Joerg

The protagonists, or their rivals?

Or is your GMing style and/or the troupe's playing style so contrary that you name the player characters the antagonists?

Orlanthi poetry should be staves.

Here's an attempt at a skaldic rendition of the rune magic:

King of Creation, Conqu‘ror of Skies,

Thee I call, Thane, of Thunder and Storm,

Grant me thy gift of the greatest of magics,

Partake of my place, and pummel my foes.

Be in my body and blast on our en‘mies,

Enter me, Orlanth, in one-ness we act,

Riding the Runes in righteous force,

Mighty the magic, for mankind and god.

3 hours ago, g33k said:

I have been known to "kitty duel" if the cat seems like it's in WildBeast mode -- my speed vs. theirs -- to go for a lightning-fast tummy-pat, paw-tap, jaw-scritch, etc.  If I've mis-judged the cats mood, it leaves; but often it stays to play a game for a minute or several... (and yes, it gets me scratched sometimes; not all cats play that game with velvet paws! (I figure it's my fault if I get hurt, not theirs).  And sometimes instead of bloodsport, it turns out the cat was into cuddles&scritches&purring; and that's good, too!  (The one cat who liked to purr & nuzzle WHILE ripping at me and drawing blood... OK, that was a bit creepy...))

They are clearly treating my hand as the "attacker" (they ignore everything past the wrist (except an occasional claw/claw/bite&Rake, when I've been REALLY slow...)).  They'll nail a finger if they get it, but what they're aiming for is the whole hand.  But the closest I've seen to a "parry" (from "duelling" a dozen so so cats (not all cats are interested & willing; and some don't see the "game" in it)) is more like a "trap" from martial arts -- a hook-and-draw-in motion (taking advantage of those curved, ripping claws), not so much "blocking" my finger as trying to grab it to bring the "body" of my hand in for the kill...

Yes, against larger opponents (let's say house cat vs. German shepherd) the cat uses dodge and lightning strikes, but it doesn't strike at the jaw, but the top of the nose. That's what makes me think that it will recognize the business end of the attacker and avoid it.

One former cat of ours came to us rather young, and accepted a plush hand puppet of a badger as mock-sibling, reducing the danger of drawing blood significantly (but also my reach). Against a smaller opponent, the instinct to dodge is lesser, and if you scale up to sakkar size, humans qualify as smaller prey.

Most weapons (with the exception of swords) have quite a lot of non-business parts that can be "attacked" in order to deflect a bow. Spear and axe shafts, or the arm of a knife fighter are within reach of the parrying party.

Cats of all sizes and bears will use their paws to strike attacking limbs, and may well be able to go for the flat of a blade, too. Only dogs are predominantly head attackers, and even they will use their forepaws to hold down thrashing prey (parrying hoofed kicks).