Solo A Honing of a Body

[Crylon Stonecraft]

5 Summer 518 Crylon was walking into Thorin's forge for another day of crafting, when he was oddly enough met by Thorin himself. Usually the man kept to himself, didn't talk a lot, or was back in his office if not working the forge. Crylon had not really spoken more than a few words to the man over the years he'd worked there, beginning as an apprenticeship and moving on to other things. Now though he'd recently been hired for a new job using his skills as an Architect. He'd of late not been spending as much time at Thorin's working, focused on his job as he was. He assumed this was why Thorin was wanting to talk with him. When the smith opened his mouth therefore Crylon was not immediately surprised by his words. He was however somewhat surprised by his acceptance. “So, I hear you've got a new job? Well, congratulations. You can still come by, do some work, forge, if you want, we can always use an extra skilled hand. But I'm not going to hold you here. Nothing wrong with moving along in the world.” Crylon, a surprised expression sliding into a smile nodded a few times, not sure what to say. “Oh, and I also got you something, kind of as a congratulations gift. Don't worry, it didn't cost too much, I got it cheap from a shop a few seasons back when it took my interest and they were trying to get rid of it, and its just been sitting in storage since. But I thought it might fit you.” As he said this Thorin eyed Crylon up and down once, as if measuring the length of a blade. The man quickly turned and walked off, returning a chime later with a large weapon in his hand. A weapon, in actuality, larger than Crylon. Or longer than he was tall. The long wooden haft with a metal cap at the bottom end was by itself Crylon's height of five feet. At the other end the weapon fattened and was covered in metal, steel over this fatter head. But that wasn't all, as along with the head being made of steel, in and of itself perhaps working as a decent club, that head was covered in steel protrusions- steel barbs each coming to a wicked point. And, Crylon thought to himself, when swung with the full momentum of the length of the haft coming to strike with considerable force. A blunt and a piercing weapon, all in one. “I thought it'd fit you. You being an Isur, you could use something with a bit of reach, since you don't naturally have much of one. But I'd advise getting some training in how to use it, or your more liable to hurt yourself than whatever you swing at. Maybe the Dojo on the lakeshore.” “Thorin... I... Thank you...” Crylon reached out, taking the offered weapon in a two handed grip. The head stood above his own, the extra foot of barbed steel as if it stood atop his noggin. “Its called a Wolf's Teeth Club, after the points on the head. Now go on, get out of here and do what you do.” Crylon nodded, thanking Thorin once more before heading out. He'd stopped by his room to drop off the weapon, as he didn't think it would be wise to bring a live weapon with him to train until he'd learned how to use it. Then it'd be a ride across the lake to the lakeshore, to find the Dojo Thorin had mentioned. He'd not considered it before, but it did seem a good idea to learn to fight, both with a weapon and without one. WC: 618

[Crylon Stonecraft]

It didn't take Crylon long to find the Dojo on the lake shore. It was a small facility, at least compared to the Lumber Company and its numerous and expansive structures he'd been frequenting of late. He'd run into a man on the ride over, carrying a sword at his waist and looking quite rough, who after a bit of questioning he was able to learn was heading to train at the Dojo. Not directly under the owner, but just some sparring with however happened to be around in the main room. Crylon found himself, for once, able to simply follow someone to his destination rather than having to endlessly search. While as an Isur Crylon had a good sense of direction, and once he knew where a place was could usually find it, being somewhat new to Ravok not having grown up there he didn't know where everything was. The building itself didn't have signage indicating what it was, it was apparently simply known for its usage. Or perhaps, Crylon pondered, it worked through word of mouth and other indirect means of bringing in new people. That was after all how he'd gotten there, he'd been told by Thorin to come and train. Opening its namesake wooden door, Crylon peered around to get his bearings. The front area was a sparring area filled with mats and a few pairs of people squaring off. At that time of the day though apparently the place wasn't too busy, perhaps with more customers early in the morning before heading out for a days work or later in the day after people finished their days labor. Crylon's job though was less time sensitive, as he could examine buildings whenever so long as there was enough light to see by. He was inside about a chime, peering about and examining everything he could, before he was approached by a one armed and one eyed human man. “Hello, I'm Johan. I run this establishment. I don't recognize you, you new in town? What is it you do?” He said it in the same tone Crylon had heard quite a few times, questioning him as a non-Ravokian and non-human. It seemed the best way to get past this was to simply state his facts and get past to other things. Taking his time, and speaking a bit slowly to make sure he got his common pronunciation down, Crylon spoke his piece. “I am Crylon. I was referred by Thorin, I used to work at his forge, now I work for Calico Lumber Company. I was hoping to train here, to learn to fight with the new weapon I was gifted, and without weapons.” Johan stared at Crylon, apparently judging whether or not he believed his words, unlike other people though he didn't openly stare at his left arm. A positive sign perhaps, at least in Crylon's mind. Or perhaps, Crylon reasoned, he was just more subtle than the average person and didn't need to openly stare to examine something... “Its five silver mizas for a day on the non-private parts of the facilities, or twenty five gold mizas for the season. Or for lessons, seeing as your a beginner, five gold mizas per lesson for a group lesson, or if I'm not doing a group lesson or you want a private one its eight gold mizas per lesson. I'd advise starting with a lesson, at least to go over the basics. My next group lesson is in three days, otherwise we can do a private one now.” Crylon pondered his words, running through the numbers in his head. Math, mental math, could be tricky, and he'd just heard quite a few numbers at once. Running through them as best he could, trying to practice the skill of sums and such anyways Crylon considered his options. Five silver mizas for a day.... Which for 100 days would be fifty gold mizas, five silver times 100, five silver times 10 to 5 gold times 10 to 50 gold. Take away one tenth to get to ninety, almost the number of days in a season... 1 tenth was 5 gold. Down to forty five... So roughly a savings of tweny gold mizas for the season, almost half, compared to paying for a season by day. Assuming he trained every other day... Numbers... Crylon nodded, his head spinning from all the figures he'd run through, getting the general idea that it was better to pay by the season. “I'll pay for the season, and a private lesson today to introduce me to combat.” WC: 763

[Crylon Stonecraft]

It wasn't till after he'd agreed, that Crylon wondered if Johan might have lied. He was still learning the fine art of negotiation, but it occurred to him afterwards that the human might have lied about when the next group lesson was, so as to get a lesson in now and at the higher cost of a private lesson. His word of agreement spoken however there was no going back, but perhaps next time he'd recall such a tactic being used on or by him. “Arlight then, come along and we can get a lesson going. We'd better start with unarmed, and we can move on to your weapon. What is it by the way?” “Ah, I just got it, a gift. Its a club. A... Wolf Teeth Club.” Johan paused at one of the racks of wooden training weapons, till he pulled out one that was somewhat similar to Crylon's new weapon though without the barbs on the head. It did have a similar length and build, but with a fat wooden end rather than a steel head. Waving the weapon held in his one arm the man led Crylon into a back private room which was currently unoccupied, but which had mats across the floor similar to the front main room along with a small somewhat empty rack of wooden weapons. Setting the facsimile wooden weapon on this, he turned to Crylon and waved him towards the center of the room. “Now, first things first about combat. If you don't know what your doing and are facing a skilled opponent, your more likely to hurt yourself than them. Anyone can fight, but it takes skill, training, and time hardened reflexes to be good. Use what you have, learn it, and develop it. That means bodybuilding for strength, acrobatics for moving and avoiding attacks, and the various styles of unarmed combat of which there are many. Each with their own focus and typing.” As he continued to speak, and went in on the more specific fighting styles, Johan would mime punches, make moves and fight invisible foes, and in various ways show examples of the fighting style he was describing. “Basic unarmed combat is just that, basic, standard, but well defined. You use your hands, feet, your whole body, to fight. At higher levels there are more specific fighting styles, but at the basic level its all the same. Punches. Kicks. Moving to avoid attacks, or blocking a strike. Standard stuff to be drilled over and over. Taking on a stance to fight in, holding and using it, that is the basics we will be learning today.” “There is also wrestling, which focuses on in close quarters combat, right up against who you are fighting. It focuses on leverage and pinning or controlling your opponents body. Boxing is all about movement and punching. Lastly brawling is basically everything else, using anything you have or can get your hands on including random bits or bottles or such and fighting as such. Each has their own merits and uses, though its not a bad idea to learn a bit of them all.” “We'll start out with your stance. Knees and elbows slightly bent, body squared and solid as if to take on a tackle. Like this.” Crylon, doing his best to imitate the man's movement bent his knees a bit, bent his elbows and kept his arms limber, and did his best in general to take on a good form. Johan shook his head and used his one arm to reposition Crylon into a good form. Rearranging his arms, pulling them lower, bending and unbending his arms till they were just right. Then the legs, pushing them apart to the right distance, bending the knees to the right angle. It took several chimes till Johan was somewhat satisfied and was ready to move on. WC: 643

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Once Johan was satisfied, he had Crylon run over and put on some padded armor held in a trunk. The pair Crylon found closest to his size looked to be for a youth or older child, but admittedly fit better than the others and so he put it on. He supposed he was lucky they even had any that fit him at all. Once he returned Johan had him take on his stance again, and Crylon did his best to repeat the position he'd been handled into. Knees slightly bent, feet should width roughly apart, arm bent slightly at the elbows and held against his body. “Now, the first thing I will show you is how to punch. Its not just throwing your arm around. Its more complicated than that. First, when you punch don't just do so with your arm. You punch with your entire body, the force from your legs. Line your arm up with your torso, turn your hips and torso into it, and the weight of your entire body will be carried behind the blow.” As he spoke Johan demonstrated his words, turning his body into a punch with great force, pushing his arm out and shifting the rest of him to propel it. “You also want to twist your arm as you punch, to avoid locking your elbow. If you fully extend on the punch, say if you miss and the blow keeps going past your target, you could end up straining your arm and elbow. So twist, and don't fully extend. Now, make a fist, thumb out, and try.” Crylon did his best to imitate the action he'd seen, though only to very minor success. He push turned his body, swinging his left arm around and extending into a punch at an invisible foe. Glancing at Crylon's left arm, Johan paused for a moment. “I know its another color, but whats different about that arm?” Crylon paused for a moment, pondering what he should say to the man. But after some deliberation he decided it wasn't a secret, and besides the man couldn't teach him if he didn't tell him what he was dealing with. “Its more or less... Not destructible. Put it into fire, no burn. Crush it under a cart, shoulder maybe twist but arm unhurt.” Johan nodded, pursing his lips, considering Crylon's words. “From the way you say that, I guess the rest of you is not likewise, just that arm. So you still have to be careful, even if not with that arm. You also probably will need to be careful in sparring, so you don't go injuring someone. I'll see about getting you some extra padding to put on it for next time. In the meantime, be careful, and don't break my stuff. Practice punching with your right arm, I don't want you breaking my dummies. Now, you try. Punch the dummy over their in the chest, its padded so you should be alright.” Nodding Crylon headed over to the dummy against the side of the room, eying it. It was made of wood, but had padded armor on it which would soften any blows to it and to what hit it. Likely the reason for it. Twist turning his body he punched it square center. Then again. Focusing on his body, where it was and how it moved. Punch, twist turn his body and impact. Punch. After a few more tries Johan came over and guided his arm into the next punch, showing him the proper way to punch and form his arm. He wasn't anywhere close to mastering it, but his form was slowly getting better even just since he'd first walked in. WC: 616

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Having spent a bit of time practicing punches, Johan moved on to the next topic. “Now, next are kicks. Since your a bit on the smaller side, this likely won't be as easy as for some of the longer legged races. Just bear in mind with kicking, force is related to leverage. So no jump kicks, or silly stunts like that. If both your feet are off the ground, your kicks aren't going to have any force. Keep your feet on the ground, and use your body and other leg for leverage in the kicks, that leverage is where the force comes from. Swing around with that body motion, similar to a punch but different. You'll need to get in closer, since you've got shorter legs.” Johan came around the side of the dummy, and making a twist of his body swung his leg into the side of the dummy. He made another strike with the other leg, this time connecting with his foot itself on the side rather than on the side of the leg. “Next rule of kicking, don't use your toes. You'll end up breaking them. Hit with the side of your foot, the heel, or your leg. Maybe your knee. Never your toes, never a direct kick like that, or you'll end up breaking all of your toes. Now, you try some kicks.” Coming up close to the dummy, Crylon did his best to imitate Johan. He swung his foot into the side fo the dummy, hitting it with the side of his foot. Pulling it back he maneuvered his body again, swinging his leg so that he struck with his leg itself this time. It was when he was pulling back for another blow and swinging to hit with his heel that he managed to lose his footing and fall on his rear. Johan simply shook his head, not laughing or smiling. “Feet on the ground, solid. Make a stance. Rotate your body, turn it into the kick. Keep that other foot firmly planted though. If you fall on your rear, your not going to be kicking anyone. Again.” Letting out a sigh Crylon rose and dusted himself off, before returning to his assigned task. A twist turn swing of his body, leveraging his left foot on the ground and swinging the side of his right foot into the dummy. Back again, preparing, locking his right foot and swinging his heel of his left foot into the dummy. Then similar to Johan before, he grabbed the dummy with both hands and kneed it in the gut area with his left knee. Stepping back panting a bit, Crylon looked over at Johan, who simply waved him to continue. Another swing, kick, pushing his entire body into it and smacking it with the side of his foot. Winding up, swinging, striking with the side of his leg. Another wind up... He was halfway into the kick with his left foot off the ground when he felt a push on his right leg and felt both of his legs go out from under him as he slammed to the padded ground. Looking up Johan stood over him, clearly having pushing him in mid kick to knock him down. “Feet solid Crylon. Feet solid. Your heavy, I shouldn't be able to knock you down that easily if your feet are locked solid to the ground. Again. Until you get it right, and lock your feet AND kick properly. Again.” It took Crylon half a chime to rise with a huff of air, but when he did he resolutely returned to the dummy and continued the exercise. WC: 607

[Crylon Stonecraft]

After all of his exertions, a stitch had begun to form in Crylon's side. Johan had given him five chimes to rest and catch his breath, before continuing. “Now, lets try some defense. I'm going to throw a punch. I want you to try to block or redirect it with your right arm or hand. If your redirecting aim for the wrist, as that is an easy point to push and guide at. Though really anywhere on the arm can work if you can land the push and time it right. Here, throw a few right jabs at me, and I'll show you.” Assuming his fighting stance, knees and elbows bent, feet shoulder length apart, Crylon pushed his fist by twisting his body as he'd been shown. The blow at first seemed aimed at Johan, but with a small shove of a open palm in midair the blow blew wide without even touching him. Another turn, twist, punch, an extension but not full or over extension, and this time Johan held his arm up to block the blow and caught it on his forearm. Crylon wasn't going full force, but the block did make Crylon's fingers twinge a bit from the rough contact so he imagined Johan would have felt it likewise. “Right, so you see the principle. Now your turn. The only way to learn is to do, when it comes to this type of thing. Spend enough time doing, and you won't even need to think you will just react properly. I've got reach on you, and most humans will. Which means either you'll need a good defense, or some way to get within their guard to attack. That or you'll just have to weather attacks till you get close enough. But if you can block properly, thats preferred.” Facing off against Johan, Crylon held his stance, watching the humans hand and legs move about. He only had the one arm, but to Crylon it seemed to move about more than both of his own combined. When the first blow came, a slow half paced jab, Crylon neatly sidestepped it. Of course, with it moving as slow as it was this wasn't too difficult. The next blow was a bit faster, and Crylon brought up a hand to push it clear, shoving on the fist itself. The next one however was full speed and caught Crylon off guard. By instinct he blocked, holding up his left arm to take the blow. If the blow hit that arm full force, Crylon knew it'd probably shatter every bone Johan's hand. It didn't however actually hit. The blow got about halfway to Crylon before it swerved, as did Johans entire body. Turning the swerve into a spin Johan popped up next to Crylon, at the same time spinning out a kick which hit him in the back of a knee and sent him crashing to the ground. “I said use your right, not your left. You want me to break my hand?” Panting from the ground, not fully clear on how he'd gotten there, Crylon shook his head. “I just... Reacted... Surprised me...” A small smile on his lips for a moment, Crylon looked up at the human offering him a hand. Taking the hand in a grip Johan went to pull Crylon to his feet, however he barely budged and Johan nearly fell forward. “How the petch much do you weigh? Your not fat, so how the petch do you weigh that much in so short of a frame? Whatever, it was a good reaction, and in a real fight I'd go with it. But not in training, alright? Keep to your right, and I'll get you a covering and perhaps a thick glove for the hand. Might help a bit.” After a few more seconds Crylon flopped over onto his stomach, and from this position wormed his way up into a standing position. Another thing he clearly needed to work on. “Lets go again.” WC: 665 Costs : -Season Unlimited General Access 25 GM (Summer 518) -Basic Training, Individual Session: 8 GM (5 Summer 518) >Total costs- 33 gm

[Ruvya]

G R A D E

Observation +2
Mathematics +1
Logic +1
Unarmed Combat +3
Rhetoric +1

Thorin: A reclusive yet warm-hearted blacksmith
Wolf's Teeth Club: A deadly gift
Ravokians are suspicious of outsiders
Mathematics: Calculating best value for mizas
Sales or businessmen may lie to make a profit
Unarmed combat: Utilises the whole body
Wrestling: Close-combat focused on leverage & grappling
Boxing: Focuses on movement & punching
Brawling: Haphazard fighting using your surroundings
Unarmed combat: Proper form for punching
Isurians possess one indestructible arm
Unarmed Combat: Keep your feet grounded during kicks
Unarmed Combat: Kick with side of the foot, heel, leg or knee
Unarmed Combat: Kicking with your toes will break them
Unarmed Combat: Deflecting a punch
Johan: One-armed & surprisingly agile
Johan: A stoic combat instructor
Ravok location: The Wooden Door Dojo

✚ Wolf's Teeth Club

Great work Crylon! Don't forget to update your CS with your grades as they are awarded so that graders can grade you XP accurately. Just a small thing to consider; graders appreciate when skills are organized in tables as it makes it easier for us to see your XPs clearly, especially later down the line when you shall (undoubtedly) have many!

If you have any questions about your grade, feel free to PM!