CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Do federal holidays count as holidays?
Knight of Wessex (A Written World Quest)
- Thread starter Alectai
- Start date
- Original Fantasy Alt. History
- Pronouns
- He/Him
No promises but we're not explicitly taking the day off for the holiday, I don't believe.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
If we do post, you're getting a doot.
If we don't, breaking for holiday
Turn 1.3 - Post-Bloodshed Reflections
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Self-reflection, that damnable time-sink.
Why couldn't Audrey spend her valuable time on activities better suited to one of her constitution? Such as, to pluck an example from the top of her head, contemplating a far more appealing reflection than the past; namely, one of herself.
Alas, her wrath—her greatest, and only, flaw—got the best of her once again. The bandit not only landed a blow, but had the gall to tear her clothes! Only those of beastly make could ever stoop to such a pitiful level, but, really, what can she expect from a bandit?
To forsake one's oaths and turn sword on one's countrymen, there is no act more pathetic than that.
Still, that a so-called 'average bandit' was able to touch her at all is unacceptable. That he, though her anger broils at the insinuation, was able to push her as close to her limits as he was…
Simply, in short, it was enough for her to go outside in the sun, sit on the ground against a tree—she's going to be shaking pieces of bark from her hair for a week!—and bare her sword across her lap with tools in hand.
Whetstone, rag, and polish work in tandem as she cleans, polishes, and straightens her blade. The point had dulled from where it had cloven through the shield, in a manner a mere whetstone could never solve. It will require proper sharpening, at a smith's forge.
Still, her whetstone can hone the minor misalignments derived from combat's rigours.
Honing her weapon was always a relaxing process, at least it would give her something to focus on, to steady her mind and prevent it from wandering overly far. The twist of an ark ring and a flash of bright light sees her previous whetstone vanish with an even finer whetstone appearing to replace it—to refine upon the last whetstone, of course. Only the very best for her weapon!
Swish, Swish went good iron and quality stone, the small divots and imperfections smoothing out with every stroke, Audrey's thoughts cooling with every motion. Looking upon her performance purely impartially…
Her first error was in closing too quickly; her opponent had no obvious means of striking her at a distance. If she had been more conservative on her approach, she likely would not have been disarmed; it cost him his shield to do so, yes, and she was able to recover her blade before he could capitalise on this, but she needed to reveal her little trick with the ground to win back the advantage.
From there, the next error was in attempting to end the battle at the first opportunity. She had been warned that many other Anglo-Saxon folk and Norsemen would be capable of shocking feats of prowess in the short term, but she had allowed that to slip her mind in the hopes of ending the battle quickly. It exhausted much of her Fervour–and while this was not a fatal issue given her opponent's inability to capitalise on this advantage, it gave her very little room for error. She should have waited until he had depleted more of his strength before committing to the fatal blow–the ancestors would have wept.
And yet–her foundation proved to be superior in the end, and while she had made some slight errors in application–Audrey didn't think her approach was wrong The idea of getting in close and exhausting them was a good one, she had simply been in too much of a rush to claim her first victory to be patient, and in that rush, risked inviting defeat if her foe had unexpected strengths left untapped. It would not be an error she made twice, she thought.
Furthermore, she had made another slip with her situational awareness. She lost track of the rest of the battlefield by focusing on her opponent only. It was fine today due to Sir Vieux dealing with the other bandits, but if this had happened and she fought on her own? She would find herself in grave danger. She should have taken a moment to wield her Hama in order to push the smoke away, rather than simply assume it wouldn't be a great detriment, she had no particular talent and looking past the obstruction, but it was entirely possible one of her foes had some ability that could ignore the obstruction.
So, three major lessons.
First: Remember that her information is not perfect, and pace herself in battle–she can claim victory every time if she can properly leverage her strong foundation and deny her foes their own tricks and tactics. A flawless victory in four passes is better than a victory in two that leaves her wounded–even slightly.
Second: Treat anyone who bears arms against her as a potential threat, she was mighty–yes, but even a bandit can fight like a lion for at least a few seconds if their life was on the line, and she will frequently be outnumbered in battle, even should she earn a pair of Companions in time. To allow criminals and plunderers to wound her or even scratch her clothing was an embarrassment in itself, and she must avoid a repeat incident in the future.
Finally: The conditions of the battlefield are only advantageous to her if she has a means of exploiting them. If she does not, she must take steps to simplify the battlespace before the melee begins in earnest. Obscured vision applies to her as much as it does any foe–but you can never be certain if someone has a way around the matter.
Audrey nodded to herself, settling these three rules in her mind. She may have won, but she can always be even better in the future. She could do nothing less than be the best she could, to do less would be beneath her.
So she let her smile return, inspecting her blade carefully for any remaining defects. The little moving meditation was always therapeutic, and from her inspection, the edge seems to have properly been straightened. It'll need a proper look after returning to Warwick to see if it'll need a proper sharpening–but it should be good for another battle or two if it comes down to it.
As she holds her sword this way and that, watching the light play off its mirror-finish, her eyes fall upon a figure in the face. A young girl, eyes big and wide with braids on either side of her head, stands with hands clasped and a gulp on her lips. She's holding something between her palms, something precious indeed from how she seems to grasp it tight. There's something familiar about her face, something that Audrey can't quite place—but that's no real surprise; mortals tend to blend together in her memories. A bad habit, Audrey knows, but one that's difficult to shake.
"E-excuse me, miss?" The young girl asks, finally working up the nerve to speak. She stands there, shivering like a tree in a storm, as Audrey's eyes flick from sword to speaker—the only movement she makes.
Mortals, mortals, mortals, how does one interact with them properly? You can't speak to them too harshly, with too much attention, or else they're liable to break down and sob. Likewise, you can't treat them too softly else they think they have some kind of leverage over you. She'd seen it often enough in how her parents entreat the mortals that come seeking some favour or aid. Respectful, for they are fellow children of God, yet maintain rightful distance. Audrey is of a finer class of society, those so far beneath her have no right to engage with her as if they were on equal footing.
"You have my attention," Audrey finally says, deciding to cut through the problem and get straight to the point.
The young girl gulps and hurries forward. Quickly bowing, she offers the item in her cupped hands without lifting her head, "I-I wanted to thank you for saving us, m-miss."
Ah, she's one of the pilgrims Reinald and she rescued. How ironic for them to meet now that Audrey is done contemplating said rescuing.
Audrey arches a brow but accepts the reward regardless. Long fingers pluck the item from the girl's palm and lift it into the sun's light to reveal its true nature as a smooth, well-worn rosary bead. Carved from the heart of a milk-white pearl, concentrated faith clings to the creamy surface as light gleams off the bead's face. An item like this will do well to improve Audrey's zeal gain, if only by a small amount.
A worthy reward indeed.
Audrey nods to herself as her ark ring twists and the bead vanishes in a flash of light. "I thank you for your kindness."
The girl stands there, as if waiting for something more, but what?
…Why isn't the girl leaving? Audrey said the things, right? So… So why isn't she leaving?! What's going on, is the girl out of her mind?
Scrambling around for anything to get out of the looming awkwardness as the young girl starts to smile, Audrey lands on the first phrase that comes to mind, "Go with God, my child."
The smiling face of the Bishop flashes before Audrey's mind as the young girl blinks and the smile freezes on her face, her brows furrowed in confusion.
…It's probably time for Audrey to go get her armour, yes?
Either way, it's a convenient way of getting out of this mess and figuring out where and how she went wrong.
As she makes her way towards the monastery, she can't quite help but think of her future armour. What strengths might it hold in its blessings?
[ ] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
[ ] Shining Armour - To shine with an inner light, glorious and inspiring, but also attracting foes to her like a lighthouse beacon, and away from her allies and those in her charge.
[ ] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
[ ] Write in
(All write-ins must be directly based on Audrey's character, who she is as a person, and mechanics cannot be specified any more than the above options. Write-ins may be vetoed for various reasons even if they do match her personality.)
(Also, receive one Blessed Rosary Bead, adding +1 Zeal gain per year)
0~0~0
AN: As a result of you folks picking to go over the battle in character, you may also ask questions about specific tactical choices in regards to the previous battle and how things worked out of character, and @DeadmanwalkingXI will be doing a brief summary of the main issue below.
Why couldn't Audrey spend her valuable time on activities better suited to one of her constitution? Such as, to pluck an example from the top of her head, contemplating a far more appealing reflection than the past; namely, one of herself.
Alas, her wrath—her greatest, and only, flaw—got the best of her once again. The bandit not only landed a blow, but had the gall to tear her clothes! Only those of beastly make could ever stoop to such a pitiful level, but, really, what can she expect from a bandit?
To forsake one's oaths and turn sword on one's countrymen, there is no act more pathetic than that.
Still, that a so-called 'average bandit' was able to touch her at all is unacceptable. That he, though her anger broils at the insinuation, was able to push her as close to her limits as he was…
Simply, in short, it was enough for her to go outside in the sun, sit on the ground against a tree—she's going to be shaking pieces of bark from her hair for a week!—and bare her sword across her lap with tools in hand.
Whetstone, rag, and polish work in tandem as she cleans, polishes, and straightens her blade. The point had dulled from where it had cloven through the shield, in a manner a mere whetstone could never solve. It will require proper sharpening, at a smith's forge.
Still, her whetstone can hone the minor misalignments derived from combat's rigours.
Honing her weapon was always a relaxing process, at least it would give her something to focus on, to steady her mind and prevent it from wandering overly far. The twist of an ark ring and a flash of bright light sees her previous whetstone vanish with an even finer whetstone appearing to replace it—to refine upon the last whetstone, of course. Only the very best for her weapon!
Swish, Swish went good iron and quality stone, the small divots and imperfections smoothing out with every stroke, Audrey's thoughts cooling with every motion. Looking upon her performance purely impartially…
Her first error was in closing too quickly; her opponent had no obvious means of striking her at a distance. If she had been more conservative on her approach, she likely would not have been disarmed; it cost him his shield to do so, yes, and she was able to recover her blade before he could capitalise on this, but she needed to reveal her little trick with the ground to win back the advantage.
From there, the next error was in attempting to end the battle at the first opportunity. She had been warned that many other Anglo-Saxon folk and Norsemen would be capable of shocking feats of prowess in the short term, but she had allowed that to slip her mind in the hopes of ending the battle quickly. It exhausted much of her Fervour–and while this was not a fatal issue given her opponent's inability to capitalise on this advantage, it gave her very little room for error. She should have waited until he had depleted more of his strength before committing to the fatal blow–the ancestors would have wept.
And yet–her foundation proved to be superior in the end, and while she had made some slight errors in application–Audrey didn't think her approach was wrong The idea of getting in close and exhausting them was a good one, she had simply been in too much of a rush to claim her first victory to be patient, and in that rush, risked inviting defeat if her foe had unexpected strengths left untapped. It would not be an error she made twice, she thought.
Furthermore, she had made another slip with her situational awareness. She lost track of the rest of the battlefield by focusing on her opponent only. It was fine today due to Sir Vieux dealing with the other bandits, but if this had happened and she fought on her own? She would find herself in grave danger. She should have taken a moment to wield her Hama in order to push the smoke away, rather than simply assume it wouldn't be a great detriment, she had no particular talent and looking past the obstruction, but it was entirely possible one of her foes had some ability that could ignore the obstruction.
So, three major lessons.
First: Remember that her information is not perfect, and pace herself in battle–she can claim victory every time if she can properly leverage her strong foundation and deny her foes their own tricks and tactics. A flawless victory in four passes is better than a victory in two that leaves her wounded–even slightly.
Second: Treat anyone who bears arms against her as a potential threat, she was mighty–yes, but even a bandit can fight like a lion for at least a few seconds if their life was on the line, and she will frequently be outnumbered in battle, even should she earn a pair of Companions in time. To allow criminals and plunderers to wound her or even scratch her clothing was an embarrassment in itself, and she must avoid a repeat incident in the future.
Finally: The conditions of the battlefield are only advantageous to her if she has a means of exploiting them. If she does not, she must take steps to simplify the battlespace before the melee begins in earnest. Obscured vision applies to her as much as it does any foe–but you can never be certain if someone has a way around the matter.
Audrey nodded to herself, settling these three rules in her mind. She may have won, but she can always be even better in the future. She could do nothing less than be the best she could, to do less would be beneath her.
So she let her smile return, inspecting her blade carefully for any remaining defects. The little moving meditation was always therapeutic, and from her inspection, the edge seems to have properly been straightened. It'll need a proper look after returning to Warwick to see if it'll need a proper sharpening–but it should be good for another battle or two if it comes down to it.
As she holds her sword this way and that, watching the light play off its mirror-finish, her eyes fall upon a figure in the face. A young girl, eyes big and wide with braids on either side of her head, stands with hands clasped and a gulp on her lips. She's holding something between her palms, something precious indeed from how she seems to grasp it tight. There's something familiar about her face, something that Audrey can't quite place—but that's no real surprise; mortals tend to blend together in her memories. A bad habit, Audrey knows, but one that's difficult to shake.
"E-excuse me, miss?" The young girl asks, finally working up the nerve to speak. She stands there, shivering like a tree in a storm, as Audrey's eyes flick from sword to speaker—the only movement she makes.
Mortals, mortals, mortals, how does one interact with them properly? You can't speak to them too harshly, with too much attention, or else they're liable to break down and sob. Likewise, you can't treat them too softly else they think they have some kind of leverage over you. She'd seen it often enough in how her parents entreat the mortals that come seeking some favour or aid. Respectful, for they are fellow children of God, yet maintain rightful distance. Audrey is of a finer class of society, those so far beneath her have no right to engage with her as if they were on equal footing.
"You have my attention," Audrey finally says, deciding to cut through the problem and get straight to the point.
The young girl gulps and hurries forward. Quickly bowing, she offers the item in her cupped hands without lifting her head, "I-I wanted to thank you for saving us, m-miss."
Ah, she's one of the pilgrims Reinald and she rescued. How ironic for them to meet now that Audrey is done contemplating said rescuing.
Audrey arches a brow but accepts the reward regardless. Long fingers pluck the item from the girl's palm and lift it into the sun's light to reveal its true nature as a smooth, well-worn rosary bead. Carved from the heart of a milk-white pearl, concentrated faith clings to the creamy surface as light gleams off the bead's face. An item like this will do well to improve Audrey's zeal gain, if only by a small amount.
A worthy reward indeed.
Audrey nods to herself as her ark ring twists and the bead vanishes in a flash of light. "I thank you for your kindness."
The girl stands there, as if waiting for something more, but what?
…Why isn't the girl leaving? Audrey said the things, right? So… So why isn't she leaving?! What's going on, is the girl out of her mind?
Scrambling around for anything to get out of the looming awkwardness as the young girl starts to smile, Audrey lands on the first phrase that comes to mind, "Go with God, my child."
The smiling face of the Bishop flashes before Audrey's mind as the young girl blinks and the smile freezes on her face, her brows furrowed in confusion.
…It's probably time for Audrey to go get her armour, yes?
Either way, it's a convenient way of getting out of this mess and figuring out where and how she went wrong.
As she makes her way towards the monastery, she can't quite help but think of her future armour. What strengths might it hold in its blessings?
[ ] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
[ ] Shining Armour - To shine with an inner light, glorious and inspiring, but also attracting foes to her like a lighthouse beacon, and away from her allies and those in her charge.
[ ] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
[ ] Write in
(All write-ins must be directly based on Audrey's character, who she is as a person, and mechanics cannot be specified any more than the above options. Write-ins may be vetoed for various reasons even if they do match her personality.)
(Also, receive one Blessed Rosary Bead, adding +1 Zeal gain per year)
0~0~0
AN: As a result of you folks picking to go over the battle in character, you may also ask questions about specific tactical choices in regards to the previous battle and how things worked out of character, and @DeadmanwalkingXI will be doing a brief summary of the main issue below.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So, on the fight, the basic problem was just using Giant-Killing Blow too early, given Audrey's limited ability to recover Fervour from that right now. And that's less a problem with Quester planning, and more Audrey's Superbia and Ira kicking in and thinking she had a bigger opening than she did, leading her to use it at the first possible opening instead of the best possible one.
Happy to field additional questions, but I think that was the only real issue, bearing in mind that, given the Anglo-Saxon ability to nova super hard, Audrey was always gonna have a rough couple of rounds here, and then wreck him if she survived those couple of rounds.
Happy to field additional questions, but I think that was the only real issue, bearing in mind that, given the Anglo-Saxon ability to nova super hard, Audrey was always gonna have a rough couple of rounds here, and then wreck him if she survived those couple of rounds.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
This is very cute.
Ngl, I feel kind of vindicated about my plan. Oh well, it's good as is. Learn a lesson. Probably would have been issues if it won as well.
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
I think this one.
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Let's do a little Superbia (as a treat) and reach for something that exceeds our grasp.
Alternately, either alone is good.
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
[X] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
Edit: Apparently, we do not deserve a little Superbia treat
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[] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
I think this one might play more to our strengths? Our Bloodline and Martial Style seem best suited for seeking out the biggest, strongest target on the battlefield, and bringing them down before they can hit our allies.
I think this one might play more to our strengths? Our Bloodline and Martial Style seem best suited for seeking out the biggest, strongest target on the battlefield, and bringing them down before they can hit our allies.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hahahahaha. No. Vetoed.
DangerKitty
shoddy writter
- Location
- lala land
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
I want a tank build.
I want a tank build.
- Location
- Bretonnia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
- Location
- Space between realms
- Pronouns
- He
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Write in: Vanguard of Purity: To be sullied by none AND To be the first to battle, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing AND to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
It's only right. She is the best of the best after all
It's only right. She is the best of the best after all
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
[X] Write in: Vanguard of Purity: To be sullied by none AND To be the first to battle, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing AND to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
It's only right. She is the best of the best after all
Vetoed For a Second Time.
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
For a serious vote,
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
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- Location
- Many Places
[X] Valiant Vanguard - To be the first to battle, to strike hardest and fastest, to let none escape her righteous fury.
AeonIlluminate
The power of friendship and aggressive landscaping
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I'm really not sure between what feels like Debuff Resist + DR vs Speed + Damage boost + maybe an aura that tries to prevent enemies from fleeing. For now imma go tank build, as she's already rather killy for her level.
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.
- Location
- Pittsburgh PA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Purity of Form - To be sullied by none, to reject all that would corrode her form and see it rendered to nothing.