Palestra Trials 5122/Day 1

Opening Day

A row of trumpeters calls a fanfare.
Schalyne recites:

    "We begin the trials of the Palestra!"


Schalyne walks about the arena until she reaches a box filled with those wearing insignias of state.
Schalyne recites:

    "Glory and Honor to the Patriarch!"

Schalyne bows.
Schalyne nods.
Schalyne recites:

    "Tonight, each candidate will have the chance to demonstrate their skills in their weapon of choice."

Dhairn

Schalyne recites:

    "I present Candidate Dhairn."

Dhairn lets out a cheer!

Schalyne nods at Dhairn.

Dhairn waves.

Schalyne takes a few steps back.

Dhairn quietly says, "Here goes.."

Dhairn slowly empties his lungs..

(Dhairn walks out to the center of the viewing area. He pauses and gives his sheath a sharp glance.)

Speaking quietly to his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath, Dhairn whispers aloud, "Not yet. It's just me. You guys all come out later."

Dhairn turns an ear toward a small-weave ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Speaking harshly to his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath, Dhairn asks, "No! After you hear Ghezresh, mkay?"

Dhairn clears his throat.

Dhairn slowly empties his lungs.

Dhairn grabs a bright eahnor faceless mask from a small pocket inside of his ebon leather duster.

Dhairn raises his faceless mask to his face, and it leaps toward the exposed flesh.  After a brief struggle, the mask attaches itself to Dhairn's face.

Dhairn boldly begins, "I possess..."

Dhairn removes an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn removes an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

(Dhairn immediately slashes three times with his gauntlet-sword at an imaginary foe with lightning speed, and crosses his slasher from top left to bottom right before sheathing both. Did you blink and miss it?)

Dhairn put an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn put an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Bakarus just opened a jagged finger bone reliquary.

Dhairn quickly crows, "The speed of Tonis!"

Dhairn loudly declares, "I am called:"

Dhairn's indigo eyes slip closed and he issues a gentle summons to the spirits of water and moisture.  Flashing around him, the spirits respond and leave trails of their power upon his faultless obsidian skin, which he then channels and sends outward into the surrounding area.

Dhairn gestures.
Nothing happens.

Dhairn coldly resolves, "The Avenger of Chesylcha!"

Dhairn fiercely claims, "I've mastered!"

Dhairn removes an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn removes an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn smiles before slowly allowing his teeth to gnash in an angry grimace. He draws again, and double crosses his weapons at his imaginary opponent... ending the wicked display by thrusting his slasher forward at neck height.

Dhairn furiously upbraids, "The fury... of Vtull."

Dhairn stoically booms, "I have..."

(Dhairn walks slowly in a circle around an imaginary foe. He stops suddenly, and brings the hilts of his blades down onto the invisible enemy's head in a twin hammerfist!)

Dhairn draws back his arms to casually flex in his sculpted body armor, sending snakes of muted ebon ethereal energy surging over his sculpted body armor.
Dhairn severely thunders, "The strength of Kai!"

Ethereal bearded-dragon eels coil to life around Dhairn's arm and chest, writhing and riding hidden currents to form a chelioboros above his gesturing hand. They fade away while his voice becomes but a whisper.

Dhairn gestures.
The magic fizzles ineffectually.

Dhairn appears to be less clearly focused.

Dhairn threateningly claims, "I wield..."

Dhairn smiles as he displays his katars in turn by flipping them end over end into the air! He barely touches the slasher as he guides it back into his thigh-sheath, and holds out his right hand as his gauntlet-sword lands to be inspected. Dhairn runs his left thumb down the length of the blade, a violet flame erupting from it's edge as the digit passes.

Dhairn beseeches his ghezyte gauntlet-sword, causing violet flames to spring to life around it!

Dhairn icily reprimands, "The bane of Marlu."

Speaking in Faendryl, Faylorn quietly says something you don't understand.

Dhairn diabolically confesses, "I exude."

Ethereal bearded-dragon eels coil to life around Dhairn's arm and chest, writhing and riding hidden currents to form a chelioboros above his gesturing hand. They fade away while his voice becomes but a whisper.

Dhairn gestures.

Dhairn ominously warns, "The TERROR of Sheru."

A blast of heat explodes from Dhairn's ghezyte gauntlet-sword as the violet flames surrounding it gain new life.

Dhairn put an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn put an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn steadily begins, "My strikes..."

As Dhairn reaches for his kunai tattoo an ethereal hilt protrudes from its center.  He grabs the hilt and pulls a glowing ethereal kunai out.

(Dhairn stares at a point in space directly in front of himself, and flicks his wrist!)

Dhairn tosses his ethereal kunai forward then quickly grabs an ethereal chain hanging from it to pull it back into his hand.

Dhairn clinically proclaims, "The precision of Onar."

A series of ethereal chains lashes out from Dhairn's kunai tattoo as his ethereal kunai seeps back into his tattoo.

Dhairn ominously asserts, "I hold."

Dhairn takes a step forward and glares as muted ebon ethereal chains whirl about his sculpted body armor before dispersing.

Dhairn renders a sharp hand salute.

Dhairn dutifully reports, "The decisiveness of Unsenis."

Dhairn cryptically cautions, "I embody."

Ethereal bearded-dragon eels coil to life around Dhairn's arm and chest, writhing and riding hidden currents to form a chelioboros above his gesturing hand. They fade away while his voice becomes but a whisper.

Dhairn gestures.

Dhairn smoothly lifts a hand near his sculpted body armor, letting a tendril of ethereal energy coil sinuously around his extended fingers.

Dhairn tonelessly growls, "The Avatar of Ghezresh."

Dhairn quietly begins, "I am..."

Dhairn smiles as the expected interruption comes from over his left shoulder. A shadowy, ethereal, and unmasked echo of himself manifests. He looks rather bored, and is holding a small scotch glass and a cigar. He rolls his eyes and says:

Dhairn nonchalantly offers, "No no no. I am."

(Dhairn watches the shadow as it glances over its shoulder to the left and exhales smoke from its cigar... another apparition of Dhairn appears from the smoke squatting low to the ground, it's billowy appearance bringing the Dhairn count to three. His kunai are both poised for a stealthy strike as he speaks:.)

Dhairn discreetly whispers aloud, "Me. I am."

Dhairn smiles and chuckles as the new ethereal Dhairn is met by yet a third, this one standing tall with a confident smirk on its translucent visage. The now four-Dhairn procession begins to face each other as the newcomer asserts:

Dhairn pompously boasts, "No. I am!"

(Dhairn watches as yet a fourth Dhairn manifests from the ether, this one dancing a circle into place to the left of overconfident Dhairn...)

Dhairn playfully laughs, "I believe I am?"

(Dhairn stares incredulously as the dancing Dhairn splits into two, the fifth Dhairn taking his place quickly to complete the circle of ethereal Faendryl. He snaps to attention, and salutes with his gauntlet-sword high and to the right:.)

Dhairn dutifully reports, "I am."

Dhairn smiles mischievously at each of the five copies of himself in the circle, and draws ghezyte. He scans the lot of blurry ethereal imposters before glancing around at the gathered audience.

Dhairn removes an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn removes an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher from in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn amusedly admits, "Looks like we are."

(Dhairn unleashes a flurry of blows on the latest addition, and begins working his way clockwise around the circle. Each spectral Dhairn feigns a look of surprise, some bringing weapons up to futilely block the fury of the dark elf's attacks. Four.. three... one remaining. With a wink and a bow, the original doppleganger pours out his ethereal scotch glass and vanishes in a puff of inky smoke. Breathing a bit heavier, Dhairn thanks his blades in a whisper.)

Dhairn kneels down.

Dhairn impassively declares, "We are."

(Dhairn plants the blades of both of his weapons firmly into the dirt.)

Dhairn decisively announces, "Ascended."

Dhairn hangs his head.

Dhairn closes his eyes for a moment.

Dhairn stands up.

Dhairn put an eel-encircled ghezyte gauntlet-sword in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn put an eel-adorned ghezyte slasher in his ebon fishnet thigh-sheath.

Dhairn bows.

Schalyne nods at Dhairn