Keen Conflict and Sword-Play |
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Required: Introduction to Combat quest. |
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→ Go to
Gregori Stevald |
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YOU: Hello Gregori, I want to learn the art of sword play. |
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Gregori: Uhm, yes, good for you. |
Gregori: Why does this concern me exactly? |
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YOU: I am hoping you would be able to direct me towards someone who would be able to teach me. |
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- Gregori Stevald looks you up and down, seemingly judging your abilities. |
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Gregori: And I suppose you think you know how to handle a blade? |
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YOU: I still have a lot to learn. |
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Gregori: Modesty? |
Gregori: Good. |
Gregori: Though, I hope it's not just to look good because I can't bear boot lickers. |
Gregori: Nevertheless, I appreciate warriors that know their limits, they often are the best. |
Gregori: So, now comes an important question for you... |
Gregori: Which blade you prefer to fight with? |
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YOU: Definitively a longsword. [Choice 1 of 6.] |
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Gregori: Classic straight double-edged blade, the perfect balance. |
Gregori: To me, this can be a fatal weapon, if your smith is good. |
Gregori: Good, now perform two or three fencing moves and blocks, show me what you can do with that longsword. |
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YOU: Sure. Enjoy. [You start executing some moves.] |
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- Gregori Stevald watches you, arms crossed behind his back. |
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-His expression is neutral and focused.- |
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Gregori: Interesting. |
Gregori: You are clearly at ease with a blade. |
Gregori: You move smoothly, and you have a clean technique. |
Gregori: But by Laanx you have no style! |
Gregori: I would be interested to work with you but I have no time to do it. |
Gregori: Thank you, have a good day. |
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YOU: Wait, am I really so unskilled!? I would be willing to do all I can to master everything I'm taught. |
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Gregori: All...uhm? |
Gregori: Passion, motivation... |
Gregori: Say, if you can disentangle a situation reported to me, I think I could find time to introduce you to the Order. |
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YOU: The Order? |
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Gregori: In case you hadn't noticed, you are in the Arena. |
Gregori: The biggest in the Dome, if not the whole of Yliakum. |
Gregori: It's not just fancy walls and hungry beasts, it is also a center for the arts of combat. |
Gregori: It holds no less than ten academies dedicated to fighting. |
Gregori: To use just two words: Warrior's Temple. |
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YOU: Indeed. I just didn't know about the academies. What order are you speaking about? |
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Gregori: I was referring to the most famous organisation dedicated to sword-play: The Order of the Keen Edge. |
Gregori: This is the Order I manage and the Order that will make a name for you if I decide to let you in. |
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YOU: Thanks, I am genuinely interested. |
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Gregori: Klyros, I will give you your first lesson now, for free. |
Gregori: For a true warrior it's 30 percent might and 70 percent intelligence. |
Gregori: If you cannot use this... |
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-He says, poking his head.- |
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Gregori: You are as weak as a newborn child. |
Gregori: Many do not understand this, they boast, seeking fame... |
Gregori: Now, when a conflict erupts between members of the Order or their families, it is not might but intelligence that must be employed to solve it. |
Gregori: This is part of my responsibilities. |
Gregori: Not that I like it when members of my Order show such stupidity. |
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YOU: So you have to deal with a conflict? |
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- Gregori Stevald smirks but it seems more out of nervousness then amusement. |
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Gregori: It's tightly tied to the history of the Order. |
Gregori: Nobles practising sword-play, duelling constantly to show off their technique, to know who is the best, ending in hundreds of people killed stupidly in duels over the years. |
Gregori: I won't tolerate any of this nowadays, in the name of the Order and in the name of intelligence. |
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YOU: What do you need me to do? |
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Gregori: Two idiots are making much ado about nothing. |
Gregori: The affair needs to be dealt with quickly, but especially discreetly. |
Gregori: And it would be fine with me if whatever you do can make them respect the tenets of our Order. |
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YOU: Which are? |
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Gregori: All in good time, Huarwar. |
Gregori: First, go speak to Warinn Klumdt and Terea Lohdren, separately. |
Gregori: Listen to their stories, if we can call it that. |
Gregori: Make decisions that will end the conflict properly. |
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YOU: What if I fail? You are not worried about the outcome? |
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- Gregori Stevald smiles, meaningfully. |
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Gregori: I am a sword master. |
Gregori: If they learn that I am coming for them, the conflict will stop instantaneously. |
Gregori: But that would be too easy, no? |
Gregori: It is your trial. |
Gregori: Good luck. |
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→ Go to
Warinn Klumdt |
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YOU: Warinn Klumdt? I heard that you might be in a bit of a trouble. May I help? [Choice 1/3] |
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Warinn: Uhm? |
Warinn: No! |
Warinn: No... |
Warinn: Well yes... |
Warinn: Maybe. |
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- Warinn Klumdt grimaces at the memory. |
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Warinn: The other day, I was conversing with a colleague of mine in East Hydlaa, speaking of the drainage system I was commissioned to install along the walls there. |
Warinn: Not an easy task, it will drive us to dig a ridiculous ditch and... |
Warinn: well, that's when a raging eagle attacked my colleague, literally tearing off his face with its claws! |
Warinn: It was impossible to get the animal off off him. |
Warinn: I couldn't bear him suffering so I decided to end it with my blade. |
Warinn: One thrust to the beast. |
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YOU: Oh, I see. And the animal belonged to Terea Lohdren? |
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Warinn: Yes and... |
Warinn: Wait, how do you know about this, who are you exactly? |
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YOU: Well, words travel fast in town, Warinn. I heard about it... And of the duel... |
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Warinn: Of course. |
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- Warinn Klumdt clears his throat, embarrassed. |
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Warinn: Honestly, I didn't agree with a duel, and still do not! |
Warinn: But the Enkidukai went mad, she didn't want to listen, didn't care about my friend's state. |
Warinn: All she was doing was shouting. |
Warinn: Before leaving with her animal, she told me she would send me her witness for a meeting. |
Warinn: I accepted. |
Warinn: My honour was engaged, I was mad and shocked. |
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YOU: I understand. What if I can persuade her to abandon the duel? Would you resign yourself from the duel? |
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Warinn: Yes! |
Warinn: Absolutely! |
Warinn: As I said, the idea didn't come from me. |
Warinn: But I regret nothing, I just wanted to help my colleague and would do it again. |
Warinn: You know, he is in the Hospital of Talad in Amdeneir and I am very worried about his health. |
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→ Go to
Terea Lohdren |
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YOU: Terea Lohdren? I heard about what happened to your animal. Are you all right? |
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Terea: Did you really? |
Terea: Well no. |
Terea: I am not all right, not at all! |
Terea: You just need one damned imbecile to ruin everything, everything! |
Terea: Quill, my rare and precious eagle, was a unique representative of his lineage! |
Terea: A pure breed I've raised and trained myself for years. |
Terea: I called him the "Golden Eagle" because of his golden coloured plumage and his peerless speed. |
Terea: He was a pure marvel! |
Terea: This breed was particularly sensitive to noise thought and this stupid dwarf was constantly shouting around his orders. |
Terea: I told him to stop, he knew he was close to my bird's shelter, but did he care? |
Terea: No! |
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- Terea Lohdren shakes her head, clearly on nerves, she stares at you. |
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Terea: How do you know about this? |
Terea: Don't tell me you are sent by Klumdt or I will kill you too! |
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YOU: Like I said, I heard about your animal, the whole story. Words travels fast in town, Terea. |
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Terea: And? |
Terea: Of course I will duel this imbecile! |
Terea: Do you think he given a second thought about me? |
Terea: Tried to understand why I was in such state? |
Terea: Of course not... |
Terea: I am sorry for his stupid friend but it was his own fault! |
Terea: I told the dwarf countless times about the noise. |
Terea: Sometimes he was shouting and was doing so with a smirk! |
Terea: I am sure he was doing this on purpose to annoy me and my animals... |
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YOU: I understand. Look, the duel won't save anything, nor give you your eagle back. There must be a more reasonable solution. |
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Terea: I am not searching to be reasonable! |
Terea: I want to make him pay. |
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YOU: I hear you, Warinn killed your eagle, yes. But as you say, he is not totally to blame. |
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Terea: Uhm... |
Terea: I guess you are right. |
Terea: I can still bring the dwarf to justice, tell the guards. |
Terea: Maybe I can win some money and restart my unique breed. |
Terea: If you can persuade Warinn to forget about the duel, I will apply this new plan, I guess. |
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- Terea Lohdren sighs, looking deeply sad. |
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→ Go to
Gregori Stevald |
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YOU: Gregori, I've heard both stories. |
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- Gregori Stevald waits for you, arms crossed. |
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Gregori: Tell me about the outcome then. |
Gregori: I gave you what you needed to resolved this cleanly. |
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YOU: I've listened and spoken with both Warinn and Terea. They agreed to resign from the duel. I think I have been discreet and helpful. |
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- Gregori Stevald nods, attentive, he answers. |
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Gregori: Indeed, indeed. |
Gregori: In fact Huarwar, everything, even a conversation, is a matter of strategic choices. |
Gregori: And your choice was perilous. |
Gregori: Instead of using the tool I gave you, you decided to take a longer road. |
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YOU: The tool? |
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Gregori: Didn't I say "If they hear that you come from me, the conflict will cease instantaneously"? |
Gregori: It wasn't a trick, it was my way to analyse you. |
Gregori: You lost time with empathy, trying to help instead of going directly to complete your task. |
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-He says vaguely angry.- |
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Gregori: Remember, you are a warrior. |
Gregori: Your choice needs to be effective! |
Gregori: We often have lives to save, Huarwar... |
Gregori: Anyways, the result is here I cannot deny it, the conflict is settled. |
Gregori: I hope you will have leared a valuable lesson. |
Gregori: So, I will stick to my word. |
Gregori: You are now officially a Recruit in the Order. |
Gregori: Congratulations. |
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YOU: Thank you. I hope to do better next time but diplomacy is important to me. |
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-Even as Gregori nods, he seems to ignore your last remark.- |
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Gregori: Right, we start without waiting. |
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- Gregori Stevald unsheathes his sword, a wonderful piece of shiny platinum steel with a pommel shaped like two ulbernaut claws. |
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Gregori: My sword "Tarr", the infallible. |
Gregori: Too long a story to be told now. |
Gregori: Prepare yourself. |
Gregori: I will now teach you the first move every member of the Order learns, a classic of the fencing school. |
Gregori: It is a one-handed sword style which involves a slash and thrust. |
Gregori: First, the Side Slash. |
Gregori: It consists of a simple sword attack whose goal is hitting with the blade's edge. |
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- Gregori Stevald executes the move several times, ordering you to do the same. |
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Gregori: Right... |
Gregori: Repeat this move until you can do it while sleeping or at least until you stop looking like a drunk trepor on clackerweed. |
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YOU: Thank you, Gregori. Concerning the Order, is there anything I should know? |
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Gregori: Yes. |
Gregori: You represent it anywhere you go, whatever action you do. |
Gregori: Remember it and act with honour or you will invoke my wrath. |
Gregori: Now, last but not the least, the tenets. |
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YOU: Ah, yes. I suppose I need to know them well? |
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Gregori: By heart. |
Gregori: They shall become your life motto... |
Gregori: Tenet one: Fight with justice, your sword will protect the weak and defend the just... |
Gregori: Tenet two: Fight with honour, your sword will not strike your opponent's back... |
Gregori: Tenet three: Fight with bravery, your sword will spill the blood of the enemies not the blood of your comrades... |
Gregori: If you cannot remember this, shame on you. |
Gregori: Go to the Order's training room, here in the arena. |
Gregori: The tenets are always displayed there. |
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YOU: Thank you. Who shall I refer to for the other lesson? |
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Gregori: From here on, you will be taught everything you need to know, step by step until you reach a level we deem worthy. |
Gregori: Then, the real fun will start. |
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-He smiles, sheathing Tarr.- |
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Gregori: When you think you are ready for another lesson, go to see Percival Hawthorne. |
Gregori: He guards the Winch Gate in the Hydlaa plaza. |
Gregori: Now you have joined our order there are two other series of special moves you are eligible to buy, shield mastery for which you should see Remant Tovere, and two-handed where you should go and see Ondren Torr. |
Gregori: Good luck recruit. |
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QUEST COMPLETED |
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Rewards: 1 Level in Sword, 'Single Handed Sword' Combat Move 'Side Slash', 10 Faction with Order of the Keen Edge. |
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