aionlogs | Kenoma Team Training

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Kenoma Team Training

WHO: The Kenoma
WHAT: Training Activities
WHERE: Starts at the Citadel, varies per activity
WHEN: Starting on 6/4
WARNINGS: None yet...?

After a period of relative quiet, the Kenoma will receive a Communion post of utmost importance:

"Good day, everyone. This is Ciel. We may have received a passing grade from the Regent following the events in Venera, but they have sorely underlined how ill-prepared we were for a proper mission on Horos. Emet-Selch, Eustace, and I are in agreement, thus we have organized a series of training and teambuilding exercises. We ask that you all please attend, there will be... prizes."

OVERVIEW

When trainees arrive in the Courtyard after the Communion, a plethora of training activities await them.

The courtyard itself is sectioned off into areas, one for each training activity for the day. The activities vary from one subject to another, and still manage to be related to their tasks as a Kenoma while still leaving room for "fun". Weapons training, tag, survival training, and strength training are all provided. Kenoma is also welcome to spar on their own if they so choose. (This is not included as a specific prompt to avoid too much PVP, but you can add it in a TL if you like.)

Instructions on each activity will be provided to the participant before they begin. For those who can’t participate or choose to show up for moral support or to dodge the activities, water will be provided so that you may gossip around the proverbial "water cooler".

Each of the three trainers are on hand in some capacity or another to provide instructions on that activity or training on a specific skill.

These exercises can be done at any point and do not necessarily have to be done on a training day with the group. Characters can return after the crowd has dispersed to train on their own or with a chosen individual. The equipment will still be there and trainers (or fellow Kenoma) can be brought here at their leisure.

I. WEAPONS TRAINING

Racks of weapons are lined up on the far side of the courtyard. These range from swords to polearms and rather sizable knives to swords and tonfas. Feel free to grab a weapon of your choosing and have a trainer engage you to show you how to use it. Or, if they have experience, other students may also advise you!

The intent is to train on the proper use of several types of weapons and how to wield them effectively. It may also delve into how to most efficiently disable/neutralize/injure someone in a fight, depending on which teacher you wind up with.

II. AGILITY

There is an open part of the field that has been roped off specifically for...tag! Rope bridges, mud pits, chest-high walls of rock, and even a large wall of ice (?!) dot the field to give people plenty of places to hide and run. (If you would like your own obstacle, feel free to comment to ask so we can make sure it’s within reason of what our characters could do.)

Participants will be provided with a waxy paint to put on their hands which will stain whatever person it comes in contact with with a very luminescent purple glitter. (It washes out, of course!) The last person standing will get a prize of…dubious worth.

Now get running!

III. SURVIVAL

There’s two locations for this: the outdoor courtyard closest to the main citadel kitchen, and the kitchen itself.

For the outdoor location, bundles of tree branches and firewood are provided if needed, students are expected to start their own fire and cook wild game with what they foraged.

A - Foraging
Time for a field trip to the mountains and woods outside Achamoth! Students will be taught basic survival skills including: first aid without the use of magic, how to find and create shelter from natural terrain, how to identify and forage for food that is safe to eat, and how to create traps to catch wild game. Yes, you too can experience the joy of floor meat!

All foraged supplies can subsequently be used for Home Ec cooking lessons.

B - Home Ec
For the kitchen, there's a dedicated area where several Aions at once could attempt cooking with utensils and more elaborate ingredients. There are some servants keeping an eye out just in case and could be flagged down for help or assistance if requested/needed, but otherwise, Aions are free to make use of everything available to their own ends. Is this really useful for "training"? Cooking is a science that shapes and nourishes both body and soul, of course, it's important enough to have a part in the curriculum!

IV. STRENGTH

Step up to the starting line with one partner. One person will carry the other across a small section of the course to the finish line at the opposite end. There are a few minor obstacles such as walls and puddles. Nothing that you have to put too much effort into getting around. The person who can see will guide the person carrying them to the finish line using only their voice. Try not to bump into anything.

If you feel *really* ambitious, extra weights will be provided. Or you can forgo the rules and carry two people (or more?). Your choice, really.

V. REFRESHMENTS

For those who are not athletically inclined - or claim not to be athletically inclined - a large chunk of ice with refreshments dotted throughout awaits you on the sidelines. They will take a little effort to free them. Most will be freed with a little pull while others are completely encased in ice and may not be worth the effort.

Feel free to hand out refreshments, gossip about the participants, or scheme to your hearts' content.

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Oof, what a weird feeling to knock against— a feeling that is obvious on her surprised features. Right, some people have forcefields, she totally forgot. She gives a lighthearted laugh, immediately holding the rod behind her back with two hands.

"I'm being responsible. I thought you were supposed to be helping everyone! But all you're doing is dozing off."

She says, trying to defend herself from that disapproving glare. Look, she's doing this for the best of everyone??

"It'll just get harder to stay awake the more you try to nap, you know."

Emet-Selch makes his way to his feet with a sigh that gradually evolves into a long yawn, and he daintily covers his mouth with his hand.

"I assume you are in need of some training help, then?" Since she made a point of waking him up under the guise of 'help', hopefully, she actually needs something.

Mercifully, she does have a reason for waking him up, aside from being a nuisance. In response to his question, she just gives a small nod, holding up a finger as she makes her point.

"Sure do. Let's just say I learned a little something in Venera."

She keeps things vague, of course not knowing to what extent she's supposed to prove that she has powers.

"I wanted to learn about how best to measure an ability, but... are you sure you're awake enough to help?"

"I will manage." He says, to which it is followed by the slightest of yawns.

Emet-Selch stands from his chair and looks on with more attentiveness. Her description is rather cryptic. "Could you describe what you've learned so that I might understand what it is we 'measure'?"

"Oh! Well, it's kind of like... sort of..."

She starts off strong, so she clearly has the intention of explaining it to him - but then she starts to fumble, hemming and hawing over how best to describe it.

"It might be easier if I just showed you? I can really only use it on another person... I think." Which she's sure reveals a little bit of her own practice she's been doing, but she doesn't think it's such a big deal - who wouldn't try to practice something like that after they discovered it? "Ever heard of medusa? It's a bit like that."

"Are you asking if you can turn me to stone?" Emet-Selch asks, clearly offended by the mere idea.

If that is the case will be a firm 'no'.

Misa immediately twists her features into a disapproving frown, setting her fists on her hips.

"Not all at once! I was just gonna do it a little."

She says this as if this completely changes things, and totally makes it okay? The idea seems fine to her!!

"If you're that scared, I can just tell you about what it was like when I tried it before."

The offer for a light-touch demonstration doesn't change his opinion nor does the underhanded attempt at baiting him.

"A demonstration would be preferred." Instead of offering to be a victim himself, he waves over a particularly unfortunate retainer on their way to perform some duty or another and instructs them to stand in front of Misa. They look uneasy.

"There," Emet-Selch says, going to stand at her side and out of her direct line of sight. "Now proceed with your demonstration."

The retainer looks at him with eyes wide, the 'unease' quickly plummeting into fear.

Oh, right, retainers. It hadn't even crossed her mind to attempt to use her power on one of them, so she actually looks like a lightbulb has gone off in her head once Emet-Selch directs the retainer to stand in front of her. Without an ounce of hesitation, she gives the retainer a little pat on the arm, before stepping back a few paces.

"Oh, don't look so scared. I'll change you back afterwards."

She offers that as a reassurance, before she begins her enchantment; cold stone begins to creep up the retainer's appendages, starting at their feet and crawling up the lengths of both their legs. At this distance, the petrification grows swiftly, entombing the man up to the waist in little time. The retainer, for what it's worth, makes several attempts to move their legs, to no avail.

"—Okay, I've never gone farther than that." That tidbit is directed at Emet-Selch himself, as she blinks her eyes a few times - it's evident the spell comes from her sight, as she makes no motion to pantomime performing magic with her hands, or anything else. "The truth is, I don't really know how to keep going. I've tried it from far away, and I can't always do it to this extent... I think there must be rules or something. So that's why I came to ask for ideas from you, o wise professor..."

She calls him that with a bit of exaggerated drama, splaying her hand towards her example.

Emet-Selch gives her a little look in regard to that name. 'Wise professor', is it?

"Any spell will diminish after a certain range. It is a natural occurrence in all magic, one that is highly dependent on the type of spell in question." More forceful magic needs to be done at a closer distance, as it were. He motions with a hand to their 'volunteer'. "The difficulty you now face is not distance - it is in effort, concentration, and brute force."

He takes a few lumbering steps in their volunteer's direction and motions to their chest and head with an open palm. "Both mind and soul are all concentrated here, meaning that they will be the most difficult to bend to your will." These are the areas that she has, notably, not managed to petrify yet. "To use a spell such as yours to its completion, you need to force your will onto theirs - A difficult task, by any means."

For a long pause, she draws her hand back to herself, placing it on her chin as she thinks over his explanation. When she thinks about it logically - yes, that makes sense. Even the existing supernatural abilities in her world require rules and range, have conditions to clear. So it makes sense that certain kinds of magic rely on something spatial.

The other part of it — the will part — that's a bit more abstract to her.

"Force my will onto theirs? It feels like I'm trying to do that already, though."

She doesn't sound discouraged— just mystified, while she tenses her brow, focuses a bit more in attempt to continue her spell. For a few moments, she tries darting her eyes around to different parts of their body, as if that'll help, before locking eyes for a brief moment with their "example," which results in incremental growth of the stone encasing his midsection.

Obviously, their eyes dart away as soon as possible, halting the effect.

"Oh! Did you see that?"

Emet-Selch looks back and forth between their captive contributor and Misa with a questioning look on his face. He puts a hand to his chin and briefly puzzles briefly over what she had accomplished. What would....?

"Ah." Emet-Selch puts a palm level with their eyes. "The gateway to the soul." He says in realization. Perhaps the way she had described the ability should have served as the most obvious clue.

"Set your gaze here and concentrate, just as I have said. See if this helps your progress."

There's only a beat of hesitation before she follows through with what she's asked— the answer is obvious to her once he spells it out like that. Her eyes flick to meet the retainer's, and, just as predicted, the encasement grows, traveling over their chest, their shoulders, the tips of the fingers and up the expanse of their arms.

As if in a trance, she doesn't stop herself— it's the retainer flicking their eyes away in fear that halts the continuation of the spell. There's not much else they can do, anyhow — they're petrified from the neck down, unable to move.

"So that's how it is. Do you think they'll die if I go all the way?" Her words are blunt, nearly morbidly curious, and probably not ones the servant wants to hear - but she asks regardless. "I don't want to get in trouble..."

Perhaps it's telling that that is her main concern, rather than the potential of extinguishing another life.

"Generally, no. Enchantments such as this are difficult to make permanent, but it is not unheard of." Emet-Selch looks at her with a dangerous smile and speaks with genuine sincerity. "Push your abilities to their limit if you like."

Surely the retainer would be aptly concered in hearing that.

Emet-Selch gestures with a hand. "I will advocate for you if anyone calls your actions into question."

Well, that little bit of encouragement was all she needed to feel enabled into doing just what he asks— even offering to defend her in figurative court, paired with that knowing smile? Her affection for him grows a few inches.

Perhaps out of fear of what will happen if they disobey two Aions, the servant meets her eyes once more, and the effect is immediate, and quite swift. Soon, they have no choice but to look her way, their neck and jaw encased in cold, solid stone. Then their mouth, the nose, and finally, the eyes, as the gravelly cocoon encases them entirely, preserving their frightened expression in a picturesque stillness.

"I could have never figured that out all by myself! I had no idea I could go this far..."

It's not more than few short seconds after the feat that Misa claps her hands together once, obviously pleased to have accomplished such a thing at all. Not having any innate magic makes this all the more fascinating. Though, the praise it not all to be hers, she knows that.

"Aw, it's all thanks to you, Emet! You're the best!"

And unless he physically stops her, she's in motion to fling her arms around his waist in a tight hug, overly affectionate and not giving any regard to others' personal space as is typical.

The way that he disappears in a puff of purple and black smoke only to appear again on the girl's opposite side is purely reactionary. She would not wrap her arms around a person as she made for him, but thin air mixed with residual traces of inky black wisps. A teleportation spell.

Emet-Selch looks back at her with a mixture of wariness and yearning. Perhaps it could speak volumes that he is still quietly guarded around them, Tailored by many years of suspicion, confrontation, and countless others who tried to assassinate him with something they concealed on their person.

"Emet-Selch." He corrects before looking off. "I offered to provide you with what tutelage I may, and I will be true to my word." It's a 'your welcome' in so many words. "Your 'thanks' is, however, appreciated."

"Oh!"

She makes a soft exclamation as her arms circle around nothing, blinking owlishly until she finds him magically teleported to her side. He does look oddly.... wistful, she notes. Though she overwhelmingly gets the sense he will not want this called to light,

"Shy around girls, are you?" She says, completely not believing that's the case, but being merciful enough to give him an out, even if said escape is through her goofy antics covering up his strange reaction to her affection. Anyway, she will 100% not be taking that correction to heart. She sets her hands on her hips, pouting a little bit: "I was only trying to be nice. Hmph..."

Though she seems to get over the alleged offense at being rejected swiftly, possibly the mark of experience.

Emet-Selch doesn't say anything in regards to her comment or her mumblings. To do so would only give her more to pick apart.

Instead, he focuses back on the matter at hand. "You have done well. Progressing such abilities so quickly is not easily accomplished." And neither is receiving his regard for such a feat.

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Kenoma Team Training

OVERVIEW

I. WEAPONS TRAINING

II. AGILITY

III. SURVIVAL

IV. STRENGTH

V. REFRESHMENTS

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