What would readers prefer?

  • Pure narrative quest: no dice will be used, the author will have free reign to decide what happens.

    Votes: 25 59.5%
  • New dice system: the author will design a new, better dice system to add some randomness and risk.

    Votes: 17 40.5%

  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .
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Yeah, we won because we stacked the deck aggressively in our favor and then used our advantage to the hilt, that would have gotten ugly otherwise. That was a seriously hardcore force to take just three Pegasus Knights while they had The Drop.

More importantly, it seems that they have some legitimate grievances. That's a lot of legitimate hate for what amount to being bandits who were bragging about how much money they were making. Doesn't justify what they're doing, but it makes me wonder where that motivation comes from.

Dragon Ryza definitely seems to approve of the bit of venting though, so that's nice.
 
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More importantly, it seems that they have some legitimate grievances. That's a lot of legitimate hate for what amount to being bandits who were bragging about the thing. Doesn't justify what they're doing, but it makes me wonder where that motivation comes from.
At a guess?

"For all that they like to talk about freedom and self-determination, the Whitewings are quick to suppress anyone who wants to become free of them.
- Duke Roberts of Meridiem, prior to the Hill of Goats Debacle
Apparently the Whitewings are very fast on the whole stomping down on anyone getting ideas.
 
Mary's not exactly giving a good showing either there, she's flipping her shit.

Not a good look. Clannish behavior combined with lots of threats really breeds a lot of "We make more enemies than friends" nonsense.

And now I'm even more sad that we missed out on QT Pegasus Knight friend too :(
 
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And now I'm even more sad that we missed out on QT Pegasus Knight friend too :(
Same. Im of the opinion that we play mediator or just take over entirely. We were the ones who blasted his brains out and brought him back after all :p


Edit: Hell, we could probably just heal up his wounds that Mary gave him, considering she's already stabbing him and stuff
 
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As much as I'd prefer Ryza not be complicit in torture, I'd rather not risk alienating our current allies for being too 'soft' on him either. And the info is more important anyway.
 
Third, you can use mage, and you don't think any of these guys are mages.
"magic"

thin the bandit's numbers and scare them off.
"bandits'"

Growling an almost draconic growl, you unleased your magic just as the big man tries to shove his smaller minion out of the way.
"unleash"

the force of the blow must have spent shock-waves into the brain,
"sent"

-[] Threaten him with magic: he's probably used to Whitewings, but a mage might be more frightening, especially one who .
Something is missing here.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.

It was between this or mediating, for me. I don't want to have Ryza take over. Ryza's hero syndrome does lend itself well to the mediating but I'm still concerned about the bandits. While we did scare off the group that went for the ambush and the Whitewings said they drove off the archers with javelins - they still are concerned enough about them to set a watch. It's possible they could regroup with one another and switch tactics to a siege or something and force us to risk breaking through and putting ourselves in the sights of the archers. Plus I feel like all the violence and hate have got to take a toll on Ryza so needing to take a mental health break this time makes sense to me. Maybe Jaine can tell us why the bandits here might be this hardened against the Whitewings.
 
It was between this or mediating, for me. I don't want to have Ryza take over.
Eh, fair enough. Ryza does deserve a break after everything that's happened so far, but it also doesn't do us much good to let Mary have at our possible source of info.

Sides, if anyone's got reasons to hold grudges, Ryza's definitely got 'em with humans in general. Yet, she still tries to forgive them. I figured Ryza would choose to do what she thinks is right over her own well being anyway.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.

Frankly, I'd vote to help interrogate the guy but it would be too far out of character for Ryza.

To be quite clear, I couldn't care less about what horrible things the Whitewings do to this guy. He may try to talk a big game about oppression now, but he and his buddies were talking about cold hard cash while the situation was unfolding, and their ultimate goal was to kill/kidnap/"or worse" a group of sleeping women in the middle of the night. if there's any chance of tracking and recovering the kidnapped Whitewings, that's a higher priority. Plus we need to know more about this bounty and who's offering it.
 
I figured Ryza would choose to do what she thinks is right over her own well being anyway.
She absolutely does. I think the mediate option is probably most true to her character. I just don't want her taking over the interrogation from Mary - that strikes me as a rather unhealthy decision.

IDK, for me I just feel like it also makes sense that every now and then everything going on just overwhelms her - she's just a kid after all. For us beyond the fourth wall it's definitely more ideal to try and keep her around and try to get info, but I guess I just would like to see Ryza not get too used to these kinds of things if she can help it. I mean, she's a Fire Emblem protagonist so on some level she's going to have to get used to it but you know what I mean I hope.
 
[X] Try to play mediator and find a middle-ground. You'll need to convince the bandit that it's in his best interest to tell you what you want to know as well as convince Mary that killing him won't solve anything. It won't be easy, but if you can make it work…
 
I mean, she's a Fire Emblem protagonist so on some level she's going to have to get used to it but you know what I mean I hope.
Yeah I get it. Sadly, with the world the way it is, she's already adapting pretty quickly to the world around her, but not enough to see that the sight before her is pretty commonplace.

Info is important for a reason, and if it'll get everyone out alive, Ryza would 100% take that option. Even if it puts her through hell. Sure, she's a kid and she will get overwhelmed, that's not a question. She's also apparently forgiving enough to try and overcome the hatred between humans and manakete. If this situation is apparently similar to her own in the mutual hatred against one another, how can she turn away while also pursuing her own goal? That's at least what I believe would go through her head.

Im wondering if there's an old manakete around that watched humanity grow and believes they can't change, that the effort is just not worth it. Someone who keeps trying and someone who gives up are a classic foil in storytelling.
 
As the bandit leader climbs up onto the statue, he pauses. "Come on, boys!" he roars, lifting his axe over his head. "Let's get that-"

Oh, he got it alright.

[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.

Some grudges run too deep for protag powers to heal. Best for Ryza to just tap out here.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
 
Do your worse, oppressor!
...I'm not really one to sympathize with bandits, but this does make me question some things.

also should be 'worst', not 'worse'.

[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
[X] Try to play mediator and find a middle-ground. You'll need to convince the bandit that it's in his best interest to tell you what you want to know as well as convince Mary that killing him won't solve anything. It won't be easy, but if you can make it work…
 
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Suddenly, the man chucks his axe wildly in your direction through the darkness. "I didn't sign up for this shit!" he screeches as he sprints back the way he came. You blink as the heavy iron axe clatters to the ground nowhere near you. He must really be freaked out if he's not even trying to keep his weapon!
You silly goose; you're only supposed to throw hand axes!

For a moment, you start to open your mouth to tell them to leave this place and never return, but you hesitate. Your voice is… soft, gentle and young, and it probably wouldn't do much to intimidate the bandits into leaving. In fact, it'll probably make them more likely to keep attacking.
Counterpoint: It would be hilarious.

[T]he force of the blow must have sent shock-waves into the brain, so you're having to carefully track and mend the pre-existing connections while not accidently [sic] making any new ones or missing damaged ones. Mistakes here lead to memory loss, confusion, and potential permanent damage or even death.
Or you could make him fall in love with his—actually, that's one's only funny if you know it's a reference.

Even as his face pales and he grimaces in pain, the bandit manages to glare up at Mary. "Do your worse, oppressor!" he snarls.
You and your buddies have been murdering (and maybe not-safe-for-kids-ing) whitewings at this rest stop for ages, and they haven't been able to do anything to stop it. Some oppressors.
More importantly, it seems that they have some legitimate grievances. That's a lot of legitimate hate for what amount to being bandits who were bragging about how much money they were making.
I wouldn't necessarily say legitimate. All we know is that they have grievances which they frame as oppression. Which is how, for instance, MRAs frame feminists talking about the patriarchy on Twitter.
Though considering how Mary goes cop on the bandit...there might be something there.


[X] Try to play mediator and find a middle-ground. You'll need to convince the bandit that it's in his best interest to tell you what you want to know as well as convince Mary that killing him won't solve anything. It won't be easy, but if you can make it work…
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.

I don't want to read more of it. We've played enough with this.
 
This isn't Ryza's responsibility by any rational stretch of the imagination. Even if it were, the odds of her accomplishing anything by intervening besides antagonizing her escorts are slim to nonexistent.
Maybe an actual interrogation instead of having said escort flat out kill/dismember the man?

If we do nothing we guarantee that we get nothing 'cause Mary will 100% kill him without us around. We are the only one who can heal and he has already been stabbed in the face.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
 
[X] Leave this sickening situation. You don't see it going anywhere good, but you don't know how you're supposed to solve this level of mutual hate. Make sure that the area's secure.
 
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