#1: Ogre vs Ogre
"Welcome my friends! Thank you for joining me here in the victory hall on this small but vital isle we all call Mount Mox. Here I shall recall the battle we witnessed only moments ago and share a few lessons learned from it with you. So...
(The fight can be "recalled" by clicking here.)
"...Let us discuss one of today's perilous foes, whom my chosen summoner faced in the great arena, and one of my champions, who fought gloriously against this foe. It was a tough fight, but my summoner managed to stand through to the end and claim victory. Yes, of course I was victorious! That's why we're here in this chamber and not wallowing through consolations in the loser's closet down the hall....
"Where was I? Ah yes, my victory. For this victory in the Great Tournament, I shall reward my summoner with a platter of the finest of steamed Azmare entrees--ah--I mean the finest of Azmare's steamed seafood entrees! You have to be careful when speaking of them; they can be incessantly crabby. Hah!"
"Anyway, let us move onward to the details of this engagement. Before the fight could begin, the organizer of the Gold Arena had to perform the standard lottery withdrawal to randomly determine the rules of our battle. Personally, I prefer a straight contest with as few restrictions as possible, but some softer Arena Lords prefer creative terms of engagement to compensate for their summoners' inability to perform purely on potency alone. Fortune determined the rules for this engagement to implement the following restrictions: one, the summoner was limited to using only twenty-four dried mana crystals to fuel his conjuration--all weighed and measured to precise calibrations, I'm sure--and two, conjured melee combatants were allowed to attack from any position and orientation, which created excellent opportunities for advantage amid the chaos.
"I chose Yodin Zaku to be my summoner for this battle. Why? Well, because he's the best and understands best how to ensure 'Everything will burn.' Yodin Zaku is talented and has served me well in the past. I expected Yodin to spread a cleansing burn across the blades of his melee combatants and incorporate them in his strategy for victory, which he did. Kudos to Yodin Zaku for properly distilling my chosen strategy into successful tactics. He deserves his attention... but without my initial suggestion of strategy, I loathe but suspect the result may not have been a victory. So... kudos should go to us both, don't you think? Thank you. I am but a humble Arena Lord of great Ferexia.
"The opposing Arena Lord selected the good man Malric Inferno to be his summoner and champion. Not a terrible choice, but I personally felt he made a poor decision and displayed a serious deficit in strategic foresight. Perhaps he is too outdated to compete in the modern tournaments, a lingering testament of Ferexian greatness... from yester-years. Sure, Malric Inferno has achieved victory many times with his summoned minions, a champion of the Burning Lands for sure and capable of conjuring many with but a few mana crystals as fuel, but pitting him against my sizzling Yodin...? Hmm, how should I word this without abandoning my noble lordly decorum? Let's just say, I had no reservations when placing my bets before the fight. None at all.
"Malric Inferno conjured forth an array of combatants. A few were worthwhile opponents, but the Molten Ogre stole my interest with his performance. Ogres are fierce beasts and deserving of respect for their burly nature. The Molten Ogre especially is an intimidating foe. He is huge and surrounded by a cloak of heat vapors, warning all who might swarm him in close combat to prepare to be burned by the holy heat of Ferexian flame! Of course, his fire is more bluff than burn, but he is a huge and hearty foe--a Ferexian-born brute, of course--and if you encounter an elder Molten Ogre, beware their size may just trample over your entire line! This one was younger, thankfully, and far less dangerous. Nonetheless, his cloak of heat vapors usually demoralizes his foes and causes those who are forced to fight in close range to be hesitant in their approach. A solid choice by Malric... in most situations. However, my preference tends toward an actual burn rather than a mere threat of heat.
"My summoner conjured a squad of four great Ferexian combatants--an appropriate number for the task lying ahead, I think--with only two lesser stragglers not of Ferexian stock in the lineup. His plan surely was to utilize burning blades and arrows to burn through the opposing ranks. Clearly, my advice from before the battle played a key role in my summoner's choice of numbers and individuals. I was most intrigued by his decision to place the Pit Ogre in his lineup. An excellent decision and perfect mirror to the Molten Ogre! Whereas the Molten Ogre is fierce to look upon and and a large mass to topple, the Pit Ogre is pure broiling ferociousness. Touch him, and you may just lose your head from a swift reprisal... a sad truth his previous eight late wives were too slow to learn. He may look brutish and slow, but his reflexes are swift, and once angered into a fury, he can surprise many with his quick counter-attacks. With the rules allowing us to attack in close quarters from any position and orientation, the Pit Ogre was free to bash heads and leave the opposing force stunned. A little shock and awe was exactly what was needed to teach the Molten Ogre who was the truly superior fighting force in the arena today!
"So here I sit before you, sharing my great wisdom with all wise enough to learn from my arena triumphs. Perhaps one day you shall be a great Arena Lord like I and have at your disposal a team of experienced summoners each capable of conjuring the deadliest legends into reality and compelling them into service. Perhaps one day, you shall be able to afford your first real summoner with skill enough to belch up a kobold to scuffle with back-alley streetcats. Until then, I hope you heed what you have learned from this celebratory discourse after my entertaining and masterfully won battle.
"Thank you for coming. I appreciate having you here to celebrate with me another of my victories. Now, I shall accept your questions and compliments, presented in turn and with appropriate respect, but please, do not lavish only me with your congratulatory praises. Remember to give a few props to Yodin Zaku, who contributed his small share to this hard-fought victory, too."
- A victory speech by Ulysses Smolder, a Ferexian Arena Lord who often governs a team of summoners in the great tournaments
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STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
This is a cool take on the battle posts, love the 'lore' angle, writing from the perspective of one of the poor souls on the battlefield!
Thanks! I thought I'd try a more in-world perspective with my monster of the week reviews.