Future Knight Quest

Were barely able to scrape together enough credits to buy your '57 RocketEX jouster. A few years old and heavily used, this jouster wasn't top of the line when it was brand new, but it was the best your clan could afford

>>301035
>Inherited your stock model 47' Camelot jouster from your father[...]
Family heirloom!

>>301035
>>Inherited your stock model 47' Camelot jouster from your father, who used it in a short lived jousting career in his youth. You have trained under him for years.

>>301035
So, it's a world with hover bikes to joust? SciFi/ Fantasy mix à la Final Fantasy? Or left-over feudal traditions?

You inherited your stock model 47' Camelot jouster from your father, who used it in a short lived jousting career in his youth. You have trained under him for years.

While you understand you are no grand champion yet, you feel competitive and will do your best to represent your clan. This is your first match ever, not to mention the opening match of the Eighth Moon Celebration.

You adjust the sights on your helmet. Regulations haven't allowed digital targeting displays in helmets since the Reform, but your old model has these capabilities.

Do you:

>Use the digital targeting, making it easier to hit your opponent. Cheating will mean disqualification and dishonor, if you are caught. If it goes unnoticed, it will almost assure victory .


>Don't use it. Although your competition is more experienced, you feel you have the skills to win.

Your father shouts from the stands,

"This is an easy win for you, boy!"

>>301076
>Don't use it. Although your competition is more experienced, you feel you have the skills to win.
Honor before victory! We will win by ourselves or not at all. There's no dishonor in losing our first ever joust anyway.

>>301076
>>Don't use it. Although your competition is more experienced, you feel you have the skills to win.
If we can't do it now, we won't do it later.

You disable all digital features on your helm aside from the two allowed by regulation; The speedometer, and the damage relay system that connects sensors in your armor to displays in the medical services tent allowing for quick reactions to injuries.

This will be a fight you'll win on your own.

The music starts.

Trumpets sound as the clan leaders are ushered into their spectators boxes. Your clan leader, a distant great uncle, is a stern man with wrinkled brown skin. He shakes hands with the Hill clan leader, as is customary before inter-clan jousting on most occasions.

Quickly the tune ramps up tempo, and the referee box is lit with advertisements as it climbs into the air over the tilt yard.

You and your opponent start your jousters. The purr of your motor drowns out all else, as you hoist your lance high.

You plan to:

>Keep a low speed this pass, attempt to lay a glancing blow to knock him off balance for the next pass.

>Give everything you've got in the initial blow. It is not uncommon for matches to be won this way, but it is the most dangerous. If both jousters try this technique, it often ends in injuries on both sides.

>Feign nervousness and pretend to miss. This sets you up to surprise Jerold next turn.

>>301091
>>Give everything you've got in the initial blow. [...]
All or nothing! We can smash our opponents and show off our prowess to the clan leaders.

You glide forward as your jouster switches from stopped. Leaning forward slightly, you accelerate down the tilt. Your steed hums and dust forms clouds beneath you as you ride toward your opponent.

In a flash, you meet, lance to steel, and slow to the opposite end of the tilt.

You hear silence. A good sign, as any injury would set off the alarm in your helm and paralyze your body to await medical attention.

You wheel around to view your opponent. Before you set eyes on him, the cheering of the crowd erupting from all sides of the tilt heralds a victory.

When the dust clears, you see a medical team hoisting Jerold of the Hill clan onto a gurney for transport.

You have won your first match!

"Aye, a bold move." Whispers your father, joining you on the tilt to help remove your armor. "It worked this time."

You look to the spectator box of the clan leaders and point your lance to them. This is the customary close of every match, symbolizes the forfeiture of personal glory to that of the clan.

With your fathers help, your armor is removed and your jouster covered. You follow him to your stable, a small cargo bay in your families personal ship.

After congratulations, your father asks you how you plan to spend the rest of the day.


You:

>Plan to enjoy some celebration, and hope to find your close friend Belerio for some revelry.

>Plan to return to the tilt. Watching the remaining matches and viewing what could be tomorrows competition in unmounted melee.

>Plan to spend the night resting and readying equipment for tomorrow. Extra preparedness never hurt.

>>301127
>>Plan to return to the tilt. Watching the remaining matches and viewing what could be tomorrows competition in unmounted melee.

>>301127
>Plan to spend the night resting and readying equipment for tomorrow. Extra preparedness never hurt.

>>301127
>Plan to return to the tilt. Watching the remaining matches and viewing what could be tomorrows competition in unmounted melee.
The more you know.

>>301127
>Plan to return to the tilt. Watching the remaining matches and viewing what could be tomorrow's competition in uncounted combat.

You return to the tilt and find your clans section in the stands. Monitors back each row, and as you move through them, you catch glimpses of matches through congratulatory clansmen and other spectators.

You sit near the front, a place of honor, and are able to see the tilt from your seat. You take note that many of the River Valley Clan seem to be surrendering their matches. This is typically due to wanting to prevent injury during mounted combat for competitors that specialize in melee.

A true knight, and jouster at heart, you would never do such a thing.

You:

>Are no slouch with a blade either, and feel confident about tomorrow.

>Specialize in mounted combat and may forfeit a few matches tomorrow if you feel outclassed; this is not seen as dishonorable and is often regarded as wise.

>Have almost no melee skill, and will only participate in the first match as a courtesy before bowing out. You are a jouster first and only, a purist and hopefully one day a master.

>>301166
>Are no slouch with a blade either, and feel confident about tomorrow.

>>301166
>Specialize in mounted combat and may forfeit a few matches tomorrow if you feel outclassed; this is not seen as dishonorable and is often regarded as wise.

>>301166
>Specialize in mounted combat and may forfeit a few matches tomorrow if you feel outclassed; this is not seen as dishonorable and is often regarded as wise.

You feel strongly about competing, but don't doubt there will be a few matches tomorrow with opponents you simply cannot win.

After viewing the conclusion of the matches and the days closing ceremonies, you retire to your family ship.

Your wing of the ship consists of a long corridor with entrances to your bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room along the starboard wall. The opposite wall is a bright screen, playing highlights from today's matches and playing quiet music.

You turn it off, and prepare to rest for the evening. Before you do, you:

>Make a telegraphic call to your father, ask him for advice on tomorrow's melee events.

>Make a telegraphic call to your friend Belerio, your sparring partner and part time squire, to make plans for tomorrow's breakfast.

>>301186
>Make a telegraphic call to your father, ask him for advice on tomorrow's melee events.

>>301186
>Make a telegraphic call to your father, ask him for advice on tomorrow's melee events.
then (if possible)
>Make a telegraphic call to your friend Belerio, your sparring partner and part time squire, to make plans for tomorrow's breakfast.

>>301186
>Make a telegraphic call to your father, ask him for advice on tomorrow's melee events.

In inter-clan meetings, telegraphic communications are used as a matter of course. This avoids any claims of intercepted communications or digital espionage.

You place a call to your father.You know the unmounted melee will be a challenge, and hope to succeed for the glory of your clan.

You have a brief conversation about your training, about trusting your arm and your eyes and about doing your best.

You end the call with a thank you, and quickly dial up Belerio.

Belerio wishes to have a late breakfast. This implies he wishes to have a late night, as he often does when libation is cheap.

Do you:

>Skip the opening ceremonies, and have a late breakfast with Belerio before you have to start preparing for an afternoon match?

>Eat early, participate in the opening ceremonies, and tell Belerio to wake when he pleases but to be ready for your first match?

>Order Belerio to rise early so you can dine and prepare thoroughly for the day?

>>301483

>>301483
>Eat early, participate in the opening ceremonies, and tell Belerio to wake when he pleases but to betray for your first match?

>>301635
*be ready, not betray

>>301483
>Eat early, participate in the opening ceremonies, and tell Belerio to wake when he pleases but to be ready for your first match?

>>301483
>Order Belerio to rise early so you can dine and prepare thoroughly for the day?
He might be a friend but he's still our squire. And having a lazy squite will reflect badly on us, no?

>>301483
>Eat early, participate in the opening ceremonies, and tell Belerio to wake when he pleases but to be ready for your first match?