[Open] Marvel At Perfection

[judgemewhole]

WHO: James Norrington and You, Norrington and Merrill
WHAT: One Knight Commander, hanging about
WHEN: Through Harvestmere until he leaves on his trip.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Warnings for templar stuff, as always

The life of a templar was never a dull one, even for one who spent all his younger years in Ostwick. Now with the Inquisition, James had found such duties doubled. He was training new recruits on how to fight demons in the courtyard. He was teaching the Rifters about the Templar Order and the Chantry, out in the garden. He was sitting in his office with the holes in the walls, filling in requisition forms and handling complaints.

Still, some evenings he still managed to get away to spend some time with his people -- and they would either head to the tavern, or now that the weather had cooled, make a small campfire and sit around together, passing a bottle of wine and stories - old and new. Anyone was welcome to join them, and James himself would always hand over a fresh goblet to a newcomer.

Comments

Courtyard

[bouclier]

The end of the first week of Harvestmere Norrington might notice that he has a regular observer of his training sessions. More often than not she's dressed in finely crafted clothes which are subtle, nothing that would be considered high fashion in Orlais but at the same time obviously of Orlesian make. Dressed well, but understated, the only thing that really stands out is her hair, and the yellow enamel feather brooch always pinned somewhere on her person. After a week or so of regular observation she approaches Norrington at the end of his lesson, carrying herself like someone of obviously noble blood.

"You have an interesting technique, Ser," she comments, a small smile on her face.

Re: Courtyard

[judgemewhole]

Norrington stepped back from one soldier, sweat making his dark hair stick up a little more than usual, his scruffy face narrowing slightly as her words ... struck some sort of memory. He did, however, take the moment to clean his blade and then slide it back into its sheath, before he bowed to the woman.

"It was taught to me Tantervale - we tend to be more fluid there, my Lady." He shifted to put his shield on his back. "Were you looking to train on how to kill demons?"

[bouclier]

"Ah, Tantervale, of course. Most of the Templars I have worked with have been Orlesian," she replies, politely inclining her head in response to his bow. His question makes her smile widen a little, and she leans back, balancing on her heels.

"I'm admiring, mostly. I have had training in how to fight demons, though if you have any pointers and new insight, as a templar working with the Inquisition I would be attentive."

[judgemewhole]

"Yes, Orlesian Templars like more flair, but it is very regimented. They do good work, though. I have never known finer men with blades." James commented, as he nodded at her.

"I would be pleased to - but I would have to know how much you have learned. What demons have you been trained to kill?"

[bouclier]

"Smaller ones, mostly?" She replies, after a moment. It's only been a few years since she graduated the Academie, but the past several years she's been cooling her heels in the royal palace as a guard. She's yet to even encounter a demon.

"Chevalier have an exhaustive training program as I am sure you are aware. We are permitted to learn aspects of templar training, though I have heard of large demons. Most techniques I know are how to subdue something no larger than a rage demon. Much of our training focused on how to battle mages, rather than demons."

[judgemewhole]

"Aaaaah, so mostly wraiths and rage demons ... " He nodded his head, before he gestured for her to step into the training circle with him, "There are many larger demons, yes. Despair is one of them. They do have some eerie powers - they can travel in and out through the ground to attack you. They are also at least twice as tall as you, and let out a penetrating shriek."

He gestured with his sword, "The best place to go for a kill is through the stomach."

[bouclier]

She had at least dressed in something less elaborate today than her usual gowns, tunic and leggings are easier to move in than even the simplest of Orlesian skirts.

Following the templar's direction she steps into the circle, one hand curled beneath her chin as she listens to his direction, her head tilted slightly.

"Is there a particular reason for that, or is it simply the easiest target to reach?"

[judgemewhole]

"Both, actually, it is the easy target to reach, because outside the stomach and the neck, the rest of the skin is particularly tough. Think of it's outer layer as a beetle's skin - hard on the outside, but the underbelly has no such guard." James explained, putting his sword back into it's sheath. "When push comes to shove though, just like us, the head is the best way for a clean kill. Just don't be surprised if you're level with a pile of rags afterwards."

[bouclier]

"They are tall, you say," she isn't particularly surprised by the rags comment, she's heard such things from men who have encountered demons. She paces around one of the dummies in the yard, person-sized though it is she's making rough approximations. Leaning down with a bit of a wince and grunt that she attempts to mask with a curtain of red hair she fetches a discarded training sword from the ground. She is injured, but healing, and really what chevalier enjoys showing weakness to soldiers they've just met?

She straightens up with the sword in her left hand, testing the weight of it with a few idle swings as she continues to pace, going over what he's told her thus far.

"Do the legs come off? Could you feasibly strike it low," which she demonstrates on the dummy, a quick practised swing, "Then when it falls, take the head?" she makes the movement fluid, turning while she talks like it's the most casual thing in the world and striking the ground where she thinks the head of such a creature might fall. She's no idea, of course, having only seen a few sketches that the scouts have made. Not all of them are good artists.

[judgemewhole]

"Some are. Some grow in size - like rage demons." He watched her wince slightly, and his lips pressed together. Far be it from him to tell another soldier that perhaps they should take it easy. However, he knew he was not going to show her anything more difficult than a few key spots.

"Yes you can - if you have archers with you, you can also direct them to go for center mass while you go for their legs. However, with some of them their legs are ... rather large, and with others? They do not even have legs."