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>>2433024
7th Kriegstrom Platoon

Comprised of the most well-armed and armoured troops, 7th Platoon offers the meanest, fiercest and, given the mortality rate, dumbest soldiers to be found in the Black Company. A more bizarre collection of fighting men and women has likely never been seen. Down-on-their-luck heroes with a magic swords and brooding pasts like Cairsun; escaped slaves with a penchant for magik like Nissar; disgruntled veterans of the Nuemunster Legions like Corporal ‘Jack’ Marcus; Scarred Wildborn ‘Smiles’ (because fighting is really all a Wildborn knows); aging Skald huscarls like Hirstun of Ligh that should have retired long ago. You even have a mute rotten undead warrior, ‘Mask’, which is one even you haven’t heard before. Nevermind the fekking Dragon.

They’re your men (and women). Mercenaries, that kill for money. Warriors, with the right degree of pride and stubbornness. Soldiers, that fight for the man next to them. You never wanted this position, deciding who dies where. Dark Father knows it’s only a matter of time before you get them all killed.

The Fallen
The annals record those who have died in the line of duty under your command. Those whom you have failed.

‘Auntie’ Goodkind Throat ripped out by a Grenn wolfman during the storming of Kresden.

Pietre Verdun Struck down from behind in the storming of Kresden. No one saw where the blow came from.

Unhappy Sam Mauled to death by the Grenn during the storming of Kresden.

‘Snake’ Summarily executed for disobeying orders. Members of 7th Platoon refused to elaborate further.

‘White Bitch’ Tara Slain in the defence of the 7th Platoon campsite by Neumunster ambushers during the Northern Offensive.

Twice-in-One-Day Skewered by Neumunster swordsmen during Day One of the Siege of Kresden.

’Kid’ Hewn in twain by a Neumunster halberdier during Day One of the Siege of Kresden.

Regrets-the-Rain Struck down by a holy weapon of the Chevalisse Paladin orders on Day Two of the Siege of Kresden.

Arlen Rivers Thrown from the walls by a Chevalisse Paladin on Day Two of the Siege of Kresden.

Vendis Durvano Trampled to death in the mad rush to escape the Western Gate slaughter on Day Four of the Siege of Kresden.

Legless Jenny Consumed body and soul in an abominable Cultist experiment, binding her to a corrupted Albani Warmachine.

'Jack' Marcus Slain while retaking the North Tower, his sacrifice saved his squad and perhaps the Company.

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>>2433032
Recap

Five days ago your dread employer, the Necromancer, said that he would arrive to relieve the Company and others under siege at Kresden in three days. Four days ago the Free Alliance began their assaults in earnest, an endless wave of Neumunster Legions, Chevalisse Banners, Helenwood support units and more. There is still no sign of the Necromancer or his undead army.

For four days and nights the Black Company has held out. Time and time again, when the line was faltering and the walls breached, you led the 7th Kreigstrom Platoon from the front and turned back the tide. It has been the harshest fight you’ve experience while leading a whole platoon, and it has not been kind to you or your people. You have lost new friends and lifelong comrades with each passing day. The price of victory after victory has been steep, not least being your immortal soul.
The powers and unholy might you have gleaned from your dark pacts and broken oaths have given you the strength to win time and time again, to tear apart the greatest heroes of the Alliance sent to slay you. And to protect your own men, as much as you can, from the cold clutches of death. Tonight you lead the Kriegstrom to victory over the Highlanders, cementing their reputation as the greatest fighting force on the continent, and perhaps the world.

But you are not the same man. You do not laugh at SGT ‘Bad Hands’ bawdy jests any longer, you do not fret over CPL Saint’s future or flirt badly with Captain ‘Kiranova’. You have no need of food or drink, nor do you seek the company of your fellow man. You are Lieutenant ‘Prince’, the Black Prince of the Company. You are what the Black Company needs right now to live another day. A monster.

The command meeting has concluded. It will fall to you and Lord Lorgia’s cabal of vampires to strike the decisive blow against the Free Alliance camped outside its walls. You’re going to sow terror in the ranks of an already battered and downcast foe, and maybe bloody their nose enough to abandon the siege altogether. It’s a roll of the dice, gambling was always ‘Smiles’ thing rather than yours.

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>>2433034
After sifting through the IDs with single posts and multiple posts it was clear that the results for the final vote in the last thread were both overwhelming for a final Blackguard skill and the Corrupted Skin route.
Personally, I approve. Prince is not ‘one of the lads’ anymore, and it has also become apparent that he is more suited to an mailled fist role than a position of command where he must juggle the lives of his subordinates constantly. It has slowly become the case the, despite his cunning, his fellow officers may view Prince as something like a mad attack dog that belongs to the Company. I think the votes reflect that very well, both with people realising that a Lieutenant should be more than a kill-bot and other anons recognising that it was probably too late to stop now.
>GAINED: Fear Me!
>ORDER: Inflict 1+1d3 Discipline Damage (Once per battle: Double effect if opponent killed in same turn)
>Blackguard Skill Tree Complete, title GAINED: “The Dark Knight”
>Increase Black Tongue bonuses, Fear detriment to opponents with less HP is doubled.

Kresden Manor, Day Four, Late

”By the seven hundred shitting saints, Prince. We might actually make it out of this alive.” When the door closes Kiranova sighs and slumps into her chair, pouring herself a cup of fine Tassenland Red looted from the Manor cellars. “And it’s all thanks to you! Wine?”

”I have no need of food. Nor drink.”

”…I know you did something, Prince. Some kind of deal to make you what you are.” Kiranova pauses mid-sip, turning to look at you. One leg is kicked up on the table. ”I know you did it for us.”

She gulps down the entire goblet in one go and doesn’t break your gaze, even though all she sees is the faint glimmer of red where your scarred eye should be.

”Fine, I’ll drink for the both of us. At least take off that bloody armour.

”I… I will not. It would be bad for morale.” You are surprised to find yourself reluctant to remove your armour in her presence. You know the changes have not been… ‘pleasant’ to your already scarred features. This is no secret to you, you felt the warping of skin and bone. What is a surprise is that a part of you still worries about what your human ex-lover will think. A part that you don’t much care for.

[1/2]

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>>2433038

[2/2]

”Listen, Prince. I’m in a good mood right now. You and I saved the town from those barbarian clansmen, I finally got my officers thinking they might survive this AND you brought me the eagles of two legions. That I was Captain when the Company took two eagles in one day is something that means I can go back to them mud with a smile on my face one day, and that this might be a lot farther off than I initially thought now is also cause for celebration. So yes, I think I’m in a pretty good mood.” Your Captain swings her legs off the table, leaning in with a serious glare. ”Disobey my orders again though, and that. Will. Change. Take the armour of, Lieutenant.”

You sigh heavily, practically deflating as you undo the latches. Kiranova watches with a singular intensity, steady breaths as you undo the last clasp. You don’t comment on her clenched fists; and she does not make mention of your awkward hesitation before you remove the helmet.

You note with an icy coolness the sharp intake of breath on her part and how her face, already pale, whitens into a ghost-like sheet. Her hand reaches out tentatively, as if to touch your corrupted skin. You have not used a mirror to see the true extent of the changes but you know it is not pretty, sometimes the skin moves or shifts with a mind of its own. As Kiranova reaches out to touch your cheek it does so again, a tremor that ripples across your ruined milk-white eye. Your ex-lover snatches her hand back as if bitten, mouth agape in disgust. You do not react to her obvious revulsion at your changes but inside, very deep and very much buried, something crumbles like it was hit by an Albani Warmachine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>”I did this for you.” [Courage]

>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]

>”The price was high. And this is but the least of it.” [Experience]

>”On the bright side, at least I don’t have to shave anymore.” [Clever]

>>2433041
>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]

>>2433041
>”I did this for you.” [Courage]
>”The price was high. And this is but the least of it.” [Experience]
why not both?

>>2433041
>>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]
>”On the bright side, at least I don’t have to shave anymore.” [Clever]

>>2433041
Say this line bitterly.

>"Woe to the man who look upon the flesh of the Monster, Captain. I did this for the Company."

>>2433041
>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]
>”The price was high. And this is but the least of it.” [Experience]

>>2433038
I guess we have become a lot like page #137 maybe we can become near immortal death machines with him

>>2433041
Captain......why.......

Punished Prince, a man without his shave

>>2433041
>>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]

>>2433041
>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]
>”On the bright side, at least I don’t have to shave anymore.” [Clever]

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”The price was high. And this is but the least of it.” You stare at your unarmoured hand, clawed and scaled. You when when the final change happened, just as much as you know you started down this dark path a long time ago. Maybe before you became an officer even. But you walked down this cursed road for the right reasons. You look up at Kiranova’s blanching face, fixing her with your evil eye. ”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.”

Kiranova looks away, unable to stomach the view. Unable to face what you’ve become, in part because of her. She stands up, cap and cup of wine forgotten, walking to the window. The fires from the last assault are burning on the walls, the steadily falling snow finally bringing them down to embers. But she isn’t looking at them as she whispers. ”Anything… gods damn it, Prince…”

The two of you are silent for a long time, you sitting there with your helm and gauntlets removed as you watch your Captain, one-time lover and companion, with her back turned to you. You do not know why you say what is said next. In fact you regret it almost instantly.

”Long ago, you once told a man that you loved him.”

Kiranova stiffens at the window, trying to hold in a shuddering breath.

------------------------------------------------------

“That man is dead.” She needs to understand. It is better this way. [+1 Secret Softy]

”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]

>>2433041
>”I told you, Captain. Anything for the Company.” [Elite]

>>2433174
>“That man is dead.” She needs to understand. It is better this way. [+1 Secret Softy]

>>2433174
>”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]
Sever our last human ties. Become who we are meant to be.
Black Hearts. Cold Steel. Dark Deeds.

>>2433174
”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]
im kinda confused on what this prompt means

>>2433174
>”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]
'

not even two posts and we've started on the quota for suffering

I love it

>>2433207
is this us telling her that we loved her? im not certain what its trying to convey

Forgotten send help

>>2433174
>”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]

>>2433211
Secret Softy is making it easier on her. Black Heart is trying to make her feel something for you. Mostly hurt.

>>2433219
ahhh. then I chose well,

>>2433219
so the black heart option is kinda being a dick to her?

>>2433174
”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]

>>2433223
I think its us trying to salvage something of this twisted relationship, just becuase somewhere deep down, Prince still loves her....even through whats happened.

>>2433223
Yes.

>>2433232
Also yes.

>>2433174
>“That man is dead.” She needs to understand. It is better this way. [+1 Secret Softy]

>>2433232
I always wanted to get thr capt and lest his saying what they both should have done.

They wont be together but lest its finaly been said

>>2433174
>”He did. And he should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. [+1 Black Heart]

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”He did. And should have told you as much.” She could not even look at you. What you’ve become. You want her know. Even if it makes her hurt. Especially if it makes her hurt.

Kiranova draws a deep shuddering breath, her bandaged handed pressed against the window pane.

”Yes. He should have.” Kiranova glances at you, you can’t describe the look in her eye. She turns away again. ”But he should have told me a long time ago. Before… all this.”

”Is that it?” You growl, claws clenching. ”Is that all I get?! After all I have done? YOU WON’T EVEN LOOK AT ME!”

”Return to your post, Lieutenant.” There it is again, the icy cold command of the Captain. Her back is still turned to you.

The rage boils up inside of you, like a living thing. It twists and writhes to the point where you can feel it underneath your very skin, hot as a furnace. You leave before you snap and commit the unthinkable. You are very glad you still have some killing left for you tonight.


The Captain does not cry as you storm outside of the Manor, slamming the door behind you so hard it splinters. The Captain does not cry as she watches you stomp down the snowy path into the dark.

Only when you are well out of sight does the Captain let herself break down into deep shuddering sobs, leaning against a chair for strength. It topples, sending her crashing against the wall where she slides down in tears. She remains there for some time, tears flowing freely. Eventually the sobs die down into silence. Finally, the Captain sniffs one last time and wipes her face. She breathes in and out, steadying herself. Her eyes are as cold as the winter winds outside.

When the final report comes with the list of today’s dead, wounded and resurrected, there is no sign that Captain ‘Cutthroat’ Kiranova ever shed a tear.

[1/2]

>>2433282
Shit. That hurts more than it should.

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>>2433282

[2/2]

Not far away, Asgorga dips his head to you. Meanwhile a dozen Supply orderlies Heads down and busying themselves with the fixing of leather straps and hooks to the enormous scaled monster. Corporal Saint at first watches on in silence, but quickly slips into a deep sleep against the front steps to a house.

”I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO TAKE PART IN SUCH GLORIOUS BATTLE TODAY OF MY OWN WILL. I KNOW IT WAS WELL WITHIN THE POWER OF ONE AS PUISSANT AS YOU TO SIEZE CONTROL AGAIN.”

You shrug, your thoughts elsewhere. Speaking in the Black Tongue does not scratch at your throat or bother you as it once did. ”You have abided by the terms of our understand, Asgorga. I saw no need to remind you. And you did well, were you one of us the Annalist would probably record an entire page for you.”

The mighty dragon shudders at the power in your voice, passive but all too apparent to one of his kind.

YES, THE BEATI SPOKE OF SUCH A THING. WHAT ARE THESE ‘ANNALS’? IS IT TRUE THEY GRANT ETERNAL LIFE?”

You pause, glad to be distracted by the question. Glad for anything that will take your mind off the black thoughts swirling about in your skull.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>”They are the Black Company. Everyone who ever joined, everyone who ever fought under our banner. From pauper to king it records the deeds of every brother and sister. Good and bad.” [Elite]

>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>”If you’re so interested, ask the bloody annalist yours-… I mean yes. Yes they do.” [Clever]

>”There is no eternal life, Asgorga, not even for beings like you, me or even the Necromancer. But we can be remembered for what we do. Who we were. The written word of the annals is, in some way, a bit of immortality in that sense.” [Courage]

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>>2433282
fucking hell man

>>2433329
>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”They are the Black Company. Everyone who ever joined, everyone who ever fought under our banner. From pauper to king it records the deeds of every brother and sister. Good and bad.” [Elite]

Fekkin hell man, we really have become a monster. I realize it was the easiest thing to do for power but fekkin hell, I do not think it was worth it.

>>2433329
>>”If you’re so interested, ask the bloody annalist yours-… I mean yes. Yes they do.” [Clever]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

Aw, I would have liked to get the last Officer Skill, see how Prince would have managed to mediate between his two faces - the Monster and the Leader.

Great convo with Kiranova tho. Right in the feels, man.

>>2433329
>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

>>2433329
>>”It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.” [Experience]

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“It is our legacy. As old as the Black Company and, let me tell you, that is very fekking old. While they remain no one who signs the book and says the words is ever truly dead, not to us.”

”HOW OLD?” The dragon asks, the curiosity in his voice obvious.

”Er… you’d have to ask the Annalist for the details but I know it dates back to long before Skarling Kingbreaker.” If not for the reluctance to remove your armour in public, you would be scratching your head. ”He says the Company is even older, that before we came to this world and were separated from our mother unit the annals stretched back thousands of years more.”

”…THE OLDEST OF MY KIND LIVED TO BE ONE THOUSAND YEARS AND ONE HUNDRED. MORTALS DO NOT OUTLIVE US.”

”We don’t… what was this old dragon’s name?”

”GARFAXLENORIX.”

”Yeah, never heard of him. What did he do? How did he die?”

”I DO NOT KNOW, THE STORIES TO NOT AGREE. HE IS LONG DUST.”

”Well, I could ask the Annalist to bring up a Trooper that has been dead for far longer than your Garf-guy. When he signed up, what he did on piquet one time, how he died and where. I'll know his name, his habits... his triumphs and fuck ups. For all intents and purposes, that Trooper could have died yesterday. Or still be alive today. The annalist captures that, brings the ghosts of the past to those in the present.” Below, that was almost poetic.

”…THAT IS…. ONCE WE ARE DONE HERE… I MUST SPEAK TO THIS ‘ANNALIST’.”

You know Asgorga cannot see through your faceplate, but you suppress a grin all the same.
”As you wish, Asgorga.”

”Our time draws near, my lord. The witching hour approaches.” You turn swiftly, hand dropping to your blade. Habit, of course. Lord Lorgia does not sneer or smile at the gesture, he and his cohort remain kneeling in the cobblestone.

A few of his vampiric companions are dressed as he, blood-red stylised armour and geared for war. Even if they do look like something out of the cover of a horror storybook. Bloodknights. The others are dressed in garish and expensive clothing, some in fashion and others in fashion only centuries ago. They looked dressed for a party rather than war. Among them is the sister of the Lord Lorgia, her frilly dress and ridiculously large hairnet is dipped even lower than the others. Her arrogance has evaporated, which you like. Even the most superior and snobbish of vampires appear to quake in your presence.
”My brothers and sisters are ready for the harvest. Shall we depart.”

”…No. There is one more thing I must do.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

>Speak with Saint. Your ad-hoc protégé. [Elite]

>Share some words with Bad Hand. Your old friend. [Courage]

>Something else. [Clever]

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

Just two monsters, enjoying what once made us happy.

>>2433427
>>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]
>Share some words with Bad Hand. Your old friend. [Courage]

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

Was there ever any doubt?

>>2433427
>>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]
now we know how mask feels

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]
>Share some words with Bad Hand. Your old friend. [Courage]


So this is it we're shedding the last of our humanity for the company?

>>2433427
>>Share some words with Bad Hand. Your old friend. [Courage]

>>2433427
>Something else. [Clever]

Something involving captured Eagles to strike fear into the camp when we raid it.

>>2433427
>Speak with Saint. Your ad-hoc protégé. [Elite]
We had our chat with Kira now is Saint's time

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time.

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]
>Share some words with Bad Hand. Your old friend. [Courage]

All this and more. For the Company.

>>2433452
Forgotten already mentioned that Page and Cultist Jale have something in store for us, Eagles were taken too little ago to become ARTIFACTS O' DOOM.

>>2433427

Then

>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

Also for ourselves.

>>2433333
At least you have your digits to cheer you up.

>>2433427
>>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

About fucking time

>>2433427
>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

>>2433427
>>Play the Erhu for Mask. One more time. [Experience]

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Sergeant ‘Bad Hand’ is drunk. Profoundly drunk. You gave the 7th Kriegstrom and advance in pay and the night off, looks like Bad Hand has been making the most of it.

”Ye know wassit Prince? Yoouuu knowwww?” Bad Hand slurs as you delicately unpack your Erhu. Mask, the sentient undead experiment, sits legs crossed under the same tree you hung Lieutenant ‘Hawk’ from. It seems a fitting place.

”I mean… I mean do you know what they say?” Bad Hand mumbles angrily, armed wrapped around your shoulder. He used to be your height, now he stands a head shorter than your towering form.

”What do they say, brother?”

”They says! They says you ain’t even Prince anymore, thatsh yours a monerester.” Bad Hand spits, taking another sip from his flask.

”A monster?” It’s not like you can deny it.

”Yesh! Thatsh it! They says youse a monster! Itsh not fair! Yer jush a likkle... ye know... thingy, with the face."

Bad Hand's face scrunches up with the effort of thinking through the haze of alcohol.

”And! AND! Even if itsh true, if you fekking did my brother in and replica- repla… thingy. If youuuu did thingy then…” Bad Hands brows curl in anger over bloodshot eyes. ”Well I’ll beat the ever loving shit …. The ever loving shit! Out of you, and drag my friend back through your fekking throat if I have to!”

”…Thank you, I think…. Brother.”

”I love you, Prince. Even if you ish an offisher.” You at least manage to avoid his efforts at giving you faceplate a big sloppy kiss. Bad Hand shrugs and slumps down against the tree trunk next to You don’t tell him the truth. That the Prince he knew is dead. You dwell on this as you play your first notes. Mask shifts position slightly, utterly entranced.

------------------------------------------------------------------

>DC 60
>It’s been a long time -10DC [REMOVED]
>I still got it +10DC
>DC 70

0 = Your notes are discordant, jarring. It does nothing but annoy you.
1 = Your mind is clouded with rage. You gain no solace from your music.
2 = You feel your fury dull, soothed. You can think clearly.
3 = You play as you have never played before. There is a maestro beneath this monster.

>3 rolls of 1d100

Time to Play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMhSWEu6r6c

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>2433589
We bard now

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>2433589
Let's do this.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>2433589

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>2433589

>>2433589
make it something angry and sad a lament for whats been lost.

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>>2433593
>>2433592
>>2433590

There's still something there

>>2433599
Music is after all, a medicine that cleanses and heals the soul.

>>2433590
>>2433592
>>2433593
The very spirits of the dead shall cease their groaning as they listen to our sharp notes.
Glorious.

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>>2433590
>>2433592
>>2433593

Ya'll niggas is alright. Unfortunately, I think I'm done for now. I will have to continue this (along with the breakdown of combat for the anon who asked) throughout the week. I will be sure to post on twitter whenever I update.


In the meantime I'm sifting through what might make a good MC for Black Company 2330AD.

--------------------------------------------

>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions
>Grizzled aging Sergeant from Fallen Earth trying to do their damn job
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>Grizzled aging Sergeant from Fallen Earth trying to do their damn job

Could be interesting to see a man with experience and knowledge of the annals

>>2433615
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops

OH-RAH! KRIEGSTROM

>>2433615
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts

[Spanish Guitar Intensifies]

>>2433615
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions

Because there can't be a Black Company Quest without constant bad luck.

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>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts

>>2433615
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops
>Grizzled aging Sergeant from Fallen Earth trying to do their damn job
One of these. Or maybe...
Why not both?
>Gung-ho grizzled aging Krieger Shocktrooper Sergeant from Fallen Earth trying to do their damn job, with a hard-on for combat drops.
Just trying to bring as many enemies to Below as possible before age catches up.

>>2433615
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions
I can dig it
Also, holy shit this thread, being Prince is truly suffering

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

Insert all things Ace Combat Golden Trilogy here.

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>>2433615
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops

Have him use a tomahawk.

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops

>>2433615
Honestly though, the Fresh Rookie and the Cocky Fighter Pilot seem the most interesting because we can enjoy the the climb from being a redder than redshirt to being a proper commando for the Rookie or channel our inner devil may care attitude over the comms while we fly in nothing but a pair of polka dotted boxer shorts while playing Kenny Loggins in the cockpit as the Pilot.
The only real problem I have with the Shocktrooper and the Sergeant is that it almost comes off like we might end up playing a diet mountain dew version of Prince or Bad Hand.

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts

The obvious solution however, is to make the other characters our squad mates

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Do they still use A-10 in 2330?
I hope they do

>>2433615
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions

I was actually hoping for something along the lines of a Ranger or Spellcaster, for the contrast from being the In-your-face dual claymore magnificence that is Prince.

>>2433615
I line everything but
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)
I feel like this would get boring though in particular I would really like
A mix of


>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions
+
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops

Something like >fresh rookie gets 'promoted' to (from everyone else's point of view) the suicidal nut jobs with aliens, monsters, and horror stories about them dating back hundreds of years that outshine most if the stuff the rest of the company can boast.

>>2433615
>Gung-ho Krieger Shocktrooper with a hard-on for combat drops

DEATH FROM ABOVE!

>>2433615
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions

Would like to see from a new guy pov, mybe he singed up couse he was saved by them, heard storys, or just wanted to get paid

>>2433615
>Fresh Rookie just trying to stay alive. Ends up on the most dangerous of Annal Retrieval Missions
this feels the most open in terms of how we can play our character and I love flexability

>>2433947
>>2433615

I would love to start small and try to avoid any trouble while fate conspires to send us to the mos dangerous meat grinders the universe has to offer.

>>2434419

What I would love to see is an Easter Egg of Prince, somehow in this world. Maybe like a statue ala carbonite or something similar.

>>2434627
Prince would have to had died for that to happen
Same with mask they are both pretty much immortal

Though i would like to be free to chose a path, or we could be that unlucky kid that missions seem easy but turn into a cluster fu k evrything.

>>2433615
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2434754
Nah, prince can die still.
I don't see him living 100 years into the Future, frankly. Something would happen.

>>2436526
From battles yes but old age?? Mybe not.
Could just keep sucking life force and die

>>2436618
Not die woops

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)

>>2433615
>>Cocky Wingshark Fighter Pilot, providing air support to the grunts (though I've never done any of that sort of writing, I'll take any suggestions for what will help me write for that.)


For help in writing that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwBbrngafl0

>>2434627
Prince is a Darth Vader like cyborg. With the space magic, the black armor, etc. Supplemented by both the souls of his victims and futuristic technology, he usually sleeps and only comes out to really fuck shit up. Like he's the nuclear option.

Or to play concerts on the Erhu which he got really, REALLY good at over the years.

>>2437126
Fuck that would actually be pretty cool
>Prince outlives the entire planet itself and goes off into space
>Turns out the other gods were right and the world was a shithole
>they just wanted to have the humans enjoy space civ perks but the father wanted to stick with a fun medieval world

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>>2433615

Prince is a venerable Dreadnought brought out only in the company's most dire of battles. The armor around him is more for the protection of their foes rather than for the Black Prince, as the heavy plates somehow slow and deaden his blows. Also they wake him up for the best concerts every founding day.

>>2437184
>Prince is now tankred

>>2437184
>even in death I still play

Twin Kiranovas they were, brothers... TWINS!

Black Company would make great antagonists for another quest where we try and help pick humanity and the world out of the collective mud prince laid it low in

Hey Forgotten would signing up with the wild cong made this quest Fantasy Vietnam?

>>2433640
This.

>>2435624
>>2435892
>>2436675
>>2437071
>1 post ID's
Hmmmmmmmmm

>>2437684
It's not even an actual vote though

>>2437689
That's what makes it worse.
Also fuck you, team peeps FTW!
Peanut butter a SHIT!

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>>2437872
>peep

OH NO NO NO NO NO OOOOH

>>2437684
In defense of 1post ids, i and people like me see threads some days after they were active a lot of the time.

>>2438044
I don't even remember the last time I caught the quest from the beginning. Most of the time I don't even make it to the last votes.

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YFW captain ordered you out of the armor because she was going to fuck your brains silly, but instead saw you and the price you had to pay.

>>2438179
All aboard the feels train anon

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>>2438179

>>2438179
I wonder if our dick still works..

>>2439601
Asking the important questions

>>2439601
But who will be taking it??
Dark mother??

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>>2438179
Post your face if she went with her idea anyways.

>>2439656
Just blindfold the Captain and go for it

>>2439663
How about the saint?
>>2439663
But also would our kids have any power? C o uld we even have kids?

>>2433615
I would like to mention I don't think has really died, sure he has changed but I think more that the shock of what he has become is the biggest thing. He really is good old prince under there, playing the Erhu and how he feels about Bad Hand cements that.

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>>2438179
Yes and?

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>>2439656
See pic related.

>>2439656
I'm sure those vampire ladies out trip over them selves to please us

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>>2438179
>Finally get Kiranova too notice us after taking two eagles and killing a band of Highlanders
>tfw too much of an abomination to even be touched by her

Being Black company is suffering, also update when?

>>2440756
Not until tomorrow. IRL has not been kind to me in terms of free time, today is 100% job focus.

looking for a new one, fek this current law shit

>>2440756
> Thinking Forgetten can write happiness

More the fool you, then.

>>2438179
See, if we had picked Ghost Spoop Prince, we could've been her personal armor and we could've been subtly lewding her in front of the troops

Checkmate Skinfags :^)

>>2441603
So we'd be a "surprise inside" kinda thing then? An armour which chooses its user and begets nigh infinite power in exchange for constant lewds?

That's kinda hot.

>>2441622
Supreme Power and Results(TM) also makes the Captain /moist./ So much so that I can see her accepting the fell bargain of wearing Ghost Prince for some dank Dark Father mojo.

Even if the cost is her being constantly lewded all the tiem errytiem. In front of the troops. In a battle. In her office. Before she goes to bed.

Huehue

It might've even gotten Prince some of his deeply buried cheekiness back.

... Goddammit Skinfags, you couldn't have let us have this could you

>>2441830
Well im sure if you chost fags thought of this when the vote was casted you would have one

>>2439656
Maybe saint will finally get that lewding she's been needing

>>2441830
>Implying it would have ended the way you wanted it to.
>Implying that it wouldn't have ended up where we could not be able to interact with the physical world except through the armor itself.
>Implying that you'll just lolsqueezepartsofarmoraroundwaifusthighs.

The only lewding that would have most likely happened is the lewding of the word variety.

>>2443554
You disappoint me anon with your feeble imagination.

We steal the Necromancer's shit like we stole Dank Father mojo. Or even git gud enough at Black Tongue for demon bullying to give Prince his dick back.

Also wraith lewding Page's qt sister

I'm saying there would be a way, not that it would be easy

>>2443771
> Quests that would actually ever be run

This is the end you chose, Anons. Don't try to weasel out of it with "In the future we could totally become a god and get our dick back" like Kiranova wouldn't be dust 10 times over by that point.

>>2444032
If Prince were a god he would totally bring back the waifu from death :V

Also I missed the last 3 lives ;_;

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>3 SUCCESS

This is why you never actually get a chance to play the [b]below[/b] damned Erhu, you spend hours and hours tuning it and testing a few notes. By the time you are ready to start in earnest there is always some miscreant Trooper avoiding duties or blubbering junior officer wondering what to do. As of late no one dares bother you.

You hear footsteps in the snow, someone in armour approaching. You pay it no mind. The moment your first cord strikes the world goes quiet, even the branches of the hanging tree stop as the breeze dies. The Erhu is not an easy instrument to truly master, you only ever considered yourself a mediocre player. What set you apart was the exotic nature of the instrument, not the skill of its player.

But that was when you when you were human.

[1/3]

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>>2444569
[2/3]

There is nothing human about the way you play. Your claws, for you cannot play with gauntlets, should crush the fragile instrument at the slightest, dance across the neck and strings as if they were in a trance. It is almost as though you are.

The sound is exquisite. All over Kresden soldiers pause in the revelry or shell-shocked despair, looking up into the night sky as they hear the eerily beautiful music. The sound carries, impossibly so, over the walls and through the snowfall to the Free Alliance lines. There more than one head turns at the snippets of haunting noise under dimly lit torches and wonders what that could be.

You open your good eye halfway through the middle of your manic playing and later, if anyone asked, would swear by your Ajimyad pistol that Mask's eye sockets were glowing. It was a deep purple, like someone had stuffed lavender fireflies inside Mask's empty skull. And for once, for one beautiful moment, you can see yourself drawing power from something other than Below, something different even from the Spirit of Command.


At the end of your madman's performance you feel drained beyond belief. Not physically, for you do not tire physically as mortals do, but you can sense an utter spiritual exhaustion. And the rage is gone. But, as with all good things, the vacuum left by song and music is swiftly filled by the dark thoughts of the task that now awaits you.

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>>2444570
[3/3]

Knight-of-the-Line Mask and Sergeant Bad Hand do not applaud. Bad Hand does not applaud because he is passed out, Mask does not applaud because it is not his way. He does bow very deeply before leaving though. You are not without an ovation though. Corporal Saint leans against the hanging tree clapping slowly. It has been a some time since you have seen her smile . Since before Kid's death. Hard to believe that was only 3 days ago.

You bow slightly, instrument held out, as you acknowledge your new fan. You don't begrudge her forming band, after all the Erhu does better as a solo performance. You manage to suppress a flash of black rage at Saint's expression, she looks at your malformed hands with pity but not disgust. She does deserve your hate for that.

[i]"Lieutenant, that was beautiful...about tonight..."[/i]

[i]"Don't try to talk me out of the mission, Corporal."[/i] Although you do not intend it, your voice comes out as a growl. Every day you sound less and less human. [i]"This is happening."[/i]

[i]"I know sir, I wasn't going to. Permission to join you, Prince?"[/i]

You pause in the middle of packing away your Erhu. Her face is full of genuine concern. You don't know what she thinks she knows, but it is clear that she doesn't want to leave you alone tonight. Saint is a skilled warrior with a magic blade. She is also very human, and very tired from a full days worth of fighting. The odds of her being able to keep up with you and Lorgia's vampiric cabal are low.

Besides, it may well be no one is coming back from tonight's suicide mission. The Vampires you don't care much about, but to risk CPL Saint?

---------------------------------------------------------

>"Permission denied. I can't let you... I need you here." It's just an excuse. You can't lose her like you lost Kid. [Experience]

>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>"Permission granted. I hope you know what you're signing up for." [Courage]

>"You will come. Your abilities will prove useful." [Clever]


Sorry that I still haven't got that combat summary up!

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>And for once, for one beautiful moment, you can see yourself drawing power from something other than Below, something different even from the Spirit of Command.

Is this a faint glimmer of hope for us?

>>2444577
"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

There is a strong chance we could fail and if we do the Captain will need someone to command the Kriegstrom....that person is saint.

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>"Permission denied. I can't let you... I need you here." It's just an excuse. You can't lose her like you lost Kid. [Experience]

Not much different from the Elite choice, but it comes as more concerned about Saint's well-being.

>>2444577

"This is possibly a suicide mission. Will you do more good out there with us monsters than here with the men?"

I'd much rather have it be her choice to come with us or not once we understand why.

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

Are we comitting suicide by raid???

>>2444754
I think we've become so inhuman that we might end up being unable to properly lead. So we're letting one of the people that cares about our lads that we trust them with that responsibility.

>>2444754
Nope. Just transitioning to being capable of feats beyond mere mortals.

Also looks like we got a taste of . . . Worship, maybe?

>>2444577

>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

Prince made this choice so Saint wouldn't have to. Maybe she'll find a better way. Sometimes the only choices you have are the types of burdens you can choose to bear, and Prince chose to carry them for as long as it can.

Fuck, is anyone else getting flashbacks to the tunnel meeting with the Vampires way back when?

>>2444577
>>2444612

I like this actually. Let's do this. Tell her that we already gave everything we had for the Company, then pop off the helmet and ask if this is the least she's willing to give up. If she says yes, tell her we don't regret it but it's a stupid fekking choice to make.

>>2444577
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444612
I like this, alongside
>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint - be a better officer and leader than I was." [Elite]

>>2444577
supporting >>2444612

>>2444577
> "This is possibly a suicide mission. Will you do more good out there with us monsters than here with the men?"

>>2444775
I don't think its that we are becoming unable to properly lead and more that we are becoming more capable of leading other sorts of things.

We can lead troops but we are better at leading monsters.

>>2444577

>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

>>2444577
>>"You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint." She will make a finer Company officer than you ever could. [Elite]

Vote close. I will have an update for you tonight.

>>2445000
Princes continual inhuman butchery and inhumanity could ostrichsize him from the company at large even a band as black as the Kriegstrom might Blanche at him after a few centuries, he's continued lack of humanity combined with what he once was might turn him to a revenant proper no longer human even in spirit a beast of the battlefield living only for carnage and slaughter like an abominable horror rendered free from Below...

Remember we chose this end

>>2447145
There was no other choice my brother.

>>2447145
Son, be careful not to cut youself on all that edge.

But as someone who is a Kiranovafag and clamored for Black Prince since the beginning, I'm pretty satisfied with how things turned out.

>>2447145
Well its a good thing we chose not to be a wraith then.

Imagine a prince unable to shave, enjoy a cup of tea or even play his erhu anymore.

He'd truely have been a monster.

No update tonight, sorry guys. Work fekked me, don't know when I'm getting out of here.

>>2447192
Well fekk

>>2447145
>>2447156
Prince's all too human sacrifice of himself and his ideals for the sake of the company have turned him into the cold core of resolve within the Company. If the Archivest and his Annals are the soul of the Black Company, then Prince is the Ego that mediates between what the Company/Id needs to get done to survive, and what the current Captain/Superego is willing to do.

With nary a change in the haunting rasp of his voice, cold statements have been growled low in strategy meetings and decisive orders barked out in battle that have weighed the losses and made the hard choices to minimize them.

Never once taking up the position of Captain himself, nor functioning as the Archivest, Prince is the reflection of the realities of the Black Company. At times accused of being the real leader, at others a mere dog of whoever the Captain is at the moment.

In the Black Company famed for never breaking a contract he is a Warlock and Oathbreaker whose faithlessness stole a spark of divine power of an ancient entity from the plane that the Black Company originated from or at least the plane Prince joined them in.

Part of the family that is the Black Company, whose only remaining brother from his mortal life is the undead Mask.

A being that has done and become monstrous, in the name of protecting those who were already monsters themselves by the accounts of both enemy and ally.

This dark reflection isn't a lie about the Black Company hidden from the Annals, but another truth as seen from a different perspective that cannot be denied.

And for it he is loved and respected by the Company, but even if they are willing to die on his orders, nobody can bring themselves to truly like the man(?) that will order their deaths if it's for the good of the Company.

>>2447145
To clarify, I personally see this end as Prince becoming more of an extreme pragmatist who slowly loses everything he thought he had already denied himself over the years. This results in him being less able to identify with individuals outside of the concept of them as "part of the Company". So while he would kill and die for any of them, at the same time he would sacrifice them without a second thought if he deemed it "necessary".

Of course, he would constantly have to withstand accusations of whether or not the necessity truly was there.

At the same time, refusing unnecessary orders or enacting malicious compliance to minimize losses.

With a generally increasing tendency to determine "necessity" by probability and so becoming more conservative over time about attempting risky behavior - unless the risk is only to himself, at which point one would think that he was awaiting the Elysian fields after death and not an eternity of torment and suffering as his due for breaking his oath from how batshit crazy his risk taking is.

>>2433024
>Tfw you were going to binge read through this quest but reading all the shit in this thread makes you depressed
I didn't figure this quest was going to be a happy one but goddang.

>>2447230
Read it anyways anon it was fucking great
The Skaldening was best thread I loved it

>>2447230
The archives are worth a read.
This quest doesn't really get that depressing until the siege begins.

Still don't get why everybody chose Black Prince. Where the mechanical bonuses just that good? Because it looks to me like any other choice would have allowed us to retain our humanity, just with an extra helping of Dank Father Vult.

>>2447236
this, I still can't believe we ditched our boy dark father

>>2447236
The other options were a Zealot evangelising the dark father at every turn or being his literal avatar which leaves prince himself as an individual in a questionable state.

>>2447236
His Champion would have turned Prince into the equivalent of a religious zealot, fighting and dedicating his battles to the Dark Father. His fervor would be so great that not even his squad would be exempted.

His Avatar meant that Prince would be a celestial daemonhost - which sounds cool until you remember that you have a mad, angry god inside your soul all the time...and if he ever died, he would be his mindless puppet forever.

Black Prince was actually the option that allowed Prince to retain some humanity. To still be the man he was, no matter how much dark power touched his body and mind.

That said, it wasn't mentioned that Black Prince would cockblock anons. I'm sure things would have gone differently had the thread known. ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º

>>2447248
>prince impregnating the captain "for the glory of the dark father"

>>2447232
>>2447236
Aight I guess I'll give it a go, I finished binge reading my other stuff anyways.
>Also sad theme for prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtnmvHMQtcI

>>2447248
>Black Prince was actually the option that allowed Prince to retain some humanity. To still be the man he was, no matter how much dark power touched his body and mind.

And we lost it all anyway. The only shred of humanity we have left is our abiding love of the Erhu. And on top of all that we are fucked, if and when we ever truly die.

Yeah, a possibly never ending fight to free your patron, or having said patron permanently assume direct control isn't great, but the anons went one further and chose to risk eternal torment for freedom that no longer matters.

And that's all before the series of choices that locked us out of any good ending and forced a choice between three increasingly shitty flavours of shit sandwich. (Of which the anons chose the shittiest) Is it because Dank Daddy didn't save Kid?

Seriously, fuck anyone who voted Black Prince. You all deserve to see all the characters you care about die and have the waifus placed beyond your reach. Oh wait, that already happened.

Ugh... just, the entire end game makes me ... REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Props to Forgotten though... He did nothing wrong

>>2447271
Contain your autism for fucks sakes
>Ugh...

>>2447271
>And we lost it all anyway. The only shred of humanity we have left is our abiding love of the Erhu.
And the fact that Prince places the survival of the Company above all else. And that he still cares for Bad Hand, Saint and his old squad. That he still loves Kiranova (because it wouldn't hurt otherwise). That he knows how awful he has become.

Yeeeep, totally lost everything.
>but the anons went one further and chose to risk eternal torment for freedom that no longer matters.
Death is pretty final, life is so full of possibilities. Don't be a downer.
> And that's all before the series of choices that locked us out of any good ending
Considering how badly wounded Prince was, giving the Heir to the Necromancer was hardly the worst option. Not to mention respecting a contract, which is a big thing for the Company.
> Seriously, fuck anyone who voted Black Prince. You all deserve to see all the characters you care about die and have the waifus placed beyond your reach. Oh wait, that already happened.

Ugh... just, the entire end game makes me ... REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Give us more salt, bitch. It's not like your complaints are worth much else.

>>2447282
My autism is already contained on 4Chan

>>2447271
>Props to Forgotten though... He did nothing wrong

Jenny

>>2447290
Though with that non of us found thr mistake till it was way too late soo its everyones flute with that

>>2447459
I feel differently, given the time between games.

As well as the options for success, or even having a roll at all albeit an easy one. 1 and 2 successes were a living hell, and Jenny being obliterated was a better ending than either of those.

Should have just had the robot be unable to be repaired for battle or something. There wouldn't have even been a roll in the first place to get a nat 100 on.

But one thing for sure is that it is waaaaay too late to revisit the issue. I just hope that Forgotten doesn't let his grimdark misery boner off the leash without consideration like that again.

>>2447271
Thank the Rip'n Tear fags. They damned us in the first place.

>>2447561
Too much rip, not enough leadership.

>>2447561
Personally I voted for it because I was fatigued from the siege and just had enough of bad shit happening. Figured we might as well embrace it.

>>2447590
I'm still curious what the kriegstrom stuff would have been like.
Feel like it would have been the best way to keep prince intact as he was.

>>2447888
probably, but even if blamed some anons, the majority were pretty all in for the whole black paladin route. The Father was pretty loved on thread till shit started going on.

>>2447574
>>2447590
I think we refer to different stuff. I'm refering to our needless brutality that time with the skalds. That was last bit that fucked us over. Op locked out anything but dark father stuff out afterwards.

>>2447290
She's still in the Albani machine isn't she? Might as well take her with us. At worst she wrecks shit, at best she manages to die.

>>2448439
No she died.
The war machine blow up when we tryed to help jenny

Honestly I'm kinda disappointed at voting anons picking the edgy dark father route. It's not like Forgotten QM didn't give us routes that wouldn't result into "unliving abomination or puppet" choices (having the literal spirit of command give us his blessing).

>>2448632
k

>>2448437
I'm referring to the fact that voting anons chose the most brutal choice often. The one that took our often comic, intelligent, and ultimately very human MC, and made him into an insane sadist.

>>2447942
I would have preferred to not sacrifice the Emperor and go the professional route myself, but once we were locked in . . .

Meh.

>>2448594
Honestly at that point it was the best ending for her.

>>2449081
Killing Tara is where it started to go downhill.

>>2449081
I miss the days when Prince was feeding angels to vamps...

>>2449437
Well we might have another chance at that in this raid.

>>2449081
Being an officer would make him a...-*gulp*-responsible human being.
Kriegstrom was the best way to keep prince the way he was. But kriegstrom got very little love the entire quest

>>2449437
Our greatest contribution to Mankind was an accident

>>2449585
To be fair, I would have loved the Company of Heroes ending. Maybe, if anons decided to keep the Prince and try to male a deal with the Alliance to not attack or we would rip the boy´s head off, maybe we could have stuck to our bargain with the Necromancer while not suffering any casualties or dooming humanity.

File: CPL Saint.png (6.44 MB, 2248x2828)

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You consider Corporal Saint’s offer for a moment. Her offer is genuine, Saint always was terrible at insincerity. Maybe you ruined her chances of remaining a good person, you and the world. But she does have the making of a fine Officer for the Black Company, better than you at least. You hate to admit it, but you have not excelled at the role of Lieutenant. You have lead the 7th Kriegstrom to victory, even glory, time and time again. But much of the time, that was through dark deals and sheer bloody-mindedness. As many of your men obey you out of fear as others do out of respect and admiration. The 4th Infantry are outright murderous towards you.

You have to face the truth, you are a killer. The best there is. But Saint is a leader, and you will not risk her on this insane raid. If you fall, she will lead. The 7th Kriegstrom could not ask for better.
”You have your job to do Corporal, I have mine. Look after them, Saint."
Saint remains worried, but she does not appear surprised. ”Yes, sir. But me? Shouldn’t Bad Hand be next in…”

You and Saint both regard the passed out Sergeant Bad Hand cradling a flask of spirits. ”Ssyka staahp… that *snort* tickles…”

”Point taken.” Saint grimaces, not content. ”Still, I don’t like you out there alone with just these creatures to watch your back.”

”He will not be alone, Beati.” A hand appears on her shoulder plate, green eyes glimmering behind a rough scarf.
[1/3]

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>>2449677

In the dark winter night, at the fell witching hour, Cairsun the Morning Light’s magic blade burns like a torch even sheathed.

”Lieutenant, surely you did not think to leave your own Bodyguard behind? Most unwise, improper even.”

Mask stands behind the fallen hero, one hand already grasping a leather strap attached to Asgorga’s back. He makes an impatient motion with his skeletal hand. Time to go. All around, the anticipation of tonight’s slaughter excites the Dragon and Vampire both. The bloodsuckers hiss and snarl at each other, whispering hungrily as they clamber aboard the mighty beast, using the leather straps and carapace for handholds.

”…Cairsun, this will be-.”

”Forgive my interruption, Prince, but do not attempt to dissuade us. Mask and I agreed, we belong here with this collection of the doomed, damned and dead.” Cairsun the Morning Light is not smiling, for he never smiles, but he does seem satisfied that the discussion is over.

He and Mask will fight with you.

[2/3]

>>2449672
>thinking Forgotten would let us have our cake and eat it too

Having us turn into a monster for investing in and using the best abilities was amazing work on his part.

Dice rolls that matter, well written prose, and consequences for our choices is what sets this quest apart from 95% of the other shit out there.

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>>2449679

[3/3]

Mask offers you a rotting hand to get up onto Asgorga’s neck and you take it, surprised at the Red Undead’s new strength. Perhaps your performance somehow invigorated him. Asgorga is growing restless, a dozen undead leeches and worse clambering over and tightening their grips on whatever purchase there is will do that to any dragon. He extends his wings, shaking and stretching in preparation for the heavy flight. His neck cranes to look at you seating astride the base of his shoulders.
”THEY WILL SING OF THIS DAY.”
”At funerals, maybe.” You mutter, a spark of your old ill-humor showing through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPSx_cSPw_0

Asgorga grins. And roars.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The cultists have concocted a similar invocation to previous enchantments cast on Asgorga beforehand. This one muffles the sound of his wing-beat, the Free Alliance shall not hear him and scramble their own flyers until you are already among them.
Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]
Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449683
>Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]
Fuck yeah burn everything down ahahahahah

>>2449683
Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449683
Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]

>>2449701
Blitzkrieg those motherfuckers everything and anything burns, we murder their commanders and brutalise everything

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

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>>2449683
>You open your good eye halfway through the middle of your manic playing and later, if anyone asked, would swear by your Ajimyad pistol that Mask's eye sockets were glowing. It was a deep purple, like someone had stuffed lavender fireflies inside Mask's empty skull. And for once, for one beautiful moment, you can see yourself drawing power from something other than Below, something different even from the Spirit of Command.

Everyone who keeps complaining we have become a monster but it is important to consider that nothing in the world is beyond redemption. We all know that Mask was created by the Necromancer as some sort of punishment for opposing him, we even know that all sorts of spirits exist beyond. We even felt for a second that we were channeling a power that was not of the Below or of the Spirit of Command.

>Mask offers you a rotting hand to get up onto Asgorga’s neck and you take it, surprised at the Red Undead’s new strength. Perhaps your performance somehow invigorated him.

Mask is clearly changing by some power, whatever caused the violet glow inside of him would not have affected us too if there wasn’t some good left inside us. Just because we have become a monster does not mean we must be one, we serve the company first and have sold our very soul for it but that does not make as no longer Prince. We still feel for all our companions and we have allies like Mask and Cairsun who follow us out of kinship not out of fear.

All I am saying is things aren’t over till the fat lady sings and there is always a way to fight for a better future of our family and ourselves.


“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
-Dylan Thomas

>>2449683
>Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449683
No option to be playing the Erhu to the battle, Forgotten?

You know, despite the fact that they are our enemies, I kinda still want the Free Alliance to try to defeat the Necromancer. Or just weaken him a bit.

But, to make all the sacrifices worthwhile, Prince must survive this mission in order to continue supporting the Company. Who knows, maybe the glimmer of hope that the Erhu supposed will grow into something worth all the strife we passed and delivered.

As such, let´s make this a focused and quick mission. Get in , fuck their dog, get out.

>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449718
Also congratulation to this anon. We might have gone deep in the Grimdark route, but there is still some light at the end of the tunnel.

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

Cairsun and Mask. Hell yeah

>>2449718
Also props to this anon for pointing the important stuff out

>>2449683
>Shock and Awe. You will ride Asgorga directly into battle and the Free Alliance camp shall burn. [Black Heart + Destruction]

>>2449683
>Silent insertion. Push the benefits of the sound muffling to the max. Your cabal of Vampires could murder hundreds before the first alarm is raised. [Black Heart + Dominion]

>>2449725
>No option to be playing the Erhu to the battle, Forgotten?
Oh sure, the Erhu totally fits that kind of vibe. Don't blame me, blame the faggots that voted for the instrument.

Next thread will have a vote that may include singling out the Highlander kid, as far as fekking dogs and kicking puppies goes.

Vote closed for stealth mission, Splinter Cell: Vampire Faction Edition. I'll need a roll before the next update tomorrow.

>>2449718
Noice. Maybe it's wishful thinking, maybe not. Good to see some anons still holding on to hope. I must break you.

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Let's see how Flight of the Vampires works out. You start with 12 vampires.

>Heroic 20DC
>Asgorga Compliant +20DC
>Black Tongue Mastery +20DC
>Cloak of Command +5DC
Leader of Men bonus (and gruesome malus) does not apply because Cairsun is literally the only mortal man on this mission.
>DC 65


0 = Asgorga is not used to passengers. 3d3 Vampires are thrown mid-flight. You gain no Got-the-Jump bonus for the first round of combat.
1 = A shaky flight with an awkward landing. 1d3 Vampires fall off. Got-the-Jump bonus reduced to +10DC for the first combat round.
2 = A smooth journey and soft landing. Got-the-Jump bonus +20DC for the first combat round.
3 = Perfect insertion, as if you practiced beforehand. The Free Alliance never knew what hit them. Got-the-Jump bonus for the entire combat.
Gain Dragon Rider trait (+1 success to further Asgorga flights)


>3 rolls of 1d100 lads.

Time to Fly!

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Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>2449804

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>2449804

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>2449804

Goddamit I wanted an actual conversation about why we should shock and awe instead of stealth or the inverse FUCK

>>2449808
Goddamit Anon I wanted that bonus

>>2449808
dammit. So close.

File: Prince's attempts to woo (...).gif (5.17 MB, 637x336)

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>>2449806
>>2449807
>>2449808
Of course, things can't go too smoothly. Wouldn't be fair to the poor Alliance sods.

I will write up the results tomorrow. This is still Black Deeds-tier letting vampires loose against the sleeping and wounded in their pajamas.

>>2449682
Cheers mate, I appreciate it.

I don't think it is a spoiler after the choice with Saint just now, but just in case it is Anons avoided a strong chance of Saint following in Kid's footstep right now. She would have had to have rolled on the casualty table at least once even if things went well. Instead, so long as Kresden holds, she will remain safe. The Elite choice indicates this was mostly a practical motivation for Prince.

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>2449804
Just becouse i was late

Dammit so close to beening dragon rider

>>2449813
>The Elite choice indicates this was mostly a practical motivation for Prince.
Except anons didn't vote for it out of practicality here, as far as discussed it was very much emotionally driven.

>>2449813
Say Forgotten, you said that Cultist Jale and Page had something in store for us. Did we miss that when we chose to play for Mask or will it come up later?

>>2449948
Except that Forgotten doesn't care about the reasoning behind Anon's choices, but rather the letter of the text.
You should have chosen the Experience one, which explicitly made Prince care about Saint.

>>2449970
The reasoning behind a choice has factored in many times bub. Try archive diving some more.

>>2450008
> many times
You mean once, when we were chosing to sacrifice the Heir or not.

Seriously though, there was a clear choice to humanize Prince and people didn't choose it. I say it's their fault rather the QM's.

>>2449948
I support it out of practicality.

>>2450216
I did it becouse i thoguht itl be the only way to really stop her from coming.

>>2449795
You will never break me as long as Gunwaifu is alive

>>2449810
>>2449811
What are you talking about? We got the kamen rider bonus. It is 29+12=41/2=20.5

65-20,5=44.5= Roughly four successes and a half, but since it does not work that way, we have got 3 successes, enough to slaughter as many Chevalisse squires as we feel like it.

>>2450463
You have gone and done it now.
Qm is going to kill her off at the end of this

>>2450679
Nah, that is not Forgotten. He won´t kill her right away. While his typical modus operanti would be to give her a few scenes for character interaction, make us feel more for the character, before putting her in a deadly situation where bad rolls would mean death, the game might be too advanced for such level of interaction, to establish a relationship.

I believe he would take inspiration from the Dark Father. He will keep his grievances locked in his heart, crashing against the muscle walls, its beating emboldened by the stirring hate.

Then he will release it. Little by little. In the background of a scene. A passing line in a paragraph. Another innocent roll. A victory which has the slight aftertaste of ash. We might never know how much your defiance has cost us. I am not very sure He fully comprehends the dark impulses that inhabit his subconscious. But it will come out, in one manner or another. Better prepare, for although we have literally and figuratively reached Hell in this quest of us, we have yet to meet the true essence of Forgotten.

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>>2450699
Wew lad.

>>2450699
Very nice
But srill in thr end all must die

>>2450710
Question, what would have happened if we took the Unnatural Beauty boon from the Necromancer and then went Dark Prince what woulda happened?

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>>2450756

>>2450781
Hot, bet capt would have fucked us then

>>2450756
>>2450926

Yeah but if you took the unnatural beauty route then that locks Prince in as a vain piece of shit that values good looks offer boons that might help the Company survive.

I much prefer Punished Prince. And I don't know many MCs that are confirmed lacking in the good looks department.

>>2450781
Huh.

Technically he's wearing boob plate.

>>2451136
> And I don't know many MCs that are confirmed lacking in the good looks department.

Have you ever heard of a QM called Moloch?

>>2451136
So what are the odds of us getting freaky with a vampire

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>2 SUCCESS

Flying in Asgorga’s head was one thing, flying while latched onto his back is another thing entirely. If you had a human stomach it is very likely you would have been sick, the lurching and constant motion and upheaval threaten to throw you all off constantly. But the straps or claws hold, and no one falls. It is a moonless night with the first snowstorms burgeoning in the skies, so it seems as if you and your raiders are aloft above a sea of black. With the sound-concealing enchantment pushed to its limits, the whole world seems silent to you. If not for the torchlight of Kresden and the Alliance camp lines for a point of reference, you would surely have become lost.
Asgorga’s landing is smooth and elegant, impressive given the extra load he is carrying. There is a dull thud as claws meet grass, and a strong gust of wind from his wings that threatens to blow several tents over. Then silence, a few sleeping Free Alliance members turn fitfully in their sleep and settle in. A bray of warhorses nearby rear up and begin to neigh, the smell of a predator distressing them.
The young Chevalisse stableboy that walks over bleary-eyed to calm them is the first to die, throat ripped out and limbs torn off before he can even begin to scream. A Lance-Corporal Legionnaire standing guard outside a vital uncontaminated grain cache is next, the spray of blood from half a dozen fangs flicks onto the face of his snoring comrade, waking him. The unfortunate guard nonchalantly assumes that he is experiencing a particularly creative and awful nightmare right up until the moment the pain starts, which is thankfully brief.

[1/2]