Thereza de Soigneux
Military
First Lieutenant
Second in Command to Captain de Etalon
Posts: 233
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Post by Thereza de Soigneux on Dec 17, 2010 14:38:34 GMT -5
I'd heard before that there were 'prime years' to be a blade-master but every time I had I'd dismissed it. Those years seemed to only encompass what men thought of as their 'more virile' years and that had almost nothing to do with the practice of swordfighting any more than it did with farming or carpentry. New recruits were poorly prepared for any kind of regular fighting and lacked the often-necessary sense to solve a problem that didn't require randomly slashing at some approaching figure or object. Warriors who lived long enough to have a few years on them were invaluable veterans who could be relied upon for their knowledge as well as their proven skills.
It was probably pointless to try and illustrate this fact to Gadleon though, he seemed to be completely fixed in this opinion. "Old swordsmen can often become very good trainers though," I observed in a steady tone, raising a speculative brow. "Young fighters who aren't trained by the more experienced rarely live long enough to make any kind of name for themselves. I was taught by a former soldier who was well into his thirties and I'd imagine that even to this day he's quite an imposing opponent." Why I had any urge at all to make such a suggestion to this Shahrizai was almost a mystery but perhaps it was the fact that this conversation wasn't one I could easily predict the outcome of as well as his continued help.
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Post by Gadleon Shahrizai on Dec 18, 2010 13:28:45 GMT -5
I nodded "yes, one cannot be taught experience they have to earn it. A matter of seasoning really like firewood drying out before it burns well. And those types make good trainers I will not dispute that." I thought on it a bit "I suppose the issue is one needs seasoning before the physical has started to go to be at the best they can be. Not as much age slowing as the inevitable injuries slowing. Of course then there are those who manged not to get injured and have the physical but never found the veteran to train them. I reckon a lot goes into it and the more one thinks on it the more one realizes it takes a lot of things to line up. I suppose there is an element of luck involved as well."
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Thereza de Soigneux
Military
First Lieutenant
Second in Command to Captain de Etalon
Posts: 233
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Post by Thereza de Soigneux on Dec 19, 2010 11:05:43 GMT -5
As Gadleon spoke I was a little surprised he didn't mention instinct or intuition, the thing that makes fighters watchful, but a lot didn't believe in such a thing. I could, in a very rational way, believe in such a phenomenon. There were many isntances in all of the reading I'd done of people doing things outside of their normal sphere based on an inner prompting- and then there were the Gentians, known for giving their patrons infomation they could never have had. There may not have been a rational way to explain such things but it was irrational not to recognize its existence.
"But everyone has to start somewhere and even the uninjured youth are no match for someone with even a slight bit of training or experience- or someone with a wound," I speculated, my tone still calm and sedate. I wasn't trying to convince him to think my way, only trying to offer my own opinion on the subject. The buildings here were starting to bear the engravings of bottles and barrels on the signs that hung over the doors and were even painted on the windows. It was to a shopkeeper's benefit to indicate to the passing customer what their wares were and it looked as though I was getting close to the right place to buy the usige that had been asked for. "Have you tried any of the usige in these shops?"
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Post by Gadleon Shahrizai on Dec 19, 2010 15:16:53 GMT -5
I swore that this woman was quite possibly the most contrary creature I had ever encountered in all of my life and my patience was about at an end. If I told her the sky was blue I think she would have made a heated argument for purple just out of spite. Enough was enough already. I did not have time or inclination to pick random disputes from someone I had happened to meet on the street and had tried to be helpful to.
"Mmm, I am sure I have at one point or another but specifics I cannot recall." I titled my head "it looks like you are in about the right places for the rest of your errands though so I will take my leave and go rest my leg I believe." I offered a short dip of my chin "I hope the rest of your adventure goes well for you."
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Thereza de Soigneux
Military
First Lieutenant
Second in Command to Captain de Etalon
Posts: 233
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Post by Thereza de Soigneux on Dec 20, 2010 10:33:54 GMT -5
Obviously the impatient man had already lost interest in her, but it would do no good to point it out and try to keep his attention. "It seems that I have indeed," I said, refusing to lose my composure over whatever his opinion may have been of me and giving him another glance and a nod. "I appreciate all of the help you've given me, and the conversation. It's been good to speak to someone with another point of view. I hope your knee heals cleanly." With that I offered him my hand to shake, a sign of camaraderie if not friendship, since he'd be unlikely to take the latter from someone like me. The rivalry between the military and mercenaries was a thick one and I'd done my best to put it aside but not everyone found it so easy to approach from an academic viewpoint.
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Post by Gadleon Shahrizai on Dec 20, 2010 12:05:24 GMT -5
“Thanks and welcome” I took her offered hand and shook. “May you have a safe and uneventful trip back to your unit” I then simply turned and headed off to once more pursue my own concerns. I was already putting the contrary little creature out of my thoughts and mind.
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