Arena I

Sarleon’s arena complex was shaped as three-leaf-clover: three arenas, each one of them containing different structures (some easily removable and changed to something else, if needed), and a central, larger platform, where the king and his closest friends would sit and enjoy privileged view of all three events, being able to walk away from a side in order to see something more interesting in the other.

Arena number one was of a very plain design. A large, deep water pond was placed at its northern face, with an elevated platform over it, serving as bridge. A luxurious tree stands at the center of the arena, and small stone stairs lead to some sort of walled balcony, not too far from the ground. Entrance was possible by four large doors.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

The gamemaster announces:

"Ladies and gentlemen! People of Sarleon! Citizens of Pendor! For this fight we have two well-balanced teams! In the Red team we have the squire Aelos or the Order of the Griffon! Fighting at his side there is retainer Savan of the Ebony Gauntlet, a warrior who fears neither lances nor Noldor! On the blue team, squire Merzinas of the Order of the Dawn, servant of Astraea (ever-blessed be Her name) will fight alongside Brand Eisenmüll, a Mettenheim veteran that honors us with his presence! Guards, unlock the gates!"

Two doors open. from the northern side enters the red team, and from the eastern, the blue team.


[OOC:]
Team Red
Aelos, squire to the Griffon marshal Sir Kamos
Savan, Retainer of the Order of the Ebony Gauntlet

Team Blue
Merzinas, Squire of the dawn
Brand Eisenmüll, Mettenheim tourist.

Savan and Aelos both came out of their entrance, Aelos using a sword and shield, and Savan mirroring him but using a much larger shield. The two advanced slowly into the arena, keeping their shields up and looking from left to right. Savan muttered something under his breath to Aelos, quickly checking the finer details of their strategy and Aelos bent his knee and muttered a quick prayer before the battle. Savan was taking the lead, using his tower shield to cover them both as he scanned the arena for their opponents. They were trying to get a position that was easily defendable and gave them a good vantage point of their opponents, so they headed for the center of the arena, just to the right of the lake.

Brand was the first of the blue team to enter, striding with confidence into the glare of the arena. He was clad head to toe in black, but with his sleeves ribbed with golden cloth as was the latest fashion among the Mettenheim. His head was covered by a padded cloth forming a hood that fell low across his face. He was more lithe than the usual Mettenheim stock, his shoulders however were as broad as any of his kin, but it was what was poking over his left shoulder that caused a ripple of conversation to rumble through the crowd, for instead of the expected hilt of a two handed sword, a handful of fletchings quivered in the slight breeze. This led the eye immediately to his hand, and the conversations grew louder.

"A man from Mettenheim? With a BOW?!"

Brand inclined his head reverently towards the royal box, though it was the young prince who accepted his gesture seated as he was on the throne of honour, and he waved back excitedly, a short wooden sword clashed firmly in his hand. The nobles clustered around the young royal were forced to dodge away from the spaying weapon, but did so with a good natured laugh at the oblivious antics of the youth. As Brand turned back to his opposition, the young prince twisted behind him and began chattering with excitement with the familiar figure sat behind him, the crown glinting in the sunlight.

Behind the man from Mettenheim emerged Merzinas, and with a quick instruction the two men leapt into action Brand heading left towards the south end of the arena while Merzinas advanced right around to the northern side, a wooden haft poked out over the top of his own shield casting doubt as to whether it was a sword or some javelins that he had chosen. Merzinas marked his opposition well, keeping the distance between them but watching them closely.

[Well, there isn’t much for me to say...]

Savan and Aelos moved to the center of the arena, positioning themselves just beside the pond and close to the western wall. The large shield Savan carries makes them a difficult target for the Mettenheim longbowman.

Coming from another gate, Brand, the Mettenheimer, sprints in the direction of the sheltered stairs on the other end of the arena. It's a long way, but once he gets there it will be very difficult to root him out.

Merzinas, however, went a different way, slowly walking closer to the northern wall and putting the stairs leading to the wooden platform between his two opponents.

While Savan and Aelos were temporarily safe and well protected, it was clear that each one would have to choose one side to face: the archer in the south, or the squire in the north. And they should choose quickly.

Updated arena:

Spoiler:

Brand, the Mettenheim archer, continues his sprint to the balcony at the other end of the arena. Cleverly, Savan keeps the shield facing the foreigner, blocking his view, but covering him and squire Aelos completely. Aelos, seems to be working as Savan's eyes, facing Merzinas. Both advance -, slowly due to the weight of the huge shield, - in the direction of the squire, on the northern face of the water pond.


[OOC: So far I only got half-actions from you (except for Brand). So only I posted results of those half-actions here. Please PM me with your exact actions for this round.]

Many things happen in this round.
The Mettenheimer is fast. Brand tricked Savan, running one way, to balcony, but using his enemy's blocked field of vision, created both by the large shield and the tree, to suddenly change direction and run back to where he was coming from. Savan, slowly turning his shield to accompany the archer's expected route and to provide himself maximum protection against him, is surprised when he sees, with the corner of the eye, the Mettenheimer aiming at him - not from the balcony, but from behind the tree. With great effort Savan turns the shield and manages to successfully cover himself, but he was never the real target: at this point, Aelos was not only already beyond the shield's protection, but also with his back turned to southern side of the Arena.

With his shield ready, Merzinas goes around the lake and walks slowly in the direction of his two foes. Aelos charges at him, which makes Merzinas jog back a few steps. The Griffon goes around Merzinas shield side, attempting to make his opponent's strikes more clumsy, but his sword strike never lands. A sudden shock makes his bones shake. The pain said it all: a broken rib; and the arrow lying on the ground was the cause. A pity. That could have been a good blow.



[Stats change:]

Aelos
WP 2 --> WP 1

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE