As Garrus' party wander through the underground tunnels, they find themselves continually worrying for the fate of the Great Miles, sad speculation silently seeping through their souls.

Merely a week or so ago at this point, Miles was approaching what might have been the happiest day of his life. Who's to say how that played out?

You will find out in due time, but perhaps you may want to see for yourself?

>A. No, just get back to Ellen. Things will be explained anyway.
>B. Yes, let's see what the deal was all the way back in Noba.

20 minute decision time.

As an aside, I don't even know if following Miles' subplot once more will influence anything or just show rather than tell.

It will properly introduce us to the prior-offscreen Noba characters, though.

>>43109463
Alright, yeah, starting this much earlier than usual, I should've probably seen this coming.

Consider time vaguely renewed.

>>43109895
I am nothing if not foolishly patient with getting this thing started.

Another few minutes on the clock.

This is closer to average start time too, so here's hoping.

>>43110296
Still not giving up on this.

It doesn't take any effort on my part to wait, and I understand that people have lives outside of this.

I mean I can run sometime tomorrow evening if today turns out to be a bust, but I won't call today a bust quite yet.

I hope that people aren't too intimidated by the length of the quest. I mean we would all prefer that people have read up on the quest before starting, but I don't mind jumpers-on. It's why I give summaries/character descriptions of every previous thread and its events (even if they can be a bit outdated sometimes).

Yeah, though, renewing persists, etc.

>>43109463
>>B. Yes, let's see what the deal was all the way back in Noba.
I'm going to be busy tonight so I can't gurantee posts on time. Sorry.

>>43111134
You are now Miles, leader of the hopefully-soon-to-be-former Great Miles Mercenary Company, a short time ago.

On the way to you, your fiancee, and your friend Bryce's homeland of the Fathom duchy, you naturally needed to pass through the other half of Noba, which is to say Phile.

You wonder briefly how Phia, an old friend of yours (and daughter of Duke Philemon), is doing, heavily considering passing through on the way back home.

>A. Most of the Noban Nobility will visit after you get home anyway. Don't worry about it
>B. No reason not to, you suppose

>>43111289
>>B. No reason not to, you suppose

>>43111289
>B. No reason not to, you suppose

>>43111344
>>43111357
You think this'll be the first time you've all seen her since...

Shit.

"Something wrong?" Michalis asks you on the way there.

"Remember that mercenary fellow who challenged me, back on Ulir?"

Devon frowns. "Oh no, that's right! They were friends, weren't they?"

You rub your temples. "Alright, alright, just... Avoid mention of it. Who knows? Maybe we were lucky and he burned that bridge like he did so many others."

Bryce nods. "Wasn't our fault he charged at you anyway."

"Right, right, exactly."

Asra remains quietly on the edge of the conversation as always.

Funnily enough, in the capital of the Phile Duchy (appropriately named Phile), you find Maria, that aide of the Mage General, speaking to someone looking slightly younger, though with similar features and shorter, darker hair.

You'd had a suspicion that you remembered Maria from somewhere. She was a Marquess' daughter... Sort of.

"Ehey, what a sight for sore eyes! Miles, right? Big sis over here was just telling me about how you guys got out of Ulir!"

Shit, you... Don't remember her sister's name.

>A. Guess? (specify)
>B. Yeah, you... Have no idea who she is.
>C. Hey, good to see... Uh...
>D. Flat-out ask
>E. Write-in
>F. Let someone else handle this

>>43111620
>>F. Let someone else handle this

>>43111727
"Lady Julia, how's the 'musical princess' thing going?" Bryce asks, clearly remembering her better than you.

"Still not a princess," the dark-haired girl says, "but that whole thing ended after what happened with Phineas... Man, has it been THAT long since we met up? Figured it'd be best not to be tromping around Dain after my beautiful sister here disappeared!"

"Your comments are as flattering as ever," Maria says mildly uncomfortably, "but... I am still happy to be back. I was going to visit Lady Phia, but... Apparently she and General Cameron are in the middle of a fencing lesson."

General Cameron... Wholly devoted to the Dukedom of Phile. Gods, it's all coming back to you now. You wish someone like her was a key figure in Fathom's military, instead of that General Abdul guy.

Anyway, Phia.

>A. Find and interrupt this lesson
>B. Find and quietly observe this lesson
>C. Wait around
>D. Try to speak to Duke Philemon?
>E. On second thought, let's keep going

>>43111941
And for the xth time this thread, a time extendy thing.

>>43112268
I am very patient, but... I need to be somewhere tomorrow morning, so I don't want this thread to go on too long.

I will if it ends up that way, since my priorities are kinda fucked, but.

>>43112554
That may have come out wrong. I'm absolutely still running the thread unless things get REALLY out of hand with the extensions.

I just don't like the idea of doing that.

>>43112581
Yahallo.
Sorry I'm becoming pretty nocturnal abd woke up just now
>B. Find and quietly observe this lesson

Disheartening

>>43112770
"Alright, then, anyone else up for a round of waiting around aimlessly?"

Devon nods. "I don't think I've actually met Lady Phia. Heard a lot about her, but... Also, who was that woman with Maria, again?"

Bryce finally explains outright. "Julia. Maria's little sister. Heiress to the Marquess of Marich. Met her back in the gap, she was trying to be a troubadour or valkyrie or whatever on a continental journey."

Somewhere behind you, her voice rings out, "you didn't need to ask someone else!" Devon flushes, mildly embarrassed, but no one really says anything, and she didn't sound mad so much as amused.

You wind up in a rather nice training room after collectively speaking to the right people. There, a young woman with short teal hair clashes rapiers with a much taller woman with her red hair in a rather professional ponytail.

"General, can we take a break?" the blue-haired one (so Phia got a haircut!) asks.

Her opponent nods. "You've done well today, Lady Phia."

"I only keep getting better thanks to you, General Cameron."

"Just like your brother, you have your grandmother's blood... This was inevitable."

>A. Make your presences known
>B. Wait for them to say something
>C. Leave
>D. Write-in?

>>43113021
>A. Make your presences known

>>43113070
"Er... Lady Phia?"

"Miles!" She jumps up in surprise, immediately recognizing you. "I heard that you were back in the country, but... You arrived sooner than expected."

"Yeah, comes with the territory," Bryce responds.

"Maria is outside with her sister," Asra adds.

"I... don't believe I've met three-fifths of you," General Cameron says.

"Right, right... How rude of Bryce and I, not introducing you to the rest of our company."

You introduce them to Devon, Asra, and Michalis.

"It's great to meet you all," Phia says, completely losing her attempts to sound noble. Try as she might around the stuffy fellows her dad lets do whatever they want (he's a very passive, weak-willed Duke and everyone knows it), formality isn't natural to Phia and she enjoys opportunities to drop it.

After introductions, however, you recall a spear you've been carrying around for awhile now. "Er... Also, when your father isn't busy, there's... Something he needs to be presented with."

"Dad's been... Really ill lately," Phia says, "if you didn't know, it's because we've been trying to keep it really quiet. The Philean nobility doesn't need more excuses to play their games."

"I'm... Terribly sorry to hear that. How is he?"

"It's... Looking pretty bad. I'm not ready to be a duchess... I mean, no one's ready for that sort of thing, but... He's just fallen apart ever since Phineas died."

"Perhaps presenting him with his son's lance won't be the best of plans then..." Michalis adds.

>A. It might be good for him
>B. Let's just give it to Phia
>C. Yeah let's hold onto it awhile longer
>D. Write-in?
>E. What does Lady Phia think

>>43113459
>>E. What does Lady Phia think

>>43113459
>>E. What does Lady Phia think
>B. Let's just give it to Phia

>>43113538
>>43113488
You ask Phia what she thinks should be done.

"Yeah, it's... Probably best off in our possession. It's a family heirloom, after all, and better off there than..."

"I'm told they've turned him into a Deadlord."

"They... what?"

"Yeah, guy named Equus," Bryce continues.

"That is..." Phia blinks, "that is..." She shakes her head. "That's upsetting. Still, though... We'll figure out how to handle this with my father." She groans. "Another thing to do for Lady Phia..."

You and Devon get a good look at the young woman's face and realize just how... Tired she looks, in a way that permeates the existence of someone far too young for that sort of thing. It's a state of being.

Anyway, Asra excuses herself to fetch the lance in question from your group's belongings along with Bryce.

You spend a brief time catching up with Phia, but ultimately you have to put it off for when you meet again, her having a meeting to get to and you a father.

As you trek into the Fathom region, you can literally feel the quality of life increasing compared to Phile... Your father runs a tight ship, if there's anything good to be said about him.

Outside of the city, a large fellow with a dark complexion in menacingly heavy armor awaits you with several ordinary guards.

"Still can't believe your dad chose this guy to be the welcoming party," Bryce whispers about General Abdul, "really know how to make us feel welcome."

"Look, could you walk faster? I don't have all day to waste seeing you all again. I have mercenaries to gripe about."

Abdul hasn't changed at all from how you remember. The "mercenaries" thing is new, but then again the Wulf Company didn't make up such a vast amount of both halves of Noba's military strength before.

>A. Greet him politely
>B. Greet him honestly
>C. Deliberately dawdle
>D. Turn around and leave
>E. Write-in?

>>43113836
>>B. Greet him honestly

>>43113836
>>A. Greet him politely

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>43114028
>>43113907

>>43114050
"Trust me, General Abdul, this is a horrible greeting for everyone involved."

"Watch your mouth, Miles. You still haven't reclaimed your birthright until Duke Kilos says so, and one word out of me can talk him out of it."

"Alright, alright... Sorry for telling the truth."

"Tactless whelp. If you had any understanding of knowing people's places, this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

"Why you-"

Devon places a hand on your shoulder. "It's not worth fighting him..."

He replies, "sorry for telling the truth."

You deliberately avoid responding to him after that until he finishes walking you all to the castle you once called home.

"I don't need to show you in. Just get out of my sight until you're someone important again."

With that, he shows himself away.

Devon is, surprisingly enough, the first to get visibly incensed when he's out of earshot. "Urgh, that bastard... I wish I could just... Just... Grrh! Ever since I first came to work here!"

The sight of Devon holding a grudge is a rare thing, needless to say, but good gods is it something when she's mad.

>A. Let's just get inside
>B. Write-in dialogue
>C. Be silent

>>43114120
>A. Let's just get inside

>>43114177
"Er... Should we just get inside?"

Devon nods, breathing in deeply. "Yeah, probably for the best."

A familiar familial voice in the throne room nearby echoes, "-been sitting on this damn chair long enough to... Oh, someone's at the door! Eh, show them in, would you, Scott?"

A fellow you don't recognize emerges from the throne room. He's pale and very large (you would correctly assume a Warrior) with neat black hair. On one of his exposed arms is a very cliche wolf tattoo that you recognize as belonging to the Wulf Company.

"Miles and company, I presume? Yes, I'm Scott... Your father would like this moment alone with you, so a maid will be bringing your friends someplace they can wait..."

>A. Alright cool. It's what your dad wants.
>B. Why can't they be there
>C. Insist they come too
>D. Agree reluctantly but without resistance
>E. Write-in

>>43114410
>B. Why can't they be there
>D. Agree reluctantly, except Devon
Devon is family too

>>43114432
Seconding

>>43114432
>>43114479
"Why can't they be there?"

He shrugs. "Said he wanted a family moment or something. I'm not the best at details."

"Fine, but... Devon's a part of this family now. We're engaged, she's having his grandchild... Let her come in too."

Devon smiles and holds your hand. "I mean now that he doesn't mind us."

Scott shrugs once again. "I mean, these halls echo like crazy and he hasn't said anything against it, so..."

He shows you into the room in question, empty despite its size, bar the short-haired, middle-aged fellow with hair the same blond as your own, currently stretching and glaring at the uncomfortable-looking chair, griping about his age... Until Scott shuts the door, leaving the two of you in there and gaining his attention.

"Snuck this one past Scott, did you? Least your logic is sound..." He shakes his head. "So much for a dignified-looking greeting."

>A. Laugh
>B. Be silent
>C. Write-in dialogue

>>43114645
>>A. Laugh
It's good to see you too father

>>43114645
>>A. Laugh

>>43114685
>>43114702
You laugh, only mildly uncomfortably. You still need to get used to the idea of him not hating you. This wasn't even the case BEFORE you were disinherited. "It's... Good to be back, anyway, father."

"So... Devon, right?"

Your fiancee nods. "Yes, Duke Kilos?"

"I've heard word that this one's gotten you pregnant." He jerks his thumb at you.

"Er... Yes?"

He smiles somewhat nostalgically. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

Devon nods, remembering where you suspected your father's former distaste for you began: shortly after you were born, your mother died. You suspected he blamed you for it.

At the very least he's got much more reason to have a soft spot for Devon. Honestly, his distaste was always with you "ruining things with Malva" in that relationship. He was indifferent to Devon's existence as anything more than "that girl who wasn't Duchess Victoria."

"Anyway," Duke Kilos says, snapping you out of your memory, "consider yourself my son again, and... As the son of such a person as myself, naturally a ceremony must be made of your return, and of Devon here's entry in your family."

>A. It's an honor
>B. fucking finally
>C. There's no need for anything like that
>D. Write-in
>E. About your friends...

>>43114956
>A. It's an honor

>>43114956
>>A. It's an honor
Although not out loud
>B. fucking finally

>>43114971
>>43115032
"It's an honor to be welcomed back so... Grandiosely." You shoot Devon a look, and it's clear you share the same idea: he easily could've done this years ago.

"I've been a... Poor father, I must admit, and recently I came to a personal revelation that I might miss the chance to make up for that. It is... Good to see you safe, returned to your home. Now, I don't have much to discuss right now, so... Scott, I know you're out there! Show Miles and Devon where they'll be staying, alright?"

Scott opens the door, only for Kilos to add, "oh, one more thing! Your manakete friend, I couldn't help but notice that Firestone of his... Is there any hypothetical chance he would be willing to part with it?"

>A. Why?
>B. Maybe
>C. He should talk to him about it
>D. You'll talk to him about it
>E. It's really unlikely
>F. Write-in

>>43115149
>A. Why?
>E. It's really unlikely

>>43115149
>>A. Why?
>E. It's really unlikely

>>43115200
>>43115227
"It's really unlikely, but... Why do you ask?"

"You're familiar with the Deadlord Canis, correct? Word of the tome she crafted out of a Beaststone has reached me, and... I suppose I was inspired when I learned you'd found a manakete."

"Is... Is that what this is all about?" Devon asks, slightly offended-sounding.

"What? No, of course not! I hadn't even learned of this until word of you all in Ulir..." He chuckles, "giant dragon set a dear friend of Phia's on fire... Wasn't he an enemy of yours?"

"That's... Not quite how it-"

"Ah, my mistake. A fire dragon and a person burning to death, the mind tends to... Mix them up, mentally."

"This is... Kind of morbid."

"Right, right, sorry, Devon... Scott, show them to where they'll be staying."

The next few days move... Alarmingly fast. Bryce, with his newly-renewed local celebrity and genuine musical talents, is sought by women and men alike. You heard that he tried to set Asra up with a few of said fans, insisting that she should have a date for your ceremony, but ultimately neither of them was able to find anyone and planned to go together in a purely platonic fashion. You still haven't been able to speak to your father about the possibility of getting her a bodyguard job. He's been planning away, both for your event and corresponding with the nobility of Noba.

Yancy wound up largely stationed in Fathom for diplomacy reasons, though apparently he'd met with the mother of someone named Byron, who apparently was just as motherly towards him and his younger brother back in the day. She gave him a pie... So he claims, apparently having devoured it already before getting to your town. Whatever, it was his to begin with.

About a day before your big ceremony, Michalis approaches you.

"Your dad keeps asking about my Firestone... I assume you've heard about this, but. Says he wants to make some really powerful Fire tome out of it or something."

>A. Do it
>B. Don't do it
>C. Do whatever
>D. Write-in

>>43115445
>C. Do whatever

>>43115445
>C. Do whatever
>it's your stone, you should do what you want

>>43115541
>>43115554
"Well, I have nothing to do with that... Do whatever you would like about him, whether you wish to give it up for a new weapon or keep it."

"Yeah... I mean, I don't imagine I'll need it again, but I would certainly miss it..."

You don't hear back on this before your ceremony.

It's a massive event, with even Prince Lars appearing among the guests. You found out through your father sometime in the gap that, as you all suspected, Durvan's Ulir and Prince Lars' machinations in and secretly against Dain were all connected.

You worry that such a ceremony would bring unwanted attention, given the guest list, but... Your father insists that you focus on having a good time.

While Bryce was present and accounted for in the ceremony, Asra was a no-show. You figured that she just isn't particularly fond of being noticed by large crowds, like most people with a role in things would be.

>A. You're sure she's watching. Don't drag her into this
>B. Look for her and hope you won't be late as a result
>C. Ask someone else to find her. You CAN'T miss this.

>>43115803
>B. Look for her and hope you won't be late as a result

>>43115803
>B. Look for her and hope you won't be late as a result

>>43115850
>>43115952
Devon will understand, assuming she isn't already doing the same thing. You wander the busy town awhile searching for your friend.

You don't find her, but you do end up bumping into Devon doing... Literally the same thing.

"You're worried too, hm?"

"I'm... I know she's just anxious about the crowds, but... Gh, I hope she shows up. She knows how important today is."

>A. Let it be about her (Devon)
>B. She'll be there, surely
>C. So it's just nerves?
>D. Write-in

>>43115998
>B. She'll be there, surely
>A. Let it be about her (Devon)

>>43115998
>>B. She'll be there, surely

>>43116071
>>43116118
"Alright, then, surely she'll be there..." You place your arms on her shoulder, "today, though... Please, let today be about you."

She smiles. "You were looking too, you hypocrite."

With that, you part ways to finish getting ready.

By all reports, Asra was at no point seen in the audience. Now, that doesn't mean she wasn't THERE, of course.

You try to put it out of mind.

This is you and the love of your life.

All in all, you would say the welcoming/wedding ceremony is wonderful, one of the happiest days of your life, even with this absence.

A night later, your father calls you for a private meeting, speaking to you on a balcony overlooking the castle's garden.

"Ah, Miles, good to see you're still up."

>A. Say something (specify)
>B. Wait for him to speak first

>>43116334
>>B. Wait for him to speak first
(So Miles and Devon didn't find Asra before the ceremony?)

>>43116435
Neither before nor after.

>>43116435
This

>>43116435
>>43116523
"We're living in... Very dangerous times, you know that, right?"

"Yes, of course. War is... Pretty much everywhere but Noba."

"Yes, and even yesterday... Even yesterday, on your wedding, scoundrels were among our midst."

"Are you saying there were plans of an attack?"

"Even worse... An assassin was spotted attempting to approach your wife."

"An assassin?!" You're naturally a bit shocked. "W-well, how did you find out about this? What happened with that?"

"Oh, don't worry, we took care of her hours before the ceremony even began."

"Wait... Could you describe this assassin for me?"

"Why, got acquaintances in that business?"

He grins at his own statement.

>A. Please answer the question
>B. What did he do with them
>C. Write-in
>D. Writhe in silence until he says more

>>43116656
>B. What did he do with them
Fucking knew it, started trusting him too

>>43116656
>A. Please answer the question
>B. What did he do with them

>>43116679
>>43116702
"Answer the question, father."

Kilos recoils. "Fine, fine... Sort of lithe, young-looking, long hair, dark skin... It's inappropriate to call an assassin "pretty," but I feel like she could have been."

Shit. "Well the hell did you do with her?"

"Well, it... Turns out she was also the assassin responsible for the fate of an important member of the Dain military. The brother of one General Derrick, in fact. There was this whole conspiracy covering up the cause of his demise, but..."

"Father, that 'assassin' was Asra, one of my own companions, my friends."

"Miles, with you all back, I couldn't just... Dain knows these things, and it's hard to keep them appeased. I... Want what's best for Noba, and I want that empire to stay the hell out of our affairs. If this is what it takes, so be it."

"Wait... A-are you saying that all of this, welcoming me back, this ceremony, really was just-" The warning of Ellen flashes back to you. How could you have been so blind?

Kilos simply stares you down, not saying a word, and you catch your tongue.

>A. Attack him
>B. Yell some more (specification allowed but not required)
>C. Run off
>D. Write-in
>E. Silence

>>43116925
>Where is she? I'm leaving and she's coming with me

>>43116967
>A. Attack him
That seems like a very bad idea

>>43116979
Fine i'll second >>43116960

>>43116960
Seconding

>>43116960
>>43117058
"You old bastard... Where the hell is she? I'm going to leave, find my friend, and I would like to be back sometime before my child is born, so if you have any respect for your son, your legacy... You'll tell me exactly where she's went!"

"Leaving so soon, Miles? After I welcome you home..." He closes his eyes, shaking his head. "Go on, then. Make your second big mistake. I give you my word as your father that Devon won't be harmed, so... Do what you will, if you'd really love so much to die like an idiot the day after your own wedding."

"I didn't ask," you respond.

"You were about to, I know. I wouldn't cause harm to someone who'll be having my own grandchild in a few months. If you want her to go through what I did when I lost your mother... Go ahead, then. Try and save your friend, ruin everything I have tried to protect."

>A. Find/inform Bryce and Michalis
>B. Find/inform Phia/Yancy/Maria/Julia (you know that they're staying in the same place right now)
>C. No, just... Just accept what's happened and live your life.
>D. Seek Asra out on your own

And...

>E. Tell Devon
>F. There's nothing to gain from telling her. Worst-case scenario she'll insist on coming along once again

>>43117178
>A. Find/inform Bryce and Michalis
>B. Find/inform Phia/Yancy/Maria/Julia (you know that they're staying in the same place right now)
>E. Tell Devon

>>43117245
Seconding

>>43117245
>>43117277
You run out of the room without saying a word. First things first, you find Devon. "Devon, my love, father has... Done something awful."

Upon hearing your explanation (and insistence that she stay here regardless), and a drawn-out argument about whether she be able to come, she frowns, "Miles... Just... Please come back."

After that, you find Bryce and Michalis looking around the town for Asra. Michalis, you would soon find out, did end up relinquishing his Firestone.

Naturally, Bryce elects to come along when you tell them what happened, but Michalis elects to "just keep watch here," what with his primary means of attack having been turned into a spellbook recently.

You and Bryce in turn inform Lady Phia, who was staying in town in the same place as Corneria's diplomats and Maria's sister.

"Duke Kilos did that?!"

"Yes, but... Her captors couldn't have gotten far from here. If we hurry, have enough people..."

"No, no, no..." Phia says, "you're... Gh, you're not going on some gung ho crusade against Dain! That's the last thing my brother did, and the last time before the past few days that I saw Maria here at all!"

>A. She's right, this is a bad idea.
>B. We can manage without her help
>C. Insist
>D. Write-in

>>43117425
>B. We can manage without her help
>I'm not looking to drag you into my problems but this is something I need to do regardless.
>This is about my friend, not dain

>>43117485
Second

>>43117527
>>43117485
"We're still doing it, though. We can manage without your help, it's just... Something you need to know as his opposite ruler. I'm not looking to drag anyone into this unwillingly. This is just... Something I must do. This isn't about Dain, or politics, it's... About our dear friend."

Surprisingly enough, THAT sets Phia to tears. Maria stares a moment before explaining, "Phineas said something... Very similar." After an awkward moment of silence, she addresses everyone besides Phia, "it might be for the best if you just... Give her a moment."

"Maria," Yancy says, "I don't assume you're feeling this same... Heroic spark as I am. Something I haven't felt since warding all those bandits off."

Maria closes her eyes. "I'm... not your boss."

"Right, right. Here's hoping we meet again."

That certainly doesn't improve Phia's mood.

Anyway, outside of their arrangements, Julia scoffs. "They worry too much... Seriously, though, you're gonna need someone who's good with a staff and strong enough to bash people with one for this little heroic venture of yours!"

>A. Let her come along
>B. Don't let Julia come
>C. Don't say yes or no
>D. Write-in

>>43117623
>C. Don't say yes or no

>>43117623
>A. Let her come along
>Be super careful

Did Michalis do the stone thing?

>>43117671
Yep.

>>43117681
So now he has the dragon fire fist or whatever the Manakete equivalent is?

>>43117623
>C. Don't say yes or no
I won't deny your help but you do realize that this is a serious mission and not some little adventure for kicks and giggles?
(Don't know how to word it without sounding like a jackass.)

>>43117695
Nope. Someone else has what I'll call the Flametongue tome.

>>43117810
So he gave it away to someone else?

Well, guess I did tell him to do what he wants

>>43117835
More that Kilos took it and never gave him the tome, without saying where it is now.

He wouldn't know how to use it anyway.

>>43117852
We've got Manakete prisoners with the main army, we can grab one of their stones

>>43117651
>>43117719
"I won't deny your aid, but... This isn't some little fun adventure. This is serious, and potentially deadly."

Julia nods. "Don't worry, I know how it is! Like you've heard, I've been around!"

Upon learning her sister, too, was accompanying you all, Maria couldn't help but come "against her better judgement." "Phia's going to be so upset..."

Before you've made it to Dain, you encounter a party of soldiers, mages, and... Armored undead. An ancient-looking... Individual in a dark hood is spotted among them. You see Asra, apparently (hopefully) unconscious, being quite literally carried by two Wights.

The feeling of a dark cloud over your fates return as both parties face each other.

"So... Who wants to address this fellow?" Yancy asks. "I can do the honors if no one else will. Man of dark magic-to... Old person of dark magic?" He's probably not serious, but would be willing to try.

>A. Immediately go for Asra
>B. Immediately attack the old guy
>C. Attack some of the undead soldiers/minions
>D. Write-in
>E. Try to talk this out
>F. Stand in place

>>43117953
If they've seen us
>E. Try to talk this out
If they haven't
>B. Immediately attack the old guy

>>43117995
This

>>43117995
You've both seen each other, so you immediately call out their presumed leader.

"You!" You creatively begin, "are attempting to bring harm to a civilian, someone who even as a mercenary, answered to me! Return Asra to us, Necromancer, or we will be able to overpower you. We are some of the greatest Sages and mages in the land, and it is fully within our ability to strike you and your monsters down should you not comply!"

Silence, two Wights approaching, being stopped by a hand gesture from the necromancer... And then another to make the individuals holding Asra drop her. She lands on her hands and knees, so at least she's alive, but her eyes are still shut, wincing visibly.

"Fine, then... Go to this friend of yours..."

>character limit, continued in next post

>>43118224

"Miles, I don't like the look of-" You ignore Bryce's concerns as you approach Asra, putting your hands on your friend's shoulders. "Cover him," Bryce adds, prompting everyone who can fight to raise their tomes.

"Asra, are you alright? Asra, just... Please, Asra, if you're hurt, we can get you a healer. You just have to..."

A sharp pain fills your gut. Asra looks up at you, staring at you vacantly with glowing red eyes. You look down, and... Yeah, shit, you've been stabbed. And the weapon responsible is being twisted around.

The sounds of battle ensuing right around you blur, everything goes... Fuzzy.

This... Mindless puppet and killing machine with the body of your friend, your companion, stabs you several more times.

Duke Kilos attempts to spin the disappearance of you, Bryce, two Heim diplomats, and a marquess' daughter as "that assassin escaping," but with Devon, Phia, and Michalis' words, Lars and the Wulf Company discover the truth anyway (apparently Esmer is slightly fucked up by how little her favorite ability was able to help you).

Of course, you don't know any of this.

All you know (all you NEED to know) is that someone is trying to pass through Aum Dungeon into Gravern Keep, and your job is to set any intruders ablaze with the mighty Flametongue tome.

>to be continued next thread
This was a hard point in the story to go through with. I got really attached with the characters of the Great Miles, but have been planning this for... Some time now.

Thanks for playing. As always, you can follow our twitter or ask.fm, both qmgrandflocto, for updates and questions, and I'll be around to discuss things until the melatonin kicks in in-thread.

>>43118307
Wait so who's dead? Everyone? That's really shitty and kinda of out of the blue.

>>43118307
That's fucked.

Thanks for running

>>43118307
...So you killed off Asra without us being able to even do anything about it or prevent it? That's really fucking shitty Octo.

>>43118331
Devon's okay and genuinely won't be in any danger. Bryce and Julia are still alive and themselves in Aum. Team Garrus can save them.

I did worry that this was terrible and sudden, but it would've been like this if you'd skipped it and just continued with Ellen's story too.

>>43118373
I am honestly sorry about this one. I did warn that some people would die outside of your control, and that there was a specific point where the company would be in serious danger.

>>43118366
Thanks for playing.

>>43118423
>I am honestly sorry about this one. I did warn that some people would die outside of your control, and that there was a specific point where the company would be in serious danger.
It was completely out of the blue and you took control out of the players hands, We actually LIKED Asra and you killed her off for basically no reason....Really not a smart play Octo and it's a very terrible and shitty thing to do to your playerbase.

>>43118423
I remember you saying that so I'm not going to bitch, but Asra was my favorite character so this made me really sad.

>>43118454
She's been my favorite member of the team since before Grandflaw and I even thought about this quest.

>>43118449
You're right on all accounts, besides the "for no reason" thing. Deadlords' creation out of major figures in the story has been sort of a recurring deal.

I honestly haven't decided whether Maria or Julia was the one who survived. On second thought, might be better to say Julia was the one who turned into a Deadlord and Maria was captured, since they would both be able to fit the purpose I'd had in mind for her and it's a bit late in the game to be developing a whole new character.

>>43118521
>Deadlords' creation out of major figures in the story has been sort of a recurring deal.
...Which you've explicitly stated in the past would not happen to any party members...So you're a giant fucking liar.

I'm not usually one to bitch about QM decision, but this felt like a bad twist to me. Especially since you said that major characters wouldn't be killed offscreen and without player input. I get that you might've planned this from the beginning but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

>>43118547
He never said that. He just said there was no chance lumberjack would be one

We can't just cry every time a character dies until it's retconned.

>>43118572
And that was mainly because Tigris had already been made, and Grandflaw and I felt like the Deadlords being able to be endlessly recreated would lessen their significance and/or make them TOO overpowered.

>>43118567
I really do wish there was a better way to write it out. Sorry that I didn't execute this as well as I could've, but I don't plan on making a habit of these things.

We're approaching the end of the story at this point, and Noba's being as far from Ellen as you can get meant I had to squeeze in a lot of plot points in a little time.

At least you can rest assured that Kilos won't get away with it. I'd honestly considered letting him make it to the end when I was working out the finer details of the Company's fate, but figured the direction that would've gone was TOO dark well before this thread.

>>43118677
>At least you can rest assured that Kilos won't get away with it.
I don't really care, All i care about is how you killed Asra off screen when you said you wouldn't do that and how bullshited and railroaded it was.

>>43118692
And I admit to all of that.

I would explain myself further, but I'm getting really tired from fighting off this melatonin. Please don't give up on Ellen's adventure because of this. I really do appreciate your criticism, and that you're willing to tell it to me instead of just jumping ship.