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Samson is certainly having the loveliest time on a prison island right now, not at all paralyzed with fear over the fact that any one of his allies or loved ones could simply up and be dragged away to fight an undead soldier to the very likely death. Or the fact that his only real point of communication with his beloved Millicent or his mother, Marion, is this aggressive Edwyg woman. Not at all helped by his learning that she's in because, as she put it, "couple years after I'm outta the arena, I'm on this one island and some noble's wife gets an axe in her skull. I get thrown in here." When asked if she did it, she responds, "what's it matter to you?"

So yeah, he's just peachy!

Dyrus, meanwhile, continues his trek towards the connecting point of the Desert, Central, and Coastal regions, where he and his grandfather are set to reunite with Lady Hauteclere, Laurise, and any companions they may have recruited. From there, they reason, they will need to plan the route they'll use to cut through the deserts to the Wolfskin region...

Last and by no means least, Rene continues going on missions in the name of the Empire, attempting to sort out the unforeseen reality that is her romantic relationship, and consume a rather impressive cake prepared for the occasion of her twenty-first birthday. She recalls that her father had prepared the Brave Bow she now wields for the occasion, and can't find herself to be mad at Omar or Marduk for the day's festivities. She and her sister are, currently, none the wiser to the fate of Director Waldrick, but an urgent Director's Meeting will be called to address the situation and how to progress from here, since these rebels are only gaining more traction now.

>A. Be Rene
>B. Be Dyrus
>C. Be Samson

>>46909773
>A. Be Rene
Also, hello, Octo.

>>46909801
Howdy!

>>46909773
>C. Be Samson

>>46909773
>A. Be Rene
Time for sorrow.

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>>46909962
You are now Rene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHfz6zIVVFw

Marduk, thinking himself SO clever, gifted you a bushel of Belhara fruits. They're actually quite tasty, despite his sensitive palate and the Desert Director's known disdain for their flavor, so they're simply thanked for.

From Omar, a much more interesting gift was received. "This is an Iron Rune," he says, "keep it close to your heart, and the most critical of enemy strikes will be dulled to the power of any other. You are my commander, Rene, and even if we have our differences... It is a healer's duty to protect people. That is why I wish for you to hold this."

Cicero and Veiz, despite dualhandedly preparing the entirety of the festivity, languish in their lack of any concrete gift for you, though you assure them with earnesty that you don't mind.

Alfred offers to you a parasol, a purple one with a sapphire-colored trim, which he feels suits your aesthetics more than his.

Saye, meanwhile, does not give you jack, only even showing up for the food, but you mean. You barely know her anyway. She's just part of your team.

When all is said and done, your birthday is a small, but heartwarming break in what have been very trying times.

>A. Speak to someone (specify)
>B. Skip ahead to the mood dropping

>>46910396
>A. Speak to our Cicero

>>46910396
>A. Speak to someone (Cicero or Veiz)

>>46910487
Ah, your beloved bearded ball of anxiety. You find yourself tiredly leaning into him during another session of "reassure Cicero and Veiz that putting all this together was more than enough of a gift." Odd that the one day you were guaranteed off from bird hunting duty with Cato and Denim, you're more exhausted than ever, but you suppose it just sort of... Built up until now. He, in turn, wraps you a bit closer.

Looking away, lightly flushed with embarrassment, Veiz comments, "this... Is going to take some getting used to."

"I'm still not quite over it myself," you say, nuzzling more.

"Are we making you uncomfortable at all, Lady Veiz?" Cicero asks, sincerely. "We can wait for you to leave..."

"No, no," Veiz says, "it's just... Ahah, just weeks ago I could have sworn you said things were strictly platonic between the two of you, sister."

"Aand I was mistaken," you say. "Even I mess up sometimes..." You and Cicero share a chuckle when he strokes your hair idly.

"Still, though, I only wish I could have gotten Director Waldrick here for this day," Cicero says, still beat-up about that.

>A. You hope he's alright
>B. It would've been nice...
>C. You're sure he's thinking of us
>D. He's done plenty for you already
>E. Write-in response

>>46910774
>D. He's done plenty for you already
>C. You're sure he's thinking of us

>>46910774
>D. He's done plenty for you already
>C. You're sure he's thinking of us
>A. You hope he's alright
Hahaha

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>>46911256
"You've done all you can as it is," you reassure him again, lifting up your arms to wrap back around behind his head. "Besides, I'm certain he's thinking of us right now, and that's more than enough... Perhaps he's even on his way here. You know how easily this desert can impede people who can't warp freely. I hope he hasn't run afoul of Vautou or something... Not that he couldn't handle that little."

Veiz agrees, her gaze lingering on the two of you awhile longer before she shakes her head. "I should get going, though. You two had best not stay up too late."

"L-Lady Veiz..." Cicero says, embarrassed-sounding, while you just stifle a laugh.

"I'm not allowed to turn the tables on Rene for once?" She asks before departing. "I'll speak to you again tomorrow."

The following morning, you and Cicero's slumber is interrupted by a bright flash, Director Cato appearing in your room.

"An urgent Director's Meeting has been called on the top floor of the Tower in one hour. The Coastal Director has designated you her stand-in for the assistant's seat, Lady Rene."

Before you can ask what any of that is about, Cato warps away once again, leaving you and the equally half-asleep Cicero to ponder the interruption.

"Er... Wh-what in the world is..." He tiredly asks, before sighing, pulling you into a closer embrace for several moments. "We should... Most likely be getting ready."

>A. Wordlessly agree
>B. You wish you didn't have to...
>C. "Her?"
>D. the Director could use a door next time
>E. Fall back asleep anyway
>F. Write-in response

>>46911365
>A. Wordlessly agree
>C. "Her?"

>>46911365
>A. Wordlessly agree
>C. "Her?"

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>>46911580
Without saying a word, you agree, mood immediately sobered.

You're certain Cicero heard the pronoun used as well.

"Her," Director Cato had said, a term you're fairly certain does not apply to your father.

Maybe she misspoke, you tell yourself, having been surprised by what she had warped in on, deciding it would be best to get the message across immediately and bail. Parting ways with a quick kiss to Cicero as you leave the room, you hurry up to the top of the tower, a meeting room occupied by Emperor Ximeno (you do a quick bow as soon as you see him, of course!), Directors Belinda, Cato, and Chiffon, as well as Marduk, Denim, Cashmere...

And Hera, without a Waldrick in sight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9Fhn3pnCk

"...happy birthday," the newly-appointed Coastal Director weakly offers.

"...you have my condolences," the Emperor himself says. "But I ask that you put your mourning aside for a moment and have a seat with Director Hera. We have much to discuss, in light of recent happenings."

Fists clenched instinctively, you nod and bow again. "Right away, y-your excellency..."

The meeting's finer details earlier on are lost to you, but you catch enough.

>character limit, continued next post

>>46912083
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4QJiKNL2pA

First addressed was Director Waldrick's falling at the hands of Sir Dyrus and the rest of his allies, the failure of the siege of Darton.

"And now," Hera complains, "Holmstead's starting to get rebels, and we've needed to repel Nobans with less manpower on top of managing the islands."

Director Belinda says, "Lady Hauteclere and her daughter, Laurise, have emerged from the frigid mountains and begun to rally resistance forces in my region. We need to repel them, perhaps even capture Laurise, since she's acted as the tactical advisor for her mother throughout her campaign."

Marduk simply looks at the ceiling at that proposal's acceptance, and you later learn that apparently his late sisters were once close friends with Laurise and your father's murderer.

The Tarvosian nomads are getting bolder and bolder in their resistance to the Wolfskin, their leader Tien in particular currently holding the unofficial title of "the most dangerous human alive."

Chiffon says on the matter, "look, I know it's not exactly 'popular' to help the big bad wolves oppress the poor little nomads, but the resistance is gonna start crossing the desert before we know it. It's a danger to the entire Empire if they can team up with Chief Tien, so with all due respect, your excellency..."

"We need all the extra hands we can get in cutting them down!" Cashmere finishes.

Director Cato, despite hosting, actually has little to say all meeting long. You, however, are...

>A. Sent to Wolfskin Valley to help subjugate the nomads
>B. Sent to Central to face Hauteclere/capture Laurise

>>46912146
>A. Sent to Wolfskin Valley to help subjugate the nomads

>>46912146
>A. Sent to Wolfskin Valley to help subjugate the nomads

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>>46912343
Yes, you and your little subgroup (still including Marduk. Belinda says she still doesn't want him too close to Central, considering his sisters' past friendship with Laurise, which you totally get, considering his recent actions) are asked by the Emperor himself to go to the valley.

"We've ignored this plight upon our allies long enough," Ximeno says. "Rene, you must prepare your subordinates to travel East." Turning towards Cato, he adds, "Methodius has formally requested that you lend him your Witch's Pendant for the time being. He has errands all across the continent, and no mind for scheduling, so it would ease his stress greatly to remove travel plans from the equation."

"I suppose I can't deny it when his excellency makes the request on my master's behalf," Cato says with a fake smile that reeks of unstated malice. "I shall gladly donate my life's work of magical study so he doesn't need to learn to schedule better!"

The meeting is adjourned shortly afterwards, and while your immediate thoughts are to find Veiz and cry for a few hours, Cicero and Alfred alike inform you that she's locked herself in her room and isn't seeing anyone.

>A. Go to the rooftop of the tower to think
>B. Try to get in anyway
>C. Follow Veiz's example
>D. Write-in response

>>46912557
>B. Try to get in anyway
Need to be there for our sister, especially when she doesn't want us to be.

>>46912557
>B. Try to get in anyway

>>46912557
>B. Try to get in anyway

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>>46912801
"Veiz," you try, despite Cicero and Alfred's warning, "it's Rene. Please let me in."

Silence.

You bang on the door with one hand, saying, "Veiz, please, this isn't something you handle alone!" After a couple attempts at this, you go for the doorknob, set to jiggle it to indicate a feeling of NEEDING to be there for her.

"Er, you shouldn't-" Alfred starts, too late to stop you from wrapping your hand around the doorknob. The moment you do, a dark magical pulse, light but still stinging quite a bit, courses through your forearm, leaving you to recoil and clutch it in pain.

"Yeah, she's... Put a hex on the door," Alfred says. "Probably should've opened with explaining that."

"D-do you require a healing staff, Rene?!" Cicero asks.

"What seems to be the problem here?" An elderly voice asks, belonging to it an elderly beard-having sort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lvtbhtR-MU

"Well met, Methodius," you say to the seasoned mage, "my sister's holed herself up in her room, protected it with hexes. I... Really need to talk to her, though."

"A hex, eh..?" Methodius stares at the door awhile, then chortles, dispelling it with a wave of his hand. "Child's play for myself, but for a self-taught mage who's practiced archery all her life... It should be unlocked now, anyway."

>A. Why is he here, anyway?
>B. Thank him and head on in
>C. Write-in response
>D. After whoever else wants in
>E. ...

>>46913053
>B. Thank him and head on in

>>46913053
>B. Thank him and head on in

>>46913053
>B. Thank him and head on in

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>>46913127
"Thank you, Methodius," you say, heading in.

"Ah, it's hardly a problem," he responds with a grin. "My children and their children could be the same way... Hardly a trick like that in the book I haven't learned to counter over the years."

With that, he holds up a hand before Alfred can walk in, and Cicero shuts the door, saying, "perhaps they ought to have a moment first..."

You find Veiz laying in her bed, whimpering and holding a pillow quite tightly, faced away from the door.

"Veiz..." You start, softly, as you approach.

"Grh... D-don't you know it's impolite to barge into a locked room?" She says, still not looking at you but trying (and failing) to sound tough and distinguished.

>A. So is hexing people
>B. You don't care
>C. Apologize
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...

>>46913285
>A. So is hexing people
>C. Apologize
>D. I'm your sister. Sisters should support each other.

>>46913391
"It's impolite to hex people," you respond, met with an annoyed silence, and after awhile adding, "but I'm still sorry. I was just... worried about you. I figured we should be supporting each other..."

"...I used to be so awful to you," Veiz says, still looking away. "I went out of my way to make you feel unwelcome... Father would never stop chastising me for it, and you never seemed to let it get to you... G-gods, that was despicable of me."

"It's alright, Veiz," you say, approaching and sitting at her side, resting one hand on her shoulder. "I had forgiven all of that before we had even begun academy training."

"Grh..." Veiz springs up and throws her arms around you, tears clearly streaking down her face as she does so. "C-can you please stop being perfect for a moment? Cry your heart out if you must! Don't hold back on the account of comforting me, Rene!"

>A. Joke that you'll bottle it up just to bug her
>B. Fine
>C. You can't afford to break down like that
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...

>>46913784
>B. Fine

>>46913784
>B. Fine

>>46913784
>B. Fine

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>>46913878
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGwNdWkGpK4

"F-Fine, if you... If you insist, Veiz..." You start, reassuring smile giving way to free-flowing tears as you hug and cry things out awhile.

A few minutes of this pass, before you brush some hair out of Veiz's eyes.

"Father... Will not have died in vain, of course," Veiz says, the first to say a full sentence in this moment, trying to smile once again. "This resistance will be stopped as he would have wanted, and..."

"Of course," you assure her, certainly. "We're the prodigious sisters of the Coastal region. We'll turn this around no matter how far they come."

Another lengthy hugging-out later, the two of you brush yourselves off and start to the door, opening it to find only Methodius, sitting patiently outside.

"Sirs Cicero and Alfred headed downstairs after they realized you could handle this better than either of them could," Methodius says to you, standing up and walking towards Veiz. "Now, I've noticed that you have a natural mind for magic..."

"My father always said as much," Veiz responds. "He even gave me my Bright Bow so I might take advantage of this easily, suggested that I spend my time here studying."

"And to be hexing with ease! Why, with proper guidance, you might prove a greater student than Cato."

"Y-you don't mean that, Lord Methodius!" Veiz says, taken slightly aback.

"Oh, but I do," he says. "In fact..." Looking out a nearby window, he jumps up in surprise. "Oh, my, the time! What's the use of this pendant if I'm going to prattle away anyway! Er, Veiz, would you mind shadowing me for a brief time? I have business on Fort Dalshin that pertains very closely to my magical specialties."

"I, er... I mean, if Rene has no objection..." Veiz says, surprised at how quickly she's gained the interest of the Emperor's Court Necromancer.

"We won't be long," he promises. "I need to get us all to Wolfskin Valley, after all."

>A. Sure
>B. If she wants to
>C. No can do
>D. Write-in response

>>46914164
>>B. If she wants to

>>46914164
>B. If she wants to

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>>46914222
"If she wishes it," you answer, "then who am I to say no?"

"Then let us get going," Veiz says. "Oh, this is going to be so fascinating, I just know it..."

Already looking almost remotely like she might be okay sometime in the near future. It's enough to put a smile on your face.

When Veiz and Methodius warp away to the Coastal region, you find yourself wandering around until you reach the Tower's rooftop. On it, at its edge, sit Marduk and Baker, that wyvern-riding subordinate of his and current substitute as Belinda's second, passing a bottle between them as Saye naps on the latter's lap, despite the immense precariousness of the situation.

"You sure you're alright with this, Duke?" Baker asks. "I mean, your sisters' best friend..."

"Would Winona and Nia be happy about it?" Marduk asks, shaking his head and wiping off the rim of the bottle. "Nah, they'd hate your guts for followin' orders. But... There's really not much sense wondering about that these days, is there?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Baker idly pets Saye's head as she snores a bit.

"...ain't it weird how we're at the top of a huge tower, just... drinking and sitting on the edge? We slip just a bit too far forward, our wyverns might not be able to catch us in time," Marduk says, head facing downward. "Anyone can fall off a wyvern, Baker."

"Shit, now you're scaring me," Baker says, pulling Saye away. "I'm backing up," he announces right as he does so.

"...suit yourself, my man," he says. "I'm better than falling anyway."

>A. Go back downstairs without a word
>B. Ask to hang out with them awhile
>C. Marduk, get back from there!
>D. Try to scare him
>E. Stand there like a weird person
>F. Write-in response

>>46914436
>C. Marduk, get back from there!

>>46914436
>C. Marduk, get back from there!

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>>46914612
"Marduk," you call out, "get back from that edge before you accidentally kill yourself!"

"...yelling at people's pretty startling, you know," Marduk says. You start to feel guilty about what almost could have happened if he wasn't so levelheaded, but then he points in Baker and Saye's general direction. "Saye gets cranky if you interrupt her naps..."

"You're going to die like that," you say, approaching and grabbing onto the back of his collar.

"Aww, you're concerned," he says.

"And you're drunk," you say as you pull him away to Baker's side. "You're such a lightweight..."

"You're smaller than me and barely touch the stuff," Marduk taunts. "Kettle meet pot."

"...make sure he doesn't die," you tell Baker.

"That's what wingmen are for," he responds, making an 'okay!' symbol as he sees you off.

As you head down from the rooftop to the top floor's meeting room just below, peering into the room through its spiraling staircase, you spot Emperor Ximeno, just... Sitting alone, looking lost in thought.

>A. Approach, perhaps converse
>B. Leave him be and go further down
>C. Stand and observe awhile
>D. Go back up to the roof
>E. Write-in action

>>46914727
>A. Approach, perhaps converse

>>46914727
>A. Approach, perhaps converse

>>46914812
You bow slightly, asking, "may I enter, your excellency?"

"Be my guest, Lady Rene. And please, speak freely."

You nod, sitting somewhat off to the side of the Emperor.

"I... Understand that the recent past has not been kind to you. You're made to take the life of a king you soon learn is a childhood friend, and then the man who took you in as his own is slain in the counterattack."

"It... Has not been an easy time," you admit.

"And yet," he says, "you carry yourself no less professionally for your loss. It reminds me of myself, almost."

"Your excellency?"

"See, my brother Xerxes... He was a far more social leader than I could ever hope to be, not unlike the late King Augustus. He liked to disguise himself and travel the continent, doing as he pleased and living as a commoner, learning their ways. Said it was to better his understanding of them, and perhaps it was on some level, but I think he just wished to goof off. Get the debauchery out of his system before he rose to the throne."

"May I... Ask what happened?"

"An ordinary bar fight with a run-of-the-mill vagrant. The future Emperor of the Gerxel, the man whose birthright was to command Xouida, choking on shards of broken glass in some dive in Darton. I was out hunting Bael in the Northwest mountains at the time. Suffice to say I... had to change my lifestyle quite a bit when the news reached me."

>A. He was irresponsible
>B. Why is he sharing this
>C. That's horrible
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...

>>46915068
>C. That's horrible
>B. Why is he sharing this

>>46915068
>>C. That's horrible
>>B. Why is he sharing this

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>>46915106
"That's... I can't imagine how awful that must have felt," you say, sincerely, "but... May I ask why you've shared this?"

"There's... Something about you that I see myself in, I suppose," he admits. "Your dedication to your lot in life, even in the face of adversity and grief, abandonment, loss, scorn... And all the way through, you're not too cowardly to stand in battle."

"It's... an honor to be compared to you, your excellency," you say, "though I hardly think I'm worthy of..."

"Spare me your humility, please. I asked to speak freely, Lady Rene."

"Of course... It is still an honor, that much was sincere."

"An offer, then. I wish to impart to you the wisdom of the Tarvosians, if you're to be facing them in the near future. Archery is ever more effective aboard a horse, and a Silver Knight's lance will reach all the further than a knight with only her own two feet." After a moment's pause, he adds, "er, don't feel obligated to accept. I will take no offense if you would prefer to hone the skills you have now."

To reclass into Silver Knight... Hmm.

>A. You were hoping to learn this stuff, but this is more than you could have hoped for!
>B. Honestly, you're not feeling it
>C. No harm in finally figuring the way of the horse
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...

>>46915224
>>A. You were hoping to learn this stuff, but this is more than you could have hoped for!
Do it!

>>46915224
>A. You were hoping to learn this stuff, but this is more than you could have hoped for!

>>46915224
>A. You were hoping to learn this stuff, but this is more than you could have hoped for!
Assuming this doesn't gimp our stat gains horribly due to how many levels we'd be skipping were this the real game.

>>46915285
We'll be fine. We're already high power as is.

>>46915319
We'd be skipping 16 levels.

>>46915324
For the sake of "no way in hell are we getting all the way to third-tiers on this quest's schedule," it might as well just be an ordinary promoted class you're changing into.

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>>46915285
"Honestly, I was... Hoping to finally learn the ways of mounted combat, but it's nearly unbelievable to think that your excellency would be my mentor."

"Reality is strange like that, isn't it? Come, let's see if we can't get started now."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G873eGiVyVk

Ximeno insists that he's not all that great of a teacher, but you go from only sort of okay at horseback riding to outright decent at it within the span of a few days that he and Methodius are with your group here and in Wolfskin Valley, as well as everything you need to know about caring for your new mount.

Methodius and Veiz, meanwhile, manage to train together quite well as well, to the point where Veiz comes to a feeling that she's come as far as she can with her archery skills alone and begins outright adding Dark Magic to her offensive mix.

Cashmere and Chiffon also travel with your party to the region they run, with the Director outright saying, "keep on the lookout around here, alright? Not only are the Tarvosians growing more aggressive, but there's that little sect of cannibals we haven't chased out yet... They've attacked Gerxel agents before, so keep an eye out for suspect wolves." The wolves effectively replace Cato and Denim's "temporary area-based ally" position, as Waldrick and Hera held in Holmstead.

>to be continued next thread
Not sure where else to continue this particular one, but a lot sure did happen.

Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter/ask.fm are qmgrandflocto, and I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile.

Also, as a point of reference, if you had done this particular Rene chapter after Dyrus', the option to go to Central instead of the valley wouldn't have even shown up, given the fact that obviously Rene would be guaranteed not to have been present for it!

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>>46915531
Thank you for running, Octo.

>>46915531
Thanks for running.

So are we level 1+4+20 now or 5+20?

>>46915559
Always a pleasure.

In an odd sort of way, Rene and Samson sort of remind me of the protagonists of my first two quests, while Dyrus is just. A standard-issue FE Lord.

>>46915590
Either 4+20 or 5+20. Third-tiers won't work out on a three-protag schedule, which is also partially why characters autolevel offscreen sometimes. You may have noticed Laurise jumping in strength since visiting the mountains, for example.

It's almost hilarious how underleveled Samson's group is compared to the others. Holmstead 776 forever.

>>46915614
Oh, uh, to clarify. That first statement came off a lot more critical than it sounded like. I love writing all three on their own merits, it's just that certain traits of the older two remind me of the older protags.