Monthly Archives: September 2014

The Close Quarters Set

The Close Quarters Talent set is designed for champions that don’t mind being up close in hand to hand combat.  This set is particular for the adventurer’s choice of weapon and other talent sets.

Champions that use this set value outcome regardless form.  They are more concerned with how an item can be used than how it should be used.  If they are in a desperate situation, they can pick up rocks, bricks, broken table legs, or whatever else is lying around and use it with relative effectiveness in combat.  The selected item would be much more effective if it resembles a weapon the champion is familiar with.

Keep in mind, the item has to be around.  It would be extremely difficult to grab a rock if the champion is on a tree or in a well kept house.  Also the items durability is taken into account.  Since it is not a forged weapon item could break over time.

The special moves of a champion using this set is highly affected by both the weapon choice and the other two talent sets chosen by the player.  A caster can gain shorter channeling time and extend punches.  An archer can use arrows as single use daggers.  Gunners can use a gun more effectively as a melee weapon and are more effective with shot guns.  Duelists can aim for pressure points to stun opponents or make it painful for them to move.

These champions can master weapons that other Talent Sets don’t usually teach.  Even unarmed techniques are utilized.  Chain weapons, flail weapons, reverse gripped daggers, and other types of weapons are taught in this Talent set.  This can take most champions by surprise as weapon defense is also a stat that must be leveled.

There is an honorable and dishonorable side to this set.  As the names suggest, one is much less concerned about appearance than the other.  They have very different styles of training but both sides can be mastered by a champion who has spent enough time training.

 

Champions that use this set:

Orien Quan, AD7

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #8

At the base of Rubin’s Mountain, a high quality stereo system echoes in the breeze.  A shout caster yells updates trying to keep up with all the action as best he can.  Doctor Adrianne Yu uses what she hears to get a general image of the race.

The racers’ vehicles had both flight and climbing abilities.  These powerful machines have to use both abilities to fly and jump though check points in the thick forest course.  The racers stop and change directions repeatedly to stay on the course, all at break neck speeds.  The machines use powerful steel claws to grab a branch after hitting one check point, immediately heading for another.  It would be impossible to keep up unless the caster knew where they were going.

The gravity forces and random  uncut branches make the race very dangerous.  Without gravity reducing suits and fast reflexes, it would be impossible to even start such a profession.  The racers themselves were particularly unkind to each other which made the race even more difficult.  It even seemed dangerous for the caster.  He could suffocate from lack of air or have a heart attack any time now.

It was the broadcast of the final race of the E-Ville racing tournament.  Racers and their teams modified their machines to navigate the forest course as quickly as possible.  Doctor Yu loved machines and what people could do to improve them.  While she was genuinely interested in who won, she needed the sound to be in the background.  She had her own tasks to complete.

Her own specially modified vehicle was parked a small ways away from her near the rock face.  The system stereo was set really high so that she could hear it while she set up the system.  Her defense robots made sure that she was not disturbed by any wildlife or any harmful wanderers.  It was time to test the weapon again.

Checking the devices over again, she made sure that everything was in place.  A heated rock selected from the sloping rock face sat on a launching device.  It was flanked by a few recording robots reminiscent of the small flying robots in the museum.  Instead of guns, the three of them held cameras.  They all sat ready and in position for her to give the signal.

Nervously she presses the button.  Imediately, the rock is launched into the air and the recording bots follow a split second after.  They sailed over her ship as her speakers played the shout casters updates.  As they pass, a missile is launched from her ship.  Seeking the heated rock, it quickly changes directions heading upwards.

“Come on, come on,” she says encouragingly.

The missile catches the rock quickly.  However, instead of exploding on the rock, the rock is engulfed in flames.  It lands, a rolling heap of fire while the recording bots fly back to Doctor Yu with the valuable data.

Checking the multiple angles of the recording, Doctor Yu looks at the high-definition holographic image in slow motion.  She fast forwards the recording to a point just before the impact.

As expected, the warhead splits into eight parts right before it reached the target.  As expected, the hyper-napalm is spread like a net while the eight tips continue to seek and catch the rock.  Unlike her last test, the tips actually catch the rock and dig in, securing a hold on the target.  The burning hyper-napalm follows the hooks and engulfs the rock in flames.

“Yes!  Perfect!”

In a moment of curiosity she walked over to the still burning target.  During the short trek, the flame died and she saw what has became of the rock.  Its once strong features were smoothed out.  It collected dirt and debris as it rolled, it now resembled a dirty glass tube more than a rock.  She knew better than to touch it.  She could still feel the heat from quite a few centimeters away.

Just then, her handheld rang.

“Doctor Yu.  You’re needed at the lab.  We have brain activity from Aa Dee Seven.”

“I’ll be right there.”

#1 – Awakening #7 – Awakening #9

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #6

As the night continued, the festive energy waned and the crown thinned.  The BigBad Crew already had their fun.  Seeing as how the party seemed to be over, they decided to separate for a while.

Neely felt it best to stay by the bar though he rarely drank anything intoxicating.  Jaquan chose not to say anything about it.  Neely started using the Holy Talent Set a year or so ago.  Since then, he listened to his ‘odd’ intuitions more and more.  Often enough they turned out quite well for them in the long run.

Catlin and Liana on the other hand, decided to alternate between the buffet and the slot machines in the casino just outside the club.  Despite their small athletic figures, they liked to eat and try their luck.  And with Liana’s tinkering skills, they did not have to try that hard.

Jaquan was left to relax and talk to the remaining fans.  These fans were a different sort.  They actually talked with him as though he was more than a source of entertainment.  As he was talking, he saw the face that eluded him before.  This time he recognized it.  Justice He, an old friend from years ago was lounging at a couch.  Jaquan had to go meet him.

When the Berserker training school opened, Justice joined along with Jaquan.  Justice quickly became a lead fighter.  The Berserker talents were an incredible combination with his Affliction and Caster Talents.  No one could escape his onslaught of debilitation from a long rage.  Everyone was shocked when he left the Berserker school for the Holy school as soon as that school opened.

He disappeared for several years.  Jaquan thought he was dead, but here he sat.  He looked a little worse for wear.  A lot more experienced though.  “Justice, what’s going on?  How did you get here?”

Justice was surprisingly calm in his answers.  The berserker rage he remembered was completely gone, replaced by a strange peace.  “I have learned ways to get around,” Justice said without skipping a beat, “I was just in the neighborhood.  I heard my little brother was in a championship fight.  Congratulations on your win, by the way.”  He seemed truly genuine and equally unimpressed.  “So, I decided to help.”

Jaquan was taken aback, almost insulted.  “I don’t need any help.  I’ve held the World Championship Title for three years.”

“You’ve done,” Justice paused choosing his words carefully, “well enough but you’re too comfortable here.”  Justice spoke slowly and clearly watching the change in Jaquan’s face.  “What if I told you about a bigger tournament, a tournament where only the greatest fighters are invited and compete to see who is truly the greatest in the world?  Would you be interested?”

“If you told me about a tournament like that, I’d wonder why I haven’t got an invite, Justice.”  Jaquan’s tone was of pure skepticism.  If there was a counting of the greatest fighters he had to be among them.

“I use the Holy Talents, Jaquan.  I can’t lie or misdirect, it would be, unpleasant.”  The way Justice emphasized the ending of that sentence said a lot.  It was no joking matter.  “You need World Tournament Points to get an invite.  Believe it or not, even the World Championship Stage is small compared to this one.  These fighters are much more challenging.”

Jaquan had to admit; the fights were becoming formulaic.  He had fought more and more young fighters trying to get recognized.  Fighters with potential fell off of his radar.  Only Orien was a persistent challenger, and that fight was a year ago.  It could be time to take another step up.  “How do I get these Tournament Points?”

“You need to compete in underground tournaments all around the world,” Justice suddenly looked as though he remembered something, “A new season just started.  You may be able to get to the next World Tournament if you do well enough.”

“I have a fight lined up.  I can’t just pick up and leave.”

“With who, Chuan?  You would have beaten him easily anyway,” Justice said then corrected himself.  “Well, relatively easily.  Learned a little and gained a little.  If you want to be the best you have to take more than baby steps.”

Jaquan thought about this dilemma.  He wanted to be the best, but was it worth leaving everything he knew?  What if he left everything, lost the title by forfeit, and did nothing but lose fights?  He would have to fight his way up the rankings again for a small fraction of the pay.

Justice saw the conflict in his old friend’s face.  “I am leaving in a few days so there’s no pressure, alright?”  He was typing something on his handheld as he spoke then pointed it at Jaquan and pressed a button.  Immediately, Jaquan’s handheld buzzed.  “I just gave you my contact information.  If you want to go with me, let me know before I go alright?”

#1 – Opportunity #5 – Opportunity #7