Duel:Meri v Mesdoram, Match 3 of the 2023 War Games - Larket v Cenril
Duelists: Meri vs Hawkeye Duel: Traditional 3 rounds with final defense, 20 minute posting limit. Stakes: Standard, autohit delivered by winner with allowance for final reply. Judges: Rumiko, Daisy, and Iintahquohae
Cove
The rising cliffs curve back inward just north of the barrier, forming a peaceful horseshoe shaped inlet cordoned off from the outside by rock and wave. The waters quietly pass the breaking jetty, rolling back and forth with gentle lapping movements that have smoothed and cooled the surrounding sands. Sparkles of light catch and dance delicately upon the tranquil sea as the breeze brings with it a salty mist. This calm relaxing spot makes this a favoured hideout for young lovers of all races...An immense crimson-sailed structure bobbing and swaying in the waters to the east appears to be a ship. At the end of the jetty is a tied ferry, anchored with a rope to a thick wooden pillar branded with a strange symbol. This is the only visible means of access to the vessel painting a silhouette on the horizon in the morning's light, though other moorings suggest smaller boats might be used now and then. The area seems to be a lot more busy than usual, without counting them; a fleet of ships appears to be settled on the horizon. They could merely be fishing ships, but something tells you they aren't, and if that is the case, you can almost guarantee that their long nines are trained on this position.
Meri :: Dusk had long since fallen and Lithrydel’s dual moons have climbed high into the night sky, casting their respect glows and illuminating both beach and sea. Only the occasional cloud passing through the sky managed to dim their glow, but it was rare that both moons were shielded from view at once. There was always light, sometimes the red hues were stronger and sometimes the green glow if Vaalane was dominant. Meri happens to be amongst a crew that is assigned to patrol the beaches, walking from the south and too the north amongst a team of four other individuals. The team of five was prepared for a prospective attack, all were armored and armed. Out of the team of five, three seemed to be archers. Meri was one of those archers, with a black long bow gripped within one hand and an arrow loosely nocked but the string of her bow was not yet pulled taught. The archers seem to favor lighter armor made of hardened leather. The remaining two are warriors, with one wielding a sword and the other a battle axe. The armor worn by these two is heavier, having selected metal pieces that are suitable for close ranged combat. A couple members of the group have grown a little relaxed during their patrol, not really believing that anything of excitement would actually find them on this night. They banter about the war is going, what they would do if they actually saw any Larketian skum, how they should just storm the Larket castle and string tie him to a pole an burn him alive like he did Valrae. Meri is not amongst the banter, her blue eyes constantly scan the horizon, looking for anything new shapes bobbing out on the ocean. The patrol unit keeps moving northward along the beach.
Mesdoram || Hawkeye is back in the flesh!! And looking much better from his previous frail constitution: our 6’2’’ lad is back to his healthy weight of 180, muscular undertones peek out between his bulging biceps and quads, and decked from head to toe in his mithril armor set – dare we say, Hawkeye puts the ‘style’ in … umm… styleish? (Come on Hawk, you can do better). Regardless, the heavily scarred elf finds himself on Larket’s side of this war with no clear motivations or reasoning why he wants King Macon to prevail. Could be that he misses the itch of being a hired gun doing odd jobs for everyone and really needed the coin? Perhaps he wasn’t sure how his reputation in Cenril after his brother destroyed the GingerSnap Bakery would hold up? Or did he just oversleep on recruitment day hosted by the magnificent mayor Val? Either way, Cenril is already losing the ‘soldiers who are incredibly good-looking’ battle before the war even started. Regardless of his intentions, Hawkeye intends to do his part in ensuring two things: he knocks off the rust within his ole bones from being dominate in Mesdoram’s mind for 15 years, and knock a few heads in if the opportunity were to present itself. As far the mission, Hawkeye serves under one the Larket captains who has elected to send out a pontoon-like boat to survey the Cenril defense inside the secluded Cenril Cove. Along with the battle dressed elf are 4 other crew members more familiar with the nautical terrain – one particular navy man navigating cautiously to avoid any and all wondering eyes along the coast line. “We should say something cool when we get onto the beach.” Hawkeye whispers to one of the soldiers, but these men are not the fooling sort – decked out in all melee combat, but not a long range weapon present other than Hawkeye’s ashwood bow. Not defeated, Hawkeye just shrugs as the boat successfully evades the patrol unit heading northward along the beach – the man can’t help himself. “IF CENRIL WERE IS GOING TO WIN THIS WAR, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD OF HIRED MEN TO DO THIS JOB AND NOT –“ Before he is able to finish his sentence, an oar abruptly smacks Hawkeye in the breastplate ringing a dinner bell for all of Cenril to feast. Not quite having made it to dry land, Hawkeye and his crew paddle quicker and quicker to get unto the beach… but there is still a good 30 yards or so to go.
Round One
Meri :: There was a lot of competing noises occurring at the beach, from the sound of the waves turn and crashing against the ocean to the chatter amongst her own patrol. But did the lycan’s sensitive hearing just pick up something else off in the distance? It was hard to tell, but it was enough that Meri immediately freezes and alerts the rest of her team to stop a moment evaluates the situation. Their conversation drops instantly, and silence falls over the group, all of them now scanning the horizon in search of a rogue boat trying to infiltrate the coastline. The light of dual moons works toward the advantage of Cenril and the defending team is able to spot the group trying to sail in on what seems to be a single boat. Meri hisses out her commands, “Warriors, reinforcements. Archers, we’re going to give them hell before they even reach the shore.” With the instructions given, the swordsmen and his axe-wielding companion bolt south down the beach and toward the docks, where Cenril’s naval ships lay in wait. Three now remain on the beach. Before Meri draws her bowstring taught, she takes a moment to ignite the tip of the arrow. That one is plummeted in the sand, feathers first, so that the arrow itself can be used to set the tips of the rest of her quivered ablaze with relative ease, so long as it burns. Her companions do the same. The upside of this action is that they might just be able to set that boat ablaze before it even hits the shore. The downside is that is alerts the enemy of their positions on the beach. Would the pros outweigh the cons? The only way for the trio of archers to find out is to begin to reign a torrent of fire arrows down upon the approaching boat. Not every shot would fly true, plenty would sizzle harmlessly into the ocean. Yet Mesdoram and his team would have their hands full having to cover those thirty yards of ocean water while competing with the archers on the beach. Meri could only hope that the reinforcements she sent for would arrive quickly as the archers dug in on the beach to defend Cenril.
Mesdoram || Hawkeye is not making too many friends on his sea vessel as the men have sidelined him to scrubbing the deck. “Guys… really? In the middle of a war? You guys are going to be begging me to save your sorry butts.” But he didn’t say butts… he said a worst word. Finally after having enough, one of the men angrily throws his oar overboard, pulls out metal dagger from his left waist holster, and points the blade to Hawkeye’s throat – the irate man begins his epic speech. “Now you listen here, elf bo –“ *thrmp!* It is before he can say another syllable, a flaming arrow piles through the navy man’s trachea and causes him to struggle for air before falling overboard. “… I’m listening?” Retorts the sarcastic Hawkeye before turning towards the Cenril patrol boat to survey the situation properly. The already lit moon sky is filled with flaming arrows scattering high and wide in the sky like shooting stars coming to claim the Larket pontoon. “Well, if you are done with this tough bravado, you Larket strong men… I think I have some arrows to shoot out of the sky.” Quickly equipping his ashwood bow, Hawkeye rapidly scatters volley fire to counter attack Meri and the trio’s onslaught. “Good, now keep rowing to shore! And prepare for anyone you might meet on the shoreline! Since no one decided to bring any bows, I would suggest that –“ Apparently, the man who was killed earlier in the fight was in charge of telling the crew to stop; because in the midst of the chaotic arrow rain from Meri, the pontoon boat collides with cove’s sandy beach and flings the remaining 4 crew below the docks. After the comical fall of Hawkeye and his merry man of morons, the three foot solders are immediately intercepted by Cenril’s ground crew and trade synchronized blows of metal and shield with one another… but the normally jovial Hawkeye becomes slightly annoyed at Meri’s boat for putting himself in this situation. “Why is it when I announce a surprise attack does it always get noticed?!” With that said, Hawkeye takes out one more arrow from his quiver and aims his sights directly at Meri’s crew; with a little whisper of ‘light them up,” his arrow begins to glow and shoot out miniature bolts of lightning from the wood. With his intentions set on being ‘shock’ and ‘awe,’ his arrow soars precariously towards the Cenril’s patrol boat with a tesla coil like effect trailing over the sea. Should this arrow come in contact with something sturdy like a person or floating vessel, the incantation would send a myriad of electric bolts in a dome-shape effect leaving any sailor paralyzed by Hawkeye’s awesomeness… also nerve damage.
Round Two
Meri hears the commotion from the other side as they struggle to make it to shore, making an ungraceful landing and flipping their own selves out of the boat by allowing it to be beached too aggressively. Did that mean that they managed to wreck their escape? Meri’s mind might be turning over these questions but her actions show that she is still focused on battle. The woman does not let up with her onslaught of arrows until the men seemed to have regained their footing. The command to light them up is heard, and Meri responds by shouting “Move!” the other two archers. This is advise that Meri does not follow, the woman instead remains stationary on purpose so that she can put her telekinetic abilities to good use. The beached boat is gripped with her psionic mind-powers and flipped forcefully up into the air in such a way that it is sent spiraling through the air straight for the team of five that just made it to the beach. While this is happening, one of Hawkeye’s electrified arrows lands squarely into the back one of the retreating archers only. Meri is caught by one of the myriad of electric bolts that is trigged by the impact, causing her to instantly drop her bow and crumble to her knees. This would not stop the boat that was flying through the air on a crash course for the Hawkeye’s questionable team of soliders. If it manages to collide, it will be with enough force that the boat will splinter. While Meri had hoped her initial attack would buy them more time while they wait for reinforcements, her current hope is that it will give her just enough time to shake of this paralysis. Hopefully she could, this would not be the first time being a lycan and has saved her but when she has been reckless. As a sign that reinforcements are in fact coming, a wall of fire forms quite suddenly on the waters of the Cove. It would serve a way to keep further boats from managing to beach themselves on Larketian shores and also prevent escape for the current team of four. A group of Cenrilian soldiers can be seen running up the beach as fast as their armor will allow, include the two warriors that Meri sent away at the start of the battle. All the current team of three needed to do was hold on just a little longer…And all Meri needed to do was to manage to pick that bow back up. Or grip the sword that was sheathed at her hip. Something. Soon. Before someone like Hawkeye got a clean shot at her.
Mesdoram action || Hawkeye admires Meri floating vessel as the psionic ability is on full display. “My goodness. It’s like a parade up on the cove, and I am king of the debutant ball!” His comrades in arms fight valiantly whist Hawkeye and Meri exchange arrows with one another as Cenril and Larket soldiers spill blood over the once unsullied beach; each man and woman fighting to exterminate the other. But when Meri’s ship turns into a battering ram heading for towards his shipmates, Hawkeye instinctually starts sprinting effortlessly across the sandy beach. “Gosh dang it!” Hawk thinks to himself. “I can’t save them all!” Panic starts entering his head knowing he has the make a difficult situation to try and help his distracted mates. “DUCK!!” Hawkeye desperately exclaims as he tackles 3 men to the ground: 2 Larket men, and one Cenril man – the other’s fate left to be said. However, Hawkeye does not escape this heroic effort unscathed for his right shoulder, neck, head, and ribs all take to full force of Meri’s improvised implement of war. Every inch of skin unarmored is now riddled with splinters large and small – almost as if the man had encountered a porcupine just now… if it weighed 10 tons and was hurled by a powerful opponent. Though his mithril armor offers plenty of support to protect him, like a bullet-proof vest there is devastating bruising and possibly internal bleeding that even good looking elves can avoid. “Now that’s what I call rocking the boat.” A severely batted Hawkeye musters up while attempting to regain his composure. “This isn’t looking good, men. FALL BACK!!” Hawkeye says assuming command of his comrades. “… I’ll take care of this, Men.” As the Larket solders fall back and attempt to get their pontoon boat in working order, Hawkeye weakly equips another magical arrow. “A Vexar special, coming right up for you CENRIL SISSIES!” Simultaneously releasing his draw string and shouting ‘COVER YOU EYES!”, Hawkeye releases an arrow high into the air which emits the brightest white light Hawk can conjure up. The beam of light shines like the spotlight of a lighthouse and takes turns focusing on each approaching Cenril guard. Should anyone look into this light directly (including Larket solders dumb enough to look), surely this would incapacitate anyone for the remainder of the fight… meanwhile, Hawkeye looks to recover as much as he can… ignoring Meri for the time being as his right arm slowly becomes useless.
Round Three
Meri :: The command to cover one’s eyes is heard by both the approaching Cenril soldiers and Hawkeye’s own team of men. Several of the men seem to have the good sense to listen, pause in their charge forward, and cover their eyes. One man is definitely so consumed by his lust for battle that he does not heed the advise. He will forever regret that moment, be it due to his hopefully temporary loss of sight or due to the fact that his fellow soldier will never let him live the moment down. COVER YOUR EYES, a statement that they will tease him with…until he moves out of Cenril. Meri is still physically incapacitated herself, still trying to convince her body to agree to do what her mind wants it to do. Stand up. Grab your weapon. Stand up. Grab your weapon. The blonde is very nearly consumed by frustration and rage, due to her inability to just stand up and stab someone in the face. Any of the Larketian soldiers would do, but Hawkeye was proving the most pesky. And then it occurs to her, why does she have to be the only one stuck helpless in the hand? Since the woman is physically incapacitated for the moment, she would have to once again rely on her mental abilities. The sand beneath Hawkeye begins to twist and turn, trying to suck him down deeper into the earth by his feet. Meri might not be a terramancer, but the earth of the beach was loose enough that she could bend the grains of sand her will. It was gradual and targeted, Hawkeye was the only one that Meri was focusing on right now. The other four could be dealt with and disposed of by the Cenril reinforcements, at least the ones that have not been blinded. The sides were back to even numbers now and the battle would rage on. The only archer that was not taken out during Hawkeye’s electric attack also rejoins the fray, and she also has her eyes on Hawkeye for a target. Why? Revenge for the fallen archer, the one who got shot in the back. Soldiers form bonds during training camp, dangit. Hopefully Meri’s little trick with the sand proves distracting enough that the returned archer can get the revenge she seeks.
Mesdoram || Taking a few deep recovering breaths in the middle of all the metal clanging together, Hawkeye sighs in relief as the Larket Crew has returned their vessel to the water. “I’m all for going all out, but I think it’s time to go, lads. LET’S GO!” Hawkeye surveys every solder standing on the shore, both Larket and Cenril, to ensure an escape is the best option for everyone… but he starts to get a sinking feeling that maybe he will not reach the boat in time… wait no… he is literally sinking into the sand below! “Looks like this is some… quick sand, eh?” His smile fades when he realizes no one would hear this joke… and also that he will suffocate soon if he isn’t nimble enough to evade Meri’s new assault. Thankfully, Hawkeye is wearing his light mithril armor and not his big hunky pieces of metal shoulder pads as he ‘jogs’ upward and propels himself out of Meri’s snare. Endurance and stamina become a real issue as Hawkeye has been skipping leg day. “Oh man… if I get out of here, me and the boys are going for a 30-mile jog everyday.” Hawkeye checks his Larket men back at the boat and see they are ready to cast off without him. “You lads go ahead! I’ll deal with these clowns!” This is where Hawkeye’s lack of a true allegiance starts to surface; he doesn’t owe Larket anything and certainly Cenril has done nothing wrong to him… why is he out here? He doesn’t want to kill anyone out here nor does he want to die… but right now, his only cause is getting the Larket solders still drawing breath a fighting chance to escape. With one last trick up his sleeve, Hawkeye prepares another arrow with a non-deadly enchantment – with the string drawn back and a single Cenril solder target in mind, Hawk smiles before saying. “Time to ring the bell again!” Intentionally aiming for the solder’s heavily armored plates, the enchanted arrow with collide with the metal from the armor and produce a powerful sound shockwave that will literally level the playing field – anyone still standing will be knocked down unto their backsides and unable to give each other high fives for weeks. Alas, while awaiting to see if his attack is successful, the Cenril’s archer’s lone arrow strikes Hawkeye in the opposite shoulder… which makes him immediately drop his ashwood bow and makes him collapse to his knees. At least he is safe from his own attack for now…
Final Defense
Meri :: Hawkeye’s final attack was successful, to an extent. The arrow is true to it’s mark and collides with exactly the Cenrilian soldier that he was aiming for. The Cenril soldiers in his immediately vicinity all fall victim to the brutal shockwave. The archer standing next to the fallen Meri? Seems to come out mysteriously unscathed. Undoubtedly this is due to another trick put to use by the psion that is laying in the sand, unseen but effective. But what was this last stand for? What escape would the soldiers manage to gain? The waters have been set ablaze by some sort of pitch that smells similar to sulfur. Surely by now the Cenril has managed to position a few naval rams in the waters beyond the fire. Just in case any boat does manage to sneak through. And what boat would the soldiers use? Surely not the one that Meri previously tossed against them. Cenril and those defending it would have to worry about which direction Hawkeye’s men left in later. For the moment, every single one of them was working to find their footing in the sand. Including Meri, who finally seemed to be shaking off that paralysis but is only able to stand again with the help of her fellow archer.
Winner: Meri
Meri :: The Cenrilian soldiers got knocked down, but you know what? They’ll get up again. Because…okay, I am sorry, but that is really what is happening right now. The men who were previously knocked to the ground by the soundwave do not seem to be as impaired by the attack as Hawkeye hoped they would have been. Dazed, yes, but they shake it off quick enough that they can give chase after the Larketian runways. At best, they will end up prisoners of war. At worst, they will end up casualties. Their chances of escape are not high. As for Hawkeye? Will the archer that is holding Meri up still wants revenge. If she got her way, she’d take a knife to his throat right now. In fact, as she and Meri both hobble their way closer? Meri’s companion is already pulling a knife from her belt. “Wait. This instead.” What is this? Meri produces a barb that from her belt, laced with a toxin that will cause the same paralyzing effects Meri is dealing with. The bard is given to the archer who stabs it into Hawkeye’s jugular once close enough to do so. Hawkeye will then be left face down in the sand. His fate is similar to that of his comrades. At best, he’ll be left there but found later to probably end up a prisoner of war. At worst, no one will find him…Meri and her new archer friend? They have more important things to worry about than Hawkeye’s fate. Like tending to their injuries.
Mesdoram || What a mistake this has been for Hawkeye… surely a couple more rounds with Mesdoram would have provided useful in preparing for this skirmish. “Well… doesn’t this just beat all, eh?” But whom is he talking to? Shattered shoulder from the collided boat, an arrow stuck in his shooting arm, and internal bleeding that Hawkeye will not be able to cure in time… our old boy done messed up. The still kneeling elf looks up to Meri and the vengeful archer waiting to deal the killing blow that will end his life. “Well, guys… this has been fun. We should to this again sometime.” Without even a second of mercy from the female archer, the poison is shoved forcefully into Mesdoram’s neck and injected immediately… no remorse on a battle field. A pins and needles sensations floods Hawkeye’s battered body as his heart pumps vigorously to compensate blood loss. The copious amount of adrenaline keeping him on his feet slowly creeps towards ‘empty’ as Hawk takes some of his final breaths. Feeling the finishing blow with his hands, Hawkeye sees his blood coat his pale fingers and smiles serenely. Giving the Lycan woman and archer a nod, the elven man shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly and awkward stands himself up as he declares his next act. “Well… I’m going to Mesdoram’s. I bet he’s cooking up momma’s spicy venison soup for dinner.” With that said, the mortally wounded man takes staggering steps away cove to start going to Mes’ house… but he will never make it to his brother’s house again. Hawkeye takes 5 awkward and weak strides before suddenly stops to peer off into the distance… staring and smiling to his left at a hallucination his mind is conjuring up in his final moments - two people standing side by side who begin welcoming him to the other side, one man and one woman. “Vexar… Atropos… do you want to come to Mes’?” With those final words, darkness envelopes Hawkeye’s consciousness and causes his body to collapse completely – the tall elven man’s body haphazardly falling face first into cove’s watery shore as the poison stops Hawkeye’s heart forever.