The drunken crowd offers cheers and jeers in equal measure to the two fighters down in the pit who lay into one another a with crude, yet undeniable earnestness. The air is thick with the stench of cheap ale and old sweat, underscored by the metallic tang of blood."Such is the curse of talent," you remark conversationally, observing the fight. "Both were the undisputed champions of whatever provincial arena they hail from. Stronger, faster, able to end fights quickly and decisively. Never felt the need to learn proper fundamentals. Never-""OOOOAAAAAHHHH!!!" the crowd's roar shakes the arena as the smaller brawler, the half-elf, suddenly slips behind the half-orc and suplexes him into the ground. But the latter immediately breaks the hold and roll to his feet, with the two fighters back to facing each other, sweat pouring from them and their chests heaving."Never learned to pace themselves either," you finish the thought, then finally turn to face the pair who sat down at your table.The first and most boring one is a middle-aged human male whose traveling cloak hides his attire, but the gold-wrought amulet peeking out from underneath the hem and, more importantly, the cloying, prickling aura of borrowed divinity identifies him as a mid-ranked priest of Bahamut. No more than a few drops of dragon blood flowing through his veins, but enough skill and persistence to rise to where he has.The second of the pair is a proper half-dragon by your reckoning, though her face a curious mix of human and elf features, fully fleshed, with only a hint of scale around the cheeks. She also conceals herself with a cloak, though there is no hiding the pair of ridged, swept back horns amid her dark, cropped, or her sheer size, easily seven and a half feet before she sat down. And you did catch a flash of gold when her cloak billowed, briefly revealing the tip of her tail, as well as the muted clink of chain when she sat down.That would be her then. The paladin.The two of them stare at you for a long moment, apparently confused by your unprompted monologue. When it becomes clear no immediate reply is forthcoming, you turn your attention back to the pit, where the fight has degenerated into an exchange of wild haymakers, each one sloppier than the last. "You... you are Yria, correct?" the paladin is the first of the pair to speak, her voice surprisingly soft for someone her size."And you are Ismene Berohn," you reply, your eyes still on the fight that refuses to end. "Savior of Lastrum, Red Flame of Hope, Devilbane, Karingorim, Tirn o Dur, Shield of Bremme, Radiant Blade, Liberator of Westmarch. And lest we forget: the youngest ever Claw of Bahamut. An impressive list of accomplishments for someone not even six years out of novitiate."(1/3)
"By the Dragonfather's grace, Lady Ismene has indeed been able to perform great deeds in His name and spread His light into this continent's darkest corners," the priest cuts in while the half-dragon looks away bashfully, the man puffing himself up and preening as if he had personally partaken in her accomplishments. "And she is certain to perform even greater feats in the future," he makes a slight pause, eyeing you, "especially now that Bahamut has deemed her worthy of being blessed with one of His children as an esteemed and loyal companion."You don't respond, letting his words sink into the noise of the crowd, which has taken to booing and cursing at the exhausted fighters who have entered a standing clinch, leaning into each other, neither able to muster the strength to topple the other, or to land a decisive blow."Come with me," you say, standing up. "But not you," you look at the priest, who freezes, already halfway out of his seat. "You can wait here.""I was instructed to accompany Lady Isme-""Stay."His buttocks hit the chair with a thud.You then walk off without sparing him another glance. As you reach the stairway leading down from the high seats, the crowd erupts with a muted, halfhearted cry, signaling an unsatisfactory end to the fight, but an end nonetheless.Down and under the stairway, a double door leads into an empty, dimly lit corridor, the noise of the arena fading to a faint murmur when the paladin following you closes it behind her. Meanwhile, you approach the first door on the right and pass through, a small hand motion lighting a dozen-odd lamps to reveal a training room with a circle of packed dirt ringed with wooden barriers off to the side, mirroring the appearance and size of the arena's main fighting pit."Close this door as well," you say. "No one will bother us here. The next fight is the night's main attraction: everyone will be watching it, other fighters included."The paladin complies, though her expression betrays some discomfort. "Even so, this doesn't look like an area the public has access to," she says. "Shouldn't we at least as the owner-""I am the owner.""Oh."(2/3)
She studies the room, her brow furrowed with some other worry. "Deacon Orwyn did not mean any offense. He's just... very serious about his duties.""There are weapon racks over there, Use whatever you want." you say in response, unbuttoning and removing your vest before doing the same to the blouse underneath."You wish to test me," the paladin says rather than asks, and though her tone is neutral, you catch a clear note of weariness and annoyance underneath."I don't know what your priests told you, but if I am to accept you as my rider, you need to convince me you're worth the effort first."As you say that you remove the blouse, revealing the toned, muscular body underneath, with only a cloth binding still concealing the breasts . And, as expected, you are rewarded with a sharp intake of breath as the gold-born half-dragon notices the patch of scales on your lower back - which you've purposefully allowed her to see.Because it is a fundamental trait of all polymorph spells that, regardless of how masterfully designed they may be, they will always contain an imperfection that reveals something about the true form of the being affected by them. And in this case, even the mundane lamplight of the training room the scales on your back are unmistakably:>red>blue>green>black>whiteTo her credit, the paladin doesn't curse, panic, or rush at you in zealous rage. It does take her a moment or two to compose herself, while you watch her over your shoulder with a smirk on your lips."Yours is not a typical situation," you say eventually."And what is it about me that this... spar will test?" she asks, her voice somewhat strained."Whether or not you have overcome the curse of talent," you bunch up your long locks, quickly tying them off into a ponytail, then roll over the barrier, onto the packed earth of the training ring and head into the middle, where you stop and turn toward her. And wait.The paladin unclasps her cloak, revealing the fine chain shirt she wears underneath - mithral, judging by the silvery-blue hue. She also removes the gloves, revealing her scale-covered hands, the fingers ending in finely trimmed black claws. And, after some thought, she also rolls up and ties off the legs of her trousers at calf height.Then she wanders over to the weapon racks, where she spends some time pretending that she's making a choice."What's the criteria for passing the test?" she asks, her tone carefully disinterested.You like that. That she figured out this is the question to ask. And also that she realized your spar has already begun.So it's only fair that you should give her an answer:>Adaptability. You will subject her to an array of styles and techniques, and she must figure out how to defend against them all.>Endurance. The spar will last one hour. If she's still on her feet at the end, she passes.>Determination. Within fifteen minutes, she must force you to take at least a single step back by whatever means possible.
>>6469792Liking the character displayed in these opening posts.>whiteDon't often see white dragons chosen. Maybe because they are rather dumb in some editions? Otherwise I'd chose red or green, to match her eyes or shirt.>Adaptability. You will subject her to an array of styles and techniques, and she must figure out how to defend against them all.Lots of paladins are filled with endurance and determination, lets see if she's different.
>>6469792>blueWe seem a little tyrannical, lol. Let's run with that.>AdaptabilityDetermination's test can be vested with brute force, potentially -- that is to say, talent. Endurance can be trained. An adaptable mindset, though ,na dthe flexibility to learn? Invaluable.
>>6469792>greenI like the colour green :D>Determination. Within fifteen minutes, she must force you to take at least a single step back by whatever means possible.
>>6469792I'll switch to blue, as I agree with >>6469810 as to our vibes. Also blue or green dragons fit better with valuing adaptability, imo. And choosing adaptability, or perhaps endurance fits better with what we said in the first post about how the brawlers never learnt proper fundamentals, or how to pace themselves.
>>6469792>blue>Adaptability. You will subject her to an array of styles and techniques, and she must figure out how to defend against them all.If you can't think on her feet, what good is she?
>>6469792>green>Adaptability. You will subject her to an array of styles and techniques, and she must figure out how to defend against them all.Why does our lesser form takes the shape of an elf?
Blue and Adaptability win the vote.>>6470078>Why does our lesser form takes the shape of an elf?A combination of personal preference and convenience, such as fitting in among most populations and not having to remember to keep adjusting the face to simulate aging.
>>6470096Sensible.
>blue>Adaptability."I will attack you with a variety of weapons, styles and techniques. And I will judge you on how well you defend yourself.""So I don't need to actually win?""No.""But what if I do?"Oh the arrogance of youth. It can't help but make you smile."Then not only will I count it as a pass, but I will fully and truthfully answer any three questions about me you have.""I'll hold you to that," the paladin nods, then ends the charade of picking out a weapon and enters the ring, seemingly willing to face you unarmed.But only seemingly, her next step turning into a lunge, a sword materializing in her hand, the point aimed at your face.It brushes past your ear as you tilt your head sideways, step in toward her, hook your foot around hers, and send her sprawling with a palm strike to the stomach."What gave me away?" she asks after taking a few moments to recover her breath."Your gait changed when you started measuring out distance till you're in range. Your thigh stiffened and your shoulder squared up on the final step. Your hand was already forming a grip even before you called out the sword. I also caught a faint whiff of conjuration magic from those bracelets you wear - you might want to have an enchanter take a look at them. And lastly, you're just not all that good of an actor.""Ouch," she sighs, picking herself up from the ground. "You're not really one to hold back, are you?"You disagree. You hold yourself back all the time."How would it benefit you if I did?" you ask instead."You sound like the drillmasters back at the citadel," she makes a face, even as a large kite shield appears in her other hand and she drops into a combat stance. "Alright, I'm ready."She is not ready. A palm strike to the shield's center lifts her off her feet and sends her flying into the ring barrier. She remains upright and even manages a hasty slash as she sees you coming, but you lean away from it, then lunge in and deliver another strike to the same spot, causing her to break through the barrier and land heavily on the stone floor amid pieces of wood."I look at you and I see a half-dragon," you say calmly, walking toward her as she scrambles to get back up. "Size and strength: your two greatest assets."You rush forward before she properly finds her footing. You strike the shield with a kick this time, sending her skidding across the floor once more."But what do you do when you face someone stronger?"The answer comes in the form of a flash of divine magic that causes the paladin's shield to shatter into nine fragments that spring into the air and come flying at you in a swarm of jagged metal. You knock three out of the air with your hands, dodge the rest. But they turn right around and once more attack you.This brief distraction is enough for the paladin to spring to her feet and hurl a javelin she just summoned into her hand.(1/3)
You snatch the projectile out of the air and use it to bat away at the attacking shards, sending them flying into the far corners of the room. Scattering them apart in this way collapses the spell and they reform back into a shield, which clatters uselessly to the ground.By then, an entire weapon rack is sailing through the air toward you.You drop the javelin and simply catch the rack, absorbing the impact so that not a single weapon is sent flying. There is a sound of metal skidding across stone and as you set the rack down, the shield comes flying into the paladin's hand.There is another flash of divine power, but this time the shield doesn't fragment, but simply glows for a moment as the paladin brings it in front of her. You're certain that you recognize the spell, but you nevertheless fulfill the formality of rushing toward her to deliver another attack.This time, as your palm strikes the surface, it makes a sound akin to a sonorous bell. And this time, the shield does not budge. And neither does the one wielding it."Simplistic and costly," you opine, easily stepping away from the counterstrike. "But adequate. Were there somehow no half-dragon combat instructors available at the citadel during your time there?"She blinks at the sudden shift in subject. "What? What does it matter?" her voice is hoarse, irritated, her breathing quickened."Because you have an entire fifth limb trailing behind you," you reply, your own tail erupting from your backside in all of its sectioned, blue-scaled glory. "And that's all it is doing: trailing."Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight, but she still manages to swing her shield into place as you swing the tail at her. But you give it a little twist and the tip easily snakes around the rim, striking her in the side, sending her stumbling with a pained grunt.You walk after her, launching the tail forward with another attack. She tries parrying it with her sword, but another small twist causes the blade to deflect off the thick plates, after which you wrap the tip around her wrist and yank her off-balance, the tail retreating only to immediately land a hard strike on her thigh.And so it goes for the next minute or two. You maintain distance, using nothing but your tail to strike at the paladin, sliding past her defenses to land blow after painful blow. When she tries to close in, you trip her up. When she tries to create distance, you grab her and pull her back in. Her breathing increasingly heavy and ragged and her gaze turning murderous as frustration takes an ever greater hold.Then, without warning, the frustration and anger disappear from her eyes, her expression settling into a still, seemingly indifferent mask. Her bad acting making it clear as day that she just had an idea.(2/3)
Suddenly, she hurls the nigh-useless shield at you. It's a good throw - serves its purpose of obscuring your vision. And, as you deflect the projectile away with your tail, it buys her the time to cast a quick spell and hurl herself at you, divine power suffusing her whole body.Your lash out with your tail, but rather than attempt to dodge the blow, she allows it to strike her side - and then, tossing her sword aside, she latches onto it with both hands before it can withdraw.With a low, guttural grunt, the half-dragon heaves and turns, the motion yanking you off your feet and into the air.Not stopping there, she continues to spin around her own axis, your own motion accelerating as you are spun around here once......twice......thr-Your tail pops out of existence, evoking a surprised yelp from the paladin as the centrifugal force sends you flying across the room and into the training ring, where you easily land on your feet, sliding to a stop."Nice," you smile at the paladin, who has once again landed on her ass and is glaring at you from across the room with a mixture of outrage and incredulity. "You were about to do some real damage there."Mostly to whatever wall she was about to chuck you into.By now, you have a fairly solid gauge of the paladin's abilities. All that remains is to see how she will fare in an environment that impairs her senses. But just as you're about to fill the room with a darkness that not even a dragon's eyes can pierce, there is an interruption.Like any sensible business owner, you take steps to protect your investment, guests, and staff. Admittedly, in this instance it's nothing too complex: a mere arcane net designed to capture anyone who enters your establishment with the aid of spells most often involved in acts of ill intent. For the four years you've spent managing this fighting pit, it has remained mostly dormant, only catching a couple thieves who considered invisibility potions clever, an obsessive stalker, a tax inspector, an exhibitionist illusionist, and a well-meaning vigilante tracking a mark.But now an alarm goes off inside your mind as the net is breached by a short range teleportation spell, transporting an individual positively layered in at least ten different stealth and non-detection spells and enchantments - at which point active security measures trigger, binding the intruder in strength sapping and magic suppressing chains, and shunting him off into a pocket dimension, to be dealt with at your leisure.It takes no particular genius to figure out what - or rather who - is the target of this intrusion.You expected this of course - people who create this many waves this quickly are just as quick to make enemies. Nevertheless, it's... irksome to have them show up already and dare enter your territory uninvited.>Continue the spar. The intruder can be dealt with later.>Nah, your mood's been ruined and you already know the paladin is good enough. Just deal with it now.
>>6470240>Continue the spar. The intruder can be dealt with later.Wow, rude. Anyhow, we're almost done, might as well complete our test.
>>6470240>Nah, your mood's been ruined and you already know the paladin is good enough. Just deal with it now.Better that we leave the girl with some gas left in the tank. It is almost certainly going to be a long night for her.
>>6470240>Nah, your mood's been ruined and you already know the paladin is good enough. Just deal with it now.
>>6470240>>Continue the spar. The intruder can be dealt with later.They'll get here eventually, make it part of the challenge for the paladin.
>>6470240>>Nah, your mood's been ruined and you already know the paladin is good enough. Just deal with it now.We could ignore it until later we can't have them mess up OUR fighting pit
