Round 5: FIGHT! The Hot New Competition - BLOODSPORTS!

[The Snark]

"DESTROY!"

Pugilarch barely seems to notice as the injured Yihan makes his (temporary) escape, bellowing with incoherent fury as he slams blow after savage blow... the floor? Sometimes air? It's possible that whatever unholy concoction the doctor used to spur his creation into a berserk rage has side effects. Nevertheless, after a little the giant notices that he no longer has an enemy to pummel. Snorting, he turns laboriously about, muscles literally rippling under his skin as his body reconfigures itself to be lower to the ground. The first gladiator his gaze falls on is...

Seraphine! Badalian monstrosity meets Veehran as the giant charges on all fours like a gorilla.

Mechanics

Pugilarch is uninjured and rolls at +3.

Rolling a d2 to determine target (1=Eighbris, 2=Seraphine)...

@Lady Serpentine Attacking Seraphine with a result of 12.

 

Edited March 30 by The Snark (see edit history)

[Lady Serpentine]

With Eighbris, if not out of the fight, at least significantly slowed, Seraphine turns her attention directly to the other melee combatant charging directly at her. So far she's barely moved from her starting position in the arena, standing apparently unconcerned amidst the chaotic massacre that this round of the deathmatch is quickly evolving into and permitting her opponents to come to her. Pugilator, for all his hulking mass and surprising turn of speed, is no exception, and she simply pivots to unleash another withering hail of metal on the abomination of science(?) in an attempt to punish his miscalculation.

 

Mechanics

Seraphine is uninjured and rolls at +9. She is armed with an automatic shotgun and an electrified sword paired with a pistol.

[The Snark]

Pugilarch's inhuman musculature proves useless against an enemy he can't reach. The first shot halts him in his tracks; the second blows one of his arms clean off. For a moment, the giant simply stands there, berserk rage forgotten as he stares dumbly at the stump where his limb used to be. "Destroy...?"

Then his flesh contorts around the shoulder, and the spray of blood cuts off abruptly. In the VIP box, Doctor Sardonicus lets out a high-pitched cheer. "Yes! The auto-cauterization lattice appears to be performing within expected parameters. Don't count Pugilarch out of this yet, my friends!"

[SerakHawk]

8 hours ago, MadMapManPK said:

Aki panicked as he fled from Doom Soom, dropping his handaxe onto the ground with no hope to retrieve it. But before he could even regain his footing, he found himself facing the back of the mech operated by none other than the Console Prisca of the Illuminated Utopian. The very same who managed to snatch the secrets of Dust Hardening away from Veehra's sole clutches. Taking the Console out would not only make his family proud, but all of Veehra. He reached to his belt and prepared another grenade, hands glowing...

 

@SerakHawk

Reeling from the loss of her mech's caestuses on Belu's fists Prisa abandons the failing mech to fight as she traditionally does, only the coilgun left she attempts to make her shots count on the rapidly approaching Aki, aiming for the grenade in his hand hoping for a good shot...

Prisca

[EmBark]

The Arena

"Under the flurry of Eighbris, Seraphine unleashes her shotgun and OH that's gotta hurt!"

"Doom Soom--" "OOM OOM!" "--comes away from the fight with the Prince and goes after Belu! Belu puts up a good fight, do you FEEL the HOT BLOOD, people? Can you SEE the SKILL at play? OUCH. OH FUCK. Belu's arm gets MANGLED by the Sneast that is DOOM SOOM!"

"Pugilarch Sardonicus comes at the Admiral, but Seraphine lets loose more shots and shells the beast full! But what is this? Such little bleeding! Is this not against the spirit of BLOODSPORTS?" "booooooooo!" "Alright folks, it does appear that Seraphine has driven him off! We might have a favourite to win this event! I hope you all have placed your bets wisely!"

"Oh, but while we were talking, Prince Aki has snuck up on our smallest and most esteemed competitor! It's Prisca and the Prince! Prisca and the Prince! And OH NO, the grenades! The Prince is down! Audience! The Prince is down! Cameras! Quickly, get that! Make sure to record his final words if he has any!"

 

The VIP box

@The Snark

Guyineber whoops and cheers on every single fighter with seemingly no single favourite. Looking around and seeing Ani-Quin has walked off to talk to other watchers, she looks in the other direction and moves to stand near Doctor Sardonicus.

"Hell of a fight, sir!" She grins. "You've got quite the son!"

Edited March 30 by EmBark (see edit history)

[volthawk]

Arena

Seraphine's shotgun drops Eighbris, sending him into a roll and leaving him dazed on the ground. The thought crosses his mind that he could just...stay here for a little longer. Let the others bleed themselves out a little more, play it sneaky, maybe stab a survivor or two, and then eke out a second place. It might work. But...he just didn't like that option. If he was going to put his life on the line, he much preferred that it be because he tried something risky rather than because he was hiding and someone else might decide to double-tap him. Rising to his feet, wincing a little (luckily it was masked by the helmet - no need for the cameras to see that detail) as he puts weight back on his legs - Seraphine definitely hit something down there - he glances to either side for his sword and shield and comes up empty. Alright then, the dagger it is. It wasn't quite as familiar as his sword, but it was still a nasty little thing, built from the stinger of a bàsclan he had to hunt a few months ago and built to make use of its origin to inject some fun little concoctions Eighbris had gotten hold of.

Looking around the arena, he quickly judges the state of everyone and...huh. That one didn't have all those snakes coming out of him last time Eighbris checked. He didn't fancy a second attempt at charging Seraphine, and he didn't want to settle for jumping someone when they were weak - he wanted to come out of this looking good, after all - so he guessed it was time to see if he could kill Veehran monsters as well as he could deal with the ones back home.

VIP Box

Cagairmòr had so far been quite cool and collected when watching the fight, even when Eighbris' early attack led to disaster. But now, seeing Eighbris' latest stunt, she can't help but vocalise an annoyed "Idiot!". He should have just exploited the fall.

Mechanics

Eighbris: Mil 4 0, wounded

Attack Another Warrior: Doom Soom

@Tychris1

Edited March 30 by volthawk (see edit history)

[The Snark]

"It's not bad," the Jy'mar says, sounding distracted as he peers down at the arena. "I admit I'm a tad disappointed by the prevalence of ranged weaponry here, it seems somehow unsporting; if I wanted to watch people gun each other down I could just turn on the news. Originally this iteration of Pugilarch was going to have subcutaneous armor, you know, but I couldn't get it to play nicely with the muscular reconfiguration system, and of course I prioritized the latter because it's far more interesting... From a tactical perspective it seems to have been a mistake, though. I'll have to give bullets some thought. I understand they're something of an unsolved problem when it comes to military hardware, but I'm sure a genius of my caliber can work something out."

He blinks as the rest of the llort's comment finally registers. "Hang on, son? What are you blathering about?"

Out in the arena, Pugilarch recollects himself, the shock of his injury slowly giving way to adrenaline-fueled rage. His body emits a disquieting series of squelching and cracking sounds as he stands upright, casting about for the next enemy. By unlikely happenstance, his eye fixates on the smallest target possible: Prisca Calpurnius. Mustering all his cunning and restraint, Pugliarch refrains from shouting his customary cry of "DESTROY!" until the very last second, moments before he attempts to squash the Jy'mar Console...!

Mechanics

Rolling to determine a target, you know the drill by now. 1=Keon Nnight, 2=Prisca, 3=Belu

@SerakHawk Attacking Prisca with a 10

 

Edited March 30 by The Snark (see edit history)

[SerakHawk]

3 hours ago, The Snark said:

"It's not bad," the Jy'mar says, sounding distracted as he peers down at the arena. "I admit I'm a tad disappointed by the prevalence of ranged weaponry here, it seems somehow unsporting; if I wanted to watch people gun each other down I could just turn on the news. Originally this iteration of Pugilarch was going to have subcutaneous armor, you know, but I couldn't get it to play nicely with the muscular reconfiguration system, and of course I prioritized the latter because it's far more interesting... From a tactical perspective it seems to have been a mistake, though. I'll have to give bullets some thought. I understand they're something of an unsolved problem when it comes to military hardware, but I'm sure a genius of my caliber can work something out."

He blinks as the rest of the llort's comment finally registers. "Hang on, son? What are you blathering about?"

Out in the arena, Pugilarch recollects himself, the shock of his injury slowly giving way to adrenaline-fueled rage. His body emits a disquieting series of squelching and cracking sounds as he stands upright, casting about for the next enemy. By unlikely happenstance, his eye fixates on the smallest target possible: Prisca Calpurnius. Mustering all his cunning and restraint, Pugliarch refrains from shouting his customary cry of "DESTROY!" until the very last second, moments before he attempts to squash the Jy'mar Console...!

Mechanics

Rolling to determine a target, you know the drill by now. 1=Keon Nnight, 2=Prisca, 3=Belu

@SerakHawk Attacking Prisca with a 10

 

Caught on the backfoot with her ears ringing from the grenade explosion, the Pugliarch smashes down near her and she barely scuries off to set a fair distance. Attempting to belt the strange monster with her coilgun aiming for weak spots it all seems to be for naught. Defiant to the end she continues her harrassment as the enraged beast closes in...

Prisca Defend

[TheDarkDM]

Reeling away from Doom Soom, the remnants of Belu's armored left arm clamped shut automatically, the inbuilt nanotourniquets fighting desperately to keep him conscious. His remaining arm quivering against the pain, Belu charged towards the nearest fighter to him, his monorapier extended towards the Keon Night with murderous intent.

Edited March 30 by TheDarkDM (see edit history)

[Rocket Relm]

6 hours ago, TheDarkDM said:

Reeling away from Doom Soom, the remnants of Belu's armored left arm clamped shut automatically, the inbuilt nanotourniquets fighting desperately to keep him conscious. His remaining arm quivering against the pain, Belu charged towards the nearest fighter to him, his monorapier extended towards the Keon Night with murderous intent.

Murderous intent indeed, from both participants in the struggle. Keon was looking to score some bloodshed proactively.... but this would have to do. Turns out being flat on back from the way they were devouring the last combatant had disadvantages, and so it took a moment to hop up and throe thineself at the next foe.

And it turns out, they feast some more, the rapier strikes true, finding a way through the armor to stick out and pierce what might be some part of the neck. Yet the rampaging melted luminescent dark knight continues onwards, mixing blood from before with nanomachines from the new as the flesh continues to rend.


"And another one bites it! Or should I say, is bitten, ey? Eeehy? Neon's handling the thrashing well and ripping things up, the dark horse may just win this one folks, but even if not, he's gonna bring glory to t-wHAT-"

Edited March 31 by Rocket Relm (see edit history)

[Lady Serpentine]

The blank black surface of Seraphine's helmet hides whatever reaction she might have to Console Prisca's sudden demise. Judging by the fact that mere moments after the fatal fist lands she begins to walk a calm, methodical, and quite probably overkill line of shots from the base of Pugilarch's spine all the way to the back of his head, however, it can be surmised that they were at the very least not uncomplicatedly positive.

[EmBark]

The Arena

"And Eighbris goes after Doom Soom, hungry for glory! Place your bets quickly, everyone! Who will win, the Sansarite Knight or the Veehran Sneast?" The announcer calls out as she crafts their coming deaths into a meme for the cameras and the audience, equal parts hungry for more and horrified at this dystopian entertainment.

"Pugilarch Sardonicus attacks Prisca in his rage! The Jy'mar Console gives it her all. Watch that rain of shots HIT. EVERY. TIME. But it's NOT ENOUGH! Sardonicus is unstoppable! What a warrior, everyone. OH. OH this is GRUESOME. Who knew a Jy'mar could have SO MUCH BLOOD?"

"Belu attacks Keon. Keon strikes back. They trade blows. Keon slips past Belu's defenses! It's a hit! Right at the neck with that rapier!"

"Seraphine seems to have acquired a new target. She's going for Sardonicus. She shoots! She shoots! She shoots! The raging hulk has his spine DE-STUHROYED, people! The Admiral has avenged the Console! What makeshift new political alliance are we seeing blossom here post-mortem!"

 

The VIP box

@The Snark

"Your son?" Guyineber repeats to Doctor Sardonicus, slightly confused. "The one down there? That is your son right?"

She points at Pugilarch in the arena, right as the first shot from Seraphine's shotgun hits.

"Oh. OH. Ouch. Correction: that was your son, right? My condolences."

 

Contestants, Status Report

HEALTHY

1. Doom Soom, Executioner and Heir of the Doomweaver [HEALTHY], getting attacked by Eighbris
2. Void-leader Seraphine, space fleet admiral of the Twilight League [HEALTHY]

WOUNDED:

1. Eighbris, Knight of the Dhaoine [WOUNDED], currently attacking Doom Soom
2. The Keon Nnight [WOUNDED]

DECEASED:

1. Aki Kiniun, Heir to the Throne of Agbada [DECEASED]
2. Console Prisca Calpurnius [DECEASED]
3. Yihan of Uhra [DECEASED]
4. Belu, darling of the Dur-Shalkhir Games [DECEASED]
5. Pugilarch Sardonicus [DECEASED], latest to be attacked

 

The Arena

"We are down to our two final contestants, dear audience! Who will win the struggle between Eighbris and Doom Soom? Who will be the two left to die? Who will be the two left to survive? Stay tuned after these messages from our sponsors!"

 

Messages From Sponsors (for audience at home only)

"Don't you hate it when your kids spill tomato juice on the carpet? Or you stepped in Veehran auroch dung? Or you got spat on by a winged camel? Maybe you just want to get rid of all the bloodstains on your nice uniform! Fear not, for that we have these Imperially-approved and Imperially-taxed TITHE PODS! Made with real soap grown native to Hayeli! Gets rid of any kind of stain, except the stain on your public record if you've commited crimes without diplomatic immunity. Tithe pods! Available at a local market near you. May not be available in deserts on Veehra or some megadirigibles on Badal. WARNING: Tithe pods will sap your bank account and make your children grow extra unusable limbs. User caution is advised."

"Do you need a professional online hub for all your data to advertise to employers, dates, family, friends and audience alike, but you're on a budget? Then try HEXSPACE! The creative online toolbelt that allows you to craft your own hub for a fraction of professional prices, all to your own liking!"

"BLOODSPORTS is sponsored by RAID: SHADOW LEGENDS--"

Edited March 31 by EmBark (see edit history)

[The Snark]

Once again, Pugilarch's muscular bulk proves useless against the power of bullets. He stands upright for a few moments, then topples to the ground with a thunderous crash. The arena's microphones zoom in to catch one last, almost plaintive "destroy..." before the giant goes still.

VIP Box

"No! Not my beautiful creation! You philistines!" The doctor is too distracted to answer Guyineber's question, and may in fact have forgotten she exists.

[Tychris1]

Doom laughed as Belu retreated, blood staining the ground where they had clashed, and freshly flowing down the heads on his arm. The many forked tongues lapped up the blood as he gave in fully to the beast frenzy. He was on pure primal instinct when Eighbris came up to shank him….

[volthawk]

Eighbris grins under his helmet as he feels his dagger sink into the frenzied beast, even as its primal throes sends him rolling across the ground again. Job's not done yet, but he made a start in taking that thing down. Taking another moment to appraise the situation, he chuckles a little as he sees how things are lining up. If he does nothing, there's a good chance Doom will berserk right into the path of Seraphine's shotgun. That works just fine for him. Now, who else is still alive...ah yeah, the odd one from their neighbours in Moonsoul. Alright then. He'd heard a lot about the monsters that lived in those hills, and at least some of it was probably true. Time to put them to the test.

Mechanics

Eighbris: Mil 4 0, wounded

Attack Another Warrior: The Keon Nnight

@Rocket Relm