CC Emjanss Basic Scimitar

Emjanss · February 5, 2004, 05:07 PM

3rd Dianara of Immanis, Era X, PF

Emjay came to her classroom at her appointed time. Walking into the class, she saw Lorack, her instructor. He was certainly an imposing figure to her. He stood a head taller than her and very muscular. His biceps were the thickness of her calves. He was dress comfortably, in slacks and a tunic. He didn't carry any obvious weapons, but all around the room were racks of various short swords, single-sided, double-sided, scimitars like hers and more. Some were made of wood, others were made of steel or some other metal. There were some practice dummies around the sides of the room also. The center of the room was dominated by an empty padded mat where students could work their drills.

After taking the moment to see her classroom, she approached the man. From the paper in her hand she guessed that this was her instructor, "Serale" she said. [b]"I am Emjanss Williamson. I'm here for scimitar training."

He took the paper that she had brought with her from the admissions office, stamped at the bursar's office and inspected it. Seeing that everything was in order, he looked over his new student and asked her some basic questions. "Have you ever had any weapon training before?"

"No, none"

He nodded, as he had expected that when he looked at her. Then he continued, "Why do you want to learn now then?" It was a standard question. Knowing what the person wanted to get from their training helped him teach better.

Well, first my friend and I were attacked, and then there was the attack that all the soldiers died and got hurt in. I guess I never realized how dangerous the city is when I had my father to protect me, I better learn how to defend myself. A soldier gave me this scimitar, so I figure it is the right place to start."

"So your father died?" he asked. He wanted to be sure he wasn't training someone who was out for vengence and just use their knowledge to murder someone.

"No, I'm just living on my own now."

Lorack nodded, and didn't ask any further, he didn't really want to know. Asking the question was simply his way of protecting himself. If a student of his ever did something that might get him in trouble, he could always say he didn't know and he did ask. He evaluated his new student. She was young, new and had so much to learn. He would be just the man to teach her. "Place your sword on the rack near the ground and come to the mat. For now we are going to begin with your footwork."

When she returned to mat, he told her, to take up a basic stance, not knowing what he meant, he explained that a stance was the position of a fighter's feet and legs and that it needed to be strong, yet nimble. Nodding, though not fully understanding, Emjay stood, with her feet apart, her right foot slightly in front of her left. Lorack had her stand there and while she did, he walked around her once, twice and three times. The third time, when he was behind her, he gave her a shove that sent her sprawling to the mat.

Telling her to get up, he told her that it was an exercise to show the importance of a good stance. To demenstrate, he took up a stance, and invited Emjay to try her hardest to push him over. Of course she was unable to. After a few minutes, he told her to stop. She was now convinced of the importance of a good stance.

Lorack went on to tell her, "Unfotunately, I won't be able to teach you a stance today. I can't see your legs through your dress, so next class I want you to come wearing pants so I can see your legs. Meanwhile, for today, we'll work on your strength. Lay on your stoumach. Curl your toes, so the balls of your feet are on the ground, then place your hands, palms down on the mat, so that your thumbs are just under your shoulders. This is the starting position for a push up." Seeing that she was basically in the right position, he got down near her and did the same. "From this position, keeping your back straight, you push yourself up with your arms until your arms are straight. There you pause a moment, then lower yourself down until your chest just touches the mat, and then push back up again. You cannot pass the basic sword training class untill you can do 10 of these, without resting." He then proceeded to quickly do 10 puch-ups counting them off. "Now you, go!" She tried her best but wasn't able to finish her third push-up.

Lorack wasn't dissapointed though. Students all needed to start somewhere. This student was starting near the beginning. "Okay, on your feet. Your first homework assignment. Do push-ups, as many as you can, twice a day. When you wake up and when you go to bed. Don't quit on one because it is hard, quit when you can't push anymore. I expect improvement by the next time I see you. And don't forget. Wear pants so I can see your legs next time. We must get to work on your stance. Don't forget your sword." and with that she was dismissed.

Emjanss · April 28, 2004, 01:18 PM

3rd Aslanica of Immanis, Era X, PF

Emjay returned a few brightenings later. She was so nervous about her class, but if there were people out there who might want to kill her, she needed to know what she should do to defend herself. She was too embarassed to walk the streets in a boy's outfit of shorts and a tunic, so she wore her dress over it (though the tunic was visible from under the dress and only once she got to her training class did she remove the dress. The cold air felt unusual to her against her bare skin. But at least this way she would be able to get the instruction from the teacher that she needed to get.

She stood alone in the classroom holding her scimitar and waited for her instructor to arrive so her lessons could continue.

Malak · April 29, 2004, 09:53 PM

The door of the room opened and a male human stepped in. He had a pack on his back with two poles sticking out from it and a satchel in his hand. Emjanss noticed a sword on the mans belt as he approached her.

He sat down the bags and walked over to Emjanss. His hair was a dark brown and a scar ran from his ear up to his forehead. He eyed her, suprised to see such a fine lass taking training. "Well then, my name is Silas. I am your instructor for your scimitar training. First things first, what would your name be m'lady and why exactly do you want to learn the art of the sword?"

Emjanss · May 3, 2004, 12:26 PM

3rd Aslanica of Immanis, Era X, PF

Emjay was surprised at the man who entered the room, it wasn't Lorack, who had instructed her just 3 brightenings ago, but someone else. She felt very self-conscience of her self, with her legs bare from her toes to her upper thighs as she stood there in her shorts that she had been told to wear. Once the person who had entered began to speak, he seemed to take no note of her dress, or lack of it, and since he spoke with such authority obviously expecting to recieve answers to his questions, she answered him as she had answered Lorack, with the truth, "Well, first my friend and I were attacked, and then there was the attack that all the soldiers died and got hurt in. I guess I never realized how dangerous the city is when I had my father to protect me, I better learn how to defend myself. A soldier gave me this scimitar, so I figure it is the right place to start."

Malak · May 3, 2004, 09:42 PM

"Well then, sounds like you have fighting spirit in you. We'll be using real scinitars when we are in the final stage of training." said Silas as he drew the two poles which were wood sparring swords. "But for now, we use these." he handed Emjanss one.

"Alright, first, stance. Get into stance so I can see how to better improve it."

Emjanss · May 4, 2004, 12:26 PM

Emjay picked up the wooden stick, and found it fit her hand well, not unlike the scimitar that she owned. She then tried to stand in such a way as to be able to block a swing made at her. She stood with her feet slightly more than shoulder's width apart, he left foot a few inches more forward than her right. She kept her knees slightly bent, her weight even between them, and her shoulders facing her instructor. She held her left arm in front of her bent at the elbow, her clenched fist two inches infront of her left breast. Her right hand she also kept bent at the elbow, but held the hand lower, closer to her right hip so that the tip of the 'sword' was at the same height of her nose, about 18 inches directly infron of her face.

Malak · May 4, 2004, 10:00 PM

Silas nodded approvingly "Very nice, but don't tense up as much as you are, you need to be loose but not too loose." He fully gripped his training sword and approached Emjanss and stood next to her, he got into his stance. One leg slightly in front of the other, his body straight and sword tipped out from him.

"Alright now, basic movement. He took and brought his sword out, mid-level from him and extended the sword until it was horizontal. This is the jab, used for quick strikes but for now we will move slow."said Silas

Emjanss · May 10, 2004, 12:18 PM

Emjay imitated the movement that she saw Silas do. She both lifted and straightened her arm, which thrust the tip of the sword foward, keeping it on the same plane. Once her arm was full extended, she pulled it back to it's previous position. She repeated this a few times and asked, "Am I doing it right?"

Malak · May 10, 2004, 09:49 PM

"Good, nice and smooth. Thats what you want, fluid motion with the sword. As you go faster it takes more skill" said Silas. He got in front of Emjanss. "Now just do it nice and slow at me. It doesn't matter if you hit me. Then just gradually give the move more speed."

Emjanss · May 13, 2004, 12:33 PM

Emjanss did as she was told, and after a few more repititions increased the speed with which she moved her arm. The energy she expended caused her to begin to perspire and she desperately wanted to wipe her face, but she did not. She continued the motion over and over, pushing on even after she felt her arm beginning to tire.

Malak · May 13, 2004, 09:23 PM

Silas noticed the woman getting tired 'Thats enough, catch your breath and rest for a few." said SIlas with a smile.

After a few minutes Silas continued the training. "Now, that was good. Now to the slash, it is a move that can be directed many different ways. THe horizonta and angular slash." he took and brought his arm out to his right and horizontally moved it to the left. Then he brought it above his head and brought the sword slowly down at a left angle. "It is sometimes used to back enemies up from you so you get more room between him and you so you can use other moves. But when you ready for the angular slash it leaves you open for a short second for the enemy to strike. Now nice and slow, follow me." explained SIlas as he repeated both horizontal and angular slashes.

Emjanss · May 28, 2004, 09:15 PM

Emjay was tired and wanted to stall for a moment, so while she was still breathing somewhat heavily, she asked, "Why would I want to use it then, if it is going to leave me vulnerable to an enemy?"

Malak · May 28, 2004, 10:58 PM

"Well, if one pays attention to their enemy like their supose to, then you won't be vulnerable, you will have to to either block or doge away from the intended attack. But if your enemy doesn't react fast enough, then you will be succesful." said Silas

"Let us resume with a parry. The parry is a quick defensive manuever, mostly followed by an attack." he brought his sword and quickly snapped it left mid-air, as if blocking someone.

Emjanss · June 11, 2004, 05:07 PM

Emjay tried to mimic the motions Silas made. Raising the sword and then moving it to the left. The maneuver felt un-natural to her though and she doubted she was doing it correctly. She tried it again and again, hoping that it would either improve with practice, or if there was something wrong, Silas would correct it.

OOC:
Sorry for the long time between posts. My own training threads are my lowest priority, and when I have limited time, it is always the last to get done.

Malak · June 12, 2004, 09:56 PM

He watched his student practive a parry, Silas had been teaching long enough to see when students were nervous or unsure of themselves. For what she was doing it was alright. "Now, just nice and slow. At your own pace, you will do better with learning. It is up to you on how long you want to pratice but if you go to long, I'll just move on. Ok I'm gonna try a slow slash at you, I want you to parry it." Silas then brought his sword to the right towards Emjanss.

OOC: Thats ok, its your training.