[Training]Dagger Play (Kell/Nira)

[Kell Northwind]

77th Day of Winter, 509 AD

Kell leaned casually against the back wall of the Dancing Badger, one of the lesser known inns in Lower Syliras. He could have stayed at one of the more expensive inns, he had the coin, but the Badger had its own stable out back. Kell felt putting up with the inn’s seedier nature and rougher customers was worth having near instant access to Stormrunner. That wasn’t why he was out here today though. Between the stable and inn was an open area for saddling the guests horses. For a few silver Mizas, the innkeeper had been more than willing to let Kell the yard for the day.

The other night, while trolling the local taverns and inn common rooms looking for something to do between tips to the Wildlands to hunt, Kell had come across a young lady inquiring about learning a personal defense skill. This was by far the most interesting thing Kell had come across so he had offered to help the girl. Kell couldn’t get a good look at the slight woman in the dark room but he could tell from her outline that she really didn’t have the build to learn about Kell’s primary weapon, the broadsword, but he had offered to show her what he knew about using a dagger. She seemed agreeable so Kell had given her directions to the Dancing Badger, where he was staying, and asked her to meet him there around the eleventh bell.

Earlier that morning he had walked over to the smithy located a couple doors down and had traded a hide from his last hunting expedition to rent a couple of unfinished daggers for the day. The foot of steel on each of the daggers had yet to be sharpened and polished, which made them perfect as training implements. Now he relaxed in the midmorning sun, the daggers tucked into the front of his belt. Kell glanced at the sky, thinking that the sun was sitting somewhere between ten and eleven bells, though Kell had never really been good at telling the time from the position of the sun. Kell didn’t really think the lady would show, the city was filled with people who could probably teach her better than he. But he had given his word so he would wait out the allotted time. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do anyway. Across the yard Stormrunner poked her head out of her stall, chewing on an apple core that she had found in her troth. She saw Kell and snorted, wanting to be let out to stretch her legs. “Sorry Stormy,” Kell apologized, “I’m busy this morning, how ‘bout we take a ride out of the city tomorrow?” Stormrunner snorted again, it would have to do. Kell flicked another glance at the sun before pulling the brim of his hat down over his eyes and settling in to wait.

[Nira Curare]

Nira had a nightmare her first night in Syliras. Alone in the woods she walked with the prickling feeling of being watched. She walked faster, but the feeling just grew stronger, at a dead run she went until it was on her, suffocating her. The Second night she had the same dream, and the third. It was silly reason to learn another form of self-defense, but it was practical. People were not always going to be far enough away to throw knives. So she went to a local tavern to see if anyone was willing to teach her.

A young human said he would teach teach her what little he knew about daggers since she was probably not going to need to learn how to wield a broadsword. They agreed to meet a small inn she hadn't heard of, called the Dancing Badger. First she had to check on a few patients, and of course head to the Temple of All Gods, but right before it hit 11 Bells, Nira showed up. He was standing in the back with the horses. She walked slowly and silently to where he stood, and announced in her quiet melodic voice, "I'm ready to begin when you are." Even though she knew she could not practice in her cloak, she kept it on until this moment. She untied it and hung it on the side of the stable, revealing her unnaturally white features and waited for the humans reply.

[Kell Northwind]

“You know, sneaking up on someone who has pointy objects is a good way to get a nice young lady into a whole lot of ouch,” Kell admonished playfully from where he was sitting against the tavern’s wall. Not that she had taken him by surprise. Oh she was quiet as the moon alright, but when you had a large black hat brim blocking out most of your view, you noticed when shadows started moving along the ground. Her shadow was out of his viewing window now, though Stromrunner’s low nicker suggested she might be over by the stable. He shifted his feet under him and half rolled, half straightened to get back on his feet. With his left hand he casually brushed the dirt off the seat of his pants, with the right he pushed his hat to a more normal position, getting his first could look at his pupil.

He discreetly appraised her while he bent to dust of his pant legs. The first thing he noticed was how pale she was. Her skin seemed as white as a newborn faun’s spots and her hair could have been made of the vast tracks of undisturbed snow Kell had spent so much time in this winter. In contrast, her ruby lips stood out in bright relief, but it was her amethyst eyes that really captivated Kell’s attention. Kell guessed that the young woman’s gloves probably hid black nails; at least they would if his assumption that she was a Symenestrian was correct. Of course Kell had heard all the horror stories about Symenestrians, but he had never had any interaction with them himself. Frankly he was disinclined to believe that this beautiful woman would do some of those terrible things and so dismissed them as superstition and exaggeration.

Kell swept his most elegant bow, which admittedly was more awkward than regal and almost fell over in the process. “A pleasure to meet you my lady,” he said acting as if he had meant to stumble all along. He offered her his hand with a genuine smile, “My name is Kell, and that ugly, ungrateful, spoiled princess is my partner Stormrunner” He waved his other hand at Stormrunner who was now sniffing at the cloak the lady had hung on the stable. The dun mare nickered again upon hearing her name before going back to her inspection of the cloak for any goodies to munch on.

[Nira Curare]

Nira didn't know if he knew what she was, if so he seemed to be taking the fact that he was alone with a dangerous and very poisonous animal very well. She shook his hand and introduced herself, "My name is Nira, and I was far enough away to defend myself should you have tried to attack." She gave him a small smile carefully not revealing her fangs, just in case he thought she was an albino or something.

"So how shall we begin," she asked with wide eyes. She had never been taught to throw daggers, so she was not how instruction in self-defense worked. She probably would have taught herself this too, but with close combat you need someone that will moved where as target practice can be done done just about anywhere. she looked up with her haunting purple eyes for her first lesson.

[Kell Northwind]

“Well Nira, the first thing to know about fighting with daggers is that to do so, one must have a dagger.” He pulled the two unfinished blades he had thrust behind his belt buckle. “We’ll be using these so that nobody gets those ouches I mentioned.” He flipped one in his hand and offered it to her, hilt first. After she had taken it, he walked over to the stable and unfastened his sword belt, and he hung it over the top of Stormrunner’s stall door. For training purposes, it would be more convenient not to be encumbered with Gale swinging at his side. “Second thing to know about fighting with a dagger is that there are no rules,” He continued as he turned back to her, “There is no honorable conduct, your only thought should be to put as many holes in your opponent as if takes to make him stop trying to put holes in you.”

“The most important part of any fighting style is the stance. It stabilizes your defense, and it balances your attacks.” Kell folded his arms across his chest as he scrutinized Nira. “If you would be so kind as to drop into your fighting stance please? Then we’ll see what we can do to improve it.”

[Nira Curare]

She accepted the dull blade and examined it, it was quite a bit different than the knives she threw with, not so balanced and heavier. She listened to his instruction and nodded, if someone was close enough too really hurt her, she planned to fight dirty. Furrowing her eyebrows, she bent her knees and got low, holding the dagger with the blade pointing away from her body like she had seen others hold it. She wasn't sure if it was any kind of fighting stance, but it was better than just standing there and staring at him. She really only knew how to throw or run in times of conflict and she didn't really use a stance when throwing.

Still none of her inexperience showed on her face. Even if she was doing it wrong, the confidence she showed would make someone second guess that. With a small smirk she asked, "Is this right?"

[Kell Northwind]

Kell cocked his head to the left as he appraised Nira’s “stance”. “I’ve seen worse,” he decided, “Lowering yourself is good, it gives you a strong platform, harder to knock you off balance and the like. You’re too square though.” He indicated how she was facing him full on. “Your ‘forward’ should always be to your opponent, so that is wear his strikes will come from. If you face him square like that he has a large target area, and conversely, you have a lot of extra space you’ll need to cover with your defense. Let’s try this,” Kell preformed the movements as he described them, giving Nira an example to follow. “Keep your knees bent and pull your strong side leg back behind you, leading with your weak side, and roll up onto the balls of your feet. Rotate your shoulders to follow as well. Your shoulders should form a line pointing at your opponent. See how much this reduces your profile. Now raise your weak arm out in front of you, about chest height, elbow bent. Don’t worry about making a fist, this arm isn’t for striking. Raise your strong arm, the one with the dagger up to shoulder height and hold it away from your body. Keep your dagger held in a forward position; we aren’t going to worry about reverse grip moves for right now. This is a proper fighting stance, don’t worry with it feels a little awkward, with practice it’ll start coming naturally to you.

“The dagger’s most obvious drawback in a fight, as I’m sure you realized, is its size. Practically every weapon on the field of battle is going to be larger, which gives them longer reach. To engage them straight up is simply playing to that strength. Instead, a dagger fighter fights reactionately. Don’t bother with trying to block attacks with your blade. It can be done, but you have a very small area in which to block and a missed attempt is almost always fatal. Focus more on anticipating the swing and shifting your body out of harm’s way. This is where that low target profile comes in handy. But just dodging will not win the fight, putting holes in the other guy does that. You’ll have to get under their guard and it’s easiest to let them do most of the work. Instead of a strike and parry style of combat, we’re going to focus on an avoid and counter style. Each sequence should have four movements. One, avoid his attack. Try to arrange it so that your dodge will carry you inside his guard. Two, use your leading arm, your weak one, to trap their weapon arm and prevent a counter swing. Three, drive your blade forward, you have three options here, you can strike straight forward in a quick jab, you can bring the blade up over your shoulder and strike down wards or you can bring the dagger down and up. Four, you retreat. Get back out of their range and collect yourself. Repeat until the bad guy is on the ground bleeding out.” Kell gave her an encouraging grin. “Any questions or concerns before we get about the business of turning you into the most talented dagger wielding Symenestra in Syliras?”

[Nira Curare]

Nira readjusted her body as he spoke, adjusting her feet, turning her body, raising her arm, it was an awkward position to be in. She had little experience with fighting stances, she either threw or ran in a fight. Neither requires a defensive position to learn, but she was quickly becoming comfortable and listened to the basics of fighting. She was not too worried about dodging, she was small, quick, and nimble, and if anyone was close enough to inflict harm on her, she would fight dirty. She practiced the motions he taught, and the strokes he demonstrated slowly, so she could get to form perfectly before speeding up.

His last comment literally stopped her dead in her tracks. So looked up him with a dangerous calm and then stood up straight. With an exhale she smiled the kind of grin that showed both very pointy, very poisonous fangs. She knew this looked...unsettling to the bravest of folks, but she was not trying to scare Kell, she was genuinely pleased that someone-a human, had identified her and not tried to kills her. With the smile still on her face she said, "Well I wonder why you seem to be comfortable being alone with a creature known for poisoning and eating people like you alive, but other than that no, I'm ready to begin."

OOC- I'm sorry, I've been having issues with my internet the last couple days so this took longer than it should have

[Kell Northwind]

((OOC: don’t sweat it. Life happens to us all at some point.))

Kell returned Nira’s smile with one of his own. “Well, tactically speaking, you wouldn’t be here if you already knew how to fight, which u think gives me the edge.” As he spoke, Kell ticked off points on his free hand in a good natured kind of way. “And then there’s the practical explanation that says you won’t kill me until after I teach you. It is hard to learn from someone who’s digesting. Next on the list is the natural reason. Just because I eat meat doesn’t mean I go around killing deer indiscriminately. I kill when I need to, and I assume it’s the same with you. Plus, theoretically I have the capabilities to kill and eat you too, you know. But the most important reason you I’m not scared of who you are, is because you’re not a creature, you’re a person.”

Kell lowered back into his fighting stance. “We’ll begin the hands on part of the course now. Since I want you to learn by watching me, I’ll be using a dagger too. I’ll serve as the aggressor. Please remember that we’re just practicing, these daggers are blunt but they’ll still hurt if you smack me all over the yard with them.” Kell waited three heartbeats after he had finished talking and then launched his attack. He took a step off to her right and then thrust the blade straight out and a little downwards, aiming for her left thigh. The attack was slightly slowed as Kell anticipated pulling his punches so to speak, after all it would be a shame to injure the young lady so soon after breaking through her shell.

[Nira Curare]

He had a point, eating took a very long time for Symenestras to kill and eat Kell just wouldn't be practical. Not that she was going to anyways, he had done her no harm so she would not harm him either, but she almost laughed at the thought of him trying to kill and eat her, even if he succeeded, Symenestra's were poisonous. She was going to bring up that point, but she knew he was not being literal and she wanted to start. She examined her dagger again, noting how blunt it was and how hard it was, getting hit with one of these would not be fun.

She zoned off a little as she was thinking this, when she looked up, he was attacking her. She stepped back at the last second easily, hoping that he was not attacking with full speed, because that would have just been sad. In the same motion she awkwardly tried to hit the arm he was trying to attack her with. It was a quick smooth motion, Nira noted that she would be good at this with training, since at the very least she knew how to get out of the way.