Hákon's Story: Chapter 1

VS Amezwar: Frozen Still

Sep 21, 2022

Open on Grand Festival Hub

Erlingr is standing on the center of the screen. Runa and Hákon walk in from the left. Runa is a white scaled lizal woman, with a blue dress that reaches down to her knees.

Runa: Erlingr, it’s been some time.

Erlingr: It’s an honor to be in your presence again Lady Runa. Though you know, most wives of a councilor get carried in on a litter. Not doing that is a mistake Hákon.

Hákon: And how many other dragon councilors are there? Besides if my thralls have enough time to carry me around then they should use that time to rest.

Erlingr: That’s the point. You belong to a race that didn’t exist fifty years ago, with farmers for adoptive parents and a wife who used to be a thrall.

Erlingr: Status is power. If you want to get anything done on the council people need to know at a glance that you’re one of the elite.

Erlingr: No, forgive me. A thrall shouldn’t criticize a councilor, I forgot my place, Councilor Hákon.

Hákon steps forward. Erlingr steps back in fear.

Hákon: I wish you didn’t remember it. And you’re wrong, a good councilor listens to everyone. I can’t improve things for the thralls if they don’t tell me what they think.

Erlingr: You dragons all have to make waves don’t you? I have to go now, my master had a long list of people I need to attend to.

Erlingr walks off to the right.

Hákon: I’m not imagining that, right? Erlingr looked afraid of me. I didn’t know he could even feel fear.

Runa: I saw it too. After all this time I thought I had buried my past, but Erlingr reminded me of myself. That was the look of someone expecting a beating.

Runa: Things haven’t changed at all in your time as councilor. If you want to protect people, to protect Erlingr, I think you need to get more forceful.

Hákon: Runa, I’m not going to become a tyrant. Besides, this tournament could be a turning point. Once a tournament with hardly any gladiators or a night market does well, that’s going to strengthen my case.

Runa: I don’t think anything other than force will make those other councilors listen to you once you start talking about reforms to the Tam’ral. But I’m still proud of what you’ve accomplished here.

Runa: Also, try not to get hurt during your match.

Hákon: I’ll be fine. Especially with you in the audience.

Exploration Start

Since this is the first chapter, this segment is just a tutorial. Walk around to the different pop ups to learn the basics of Hákon’s moveset and play around with it.

Hákon is technically a grappler, but one based around hit grabs, meaning that while some attacks look like grabs, they can be blocked. This even extends to his icicle projectile, which won’t win any projectile wars but leads to a lot of damage on hit.

What makes Hákon’s hit grabs work is that they compensate for their slow start up with super armor, meaning you can eat an attack and still have it go off.

And while Hákon is slow due to lugging around his macuahuitl, he can create a patch of ice to quickly slide forward on for a surprise attack, and even do that in the air. Be sure to get a feel for using the ice slide into different attacks, it’s an important technique.

Also, you can eavesdrop on some NPCs to hear what they’re talking about and get some more info.

Xilian Noble: Say what you will about Our Revered Lady, but at least the empire doesn’t have slavery like these islands. I can’t wait to leave this vile place.

Gossiper: Did you know that Hákon’s wife used to be a singer, a mere entertainer thrall? I still remember that time he punched her former master in the face.

Gossiper 2: I feel bad for all the high ranking women here who lost out on a powerful husband. Is it true that Hákon’s wife doesn’t even sing anymore? That’s such a waste.

Merchant: I wish the mainlanders could stop being so paranoid. We have strict laws about not enslaving mainlanders or Corkoa, yet people look at me like every word is some kind of trick to enslave them.

When you’re all done, go to the right and talk to Amezwar.

Exploration End

Amezwar: Councilor Hákon, an honor to meet you sir.

Hákon: I’ve heard of you as well, Chief Knight Amezwar. They say you’re one of the strongest men in Pheona.

Amezwar: We’ll see how I measure up to the likes of you, even in Pheona the power of dragons is well known.

Amezwar: If I may, I have a favor to ask before we begin. His Majesty the king of Pheona wishes to have the avatar of flames, Aodh, as a guest. I’m sure the invitation would be better received from a fellow dragon.

Hákon: You’re asking the wrong one. If I ask he’s totally refusing. Aodh doesn’t like your king either, I don’t think he’ll accept that invitation from anyone.

Amezwar: But you got him to attend this tournament, didn’t you?

Hákon: Only for the chance to fight me. We might be brothers, but he kind of hates me. I’ve been trying to win him over for years, so if you find a way to change his mind I would love to know.

Hákon: (Especially since there aren’t too many other dragons around.)

Hákon: Anyway, let’s get to the arena, it’s about time to begin.

Transition to Lava Lake

Battle Start

This stage has an obvious and simple gimmick, the lava on the sides. If you get thrown off the stage the lava will deal damage and throw you back on stage, it’s fake magic lava, don’t question it. The impact of your landing hurts opponents, so be careful if you do it to someone else.

Aside from that the stage is fairly simple, with a single platform hovering over the center of the stage. Don’t worry about it too much, if Amezwar goes to the platform he’s making it easier for you to hit him from below.

Amezwar’s spear lets him use a lot of long range attacks to poke at you. Good thing you can ice slide forward and use a move to super armor through those pokes. Normally that’d get blocked and punished, but it’s the first match, the AI will go easy on you.

If you can, try to throw Amezwar towards the lava for more damage and potential follow ups. You want his back facing the lava. But even if you can’t quite pull that off, winning this fight will be simple.

Battle End

Both fighters are at their round start positions, but now Amezwar is kneeling.

Amezwar: Damn it. Losing in the first round isn’t exactly fitting of my station.

Hákon: Sorry, but I had status at risk here too. On the bright side, if I win the whole tournament your loss won’t look as bad.

Amezwar: Then I suppose I have no choice but to pray for your triumph. And before you celebrate this victory, how would you feel about a chance to meet my king? I can’t promise it, but I can attempt to arrange it.

Hákon: That’d be a honor. Maybe together we can work out a way to make Aodh stop hating us.

Hákon: [Runa, it looks like I might get a chance to meet the king of Pheona.]

Runa: [It’s just like you to get an offer from someone you beat. Come join me in the audience, you can tell me more face to face. I also have another meeting to suggest.]

Amezwar: What’s with that look on your face? Are the rumors you dragons can speak with your minds true?

Hákon: Sorry about that, and yes, that’s what I was doing. I hope you enjoy the rest of the festival, for now I need to go return to my wife.

Chapter End

Note from the Author: The next protagonist vote was a tie between Hákon and Aris, so after some contemplation I chose Hákon. But, I wrote out part of Aris’s story during the decision process. That will give him a leg up if any more ties happen.

There are many things I could say about why Hákon is the character he is thematically, but I’ll trust in the story’s ability to express that before saying it myself. For now I’ll simply say that I’m excited to be doing his story and that there’s interest in it.

As always, any sort of comment is appreciated. What trajectory for the story can you make out from here? And what do you think of Runa so far? Be sure to let me know.

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