(YB) Rathan Vs. Sanctus Togashi II! (Phoenix Judging Again!)

[Phoenix8008]

With a 'SNIKT!' sound, Patch pops all three claws from the back of his other hand. Turning to the wall, he carves three lines together away from the first scratch from last round.

Round 2: Rathan!

"3 flags Rathan, 1 flag Sanctus Togashi!"

 

[Rathan]

Rathan ponders his last move as if thinking of how to top it this round.... he does not seem too worried about a suprise attack from his former student because he has studied him well and knows his is usually up front with his motives....

Suddenly like a lightbulb flashing in his head.... Rathan gets a look in his eye simalliar to the one given in the last fight.......

Rathan makes a few gestures and mutters a few low toned chants and then does something no one is exspecting.... he takes an emmense deep long breath.... and before Sanctus gets a chance to react.... he lets the air from his lungs free aimed more at the ground thatn at Sanctus....

The very ground itself is torn appart as hurricane force is released from Rathan's lungs... the ground gives like a hot knive through butter heading right for Sanctus.. trees are uprooted and a stream is for but a second blown away to nothing but river-bed....

Rathan wait's to see what Sanctus' move to counteract will be....


The west wind quietly decimates the island; defends against the energy of the holy ground!

 

[Creamsteak]

The rat silences the bluff so fast that it fiercely crushes the Palace of the Dragon Kings; blocks the offensive of the horn!

"Rathan, it is sad that the disillusionment of being transported from Rokugan to this strange open country weakened my understanding of the Mirumoto techniques, those of the dragon clan, so much so that you still consider yourself my master. I will accelerate now that I have the bare basics. Now I have the power to expand my knowledge back to that which I once understood, before I was sent here."

In one simple cry, Sanctus focuses his entire welling charisma into his right hand, grasping his left onto the hilt of the concealed wooden katana, sheathed in the leather hilt marked with the design of the Mirumoto Niten School. Without word, and without any resound from the pull of metal along the sheeth, Sanctus focuses on his Iaijutsu technique, with complete control. "Po" Rushing through his muscles is the uneasy force of will, the dropping of his stomach as he brings his blade out, straight and narrow, cutting precisely through the wind and towards his opponent. "Po" and his lungs empty in a single breath. "Po" and the entire force, the chi, the muscle, and the will of a Samurai follow the energy of the blade of the Niten school with the energy that even without touch, would cut a simple stone watchtower in twain. "Po" and the blade, flawlessly is pulled back, in a single motion, lined up with the sheeth, and slides flawlessly back into place.

Sanctus blade will undoubtedly resound through the site of the fountain on this dusk. A simple cut, a sylable in which so much chi is expended, and the heart and soul of a samurai, shown in it's full glory.

 

[Phoenix8008]

"Very impressive, both of ya. But I gotta say that Rathan takes the cake again this round!"

Round 3: 1 flag to Rathan

"4 flags Rathan, 1 flag Sanctus."


Creamsteak, I liked your description alot this round, but it just didn't seem to have anything to do with the generated move. No rat, no silencing, no palace crushing, etc.

 

[Creamsteak]

Creamsteak, I liked your description alot this round, but it just didn't seem to have anything to do with the generated move. No rat, no silencing, no palace crushing, etc.

A bit to non-linear for you then? The rat was the way Sanctus treated his master, the underhandedness of concealing his intentions for power. The silencing was symbolized by the resound of his simple 'word' which was meant to overpower the scene, and draw all focus into that motion. The crushing of the Dragon palace is symbolized by Sanctus inner turmoil directed at Togashi Hoshi and his new masters in his angst when he brings his blade back to hilt. The palace, in other words, is the 'structure and establishment' of traditions in the Dragon's hands.

Edit: And also, [Po" and the entire force, the chi, the muscle, and the will of a Samurai follow the energy of the blade of the Niten school with the energy that even without touch, would cut a simple stone watchtower in twain."] is even directly showing the force in a direct manner, where the term 'even a stone watchtower' is shown to be the force of the crushing blow, which would undoubtedly be enough to destroy any stagnant structure.

Should I lower my level of thinking a bit? If I can't score points by using metaphors then I'm probably doomed.

Edit: Are interpretations with a post legal?

 

[Phoenix8008]

What do you mean by interpretations with a post, first off?

As for the non-linear aspect, I guess so. I got some of it but enough of the main stuff wasn't there for me to draw much correlation. You could still use metaphors, just with a little more directness. "Feeling like a rat accused of stealing it's master's cheese, Sanctus decides to close the mouth(i.e. silence) of his blowhard opponent with this next attack."

Maybe I shouldn't even be telling either of you this in the middle of a match but I felt the need to answer the question from you as it came up, CS. Basically, I'm just trying to run a style match as it's defined in the rules:

Style Matches
In a style match the fighters use the generated move as a basis to describe what they do to their opponent. Judges must first decide if they think the description is fair based on the generated move, and they must then decide which description sounds more like a move that would garner a round victory. In a style move a better-generated move is a move that allows for good description. A good description is one that appeals to the judge as a round winner. It is the description of the attack, not the generated move itself that is judged by the judges in a style match. Obviously the better your writing skills the better you will do in such a match.

(emphasis of the next to last sentance added by me)

That is all I'm trying to do in a nutshell, I guess. Any other questions or problems, let me know.

 

[Creamsteak]

That doesn't help at all. I'll try this from a different angle to see if you understand when I approach it this way.

I know what a style match is. I'm not dumbfounded by the rules. I asked something that isn't directly contained in the rules, is it appropriate for me to include a complete interpretation of my post in a style match?

It might not spring out to someone how my interpretation was done if I refuse to actually include the words from the generated move, and being permitted (or not permitted) to demonstrate the interpretation in the post would be crucial. I'm not going to actually use the words from the generator, and I'm never going to interpret a location or style as a 'rat style' or some other such non-sense. It's not realistic or even remotely useful in a literature sense. Instead, the motives, symbols, and associations make for a much more fluid interpretation, however, mayhaps an explanation would be necessary. However, I also can see the opposite angle, that an interpretation that was included would possibly disuade the actual importance of a post, and instead turn the focus into 'which interpretation of the interpretation is more accurate and better done' which goes against the flavor a style match is supposed to take on from the beginning.

Do you see why I'm questioning this particular? Mayhaps it would be appropriate to see what the concensus was on this from a general perspective on other forum users. Some may believe one way, while others see the other angle. I'm stuck trying to figure out which is right, and the rules simply do not express this particular problem's solution.

 

[Ciaran]

Hey Creamsteak,

Here are some quick thoughts on the subject:

While I may be misinterpreting what you say about things being "useful in a literature sense," I'd like to state right up front that this isn't literature. This game has a simple set of criteria, and "literary merit" will always come in second to "makes good use of the ingredients." And judges don't necessarily have either the time or the training for elaborate deconstruction of the text. I like to think that I'm facile with English, and I still don't see your use of "rat" as coming through from Sanctus' speech to Rathan.

Subtlety and metaphor are good. Deliberate obscurantism is bad. If you twist away from using a word or its synonyms just because using it seems too easy or too obvious, you're handicapping yourself unnecessarily. For instance, when you used "a simple stone watchtower" in place of "the palace of the Dragon Kings," you needlessly avoided the essence of the thing you were supposed to represent; palaces aren't watchtowers, and they are (almost by definition) not simple.

The issue of "rat style" is a bit more complicated than you make out, since martial arts styles of the animal persuasion are supposed to be based on the movements of the animal in question, and thus you can describe your character's movements in a way that resembles the animal. This makes it fundamentally more viable than other "cheesy" word usages like "My lackey, Rat Johnson, hits my opponent in the kneecaps."

Magic-using characters have a fundamental advantage over non-magic-using characters in style matches, since it's always easier to, say, summon a giant rat or turn yourself into a rat than it is to move in a way that shouts out "rat" to the judge. Either the judge needs to give extra weight to non-magical moves (which have to work at integrating the keywords into the moves), or the fighters should agree on a magic-free duel to keep things even.

- Eric

 

[Phoenix8008]

Okay, I guess what I was saying kinda goes along with what Ciaran said. In my opinion, you shouldn't have to give an interpretation of your move for me to understand it. If it's not half way obvious, then it ends up like your move last round: an awesome description, but one that has very little to do with the generated attack it seems.

I'm sorry if this messes up your usual literary flow, but that is why I emphasized that one line in the style match description. Not because I though you didn't understand the rules, but because I was clarifying how I judged the round. I judge the description of the attack. If the description doesn't match the attack in some way that I can fathom, then unfortunately I can't do much with it.

If you'd prefer another judge after this, I undersatnd and will bow out if you'd like.

 

[Rathan]

OOC: Rathan yes, is a magic-user, but that is because he is a cleric.... he prays to the sun god every day for his spells ect.... I don't mean to make this unfair.... but it's just how he works.... if this isn't acceptable... I can "TRY" to adapt to a non-magic style match.... but I'd rather not change the feel of rathan.....


Rathan stands before the destruction he has cuased... and frets....

"I hope I can fix this damage I have caused after the match.... I love this place so... I hate to do any harm to it..."

"I care not to look atthis destruction anymore.. nor do I wish my opponent to see me anymore as well..."

Rathan spreds his arms wide.... mutters a few words and slowly starts to close the gap between them

As he does this... the clouds themselves close around the fighters.... a heavy fog sets in.....

All is quite... save the babbling stream nearby for the moment...

As Sanctus tries to gain a sense of where his opponent may be a blinding ball of light severs the cloudy fog and races for him...

It's rathan moving with the speed of a falling northstar.... and he jumps high and falls apon Sanctus with a blinding fast sidekick... tring to land a blow in the center of his chest...


The rolling northstar severs the clouds; fends off the blood of the holy ground!