OOC:  Are we finished with this scene?  I can open up a thread at the Mithral Hotel for an impromptu party / socialize -  if you want to continue.

Andalon stood back and watched the short ceremony with the others in the salon. His smile was a warm one and he nodded in respect when Alisa included reference to Sun and Moon, Sword and Spear. When the time came to step forward and congratulate the happy couple he did not hesitate.

"Congratulations, both of you. May the blessing of Abadar be upon this union, too, and long may your new house Medvyed-Solanus thrive and prosper."

I believe the bishop has put a good ribbon on this scene. 

If there's combined interest for a scene at the Mithral, I'm for it, but it's not a 'must have.'   I think too, there's still a party thread for Adoven & Viktoria which is open...
This message was last edited by the player at 02:10, Tue 08 Sept 2020.

Gradually the wedding party and the observers move away to carry out their celebrations and conversations elsewhere.

Some time later, the salon opens again for training and practice duels.

The Duelling Challenge

Adoven looks over the area set up for the challenge. To Robert he says "I've been looking forward to this. This ought to be fun."

The main practice room of Tusk's duelling salon is a large hall with various duelling 'tables' marked out on the floor.  Duelling Swords, falcata, light blades and a selection of bucklers adorn the walls.

A number of benches give the opportunity to sit, recover or just chat.

It had started as a weekly training session at the salon between Dom and his squire the two of them working at perfecting their forms in the Aldori style.  They would start with the weighted training weapons performing a series of manoeuvres Domitius watching and perfecting Barbatius as they went.

Then several officers of the local garrison had asked to join them and that became a class of about a dozen that Dom would run once a week for any of the Tusk or Midmarch officers and NCO's who wished to attend.

After running his students through their practice kata Dom would pair up the students to begin a series of bouts matching them to similarly skilled swordsfighters.  At the end of each session he would pick one or two of them and finish off with a final bout between himself and the students.  Mostly he won these but occasionally a student would get the better of him.

After the training Dom would sit and discuss the session before  heading back home.

Minia had stood off to the side through most of the instruction. Previous attempts to talk with the more established personalities of the settlements had met some resistance, and the only person she'd made much headway with she'd come to these lands to kill originally.

Now, it seemed like that idea was a distant thought, and the community she and her sister had begun the work to settle and develop, to turn desperate people away from brigandry, it all filled her with a sense of some quiet.

So she turned to things from before. And watched Dom lead his students through the forms and stances of swordplay, reluctant to submit to the class for fear of her own Midori style looking out of place. Already she saw some discrepancies between them

After, when discussion was being had, she approached the swordfighters more boldly.

After all, it's that or trek back and tell Maple I didn't do anything at all while in Tusk

With respect and a little awkward disquiet she reached Dom and his students and gave a courteous if not exactly stationly bow, dressed in traveler's leathers absent her usual shirt of mail, and with her dueling sword the only really opulent item at her belt.

Dom had moticed the new comer watching his lesson, he had noted the sword she wore and she looked familiar but he wasn't sure where he knew her.  It was as he was matching up the students it occurred to him that it was one of the Dosalic sisters who had been talking with Kiera during the wedding reception.

As she appraoched and bowed he returned her bow "Welcome to the Salon, forgive me but I don't think we have been introduced I am Swordlord Domitius Aldori-Solanus and if I am not mistaken you are one of the Dosalic sisters who has taken residence at" he paused momentarily remembering "Apple Lodge wasn't it?"

In reply to Domitius Aldori-Solanus (msg # 56):

"It is now, yes. The Lodge and Litwin Cove have kept my sister and I busy some time . . . "

Straightening up, she looked up at Dom for a moment before remembering

"And yes, Minia Dosalic. My sister is Maple."

Minia stopped herself short of another bow, a force of habit

"I was wondering if you were taking on students? I see you have a lot already but my sister says I need to get out of the house. I don't know why, seeing as she's never in it and it's eight times the size of the home we lived in a year ago, but still. Activities, personal improvement."

Folding her hands together she continued

"Or if not, I'd love a chance to practice swordplay against someone who wasn't a bandit armed with a sharpened cleaver. I got this far without a proper teacher and I don't want to impose or nothing."

"Well I take these classes once a week but if you truly wish to master that blade we would need to meet more often than that.  I train daily myself for at least two hours when I am at home,  usually with that oaf." he waved at a grinning Barbatius "However I would like to see how you handle a blade before we make any commitments.    Is that agreeable?"

Remember the specially blunted sparring swords :)

"Demonstration?"

Minia put a hand to her sword

"Or should we spar a little? I can't promise I'm an interesting opponent, but I've always found it's better to see technique in motion, and not simply displayed"

From the side, the Arms Master says "when interacting with other participants, we leave our steel behind and use the wooden weapons on the walls. They make healing the bruises afterwards easier than the gashes your blades would leave. As the Swordlord well knows......."

Dom looked across at the Swordmaster and nodded to him, they weren't particularly close but they shared a common bond in devotion to learning the art of the blade "This is Master Samuels salon and his rules apply, once I am satisfied that you can handle that sword then yes there will be a time for metal on metal practice.  That and I suspect you will find more use outside of the Salon for your sword than inside one.  Lord Henry does have us all out exploring after all."
With that Dom indicated the training blades on the wall as he moved to take up one of a similar weight to his own blade. "Take your pick and lets test each other out shall we?"

Minia walked over, unbuckling her sword belt and placing it aside and grabbing a suitable training sword

"Of course"

Turning the blade over in her hand Minia took first stance within the dueling space, eyes respectfully lowered until Dom took place as well.

"Let's start at half speed to begin and then take it from there." Domitius said as he stretched and checked his own equipment.  He moved to stand a few meters away "Ready" he announced as he took stance.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Fri 09 July 2021.

Robert watches over the match, ready to referee if needed. But trusting Dom to know the limits of whomever he faces.


"When you are planning to use real steel, the new Sports Arena we are building this year will be the venue for such matches."

In reply to Domitius Aldori-Solanus (msg # 64):

Minia moved with grace, precision and speed of an impressive sort, or so she'd been told. Balanced, swift and deadly, she didn't make the cardinal mistake of swordplay, to wait and let the tension build between the fencers. She needed to strike and strike quick, so as Sword Master Samuels finished she left her stance and lunged, bringing her blade up quickly to align it horizontally, dipping the point lower to create a guard stance on her recovery.

Her eyes remained focused on a single point in space as she let her feet move as extensions of her sword, her body becoming one muscle in service of the artform. This was an audition, in her mind, a chance to impress the first real swordlord she'd met. She was nervous, but moreover she was hungry, and that overeagerness caused her to overlook one crucial thing . . .

Domitius was faster

Domitius watched Minia prepare herself he took in how her body positioned noting a couple of differences to his own more orthodox style, nothing that couldn't be corrected if she chose to accept his teaching but there was definite promise there.

Most swordsman wouldn't have noticed Minia preparing to lunge, however Dom had spent his entire life studying the sword.  In that moment he stepped to one side and lunged himself striking the top of Minia's shoulder lightly but enough to know it would have been a killing blow.

He stepped away "That was good Minia, you are quick and with the right training will be quicker still.  Now I want you to fight purely defensively and use the whole of the salon floor, I want to see you using your footwork as much as your hands.  Ready?"

As soon as Minia gave her ascent Dom launched as series of attacks never quite striking home but forcing Minia to move around to keep away from his blade.

Minia tucked a hand behind her back in a fencing stance, gathered her breath and nodded her ascent, moving her blade as her feet danced along the ground, small circles, keeping her eyes on Dom as she kept calm and parried the attacks, though obviously she was only being tested. Nevertheless by the end of it she was winded and wild-eyed, quickly gathering herself.

"I see your point sir. I haven't found the brigands and cutthroats as accommodating as yourself out in the world though."

Domitius laughed "You are correct, bandits tend to be more concerned with gutting you like a fish than following the correct forms, though if you run into one that does both you will be in trouble.  Come sit and we can discuss things." he indicate a bench off to one side "Now Barbatius is my only  full time student so I can take on another be aware Alisa is due any day now so that will take up more of my time." he pauses rubbing his chin "I can spend at least an hour each day four times a week plus the class we had earlier so five to six hours a week is that possible for your schedule at least while you are in Tusk?"