LOCATION:

Umbar, New Town: At the Summer Gate

Ah, now you have found the crowds. While not the busiest of the gates of Umbar, Summergate is the most narrow and cramped to pass through. People flow in and out at leisure, but carriages cannot ride through, while horsemen would use a side entrance. The height of the gate itself is about twenty feet; the great towers flanking it soar four times as high. But what immediately attracts your attention are the carvings all over the face of the gate, of an intricate design - floral patterns, animals woven into their midst closer to center, with horses given a special consideration. In the very center an irregular five-pointed star is engraved, describing accurately the outlines of the builders' homeland, the Land of Numenor. All the carved images are colored light green, and look fresh as upon the day of their completion, giving the impression they have not ever been tested by a siege. The wind from the sea ruffles your hair slightly, bringing with it the aroma of the gardens blooming outside the city...

Down below the gate lies New Town, with its summer palaces, healing houses, and colorful fairgrounds. Green is the color all around you, at the Summer Gate, in the endless summer of the City of Numenoreans.

Obvious exits:
* Gate leads to Summergate Square.
* Southwest leads to Umbar, New Town: Fairgrounds.
* Northwest leads to Umbar, New Town: Summer Palaces.
* Southeast leads to Umbar, New Town: Hostels.

[Aloric:] The sky is a brilliant purple/red hue as the pre-dawn slowly gives way to sunrise. The usually busy street, has very few pedestrians at this early hour. Among them, though, is a man clad in grey. A weary look is painted across his face, yet there is still some spring to his step.

[Barzag:] Early it may be, but the weary man is not alone. Another figure, shorter than most Numenoreans and clad in a shabby grey cloak, passes through the Summer Gates and plods slowly along the road, to the accompaniment of coughing. As he walks, he glances about warily, frowning as he sights the lone walker and halting to peer more closely at the man.

[Aloric:] Pausing a moment to wipe the weariness from his stormy eyes, Aloric's vision finally focus' on the shorter man. He moves a bit closer, as not to attract so much attention and says, "Aaah, the Hillman. How are you my friend? It was Barzar, wasn't it?"

[Barzag:] The right side of Barzag's mouth curls up in a smile. "It is Barzag," he states simply. "And I remember. You are the one named Aloric - the one who talks of all men being equal - and the trainer of weapons?" He hesitates, then continues, in a lower, slightly rasping voice, "There is something I would ask from you, if you are willing. I - I have a little coin ..." Here he trails off, clearing his throat once again.

[Aloric:] Aloric raises a brow. He stares at the hillman for a moment and then smiles, "What would you ask of me? Worry not about coin, I have more than enough. Oh, and my apologies Barzag, I shall not forget it again."

[Barzag:] Barzag swallows, clearly unsure about something. Then he tells Aloric, "I would like to - to learn how to fight. It is not something I know well. But in this place there are those who wish only to hurt others not like themselves. I - a man did attack me, and if a guard had not come he would have beaten me. I would like to know how to - to drive ones such as him away. Maybe, sometime you could teach me these things? And I would pay in some way - with coin, or if there is work you wish done ..." Again he falls silent, staring at the ground rather than the one he is addressing.

[Aloric:] Aloric smiles and says, "That's it? Sure I'll help. What weapon would you like to learn? I've no spares to give at this time, but if you've gotten one, I'd be happy to teach you how to use it."

[Barzag:] Barzag looks up again, amber eyes blinking in suprise - perhaps he had been bracing himself for a denial? "I thank you," he says slowly. "But weapon?" Brows furrow in thought, then he replies, "One such as I should not carry a weapon, that is law. If I did, and it was found, there would be punishment." Oddly, he places a slight emphasis on the word 'should'. "So I must use the only weapon I have - my own hands." He spreads his hands wide, then raises one to his mouth again to stifle another cough as he glances at the Dunadan with hope in his eyes.

[Aloric:] Aloric appears to ponder this for several moments. He scratches his chin and nods, "I've not much time now, but I could show you a few moves. See me at the tavern next week and I'll teach you more too. Now then, show me your "fighting" stance."

[Barzag:] Barzag frowns, then quickly glances round the street to make sure there is no-one in sight. With a brief nod, he braces himself with feet apart, right foot slightly forward. "I would reach - so" he states, raising his left arm to indicate Aloric's collar, "and the other arm at the side," he waves his right arm forwards at waist height, "to try to pull..." He shrugs. "That is not the way of your people, though?"

[Aloric:] Aloric, too frowns and shakes his head. "No, no, that would be fine if you were taller and had greater reach. With the men of Umbar, you need to lower yourself. Like this..."

Aloric takes a low crouch and rolls from side to side several times. Finally, he throws his right leg behind yours and strikes you on the chest. Not with much force, but with enough to take you down.

Aloric attacks you with his Bare Hands...

...but misses by a foot.

[Barzag:] Aloric's initial move may take Barzag by surprise, but the trick with the leg is something he has seen often enough before. He shifts his weight onto that right leg, the one that Aloric had tried to hook, which has the added advantage of moving him out of range of Aloric's light blow to the chest. With a look of stubborn determination on his face, he responds the only way he knows - after all, /this/ man is no taller than he - by grasping the top of Aloric's tunic near the right shoulder and pushing downward, even as he shifts balance again and yanks his right leg back again, hoping to overbalance the Numenorean.

You attack Aloric with your Bare Hands...

...but miss by a foot.

[Aloric:] Aloric deftly spins away, avoiding take-down with a fair degree of ease. "You must learn new things as well. Grappling will not always work. Here, try blocking a few simple punches."

He again goes in low. This time he sends an upper-cut to your solar-plexus.

Aloric attacks you with his Bare Hands...

...hitting and slightly wounding you!

[Barzag:] Clearly Barzag is unused to blocking such blows, for Aloric's fist strikes home, sending the Hillman into a coughing fit. Once he has recovered his breath, he admits hoarsely, "I am not sure of this 'block'. Can you show?" And with that he swings his own right hand forward in an imitation of what he has seen Aloric do.

You attack Aloric with your Bare Hands...

...hitting and slightly wounding him!

[Aloric:] Aloric ooomphs, but quickly recovers and smiles. "Very good. Widen your stance a bit, more like a horseshoe, for stability and power. Now try this."

Aloric throws a quick rabbit punch to your right temple, pulling it at the last second to be sure of less damage.

Aloric attacks you with his Bare Hands...

...hitting and slightly wounding you!

[Barzag:] Barzag obediently widens his stance, but so concentrated is he on his feet that he fails to dodge the other man's jab forward. The breath hisses from his twisted lips as the blow connects, no doubt dazing him a little. Yet his immediate reaction is to raise his own right arm and bring it swinging sideways, in an attempt to knock Aloric's hand down and away.

You attack Aloric with your Bare Hands...

...hitting and slightly wounding him!

[Aloric:] Aloric takes a sharp blow to his right hand, and lets your stike force his arm down roughly. He goes with the momentum and spins, swinging his left arm at your head in a backhanded motion as he says, "Very good, but instead of blocking, use the attack to help your own."

Aloric attacks you with his Bare Hands...

...hitting and slightly wounding you!

[Barzag:] Once again the Hillman is slow to react. "But I can not-", he rasps, only to have his words halted as Aloric's left hand connects with his head, though at least this time it is only a glancing blow. Perhaps mindful of the weapons trainer's words about combining defence and attack, or perhaps merely getting more desperate now, he reaches his own left arm up and across to grab Aloric's even as he draws his right fist back and drives it forward again in a punch aimed at the other man's stomach.

You attack Aloric with your Bare Hands...

...but he parries with his Bare Hands!

[Aloric:] Aloric brings his right hand down, seemingly to block yours, but instead he grips your wrist and turns it around behind your back immobilizing you. "Very good for your first lesson," he says as he releases you, "See me again next week my friend and I'll teach you some more."

[Barzag:] Barzag's initial reaction as Aloric ends the demonstration is simply to shrug ruefully, carefully rubbing his wrist with the other hand. "I think I-" he begins, stops to clear his throat, then continues, "have much to learn. I thank you for your time, and for your offer. I would like to come to learn again." A faint hopeful smile crosses his features then. "Where shall I find you? And what about payment? For I do not take without giving." He frowns at this last statement, one that is ever problematic in a city where he has nothing.

[Aloric:] Aloric smiles warmly, "Do not worry about payment, if I have need of things later, I may call upon you. As for where to find me, I have a room at the Azulda Tavern. Farewell for now my friend."

[Barzag:] "Azulada Tavern," Barzag repeats. "That is the one near the walls ... I thank you, I will look. And," he adds with emphasis, "I will pay. In coin if need be - there are some times I can earn it." He sighs then, and his brows draw down for a moment before his expression lightens as he ends, "Goodbye, Aloric. And very many thanks."

Participants:

ALORIC

The man before you stands just under six feet, and posessed of a slim yet very athletic build. His eyes are an deep and stormy grey, filled with a look of intensity. His hair is black as night, long, and neatly tied back into a ponytail halfway down his back, and a neatly trimmed beard adorns his face. His skin is deeply tanned from spending many hours outdoors practicing his craft.

The man is dressed rather plainly, a simple, sleeveless tunic of a dark grey color overwhich he wears a black vest of studded leather. His pants, likewise are black and are tucked into knee-height boots of a soft black leather. He walks with an aura of quiet confidence, by no means does the man appear arrogant, but certainly he does not appear to be meak either.

BARZAG

For many, their first impression of Barzag is of a person of little importance in the world. His swarthy skin proclaims him a foreigner to Umbar, one of the race of Men known as Hillmen. At about six feet in height, he is taller than most of his kind, and this is complemented by a strong build; his well-muscled frame and calloused hands show that he is no stranger to hard work. Indeed, his shoulders are slightly stooped as if from carrying heavy loads. A mass of dark hair hangs to just above shoulder level, shadowing his face, and he wears a short beard, usually kept neatly trimmed. It cannot, however, hide this man's main distinguishing feature - a malformed lip, cloven and twisted so that his mouth appears to be set in a perpetual sneer. Above this, his features are evenly balanced - a long, straight nose, and a pair of amber eyes set beneath dark brows, bitterness all too often visible within their depths.

His clothes are scruffy, nondescript: trousers of some dark material, fading in many places, and a tunic of brown cloth that was obviously of good quality when new but is now worn and threadbare. The sharp-eyed might notice some sort of mark on his upper right arm, half-hidden by the short sleeve of his tunic. On his feet are a pair of scuffed leather moccasins. And he has one more item of clothing - clearly a valued possession. A grey woolen cloak, old but still serviceable, protects his form in inclement weather, and is carried rolled up and slung across the back at other times.