Note on playing the game. Post what you wish your character to do and I will play the combat out round by round. You do not have to write out a long description of your characters thoughts and motives if you do not wish to, "move then basic attack, dodge for defence" works just fine.

For the sake of the play test, attacking fellow gladiators is not allowed in this session. Please try to keep it as a team. I will post the characters on a single sheet soon, using Tann's wonderful sheet he posted.

So we are not slowed down by absences, I need you to give me a 1-12 roll for what your character will do in combat and what you will do for defence. So if your gladiator favours the basic, you could set it up as:

Attack Basic 1-8
Finesse 9-10
Hard 11-12

Same with defence Dodge 1-10
Parry 11-12

Game on:

The sunlight stabs your eyes as you move into the arena. The blue sky and warm sunlight beckons above you and your think to a saying that you have hear throughout your training. "It is a good day to die, but it is a better day to live". The walls have been moved back to allow for a large area to move around but you also see what you are about to be facing - Wolves. Eight wolves, probably trained since pups to attack and kill. Nothing like a little challenge to brighten your day....

"Good morning people and citizens of Alacrity!!!!!" the Herald calls out from high above. "Today's entertainment is brought to you be Severn Zuck - Owner of the Facewall Guild. You need to say something, say it with Facewall writing it on every wall in town. Now also providing whitewash services!
"Today for your entertainment it is four gladiators against 8 - count them 8 - wolves of the north. To fight these fine animals we have Krag The Slayer, Kip the Cautious, Rolo the Rotund and Hit Me Uno. Do they have what it takes to survive the fang fury of feral furiousness!"

The crowd roars with approval as the wolves are released.

Krog squinted in the bright sun. He heard the herald announce the gladiators and then their wolf opponents. Unsure of who the crowd was actually cheering for, Krog called out. "Come little doggies so I can place your bones next to these femurs of two elves and a giant." He figured the crowd would not know they came from two deer and a dead cow. Seeing that the group was outnumbered he hoped they could work together. "Quick, join me in the corner so the wolves cannot flank us." Kroger moved to R16. He hoped the others would be come over and form a wall in front of him.

Kia held her rapier high in salute to the crowd, the needle blade a strong contrast to her tanned skin tone. A quick motion, before lowering it back towards the opponents. Wolves in this case. She paid little attention to the announcer, not even glancing in their direction at the incorrect name. The announcer was doing their job. Kia would do hers.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Krog starting to back away.

"Corner bad. Need to move. Still boring. Movement excites," Kia said, "Strike down fast."

Her sapphire eyes never left the wolves, quickly shifting to look at all four in front. Kia didn't know how strong they were, but Kia knew one thing - if she was going to gain glory, it wouldn't be by being a turtle. She didn't have the shell to do that anyway, but that thought didn't really cross her mind.

Kia stepped a bit closer to the center, not advancing too far since she wanted to get the first hit in, rather than the wolves (thinking P9). She kept the tip of the rapier low, pointed ahead at the wolves. She needed to see how fast they were, and if she could be faster.

(alternatively, if the wolves move first)

Seeing an opening, Kia lunged forward, blade tip following the beast's movement, and she tried to stab it into the neck or skull of the closest one, before disengaging to the side of one of her teammates if possible. Despite her size, she was trained to be fast on her feet, and it showed.

====

When attacking in single strikes, will be mostly alternating between basic and hard, so in terms of dice...
1-4 Basic
5-12 Hard

When double striking, however, will mostly be finesse
1-2 Basic
3-9 Finesse
10-12 Hard

Defense will always be dodge, since light weapon won't be very effective at parrying from what I saw

Whirling her spear over her head with a flourish, Hitomi took note of her companions and her foes. Centering herself, she stepped forward and gave a powerful "Kiai!" and set her spear to receive the onslaught of wolves.

OOC: Hitomi is moving to P-10 to stand beside Kia, spear at ready (I know she can't actually set for a charge). If she gets to attack this round, she's looking for a finesse attack and a dodge defense.

Krog watched as the two females advanced towards the wolves. Knowing that the crowd wanted blood, he was more than happy to have it come pouring forth from someone other than himself. He hoped the women would kill or wound a few off the beasts before being killed. It would raise his chances of living. If it looked like the two had a chance of beating the wolves here would swoop in and help finish off the creatures. Otherwise he was content to wait.

Rotu was annoyed. Not once had anyone gotten his name right in.... longer than he cared to think about. He assumed he was Rolo, though the announcer was vague enough to leave even that up for debate. What little was left of his dwarven pride balked at being called rotund.

The truth or lack thereof was irrelevant in his mind.

Fortunately for Rotu, he had an outlet for all this pent up aggression. It was a bright spot, one he cherished, and the only one he had left. Wolves weren't especially exciting, but presented challenge in sufficient numbers, which they certainly seemed to have here.

He glanced dismissively at his teammate moving off to the corner. You never leave yourself without an escape when fighting wolves. When they cornered you, they won.

Not that he was much for escaping, mind you. He was going to be the hero of this little arena, and heroes didn't back down from such paltry odds as these!

The fact that he may or may not have been a little too.... rotund... to do much escaping anyway, was also irrelevant.

He moved forward with the other two, raising his halberd in the air and loosing a battle cry. It was time to star making his name.

Or it was time for Rolo to start making his name. One or the other.

(((OOC: Unsure how speed will affect turn order and character positioning, so will post intentions and put faith in the gm. Rotu will move to cover Hitomi and Kia.)))

Seeing the last of his fellow gladiators move forward, Krog thought about rethinking his strategy. But he was not overly smart, sly yes but not smart. For the time being he was resigned to letting the other face the wolves. He could gauge the strengths and weaknesses of both his fellow gladiators and the wolves.

The wolves are fast, very fast, almost too fast as they are upon the gladiator before the first four can get themselves to a good position. They attack with their vicious jaws and leaping for the throat.

Hitomi manages to dodge the wolf and the howling fury. She strikes out with her spear to strike the canine through the backside for a hard blow (7 hp damage).

Kia dodges the wolf as well though not as successfully and the wolf manages to gnaw on her leather armour. She strikes with the rapier but the wolf manages to avoid any real harm (Misses).

Rotu's armour is much too hard for the wolf to succeed but he only manages to brush the wolf off of him than hurt the creature.

Krog's plan to step back serves him well and he is able to avoid the attack and then, with a casual backhand of his axe, chops the wolf in two. The crowd goes wild.

Status:
HIT: No Damage
KIA: No Damage
ROT: No Damage
KRO: No Damage
WOLVES: one dead, one wounded badly, 6 are healthy


Moves?

Wolf met fencer, neither landed a hit. Kia was okay with that. Better to not hit them and not be hit than to be hit and not hit them.

Kia steadied her posture, feeling the rush of battle. She lashed out with two quick strikes. Hopefully it would be enough to fell the wolf.

====

Using Racial for increased damage, and the light weapon's two attacks. If the first is enough to kill the wolf immediately in front of her, she dashes to use the second attack on the incoming wolf.

Hitomi stepped back from the wolf in front, drawing back her spear even as she did so. Out of reach of the hungry wolf's jaws, she drove her spear blade towards the canine once more, before continuing her movement towards Krog.

OOC: As far as movement is concerned, Hitomi is looking to move to Q-11, attack, and then move as close to R-14 as possible

Krog watched as the`wolves attacked the others. A few light hits were made by both but in the end the wolves and the gladiators were all still standing. Then he was forced to turn his attention to the wolf that was rapidly approaching him. With his heart beating faster than ever before, Krog closed his eyes and swung. He felt his axe bite and when he felt no pain and heard the crowd erupt in cheers he opened his eyes. Before where once stood a wolf there were now two half wolves. Brandishing his axe he let out a primal scream, chopped a leg from the fallen beast and brandished that as well. He knew luck had been on his side and that it could change at any time. Once more he turned his attention to the other fighters and the wolves.

OC: Let the dice decide his attack and defense once again.

Missing your target is not a great start, as first impressions go. Still, it was all in the appearance, right? Thats why Rotu tried to tell himself anyway.

He gave as loud and obvious a laugh has he could, trying to give the appearance that it was all just a game, and nothing to be taken seriously.

Then he bore down, and struck again.

(((OOC: I'm willing to let the dice keep going. Still trying to cover those closest to me if needed.)))