[Warning, incoming game. Warning, incoming game.] [Date: Thursday, Ramuh 12th, 1360 AI.] [Fighters, all right! Kick names, take bubblegum, and chew ass, that's what it's about, right? Well, even if it's not, you're going to be doing a lot of it, because Sergeant Gwesus is in the house, and she doesn't accept any of that lollygagging!] (Mommy. ;_;) [Really, the day is kinda... blah. There's constant cloudcover and the humidity is a little high, but no lightning or rain today. And the better predicters of that stuff say it won't rain either. Just be... blah.] [We're at the training grounds with tons of dummies (and I mean TONS) in varrying states of disrepair. On a side rack is a huge variety of weapons, as well as armor of almost the same diversity. Gwesus is standing there, and you have 10 minutes to get there. You'd BETTER not be late.] [Session Start!] [Oh, time is around 8 in the morning. Yes, Gwesus likes to do these things early.] * Imza comes running up, dressed in his armor but not carrying his scythe because he doesn't have to thanks to the wonders of magicite. * Harmony is there early. She's punctual!. * Leran is there early as well, in his armor. He looks slightly nervous. * Harmony looks more nervous. * Imza looks excited! * Gwesus looks over the lot of you and walks in front of you. "Good, you're here early. That's why I like you. I'll let you know that I approved of each of you to be on the caravan, and because of that I expect nothing but your best. You got that?" * Harmony nods timidly. * Imza nodnodnods. * Leran nods, smartly. Good. Now, you rookies know how to use a weapon, I like that. Do you know how to use eachother's weapons? * Harmony blinks. She shakes her head slowly. * Gwesus looks at the others. * Leran looks over at the other two. He looks back at Gwesus. "Not especially, no." * Gwesus looks at Imza, waiting for a response. * Imza blinks, and frowns. "Not really? Besides 'put the sharp part in the other guy'." * Gwesus shakes her head. "You will learn to use eachother's weapons, and you will know how to use them well. But not today, that's for another time. First, I want to see you take down as many of those dummies within 30 seconds. Ready?" Gwesus points at the dummies in the field. * Imza summons his scythe. "Ready!" Um... Um... Ready! * Harmony draws her swords. * Leran pulls his greatsword off his back. Go! * Imza leaps at a random dummy, bringing his scythe through it in a viscious arc! * Leran charges out at the dummies! He makes sweeping strikes and doesn't seem to be doing anything special. * Harmony charges for the dummies, slashing at one's "stomach" [The rookies blaze a trail of destruction on Gwesus's command! Imza leaps into the air and misses his first target, but quickly makes up for lost time and severs two heads at a time in three quick charges, the last one only severing one with his deadly scythe, totalling seven kills in all. Leran is a solid player, charing forard and cleanly taking out five targets in half with his greatsword.] [Harmony charges forward into the first round and dances around the targets, hitting some once, some twice, but always taking them down and in beat to go onto the next dummy with her shortswords. Gwesus calls out. "TIME!"] * Harmony skids to a halt rather than attacking another. * Leran halts his sword at the neck of another dummy. * Imza grinds to a halt before hacking at another dummy. Come over here, now! * Harmony goes over there! * Leran trudges. * Imza trots over to where Gwesus is. (* Gwesus gives you each a biscuit. "Now, roll over!") ( *Imza rolls around on his back! ) Not bad. For beginners. * Gwesus looks at Imza. "You need to learn discipline." She looks at Leran. "You need to become faster and see your opportunities." Finally, she looks at Harmony. "And you need to hit harder. It looks like you have a lot to learn from eachother, and I expect you to. Understand?" * Harmony nods. * Imza nods. * Leran nodnods. Just to show everyone else up. Good. You've shown you can do damage. Now, I want to see if you can take it, and more importantly, if you can take it for the good of the caravan. Which one of you intends to primarily protect the magic casters? * Harmony gulps. This doesn't sound good. * Leran looks around. He raises his hand. And which one of you intends to go after enemies who casts spells? * Imza raises his hand. * Harmony ... doesn't raise her hand * Gwesus nods. "Okay. Harmony, you'll act as a caster. Leran, protect Harmony from Imza. Understood? You will need to protect her for twelve seconds, and Imza, you have twelve seconds to score a solid hit on Harmony." Ready? * Leran gulps, and raises his sword to the ready. He nods. Eep. Uh. Uh... What do I do? * Harmony pokes her fingers together. Look pretty. Uh... uh... okay. * Harmony thinks about that, confusedly. * Harmony looks at Imza Are you ready? Whenever he is. Um... Okay. I guess? * Harmony cowers behind Leran. * Gwesus steps back. "Go!" * Leran waits for Imza to make the first move. * Imza jumps over Leran, coming down on the other side of Harmony and trying to bring the butt of his weapon down on her! But he lands too far away. Oop. * Imza frowns. This just isn't his day. * Harmony steps away from Imza cautiously. * Leran holds up his sword and steps between Imza and Harmony. * Imza tries it again! * Leran lunges forward with his sword and slices through the air just to the left of Imza. Oh heck... * Imza soars through the air and brings the butt of his weapon down towards Harmony, but she dodges out of the way 'cause she's quick like that. Imza even comments on this: "Hey, you're quick!" * Harmony might smile, but Imza is trying to hit her. Time! * Leran drops his sword. He looks disgusted. * Imza frowns. "We need practice." * Harmony pokes her fingers together. "Did we , uh, all fail?" * Gwesus nods in understanding at all of you. "Leran, you're going to need to do a better job at protecting them. Imza, you *really* need to get more accurate. Harmony, good job. You made life hell for Imza over there, and that's what I expected." Oh. Thank you. * Harmony beams. Have any of you ever focus attacked? * Leran grimaces. "I'd like to complain that the jumping was not something I was ready for." Expect it next time. Oh. Sorry. I have... I will. But I haven't ever focus attacked. ... Once or twice... Just to practice. Well, yeah. Practice. Never for real. * Harmony nods ... Okay, do you know how to do a combination attack? * Harmony shakes her head. * Leran looks chagrined. "No." Do you know what a combination attack is? Um. Um... When two people do a focus attack at the same time? * Imza nods. "It's where two people attack together, right?" And, uh, something special happens? I forget how. I've seen it, once or twice. It's when two or more people focus-attack the same target or targets at the same time. * Harmony was right! XD Now, let's see you do a combination attack on one of those dummies out there. * Gwesus points at one of the dummies. * Imza blinks. "Uhm, okay." Oh, boy. * Leran takes a deep breath. * Imza looks at Leran and points at a target. "This one? What're you gonna do?" * Harmony nods. Well, I only really know two actual Focus Attacks.... And, um, I know, um, three. The other one I know is a counterattack. But I figured I'd do a Dash attack. Hey, you know that, too? Er, I know that, a jump, and an energy-shot technique. I'm not good at that last one, tho. I don't know any of those... I know the energy shot one, too. Really? Alright! I know Splice, Double Shot and Strike Past. Uhm... what do those do? * Gwesus watches the three strategize. Um, splice is where I cut the target up with my swords... er, more than usual Oh. And 'double shot'? Double shot is, uh, two shots. But I don't have a bow or anything. That's confusing, but okay. Strike Past? When I run past the enemy and, uh hit him from behind. Okay. You do that to the target when Leran and I shoot at it. * Imza sounds convinced that this is a good plan! * Leran eyes Imza. How about we do what we're good at, instead? Strike Past? Uh... ok... Wha? Oh. Well, I could jump, and you could dash, and she could stab it in the back like she said? Like, you jump on it, Harmony does her strike past bit and knocks it into me, and I counterattack it? Oh. Okay! * Imza gets ready to jump! I- I'll try. * Leran nods and readies his sword. * Harmony holds her daggers out in front of her, point down. You first, Harmony. Uh? R...right! * Harmony stares at the dummy and narrows her eyes, concentrating. * Imza eyes the dummy, his face screwed up in concentration but his eyes wide. * Leran closes his eyes, takes a few quick breaths, and then opens his eyes and stares intently at the dummy. [The three warriors simultaneously blur into a plan of almost-perfect sequencial attacks. Harmony is first, running past the enemy and smashing him back into Leran, who smashes the dummy skywards with the sword as it approaches him. Finally, to finish the job, Imza comes in from the skies and brings the scyte through the dummy's now battered body. Stick a fork in it, it's done.] * Imza lands. "Woo!" * Harmony smiles. * Gwesus nods. "Good job soldiers. That's enough for today. Do any of you have any questions?" * Leran nods to himself. * Harmony shakes her head. Nuh-uh. None, ma'am. * Gwesus walks over to the table. "Good. As a reward, I'll let you pick one weapon or piece of armor from this collection. IF you keep practicing until you leave. Understood?" Um... Um... Okay...? * Imza blinks. "Sure." * Harmony looks over the weapons. Is it okay if we practice on the rest of the dummies? Go ahead. * Leran nods. "Will do." He walks over the stuff. Just one? Just one. * Harmony looks over the weapons thoughtfully. She stares at a suit of armor for a long time, but decides to take a sword similar to her own. * Leran grabs a masterwork Greatsword, without any but a very little hesitation, tucking his other one away. * Imza looks over the stuff. He picks up a very well-made scythe, and compares it to the scythe he made himself and is quite attacked to. He seems torn. * Imza sighs and takes the very well-made scythe. He carries himself as though defeated. * Leran hefts the new sword, and proceeds to go work on beating the crap out of some dummies! * Harmony starts training! Paying special note to the balance on her new weapon and compensating that with her other sword. * Imza follows suit, but with less enthusiasm. [Session End!]