[x] Visit her parents (Gareth and Yslena) and ask how they are getting on with their investigation. (+Warscore)
-[x] Complain about how much she hates boarding school and wishes she was at home with them.
--[x] Visit the hospital for soul-damaged victims of the Sea Ghouls (in Mishrak's undersea palace).
---[x] Meet her 'big sister', Bellona Kachalskey, and find out how she is getting on.
----[x] Ask about the story that Sildar told her.
Fast votes, but I don't mind missing one if it makes for faster updates.
Jana certainly has a fast life. I can't wait for her to meet Phil and Isola.
im good with visiting the parents, older sister, or mishrak again. am very much against going on adventures with mawroths mercs. talking to them is fine though. not sure if elys should complain about boarding school or not, wont matter if we get that wrong tho i dobt think.
[X] Visit her parents (Gareth and Yslena) and ask how they are getting on with their investigation. (+Warscore)
-[X] Complain about how much she hates boarding school and wishes she was at home with them.
--[X] Visit the hospital for soul-damaged victims of the Sea Ghouls (in Mishrak's undersea palace).
---[X] Meet her 'big sister', Bellona Kachalskey, and find out how she is getting on.
----[X] Ask about the story that Sildar told her.
I was poking fun at how fast this ship sunk. Jana introduced I-already-forgot-her-name as a girlfriend despite barely knowing her, surely not enough to notice she was not entirely comfortable (or, you know, straight), and they broke up barely five minutes after Jana declared them a couple.
...it reminds me of marriage proposals in kindergarden, ruined by squabbling over toys.
I am wondering aloud if this is going to be a thing with Jana.
[x] Visit her parents (Gareth and Yslena) and ask how they are getting on with their investigation. (+Warscore)
-[x] Complain about how much she hates boarding school and wishes she was at home with them.
--[x] Visit the hospital for soul-damaged victims of the Sea Ghouls (in Mishrak's undersea palace).
---[x] Meet her 'big sister', Bellona Kachalskey, and find out how she is getting on.
----[x] Ask about the story that Sildar told her.
I was poking fun at how fast this ship sunk. Jana introduced I-already-forgot-her-name as a girlfriend despite barely knowing her, surely not enough to notice she was not entirely comfortable (or, you know, straight), and they broke up barely five minutes after Jana declared them a couple.
That's pretty much what I intended, yeah. This whole ridiculous situation with Jana was inspired by some of my real-life experiences as a young teenager.
I remember back when I was twelve, I had my first girlfriend. We were at someone else's birthday party when she asked me out. As a result, we were roundly mocked by our classmates. After that, we just seemed to drift apart: we never officially 'split up', but we stopped being 'boyfriend and girlfriend' almost immediately.
Actually, come to think of it, she may have tried to ask me out on multiple occasions, in less and less subtle ways… but I was too dim-witted and immature to really be interested, so she eventually gave up.
*
To Cut a Long Story Short... (Part One)
The Winterfest holiday is fast approaching. To you and many of your fellow pupils, it means a week of rest, a break from lessons, and a chance to see your parents again after nearly five months. You overhear some of your much-older classmates planning a hedonistic revel, but of course they don't invite you. Others are planning to leave school for a short time, to travel back to their family estates, or to take part in various winter sporting events. In the hubbub of excitement and anticipation that fills the days preceding the holiday, it is difficult to get any work done, but you do your best.
Most of your fellow pupils are natives of Asquellon, the 'free state' in which the Engelram Academy of the Magical Arts is situated. The majority of them can get back to their homes in only a few days' carriage ride. However, your home – or Mishrak's undersea palace, which is your temporary home – is much further away. It would take weeks for your parents to get to you if Mishrak wasn't helping them to travel by magical means.
With Jana by your side, you wait by the school gates for your parents to arrive; she is just as eager to be reunited with them as you are. You hold her hand, give it a reassuring squeeze, and rejoice in the fact that you have your best friend back.
Various other pupils greet their parents in different ways: some with fond embraces, some with excitable chatter, and a few with stiff formality and barely-concealed apprehension. You have to wait a while before your parents appear: evidently, to avoid appearing out of nowhere and attracting too much attention, they asked Mishrak to drop them off somewhere in the city, out of sight, and have walked the rest of the way.
Your father looks strong and healthy, his hair and beard are darker than you remember them being, and his face has fewer lines and wrinkles than it did a year ago: thanks to Mishrak's magical healing, he could be mistaken for a much younger man. Next to him, your mother looks much older: in her mid-fifties, she is still your ideal of beauty, poise, and grace, but her hair has gone completely grey and the crow's feet around her eyes are more noticeable than ever.
Obviously, you cherish your parents and want to keep them alive and well for as long as possible, so you wonder if you could get Mishrak to give your mother the same de-ageing treatment he gave your father. You have little doubt that he would be willing to do it, but she might be more difficult to convince.
"Hi Dad! Hi Mom!" you cry, waving to them both.
"My goodness! Who is this lovely young woman?" asks your father in a tone of mock-surprise. "It can't be Elys, can it?"
"I'm pleased to see you too," you reply, grinning at him. "You're looking well."
"Hey, Dad," says Jana, sidling up to him. "How are you getting on? Have you cracked the case yet?"
He takes a deep breath, heaves a sigh, and says, "I'm tired. We're all tired. But we've made a lot of progress, I'm glad to say."
"We'll discuss it later, when we're somewhere more private," says your mother, looking around the other pupils, their parents, and the various members of the faculty who are keeping a careful watch over the proceedings. "It's wonderful to see you both, of course."
"Thank you, Mom," you say, embracing her. "I've missed you."
Jana gives a nod. "Yeah, me too," she murmurs.
"Are you enjoying your time here at school?" your mother asks. Her voice is tinged with such hope that you are dreadfully sorry to have to disappoint her.
"It's all right," says Jana, with a cautious sidelong glance at you.
"I hate it," you mutter. "They all despise me, they treat me like I'm a cheat or a liar, and they make me attend classes with the fifth-years. I don't have any friends here other than Jana. All the fifth-years are jealous of me, or they treat me like a toddler, or they… they call me 'Princess Jailbait'!"
Your father grimaces. "Why do they call you that?"
"When they first met me, they thought I was older than I am, so… a few of the boys asked me out," you whisper. "I said 'no', of course."
"I should hope so!" Taking a deep breath, your father says, "It's very wrong of them to treat you like that. What do you propose that we should do about it?"
What do you say? (Choose one)
[] Withdraw Elys and Jana from the Engelram Academy immediately.
-[] They can continue to study in their own time and will have the option of returning to take the exams at the end of the year.
[] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[] End the bullying and mistreatment of Elys.
--[] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time.
----[] Threaten to withdraw Elys and Jana from the school if these demands are not met.
-----[] Demand the repayment of their school fees.
------[] Threaten them with kaiju attacks if they refuse.
[] "I want to attend a different school!"
-[] "There's a school in the Sambian Empire I want to attend!"
--[] "I want to go in disguise!"
---[] "Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"
[] "I don't know. I thought you'd know what to do."
[] "I don't know. I thought you'd know what to do."
They currently want Elys' input here, so this is a non-starter.
[] Withdraw Elys and Jana from the Engelram Academy immediately.
-[] They can continue to study in their own time and will have the option of returning to take the exams at the end of the year.
I don't think that they'd go for this, and it would make Jana unhappy.
[X] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[X] End the bullying and mistreatment of Elys.
--[X] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[X] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time. ----[] Threaten to withdraw Elys and Jana from the school if these demands are not met.
-----[] Demand the repayment of their school fees.
------[] Threaten them with kaiju attacks if they refuse.
I think that this is the most practical approach. It reunites Jana and Elys, puts her back with kids her own age, and means that's she's not around teens calling her jailbait holy shit.
[] "I want to attend a different school!"
-[] "There's a school in the Sambian Empire I want to attend!"
--[] "I want to go in disguise!"
---[] "Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"
[X] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
̶-̶[̶]̶ ̶E̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶u̶l̶l̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶s̶t̶r̶e̶a̶t̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶E̶l̶y̶s̶.̶
--[X] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[X] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time. ----[] Threaten to withdraw Elys and Jana from the school if these demands are not met.
-----[] Demand the repayment of their school fees.
------[] Threaten them with kaiju attacks if they refuse.
telling on the bullies will not help, it never does. also how many kids do you know who told their parents about being bullied? solving bullying is hard, some might say that fighting back is enough, but my dad gave it back as good as he got when he was a kid. still got beaten up everyday of highschool, and he was one of the toughest in his year. (a family of older kids had a vendetta out for him).
we have to ask why a person is being bullied, and if that reason can be removed or to otherwise change the calculus of if its worth it for the kids to bully them. (sometimes it can be rationally not worth it, but emotionally so in the moment, basically what i mean is the push and pull factors in the moment need to be adjusted) (knowing elys is tough doesnt mean kids wont ostracize her, or talk behind her back, it just means they dont want to get caught into a fight with her)
[x] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[x] End the bullying and mistreatment of Elys.
--[x] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[x] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time.
I think that this is the most practical approach. It reunites Jana and Elys, puts her back with kids her own age, and means that's she's not around teens calling her jailbait holy shit.
Yeah jeez I feel like we heard that before but it's hitting harder this time.
[] "I want to attend a different school!"
-[] "There's a school in the Sambian Empire I want to attend!"
--[] "I want to go in disguise!"
---[] "Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"
[x] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[x] End the bullying and mistreatment of Elys.
--[x] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[x] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time.
Hmm... homeschooling, try to fix Engelram, or go to Tyrepheum instead?
Well, Tyrepheum is obviously a bad choice for multiple reasons, so definitely against that one.
And, as someone who was homeschooled through half of middle school and all throughout highschool to get away from the behavior of teenagers (at her age, I wasn't singled out for bullying like Elys was, but only because everyone had to endure that sorta thing at my middle school), I can say this: it may be great at first, but if it goes on too long, homeschooling mentally and socially messes you up. I still haven't recovered from that, and since I've been an adult for a while now, I'm not sure if I ever will. So, voting against the completely-withdraw-from-Engelram-with-no-other-backup-school one, too.
Which leaves, asking her parents for their input, and
[X] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[X] End the bullying and mistreatment of Elys.
--[X] Allow Elys to attend classes with Jana.
---[X] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time.
If possible, I suggest mixing this plan with a bit of
[X] "I don't know. I thought you'd know what to do."
to see if her parents have anything to add or change.
This is not bad of an idea. For Elys, that is, less so for Jana. If she already knows half the curriculum, she doesn't need to attend the lectures - only the exams.
That, however, deprives her of a chance to earn the acceptance of her peers.
I mean, she could probably find someone to do a joint project with. They can't all be jealous; some of them are in it for the degree (or whatever is the equivalent), and a star pupil could probably help with that.
And if the problem is that she can't socialize well with seniors; well, why not look for friends elsewhere? If you can't find much in common with the older students, just join a club activity with people of similar age. Why hasn't she tried? I bet her skills would make her desireable to a lot of groups who are often highly competitive with each other.
I don't see the point of attending classes with Jana; the reason why she is grouped with the upperclassmen is because she knows the basics already. Jana's classes are likely much less advanced, and thus of little use to her.
[ ] "I don't know. I thought you'd know what to do."
-[ ] Like, you could suggest me to join a club!
-[ ] Or get to know people closer to my age outside of academic activities.
-[ ] Or find someone who would see my talents as something useful rather than an insult.
--[ ] Wait, why am I giving you advice?
...why do we need her parents to sort this out for her?
Well, the main thing is, it's not just the students being dicks to her, it's the teachers too. That's presumably the real reason she's unable to spend much time with students closer to her own age, such as Jana; the teachers keep watching her like a hawk to single her out for extra work or frivolous punishments.
Really, considering the sort of people running it, this school is utterly terrible, it's just that any school looks good if you compare it to an evil spirit infested, demonic criminal surrounded, socially darwinistic, openly racist and classist, and generally abusive lord of the flies hellhole like Tyrepheum.
Your new classmates are irritating and condescending. Initially, some of the boys tried flirting with you, but they were abashed and humiliated when they found out your real age; afterwards, they took to calling you by the unpleasant nickname of 'Princess Jailbait'. The others seem envious of your abilities, or they see you as a ridiculous figure to be sneered at, or they refuse to acknowledge your presence in any way whatsoever. None of them are willing to give you a chance to befriend them.
Hmm... homeschooling, try to fix Engelram, or go to Tyrepheum instead?
Well, Tyrepheum is obviously a bad choice for multiple reasons, so definitely against that one.
And, as someone who was homeschooled through half of middle school and all throughout highschool to get away from the behavior of teenagers (at her age, I wasn't singled out for bullying like Elys was, but only because everyone had to endure that sorta thing at my middle school), I can say this: it may be great at first, but if it goes on too long, homeschooling mentally and socially messes you up. I still haven't recovered from that, and since I've been an adult for a while now, I'm not sure if I ever will. So, voting against the completely-withdraw-from-Engelram-with-no-other-backup-school one, too.
I feel like I reached the same place by taking the opposite route: I was utterly screwed up by how I was bullied at secondary school, I still don't think I've fully recovered from it, and I never developed a lot of the social skills that other people take for granted.
I mean, she could probably find someone to do a joint project with. They can't all be jealous; some of them are in it for the degree (or whatever is the equivalent), and a star pupil could probably help with that.
And if the problem is that she can't socialize well with seniors; well, why not look for friends elsewhere? If you can't find much in common with the older students, just join a club activity with people of similar age. Why hasn't she tried? I bet her skills would make her desireable to a lot of groups who are often highly competitive with each other.
I don't see the point of attending classes with Jana; the reason why she is grouped with the upperclassmen is because she knows the basics already. Jana's classes are likely much less advanced, and thus of little use to her.
Although Elys is magically stronger and has better practical skills than many fifth-year pupils, her academic skills and knowledge are not on the same level. She simply hasn't had time to familiarize herself with exam techniques or study many of the topics that she's supposed to already know about. She really would benefit from joining some of the lower classes, at least in lessons that involve essay writing and academic work rather than developing her already formidable magic powers (which is something that she's quite capable of doing on her own).
i was messed up socially from school, hanging with otherkids doesntmake adhd and autism go away. kungfu however did wonders for my socialisation, too good infact. the mask i gained from kungfu let me slip under the radar.
the ideal school situation doesnt exist here (public school with no grades, where kids decide what they want to learn, and educators help them with that, and sneak in core skills on the sly. given her options, the best option is to stay at the current school but only attend the bare minimum, do u own leaning and ur own adventures.
Tsk-tsk. Are you suggesting we don't take Elys seriously? You are just like them! *foot stomp*
But really, I have trouble pinning her exact faculties down. On one hand, she is somewhat naive and carefree, having the protection of a Greater god and living a fairy tale (to the point people don't know if the stories of her escapades are meant to be a joke or not); on the other, she is more cynical than most 11-year olds and is directing war efforts at times. She may be a child, but has responsibilities of a ruler - and now, a Chosen.
None of your teachers know how to teach an eleven-year-old girl who already knows more magic than most adult mages do. Some of them seem to take it as a personal affront that they had nothing to do with your becoming so skilled and talented: they assess your work more harshly than that of any other pupil, they dismiss anything you have to say without even considering it, and they glare at you as if they think that your coming to this school was meant as a deliberate insult to them.
Is this youthful conceit, or an accurate assessment of her abilities? Are the teachers getting back at her for making them feel incompetent, or is she doing something wrong? We can only guess.
I'd say her biggest problem is age disparity. 15-year olds just don't have a lot to talk about with a kid who is 4 years younger. The interests are completely different. At most we get to be friends with some oddballs who aren't completely preoccupied with common teenage woes and don't care about their social standing. Why would a "cool kid" associate with a "toddler"?
And that's... fine? So long as we find those individuals, or have freedom to pursue social connections elsewhere. If the problem is with the teachers and their program of choice not leaving us much time for ourselves, I suppose that's where our parents' visit to the headmaster could help.
If we are talking our own school experiences, I was the youngest boy in class, having skipped two grades in the elementary school. Being a "nerd" and "teacher's pet", and simultaneously smaller than everyone else wasn't a good combination. I just... sought out company of like-minded nerds (there was a boy one grade behind me yet older than me... I got to play senior to a senior. Skipping grades is wacky), and we had a decent time of it despite the, ah, not very welcoming environment.
Elys has the advantage of not even being bullied, just ostracized. I'd say she is capable of getting through this herself just fine. But if she needs a leg up...
[x] Go to the headmaster, tell him what has been happening, and make some demands.
-[x] Review Elys' curriculum. Look into the claims of mistreatment by the teachers, and if confirmed, put an end to it.
--[x] Allow her to pick her own classes, or if she doesn't know enough, pick them for her.
---[x] Teachers should focus on teaching her academic skills and knowledge; she can continue to develop her practical skills in her own time.
I'd say that special treatment won't make her welcome in most classes, but between being a Princess, a Chosen, having a literal godfather, and her level of ability she may have no choice in the matter.
However, if we accept a not-entirely-reliable narration by an 11 year old, then perhaps her parents should look at it more critically instead of making a scene. They have no shortage of mage contacts who can tell whether the teachers are prejudiced against her or if she is underprepared, and which academic path would be more suited for her current level of ability.
Yeah, definitely got buried under the glitz and glamour of New Quest. It's that new quest smell, you know? It relieves you of your senses.
Also, today really brought out all of the academic trauma in everybody! Goodness gracious, the school system has failed so many people. At the very least, for everyone here, it seems that chapter of your life is over, even if it's bled into the later pages.
For Elys, I think the most important intervention is for her teachers. They're supposed to be helping her, and are instead contributing to the problem. If that's fixed, I feel that this could turn around.
...hm, maybe we could entreat Mishrak to acquire and free Green Flame, and get the headmaster to offer her a job here? And steal Cadre 1F too, of course. Phil would love to get away from his dad, Isolia's patron wouldn't mind a change of scenery for his ward, Venta... well, she can visit home in dreams. Dorian would be the only sticking point, really. Can his parents afford this fancy Quellonian school?
All right, so... I've stalled because I'm not quite sure where to go next. Should I have Gareth demand to see the headmaster straight away? Arrange an appointment? Should I write a Gareth interlude or should I stick with Elys's point of view? Or would it better to skip to after the meeting and have Gareth explain to Elys what just happened? I've been going over this quite a lot in my head and I feel like I would benefit from discussing it with someone.
Whatever happens at the Engelram Academy, it's not supposed to be a major part of this quest's storyline. It's a backdrop to her fantastical adventures; I don't want it to be anything more than that. So, I'm just going to skip over the resolution to Elys's unhappy situation as much as possible.
"Are you enjoying your time here at school?" your mother asks. Her voice is tinged with such hope that you are dreadfully sorry to have to disappoint her.
"It's all right," says Jana, with a cautious sidelong glance at you.
"I hate it," you mutter. "They all despise me, they treat me like I'm a cheat or a liar, and they make me attend classes with the fifth-years. I don't have any friends here other than Jana. All the fifth-years are jealous of me, or they treat me like a toddler, or they… they call me 'Princess Jailbait'!"
Your father grimaces. "Why do they call you that?"
"When they first met me, they thought I was older than I am, so… a few of the boys asked me out," you whisper. "I said 'no', of course."
"I should hope so!" Taking a deep breath, your father says, "It's very wrong of them to treat you like that. What do you propose that we should do about it?"
After you've finished explaining to your parents how you are being mistreated by your teachers and fellow pupils, as well as how you hope that your time at school can be improved, they feel that they have no alternative but to meet with the headmaster of the Engelram Academy of the Magical Arts immediately. You expect that they will be delayed by obstructions and excuses; but, much to your surprise, the headmaster agrees to see them here and now. Perhaps it was their grave expressions, or the quiet fury in your father's voice, or the anguish in your mother's expression, but something must have convinced the academy's secretarial staff to take them seriously and to convey the seriousness of the situation to the headmaster. He invites them into his office to speak with him in private; meanwhile, you and Jana wait in the antechamber, anxiously listening to the susurration of voices that will decide your fate.
"What do you suppose they're talking about?" asks Jana. Since she already knows the answer, you suspect that she's just trying to fill the awkward silence that has grown between you.
"I would hope that they are talking about withdrawing me from lessons with the fifth-years, since I'm not getting any benefit from them," you say, stolidly repeating one of the things that you said to your father earlier. "Maybe they will move me to be with the second-years for some lessons – and then we can be together – what do you think of that?"
She smiles wistfully. "That'd be nice. But would you learn anything useful from it? Academically, I mean."
"Well…" You've spent some time considering this, so you are able to give a thorough answer: "I think one of the reasons why my teachers have been getting so frustrated with me is because, even though I'm one of the best in the class when it comes to practical spellcasting, I'm not as good at essay-writing or the purely theoretical side of things. That's mainly because I haven't been taught what they think of as 'the basics' that all the fifth-year pupils already know. But if I was moved down to one of the lower year groups for those lessons, I'd have a chance of learning 'the basics' – and the teachers would be more likely to be patient with me, right? Or, at least, I hope so."
"I've never had any problems," says Jana. "But then, I'm an average second-year pupil, more or less. There are things I don't know, but I could say the same about most of my classmates. The whole point of our being at school for the next few years is that we've still got things to learn, right?"
"I certainly have," you admit. "Whoever put me with the fifth-years must have been overly impressed with my spellcasting abilities; they didn't notice that my other skills are not at the same level."
"Or maybe they were setting you up to fail," she suggests, frowning distrustfully at the door to the headmaster's office.
A moment later, before you can reply, the door opens. Your mother and father enter the room, looking somewhat mollified.
"Did you have a productive meeting?" you ask, eagerly getting up out of your seat.
"Let's discuss it as we walk," says your father. "We don't have as much time together as I would like, so let's not waste it."
On the way to the place where they have arranged to meet Mishrak and have him transport you back to his undersea palace, your parents explain that the headmaster was very accommodating. He agreed that you should not have to attend lessons with the fifth-year pupils: instead, you will be given a great deal of freedom to choose your own classes and take control of your own learning.
"Pretty words, but how am I supposed to do that?" you ask. "How will they be able to measure my progress? What exams will I have to take?"
"If you choose to join a class of second-years, you'd take the same exams as them and be graded in much the same way, at least for that subject," says your father. "And in a few years' time, when you're ready, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't take the same exams as everyone else."
"You are being given a lot of responsibility, Elys," your mother adds. "But we wouldn't have agreed to this if we didn't think you were capable of it. I am sure that you will rise to the challenge!"
"It can't be any harder than what I've already been doing," you say, stoically, thinking of all the times you were in lessons with the fifth-year pupils and the teachers yelled at you because you didn't have a clue what they were talking about.
"That's the spirit!" Your father gives you a proud smile. "Now, let's get going. This way, I think…"
A short while later, in Mishrak's undersea palace, you eat a light lunch consisting mostly of seafood, with some fresh bread, fruit, and vegetables from the Rivayni towns and villages that can be accessed through Samaya's portals. Catharne proudly shows off to you her latest attempt at shapeshifting into human form, which is almost enough to put you off your food.
"Yes, very good, Catharne," you lie to her, as kindly and politely as you are able to. Then, in an attempt to change the subject, you turn to your father and remind him, "You said that you'd tell me how you were getting on with your investigation when we were somewhere private. Well, this palace is just about the most private place I can think of."
He finishes his mouthful of bread, looks thoughtful, and says, "Very well. How much do you know about what has been happening in Truinon?"
"Only what mom told me," you say, giving her a nod. "She said that King Marcin has been ensorcelled so that he's been making his sons miserable, demanding fresh oaths of loyalty from Rivayne's nobility, and ignoring the Aspiti Empire's attempts to nibble away at his kingdom a little bit at a time."
"A succinct summary, but things have moved on since then," says your father. "Thanks to Bellona and Sir Moridan Ambros, we found an arcane ritual circle hidden inside Castle Standfast, the ancestral home of Rivayne's royal family. At first, we assumed that it was being used to subvert the king's mind. However, after examining it carefully, we found that it didn't affect him at all, at least not directly. Instead, it was designed to enable someone to take control of Castle Standfast's protective guardian spirit."
He nods to your mother, after which she continues: "That spirit appeared in the form of an old jester, named Shelleycotes. I had met him before, but I hadn't realised what was going on with him. He gave me a cryptic riddle, which I think was supposed to be a clue to what was happening, but at the time I didn't understand it.
"When we disrupted the ritual, we were able to free him. He told us that, while he was being controlled by someone else, he had been forced to weaken the people living in Castle Standfast, making them more susceptible to being magically manipulated, whereas under normal circumstances he considered it his duty to watch over and protect them. He'd made the king vulnerable, but he wasn't the one pulling the strings." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "After that, we were able to free King Marc from the mental bonds someone had placed upon him. Restored to his old self, he was horrified by what had happened – and he needed a great deal of rest afterwards – but he agreed that Rivayne is already at war with Aspitolm and he would never have ignored it if he was in his right mind. He vowed to devote his nation's full strength to the war from now on."
Aspitolm gains 3 warscore because of all the damage that they have already done to Rivayne by this point. They currently have a total of 6 warscore.
However, despite these recent losses and tragedies, Rivayne is the largest and most populous of all the kingdoms that make up Greater Quellonia. It will take the Rivayni some time to marshal their forces and join the fight, but they are now fully committed to joining in the war. Because of this, the Coalition (of forces leagued against the Aspiti Empire) gains 8 warscore. They currently have a total of 13 warscore.
Before long, the Aspitis may come to regret that they have awakened a sleeping giant…
"We hoped that would be an end to it, but – a few days later – we received word that the king's eldest son, Prince Barathar, had been murdered. His youngest brother, Prince Kristan, was being blamed for it," says your mother. "We realised then that King Marc wasn't the only one who'd been mind-controlled: someone had mentally dominated Prince Kristan's three closest friends and sent them to murder his brother, the heir to the throne."
"The dog, the frog, and the cat: Sir Braden Howell, Sir Erard Froggatt, and Sir Leonas Catsby." Your father sighs and shakes his head. "That was another one of Shelleycotes' riddles. If we'd solved it in time, we could have averted another tragedy."
"I didn't realise it was meant to be a riddle: at the time, I just thought he was taunting us," your mother admits.
"Prince Barathar was h–" Your father hesitates, presumably wondering if he should describe the gory details to his innocent eleven-year-old daughter, but then he remembers that you've already seen worse. "–hacked to pieces. There was no chance that anyone could possibly save him. And so, Prince Kristan is imprisoned and awaiting trial for his murder. The middle son, Prince Artan, is now heir to the throne."
"A plot to throw Rivayne into chaos and civil war," says your mother, with a heavy sigh. "It came very close to succeeding."
"It still might," says your father, a grim expression on his face.
What should Elys say to that? (Choose as many options as make sense)
[] "But who was behind it? You keep saying 'someone' cast these mind control spells, but who was it?"
-[] "It must have been an Aspiti agent, right?"
--[] "I know who was behind it!" (Write in*)
*I'm not expecting anyone to get the name of the actual mage who cast these spells, but if you've been read any of my previous quests recently, you might have an idea of whose plan it was, at least.
[] "You'll defend Prince Kristan, won't you? You can explain what actually happened."
-[] "What are you doing now? Are you acting as his legal defence team?"
[] "What happened to Sirs Howell, Froggatt, and Catsby? Did they get killed after they assassinated Prince Barathar?
-[] "Are they on trial as well?"
[] "What happened to Belle and Sir Moridan? Are they still here somewhere?"
[] Write in (say something else)
I'm ashamed to admit that one of the reasons why I shelved The Tinpot Princess and Her Many Travels for such a long time was because I was really struggling to come up with the 'dog, frog, and cat' riddle.
So yeah, in the above update, I've provided a brief summary of where the plot was going in that fic. It could have been interesting, maybe...
So, dragonling-shaped but made out of oddly sized and placed human parts, human-shaped but incorrectly proportioned for severe uncanny valley-ness, a shoggoth-esque pile of miscelleneous flesh and body parts, or something else entirely? : : D
Wow, already? Just like that? I guess it shouldn't be too surprising, considering that this is Yslena and Gareth we are talking about, but still.
Anyway, cool that King Marc is kinda, in their debt now. Even if they did fail to save his son from the subsequent assassination, and now things are on the verge of civil war because of the loose ends...
Did not guess "guardian spirit" as an option for Shelleycotes at the end of Tinpot Princess, was thinking something more along the lines of an elf, but this makes more sense.
--[] "I know who was behind it!" (Write in*)
*I'm not expecting anyone to get the name of the actual mage who cast these spells, but if you've been read any of my previous quests recently, you might have an idea of whose plan it was, at least.
Well, put like that, it's kinda obvious who it was. And if we really scoured through the A Hedge Maze Is You archive we could probably guess exactly who it was, unless they're someone who hasn't even been mentioned yet. Unfortunately, saying that would be metagaming, there is no way Elys would know any of this.
Whenever we get around to translating and reading those damn Mystic Path books we got, we better keep in mind that we have the ability to easily contact Mishrak and our parents to give them the vital information.
For now though... might as well do all the suggested things:
[X] "But who was behind it? You keep saying 'someone' cast these mind control spells, but who was it?"
[X] "You'll defend Prince Kristan, won't you? You can explain what actually happened."
-[X] "What are you doing now? Are you acting as his legal defence team?"
[X] "What happened to Sirs Howell, Froggatt, and Catsby? Did they get killed after they assassinated Prince Barathar?
-[X] "Are they on trial as well?"
[X] "What happened to Sir Moridan and Bellona? Are they still here somewhere?"
In addition to the above:
[X] Point out that the thing with King Marc both gives precedent for mind control being an option in this (to explain it to other people), and means the king presumably owes us a few favors (some of which could hopefully be used to make sure people behave reasonably and nothing stupid happens during the trials)
...does anyone know how to turn off the site converting text into image-based smileys? Was trying to make a text-based smiley with four eyes, and this sorta, ruined that...
Edit to the edit: fixed it via a blank character, copied and pasted from here: Empty Characters, Whitespaces & Blank Unicode Characters
[X] "But who was behind it? You keep saying 'someone' cast these mind control spells, but who was it?"
[X] "You'll defend Prince Kristan, won't you? You can explain what actually happened."
-[X] "What are you doing now? Are you acting as his legal defence team?"
[X] "What happened to Sirs Howell, Froggatt, and Catsby? Did they get killed after they assassinated Prince Barathar?
-[X] "Are they on trial as well?"
[X] "What happened to Sir Moridan and Bellona? Are they still here somewhere?"
[X] Point out that the thing with King Marc both gives precedent for mind control being an option in this (to explain it to other people), and means the king presumably owes us a few favors (some of which could hopefully be used to make sure people behave reasonably and nothing stupid happens during the trials)
So, dragonling-shaped but made out of oddly sized and placed human parts, human-shaped but incorrectly proportioned for severe uncanny valley-ness, a shoggoth-esque pile of miscelleneous flesh and body parts, or something else entirely?
I imagine Catharne tried to "improve" on her human shape by making it slightly dragonly actually - scaly hair, really sharp teeth/ nails, sparkling skin, eyelids that move horizontally...
