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Welcome to a thread taking place in a before now vaguely-detailed era of the first two installments’ past!

Those who are familiar with our first two quests might expect for this thread to start with the same question that created the first choice of the thread: the player character’s gender. And rest assured, such a choice will still be able to be made! Perhaps several times, if our drift is caught.

I figured that it would be interesting to, instead of basing the class and backstory of a single protagonist on pre-thread choices, provide three prologues, mini-chapters, explaining and influencing four viewpoint characters’ stories before the quest truly begins, closing the thread on a vote for who becomes the overall main character (though this does not completely remove the possibility of revisiting the others in due time, or even outright cycling through all three).

So, my friends, with whose backstory would you like to start?

>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history.
>B. Abandoned at infancy, a bold youth eventually adopted and formed by the hands of a vicious empire’s. They will be powerful by the end of their prologue alone, but also put into a greatly important-and tremulous-position.
>C. A true-to-the-term nobody, an ordinary citizen of one of the few independent city-states of Teege, who will inevitably need to take up a weapon for one cause or another.

Let it be noted that, though the course of history seems set now, a quest would be nothing if not for its playerbase’s ability to subvert the inevitable. Fate is not easily challenged, but it is not an impossible task.

>>46121573
>C. A true-to-the-term nobody, an ordinary citizen of one of the few independent city-states of Teege, who will inevitably need to take up a weapon for one cause or another.

>>46121573
>>C. A true-to-the-term nobody, an ordinary citizen of one of the few independent city-states of Teege, who will inevitably need to take up a weapon for one cause or another.

>>46121573
>>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history.
To be different.

>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history.

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>>46121705
>>46121727
Ah, the city-state of Holmstead.

Located just South of the very young, up-and-coming kingdom of Noba, controlling a prosperous port, the land has kept itself free of any control but its own under Lord Winston. This fledgling kingdom to the North has been grabbing land up fast, and the Gerxel Empire controlling nearly everything from the East onwards has sparked scary rumors, but many find themselves keeping these scary facts out of mind.

Mind not the scary red units on the visual aid. You live a quite peaceful life. Few friends and many acquaintances grace your life, and you manage to keep yourself fed through your vocation of choice.

Er, speaking of which, what might that be?

>A. With the sea at your side, it's all too easy to find work fishing. (Access to Lances)
>B. Certainly, life working by the sea is something anyone in Holmstead can do, but the lands are still filled with hunt-worthy beasts of their own, which the upper-class will pay topmost coin for. (Access to Bows)
>C. The woods which house these animals are also full of another great natural resource for chopping and selling! (Access to Axes, no pun intended)
>D. Your true love is the performing arts, and through your dance moves you inspire others... But you'll do physical odd jobs if the bills demand it (Dancer+Swords)
>E. Your heart is ever singing an inspiring tune, and you have the heart of a well-read scholar and writer! (Bard+Tomes)

>>46121786
>>46121915
I sadly failed to see the second post until I was already posting the update, and for that I apologize. All three of these prologues ought to be traversed by the end of the night, however!

>>46122054
>>A. With the sea at your side, it's all too easy to find work fishing. (Access to Lances)

>>46122084
Eh not a problem.

>>46122054
>>E. Your heart is ever singing an inspiring tune, and you have the heart of a well-read scholar and writer! (Bard+Tomes)
Extra action is always useful.
>>46122084
I was gonna pick A before you posted, to be honest.

>>46122054
>B. Certainly, life working by the sea is something anyone in Holmstead can do, but the lands are still filled with hunt-worthy beasts of their own, which the upper-class will pay topmost coin for. (Access to Bows)

>>46122151
>>46122154
Regardless, I'll take this as a lesson to watch the thread longer next time. I always forget that the starts of these quests have higher anon counts than latergames.

>>46122054
>. Your heart is ever singing an inspiring tune, and you have the heart of a well-read scholar and writer! (Bard+Tomes)

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>>46122154
>>46122234
Ah, the sweet sounds of higher education! A poet of impressive birth yourself, you've been privileged with a life dedicated to the arts.

Your writing and composing is decent enough to leave you feeling like you're keeping yourself fed, but you're far from the most famous Holmstead song-person. The truth of it is very likely the same truth that allowed you this lot in life: decently-off parents that could afford to foster these interests, give you a chance to stay in and not be social when you would rather write, or even make a hobby out of magic.

At the moment, you're enjoying the company of the closest thing you can call a friend, dining at what can be called a cafe. Raleigh, this man's name is, and he is one year your senior, a local hero who would call most everyone his friend and seems to excel at everything.

As he speaks of a play he's tasked you with proofreading, you are approached by a pair of common-looking young men, green-clad, tall, and bespectacled, and red-clad and lithe.

"You're... Raleigh, correct?" The red-clad one says.

"Yeah, that'd be me," he responds, grinning widely and reveling in being approached by strangers, "always happy to speak to a fan! I was actually just talking over one of my recent plays with my colleague, here..."

All eyes are on you, now. Guess you're going to need to introduce yourself.

>A. Male
>B. Female
>Suggest a name (decided to combine these steps for posterity's sake, since they'll be asked of the playerbase three times when we've already got a lot of ground to cover)

>>46122533
>A. Male
Samson

>>46122533
>A. Male
Darby

>A. Male
>Puffball

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>46122653
>>46122706
So it appears we're at an impasse for names, even if our well-off villager is a confirmed male.

As silly as the name Puffball might be for a character, I'm sure the joke would get rather old, rather fast. Please don't mind its not being rolled.

>>46122810
Excellent, Samson was my second choice after Puffball.

>>46122810
"That colleague speaking," you say in a quite confident baritone. "Samson, proofreader and writer in my own right."

"Ah, that's fascinating!" The red-clad fellow says. "What have you written?"

"Poems, mostly, and I've yet to publish anything close to my magnum opus," you admit, "but I can perform as well as I write..."

"Guy's a dang wizard," Raleigh says, slapping you on the shoulder as he explains to the red-and-green strangers. "Did some... magical stuff to his voice that perks a guy right up. It's a real crowdpleaser at parties."

"So he's one of THOSE sorts of bard?" The green-clad big fella says. "That certainly sounds like an impressive feat."

"Yeah," Raleigh responds. "Unlike him, though, I actually focus on getting big stuff published. Like this play here! See, I've recently become fascinated with this King Augustus character up North, and even recently had the privilege of meeting with him when I was traveling between semesters..."

Raleigh dominates the conversation from there, outdoing even the red guy, who quickly proved himself extremely talkative, but eventually, before you could catch either of the strangers' names, the red guy is cut off by big green. "Oh, forgive my friend for interrupting your lunch," he says. "We've lost track of time ourselves now, and really must be headed back to the stables." So they're some sort of farmhands, stablehands, or cavaliers, whatever.

Raleigh bids them farewell before turning back to talk with you. "Now now," he says, "where were we?"

>A. Talk about the state of things in Holmstead
>B. Ask about his mentioned meeting with this king
>C. Let him lead the conversation
>D. Write-in response

>>46123089
>>B. Ask about his mentioned meeting with this king

>>46123089
>>B. Ask about his mentioned meeting with this king

>>46123151
>>46123329
"All you spoke of King Augustus can be read in your manuscripts," you tell your friend, waving the play about idly before setting it down on the table and picking up your recently-refilled teacup. "Is there nothing secret you could share with a fellow scholar?"

"Ah... I'll call it payback for you doing this proofreading stuff for me. Might help you do your job better, too. Now, you'd best be hanging on the edge of your seat for this..."

"This..?" You utter.

"Yes, this." He responds, before leaning in, looking somewhat less carefree, and really reveling the silence for several moments before finally speaking his mind. "I've... Managed to substantiate the rumors that the man's preparing to expand again. The Gerxel Empire scares him bad, and he likes what we here have got." A nice, strategic port should the Gerxel come by sea from that island chain they recently seized control of, an impressive supply of all sorts of natural resource, and being the last of the Southwestern mainland territories yet to fall under either the kingdom or the empire's domain.

As he explains his logic a bit (mainly outlining and connecting dots you already knew were in place, but never put too much thought into), you wonder just how such a battle would end.

>A. Surely he's informed Lord Gaspen! (Note: Gaspen is the ruler of Holmstead)
>B. Why concern ourselves
>C. Maybe we should join him quietly
>D. What's the point in fighting the Gerxel Empire
>E. Can a less-take-overy agreement not be reached?
>F. Write-in response

>>46123474
>>C. Maybe we should join him quietly

>>46123474
>>E. Can a less-take-overy agreement not be reached?

>>46123538
>>46123558
"Can no agreement be reached that doesn't involve the loss of Holmstead's independence?" You ask.

"Bah..." Raleigh outright frowns now, looking off to one side idly. "These damn empires don't know the meaning of the phrase 'neutrality.' Too afraid of the Gerxel."

"Then... Perhaps Lord Gaspen ought to consider simply avoiding warfare altogether and joining up with this Northern king."

"Wouldn't go running your mouth like that in public, friend," Raleigh says. "I'm all for free expression myself, but if the guards hear even a rich boy like you saying we ought to be taken over by foreign powers..."

Though it looks as though he's trying to respect your opinion on the matter, Raleigh certainly seems to prefer the idea of a still-independent Holmstead.

"Regardless," he continues, "this is a decision out of our hands. Maybe we'll end up forming a less imperialistic alliance, maybe we'll end up needing to fight back twice the invaders. Hell, maybe they'll both respect our neutrality outright..." He chuckles. "That'll be the day."

"Still, though," you say, "should the day arise that Holmstead finds itself under attack..."

>A. You'll be staying the hell out of it
>B. You'll do what you can to preserve it
>C. The strongest side can count on your support
>D. Write-in response
>E. You'll just have to see where you end up

>>46123474
>E. Can a less-take-overy agreement not be reached?

>>46123744
>C. The strongest side can count on your support

>>46123744
>>E. You'll just have to see where you end up

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>>46123835
>>46123841
"Who knows what I'll be doing during, but after I'll be writing the praises of whoever wins," you say quite matter-of-factly. "No sense martyring myself over a concept I care so little about, not when war is such an easy inspirational wellspring of poetry and prose."

Again, Raleigh sounds bitter at your response. "Come now, man, where's your patriotism? Would you really not care were we trounced by a king, or subjugated by Werewolves and Wyverns? The Gerxel has those, you know. Wolfskin enforcers plucked straight out of Garou Valley."

"Wolfskin, you say?" You perk up, slightly interested. "I'd love to hear more about this people..."

Eager to change the subject to one more strictly informational, Raleigh obliges.

You suppose you'll just need to see how the near future plays out.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, perhaps even elsewhen, is the life of...

>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history.
>B. Abandoned at infancy, a bold youth eventually adopted and formed by the hands of a vicious empire’s. They will be powerful by the end of their prologue alone, but also put into a greatly important-and tremulous-position.

>>46123744
>B. You'll do what you can to preserve it

>>46124042
>>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history.

>>46124042
>A. The child of a rebelling former noble, destined to become a prince/ss in their own right, should history indicate anything. They will have duties of their own to help bring about the course of history

>>46124116
>>46124149
Far Northeast, in the central Gerxel Empire (not its capital, by any means, however. That lies in the heart of a mountain range, protected by Garou Valley by one side, a vast desert by the other, and an even more frigid, unforgiving mountain range said to be the home of Ice Dragons up North from there), a pair of fraternal twin siblings, their mother, and their paternal grandfather train in the field-sized backyards of an impressive, noble estate.

Though both families were pampered by the Gerxel Empire and its tight leash on Teege, the mother, with the old man's aid, has come to organize several pockets of dissent into what will soon blossom into a full-blown uprising. Regardless, however, they fear for their most recent generation of descendants, for which they train them, prepare them for an unpleasant near-future. While they do not like the idea of these children fighting, it is a sad possibility.

Which of them is our second potential hero/heroine, however?

>A. The young man
>B. The young woman
>Suggest a name for this one

>>46124353
>A. The young man
>Dyrus

>>46124353
>>A. The young man
Etienne Cyrian Waldrick Von Stauffer

>>46124492
Er... One name per suggestion, please.

>>46124399
Voting for this

>>46124353
>B. The young woman
I'll leave the naming to someone else

>>46124511
I believe the intent was to have a very long, noble-sounding name.

>>46124638
Yes it was. And I have failed horribly.

>>46124690
For what it's worth, I did genuinely like the sound of Etienne. Maybe I'll use it for a character down the road, maybe I'll forget.

>>46124399
>>46124615
Dyrus, that's your name. Sir Dyrus, to most, and one day, you might find yourself known as Prince Dyrus... A pampered life, putting even that Samson fellow's upbringing to shame, but you were never one for magic and song and the like, unlike him. No, no, you were more interested in the fields of battle and study, of trying to seem like a cool big brother to your younger-by-seconds sister, Laurise.

Your grandfather, Lord Darren to the rest of the world, sternly says, "your mother has some very important letters to write."

"He's right..." Your mother, known by most as Hauteclere, frowns, shaking her head. "I've lost track of time watching the two of you train. Darren, please don't strain them too hard this time."

As your mother leaves, your grandfather scoffs. "Pah. None of you have seen the battlefield. Going easy on you two now will leave us grieving when the Empire comes to make an example. Now, Laura, Dyrus, get back to work."

He certainly means to intimidate the two of you, but... You're sure he cares, deep down.

You reach for your practice weapon of choice, which is a...

>A. Sword
>B. Lance
>C. Axe
>D. Bow

>>46124872
>>B. Lance

Also, none of you mind if the last remaining protagonist is made female by default now, do you? I would've asked the same of making choice 3 male if girls were selected for the first two choices here, simply for variety's sake.

>>46124872
>C. Axe

>>46124916
Yes yes I mind mighty foerce.

Nah I don't care mate.

>>46124872
>C. Axe

>>46124916
It's fine with me, I would've voted for it anyway

>>46124872
>B. Lance

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>>46124920
>>46124950
A dulled axe, no less unpleasant to be clubbed with, is your weapon of choice, as it has been for all of these years.

It's elegant in its simplicity. You're not a man for poking or stabbing or slicing. You're a fellow who wishes only to cut through your problems.

You like to envision yourself as a politician, commanding respect and refusing to bend like this.

"So we're sparring, then..." Your sister puts down a tome she was thumbing through to fetch a similarly dulled sword.

Laurise fancies herself a tactician in the making, tries to make for a jack of all trades by looking into magic, exercise, and battlefield planning. You're half-certain she specifically chose the weapons of choice she did so she could always one-up you in practice.

You and your similarly blue-haired sister stare one another down as your grandfather holds his hand up... And then, stepping back, brings it down. "To first disarmed! Begin!"

>A. ATTACK!
>B. Wait for her to come to you, then retaliate
>C. Throw your axe!
>D. Let her try to you until she tires out
>E. Write-in response

>>46125209
>C. Throw your axe!

THROWING YOUR WEAPON ALWAYS WORKS

>>46125209
>A. ATTACK!

There's no need to be clever about this

>>46125209
>>C. Throw your axe!

>>46125241
>>46125306
If it's first to be disarmed, doesn't throwing our axe mean we instantly disqualify ourselves?

>>46125209
>>D. Let her try to you until she tires out
We have endurance on our side. Also like Anon said. >>46125329

>>46125306
>>46125241
"Come now," Laurise says, striking a pose and smiling triumphantly. "Afraid I'll outmaneuver your axe, brother?"

"No, no... I'm not letting you bait me in..." You spin your own lightened practice weapon idly. Yes, you figure, this will do nicely. It wouldn't work with the Real Deal, admittedly, but you do know they make axes with which it WOULD work.

Which is reason enough for you to twirl your weapon around in your hand, raise it up without moving an inch, and chuck it at Laurise's noggin.

She yelps in surprise, immediately hitting the dirt and dropping her weapon when it collides.

"Urgh... Th-that's... Cheating..." She grumbles, her own sword quickly having fallen out of her hands. "I call a foul..."

"Hmm..." Grandfather shuts his eyes in thought a moment, before turning to you. "Match goes to Dyrus. Laurise, if you fancy yourself a multi-purpose tactician, you must actually be able to anticipate the unexpected. Your brother here has just demonstrated as much quite well..."

"Gurh... H-he lost his weapon before me, though!"

"Victory goes to the initiator in the event both parties are disarmed by a single move. This has always been the rule during sparring."

"Mmmnh..." More grumbling and head-rubbing as she starts to sit up in the cool grass. Looks like you struck pretty hard there.

>A. Offer her help up
>B. Deride her failure to anticipate your actions
>C. Apologize
>D. Just talk to Grandpa awhile
>E. Write-in response

>>46125486
>A. Offer her help up

No need to be a dick.

>>46125486
>A. Offer her help up

>>46125486
>A. Offer her help up
It's always good to end a duel without animosity.

>>46125486
>>D. Just talk to Grandpa awhile

>>46125514
>>46125521
>>46125526
You immediately walk over to your grumbling sister, offering a hand up, which she takes moments later. "Thanks..."

"No problem... I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

"I'll just have a bit of a headache for a bit... Better than you were after I snuck my lightning tome into the match, though..." You share chuckles over this point, though you must admit that your hair still stands on end at the very thought of the tome in question. "Grandfather, can the servants fetch me some milk?"

"Of course. I'll go in and fetch some. In the meantime, ordinary practice drills."

You spend the next few moments doing as he says, both taking practice swings at either nothing in particular or nearby training dummies.

"Initiator wins... Always slips my mind that that's a thing."

"Well, a sword isn't as easy to toss as an axe," you respond, "so I think it gives me a bit of a natural edge."

"Grh... I need to build up my speed for next time, though. Axes are for inaccurate lunkheads, after all!" She teases.

>A. Tease back about Swords (suggestions allowed but not required)
>B. Be genuinely offended
>C. Pretend to be genuinely offended
>D. Write-in response

>>46125486
"Deride her failure"
who would ever actually do this?

>>46125715
Cocky assholes, probably.

We are in the character developing phase, after all.

>>46125698
>>B. Be genuinely offended

>>46125743
I'll be surprised if /tg/ ever purposely goes for asshole.

>>46125698
>Counter by praising her

>>46125698
>Counter by praising her
But do it semi-sarcastic

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>>46125814
>>46125868
"And swords and spells are for graceful, lovely masters of the battlefield, sister," you counter. "Truly, a choice that speaks to your impressive ambitions!"

"Eheh, now you're making me feel mean," she remarks. Your siblingly banter continues as such for a little while until your grandfather, along with a maid (with bottles of cool wyvern milk!) and, surprisingly enough, your mother, come outside.

Your sister hurries to the table and accepts an entire decent-sized bottle, downing it greedily before the maid can even take it off of the plate.

"Thank you, Via," you say more to the point as she hands you your own bottle, slowly sipping it without taking a seat.

Via, the maid, gives you a sweet smile and bow, clearly appreciative that one of her boss' grandchildren has some manners to her.

"You're dismissed, Via," grandfather says a moment later, and as she leaves, he and your mother take a seat.

"Already done writing, mother?" Laurise asks after she's finished her entire bottle.

"Not quite, but a... Slight schedule mishap has come up in my various important arrangements."

"Oh?" Your grandfather asks. "Who must we choose between inadvertently insulting, then?"

"...we've been called to an audience with the Ice Authority, but King Augustus has also accepted my request for negotiations. Both have penciled us in for the same week."

"I see..." Your grandfather says, turning towards you. "Then it looks as though this will be unable to remain a full-family event, if we're to honor both of these arrangements. Perhaps allow Dyrus and I to handle this king while you and Laurise speak to the manaketes?"

>A. If this is for the best
>B. Why do we have to honor them both?
>C. But you wanna see the ice dragons!
>D. Why be separate from your sister?
>E. Woohoo, trip with grandpa!
>F. Write-in response

>>46126189
>A. If this is for the best

>>46126189
>C. But you wanna see the ice dragons!

>>46126189
>>C. But you wanna see the ice dragons!

>>46126189
>A. If this is for the best

>>46126189
>>E. Woohoo, trip with grandpa!

>>46126189
>E. Woohoo, trip with grandpa!

>>46126189
>E. Woohoo, trip with grandpa!

Where did all these extra posters come from?

>>46126491
Lurking...watching...touching.

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>>46126284
>>46126303
>>46126261
>>46126308
>>46126332
>>46126378
"But... I wanna see people who turn into dragons up close... Freezing people with their breath and stuff!"

"And that hotheaded attitude is precisely why you can't be allowed near them," your grandfather responds. "Your sister is more capable of keeping her mouth shut, and your mother has always had a way with dragonkind. King Augustus, however, is rumored to admire shows of passion."

"Your grandfather is right, Dyrus," your mother adds. "I would have suggested we split up in quite the same way. The Ice Authority would not like it if I sent someone else in my stead while acting as the leader of this rebellion, while the king is more likely to understand."

"If you say so..." You smile at your grandfather. "At least I'll be able to travel with you awhile!"

"That's certainly an optimistic spirit," grandpa replies, standing tall and, for the first time today, giving an almost-warm smile. Muscular, tall and firm even in his old age, the man was once even more of a nightmare with an axe than yourself. Taught your father everything he knew, and he himself imparted that wisdom onto you before...

No sense lingering on that now, though. You've got places to go soon.

Packing up your things that evening, you speak to your sister.

"A near-concussion is quite the way to say goodbye," she jokes, still not letting you go over the duel earlier that day.

>A. Is she gonna hold onto that the whole time
>B. Get over it
>C. Sorry about that, seriously
>D. Don't respond
>E. Write-in response

>>46126604
>As long as you don't let some bandit pull that trick on you, my conscience is clear.

>>46126604
>>B. Get over it
Just quit being salty already

>>46126674
This

>>46126604
>E
Give her a quick peck on the cheek and run off.

>>46126604
>>46126674
Third.

>>46126674
Second.

>>46126674
>>46126750
>>46126825
>>46126830
"As long as some snow bandit doesn't pull that off on you with a real axe, my conscience is clear."

"Not gonna admit to any wrongdoing, huh, cheater?" She pouts in exaggerated salt, folding her arms in front of herself, displacing some of her long hair as a result (during battle/training, she keeps it tied back in a ponytail and wrapped in a white headband). "The worst part is how right you are. I'll keep Hand Axes in mind while I'm up there, freezing my butt off. Be ready for me to brag about all the dragons you won't see, though!"

"And I'll tell you all about this king we've heard so much about. Maybe he's your type."

"Pfft. I'm not desperate enough to need to be set up with strangers, Dyrus."

>A. Just a prank, sis
>B. Stranger schmanger, imagine the political advantage!
>C. Fine, fine, you'll drop it
>D. Write-in response

>>46127018
>See you soon, sis.

>>46127018
>>B. Stranger schmanger, imagine the political advantage!

>>46127018
>D.
Give a quick hug and say, "I'll convince you later!"

>>46127018
>Desperate 'enough'?
Is there something you want to tell someone, little sis?

>>46127018
>A. Just a prank, sis

>>46127090
This

>>46127057
>>46127105
>>46127090
"There could be quite the political advantage to earning the favor of a king, you know..." You tease further. "And desperate 'enough' tells me something..."

Laurise huffs, glaring at you. "Cut it out. I'm a tactician. I can court my own favor."

"Suit yourself... Not that I was really all that serious to begin with." You snicker.

"Bully," she responds with a more subdued, yet more genuine pout.

"You make it easy, taking yourself so seriously," you retort.

"Well, I think you could stand to take yourself a bit more," she responds, "instead of worrying about me so much!"

"How I carry myself is my own business," you reply.

The next morning, you, your grandfather, and Via, accompanied by a couple of other individuals loyal to your mother who may or may not be relevant (though they lack identities for the moment), bid farewell to your mother and sister.

You've got a long trip ahead, you realize as your caravan, one of a pair carrying all your assorted crap, heads Southwest. Who have you had the pleasure of conversing with for the first portion of the trip?

>A. Sir Darren
>B. Via
>C. You kept to yourself, mostly

>>46127493
>A. Sir Darren

>>46127493
>Lord Darren
He's likely our Jagen- let's talk to him while we can.

>>46127493
>>A. Sir Darren


Also lance for the third person?

>>46127493
>>B. Via

>>46127493
>A. Sir Darren
Let's talk.

>>46127493
>B. Via
We need to build our opposite-sex supports up early.

>>46127493
>B. Via

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>>46127531
>>46127565
>>46127574
>>46127624
You take this time with your grandfather to reflect.

In the privacy of the caravan, he shows to you a softer side than to anyone else, brooding over recent losses. "Direct, clever... You're turning out so very much like your father..." He says, shaking his head quite sadly.

"I... never actually learned what happened to him," you respond.

"Do you really wish to know?" Grandpa responds, "it's... hardly a pretty tale."

"I... Would, yes."

"This involves some... Quite sensitive Gerxel information, mind you. See, he'd found himself in charge of internal affairs for the East... Wolfskin region of the empire, you know. In recent years, they've been trying to keep it hush-hush, but the human nomads-Tarvosians, their tribes are called-they rule over, seem to have a poor tendency of being... Eaten alive."

"W-wait... I thought the Garou doing that was just hearsay!" You respond.

"For most, it is," he says, "but they had become aware of... Certain cells amongst their kind that partook in this more monstrous practice, and perhaps suspected that some high-ranking officials of the Wolfskin sector were involved. Your father took sympathy to the nomads' plight, put his heart into investigating it... And had his bones anonymously sent to the Tarvosian chief's encampment."

"G-gods..." You feel sick at the very thought, understanding fully why you and your sister were told only "he died in Garou Valley" when the news first broke.

>A. The Gerxel lets this slide?!
>B. How did they know it was him
>C. holy shit fuck those guys
>D. Reflect in silence
>E. #NotAllWolfskin
>F. Write-in response

>>46127911
>>B. How did they know it was him
Detective time.
This smells wolfy.

>>46127911
>B. How did they know it was him

>>46127911
>>E. #NotAllWolfskin

>>46127911
>>A. The Gerxel lets this slide?!

>>46127911
>B. How did they know it was him

>>46127972
>>46127989
>>46128071
"Wait... how'd they know it was him with just the bones?"

"He hasn't been seen again since shortly before then, and a magical autopsy, dental records... I doubt your father would simply up and abandon his family to anything short of death. I raised him better than that."

"R-right..." So, he's probably dead even if it turns out he WASN'T actually eaten alive. So much for any childish naivete you had left. "I'm... sorry for making you tell this story."

"No, no, it... Absolutely put a lot into perspective. Losing Dyrus..." That would be your father, not you, of course, "...put a lot into perspective for me. "Of the abuses that this empire allows its subordinates to carry out. Why, the Garou themselves care more about this atrocity than the people supposedly commanding them."

Though the story clearly hurt for your grandfather to relay, you can't help but feel closer to him for it.

Years ago, however, another youth never had the chance to know her nobility.

Abandoned to an orphans' home at a young age, she had only a name, embroidered upon the blanket she was discovered wrapped in.

That name was...

>Suggest name

>>46128282
>Rene

>>46128282
>Anita.

>>46128282
supporting Anita

>>46128311
Seconding.

>>46128311
Sure sounds good and breaks the tie

>>46128311
>>46128442
>>46128485
Rene. An odd spelling for the feminine form of the name, but the one you went by regardless.

You were treated reasonably well there, though attention was spread by the staff among the many of you, and you felt no particular attachment to any of the caretakers growing up.

When you were about five or six is when you first recall speaking with a boy in his early teens by the name of August. Word is that he was named after the month in which he was taken in by the facilities, so you suppose whoever found him was feeling quite lazy.

It was a budget-intensive spell for the orphanage, so he was often in charge of assisting in the organization of fundraisers to keep the lot of you alive.

>A. You were always eager to help
>B. You always wanted to show him up
>C. You reluctantly lent a hand and bonded by circumstance
>D. You mostly just watched him and the other older kids work
>E. Write-in response

>>46128715
>C. You reluctantly lent a hand and bonded by circumstance

>>46128715
>>D. You mostly just watched him and the other older kids work

>>46128715
>>C. You reluctantly lent a hand and bonded by circumstance

>>46128715
>D. You mostly just watched him and the other older kids work

>>46128715
>>C. You reluctantly lent a hand and bonded by circumstance

>>46128749
>>46128778
>>46128762
>>46128811
>>46128858
You were very young at the time, and not much help beyond looking cute (Baby Blue, the locals would call you during such events), but then again you didn't really care to do this sort of thing anyway.

Still, though, he always had a way of making you feel like standing around and occasionally asking for coin made you useful. "Might get that window fixed now... Good on ya, Rene." "Maybe the empire's gonna realize we youngsters need more money," as though he wasn't barely 13 himself. Generally, he went out of his way to act big-brotherly towards you.

"Yeah," August would say, "you remind me of myself a bit, Rene. Lotta folks here, lost their folks through some tragedy or another, but us. We were ditched. It's unforgivable's what it is."

During this time, you never personally learned anything about these fabled 'true parents,' but you certainly had an opinion on them...

>A. You were always mad that they would do this to you
>B. Surely they had a good reason...
>C. Naively enough, you thought they'd come and take you back
>D. Write-in response

>>46128983
>C. Naively enough, you thought they'd come and take you back

>>46128983
>>A. You were always mad that they would do this to you

>>46128983
>>C. Naively enough, you thought they'd come and take you back
Let's not be too cynical.

>>46128983
>C. Naively enough, you thought they'd come and take you back

>>46129011
>>46129041
>>46129079
You spent a long time being young and idealistic, thinking that they would come and take you back. Kids often think like that, and you don't really fault your past self for wanting to believe.

August, for his part, never once actually... Derided your claims, though he never encouraged them either. "That would be nice..." He said, which until much later you failed to realize was doubtful.

He was far from the only person of note you interacted with, though. When you were around seven, a boy of approximately ten came in. This young man, Cicero was his name, spoke with quite a prominent lisp, having oddly sharp teeth and very unkempt hair. He was often cold, and distant, and nasty rumors about him sparked up... Pretty much immediately.

"I heard that Cicero gutted his own parents."

"He must be a wolfskin with those fangs... He has fleas, doesn't he?!"

After a not-particularly-successful fundraiser, one particularly nasty teenager said to you and a few other kids, "you know, Cicero's looking awful well-groomed today... Think he got his paws on some gold somehow?"

At this point, you, like much of the orphanage, had never really spoken with the kid in question much. You couldn't personally vouch for Cicero's character...

>A. ...but berated these claims anyway
>B. So just stayed out of this gossip garbage
>C. So personally tried to talk to August about it
>D. ...and bought into all of it, like a sucker
>E. Write-in response

>>46129292
>C. So personally tried to talk to August about it

>>46129292
>>A. ...but berated these claims anyway

>>46129292
>C. So personally tried to talk to August about it

>>46129292
>>46129372
>>C. So personally tried to talk to August about it
>"August-onii-chan, why do they talk about him like that? He hasn't done anything wrong, has he?"

>>46129292
>C. So personally tried to talk to August about it

>>46129363
>>46129377
>>46129500
"That guy keeps spreading lies about Cicero," you would tell Augustus next you saw him.

"Well, what makes you so sure they're lies?" He responds.

"There's... Never been any proof! All he does is say stuff and people believe him." You felt so eloquent, knowing about concepts like demanding proof for claims such as this.

"Heh... Right answer," he responds. "I've never heard about a lot of these rumors myself... Fill me in, would ya, Rene?"

After filling August in on the rumors, you ask, "big broth... Er, August, he hasn't actually done any of that, right?"

"Not that I'd know of... I watch the finances for fundraisers like a hawk, and don't think they'd put a kid who killed his parents in with the rest of us. Lemme talk to this guy... Ipsh, you said his name was?"

The rumors stopped shortly after that, and the teenager in question sported one hell of a black eye for quite awhile afterwards.

Later that week, Cicero spoke to you. "August... I went over to thank him for making that boy stop, and he said it's because you told him everything he was saying..." He then gave you the first genuine smile anyone actually saw from him. It was toothy, showed that ALL of his teeth were... Just sort of pointed and menacing like that, but he meant well by it. "Thank you."

>A. You didn't do that much
>B. He owes you one
>C. T'was the right thing to do
>D. Does he even know why they bully him
>E. Write-in response

>>46129694
>C. T'was the right thing to do

>>46129694
>E "I-it was the right thing to do, Cicero. I didn't want you to get in trouble."

>>46129694
>>46129790
This, also
>Give Cicero a hug
We're in this together, after all, have to take care of each other.

>>46129731
>>46129790
>>46129816
"I was just doing the right thing to do," you respond matter-of-factly. "Lying is wrong, and you shouldn't get in trouble about rumors."

"R-regardless," the unusually cheery boy says, "My ma always said to... Said to treat people who treat you good nice, so you have my gratitude?"

"Your what?" Your seven-year-old brain hadn't learned that word's definition yet.

"I'm... thankful. I owe you one."

"Oh..." You give him a hug afterwards, which, in hindsight, you recall as having been quite adorable.

Cicero never really made a point of doing you any massive services, but from then on always liked doing small favors for you, in exchange for your continued friendship and attention.

A short while later, an anonymous benefactor began to give extremely generously to your childhood home, but Augustus grew... Dissatisfied, as he eventually reached the ripe old age of 16. He began to speak about how unlikely it was he would be adopted, study stories of the world far more fervently.

"I... worry that he might be planning on running away," Cicero says to you one night. "There are people living on their own at younger ages, and once he's 17 he'll be sent on his lonesome as it is... Quite like August to do it on his own terms, I suppose!"

>A. He wouldn't just ditch you/us
>B. He deserves to be great
>C. You still have each other, at least
>D. Write-in response

>>46129977
>>B. He deserves to be great
>"But if he really is running away, we need to find out when he's going so we can say goodbye."

>>46129977
>>46130023
This

>>46129977
>B
Time for him to forge his path.

>>46129977
>>46130037
seconded

File: GeneralDS.png (3 KB, 72x73)

3 KB PNG

>>46130023
"He... Really deserves it, after spending all his time as a kid taking care of the rest of us," you respond, "but it could just be a rumor... We need to find out for sure instead of jumping to conclusions, learn when we can say goodbye."

"Of course," Cicero responds. "I do owe quite a lot to him as well..."

Ironically, you're the one who ends up requiring an early goodbye.

A high-ranking member of the Gerxel Empire, Coastal Director Waldrick (the Directors, as they were known, being military officials of the highest position beneath the emperor himself), paid a visit to the orphanage soon after that. He and his daughter, a couple years younger than you, looked quite striking with their very, very white hair.

A person of importance adopting a child... Now, this wouldn't be too noteworthy of a story for you if it weren't for the fact that you were the person in question.

"Papa," your new sister said once you found out (probably the first thing you ever heard from her lips), "isn't just one daughter enough?"

"Veiz!" He angrily whispered back, before sending her outside with a blonde-haired berserker that was accompanying him (Hera, you would later learn she was called). "My... apologies for her behavior. She'll certainly warm up to you in time."

>A. You didn't want to go!
>B. Veiz made you cry!
>C. You were excited to go!
>D. Write-in reaction
>E. You were extremely ambivalent about this whole thing!

>>46130283
>E. You were extremely ambivalent about this whole thing!

>>46130283
>>D. Write-in reaction
>You were sad to leave Cicero and Augustus, and sorry it wasn't the latter who was adopted instead of you.

>>46130283
>>C. You were excited to go

>>46130283
>>D. Write-in reaction
>You were quite excited for finally being adopted but sad for saying goodbye to your friends so soon.

>>46130283
>You were quite excited for finally being adopted but sad for saying goodbye to your friends so soon.

>>46130357
>>46130385
Is this an accidental repost?

>>46130408
I'm the first one.
https://gyazo.com/b85cb984a1695df501e0c6091f6be89a

>>46130408
Looks like it. Happens sometimes on this quality website.

>>46130408
No, I'm copying his

>>46130453
>>46130473
Well, I'll be damned.

>>46130339
>>46130337
>>46130329
It was... A very emotionally varied precise point in your life. You were young, and parting ways with Cicero and Augustus hurt, but naturally your new father let you say goodbye to your friends.

"So..." Augustus says when you tell him, "little Rene here's a military brat to one of the second most-powerful people in the world..." Grinning in a way that gave off the impression of a man excited for a challenge, he nods. "Wouldn't be a very good brother if I didn't stay one step ahead of ya... Think I'll shoot for king. What're the odds an orphan's gonna make it that far, do you say? The lower, the better this is gonna feel."

Cicero, meanwhile, cries, though he makes clear that they're tears of joy once you move to comfort him. "Y-yes, of course I will miss you, but... You certainly deserve this the most!"

"Well, when August and I are gone, people won't keep picking on you, will they?"

"Oh, no, no... I won't allow such a thing! I'll even keep in touch to disallow it. Write me when you find your new home, alright?"

You agree to keep in touch, a word you would keep as you grew older. Augustus took his leave shortly after, but Cicero made an absolute point of being as upstanding of a boy as he could be.

Director Waldrick was as doting a father to you as he was to his flesh and blood, which certainly made Veiz... Jealous, at times, and she always seemed to be going out of her way to one-up you in anything you did. You, in turn, didn't want to let her win, and so also acted the part of the model daughter.

This dynamic certainly proved mutually beneficial, as combined with your father's... General identity, you were able to easily attend one of the finest combat-related academies in the Southern Archipelago. Your first love, weaponwise, was...

>A. The Bow
>B. The Lance
>C. The Sword

>>46130590
>A. The Bow

>>46130590
>A. The Bow

>>46130590
>>B. The Lance
Round out the weapon triangle?
I'm just sort of hesitant Veiz is going to pick the counter to our weapon, and it's going to stick her in a bad situation.

>>46130616
>>46130644
Archery. An elegant craft, one that takes years to master.

"Don't get too comfortable in your position as the superior shot," Veiz would often say. "One of these days, sister," she came to call you sister after the first couple years, which was a huge improvement in your eyes, "you will be quite thoroughly bested."

>A. You came to tease her endlessly about this complex
>B. You quite genuinely encouraged her to try
>C. You openly questioned if she could ever come close

In time, the two of you graduated from this prestigious academy, you then 20, your adoptive sister 16. And from there, the Gerxel military looked very promisingly upon Waldrick's genius daughters. Before you even knew it, you were already shattering ceilings you hadn't even noticed before!

>D. You mastered the art of horseback, and learned to wield a sword
>E. You added a passable grasp of lance-usage and nimble feet to your repertoire (Foot-based, high-skill-stats Lance/Bow class, name to be determined later)
>F. You honed your archery skills to a level that made you a living legend in your time. (Sniper class)

>>46130851
>A. You came to tease her endlessly about this complex
>F. You honed your archery skills to a level that made you a living legend in your time. (Sniper class)

>>46130851
>B. You quite genuinely encouraged her to try
>E. You added a passable grasp of lance-usage and nimble feet to your repertoire

>>46130851
>>A.
>>E. You added a passable grasp of lance-usage and nimble feet to your repertoire (Foot-based, high-skill-stats Lance/Bow class, name to be determined later)

>>46130851
>>B. You quite genuinely encouraged her to try
>"Better to have two expert archers than one!"
>>E. You added a passable grasp of lance-usage and nimble feet to your repertoire (Foot-based, high-skill-stats Lance/Bow class, name to be determined later)
Maybe she can be the Sniper?

>>46130851
>B. You quite genuinely encouraged her to try
>D. You mastered the art of horseback, and learned to wield a sword
I think ranger is a good class.

>>46130929
>>46130934
>>46130938
You admittedly could dish it out to Veiz equally well when the chips were down. Even with something as simple as eating more at dinner, or taking a shorter time getting ready, or taking a LONGER time getting ready, you at least gave a good-natured, teasing big sisterly chortle at her responses. That being said, though, you never made her think anything less than that she might be capable of surpassing you. "Keep at it," you would say, "I'm going to slow down one of these days..."

She saw an opportunity when you begun training in lances and spears and the like, focusing ever harder on her archery.

As prone as she is to hot-bloodedness, a fighting style that forces her to stay somewhat far from her targets is probably the safest thing for her, you reason, glad you went with the choice you did. Also, now you can actually relax, even just a smidge. Not get lazy by any means, but relax.

Much to your surprise, a man with a very sharp-toothed grin came to your father's island on the day you and your sister were to celebrate your graduation.

"C-Cicero?!" You exclaim, not having recognized him until he flashed that grin. He'd cut his hair down quite a bit, was now slightly taller than you, and sported a very well-kept beard.

"You guessed it!" He said. "I was keeping it a surprise until now, but your father has been sponsoring my training in a wide variety of arts. Servitude, sneaking, and I'm told I'm quite impressive with daggers and staves..."

>A. What'd he do that for?
>B. He should've told you sooner!
>C. To what end?
>D. Write-in response

>>46131136
>>B. He should've told you sooner!

>>46131136
>D. Don't care, too happy to see you!

>>46131136
This!>>46131163

>>46131136
>>46131163

I'm okay with this

>>46131136
> D. "Perhaps you have. I do hope you don't cut yourself. Please leave me and my sister to talk alone."

>>46131161
>>46131163
"Eheh, why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"Like I said, I was going to surprise you! I figured the next time we met in person ought to be extremely special..."

"It still is, though! It's great to see you, Cicero!"

"And I've heard that you're a bit of a rising star yourself, set to waltz right into some very important jobs for the empire... I know you're probably too powerful to require the services of a bodyguard, but I can still do many other number of things... I've learned quite a bit about sneaking and spying and scouting and serving tea, if you would have me!"

So a combat butler-spy, who doubles as your childhood friend... You don't even need to ask the thread to accept such an appealing offer!

"Oh, thank you... It will be an honor to work alongside you, and to repay your father for his kindness on top of it..."

"Missed you too, Cicero."

A few days later, Hera, that axe-wielding islander, approached you and Veiz with some news. "Your father's received quite an important assignment," she explains, hoisting an impressively berserkerly axe over her shoulder like it was nothing (she often does this for show alone. Between that and her hatred of sleeves, it's clear that she wants everyone to admire her muscles), "from the desk of the emperor himself. We gotta conquer the city-state of Holmstead, and from there challenge the Kingdom of Noba from the South as the Central Riders strike from the East. Director Waldrick thinks it's best for you two to shadow him on this, get a taste of what the Empire's really about."

You're to depart the next morning.

Whew, there's been a lot of ground to cover this thread. Sorry if any or all of the parts seemed rushed, but I wanted to cover all of the prologues in one go.

Now, as for that choice... How should the protagonist title be handled?

>A. The story stars Samson, the Bard
>B. Let Sir Dyrus lead the way!
>C. Main the upstart Gerxel prodigy, Rene!
>D. Cycle between them chapter-by-chapter

>>46131408
>D. Cycle between them chapter-by-chapter

>>46131408
>>C. Main the upstart Gerxel prodigy, Rene!
Also you used Waldrick. I feel happy. Also very tired.

>>46131408
>>D. Cycle between them chapter-by-chapter
I love all of them.

>>46131408
> B. Let Sir Dyrus lead the way!

>>46131408
>D. Cycle between them chapter-by-chapter
They're all just too good.
If I HAD to pick one, it would be Rene.

>>46131432
>>46131443
>>46131475
So by the sound of things, while Rene is the current most popular protagonist, all three are seen as deserving of limelight...

The plot might move slightly slower as a result of this, but I'm a bit attached to all three plots now too.

I will admit that I was slightly biased towards the orphan->empire member plotline in pre-planning, but originally the prologue was going to be even MORE crowded. The Lord/Lady (Lord Gaspen now) of Holmstead was going to be a POV option, but I ended up having by far the least ideas for them and squeezing some of the few that I did into my ideas for Samson and Dyrus' plots.

Anyway, time for that statement as old as time...

>To be continued next thread
Thanks for playing, everyone. As always, you can find us on twitter @qmgrandflocto, and ask us shit at ask.fm/qmgrandflocto

Really been looking forward to starting this one, and I promise that other threads will be all one POV, for the most part, even if it cycles BY thread.

>>46131588
Sounds like it's goan be good.

>>46131721
I should hope so.

Since we're going All POVs route here, it's quite likely going to draw inspiration from Radiant Dawn's third part, in that we'll have the protagonists clashing with one another's motivations and goals at several key points.

Probably gonna give each of them and their supporting casts a thread to gather their bearings and exist on their own feet before the now-inevitable Holmstead battle.

>>46131793
...I have so many questions.
Is there any way I can curb my hype?

>>46132086
Only you can answer that hype question.

Story and lore stuff, though, that's easy!

>>46132409
Is August the orphan big bro going to return?
Dyrus and Laurise aren't too much trouble for Via, are they?

>>46132479
I certainly think he'll be making another appearance before too long.

And Via quite likes them, albeit Dyrus much more than Laurise. She can forget her manners at times (even if she's an ultimately nice girl), and no hired hand wants to deal with that.

So we have

>Samson, the pragmatic Bard
>Dyrus, the unorthodox Axe Lord
>Rene, the brilliant Archer/Lancer.

Speaking of Archer/Lancer, why not just call it a Hunter? Someone who hunts animals in any kind of fantasy setting probably does it with either bows or spear-type weapons, depending on size of the prey.

>>46133318
I'll consider it.