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Burning Blade Dojo

by RoninKitty

"A while back I was passin through on my own business, and saw some student givin Ronin lip, he musta flown maybe twenty yards before landing on his arse in the street. All she did was give 'im a little shove!"

- Burnt Umber, Professional Ne'er-do-well

"We can teach anyone, but they have to be willing to learn"

- Ronin

The Burning Blade Dojo is an oasis of serenity in the normally hectic and raucous district of Cinnabar. The building itself is square, with a central courtyard open to the sky. Various plants and trees adorn the courtyard, adding to the natural ambience and aura of calm that pervades the place. The architecture of the dojo is vaguely First Age in design, but exhibits no special qualities and is made of normal brick and mortar. Two huge gates stand open to admit any who seek to use the dojo, and are only closed in the event of the floodwaters rising. The plaque above the gates reads simply 'All who enter are equal'.

The dojo is run by a lady called Ronin, a slender and lithe woman who typically dresses in the loose flowing robes of a master sensei. She carries a narrow bladed daiklaive of indeterminate construction, and greets any attempt by others to investigate either it or herself with a narrowing of her emerald green, slitted cats-eye pupils. Her only other affectations are the trinkets and charms woven in to her long, dark braided hair. Graceful, courteous and somewhat distant, she treats everyone that attends her classes with the same level of politeness and respect no matter their station outside of the Burning Blade. She expects all students at the dojo to respect others in attendance, and will expel any person she deems to be of 'unfit personality' to train.

There are several masters on retainer to the dojo, and they train students in unarmed combat as well as the use of weapons. The classes are run twice a day (typically before and after the standard working hours of the average citizen), 5 days a week. Cost is based solely on ability to pay (anyone that complains about this or lies about their means is firmly shown the door). Students that have made a commitment to train at the Burning Blade are expected to attend at least one session per day, as any less leaves severe doubt as to their motivation. Ronin and the other masters give individual instruction during the daytime to some students, and this is how several of the other masters earn extra cash. Ronin however, rarely offers extra tuition to a student but always does so for free, and no one has yet turned down her offer to improve their skills. Terms tend to run for several months at a time, and classes alternate between fitness training, sparring and even philosophical debate. The classes occur in the central courtyard and the interior of the building, where there are practice rooms for different styles of combat.

There was a recent bout of hot gossip when Righteous Walks of the Golden Lion Guild paid Ronin a visit. According to witnesses, Righteous walked in to the courtyard and both he and Ronin stared at each other without a word for a good hour, before they retired to Ronin's personal quarters (the only second story structure of the dojo) and were seen to be talking and drinking tea well in to the night.

From time to time, well known skilled warriors are asked to give demonstrations at the dojo and, if willing, teach some of what they know. One of the current masters, TwistedLight was a wandering swordsman before settling down to teach permanently after such an offer. Ronin recently approached Cha'Trek and asked him to give a demonstration of his skills to the dojo students at his convenience, as long as it did not interfere with his duties to his mistress.

Rumours

• One popular urban myth surrounding the dojo is that it was built on an old barracks of Hollow, and the ghosts from that place whisper their secrets to the masters and students of the Burning Blade, allowing their dead skills to be reborn in new flesh.
• Some say Ronin is a skilled assassin, and before founding the dojo travelled across the Scavenger Lands seeking her fortune and testing her skills. The jewellery and other assorted nick nacks in her hair are from her victims, she always takes a piece of any target in order to remember them by. Others say that Ronin has been seen visiting The Red Cat, and in particular one of the locked rooms there, leading many to believe that she may still be taking contracts in order to support her dojo. Others dismiss this idea and suggest she may just be visiting for leisure.
• The hottest gossip concerning the dojo is the identity of the Burning Blade itself. As Ronin has never drawn her sword in public, it is impossible to confirm the various rumours (that of a sword forged of fire or of metal so hot it cauterises skin with but a touch). Some even speculate that the name refers to a secret martial arts style taught to some students. The most recent stories paint Ronin as a skilled sorcerer as well as martial artist, and claim she has bound a fire elemental in to the form of a sword.
• It is whispered (usually among those too scared to walk through the gates of the Burning Blade) that the plaque above the entrance negates the magical power of all who pass under it whilst they are in the building.

Secret

• The Burning Blade is a clearing house of sorts for several different groups including the Cult of the Illuminated, Lookshy, The Realm and even a Deathlord, Walker in Darkness. Ronin evaluates all her students for certain talents and exceptional skills, and if the student is willing, speaks to the relevant group that might be interested in recruiting them. Ronin meets her contacts in various places around Nexus and never at the Burning Blade itself.
• Ronin is a half-caste with the uncanny talent of sensing other exalts and essence-attuned beings. Ironically, she has been unable to determine her parent exalt type, despite numerous attempts via divination and other more powerful magics. Whilst this might suggest she is a Sidereal half-caste, she may also have Fair Folk blood running through her veins and clouding any attempt to categorise it. Her eyes are another legacy from her exalted parent rather than a wyld mutation, and allow her to see clearly at night as well as showing essence flows as sparkling silver rivers in her sight.

Comments

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