Post by TheGratefulNed on Jan 27, 2008 1:18:41 GMT -5
It's an unusually clear morning in the Cage, looking up you can almost make out the individual bashers going about their business on the other side of the torus. Gl'Fnak hobbles toward the Great Gymnasium from the direction of the Clerk's Ward wearing just his grey leather armor, a small belt pouch and a wicked-looking scimitar with a large claw design pommel. He silently heads for the front gate to the Cipher's headquarters, pausing momentarily at the weapon check to hand over his blade to the young human manning the station. Looking across the way to a seminar being given at the opposite end of the open field in front of him, a broad smile spreads over the tiefling's face.
The training field is especially busy today, nearest the gate two Masters of the Heart demonstrate fighting with mock battle axes for a group of namers. After a few minutes, the Masters stop and step aside, without a visible signal the green members pair off and begin practicing what they just witnessed. An asuras in loose-fitting clothes stands alone between two of the large pools going through a very complex series of martial arts katas. By the base of the stairs to the Portico of Learning two aasimar and a githzerai are fighting a giant blue-skinned humanoid. People of just about every conceivable race, age and size walk between the changing rooms and pools, baths, massage rooms and steam rooms. A middle-aged woman walks to one end of the Portico carrying an easel, canvas and a small cloth satchel. Hauntingly beautiful melodies pour from one of the music rooms palpably envigorating the air and inspiring everyone that hears it.
The ashen-skinned tiefling enters one of the changing rooms, emerging a minute later in just a loose pair of shorts. He limps determinedly to one of the bath rooms, removes the shorts and cringes slightly as the large, deep wound on his right leg enters the warm, fragrant water. Lowering himself until the water is up to his chin, the Baatorian born cutter relaxes into a corner of the large marble pool. After soaking for nearly an hour, Gl'Fnak sighs and climbs out of the water slowly allowing gravity to re-exert itself on his bruised body. Slipping on the comfortable short pants he walks to the nearest steam room and enters the warm mists. He nods in acknowledgement to a half-orc as he sits down on an open stretch of bench beside the green-skinned basher.
Emerging some time later, the coal-eyed fiendling walks up to a rack of practice weapons and selects a rattan scimitar. Approaching an impatient looking half-elf woman holding a wooden axe and shield, Gl'Fnak raises his weapon toward a nearby open space and arches his ring-strewn brow. A simple nod from the half-elf and moments later the two of them are in fighting stances, the pain in his leg either gone or forgotten. The two Ciphers circle each other, weapons at the ready. A minor twitch of Gl'Fnak's shoulder and the half-elf shows she's not an inexperienced fighter as she raises her shield to block where his blow would have landed had he followed through with it. Demonstrating slightly quicker reflexes the tielfing instead pulls the shot in and tags her lightly on the ribs. Taking what she thinks to be an opening, the young woman swings her axe at the rogue. Catching the axe's haft on his forearm, Gl'Fnak tries to throw an elbow but finds it solidly blocked by the edge of her shield.
The training field is especially busy today, nearest the gate two Masters of the Heart demonstrate fighting with mock battle axes for a group of namers. After a few minutes, the Masters stop and step aside, without a visible signal the green members pair off and begin practicing what they just witnessed. An asuras in loose-fitting clothes stands alone between two of the large pools going through a very complex series of martial arts katas. By the base of the stairs to the Portico of Learning two aasimar and a githzerai are fighting a giant blue-skinned humanoid. People of just about every conceivable race, age and size walk between the changing rooms and pools, baths, massage rooms and steam rooms. A middle-aged woman walks to one end of the Portico carrying an easel, canvas and a small cloth satchel. Hauntingly beautiful melodies pour from one of the music rooms palpably envigorating the air and inspiring everyone that hears it.
The ashen-skinned tiefling enters one of the changing rooms, emerging a minute later in just a loose pair of shorts. He limps determinedly to one of the bath rooms, removes the shorts and cringes slightly as the large, deep wound on his right leg enters the warm, fragrant water. Lowering himself until the water is up to his chin, the Baatorian born cutter relaxes into a corner of the large marble pool. After soaking for nearly an hour, Gl'Fnak sighs and climbs out of the water slowly allowing gravity to re-exert itself on his bruised body. Slipping on the comfortable short pants he walks to the nearest steam room and enters the warm mists. He nods in acknowledgement to a half-orc as he sits down on an open stretch of bench beside the green-skinned basher.
Emerging some time later, the coal-eyed fiendling walks up to a rack of practice weapons and selects a rattan scimitar. Approaching an impatient looking half-elf woman holding a wooden axe and shield, Gl'Fnak raises his weapon toward a nearby open space and arches his ring-strewn brow. A simple nod from the half-elf and moments later the two of them are in fighting stances, the pain in his leg either gone or forgotten. The two Ciphers circle each other, weapons at the ready. A minor twitch of Gl'Fnak's shoulder and the half-elf shows she's not an inexperienced fighter as she raises her shield to block where his blow would have landed had he followed through with it. Demonstrating slightly quicker reflexes the tielfing instead pulls the shot in and tags her lightly on the ribs. Taking what she thinks to be an opening, the young woman swings her axe at the rogue. Catching the axe's haft on his forearm, Gl'Fnak tries to throw an elbow but finds it solidly blocked by the edge of her shield.