289 replies to this topic

[Rytiko]

((x_X ... Harsh. But I suppose it does have a bit of truth to it. Although I have to disagree about the "few post win" thing. Considering this was a purely physical fight, neither of us armed with hundreds of projectile weapons, is there really any CHOICE in the matter? Close combat always comes with the intent of killing your opponent as quickly as possible, and it seems that would be the road we both took, though I was trying to get to the claws for some better defense against the trident.

And you've got a point about the points system - it'd be an interesting addition. Not only that, collaboration would be a GREAT way to prevent auto-hits and such. Because, in close combat such as this, unless you want your post to be 2-3 lines long, chances are you're going to be riding on the edge of an auto-hit.

More annoying than our auto-hitting was the god modding though, lol. I'll admit, I did it too - my character probably should have died long before he did. But it also seems like the laws of physics would've granted him at least one hit in all of this... Most notably that last raging assault. Sorry, but it just seems like it's impossible to avoid a speeding assault like that from such close range with no backward momentum going on - in fact, he had forward momentum. I'd not have had a problem if he did something like I did - leaning back and releasing his feet from the ground to null most of the damage and prevent the combo. I still don't have much of a problem with it really, it just seems somewhat impossible. Also the trident thrust, as he had, in the previous post, let go of it.

No matter though - I don't really feel like redoing anything in that fight. Plus I'm probably starting to sound whiney, for which I have no right - logically, I guess I shouldn't have really been able to swipe the net aside with such ease. I'm equally guilty, lol. My character, though a martial arts master, wasn't really built for that type of setting, so my tactics were a little less than fair I guess.))

'I have to train my body more... I wasn't fast enough, wasn't strong enough... If I can't do this without the Hisakada power, then I'll only prove to father that his way is best! Next time... I won't lose.'

Kobushi didn't re-enter the arena. He had no desire to look upon the face of his victorious opponent, and would not be able to bare the disappointment of such a loss if he did. Defeated, so ungracefully, by such an old man...? Kobushi could think of no loss more disastrous to his honor. But then, even if he had won, he would think nothing of it by those standards. His opponent was more than just an old man, Kobushi convinced himself. If he fought him again, he'd tear him apart and find out just what he really was...

But before he could do that, he'd have to get stronger. To do that, he'd have to train. So he went to the home he had in this underground city to hone his skills and be ready for the next time he had to fight with that man...

[Queztatlapoca]

"that last fight was quite something" Teyld thought to himself. "i do hope to get to challenge both of them"

Rising to his feet, Teyld was ready for another fight so (seeing as he can read but not write) he headed into the pit and bellowed "Who will accept my challenge?" and then he waited...

[Caseyweederman]

Casey smiled and closed his eyes.

On the field, Casey looked up at himself in that valued seat. The seated Casey waved
The Casey on the field shimmered and turned to Telyd.

"You're on.
Setting two, you can choose the rest."



((I'd like to see if we can get by without the points system for a bit. Let's have fun and create something good.))

[Queztatlapoca]

((sure thing just go easy on me =P))

"Type 5" was all Teyld said

He then smiled as the snow appeared on the ground and the chain formed around both opponents waist. The snow, wind, and hail started almost immediately. Teyld felt the icy cold biting at his upper body. But nevertheless he wraped a huge arm around the connecting chain and pulled with all his weight.

[Megell]

((All right, I think I need to address a couple key issues right off the bat and get them sorted out. For starters, I think that we may need to clarify some things for close range physical combat. Now, I want you all to know that I?m not saying this to be cruel, but there were some serious issues outside of that fight other then Auto-hits. The first, and possible most important one was that both fighters did something called puppet mastery.

Now there is nothing wrong with manoeuvring your opponent into a corner. Fights in this context are kind of like rock paper scissors. As I explain before, each fighter puts a certain amount of their time and effort into mastering certain aspects of combat. For example, my Hakishi character is split thirty-three percent between all levels. However, because its like rock paper scissors, this what does it mean if you take an 50% of a winning element and pin it against 100% of the element that would typically lose to it?

Simple, it would become a tie in strategic values. This means that the fighters would be equally match in those categories. However, there is another aspect, the fact that the remaining person still has a remaining 50% in the other categories. This means that the person who has the divided elements is thus superior overall.

I?ll leave it up to you to decided how to create your characters the way you want them. But keep in mind; the best characters are very rarely the characters that specialize in one area. Like wise balanced characters that are completely un-specialized tie everyone else 100% of the time. But this can be troublesome because you then have to rely on your brain to out manoeuvre your foe all the time.

But does this mean that a magic user cannot always beat a warrior? Hell no. And does this mean a warrior will always lose to an illusionist? No again. The biggest thing is your strategy. Even without a definite edge, the worst rigged fighter could beat a perfectly made one.

But that doesn?t mean the odds are in the underdogs favour.

Now I move onto my point, in the last fight, there were a few problems, such as puppet mastery, borderline god Modding, and auto hitting. However, if we look past the entire list of bad thing I did, and move onto Rytiko?s and Mizukage?s match, we can see an instant balance.

I knew from the start that despite on how much I was rooting for Rytiko from the start, however? he didn?t have a chance. The thing was, he threw his edge, his characters advantage out the window when he agreed to fight in a situation in which he sacrificed a good portion of his characters abilities before the actual fight began. This is why the arena settings are up there to begin with: to apply another aspect of strategy to the arena.

So if you know an arena will put you at a huge disadvantage. Screw honour and morals, and just don?t fight if you want to win. Rytiko, you made a huge mistake early in the match. Mizukage, congrats on tricking your opponent into that type of fight, and thus, I have to settle on that the fight was fair.

Well onto another topic, Casey, in his usual clever manner suggested another way of ranking in this arena that I have since become quite fond of. Because this is an RP, you play a character with a goal to win, thus when I establish a ranking system, the problem will be that everyone will just aim to win their fights, and the RP format will go to hell.

Thus I have decided on two ranking systems. The first, and most important will be the one that awards points on the number of fights you?ve had, then additional points on how well you role-play. Sort of like an OCC rating of your performance.

Then, for in character, I think I might hold a tournament every once in a while to decide whom the reigning ?Emperor of the Ring?, is. This would give us a fair balance, and also a further interesting angle in the RP. Anyways, to my RP.))

Hakishi stood up after the battle, he had learned a great deal about his foes here. And he would remember it. But for now, he needed his wounds treated; he headed off to the infirmary.

[Style Mastery: Basics: 100%, Advanced: 12%]

[Style Mastery: Basics 86%]

[Rytiko]

((Yeah, I realize that. I guess I just didn't want my first match to be a loss, however that won't matter... Because now, Casey made me realize something. I roleplay for realism to it's most natural extent, even in a fantasy setting. I roleplay to improve my writing skills. I roleplay to create believable characters and believable situations that are entertaining to read. In my desire to have a win in my first match, I seemed to have lost sight of that.

So, although I will obviously continue to attempt to win, I'm going to do some writing exercises of my own to better figure out my character. I didn't fight in the analytical design I had originally intended him to use, so I'm going to work some kinks in his persona out ofr the next battle. You should see this happening in the roleplaying though.

In the words of Franziska Von Karma (Pheonix Wright Ace Attourney: Justice For All), I believe this should have been directed at me - "Foolish fool spouting foolish foolishness, just as I expect of a foolish fool such as you."

All of this post is under the assumption that a true sky is not normally visible, and that it is in Setting VI... But perhaps I have misread...?))

He pounded his fist against the wall in his small home in this mysterious place. What was it that made him think he stood a chance, no matter what the circumstance? What made him think he could win with one of his main advantages lost?? Why had he been so stupid!?!

The energy within him was flaring rather uncontrollably, quite contrary to his normally calm manner. The truth was, he had never lost before. At anything. He was always the top fighter while training, better than even those much older than him. He was always favored by the Hisakada Sages, the teachers and leaders of the Hisakada clan. He was born with more potential for the Hisakada power than even the Sages, placing him in an even higher status in the village. Even in fleeing, in his battle with his father and one of the Sages, he had emerged victorious...

The loss was unbearable, unforgivable! He would never let his opponent walk away with a victory over him. He would win, no matter what the cost. He would not let his arrogance blind him again. The next time, he would be prepared, and not make any more foolish mistakes.

"You beckon my power for revenge once more...? Haven't I sufficiently shown the potentially deadly consequences that come with such wishes?" The voice was deep, ominous, and most frighteningly, disembodied. Kobushi knew it immediately though, and fought to restrain the free flowing energy in his body.

"My lord, you misunderstand... I do beckon you forth in my need for victory, but I do not wish what you believe me to. Tsukuyomi, spirit of the moon and remnant of the creator... I beg of you not to grant me with more of your power, but your presence... Let the moonlight shine upon this empty place and allow full use of the gift already granted."

Kobushi had suppressed his rage for the time being, and now stood on his knees, eyes closed, silently speaking to the voice that he knew was coming from within him.

"Why? What benefit would that bring me...?"

"Would it be worthless? I think not... Show them your strength, make them acknowledge you as a god!"

"But I cannot. You ask me to create an artificial source of moonlight? Surely you understand that without my sister I am nothing. Her light, combined with my body, is what gives your strength. The only way for you to access that is through the very arena you wish to conquer.

I favor you. But I do not serve you. I point you in the direction of research upon that arena - I believe you will find that there is a way that you can bring out the full potential of my gift to your bloodline."

"Yes, my lord... Sorry to trouble you."

A way to see the moon would mean a way to see the sky... He searched his memory of the arena and some of the books he had read about it for an indication of a setting in which the sky was visible... He may need to re-read some of the books. His analytical style had been lost in his rage once; He would have to keep his head if he wished to be victorious. So, it was off to the arena once more, this time in search of something different than a battle...

[Caseyweederman]

Casey sensed the tension in the chain. He grabbed the chain - already slick with chunks of ice - with both hands, and used the added force together with a powerful kick to launch himself in a front flip ending feet towards Telyd's head.

Casey, in the Emperor's spot with his eyes shut, began to grin.


((Hey guys, just remember to have fun, too.))

[Queztatlapoca]

Seeing Casey flying towards his face feet first surprised Teyld. But he side stepped out of the path of his flight and (still holding the chain with his left) brought his right hand down in an overhead blow to strike where Teyld's opponent should be if he followed his current trajectory.

[Caseyweederman]

Casey felt the shift in tension. He bent his left knee and placed his foot on the chain. While pulling up on the chain with his hands he thrust down and left with his leg. Then he was hurtling up as well as forward, aiming over Telyd's shoulder.
His fingers started to feel numb from the icy cold, and the skin that was touching the chain really hurt.

He started to focus the iron in the blood in his right hand into lines, curves and patterns.

[Megell]

Hakishi returned to the arena after getting his wounds treated at the infirmary. He always hated that place, the cold sterility of it, the way the smell of alcohol and sterilizers filled the room. He hated the way the light seemed robotic and crude He hated the way the doctors seemed completely indifferent. He especially, no, almost exclusively hated the way it seemed so tight and confined. He, as always, felt a pang of relief as he left the confined area to the vast space of the cavern. Breathing a sigh of relief as he re-entered the arena bounds again, he adjusted the cloth around his eyes that kept one of his biggest secrets from the world. He turned his attention to the fighters in the arena.

At once he noticed something important about one of them; long, thin stands of shadow aura ran out of various appendages in his body towards a man in the crowd. It was obvious to Hakishi what was going on here, and in his usual emotional detachment analysed the abilities the technique had.

This fight would once again prove interesting.

[Queztatlapoca]

Making sure to hold onto the chain and seal his hand to it with the forming ice Teyld dove to the side and went into a roll to pull the soaring Casey aside and out of control.

[Caseyweederman]

Casey hurtled past Telyd. The chain ended his outward motion, but he was jerked in an arc around his foe. Using this to his advantage Casey kicked the ground to stabilize himself and back towards Telyd.
Coming up behind Telyd Casey smacked him in the back of the neck, counting on the frost to hold it there for a second or two.
Casey in the stands focused all of the bile in his soul into the Casey in the fight. Casey in the fight took this and channeled it right through the palm of his hand where it was magnified by the pattern there and tuned to Telyd's psyche.
Psychological trauma causing physical damage in strong men. Completely crushing weak men. At the very least totally shattering the confidence of the strongest of warriors.

[Queztatlapoca]

Rising out of the roll Teyld felt something smack the back of his neck. Then he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Fear. Such a great sense of dread overcame him that he had to drop to one knee. He had felt nothing like this since the day his mother died. It, whatever it was, frightened him. But a natural reaction to fear is a release of adrenaline. Fight or flight. And Teyld very rarely fled. His natural reaction was to swing his free right hand up and attempt to grab the wrist of Casey's hand still lingering on his neck. He would then heave him foward and use the chain like a whip to connect with the soon to be flying again Casey.

[Caseyweederman]

Casey ripped his hand away, confidant that he'd taken some flesh with it.
Thrust again out of touch with the ground, Casey brought his full force, hard, into the ground. Without waiting he grabbed the chain and wrenched it with massive strength, to pull Telyd into the air for once.

Fear was one aspect of the bile, yes. But very shortly the rest of the symptoms of the soul would start to play out. It's not worth it. You aren't worth it. You're worth nothing. You don't belong here. Why bother fighting? Why lift your head? It's not worth it. You might as well be dead. The litany of self doubt and depression.

[Queztatlapoca]

As Teyld was suddenly jerked into the air he felt another wave of insidious thoughts creep into his mind. Who am i? Why am i here? What am i doing? Why continue? But like that time many years before that little voice, that saved him from giving up, saved him from becoming a mindless slave, saved him from the slavers, told him once again that he is Teyld he is a warrior of heart and soul he had faced the trials of the wilds on his own and survived "I will not give up until I die!"
As Teyld landed he found his footing and used the foward momentum to continue running. He then focused on the fire runes tattoed onto his back to increase his speed. He also prepared to spear this foe who seemed to be quite strong.

[Runic Magick:movement speed x2 0/2]

((btw that slap was an autohit but i let it slide))

[Rytiko]

((I've got the okay from Megell, so it appears that I'll now be controlling two characters. For now, Kobushi will be the one that stays in the ranking, because based on his motivations, he is the one that would desire such a thing like tournaments more strongly.

Kobushi will remain in the normal text. I will use Times New Roman font for Vladamir. This was the easiest way that I could think of to quickly distinguish between two characters other than colors, but white is easiest to read on this board.))

Pushing himself through the doors of the arena, he made his way to the spectator's area of the arena and sought out who he believed to be most knowledgeable about the ways of the arena - the one who had somehow managed to stabilize the use of multiple elements to create effects unlike any Kobushi had ever seen (even if he couldn't really see it).

He quickly scanned the three man (four, if he included himself) audience and took notice of the masked man immediately. With a deep breath, he began to walk in his direction, oblivious to the epic snowy squabble of repetitive tossing in the pit below.


*****


Vladamir Mentis. How would you describe such a man? A prodigy? A genius? A curious and absorbent force? Or perhaps just a power hungry youth? Even Vladamir himself could not say for sure what he was. Arrogance was manifest, but what was it that he was proposing was so great about him...?

Though his master had sent him down here under the guise of a test of skill, he had deciphered that the real reason was to make him abandon his arrogance. Part of him wished he would as well, but another part honestly thought that his accomplishments at such a young age truly put him above others. Only 18, and he was regarded as great within the communities of his studies in alchemy. He was also a rapidly growing magician. His mind was better than most, and even if he was conquered by those older than him, he had no doubts that he would blow them away by the time he reached their age. So perhaps his master's plan wouldn't work as well as he suspected.... Or perhaps that wasn't his real plan.

The old man worked in riddles, and always had in the two years Vlad had studied under him. Giving him one task to accomplish a completely different one was nothing out of the ordinary, and so much thought was always put into what it was that he was really supposed to accomplish. P'Perhaps too much thought...' echoed through Vladamir's mind.

Before he had even realized it, he had arrived in front of the arena his master had spoken of. Pushing his way through the doors, he followed a man in a purple karati gi far ahead of him to the spectators area, where he would witness omething shocking even to him - The arena was an arctic battleground, and the two fighters were chained together among the waist - one was a raging behemuth, and the other seemed to have some connection to a member of the audience...

He had been sure not to be seen before now, but at that moment he emerged as a heavily muscled and heavily armed, with many swords, spears, daggers, and the silver rapier always attached to his belt. Naturally, this was an illusion. But despite only two years of training, he was skilled enough to hide magical traces from the eyes of most men. He sat down at the closest seat available, so as not to draw attention to the lack of noise normally made by such armor. He would watch this fight, and then challenge someone that would fall for this guise and offer a weapon-free fight. Or perhaps he would challenge anyone to a fight with no boundaries... He had ideal stages in mind as well, and thought of the best possible ways to lure his opponent into selecting them. He knew all about this arena from his master, and would exploit his knowledge in any way possible.

For now though, he would watch the fight. The second fighter now attempted to toss the barbarian in the same way he had done - it would be interesting enough to see the result.

EDIT: I just realized that I mistakenly used Kobushi's name in place of Vladamir's... I'll work to prevent hat, though please don't get confused if that happens - the two characters are not related in any way.

[Mizukage]

" nothing like a good massage after a workout" Montresor said to the dark hall as he walked back to the arena. He had thought at length about the art of combat during his near fifty year stay in this underground oasis. How long had it been since the Reichsf?hrer himself had commissioned this? And Why? questions, but no answers but this is the territory of a scholar. Montresor was shaken from his musings when he was struck with a massive change in temperature. "cold, setting 2 then?" his inquiry was answered when he saw the tundra before him, with two figures twirling around each other in a close spiral, a chain connecting both.

Montresor then took his regular position above the infirmary exit and watched the new arrivals enter his Arcadia

[Caseyweederman]

Casey leaped up in the air, seeing Telyd's charge forward as an opportunity. As soon as Casey was above and behind Telyd, he pumped his right leg. Now, this was not a powerful kick, but it was enough to tip over one who is already expending a large amount of force in one direction. A strategic hit, one might say.

While this happened, Casey in the stands cupped his hands to his mouth and exhaled. Casey in the air cupped his hands in front of his chest and molded an expanding sphere of pure black flame. Whenever it expanded past his hands he clamped tighter to keep it dense.
In an outward radius, proportional to the density of the sphere, darkness was spreading. At this rate it would soon envelop the whole colosseum in seconds.

[Megell]

((Just as a side note Rytiko, Hakishi?s mask is broken now; he is just wearing a band of cloth around his eyes until he gets a new one.))

Hakishi, sensing through some primal sense felt his area being eyed up by a man in some sort of purple martial artist robes. He didn?t want to give away any of his secrets, so he just decided to play it cool and keep his attention focused on the fight.

Watching as the match became more of a tug of war, then an actual battle, Hakishi one again had to smile at the odd effects that the old leaders rules had established. It had been a wise choice for this man to make these unique rules to even push the best, these fighters that were present, to their limits. Adjusting his belt, which he had just restocked with a new set of kunai with a little ?extra? on them. Feeling as fidgety as ever, he remembered his first fights in an arena. He had always been the same since he was thirteen, and now two years later, not much had really had changed. Except that everyone called him man now?

It was kind of amusing for him, many just though of him as a short, quite, experienced individual. But in reality, he was pretty much the opposite. He had only managed to hide his back-story for so long by keeping mostly to himself and when he had to talk, present his voice in quite, sinister tones.

He would prefer not to let anyone figure out anything about him. Because in the world, knowledge of an opponent, was power over an opponent, and he made it his business to always be the one with power. He made it an issue to avoid using the same techniques on the same people, and never using the same strategy more then twice.

He turned his attention back to the man who had his gaze on him, Hakishi wanted to know why. Drawing two of his kunai knives from his belt in a rapid motion, then hurling them past his target on either side of the neck, though not bringing them close enough to actual cut any flesh, they impacted on the back wall. Hakishi at the same time took the thin metal strings that ran out from the backs of these daggers, and took hold of them in his right hand.

Focusing on his now obviously surprised foe, Hakishi spoke in a low, quite voice.

?What do you want with me?? He paused for a second, then added in another line, ?Just keep in mind you don?t want to answer wrong??

((Yah, without a doubt that was an auto hit on my part. But I?m using it as a plot device so just roll with it. And despite on what he said, any answer you give is good enough.))

[Rytiko]

(ah, my bad. I'll edit my previous post.))

The kunai had blazed past himand struck the wall behind. Unprepared, he stood in shock. His only thought was 'What if he had actually tried to kill me...?', and it was then that he began to question himself once more...

Thankfully, his thoughts were interrupted by the man's question. It bore a sinister tone, and Kobushi knew that a wrong answer would probably get him killed. Searching for the right words, he finally replied - "This arena.... I've fought in only a few settings, and I must ask... Is there one where the moon would be visible? Tsuku - I mean, a friend mentioned that there may be a way to see it."

His nervousness was quite obvious, and that one slip of the tongue would raise further questions as to just what his power was. He had already surveyed the match with incredible interest, seeming to absorb the technical aspect of every blow. What was he..? And why did he wear that cloth?


*****


Just when the fight was beginning to bore him, a sphere of darkness lashed outward and threatened to engulf the entire arena. Vladamir had no idea what exactly was going on, but at that moment he sensed an incredibly strong bond between the smaller of the fighters with a member of the audience, who seemed to be surveying in a very nonchalant manner. Immediately, he recognized the superb advantages such a thing offered, and almost trembled at the thought of fighting him. After all, at the moment there were only five fighters other than himself, meaning that unless new challengers came, he would have to take down every one of them to accomplish his mission...