I. OPEN.

[liberalum]

WHO: Dorian Pavus and other less dashing people.
WHAT: Training in a courtyard; other pre-planned threads.
WHEN: Firstfall in general.
WHERE: Skyhold, an open courtyard.
NOTES: Below are some open prompts for those who wish for a run in during Mage Fight Club aka How To Train Your Wizard aka How We Do In Tevinter. Catch him during, before, after. Note that there isn't magic being flung around (yet), it's fairly ordinary. This will also be a general dumping ground for individual pre-planned threads that need a home.

[ There is a courtyard within Skyhold, as dilapidated as the rest, that is one day going to be a garden. For now, it's a good enough retreat for the rebel mages that lies aside from the training grounds often dominated by the less magical. The ground is mud and weeds, and the sky is open above them, and a tree with orange leaves frames the shapes of mountains beyond.

Sometimes, Dorian trains on his own. There is a dance-like grace to the movements of staff and the man wielding it, feet light on the ground and tracking circles in the mud, following the heavy swing of seven feet of solid oak. He follows practiced motions, sans the presence of actual magic. A twirl of his staff over head, the thick sounding thud of the blunt end slamming into the dense earth, and sharper, quicker movements for what would likely be sharper, quicker spellwork. Sometimes he is observed. Sometimes he is not. Regardless as to status of audience, he definitely likes to show off.

Sparring, equally. The clak-clak-thud of wooden staves meeting, locking, scraping together as he and another willing mage practice their more ordinary skills. Sometimes he loses, and often he wins, graceful in victory and defeat.

Unless he is knocked off his feet, or earns himself a bruise, then he might curse their mother.

And there are other times, later times, when he shifts into a role of teacher. Not all mages are trained in combat, after all, and some may like to learn -- even from a Tevinter. (Maybe especially from a Tevinter, but who would admit that out loud?) He demonstrates, slowly, staff work, guides those willing to listen and imitate with a certain educated patience, the occasional funny remark about turning their feet out. Sometimes, these sessions are simply standing about, and he explains with big words and big hand gestures the way one might finesse certain spells in combat situations.

He takes breaks, in between and after, perched atop crumbled stone with one leg across the other -- watching and thinking. ]

Comments

[aceso]

[ Christine nods along. What he says makes sense, and even though he's a Tevinter, he's using sense when it comes to discussing the best spells to use instead of flair. Of course, Christine only has the gossip of her Circle to educate her on what mages from Tevinter are like. ]

In the flight from Andoral's Reach, I tended to use Force Field or ice walls. I've never killed anyone before. The corpses aren't really people anymore, so it should not prove difficult, but it will be a new experience.

[ Before, she was simply trying to put distance between herself and the Templars, because she's a healer, not a battlemage. In the Mire, she'll have to protect patients from the corpses. ]

[liberalum]

Ice has never been my strong point. Too chilly for my delicate, tropical sensibilities. Still, all that water might help you control the area of effect to slow their progress or trap them, even if I doubt the corpses will mind the cold half as much as I would. If you can make the change between ice and fire swift enough, you'll be the most efficient corpse destroyer of the lot.

[ He smiles, once, staff coming to rest against the dirt, held like a tall walking stick. ]

You won't be killing anyone, so at least you won't need to make that leap. You may eventually, if you stay in the organisation long enough. But I take it you wouldn't consider that your speciality of choice.

[aceso]

I'm much more interested in saving lives than taking them.

[ Sadly, during a time of chaos in the world, a person has to defend themselves if it's a matter of life and death. ]

What about movement speed? I don't plan on entering the water, but if I get pushed that way, would that effect my spell casting?