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Rhodri vs. The Blue System

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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

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Postby Rhodri on April 24th, 2017, 10:25 pm

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Rhodri had been told to stand off to one side while his paperwork was processed. The blue-skinned clerk came up after about ten chimes and handed a slip of parchment to the Eypharian. The arrogant youth looked down his nose at the worker and took the small scroll with his lower right hand. The instant the Akalak released the detail he spilled the explanation in a hurry and left when he was finished.

“The name on the top is the man who will test you for Kuvan status. You will find him upstairs. Should you meet someone else, show them this note and he will locate your trainer. The other names are places you may find work. Strange request to work two places, Eypharian. I wouldn’t want to serve two different masters.”

Rhodri cringed at the statement. He was the master regardless of the situation –the blood in his veins demanded as such and his six arms proved the desert race’s divine lineage. The nonchalant way in which he was addressed with such information was almost blasphemy. The gold skin darkened as blood rushed up beneath his neck and cheeks but the Eypharian did well to hide any other signs of offense. After waiting for a chime or so –long enough to make the youth feel like he was making the decision on his own accord- Rhodri turned and walked up the stairs. He took them two at a time with deliberate and powerful steps which ascended the exile to the second level. Once there, the desert brat moved along the wall which was rather plain given some of the structures he had seen in Riverfall and to a large set of double doors.

The tall Eypharian moved through and entered the room which was far greater than he could have imagined. The walls were lined with weapon racks full of an arsenal beyond anything the young warrior had ever seen. There were dozens of weapons of which he had no knowledge so Rhodri took a moment to walk along blade and staff to study some of the foreign instruments. As he did this, the man with gilded skin stole glances of the room which had six massive pillars arranged in a long hexagon that supported the high ceiling. There were multiple men and women being addressed by Akalaks that looked as ferocious as any he had seen so far. These were some of the top tier warriors, no doubt, since they were tasked with testing those who wish to become citizens in their fair city.
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I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:09 am

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Rhodro continued his lap around the outer walls to study the selection of pain-dealing tools when he found what looked like a crude aclis. It was just a stick with a rope that had a rounded chunk of rock knotted at the end. The mini boulder had been bored through the center and the rope was inched at either side to hold it in place. The Eypharian took the weapon from the rack and held the club in his top right fist. The rope was caught by the right middle while the anchor was held by his middle left. When the aristocrat went to make a general downstroke with the club, a long spear’s shaft caught it midway up the wood with a ‘crack’! The deep brown eyes snapped to the right towards the wielder to see a shorter Akalak, perhaps a foot shorter than Rhodri, and this man was thin by the blue ogre standards but still very muscular – he seemed more athletic and agile than capable of brute strength.

“Come to test your mettle, friend?” The purple skin shimmered in the light of Syna as tree branches along the room’s windows danced in the breeze. The man stepped back a couple paces with long, graceful strides that placed him between two of the large pillars with plenty of room on each side. He gave a tutorial of his weapon skills by making a five-step box with his feet that allowed him to turn completely around all while spinning the spear around his hands and wrists. The trainer finished by coming into a ready stance with balanced feet, bent knees and the spear held firmly at an angle with the business end pointed at the Eypharian. “That is why you’re here, is it not?” The toying gaze and mocking tone were quite thick in the man’s words.

Rhodri moved slowly into the space that had been allotted for him. He glanced around to see if there were any tricks above of around the pillars which might cost him later. There were no obvious signs so the Eypharian stepped forward a bit more until he was about six feet away from the man. As the desert brat settled into his stance, the spear spun back and then came low in a slow, broadcasted sweep before the purple Akalak drew the weapon back to ready. Rhodri was easily able to lift his left foot then put it right back down in its original place. His opponent looked smug and the Eypharian could feel his hatred for mbene shure rising to the top. After the beating he took on the road, the exile was wary to unload his anger on anyone since it proved useless before.
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:10 am

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“Well, you’re not an idiot.” His instructor chirped. For such a large man, he seemed to have a childish voice. Without warning, the spear came straight at Rhodri’s chest. The top right hand made a quick cross and another ‘crack’ echoed off the pillars as the wood to wood impact made the blow glance wide. The Eypharian winced for a tick as his unhealed rib instantly began to hurt. The dull ache seemed to pulsate out from the fracture but it was not major enough to give a great consideration. Rhodri began to formulate a way to attack this man but another jab at his midsection came and went followed by an eye-level sweep. Rhodri parried the strike outward from his right side then dropped his right foot back which allowed his big frame to duck under the swipe.

By having a stretched stance, Rhodri used the tension in his already flexed legs to lunge forward. He pointed his body by dropped his shoulders and switching his lead from left to right in a single stride. This last second change was enough of a shift to bring the Eypharian inside the spear’s effective range. If it was one thing Rhodri had learned in all of his training – it was to always be an opportunist. The desert brat brought his club up from his hip towards the Akalak’s chin but the trainer seemed to be ready for it and pivoted away while allowing the shaft of his weapon to block the strike. The resounding ‘klok’ of their impact caused both men to blink since it was so lose to their faces but Rhodri was slower to recover and took a swift kick to his left shin. The tall man staggered back and took a few steps to regain his balance. His Akalak tester did not need as much time and was already coiled to pounce. Before the Eypharian was fully stable, the purple spearman lunged forward with the spear at chest level. He swing laterally to the right then reversed the action to bring a second swing from the left and finished with a quarter spin as a downward strike. The combination was rapid and accurate with each blow supported by force but held under control.

Rhodri wasn’t very prepared for the first strike and rushed his block with the club part of his weapon. This gave a firm deflection and a snappy second strike but this time the Eypharian turned his torso so that he could use half of the rope to shield himself. The absence of the weapon’s firm stick absorbed more of his opponent’s momentum so when the downward blow came it was sluggish. Rhodri used the lower half of his rope and allowed the spear to come down into the slack then wrapped his lead around the shaft. He turned his back to the man and gave a sharp yank forward in an attempt to wrest the weapon away. For good measure, Rhodri kicked his left foot back to flat-stomp the Akalak’s knee.
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:10 am

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The tactic caught the spearman off-guard, certainly, but he was far too skilled to be disarmed so easily. He allowed the spear to shift forward but never let go with his left hand. The Akalak took the shot to his leg but it merely glanced his shin so there was little effect to his motion. Almost serpentine in his gait, the purple warrior slid up behind the gold-skinned man and delivered a quick fist to the backside of his ribs.

Rhodri barked in protest as he had not yet recovered from the broken rib he received from the caravan’s mercenary. The aclis was made to release the spear and the Eypharian staggered forward in a spin that tilted his wounded side away from his opponent. In the process, a wild flailing of free hands covered his tender rib but also slapped at the Akalak – it wasn’t much for defense but it planted the strings of his god-given gift. His thigh tingled but Rhodri was now aware of the cords and could see their shimmering veins running to different parts of his enemy. That’s what the Akalak had become – the violet-shaded bastard had caused Rhodri pain and that shifted the stakes. No longer was this about proving one’s self but it had become the pursuit of vengeance.

The spoiled young man saw his trainer sneering at him over the ugly escape and in no small part because of the average blow which happened to find a weak spot. Rhodri began to circle his opponent with careful steps where his booted feet crossed then opened. He planned a few moves in his head and reminded himself to make extravagant flourishes which would later hide his use of the strings. The first strike was a feint with the club that synced with the release of the anchor. The Eypharian still held the rope in his middle right hand and he extended outward enough to swing the rock in an upward arc then caught it when it returned with the middle left hand. The attack was easy for the Akalak to dodge but his face became more serious as he had not seen that sort of use often. Rhodri cycled another set of steps that went from one side then reversed. He made a right to left slash with the club then spun the rock out once more but this time presented more of an angle. The spearman blocked the club with a ‘crack’ then back-peddled three steps to remove himself and his weapon from the swirling attack.
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:11 am

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The Eypharian moved forward with steps that were alternated long-long short or short-long-short; after a few series, it began to look like a dance. Even though he was experiencing pain from his busted rib, he continued to alternate between melee strikes and whirling the anchor about from different positions and angles which managed to keep the spearman in a steady yet tactical retreat. Rhodri had long ago learned the value of distracting one’s self from an injury. Also, each strike was coupled with a free hand extending behind or out to the side as if the exile was posing. If the Akalak were to try any of his long swipes or jabs, he would likely lose his weapon…and he knew it. It didn’t take long for Rhodri to figure out what the purple man was doing. His eyes caught the Akalak –twice- scouring the racks for a better weapon.

Not wanting to lose his advantage, Rhodri took a risk. He sidestepped with his long legs a few times in an almost skip to round the Akalak into a line where they were both equidistant from the array of weaponry. The long strides jarred his side wound and although it was internal, it was starting to make everything hurt. While this reduced the Eypharian’s current aggressive style by limiting his space for maneuvering, it would give him the ability to pounce should the trainer elect to cash in his spear for something else. For a moment, both fighters seemed to be gauging the other’s thoughts and a calm settled over the duel.

The spearman shortened his grip and went on the offensive. The bladed shaft in his hands blurred as it acted more like a quarterstaff than a polearm. Rhodri found himself struggling to hold his ground as combinations of strikes came in four or five at a time. These attacks were fast but not very powerful. The desert brat would block two or three then catch a sharp wrap on his forearm or knuckle. A few random shots hit him in the legs and once the cold sting of metal flatted against his top, left shoulder but the Eypharian never lost more than a step before swinging without his tiny boulder about and backing the Akalak off a step or two. This continued until Rhodri had taken seven or eight shots in a series of onslaughts but each time the spearman returned, he gave away more of his pattern.
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:13 am

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Five more rapid-fire strikes landed around Rhodri’s right hands but as the last one came forward, Rhodri stepped into it with his lower right forearm taking the hit. He unleashed the rock ball for the man’s abdomen and pulled the half-length tight to create an ‘X’ pattern in his swing which he moved and repeated four times until the Akalak was forced to duck down and towards Rhodri. With his lower left hand free, the Eypharian touched his thigh to activate the cords then yank backwards with a flick of his wrist meant to pull the leg strings the hardest. This was all background to the club swing which was formed in a different manner than previous attacks. Since his target was lower, Rhodri dropped his elbow down which allowed him to pull with both his shoulder and his chest then cast his forearm horizontally forward and flicked his wrist to transfer all of the inertia at once.

“Whoa-THUNK!” The Akalak lost his footing which distracted him enough to not block the incoming blow. The club hit him in the head and the trainer dropped hi spear. Rhodri stood over him for a moment with his own smug grin despite the pain that shot through his side. Just as the aristocrat opened his mouth to speak, a massive fist collapsed down onto his side which brought Rhodri to his knees.

“I saw that, Eypharian.” A hulking, blue shadow spat down upon the desert brat. “You used your gnosis to trip Kyne’tal.” Rhodri looked up to see one very large and angry man. Already a bit tired and in pain from his spar, he braced for the worst.

“It’s alright, Xane.” The purple Akalak, apparently named Kyne’tal, interjected. He moved between the two and offered a hand to help Rhodri to his feet. The younger brute had a large, red welt forming on the left side of his forehead. “While the test is supposed to be purely skill-based, we are testing whether or not these people can defend our home.” He gave a sly smile to the gold-skinned man. “I’d say he’s passed.” The bigger, bluer fellow grumbled and walked away but not before violently rolling his neck to one side so that Rhodri could hear the vertebrae crackle in response.

The Eypharian took the hand offered to him and rose to his feet. He looked to the purple Akalak for a moment. “How did he know I used my gift?”

“Xane’s an aurist. He can see things that most people don’t.” The Akalak walked over and put his spear away then motioned for Rhodri to do the same. “What’s your name?”

“Rhodri.” The Eypharian walked over and put the aclis away. Before he could ask any questions, his sparring partner had picked up the weapon and began to inspect it.
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
User avatar
Rhodri
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Posts: 73
Words: 111934
Joined roleplay: March 4th, 2017, 4:37 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
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Postby Rhodri on May 2nd, 2017, 1:16 am

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“What’s this called? And where did you learn to use it?”

“It’s an aclis and my father taught me how to use it in Ahnetep.” Rhodri started to walk away.

“Wait, Rhodri. You have to get your ink.” Kyne’tal jogged up next to the man who towered over him, his purple skin slick with sweat. “You’re not Kuvan if you don’t have the mark.” This made the desert man pause and take a step back. His nose flared at the thought of some kind of brand.

“I will not be marked like a slave!” Rhodri chided.

Kyne’tal laughed. “You big idiot. It’s not like that.” He swatted the tall man on his broad shoulders and escorted him out of dojo. The look on Rhodri’s face was something akin to stepping in camel patties.

*****
At Riverfall Ink

Herrlock chuckled at the sight before him. “Your pet doesn’t have to get inked, Kyne’tal. He can go on being a nobody if he wishes.” The Eypharian was trying to expound upon the intricacies of Eypharian culture which demanded a focus on beauty and perfection. Kyne’tal was trying to explain how amazing of an artist the man behind the counter truly was and the argument was growing beyond reasonable as one ego clashed with the immaturity of another.

“ENOUGH!”

Silence.

Herrlock now had all eyes on him as he rose to his full height and came around the counter. He held a drawing of rings and swirls up before the dark brown eyes of Rhodri. “This is what it will look like and it goes on your wrist.” The Eypharian’s hand was taken and the drawing slapped into it. “Take it and elevate yourself or go back to the stables, boy.” Herrlock turned and walked away. Rhodri examined the drawing and turned the page then examined it again.

“How much does it cost?”
Image
I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
User avatar
Rhodri
Perpetual Improvement
 
Posts: 73
Words: 111934
Joined roleplay: March 4th, 2017, 4:37 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
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Journal
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Leveling Up

Postby Grim Ravenwood on June 29th, 2017, 5:11 pm

Your Grades

Skills:
Weapon - Aclis: 4
Observation: 3
Endurance: 1

Lores:
Aclis: An exotic weapon
Combat: Hiding one’s injuries
Self: Dislikes brands
Cordas: Useful in combat

Grader's Comments:
Don't forget to delete your request in the grading thread. I love how you describe your combat scenes. Shoot me a pm if you have any complaints, and enjoy your grades, they are to die for.

As always, Death guide you~
Grim
Grim as an Eiyon, appears to undead as either something to be fearful, or weary of, depending on their personal power. To others, he might seem like a mystery, or just odd.
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Grim Ravenwood
You reap what you sow~
 
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