Completed Some Like It Hot I

Randal and Tazrae talk about fire while paddle boarding.

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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Some Like It Hot I

Postby Tazrae on October 11th, 2020, 1:20 am

Timestamp: 50th of Fall, 520 A.V.


Tazrae put a gentle hand on Bree’s snout and scratched some patchy skin there. The Ixam was shedding again. She’d have to make some oil to help the creature and keep her from being so itchy. The giant lizard trilled and her eyes immediately half-lidded. She was curled around Tazrae, devoid of tack, after having spent much of the morning playing in the surf which was probably why her snout was peeling.

The Ixam loved the water. Tazrae couldn’t blame her as the young Innkeeper loved the sea just as much. Part of her toes had webbing in them, so Taz suspected the aquatic nature of the creature she’d befriended ran strong in her blood. The Innkeeper had only one guest currently and he’d been fed, the dishes cleaned, and the room made up for the day. She’d packed her guest a lunch for his excursion around Syka, and would only have to be back early evening to make some dinner if the man returned.

Until then she had the late morning and early afternoon free. She’d arranged to meet Randal here who had offered to teach her some lessons in firecraft – both theory and practice – since he’d been dropping by lately and helping himself to breakfast at The Protea Inn. So, while Bree played in the waves, Tazrae waited with Creature who was decidedly too lazy for his own good. He was currently curled up in Bree’s front legs, snoozing away. He’d had his round of barking, chasing gulls, and playing in the shallow surf pretending to chase the Ixam.

Taz rose when she saw the Founder approach, a pair of some sort of huge wooden boards tucked under one arm effortlessly. She squinted as if to see and realized it was a paddle board with a long paddle tucked beside it under his arm. He was dressed similarly to her. Shirtless, barefooted, and with short legged Isuas pants the man looked comfortable in his own skin. Taz wore only a peach colored crochet bikini with an oversized shirt that was brightly patterned with embroidered leaves. She jumped up, raced to Randal, and paused while he gently laid the boards and paddles down. They hugged briefly.

“Juli said you wanted some firecraft lessons?” He asked, looking at the woman thoughtfully. She studied him in turn, wondering what he was thinking. “And I’m dropping this off. It looks thick and heavy, but I used corkwood for the center and very very thin wood for the outside so it floats nicely. I brought my own in case you wanted lessons after the firecraft talk. And I have to say I’m glad you decided you wanted one. It wasn’t hard to make and if people see you paddling around having a good time, they might come to the mercantile and buy more. I left several more stocked there with paddles. I’m going to ask 20 gold for them… but I’ll take your payment out in breakfasts.” He said with a grin.

“I think you’ll like paddleboarding. The offer still stands to teach you to surf when you can swim better… but for now I think this is more your style. I also made yours a lot bigger than it needs to be for your size so you can take Creature along with you if you want too. Bree’s out of luck.” He said with a smile to the still-lounging lizardess.

“I’d LOVE a lesson!” She said, glad that Randal was offering. “On both actually. I feel like I know nothing about fire. I can build a fire, but I don’t even think I have that one correct. I could know so much more. And everything around here can get so wet so fast. I’d love to learn how to build a fire in the damp. Things like that….” She said, her eyes shining with excitement.

Randal nodded. “Why don’t you go put Creech up at the Inn. We’ll take the paddleboards out and talk about fire. I can teach you a lot without even touching fire, then we can come back here and work a bit more on it.” He said gently.

Tazrae nodded, reached around to call to the pup, and both of them headed up the beach to the Inn. She gently locked the pup in her room with food and water. The young Innkeeper then returned to the beach with her survival pack just in case. Bree was back playing in the waves, and Randal was ready to show her how to launch the paddleboard and talk about fire.

Words: 759
Last edited by Tazrae on November 27th, 2020, 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
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Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
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Some Like It Hot

Postby Tazrae on November 27th, 2020, 12:53 am

Tazrae was back to the beach in an instant. She was excited to learn how to use the large wooden boards. She’d seen Randal surf with a slimmer more streamlined board, but the boards he brought today were completely crazy different and she was more than willing to learn. She liked being out on the ocean, yet not always struggling to stay afloat.

Randal was waiting when she got there. “These paddle boards are fun, Tazrae. Plus you can take them in oceans, lakes, rivers … just about any big water you want too. They give you a great full body core workout and you can experience life at a slower pace. You don’t have to sweat and groan to get somewhere or see something. You can take your dog or child with you… you just have to learn to stand on one. You can even fish from one or take your traps out to deeper water and hunt lobster and crab with them.” He added seeing how eager she was to get started.

Tazrae figured she’d do all of the above. She really was driven by the fact that the boards required just an oar and nothing more. There was no complex rigging, no mast or sails to watch out for, and that made her way of moving around less complicated. She liked that idea.

“So… you need a Stand Up Paddleboard.. we call them SUPs. They come in all shapes and sizes. The one I constructed for you is wider and thicker so you can hold a lot of weight and do a variety of tasks. At full grown sized, Creature can go with you and you can take a guest if you want. If you like these, I can also make more so you can rent them out to your guests.” He said, as if to encourage her.

Tazrae liked the idea.

“So… equipment wise, you need the SUP, and a Stand Up Paddle. The ones I brought today are wooden. The general rule of thumb is that the paddle used with your paddle board should always be six to ten inches above the height of the paddler. I made this one exactly ten inches taller than you are. It will give you a good reach and won’t cause you back strain by bending over to reach the water.” He added.

Tazrae nodded, took the paddle he indicated and compared its length to her height. Randal had gotten it spot on… as it stuck up ten inches above her head. She smiled. “Why is the blade bent?” She asked, running her hand down the length of the paddle shaft towards the blade eyeing the curve in it.

“The blade has an angle like that to allow for a more forward reach when you lift it and reach forward to take a stroke with the paddle.” He said, using his own paddle to place his hands in the proper position and bending slightly at the knees, he reached forward with the oar and gently drug the paddle through the sand in a demonstration. “The SUP will move fast through the water, faster than you can imagine, but at a smooth glide. Your upper body will be the driving force and this activity will bring you strength and tightness across your core, shoulders, and upper arms. This will be good for you, Tazrae. Do it as often as you can.” Randal said, then gestured to the back of the board where a small string ran from a teather on the end to a long bit of rope that ended in a buckle.
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"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
User avatar
Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
Posts: 1335
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Joined roleplay: May 3rd, 2020, 2:02 pm
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Some Like It Hot

Postby Tazrae on November 27th, 2020, 12:54 am

“That’s a leash. Don’t laugh. I know you are not a dog. But if you get dumped off your paddle board, you want to be able to get to it again quickly. The best way to do that is keep the board attached to you by that leash. It goes around one of your ankles, so if you fall, you can grab the cord and pull it back towards you and climb back on the board. If there are strong tides, bad weather, waves, any of that… your board can be swept away and you run the risk of being stranded without it. Without it, you could be in real trouble especially if you are far away from the beach. You could potentially drown.” He said simply, cutting to the chase on the truth of things.

Tazrae nodded, picking up her board and mimicking what Randal did. She held the board tucked under her arm with her hand fitted into a notch in the center of the board that seemed designed for that purpose. Her paddle she kept tucked under her arm and down the center of the board on the outside of her body. That way, she had one hand free and it only took one hand and one arm to carry the board. They walked them out into the gently lapping surf until Randal was knee deep. He then let the board go, letting it float out, and attached the leash to his foot.

Taz did the same thing, excited, and like Randal left the paddle laying along the middle of the board. He hopped on it with his knees so he was sitting on his knees on the board then carefully instructed her to do the same, calling directions for her to stand up. “Always start about knee deep or deeper. Once you get the hang of your SUP you can launch off the end of your dock in really deep water. But here, on the beach, walk out about knee deep. Start in the kneeling position, on your knees and take a few strokes with your paddle to get deeper. Then slowly stand up with one foot at a time and stay in the middle of the board with your feet parallel to the length of the board about your shoulder width apart.” He instructed.

Tazrae tried, and though it looked extremely hard, she thought was far easier than she thought it would be. She stood up slowly, the board shifting under her rocking back and forth gently. The waves weren’t strong this morning, though the sea certainly didn’t reflect like glass. Taz found her balance with a slight bend in her knees and her core centered over the board. She tried to straighten, the board slipped sideways, and before she could even react she was in the sea.

Sputtering, she dug her heels into the sand, stood up, and used the tether leash to drag the board back over. Randal looked on, unsurprised, as the young woman climbed back on the board. She knelt, then slowly stood up, keeping her paddle gripped lightly in one hand. Then she centered herself, spread her feet slightly wider than she’d stood before and fully straightened. The board rocked under her but she found she could correct the board easily enough and nodded at Randal.

He smiled.
Image
"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
User avatar
Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
Posts: 1335
Words: 1916653
Joined roleplay: May 3rd, 2020, 2:02 pm
Location: Syka
Race: Human
Character sheet
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Medals: 5
Mizahar Grader (1) Overlored (1)
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Some Like It Hot

Postby Tazrae on November 27th, 2020, 12:55 am

“Not bad… most people take a half dozen times to get it. You have good balance.” He praised, then nodded to her. “It helps I brought you an eleven foot board that’s more than thirty inches wide.” He said, with a smile. “Easier for beginners.” He added, then nodded to her paddle.

“Your paddle is a lever. The top hand will be the driving hand while your bottom hand will be yoru pivot point. To paddle forward, keep your bottom arm straight and still… you are right handed so that would be your right hand. Put yoru top arm towards yoru body to extend the paddle forward then rotate your shoulder forward and extend your reach. Insert the paddle into the water as far forward as you can reach then bury the paddle into the water. Rather than pulling yourself with the paddle, think of flinging yourself past the paddle. To stay in a straight line, take a few strokes on one side, then switch hands and top and bottom arms, and add a few strokes on the other side. If you just paddle from one side, you’ll move in a circle. Don’t forget you always need to switch hands when you switch sides.” He added, then set off, neatly turning his board away from Tazrae and paddling away.

The young Innkeeper began to move as he instructed, attempting to keep up, if not catch up. The activity was easy, even fun, and Tazrae started to smile as she drew closer to Randal. The Founder wasn’t exactly going quickly, making it easy for the woman, but she felt empowered as she drew up to him paddling beside him. “This… I see what you like about this…” She said, watching the cerulean waters pass beneath the board, seeing up close without disturbing, the sea life beneath.

“Okay… to turn left, place the paddle on the right side in the water and at the same time turn your torso to the left side. Keep a low stance and pull to the right, towards the back end of the paddle, while twisting and leaning to the left with your body. The board will shift very quickly to the left.” Randal instructed. They both turned at once, passing left and heading back the opposite way.

“And right? Same thing?” She asked, preparing to switch the paddle.

Randal nodded and they both placed the paddle near the tail of the sup and pulled it towards the nose while shifting their torso’s right. The board’s nose immediately spun to the right side. She bent her knees, and found it easier to turn the board. It was fun… so much fun. And Tazrae laughed as the pair of them zig zagged across the bay, moving deeper and more easily.

“So… always hold the paddle with one hand on top of the handle, the other hand on the shaft. Don’t hold it like a broomstick, Taz, with both hands on the shaft. Keep your feet spread shoulder width apart and with your toes pointed towards the nose. Don’t stand sideways on the board… it makes balancing ten times harder. Make sure your hands are at least a shoulder width apart on the paddle.” He called encouragement as the young Innkeeper tried her best to keep up.
Image
"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
User avatar
Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
Posts: 1335
Words: 1916653
Joined roleplay: May 3rd, 2020, 2:02 pm
Location: Syka
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
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Medals: 5
Mizahar Grader (1) Overlored (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Syka Seasonal Challenge (1)

Some Like It Hot

Postby Tazrae on November 27th, 2020, 12:57 am

She was worried about the miniature waves his paddling kicked up, but she found it actually easier to stabilize herself when the board was rocking more than it was still. It forced her muscles to compensate and readjust constantly, which was how she knew it was actually working her core. Taz quickly learned that she could stabilize herself with her paddle, her feet, and work in unison to the board itself. Once she realized the board wasn’t going to tip easily, it was far more fun than worrisome.

“Use your whole body, Taz… don’t just use your arms. You’ll tire faster and not paddle as well. You have big back muscles for a reason… let them do the brunt of the work.” He encouraged then added more advice. “Dip the blade fully into the water and take a long hearty stroke. Don’t just skim the water with the paddle’s blade. It’s a wasted effort.” He called, and she nodded.

They were out rather far now and she realized for how far they’d come the effort had been very minimal. The wind across the water was refreshing, even if the sun was harsh. And the sea beneath them stayed clear, giving them glimpses off the sides of their boards of what lurked beneath. Tazrae wasn’t worried about sharks until she saw one gliding beneath the boards, seemingly taking a look at them.

“Don’t worry about the sharks, Taz. If it’s a really big one, there might be cause for concern, but these smaller white tips and reef sharks won’t touch your board. The shadow you give off looks a little like a giant seal, and while they do love seals for breakfast lunch and dinner… they don’t often tackle seals this size. I don’t honestly think even the big ones would be too eager to try and make a snack of you. So, I wouldn’t worry. You have a lot of protection in size out here, so the only true worries are overexposure to the sun, sneaker waves, or sudden incoming bad weather. The weather here can change fast, so be aware of it. And with that always keep your eye on the sky and on the sea. Never turn your back on either.” He said with a smile, then kept paddling.

Taz nodded and enjoyed the big loop that they made of the harbor. They spoke little after a few words of advice other than Randal keying her in to waves coming or the winds changing direction. It turned out that paddling could be easier or harder by the windspeed, direction and type. There were other factors too… the roll of the waves, the incoming and outgoing tide. They even paddled their sups past The Veronica and got a view from the sea that she’d probably never seen the ship at before. It was amazing that people crossed the Suvan on such a ship. It was amazing that humans could touch the sea and be part of it without fins. Tazrae decided that she loved the sport, because it was gentle and it slowed the world to more of her pace. And that was truly a rare thing.

Continued In: Some Like It Hot II


Total for today: 2244
Thread Total: 3,003
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"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
User avatar
Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
Posts: 1335
Words: 1916653
Joined roleplay: May 3rd, 2020, 2:02 pm
Location: Syka
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Mizahar Grader (1) Overlored (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Syka Seasonal Challenge (1)

Some Like It Hot I

Postby Tazrae on May 21st, 2021, 2:40 am

Tazrae –

Paddleboarding (SUP) +5, Socialization +4, Observation +4, Body Building +2

SUP: Size, Shape, & Function, SUP: Paddle should be six to ten inches above the height of the paddler, SUP: Paddles Have Bent Blades To Allow More Forward Reach, SUP: Moves Fast Through Water, Upper Body Driving Force, SUP: Purpose And Usage Of A Leash, SUP: How To Stand Up On One, SUP: Beginners Start Knee-Deep, SUP: Advanced Users Start Deep Water, SUP: Using The Paddle As A Lever, SUP: How To Recover After A Fall, SUP: How To Steer, SUP: How To Hold The Paddle, SUP: Excellent Upper Body Exercise
Image
"A mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than your conviction.
The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts, but to revise old views with new facts.
Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend."


Garden Beach Syka The Protea Inn

"Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows."
User avatar
Tazrae
Be savage, not average.
 
Posts: 1335
Words: 1916653
Joined roleplay: May 3rd, 2020, 2:02 pm
Location: Syka
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Mizahar Grader (1) Overlored (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Syka Seasonal Challenge (1)


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