Drunken brawl

[Gurkhal]

I have a shamefully ignorant question.

If there is a drunken brawl, how will it generally differ from a normal brawl? I have a scene in which a feast turns into an skirmish but I'd like to know that I present it in a realistic manner. So what would there be to keep in mind?

 

[CupofJoe]

[Not that I have EVER being in one - ahem]
There may be a plan and even strategy at the outset but everyone will end up in a pile on the floor trying [ineffectually] to punch, pull, bite, twist whatever comes closest.
Usually there will be at least one person trying to crawl away.

 

[MineOwnKing]

Instead of going home, you get to go to jail.

 

[Heliotrope]

I've spent some time waaaaaaaay up north close to the oil rigs. The guys come back from camp with cash, and are usually pretty pent up from being in the woods in close quarters with each other in the cold.

Some observations:

Events are very dramatic for those in the fight (tempers are irrational) but often really funny for those observing (friends are either getting involved, or think the whole thing is hilarious).

Punches are missed. The fight is often much less intense and over more quickly then the drunken participants would like to believe.

Weird stuff is used as weapons. There is the typical chairs, glassware, bottles, belts, cutlery... But I have also seen attempted wedgies, car key gouging, picture frame bashing, wallet or shoe throwing... Etc. Be creative.

 

[skip.knox]

Heliotrope has it, and there's an important point there. The scene can be played for comedy (cue the funny weapons and whiffed punches; much falling down), but also for tragedy. It is distressingly easy for someone to get badly hurt or killed in such an encounter.

 

[Gurkhal]

Thanks for the input!

The drunken brawl I have in mind will have at least two deaths, probably more, and I'm curious for the chance/possibility that one side could break and run. Or if I should have the participants only mildly intoxicated to make this realistic?

 

[Caged Maiden]

Okay, so brush up on your drunkard hillbilly shows like Kentucky Justice or whatever. one-liners. OMG!

The things people say when they're drunk and where their priorities lie are the funniest!

Have someone get a tooth knocked out and drop to the floor to find the tooth. Or even better, have someone concerned about blood on his boot, or some other ridiculous idiocy that pours from a besotted mind when his priorities ought to probably be on self-preservation.

I think the thing I've laughed hardest at on those shows are how people never seem so dumb as when they're inebriated and overly concerned about inconsequential matters. Things like, "Yeah, I shot him, because he called my girl a bimbo." Or, words used in the wrong meaning, or petty, trivial things that seem hugely important to drunk people, like, "He called my velvet Elvis tacky, so I stabbed him...naturally." Drunk people, especially simple-minded folks, lets be honest, say some really stupid things when they're angry. Maybe watch a couple episodes of Springer to fully immerse yourself in lowbrow dialect in preparation?

HA! This sounds fun! Best wishes for the scene!

 

[MineOwnKing]

It would be very easy to get killed. Especially if it's cold out. I know a guy that lost an eye from the bottom of a bar stool. Now he sneezes about 10,000 times a day. Not good.

Stereo types abound in the tavern. I finally had to quite going altogether.

Many men go to bars to fight on purpose, and women encourage them! Beer magnifies that stupidity. Whiskey makes it life threatening.

One scuffle that comes to mind, was me leaving with a pretty blond at bar close. I was all happy with thoughts of how the rest of the night was going to go when a giant muscled hulk jumps on me from behind, throws me down the stairs and begins to choke me.

After being dragged across the snow, I broke the hold and hit him so hard he had to go to the emergency room to get stitches. His response was this, "Why did you hit me?!"

??

He had no memory of attacking me just moments before. If I wasn't 6'3" he might have choked me to death.

 

[skip.knox]

The drunken brawl I have in mind will have at least two deaths, probably more, and I'm curious for the chance/possibility that one side could break and run.

My first reaction--others should chime in here--is that the very concept of "sides" in any brawl, but especially a tavern brawl, is misplaced. With two deaths, this is sounding more like a staged battle that just happens to break out in a tavern. Which is fine, but is not what I picture when I hear "brawl".

Also, it's actually rather difficult to get everyone to the same stage of drunkenness at roughly the same time. Some of your participants are going to be more sober than others, unless there was a drinking contest involved.

Also, put some thought to how this fight breaks out, especially when death is on the line (sorry). Is it spontaneous? Planned? A steady (or unsteady!) escalation?

Also, and finally, the extent of detail in describing this fight needs to be in proportion to its consequences. If the two deaths are incidental bystanders, that's one thing. If it's two major characters, that another. If it's the former, you perhaps don't need to go into much detail. It's just a fight that turned bloody. Very understandable, especially if drunken ogres are involved.

 

[Gurkhal]

My first reaction--others should chime in here--is that the very concept of "sides" in any brawl, but especially a tavern brawl, is misplaced. With two deaths, this is sounding more like a staged battle that just happens to break out in a tavern. Which is fine, but is not what I picture when I hear "brawl".

Also, it's actually rather difficult to get everyone to the same stage of drunkenness at roughly the same time. Some of your participants are going to be more sober than others, unless there was a drinking contest involved.

Also, put some thought to how this fight breaks out, especially when death is on the line (sorry). Is it spontaneous? Planned? A steady (or unsteady!) escalation?

Also, and finally, the extent of detail in describing this fight needs to be in proportion to its consequences. If the two deaths are incidental bystanders, that's one thing. If it's two major characters, that another. If it's the former, you perhaps don't need to go into much detail. It's just a fight that turned bloody. Very understandable, especially if drunken ogres are involved.

The reason I picked the word "brawl" was because there would be few proper weapons and it kind of escalated rather than there being some plan or thought about it.

The scenario I have is that I need two tribes to feud with each other after previously being friends. The solution I came up with is this: The two tribes had a victory over a third tribe, and then they have a feast to celebrate it on neutral/sacred grounds right after a sacrifice to the gods. When the drink starts coming in, the younger brother of Cheiftain 1 starts to brag about how awesome he is, Cheiftain 2 calls him an empty boaster, liar and to shut up. Being proud, insecure and drunk this younger brother grabs his dagger and attacks Cheiftain 2, giving him a fatal wound. In response another guy from Cheiftain 2's tribe jumps at this young brother, but Cheiftain 1 gets between them to protect his brother, but takes the dagger in his guts instead. The whole place erupts into violence and after a short while the guys from Cheiftain 1's tribe bails and makes a break for it, escaping the scene.

Essentially I'm looking at two named character deaths and a couple of minor ones.

Does this make sense or is it an unrealistic scene? I'm actually mostly thinkinkg about Tribe 1 successfully getting out of there due to them being drunk.

 

[skip.knox]

It works, I reckon, but why do they have to be drunk? A victory in war is heady stuff in itself. If Younger Brother is well established as insecure, and Chieftain 2 is likewise established as being arrogant, then a fight is not unrealistic. Throw a few punches, Younger Brother goes for the knife, Chieftain 2 dares to laugh at him, and there you go.

That's not to say there should not be drinking. But you don't need the vibe of a drunken brawl to effect your killings. And, as I think you have found, adding drunkenness somewhat complicates the scene. Heck, Chieftain 2 (or even Older Brother) could tell Younger that he's maybe had too much to drink, hoping to defuse the moment, though of course it would only serve to make him angrier.

I don't mean to write the scene for you, I'm just suggesting that having the actions be character driven rather than drink driven is a viable option.

 

[Gurkhal]

I'm not afraid of suggestions or so. I know what I want to get from this scene so tilting it one way or another don't really make or break the importance of the scene, as I see it. Thus feel free to offer all and any suggestions!

Anyway, the reason I wanted them to be drunk was to explain why it went to violence where they had been able to work together against the third tribe before. I imagine that the Young Brother and Cheiftain 2 has already interacted with each other during that encouter but it didn't go to violence then, only now when Young Brother was drunk and so reacted with less restraint while at the same time Cheiftain 2 was also drunk and so probably pushed Young Brother harder than before, thinking that Young Brother would react as before, just shrugging it off or steaming with anger.