Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Feb 8, 2017 15:10:34 GMT
Open to CAEsAL, with special invitation to Caitlin Cockfoster , Faolan Skye and anyone else who might be found at the Theater District at the time. It was early afternoon, and the faint sound of metal clashing echoed within the wide room. This was one of CAEsAL's largest buildings, one usually restricted for the use of workers and specially those invited and where the sole oficial 'gym' of the guild was located. As it was usual, members of gymnastics teams, dancers and bouncers alike took their time to practice their respective skills through the room while the younger workers gave a shot at self-defense training on the farther corner. Benches set against the walls served as resting spot for those who were taking a break or just wanting to watch.
But the metal sounds were coming from an odd duo testing swordmanship more to the center. Two young women, both around their twenties in age, and one of them wasn't even part of the guild. In fact this was a spar between leaders, though most people wouldn't know that rank applied to both participants. Edelweiss kept her attention focused on the girl before her. When was it that she and Caitlin had started practicing together, she couldn't exactly remember. But as of now it seemed to be a nice way to blow some steam and have a 'girls day' in their own style.
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Feb 8, 2017 20:06:34 GMT
She was already sweating, the hairs at the nape of her neck sticking to her and her temples perspiring with little beads of salty liquid. The braid was coiled up in the back of her head, heavy but out of the way. She'd learned long ago that Edel was fast and skilled and as refreshing as it was to fight together, she wanted to keep it to fighting, and not turn it into a makeover. In other words... she wasn't here for a hair cut.
She smirked at the other woman when they pulled their blades apart yet again, resuming the circling motion with their feet and thinking through their next volley before actually engaging it. A few of the CAEsAL guildmates seemed to be watching, having set aside their own training for an eyeful. Caitlin wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, disheveling her bangs and breathed in deep, enjoying the exercise. It felt good to go all in. "Again?" She asked the other woman.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Dec 15, 2017 5:51:36 GMT
"Sure, why not. Let me just get some water first." The redhead chuckled, taking a second to wipe the sweat off her own forehead during that tiny break. Her own hair was still tied in a ponytail - though a tight, high one and leaving none of the loose strands that would have been usual. It kept the hair out of her face, and while yes, she could regrow cut hair, she agreed with her blond friend that not having to repair accidental sparring haircuts was better than otherwise.
"I have to admit you hit heavier than I expected," Not that she thought Caitlin would be weak or unskilled, that'd be stupid. It's just that the pirate's blade was almost as thin as a rapier, and "doesn't that kind of sword usually favor speedy styles over strength?" Thankfully this wasn't a real contest or duel.
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Dec 31, 2017 17:54:06 GMT
Caitlin gave a bit of a dry laugh, dry because she was still catching her breath. Ede was rather lithe and mobile, a great opponent, and Cait had to work to keep up with her (which was nice for a change). She was having so much fun being herself around the other woman, she forgot to pretend to be ... well... herself. The baroness. She smiled and gave the blade a lazy swing. "What can I say, I was a rebellious child, and daddy put a sword in my hand thinking it would straighten me out. Rather than play by those rules, I invented a set of my own." Inventing, it's what they did in Lodan, usually the humans, but an Ander could have it's day too.
She slipped the sword back in its holster. "Water sounds divine right now," she added, following Edel toward the source of said divinity.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Dec 31, 2017 19:51:30 GMT
"So you picked the difficult route, didn't you..." Edelweiss couldn't help but snicker, amused at the (likely not fully accurate) mental imagery of little kid Caitlin swinging an itty bitty rapier more like it's an axe or gladius instead of an actual rapier. "Seems to have worked well for you, though."
That was, of course, just musings spoken aloud and not really any form of actual criticism. Afterall, how would the redhead even judge? It's not like her own style could be called any close to standard either, despite being practically the baroness' pole opposite - wielding a bastard sword, hybrid in lenght between the kind held with both hands and just one (and therefore a relatively heavy kind) but focusing on speed instead of pure strength... at least when she didn't need to be too discreet about it (if she had then she favoured cane swords instead, but in her opinion concealed blades were better for stealth than actual prolonged combat).
She walked towards the benches that edged the gymnasium building and let herself sit down for a moment, reaching out for the clear water bottles nearby and drinking from one while holding another out for her friend to take. "When did you start learning swordsmanship?"
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Feb 14, 2018 0:11:31 GMT
Caitlin accepted the water bottle as well as the remark. "I started young, barely a teen before my father assigned me a tutor in fencing. He thought it might curb my 'hyperactivity', and perhaps for a while it did, but it also fueled it. It's like showing someone who's only ever drawn with charcoals in greyscale, a watercolor pallet and how to paint the rainbow with it. Now that they know they can, why would they ever stop or give it up? It fueled me to break out of those confines rather than submit to containment."
She nudged her opponent. "How about you? When did you begin?"
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Feb 15, 2018 3:17:59 GMT
"My grandmother taught me the basics (in both this and unarmed combat) when I was little, actually... though I don't remember exactly how old I was then. She used to say it was fool's thinking to hope you'd never need to defend yourself and it was best to learn how to just in case. Then after she passed I kept practicing some whenever I had time." The redhead shrugged and took another sip of her own water.
"Though to be fair, I only thought more deeply about mastering what skills I knew once CAEsAL was founded. A lot of the bouncers like to have practice partners, the younglings need lessons, and anyway it'd be hard to keep everything on track if I couldn't stand my ground. Most wouldn't have a weakling for a leader." Mainly not in a guild where half the members wasn't aware of the other half, and the secret half killed people for a living. But Edelweiss figured that even while not knowing of the assassins in CAEsAL, Caitlin would understand where she was coming from considering the guild she currently led herself.
"All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - John Dalberg-Acton
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Apr 14, 2020 11:19:58 GMT
Cait had a look of awe on her face as Edel spoke of her Grandmother. As the redhead shook her head and sipped her water Cait chimed in. "Sounds like my kind of woman," she grinned.
The guild talk that followed also had a humbling effect as Cait realized the openness they had now couldn't have been achieved a handful of years ago... it was mindboggling how much time could change. "Having the brawn in your theaters and pubs certainly helps, I'm sure. The drunkardly can get rowdier than bucks locking antlers." She mimic'd a stag, using her hands for antlers and comically butting her head forward for a moment, then balled her fist and gave it a jolly 1-2! before snickering some more. "I'm not much of a fighter with my hands," she admitted.... "but I'm quite innovative with a good old fashioned weapon of opportunity - and most especially with the sharp ones."
To that she kicked up her blade and gave it a satisfying swish.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Apr 15, 2020 15:00:42 GMT
"She was rather unusual, though the best people seem to be. I don't think it's coincidence she lived as long as she did." The redhead agreed. Lily had reached past a century old by the time she died, and while being proficient with healing magic certainly did help with that, the life conditions by the hovel did not. The old woman had been a tough cookie for sure.
"That it does, it may look quiet by the theaters but there's never a day when it's quiet everywhere." She couldn't help but chuckle at it. "So, we've had our water. Ready for round 2?" And perhaps they could get a couple of aforementioned bouncers to join them as well, who knows. It might be be fun. Maybe Maeve or one of the others were around? Though if they aren't, so be it as well.
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Apr 16, 2020 20:23:40 GMT
At the mention of a second round, she flicked up her blade and gave a gentle bow. "as you wish," she offered in response, a smile tugging the corners of her lips. Who knew she could have so much fun just practicing her swordsmanship with the redhead. She couldn't put her finger on the 'how' exactly, but sparring with another woman was different than practicing with her mostly-male colleagues. She rather enjoyed this, and hoped they'd have more opportunities in the future to repeat the occassion. "on your mark..." she motioned, and took up her stance back on the open floor.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Apr 19, 2020 18:01:46 GMT
And so their little practice session restarts. While there were still a considerable amount of female fighters within the guild (be they assassins, informants or bouncers), Edelweiss had to admit fighting Caitlin had a different flavor to it as well. The blond gal had a style that was not commonly seen within CAEsAL's premises often, besides being one of the few people with swordsmanship skill on pair with the redhead's.
Parry. Push back. Sidestep, half a sideturn, riposte.
Every move connected to next, never breaking the flow. Usually moving with a blade was second nature to her, but her current sparring partner didn't make it easy. Every move had to be calculated. If you're too far you can't reach, but if your opponent is too close to swing the sword, you could risk the sword not arriving at the fight before your elbow (or worse, your face) does. Which was not a nice prospect.
"Do you usually practice with your 'workers' as well?"
"All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - John Dalberg-Acton
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on May 8, 2021 20:05:05 GMT
"workers" was a funny way to phrase it, but after a brief moment to consider the choice of words, she nodded. "Mostly with them... Sometimes," she extended her arm for a swipe just to feel out Edels reaction and body language some more. "with others. I used to practice with Danny, before the scamp vanished from the city." Caity hadn't ever said it out loud, but she missed the spunky contender.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
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