group gathering is Karl. How could an opportunity to practice with the sword be passed up? Granted, some basic ability had been regained, but it still feels inadequate for his tastes. Past him, this Kratos, obviously knew enough about swordsmanship to serve as an instructor. Karl HAS actually taught it to someone, but his own abilities still leave a lot to be desired. Only option: master the blade as he had the gun.

The best way to improve is through practice, especially practice with potential sparring partners, hence why coming here didn't even need a second thought. One odd thing to note when Karl arrives is that he brings two swords with him. The first one is a typical sword; the other very obviously isn't. The fiery one, the Flamberge, being used against the inexperienced might be a bit much, hence the reason behind bringing a regular blade.

The first thing Karl does upon arrival is a warm up. Jumping headfirst into sparring just screams bad idea. Once having placed the regular blade to the side (in an area he can keep an eye on it), he finds an empty spot to go through a few movements. Though obviously not someone overly skilled with the blade, any observer can tell it's not a novice using it, either.

[icy_heavens]

And there's this small kid here on the sidelines, just observing everyone. The arm in a cast is a pretty good indicator of why is isn't practicing himself. Most people are looking kind of hopeless with the swords, so he's been helpfully pointing out mistakes. Or not so helpfully. Tact can count for a lot, and he's bad at it. That being said, Karl at least looks like he has an idea of what the hell he's doing. Plenty of mistakes, sure, but not as bad as the others.

He'd comment on the mistakes, but that's really not a normal-looking blade the guy has, and that's what happens to be holding his attention at the moment. "Hell of a sword."

By appearance, anyway. His own looks very normal, but decidedly isn't. But he doesn't have it with him, of course; being unable to practice, and all.

Isabela

[mistakesmakeuswhoweare]

The fight with the snakes had given Isabela a chance to really use her daggers. but, all in all, she had to admit, she felt a little rusty with them. Like, she hadn't properly used them in god-only-knew-how-long. So, a little practice was surely in order.

Her twin daggers aren't just for decoration. They're fully functional blades, easy to use for quick, fluid movements. No hack-and-chopping here, thank you. She preferred a more graceful, sophisticated, and, yes, sometimes downright tricky mode of fighting.

Looking around, she doesn't see many other dagger-wielders. Swords and axes, sure. But not that many people favoring smaller blades like hers. Didn't anyone use knives anymore?

[hustru]

Siiri is standing in front of the weapons that are lined up on the table, a dog on her shoulder, studying them. She's not sure where to even start here - logically, she must have wielded a number of weapons, or at least been adept in one or two of them, but how to know which ones and how to decide where to start... Her hand hovers over an axe, then moves down to what looks like enlarged hunting knives to her. Hovers. Then she turns her head, looking over the people in the yard. What weapons are present, whom could she ask...