Asit tal-eb

[quietblade]

WHO: Taashath & You!
WHAT: Catch-all for the month
WHEN: All through Justinian
WHERE: Skyhold (mostly)
NOTES: Feel free to hit me up on draiol for any specific starters!

I. Training Circle

Heaving the maul up on his shoulder, Taas grins a little bit as he steps out of the ring. That had been a pretty good fight, and he's pretty certain the soldier would remember to keep his balance with a large weapon this time.

Rolling his neck a bit, the big warrior limbers up a bit before reaching to grab the mug of ale by the side, taking a drink from that before he turns back. "Anyone else?"

II. Sign Language 101

The warrior isn't sure how the little lessons in sign language he had given Cyril and Sam now seemed both common knowledge but gaining interest from other people. It makes him a little bit awkward as he tries to explain the difference between spoken words and the way sign language worked for what felt like the umpteenth time.

He was happy, really. It made his life a lot easier, and if he expanded it, it could even give the troops a way to communicate silently with something more detailed than hand signals. At other times, he's pretty certain they only want an excuse to flirt with him.

"So... why do you want to learn this?" He asks, brown eyes studying the new arrival.

III. Tavern

Taas doesn't spend as much time in the tavern as he used to, but when he does come in to drink and have a good time, he allows himself to completely relax and set everything else aside. With booze, music and friends, he could bury the events of the last missions far back in his head and instead just enjoy the moment.

Catch up with friends, meet new people, pick up someone for the night.

Afterwards, he either went home with that somebody or walked out alone in the courtyard, buzzed and smiling as he looked up into the sky. Skyhold really had a beautiful night sky even with the torches and braziers going, and the sound from the tavern - song and laughter - settled his body and mind into something worthy of his name.

Calm.

IV. Wildcard!

Comments

i;

[hlif]

It's been too long since Asher really had a decent challenge in the ring though part of that lately has been on account of the whole abomination almost charring him to a crisp back in Gwaren after a lively visit to the family up in the hold with something nasty that settled in his lungs. But he's back, better than ever, even off a job and everything and he steps up with a grin.

"I'm game," he says making sure to face Taas, axe settled on his shoulder. "Been too long since I had a good challenge."

[quietblade]

Taas grins widely when he sees Asher, a surge of adrenaline heating his veins at once. Fuck yes, fighting an Avvar would be a challenge indeed! Besides, Asher was a skilled man, no doubt about that.

"Alright! Just put a hand over your head or drop your weapon if you need to stop or pause." he couldn't really hear a call for break, after all.

Test-swinging his maul, the warrior rolls his shoulders a little bit before he gives Asher a 'come here' wave of his hand.

[hlif]

"Might need to break for water but it'll be fine, don't worry." If he waves away concerns about the cough from the start, then it'll hopefully mean it won't be something that'll come up like a nasty surprise. Because Korrin and Mal's looks are already getting under his skin, as kindly meant as they are, and he could do without that when he just wants to get back to being him again.

Giving his axe a few swings to get the blood pumping, he cracks his neck before he drops into a combat stance where he can put some real weight into a proper swing. Best to test just exactly what he's up against right off the bat.

[quietblade]

Taas trusts Asher to know his own limits. He was a warrior, after all. Instead he focuses on finding his center before whirling the maul around and charging the other man with a deafening roar. The Avvar was up against a huge guy with a just as huge weapon, so it should feel just like home.

Thankfully Taas is not just muscles and no head, however, and he feints in the last second and goes for Asher's knee with his boot instead.

[hlif]

Now this is what it feels like to be living. Sometimes it's hard being the only big guy on his own crew. It's not out of some vanity or anything, it is what it is, both his other warriors just happen to be dwarves after all but Skyhold is full of opportunity and he's enjoying it far more than he thought he would.

Favouring Taas with the sort of grin that earned him his nickname, Asher accepts the hit, the pain sharpening his senses so he can twist, aiming for a strike with the haft of his weapon to just below the ribs to knock some of the breath from his foe.

[quietblade]

He likes that grin, and facing someone closer to his size does make the qunari's blood sing with adrenaline.

The man taking the hit was a bit surprising, but then Taas remembers that Asher is a reaver. Pain was just gonna get him going even more, right? It's interesting, really - even as his ribs are bruised and he bears the worst of it with a grunt. He's quite sturdy, after all - and quick to block with a sweep of his maul.

[hlif]

Sometimes you just need to get right back on the horse, and when the wound over his hip from a Red Templar starting to open again beneath his leathers, Asher breathes easier than others would. Knowing that Taas is a berserker, he's interested to see what that'll be like, if that even really comes out in sparring. He could imagine it with Kaisa because Kaisa is Kaisa, and he knows how to get a reaction out of her.

Here? Well that's half the fun of it. Time to really test the block though so he pushes with all his strength, gritting his teeth and leaning with all his weight; either Taas'll push him back or he'll step back and Asher'll be forced to compensate but it's been far too long since he's been one at the disadvantage on this end.

[quietblade]

Unfortunately, Taas is very careful not to berserk while training. After the way he tried to kill the Iron Bull, losing himself to the rage had become a serious problem. He didn't want to be just another mad Tal-Vashoth, after all.

Still, it's not easy to go against his instincts when sparring with someone like Asher. The man gave him a run for his money, and that was fun, honestly. The way the Avvar pushes against his block, gritting his teeth like that? It's a challenge, and he loves it.

Taas pushes back with all his power, roaring like a mad bear before he attempts a feint, suddenly withdrawing quickly in order to get Asher completely off balance.

[hlif]

If they hadn't been sparring, Asher might've asked Taas if he knew about Asher and bears. There's a long and storied history since most Avvar respect bears but Asher sees them as a challenge, as a way of proving himself; there's the tattoo of a bear with a shield aloft and arrows poking out of the bear, the whole bear pelt blanket with sleeves thing, and then one of the most famous stories about Asher just announcing his bear wrestling intentions to a crowded tavern full of mercenaries.

All it does is make him laugh though, eyes crinkling at the corners. Battle should make a person feel alive though because when do you feel most alive? Usually right before you're about to die, when you need to push yourself to keep going.

He staggers forward though, cursing in surprise before he moves to make sure not to expose his back, ducking low and swinging low for the legs, a move to give him more time to think than anything, awkward with the angle, a test of just how far he'll be pushed as he tries to regain his own footing.

[quietblade]

The first time Taas learned that Bull was Ben-Hassrath, he had been so damn mad that he and Korrin went out to kill shit. Any shit. One had been a bear, which the warrior had choked to death with his bare hands. So yeah, bears are a thing. He likes bears.

(They should bond over bear wrestling.)

Right now, however, they were in the middle of another kind of bonding. Asher is smart enough to not expose his back, and Taas follows up with an attempted slam of the haft rather than swinging the heavy maul around to hit.

[hlif]

The most noble of sports, just wrangle some bears, bring them back to Skyhold and wrestle them. It'd boost morale. Asher could argue anything would boost morale if he had a charming enough smile, or well, he could point to the number of people wearing bear pelt blankets with sleeves about the place.

The haft hits good and true, knocking some of the breath from Asher who chooses to roll while he can, flat of his axe rather than the point of the blade aiming for a leg as he comes up to get to his feet. Slower than he'd like, the urge to cough building but he forces it down. He fought a battle before, he was fine, he can handle this.

[quietblade]

It sure as hell would boost morale, and people could get some more winter clothes out of the deal. Clearly this is an excellent idea! They just have to convince Cullen.

Taas sidesteps the aim for his leg, frowning a little bit. He shouldn't have been able to, honestly. It was slower than it should have been, and he should be on his ass right now.

Backing off, he makes some distance between them. "Still good?"

[hlif]

Nodding, Asher manages to force down the cough and get his breathing under control better though it doesn't stop the blurring at the edges of his vision, little pinpricks of black and white shifting until he gives himself a good shake, deliberately pressing two fingers hard into the wound over his hip. The pain is searing, accompanied by a flash of heat as he regains his footing properly.

"Still good thanks," he says making sure to say the words clearly. "Burn scars pulling a bit tight, it's why I need the practice."

And it's why he moves to swing, giving Taas enough time to meet it or move away and counter differently, relieved that he hasn't called a halt to it the way he knows in his bones others probably would have.

[quietblade]

"I get you," Taas replies with a little grin. There was no reason for Asher to lie to him, after all, and he was no perceptive Ben-Hassrath like the Iron Bull. Instead he goes with his soldier training and moves to intercept that swing with his maul, falling into the battle again.

It was all so much easier like this, after all. It always seemed to make him breathe easier and throw away the thoughts that nagged in the back of his head.

Just Taas, his opponent and a weapon.