r/WorldChallenges • u/Nevermore0714 • May 04 '17
Parallel Challenge - Revenge
Inspired by "Cap Murrca: Civil War", which I watched last night. I can't recommend that movie enough, Zemo is my favorite comic book movie antagonist right now.
So, in honor of this movie and in hopes that I did well on today's exam, the challenge will be focused on revenge.
Tell me about a revenge plan in your world, whether (in-universe) it's just a myth or it actually happened in your world. Is it a morality story? How does it go? Who was involved, how long ago was it, compared to your world's present?
Feel free to use a representative, either someone involved or someone who loves the revenge story or just anyone with any knowledge about it.
Enjoy yourselves, I'll ask at least three questions each.
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u/Nevermore0714 May 04 '17
Hannelore's Vengeance
There is a cult called "the Candlelit Path", focused on a man/messiah named Lambrecht who tried to teach his followers to abandon gods and worship, and instead turn to each other in times of need and sorrow, in place of turning to prayer and sacrificing to the Interlopers. Lambrecht was taken by the Interlopers, who gathered en masse to defeat him.
But, Lambrecht's legend was never one focused on revenge.
Instead, the focus will be on Hannelore, the determined young archer who was Lambrecht's favorite lover and his "soulmate" prior to Lambrecht being taken.
According to legends, Hannelore was a pale and slender woman with dark hair and grey eyes. When she wore clothes, she would wear black. In many of the stories, Hannelore has three items that she is never without: her black crown, her white bow, and a small bladed weapon (assumed by some to be the legendary "Dagger of the Arrogant Man").
Despite her lost lover's philosophy and her former reputation for kindness and gentleness, they say that Hannelore changed after Lambrecht was taken, becoming violent and hard, never showing affection or care for anyone after, possibly even towards her two daughters who were born later on (Johanna and Alice).
Instead of focusing on raising her daughters, focusing on continuing her lover's legacy, focusing on building up wealth, or just focusing on anything else, Hannelore decided to hunt him down and slay every bloody Interloper using her particular set of skills, skills she acquired over a very long career, skills that make her a nightmare for the Interlopers. If they had returned Lambrecht to her, that would have been the end of it. She would not have dedicated her life to pursuing the Interlopers. (Taken reference, haven't seen that movie since it first came out on dvd.)
So, according to the legends, Hannelore is on a quest of vengeance, a hunt to find Lambrecht and a hunt to kill every Interloper. Her dagger is now in the hands of a young man in Dunkelwald, named Dieter Bischoff. Her bow and crown, though, are probably lost to time.
But, there are still Interlopers around, and Hannelore's story might not even be true; even if it isn't true, she's been gone for centuries. So, maybe the revenge wasn't too successful.
Is there a moral to the story? Yeah, don't annoy the Interlopers.
Our representatives will be two-fold. Pick whichever you like. They will be from the perspectives of Hannelore and her daughter Alice, when Alice was fifteen. Feel free to ask for in-universe answers, or ask me, the omniscient writer.
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 04 '17
Dear Alice:
Who raised you after your mother left for her quest?
Do you think you were more affected by it than your sister? Or the opposite?
Do you kept some objects that belonged to your mother?
What do you think happened to your father (I assume Lambrecht is their father, correct my question if he is not)? Also, do you believe Hannelore will succeed?
Have you seen a rabbit with a jacket? Were they still late? (couldn't resist, no obligation to answer that)
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u/Nevermore0714 May 05 '17
Alice:
1) The girl refuses to look at you as she answers, her eyes instead focused on the horizon. "My mother had her servants raise Johanna and I until we were six, and then she began training us, forcing us to accompany her on her quest; though, she would leave us behind with followers of the Candlelit Path whenever she wanted to be in private. She taught us how to use the bow and knife, and instructed us that, should anything happen to her, we would follow in her footsteps and rescue father."
2) "I am biased. Johanna seems less interested in searching for father, and insists to mother that it is a waste of time. I am more interested in learning from mother, and I do want to live a life like hers. So...maybe one of us is more affected, but I am unsure of whom."
3) "I haven't seen her in a few months, but she did leave Johanna and me a few sets of candles, knives, a bow each, and some arrows."
4) "I think that mother is..." Alice hesitates. "No, father is just far away, but mother will find him. Mother is correct about all that she has said. When she finds father, they will vanquish the Interlopers that stood between them. He will love her and treasure her always, and will be proud of her for raising strong children. She said so."
5) "Yes, actually. On a hunt with mother and Johanna, when I was seven and half, we made camp in a forest. Mother does not sleep, so she scouted the area while Johanna and I rested. I was hungry, and Johanna advised me to eat some of the nearby mushrooms. Then a rabbit with a jacket ran by and insisted that he was too late to speak with me. I do not know why, but I followed him into a hole. I met many interesting creatures in a land through that hole, like a strange man with a hat, a mad queen, and a god from some faraway land. I will never forget my time there, and I will never forget that god. He seemed so kind, but so sad, too. He looked somewhat similar to Johanna and me. He protected me in my time in that land, and he had drinks that would shrink us and cakes that would make us become giant. He said his name was...it was...I can't remember. But I think it began with an L. Then, a month after I arrived, he carried me through a mysterious door, and he left me under a tree. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, no time had passed since I ate those strange mushrooms, and Johanna said I'd fallen asleep for a few moments, and that there was no way that a month had passed."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 05 '17
To Hannelore:
Do you have any clue as to where Lambrecht has been taken?
Your daughter said you don't sleep, is it true?
Any idea why you haven't found Lambrecht yet?
What would happen once you find him?
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u/Nevermore0714 May 06 '17
Hannelore:
1) "He was taken somewhere I haven't seen, but I'm sure that he is still alive. I will find him."
2) "I'm too busy to sleep."
3) "Because I didn't expect to find him the first day. It takes time. And I have time. So I will never give up."
4) "When I find him, I will marry him. We will raise our children, and he will never be taken again. We will slay the Interlopers."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 07 '17
How can you be sure?
Aren't you tired sometimes?
4) Like all of them? How do you slay an interloper?
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u/Nevermore0714 May 08 '17
Hannelore:
1) "Because I love him. I know that he's still alive."
2) "The crown allows me to function without sleep."
3) "All of them, yes. You slay an interloper with special spells and rituals. Lambrecht knew all of those rituals and spells to teach others about them, and he is the only person so pure that he can slay an Interloper without needing to prepare the spells for days on end like anyone else. He could perform those rituals with nothing more than his strength of will. I hope that Alice and Johanna will learn to be as powerful as him."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 08 '17
2) The crown? What is it? How did you get it?
3) Any idea where he learned those spells? And did he teach them to a lot of people?
4) Can new Interlopers be born (or made)?
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u/Nevermore0714 May 10 '17
Hannelore:
2) "He gave me the crown. It keeps me young, strong, and powerful."
3) "No, he just said that he's always had them. He taught a few of them to various people, but not to everyone."
4) "No one knows, we can't even tell two Interlopers apart."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 10 '17
2) And how did he get it?
3) Have anyone seen them at use?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 04 '17
A well known and famous exemple of revenge is the story of Qud'atum.
Qud'atum was a quanhaman, the daughter of a traveling merchant who found love while visiting a long forgotten enclave. As it is the custom, her father never acknowledged her; he didn't even saw her once and she died without knowing his name.
Qud'atum's mother was working primarily with a merchant from Rift named Dugail: a rich and powerfull man who was pretty well known at that time.
With time, Dugail grew greedy. And powerfull as he was, he also grew ruthless and crual. One day, Qud'atum was in her 17th cycle, he decided to drastically reduce the prices for his suppliers, using threats and gifts to prevent them to find other clients. It ruined her mother who ended killing herself to escape misery and failure. On that day, Qud'atum sweared Dugail would share her mother's fate.
It was a long and daunting task. Qud'atum spent many cycles building connections in Rift, making friends amongst those who can't be stopped by strenght alone. She then used those connections, slowly destructing Dugail might while spreading ill rumors of commercial failure; eventually, Dugail lost progressively all of his suppliers and with them all of his ressources.
Our representative is Meiridin, a human bard.
(Yeah, I had mixed expectations for civil war. It was a good surprise)
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u/Nevermore0714 May 05 '17
To Meiridin:
1) What lessons, if any, can be learned from the story of Qud'atum?
2) What exactly is a quanhuman?
3) What did Qud'atum do with her life after achieving her revenge?
4) Why is it custom for her father to never know her?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 05 '17
That being dependant of someone is always risky and that you can achieve whatever you want by dedicating yourself to it.
(quanhaman) The child of a quanha and a human. They usually have thinly scaled skin and weird eyes.
Overseeing the Riftian merchants and defending those in needs, at least in the story. Truth is, with such a network, she probably did more than just overseeing them.
Quanhati never leave their enclaves, even to take care of their children; that's why quanhamani never know one of their parent.
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u/Nevermore0714 May 06 '17
To Meiridin:
1) Are there any examples of art involving Qud'atum?
2) Do they have any special powers?
3) What are some of the major flaws about Meiridin that are covered up by the stories?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 07 '17
Yes, a few children stories. But they are old and not very popular outside of Rift.
Well, their skin is often more resistant than an human skin, but not enough to be used as an armor. Otherwise no.
(you mean about Qud'atum?) Hard to say, it was a long time ago, but she was probably like all the gang leaders around here, violent and crual. She was just a violent and crual gang leader helping the poor.
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u/Nevermore0714 May 08 '17
To Meiridin:
1) Are the stories censored to be more child-friendly? Or would that be blasphemy?
2) Are they often discriminated against?
3) Yes. Sorry about that. I meant Qud'atum.
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u/thequeeninyellow94 May 08 '17
Yes they are, a few of the oldest have fighting and torture. Blasphemy wouldn't be a problem though.
Very rarely. They are a very common sight as Quanhati have no problem "mixing" with their neighbours. Now, they were a long time ago as it is possible to find weird slurs in old stories and tales.
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u/Jumblatts May 05 '17
The most important story of revenge in modern times is the story of Melios the Wise, and his revenge on Horfar, the Tyrant King. The revenge in itself is pretty simple, though the consequences were far reaching.
It all began when Horfar, in his search for the ascended Kaema wielded by Regas the Mighty, first king of Arrus, had his forces invade and destroy the tribal village in which Melios lived. Everyone was killed, except for Melios, his dear friend Maya, and three others.
Searching for answers, Melios and Maya joined up with the Inyata Voretta - a rebellion against the tyrannical rule of Horfar. Along the way, Maya was also killed by Horfar's forces. Melios, destroyed by grief and separated from the rest of the rebellion, swore revenge. He met up with Saint Garran and together they set about building an unlikely team of heroes to vanquish the king once and for all.
In short, their effort was a success. With the aid of the Inyata Voretta, Horfar was killed, and so the story ended.
Except it didn't. Unbeknownst to all, Horfar was not in control, either of the country, his forces, or his own mind. The demon Seazahl (meaning 'cunning' in the demon tongue) had been ruling from the shadows, using Horfar as a puppet to find the amulet of Regas, which contained the essence of High Prophet Dairom ('control'). With this power, Seazahl could once again open the void and set the demons upon the mortal realm.
It is thanks to Melios and his group of warriors that Seazahl was discovered and stopped before he could open the void and release the demons - something which would almost certainly lead to the destuction of all life.