Completed [Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

I sure do hope that's mud.

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role playing forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

This shining population center is considered the jewel of The Sylira Region. Home of the vast majority of Mizahar's population, Syliras is nestled in a quiet, sprawling valley on the shores of the Suvan Sea. [Lore]

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on April 28th, 2014, 5:33 am


26th Day of Spring, 514 AV


"Alright lad, I've got something special planned for you today," Crowe stroked his beard as he led Bitt through the Stormhold Citadel, "How's your shoulder by the way, lad?" A seed of worry began to sprout within Bitt; he was certain that Crowe was well informed regarding his shoulder, which had recovered several days ago. The young squire hesitantly answered;
"Very well, Ser Crowe."
"Very good lad, very good; you'll be needing it!" Bitt was convinced that he was being teased... Crowe had a tendency to do that. The older knight would try to make him overly excited, or overly worried, just to throw him into something deceptively mundane. It was irritating to no end! Bitt slightly craned his neck and studied his patron's face, as if to try and discern a clue from his expression; naturally, no such hint was found.
Well... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by anything Crowe does any more.
The young squire sighed softly to himself, returning his attention back to the space ahead of him. He had a vague sense they here heading in the general direction of the Antinous Training Grounds, but he couldn't be certain; his sense of direction was still shaky at best.

The pair continued in silence, passing the occasional knight, squire or steward. As ticks turned to chimes, Bitt's confidence in regards to their destination grew substantially; this was definitely the way to the training grounds.
I definitely recognise that archway!
Proud of himself for making the correct assumption, a grin tugged at the corner of his lips, and there was a notable change in his stride, each step radiated an aura of certainty. Noticing this, Crowe couldn't help but comment;
"Need to use the privy lad?" Bitt flushed in embarrassment, resumed his earlier pace, and Crowe chuckled at his own humour. Despite everything, Bitt was never angry when Crowe made sport with him, they were just jokes after all, and he loved jokes. No, what frustrated him was that he was unsure if it was okay for him to make gibes at his patron's expense... he suspected it wouldn't be.
I'll definitely have to pay him back some day though.
The thought served to placate Bitt, who immersed himself in the imaginary pranks he would undoubtedly play on his patron... eventually.

Finally, both Bitt and Crowe emerged from the interior of The Stormhold Citadel onto The Antinous Training Grounds. The wide, open space was one of Bitt's favourite places, along with the Windmount Stables. The young squire inhaled deeply, and exhaled with a sigh of content.
Fresh air!
The stuffy corridors of Syliras' interior carried with them an unpleasant odour. Bitt was starting to get used to it, a fact he wasn't entirely pleased with; nonetheless he still loved his opportunities to get outside. There was something liberating about being under the sky as opposed to surrounded by stone.
"Alright lad, let's not sit here twiddling our thumbs all day. Follow me." Crowe allowed Bitt a couple of ticks to enjoy the moment, but they had work to do. Bitt nodded his head and turned to follow his patron out onto the grounds, convinced that a painstaking day was inevitable.
"Yes, Ser Crowe."

"So tell me lad, what do you think?" Both Bitt and his patron had ventured further out onto the training grounds than the young squire ever had before. Now, tucked away in one of its far corners, Crowe gestured towards a series of odd structures arranged in a straight line. What appeared to be a small section of wall with a rope hanging from it was the largest among them.
What is all this?!?
Bitt's mouth hung slightly ajar, his arms hung limply at his sides, and he was stunned into an awe-inspired silence. Crowe couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"Speechless ey, lad? I'd have thought you'd be a bit more excited." It took a few ticks, but Bitt eventually found his tongue. Without tearing his eyes away from the strange looking constructs, the squire asked;
"What is this Ser Crowe?"
"Well, officially it's called The Course... but a lot of people have their own little nicknames for it. We use it to help knights get used to more complicated movements while wearing their armour." At his patron's words, Bitt couldn't help but feel very concious of his own chain mail and plate;
"So does that mean-"
"Yes lad, you're going to run it."
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on April 28th, 2014, 2:09 pm


Bitt stood nervously at the start of The Course. Each of the constructs, which Crowe had referred to as 'obstacles', were spaced evenly along a wide track. The young squire needed to progress to the end of it, passing each obstacle along the way.
At least, I'm pretty sure that's how Crowe described it.
Thinking of his patron, Bitt turned his attention to where Crowe was waiting patiently off to the side. The older knight had given him a few chimes to stretch out his joints and warm up; apparently there would be no rush to complete The Course, and Crowe would explain each obstacle before he'd have to attempt it.
No problem. I can do this. I can do this. I can-
"Alright lad! Time to start!" His thoughts were cut short by Crowe, who had decided his squire had spent quite long enough preparing himself, "First up is the net-field; just run through it as fast as you can, but make sure to keep your knees up!"

The 'net-field' Crowe was referring to was a a large stretch of netting raised relatively taut one-foot above the ground. It was made with thick rope, and had an open, uniform weave in a twenty-five-by-two grid; each opening was a square with two-foot-long sides.
"Make sure you don't skip any squares lad! Now, off you go!" Crowe added the final words of encouragement, and Bitt was galvanised into action. Having been recently introduced to religion, the young squire thought of a quick prayer;
Yahal, if you're watching, try not to laugh too much.
He didn't ask for strength, or balance, or something equally inappropriate, he needed to do this on his own or he wouldn't be able to improve, and that was the point. All the same, Bitt thought it would be nice to get into the habit of talking to Yahal, even if he never talked back.

As always, running while wearing full chain mail and plate was never an easy task. Sure, Bitt was slowly getting used the sensation, but it has still heavy. Within the space of a few strides he'd reached the edge of the net-field, and almost immediately his gait made the dramatic transition from 'almost-confident' to 'compeltely-clueless'. Having to lift his knees so high felt unnatural, and the young squire had to stretch his arms out for balance. Should anyone have asked, Crowe would've described Bitt's movements to be "like those of a mentally challenged ostrich". Inevitably, before even getting half-way across the obstacle, Bitt caught his foot and fell crashing to the ground.
"Not as easy as it looks, right lad? Back on your feet and try again!" Crowe called out reassurances to his squire, and Bitt struggled back to a standing position, careful not to get tangled up in the rope. The fall had left him slightly jarred, but otherwise unharmed.
I can do this. I can do this.
Bitt chanted the mantra to himself in his head and, after stepping out of the net-field, looped around to return to its start. He was determined to succeed, to improve himself every day, even if it was only slightly.

Twenty tries. It took Bitt twenty awkward attempts of floundering about before he finally managed to cross the net-field without falling over. The physical and mental exertion he felt was great, and his forehead was covered in a shean of sweat. Even though he'd technically succeeded, Bitt knew he still had a lot of room for improvement, but at that moment he didn't care;
I did it!
Bitt's breathing was slightly laboured, and it didn't escape Crowe's attention when he came to congratulate his squire. The lad's willpower and determination made the older knight swell with pride, though he didn't show it.
"You've done well lad, you've done well. Now, I'll give you a few chimes to catch your breath and we'll move on to the next obstacle." He had told Bitt his task was to finish The Course, and they would remain on the Antinous Training Grounds until that task was complete, regardless of how challenging it proved to be. Bitt, for his part, grinned at his patron;
"Yes, Ser Crowe."
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on April 29th, 2014, 9:51 am


Bitt sat cross-legged on the ground, his hands gently placed palm-down on his thighs. Breathing. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth; the respiratory exercises he had been practising under Crowe's watchful eye were coming into their own. While he didn't acknowledge it at he time, in retrospect Bitt would come to realise that his mind was oddly clear, his partial exhaustion sweeping away a lot of the errant thoughts that normally plagued him when he actively tried to empty his mind.
"Alright lad, that's enough. On your feet before your muscles cramp up." Crowe interrupted him, but rightfully so. The young squire snapped his eyes open and stood up. It had only been a handful of chimes, but already his breathing had returned to a steady rhythm.
"What's next, Ser Crowe?" Crowe guffawed at the question and smacked his squire on the back, partly because the answer was an obvious one.
"The wall lad, the wall."

The wall was exactly what it sounded like; a twelve-foot-high, six-foot-long block of stone that blocked passage along The Course. A pair of thick ropes were tightly fastened to the top of the structure, each dangling down a different side of it. The surface of the wall itself was very rough and uneven, though to describe the indents as 'hand-holds' would be a stretch.
"Alright lad, I doubt this one needs much explanation; climb the wall then climb back down the other side." Bitt nodded at his patron's instructions and turned to face the obstacle. The young squire was confident in his ability to scale the wall, so he doubted this task would cause him much trouble.
I can do this. I can do this.
All the same, Bitt resumed his mantra and approached the base of the wall. Naturally, he craned his neck and gazed up towards the vertical summit, as if seeing it from a different angle would help him somehow. Bitt rolled his shoulders and shook out his arms before reaching out and taking a firm hold of the rope, one hand slightly above the other.

With a harsh grunt of effort, Bitt began to pull himself up the rope, jumping slightly and pressing the balls of his feet against the wall for support. Heaving his entire body, plus the added weight of his armour, put a lot of strain on the young squire's muscles. Unable to nimbly scramble to the top, Bitt was forced to ascend in small, difficult increments.
I can do this. I can do this.
He would let go of the rope with one hand, then quickly swing it up so that it was higher than the other. All the while, he had to constantly shift his feet as he tried to find appropriate purchase. In this manner Bitt made slow, steady progress up the wall. It was difficult, and before long his arms were crying out in agony, demanding that he let them go slack.
"Keep it up lad! You're doing great!" On occasion Crowe would call out to his squire, but Bitt never noticed, focusing all of his attention on the task at hand.

It took several chimes, but Bitt finally pulled himself onto the top of the wall. He had just enough room to sit with his legs hanging off the edge, and the young squire took a moment to catch his breath.
Now I just need to climb back down.
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on May 2nd, 2014, 3:58 pm


"Alright lad, perhaps you'd like me to run and fetch you a blanket and cushion? You don't look quite comfortable enough up there." Crowe cupped a hand around his moth and called up to his squire, who was still seated atop the wall. As far as the older knight was concerned, he had dawdled for long enough. Bitt, having easily heard the gibe, was quick to spring into action. In his haste to spin around, the young squire slipped, losing his balance and sending himself tumbling off of the wall. Panicked, Bitt launched a wild grab for the rope. Blessedly, his fingers coiled securely around the lifeline, and his downward decent came to an immediate halt. Now, Bitt was no scholar, so he wasn't aware of the specifics mechanics that sent him swinging like a pendulum, face first, into the wall... what he was aware of, was how much it hurt.
By Yahal's shining nostrils! That hurt!
When Bitt lived at sea, he noticed a lot of the sailors would invoke Laviku's various body parts to punctuate their points. He had adopted the practice with his own deity, Yahal.

Bitt felt a small trickle of something, which he assumed was blood, trail down the side of his head. Gritting his teeth to brace himself, the squire took quick stock of his situation: he'd fallen off the wall,-
Crowe's never going to let me live that down,-
managed to grab hold of the rope, hit his head, and was now dangling about eight-feet off the ground. All in all, Bitt thought that things could be a lot worse. He also noticed that he didn't feel any pain, likely because of the adrenaline that flooded his body; not that Bitt was aware of the science behind the phenomenon.
"You alright lad? Brace yourself with your feet and get down from there, and be quick about it!" There was no distress in Crowe's call; if Bitt was in any real trouble, he'd be face down on the ground, instead of hanging onto the rope. All the same, the older knight felt partially responsible for his squire's current predicament.

Bitt's breathing came out in deep, rapid breaths that shook his entire body; he was still somewhat in shock. The tips of his toes tapped gently against the face of the wall, and his arms were starting to feel the strain from having to support his weight as he dangled. The young squire shot a tentative glance downwards,
It's actually not too high, even if I fall it probably won't be too bad.
The sight comforted him, and he began to calm down. With a muffled grunt of effort, Bitt leaned back, away from the wall, and planted the balls of his feet against the rough surface. Then, slowly but surely, he began his slow, careful climb towards the ground.

"Just let yourself fall that last little bit there, lad. Bend your knees to absorb the impact, you're a lot heavier with that armour on!" When Bitt had descended half of the distance he needed to, Crowe called to him. The older knight suspected that any wound his squire may have sustained would be superficial at worst, so he wasn't concerned about the suggestion.
"Yes, Ser Crowe!"
Puhsing himself slightly away so that he wouldn't ricochet off the wall on his way down, Bitt let himself drop the last several feet towards the ground. He landed neatly, bending his knees as-per Crowe's instruction.
"Alright lad, let's take a look at the damage." the patron knight closed the distance between him and his squire, took a rough hold of Bitt's head, and turned it for his inspection, "Hmmm, doesn't look too bad; just a bit of a graze, really. You'll be fine. If it gives you any trouble we'll send you to one of the healers, they'll fix you right up." Bitt grinned at his patron;
"That's a relief! It feels good to be back on the ground." Crowe raised an eyebrow at him, a grin tugging at the corners of his own lips;
"Interesting choice of words lad. In that case, you're going to love the next obstacle." Of course, since Bitt sustained no major injuries they were free to continue their little exercise. At Crowe's words, Bitt's stomach sank;
Well... brilliant.
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on May 2nd, 2014, 5:31 pm


"This looks a lot like the first obstacle." Bitt voiced his opinion as he inspected the thick net that stretched out before him. Of course, there were some differences between this set-up and the first obstacle: it was stretched a lot tighter and much more firmly secured to the ground. Furthermore, while the net itself was set slightly lower to the ground, the space it covered also sank into a shallow depression that sloped on either side.
"An excellent observation Squire Bitt, perhaps you can deduce how I'm going to have you cross this one?" Bitt recognised the mocking tone for what it was, but he decided to ignore it and answer anyway;
"Crawl under it?"
"Right you are lad! Right you are." A small silence stretched between the two of them for a time..."Lad,-"
"Oh, right, get going." Bitt chuckled slightly and rubbed the back of his head, stepping forward to start. He had been preoccupied by his thoughts, which revolved around fantasies of what might be served in the mess hall that night. As Crowe watched his squire, the older knight started to worry that Bitt had hit his head a lot harder than he first thought.

Bitt lowered himself to the ground and half-slithered-half-clawed his way beneath the netting. The task was made almost impossible when factoring in how cumbersome his armour was. Being so close to the ground, the cool scent of the earth permeated all around Bitt... as did the dust he knocked up when he moved. So, it was with his eyes squinted and his lips dry that he made progress at a snail's-pace. Seeing his squire struggling so much, Crowe offered his assistance;
"Prop yourself up on your elbows and use them to shuffle forward lad! Then pivot your hips and knee up to match: left-elbow, left-hip and knee!" Bitt grunted, not wishing to open his mouth, acknowledging that he'd heard his patron's advice.
Left-elbow, left-knee. Right-elbow, right-knee.
Bitt tried to move the way Crowe had explained, and immediately noticed an improvement. He called out a rhythm in his mind, and soon the young squire was making steady ground across the obstacle.

It wasn't easy. Having to propel his entire, armoured body forward using just his elbows quickly tired him out. If he raised his body too much, he would feel the press of the netting above, prompting him to lower his backside. Occasionally, Bitt would drop his head and continue without looking where he was going. His neck would get sore if he kept it angled up too much. As he grew confident with his pace, Bitt returned to his earlier mantra;
I can do this. I can do this.
Every inch that he moved forward was progress. Progress pleased Bitt, no matter how small. He passed the obstacle without incident, except that it wore him out. When he stood up on the other side of the depression, Crowe approached him and commented on the fact;
"You know lad, I'm almost surprised a fissure didn't open beneath you." It was said with such a straight face, that Bitt couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the notion, "One more to go lad, think you're up for it?" Bitt's answer was obvious;
"Yes, Ser Crowe."
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Bitt on May 3rd, 2014, 3:23 pm


The last obstacle was an imposing one. A pit, several feet deep and slightly less than twenty-five-feet long, stretched before Bitt. The pit was filled with a dark, wet substance the squire assumed was mud- that he hoped was mud. The means by which he was expected to cross the menacing hole in the earth was obvious; a long log, barely one-foot in diameter, stretched out over the drop. To make matters worse Bitt had to help, not watch, his patron liberally coat the log in a slippery sheen of water, which they collected from a series of nearby barrels obviously kept filled for that very purpose;
"Not much point if the log is dry, now is there lad?" His patron, Crowe, had said. Bitt would have voiced his complete disagreement with the sentiment if he thought it would be of any good. Instead, he'd sighed and acted in compliance with the older knight's orders.

Bitt bounced nervously on the balls of his feet at the edge of the pit. Before him, the log seemed to stretch across an impossible distance. The reason for his worry was simple;
I'm probably going to fall off...
The young squire's task was to try and cross the gap as fast as he could without falling. If he fell, he'd have to wade to the edge of the mud-pool, pull himself out, return to the start and try again.
I'm probably going to fall off...
Naturally, Bitt had to attempt the task whilst still fully armoured. He knew what his future held, and he found it hilarious. Without warning, the squire began to laugh at his own misfortune, and his body quivered with the strength of it.
I'm probably going to fall off!

"You alright there lad?!" Crowe called out to his squire, who was acting rather odd. The older knight began to wonder if the young lad was beginning to crack under the strain of his training... though it would be a shame if he was.
"I'm fine, Ser Crowe! I just found something funny is all!" Bitt finally managed to answer his patron between chuckles. Crowe frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow;
"Well that's just lovely. I hate to interrupt your fun but there's an impatient log complaining that you're not paying her any attention. Mind remedying that for me lad?" All laughter ceased, and Bitt straightened his back in a hurry, nodding understanding to his patron. The message was clear: get a move on!

Bitt stretched out his arms for balance and took his first steps onto the log. Truth be told, his worries about falling off stemmed from the string of bad luck that had plagued him up to that moment. In truth, he was confident in his ability to cross the log, he just expected something bad to happen that would cause him to fall. Having grown up on a ship, Bitt was familiar with the correct way to tread on wet, uneven timber. He had a head for heights and, while he wasn't exactly nimble, he had confidence in his balance. What worried him was the inevitable disaster that would send him crashing into the mucky, dark something that stagnated in the pit.

The disaster never came, and Bitt made steady progress across the log. He kept his head straight and placed one foot in front of the other in a steady rhythm. Once or twice, he teetered slightly, but he didn't fall. When he stepped onto the other side of the pit, the young squire was in complete disbelief.
I... I didn't fall in!
A large smirk dominated Bitt's features, and relief flooded his system. The squire jumped skywards, punching his fist into the air and cheering as he did so. Unfortunately, all of his happiness drained when he saw the sour expression on Crowe's face.
"What's wrong, Ser Crowe?"
"Well, I was depending on you falling in, actually. Now that we're done, I was going to teach you how to properly clean excess muck from your armour. The fact that you didn't fall in makes me feel bad about what's going to happen next." As he spoke, Crowe closed the distance between himself and his squire until there was barely any space separating them. Bitt began to panic, but he struggled to maintain a straight face and asked;
"I'm sorry, Ser Crowe, what do you-" With a mighty shove, the older knight sent him reeling. With an exclamation of surprise, Bitt fell backwards into the pit. The dark, mud-like substance engulfed him, and he shot out from under its surface within a small manner of ticks. Caked in mud from head-to-toe, Bitt was a mess. With his a foul taste in his mouth, mud in every orifice he owned, and his eyes squinted shut, the young squire was once again overcome with laughter;
I fell in.
Image

"Bitt's Speech" | Bitt's Thoughts | NPC

Signature Credits: Yuri
User avatar
Bitt
The Squire
 
Posts: 133
Words: 115508
Joined roleplay: March 24th, 2014, 9:33 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Donor (1)

[Antinous Training Grounds] Of Course It's A Course

Postby Radiant on May 3rd, 2014, 10:51 pm

Image

Bitt :
Experience
Skill XP Earned
Observation +2 XP
Socialization +1 XP
Rhetoric +1 XP
Endurance +5 XP
Running +1 XP
Acrobatics +4 XP
Climbing +2 XP
Meditation +1 XP


Lores
Lore Earned
Training: Obstacle Course
Endurance: Running In Full Chain Mail
Endurance: Respiratory Exercise


Loots
+4 Shield Points


Notes :
What a lovely, lovely, training thread, Bitt! :D I always crave for more Bitt x Crowe interactions! Enjoy your grades!


My radiance is not bright enough?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out. :)
User avatar
Radiant
Sailor Radiant
 
Posts: 2195
Words: 781936
Joined roleplay: July 2nd, 2013, 1:39 pm
Location: DS of Syliras
Race: Staff account
Office
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Contributor (1) Extreme Scrapbooker (1)


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests