Reader Question Day #73 – more character duels

The topic of which character would win in a fight seems to be evergreen! Here are a few more:

Ivan K asks:

Caina vs. Romaria?

It would depend on the environment. Caina is more comfortable in an urban setting, and Romaria in a wilderness location. Physically, Romaria is stronger and quicker (and can also change into a giant wolf), and her senses are far sharper. That would be an advantage in the countryside, but Caina could turn that into a massive liability in the city – if she lured Romaria into a tannery or a dyeworks, for instance.

So, in a city, Caina would likely be able to to outwit and defeat Romaria after luring her into a trap. In the countryside, though, Romaria would win very quickly.

Lord Richard Mandragon vs. Halfdan?

In straight physical combat, likely Lord Richard. They didn’t call Richard Mandragon the “Dragonslayer” for nothing (he did kill a dragon in his youth), and in the world of the Grim Marches, leadership is heavily tied to physical prowess. It doesn’t work that way among the Ghosts or the Empire of Nighmar.

That said, both Richard and Halfdan are fairly cerebral, and they both basically have the same objectives – order, peace, and good government. They both subscribe to Clausewitz’s idea that war is simply policy pursued through a more extreme method, and both prefer to obtain their objectives via the least amount of bloodshed possible – better to assassinate one man than to fight a war that kills ten thousand. I suspect that Richard Mandragon and Halfdan would be more likely to work together than to fight.

Joseph N asks:

Molly Cravenlock vs. Kylon of House Kardamnos?

If Molly stabs Kylon in the back in the first few seconds, she would win.

But after that, the odds are increasingly against her. Kylon’s water and air sorcery lets him match her Demonsouled speed and strength, and even exceed it for short bursts. Additionally, Kylon’s ability to sense sorcery means he can also sense Molly’s teleportation ability – and that means he can sense where she is going to appear a split second before she does. That would be a lethal advantage.

However, Kylon doesn’t have Molly’s Demonsouled healing ability. So if she manages to wound Kylon, the odds tilt in her favor. But the longer the fight goes on, the more likely it is that Kylon will win.

-JM