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The Kindling We Live In

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[X] Plan: Beam Beam
-[X] [FEAT] Dual-Sphere: Imbue with nature
-[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
-[X] [TALENT] Nature: Deep Nature
-[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
-[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
--[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
--[X] [DIVINE] Healing
-[X] [STYLE] Ranged Basics
-[X] [STYLE] Shotgun Skirmisher
-[X] [TRAINING] Ki Blaster
--[X] Destruction: Absorb/Buy off drawbacks
--[X] Destruction: Penetrating Blast
--[X] Destruction: Extended Range
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
-[X] [ESOTERY] Phantom Strike
-[X] [ESOTERY] Elemental Aura
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Bomb
-[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
-[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
-[X] [TERA] Flight
-[X] [TERA] Anomalous Mutation
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Grove
--[X] Living Fortress
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Verdant Servant
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Budding Creation x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Living Creation x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
-[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
-[X] [SKILLS] Acrobatics
-[X] [SKILLS] Craft
-[X] [SKILLS] Survival

Basically applying the Beamspam Magical Girl Suite. Morsel doesn't get much STRONGER physically/close up, but theres enough durability/resilience options on top of fast healing that she should be able to basically just absorb any harm there. Tactically this build relies on flight and mid range all purpose acid bombardment to avoid contending in close combat(and relying on the relative narrative lack of slashing type ranged attacks that aren't spells to ablate a lot of hits off our damage reduction)

Had to do some shuffling around to pack Grove and attached functions in, I just kinda like the idea of making our school one.


[X] Plan: Basics of CQC
-[X] [FEAT] Spell Slugger
-[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
-[X] [TALENT] Nature: Destroy Element
-[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
-[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
--[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
--[X] [DIVINE] Healing
-[X] [STYLE] My Trap Card is FIST
-[X] [STYLE] Norsca Special
-[X] [TRAINING] Infuser
--[X] Boxing
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
-[X] [ESOTERY] Phantom Strike
-[X] [ESOTERY] Elemental Aura
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
-[X] [ESOTERY] Rubber Ki
-[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
-[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
-[X] [TERA] Flight
-[X] [TERA] Regeneration
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Powerful Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
-[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] Vestigal Wings x2
-[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] Extend Reach
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
-[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
-[X] [SKILLS] Acrobatics
-[X] [SKILLS] Bluff
-[X] [SKILLS] Survival

This approach meanwhile invests more heavily into straight close combat specs, exploiting Rubber Ki to basically zip in and punish people with spell-punches. As its more close combat oriented I went all in on the stat buff mutations, since a close combatant, even one with reach can't count on distance and cover for safety.

And of course, wings and high aerial maneuverability, because if you're punching based I'll be damned if I'd let "being out of reach in the sky" stop us!


[X] Plan: Minions Go Do It
-[X] [FEAT] Extra Magical Talent: Nature (Advanced): Zoetic Geomancy
-[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
-[X] [TALENT] Nature: Deep Nature
-[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
-[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
--[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
--[X] [DIVINE] Healing
-[X] [STYLE] Watchful Monster
-[X] [STYLE] Hardcore Parkour
-[X] [TRAINING] Manipulator
--[X] Mana: Bulwark
--[X] Mana: Intelligent Interactions
--[X] Mana: Energy Modification
-[X] [ESOTERY] Absorb Magic
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Clone
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
-[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
-[X] [ESOTERY] Nature's Barrage
-[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
-[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
-[X] [TERA] Roots
-[X] [TERA] Mobile Roots
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Grove
--[X] Living Fortress
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Verdant Servant x2
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Budding Creation x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Living Creation x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience x2
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x2
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x2
-[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
-[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
-[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
-[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
-[X] [SKILLS] Bluff
-[X] [SKILLS] Disguise
-[X] [SKILLS] Survival

Meanwhile here....just spawn adds and hide somewhere while supporting. Not sure if its too much in-play overhead, I don't think I'd mind too much if it got veto'ed for adding an unmanagable number of additional combatants

I hope I hadn't gotten the counts wrong somewhere....
 
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It will take a few more hours to look over things but failing that I am sire Veekies plans are decent.
 
Mlmiii said:
And, uh. I know this took me multiple days, but I won't be offended if the complexity makes people wish for Arcanist/Swarmlord instead. Evolutionist is A Lot to level up in large batches, and with how close the vote was, I don't think people would be too upset to switch.
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My inability to handle the mechanical complexity is a separate matter from my preference for Arcanist//Swarmlord.
 
veekie said:
I hope I hadn't gotten the counts wrong somewhere....
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A quick check with a calculator shows 55/57 Mutations on Beam Beam, 56/57 on Basics of CQC, and one Mana (Manabond/Manipulation) talent missing on Minions Do It. Beam Beam also has two general Destruction Talents instead of three Destruction (Blast Type) Talents, which technically compiles with an unspoken assumption to consume the drawback and her existing (Blast Types) but might not be intentional.

Otherwise, looks good!
 
Mlmiii said:
A quick check with a calculator shows 55/57 Mutations on Beam Beam, 56/57 on Basics of CQC, and one Mana (Manabond/Manipulation) talent missing on Minions Do It. Beam Beam also has two general Destruction Talents instead of three Destruction (Blast Type) Talents, which technically compiles with an unspoken assumption to consume the drawback and her existing (Blast Types) but might not be intentional.

Otherwise, looks good!
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Gonna fix that when back on PC. I'm scared of editing this on mobile hahah
 
Mlmiii said:
A quick check with a calculator shows 55/57 Mutations on Beam Beam, 56/57 on Basics of CQC, and one Mana (Manabond/Manipulation) talent missing on Minions Do It. Beam Beam also has two general Destruction Talents instead of three Destruction (Blast Type) Talents, which technically compiles with an unspoken assumption to consume the drawback and her existing (Blast Types) but might not be intentional.

Otherwise, looks good!
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Beam Beam
-The two missing mutations went to stat buffs for Cognizance and Instinct
-The Talents was Two Wrongs Made A Right, I forgot about the drawback and miscounted the talent, so I'd formally buy off the drawback with the missed talent

Basics of CQC
-Added an instance of Extend Reach. Never hurts for meleers.

Minions Do It
-Added a Mana - Energy Modication
 
Extending the voting period by a day to give people an opportunity to break the tie. Given the length of the plans at hand, I ran veekie's work through diffchecker to isolate some things:

Feat: Imbue With Nature vs Spell Slugger
Talent: Deep Nature vs Destroy Element
Style: Ranged Basics + Shotgun Skirmisher vs Norsca Special + My Trap Card Is FIST
Training: Ki Blaster vs Infuser
Esoteries: Ki Bomb vs Rubber Ki
Teratomorph: Anomalous Mutation vs Regeneration
Mutations: Grove + Verdant Servant + 3x Budding Creation + 3x Living Creation vs Evolved Resilience x2, Powerful Form x3, Vestigial Wings x2, Extend Reach
Skills: Craft vs Bluff

Feat: Spell Slugger vs Extra Magic Talent
Talent: Destroy Element vs Deep Nature + Zoetic Geomancy
Style: Norsca Special + My Trap Card Is FIST vs Hardcore Parkour + Watchful Monster
Training: Infuser vs Manipulator
Esoteries: Phantom Strike + Elemental Aura + Rubber Ki vs Absorb Magic + Ki Clone + Nature's Barrage
Teratomorph: Flight + Regeneration vs Roots + Mobile Roots
Mutations: Evolved Resilience, Powerful Form x3, Superior Cognizance, Superior Instinct, Vestigial Wings x2, Extend Reach vs Grove + Verdant Servant + 3x Budding Creation + 3x Living Creation
Skills: Bluff vs Disguise

So, to summarize for those whose eyes glaze over at all the information:
- Beam Beam is focused primarily on battlefield mobility and hitting multiple opponents. Isa and Sierra are good against hordes of weak enemies, but Beam Beam can handle enemies of peer level better than the other plans. It also picks up Craft as a skill, presumably to make better Budding Creations. Pick this option if you want to double Morsel's damage output, or make it even higher under dense enough enemy groups.

- Basics of CQC sacrifices the Grove and most other Plant mutations for improved flight and the ability to participate in melee combat. It also picks up Bluff as a skill. Pick this option if you want Morsel to be a more frontline fighter, capable of disrupting enemy rhythm and having strong melee tools in case of antimagic fields.

- Minions Go Do It sacrifices Flight (which Morsel can do with magic, to be fair) for battlefield durability. Furthermore, it sacrifices immediate combat potential for things that help Morsel both in her personal life and in running her college, to say nothing of securing Zoetic Geomancy to create Elementals. Pick this option if you think Morsel's combat potential is currently sufficient, and should spend resources on quality-of-life changes.
 
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Both "Beam Beam" and "Minions Go Do It" take a stack of Verdant Servant, an easily-replaceable minion with no particular cost to summon beyond time. "Minions Go Do It" also takes Zoetic Geomancy, which allows Morsel to make Elementals with Spell Points instead of needing to tap mana.

You can also make minions through Agent-granting Turn Actions, but so far the thread has declined to take this path.
 
Partly because I think Zombies have various aesthetic, ethical and control challenges nobody wanted their actions badly enough to thread through heh.

But plant constructs should be fine Anywhere(as long as they aren't parasitic anyway)
 
veekie said:
Partly because I think Zombies have various aesthetic, ethical and control challenges nobody wanted their actions badly enough to thread through heh.

But plant constructs should be fine Anywhere(as long as they aren't parasitic anyway)
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Well, Sylvan Necromancy still exists within Feat list, as far as I remember. Considering both Sage and Evolutionist seem to have plenty of progression options, we should be able to shake loose one and that way anything Zombie can do, we can do better with Plants. I for one will campaign for taking it. Eventually.
 
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Vote Closed -- Morsel Lv13/T05 Progression Vote New
  • Voting
    • Scheduled vote count started by Mlmiii on Mar 23, 2025 at 5:39 AM, finished with 20 posts and 6 votes.
    • [X] Plan: Beam Beam
      -[X] [FEAT] Dual-Sphere: Imbue with nature
      -[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
      -[X] [TALENT] Nature: Deep Nature
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
      --[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
      --[X] [DIVINE] Healing
      -[X] [STYLE] Ranged Basics
      -[X] [STYLE] Shotgun Skirmisher
      -[X] [TRAINING] Ki Blaster
      --[X] Destruction: Absorb/Buy off drawbacks
      --[X] Destruction: Penetrating Blast
      --[X] Destruction: Extended Range
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Phantom Strike
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Elemental Aura
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Bomb
      -[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
      -[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
      -[X] [TERA] Flight
      -[X] [TERA] Anomalous Mutation
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Grove
      --[X] Living Fortress
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Verdant Servant
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Budding Creation x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Living Creation x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] Acrobatics
      -[X] [SKILLS] Craft
      -[X] [SKILLS] Survival
      [X] Plan: Minions Go Do It
      -[X] [FEAT] Extra Magical Talent: Nature (Advanced): Zoetic Geomancy
      -[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
      -[X] [TALENT] Nature: Deep Nature
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
      --[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
      --[X] [DIVINE] Healing
      -[X] [STYLE] Watchful Monster
      -[X] [STYLE] Hardcore Parkour
      -[X] [TRAINING] Manipulator
      --[X] Mana: Bulwark
      --[X] Mana: Intelligent Interactions
      --[X] Mana: Energy Modification
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Absorb Magic
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Clone
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Nature's Barrage
      -[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
      -[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
      -[X] [TERA] Roots
      -[X] [TERA] Mobile Roots
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Grove
      --[X] Living Fortress
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Verdant Servant x2
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Budding Creation x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Living Creation x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience x2
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x2
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x2
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] Bluff
      -[X] [SKILLS] Disguise
      -[X] [SKILLS] Survival
      [X] Plan: Basics of CQC
      -[X] [FEAT] Spell Slugger
      -[X] [FEAT] LOCKED: Ancient Mutator
      -[X] [TALENT] Nature: Destroy Element
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Mythic Spherecaster
      -[X] [MYTHIC] Divine Source
      --[X] [DIVINE] Lawful
      --[X] [DIVINE] Healing
      -[X] [STYLE] My Trap Card is FIST
      -[X] [STYLE] Norsca Special
      -[X] [TRAINING] Infuser
      --[X] Boxing
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Weapon
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Phantom Strike
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Elemental Aura
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Ki Wall
      -[X] [ESOTERY] Rubber Ki
      -[X] [ESOTERY] LOCKED: Primal Strike
      -[X] [TERA] LOCKED: Amorphous x2
      -[X] [TERA] Flight
      -[X] [TERA] Regeneration
      -[X] [MUTATION] [PLANT] Hardy Damage Reduction
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Combat Instinct x7
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Evolve Skill x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] LOCKED: Extra Talent x13
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Evolve Resilience x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Powerful Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Nimble Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Resilient Form x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Cognizance x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Grace x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INTERNAL] Superior Instinct x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] LOCKED: Evolve Movement
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] Vestigal Wings x2
      -[X] [MUTATION] [INNATE] Extend Reach
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] LOCKED: Disease
      -[X] [MUTATION] [EX] Damage Reduction x3
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Parasitism 3x (Base, Corpse Puppet, Healing)
      -[X] [MUTATION] [ANCIENT] LOCKED: Symbiosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] LOCKED: Autohypnosis
      -[X] [SKILLS] Acrobatics
      -[X] [SKILLS] Bluff
      -[X] [SKILLS] Survival
    Click to expand...

    We're tied again, so I'll tiebreak--my preference is for Minions Go Do It, so those who voted for Beam Beam will be compensated with a Token. I'll update the Token Ledger to account for this.

    EDIT: April 19 update: Imagine remembering you need to roll HP, lol
    EDIT 2: Nice.
    Mlmiii threw 2 4-faced dice. Reason: 2d4+8 Morsel HP (two levels) Total: 8
    4 4 4 4
     
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    Things Happening Elsewhere -- Fódlan Turn 014 New
  • Sidestory
    • <A/N: This takes place during the Oaths and Adoptions Action of Turn 014. Most of the delay for this chapter was due to needing the emotional bandwidth to write this specific chunk, as I was low on sleep and overbooked on a surge of activity on my TRPG server (finally, free of the Eternal DM chair!). With any luck, the rest of the chapter will be out by the end of the month, as I've had more free time recently. This piece is posted separately from Turn 014 mostly because Morsel will neither see, nor likely be informed for quite some time, of what happens here.>


    The Emperor of Adrestia looks down at the table she rests her elbows on. Reports from the various ministers lay spread before her, and her throne on the dias behind. Three months into her reign, and eight since Rhea agreed to loosen the restrictions choking humanity's progress in its cradle--

    "Hubert," she asks her ever-present loyal shadow, hands in her face from exasperation, "do you think Rhea kept us in the dark to save us from all this paperwork?"

    "Doubtful, Lady Edelgard," replies her spymaster, slipping out of one of the many shaded corners of the room to lean on a pillar. "Were it not paperwork, it'd be meetings, delegating, and spies to make sure your delegating worked."

    "Ugh," she groans, letting her head slide down to the table. "Would that I could make her deal with this, and actually enjoy the most vibrant years of my life--!"

    "Unfortunately, Rhea," Hubert argues.

    "Unfortunately, Rhea," Edelgard agrees. She goes to flip a page--

    A knock at the door interrupts her. "Enter," she says, and a guard walks in alongside Constance von Nuvelle, last of her House. "Oh, hello, Constance."

    "Your Majesty," she bows, before a quick gesture from Edelgard sees her returning upright and the guard returning to their post outside. "Thanks again for agreeing to this. I recognize that House Nuvelle is not the most tightly held asset to the Empire at the moment--"

    "Oh, none of that," Edelgard smiles. "I'm glad for you! I know it's not the way either of us planned, but the chance to restore House Nuvelle..." she sighs, bittersweet, "If only it were that such miracles were more commonplace."

    The two girls let the melancholy rest for a moment, both tiptoeing around the pain that scarred them. "If only..." Constance sighs, before continuing, "I just... I must confess, I have been troubled by doubts, as of late, that I have somehow... might I sit down? I feel a sudden weight." Edelgard nods, and her paperwork is swept aside by Hubert (still properly sorted, of course), and Constance continues, "All this time, I have given everything I have for the sake of restoring House Nuvelle. All these years of seeking favor and pity and what meager scraps I was spared to make it happen--and then it just... falls in my lap!" She says, throwing her hands in the air. "It's a relief, to be sure, but... it's not... it's not my work, not fully. It's not House Nuvelle rising from the ashes, it's us being lifted from them. Am... am I abandoning my family's chance at glory? How can I reclaim my family's place on the back of reinventing someone else's work?"

    Edelgard blinks. "Constance... is there a window I left open? This sounds almost like--"

    "It's not Sunny," Shaded Constance objects, "she's happy about all this, for the first time in years."

    "Oh, dear," Edelgard winces.

    "But... am I... am I doing something wrong?" she asks, voice wavering.

    "If I may?" offers Hubert. Edelgard nods, and he continues, "Not wrong. Unforeseen."

    "...Pardon?" Constance asks.

    "You spent your life after the fire shaping your broken pieces into tools to make the world right again--Sunny as armor, and Shaded as spell-tome--and now suddenly, your plans are torn out from under you," Hubert says. "Everything would be alright, so long as you did just this one thing. And now, you never will."

    "Must you rub it in, Lord Hubert?" Constance asks.

    "Ah, but that's the problem--the statement doesn't run in reverse," he smirks, finger raised in gentle rebuke. "Restoring House Nuvelle by your own hand would force the world to be right. But would the world being right require you be the one to do it? When the wound was fresh, did you ask for the strength to undo it?"

    "Or," he continues, "Did you pray for the nightmare to end--by any means?"

    "...Huh," Constance mutters. "To think, I would forget the wisdom of a child..."

    "That's what you have Sunny for, isn't it?" Hubert asks. "To remember. No matter the pain."

    The room is silent for a few moments, before Constance nods. "Freeing myself up to search for miracles with eyes unclouded. Is that why Sunny was so calm about this?"

    Hubert nods. "She wasn't bent into the shape that made you believe the hasty generalization in the first place."

    "A truly unusual turn of events," Constance smiles bittersweetly, "but I appreciate your wisdom--and hers."

    "Of course," Hubert smiles.

    "...Apologies, for... all of that," Constance blushes, turning back to Edelgard. "But I thought it best to get it out of the way before the ceremony. I do have some dignity to salvage, after all."

    "Of course," Edelgard smiles. "Do you think you will be gone for long?"

    Constance frowns. "I... might not come back. Perhaps someday, if my new liege permits such a naked show of legal loophole-crawling, but..." She sighs. "I do think your reforms are worth something, Edelgard, and I'll see about empowering commoner-councils in the lands I'll share with Morsel soon, but--"

    "But you've already hammered yourself into shape," Edelgard nods.

    "I have," Constance says. Her own hopes are latched too firmly on a Noble House Nuvelle returning, and yet... "Perhaps the rest of my family will be more flexible with how House Nuvelle reacts to these changing ways of power."

    "And perhaps," Edelgard smiles, "House Nuvelle, resurgent, might bring a light of a different kind back to Fódlan, and be a household name regardless of these twists and turns."

    "Perhaps," Constance smiles. "But let us save such things for when we fully know the spell, and what it would take to repeatedly cast it."

    The two women speak for a bit longer, of happier futures and the pain of healing. But soon, they part, if only to meet again--under a more rigid air, where Bindings are let slip, and little games are played with the letter of the law so that, just this once, a miracle can be harnessed to answer a little girl's prayer.

    And, perhaps, like a seed, the miracle might be multiplied.

    And, perhaps, they shall be wise enough to make use of it.

    Perhaps.

    Perhaps.
     
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  • Sidestory
    • You set your sights in something for so long and work so hard for it only to be adrift once you get it, because eventually the struggle is your life, not the goal. Poor Constance, hopefully she can reclaim a full, single identity as the Lady of a risen House
     
    CrabTravelLLC said:
    Poor Constance, hopefully she can reclaim a full, single identity as the Lady of a risen House
    Click to expand...
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    Forgive me if I'm reading too much into the "single" here, but Constance is one of the few times the Fire Emblem series has tackled plurality with any amount of competence and I am not taking that away from her. Especially not after being plural myself, as I've talked about on the SV Plural/Dissociative Community thread. While recovery for plural systems can involve a reduction in population density, this is an unreliable--and frankly overhyped--side effect of removing the dissociative barriers and/or sources thereof that would otherwise interfere with communication between alters. Part of the reason why this quest emphasized the difference between Perfectionist Regeneration and Bioessentialist Regeneration is that recovery does not always look like being "normal". Instead, it looks like being unburdened by what harmed you--even if you end in a different shape than you began.
     
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