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Even as your detour through the mountains comes to an ultimately-pointless close, your travels remain far from smooth. The nation of Heim is pretty much entirely desert, seas of sand as far as the eye can divine.

Magical attunement allows one to glide across the dunes as though they were a meadow, but most of the party accompanying King Drasma, yourself included, have no such luck to have learned the arcane ways.

Consequently, your friend Natalie is making better time than the horses of Yvette, Biff, Byron, and Quidel, leading the pack alongside the three other magic-users your party has recently come into contact with, only matched by the pegasi and Khozen, literally flying above the sand. King Drasma walks alongside Nat, waving his scepter heartily and cheering on the group's sand-stuck stragglers.

How are you holding up?

>A. Perfectly fine, all things considered
>B. This is kinda tedious
>C. Hey, other knights are doing even worse
>D. Dear gods kill me now

>>41652937
B

>>41652937
>A. Perfectly fine, all things considered

>>41652937
>E. I'm quietly praying for rain to start falling from the sky.

>>41653008
>>41653149
It's... pretty tedious, unfamiliar territory that you just KNOW is going to hamper you in that which is most sacred to your heart: fighting.

"Reese, man, stay with us!" Robert's voice rings from behind you. He and Jay are propping Reese, still heavily-armored and sweating heavily, up, and walking with him. They look strained.

"I... will be fine in a moment..." Reese pants out.

Robert screams in his face, "just take your damn armor off! People aren't gonna think you're a hero if you roast in there because of the freakin' weather!"

"Knights are... resilient, Bobby-boy! I can handle some sand in my boots!"

>A. Let them handle this
>B. Step in (write-in preferred)

>>41653323
>Take the damn armor off, You want toe endanger the rest of us in a fight because you have heat stroke in them middle of a battle?

>>41653441
You insert yourself into the conversation with levels of aggravation towards Reese nearing ones you haven't felt since he was an unlikable drunk.

"Listen to Robert and take the damn armor off," you tell him off, "because if you have a heat stroke in the middle of ambush from those 'Vautou,' you won't be the only one inconvenienced. Quit being selfish and just wear something that won't burn you! No one cares about your pride!"

The villager guys don't have much to say to that at first, but finally Reese responds, "very well... If you say I should, then I'll shed my armor. Anyway, if I suddenly lose my armor, imagine how much nimbler I'll become! Why, I might be able to take Mimon in a footrace! Robert, Jay, could you two be wonderful and help me carry it to storage?"

Not wanting much more to do with this particular situation, you head back ahead, on your way passing by Stefyn and Dama having a conversation.

"What?! We don't sweat, alright?"

"I-I wasn't staring, promise!"

Mitchell chuckles from nearby, taking a swig from a canteen.

>A. Talk to this particular group
>B. Just try to catch up with the prince

>>41653759
>Chat with Dama

>>41653802
What could possibly go wrong?

>>41653759
>Conversing with a group consisting of a thief, a sub-human and the murderer of one of our closest friends.
heh

>B. Just try to catch up with the prince

>>41653974
Well i don't really think Ellen would talk to Stefyn or Michell, Since y'know she hates their guys

>>41654107
We've gotten along with Dama, Also fuckin racist much?

>>41653802
>>41653974
Never one to pass up an opportunity to antagonize Stefyn and his best friend, you interrupt their conversation with Dama by approaching her yourself.

"What do you wa-Oh, hey, it's you. The girl who helped us out back in Rakche."

You hear Mitchell spurting out his water in surprise, chiming in, "wait, THAT'S how they broke out? Here I thought my tying skills had been slipping!" He sounds slightly annoyed at first, then just sort of laughs it off, "not like I'm the sort of person with any right to save receipts on others."

"Wait, that... wasn't just something everyone already noticed?" Stefyn asks his friend.

Dama actually cracks up a bit at this, and is now actually joking around with the thief and myrmidon.

>A. Ugh, you probably just made them closer. Just get out of this interaction
>B. Actually keep talking to them (write-in)

>>41654227
>Just keep talking to Dama, Ignore Stefyn and Mitchell

>>41654277
Ellen's not that good of a conversationalist in this sort of situation without the help of write-ins.

>>41654227
>B.
Talk to Dama about Vaga; maybe keep her in a good mood by telling her about that eating contest we had with him.

>>41654351
Fine, Ask how Dama's doing then.

>>41654384
>>41654386
You ask how Dama's doing, not giving up in the noble prospect of interfering with your least favorite person's social life. "Hot enough for you?"

Dama groans, "ugh, you don't know the half of it, being able to sweat anywhere besides your hands and feet. I swear, everyone's been giving me weird looks ever since seeing me panting to try to cool down. I mean get your minds out of the gutter, What am I supposed to do, not overheat?!"

Trying to improve your mood, you talk about her brother a bit. Last she'd heard, he'd barely survived a battle with Tigris after chasing him down while he was running away, so you share with her the anecdote about your eating contest.

"Heh, that's so like him. Of course, the one time he doesn't try to be all pragmatic and shady is when he's about to fight a super powerful berserker."

Judging by their quietly discussing other things, Stefyn and Mitchell have been successfully alienated from the conversation.

>A. Keep talking to Dama (write-in)
>B. Go check on Garrus up ahead
>C. Look for somebody else? (specify)

>>41654587
>B. Go check on Garrus up ahead

>>41654587
>A. Keep talking to Dama
Whisper to her to be careful around Stefyn and Mitchell
>B. Go check on Garrus up ahead

>>41654675
>>41654624
Quickly, you whisper to Dama, "I know they seem nice, but... I want to make sure everyone stays careful around those two guys. If they pull something, then..."

"Uh... Sure..." Dama says, clearly skeptical, before you walk on ahead to catch up with Garrus and his relatives.

You see Salia, sprawled out on Monica's pegasus as she walks dutifully, Nat walking comparatively effortlessly nearby. Yvette asks Garrus if he needs water every other moment, until Drasma finally says to her, "even though your vigilance is as appreciated as ever, my son will know when he thirsts, Lady Yvette."

Garrus is just sort of glancing nervously at Mimon in particular, walking a fair bit ahead of even the rest of the mages.

>A. Ask what's concerning Garrus
>B. Check on Salia
>C. Try to catch up to Mimon
>D. Just catch up to Katina and Logan
>E. Write-in

>>41654992
>A. Ask what's concerning Garrus

>>41654992
>A. Ask what's concerning Garrus

>>41655036
>>41655080
Approaching Garrus' side, you ask him what's bothering him.

He jumps a bit from surprise at your voice, turning towards you, "oh, uh, Ellen. Well, I guess it's just... I don't know, something about that guy is... familiar?"

"Huh. I, er, can't really say I know why that is, but..."

"Yeah, I figured." Garrus pauses for a moment, then continues, "that aside, I'm worried about him being that far ahead from the rest of the group. If some bandits or, gods forbid, the guys who've been chasing us get to him while we're all way back here..."

>A. Offer to try to follow him
>B. Suggest making him get back here
>C. Reassure him that Mimon seems like he can handle himself
>D. Write-in

>>41655319
>A. Offer to try to follow him

>>41655319
>A. Offer to try to follow him

>>41655319
>A. Offer to try to follow him

>>41655319
>A. Offer to try to follow him
>D. Get Zoe and her pegasus to tag along so we can actually follow him
What're the odds she's doing anything else better with her time?

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22 KB GIF

>>41655446
>>41655433
>>41655389
>>41655356
>>41655356
"If it makes you feel better, I could go find Zoe and we could keep tabs on-"

"No," Monica interrupts, "your friend or not, Zoe is a member of princess Salia's personal guard, and will need to be near her while she is... indisposed." Monica motions towards Salia, laying there on her pegasus.

Garrus sighs, considers asking his father or Yvette for support here, then finally says, "well, Cheryl's part of mine, so... You can tell her I said to ride up there with you!"

You do so, your friend's sister being absolutely enthused to hear of these instructions.

"Alright," she says, "special assignment!" Patting her pegasus, she asks it, "room for one more, Shirona?"

Together, you ride, quickly catching up to-and tailing-the elusive wind sage. Turning around, he sees you and Cheryl, looking somewhat frustrated, before apparently spotting something ahead and rushing forward.

"Wait, what's he going after?"

Cheryl answers you, "it looks like... he's running right into a bunch of winged-looking guys! Hold on tight, since we're not about to let him go in alone!"

>continued in next post

>>41655760
You and Cheryl find yourselves flying not only into a band of Vautou bandits, but what already looks to be a fight brewing.

Mimon halts his approach just as he's getting close to this encounter, raising his hand as though making Cheryl's pegasus do the same.

"Hold, you two," he says quietly as you dismount. "This is more than some pair of warriors being interrupted by bandits."

A tall, bronze, muscular man with dark, curled hair and a big nose, wielding a heavy-looking sword, is currently using it to block every quick-coming, unrelenting sword strike from... the Deadlord Simia?

"Who do you think you are, using that name? That girl is dead, and I'm not being taken anywhere by anyone! You hear that?!"

Meanwhile, the vulture-men continue to wordlessly get closer, apparently coveting a very imposing-looking bag formerly carried by the man.

>A. Ask Mimon and Cheryl what you should do
>B. To hell with waiting! Save this guy and attack Simia!
>C. Distract the Vautou
>D. Let Mimon handle this
>E. Write-in

>>41655960
>B. To hell with waiting! Save this guy and attack Simia!

>>41655960
>>D. Let Mimon handle this

>>41655960
>B. To hell with waiting! Save this guy and attack Simia!
Mimon seems to be a very capable man, but I doubt he'd fare good in a melee with Simia so I say we go down and assist him.

>>41655960
>C. Distract the Vautou

>>41655960
>B. To hell with waiting! Save this guy and attack Simia!

>>41655993
>>41656094
>>41656110
Something... Something compels you to ignore what Mimon just said and charge into the fight you'd avoided in the mountains, distracting Simia as she's about to strike the man and forcing her to swerve out of the way of your own strike.

"You idiot," Mimon exclaims from behind you, himself having to dodge out of the way of the incoming knives of a few alerted bandits from above.

Cheryl, meanwhile, takes to the skies above even the bandits, one of which tells her, "that winged thing could fetch a lot of dough for our bunch!"

"That's assuming you can even get close to me!"

You don't have much time to focus on either of your allies, though, now being in the middle of a brawl with Simia.

"Be careful!" the swordsman's familiar voice rings, "she's wielding a Wo Dao, so there's no telling how badly she might gut someone she hits!"

He swings his sword, barely whiffing Simia, quickly kicking her back before she can take a swing at him.

>A. Are you...
>B. No time to think, focus on staying alive!
>C. Keep trying to attack Simia!
>D. Focus on protecting this guy!
>E. Write-in

>>41656351
>D. Focus on protecting this guy!

>>41656351
>A. Are you...
>B. No time to think, focus on protecting this guy!

>>41656497 (you)
Wait, that was supposed to be A and E, not A and B

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I'm surprised that there wasn't a mass amount of votes of attacking Simia when we first encountered her, and now of all times we decide to attack her in the worst possible moment.

This moments are the best part of quests. Not being cynical. Just admiring the chaos.

>>41656676
Well, there was no option to run the fuck away so...

>>41656753
>>>D. Let Mimon handle this

>>41656676
Well, she wasn't exactly hostile towards anyone back then...

>>41656497
>>41656431
"W-wait, are you..."

Shaking your head, you stop yourself from thinking too much about this, instead continuing to focus on keeping the flurry of strikes from Simia away from this guy.

"Here I thought you were alright," Simia says to you as she avoids your strikes, "but no, you're just another Lars, another Bolse, another Tigris, trying to keep me in line for what she wants done. Well, call it a magical mix-up, but I have no interest in serving anything but my OWN interests!"

With the word "OWN," she actually manages to slash you across your torso with a well-aimed strike, opening you up pretty painfully.

The swordsman's voice cries your name in anguish as you're brought to your knees, barely kept up by your own sword sticking out of the sand, Simia holding her own blade at your neck and reveling in the moment.

"Shame you didn't realize you'd made the right choice back on those mountains, letting me be."

The swordsman leaps at her from the side, only for her to quickly turn around and give him a similar treatment, sword falling into the sand.

>A. Attack her now! You'll die if you don't do anything!
>B. Try to draw your demises out with words until you get help. The others can't be far, and Mimon and Cheryl have to have just heard that
>C. Write-in?

>>41656961
>"Here I thought you were alright," Simia says to you as she avoids your strikes, "but no, you're just another Lars, another Bolse, another Tigris, trying to keep me in line for what she wants done. Well, call it a magical mix-up, but I have no interest in serving anything but my OWN interests!"

Well, as the neckbeard that wrote in a lot to our conversation with Simia. I'm salty. I'm out.

>>41657050
What in particular was wrong with what she said?

>>41656961
>A. Attack her now! You'll die if you don't do anything!

>>41657166
She's just rattled off an impressive list of names in her anger, including her former companion Tigris. You're not about to just let her kill you with that information out in the open like that.

Mustering up your will, you attack her as she attacks the swordsman, actually managing, much to your surprise, to hit her, seeming to actually cut her pretty deep in the process.

"H-hey!" Simia cries out, sounding... surprised, mostly, and annoyed, turning around and rushing right for you with her sword...

...only to be knocked aside by Cheryl, brandishing her lance aboard her pegasus.

Seething and barely reacting to her wounds (beyond apparently acknowledging how much they'll hamper her in a fight), Simia barks at the nearest Vautou to fly her the hell out of here. Strangely enough, he listens, bringing her and her weapon somewhere else (alongside a decent chunk of the other bandits) as the rest of the lot closes in.

Now, of all times, is when Mimon actually uses the Excalibur tome, near-instantly bringing the rest of the present Vautou to the sand in various states of demise and terror.

"Dear gods, Ellen!" is the last thing you hear as you fall into something disturbingly common for you these days: unconsciousness.

Waking up awhile later, you find yourself in what you recognize as a medical tent, tended to on some makeshift bed by Natalie. It is no longer daytime.

>A. Ask what happened
>B. Look around the tent
>C. Just... Rest awhile
>D. Write-in?

>>41657590
>"Dear gods, Ellen!" is the last thing you hear as you fall into something disturbingly common for you these days: unconsciousness.

Why are we always knocked unconsciousness and should we be worried of concussions?

>>41657707
If this was a more realistic work of fiction, maybe concussions would be a more pressing matter, but this is very much a universe of "what doesn't kill or otherwise permanently and cripplingly injure you can be walked off."

>>41657590
>A. Ask what happened

>>41657858
"Nat... What've I missed?"

"Well, it's. Later that same day, but. You haven't missed much. We caught up to your group right after Simia got away. Mimon had. already taken out a staff and started healing you and Gorman when we got over to you."

"So Simia got away, the-" you pause. You blink. You ask, "wait, you say..."

From next to you, the swordsman's voice pops in, sounding slightly pained. Your familiarity with its source has become justified, as he says, "you were overly focused on protecting me and we nearly both died as a result. I don't know how, but I've somehow taught you to have absurd luck surviving things like this. Don't count on it forever, though."

>A. Apologize
>B. React with joy
>C. React with spite
>D. React with frustration
>E. Write-in?

>>41658055
>A. Apologize
>D. React with frustration

>>41658233
Unable to hide your frustration, you force out an apology.

"Hey, I'm saying this for your own good. Not everyone is content to just let someone sacrifice herself for them," Gorman chides, sitting up and looking you in the eye. "I hear you've garnered a reputation as a daredevil whenever anyone on your side is in danger. Makes for impressive stories, sure, but you're not in a position where your death is going to help anyone."

"Would you stop scolding me for a moment and tell me where you've been all this time? Why did you leave?!"

"I'll tell you later. For now, recover."

>A. Listen to him
>B. Press for answers
>C. Up and leave the medical tent
>D. Write-in

>>41658424
>>D. Write-in
And where did you hear such rumours to begin with?

>>41658756
Ah, never mind, didn't see that response seconds before I posted that.

Working on the reply now.

>>41658756
"And where did you hear rumors like that to start with?" You ask with continued displeasure.

"Pretty much everyone who visited while you were out brought it up. That girl whose sister you rode in with and that green knight both looked on the verge of tears bringing it up, too. That, and, er, Robert had a few unkind words for myself, as well. I'm sure he's already said them to you in the past."

Silence. Nat is just sort of pretending she's not there.

"I, uh, heard about Lambert and his dad, too. I'm... especially sorry I couldn't save them, especially since... Right, I said I wouldn't talk about that right now."

>A. Demand answers
>B. Try to leave
>C. It's not your fault
>D. Write-in?

>>41658922
>A. Demand answers
he can't just be a vague asshole about things like this

>>41658922
>C. It's not your fault

>>41659269
>>41659264
"It's... seriously not your fault that that happened, but you can't just say all these vague things! Is it some sort of dreadful secret what you've seen or done?"

Gorman shakes his head. "No, no, I just... think my revelation would be better given to more people than just the ones currently here. It's not a story I want to tell more times than is necessary."

You accept that, but soon enough you find yourselves recovered enough to be called away for a meeting with King Drasma. As you step into the designated "meeting tent" awhile later, you find Cheryl and Mimon recounting their own versions of what happened earlier. Also present are Garrus, Monica, Yvette, Drasma (obviously), Salia, Dama, Katina, Logan, and Quidel. It appears that neither the pegasus knight nor the sage overheard your little conversation with the enraged Simia, having been too busy dodging and defeating bandits.

Of particular interest to everyone are the names you heard Simia drop in her rage, implying they were all superior to her in ranking. Tigris, a fellow Deadlord, was no surprise, but the name Bolse causes Katina and Logan exceptional shock, while the rest find themselves reeling in surprise from the name "Lars."

"Lars... that's the same name as..." King Drasma says, strangely drained of his usual vigor.

Yvette looks regretful, the pegasus knights, Garrus, and Salia... sad.

Dama says, "wait, I don't... actually think I know who that is. I could just tell he sounds like a big deal."

>A. Who the hell is Lars
>B. They'll answer that in a moment
>C. Write-in?

>>41659553
>>A. Who the hell is Lars
I could say the same thing to every new characters and deadlords that appeared or get mentioned these past couple of threads.

>>41658922

>A. Demand answers.

Not that they have to come now, specifically, but before Gorman either leaves, or gets too comfy with the group.

>>41659553
>B. They'll answer that in a moment.

And if they don't want to tell Dama, then...
>A. Who is Lars?

>>41659622
>>41659691
You shoot Dama a glance basically saying "I have no clue either," and as you're about to speak up, Yvette does.

"Lars is... the eldest son of King Drasma and the former queen of Neir, Alexia, originally a very important Duchess of Dain. When war between Neir and Dain erupted ten years ago, Lars and Alexia defected to her homeland."

"And in the process those backstabbing dastards put a curse on Tarvos Valley!" Quidel bursts out, banging his fist on a table.

You hadn't even questioned why Garrus and Salia didn't seem to have a mother, or even mention one. Could... could this be why?

"A lot of people lost their lives in that war, a lot of people betrayed each other," Gorman adds, "I myself hail from Dain, but one thing led to another and got me to Tarvos Valley as a young man. I haven't had a home anywhere but Neir since I was maybe twelve."

"Wait, wait, wait, we're missing the more important thing here! If... if this is the same Bolse," Katina chimes in, "and the same Lars... we know where my brother is!"

She sounds inappropriately overjoyed at these revelations.

>A. Remain silent
>B. Say something (write-in)

>>41659974

>A. Remain silent.

Also, just for my own info: Who is Katina's brother, again?

>>41660019
Her twin brother's name is Bolse.

>>41660019
"But if that's true, this could also mean your brother is an accessory to every near-assassination our royalty has faced," Monica says coldly to the child.

She starts tearing up, saying, "b-but... Th-they have to be coercing him, then! I know Bolse wouldn't... wouldn't just... get kidnapped and then work for people like that!"

Now it's Yvette's turn to say things again. "Well, you do actually match the physical description of the necromancer quite well. Did you resemble your brother very much?"

Katina nods, then puffs her cheeks in rage, "then those scars this lady was talking about..." And more tears as she realizes that, in all likelihood, her brother has experienced torture that has left him, well, deafened.

Mimon pats her on the shoulder affectionately. "Worry not," he says to Katina, "if these suspicions are all correct, then we very well might be able to find your brother soon. Your efforts have played a major part in this, Lady Katina."

Logan simply nods, and Katina throws her arms around Mimon, showering him in all sorts of infatuated-hero worship-filled praise and "promising herself to him," all of which making the grown-ass sage (and most others in the room)... exceptionally uncomfortable, to say the least.

Not much else of note is discussed in the meeting and soon enough, everyone is getting ready to call it a night.

After the meeting, a distraught-looking Salia is comforted by Quidel and Dama, actually setting aside their differences for their friend (and Dama deciding that, yeah, this Lars dude sounds atrocious giving the rivals a common enemy) for once in their life.

Drasma is as quick to bed as ever, and Gorman promises to tell his story tomorrow.

Only a few people are awake and available for conversation with you in particular by the time your own bearings are straight.

Will you speak to any of them?

>A. Garrus
>B. Byron
>C. Zoe
>D. Cheryl
>E. Mimon

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>41660405

>A.
>C.

Can't decide between them, so 1 for Garrus, 2 for Cheryl decides my vote.

>>41660527
>C. Talk to Cheryl

Well, there's my vote.

>>41660405
>B is for Byron
let's say goodnight to our knight in mossy armor!

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>41660567
>>41660544
Okay, so I'm just sort of assuming that >>41660544 and >>41660527 are the same person, just clarifying their vote. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

>>41660625
You are correct sir!

>>41660625
You decide to pay a visit to Cheryl. It's only right, considering that your head would be rolling through the desert right now if it weren't for her timely intervention.

You find her running around in place, greeting her and asking what she's doing.

"Oh, hey, Ellen. Logan and I were gonna get in some late-night training since we both couldn't sleep, but now he's gotta make sure Lady Katina actually gets to sleep and I'm still wound up!"

She says this all with a smile, continuing, "I mean, there's so many exciting things going on! We might save the mage general's son, unearth some dark conspiracy behind the deadlords, and tomorrow we'll hear about what harrowing events made your mentor become a mercenary! I mean, how CAN'T I sleep without doing something... Hey, could you maybe help me with doing something?"

"Uh... that depends on what that 'something' is, Cheryl."

"Well, just a chat... and a fight! Nothing too brutal, just spar a bit, womano-e-womano... or however you actually say that, let off some steam, get to know each other!"

>A. Certainly
>B. Sounds weird but okay
>C. I'd love to but I'm tired
>D. No way

>>41660780
>>A. Certainly

>>41660780
>>B. Sounds weird but okay
Nothing's better at raising bonds than some skinship.

>>41660818
>>41660845
"That... sounds unusual, but I'd love to try it! Your ideas seem to work for yourself, anyway."

"Great! Just, you, me, our fists, and our words, until we're worn out!"

Both removing your weapons and armor and setting them aside, you strike a sort of uncertain fighting pose. It still feels weird to make a fist with only three fingers.

Circling each other, you ask, "so, what're we going to talk about?"

Cheryl responds, "well, the most surprising things to ask about are matters of the heart! There anyone in particular you've got your eye on?" As she says this, she comes at you with a left hook.

ACTIONS:

>A. Roll out of the way
>B. Block
>C. Do what she's doing
>D. Write-in

WORDS:

>E. Maybe
>F. Nope
>G. Why do you want to know?
>H. Change the subject (write in)

>>41660966
>B. Block
>E. Maybe

>>41660966
>B. Block
>G. Why do you want to know?

>>41660996
>>41661085
You throw up your arms to block the blows.

"Well, I guess now that you mention it... Maybe there is someone who..."

Cheryl makes a delighted sound in response to this, even as she's being pushed back, having begun to dodge a few of your blows.

"Why do you want to know?" You ask while blocking another few attacks.

"Well, I've never actually felt anything like that, but it's just so... interesting! I'm nosy, okay? So come on, tell me who's on your mind, alright?"

ACTIONS:

>A. Flurry of fists. Overwhelm her!
>B. Try to trip her up
>C. Keep playing defensively until she slips up
>D. Try to fake her out

WORDS:

>E. (Someone's name who Ellen has actually had some level of noteworthy interaction with)
>F. It's a secret!
>G. Seriously, never?
>H. Write-in dialogue

>>41661179
>A. Flurry of fists. Overwhelm her!
>F. It's a secret!

>>41661179

>D. Try to fake her out.
>G. Seriously, Never?

So, have we figured out who goes what way in all of this army? I'm assuming that Ellen has the option for romances of both sexes, and we've spent a lot of time with Cheryl, lately.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>41661293
>>41661374
There are potential male and female romantic interests, as well as people locked out in both parties mentioned (be it either because of being spoken for or... not interested), for whenever Ellen should happen to pursue that sort of thing, but Cheryl is not likely to be among the options.

>>41661467
Thanks. I actually kinda like the idea of Cheryl being more of a close friend than a love-interest.

>>41661467
"Really, never?" You ask Cheryl as you fake with your right fist.

She dodges right into your actually-coming left one, getting hit square in the shoulder as she responds.

"Nope, never to anybody! Some people think it's weird, but it doesn't really bother me. Besides, it gives me plenty of time to think about other people's romances!"

You jump over a sweeping kick, and she says, "now quit dodging my question! Either answer or just say you don't want to tell me! I'll figure it out in the end either way!"

And now she's going for a damned tackle. Has Zoe been sharing training stories?

ACTIONS:

>A. Tank it and bring her down!
>B. Leap out of the way!
>C. Write-in!

WORDS:

>D. (Someone's name who Ellen has actually had some level of noteworthy interaction with)
>E. Yeah, I'd rather not say
>F. Write-in dialogue

>>41661564
>>A. Tank it and bring her down!
>F. Write-in dialogue

Eeh... Now that I think about it, I think my dare-devil reputation will put a stop of anyone having an interest in me. I don't think I can deal with a one-sided relationship.

>>41661564
>A. Tank it and bring her down!
>D. Byron... maybe?

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>41661801
>>41661688

>>41661850
You try to seize control of the tackle/use it to take Cheryl down yourself, but her speed and the suddenness of the move manage to be too much for you to muster up against. Your fingers slip and you're quickly pinned down by the middle pegasus sister.

You roll away, frowning, and saying, "thinking about it, though, it's just... silly to think about. I mean, everyone knows I'm some sort of daredevil who keeps brushing with death... Why would they get romantically attached to that?"

And now Cheryl is frowning. "Nonononono!" She says, encouragingly, "people still think you're great! I'm certain that at least someone here thinks of you that way, Ellen!"

>A. Thanks but I'm not convinced
>B. Believe her
>C. But what're the odds that it's (Someone's name who Ellen has actually had some level of noteworthy interaction with)
>D. Write-in response

(and just since I felt like it should be clarified, dice roll tiebreakers are and always have been in alphabetical order, i.e., 1=earliest letter, 2=next letter, etc)

>>41661874
>B. Believe her

>>41661874
What if I said if it was Zoe

>>41662073
You have about two minutes before the time-up.

>>41661907
"I... yeah, er, probably. Thank you, Cheryl," you say. standing and dusting yourself off. "That was... certainly strange, but I feel a lot more at ease about things I didn't even realize were bothering me."

"Don't mention it! If I'm not already busy with something, just remember that my time is community property if you need to vent, blow off steam, train..."

You nod, finally heading off to bed on a day that was paradoxically long for one you were unconscious for most of.

The next morning, as promised, Gorman begins to tell his story over breakfast, mainly to the people of Tarvos Valley, but most of the group can listen in anyway.

"Before I begin my story," he explains, "I must provide context for the person I did this for. It was... nine or ten years ago, in the middle of the war between Neir and Dain, when I met a dear friend of mine. His name was Tabat."

>To be continued in the next thread

It's getting late, and I was planning on breaking our usual perspective a bit for the story Gorman's telling, primarily via the usage of flashbacks.

Thanks for playing, as always. You can follow on twitter @qmgrandflocto and shoot us questions anytime at http://ask.fm/qmgrandflocto

I'll also be around to answer questions in-thread for awhile if anyone wants, as always

>>41662265
If you're gonna try changing perspective, why not try writing with some underdeveloped characters in the party, like what they usually up to or what they're doing when Ellen isn't around. It could somewhat help with screen time problem for our growing cast. I, for one, would look forward to see Stefyn being the POV character for a change.

And, doing flashbacks in a quest sounds dangerous, who knows whether the players' decisions would cause plot holes to pop up or not.

>>41662359
The backstories are vague enough that personal details can be filled in without it affecting much, especially since Gorman's character isn't particularly well-developed yet. POV changes aren't going to be a common thing (I only have one more idea for one in mind), I just thought it'd be a fun way to handle a vaguely-defined flashback story besides a straight exposition dump. The only things set in stone for Gorman are "left his home country as a kid during wartime" and "leaves Orsin Village for the reasons I'm going to describe"

Though I know it's not the point of what you're saying, one segment of the upcoming POV flashbacks could very well feature Stefyn in some regard anyway.

>>41662459
Cool, I look forward to how you handle the flashbacks and develop other characters that's not Ellen (because I really need them to be more memorable given how large the cast has become, like seriously)

Again, thanks for running.

>>41662512
"A cast of allies large enough that you have to pick and choose who grows and who ends up neglected but still present" was a deliberate move on me and Grandflaw's part, paralleling the need to do that statistically in the actual games.

>>41662580
I mean, it's not entirely the same, since a character you bench at the start in FE is probably not coming back while we do try to give each character at least some scenes as though to remind the playerbase that they exist/give them something to build a dynamic off of. Again, though, some just click better than others and get disproportionately more attention.

We keep track of everybody, though. There's big character development moments that Ellen just plain misses because she isn't fond of somebody, such as Reese's deciding to go clean and become a knight, or plot points like the actual meeting with Lady Loba in Garou mountains.

>>41662580
I understand your point, but the problem is that the cast keep getting bigger and bigger with each thread, so it's reaching the point where it's hard to remember who's suppose to be who (probably my fault since I don't read the summaries).

For now, I really can only remember Yvette being the woman that looks after and trains Ellen sometimes, Zoe and Cheryl being those 2 pegasus knights, Stefyn being the tymid myrmidon that killed Ellen's friend, Vaga being the Garou that I'd husbando the hell out of him had he followed us, and Simia the swordmaster deadlord. When other characters get mentioned or a new character pops up, I'd go "Who's that again?". That's the main problem I have with the quest even though I enjoy it very much.

>>41662685
Like you just mentioned, there is a who's-who in each summary. If a character isn't mentioned in the last chapter's summary, that means that you're probably legitimately not supposed to know who they are yet, or at least that Ellen doesn't have any way of knowing. I actually gave a fairly detailed physical description of Gorman in the summaries awhile ago just because Ellen would know what her mentor looks like, even if it wasn't mentioned in-thread.

>>41662780
That's... really not what I meant. When a name pops up and I don't remember that name, I'd look it up in the pastebin. It's just that most of the characters aren't very memorable to me, and with how the cast just keep getting bigger and bigger, I fear it could turn into a serious problem with characterization in later threads. Just my 2 cents.

>>41662838
Oh, yeah, now I see what you mean. Still, the point is that Ellen hasn't interacted enough with certain characters to actually come to know them.

Not to mention the fact that I was honestly expecting you guys to have gotten a few of them killed by this point, while Lambert remains your only casualty. Would you get too mad if I occasionally killed characters with zero buildup during/after battles if it turns out there really was no point to them?

>>41662891
As long as it isn't mai hasubando, Reese.

>>41662891
Yes, yes I would. I'd feel cheated if you do that.

>>41662899
I like to imagine that Reese is undergoing his own massive hero's journey completely independently of Ellen's shenanigans, feat. Robert and Jay as his lovably jerkish sidekicks.

>>41662916
And that's what makes it difficult to thin an inflated cast herd. How do you do it without cheating the audience when the character isn't really important enough to have an impactful sendoff?

>>41662935
Well, that's the problem that I can understand if you're having trouble with. I can't think of a satisfying answer to this, but if I want to see a character killed off, I'd rather they die in blaze of glory or their deaths trigger a major point in the plot, like shit just got real kind of thing, or as a result of a bad decision by the player.

>>41662967
It's also harder to kill characters chiefly BECAUSE it usually feels like a low blow to kill someone the playerbase recognizes offscreen, but offscreen is... literally everything that the player character doesn't see in this case.

If this was an FE4 quest, Cuan and Ethlin would've died offscreen to something that felt out of nowhere simply because of this issue of perspective.

rip tread suun