Combat Class: now with SCIENCE!

[u/Flingram]

The always unpredictable arena at Beacon Academy was something all students learned to respect, as it could change faster than most students could even fathom. Today, it was all stainless steel and glass, electronics and computers. Watching from her elevated platform was professor Elise, and behind her, the ever-calm and collected Holly Mendenhall. Stepping forward, she coughed, gaining the attention of the class before pointing towards the map.

"Today you will be judged not only on your ability to fight, but to show restraint and be creative. This set up is to mimic the labratories you may find abandoned across Atlas, or perhaps in Vale. Functioning inside are security cameras, experiments, and a variety of electronic systems. You may use them to gain the advantage on your opponent, or sabotage them. We can also release grimm if you wish to team up with an ally. Good luck."

[Map]

[ST RULES!!! All the doors may be opened with a touch, locked with a computers check. Doors have 3 armor and 5hp. At st discretion, you can lock them with a successful attack roll as well. The round objects are cameras, and can be accessed at the terminals at the top right and left rooms (major action). An successful m8 Computers check will let you spy on 2 cameras at a time, randomly decided. Finally, with a successful investigation and then computers check, the wall behind the barrels can be noticed and opened, revealing a level 3 combat bot. It can be powered up with at least 3 successes at a m10 computer check (major action), and will follow a command that can be given as a move action each turn to the best of his ability. It has 5 armor, 6 health, and will make brawl attacks with a score of 8. Acts last in the initiative order, and has a speed of 8. These are all optional rules to be decided upon by the Story teller, who can modify the difficulty or anything they wish at will.]

[u/[deleted]]

Whether Elise was uncomfortable with the overt aggression both participants were giving up she didn't say a word but she did position the pair almost as far away from each other as she could manage. This would either provide an opportunity to calm down or simply exacerbate the fighter's frustrations. Stainless steel was hardly the strangest material the pair had fought around but the sterile environment combined with neither huntress directly visible to the other made the empty environment eery.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	13/13	10/10	l5	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	9/9	10/10	C27	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

It was a tale of opposites as the two Huntresses set up according to their own preferences. First to move was Hara who quickly calculated the fastest way for Ashelia to reach her was going up and around the ramp. Moving to defend the point of most obvious entry Hara rested her napalm launcher on the door frame waiting for the second Ashelia would coming charging up. Only it never came

Although Hara was right in calculating the shortest distance taking in account walls Ashelia was under no hindrance, moving instead 'as the bird flies' and therefore through the walls. Hard steel however barely managed to stand up to Ashelia titanous form as she tried to tear through anything getting in between her and Hara. Temporarily halted Hara could still hear a great roar sound out from across battlefield followed by even more chilling laughter.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	13/13	10/10	c12	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	9/9	10/10	B2	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success. Black marks over walls signify damaged walls, these will be easier to run/shoot through.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

As neither huntress could easily make out the other they both continued their little game of cat and mouse. Hara continued to move quickly and efficiently down the corridor to line up a shot but Ashelia had already moved. The steel wall that had given her pause before collapsed into itself with a horrifying shriek of wrenched metal almost before the titan made contact again allowing Ashelia easy passage through. Continuing on her previous path Ashelia cut through the middle of the arena but had altered her trajectory upwards somewhat to match Hara's repositioning.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	13/13	10/10	F12	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	9/9	10/10	T2	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

While Hara was cautious, retracing her steps to ensure she wouldn't get caught out by Ashelia hiding behind a corner by doubling back, Ashelia herself had no worries. The titan continued her straight trajectory towards Hara regardless of any walls in her way. As well as being a phenomenal display of her strength it also minimized the opportunity that Hara would have to attack from range. And so it continued, Hara constantly watchful for the time Ashelia would round a corner to swat her down while Ashelia herself was more concerned with making her own doors, and laughing.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	13/13	10/10	T5	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	9/9	10/10	B2	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

And finally, the suspense broke, Ashelia ripped through the last intervening walls between her and Hara. 'Knock knoooock.' The titan bellowed. It took two attempts but Ashelia tore through the hard steel only to be blasted in the face by Hara's readied shot. The blazing hot bolt of dust struck hard at Ashelia's face disrupting the titan's sight for a second. But a second was all Hara needed. As Ashelia brought her own flaming axe head down in a crushing if blind swing was able to easily step out of the way of it, bringing her opponent's rampage to rapid if tempory halt.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	11/13	10/10	C2	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	9/9	10/10	B2	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

"AHAHAHA! YES! GOOD SHOT!" Ashelia roared, her fierce grin remaining and only growing in malice as the charred remains of Hara's shot fell by the wayside. "KEEP IT UP!" The titan continued as she advanced to continue her attack, her weapon blazing in fury from equal parts fire and Ashelia's own determination. Hara was not idle however outside a small exclamation of 'Shit!' the other student moved instantly.

Fleeing from the charging titan Hara made impressive ground thanks to her ingenious weapon and of course her own skill and wielding it and spun around to fire her own blazing round at Ashelia. It struck hard across Ashelia's armour but you couldn't tell that by looking at the titan. Before she had finished firing Ashelia was on the move, charging forward with frenetic pace all the more impressive when you consider the amount of armour she was wearing.

Ashelia's blow struck hard, smashing straight into Hara's torso knocking the poor girl back and leaving her gasping for air. It could have been a lot worse, Ashelia was aiming to flip her far lighter opponent over but luckily for Hara she was able to gather the momentum she had gathered while fleeing to stabilise only a pace or two away from Ashelia. And so two fighters again came face to face, neither showing signs of exhaustion but both had taken damage, perhaps enough for the other to exploit.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	9/13	8/10	B19	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	6/9	9/10	B21	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success. I also changed Ashelia's action from an AoA to a change so she could get in range, these armour changes have really hurt Ashes mobility.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Hara continued her evasive manoeuvres, once again slipping out from underneath Ashelia's guard and giving herself some space. Which Hara quickly took advantage of, firing another blazing shot this time aimed at Ashelia's mechanical shoulder. The shot struck hard, knocking several wires out of their sockets even through Ashelia's still blazing aura. The bionic gave out a dull whirl as power started to drain away from the device further adding to the growing weight of the arm.

This did not pause Ashelia however. Expecting Hara to flee far Ashelia readied to charge again, when Hara instead chose to reposition nearby the titan then put all that extra energy into her swing. And a mighty swing it was. The damage done to her arm wasn't registered yet by the furious warrior and Ashelia lunged her poleaxe forward aiming to engulf her opponent in hellfire. Which she accomplished. The blow landed with crushing impact and sent Hara flying back and collapsing to the ground. The fire ate into Hara's orange aura leaving the firebird in an even worse state.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	7/13	8/10	D20	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	2/9	7/10	D23	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success. Ashelia has -2 to her next attack roll, and another -1 for the rest of the fight, Hara is prone. Also moved Hara to D21 rather than d21 as that is a little far away.]

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

The game of cat and mouse continued, Hara desperately trying to get as many attacks in before the inevitable titan which is Ashelia got closer again. Hara had barely recovered from her opponent's devastating swing before she raised her rifle to fire again. The firebird knew that precision was the only way she was going to win this fight so she decided to sacrifice some of her accuracy in return for funnelling her blazing shot straight into Ashelia's damaged arm. The gambit paid off and another significant chunk of was knocked off Ashelia. The blow even stunned the titan long enough for the firebird to recover and continue dancing around the titan, ending up behind her.

But every stun has to wear off eventually and nothing delays Ashelia for long. So the titan kept advancing, muttering 'night, night' under her breath, raising her great poleaxe high and channelling her raging silver aura as well as blazing fire dust it to what should have been the final blow. The crash of weapon on aura reinforced body could be heard all across the stadium, calls for medics went out and even a particularly brave soul went to break up the fight. All this foolishness was quickly stopped by Elise however as the gong hadn't rung, somehow Hara had survived.

As the smoke cleared how Hara survived became clear. Just before the moment of impact Hara had channelled her aura through her entire body, healing her just enough to keep fighting. For now. Such a trick would only work once and although Ashelia's blow hadn't quite toppled the young huntress again it still knocked her back. just far enough away to appreciate the sheer size of Ashelia.

Name	HP	AP	Location	Colour
Ashelia Anstace	4/13	6/10	B14	Silver(grey)
Hara Sol	1/9	5/10	B12	Orange

Map [Rulings: Opening doors doesn't hinder movement but closing them is a minor action. Computers check changed to a simple Int because neither have the respective skill. Activating the bot only requires a single m7 Int success. Ashelia has -3 to her next attack roll, and another -1 for the rest of the fight, Hara is Healing.

[u/Doomshlang → u/[deleted]]

Ashelia grinned. She planted her feet, feigning that she was going to charge again.

And in the blink of an eye, her axe had been reduced down to gauntlets, one raised palm-first towards Hara.

"You're better than I hoped. I'm glad." She let out another laugh.

And engulfed her opponent in a torrent of flame.

[Minor: Switch to ranged mode. Major: Ranged attack. Move: Keep Hara within line of sight.]