>>6421671

Closing your eyes, you forgot to breathe. Your hand left the hilt of your sword as you finally took a deep breath. She was here, wasn't she?

“It's been a while.” You heard her voice to say behind you. “You have…”

She stopped as you raised your hand up to silence her.

“How many years has it been?” You faintly asked.

“Too many.” Was her answer.

You couldn't fight against the tears any longer and turned around. She just stood there, your older sister Beve Perenolde. With just a couple steps you reached her, wrapping your arms around her and pressing your head against her shoulder.

“There there…” Beve whispered as you kept sobbing.

Gently she held you there as you fought against the tears, slowly they started to dry and with another deep breath you got them back under control and you let go of her.

“What took you so long?” You asked her and continued. “And look at you, you haven't aged at all. Just wearing all black.”

Beve was wearing waist high black trousers tucked into knee high boots. The long sleeved black shirt and gloves hid the rest of her skin. Her long smooth black hair cascaded down her shoulders and a golden amulet with a blue gem rested on her chest. She looked quite like you, just a tad older.

“You know I couldn't just come here.” She lamented. “And I was going to say, you have grown. You have grown to be a handsome young man.”

“I am going to go and wake up the others…” You started to say.

“No!” Beve raised her voice and grabbed your hand. “They cannot know, no one else needs to know. Lord Falconcrest has no idea that I am here.”

“But…”

“No buts!” Beve finished. “It is already too dangerous for me to come here.”

“Can I even…”

“No, not even to your loved one.” She said and you had to relent.

“You know about Malevus?” You asked and were a bit baffled.

“Of course I do, the older sister knows about these sorts of things.” Beve said and smiled. “I watched her work earlier today, she is beautiful.”

It was Beve's turn to take a deep breath and the smile on her face disappeared.

“Alric, as much as I would love to ask you all the questions in the world, but my time is short.” She said.

“Right right, I don't want you to go either.” You replied.

“Lord Falconcrest's warning was meant to be public, he did it as a favour to me and for himself and he did not lie.” Beve spoke to you. “The Syndicate is in a precarious position, one wrong move from any of us and we could have a civil war in our hands.”

“That is why you are against the mission Eligius and Pai are on? To avoid the spark that would ignite the conflict.” You replied.

1/2

>>6421672

“Yes, that is why I pushed for the truce. The Syndicate needs to concentrate on itself and not on any outside threats, as long as that happens, everyone is more careful and avoids making the wrong moves.” She said and continued. “I am very happy King Terenas took the truce and you must have pushed for it. We need that time, all of us to get ready and be prepared for what is to come.”

“What are you even planning?” You asked.

Beve looked into your eyes and was silent for a second before she spoke.

“Fratricide.” She said.


>Beve is planning to kill Aliden? What has pushed her to it? Why hasn't she already done it?
>Eligius and Pai succeeding ruins her plans? Getting Alicia into safety is of utmost importance.
>What of Lord Creedy or Lord Falconcrest? How do they fit into this puzzle?
>Beve asked Falconcrest to deliver the message, what is her connection with him? Why would he do it for her?
>What can you do to help her?
>Other, write in

QM: 40 threads! What an accomplishment, I am feeling really happy for us to have gotten this far and I couldn't have done it without you my beautiful anons.

So as always, if you have any questions about the Quest, the characters, events or about me the QM, go ahead and ask them. I will try to answer them without revealing too much of what is to come.

File: 1780112172808816.png (2.94 MB, 1770x2536)

2.94 MB PNG

>>6421673
>Beve is planning to kill Aliden? What has pushed her to it? Why hasn't she already done it?
Well it was Aliden's suspected letter saying that as long as we didn't cross the border into Alterac proper we wouldn't be killed. But ofc we are going to so unless hes not a man of his word it is rather a one or the other kind of situation for Beve.

>Eligius and Pai succeeding ruins her plans? Getting Alicia into safety is of utmost importance.
How are they ruining her plans?

>What of Lord Creedy or Lord Falconcrest? How do they fit into this puzzle?
Does she really need Creedy alive, or just not killed by Eligius and Pai? Which pretty much just leaves Falconcrest who is openly feuding with Aliden.

>Beve asked Falconcrest to deliver the message, what is her connection with him? Why would he do it for her?
Why trust that you can ask favors of Faloncrest. As far as Alric is aware he was the main target at the Durnholde Winter Party, and by more than just one faction. Not to mention several fights lol.


>Other, write in
"I would never know the color of the rose under your magic. What if Creedy were a rose."

If few know where Creedy truly is how will most people know he is really dead and not some doppelganger stand in. As long as all the right people disappear with help, etc.. What if this is her chance to take over his faction. At the very least I want to hear if and why it couldn't happen like that. Especially given that they both think Eligius and Pai mission is basically not going to be stopped.


>What can you do to help her?
Very tentative, depending on what she has to say to other stuff. Plus I'm curious what she would ask for which could also tell us something.

>>6421673
>>Beve is planning to kill Aliden? What has pushed her to it? Why hasn't she already done it?
>>Eligius and Pai succeeding ruins her plans? Getting Alicia into safety is of utmost importance.
>>What of Lord Creedy or Lord Falconcrest? How do they fit into this puzzle?

>>6421758
Happy 40th my fellow

>>6421673
Oh right I did think of something the other day. Do Dark Irons have rune magic? Or have they given that up in favor of any other sorceries. Could be nice if the next influx of Dark Irons had someone who could make runes.

>>6421764
Happy 40th thread as well fellow anon !

>>6421673
>>Beve is planning to kill Aliden? What has pushed her to it? Why hasn't she already done it?
>Beve asked Falconcrest to deliver the message, what is her connection with him? Why would he do it for her?
>Eligius and Pai succeeding ruins her plans? Getting Alicia into safety is of utmost importance.

Glad you have made it this far Medivh, not many do.
I admire your dedication.

Happy anniversary my dear MedivhQM. Greta achievement and I enjoy this quest very much.
>>6421673
Firstly, what does she see as the civil war's triggers..
-Alric and his merry party running through Syndicate/Lordaeron territory?
-Alicia's abduction away from Creedy?
-The Alliance at large
-Some other existential threat like.. Orcs, Trolls, a Scourge?

What are the stakes of this civil war?
Will it end with the heads of the Syndicate leaders (Creedy? Aliden?), or will it spill over into this Alterac princedom or the Alliance?
Does Alric really care if it's an internal issue then? Sounds like dearest elder brother and sister have made their own beds.

What does she expect Alric to do about it?
Ignoring little innocent sister and letting her be a hostage and caught up in this war soon won't fly, and Beve's reassurances are moot.

For all her schemes and power, she cannot even keep ogres out of the capital.
TL;DR, she is shown to be ineffective and unable to keep the peace in her own backyard, why does Alric care for her schemes to protect Alicia, why would Alric support her?

>Also Kris Legace is awesome, you should give her a raise sis.
>Give FC sword training before he gets beaten -again- by Alric or Malevus. kek
>Eligius and Pai succeeding ruins her plans? Getting Alicia into safety is of utmost importance.

>>6422000
Just my thoughts

I believe Beve sees Alric's team killing Creedy as the main trigger. Stealing Alicia, she is the hostage that maintain the balance of the factions. I'm pretty sure Aliden gave Alicia to Creedy, if you make peace with someone giving them a hostage is the general practice I believe. Then as I see it the dominoes start falling.

Honour would dictate that Aliden and his Perenolde Loyalists Faction will have to take action against Creedy Faction (or formerly his if dead) for failing to protect Alicia as agreed, or he would lose face. So that would be Aliden going after a bunch of Creedy's stuff which he might want anyways to consolidate his power before someone else grabs them, and he might come into conflict with the Warlocks who are working with Creedy. Or with Falconcrest. I can hardly imagine a messier conflict than a bunch of angry unchecked warlocks in Strahnbrad City, next to a bunch of ogres and kobolds and Blackrock Orcs oh my.

But we also have the people who would want to strike against Alric for killing a Syndicate Lord. Not everyone wants to kill a Perenolde Prince such as the loyalists, Beve, and Aliden or Falconcrest (Beve's secret husband) up to a certain point. Anyone who thinks Creedy got what was coming to him for various assassination attempts. People who think there are bigger fish to fry like the actual Alliance or their own business ventures. These are some considerable grievances at odds with one another which could start quite a few fights and then more as it spreads, which it will as I see it.

Their entire plot centers on overthrowing the kingdoms to set the stage for a return of the Alterac Kingdom. If they took over Alterac now then the Alliance would come in and knock it down just like they did before. So presumably they have several plots already in motion to be activated on command, which the surge of syndicate forces Legace noticed in Stromgarde might indicate.

They have their tentacles, perhaps literally in the warlocks case, in quite a bit. Nobles, officers and merchants, anyone they could blackmail or coerce into action. Favors called in. Smugglers in who knows how many kingdoms. Mercs. Bandit gangs. City street gangs. Whatever it takes to actually bring down a kingdom. People agreed to leave the Capital City refugees numbering tens of thousands alone, but if agreements are torn up?

If everyone agreed the Truce is broken thats probably the time to hit the Alliance as well, a preemptive strike before they can do some damage? I'll admit that really depends on how they think. Success in destroying a kingdom could be the rallying cry that many Syndicate would flock to, which is a strong motivator for a lot of their actions so far. Get enough people and the other factions are also boned.

Of the entire family I'm pretty sure Alric loves Beve the most. Civil war is probably death, especially as she will also have to choose between Aliden and her husband Falconcrest.

>>6422014
>Their entire plot centers on overthrowing the kingdoms to set the stage for a return of the Alterac Kingdom. If they took over Alterac now then the Alliance would come in and knock it down just like they did before. So presumably they have several plots already in motion to be activated on command, which the surge of syndicate forces Legace noticed in Stromgarde might indicate.

Lapse in my memory that I forgot about the guys in Stromgarde or Capitol City. Makes a lot of sense that they're a sleeper cell.
Maybe the same with the former Alteracis in Southshore that Alric was dealing with and who stabbed Beric - Colonel Kavdan and Sergeant Benedict?

>Sergeant Benedict
Benedict is a large man with grey short hair and a burly moustache who previously served Kavdan. Now serving Alric Perenolde as a sergeant within his military. He is a thug through and through.
Uh oh. We now got a guy to investigate as part of Falconcrest's entrance.

>>6422025
No worries. Its a lot of strings to keep track of. Good opportunity to refresh my self as well.

>former Alteracis in Southshore
Hmm could be. There was a lot of Syndicate action in Southshore. Dream Dust dealer warlocks. Alteracis in the slums is a ripe target. The RD stationed there for them to infiltrate. Reginald didn't trust the local messenger system or even to send it with anyone else but Alric on a boat.

Surely not Benedict! Good ol Sergeant Benedict Arnold, no one would ever question his loyalty lol

“Hold on, fratri… are you planning on killing Aliden!” You asked and raised your voice a bit.

“He has… I don't know how to put it…” Beve started to speak.

“Start from the beginning, why would Eligius and Pai ruin all of this? Why would you even think about killing our brother?” You said and couldn't really believe what she had just told you.

“Lord Creedy has Alicia as his insurance, as his hostage. He loses her and suddenly he is weakest of the three factions. He has everything to lose. If he lashes out at Aliden, Falconcrest will see his opening to take Creedy out. If he lashes out at Falconcrest, Aliden removes Creedy as there's enough bad blood to fill Darrowmere between those two.” Beve told you and continued. “If Creedy is dead, his supporters will flock to Falconcrest who is…”

“Who is what?” You asked.

“He is young, very ambitious and hungry for power. If Falconcrest finds himself to be the strongest, he will deal with Aliden himself.” Beve told you.

“Isn't that your goal? To kill him?” You asked her back.

“Falconcrest cannot be the man who leads the Syndicate. He is too careless, you have seen how he does his operations. I have told him many times to temper his head, but without success.” Beve lamented.

“He nearly killed me with the poison…”

“I know…” Beve whispered back. “But Falconcrest, he can't lead us. His Syndicate would be strong and active, too strong for our neighbours. King Terenas wouldn't wait and he would just send Lord Uther and Silver Hand to destroy Alterac once more.”

“Uther has retired.” You said.

“Wait what? When?” Beve asked.

“In Stormwind, he used the last of his political capital, and chose to retire, leaving things for our generation.” You explained.

“I-I did not know that.”

“I invited him to Dawnholme.” You said.

“You did? But he…”

“Yes, he destroyed Alterac, but Lord Uther is someone whom I can trust. He is a good man.” You told her.

“I will take your word for it then.” Beve said and seemed unsure.

“So it has to be you?” You asked her.

1/3

>>6422231

“Perenolde killing a Perenolde, well it wouldn't look like that, he would die in a way that cannot be connected to me. Creedy would stay put as he would still have Alicia, Falconcrest wouldn't dare to act against me.” Beve told you. “I would have the men loyal to Aliden with me, I am a Princess after all, heir to the throne and not some Princeling beyond the mountains… besides…”

“Besides what?” You asked.

Beve shifted a little and pinched the bridge of her nose, it was her from which you had gotten that habit.

“He is my husband.” Beve said and sighed.

“Hold on.”

“Alric…”

“Your husband.”

“Little brother…”

“He tried to poison me and has tried to kill me a couple times since then. He tried to kill Malevus”

“I know!” Beve raised her voice again.

This time it was your turn to pinch the bridge of your nose.

“Alright so let me get this straight. You need the stability and balance from the truce to prevent the Syndicate civil war that seems to have just bad options available. Creedy dying would lead to Falconcrest winning in the end and that would be bad.” You said.

“I know my husband.” Beve said.

“Then why can't Aliden win? Why can't you just deal with Falconcrest somehow?” You asked.

“Because I haven't gotten close to Aliden in over a year. He has surrounded himself with ‘advisors’ and warlocks. We are only communicating through letters that are all opened nowadays.” Beve told you and lamented. “Hence I need the time to get everything ready, to even get close to him. I might be the spymaster of the Syndicate, but even I have my limits and Aliden, he has been needing me less and less lately.”

“And Aliden winning?”

“He would declare himself the King, but unlike Falconcrest he knows how to be careful. He would manage, he would plot and survive.” Beve said.

“But then why kill him? It can't be just warlocks, you have met Eligius and know about Wanz.”

“Because I fear it is either you or him.” Beve replied quickly. “Think about it. Creedy and Falconcrest keep up the balance by being threats against him, if they are gone who will remain? You.”

“And you as well.”

“He knows I would side with you in a heartbeat. He knows… how much I love my little brother, more than I do him.” Beve said and swallowed. “He would find a way to get rid of me.”

“Beve…”

2/3

>>6422234

“Alric, you would be the only threat remaining and I have seen your town. Dawnholme is a beautiful place, but unless you can somehow conjure together ten times the men you have right now, you have no chance of winning.” Beve told you and continued. “The Syndicate is strong if united, but if we are splintered like we are right now that just benefits all of us. You and me.”

“What if I were to kill him?” You asked. “Would they follow me then?”

“Creedy is loyal to himself first and foremost. He was our father's friend, but unless he had his leverage I don't see it.” Beve said.

“I am not going to give Alicia to her, or anyone else. Falconcrest?” You asked.

“He… he would bend his knee, but the moment you turn your back towards him, the daggers would be out.” Beve said and continued. “He is a complex person.”

“But you married him?”

“I do love him… I am sorry. We all have our weaknesses.” Beve lamented.

“What of the rest? The Alteracis, normal people, small folk?”

“Many would follow you and the longer you gather your strength, more likely that would be.” Beve said and continued. “But do we have the time? Most likely not. I would love to go through everything in more detail, but…”

“You are not supposed to be here in the first place.” You said.

Beve nodded and frowned.

“We will manage, I am resourceful if needed.” She said.

So much new information taken in at the same time. How much more does Beve know that she doesn't think is important right now? How much is there that she doesn't know or she has flawed info. You knew you could trust her that is for sure, but you also knew it would take you several days to digest all of this.


>If she thinks Eligius and Pai would ruin her plans, why didn't she stop them?
>Could she prop Creedy up or take over his faction to keep up the balance.
>What would she do if you were to kill Falconcrest, her husband?
>Beve should know about the orcs, they are on the move and planning on hitting the Internment Camps.
>But you do have the men in tenfold, well not men exactly, but you could have the Orcish Horde.
>In one year you will be officially in the Alliance, the Syndicate can't stand against the full might of the Lordaeron.
>Other, write in

QM: Intrigue! Alric needs a conspiracy board. And thank you for the nice words, 40 threads is a lot!

>>6422236
Congrats Medivh

>If she thinks Eligius and Pai would ruin her plans, why didn't she stop them?
>What would she do if you were to kill Falconcrest, her husband?


"What if I kill Aliden and hand leadership of the Syndicate to you?" Seems like it would solve most of these problems. Aside from ya know, Creedy being alive.

So theres a lot of distance between Aliden and Beve right now, but she still has a plan of how to kill Aliden and then take over his faction.

>Could she prop Creedy up or take over his faction to keep up the balance.

What would it take? I bet she knows where Creedy hides out, how many of his men would have to die to keep his death buried. Who his important officers are and their duties. Which ones can be bought, and which ones need to be replaced. She wears one veil already, whats another on top of it.

What happens if theres no plan around the aftermath of the Eligius and Pai mission? Beve says its civil war. So either make a plan that doesn't result in civil war, ask Alric to grow wings, or for something he can give to Eligius and Pai to stop them.


I'd go for the other options as well afterwards but hey whatever flows.

>In one year you will be officially in the Alliance, the Syndicate can't stand against the full might of the Lordaeron.
I mean thats the plan at least. It would be fun to see Thrall clear out Alterac, I just have a hard time imagining how that works out. I suppose times could be so chaotic that no one wants to leave themselves open.

>Beve should know about the orcs, they are on the move and planning on hitting the Internment Camps.

>Other, write in
Does she know that the Warlocks tried to make a Fel Pool in Durnholde Hills. It would have been their own personal army if they could control its fel juiced up warlord gnoll and the gnoll warlocks. But it could have blown up the camps which would be very much against current Syndicate goals. Might be useful info for her.


Maybe you could keep the telling her about the orcs planning to hit the Camps as an option for next update. I'd want to think on it some more but I have a few errands to run. More info can only help her I'd imagine. Plus its a significant thing considering their family history as Perenoldes. She could plan around the tremendous chaos of Thrall's liberation plan distracting people.

>>6422236
>but unless you can somehow conjure together ten times the men you have right now, you have no chance of winning.

We are able to remind Alliance that Syndicate control Andorhal, Strahnbrad and more with testimony from Raleigh to give a counter threat. Especially when the Alliance Naval Base that everyone is paying into within Hillsbrad might be jeopardised.. and then internment camps.

I don't think the implied threat is realistic, but a war of assassins definitely is a problem.

I don't know about tipping our hand, but Falconcrest has tried with us already..
>What would she do if you were to kill Falconcrest, her husband?
Will she retire to a country estate with her FC?
>Could she prop Creedy up or take over his faction to keep up the balance.
Let the bad blood continue?
>Beve should know about the orcs, they are on the move and planning on hitting the Internment Camps.
Do not mention Alric's meetings, but mention that one has already escaped which may be the start of many.

>>6422337
Back from errands.

Well they do have a shit ton of soldiers building up Strahnbrad and making real walls and gates. Just from a purely military perspective how many troops do you want to siege and assault a city with walls. At the same time a number of Keeps from which the enemy will probably be doing their best to hit your supply lines, which are also in danger of the ogres and orcs in Alterac.

So 10x might not be that much of an exaggeration to engage in actual warfare with the Creedy and the Syndicate as things stand? Plus assassin shenanigans.

You make a good point about just telling the Alliance to look into it. I don't know how much Raleigh personally has seen tho, we usually keep him out of the loop. So his testimony is that Alric told him so and so? Which still prompts the Alliance to send people to start their own investigation.

Silver Hand and whatever spare real military they have is busy up north killing trolls. The RD of north Lordaeron has been reassigned to work the orc camps to save money. So every force available might take a while before they can send anything down. Unless they raise more troops but no one wants to pay more taxes.

Plus whatever the Syndicate will do to delay or subvert the investigation, espionage is their strength after all. I would probably put telling the Alliance to send their army as part of us being part of the Alliance. Once we are in they have to take our words more seriously as an actual voting monarch.

That said if we include the RD in Southshore with Reginald they've got about 350~ troops. We have our 200~ and more like 350~ with our vassals and allies. Durnholde would be another chunk depending on how much survives to that point. Another 200~ from the Stonemason mercs if we had the cash and supplies.

Thats damn near 1000 or so troops that if she considers us as being able to rally those Alliance forces and neighbors we would be about half way to her estimate before mercs and favors from someone like Kael and Jaina and Katrana.

>>6422236
>>If she thinks Eligius and Pai would ruin her plans, why didn't she stop them?
>What would she do if you were to kill Falconcrest, her husband?
>In one year you will be officially in the Alliance, the Syndicate can't stand against the full might of the Lordaeron.
>Other, write in
>ask if the Syndicate is the one behind increased Ork activities.
to Gauge if they know anything about the orks, Id rather not mention it, to keep our ace in our pocket.

>>6422236
>If she thinks Eligius and Pai would ruin her plans, why didn't she stop them?
>What would she do if you were to kill Falconcrest, her husband?
>Other, write in
>Does she know that the Warlocks tried to make a Fel Pool in Durnholde Hills.
>In one year you will be officially in the Alliance, the Syndicate can't stand against the full might of the Lordaeron.
>Other, write in
>Ask if the Syndicate is the one behind increased Ork activities.
>Other, write in
>What are the Syndicate agents in Dawnholme and my domains. What do they know ? Do you know a certain Sir Foecourt ?

Van Cleef and Sir Foecourt come here now !!!!!