For my students, lessons will be this evening at the barracks. I will see you individually for now.
[Which is where Sigmund will be spending his day today, should anyone want to test their skills against his. Especially you, Serious Red Haired Man Who Failed To Introduce Himself Despite Living With His Mother. He's looking forward to putting a dent or two in that lowlife's pride, if he should dare to show his face. While fantasizing about his impending moral victory, he marks off two large squares, one inside the other. The first is with chalk on the floor, and the second (nearly twice the size) with upright poles and a rope barrier. All of the training dummies are well out of the way - it seems he has no intentions of letting even beginners expect a stationary target.
There's also a good selection of wooden wasters on the floor by one of the poles. They replicate blades of several weights and lengths, from a longsword down to an arming dagger. Perhaps more impressive are the wooden shields hung next to them. One is a simple targe, but the other is a carefully carved, jointed and glued replica of his own shield, with a similarly carefully carved replica of his blade strapped behind it. Unlike the other wasters, it has been weighted to better mimic the balance of his sword.
For now, he leaves it be and takes up a position on one side of the center square with his real equipment at hand. After several moments of complete stillness and silence, he rushes forward in a sudden burst of activity. First, he lunges forward and swings his shield arm wide, smashing it into the face of an imaginary opponent. As soon as his hand has vacated the space in front of him, his sword is there, thrust forward with enough power to skewer a grown man. He draws it sharply upwards, his shield coming upwards to guard his face when his other hand joins the first on the sword grip. From above his shoulder, the sword comes down in a powerful diagonal swing. He lifts the foot to the rear of his stance while the swing follows through, and the momentum carries his whole body with it in a full circle, his armored foot kicking out as a serious threat to his pretend adversary's kneecaps. Now facing forward again, he needs no time to regain his bearings and instead lunges forward another two steps, sword pointing low and to his side. With only that short run-up, he launches himself eight or nine feet into the air, sword swinging up with him in a powerful arc. He lands in a crouch with enough force to set the plates of his armor ringing with the impact, sword held parallel to and just inches above the floor. Impressively, the toes of his foremost foot are just touching the opposite side of his chalk square.
More impressively, he has had his eyes closed the entire time.
A few students? He can handle that.]
((OOC notes I forgot the first time: *facepalms forever* this post is for the people who expressed interest in playing out a spar or a lesson. Like I said before, if you'd prefer not do that, just drop a comment here, or a pm, or whatever, with how your character's general skill level and how they'd act during the lesson so that I can get an idea of Sigmund's impression of them. It's kind of important to how he'd plan more lessons, so I'd really appreciate it.))
[Which is where Sigmund will be spending his day today, should anyone want to test their skills against his. Especially you, Serious Red Haired Man Who Failed To Introduce Himself Despite Living With His Mother. He's looking forward to putting a dent or two in that lowlife's pride, if he should dare to show his face. While fantasizing about his impending moral victory, he marks off two large squares, one inside the other. The first is with chalk on the floor, and the second (nearly twice the size) with upright poles and a rope barrier. All of the training dummies are well out of the way - it seems he has no intentions of letting even beginners expect a stationary target.
There's also a good selection of wooden wasters on the floor by one of the poles. They replicate blades of several weights and lengths, from a longsword down to an arming dagger. Perhaps more impressive are the wooden shields hung next to them. One is a simple targe, but the other is a carefully carved, jointed and glued replica of his own shield, with a similarly carefully carved replica of his blade strapped behind it. Unlike the other wasters, it has been weighted to better mimic the balance of his sword.
For now, he leaves it be and takes up a position on one side of the center square with his real equipment at hand. After several moments of complete stillness and silence, he rushes forward in a sudden burst of activity. First, he lunges forward and swings his shield arm wide, smashing it into the face of an imaginary opponent. As soon as his hand has vacated the space in front of him, his sword is there, thrust forward with enough power to skewer a grown man. He draws it sharply upwards, his shield coming upwards to guard his face when his other hand joins the first on the sword grip. From above his shoulder, the sword comes down in a powerful diagonal swing. He lifts the foot to the rear of his stance while the swing follows through, and the momentum carries his whole body with it in a full circle, his armored foot kicking out as a serious threat to his pretend adversary's kneecaps. Now facing forward again, he needs no time to regain his bearings and instead lunges forward another two steps, sword pointing low and to his side. With only that short run-up, he launches himself eight or nine feet into the air, sword swinging up with him in a powerful arc. He lands in a crouch with enough force to set the plates of his armor ringing with the impact, sword held parallel to and just inches above the floor. Impressively, the toes of his foremost foot are just touching the opposite side of his chalk square.
More impressively, he has had his eyes closed the entire time.
A few students? He can handle that.]
((OOC notes I forgot the first time: *facepalms forever* this post is for the people who expressed interest in playing out a spar or a lesson. Like I said before, if you'd prefer not do that, just drop a comment here, or a pm, or whatever, with how your character's general skill level and how they'd act during the lesson so that I can get an idea of Sigmund's impression of them. It's kind of important to how he'd plan more lessons, so I'd really appreciate it.))
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chasethestars
chasethestars
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When Sigmund ordered Caesar to attack, he brought the waster up slightly, unsure of what to expect.]
And Albert keeps shifting his grip, while Caesar is acting as though it might bite him. He's going to have to try something else. Maybe a more sturdy target? That might work.
He points to a pile fabric strips, half hidden under the pile of wooden swords.]
Albert, wrap your hands, and then stand here. [A spot closer to the center of the ring is indicated with the point of the waster.] Caesar, here.
He brought the waster with him as he walked back to the pile of swords, his eyes focused on the strips. Right glove off, left glove off -- with his palms facing upward to cover the mark on his left hand until he had wound fabric around it.
Once he was finished, he returned to the center of ring, carefully testing his grip. It was interesting how such a change helped.]
Better. Much better.
Here?
We will try something else. I will be the target.
[This was not what he had expected out of one training session with Sigmund. The man was definitely treating this like a crash course in swordsmanship.
...He had no doubt that they wouldn't hurt Sigmund, but ... what were they expected to do?]
How?
Same thing, then, but with you?
[Maybe it was just all that armor, but something about Sigmund being the target didn't bother him so much.]
You may find it easier to swing at a less vulnerable target. Take turns, aim for the shoulders, torso, or thighs - not the head - at a speed you are comfortable with. When you are ready.
[Shoulders, torso, thighs... Albert isn't exactly hesitant, but perhaps cautious about how this is supposed to work. After making sure that Caesar is not going to move first, he sets himself into the same uncomfortable stance and moves to slash at Sigmund's armored torso.]
Then again, he hasn't had a turn yet. Regardless, he readies himself in the stance they were shown earlier for when it is his turn to attack.]
Acceptable.
With a slight nod at Sigmund, he waited on Caesar.]
Half of swordsmanship is striking wisely. The other is denying your opponent either opening or rest.
[Has he given you a clue?]
They would both have to put pressure on Sigmund to break his guard. A two-front assault on a defending unit.
After another moment of preparation, he stepped forward to swing. And continue swinging.]
With each turn Albert takes, Caesar takes his own, trying to match his pace. If anything, this would help distract him from thinking about every little thing he was doing.]
He lets them carry on this way for a bit, until he decides they've fallen into too much of a rhythm. At that point, he knocks both attacks aside and retaliates. He raises the waster and swings it down sharply towards Albert's shoulder, which means he has to turn slightly away from Caesar. Of course, he's prepared to stop before he actually hits him... but they probably don't know that.]
Thankfully, he doesn't trip over his own feet, but there's a foot or two more space between them than there was five seconds earlier.]
Caesar. You recognized an opening an acted on it. You've done well. Albert... If this was a real blade, you would be dead right now.