Lokri's lesson

[kadrik]

Lokri had the approval of the clan to begin his tutoring of the younger engineers by first teaching them the ins and outs of what the clan was making, in the form of crossbows and bows. They would be tutored in how a crossbow was used, after which they would be taught how it was constructed, until the could make one there selves (possibly with ideas for improvement).
Because of his rawness to the field of teaching, he was placed under the skeptical supervision of Gavin Tankardhammer, a clan elder who once slew an orc by battering its skull with his tankard.

Lokri had got his lesson plan ready, and was merely waiting for the others to arrive. Many quarrelers and clansmen came and went as they continued to train vigorously for the defense of the realm. The other beardlings were likely to be along soon, and it seemed everything could go smoothly...

Soon enough, they began to turn up, first Bjarni and Snadri, then Flakki and Thrundi, and finally, looking as if he had overslept, Draki. The dwarfs came along loosely ordered with heavy equipment packs provided by the clan for this session, with allot of grumbling and whining, they released their heavy gear and began to prepare their equipment. Lokri had known from the start that the best way to train 'young uns' was to do as his master had done when he was still young and impressionable. He had to be tough, firm, unyielding and impress upon them the values of a true dwarf.
He had to assert himself as their superior due to his much longer beard from the word go. So with a little effort, he hauled himself to his feet and marched toward them...

"Alright then you little bastards! If I don't see some order around here within five seconds I will personally shin kick every dwarf with a beard less than twelve inches long! Come on get your bows out and ready! Ye don't have time for mothers meeting when your out in the field and theres arrers flying at yae heads!" Lokri shouted and raised a fair few looks from those around them, many, especially the older dwarfs were impressed by Lokri's performance,
as it only seemed right that these unreliable whelps got a good roasting to prepare them for future engagements where there would be no time for pleasantries.
"Right then, I want yae all tae start shooting your crossbows at them targets o'er there, I want good clean shots, lost bolts will be paid for out of your own money." Lokri barked, and then watched as the slightly startled beardlings began to fumble their crossbows, then fired a volley with relative accuracy into the hay targets one hundred yards before them. Lokri walked over to Gavin Tankardhammer,
"Nicely done, just like my first lesson." Lokri nodded,
"Once yae get the lingo it all falls intae place."

[Drasanil]

[OOC: 10xps]

[Throndin Ironbeard]

'Hack..duck..dodge....cut....parry..hack....jump' Throndin's head was repeating the sequences over in his head as he avoided the arms of the combat dummies. The dummies were set up as the three points of a triangle, the engineers had rigged them so they spun at different speeds and unexpectedly changed directions, unless you trained constantly for a week it would almost impossible to memorize the dummies movements, even then the engineers came in and changed the cogs so it was altered at least every few weeks.

The idea was to make those dwarfs who had advanced from 1-1 combat, or had a speacial gift for it, to speed their reactions and give them a sense of awarness, so that they didn't have to think in battle they just reacted.

Throndin's progress was as good as most, but he still lacked the final polish that would complete the training. The older dwarfs said it was because he thought to much rather than let his instincts take over. He was caught off guard when one of the dummies suddenly switched directions and a low beam caught him behind his knee and swept him onto his back. As soon as his head hit the floor another beam passed over his head mising his nose by a hairs width.

He rolled and tried to regain his feet, using his shield and training axe to try and block any blows. Putting his shoulder to his shield and moving with the posts he forced himself up against the raps against it, but again one of the posts suddenly changed direction, he ducked a beam that would have broken his nose, but was hit the the back followed by the stomach and then in the shoulder and was thrown out of the triangle, to the mirth of some of the older dwarfs.

Throndin held his head and tried to shake off the pounding, when a voice like the roaring of a commander broke through his ears and triggered centuries of inherited instincts.

"Right then, I want yae all tae start shooting your crossbows at them targets o'er there, I want good clean shots, lost bolts will be paid for out of your own money."

Throndin shot to his feet and looked around, the voice seemed to have come from a dwarf who by the length of his beard was a few decades older than Throndin. Searching his memory he remembered half remembered seeing this dwarf around before, but never barking order.

He strolled over to where he stood now with a companion and challenged him,"You new in command?"

[kadrik]

"Throndin Ironbeard in the flesh, tis good to see that yae are following the footsteps of yer father." Lokri said, with a half glance at the dwarfs training gear, he knew who the dwarf was, because the clan elders had once pointed out his father after Kadrik had accompanied him on a quest.
"Well, I've just finished me apprentiship as a engineer for the clan, and now they want me tae teach these whelps what I know, so that they have a large number o' lads at the intermediate level."
Lokri spoke to Throndin with the same respect he would offer a dwarf of his own age, not least because this dwarf came from a very famous family.

Lokri turned around to his inferiors, and then saw Flakki had particularly bad technique.
"Sorry Throndin I will nay be a sec..."
Lokri turned round and snatched the crossbow from Flakki's hands, suprising the younger dwarf.
"You couldn't hit a barn door if ye were holdin' the handle beardlin'! Look, butt pushed intae the shoulder, bolt level with ye eye and keep it close to yer body. Hold it out in front of ye like that an ye will be shakin' like an elfling in a drinkin' contest."
Lokri turned round to great Throndin, and Flakki, feeling suitibly embarased, began shooting again.
"Ah, now were was I?"
Lokri looked around the back of his skull untill the memory popped back into his head. Then without waiting for Throndin to offer a reply, he began again.
"Aye, thas it, trainin' aye. Not just cogs an wheels these days, the engineers guilds want their engineers tae be able to defend themselves when the fast cavalry comes along yer flanks." Lokri said with a low chuckle remembering his first fight with a wolf rider.
"I bet yae could show them a few things about fightin' lad! Feel free to join in an give me a few hints for trainin' aye?"

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Throndin watched as Loki tookthe crossbow from another dwarfs hands and showed him how to use it, in a voice that demanded respect and total attention. He tried to remember every word, for his own use rather than anything else unlike his father Throndin hadn't really trained with missle weapons, he preferred to feel his blows land rather than to listen to them from afar.

"Ah, now were was I?"

Errm.....

"Aye, thas it, trainin' aye. Not just cogs an wheels these days, the engineers guilds want their engineers tae be able to defend themselves when the fast cavalry comes along yer flanks." he spoke with a chuckle and his eyes seemed to glaze over for a few seconds as if recalling some memory.

It was odd this dwarf acted like they were close friends, but they had never really met. Throndin often discovered this and was getting fed up with it, it didn't seem right that everyone here with an age of over 60 seemed to know him while to him they were complete strangers. He had spoken to his father about this once....it hadn't gone down well,

'I came to this hold with nothing, and worked hard for what he have now. Be grateful lad, one day you will have to earn it for yourself, everyone has to build from the bottom no matter who knows them...or what others think.'

Throndin's mind came back when Loki started speaking again,"I bet yae could show them a few things about fightin' lad! Feel free to join in an give me a few hints for trainin' aye?"

He thought about it for a few moments,"Aye, I recon I could some combat skills, but I'm no master. But if you wish I'm sure I could spare with a few of your pupils if you wish it. But first I would like to lessen your advantage you have over me, what is your name? I can see that by your symbols that you are from the Spangelhelms, and already our houses are friends if not closer, by my knowledge unfortunaley does not extend to its members."

[kadrik]

Lokri noticed that he had forgotten to give his name, something that was normally the first thing he said, due to the fact his name usually granted him a instant level of respect, mostly due to Kadrik Spangelhelm his second uncle.

"Ah bloody slow of me tae forget to say me name when meetin' a new un. Jus' that teachin' me beardlin's takes half me mind away."
Lokri said, absentmindedly, then offering his firm first to Throndin.
"I ma lad, am Lokri Spangelhelm, son of Orodrik. I'm nay so famous among the younger generation just yet, but I hope tae change that now I am a certified engineer and given a bit more freedom.
If you are familiar with them, I was involved in the production of our clans special crossbow design."

Lokri said, giving a signal to Bjarni, who instinctively unloaded the sample and brought it over for the new comer to inspect. The older clan members had argued for hours that the young lads would only damage it if Lokri brought it down here with him, but Lokri had stubbornly refused to give it back, and stated he would pay for the loss or damage should (in the unlikely circumstance) any befall it.

Throndin inspected the exquisitely crafted crossbow whilst Lokri gave a wink to Bjarni, rather impressed with his own product placement. Then, knowing another trick to entice a buyer is to leave them wanting more, he ushered the crossbow back to Bjarni and into its case once more.

"Aye it's a shiner that one, made most of it meself. Anyway, if ye fancy a bit o' tutorin' on shootin', I'll be more than happy tae show ye all I know. No least cos I would have tae show the whelps anyway."

Lokri said with a smile, then ushering Throndin into the group, of whom none save Lokri knew who he was, save that he must be important. (the beardlings had lived sheltered lives up to now)

Lokri, now put on the spot a little, just hoped he didn't make a silly mistake whilst on show to all the others, not least Throndin Ironbeard. Never the less, he drew out one of the solid steel training bolts, and loaded it onto his own crossbow in a fashion so autonomous it could only be completed by someone whom had done it so many times he could do it with his eyes shut.

Lokri stood there, trying to ignore those around him,
then used his keen vision to aim toward the target.
His technique impeccable, this all fell down to his skill with a ballistic weapon. The beardlings stood there wondering why he was taking so long. Then he fired.
(passed cl test [18])
The bolt whistled towards to target, and struck hard into it, staying firmly embedded into the top of the target board, missing the coloured areas.
(missed shot [53])
"Any questions?" Lokri said gruffly, ignoring the fact that he had not hit the bulls eye."Errm, ye missed Lokri?"
One of the braver dwarfs said, rousing a little giggle among his companions.
"Nonesense! Had that been a real warrior, I would'ave hit him right in the head, strike to injure thats the idea! If ye had a bit more practise ye would know!" Lokri said dismissing the beardlings statement. Cooly pretending that he had planned the whole event.
"Don't be liein' now Lokri, your just as bad a shot as we are!" Flakki hollared, in answer, still remembering his harsh treatment earlier.
Lokri however was not laughing, and the other dwarfs turned to Flakki in suprise, it was not wise to question a elder dwarfs judgement.
"Why ye disrespectfull wretch! Ye can dae me ten laps of the baracks for that! An ye can hold your crossbow above your head as ye do it!"
"But! But!"
Lokri's face could curdle milk, and Flakki, knowing not to cause further offence, set of on his run...

Lokri turned round grumbling to himself and giving a mean look to the other beardlings.

"Well go on then, get back to practise ye wee elf lovers! Here Throndin, ye can use my crossbow to practise if ye wish." Lokri said gruffly, and handed Throndin his crossbow without waiting for a answer yes or no.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Throndin watched the Lokri, take aim and fire the bolt, hearing the slight juddering as it hit the target. IT didn't seem that impressive till he told the beardling that it was a head shot.....he was right it would have been a head shot, respect started to grow for this old dwarf.

He felt the air grow cold as one of the beardlings in the lesson chided Lokri, if someone was watching the whole thing from above they would have noticed that Flakki was at the center of a circle that was increasing its diameter. He snorted with rightous indignation as he was sent scampering off his crosbow raised high above his head.

His smiled dropped as Lokri's crossbow was forced into his hands, he looked down at it then at the target. Turning to tell Lokri it was alright and that he didn't want to, the old dwarf seemed to be blocked by a tunnel of the class, leading him to the standing point for the target.

He swallowed and tried to look confident with an air of dignity, he strolled up to the stand point and loaded the crossbow. Trying to remember what Lokri had said to the olther beardling about how to hold the crossbow and aim it. He took his time and tried to ignore the sighing and tutting from the other beardlings and the comments of,"He's pretending to be Master Lokri, stalling for time."

With one last effort he focused on the target lining down the arrow shaft and let fly the bolt, he heard the whip of the bow string and the spinning of the cog and then...................It missed the colours and just hit the very edge of the target half embedded itself then casually fell off to the side.

Silence, Throndin could feel the eyes staring on him. He tried to force the blood back from rushing to his cheeks. He stepped to one side and allowed the next person to fire.......this wasn't going to be easy.

[kadrik]

[apologies for the late reply, didn't see it ]

Lokri saw that he had dropped Throndin into the deep end, but then of-course, just because he was of a good family, shouldn't award him special treatment.

Luckily for Throndin many of the other Beardlings were shooting equally bad shots at the boards adjacent to his, only Bjarni noticed, who gave Throndin a smile and a wink, and he reloaded his own crossbow.

"Not bad, not bad there Throndin, I assume ye have been spendin' more time with an axe than a crossbow aye?" Lokri said, in a manner that it was impossible to tell whether he was being serious or not. Until he gave a sly wink and patted Throndin on the back.
"Now ye see, its a little hard to shoot when ye are put on the spot, but then embarrassment isn't as bad as when ye know that your, and the lives of those around you are relying on a sure shot."
Lokri gave a nod, and then banged his axes down to get everyones attention.
"OK then boys, now ye have all got a feel for how to shoot, we're gonna go through the technique with an unloaded crossbow, and when ye doing it right, I'll let ye start shootin' again. You can concentrate allot more on yer technique whilst you dont have to look where you shooting."

Lokri began again, with his free hand drawing out an imaginary bolt, then winding, pushing the butt right into his shoulder, all without even straying his eyes from the target and then pulling the trigger.

The class copied him, and he walked up and down their lines prodding them with his Axe handle should their posture not be correct, or giving them some "constructive criticism". They continued in this fashion for a good while as he inspected their techniques on three practices, then when he was content...
"Good work ma boys, now then lets get back to shootin' with a bolt again, now remember do as I do."
Lokri this time, being positive he must re assert himself,
he grabbed his bolt, and stepped before them all.
Half to restore his own pride, half to re-captivate his audience, he swiftly loaded, wound, and fired with a grim determination. Irrespective of the others, he no longer worried if they saw or not, but he had to get a good shot. Luckily, this time, he got one. [22]
Landing right above the bulls eye, in the black ring.

The other dwarfs, suitably impressed, recomenced their shooting, and their practise at the technique helped marginaly. Luckily dwarfs need significantly less rehersal for a skill to become ingrained than humans, in a few more sessions they would be autonomous.
Lokri turned to Flakki, who was still running round.
"Yer can stop now Flakki!" Lokri said, with no compassion in his voice, and a chuckle as the young dwarf slumped to the floor in an out of breath heap.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Throndin's arms ached with the constant drawing back the crossbow sting with they pully or the belt hook, thingying the bow, holding it aiming and letting the loose string fly, but he had to admit, though it started out hard, he was getting the hang of it, though he still needed a lot of practice.

Lokri was right though, he had neglected his crossbow training, to him it was.....well dull, why fling bits of wood at your foe from a distance, you want to see them face to face pitting your skill against theirs. He often dreamt of going to the pits where his father grew up and enrolling, but he knew his mother and father would have none of it.

He was obviously day dreaming because when he came to Lokri was standing in front of him witha sturn look n his face, Throndin looked down and saw that he was winding the winch but hadn't connected it to the crossbow string. He shook his mind clear and quickly corrected himself and held it aimed and fired, all under Lokri's critical eye. Once Lokri walked on to inspect others he whispered over to another young dwarf going through the same routine,"Is he always so critical?"

When it comes to this yes, he replied while thingying his own crossbow, His family is known for their bows so have to be sturn when teaching to show their skills. Seeing Lokri on his way back the dwarf stopped talking and got back to his crossbow.

"Good work ma boys, now then lets get back to shootin' with a bolt again, now remember do as I do."
Lokri called out, before preceeding to draw and load his bow. Again he took his time aiming, but it clearly paid off, the bolt found its mark not to far off the centre. Throndin could see what this neighbour ment, about Lokri's family and their crossbow skills.

Throndin's shooting had improved because of the practice, but not by much, at least this time he was hitting rings in the target, true they were outer at best, but it was better than his first shot.
'This isn't so bad,' he comtemplated to himself after hitting slightly off one of the inner rings,'I still prefer hand-to-hand though. I wounder if Lokri would let me borrow some of his class sometimes to spar with, some of them must be at least average.'

[Drasanil]

[OOC: 35xps to Throndin, 25 to Lokri.]

[kadrik]

The lads were keeping up a good pace of work, but Remas wasn't built in a day, and they would need a few weeks to get it spot on. In addition, he was getting hungry.
"Right lads hold it there, time for some food I reckon, and a good pint of ale ne'er went amiss. Throndin, if you would honour us with your presence for a little longer, I could use your skills after the meal to do a wee bit of combat work." Lokri said, hoping that he could keep hold of this new student.
"The rest o ye start collectin' yer bolts in, and pack yer crossbows away. After ye've done that ye can go were ye want, I'll be in the screamin' Grobi, and I'll see ye all back here in two hourse."
Lokri declared, then walked over to Throndin.
"You comin' for a drink lad?"

[Throndin Ironbeard]

"Right lads hold it there, time for some food I reckon, and a good pint of ale ne'er went amiss. Throndin, if you would honour us with your presence for a little longer, I could use your skills after the meal to do a wee bit of combat work."

"The rest o ye start collectin' yer bolts in, and pack yer crossbows away. After ye've done that ye can go were ye want, I'll be in the screamin' Grobi, and I'll see ye all back here in two hours."

"You comin' for a drink lad?"

Aye, I'll come for a drink with you, Master Lokri, just give me a few minutes and I'll join you shortly. Throndin replied to Lokri.

Going along with the others he removed the bolts he had been using from the target and placed them back in the quiver t the top of the firing range, where he'd got them from. You could always tell the barracks practice bolts, their flights always looked well worn even though they were replaced ever so often the amount of times they get used in a week would amaze even the most hard working dwarfs.

After he put his bolts back into place he walked to where Lokri was waiing for him and handed him back his crossbow,Thankyou Master Lokri, its a magnificient piece of engineering its a shame I was not able to do the justice it deserves. But come let us refresh ourselves, training is long and hard, and my stomach needs to be sated and my thirst quenched. But I will not be quaffing what I want of ale, for alchol and training are not the best combination. Throndin said as if repeating a lesson, to be fair his father had taught him all or at least most of what combat techniques he knew, and always had this rule ubove most. 'If you drink more than your able you shall become suseptible to unfriendly blades'

[kadrik]

Lokri eyed up the lad, suprised by his responce, but when he thought about it, it was a wise responce, most probarbly it origonated from a clan proverb, and knoledge of tradition was never a bad thing.
"Well lad, ye take yer trainin' very serious I see, thats ne'er a bad thing. Don't worry about the crossbow, ye can't expect to learn new skills first time, not all the time at least..." Lokri and Throndin set off towards the inn.

[continue at the Screaming Grobi]

[Throndin Ironbeard]

As Throndin returned to the barracks to cntinue his combat training, he noticed that none of Lokri's class had yet returned,'pfft some attitude' Throndin thought to himself disparing at the class.

Throndin placed his weapons in the rack by the combat posts and warmed up using the basic 8-point proceedure, consisting of a strike to the head, both shoulders, sides, thyhs and a swift blow across the body. He did this for fifteen minutes to get his muscles flexed and become used to the hours of training ahead of him. Twisting his head to the right tll his neck cracked he turned t the practice arena,'Right then...' he thought to himself,'Time for some real opponents.'

[Barek Thorgison]

(ooc: Sorry I took so long in posting. I was in guatemala over the weekend and up until today the internet has been down campus wide)

IC:

Barek marched into the Barracks trainning station keeping a sharp eye for any younger dwarfs that might be trainning. Surprisingly he found none and so began to wander the tranning area watching many dwarfs prepare and maintain their fighting skills.

The sounds of wooden weapons hitting each other with dull 'thud's reverberate from a arena area. Two dwarfs sparred back and forth matching each other blow for blow. Barek calmly watched as they attacked, parried, blocked, and counter strike tiem and time again. With a flash of recognition Barek recognized one of the dwarfs as the young Throndin Ironbeard. With much more interest Barek watched as the young lad let out a quick punch followed by strike by the flat of the blade that stunned his opponent allowing him to press the dull wooden blade to his neck. The other dwarf noded his defeat and the 2 walked out of the sparring area.

'ail Throndin, that was a mighty fine display. Where did ye learn such moves?