Snowball Colosseum
Log Info
- Title: Snowball Colosseum
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Azog, Cryosanthia, Ezil, Seldan, Cholera, Caim
- Place: A03: The Colosseum
- Time: Sunday, February 02, 2020, 12:22 PM
- Summary: Snow has covered the Colosseum, and the ongoing snowfall has ruined visibility. Azog is working on his Fighting Artifice Dummy. Cryo and Ezil, Seldan arrive, drawn to Azog's practice. Choler sneak attacks Seldan with snowballs while Azog demonstrates his device to Cryo and Ezil, who then try it. Unsurprisingly, their ratings are much worse than the Ouruch's. A discussion about the nature of victory and children's games occur, with Cryosanthia attempting to coax Azog into a snowball fight by losing badly against Seldan. When Azog finally joins the fight, Seldan is too cold to continue.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A03: The Colosseum *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Crafted largely of stone, the Colosseum sits heavily in the midst of the district. Effectively a giant arena, seats form its sweeping sides like the forefront of a great stage. At its center is a stained, stone floor. Each end is overseen by the opposing statues of Kor and Angoron, their arms raised and each holding weapons in gestures of triumph. Staged at a crossroads, their stone gazes stand in eternal challenge over the battlefield floor. Angoron's statue appears to have something of a smirk, opposing Kor's dreadful scowl.
Construction here is on the massive scale. The Arena's stone form was carried piece by piece from the Redridge. Borne on the shoulders of ancient oruch and formed by the tireless hands of the khazad, it is second to none in ancient craftsmanship. Old tribal and clan symbols, nearly worn away, reveal themselves when blood and sweat pools in their minor crevices. Their unusual display brings to life, if only for moments, memories of warrior traditions past. It is for this reason the Arena serves as a diplomatic grounds for some cultures, as well as sport and competition.
Beneath the arena's stage are preparation rooms for competitors, and retiring areas for the wounded. Here, warriors are tended to by aids and medics, by coaches and priests. Tarianic laughter echoes from the chambers on the Angorite side. These unseen areas run alongside a cleverly, khazad-designed system to flood the arena's floor for certain performances. When flooded, the arena draws waters from the nearby Tornmawr. During these occasions anything is possible, as even the Nar-Sektoth have been known to visit from far off Am'shere, and display their powers beneath the gods' banners.
The encircling seats provide a grand view, while vendors often walk the aisle ways between, selling food or taking bets. Clear as blood is the single, red line drawn down the arena's center between the twin statues, daring an opponent to cross.
--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= It's Eliday, Pryntar 02 12:22:24 1022. The full moon is up. The tide is high and rising. Heavy snow falls, making it hard to walk through the accumulating drifts, and occasionally even hard to see. All the world seems grey and white. The wind blows the snow about from the east, and it swirls around objects and never falls straight down. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Azog 7'0" 350 Lb Orc Male A huge male orc with long black hair in a topknot. Cryosanthia 6'7" 245 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, lithe white lizardgirl with tattoos. Ezil 5'11" 175 Lb Human Male An armored man with dark skin, and grey-blonde hair. Seldan 5'11" 187 Lb Human Male Red-blonde Eldanar man wearing Eluna's colors and symbol. Cholera Goblin Female A red goblin Caim 6'0" 190 Lb Human Male A human male with black hair and brown eyes -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--
The collosieum has not been spared the weather. The fighting field, the seats, the ramps, the canopies and sunshades are all piled high with the fresh snow, and some drifts are high enough to block entrances. With the heavy snow obscuring visibilty from the stands, the only option for seeing the entertainment is being a part of it.
Azog is in the snow, working on an artifice-driven training dummy, getting it set up and working despite the inclement weather. He'd told them he would do it, so he's doing it, and nothing that the weather is going to stop him. Seldan has seen this before, in the Temple to Angoron, but he's been prevailed upon to put it here for a while, possibly so the Korites can use it. Not that he'd ever say that.
Cryosanthia arrives, dragging Ezil along with her. She has repaired her armour, possibly herself, and it looks a lot worse for it. Extra leather pieces and heavy stitching hold her chest pieces on. Other than that change, her wardrobe hasn't, and she's walking in her sandals through the snow. With her white leathers and white scales, she's barely visible a few feet away. "I think I see Azog! Good! I told you someone would be here."
There are clusters of other fighters, here and there. Only the most foolish or dedicated have braved the weather to practice with its handicap. Individuals working equipment, or pairs sparring. They are distant enough the snow hides them, their presence only noted by the occasional shadow, snippit of conversation, or fighting noises that make it through the weather.
No access from the stands, or from the underground rooms, no problem. Seldan is no stranger to snow, and clearing snow is, in fact, a pretty good physical warm-up for a sparring session. He emerges from the underground rooms, clearing snow with arms and chest as he goes. A slow process, to be sure, but one good for a guaranteed workout where running might not be feasible, and it is a task he willingly undertakes.
The one problem is, the fair man, wearing a white coat, coated in snow, is a bit hard to see in the heavy snow. No color gives him away - he is mostly a shadow amid the falling snow.
Ezil wears an extra scarf today, following the white Sith-Makar with a smirk as he finds she was right. "You did tell me, and well.... I thought more would stay in." he admits his wrong, and travels with the woman, trying to make out the figures in the snow ahead. "Winter here is fierce. It's no wonder he'd be out." he says after her as he walks, speaking of Azog.
The Gobbo in red might be easy to spot on a less snowy day, but today she is essentially camouflaged, by both the falling snow AND snowdrifts. She slowly walks through the colusseum, her sandals making scant noise as she goes, little crich-crich noises being the only sign of someone's impending doom. Ahead, something moves. Just a little white on white, two slightly different shades moving in different directions. She pauses and crouches down, scooping up a pile of snow and compacting it into something the size of a cantaloupe. Raising it over her head, she charges forward and hauls off.
Azog hears his name and looks into the snow to see who's calling him. Or ... he peers into the snow for a few moments, then nods gravely. "You're here for training. Good," he says. Seems neither snow nor gloom of night stays Azog from hitting things. Though it's daytime, more or less. He's got a practice sword out and smacks the training dummy thoughtfully, and where the dummy's face is, behind a sort of barred faceguard, artifice glows and a number shows up in a glass bulb of some sort. He's pretty obvious, himself, in his heavy greenish-black coat. Hearing Ezil's comment, he lets out a derisive HRMPH. "You think this is winter? This is /nothing/." So says the oruch from the Dranei hinterlands. "Sissy southern snow," he grumbles to himself.
FOOMPH. Seldan starts and whirls as a cantaloupe-sized ball crashes down approximately three inches from his behind, landing on the stone just behind him and scattering snow across the space he had only just cleared. "Even so?" he speaks for the first time, the laughter of one who has just been challenged bubbling up in the Myrrish-accented voice that may be familiar to some. "Aim at me, and I shall aim back. Show yourself, whoever you are."
So saying, he plunges leather-gloved hands into the snow at his feet, creating a ball of his own that is a bit smaller, bit easier to control, and looks around sharply for his assailant.
Cryosanthia steps through the accumulation. Experimenting. Sometimes she uses her tail as a sort of shovel or wedge to swipe a path that she slides her legs into. Then she switches to high steps, lunging into a long stride where she just about leaps the last bit to get her leg the fartherst. She also tries keeping her feet low, shuffling and breaking a trail for Ezil to follow in, being bigger and heavier than he is. Finally nearing Azog she calls, "Hello!"
She looks at the practice dummy. Her eyes gleam. "Oh I have the perfect weapon for this!" She flips her fingers through arcane motions and raises her hand. An icicle dagger appears, the handle a mass of frozen ice that bulges between her fingers. She stabs the practice dummy. The number that appears in the glowing artifice is significantly less impressive than Azog's.
"What was that?" She looks Seldan-wards.
Ezil laughs at Azog's words, looking to him with a nod as he draws closer. "That is true, but I always spent winters in camp with my people. Memories tend to leave out the cold." his words softer as he moves closer to the artifice device he has setup, curiosity on his face. "Is that for practice..." going to say more, but the sound of crashing snow draws his attention out into the cold, seeing Seldan and hearing Cryo's words. "I don't know. It sounded like..." a smile breaking on his lips, seeing that ball of snow in Seldan's hand. "Fun."
The Gobbo is hiding one drift over from where the human makes his challenge. Her ears perk up and she listens. She crouches and scampers away, moving to approach Seldan from a different direction. A little cackle is heard, and is probably very familiar to anyone who's been around Goblins for any length of time. Another melon-snow-ball appears, arcing gracefully in Seldan's direction.
Azog peers critically at Cryosanthia, but says, "Yes, but the one hit was just so it would turn on. To get your rating, you must wait for this light here," he points to where an eye would be on a person, behind the metal faceplate, "to go green. Then you strike the dummy until it goes red. Like so," he demonstrates, setting the artifice training dummy on, adjusting a dial under the faceplate, waiting for the green light, and then beating the dummy down with his practice sword for a gruelling two full minutes, during which he ignores the snowball fighting entirely to focus on his assault. That warmed him up, anyhow, and he's panting a bit as the display comes up with '58.65' and an adjacent scale says '4.5'.
GAME: Seldan rolls perception: (6)+5: 11 GAME: Azog rolls perception: (20)+16: 36 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perception: (15)+0: 15 GAME: Choler rolls perception: (19)+3: 22 GAME: Choler rolls stealth: (15)+14: 29
This time, the missile finds its mark, hitting Seldan in the ear and splattering snow across his shoulder and into his hair - not that one might easily tell that the man has been struck, as coated as he already is in the stuff. "Acedia, is that you?" His nose and cheeks are pink with cold, but he pays that no mind, immediately whirling and returning fire with his own snow-missile in the direction whence the snowball came, then quickly sets about making more snowballs. He seems to be paying the practice dummy and its users no mind at the moment, although he is not far away.
"What fun?" Cryo asks Ezil, her glacial blue a nice match for the falling snow. She grew up in a jungle, a hot, wet, fetid, stinking place full of swamps, bayoos and an awful lot of vines. Mudslinging might have been a part of that, but snowballs were not.
She does not ignore Azog's lesson however, so the snow battle escapes her attention. She watches the Orc's demonstration. Long way to go Cryo, long, long way. Still, she steps up and attacks like crazy, stabbing and slashing with her ice dagger for the full two minutes. Her feet slipping. The numbers come up, score: 2.6, adjacent scale: 2.5. "That's.. not very impressive, right?"
Ezil smirks as Cryosanthia goes about training with the device, standing guard now as he peers to try and see what is truly going on out in that white blanket of snow. "It's a fight of sorts, waged on Seldan by one I can not see." he muses. "Playing in the snow, but his foe is fairly cunning and staying out of sight."
More cackling but this time a taunt. "Missed me!" Only the faintest sounds once again as the Gobbo moves to a different vantage point. This time, when the attack comes, it sort of fizzles out. The ball, bigger than the last, rolls to a stop by Seldan's feet. It wobbles one last time and goes still.
Azog says to Cryosanthia, "Your score is not as good as mine, but better than some. A child is judged unfairly when compared to an adult. I have been fighting in Alexandria for eight years, but nearly all my life." To Ezil, he asks, "Did you want to try?" He glances out at the snowball fight, but is not paying attention just now.
GAME: Seldan rolls ranged: (15)+11: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls ranged: (11)+4: 15
Ezil nods his head, looking at the device, and then to the practice sword. "I can." he agrees, looking to Azog then as he moves to get in position. "I would aspire to be better than a child, but." a shrug offered then as he lets out a sigh, concentrating now on this task, winking to Cryo before he begins.
Or not. The voice is definitely different! Seldan picks up one foot to doddge the ball that fell short, but this time is more focused on his defenses and ammunition, quickly building snowballs and, in the process of doing so, building himself a defensible place in the drift to hide behind while he sorts out where his assailant is. He does glance in the direction of the practice dummy, whose lights and sounds are visible through the snow and not unknown to him, but he makes no attempt to involve others. Yet.
"RAAAAAAAAH!" comes the little yell from behind Seldan. The Gobbo, snowball held in hand, erupts from the large ball of snow. Her snowball thwaps into the man's behind. She blinks and peers at her now empty hand. And then scrambles to steal some of Seldan's ammo. "Not Acedia. Choler!"
Azog watches as Ezil steps up, and after his turn on the machine, the results show a score of 3.4 and 3.2. "Not bad," agrees Azog once Ezil is done. "The main purpose of this is so that you can see how and what you can improve in your own technique. I have fallen off a bit lately, so I need to work harder, myself."
"Everything it seems." Cryo crosses her arms, "Can I try again with my Rapier?"
The attempt on Seldan's ammo reveals the gobber assailant, and Seldan is quick to whirl as he is decked again, but this time, he's at point blank range, with sight on his target, and plenty of ammunition. "Finally you show yourself!" He's quick to fire multiple snowballs rapid-fire at the gobber, taking a step to the side to protect his stores!
Strange gobber or not, the Elunan is grinning from ear to ear. "Cowardly creature! Come back here!"
Ezil finishes, having broke a sweat during that exercise. "I... oh, that's not so bad." he muses, smiling as he looks to Azog. "You do look to have an edge on me. I won't deny it." laughing and motioning to Cryo as he is done. "I think it would worth a try." though his attention is drawn away as he hears that new voice in the snow.
Azog resets the machine and nods to Cryosanthia before she lays into it. "By all means." The fierce snowball fight is totally ignored by Azog, who says to Ezil, "I do not have the highest score on this machine, but I do score well using various techniques. The other benefit is I can see which techniques are most useful to me and which are not. I can fight with two weapons, but not particularly well, and I can not score as high as I do weilding a weapon in two hands. But my skill is a result of years of training."
Cryosanthia pulls out her rapier and drops into a fencing pose. She slips on the snowy ground and wobbles, catching herself with her tail. Adjusting again, she sets her feet more firmly, grips with her talons, en guarde with her free hand curled above her head. She attacks the dummy!
Lunge! Pokepokepokepokepokepoke. This goes on for two minutes. The numbers float up. Score: 2.6, Adjustment: 2.5. "Aw C'mon!"
She sheathes her blade on her belt. "Well I know I'm not much use in a straight fight. I have to talk, or be creative. Does this work with spells?"
The Gobbo in red squeaks and yelps as she is struck by several snowballs in quick succession. She is laughing, though, as she returns fire with her ill-gotten ammo, simply throwing it in Seldan's direction, no thought to aim. Some land near the feet of those working with the target dummies. Choler barrels into Seldan's ammo pile once more, and simply throws snowballs every which way.
Ezil is pulled back in to that conversation, nodding to Azog, something said causing him to furrow a brow. "I learned my skills on the road, and from those I traveled with from time to time. I lack real training." he admits, a smile cast to Cryosanthia as she scores again a bit lower, and having her outburst. "Do not worry, you have other things that balance your skill with the blade." he notes, his attention then back on Azog as he continues. "Perhaps I should seek some that would drill me more."
It is a veritable onslaught of snow, and before long, Seldan is nearly entirely coated in snow from head to foot in an increasingly thick layer. Rather than dodging, though, he stands in, unaware of the effect that the artillery is having on those around. He's breathing hard with the effort, but continues to assault the gobber with all the ammo he can build, as fast as he can build it, and with aim that is somewhat less mixed than Choler's. A few of his will go astray towards the practice dummy as well.
"Yeesh. The snowball latteral battle collateral is doing nearly as well as I was." Cryo grumps with flair. "I wish I could try this with my claws, but I can't keep them going for two minutes."
Azog says to Ezil, "The Temple of Garganos Behemoth," he uses the Dran name for Angoron out of long habit, "is always open to help with training. Come in any time." A couple snowballs have struck his heavy, dark, overcoat, but he seems to be ignoring them for the moment. Fighting is /serious/ business. He nods to Cryosanthia. "For that, the best you can do is see if they're more or less effective than your other techniques in actual fighting."
Ezil watches as the snow flies, nodding to Azog and noting where was mentioned. To Cryosanthia he turns and smirks. "I must go check on my friend. The snow and being cooped up is not helping him." he notes, raising a hand to those he can see, and peering out in to the white. "I might make it back if all is well, but I will not let him cause trouble." moving to make on his way, winking to Cryo again. "Meet me at the Fernwood for drinks later."
After a time, the Gobbo will fall, at Seldan's feet. Likely covered in as much snow as he. And now tuckered right out after the orgy of snow fury. She makes a few faux groans. "You. Got. Meee."
Breathing hard and thoroughly coated head to foot in snow himself, Seldan is still laughing, but immediately stands down when the gobber falls. "I had thought you a friend, when first you assailed me," he begins, not a shred of anything but good humor in words or tone. "You are a brave one, indeed." He runs gloved hands through his now-soaked hair, the snow falling away from it, nose and ears pink with cold. "Are you all right?"
Azog peers at Seldan, and says seriously, "You have emerged victorious. Well done. You may now walk tall among the children, proud of your victory." He nods to Ezil as he departs, and peers at the goblin, shaking his head.
The wee woman will stir, then, and slowly get to her feet. Choler wobbles a little, but offers a smile to Seldan. "Well then your friend is lucky to have you." Taking a few steps forward, she leans against the man, panting, and lifting a hand to gesture to him, bidding him to bend a little. Her ears perk up and she peers at Azog a moment. She snorts and looks back to Seldan, gesturing more urgently.
Seldan obediently leans over to listen to the gobber, Azog's jeering seeming to wash over his amusement and leave it untouched for the moment.
Azog was, it seems, entirely serious, but seems unmoved by Seldan and the goblin's secrets. He will look over his machine, poking and prodding in a couple places, though that doesn't really do anything.
"Victory is minneeee.", she says softly, as her other hand comes up full of snow, aimed directly at Seldan's neckline. Cryosanthia follows Azog's attention and sees Seldan and the goblin. "What were they doing, what is this throwing snow thing?"
She waves wildly at the pair. She blends in well with the falling snow but still stands out as much more solid patch of white than the drifting flakes. "Peace be upon your Nest, Seldan, and hello to your friend."
"Is it training? play?""
Seldan lets out a cry as the gobber stuffs snow down his neckline, and jerks away, backpedaling a step or two and staring hard at the gobber, clutching his chest with both hands. "Cowardly deception!" he shouts, but when the sith-makar approaches, he clears his throat and attempts to pull the shreds of his dignity around him. "Peace upon your nest, my friend," he manages. "It is play, save for ... that." He's still breathing hard. "Not all victories are of consequence," he adds, nodding to Azog with his fighting machine.
Choler looks to Cryosanthia and shrugs. "I have a den, not a nest.", she says. "And the snowball fight is a scale model of war. Just that no one dies." She grins at Seldan then, and giggles. "You had fun, though. I heard the laugh. And snow down your front is fair play!" The Gobbo looks to Azog a moment, and then to the others. "What is ol' grumpy's story?"
Azog says to Cryosanthia, "Among my tribe, it is a thing of children, where they train to fight. Here in Alexandria ..." he trails off with a shrug. To Seldan, he says, "If there is no consequence, how can you call it victory?" He peers at Choler, says, "Why do you care about my story? I am old and grumpy, and not a concern to children, yes?"
"False surrender is not." Seldan tells the gobber this calmly, still holding the neckline of his coat, although his smile remains. "I called it nothing of the kind, Azog. You are the one who named it victory. In truth, I name it fair exercise, which was the reason I came to this place, and laughter in the eyes of the gods is no sin."
"Security to your den, then." The white sith-makar says, "I am Cryosanthia, Speaker of the Sith-Makar. It's nice to meet you. I see. It is war play, practicle practice for the young and those young at heart. Sometimes exercise. I see."
She looks over at Azog, "Running faster than the day before is a victory, but it is a measurement of little meaning overall, with no consequence. Better than not running or running slower, which do have them."
The Gobbo looks to Azog, and gestures to the training dummy. "You train against something that does not fight back. I am training against something that DOES. If I can defeat someone larger and stronger than I, how is it not a victory? One only requires adversity, not potential lethality, to improve." She crosses her arms over her sodden gi, and looks to Cryosanthia. "I am Choler. Nice t'meetcha!", Choler says cheerfully.
She reaches up then and pats at Seldan's chest. "If we were dueling, I would behave more honourably. But in an all out war..." She snorts. "At least you fought honourably. I will buy you an ale, yes?"
Azog ehs to Seldan, and says, "I was attempting to follow your Alexandrian ways when I called it victory. If you do not name it such, then it is fine. Well ... exercised, then." He is so confused by Alexandrians. To Cryosanthia, he says, "If there is no consequence, then how can there be victory? Running faster than the day before is good, but hardly a victory." To Choler, he says, "I am training against a thing that does not hit back because I am not training in getting hit, I am training in hitting. And as for winning at children's games, then by all means claim your victory proudly." He shrugs dismissively at it, though.
"Laughter and joy are not solely the province of the child, Azog, nor are they a crime against nature or a thing to be disdained." Now that Seldan can see all those involved, Seldan looks around among those gathered, and with the snow mostly out of his hair, its ginger-blonde color is visible. "A target that moves is better training than a target that is not, do you not agree? Perhaps such an improvement might be made to your training artifice."
He looks down at Choler with a smile. "Another time, little one. I am not yet finished in this place."
"Those things you say Azog are true. There is a point Choler has also. Um..." Scales Rot! Cryo has to think now. "I'll ask a Keeper or a Shaman."
"Their battle is more than martial, it is social. You do not see their bond."
Cryosanthia scoups up a huge pile of snow between both her hands. She squares off in front of Azog, holding the pile, "I did not play this game as a youngling, and your score shows I am child to you still. So show me this children's game and train me in not being hit."
The white lizard flings her snow at Azog's chest, hoping to get it down his front as goblin did with Seldan.
Choler nods to Seldan. "I shall find you elsewhere then!" She gives herself a shake and tightens the belt on her gi. Moving to retrieve a sandal which had fallen off during the snowball fight, she settles into it and offers a wave. "Well met, Cryo, and noble warrior. Oh, and you too, grumpy." The Gobbo turns on her heel and begins to head out, climbing one of the drifts and sliding down the other side.
Azog gives Seldan a flat look that says that apparently laughter and play /are/ childish. "If you have no higher concerns," he says, "then by all means spend your time playing." His tone is quite critical. He gives Cryosanthia a baleful look as she nails him in the chest with the snow, though little gets down because he's bundled up quite warmly against the cold. Choler's departure is hardly noted as he's grumbling about getting out the snow that did get in. "Training in not getting hit? I think there is none. A solid shield, perhaps, is what you're looking for?"
Cryosanthia slinks backwards, crouched low and tail swaying. Her movements are very graceful and sinuous. She spins with some dance-like flourishes, making herself a teasing target. "I try to move around the missiles of misfortune, so throw!"
She splays herself out, then ducks, rolls, and jumps up again. To Seldan, "Throw!"
GAME: Seldan rolls ranged: (19)+11: 30
Seldan's good humor fades into cool neutrality at Azog's remark. "Seek out the wisdom and tales of Angoron, Azog. The ancient tales find Him of a different mind." But then Cryosanthia is moving, and he turns away to study the sith-makar. Some of the smile returns, and he picks up another handful of snow. "Let us see you dodge these." He throws the snowball with sharp and deadly accuracy at the dancing and dodging sith-makar, throwing not where she is, but where she will be, and the white scales disappear with a _pomf_ beneath a puff of white snow as the missile finds its mark.
"Ampf!" Cryo squeaks. Right in the face. "Okay, now I'm ready."
Azog says to Seldan, "Those are human's tales, not my people's tales." His tribe is apparently the humorless tribe, and by his tone, he considers the human tales dubious. He shrugs as Cryosanthia works to get Seldan to hurl snowballs at her, and will leave her to her fun.
"Come Azog, throw snow at me or this one will feel bad for overstepping. It is... Alexandrian tradition." Cryo negotiates, working to get him to join in.
When she thinks Seldan is distracted, she tailslaps a wave of snow at him. Now splashing much and water in rivers, she has done. The snow spreads in an arc towards his general direction.
Seldan ignores the oruch, instead focusing on building more snowballs, and soon a neat pile of snowballs grows next to him. The still-falling snow is caking anew on shoulders and in his hair, but he pays it no mind, and waits until Azog is out of earshot before remarking, "I think it unkind to remind him that I am among those who actively hunt the vampire who dominated him into nearly killing someone but scant months ago. Ta--" A spray of snow veritably coats him head to foot in the stuff, and does not spare his face, as distracted as he is. "Agh!" he cries as the snow goes stinging across his face. "Ah, so you wish to fight as well? Then so be it." His grin returns as he fires his just-built ammo at Cryosanthia, one by one and in rapid succession. Azog is now fiddling with the training dummy, which likewise has snow piling on it, though it sprinkles off with a few hits. "Perhaps an awning," he considers. The vampire thing -is- a bit of a sore point with him, but in the end, he didn't kill anyone, and ... well, he'd have done some good against him by grabbing him the next time, but that damned wizard teleported him away. Stupid wizards....
"This one tries Choler's tactics" Cryosanthia taunts Seldan, effectively it would seem. His volley of snowballs completely overwhelms her. One! One, she managed to dodge, with a desperate dive to escape that landed her in a snowbank. As she rolls to free herself from it, so many other's hit. She squeaks, eeps, squeals, laughs and cries. "No. Mercy! Stop! Azog save me! I'm a distressed dragon damsel in a deep deluge of danger! The gods will sing of this."
At once, Seldan stops when Cryosanthia screeches for mercy, immediately dropping the snowball he'd been about to hurl her way. He does not, however, go to rescue her immediately, instead allowing her to climb out of the snowbank on her own while he builds more snowballs. He's still thoroughly coated in snow, head to foot, but is beginning to shiver a little.
Azog looks up as Cryosanthia calls out to him, but he expects Seldan will not try anything inappropriate snowballfight-wise, and indeed, his expectations seem well-founded. "Consider it training," he says to her. "This is what you asked for, now you are receiving it."
"Show me... show me," Cryosanthia pants, laughing as she does. She is covered in snow, it's down her armour, everywhere. The cold doesn't seem to be affecting her, snowmelt is trickling down her legs and freezing in ice rivulets on her scales. She coils her tail, ready to slap again, but that pile of snowballs beside Seldan is looming large. "How to use a shield to stop it. My evasions are effusive. No... wait... that's the wrong word. Not working!"
"Shields are overrated. Better to wear heavy metal armor, that way both hands can focus on the weapon." Caim says as he walks to them, wearing his red and gold armor. The helmet's faceplate was up showing his face to those there. He then looks to Seldan and he watches the human.
"Ineffective," Seldan supplies with a smile. "Yes, I seldom use a mundane shield, although I know the way of it well enough," he adds, nodding to Caim as he emerges out of the heavy snowfall to join them. They are easy enough to find, despite reduced visibility, and both are coated head to foot in snow. "I have need of both hands in a fight, whether it be to lend power to my blade, or for the casting of spells. Magic shields are another matter."
Azog peers at Cryosanthia, and he'll take up a tower shield from the practice weapons rack, advancing through snow almost entirely concealed from snowball fire ... from Seldan's perspective only. He eyes the new arrival curiously, and he says to Caim, "That depends on your goal in a fight. Using two hands can end a fight sooner. But the winner of the fight is not the one who does the most damage to the enemy. The winner is the last one standing."
Cryosanthia watches Azog approach Seldan with the tower shield. This battle is really over before it's begun. The human might hit the shield, but she doubts he'll get anything around it. Plus, his shivering wasn't lost on her. "Ah! I see now. Azog would prevail. The show of force is sufficient to avoid the attempt. Thanks for coming to my defense, and attack. My shift at the Fernwood starts soon, and I must get there. Seldan, please, you should come warm up. You have had too much snow on you today."
She bows briefly to Azog, "Thank you for the training and demonstration. We shall meet again."
She waves briefly at Caim as well, moving get Seldan to follow her, and heads out through the snowdrifts.
"It is as you say," Seldan nods his agreement, but the sith-makar is right. He's covered head to foot in snow and ice, his cheeks and nose pink. He carries no evidence of weapons or armor, though. "I am certain there will be more, ere this storm is done. Still do I have means to defeat such a shield, but not with mundane means. That, however, is for another time. Peace to you." With that, he makes to follow Cryosanthia to the Fernwood.
Azog will put up his tower shield when Seldan heads out, and he will nod to Caim as he says, "I, too, must depart. Fare well." And he, too, heads out.
