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You have always wanted to be an emperor. That ambition has burned dimly in the past, tempered by reality. Now the opportunity to realise your ambition has arrived and you are determined not to let it slip. Now is the time to build your empire and become an emperor.

Last Thread: You are Imperator Talon York and you rule your own small empire, but you are not yet the emperor you dream of being… yet. Last thread you lost your spymaster and are now at war on three fronts.

Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Aspiring%20Emperor%20Quest
Userscript for Suptg with quote previews/backlinks (not my work): https://greasyfork.org/scripts/2065-sup-tg-archive-quote-functions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AspirationalQM
Master Pastebin (links to all pastebins for AEQ): http://pastebin.com/6Su7M3fh
GDocs Documents: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1Qxe-FljPXpMTNrOWltTXlBLTQ&usp=sharing
>Character sheets partially updated

Next thread on the 25th July at 6pm EDT.

Rolls are d20 and the best of the first three posters. I may sometimes ask for more dice to be rolled by each player, but same rules apply otherwise. Please quote the post you are voting for or rolling against. Note there are hard-to-replace points that can be used to offset failures in rolls. Please see the Rules and Mechanics, linked through the GDocs Folder above, for more info and detailed dice rules.

>Now, without further ado
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>>41308938
Date: Midday on April 3rd, 1961PC

You stare out over the rolling hills surrounding Darlesia with a frown as footsteps echo on the stone behind you. The shield tower of the city’s castle gives you a perfect view of the entirety of the city and its surroundings and you marvel over how it has completely rebuilt since your conflict with Taour. The canal stretches cleanly through the centre of the city and the two concentric rings of walls but the industrial district that borders it carries right to the edge of the sprawl, far from its protection. Given how lopsided the city has become with the canal, stretching out further from the walls along its length than in the other parts of the city, you worry over how you’ll defend it should Falwick get close to the city.

“The news is both good and bad, Talon,” Neir says as she stops next to you, leaning into your shoulder tiredly.

“Give me the bad first,” you say.

“Falwick has moved his entire military to Worremburg. They’re in position to strike here, Harrowmont and Gespad equally easily,” she says, covering a yawn as she talks. “By contrast, Fenix has mobilised more than fifty thousand soldiers but has no Magister General to lead them. Some old family friends believe-“

“By which you mean Magister General Ciaris,” you say, smiling slightly.

“Perhaps,” she answers and you can hear the smile on her face. “She believes that Fenix mostly intends on taking Worremburg so that he can hold Gespad and more easily connect with you. He doesn’t plan for this to be a ‘final showdown’ of any sort.”

“Worremburg has a garrison of almost twenty thousand troops, including plenty of knights. He won’t be able to take it by force – are they planning to switch sides?” you ask, frowning at the thought of losing what would be one of the better prizes of this conflict.

>continued
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>>41308943
“I doubt it – Worremburg still has enough nobles that remember a time before they were under Fenix’s thumb. I suspect they’ll try to hold out long enough to declare independence should Falwick fall. On the other hand…” she trails off.

“There’s bound to be plenty of soldiers who would be unwaveringly loyal to their current king rather than the nobles of their city,” you finish. “The good news?”

“Merce has twenty thousand of Ahm’s best and is camped at Crecy. So long as Falwick strikes first, you’ll have her support,” Neir says.

“That sounds like bad news. Waiting until he strikes could go poorly,” you say.

“I don’t have enough agents to reliably let you attack without walking into an ambush, Talon,” Neir says, punching you in the arm. “Falwick outnumbers you and his elite guard are enormous – if he ambushed you with even a thousand of his Ogres you would take enormous losses.”

You drum your fingers on the stone window in front of you as you think on what would happen in that scenario – Falwick’s elite guard were known as Ogres, due to their enormous black armour that was embellished with enormous tasks and grotesque helmets. That and their freakish strength – the insane general had been spending enormous amounts of RSK funds in equipping his guard with the best armour in the nation and the results were apparent. It would take knights of the calibre of the Golden Bears or Black Stone to fight them one-on-one, despite the Ogres otherwise being plain military. Ahm had kept them in check mostly due to their extreme magical capability and terrifyingly competent knightly orders. You would need to be more strategic – you couldn’t deal with four thousand heavily equipped knights by yourself.

>continued
>>
why hello
what is this quest
>>
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>>41308975
“-do you think?” Neir says, pulling you from your thoughts. “Talon? What about Marin? Are you going to accept my proposal and let her help me? She’s charming enough, as you well know. She would let me focus on building up my agents instead of having to maintain my contacts as well.”

>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
>2. Refuse the help. You don’t want a fox from that clan, especially not its ineffectual former leader, helping you after what happened.
>3. Custom

Marin is the former head of the Garrotte clan, by the way. She’s lost her clan now that it got merged with Karise’s (which is now just known as the Garrotte clan) and refused to serve her ‘inferior’. She’s been puttering about Harrowmont since then.
>>
>>41309000
>>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
>>
>>41309000
2
>>
>>41309000
>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
>>
>>41309000
>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
Minor note: but what happened to the HMAA gear? We should have roughly 7k or so sitting in a warehouse somewhere, and while they'd be totally useless against Falwik, Our Mage Guard allies seem to have more warm bodies then MG gear, so shipping it north would vastly increase rear area security.
>>
>>41308938
>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
I can't help but feel like having her out in her element is going to be better for us in the long run than if she's just idling around left to her own devices until she eventually decides to fall back on her foxy fox habits so she can get back on her political/social/etc. feet.
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>>41309298
>Minor note: but what happened to the HMAA gear?
It would be in your garrisons if I'd updated those.

Anyway, writing 1.
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>>41309345
>It would be in your garrisons if I'd updated those.
Oh, I thought we had equipped our Garrisons with MMK?
>>
>>41309000
>1. Let Marin help. She may have lost her clan and Karise may have disliked her, but her ability to charm others would make her an excellent asset, if not a good field agent.
But tell Neir to keep a close eye on her.
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>>41309372
IIRC, there wasn't enough and the HMAA was used as well. In any case, it's not hugely important and sending it north would have relatively minimal effect against what Demesdain is sending against his opponents (the black armoured knights are immune to weak magic).

>>41309336
>that filename
Very related.
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>>41309000
>>2. Refuse the help. You don’t want a fox from that clan, especially not its ineffectual former leader, helping you after what happened.

Better no intelligence, than bad one
>>
Future note. DO NOT SLEEP WITH MARIN, especially if you want Karise back someday.
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>1.

“She can help. Better she’s out shaking her tails at men in my name than feathering her own nest,” you say, thinking about all the trouble that Marin had been causing in just the last week.

“Fluffing her own nest, you mean,” Neir says teasingly, yawning again. “And you just want Liorne.”

You can hear the sound of plated boots on the stone steps as you answer Neir, “Well, the foxes all keep hyping up Liorne to be some super fox, so why shouldn’t I want him to serve me?”

“Okay, that sounded wrong,” Lynn says as she steps into the top of the tower, tilting her head with a confused smile. “I thought you weren’t interested in men? I can arrange something with Vad if you like?”

You scowl and refuse to answer as Neir and Lynn giggle a bit.

Neir says, “Well, Liorne is supposedly an old sparring partner of this Imira that Taira and Karise mentioned previously. Have they mentioned to you what exactly a Havoc Fox is?”

“A fox that brings havoc,” you say. “No, not really. Just that it’s bad and that the only reason Taira hasn’t brutally murdered Imira is because she’s part of the Imperial Court. Or that she’s not powerful enough – though don’t tell her I said that. I just get the feeling that there’s more to it.”

Imira had been a name that had been bothering you lately. Pharos had been looming more and more of late, with Raphael wanting you to work against them. The Pharosian agent that was in charge of monitoring you was a fox formerly of the Garrotte clan known as Imira, a clanless fox that was referred to as a Havoc Fox. If she was as dangerous as was being hinted at, Pharos couldn’t take long enough to turn its gaze towards you.

>continued
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>>41309862
Neir slips away with a strange look on her face and Lynn instead takes her place and leans against you. It’s quiet and peaceful, yet somehow something is wrong. You feel like you’re forgetting something important.

“Should you really be so defensive, Talon? I thought we’d be moving south on Falwick already,” Lynn says, running her fingers across your chest after removing one of her gauntlets.

“He outnumbers us and one of our allies can’t help if we strike first,” you say.

“And you’re worried about Harrowmont,” Lynn probes, a curious look on her face. “Sarah will be fine. There’s plenty of defense there. We should be moving on Falwick or trying to capture Asfael. Fenix could end the rebellion easily if you did that.”

You…

>1. Admit you’re worried about Taira and Sarah. It’s hard not to worry about the women bearing your children in this time.
>2. Say that you’re not so much as worried as just wishing you could be in Harrowmont for such an important time.
>3. Shrug it off. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious sometimes. Not being so had bitten you before.
>4. Custom
>>
>>41309950
>>3. Shrug it off. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious sometimes. Not being so had bitten you before.
>>
>>41309950
>>3. Shrug it off. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious sometimes. Not being so had bitten you before.
>>
>>41309950
>3. Shrug it off. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious sometimes. Not being so had bitten you before.
Plus, we're already fighting a two front war, If Falwick wants to decline making it a three front one for a while, I'll allow it.
>>
>>41309950
>1. Admit you’re worried about Taira and Sarah. It’s hard not to worry about the women bearing your children in this time.
>>
>>41309950
>3. Shrug it off. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious sometimes. Not being so had bitten you before.
>>
>>41309950
>1. Admit you’re worried about Taira and Sarah. It’s hard not to worry about the women bearing your children in this time.
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>>41309950
>1. Admit you’re worried about Taira and Sarah. It’s hard not to worry about the women bearing your children in this time.
>>
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>3.

You shrug, not too worried about being more cautious than usual. “If I acted the same all the time then I wouldn’t be Imperator right now. Right now I need to be more cautious.”

“Because?” Lynn asks.

“Because this is the third front for the empire,” you say. “We’re beset on all sides. Heck, our most reliable allies are arguably the dwarves and elves, simply because all the others are on the brink of collapse.”

“The dwarves are helping you?’ Lynn asks, surprised. She leans back with a confused face and crosses her arms, something soft brushing the back of your head as she pulls herself away from you.

“What? No,” you say, shaking your head. “They aren’t willing to spare the military resources on a fight that won’t affect them. They have cut off trade with Falwick, however, and are easily our best trade partners. If we ever underproduced food we’d likely find ourselves reliant on their connections across the continent.”

“Oh, so is that how you were able to gather the supplies for the mustering so quickly?” Lynn says. “I didn’t think of that. I guess I still have a long way to go?”

“There’s always more to learn,” you say, ruffling her hair slightly. You enjoy the additional softness it has today. “Taking more care of your hair now?”

“I’m allowed to, aren’t I?” she says, pouting playfully. “So, if Falwick marches on Darlesia how will you defend it? This doesn’t look like a good defensive position.”

>1. You’ll use the three new border forts just out from the city. They will give you defensive bastions without endangering the city itself, and you can fall back if necessary.
>2. You’ll counterattack in the field – once Falwick plays his hand you’ll just have to outmanoeuvre him. If he charges Darlesia head on you and Merce can pincer him.
>3. Admit you don’t really have a plan, as it’s pointless to plan a defense when you don’t know Falwick’s intentions.
>4. Custom
>>
>>41310462
>2. You’ll counterattack in the field – once Falwick plays his hand you’ll just have to outmanoeuvre him. If he charges Darlesia head on you and Merce can pincer him.
>>
>>41310462
>3. Admit you don’t really have a plan, as it’s pointless to plan a defense when you don’t know Falwick’s intentions.
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>>41310462
>>1. You’ll use the three new border forts just out from the city. They will give you defensive bastions without endangering the city itself, and you can fall back if necessary.
>>
>>41310462
>3. Admit you don’t really have a plan, as it’s pointless to plan a defense when you don’t know Falwick’s intentions.
Yeah, some shit doesn't seems right about that
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>>41310658
>Yeah, some shit doesn't seems right about that
The defense or what is happening?
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>>41310462
>2. You’ll counterattack in the field – once Falwick plays his hand you’ll just have to outmanoeuvre him. If he charges Darlesia head on you and Merce can pincer him.
but that's only if he attacks straight away, otherwise
>3. Admit you don’t really have a plan, as it’s pointless to plan a defense when you don’t know Falwick’s intentions.
>>
>>41310753
I can agree with this in a way. It's a good idea to have a basic defense plan. But when you get down into we have no idea what his plans are so we should expect it to go off the rails.
>>
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>3.

“I don’t know how I’ll defend the city,” you say. “Until I have any idea of what Falwick is going to throw at Darlesia compared to elsewhere, I’m not going to make any concrete plans.”

It was a half-truth – you already had several ideas of how to defend, favouring the idea of meeting him in the field where your three general’s abilities talents would shine. Felix and Arail favoured offensive strategies and Fuurin’s talent at range meant he was flexible. Still, something made you be more inscrutable with Lynn right now. It wasn’t the best way to teach her how to improve as a commander but it seemed like the best action to take.

“Well, I see you’re still doing things off-the-cuff then,” she nods with a smile. “Planning for everything is boring – better to keep things interesting. Like up in the north, where that would-be-God is working with that Malataine sorcerer.”

“I take it you’ve been harassing my intelligence providers,” you say dryly, hiding your surprise that Lynn was aware of those two facts. You’d asked Sylvian and Phillias to be cautious about talking too much about Demesdain’s past as the Lord of Steel’s agent, though you could understand why they would tell Lynn.

She pouts, turning you slightly so she can press against your chest and look up at you in an overly cute way. “It doesn’t hurt to know more. Why don’t I get to be in your intelligence briefings? I’m your grandmaster, right?”

“Most of it is irrelevant and you would have found out about Demesdain as needed,” you say, shaking your head.

“As needed? Well, I want to feel needed right now…” Lynn says, her hands trailing downwards and mood capitalising on her earlier moves against you. You…

>1. Let her have her way and enjoy yourself with her for a little bit.
>2. Stay on task and get back to planning. You’ve got more news from Neir now.
>3. Custom
>>
>>41310991
>>1. Let her have her way and enjoy yourself with her for a little bit.
>>
>>41310991
>2. Stay on task and get back to planning. You’ve got more news from Neir now.
>>
>>41310991
>2. Stay on task and get back to planning. You’ve got more news from Neir now.
>>
>>41310991
>2. Stay on task and get back to planning. You’ve got more news from Neir now.
>>
>>41310991
>>3. Custom
We ever put some kind of spell to check if someone's not trying to pass as someone's else?
>>
>>41309479
>(the black armoured knights are immune to weak magic).
To be fair, the MG is also using large numbers of newly raised conscripts, who HMAA would probably be effective against.
>>
>>41311137
Guard also has the infrastructure to arm the vast majority of them properly. The HMAA are at their best at home and are largely irrelevant.
>>
>>41310991
1
>>
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>>41311134
You have ways of checking that, yes. If you have an idea of what type of magic is being used to change appearance (e.g. sorcery, fox, angel etc) then you'll have a better chance of detecting that but a worse chance for others (and guessing wrong could make it impossible to detect some types). Do you want to do a general check or is there something in particular you're suspicious of?
>>
>>41311171
>Guard also has the infrastructure to arm the vast majority of them properly.
Depends on how much of that infrastructure is left really. Don't forget that the MG dropped from 400k soldiers to 120k in the past 7 years due to purely internal fighting.
>>
>>41311204
I'd like that yeah, Lynn shouldn't be that easy to make a fake, either we'll find a shitton of magic being poured around us, or find some flaw in her "make up"
>>
Lynn isn't at this front. She's in the north.
>>
>>41311134
I also don't feel right about this so second
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>>41311204
I'm betting Fox personally. The Wardens tend to be stiff, and Falwick doesn't really seem the type to try that. Also If its Marin...
>>
>>41311204
... I think we should invite her to the sparing range actually. The chances of someone being able to trick us during a spar are probably basically nonexistant.
>>
It is a possibility I would say. It's pretty low odds though given she seems to have knowledge that would be pretty hard for a spy to get a hold of.

If someone really wanted to be sure just ask a question only she would know and see how fast it takes her to answer it.
>>
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>>41311267
That's right, though somebody may have teleported her down here.

UPDATE
The behaviour of Lynn doesn't seem right, especially because she's supposed to be up in the north. And why does she keep talking as if she's separate to the empire? 'You' this and 'you' that - it's outright strange. You're being taken for a fool here, probably.

You...

>1. Do a general check for somebody imitating another.
>2. Check for a Mystic Fox pretending to be Lynn.
>3. Invite her to a spar to test her.
>4. Accuse her of being <write-in>
>5. Ask her a question about <write-in>
>>
>>41311267
People just going to ignore this? Check the end of the last thread. We have a spy.
>>
>>41311376
>>5. Ask her a question about <write-in>
Hey, did you ever get word back from your father about your birthday thing?
>>
>>41311376
Check, spar, question
>>
>>41311376
>>41311403
This sounds good
>>
>>41311376
>3. Invite her to a spar to test her.
While asking her how her father's doing.
>>
>>41311376
>3. Invite her to a spar to test her.
>>
>>41311376
>That's right, though somebody may have teleported her down here

Didn't we just lose most of the foxes capable of that? And if it was a multi day jump we would have recieved word
>>
>>41311376
>>2. Check for a Mystic Fox pretending to be Lynn.
>>3. Invite her to a spar to test her.

If the mystic fox guess is wrong and we don't record something we should be able to figure it out with a spar.

If the spar goes legit then Talon knows his guess was wrong without an accusation that could be embarrassing if wrong.
>>
>>41311376
>2. Check for a Mystic Fox pretending to be Lynn.
>>
>>41311376
Though If we do figure out it's someone under an illusion it could be funny to sleep with them then reveal Talon knew it all along.
>>
>>41311517
No. Stop dicking around.
>>
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>>41311456
Taira, Ren and Sylph could manage it. Sylph would have to have already been in the north (which she shouldn't be as she's in Harrowmont with Mal).

>>41311403
>Hey, did you ever get word back from your father about your birthday thing?
'Lynn', or whoever she is, looks surprised at the question and after hesitating for a moment you suspect you've uncovered a fake.

Then she says, looking uncomfortable, "Um, contacting Lairos isn't very easy. It's not like he has a mailbox or can answer sendings. Or wants to. He supposedly sleeps a lot."

Well, that was a surprise. Then again, this 'Lynn' had already known a huge amount. The knowledge of Lynn being a feldragon rather than a regular one was no more secret, and one could connect the dots. Possibly.

Best to check for a Mystic Fox.

[DC?? Detect Imposter]
>>
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Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>41311581
Aw, come on. That's not fair. At least give us a number.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>41311581
Dicegods, pls
>>
Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>41311581
>>
Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>41311581
One for the One Throne
>>
Rolled 12 (1d00020)

>>41311581
Fun dice.

>>41311623
Why?
>>
>>41311623
You're banned from rolling. Finally done act like complete idiots with a spy. You roll a damn 1
>>
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>????????????????

She's Caitlyn all right, with all the draconic bells and whistles around her. You're rather good at detecting the full presence of a dragon now, with so many lurking about, and can tell that if this is an imposter that she's gone the extra mile and been able to imitate the magical side as well. Which means this imposter must be in another league.

Which makes you doubt yourself. Your experience with Arisa, Tsucchi and Karise's shapeshifting makes it clear that whatever is in front of you absolutely isn't a Mystic Fox, however. You know that you can't ever mess up your detection that badly.

>1. Spar with 'Lynn'
>2. Give her a pass and enjoy your time with her.
>3. Give her a pass and get back to strategising. She needs to get back to the front, after all. It will take her a while and you need her back ASAP.
>4. Custom

Note, you can still accuse her of being somebody in particular.
>>
>>41311786
>1. Spar with 'Lynn'
Might be good regardless
>>
>>41311786
>1. Spar with 'Lynn'
>>
>>41311786
>>1. Spar with 'Lynn'
>>
>>41311786
Can we make a sending to the northern front to see if Lynn is there?
>>
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>>41311867
You can't personally, but you could find somebody else that could. It would also be really obvious that you don't think that the Lynn in front of you is actually Lynn.
>>
>>41311786
>>1. Spar with 'Lynn'

Lets do it. If we are wrong we at least get a spar out of it and if we are right copying her fighting style is pretty hard.
>>
>>41311786
>2. Give her a pass and enjoy your time with her.
I think Talon will notice the differences in sexual skills between the real and the impostor Lynn.
>>
>>41311786
>2. Give her a pass and enjoy your time with her.

>>41311912
That's...a possibility. Anyone can improve their fighting skills, and if it's an impostor it would also give him/her info on how Talon fights. Sex, on the other hand, if Lynn suddenly got better or different...
>>
>>41311786
>>1. Spar with 'Lynn'
>>
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>>41311912
>I think Talon will notice the differences in sexual skills between the real and the impostor Lynn.
That's a good point, thoguh it would leave Talon open to somebody who might not have his best interests at heart. Then again, so would sparring (in a different way).

LAST VOTE
>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>2. Have sex with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>3. Custom
>>
>>41312023
1
>>
>>41312023
Important question, does Lynn do anal?
>>
>>41312023
>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312023
>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312023
>>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312023
>2. Have sex with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312023
>2. Have sex with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
C'mon guys, Talon has perfect scores when sexing.
>>
Crazy theory. Falwick stared down Lairos once. Reason, he has more than just Lynn and Falwick has her and used that as a bargaining chip for his life. Sent Lynn's sister to spy, explaining why she knows so much and bares enough resemblance to cloak it with a minor magic.
>>
>>41312023
>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312023
>>1. Spar with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
>>41312147
she wants to fuck so she likely kills while fucking
>>
>>41312165
I'd laugh so hard if that was right. Just because of how dumb it is.
>>
>>41312023
>2. Have sex with Lynn to determine whether she's an imposter.
>>
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>1.

Your strange behaviour has definitely been noticed by Lynn, who is clearly excited and becoming a bit put out by your reluctance. That’s rather normal for her, you think – she definitely enjoys this sort of activity and it’s unusual for you to spurn her. On the other hand, it could just be the frustration of a spy whose efforts at getting information from you (and getting into bed where her chances of assassinating you rise) are being thwarted.

You’ve definitely become much more suspicious over the past decade.

“How about a spar?” you say suddenly, shocking her. “You’ll need to be at your best while up in the North – Demesdain will be very dangerous. There’ll be plenty of time to share later between the two of us.”

Lynn’s mostly disappointed as you descend from the tower and retrieve your weapons and armour for a spar, but a different kind of excitement has returned to her once the two of you are facing off in one of the practice rooms. She’s decked out in her full set of equipment, her shield raised towards you and sword in her usual stance. Her charges remain her strongest point, particularly now that she’s gotten better at wielding her draconic strength and can use her wings if necessary.

>continued
>>
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>>41312351
The question is: how will you receive her? Lynn’s not good enough to match you if you go all out and there’s a good chance you might defeat her too quickly to accurately judge who she is. On the other hand, if you go too easy on her you could be in danger or she might simply quit the spar out of frustration. Then again, would she really be that dangerous? Unless it’s Falwick, Imira or Demesdain themselves standing in front of you, you can scarcely picture somebody really able to threaten you.

The spar begins suddenly, with Lynn surging across the room with a magically propelled charge, her shield filling with magic as she prepares to hammer into you. Even should you block it, then you’ll need to keep her sword at bay.

>1. Go all-out and receive the charge head-on, trying to overpower her.
>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.
>3. Let her put the pressure on you, trying to judge her abilities and strength up close. It’s risky but gives you a good chance to judge her.
>4. Custom

>>41312165
Clearly Lynn's sister wants to be added to the harem.
>>
>>41312376
>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.
>>
>>41312376
>3. Let her put the pressure on you, trying to judge her abilities and strength up close. It’s risky but gives you a good chance to judge her.
>>
>>41312376
>3. Let her put the pressure on you, trying to judge her abilities and strength up close. It’s risky but gives you a good chance to judge her.
>>
>>41312376
2
>>
>>41312376
>3. Let her put the pressure on you, trying to judge her abilities and strength up close. It’s risky but gives you a good chance to judge her.
>>
>>41312376
>>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.
>>
>>41312376
>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.
>>
>>41312376
>>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.

3 leaves us vulnerable. 2 allows us to see any new tricks of inconsistencies while keeping safe.
>>
>>41312376
2
>>
>>41312376
>>3. Let her put the pressure on you, trying to judge her abilities and strength up close. It’s risky but gives you a good chance to judge her.
>2. Keep dodging her attacks, trying to make use methods that aren’t as well known to the soldiers and knights in your empire. Her charges are very well known, not so much her ability to pursue a swift opponent like Sala.
Why not both? Break her momentum and put her in an unneven footing? She's got a short fuse right?
>>
Wait I thought we kept putting off Lynn telling us her actual father.
>>
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>>41312506
It happened a while back but didn't get much focus due to people wanting to fly and 4chan going down.

Writing 2.
>>
>>41312506
We told her we knew I think, some threads ago
>>
>>41312376
>Demesdain
Who's this again? Some theoretically "rogue" Astral Adapt?
>>
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>>41312618
He's the current leader of the Mage Guard. I'll explain him in full eventually, but as hinted he's an Astral Adept that isn't a God-Knight but was instead an agent/assassin of the Lord of Steel who came to work for the Mage Guard.

>2.

You duck to the side, neatly dodging the massive rolling wall of power that is Caitlyn. She continues to push at you with raw power, careful not to strike the ground or walls, but never hitting you. You can’t make out her expression behind her visor but she’s as enthusiastic as she’s ever been and definitely not holding back. That’s hardly surprising, given that you’re so far beyond her capabilities now. She might be one of the strongest of your close companions but you were rapidly widening the gap with your sheer power and she had been very aware of it.

Still, you weren’t exactly keen to take one of those charges head-on. If you’d slipped up once while trying to hold her back you’d probably have gotten knocked on your arse and a sword to your neck in an instant. The last thing you wanted right now was a repeat of your very first spar with Caitlyn.

After several minutes of cat and mouse against Caitlyn the powerhouse, she sees your game and adjusts her approach. You then find yourself fighting Salamander instead, as the fruits of the constant sparring and training of the two together show themselves. Caitlyn’s wings burst from her back and she’s surging across the room after you, her sword and shield chasing you every which way and trying to keep you contained in one place. Things are looking grim for your imposter theory, but you’re more concerned with not getting pummelled, right now. Keeping up the excellent footwork necessary to avoid her attacks is taking all your focus.

[DC12/17 Dodging; DC?? Judgment]

Roll 2d20 please.
>>
Rolled 16, 14 = 30 (2d20)

>>41312707
>>
Rolled 19, 2 = 21 (2d20)

>>41312707
>>
>>41312707
>>
Rolled 4, 1 = 5 (2d20)

>>41312707
>>
Rolled 14, 7 = 21 (2d20)

>>41312707
Blackwater pls
>>
>>41312764
Come. The. Fuck. On.
>>
>>41312764
... You have got to be shitting me.
FR point please.
>>
>>41312764
Wow. After this could we jsut tell her she should go back north?
>>
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FR POINT VOTE
You have 4 FR points.

>1. Use an FR point to determine if this 'Lynn' is an imposter. You'll also perfectly evade all her attacks. (Exceptional successes for both rolls).
>2. Don't use an FR point. There's no proof from the spar that this 'Lynn' is an imposter. An accusation can still be made if somebody believes they know who it is or how they're doing it.
>>
>>41312854
>2. Don't use an FR point. There's no proof from the spar that this 'Lynn' is an imposter. An accusation can still be made if somebody believes they know who it is or how they're doing it.
>>
>>41312854
>1
>>
>>41312854
>1. Use an FR point to determine if this 'Lynn' is an imposter. You'll also perfectly evade all her attacks. (Exceptional successes for both rolls).
>>
>>41312854
>>1. Use an FR point to determine if this 'Lynn' is an imposter. You'll also perfectly evade all her attacks. (Exceptional successes for both rolls).
>>
>>41312854
2
>>
>>41312854
>2. Don't use an FR point. There's no proof from the spar that this 'Lynn' is an imposter. An accusation can still be made if somebody believes they know who it is or how they're doing it.
Waste of FR.
>>
>>41312854
>1. Use an FR point to determine if this 'Lynn' is an imposter. You'll also perfectly evade all her attacks. (Exceptional successes for both rolls).
>>
>>41312854
1
>>
>>41312854
I am going to laugh way too hard when it turns out she is the real deal.
>>
>>41312854
>2
>>
>>41312955
Aspir just forgot where Lynn was and rolled with us being paranoid.
>>
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1 wins. Writing. I will admit that I didn't expect this part to take so long, though it has helped to get me back into writing a bit (I've been struggling lately).
>>
>>41312854
>2
We will need the FRs for something actually important. You faggots should have gone with sex instead.
>>
>>41313105
Had you intended this to happen or are you just rolling with our paranoia?
>>
If the next roll this thread includes a one in the first three, can we just ignore it?

Twice in a fucking row, fuck me.
>>
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Just so you guys know, having sex with her would have solved this instantly though created a very different scene.

>1.
>You have 3 FR points remaining

Lynn’s attacks are relentless and it takes all of your skill to evade them. It doesn’t help that dodging is not your strong point – you’d pushed yourself to do a better job of it after your encounters with Hallim and Belrauth in the past, but it was still far from your strong point. You’re inclined to believe this is the real Caitlyn and that she simply didn’t bother to tell you she coming to visit you. You can’t imagine how else somebody would demonstrate such Sala-like talents.

Unless they knew that Lynn sparred with Salamander all the time and were simply imitating Sala. After all, you knew that Caitlyn could fight like this but hadn’t ever fought her like this. Was this really how she would fight or were you merely projecting Salamander’s talents onto her? The doubt gnawed at you and you eventually decided that trying to judge Caitlyn like this was a failure, like all the rest.

Hoping that your judgement wasn’t completely wrong, you leapt back from the fight and focused your will and power. Drawing on your essence, you reached into the astral plane and tried to emulate what you’d heard that infernals and angels can do – see and judge the soul itself. Perhaps with your instinct and power you could tell if this was really the feldragon Caitlyn.

The instant you draw on your internalised astral power from your core, ‘Lynn’ stiffens and raises her guard. The next instant you feel your power slam into an astral wall and completely collapse. Shocked at the fact you had been defeated by another power so easily, you nervously lick your lips.

>continued
>>
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>>41313564
“I’d heard that you could use astral power but hadn’t expected a true user,” says a deeper and sweeter voice from Lynn’s imposter. “At best I’d expected a savant like that fluffball revenant or perhaps a rogue God-knight but you… you’re the real deal. I’m honoured.”

The voice chills you to your bone, partly because it’s tone makes you think of somebody admiring a fine meal and partly because you now realise what just happened.

“You can use astral power,” you say.

“Of course, that’s why my former kin hate me so. I have so utterly failed at what our creator wished for us to do, just like Karrem of old,” she says as she casts her shield over her body.

As the shield and her arm passes her chest, her appearance shimmers for a moment and then dissolves with a shimmer like a vanishing mirage. Where the spitting image and magical feel of Caitlyn once stood there was now a white seven-tailed fox. You felt nothing magical from her whatsoever, as if she was just a massive void – but you knew better. That enormous wall of power you had smashed against was what was preventing you from seeing her true being – you wondered if she could trick even an angel with that. Her seven tails looked puffed out and chaotic and far more voluminous than those of a mystic fox. Something within you connected the dots and realised that this was what a Havoc Fox was – and perhaps that ‘Havoc’ wasn’t the correct translation for the Pharosian term.

“You’re Imira,” you say.

“That I am, Talon York,” she says, her golden eyes vanishing as she gives you a broad and toothy smile.

You…

>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
>2. Ask her what she wants while remaining on guard.
>3. Run away.
>4. Custom
>>
>>41313564
>Dat spoiler

Like, wtf guys. Why didn't you choose that choice?
>>
>>41313590
>>2. Ask her what she wants while remaining on guard.
>>
>>41313590
>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
>>
>>41313590
>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
>>
>>41313590
>4. Curse that we never decided to sleep with her.
>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
>>
>>41313590
>3. Run away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAp9sFVdERQ
>>
>>41313590
>4 Ask why she impersonated someone a thousand miles away.
>>
Guess Shadowrunning pay sometimes
>>
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For those wondering about the clues, they were (in no particular order):
>Caitlyn should have been up in the north
>Caitlyn only referred to Sarah to worry about (due to kids) rather than both her and Taira
>Caitlyn kept talknig as though she wasn't part of the empire (you, you, you towards Talon and the empire)
>When Caitlyn was surprised by Talon and pulled back, 'something soft' touched the back of his head (a tail that wasn't supposed to be there)
>Caitlyn's hair was noticeably softer than usual, due to Imira's vanity
>The fact that I explicitly used the terms 'Mystic Fox' at a few points rather than just 'fox' (a bit of a meta clue, mind)

I didn't exactly expect people to get it (merely that things would appear off enough to be vaguer than usual), but the penalties for missing it were very low.
>>
>>41313590
>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
"I've heard about you but I never immagined you had such unusual talents. Swordplay is rather rare in foxes after all."
>>
>>41313698
>Caitlyn only referred to Sarah to worry about (due to kids) rather than both her and Taira
This one actually bothered me a lot.
>>
>>41313698
RUN AWAY
>>
>>41313590
>1. Play it cool and joke with her. If she wanted you dead, you suspect you’d already be dead.
>>
>>41313698
To be honest it never occurred to me that a Fox could use astral power. Mainly because of what the Loredoc says:
>The long lifespans of mystic foxes also enable them to learn more broadly and they possess phenomenal amounts of power. The fact they are not astral power users likely lies in their lack of the conceptual ability to do so, as they are a young race still finding their way.
>>
So pharos back Falwick. Fucking wonderful.
>>
>>41313924
Backing*
>>
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>>41313922
Imira isn't a Mystic Fox, even if she once was. Mystic Foxes can't use astral power and the fact that Havoc Foxes can is exactly why they're different beings, they have to change in order to do so.

>1.

“You know, I didn’t realise I had a fangirl on another continent. Let alone one so dedicated as to learn my sword skills so well as to pass off as my subordinate,” you say with feigned levity. “Were you hoping to polish your swordplay skills?”

“Well, polishing my sword playing skills was certainly a girlish hope of mine,” Imira says, her lightly glowing golden eyes flickering down to your crotch as she grins more lecherously. “I had hoped to gain a little of your extremely broad and large experience. Alas, I shall have to live with the memories of your voice.”

“If all you wanted to do was hear my voice you could have just asked,” you say. “Instead of impersonating somebody a thousand miles away.”

“That wouldn’t be as fun, and choosing your beloved feldragon girl meant I both wouldn’t run into her down here and could use my existing knowledge to impersonate her,” she says, placing a hand on her chest. As she does so you realise that her hands seem somewhat pawlike, with claws and light fur on the back of her palms. Whether there are more bestial features to her are hidden by her white and red robes and wild white hair.

“Is fun all you are here for then?” you ask. “I’m sure I can give you plenty of that.”

“Oh, but you already have. Watching you desperately try to determine whether I was Caitlyn or not was very amusing,” she says. “It made me proud that even somebody as powerful as yourself was unable to pierce my disguise even though my acting skills were as abysmal as always.”

>1. Ask her what she is here for.
>2. Ask her if she’s going to try to kill you now or soon.
>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>4. Custom
>>
>>41313698
>'something soft'
And Talon didn't recognize it as a fluffy tail? Gotta brush up, or the word's going to get out and he'll lose his cred.
>>
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>>41314071
Imira's tails have a very different feel and texture to ordinary fluffy tails. They're fluffier, for one. They're more like tail-shaped ragged-looking balls of fluff than the smoother tails of regular foxes. Talon just doesn't have the experience with them.
>>
>>41314048
>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>>
>>41314048
>>1. Ask her what she is here for.
>>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>>
>>41314048
>>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>>
>>41314104
FLUFFIER fluffy tails??? What're you trying to do to us?
>>
>>41314048
>1. Ask her what she is here for.
enough flirting for now, we could always resume once we have determined her purpose.
>>
>>41314048
>1. Ask her what she is here for.
In the words of Alucard from Hellsing Abridged:
"You dirty bitch, Work the shaft!"
>>
>>41314048
>>1. Ask her what she is here for.
>>
>>41314048
>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>>
>>41314048
>1. Ask her what she is here for.
>>
>>41314048
>>3. Flirt with her to keep her happy, maybe she won’t do anything if she’s having fun.
>>
>tfw you come back from eating and start reading, seeing all this weird shit

>It's Imira, guys, she's been namedropped, and all this shit going on, yeah, it's either her, or some unnamed thing with fluffy tails

>nat 1s everywhere

oh god damn it, I'm not going to go eat ever again. But yeah, that "something soft" just gave it away, cause immediately I thought "Lynn's tail isn't soft, it's covered in scales!"

Please don't try to waifu this one, I'm quite certain we are going to have to kill her once we come to blows with Phaeros.
>>
>>41314399
We're not trying to waifu her, we're trying to make her an enemy with benefits.
>>
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>1 & 3

“Well, I hope we can keep things civilised. I’d hate for the fun to have to stop – it looks like we could both help each other out on that part,” you say, hoping to keep her content and not aggressive. You had a feeling she was very whimsical.

“Oh, this is a surprise. You’re a little more keen than I expected,’ she says, her grin now turning crooked as she slowly begins to walk towards you, her seven extremely fluffy white tails shuffling excitedly behind her.

“Well, I can mix business and pleasure,” you say, aware that letting Imira get close to you could work out very poorly but not sure how to deal with it without angering her. “I’m a professional Imperator after all. Harem and empire, hand in hand.”

Giggling, Imira sidles right up to you. ”Unfortunately, I’m very unprofessional. That’s why you’re not dead, despite my erstwhile masters’ wishes. So how about you handle the business and I handle the pleasure.”

With that, things move a bit faster than you’d expected as Imira picks up right where she left off when she was pretending to be Caitlyn back in the tower, her hands pawing you openly as she clumsily removed your armour. You…

>1. Push back against her advances. You just wanted to flirt to keep her happy, not go this far. You might upset her, however.
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.
>3. Custom

Basically, the more questions you ask her you further she’ll go, which may or may not cause problems later.
>>
>>41314476
>1. Push back against her advances. You just wanted to flirt to keep her happy, not go this far. You might upset her, however.
>>
>>41314476
>1. Push back against her advances. You just wanted to flirt to keep her happy, not go this far. You might upset her, however.
>>
>>41314476
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.

Literally exactly what I was hoping for
>>
>>41314476
>3 RUN AWAY
>>
>>41314476
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.
"Masters? Do elaborate."
>>
>>41314476
>>1. Push back against her advances. You just wanted to flirt to keep her happy, not go this far. You might upset her, however.
>>
>>41314476
>1. Push back against her advances. You just wanted to flirt to keep her happy, not go this far. You might upset her, however.
You asked for business didn't you?
>>
>>41314476
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.
>>
>>41314476
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.
>>
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>>41314469
>mfw

This can't end poorly.

Thinking with your dick can NEVER end poorly.

There is ABSOLUTELY no way this could possibly turn into a bad situation and end poorly.
>>
>>41314476
2

Do all women just see Talon as a very large sex toy I wonder
>>
>>41314476
>2. Play along, asking her questions in return for her own physical pleasure (and hopefully yours). Starting with why she is here and why she’s really not killing you as she apparently should be.
>>
>>41314399
>“There’s always more to learn,” you say, ruffling her hair slightly. You enjoy the
>her hair

Alright buddy whatever you say.
>>
>>41314611
Imagine the most attractive playboy bunny of all time founded a small nation, kept a harem of other world leaders around, was popularly known to be a huge slut, and had multiple "tell-all" books written about her about just how lewd she is.

Now tell me the majority of people she associated with wouldn't attempt to bed her in some way.
>>
>>41314630

>“The dwarves are helping you?’ Lynn asks, surprised. She leans back with a confused face and crosses her arms, something soft brushing the back of your head as she pulls herself away from you.

Check again, pal.
>>
>>41314657
>>41314657
It's coming in handy isn't it

Just turned an assassination attempt into a horizontal tango
>>
>>41314657
But there's no such thing as an attractive playboy bunny anon.
>>
>>41314476
>my erstwhile masters’ wishes
Guys, pls. Erstwhile means former. She's already telling us that she's already broken off that employment relationship. Which means she's not killing us because she decided she to bail on whoever wanted us dead altogether.

Knowing the who/why of the "make talon ded" is important, but I feel like asking as to her intentions for coming here despite not being obliged to by her previous employment is the more diplomatically lucrative line of questioning to focus on to start out.
>>
>>41314756
My stress levels are building I'm not sure why
>>
>>41314745
I'm just using playboy bunny as a shorthand for Talons' status as coming from more of a mercenary/warlord background, and how that's attractive to women. I just figured playboy bunny might be an equivalent level of attractiveness for the opposite gender.
>>
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>2.

Deciding that having an attractive woman (who may be your greatest enemy) paw you up and try to bed you was worth the information you might be able to gain, you stoically withstand her clumsy assault. Emphasis on clumsy, as you have a feeling that Imira has probably done this once before, tops. It was like being with Tsucchi in a way, but with a more openly lustful partner.

“So, why exactly are you here?” you ask her as she finally gets the rest of your armour off. “I thought you were the general in charge of monitoring my empire, not a field agent.”

“Well, somebody in my position is expected to be whatever is required of them to deliver results. Field agent, commander, mistress, merchant… We’re capable yet expendable agents of the Court,” she says, nibbling at your ear. “I’m here to confirm pieces of information that my agents have been unable to. Mostly because they’re dead, otherwise missing or just unable to infiltrate your ranks at a high enough level.”

You file that away for a second before asking your other one. “Your erstwhile masters? I hadn’t heard you’d separated from the Court.”

“I still serve the Court,” she says, seizing up as your hands begin to wander over her and she becomes a little shy. “I just don’t serve those who now control it. I hold my position because people respect me and don’t doubt my loyalty.”

>continued
>>
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>>41314917
“Which is why you’re not killing me?” you ask, not questioning the fact that people apparently respect the woman who can’t undress you fast enough.

“I prefer causing little deaths,” she says. “The Shadow Empress might want you out of the way, but I haven’t seen anything that makes me believe you’re currently a threat to my homeland or the Court so I’m free to do whatever I like so long as I continue delivering results.”

“Such as?”

“Such as what sort of person you are, how capable you are in combat and command, how loyal your subordinates are, how many children you have, your marital status,” she says, pausing her nuzzling of your neck to reel off each item as she ticks off her fingers. “You know, the sorts of things that empresses and princesses like to know about powerful men from an unknown land.”

That was… an interesting answer. She’s advancing at a faster pace now, her hands playing around your pants.

>What do you ask next? Or do you pull back now? Or perhaps 'counterattack'?
>>
>>41314917
>“I’m here to confirm pieces of information that my agents have been unable to. Mostly because they’re dead, otherwise missing or just unable to infiltrate your ranks at a high enough level.”

Oh, look at that, our spy network being fucked up left us open to this shit.

Didn't see that one coming.
>>
>>41314830
Can you imagine the reputation he must have
"He conquered half a dozen established nations in 3 years"
"The ancient dragon Sylvian of the Mage Guard has defected to him out of love"
"One of the members of vitrias leading houses helped him annex her home"
"The Millenia old fox who founded the 6 star alliance has declared personal allegiance to him and carried his child"
"He negotiated an alliance with the Magi League with his skills as a lover"
"The Archangel Gabriel is chsngobg his sex to be with him"

Granted most of these aren't public knowledge but still.
>>
>>41314969
I'm not sure you read that correctly, because it clearly says that it's HER agents that got fked over
>>
>>41314969
Anon. I do think she was saying she was only hear because they couldn't find anyone else who could get in.

>>41314940
Ask her how many times she has done this before and ask her what she thinks of the place so far.
>>
>>41314940
Counterattack. Delve into the shadow empress herself, we're a small player, why the interest outside of the fox connections. Why the long game play if a United Pharos could easily wipe us, then the rest of the continent given the mess of war lately.
>>
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>>41314940
"Well then. Allow me to put the rumors to rest.l

Then fuck her. Pick related.
>>
>>41315015
>>41315034
I understand that.

And I fully believe that if we hadn't fucked ourselves with our spy network and losing Karise that Irima wouldn't have been able to get this close.
>>
>>41314940
Pull back
>>
>>41315106
That's probably true.
>>41315095
#longdickstyle
>>
>>41315106
I kind of doubt that. She has full astral power and only 7 tails. So it would be absurdly hard to figure out who she is.
>>
>>41315106
Their loyalty was suspect anyway so don't count on it.
>>
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VOTE
>1. Ask more personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
>3. Skip everything and teach her more about the way of the bed.
>4. Pull back and end this for now.
>5. Custom
>>
>>41315211
>>5. Custom
>Touch fluffy tail
Show her how teasing is done
>>
>>41315167
>professional subterfuge agent

>unable to detect the thing that has astral power that changes to look like other forms of power seemingly at random

So that's a thing.

I don't doubt Karise's ability to do her job well.

Honestly, the more powerful you are the -easier- it is to figure out who someone is.
>>
>>41315211
>4. Pull back and end this for now.
>>
>>41315211
>5. Custom
Touch fluffy tail
>>
>>41315211
>1. Ask more personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
>>
>>41315211
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
>>
>>41315248
Guys lets be a responsible head of state here please
>2
>>
>>41315211
>1. Ask more personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>>
>>41315211
2

Huh, good thing we didn't mention Taira then, the twins are probably far more valuable information to her then anything else. Somehow we managed to pick all the right answers to deprive her of the most information.
>>
>>41315211
>1. Ask more personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
with a bit of 3. to keep her happy.
>>
>>41315211
>>5. Custom
tease her by way of fluffy tail stroking.
>>
>>41315211
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?

>5. Custom
Tease by stroking the fluffy tail.
>>
>>41315240
Thing there is she uses spiritual. So it would be true astral power user vs a spiritual user.

Those contests don't tend to end well for the person trying.
>>
>>41315211
Primarily
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
but intersperse occasional personal questions to keep her on her toes so that the current pace of extracurricular activities doesn't get totally bogged down in ALL POLITICS, ALL THE TIME, because that's a sure way to cut our question time short by way of boring her out of her mind.
>>
>>41315240
I'm pretty sure Talon's fumbling about in this situation proves otherwise. And I'd bet the "checks" for even Karise would have been higher
>>
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Okay, so this is pretty split. Let's make it two votes.

TOPIC VOTE
This is what you'll ask her for this round.
>1. Ask more personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?

ACTION VOTE
>1. Continue to let her clumsily do what she feels like.
>2. Start teasing her by stroking her tails. It'll be a fun new experience for you and her.

>>41315240
Imira's trick is that she hides her presence behind a massive wall of astral energy. While it's probable that the foxes would ahve a way to detect her, it would be best in the hands of Ren/Taira than Karise. Hence why Talon couldn't evne sense Imira's power when she dropped her disguise and only has an idea of her power because he brushed against her wall of power with his FR point.
>>
>>41315383
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
>2. Start teasing her by stroking her tails. It'll be a fun new experience for you and her.

The twos have it.
>>
>>41315383
2
1
>>
>>41315383
>1
>2
We do what we do best
>>
>>41315346
>not talking dirty politics while making love

Anon you haven't lived.
>>
>>41315383
1
2
>>
>>41315383
>1
>2
>>
>>41315383
2,2
>>
>>41315383
>2. Start teasing her by stroking her tails. It'll be a fun new experience for you and her.
>2. Press her on Pharosian politics - who/what is the Shadow Empress? Why is somebody as powerful as her assigned to watch a small player on another continent? What aren't Pharos attacking Gauron if they want to conquer it?
>>
>>41315383
>2
>2
>>
>>41315383
>Imira's trick is that she hides her presence behind a massive wall of astral energy.

You're telling me that is hard to spot?

>Man, I can't get anything from here.

>Geez, that stupid wall of nothing is moving about.

You know things I dont, but damn man, it just seems so simple to me.
>>
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Okay, so 2 & 2 wins. Writing now.
>>
>>41315513

If we've learned anything about astral energy it's incredibly hard to detect. Hell even Gnome didn't figure out what Talon was packing for a good long while. What I've taken from our dealings with it is the energy itself is far more esoteric then what is going on around it that it can sort of blend into the background to the untrained eye.
>>
>>41315592
Yet apparently it's VERY easily visible when in use.

And putting a huge wall of it does absolutely nothing to make a giant wall of energy blocking a space visible?

Then why hide it at all?

It all sounds convoluted to me.
>>
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>>41315513
>You're telling me that is hard to spot?
Given it's on a plane of existence that the foxes interact as little as possible with, yes it is. Spiritualists don't really actively interact with the astral plane as it's dangerous to them, instead they monitor flows. As far as they're concerned, Imira has no flows. It's more like Imira makes herself appear to their radar like background radiation and then she can layer on top of that whatever she wants to appear as. Unless you can send a probe out to physically interact with her (and thereby run into the 'background radiation') you don't know any better.

The other thing to keep in mind is that energy in the material plane is just 'magical energy'. You can't determine its origin just by looknig at it that way (instead there are the astral and magical planes).

Or just think of it as handwavium 'stealth in space' technology, but for magic. Your call.
>>
>>41315627
Apparently I am too angry to wrap my head around this.

Fuck it.

I'm just gonna bounce for this thread.

Sorry for being a disruptive prick, errybody.
>>
>>41315627
magic "stealth magic"? This is a thing? wow.
>>
>>41315665
No no, hang on. Let me see if I can explain it more simply for you.

Let's say we have a piece of paper, and on it is someone's name. Let's say Maloric. That's the magical plane.
Now imagine that we have another piece of paper clipping through it perpendicularly, so it makes an X when you look at the edges. And it has another name on it, Talon. That's the Astral plane.

They intersect, and they can interact. But they can't really see one another except as a line. What Imiria is doing is folding her part of the astral paper to look like a name on the magical paper. What would otherwise be just an unnoticeable line is suddenly what looks just like a name, and you can't tell it's anything else until you try to bump into it.

Does that sound about right, Aspirational?
>>
>>41315718
Well invisibility is a thing. I don't doubt there's a fair few high level mages or equally bullshit power users that could pull that sort of stuff off. Seems the natural progression on a personal level at least.
>>
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>2 & 2

As Imira finally gets to her prize, lowering your pants, you counterattack in more ways than one. Her tails are amazingly fluffy, though it’s a very different type of fluffy to the tails you’re used to. They lack the velvety feel that you’d gotten accustomed to and it felt more like an enormous yet light ball of fur that your hands and fingers just sunk into. They also lacked a grain that you could stroke along but you persisted anyway, simply pulling your fingers along where you felt the spine of her tails would be.

The results were delicious, as Imira was clearly new to this. Still, you felt clumsy doing it and she was hardly melting into a moaning puddle of Havoc Fox like you’d planned. It at least left you enough of an opening to start the second phase of your counterattack.

“So, Imira, what exactly does Pharos want from me? My empire might be big in my mind, but it’s small relative to the world and particularly Pharos. Why is somebody as powerful and respected as you focused on me?” you ask, undressing Imira in between stroking as her hands stroke in return.

“Powerful people catch the eye of powerful people,” she says between gasps, nuzzling into you as she looks down. “Plus, you’re the most active player right now that isn’t falling apart at the seams. Naturally, that makes you of interest.”

“To the Shadow Empress? Who I know very little about,” you say.

>continued
>>
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>>41315872
“To her and others. To her, you are a future obstacle. To others, you are an opportunity. Just like you are to the foxes who suckle at your… I’d say bosom, but really it’s down here,” she says, running her hands over your groin and looking like she might do the same literally shortly. “And she’s not as special as you might think. She has power, magically and politically, and was smart enough to make use of but not be corrupted by the typical magicks and politics of Pharos and instead forge her own for herself. She won’t live forever, though. There will be a successor someday.”

“If she’s interested in Gauron, why isn’t she attacking?” you ask, making one last push at her tails.

“Because she can’t yet command the complete loyalty of the continent. To control the Court is one thing, but to control all those who the Court ostensibly rules is another. That’s why she tried to purge the foxes she couldn’t control,” Imira says.

As she looks down again, it’s the moment of truth.

[DC17 Tail Stroking]
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>41315896
Easy 20
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>41315896
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>41315896
Stroke those tails so hard she dies Talon.
>>
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>>41315913
noice. dis gun be gud.
>>
Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>41315896
>>
>>41315913
>>41315942

We only roll 19s and 1s. Talon York everybody.
>>
>>41315913
>>41315942
I am proud of you anons
>>
>>41315942
>>41315913
Prepare for trouble.
AND MAKE IT DOUBLE
>>
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>>41315913
>>41315942
<Imira's face when Talon applies his magic hands
>>
Aspir I'm curious, what modifiers went into this roll? Does Talon have a secret Tail stroking statline we don't know about?
>>
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>>41315759
Well, kind of. There's actually local and great magical/sorcerous and astral planes. There's basically a material plane (Gauron/Pharos etc), the local planes for the world, then the greater planes. The local planes exist in reference to the material plane (e.g. sorcerous or astral energy in the vicinity of Harrowmont) and typically flows of magic that come into the material plane will first pass through the local planes (and become generic 'magical energy', just like somebody could observe heat or kinetic energy). Things like aether exist on the local sorcerous planes and it's why they create 'magical deadzones'. Because they're relatively small and related to physical existence, people can easily track magical and astral power on these levels if they can (that is, mages can't really track astral power). WIth that said, astral power first becomes magical energy and that is seen in the magical plane - that is why most people don't know that Talon isn't using sorcery (because they see the conversion of astral power into sorcerous energy in the plane, like what a Source would do) but Gnome can detect it (because it's clearly a conversion rather than transmutation). The greater planes are essentially impossible to monitor as they're infinitely huge - one could technically track somebody's soul using their connection to it (which was what Talon was trying to do) but Talon needed an FR point to manage that. Angels have sight powers to do that reflexively.

Finally, as nobody physically interacts with these planes normally detecting things operates more like radar unless you're actively trying to do magic in the sorcerous or astral planes (which is very complex). As such, people can effectively mask or trick the radar like Imira did but this is very complex and can typically be broken (like what foxes regularly do).

Did that make any sense at all? There's a reason I typically try not to dive down into my thought processes on how magic works.
>>
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>Target met

Your technique wins the day despite your familiarity and you get your quivering puddle of Havoc Fox in your lap. Still, the effort exhausted you even if it won you extra time. Before you can say anything, Imira’s lips lock with yours for a heated but inexperienced kiss. A very long kiss.

As she pulls away, she says heatedly, “This is far, far better than I possibly expected. I can’t wait until the real deal.”

To which you answer by stroking her tails until she collapses in your arms again. Not being interrupted by a kiss this time you ask…

>1. More personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>2. About exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>3. Are there any particular successors for the Shadow Empress she knows of?
>4. Custom

There’s going to be one more round of questions after this (you got an extra on thanks to the tail stroking) so if you have any more, think of them. Mind you, you can also pull back instead of asking another.
>>
>>41316056
I understand entirely what you're saying here, but god damn metaphysics are crazy. I don't even know if that's the right term for it in this situation.
>>
>>41316122
1
>>
>>41316122
>2. About exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>>
>>41316122
>4. What's the Shadow Empress like in terms of personality, her personal views, and hobbies?
>>
>>41316122>>1. More personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>>
>>41316122
>1. More personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself)
>>
>>41316056
Yeah, I got it. And I can't complain. The magic in my setting is just as complicated.
>>
>>41316122
>1. More personal questions of her, such as her sexual experience and what she thinks of your empire and Gauron (and yourself).
>>
Is the Shadow Empress looking for someone to create an heir? Her interest in the amount of children(possible future competition), the amount of power one wields(both personal and national), and her current predicament suggestions she's more on the side of scouting than conquering, though the latter would likely be a happy bonus.

Outside of the fox issue Talon right now might present the best opportunity to rein an entire continent under control without Pharos directly attacking, and then turning around to pull that continent under control without her own power needing to be expanding to its limits. And tieing it all up in a neat bow with a singular claimant to the throne of both.
>>
>>41316463
Hah. That'd be far, far too easy for us.
>>
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>1.

As Imira recovers and resumes her ministrations lower on your body, you move onto more personal questions.

“So, is this your second or third time?” you ask her, running your hands through her hair.

“Is it that obvious?” she asks with a pout.

“Yes.”

“Well, you can just remain in the dark. Women like to be mysterious, at least a little bit.”

You sigh and change tack, “So, you’ve been learning a lot about me and my empire. What do you think?”

“That whether it falls apart upon your death depends on how well you cultivate a successor,” she says.

“I’m putting systems in place to mitigate that,” you says, frowning.

“At best you’ll get another Imperial Court, no matter what Taira thinks. No, having a successor who can truly carry your power and charisma on is the only way to maintain an empire of this calibre. Or just not dying, but you’ll still have the risk of long absences. Perhaps avoid any honeymoons,” she says with a wet smile.

“Oh, so you think my empire is good?” you ask, feeling proud.

“I think it’s strong. Stronger than its competitors. Strong enough to draw those who would otherwise build their own. Strong enough to absorb those that are failing. I don’t know if it’s strong enough to withstand the fury and ambitions of others, or the desperate wishes of the failing,” she says as she moves into a seated position atop you.

“And of myself? Do you think that I’m strong?” you ask her as you stroke her tails, listening to her gasps.

“I think you’re brilliant,” she says, positioning herself above you for the next step. “When we meet next things will be very, very interesting."

You…

>1. Stop now, before having sex with her.
>2. Ask one last question/set of questions of her.
>3. Custom
>>
>>41316519
>>1. Stop now, before having sex with her.
>>
>>41316519
2

Only good roll of the night, can't waste it.
>>
>>41316519
> What's the Shadow Empress like?
>>
>>41316519
>>3. Custom


Whatever we choose, let's make sure we also keep an eye out for tricks.
>>
>>41316519
>>2. Ask one last question/set of questions of her.

>When we meet next things will be very, very interesting.
She seems awfully confident of when/why that's going to be. Care to spoil the surprise?
>>
>>41316519
>1. Stop now, before having sex with her.
unless she agrees to tell us more of the shadow empress.

>>41316463
I think it came up in our conversation with Raph that her heir recently ascended the throne.
>>
>>41316519
>2

I can't believe this once scene has taken the whole thread, looking like we won't reach any combat action until next at this rate.
>>
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>>41316653
>I think it came up in our conversation with Raph that her heir recently ascended the throne.
Yes, the daughter of the Shadow Empress is the official Empress of Pharos.

>unless she agrees to tell us more of the shadow empress.
Well, what did you actually want to ask her about in that regard?
>>
>>41316685
Lack of action is starting to get to me too anon. I am getting the shacks.

>1. Stop now, before having sex with her.
>>
>>41316688
>Well, what did you actually want to ask her about in that regard?
"My ambition is large. As large as all the world. But I prefer diplomacy over conquest. When the day comes that my borders meet those of your master's, will she listen? Or will I have no recourse but to tear down her walls with all my armies?"
>>
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>>41316685
Part of it is because I'm rather rusty as I haven't done heavy writing for a while (though I have still done 5.5k words, so not too terrible). Part of it is because most of this scene is being made up on the fly (including possible ramifications and answers), as I didn't expect it to blow out like it has and have handled it poorly. In retrospect, I shouldn't have extended this part of it out like I have and the same goes for the 'guess the doppelganger' part. My intention is to at least end in a way that will mean action will happen next thread.

Anyway, looks like 2.

QUESTION VOTE
>1. Ask about exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>2. Are there any particular successors for the Shadow Empress she knows of? Including her daughter.
>3. Ask more about the Shadow Empress, her ambitions and whether diplomacy is possible.
>4. Custom
>>
>>41316803
>2
>>
>>41316803
>2. Are there any particular successors for the Shadow Empress she knows of? Including her daughter.
And/or
>3. Ask more about the Shadow Empress, her ambitions and whether diplomacy is possible.
>>
>>41316803
3
>>
>>41316803
>3
>>
>>41316803
>1. Ask about exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>>
>>41316803
>1. Ask about exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>>
>>41316803
>1. Ask about exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>>
>>41316803
A blend of
>2 and >3
Essentially >3 but the personal questions are about the Shadow Empress's daughter.
>>
What does she want with this continent? The continent could be torn apart by shadow beasts at any time should the archangel fail. An archangel totally reliant on the numerous countries that cant keep their shit together.
>>
>>41316803
>>41316875
Make this my 3 I guess.
>>
>>41316875
I don't think she necessarily wants anything with the land itself, she just wants to keep tabs on us as a major up and coming power player, and to ensure we can't be used against her in any way.
>>
>>41316803
>>1. Ask about exactly what sort of things she wanted to specifically learn in this visit. Surely it wasn’t that general?
>>
>quota of stabbing enemies has not been met

>not even talking about stabbing enemies

This political stuff is hard, man, and I can never agree with other anons!

I think we should have just killed Irima, a big guy like Talon, in this situation? Just snap her neck! Come on, it won't be -that- hard!

I don't trust her, this seems like a huge mistake.
>>
>>41316975
>just snap her neck
>can and beat the shit out of Ren with less tails
>brushes off FR points
lmao
>>
>>41316975
>not even talking about stabbing enemies
Anon, come on. Talon is in the middle of impaling her as we speak.
>>
>>41316975
Well, the political stuff means we don't have to take on hard fights that would stretch us too thin. Talon historically avoids fights where possible. By having this kind of access to an enemy spy, we have a measure of control over both what information our enemy has on us, and can in turn mine her for information on the enemy.

Plus you're vastly underestimating how difficult that fight would be.
>>
>>41316975
>snap her neck
>emperor of murder
>>
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>>41317011
There is a difference between a sneak attack which is either A) crippling to everything below her neck, this includes her tails, which she needs to move to use her magic, like other foxes I would think. or B) Instantly fatal

You act like I suggest a straight up fight.

And the FR point was us trying to use magic on her, which she already had a defense up against, so yeah, that's a thing.

>>41317016
>pic related
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>3. With some questioning about her daughter

You make your decision and decide to go for more information in exchange for sex. That, and it’s not like the sex itself would be a bad thing. Your hands rest on her waist as Imira begins to ride you and you ask your final questions before things heat up too much.

“I’ve heard that the official empress is the daughter of the Shadow Empress,” you say. “A curious thing.”

“Hardly,” she says with a laugh, choked off by a moan partway through. “It’s just the next step in controlling the continent – she discovered she couldn’t do it solely from her position using the old emperor, so she placed a new one that she thought she could better control.”

“Thought she could?” you say, noting that Imira’s enthusiasm makes up for her inexperience.

“To think that the daughter of a political animal would be anything but a political animal is foolish,” Imira says with a crooked grin. “And even the wisest of people can be blinded by ambition. I said it before, but empresses and princesses are interested in you – which means there’s more than one empress with an interest.”

“So diplomacy is a possibility?” you ask, not sure if you’re really hopeful for it.

“Diplomacy is always a possibility, it just depends on how far you were willing to bend over or that you need the other party to bend over,” Imira says, before ceasing talking for several minutes as she builds up momentum.

>continued
>>
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>>41317081
“Well, can I make either of them bend over?”

“One of them is as unyielding in their ambition as you seem to be, the other mostly doesn’t want to be offered up as a sacrifice to that ambition at a moment’s notice,” Imira says. “But this is only true when the continent is divided – once stability is there, both parties will think they are unassailable until it is too late.”

With that, Imira begins to draw you into her pace, as clumsy as it is. You begin to feel the fire build up within you and join her. Something pulls at you that you can barely sense, and you suspect she’s layering some magic on you. It feels… harmless. Like when Caitlyn gets a bit heated or you try to keep going for far longer, except that you weren’t expecting this. It seems to ooze into you, with the sensation of an aphrodisiac. If that’s all it is, then it’s fine, but you feel your own power instinctively pushing against Imira’s, if weakly given the difference in power.

[DC19 Inherent Resistance]

No, she's not taking aggressive action. She's not here to take life.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>41317100
>>
Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>41317100
oh shit
>>
Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>41317100
>>
>>41317100
Oh boy
>>
>>41316975
>This political stuff is hard, man, and I can never agree with other anons!
Then leave this part to the pros and stop posting half-assed ideas
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>41317100
welp, now we're too far gone in the moment to notice what she's gonna do.
>>
Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>41317100
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>41317100
Dice gods please.
>>
>>41317066
Except we dont know if she has any sort of regeneration that would counteract that at all. Remember Taira has a special ability called Spiritual Body. Imira could have the same thing and be using it right now. Attacking her would just make her mad.
>>
>>41317145
Too fucking LATE.

I can only imagine what kind of shit we're going to end up dealing with now.
>>
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This has been what the scene has been building towards, even before you knew it was Imira. Sorry it ended up being overly long to get to what seems very boring.

>Target not met

You feel your defences melting away under the weight of a far greater power, at least while you are unable and not entirely willing to actively try to fight her. You couldn’t feel any aggressive intent in her actions, not least because she was still in the throes of ecstasy as she rode you. Losing yourself in the moment, you simply join her.

It’s a very long and exhausting two hours. In the end, all she seemed to have done to you was give you a seemingly limitless stamina – you wished that your own magic gave you that sort of endurance and output. Especially the output – it may have made Taira and Sarah happier if you’d been able to do that sort of thing. As you stand up, Imira laying on the floor with a happy look on her face, you notice Neir in the doorway with a placid expression, her arms crossed.

“It seems you’ve been busy interrogating the intruder,” she says dryly.

“How long have you been watching?”

“Long enough to get some ideas for Mal,” she says. “By the time the sending towers came back up, after mysteriously breaking down, you were already in the middle of things here. I didn’t feel the need to interrupt.”

“That’s good. I really wanted this to be long,” Imira says as she stands up. “Is it alright if I borrow a bath before going? I’ve enjoyed my time with you, Talon, but I imagine we both have places to be. For instance, you should probably be looking to the east before you lose your headstart.”

>continued
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>>41317358
Imira’s advice, as payment for something you’re not sure about, matched up with the intel you had Neir hurriedly collect. The Havoc Fox had vanished without saying more than looking to Gespad and a happy rub of her stomach, leaving you to pick up the pieces. Or, to be perfectly honest, completely ignore the mess for now and focus on defeating Falwick. It seemed that Falwick hadn’t been ignoring Fenix and was not about to give up Worremburg. Half his army was marching on Gespad while the other half moved closer to Darlesia and guarded his fortress – there was something going on there that you weren’t sure you had the forces to interrupt.

“So, what exactly is a Havoc Fox?” Neir asks you late that night as the intel feeds in and you begin to make plans.

“A fox that can use astral power,” you say. “And damned well. Which I thought impossible – I wish I knew what she meant by being everything the foxes shouldn’t be.”

“Scared to ask?”

“I have a feeling Taira would flay me alive if I told her what happened,” you admit.

“Well, at least it might get buried amidst the worries of being a father,” she says. “You’re going to have enough on your mind with three children as it is.”

And before that, a powerful warlord and a three-front war occupied your thoughts. You put Imira and Pharos aside as you planned your defense.

>That’s the thread

Next thread on the 25th July at 6pm EDT.

The next thread will start with the combat in the south, and the first major decision will be how to deal with Falwick splitting his forces. Feel free to discuss that now (it might make things easier next time). I’ll be here for about 40 minutes to answer any questions.

For those wondering about Imira, you might hear about it in 3 months, in-quest time.
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>>41317371
fuck more kids
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>>41317358
>rage maximizing

>you can see each fuckup that played a hand in this situation and it angers you

Whyyy the fuck is Talon such a slut?

FUCK!

Anons, I fucking hate you sometimes.

Get some shit done later so I can forgive you, /tg/

Have a good night, everyone, you too Aspie.
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>>41317371
For those wondering about Imira, you might hear about it in 3 months, in-quest time.
How many? How many more did we just make?
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>>41317371
Poor Talon when he learns about it later the girls will have his hide. Well at least now we know that astral power can override the effects of the brew.
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>>41317433
Calm down, this isn't a fuck up (yet). We could use this to our advantage, if we're careful.
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>>41317433
Fuck off.
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>>41317485
pregnancy + Pharos agent = ???
How is this helping us gain an advantage?
>Intended to have 3 kids and 2 wives
>Suddenly gains a third wife
>no warning
>First two wives will be pissed
>Talon. pls.
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>>41317433
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>>41317569
You find it fun to crash trains?

That makes you an asshole, or a terrorist, take your pick.
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>>41317534
Nobody said anything about wives, even if she does bear Talon's kid, and he could always tell them he was fishing for info and wasn't expecting a baby in one trist. I'm just relieved Pharos is starting to show its hand.
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>>41317619
Take that stick out of your arse then post, brah.
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>>41317623
>I'm just relieved Pharos is starting to show its hand.
I realised that I needed to do more with Pharos and so have started the political train with them. I had expected this to be a short-ish scene and unfortunately handled it poorly but the idea is that it will feed into the long-run. That way Pharos becomes more interesting as another major player (and I need more of those).

>>41317444
I'm undecided on if it'll be one or two, but you'll have a fox son at least. As he'll be a Havoc Fox (the first natural one in history that isn't killed shortly after death) expect him to enter play relatively quickly. If there's a second, it'll probably be another daughter but I'm undecided if she'll exist.

>>41317534
Imira isn't Talon's wife and it's unlikely this will even come up for a while in-quest (she's not going to contact Talon immediately).
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>>41317694
>I'm undecided on if it'll be one or two, but you'll have a fox son at least. As he'll be a Havoc Fox (the first natural one in history that isn't killed shortly after death) expect him to enter play relatively quickly. If there's a second, it'll probably be another daughter but I'm undecided if she'll exist.

It was fun, guys.
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>>41317694
Welp, abandon all hope ye who enters here.
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>>41317710
Meh, still can be fun depending on how anons handle the rest.
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>>41317694
>(the first natural one in history that isn't killed shortly after death)
you mean the 1st natural one in history that isn't killed shortly *after* birth right?
>expect him to enter play relatively quickly
Great. A bastard son. Let's raise him and hope he doesn't go the dreaded "kill dad because he didn't love me and because he's a bastard because I was born a bastard" route.
>>
>>41317694
I am incredibly hype. Thanks for everything!
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>>41317694
>I'm undecided on if it'll be one or two, but you'll have a fox son at least.

So wait, she magic'd our sterility brew thing out of us?

The fuck was the point of drinking that stuff if someone could just lolnope it out of our system?
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>>41317743
Hopefully Aspirational is a better write than that.
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>>41317743
Instead he will go "Im going to kill my brother and sisters because then ill be the only legit heir to the throne of Gauron"
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>>41317743
>you mean the 1st natural one in history that isn't killed shortly *after* birth right?
Yes, that. Normally Havoc Foxes are relatively short-lived and if they breed then their offspring are killed at the same time or shortly after. Imira and Karrem (who was a protagonist choice in the Evil Overlord offshoot I once planned to run) are basically the only Havoc Foxes who have lived a decent age and the males can't breed Havoc Foxes.

>Great. A bastard son. Let's raise him and hope he doesn't go the dreaded "kill dad because he didn't love me and because he's a bastard because I was born a bastard" route.
That would be pretty boring and make for pointless angst (and probably just have the players vote to kill him callously and get annoyed when anybody in-quest complains about it). I want him to be interesting, not the commander of the week when fighting Pharos.
>>
Moving on to war preparations. Should we invite an attack on Darlesia and try to catch that half of the army in a pincer between us and the League army. Then we can hopefully capture Worremburg while the other half of Falwicks army is busy dealing with Fenix.
>>
>>41317371
My first thought was literally

"She is trying to get a kid isn't she." Then I thought.

"Well even if she does get one it wouldn't be that valuable anyway."
>>
>>41317815
maybe hear about many tales about his awesome Asteral-magic empowered dad and wants to meet him in person when he grows up. Considering the fact that he'll be born with natural control of Asteral Magic, he'd be a pretty good candidate for a successor provided he passes the father approved personality test and is on very good standing with his other siblings.
>>
>>41317694
>I'm undecided on if it'll be one or two

I'm thinking it could be interesting to go one son here.

Gives a dynamic with Sarah's son as being the only male relatives around which could foster some competition.
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>>41317818
The pincer maneuver sounds doable, but we should try to find out what Falwick is up to first. We should at least find which force he is leading so we can attempt to isolate him and take him out. Without Falkwick his forces shouldn't be a problem.
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>>41317852
I don't think Talon would really care about Astral power or anything else really. He would mostly want people who are competent and could keep the empire working.

>>41317811
Funny enough given how we are developing the empire he wouldn't be.
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>>41317815
is the "killed shortly after birth" occurance natural like death by childbirth from the whole the power that Havoc foxes have is too great for their mortal body kinda thing?
Or it because someone finds out and kills both mother and newborn child out of fear?
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>>41317743
>Great. A bastard son. Let's raise him and hope he doesn't go the dreaded "kill dad because he didn't love me and because he's a bastard because I was born a bastard" route.

Technically all his children are bastards since he didn't marry them first. So funny enough I think he is more likely to enjoy being royalty then anything like that. Unless we get some trained since birth shit.
>>
>>41317743
>>41317815
>>41317824
Meh, the kid may have come from Talons balls but that dose not make them father and son. More like breeder and offspring if anything. In either case our future Havoc Fox son presents a danger to Talons heirs and his other childrens hold on the throne. More so if Pharos decides to take a more active role now that one of their agents have the bloodline of Talon in her belly.They could potential set him up as a pretender to the throne, more so in the event of Talons death, and help increase Pharos influence on Gauron by setting him up as a puppet for them.
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>>41317815
I've actually wondered something. What will Sarahs kids last name be? And how did the nobility react when they heard their archduchess just got Pregnant.
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>>41317815
>>41317753
Oi, don't avoid the question!
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>>41317914
>Or it because someone finds out and kills both mother and newborn child out of fear?
This one, I completely failed to make that clear. As Imira commented, Havoc Foxes are considered bad juju by regular Mystic Foxes. Mystic Foxes were created to achieve a particular goal by the divine being that made them, and Havoc Foxes completely unmake that by going off and creating their own reality with their astral power.

Basically, Havoc Foxes are to Mystic Foxes are Feldragons and Helldragons are to regular Great Dragons. Except their origins are a little more troubling (as is everything Pharos-related).

>>41317949
>What will Sarahs kids last name be?
I planned to hold a vote on that - Hawkins would be a more 'respectable name' but York is also the name of the empire (which could also create expectations).

>And how did the nobility react when they heard their archduchess just got Pregnant.
I imagine they'll be trying to determine what her heir will be doing relative to Vitria and the Empire, as well as trying to ingratiate themselves to her and said heir.
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>>41317934
The thing there is Talons children don't even have a claim on the throne until Talon finds a Heir he wants to put down.

So any shenanigans like that wouldn't work nearly as effectively as they tend to in most stories. Would require killing Talon, Killing his kids and most of his inner council and trying to put someone from another power on the throne at the same time.
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>>41317949
Don't forget about the Mystic foxs' reaction to Taira getting Talon's babies.
>>41317934
All the more reason to fetch him earlier and raise him ourselves with Irmia, Taira, and Sarah along with his other siblings.
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>>41317903
Why not take it on step further? Send in some infiltrators in Falwick ranks and have them assassinating officers and the like before he even crosses the border.
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>>41317753
I'd imagine it's because most people don't want to blow the sterility out of you. Because most people don't want to get Prego.
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>>41317934
I've played too much CK, and know too much history to feel like letting this kid live is a good idea.

I do not wish to suggest it, but honestly, killing Irima and the unborn child is the safest bet we can make.

Of course that is easier said than done, and no one will back me up in this, so please anons, don't fuck it up.
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>>41318025
We dont have the succession laws that CK 2 does. Also its Imira not Irima.
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>>41318025
This feels so much like Game of Thrones. But this is what would be considered the Empire's Golden Age before Everything goes to shit, with all the talk of about heirs, succession, and politicks.
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Okay, so I'm off for the week. I'm guessing the thread will be dead by the time I get back in 2-3 hours. See you all next week if so.

>>41317753
>>41317976
I figured it was pretty self-explanatory and you were just letting off steam. You take the brew because most women don't want to get pregnant (and you don't want to knock them up) and most women can't magic it out of you like that. If you really want to avoid it, you shouldn't bang very powerful women with astral power who want to sleep with you really badly and was asking leading questions earlier to try to work out if you had knocked up Taira.
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>>41318004
Except the entire intention is so that the one taking it wont impregnate someone else.

Not so that "Well, I don't want to be pregnant" but because "I don't want to get anyone pregnant".

It takes the point away if someone can defeat that entirely at will.
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>>41317984
Though with this I'm hoping Sarah's kid turns out someone pretty hardcore. His half-siblings are an astral using fox and the kids of Taira and he is a human.

This is either going to be the best life ever or a lot of self-esteem issues.

> heir will be doing relative to Vitria and the Empire.

That's actually a decent question given what it could mean.

>>41317903
Problem there is Falwick will be with his men at all times if he is smart and that he is probably more powerful then we expect.
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>>41317992
Well that's an option too, but it runs a significant risk of failing and putting Falwick on his guard. The point of the original plan was to draw him in and try to spread his forces thin so he would be more vulnerable.
>>
>>41317987
>>41317989
>>41318025
Really it all depends on how fast we can get him under our own wings so to speak. If it takes long enough to do that then Pharos will no doubt imprint him with their ideals and make him into a tool they can use against us if need be, especially after we've conquered the MG and RSK.

Best possible way of events is that we gain him for ourselves shortly after he is born so that we can mold him into a useful tool ourselves that wont be turned against us by Pharos interests.
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>>41318059
>If you really want to avoid it, you shouldn't bang very powerful women with astral power

I was against it the whole time.

Okay, I need to leave, this thread is giving me an aneurism.
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>>41318064
Did you miss the part that lets astral users overwrite reality? An example being the ability to negate the effects of the potion?
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>>41318064
>It takes the point away if someone can defeat that entirely at will.

It's harder then just at will since it requires high magic power. That and as I mentioned before most people you are sleeping with who can do it won't want to.
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>>41318059
>leading questions earlier to try to work out if you had knocked up Taira.
That was her goal?
Well fuck. Her mission was to assassinate her and the unborn kids!
And the ramifications to what would happen if she succeeded will be unprecedented to the advantages it brings to our enemies and Pharos.
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>>41318100
No her entire mission was to get knocked up. She had kids on the brain and was asking about kids doofus.
>>
>>41318080
Honestly I'm not too sure why we should care much for him. When you get down into it I'm more worried about him being a astral using fox then him being Talon's kid.

I'm more interested in how the kids takes it then how Talon takes it.
>>
So when are we officially making Finn Regent Lord in our absence, and our heir in the events of our death, until such a time that our child heir comes of age?
>>
>the haremfugs and smutfags in this quest are so stupid that they have decided to fuck literally everything that tries to get in Talon's pants

Okay, I'm done. No need to even bash me for this, after this post I'm gone.

It was fun while it lasted, and damn some of the moments were great, Blackwater was nuts, Belrauth was nuts, Felix was hype as shit, and Fynn was an awesome little dude.

Maybe I'll see you all in the next "Aspirational" quest. Enjoy your questing, anons.
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>>41318080
which means, we need to track down and find Imira within 3 months and finish our defense campaign within those 3 months in order to secure our unborn Havoc fox.
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>>41318138
Never. I can't think of anyone so far that would be someone Talon would think is worthy enough for the empire.
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>>41318161
Dont forget that complaining about anons thinking with their dick makes you worse than if hitler and judas did the fusion dance. I dont mind harems and stuff but its getting ridiculous guys.
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>Aspie asks for ideas about dealing with Falwick.
>Instead anons getting butthurt over a bastard child
lol /tg/
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>>41318287
I tried anon but only one other anon responded to me.
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>>41318282
Personally I tend to think Talon doesn't really care all that much about things like that. She was up for it and was answering questions so why not? He probably wouldn't have if he saw the potion failing.

It's a pretty interesting way to exploit a flaw of his really though it'll probably backfire.

>>41318287
Sounds about right. Though since Falwick is attacking first we have Merce on our side which is a big help. A pincer attack does sound pretty useful with her.
>>
So, am I the only one who doesn't get Falwick's motives? If he rebels against king it makes more sense to him trying to seize RSK capital and/or assasinate Fenix. This will let him unite RSK under Asfael and gather more resources with fewer enemies to deal with at the same time. Attacking us has him risking 3 front war. Is he going to throw everything he has in attempt to take the source? It probably still won't be enough. Is he going to deny Fenix Gespad and push on him from there in hope that Magi League and TYE won't intervene in RSK's inner business? He's mad but not unreasonable. Some hidden agenda?
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>>41318376
Mostly likely a hidden agenda. He could also try to Sweep up the York empire before putting pressure on the RSK. Or the opposite depending. No matter what he does he'll have to deal with Talon due to him most likely jumping in due to Fenix. So he Probably thought it best to be sure he is in position first.
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>>41318297
I mostly didnt respond because I agree with the pincer idea. Simply reaffirming the post seemed like a waste to me.

I will post my thoughts on what I think Falwick is going to do to going forward. For him fighting a war on this many fronts and at home will only turn out poorly. I think he is going to start throwing bodies at Gespad and specifically Torfeburg, Ostriemar, and Brucchum. Its possible he could be trying to wait for Fenix to keel over so his daughter can take the throne and bring a larger army against us.
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>>41318376
Well Talon has openly declared his allegiance with the RSK loyalists (open enough for anyone with half a brain anyway), so if he want's to deal with Fenix he'll have to take on Talon too. And Farloun and Darvui are gone for good, even is Falwick takes down the RSK loyalists thay aren't coming back on their own.
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>>41318420
>daughter can take the throne and bring a larger army against us.

That wouldn't work. Fenix put too much of a right makes right ideology for them to just agree to let the princess take over when it's obvious falwick controls her.

Need to be careful though because he will have trumps and he did fight Lairos.
>>
>>41318376
He could be seeing us as easy land up for grabs as we're the new kid on the block.

He could see is as a potential threat that needs to be eliminated before we grow to our full potential.

The source.

Astral powers.

Other hidden agenda.
>>
He might be banking on the Mage Guard beating us in the north. After that he could focus on the greater RSK and the Mage Guard would declare war on the Magi league.
>>
I also wonder about MK templates improvements those Falwick could made in his enormous foundry. Imagine small army of flying heavy mage knights flying over bluffs and directly attacking Harrowmont. Also, his standard HMK will have speed upgrade which ours haven't, so he may try outmaneuvering and ambushing our army with them.

I also wonder would he probably try to march through Gespad onto Harrowmont?

And regarding spies, what is Arisa currently doing? Hasn't heard much of her lately. Can she help Neir rebuild our network as well?
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>>41318592
>Imagine small army of flying heavy mage knights flying over bluffs and directly attacking Harrowmont.

This is actually why I"m in love with Valkyries. But now that you bring up the idea that Falwick might use a template version I"m terrified.
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>>41318436
>openly declared his allegiance with the RSK loyalists
Was that a background event? I can't remember talking with him about official alliance. If we are going to help him we expect to get something in return, right? It would probably be more convenient to negotiate with Fenix beforehand.

Damn you, Aspirational, leaving before I thought up my questions.
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>>41318816
>Was that a background event?

Talon officially allied with the Archmage. He has kept up his friendship with Fenix though and it's pretty obvious he tends to favor the falling apart but understandable actors so far.

Doesn't take much to figure out that if Fenix was under attack he would jump into it.
>>
>>41318816
>>41318870
That and Talon's prior friendship with Fenix, coordinated troop movements and support of certain RSK nobles, meaning anyone deep enough into politics can see that even without an official declaration, Fenix and Talon are allied in all but name.
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It seems that almost every thread there is some horrible thing that happens that people need to quit the quest over. I didn't exactly forsee everybody throwing a fit over this one, though.

>>41318592
>I also wonder would he probably try to march through Gespad onto Harrowmont?
More like march on Vitria. He can assault Harrowmont as is by cutting through Mitromar and Mier.

>And regarding spies, what is Arisa currently doing? Hasn't heard much of her lately. Can she help Neir rebuild our network as well?
You can assume that she is but she's a field agent more than a manager. She's probably running counter-espionage given how good foxes are at it and is holed up in Harrowmont for most of the time (particularly with the children and pregnant women there).

>I also wonder about MK templates improvements those Falwick could made in his enormous foundry.
He'll have a few extra things. For one, expect to see genuine cavalry and Seraphi Nobles in general. His HMK are also top-of-the-line in terms of equipment, with a lot of anti-magic wards and the like.

>>41318816
>Was that a background event? I can't remember talking with him about official alliance.
There's no alliance but there is a trade treaty and agreements regarding free movement of miltiary, people and equipment.



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