>Year 1209, Great Tree Moon>24 Years After the Conclusion of the Fodlan Unification WarYou are Tristain d’Rusalka. Your entire life, you were told that you were the spitting image of your late father, Rex. A great warrior of the late Adrestian Empire, Rex had terrorized battlefields throughout the continent of Fodlan during the era of its warring three nations. Though you’d never met him, stories of his battles and deeds had hounded you your entire life. You’d heard how he’d ventured into the old enemy nation of Almyra, defeating their warlords and claiming a legendary spear. How he’d sacked the city of Charon, putting its rulers to the sword. And, ultimately, how he’d met his end just before you were born, in a fateful duel against his adopted sister, the Countess Blair. The bards of Rusalka at least had the common decency to refrain from performing that last tale in your presence.And why wouldn’t they? For it was not just Rex’s appearance that you’d inherited. You possessed the same innate martial talent that had made your father so feared. You and your mother had been taken in by his slayer and treated like family. There was no expense spared in your upbringing. From an early age, you had an affinity for warfare. You’d attended the Officer’s Academy of Garreg Mach, where you were afforded a good education and a mastery of arms. You obtained a solid understanding of battlefield tactics and fundamentals. You’d even shown an aptitude for magic, which you had learned from your mother, an adept sorceress. Even with all these talents, the Goddess must have felt you were not yet a complete package, for you’d also been bestowed with two unique gifts: The Crests of Indech and Macuil. Though the nature of Crests was still largely unknown, you had the ability to call upon innate power that few others in this world could claim.With all of these boons, it was no secret that you were destined for greatness. You had the potential to be the most powerful warrior Fodlan ever knew. A conqueror who commanded armies with strength and zeal, laying waste to all in his path. The Goddess’ perfect killing machine. Even your own father would pale in comparison to the deeds you would achieve.There was only one problem.You were born in an era of unending, ceaseless peace. It was this poor stroke of fate that found you now sitting alone on a merchant ship sailing on the high seas, drunk off strong, Almyran rum.You winced as you took a swig from your faithful flask. Sure, peace was all well and nice if you were an olive merchant or a playwright. You were certain that the infirm and overweight also slept soundly at night. But what about the warriors?! Those who threw themselves into adventure and glory, treading where none would dare? How were you meant to find your place in this world?
>>6088909In the nearly 25 years since Archbishop Byleth Eisner’s reign over the Unified Kingdom of Fodlan, the continent had enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity. Even the neighboring nations of Almyra and Sreng, who’d endured long histories of volatility, had not been spared this virus. Both countries had gotten their domestic affairs under control, and equally flourished under an era of nonviolence.So then, what was someone like you, who had seemingly been born for the single-minded purpose of warfare to do? Your mentor from the Officer’s Academy had once cautioned that you would need to find this answer for yourself, lest you waste your talents away before your eyes. He’d suggested turning towards faith and chivalry, serving as an educator and model for young knights. Taking his advice under consideration, you instead turned towards boozing and women. Those were conquests of a sort as well, after all. But a cask of fine ale and a supple, well-endowed pegasus knight could only take a man so far. With no lands to lay claim to, and preferring death over a boring life of sitting in a dilapidated fort somewhere along a border that would never see action, you were ready to resign to your fate. You planned to spend the next fifty years of your life residing in your aunt’s castle, carving woodland creatures (you’d gotten quite good at dogs), until you were mercifully killed by gout, or perhaps an undercooked mutton.At least, that was until Castle Rusalka had received a certain letter. One that threatened to shake the very fabric of the world you knew.>“Esteemed warriors of the world, my country’s long isolation is at an end! I seek a King worthy of ruling by my side. Send me your nation’s strongest, worthiest champions. Make the journey to Morfis, City of Illusions. In three months time, a grand competition shall be held. The one who proves themselves most true and valiant shall be the one to claim my hand in everlasting marriage. Our lives and nations will be bound forevermore in union.”Signed,Princess Yulia xan PhanesThe letter had gone out to all the major houses in Fodlan, and judging by its content, had likely also been distributed to Sreng and Almyra as well. The desert nation of Morfis was an isolationist country, several miles off the southern coast of Fodlan, across the sea from Rusalka. They’d always maintained only sparse communication with the rest of the world. In the years following the Unification War, they’d engaged in light trading with Rusalka, but remained an overall large mystery. Still, those few people who’d been granted access to the City of Illusions, had reported back a startlingly alien culture.One that was rich in both unknown magic, as well as technology. Meaningful attempts at diplomacy had always fallen on flat ears with Morfis, but now here was their ruler, offering her hand and nation in marriage.
>>6088912Perhaps this was it. The moment you had been waiting for your entire life. A chance to strike out and make a name for yourself, the way your father had done. To find whatever purpose your life held. Already warriors from all over Fodlan were gathering to make the trip overseas, hoping to claim victory in this mysterious competition. A waste of time on their part, you thought. There was no way you would lose. Many prominent voices in Rusalka believed this to be an odd affair, and a dangerous one at that. There were those who tried to dissuade you from partaking on this quest, using words such as “suspicious”, “idiotic”, and “insane.” Still, once you received the blessing of your aunt, the matter was settled. The Countess’ oldest daughter, Bronte, had been permitted to study magic in Morfis, and scarcely ever wrote back home. After promising to check in on her, you easily secured her approval for your voyage, and booked your own passage with a Morfis merchant ship that was heading home. You then spent the next several days getting drunk with the sailors and arm-wrestling, the latter of which was cut short once you nearly broke a few arms. Left alone on the waves, you could think of nothing but the goal that laid ahead of you. You thoughts heavily lingered on:>A): Your impending future rule as the King of Morfis.>B): The attractiveness of Morfis’ ruler, Yulia xan Phanes. You had no idea what she looked like, but surely she was beautiful.>C): Your “cousin”, Bronte Weaver. Though you weren’t actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.>D): Write-in
>>6088924>write in>the beautiful sunset ahead of you. Perhaps the rum is getting to you. But that brocade of peach and orange fills you with hope of tomorrow. Whatever it may bring, you'll be able to live the life you were always meant to. That of a warrior, rather than a sorry drunk and self proclaimed Cassanova
>>6088924>the trials ahead. What are they going to test? Strength of your arm? Your wits? Your ability to navigate comradery and treachery?>supple, well-endowed pegasus knight could only take a man so farLiterally sky high? Top of the world? Cloud nine?Hnng that mental image
>>6088924>>B): The attractiveness of Morfis’ ruler, Yulia xan Phanes. You had no idea what she looked like, but surely she was beautiful.oh shit, i thought i'd never see the day
>>6088924>C): Your “cousin”, Bronte Weaver. Though you weren’t actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.Good to see you back Treehouse!Also lets see what this 'cousin' is like according to Tristain.
>>6088924>>B): The attractiveness of Morfis’ ruler, Yulia xan Phanes. You had no idea what she looked like, but surely she was beautiful.Yay it's back!
>>6088924>C): Your "cousin", Bronte Weaver. Though you weren't actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.Glad to see you back, Tree. 24 years on, huh? Outside of the obvious era of peace, I wonder what's changed in Fodlan and beyond. How's King Khalid I(I?) been doing? Is Duscur recovering at all? What's happened to Brigid, seeing as Petra didn't make it?
>Taking his advice under consideration, you instead turned towards boozing and womenkekTristain already seems like a fun character. And welcome back, Tree. >>6088924>C): Your “cousin”, Bronte Weaver. Though you weren’t actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.
>>6088924>C): Your “cousin”, Bronte Weaver. Though you weren’t actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.
>>6088924>B): The attractiveness of Morfis’ ruler, Yulia xan Phanes. You had no idea what she looked like, but surely she was beautiful.
>>6088924>A): Your impending future rule as the King of Morfis.Well, that's one way to gather all the familiar faces/their descendants in conflict during a time of peace. Glad to witness your return.
>>6088924>>C): Your “cousin”, Bronte Weaver. Though you weren’t actually related, the two of you always had a good relationship.
Thanks everyone, good to be back. C's win, writing!
I wonder what Blair's tax policy is...
>>6088924As you dispassionately swatted away at a gray seagull that was making a swipe for your rum, you couldn’t help but be reminded of your “cousin”, Bronte. Countess Blair Weaver’s eldest daughter, you’d grown up alongside Bronte and her two younger siblings in Castle Rusalka. Though you were not actually related by blood, the Weavers were the closest thing you had to a family besides your mother. Bronte in particular was someone you’d always enjoyed a close relationship with, akin to that of a little sister. Though she was of a far more serious nature than you were, she’d oftentimes found herself wrapped up in your antics. When you wanted to steal that wyvern from the stables and take it out for a ride, it was Bronte who distracted the guards. And when you’d challenged that bear to a fight, only to find a much larger mother bear lurking in the shadows, it was Bronte who’d scared the creatures away with her magic.Granted in both of these instances, she had rightfully cautioned you against acting in the first place. But “little sisters” weren’t there to be taken seriously. They were there to clap and cheer for their cooler older brothers. And to occasionally cast supportive magic on them. And while Bronte was terrible at the first part, she excelled in the second. There was no denying that she was a woman of talent. Taking after her mother, she was an adept sorceress, having graduated the Garreg Mach Officer’s Academy at the same time you did. So gifted was she, that three years ago she received a rare offer. A chance to study magic in the famed and mysterious City of Illusions, Morfis. It was an opportunity few ever received, and one she could not feasibly pass up. She left Rusalka soon after, alongside a diplomat from Morfis, and hadn’t been seen since.While you had not heard from Bronte in some time, you were not worried about her safety. You knew that she could handle herself just fine. And ultimately, her leaving was a good thing. A wry smile crept to your face as you thought about all those other fools making their way towards Morfis. They had no idea what was waiting for them in that strange, alien land. But that was where you had a leg up over them. You had Bronte, who’d spent three years living amongst the Morfans…Morfians…people of Morfis?Bah, it didn’t matter. Bronte would fill you in on the correct term. Along with so much more. With her guidance and knowledge, you were sure to enjoy a great advantage in the competition for Princess Yulia’s hand. Finding your cousin would have to be a top priority for you. Doing so would make what was to come too easy.>“Hahaha…stupid bastards wasting their time…you might as well turn back now. It’s all too obvious I’m going to win.” You chuckle darkly under your breath, perhaps drunker than you realized. The Bronte-colored seagull had ceased trying to steal your rum, taking perch next to you on the ship's railing.
>>6089712“Oi, mate.” A nearby shiphand had called out to you, a tone of concern in his voice. “Ya’ doing alright there? It’s too early for ocean madness…”>“Never been better, my friend!” You salute the bewildered sailor, offering him a swig of your grog. “Here, have yourself a sip. Soon you’ll be able to tell all your mates that you shared a drink with none other than the King of Morfis!”“Ahh…I see.” Though he seemed unenthused by your words, he was more than happy to liquor up while on the job. “You’re one of them uhh…’contenders’ I been hearing so much about…”>“Not just a contender. THE contender.”“Oh really?” The sailor says through squinted eyes, rum dribbling down his chin. “And just what makes you so sure that you’re THE contender? Seen a lot of you continent folks jabberin’ about making your way down to Morfis and beddin’ our fair Princess. Hell, you ain’t even the only one on this ship with that idea.”>“Wait just a minute!” You interject, the man’s words ringing importantly in your ear. “Are you saying that the Princess is, in fact, fair? Because that is important.”“Ehh…I don’t know.” The sailor admits. “Ain’t ever seen her myself. Ain’t actually ever been to the city. They keep it locked down pretty tight from us ‘desert-dwellers’. But she’s a princess, ain’t she? That’s gotta mean she’s easy on the eyes, right?”>“That’s what I’ve been thinking myself…”“Ayy wait, don’t change the subject!” The sailor barks. “I hear a lot of nasty monsters are crawling out of every hole in the ground to come fight in that thing. Shouldn’t ya’ be at least a little more…scared?”You took a moment to consider the various fighters that you might compete against. While you were unaware of any warriors from foreign nations, you were loath to admit that there were a handful from the Kingdom of Fodlan that could present a problem. Cyril the Dragonhunter. Thunderstrike Arios. Lady Leonora Gloucester. Should any of those three have chosen to make the journey to Morfis, you may find yourself having a difficult time. >“Nah.”“Bullshit!” The rum-filled sailor blurts out. You weren’t sure if you’d merely worn him down or if the rum was exacerbating his aggression, but he was now standing menacingly close to you. An impressive gesture, given that you were several inches taller. “Somethin’ tells me yer’ all talk! Bet you ain’t ever even been in a fight. What kinda weapon do ya even go into battle with?”>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!>B): The Sword, a natural weapon for a hero such as myself. With blade in hand I’m a match for any in a duel.>C): The Axe, obviously. I’m strong as all hell, and I’ll smash whoever gets in my way!
>>6089715>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!The branch doesn't fall far from the tree.
>>6089715>>C): The Axe, obviously. I’m strong as all hell, and I’ll smash whoever gets in my way!Corrine would approve
>>6089715>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!Besides, we have a lot of experience thrusting into danger...and other things
>>6089715>>B): The Sword, a natural weapon for a hero such as myself. With blade in hand I’m a match for any in a duel.
>>6089715>C): The Axe, obviously. I’m strong as all hell, and I’ll smash whoever gets in my way!
>>6089715>>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!Oh shit we're so back.
>>6089715>>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!
>>6089715>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!
>>6089715>C): The Axe, obviously. I'm strong as all hell, and I'll smash whoever gets in my way!Hear me out. Both of Tristain's parents AND his aunt? All lance-wielders. If he's been focusing all his life on surpassing them all, it makes sense that he'd focus on their weapon triangle weakness, right? That's not to mention the sheer force his natural twin Crests would put behind an axe-blow. A sword or lance might not benefit as much as an axe would.Also, if he's going to be a flier like his entire family, axe is good for Wyvern shenanigans.
>>6089715>>C): The Axe, obviously. I’m strong as all hell, and I’ll smash whoever gets in my way!
>>6089715>A): The Spear, of course. It was the weapon of my father. With its range, there is hardly an enemy that can get near me!Whoo, it continues!
Looks like our MC will be proficient in Axes! Writing next update now.
>>6089715Those that chose to pick up a weapon such as the sword or the lance did so with the understanding that their pursuit towards mastery might be a never ending journey. It took more than just learning how to stick someone with the sharp end to make a competent warrior. One needed to understand a myriad of intricacies such as footwork, spacing and technique if they wished to survive their first encounter with the enemy. Even then, these weapons had their limits on the battlefield. A swordsman was more useful in a duel rather than a pitched battle, and a spearman might only be as good as the comrade standing next to him.Fortunately, you suffered none of these issues, as you carried around an oversized axe.Some asshole waving his sword around in front of you all fancy-like? Smash his weapon into a million pieces as you cleave him in half.Were several assholes running towards you with their weapons drawn? Don’t panic! Just repeat the maneuver and watch as their heads are sent flying several feet into the air.You were blessed by the Goddess with a rare sort of strength hardly ever seen, and you needed equipment that could truly reflect that. Fortunately, someone long ago had seen fit to invent the axe. The preferred weapon of bandits, berserkers, and lumberjacks. Nothing else felt right in your hands. Sure, it wasn’t exactly a “knightly” weapon. You recall how your master-at-arms and mentor, Kate, had disapproved when you’d shown up to the training grounds lugging one behind you. But it soon became evident that it was the perfect fit for both your skillset as well as your personality. Your father may have been a renowned master of the spear, but you did not let that dissuade you. This was your life, after all.>“My good man.” You say to the sailor. “I’d say I know my way around an axe well enough.”“Heh, oh yeah?” The sailor adds dubiously.>“Of course!” You flex a bicep towards the rude deckhand, as if to convey to him just a fraction of your might.>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 20/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)>Stats and (Growth Rates)HP: 45 (120%)Strength: 22 (65%)Magic: 15 (40%)Speed: 12 (30%)Defense: 18 (60%)Resistance: 10 (40%)Luck: 10 (55%)>Personal Skill: Resolve (When HP falls to less than 35%, Strength, Speed and Defense increase by 7)Perhaps the sailor had realized he was not quite as drunk as he thought. Or perhaps he just merely spoke the language of muscles. But you sensed a softening within the burly man, his face quickly losing the aggression it previously held. “Uhh…well. Reckon’ you might know a thing or two…” He says, suddenly looking embarrassed. “Hey, uh, thanks for the rum!” He says while handing you back your flask, the perfect image of politeness. “You should talk to the Capn’! He’s been to Morfis a whole bunch! Or that other contender. The lady knight! Maybe ya’ split er’ ‘ead open fore’ we even land!”
>>6090812Another contender on board? The brute points out a woman standing on the opposite end of the ship from where you were. She was clad in oversized and shabby green armor. The sort that could not be comfortable to wear in these conditions. You’d seen the woman when you were boarding, but you had no idea she was also planning to compete. By her appearance, you’d assumed she had been hired on as security for the ship’s cargo and passengers. At a first glance, you thought her to be somewhat unimpressive. But if she were making a perilous journey such as this, then surely she must have some measure of skill?At the ship’s helm was its captain. A pale sort with white hair. You’d never gotten his name, but the other sailors seemed to treat him with a great measure of respect. So, he’d been to Morfis several times in the past? Apparently that was a rarity, even amongst those who called the far-off desert their home. Perhaps he might have some helpful information for what lay ahead.You turn back towards the deckhand, but find that he has already left your company. He stands several feet away from you, swabbing the deck and whistling a tune while seemingly avoiding eye-contact. Evidently you’d made somewhat of a lasting impression on him.>A): Speak with the green-armored woman.>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.>C): You’ve had enough fresh air and socializing for one day. Head to the ship’s depths and begin sleeping the booze away.
>>6090816>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.Those same like some fantastic growths
>>6090816>>A): Speak with the green-armored woman
>>6090712god, how is he so cool?>>6090816>A): Speak with the green-armored woman.
>>6090816>C): You’ve had enough fresh air and socializing for one day. Head to the ship’s depths and begin sleeping the booze away.
>>6090816>A): Speak with the green-armored woman>>6090833We got them protag growths
>>6090816>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.
>>6090816>>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.
>>6090816>B): Speak with the ship's captain.I feel like we get more exposition this way, and I would like some of that right now.
>HP: 45 (120%)Wew. So this is the power of eugenics. Even if he turns out to be a RESlet, our boy can just follow Blair's method of facetanking hits with his high HP.>>6090816>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.
>>6090816>A): Speak with the green-armored woman.
Interesting that Princess Yulia is also considering girls, I guess she doesn't care about getting (passing down) a crest. Unless Tristain is just being a bit dense.>>6090816>B): Speak with the ship’s captain.
B wins, writing.
>>6091026I don't speak Fire Emblem, what do the numbers mean? Does it just mean "Basically you're a rock that managed to shove itself into a pair of boots and pick up an axe?" Because that's somewhat the vibe I'm getting, here.
>>6091419Yes! You're not far off. I've spared going into the details of combat just yet so as not to overwhelm, but combat typically features characters facing off against each other, with their stats determining how well they perform. Upon leveling up, characters have a chance to increase their stats based on their growth rates. In Tristain's case, he has high strength and defense. When he level ups, he has a 65% chance to gain a point of strength. Conversely, he is on the slower side, and has only a 30% chance to increase speed. Strength determines how hard you hit with the weapon you are currently wielding. Magic does the same, but with the magic spell you are using. Speed determines if you're fast enough for a follow-up attack. Defense is how well you take attacks, and Resistance is how well you take magic attacks. Luck is mostly a non-combat stat that determines a variety of things yet to come.Typically, there is not a cap on these stats, although the max level that you can reach is Level 50. Tristain starts off at Level 20. I'll go more in depth on the details, as well as some of Tristain's other capabilities, once we find ourselves in our first fight .
>>6090816Sparing another look towards the green knight, you decided against approaching her. If she was in fact a contender, you doubted she’d get very far. Instead, you figured it would be a good idea to probe the captain for any info that may prove to be useful for the journey ahead. When you approach the helm of the ship, you find him busy delegating orders to the crew. As you step closer, you catch the man’s attention. He holds his hands out to his sailors, telling them to give him a moment, and then bids you to approach him.“Lord Tristain d’Rusalka.” He greets you with a warm smile on his face, hand outstretched to shake your own. “A pleasure to finally meet you. I am Alvin, captain of this ship.”>“You know my name?” You ask, puzzled. You had booked your passage with one of the captain’s surly-looking sailors rather than him. Gripping the pale man’s hand in your own, you get the sense that he had been waiting for you to approach him for a while now.“Of course.” He adds cheerfully. “I’d be a poor merchant if I was unable to recognize Countess Blair’s own nephew. I’d heard much about you from your aunt, Lord Tristain. She’s done the people of Morfis much good, and rest assured that I intend to see you delivered safely to the coast of our fair country.”>“She has?” You had no idea your aunt was into boring crap like foreign diplomacy. Admittedly, matters of state left you bored to tears. They were the type of things left to a more bookish sort. The type of frail bureaucrat that spent all day playing with an abacus and measuring the season’s potato harvest. When you became King of Morfis, you’d make sure to hire a bunch of potato counters to do all that for you. Fortunately, the desert kingdom was full of sorcerers, and there would be no shortage of skinny academics to pick from.“She has.” Alvin smiled. If he thought that you should have already known that, he politely kept it to himself. “Morfis has only recently opened relations with the Kingdom of Fodlan. Rusalka is just across the sea from us, and abundant in the sort of ore and minerals that our own Kingdom lacks. Countess Blair has been a fair trading partner, and already provided us with much. Our cargo currently consists of several crates of Rusalkan Iron headed straight for the City of Morfis.”>Ahh, I see. Makes sense.” You nodded, sagelike. “Your man over there said that you’d been to the city before, but that not everyone who lives in the desert has?”“That’s right.” Alvin says. “The City is particular about who it lets in. Mages and their kind are typically given free access. As for those without the talent, the city permits enough of them to reside within its walls to keep things running. Otherwise, everyone else lives in towns and villages across the desert. Some may live their entire lives without ever seeing the inside of the city their country is named after.”
>>6091463>“Is that so? Seems kind of brutal, leaving those ‘Morfians’ to fend for themselves out in the desert, no?”“Morfisians.” Alvin corrects you. “And you’re right, it’s not a perfect system. Still, that’s the way it’s always been, dating back thousands of years ago to when the Sorcerer King first founded our nation. Those with the ability to use magic enjoy greater privileges in their neverending efforts to advance our civilization.They take the lead, while those without magical talent carry out everyday work and reap the benefits of our studies. For what it’s worth, the City of Morfis is still packed with people. Over a million, to be precise. And they provide much for those living in the desert. In any event, magical talent or not, you shouldn’t have to worry about being turned away from Morfis’ gates. As you can imagine, Princess Yulia’s declaration has turned things rather upside down.”>“Hey, for your information I know how to fling a magic spell or two!”“You do?” Alvin raises an eyebrow, inquisitively. “Forgive me, I mean no disrespect. It’s just…mages in Morfis don’t typically look like you.”>“Handsome?”“...I watched you bring that axe onboard, you know?”Rare was the sort of warrior that fought with both blade and spell. Though you were far deadlier with an axe in hand, you still had been born with the innate ability to use magic. And while you were leagues away from the sort of talent that someone like Bronte possessed, you’d surprised more than one foe in the past with a hastily cast spell thrown at their face.>A): I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my Fire Magic.>B): When a guy I want dead is out of reach of my axe, I have Thunder Magic to solve that problem.>C): I’ve knocked more than one Wyvern out of the skies with my Wind Magic.
>>6091465>>B): When a guy I want dead is out of reach of my axe, I have Thunder Magic to solve that problem.Bolting???
>>6091465>B): When a guy I want dead is out of reach of my axe, I have Thunder Magic to solve that problem.
>>6091465>A): I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my Fire Magic.I don't know if this applies to this quest, but I know in some older FE games there was a triangle within Anima magic where Fire overcame Wind, Wind overcame Thunder, and Thunder overcame Fire. Forseti is a Wind spell, so overcoming that with Fire feels like something Tristain might want to do. Even without that, though, Blair never learned any Fire spells past the basic one, so it'd give us a new spell list to work with.
>>6091465>>C): I’ve knocked more than one Wyvern out of the skies with my Wind Magic.
>>6091465>A): I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my Fire Magic.
>>6091465>C): I’ve knocked more than one Wyvern out of the skies with my Wind Magic.
>>6091465>A): I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my Fire Magic.That was what granddad was best at, right?
>>6091465>>A): I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my Fire Magic.
>>6091465>>B): When a guy I want dead is out of reach of my axe, I have Thunder Magic to solve that problem.
Fire Magic wins. Writing
>>6091465>“I can cook an infantry soldier right in his armor with my fire magic!” As if to demonstrate this claim, you light a spark at the tip of your index finger, producing a tiny flame. Alvin’s face takes on an even paler color as he steps back slightly.“While that is certainly impressive, I’m going to have to ask you to refrain from playing with fire for the rest of your duration on my ship.” Alvin sighs. “Which, frankly, shouldn’t be too much longer. We’ve been making good time on this voyage. We’ll arrive in Solis within the next few days. It serves as something of a port town for Morfis. You’ll be able to resupply and get a good rest before you start your journey for the city in earnest.”>“Is Morfis far off from Solis?”“It’s certainly some distance. You’ll have to journey across the desert to reach Morfis. There’s no getting around it. And that’s a trip that can be perilous in all sorts of ways. I imagine getting to Morfis itself is meant to be a large part of Princess Yulia’s trials for you contenders.”>“I’m sure I can handle a bit of walking…”Alvin smiles. “Surely. Well, I must be getting back to the ship. Be sure to find me when we reach Solis. I’d be happy to make some introductions that may make the whole thing a bit easier. Farewell for now, Lord Tristain.”Alvin returns to his duties on the ship, and you feel your head beginning to spin. It seems the rum was beginning to affect you more than you had thought. The Green Knight was gone, and you didn’t see much more of a point in sticking around up here. Deciding to get a headstart on any impending hangover, you make for the bowels of the ship to sleep things off. As you near the sleeping quarters, you find two sailors in a heated argument with each other. “I’m tellin’ ya’, ya’ prolly just lost it.” The first sailor says.“Now, why would I go and do a stupid thing like that?” The second sailor responds. “What kinda man loses a bread roll?“The stupid kind.” The first sailor replies.“It ain’t just my bread. One of the boys had some coins go missin’ the other day. And another went and lost his lucky dagger. I’m tellin’ ya, we got a rat onboard!” The second sailor hisses. “And I bet its got somethin’ to do with one of those foreigners. Just ain’t no trustin’ someone from the Dark Continent.”The Dark Continent? That was the first you’d ever heard of a phrase like that. You couldn’t help but snicker. What sort of outlandish impression did these fools have of Fodlan? If the continent were as bad as they thought, you’d never have left in the first place. Upon noticing you, the sailors suddenly quit their conversation and make themselves scarce. You’d heard about all sorts of superstitions at sea, and assumed this to be just one such case.
>>6092244Tucking into a little corner you’d made for yourself in the sleeping quarters, you get as cozy as you can given the setting. Liquored up and with the waves gently rocking you, it is an easy enough thing to drift off into sleep. Just before you do, you swear to yourself that you see a bundle of shadows moving across the hold. But before you can investigate any further, exhaustion takes over, and you pass out. You remain blissfully unconscious for several hours, when you are suddenly awoken by the sounds of men screaming and running above you.Rubbing your eyes to shake the sleep out, you find yourself sitting alone in the sleeping quarters. Night has fallen, and yet you are the only one here. Whatever is going on above deck sounds like a huge commotion. Men are barking orders to each other, and you can hear the rapid patter of footsteps running left and right. From where you sit in the ship’s hold, you’re unable to make out the specifics of what the men are saying. But one word finally comes in clear enough to sober you.“Pirates!”>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.>B): Investigate the ship’s hold. Pirates or not, you were in no great hurry.>C): Write-in
>>6092246>>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.Let loose a bellowing laugh, this is (probably) the first fight to the death we've had in our life, where we've basically trained nonstop to fight in a time of peace. It's like someone bred a racehorse and kept them off the track their entire life.Maybe we'll kill a man and find out that killing people actually isn't something fun, maybe we'll turn out to be a lunatic, but for now let's indulge in the battle high of someone who's trained all his life finally getting to let loose.
>>6092246>>B): Investigate the ship’s hold. Pirates or not, you were in no great hurry.i'm sure that implied rat is going to bite us in the ass if we leave it unchecked
>>6092246>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.So, Fodlan's the "Dark Continent," huh? Let me guess, tales abound of a backward, primitive land riddled with massive beasts, archaic systems and infrastructure, vast swathes of wilderness, and bloodthirsty savages?Let's show these pirates, and anyone who watches us cleave them in twain, just how "savage" we can be.
>>6092246>>B): Investigate the ship’s hold. Pirates or not, you were in no great hurry.
>>6092246>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.
>>6092246>>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.Finally something happens on this boring journey! Axe them!
>>6092246>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great haste.Pirates are more important than thieves.
>>6092246>B): Investigate the ship’s hold. Pirates or not, you were in no great hurry.
>>6092246>A): Grab your weapon, and head to the deck with great hasteI figure the rat is just a stowaway character. There will be time for that after we kill some pirates like a good warrior.
A wins. Writing!
>>6092246Pirates? What were pirates doing all the way out here? If you thought that was a bit strange, you didn’t let it bother you too much. You had expected to see no conflict until you’d reached Morfis and the competition had begun in earnest. A chance to warm up before the real fighting started would be most welcome. Stretching out your limbs, you reach down for your axe, which had been sitting to the side while you were asleep. Forged from fine Rusalkan Steel by the castle’s very own blacksmith, just holding the weapon made you feel like there was no enemy who could stand in your way.>Obtained Steel Axe! (+12 Attack)You grab some of your other belongings as well. Next to your axe were two healing poultices, useful in the event that you suffered any debilitating wounds. As you strap the poultices to your belt, you grumble a bit. You could have sworn you bought a 3-pack of these from the shopkeeper. Did he rip you off or something…?>Obtained Concoctions! (2) (Heals 20 HP)Lastly, you grab your coin pouch. For some reason, you felt it might be wise to keep the thing on you. >Obtained 300gJust as you were beginning to suspect that your pouch felt a bit lighter than you remembered, you were almost knocked off your feet by a loud bang coming from the other side of the hull, as well as the sound of water suddenly beginning to rush in. You were no sailor. In fact you’d never even been on a boat before. But certainly that wasn’t a good sign. You stow away the thought of your inventory and rats for now, determined to reach the deck of the ship and figure out what was going on.As you approach the surface, the screaming becomes more intensified and frantic. Two more loud bangs occur, causing you to lose a bit of balance. These impacts feel a bit different from the one that caused that hole earlier. Gritting your teeth, you muscle through until you reach the surface, laying your eyes on the source of all this trouble. Another ship. Much larger than your own, and swarming with pirates. Pirates who had just succeeded in placing down two gangplanks connecting their vessel to your own.“Gahahaha!” A man on the enemy ship laughs boisterously. Even under the cover of night, you could make out the large red jewel adorning the man’s hand, which was currently waving obscenities at the crew members of Alvin’s ship. “You sure you want to do things the hard way? Once Omar the Red and his crew get to swingin’ our swords, we don’t stop till’ the seas are painted crimson!”Panic has overtaken the crew of Alvin’s ship with one notable exception. To his credit, the captain of the vessel looks more determined than fearful. He turns to you as you approach. “Lord Tristain…sorry to disturb your slumber.”
>>6093046>“There’s a hole in your ship.” You inform him. “Who are these guys?”“Almyran Pirates, no doubt.” Alvin says. “And bold ones at that. Usually they would never dare attack a Morfis vessel. But these gentlemen have made it abundantly clear they wish to take our cargo. And a few slaves as well, of course. Naturally, I told them to go to hell. Would you be kind enough to lend us that axe of yours? I don’t believe these pirates would be willing to see you the rest of the way to Solis.”>“As if you even needed to ask.”Alvin smiles and nods. “Good man. You only need to hold them off for now. Myself and a few of my men will head below deck and work on plugging that hole these brutes caused. Once we make sure the damn ship isn’t going to sink, we’ll come back up and join you in routing these bastards.”>“Can your men fight?”“Well enough.” Alvin says. “But we’re outnumbered. And I’ll need quite a few of them to help me down below.” He gives you an apologetic smirk. “Sorry. Looks like the trials are starting earlier than anticipated for you. But you’ll at least have Adeline helping you out.”Adeline? As the pirates begin getting ready to cross the gangplanks, you find that someone on your ship is already standing by ready to intercept them. It was that lady knight from before. Clad in her heavy armor, she held a great shield in one hand, and a spear in the other. You thought she looked shabby before, but now she gave off the appearance of a great wall that these pirates would need to overcome if they wished to earn their loot.Alvin and his men rush below deck, leaving you and five of his shiphands to play defense against the pirates. This ‘Adeline’ seemed confident she could cover one of the gangplanks by herself, which left the other to you. You studied the pirates making their way across. They looked like hard men, each holding a nasty-looking cutlass in hand. They were certainly accustomed to fighting at sea. But their experience came from holding up defenseless merchants for ransom. How would they fare against one of your caliber?You were happy to show them.>Level 10 Pirate (x5)HP: 26Strength: 14 Speed: 15 Defense: 7Resistance: 0 Weapon: Iron Sword (+5 Attack)>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship. >B): Stand with Alvin’s men. Distribute the oncoming foes evenly, and save yourself some trouble.
>>6093049Here’s how combat in Sorcerer Kingdom Quest plays.Enemies each have their own stats and weapons. When a unit enters into battle with an enemy, the unit with the higher speed will make the first attack. Unlike in Three Houses Quest (or other Fire Emblem games), attacks can always be counted on to land, unless stated otherwise.>A round of combat occurs as follows:Unit targets an enemy for an attack. Unit with the higher speed attacks first. Damage calculation follows. The unit that was attacked is then able to make a counterattack, provided they are within range.>Damage calculations are as follows:STR + Weapon Attack - Target’s DEF = Damage dealtMAG + Spell Attack - Target’s RES = Damage dealtIf Tristain’s HP reaches 0, it’s game over.If a unit has at least 5 more Speed than the foe they are facing, they are able to make a second attack after their foe’s counterattack.Critical hits are tied to weapons rather than stats. If there is a chance for a Critical Hit to occur, it will be stated.Tristain has access to special abilities in his Crests. The Crest of Indech and the Crest of Macuil allows Tristain to use special abilities while in combat. He starts out with only a certain amount of charges. These charges refresh after each battle. Every 3 level-ups, Tristan will be able to increase the charges of one of his Crests, as well as pick a new ability. Tristan’s current Crest abilities are as follows:Crest of Indech: You are able to make a follow-up attack on one foe, regardless of Speed. (3 Charges)Crest of Macuil: Double the attack power of a magic spell. (3 Charges)Combat Art: Earthsplitter: Cleave all enemies standing two rows in front of you. (Cost: 1 Crest of Indech Charge)Occasionally, you will be able to give party members commands to attack. The above rules will apply to them as well, unless stated otherwise.Tristan’s current stats, skills and equipment is as follows:>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 20/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)>Stats and (Growth Rates)HP: 45 (120%)Strength: 22 (65%)Magic: 15 (40%)Speed: 12 (30%)Defense: 18 (60%)Resistance: 10 (40%)Luck: 10 (55%)>Personal Skill: Resolve (When HP falls to less than 35%, Strength, Speed and Defense increase by 7)>Equipment: Steel Axe (+12 Attack), Concoction x2 (+20 HP)>Spells:Fire (+3 DMG, 5 Uses)>Abilities: Crest of Indech: You are able to make a follow-up attack on one foe, regardless of Speed. (3 Charges)Crest of Macuil: Double the attack power of a magic spell. (3 Charges)Combat Art: Earthsplitter: Cleave all enemies standing two rows in front of you. (Cost: 1 Crest of Indech Charge)
>Defense 18>Enemy Damage 14+5 = 19>one chip damage per turn expected on usThese schmucks can't kill us even if all five of them crit all their attacks. Yep, I think it's gamer time.>>6093049A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship.
>>6093051>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship. >Those statsOur boy seems *slightly* overpowered
>>6093051>>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship.
>>6093051>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship.Time to make a good first combat impression with the Morfisians
>>6093049>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin's men will stand back, and you'll face five consecutive foes, but at least you'll keep them off the ship.We're here to show off anyway. Why not claim their blood and skulls as the foundations of our soon-to-be throne?
>>6093049>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship. Along with only taking 1 damage, we're also strong enough one-shot them in retaliation if we stick to our axe.
>>6093049>>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship.We aren't a fucking PUSSY. Can we get on the gangplank itself and move onto the enemy ship once we've thinned their ranks?>As you strap the poultices to your belt, you grumble a bit. You could have sworn you bought a 3-pack of these from the shopkeeper. Did he rip you off or something…?>Obtained Concoctions! (2) (Heals 20 HP)I SMELL A RAT!
>>6093049>A): Stand in front of the gangplank. Alvin’s men will stand back, and you’ll face five consecutive foes, but at least you’ll keep them off the ship.
>>6093049You didn’t know much about Almyrans. Or pirates for that matter. But you could tell a lot about someone by the way they carried themselves in a battle. These men were dexterous fighters, used to fighting on moving ships and maintaining their balance. Wearing heavy armor at sea was considered a death sentence for them. One false move and you’d sink to the bottom of the ocean. So these pirates opted for lighter wear. Some were bare chested, while at the most others wore leather jerkins. The swords in their hands were lightweight and easy to use. Their win condition was a simple one. Swarm the enemy’s deck as fast as possible, and cut their foes to pieces before they could retaliate. Clad in steel, these men likely deduced that you were out of your element here at sea, and did not slow down their approach.The first pirate attacks with a grin on his face, only to quickly explode in a burst of red as your axe bites into his chest, sending him sailing off the gangplank into the water. >10xp gained (10/100)The second one behind him doesn’t slow down, striking at you with a thrust attack. The stab is laughably weak. These swords may be good at piercing the unarmored hides of merchants or other pirates, but they were a bee sting for you at most. You chop your axe into his side, sending him tumbling down below.>10xp gained (20/100)The third pirate tries swatting at you with some fancy flourish, only to have both his arms severed at the wrists when you swipe your weapon downward.>10xp gained (30/100)By now, the pirates have begun to exercise caution .You can sense the hesitation in the fourth man as he tiptoes towards you. All the speed in the world would be of no use to these cretins though, unable to so much as scratch your hide. He goes down with a gurgle, your axe splitting into his chest. Kicking his corpse off the gangplank, you now face the last pirate.>10xp gained (40/100)You were surprised to find the final man undeterred by your wanton slaughter. Perhaps he figured if he turned back now, this Omar the Red would strike him down for cowardice. Instead, he bellows a loud scream and charges at you, waving his cutlass around frantically. You honor his courage by removing his head in one blow.>10xp gained (50/100)>Tristain (40/45 HP)That was easy enough, you think. You hadn’t been in a real fight since you’d been at the Officer’s Academy several years ago. But you still had ‘it’. You hardly broke a sweat, nor took any meaningful damage. There are still several pirates swarming the enemy deck, however, they now appear to be having second thoughts about crossing over. All the bravado they’d shown when they were holding up Alvin appears to have disappeared into thin air. You take the reprieve in battle to see how Adeline fares.
>>6093681The Green Knight appeared to be doing just fine, if not working at a slower pace than you were. She serves as a literal wall, blocking the pirates on her gangplank from crossing and causing a jam. When one man tries to vault over her, she slams her greatshield forward, sending him into the drink. She required no assistance. Perhaps she might make a worthy contender after all. Omar the Red begins bellowing orders to his men once more, bringing you back to the battle at hand.“What are you slackers doing?!” The pirate captain screams, pointing his red-jeweled finger accusingly at you. Now that you were closer, you could see it was quite the prize possession. The sort of stone that would fetch a pretty price. You made a mental note to remove it from the man’s corpse if given the chance. “It’s just two damn fools! Get in there and knock them off already or I’ll gut you all myself!”Omar was not exactly an inspiring leader, as his men were still milling about, weighing their options. You’d seen this sort of thing before. As a student at the Officer’s Academy, you’d been tasked with routing bandits as a part of your curriculum. These pirates knew they were stuck between a devil they knew and one they didn’t. This Omar became captain by being the baddest and strongest of his crew. He was in all likelihood a cruel man, a fact his men were all too well aware of. Eventually, they would regain their resolve and come crossing the gangplank once more.The way you saw it, you could stand where you were and continue swatting them away like flies.Or maybe you could cross the gangplank yourself and bring the fight to them?>A): Continue holding the gangplank. There’s no need to rush in. You just need to hold them off long enough for Alvin to get back. You will face five more consecutive enemies.>B): Cross the gangplank, board the enemy ship and bring the fight to the pirates. (Choose how to fight them)>C): Write-in
>>6093685>>A): Continue holding the gangplank. There’s no need to rush in. You just need to hold them off long enough for Alvin to get back. You will face five more consecutive enemies.Free XP farming
>>6093685>>B): Cross the gangplank, board the enemy ship and bring the fight to the pirates. (Choose how to fight them)Walk forward, apply Earthsplitter. Or, Decksplitter, in this case. Pirate the pirates, steal their loot. If I'm reading that right, it'll hit two rows forward and three squares wide, killing them instantly.
>>6093685>A): Continue holding the gangplank. There’s no need to rush in. You just need to hold them off long enough for Alvin to get back. You will face five more consecutive enemies.
>>6093747that sounds cool as fuck, +1
>>6093685>B): Cross the gangplank, board the enemy ship and bring the fight to the pirates. (Choose how to fight them)The easiest flex imaginable as we arrive at Morfis is if we casually claimed a Pirate ship for our own on our way there. And of course if we take the ship, we can also take whatever treasure they have and present that as a gift when we meet Yulia.>>6093747If Eathsplitter functions this way, use it. Also we should rally Alvin's men as we push over to help us secure the ship.
>>6093747+1Everyone duck, we're about to whip out our dick
>>6093747+1.
>>6093685>>6093747Supporting. These guys aren't a threat, so might as well kill them quickly while showing off. We can then kill Omar next turn unless the pirates on the side are brave enough to get in our way.
>>6093685Supporting the Earthsplitter manoeuvre
>>6093747Supporting
>>6093685Gonna support >>6093747 on account of crushing our enemies, driving them before us, and hearing the lamentations of- given the lesser emphasis on gender roles in this universe and how pirates tend to buck social norms anyhow, there's probably some women in the pirate crew?
>>6093747+1
>>6093685>>6093747The pirates before you had yet to regain their composure, and you didn’t plan on giving them the opportunity. Their heads sprang up as you suddenly stepped foot on the gangplank, moving forward towards the enemy ship. They were not the only ones surprised by your maneuver. You could hear Alvin’s men also exclaiming their shock, with some screaming for you to return before you found yourself surrounded. They had no idea just what you had in store though. Stepping foot on Omar’s ship, you lift your axe up high, and prepare to jump into the heat of battle.Despite their historical prevalence, Crests were an oddity amongst the people of Fodlan. Seen as blessings from the Goddess, certain individuals were able to call upon innate powers that gave them an advantage in combat. For centuries, these Crests distinguished the nobility of Fodlan from others. Before Fodlan had become one unified kingdom, leadership and positions of power had often fallen to those who bore these Crests. With few exceptions, those born with the Goddess’ power had always only had access to one Crest. You however, had the gift of two. Crests were typically passed down via bloodline. How you were born with two was a mystery to all. The Rusalkan bloodline had no history of Crests until your mother and father, who had somehow awoken the gifts later in life.You had never placed much stock in these abilities. Your own natural talent and skill was often enough to push you above most foes you faced in your younger years at the Academy. As a result, your Crests were admittedly underdeveloped. However, if you were going to be the one to bed Princess Yulia and defeat every contender in your path, you’d need to make use of every advantage you had. Now was certainly no time to hold back. As you land in front of the surprised pirates, you summon forth the power of Indech to lay waste to your foes.>Combat Art: Earthsplitter: Cleave all enemies standing two rows in front of you. (Cost: 1 Crest of Indech Charge) (2/3 Charges)Your axe pulsates with a vibrant blue color, signifying the activation of your Crest. With one swoop, the five pirates in front of you are sliced in half in an explosion of blood and bone. They never stood a chance to defend against the onslaught, and you scatter body parts across the deck of Omar’s ship in a disgusting rain of gore.>50xp gained! Level up! (0/100)>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 21/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)HP: 45 (120%) + 1 = 46Strength: 22 (65%) + 1 = 23Magic: 15 (40%)Speed: 12 (30%)Defense: 18 (60%)Resistance: 10 (40%) + 1 = 11Luck: 10 (55%) + 1 = 11“W-what?! What happened?!” You hear Omar screech from across the deck. The pirate captain had lost all composure upon witnessing your attack. “Just what the hell are you supposed to be?!”
>>6094384A part of you thinks to ask Omar if he wishes to surrender. However, you decide against it. You knew his type well enough. He was in too deep. He’d refuse to see reason until it was too late. Besides, it would be a shame to end the fun so suddenly. As such, you simply readied your already bloody axe, planning to continue your work. That was until you heard a scream coming from the deck of Alvin’s ship. It was one of his men, pointing an outstretched finger towards the sea.“A-another ship!”You could scarcely believe it, but sure enough, the man was telling the truth. Another ship, Almyran in appearance, was now pulling up to the lefthand side of Alvin’s. You could not distinguish any signs of a flag, but there were men swarming the decks. It was clear to see that more pirates were joining the fray. They had not yet placed a gangplank down, but it would likely only be a matter of time.“Ha…hahahaha!” The pirate captain bellowed in laughter. “You fool! Omar the Red never hunts alone. You'd best turn back now, before my men make mincemeat out of you wretches!” This last part, you noted, sounded more like Omar was pleading with you, rather than making a threat. It was possible he was planning on using the other ship as a decoy to make for his own escape. >Omar the Red>Level 15 PirateHP: 38Strength: 19Speed: 16Defense: 10Resistance: 0Weapon: Steel Sword (+10 Attack)Item: Red Gem (Worth 2500g)>A): Return to Alvin’s ship and get ready to engage the new crew of pirates.>B): Omar was within striking distance of your axe. Even if he planned to cower behind his men, you would not let him escape. Leave the other ship to Alvin’s men. (Choose how to fight)>C): Write-in
>10 Defense>38 HP>Our Attack 23+12=35>Damage 35-10=25We just one shot Omar if we use one charge of our Crest of Indech to attack twice. Nice false bravado though, gotta give him a 6/10 for that one. Would've been an 8/10 if he hadn't hestiated in his evil laughter.>>6094385>B): Omar was within striking distance of your axe. Even if he planned to cower behind his men, you would not let him escape. Leave the other ship to Alvin’s men. (Choose how to fight)Activate the Crest of Indech and turn this man to paste with our axe.
The other anon already calculated the damage we'd do with our axe, 25 DMG per hit, so we need to hit Omar twice to kill him.If we use magic with the Crest of Macuil, we'll deal 15 MAG + 6 (3 * 2) = 21 DMG.I'm not entirely sure how Macuil works. Above is the result if it only doubles the damage of the spell itself and not the damage we'd end up doing after calculations. With Fire the damage boost isn't much but it'd end up scaling better when used with stronger spells and against enemies that have higher RES.If Macuil does double the damage after calculations, then we'd still fall short of killing him anyways since we'd only deal 15 MAG + 3 (Fire) = 18 * 2 = 36 DMG.We'd take 19 STR + 10 (SS) - 18 DEF = 11 DMG from Omar. We're at 40 HP if the HP gain on the level up didn't heal us, leaving us at 29 HP left. It doesn't matter too much since if our HP gets low enough we'd have Resolve active and we have our Concoctions if we really need to heal.>>6094385>>6094466Supporting.We'd only have 1 charge of Indech left, but it's not as if we need to be frugal with it unless we get a third ship thrown at us. Alvin's men haven't fought yet because we solo'd the top side so they probably won't job immediately.
>>6094385>?I guess that's the thief? Atleast (s)he will have a concoction if the pirates start causing damage. Agree with>>6094466>>6094523It might even compel the pirates trying to get past Adeline to come and try and eject us from their ship (freeing her up to defend the other side)
>>6094466+1Fuck omar up
>>6094466+1
>>6094466Support.Say, does Fire have any AOE or is it just a bonus to our attack damage?
>>6094385Supporting >>6094466 . Looks like the mathanons are back!
>>6095238Is it really enough to be called a mathanon when it's just very basic addition and subtraction?
>>6095244You'd be surprised. The important thing is you're doing the math other anons don't want to.
>>6094688No AoE component to Fire. It's just a bonus to your attack.Writing!
>>6094385>>6094466The ringleader of this entire escapade was right in front of you. He could make all the empty boasts and threats he’d like, but he was not about to escape your talons. You decide to leave the other ship to Alvin’s men. Let them pull their own weight. Lifting your axe, you continue moving forward on the enemy vessel towards Omar. As you draw nearer, you can see the pirate captain’s toothy grin slowly melting away from his face. He realizes with great dread that none of his men will be putting themselves between the two of you. Left with no recourse, he draws his steel cutlass, and engages you in battle with a roar.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKzd28mlqGU>Omar: 19 STR + 10 (Steel Sword) = 29 - 18 DEF = 11 DMG>Tristain: 29/46 HPOmar was definitely a few notches above his men. It was clear to see how he’d come to be the top dog amongst them. He lashes out at you with superior speed, landing a strong blow against your chest. He attacks with a swift fury. After seeing what you did to his subordinates, he’s well aware that giving you an opportunity to attack would be a bad idea. “I don’t care who you are!” The pirate captain yells in-between strikes. “No one gets in the way of me and my loot!”You were confident in your abilities, but you were not conceited enough to believe you were the perfect warrior. You knew you had weaknesses the same as anyone else. And while you perhaps had an obscene might, your agility was left wanting. Foes like Omar, who excelled in speed, could be a problem if left unchecked. Your Crest however, allowed you to level that playing field. For just the briefest of moments, you could greatly enhance the speed of your attacks beyond what any were capable of. And while you could have beaten the pirate without needing to rely on this technique, that other ship meant that time was of the essence.You parry one of Omar’s strikes and counter with a slash across his chest. He yelps, and takes a backstep to escape your reach. He never stands a chance though. Your axe glows blue with the Crest of Indech, and you follow-up attack with a deft cut that the man never sees. He succeeds in creating distance between the two of you. Omar moves to raise his sword, only to find two bloody spurting stumps instead.>30xp gained! (30/100)>Crest of Indech (1/3 Charges)“Huh…”? Omar exclaims, looking dumbfounded at his missing appendages. “This…this was a damn setup…” He mutters, before falling face down on the deck.”You walk over to one of the pirate captain’s severed hands, and remove the red gem from its finger. Wiping it clean against your arm, you inspect it closely. You didn’t know much about jewelry, but maybe Yulia would like it?>Obtained Red Gem! (Worth 2500g)
>>6095415As your back was turned, the other five pirates that had been standing behind Omar madly rushed towards you in an attempt to swarm. A few more chops of your axe though show them the error of their ways, serving to paint the deck of the ship further crimson.>x5 KOs. 10xp gained. (70/100)>Tristain: 24/45 HPMost of the pirates that were still alive on the ship were now backing off, wanting nothing to do with you. Taking a moment to survey what was left of the battlefield, you could see that things on this side had cleared up considerably. Adeline was still holding strong, looking like she hadn’t even broken a sweat as she maintained her defense. You watch her knock another pirate into the water below, the procession line in front of her now nearing its end. On the other side of Alvin’s ship, things were looking a bit more hairy. Two more gangplanks had latched on, and the pirates were looking to make their way onboard. Several of Alvin’s men rush towards the first gangplank, looking to hold it the way you and Adeline did. While you doubted they would be as successful, they might at least buy a bit of time.As for the other gangplank, the pirates seemed to be sharing some trepidation when it came to crossing it. You were unsure why, until you noticed a strange woman standing there. That was odd. You’ve spent days on this ship and yet you hadn’t seen her before. She didn’t look like much. A skinny, non-threatening little thing. But somehow she was managing to hold the pirates off alone, seemingly having done nothing at all. >A): Finish off the renaming pirates on this ship. Once you’re done, perhaps you and Adeline can focus fully on the new enemy vessel.>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist his men.>C): Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist the strange woman.>D): Write-in
>>6095420>D): Down a Concoction, then return to Alvin's ship by mowing down the remaining pirates on Adeline's gangplankWe get back over and we clear up Adeline to help defend the rest of the ship. Easy peasy.I don't know if the gangplank has some gameplay mechanic where we might get knocked off if we fight on it, so maybe we kill the two pirates that are on the actual ship with our axe, and then burn the other two on the gangplank with Fire + Crest of Maculi for two oneshots. That way we can dodge being pushed into the ocean by combat (if that's a thing that can happen).
>>6095420>A): Finish off the renaming pirates on this ship. Once you’re done, perhaps you and Adeline can focus fully on the new enemy vessel.We won't even need to down a concoction, once we hit 16 hp Resolve will activate and give us +7 to strength, speed, and defense. The pirates wont even be able to hurt us anymore unless theres another hero. Maybe we can even offer this big pirate ship to the Princess.
>>6095420>>A): Finish off the renaming pirates on this ship. Once you’re done, perhaps you and Adeline can focus fully on the new enemy vessel.Mop up these guys, and next turn we can hop over and swap Mr. 4 out.
>>6095420>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist his men.Move towards 4's position, looks like they might lose a man. Not sure if Tristain would care or not at this point but I don't really see any value in staying here. That being said, if the pirate guy is saying "this was a set-up!" it might have be co-ordinated specifically to get Tristain (or Adeline or Alvin or ???) so best get back to our 'allies'.
>>6095420>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin's ship and assist his men.We need to trigger the next boss fight if we want to show off again.
>>6095420>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist his men.
>>6095420>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist his men.Onwards and upwards!
>>6095420>>A): Finish off the renaming pirates on this ship. Once you’re done, perhaps you and Adeline can focus fully on the new enemy vessel.
>>6095420>A): Finish off the renaming pirates on this ship. Once you’re done, perhaps you and Adeline can focus fully on the new enemy vessel.
>>6095420>>B): These pirates were routed and would pose no more trouble. Jump back to Alvin’s ship and assist his men.
Looks like B wins by one. Writing!
>>6095420The remaining pirates on this ship wanted nothing to do with you. To prove the point, a few of them drop their weapons to the deck, getting on their knees and begging for mercy. You decide to grant them it for now. After all, there was another ship full of fresh challengers for you. Doubling back to the gangplank, you cross over to Alvin’s ship with the aim of relieving his men. So far, they were doing an adequate job of preventing any assailants from boarding. An admirable feat, you thought, given that they were more sailors than fighters. You step behind one such man, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder and pulling him from the fray.“They’re fallin’ back boys!” A pirate on the gangplank yells. “Full speed ahea-”The man never finishes his battle cry as he crumples from a single strike of your axe. Two more of his fellows follow, before the rest get the hint that the only thing they’ll be crossing is over to the afterlife. >30xp gained! Level up! (0/100)>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 22/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)HP: 46 (120%) + 2 = 48Strength: 23 (65%) + 1 = 24Magic: 15 (40%) + 1 = 16Speed: 12 (30%) + 1 = 13Defense: 18 (60%)Resistance: 11 (40%) Luck: 11 (55%) + 11 = 12“O-oy! What the hell’s with this ship?! It’s full of freaks!” You hear a pirate scream from the enemy vessel.“Look! Omar and his boys are leavin!” Another yells, pointing a finger behind you. You turn around and sure enough, the large Almyran ship has detached their gangplanks. It must have been those men you left alive. You didn’t blame them. Between you and Adeline, not a single one of them made it onboard. It would have been nice to have commandeered their ship for your own use, but alas, you’d have to be content with the plunder you already took.You look towards the other gangplank that the weird looking girl had been holding. Up close, you could see what had kept the pirates away. Small metal studs covered the length of the wood, threatening pain and a possible trip overboard for any light-footed pirates who tried making their way across. Were those caltrops? Just what was she doing with those?Stuck on their own ship, and with their allies retreating, the pirates seemed to be in a stupor as to their next move. Their indecisiveness lasts long enough for Alvin and his men to return above deck. “They’re retreating?” Alvin exclaims, wide-eyed. “Just what did I miss…? No matter. I’ll take things from here. Allow me to show you fools the folly of attacking a Morfisian ship!”Alvin begins muttering under his breath, and a cold wind suddenly blows through the air. As someone attuned to sorcery, you’re able to sense the great power welling up within the ship captain, who suddenly appears more than he’d at first seemed. His chanting reaches its crescendo, and with a great cry of ‘Fimbulvetr’, you witness his work in action.
>>6096568Your eardrums nearly explode from the sound of large icicles erupting from the enemy’s deck. The vessel is nearly snapped in two as a good portion of the crew is either killed outright or frozen solid. Those few survivors left begin jumping overboard, seeking to escape the sinking heap. You watch them do so dispassionately, supposing that you couldn’t expect much from a mere warmup. So, that was the sort of magic that a sorcerer of Morfis was capable of? You wondered where this man rated amongst the others of his kind. Perhaps you would find out soon enough.“Lord Tristain, are you alright?” Alvin asks, running to your side. “You’re covered in blood. Am I safe to assume that most of it isn’t your own?”>“You’d be safe, alright. I killed that loudmouth pirate captain myself. Along with several of his men. How’s the ship looking? Did you plug that hole?”“We made the necessary repairs. It’s not perfect, but it will at least make due until we reach Solis.” Alvin breathes a sigh of relief. “You said you killed Omar? That’s…I have to say I’m impressed. I’d only asked you to hold them off. But to think that you did all that. And without incurring a single casualty even.” He shakes his head in disbelief as he looks over at his men, who were letting loose a loud cheer. “I owe you a great debt, Lord Tristain. I pity the contenders that will find themselves facing you.”>“No need for the lord part. Not yet, anyway. And I’m flattered, but I didn't do it alone.” You say with a grin, pointing towards Adeline. “She was of good use. I mean, she mostly just stood there, but that was all I really needed her to do. Oh, and there was that other girl. Where’d she…” You find the strange woman from before surrounded by a group of Alvin’s men. They’d boxed her in, preventing her escape. She was a tiny thing, especially next to those burly sailors, and she had the look of a trapped rat eagerly hoping to make its escape.“Where’d you come from?! I ain’t seen you before?!” A sailor shouts.“Hey, isn’t that my dagger?” Another accuses.The woman shrieks as a third sailor rummages through her pockets. “And that’s my chocolate! I saved a fortune for that!”>A): Intervene. >B): Leave the woman to Alvin and his men.>C): Write-in
>>6096569>>A): Intervene.she helped out so we can forgive her
>>6096569>A): Intervene.She's earned her keep.
>>6096569>A): Intervene.Without her they would have pushed the other gangplank. Life is about collecting habits and heroes.
>>6096569>A): Intervene.That was a nice level up.We better get back our Concoction and gold though.
>>6096569>B): Leave the woman to Alvin and his menHonor Blair by showing no mercy
>>6096569>A): Intervene.How else are we going to intimidate her into returning the concotion and money she stole from us?
>>6096569>A): Intervene.
>>6096569>A): Intervene.She probably stopped like one of those guys getting murked, but yeah as long as we get back ours everything's Gucci.
>>6096569>A): InterveneWe need to make sure we get our stuff back, and if we leave it to the men, we're not getting it.
>>6097136(I also mean this to stop her actually getting beat up or something as well, being that they owe her one as far as I' m concerned)
>>6096569>>A): Intervene."But give me back my concoction, if you were the one that stole it. Everything else you stole too."We're a rich fella, we can afford to hire a retainer.
>>6096569The crowd of sailors melt away as you approach the woman, towering over all of them. Cast in your shadow, she looks up at you, perhaps more scared now then she was when Alvin’s men were accosting her. You suppose you did look a bit frightening at that moment, drenched in copious amounts of blood. While you told Alvin that most of it wasn’t your own, a fair bit of it still was. You’d have to get stitched up later, you winced.>“What’s going on here?”“This girl’s been stealin’ from us, sir!” One of Alvin’s men says. He, along with the others, seem to be treating you with far more respect than they had previously on this voyage. You suppose saving them from a gang of bloodthirsty pirates might have helped. “This little rat snuck on board when we was in Rusalka!”>So she was a thief? “Woman, what is your name?”“M-May.” She stammers out. “B-begging your pardon my lord! I meant no harm I swear!”>“May.” You ask calmly. “Did you steal from me?”“Just enough to survive…” She says hopefully.Lifting the small woman, you begin shaking her. She squeaks helplessly as several gold coins, rings, daggers, caltrops, lockpicks, a sailor’s cap, and even a golden goblet, fall out of her cloak and pockets with a jangle. And amongst all of the items on the floor, you find a sealed concoction. One that looks remarkably similar to the others in your possession.>Gained 200g>Gained Concoction x1“I knew it!” One sailor shouts with indignation, others joining him in his rage. “Throw that lass overboard with the rest of those pirates!” Alvin’s men start moving closer, looking to make good on their threat, but back off once you give them a strong glance.>“That won’t be happening.” You announce. “Thief or not, this woman held off those pirates alongside the rest of us. As far as I’m concerned, that makes things even. You can collect your valuables that were taken from you, but leave her be.” You had no love for thieves, particularly ones that stole from you. But you could at least appreciate the girl’s knack for survival in the face of danger. She must have known she’d be worse off with Omar’s men than Alvin’s, and made to defend the ship when things seemed desperate.“T-thank you, my lord!” May showers you with praise. The tears in her eyes were now ones of admiration for you and your mercy. “I do not deserve such kindness! Thank you! Thank you! I promise to turn my life over from this day forth!”“How in the blazes have you stayed hidden on my ship for an entire week?” Alvin exclaims incredulously, joining in on the conversation and speaking over May’s incessant blathering.“I snuck inside one of those crates of ore.” May answers, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. “I’m really good at hiding. My mother always said I was completely unnoticeable. She’d say, ‘May, you’ve got no presence! No man’s ever gonna marry you!’”
>>6097496“...Well as sad as that may be, I’d still like to know why you’re on my ship in the first place. And actively thieving as well.”“I’m sorry!” May exclaims once more, bowing her head. “I know it looks bad, and I have no right to ask for forgiveness. But I was just trying to earn enough gold to get by in Enbarr. I hear one can start a new life in the Kingdom’s capital. I planned on using that money for food and lodging once I arrived.”>“Enbarr? This ship is sailing for Morfis.”“Morfis?” May’s face goes blank. She turns around, examining her surroundings as if just seeing them for the first time. “W-wait. This isn’t ‘Dimitri’s Tidebreaker’”?“No.” Alvin says. “You’re on the ‘Morfisian Rose.’ A Morfisian ship. Heading to Morfis.”“Oh.” May says. “Morfis. I see. I must have got in the wrong crate.”You grimace. In all your years, you’d never seen a more unfortunate wretch than this one. Just standing near her made the hairs on your neck stand, nervous that her ill luck would rub off on you. In that way, she was more frightening than Omar had been. The look of sheer disappointment that now claimed her face even gave you an inkling that throwing her overboard would have been a mercy. She walked over to the ship's bow to stare out at the sea, perhaps contemplating the idea herself.“While I…appreciate her help in dealing with the pirates.” Alvin says to you. “She’s still a thief. I certainly don’t plan on providing anything more for her than safe passage. Perhaps you may have some use for her instead.”>“Me?” You say with a raised eyebrow.“You can rest assured that most contenders aren’t like you or Adeline.” Alvin says. “They’ll be traveling with a party. An entourage to ensure safe passage to Morfis, and to assist with the trials to come. You said it yourself that she held off those pirates. I know she’s not an…ideal companion. But perhaps she may still prove useful?”You ponder the thought, rubbing your chin and examining May’s figure through squinted eyes.>May>Level 15/50 Thief (EXP: 0/100)>Stats and (Growth Rates)HP: 32/32 (40%)Strength: 10 (25%)Speed: 22 (70%)Defense: 8 (60%)Resistance: 5 (40%)Luck: 5 (10%)Equipment: Dagger (+4 DMG, can be used as a ranged weapon). Caltrops (Block a path for 1 turn)>Skills:Unnoticeable: Less likely to be targeted by enemiesSteal: Can steal non-equipped items from foes. Will bring you extra loot after every battle.>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…>B): Decline to recruit May. She’s a black cat in human form.>C): Write-in
>>6097499>>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…being superstitious is bad luck
>>6097499>>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…>Steal: Can steal non-equipped items from foes. Will bring you extra loot after every battle.>Extra loot after every battle.>EXTRA LOOT!picrel
>>6097499>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…EXTRA LOOT!
>>6097499>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party's got to start somewhere...She literally owes us her life. Also, I get a mix of Academy-phase Ashe and Academy-phase Bernadetta vibes from her.
>>6097510Also, in addition: it'd be REALLY funny to train this tiny woman into a fearsome warrior. Not as good as us because we're built different (literally), but the thought amuses me. Either lean into her sneakiness or capitalize on her speed, some kind of assassin or duelist, maybe?. We'd at least be able to teach her some self-defense.
>>6097499>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…She's cute and will give us extra loot. That's good enough for me.
>>6097499>>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…
>Lifting the small woman, you begin shaking her. She squeaks helplessly as several gold coins, rings, daggers, caltrops, lockpicks, a sailor’s cap, and even a golden goblet, fall out of her cloak and pockets with a jangle.Absolutely perfect, wouldn't have wanted it any other way.>>6097499>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…Aunt Blair ran her own posse and she did reasonably well. This tiny woman will steal for us now.
>>6097499>A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…
>>6097499>“I snuck inside one of those crates of ore.” May answers, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. “I’m really good at hiding. My mother always said I was completely unnoticeable. She’d say, ‘May, you’ve got no presence! No man’s ever gonna marry you!’”Awwww >A): Recruit May into your entourage. Every party’s got to start somewhere…Also, maybe it's my paranoia but the fact that Alvin is suggesting we take her, and she was able to sneak on the shift and the fact that she's level 15 suggests to me that she's some sort of plant, but whatever.
>>6098084>the snakes are still alive and plotting vengance on Rusalka so they sent the tiny woman to keep an eye on our movementNo please it's too early in the quest to become schizophrenic again.
>>6098102She could have been sent by Blair as Alvin claims to know Blair.
>>6098102>>6098176Perhaps it's both and she's an Arcadian?
>>6098102It's never too early.
>>6097499Alvin made a fair point. Going at things alone would only be a disadvantage. Your father had been a great warrior, but even he had not journeyed to Almyra solo. He’d had his faithful Hellwings at his side. Vaunted companions who’d fought with him in numerous battles throughout Fodlan. There was also Countess Blair and her Blackwings, who left a bloody trail in their wake during the Unification War. Both were exceptional champions, but they couldn’t do everything themselves. They needed allies. Friends?That was a word you hadn’t used very often. Other than Bronte and her siblings, you didn’t exactly have many friends. Or any, really. Despite your talents, most people gave you a wide berth back at the academy. There was no question that you were the strongest amongst them. But in times of peace, that hardly made you popular. In your experience, it was the opposite. Most of the students had been afraid of you. They never disrespected you. Not to your face, anyway. And you at least enjoyed some popularity with women. But the majority seemed to fear you more than anything. They saw you as an oddity. Someone who seemed destined to commit grim deeds. A boy with two Crests in a world where those no longer carried the same weight they once had.>“May, was it?” You say to the thief, who was busy sniffling at the bow of the ship. She turns to you wide-eyed, tears streaming down her face. “Today is your lucky day!”“It is?” She croaks. “Doesn’t feel it. Actually it feels the opposite.”>“Well, it is, because you’ve gained the favor of Tristain d’Rusalka, future King of Morfis! This future king is in need of retainers, and you’ve impressed me enough with your unique set of skills that I’ve decided to offer you the position. You’ll be the first of my companions whom I claim this land with! Naturally, once I become king, you’ll be well compensated for your services to your liege lord. Gold, land, prestige and titles will all be yours.”“Titles?” May asks, wide-eyed. “You mean I could be like…a Finance Minister?”>“I don’t see why not?” You shrugged.“Wow.” May beams, astonished. “Thank you, Lord Tristain! I accept! I will follow you from this day forth!”>May joined the party!Seemingly in an instant, the girl had forgotten the trouble that had been previously tormenting her. She beamed with pride as she made a clumsy attempt to take a knee and bow before you. You’d grown up on stories of the Hellwings and Blackwings, along with their accolades. May was obviously a far cry away from the sort of warriors that chose to pledge themselves to your family. But she was not entirely without skill. She was swift on her feet, and clearly excelled at the sort of skullduggery that was beyond your ken. You were certain you’d find some use for her. You had to start somewhere, after all.
>>6098393“Well, I’m glad that all worked out.” Alvin says. “Just please make sure she refrains from any further stealing while onboard the ship. Otherwise I’m afraid even I won’t be able to stop the men from making good on their promise to toss her overboard. And as for you…” He places a hand on your shoulder. “Stay put. Luckily I’m not too shabby when it comes to healing magic. Allow me to sew you back up.”You sat still as Alvin’s hands glowed white with a Mend spell. As he began treating your wounds, you remembered something Omar had muttered before you killed him.>“By the way, the pirate captain. Before he died, he’d said something about this being a set-up.”“A set-up?” Alvin’s brow furrowed. “What do you think he meant by that?”>“Not sure. He didn’t live long enough for me to find out. And now that all his men are out at sea, it’s not like we can ask anyone.”“Interesting.” Alvin muttered. “Our voyage to Rusalka wasn’t exactly a secret. There are many aware that our ship is one of the precious few allowed to trade with the Kingdom of Fodlan. Perhaps, someone had tipped those pirates off that we’d be passing through.”>“To what end?”Alvin shrugs. “Our cargo is extremely valuable. It’s possible the Almyrans wished to get their hands on it. Or perhaps a rival merchant had tipped them off. It wouldn’t be completely unheard of. Business in Morfis can get particularly cutthroat. Still, I’m glad we had you on board to deal with those curs. Tell me, was the battle to your liking?”>A): The battle was exhilarating, while it lasted.>B): It’s only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can’t satisfy me.>C): The only thing that matters right now is getting to Morfis and winning Yulia’s hand.>D): Write-in
>>6098395>>B): It’s only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can’t satisfy me.too easy
>>6098395>B): It's only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can't satisfy me.GODDESS, GIVE ME HARDER BATTLES!
>>6098395>>B): It’s only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can’t satisfy me."If they hadn't had help, you'd be a ship richer. I doubt they could've defeated me if they came at me all at once."
>>6098395>B): It’s only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can’t satisfy me.but>C): The only thing that matters right now is getting to Morfis and winning Yulia’s hand.
I don't vibe with this protag as much as with Blair (he's a bit of a turd), but I'll manage. may could be arcadian - the low luck and shared skill with Anemone makes it more than a random guess, though not a guarantee. it'd be fun if even she got in the spirit of the times and had a kid. or maybe it was eulalia. who knows?omar could have been sic'd on the ship by the morfisian authorities as part of the trials, as a 'you must be this tall to ride'. alvin's rather generic deflection to 'to what end?' and his concern about tristain's feelings about the battle give me job interview vibes>>6098395>>A): The battle was exhilarating, while it lasted.Tristain doesn't seem very picky or discerning in other parts of his life. I don't think he's a battle snob
>>6098395>>A): The battle was exhilarating, while it lasted.
>>6098395>D): Write-inThis Alvin dude took 5 seconds to cast his ice magic and split the second pirate ship, one which is about the same size as his own ship, in half. Is he in on whatever test or just jaded to some kind of Morfian intrigue that is going on.Also someone in his crew did mention foreigners from the dark continent last night. Whats the Dark Continent?
>>6098839Us. We're the dark continent. I don't know much about FE but I DO know that it's regularly torn apart by massive wars, whereas this Morfis seems to stay mostly peaceful. They probably gave us that name after the 5th continent spanning war.
>>6098842Oooh well thats fair. Imagine if the continent breaks out into another continent spanning war while Tristain is away on this princess quest and he misses it. He'd be very disappointed, so maybe they have a point.Though I must say if Alvin could just blast s ship with giant ship shattering icicle I think he was slacking to see how we do.
>>6098395>A): The battle was exhilarating, while it lasted.
Looks like B wins, writing!
>>6098395Alvin seemed to not take it hard when discussing the potential of a rival sending pirates to slit him and his men’s throats. Could he have expected something like this? You thought these sorcerers were supposed to be an enlightened kind. Were they really willing to kill just for some ore? Whatever the case, you had no doubt that if Omar’s words were true, the setup in question was meant for none other than Alvin. This man was friendly enough with you, but he was undoubtedly more than he seemed.>“Meh.” You snort. “It’s only fun when the opponents are strong. Small fry like that can’t satisfy me. There’s no glory to be found there.”“Fair enough.” Alvin smiles. “I’m sure your opponents in Morfis will be far more to your liking. There’s a good chance some of them will already be at Solis by the time we arrive.”Alvin finishes patching up the wounds you’d received during the battle.The green knight has disappeared without a word. With things finally reaching a calm, you return back to the sleeping quarters of the ship, ready to enjoy the restful night you were deprived of.Several days pass following the battle with the pirates, and no further trouble is encountered along the high seas. In fact, the rest of the trip is actually pleasant. Alvin’s men have begun treating you as something of a hero for saving the ship. They’re all too eager to supply you with booze, food, and even a large umbrella for you to sit under so that you may enjoy some shade on the deck. You sit there now, laying back, while May waves a fan in your direction. She was taking her new duties as a retainer quite seriously.>“You stole a lot of weird stuff, you know?” You say to May, striking up conversation.“I thought it was better than stuffing my pockets with rocks.” May says, referring to the ship’s ore. “There wasn’t much else to take though. I think the captain keeps most of the good stuff in his personal quarters, and those were locked tight. Even I couldn’t get in there!”>“That makes sense. He’s probably got a lot of treasure inside. Or maybe something embarrassing. I bet he’s got all sorts of weird romance novels or degenerate artwork locked up in there. He seems the type. Heh, strange guy.” You begin picturing the absurdities of Alvin’s chambers. It was a good way to pass the time, given that you were once again bored, and the green knight seemed to be actively avoiding you at every turn. As if having summoned him with your mind, Alvin appears, greeting you with a hearty hello.“Afternoon, Tristan. May.” He waves. “You’ll be happy to know we’ll be arriving in Solis within the hour.”
>>6099011>“Finally!” That was the best news you’d heard in ages. You were not cut out for a life at sea, that was for sure. The sooner you got off this boat, the faster you could embrace your destiny. “Tell me about this ‘Solis.’ Is it far from the capital?”“It’s some leagues away, yes. Passing through the desert, it would take at least three weeks to reach the city. But it’s the largest town other than Morfis in the country. Every ship coming and going between our nation and Fodlan must go through Solis. Incidentally…” He trails on. “I wanted to ask you something. The rules of Princess Yulia’s competition. Do you perhaps know them?”>Rules? Good question. The letter didn’t come with a list of rules or anything. In fact, this was actually the first time you’d thought about it. You’d assumed someone would fill you in on anything important once you arrived. “No clue.”“To be frank, there don’t appear to be any. The only thing her missive made mention of was to come to Morfis. And there’s the problem. You aren’t the only contender to arrive on these shores, Tristan. Morfis has likely become full of would-be champions from Fodlan, Almyra, Sreng and even far off Brigid. Each with the same goal in mind. You can rest assured that they aren’t traveling alone. And with no rules to stop them, I believe we’re likely to encounter those willing to cull the competition by any means necessary. There’s a lot riding on this, after all.”You lean back in your chair, pondering the man’s point. You suppose you hadn’t given it much thought. You assumed you’d only need to fight once you reached the city of Morfis. But you hadn’t even stepped foot on this strange land and already you’d been forced to contend for your life. >“What are you suggesting?”“Perhaps it may be wise to…keep a low profile. If you’d like, leave everything to me. I can arrange for passage to take you to the city, as well as even for some mercenaries. Think of it as a precaution.” He sighs heavily. “In the short time that I’ve known you, I’ve come to understand that this is not an…enticing offer. But I thought I’d make it nonetheless. Obviously you’re free to peruse Solis at your leisure otherwise. But I fear that there may be a possibility of being pulled into conflict with a contender seeking to eliminate some of the competition early.”>A): Take Alvin up on his offer. Allow him off the ship first to make preparations and to hire mercenaries to assist you.>B): You didn’t come all this way just to sit on a ship in the harbor. You’ll go out on your own and see this strange land for yourself. And if anyone gets in your way, you’ll take them out.>C): Write-in
>>6099014>C): Write-inMaybe we could discuss this in Alvin's cabin. And see whatever it is he's really transporting and wants to send along with us to the capital. With the green knight woman too I think. What do you have down there, the princess herself?In fact this whole competition is a bit odd. Is there some kind of power struggle going on here for their Throne. Now they show their factions so they can back one contender or another, and what better way to cull them then to make this offer so they fight each other or us contenders. I might take some mercs though, yeah.
>>6099014>>A): Take Alvin up on his offer. Allow him off the ship first to make preparations and to hire mercenaries to assist you.On the one hand, Tristain is a bit short in real experience so he could use to fighting, on the other hand an actually experienced opponent could pose a serious threat. But most of all I kinda wanna go straight at the heart of the story without getting bogged down by the chaff so I'll take it.
>>6099014>>B): You didn’t come all this way just to sit on a ship in the harbor. You’ll go out on your own and see this strange land for yourself. And if anyone gets in your way, you’ll take them out.
>I believe we’re likely to encounter those willing to cull the competition by any means necessaryMust ... not ... throw Adeline overboard...>>6099014>B): You didn’t come all this way just to sit on a ship in the harbor. You’ll go out on your own and see this strange land for yourself. And if anyone gets in your way, you’ll take them out.Don't want to appear weak in front of this Queen lady, I assume she's looking for someone tough.
>>6099180>QueenI mean Princess, fuck
>B): You didn’t come all this way just to sit on a ship in the harbor. You’ll go out on your own and see this strange land for yourself. And if anyone gets in your way, you’ll take them out.Hard Mode let's go.
>>6099014>>A): Take Alvin up on his offer. Allow him off the ship first to make preparations and to hire mercenaries to assist you.
>>6099014>A): Take Alvin up on his offer. Allow him off the ship first to make preparations and to hire mercenaries to assist you.
>>6099014I'm gonna support >>6099032 . However straightforward Tristain is, he's a Garegg Mach graduate. He's not STUPID. Looking for more information seems like something a scholarly people like the Morfians would appreciate.
>>6099442>*GarregI feel dumb.
>>6099014>B): You didn’t come all this way just to sit on a ship in the harbor. You’ll go out on your own and see this strange land for yourself. And if anyone gets in your way, you’ll take them out.My boy Tristain ain't a bitch coward. He'll make waves before he reaches Morfis proper.
B wins. Writing.
>>6099014>“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t intend to earn Princess Yulia’s hand by skulking about on your ship. When I walk into Solis, it will be with my head held high, so that all her citizens may lay witness to their future king! Besides, this will be a good opportunity for me to scope out the competition with my own eyes.”“I had a feeling you’d say that.” Alvin laughs. “Very well then. I won’t broach the subject again. If you plan to head into Solis yourself, there are two locations in particular that I would suggest you visit. The first is ‘The Scrying Orb’. It’s the largest tavern you’ll find outside the city of Morfis. It attracts all manner of news throughout our kingdom. Right now, it’s sure to be a hotbed of information about the contest, as well as the other contenders. If you go there, you’re likely to learn a thing or two.”>You nod. “Excellent. Sounds like a good place to sample this land’s cuisine while I’m at it. What’s the second place?”“Murillo’s Companions.” Alvin says. “Murillo is a retired soldier who runs something of a security business. They mostly guard caravans that run between villages, but his mercenaries tend to be decently skilled. You’ll likely be able to pick up a companion or two. It may cost you some gold, but it’ll be worth it to have a decent blade at your side. You can likely use that gem you picked up off Omar to barter with them. Additionally, feel free to tell Murillo that Captain Alvin of the ‘Morfisian Rose’ sent you. Him and I have a cordial relationship, and he may treat you more favorably.”“Caravan guards?” May asks. “What do they guard caravans from?”Alvin shrugs. “All manner of things. Raiders, monsters, the snake people.”>“Monsters?” You raise an eyebrow.“S-s-snake people?!” May blurts out, horrified.“Well, not ACTUAL snake people.” Alvin says, trying to smooth things over. “It’s more of a derogatory term. The Cult of the Serpent is what they’re called. Just regular cultists, I assure you. And as for the monsters, well I understand Fodlan has them too, no? I believe you call them ‘Demonic Beasts’ if I am not mistaken? Here in Morfis, we simply refer to them as Terrors. They’re not too common, fortunately, but you’d still prefer to avoid an encounter with one if at all possible.”You’d seen a Demonic Beast just once before. A few years ago, one had taken its home in a mountain pass near one of Rusalka’s many mines. You accompanied the Countess, who went herself to deal with the creature when she’d heard. You still recall the stench of blood in the air as you neared its den. That monster boasted a frighteningly strong hide, which was impervious to all but a specially made spear that Blair had possessed. If you knew you might encounter them here as well, you might have brought the damn thing with you.
>>6099725>“Raiders, cultists and terrors. I thought you Morfisians had things more put together than us ‘Dark Continent’ folk.”In response, Alvin only laughs.You soon spot Solis on the horizon, and true enough, it is like nothing you’d ever seen in Fodlan. The term “port town” did not do it justice. Solis was a city on par with any of Fodlan’s major hubs. Every building seemed to be constructed to be large and grand, all of which had been built using some sort of white stone or marble. There was a symmetry in the way they were designed and placed together. Green shrubbery covered many of the buildings, bringing a sort of vibrant color to the drab and dreary desert. From a distance, you could see a busy square that must have served as a market, with countless people going about their business. And in the docks of Solis…“Wow!” May exclaims, standing on her tippy toes to get a good look. “There are so many boats here!”Indeed, there was certainly an overabundance of ships both domestic, but mostly foreign, in Solis’ harbor. Some of the flags you recognize. Gloucester, Charon, Bergliez. You see several flags bearing a mounted horse archer, signifying that they belonged to Almyrans. And even more flags of houses and knights that you had no reference for. Alvin had been right about at least one assumption so far. Solis was going to be crawling with contenders. You find you’ve been joined by Adeline, who stares out at the scene with a look of shock on her face. You think to say something to her, but doubt she would hear you under present circumstances. Perhaps she wasn’t as impervious as appearances had initially suggested.“Welcome to Solis, my friends!” Alvin announces happily. “The first step of your long journey begins here.” Strolling up, he hands you and Adeline two sealed scrolls. You open yours to discover that it is a map of the city.“I took the liberty of marking where ‘The Scrying Orb’ and ‘Murillo’s Companions’ are.” He says. “I’ll be attending some business here for a few days before heading to Morfis. If you’d like, you’re both free to accompany me to the city once I’ve concluded. Otherwise, I’d suggest finding a guide while here. You won’t be able to navigate through the desert without one.”>“Can’t one of Murllio’s men do it?”Alvin shakes his head. “The sands are ever shifting here in Morfis. They’ll provide you with protection, but navigation is a different matter. You’ll need someone with magical talent who has made the journey before to lead the way.”Alvin takes his leave. Soon after, Adeline does as well, tepidly stepping off the ship, leaving you alone with May.“So boss.” May says enthusiastically. “Where to first?”>A): The Scrying Orb>B): Murillo’s Companions>C): Walk around and explore the city
>>6099726>>A): The Scrying Orbhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAsSNAKE PEOPLE!?!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!
>>6099726>C): Walk around and explore the city
>>6099726>A): The Scrying OrbI'd like to measure up the competition before we go anywhere, see what we're up against. Don't think guys will attack us in the streets, but you never know.
>>6099726>A): The Scrying OrbLet us ponder the orb. Also let's eat something other than the hardtack we've probably been living on for weeks now.
>>6099726>>A): The Scrying Orb
>>6099726>A): The Scrying Orb
>>6099726Between the two, The Scrying Orb seemed the more appealing choice. You’d be able to finally get a good bite to eat, while at the same time learning more about this competition and those you would be up against. With your mind made up, you take the lead, beginning your stroll through the city of Solis. As you walk through its large, heavily populated streets, you attract no shortage of attention. Even though you were far from the only foreigner mucking about in the city, the lion’s share of eyes seemed to gravitate towards you. You couldn’t be too surprised, as you looked vastly different from your average Morfisian. Many of the people of Solis were of a deeply dark or tan complexion, and walked around in light and airy clothing. Towering over them with your pale skin, red mane of hair and heavy armor, you stood out like a sore thumb.“Goddess, it’s so hot here.” May complained from your side as you walked. “How are you not dying inside that suit?”You were in fact, very uncomfortable. The weather of Morfis was extremely dry, and the sun was high overhead. But the Morfisians were not the only ones staring at you. So too, were the eyes of the other contenders, who were passing through the city. Each one would size you up from a distance, as if trying to slyly get a measure of your strength. At that moment, uncomfortable as you were, you were grateful for that armor. Not only did it help you cut an imposing figure, but it would be useful if any of these fools got ahead of themselves. From what you could tell at a glance, many of them seemed like small fry.>“I can’t even feel the heat.” You lied.Following Alvin’s map, you eventually land in front of The Scrying Orb. Seated on a hill in the town and spanning multiple floors, the tavern was one of the larger buildings within the area. These Morfisians must have taken their drinking seriously. Finally something you’d had in common with them. You swing the door open to find a busy and loud interior. Both floors of the tavern are heavily packed with customers, both Morfisian and foreign alike. It’s hard to hear yourself even think with the amount of chatter that overwhelms you. An employee of the tavern turns around upon sensing the door opening, his face dropping when he sees you and May.“Ahh…more contenders.” He says, putting on the biggest forced smile you’d ever seen. “W-welcome to our establishment. How may I help you?”>“A table for two please. Two servings of whatever passes for booze around here, and a menu, if you would.”The tavern keeper flinches. “I-I’m sorry my lord, but we’re at full capacity at the moment.” Glass shatters from behind him, followed by uproarious laughter from a table of foreigners. “Perhaps you may come back another time?”
>>6100496You look past the sniveling man towards the source of that glass. Up ahead is a table with about a dozen armed soldiers sitting and standing around. By the matching armor they wear, you can tell immediately that they are from Fodlan. At their center is a knightly-looking man, clad in thick blue armor. With a smirk on his face, him and his cronies are leering at a woman standing away from them. It was Adeline, and her armor looked as though it were dripping wet, shards of glass scattered at her feet.“You have GOT to be fucking kidding me!” The man says with a haughty laugh. The tavern, which had previously been buzzing with noise, had grown eerily quiet. “I thought there was no way, but it really IS you!” He bangs a fist on the table, sending tankards clattering about and signaling his men to laugh along with him. “What are you doing here, Adeline? Don’t tell me you came sloooooowly clanking all the way here because you actually plan to compete?”Adeline faces the loudmouth. For a second, you expect her to run the bastard through. You’d seen her in action, and while she may not have killed as many pirates as you did, she clearly still possessed a measure of skill. So you are surprised when she insead bows her head, looking down towards the floor. “...Lord Gideon. It is good to see you…”Lord Gideon? You try running through your scant knowledge of the nobility. Gideon is a territory in the uppermost region of Fodlan, in what was once the Kingdom of Faerghus. A relatively unremarkable land with scant accomplishments, ruled by a house with hardly any notable figures. The fact that someone from Gideon had come all this way was surprising. Surely this backwoods oaf did not think he was the mightiest warrior Fodlan had to offer?”“Don’t give me that shit.” Gideon slurs, standing up and knocking several more tankards to the ground. Up on his feet, you now notice the heavy blade that was strapped to his back. His men were in no rush to stop him as he sauntered over to where Adeline was. “I asked what you were doing here. The daughter of an impoverished house, and a traitorous one at that, seeking the hand of Princess Yulia? Do you truly believe she’d ever waste a second on a loser such as yourself? That you would come all the way here and pretend we’re on the same level pisses me off.”“...I mean no disrespect, Sir Gideon.”“Kick her ass, Lord Alexander!” One of Gideon’s men shouts with a drunken slur.“Oh no, Adeline!” May whispers, her voice caught in her throat. “What’s she doing?!”The green knight had reverted to that unimpressive figure she’d first appeared, as she made no effort to defend herself from Gideon. Her shoulders were slumped, and she was unable to even make eye-contact with the large man.
>>6100497“Hey, I just got an idea.” Gideon says, another smile creeping up to his face. “If you’re here as a contender…that means you and I are enemies in this land, right? And we contenders are supposed to do each other off, aren’t we? I’ve already taken out two snot-nosed little brats who came all this way for nothing. Maybe you could be my third? Eh, what do you think, Adeline?” He places one hand on the sword strapped to his back, as he leans in closer, the entire bar watching with bated breath.“Not again…” The tavern keeper remarks with a choked sob. “What don’t you damn foreigners understand? This isn’t an arena. If this keeps up, my business will be ruined!” He is unable and unwilling to stop the scene in front of him.>A): Get in the middle of the scene and break things up.>B): Intervene, threatening violence of your own.>C): Sit by and watch. Despite her help on the ship, Adeline was still the competition.>D): Write-in
>>6100498>>A): Get in the middle of the scene and break things up.With a healthy dose of:> threatening violence of your own."Lord Alexander, was it? If you want to fight, why don't you wait, let us all have a few drinks, and then we two can take this outside and avoid ruining this tavernkeeper's fine establishment or killing any bystanders? Or are you some slavering brigand who can't wait even a moment to fight?"
>>6100498Supporting >>6100514 . If we can successfully take this outside, maybe the tavern keeper will thank us. Maybe he'll even think we're "one of the good ones," if barely.Also, Adeline being from a "traitorous" house, and a presently impoverished one, implies to me one of two things. Either she's from an Adrestian house that remained loyal to Edelgard, or she's from western Faerghus and her house joined up with the Dukedom back in the war - and that's more likely, given Gideon was a Faerghan (Faerghi? Faerghusian?) house (and one of the houses involved directly in the Tragedy of Duscur, for extra hypocrisy points).What do we think she is? A Dominic? A Rowe? A Gaspard? A Charon? A Kleiman? A Belinus? Maybe an Elidure or a Mateus?
>>6100522Some addendums due to details I forgot to account for in my last post:>Gaspard doesn't make sense unless Lonato had another kid after Cristophe while Ashe wasn't looking, or unless someone else in the Dukedom snapped up the territory and took the name once Blair re-recruited Ashe.>Who would've been left in House Dominic, considering Blair saw Annette die and IIRC Gustave also died either at Gronder or some time after?>Did Count Charon have any kids besides Cassandra- er, Catherine? The Fandom FE wiki says he's got some unnamed sons and daughters, but that could be wrong.>Count Rowe adopted Yuri at one point, but isn't said to have any biological kids. Also, I don't actually remember if he survived the war.
>>6100498>>6100514Ill support anon's idea. Take this out back and paint this dude across street. If he starts backing off use some of the more colorful sailor insults we've heard over the trip to goad him into the fight. If we don't kill him he will probably just come back later, with more men.I have a notion for combat in the use of the Crests, would this work? If we Earthsplitter, then use another Indech Crest to activate a followup attack can the follow up attack ALSO use Earthsplitter for a whopping usage of 3 Crest charges in a single turn. Maximum violence, maximum damage for when theres a whole grouping of strong units.
>>6100498>>6100514Supporting>>6100522For her to recognize Gideon and not retaliating against him means that she's probably from a house that was apart of the Dukedom.>Count Rowe adopted Yuri at one point, but isn't said to have any biological kids. Also, I don't actually remember if he survived the war.Based Sebastian barged in and single-handedly killed Rowe and anyone in the way.Maybe she was inspired by him and became an armored knight due to his rampage. She can't be a Rowe since Sebastian's ending basically states that he ended House Rowe when he killed Count Rowe unless someone unrelated just took the name.
>>6100561>Sebastian's epilogueSo that's where it was. Well, that eliminates that option. Excluding the Literally Who houses like Elidure and Mateus, my best guess right now is Kleiman, but Felix killed Viscount Kleiman back when Blair was rescuing Dimitri (I literally just checked the archives for this) so either Adeline would've had to have already been born or she'd have to be his grandkid.
>>6100498>>C): Sit by and watch. Despite her help on the ship, Adeline was still the competition
>>6100498>>A): Get in the middle of the scene and break things up.
>>6100498>C): Sit by and watch. Despite her help on the ship, Adeline was still the competition.
>>6100514This and also act like we're doing the bartender a big favour for even trying. Anyway, smashing uppity nobodies is like 50% of what being a King is all about.
>>6100545That's a pretty neat idea. I'd say something like that may be a bit beyond Tristain's ken for now, but chaining Crest abilities could be a thing he eventually learns to do as he levels up.
>>6100498You were worried you were beginning to make a habit of coming to the aid of strange women. Still, this Gideon rubbed you the wrong way. This sort of act may have worked in whatever Faerghus hellhole he was raised in, but you were not so easily impressed. If Adeline was not willing to stand up for herself, then you were more than happy to do so for her. You saunter up to the pair. Gideon takes his eyes off the green knight to stare up at you as you approach. He looks ready to assault you at first, but as you get closer, forcing him to look upwards, you can see the gulp in his throat.“Who the hell are you?” Gideon growls.>“Just a passing contender.” You grin. “I overheard that you were looking to pick a fight. Just so happens I love a good brawl. This place is a bit crowded for my liking though. How about a round of drinks, followed by stepping outside? Surely a great lord such as yourself could understand not ruining this fine establishment? Or are you nothing more than a jumped-up brigand, barking for a fight?”Gideon is a fool, but even he has his limits. He can sense that an encounter with you would not end favorably. Even with his men, it would come with great loss of life and limb. He appears ready to forget this entire encounter and save whatever face he can. That is, until one of his men who had been watching the entire affair, and was a bit more inebriated than the rest, opened his mouth.“Kick ‘is ass, m’lord! Who the hell does ‘e think ‘e is talkin’ to you like that?”You and Gideon thought how unfortunate that was, albeit for two very different reasons. The brash-mouthed lord was on top of the world a second ago, but was now dangerously close to losing the respect of his ‘friends’ over at the table. You hoped you wouldn’t have to kill this man over some childish goading, but sure enough, he suddenly found his missing backbone.“Who do you think you are, you overgrown piece of trash?” Gideon says red-faced. “I’ve had men beaten and whipped for talking to me with a fraction of the disrespect you’ve just shown. Walk your ass out of this tavern or I’ll cut you down where you stand.”Unbelievable. The others may not be able to, but you can see the small twitches in Gideon’s posture. Did he really intend to go through with this just to save some face? You could almost admire the man’s stupidity, if it didn’t now stand a good chance of getting him killed. If you applied a bit more pressure, he’d likely back down. And there were a few ways to go about it too.>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)>B): Show him one of your Crests. He’ll back down from fighting, though you’d be revealing a bit much of yourself to those watching, for better or worse.>C): You did threaten the man after all. Best to settle things now. (Fight)>D): Write-in
>>6101110>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)Gamblechads, it's our time.Fighting him would be more fun, but the tavern keeper would probably prefer to have this settled nonviolently, so keeping him happy might lead to him being willing to give us a table.It'd also be more dramatic and cooler to reveal our power level during a fight instead of a petty squabble like this.
>>6101110>>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)>D): Write-inHold up a coin and bend it, dropping it on the table as we order a drink. Just a little drinking game trick Tristain picked up at the Academy.
>>6101110>>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)
>>6101110>C:) You did threaten the man after all. Best to settle things now. (Fight)I want to fight him, but lets lose that 72% toss like we lost the 96% chance to cheat during the Sreng ritual just because we can.
>>6101110>C:) You did threaten the man after all. Best to settle things now. (Fight)Literally asked for it
>>6101110>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)
>>6101110>>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)"Either we fight here or fight out there. Your choice."
>>6101110>A): Threaten the man once more. He’ll back down if he knows you mean business. (STR (24) + LCK (12) x2. 72% chance to succeed.)His nerve is weak. His resolve is pitiful. We are beyond him. He cannot help but fear us. He will give in.
Rolled 28 (1d100)Rollan. Dice needs to be between 1 and 72 to succeed.
>>6101550>that rollPhew. Our Mother who art in Byleth, hallowed be thy name.
>>6101110>“If I walk out of this tavern, it will be to drag your carcass out.” You growl. “I plan to enjoy a drink, and I don’t want your corpse stinking up the place.”Gideon’s eyes widened in shock. No one in his life has ever spoken to him this way, let alone someone so capable of actionably following up on their threats. He tries to think of something to say to save face, but his resolve fails him. Instead, he turns back to his table of sycophants and snarls at them. “Come on boys, we’re leaving. I’ve lost my taste for this Morfisian swill.”“L-Lord Gideon, are we really gonna let him-?”“Shut your damn mouth!” Gideon shouts. “I said we’re going! Get your shit and let’s leave!”You watch dispassionately as the Faerghus noble and his men quickly scoot out of their table and pass you by, making for the exit. Gideon attempts to bump his shoulder into you as he leaves, but is unable to so much as push your body aside, serving to enrage him further. He says nothing more, and you watch as him and his cronies exit the bar without incident. Walking over to his table, you take a seat, clearing the drinks out of your way and resting your leg on one of the chairs. Immediately, the tavern keeper rushes to your side, taking the empty tankards away.>“Is it alright if we sit here?”“O-of course, my lord!” The man says deferentially, bowing his head profusely. “Please! Make yourself at home! Drinks are on me. Those bastards have been here all week making a mess and scaring my customers. If you hadn’t shown up I think they would have done something really stupid. What did you say your name was, my lord?”>“Tristain d’Rusalka.”“The Scrying Orb thanks you, Lord Tristain. Please, is there anything else I can do for you while you’re here?”>“Some food would be nice. Also, I was hoping to get a bit more information on Princess Yulia’s competition.”“Of course! Of course!” The man says, rubbing his hands. “I know just the gentleman to assist. You just wait one moment and I’ll send someone to get him for you.”You watch the man saunter away, replaced by May and Adeline, who take seats at the large and now empty table that you occupy. You expect the green knight to perhaps offer you a word of thanks, or maybe at the very least a curtsy. Instead, she simply sits there staring at you, refusing to utter a single word. The two of you engage in an impromptu staring contest for several moments until May, who has become fed up with the two of you, clears her throat loudly.“You are…reckless.” Adeline finally says after sometime.>“Pardon?”“The way you threw yourself at those pirates…and just now with Gideon. You charge headfirst into grave danger. Even if you’re outnumbered 12 to 1, you stake your life on the line. It is…reckless.”
>>6101747>“Perhaps you and I differ on what we consider to be dangerous situations. An idiot like that would never pose a danger to me. Nor you, would I imagine. And yet you still seemed content to roll over and let that man berate and insult you. What’s your deal?”“The insults of men like Gideon mean nothing to me.” Adeline says. “When you are the last survivor of a ruined house, they become all too commonplace. Your very existence becomes an injury to them. A reminder that if they are not careful, they may share the same fate as you. I’ve weathered their petty assaults, both verbal and physical, all my life, and have built my defenses accordingly. Nothing they can say can cut me.”>“Huh, good for you.” You snort. “Should I let him take a chunk out of you with his broadsword next time?”“I am sorry.” Adeline says blushing. “I am…not good with people. Nevertheless, thank you for coming to my aid. I only said what I did because…I did not wish any harm to come to you on my behalf.”“You heard the boss, he’s as tough as they come!” May chimes in. “But gosh, I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a history with that jerk. And I’m sorry about your house too. Which one are you from?”“I’d…prefer not to say.”>“Suit yourself.” You shrug. “But that idiot did say something I was curious about. Why are you here to compete for Yulia’s hand? I would have assumed she’d be looking for…you know…a man. Someone to propagate the bloodline, unite the nations, so on and so forth.”“The letter did not make specifications on gender.” Adeline says. “I simply wish to compete to restore honor and glory to my house. Were I to win…I would not mind if Princess Yulia took on a paramour.”You stifle a laugh, thinking it might be rude. Fortunately, someone arrives with your drinks.>“Well…whatever works for you, I guess.” You say, taking a fresh sip from your tankard. “So, you took Alvin’s advice about coming here for information?”Adeline nods. “I do not have much gold. Mercenaries are out of the question for me. I thought it best to come here and gather information on the competition. So far, I’ve learned that contenders have been arriving in Solis these last two weeks. Many have gone on ahead to Morfis…and many are stuck here. They are unable to find mages willing to escort them to the city. I believe our kind are presently…unpopular.”“That is putting it mildly.” At that moment, a man of Morfisian complexion, clad in light blue robes joins you at your table. You can tell right away that he is a spellcaster, sensing the magic emanating off his aura. “And with the antics of such fools as your ‘Lord’ Gideon, can you truly be surprised. The man was hardly doing you foreigners any favors.”>“Who are you?”
>>6101751“Cassius.” The spellcaster replies. “I am a local mage here in Solis. I have a great deal of interest in the continent of Fodlan, and have spent much of my career studying its people and customs. As you might imagine, this makes me a bit of an eccentric amongst my kind. When I heard word of Princess Yulia’s competition, I came here to Solis immediately. I wished to lay my eyes on the champions that would be venturing forth from the ‘Dark Continent’ to lay claim to her hand.”>“Are you the one the tavern keeper sent for?”“I am indeed.” Cassius nods. “He mentioned you were looking for information on the competition. I’ve seen many of the more notable contenders first-hand, and would be happy to provide you with the information you might be looking for. That is, provided you were willing to answer a few questions of my own. It’s rare that I am afforded an opportunity to speak with someone from Fodlan, and there is still much I wish to learn about your people.” He takes a seat at your table, a flagon of ale in his hand. “So, what do you say we play a game? I’ll answer any questions you have about the ongoing events here in Morfis, and in return, you’ll answer any question I have about your culture. Tit for tat, deal?”“Hmph, fine, deal.” The two of you clank your tankards together, and take a sip. Morfisian ale was stronger, but not bad, you thought. Hopefully you could hold your own with this man.>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis>B): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”>C): Ask about Princess Yulia>D): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent>E): Ask something else (Write-in)
>>6101753>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through SolisWe ask for this first. This is the mission. This is the thing we absolutely need to know. If we can get any more questions, I feel like we should ask about the Cult of the Serpent next. After that, we ask either about Yulia or about anything of interest that's come up during the answers.
>>6101753>>E): Ask something else (Write-in)Does he know any mages that could navigate us to the Capital?I figure we might as well get this out of the way unless we wanna just wait for Alvin's group.
>>6101753>B): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”
>>6101753>>C): Ask about Princess Yuliatell us about her... personality
>>6101753>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis
>>6101753>C): Ask about Princess Yulia
>>6101753>>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through SolisAh! You're back TreeHouses! Looks like I am a bit late to the party but nevertheless it's good to see you running a quest again, and having just caught up to it this sounds like a really fun quest, Tristain is a different MC compared to Blair but he's very enjoyable, it's kinda nice to have a more brutish man at our helms, also the plot hook of being summoned to another kingdom to compete for the hand of a princess is very fun, I can already see that we might get a sorcerer Mofisian and a dessert dweller Mofisian as party members, get that class difference dynamic going on, or maybe we'll have to choose between either or.One thing that caught my eye when I was reading this was that May has a surprisingly high Defense potential, it's equal to Tristains at 60%, I can see her becoming a hardy gal at the latter stages of the quest.
>>6101753>C): Ask about Princess YuliaYeah, we need to know about her personality (specifically, if she has the personality of a good looking woman). I wonder if Tristain thinks he will be able to charm Yulia with his masculine energy or if he's just planning on smashing the entirety of the competition.
>>6101869Glad to have you back, my man. That DEF growth is definitely an error. Can't believe I only just caught it now. Maybe I'll leave it because it makes me laugh.Looks like C wins. I'm a bit delayed at the moment, so the next update should come tomorrow.
>>6102273I'd interpret it as her being wily and knowing how to roll with hits she's taking rather than Tristain's "Your hit literally bounced off my thick skull because you're a wimp"
>>6102562With all hits landing in this quest that would be a good way to interpret her def growth, or the desert heat just hardens her skin like crazy
>>6101753Information on the other contenders could wait. They could be the reincarnation of Dimitri Blaiddyd or literal circus performers, either way it wouldn’t matter to you. You’d already determined you were going to win, and that was all there was to it. Instead, you wished to know about the mysterious prize that awaited you at the end of your journey. The fair hand of Princess Yulia Phanes. You and Cassius clank your glasses together, taking a big gulp and beginning the start of your arrangement.>“Very well, tell me what you know about Princess Yulia.”“Heh, an interesting place to start. I thought you’d be more concerned about your competition.” Cassius chuckles. “But very well. What is it that you wish to know about her?”>“Anything at all. My info on your Princess is rather scant. Is she a good ruler? Does she come from noble stock? Most importantly, is she easy on the eyes?”“Oh yes, most certainly yes to all of the above.” Cassius answers assuredly. “Well, probably.”>“What do you mean ‘probably’?!” You say, feeling on edge.“Well, the Princess does not make many public appearances. If any, really. The divinity of her family line demands as such. She is a direct descendant of the Sorcerer King, our country’s founding ruler. Her orders are passed through the Vizier, who then relays them to the rest of the country. In fact, she has not been the ruler of Morfis for very long. She succeeded her father, who had passed only a few years ago. Her tenure as leader of our country has mostly ensured the status quo. Our lands remain peaceful, advancements in sorcery and knowledge continue to flow, and the Cult of the Serpent remains kept at bay.”“Wow!” May exclaims, perhaps a little easily impressed. “She sounds amazing, doing all that after having just taken over. How long was her father the king for?”Cassius ponders the question thoughtfully, as if trying to remember the exact answer. “Hmm, I believe it was for somewhere around 140 years. Obviously a bit before my time.”>“One hundred and what?” You ask incredulously. “Is this family made up of tortoises?”“Careful now.” Cassius warns you. “Insulting the royal family is not looked upon kindly. I told you that they possess the blood of the Sorcerer King, who founded our nation over 2000 years ago. His blood grants them innumerable benefits. Benefits which include untold sorcerous talent, and an extended lifespan. Morfis is unlike your nation, which is perhaps littered with noble families. Here, the only thing that marks one as of the nobility is whether they possess the blood of the Sorcerer King. Besides Princess Yulia, only those in charge of the Royal College of Sorcery bear that gift. Together, the two of them rule Morfis in harmony”>“Huh, sounds pretty important. Is she sure she wants to go mucking up that fancy bloodline of hers with us foreigners?”
>>6102895“You’d be hard pressed to find a single person in Morfis who was not surprised by her announcement of this competition.” Cassius remarks. “To offer the hand of our princess in pursuit of a foreign alliance…and to do so in such an extravagant and peculiar manner at that. In thousands of years of Morfisian history, there is simply no precedent for it.” He shrugs. “But I suppose I can’t complain too much. I already told you that the continent of Fodlan is my choice of study. If Princess Yulia marrying a foreigner means I’ll be able to study your people and history more, well then all the better for me.” “I’ve never met someone who is so interested in Fodlan before.” May exclaims. “But I guess I’ve also never met someone outside of Fodlan before this week.”Adeline nods in agreement. >“What a joke.” You lean back in your chair. “So no one can tell me what she looks like?”“Rest assured.” Cassius says. “Once the competition has neared its climax, Princess Yulia will make herself known. I believe she’ll have to, to really sell the idea to her people. It hasn’t been popular. While not all of you foreigners were like the previous lord who was sitting here, his antics certainly do not help your cause. Most Morfisians already have a deep distrust of the people of Fodlan.”>“So, I’ve noticed.”“Well then, if that answers your question, I believe it is time for my own.” Cassius says, rubbing his hands gleefully. “You’ll answer any question I have about Fodlan and its people, just as I have for you.”
>>6102897>“Fine, what do you want to know?”Cassius clears his throat. “As I said earlier, Fodlan appears to be littered with noble families and houses. The most prominent of these houses were the ones who possessed Crests. Gifts from the so-called Goddess that bestowed them with supernatural abilities, though there is no evidence to support that these gifts were in fact divinely bestowed.”>“Get to the point.” You say bored.“I understand that those born with Crests enjoy immense privileges, one of which includes the right to bed any woman on the night of her marriage. Is that true?”What the hell? You grimaced. What kind of question was that supposed to be? Was this guy a pervert or something? He could choose to ask you anything and that was what he landed on? You’d never heard of such a ridiculous thing before. And if it did exist, certainly no one had ever offered you that kind of thing before. You look towards your companions. May is staring at you, as if she doesn’t know the answer herself. As for Adeline, she’s blushing, keeping her face down to the floor. You reflexively took a sip of your drink. This ale was stronger than you first thought.>You feel tipsy.It looks like it was up to you to answer this inane question. You hadn’t revealed your Crest earlier, so Cassius should not know that you had one. For all the man knew, he was talking to a simple contender, and nothing more.>A): Lie and tell Cassius his belief is true.>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.And>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis>B): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”>C): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent>D): Enough questions. Bid the man farewell.>E): Ask something else (Write-in)
>>6102899>>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.would he prefer a silly lie over the simple truth? idk, i'd rather tell it straight>C): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent
>>6102899>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.With potential addendum of "as things are now, at least. If it was true in the past, I was never told so.">A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis.Again, the mission. On another note, I already have four hypotheses about the Sorcerer King. Don't feel any pressure to confirm or deny any of these yet, Tree. Speculation is fun.>1. The Sorcerer King was/is a Nabatean who got out of Zanado before the massacre, and Yulia has independently figured out that her royal blood and Crests are the exact same thing.>2. The Sorcerer King was/is an Agarthan who did some experiments on himself that had hereditary effects.>3. The Sorcerer King's blood is something similar to Crests from another game, like Holy Blood or Dragon Veins.>4. The Sorcerer King isn't anything from a specific FE and is something that, while it could fit, is being introduced from completely outside that context.
>>6102899>>6102912Supporting.
>>6102899>>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.I don't know what you're smoking man, but I do wonder if the blood of the sorcerer king is tied to some unknown crest, or hell, it could be a known crest if one guy just decided to leave fodland long time ago.>B): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”Seeing as he's curious about fodland he's the best guy to ask.
>>6102912like the addition of 'was/is' suggesting he might still be alive... I would laugh if the final boss is the grandpa of the girl we try to marry
>>6102899Tristan or as I call him Trustain would never lie unless it was for a good cause.>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false"That's not quite right. Not just the women but the men too if they like. Ask a man like lord Gideon how many marriages of his men he has overseen."And a good prank is a good cause.>E): Ask something else (Write-in)Ask about Alvin, I feel like he's hiding a few things. Or someone. Oh, I wonder if he could tell us anything about this fancy red jewel too. It's awfully nice for some pirate like Omar the Red to have, unless someone paid it to him for the job that killed him. It could be a clue for who hired him.
>>6102899>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis.
>>6102899>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.>B): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”
>>6102899>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.>C): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent
>>6102899>B): Tell Cassius his belief is false.That'd probably be a good way of getting all your subjects to hate you real fast>A): Ask about any notable contenders that have passed through Solis
Tell Cassius the truth and ask about any notable contenders wins. Writing!
>>6102899>“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” You tell Cassius flatly. “I’ve never heard of such a practice existing. If it did, I don’t believe even Crests would save those nobles from a public lynching. They may have special abilities, but they’re still human. Besides, under the rule of Archbishop Byleth, Crest bearers no longer wield any special influence. They’re the same as everyone else.”If you had been born before the Unification War, you would have been considered nobility of the highest rank in certain countries. One Crest was a major boon, but to possess two was almost unheard of. Despite the immense benefits you would have reaped, you preferred it this way. You wanted to achieve renowned status by virtue of your own deeds. To have had it handed to you by a freak occurrence at birth did not feel right. You may have still enjoyed a great advantage because of your Crests, but they weren’t going to do all the work for you, like they would have had you been born in the old Kingdom of Faerghus or Adrestian Empire. “Ahh, fascinating. Most fascinating.” Cassius says, drinking from his second tankard. “It appears the rumors I heard were wrong. It’s always good to hear things from the source. Very well then, you may now ask me another question if you wish.”You didn’t want to know where this man got his info from, so you decide to delve into your second question. >“You said you came to Solis to see the visitors from Fodlan firsthand, right? Well then, have you seen anyone notable come through.”The mage’s eyes flash upon recalling the champions he’d encountered. “Oh yes, most certainly. I’ve seen some of the best your nations have to offer. Contenders that are several notches above sorry saps like your Gideon, or any of the other fools sitting in this tavern, desperately looking for someone to take them to Morfis. I’ve even been able to compile a list of favorites. Ones that hold the best odds of winning. At least in my eyes.”>“Oh? And who are they?”“Arios Rubens Charon.” Cassius says. “The Thunderstrike.”Bleh. Of course he was here. Arios the Thunderstrike, wielder of the Heroes Relic, Thunderbrand, as well as the Crest of Charon. He was the younger brother of the previous Thunderstrike, Catherine. He was a few years older than you, and had already made a name for himself as a champion in the Knights of Seiros, Fodlan’s elite military order. You’d only met him once, back at the academy. He seemed to have a severe dislike of you. Perhaps it was because your father had killed his father, along with several others in his family. It’s not like that was your fault though.>“You think Arios will win?”Cassius shrugs. “I believe his odds are good. The man is the picturesque knight. A true hero. And that sword of his is a truly terrifying sight to behold.”
>>6103624>“Who else is on your list?”“Leonora Gloucester.” Cassius says.The daughter of Count Lorenz Gloucester, and wielder of a Crest bearing her family name. She’d also garnered a reputation for herself as a powerful knight, and much like yourself, she was capable of using both blade and magic. Unlike you though, who excelled more in his strength than his spellcasting, Leonora was supposedly equal in both measures. You didn’t know much about her, but she was apparently an ambitious sort, equally as politically savvy as she was deadly. She wielded the Hereos Relic, Thyrsus.“I had a chance to exchange a few words with Lady Leonora.” Cassius says. “Behind her smile, I could sense something else lurking. She is a calculating sort, and a sorcerer perhaps on par with many of those here in Morfis. To see her fight must be a frightening thing.”>“Anyone else?”“A few others.” Cassius says. “But unfortunately, I was not able to speak with them, or even gather their names. There was a swordmaster from the nation of Sreng. Supposedly the only contender from their country to make the journey. They call her the “First Sword”. She didn’t seem like much at glance, but the reverence and respect her entourage treated her with spoke volumes. There was an Almyran Warlord atop the largest wyvern I’d ever seen. He claimed to be their greatest champion, and came escorted by several treasure chests of gold and jewels. He did not give the impression his words were merely empty boasting. There was also a strange man, claiming to be from the far-off country of Dagda. He didn’t stand out much. He was traveling alone, and seemed an affable sort. But…” Cassius trails off. “He somehow seemed to be the most dangerous of all.”>“Where did all of these contenders go?”“They left Solis shortly after arriving. Unlike the rest of these wastrels, they had no issue booking a sorcerer to escort them to Morfis. Our people may distrust your own, but if one of you is to be king, then there is no shortage of ladder climbers willing to lend their aid. And those five contenders showed that they had unique promise.”You lean back in your chair. So if you wanted to find someone to escort you to Morfis, you’d need to prove your worth? That sounded annoying. You could always take Alvin up on his offer and travel with him. But that man seemed the sort to attract all sorts of trouble. You polished off your second mug, beginning to more thoroughly feel the effects of your beverage.>You’re starting to feel drunk. (+2 STR, -2 SPD, 10% chance to miss temporarily.)“Now it’s time for my question.” Cassius says, barely able to hide the glee in his voice. “I’ve been able to lay my eyes on two Heroes Relics now. I’d never seen anything like them. They were both horrific and awe-inspiring.”
>>6103625They were a pain in the ass. You would throttle Arios and Leonora if it wasn’t for those damn things. Heroes Relics were one half of Fodlan’s legendary weapons. They were unique in that they corresponded to a specific individual Crest. Thunderbrand and Thyrsus were the weapons of the Crest of Charon and Gloucester respectively. In the hands of a bearer of those Crests, one could wipe out scores of soldiers with hardly an issue. Unfortunately for you, the weapons that corresponded to the Crests of Indech and Macuil were locked away in a vault somewhere in Garreg Mach Monastery.“I’ve heard that only someone in possession of a Crest is able to wield a Heroes Relic.” Cassius continues. “If someone without a Crest were to so much as even hold one, disastrous consequences would follow. Namely, said individual would shrink considerably down in size, becoming a diminutive creature known as the ‘gnome’. Is such a thing true?”This question was even stranger than the last! Who the hell had been feeding him information? If Cassius was considered an expert on Fodlan around here, then it was safe to say that the average Morfisian had absolutely no clue about the continent. You look towards your companions. May has gone white and looks taken aback, as if such a fate were the worst thing she could conceive of. As for Adeline, she is very obviously pretending to read the menu, hoping to avoid any attention. Once again, the answer would fall to you.>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.>B): That’s correct, Cassius. I’ve seen a man shrink down into a gnome myself.Ask another question? (and continue getting drunker)>A): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”>B): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent>C): Ask if Cassius would be willing to be your guide to Morfis.>D): Enough questions. Bid the man farewell.>E): Ask something else (Write-in)
>>6103626>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast>E): Ask something else (Write-in)Ask about the Red Gem we took from Omar the Red. Is it magic? Do any factions of the Morfians use similar gems for currency?
>>6103626Oh fuck, Scratch's kid is a contender. And also Clay.>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.that's funny>B): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent
>>6103626>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.>B): Ask about the Cult of the SerpentThe fact that he admitted to talking with Gloucester but is still asking us these questions is rather suspicious.Hopefully the Almyran warlord is an axe user just so we can continue the family tradition of killing them and taking their weapon. The Dagdan sounds like it's Clay, and if the Sreng swordmaster is Scratch's child, that's going to be a fun fight if she can use her Crest for quads.
>>6103626>B): That’s correct, Cassius. I’ve seen a man shrink down into a gnome myself.>A): Ask why the Morfisians refer to Fodlan as the “Dark Continent”
>>6103626>>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.He was close but in the opposite direction.>E): Ask him if there happens to be any local fight arenas to prove your mettle to the locals
>>6103626>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.>B): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent
>>6103626>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.I'm pretty sure he is asking us stupid questions either as a joke or to see if we're going to be completely honest if he's already talked to others from Fodlan.>C): Ask if Cassius would be willing to be your guide to Morfis.I think we should ask now, before we get too drunk and he doesn't take our request seriously. I feel like Tristain isn't the kind of guy to shop around for this kind of thing.
>>6103626>>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.>B): Ask about the Cult of the Serpent"Goodness sake man, who the hell has been feeding you information?!?!">Write-In: Ease up on the drink.
>>6103626>A): If a non-Crest bearer holds a Heroes Relic, they will turn into a Demonic Beast.I feel like Cassius already knows this, and is testing us. No point in lying.>B): Ask about the Cult of the SerpentWe should settle that before we get too drunk. C is also an option, but if we take it, we might be falling right into Cassius' trap. I'm starting to get paranoid about him.
>>6103626>B): That’s correct, Cassius. I’ve seen a man shrink down into a gnome myself.>C): Ask if Cassius would be willing to be your guide to Morfis.I'm half convinced this 'fake info' is just to bait us into responding accurately and revealing our hand.
>>6103919I more wonder that he already knows these answers but wants to see if we would lie about any of them. Or he's weird
Tell the truth and ask about the cult wins. Writing!
>>6104013''Snake cult? My aunt used to talk about a snake cult, she killed them.''
>>6104013"Have you tried killing them all?"
>>6103626>“I have no idea where you’ve been getting these ridiculous ideas from, but no, that is not the case. Touching a Heroes Relic will not cause you to ‘shrink’. It's actually the opposite. If you handle a Relic without a Crest of any kind, you’re liable to turn into a Demonic Beast. Or a ‘Terror’, as I hear you people call them.”Not that something like that was likely to happen. Most of the Heroes Relics were locked up in a vault somewhere in Garreg Mach. Several unique Crests were lost forever after their bearers were killed during the Unification War, and with no one left to effectively wield those ancient weapons, the Archbishop deemed it safer that they be sealed away. Only special exceptions were made, such as for House Charon and Gloucester.” Cassius looks taken aback. “I…had no idea. You must understand that barring the last few years, Morfis has been an isolationist nation. We hardly ever received news of Fodlan. And that news which we did receive could be…suspect at best. I had a feeling that some of my beliefs may have been misguided. But I’d recently had them confirmed by another contender whom I’d only just spoken with. To think that man would lie to me so brazenly…”>So Cassius was just gullible? “Who told you these ridiculous things?”Cassius grimaces. “Klement was his name. Of the von Bergliez family. Apparently a great one from Fodlan. He didn’t strike me as being as strong as the others that I’d mentioned, but he seemed friendly enough, and was willing to speak with me for a time. I can’t believe he’d lead me down the wrong path though…”Now here was someone you knew well, and unfortunately, Cassius’ estimation couldn’t be further from the truth. Klement was a former housemate of yours during your time at the Officer’s Academy. A fellow Black Eagle, and heir to House Bergliez, which boasted one of the strongest militaries in Fodlan. Klement was a debauched sort, who knew how to keep a low profile. He could disarm anyone with a simple joke and a smile. He coasted during his time at the Academy, preferring to lay about and enjoy simple pleasures. But you knew well he was a dangerous sort, who also happened to possess the Crest of Cichol. Evidently, he was still playing the part of a fool, and managed to pull one over on this man.>“Tell me, I’ve heard mention of a ‘Cult of the Serpent’ that resides here in Morfis? What could you tell me about them?” You had to admit, it was interesting. There weren’t any cults in Fodlan that you knew of. Cassius, who by now was as inebriated as you, and had been moping in his drink after having discovered he’d been tricked, seems to perk up after hearing your question. “Oh, them. It’s complicated. You’d need a whole history lesson on Morfis for that one…”>“Just tell me the good parts.”
>>6104551“Mmmm…” Cassius groans, rubbing his temples. “Not everyone in our kingdom adheres to the rule of the Princess and the College. There are those who live out in the remote parts of the desert, away from Morfis and her reach. Mostly these sorts are exiles. Outlaws, or those who were expelled from the city for researching topics that were deemed forbidden. But a good chunk of them are adherents of Leviathan, the Great Serpent. You can think of them as a fringe religion of sorts.”>“They worship a snake?”“Something like that.” Cassius says. “The Sorcerer King founded the City of Morfis over 2000 years ago. Legend has it he appeared one day in the desert, at the helm of a ship that could soar through the air. He united the various tribes of the desert under his rule, and taught them a great many things. Not just how to survive in this hostile environment, but how to flourish. Under his rule, we built the City of Morfis, and things were good for a while. But then the Great Serpent appeared. No one knows its origins, but what is known is that it flew here from the direction of Fodlan.”>“Is that why you people call it the ‘Dark Continent’?“One of several reasons.” Cassius concludes. “The Serpent managed to deceive many to his side. A great war was fought, and eventually, the Serpent was vanquished, though it cost the Sorcerer King his life. Those who had fought for the Serpent and were taken in by his lies were banished to the deepest reaches of the desert, where their descendants remain to this day, hiding out of sight. They are the Cult, and they believe that one day, their Leviathan will return to destroy Morfis. It is commonly believed that the Terrors that appear in the desert are their work.”An interesting story, and one that you didn’t know what to make of. You’d never heard of this Sorcerer King before. Just as how information on Fodlan here was scant, so too was the opposite. Barely anyone back home knew anything about Morfis. Like most of your countrymen, you were an adherent of the Goddess Sothis, whom you believed was the progenitor of the world. How this “Sorcerer King” and “Leviathan” fit into that narrative, you had no clue.“No more questions for me.” Cassius groans. “I don’t believe I have the fortitude to learn anything else at this juncture. But here, a gift.” Cassius unhooks a small pouch the size of your palm from his hip. He begins rifling through it, seemingly looking for something inside the tiny bag. Suddenly though, he pulls out a book that should have never been able to fit inside that thing.“Woah!” May exclaims. “How did you do that?!”“Do you like it?” Cassius beams with pride. “It’s a holding bag. A common magical item here in Morfis. I keep my entire life packed away in it, right at my hip.”
>>6104553“Seems dangerous to lose…” Adeline mutters.You accept the lightweight book that Cassius hands over to you. Inspecting the colorful cover, you see a detailed illustration of the sun. Someone has drawn a smiling face on it, and it is shining over a large city, in which a large columned building sits at the very top.“I understand most Fodlanders are illiterate.” Cassius says diplomatically. “But this book has pictures! It’s designed for children. It may teach you some more things about the history of our nation. Go on, take it. I insist.”>A Children’s Guide to Morfis (with Pictures!) obtained!>“Uhh, yeah thanks.” You give the book to May, who stores it away. You considered the day a success, having received plenty of useful information. You and Cassius must have spoken for longer than you’d thought, as night had already fallen, and the tavern was empty save for your table. Perhaps it would be best to return to the ship and call it a night. You would still have to look into getting mercenaries, as well as potentially finding a guide to escort you to Morfis, should you not wish to take Alvin up on his offer. You get up from your table, almost stumbling. Clearly you’d had more to drink than you probably should have.>You’re feeling the effects of alcohol. (+3 STR, -4 SPD, 20% chance to miss an attack)“Perhaps it would be best if we ended our night here.” Cassius says. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. What did you say your name was again, sir?”>“Tristain d’Rusalka.”“Very good, Tristan. I wish you the best of luck.”“I’ll return to the ship with you.” Adeline says to you. Her and May had chosen not to drink, and were in a much better position to navigate the streets of Morfis than you were. You saw no reason to refuse her company. Together, the three of you and Cassius exit the tavern, only to find a dozen or so armed men loitering outside. They turn towards you once the door opens, and you see several hands fly to the hilts of their weapons. “There you are.” The familiar face of Lord Alexander Gideon smirks maliciously as he spots you. “I’ve decided to take you up on your offer of stepping outside. You haven’t changed your mind, have you? I also brought a few friends along.”>A): Retreat back into the tavern.>B): Attempt to talk things through with Gideon>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.>D): Write-in
>>6104554>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.Fuck this guy, better start trimming the competition early.
>>6104554>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.We have the power of +4 STR on our sideAlso, Klement likes to do some chain jerking as they say
>>6104554>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.
>>6104554>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you'll wipe the floor with him.Sothis damn it, this guy again? He does realize he's just gonna get his dudes killed like this, right?
>>6104554>>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him."May, get back inside. Adeline, Cassius, I'd ask that you either stand with me or do the same."I KNEW we should've eased up on the drinking.
>>6104554>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.80% accuracy is still fine, and this would be a great way to prove our strength. Tristain living rent free in Gideon's head to the point that he seemingly waited outside the tavern all day is also hilarious.
>>6104554>D): Write-inLook for a barrel of this morfian alcohol, throw it into them, and fire magic.
>>6104554>>C): Ready yourself for a fight. Drunk or not, you’ll wipe the floor with him.lets go gambling!
Blair:''I wonder how he's doing.''Corrine:''Propably getting drunk and starting fights.''Blair:''Oh c'mon, he's... Slightly, more mature then that.''Tristain:''COME ON AND PUT UP YOUR FISTS MATE! I'LL SPLATTER YOUR HEADS!''
>>6104554Gideon was standing before you. He seems to have sobered up, and brought a few extra friends along with him. You counted 15 men, including the noble himself, wielding various weapons and clad in familiar Fodlan-style armor. Hailing from the region of Faerghus, which had always been known for its heavily-clad knights, Gideon and a few of his men were decked out in thick plate armor. Four of his soldiers off in the back had bows in hand and arrows knocked. You were drunk, sure, but that was no excuse to run away or try to talk things through. If anything, you just wanted to kick his ass more. With a grunt, you lift your Steel Axe off your back.“W-wait, is this really happening?!” May cries out. “We’re just going to fight out in public like this?!”“Solis’ guards won’t care.” Cassius says. “When it comes to your foreigners, they won’t lift a finger. So long as you don’t cause too much trouble, they’ll simply view it as an unavoidable part of the competition.” The sorcerer clears his throat, and calls out to Gideon. “Speaking of which, I’ll have you know I only met this man today and am not with him! I ask that you leave me out of this!”“I don’t know.” Gideon smirks. “I understand you were pretty comfortable conversing over a few drinks together. Seemed to me like you were plenty friendly enough. But sure, I’ll leave you out of it. Provided you join my side. I need a guide to the City of Morfis, and I understand you know the way there. What do you say?”Cassius grimaces. “...I’d rather not if it was alright with you.”“It’s not.” Gideon replies. “But be that way. After I’m done with them, perhaps you’ll see things differently.”>“Tough luck.” You say to Cassius. “Looks like you’re stuck fighting with us. But at least your fortunes were good enough to find you on my side.”“I don’t exactly feel fortunate.” The mage replies dryly. “I know reading may not be your strong suit, but surely you can at least count that there are more of them than us.”>“Not for long. May, stand behind. Adeline, are you with me?”The armor knight silently nods, lifting her spear and shield.“Very well.” Cassius sighs. “Seeing as I have no choice…” The ground in front of Cassius begins to glow a bright white as a circle several feet wide appears from thin air. Inside the circle, a humanoid shape begins materializing, slowly forming from shadows that rise from the ground. What looks like a man now stands there, but it was like no one you’d ever seen before. Tendrils of smoke were rising from his form, which looked almost incorporeal. What looked real enough though, was the nasty looking axe that was in its right hand. The strange figure causes Gideon’s men to back off slightly.“What the hell is that?” One exclaims.
>>6105474“Is summoning magic not common in Fodlan?” Cassius asks. “Interesting, though not too surprising.”“Who gives a fuck?” Gideon snarls. “Smoke and parlor tricks. They’re still outnumbered, and drunk at that. Kill them all, but make sure to leave the sorcerer alive. If he resists, beat him to within an inch of his life.”Gideon’s men fan out to surround your group. Three spearmen take position in front of you, while two pairs fan out to the side. His armor knights slowly clank forward, allowing their more lightly armored allies to soften you up first. You notice that they carry with them hammers meant for smashing through heavy armor. Near Gideon, four archers knock arrows to their bows. With the melee about to begin in earnest, they’ll be unable to fire upon you just yet, allowing you some time to deal with their allies first.In your current formation, Adeline plans to act as a shield for your group. You can allow the enemy to crash upon her. From what you’d seen before, she is no stranger to taking the brunt of the enemy attack. That being said, she is not invincible, and may suffer some damage in the process.Or you can take the fight forward, and smash into the neatly lined group of enemies first.>Adeline>Level 20 Armor KnightHP: 48/48Strength: 20Speed: 4Defense: 20Resistance: 0Weapon: Steel Lance (+12 Attack)Skill: Guard Stance (Redirect damage meant for an adjacent party member to yourself. Targeted party members will still counter attack.)>Cassius>Level 20 SummonerHP: 35/35Magic: 20Speed: 16Defense: 8Resistance: 18Spells: Flux (+7 Attack), Swarm (+4 Attack, -4 SPD Debuff for 1 turn) Skill: Summon (Summons a phantom soldier. Weapon varies on roll)>PhantomHP: 10/10Strength: 17Speed: 10Defense: 20Resistance: 0Weapon: Killing Axe (+12 Attack, 30% chance to crit)>Gideon’s MenHP: 34/34Strength: 16Speed: 11Defense: 14Resistance: 0Weapon: Iron Spear (+7 Attack)>A): Let Adeline defend the entire group against the enemy’s attacks, allowing them the first strike.>B): Leave Adeline to guard the others. You will move forward and engage the enemy first. (Choose how)>C): Write-in
>>6105477>B): Leave Adeline to guard the others. You will move forward and engage the enemy first. (Choose how)Right now we're surrounded and can't defend our (relatively) squishy caster and May, so let's let Adeline take the hits for them from the 4 on the sides while we move forward and make a nuisance of ourselves.Walk up, and take on the three directly in front of us. Save our Crests for now, just walk up and hit them. Because we're attacking we get a hit, they return the favor (if they live), and then next turn they do the same to us, yes?24 str+ 3 from drunkenness +12 from the axe equals 39. We have def 18.Each attack from them will do 5. Each attack from us will do 25, enough for them to die if they attack us back next turn, likely enough to send them running. We can survive 8 consecutive hits, and our concoctions boost that by 4 each. Now, we don't know what the statline on the knights are, but they're the same level as the soldiers so it shouldn't be TOO MUCH better.That phantom does 15, so whenever it gets freed up it can handily finish off any that we hit or put anyone Adeline hits on 1 HP.
>>6105477>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 22/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)HP: 48Strength: 24Magic: 16Speed: 13Defense: 18 Resistance: 11 Luck: 12>Personal Skill: Resolve (When HP falls to less than 35%, Strength, Speed and Defense increase by 7)>Equipment:Steel Axe (+12 Attack), Concoction x2 (+20 HP)>Spells:Fire (+3 DMG, 5 Uses)>Abilities:Crest of Indech: You are able to make a follow-up attack on one foe, regardless of Speed. (3 Charges)Crest of Macuil: Double the attack power of a magic spell. (3 Charges)Combat Art: Earthsplitter: Cleave all enemies standing two rows in front of you. (Cost: 1 Crest of Indech Charge)>You’re feeling the effects of alcohol. (+3 STR, -4 SPD, 20% chance to miss an attack)This would be current stats I think. Can we use Fire Magic on Gideon or do the troops in front block that? Also if we use a Crest of Macuil: Double the attack power of a magic spell. (3 Charges) does that double his actual Magic stat damage from 16 to 32, the Fire Magic DMG from 3 to 6, or the combined total from 19 to 38? Cause with three base fire magic attack we could just kill Gideon, then with a leader dead I wonder if they will crumble. Two if the Macuil doubles stat or combined. Hell, if Cassius can hit him with Flux and we use a doubled Fire attack we could take him out in one turn.
May can't even damage the enemy, so she'd be more productive throwing Caltrops.Everyone else except for the Phantom needs two hits to kill off the Soldiers, and the nice part is that Cassius will double them. The Phantom needs 3 hits to kill unless it crits.Despite its low health, the Phantom has 20 DEF, so it needs to get poked 4 times to die.Both Adeline and the Phantom take 3 damage from the Soldiers. May and Cassius both take 15 damage. Tristain takes 5 damage. Since Guard Stance redirects damage to Adeline, it'd get dangerous for her to keep tanking hits for May and Cassius. It looks like she even dies on the first turn if she tries to tank hits for everyone.>>6105477>C): Write-in>Order Cassius to Flux Soldier 8, May to plant a Caltrop to the left of Soldier 7, and have Adeline initiate on Soldier 7 from the dead Soldier 8's position>Have the Phantom run in to attack Soldier 6>Use Earthsplitter on the three Soldiers in front of Tristain. Hopefully we don't embarass ourselves and ruin the moment by missing. Earthsplitter allows us to hit all of three of them at once and then they'd zerg rush to their deaths on their turn. That'd leave us with 2 Indech uses left. It'd likely be better to use Macuil for the Armor Knights, and then we can use our second Indech charge for the Archers and the last one for Gideon.As for the first couple of moves, we need to have everyone go on the offensive to make things easier for us since we are currently surrounded. Cassius can immediately kill off one Soldier and then both May and Adeline will wall off the other one to prevent him from targetting Cassius. May should be fine thanks to her personal skill, but for the worst case scenario, she can at least take 2 hits.The Phantom can last a turn, and it's replaceable anyways. Next turn we'll be dealing with the Hammer Armor Knights, so Adeline can clean up the Soldiers on the left side to keep her away from those guys. With the Soldiers on the right side both dead and Adeline keeping the ones on the left busy, that would free Cassius up to kill one Armor Knight while we deal with the remaining two.
>>6105477>C): Write-inHold positions. Have Tristain use Fire on Enemy 3 at range if thats doable.I think this is how it goes though I'm not 100%, with Cassius being speed 16 he should be able to attack first when they strike, and because he has 5 more speed then Gideons Men, he should be able to attack again after their counter and kill them with his magic attacks. Adeline can takes 6 damage total from those exchanges, but enemies 7 and 8 die.Enemies 5 and 6 attack the Phantom, Adeline takes 6 damage, but Phantom does 15 damage to each of them in the counter or more if he crits.May...Can't actually hurt anyone except maybe the archers? I don't think Caltrops will make a difference unless we can force even MORE Soldiers to target Cassius and die in the exchange. Do that if we can, otherwise maybe just have her feed health concoctions to whoever needs it if thats an option.As long as Adeline stays in the middle to avoid being directly targeted and just uses her Guard Stance she won't get double attacked by literally every other unit with her Speed 4.Enemies 2, 3, 4 will attack Tristain and do 15 damage to him, or 9 to Adeline if we let her tank it. Tristain counters and does 25 to each of them. If he can Fire spell one of the enemies at range without moving then he could actually kill one this turn when they attack him. If not oh well, kill them all next turn with an earthsplitter anyways hopefully catching the armor knights in it as well.So Adeline takes 21 damage (or 12 if we others prefer we allow Tristain to tank 15 damage). When he hits 16 HP Resolve activates and makes it so these spearmen can't hurt him so there is that. But I figure with the armor knights and archers and Gideon it might be fine to just let Adeline tank a bit, maybe feed her a potion if need be.
>>6105596Thinking on it, if the Double Attack with Cassius works then if we had him switch positions with Tristain that would end up killing THREE enemy Soldiers in one turn.
>>6105477How exactly does Guard Stance work?If a Soldier were to target Cassius, would Adeline take the full 15 damage he would have taken, 3 damage based on her stats, or would she take 3 * 2 = 6 damage since she normally gets doubled with her Speed?
>>6105477Man, this situations a bit tougher looking then I thought, but I'm sure we'll manage.Also, damn Adeline... 4 speed and 0 resistance? I am so glad Gideon doesn't have any mages because my god woman.
>>6105552I would say that the troops are blocking that, so you don't have an accurate shot on Gideon presently. Macuil doubles his magical attack, so its the combination. So 19x2 for 38 attack, before RES calculation. Gideon is blocked though. You wouldn't have an accurate shot on hum until soldiers 3 and 9 are out of the way.>>6105615>>6105570I realize the wording on Guard Stance is a little unclear/misleading, so let me rephrase it. Any attack on a unit adjacent to Adeline, she is able to stand in place. She'll then defend against that attack using her own stats. So if her defense is high enough, she won't take any damage at all. Because she's using her own stats, she may also be doubled. That being said, the counterattack that would typically occur will be done by the unit she is defending, not her. >>6105596>I think this is how it goes though I'm not 100%, with Cassius being speed 16 he should be able to attack first when they strike, and because he has 5 more speed then Gideons Men, he should be able to attack again after their counter and kill them with his magic attacks. Correct!
>>6105647That's for the clarification Tree.With Adeline's Speed, she'll be doubled against the Soldiers and take 3 * 2 = 6 damage. It's not much, but it eventually adds up. There's 7 of them, so having her try to tank everything wouldn't be wise as it'd result in her losing 42 HP. It also means that she definitely should stay away from the Hammer Knights next turn since we can't do something silly with Guard Stance if they'll be hitting her for effective damage.If we go with playing defensively, the Phantom and Tristain should at least move away. The Phantom can take some hits but it won't even matter if it dies, and Tristain will be fine and hopefully even reach the threshold for Resolve to be active near the end of this battle.But I'd rather go on the offensive. It'd be better to clean up these Soldiers as fast as possible to allow Tristain and Cassius to kill the Knights next turn. Taking too long to kill everyone would lead to us being overwhelmed.With that in mind, I'll be changing my vote.>>6105477Changing >>6105570 to:>C): Write-in>Order Cassius to Flux Soldier 8 at range while Adeline follows right behind him and uses Guard Stance. May sticks with Adeline and can throw a Caltrop in front of herself>Have the Phantom run in to attack Soldier 6>Use Earthsplitter on the three Soldiers in front of Tristain.Only difference compared to the previous vote is how we have the other 3 handle the pair on the right. Trying to get the surviving Soldier to attack Cassius allows Cassius to kill him on the counterattack, and it'd be safer for May since if the Soldier just chooses to attack her instead, Adeline would protect her. The Phantom will do it's job wearing down and distracting the left side.There's other ways we can approach this like just having Cassius take care of the three in front, but I'd rather just have Tristain kill them to farm EXP and show Gideon that he made a terrible mistake challenging us.
>>6105477Supporting >>6105757 on grounds of taking the offensive.
>>6105757Writing!
>>6105477Gideon’s men begin moving in closer, surrounding you on all sides. With Adeline’s support, you were not too worried about any harm coming to the more lightly armored allies in your party. The woman excelled at defense, and would keep them safe. With nothing to hold you back, you were free to fight offensively, and go all out on these fools. You meet the trio of soldiers in front of you, axe in hand. Your weapon exudes raw power, and radiating with a pulsing blue, you strike the ground in front of your enemies. (25, 94, 78. 2 Hits, 1 Miss)>Crest of Indech: 2/3You’re a little off center with your attack. That’s not too surprising. You are drunk after all. Still, your drunk and a normal person’s drunk are two entirely different matters. Two of the soldiers are sent flying back screaming, taking the full effect of your attack. The middle soldier narrowly avoids the colossal strike, eyes wide at what he had just seen. With a gulp, he stabs at you with his spear. (Tristain: 43/48)You hardly even notice that you’ve been stabbed. Grabbing onto the spear so that the man cannot get away, you swing your axe downward, cleaving the poor sap’s shoulder off. As he falls to the ground, writhing in pain, his two comrades jump back to their feet. They spring their spears forward in a panic. You definitely notice now that you’ve been stabbed now. (33/48)Fortunately, you are made of sterner stuff than most men. WIth a grin, you eliminate all of them with a single swing of your axe, and the trio of soldiers fall to the ground in a bloody heap of limbs.>30xp gained! (30/100)“What the fuck?!” Gideon roars at the top of his lungs. “You have a Crest?! Who are you supposed to be?! What’s your name?!”“A Crest?!” Cassius’ eyes open wide. Both foes that he had faced were reduced to piles of gore on the ground. With Adeline providing cover, it was a simple thing for the sorcerer to dispatch of his enemies, who possessed little resistance against magic. On the opposite side, his Phantom was holding off the other two soldiers. While it looked as though it were ready to fade away from this world at any moment, the enemies it faced were sufficiently wounded. “You never mentioned you possessed a Crest, Lord Tristain!”“Tristain?” Gideon exclaims. “I don’t know who you are, but Crest or not you’re only human. Archers, fan out! Armor Knights, move forward and bring me his head!”Gideon’s armor knights begin lumbering forward, hammers in hand. While those won’t deal too much effective damage to you, they would spell trouble for Adeline if they made contact with her armor. She had been slightly injured in the fighting, but was still looking strong. As for May…where did she go? The thief girl was nowhere to be seen. Did she run out on you? No matter. You had bigger issues. Those archers were now in range and ready to turn you into a pincushion.
>>6106031>Gideon’s Men (Armor Knight)Level 15HP: 40/40Strength: 18Speed: 3Defense: 19Resistance: 0Weapon: Hammer (+8 Attack, 3x attack vs Armor Knights)>Gideon’s Men (Archer)Level 15HP: 30/30Strength: 14Speed: 11Defense: 8Resistance: 4Weapon: Iron Bow (+5 Attack)>A): Attack the Armor Knights (How?)>B): Attempt to maneuver past the Armor Knights and move towards the archers (Will take an attack of opportunity)>C): Turn around and finish off the soldiers fighting the Phantom>D): Drink one of your Concoctions and heal up. >E): Write-in
If we fight one Armour Knight, and Cassius snipes the other, and bait the last into attacking Cassius while Adeline protects him, then our armoured ally would be hurt but reasonably safe- the archers are literally incapable of harming her.After that, we can clean out the soldiery, and advance in formation upon Gideon.We have pretty cool companions!
Tristain with his Steel Axe deals:24 STR + 12 (Steel Axe) + 3 (Drunk) - 19 DEF = 20 * 2 = 40 damageWith Fire, he'd deal:16 MAG + 3 (Fire) = 19 * 2 = 38 damageThey're slow enough that we can double them. Unless we use Macuil, attacking physically is better with the main downside being that we'll be taking an extra hit from a counterattack.If attacked, he'll take 18 STR + 8 (Hammer) - 18 DEF = 8 damageWith his current HP at 33, getting hammered by all 3 Knights would result in 33 - 24 = 9 HP left.The Archers aren't a threat for Tristain or Adeline. Tristain only takes 1 damage, and they won't even scratch Adeline. Getting pelted by arrows would be dangerous for Cassius as he'd take 11 damage per hit. May as well wherever she is since she has the same Defense as Cassius. Girl's probably going around looting stuff.35% of 48 HP would be 16.8, and I'm assuming it rounds down. After Resolve kicks in, the archers won't damage us either.>>6106033>A): Attack the Armor Knights (How?)>Attack with Steel AxeOnce Resolve is active, the only person who could be a possible threat to us is Gideon.Using Fire with Macuil is the safer option, but I think it'd be more amusing to save that until the very end against Gideon.
>>6106135
>>6106247*+1
>>6106135I think this is right, but if we have Tristain attack one of the knights with Fire magic at range it will double strike, then when that knight attacks in melee Tristain will strike first before he takes damage so he be at 17, then one attack from an archer will kick him into resolve at 16.
>A): Attack the Armor Knights (How?)With magic (fire). I'm a bit wary of Gideon charging us if we move forward, especially if we take any significant damage.
>>6106135Writing!
>>6106033Those three knights would make paste out of Adeline. And while that technically would rid you of one potential contender, you didn’t have it in you to be that cutthroat. You’d fought alongside her twice now. She might as well be considered an ally at this point. You charge forward to cut off the hammer-wielding foes and keep them away from her. The three of them are certainly more well-trained than those spearmen you just fought. They stick close together, fighting as one cohesive unit, trying to cave your head in with their blunt weaponry. While first instinct may have called for you to attack them with your magic, it was rare that you fought against an opponent that you were quicker than. To go up against your strength should be a terrifying prospect for a foe. But for that same foe to be both weaker, and slower? They were practically throwing their lives away. You chop your axe into the first man’s side. Armor made by some of the finest smiths in Faerghus gives way as you practically bisect him. He screams and bats at you with your hammer, but you rip the axe out, and follow up with a strike to the head that caves his helmet inwards.The second’s hammer strikes you in the shoulder. The blow hurts like hell, but it is not enough to slow you down. You bash the pommel of your axe into his face, causing him to reel back in pain. Winding up, you then carve it into his chest, sending him crashing to the floor with a horrific crunch. Before you can finish him off, his ally smashes his hammer right into your back, causing you to stumble forward.>Tristain: (9/48 HP)>Resolve Activated Strength: 24 + 10 = 34Speed: 13 - 4 + 7 = 16Defense: 18 + 7 = 25This was it you thought. This was nothing like the fight with those pirates. Back then, you outclassed them by too high of a degree. Even with all their numbers, they were barely worth a second thought. But here, in a foreign city, on the brink of death and outnumbered one to three, you were finally feeling it. The thrill of a battle that would push you to your absolute limits. When was the last time you felt this way? Have you ever felt this way? What an exhilarating sensation! You turn around to grin at the man who had just attacked you. Through the slits in his helmet, you can see that he has paled considerably, and his eyes have gone wide with madness. His weapon shook violently in his hand. By the time he’d begun to lift his hammer, his head had already parted from his body, the helmet clattering across the ground.The second knight you’d attacked is still twitching on the ground. By the sound of his agonal breathing, he won’t make it. You turn around and send him off by carving your axe into his face.>30xp gained! (60/100)
>>6106532Four arrows are sent flying your way, only to be batted out of the air by a single swing of your axe. You shoot forward in a flash, appearing as the very image of death to these poor archers. The two on the left are unable to even knock their second shots before you cleave through them in a spray of blood and viscera. You hoped things weren’t about to get boring again. Not after you’d gone this far. Couldn’t they take this more seriously? You’re on the second pair immediately, again swatting their projectiles out of the way as if they were toys. One drops his bow and raises his hands, only to lose both limbs. Your axe continues sailing into the second’s skull.>40xp gained! Level up! (0/100)>Tristain d’Rusalka>Level 23/50 Lord (EXP: 0/100)HP: 48 (120%) + 2 = 50Strength: 24 (65%) + 1 = 25Magic: 16 (40%) +1 = 17Speed: 13 (30%) +1 = 14 Defense: 18 (60%) +1 = 19Resistance: 11 (40%)Luck: 12 (55%)In an instant, Gideon is left standing alone, wondering what had just happened. A part of him believed that this was a bad dream. That he’d drank too much at the tavern and was having some sort of horrific nightmare. That he’d never come to Morfis at all, and that he was still safely back in his domain in Fodlan. Wordlessly, he grabs his mouth, as if expecting to wake up at any moment. But upon realizing that this was in fact no dream, he turns about-face, showing you his back, and makes to walk away.He only makes it a few steps before realizing that the exit has been cut off. Sharp-looking caltrops block the only exit out of the tavern’s plaza. Behind them, May stands there, waving in your direction.“Don’t worry boss! He’s not going anywhere!”Gideon steadily turns around to face you, nervously sweating. A smile slowly creeps up on his face, and he extends his hand out in a show of friendship to the hulking, blood-drenched monster standing before him.“Okay. I give up. You win.”>“...Huh?”“You win. I can’t beat you.” He shakes his head, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “No need to kill me though, right? I’ll just head back to Fodlan and you’ll never see me again. Come on, we hashed this out like men! There’s no reason for us nobles to kill each other. Hey, that’s probably what these Morfisians want! A-anyway, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll leave this nation right away. You’ve got my word.”>GideonLevel 20 Armor KnightHP: 52/52Strength: 22Speed: 6Defense: 20Resistance: 0Weapon: Steel Sword (+10 Attack)Skills: Armored Blow (+5 DEF when attacking)>A): Attack Gideon (How?)>B): Let him go>C): Write-in
>>6106533>A): Attack Gideon (Pick up a hammer, Indech Crest)What do you mean we hashed it out like men, you just got fourteen men killed for your stupidity and now you wanna call it quits? Nuh-uh, we are doing Fodlan a favor, getting you out of the gene pool. Least you are getting a warrior's death, or maybe a watermelon's.
>>6106533>A): Attack Gideon (Use the Crest of Macuil and cast Fire)Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.
>>6106533>A): Attack Gideon (How?)Fire spell would do 20*2 = 40 from Macuil, then the double attack with our speed for another 20 to do 60 magic damage. Ranged, he doesnt even get the chance to counterattack. Something something a death of lesser honor.>C): Write-inThat said, could we get a ransom? Sell him to some mercs or a local noble who could claim the ransom?
>>6106393This is me (phone) >>6106546100% with this. It’s one thing if he’d have given up when he realised he was outmatched like the pirates did, but he just threw his guys away for nothing. Plus, if possible, I’d like to ask who the two “brats” he killed were (in case it’s anyone we knew / we can tell someone we got revenge for them later for some gain)
>>6106546Supporting, also I would like to add that Tristain tells him to pull out his sword, you're gonna settle like this actual men.
>>6106546This. I want to set him on fire but revealing we have TWO crests is something we might not want to do unless absolutely necessary.Also, would it be reasonable or possible to start, say, carrying around javelins or something? Or does FE not work like that?
>>6106828>Also, would it be reasonable or possible to start, say, carrying around javelins or something? Or does FE not work like that?It would be! You'll have a chance to shop before leaving Solis.
>>6106533>>6106546Supporting.Gideon only does 6 damage to us thanks to Resolve, so fighting him at melee range will be fine. Even if we can't pick up a Hammer, from one of the dead armor knights, we'd still do 27 damage per hit with the Steel Axe thanks to all the buffs. The only chance he has is if we get RNG screwed and keep missing.Cooking him with Fire would be entertaining and I don't really have any qualms with revealing everything we're capable of this early, but at this point it'd be cooler to reveal our magic and second Crest against someone that's actually strong enough to warrant using it.
>>6106546Writing!
>>6106533You sighed. This whole thing was embarrassing. You must have been piss-drunk if you thought this washed up Faerghus noble was going to come anywhere close to presenting you with a real challenge. This was not an enemy worthy of having pushed you to your limits. They had only been able to do so by ganging up on you. And while you had risen to the occasion and met your foe head-on, regardless of your numerical disadvantage, it was over far too quickly once you’d gotten serious. You picked up one of the Hammers that had fallen to the floor and examined it. The weapon was good quality. Real fine workmanship had gone into the crafting of this thing. You begin walking towards Gideon.“A-Adeline!” Gideon cries, falling onto his ass and holding his hands out. “Please, talk sense into your companion! House Gideon and Rowe go back centuries! Regardless of present circumstances, we are allies! Please! Call him off!”Adeline, who along with Cassius had finished off the remainder of Gideon’s men, looks on dispassionately. She nods in your direction. “May the Goddess embrace your soul, Lord Gideon.”“Aieeeeeeeeee!!!” Gideon screeches and averts his gaze as you activate the Crest of Indech. The hammer smashes the man’s head in a disgusting burst of red. Just like that, the once proud scion of House Gideon is pulverized and left for dead in front of The Scrying Orb. You step back and examine your handiwork. It really was a good Hammer.>50xp gained! (50/100)>You obtained a Hammer!“Woohoo!” May exclaims, jumping up and down excitedly. She looked remarkably out of place as she cheered on the site of a massacre. “You did it, Boss! You’re unstoppable!”>You sheathe your weapons away. As you examined the carnage around you, it was clear to see things had gotten out of hand. You felt much more sober, and were now highly aware of the wounds you now bore. You were ready to make a mad dash back to Alvin’s ship as quickly as possible and let the man work at you with his healing magic. “May, lead the way.”“H-hold!” Cassius shouts behind you. The Sorcerer runs over to you in a frenzied hurry, while May happily starts collecting her caltrops, humming a tune. “Lord Tristain…that was incredible! Why did you not tell me you possessed a Crest?!”>Cassius had done a number on the soldiers that he’d faced. Additionally, that magic of his was most curious. You’d never heard of a man summoning a spirit to fight alongside him before. Such magic was completely foreign to Fodlan. It was clear to see that he possessed a good measure of skill. “Well, you never asked.”“Please!” Cassius gets on his knees, bowing deeply with reverence. “You plan to head to Morfis to compete for Princess Yulia’s hand, no?! Allow me to make the journey with you?!”>“...You want to tag along?” You ask, puzzled. May had picked up all her caltrops, and was now happily rifling through the pockets of Gideon’s men.
>>6107231“It would be a dream!” Cassius raises his head to look at you seriously. “To accompany a bearer of a Crest, and one as powerful as you! I could learn so much about Fodlan in your presence! You are a true contender. One who may very well win the hand of Princess Yulia. Please, you must allow me to join you! I would happily lead the way to Morfis!”This was happening very fast. Cassius was clearly skilled, and you could tell his interest in Fodlan was genuine. He was also extremely gullible though, having been easily played for a fool by Klement. That being said, he seemed to be capable of guiding you to Morfis. If you chose not to accompany Alvin to the city, then Cassius here would be able to serve that critical function. >A): Accept Cassius into the party.>B): Decline Cassius’ offer>C): Write-in
>>6107234>>A): Accept Cassius into the party.man, this crew is shaping up to be a lovable bunch of morons. Welcome to the winning side, Cass
>>6107234>>A): Accept Cassius into the party."Maybe we can even trade some pointers, eh? I'm not half bad at magic myself!">>C): Write-in"And you, Adeline. If you wish to travel with us to the city I would certainly not be upset. I'm strong, but you're much better at defending people, and both of my companions are... squishy, compared to me and you."
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.>C) Offer to team up with Adeline as well, at least until we reach the City. We may be, in some way, rivals- but I think we get along.
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.If we don't make use of him, someone far less scrupulous will.
>>6107234>>A): Accept Cassius into the party.
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.We'll be the best of drinking buddies for sure. Together we will work on our constitution.
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.He may be gullible but he's loyal to us and that's what matters, welcome aboard boy!
>>6107234>A) Accept Cassius into the party.We like your funny words, magic man.>>6107231>"House Gideon and Rowe go back centuries!"Well, that answers my earlier question, unless Gideon was making things up there.Current hypothesis: when Sebastian went back to Arianrhod and did his thing, he found a baby. He grabbed the baby and either raised her himself or arranged for the best surrogate parentage he could find for her, but refused to lie to her about where she came from. Adeline is a parallel to Tristain himself.
>He only makes it a few steps before realizing that the exit has been cut off. Sharp-looking caltrops block the only exit out of the tavern’s plaza. Behind them, May stands there, waving in your direction.Thought ahead to cut off Gideon's escape >“Woohoo!” May exclaims, jumping up and down excitedly. She looked remarkably out of place as she cheered on the site of a massacre. “You did it, Boss! You’re unstoppable!”No fear after the massacre Yeah, she's either a spy or another contender. I don't buy it (not that I think Tristain would care). >>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.+>>6107294>C) Offer to team up with Adeline as well, at least until we reach the City.
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.
>>6107234>A): Accept Cassius into the party.>C) Offer to team up with Adeline
>>6107234If you wished to make it through this strange land, you would need allies. Even an unlikeable shit like Gideon had managed to rope 14 men to follow him to his doom. Loathe as you were to admit, perhaps coming to Morfis alone was not the best idea. Despite his shortcomings, Cassius had proven himself a reliable sort. His magic was useful, as was the knowledge of Morfis that he brought to the table. If he was falling over himself to join you on your quest, then you saw no reason to refuse him.>“Very well. You’re welcome to join me, Cassius.”>Cassius joined the party!>Cassius>Level 21 SummonerHP: 35/35 (60%)Magic: 21 (55%)Speed: 17 (45%)Defense: 8 (30%)Resistance: 19 (55%)Spells: Flux (+7 Attack), Swarm (+4 Attack, -4 SPD Debuff for 1 turn)Skill: Summon (Summons a phantom soldier. Weapon varies on roll)“Thank you, Lord Tristain!” Cassius bows before you once more. “I promise I will not let you down. I look forward to learning more about you and your culture during our travels.”“All done!” May skips towards you. Despite having not partaken in the fighting, she was still covered in blood from looting the fallen. For all her faults, you certainly couldn’t call her squeamish. “No sense in leaving the valuables here right? Let’s head back to the ship, boss.”>1600 gold obtained!You find the streets of Solis empty as you make your way back to the harbor. Those few souls who you do encounter steer wide and clear from your party. You couldn’t really blame them. Covered in blood and gashes, you looked like an absolute monster. Several individuals that you pass pale at the very sight of you, and one woman even began hysterically screaming, running in the opposite direction. Frankly, it was all a bit embarrassing.“...Was it alright to leave the bodies there?” Adeline asks on the way back.>“Not my problem.”“Lord Tristain is correct.” Cassius says. “The local guard will take care of it. This is hardly the first instance of violence Solis has seen in the last few weeks. Many of you contenders came here already bearing grudges against each other from whatever conflicts and history were shared on the continent. Unsurprisingly, some have seen this competition as a way to settle old scores now that they are away from Fodlan’s laws and repercussions. There’s already a pit just outside of town where several of the more unfortunate lay. I imagine Gideon and his men will be joining them soon enough.”Eventually, you and your party make it back to Alvin’s ship. The captain is back on board, having finished whatever business was required of him in the city that day. Upon spotting you and the state you were in, he begins chuckling to himself.“Let me guess.” Alvin starts.>“Shut it.” You reply. “All’s well that ends well. Speaking of which, can you heal me again?”Alvin sighs. “Take a seat.”
>>6108225Alvin begins working at your wounds with his healing magic. Given that the injuries you sustained tonight were worse than those with the pirates, the entire ordeal takes a while longer. You hoped that while you were adding additional freaks to your party, you’d somehow encounter a passably normal cleric. The way things were going, you’d need healing magic aplenty. You wouldn’t even be picky. You’d accept the first homely, but well-meaning priestess you encountered. While Alvin mends your injuries, you fill him in on the encounter at The Scrying Orb.“Well, I’m glad to see you prevailed.” He says. “This Gideon underestimated you, and it came at his own peril. I pity the next contenders that do the same. Will you still venture to Murillo’s Companions tomorrow?”>“Absolutely. I need more manpower.” Or at the very least, more people willing to take blows to the head for you like Adeline. As if she’d sensed you were thinking of her, the green knight approaches you warily.“Lord Tristain.” Adeline says. “If possible…would you allow me to accompany you to Morfis?”>“You want to come with me? That’s a surprise. You’re obviously good at what you do, but you’re a contender too. Technically, you and I are enemies. Are you sure you can trust me?”Adeline nods. “If you wanted me dead…you’d have done so already. You are a…crude man. One who does not settle for anything less than his way. But you are transparent. I believe that I can trust you, and continue to fight alongside you. At least until we reach the capital.”Adeline was a contender. Someone you might very well have to go up against in the future. It was likely that unlike May and Cassius, she would prioritize herself during the competition rather than you. Still, she was a reliable sort. And you doubted that she possessed the bones necessary for treachery. You could likely sleep easy around her.>A): Allow Adeline into the party.>B): Decline Adeline’s offer>C): Write-in
>>6108227>A): Allow Adeline into the party.
>>6108227>>A): Allow Adeline into the party.Suit yourself. I don't know how are you gonna compete against Tristan if it comes down to blows so what do we have to lose?
>>6108227>A): Allow Adeline into the party.Teaming up with people we'll have to have dramatic fights with later is a family tradition, don't you know?
>>6108227>A): Allow Adeline into the party.It's fire emblem! Gotta recruit ALL the potential party!
>>6108227>>A): Allow Adeline into the party.Worst comes to worst and she manages to get one over on us and win Yulia's hand...>>6101751>"...Were I to win…I would not mind if Princess Yulia took on a paramour.”We're in it more for the adventure, make a name for ourselves, and to lay a princess, which doesn't TECHNICALLY contradict Adeline winning. Now, I'm not saying that I want her to win or anything, but if she did manage to spin this into winning the competition we'd still come out ahead.Also>>6108225>“All done!” May skips towards you. Despite having not partaken in the fighting, she was still covered in blood from looting the fallen. For all her faults, you certainly couldn’t call her squeamish. “No sense in leaving the valuables here right? Let’s head back to the ship, boss.”>1600 gold obtained!MAY IS BEST GIRL!
>>6108227>B): Decline Adeline’s offer
>A): Allow Adeline into the party
>>6108227>>A): Allow Adeline into the party.
So how do the eugenics work for crest bearers? Two people with different crests can have children with both, then if two people who each have two different crests has children could one have a staggering FOUR crests?
>>6108486Generally, only one Crest is passed down, even if the parents possess two separate ones. It is exceedingly rare for someone to have more than one Crest. In recorded Fodlan history, only two people are known that did.Three Houses spoilers:Both were the result of experimentation, and not natural occurrences.
>>6108694I'd like to think that, presuming that we're not counted because we're not widely known yet, we're just built different. No experimentation, just miracle genetics and luck.
>>6108227>A): Allow Adeline into the party.She does appear to be more trustworthy than her father or whatever the actual relation to Count Rowe is. May happily looting dead bodies was also cute.
>>6108715We're not canon so we don't count :^)
>>6108227>Allow Adeline into the party.She seems like a good sort. What would be funny is if Tristain and Adeline end up falling for each other and decide to just dip together instead.
You know, I just realized from an outsiders PoV of this quest, the MC must seem like such OC powerwank to have two crests if they haven't read the first quest.
>>6108737There was a prequel quest?
>>6108745Have I got a quest for you, anon!https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Three%20Housestldr of the deal with Tristain, actual spoilers ahead Tristain is the son of Rex (Blair's adoptive brother) and Winona and has two Crests thanks to Agarthan shenanigans. After Rex's death, Blair takes in Winona and Tristain at the end of the quest and this quest is following a grown-up Tristain. RIP Rex x Bronte.
>>6108745Yeah, we played through Fire Emblem 3 Houses with our commoner MC
>>6108745It was a great Zero to Hero (well, Dark Flier in Blair's case) story. Well worth a read if you've got time.Also it's good to see you back Tree! I'll get to work finishing up Halloween Blair.
>>6108227>>B): Decline Adeline’s offer
>>6108745There is! It's not necessary to read Three Houses Quest to understand what's going on. We're on an entirely different continent with different rules. Those who did read it though may notice a thing or two.>>6108776Good to see you too Drawfren. Would love to see it once its done.
>>6108227>“Very well then. You’re welcome to come along, Adeline. Just don’t forget that I’m the one that calls the shots around here, understood?”Adeline nods. “I defer to your command, Lord Tristain.”>Adeline joined the party!>Adeline>Level 21 Armor KnightHP: 49/49 (90%)Strength: 21 (80%)Speed: 4 (20%)Defense: 21 (80%)Resistance: 0 (10%)Weapon: Steel Lance (+12 Attack)Skill: Guard Stance (Redirect attacks meant for an adjacent party member to yourself. Targeted party members will still counter attack.)Alvin finishes mending your wounds, and the night passes without any more incidents. Your party had grown considerably, but there was still more to do in Solis before venturing forth. Alvin had mentioned Murillo’s Companions as a place where you could attract potential mercenaries to join your cause. You wanted to stop by there and explore the possibility of winning more allies to your side. You awake the next morning bright and early, feeling refreshed. It almost felt like you hadn’t drank too much, nor taken several grievous wounds.Walking through Solis, you find that just like the previous night, everyone in your path steers clear of you. Evidently word had already gotten around about your encounter with Gideon, and you were rightfully seen as a dangerous threat both by other contenders, as well as the locals. Murillo’s Companions lies on the opposite end of where The Scrying Orb was, so you are fortunate enough to not need to return to the scene of last night’s escapades. The building where the caravan guards reside is large and ornate in design. It takes up the entire plaza it resides in, which is clean and lush with greenery. You could tell just from their domain that these were no ordinary sellswords. They must have been the best Solis had to offer. You and your companions enter the establishment. The inside is large, and the walls are lined with mounted weapons, colorful paintings and stuffed heads. Some of these were the bones of animals, but the largest amongst them were something else. Likely the remains of Terrors that had been turned into trophies. There were four people inside.A grizzled, older gentleman with gray hair and the dark complexion of the desert sits behind a large desk in the center of the room. At his side is another man sharing the same skin tone. In his hands was a sharp looking curved sword with a jeweled pommel. Together, they were staring at two other men standing before them. One was a tired looking knight with shaggy blonde hair and a wicked scar across his eye. The other was…“By the Goddess! As I live and breathe…is that really you, Tristan?!”Elric von Boramus. Scion of the county of Boramus, which happened to be Rusalka’s neighbor. He was a few years your junior, and from what you could always remember, an annoying little twerp with far too much enthusiasm.
>>6108971Elric floats towards you, enveloping you in a one-sided hug that was far too familiar for your liking. He’d often played visitor to Castle Rusalka, following the Weaver Trio along like a lost puppy. He was head over heels for Bronte’s younger sister, Lila. That wasn’t what made seeing him here strange though. What made it strange was that, from what you could tell, Elric had absolutely zero talent or ability when it came to combat. There was no one on Fodlan you could think of who should be in Morfis less than he.“It’s so nice to see you again, Tristan!” Elric bleats happily. “It’s so funny, I’d just heard the strangest rumor that you were here in Solis!”>“Oh yeah? Did it happen to involve me and a certain Alexander Gideon?”Elric laughs. “Yes! Just so, cousin! Just so!”>“We aren’t cousins, Elric. And what are you even doing here? This isn’t a vacation you know? If you heard about what’s happened to Gideon, then you know this is no place for fun and games.” Though you’d be lying if you didn’t have at least a little bit of fun.“I’m here as a contender!” Elric says. “I’m going to win Princess Yulia’s hand!”>“What the hell are you talking about? Didn’t you just hear what I said?”“Oh Tristain, you haven’t changed a bit. Thinking you can just come in and…whoosh!” Elric pantomimes an axe swinging through the air. “Chop all your problems away! But don’t underestimate me. It will take more than brute strength to win this competition. The people of Morfis are a civilized bunch. They are scholars, poets, and artisans. They would not choose their King with a mere…martial competition!”>“Are you sure? Because the letter seemed quite clear on that part.”“The letter claimed that only the most “true and valiant” would win. And what do the Morfisians value as true and valiant? The scholarly pursuits, of course. Only one who has studied the philosophical texts and very nature of the world can hope to stand on an even playing field with the queen of this advanced nation. I daresay, that is who will win this competition. The esteemed, Intellectual Warrior!”“Ahh!” May yelps with a panic. “Boss, is he right? You won’t stand a chance if so!”>“Of course he’s not right!” You snarl, restraining yourself from shaking the girl. “Besides, if you really believed that Elric, why bring Cuthbert along?” You ask, gesturing to the man escorting the young lord. Cuthbert was Elric’s bodyguard, and was never too far out of his sight. He was a horrifically surly man, who seemed to constantly look as though he’d rather be anywhere else in the world than where he presently was. That being said, the man was a decently strong Halberdier, and a veteran of the Unification War.“Oh, hello Lord Tristan.” Cuthbert says, snapping out of his daydream.
>>6108972“Unfortunately, I’m all too aware of the dangers the desert poses.” Elric says. “As well as the threat of the other contenders who don’t share my viewpoint. So, the ever-faithful Cuthbert is here to provide protection. But seeing as this task may be too much for one man to handle, I’ve decided to enlist the aid of good Murillo and his men here.” He gestures towards the two desert-dwellers, who had been standing behind the desk and listening this entire time.“You’re the one that axed that lord and his men last night?” Murillo, the elder gentleman asks through squinted eyes. “I saw them carting him and his boys out this morning. That was some nasty work. You’re telling me just you four did that?”>“Mostly me, but yes.” You answer. “I’m also here to acquire aid. I assure you that unlike Elric here, I won’t waste you and your men’s time.”Murillo chuckles. “That’s all well and good, but you two ain’t the first ones to have the idea. Been a bunch of Fodlan lords coming in here asking us for help. That’s not to mention all our regular merchant customers who still need support to get through the desert unharmed. These days, we’ve got more work than we can handle. I’ve only got one sword available right now who hasn’t lent himself out yet, and he’s standing right next to me. Unfortunately, he’s a bit of what you would call the choosy type.”>You address the swordsman. “Name your price, Sir…”“Nestor.” The man says with a sly grin. “And price means nothing to me. What I seek is far greater than mere gold. I seek a champion worthy of fighting for. A king that will truly strive to make Morfis all that it can be. I will serve nothing less.”>“Great, that will save me some money. Grab your things and come along.”“Lord Nestor!” Elric interjects. “Your words have moved me! I can see that you are truly someone who cares about the future of your people. You seek a greater meaning in life. Let us find that together! Come, join me in my quest for Princess Yulia’s hand! WIth your sword, nothing will stand in the way of our destiny!”Nestor does not say anything, but merely strokes his chin as he studies both you and Elric deeply. What could he possibly have to think about? There’s no way that half-assed speech had him seriously considering joining this little shit over you!>A): Make your own attempt at an impassioned speech. (LCK Roll: 12% chance to succeed)>B): Tell Nestor about how you’d already slain a crew of pirates, as well as Gideon and his men>C): Show Nestor one of your Crests>D): Leave it to chance, and see what the man decides>E): Write-in
>>6108974>>B): Tell Nestor about how you’d already slain a crew of pirates, as well as Gideon and his menAlvin did say he's friends with this company so telling how we helped him out should be a point in our favor.
>>6108974>E): Write-in>"If you're looking for a strong king that can keep Morfis safe then I'm your man. I've already killed a crew of pirates on the journey here and taken care of that Lord Gideon after he jumped my party 3-to-1. If you're looking for a scholar, you'll want Elric over there. He's smart, but no warrior." You shrug. If you're not the type of king that he wants, then you're not the type of king that he wants. You're not one for deception, intentional or accidental. Besides, you won't be at too much of a loss without him, and if he prefers Elric, the poor lad needs the protection. You might not like him that much, but the idea of some asshat like Gideon killing him doesn't sit right with you.
>>6108974Gonna +1 >>6108997 here. If we win we win. If not, oh well.
>>6108997Yeah, this sounds fair. +1.
>>6108974>>6108997Supporting.
>>6108974>E): Write-in"Civilized people have chosen their Kings with martial competitions throughout all time Elric. By War. If this country needed a scholar king theres an entire College of Sorcery, and if reason was the key to take and hold a country we wouldnt both be in Murillo's looking for sword valor, there wouldnt be some Cult of the Snake in this land either. This whole competition is different because this Princess Yulia needs something different.""Every great kingdom was built on heaps of bodies and ambitions, but I don't want to see yours among them. Whatever changed to make you give up on Lila and come here rethink it with that good head of yours. In the meanwhile if you're determined to continue you might as well come with me, atleast until we reach the Capital."
>>6108974>>6108997+1Very fair.
>>6108974>>A): Make your own attempt at an impassioned speech. (LCK Roll: 12% chance to succeed)Gambler anons let's fucking go
>>6108997+1
>>6108997Sounds good.
>>6108974>>6108997>"If you're looking for a strong king that can keep Morfis safe then I'm your man. I've already killed a crew of pirates on the journey here and taken care of Lord Gideon after he jumped my party 3-to-1. If you're looking for a scholar, you'll want Elric over there. He's smart, but he’s no warrior." You shrug. If you're not the type of king that he wants, then you're not the type of king that he wants. You're not one for deception, intentional or accidental. Besides, you won't be at too much of a loss without him, and if he prefers Elric, the poor lad needs the protection. You might not like him that much, but the idea of some asshat like Gideon killing him doesn't sit right with you.Nestor contemplates your words thoughtfully, and for a second you believe to have won the man over to your cause. However, when he crosses over the bar and bows towards Elric, you realize that you have failed to sway him. “Allow me to lend you my sword, Lord Elric. You both have made compelling cases, but I believe that you are the one that can truly lead Morfis in these troubled times, where cultists and Terrors run amok. I would be honored to serve by your side, valiant scholar.”Elric’s eyes light up upon hearing Nestor’s words. “Thank you, good sir! With you by my side, victory is all but assured!” He claps his hands, before turning towards you smugly. “Don’t feel too bad, Lord Tristain. You gave it your best shot, but like I said, this competition is a battle of ideals more so than it is arms. Still, I would not turn away a dear friend. Perhaps you and your companions would like to join me as well? I would certainly love to have your axe-”>“Go away, Elric.” You groan. Whatever. The swordsman looked tough, but it was no major loss. You’d just have to kill a few extra people to make up for his share.“My Lord Elric.” Nestor says. “If you would allow it, I have many close friends who also wish to fight for a brighter Morfis. They currently reside not too far from here, waiting for a champion worthy of serving. If you’d like, I can take you to them. Each one is as dedicated a man as I, and will certainly make for excellent traveling companions.”“More friends?!” Elric says, eyes gleaming. “Yes of course! Take me to them at once!”Something about that struck you as odd. You look towards Cuthbert to see if the bodyguard had also picked up on anything, but he still wore that blank, expressionless look on his face. Had he even been paying attention? “Farewell, Lord Tristain.” Elric says, giving you a bow. “I should look forward to matching wits with you out there in Morfis. But, if you should choose to give up the chase and return to Rusalka, please give my best to Lady Lila.” With that, he, Cuthbert, and Nestor walk out of the shop.
>>6109705“Hehehe.” Murillo chuckles from behind the counter. “What a strange kid, with even stranger ideas in his head at that. I wouldn’t worry about him too much. I have a feeling he won’t be leaving Solis anytime soon. Looks like that’s another contender down the drain.”>“What are you implying?” You ask Murillo through squinted eyes.“Hmm? Oh nothing. Like I said, just a hunch is all.” Murillo smiles. “Word is already traveling fast about you, my lord. You’re Tristain, right? I heard all about a red-haired giant coming to Solis aboard Captain Alvin’s ship, the ‘Morfisian Rose’. If you’re his friend, I’d be happy to see if I can pull back some other sellswords to join you. Might take a while though, but I’m sure I can work something out. We always do right by the College here at Murillo’s Companions.”>A): Take up Murillo on his offer to find you sellswords.>B): Press Murillo to tell you what is about to happen to Elric. (STR+LCKx2: 74% chance to succeed)>C): Tell May to follow Elric and his group, and then report back.>D): For some reason, you don’t trust this place. Walk out.>E): Write-in
>>6109708>C): Tell May to follow Elric and his group, and then report back.Very Creepy. So much for ‘only one left’….Let’s continue our streak of altruism, yeah?
>>6109708>>C): Tell May to follow Elric and his group, and then report back.I SMELL A SNAKE
>>6109708>C): Tell May to follow Elric and his group, and then report back.Any chance we can find a healer at the tavern or something?
>>6109708>C): Tell May to follow Elric and his group, and then report back.>E): Write-inAsk about Alvin. Murillo has implied he works for, or is part of, the College.
>>6109708>B): Press Murillo to tell you what is about to happen to Elric. (STR+LCKx2: 74% chance to succeed)The odds seem worth chancing
>>6109708>>6109773Supporting.Now does seem like a good time to ask about Alvin. He did say that he knew Murillo, who's obviously suspicious, and Alvin is rather pale for a Morfisian.
>>6109708>>B): Press Murillo to tell you what is about to happen to Elric. (STR+LCKx2: 74% chance to succeed)
>>6109708>B): Press Murillo to tell you what is about to happen to Elric. (STR+LCKx2: 74% chance to succeed)
>>6109708Supporting >>6109773 , because this is a good point. We don't really know much about Alvin outside of what he's told us.
C wins. Writing
>>6109708You didn’t really care much for Elric, but something was certainly going on with these sellswords, and you were curious to find out what. You make a gesture towards May, who is able to seamlessly pick up on your intended meaning. She excuses herself from the conversation and steps outside Murillo’s Companions. You have no doubt that she will easily be able to tail Elric and his crew and report back on their whereabouts. In the meantime, you turn back towards the sellsword captain, engaging him in conversation.>“Alvin is a recent friend, yes, though I can’t say I know too much about him. What do you mean exactly when you refer to the College?”“Ahh, forgive me. I refer to the Royal College of Sorcery of course.” Murillo answers. “Those fancy sorcerers that reside in the CIty of Morfis. They are the major governing body of our country, second only to Princess Yulia herself. Their leaders possess the blood of our great Sorcerer King, though they do not share the same direct line as the Princess. Mages from all over the country enlist in the College, seeking to further enhance their talent and serve the nation. In this, the College acts as both a place of learning, as well as a political organization.”>“Alvin is a part of this college?”“Aye, he is. I understand you are not a local, but if you were, you would be able to tell right away at a mere glance. He has the same pale complexion all those bookish sorcerers do, locked in their gilded towers away from the blazing heat of the sun. Mages that reside in the City of Morfis are exempt from any sort of hard or manual labor, allowing them free reign to pursue their scholarly endeavors. It sounds like a good life, eh? Almost enough to make a man like me jealous. But that’s just the way things are I suppose.”>“Is that so? Alvin seems to be hard at work going back and forth between Fodlan.”“He’s a special sort, that one.” Murillo says. “Unlike the rest of his peers, he gets his hands dirty. Now that relations with Fodlan have softened, someone needs to serve as an intermediary. More importantly, someone has to oversee all the trading that’s going on. Fodlan has resources that we in the desert could only dream of! If the College trusts Alvin to handle the matter, then that speaks volumes about his character. A few of my men have served as caravan guards for his return trips to the capital, and they all say good things as well.”>“He did mention I should mention his name if I stopped by here.”“It probably would have done you a great deal of good if you’d shown up yesterday.” Murillo smirks. “Nestor wouldn’t have dared play his little game with you if he knew you were Alvin’s friend. Though in the end, it didn’t really matter. After hearing about what you did to that foreign lord and his men, Nestor would not want to tangle with you anyway.”>“Game?”
>>6110351“Boss!” The doors swing open. May has returned, panting heavily as she tries to catch her breath. “I followed them all the way to a strange building a few streets away from here! The three of them went inside. I tried to follow, but a large man guarding the entrance wanted me to pay him 75 gold…and well I thought that was rather expensive…but I got the name of the place!” She beams happily. “The building was called the Jewel of the Desert!”>“What is that?”“A brothel.” Cassius says. “A pretty nice one too. Not that I’ve ever been.”>“Explain.” You glare towards Murillo. He was a tough man, honed by years of fighting against man and beast underneath the hot desert sun. That being said, his warrior days were long over, and he was in no rush to get into a confrontation with you. He relents all too quickly.“They’re going to rob him.” Murillo says. “Nestor’s done this with three other foreigners already. They ply them with drink and women, and then steal their gold right from under them. Given that all your lords tend to be wealthy and loaded with gifts for the Princess, you can imagine that this has become quite the profitable endeavor.”>“Are they going to kill him?” You ask.“They haven’t killed anyone yet.” Murillo shrugs. “Usually the lords wake up out in the gutter, stripped of their gold and, in some cases, their pants. After an experience like that, they seem to be pretty eager to go back to Fodlan with due haste.”A matter of conscience has suddenly sprung up on you. Perhaps among your least favorite matters to deal with. On one hand, you didn’t care much for Elric, who was technically an opposing contender. An experience like this might serve as a valuable lesson for him. On the other hand, he was still a family friend. You also didn’t care much for Murillo’s vagueness on whether or not they’d kill him. Cuthbert was there, and if he caught on to what was happening, it was possible there’d be a few corpses littering the brothel floor by the end of the night. You look towards your companions for some sort of guidance.“The poor boy.” Adeline says softly. “We should come to his aid. He has no idea he’s walking into a trap.”“Not Tristain’s problem!’ May says. “Besides, 75 gold a head means we’d have to pay 300 gold to get in there! Maybe even 375 if Cassius had to summon his Phantom…”“Perhaps this may serve as an enlightening experience for you on Morfis and its varied culture?” Cassius offers. You were not sure if he was being serious, or if he just wanted to go.>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)>B): Not your problem…
>>6110353>>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)brothel you say? why, that's no place for a cute little nerd. we gotta do what we gotta do!
>>6110353>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)BROTHEL FIGHT BROTHEL FIGHTI bet that gold hilted bedazzled sword would be worth a pretty penny. Though even if it didnt turn into a fight perhaps May could recoup those losses, in courtesan silk outfits. Might even find a nice courtesan lady character
>>6110353>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)Cassius has a good point.On a serious note, 300 gold doesn't seem to be that much, and even if it doesn't end in a fight, we still have that Red Gem that we can sell.
>>6110353>>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)
>>6110353>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)I mean we can just only pay for ourselves, I mean, what are a few prostitutes gonna do to Tristain anyways? Haha... Watch them all be mages who burn us alive in one turn.
>>6110353>>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)"We still come out ahead and, to be honest... I'm curious myself."
>>6110353>A): Head to the Jewel of the Desert (2100g available)Let's go save the nerd.
>>6110353>B): Not your problem…However, seeing as we're going to rescue him from robbers I would hope they would be carrying over 300g and therefore capable of reimbursing us.
>>6110353Like it or not, your conscience demanded that you head to this brothel and ensure that Elric was okay. You and your companions make your leave and head for the “Jewel of the Desert”. May leads the way down several streets, and you soon find yourself outside the establishment. The building looks grander than many of the others in this corner, and you can hear music and loud chatter coming from within. You’d never been to a brothel before. You simply never had any reason to. Something about this seemed embarrassing though, as if you were worried that Princess Yulia or even Bronte would hear that you came to this place. Heroes of your caliber never visited brothels. It was simply unheard of!A gruff man wielding a large club stands outside the establishment, eyeing you and your group carefully. “75 gold a head to enter. No refunds.”You grumble as you pay the man 300 gold. For that cost, Elric had better be in mortal danger. (1800g left)As you move to make your way inside, the bouncer holds out a meaty arm, blocking your passage. “No weapons inside.” He says.Unbelievable. You unstrap the Steel Axe from your back and place the hefty weapon in the bouncer’s hands. Your companions do the same with their weapons, with May taking the longest amount of time to disarm. For such a tiny, compact little thing, she sure knew how to hide several daggers on her person. Once you and your companions are made adequately toothless, you are finally granted access to the Jewel of the Desert.The second you walk inside, you are greeted by a mixture of pleasant aromas. The scent of perfume is thick in the air, as is the smell of roasted meat cooking over an open fire. The Jewel of the Desert is packed to the brim with people. Scantily clad women service their clientele, each of whom are lost in a sea of revelry. As you scan the crowd for Elric, a woman brushes up against your side, running a hand across your chest.“Hey handsome.” The Morfisian woman coos in your ear. “Never seen one as tall as you before. And with such a fiery mane of hair, too. Are you in need of some company?”Before you can respond, May peels the woman off you. “Hey, hands off hussy! We’re on important business here!”With a scoff, the woman leaves you.“This is a…degenerate place.” Adeline says. “Let us not tarry too long here.”“Don’t be too hasty.” Cassius replies, watching the woman walk off. “There could be plenty of important information here. I suggest we do a thorough examination of the surroundings. Nothing less than several hours of research until we’re sure we haven’t missed anything.”“Another round of drinks on the young lord!” You hear someone from behind you shout. Several cheers erupt from a crowded table, packed with both clientele as well as brothel women. Sitting at the center of the table is Elric, with Nestor right alongside him.
>>6111048Having found your man, you march up to the table. Cuthbert is standing at a distance, watching the events before him unfold. >“Surely even you have figured out what’s going on here.” You say to the bodyguard. “Are you really going to stand by and watch this happen?”Cuthbert shrugs his soldiers. “The young lord has forbidden me from interfering. He told me to…let loose. So, here I am.” As if to prove the point, he takes a sip from a drink in his hand. Despite his orders, he still looks as miserable as ever. With a groan, you push past the man to stand before Elric and his table. Both him and Nestor notice you immediately.“Ahh~ Cousin!” Elric says with a big grin. His cheeks are bright red and flush, and he was clearly hammered. “I’m so glad to see you again! D-did you decide that you wanted to join up with me? Look at all the friends I made! Together we’ll be *hiccup* unstoppable!”>“I think you’ve had too much to drink, Elric. Maybe it would be best for you to depart from this place and find a warm bed.” You say, doing your best to ignore the ogling eyes of the brothel women sitting at the table. “Lord Tristain, please.” Nestor says, holding a hand out. “Lord Elric is more than capable of handling his liquor. I’ve only known him for a brief moment, but I can tell his fortitude is second to none.”“T-that’s right!” Elric says, almost toppling over the table.“Please, do not worry about him.” Nestor continues. “I will make sure no harm comes to our champion. Now, if that is all you came here to say, I would ask that you please leave the premises. You are, after all, an enemy contender. And we are here currently discussing strategy for the competition.”>“Doesn’t look like much strategy to me.” You say. “To me it looks like you’re trying to get him wasted so that you can rob him blind.”Several of the men and women at the table share a glance with each other. You can see bodies shuffling, and hands reaching into pockets. You don’t need to imagine that they’re reaching for daggers. Interestingly enough, you notice that Nestor’s sword is still at his side. Looks like not everyone is forced to disarm upon entering this den.“That’s a very serious accusation, Lord Tristain.” Nestor says, doing his best to look taken aback. “Do you have any proof to back this claim up?”>A): Murillo already told me what you’re up to. Don’t try to pretend.>B): You heard what I did last night, didn’t you? Do you really think standing in my way is wise? (LCK+STR x2 Roll: 74% chance to succeed)>C): I challenge you to a duel, Nestor. Winner takes the boy. I don’t even need my axe for this.
>>6111049>A): Murillo already told me what you're up to. Don't try to pretend.We've no reason to lie, but we've no reason to risk Elric getting caught in the crossfire.
>>6111057Ya know you say that but I think that option leads to a full on tumble in the brothel, and not the good kind. The duel would just be a 1v1 or Nestor, a mercenary who needs to earn by his sword and balls, looks weak. Plus intimidate means they back off if roll good.
>>6111049>C): I challenge you to a duel, Nestor. Winner takes the boy. I don’t even need my axe for this.It'd be cathartic to incinerate him with our magic or to beat him to death with our bare hands. We probably should ask Cassius first if there would be any consequences for outright killing a Morfisian.We've already called Nestor out, and unless he thinks we only followed him on a hunch, he should know that Murillo told us what's happening. With how the day's been wasted so far and how Nestor is still playing with us, I'd rather Tristian get some release.
>>6111049>>B): You heard what I did last night, didn’t you? Do you really think standing in my way is wise? (LCK+STR x2 Roll: 74% chance to succeed)
>>6111049>C): I challenge you to a duel, Nestor. Winner takes the boy. I don’t even need my axe for this.Bloody stupid, this is
>>6111049>D): Pick Elric up and leaveFuck arguing with scum like Nestor, we're taking Elric out back and dunking him face first in a barrel of cold water so he sobers up.Cuthbert really doing a real piss poor job of keeping his lord safe here.
>>6111180Cuthbert playing smarter not harder. Eric loses all his money and his ambition to be here, they beg and promise for a ride back to Fodlan, Alric is back home safely.
>>6111049>>C): I challenge you to a duel, Nestor. Winner takes the boy. I don’t even need my axe for this.
>>6111049>B): You heard what I did last night, didn’t you? Do you really think standing in my way is wise? (LCK+STR x2 Roll: 74% chance to succeed)
