It's time....
For as long as there has been an Imperium, it has known only war. Acting as a bastion for the galaxy against bloodthirsty aliens and psychotic daemons that would otherwise plunge it into chaos, the Imperium has built a reputation for being understandably xenophobic. Traitors both inside and out have sought to undermine the Imperium at every turn. It has made alliances with few and trusts even fewer. In a galaxy that is on the verge of collapsing, the Imperium remains a beacon of hope in the grim darkness of eternal war.
And now you can be a part of it for a limited time only!
That's right, the annual King of the Vine is almost upon us and it is your civic duty to perform gladiatorial feats that may or may not be entirely fatal to everyone involved! With the Imperium hosting said tournament of champions, it is not guaranteed that you will make it out alive even if you make it to the top of the metaphorical mountain! That being said, the Imperium never rests in its eternal vigilance and the battlefields you are sent to have the very real possibility of becoming active war zones at any given moment. Anything from rampaging hordes of Orks, the piratical Dark Eldar, the Primordial Enemy in the forces of Chaos, the all-consuming Tyranid menace, even the genocidal Necrons could make fighting a single enemy very difficult indeed.
But fear not! The numberless members of the Symaarian Guard as well as the Angels of Death forming the Navigator's Space Marine Legions are there to help! Considering you will be under surveillance for the entertainment of untold trillions of Symaarian citizens as well as the folks back home, we would not want you to be the victim of a wayward lasbolt or clumsy gauss flayer.
So sign up soon at the nearest available Symaarian outpost! The risks are undeniably great, but the glory is absolutely priceless!
---
Thanks to Warsman for that stunning introduction! I'm Icarusflies, and I'm your 4thWall guide to the seventh KOV tournament! This year's setup has been a collaborative effort, so a big shout out to everyone. I'm just making the thread since no one else has yet.
If you're not familiar with the KOV, it is THE big battle tournament. The winner is crowned King of the Vine! Past tournaments can only be described as EPIC, and are well worth the read. As you can see, this is the seventh (almost) annual tournament, and it will be BIGGER, BETTER, and BLOODIER than all others that have come before!
Now then, let me introduce our combatants. IF YOU WANT TO JOIN, COMMENT IN THE THREAD, AND @REPLY ME.
If I forgot to add you, please @reply or message me.
If you're using an ALT, DECIDE ON WHICH ONE YOU'RE USING BY 12:00 PM, EST. I'll have you down with a placeholder until then.
I will add links to each profile once the alts have been finalized.
If you're listed twice, also let me know so I can remove one of you. If there are typos, also let me know so I can fix it. Are you sensing a theme here? If there is any issue, even if you dropped your special KOV commemorative sandwich, @reply me so I can deal with it.
ROSTER WILL BE FINALIZED ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21, at 12:00 PM.
THE CHALLENGERS [SIGN UP IS CLOSED]
- The celebrated...CELLPHONEGIRL!
- The zealous...ZICCARRA LIAFADOR
- The stupendous...SYAPT!
- The splendid...STRYKE!
- The powerful....PYROGRAM!
- The deadly DARKCHILD!
- The Wicked...WARSMAN!
- The skilled...SHADOWKNIGHT!
- The [insert synonym for great starting with y] YOWIE!
- The magnificent MORTE KNIGHTFALL!
- The marvelous...MORTALITY!
- The masterful...MATTERSUIT!
- The awe-inspiring...ADHENE!
- The esteemed...EDWARD WINDSOR!
- The fantastic...FALLENPROPHET!
- The superb....STEEL!
- The fabulous...FERAL NOVA!
- The ferocious...FERRO VIDA!
- The alluring...AMORA!
- The terrific...TRANQUIL!
- The miraculous...MR. MERCURY!
- The smashing...SHADOW SWORDSMASTER!
- The humungous...HAZMAT!
- The amazing...ASSAULT!
- The loony LASTPYRE!
- The hunky-dory...HESPERUS!
- The killer...KIDDEVIL!
- The pleasant...PRO NELSON!
- The radical...ROYAL RUMBLE MAN!
- The absolutely...AMAZING ANGEL!
- The superior...SHENG!
- The clever...CLARA MASS!
- The brilliant BARKINS!
- The quixotic...QUINTUS KNIGHTFALL!
- THIS SPOT COULD BE YOU!
- So could this one. JOIN UP!
- There aren't limits to spots, I'll just keep adding more. Even if it gets ridiculous.
Matches will be determined by drawing names out of a hat. A cool bracket will be put up once everything's good to go.
That's right...for the first time in Comic Vine history, and under the strict supervision of the CoE, PRIME AND nU COLLIDE! This singularity ONLY occurs during the annual KOV tournament, and nothing will ever be the same...
STAGES
Each fight takes place on a planet within the Symaarian Empire. The location will be specially tailored to your fight, hand-picked to complement and challenge the competitors! As such, locations will not be made available until the roster has been completed.
Rules
- Standard RPG rules apply. No god-modding, auto-hitting, that sort of thing. You know the drill. If you don't, PLEASE get a crash course from an RPG trainer (ask around) so you're ready to get in the ring.
- While it's not required, it's considered good form to have a full bio (or at least powers and equipment). You may NOT alter this during the fights.
- Each round will have a designated time limit, post limit, or more likely, both. Don't vanish or you'll be disqualified.
- Be courteous to your fellow competitors. Things do get heated, but keep that fire on the battlefield NOT in flame wars. OOC nastiness can get you disqualified, or even banned.
- Have fun!
Judging
Judging is still being worked out. Criteria will be posted before the fights begin, and actual judges will be determined before the first round ends.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
Judging will be based on the following three categories: Fighting Technique, Wordsmanship, and Progression.
Fighting technique is a combination of how you attack, counter and sell. Basically the battling part of the battle.
Wordsmanship is basic grammar and spelling. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be clear you tried, and at LEAST ran it through a spell checker. Bonus points for sweet metaphors, etc, and if your posts are enjoyable reads.
Progression is the story you tell. Did you move things forward? Did you develop your character, the setting, the tournament, anything? Has anything changed since the beginning of the match? Did we learn anything about your character, or how they think?
JUDGES
For fairness, judges are fan-fic writers. Razzatazz, AweSam, and Project Worm kindly volunteered.
Anyone trying to influence the judges in any way will be instantly disqualified.
ROUND 1!!
Each fight will take place in its own thread. The combatants are in charge of setting up these threads. Each combatant may make up to five posts. The round will end Saturday, June 29 at Midnight (EST). There will be NO EXTENSIONS unless there is a legitimate emergency. If neither combatant posts, both will be disqualified. If one combatant posts, they will either advance or be pitted against a combatant whose opponent also did not post. Severe time delays will be factored in to final judging (ex, if there's one post each, but the second was put up June 29 at 11:59 pm leaving the OP no time to respond). If you have any problems, questions, etc, please contact Icarusflies. Now then, the matchups!!!
All matchups were chosen at random, literally drawn out of a hat by Cellphonegirl.
Note: I realize all the stages are bizarre. These are meant to be fun and challenging. If you have a real problem with your stage, please talk to me and I'll see what I can do.
QUINTUS KNIGHTALL VS. FERAL NOVA.
SETTING: Black & White Movie Set. This planet has all the charms of Singin' in the Rain. Full of gray buildings, gray streets, and gray streetlamps, it's like the 50's come to life in a very dull way. There are zones of complete silence, where sound does not exist.
AMAZING ANGEL vs. MR. MERCURY!
Setting: Laybrinthine. This endless stone labyrinthe crosses all the hills and valleys of the once placid planet. Why was it built? No one knows. But the stone walls stretch up into the sky, and bad things have been said to happen to those who try to cheat it....the walls themselves are fully breakable however. Oh yeah, there's probably a minotaur or some other terrible invulnerable creature in the center somewhere. You should probably avoid it.
Ferro Vida vs. Barkins
Setting: The Old Quarry. Long ago, an entire planet was riddled with holes in an attempt to extract every single ounce of some unknown material. Well, they did, and left. But the mine is still here! Glittering with gems and bioluminescent mold, it's a somewhat hazardous place. Old railcars and odd machines rust quietly...and something hums deep within the depths of the caverns.
Royal Rumble Man vs. Ziccarra Liafador
Setting: New Eden. A utopia complete with hovercrafts and massive skyscrapers, it's your typical futuristic city. Every evening, at EXACTLY 6:32 pm, there's a deadly meteor shower. The buildings have shields...do you? In the light of the twin suns, it can be hard to tell what time it is...
Syapt vs. Assault
Setting: Infinite Hospital. Once you enter, you can't leave. Rooms spontaneously generate, and disappear again when you move on down the corridors. At least it's fully equipped with the absolute latest in medical technology, so you can find anything you want as long as you look a bit. If you need patching up mid-battle, this is the place to be.
Cellphonegirl vs. Shadowknight
Setting: Rock 'em out! This is a concert that has been going on for about a hundred years at last count. It's loud, it's bright, and there's an entire mess of backstage hiding places where fans stalk band members. I'm sure they'd love to see you put on a spectacle...who knows what useful object they'll throw you if they love you?
Hazmat vs. Tranquil
Setting: Super Mario. Thanks to the infinitudes of the cosmos, everything exists. Including Mario. It's exactly what it sounds like...you can run along the bricks, hit ? blocks, and enter the castle. Some stages move, so don't get caught. Grab some cool powerups if you can.
Pro Nelson vs. Clara Mass
Setting: Event Horizon. This stadium exists right outside of a black hole, where the laws of physics only sometimes apply. Luckily, you are completely protected from the gravity, but the strangeness prevails. There are a series of platforms and walls that look a bit too much like a lazer tag game than might be ideal.
Pyrogram vs. Hesperus
Setting: Glass sphere. This fight takes place inside a large glass sphere floating in space. Fog can be constructed into stadiums within this sphere...careful though. If you break the glass there's only space. And other glass marbles?
Amora vs. Kiddevil
Setting: Garden. It's a bit overgrown, but it's beautiful. All manner of flora and fauna, and trees, and it's actually a terrifying forest isn't it? Well, it's both. There are also fountains in the shape of bees for absolutely no apparent reason. Don't bother the old woman living in the house by this fountain, you'll regret it.
FallenProphet vs. Yowie
Setting: The Mountain. This is a mountain that is so tall you could stack Mt. Everest's until you got tired and wouldn't even be close. Luckily, due to the INCREDIBLE density of the atmosphere, it's fairly earthlike at the top. Not so as you go down. Stay up high, or die. Plenty of pitfalls up high after all, it's a mountain.
Stryke vs. ShadowSwordsman
Setting: Deepsea substation. It's a research station at the bottom of the ocean! Cooool. It's very large, with plenty of tanks full of strange species. If you want to leave, there are pressure suits that will keep you save. Some of the plants outside produce tons of oxygen if you need them.
Mattersuit vs. Darkchild
Setting: The catacombs. I see dead people! Because they're everywhere. Yuck. This ancient tomb contains most of a civilization. Who knows what's down there? There are rumors of a secret society that lives within the walls, and maybe some supernatural stuff too.
Lastpyre vs. Sheng
Setting: The Trawler. It's a ship. A vast, gigantic, mindbogglingly huge ship. It fishes for fish, crabs, and anything else really. You don't mess with a ship this big. It's strangely old-fashioned though, with sails and a steam engine. There are slaves with oars in the lower decks, and maybe a pirate in the brig.
Morte Knightfall vs. Adhene
Setting: Bugworld. Oh my gosh, NO. There are bugs EVERYWHERE. Everything is actually MADE of insects. The ground is bugs. The trees are bugs. Actually, they've adapted pretty well. Things look normal, just made of bugs. Don't make the bugs angry.
Edward Windsor vs. Steel
Setting: Vogon Cruise Ship. It's kinda dingy and full of Vogons. Really good cooks onboard though. Don't let them read you poetry. Maybe lend those hitchhikers a hand (or at least a thumb)?
Warsman vs. Mortality
Setting: Infinite Chuck E. Cheese's. There's a ball pit. There's a moonbounce. There's games. There's bad pizza. It's a nightmare. If you can get enough tickets you can trade them for awesome weapons at the front desk though.
WILDCARD
What's this? You thought all the matches were set and round 1 was nearing its end. But two new foes have emerged...
Participating in the wildcard round are...
The Memorable Mighty Magento!
and
The Savy Street Samurai!
THE STAGE:
Where do you find new challengers? Final Destination of course! This perfectly flat plane leaves people open to attack...with one twist. If you fall off the stage, you will be transported to one of the other arenas in play for Round 1. Your opponent will go with you, and the battle will be resumed.
The Wildcard match will end on MONDAY, unless extra time is desperately needed.
ADVANCING FROM ROUND 1:
Ziccarra Liafador
Barkins
Fallenprophet
Lastpyre
AmazingAngel
Feral Nova
Shadowknight
Tranquil
Clara Mass
Morte Knightfall
Street Samurai
Edward Windsor
Warsman
Hesperus
Amora
Darkchild
Syapt
Stryke
Congratulations to everyone, all the fights were really incredible.
ROUND TWO!!!
The same basic rules apply. However, there are some tweaks: If you opponent does not post within THREE DAYS, unless I have been notified it counts as a disqualification. The remaining poster will then be paired up with someone else. There will be no auto-wins this round.
In addition, each fight will have a secondary objective or additional challenge. So basically, you want to kill your opponent while dealing with that. If it's too much hassle, you can ignore this, but it should be fun.
In Game Time (IC), you have one week to heal, get your equipment back together, see the sights, etc. You have access to high-tech medical facilities, but they're not magic.
Now then...here are the matchups! You thought I was out of terribly strange stages, didn't you? Well think again!
ROUND TWO ENDS ON THURSDAY, JULY 11, AT MIDNIGHT (EST). Each combatant MUST have at least one post up by Saturday, July 6th, unless I have been otherwise contacted.
Match pairings were literally drawn out of a hat again.
Street Samurai vs. Stryke
Setting: Inside the clockworks. On a planet on the outskirts of the Symaarian Empire, there is a clocktower. No one knows how it got here, or why. It stretches upwards for miles. Nothing else exists on the small planet. Only the clockworks. The intricate gears trace patterns that are indecipherable. If the clock breaks, the whole ensemble explodes.
Challenge: Find the cuckoo buried in the works, and stop time.
Barkins vs. Warsman
Setting: The Ant Farm. A network of tunnels made by gigantic insects. Full of specialized chambers, it goes on for miles. The climate is tropical, and the soil is damp, so it is prone to occasional cave ins. Be warned...the insects are highly hostile.
Challenge: Find the Queen, kill the Queen, and take the throne.
Feral Nova vs. FallenProphet
Setting: Nilbog. This quaint country town is actually infested with goblins...not surprising, since Nilbog IS goblin spelled backwards. They seem friendly at first, but all they really want is to turn you into a plant and eat you. Nilbog is forested, with a small town square and some houses. There's also the witch's house, which has all sorts of magic accoutrement. If you eat any of the food here, you die.
Challenge: A dead person you care about very much will materialize as a ghost to help you fight.
Edward Windsor vs. Morte Knightfall
Setting: House of Leaves. While seemingly normal from the outside, strange things happen here. Corridors stretch into inky passages. The deeper you go into the house, the colder and darker it gets. Be careful..everything shifts, and you may be trapped deep within.
Challenge: Find what lurks in the maze, and use it to your advantage.
Ziccarra Liafador vs. Amora
Setting: Wonderland. You fell down the rabbit hole, and now you're here. Everything's topsy turvy. You can explore the forests, meet the characters, or go to the Queen of Hearts' croquet green.
Challenge: There are a variety of cakes and drinks that will alter your size. Use these to your advantage.
AmazingAngel vs. Lastpyre
Setting: Funhouse. It's an infinite network of traps and mirrors. Nothing is quite as it seems. Find your foe among the distortions.
Challenge: Get the ultimate weapon from the Mirror of Erised
Darkchild vs. Syapt
Setting: Flatland. This is a 2D world, and now you're part of it. You can utilize it as you see fit, or rise above it onto an utterly blank plane. To the flatlanders, you are gods. This is a dimensional nexus, so you may descend to the 1D or point worlds.
Challenge: Find a way to ascend to the Fourth Dimension.
Hesperus vs. Tranquil
Setting: The Ropes. A seemingly endless series of tightropes over a roiling sea. You can climb up or down, hang off them, jump on sections that are effectively woven together. No one knows where the ropes start or end, they just ARE. Thick ropes, thin ropes, stretchy ropes, sharp wires, they're all here.
Challenge: If you touch the water, it slowly drains your powers, skills, and lifeforce. Be cautious.
Clara Mass vs. Shadowknight
Setting: Skyrim. You're honorary citizens of this strange and beautiful land. Unfortunately, it IS a time of war, and the Stormcloaks and Imperials clash around you. Then there are the Chaurus. And the dragons. But on the other hand, you can eat random plants and be healed or gain magic, that's cool, right?
Challenge: Find the Dragonborn! Or learn some shouts yourself!
ADVANCING FROM ROUND 2
Stryke
Barkins
Feral Nova
Ziccarra Liafador
AmazingAngel
Syapt
Tranquil
Shadowknight
Morte Knightfall
Wildcard (TBD)
Round 3 matches will be put up once wildcard is decided.
ROUND THREE MATCHES!!
Time for Round Three! Challengers, are you ready? Have you taken advantage of the complimentary medpacs stationed around your living areas? Well, while you get your stuff together, let me go over some of the basic guidelines for this round.
This time, you can each make 6 posts (OP DOES count as a post). You have until Saturday, July 27, at 11:59 pm (EST).
Before each round, each combatant will be able to choose one object out of three listed. Use this to your advantage! Both of you can choose the same object if you really really want, but it's up to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. If your opponent is a no-show, please please please let me know so we can figure something out.
Now then...:
FERAL NOVA vs. BARKINS!
Setting: Forbidden Forest. Welcome to Hogwarts! You've been placed onto the school grounds, smack-dab in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. The dense foliage closes in, revealing only slivers of moon...within these woods lie monsters, centaurs, and a flying car.
Before you enter the forrest, you may take either:
a) An invisibility cloak
b) A Nimbus 2000
c) A time turner with a 10-second limit
TRANQUIL vs. AMAZING ANGEL
Setting: The Underground. If you wander long enough, in the subways, you may find branches that were never used. These half-completed tunnels connect with others, from ancient days, and the occasional sewer pipe. You can wander for miles here without seeing the same bend twice. Beware of ghouls, mole-men, radioactive cannibals, and rotten piping.
Before you enter the tunnels you may take:
a) A self-propelling (telepathically controlled) mine car
b) A hand-held device that lets you control rats.
c) A container full of motion-detonated radioactive explosives
ZICCARRA LIAFADOR vs. STRYKE
Setting: Victory Road! This cavernous path leads to the place where only the best trainers gather. There are huge boulders..sentient and normal...swarms of (zu)bats, bottomless pools, and dangerous stalactites. Naturally, you get to take a friend with you...
a) A water starter (allowing you to SURF + DIVE): Squirtle, Totodile, Mudkip, Piplup, Oshawott
b) A fire starter (allowing you to STRENGTH + FLASH): Charmander, Cyndaquil, Torchic, Chimchar, Tepig
c) A grass starter (allowing you to CUT + BIND): Bulbasaur, Chicorita, Treecko, Turtwig, Snivy
RISKY vs. SYAPT
Setting: Asteroid 666. Way out in space, there is an asteroid. It is made of odd rocks and metals, and was possibly inhabited at one point or another. But if so, those people are long gone. There may be demons within the powdery core, but no one knows. There are many bizarre geographical features on the surface, and caverns within. Asteroid 666 has the absolute minimum atmosphere needed to keep an active human alive. It has minimal gravity, thanks to the pull of nearby space objects. Be careful...if you jump wrong, you'll just keep going. You will float if you step off solid ground.
Choose:
a) A rocket pack with directional thrusters (and replenishing fuel source)
b) An armed buggy that can traverse tough terrain
c) Graviton reversal device: this allows you to increase your immediate area of gravity, slamming you down (or up) with incredible force. You will be cushioned from impact, but not anything (or anyone) you land on.
Morte Knightfall vs. ShadowKnight
Setting: The Museum of Silhouettes. Dust falls and gathers over display cases of ancient objects...the purpose unknown, the civilization lost. Everything is dimly lit. The arched ceilings are supported by ornate pillars. The darkness presses in closely, almost sentient.
a) Special boots infused with the essence of the spider that lets you walk on walls without a sound.
b) A cape that merges with the darkness, rendering the wearer largely hidden. It absorbs a fair amount of damage if the user is attacked, assuming they are not in direct light.
c) A small gadget that morphs into a weapon of choice...ONCE. The striking surface/projectile is brilliantly lit.
ROUND 4!!
Here we are, in the semi-finals! Advancing from Round 3 are:
Stryke
Shadowknight
Tranquil
Barkins
Risky
Congrats everyone! Great fights all around. Now then, the details of Round 4:
Thanks to some wandering tradeships, we've managed to steal borrow several insta-heal chambers. So get yourselves all patched up! Or not, it's really up to you. We also got some sweet ammo for those of you who want it. Greek fire rounds, slimy slug rounds (with REAL slugs!), you name it!
Round 4 will end on SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, at NOON (EST).
There will be two fights: One triple battle, and one double battle. 4 posts each for the triple, five for the double. More details in the individual fights.
Please note that I will be somewhat sporadically online, so if you need anything leave a message.
Now then:
RISKY vs. SHADOWKNIGHT
Setting: A gigantic chessboard. This board is suspended over a sheer drop. If you fall more than 500 ft, you'll find yourself warped back to the board. Until that cutoff point, the walls are riddled with caves, and slick with ancient water.
On the board, you each take the place of the QUEENS. The other chessmen will obey your commands as best they can, but will not take initiative on their own. Each has a unique powerset:
PAWNS: Lightly armored, of fragile rock. They have a large shield, and either a sword or thrusting spear. If you can get your pawn to the edge of the board on your opponent's side, they'll turn into a clone of you, complete with powers and know-how.
Rooks: Heavily armored, of extremely dense stone. They are largely defensive pieces. Set on wheels, they can go at extreme speed, but cannot easily change direction once started. They like to act as battering rams.
Bishops: Long-distance players, they are made of classic alchemical compounds. They fight with technological rifles (laser or electricity) or wizard's staffs.
Knights: Skirmish players, they are armed with close-range weaponry and made of light volcanic rock. They are capable of teleportation, and rarely stay in one place for long.
King: The king is utterly immobile. All the pieces will protect the king at all costs. If the king is damaged, it will explode, taking every square of its color with it.
Stryke vs. Tranquil vs. Barkins
Additional rules: Posts must be in an order (ex, Stryke, Tranquil, Barkins, Stryke, Tranquil, Barkins). You may decide this order amongst yourselves. If it is a player's turn, and they do not post for a time of 48 hours, they are SKIPPED. The next player will go instead. This skip DOES count as one of the 4 posts.The skipped player must account for their absence in-character. If an extension is needed, BOTH opponents AND Icarusflies must be notified.
Setting: You are fighting on a grassy plain surrounded by a thin ring of forest. The sky is utterly featureless. If you go beyond the forest, you will find yourself in a land of absence. Detail has vanished, it is almost like a parchment blueprint. Out in these wastelands, there are 'ideas' of buildings. To specify: You can interact with them, but they are without details. If you enter an office, it will be the bare minimum to make it an office.
If you go beyond this, you find true void.
Note: the following is optional. I really, really want you to use this, but I know there's a lot going on already. If anyone does NOT want to use the following condition, just drop it.
To make this even more awesome, you guys are mind-swapped. Stryke is in the body of Barkins. Barkins is in the body of Tranquil. Tranquil is in the body of Stryke. You have full muscle memory, and knowledge of how to use powers/abilities. This does not mean you'll have ALL intricacies, but it won't be a matter of, say, spontaneously combusting due to not knowing how to channel energy blasts.
All right then! LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEE!!
FINAL ROUND
STRYKE v. SHADOWKNIGHT
Here we are in the final round!
We'll wrap things up Friday the 13th of September, at Midnight.
Please watch the video for details regarding the final stage. Additional pieces will be written up below:
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