[aliyaah]

Round 6
FINAL ROUND

Aftershock (TrinitySilph ) vs Vojorn (+ ebonite + )

It has now been two days since the last round of the tournament. The gladiators were offered an extended time of reprise, allowing them to rest, so that they could return to battling in a refreshed state.

Continuing on from the warmer weather that was melting the snow in the last round, the weather has continued to be much more pleasant than previous days. However, accompanying this warmer climate comes ominous clouds, and soon enough, the lightning begins its show. This battle is taking place at night, beneath a thundering sky. It's difficult to see within the darkness between lightning strikes, which will be quite the trial for our competitors. However, when the chaotic sky flashes... It feels like there is no environment more suited for our gladiators to compete within, right in the heart of our stone colosseum. 

---

Please remember that this post serves as the first post of the battle. It is taken as though both your characters are now present, and your following posts will begin the fighting (unlike regular battles where one equine enters and has to wait for the other to arrive). 

All battles are fought with the rules 3 attacks, 1 dodge, 3 days to reply. There will be no extensions given out, no exception. As these are meant to be shorter, quicker battles, the maximum word count is 800 words. 

*If the second poster finishes the thread with an attack, the first poster may post OOC to describe the results of said attack prior to judging (still needs to follow the three day rule).

Please ensure you utilize the battle for just like regular battles. 

+ ebonite + , you were drawn to post first. You have 3 days from this point to make your first post. Let the battles begin!

[+ ebonite +]

Vojorn had left the battle with Rianne a wheezing, bruised mess. Even when she heard the news that she had won, it was hard to feel proud of it when she was in so much pain. Her only reprise was knowing she would have four days to recover before her next fight. So, she gritted her teeth and set to work on healing her wounds the best that she could. On the first day, she iced her bruises for as long as she could stand it and then slathered herbal remedies on her cuts. After they'd been covered properly, she collapsed and fell into a deep sleep for several hours. When she woke again, she was so stiff she gasped, hoping that she hadn't made a terrible error in judgment. But, as she exercised and stretched, her muscles loosened again, and she managed to make her way to Crystal Pools, where she sank into the warm waters with relish. While she knew enough about herbs to heal her cuts properly, she was far more concerned with her bruises, ribs, and her damaged shoulder. Though alternating between the snow and the warm water would do some good, the best remedy for those would be time. Hopefully four days would be enough for her to regain some mobility.

After an hour or so, she rose from the pool and took a walk, deciding that the warm water had helped. As she turned to go back toward the Battlefield though, she halted, wondering if she should go home to Dark Woods now that she had four days to rest. It could be nice to take a trip home and see everyone - especially Avitas. No. I can't go home until I've finished this. With a resolute snort, she continued to the Battlefield, settling into her usual spot. She chewed up some of the herbs she'd stashed earlier, spreading them onto her cuts. Then began her usual routine of sleeping and walking. Every morning she iced her bruises and every evening she went to Crystal Pools to bathe in the warm water. Throughout it all, she was strategizing, wondering what hits she could make. On the third day, she tentatively began to practice attacking, lashing out with hooves and teeth, running, ducking, and rearing. Her body felt slow and foreign, a mass of pain that she was burdened with. The familiar feelings of frustration were welling up and she had to shove them away. She had to focus on the positives, or she was going to lose. Though it still hurt to move, her limp was a little less pronounced and her legs felt steadier beneath her. That would have to be enough.

On the morning of the battle, she went for the Colosseum, only to be told that her battle would not be starting until the evening. She would be facing Aftershock, which meant that Rianne had lost her battle and had taken third place in the tournament. This is it. If she won this fight, she would be crowned champion. If not... Well, she wouldn't let herself debate that possibility.

Storm clouds began to roll in as she waited, bringing the scent of rain. When it was time, she entered the structure, flashes of lightning helping to guide her way. Though there were much fewer obstacles in the Colosseum itself, the storm had blocked out most of the light. Vojorn managed to assess her opponent with the lightning's assistance. He was a black paint, perhaps a hand shorter than her. Whereas Vojorn's injuries were mostly internal and hard to see, his pelt was a patchwork of scars and fresh wounds. The nastiest among them was a gash on his left shoulder and a laceration on the right side of his neck. That's it. She didn't care if it was too obvious. The faster this went, the better. And if Aftershock saw it coming and dodged, it could reveal his other weak points. Her assessment complete, Vojorn started them off by circling, her pace slow. Hopefully, the darkness would help hide her limp. Because she could only see Aftershock clearly in flashes, it would be hard to pinpoint his exact location. She would have to be quick.

Picking up speed, Vojorn continued the circle. Flash. Aftershock was there. Her gaze locked onto the gash on the side of his neck. Flash. She launched toward him, hoping that he hadn't moved, her shoulder screaming in protest. When she figured she was close enough, she reached forward to try and grasp at the wounded flesh with her teeth, hoping to tear it open further, or at least create another gash to keep it company. She held her position for a few seconds before scrambling backward, hoping to avoid any retaliation.



Name- Vojorn
Breed- Appaloosa x Andalusian x Arabian x Appendix Quarter Horse x Paint x Shire
Age- Seven
Gender- Female
Height- 17.1 hands
Alliance- Unallianced
Health-
Physically: 40% (up 10% after 4 days of rest)
Mentally: 100%

Injuries-
Fourth round
1. Mild to moderate bruising on chest from Rianne's hooves.
2. Moderate to severe bruising on the right side of her barrel from Rianne's hooves.

Third round
1. Moderate bruising on her upper chest from Legion's hooves.
2. Legion's hooves struck her in the left shoulder, causing moderate to severe bruising and a limp that will last about two weeks. After four days of rest, limp has become less severe.
3. Legion collided with her left side, further aggravating the bruising already there and jostling her cracked rib. Bruising has become severe in some spots.

Second round
1. Three inch gash on the right side of her neck in the middle, just below her mane. Has stopped bleeding, but will leave a scar. After four days of rest, the gash has scabbed over.
2. Bruising on the right side of her barrel from Stark's hooves. (staff rolled injury)

First round
1. Hound's body collided with her left side. Moderate bruising.
2. Her right side collided with the wall from the impact of Hound's attack. Mild to moderate bruising.
3. Hound's first strike struck her in the ribs. At least one cracked rib and severe bruising.
4. Hound's second strike scraped along the top of her back near her shoulder. A shallow two inch cut with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cut has scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.
5. She dropped to her knees to avoid his third strike. Mild bruising. After four days of rest, the bruising is almost gone.
6. Hound's attack aimed for her chest hit near her hip instead. Caused three shallow cuts with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cuts have scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.

Hits- 1/3
1. Reached forward to tear at the wound on the right side of Aftershock's neck with her teeth, hoping to either tear it further or create a new wound. It's also possible she misjudged the distance and collided with him as well (up to other roleplayer).
2. --
3. --

Dodges- 0/1
1. --

count 795
notes here we go again > >
timeline avitas is a few weeks old, after she's been made lead of dark woods
tag TrinitySilph

"Speech"

[TrinitySilph]

He had taken no joy in robbing Rianne of her victory. Their battle had been close, to be sure, but when her last attack had stunk of such desperation… well… he had known the outcome. It had felt good to dance with her, to taste her blood in the ice and filth of their personal battlefield, and to feel that he had met a worthy leader at long last. He wasn’t sure he had ever known this unique flavour of adrenaline - it was bitter with her hurt, but sweet, oh so sweet, with passion and satisfaction and something he couldn’t quite place. He would dance with her again, he thought.

For now, he had another, more pressing concern.

For two days, he stayed near the colosseum, soaking his wounds and bruises in ice and water and as many soothing herbs as he could find, urging his battered body to heal. When the sun shone, he laid in it and let it warm his aches and pains. His final opponent would be as fresh as he had been when he fought Rianne, having had four whole days to rest, and he meant to give himself as similar an advantage as he could muster.

Wounds began to heal, though slowly. Though some remained, kept sore by overuse, the majority of his bruising had faded - his main points of concern were the many wounds to his neck, where each opponent had attempted to make him weaker, and his damaged shoulder.

Finally, the night arrived, and the sky grew dark, then darker still, as if the gods themselves sought a finale of legend. Within the walls of the crumbling colosseum, shadow and storm brought on a darkness not so unlike what one sees behind one’s eyes, and Aftershock wondered if this would be an ally or a hindrance. He had trained to fight in all conditions, but it had been a very long time since he had to do battle without the use of his eyes.

His hoofbeats echoed coldly down a tunnel of stone, confident but slow as he took care not to trip on fallen rocks or other debris. For a time, the only sound was from his hooves, and the only sight was darkness, then–

FLASH

Lightning tore through the velvet black and he realised that he stood at the edge of the arena, and Vojorn waited for him.

Vojorn. He knew nothing of her, but that she had won each battle she had entered in this tournament, and that she had been first to lay Rianne low. His lip curled.

The air smelled of petrichor and ozone. Thunder rumbled like the roar of an impossibly huge lion, divine ruler of the roiling sky.

The arena seemed clear of any real dangers, though from time to time something seemed to poke out of the sand. The lightning’s illumination was far too brief to pick out details, and the darkness was so much deeper in its absence, leaving his eyes dazzled and star-struck.

Lightning again. Sight restored. Vojorn circled like a wolf, appraising, assessing his wounds.

Darkness. He trotted forward, wary of her movement but eager to get started, eager to take revenge for the insult she had inflicted on his mistress. Thunder snarled so loudly that his ears pinned back against his neck practically of their own initiative.

Lightning. Vojorn was upon him - the bitch must have lunged during the thunderclap, when he couldn’t hear her hooves on the sand. With less than a second to respond, Shock ripped his aching neck out of the range of her teeth, but not fast enough - though she did not make purchase in the still-healing wound just below his jaw, she did manage to tear a shallow gash just beneath it, and he thought this one might join his collection of scars.

He snarled in pain but ignored the burning of old wounds and the sensation of blood trickling from the newest as he lunged again, chasing her as she scrambled back and away.

Lightning. Vision obscured by light burned into his retina and a fine mist of dusty sand thrown up by their hooves. She was right there, though she moved farther with each staccato step.
Went for his neck, did she? He would return the favour.

Aftershock’s neck snaked out as fast as he could manage, trusting his other senses as velvet blackness painted in neon afterimages stole his sight again. He was still there, she thought, just within range, though he could be wrong. Had he ever fought in such conditions before? He thought perhaps not.
His reaching teeth sought purchase in her neck - anywhere would do, but ideally he would strike the delicate softness of her throat.

No mercy for the witch who had laid his mistress low.


*****

Name: Aftershock
Breed: Irish Draught x Georgian Grande
Age: 6
Gender: Stallion
Height: 16.2hh
Alliance: Unallied
Health: 50% (55% after 2 days of healing, -5% after Vojorn’s first attack)

Attacks:
1. Lunges after Vojorn as she backs up, attempting to bite her throat.
2. –
3. –

Dodge:
1. –

Previous Injuries:
1. Bruised, stiff shoulders - Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
2. Shallow gash on his flank - has begun to heal, pain is minimal
3. Badly bruised chest - still causing stiffness and can cause breathing issues with exertion, but limp is now minor
4. Torn flesh and bruising along left side of jaw. Painful, but won’t get in the way in most cases. Bruising has faded, tearing has scabbed but could re-open.
5. Large gash to the right side of his neck, near his throat. Will take a long time to heal and will scar. Makes it painful to move his head left. Has scabbed but is now stiff, making movement difficult. Could easily open back up again.
6. Badly bruised forelegs. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement unless overexerted
7. Shallow gash to left shoulder. Healing, but was re-opened by Rianne and can cause stiffness
8. Light bruising to rump. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
9. Bruising and lacerations to the left side of his neck, about halfway down. Quite painful, can impede movement in combination with other neck wounds.

New Injuries:
1. New neck injury - shallow gash several inches long, just below previous gash on right side of neck. Though it is not deep, it will work in tandem with previous neck injuries to impede movement and cause significant stiffness and tenderness.

+ ebonite +

[+ ebonite +]

Aftershock's flesh split beneath her teeth and the taste of blood filled her mouth. Pride and satisfaction swelled through her. One hit down, two to go. Her shoulder was throbbing, and she still felt slow and uncoordinated, but she had landed her first hit. It was too dark to see yet if she'd ripped at the wound she'd been aiming for, so she continued to make her retreat, waiting for the next flash of lightning. It didn't take long. And not only did it reveal that she'd missed and simply torn another gash, but Aftershock had followed her retreat and was lunging for her, teeth bared. Lightning flashed off his incisors as he reached, aiming for her throat. In that split second, she found herself comparing him to Hound, the massive beast who'd tried to rip out her windpipe. Did Aftershock also hope to win by killing her? Tendrils of anger coiled down her chest. Her shoulder burned after the burst of speed she'd done to attack him, and it was slow to respond now. His teeth were getting closer, and she was not going to move away fast enough. Adrenaline set her heart pounding and forced her body into a rear in a desperate attempt to avoid the hit. Her breath wheezed in her throat as she put pressure on her damaged ribs. Ultimately, though, her efforts were in vain.

Though Aftershock also missed his intended target - as his teeth sank into her skin several inches beneath her throat - he still ripped a sizeable gash. Blood immediately poured out of the wound, trickling down her chest and sending white-hot knives of pain that radiated through her chest. For one horrible moment, it seemed that the pain and exhaustion would overwhelm her. Darkness creeped on the edge of her vision. No. Fight it. She managed to push it away through sheer force of will and a healthy amount of spite. With Aftershock so close to her now, she wanted to make another attack and take advantage of their proximity. If he was still in front of her, she could make an immediate counterattack head-on and catch him unawares. It would have to be with her undamaged front leg. Spinning around to use her back ones might take too long and she was unsure of how supportive just one good leg would be for a kick like that. She'd have to rear up and use her back legs as support for her undamaged leg. Given their height difference, it might make it more difficult to hit him, but she had to take the risk - she needed the support. Here we go. Taking only seconds to steady herself, Vojorn went up in a half-rear and aimed three swipes at Aftershock with her right leg. Hopefully, it would catch him in the face, neck, or chest. It felt odd, striking out at seemingly empty air, but the storm had held off its light show in the moments between Aftershock's successful hit and Vojorn's subsequent attack. Hopefully, the darkness would aid her, and he would not see it coming.



Name- Vojorn
Breed- Appaloosa x Andalusian x Arabian x Appendix Quarter Horse x Paint x Shire
Age- Seven
Gender- Female
Height- 17.1 hands
Alliance- Unallianced
Health-
Physically: 37%
Mentally: 100%

Injuries-
Current round
1. Three inch gash several inches below her throat, in the center of her neck. Bleeding freely, though does not hinder movement.

Fourth round
1. Mild to moderate bruising on chest from Rianne's hooves.
2. Moderate to severe bruising on the right side of her barrel from Rianne's hooves.

Third round
1. Moderate bruising on her upper chest from Legion's hooves.
2. Legion's hooves struck her in the left shoulder, causing moderate to severe bruising and a limp that will last about two weeks. After four days of rest, limp has become less severe.
3. Legion collided with her left side, further aggravating the bruising already there and jostling her cracked rib. Bruising has become severe in some spots.

Second round
1. Three inch gash on the right side of her neck in the middle, just below her mane. Has stopped bleeding, but will leave a scar. After four days of rest, the gash has scabbed over.
2. Bruising on the right side of her barrel from Stark's hooves. (staff rolled injury)

First round
1. Hound's body collided with her left side. Moderate bruising.
2. Her right side collided with the wall from the impact of Hound's attack. Mild to moderate bruising.
3. Hound's first strike struck her in the ribs. At least one cracked rib and severe bruising.
4. Hound's second strike scraped along the top of her back near her shoulder. A shallow two inch cut with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cut has scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.
5. She dropped to her knees to avoid his third strike. Mild bruising. After four days of rest, the bruising is almost gone.
6. Hound's attack aimed for her chest hit near her hip instead. Caused three shallow cuts with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cuts have scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.

Hits- 2/3
1. Reached forward to tear at the wound on the right side of Aftershock's neck with her teeth, hoping to either tear it further or create a new wound. It's also possible she misjudged the distance and collided with him as well (up to other roleplayer).
2. Hoping that Aftershock was still in front of her, she half-reared and aimed three hits with her right front hoof to strike at his face, neck, or chest.
3. --

Dodges- 0/1
1. --

count 518
notes boop
timeline avitas is a few weeks old, after she's been made lead of dark woods
tag TrinitySilph

"Speech"

[TrinitySilph]

He tasted blood. Repulsive copper on his tongue, bitter and filthy, but such a sweet swell of satisfaction. Here was a wound struck for himself, and for his mistress, in the dark of night as the sky itself cheered them on.

Vojorn, however, was not done. No, he expected that - their dance had only just begun, and both were as fresh as they could be, under such circumstances.
(Fresh, as if his shoulder didn’t ache. As if moving his neck wasn’t a gargantuan effort. As if pretending to be limber wasn’t getting harder and harder the more he was forced to move at speed. Fresh, as if six rounds of this tournament hadn’t taken as much out of him as any real campaign.)

Lightning flashed, violently brilliant, and he saw her rear back, jerking her new injury out of his reach. Fleeing? Perhaps. Hard to tell, with a fresh wave of colours burning themselves into his retina. A shadowy echo of Vojorn herself, frozen mid-rear, seemed seared onto the insides of his eyelids. He started to pull back, lifting his head for another strike (perhaps he could taste her blood again, as she fled–

CRACK.

Light exploded behind his eyes again, and this time it wasn’t the lightning. Thunder roared again, or was that the blood in his ears?

CRACK.

The painted stallion bellowed in agony and wrenched himself away from what he was now realising was his opponent’s lashing hooves. Or… hoof? As he whirled on his heel and lunged away, she caught him a third time, and now he knew he was bleeding from two places.

Space… need space… have to regroup–

For a few blinding moments, all he could comprehend was pain. Thankful for the darkness of the night and the storm, he staggered into what seemed to be the darkest shadows of the arena to catch his breath and try to think. What was that?
It hurt to breathe– it hurt to think–!

Three strikes, rapid succession.
He shook his head, and gasped as pain stabbed at him in retribution. Concussed, then. That explained the brain fog…
Hard to breathe… she must have struck his nose. Blood on his face - the edge of her hoof sliced his skin… on the nose… and… temple, he thought.

Bitch… he thought. But then, this mare was undefeated. Perhaps he had been unwise to challenge her head on. So, then… another plan.

Taking advantage of the darkness, and grateful that the storm chose that moment not to unleash its lightning across the sky, he began to move again, listening for the tell-tale signs of Vojorn’s movement in the sand. He placed his own hooves carefully, letting the soft turf muffle his footsteps as he sought his prey. Finally, as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness properly, he saw her.
There you are…

Doing his level best not to attract her attention, he padded up behind the mare, taking note of the leg she favoured, and launched himself at the back of her neck. Lightning flashed once more, tearing across the sky with a great roar of thunder, and he squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt not to be blinded by its light again. If his aim was true, he would sink his teeth into the back of her neck, just above her withers, and drag her down to the left. If he had calculated correctly, her injured leg would not hold her, and she would go down hard, perhaps long enough for Aftershock to get in another kick or two, if only he kept behind her, and out of reach of her own flailing legs.



Name: Aftershock
Breed: Irish Draught x Georgian Grande
Age: 6
Gender: Stallion
Height: 16.2hh
Alliance: Unallied
Health: 30%

Attacks:
1. Lunges after Vojorn as she backs up, attempting to bite her throat.
2. Creeps up behind Vojorn in the dark, attempts to bite her neck from behind and use her injured shoulder as leverage to drag her to the ground.
3. –

Dodge:
1. –

Previous Injuries:
1. Bruised, stiff shoulders - Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
2. Shallow gash on his flank - has begun to heal, pain is minimal
3. Badly bruised chest - still causing stiffness and can cause breathing issues with exertion, but limp is now minor
4. Torn flesh and bruising along left side of jaw. Painful, but won’t get in the way in most cases. Bruising has faded, tearing has scabbed but could re-open.
5. Large gash to the right side of his neck, near his throat. Will take a long time to heal and will scar. Makes it painful to move his head left. Has scabbed but is now stiff, making movement difficult. Could easily open back up again.
6. Badly bruised forelegs. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement unless overexerted
7. Shallow gash to left shoulder. Healing, but was re-opened by Rianne and can cause stiffness
8. Light bruising to rump. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
9. Bruising and lacerations to the left side of his neck, about halfway down. Quite painful, can impede movement in combination with other neck wounds.

New Injuries:
1. New neck injury - shallow gash several inches long, just below previous gash on right side of neck. Though it is not deep, it will work in tandem with previous neck injuries to impede movement and cause significant stiffness and tenderness.
2. Heavy bruising to skull - concussed, nasal bone is cracked. Combination causes massive headache, difficulty breathing, difficulty thinking.
3. Two-inch cut at temple bleeds freely, causing potential for visual impairment.

+ ebonite +

[+ ebonite +]

Her hoof connected with something solid in the darkness. Something cracked. One. Her hoof connected again. There was a bellow of pain. Two. Her hoof connected a third time. Three. Vojorn was nearly breathless with astonishment that all three of her strikes were successful. Silently, she thanked the storm for the pause in its light show. She landed unsteadily from the half-rear, her shoulder aching so badly her eyes were watering. The attack had been a resounding success, but it had taken its toll. There was a steady throb in her chest from her damaged ribs and her breathing was labored and wheezing. She could feel blood curling down her front legs now from the gash in her neck. She didn't know where Aftershock had taken the blows, but given the crack and bellow of pain, it must have been somewhere significant. In the darkness, she couldn't tell where he had ended up. She hadn't made it to the edge of the arena, so she was open on all sides to any counterattacks. That was unfortunate. She twisted her head from one direction to the next, straining to hear any movement, any hooves skittering across the sand. The gash in her neck burned with every turn, though thankfully it was only pain and nothing deeper had been damaged.

The storm continued its pause, clouds swirling ominously and silently overhead. After several moments in the darkness, her eyes began to adjust and she squinted ahead, seeing a shape move out of the corner of her eye - Aftershock, darting behind her. Shit. The stallion had moved to her left side. She had no idea what he planned on doing, but somehow, he had figured out her weak spot, and that was enough. At that moment, lightning flashed and blinded her. Her night vision ruined, Vojorn tried to spring out of the way, but his teeth caught her anyway, dragging along the back of her neck. His weight settled onto her damaged shoulder and the leg screamed with pain, buckling beneath her. Her left leg went down to the knee while her right stayed up, forcing her into a bow. Flash. Lightning arced above her, capturing her awkward position in a burst of light. The bite wound on the back of her neck paled in comparison to the agony in her leg. Get up! Fueled by desperation and adrenaline, she forced herself upward, leaning into her back legs so she could put her right leg steadily onto the ground. She put her left leg down as gently as she could, well aware that her slow recovery from Aftershock's attack was leaving her vulnerable. Growling from pain and frustration, she wanted to immediately return the favor as she had before. No. Retreat and regroup. Then make your final move. She didn't know where Aftershock was - he might have immediately fled after his attack given how fast she'd retaliated against him last time. Or he could be close and preparing another attack of his own. Either way, she couldn't stay here. She'd already wasted enough time.

She walked toward the edge of the arena, the limp in her shoulder worse, pain shooting up her leg every time her foot hit the ground. Her last attack would be nothing special - only a formality. Once again, she was reduced to using her teeth. Flash. Mercifully, the sky lit up again, allowing her to see where Aftershock had gone. She pinned her gaze to his location and started for him, gritting her teeth against the pain. Just one more. One more and we can rest again. Thinking back, she remembered the gash on his left shoulder and decided to aim for that. It was a vulnerable spot to exploit, and it also felt justified, given the injury she'd just taken. Her pace was slow, but it helped when lightning flashed again, giving her a full view of Aftershock's position. Hopefully, it would not change in the few moments it took her to get close enough. When she thought she was in proximity, she slowed to a stop and reached out try to bite at his left shoulder, aiming at the existing gash. If she could tear that open more, maybe he would feel just a fraction of what her own leg was feeling right now. When she was through, she backed away, gasping, her entire body a mess of pain and adrenaline.


Name- Vojorn
Breed- Appaloosa x Andalusian x Arabian x Appendix Quarter Horse x Paint x Shire
Age- Seven
Gender- Female
Height- 17.1 hands
Alliance- Unallianced
Health-
Physically: 30%
Mentally: 100%

Injuries-
Current round
1. Three inch gash several inches below her throat, in the center of her neck. Bleeding freely, though does not hinder movement.
2. Three inch gash on the back of her neck, bleeding slowly.
3. Aftershock's weight on her injured leg strained it again, worsening the bruising and her limp.

Fourth round
1. Mild to moderate bruising on chest from Rianne's hooves.
2. Moderate to severe bruising on the right side of her barrel from Rianne's hooves.

Third round
1. Moderate bruising on her upper chest from Legion's hooves.
2. Legion's hooves struck her in the left shoulder, causing moderate to severe bruising and a limp that will last about two weeks. After four days of rest, limp has become less severe.
3. Legion collided with her left side, further aggravating the bruising already there and jostling her cracked rib. Bruising has become severe in some spots.

Second round
1. Three inch gash on the right side of her neck in the middle, just below her mane. Has stopped bleeding, but will leave a scar. After four days of rest, the gash has scabbed over.
2. Bruising on the right side of her barrel from Stark's hooves. (staff rolled injury)

First round
1. Hound's body collided with her left side. Moderate bruising.
2. Her right side collided with the wall from the impact of Hound's attack. Mild to moderate bruising.
3. Hound's first strike struck her in the ribs. At least one cracked rib and severe bruising.
4. Hound's second strike scraped along the top of her back near her shoulder. A shallow two inch cut with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cut has scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.
5. She dropped to her knees to avoid his third strike. Mild bruising. After four days of rest, the bruising is almost gone.
6. Hound's attack aimed for her chest hit near her hip instead. Caused three shallow cuts with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cuts have scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.

Hits- 3/3
1. Reached forward to tear at the wound on the right side of Aftershock's neck with her teeth, hoping to either tear it further or create a new wound. It's also possible she misjudged the distance and collided with him as well (up to other roleplayer).
2. Hoping that Aftershock was still in front of her, she half-reared and aimed three hits with her right front hoof to strike at his face, neck, or chest.
3. She aimed a bite for Aftershock's left shoulder, hoping to worsen the gash already there or create a new wound.

Dodges- 0/1
1. --

count 737
notes boop
timeline avitas is a few weeks old, after she's been made lead of dark woods
tag TrinitySilph

"Speech"

[TrinitySilph]

For the second time that night, he made contact with Vojorn’s neck. Once in the softness of her throat, once in the thick of her mane - my, but that made for a sweet sense of balance. He was surprised at how quiet she stayed, not even a cry as her leg buckled beneath her, and that she only bowed but didn’t fall.
A warrior, indeed, he mused through a fog of pain. Gods above, his head sang. Was the headache the cause of his ruined vision, or the remnants of lightning still so firmly burned into his retinas? Or was it the blood running languidly over his eye?

Before he could gather himself, before he could plan his next move, let alone execute it, Vojorn was hauling herself to her feet and his moment was gone.

Damn–!

But at least he could see the impact of his efforts - she favoured her injured leg heavily, and he had to admit he understood that pain. If they were not in the midst of combat, he might have taken a moment to consider his own bruised forelegs, which were beginning to ache and nag at him, even with two days’ rest. As it was, he had no time to formulate a functional thought, let alone ponder pain that could not be allowed to hinder him.

Lightning illuminated the arena in blinding light as Vojorn limped away, temporarily defeated as Aftershock had been only moments before. He began to follow her, fighting aching waves of nausea that rocked him to his very core. He felt dizzy… he felt his pulse in each and every aching wound. He felt it in his bruised shoulders, in his aching chest. It hammered at his forelegs and inside his skull and through his nose...!

Vojorn was just ahead, he thought, but he couldn’t tell. It was pitch black and the world was swaying. He hadn’t seen combat like this in years. In future, perhaps he would be more careful than to fight in a thunderstorm at night. Who’s idea had this been, to schedule a round of the tournament when no one could see?
(Though, he had to admit, it would have been quite stunningly dramatic by the silver light of the full moon.)

One final time, lightning ripped through the sky, and just in time - Vojorn was lunging again, coming straight at him through the wretched light of the storm that pierced his eyes to wrack his skull with agony. She reached for his injured shoulder, and his ears pinned as he half-reared, whinnying furious defiance. That shoulder had taken quite enough damage, thank you very much!
Pivoting in the soft sand and using the slip and glide of its loose surface to aid his momentum, he threw himself to the left, protecting his injured shoulder even as the wounds high on his neck screamed their protest to his very core. Blinded by pain and lightning and pitch darkness, the painted stallion dropped as he spun, shifting from rear to kick as quickly as his battered body would allow. The thought was half-formed, haloed in fuzzy agony, but perhaps he could strike one last blow this way. She was close enough… did he have the strength and clarity to have properly aimed a kick to her ribs? He wasn’t sure. He tried anyway. One last strike to close out this wretched tournament, and then he could rest.
One last strike before judgement.
One last strike, then he would return to his mistress.


Name: Aftershock
Breed: Irish Draught x Georgian Grande
Age: 6
Gender: Stallion
Height: 16.2hh
Alliance: Unallied
Health: 30%

Attacks:
1. Lunges after Vojorn as she backs up, attempting to bite her throat.
2. Creeps up behind Vojorn in the dark, attempts to bite her neck from behind and use her injured shoulder as leverage to drag her to the ground.
3. Attempts to kick Vojorn in the ribs with both back hooves.

Dodge:
1. Dodges Vojorn’s attack on his wounded shoulder

Previous Injuries:
1. Bruised, stiff shoulders - Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
2. Shallow gash on his flank - has begun to heal, pain is minimal
3. Badly bruised chest - still causing stiffness and can cause breathing issues with exertion, but limp is now minor
4. Torn flesh and bruising along left side of jaw. Painful, but won’t get in the way in most cases. Bruising has faded, tearing has scabbed but could re-open.
5. Large gash to the right side of his neck, near his throat. Will take a long time to heal and will scar. Makes it painful to move his head left. Has scabbed but is now stiff, making movement difficult. Could easily open back up again.
6. Badly bruised forelegs. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement unless overexerted
7. Shallow gash to left shoulder. Healing, but was re-opened by Rianne and can cause stiffness
8. Light bruising to rump. Has healed almost entirely, no longer affects movement
9. Bruising and lacerations to the left side of his neck, about halfway down. Quite painful, can impede movement in combination with other neck wounds.

New Injuries:
1. New neck injury - shallow gash several inches long, just below previous gash on right side of neck. Though it is not deep, it will work in tandem with previous neck injuries to impede movement and cause significant stiffness and tenderness.
2. Heavy bruising to skull - concussed, nasal bone is cracked. Combination causes massive headache, difficulty breathing, difficulty thinking.
3. Two-inch cut at temple bleeds freely, causing potential for visual impairment.

+ ebonite +

[+ ebonite +]

[ooc] Vojorn will dodge Aftershock's kick to her ribs.


Name- Vojorn
Breed- Appaloosa x Andalusian x Arabian x Appendix Quarter Horse x Paint x Shire
Age- Seven
Gender- Female
Height- 17.1 hands
Alliance- Unallianced
Health-
Physically: 30%
Mentally: 100%

Injuries-
Current round
1. Three inch gash several inches below her throat, in the center of her neck. Bleeding freely, though does not hinder movement.
2. Three inch gash on the back of her neck, bleeding slowly.
3. Aftershock's weight on her injured leg strained it again, worsening the bruising and her limp.

Fourth round
1. Mild to moderate bruising on chest from Rianne's hooves.
2. Moderate to severe bruising on the right side of her barrel from Rianne's hooves.

Third round
1. Moderate bruising on her upper chest from Legion's hooves.
2. Legion's hooves struck her in the left shoulder, causing moderate to severe bruising and a limp that will last about two weeks. After four days of rest, limp has become less severe.
3. Legion collided with her left side, further aggravating the bruising already there and jostling her cracked rib. Bruising has become severe in some spots.

Second round
1. Three inch gash on the right side of her neck in the middle, just below her mane. Has stopped bleeding, but will leave a scar. After four days of rest, the gash has scabbed over.
2. Bruising on the right side of her barrel from Stark's hooves. (staff rolled injury)

First round
1. Hound's body collided with her left side. Moderate bruising.
2. Her right side collided with the wall from the impact of Hound's attack. Mild to moderate bruising.
3. Hound's first strike struck her in the ribs. At least one cracked rib and severe bruising.
4. Hound's second strike scraped along the top of her back near her shoulder. A shallow two inch cut with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cut has scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.
5. She dropped to her knees to avoid his third strike. Mild bruising. After four days of rest, the bruising is almost gone.
6. Hound's attack aimed for her chest hit near her hip instead. Caused three shallow cuts with mild bruising. Any bleeding has stopped at this point. After four days of rest, the cuts have scabbed over and the bruising is almost gone.

Hits- 3/3
1. Reached forward to tear at the wound on the right side of Aftershock's neck with her teeth, hoping to either tear it further or create a new wound. It's also possible she misjudged the distance and collided with him as well (up to other roleplayer).
2. Hoping that Aftershock was still in front of her, she half-reared and aimed three hits with her right front hoof to strike at his face, neck, or chest.
3. She aimed a bite for Aftershock's left shoulder, hoping to worsen the gash already there or create a new wound.

Dodges- 1/1
1. Dodges the blow to her ribs.

count N/A
notes whew excellent battle Trin! <3
timeline avitas is a few weeks old, after she's been made lead of dark woods
tag TrinitySilph

"Speech"

[aliyaah]

I will tally.
Waiting on judge collection: Yes
Judge 1 Collection: Received
Judge 2 Collection: Received
Tally-ing Scores: Yes

[aliyaah]

Roleplayer & Character: + ebonite + with Vojorn
Cohesiveness: 9
Comments:
- Overall good, but there were various parts that read awkwardly due to minor grammar errors. There was also confusion from oddly used/missing words.
Examples:
"Every morning she iced her bruises and every evening she went to Crystal Pools to bathe in the warm water." (Needs a comma before the 'and' due to having two independent clauses.)
"Spinning around to use her back ones might take too long and she was unsure of how supportive just one good leg would be for a kick like that." (This is a long sentence that is somewhat confusing to read. It also has the same comma issue with two independent clauses.)
"She walked toward the edge of the arena, the limp in her shoulder worse, pain shooting up her leg every time her foot hit the ground." (Specifically "the limp in her shoulder" reads awkwardly and gave me a pause. Using limp as a verb here doesn't make sense (e.g. the walk in her shoulder) and using it as a noun isn't quite right either. Should reword this, possibly to just "her limp" or "the limp that jarred her shoulder".)
"When she thought she was in proximity, she slowed to a stop and reached out try to bite at his left shoulder, aiming at the existing gash." (Should be "reached out to try to bite".)
- Posts were easy and intriguing to follow. Only one minor mistake.

When she thought she was in proximity, she slowed to a stop and reached out try to bite at his left shoulder, aiming at the existing gash. - should be 'she slowed to a stop and reached out to try to bite at his left shoulder' or '...reached out trying to bite...'
Realism: 10
Comments:
- Vojorn used her rest time well to heal her many injuries. All of Vojorn's movements have her injuries kept in mind and she adjusts her attacks in accordance. This is maintained throughout all three posts and is a primary feature.
- Attacks were realistic.
Movement: 10
Comments:
- Good use of darkness in first post to hide her limp.
- All of her attacks keep in mind her prior injuries.
- I feel attacks and movement were equal for both. Each roleplayer took into account old injuries, along with creating new injuries. They didn't just focus on old injuries, but also tried to create new ones.
Completion of the Form: 10
Comments:
- Always complete.

TOTAL: 39


Roleplayer & Character: TrinitySilph  with Aftershock
Cohesiveness: 9
Comments:
- There are a lot of comma errors and run-on sentence that breaks the flow of the post due to how confusing they are to read.
"With less than a second to respond, Shock ripped his aching neck out of the range of her teeth, but not fast enough - though she did not make purchase in the still-healing wound just below his jaw, she did manage to tear a shallow gash just beneath it, and he thought this one might join his collection of scars." (Run-on with a lot of information.)
"Lightning tore through the velvet black and he realised that he stood at the edge of the arena, and Vojorn waited for him." (Needs comma after "black" and should be "and that Vojorn")
"If he had calculated correctly, her injured leg would not hold her, and she would go down hard, perhaps long enough for Aftershock to get in another kick or two, if only he kept behind her, and out of reach of her own flailing legs." (A run-on that reads jaggedly with all the commas.)
"One final time, lightning ripped through the sky, and just in time - Vojorn was lunging again, coming straight at him through the wretched light of the storm that pierced his eyes to wrack his skull with agony." (This is a run-on with a lot of information that broke up the flow of the post.)
- The first post was hard to follow, but every post after was concise.

Wounds began to heal, though slowly. Though some remained, kept sore by overuse, the majority of his bruising had faded - his main points of concern were the many wounds to his neck, where each opponent had attempted to make him weaker, and his damaged shoulder. - At the beginning of this I had to reread for a moment because the word 'though' is used closely twice. As it continued however, I had to reread it multiple times for what felt like run-on sentences. The entire paragraph felt as if it had too many breaks in the wrong place.

Finally, the night arrived, and the sky grew dark, then darker still, as if the gods themselves sought a finale of legend. Felt like this also ran on.

He snarled in pain but ignored the burning of old wounds and the sensation of blood trickling from the newest as he lunged again, chasing her as she scrambled back and away. - He never lunged initially? This was the first time the character lunged forward.

He was still there, she thought, just within range, though he could be wrong. - Supposed to be 'She was still there, he thought'
Realism: 9.5
Comments:
- Took into account the time off he had to heal and used that wisely.
- The attack in the second post seems to have power-playing involved. ("Doing his level best not to attract her attention, he padded up behind the mare, taking note of the leg she favoured, and launched himself at the back of her neck." "If he had calculated correctly, her injured leg would not hold her, and she would go down hard,") This attack assumes she hasn't heard him, that she was moving to make noise prior, and that she's displaying the favored leg. Aftershock didn't appear to notice which leg Vojorn was striking with before, referring to it as only one leg. At no point in either post had there been mention of him noticing her limp until this occurance. I'm not sure then how he is getting the information of which leg she's favoring without some sort of assumption that she's moved now to show it.
- Attacks were realistic.
Movement: 9.5
Comments:
- I enjoyed how Aftershock utilized the darkness and sound to plan his second attack. He also went for something that would use a great weakness Vojorn already had.
- Aftershock's injuries are mentioned, but they don't seem to be taken into account when planning attacks or movements. The posts mention the pain at the time it happens or near the start, but then not again as the actual movement takes place. In example, the second post includes a paragraph at the beginning about how much pain Aftershock is in. However, later on in the post he is able to move carefully and without mention as to it being difficult or how his injuries are effecting it. ("Taking advantage of the darkness, and grateful that the storm chose that moment not to unleash its lightning across the sky, he began to move again, listening for the tell-tale signs of Vojorn’s movement in the sand. He placed his own hooves carefully, letting the soft turf muffle his footsteps as he sought his prey. Finally, as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness properly, he saw her.")
- I feel attacks and movement were equal for both. Each roleplayer took into account old injuries, along with creating new injuries. They didn't just focus on old injuries, but also tried to create new ones.
Completion of the Form: 9.5
Comments:
- First post made in the battle is over the word count maximum (804).
- Form always complete.

TOTAL: 37.5

The winner of the Gladiator Tournament is Vojorn!