Dice Cards Test Duel #1: Brute vs Cheat

Dice Cards Test Duel #1: Brute vs Cheat

The two lairs stand upon the darkened field, imbued with malefic powers. The cheat, dressed in ill-gotten fineries and glistening silks, now stained with mud, stands opposite to his rival. The brute's shining mail is marred and blackened from use, and stained with old blood.

"I'll spend a pittance for your tombstone, dog." The cheat scoffs.

"I'll dig a hole." The brute responds.

First player: Cheat 1, Brute 2.

============

Round 1 - Brute

Rolls 5, 3, 2.

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The brute moves first, summoning energy into his dark gauntlet. It swirls, forming a suite of pawns ready to do his bidding. He crushes the fist, mirred by the mixed energies.

"No matter. Come forth, Knight of the Grand Order!" He proclaims, clutching at the air. Before him, out from the dirt, a spiked gauntlet claws up and wrenches itself forth. A great shining monster, clad in armour, pulls up from the earth, trailing a great sword behind it. Its eye slits burn with balefire.

Behind it, the brute casts his arms forward and seeds the very earth with his power.

-----

Summons 5. Sets Grand Order Knight (3).

Charges 3, 2.

============

Round 1 - Cheat

Rolls 6, 6, 4

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"Ooh, scary." The cheat snickers at the sight of the greatsword bearing knight. He swirls his fingers, fat with rings and jangling bads, as pips of energy form around them. He considers his options, and snickers at the sight of them.

"I'll call the same. Defend me, oh Blackheart Inquisitor."

The man flicks a mote of energy forth, which enbiggens and grows into a black mass that writhes and twitches until it forms a human shape. Bile slips from the long brimmed hat of the Inquisitor, not a shred of skin showing, save for the scraps hanging from his pointed flail.

"Let's be rid of that eyesore, shall we?" He titters, looking towards his new lackey. The man-thing nods and turns. It lifts a hand, glowing with ethereal power, before throwing out a ghostly chain. The bindings slam into the knight and constrict around his armour, dragging the creature screaming back down into the muck.

The brute spits, trying to ignore the laughter from the cheat as he speaks again. "Now do away with him too!"

The inquisitor levels a rusty blade and swipes at the brute. He recoils, but no physical injury is shown. The walls of magic surrounding his form begin to weaken...

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Summons 4. Sets Blackheart Inquisitor (2).

Charges 6, 6.

Spends double 6. Inquisitor returns Grand Order Knight to the deck.

Attacks with Inquisitor for 2 damage.

2 Damage dealt to 1st Shield (2). Shield destroyed.

============

Round 2

Cheat

Units: Inq 2

Shields: 2, 4, 6

vs

Brute

Units: Kng 3

Energy: 3, 2

Shields: X, 4, 6

============

Round 2 - Brute

Rolls 5, 4, 1, 1

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The brute considers his options, his body overflowing with new power. Forcing the battle early may cost the cheat his lead, as the energy shattered merely becomes available for another purpose.

"You've wasted your opportunity, fool." The brute laughs, before slamming his fist down. He drags up from the ground the chained Grand Order Knight. Calling an ethereal sword to his hand, he swipes at the chains and splinters them like rotted wood. The Knight bursts forth, screaming out in triumph. The two throw their hands to the ground and repeat the process; two more knights, Order Knights Errand, are pulled from the dirt in howling atrocities.

The cheat begins to sweat as the hellish knights approach. "D-Defend me, get one of the smaller ones!" He howls. The oily inquisitor nods.

Two of the knights charge forward, and the Inquisitor's blade meets one. The Errant is cut down easily by the skilled warrior, but the other two pincer around him and aim for the cheat. The Great Knight brings his great sword down on the cheat, cracking it against a thin barrier of energy that sputters. The errant surprises him, earning a squeal, as it stabs from below but is forced back.

"Y-You brute." The cheat scoffs. The brute shrugs.

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Summons 5. Sets Grand Order Knight (3).

Charges 1, 1.

Spends double 1. Summons two Knights Errant (1)(1).

Attacks with all: Kng 3, Kng 1, Kng 1

Cheat blocks Kng 1 with Inq 3. Kng 1 destroyed.

Kng 3 destroys 1st Shield (2).

Kng 1 deals 1 damage to 2nd Shield (4). Drops to (3).

End of Turn:
Hand: 4
Units: Kng 3, Kng 1

============

Round 2 - Cheat

Rolls 3, 3, 2, 1

Units: Inq 3

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Bah, this ruffian. The cheat has maneuvered around BETTER than the likes of HIM. The only coin he'll see after this is the single copper they layer over his dead eyes for the next world. If he even makes it there.

"Hmph, a little harry is no matter." He scoffs, brushing his shoulders and spitting motes of energy into the earth. "Dear Inquisitor!"

The black leather creature looks to his master. He sneers and claps his hands together.

"Be nice to the new girl won't you!?" He says before cracking his knuckles and casting a bright and powerful spell. The orb emerges out from him, as bright as the inquisitor was dark, before erupting with beautiful feathered wings. The brute shields his eyes from the Arcwing Angel that floats above the field.

"Sure me up, would you dear?" The cheat asks of the glowing angel. She turns and chants something in an unknown language, bathing the inquisitor in a holy light. "And then deal with them, would you?"

Once the angel's song finishes, she turns to the brute and her eyes turn black. With a banshee's scream she swoops over the knight defenders and slashes at the commander, raking long lines in his aura. The brute growls and lowers his arms, once again ignoring the enemy's laughter.

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Charges 2, 1.

Summons 3, 3 for value 3. Sets Arcwing Angel (2).

Spends 1. Arcwing Angel heals 2 Shield power. 2nd Shield rises to 5.

Attacks with Arcwing Angel. Unblockable.

Arcwing Angel deals 2 damage to 2nd Shield (4). Down to (2).

============

Round 3

Cheat

Units: Inq 2, Ang 2

Energy: 2

Shields: X, 5, 6

vs

Brute

Hand: 4

Units: Kng 3, Kng 1

Shields: X, 2, 6

============

Round 3 - Brute

Rolls 6, 6, 4

Hand: 6, 6, 4, 4

Units: Kng 3, Kng 2

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The brute considers his options. That angel swings with an incredible power and the inquisitor is an issue. Knights are strong together but are they enough? Alternatively he could look to the axes, the Executioners of his own ranks. Both seem useful.

"Let's rely on our own for now," he muses, palm brimming with pure power, "and support those of our order."

A pip of energy shoots into the back of the errant. A reddish crystal hums and seeps into his skin, making him glow with the same red light that burns in that of his superior.

"Come forth, Grand Company." The brute demands, tugging on invisible restraints from the earth. A great spear pierces forth from the ground, followed by a penetrating knight that stands alongside its brother. The errant seems to grow larger with red light until he stands abreast - three great warriors from another age.

The cheat wipes sweat from his fat brow. This is fine, they are just brutes. He has plenty left to lose. The thoughts may comfort yet he still screams when the force lunges at him. Swords and spears fly, breaking through his walls before stopping short at the final bulwark.

"Not long now." The brute cackles, his thick arms crossed.

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Charges 4, 4

Spends 4. Equips (1) to Kng 1. Gets +1 power for every other Knight on the field.

Summons 6. Sets Grand Company Knight (3).

Attacks with all: Kng 3, Kng 3, Kng 1+2

Cheat doesn't block.

Kng 3 and Kng 3 deals 6 damage to 2nd Shield (5). Shield destroyed.

Kng 1+2 deals 3 damage to 3rd Shield (6). Down to (3).

============

Round 3 - Cheat

Rolls 3, 3, 2, 2

Units: Inq 2, Ang 2

Energy: 2

Shields: X, X, 3

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This could be bad. Such a strong force would cause anyone to shudder in terror. Anyone else, that is. But as the power of ages floods into the cheat's hands, he smiles. Fate has provided him just what he needed.

"Oh dear, you are presenting a fine defence, my good dog." The cheat jeers. "But I'm afraid its time your hounds realize what they're up against!"

He casts a hand towards the heavens as his body burns with an ethereal light. "Cast them into the pits, Arcwing Angel. Let them BURN!"

The angel spreads her holy wings and casts them up, spreading the clouds themselves. The knights look up, marvelling at the sight of the burning clouds. At once, their awe turns to horror as the light turns to fire on their skin. Their bodies erupt with fire and crumple to the ground, a pile of scraps and burnt metal, all for lost. The brute screams bloody rage, still shielding his eyes.

"YOU BLOODY CHEAT!"

"Don't compete if you can't handle the game." The cheat titters to himself. "Now come forth, Blackhearts!"

He hurls out another slimeball of oil that shambles into the form of a man, and walks alongside its brother. Above them, the angel burns. It soars down with a rightgeous fury on the sinner, shattering his feeble shields. The inquisitors below poke and jab at the remaining, rending it but not quite shattering it.

This time there's no ignoring that hideous laughter.

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Charges 2, 2.

Spends triple 2. Arclight Angel destroys all monsters you don't control. Kng 3, Kng 3, Kng 1+2 are destroyed.

Summons 3. Sets Blackheart Inquisitor (2).

Attacks with all: Ang 2, Inq 2, Inq 2.

Ang deals 2 damage to 2nd Shield (2). Destroys it.

Inquisitors deal 4 damage to 3rd Shield (6). Down to (2).

============

Round 4

Cheat

Hand: 3

Units: Inq 2, Inq 2, Ang 2

Shields: X, X, 3

vs

Brute

Hand: 6

Energy: 4

Shields: X, X, 2

============

Round 4 - Brute

Rolls 6, 5, 2, 1

Hand: 6, 6, 5, 2, 1

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Shit, the brute thinks to himself. He's been in dire straits but never like this. No-one to turn to, no-one to throw the blame on. He'd snap that tubby bastard's neck if only he could get at him. But the forces arrayed against him are... considerable. Is there any hope? If only he had more power.

"Recoil and defend, Armstrong Executioner!" He commands, acting on instinct. Up from the ground emerges a very different face, one bearing a grim metallic visage. The armoured man wields a hefty axe adorned in foreign symbology, all runes of great power.

The brute then bolsters the power at his feet and prepares himself.

------

Summons 6. Sets Armstrong Executioner (3).

Charges 2, 1.

============

Round 4 - Cheat

Rolls 4, 4, 2

Hand: 4, 4, 3, 2

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Odd, this man should have fallen on his knees and begged for mercy by now. But there he stands, defiant. Is he blind to his own black sins? How fortunate that he calls for himself an executioner though.

"You are an odd one. Very well," he yawns and points to the ground, filling it with his raw power, "Inquisitors, angel. Do be dears and rend those eyesores from this world!" He flicks one more ball of oil towards his foe, bringing a third Blackheart Inquisitor into the fray.

The force of three dark men and their holy guardian rush at the lone soldier. However, he raises up his own enshrined axe and roars with a great and terrible might. The creatures pause and shudder, as if held back by some unseen force. The ground itself rumbles, surging with the power the brute had laid earlier.

One Inquisitor manages to slip through and its blade aims true at the brute. However it meets the axe of the executioner long before it comes home. With a deft slap, the axeblade knocks the rapier aside and spins into the air, then cleaves down on his hat. The head rolls free and the headless man stumbles around before collapsing into an oily heap.

"...Ah. I see." The cheat says. "That was unexpected."

"I'm full of surprises." The brute growls.

So is a rapid mutt, the cheat thinks to himself.

------

Charges 4, 4.

Summons 3. Sets Blackheart Inquisitor (2).

Attacks with all: Inq 2, Inq 2, Inq 2, Ang 2

Brute spends 4, 2, 1. Targets Inq 2, Inq 2, Ang 2. Targets cannot act until end of turn. Blocks Inq 2 with Exe 3.

Inquisitor 2 is destroyed.

============

Round 5

Cheat

Hand: 2

Units: Inq 2, Inq 2, Ang 2

Energy: 4, 4

Shields: X, X, 3

vs

Brute

Hand: 6, 5

Units: Exe 3

Shields: X, X, 2

============

Round 5 - Brute

Rolls 4, 4, 3

Hand: 4, 4, 3, 2

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The man breathes quickly. Another minute of time bought but he's definitely running out. He's scraped forward but the enemy remains in a strong position. But he has one more warrior now. Only two hits... two strikes and he can send this man to hell!

"Come forth, my legions! Grand Captain Knight!" He screams out. "Come out, Knights Errant!"

Again the earth erupts with the sounds of screams and grinding metal. Once more the black-shelled exterior of long-forgotten warriors graces the cold, forsaken air. The earth is ripped, rend asunder under their terrible footsteps. They go to join their brother, the axeman, in his bloody duty.

Their forces rush forward, one bloody attack for their master's vengance. For their fallen brothers. The cheat hisses and clutches at the air like it were his riches and jewels.

"BEGONE!" He commands. One of his dark inquisitors whips a ghostly hand out and launches ethereal chains. The heavy axeman that leads the charge is struck and chained to the earth, swallowed up once more. The others push through and engage. The Captain swings his sword and meets against the blade of the chaining Inquisitor. They clash, swinging with deft work, but landing crucial blows on each other. The inquisitor falls to muck and oil whilst the knight crumples into fading embers.

Despite them, the battle rages. The two knights errant, while bold in their duty, cannot hope to match the skill and power of the Blackheart Inquisitor and Arcwing Angel. The Inquisitor skewers one of the poor boys through his head, whilst the angel watches him burn from high above, scorching the already blackened armour.

The brute writhes, and falls to his knees. He's done...

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Charges 4, 4.

Summons 3. Sets Grand Captain Knight (2).

Spends double 4. Summons two Knights Errant (1)(1).

Attacks with all: Exe 3, Kng 2, Kng 1, Kng 1

Cheat spends double 4. Exe 3 is returned to the deck. Blocks Kng 2 with Inq 2, blocks Kng 1 with Inq 2, Blocks Kng 1 with Ang 2.

Kng 2 and Inq 2 are destroyed. Kng 1 is destroyed. Kng 1 is destroyed.

Note: Inq 2 and Ang 2 survive.

============

Round 5 - Cheat

Rolls 5, 2, 2

Hand: 5, 5, 2, 2

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The cheat slaps his fat hands together and approaches the broken man, assured of his own victory.

"Well, didn't you put up a fight. Hm?" He asks, not even bothering to check the energy brimming inside his wrist. The brute stands slowly, growling and about to speak, before the inquisitor thrusts out like lightning and shatters his final barrier. He falls back again, bare and open to the world and its horrors.

"I suppose you should be commended but we both know you've had more than any guilty man should. The heavens will decide your fate." He proclaims like a man of faith, looking up to the angel. At the last second though, he snickers and grabs the man by the scuff of his neck. "Which is to say- I will decide. Take him!"

The angel sings her terrifying song and burns with a fury. The brute howls under the pain, sinking his face to the earth as his soul is burnt. He does not die though; as his body crumbles it reforms instead into a single mote of energy - that the cheat greedily snatches up.

"You'll be useful, dog." He cackles, glancing down at the dutiful little knight in his hands. He turns back his head and wipes his brow, a job well done.

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Attacks with all: Inq 2, Ang 2

Inq deals 2 damage to 3rd Shield (2). Shield destroyed.

Ang attacks Brute directly.

The Cheat wins.