The House Always Wins

[reddosmod]

MARCH 2023 EVENT

Due to the UNIQUE NATURE of the Moss King, previous March events are NOT available during this month's event. Please keep that in mind.

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Fanged, smiling carnivorous plant from little shop of horrors ]
[Image Two: House overgrown by roots.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Person covered in glistening film that seems to be suffocating.]
[Image Two: Woman's face splattered in blood. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Poker chip with an anime girl's face on it. ]
[Image Two: Dogs Gambling Painting, but it's famous horror monster villains instead of dogs. ]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

WHEN: March 8-31
WHERE: The City of Trench and surrounding regions
CONTENT WARNINGS: Plant-Based Peril, Isolation, Entrapment, Carnivorous Plants, possible but unlikely death.

---

The plentiful and bountiful harvest of plants that started to blossom towards the beginning of the month has continued, and if anything? It's getting more and more troublesome. The old saying goes that too much of a good thing is too much, and this is definitely the proof of that pudding. Plants are literally growing everywhere. Trenchies can be seen cutting branches out of impossible locations, and vegetation is beginning to grow inside of established businesses and homes. There is an ever increasing market for vileblood based defoliation options that are being offered by entrepreneurial Trenchies, but the fact that more than a few of those selling the stuff have gone missing under strange circumstances calls into question their efficacy.

For Sleepers, this means that the possibility of encountering enlarged and potentially dangerous plants such as those seen in the earliest parts of the months grows ever more real. A human-sized venus flytrap might very well try to snatch one up, with all of the peril that entails. However, while it is possible for any exotic plant to carry with it potentially lethal threat, most of these are able to be dealt with by even the untrained with a machete. The real problem is the root systems and the plants that ones that talk. The former are the most likely to be encountered. Root systems grow over entire buildings during the mid to late month, choking over light sources and blocking windows to dim houses. They clench their grip over doors, making getting out of one's house an act of willpower and muscle that may have to be repeaated over and over again. Worst of all is the fact that many of these root systems almost seem to be intentionally creating barriers around the Lantern Network! The little moaners are safe, but their sphere of protection becomes a dome of wood, shielding and keeping them away from those naughty sleepers trying to hack their way to a teleport.

The talking ones, though, are downright disturbing. They're not very large, at first they do indeed seem to whisper and beg to be fed. Naturally, only blood will do, and the longer that they're fed the larger and more dangerous that they can become. But, so long as one doesn't feed them, they're harmless, right? Wrong. True, they can bite and it's easy enough to avoid them. However, it's what they start to say when they're denied their food that becomes disturbing. “There is a consequence of your actions, you know.” “Do not think that you are immune.” “Saving the Moss Brat seems wise now, but have a long memory.” Things like that. The voices they take on are eerie, unnatural and do not match the plants' normal begging voices. They never clear up who is speaking or what they're speaking about, but surely it's not a big issue, right?

By the end of the month, the plants wither away and break off of the various homes and businesses, leaving no visible damage behind, as if whatever caused them has faded entirely.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

THE LEECH

WHEN: Second Half of March
WHERE: Anywhere in Trench, but not the Outpost.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Magically Cursed Ailment, Severe weakness, Anemia

---

You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? From the moment that the first talking plants appeared in Trench, there has been another ominous presence. Unbeknownst to the people of Trench, but the Moss King is recovering from Riteior's attack and, while they are safe and slowly getting back to their normal self, this has allowed for Riteior to offer a little payback in an effort to cause trouble to those seeking to stop his attacks on the Pthumerians of Trench. In the night, while characters are sleeping, the plants strike. They wake to find a thin film over them, but otherwise it appears harmless. The next full day, there's nothing wrong and they feel hail and hearty. In fact, those pesky little talking plants are gone from their house. Of course, the next day the horror begins to settle in.

Within 48 hours, Sleepers will find themselves weak and lethargic in the extreme. The condition is not fatal, but it is problematic and irritating. They will find that no amount of food, water and rest quite gets rid of the malaise that they are experiencing, a strange drowsiness and lack of energy plaguing their every moment. The longer it persists, the more dangerous it becomes. However, there appears to be no obvious cause, at least until they visit someone capable of treating their condition, be they a Blood Minister or trained physician. Victims of this curse appear to be suffering from a severe, but not life-threatening anemia. There is no obvious cause, but the Ministers are certain that it is not natural and is likely a result of a curse of some kind. They can offer stimulants and high energy food, which will help the person experiencing the condition, but the real danger comes if they try to use their blood for a blood ritual of any kind. The insidious reason becomes obvious. Someone is attempting to stop them from safely having enough blood to perform the rituals to seal them away!

Victims are “fine” in the sense that they could get through the month safely without risk of death and just be weaker. However, if they attempt any form of blood ritual or blood letting, they risk running out of blood, which would indeed be a life threatening concern. The only solution, then, is a blood transfusion of another type. The Blood Ministers are willing to provide blood from their banks, but caution that it is better if a fresh supply is used. Do you have a friend willing to lend a hand? Or, do you miss one of the deadlines this month for fighting back Riteior?

FAQ:

This condition strikes after the mid-month, when the latest batch of rituals further weakens Riteior, and ensures the Moss King's safety.

This condition is not life threatening, unless a person attempts to use blood for a ritual or other purpose without first receiving a transfusion.

If a person attempts to perform a blood ritual before getting a transfusion, their anemia can become life threatening very quickly.

It is possible to completely avoid this prompt by not being targeted by Riteior. His cursed targeting is not that precise and he is clearly becoming desperate.

When a transfusion is given, both participants will be lightly anemic for another 24 hours, but the condition will fade afterwards completely.

It is suspected strongly by some of the Blood Ministers and Arcane Scholars that this is a curse brought about by a brief moment of control over the Moss King by Riteior. This can be learned easily in conversation with members of the orders in Trench.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

HIGH STAKES

WHEN: Second Half of March
WHERE: Goat Turning in The Cellar Door
CONTENT WARNINGS: Gambling, Possible Coersion, lowered inhibitions, Risk of Character Death

---

The Moss King appears to be 'on the mend' by the latter part of the month, or at least he seems to be his usual self. A flyer advertising a special for all Sleepers and residents of Trench at the Goat Turning, his personal gambling hall, circulates throughout town. The doors of the Goat Turning will be open to absolutely everyone, and nobody will be turned away for an event that will last the last two weeks of the month! Anyone who comes will be given a complementary set of chips for free, along with a very special commemorative poker chip embossed with their own face on it which they are assured they can keep afterwards, assuming they don't lose it betting! In fact, that commemorative chip is the only way that a person can return to the Goat Turning during this period, and has to be shown to get admittance, though you don't need to bet it even if it appears to be worth quite a lot! Every night, a new allotment of chips is offered to gamblers. It isn't much, and if they're willing to trade a few goods to get more, they can supplement their stash. What could be more fun than a friendly game?

The drinks and food are free for those attending, and even better? They don't seem to have a lot of strange effects. The drinks seem to ease the symptoms of corruption, in fact, and make a person more relaxed and at ease, along with lessening their inhibitions. The food is filling and pleasant, but salty, making one crave the drinks more. But, honestly, compared to Generosity's botched and spoiled food in January it's almost heavenly, even if it does make it easier to want to keep gambling and gambling. After all, those prizes for the big winners of the night are certainly something to behold, and the kinds of luxuries that Trenchies drool over.

The Big Prizes: (Maximum 1 big prize per character for the month)

A Lunar Orb

A Vial of Pthumerian Blood that can leave a person feeling sickly and weak if they come in contact with it

A Genuine Lantern, enabling a second teleportation location to be placed!

A Blood Enchanted Weapon or Armor.

An Item from Home that a character might not normally find washing up on shore

The Lesser Prizes:
Players are encouraged to use their imagination on lesser prizes that could be won. Food. Supplies. Furnishings. Weapons. Tools. Clothing. Any number of valuable could be won throughout the month.

So, what's the catch? There's always a catch. Well, like any gambling hall, the saying goes that the House Always Wins. This isn't true universally. You could have a hot streak at the Craps table, or you might just win on your lucky number in Roulette. It is very possible to walk away with enough chips to win a big prize all in one night, or build up over time to claim such a lofty goal. But the trick is that commemorative chip. It's the admission, and it's also the only way you can leave the gambling den each night. The chip must be presented both at entry and leaving, and only then does the reality become clear. That chip is so valuable because it represents your life! You might literally be betting with your life here! Should you lose your chip and not have it at the end of the night, the impressive and powerful bouncers at the door will bar you from exit, and once the hall closes there is nowhere to go but the basement. Anyone who enters the basement after hours will find that their life is indeed forfeit, and their debt is called. They will die down below. How will they die? Well, considering the fighting pits down below, any of a thousand deaths, some more gruesome than others, are possible. And, if another player holds their chip, they will be given a special pass to remain below, to demand their price themselves.

So, if you lose your chip is it still possible to get it back? Absolutely! It is a gambling hall, after all. Someone just has to be willing to give it back, or to win it back from another player or the house. What could be simpler? Of course, because there are no compulsions in the commemorative chip, and no rules about how it is to be used or transferred other than that it must be won from the house in a fair game, it is almost as if the Moss King is testing his own guests to see just how far they will go, and what they will do if their life or the life of a friend is on the line.

FAQ:

Players are limited to one grand prize per character. Please record this prize on the prompt below.

Characters that die because of this event may die in any reasonable fashion in the basement. Tools are provided. This may be handwaved.

Because this event involves the potential of players bargaining for their lives and death, we remind players to be mindful and communicative with others regarding permissions and preferences during this event. Do not break permissions.

Lesser prizes can be won in quantity, but we ask that you be reasonable about this.

The Commemorative Chip is non-magical and there is no compulsion to gamble with it. It is simply worth a lot more.

The Event is not age restricted, so underage gambling is possible.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

Nara'a Sunvara | Final Fantasy XIV

[aetherweaver]

High Stakes

Nara'a isn't much of a gambler - he avoids the Gold Saucer most of the time outside of playing Triple Triad. He's mostly an observer most of the time. In truth he has no real intention of gambling - until he sees some of the prizes people are winning. He's been itching to get his hands back on certain weapons of his, and this provides a perfect opportunity.

He doesn't win a lot at first. The games are largely unfamiliar still, despite having been here a few times. The fact that he's got expressive ears and a tail doesn't help, either - they make his poker face terrible. Still, he's starting to win bit by bit, never gambling more than he can afford to lose.

Perhaps you're at the table as well? Maybe you'd like to change that?


Low Stakes

Once he's gained enough tokens to be significant - just barely enough, but enough - he makes his request known. And, somewhat to his surprise, he's granted it. He can be easily found hanging around the food and drink tables for a bit, occasionally taking a look at a crystal in his hand. He hides it away when he notices someone looking at it, but he's not the sneakiest.

He's available for conversation or questions, though he'll be a bit less amenable to the idea of pushing his luck at the card tables any further. If you're really in need though he might be convinced... especially if your life is at stake.


No Stakes

There's some odd noises coming from the plant-strewn streets. Nara'a prefers to drag back to Sanctuary rather than kill, but that's not always possible. Sometimes beasts give him no real choice. It's not his usual sounds of combat however that echo through the districts - instead he's in an odd outfit, though the weapon he has in his hands is unmistakable as a gun. He's working on some large werewolf-like monster, several meters tall - but the catman seems to be whirling around it, bullets appearing from midair and whizzing into the monster's flesh. It all seems... reasonably normal...

And then he presses a button and summons what can only be described as a mechanical monster, the steel creature barreling forward and slamming a fist into the more hairy monster.

What in the world - ?

High Stakes

[unphase]

Tinya recognizes him from her post a few months ago, the one asking if one could love two people at once, remembers that she'd told him that someday, she'd say who she was.

This seemed like as good of an opportunity as any.

So Tinya sidled in, wearing a little black dress with her trusty Omen, Moonlight riding confidently on her shoulder.

She approaches with a smile. "They say that if you want to win big, you've got to be willing to bet big. It could either blow up in your face or go magnificently, it depends on fate. So, which path do you think you'll take?"

[aetherweaver]

He looks over at her and grins, tail curling into a little bit of a lopsided question mark. The kitten omen gets a nod - no need to be rude to the little feline. His own isn't out right now for fear of accusations of cheating and he doesn't want to have to manage the little lesser panda right now anyway.

"Well for one, that depends on whether or not you believe in fate." He goes both ways, depending on the day. "But I tend to be the type who builds up slowly. I've got luck but I haven't got a clue if it counts for other than combat."

[unphase]

It's okay, she gets that a lot. Though, usually it's a question in one's eyes, not in their tail. And Moonlight preens at the attention, rubbing against his person's cheek and purring loudly. And where Tinya goes, Moonlight goes as well. Even to an establishment such as this.

"I do. Believe in fate, that is. Too many odd occurrences have happened to me to believe that that isn't possible. If not likely. But one can lapse over into the other, I've found luck in combat and luck at games of chance fairly similar. Which one were you going to try," she says, sounding warm but...impartial isn't the word. Neither is indifferent. So let's stick with curious.

[aetherweaver]

"I suppose that's fair. As for the question... combat isn't on the table for tonight." Not until he gets on the road to Feed again - there's plenty of monsters out there to encounter on the way home.

He shuffles his cards a little curiously and taps the table. "Hit?" He gets a card slid over to him and groans, laying down his cards. "Twenty two." Bust. He turns his attention back to her again and smiles a little sheepishly. "Bad draw, I guess. But I'm a careful better, so I don't tend to lose a lot at least?" It's helpful, even if it makes everything a bit slower.

[unphase]

"I'd prefer to avoid it, too, if I can. I really like this dress," she says, gesturing to the little black dress.

Tinya gets a four and a nine. With a slightly smug smile at the dealer, she says "Hit," and is dealt an eight. The dealer has a Jack and a nine. "I win! Yay! Uh, no offense meant," she says, smiling at her companion.

"I...I'd actually meant to find you and talk to you a long time ago. I'd meant to, after the advise you'd given." I'm Tinya and I was the anon asking if one could love two people at once. I lost my nerve here, but I still appreciated your advice. So," she motions her head to the bar, "can I buy you a drink? Non-alcoholic, whatever you choose."

[aetherweaver]

"None taken." He nods to her and hesitates at the question. He's not much of a drinker to begin with, and with what's happened in the past... but it's fine. No one here has reason to harm him. So it's only a moment or two before he nods.

It's not like he's picky about drinks anyway - wine or ale is what he's known the most in his world, and there seems to be so many more choices that he wouldn't even know where to start. "I'm just glad that you seem all right. I didn't take you for the gambling type..."

Then again their conversation hadn't really touched on that, so maybe she is.

(CW: underage alcohol)

[unphase]

Tinya notices the hesitation and offers instead, "Or a snack, something to eat? They've got to at least have hors d'oeuvres somewhere." But at the nod, Tinya smiles.

"Let's stick with a flute or two of champagne. Something nice and fizzy, but not so much that we lose our edges." And Tinya smiled a little self-consciously. "I'm not, usually, hence the chickening out about telling the other person. But, an excuse to wear something nice, do something a little civilized if one doesn't take what's going on below into account?" The latter made her give a little moue of distaste. "I suppose I can't complain too loudly. How about you, do this often back home?"

[aetherweaver]

"No, no, drinks are fine." He's got to get over this aversion somehow, and he's not going to do it by avoiding it. Champagne is... fine? He doesn't have too much experience with it. "I should have dressed up, but I don't have much in the way of nice clothing outside of my equipment. It could be worse - I could have worn my paladin armor."

But that would have been too much - instead he's dressed in a red outfit with leather embellishments. His rapier is at his hip, but he's careful to keep it sheathed. "But no, I don't do this all that often at home. I've little reason to gamble - I'm quite well off by my world's standards in terms of finances. It wasn't always that way, but... it makes gambling a bit less fun. I play cards sometimes, but mostly when I'm in bars I'm listening to chatter or wincing at minstrels singing of my deeds."

High Stakes

[burnitblack]

Gambling had been one of the more common pastimes in the seedy world of Japan's villainous underground. Sometimes for keeps, sometimes for nothing. Dice, coins, cards, bowls, it's all sorts of experiences when sliding into the scene. Dabi's spent plenty of time in the gambling arena, merely watching as often as he puts his hand in for plays. So it's not a wonder he's taken to Goat Turning as a common stakeout for him while here in Trench.

Just hadn't expected to see Nara'a here. Participating, that is. Couldn't be for the smaller prizes; no, it must be for the larger ones. Something serious enough to drag him in. Knowing what he does of the miqo'te, the villain suspects either the blood-enchantment or an item from home. Either one was a fair prize, but neither of them would be his if Nara'a didn't control his damn body.

Which is why Dabi hooks a foot around the chair beside the man, drags it out, sinks himself down on it, pulls it in... and promptly catches Nara'a's tail in hand. "Ya poker face's shit if these things keep givin ya away."

[aetherweaver]

He jolts when his tail is grabbed, having been focused on the game. "I'm - ah -" He flushes a little bit and looks down at his cards. "... Hit me." He takes the card passed to him and does his best to contain his urge to practically sparkle. He lays down his cards and smiles. "I believe that's twenty?"

The dealer tsks and reveals his own hand. "Twenty-one." Nara'a droops and sighs, pushing a few chips over to the dealer before looking at Dabi. "I can't exactly stop them. That's like telling you to stop looking grumpy." He pouts, tail wiggling a little in the other's grasp to clearly indicate that he's teasing the other.

"There's something you want to win here?"

[burnitblack]

Hindsight says Nara'a might've jumped enough to hit him with some spell or something. But Dabi plays his cards right and doesn't get smote for the transgression. He watches the dealer and miqo'te go head to head for a brief, tense moment... and the sorcerer loses his chips. Not a bad loss, given the few number of chips surrendered.

"Oy, I don't look grumpy." Yes he does. Well, granted most of the time he just looks tired and bored, with a bad case of blase RBF as well. So yeah, grumpy. Then again, when Dabi smiles, it's usually not a positive thing. He glances down at the man's tail, then promptly pushes one leg upward on his toes, loops Nara'a's tail under and around his thigh, and lowers his leg back down, with the lion-like tuft sitting on the inside of his thigh. "Done."

Now it's secure. As for those ears... well... He'd need a hood. And that might not even stop them.

"Got my eye on a few options. I'll see how my luck holds up."

[aetherweaver]

Fortunately he's aware he's in a place with people and not monsters, so he's a little less quick on the draw than he would be normally. But he grins and chuckles. "Uh huh - wh -"

His tail gets stuffed inside of his pants and he's suddenly very aware of how fluffy his tail is. He huffs a bit as his tail wiggles against his leg. It's effective, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. His ears flick back in obvious distaste.

"Yeah? Hm. ... I've got my eye on something special. I'd like my gun back." Of course he can do more with it than just shoot, but that's the main part of the whole job.

[burnitblack]

Too bad. Dabi doesn't move much when that tail moves against his leg. If it's an invasion of personal space and privacy, too fucking bad. Nara'a wants to get something important to him, then he better be ready to make a sacrifice to achieve that goal.

Fanning his cards out, Dabi eyes the cards on the table and the ones in his hand. Tsk, not the greatest hand. He doesn't feel confident enough to even try a bluff. Best to not feed into the pot and hang on for a while to scope out the actions of the others before he folds. Nothing wrong with learning his opponents.

"Your gun?" Dabi arches a brow, though doesn't look at Nara'a, so as to avoid messing more with the man's evolving poker face. "Didn't think ya were someone who slung bullets..."

[aetherweaver]

He rolls his eyes a little bit at the question. "Machinists are a new discipline in my world. At least around where I'm from. But while the cartridges contain gunpowder like the ones here, you can set them off or move them around with aether. ... Plus I've made a number of attachments and enhancements to it."

Nara'a could go on, but his attention is drawn back to the cards. He does his best to hide his distaste at his hand, but he does his best to keep his face stoic and still.

"... Sometimes the straightforward solution is the best. Why spend so much aether on a complicated spell when you could just shoot someone?"

[burnitblack]

Oy, it's not his fault Nara'a never let on he was a gunslinger. Though maybe he should've guessed the guy had some experience since he had some familiarity and advice when Dabi found those old pirate pistols underwater. "Move them around? Ya mean like floatin and shootin from stealthy spots?" Because that's both useful and pretty cool.

Dabi glances up at Nara'a's ears when the next hand is dealt. Might be a little cheating since he's got one of the man's tells wrapped around his leg, but whatever. He's someone the miqo'te knows, so he can have an advantage. Besides, might be tempted to fold when it seems like the guy's ready to win. "Heh, no kiddin. Got a few people with that mindset back home."

Not a lot, but it happens.

Shadowbringers spoilers

[aetherweaver]

"Yes, pretty much. I can also shoot from nearly any angle I please. ... Plus I have a few additional tricks that I can do. You'll just have to find out~." He grins at the other and lets his tail thump in amusement. He's trying to keep himself still for the cards, but he can respond like this for other things, surely.

His ears twitch as the cards are dealt, but it's a little difficult to tell if that's pleased or displeased. His face is mostly still as well. The only hint is his tail sweeping in an annoyed arc, though whether Dabi picks up on that or not is up to him. He puts a few chips in, if only to make the pot bigger.

"There's a few with that mindset as well. With one notable incident in particular..." Fuck you, Emet-Selch. For various reasons.

High Stakes

[slightlytaller]

Waver Velvet was fully dressed for the occasion, with his hair pulled back into a neat ponytail and dark glasses sitting in silent, almost menacing observation while he played the tables. He was a man well practiced in games involving wits and guile-- bluffs in particular were a specialty.

While it seemed that he was almost unobtrusive at the table, he certainly was quietly socking away the winnings while others made a bigger show of grandiose plays or spectacular failures. He didn't need to take the entire pot; just enough, and he wasn't asking questions.

Finishing up, he spotted Nara'a and weaved through the crowd to meet him. The Miquot'e's struggles weren't lost on him... but, he had an idea. He approached Nara'a from the side and leaned forward to exchange a few words in relative privacy:

"You're very honest at this game. Just play it cool, pretend that everyone at the table is a dangerous enemy that you can't even give an inch to. Let's see if that helps you get what you're wanting."

Shadowbringers spoilers

[aetherweaver]

He blinked a little in surprise, tilting his head slightly. That advice... it wasn't bad, and he couldcertainly pull off the stoic look, but - well. When had he faced an enemy not in combat?

... Ah. Of course. The peace talks. His ears flicked back in distaste and he sighed. He set his jaw and looked up at one of the other players who quickly averted his gaze. After a few moments of shuffling cards, the players all laid their hands out - and Nara'a took in a few chips to add to his collection. He turned to Makenzie and smiled.

"I didn't expect to see you here. You're not the sort I'd think to gamble." Not on cards, at least.

Re: Shadowbringers spoilers

[slightlytaller]

"Oh, I have my reasons."

Nara'a was right, though. Waver did not typically gamble-- but, with recent affairs in town and the Moss King being on deck, he was willing to try his odds.

He never would have guessed that a decade bluffing out enemies within the Mages Association would be put to use like this.

"I'm building a fund for a classroom," he confessed. "... Among other things. I don't need much, but I do need a cushion for bigger projects."

[aetherweaver]

"A classroom? Interesting. ... Just for you, or for others?" Look, he could lecture on aetheric theory for hours. Don't even get him started. (Please do.)

He chewed on his lip with a fang and nodded. "I saw that you could ask for a lot of things... so I'd like to ask for one of my soul stones back. It'd be nice to have some less magically-intensive ranged options. ... Plus shooting a gun can just be fun in combat if you're doing it stylishly."

[slightlytaller]

" ... You'd be interested in working with Ozpin?"

He asked, brows lifting. Ozpin had been working on outfitting his academy for a while, and Waver had stumbled upon his fellow professor by chance. They had been working together for months. It was obvious that Ozpin would want additional teachers, but Waver was waiting on Ozpin's cue to even start recruiting.

He hadn't imagined it would happen so seamlessly, or that he could potentially call Nara'a a colleague.

[aetherweaver]

"I don't... really him. But I do know that if I'm going to lecture people on aetheric theory then I might as well gather them together so I don't have to do it more than once." He grinned a little bit, his tail wiggling in amusement.

"Plus I have a lot of combat skills... a lot of people here seem like they're set on that front, but I know not everyone is. I... suppose I could teach that, though not in a classroom if you'd like the desks to stay intact."

He might not be able to teach everyone how to Unlimited Blade Works summon giant swords, but he definitely could teach someone how to block with a shield.

[slightlytaller]

"You'd be surprised by the amount of explosions I've had in my lecture hall, and how often I've taken my kids into the field."

He smiled. In many ways, his students were more trustworthy and more reliable than any of his peers. Waver himself may have been poor on the front lines of a fight, but he was glad to stand in support of them any day.

"It sounds like we have the same problem. I've had people ask me to teach them about everything from magic theory to language studies to theology so far, and I've only been here for a year."

He shrugged. That was his fault-- he had offered on the network multiple times.

"And, like you would be a good fit for Ozpin's ideas. He was the headmaster of a battle academy in his world, so your skillset should be a fairly close match to his."

[aetherweaver]

"A battle academy? Interesting. I suppose the concept of one isn't so strange - there are multiple guilds in my world that teach fighting styles. A centralized academy for something like that would be a good thing." He could only imagine the squabbles about which style is best, but it could be fun.

"I've found I don't mind teaching, though I'm not as learned as some. If Urianger were here he would be better suited to explaining... though his style of speech is... confusing. ... He speaks like an old tome." Even more Olde English Eorzean than the rest of the group.

Formal schooling would have been great for him, but it just wasn't an option. He wasn't Sharlayan, so he didn't have access to the Studium... and that was probably the one place that most modern people would recognize as a school. Otherwise it was mostly tutors, which his family wouldn't have been able to afford.

He smiled at Makenzie and nodded. "We've got to give each other the tools to survive. I'd be more than happy to help. I've... done a bit of battle tutoring before, though mostly one on one. Back when I was more of a spear-user than a scythe-user..."