A meeting with a mage... knight(Andresciel)

[Antar]

"Personal Gain: No. Self Defense: I'd probably run away and call a guard as I pretended to shrlly scream like a woman. It's much easier here in Syliras to do that. Less bloody too when you have knights around to break things up."The rogue sighed a little beneath his cowl and pondered a moment, looking off outside the copse of trees before he spoke again. " But, I imagine I will be traversing through Syliras a lot over my travels these next few years. I wouldn't mind a sparring match with a knight or two again when I come through here. But for those instances I'd have to get permission as well I suppose. This is a one time thing. You'd have my word, that within Syliras walls I intend to stick quite firmly with all the laws and regulations. To do otherwise in this town is a sure means to get one thrown in jail or worse if some knight chops one's bloody head off their shoulders. Would those facts suffice to supplicate your concerns, Andresciel?"

[Andresciel]

The Knight nods, drawing a paper from his cloak, and slipping into the Temple. He came back in short time, with the paper signed and marked. He handed the note over to Antar with a smile "Here you go." The Male stated.

The note would read:

I, Andresciel of The Mage Order, grant permission to Antar to practice combat within the walls of Syliras under the duress of sparring or when defending himself. Should a Knight see this order, know that the forementioned is the direct responsibility of Andresciel.

Signed,
Andresciel

At the bottom, beside Andresciel's name was a glyph, a signature of the mage.

[Antar]

Taking the piece of paper in his hand, Antar nodded politely to the mage. To look at it could have been seen as an affront to the man's honor, but to not look at it could have been deemed stupid if it meant he was bound to wind up in hot water up to his neck for this. So he compromised, on taking a look at it a little later to judge if the missive was accurate, or if he would have to run for the hills.

Reaching behind him to his cloak he drew one of the two gladius he always carried and without a word stalked to the center of the grove. Deciding the terrain was suitable, he marked out a small twenty foot diameter circle, noticing that the grove was barely wide enough to contain such a practice ring.

Stalking back to the mage he reached behind to draw the other gladius from its holster and swivel it, hilt outward, in his hand. "You have shown me your abilities for use of djed with your fists, now it is time for you to give those a rest for a moment whilst I see your skill with a sword. So long as we are both careful, there should be no injuries."

[Andresciel]

He chuckles as he looks at the gladius, taking it in his hand. He had no skill with the sword, preferring gentle take down to brutal cutting force. His hand twisted the blade, testing its weight as he nods, holding it up like he saw a few of the fencing knights do. He had no clue what to do, but he could copy their moves, and without the use of his djed. But he usually fought without it, and so, he was confident about the spar as he stepped into the practice ring.

[Antar]

oocWe're going to do this strictly by Andre's present skill level so he gets a good basis for things all around ^-^. Feel free to use Antar as a meat puppet of sorts to rexplain the knowledge he's passing along for the swordplay in any way you need to.(just keep him in character )

Antar watched as Andresciel took the gladius by the hilt from Noth and strode towards the center of the circle before turning back to him. The knight seemed confident enough as he took a simple stance to face the white haired man. Underneath the cowl of his robe, Antar's eyes assessed the mage knight's stance, noting several weaknesses in his posture. His feet were set a smidge too far apart, the soles of his boots angled slightly too much in the earthen loam of the practice glade.

His hand placement with the sword was dreadful as well, one gauntlet holding it in a death grip as close to the crossguard as possible. That was good, for bracing for a thrust, but a poor move overall. Too much strength applied to the hilt was the same as holding a sword loosely in one's hands. It made you prone to being disarmed.

So disarm he did, with a single battering strike with the flat of the blade.

Andresciel's gladius went flying out of his hands as Antar stepped back to nod cordially to him to retrieve it, "First lesson: How to hold a sword and the parts of the gladius." Swiveling his grip on the hilt he began to note the parts of his sword and scabbard. Pointing to them in turn as he spoke. "Knowledge of the weapon you are using is probably the most important thing to consider Andresciel. Each weapon or type of weapon is constructed differently, rapiers for piercing, longswords for bashing against an armored opponent as well as slashing. Claymores and spears, or armored pikes for Horses or other situations. Now though I must say this about the gladius, as it's design changes from where you go, some may have slight differences but the parts of the weapon will remain similar or slight variations in the wave of the blade. The most noticeable differences in some gladius you will find to be in the shape of the crossguard, older are more round in the crossguard and pommel, eschewing the extra metal of the guard to block as they were made to work with shields as a stabbing weapon. Others, like mine: are made with a small crossguard so the weapon may be used by itself. Do you understand so far Andresciel?"

Secret :

The rogue looked at the man expecting a reply before noting, "When you hold a gladius you wish for your hand to be a half inch or two thumblengths below the crossguard, gripping the hilt hard enough to keep it in your hands, yet weak enough to allow you some range of motion. Try to duplicate what you see."

The rogue demonstrated what he meant by showing Andresciel visually how he held his sword, keeping his hand around the hilt in the common grip which was employed upon many a weapon as he simply stood and went through a series of motions, a combination of chops, thrusts, and slashes. If Andresciel was observant he may have noticed a slight pause in between each individual movement as Antar emphasized the slight changes his hand was making about the sword's grip in accordance with the type of attack he made. This was the first exercise he had promised the knight: to learn how to hold a sword properly in your hand.

[Andresciel]

Andre nods, watching the males movement as he adjusted his grip, shifting his hand down to half inch below the cross guard, shifting his grip with a sigh. He lifted the blade "And why, Good Antar, do you teach me a weapon I have no desire to learn?" He would ask even as he tried to make the strikes that the rogue did. But his were sloppy, and the only thing that made them even worthwhile was that Andresciel seemed to flow one to the next with a grunt. He was picking it up, but still the sword in his hand was only dead weight until he got a lot better.

He drew the sword back up, frowning as he stared at the steel thing as he tilted his head to one side. "Well I got my grip I do believe." It was true, that simple disarm technique wouldn't work as well the second time.

[Antar]

In accordance to Andresciel's questions about a weapon he did not wish to learn, Antar merely said his piece. "A wise combatant knows they cannot stand against an enemy with magic alone. At least when they are beaten, lost, and close to passing out with overgiving. In such times a sword or other skill will be needed. Sure, you can be unarmed, but just how much damage is your fist going to do if all you can do is wildly swing it? A sword's edge is sharper and better as a last defense. Even if you do not use it often you should practice till you are competent with it for a time you may have need of such a skill."

Sighing, Antar muttered, "To do less and moreover scorn is merely one fallacy that may end your life sooner then it should. Even if you become the greatest opponent in hand to hand, I would still beseech thee to not fall within the trap many other fighters do. Every weapon you wish to counter, you must first seek to understand. If you face a man barehanded with a sword, then you must know how a sword in a man's hands work in order to be able to possess an inkling of how to counter and survive. In short: Knowledge is power; guard and learn it well so you do not become easy prey to a man with a spear. "

As Andresciel practiced, Antar watched his motions with the blade, noting how his elbow moved with the wrist beneath the knights gauntlet. He would call Andresciel to a halt before moving in to guide three sharp strikes with the sword. A diagonal slash, A vertical chop, and a forward thrust.

On showing Andresciel the thrust he demonstrated that he should step forward to impart a measure of his momentum to his blow. Then he bade him to repeat the exercise to chain the three together before asking him to hold a second time to adjust the mage's stance. "Shift your weight so when you are in a regular upright stance so that two thirds is on the back leg, and one third on your front leg. This will assist you in your balance. Now repeat what was just shown you ten more times in a combinations as you consider my next words."

Taking a few paces back to let Andresciel practice, "The second truth you must consider: even mages sleep sometimes. When you sleep, you are usually unarmored, are you not? Consider what happens when you find yourself waking up to see someone in your camp with a sword above your sleeping form and you are too tangle amidst the bedroll or sheets to punch or kick. The only thing standing between you and death is the sword or dagger next to you that is within easy reach. So yes, Andresciel I will show you the sword, but I intend to show you a little more then that today. I do not gainsay you on the nuances of Wind use in your reimancy, as you are the more experienced, but with a gladius it seems I am. When you block an opponent's strike block with the flat of the blade, turning the hilt in your hand."

Circling again to face the mage with those words, Antar raised his own blade in a salute. Soon he would begin to show Andresciel basic blocks and parries, but for now he would be content to hear his thoughts on the matter and hope to strike a conversation with his next words. [color=orange]"Tell me Andresciel, do you know the meaning of the term: graduated defense?"

[Andresciel]

Andre nods to the males wisdom, his fingers slowly gripping the blade in the proper grip as he strikes downward ten times. He slowly follows through with the next set of ten, the vertical slashes, and then the last set. The forward thrust was the easiest, he even added a slight twist to the blade as he sighs. He thought about the term, graduated defense, before looking at Antar. "Building one defense upon the other, combining it together. Such as an armored gauntlet with a sword, combining both to defense." He stated, shrugging as he sighs, looking down at the blade.

He began to think, his mind flashing through the different possibilities of the gladius "I'll have to get me one of these to carry and practice with. The Wind Blade should be the same principle as the Wind Fist."

[Antar]

As Andresciel practiced the first steps dilligently, the rogue began to nod approvingly at his efforts. Centering himself six pace square in front of the the mage-knight. Antar spoke a little more, ]"Remember as I said that when you block, block with the flat of the blade. Normally I'd hesitate to give a novice learning any weapon, including myself more then a simple stick to try out with, or whatever training equivalent. But since we're both armored and going to take this slow to start I think practice will suffice. With each block, practice moving backwards in your stance to improve your legwork. As if you were sparring against someone in hand to hand."

Swinging his blade, Antar began to stalk forwards, driving Andre to determine where his strikes were coming from in each direction, but slowly to give him time to practice aligning the flat of the blade as blocks for an assorted number of chops, slashes and thrusts of the weapon. As Andresciel progressed in becoming comfortable with his current efforts, he might realize that slowly, but surely Noth was increasing his speed by a small rate. The rogue's face was clad in an indescernable expression which would to his more constant companions, only belie patience.

oocUse antar here to block a series of strikes, concentrate on your descriptions with the sword and how you are blocking and changing your pc's grip as he moves. There are many grips and a gladius can be a hand and a half hilt so if you really need to , you can block with both hands on the hilt XD.

[Andresciel]

Andresciel watched the gladius come down in a chop, even as he shifted his grip, and brought the flat of the blade up. His eyes closed as he heard the ring of steel against steel, feeling the vibrations up his arm as he sighs. The male opened his eyes as he watched Antar attack with a thrust, enjoying the simple weight on his arm. He brought the flat of the blade around, seeing the light dance along the blade as the flat, smooth steel met Antar's own. It was a clumsy block, but it knocked it to the side slightly.

The next strike came from the side as he steps back, grunting as he brought the blade to the left, stopping it. His free palm pressed to the flat of the blade even as he tightened his grip, watching his opponents feet. He felt the shifting in his arms that belayed understanding, the pressure in his mind easing up as he focused. He sent a prayer to Yahal, for strength, out of faith, even as he brought the flat of the blade down, striking another thrust aside. He could feel the speed of the strikes increasing, as he stepped back, watching the upwards slash come from Antar. He brought the blade down, angling the flat of the steel in a angle diagonal with his body to stop the other blade.