Before the green garbed hero arrived, before the princess’s power arise, before the blade of evils bane, before the kingdom of Hyrule waned, there were kings and queens, soldiers and spies, all battling to keep the kingdom alive. They fought the king of evil’s might, but were all cast down into deepest night. Without their bravery no land would there be, for the hero in green to have set free. So come all ye listeners and harken to me, while I spin thee a tale about the heroes in mail. The common solider whose blood was spilled, to buy time for the hero with the iron will.Previous Threads: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=The+Fall+of+Hyrule
>>6057324Jinom gives his men the order to halt, and the ring around the Gerudo stops tightening. In the brief quiet Jinom calls out. "Why should I? Do you think you deserve my mercy?"The elderly Gerudo frowns and a quick, hushed conversation happens among the Gerudo. Another Gerudo steps out next to elder one and responds in only slightly better Hylian "You not kill the powerless. Hylians have honor."The prince nods "We do spare those who surrender, but only those who have honor themselves. Since your people arrived here, you have shown nothing of the sort. Sneak attacks and assassination under a flag of truce, those are not honorable actions."A tense silence fills the air as the elder Gerudo's jaw tightens and she mutters something inaudible causing her translator to look back at her in disbelief. Several of the other Gerudo take a few steps closer to their leader and the beginnings of a hushed argument can be heard before the elder Gerudo shuts them down with a gesture. With no further argument allowed the translator speaks. "Then let the dishonorable pay for their actions." The elder Gerudo steps forward and locks eyes with Jinom as the translator says "I planned the attack and led the others during it. If you have to punish anyone let it be me."The prince meets the Gerudo's resolute stare for a long moment, then turning to Sir Nagos at his side he says, "Take them captive." Only a day away from the summer palace now, his brother, Rohm, could decide their fate. After all he had been the one to watch their father die, and he was king now. The fate of captured Gerudo was a matter that he could decide.As the Gerudos' hands are bound Jinom notices how young some of them are. Smaller, lankier, and oddly proportion Gerudo youths stand beside older, weathered, and age beaten ones. The homespun quality of their equipment also confirms what the Gerudo ambassador had let slip the Gerudo truly were desperate. Hopefully when Jinom finally returned to his brother tomorrow, this information along with everything else he had learned could be used to devise a plan to help end this war.After months of playing the diplomat Jinom has become a little wiser. Select a bonus for the young princeling.>Junior Diplomat - Months of traveling to distant courts and meeting a wide variety of peoples has honed Jinom's diplomatic skill. (Reroll one failure when speaking with people in a diplomatic setting)>Adept Negotiator - haggling over treaties and the minutiae of trade agreements has made Jinom a better negotiator. (Jinom gains a free point in his favor when negotiating, whether it be over a treaty or bartering for goods)>Inspiring Leader - dealing with people of all stripes and coordinating with allies in battle has helped Jinom better understand what drives people to fight. (Once per battle Jinom can grant his side +2 Courage and ignore any fear effects for one round)
>>6057327>Junior Diplomat - Months of traveling to distant courts and meeting a wide variety of peoples has honed Jinom's diplomatic skill. (Reroll one failure when speaking with people in a diplomatic settingI haven't forgotten that zorussy.
>>6057327>>Junior Diplomat - Months of traveling to distant courts and meeting a wide variety of peoples has honed Jinom's diplomatic skill. (Reroll one failure when speaking with people in a diplomatic setting)
>>6057324>Junior Diplomat - Months of traveling to distant courts and meeting a wide variety of peoples has honed Jinom's diplomatic skill. (Reroll one failure when speaking with people in a diplomatic setting)
>>6057327>>Inspiring Leader - dealing with people of all stripes and coordinating with allies in battle has helped Jinom better understand what drives people to fight. (Once per battle Jinom can grant his side +2 Courage and ignore any fear effects for one round)Warrr
>>6057327>Inspiring Leader - dealing with people of all stripes and coordinating with allies in battle has helped Jinom better understand what drives people to fight. (Once per battle Jinom can grant his side +2 Courage and ignore any fear effects for one round)We are in a state of war.
>>6057327>>6057349>>6057394>>6057408Our prince is now a>Junior Diplomat - Months of traveling to distant courts and meeting a wide variety of peoples has honed Jinom's diplomatic skill. (Reroll one failure when speaking with people in a diplomatic setting)Months Earlier"I don't know if sending your brother out on this diplomatic mission was the best choice Rohm" Queen-Dowager Hilma says as the two of them enter the Summer Palace's dining hall, currently a makeshift throne room. "He may be eager, but he has no experience with such things.""Mother if times had been different and the roads safer, I would have sent you, but with things as they are I couldn't risk it. Besides I'm sure Jinom will do fine." Rohm calms his mother."If you say so, I just hope he remembers his lessons in etiquette."The two of them come to a halt in front of a table with a rough map of the estate strewn across it. "Well, it's not the most defensible location but I guess we'll have to make do."Rohm says studying the map carefully."And it's been a forever since we last stayed here, most of the decor is far out of season." Hilma says studying the ornaments on the walls of the dining hall. "But it's nothing that some time and money couldn't fix. Unfortunately, we are short on both.""Agreed we'll have to plan carefully and be prepared to make sacrifices."(1/2)
>>6058026After some planning and a lot of debate it is decided that some of the older decor and valuables from around the palace can be sold off to get a little starting wealth. After considerations for supply and a few other "administrative" expenses, even in times of wars for national defense soldiers must be fed and paid, the King is left with 2 Wealth to spend as he sees fit. And there is a lot to be done with that wealth but certain projects must come first.Defenses:>Basic: With the resources and labor at hand it would be simple enough to build a wooden palisade and some ditches around the outside of the palace grounds simple but will do in a pinch. (Wealth Cost: 0)>Extensive Basic: A large swathe of the place grounds will be dug up to create an extensive series of ditches and wood palisades sure to deter any attacker. Some money will have to be spent on extra tools and timber to accomplish this however. (Wealth Cost: 1)>Strengthen the key points: With some quarried stone and a few masons the key points of the Summer Palace could be strengthened. Brick up a few windows and reinforce a few doors and this place will start to look like a castle. (Wealth Cost: 2)Decor:>Austere: Bare walls and bare floors with only the few things Hilma didn't sell to adorn the palace it's not much but it is an accurate depiction of your current circumstances. (Wealth Cost: 0)>Simple: Enough decoration to make the place feel lived in and so that it doesn't look like you're living in abject poverty. (Wealth Cost: 1)>Renovate the Throne Room: Cleaning up and renovating the dining hall into an actual throne room will project an aura of confidence upon visiting allies and enemies alike, so long as they don't wander too far down the otherwise baren halls of the palace. (Wealth Cost: 2)Other Considerations:>Stock the Armory: During the retreat from Hyrule Castle there was only time to grab what you could carry. Now with a new permanent base you'll need to stock up on the essential of war and give your troops a place to store and maintain their gear when not in use. (Wealth Cost: 1)>Acquire Some Kingly Vestments: Lost along with the castle was also much of the Royal Family's wardrobe. While marching around in armor all day is fine and all, some nice clothes could be helpful for when you meet with potential friends and allies. (Wealth Cost: 1)
>>6058029>>Extensive Basic: A large swathe of the place grounds will be dug up to create an extensive series of ditches and wood palisades sure to deter any attacker. Some money will have to be spent on extra tools and timber to accomplish this however. (Wealth Cost: 1)>Austere: Bare walls and bare floors with only the few things Hilma didn't sell to adorn the palace it's not much but it is an accurate depiction of your current circumstances. (Wealth Cost: 0)>Stock the Armory: During the retreat from Hyrule Castle there was only time to grab what you could carry. Now with a new permanent base you'll need to stock up on the essential of war and give your troops a place to store and maintain their gear when not in use. (Wealth Cost: 1)
>>6058029Sorry if the wording on this vote was confusing, but please select one option from both the Defenses and Decor remember though you currently only have 2 Wealth (something that will have to be addressed at the next Royal Council).You can format your vote like so.Defenses:>ChoiceDecor:>ChoiceOther Considerations:>these are nice, but optional at the moment.
>>6058029>>Strengthen the key points>AustereGet this out of the way, then we focus on the decor.
>>6058196>>6058187Defenses:>Extensive Basic: A large swathe of the place grounds will be dug up to create an extensive series of ditches and wood palisades sure to deter any attacker. Some money will have to be spent on extra tools and timber to accomplish this however. (Wealth Cost: 1Decor:>Austere: Bare walls and bare floors with only the few things Hilma didn't sell to adorn the palace it's not much but it is an accurate depiction of your current circumstances. (Wealth Cost: 0)Other Considerations:>Stock the Armory: During the retreat from Hyrule Castle there was only time to grab what you could carry. Now with a new permanent base you'll need to stock up on the essential of war and give your troops a place to store and maintain their gear when not in use. (Wealth Cost: 1)
>>6058029Damn I can see the problem...looking poor is an issue for diplomacy but we are at war too. And i think that armory would really help for start changing things around on the war matter. Even if making the summer palace more of a castle is definetly tempting ....Defenses>Extensive BasicDecor>AustereOther Considerations>Stock the ArmoryThe result : a fresh military fort surrounding the now stale old estate, with new war supplies and equipment. And a warrior king inside. Thankfully Jinom is back in a few months, with some losses to his retinue but a lot of mostly decent diplomatic work done. Some small victories added to his prestige too, which is nice for the honor and prestige of the royal house (but they are small so... not important has winning a large battle).
>>6058029>Extensive Basic: A large swathe of the place grounds will be dug up to create an extensive series of ditches and wood palisades sure to deter any attacker. Some money will have to be spent on extra tools and timber to accomplish this however. (Wealth Cost: 1)>Austere: Bare walls and bare floors with only the few things Hilma didn't sell to adorn the palace it's not much but it is an accurate depiction of your current circumstances. (Wealth Cost: 0)>Stock the Armory: During the retreat from Hyrule Castle there was only time to grab what you could carry. Now with a new permanent base you'll need to stock up on the essential of war and give your troops a place to store and maintain their gear when not in use. (Wealth Cost: 1)
>>6058196>>6058274>>6058311>>6058635>>6058699>Extensive Basic Defenses: it will now be significantly harder for a direct attack to succeed in defeating your forces here as well as making it harder for any enemy agents to slip in.>Austere Decor: While true to your current circumstances it will be harder for you to impress anyone with you rather lack luster appearance.>Stocked Armory: With some more gear and place to store it your forces will retain their decent equipment bonuses.Present DayQueen-Dowager Hilma let's out a wistful sigh and watches through one of the Summer Palace's windows, as the soldiers lower one of the last few palisade timbers into position. Even through the glass she can hear the muffled *thump* as the timber is dropped into place."Do you like the new landscaping mother?" Rohm says as he comes to stand beside her. The expression on his mother's face says that she is in no mood for jokes "I'm sorry mom, but this is for our protection." Rohm says trying to placate her.Hilma sighs again "I know son, it's still hard though. This place used to be so beautiful. I can still remember you and your siblings running around the gardens, laughing, playing, and enjoying life. Now those gardens are trampled muddy messes, encircled within wood defense works.""It's only temporary, when all of this is over, we can plant a new garden and you can watch your grandchildren trample through its leaves." Almost as soon as the words leave his mouth Rohm regrets it."Hmm? and when will I be getting those grandchildren sir, 'I'm too busy to worry about a wife'.""Just as soon as this war is over," Rohm responds with a wince. "I'll look into getting married."That is far too late, a marriage right now is what's needed to help secure our kingdom. I have a few ideas on who might be willing to lend us an army for a simple 'I do'.""Let's discuss it later mother, at the meeting when Jinom gets back." Rohm says trying to delay the inevitable."An excellent idea, with Jinom and you both married we'd have plenty of support."Rohm winces again Jinom was going to kill him when he got back."Your Majesty," Rohm is saved from marriage discussions as one of his Sheikah bodyguards approaches. "Prince Jinom and his men have returned."(1/2)
>>6058769"I have to say, you're a better diplomat than I thought Jinom." Rohm says as the debriefing wraps up. "Full Goron support, a good deal with the Zora, and inroads with the Rito. I don't think mother could have done better herself."Hilma frowns at that remark. "A decent work to be sure, but some of the treaty terms with the Zora worry me, and the Rito situation will require a deft touch if we are to garner more support and avoid angering anymore tribes. But for your first diplomatic tour you've done very well." She says giving Jinom an encouraging smile."And these Gerudo prisoners you brought us. You say that they surrendered?" Rohm asks."Yes, once it was clear that their sneak attack had failed and that they were clearly outmatched, they surrendered." Jinom answers plainly."Another sign of their desperation perhaps. After what their ambassador let slip maybe we can end this war sooner than expected." Hilma muses, half to herself and half to the others "I would be interested in speaking to these prisoners.""I would be as well although I was thinking more along the lines of an interrogation than a friendly chat." Rohm says, a dark expression settling over his face."A friendly chat might yield more than torture," Hilma cuts in noticing her son's expression. "They have surrendered which shows some willingness to cooperate. We can use that to find out a little more about what triggered this war and maybe how we can stop it."Rohm says nothing, but the dark expression doesn't leave his face as he looks expectantly at Jinom.Who should interrogate the Gerudo prisoners?>Queen-Dowager Hilma>King Rohm>Prince Jinom
>>6058770>>Prince JinomAlthough if possible I'd propose we do a 'good cop bad cop' sort of thing.
>>6058770>Prince Jinom
>>6058770>King Rohm
>>6058770>Queen-Dowager Hilma
>>6058770>Queen-Dowager HilmaHaving a woman talk with them might be a good move.
>>6058770>>Queen-Dowager Hilma
Rolled 2 (1d2)>>6058770We've got a tie>>6058788>>6058845>>60593741>>6059149>>6059154>>60593332
>>6059491The Summer Palace doesn't have any dungeons. So, the prisoners had been split up and stowed in some of the now bare guest rooms on the interior of the palace. Somewhat insecure, but with some well-placed guards, it is secure enough. With Jinom’s support, it is Queen-Dowager Hilma who visits the Gerudo cells. Under the watchful eyes of the guards, she brings the Gerudo their meals room by room and sits with them as they eat. She tests her knowledge of the Gerudo language by asking them mundane questions about their age, where they are from, and about their families.> Base DC 50 > Hilma’s Wisdom +40 DC> Queenly Intrigue +2 Re-Rolls> Soft Approach +10DC> Average Gerudo Wisdom -20DC> Total DC 80> Give me three d100s, the two re-rolls should be used by the original roller0 Passes = Tight lipped and close knit, the Gerudo give away nothing and prevent Hilma from generating any kind of rapport with them.1 Passes = While the Gerudo don’t say much it is clear that Hilma has gained a little respect with them. A few more months of this treatment and they might tell you something useful.2 Passes = Hilma learns much from her chats, namely who the fighters are, and where they are from and from the space in between their words she can piece together some of the reason why they are here.3 Passes = The Gerudo fold completely even the Gerudo leader is taken in by Hilma’s tactics and valuable insight into the Gerudo is gained.
Rolled 92 (1d100)>>6059526
Rolled 68 (1d100)>>6059526
Rolled 71 (1d100)>>6059526
>>6059564Can we reroll this?
>>6059604Oh man I hope so. If we get three successes, shit will be cash money.
>>6059564>>6059604>>6059608Let's give the original roller 30 minutes, then feel free to re-roll remember, you have two tries if the the first one fails
Rolled 21 (1d100)>>6059564rerollQueenie is being lenient towards the conquering foe that killed her husband. Guess she can't deny the Ganon charisma lol
>>6059622I'm sure that's what the Gerudo are telling themselves to deny that they've been duped into betraying their own people.especially with that roll
>>6059526>>6059567>>6059576>>6059622>3 Passes = The Gerudo fold completely even the Gerudo leader is taken in by Hilma’s tactics. Valuable insights into the Gerudo are gained.The first thing Hilma notices as she brings the Gerudo their food is the large difference in age between some of them. There are lanky, disproportioned, and stick thin young girls no older than fourteen stuck in with women who look like they should have grandchildren by now. They are slow to trust, but eventually they start to open up to Hilma's genial prodding. Her initial observations were correct, there are Gerudo both very young and quite old here, cobbled together from different families, professions, and walks of life. Room after room of Gerudo tell the same story of a generally hard life scrapping together an existence from the desert and dry grasslands south of Hyrule. Some of the older ones point out it didn't use to be this way and that they used to have a beautiful home in the heart of the desert. When asked why they were still not there the response is simple. The large oasis that had fed their town dried up and they had to abandon everything and wander the wastelands in search of new lives. Until their king brought them here to this lush land of greenery and readily available water. It was a paradise compared to their old life and many of the younger ones express a desire to never return to the desert.Last stop on Hilma's visits is the commander of the Gerudo force. A woman whose name she'd learned was Calya. "Good day Calya, you slept well I hope?" Hilma says in her improved Gerudo, as she sets the food down on a nearby table.Calya's face twitches at her name, but she recovers quickly "I slept fine. I see the others have already told you my name. What else did they tell you?""Oh, just some simple things. I know that Nali turns sixteen soon, Marta has two wonderful girls waiting for her back home, and that many of them love the greenery around here. Some of the older ones say it reminds them of the old oasis city."Calya smiles and a far-off look enters her eye. "That it does, Naborata was a wonderful green jewel in the desert. Fruit vines used wind all over town and palm trees used to shade its squares. ""It sounds like a wonderful place. It's a shame that the water ran out."Calya sighs "It was bound to happen, the town was so large by then it was surprising it didn't happen sooner. We had consumed so much water that when the oasis began to shrink, we were too drunk to notice until at last, our cups were empty. Queen Ramaji should have noticed it, but I guess she was too old by then."(1/3)
>>6060372"Queen? But I thought you were led by a king?" Hilma asks latching on to this new information."Ramaji was the old queen, she died about the same time the oasis began to dry up. That was when Gannondorf took over, he was king before, but Ramaji had kept him in check. When she died there was no left who could say no. There is the new queen Nabooru, but she is too young and inexperienced. She lacks the courage to deny him.""Poor girl, newly queen and already her people are plunged into war." Hilma adds sorrowfully."Indeed, we should have done better for her and for our children.""Not the way you would have done things?""No, we should have looked for a new oasis while we still had time there was water in that desert yet, if only we had spent the time to look, but no, our king had decided that we were to throw ourselves at you Hylians and so we wasted our time and resources preparing for war. Thousands died crossing the desert to get here so that by the time we arrived were too drained to fight and had to waste years at a hard scrabble existence that only made us weaker then at the absolute last of our strength and my patience we attack and despite everything win a stunning victory."Hilma forces herself to bite her tongue at those words. That "stunning victory" had come at the cost of her husband and two of her sons, but she had learned long ago to never interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake."But I fear what might happen if this war drags on, I fear what might become of us, and how few of us will remain at the end." Sudden snapping out of her monolog Calya locks eyes with Hilma. "That is why I have told you all this Hylian Queen I ask you to spare us. Are the actions of one man, one king enough to doom an entire people to extinction?"The question catches Hilma off guard and she is unable to answer for a long moment. Her courtly instincts take hold and she can feel herself mutter "Of course not." Then excuse herself from the room.Much can be learned from all that was said, but the question remains, can whole be responsible for the one?(2/3)
>>6060375Present Day at Hyrule CastleOver the last three months Laro and his team of librarians, archive curators, and anyone literate he could get his hands on, had been through the archives pulling everything they could on the Triforce of Wisdom. While they had found lots of old stories about how the three goddesses had formed the world and left behind the Triforce when they returned to the heavens. They had found nothing as to its location nor the other two pieces, the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage. Much to his relief and to Gannondorf's annoyance. With three months effectively wasted, the Gerudo King's patience was coming to an end and Laro knew it. He would have to give him something if he wanted to continue on as a spy. Thankfully while the location of the Triforce had thus far alluded him, his team had found a text that spoke of a path to a fountain of knowledge. At least that's what they'd translated it as. The path was said to only open to those who possessed four things. A Lens of Truth, A Rod of Dominion, A Cape of the Roc, and lastly proof of the seekers Royal Heritage. They had found leads on the lens, the rod, and the cape. With the proof of royal heritage meaning likely a member of the Royal Family's blood, or so one of the archives curators had said. Laro could give Gannondorf this knowledge to likely sate him for the moment, but he wasn't going to just give away his whole hand just yet. Giving the Gerudo King the items piece meal could work while giving the rest of the locations to his king giving him a chance to take the items before the Gerudo, or to ambush them at the artifact's location. Question is though, which item should he tell Gannondorf about...>The Lens of Truth>The Rod of Dominion>The Cape of the Roc>Tell Gannondorf nothing and prepare an escape.
>>6060376>The Cape of the RocIt's the least powerful item in general
>>6060376>>The Cape of the Roc
