the Rift


Beneath the Bleeding Sky [Ashamin vs Seanan]

Seanan Posts: 44
Outcast atk: 8.0 | def: 10.0 | dam: 2.0
Stallion :: Equine :: 17 :: 9 HP: 60.0 | Buff: NOVICE
Rien
#1
Seanan cocked his head curiously at the painted stud, a glint of mischief in his eyes.  The dim light filtering throug the red wood bathed them both in shadow.  It dyed the white stallion until he could almost have been made of the queer light, a figment rather than a truly material creature.  One of his ears swivelled to track Ashamin, listening.  The other lolled almost lazily, pointlessly.  His skin still jumped and trembled every time a drop of rain worked it's way through the dense leaves.

"I'd be curious to see what you know"

The trees were close here- his speed would earn him no advantages.  The smaller stud would likely have an easier time of it.  Seanan's eyes roved over the muscles beneath the paint spattered coat.  Strenght such as that was absent in his own rangy, gaunt form.  Not that such things had ever stopped him before.  Likewise, they would not stop him now.  He was almost reluctant to key himself back up though.  His eyes drifted right, then left.  Beyond the non-chalance he portrayed, he could still feel the closeness of the trees and the borderline edge of panic.  His heart began to speed.  The occassional impact of a water droplet provided a jarring counterpoint that made his skin tingle and his teeth clench.

The blood stained, red-eyed creature swept his gaze back to Ashamin.  Mischief danced there, a hint of wicked laughter that didn't quite reach his lips.  It was all the answer he gave the Clovenheart before he was in motion.

Hemmed in as they were by trees, he didn't have room to gain any kind of momentum.  He couldn't dart in and out to try and keep his distance as was normally his way.  The leaf litter was slick with rain and mud, his hooves so packed with it they felt heavy.  All at once he was aware of every part of his body like he rarely was outside of a fight.  He could feel the weight of the water that soaked his thin mane and tail and every hair on his body.  The mud that caked his legs and splattered on his belly where the rain had been unable to sluice it away.  It would not really hinder him, but the treacherous footing would.  

Instead of fighting the slick ground, he slewed his hinds around, using the slick ground to help complete the pivot.  His hooves dug into the wet ground and his back arched like an enraged cut as both of his hind hooves shot out a bit high, roughly where he thought the other stallion's head might be.  Truthfully he wasn't trying to hit him- his hooves carried with them a load of leaf litter and mud, flung free by the violence of the movement.  It was this he hoped would hit, either startling or perhaps momentarily blinding the Clovenheart.

OOC: For @Ashamin
Words: 485/800
Attacks 1/3
Def: 0/1
Continued from Red Rain RUn
Setting: Blood Falls, during a rain storm, in a dark, dense part of the woods.
Magic/companions is your choice, I don't care (and don't have any, XD). Ashamin will be providing teaching notes I think.
All interactions are go, short of death and permanent crippling.

Ashamin the Clovenheart Posts: 426
Outcast atk: 8 | def: 11.5 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 15.2 HH :: 5 [Frostfall] HP: 79 | Buff: NUMB
Lochan :: Plain Cerndyr :: Dark Mist & Rakt :: Common Cerndyr :: Starpast Jen
#2

ASHAMIN

The earth beneath them was deep going. Heavy rain slicked the Clovenheart’s hide as the storm picked up and began to penetrate the canopy that he’d hoped would provide better shelter. Luckily, Ashamin didn’t mind the rain. Later though, when wounds peppered his hide and the skies were clear, he’d wish they’d sparred on a sunnier day.

In the moment, however, Ashamin had little time to contemplate the weather. He was aware of his surroundings—for he knew this was crucial—but he was not concerned by them. The stallion had fought in far worse conditions and had scars to prove it. After fighting Rikyn on similarly slippery turf and sparring Erebos in denser woods, Ashamin had some handle on how to approach the situation. Looking over Seanan, it appeared their environment would be in the Clovenheart’s favor. The white stallion looked as if he had the hot blood of a long distance runner, whereas the painted stag boasted superior nimbleness and strength. In these tight quarters where Ashamin had spent much of his time, it would be much easier for him to make quick turns and hard hits. These differences in their builds, combined with the additional eyes of Lochan and Rakt watching Seanan’s every move, stacked the odds heavily in the paint’s favor.

Were their competition anything more than a friendly one meant to teach, the Clovenheart would have smiled at that. As it were, however, he tried to focus on learning. Surely with a form as sharp and thin as that, Seanan fought uniquely. Ashamin was eager to see what he could pick up from his opponent’s movements—was already wondering how he could apply his observations to future spars. With any luck, Seanan might come out of their encounter thinking similarly. Ashamin’s motives for initiating the spar hadn’t been entirely selfish after all; he hoped he could open the pale stallion’s mind.

As wonderful as thoughts of knowledge and triumph were, however, they proved to be detrimental distractions. Though Ashamin saw Seanan begin to pivot, he was not focused enough to think beyond that, and Lochan and Rakt were not yet prepared. With both Cerndyr unable to offer Ashamin any tactical advice and only just positioning themselves (Rakt to the left and further away, Lochan closer and by Ashamin’s right,) the Clovenheart had only his own eyes.

What he saw was Seanan turning away and then sliding, perhaps unintentionally, as mud splashed and stained. What he saw was an opportunity to attack the white stallion when vulnerable and avoid the swinging hind, and so he began to move just barely forward and hopefully towards Seanan’s right. Only, he had seen everything wrong.

Before Ashamin was even close to his intended target he realized his mistake. The problem was it was too late to clear himself entirely of the rising legs by moving backwards, and a sturdy tree prevented him from continuing forth. With a grunt of frustration, the Clovenheart resigned himself to some injury and hoped that Seanan’s seemingly poorly-controlled movement would do little damage.

The painted buck began to move backwards as quickly as possible, shuffling on hind hooves that slipped and afforded him little purchase. What he attempted next couldn’t be called a rear, but maybe incredibly sloppy mezair—the kind that only those with no training in fighting would perform. Had Ashamin been facing his father, he would have been ashamed. As it were he was only thankful that he succeeded at all, for the small amount that he had managed to lift his forehand was enough to save his skull.

The whites of his eyes shown wild as Seanan’s hooves made purchase, first one and then the other striking Ashamin’s right forearm. They cut surprisingly deep, as if the rain had sharpened them to knife points, and the second that the blood burst from the two cuts (so close they were almost one) white electricity exploded forth. He could do nothing but focus on landing and getting away from Seanan; attacking was not a priority.

When he’d shuffled further back on his hindquarters and managed to get three uninjured legs on the ground, his head and necklace first hung low. Blood flowed down his leg and pooled into paint, staining his white right fore-hoof and leg so that they his marked left. When he tossed up his gaze it was filled with the same electricity that burst from his cuts and buzzed beneath them in an attempt to quickly repair the bruises they hid. Ashamin allowed one more second to pass before utilizing magic and commanding Lochan to do the same. Dark mists flowed from Lochan’s antlers and turned the raindrops ashen, and Ashamin attempted to force Seanan’s heart to quicken.

The mischief in Seanan’s eyes? Ashamin considered it managed.

""



The Clovenheart
Image Credits


PC: 1/3
WC: 798/800 (Down from 913 ;-;)
Note: Confirming that I will be providing teaching notes.
Magic used:
:: [ Magic: LightxSpark (U) | Able to share and alter the heartbeats of others to feel and influence their emotions. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Lasts one post in battle and requires permission outside of battle; can cause discomfort by influencing the electrical pulses to their heart. ]
» Lochan's Dark Mist: Can summon thick mists that can cloud emotions and thoughts of their opponent

Teaching Notes
I'm going to start off by saying that this was an awesome post! Since you didn't take damage but just attacked there's also less to comment on, but I'm sure in your next post I can talk about that some and you will have more notes from me.

+ Environment: AWESOME job mentioning this! A lot of people forget to describe or consider their surroundings, but I really felt grounded in the scene and you also used it when Seanan was thinking pre-attack and while he was attacking. This is something you should continue to utilize, especially in a fight like this where the setting is something that will interfere with your characters movements and possibly hinder them.
+ Breed/stat differences: You did a great job of taking into account the different builds that Seanan and Ashamin have and working that into how you should attack or defend/what general stance you should take in this fight. They are very differently shaped stallions, and fighting polar opposites can be fun but also challenging, because it means you and your opponent both have obvious weak points where the others are strong. Well handled!
- Directionals/positioning: Don't forget to include these when describing your attack. They will make it infinitely easier for your opponent to figure out where they should take damage, how they should avoid it, etc. If you don't include these then your opponent has to try and make them up, which puts them in the awkward position of assuming your character is maybe somewhere that they aren't in order to take damage. Plus it takes control away from you! As is I didn't know which way Seanan was pivoting, which made things tougher.
- Emotion: I felt at times that Seanan's emotion or at least thoughts were missing. I wanted to know more of his internality and thought process throughout your post, and you had plenty of words left in your wordcount to make this happen. Not really a hard minus, just something to think about for future posts! Sometimes emotion can fall by the wayside towards the wordcount finishline but when you have extra words, make sure you use them if you need to (for emotion, clarity, whatever)
~ Previous experience: This isn't a plus or minus, just a suggestion. Something that judges really like to see is that you and/or your character is thinking about previous fights and comparing those situations to the current one, since practice makes perfect! Seanan has had a few fights onsite already so you're in luck and have material to draw from, but he can also be thinking about how fighting may (or may not) tie in with his history!


See Ashamin's profile for more information about Lochan, Rakt, and his various items.
All magic and force allowed, barring death and permanent injury.
Do not tag me, please message on skype instead


Seanan Posts: 44
Outcast atk: 8.0 | def: 10.0 | dam: 2.0
Stallion :: Equine :: 17 :: 9 HP: 60.0 | Buff: NOVICE
Rien
#3
The Clovenheart was closer than he had thought. He feels his hooves strike flesh and a glance cast over his shoulder suprises him- he sees the white rolling eyes and wonders if perhaps he misinterpreted the question. Certainly the hit was hard, but was it really so shocking? He hesitates as his hooves splash back to the ground and he takes a few quick steps, curving around a near tree trunk to try and come back around to face the other stallion. This is a queer and awkward way to fight.

He doesn't like it.

Between the closeness of the trees and the fact that his heart isn't truly in the spar, there is something wrong about this. His body is still weary and twitchy from flailing and panic of earlier. This is not a playful bout on an open, sunny field. This is not some kind of primal, heated combat. It is just..... something. It feels almost like a farce. He is not, truly, comitted.

He flinches back from the dark mist, eyes narrowed and concerned. The great heart within his chest already pounds with the adrenaline of battle (even one he doesn't really believe in) but as the mist begins to curl the muscle jumps. Wind explosively leaves his lungs as his heart leaps like a wild thing against his ribs, as though he has been fleeing for his life from something.

He draws in his breath and the next time he exhales it's a sharp, angry snort. He charges through the ashen drops of rain, hooves sliding and scrambling in the mud. He breathes hard, head low as he fights through it to bear down on the painted stallion. The muscles in his chest sieze and he does not lash out with his teeth as he normally would, too busy trying to breathe and steady his wildly racing heart. Instead he curves his head to the side and tries to thrust his shoulder at the small stallion's face, recalling a moment of another stormy battle in which he chose to close.

Attempting to close the distance between them, he strikes down with his hooves hard, striking to skin down the cannon bones as he's done once before. He does not try and foul himself by aiming for the injured leg- he is not actually trying to do damage and leave the other crippled, but he is not unfamiliar with magic now and he knows his body well enough to think that perhaps this is something of the kind.

There is a cold finger of fear now, icy up his spine. He has seen horses die when their hearts burst. Blood pouring from nostrils and eyes and ears. It is a painful fate that he knows could be his and he strikes for the Clovenheart to break the grip of his magic.

He does not like that another could control his body. His lips curl in an ugly grimace and whatever humor and mischief had been present in his expression is gone.

OOC://
Words: 514
Attacks 2/3 Defense 0/1
Oookay. So... I have no idea what Lochan was trying to do with his magic? I'm not really sure I took damage/what not appropriately, buuut yeah. Dealing with magic is still sort of a struggle for me XD
All interactions are go, short of death and permanent crippling.

Ashamin the Clovenheart Posts: 426
Outcast atk: 8 | def: 11.5 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 15.2 HH :: 5 [Frostfall] HP: 79 | Buff: NUMB
Lochan :: Plain Cerndyr :: Dark Mist & Rakt :: Common Cerndyr :: Starpast Jen
#4

ASHAMIN

Seanan approached fast and seemingly without mercy. Given the pain of a sped heart, however, which appeared to have struck, Ashamin couldn’t really blame the stallion. He didn’t have time to, either; Seanan was aided enough by speed that he could strike Ashamin before he had a second to move backwards. It was all he could do to throw his head up and tuck his injured leg further beneath his stomach before he needed to brace for impact.

The white stallion’s shoulder struck the tender flesh of Ashamin’s throat roughly, putting pressure on his windpipe and sending a shock through the ligaments in his neck. His beard, thinning out due to the season and still fairly new, did little to soften the blow. The painted buck choked out in response, mouth forced to open wide with a hacking cough that only worsened the bruise that was taking hold of his throat. He wanted to swallow, no, needed to in order to force down the pain, but found he was unable to with Seanan’s body still so close. He hopped back on his hind hooves and lifted the left leg that was still on the ground, only letting it fall again once he was satisfied that he had put enough (though what he perceived to be still very little) space between himself and Seanan’s unpredicted up close tactics.

Though the movement put him out of harm’s way, saving his left cannon bone from being cut as his right forearm had been, it also jostled his injured leg. The humming sparks emitted from it flared once more, producing a bright flash from under his barrel. Combined with the glowing marking on his chest, it seemed for a moment as if the Clovenheart was a being made purely of light.

This was not true, however, for light was blessed with in-corporeality. Ashamin was there, and real, and physical. He had mass and muscle, the sort that could be cut and bruised with blows. The Clovenheart had to say he was surprised that Seanan had made so many moves from up close, for he had suspected that the stallion would use speed and dart in and out. Then again, the trees served as a limitation that even Ashamin had encountered.

Perhaps, too, they could be used strategically. Lochan retreated into the shadows between the trees, watching carefully so that he could be better prepared to warn Ashamin of Seanan’s next attack. Meanwhile, Ashamin called on Rakt to summon his magic. Though the blood-colored cerndyr’s power was new, it had already proven to be quite useful. Ashamin stood carefully, still balanced on three legs, and tried to push the pain from his mind so he could focus on his next move. He had neither the time nor the energy to turn and look to see if Rakt had indeed succeeded, so he had to take a leap of faith.

Luckily for the Clovenheart, Rakt was just fueled enough with anger at this opponent, this cold white ghost of a stallion, to focus and produce two spirits formed of gold stardust. They ran forth, each one colliding with one of Ashamin’s hind legs before dissipating into the air around them and mixing with the puddles and rain.

The painted buck leaped forward, his movements quickened by Rakt’s boost to his speed. He kept his forelegs curled beneath him and moved to try and force himself against Seanan, hoping that he could make one of a few outcomes true.

The pain in his neck spread up to his jaw, so he did not snap his teeth as he might have otherwise. Rather he angled his left shoulder forward, mirroring Seanan’s move but aiming instead for the white stallion’s chest. To aim higher would be foolish, for even with Rakt’s boosted speed (which Ashamin did not know for sure was there) he wasn’t able to spring off from the muddy earth with much traction, and Seanan had a height advantage. If Ashamin struck, he hoped to knock the wind out of Seanan’s lungs (which were likely already struggling after feeling the effects of Ashamin’s magic.) Making contact could also allow Ashamin to brace himself against Seanan for a moment rather than having to risk bringing down his injured leg and putting weight on it. Even if he missed, Ashamin hoped that his quick move forward might startle Seanan and force him backwards into the same tree that Ashamin had been forced to avoid earlier—the same tree that had resulted in the electrified cuts on his right fore.

For a moment as air rushed about him and rain slammed against his face, Ashamin wasn’t sure who he was more irritated with: Seanan or the woods around them.

""



The Clovenheart
Image Credits


PC: 2/3
WC: 789/800
Magic used:
Rakt » Starpast: Can conjure 2 small ethereal figures of the past that can charge itself and it's bond-mate, giving energy to move slightly faster temporarily

Teaching Notes
-Directionals: I still didn't know which way Seanan was moving. Though he threw his shoulder at Ashamin's face, I don't know if he used his left or right shoulder and if he was angling from either direction.
+Damage: I think you did a good job with damage by not taking too much or too little and describing it well. You also clearly researched the effects that this magic might have (or knew something about it already) which is smart, because it means your post was able to be well informed which is something judges always love to see. Keep up the good work! You didn't take the dark mists into account I know in part because you were confused by them, but you also didn't need to given the low roll and the fact that the situation provided by Ashamin's magic already afforded you the opportunity to take damage.
+Inner Thought: Great improvement here, I felt like this post included more of Seanan's opinions while staying true to the aspect of his character that isn't overly emotional (like some Ashamins I know :P.) His interiority was present throughout and really livened up the read, particularly when he was thinking about his past experiences with burst hearts and his overall opinion about magic.
-Attack Description: I felt sort of lost here, in part because of the lack of directionals but also because some of the descriptions for your attack seemed too brief to cover the topic. For example, you say that he thrusts his shoulder forward to close the distance and then brings down his hooves to strike, but I wasn't even aware of them being up in the first place. This makes me wonder if Seanan was rearing, which I hadn't thought of before. Since Seanan is taller than Ashamin he wouldn't need to pull himself up very much to shove his shoulder forward, so he might not necessarily have his hooves high enough off the ground (at least not how I envision it now.) But with a bit more description this would become more clear and as a result I could have an easier time writing my response, and the judges will thank you for your clarity. Another thing is be careful to always use words like try and attempt--though Seanan "attempted" to close the gap, when you write about him bringing his hooves down to strike the cannon bone you wrote about it as if it was something that definitely happened, which verges on powerplay and could be easily fixed with some extra language.
~If you aren't sure: Next time just ask! If something is unclear about my post then that's my fault, and you shouldn't have to suffer for it. If judges agree I was unclear I will lose points, but if they don't and your response doesn't make sense to them you could stand to lose points too! I'm always available on skype to chat about well, anything, but in this case feel free to ask me about the magic I used.
~Details of your opponent: Sometimes a quick read over the opponent's profile can teach you a lot, so keep this in mind! Ashamin's passive magic, for example, slowly heals him. When he gets cut, electricity bursts from any broken bones, muscle, or skin, which is something Seanan would likely notice and respond to.


See Ashamin's profile for more information about Lochan, Rakt, and his various items.
All magic and force allowed, barring death and permanent injury.
Do not tag me, please message on skype instead


Blu the Bootyful Posts: 443
Administrator atk: 99 | def: 99 | dam: 99
Mare :: Other :: 5'7" :: 25 HP: 99999 | Buff: TWERK
Blu
#5
Time limit exceeded, defaults to Ashamin. Ashamin earns 0.5 VP +2 EXP for 2 teaching posts.
 HP: 1100

Helovia Hard Mode


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