His Majesty's Dragons: World at War

[Charon]

A man uses explosives once in a grapple...

But no, this was Kunja being diplomatic. Explosives are not for diplomacy.

[JimmyTheCannon]

A man uses explosives once in a grapple...

But no, this was Kunja being diplomatic. Explosives are not for diplomacy.

They're for everything else.

[Comrade Tortoise]

My biggest issue is that such a maneuver is far more possible with a lightweight. Assuming the guy isn't strapped in too tight.

Franklin's still slower than Kunja - Kunja could do so more easily, yes. I just didn't see anyone trying to do so yet.

It is not a matter of speed, but margin for error. You have a paw the size of a VW Bug, with talons like scimitars, trying to hit a moving target because there are two heavyweights wrestling around.

Of all the midweights, you are the only one with the flight control to succeed. I considered it, and realized that I would probably turn the captain into a bloody paste.

[rhoenix]

Exactly - Storm Dragon Stability for the win!

That said, Kunja would indeed have a far better chance, and he still can get there first.

[General Havoc]

Exactly - Storm Dragon Stability for the win!

That said, Kunja would indeed have a far better chance, and he still can get there first.

No he cannot. A post made is a post played, and barring special circumstances, I resolve them in the order they appear.

That was a ballsy move, Rhoenix. Doesn't take many of those before it bites you in the ass. But then sometimes boldness is called for after all...

[Charon]

I suggest telling the captain to tell his dragon to calm the hell down.

[Comrade Tortoise]

The hold I am using is similar to a choke hold, but designed to restrict the opening of jaws rather than choking someone out, and anatomically adjusted for a more elongate body form.

[JimmyTheCannon]

Incidentally, I know the Bonetail's normal territory is Canada, but Jimmy and Faust are American.

[General Havoc]

Incidentally, I know the Bonetail's normal territory is Canada, but Jimmy and Faust are American.

Perhaps I missed something when approving the character, but how did a Bonetail wind up in American hands then?

[JimmyTheCannon]

Incidentally, I know the Bonetail's normal territory is Canada, but Jimmy and Faust are American.

Perhaps I missed something when approving the character, but how did a Bonetail wind up in American hands then?

I actually didn't go into that. The Bonetail's listed territory is NW Canada, including right along the border with the US, so I figured it wouldn't be out of the question for one to be in the USAF. Is that a problem?

[Charon]

In other news:

Whoo! The Turkish Dragons are completed now!

[JimmyTheCannon]

That was a ballsy move, Rhoenix. Doesn't take many of those before it bites you in the ass. But then sometimes boldness is called for after all...

Looking at this again, I love that he gets "ballsy" and I get "suicidal".

[Charon]

There's a difference between yoinking a distracted dragon's captain and sneak-attacking a heavyweight as a lightweight.

Though Kunja's gotten called suicidal several times.

[rhoenix]

Looking at this again, I love that he gets "ballsy" and I get "suicidal".

Maybe - but he's used to it from me by now.

[dragnl0rd]

Hello all. You can all blame AJ for the fact that I found this game/story/environment too addictive to stay away from.

My name is Daniel, and this is my submission:

Captain's Name: Marcus Wainwright
Captain's Age: 24
Captain's Description (physical and personality): When comrades and ground crew are asked to point a messenger in Marcus Wainright's general direction, the directions are invariably followed up with something along the lines of "... and keep your eyes peeled. He's a tiny little stick, so he's easy to miss...". At 5'1", with his wiry frame weighing in at 101 lbs, Marcus barely passes the minimum physical requirements to be a part of the RAF. He keeps his black hair short, and when his flight goggles aren't covering his brown eyes, they're hanging around his neck, as if he expects orders to take flight again at any moment. He takes pride in his work, and has a large competitive streak stemming from the an overgrown need to prove himself to those who think they are better in some way because they are bigger. The only thing larger then his competitive nature are his sense of curiousity and desire for adventure. Marcus' issued weaponry include a Lanchester MK. 1*, and a Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife in a sheath on his chest.

Dragon's Name: Alacritas
Dragon's Age: 8
Dragon's Breed: Winchester
Dragon's Description (physical and personality): Alacritas is primarily a brown dragon with purple markings on his tail and the trailing edges of his wings. Although he's no runt, a weight of approximately 2.1 tons does put him on the light end of an already small breed of dragon. He has a competitive streak to match that of his captain, which has gotten him into trouble more often than he'd willingly admit.

Background (both Captain and Dragon, please be as detailed as possible):
Marcus is the younger of two children. His mother Rebecca is the captain of a Parnassian, and his father is a member of her ground crew. However he was pretty much raised by everyone in the base his mother was assigned to. Marcus didn't know any world outside of the Royal Airforce, and he almost never cared. From the age of 4 his curiousity made him a magnet for trouble. He would often wander to random parts of the base, and on the occasions when MPs didn't catch him going where he aught not to, he'd often overhear things I didn't know he shouldn't have heard. Need to know conversations, classified phone calls, and the like. He had a talent for ending up where he aught not be. This happened so routinely, that the base commander even tried protesting his candidacy for Cadet rank on the grounds that he was a security risk. Were it not for his parents and multiple base personnel vouching for his character, he might have succeeded.

Marcus absorbed everything he could during his training about dragons and their care, always eager to help ground crews that found themselves shorthanded. He also honed his ability to get information he wasn't supposed to have. (Many of the soldiers serving at the base would lament having plans for a surprise party ruined). After a few years he found that the RAF had taken notice of his zeal, and of his talents, and assigned him a Winchester egg. Hatching day came, and Marcus could not help but wonder at the vigor of the young hatchling as it made to free itself from it's shell as quickly as possible. It's no wonder Marcus came up with the name "Alacritas".

Alacritas quickly came to share Marcus' wanderlust and curiousity, which only added to the trouble they got into together. Almost immediately on meeting Arcturis (Rebecca Wainwright's Dragon), he was subjected to endless mockery based on his size. While the Parnassian tried keeing his sardonic nature to a minimum around Alacritas due to the fact that he was extended family (the dragon of his captain's son), Alacritas soon developed a complex which led to a need to prove himself capable to larger dragons, usually in the form of a race... an attitude that rubbed off on Marcus in the form of a newfound sense of competition, that has only mellowed somewhat since the war started.

When Marcus was old enough with enough training to be promoted to Captain, with all the privileges and responsibilities therein, he was informed that his dragon assignment had been intentional, and that his talent for getting into places he shouldn't be were going to be put to use... as a scout in the skies over Axis held territories under MI14. Marcus and Alacritas filled this role magnificently, dodging detection by German formations while trying to gather intelligence. As the war deteriorated for the British, it was decided that Marcus and Alacritas, like just about every other dragon and captain, were needed on the front lines.


I imagine showing up in the middle of this major snafu is not the best idea, so I welcome advice on when Marcus and Alacritas should enter (assuming this bg is approved).

EDIT: Thanks tev, for the comments. I've made Alacritas a bit younger, but I can adjust ages further if necessary. I assumed the original age (12) would be okay in relation to Marcus' age, if only because this thread seems to have a couple twenty-something captains with dragons a decade or older (Franklin and Faustus, to be specific. I'm not sure about the characters here from the previous story). They weren't called on their ages, but perhaps things are done differently in the states? My primary goal was to keep them relatively young, such that they could still have SOME of the impulsiveness associated with youth. Also, Marcus is now the younger sibling. Not the elder. Thanks again!

[LadyTevar]

I am not the GM, but I will state that no dragon, even a Winchester, would be given to a child. The RAF would wait until you're 18-20 before promoting you to Captain and letting you harness a dragon.

I'm also assuming you've an older sibling who would be in line to inherit the Parnassian, because otherwise you would never have been given a dragon of your own. They'd be keeping you as the Heir when your mother passes (unless the Parnassian is so old he may die of age first).

Otherwise, Capt Wainwright, I like your idea.

[frigidmagi]

We have a lot of light weights in this formation.

[dragnl0rd]

Modified the character's BG per some of LadyTevar's recommendations.

I was debating playing a parnassian instead of the winchester... but I was having a hard time coming up with a character that could complement a Parnassian's sardonic nature while being able to command a crew. So he was relegated to the backstory.

[General Havoc]

Most of the captains who got their dragons at a young age either found their dragon eggs in the wild, or inherited the already-living dragon from a parent. That said though, in the original books, Cadets are sometimes pared with prospective dragons at a very young age. Volly's captain, for instance, mentions that he was selected to be Volly's captain at age 12 (before Volly even hatched), and that he and Volly were on active duty by the time he was 14. Royal Navy traditions and all.

If you were being assigned to a Parnassian, this would be a very different matter, but canonically, your original background can work, if you want it.

Otherwise, I see no immediate problems, save that, as Tev pointed out, if your mother was the captain of a Parnassian, there's no way they'd let you be harnessed to anything else, unless another sibling was available to inherit the Parnassian in question. Assuming that's the case, or some other solution is to be found for that situation, then there's no trouble.

[dragnl0rd]

I've made changes to the background that Marcus has an older sibling (whereas before he was the older sibling). While I didn't explicitly state it, It could be inferred that the older child was being groomed to inherit Arcturus. I've left the exact details open either as an avenue for a future character or as an exercise for someone else.

That having been said, I'll keep an eye out for an opportune moment for marcus to show up. Can't wait!

[frigidmagi]

Frostfell feels friendship. Crap he's growing up, this will not end well.


The Axis never saw it coming.

[LadyTevar]

We proved we weren't scared of him, and proved we could fight our battles just as well. By proving our own strength, we got Frostfell's full respect.

I'd not be surprised if Frostfell wanted us as wingmen.

[dragnl0rd]

Sorry it's been a while since I posted my character idea. I was specifically told to hold off on posting my entrance since the previous posting prompted a curve ball from the GM, and certain things had to happen before I could post this.

:)

[rhoenix]

Ah, a properly dramatic entrance. Excellent.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Shit is Becoming Properly Real.