He thought for sure that the kick would work, but she was already backing up. She looked a little out of breath though, so he went again after her in a rush, hoping to get her on her heels. If her hip wasn't responding quite as quickly due to the shot from the mace, he had a chance.
As she prepared to continue backing up, he slid forward, kicking at her thigh again, and this time upending her small frame. She fell hard and she did not stir much afterwards until she was hit with the healing wand. Daen was a little concerned and hung out until she was healed where he offered her a hand up. "You were pretty quick there, I'll have to be more careful of you in the future."
After heading back to his normal place in line, he focused his thoughts toward beating Jalen. It was coming soon, so hopefully he'd be prepared.
Kassie edges backward, stumbling a little and opening herself up to Daen's rapid attack. The kick, when it comes, lands hard against her thigh and she drops to the ground. When she comes to Kassie moans and sits up, gratefully letting Daen help her to her feet. "Quick maybe," she says, rubbing at her bruised hip. "but that's about the best you could say. I really don't like those big polearms - they're... inelegant. You sure had the best of me, it was all i could do just to try to stay out of your way. Oh, well" she grins We'll see what happens next week."
With a nod, Fisk moves forward. "And Daen protects his spot once more."
Jalen moves forward to make a challenge, and then pauses. He frowns in thought, as if considering and starts to walk back to the circle before shrugging and moving back. "Daen. Come, let us see who can stay on the top."
Despite his indecision, he does look confident of the fight. His eyes follow the magus's movements with a tactician's eye.
Daen is fortunate to receive a light weapon this time, although not something he's used to fighting with. The Isgeri Hussars, during the time of the original Taldan conquest were known for battling with hooked weapons that had brutal results from horseback. The nadziak that Daen holds is a lighter version of these with a ridged grip and a heavy counterweight behind the curved hook on the end. The dwarves of Five mountains use a similar weapon, although much heavier, that they call a drewno. Commonly, the weapon is referred to as a light pick.
The other is a rarely seen weapon and particularly strange. It is not something Fisk taught in his normal lessons. "Each of you trained in various rare weaponry. Jalen, this is one of the one's we worked on this week."
The weapon is dwarvish in make bearing a ten foot heavy chain with a round ball of iron on the end. The ball, in this case, resembles a closed fist. Jalen spins it experimentally and nods to himself, moving into the arena.
Keeping his reach, Jalen sends the ball spinning toward Daen. for
Daen grabs the light Pick and twirls it about in his hands and prepares to fight against Jalen, who seems to be quite adept in the strange weapon he has in his hands. Misjudging the reach of the weapon, Daen barely ducks as the metal ball clocks him right in the top of the skull and he crumples to the ground.
After getting healed, Daen stands up and boldly announces his intent. I'd like to have my challenge. Everyone else got one, so I'll also challenge for number one."
Stepping back into the ring, he mentally prepared himself for anything, including Fisk saying that this is the way it would stand. After all, they'd trained with all these kinds of weapons, but the one he handed Jalen was completely unknown to them. Fisk could have taken thirty seconds to explain what the heck that thing was and what it could do, and Daen was a little miffed about his embarrassing loss. What two losses would do for him, he didn't know, but he didn't want it to end just like that.
After helping Jalen to his feet, Jalen lets out a rare laugh. He nods respectfully to the half-elf and moves to stand by Fisk's side, reaching into the hat and drawing out a scrip.
Jalen gets handed a weapon that is quite familiar to Eilidh, having come in very close contact with her face. He hefts the greatclub but looks none too pleased to use the brutal and unstylish thing. Daen is the first to be handed a huge, thick weapon with a single edge and a long curve to the blade known as the kriegsmesser. This weapon is incredibly common in the River Kingdoms and an ancient Aldori Swordlord from there crafted his own style of fencing revolving around the weapon detailed in his Codex Wallerstein.
A pair of translucent, silvery wings appear above Jalen's shoulders for a split second and he dashes forward. He grips the weapon roughly and swings it, lacking any finesse, straight at Daen. for
Daen grips the weapon, keeping a stone face. He'd seen this one in action before, and he couldn't help but give what he knew a try. As Jalen came in hard, showing his wings again, but Daen completely reads his move. He unsheathes his sword, flinging the scabbard between Jalen's legs, sending him sprawling on the arena floor. Just by doing that, he'd regained his pride, but now he still had to regain his position. Swinging the large bladed weapon was difficult, especially at a nimble Jalen, but it was a fair bit easier with him on the ground.
Jalen stumbles backward, falling onto his back and takes a blow to the stomach. The boy's legs spin and he leaps to his feet only to take another blow to the shoulder. From the set of his jaw, its obvious Daen has seriously hurt him. Gripping the greatclub in both hands, Jalen comes at Daen with a powerful, over-hand blow.
for
Daen leapt to the side, but as the club came down, it was wide enough to still clip his ear. He lay there, staring up at the sky. How was it over? was his only thought as the world went black.
Fisk moves forward and grants each contestant a use of the wand and
"Congratulations, Jalen, on regaining number one. Daen..train harder."
Fisk gestures for the group to close around him. "The Trial for cohort two is currently ongoing. You are up next. You have two hours, then meet me back in this room to be led to the Trial"
The return to the arena is filled with silence. No one is sure what to expect and most of the cohort is eying the others warily—especially those who are near the bottom and are most likely to get kicked out. Nervous hands, cautious eyes and gritted teeth are common. Only Vorin and Elyssa seem relaxed and that, from those who know them, is simply their way of handling stress. Fisk stands in full Knight of Ozem regalia in the arena, his tabard hanging over steel plate. When the group enters, he says not a word but turns and stalks off—assuming they will follow.
The trainer of cohort one leads them through a winding corridor, down two sets of stairs and into a huge, spacious room that none had seen before. The fact that this may lay beneath the Bonewatch is awe-inspiring. The room has rows of benches lining the walls like a grand arena where many of the Knights are gathered—also in full regalia—to observe the Trial. Kassie and Eilidh know that the Commander usually gives a speech to the cohort before the trial begins, but instead Fisk stands before them. The Commander is no where to be seen and, in fact, there only seem to be a scant handful of Knights along the stands compared to how many normally patrol the Bonewatch.
”Welcome, Cohort One.” Fisk speaks stiffly, the words sound unfamiliar on his lips. ”Welcome to the Trial of the Rose. This is the first task set before you among many and the first from which your fellow cohorts may fall from your side. This is your time to shine, your time to show how you can fare against your fellows in more than simply one on one battle. Use your creativity and your wits to win.”
Fisk gestures to the arena. Arrayed before you is a large swamp full of murky, greenish water. Small wooden platforms ring an array of larger platforms of various heights. Balance beams and ropes link many of the platforms to one another, requiring the scrubs to clamber up beams or climb up ropes in order to reach the higher platforms. From your vantage, you c an tell that several of the platforms contain unique features. Two are covered in thick, thorny looking bushes. The two tallest bear giant ballista that swing this way and that with their own minds. Another is completely shrouded in darkness, hiding what may be within. Three others bear small sacks scattered along them—although what those could be is a mystery. All three with the sacks also seem to have stirges buzzing around them. And finally, one platform is completely covered in an open-topped cage. Two balance beams lead to the top of the cage and look down upon three large boars.
And, scattered amongst all of these you can spy several roses. One rose hangs above each ballista. Another above the boars. A rope leads down to the dark pit suggesting a rose suspended somewhere within that globe of blackness. These are the only visible roses.
Fisk moves toward the arena, motioning for the cohort to follow. At the edge of the swampy water, he turns again. ”Within this arena are seven roses and only seven. When you retrieve a rose, you must take it and return it to one of the starting platforms. It does not need to be your starting platform, any will do. Until you return to that platform, the rose counts for nothing. If you obtain a rose, your rank will increase by three. If you do not obtain a rose..not only will your rank be pushed down by those who go up, but you also decrease in rank by one.”
The trainer pauses to let that sink in. ”I wish you no good luck, but only hope you rely on the skills you have learned over these last four weeks.” This last part sounds eerily like Commander Andabar's speech on your first day here.
”On to the rules and regulations..as usual, there is a stipulation that no lethal harm be inflicted upon another scrub. All weapons must be blunted with magic prior to stepping into the arena. You may use any of your skills during the trial to best others. There are no other rules.”
Fisk gestures to the platforms and several servants begin calling out names. It seems each small, 5' wide platform is meant for a scrub. Soon, everyone is in their places and Fisk calls out with a magically amplified voice. ”Begin!”
After being healed by Fisk, Daen nods at his advice and broods a bit about his failure. He'd hoped that he had an opportunity to gain back his position, but training harder would be the trick. That was something he could do.
Upon hearing the explanation of the trial of the rose, Daen was excited. It is possible he could make number one again today. He prepared a spell for protection, it might be useful for him to have it during the trial, and the way that he was hit during the challenges wouldn't really have helped him.
Daen prepared to jump onto the platform, gathering his might. As he lands, he has his sword prepared so he will hopefully frighten off people who might get in his way.
Eilidh tenses, looking from side to side at Bryson and Aiden. She coils her muscles to throw herself onto the next platform, planning to head straight for the brushes and brambles on the platform across the narrow red balance beam.
Kassie waits with the others, ready to launch herself across the gap. Glancing at the scrubs on either side of herself she grins, winking at Jalen. "You know you won't be number one for long, right?"
Eilidh launches herself from the platform and lands in the water, stroking forward a few times and grabbing onto the lip of a platform and swinging herself up and over. Rolling onto the platform, she glances around and sees others heading toward various areas while she herself moves quickly toward the thorned bushes before her.
Pausing before the balance beam and seeing no one around, Eilidh starts across it.
Jalen follows her example, leaping across. "I will keep my position, Kassara! Although you are welcome to try." He flashes her a grin as he lands on the platform. He skirts around the dark void of a platform and instead runs straight toward another, leaping across another chasm.
Elyssa leaps across and tries to emulate Jalen's successful run. Fortunately, she sails acrss the second gap and lands at a crouch, drawing a dagger as she stands.
The cohort moves forward, swarming across the water, platforms and balance beams. A few tumble into the water, others soar across to platforms, and a few slip and fall onto their hands and knees on the balance beams.
Bryson casts some sort of spell, while Austyn chucks a dagger at him that bounces off of something invisible around Bryson.
Daen figured it would be important to reach the Rose First. He jumped through a couple of platforms, making his way up the obstacle course. He kept an eye out for other people, but it seemed he had pretty smooth sailing up until this point.
After the challenges end, Zohruk spends a little time fuming at himself. Wherever it was you had your head, son, get it straight now. Zohruk does himself no favors by misjudging the initial jump onto the main platform. Oh, wake up already!
Round 1
Zohruk misjudges the leap and gets a face full of murky, swampish water. Paddling toward the platform, he grabs onto the wooden ledge and hauls his sodden form atop it.
Round 2
As the Trial starts, Grimold hangs back to watch how the rest of the scrubs handle the trial. Still pretty beat up from his bouts with Vorin, he can't afford to make any mistakes.
He eyes the sacks, wondering if there might be a healing potion to be found withing, but the stirges buzzing around them give him pause. Before him looms a platform veiled in magical darkness. The other scrubs look to be avoiding it. Grimold has one good guess about what might be in there, and if he's correct, the others are right to steer clear. Muttering a short prayer to Desna, he double-checks that he still has the bag of citrus fruit tied to his belt and begins to head for the darkness.
Eilidh gets off to a quick start and takes a moment to eye her competition. Seeing that Bryson and Austen seem to be fighting each other to her south, starts making her way across the red beam, toward the brushes and brambles before her. As she gets across, she begins searching them for a rose, eager to be on her way before someone more skillful at fighting arrives in search of one as well.
Round 1
Grimold tosses a lemon into the darkness... ..but he doesn't hear a thing.
Round 2
Bryson spins as the dagger bounces off his shield. His eyes narrow and he glances toward the stirges, then over to where Ardis, Cilys and Daen are rushing for that platform. Letting out a sigh, he charges at Austyn, drawing his longsword. Both he and Austyn seem surprised when the blow lands solidly, knocking the other boy down to the platform unconscious!
The magical crossbows whir as Kathleen moves along the balance beam and one of them fires at her. Fortunately for her, the bolt flies too high. She steps off the platform and is immediately faced with a swarm of stirges. Fortunately for her, the creatures were distracted by the bolt and she gets a round to try clearing them out. She smacks one with her blade, but it doesn't go down.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Ardis clambers up the rope and onto a higher platform, darting to a balance beam that he swiftly crosses, Cilys just on his heels. Lond falls on his face while Vorin leaps across platforms and clambers up a rope. Rhill rises to his feet and starts across a balance beam, only to have Rans charge him and smash a sword across his back. Theodric falls into the water with a splash. Elyssa runs across a platform, grabs onto a rope and climbs up before leaping again onto a new platform and falling amongst the thorned plants. Fortunately, as the plants stab out at her, her armor protects her.
Something is in the water..moving toward those who have fallen in. It's big, easily at least 6 feet long.[/ooc]
[spoiler=Knowledge(Nature)]
The plants are all leechweed, a kind of thorny plant that will actually reach out and try to stab animals to absorb their blood.
With his pride as damp as his armor, Zohruk drags himself out of the water and continues on his way.
And, shockers, a mediocre roll that my best skill mod drags up to a success. Huzzah! :D I'd like to head up the red beam to my west.
Adir continues along the balance beam and stops on the same platform as Grimold. Eying the Varisian, he frowns and assumes a defensive position.
As Allie reaches the platform, dozens of the small plants reach out with needle-like protrusions and stab at her. Allie takes damage.
Kassie prepares herself and then runs forward, leaping for the platform in front of her and moving up to the beam which leads to the balance beam that Kathleen is standing at the other end of, battling stirges. Pausing for a moment she pulls out her rapier, and readies herself to cross.
Grimold draws another piece of fruit and a dagger as he begins crossing the balance beam, but he stops when he hears movement behind him. Turning to see Adir move into a defensive posture, he furrows his brow. He holds up the orange, mocking the boy. "Surely you don't mean to take my snack?"
Edit: So is Kassie. Red beans are dc 15. Just don't fail twice and fall off!
As he backs away from Adir, he slips and falls on the beam, catching himself by hanging across. Embarrassed, he pushes himself up and makes his way across, plunging himself into the darkness.
Kassara leaps across the platform and lands in a crouch before getting up and moving rapidly to the beam. Grimold steps onto the balance beam and slips, tumbling onto his knees beside it, his face hanging over the edge and looking down into the murky water.
Round 2
Adir shakes his head at Grimold, keeping to the defensive position. ”I don't know you that well. I have no desire to fight you..yet. How about we see what traps or tricks are in that darkness. Once one of us has the rose..well..then I make no promises.”
Zohruk moves through the dense underbrush. It reaches out and stabs toward him. v DC 10 to cross the beam.
Round 3
The stirges swarm around Kathleen as she edges her way further onto the platform, two of them greedily sucking at her flesh as they latch on. Oddly, not all of them swarm toward her.
Jalen moves up behind Kassara, weapon in hand. He glances toward the ballistas. ”I'd watch out for those. That one seems to be recharging for now, but a hit from one of those might send you into the water.”
Elyssa moves through the bushes, looking for a rose. As she does, she curses as the plants send stabbing spines her way, the odd vegetation eagerly soaking up her blood.
Across the platforms, the trial becomes more hectic. Aiden scrambles to his feet and rushes across the balance beam. Theodric pulls himself aboard a beam just as a large, shadow appears in the water under him. Rhill stabs at Rans only to slip and stumble off the beam—which fortunately causes Rans return strike to miss. Unfortunately, once in the water, the churning shadow turns toward Rhill and the white-haired boy lets out a scream as blood fills the swamp around him.
Bryson joins Ardis on the platform just as the other boy spears a stirge and drops it. Cilys joins him on the platform but instead reaches for a scattered bag, picking it up and pulling out a potion.
Gideon slips into the water, not having even made it off of his first platform. Adir moves up next to Grimold and offers him a hand up.
Vorin leaps onto the platform and scrambles toward the balance beam, swiftly making his way to the largest platform. As he does, he sidesteps a ballista bolt that breezes past him.
The long fish attacking Rhill is a gar. These fish have long jaws filled with sharp teeth and typically live in deep rivers rather than swamps. They eagerly attack anything their size or smaller for food and this specimen is about eight feet long. Gars can grapple a creature if they bite into it.
Round 3
Kassie grins at Jalen. "Then the trick is to make sure not to get hit I guess?" for a moment she pauses and then, seeing that Kathleen has moved away from the end of the beam she begins to move across but slips almost immediately. As she pulls herself up she glances up at Jalen. "Get that grin off your face. Its more slippery than you'd think!"
Wincing, Jalen's eyes widen as Kassara slips to her knees beside the beam. He glances over to where Rhill is battling with the large gar in the water not so far away. "I would be careful about falling into that."
Zohruk fends off some strands of that creepy creeper with his dagger. He takes in a few deep breaths and tries to catch a whiff of the flowers.
Water. Damp wood...blood. Zohruk breathes in deep, sorting through the various smells in the air. The leechweed had a distinct odor, one he wasn't familiar with but would likely recognize again. It was a thick, cloying smell like that of old blood mixed with woody decay. Amidst that, however, was something else. A sweet, clinging scent. Something fresh in the air.
Opening his eyes, Zohruk spies a small, red rose hidden amidst the shrubs. Leechweed stalks writhe above it. The rose is about five feet away to his right
Elyssa spares a moment to glance up where Eilidh is searching. "Any luck over there? These things are draining me dry! I hope there's a rose in here."
Cautiously, Grimold accepts Adir's hand. Once standing, he gives the other boy a mock salute before crossing the short distance on the beam and plunging himself into darkness.
Round 3
Daen moves to the beam, but he unfortunately loses his balance and falls onto his hands and knees at the beginning of it, pushing himself back to stand up.
Grimold moves without issue over the beam and enters the darkness. It enfolds around him, blanketing his vision with nothing. He clutches an orange in one hand and slashes it with his blade, squeezing it so the juices run down the weapon and over his arms, rubbing it loosely over his hands. He hears a slight rustle and flinches, expecting something, although he's not entirely sure what...and then nothing. He safely moves further into the darkness.
The inquisitor moves through the leechweed, wincing as it lashes out at her. for . She looks around for the rose
Thorns. Bloody weeds. And...there! A flash of red that isn't from Elyssa or Eilidh. Allie can see the rose right beside her, in her same square. She quickly leans down and scoops it up just as a gong is rung.
"The first rose has been taken!"
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Zohruk chuckles to himself, letting himself feel a little confidence again. Let the orcs think you're soft, let the humans think you're a beast. You're gonna come out on top 'cuz they're all gonna underestimate you.
Grimold tenses, expecting to be attacked at any moment. The sweet fragrance of the orange fills his nostrils as he walks about in the darkness. Taking slow steps with a hand out in front of him, he works his way to what he thinks is the middle of the platform before taking measured steps in a circle spiraling outward. As he searches, he holds his sword above his head in case of attack from above, clutching it tightly.
Stirges swarm those on the platforms with them. Kathleen bats at one of the ones on her and crushes it with her fist. She reaches down and grabs one of the bags, but is too busy fighting off the second stirge to open it. The other three stirges buzz about, but don't seem to be attacking her..at least not yet.
Across the swamp, Ardis stabs at another stirge, but it flits away. Two of them converge on Cilys as she drains the potion in the sack. The other attacks Bryson but bounces off his magic shield. The mage leans down and picks up a bag, pulling his hand back with a scream and a stirge latched onto it, it promiscuous hungrily draining blood.
Zohruk moves to the rose and pushes through the leechweed, snatching it up. Not content to let him past, the plants lash out at him but his armor protects him from their piercing tendrils.
Lond sees Zohruk pick up the rose and moves toward him, twirling his quarterstaff grimly. His arms and torso run with blood from the plants attacking him. for
It looks like Lond will fall over with a stiff breeze, his skin is pale from blood loss and his body is lacerated from the challenges and leechweed.
Elyssa glances around and looks up when Eilidh grabs the rose and lifts it up. unlike Lond, she doesn't draw her weapon. Letting out a sigh, the alchemist turns and sprints for the large platform, leaping for a hanging rope. In an amazing series of acrobatics, she latches onto the rope, clambers up, swings across and lands at a crouch on a small platform before starting to race across the red beam....only for a recharged ballista bolt to catch her in the stomach and push her off the platform and into the water below with a crash. A few servants standing nearby wade into the water to retrieve her floating, unconscious body.
In the water, the Gar lashes at Rhill but he fends off its attacks.
A bit amped after having found the rose, Zohruk takes a wild swing at Lond with his dagger that sails wide.
Stop right there. No need to get into another drawn-out fight this time, Zohruk thinks to himself. You need to get the rose to win, not fight. You've got the rose, so get moving!
Ducking low, Zohruk disengages and makes his way to the beam.
As Eilidh grasps at the rose, she spares a glace at where Elyssa stands...or rather, where she used to be. Seeing Aiden's approach, she takes a moment to heal herself from the plants before pushing north, away from him and leaping across to the small platform in the direction Elyssa came from.