Shadow Duels: When Shades Clash

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 11

Regnum - 91HP
Kiju - 78HP

This gust of wind almost sent Kiju tumbling, but she gritted her teeth in effort and maintained enough balance to remain on her feet. The force shoved the Bownyte backwards, slamming her back into a nearby tree rather hard.

Once the torrent receded, Kiju summoned small pellets of iron from the earth and caused allowed them to gather at her front. This was the same attack that had won her last battle and hoped it would do as much damage as before.

Crack

In unison, the gathering of metal broke the sound barrier as they accelerated towards the Inklaw.

The member 'Loki' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 13

Regnum - 78HP
Kiju - 78HP

Regnum attacks.

Regnum has seen this before. He dodges the first bullet. The second clips the wing. The third hits dead center. Regnum braces himself. It could have been worse. The Shade knows he will have to bring more if he is to withstand any more attacks. But, he must test the wind spirits once again. Will they approve of his endeavor? A third gust of wind heads straight for the canine shade.

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 8

Regnum - 78HP
Kiju - 70HP

Kiju knows the next wind attack is coming and places the tree between him and his Regnum. The obstacle absorbed the brunt of the assault, though several shards of bark still managed to whirl around violently in an eddy. The cyclone of splinters caused several to bury themselves in Kiju's body, creating vicious cuts.

In response, Kiju lowered her hand to her side and raised it quickly as though she was throwing something underhanded. Once it reached the apex of its ascent, a silver disk about a yard in diameter and no thicker than a piece of paper shot out of the earth and sliced through the thin canopy effortlessly. The disk had the lethality of a flying buzz saw of equal size and flew in a wide, unpredictable arc towards Regnum at considerable velocity.

The member 'Loki' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 5

Regnum - 73HP
Kiju - 70HP

Regnum attacks.

Regnum is able to avoid the metal disc for the most part, but the whirling blade does cut his tail. Knowing that the Bownyte was becoming more resourceful in her attack, the Inklaw calls for further aid. "Lesser Elemental of Air, heed my call. Aid me in battle!" A spiral of displaced air forms a small air elemental with glowing violet eyes. Spectral chains hang from it. "Activate. Release control level 0." Some of the elemental's bonds break and it charges for Kiju.

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 20

Critical Hit.

Kiju was surprised by the elemental and wasn't able to stop its charge through physical attacks. The elemental caught the Bownyte and tore all the air from her lungs. After only a minute passed, Kiju was rendered unconscious from asphyxiation.

Kiju is defeated.

Kiju is defeated. Regnum wins the duel.

The Battlemaiden descends upon the field and picks up the poor Shade. "You fought valiantly," she whispers as she carries Kiju away for rest and healing.

Dais, having returned from the matters which had drawn him away from the arena, straightens the cuffs of his black dress jacket while looking over the registry with idle curiosity.
"An inklaw. We'll make an example out of that one."

Halo the bownyte challenges Regnum the inklaw to a duel!

The member 'Weiss' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'10-Sided Dice' :

Result : 9

Regnum the Inklaw answers the challenge!

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'10-Sided Dice' :

Result : 7

Wasting no time to analyze his foe, Halo made a dash for the enemy shade. The inklaw, hovering in the air with its powerful wings beating, carried the distinct advantage of aerial maneuverability, but it would do little to discourage the feral beast that now barreled toward its avian opponent.

"Halo, don't hold back!" the shade's master called out, provoking a horrifying howl of retort from the wolf-like shade. Kicking off with great momentum, the beast lashed forward at the other shade with one of its front paws, hoping to wrench the inklaw out of the sky and send it earthward.

The member 'Weiss' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 4

Regnum - 96HP
Halo - 100HP

Regnum attacks.

The blow merely glances the Inklaw. Regnum gains some altitude before diving at Halo's head. If the Bownyte wanted a melee battle, he could have one.

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 '6-Sided Dice' :

#1 Result : 5

--------------------------------

#2 '20-Sided Dice' :

#2 Result : 9

Regnum - 96 HP
Halo - 86 HP

---

Halo's seeking paw barely managed to skim the inklaw's coat of feathers. To make matters worse, he had been overconfident and allowed the enemy a chance to strike at his back. The moment he landed on the coarse soil, he turned and tried to dart away, but it was already too late.

The bownyte ducked, responding on instinct to the seeking talons of the inklaw. While he managed to avoid the full assault, the jagged ebon spikes dug through his thick mane and tore into his back. The pain was great for a moment, but Halo was not so pathetic as to be done in by such a weak assault. Mere blemishes compared to the things he had endured throughout his long life.

Deciding that this was not a foe he could take lightly, the canine steeled himself for the true beginning of battle. From this point on, there was no more room for idle games. He lunged at the large bird with his teeth bared, hoping to find a hold somewhere within the inklaw's sea of black feathers.

The member 'Weiss' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 5

Loki watches from the arena sidelines as the battle progresses and can't help but be amused by the lack of luck that Halo is having. That is not to say he expects the Bownyte to be defeated quickly; it only takes one good hit to turn the tide of battle and statistics all but guarantee that moment is quickly approaching.

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On an OOC note:

Perhaps we should have some sort of check involving critical hits. A 5% chance for an instant win is a little high in my opinion and nerfing it down a bit would help ensure that battles go the length and have a more climatic ending as both opponents' HP is within the kill zone.

I was thinking a d10 should be rolled following a critical 20 and be compared to the opponents initiative roll. If the check is higher, then the opponent loses; if the check is equal to or lower, then it gets added to the 20 for additional damage.

What do you think of that idea?

I was thinking a d10 should be rolled following a critical 20 and be compared to the opponents initiative roll. If the check is higher, then the opponent loses; if the check is lower, then it gets added to the 20 for additional damage.

What do you think of that idea?

I was thinking about a way to change it since it seemed to be too easy. That is a great way to do it so that a critical hit is still special. Great idea, Loki.

Regnum - 91HP
Halo - 86HP

Regnum attacks.

The next attack is also a glancing blow. That is a good thing for Regnum. Halo's jaw are quite menacing, after all. Regnum takes his shot at Halo's head, tearing wildly with his talons.

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 9

Regnum - 91
Halo - 77

Halo's attack netted him nothing but a mouthful of feathers. If he was lucky, he might have placed a scratch on the inklaw's hidden flesh, but it was certain he accomplished little compared to his intent.

Knowing that a retaliatory strike would be forthcoming, the bownyte quickly turned to face his enemy. Sure enough, the feathered foe was swooping down toward him with talons bared. His opponent was fast, and undoubtedly very agile. With the distance only as it was, Halo couldn't possibly avoid the full brunt of the assault.

Instead of dodging, he braced himself for the hit, allowing the inklaw's talons to tear at his flesh yet again. This time, he barely felt it, having readied himself for the pain that would accompany the piercing darts of black.

Rather than retreat, hoping to nurse his wounds, Halo lashed out at the bird before it could fly off into the air. His right paw, claws extended in a sweeping slash, hoped to land a considerable blow to the inklaw's body.

---

OOC:
I also think that's a great way to resolve critical strikes. I was also feeling a bit apprehensive about a 20 being a guaranteed knockout 100% of the time.

The member 'Weiss' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 12

Regnum - 79HP
Halo - 77HP

Regnum attacks.

Regnum's right shoulder is clipped by the attack and the gash rips the skin. He would have to be more careful when getting into melee range. This particular Bownyte was quite strong. He would have to play it safe if he were to avoid a full attack by those wretched jaws. Regnum makes sure to aim for the eyes this time. His sharp talons gleam in the light as he aims with precision.

The member 'Bird of Hermes' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'20-Sided Dice' :

Result : 19

Regnum – 79
Halo – 58

The inklaw was fast. Halo’s attacks were inflicting only minor damage at best while the relentless strikes from the bird’s black talons ripped and tore at the bownyte with all the effectiveness of a blade. In the wake of Halo’s latest strike, the inklaw had gained another opportunity that it would utilize to its full effect.

Halo, having learned to keep moving against this foe, was sprinting along the ground in search of advantageous positioning after his previous leap. As he dashed along the rough terrain, however, his opponent came swooping down at him with all the speed and force of a gale wind. There was no time to evade the strike, and Halo felt sharp spikes dig into the flesh around his right eye, skin and fur being ripped way in tufts.

The pain was great. Halo could feel his legs nearly give out on him beneath the force of the blow. All the same, if he didn’t attack the inklaw now, the process would simply repeat itself, with the bird retreating just out of range and lining up yet another assault.

As the enemy shade began its retreat, pulling away from the gravely injured bownyte, Halo lunged at the inklaw with fangs bared, biting down in the hopes of a crippling strike.