We like fight scenes, don't we?
Apr. 23rd, 2025 02:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellerMirror Curse (1803 words) by EllerWrites
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Fantasy, Fight Scene, Swordfighting
Summary:
Only a few very short comments about the fighting, though I will answer questions if necessary.
- I decided to give Dorion a fighting style that actually suits his personality: double-blade approaches reward risk-taking, creativity, and "nonstandard" moves like using one's environment. Rather than having to compensate for his impulsivity in a more systematic fighting system, why not let him use it where it's an advantage? XD Also, this approach can actually compensate for a longsword's superior reach if used in a tight space - like, say, a bedroom.
- The specific mechanics of the fight here are, of course, grossly exaggerated (as in: completely over the top) for dramatic purposes: both opponents are unnaturally fast and precise. Real fights have more fuck-ups, and I don't mean the crap Dorion is pulling to make things more fun. Unfortunately, real fights are also considerably less fun to write (as in: they are typically very one-sided and over very fast), so, whatever. XD
- Chaos, but controlled chaos. XD Dorion is experiencing a much clearer (but also much unhealthier) thinking during the fight than poor Vinn (who got his ass kicked in my last fight scene). Like, near to no tunnel vision, and much more precise tactics. Also, a decidedly nonstandard reaction to violence. (As a result, this is almost unreasonably technical - it's just how this guy perceives things.) People like Dorion exist, but Vinn is the much more "normal" guy. (As in, likely neurotypical.)
- Bavarian weapons for the fun of it. It's fantasy North Germany, but hey, that won't keep Dorion from using weird and culturally inappropriate stuff, right?
- A note about the "langmesser": when people hear that, they mostly think of the meter-long heavy things, but those were actually more for trolling. (Germany always used to have stupid weapon laws. Like, commoners were not allowed to have swords, but were allowed a knife. What did people do? Yeah, exactly. Build Really! Big! Knives! as a fuck-you - but also, more practical versions for combat existed and were considerably smaller for all the obvious reasons. Dorion's are maybe around ~50cm, which is on the small side, but really the absolute maximum that double wielding allows. (He already has to be pretty strong to pull that off. Anything larger takes superhuman power.)
- Yes, crossguards with that kind of nail existed. (Mainly in Bavaria and Austria.) Yes, I know crossguards are typically used for defensive purposes. Does Dorion know this? Evidently not. XD Using the nail for grip adjustment is not wrong, though: that's exactly what you need if you need to change hand positions fast, without the other hand to help, and ideally without dropping the damn weapon. (Also, the lace pin thing, while hopelessly dramatic, could work. No reason why it won't, as long as you have superhuman speed, which Dorion clearly has, for dramatic reasons. LOL Is it realistic as a tactic? FUCKNO. I was just having fun. Or Dorion really hated that curtain. Your choice.)
- Fighting attitude. Uh. I mean, Dorion has the questionable (dis)advantage of having no sense of fear/anxiety, and - as a result - no sense of guilt or remorse. (These are interconnected.) The good thing is that he's really calm under pressure, he's mentally quite clear while fighting (not dissociating at all), and has really good impulse control... Except when he doesn't. The problem, of course, is that the whole fight was avoidable. (Also, doesn't give a fuck about potential witnesses.) Which is... symptomatic for this type of person (as in: poster boy for ASPD), I'm afraid. XD
- By the way, having both blades in the same plane and getting them locked like that is idiocy. And this freak did it on purpose, too. (I'd call it a beginner mistake, except Dorion is clearly not a beginner.) I guess we can count that as an attitude problem.
- Oh, yeah: after-fight crashes suck. If you've noticed Dorion's distinct lack of stuff like, say, guilt over killing: that's not only his personality disorder talking. The physical effects (shakiness, hunger, pain, adrenaline fluctuations) can override that even in a perfectly neurotypical person because, hey, the brain usually prioritizes immediate survival over moral consideration. (They'd feel guilt later, of course.)
Anyway. So, uh, that was a weird writing experience. I have no idea where this story/world/mess is going. (Yes, yes, this is clearly romantic comedy... XD I mean, I could.)
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Fantasy, Fight Scene, Swordfighting
Summary:
Mirror curses are complicated. Dorion handles the technical part. Cue combat.
Only a few very short comments about the fighting, though I will answer questions if necessary.
- I decided to give Dorion a fighting style that actually suits his personality: double-blade approaches reward risk-taking, creativity, and "nonstandard" moves like using one's environment. Rather than having to compensate for his impulsivity in a more systematic fighting system, why not let him use it where it's an advantage? XD Also, this approach can actually compensate for a longsword's superior reach if used in a tight space - like, say, a bedroom.
- The specific mechanics of the fight here are, of course, grossly exaggerated (as in: completely over the top) for dramatic purposes: both opponents are unnaturally fast and precise. Real fights have more fuck-ups, and I don't mean the crap Dorion is pulling to make things more fun. Unfortunately, real fights are also considerably less fun to write (as in: they are typically very one-sided and over very fast), so, whatever. XD
- Chaos, but controlled chaos. XD Dorion is experiencing a much clearer (but also much unhealthier) thinking during the fight than poor Vinn (who got his ass kicked in my last fight scene). Like, near to no tunnel vision, and much more precise tactics. Also, a decidedly nonstandard reaction to violence. (As a result, this is almost unreasonably technical - it's just how this guy perceives things.) People like Dorion exist, but Vinn is the much more "normal" guy. (As in, likely neurotypical.)
- Bavarian weapons for the fun of it. It's fantasy North Germany, but hey, that won't keep Dorion from using weird and culturally inappropriate stuff, right?
- A note about the "langmesser": when people hear that, they mostly think of the meter-long heavy things, but those were actually more for trolling. (Germany always used to have stupid weapon laws. Like, commoners were not allowed to have swords, but were allowed a knife. What did people do? Yeah, exactly. Build Really! Big! Knives! as a fuck-you - but also, more practical versions for combat existed and were considerably smaller for all the obvious reasons. Dorion's are maybe around ~50cm, which is on the small side, but really the absolute maximum that double wielding allows. (He already has to be pretty strong to pull that off. Anything larger takes superhuman power.)
- Yes, crossguards with that kind of nail existed. (Mainly in Bavaria and Austria.) Yes, I know crossguards are typically used for defensive purposes. Does Dorion know this? Evidently not. XD Using the nail for grip adjustment is not wrong, though: that's exactly what you need if you need to change hand positions fast, without the other hand to help, and ideally without dropping the damn weapon. (Also, the lace pin thing, while hopelessly dramatic, could work. No reason why it won't, as long as you have superhuman speed, which Dorion clearly has, for dramatic reasons. LOL Is it realistic as a tactic? FUCKNO. I was just having fun. Or Dorion really hated that curtain. Your choice.)
- Fighting attitude. Uh. I mean, Dorion has the questionable (dis)advantage of having no sense of fear/anxiety, and - as a result - no sense of guilt or remorse. (These are interconnected.) The good thing is that he's really calm under pressure, he's mentally quite clear while fighting (not dissociating at all), and has really good impulse control... Except when he doesn't. The problem, of course, is that the whole fight was avoidable. (Also, doesn't give a fuck about potential witnesses.) Which is... symptomatic for this type of person (as in: poster boy for ASPD), I'm afraid. XD
- By the way, having both blades in the same plane and getting them locked like that is idiocy. And this freak did it on purpose, too. (I'd call it a beginner mistake, except Dorion is clearly not a beginner.) I guess we can count that as an attitude problem.
- Oh, yeah: after-fight crashes suck. If you've noticed Dorion's distinct lack of stuff like, say, guilt over killing: that's not only his personality disorder talking. The physical effects (shakiness, hunger, pain, adrenaline fluctuations) can override that even in a perfectly neurotypical person because, hey, the brain usually prioritizes immediate survival over moral consideration. (They'd feel guilt later, of course.)
Anyway. So, uh, that was a weird writing experience. I have no idea where this story/world/mess is going. (Yes, yes, this is clearly romantic comedy... XD I mean, I could.)
no subject
Date: 2025-04-24 05:06 pm (UTC)So! I read this twice and, er, I feel more than a bit stupid, because I still don't understand how this blood curse thing works. I take it Prince Ulrik is cursed? And he needs to transfer that curse onto someone else? But who gets the curse, then? Because it can't be Evert, seeing as he's dead. So is it his children? I'm sorry! ImsorryImsorryImsorry, I just don't get it :D
What I do get, though, is that I'm definitely the psychological type of fight reader. As in: I don't care much which bit of steel goes where or does what, but man, do I relish any indication of the mental state of the fighters! Dorion's unhinged joy was a delight to follow. And his crashing was almost a physical blow, as intense as a good hurt/comfort scene. I loved it.
I very much enjoyed the writing too. So sharp, precise. So full of dark humour. And Dorion's little mental comments are hilarious.
He had no intention of using his twin set of langmessers, lovely steel sized for double-wielding, with blades only slightly longer than his forearms. None whatsoever. This was merely a precaution and a comfort. He had to apply the curse somehow, after all.
LOL!
I certainly would be interested in reading more about Dorion. His personality is fascinating to read about.
Thank you for writing and sharing!
no subject
Date: 2025-04-24 05:47 pm (UTC)"I still don't understand how this blood curse thing works"
No worries, you're not being stupid, just not North German enough for the folklore. ;) So. Uh. Yes, the curse was on Ulrik, except Henrik used mirror magic to transfer it to the next best person whose blood gets in contact with the mirror shards. Which is indeed Evert, who is subsequently killed to break/nullify the curse. The good old human sacrifice thing. :3
If this were a "serious" story, like, a novel or something, I would indeed have to be much more clear about that. Maybe put some basic effort into the worldbuilding. And establish why the fuck these characters even care whether Ulrik lives or dies. For that matter, establish why the readers should care whether Dorion lives or dies. XD As it is... I just wanted a fight scene, so, whatever.
"LOL!"
Yep. LOL. Looked the guy up in the Braakeburg Fencing Almanac despite having every intention to just shoot him and be done with it. RIGHT. (Just good preparation, nothing more...) XD
"I certainly would be interested in reading more about Dorion."
That's good, because I'm already working on the next random story snippet in his world. XDD