Asking the Right Questions (Part Four)
Chandagnac
Broken Robot
- Location
- Nowhere
All right, that's the end of yet another month.
*
Asking the Right Questions (Part Four)
"Perhaps we should speak privately," you say, forming an arcane symbol with one hand and casting a spell very much like the one Sir Jacquelyne Bruyner used when you visited her last month; your mother taught you her own version of the spell. "My adopted sister is Bellona Kachalskey, the Chosen of Teryn. As one of the world's greatest necromancers, she knows more about curses and the soul than anyone else I could name. If you agree to help us, I'm sure she would be willing to try to remove the curse your father has used to enslave you."
You glimpse a flash of genuine anger in Simony's eyes and on his face, just for a moment, before he plasters over it with his usual smarmy grin. "Oh? Someone's been telling tales," he says, with a mirthless chuckle. "So… you think you know everything there is to know about me, is that it? And maybe you're right. You have me at a disadvantage."
"Do you want the curse lifted or not?" you ask, frowning.
"Oh, very much. But, in this instance, my desires matter very little. You see, I…" He puts on a peculiar quizzical expression, almost as if he is sucking his mouth to one side. "Of course, you must know that my father traded his thousand-year-old family name for the power and influence offered to him by the Demon Lord Achamat."
You nod. "The one you worship."
"I bought my way into his priesthood," says Simony, without shame. "It provides me with a measure of protection from my father's machinations." He takes a deep breath. "Anyway… because he didn't realise that signing a mystical deal with demon lord would have unpleasant side effects, my father feels as if he was cheated. And so, ever since then, he has tried to wriggle out of it, firstly by paying an assortment of quacks and hedge wizards to give him a new 'true name' – yeah, he keeps doing that, no matter how often it doesn't work, like someone suffering from a gambling addiction – and he's tried various other schemes, each one more ridiculous than the last. You might think Achamat would be offended by his perfidy, but you'd be wrong: as the Demon Lord of Good and Bad Luck, he is very fond of high-stakes games and hopeless chancers. I'm sure he is very amused by the whole ridiculous situation."
"What's your point?" you ask.
"I'm not sure my lord Achamat would be happy with anyone interfering in his favourite entertainment. He enjoys watching my father's feeble struggles, the foolish plans to which he has committed and the depths to he will sink, far too much to allow anyone to bring it to an end before he has grown bored of it."
"But we wouldn't necessarily be putting an end to your father's struggles, even if we probably should," you point out. "We'd only be freeing you and your siblings from the curse that binds you to him."
"And do you think he'll give us up easily?" asks Simony, in a cynical tone. "No, I'd be surprised if you didn't have to kill him in the process. Besides, even if you manage to sneak all of us out without him noticing, he'll just find yet another impressionable young woman to bear some more cursed children for him. You wouldn't be solving the problem, just saving it for later, passing it on the next generation. That's why he has to die. Otherwise, it'll never end."
"If we promised you we'd kill him, even if it meant defying your demonic master, would you be willing to help us?" asks Raef, peering shrewdly at him.
"I… maybe," says Simony, almost choking over his words.
"Perhaps a demonstration would be in order," you suggest. "We intend to free your brother, Phil, from the curse. We'll get it done as soon as possible; then, you'll see that we can uphold our end of the bargain."
At that, Simony slowly nods. "I… ah, I should warn you… It's highly likely that my lord Achamat will soon become aware of this conversation if he isn't already. I've no idea what he will do. So, it's possible that I won't be in a position to accept your generous offer or not."
"You don't think he'll relish the chance to strike at one of his rivals?" you ask.
He shakes his head. "Honestly, I don't know. Might as well roll some dice or flip a coin to predict how he'll react."
"Is he really that random?" you ask, raising a sceptical eyebrow.
"Not really. Whatever happens, he'll try to make sure he benefits from it. The house always wins, after all. Still, until then, he finds it useful to cultivate an air of unpredictability."
"Well, thank you for your time. You've been very helpful," you say, somewhat ironically.
"No worries. Good luck with everything," he replies, shifting awkwardly.
Outside, Raef asks, "Where next? Back home?"
"It's a beautiful day," you say, looking around, enjoying the fresh air and mild winter's sunlight. "Let's walk for a bit. Get to know the local area."
"If you say so," she replies, somewhat uneasily.
"You must know this city very well. Unless there have been any major new building developments since you were living here?"
"Um… it looks pretty much the same as it always did."
Slowly, meandering along like a mighty river, you make your way to Tyrepheum's goblin town, to the shrine of Zora Alishanda, and through the portal to Mishrak's undersea palace.
The Aspiti Empire currently has 12 Warscore. Their Warscore increases at a rate of 2 per month (and can be increased by various special events).
The Coalition (of forces leagued against the Aspiti Empire) currently has a total of 13 Warscore. Their Warscore increases at a rate of 1 a month (and can be increased by Elys's actions).
Whichever side gains a total of 54 Warscore first will be the winner of this stage of the war.
The Coalition (of forces leagued against the Aspiti Empire) currently has a total of 13 Warscore. Their Warscore increases at a rate of 1 a month (and can be increased by Elys's actions).
Whichever side gains a total of 54 Warscore first will be the winner of this stage of the war.
From now on, Mishrak will provide the funds Jaqari Pruyte and his team need to build the space gonne, while Raef will assist them by fetching rare minerals (etc.) from faraway places. Because of this, the space gonne will be completed much sooner. However, it's likely that Melphior and his cultists will react badly to this.
Basically, you now have 3 months before things go to hell. Some of the vote options you can choose at the end of each month will extend or shorten this timer.
Basically, you now have 3 months before things go to hell. Some of the vote options you can choose at the end of each month will extend or shorten this timer.
What do you want Elys to do next month? (Choose one)
[] Go to Mishrak's undersea palace and spend time meeting various representatives of the different groups that make up the Coalition. (+Warscore?)
-[] Ask Sildar and Jorantul how they're getting on.
-[] Meet some of the Wranni.
--[] Be pleasantly surprised to see an old friend.
-[] Talk to some of the Deep Ones.
-[] Meet Red Ruin and a few of the orcs.
[] Sildar and Jorantul want a portal mage to help them with their daring plan to destroy a large part of the undead fleet commanded by the Aspitis. (+Warscore?)
-[] Elys will volunteer for the job.
--[] Samaya doesn't want to attract attention to herself, but if Elys volunteers, she will insist on taking part as well.
[] Join Gareth and Yslena in confronting Lord Gerrod Burntree and finding out if he had anything to do with the Rivayni royal family's recent misfortunes.
[] Get to know some of Jana's friends, third-year pupils at the Engelram Academy.
[] Get to know some of Catharne's new friends, first-year pupils at the Engelram Academy.
[] Arrange a meeting with the high council of the Sisterhood of the Iron Orchid.
-[] Attempt to persuade them to that the remainder of their forces should join in the war against Aspitolm.
--[] 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).
[] Arrange an appointment with Gilles Margreve, the playwright responsible for 'Tis Pity She's a Man, the play that has been causing the Sisterhood of the Iron Orchid so much anguish.
-[] Write in: what do you want to do or say to him?
[] Start building up your own sources of wealth and income so you won't have to keep asking Uncle Mishrak for money all the time.
-[] Write in: how?
[] DIPLOMACY MISSION: Visit the Avanni capital, Ontopophis. Present yourself to the God-Empress as an ambassador.
-[] Invite the Avanni to join the war against Aspitolm. (+Warscore?)
[] Go to Norrange and meet her grandfather, Count Lymond Sayce. (+Warscore?)
-[] Visit her uncle, Elward, and his wife, Raene.
--[] Visit her cousin, Jesric.
[] Finish reading Kelamon Dumar's How to Enter the Underworld.
[] Ask Raef how you can free Green Flame from the magical bonds that keep her as a slave.
---[] Attempt to free her. (Warning: this may be extremely difficult and potentially dangerous)
[] Invite Philander to the undersea palace.
--[] Get Bellona to examine his soul and the curses that bind him.
[] Go to Tyrepheum and investigate Humferth Hygmalion. Try to find out what he intends for Isolia.
[] Go to Lyones. Visit the headquarters of the Dream Knights.
-[] Tell them what is going on in Tyrepheum.
--[] Convince them to help.
[] Get Raef to open a portal to Keshpydar.
-[] Visit the new shrine to Mishrak
--[] Meet with the Night Blades' high command.
---[] Discuss with them what's been going on in Tyrepheum.
[] Tell Sildar and Jorantul about Humferth Hygmalion.
-[] Convince them that killing him would be the right thing to do.
--[] Transport them (via portal magic) to Tyrepheum.
---[] Keep an eye on them. Try to limit the amount of collateral damage.
[] Visit the Headmaster of the Tyrepheum Academy, Opernus Prentigold.
-[] Talk to him about Green Flame.
-[] Tell him that you intend to free her. What is he going to do about it?
[] Go to the Tyrepheum Academy and find Moroth Noorandiun.
-[] Convince him to tell you everything he knows about the Melphior cultists.
[] Go to the Tyrepheum Academy and find the Rayze twins.
-[] Insist that they tell you everything they know about the Melphior cultists.
--[] If they refuse, attempt to capture them so that they can be interrogated.
[] Do something else (write in)*.
*If there's anything I've forgotten to add to this list, that doesn't mean that you can't do it. Also, it may be possible to combine some of the vote options above.
Also, Elys's thirteenth birthday is coming up next month, bless her. 
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