[b][sub][/sub][/b]
[hr][hr][center][color=778899][b]Richter // Hawkwood[/b][/color]
[color=9289e1][b]Olivia // Ebon[/b][/color]
[color=598527][sub][b]LOCALE[/b] // Pyrite Park, The City of Thorinn
[b]TIME[/b] // Morning[/sub][/color][/center][hr][hr]

Pyrite Park and Pyrite Square, a perfect place to shop, picnic, have a date, stargaze, or even just to relax. For a number of people, the square shaped park, surrounded by a plethora of shops and restaurants, it's a place to train. There were a number of trees, benches, and stone pathing scattered across the park, but the stretches of grass were enough for the small number of wayfarers. At the center of the park was a massive stone, its sides cut away into a square and images of great battles and heroes etched into it. The top was left untouched, as a large formation of cuboid crystal, metallic and brass colored, rested on the stones top. There were six intergrown cubes, three acting as the base, and the other three stacked on top of each other, reaching into the sky. The crystals were mesmerizing, it's surface rippling in an explosion of color whenever something or someone touched it's edge. It wasn't exactly pyrite, but it was close enough.

It had been weeks since Ebon first arrived at this park and started training, back then she was the only one. Usually earning herself a few strange looks. Now there were at least thirty people every day here, learning under one of the number of masters here. Unfortunately she found herself to be one of these 'masters'. As much as she would like to get back to her flow drills and jogs, she had someone to teach, and no matter what she did, rookies in all shapes and sizes showed up with that look in their eye. She looked at the small group of newbies sitting on the lawn near her, all paying attention, spears, polearms, voulges and glaives on the ground. Ebon let out a quiet sigh and looked at her 'opponent', the person she was supposed to be instructing privately, Hawkwood, Tyhrien's Loremaster. 

Ebon cleared her throat, [color=9289e1][b]"Right, get into stance. We'll be going with underhand today, focusing on your circles of defence and offense."[/b][/color] she unsheathed a dulled, generic saber and tossed the scabbard to the ground to the side. 

Hawkwood took a deep breath in, having finished stretching his limbs out. Surprisingly limber for a man as armored as he was, he was surprisingly able to do full-on squats in spite of his armor. Pulling his wooden training spear off the ground, Hawkwood gave it a testing toss to feel for the weight, before nodding. [color=778899][b]"Perfect weight. So, underhanded it is then?"[/b][/color]  he asked, shifting his stance accordingly. [color=778899][b]"Remember prospects, she's the one that knows what she's doing. Listen to her, and watch what I do wrong."[/b][/color] Taking up his shield to complete the combat ensemble, Hawkwood stood at the ready, going to give his best in his circles of defence.

Ebon stepped closer to the armored man, [color=9289e1][b]"Everyone has what I call circles of defense and offense, every weapon has both."[/b][/color] she explained. She tapped the tip of his spear with her sword, [color=9289e1][b]"The spear is normally an offensive weapon, thrust or toss. But with a simple addition..."[/b][/color] she slid her sword along the edge of his spear and the lugs stopped her blade, [color=9289e1][b]"the lugs will parry an opponents weapon. The thrust is part of the circle of offense, using the lugs to parry is part of the circle of defense."[/b][/color] she stepped closer. Tapping Hawkwood's shield, [color=9289e1][b]"Even the shield has both. Defense is clear, but offense is less obvious. Before we start on demonstrations, Hawk has a third and final circle, one which everyone has, armored or unarmored. Your body. You can use your body to wrestle, tackle, punch and kick."[/b][/color] Ebon stepped away and got into an offensive stance a few feet away from Hawkwood. [color=9289e1][b]"Now, I will throw a cut from above, Hawk, parry it with your spear, then push it away."[/b][/color] Ebon stepped forward then followed through with an overhead cut, stopping mid cut. Hawkwood intercepted the sword with his spear, pushing it away.
[color=9289e1][b]"Now my blade is out of line, and I have no defense."[/b][/color] She said, Hawkwood stepped forward, pushing the saber further away with his spear. Once in range, he made a punching motion with his shield, using the edge of the shield as his weapon, he stopped before the impact was made. [color=9289e1][b]"And that's the offense of a shield. Alternatively you can bash with the shield face."[/b][/color] Hawkwood brought back his shield and demonstrated a shield bash.
[color=9289e1][b]"Reset."[/b][/color] Ebon said, and Hawkwood went back to a defensive stance. Ebon picked up a wooden shield. [color=9289e1][b]"The lugs on a spear can also open up an opponents defense."[/b][/color] she rose her shield. Hawkwood thrusted his spear high, not quite reaching Ebon, but far enough so that the lugs of his spear went past her shield. He brought the spear down and pulled the shield away from Ebon.
[color=9289e1][b]"Reset, now this is trickier, and a bit situational. In a real fight, every part of your opponent is a target. As I retreat and Hawk advances, use the lugs to hook my foot. It will either make me stumble or fall, both of which will halt my retreat, and allow you to advance into an attack."[/b][/color] she said. Ebon went back into a defensive stance and retreated slowly, with Hawkwood advancing at the same pace. He thrusted low and wide, then brought the spear to Ebon's ankle and pulled at her foot, stopping once the bottom of her foot was clearly off the ground, letting everyone see. He let her foot go.

[color=9289e1][b]"Now, we'll get a quick spar in, then I'll direct you to a proper polearm master."[/b][/color] Ebon said, [color=9289e1][b]"Hawk, try and use the lugs of your spear more this time."[/b][/color]
The two readied themselves, getting into defensive stances. Hawkwood advanced and pulled Ebon's shield away, yanking at the edge closest to her fist. Ebon reacted by letting the shield get pulled, then advanced and pinned Hawkwood's spear between her arm and side. The armored warrior, his spear now bound, pushed Ebon away with his shield. Ebon placed her sword arm between her and the shield, using it as a springboard and letting the spear go, she was pushed back several feet. When she landed, she shifted her stance, going into a more offensive one with her right foot forward, a much more comfortable stance for her. 

Hawkwood advanced slowly, cautious, ready to parry any of her strikes. Ebon didn't give him the chance. She did a quick short advance to the side, then a long advance towards Hawkwood, pushing his spear to the side with her shield. She threw an overhead cut, Hawkwood moving his shield to deflect the attack. Ebon halted the attack, a feint, and spun the saber to strike under his shield. The hit landed, striking Hawkwood's back. Ebon had won this quick sparring match. Hawkwood nodded, understanding what had just happened, and relaxed.

Ebon stepped away, tossing the wooden shield aside, [color=9289e1][b]"Good work, watch the feints, your armor would have protected you in real combat, but it's better not to be hit at all."[/b][/color] she looked over to her audience, [color=9289e1][b]"There you've had your demonstration, now go to..."[/b][/color] she went on her tip toes and looked around the park, [color=9289e1][b]"Tokuma!"[/b][/color]
A girl wearing thick blue and navy blue robes, sitting, sipping tea looked over, seeing an Ebon Horizon on her tiptoes, and a group of untested polearm users. She downed her tea quickly, grabbed her naginata and booked it.
[color=9289e1][b]"Wha-?"[/b][/color] Ebon stared as the spear user ran with impressive speed, [color=9289e1][b]"Go catch her! And watch out for her cuts, naginatas are like swords on a stick."[/b][/color] Ebon commanded, the rookies shrugged and ran after the spear master.

Removing his helmet, Hawkwood held it under his armpit as he took a breath of fresh air for a moment. [color=778899][b]"Didn't see the one to the ribs coming. I'll have to remember that one. Last thing I need is a cracked rib halfway through a fight."[/b][/color] he said, a casual air to his tone as he picked up the training shield and spear, leaving the latter sticking out of the ground from its butt. The shield he'd leave strapped to it, before going to check on the horse he rode in on, having let it take a break to drink at a nearby enough stable to keep it in sight. Just as he was about to exit the training grounds, the familiar sound of feyling wings cutting through the breeze. His message was plopped right into his hand once he stretched it out, the feyling circling around before landing atop his shoulder. [color=778899][b]"Take it you got an invitation too?"[/b][/color] he questioned, pointing to the one that had arrived for Ebon.
The swordswoman looked up from the small message and nodded, [color=9289e1][b]"Lefig Lawn?"[/b][/color]
[color=778899][b]"The same."[/b][/color] Hawkwood said, turning over the message. [color=778899][b]"Wouldn't happen to have a pen on you? Last time I went looking for one I was washing Feyling crap out of my leather."[/b][/color]
[color=9289e1][b]"Think so."[/b][/color] she replied, walking over to her belt and pouches on the ground, she fished out a quill and ink sink, tossing it to Hawkwood, [color=9289e1][b]"The message said tomorrow, I'll grab food, water and medical, you grab the other stuff?"[/b][/color]

Hawkwood gave a slight nod, saying: [color=778899][b]"Roger. Meet you at the dungeon, then." [/b][/color] he said, penning his message before sending the messenger off. He'd need to resupply on rope and various other dungeon necesseties, plus a bit extra. Could never be too careful in Pariah. Getting onto his horse and paying the stablehand, he went off to the market, leading it by the reins on foot as he did his shopping.


[b][sub][/sub][/b]
[hr][hr][center][color=778899][b]Richter // Hawkwood[/b][/color]
[color=9289e1][b]Olivia // Ebon[/b][/color]
[color=598527][sub][b]LOCALE[/b] // Lefig Lawn, Guild of Acquisitions
[b]TIME[/b] // Morning, the next day[/sub][/color][/center][hr][hr]

Having pooled together their various resources obtained from Thorinn's marketplace and grabbed their equipment from the inn, Hawkwood and Ebon had arrived at Lefig Lawn and were prepped for the dungeon run ahead. 

[color=778899][b]"Wonder if its all just made magically, or if its just ancient and buried."[/b][/color] Hawkwood said, looking up at the impressive and dangerous structure. [color=778899][b]"Found a dungeon once that had a library. Most of the books didn't seem nearly as old as the place either. Almost feels like the world's cheating when it pops them out."[/b][/color]
Ebon looked towards the dungeon, [color=9289e1][b]"I don't think they're buried, seems like the type of thing that wouldn't be buried."[/b][/color]

Giving a light shrug with his shoulders, Hawkwood said: [color=778899][b]"Not many things seem like the kind of things to bury. Archeology turns up some crazy findings sometimes though. Ah well, that's not my field anyhow...Oh! Elian!"[/b][/color] he finished with a loud greeting to make himself known, waving to their elven healer friend from across the field.