Favorite Victim Type

[XMalcolmX]

Hello,

A few months ago I said that I was going to create some polls. Here is second one. What is your favorite type of victim in this fantasy? I was reading some stories posted on the boards and noticed that different stories have had their victims embrace their deaths is varying manners and I was curious if there was a particular preference in the community.

After giving it a little bit of thought, I believe the best way to describe victims is a combination of their perspective toward battle and their acceptance of death.
For perspective towards battle I believed it could be broken down into three groups: Eager, Necessary, Innocent. For acceptance of death I also broke it down into three groups: Bold, Stoic, Timid.

Attitude towards battle: Someone eager to do battle I see as someone coming from like a warrior tribe or culture where combat is celebrated such as Vikings. This type of individual craves battle, seeking it out. Someone who believes battle is necessary I see as someone who is a soldier for example. This type of individual doesn't seek out battle, but understand its purpose and believes there are cases where a man simply has to fight for something which may be for their beliefs, country, or simply their own survival. Someone who is innocent towards battle I see as more of a victim of unfortunate circumstance or assassination. This type of individual is not a warrior, but rather killed purely for base reasons like revenge or power such as a noble lord being killed by an assassin hired by another lord or a man killing another for sleeping with his lover.

Acceptance of death: Someone bold in their death are determined to meet their final moments as fearlessly as possible. This type of individual even as his body is pierced by his enemy, looks his opponent in the eye, daring him to do his worse. Someone stoic in their death I see as being more the middle, less brazen than the bold victims. This type of individual isn't as vocal, meeting their fate with grim acceptance, they will not taunt their killer nor vocally beg for mercy. Someone timid in their death are what I see as the most dramatic types afraid of death and pain. This type of individual begs their killer for mercy, pleading for their life as soon as they realize they are going to meet their end.

Below are some basic examples I came up with for putting it all together. 

Eager/Bold - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end knowing he has died with pride as a man should
Eager/Stoic - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end shocked that he is going to die but accepts it
Eager/Timid - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end and begs for his enemy not to kill him

Necessary/Bold - Soldier fighting for his country meets his end knowing he has died with pride as a man should
Necessary/Stoic - Soldier fighting for his country meets his end shocked that he is going to die but accepts it
Necessary/Timid - Soldier fighting for his country meets his end and begs for his enemy not to kill him

Innocent/Bold - Wealthy noble is mugged and killed for his valuables determined to die with pride as a man should
Innocent/Stoic - Wealthy noble is mugged and killed for his valuables shocked that he is going to die but accepts it
Innocent/Timid - Wealthy noble is mugged and killed for his valuables and begs not to be killed

I am curious what are your favorite types. You can vote for multiple options in the poll and feel free to share your thoughts in the thread as well!

[Gutted Gladiator]

Thanks for making this! I appreciate this kind of taxonomic analysis; it reminds me of the kind of planning I've done when trying to write interactive stories, where you want to neatly account for multiple possibilities.

I noticed you can vote here for multiple options, but in the end I chose Necessary/Stoic as my favorite. Although I think there's a time and a place where every one of these scenarios can be enjoyable (and of course, it's all about the execution, no pun intended), I like this one, which happens to be smack dab in the middle. I figured at first I'd enjoy Eager/Bold the most, but while I do enjoy it very much, it can be boring to some degree to read and write stories in which there is no conflict, no struggle; I guess I like Necessary/Stoic more, in the end, because it involves someone coming to terms with the enormity of what is happening to them -- struggling with, but ultimately conquering, that terrible burden of pain and defeat.

Phew, this is hot to think about! Thanks again!

[CHASE]

Never thought about it like this but I guess anything "soldier" is not my thing. Nor is the mugged victim my thing.

I guess I like only the first three:
Eager/Bold - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end knowing he has died with pride as a man should
Eager/Stoic - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end shocked that he is going to die but accepts it
Eager/Timid - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end and begs for his enemy not to kill him

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I also think there are probably more types among the types you put into categories.

[mj000]

Interesting post. Personally, I'm into the "bold" and "necessary" attitudes rather than the "innocent" one, since I enjoy scenarios where both opponents are willing to put up a fight, but besides that, I enjoy variety. I like the idea of separating the attitude towards battle and the acceptance of death; some warriors might go into battle reluctantly but remain defiant to the end, while others could start the fight with an overconfident, cocky attitude and end up pleading for mercy when their time comes. That said, if I had to pick one as a favourite, it'd probably be the Necessary/Stoic kind.

[XMalcolmX]

Thanks for making this! I appreciate this kind of taxonomic analysis; it reminds me of the kind of planning I've done when trying to write interactive stories, where you want to neatly account for multiple possibilities.

I noticed you can vote here for multiple options, but in the end I chose Necessary/Stoic as my favorite. Although I think there's a time and a place where every one of these scenarios can be enjoyable (and of course, it's all about the execution, no pun intended), I like this one, which happens to be smack dab in the middle. I figured at first I'd enjoy Eager/Bold the most, but while I do enjoy it very much, it can be boring to some degree to read and write stories in which there is no conflict, no struggle; I guess I like Necessary/Stoic more, in the end, because it involves someone coming to terms with the enormity of what is happening to them -- struggling with, but ultimately conquering, that terrible burden of pain and defeat.

Phew, this is hot to think about! Thanks again!

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've read and have written some interactive stories myself and this is generally the process I think about as well. The fun thing about humanity is that we are all different and everyone resonates differently with this interest, but I am a curious person by nature and like to learn more about what makes everyone tick. Actually on the topic, while I was thinking of groupings, I thought of your most recent interactive story. If you lose the fight, I think the options presented are pretty synonymous with these choices. I'm quite fond of necessary/stoic as well, as the struggle and the conflict is quite important to me. I enjoy the acts that this group celebrates, but I like them in the context of a broader story, which you do amazingly well.

Never thought about it like this but I guess anything "soldier" is not my thing. Nor is the mugged victim my thing.

I guess I like only the first three:
Eager/Bold - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end knowing he has died with pride as a man should
Eager/Stoic - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end shocked that he is going to die but accepts it
Eager/Timid - Warrior who charges into battle meets his end and begs for his enemy not to kill him

---

I also think there are probably more types among the types you put into categories.

There are likely a bit more, I was limited by the fact you can only make ten options on the poll, but I still believe I summed up a large bulk of it with my selections. However, if you can think of some that I missed, I would be glad to see them.

Interesting post. Personally, I'm into the "bold" and "necessary" attitudes rather than the "innocent" one, since I enjoy scenarios where both opponents are willing to put up a fight, but besides that, I enjoy variety. I like the idea of separating the attitude towards battle and the acceptance of death; some warriors might go into battle reluctantly but remain defiant to the end, while others could start the fight with an overconfident, cocky attitude and end up pleading for mercy when their time comes. That said, if I had to pick one as a favourite, it'd probably be the Necessary/Stoic kind.

Thanks for your input! When I was thinking about it, I basically came to that conclusion. As you were saying, there is basically how a man goes into battle and how a man goes into his death and I think that it is very enticing pertaining to this interest. I completely agree that variety is the most enjoyable. All of these types are a pleasure to read in fiction or see in movies.

[timgotshot]

Consent and enthusiasm turn me on! Acceptance, the ability to roll with your fate, is also a good trait.

Just like in my kinky and non kinky sex life, a guy who's owning where he is and what he's doing is for me.

I only like Timid if it morphs into Bold after some situational goading.