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Hello!

I'm Pollen, hope you're not allergic. I like writing a myriad of characters in all kinds of genres, so I'm pretty much down for anything roleplay-wise.

Come talk with me if you want! I'm friendly.

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@Chimera @MelonHead

Was hoping to get Skalla and Rilla help when it came to this part, but Rilla isn't around and Skallagrim didn't answer the PM I sent him about judging. So basically, for the purposes of the tournament, I'll have to look over this myself... I don't have the authority to judge for rankings, though, so this is technically just for the tournament.

Anyways, I'm gonna have to give this one to Sigurd.

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Both sides here gave a pretty good showing, and clearly knew their stuff. I seeded Chimera quite low while setting this up, since she was new to the guild and I was not aware of any previous experience on her part... I think I probably should have put her higher up. Still, this match happened, so let's get to it:

I reread the entire fight post-by-post before writing this, and when taken as a whole it's pretty clear who had the advantage throughout. Iolanthe started off strong, making a quick attack from a good range that held relatively little risk for her and let her glean some information about her opponent. Sigurd likewise moved well, waiting for a good chance to attack before making any moves that might expose him.

However, Iolanthe immediately moved onto the offensive after that, and it was there that things started to go Sigurd's way. The tactics behind Chimera's attack were sound, trying to disable her opponent's legs so she could take advantage of her superior reach, but the way she went about it created an opening for Melon to move in, which he immediately caught on to and seized.

From there on out, he kept on pushing. Sigurd launched a lot of attacks over the next few turns, some of them with a fair degree of success. Although the attacks themselves were not the ones I would have chosen himself, they were still coordinated, fluid, and to some extent effective, fitting in well with Sigurd's fighting style and allowing him to do some damage (I'll get to that in a bit). Iolanthe, meanwhile, defended very well using her super-perception and her shield, but wasn't really doing much in return. Other than perhaps that single Gladius stab, her counterattack consisted of repeating a tactic that had already proven fairly ineffective, and holding a position that was fairly counter-intuitive given the situation. Her main weapon was weaker at that range, her opponent was a brawler type, and she had super legs that were just begging to be let loose, helping her get away and move around him. I don't mean to tell Chimera how to play her character, I would have used Sigurd quite differently as well. However, the flow of Iolanthe's actions ended up trapping her in a disadvantageous position, and Melon took full advantage of this.

And, of course, there's battle damage. Sigurd received several burns and cuts to his legs, but not much else. He was not unprotected, there was relatively little power behind the strikes, and Iolanthe was largely relying on a magic that was reduced in potency by the stone arm. Iolanthe, meanwhile, would have a deep cut in one arm, a bruised leg from where her plated skirt took a strong hit, and quite likely a sword to the face near the end there. I doubt that last one would have been a killing blow, since Chimera was next up to post and would well have mitigated it, but it was a very strong attack in itself. I feel that if the fight had gone on much longer, it would only have been a matter of time until Sigurd hit something vital.
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... so there you have it. The fight actually made for quite a good read, going back through it, with some great posts from both sides throughout. I'll admit, I was less than pleased about having to sort out all the OOC disputes :P but this was a highly complex battle at times, and I guess sometimes you just get two personalities together who just can't easily agree. Either way, I intend to remember the fight for the writing and expertise on display, rather than any arbitration I ended up doing.

@MelonHead, you are free to advance to the next round, and challenge @Vordak. I can understand if you'd like a break before the next fight, so if you'd like to wait a few days before starting, that's fine. Well done, and best of luck!

@Chimera, though you're out of the bracket for now, you are free to challenge others who have lost, should you so wish. It's a shame so many OOC issues came up, but I'm glad you still gave it your all. Hope to see you kicking ass around the arena in the future!
So is that it for this fight, is it just going down to judge decision?


Looks like it! If you two want to throw more posts up before I have time to take a proper look at it, then I guess I wouldn't mind. However, I doubt either of you would be able to really swing things at this point.
Sadly had to refrain from joining this, mostly due to having too much other stuff going on...

I must say, though, some of these potential matchups are looking pretty epic! I look forward to seeing how this goes down :)
(Also, wishing @Vordak best of luck)
@Drifting PollenBefore Melon sees it, what do you think of my post? Would you say it was valid?

I pictured it over and over again in my head, and it seemed sound, and virtually the only way for Iolanthe to protect herself. (without falling on to her ass limbo-style and getting stomped on) I had prepared on using it right after the post before it.

Not sure how Melon is going to feel about it.


Read through it twice, nothing amiss. Actions should be valid unless Sigurd pulls an interrupt (and he almost certainly will, thus technically invalidating the last couple paragraphs, but that'd be as a result of his actions rather than problems with your own). I won't say it's the best course of action, because I can see a couple of ways Sigurd could brutally counter this, but it certainly works.

Melon might take issue with something I overlooked, and for the sake of fairness I will consider any concerns he brings up. However, I'll say right now that IMO Iolanthe is justified in evading the stomp at her left foot (should MelonHead wish for me to explain the reasoning behind this, I will do so upon request).

Basically, if I were playing Sigurd in this situation, I'd be fine with it. However, my words here do not invalidate further scrutiny, if Melon should think it necessary.
This entire fight, re-read, all my posts have been about Iolanthe fighting hard, formulating strategies on spot, using her perception, struggling, and trying her best to overcome a difficult opponent; I wanted to make her relatable. Any time Sigurd's name was mentioned, it was usually about a move, or in respect to his abilities, things noticed. Looking back, only in your most recent post did you even mention Iolanthe's name, even though Sigurd knew it, usually your posts stated how she was being a failure, how he was obviously capitalizing on every crack in her armour, and how he seemed so superior in every aspect.


Different styles of writing, I guess... honestly, though, both can work equally well. Ideally, you want to pounce on weaknesses and emphasize your own strengths and abilities, thus utilizing both your kit and theirs to the maximum extent. Knowledge and research helps as well, of course :)
@Fallenreaper the arena is smooth, but not slippery. The ground is almost completely flat, with no obstacles save for the lava pits, but it's not varnished or anything... slipping would be possible, but only if something that occurred during the fight that affected footing.
Unfortunately, my computer's been infected with a virus. I'm likely not going to be able to make any posts for about a week, so if I'm inactive, that's why.


Aww... thanks for letting us know, then. We'll miss you!
By damn good do you mean just being quicker than Sigurd?


I mean strategically sound, and reasonably realistic.

As for the fight being impossible to win... it's not, not if you play your cards well. Maybe it's just the advantage of an outsider's perspective, but I see some very good moves for both sides, that could potentially end things in the next couple posts.

Thanks for being reasonable, though :) I know from experience how heated these things can get.
Like I said though, go ahead and take no damage. Some say that T1 Eden is designed for people to accept when they're in a disadvantaged situation, such as crouching on the floor, and take damage accordingly, but I wouldn't want you to feel burdened by the forces of fair play.


Firstly, you need to chill. Not saying this doesn't apply to Chimera as well, but please keep the passive-aggressiveness to a minimum. Be cool like the Fonz!

Secondly, she could technically take no damage and have it be completely fair... if she plays right. Remember, it's Iolanthe's turn, and she can still act to defend herself, and if she pulls something you don't expect, she could well avoid taking any damage. Admittedly, it'd have to be something damn good in this situation, but please don't start complaining when the post hasn't even been written yet.
I take it we're just waiting for Chimera's and Melon's match to finish up before starting the next round? >_>


Yep! Current matchups are Vordak vs Melon or Chimera, and you vs Doc Doctor. Since the latter pair is ready, you may start early if you wish.
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