I've been waiting for this

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A Wyvern Lord of modest height and build, dark-skinned, without a single strand of hair on his head, awaits an incoming attack. The prince opposite the one he's serving is approaching soon, and he and his men know this. He does not know if they will survive or not, but his loyalty drives him regardless. This is Derrick, the leader of the Emperor's Flight and a loyal, noble man in the decadent court of Dain.

The prince he serves waits behind him and his wyvern squadron, not actually knowing the slightest bit about wyvern combat and antsy enough using Khozen for travel. He worries that all of his planning will be for naught if he is defeated here, but... He can't change course. Not yet. This is Lars, eldest son of the late King Drasma, having returned to his homeland to claim his inheritance, his birthright, from the dead hands of his father... At least, that's how the bards will remember it should he win.

On the opposite side of the struggle, a slightly younger prince is wrought with anxiety. Two of his pillars of emotional support are off on a possibly-dangerous potential goose chase, and he still hates the idea of fighting his brother. We know him as Garrus.

A woman with blue-silver hair, who once could have been called as stunningly beautiful as she is skilled, before her years rotting underground, fiddles with her ancestral bow. She's known to be able to damage Prince Lars even with his most impenetrable of armors with the bow Ronan, and fights her former captor not out of revenge, but out of loyalty to a friend who couldn't be here today. We know her as Victoria, the disgraced duchess of Malva, and her face does not give away any of her feeling on having such a potentially-pivotal role in this battle.

>A. Take control of Derrick, a little earlier
>B. Take control of Lars, a little earlier (will be heavy on infodumping)
(unless they run WAY longer than planned, neither of these will last the full thread)
>C. Take control of Garrus
>D. Take control of Victoria

>>42743265
20 minutes' voting time. Also, you can choose
>E. Be somebody else (specify)
or
>F. Forget all this and return to Ellen immediately
but I hit the character limit at Victoria

>>42743265
>A. Take control of Derrick, a little earlier

>>42743265
>D. Take control of Victoria

As an aside, temporarily taking over as an antagonist should allow you to potentially influence the morale and cooperativeness of the antagonists, which could either make the incoming battle significantly easier or much harder. It'd absolutely eat up some time, of course, between exposition and vote times, but the choice is yours.

Picking one of the party members will make it a pretty standard "prepare for and engage in a climactic battle" deal.

>>42743444
Don't you wanna see things from the other side anon?

>>42743636
I don't want to potentially kill our friends while playing as the other side but I don't want to play them as a bunch of pussies either. I'm not opposed to it if the dice or other anons roll that way though.

>>42743727
You'd lose control of them before the battle actually began.

>>42743760
Ok that'll make things easier. I'll change my vote here >>42743444 to A.

>>42743791
>>42743388
Flash back to a few hours earlier, within the city of Barst.

You are Derrick, the prematurely-bald champion of Dain.

Between the deaths of your mother and older brother, along with learning that both of them were involved in the dealings of that senile fool you call your Emperor, you've been having a rough past couple months.

His son, Elias III, insists that you humor him and bide your time, however. At his age (old enough to have children in their fifties and several adult grandkids), he won't be around much longer, and if he or Alexia takes the throne, you're confident Dain will stop with this nonsense.

Elias III agrees, however, that you should take to claiming Neir, though he has warned you to be... Wary of your commanding officer, Prince Lars.

And to please spare his own daughter, Eva, should you cross lances, but so you've heard she's off chasing a second necromancer Elias III has had another friend of his training.

Word is the woman who killed your mother is in that party too, and your brother's assassin is in another country entirely.

>A. You wish you could've had your revenge
>B. This is good. Vengeful attitudes would've clouded your mind
>C. Their role in their deaths means nothing to you. You understand their reasoning
>D. Write-in opinion?

>>42744002
>B. This is good. Vengeful attitudes would've clouded your mind

>>42744081
You're mad at the deaths of Willow and Roderick, and you feel like you would have gotten... A bit personally invested in vengeance.

This way, you can focus on the battle ahead.

The people of Barst have come to respect you dearly, though you blame part of that on having been stuck back here as your subordinates had various tasks delegated to them.

Al, minus his partner Tena, speaks to you in a tavern of some local regard, drowned out among tons of other voices of people trying to forget about the imminent.

"General Derrick, do you... Think we've a chance at this point?"

>A. Definitely
>B. Maybe
>C. Hopefully
>D. You're questioning it
>E. Unlikely
>F. Are you thinking of leaving?
>G. Write-in
(some shit is going on IRL, so if I take awhile to respond like this, sorry. I will get to it though)

>>42744462
>D. "You're questioning it?"

>>42744462
>B. Maybe
>F. Are you thinking of leaving?

>>42744508
The wording on >D may have been somewhat unclear.

That was saying Derrick doesn't know for sure if they'll win this or not, not asking Al.

>>42744572
I know, I meant it as a question for her.

>>42744623
"Her?"

>>42744692
Whoops, thought Tina asked, not Al. Him

>>42744508
>>42744556
"You know that it's never a sure thing, but... I still think we could all pull this off," you assure Al.

He nods, "yeah, I... I guess you're right." He sighs, before continuing, "I dunno, I've just been... Really unsure of myself ever since Tena got killed, and..."

"Are you thinking of quitting?" You ask with nothing in your tone besides curiosity.

"N-no, no! Of course not, General!" Al says, somewhat flustered before taking another sip of his drink.

"I wouldn't hold it against you if you all wished to surrender, but..."

"But you won't, and that's what matters to the Emperor's Flight," Al says certainly.

You sigh and nod, internally remarking that you're going to be the death of them someday.

"So, er, I... Heard that a fellow named Gorman was on their side."

>A. You'd forgotten about your old friend
>B. How could you forget your old friend?
>C. You've been dreading this day
>D. Write-in
>E. Silently sip your beverage

>>42744902
>E. Silently sip your beverage

>>42744902
>E. Silently sip your beverage

>>42745003
You silently sip your beverage, certain this won't impede your prowess at all. There was a period of time after Gorman left where your mother got significantly... Angrier, with your support of him and his mother's escape. You turned to certain vices to cope, until some revelation involving another person you admired inspired you to turn your life around shortly after you enlisted. Since then, you've had an inhumanly high tolerance for alcohol. You're not even close on the weak stuff they're serving.

"Yeah, I... Figured you'd react like that," Al responds, rubbing the back of his head.

A short while later, Lars calls you to the sizable government building he's taken to referring to as a base of operations, along with a few other members of the Emperor's Flight, some high-profile Cord rebels, and the apparent "leader" of the Fire Dragons you saved, a woman named Erche.

A scout informs Lars, whose normally-dyed hair has long since been blue to resonate better with his "rightful king returns" angle, that Prince Garrus' forces will be upon the town before the end of the day. He also mentions that Aylen, the daughter of the Tarvosian Chief, has had her burial site disturbed, and someone resembling her has been spotted riding around Cord.

"Has... Bolse memorized the means to summon deadlords?" Lars asks quizzically, having been... Kept in the dark about the other necromancer's presence.

>A. okay sure it was Bolse
>B. No, it's important he knows what he is or isn't up against
>C. "Suggest" that there's another necromancer
>D. Remain silent
>E. Write-in?

>>42744902
>>B. How could you forget your old friend?

>>42745357
>>C. "Suggest" that there's another necromancer

>>42745357
>C. "Suggest" that there's another necromancer

>>42745470
>>42745537
"There could be another Necromancer," you "suggest," knowing full well there is and not wanting Lars to act under a patently false assumption. You haven't met this other necromancer, but Elias III wished for Lars to be kept in the dark about them.

"Yes, I... Suppose it's a possibility, and Aylen would have been traveling with them had Bolse revived her... Regardless, all of you, feel no remorse if you should encounter any undead opponents. They exist purely as servants of their creator, so... Do not shed tears for Bonewalkers, Revenant, Dracozombies, or any Deadlords who Bolse MIGHT have created. Just because he didn't make Aylen into one doesn't mean there aren't more on his side."

"What are we doing waiting around here for?!" A rebel leader declares, slamming a table, "we need to prepare!"

Erche nods. "Allow me to rouse our dragons as well."

"...no," Lars says, "we've saved you all from the Ice Authority, so it... Wouldn't be right for more of the few of you who remain to be killed so soon after escaping. We wholly appreciate the help you've granted so far, but... I won't be responsible for your eradication."

>A. Lars is right on this one
>B. Lars is wrong on this one
>C. Remain silent. He's the boss
>D. Lars has a point, but would Elias III want this?
>E. Write-in

>>42745717
>C. Remain silent. He's the boss

>>42745717
>>C. Remain silent. He's the boss

>>42745824
>>42745977
You're not going to step out of line for someone who's supposed to be commanding you, even if someone even higher-ranking warned you about trusting him.

Besides, you don't want the Fire Dragons to die either.

The rebel leader, your subordinates, and ultimately Erche come to agree, though she at least requests that she personally be allowed to join in, on behalf of her entire group. Lars allows it.

A few hours later, you await an incoming attack, you and the rest of your men having prepared for this.

You wonder briefly how many of Dain's allies are really Lars' allies, just waiting for... Whatever his uncle thinks will push him to turn.

Durvan in Ulir, the mercenaries sent to assist him, Alexia herself, the Wulf Company, awaiting orders in Noba... At the very least, you're certain that the Garou tribe, as was led by Ahua, was entirely loyal to Lars' will in particular.

Lars, standing behind you and leaving Khozen to lie around in some field (again, the boy's not good with wyverns), conjures up his magical armor, looking thoughtful for a moment before leaving it at its maximum heaviness. Your leader really doesn't want to risk being hurt, even if it means being slow and unable to attack without changing the armor's form.

>A. Take on the part of Prince Garrus, the younger brother of Lars and budding hero
>B. Take on the part of Ex-duchess Victoria, a skilled sniper
>C. Take on the part of Reese, a knight whose class happens to be General
>D. Take on the part of Gorman, a mercenary, hero, and Derrick's childhood friend
>E. Be somebody else (specify)

>>42746248
>D. Take on the part of Gorman, a mercenary, hero, and Derrick's childhood friend

>>42746248
>A. Take on the part of Prince Garrus, the younger brother of Lars and budding hero

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>42746492
>>42746296

>>42746514
Is it to late to vote?

>>42746514
Your POV shifts to Gorman for the second time, as he speaks a bit about Derrick to Reese.

"...aside from what I've already said, as a warrior... I can't really give words to what I haven't seen myself, but I know that he wields Iote's Shield and a Brave Sword, so archery, wind magic... They won't be nearly as devastating towards General Derrick as towards other airborne opponents."

Laurina, also just kinda-sorta participating in the conversation (she can get quiet surprisingly easily), asks, "you won't soften up or whatever over your past, right."

Her tone implies a bit of condescension, but you know she doesn't mean it. She recently left her last mercenary company over an inability to bear fighting a loved one she hasn't seen in a long time, after all.

>A. It won't hinder you
>B. He wouldn't hold back either
>C. It might be a problem/you'll try to avoid him
>D. Be silent
>E. Write-in dialogue

>>42746696
>B. He wouldn't hold back either

>>42746696
>B. He wouldn't hold back either

>>42746727
>>42746800
"As warriors, it would be an insult for either of us to hold back," you tell your... Person of vague current status. Were you expecting to make certain offscreen memories with Laurina clear under this spoiler or something? No, that would be odd and irrelevant from the point at hand.

She and Reese both nod sagely, accepting this advice as sound.

The newly-minted general-in-class-only raises his greatsword and poleax, his trusty spear adorned on his back. "Well, if I hope to accomplish anything in the incoming battles, I need to join the vanguard soon," Reese explains as he shows himself out of the conversation, leaving you and Laurina a moment alone.

Later, you stand by Prince Garrus' personal guard, Reese indeed standing just ahead of your horse-mounted allies (which amounts to four of the surviving nomads who didn't go with Eva, Quidel, Biff, and Byron. Yvette is with the royals+mage general's kids).

Mitchell is still a no-show, having been pulled off the battlefield ever since his accident, but Victoria stands by Stefyn and Dama in his place. It's... Odd for them too.

Salia and Garrus stand by Yvette, Logan, Bolse, and Katina by Bovis, both groups right near each other, and the mages from Heim nearby them.

Natalie stands around in the back, very reluctantly carrying around an Iron Axe and a whole bunch of staves.

You and Laurina are stationed near the various wolves you don't know the names of.

>A. Move on to the inevitable
>B. Talk to someone (specify)
>C. Remain silent
>D. Write-in?

>>42747248
>B. Talk to someone (Nat)
You gunna be okay?

>>42747303
Seconding

>>42747303
You have a similar idea to Biff and Byron, approaching the former's girlfriend with concern.

"So you're certain you can handle this, then," Biff asks with concern. Nat has been a bit... Out of it, ever since killing that manakete to save Reese.

"You all make it look so easy," she says with a slightly-ashamed tone (and the fact that it's noticeable at all says leagues).

"There's no shame in being unable to handle taking a life," Gorman says, "it is... Not supposed to be easy, killing someone for the first time."

Byron nods. "You don't need to take that as a suggestion that you take it upon yourself to make it easier, mind you. Your skills in saving lives are all that we ask."

Nat nods, but the red paladin continues, "that being said, so long as you have that axe... Do what you must to keep yourself alive, should it come to that. Heaven forbid, of course."

She closes her eyes, then nods, clutching her staff. "I... Won't die."

Biff smiles. "Thank you, for doing something so hard for you, then. You're far braver than you let yourself acknowledge, my love."

After this, you return to formation in time for Garrus to give a speech.

It's pretty general "we'll heal the wounds of the Cord region," "the spread of the Dain empire will not hurt us" sorts of things he's saying, and the speech is rather on the short side, but seeing him recite it with only a few hiccups is enough to impress.

Soon enough, you and the rest are heading towards Barst. Your greatsword and recently-acquired Short Axe barely weigh down a man of your constitution, and Laurina is similarly barely affected by carrying both Steel and Hammer along with a hand axe.

>A. Talk as you advance (specify topic)
>B. Just skip to the action

>>42747701
Have they heard about Arvo?
If so
>A. Talk as you advance (Arvo)
If not
>B. Just skip to the action
Or anything anyone else suggests

>>42747804
Laurina used to work for Arvo, and she's the only one Gorman is currently in a position to converse with.

>>42747845
Nevermind just skip ahead

>>42747927
You and Laurina are quick to encounter a pair of a Wyvern Lord and ordinary Rider, the former looking like a man of some authority and wielding a Shockstick. an electrified lance known for having oddly short magical range compared to the oft-compared to Levin Sword and Bolt Axe. Regardless, the Wyvern Lord in question looks serious.

"I am Al," he declares, "of the Emperor's Flight. Feel the strikes from above of my Shockstick!"

Tellingly, he and his Javelin-wielding subordinate take to the sky, flying just barely above you and Laurina and readying their respective lances.

You see several rebels walking closer, mostly ordinary soldiers and those of the mercenary class.

>A. Strike up with your sword
>B. Try tossing your Short Axe
>C. Try to avoid them
>D. Ignore them and run for the rebels
>E. Write-in?

>>42748111
>B. Try tossing your Short Axe

>>42748269
You toss your Short Axe at the Wyvern Rider before they can throw the javelin, drawing their attention towards you and attempting to attack. You dodge and swiftly strike again as Laurina keeps just out of the way of Al's Shockstick's range, throwing her Hand Axe at him until eventually he can't dodge. He recoils a bit, and you quickly turn around to share the final blow with your partner.

"General Derrick, Tena and I leave the rest to..."

As he falls with little fanfare, you and Laurina have to quickly focus on the incoming rebels. Some of them were distracted by Reese inviting them to break their weapons against his iron will, or something else he probably thought sounded heroic.

People are moving around a lot, so it's hard to tell where everybody else is, but from what you can tell, Garrus and Yvette have already come face-to-face with General Derrick and a few of his subordinates, the latter anonymous group being fought by Quidel and various other nomads. They look like they're having some trouble keeping the heat off.

Salia and Victoria are mostly staying out of danger, but fire the odd arrow at the odd opponent when it means helping someone out of a pinch.

>A. Go help Reese
>B. Go help Yvette and co.
>C. Go keep an eye on Victoria and Salia
>D. Split up and do different things
>E. Just look around some more
>F. Write-in

>>42748481
>A. Go help Reese

>>42748481
>A. Go help Reese

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>>42748546
>>42748595
You're both quick to help take the heat off Reese, considering that he's got quite a lot on his plate for someone currently alone.

Laurina cuts down a soldier just shy of continuing to not hurt Reese, though he does appreciate your presences regardless.

"Come, let's drive them further back! I shall be our mobile wall!"

Out of the crowd erupts a sole manakete, however, personally staring down the three of you. She draws nearer, roaring ferociously as rebels stay behind and aside her.

>A. Bail, guys!
>B. Charge!
>C. Hold your ground!
>D. Write-in!
>E. Check on someone else again

>>42748778
>B. Charge!
Let's see if we can bait her into attacking her allies by accident.

>>42748778
>split and charge
Reese should get back though before his armor becomes an oven

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>>42748937
You immediately charge forward, shouting, "come at me, all of you!" Reese simply stops Laurina from following you, backing away slightly and morbidly curious as to what you have planned.

You stand directly in front of the dragon, watching as some soldiers run up to you with their spears as she already readies up her fire breath.

You realize that these fellows aren't especially bright as you leap forward, leaving a few of them burning behind you and readying your greatsword to take a few shots at the impressive dragon.

You doubt that will work again, and she kicks you down to the ground after one mighty swing, which admittedly... Looks like it hurts her!

Her foot is pressing you down, now, though, and she looks over at the various soldiers. None seem all too willing to come close to her after her accidentally killing some of them, giving you an extra moment to do... Something while you're pressed down.

>A. Try to break free!
>B. Keep attacking while you're pinned!
>C. Embrace the inferno and your inevitable demise
>D. Try to talk your way out of this? (specify dialogue)
>E. Write-in

>>42748939
Shit, I did not see this at all. My bad.

>>42749261
>A. Try to break free!
>B. Keep attacking while you're pinned!

I doubt we'd be able to muscle het off of us, when she starts breathing in for her fire stab her face

>>42749323
It's cool, I understand

>>42749261
>A. Try to break free!
>B. Keep attacking while you're pinned!
Stab her foot to get free, or do >>42749365 if that doesn't work.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>42749452
>>42749365
You'll probably only have time to go for one or the other, so.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1 is ded
2 is alive

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>>42749478
You find yourself struggling to break free before... Whatever comes. You consider the quickest approach to that being to quite literally stab the dragon in the foot, driving your greatsword into the guilty digit with all your might.

She cries out in pain, but you've at least temporarily lost your constant companion as you manage to wriggle out from under the manakete.

You hear the sound of the mage general's daughter cry out, "Bovis, go help him!" from somewhere off to your left.

>A. Pull your sword free!
>B. Get away from her!
>C. Keep attacking with the axe!
>D. Write-in?

>>42749626
>>C. Keep attacking with the axe!

>>42749626
>C. Keep attacking with the axe!

>>42749693
>>42749705
You keep attacking with the axe, leaving the dragon looking very irate, but also very ready to set you aflame before you're tackled out of the way by Lamb-nope, wait, he's Bovis. Right.

Knee-jerk assumption.

The grass around where you once stood is burnt up, and Bovis quickly stands up and stares down the dragon, drawing his sword.

"I was told to help you," he says to presumably you. "I advise that you regroup with Laurina and Sir Reese.

>A. Help Bovis fight the dragon
>B. Follow his advice
>C. Try to get your sword
>D. Ask Bovis to get your sword
>E. Write-in?

>>42749950
>A. Help Bovis fight the dragon

>>42749950
>>B. Follow his advice

>>42749950
>A. Help Bovis fight the dragon

>>42749985
Remember Robert?
Sure, Bovis isn't weak but I don't think he can take on the dragon alone

>>42749978
>>42750010
"No can do," you say to the Deadlord, readying your axe, "this thing can't be taken on alone."

Behind you, Laurina and Reese are fighting off a few more wyvern riders, trying their damnedest to keep you and Bovis in a 2-on-1 scenario.

Bovis is definitely going out of his way to remain front and center, though, his sword coming into contact with the dragon as he continually draws its fire away from anyone else.

>A. This is fine. Your weapon is ranged, his isn't.
>B. This is not fine
>C. Write-in?

>>42750146
>A. This is fine. Your weapon is ranged, his isn't.

>>42750146
>A. This is fine. Your weapon is ranged, his isn't

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>>42750183
>>42750232
It's a pretty logical setup, considering your weapons, and between Bovis' complete and utter lack of response to pain at the various times he's struck or grazed by firebreath (which happens many, many times, though he never gets stepped on) and your combined weaponry choices, the two of you keep wailing into the Fire Dragon.

"Wh-what are you..?" She asks with genuine horror moments before Bovis, still very much on fire, cuts her down.

"I am the Deadlord Bovis, created to follow the orders of Master Bolse. At his behest, I also equally prioritize word from his sister, Lady Katina."

The manakete shifts back to her more humanoid form, resembling an adult woman, the sword in her ankle literally breaking her foot off after becoming wider than it.

"I would get that for you were I not currently on fire," Bovis explains as you both glance at your greatsword.

>A. Ask if he's alright
>B. It's fine, no problem
>C. Retrieve it yourself
>D. Write-in dialogue

>>42750425
>>A. Ask if he's alright
>C. Retrieve it yourself

>>42750425
>A. Ask if he's alright
>C. Retrieve it yourself

>>42750486
>>42750498
As you retrieve your weapon, you ask, "you alright, Bovis?"

"I am currently on fire."

"I... See. Did you want someone to help you with that?"

He drops his sword unintentionally, still standing around. "It won't be necessary."

Having settled their issues with the incoming wyverns, Reese and Laurina approach, only to be dissuaded by Lambert's continued insistence that no assistance is necessary.

Katina and Bolse, accompanied by Logan, also run up. Bolse starts to speak up, but Katina, probably having the same idea, quite literally orders, "Bovis, find some way to stop being on fire!"

"Understood. I will search for one." He continues looking around in one place. Meanwhile, Logan keeps him relatively alive and not burned to death despite his continued fieriness.

>A. Suggest that Katina use wind magic
>B. Something else? (write-in)
>C. You have no good ideas

>>42750675
>B. Something else? (write-in)
Stop drop and roll!

>>42750675
>>B. Something else? (write-in)
We need something to cover him up to kill the flames.

>>42750675
Wouldn't wind magic just make it worse?
Fucking roll around on the ground while we kick dirt on you, or use wind magic to cover him in dirt to smother the flame
or use someones cloak to pat him out.

It's better than dying

>>42750741
Yeah, wind magic was an admitted trap option.

>>42750771
Pretty sneaky Octo.

>>42750710
>>42750741
"Alright, just... Stay still, get on the ground, cover your face and roll around on the ground. Remaining calm under duress is important."

"I am calm," Bovis responds calmly, heeding your advice.

Bovis is quick to offer his magical cloak when suggested, and Reese and Laurina kick up cool dirt and grass.

Bovis stands literally no worse for wear thanks to the constant stream of Logan's healing, complete with picking his sword back up.

Things are a good bit different on some other parts of the battlefield, however, such as the aforementioned scene of Yvette and Derrick's battle. Yvette seems to be on the losing end of a brave sword, with Garrus looking about ready to step right in in his knight's place.

>A. Intervene
>B. You have the rest of these folks to worry about
>C. Write-in?

>>42751060
>>A. Intervene
I trust they can handle themselves

>>42751060
>A. Intervene

>>42751082
>>42751137
You intervene, calling out your old friend's name and position.

"General Derrick! It has been far too long, my friend."

Garrus seems a bit distracted by your call, immediately shaking his head and helping pull Yvette up and away. "Prince Garrus, I'm telling you, I cannot allow you to risk your life against this fellow."

"He won't need to, Lady Yvette," you reassure her as Logan, having come along with you like the rest, tends to her with his healing skills. You figure Nat is off providing her services elsewhere.

"Gorman, my old friend, that is you... Are you actually picking a fight with me?" You can't read his tone of voice.

"You and I both knew this was inevitable when we heard the other was here."

"Right you are. I simply wasn't expecting you to be so... Forward."

"I never got to thank you for protecting me from your mother."

>A. Funny story I trained her killer
>B. Say something else (write-in)
>C. Nah, time to duel
>D. On second thought, bail

>>42751285
>A. Funny story I trained her killer

>>42751285
>A. Funny story I trained her killer
I'm assuming that's not in some kind of rude or mocking or antagonizing voice

>>42751338
>>42751364
"Er... Odd coincidence, though, it was a pupil of mine that did her in."

He looks shocked for a moment, but not mad about your indirect hand in things. "You're the one who trained that 'Ellen' I've heard about? Would you say she's surpassed you?"

You think for a moment, unsure of how to answer him (even though you're certain it's a yes), ultimately responding "I don't know."

"I see... I was simply curious, though." He draws his brave sword again, stepping down from his wyvern to match you. "Nobody interfere with us unless one of their number does so first. Continue as you will, men."

You have a very strong feeling that this could end poorly, but you could always back out and turn it into a more straightforward non-duel fight.

>A. Attack first
>B. Wait for him to come to you
>C. Back out now!
>D. Write-in?

>>42751560
>I assume this is to the death? Submission would work for me though.

>>42751584
"Is this to the death? I assume it is, but-"

"Heavens no," Derrick says, "at least, I don't intend to kill you. It... May end up happening anyway, but I at the very least intend to stop short of killing my oldest friend. I let that old woman-"

"I'm fifty-three!"

"-my apologies, Lady Yvette. I should've known, considering you and Princess Alexia... Anyway, I gave Lady Yvette the chance to escape our bout alive, and Prince Garrus took me up on the offer. When you recognize that I've defeated you, hopefully before you've died, simply tell me."

He comes at you with his Brave Sword.

>A. Try to strike first!
>B. Try to parry him!
>C. Try to block his blows!
>D. Try to dodge!
>E. Write-in?

>>42751711
>D. Try to dodge!

>>42751711
>>C. Try to block his blows!
Try to gauge his strength and speed.
If he's obviously faster and stronger then we'll need to play a defensive game

>>42751765
He's smaller but also a bit lighter on his feet, and he has a brave sword, and all that entails.

I would put that in an update post, but Gorman probably figured all that just from what he's already seen.

>>42751799
If he's smaller, and lighter he's probably faster and harder to dodge. I stand by my option

>>42751711
Changing my vote here >>42751755 to
>C. Try to block his blows!
because the other anon sounds about right.

>>42751860
>>42751765
You feel that the flurry allowed to him by his brave sword could really mess you up. You quickly raise your Greatsword as an impromptu shield, Enduring two of his blows in this manner before pushing him back and swinging.

Surprisingly enough, he's hit, taking a bit of a beating, but he's back again for two more strikes. You manage to swerve the way out of one while another gets you.

He's got a hell of a swing for someone so much smaller than you, but now he's very close to you, and your greatsword is still in your hands.

>A. Try to finish this quickly!
>B. Say something
>C. Give up
>D. Write-in action
>E. Do nothing

>>42751938
>>A. Try to finish this quickly!
not aiming to lethality here

>>42752024
You think quickly, shoving your greatsword through the side of his armor... and quite deliberately, by a hair, miss any actual part of his body as you shove the sword through his armor, at one point pushing your sword just to one side enough that he can feel how close you came.

"You said you would prefer this not be to the death," you explain as you shove him away and put your sword away as he tries to process what just happened.

"Er... Yes, thank you. You've... Bested me. Were you a less skilled swordsman, that little attempt to scare me there WOULD have killed me anyway, with that Zweihander of yours..."

A wyvern rider approaches Derrick. "S-sir! Are you alright? Okay, good... They've broken through into Barst already!"

Derrick closes his eyes and nods, standing, approaching you, and shaking your hand. "This was... A surprisingly pleasant reunion, Gorman. If we're both still standing after this, I know a damn fine tavern in the city."

Before anyone else really registers that it's happened, General Derrick has gotten back onto his wyvern and flown over the city's walls.

Laurina snaps you into reality as the two of you pursue with the rest of Garrus' forces.

>To be continued next thread
This battle turned out longer than I was expecting. Figured we'd be at the resolution by the end of the thread, as opposed to having another leg to go.

Thanks for playing, twitter and ask.fm are both qmgrandflocto, and I'll be around to talk in-thread for awhile.

>>42752254
Thanks for running Octo, that was surprisingly pleasant.

>>42752314
Yeah, it was.

The mental image of Katina trying to use wind magic to put Bovis out and accidentally chopping him into bits with it or something is weirdly funny to me.

Since I don't imagine Ellen's going to be doing anything interesting until she rejoins the others, should I just make next thread a Royal party thread too?

>>42752385
Personally, I wouldn't mind it.
I wouldn't mind if we took over Lars or Derrick again.

>>42752428
It's probably going to be harder to justify not having Lars or Derrick fight somebody we actually know and like now that the fighting is literally in the city. I'd be willing to make it an option, but it would absolutely be dangerous. Especially if you were Lars, with his mostly-impenetrable magic armor and Excalibur and superhuman agility and shit.

Derrick is much more of a passive figure than I'd envisioned him before his debut, but I kinda like it. It's UNCONVENTIONAL for a Camus, and it fits his quietly righteous childhood appearance.

I also figured I could make him more of a Camus by putting his allegiance more squarely with a figure who isn't an Antivillain.

>>42752489
I kind of had this vision of him being almost sage-like, down to earth, calm, honorable, and reasonable
His mom was the crazy one, his brother was the angry one, and he grew up to be the most down to earth one.

I mean he is bald, bald people are always the wisest people

>>42752607
He is still pretty down to earth/calm/honorable/reasonable, but at the end of the day he's just an all-around alright dude. Perhaps a bit more averse to lethal force than a man of his position probably should be, but considering Captain Willow's brand of "thorough."

I'd actually originally planned for Roderick to only be the first in a string of shitty fucked-up brothers/relatives of Derrick's, all boys ending their names in "Rick," but I figured that was a bit too much buildup. Paula's wyvern chauffeur (his name was Patrick) was gonna be another one, but then I realized that there was a point where it just got improbable.

So Roderick is/was the one brother of Derrick. Derrick may or may not have a niece/nephew, but I legitimately haven't decided and it hasn't come up in-universe yet.

>>42752714
I like it, it's always nice to have a reminder that the people on the other side aren't all fucked up, and some of them are still good people who are fighting for their nation.

>>42752773
I also like to do the reverse, as you saw with my making your allies in Ulir into the clearly more morally ambiguous group, turning the Vautou bandits into allies instead of charging them to capture Simia being a valid solution, making it so the Tarvosians were kind of still really shitty to the Garou, and my tendency to make it so enemies sometimes just have the shit scared out of them by your small band of one-man armies. Sometimes you need to rout them, sometimes they know when they're beat, and sometimes it's inconsistent within the same battle.