The Exercise Hall [NS]

   The walls of this large training hall are lined with sturdy shelves,
tough baobab forms the higher shelves, and plain gray stone the lower
shelves. A variety of training equipment lies around the heavily-scuffed
floor, mostly stone weights of various kinds, as well as wooden clubs and
staves used to improve one's coordination. The hall is full of sweating,
smelly mercenaries, grunting their way through several hundred repetitions
of weightlifting, or stretching, or balance and speed drills. Archways to
the north and south lead into smaller halls, from which the sounds of
combat can be heard, and an archway to the east leads out to a large, dusty
training yard, from which the sounds of shouted commands can be heard.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf unstraps his new bone breastplate and his 
new set of scrab-shell armguards and sets them down upon the ground, allowing 
his gut to spring outward and his musky armpits to ventilate as he moves 
toward a long balance-beam.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf climbs up onto one end of the balance-beam, 
grunting lightly as he rises on the balance-beam.

Very slowly, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf moves out across the long, 
unstable balance-beam as he draws his short bone sparring sword up in his 
offhand and proceeds to swipe at the air before him as he nears the other end.

Upon reaching the opposite end, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf leaps into 
the air and twists his torso sharply in mid-air, landing so that he faces 
the end of the balance-beam he'd approached from.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf moves across the beam quickly as he swipes 
the air with his short bone sparring sword, his meaty body plummeting from 
the beams without warning and into the hay below.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf pops out of the hay with a heavy grunt and 
moves onto the opposite end, climbing the balance-beam s he mutters under 
his breath.

Slowly, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf shuffles toward the middle of the 
balance-beam, arcing his sparring blade through the air and to each side, his 
body beginning to glisten with sweat.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf claps his short bone sparring sword against 
the balance beam before bobbing a bit on the beam and moving toward the 
other end at a quicker pace.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf hits the floor with a heavy thud, his body-fat 
jiggling as he moves away from the balance-beam and toward the low stone shelves.


Rolling his shoulders and swinging his arms at his sides, the one-eyed, 
potbellied dwarf slowly moves toward a low stone shelf laden with stone free-weights.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf pulls up a couple of heavy stone free-weights 
from the low stone shelf.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf pumps the heavy stone free-weights simultaneously, 
grunting with successive repetitions; impressive biceps darkening in color as a 
sheen of sweat covers his body, and blood rushes to his straining muscles.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf drops the heavy stone free-weights abruptly to 
his feet before rotating his shoulders and placing his arms in a hoop shape before him.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf parts his arms as he moves them to each of 
his sides with the likeness of crescents before joining them as a circle once more.

In a smooth motion, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf continues to move 
his arms away and together, holding the crescent shapes before finally 
flinging his arms backwards to further stretch his chest, shoulders and arms as 
he exhales audibly.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf stoops and recovers the heavy stone free-weights 
before curling them upwards to his chest then lining his arms at from his sides 
to level with his shoulders repeatedly.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf huffs as he continues to work his muscles 
weary, his facial expression souring with each repetition and his protesting 
grunts becoming louder.

Finally, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf settles the heavy stone free-weights 
upon the lower stone shelf behind him.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf begins to jog in place, his sweaty 
torso jiggling as he slowly quickens the pace into that of a frantic 
sprint, his thick feet pounding against the floor loudly.

The one-eyed, potbellied dwarf slows his jogging to a stop and walks 
the exercise hall in large a circle, his breath coming heavily.

As his breath slows, the one-eyed, potbellied dwarf gathers up a new set of 
scrab-shell armguards and a new bone breastplate before moving toward the archway tiredly.

You step out to...

The Drill Yard [NES]
   This large, dusty yard is set in the middle of several buildings, most
of them fairly tall. The sand underfoot is coarse and gritty, and is caked
with sweat or blood in more than a few places. Various pieces of equipment
are scattered around the area, including some humanoid-shaped practice
targets and wooden practice weapons of all kinds. Several groups of rough-
looking mercenaries are engaged in combat drills, overseen by sergeants
barking out crisp orders, and with a lieutenant or two supervising the
overall situation in this part of the yard.
   To the north lies a dank-looking building, from which emanates a foul
stench of some kind, and, to the west, a stone archway leads into a large
hall. The yard continues to the south and east.
The slim, clear-eyed woman works her way through a weapons drill here.