The last paragraph is all I've changed.

That's another thing I don't really get, why do you keep saying the spear is between his legs? It was caught on the left side of his body, surely it's only cutting his left foot on the outside?

Anyway, I'll post today or tomorrow in light of the changes. Can't say it gives me much hope that attacks that are landing are having such insignificant effects, but such is life.

I need to draw you a picture of how I imagine our two characters are fighting. We're both seeing a completely different scene, and that is unacceptable. We need to agree on one positioning, (probably have it agreed on by Pollen because we can't come to agree on much without her.) and roll with that.

For now I need to head out of town for the day, when I return I'll make a rough sketch.

So I had some time to think it over. The main problem I had with your last post, where I figured we had two separate views on how the fights scene looked, was the location of Iolanthe's shield. (Which had been a mostly ignored question I asked, to my digression and annoyance.) I figured it was still under Sigurd's arm and sword, pushing up, whilst I assume you believe he swung his sword too fast, thus sneaking it under Iolanthe's hoplon. After a bit of thinking it over, and while I could try and argue the point, it then dawned on me that this new positioning isn't that hopeless.

Also, in terms of the 'between Sigurd's legs' phrasing - well - I saw Sigurd facing Iolanthe sideways, so if she made a sweeping attack, I wasn't 100% sure which leg would be struck first, so 'between' seemed a fine bargain, in case he tried to jump over it or his left leg stretched out of reach. (Unlikely but possible with effort.)

Actually I just made a typo. Sigurds target was supposed to be the left leg under the shield.

Also, there is literally no way the gladius is in a position to injure Sigurd, I'm sorry. Your character drew it by necessity in an ice-pick grip and I seriously doubt she's had the opportunity to reverse her grip (it definitely wasn't mentioned at any rate, and the only point it could logically be done was after the shield punch) she had to extend her arm vertically to even reach Sigurd with her shield let alone avoid slamming herself in the face when she turned it, that sword is pointing off to the left on the outside line on the complete opposite side to where Sigurd is.

Every time you've said something is impossible, I've done it... I'm starting to feel like a world record breaker... that or a hip young girl who keeps having the popo called on her for playing her new age music too loud.

First of all, Sigurd is practically on Iolanthe's left side, let's get that straight; I've had her make enough pivots, she'd get a 10/10 score in a ballerina dance contest. At the end of the movement where she pulled the hoplon over her shoulder, the flat bottom of her hand would be facing Sigurd. She didn't need to reverse the grip at all, this was the planned angle. This is the angle it'd be most comfortable to raise and lower her shield.

A better argument you could've made is that: The gladius isn't long enough to strike Sigurd's wrist in time. Or: In his drawback, Sigurd narrowly avoided the sneaky blade. I wouldn't have been bothered if you went ahead and posted that, without complaining OOC again.

Let's just get this out of the way early. @Drifting Pollen Obviously Iolanthe can't move her arms without your divine judgment.

Actually every time I've said you've done something impossible I've asked for a ruling that has had you have to change your post.

1st - Knock a sword all the way across your body, result, hits body.
2nd - Lift massive spear and deliver a tendon cutting sweep, result, Judge rules it would barely have the momentum to graze.
3rd - Fully extend heavy shield faster than a longsword chop, result, sword hits arm.

So far you've actually managed to do nothing that I said you wouldn't physically be able to do, because those things were irrational.

I'm not arguing about the sword because I think it's a deadly attack, I'm arguing because I think it's logically impossible and that ruins my immersion, and I think not confronting you about the position of your shield now will just cause more trouble for what I had planned to do next.

1. Shoulder pauldron =/= body. You said it was impossible to block the sword at all like that... it was blocked.
2. You were mainly arguing about the impossibility of having a spear sweep under your shield. It's under your shield now.
3. I still disagree with that ruling because I don't see Sigurd making a downward chop with a shield under his arm, and she was fully extending her shield like 3 posts prior. But it's done and over with, really, I can live.

I wrote this: "Regardless of if the gladius stabbed him or not" As a means to help you not have to be forced in to taking the hit. But you still need to call it out. I'm starting to automatically translate 'impossible' in to 'really inconvenient for Sigurd.'

I'm aware of how the closed post system works, I'm arguing that from what information you've given thus far there is nothing to suggest the sword could be in a position that would harm Sigurd, it's pointing out the wrong side of her shield. If you think for some reason it is in position, you've not written something correctly or I've read something incorrectly. If you believe I've read it incorrectly, please quote the point where your character reverses her grip on the sword, otherwise it is not facing rightward and can therefore not oppose Sigurd attacking from the right side unless your character has an arm of extreme Mr.Tickle length.

That is all.

Also, though I shouldn't humour those statements because they're all wrong so I can only assume are trolls

1. I've referenced the pauldron once, where I said that Sigurd had angled his strike to slip under the pauldron. The strike was stopped by bracer armour (apparently) so that's irrelevant.

2. I was arguing the impossibility of manipulating the spear with any power in that specific circumstance, and also because you simply hadn't provided sufficient information on how the act was performed, but I let it slide as Pollen ruled it was going to do barely anything anyway.

3. Right, I'm not sure you know how longswords work, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

Now you're just blatantly condescending me. At least I made my jesting from equally respectful grounds.

And there you go again saying Sigurd is on Iolanthe's right... I can't argue with you because you keep ignoring or incorrectly reading important things. I see him being closer to her left, after a continuous 'lead with the left, pivot, slide the right foot behind left' maneuver, which persisted before and after the single short step he made to try and get at her right.

But it doesn't matter, we can't come to any conclusions spitting at each other. I'd rather wait for @Drifting Pollen's verdicts, than stay and be talked down to.

As you wish, now Pollen is going to come and insult me for being unable to debate with people again.

As you wish, now Pollen is going to come and insult me for being unable to debate with people again.

Eh, it wasn't so much that you were unable to debate with people. I was just saying that it was always worth a try, that it was possible to understand each other in such situations...

Seems you were right in this case though. I guess you two just don't get along? :P

Anyways, I read Iolanthe's post, and I don't see the problem with it. Sequence of actions appears to be as follows:

- Sigurd attacks Iolanthe's left leg with his sword (striking diagonally downwards). This leg is nearest Sigurd, and is more or less under her shield.

- Iolanthe kneels down, and the sword ends up hitting around hip-height, where the armored skirt prevents the sword from cutting in (blunt impact might still hurt, but at least she doesn't lose a leg).

- At the same time, she brings her shield arm down on top of the sword and Sigurd's hand. Her gladius is held facing downwards, the blow is moving downwards, and she aims to stab Sigurd's wrist from above.

- Then she basically flails her spear at his legs, trying to drive him off.

IDK what Melon is finding wrong with this? He said the sword would be pointing the wrong way, and technically it would, except there's this thing called a wrist, that would allow Iolanthe to change the angle of the blade relative to her arm. Having acted out the motion myself, according to the post's description, I can say with certainty that the amount of wrist movement required would not even be strenuous, let alone impossible.

So yeah, based on what I see, Melon's current complaints don't seem to hold much weight. If there's anything I missed, then feel free to let me know, but for now I see no reason to change anything.

(Also, I'd recommend not talking about previous rulings and arguments, because honestly what good is going to come of that? 'Focus on ze now!')

If that's what we're going with, fair enough, but I was working on the assumption that my typo was being carried forward (where I said Sigurd was striking the right leg) Chimera also replied as if Sigurd was attacking her right leg (which is incidentally the one that's supposed to be pivoting, so I'm unsure how all of these manoeuvres are working at the same time) and hence my complaint. If the arm was below the shield the move makes sense, but not to the right of it.

Fine, to clarify, are we retconning my typo and saying Sigurd struck at Iolanthe's left leg, as my other descriptors make it pretty clear that was my intended target? If so, then I accept the ruling, if not, the ruling doesn't make sense.

Fine, to clarify, are we retconning my typo and saying Sigurd struck at Iolanthe's left leg, as my other descriptors make it pretty clear that was my intended target? If so, then I accept the ruling, if not, the ruling doesn't make sense.

For the sake of things making sense, we'll ignore the typo (you can fix if it you want) and have the attack go for the left leg.

I made my entire post under the pretense that Sigurd's attack was aiming at Iolanthe's right leg... though either way, the shield's fall should still protect Iolanthe's left leg.

Well, now what do I do? I don't care if the typo remains, but once again I refute that the shield move wouldn't work if Sigurd had targeted the right leg rather than the left. If you're happy, Chimera, to respond instead to a left leg attack (which could predominantly be defended against with the same move) that's fine, otherwise in the current situation I don't believe it makes sense.

But you don't believe anything makes sense if it hinders your chances of victory.