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Misa	It's late afternoon in Great Forks- the kind of moment that tends to be a lull in activity until a resurgence of hustle in the evening. A small dojo of... middling repute, one might say, sits in the shade of a sizable group residence. They're somewhat known for skills with fists and staves, but perhaps as much so rumoured to be involved in one form of crime or another, depending on who you ask. Today, though, they have a visitor. She carries a pair of short, light training 'swords', and has been engaging the dojo as a visitor- helping the fighters test themselves against outsiders. Thus far? She's acquitted herself nicely in hand to hand combat- though it's clearly not her focus in training, she's about as quick and agile as one could hope to see. But when the training weapons come out- staff for them, paired 'blades' for her, she dismantles the opposition in short order each and every time. Hasn't broken a sweat since the weapons came out. She is in a brief conversation with one of the instructors at the present moment, her voice quiet and, oddly, apologetic.
Raullaur	At the door, a tall, broad leonine figure steps, dressed in cream colored linen and leather, with neither arms nor armor. EIther incredibly naive, or dangerous enough that he doesn't need them, it seems. Asking about dojos, he's been sent here, though whether for information or to be 'tested' himself, only the previous informants could say. When he steps inside, he looks around for a moment, not simply barging in and demanding answers. This, though, just gets a rather brash student to come up to him. "Here for a fight? We will be glad to instruct you with an exchange of techniques." Her eyes glitter as Raul simply shakes his head. "Not today. I was hoping to talk about a dojo I saw, a style being practiced. I don't know it, but since they might be bandits, I need to know more." The voice is a deep rumble, somewhere between purr and growl. "Who can help me?"
Misa	A pause in the other conversation as the much louder guest appears. The visitor, Misa, sizes the man up for a moment before excusing herself and stepping over. "I beg your pardon, sir. But I am also a guest here- and I would like to ask if you have any additional information on this group you seek? There are a number of schools of martial styles in Great Forks, and some additional detail would help determine whom exactly you seek and how they might be found," she says- her voice is soft, and perhaps not the most assertive, but there's confidence in her movements at the very least.
Raullaur	Raullaur nods, a bit gruffly. "They are out in the woods to the north, an old ruin on a secluded hill. And I saw some of their practice..." He goes on to describe the forms he saw, but apparently he is not used to the martial arts himself, since it is rather generic: moving from one form to another, a sudden punch and strike, teams of two going against each other and working together. "Frustrating. Not sure I even know the right questions to ask..."
Misa	"... Well, if naught else, I can see why you are having some difficulty," Misa muses softly- nearly under her breath, really. She shrugs it off, head shaking and turning pointedly away from some student assuring Raullaur of exactly how their style would defeat this vaguely described form. "Perhaps, then... did you see any weapons? Real or of the training variety? Did you actually fight any of them, and did any wear any sort of armour?"
Raullaur	Raullaur thinks a long moment, and starts to nod. "I saw staffs, twin short swords, and warhammers wielded among them," Raullaur says. "And some wore armor of varying degrees--even a couple of the hammer people wielding heavy armor." He blinks his eyes open. "That's what I recall from those."
Misa	"... That... sounds like a variety of different styles, else one I have never heard of before," Misa says, closing her eyes a moment as she thinks. "These hammers- a full headed hammer, or more of a weighted club? Did you see any bows among the staff wielders? And perhaps most notably, did the sword-wielders strike you as more evasive or focused on parrying with the blades?" she questions, running through lists in her mind as she thinks- her practice blades end up stowed through a sash around her waist as her arms cross.
Raullaur	"I only saw the full hammers," Raullaur muses. "And the sword-wielders were definitely parrying rather than evading," he says with much more certainty. "Bows among the staff?" He frowns, and then blinks. "There was one. Only one, but there was one."
Misa	Misa nods- and some amount of tension appears to ease from her shoulders, and her arms uncross for the moment. "I confess, for a moment it sounded as though you were describing a trio of the Immaculate martial arts, which would be very strange for random individuals in a ruin. If I were to wager a guess, if the users of the swords did not also do much fighting with fists, they might cleave to the Steel Devil style of swordplay- one I know very well. The hammer I am uncertain on, whereas the staves... may need additional detail. From the top of my mind, I can think of two styles that would use broad sweeping motions, and one that would focus more on trickery and deception- even leading different opponents to strike each other by mistake."
Raullaur	"Well, that would be a drought of trouble," Raullaur grumbles. "Because I got told that there was a group of bandits out there, and someone wants my band to wipe them out or capture them, but these people are at the right place. So...could be Immaculates, you say? If so, where's the Wyld Hunt?" His tail lashes and ears flick in irritation. "But I just don't know enough..." He shakes his head, tossing his mane. "Never learned the martial arts styles myself, always focused on having a sword in hand."
Misa	"Well, there are certainly martial traditions that use swords- I practice two of them myself," Misa notes, quiet as she considers the situation. "I do wonder- it would be exceedingly strange for there to be a wyld hunt near Great Forks- it is not a kind city to the immaculate faith, being a city of gods. A ruin would be an odd place as well. I do not suppose you happened to see anyone of odd skin tint or what have you. Or perhaps signs of excessive growth, oddly-shaped grinding of stone, or unexpected scorch marks?"
Raullaur	"True enough, and maybe I could learn a style--though I normally wear armor," Raullaur says, and considers, still for a moment except for the tick, tick, tick of his tailtip flicking. "No, I saw no-one with odd skin tint or features like I have seen on some of the Dragon-blooded here," he says, finally. "So...it is curious. A think it is a trap meant to catch me and my company in it. Perhaps start a larger conflict that perhaps should not be started."
Misa	"Plenty of styles are accustomed to armour. White Reaper stylists are known to wear full suits of armour and take on squadrons and supposedly even armies with spear, staff, or scythe. Earth Dragon stylists do too- though one hears tales of dragonblooded masters transcending the need for it," notes Misa, head shaking slightly. "My own styles are designed to accomodate anything short of a full suit of plate, in fact." She shrugs it off- attempting to veer herself away from teacher mode so to speak. "At any rate, if these -are- practitioners of the immaculate styles, I think it most likely they are not from Great Forks, as the immaculate faith tends to be... unwelcome, here. I would not devote too much more time to the local schools."
Raullaur	"True enough. But then would it be someone from the city hoping I get rid of them? Someone trying to instigate a fight between the city and them if I'm acting on a contract supposedly from the city? The situation smells. And if these are Immaculates, well...maybe they're scouting around and there's going to be Wyld Hunt coming? That would make everything disrupted."
Misa	"This would be a... strange place for a hunt. Certainly some less desireable cults about, but hardly any talk of the moon-touched or any such around, no rogue gods beyond the norm, and the Realm from what I hear is stretched overly thin for this to be a concerted power play," muses Misa, shrugging slightly. "Perhaps a desperate house looking for an impressive feat for clout and resources? Difficult to say."
Raullaur	"Maybe so..." Raullaur shakes his head. "I'll certainly end up taking the place over, but...before that, need to know what we're dealing with. Would you mind coming out to see some time?" He looks curiously to Misa. "And where are my manners. Haven't asked your name. Haven't offered mine. Raullaur, warleader of the Lion's Pride," he says. Though if it really is him, he's often been rumored to walk openly with orichalcum plate and blade...
Misa	"I could perhaps do so- I may see signs of from whence this group comes, particularly if they can be drawn from the camp enough to take a close look at it," Misa agrees, nodding just a little. "My... name is Hanase Misa. Misa is perfectly acceptable. And I had not thought it a difficult deduction to determine who you are, given context and... well, your uncommon stature."