On the subject of shields,
I wasn't going to say anything about this here but... I know its going to keep coming up so here goes.
My people consider the use of a shield to denote a lack of trust in one's weapon. Honestly, I don't know. I've seen some very skilled warriors who use shields... to great effect. I've also seen that not all Barbarians (I don't mean this as an insult, only to include those from other lands since they don't all call themselves the same thing) are evil pillagers out to take my land, which is something many elves leaving the Veiled Forest would be surprised to find. Maybe we still have some things to learn from other races. Maybe this is one of them.
I really hope that some day I'll be skilled enough that I don't need a shield, but seeing as I'm just starting out... no I don't trust my weapon yet, and I'd be pretty silly to do so. In the meantime, out of consideration for those from whom I will need healing, in battle I am going to use what will give me the most survivability. I don't yet know what style that will be. Maybe I will prove to be a genius of the sword, next Champion of the Sun before I'm 30! Or maybe I'll be a big clutz who trips over her own feet and makes the monsters laugh themselves to death.
We'll have to wait and see.
Respectfully,
Michiko