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Post by Ringulf on Nov 8, 2011 12:12:03 GMT -5
"All right Rat's show "em how they do it in the streets...of Halesholm!" Ringulf said with a wink. "I want to see down and dirty steet axe throwing here!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 8, 2011 13:00:24 GMT -5
Tory walked back and sat down between Dian and Dustin, giving him a sly grin. Then she turned to Dian, "You going to give it a whirl? It is a lot of fun and you did come here to learn how to throw! The trick is finding the right distance and follow through with your arm after you let the axe go. You also have to throw it pretty hard to get it to stick." Tory encouraged her. "I used to be afraid I was going to break the axes, but once you have carved seven or eight handles to replace the split ones, you find that is no big deal." She said flippantly with a scowl at Ringulf.
Dustin laughed at her. "Well, I can't let my girl show me up." He kissed her on the cheek and then stood up. "I am going to give it a go."
"Just be careful. You don't want to injure your shaft." Tory teased, but she turned bright red and Dustin's cronies burst out laughing. Dustin turned and wagged his finger at her. "you just sit back there and relax and I will show you how it is done," he said and stepped up to the pile of axes, picking out six all assorted sizes and weights.
Tory shook her head, "he is doomed." She said softly to Dian. "It is better to pick out ones that are as close in size as possible so they all fly about the same. Much easier to get your distance to the target set right that way." Tory watched as Dustin waited for an available target.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 8, 2011 13:30:02 GMT -5
"Ok that's it there is room for three defenders here and I will be watching you all and giving you advice and correction so ask questions if you don't know something!" Ringulf said with his robust voice. He saw Dustin pick up the axes and watched him carefully.
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Post by Firehead on Nov 9, 2011 8:41:20 GMT -5
Mylia's first throw struck what would have been the attacker's leg. "Well, like Halt says, a leg wound will stop just about anyone." she mused, retrieving her axe and returning to the throwing line. On her second throw, she was just letting go when the sound of laughter broke out behind her. Her concentration was broken and she hesitated just a moment too long in letting go of the axe handle. It flew wide of the target center, striking the side of the target instead. She bit her lip, cringing inwardly at the bad excuse for a throw as she jogged out to retrieve her axe.
She arrived back at the throwing line in time to overhear Tory's conversation with Ringulf. Realizing what they were discussing, she accidentally let go of the handle too early, and it tumbled away across the ground. She dashed after it and retrieved it, her face turning bright red as she did so. Back at the line, her concentration frayed, she threw the axe awkwardly, and it barly struck the target in the arm area. Face flushed, she started to retrieve her axe, but was stopped when Ringulf called out to her.
"All right Rat's show "em how they do it in the streets...of Halesholm!" Ringulf said with a wink. "I want to see down and dirty steet axe throwing here!"
"Streetstyle, hunh?" she said to herself. Aloud, for her mentor to hear, she called back cheerfully, OK!" She went over to the pile of axes and selected three of differing sizes, one of which was a large double-headed broad axe. She toted them out to the target, where her axe still bit into the wood of the target, and retrieved it, then moved back three paces from the target and layed down the lot.
Selecting the large broad-axe, she stepped away from the others to ensure that she didn't tangle her feet in them, then hauled back and swung the axe in a sideways chop with all her might. "WHAM! The axe slammed into the target at waist height, and before the shock could travel up through her arms, Mylia let go of that axe handle and stepped back to the rest.
WHAM! A downward chop to the head.
WHAM! A backhand chop at neck height.
WHAM! An upward swing from below, right between the legs.
Mylia stepped back a pace and straightened, viewing her hadiwork before turning to Ringulf and pointing at the mutilated target beside her. "How's that?"
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 9, 2011 12:14:28 GMT -5
"AAAh yeah well the bottom line is ...your dangerous too and he is very dead, however this is an axe throwing class not an axe murderurs class so next time throw the damn things! NEXT!"
Ringulf gave her a wink.
The both girls had done very well and though they liked to clown around a bit they had warmed up the crowd and exibited some good skills while doing it. He knew that they would be able to use their axe throwing skill as a suppliment or addition to their already formidable abilities.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 9, 2011 12:42:28 GMT -5
Now that Dustin was standing up facing the target, he lost a bit of his bravado. He had never spent much time practicing throwing axes and it was obvious to him that both the girls actually had been practicing. Still, he was expert at throwing knives so he felt all he needed to do was get the feel of the axes.
He swung the axe getting the feel for it and then scooted back a half step. In a swift motion he brought the axe back and let it fly. He had followed through with a slight arc across his body and the axe hit the targets right arm. It also had been a little light and it was barely sticking into the target by one point on the bottom edge of the blade.
Dustin pursed his lips and concentrated, ignoring the comments from the peanut gallery behind him. He did notice that Tory had said nothing.
Not wanting to mess up the axe hafts, he walked out and retrieved the first two and then took up his place once more at the line. He let the third axe fly and it went sailing right past the head of the target and embedded itself into the base of a tree a few feet behind. "Terrific," he muttered to himself and scowled at the axe.
"Yeah, you sure showed her how to do it, Dustin." he heard someone call out and turned around to see who it was.
Tory stood up, "Come on and throw another Dustin," she called. "I know you can do it!" She smiled at him and he smiled back and then he picked up two more axes and without thinking much about it he let one fly just after the other aiming at the chest and at the head so that hopefully the blades wouldn't smash up the handles on the other one.
Both hit dead center in the chosen spots, next to Ringulf's they were the best shots of the day. Feeling pleased with himself, Dustin tossed the last axe out there and it landed in the target's upper thigh, a crippling blow. 'Too bad I could'nt have done those before I threw that one that missed,' he thought to himself. "Guess those last three don't count, so my girl still has everyone beat!" Dustin said proudly as he dropped his borrowed axes into the pile and returned to sit next to Tory who was sitting down again and clapping.
"See, I knew you could do it!" Tory said as he sat down next to her. "You just needed some warm-up shots to get the range."
"I guess so, but you were still better than me. You threw one of those left-handed and I am not that good with my left hand." Dustin grinned sheepishly.
"But you were sure fast on that fifth throw there, I thought for a moment you had thrown it with your left hand and look where it hit, right between the guy's eyes. No way he is walking away from that one!"
Dustin turned a bit red and mumbled thanks, a bit embarrassed at her praise.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 9, 2011 13:04:40 GMT -5
"That's ok Dustin look there is always gonna be a guy behind the guy you are aiming for, maye he just fell down the ladder and took out a bunch more! Your last shots were excellent, make sure you throw so that your arm is straight up and down, your wrist is loose for the whipping action to give force, but it stays above the elbow and shoulder, in a line for accuracy and straightness. If you cross over your body, it could send the axe moving off plumb, which can lead to other problems, and makes it hard later on to throw two at a time, should you ever get as good as Tory!" Ringulf informed.
"Nice job young man, NEXT!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 9, 2011 21:38:27 GMT -5
Rick took this moment as his cue. He had a bunch of tamahawks in a bag hanging from his saddlehorn and as Ringulf hollard "next!" he spurred Domingo into a canter and burst through the trees, riding past Ringulf and hollaring like a Banshee in his old plainsmen's battle cry.
He threw the first tomahawk from nearly thirty feet out and it hit the nearest target in the throat in a sideways chop. The second struck the target's chest barely a heartbeat later.
Rick grabbed another tomahawk out of the bag and slipped to the side of Domingo, as if he were taking enemy fire and useing his horse as a shield and he threw the small axe under his horse's neck at the second target as he charged past it, Domingo leaping over the pile of axes Ringulf had brought to loan out. The tomahawk struck the target right between the eyes.
Rick was back on top of Domingo again and still hollaring as he drew two more tomahawks and set them flying at the third target. They struck side by side in the chest and then Rick turned Domingo with his knees and rode back in front of the three targets, brandishing another axe and yelling like a man gone mad. He rode straight up to Ringulf and Domingo slid to a stop right in front of the Skandian ranger, his breath puffing out of flaring nostrils and Rick shook the tomahawk at Ringulf menacingly. Then he laughed and slid to the ground, patted Domingo and the horse moved off to the side and began to munch on grass.
"Is that what you wanted Ringulf?" he slapped the ranger on the back and then looked at the crowd. "See, part of the success with axes, or tomahawks, is the intimidation factor." he said to the class. "Act like you are a madman and you know how to use them and half the time your opponents will turn tail and run." He looked at Ringulf who had not flinched as he had charged up, "unless they are Skandian; then it is better to be very good with your axe because you can bet he will be." Rick winked at Ringulf.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 9, 2011 22:01:06 GMT -5
Rick was back on top of Domingo again and still hollaring as he drew two more tomahawks and set them flying at the third target. They struck side by side in the chest and then Rick turned Domingo with his knees and rode back in front of the three targets, brandishing another axe and yelling like a man gone mad. He rode straight up to Ringulf and Domingo slid to a stop right in front of the Skandian ranger, his breath puffing out of flaring nostrils and Rick shook the tomahawk at Ringulf menacingly. Ringulf stood his ground inches from the horses nose with arms crossed, he looked up at Rick.
Then he laughed and slid to the ground, patted Domingo and the horse moved off to the side and began to munch on grass.
"Is that what you wanted Ringulf?" he slapped the ranger on the back and then looked at the crowd. "See, part of the success with axes, or tomahawks, is the intimidation factor." he said to the class. "Act like you are a madman and you know how to use them and half the time your opponents will turn tail and run." He looked at Ringulf who had not flinched as he had charged up, "unless they are Skandian; then it is better to be very good with your axe because you can bet he will be." Rick winked at Ringulf.
"Yes Chief that was just what I wanted, right on the nose as always my friend!" Then he turned to the assembled group of Rangers and said,
"What Ranger Greenriver did is the fundamental strategy for axe throwing as well as axe combat. Axes are never going to be as fast as swords or bows, but they hit hard and are irrisistable when they do, No one wants to get hit by an axe no one wants to try and parry an axe, they are Berserker weapons and as such work best when acting like you couldn't give a damn if someone shot you, stabbed you or hacked at you. Antimidation is the key to an axe fight. but that is a single arrow in a big quiver, the ranger has to know what arrow will work best for the situation. so keep this lesson in mind and throw with authority!"
He slapped Rick on the shoulder and wispered as he passed him turned away from the students,
"Damn near thought you'd gone native on me, I may have to go change my drawers, take over the class will ya?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 10, 2011 11:28:08 GMT -5
He slapped Rick on the shoulder and wispered as he passed him turned away from the students,
"Damn near thought you'd gone native on me, I may have to go change my drawers, take over the class will ya?"
Rick chuckled, "You sure you want me to teach these young impressionable minds how to "go native" as you put it?" he glanced at the students, "I see a gleam in Tory's eye already."
Louder to the class he said, "First thing, not a one of you are to try doing any of that from horseback until you're cleared for it by Ringulf. You have to get the basics down before you try it mounted or you will end up hacking off your horse's ears or something. You got that Miss Waterton?"
Tory looked startled and then turned bright red, "who me? I wouldn't dream of it." She answered, even though she had been imagining herself throwing axes from Chip's back. "How did you do that sideways chop into that guy's neck?"
Rick walked over to the targets and pulled his tomahawks out, leaving the neck chop for last. "This takes years of practice and is quite dangerous. I could give you some one-on-one instruction with this particular throw, assuming Ringulf approves, but I woudl not reccommend any of you try that shot on your own."
Rick stepped back from the targets and took up a stance, swinging one of his tomahawks at his side. "See, when you throw straight like this," he let the axe go and it landed perfectly in the center of the chest of the target, "everything lines up and the axe head is spinning head over handle. Gravity is working with it for the most part. You keep your arm, wrist, hand and axe straight, especially when you release it. The axe is just an extension of your arm and so you want to move your arm, release the axe while your arm is moving and follow through after you let it go. You look at the spot on the target where you want the axe to hit and that is where it will land - if you don't tilt your hand, bend your wrist or flex your arm to the side."
Rick let another one go and it landed right next to the first. He walked out and retrieved them. Then he held the tomahawk in his right hand but his body was turned more away from the target and suddenly it was flying sideways through the air. It struck the side of the target in what would have been a man's shoulder. "When you throw it sideways there is far less accuracy. I had intended that to hit in his neck again, but because I didn't account for the lack of momentum of my horse, it dropped too soon and hit his shoulder."
Rick retrieved it again then faced the class. "The danger with the sideways throw is that you release it too late and instead of hitting your target here, It flies over there." He pointed to the far left of the targets. "It also wobbles as it spins because the axe head is heavier than the shaft and tends to drop fairly quick. Sideways chops are very advanced and you need to be very comfortable and accurate with the basics before you attempt them." He looked at Tory pointedly.
Tory nodded understanding. "I got it, I don't want to chop Chip's head off. Don't worry, I won't try it. At least not yet!" she grinned and winked at Ringulf.
Rick smiled at her and then looked around the class. It was nearly time for his fletching class to start. "So does anyone else want to have a go at them? We have a few minutes where Ringulf and I can give you some indvidual help, then I have to get back to my camp. Anyone wanting to learn how to nap and fletch arrows should come with me."
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