Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 0:44:18 GMT
Attack w/ adv.: Dho1Xyqe1d20+3 1d20+3 Damage, if hit: 1d8+5 1d20+3·1d20+3·1d8+5
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 0:52:41 GMT
Both strikes hit, powerfully slamming into Warden’s armor. Kara could see her falter, just a little, but the paladin didn’t hesitate at all to close, even though she must have known that Kara was ready for her. Kara didn’t hesitate either, jabbing out with the butt of her glaive to break Warden’s charge in its tracks. She missed, and the tiefling was on her, swinging a powerful blow with her battle axe, which Kara deflected neatly to the side with her armor, leaving it sliding off with no damage done. They were in close now; Kara wielded the glaive just as effectively with little distance from her opponent. She didn’t hesitate, fully intending to finish it; the only concession she made to the weakness she’d noticed was to – again – strike with the butt of the weapon rather than the glaive, to blunt the damage and not risk seriously injuring her.
HP: 51 Glaive attack 1, to hit: XljV01rx1d20+7If successful, damage: 1d4+6 Glaive attack 2, to hit: 1d20+7
Butt of the weapon attack, to hit: 1d20+7
((No damage; Kara pulls the strike to give Warden a chance to yield))
1d20+7·1d4+6·1d20+7·1d20+7
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 1:21:23 GMT
HP: 2/28
While Warden was able to avoid the initial swing from Kara's glaive when she closed in, two of the strikes overwhelmed her despite attempts to avoid them. That plus the fact that Kara had managed to avoid the tiefling's attacks even with her divine backup led to an inevitable conclusion. Granted, Warden didn't expect to win the bout but she had hoped of at least landing a good strike on her opponent before yielding. And here she was, swaying and bruised all to hell before even having landed a good strike.
She could heal and...no, Kara would land at least two more blows to her one, if not three. And all before she could even act if she didn't want to be stupid and continue to fight while hanging by a thread. Her younger self would have continued headless of the consequences, and paid for it without a doubt. Several years had passed since she was quite that foolish, so with a crooked smile and good-natured glint in her eyes, she lowered her battleaxe.
"I yield...for the moment. Got some healing I need to do if I want another chance to fight you or anyone else." She does her best to hide a wince, not wanting pity or help since she'll deal with it herself in a moment.
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 1:28:50 GMT
The first strike hit, the butt of the weapon thudding solidly into the tiefling. Kara saw her falter, but she didn’t stop. Warden fought too, refusing to yield, and dodged her second strike.
Kara whirled and made a third; this time she brought the butt of the glaive to a stop not an inch from Warden, a perfect exhibition of skill and control that even managed to avoid accidentally bumping the paladin as she swayed.
Warden yielded and Kara lowered the glaive, setting the butt on the ground. Warden hadn’t touched her, although she’d come close. Kara took a deep breath, letting her battle focus fade.
“Good fight,” Kara said. It wasn’t a kindness; she sounded genuine. She didn’t offer either pity or help, but she did wait a few moments, not leaving until she was sure Warden was right about healing herself.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 1:50:41 GMT
It took a moment to be certain that such words weren't just flattery, probably because she was more than a little light-headed by this point thanks to all the blows. She took a moment to cast a spell, the simple act of laying on hands being almost entirely tapped out for the time being. When that divine energy healing some of her bruising and she could stand up a little straighter without wincing, she nodded firmly in response.
"It was, thanks for that. You're too fast for me, but that just showed me how much I still need to learn. Is that why you chose the glaive? To beat others to the punch so quickly?" If so, good idea. Warden could respect using all one had at their disposal, and it made her think that perhaps she might not stick with a battleaxe and a shield for that much longer. Not if she could get someone to teach her how to use a glaive....
Cure Wounds: SnQateh71d8+31d8+3
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 2:00:03 GMT
Kara paused, thinking of Warden’s question. She had learned the glaive because Ironfist had found her swinging a sword in the practice courts in the middle of the night, and told her that she could either hack helplessly at her opponent’s knees or learn a weapon that would make up for her lack of height.
Kara shrugged slightly. Ironfist had chosen the weapon for her. Kara had made it hers. She had come to love it - the strength, the reach, the power. And this glaive - it had been with her through so much. The wood was as familiar as her own skin; the blade like an extension of herself. Kara wouldn’t have parted with it for all the dragons in Waterdeep.
Kara couldn’t really think of how to express all that in a simple answer. “In part,” she replied, finally. Warden was standing up straighter now; there were others who needed the practice courts as well, so Kara didn’t hesitate to turn and make her way out of the square, not one to hold up others in their training.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 5:24:21 GMT
Likewise not wanting to prevent anyone else from taking part in the Gathering, Warden placed her weapon and shield back where they were before the brief combat. She nodded to the next pair, silently wishing them better luck. The tables were noted but despite the fact that she still had some healing to do, Warden was reluctant to take a potion. Let it go to those who couldn't heal themselves.
Her eyes straying to the glaive again, the tiefling woman grew thoughtful. "It's a good lesson to learn. Maybe it's one I would take to, with some time and training. If I show up with one of my own sometime, will you be partial to a rematch? Just to be clear, I still expect you to best me, I know there's more to it than just the weapon. But every fight is the chance to learn something new."
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 13:25:35 GMT
Kara paused, looking Warden over, then looking at the glaive in her own hand. She was quiet, thinking about the request.
Did Warden have someone who could teach her the glaive? It wasn’t the sort of weapon one could learn on their own - the basics, yes, but not the sort of things Kara could do with it.
Kara shrugged in response, finally. She wasn’t sure what to say. The Gathering wasn’t really the right setting for that sort of training fight. One learned something from every fight, but the sort of learning Warden was talking about would be better if one fought again and again, without the sort of stakes expected here.
It wasn’t that Kara wouldn’t fight her. It was just that she wasn’t sure if it was really helpful. Either way, it was a little too much nuance to explain easily, and Kara still really wasn’t in the mood to talk.
“Bellringer!” Someone called. “Spar?”
Kara gave Warden a faint nod, and walked off to her next opponent.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 13:55:30 GMT
Warden saw that she wasn't going to get much more out of her, at least at this time, so she let it go with a nod. The idea had been planted, and she'd leave it up to Kara if anything would come of it. Perhaps she would find someone else willing to teach her, but the most obvious source made her inwardly cringe. She didn't want to return to the House of the Moon and all the temple's traditions, when she was usually much happier being a free agent. If it came to that...well, she'd have to give it some serious thought. It wouldn't be her first choice, but explaining all that wasn't likely to happen on her end, not without some prodding. Fortunately, Kara didn't seem the type to prod away.
She paused to heal herself again, breathing a little easier after that, and deciding to sit one out so she could watch the spar. Though she learned much better through action, there was something to be gained from observation as well. A lesson was a lesson, whatever form it took. Pausing to get some water, she found a seat and leaned back, keeping her gaze on Kara and her new opponent.
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 14:12:15 GMT
Kara’s opponent this time held two quarterstaves. He was a tall, dark-skinned man in half-plate who watched her with focus and intent.
Kara sat her glaive in a nearby weapons rack, carefully propping the large weapon so it wouldn’t so much as tremble. She caught the quarterstaff when he tossed it to her, and took up her stance.
They should have been well-matched. Kara was smaller but faster; their armor was the same; their weapons were the same. The two staves flashed and shone through the air, striking off one another with a fast, rhythmic clack. It was almost more like a dance than a fight. Neither ever hesitated or faltered. Any momentum in the swing of the weapons was flawlessly controlled. It should have been an even fight.
Except: for every two strikes her opponent managed, Kara snuck in a third. When they broke and re-engaged, she was fast enough to strike at him, to smash the wood of the staff into his thigh or tangle it amidst his feet. The shorter range of the weapon meant he could attack regardless, but the extra blows added up, and quickly.
Kara pulled what would have been her last strike, judged as well this time as every other. Her opponent yielded with a scowl, but they shook hands as they left the courts. Kara returned the quarterstaff to him and scooped her glaive off the rack. She was limping from a blow to the leg, and there was a a faint bruise developing along one cheekbone where a particularly well-struck blow had caught her. Despite that, she looked much more relaxed than she had earlier.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 16:51:04 GMT
Kara's opponent wasn't immediately recognizable, but that was all the more reason to watch. That they were sparring with the same weapons made her wonder if that's what she should have attempted last time. Paladins were trained to use all sorts of weapons, after all, it wasn't as though she only knew how to use a battleaxe. But observing the sparring further, Warden wasn't so certain it would have made much of a difference in the end. Kara's skill with the weapon was such that she continuously landed blows more often than her partner, as had been the case with her own recent sparring session. There was more to the fighting style that helped her succeed, beyond equal weapons.
Warden shook her head with a faint smirk, not at all surprised to see the opponent finally yield. That limping caught her attention, and she waved Kara over. "I have a bit more healing left, if you want it. Walking with a limp sucks, especially if you have to do it all day." That was said in the tone of someone who might have done just that in times past. Her healing potential was nearly tapped out, but she could spare a little more for herself and Kara...and part of her was itching for another spar, even though she knew that this next time would probably be even shorter than the last.
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 18:06:20 GMT
Kara looked at Warden, standing still for a long moment. She had noticed the tiefling follow her to the new training square and watch her. Again.
Kara also wasn’t sure what to make of the offer for more healing. She wouldn’t mind it - her leg hurt, and she had wanted to get in another spar or two today. She stared at Warden, as if she might be able to tell why the other woman was offering help by looking at it, frowning a little. But if there was anything to learn, Kara couldn't see it in Warden's face. On the other hand, Warden had healed her competently before, and had been a perfectly decent sparring partner, if a little green. There was no particular reason to mistrust her, except that Kara found her... confusing.
After a moment, somewhat cautiously, Kara nodded her acceptance and limped closer to Warden. “Thank you,” her voice rasped in her throat; she was desperately thirsty. By now the steady fighting had stirred up quite a bit of dust into the air, and she had breathed in more than her fair share during the last bout, leaving her thoroughly dry.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 19:02:33 GMT
Warden couldn't help but notice the hesitance, of course, and she tried to respect it by not offering again. Once was a courtesy, more than that would be pushing and she had no intention of pushing Kara or anyone else. Here was help, take it or not. She nodded as the human seemed to make up her mind and approached, as matter-of-fact as before. Concentrating, she uttered a quick prayer to Selune and cast Cure Wounds on Kara, hoping to take away enough of the pain and bruising that her former sparring partner could walk without discomfort.
After that, she shrugs. "And I'm tapped out, at least for now. Another thing that needs to be improved with time." She doesn't seem too bothered with that, certain she'll get there. "It's time I took off, anyway. Good luck with the rest of your sparring." Not that she needs it, Warden suspects that plenty of others will have trouble keeping up with the glaive-fighter.
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Post by moralhazard on May 8, 2019 19:20:58 GMT
Kara straightened, slowly, feeling the pain ease in her leg. She shook it out, gently, and nodded slightly. Still painful, but she thought she’d be able to push through it for a last spar. The bruise on her cheek faded from dark blue and purple to mottled green and yellow, not that Kara could see it.
“And you,” Kara said. A moment later she realized that it wasn’t right – not if Warden had said she was done – but it was too late. Kara dropped her gaze to the ground, feeling even more awkward, and walked off, heading directly to a pile of nearby waterskins. A long drink of water soothed her throat, and it was hard to stop before she would end up choking. Kara lowered the skin, breathing hard for a few moments, and stared at it for a moment, then set it down. She didn’t need to throw up on the practice courts, not today.
The three Kara had fought so far had sought her out. Now it was her turn. Unhesitatingly, Kara went straight for one of the best fighters in the Gathering: Thogran Hammerstrike, a dwarven cleric of Helm known for being as skilled with spell-slinging as he was with his massive warhammer. Most days, he served as a Watcher; today, he was available for combat, and had already crushed the three brave enough to face him. Like Kara, there was no apology or give to him when facing a weaker warrior; he was careful not to injure anyone permanently, but never insulted his opponent by giving any less than his best.
Kara put up a good fight; it wasn’t their first, and Thogran noted, as he picked her up off the arena floor, that she’d improved considerably. The fact that he favored the side where she’d hit him most recently as he said it only made the compliment ring all the truer. All the same, the fight ended with her on the ground again, coughing blood from broken ribs, and probably unable to stand without Thogran’s help. Kara took the defeat as well – maybe better – than any of her opponents had. Something in her eyes blazed with pride and triumph at Thogran’s compliment, even as she limped, half-supported by Thogran and half on her glaive, towards the table of healing potions.
Thogran set her down in a chair with a healing potion and a friendly - if painful - clasp on the shoulder, settled his warhammer over his shoulder, and strode off in search of his next fight.
Kara thanked Helm for the healing potion, and drank, diligently, straightening up slowly as the pain in her ribs faded, and wiping blood from her lips with a damp cloth. This, for her, was the Gathering - the chance to practice throwing herself at something bigger and stronger, something that wouldn't yield - and learning to survive. Pain and satisfaction warred in her, and satisfaction won out. She was done for the day, but she didn't regret a moment of it, no matter how badly it hurt.
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on May 8, 2019 22:41:58 GMT
Warden had promised herself just one more fight, after noting who Kara was squaring off against this time. Thogran Hammerstrike was well-known to anyone who tried to make a semi-regular attendance at the Gathering, and his fights were always worth lingering for. The fact that the human glaive-wielder was going against him made it even better. Despite her aches and pains and general weariness, she would stick around just a few more minutes.
Though she wasn't close enough to hear whatever was said, the fight spoke for itself. Warden tensed, curious to see if the man could be bested...but not yet, apparently. Since she had spent all her healing on Rolond, Kara and herself by now, there wasn't anything to offer when Kara limped away from the ring. There was plenty of healing offered, so she knew the human woman would be good hands. And now, time to sleep before her shift. Getting up, Warden slipped away as quietly as a woman in chain mail could, but was reasonably certain no one would be paying attention anyway.
The sun was on the horizon when Warden, rested and healed up, began her patrol of the Field Ward, starting with Gawenknife Street. The Field Ward wasn't an official ward of the city, a fact which became readily apparent to those with sensitive noses, as the lack of sewer system and the Dungsweeper's Guild meant the streets were far from pristine. Among other basic necessities, it lacked a City Watch patrol...though off-duty members of the Watch were eager enough to kick up their feet at the Endshift Tavern and drink their earnings away. It made her blood boil -they could park their asses down in the Field Ward, but wouldn't lift a finger to help it. All in all, it was a muddy, lawless place where what one could grab was theirs, as long as they could keep it.
The neighborhood was why Warden left the House of the Moon, though she never said as much to anyone. Maybe it took someone coming from nothing to truly notice, but the contrast between the Field Ward and the Sea Ward just below it was heartbreaking. Spacious and well-groomed estates were so close to desperation and poverty, and everyone pretended it wasn't happening. No one cared, just as they didn't when she was a child. Well, now that she had fought for the Red Sashes to include the Field Ward in their concerns, that was going to change. They would have some backup, even if was as unofficial as their ward.
It didn't take long to find trouble. A food stall near the tavern -mostly meat skewers and soups of middling quality- was surrounded by a shady group in dark leathers and far too many dagger sheaths. A dark-haired half-elven woman was crossing her arms and sighing at the elderly and obviously terrified vendor, a halfling man wearing a stained apron.
"I'm really getting tired of your excuses. Protection isn't free, you know. If you want to stay untouched in this town, you have to pay up--and since you're late, double the usual fee."
The vendor recoiled as though he was struck, prompting a bout of unkind laughter from the thugs surrounding him. "W-what?? You know I can't afford that! My last shipment got robbed, and--"
The woman's voice grew low and dangerous, a sign her patience had reached its end. One of the thugs grabbed the vendor by his collar, lifting him into the air to meet the woman's eye-level. "Look, Merric. Last warning. Pay up or else. All I care about is the gold. Everything else is your problem."
Upon hearing that, Warden narrowed her eyes. She had seen the woman before at the tavern and knew she was shady from the start, but of course the City Watch never seemed to care. She only messed with the Field Ward folk and that was not their jurisdiction. The odds were against her, with half a dozen of them within sight, but she didn't care. Warden drew her battleaxe and approached, provoking a turning of heads as her clanking around in chain mail was not at all quiet. She didn't care.
"What do you want?" The woman glanced over lazily, her tone not at all intimidated. Warden was usually rather adept at that, but Field Ward thugs tended to get cocky in a place where their actions would see no legal consequences.
"You're going stop bleeding him dry and back the fuck off, that's what I want. I'm not going to ask you again."
That made the woman scoff, her features hardening in contempt for the tiefling trying to deny her rightful cut. "You're right, you're won't." She signaled to the others, who ceased surrounding the stall to approach her instead. They were better armed than some of the criminals she had seen around the area, their armor and weapons showed that much, but that wasn't enough to make her back away. Her solid red eyes narrowed at the woman, vowing that the target of her enmity would not escape. Headless of the odds, she raised her shield and charged.
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