Knight Thanadd Mawgath vs. Lieutenant Colonel Lithar Andaris

Knight Thanadd Mawgath

Journeyman 4, Journeyman tier, Clan Tarentum
Male Pau'an, Sith, Juggernaut
vs.

Lieutenant Colonel Lithar Andaris

Equite 3, Equite tier, Clan Odan-Urr
Male Human, Loyalist, Weapons Specialist, Consular
Comment

Thanadd, I'd like to say that I enjoyed your descriptors for the fight overall. You did a great job carrying and driving the story forward. This was great to see, but you did not take full advantage of the opportunity to further explain why they were fighting in the first place. Lithar provided only a basic reason and left the door open for you. You didn't cash in. Moving forward, I think that if you pair your descriptive style with more attention to the 'why' behind the fight, you will find yourself writing more compelling stories. Lastly, extra proofers are good.

Lithar, you seem to be comfortable with the concept of writing a fight, but it sadly does not give the reader a clear understanding of the conflict between the combatants besides hitting each other for the sake of it. You did well to pounce on the plot hole left by Thanadd when you provided a basic reason for the fight, but you didn't go any deeper. Moving forward, I encourage you to dive deeper into the 'why' and include more of the emotional reactions from the combatants. This will help you write more compelling stories. Lastly, extra proofers are good.

With the scores tallied, the clear winner is Knight Thanadd Mawgath. This is a good example of longer posts that really drive the story forward in a more compelling manner.

Till next time!

Hall Duelist Hall - Ranked
Messages 4 out of 4
Time Limit 3 Days
Battle Style Singular Ending
Battle Status Judged
Combatants Knight Thanadd Mawgath, Lieutenant Colonel Lithar Andaris
Winner Knight Thanadd Mawgath
Force Setting Standard
Weapon Setting Standard
Knight Thanadd Mawgath's Character Snapshot Snapshot
Lieutenant Colonel Lithar Andaris's Character Snapshot Snapshot
Venue Nar Shaddaa: Streets
Last Post 14 February, 2017 6:32 PM UTC
Assigned Judge Aurora "Aura" Ta'var
Syntax - 15%
Minister Cor-Hatha Vow Adept Xantros
Score: 2 Score: 2
Rationale: There were a number of punctuation basic punctuation errors, misspellings, and at least one sentence fragment. This made for an awkward read at times. I highly suggest having additional proofreaders in future. Rationale: There were several required sentence elements that were missing. I also spotted tense issues, misspellings, and a few comma issues. I highly suggest having additional proofreaders in future as the syntax errors made the posts difficult to read.
Story - 40%
Minister Cor-Hatha Vow Adept Xantros
Score: 3 Score: 2
Rationale: The story included a decent description of the environment and you utilized it appropriately during the fight. In addition, your posts are successful in setting up the next stages of the fight and drive the bulk of the story forward. While I feel you didn't do enough to explain the reason for the fight, you did do a good job expressing the reactions and emotions of the fight. Furthermore, you used your character sheet nicely. This kept you at a 3 for story. Rationale: Kudos to you for taking advantage of Thanadd's absence of a clear reason for the fight. Unfortunately, this is not detailed enough. You only really skim the surface and then you never revisit it again. In addition, you seemed to rely on Thanadd to drive the story forward. Your posts were very cliche and I did not get a clear feeling for the conflict between the characters besides punching each other for the sake of punching.
Realism - 25%
Minister Cor-Hatha Vow Adept Xantros
Score: 3 Score: 3
Rationale: There were three issues that brought this score down. One major (writing Lithar not attacking with his blaster in post 2) and two minor misapplications skills and feats (see comments in post 1). Rationale: There were three issues that brought this score down. One major (writing Lithar not having a plan for the innocents in post 1) and two minor misapplications of powers and skills (see comments in post 2).
Continuity - 20%
Minister Cor-Hatha Vow Adept Xantros
Score: 5 Score: 5
Rationale: No issues. Rationale: No issues.
Minister Cor-Hatha Vow's Score: 3.25 Adept Xantros's Score: 2.85
Posts

Nar Shaddaa Streets

The Vertical City, Nar Shaddaa. They call it the Smuggler's Moon—an apt description based on the myriad of sentients shuffling back and forth with their illegal wares and hidden weapons. The narrow streets below criss-cross endlessly, soaring miles above the planet's surface. Exposed and uncovered, the streets offer a nearly perfect setting for someone with some skills with ranged weapons. From a vantage point on the ledge of a towering structure of glass and steel offers a dizzying view of the cityscape.

Simple shops and merchants peddle both legitimate and illegitimate wares. Storefronts are just as plentiful as open-market pop-up tents, and the cantina's adapt the same lowlife air as the rest of the Smuggler's Moon. Enemies could be hidden in plain sight, whether one of the Hutts’ gangsters or mercenaries-for-hire looking to earn some credits. The streets are plagued with violent gangs and the general riff raff of the poor and destitute. The streets may be an ideal place for blasters, but the winding streets are difficult to disappear from. An opponent would be easily boxed in and simple to finish with a few quick slashes of a lightsaber. The moon is dangerous—even for one gifted in the Force.

The vicious drone of galactic civilization was an unwelcome song, but one to which the inhabitants of Nar Shadaa were well accustomed. They simply had little choice but to listen. For those with especially sensitive hearing - such as Thanadd Mawgath, Knight of Tarentum - such cacophonies were truly overwhelming.

The strange purr of his respiration drew no attention, drowned out by a myriad of other noises. Turning down yet another alley, he pulled his hood tighter to the back of his skull, preventing the wind from revealing his ghastly mien. His presence needed to remain a secret if he was to locate his target.

Tonight, he would complete his assignment. The intel was good, they had insisted, and according to the coordinates, Lithar Andaris - long a thorn in his side - would be somewhere nearby.

Although tucked into the recesses of Nar Shaddaa's intestinal labyrinths, the Dark Jedi was still unable to cut through the persistent chaos of the moon. Frustration threatened to boil to the surface, and so he knelt, controlling the course of searing bodily humors. Reaching out through the Force, he tried to touch and prod his surroundings, desperately searching for the unmistakable stink of an Odanite. He exhaled deeply, extending his senses into the corners of the nearby market stalls and forsaken dwellings. The minds of hopeless beings, and the miasma which their toils and troubles bore.

Darkness, all of it. Until...

"UNNGGH!"

Thanadd Mawgath dove behind pillars of duracrete, the blaster bolt searing the nape of his neck. With a shrouded grimace, he trembled through the sweltering agony which now pervaded his spine.

He had been too late to dodge the blast, focused in his meditation but simply too slow to act. The Force, in his concentration, had offered a frantic warning - one which narrowly saved his life.

Stumbling, Thanadd eventually caught his balance, rising with the defiance of an immortal revenant. Had they been capable, his molten eyes would have burned a hole through his would be assassin - Lithar Andaris. The Lieutenant-Colonel was perched upon a second story balcony, wordlessly peering at the pillar in black armor.

"Ah, the Jedi sympathizer," Mawgath growled, igniting his sanguine blade.

"Lucky shot," he taunted, although both men knew it should have been the aspiring Sith's end. Lithar seemed undaunted by his opponent's blustering, brandishing the blaster rifle with a well-practiced aplomb. He didn't seem inclined to descend to the streets below.

"Leave now, and keep your life."

There was not a second part, no lecture about his conditions. Lithar's ultimatum was simple, the scar on his face a badge of villeity and resolve.

"I won't miss again," he warned.

"I think I'll stay!" the Dark Jedi countered, his sizzling blade highlighting the charge that followed with waves of a crimson light. He cried out as he smashed into the support pillar, cracking the frame and forcing Lithar to ditch his weapon. Breaking his fall by scaling the debris, Lithar rolled unharmed to the paved street below.

"Heh. A nice trick!" he barked, retrieving a hip-worn blaster. He leveled the DH-17 at his foe, whose blade descended upon him with a blood curdling scream.

Aurora "Aura" Ta'var, 20 February, 2017 4:44 AM UTC

Syntax

Per the venue description, this is appropriately spelled ‘Nar Shaddaa’.

Nar Shad[d]aa

First, the ‘they had insisted’ and 'long a thorn in his side' portions works better as an aside and thus should be an em dash. Ideally, you limit the em dashes though, so you could try something like the below.

They had insisted the intel was good and according to the coordinates, Lithar Andaris [—] long a thorn in his side [—] would be somewhere nearby.

Unnecessary comma before the word ‘and’. There is no need to split two independent clauses with a comma if you already have the word ‘and’ separating them.

Frustration threatened to boil to the surface and so he knelt [...] "Leave now and keep your life."

This is a sentence fragment. You must have at least one independent clause and neither of the below is it. The first sentence has no verb. The second sentence is dependent on the first. This is a sentence fragment, therefore this comes off as very awkward.

The minds of hopeless beings, and the miasma which their toils and troubles bore.

This is a nice descriptor, but it should not be in quotes. Rather, you should make it italic to denote a sound.

UNNGGH!

Though this does not take away from your syntax score, the hyphen should be an em dash. Em dashes are great for asides such as ‘one which narrowly saved his life’.

The Force, in his concentration, had offered a frantic warning [—] one which narrowly saved his life.

The hyphen and the name afterward are not necessary since you refer to him as the ‘would be assassin’. You can simply delete it.

Had they been capable, his molten eyes would have burned a hole through his would be assassin.

This isn’t a word in the English dictionary and google can’t find it. Perhaps you meant a different one?

Lithar's ultimatum was simple, the scar on his face a badge of [villeity] and resolve.

Story

This is a good, but I find myself wanting to know more about the myriad of other noises. This would help paint the scene better and pull me into the story. As it stands, this is lackluster at best and a wasted opportunity to lay out the scene even further. This is especially true since before this sentence you mention “such cacophonies were truly overwhelming”.

The strange purr of his respiration drew no attention, drowned out by a myriad of other noises.

Much like the above, I am glad that you informed the reader of the reason this fight is taking place, but you still neglect to explain why Lithar has been a thorn in Thanadd’s side. This could help me understand the fight a lot better.

Tonight, he would complete his assignment. The intel was good, they had insisted, and according to the coordinates, Lithar Andaris - long a thorn in his side - would be somewhere nearby.

Nice description.

Nar Shaddaa's intestinal labyrinths

I like that you write Lithar attacking from above, which works well with his character, but the reader in never told how Thanadd finds the Lieutenant Colonel. One moment we are told that Thanadd is dodging for his life and then in another we are told that Thanadd has found him. The “how” this happens is missing. This is a gap in the story.

The Lieutenant-Colonel was perched upon a second story balcony, wordlessly peering at the pillar in black armor.

Realism

Lithar has his Athletics at +0, which is not accurate with the below statement. The sentence below would require at least +2 Athletics.

Breaking his fall by scaling the debris, Lithar rolled unharmed to the paved street below.

A Juggernaut’s Iron skin feat works by shrugging off an attack, not ramming a pillar. The sentence below uses this feat improperly.

He cried out as he smashed into the support pillar, cracking the frame and forcing Lithar to ditch his weapon.

Seeing the Dark Jedi Knight rushing at him with the activated lightsaber, Lithar leveled his blaster pistol at his enemy and fired it without aiming. He missed Mawgath by few milimeters, but it was enough to distract the Pau'an and make him miss the human, who quickly jumped back. Dark Jedi's lightsaber left a long mark on the street.

"You were not even close," daunted him the Lieutenant Colonel. "You would miss a Hutt standing still."

The Pau'an male looked at Lithar with contempt and said, "I missed you this time, but how long you are able to run, coward? I will follow you wherever you go and I will kill you sooner or later. Probably sooner than later."

"Well, I am sure that I would be missed by few people, but I won't miss you...and no one will miss you back home, you filthy scum," spoke the human without emotions in his voice.

"We shall see," replied Mawgath angrily, but he did not moved towards his enemy.

Standing few meters from the Dark Jedi Knight, Lithar saw that as an opportunity to get rid of his enemy. The himan was sent to Nar Shaddaa to prevent a member of Clan Tarentum from hiring a group of mercenaries for a raid and he could not dream about a better moment to complete his mission. Surprisingly to himself, when he aimed at the Pa'aun and was right about to shoot, he hesitated for few seconds, afraid of missing his target and killing someone else.

"What if I kill an innocent passerby? It would not be planned and it might cause severe troubles, even in a place like Nar Shaddaa," thought the Lieutenant Colonel.

Aurora "Aura" Ta'var, 20 February, 2017 5:00 AM UTC

Syntax

The word highlight below is spelled ‘millimeters’ not 'milimeters'. In addition, Human should be capitalized.

He missed Mawgath by few [millimeters], but it was enough to distract the Pau'an and make him miss the [H]uman, who quickly jumped back.

The possessive ‘The’ should be in front of the the ‘Dark Jedi’s lightsaber’. Otherwise, it sounds awkward.

[The] Dark Jedi's lightsaber left a long mark on the street.

Change out ‘him’ with something more specific like ‘Thanadd’. Another alternative to fix this issue is to simply say 'he daunted'. In addition, you don’t need ‘the Lieutenant Colonel. At this point, we know the combatants.

"You were not even close," daunted [Thanadd].

The sentence is incorrect. Adding the word ‘are’ fixes it.

"I missed you this time, but how long [are] you are able to run, coward?

This is a tense issue. ‘Moved’ should be ‘move’.

"We shall see," replied Mawgath angrily, but he did not move towards his enemy. This sentence just needed something between ‘Standing’ and ‘few meters’; otherwise, it sounds very awkward. Standing [a] few meters from the Dark Jedi Knight, Lithar saw that as an opportunity to get rid of his enemy

The correct spelling is ‘human’. In addition, though ‘dream about a better moment’ is not grammatically incorrect and thus doesn’t hurt your syntax score, I recommend that you use [of] rather than [about].

The [Human] was sent to Nar Shaddaa to prevent a member of Clan Tarentum from hiring a group of mercenaries for a raid and he could not dream [of] a better moment to complete his mission.

This sentence is very awkward, but I understand what you are trying to say. First, the use of ‘surprisingly to himself’ is best re-arranged to modify the word ‘hesitated’, as in he was surprised that he hesitated. This makes the intent of the sentence much clearer. This is not a grammar issue, so no hit to your syntax score for this specific mention. BUT, there is a syntax mistake later in this sentence. The word ‘a’ needs to be between ‘for’ and ‘few seconds’.

[W]hen he aimed at the Pa'aun and was right about to shoot, he [surprisingly] hesitated for [a] few seconds, afraid of missing his target and killing someone else.

Thoughts are not put in quotes. You should use italics.

What if I kill an innocent passerby? It would not be planned and it might cause severe troubles, even in a place like Nar Shaddaa, thought the Lieutenant Colonel.

Story

Good job taking advantage of the plot hole left by your opponent and filling it in with your own reasons. With this sentence, the reader finally understands kinda what the conflict is taking place.

The himan was sent to Nar Shaddaa to prevent a member of Clan Tarentum from hiring a group of mercenaries for a raid and he could not dream about a better moment to complete his mission.

Realism

Lithar aspect titled ‘According To The Plan’ clashes with the statement below. Lithar should have taken any innocents into account. This is further backed up by the aspect ‘To The Tiniest Detail’.

Surprisingly to himself, when he aimed at the Pa'aun and was right about to shoot, he hesitated for few seconds, afraid of missing his target and killing someone else. "What if I kill an innocent passerby? It would not be planned and it might cause severe troubles, even in a place like Nar Shaddaa," thought the Lieutenant Colonel.

Thanadd Mawgath's laughter boiled underneath his artificial jaw, a phlegmatic rumbling building into a disturbing cackle. He stared deep into the eyes of his foe, tendrils of dread and uncertainty worming their way into his pneuma.

This was the power of the Dark Side, and the towering black knight relished it. Hatred and terror sustained his miserable life, one which lingered ever on the brink of oblivion.

"Yes, soldier, yes. Your fear is your weakness. You would protect these...peons,"

His open hand curled into a firmly wound fist, trembling with a terrible excitement. The sound of the tightening gauntlet was unmistakable, an accent to the horror which swelled in this murky corner of Nar Shaddaa.

"...and that is why you will DIE!"

Mawgath fed Lithar a lumbering swing of his lightsaber, anticipating the Lieutenant Colonel's reflexive tactics. His fist became a claw as the human changed levels, trying to dodge the blade. A massive gauntlet clicked against armor as the Tarenti gripped his opponent's throat, the crushgaunts a cold vice on his windpipe.

"You...are nothing. Your life means nothing. Your terror, however....feeds me."

He drew the helpless Lithar closer, the humid dew of his desperate gasps pooling on Mawgath's steel mandible. He began to close his grasp slowly, crushing the life from Lithar Andaris one second at a time.

"I will not grant you a quick death, grunt."

Thanadd Mawgath was too busy gloating to realize he had not yet disarmed his opponent. Lithar struggled, pushing against the encroaching threat of unconsciousness, and as the light began to leave his eyes, he focused what remained of his vital forces to pull the trigger.

"YEAARRGGH!"

Hubris had distracted the Dark Jedi from simply ending the man's life, and now he paid for his arrogance with his hand. Smoldering and mangled, the fingers could no longer brace against Lithar's throat. Gasping for air, he fell from the awful grip to the street below, with little fanfare.

Mawgath fumed and heaved, suppressing his agony through concentrated rage. He blew through flared nostrils, the furrows which formed from frowning the only clue to his hidden expression. He looked at the ruins of his cybernetic digits, splayed and useless.

"YOU WILL PAY!"

His wrathful bellow was enough to rouse the spirits of Oblivion; every ounce of the Pau'ans dark vigor would be spent ripping his foe limb from limb.

He saw nothing but red as he rushed the recovering Lithar, a berserker with little but a death wish.

Soon, one of them would fulfill it.

Aurora "Aura" Ta'var, 20 February, 2017 5:05 AM UTC

Syntax

Unnecessary comma. For the first two, the ‘and’ by itself is fine for separating two items. For the third, it is just superfluous since you pause with the ellipsis. For the fourth and fifth, it is simply not needed.

This was the power of the Dark Side and the towering black knight relished it.

Hubris had distracted the Dark Jedi from simply ending the man's life and now he paid for his arrogance with his hand.

Your terror however....feeds me.

[...] as the light began to leave his eyes he focused what remained of his vital forces to pull the trigger.

Gasping for air, he fell from the awful grip to the street below with little fanfare.

In addition, this should be three dots, not four.

Your terror however...feeds me.

The comma should be a period since you start a new sentence without any additional words after this dialogue.

"Yes, soldier, yes. Your fear is your weakness. You would protect these...peons[.]"

Story

I like this imagery of rage and berserker a lot. Nicely done.

He saw nothing but red as he rushed the recovering Lithar, a berserker with little but a death wish.

Realism

This entry depicts Lithar dodging Mawgath’s lightsaber and then being caught by the Tarenti. Why isn’t the weapons specialist shooting? Then later on in your post, you mention that you are choking Lithar, but that he does not immediately react to this action by firing the weapon he is holding in his hand. When cornered you tend to defend yourself. Also, according to Lithar’s character sheet, his aspect ‘Bothans Do It From Behind’ would not have Lithar standing in close quarters facing his enemy.

Mawgath fed Lithar a lumbering swing of his lightsaber, anticipating the Lieutenant Colonel's reflexive tactics. His fist became a claw as the human changed levels, trying to dodge the blade. A massive gauntlet clicked against armor as the Tarenti gripped his opponent's throat, the crushgaunts a cold vice on his windpipe.

Thanadd Mawgath was too busy gloating to realize he had not yet disarmed his opponent.

Still breathing heavily and feeling uneasy, Lithar Andaris stood up with difficulties. He shook his head and looked at his opponent, who angrily shouted at the Lieutenant Colonel, "You will pay!"

Few seconds later the Dark Jedi rushed at the Human in berserker rage. Lithar realized that it was going to be a decisive moment of the fight. Either he or his enemy was going to get killed, probably in less then a couple of minutes. None of them was able to continue the fight for much longer, as both of them were exhausted and received less or more serious wounds. However, the Lieutenant Colonel was aware that he was far more tired than his enemy, even though the Pau'an had few of his fingers rendered useless by a blaster shot. The fight was not going to last for a long time.

The Human aimed at his enemy and opened fire. He hoped to finish the battle with one clean shot at Dark Jedi's head before it would be too late, but his hand was shaking a bit and he missed. He did not have a chance to shoot for the second time as the Pau'an simply run into him and knocked him over. The Dark Jedi hit the Lieutenant Colonel' face again and again with the only working fist. He continued to beat him long after breaking man's jaw and nose and making all man's teeth fall out. He continued to beat him long after Lithar was dead. It took Mawgath several minutes to see the world around him in normal colors again. Only then, he stopped beating massacred face of the Human.

Aurora "Aura" Ta'var, 20 February, 2017 5:13 AM UTC

Syntax

This is a comma splice. One way you could fix this is to change the comma to a period and then start the dialogue on its on line.

He shook his head and looked at his opponent, who angrily shouted at the Lieutenant Colonel[.] [enter][enter] "You will pay!"

This sentence needs an [A] at the beginning, as well as one before the word 'berserker'. You should also include a comma after the introductory ‘A few seconds later’.

[A] [f]ew seconds later[,] the Dark Jedi rushed at the Human in [a] berserker rage.

This is a tense issue since the fight is still ongoing. Rather, you can use ‘would be’ instead of ‘was and then this will work. Additionally, the correct phrasing is ‘more or less’.

None of them [would be] able to continue the fight for much longer, as both of them were exhausted and received [more or less] serious wounds.

You need an ‘a’ between ‘had’ and ‘few’. Otherwise, the sentence is awkward.

However, the Lieutenant Colonel was aware that he was far more tired than his enemy, even though the Pau'an had [a] few of his fingers rendered useless by a blaster shot.

The possessive ‘the’ is needed before ‘Dark Jedi’s head.

The Human aimed at his enemy and opened fire. He hoped to finish the battle with one clean shot at [the] Dark Jedi's head before it would be too late, but his hand was shaking a bit and he missed.

The correct tense, in this case, is ‘ran’.

He did not have a chance to shoot for the second time as the Pau'an simply [ran] into him and knocked him over.

The possessive of Lieutenant Colonel is with an apostrophe s. In addition, you need to state the owner of the ‘only working fist'. I suggest you use ‘his’ instead.

The Dark Jedi hit the Lieutenant Colonel'[s] face again and again with [his] only working fist.

This sentence just needs a possessive ‘the’ where indicated.

He continued to beat him long after breaking [the] man's jaw and nose and making all [the] man's teeth fall out.

Realism

Thanadd is in the middle of his rage. He will not be exhausted until after the rage subsides.

None of them was able to continue the fight for much longer, as both of them were exhausted and received less or more serious wounds.

This is his second miss in a row, and he hasn’t really hit anything this entire match beside a point blank shot to Thanadd’s hand. This is out of character with a weapons specialist at +4, who should rarely miss.

The Human aimed at his enemy and opened fire. He hoped to finish the battle with one clean shot at [the] Dark Jedi's head before it would be too late, but his hand was shaking a bit and he missed.