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DRAGONMOUNT

A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY

Pressure Testing


baheine

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(occ: If anyone wants to join feel free me and Visar cooked this up all are welcome)

 

As Tris opened his eyes on his first day of training it was still gray outside and he already heard a great comotion outside the barracks.

 

He could hear a man at the doorway saying, "Get up you lazy lot its almost blooming daylight out!!"

 

Roling out of bed Tris streched and quickly pulled on clothes and belted on his sword taking a deep breath of the cold morning air he stepped outside into the gray morning halflight. Around him stood several other recruits it seemed as if they knew what was to come the young Grimm steeled himself for what was to come.

 

A Gaiden stood before him he was saying something about pressure testing as he approached he began to hear what the gaiden was saying. Several around him prickled with intrest, restlessness, and some where even nervous. Tris had to admit to himself that he felt a very small pit of fear eating deep in his stomach over what was to come. The word "pressure testing" hung in the air, the gaiden smiled and began explaining in detail what this class would involve.

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(ooc: Kalan, want to join in on this one? Anyone else is welcome to join, too!)

 

Ah, there was nothing like morning recruits, green as freshly cut grass. Some days, Visar pitied them, remembering his own humble and hard days as a trainee years and years ago. Yet others, like this one, he took a certain sadistic pleasure in putting them through the ropes.

 

Kalan had tasked him to aide in weeding out trainees that were not suitable for the Tower Guard or Warder training. The lazy ones, and the ones who did not have the drive to continue. Yet unlike the boisterous Master of Arms, Visar liked to do things more, subtle. Any brute could beat the sense out of the trainees; very few had the skill at arms that Kalan did and even Visar, a fairly skilled swordsman though he was, came home covered with welts and bruises when they fought.

 

No, beating the trainees senseless tended to have the opposite affect: the trainees would hate the Master of Arms so much that their anger fueled their drive. Something much more subtle and twisted was required. Visar himself would not be the target of a trainee's rage; no, he would appear to be the nice guy. If they were unsuitable, why not let them think they themselves were at fault, and get it over with?

 

And so, things like today could just be a whole lot of fun! A few recruits gathered together, mostly on time for the Pressure Testing. Now, making an effective Pressure Testing was something of an art form to Visar and Kalan and other instructors, and the two often competed for who did the best one. Of course, they would then dissolve into drunken fights over how did they determine which was best, the level of fun it was or the number of trainees it managed to wash out. But that was another matter entirely.

 

"Good morning, my little Warts!" Visar bellowed in a friendly manner, his morning voice rougher than usual and somewhat coated with phlegm. Warts was one of his favorite little terms, combining Warder Trainee into a term of endearment.

 

"Today we're going to have a Pressure Testing. What is that like? Well I'll tell you, we're gonna play a little game I call Chalk Tunnel. . ." Visar started explaining what today's pressure testing would be like when he spied Tris Grim making it to the ranks. He was just in time, but the last one to arrive is always considered late on a Pressure Testing day. Visar broke off,

"Trainee Tris, what's this? You have a little beauty sleep on your first day?" Some of the recruits laughed. Laughter and humiliation could be just as effective motivators or stressors as pain.

 

"Well since you're here, Tris, you get to be our first volunteer! Put on this black vest for Chalk Tunnel! Everybody, line up and form a gauntlet with chalked, lathed swords at the ready! We're going to begin round one!"

 

The first trainee who was "it" had to run through the Tunnel unarmed, through a double line of trainees and instructors as fast as possible, trying to dodge the lathes' sting and reach the goal: a post on the other end. Then depending on how many clear chalk marks they accumulated, which Visar would count on the vest only, they had to run that many laps around the training yard before rejoining the gauntlet itself. Only if you were in the gauntlet, you had chalk on your lathe, and after five poor souls were "it", if you didn't have any chalk off of the sword, that meant you missed, and that meant you were next in line to be "it."

 

So it was a game testing basic agility for the pressured WarT, accuracy for those in the gauntlet to deliver their blows on the right target and get rid of the chalk, and pure stamina and mental resolve to keep going no matter how much it hurt.

 

"Ok, you got the rules: Tris, go, you're first up! Run through the gauntlet and try not to get hit! Everybody else, chalk him up, or you could be next!"

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"Ok, you got the rules: Tris, go, you're first up! Run through the gauntlet and try not to get hit! Everybody else, chalk him up, or you could be next!"

 

Looking down the double rows of trainees and instructors Tris smiled inwardly. This reminds me of the bullys back in my home town always gainging up on me well lets see how many blades I can dodge today. As he pulled on his black vest Tris readied his muscles a deep breath filling his lungs to bursting and three quick exhales readied his body for the movement. The gaiden noded and all the rest chalked their bladeds along with him seeing that they were ready Tris steeled himself and plunged into the throng.

 

Dodging left in right the lathed swords came down quickly. Most of the begining recruits where still grogy this morning so he moved past them quickly their lathed swords just a hairs breath behind. After seeing this and becoming alert two recruits swung at Tris simulatenously and Tris kneeled under the hand of one recruit as the blades passed and struck in mid air. Then he sprited down the line further May not be very good with a sword but staying away from blows is my art form he thought wryly. Just as the thought crossed his mind he noticed he was among three instructors hes heart sank. What to do what to do!?! He thought just in time to dodge one blade and be tagged by Visar Gaiden once on the chest then ontop of the shoulder before he stumbled out of the gauntlet. Blood and bloody ashes! I almost made it oh well this just shows me what I need to learn, Times wasting if I hurry to Visar Gaiden then I can get back quickly to continue training.

 

Tris hurried over panting slightly in front of the Gaiden and awaited his orders with a smile he hid well.

Edited by SwordSworn
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Daniel arrived at the training yard and fell into line. As he looked around he realized he wasnt the only one feeling the nerves of what to expect. One of the warders begin to explain the rules of this pressure testing. Daniel seemed to remember his name being Visar.

 

After watching a couple of others run the course the warder called him to the line. Daniel had studied the others carefully and watched for their mistakes. He took a deep breath and started his run. As he ran through the first set of recruits he saw them telegraph their move and started swinging high at his chest he quickly dropped to his knees and slid under their lathes. As the next set of recruits saw what he did the started swinging low and Daniel vaulted over their practice swords. To Daniels dismay the the warder that was next in the line saw what he was up to and slammed his sword down and smashed Daniel into the yard. When he hit the ground all the air rushed from his lungs and he saw stars in his eyes. He got to his feet only to be smacked in the chest by the practice sword and took a step back. As he was starting to get his forward momentum again one of the recruits swung his blade right for Daniels face. Daniel fell backwards kicking the bottom of the recruits hand and the practice sword launched out of his hand Daniel saw his chance as the others all looked up at the practice sword soaring across the yard. Daniel sprinted to the end.

 

He counted how many marks he had on his jerkin and immediatly started running around the yard. While he was running he couldnt help but wonder if he broke any rules of the test and if he was now in trouble. But he was always told it was easier to ask forgiveness then permission so he made his rounds. When he was done with his laps he ran back up to the line and retook his place and stood tall.

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(ooc: for your next posts, I want to see what your characters do when Visar is temporarily gone from the picture; have fun!)

 

Visar observed how things were going, even while occasionally participating in the gauntlet. Tris Grim ran through fast and dodging reasonably well, his slim, tall form very difficult to hit. He had natural speed and athleticism, that one, Visar thought. He had potential if he could develop it. Visar and another Warder in the Tunnel made sure that their hits landed, however, so Tris ended up with two hits.

 

"Alright, you got hit 2 times, Tris, good job! Two times around!" He said after checking the chalk marks. Tris dashed off to make his laps and return as part of the Tunnel. Then it was time for the next trainee. He did alright, too. Most of the trainees in the Tunnel were slow this morning, and were missing hits. Maybe they thought somehow that they were doing their friends a favor in return for not being hit as hard? Visar would have to make sure to change that.

 

This was a game against time, and usually the best they'd do was the first time. The hits and the running would add up, tiring most people out within minutes. Those who hit the most accurately would be spared the grueling Tunnel runs and laps, and those who dodged the best would have the best chance of not tiring out as quickly.

 

But everyone would get their turn. Visar called up another newcomer, a trainee named Daniel, to run through the Tunnel.

 

Daniel started off well, and while he might not have been the fastest, he had strategy in mind as he dodged blades he saw coming. Inevitably the odds of lathed swords coming in at him hit him, and hit him hard. Even so, Visar was impressed with the fact that even though Daniel was knocked down from blows, he managed to kick the lathed sword out of one trainees hand. While disarming wasn't part of the exercise, Visar thought how he used the disarming as a distraction to keep going a good strategy. This one had brains, and could use them in a fight, that was good.

 

Visar quickly checked if he was alright. Confirming this, he said,

"Alright, do your laps Daniel, good job!" He turned to the offending recruit. "You bloody carp! You dropped your sword, and you aimed for that guy's face! That's not safe for you or him; we're just aiming at the black vest! In punishment, you're gonna go through the gauntlet five times in a row!"

 

They waited for Daniel to get back to the gauntlet, and Visar tossed him the lathed sword the other had dropped.

 

The trainee about to run through five times had the audacity to give him an exasperated, horrified look, and reluctantly ran through the Tunnel, receiving his hits the first round, and then the second round without complaint. The third round he staggered and stumbled, the blows landing more heavily. The fourth, he got hit so hard in the chest he fell and couldn't continue. Visar stopped the drill and rushed over. The trainee had twisted his ankle in the fall and was having trouble breathing. Bruised, possibly broken ribs, Visar thought. He hated trainees to be severely injured on his watch, and that had just happened. He helped him up carefully and carried him out of the pitted sand of the Tunnel area.

 

Visar turned to the rest, looking concerned. "I'm taking him to the infirmary, make sure he's ok. You all continue with Chalk Tunnel till I get back. Take your hits and your laps on the honor system while I take him to the infirmary to get patched up! By the Stone, I'd better not see any of you slacking when I get back! Got it?"

 

While helping the injured trainee to the infirmary, Visar briefly scolded himself for not officially placing another Warder, or at least a Guardsman, in charge. What kind of trouble would the trainees come up with?

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  • 2 weeks later...

As Daniel watched Visar take the other recruit to the infirmary he couldn’t help but feel pity for the poor sap. He didn’t feel bad for him having to take the gauntlet for aiming at his face but he did feel bad that the poor guy got hurt. As he started to turn back towards the other recruits he saw a lathe coming right at him in an attempt to blind side him. He threw up his arm and the lathe smacked into him with a loud crack.

“That was my brother you got hurt you flaming goat brained lummox.” the recruit who swung the lathe at him said. Daniel rubbed his arm and looked furiously at the other young recruit. “I didn’t get your brother hurt. He broke the rules and he was taking his licks. It was an accident he got hurt.” As the recruit started forward Daniel kicked a lathe from the ground into his hand. “I don’t want to fight you. We're supposed to be on the same side here. But if you insist on attacking me don’t think for one second that I will sit by and let you beat on me.”

The other recruit turned towards the other recruits and started working them up against Daniel. He said things like “He’s just a little noble here to play at soldiering.” And many other things along the same lines. As more and more of the recruits either stepped away not getting involved or began to fall in with him as he worked them all up.

Only one man walked up and stood beside Daniel. His name was Tris if he remembered it right. As they looked over at the gathering of men in front of them Daniel took on a defensive stance and waited to see what happened.

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(ooc: Sworn where'd you go? lol. Guess I'll continue for Otpelk)

 

Visar made sure the injured trainee was in good hands before he made his way back. Feeling a little better about himself that he at least didn't indirectly kill someone he was training (and there had been some close ones!), Visar decided to start whistling a tune.

 

His whistling soon turned mute as he finally reached the yard and found out what was going on. Instead of a well structured drill, everyone was wildly swinging at each other with the lathed swords, throwing any semblance of technique aside. There seemed to be two main groups of trainees at the center of it, but it was too chaotic to tell what was going on exactly.

 

I go for a few minutes and they dissolve into a bloody melee?! By the Stone, this day just keeps getting better!

 

Visar found a lathed practice sword abandoned on the ground and rushed into the fray, shouting at the top of his lungs.

 

"Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt!" It took a few times, and a few well aimed take-downs and strikes with the lathe, before the clump of fighters finally stopped fighting.

 

Two poor, bloodied souls stood in the direct center, looking like they might need to go to the infirmary soon. Some of the others around them looked in worse shape, some with clearly broken hands or elbows. Visar addressed them with a barking snarl.

 

"What in the name of the Tower is the meaning of all this?! What happened?"

 

He recognized the two at the center.

 

"Tris? Daniel? What just happened?"

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(occ: sorry guys had a bit of a problem at the detachment lol lots of paperwork)

 

As Tris watched the Gaiden leave he relaxed, I've done well for my first couple of weeks here, he thought.

 

When he approached the rest of the recruits he saw one strike another and the two began to argue.

 

That was my brother you got hurt you flaming goat brained lummox.” the recruit who swung the lathe at him said. Daniel rubbed his arm and looked furiously at the other young recruit. “I didn’t get your brother hurt. He broke the rules and he was taking his licks. It was an accident he got hurt.” As the recruit started forward Daniel kicked a lathe from the ground into his hand. “I don’t want to fight you. We're supposed to be on the same side here. But if you insist on attacking me don’t think for one second that I will sit by and let you beat on me.”

 

The man did nothing wrong we are all here to serve the light, I must stand by him!

Thought Tris as he readied his sword and stood by Daniel. Looking a little suprised Daniel nodded and they both readied themselves for the coming melee. The two danced with their blades in sync of each other breaking bones and disarming opponents as they went but soon the sheer number of recruits overwellmed them. Taking multiple blows all Tris could think is that this was pure madness. In the distance he heard a shout.

 

"Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt!" It was Visar Gaiden tearing threw the ranks of recruits with a lathed sword.

 

Tris saw that Daniel was in no better shape than himself both bloodied bruised but strangly Tris didn't feel as if anything was broken. The warder looked at them and said,"Tris? Daniel? What just happened?"

 

With a bit of a grunt Tris pushed himself up and began to give a detailed report of the incident saying, "Sir these recruits attacked Daniel for no reason other than that Daniel followed the rules and the other injured recruit didn't. I stood with him because he wasn't in the wrong and didn't want a confrotation. I'm sorry it turned out this way Sir but I wouldn't go back on my friend he serves the Light just as I do. I will accept any punishment for myself and I will also take Daniel's punishment as well Sir he didn't do anything wrong."

 

With his part finished he waited for Visar Gaiden's answer.

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Daniel rubbed the back of his hand across his face he felt minor cuts and bruises. "Sir these recruits attacked Daniel for no reason other than that Daniel followed the rules and the other injured recruit didn't. I stood with him because he wasn't in the wrong and didn't want a confrotation. I'm sorry it turned out this way Sir but I wouldn't go back on my friend he serves the Light just as I do. I will accept any punishment for myself and I will also take Daniel's punishment as well Sir he didn't do anything wrong." As Tris finished giving his side of what happened Daniel couldn't help but to admire the man as he offered to both take his and Daniels punishments.

 

Daniel quickly spoke up "No Visar Gaiden, with all do respect it should be I who takes any punishment. He came to the aid of a brother." Daniel took a step forward and continued "Apparently the other recruit thought that I was the cause of his brothers injury. I didnt want a fight but rather then walk away I picked up a weapon. So in a sense it is just as much my fault as the other recruits." Daniel gave a gracious bow of his head to Tris.

 

He turned his eyes back to Visar Gaiden and stood as straight as he could with every muscle he had aching. He couldn't help but think that muscles he never new he had also ached. He patiently waited to hear what Visar Gaiden would have to say and steeled himself for any punishments that were to come his way.

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(ooc: You guys are not going to like this, lol! Feel free to make a chore rp out of it, though you don't have to of course)

 

"Sir these recruits attacked Daniel for no reason other than that Daniel followed the rules and the other injured recruit didn't. I stood with him because he wasn't in the wrong and didn't want a confrotation. I'm sorry it turned out this way Sir but I wouldn't go back on my friend he serves the Light just as I do. I will accept any punishment for myself and I will also take Daniel's punishment as well Sir he didn't do anything wrong."

 

"No Visar Gaiden, with all do respect it should be I who takes any punishment. He came to the aid of a brother. Apparently the other recruit thought that I was the cause of his brothers injury. I didnt want a fight but rather then walk away I picked up a weapon. So in a sense it is just as much my fault as the other recruits.

 

Visar listened to trainee Tris Grim and Daniel explain what had happened, and then had a few private words with the trainee who had started the fight. He admired both Tris and Grim for their willingness to take responsibility for the incident. And even the brother, who looked like he needed to go to the infirmary to be checked on, was at least somewhat apologetic.

 

It was unfortunate that the brother took offense to his own being injured, though it was admirable the man wanted to protect him. Still, the Tower Guard was about learning a new brotherhood, not your existing ones. Visar reminded himself that he would split up the two brothers in their training, ween them off of their zealous protection. It would only cause problems in the long run if they stayed together.

 

These two, however, Visar was not entirely sure what to do with. A lot of the other trainees had sided with the brothers, who were popular in the yards, and he couldn't be seen playing favorites with Tris and Daniel. He liked them, but he knew how clique-ish the trainees could be sometimes. Letting them off the hook would not help them in the long run, it would only make them ostracized.

 

No, a decision that no one liked would have to be used.

 

"Perry," Visar called over the trainee whose brother was now in the infirmary. "Tris, Grim, come over here." Visar called them together, and then barked at the group of the other trainees.

 

"I didn't say stop the exercise, now did I? Twenty laps around the yard for slacking you WarTs! Go!" In a rush, the trainees scrambled to run around the yard fence, some obviously struggling with their hurts. They would learn to stay busy here.

 

"Now what am I going to do with you three? Ah, I know just the thing," he said with a small, mischievous smile.

 

"You three are banned from sword training for a week. You all obviously enjoy it, so you will be held back and have to catch up in your free time. Not that you'll have any for a few weeks."

 

Visar felt the dismay coming from Tris and Daniel, as well as the brother. They probably each felt that it was not fair. But it was fair. The three had begun the fight, and the only way to solve it was to force them to get along.

 

"You three will learn to work together, as a team. I will not tolerate petty infighting with my trainees. Do you think that's going to bloody fly in the ranks of the Tower Guard? Do you think that will keep you alive in the Shadow torn borderlands? No, you have to learn to live with your differences and make peace with each other. Therefore you will be assigned to menial chores for three weeks, the first week that will be all you do from sun up to sun down; the second and third, you will do so in addition to your regular training schedule.

 

You will be assisting in cleaning the stables. You will help the infirmary Sisters with their laundry. You will work in the mess hall. You will labor in the armory. Whatever you are assigned to do by myself and the supervisors I'm going to place over you. You three are going to get along, or there will be further punishments and withholding of training. Am I understood?"

 

-Visar Falmaien

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"Perry," Visar called over the trainee whose brother was now in the infirmary. "Tris, Daniel, come over here." Visar to them. As they were converging on Visar he barked orders to the other members and they ran off and started doing laps.

 

"Now what am I going to do with you three? Ah, I know just the thing," Visar said with a small, mischievous smile. Before Daniel knew it he was cringing because with the look on Visar’s face this couldn’t be good. "You three are banned from sword training for a week. You all obviously enjoy it, so you will be held back and have to catch up in your free time. Not that you'll have any for a few weeks."

 

Daniels heart froze in his chest. He couldn’t practice the sword for a week and he now had to do extra chores on top of it. Daniels shoulders slumped and his eyes lowered to the ground. Daniel thought to himself “Great could this get any worse.” Unfortunately not to long after thinking that it did.

 

"You three will learn to work together, as a team. I will not tolerate petty infighting with my trainees. Do you think that's going to bloody fly in the ranks of the Tower Guard? Do you think that will keep you alive in the Shadow torn borderlands? No, you have to learn to live with your differences and make peace with each other. Therefore you will be assigned to menial chores for three weeks, the first week that will be all you do from sun up to sun down; the second and third, you will do so in addition to your regular training schedule.

 

You will be assisting in cleaning the stables. You will help the infirmary Sisters with their laundry. You will work in the mess hall. You will labor in the armory. Whatever you are assigned to do by myself and the supervisors I'm going to place over you. You three are going to get along, or there will be further punishments and withholding of training. Am I understood?" Visar finished with a stern look on his face.

Daniel stood straighter for a second and relied with a salute across his chest “Yes Visar Gaiden” Daniel didn’t like the punishment but he set himself up for it so he would have to live with it. As he looked at Perry and Tris they appeared to be reacting pretty much the same way.

 

Daniel turned toward Perry and extended his hand.”Im sorry for the way I handled that situation and im sorry again that your brother got hurt. But as Visar Gaiden said we are all brothers now so lets make the best of it and start anew. Besides it seems were going to have plenty of time to get to know each other over the next few weeks.” Perry took his hand and then Daniel limped off to follow the rest of the recruits on the laps around the yard.

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