If you build it

[Seraphina]

Laughing with a nod of her head, “I thought never messing with your coffee went without saying. Though I’ll keep it in mind if I need you beat someone up for me.” A wink.

Blinking, “Luchadore?” looking to Ram, then back to Circe, “Not sure what that is. But I know that knowing how to break out of a grapple can make the world of difference in a fight. And I’m not very good at it.” She broke out of the one Fawkes had her in, but that could have been luck.

A shrug at what Circe said about Fawkes. She had seen Cole lose his cool with Abe, but hadn’t seen Fawkes lose his cool. So not a good subject as she seemed the only one who liked the guy. Whatever.

Quickly shaking her head, “Oh, I’m no expert with my dagger. Not by a long shot. I’ve taken a few classes to get the basics down so I don’t stab myself, but that’s it.” No way she was an expert.

Listening to Ram, there was a nod, “Well, I know I’m not concerned with getting dirty, it’s part of learning.” She might be a Spring, but she wasn’t one afraid to get messy. “I’m here to learn and improve, and if that means getting dirty and bruised, so be it.” Not sounding concerned about it at all.

“I know those Briar Wolves messed me up pretty bad, and I don’t want it to happen again. So I need to learn to hit better. Though I do understand that hand to hand combat is not ideal against them.” She just wanted to get better.

[Circe]

"Yer getting it Ram," she encourages him. He wasn't a experienced shot so no need to ride his ass about missing. "First time is always the hardest. Experience trumps all and shit like that. Hmm. I know how ta throw a punch but not ta wrestle." So why was Ram hesitant, oh! He was bigger then either, or maybe both. of the ladies.

And her border crossing was showing. "My work takes me inta Mexico sometimes. Masked pro-wrestling is a big thing there." Is how Circe explains luchadore to Seraphina, "Never mess with their masks."

Circe snorts as Seraphina demures her blade skills, "Come on Sera. Let me take a stab at it and say some of my jokes have made ya want ta stick it to me," Circe points again to the foam weapons, "Here is a chance ta get use the old noodle ta vent some rage. I can start up the puns if ya want ta get inta the mood ta hit me. Like the one about long fairy tales."

The Spring Queen will find the head of Summer is also nodding with her. "Well we are both novices with grappling and damn fine point Sera. Bruise now so ya don't bleed later. And no Sera," she shakes her head, "We're not in the right weight class ta punch out a Briar Wolf. Now Ram," she turns to face him head on, "If ya want ta just direct us," Circe points at herself and Seraphina, "Ya can orchestrate the two of us wrestling it out with each other. Two ladies grappling in filth? Correct me if I'm wrong but ain't that is a business in some places?"

[Ram]

Ram was about to answer the luchadore question but Circe beat him to the punch.

“Okay,” he said clapping his massive hands together and thinking before realizing he was still holding the gun which had rattled something fierce when clapped. He set it done gently before turning back to the other two. He still wasn’t sure they’d really heard him on the mats thing but if they were willing to risk it…

He rolled his eyes at the mud (or pudding or whatever) wrestling joke.

“Strength helps a lot when you’re just starting out, but with the right know how it becomes more about knowing how to lock down an opponent or escape an opponent’s lock down. When you’re starting out though, you have to be careful. Move the wrong way in a hold and you can end up tearing your own muscles or dislocating something.”

Here he said moving towards them and directing Circe to hold up her arm. “Now Sera, if you could hold Circe so you have control of her arm?” Ram made a couple verbal corrections. “Now don’t push or pull,” he clarified, "Just hold her arm steadily in that position. You got it?”

Once he had confirmation he turned back to Circe “Now escape.”

Sera adds 2 dice to her Str+Brawl roll to initiate actual grapple

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-24 19:07:10	Ram rolls 7 to Assist Sera's hold Int+Brawl (10 Again)	7, 6, 10, 9, 1, 5, 6, 1	2 successes

Circe must make a Str+Brawl-Sera's Str to escape if the grapple succeeds

[Seraphina]

A simply nod at the new information. “I’ll keep that in mind should I find myself there, sound advice.” Maybe. She didn’t know.

Laughing as she shakes her head, “Actually, they haven’t. I quit enjoy your sense of humor and puns. You are, after all, the reigning queen of puns.” A solemn nod.

“Exactly. I’d rather not be a chew toy again, it wasn’t fun.” Nope. Not even a little. Another laugh, “I think you’re thinking of mud wrestling or jello wrestling. And if we were doing that, I’d want to at least charge an entrance fee and make some money or something.” Make it worth it.

Then there were nods as she listened to Ram, appearing to try and take in everything he was saying. “Well, I’m not the strongest, but I am always willing to try and then to improve.”

With the instruction, she places her hands where directed, when she needs to move them, she does without complaint. Nodding and trying to lock away what he says in her memory.

“Got it.” And it felt ok, easier with his instruction.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-01-25 10:47:01	Seraphina rolls 7 to Grapple?(Str+Brawl)+2 per Ram (10 Again)	9, 2, 6, 6, 7, 8, 4	2 successes

Sera's strength is only a 2...lol!

[Circe]

"Yer speaking the right language now Sera," Circe agrees, "Gelatin. Though if ya threw a glob of jello at me, would that make it a congealed weapon? OH ho ho ho! Just don't mix up the chocolate jello with the mud."

"Fun," Circe says in response to Ram's explanation about grappling. She does however follow his direction for Seraphina to trap Circe in the position he directs.

And she allowed Seraphina to follow through on Ram's commands, "The royalties from being queen o' puns are a crowning jewel." Then Seraphina has her arm, "Oooh so many hand jokes I could make right here but nah."

3 Suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2021-01-25 23:05:00		Circe rolls 6 to Let's Wrastle (10 Again, WillPower)		9, 2, 8, 2, 4, 9		3 successes

Circe's own lack of skill with brawling shows as she is barely able to force her way out of Seraphina's grip. "Don't make me do the child trick," she jokingly threatens Seraphina. "Ya know if I greased this suit up it'd probably make this easier. Fer me at least."

[Ram]

Circe definitely seemed to like the idea of wrestling in the mud. He couldn't deny it's potential practicality. Learning to maintain contact, control, and footing. As far as entertainment value, he'd leave that to those that were blissfully ignorant of what it was really like.

"Good job," he said to both of them "That was really good. That's going to be about the difficulty it's going to be when going up against someone around your own strength and experience level." He was actually a bit surprised Circe got out with her first effort given her own admitted lack of experience.

"Let's see, if I were to keep teaching, we'd probably do that a couple times while switching off. See if anyone could get a standing immobilization hold. A lot of it's just practice. Getting muscle memory and stuff. Then when everyone is comfortable with that, I'd probably start with prone stuff. How to fall. Again, would prefer a mat." Ram scratched around the base of his horns.

"Although..," he muttered "With all the weapon users we got, I should probably go over using weapons. It pretty different when you're grappling and they might be expecting to be better at it than they expect." He gave a smile "I'd probably have better aim than you," he said to Circe.

[Seraphina]

The Nix laughs, clearly enjoying the elfs joke.

She knew Circe would have no problem breaking the grapple. But she still beamed at the praise from Ram. A Summer telling you that you did a good job was pretty impressive in her book.

Listening, she nods here and there, taking in his words. “So do you think with continued practice one might be able to hold off an attack? And if a partner isn’t always around to practice with, is there anything you can recommend doing?” it was clear she wanted to improve, looking to Ram for advice. “But I get muscle memory, it’s come in handy for me in dream combat.” So she got how that worked.

“Well, I defer to you and Circe on this. I’m here to learn from the masters.” She’d never be as good as them. But she could try.

[Circe]

"Mmm-hmm," Circe nods in understanding as Ram plays teacher. Muscle memory explained a lot. So lots of practice touching other people in close quarters? She could make a joke out of that. Circe herself didn't like Dream battle. Not meaty enough. "Muscle memory is the best memory. Fer it's is all in the reflexes. So fer those stronger than ya by a lot," Circe points at Ram, "Like you, I'd assume just fight really dirty. Gauging, biting, hair pulling," she then smiles at Seraphina, "No we shant practice that. Though advise if somebody does it to ya, knife cut yer hair," she nods in amusement as she gives this advise.

"Eh, in dreams I just ask fer guns that don't exist." she quips as Seraphina mentions it. Then starts counting off, "Like bolters. Chainsaw cannons. Critter launchers."

"Oh ho ho ho! I'm sure ya do Ram," she agrees with him, "I can't stab worth a damn but shooting is my specialty. So lets try ta get me and Sera a passing grade. Or at least make sure we don't hit ourselves. So Ram? Yer the lead on this, ya want ta keep with wrestling or start whacking hour?"

[Ram]

“Practice can definitely help. Though, your best option is still probably to get out as quickly as possible. Even if you have the skill to take control of an opponent, if you don’t have the muscle to hold it, you’re probably better off playing to your other strengths.” Though sometimes that was easier said than done.

Ram gave a slightly sheepish shrug “Wouldn’t know. Never done dream stuff.” Rather leave that to the Autumns.

“Whacking hour sounds good.” He could probably go on at length on hand to hand but he wasn’t the only teacher here.

[Seraphina]

An eyebrow raises, “Knife cut my hair?” she says with a smirk and the laughs, “I suppose that’s one way of handling it. But I’ve always found that if I already have my hair tied back into a braid, it doesn’t get pulled. But I shall remember your advice in case I'm caught off guard.” But that would create such a horrible haircut.

“Dreams have been an easier battle ground for me to hone my skills. And as such, I’ve let my other skills slack. And wait, critter launchers?!” looking at the elf. “What the hell have you been launching?” hopefully not adorable hob bunnies.

When Circe brings the convo back to the matters at hand, she looks to Ram.

Nodding at the advice, “Sound advice right there.” She compliments. For a Summer, he had some excellent advice, advice she should listen to.

“Dream things aren’t for everyone, but, if you ever want to give it a try, let me know. It can be a different and unique way to battle. Plus, I think it’s important for everyone to have at least the basics just in case. But, that’s up to you.” And she wouldn’t push it.

“Whacking hour it is!” hands coming together, the Nix eager. “Are we just going to use the foam swords?” how does one learn with foam swords?