[X] Arrange a meeting with the high council of the Sisterhood of the Iron Orchid.
-[X] Attempt to persuade them to that the remainder of their forces should join in the war against Aspitolm.
--[X] Suggest that you can get a lot of new recruits for them (by providing armour and weapons for the wannabe lady knights from the orphanage).
I just remembered that Achamat hasn't yet come back and told you everything he could find out about the Mystic Path, like he promised to do. Well, I suppose this would be a good time for that.
[x] Go to Norrange and meet her grandfather, Count Lymond Sayce. (+Warscore?)
-[x] Visit her uncle, Elward, his wife, Raene, and her cousin, Jesric.
--[x] It turns out that Lord Gerrod Burntree may have had something to do with the death of Yslena's younger sister, Joyzelle.
---[x] Join Gareth and Yslena in confronting him.
Certainly I am interested in that - Elys is turning out to be a leader, a commander, and a mage who can stand up in combat if need be, but whose real expertise is in tactics and, I hope, battlefield control. Getting a few specialties in wider band magics and picking up a few elemental specialties to mix together and deploy as a commander would be good for her overall.
But for the moment, I think she could use a few months away from the battlefield, and there's a lot of interesting plot hooks left hanging!
[X] Devote much of your time and energy to learning water magic at the Engelram Academy.
-[X] Study together with Tassin Tayde and any of Jana's other friends who want to learn.
But the other Options (Orchid, meet Grandfather) are good, too.
[x] Go to Norrange and meet her grandfather, Count Lymond Sayce. (+Warscore?)
-[x] Visit her uncle, Elward, his wife, Raene, and her cousin, Jesric.
--[x] It turns out that Lord Gerrod Burntree may have had something to do with the death of Yslena's younger sister, Joyzelle.
---[x] Join Gareth and Yslena in confronting him.
Isn't confronting Burntree just taking a little battlefield instead of a big one?
As opposed to studying which would be an age apropriate thing with (Janas) friends?
(Though agreed on the interesting plothook bit)
Isn't confronting Burntree just taking a little battlefield instead of a big one?
As opposed to studying which would be an age apropriate thing with (Janas) friends?
(Though agreed on the interesting plothook bit)
I guess the question I'm getting at is if a time away from the battlefield should also involve some (probably lesser) time away from encounters and brawls.
[x] Go to Norrange and meet her grandfather, Count Lymond Sayce. (+Warscore?)
-[x] Visit her uncle, Elward, his wife, Raene, and her cousin, Jesric.
--[x] It turns out that Lord Gerrod Burntree may have had something to do with the death of Yslena's younger sister, Joyzelle.
---[x] Join Gareth and Yslena in confronting him.
Doing this will tie up a loose plot thread that has been dangling ever since the end of The Tinpot Princess and Her Many Travels. Elys will get to see what her parents have been working on while she's been busy elsewhere. And there's a good chance you'll get a substantial boost to your Warscore.
I'm not going to update for a few days, but I'll see you then.
I guess the question I'm getting at is if a time away from the battlefield should also involve some (probably lesser) time away from encounters and brawls.
I see your point, but I'd say there's a big difference - Elys isn't in a position of command, and unlike a proper battlefield, there's no guarantee of casualties in a more limited brawl. In other words, what she needs a break from is the senselessness of war and the immediate consequences and horrific sights of the battlefield.
Ah, dang, seems like I checked in too late to give my vote. Oops. XD
I would have echoed the sentiment that it's nice to let her cut loose and be more of a kid for a while after everything that happened. Still, either way, I'll be eager to read the update. Cheers!
All right, sorry about the wait. I've not been very well of late.
*
Revenge Is Poison (Gareth's POV)
After he had been confronted with incontrovertible proof of his crimes – in front of a court filled with shocked noblemen and women – Gerrod Burntree had fled, given inhuman speed and stamina by the wicked spirits who were his allies. Gareth and Yslena had pursued him as quickly as they could, though it quickly became apparent that they little chance of catching him.
Then, at the entrance to the King's Forest, he turned to face them. He was a lean, sinewy individual with a long face, dressed in muddied finery, which he'd bought with the wealth he'd stolen from his victims. And he was surrounded by shadowy silhouettes, vague wisps and shapes in the air, and dozens of glowing eyes. They were the spirits of the wild, of forest and swamp and moorland, of animals and plants and insects, and all of them had – or believed they had – good reason to fear and hate all of humankind. Except perhaps for Gerrod Burntree, who was their tool.
He seemed to want to talk: "My mother was a maidservant at Greygor Keep. She was raped and abused by master, Lord Villiars. When she gave birth to his son, she got the blame for what he'd done. They called her a scheming harlot. As if there was anything she could have done to resist his advances. She was thrown out into the cold, with her babe in arms and barely more than the clothes she happened to be wearing at the time. I suppose she must have hoped she could move to another city and begin a new life, but she never got the chance. She fell ill and died by the side of the road. I was left alone and helpless. And then the spirits found me. They raised me, showed me what had happened to my mother and prepared me to take revenge in her name. That's why I killed the Villiars family."
"You killed more than a hundred people in Greygor Keep, with the help of your plague spirit friend," said Yslena, icily calm. "Only a few of them were members of the nobility. Most of them were servants. Cooks, stableboys, maids just like your mother…" A savage smirk, like the slash of a knife, spread itself across her face. "And you would have gone on to kill thousands more. Is that how you honour her memory? By mass-murdering innocent people?"
"A necessary evil," Gerrod replied, tonelessly. "For too long, a bunch of useless aristocrats have preyed upon this country – on its people and on everything else – and they will continue to do so, since I've failed to stop them. What a waste."
"You're like me," Gareth realised. "For a long time, I was consumed by the need for revenge. I killed a lot of people. Tortured and murdered them. And it wouldn't surprise me if some of them were innocent."
"And how did you manage to redeem yourself?" asked Gerrod, in a voice tinged with mockery.
"The love of a good woman," said Gareth, with a glance at Yslena. "And quite a lot of community service."
Gerrod sneered and shook his head. "A pox on that. You may have exposed me, but that doesn't mean I won't find another way to carry out my mission. After I kill you, of course."
He raised a hand. The spirits gathered around him, like a storm cloud blotting out the horizon, and Gareth knew there was no way of avoiding a fight. Of course, he wasn't sure if he'd even want to avoid a fight. Yslena certainly wouldn't; she wanted revenge for her sister, Joyzelle, who'd married into the Villiars family, and all of her little nieces and nephews. He didn't think she was wrong to want that, but it meant that the cycle of revenge had no end to it.
A wave of spirits rushed at them, trying to overwhelm them, but Yslena had surrounded them both with an invisible shield. Her sword was charged with magical flames and she seemed intent on cutting a path through to where Gerrod was standing.
Gareth was by no means defenceless. He had a few new tricks up his sleeve. He'd been speaking to Emerijk Kunrath, one of his daughter's friends, who happened to be a skilled alchemist. Apparently, there were a number of Sambian alchemists who were underpaid and unappreciated in their homeland, so Kunrath had persuaded them to take Mishrak's coin and join him in setting up a factory in the Undersea Palace. They were making explosive powders, unguents to promote swift healing, oils that could be used to magically enhance weapons for a short time, and many other little things that would be useful in the war against Aspitolm. Gareth had bought a selection of their creations, which should be a nasty surprise for anyone who thought he was nothing more than a man with a sword.
Add another 2 Warscore to the Coalition's total. They now have 36 Warscore.
First, a scattering of explosive powder, which scattered the spirits it touched, with howls of pain and dismay. Then, he drew his sword and anointed it with an oil blessed by the lesser gods of fire and the forge, anathema to the hateful nature spirits who were currently leagued against him. And then… well, he'd keep fighting.
However, he had a few concerns: there were so many spirits that it was entirely possible that he and his beloved wife would be overwhelmed before long. In battle, Yslena often seemed like an unstoppable juggernaut, but even she had limits. It would be good to have some reinforcements around about now.
'Mishrak, I don't know if you can hear me, but we really need some help,' he muttered under his breath. He wasn't a devoted worshipper of any god, but his relationship with the Dragon of the Depths was closer than most, even if it had always been rather transactional. Still, his daughter was Mishrak's Chosen – and Elys would be very upset if anything bad happened to her parents – so it seemed certain that he'd be motivated to help.
But how quickly would help arrive? Would Gareth and Yslena already be dead by then?
After another few moments of frantic fighting, a hole appeared in the air, as if a window was hanging in space with nothing to support it. Elys stepped through it, dressed in her school uniform and looking mildly irritated. Jana followed just a second behind her, similarly dressed.
"I don't suppose anyone wants to explain what's going on here?" asked Elys, looking around at the swarm of angry spirits, Gerrod Burntree who appeared to have become a larger and more monstrous version of himself, and her parents who'd used the momentary distraction to take a quick breather behind another invisible shield.
"He and his spirit friends have killed hundreds of innocent people, including your Aunt Joyzelle," said Yslena, pointing an accusatory finger at Gerrod.
"And now he's trying to kill us," Gareth added.
"Yes, yes, let's just get on with it." Gerrod sneered. "Kill me if you can."
Called from the cafeteria before she even had a chance to meet Catharne! And they had the good stuff today!
A terrible fate, i tell you!
(if the note hadn't already gotten that post a hug-reaction, this part would have earned it a funny-reaction)
"He and his spirit friends have killed hundreds of innocent people, including your Aunt Joyzelle," said Yslena, pointing an accusatory finger at Gerrod.
"And now he's trying to kill us," Gareth added.
"Yes, yes, let's just get on with it." Gerrod sneered. "Kill me if you can."
First, a scattering of explosive powder, which scattered the spirits it touched, with howls of pain and dismay. Then, he drew his sword and anointed it with an oil blessed by the lesser gods of fire and the forge, anathema to the hateful nature spirits who were currently leagued against him. And then… well, he'd keep fighting.
Ah, marvelous work. Kunrath is doing great, and Gareth is showing age hasn't slowed his wits one bit! What's a rogue without a bag of tricks, afterall.
After another few moments of frantic fighting, a hole appeared in the air, as if a window was hanging in space with nothing to support it. Elys stepped through it, dressed in her school uniform and looking mildly irritated. Jana followed just a second behind her, similarly dressed.
I can only concur, target-rich environment, enemies that are plentiful but relatively weak individually. Perfect conditions.
But, I also feel compelled to argue for a diplomatic solution. They're nature spirits, they hate and fear humanity, but is violence and the cycle of revenge the only way? I don't think we can truly kill them as long as the things they represent exist, and we can't destroy nature, so while Gerrod committed atrocities, perhaps he could hang alone.
I propose, perhaps after a show of force, trying to communicate to the spirits that violence is not the answer to resolve their problem with civilization, and ask them for their grievances and address how they could bring them before the king and argue their points.
Sounds fast. Very fast.
Less than a minute, ish. For all of the following:
Prayer reaches Mishrak
I assume instant.
Mishrak tell Elys "quick, teleport to [place]"
a few seconds.
Elys gets Jana (but not Catharne)
?
Elys finds an unobserved place to portal from
?
Elys opens a portal
a few moments if Elys is being very quick
So Elys getting Jana must have been nearly instantaneous.
Considering they are in school uniforms, I'd assume they were at school.
For that fast to be possible, I'd assume either they were in her room having a break or they happened to be together (like at lunch before meeting Catharne, or she'd be here too) close to a reasonable unobserved spot (dashed to toilet? Disappeared into a janitors closet?).
So yeah, I think the mild irritation is having to hurry Mishrak-knows-where when she was about to have a break or food.
But, I also feel compelled to argue for a diplomatic solution. They're nature spirits, they hate and fear humanity, but is violence and the cycle of revenge the only way? I don't think we can truly kill them as long as the things they represent exist, and we can't destroy nature, so while Gerrod committed atrocities, perhaps he could hang alone.
I propose, perhaps after a show of force, trying to communicate to the spirits that violence is not the answer to resolve their problem with civilization, and ask them for their grievances and address how they could bring them before the king and argue their points.
So Elys getting Jana must have been nearly instantaneous.
Considering they are in school uniforms, I'd assume they were at school.
For that fast to be possible, I'd assume either they were in her room having a break or they happened to be together (like at lunch before meeting Catharne, or she'd be here too) close to a reasonable unobserved spot (dashed to toilet? Disappeared into a janitors closet?).
I can only concur, target-rich environment, enemies that are plentiful but relatively weak individually. Perfect conditions.
But, I also feel compelled to argue for a diplomatic solution. They're nature spirits, they hate and fear humanity, but is violence and the cycle of revenge the only way? I don't think we can truly kill them as long as the things they represent exist, and we can't destroy nature, so while Gerrod committed atrocities, perhaps he could hang alone.
I was more likely talking about opening a portal under/behind the culprit and burning him with Dragon Flame instead of fighting the spirits. Or just knock him down with a surprise attack. In general, I agree that in their case a peaceful solution would be the best.
I agree, but I'm concerned for Ely's parents if things aren't resolved quickly, and want to prioritize that for the moment. Considering that the spirits are the ones who gave Gerrod the power and mindset to do that in the first place, I doubt just blasting him would open them up to negotiations.
Though maybe in that case, Elys could also announce that she's just going to focus on protecting her parents and friend, leave them to actually taking Gerrod out, and then ask if the spirits would want to talk?
Well, sure, but even if it's for a good cause and to help people you love you might also spare a thought for the thing you dropped to help them, right?
