Andy Peloquin's Blog, page 26
September 3, 2016
Duel to the Death: Mitch MacLeod
I, Andy Peloquin, challenge you, Garrison Haines-Temons, to a duel to the death! But it is not we who will fight, but our characters…
In the black corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, standing a cool 6 feet tall, the Hunter of Voramis!
Tale of the Tape:
Superhuman reflexes, strength, speed–think Captain America, but stronger
Thousands of years of weapons training
Body has accelerated healing factor–can survive a sword to the heart (can be killed by drowning, iron weapons, beheading, and suffocation)
Cannot be killed by anything but iron
Accursed dagger that heals him when he kills
No magical abilities whatsoever
No hesitation to kill if he perceives opponent as a threat/obstacle to his desires–classic anti-hero
In the red corner, we have Mitch MacLeod!
Tale of the Tape:
Preferred style of fighting is professional wrestling.
Described by commentators as a “technical brawler”, meaning he is proficient in suplexes, throws, and submission holds
Can also slug it out for as long as he wants.
Being a professional wrestler requires mental and physical toughness, which he has in spades.
It took an entire roster of monsters and demons just to send him to the ICU and he still delivered his story’s final blow.
Two enter the ring, only one can leave alive!
How would Mitch MacLeod kill the Hunter? Since professional wrestling requires toughness and endurance, Mitch will absorb two strikes from The Hunter’s sword just to deliver one massive superman punch. Once the Hunter is wounded, Mitch can pass through his defenses and perform bone-crunching wrestling moves like the Piledriver, the Body Slam, the Belly-to-Belly Suplex, and even a Texas Cloverleaf submission hold.
To kill Mitch MacLeod: The Hunter would try to overwhelm Mitch with his inhuman speed, strength, and skill. All he has to do is pierce his skin with Soulhunger, and the dagger will consume the wrestlers’ soul. Not even someone with considerable magical abilities can survive Soulhunger’s bite–it was created to kill demons.
Who would win?
Because he can last longer than any opponent The Hunter has ever faced. Mitch could shake the ropes Ultimate Warrior-style and find his second wind, his third wind, and every wind after that until he finally delivers a spine-jarring power-bomb and paralyzes The Hunter like he did to a seven footer named Jack Finnegan.
But not even the mighty fists of the technical brawler can put the Hunter down for long. No matter how many times MacLeod takes him to the ground, the Hunter will get back up. With every taste of MacLeod’s blood, Soulhunger floods the Hunter with strength and healing and weakens the wrestler. Mitch MacLeod may be the greatest warrior to enter the ring, but the Hunter has defeated demons.
Winner: The Hunter. In the end, Soulhunger claims all.
Want to find out more about this fearsome wrestler who would dare challenge the legendary assassin of Voramis to the death? Click here to read about Mitch MacLeod…
Who do YOU think would win? Did we get the match-up right? Leave a comment below and let me know…
Want to match your character against the Hunter? Click here to enter your protagonist/antagonist in a duel to the death!
The post Duel to the Death: Mitch MacLeod appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
September 2, 2016
Preparing to Be an Overnight Success
Sounds a bit counterintuitive, doesn’t it? You can’t really PREPARE for instant, overnight success. It just happens (and lucky you!), and there’s nothing you can do to be ready for it, right?
WRONG! The truth is that it takes a lot of preparation to be ready for when that overnight success hits.
Think about it: if you write the best book, compose the best song, or paint the most amazing picture, you’ve got a product that could propel to you overnight success. But if you have no way to get your creation into the hands of the masses and no way for people to contact you with amazing offers of a movie deal, record contract, or million-dollar sale price, you are not ready for success
H. Jackson Brown, Jr. said, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” That means taking those little tiny steps that will prepare you for that giant leap into overnight success.
Zooming in on authors (among which I count myself), how can we prepare for that instant acclaim and fortune upon the publication of our “next great American novel”?
Build an author platform where people can follow you (social media, website/blog, etc.)
Continue to produce quality work (the next book in the series, another book, short stories, etc.)
Have a way for people to stay in constant contact with you (social media, website/blog, newsletter list, etc.)
It’s all the little things that eventually build up into the big successes!
Most people point to Andy Weir, author of The Martian, as the poster boy for overnight success. But did you know that he actually began posting chapters of his work on his website way back in 2009? Years before we’d ever heard of the Martian!
He built a platform of roughly 3,000 readers, all of whom nitpicked his work and helped him to improve on the concept. By the time he posted it on Amazon (in 2012, priced at just $0.99), he had invested three years of his life into building his author platform. Quietly, subtly, but effectively. Three months later, it was an Amazon best-seller, and the rest is history.
THAT is effective preparation for overnight success. There was that element of “instant fame” (35,000 downloads in three months), but he put in the hard work behind the scenes to be ready for that fame. If you want to be ready for your moment of glory, you have to do the footwork first!
The post Preparing to Be an Overnight Success appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 31, 2016
Duel to the Death: Scarlett
I, Andy Peloquin, challenge you, Toneye Eyenot, to a duel to the death! But it is not we who will fight, but our characters…
In the black corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, standing a cool 6 feet tall, the Hunter of Voramis!
Tale of the Tape:
Superhuman reflexes, strength, speed–think Captain America, but stronger
Thousands of years of weapons training
Body has accelerated healing factor–can survive a sword to the heart (can be killed by drowning, iron weapons, beheading, and suffocation)
Cannot be killed by anything but iron
Accursed dagger that heals him when he kills
No magical abilities whatsoever
No hesitation to kill if he perceives opponent as a threat/obstacle to his desires–classic anti-hero
In the red corner, we have Scarlett!
Tale of the Tape:
300 year old Bearer of The Sacred Blade Of Profanity; an 8,000 year old silver dagger crafted in sorcery by the Kirlt’th sorcerers, an order spanning over 12,000 years. The Blade affords the bearer the following abilities:
Able to bend linear time to seem as an afterthought to the observer
With a thought, can transport instantly to any given place; on this realm and countless others (excluding the precise location of the intended victim/target)
The Blade imparts superhuman speed to its host via the blood of its victims
If gravely injured, Scarlett is thrust into Void before death can take her, unless killed immediately.
A hunter in her own right, Scarlett has thousands of kills to her name
She has a guardian, sorceress Astra Kirltth, who is unknown to her, but will heal Scarlett’s wounds and return her to the world of form
The Watcher, Kirlt’th denizen of Void, ‘sees’ all in relation to The Sacred Blade Of Profanity and its Host, and will impart knowledge of the intended target to Scarlett, The Blade, and Astra.
Two enter the ring, only one can leave alive!
How would Scarlett kill the Hunter? With foresight given by The Watcher, made aware of the only thing which can kill the Hunter, The Sacred Blade Of Profanity will be sheathed in iron dust when they face off. By manipulating time, Scarlett will endeavor to evade his attacks while The Sacred Blade Of Profanity relieves him of Soulhunger, before finding its way into the Hunter’s heart.
To kill Scarlett: The Hunter would try to overwhelm Scarlett with his inhuman speed, strength, and skill. All he has to do is pierce her skin with Soulhunger, and the dagger will consume her soul. Not even someone with considerable magical abilities can survive Soulhunger’s bite–it was created to kill demons.
Who would win?
The Hunter’s inhuman speed, strength, and stamina would make him a worthy foe for Scarlett. He may not understand how she is warping time to move faster and gain an advantage, but he will learn to be wary of her attacks. He has only to get Soulhunger close enough to taste blood, and not even Astra Kirlthh can retrieve Scarlett’s soul from the forgotten hells.
But all Scarlett needs is a single strike. The Hunter will be weakened considerably by the iron dust coursing through his veins, giving Scarlett ample opportunity to continue her customary frenzied attack with The Blade while the Hunter is disarmed and incapacitated. The iron coating on The Blade will then be thrust into every vital organ in a matter of seconds.
Winner: Scarlett. With iron in hand, she is more than a match for the assassin of Voramis.
Want to find out more about this warrior who would dare challenge the legendary assassin of Voramis to the death? Click here to read about Scarlett…”
Who do YOU think would win? Did we get the match-up right? Leave a comment below and let me know…
Want to match your character against the Hunter? Click here to enter your protagonist/antagonist in a duel to the death!
The post Duel to the Death: Scarlett appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 29, 2016
Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: The Three Laws of Magic
If your creative writing tends toward the fantastical (as mine does), no doubt you’ve spent hours coming up with either a complete magic system (for fantasy worlds) or complex technology (for sci-fi stories). To be as effective as possible, I’d highly recommend one of the most amazing creative writing resources: Brandon Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic.
The Three Laws of Magic (created by fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson) are by far the best and simplest guideline to follow when developing your magic/technology system for sci-fi, paranormal, fantasy, horror, and other speculative fiction worlds. They will help you to avoid those terrible clichés (such as “overpowered villains” or “supernaturally effective heroes”), and will help to keep the fantastical elements as “believable” as possible.
The Three Laws are as follows:
First Law: An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic.
The more the reader understands the magic, the more it can be used to solve conflicts. Magic should NEVER be used as a sort of “deus ex machina”, a miraculous solution to help the heroes overcome insurmountable odds.
Second Law: Limitations > Power
Magic should never be the easy solution. Magic users should always struggle with the limitations of their power. Not only does it create good character conflict, but it helps to make things realistic.
Third Law: Expand on what you have already, before you add something new.
This law will help to prevent you from escalating your magic systems, which could send them out of control.
I’d STRONGLY recommend you visit the Coppermind website and read the complete descriptions of these three laws. They are vital to follow if you want to create believable magic/tech systems, and will help to writer better characters and stories as well. Follow them like your life (as an author) depends on it!
The post Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: The Three Laws of Magic appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 27, 2016
Duel to the Death: Simon Magus
I, Andy Peloquin, challenge you, Matt Posner, to a duel to the death! But it is not we who will fight, but our characters…
In the black corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, standing a cool 6 feet tall, the Hunter of Voramis!
Tale of the Tape:
Superhuman reflexes, strength, speed–think Captain America, but stronger
Thousands of years of weapons training
Body has accelerated healing factor–can survive a sword to the heart (can be killed by drowning, iron weapons, beheading, and suffocation)
Cannot be killed by anything but iron
Accursed dagger that heals him when he kills
No magical abilities whatsoever
No hesitation to kill if he perceives opponent as a threat/obstacle to his desires–classic anti-hero
In the brown corner, standing at 5′ 7″, we have Simon Magus, age 17, star senior of School of the Ages, America’s greatest magic school!
Tale of the Tape:
Wields an antique British light cavalry saber previously used by his great-grandfather in the Sepoy Mutiny
Shoots with a bow hand-crafted for him by Arjuna, the great archer from the great Hindu epic “the Mahabharata”
Combat-oriented magician with a diverse repertoire of offensive and defensive spells
Can cast a concealment spell that makes him sort of invisible, although this is less effective against elite warriors (like the Hunter) if they are trying to spot him.
Can cause intense pain, knock his opponent back or down with magic, disarm his opponent, and improvise spells on the fly based on emerging combat situations
His spell-casting is unlimited, and he can work magic as much as the situation requires until he gets too distracted, tired, or wounded
Physically, except for a slight resistance to physical blows and pain that is basically genetic, he is a normal person.
Two enter the ring, only one can leave alive!
How would Simon kill the Hunter? Stay concealed and get out of the Hunter’s line of sight (behind him, or behind an object). He will then cast his disarming spell at the Hunter’s hand and knock him back from the weapon. Using his combat magic, he will try to get hold of Soulhunger to use it against the Hunter. Because the Hunter is vastly physically superior and has an elite soldier’s ability to see through the concealment spell, Simon can’t use his sword or bow and will probably have to keep knocking the Hunter down or knocking him back. He can’t kill the Hunter except with an iron weapon, but he can cause enough pain and injury with his magic to stun or briefly disable the Hunter so that he can use Soulhunger to kill him.
To kill Simon: The Hunter would try to overwhelm Simon with his inhuman speed, strength, and skill. All he has to do is pierce his skin with Soulhunger, and the dagger will consume his soul. Not even someone with considerable magical abilities can survive Soulhunger’s bite–it was created to kill demons.
Who would win?
Simon is no match for the Hunter’s superior training, and the Hunter knows it. He charges headlong toward the boy, snarling in rage, Soulhunger raised for the kill. He sees only a weak, helpless youth too foolish to know when he’s outmatch.
The assassin is unprepared for Simon’s magic–he has never faced its like on the world of Einan. Simon can cast spell after spell at the Hunter, who is forced to dodge as best he can. He pushes through the pain, but it’s a race against time.
Winner: It’s anyone’s game! Will Simon’s spell-casting stamina overmatch the Hunter’s healing ability and tolerance to pain? Will the Hunter’s superior skill, speed, and strength get him close enough to the boy to bring his sword or Soulhunger to bear? Only Mistress Luck can decide…
Want to find out more about this teenaged magician who would dare challenge the legendary assassin of Voramis to the death? Click here to read about Simon Magus…
Who do YOU think would win? Did we get the match-up right? Leave a comment below and let me know…
Want to match your character against the Hunter? Click here to enter your protagonist/antagonist in a duel to the death!
The post Duel to the Death: Simon Magus appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 26, 2016
The Results are In…
This weekend was A BLAST!
Not only did I get to spend three solid days partying at the Book Launch Party (on Facebook), but I got some very real, very tangible results for my books. And it’s thanks to all of you!
First up, I ran a few promotions for The Last Bucelarii (Book 1): Blade of the Destroyer—using Book Pup, The Fussy Librarian, and a couple other smaller sites. The results were pretty epic: around 2,500-3,000 ebook downloads, and then there was this:
#2 in Dark Fantasy, and so high in the Kindle Store overall: AWESOME!
Bonus: The rank for Book 1 hasn’t dropped too far since the promo ended on Sunday. That means people are still buying the book. Exciting!
For The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen, I didn’t do a whole lot in the way of marketing. I had perhaps 15 to 20 guest posts, podcast interviews, author interviews, and promo posts, but that was it. No paid marketing campaigns, no big book blasts.
All things considered, the results here were pretty awesome:
Made it all the way to #6 in Hot New Releases for Gothic Fiction
Bonus: Once again, the book still has a pretty decent ranking, so there are still a few sales trickling in since the weekend.
I’m excited to see how things continue from here, and definitely researching what to do now that I have two books: i.e., how to use them to promote more effectively. But I wanted to take this time to post and say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Book Launch weekend in some way. The list of people is far too long to name, but to all the authors, PAs, readers, friends, family, and random awesome people I met:
Source: coffeeconnectionhilliard.files.wordpress.com
The post The Results are In… appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 24, 2016
Duel to the Death: Nameless
I, Andy Peloquin, challenge you, Kathryn Caffee, to a duel to the death! But it is not we who will fight, but our characters…
In the black corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, standing a cool 6 feet tall, the Hunter of Voramis!
Tale of the Tape:
Superhuman reflexes, strength, speed–think Captain America, but stronger
Thousands of years of weapons training
Body has accelerated healing factor–can survive a sword to the heart (can be killed by drowning, iron weapons, beheading, and suffocation)
Cannot be killed by anything but iron
Accursed dagger that heals him when he kills
No magical abilities whatsoever
No hesitation to kill if he perceives opponent as a threat/obstacle to his desires–classic anti-hero
In the red corner, we have Nameless!
Tale of the Tape:
Accelerated healing (any thing short of mortal will heal overnight)
Raised and trained in the gladiator Arenas of the Melkreschen (think Romans on steroids with a touch of magic)
Blessing of his Goddess
Some resistance to steel and iron
Unique barehanded fighting style, though he also knows hand-to-hand weapons
Berserker, does not feel any pain short of an aggravated wound (iron inflicted if it’s deep enough, broken bone in his arm or leg)
Single-minded tactician
Extreme endurance
Two enter the ring, only one can leave alive!
How would Nameless kill the Hunter? will meet a new opponent head on to learn their style and any available weakness. Will then back off to “play” with his opponent. When he moves in for the kill, it is sudden and brutal. Personality: He does not live for himself, or fight for his own honor. Everything he does is for his goddess, all honor gained is for her. In his own mind, he is only her appendage, doing her will.
To kill (your character): The Hunter would try to overwhelm Nameless with his inhuman speed, strength, and skill. All he has to do is pierce his skin with Soulhunger, and the dagger will consume his soul. Not even someone with considerable magical abilities can survive Soulhunger’s bite–it was created to kill demons.
Who would win?
Nameless has faced overwhelming odds his entire life–from highly trained and experienced fighters in his second fight to mob-on-one melees at the height of his Arena career. He unleashes a flurry of blows to overwhelm the Hunter, but finding himself facing a superior foe, he backs off to begin a game of cat-and-mouse.
The Hunter is tenacious and brutally efficient, while Nameless is clever and seeks to inflict as many debilitating injuries as possible–blown tendons, sprained joints, compressed nerves in the arm pits, groin, knees, and elbows, broken wrists or fingers.
Nameless finds the Hunter’s leather armor no match for his powerful blows, and the Hunter is unprepared for his opponent’s unique barehanded fighting style. However, the Hunter’s inhuman endurance keeps him standing even through the excruciating pain. His healing factor enables him to fight on through the pain. With every blow, Soulhunger steals a bit more of Nameless’ strength, tugging at his very soul, until his berserk rage has run its course.
Winner: The Hunter. Only the healing of his goddess can save Nameless from Soulhunger’s bite.
At the bottom of the post on my blog would be:
Want to find out more about this pit fighter who would dare challenge the legendary assassin of Voramis to the death? Click here to read about the ferocious Nameless…
Who do YOU think would win? Did we get the match-up right? Leave a comment below and let me know…
Want to match your character against the Hunter? Click here to enter your protagonist/antagonist in a duel to the death!
The post appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 22, 2016
Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: Brandon Sanderson’s Lectures
If you want to improve your creative writing, the best way to do so is to learn from others. Especially if those others are best-selling authors considered by most to be the masters of their craft.
Brandon Sanderson is an author that I greatly respect, and I (and many others) consider him the “gold standard” when it comes to fantasy writing. Not just the structure of his sentences, but world-building, character development, and most important of all, magic systems!
(Come back next week to find out about the Three Laws of Magic…)
Most fantasy readers will be familiar with the name (if you’re not, go Google him and you’ll see how many top-rated books he’s put out), but they may not be familiar with his series of lectures.
A few years ago (prior to 2010, I believe), he gave a series of lectures on the craft of writing. They were all EXCELLENT, but the video quality was iffy at best. However, in 2015, he recorded another series of lectures and posted them all to YouTube.
Find them here…
It’s a simple 8-video series, but each of the videos is about an hour long. They delve into every element of crafting excellent novels (not just fantasy, though fantasy is the focus).
This includes elements like:
World-building
Magic systems
Character development
The business of writing
and more…
I myself have not yet listened to the lectures (it’s on my to-do list, I PROMISE!!!), but I listened to his previous series and know for a fact that they were truly amazing. For any writers who want to excel at their craft, they are an amazing (and totally free) creative writing resource you would do well to take advantage of. They are 100% worth a few hours of your life!
The post Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: Brandon Sanderson’s Lectures appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 19, 2016
The Big Day is Finally Here!
It’s the happiest day of the year–like Christmas, my birthday, and Valentine’s Day rolled into one.
That’s right, it’s BOOK LAUNCH DAY!!!
Apologies for the exclamation mark overuse, but that’s just how excited I am. After more than a year of hard work and patiently waiting, The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen is finally here.
Click Here to See it on Amazon
Look at this gorgeous cover, courtesy of the amazing Marie Story.
Here are a few early reviews:
“Lament of the Fallen is an excellent follow-up to Blade of the Destroyer. The Hunter’s struggle with his demonic nature and the need of the blade are powerful. He doesn’t want to kill, but the world is not so kind to him. Bandits, a cabal of Mages, assassins, and more plague him as he struggles to understand his place in the world and defy his heritage and purpose. He might be destined to help bring back the Destroyer and end the world, but can he defy it?
Peloquin creates an interesting world with fascinating characters and dark setting. The journey of the Hunter is fascinating as he goes from assassin to hero. As he learns whether he is an evil man or if he can choose to be good as he struggles with his “addiction” to murder. The need burning inside him, always eating at his self-control, demanding he stop showing mercy. He stop showing compassion.” — RJ Reviews
“The complexity of the Hunter’s personality blossoms in this book. He has always seen himself as a loner, as all assassins must be. But he discovered at the end of the last story that he really needs people. The double fear – that his friends are a danger to him, but he is much more a danger to them – lays another layer of suspense on the external violence and internal struggle of the novel.
As with the rest of the series, all the settings and deeds are described in beautiful (and horrible) detail of sight, sound, and odour. Secondary characters are more rounded and individual than before, because they matter to the main character. Especially wonderful is Bardin, the beggar/scholar/madman, where Peloquin achieves the difficult task of creating an insane character who acts according to expectations.” — Gordon A. Long
And here’s a taste of what’s inside:
A rough hand shook the Hunter from sleep. Instinct kicked in. Seizing his assailant, he pressed his sword to the man’s throat.
Visibos’s eyes flew wide and he held up his hands. “Easy, Hardwell. Just waking you for your turn at watch.”
The Hunter nodded and lowered the sword.
Visibos shook his head. Rubbing red-rimmed eyes, he stumbled toward his blankets with a yawn. Within seconds, the low rumble of his snores floated around the campsite.
Darkness hung on the campsite like a thick blanket. Only glowing embers remained of the fire, but the Hunter made no effort to rebuild it. He preferred shadow. Unseen, he could watch both the forest and his new traveling companions.
He filled his lungs with the fresh, clean night air and rolled his neck and shoulders to work out the kinks of sleeping on the forest floor. His blankets, while thick and warm, provided little cushion against the hardness of the earth beneath him.
Slinging his baldric over his shoulder, he buckled on his sword. A quick inspection of his saddlebags revealed nothing out of place. He ran a hand across the smooth surface of the iron-lined box. Soulhunger’s voice pounded in his mind, pleading to feed. A twinge of pain settled behind his eyes.
The Hunter savored the scents of the forest around him. The smoke from their dying campfire hung heavy in the air, and beneath it, he smelled muted hints of plant and animal life. A cool breeze rolled past, carrying with it the scent of decaying leaves, pine sap, and a sweet-scented flower he couldn’t identify.
The Hunter wrapped his cloak tighter about himself as the chill of the early morning wind sent a shiver down his spine. The crook of a large tree offered him a comfortable place to sit his watch, as well as protection from the occasional gust. He leaned against the thick trunk, curling his legs to his chest. The shrouds of his dark cloak hid him from his companions, and he was all but invisible beneath the forest canopy.
His eyes roamed over the sleeping forms of his traveling companions. Only the red tresses of Sir Danna’s hair were visible, her thick bedroll swaddling the rest of her in a snug bundle. Loud snores rose from the lump he knew to be Visibos.
‘Kill them!’
The demon’s intensity startled the Hunter. The creature filled his mind with images of Soulhunger drinking deep of the knight’s heart-blood. His sword sliced into Visibos’ neck, spraying crimson.
No! The Hunter shook his head, endeavoring to shake loose the gory thoughts. His fingers traced the scar on his chest. I will not harm them.
‘Leave them alive, and they will discover your lie. You are no more Hardwell of Praamis than you are Danther the tailor or Lord Anglion the Foolish.’
Rubbing his eyes, the Hunter tried to calm the pounding in his head.
How could they know? They have no way to uncover the truth. No, they are no threat to me.
‘Foolish Bucelarii! How little you know. The humans you protect will be your undoing.’
The Hunter closed his eyes, massaging his temples.
Why will you not leave me alone?
He was so tired of hearing that voice in his head. He wanted freedom from that voice. He needed peace.
‘You know what you must do.’
VERY IMPORTANT: If you buy the eBook version at any time this weekend, you are eligible to participate in my Raffle. You could win one of the THREE signed paperbacks, as well as any of the 100+ eBooks donated by my author friends.
Click Here to See What You Could Win and How
Thank you so much! I hope to see you at my Book Launch Party–we’re going to have one heck of a fun time!
The post The Big Day is Finally Here! appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
August 17, 2016
Duel to the Death: Talon
I, Andy Peloquin, challenge you, Jay Michael, to a duel to the death! But it is not we who will fight, but our characters…
In the black corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, standing a cool 6 feet tall, the Hunter of Voramis!
Tale of the Tape:
Superhuman reflexes, strength, speed–think Captain America, but stronger
Thousands of years of weapons training
Body has accelerated healing factor–can survive a sword to the heart (can be killed by drowning, iron weapons, beheading, and suffocation)
Cannot be killed by anything but iron
Accursed dagger that heals him when he kills
No magical abilities whatsoever
No hesitation to kill if he perceives opponent as a threat/obstacle to his desires–classic anti-hero
In the blood red corner, we have Nicholas “Talon” Watson!
Tale of the Tape:
Vampire created from the Pureblood line of Vampires (only three Vampires removed from the original/source Vampire Lilith)
Incredible speed, reflexes, and strength
400 years trained with Kamikaze, a demon-slaying Katana
Self-healing properties, can only be killed by beheading or draining enough blood from him that he is unable to heal his wounds.
Sunlight weakens him but does NOT burst him into flames, has a weakness to silver.
Will happily slaughter anyone or anything that gets into the way or threatens those he loves.
Gets stronger as he drinks blood.
Ability to disappear into shadows or darkness.
Has fangs and talons (claws protruding from the nails) as natural weapons.
Two enter the ring, only one can leave alive!
How would Talon kill the Hunter? Either use his speed and reflexes to take the Hunter’s head or, knowing he can be suffocated, drag him into a lake/water and drown him
To kill Talon: The Hunter would try to overwhelm him with his inhuman speed, strength, and skill. All he has to do is pierce his skin with Soulhunger, and the dagger will consume his soul. Not even someone with considerable magical abilities can survive Soulhunger’s bite–it was created to kill demons.
Who would win?
The Hunter has never faced anything quite like Talon. His battles with the First and Third of the Bloody Hand have taught him caution in combat against an enemy who can match your speed, skill, and strength. He quickly learns to keep out of reach of Talon’s fangs and claws, but faced with the wicked Kamikaze, he has no choice but to use his long sword to keep the vampire away while searching for an opening to bring Soulhunger to bear.
Talon, too, finds himself intrigued with this hooded and cloaked assassin who is able to match him blow for blow, step for step. His initial hope of surprising and overwhelming the Hunter’s defenses quickly give way to grudging admiration for a worthy foe, and he settles in for a grueling, knock-down, drag-on fight. His sword gives him the reach, but he faces two weapons. He quickly learns to fear the long knife in the Hunter’s off-hand.
Winner: WAY too close to call. Vampire vs. half-demon assassin, with skills, speed, strength, and cursed weapons to match, only the Mistress’ own luck will determine who the winner is.
Want to find out more about this creature of the night who would dare challenge the legendary assassin of Voramis to the death? Click here to read about the fearsome Talon…
Who do YOU think would win? Did we get the match-up right? Leave a comment below and let me know…
The post Duel to the Death: Talon appeared first on Andy Peloquin.
