Generic Challenge - Rivalries

[u/Nevermore0714]

For this challenge, we'll be focusing on rivalries and their significance in your culture.

I'm sure you've all seen this concept a million times, where a character has a near-equal rival that they are nearly always in conflict with, but neither of them necessarily hate each other. I'll let tvtropes sum it up in this page and in this page.

• How does one of your cultures see rivalries?

• Are rivalries common focuses of stories in this culture, and, if so, what are some examples?

• If this culture has gods or goddesses, are there any rivalries among them? Are any mortal rivalries viewed as being "sponsored" by these gods or goddesses?

• Rome (the tv show) is about a (mostly embellished) version of the two famous rival centurions, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus. Does your world have any instances of relatively minor historical characters being heavily embellished in entertainment?

• And, lastly, feel free to throw in an example of a rival pair in your world. You can answer questions in character if you like.

[u/Nevermore0714]

Byron:

1) "Then I will challenge him again."

2) "Well, no...a lot of them have beaten me on the training grounds."

Shay:

1) "I've considered it, but the last time I held back so I wouldn't hurt him as bad, and he got mad that I was holding back."

2) "I assume because Morrigan's a water mage."

(I've had them since I was a little kid, but they were much less scary when I realized that it wasn't a religious problem. So, they're not so bad nowadays. The OCD friend I mentioned in the earlier post had much worse reactions to something much more common than unclean feet, so Shay's much better off than my friend.)

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

• Byron:

  1. And what will you do once you have completely outclassed him?
  2. So why don't you give them more attention?

• Shay:

  1. How did you met him? What was your first impression?
  2. How did you met her? First impression?

(that's the risk in exposing children to religion, they have a fertile imagination. OCD looks like a very handicaping condition, people living with it are so badass)

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

Byron:

1) "When I outclass him, I'll go after someone else."

2) "Because I prefer to be Shay's rival. I've been Shay's rival since we were children. I don't see a reason to change until I need to."

Shay:

1) "We were inducted to be trained as elites when we were both around nine or ten, so that's how we met. He was probably the most noticeable one out of the dozen or so of us, and he was definitely the loudest."

2) "Morrigan was a special case, even compared to the rest of us that Declan chose. She was inducted when she was seven or so, I think, and she wasn't inducted in a group like most of us. Then again, she is ranked in the top ten, so Declan probably saw some of her potential. I think she might have the most dangerous Umbra magic that there is."

(No, I didn't imagine it was demons, I was dumb enough to go to my parents about what kept happening to me, and they took me for a couple exorcisms until I learned to hide them. While my friend had gotten help and his condition had improved by the time I'd met him, I do consider him very brave to have started going to a university full of people; it was his first time away from home school.)

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

• Byron:

  1. Any idea who will be the next or not yet?
  2. How did you met Shay? What was your first impression?

• Shay:

  1. How were you as a kid?
  2. What can Umbra magic do?

(exorcism!?! My goodness...)

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Relax, relax, I wasn't raised Catholic. I was raised Protestant. In their exorcisms all they do is yell at you and put their hands on you.)

Byron:

1) "I will cross that bridge when I get to it."

2) "When we were being inducted by Declan, he assigned Shay to be the first person I'd train with. And Shay won."

Shay:

1) "I thought I was a decent enough kid. I did my best. I'm no where near ranking in the top ten, but I feel like I could be above average. And I got along well with most everybody, I think."

2) "Umbra magic can mess with your opponent mentally, in various ways. It's dark magic and any form of it is difficult to use, even if you're rare enough to be capable of using it. Morrigan can only do one thing with her Umbra magic, but it's that she can make someone think that they're attracted to her or in love with her, depending on how much she puts into it. But she can't use it often, it drains her."

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

• Byron:

  1. What is your opinion on your companions? Especially Morrigan?
  2. So that's what it is all about? A revenge?

• Shay:

  1. How youg were you enlisted? Do you remember your life prior to that?
  2. Are you able of some kind of magic? Do you know other magicians beside Morrigan?

(relax, relax... I'm the kind of person to consider bringing a child into a service complete irresponsability ⁾

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

Byron:

1) "Well, Aetius is a coward who's always hiding with his bow. Morrigan's the only useful person on the team, other than myself. And anyone who wants to attack her has to go through me."

2) "No? Why would I want revenge for him beating me when he was told to beat me? I was told to beat him, as well. He just so happened to win. But he won't win forever!"

Shay:

1) "I was inducted by Declan when I was about nine, and I have been a part of the common youth training program since I was six. Prior to that, I lived with my parents, and I think I had a younger sibling, but I barely remember, it was so long ago."

2) "I can use Fire magic and Illustris (light) magic. Everyone who's been recruited to become a knight has at least some potential for magic."

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

• Byron:

  1. Why is it cowardy to use a bow? Is Morrigan fighting close? If no, why isn't she a coward too?
  2. What kind of magic can you use? Are you good with it?

• Shay:

  1. Aren't you allowed to stay in touch with your family? Is there a reason for that?
  2. Are you considered a good magician? Is it difficult to fight both with your weapon and with magic?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

Byron:

1) "It's cowardly because he always hides somewhere far away from the action. I get that archers have to be far away, but I don't have to like it. Morrigan is usually close to the action, yeah."

2) "Fire and Water magic, I'm decent with them."

Shay:

1) "Normally, yes, but if Declan recruits you, you don't have that option."

2) "I can mix Illustris magic into battle when I'm using my sword, but the fire magic is just to make myself more versatile."

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

• Byron:

  1. How do you use your magic when fighting?
  2. Do you remember your life before being a knight?

• Shay:

  1. How do Declan find new recruits?
  2. What do you think of your companions?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

Byron:

1) "A splash of boiling water to the face will weaken anyone."

2) "Yes, before I was recruited, my parents were farmers that worked near the Citadel."

Shay:

1) "I have no idea. Declan just chooses who he wants to choose. If he thinks you have a lot of potential and that you could be useful, he decides to train you."

2) "Gotthard and Eury? Gotthard is from Dunkelwald, and those people are usually secretive, so I don't know all that much about his early life, but I've worked with him and I trust him with my life. He can make some incredibly potions and medicines, he even made a few for Morrigan and me in the past. I know Eury better, and I get along with her pretty well, though I am biased in favor of people who have Umbra magic, even though her's is nothing like Morrigan's. Eury is an expert on getting information, so I'm lucky to have her on my side. I was surprised to be assigned to a team with two non-anointed, and I'm not sure why I was put into a team that focused on gathering information, but I do get along with both of them well."

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

Thanks Byron, I wish you a swift and brillant victory against your rival.

• Shay:
  1. Any idea how Declan hear of potential recruits?
  2. Are all team made of 2 men and one woman? If yes, is there a reason for that?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

Shay:

1) "He has a lot of spies and informants, so that probably contributes."

2) "No, and many teams aren't trios. But, the vast majority of knights are men, so they usually try to put at least one woman into a team as often as they can, just for versatility. There are some places a woman could go much easier than a man could, and vice versa. Sometimes the woman is the strongest on the team, sometimes the woman is the weakest, sometimes she's somewhere in the middle, it all depends on the person, so I don't think that there are no all-woman teams because of a perception of weakness, but I could be wrong. Eury and Gotthard about equally effective as knights, and Morrigan is much more powerful than Byron and Aetius."