[Order of the Second Shadow] The Public Face
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Order of the Second Shadow - The Public Face
_In the dark corners of Oscura, not so far from the park, and closer yet to the chasm an opening now leads into a newly built structure. Therein the Order of the Second Shadow makes its home. This particular order seems to focus on teaching the martial arts to those who show curiosity and interest. Visitors are permitted on the grounds whenever they wish. But to become a student one has to show potential as well.Those curious few that ask which path or which goal of the Order follows simply are told that the Order wishes to share knowledge with each and everyone. And that this knowledge should aim to make one more efficient in life and fights. For in both one has to know one's place. One has to find one's place. And one has to be in that very place. But while the lessons might cover various kinds of roles in a fight, the focus of the students of the Order lies more in being the Second Shadow of someone else.
If some interested fellow asked which rules apply in the Order, the only rule ever expressively given would be the first rule:_ Do not die. All other rules, or regulations are derived from this. And a little rumor suggests that whoever figures out all the little nuances, all the little implications of that eternal first rule, has truly mastered the path of the Order and it is promised that he or she then transcends the mortal state and becomes a being that is no longer bound as firmly to the prime.
((This is a little thread wherein I plan to post things relating to the Monk Order of the Second Shadow. Everyone is invited to post things relating to the order. Feel free to turn it into a rumor thing, feel free to post inquiries, and feel invited to post things relating to lesson posts, once I get around to do those!
It seems we won't get an actual map anytime soon, but we can pretend the map exists. Thanks to Nilla and Wykith and all the others who made this happen!))
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Multiple seasons have passed since the Metusalem started his extended stay in the monastery. One day however, he gets up with polite grin on his face and walks out.
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_Justicar holds a hand up to stop Tsu Ma. Stephen, single shot, 3, 6, and 7.
::Justicar doesn't even move as one of his men pulls a bow off his back and launches three arrows, one each at a separate tranced student in smooth fluid motions.::_
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Tsu Ma merely shows Justicar to the training hall, where he has the men sit in utter quiet that moment - even their breathing barely audible. He offers Justicar a bow and arrow and indicates he should shoot it at any one of the men and women who appear to be sitting in trance. Apparently he's convinced that despite that they are able to dodge the arrow, or catch it even.
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Justicar arrives and requests an update on progress
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A pair of clerics show up at the monastery and say the Orders were asked to provide healing every morning and two priests will arrive to see what they can do.
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_Tsu Ma nods respectfully to those that leave, and just has those that remain work out that extra bit harder - for example, he orders them to bring the very same amount of water in buckets, even though they're fewer in numbers, and not changing the time frame for the entire task. It seems that generally the lessons for the remaining new members have been pushed tighter together, and they are subjected to more working out than any other attendant.
To Justicar's question, Tsu Ma merely replies that physical pain, raw hands, swollen toes, or worse could be treated faster with more divine healing supplies. He also points out that the facilities of the monastery are tight for larger groups, making it difficult to entertain large crowds - at the moment. ((At least if I remember Nilla's original design for it correctly… that never was/is implemented))_
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_Justicar returns to see how progress is going. After having a few words with Tsu Ma a number of the men and women are taken away. Some might note that those that left didn't quite seem to find it in themselves to learn what Tsu Ma was showing.
Before leaving Justicar was heard asking if there was anything Tsu Ma needed to further the enlightenment._
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The Pale Man enters and watches the lesson once. Anyone who tries to speak with him is ignored.
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The Silent swordswoman known as Sarah continues to sit in on lessons, completing those that do not require her to speak. She also continues, as Tsu Ma requested, to teach any who wish the use of the blade.
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_Even while Tsu Ma seems to spend a lot of time recently with the groupf of new men and women, straining them to the limits of their capabilities, at times even to the point where one or the other leaves frustrated, he also seems to find the time to sit with Metusalem. From time to time, he even brings some of the other attendants along and motions them to silence. For a long while he'll just there, next to the old man, or opposite of him and will do nothing but listen, his eyes as closed as the older man's.
For those that ask what this is about, Tsu Ma explains that it's finding the sun. He elaborates that Metusalem seeks to find the sun in himself, and that while that is a fine goal, a true master of listening could hear the sun shine - even inside this monastery, which is located in the middle of a city, which in turn is hidden away in a cave. Of course, Tsu Ma seems more than willing to admit all of that is just complete and utter nonsense - though he uses swear words to make that clear._
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Metusalem has become like a piece of furniture belonging into the temple. One day during the wars he arrived, just like so often before, to observe the lessons but this time he did not leave after the lessons were over. Old man just sits on silent corner, having his eyes closed most of the time. If spoken to, he trades few polite words, before he closes his eyes again and returns into his silence.
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returning to the group with Pavels return, but looking reluctant and sulky as ever B listens then pulls a face
What kind 'f f**kwit j'st tries t' do magic w' no trainin'? Be like throwin' a kid in w' a gladiator 'n waitin' t' see 'f he c'n fight.
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Old Metusalem sits quietly in the corner, eyes closed as usually. He listens the story, then wide and warm smile gets on his face and a whisper with very soft voice that only most trained ears could hear leaves his lips.
"No eyes, see more. Tee-hee. Soul see more. His journey finally starts."
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The purple haired woman attends some of the lessons, seeming to more or less be already there, only those of shrewd eyes notice her comings and goings.
Meditation: During lessons on meditation she sits and watches flipping her coin from time to time or rolling it across her fingers, and some times munching on a snack as if to pass the time. She seems almost lazy as she does this and seems to have an obvious lack of discipline and little concentration. However her breathing remains oddly constant and with a minor flex of her body she can be on her feet in a moment from her seemingly overly relaxed position.
Harbour Stance: She seems to automatically like this teaching, nodding and smiling as their told to dodge, twist and squirm. Her stance is almost like a soldier standing at ease, slight spread to the legs and one hand within the other either behind or in front of her body, it doesn’t seem to matter which. She still seems relaxed with a light smirk and a glint in her eyes, like a predator that is just going to let the prey come close before taking it by surprise. She happily strikes at the combat dummies, showing previous training in the use of her stance, and some decent foot work, but her punches show a lack of training in that aria.
Stunning Blow: She listens intently, then sits off to one side and thinks for a bit before pairing up with some one to spar. She just dodges at first, not once trying to land a blow, before seemingly letting her guard down and letting her opponent lunged at her and she dodges around it and toward them rather then away only to grab and kiss them full on the lips, and while there still surprised deck them and pin them to the ground. Sitting on their back she casually smiles and remarks, “Well It worked now didn’t it?” She only tries this out once.
Deflect Arrows: She pays curious attention to this lesson, and spends a lot of time contemplating it, but seems to give up after a while though able to judge the path and where the projectile was aimed, she’s just not fast enough to deflect them she definitely can hit them. But she seems more then happy and finds it easier to block the projectiles with a tower shield.
The Monkish Way of Life: She sits off to one side and just watches with a childish grin.
Using tools: She seems to be able to pick up any weapon and wield it proficiently. She does seem to prefer to use an axe, but she still ends up trying everything. Though she also tries to see which out of the dwarven war axe, bastard sword and kattana, she likes the feel of best.
Candles: She picks out a large purple candle, and takes it to a nearby fire where she melts it down and remakes it using some of her own hair as the wick. When lit it doesn’t really give off as much light as one would expect and the flame burns oddly slow and from time to time a strange colour will rise up through it. It takes more then double the time to burn right through compared to a normal candle of the same size and shape.
The Young Man’s eyes: This story seems to trigger something, she becomes cranky and distant, as if she’d had simular experiences to the man in the story. “he’s got a few choices, he can get help, live with it or die. A cleric can regenerate his eyes, get on with life with out sight, hopeful he can make it back to town, or he can just give up and die, like any despairing fool would do. He can at least get his eyes back.” She murmurs, she also seems sad, she then leaves and doesn’t come back till the next day, like it never happened.
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Story: The Young Man's Eyes
After Tsu Ma returned from a rather lengthy absence, a new kind of lesson is mixed into the familiar trot of physical exercise. With a faintly grim look, and just the occasional grin when his gaze sweeps over the students, Tsu Ma relates a story:"Once upon a time a young man took to the traveling the world, he had lived all his life in the same city, barely seeing more than the view off the walls. For him, a tree was something that grew in a courtyard, tended to by special gardeners, or maybe even in a park. But for all he had seen in his life, trees and a proper forest were two different things.
"When he turned twenty years, he decided that he wanted to learn about all those strange places, that he might have spied from the tall towers, might have read about in the sheltered rooms of a library, or might have heard tales about at night in the taverns. With his heart full of hope, and his head full of ideas, he strung together supplies as strangers and friends alike instructed him over a couple of beers the night before and then he bade his farewell to his family and his closest friends.
"A pang of regret, and no small amount of homesickness befell him, as he walked away from the city gates. He turned often to look back at what he left behind, and with every step he took, the safety of the walls, the shelter of streets and alleys, of taverns and merchants, of friends and family was shrunk smaller and smaller. At the same time, the homesickness grew in him, but he told himself not to be foolish, and eventually he set his eyes forward, away from his home, his past, and focused just on the future, and on all the great things he would come to see.
"For a day and a half the sun bathed the land in beautiful light, and the sights the young man's eyes showed him were grand indeed. He came to a forest and saw that it was a mass of tree and a tangle of leaves and twigs, he couldn't have imagined from his well kept trees he knew from home. For just one hour he marveled at the chaotic nature of the trees, and then slowly entered the shadowed shelter under the trees, leaving the road behind to see the wonder of the forests with his own eyes.
"As the second day neared its end, though, a storm approached and heavy rain began to pour down through the leaves, quickly soaking the young man's clothes. It was then that he remembered a spell to keep him warm, read about mere days ago, yet the young man tried to make himself see it as a different life. This harsh weather was but another challenge, a problem to be overcome.
"With a few muttered words and some clear gestures he tried to bring about the magic that should find him a safe spot, and keep him dry.
"But maybe by accident he used the wrong words, maybe a malign spirit was upset about his blundering through the woods, or maybe he was deceived by someone, but the magic did not work as he expected. A fire erupted from his hands, burning straight up, burnt into his unbelieving eyes as they were wide open, watching the heat.
"As he finally was able to close his eyes, he was blind. The light burnt from them, and all the sights he so much desired to see, closed and hidden away from him in darkness, forever."
His voice clearly not made for talking, and his presentation lacking in quality, Tsu Ma waits a short while before asking the students to quietly contemplate the fate of the young man.
((Again, I invite everyone interested to post reactions, or interpretations or other things either relating to my posts, other people's posts or just monkish training here! Enjoy!))
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_Seeing Butterfly's glare when she returns the pink candle stub, Tsu Ma just grins crookedly and puts the candle away. He makes no comment either, just seems faintly amused perhaps in those grey eyes of his.
Metusalem's candle is met with a warm handshake and the same, warm silence, one would almost be tempted to call it a sunny silence. Tsu Ma almost reverently handles that candle stub and stows it away quitely, again without speaking a single word._
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One day, Metusalem arrives the monastery and approaches Tsu Ma. Wide and warm smile on his wrinkled face he hands Tsu Ma a stub of a candle. He trades no words, just a candle and warm silence.
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Barek arrives and observes the goings on within the temple. He meditates for a time and has some quiet discussion with others in attendance.
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Metusalem has become a regular face around. He seems to stay from lesson to lesson, giving very little attention to the topic but only sitting in the corner like an outsider observer. He is mostly quiet and has his eyes closed for long periods of time, always having his ordinary grimace on his face.
