Erlingr: Performer
Chapter 4: VS Hákon
Welcome to Battles Beneath the Stars, a webserial styled like the guide and script of a non existent fighting game. If you’re new to this story, be sure to start at the prologue, from there each character’s story branches into its own version of events, so you won’t need to read anyone else’s story to follow this one. And if you just want other parts of the newsletter you can adjust which segments you receive here.
Erlingr has been struggling with being a gladiator and the strange dreams he’s been having, and isn’t keen on how sorry others feel for him. Now it’s time for him to face off against an old friend, Hákon.
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Open on Oddr’s Ship
Oddr and Erlingr are on-screen.
Oddr: You’ve done well making it this far. Though you might need some training to reign in that tongue of yours, you won’t have opponents you can disrespect in other tournaments.
Oddr: Now, for this tournament, let’s end things with a loss to Hákon.
Erlingr: What?
Oddr: Hákon is the one who should represent the isles in the grand finals. You’re only a thrall. And coming so close only to fall short will lead to a more exciting story around the next tournament, accomplished, but not so accomplished that your victory is boring.
Oddr: Fighting is only one part of this. You weren’t idiotic enough to forget, were you?
Erlingr: Of course not. I will do as you command. I won’t let anyone think my defeat is intentional.
Erlingr: (At least those strange dreams seem to have stopped for now.)
Transition to Grand Festival Hub
Exploration Start
It’s a simple straight line to the next fight. And there’s nobody to eavesdrop on along the way this time, there’s only you and the ticking of the timer. Just keep walking until the next scene starts.
Exploration End
Transition to Grand Festival Arena
Erlingr and Hákon stand apart from each other. The stands behind them are filled.
Erlingr: (I accepted my fate, but to lose on purpose… I wanted to fight him for real. For us to push each other to newfound strength.)
Hákon: I’m looking forward to this fight.
Erlingr: So I am. You’ve been a real annoyance trying to get others to pity me.
Hákon: And you’ve been pretty rude to people just showing some concern. At least I know you’re still you because of that. You always were rough around the edges.
Erlingr: (I won’t be much longer, those were just lucky exceptions).
Erlingr: If you think you have any right to meddle in my affairs, then come at me. Prove you have more than just raw power.
Erlingr: (Come on. Make it so I don’t need to try to lose.)
Battle Start
Orders: Get Hákon to 30% health, then lose.
You can’t just throw the fight right away, you need to actually make an effort at first to complete your orders.
Hákon is slow and strong, but he can armor through attempts to disrupt his slowest and strongest attacks. Don’t try to interrupt, just block. He can also get a quick burst of movement by sliding on ice at you.
The key to getting Hákon’s health down is to out maneuver him, do hit and runs, then once you’re in your four armed state try to cash out on damage with supers.
At first the stage might seem small with its flat ground and walls on each end, but at different points platforms will appear in different arrangements, with a timer showing how long they’ll last. Take advantage of these changing platforms to get the drop on Hákon.
Of course winning wasn’t what you were told to do, so you may want to tank some hits on purpose, but losing too early isn’t good either.
Successfully completing your order to lose when you’re close to winning will lead to the next scene.
Erlingr is on the ground, defeated. He rises back up.
Erlingr: (I did it, as master ordered, I have done. This is how things are supposed to be. A thrall has no pride to lose. I’m a performer, not a fighter).
Hákon: Erlingr, are you okay?
Erlingr: You fought well. I’ll simply have to train harder for the next tournament.
Erlingr: (I know what I am now.)
Erlingr walks away.
Game Over
Did you fall for it? Astute players may have noticed the change in wording from ’special condition’ to ‘orders’ and picked up on the implication. Following orders gets you the one ‘bad end’ in the entire game. To reach the true finale of Erlingr’s story, you need to defy orders and fight for real.
So let’s talk about moves to avoid now. Hákon has an icy projectile that functions like a grab, meaning you can’t block it, but can punch it to break it.
For his supers, Gale Rush will have him charge forward a short distance and grab you. The most reliable way to evade is to jump. Icy Capture is a strike with a lot of start up, so just back away.
Now that we’ve cleared up the real way to progress, don’t hold back. Fight for real and win.
Battle End
Erlingr: (I did it. Wait, no! This isn’t what I was ordered to do. Fuck.)
Hákon: This was the exact kind of battle I was hoping for, thank you.
Hákon: Wait, are you okay? You look panicked.
Erlingr: Oh it’s nothing. Only surprise at my victory. Goodbye.
Erlingr runs out of the arena.
Transition to Grand Festival Hub
The area is empty. Erlingr runs on-screen and towards Oddr, who slaps him.
Erlingr: Forgive me.
Runa walks on-screen.
Runa: Stop right there.
Oddr: Oh hello Lady Runa. Sorry you had to see that, there was just an important order Erlingr failed to follow.
Runa: Oddr, I took the time to learn more about your business.
Runa: Specifically the part where you broke the temporary taboo on whoring out gladiators during this festival, and other violations. I have evidence to present proving all of this.
Oddr: What.
Hákon walks on-screen.
Runa: Hákon, I was just telling Oddr about what I found. So, Oddr, now that we have a councilor here, we can resolve this here while everyone else is watching the other matches. Unless you want a full trial and all the talk it entails?
Oddr: …You’re crafty, . And Erlingr has made a rather unwieldy gladiator anyway. Go ahead and say it already.
Hákon: The punishment for violating a thrall’s rights is to lose the thrall in question. Erlingr Oddrthrall, if you confirm that you have been mistreated, you may be released from your current household and made a free man.
There is a notable pause before the next text box appears.
Erlingr: …yes. Yes. It is true.
Hákon: That settles that then. You know Oddr, if you had just been kind to Erlingr and followed the rules, we wouldn’t have had to do this.
Oddr: It hasn’t escaped me that I made a mistake with what just happened. But the mana that comes from his reaults is still mine. Since nobody else is around, let’s keep things civil and say you bought him off me because of how impressed you were by him.
Hákon and Runa turn to look at each other.
Runa: We won’t contradict that.
Oddr: Farewell then.
Oddr walks off-screen.
Erlingr: Why did you do all of this? I’m far from a pleasant person, and you outgrew any real need for me as a mentor.
Hákon: Because we care about you. Nobody should go through what you did. You were the one who called the current state of the gladiator business ‘a perversion of Brynjar’s invention.’
Runa: Despite that you certainly didn’t make it easy to liberate you from it.
Erlingr: It was what I deserved.
Runa: Oh shut up. This whole system of entertainer thralls whose very personalities are molded for the market is nowhere in the ancient laws written by Atdan. Its a mortal invention, and one we can do without.
Runa: At least maybe now you see what happens when you remain stuck in your ways.
Hákon: So what are you going to do now? You can stay with us if you need time to get used to being a free man again.
Erlingr: There’s somewhere I need to go, someone I need to meet. And I think I finally know who it is.
Chapter END
Note from the Author: Erlingr’s status as a thrall offered a lot of space to really make the framing of his story different from others, ironically his is the one where player choice actually matters most. And his ultimate fate is the most variable of any fighter as well if you look at Hákon’s story.
Of course this may make it sound like his story is done, but there’s still one more chapter to wrap things up. Tune in next time for the finale.
| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |