I am Kaanai, Shadeweaver Aspirant.
Shadeweaver is my name of my line. My line has taken this name as a title, and only those of this family that prove themselves are given the name. To prove oneself, a Shadeweaver Aspirant must face the Hundred Trials.
The Hundred Trials are to be faced alone, which can easily lead to the death of an Aspirant. After being trained in the basics of combat, a Shadeweaver is sent out into the world to seek out their Trials. These challenges are to be chosen by the Aspirant, but must offer some sort of experience or wisdom to the Aspirant. After completing the Hundred Trials, the Shadeweaver Aspirant must return to his or her mentor and explain the encounters of each challenge they have faced. If the Aspirant's mentor accepts the Hundred Trials, they will challenge the Aspirant to one final fight. Should the Aspirant succeed in the fight, they will then be accepted as a Shadeweaver.
Shadeweaver is my name of my line. My line has taken this name as a title, and only those of this family that prove themselves are given the name. To prove oneself, a Shadeweaver Aspirant must face the Hundred Trials.
The Hundred Trials are to be faced alone, which can easily lead to the death of an Aspirant. After being trained in the basics of combat, a Shadeweaver is sent out into the world to seek out their Trials. These challenges are to be chosen by the Aspirant, but must offer some sort of experience or wisdom to the Aspirant. After completing the Hundred Trials, the Shadeweaver Aspirant must return to his or her mentor and explain the encounters of each challenge they have faced. If the Aspirant's mentor accepts the Hundred Trials, they will challenge the Aspirant to one final fight. Should the Aspirant succeed in the fight, they will then be accepted as a Shadeweaver.
Trial One
Opponent: Feyana
The Trial of Skill
Opponent: Feyana
The Trial of Skill
In my first trial I faced a swordsman wielding two weapons. After a quick fight, I impaled my opponent on my sword and forced her to surrender to me. I learned in this trial that more weapons does not decide the battle. A swordsman with only one blade can defeat a swordsman trained in the use of two, despite being at what would otherwise be a disadvantage, if they abuse the opponents coordination.
Trial Two
Opponent: Aihard
The Trial of Defense
In my second trial I faced a knight wielding a short sword and shield. I struggled much against his defensive capability, and did not escape the fight without suffering my own wounds. Even following bringing my opponent to his knees, he struggled to fight. Despite this struggle, I claimed victory, having forced my opponent to yield. I learned in this trial that an opponent with a strong defense can often be defeated by manipulating their other weak points, if you know how to manipulate their own defense against them.Opponent: Aihard
The Trial of Defense
Trial Three
Opponent: Frederich
The Trial of Injuries
For my third trial I faced a warrior wielding one sword while I was injured. Despite being injured, I was able to keep pace with my opponent. After suffering another strike, I found I was slipping. My trial was difficult, but I proceeded through pain and claimed victory after forcing my opponent to surrender. In this trial I have learned that when injured, the best way to defeat an opponent is to quickly bring them to an equal level before they are able to exploit your own weaknesses.Opponent: Frederich
The Trial of Injuries
Trial Four
Opponent: Merud
The Trial of Reach
Opponent: Merud
The Trial of Reach
My fourth trial was an opponent with a polearm. This opponent was swift and had great reach, but with swiftness and skillful evasion, I was able to surpass my opponent but he denied my offer to surrender and I was forced to kill him. In this trial I learned that an opponent with reach, despite having an advantage, may sacrifice mobility or speed to gain their long reach. This weakness can easily be manipulated and used to overcome the opponent if you are swift enough.
Trial Five
Opponent: Larah
The Trial of Frost
Opponent: Larah
The Trial of Frost
For my fifth trial, I faced a frost evoker. I managed to strike first and do significant damage to my opponent. The frost magic succeeded in slowing me, but the mage was underarmored, and I was easily able to outmaneuver most of the spells. When the frost magic was combined with fire, I was taken by surprise and suffered a painful wound, slowing me enough for my attack to be avoided. I failed this trial when my wrecklessness caused me to be brought down by a sharp spike of ice, and I surrendered to my opponent. Once I am prepared to fight once more, I will seek out Larah Evans to challenge this trial once more.
Having found Larah Evans once more, I challenged her to test my ability in this trial again. I was able to avoid most of her strikes, and land a good number of my own strikes. I feel I may have suffered in the fight due to my use of more merciful strikes. Despite this, my initial strikes were sufficient in causing enough pain to the evoker to harm the combat capability of her spells. I incapacitated my opponent finally with a kick to the torso. In this trial I've learned that facing an evoker, while extremely dangerous, is best attempted by first bringing down their ability to focus on their spell casting. Once they are handicapped an evoker, unless otherwise trained, is generally an easy target to defeat.
Trial Six
Opponent: Kahadul
The Trial of Giants
For my Sixth trial, I faced a Tauren warrior. My initial strikes were with little success, and I suffered a mighty blow from his shield. I was unable to force my opponent to move, as I could with smaller opponents. The stature of my opponent allowed him to easily lift me off the ground, but this allowed me to land a sufficient blow to his head. My opponent attempted using his large form to charge at me, but I was able to easily dodge the strike and successfully stab him. I claimed victory by forcing my opponent to surrender to me. In this trial, I learned an opponent with the benefit of the stature of a giant can have their large size exploited to be a weakness by someone of sufficient skill.Opponent: Kahadul
The Trial of Giants
Trial Seven
Opponent: Thunderdrome Hyenas
The Trial of the Pack
For my Seventh trial I faced Hyenas in the Thunderdrome arena of Tanaris. Their numbers and pack-like maneuvers were overwhelming, but I was able to evade most of their strikes easily. Being simple beasts, it was easy to manipulate their crude organization against them. After slaying two of the beasts, the remaining Hyena seemed to enter an enraged state, causing it to strike viciously. Unfortunately, the beast was able to bring me to my knees and I was forced to surrender. Once I am more prepared to face this trial again, I will seek out an equally qualified pack of beasts to challenge the Trial of the Pack once more.Opponent: Thunderdrome Hyenas
The Trial of the Pack
I found a dwarf with three vicious beasts in his wake, and found this to be a suitable alternative for this trial. Despite facing a Lion, Bear, and a Raptor, I found it was best to remain non-lethal. I was hardly agile enough to avoid all of their combined strikes, and was forced to bring my blade on them in the end. I struggled against the gathering of beasts, and they were agile enough to avoid many strikes. I defeated the raptor with a stab, forcing it to retreat. The lion was finished with a nonlethal strike to the head. The bear was brought down with a kick to the head. Fortunately I was able to avoid severely injuring the creatures with my blade, but this was not without suffering my own wounds. In this trial I've learned to understand the power of greater numbers and organization, but do not be distracted by it.
Trial Eight
Opponent: Feyana
The Trial of Reflexes
For my Eighth trial I faced a training Demon Hunter. I was unarmed while my opponent fought with wicked blades. Each strike I suffered was devastating due to my lack of defensive ability, but I was able to strike swiftly many times. I was able to claim victory and force my opponent to surrender after unleashing a flurry of kicks. In this trial I've learned that despite being unarmed against an opponent much more swift and deadly than the average warrior, I am able to tap into a place within me to center myself and become just as deadly unarmed as I would be with a weapon.Opponent: Feyana
The Trial of Reflexes
Trial Nine
Opponent: Wayne
The Trial of Fists FAILED
For my Ninth trial I faced an thug in unarmed combat. His strikes landed firm, and he was able to evade or block many of my attacks. I landed enough strikes to see him beginning to falter, but in the end I was unable to best him in combat and was forced to yield. When I am more prepared to face him again, I will seek out the thug Stone and defeat him in unarmed combat.Opponent: Wayne
The Trial of Fists FAILED
Trial Ten
Opponent: Zek
The Trial of Bullets
For my Tenth trial I faced a goblin armed with firearms and explosives. I was unable to avoid the few shots he took with his firearms, but was successful in keeping the distance between me and him as close as possible. I was disarmed by a shot to the hand, but was able to finish my opponent with an incapacitating kick to the head. I then forced my opponent to surrender. In this trial I've learned that while firearms are extremely deadly weapons at any range, they are easily defeated if able to successfully close the distance between the fighter and the marksman.
Opponent: Zek
The Trial of Bullets