Solo On the Open Sea

[Alric Wilmot]

Summer 33rd of 513 AV Alric took a big whiff of the sea air, finding the smell a pleasant one. He had been at sea before, and he found it refreshingly familiar. The sea reminded him of the home he had left behind. He had never re-built the Wilmot Manor after its destruction. It might be time he did so. Of course he would have to come up with the money first. He left the side of the deck and made his way to the middle of the ship. He observed the crew working at their stations, cleaning wood and inspecting rope. They had grim faces, not altogether happy at their lot in life. It almost made him stop smiling, almost. He had once again gotten the captain to arrange a training session each day they were at sea so that Alric might one day actually use his sword. He had protested at first, but a dose of hypnotism had helped him became much more understanding. Each man now got to choose between dueling Alric in the middle of the ship or cleaning the chamber pots, though they couldn't choose Alric if someone else already had for that day. It provided a nice incentive to allow Alric a new partner frequently. The man he was to duel in the next chime was the first that he had faced twice. Alric had lost badly the last time they'd dueled. But Alric had told the crew at lunch that he had a few tricks he was going to show off. Much like in the Wildlands with Nathan and his merchants, he found wearing a robe such as his made people assume you were a wizard, and while not many people trusted the magically-inclined, their money was just as welcome as anyone else's. Still, at his boast, several people had thought to clean chamber pots rather than duel him. The exception was Marcus. He was a thick and powerful man with long braids of hair and a deep tan. He had humiliated Alric the last time they'd sparred, or would have if Alric cared about such things. Many of the crew assumed Alric had a grudge, and was about to unleash his terrible magic. While Alric was hardly upset at a defeat (honestly it was expected) but he enjoyed playing on their expectations. Marcus emerged from below deck garbed as he usually was, barefoot and bare-chested. His body rippled with muscle, and he was quite intimidating. But Alric had gotten to talking to the man and he was far from cruel or unfair. He was a man quick to anger, quick to laugh, and quick to forgive. As decent a man as any. He held a cutlass in his hand, a shorter sword often used on ships to avoid getting the lining cut. It wasn't quite so needed on this particular ship, a very large one that made its money on passengers. But tradition was well ingrained on every man here on the Suvan. Alric took out his own blade and bowed. "Ready for our re-match, Marcus?" "Won't be much of a match, little man. I like you, but even your conjurer's tricks won't help you against my steel." "Then I'll just have to yield if it should get too dangerous ." Marcus laughed at that. "Not many men would admit they were willing to yield, where is your pride? Did you sell it for that fancy robe?" Alric laughed too, though much longer than Marcus seemed comfortable with. "Afraid not, they took Miza. Pride it seems is not all that rare to come by. Now! Let us begin." Alric took out his blade and stepped into a passive stance, his right side extended toward Marcus. He stood at an angle, to allow him maximum reach. It did little, however. Though Alric had the longer sword, Marcus had the longer arm. That meant that their reach was much the same. Marcus did not bother with a stance. He was stronger, faster, and knew it. He wasn't much of a swordsman, but he made up for his lack of skill in his superb health and fitness. He rushed at Alric with his cutlass held forward. Alric used his rapier to guide the blow away from his body, as Bones had taught him. Marcus had put too much weight into the blow and stumbled past Alric. It didn't help that cutlasses were less than superb stabbing weapons. They were meant to slash. Yet as soon as Alric thought it, Marcus spun on his heal and had the blade come up from his side in a slashing motion. Alric jumped back that time, not trusting his sword to properly deflect it. Alric stumbled on the wet deck, and Marcus came at him again. Alric flung his sword upward, but had it angled downward. When Marcus's blow struck, Alric put his weight onto the other end and had the blow properly deflected. Alric had a bad habit of being defensive, and took this opportunity to take the offensive. Marcus was close now, and up above him. Alric stabbed at the man's torso in an upwards motion. Marcus saw it coming however, and slashed his cutlass downwards, swatting the blade away. Alric did not let up, however, and stabbed yet again using his footing to get as far away as he could without compromising his reach. Again it was blocked. Neither of them were all that skilled, and their swords often missed the mark entirely. Marcus would swing his about like a club, and While Alric had some small knowledge, and that allowed him to keep up. However he did not have the physical conditioning to keep the fight going for long. Much like the last time they fought Alric began to sweat and pant, becoming sluggish. Marcus let out a single bark or laughter. "It seems you just can't keep up with me, little man! Best give up soon." Alric took the breach in fighting to catch his breath before responding. "Ah, but you've yet to see any 'Conjurer's Tricks!', my good friend." At this Marcus stopped his smiling and gave Alric a sour look before bounding forward. Alric took his left hand and placed it above his rapier. With a quick sliding motion his hand traced the blade, with dark purple flames appearing behind. Marcus stopped in mid-step, wide-eyed. Several of the crewman had stopped their duties as well, deciding the spectacle was more important than their duties. The flames were illusory of course, only able to be seen, not heard, smelled or felt. But the fact that they could not be smelled or heard as they crackled along his blade only made them seem more ominous to the ignorant sailors. It was then that Alric sent a tendril of his djed into Marcus's mind. Alric wanted to use his sword, true. But he also knew he'd never use it alone. As such, he wanted to practice using his stronger skills in conjunction. That way when the time came he would know what worked and what didn't. Marcus had yet to move, staring at the flames with a look of trepidation. Alric decided to fix that. He sent a small innocuous sentence through his tendril, sending a thought into Marcus's mind. "So what if the sword's on fire? Steel can't burn, and he won't be touching me." Alric gave off a grin as he saw Marcus's fear dissolve, his own thoughts bolstering the implanted one. Marcus moved forward, slowly this time. He slashed his cutlass in a flurry that Alric found daunting. He stepped back, only blocking the strikes he couldn't dodge, the illusory flames bursting in a fantastic explosion as he did so. Alric let the blows come, keeping his sword firmly in hand. It was incredibly difficult. The two of them moved back and forth on the moving deck, Marcus mainly ignoring it as he was used to such things. Alric had a much harder time, as he tripped and caught himself as often as he caught Marcus's sword. He no longer saw the flames as awe inspiring, since Alric had yet to do anything with it. Alric set his face in grimace. It was time to end the fight. He strengthened his connection as he jumped out of the way of Marcus's wild swings. He sent forth visions, hallucinations of Marcus getting skewered, sliced, and otherwise killed by Alric's blade. Alric did not give him time to understand those images. Alric went on the attack, stabbing at the man's feet, his chest, his head. Each time the powerful man was a little slower. Alric sent an emotion through the strand, a hint of fear. Another hallucination soon followed of Marcus being consumed by purple fire. Alric stabbed forward again, but was blocked by Marcus once more. Alric's blade was locked with Marcus's own, and the crewman all stared in curiosity. The fight had been far more intense than any of Alric's others. Marcus rose his cutlass and brought down all his weight with it, that was his defeat. Alric took his sword and guided the cutlass to the side, taking Marcus's tremendous force and making him fall over for using it wrongly. Marcus fell to the deck with a thud, and Alric caused his purple flames to leave his blade and engulf Marcus. Several of his crew-mates screamed curses and took out their weapons, ready to kill the wizard for killing their friend. But they stood still with mouths opened wide when Marcus stood, on fire, yet unharmed. He smiled and laughed. Alric had flooded Marcus's minds with emotions of joy and laughter, a surge that he was finding over whelming. He believed it was the flames, due to Alric's suggestions. Finally, Alric cut the connection to Marcus's mind and waved his hands. The Flames died, and Marcus was left unhurt. Though he looked quite confused. His crew-mates were quite baffled as well. "Well, my friend, it seems I've won today. Though I imagine you won't take it so hard. Seemed to me you were enjoying yourself." Marcus let his cutlass lay on the rolling deck as he inspected his hands and arms, looking for evidence of the flame. When he found no burns, he turned to Alric, slight awe in his voice. "How did you do that? Why did you do that? I haven't felt so...joyous in years." Alric just laughed. "My good man, I have made it my life's goal to make other people realize it's better for everyone if I win. The way I fight, I make the other man want to lose. It's that simple. I am no man's enemy, I do not seek to be. Those flames are simply an extension of that." "Yes, but, how?" Alric gave him a grin before heading below deck. "Magic!" The next day Alric was told by the captain not to summon flames aboard his ship, regardless if they burned or not. Alric also found that he received many more stares than before. But in truth he reveled in it. The attention, the mystique, the duels. He rather enjoyed his time on the sea. Every time he had been on it, adventure and camaraderie seemed to come with him. But as much as he enjoyed the journey, it paled in comparison to his destination. The city of Alvadas awaited.

[Meville Brightshade]

Goodies!

Name: Alric
Experience gained:

• Rapier + 2
• Hypnotism + 1

Lores earned:

• When to Block, When to Dodge
• Illusionary Intimidation
• Magical Reinforcement
• No Man's Enemy

Consequences:

• No more fire on the ship. Real or fake.

Notes: :

Good read! It was short, to the point, and got what you wanted to say and do across quite nicely. I gave you several points in Rapier due to your more intricate descriptions and lower level of the skill. And a hint of Hypnotism as it was a new technique you were trying that worked out! Anyway, Alric is an interesting fellow. I hope to read more from you in the near future!

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Final Comments: :

Questions or concerns? Just PM me with "Grade" in the subject and we'll chat about it!