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From one side of the continent of Teege, the knights of Noba, led by Sir Jovan, advance upon the Central region, accompanied by Samson and his companions. They intend on defeating the final loyalists to the Empire without an Emperor, preventing the Gerxel from ever rising to power again by conquering their last stronghold. Even when an ample amount of wyrmite and significant wyvern losses on the Noban front hampered Director Belinda, she only fought back harder, craftier.

On the other side of the continent of Teege, the knights of Neir, led by Queen Hauteclere, pass through the Desert region, Prince Dyrus anxious for the inevitable. He feels a personal grudge against Director Belinda, what with all of her strikes against people close to him and growing up in the region she rules over. The mother Belle was mistreated by to the point where she would rather run from home and fend for herself as a preteen, the mentor who left Nia for dead, branded Winona a traitor for caring about her sister, let Marduk believe his sisters were dead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P2Mt2Vh39s

You, Rene, are on the other side of Teege. You wouldn't call yourself "none the wiser" to any of this dire situation for the Central region, but it doesn't currently concern you. Your target is a bandit leader who is VERY likely to be killed if left unattended, after all, and you're certain you need him alive if there's any hope of Emperor Ximeno's plan working. Wasting no time, you arrive in the mountain range where, just days ago, Emperor Ximeno died, thankful that this Conrad wasn't stupid enough to challenge the entire rebel army on his own like expected.

"So," Veiz asks, your party standing on the end of the path leading up to Conrad's mountain fortress, "what is our plan for recruiting Conrad? I doubt we'll be able to up and ask..."

>A. We could certainly try to be civil...
>B. Prioritize capturing him
>C. Kill his men in a show of dominance
>D. Write-in idea
>E. Anyone have a plan?

>>47946403
>A. We could certainly try to be civil.
But if he only listens to violence
>D.Challenge him to a duel

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>>47946448
"We could certainly try to be civil," you suggest. "I mean, he's already demonstrated that he's capable of restraint..." Drawing your Steel Lance for effect, you add, "but... he is still a bandit, and their first language is bloodshed. If he's not willing to cooperate, I could challenge him to a duel."

"So violent..." Sara remarks, flying down from the skies above. "I should hope my younger brother isn't like that..."

"Oh, Sara, hello. Did you see anything up there?" You ask.

"Nothing good," she answers. "We're being blocked in..."

"Blocked in? By who, exactly?" Veiz asks.

"Coming in from the North... It looks like mercenaries led by an old man with an axe and a girl with blue hair..."

"Sir Darren," you remark bitterly. The legendary warrior who betrayed your Empire, a friend to your father, to Methodius, a pillar for all soldiers to strive to emulate. "And... From the South?"

"Wait, no..." Saye sniffs loudly, "it can't be..."

"...it appears to be other wolfskin," Sara says, confirming whatever Saye was to say. "I believe that they're here to exterminate bandits..."

"No, not just any wolfskin," Saye says, shaking her head. "After all our time together, I would know Director Chiffon's scent anywhere." Another smelling motion, and a recoil, "and someone with a REALLY strong perfume. But why would someone mask their scent like that?"

"A mystery we can ponder at a later time," Cicero says, facing Saye and grasping her shoulders, a grim look in his eye. "Saye... I know that you valued the trust of Director Chiffon quite a lot, so we need to know now: will you be able to fight, should your kinsmen confront us?"

"I... Loved the Wolfskin region dearly," Saye says, "but I really don't think it was right for Chiffon to turn his back on the Empire in its hour of need. Garou aren't fair-weather friends! I made my decision when I went to follow you guys after..."

Cicero nods, letting go. "Sorry for doubting you."

>A. Write-in dialogue
>B. Let's get moving

>>47946669
>B. Let's get moving

>>47946669
>B. Let's get moving

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>>47946739
"Let's get moving," you say, mounting your horse and starting up the trail. "This is as far as I feel comfortable warping to, but they'll catch up to us if we dawdle any longer."

Everyone nods, following you up towards the bandit fortress.

The building itself is surprisingly modest, a medium-sized stone fortress with walls, windows, and an armory off to the side. Young to middle-aged men practice archery and axe-swinging out front, while more still rest against the walls of the building, hoods obscuring their suspiciously wolf-like features as their gazes pierce your souls...

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

Quite immediately, you're noticed, several of the wolves approaching after looking you over as the humans look on, archers holding their bows and awaiting you to make some move.

"You have a lot of nerve just... Walking up here," one says, "wearing such official-looking getup like this while walking into our nest?"

"Easy," you say, raising up your arms defensively, "we didn't come here for a fight. Quite the opposite in fact."

"Get your boss out here as quick as you can," Kristina demands, "time is of the essence if Connor's gonna be safe."

"Now you have the nerve to threaten the boss?" One wolf snarls, balling up his fists. "You've got a lotta nerve for a little band run by an Empire with no Emperor to swear by!"

"Come on," Saye says, "we've let you and your company be for your entire existence. Why would we seek to eradicate you at our weakest?"

"I dunno, maybe you're desperate for some nice property close to your old capital. Just a few vagrants to wipe out and it's yours, no?" The confrontational, skeptical Wolfskin asks, still glaring and baring his teeth.

>A. If it's a fight he wants, he'll get one! (choose someone or yourself to pacify this guy)
>B. You don't have time for this
>C. Just shoot him
>D. Walk on by
>E. ...
>F. Write-in response

>>47947107
>F."If I wanted a fight then I wouldn't have bothered talking and shot you already. Just send out your boss. I'm just here to talk to him."

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>>47947257
"If I wanted a fight, we wouldn't have bothered speaking to you. My bow could have killed at least two of you before you had time to act if I did. Now, let us speak to your boss before Neir and Wolfskin warriors close in on us."

"Grh... Fair point. Hey, Conrad, I think she's cool!"

From the training grounds, one of the warriors you didn't pay a second thought turns his head, strapping his bow to his back and approaching.

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

Of middling height (well, he's taller than you and Sara...), the man who approaches has a rather hairy chin, and short, purple-black, spiky hair. Reminding you of Hera, he foregoes sleeves and wears only the lightest of armor. Walking over with his hands on his hips, he turns his neck up at you as he sizes you and your crew up.

"Imperials, definitely," he says, frowning, "now, don't think I didn't notice your little blockade starting just shy of where our fortress began. Was your Emperor counting on us to slow the rebels down for his cause or something?"

"He... Didn't say anything about you," you lie, knowing he got it right on the nose, "but like my friend said, the Empire has ignored your actions for a long time. Now that we're here, I suppose I'm glad we did..."

"And why's that?" Conrad asks, leaning in and grabbing your arm. "If you're looking for refuge, we aren't a damn charity. You and your friends'll pull whatever haul we say you should..."

You yank your hand away, backing up and glaring. Is the Emperor's third child and eldest son some bandit scumbag, distinct only by being a bit cleverer than the average?

No, no, he's just trying to intimidate you. You're small, you recently lost your Empire, he thinks he can jerk your friends around.

>A. Write-in response
>B. Calmly explain the situation
>C. Hear you out or they'll all die
>D. Stare-off (roll 1d20 for intimidation factor, >13 makes him back down and behave, <7 and you look pitiful)

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>47947520
>D. Stare-off (roll 1d20 for intimidation factor, >13 makes him back down and behave, <7 and you look pitiful)

>>47947520
Whoops, dropped my trip.

>>47947623
yes

>>47947623
Your stare pierces the young bandit's own, strips Conrad down to what he really is: a grown-ass man with a foul attitude and a lot of muscle.

In your eyes, he's seen that you've stood against far more threatening foes than he could ever amount to, that he is barking up precisely the wrong tree harassing you.

"...what do you want?" He asks, backing up and almost... Making himself smaller.

You waste no time explaining the situation to him.

"Wait, you're a PRINCE?" The wolfskin fellow asks him, wide-eyed. "When were you gonna tell me?!"

"Well, I found out right when you did!" He protests angrily. "Now, I'm more worried about the fact that they're coming for our asses!"

"I can smell 'em," another wolfskin confirms, "the groups have come together, now they're maybe... An hour and a half away."

"Shit," Conrad curses, "alright, everyone! We gotta abandon the old fort. Pack your shit, we're going with these guys now!"

"...a word?" Kristina asks, pulling you aside before you can answer. Whispering harshly, she adds, "I won't be able to haul a whole bandit camp with this pendant. Shit'll ruin my magic essence!"

"So what do you propose we do?" You ask.

"We grab Conrad," she suggests, "he's the only one we're here for."

"So you mean to leave the rest of his men to their fates?" You ask. "Can you not take multiple trips?"

"Why do you give a shit?" Kristina retorts. "And anyway, with how magic-intensive that'd be, it'd take over two hours to get the whole of them to Central without breaking myself. Not the kinda time we have right now."

>A. Then we stay and fight
>B. ...
>C. She's right
>D. We should try anyway (to show you won't just ditch, your party would be among the last transported out of the region)
>E. Write-in response

Well, shit. We could try to knock him out and teleport but then he will turn on us for abandoning his men.
How many men are there?

>>47947932
Several dozen. You would outnumber the wolfskin alone, but combined with Darren and co.+Lords of Chance there are at least 1.5 times as many people as you, more than a few of whom are quite powerful.

>>47947829
Vote time renewed. I know you're strategizing here, but for posterity's sake.

>>47947829
>E.Ask Garren who's his most trusted guys nonchalantly
When he picks, grab them and teleport out of there fast.
Maybe he won't be that mad?

>>47948164
Garren?

>>47948182
Yes with Garren of course.
Am I making sense? I'm a bit under the weather.

>>47948213
There isn't anyone named Garren.

Conrad's the bandit leader, Darren is the warrior coming to help Chiffon murder some bandits, and in Generically 1 there was a Garrus.

Laptop is being shitty and laggy, so pardon post delays.

>>47948364
Sorry. I mixed them up. I mean Conard. This heat is too much.

>>47948385
I like summer, but I completely feel you on debilitating heat.

God, this post has been done and ready to post for like 5 minutes. Nice job, laptop.

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>>47948164
"...let me handle this. On my signal, get anyone he mentions rounded up and we all warp out of here," you say.

"The fuck are you trying to-" Kris gives you an incredulous stare as you hurry back over to Conrad.

"So," you say, "this is a... Pretty nice band of marauders you have here."

"Aye," he says, looking them over, "they've been more of a family to me than anyone I've ever known."

"If you're going to be accompanying us, I'd like to know a little about some of them," you say. "Tell me about a few of your best men."

Glaring angrily, Conrad picks you up again, his previous cooperative state of intimidation gone. Looks like he saw right through your idea. "You mean to just make me pick a few favorites and ditch my men?!" He lifts up a steel axe, holding it up to your throat. "You know where the fuck else you'll find Tarvosians and Wolfskin getting on and working together like us? No-the-fuck-where! You don't get to be in this position without trust!"

"Unhand her!" Cicero barks, lifting up his weapons as as pretty much... Everyone in your team prepares to fight.

"Try anything and captain acceptable losses here loses her head!" He says. "To think I almost felt for ya there!"

"You're a smart man, Conrad, think about what you're doing," Veiz advises, holding up her bow, trained on his head. "You and your men don't stand the slightest chance against the approaching forces without our help, and if you draw a single drop of Rene's blood, you'll be slaughtered five times over."

"..." He groans, dropping you down and giving you some room. "I ain't coming with you until we've taken care of the guys who REALLY want us dead, though. Like hell I'm leaving this fortress for them to find."

>A. Fine, fine...
>B. He's not worth your time
>C. ...
>D. Write-in response

>>47948669
>A. Fine, fine...

>>47948669
>A. Fine, fine...
Well, I hope we can do it.

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Sorry for delays again. One of these days this laptop is going to literally go up in flames and I'll still try to use it, I swear.

Starting update now.

>>47948814
It's all good. Hope your laptop gets better.

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Fuck. Fucking fuck. Post was eaten LITERALLY right when I was finished and posting and going to pick music. It decided to force the tab to refresh for some godforsaken reason.

Here's a short version.

>>47948739
You're like, yeah, sure, I mean Veiz sort of put you on the spot.

A more thorough scouting-out by Kris reveals that, lucky you, Felix is among the Noban knights! The source of the strong perfume Saye smelled is someone in a cloak, hood, and mask, leading Cicero to wonder who would be traveling with Chiffon in disguise...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asVQ5ZXYDOI

Conrad suggests that you warp behind the advancing parties to cut them off, while Cicero says that the plan wouldn't work twice in a row.

Every single one of these things is wordier than this summary implies.

>A. They aren't expecting us anyway
>B. Yeah let's just stay in one place
>C. Expected or not we should try it
>D. [propose own plan]
>E. No comment

>>47949110
>B. Yeah let's just stay in one place

>>47949110
>B. Yeah let's just stay in one place

>>47949110
Approaching warriors from Neir+lords of chance, not Noban knights. My bad.

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>>47949182
"Yeah, we should probably just stay in one place," you say, agreeing with Cicero. "They'll come to us, funneled through the pass, and we can pick them off as they come..."

"It looks like the Lords of Chance are leading the charge, with Laurise, Darren, and the wolfskin somewhere in the middle," Kristina reports, "and fuck if I know where Felix was shuffled into. Dude's tiny."

"So now I have a little brother and sister in one day?" Conrad asks, sounding... Actually somewhat sentimental.

"I'm older than you," Sara corrects.

"..." Conrad turns to face his men. "Anyway! We funnel 'em through and turn them to mincemeat at once! If you see a kid matching Felix's description, knock him out and swipe him up if you can, but whatever you do don't fucking kill him!"

"Will do, sir," the wolves of his group say, eager to take their defensive positions. "But... The new self-styled princess and her old guardian. No doubt they're important to this new kingdom here, so how do we deal with them?"

"Well?" Conrad asks, turning to you, "you're the one who knows shit here."

>A. Do not let them live
>B. Kill Darren, capture Laurise
>C. Try to take them alive...
>D. It doesn't matter to you either way
>E. Write-in response

>>47949504
>C. Try to take them alive...
But don't risk all of your lives if you can't.

>>47949504
>C. Try to take them alive...

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>>47949595
"They could be valuable hostages if taken alive," you say, "but... Let's not prioritize such a thing too heavily. Kill them if you feel it's right, but try to take them alive."

That word causes Alfred's fingers to twitch again. Hostages. Veiz notices and places a hand on his shoulder, calming the parasol-touting Swordmaster.

Maybe, you speculate to yourself, you've been too lax in your scrutiny of the man who has expressed nothing but contempt for your recent actions, who doesn't like anybody but your sister. Maybe you've just chalked these up to sisterly protectiveness when something really was bugging you about him, and Hal is not only actually dead, but also a genuine fluke and not a murder... No, now you're just grasping even further at straws trying to get at a traitor who might not even be in your current party.

You, him, Saye, and Conrad go over to the frontlines of the fight-to-be, Cicero following you off to the side as his sneaky self. Veiz and Sara stay back to provide extra support if needed. Kristina decides to go ahead and do the 'warp behind them' trick anyway, on her own. At least she can distract them with some monsters, prevent them from getting Felix far away, she reasons.

As the mercenaries of various sorts start through, you and your crew pull back a bit, just enough to not immediately be spotted before Kristina can set up her monstrous perimeter.

"On my mark," Conrad says, drawing back his Double Bow, holding a tense moment until the first waves of mercenaries begin to pile through. "Now!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRDYGR9Tfmk

You've not sure you've ever seen better-coordinated archers, even in all your time fighting Tarvosians and Vautou. A solid ten men and women of the Lords of Chance are killed before they even know what hit them, breaking through your wall of archers and forcing several to switch to axes against the frontliners.

>A. Maintain your distance
>B. Ride in and start spearing!
>C. Write-in action

>>47949896
>A. Maintain your distance
Support is very important.

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>>47950052
Archery is your specialty, of course, so you don't plan on holding up on your more support-based role as the middle Gerxel brother and his more metaphorical brothers fight.

"Rene, look out!" Saye calls, giving you the chance to leap out of the way of two powerful figures swinging at you, Warrior and Wolfskin. You land on your feet, and your easily-startled horse hurries to hide by the fortress.

Darren and Chiffon stand before you and Saye, staring you down.

"Rene," the old man greets you, "I... Figured that would get your attention."

"I only went along with missing on purpose because you've always struck me as alright, Rene," Chiffon adds. "But now you're... Allying with bandits?"

"You don't know what this is about, Chiffon!" Saye defends. "Their leader is..."

"It doesn't mean anything to me who he is," Chiffon says. "I've been indecisive and yellow for too long in my political career, and if I can't clean up my act, prove myself to the queen, those damned Tarvosians are gonna convince her to exile us all. Every day, they say, their representative is pleading in her court, putting on pressure. She doesn't want to, but I need to give her ammunition to defend us with if we don't want her cowing to her allies' demands."

"So you're just... 'oh, hey, gotta prove ourselves to the queen!' What about the Empire you swore to, Chiffon? Your pride?" Saye asks.

"Are you listening to yourself, Saye? The Empire war rotten, and everything I'm doing is out of love for my people. I know, your friends are staying with the Empire, but... Saye, this isn't what's best for you, or me, or for any wolf out there! I want us to be part of a better future, Saye, and... I dunno if I can do it without you."

Saye looks... Well, conflicted, as Darren and Chiffon both await her response in the heat of battle.

>A. Attack [specify]
>B. Threaten Saye into submission (dice+1d20, 16+ succeeds)
>C. Plead with Saye (write-ins may help)
>D. Let her decide
>E. Write-in response

>>47950234
>C. Plead with Saye (write-ins may help)
>"Saye, please. Do not abandon us now. We've been through too much together to end it here.We need you. I need you."
Hope we have a strong enough bond.

>>47950234
>C. Plead with Saye (write-ins may help)
>"Chiffon's right. Parts of the Empire were corrupt...the region he was supposed to safeguard from that at the forefront, but others as well. But that's in the past. Now the empire is all but destroyed, and it can be reborn - better than before! There's no chance that a bunch of petty kingdoms would be better for the world, or the wolves, than a unified empire."

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>>47950295
"Saye," you urge, "don't abandon us here, not now. After all of our time together, all that you've assured us that you'd stick by our sides, I don't know if I-"

"No need to lay it on so thick, Rene," Saye says, transforming after flashing a sad smile, "I... Told you I'd already made up my mind! I said I would fight you if I needed to, Director!"

"You... Really don't need to do this," Chiffon says, sadly, before he himself transforms, "but sure, let's go."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOc9gCWeB_Y

Chiffon and Saye leap at each other in their transformed states, Darren interrupted from evening the odds by your own shooting at him.

"You'll not interrupt them," you say, eyeing him. Catching your eye in the distance is the cloaked, masked individual Kristina mentioned, slowly slogging closer and avoiding any and all attacks towards them.

"Even you wouldn't truly go so low as to ally with feared bandits for no reason," Darren says as he turns to face you again. "Let me guess... Your next target is among their number? ...your silence tells me I'm right." He points his axe towards you. "All the better that we're cutting them down to a man, then."

With unexpected spryness for his... Everything, Darren takes a swing at you, rushing forward and leaving you with little room to shoot. Lather, rince, repeat. His every blow is widely telegraphed, but also quick, as though the old man nearing retirement thinks he's good enough to warrant toying with you. It's frustrating you enough that you keep forgetting to take out your Lance.

"You know," he says, "you hardly need to do all of this... Were you to simply give up this futile effort, you and everyone else would be happier. Hauteclere would not seek to punish you or your companions..."

You swerve out of the way of another telegraphed strike.

>A. And why is that?
>B. Try to focus on shooting the masked person
>C. Switch to Steel Lance
>D. Keep trying to get enough distance to shoot him down
>E. Write-in action

>>47950531
Wew, glad she stayed. Go Sayne!
>C. Switch to Steel Lance

>>47950531
>A. And why is that?
>C. Switch to Steel Lance
Triangle disadvantage shouldn't be too hard to overcome here with Rene's Skill focus, a Warrior's usual stat spread and Darren in particular being a Jeigan we've outleveled.

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>>47950670
Alright, you figure you've had about enough of his rambling. Switching to your Steel Lance, you immediately strike back.

Your first strike knocks him off his feet and onto the ground, lance pointed at his old neck. "You aren't strong enough for the liberty of holding back, Lord Darren," you say, glaring at him. "Your betrayal of my father, of our Empire, has cost so many people their lives... But tell me why. Why would Hauteclere offer us that amnesty?"

"Rene..." Darren begins to speak, only to be stripped of consciousness by a ball of darkness.

"We can't afford to distract ourselves with interrogations right now!" Veiz insists, shouting sense back into you. "Now come on, let's rescue Saye from-"

The masked figure springs towards Veiz, transforming into an all-powerful Wolfseggner. On their chest is a familiar puncture wound...

"C-Cashmere?" You ask, a little taken aback, but not hesitating to rush forward with your lance as she hurries to strike your sister.

A single sweeping strike sends Veiz into a nearby rock, out cold and heavily bruised. That much strength from an mere swat... Add in that scar, and you're certain of it.

"M-my people..." Chiffon crumbles and reverts into a husk of his former self before Saye, only for the transformed wolf-girl to rush to you and Cashmere.

"Th-they let you out?!"

"Mmhey, Saye," Cashmere responds, looking over to you. "Do you like my perfume..?"

"A-answer the question!" Saye demands.

"It's... A pardon from Chiffon," she answers, fists balling up as she gazes at his body. "When I realized that all I'd done was... Worsen strife and infighting in our home, all I wanted to do was die. But I didn't, and... You know Chiffon couldn't ever stay mad at someone..."

As you prepare to fight Cashmere again, alongside Saye, you turn to see Conrad, crouching in pain as Laurise blasts him with Dime Thunder.

In the slight distance, Sara quietly watches, slowly making her way into the battle.

>A. Help Saye
>B. Help Conrad

>>47950851
>A. Help Saye
Hopefully Sara can cover for her little brother, can't really abandon a friend, especially after that talk of loyalty and bonds and such.

>>47950851
Damn it, Octo. This choice is too hard.
>A. Help Saye

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>>47950937
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDWJ9UOIOYw

You remain stalwart in your support of Saye, despite your great discomfort with leaving Conrad in the hands of inexperienced Sara. Noting your choice, she hurriedly flaps forward to transform and face Laurise down with her little brother.

You, meanwhile, keep close to Saye.

"I... I didn't save your life just so I could kill you!" Saye expresses with frustration as her fists and Cashmere's clash with lightning speed. Cashmere's punches, however, are faster, more precise, and Saye less defensive.

Regardless, though, it's two-on-one here, and their overly-focusing on one another is a perfect opportunity for you to twirl your Steel Lance, taking aim at Cashmere as she fights her protege.

"Rah!" With a perfectly-timed strike, you pierce Cashmere's cranium, leaving her with seconds to live and revert.

"I-I've taught Saye too w-well... Perhaps it's... My influence that... that put her down this..." The last of the former assistant-director's life gives out no sooner than she was able to reenter battle.

Saye, battered, bruised, and undoubtedly in anguish, reverts to her humanoid form, shaking and shuddering and limping over towards Veiz. "I-I-I... I'll just... Get... I'll get her patched up, alright?"

You nod, turning to face the princess harassing the rightful prince and princesses. You presume that, since Cicero is your primary-by-default healer, you won't be seeing much of him. He's probably already tailing Veiz and Saye, knowing you would've commanded him to.

Laurise's Dime Thunder, you observe, is deadly powerful, even moreso with its dual strikes, but it's inaccurate and hefty, and she's not terribly used to countering Sara's revert+dodge maneuver. Which is great, because have a heart attack every time she casts. Conrad, meanwhile, trains his Double Bow on Laurise while she tries to take out the pesky manakete.

>A. Fire Brave Bow
>B. Rush with lance
>C. Feel abrupt urge to stop him
>D. Write-in response

>>47951135
>A. Fire Brave Bow

Fuck. That was an important-ass post, and a rogue backspace steals it away.

I don't feel like this is one that warrants a shortening, so pardon the delay. Again.

>>47951135
>C. Feel abrupt urge to stop him
>B. Rush with lance

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>>47951232
As the bandit you swore to protect aims his bow, Laurise leaps out of its aim's way, aiming her tome towards him and blasting him with two more Dime Thunders. "I'm not going to just be bested by some bandit," she says, turning her attention back towards the Ice Dragon.

Seeing this, you don't hesitate to let loose a pair of Arrows. Turning towards them, eyes widening, she says, "R-Rene, don't-!"

Too late, your arrows respond for you, knocking her to the cold ground in a pool of her own blood.

"I-is this really..." Looking down at herself, up at Conrad as he struggles through his shocking to fix his bow on her. "I... M-mother, Dyrus..."

The seasoned bandit is unsympathetic to Laurise's pleas for mother, putting another arrow in her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB4eSFGgQUc

You feel something drop in the pit of your stomach. You've witnessed people her age die in manners far less dignified, and her brother was the one who ruthlessly cut down Omar... Why are you so devastated now?

You shake it off. This is how it's supposed to feel, putting the welfare of your Empire above all else.

"Grh... Thanks for the save back there," Conrad says, grinning and patting your shoulder. "I'd have been a goner after one more of those..." He winces. "Hey, Sara, grab me a vulnerary... Sara, quit being distracted! C'mon, I'm getting really sore here!"

Sara is just... Crouching down, looking at Laurise. "I know she's our enemy, but... Who is this Laurise?"

>A. ...
>B. Just that, your enemy
>C. Write-in response
>D. Let's hurry and secure Felix
>E. Is she really..? (1d20 for the power of deus ex machina)

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>47951597
>E. Is she really..? (1d20 for the power of deus ex machina)

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>47951597
>E. Is she really..? (1d20 for the power of deus ex machina)

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>47951597
>E. Is she really..? (1d20 for the power of deus ex machina)

>>47951618
>>47951626
>>47951631
Well shit.

>>47951647
M-maybe she'll just be comatose...?

>>47951618
"I... Is she... She's not actually dead, is she?" You ask, crouching with Sara and holding her.

"I... think I saw her move," you say, hopefully.

Conrad grins. "I mean, I'd hate to have that on my con-"

Sara shakes her head. "She moved because you moved her. It's... Clearly nothing to do with herself."

You think you've got it, now that you think about it more. You see a lot of Veiz in her. Spirited, magically-talented...

But a lot of sisters have lost their lives in this war. It's not your place to grieve over a girl with no connection to you.

"Hey, Rene," Kris says, nonchalantly warping in with Felix in her hands, struggling to free himself, "I got that thing you wanted."

"L-let me go, I can't just... People are depending on me to-" The smallest of Xerxes' children looks at the sight of you, Laurise, Conrad, and Sara, and just... Shuts up, immediately freezes in Kristina's grip.

"Alright, looks like he's willing to behave now," Kristina says, shoving him on over towards you, Conrad, and Sara, "meet your new big siblings, Felix. I gotta go make sure Veiz isn't fucking dead. Gods know Cicero can't heal for shit."

>character limit, continued next post

>>47951846
That matter settled, you and your fellow survivors take a moment to plan out your next move. Lord Darren is still alive, and Veiz and a reluctant Alfred are handling his interrogation.

"Queen Hauteclere is headed East with her son to challenge Director Belinda," Veiz says, sounding more than a little fazed. "They have no intents to pursue Xerxes' child in Central..."

"He... Certainly acted cooperative for someone who's lost his granddaughter," Sara remarks.

"...I couldn't bear to tell him about that," Veiz says. "He's already seen this mission fail horribly without this knowledge of where Laurise is being kept."

So... This leaves you with two options, you figure. Kristina is able to learn that the kingless Kingdom of Noba is planning its own assault on Central. You can aid Belinda in fighting one of them, or continue focusing on finding Ludwig first and foremost.

>A. Central
>B. Ludwig

Veiz, meanwhile, wants to know what to do with Lord Darren. Every word when she asks about him reeks of regret, exhaustion, tears.

>C. Tell him the truth, let him go
>D. Truth+keep captive
>E. Keep him captive and in the dark
>F. Kill him and that's that
>G. Kill him, turn him into a deadlord
>H. Whatever she wants
>I. Suggest your own thing

>>47951866
>B. Ludwig
>D. Truth+keep captive

>>47951866
>B. Ludwig
>D. Truth+keep captive

File: DruidGBAIcon.gif (2 KB, 76x69)

2 KB GIF

>>47951951
Sticking to your mission and seeking out Ludwig, you decide, would be the better choice. Director Belinda can handle herself a few days longer without your interference.

On Ludwig's mother, Xerxes wrote, 'my fourth child, Ludwig... I met his mother, Anais, in the tower of Longevity. Focused on her studies beyond all else, I was surprised she made time for me even once. She was a natural magical prodigy, yet she refused to use it to fight... Her real interests in life were administrative. It hardly surprises me to hear that, young son and all, she's found a cushy desk job in the middle of Central... I wouldn't doubt it if she was the real brains behind Lieutenant [as of the time of reading, posthumously promoted to General after a fatal squabble with General Taniel of the rebels] Roto's recent rise in competence. The man's a brilliant swordsman, but there's nothing else worth saying about him, but Anais... She starts working for him, and he starts running a tight ship!'

The village that Xerxes refers to Ludwig's mother as living in is... Currently under rebel occupation, by the hand of Taniel's right-hand and tactician, the Light Sage Lisa.

As for Lord Darren... "He'll find out what happened to Laurise eventually, through Felix or otherwise, and I don't feel terribly comfortable killing him without reason... He can remain in our custody for awhile."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=908kjmbjABI

So in one fell swoop, you captured Felix, stopped him from attacking you, apprehended the esteemed Lord Darren, and killed the tactically-prodigious princess Laurise.

Your sleep is rough, but you never stop telling yourself that you're doing the right thing.

>To be continued next thread
Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter and ask.fm are both qmgrandflocto, and I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile, answer questions, whatnot.

>>47952121
Thanks for running.

I'm legitimately devastated by Laurise's death. Any chance of the Staff of Katri pulling a plot resurrection? I'm worried none of the protagonist's are going to get a terribly happy ending on the current path...

>>47952121
Thanks for running...

>>47952159
>>47952150
Always a... pleasure.

Resurrection is right out, though, sadly. Deadlords can be made to have their hosts' memories if the person in question thinks to, and most things short of death can be recovered from (humans are very resilient folks), but a line needs to be drawn somewhere.

And I mean Samson could still have an outright-bright ending. Every loss pains him and he already developed some serious issues from all he's been through, and it's too early to say whether or not he's done losing people, but a major theme of his route is recovery, personal betterment, and community.