One Power Weaponry vs. Channelers (Open)

[Quibby]

OOC: For those of you who didn't sign up, feel free to jump in. For future reference, I'll be posting sign-up sheets at the SG offsite boards (http://www.shayol-ghul.com.

 

IC: His nearly jovial appearance unmistakable, Thom Malard was waiting patiently for his latest pupils on the grass outside the fortress. This latest batch of students would not be the first to be trained by him, though he preferred to keep to his library. So much knowledge stored in those tomes was wasted. However, it was prudent to teach these students how to fight channelers. No doubt they would be fighting the Aes Sedai and those new Asha’man when the Great Lord broke free. The Shadow went through great lengths to train them, and it would be foolish to allow them to be killed. Killing each other, on the other hand… Thom would make no move to stop two students from killing each other. Only the strong survived here.

 

With him today was Dreadlady Julie Mesdarces. Had it been a group of female students, Thom would have been there to assist her in the lessons, and the converse was true, as she demonstrated. She would serve a purpose here, too, though that would come later.

 

This class would provide the students with several different lessons. Some, he knew, they had learned, but probably not applied. Some, they had not learned. In the end, though, none of them would forget. It was entirely possible that some would be dead, too. Thom had killed students in the past, and he would in the future. Some just didn’t learn.

 

As the students arrived, Thom took a moment to look at each one of them in turn. He recognized a few of them from their time spent in the library. Others weren’t so familiar to him. Thom figured that, if he left the library more, he would have seen them about. But that wouldn’t be like him at all. As soon as the students had gathered, Thom started. “Hello, my name is Thom Malard, and I’m going to be in charge of your training.” Open and cheery as always, Thom could see the confusion in some of their faces. This place was hard, and it was rare to find a smiling face. Some took happiness as a weakness. As if he hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, Thom continued, “You’re here to learn how to combat a channeler. Now I know that you’ve all learned some of the basics, like weaves and such. However, I cannot stress enough that at this point, you know nothing. Were I to decide to attack you, for instance, you probably couldn’t even defend yourselves properly, much less fight back. You won’t leave here masters, but you will leave here with the knowledge to advance on your own.”

 

 

OOC: I'll leave this up for a week. Post your opening reactions.

[Myth]

Drak strolled in very casually, but if just barely on time. As always, he was impeccably dressed. His wardrobe was both stylish and functional, because he never knew what might be around the next corner here and tried to be prepared for anything…

 

The instructor was a man he hadn’t seen before, a very cheery looking fellow. Their eyes met as Drak entered the classroom, and the teacher smiled happily. Drak returned the smile, carefully treading in unknown waters. It wouldn’t do to insult a master here. Along with the man was a Dreadlady he had seen but never spoken to, Julie Mesdarces. He knew next to nothing about her either, however. Finding a spot near the back of the class where no one could sit behind him, he waited to see what the lesson had in store. He was sure that if he paid attention he would learn about more than just the topic at hand…

 

“Hello, my name is Thom Malard, and I’m going to be in charge of your training.”

 

Alarm bells sounded in Drak’s head as the jovial looking man’s warm, cheerful voice began the class. What in the blood and bloody ashes is going on here!? The young aspiring Dreadlord had learned to be wary of anything that was out of the ordinary, and the happy, go-lucky manner in which Thom Malard presented himself was certainly unusual. As the instructor continued with his introduction, Drak focused in on the puzzle before him and quickly came to a conclusion. Unless I’m mistaken, this fellow is the most dangerous person I’ve met since I’ve come here… keep your wits about you, Drak my boy, and you’ll learn a great deal from jolly ol’ Thom. Otherwise, I think you might jus end up dead… Drak decided that he would follow that hunch until he was proven wrong.

 

“You’re here to learn how to combat a channeler. Now I know that you’ve all learned some of the basics, like weaves and such. However, I cannot stress enough that at this point, you know nothing. Were I to decide to attack you, for instance, you probably couldn’t even defend yourselves properly, much less fight back. You won’t leave here masters, but you will leave here with the knowledge to advance on your own.”

 

For the first time since he had come to the fortress, Drak couldn’t wait to begin the lesson.

[Zylazlo-]

Nosae anxiously descended to the grassy field outside the fortress. He tried to be as punctual as possible and resulted in being one of the first among the group to arrive at the location where the classes would be taking place. There wasn’t much to see or do here without starting something which he preferred to avoid. He wasn’t here to be entertained though, he followed his basic instincts and studied the two people he fathomed to be the instructors of this course. There were two, a male and a female. He guessed the male was the official teacher, seeing as how he could see the weaves and warn of any errors or whatnot. The female was probably here as an assistant, maybe even deprived of channeling all together.

 

He analyzed the man, there was nothing to make him distinctive from anyone else in the fortress in fact he was pretty sure he’d never seen the man. But nonetheless if he was giving a channeling battle class he must be very competent. The smile he wore seemed sincere enough, but really just eerie after getting used to the stone cold faces that were the fashion around the fortress. Nosae didn’t mind the coldness of the people around him, he was honed to not feel any of it. Years of servitude to dark friends really changed the need for other people into the need of absence of people.

 

Eventually the rest arrived and the master proceeded to introducing himself as: Thom Malard. He didn’t speak in length, but he left one detail extremely clear: “However, I cannot stress enough that at this point, you know nothing.” Nosae thought Master Thom was exaggerating greatly, he had learned quiet a lot in the fortress, they might not be the greatest at attacking or defending with the power, but not being able to defend at all? It was ridiculous, he’d make Thom see how much he knew.

 

But the battle instructor wasn’t presuming too much of his course and of his own skills, Nosae was in for the class of his life, he truly had no idea how little he knew.

[Quibby]

Ayrik allowed a small smile to cross his face when he saw who was teaching the class. Thom had been one of the closest things to a friend that he had in the Fortress, simply because of how often he saw the man. Both practically lived in the library. It hadn't taken Aryik to decide that, if knowledge was truly power, Thom was probably the most dangerous man in the Fortress, bar none. Despite his surroundings, the man was perpetually cheerful, and a welcome change of pace to the otherwise somber crowd of residents. Despite what the other Adepts would probably think, Ayrik smiled and nodded at the man before taking his place in the lineup.

 

“Hello, my name is Thom Malard, and I’m going to be in charge of your training.” Thom's voice was always unmistakable; he seemed to be thinking of a joke which he didn't intend to share with anybody. It was one of the reasons why Ayrik had gravitated towards him. He didn't trust the man, but he was almost a friend. “You’re here to learn how to combat a channeler. Now I know that you’ve all learned some of the basics, like weaves and such. However, I cannot stress enough that at this point, you know nothing. Were I to decide to attack you, for instance, you probably couldn’t even defend yourselves properly, much less fight back. You won’t leave here masters, but you will leave here with the knowledge to advance on your own.”

 

So that was her name. Ayrik had never met the woman, and he wasn't sure that he would want to. She didn't appear to be any different than other residents of the Fortress, but something about her spoke of an intolerance for idiocy. A perfect teacher for a class like this, Ayrik thought. This whole thing might not end too well for them.

[Quibby]

It was typically best to find the most enthusiastic or most arrogant student of the group and demonstrate just how little he knew. However, Thom hadn't been able to identify that person in this group, so an alternate means of demonstrating would be nessecary. Seizing saidin, he said, "Now, for those of you who doubt my words, I shall offer a demonstration. Defend yourself!"[/i] At the last, Thom hurled a weave of Air at the only person in the lineup that he knew. Saidin was in the young man, but without the knowledge to combat such a weave, young Ayrik found himself winded and on the ground ten feet from where he had been standing. The shield that he hurled at the young man slid into place like a closing sluice gate. "If I so chose, I could do that to each one of you. You'll just have to settle for this, though." Even as he spoke, Thom tied off the shield on Ayrik before slamming shields onto the other two and using flows of Air to lift them off the ground a short distance. The effort to lift both of them was a strain, but Thom could manage. "See? Totally helpless."

 

Thom allowed the weaves supporting the two in the air to dissolve, dropping them to the ground. As the third joined his colleagues, Thom released the shields holding them and wove another one, allowing the weave to manifest in front of the students. "This is a shield. No doubt that you've heard of them by now. This weave could be the difference between life and death for you. A shielded channeler is unable to draw upon the Source, rendering them, quite simply, human." With a simple gesture, Thom bid the students to weave shields of their own. Considering the relative complexity of the weave, he doubted that any would be able to do it on their first try.

 

After each student had successfully completed the weave, Thom began to weave again. This time, small weaves of Fire and Spirit sprung into existence, severing the woven shields hovering before each student. The shock of the recoiling weaves was evident on each student's face. "That little weave is going to be your main defensive weapon. It'll sever any weave thrown at you short of balefire, and if you have balefire coming at you, you're dead anyway." One of the forbidden weaves, only the Chosen knew its making, to his knowledge. "Your task for this week will be to practice both of those weaves. Also, I want you all to come next week with a distraction weave of your choice. It can be anything that will distract your opponent, not incapacitate or kill him." With a wave, Thom waved the students off.

 

After the last of the Adepts had left, Thom turned to Julie. "Well, that went pretty well, I thought. Thanks for being here; remember, you're up next week."

 

-Thom Malard

Dreadlord

[Quibby]

Ayrik didn't even know what hit him. One moment, he was standing in front of Thom, saidin in his grasp. The next, he was winded and on his back ten feet away from where he had been. The sense of being cut away from the Source almost made him howl. Regaining his breath, Ayrik sat up in time to see the shields slam into place on the other two students, and weaves of Air solidify around them, lifting them off the ground. Standing, he winced a bit; it may have only been air that struck him, but it was going to leave a mark. With pained steps, Ayrik rejoined the rest of the class.

 

Now that he had their attention, Thom started the actual class. Weaving a shield, he said, "This is a shield. No doubt that you've heard of them by now. This weave could be the difference between life and death for you. A shielded channeler is unable to draw upon the Source, rendering them, quite simply, human." Thom waved his hand, as if bidding them to give it a try. Experimentally, Ayrik reached for saidin, finding it there when he did. The weave was all Spirit, which suited Ayrik just fine. It hadn't taken him long to realize that Spirit was one of his strongest elements. The weave, though... it was rather complex, one of the more complex ones that Ayrik had ever seen. Working methodically, he layed each thread of Spirit into place. And watched it collapse into nothingness. With a sigh, he tried again, with the same results. As with the next try. Careful laboring on the fourth attempt awarded Ayrik with a success. As did the fifth; after a successful Spirit weave, Ayrik could normally duplicate it with some ease.

 

The next weave was a bit more difficult. Fire and Spirit formed a blade of sorts. Used the way that Thom had demonstrated, it would sever an attacker's weaves. Again, it was his two strong elements in use, and by some fluke, Ayrik managed to get the weave on his third try. Thom seemed satisfied with their performance, though. "Your task for this week will be to practice both of those weaves. Also, I want you all to come next week with a distraction weave of your choice. It can be anything that will distract your opponent, not incapacitate or kill him."

 

Leaving the rest of the group, Ayrik headed straight for the library. A distraction weave had already come to mind, but he had to learn how to create it. It would be nothing flashy, and it would require very little of the Power to do. Air would be a large part of the weave, and possibly Earth. By the next week, Ayrik intended to be able to create a thunderclap loud enough to temporarily deafen an opponent.

[Zylazlo-]

Nosae stood there listening to how little he knew, unaware of what was about to happen. Suddenly the teacher said: "Now, for those of you who doubt my words, I shall offer a demonstration. Defend yourself!" Nosae braced himself for the worst, but in a split second he realized he wasn’t the object of Thom’s attack. The man next to him was thrown a few feet back quite aggressively and without restraint. It would’ve been very funny if Nosae wasn’t worried about getting whacked around with flows of Air as well. He tried to prepare some sort of defense but it was useless, when the time came after a few words he felt the loss of being shielded. But before he could even react to this he was lifted off his feet by flows of Air. He noticed his other class mate was also floating up in the air. He could only imagine the other two were shielded as well, at least Saidin was completely drained out of them. Lifting two with air and shielding three Saidin holding channelers, making it all seem effortless. He was indeed a worthy master of Saidin. All and all he was glad he wasn’t the one out-winded by Air.

 

He was in this state of helplessness for only a few moments their instructor, Thom, released all the weaves and returned them to the ground, Nosae was grateful to have solid ground beneath his feet again. Once everyone returned to normal and recovered from the shock of loss and retrieval of Saidin, Thom went right back to his lesson. He weaved another shield for show and tell. The showing and the telling were quite revealing. He warned them all about the dangers of being shielded and how very un-useful and pitiful one became when shielded. He asked them all to make shields of their own. Spirit, that’s what it was all about. It wasn’t as simple as just applying Spirit, it wasn’t as easy it would seem. It kept unraveling or was just plain not a shield. But eventually he did get the hang of it and made his very first shield. He was sure to remember practicing it, disabling a fellow channeler would be ideal in a One Power Duel.

 

Nosae wondered how he could actually get away from a shield and was quickly answered by Thom weaving Spirit and Fire and cutting straight through his new shield. That easily and it was destroyed, it was helpful to know, but off-putting to know that his shield could be dissipated by a few seconds of weave work. The teacher explained how the simple weave could cut through any weave short of balefire. They were all told to practica the two weaves, as if Nosae needed reminding. But also to come up with a distraction weave. That’d be interesting, to see what could be cooked up. Unfortunately only to distract, no harm or fatality. What other way was there to distract without hurting someone!? But nonetheless he was sure he could include a little hurt, mild discomfort actually. It’d be fun to see someone choke.

[Myth]

OOC: i apologize for not being more active lately, but i hope this gets me moving in the right direction again. Ata and Quib, thanks for your patience.

 

“Defend yourself!”

 

A heartbeat after Thom’s declaration, Drak opened himself to the Power, prepared to unleash Fire. It was one of the five elements that he felt the most affinity for, and it was a very deadly means of defense. He had no idea how he was supposed to defend himself from another channeler though, having never been in that situation before, but he would do his best.

 

He saw Ayrik swatted to the ground by the teacher’s weave and just as quickly saw the Power wink out of his fellow pupil. Before he could react, he felt something slide between him and the Source and he was lifted off the ground, helpless as a babe. It was small comfort that the fellow next to him was suffering from the same predicament.

 

"See? Totally helpless," Thom announced somewhat unnecessarily, but it definitely reinforced the point he had just made. Drak fell to the ground when Thom released the weaves, but the young man wasted no time in complaining about the discomfort. Instead, he focused solely on what Thom was sharing with them as the old master continued the lesson as if nothing unusual had occurred.

 

"This is a shield,” Thom said as he wove something of pure Spirit before them. “No doubt that you've heard of them by now. This weave could be the difference between life and death for you. A shielded channeler is unable to draw upon the Source, rendering them, quite simply, human." With that, the master bid them to produce a shield of their own.

 

Drak looked on in awe at the subtle weaving of pure Spirit that had just rendered his Power so impotent. He was pretty strong in Spirit, but some weaves he never got the knack of for some reason. He was bound and determined to master this one, however. It was too important to fail. Fortunately, after his third try he began to understand what he was doing wrong. It was a bit more complex than the weaves he had used in the past, but the subtlety was mesmerizing to him. On his fourth attempt it held for just a moment before collapsing, but then with the fifth effort it was exactly the same as Thom had made. Smiling slightly at his achievement, Drak cautioned himself that there was still much practice left to do. In a classroom, his lack of expertise wasn’t a problem. But if he truly needed to use a shield, he doubted his adversary would be kind enough to wait while he muddled through it.

 

Before Drak had the time to savor his small success, his shield disappeared and the feel of it snapping jolted him. Looking to Thom, he saw the teacher holding another weave. This one was of Spirit and a touch of Fire.

 

"That little weave is going to be your main defensive weapon,” Thom explained. “It'll sever any weave thrown at you short of balefire, and if you have balefire coming at you, you're dead anyway. Your task for this week will be to practice both of those weaves. Also, I want you all to come next week with a distraction weave of your choice. It can be anything that will distract your opponent, not incapacitate or kill him."

 

As Drak left the session, he already felt more comfortable with the defensive blade than the shield. That little bit of Fire, which he had such a knack for, made all the difference. Both weaves were incredibly important, though, so he planned on practicing them until they were as natural as breathing.

 

For the distraction weave, he would have to think of something…