[Day 7: Early Afternoon] Sparring with Ser Jorah

[Jon Cobb]

This really was a bloody stupid idea. Playing at war after just having been in a real fight to the death? And Ser Jorah took some nasty blows as well. Still, it might help us wind down a bit, and with some luck he'll be able to show me what he meant about adjusting the armor "
just so"
.

Arriving at the Coldbrook's practice yard, Jon finds Ser Jorah already there. "
Well met again, Ser Jorah! Are you sure you're up for this? It looked like Lionel Darry got some nasty hits in. Can I convince you to come and wind down at the Painted Lady instead?"
Jon says jokingly.

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
Welcome Ser Jon, I'm sad to say that wasn't the first time I've taken a battering like that. Luckily for me, what I have planned this afternoon does not involve me being hit at all."

[Jon Cobb]

"
That sounds suspiciously like you make a habit of getting swords stuck in you, Ser. If that's the case, I can understand why you would need to become intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of your armor!"
Jon jests.

"
You won't be getting hit, eh? Am I to understand that this lesson will involve a great deal of me standing in one spot and taking your worst like a real man?"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
That sounds suspiciously like you make a habit of getting swords stuck in you, Ser. If that's the case, I can understand why you would need to become intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of your armor!"
Jon jests.

"
Occupational hazard,"
Jorah smiled, "
most of the time, they don't tend to get past the shield and the armour, unless they are as good as you or I. That's when it starts to hurt."

"
You won't be getting hit, eh? Am I to understand that this lesson will involve a great deal of me standing in one spot and taking your worst like a real man?"

He eyed up Ser Jon, checking the cut of his armour.

"
I'm sure Wrecker Jon of all people will be able to take a few blows."

[Jon Cobb]

"
I'm sure Wrecker Jon of all people will be able to take a few blows."

"
I can, Ser, but not without a fair amount of grumbling. Very well, hit me with your best shot!"
Jon replies, wincing inwardly as he steels himself for what is to come.

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
I would expect no less. Very few people like to be hit and I worry about those that do. Don't worry, this shouldn't hurt, at least not much."


He picked up a practice sword and after a couple of swings to test the heft, stood in a ready postion in front of Ser Jon.

"
Let us begin."


Ser Jorah's first blow struck Ser Jon at the bottom of the rib cage. He looked closely to see how Ser Jon's armour reacted.

ooc
The blows will be at 1 DOS strength. That way they won't penetrate the AR.

[Jon Cobb]

"
Let us begin."


Ser Jorah's first blow struck Ser Jon at the bottom of the rib cage. He looked closely to see how Ser Jon's armour reacted.

"
Ow,"
Jon responds with a deadpan expression.

"
So tell me, Ser Jorah, when you're not slaughtering religious zealots or hitting old men with practice swords, what do you do to pass the time?"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
Considering the history of House Coldbrook, killing religious zealots is far more of a regular occurance than you might think,"
Ser Jorah replied, tongue firmly in cheek, "
between being captain of the Garrison and Master of Arms for House Coldbrook, and my family, I don't get much time for simple activities. When I do, I find reading quite relaxing. I end up helping Daveth find the odd volume for the library. Sadly, much of what was there was lost curteousy of Ser Lionel when he was still at Castle Grenward."

[Jon Cobb]

"
Family? As in a wife and children? I can't say I'd taken you for a family man myself."
Jon grunts as another blow seeks out weak spots in his armor.

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
Not a wife and child, but my sister and her children."
He looked lost in memory for moment, "
her husband was lost to the Faith Militant in one of their raids;
cowards captured him and when we found him..."
he paused, his face set in stone, "
If you wondered why I was so angry that bastard Darry died an honourable death in combat, he didn't deserve it. He should have been executed like a common criminal like the cowardly scum he was."


He took a moment to compose himself, not wanting to vent as much as he could and perhaps sometimes needed to.

"
I am sorry for the outburst. All of this with the Faith Militant has dredged up a lot of unpleasant memories."


He struck Jon again, then reached over to adjust his armour slightly, to position it to deflect his blows better. He looked to have returned to the business at hand.

"
When somebody strikes you and you are unable step away, move closer before their blow reaches full strength. That way, the armour will have less force against it."

[Jon Cobb]

"
Not a wife and child, but my sister and her children."
He looked lost in memory for moment, "
her husband was lost to the Faith Militant in one of their raids;
cowards captured him and when we found him..."
he paused, his face set in stone, "
If you wondered why I was so angry that bastard Darry died an honourable death in combat, he didn't deserve it. He should have been executed like a common criminal like the cowardly scum he was."


He took a moment to compose himself, not wanting to vent as much as he could and perhaps sometimes needed to.

"
I am sorry for the outburst. All of this with the Faith Militant has dredged up a lot of unpleasant memories."

"
I am sorry for your loss, Ser Jorah,"
Jon replies with clear sympathy. "
I find it's often the men and women with the greatest belief in their own righteousness that will stoop the lowest in the end. Makes me glad I'm a sellsword - no great principles to uphold and no cause of my own to inflict on other people,"
he says with a mirthless smile.

"
And now you watch over your sister and her children? No time to find a wife of your own, or no inclination?"

He struck Jon again, then reached over to adjust his armour slightly, to position it to deflect his blows better. He looked to have returned to the business at hand.

"
When somebody strikes you and you are unable step away, move closer before their blow reaches full strength. That way, the armour will have less force against it."

"
Sounds sensible,"
Jon agrees, stepping quickly into Jorah's next swing and guiding it harmlessly off to the side with his vambrace. "
Like so?"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
I look out for them and do what I can. Maybe one day, she will find another."
Jorah sighed, "
I have ... never found the right person."

"
Sounds sensible,"
Jon agrees, stepping quickly into Jorah's next swing and guiding it harmlessly off to the side with his vambrace. "
Like so?"

"
That's the right of it."

[Jon Cobb]

"
Ow, again,"
Jon grunts as Jorah's next blow catches him in the left thigh. "
Sidestepped right into that one, eh?"

"
I look out for them and do what I can. Maybe one day, she will find another."
Jorah sighed, "
I have ... never found the right person."

"
Are you sure you've been looking in the right places? Because I know lots of young women who'd swoon at the thought of meeting a strapping knight like yourself,"
Jon replies with a wicked grin. "
Speaking of places, the Cockatrice of Gargalen at the ball last night - that was you, wasn't it?"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
Try not to leave yourself wide open like that,"
Jorah moved Jon's shoulders to re-position him, "
try that."

"
Are you sure you've been looking in the right places? Because I know lots of young women who'd swoon at the thought of meeting a strapping knight like yourself,"
Jon replies with a wicked grin. "
Speaking of places, the Cockatrice of Gargalen at the ball last night - that was you, wasn't it?"

"
Strapping knight,"
Jorah raised an eyebrow, "
why Ser Jon, is there something you need to tell me?"


"
And yes, I was the Cockatrice last night."

[Jon Cobb]

"
Strapping knight,"
Jorah raised an eyebrow, "
why Ser Jon, is there something you need to tell me?"

"
Not at all, Ser Jorah, it was merely an observation that there are surely maidens aplenty who would be delighted at the thought of you taking them to wife. So I remain curious - if you were in the market for a lady wife, what sort of a woman would she be?"

"
And yes, I was the Cockatrice last night."

"
And in the Gargalen colors, too. Do you care to share with me what your connection to a Dornish house may be?"


Jon lets Jorah's next blow strike him in the side, but twists slightly to reduce the impact and then traps the practice sword with his left arm.

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
Not at all, Ser Jorah, it was merely an observation that there are surely maidens aplenty who would be delighted at the thought of you taking them to wife. So I remain curious - if you were in the market for a lady wife, what sort of a woman would she be?"

Jorah looked hesitant about answering the question, "
It may not matter Ser Jon."

"
And in the Gargalen colors, too. Do you care to share with me what your connection to a Dornish house may be?"

"
Do you remember my father from the Stepstones campaign? He would have been able to provide a lot of insight about Dorne and the way they fought."

Jon lets Jorah's next blow strike him in the side, but twists slightly to reduce the impact and then traps the practice sword with his left arm.

"
Now you are getting it."
Jorah sounded please that Jon was picking up his lessons quickly.

[Jon Cobb]

Jorah looked hesitant about answering the question, "
It may not matter Ser Jon."

"
Touchy subject, eh? Very well, since you're the one holding the sword in this bout, I shan't press the matter any further,"
Jon anwers jokingly.

"
Do you remember my father from the Stepstones campaign? He would have been able to provide a lot of insight about Dorne and the way they fought."

"
I can't rightly say that I do, Ser Jorah. Much as I would have liked too, I didn't get to meet everyone who fought for the prince. But I take it your father was a Dornishman then? What was his name - perhaps I know him by reputation? And how did he come to fight for the prince?"

"
Now you are getting it."
Jorah sounded please that Jon was picking up his lessons quickly.

"
Thank the Seven for that,"
Jon grunts as he lets Jorah's next blow slide off his right spaulder. "
Standing around and letting someone swing away at you without fighting back - it's unnatural, I tell you!"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Jorah looked hesitant about answering the question, "
It may not matter Ser Jon."

"
Touchy subject, eh? Very well, since you're the one holding the sword in this bout, I shan't press the matter any further,"
Jon anwers jokingly.

"
Thank you,"
he said, still slightly distracted.

"
Do you remember my father from the Stepstones campaign? He would have been able to provide a lot of insight about Dorne and the way they fought."

"
I can't rightly say that I do, Ser Jorah. Much as I would have liked too, I didn't get to meet everyone who fought for the prince. But I take it your father was a Dornishman then? What was his name - perhaps I know him by reputation? And how did he come to fight for the prince?"

Jorah laughed, "
no, my father is Ser Petyr Holt, but my mother is Dornish. He spent several years in Dorne, serving House Gargelen, where they met. Something happened which caused them to leave, mayhap something to do with my birth as it coincides, but then my first memories are of the Riverlands.

"
Now you are getting it."
Jorah sounded please that Jon was picking up his lessons quickly.

"
Thank the Seven for that,"
Jon grunts as he lets Jorah's next blow slide off his right spaulder. "
Standing around and letting someone swing away at you without fighting back - it's unnatural, I tell you!"

[/quote]

"
And yet, how often might you be blindsided by a second opponent and unable to attack them, as there is already somebody you are fighting?"

[Jon Cobb]

Jorah laughed, "
no, my father is Ser Petyr Holt, but my mother is Dornish. He spent several years in Dorne, serving House Gargelen, where they met. Something happened which caused them to leave, mayhap something to do with my birth as it coincides, but then my first memories are of the Riverlands.

"
How interesting! Was your mother by any chance a lady of House Gargalen then?"
Jon asks, his curiosity clearly piqued.

"
And yet, how often might you be blindsided by a second opponent and unable to attack them, as there is already somebody you are fighting?"

"
Well there are two simple solutions to such a problem, Ser Jorah. One - I kill the man I'm fighting post haste and then deal with the dishonorable thug who attacked me while engaged in honorable single combat, or two - I run away or surrender. That's one of the advantages of being a low-life sellsword, Ser. No one expects you to fight with courage and honor in the first place, so the censure for not going down fighting is much less,"
Jon replies with little obvious embarrassment, but more than a hint of bitterness.

[Ser Jorah Holt]

How interesting! Was your mother by any chance a lady of House Gargalen then?"
Jon asks, his curiosity clearly piqued.

Jorah turns a little red, obviously slightly embarressed. "
She was part of the family, though I doubt they would see her as such nowadays."

"
Well there are two simple solutions to such a problem, Ser Jorah. One - I kill the man I'm fighting post haste and then deal with the dishonorable thug who attacked me while engaged in honorable single combat, or two - I run away or surrender. That's one of the advantages of being a low-life sellsword, Ser. No one expects you to fight with courage and honor in the first place, so the censure for not going down fighting is much less,"
Jon replies with little obvious embarrassment, but more than a hint of bitterness.

"
That sounds like bitter experience Ser Jon. Hopefully, this will keep you in the fight for longer and there is nothing wrong with a fighting withdrawal."

[Jon Cobb]

Jorah turns a little red, obviously slightly embarressed. "
She was part of the family, though I doubt they would see her as such nowadays."

"
What a lovely shade of pink you've turned, Ser Jorah. I wonder what secret shame brought that on?"
Jon teases.

"
That sounds like bitter experience Ser Jon. Hopefully, this will keep you in the fight for longer and there is nothing wrong with a fighting withdrawal."

"
And your instruction is much appreciated, Ser. I have an abiding interest in keeping life and limb for as long as possible!"

[Ser Jorah Holt]

"
What a lovely shade of pink you've turned, Ser Jorah. I wonder what secret shame brought that on?"
Jon teases.

"
Let us just say falling in love with a Hedge Knight from the Riverlands, especially one who they regarded as catapult fodder, ruffled a few feathers."
Jorah was clearly avoiding the full subject. Ser Jon had managed to

"
And your instruction is much appreciated, Ser. I have an abiding interest in keeping life and limb for as long as possible!"

"
As do we all. I think you have the basics down now. Just need to keep practicing."

ooc
I've never fully defined that aspect of Jorah's history, so that's partly why I'm being a bit vague. I have come up with some ideas, but need to run them via Reader first.
You've managed to hit on two aspects of Jorah that generally he plays down

[Jon Cobb]

"
Let us just say falling in love with a Hedge Knight from the Riverlands, especially one who they regarded as catapult fodder, ruffled a few feathers."


"
As do we all. I think you have the basics down now. Just need to keep practicing."

"
Ah, the familiar sound of highborn snobbery. Nothing is quite so damning as following one's heart instead of doing one's duty."
Jon answers, not unsympathetically. "
I shall trouble you no more with my questions, Ser Jorah, and I thank you for today's lesson. No doubt I shall have ample opportunity to practice in the melee tomorrow."


/scene?

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