Lei Bao Zhong v. Arakis

[Kublai]

The taiko drums thump into life as one! With a chest-trembling beat, they announce the beginning of another match-up in the Tournament of Champions! The crowd, barely recovered from the excitement of the previous fight, cheer and call out for the favorite.

The Great East Gate of the Arena cracks open, slowly swinging outward only a few paces. The drums roar into silence. Within the gates is pitch-black darkness. Then, slowly, carefully, the long, thing legs of Arakis extend outward, as if feeling the daylight. The crowd hushes as the beast pulls itself out from the shadows. Woman scream and children cry at its sight! With legs longer than a man is tall, the beast strides across the pocked and ruinous arena floor. Slender spikes thrust outward from its shell and unblinking eyes see all. It moves to the center and waits, motionless.

As if recovering from their shock, the drummers kick it up once again! The sky darkens and the heaven's roar as once again the Celestial Temples announce the approach of the righteous Lei Bao Zhong! The crowd cheers for their hero, hoping that his righteousness will drive back the horror from the depths. White fire whips the arena and crashes to the ground. As the smoke clears, he stands. Demonic mask leering and shield proclaiming the righteousness of Heaven, Invincible Zhone appears.

They stand 11 paces apart.

Send me your scripts!

[Kublai]

In an instant, Lei Bao Zhong streaks off to his right at an angle to the spider. Frantically, he seems to be searching for something.

With the lightning reflexes of a predator, Arakis surges forward to intercept his prey. As he moves, his spindly legs pass forward a silken line.

The crowd cries excitedly as the fast-moving fight begins!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 1:
Action 1: Assess
Move: Sprint diagonally forward

Arakis Volley 1:
Action 1: Acquire Target
Action 2: Aim
Move: Jog Forwards

Action Results:
Target acquired. Lock-on achieved.
Zhong gets 4 successes minus 4 for Sprinting, minus 1 for his helmet. He doesn't find what he's looking for.

Volley Results:

The combatants are now 6 paces apart.

You have until tomorrow noon to make any Volley 2 forfeits.

[Kublai]

Cutting back to his left, Lei Bao Zhong zig-zags as he tries to close with the great devourer before him. His foe is terrible and seems to have no weakness!

Arakis whips forward his sticky line and tries to snag the juicy morsel before him, but it seems he didn't expect Zhong's reversal of course! The line goes wide and misses the target! Perhaps in surprise, the great beast scuttles back from the approaching Zhong.

In unison, the crowd cheers for their Champion, Invincible Zhong! Money won and lost is exchanged as the tension mounts!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 2:
Action 1: Assess
Action 2: Assess
Move: Sprint diagonally forward

Arakis Volley 2:
Action 1: Lob Lariat
Move: Walk Backwards

Action Results:
Lob Lariat:
Arakis gets 4 successes on 6 grey dice, minus 1 for Walking, minus 4 for Zhong Sprinting, plus 1 for aiming. Arakis misses!

Zhong gets 4 successes, minus 4 for Sprinting, minus 1 for his helmet. All he sees is his worst nightmare - a huge, spikey, armored spider with a hunger for righteous souls.

Volley Results:

The combatants are now 6 paces apart.

You have until 4pm to make any Volley 3 forfeits.

[Kublai]

Sensing an opportunity, Lei Ba Zhong cuts back again, this time moving directly towards the spider.

Arakis looks like he will move forward, but then quickly changes momentum and scurries back while drawing forth another silken line! Zhong cannot close the distance, but puts on an impressive display of his skill as he spins and sweeps his leg in a full sprint.

The crowd chants "Zhong! Zhong!" encouraging their Champion forward. They are elated the beast is in retreat from Heaven's Righteous Champion!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 3:
Action 1: Dragon Tail Kick
Action 2: Get Inside
Move: Sprint forward

Arakis Volley 3:
Action 1: Pull Lariat changed to Draw Lariat
Action 2: Strike - forfeited
Move: Walk forward changed to Dash backwards

Action Results:

The Champions are too far apart for melee.

Volley Results:

The combatants are still 6 paces apart.

Send me your next Exchange!

[Kublai]

Thinking the spider will continue its retreat towards the nearby wall, Lei Bao Zhong spurs himself onward, gaining momentum as he goes!

Unexpectedly, Arakis halts his retreat and instead moves forward! Legs darting ahead of him, the spider catches Zhong off guard and is now in a perfect position for locking his prey.

The crowd shouts a warning to Zhong but now can only imagine the horror that is forthcoming! A few of the spectators cheer for the spider!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 1:
Action 1: Assess
Move: Sprint forward

Arakis Volley 1:
Action 1: Get Inside
Action 2: Lock
Move: Dash forward

Action Results:
Assess:
Zhong gets 3 successes on 5 dice, minus 4 for Sprinting, minus 1 for his helmet. The wall is certainly looming in the background, but the oncoming spider distracts him from any estimates of distance.

Get Inside:
Arakis gets 3 successes on 8 black dice, minus 1 for dashing, minus 2 for Zhong Sprinting. Arakis fails to get inside!

Get Inside (devolved from Lock):
Arakis gets 5 successes on 8 black dice, minus 1 for Dashing, minus 2 for Zhong Sprinting.
Zhong gets 2 successes on 4 black dice, minus 4 for Sprinting.
Arakis is on the Inside from 2 paces away*!

(BTW, no Artha was used.)

Volley Results:

Arakis is on the inside of Lei Bao Zhong, but not vice versa!

The combatants are 2 paces apart.

You have until tomorrow morning to send me any Volley 2 forfeits!

*Elongated Legs allows Arakis to Get Inside and Lock from spear distance!

[Kublai]

Lei Bao Zhong lowers his head and keeps sprinting at the spider! He hurls himself in an effort to take the creature down but stumbles over the beast's long legs!

Taking advantage of the moment, Arakis goes for a bite with his visious fangs! He connects only to have his poisonous maw rake across Zhong's armor and fail to penetrate!

A few women scream in horror at the sight of the spider's mandibles, while the rest of the crowd gives up a collective gasp!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 2:
Action 1: Tackle changed to Charge
Action 2: Lock - Foreited
Move: Sprint forward

Arakis Volley 2:
Action 1: Bite
Action 2: Avoid
Move: Dash Backwards

Action Results:
Charge:
Zhong gets 2 successes on 7 dice, minus 1 for Lunging, minus 1 for Arakis Dashing. Zhong misses and loses his next action!

Bite:
Arakis gets 3 successes on 5 black dice with 2 6s. He spends a Fate point to open them and gets 1 more for a total of 4 successes minus 1 for dashing, minus 2 for Zhong Sprinting. Incidental hit! Zhong gets 2 successes on his armor and wards off the bite!

Volley Results:

Arakis is on the inside of Lei Bao Zhong, but not vice versa! Zhong hesitates one action!

The combatants are 2 paces apart.

You have until 4pm to send me any Volley 3 forfeits!

[Kublai]

Arakis moves in for the kill while his prey recovers! With a lancing strike from his leg, he stabs at the vulnerable warrior. The spiny leg scrapes across righteous armor and fails to find an opening!

Rising to his full height, Lei Bao Zhong stands tall before the spider. Putting all his might into his fist, he leans back and then violently thrusts his iron-punch into the head of Arakis! A perfect shot which thuds harmlessly into the arachnid's armored shell. If a spider could blink, he probably would do so now.

The crowd goes crazy at the sight of Lei Bao Zhong's courage! "All hail Invincible Zhong!" The taiko drums thunder on, encouraging the Celestial Champion.

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 3:
Action 1: Hesitate
Action 2: Strike
Move: None

Arakis Volley 3:
Action 1: Strike
Move: Walk Forwards

Action Results:
Strike:
Arakis gets 3 successes on 5 black dice. Mark hit! Zhong gets 4 successes on 4 dice and is saved from being poisoned!

Strike:
Zhong gets 6 successes on 7 grey dice, minus 1 for lunging, minus 1 for a called shot to the head. Mark Hit! Arakis rolls 3 successes on 3 armor dice! No wound taken!

Volley Results:

Arakis is on the inside of Lei Bao Zhong and vice versa!

The combatants are 1 pace apart.

Send me your Exchange 3 scripts!

[Kublai]

It's an explosion of movement down in the Arena! Legs of both the human and spider variety flail and spin! Dust kicks up as a great whirlwind of chaos erupts between the Champions!

Then, everything is quiet. The dust settles and the outcome is revealed.

Arakis the great spider lies on his back, unmoving. Legs curled above him, it seems the beast is dead. However, among his legs, as a mother cradles a baby, Lei Bao Zhong lies comepletely wrapped head to toe in silk.

The crowd has no idea what to make of it! They fall into silence and wait for something to happen. After a few minutes, a slave is pushed out the Great Gate and scurries towards the unmoving Champions. Carefully approaching, he leans close.

"Lei Bao Zhong is alive!" he shouts gleefully. The crowd erupts into applause.

Then, the slave reports, "And so is the Spider!"

The fight is a DRAW!!!

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Lei Bao Zhong Volley 1:
Action 1: Dragon Tail Kick
Action 2: Push Kick - called shot to the cephalothorax
Move: Dash

Arakis Volley 1:
Action 1: Lock
Action 2: Lock
Move: None

Action Results:
Dragon Tail Kick:
Zhong gets 2 successes on 7 grey dice, minus 1 for Dashing. He fails to sweep Arakis off his 8 feet!

Lock:
Arakis get 3 successes on 8 dice, minus 1 for Dashing. Zhong gets 6 successes on 6 ND Agility dice, minus 1 for Dashing. No Lock gained!

Push Kick:
Zhong gets 6 successes on 7 grey dice, minus 1 for Dashing and minus 1 for the called shot! Mark Hit! Arakis rolls 3 armor dice and gets only 1 success! Arakis takes a B9 - a Traumatic Wound!
Arakis gets 4 successes on 6 ND Speed dice and isn't Pushed!

Lock:
Arakis gets 5 successes on 8 dice, minus 1 for Dashing. Zhong gets 1 success on 6 ND Agility dice minus 1 for Dashing. Zhong is in a 4 die Lock and is incapacitated!

Volley Results:

The fight is over!

Both warriors may take a point of Artha.