Sword and buckler an outsider's view, priest training day.

Den Of Geek goes on a warrior priest training day

N P Horton

I had the monkish equivalent of Darth Maul menacingly eyeing me up,? ?like the easy foppish meat I obviously am?…

Ahead of Priest’s release on DVD and Blu-ray today, Nick went off to a remote forest to learn all about sword fighting, and becoming a warrior monk...

Published on Sep 2, 2011
If you haven?’?t yet seen? ?Priest,? ?you may not be aware of the joys of watching kindly religious figures turn into bad-ass warriors, and then killing vampires with such things as ninja throwing crosses and rosary darts.
But the question was, could a mere Den of Geek writer be turned into one of these holy warriors?? ?The answer is sort of.? ?A bit.? ?Look,? ?I got to play with swords all day, and that?’?s good enough for me!? ?Summoned to a mysterious crypt in an ominous wooded glade? (?actually the rather lovely Abney Park in Stoke Newington?)?,? ?I was greeted by a hooded figure who promised to take us to meet our sacerdos,? ?and then train us in the feudal arts of sword and buckler.? ?Which basically meant I?’?d be taught sword fighting by a monk?. Just your average Wednesday afternoon, really.?
Our robed warrior stepped from the shadows to greet us.? ?He looked absolutely ripped under his cowl,? ?and the glimpses of a mass of tattoos peeking out from the sleeves suggested this guy meant business.? ?He then picked up a long sword and, with a practised air, swung it casually in his hands as he approached.? ?Not for the first time this afternoon,? ?I started to wonder whether learning to sword fight would be as fun and light-hearted as I’d imagined.?
The possibility of having my head chopped off and rolling through the undergrowth in a bloody mess started to play out before my eyes.? ?I had the monkish equivalent of Darth Maul menacingly eyeing me up,? ?like the easy foppish meat I obviously am?…

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