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Alright! The eradication of the Marlo Pirates is the first, and perhaps the most important, step to inspiring resistance support along the coastline, and Dyrus has already personally been there to ensure they're about halfway there! "Be careful," Doran warns him as they begin to sail in the direction he suggests. "Th's Marlo guy... Ain't never seen 'im myself, but Cap'n Sasha knew 'im. Had this whole song and dance 'bout how the man was ALWAYS workin' out whenever he wasn't pillagin'. Damn waste of time if he's never gonna show his ugly mug."

"Do you remember the song?" Dyrus asks, hopefully. If it's something epic-sounding, he's prepared to get extremely hyped to fight this fellow!

Warping away from the Northernmost island was a bit headache-inducing for Rene and the rest, but it's beat out by a longshot by the dryness of the desert. Central is rather temperate, and the islands are humid as hell, but here... Putting up her hood, Director Cato suggests to the group of desert-unacquainted newcomers, "I suggest you bundle up. Wear clothing meant to breathe well and keep the sun away, unless you wish to suffer a heat stroke."

"She tells us this after instantly transporting us..." Veiz complains to Rene. "Urgh, at least we're close to the Tower of Longevity... That is, assuming that the single towering building in this desert is the same."

Samson, elsewhere entirely, is having much less of a wild time as he, his parents, Millicent, Norman, and the three Noban fighters head back down to Holmstead from Alder. Soon they'll be approaching the border, and there's nothing anyone's been able to do to convince Marion to turn back around. That same forest that previously housed the Tyarm Bandits is host to a much more pleasant stroll the second time through.

"We're approaching the border..." Millie notes, recalling your cchat with a Holmstead soldier-turned-Noban border guard, Jack. "Do you think we'll run into Jack and Riley?"

>A. Be Dyrus
>B. Be Rene
>C. Be Samson

>>46638827
>B. Be Rene

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(and enter something that me and my former co-QM have been putting off for a little while: mediocre portraits! We're probably the LEAST satisfied with Rene's outta the three we've made)
>>46638998
You are now Rene, in a small village centered around an impressive tower in the Northern-middlemost part of the desert region.

Built beside an oasis, the Tower of Longevity is perhaps the only thing of note in the town after which it's named, though it's considered an absolute must-visit for anyone in the Empire who aspires to be a mage, given that the only center of magical study of comparable esteem is all the way in Holmstead, which was until recently not Gerxel territory.

There's a few rudimentary shops and homes outside of the tower, but nearly everything of note in the town of Arsiv is within its many stories.

To you and your sister, this thankfully includes respite from the sand, luxurious rooms for important guests to stay in, and weapon vendors.

Loitering in the tower's lobby, you are approached by Omar, who asks, "so what do you think of Arsiv Oasis?"

>A. You don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and...
>B. Take it or leave it
>C. You'll put up with it
>D. The sooner your job's done, the better
>E. Write-in response

>>46639182
Vote time renewed.

>>46639182
>C. You'll put up with it
Nice pic.

>>46639182
>. Take it or leave it

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>>46639522
>>46639517
"I mean, I suppose I can take it or leave it," you respond. "I'll put up with the heat for the sake of my mission..."

"And the impeded movement," Omar teases. "You and Saye are going to be lagging behind all the rest of us like that... I feel like a speed demon, outmaneuvering you in the sand simply because of my magical attunement!"

"Did you just come here to gloat?" You ask. "That's awfully bold for you..."

"I suppose I've just missed being out here," he says. "Time of my life, studying in the tower was... But no, I also wanted to make sure you understood that! If you have no magic and no flight, you're going to be slowed down by the desert's sands. The Vautou might see you as a sitting duck."

"Well... Thank you for the heads-up, I suppose."

So, your first priority during this bit of downtime ought to be...

>A. Talking to Marduk. His wyvern should have room for two.
>B. Seeking out Denim. The winged second-in-command of the region ought to know some things about your enemies
>C. Talking to someone else (specify who)
>D. Write-in idea
>E. Wasting time until you head South

>>46639751
>A. Talking to Marduk. His wyvern should have room for two.

>>46639751
>A. Talking to Marduk. His wyvern should have room for two.

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>>46639802
>>46639838
Marduk, yes. He and his wyvern mount ought to greatly contribute to your mobility! Now, where is that good ol' duo?

You step out of the Tower in your search, only to vaguely make out a familiar wyvern overlooking its roof.

Of course this has to be a chore.

Going up so many flights of stairs in the off-chance he hasn't flown his wyvern back down by the time you get up is a pain, and to your knowledge mages in the Tower are making great progress on these warp pad things installed on every floor of the tower, connected exclusively to one another, but you don't trust it. Teleportation makes your head spin too much.

Thankfully, he's still overlooking the small town atop its tall tower by the time you reach the roof. Looking towards the door down as it opens, he nods at you acknowledgingly before resuming his gazing.

"Is scenery-watching your hobby of choice?" You ask as you approach. "First back on the Northern island, and now here..."

"I guess it can be called that... Very interesting hobby, I know. It used to be that I would sketch the scenes I saw, but I haven't quite been feeling that lately."

There's a pause, and you need to cover your eyes and lower the hood of your cloak to keep sand from blowing into it, leading you to wonder how Marduk manages to just... EXIST at such an altitude, particularly since atop his wyvern you're sure he's made much greater ascents.

"Are you just here to make small talk?" He asks.

>A. Ask what you came here to ask
>B. Would that be such a bad thing?
>C. Of course not!
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...

>>46640096
>B. Would that be such a bad thing?

>>46640096
>B. Would that be such a bad thing?

>>46640107
>>46640124
"Would that be such a bad thing?" You ask, slightly coyly. "I didn't realize you disliked my company so much."

"Of course not," Marduk responds plainly, scratching his wyvern's neck a bit when its head comes close to his side. "It's simply oddly dedicated that you would walk all the way up here just to say hello."

"I suppose there may have been some reason for me to be here," you say in turn, "but can I not draw this out for as long as possible?"

"Hey, be my guest. We might waste time playing coy until too much time has passed for you to ask me what brought you to my side."

"It hardly counts as coy if you're being so blunt about it," you say at his fun-ruining, "but I suppose I'll get right to it. I'm anticipating... Difficulty maneuvering the deserts, and yet my bow will be an invaluable asset against the winged bandits we're to be facing, one which impeded mobility will not be kind to. I was hoping to ride by your side."

"Ride by my side... Do you intend to keep your aim steady atop my wyvern, all as I fight my own opponents? You're an excellent shot, but mounted combat is a world in and of itself."

>A. Maybe you could practice?
>B. He could just say 'no...'
>C. So more trouble than it's worth?
>D. Then you can dismount to fight
>E. Write-in response

>>46640290
>A. Maybe you could practice?
;)

>>46640290
>A. Maybe you could practice?
>B. He could just say 'no...'

>>46640317
>>46640360
"Then perhaps now would be a good time to get in some practice," you say. "I'm always up to broaden my repertoire, and the assistant-director of an entire region is surely a good mentor..."

"You're laying it on a bit thick, don't you think?" He asks, turning towards you. "I think you might just wish to spend more time with me."

"You could simply decline, you know," you say. "I would relent."

"I didn't say I was declining," he says, climbing aboard his wyvern. "Anyway, I'm done overlooking. Going to head out to the waterside for a little while."

>A. Wordlessly join him
>B. Ask to come along
>C. You'll meet him there, you suppose
>D. You're not feeling the lesson anymore
>E. Write-in response

>>46640505
>A. Wordlessly join him

>>46640505
>A. Wordlessly join him

>>46640549
>>46640564
Not saying a word, you quickly climb aboard just behind Marduk, trying to find something to hold onto. Before you can get a grip on anything, his wyvern takes to the air, leading you to jump a bit.

"Never flown before?" He asks.

"Not very often, no," you answer, a bit taken aback by the breeze and barely able to keep your eyes open. "How do you... See?"

"You get used to it pretty quick learning to fly," the Wyvern Lord says. "I'll slow down a bit if it's that much trouble."

Starting towards the eponymous oasis of Arsiv Oasis, you're already beginning to see problems, understand why the Vautou are the only people in the world to have figured out how to fly and fire an arrow simultaneously. You feel like you'll fall off any moment, making it hard to focus on aiming a bow, and it's hard to see when you're up here in the desert sun, so there's another strike for mounted archery, let alone when someone else is controlling where the flight leads.

>A. You might just be afraid of heights
>B. You can master this anyway!
>C. Might be best to stick with your lance while you're being ferried around
>D. You want down you want down you want down
>E. Write-in response

>>46640729
>B. You can master this anyway!

>>46640729
>A. You might just be afraid of heights
>B. You can master this anyway!

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>>46640738
>>46640787
>>46640809
"I hate this," you say quietly, "I hate heights... I never realized until now, but this is horrifying."

"We can stop," Marduk offers. "No shame in being stuck on your own two feet."

"No, no... I can do this. Just... Find me someplace where I can aim at things," you ask. "I will not be defeated by mere phobias."

"Never back down from a challenge, huh?" The ends of Marduk's mouth seem to curl into what's... Almost a smile, as he shows you to an impressive cluster trees a short distance from the water's edge. Growing off these trees, dangling from the branches, are several plump, round red fruits.

"Belharas... I'm told they're only found naturally in this desert's oases." His wyvern's movement stops midflight several meters away from one of them.

"They look tasty," you note, "not unlike a giant apple..."

"Don't be fooled," Marduk says. "They're famous for their exceptionally spicy taste. Director Cato loathes the taste, so I doubt she'll mind if you use a few wild ones as target practice."

>A. Take a shot
>B. Suggest he start moving again first
>C. You're not so sure that's wise...
>D. Write-in response

>>46641104
>A. Take a shot

>>46641104
>A. Take a shot

>>46641136
>>46641146
The slight movements of the wyvern, even when stopped, and your elevatedness are new variables to take in, but when he's stopped like this, it would hardly be becoming of an archer of your caliber NOT to make her mark. One of the big red fruits finds itself stuck in the sand by an arrow.

"Nice shot, but... I won't often be stationary in a real fight," he warns. "I'm going to show you abouts how mobile I might have to be in battle. Try to take another down off that same tree."

You nod, bow readied. "Here goes nothing..."

And 'nothing,' indeed, is what happens. He ends up picking up speed very fast, wyvern darting from tree to tree as he impales imaginary enemies, you trying to hit that same damn tree...

When you start to look ready to pass out from motion sickness, Marduk lays off and dismounts nearby the target tree. "Let's not pass out, alright? It's hot out here and you look like you're about to die."

Landing close by you and Marduk moments later is Denim, the Vautou mage and second-in-command to Cato. In his hand, the arrow that skewered the one Belhara you actually managed to hit, which he is wiping free of sand with a towel.

"Not an art that everyone can master, airborne archery," he says. "If there's any credit I'll give to my former people, it's that they have the art mastered. Part of why they're so damn hard to fend off sometimes..." Deeming his fruit-cleaning efforts a success, he pulls the Belhara off of your arrow and takes a massive bite out of it, closing his eyes to savor it. "Mmh..."

Marduk, perhaps wanting to look impressive seeing how nonchalant the newcomer eats such hot food, picks one himself.

>A. Eat one for yourself
>B. Ask why Denim is out here
>C. Stand around quietly
>D. Does he think you've got a chance to master it?
>E. Write-in response

>>46641397
>A. Eat one for yourself
>D. Does he think you've got a chance to master it?

>>46641397
>A. Eat one for yourself
>D. Does he think you've got a chance to master it?

>>46641436
>>46641448
You're not tall enough to nonchalantly grab fruit off of the tree like Marduk, so you need to resort to your lance to whack a Belhara down, catching it just as simply. You're a bit curious, after how Marduk talked it up...

Mmh. Not bad. It's... Definitely pretty hot, but it's nothing especially intense. There's even a bit of a savoriness to it, and you too close your eyes to take it in, along with the pungent aroma let loose by your tearing into the fruit...

Swallowing the piece in your mouth, you open your eyes and turn towards Denim. "If you've been observing us this whole time... How would you rank my flying archery?"

"Terrible, but so is every other human's that I've seen. You can fight with a lance, and anyone can swing one of those around atop a beast. If you want my advice, do that instead of wasting arrows and attention, then dismount if you need to shoot things."

"Eheh, right..." Marduk says softly, turning both of your attentions to him. The fruit is gone, there's some juice on his lips, and his eyes seem to be welling up with tears. "S-so, uh... What brings you out here, Lord Denim?"

"Director Cato may not care about what becomes of our Belhara trees, but the fruits' exportation is excellent money for the region. If you'd actually managed to strike down as many as you attempted to shoot, I might have had to intervene."

"Right, right... It was all I could think of to practice," Marduk says.

"Hence why you are... 'Off the hook' this time," Denim says.

"Alright, alright... Now, uh, I really need some water, but my canteen's back at the Tower, so..." Marduk mounts his wyvern again and hurries off towards the tower, looking to be in pain.

"Water will make it worse!" Denim calls to his back. "Find milk!" Shaking his head, he looks over to you. "Do they... Not season their foods in Central?"

>A. He just has a sensitive palate
>B. It's just the worst!
>C. You're not sure...
>D. Write-in response

>>46641724
>A. He just has a sensitive palate
>C. You're not sure...

>>46641764
"The food was fine when my sister and I were Director Belinda's guests, but she may have simply been trying to impress... I can't speak much for or against Central cuisine at large, I'm afraid."

"If the second most powerful man in the region can't take a little bit of Belhara, it speaks a sad amount."

"It doesn't really say anything," you disagree, before going into why that is. "As long as I've known him, Marduk has been a picky eater. He described it as a 'sensitive palate' when he wouldn't touch the same peppers his sisters were happy to shovel down..."

The mood always seems to lower a bit when Winona and Nia are referenced, even in such innocuous contexts, but Denim continues. "So why would he bite into it so nonchalantly? Hoping to impress you?"

"If I had to guess..." You tilt your head a bit in thought.

"It's unimportant anyway," Denim says. "Marduk will learn when he reaches the tower, but I did have something else to report. We're going to be warping to Fort Amid in an hour's time. They've fallen under siege from bandits."

"Vautou?' You ask, to which Denim nods.

"And... Since I assume he was your ride, I don't imagine you feel like walking back, Lady Rene. Need a lift?"

>A. Sure
>B. You can walk

And more importantly...

>C. Spend time with someone (specify)
>D. Skip ahead to departure

>>46641951
>A. Sure
>C. Spend time with someone Cicero

>>46641987
Eh, nix the "someone"

>>46641998
As in don't chill with the butlersassin or "the 'someone' was a typo?"

>>46642014
The typo

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>>46641987
"That would be helpful," you say, trusting Denim to be cool about this. "Thank you."

True to your expectations, being airlifted by the vautou mage leads to absolutely no weird things on his end, and you're lowered to the ground in front of the tower with zero fanfare.

Cicero decides that it is imperative that you spend this next hour packing for this trip.

"You've never been out in the desert," he repeats a few times. "You should bring enough water to last you for days should worst come to worst. Oh, and healing concoctions! We can't forget healing concoctions..."

You examine your recently-received Brave Bow, thinking of your father. He'll certainly want you to strike true with it, for the sake of the Empire...

Cicero, too, brings along his assorted tools and, naturally, daggers, his usual Mend staff, along with a bunch of more mundane medical supplies, on top of donning a sun hat.

"I know it might seem disconcerting, being so overly prepared, but know that I do still have the fullest confidence that we can save this fort! It simply never hurts to be ready for the worst, no matter how improbable it is to ever come."

>A. Right he is!
>B. He's still being too cautious
>C. Breach an uncomfortable topic: Augustus
>D. Write-in response
>E. Skip ahead

>>46642218
>A. Right he is!
And it's time to get this over with.
>C. Breach an uncomfortable topic: Augustus
We might bond even more

>>46642275
"Right you are."

"We've both seen how suddenly you might sustain a wound on the field of battle, after all!" Cicero says, frowning at the thought.

"Right, right, Holmstead... We really need to talk about that."

Cicero is silent, clearly unhappy with the elephant in the room.

"About... August, in particular."

"I'd assumed you didn't want to discuss it," Cicero says somberly. "But... If you think talking about it to be for the best."

"Yes, yes, I'm willing to discuss it now. I'm... Certain we did what had to back then, fighting him and his kingdom, but... Gods, I still have trouble sleeping sometimes."

"And I as well," he says. "But it is how it is. Certainly he would not have been allowed to leave Holmstead alive by the battle's end, and... At least, as things were, we learned the truth."

>A. You suppose he's right
>B. You wish you hadn't
>C. There must have been a way...
>D. This is Veiz' fault for suggesting that he be killed!
>E. Write-in response
>F. ...

>>46642447
>A. You suppose he's right
>E."We all make our choices in life. It was unfortunate that our paths crossed this way. May he rest well in the afterlife."

>>46642447
>A. You suppose he's right

>>46642538
>>46642596
"I suppose you're right," you say, smiling sadly, eyes welling up a bit. "And... In that moment, when I learned the truth, but before the reality of the situation set in... I was happy to see him again."

"As was I," Cicero admits, flashing his usual sharp-toothed grin, albeit with sadness in his eyes as they shut. "I've promised myself to groom my beard even greater than ever before in response to his compliments!"

"It's... Unfortunate that our paths crossed as they did, but this was the result of the lives we led and choices we made. I... hope he's resting well in the next life," you muse.

Cicero nods, and the moment goes silent.

After awhile, the butler speaks up once again. "We need to get ready to go. Quickly, now, quickly!"

>A. Say something more (specify)
>B. Skip ahead

>>46642650
>Thanks Cicero

>>46642650
>B. Skip ahead

>>46642718
>Also,
>A. "Thank you, Cicero."
Can we romance him?

>>46642785
I mean, I wouldn't stop you from trying. Both of our non-Samson heroes have options galore.

>>46642816
Give him hints

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>>46642717
>>46642785
"Thank you, Cicero. Whenever I'm around you, you find a way to put my mind at ease..."

"Anytime, Rene," he answers with a more subdued smile.

There's not much more to say in the moments after that, so you finish packing up and head out to meet the others.

Of note to you is a man, dressed in all-white, carrying Alfred's parasol and standing around by Veiz and Saye. Wait, what're you talking about? It's obviously him, he's even got the glasses!

"What's with the getup?" Saye asks him.

Alfred responds, "the sun will not offend my skin no matter how it blares. I am the white light at the end of our opponents' lives... And for that matter, the old me is good as dead. I thought a wardrobe change prudent. Perhaps a name change, as well. Perhaps a name I read in a story of another continent, far beyond the shores of the furthest islands... Byakuya, White Night."

"Uh huh, that's stupid," Saye responds. "And if you're changing your identity, shouldn't you get rid of the iconic umbrella?"

"Parasol!" He says, recoiling the hand it's in. "You cannot have it."

Veiz groans, whispering to you. "And here I'd thought he would relax his demeanor, and even bought him an outfit to deal with his solar aversions in the hot desert, but I think the heat has driven him mad anyway."

Cato and Denim emerge from the tower last, along with a quartet of light/wind/fire/thunder mages, the former showing off her teleporting pendant thing. "Alright, now... Is everybody ready?"

>A. Nope!
>B. Be silent
>C. She's the one who's late!
>D. Write-in response

>>46642974
>B. Be silent

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>>46643019
You don't say a word, as though to indicate a "yes, everything's fine, Director." Everyone else follows suit.

"Now, we don't know what the situation will be once we arrive, so be ready to be immediately thrown into a fight," Denim warns.

Saye, hearing that, immediately transforms into her wolf form, massive and intimidating, actually startling Alfred.

The moment passes, however, and soon Director Cato warps you all to the Southern fort's rooftops.

IMMEDIATELY, before your eyes, a dark mage is struck down by an arrow, and Omar rushes into the fray to heal her, the quartet of elemental mages striking the offending Vautou down out of the air where he once flew.

"D-Director Cato, thank the gods!" A Bishop says. "They're relentless... We feared this fort was done for!"

"Fear no longer!" Cato declares, "for your director will not allow Fort Amid to fall!" Immediately throwing open a Yotsmungand tome, she latches onto Denim and has him fly her out into the battlefield.

Marduk quietly dismounts from his wyvern, patting it and sending it to hide towards the back end of the fort, before hurrying down the stairs with a Spear in hand. Saye, meanwhile, prefers to simply hop over the side of the fort and rush out to meet her foes.

Veiz, readying her Bright Bow, stands by the side of the building, Alfred looking thoughtful a moment, staying by her side. Cicero, unlike Omar, determines that playing the part of a battlefield medic would be a wise use for his greater Str.

Things are pretty hectic right now, so it's best to...

>A. Stay up here and fire away with Veiz!
>B. Get on down there and stick close to [SPECIFY NAME]
>C. Hide, sit this one out!
>D. Write-in response

>>46643235
>A. Stay up here and fire away with Veiz!

>>46643235
>B. Get on down there and stick close to Cicero
>D. Tell Veiz to cover you a bit
Really hope someone else votes as well.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>46643290
>>46643291

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>>46643335
"I'm heading down there," you say. "Cover me, Veiz!"

Your sister makes the slightest indication of what COULD have been a nod and you hurry down, getting close to Cicero.

"Ahaha!" Saye shouts, howling a bit and leaping into the air once again, taking a winged archer down with her along with a few arrows in the shoulder as she drags her opponent's face through the sand and tosses him at another off in the distance.

"I... Think I understand why Chiffon keeps her at such a high rank now," Cicero whispers to you, before calling to her, "er, Lady Saye! You're bleeding a lot!"

"I'll have time to bleed out when they're all gone!" Saye calls back, sounding more than a little dazed.

"Oh, dear, she's out of it..." Cicero groans, hurrying over with his Mend staff. "Please, Lady Saye! This is why you get sick so easily!"

Naturally, you're close behind Cicero, preemptively shooting at/drawing the attention of anyone who might aggress Saye, and Veiz seems content to follow your lead.

Marduk, in the slight distance, twirls his Spear, looking to be fighting off some five lance-touting Vautou backed up by a trio of archers.

Cato falls into the sand of her own volition somewhat close to you, gazing between Cicero+Saye and Marduk's situations as Denim opens up a Wind tome from his current location.

"Well, you were here first," she says as she looks between the two predicaments, as though asking which fool you'll help as she assists the other, Denim providing air support with that wind tome of his.

>A. Help Saye while she helps Marduk
>B. Help Marduk while she helps Saye
>C. Fall back and let the Director and her assistant handle this
>D. Write-in response

>>46643491
>B. Help Marduk while she helps Saye

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>>46643578
"You alright?" You ask Marduk as you hurry on over, Cato taking her side by your butler and your puppy and tossing dark spells at things' assorted ways.

"Yeah, yeah... This crew ain't close to tough enough to kill me," he says, before adding, "not that I won't appreciate a hand."

"Of course," you add, drawing back your Brave Bow and firing it time and time again, taking out all but one of the foes that was harassing Marduk.

"Jeez," Marduk says with a snicker. "These guys were giving the mages trouble?"

Yotsmungand, poisoning resulting FROM Yotsmungand, being smashed in by a ferocious wolfskin...

Ultimately, only one member of this particular squad of assaulting Vautou remains, its apparent leader, a Killer Bow-wielding man in armor you're impressed he can fly in.

Ignoring all of you, he stares down Denim, bow readied. "So you've come... Traitor."

"Angora. Been awhile, eh?" Denim asks. "I don't see a need to explain myself to people who refuse to listen."

"Excellent, then. We can get right to business."

No sooner than he's said that, the bandit leader is ripped apart by the Wind tome Denim wields, before the bird lands on one knee, muttering to himself beneath his breath. Cato goes from checking on Saye with Cicero to patting his shoulder.

"...huh." Marduk mutters. "Almost like he's not too keen on doin' all this."

>A. None of your business...
>B. He understands that sometimes, ugly things must be done. Admirable.
>C. Go check on everyone
>D. Does he think Denim might defect or something?
>E. Write-in response

>>46643864
>B. He understands that sometimes, ugly things must be done. Admirable.
That was a nice move.

>>46643864
>B. He understands that sometimes, ugly things must be done.

>>46643881
>>46643895
"Turning against his people for the greater good..." You muse. "It weighs upon him heavily, clearly, but he still doesn't hesitate to rip apart his past with the wind... And maybe he'll be a symbol among more reasonable Vautou in the future, once the aggressors stop leading the tribes."

"Cato really chose a good second-in-command," Marduk remarks.

"Regardless," you say, "idealistic musing aside, winged bandits remain out there, giving the Vautou a bad name, endangering the region at large with their senseless acts of violence."

"Mm," Marduk responds, giving you a bit of a grin and raising his canteen, taking a swig of water before offering it to you. "Here's to makin' the Empire a better place."

"Mm," you say, paying more mind to Cicero and Cato tend to Saye, who FINALLY reverts... And immediately passes out from exhaustion, being hauled over to Omar.
>To be continued next thread
There's a certain irony in the character/POV which humanizes the Empire doubling as a firsthand perspective of some of its worse traits.

Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter and ask.fm are qmgrandflocto, and I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile.

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>>46644039
Thank you for running. Octoling. I really like this run.

>>46644072
Always a pleasure and thanks for saying that. It's already shaping up to be my favorite out of the quests I've run, anyway.