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UnderFreddy
Oct 9, 2012

GEGENPOSTING

I've never seen option 1 so I would love to see what happens if you just leave. Can Iver even leave in his current state?

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raisamike3
Oct 13, 2012
2 If all else fails, I think getting more Renown isn't a bad thing

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

This is an incredibly close vote. I will close voting when I get done simming my baseball thing, so probably there's like 20-30 more minutes.

e: by a whopping 1 vote margin, we elect to pin our hopes on Iver.
VOTING CLOSED!

FairGame fucked around with this message at 23:57 on Sep 13, 2018

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

PART 10: UMBRAGE: -1 ARM, +5 STR
OK, y'all voted to stick around in hopes that Iver comes to and can do something more useful than offer "die on a bridge" or "piss off all the varl."

And actually, the vote was so close that had it gone the other way I'd have done a bit of fighting and left before any plot triggers. The caravan needs the rest, and we need the kills and renown for food and leveling.


We can leave or destroy the bridge, but Eyvind said that maybe we should go talk to Jorundr. Let's give that a shot.


: You'll do as I say.
: I'm not here to argue. I'm telling you that we're dying by the dozens every day now. You sent our best away with Hakon. How long do you expect us to last?
: You asked for this command, Fasolt. Don't let them get across that bridge.
Fasolt takes his leave just as you approach. Not great timing, you think to yourself.

: Thank you for the audience.
: I forget your name.
: Rook.
: Rook, how is Yngvar? Will he survive?
: I believe so.
: That is good, then. If I remember Yngvar well enough, he hasn't told you why he faced down Bellower alone, did he?
: I would be interested to hear.
: Yngvar confronted a Sundr in his youth, during the great wars. He won that fight. None other but the menders have done that. He proved us stronger. Maybe he thought to do it again.
: Iver killed a Sundr? How did he end up in Skogr?
: You'd have to pry that from him yourself. I don't know. He disappeared when the last king tried to name him kendr.
It occurs to you that Jorundr would not be sitting on the throne had that happened.
: But why are you here, Rook? Be brief.

Buddy, see reason. Fasolt is telling you the same thing...
: That bridge needs to be destroyed.
: Oh, you have the answers? Wonderful! Come, sit upon the throne! Every man I've ever met thinks he'd rival the gods himself, if only he were in charge. I am over four hundred years old, and I know that I know little. You are a child, an infant, and yet you know everything! Listen, human. This story is not about you.
: If you jumped from that bridge today the world would not change. Now either help Fasolt retake it or leave my city. I don't care which!
Guards are quick to usher you from the great hall. You don't resist.

Well...that could have gone better. Guy is stubbornly clinging to a bridge that's going to get us all killed.

Talking to Jorundr does open up a new option, though: we can fight on the bridge alongside the defenders. It'll take a day to do so and won't really change much when it comes to the invading army, but it's a day for our caravan to rest, improve morale, and get us some much-needed renown to buy supplies. Even if we flee the city right now, we'll be killed by starvation as surely as we'd be killed by dredge. There are supplies here I can buy to prevent this, but I need renown to do so.




And so we find ourselves on the same bridge as before--but on a segment much closer to Einartoft proper.


Krumr's in sorry shape, and Iver's completely unavailable, what with getting his arm cut off and being near death.

But Krumr doesn't really have to fight--he just has to stand next to Eyvind and help him cast arc lightning 2 turns in 3. Fasolt's playable too now, and if you gave him something when he was in Hakon's caravan, he still has it now. Items are not shared across caravans, but they do persist with characters that switch caravans.


My kingdom for a warhawk; I could wreck so many slingers early on. Instead, this is gonna be a slog.


Egil is easily the MVP of this playthrough. Because I spent so much renown in Frostvellr on supplies, I'm fairly underleveled and Egil's the only reason I'm able to hang in long enough to win.


The other nice thing about Egil is that if you let him tank long enough, things will surround him in a pattern that makes them very susceptible to arc lightning.


I've never really used Alette, but honestly she's pretty drat strong when she has the opportunity to use her special.



"Come back tomorrow if you're looking for more," says Fasolt. You sleep poorly, Eyvind's suggestion to collapse the bridge repeating in your mind.
Rook goes down at some point, but overall a pretty decent effort. We get 10 renown for our troubles.


That renown immediately is applied to buying 30 supplies.

The "statue of a sightless man" is a pretty good relic--+2 strength, 20% chance to dodge strength attacks. But we don't have any level 5s that would want it (Eyvind doesn't rely on strength and shouldn't be getting attacked) and we already have the Namejs Ring and Godscale as useful level 5 items. And honestly we can't afford it. Maybe we'll get lucky and see another one later on.


Day 2 of our siege. Everyone rests overnight, including Rook, whose 2 day injury from the last battle is now just 1 day.



Back into the fray.


No sense changing anything that worked well before.


Our opponents are more melee-oriented this time. And the 23 strength colossus is a threat to Egil--if in fact he can ever get close enough to attack.


Some bad luck early on as a slinger moves to hurt Rook before I can do much about it.

This is the real problem with our being underleveled. We just don't have the armor to defend against an alpha strike.


The enemy AI is really stupid when it comes to the shield slam move. It moves Egil over but does 0 armor damage, and absolutely cripples its ally.


I make a pretty bad mistake here. I planned to move Eyvind over to arc lightning the colossus, and then double up with a Forge Ahead from Krumr. Which I did! But I forgot Rook, despite being able to attack with bow-and-arrow, doesn't have puncture and couldn't finish the job maiming the colossus.


The upshot of this is that the colossus lives long enough to summon an ally instead of die right before it. And the ally spawns RIGHT NEXT TO EYVIND, and puts him down. Not a terrible character to be injured since he doesn't rely on strength, but menders take a 4 day injury. Not great, either.



All told, Oddleif, Alette, and Eyvind go down. The first two aren't so bad since archers only take 2 days and you get a bonus rest day between battles in Einartoft. But still, sloppy work on my part.


We clean out the last of the supplies here. I'd have left town at this point had the vote gone that way. Instead...



Oh hey, Iver's back. And...he's gonna fight with one arm?
PS: :rip: Fasolt, you were kind of a dick.


Yes. He is going to fight with one arm. That probably won't go so well.


...or...maybe it'll be incredibly good somehow?

You get the opportunity to reallocate skill points on Iver from previous levels because his stats have changed. The loss of his arm has made him...stronger, somehow. He loses his "return the favor" passive that does chip armor damage when attacked, since he doesn't have a shield to chip armor with. Instead, he gets "heavy impact"--the same thing that Gunnulf, Bersi, Krumr, and Hakon have.

Oh, and he gets 3 exertion to go with the absurdly high armor and strength caps. Given that he starts with 8 willpower, that means he can do crazy poo poo like "attack with 20 strength" or "break 6 armor without items" for 2 turns at the start of battle.


He gets a new battle model, too. By the way, it's rare that I'll use it, but he still has "battering ram" as his active ability. Only instead of slamming his shield into something to knock it back 4 tiles, he...headbutts it.


The battle itself is fairly uninteresting, even by the standards of this game. With Iver back we've got 2 tanks (and 3 tiles worth of tanks) which means our archers and mender can wreck poo poo from safe distances.


Iver has had enough fighting on the damned bridge.


: Yngvar, glad to see you well.
You swear you catch a note of trepidation in his voice.
: Jorundr, enough. This fight cannot be won.
: Again, this? I'll be damned if that bridge falls during my reign!
: You'll let our whole race die?
: We'll all be gone someday, Yngvar. I need not tell you. There are no more varl being made tomorrow...or a thousand years from now. We are it. And I will not destroy what we have made! Would you leave no trace of us when we are gone? As if we never existed?!
: I know this, but yours is one voice of many. I know that the varl are equal. The days of kendr are over. I ask these varl, all there is left in the world, to follow me. And live another day. Who do you think they will choose?

: Go on. Take the mender. Destroy the bridge. Do it and leave. Take whoever would join you, and do not return to my city. The alliance of man and varl is through.
Iver is almost out the door before Jorundr has finished his sentence.

Well...that's probably not good long-term, but if Hakon survives the trip to Arberrang with Ludin, maybe it'll be OK. Jorundr's as good as dead, so Hakon will be the new king. Problem is, Hakon loving hates Ludin, and for good reason.




This is the shortest chapter in the game. Y'all drat near voted to make it even shorter. It ends as soon as you leave Einartoft, which you have the ability to do from the very start of the chapter.

Anyway, we get some surviving varl that don't want to seek a glorious death in Einartoft amongst their brethren.


We'll pick this up later on--I have another thing I need y'all to vote on.

ArcadePark
Feb 4, 2011

Damn it, It's all your fault!
Hakon hates Ludin because Ludin is right about the Varl.

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
Huh. I figured Iver was the best chance of being able to destroy the bridge without having to fight varl, but him turning into a bigger badass in battle I didn't consider.

I brought my Drake
Jul 10, 2014

These high-G injections have some serious side effects after pulling so many jumps.

So what happens if Eyvind destroys the bridge as soon as the option becomes available? Fewer casualties (including Fasolt)? Something else?

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

queserasera posted:

So what happens if Eyvind destroys the bridge as soon as the option becomes available? Fewer casualties (including Fasolt)? Something else?

I don't think it matters when you do it, but if you attempt to destroy the bridge yourself you fight a battle against dredge (with eyvind). Then he leaves your party for a battle while he works on destroying it. Varl led by Fasolt come to stop you and it starts a fight.

Fasolt still dies. Just by your hand instead of by the dredge.

I think the only way to save the bridge and also not have Fasolt die is to just leave outright.

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
So why was the bridge so important to Jorundr?

Jack2142
Jul 17, 2014

Shitposting in Seattle

Hunt11 posted:

So why was the bridge so important to Jorundr?

Because the Varl are going to die out and he knows it. All that is left is their monuments, and honestly a bridge that takes 3 days to cross is ridiculously impressive.

RedSnapper
Nov 22, 2016

Jack2142 posted:

Because the Varl are going to die out and he knows it. All that is left is their monuments, and honestly a bridge that takes 3 days to cross is ridiculously impressive.

Now they have a bridge that you walk along for 2.5 days until you get to a huge hole and have to turn back. Not like Eyvind toppled the whole drat thing.

Mechanical Ape
Aug 7, 2007

But yes, occasionally I am known to smash.

Jack2142 posted:

Because the Varl are going to die out and he knows it. All that is left is their monuments, and honestly a bridge that takes 3 days to cross is ridiculously impressive.

"As the legend goes, the Varl only managed to build it by filling the gorge with the bodies of dredge and working atop them." :black101:

EDIT:

quote:

I don't know what [Ek sé mik] means. Anyone?

According to someone on Reddit it's "I see myself" in Old Norse.

Mechanical Ape fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Sep 14, 2018

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.

Jack2142 posted:

Because the Varl are going to die out and he knows it. All that is left is their monuments, and honestly a bridge that takes 3 days to cross is ridiculously impressive.

Yeah, basically he sees destroying their history just to MAYBE survive another few decades/centuries to be a horrible trade.

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

PART 11: Yngvar


Man, I don't know what Jorundr was so upset about. Most of the bridge is still there! Can't cross it, but if you wanted a monument to the varl it's still quite useful!


Two days out from Einartoft, this happens. I'm even more convinced that good/bad events are tied to morale. We've got the supplies to party it up. Which costs us 10 supplies, but gives a HUGE morale boost and also (and more importantly) +15 renown.


Before he's even finished his sentence you have your weapons out and rush forward to attack!
This is...a less-good random event, but it's not as if bandits should be a problem for me given how much armor Iver has. I mean, unless it's a group full of nothing but archers who can puncture me into oblivion.


Krumr hits rank 3, which is important becuase now he can use Forge Ahead on units within a...4, I think?...tile radius. Doesn't have to be adjacent anymore, in any event. Also look at that armor break.


Aww...poo poo.


Human enemies are more dangerous than dredge because they always have HUGE willpower reserves, huge exertion, and in the case of archer bowmasters, can use their "bird of prey" special to attack from well outside normal range. Poor Eyvind never even gets a chance to move.


This is...getting really dangerous tbh.


The trick to fights with archers is to kill the archers first before they use armor break + puncture to ruin you. But if I kill an archer here, just...that leaves the remaining archers more turns to ruin my day!


I let Egil do some fighting because I need this fight to END, and look at the loving armor break on these things. A natural 3 break + 2 exertion.


Thankfully they've largely ignored Iver.


I win, but Eyvind, Alette, and Krumr take injuries.


Still, overall, things are looking up, because...


: Greetings, Iver. IT's been quite a while since we talked, hasn't it?

: I know you. Ubin? Never imagined you be one to defy the king. What made you leave?
: Someone had to.
: What do you mean?
: Bellower is headed this way.
: Already? How is that possible?
: A group of varl from Wyrmtoe showed up around the back of Einartoft. The long way. Bellower and his army chased them across the Summer Path, they said.
: Past Wyrmtoe? That doesn't make sense. Bellower was at the bridge.
: He must have doubled back after the serpent appeared. While we fought on the bridge he led half his forces around to approach Einartoft from behind.
: The attack on the bridge was a feint?
: Don't let anyone tell you the dredge aren't clever. Einartoft will fall within a day.
: Maybe not. He's following you. I thought one of you might know why.
You exchange nervous glances but nobody speaks up.

: Must be me, then.
: Is there something I don't know? That's quite a grudge he's holding if he's coming for you, Iver.
: It doesn't matter. Our only chance is to get to Sigrholm. Juno will know what to do.
: We'll join you. I bring supplies and warriors,a nd my friend Gunnulf here bears a heavy sword. I believe he'd be happy to swing it for you.


Ubin (still non-playable) and Gunnulf join, along with the rest of the tax collector band--some renown, supplies, and fighters for our trouble.


But we don't get too far before this. Ubin thinks we should go around, but if Bellower is chasing us we need to get to Sigrholm as fast as possible. We will try and cut through the dredge.


Rook's party didn't fare well in the last war battle. Let's see how it goes now.


Well...we're badly outnumbered, to start.


We'll fight in formations. It'll cost us a few fighters that we really can't spare, but if we manage to win both waves it won't be so bad and can save us some time, hopefully.


Iver becomes the first natural level 5 character in the caravan and puts on the Namejs' Ring. His strength isn't great and I wish that weren't the case, but if he manages to survive into the next game when the level cap is higher we can fix it. For now he's a tank with decent strength and great exertion.


We'll bring Gunnulf, too; Krumr is too beat up to do a 2-wave fight.


Fortunately, it's melee-heavy. Very few slingers. Unfortunately, Gunnulf's movement still sucks. He'll just hang out in the corner for a bit.


I need to level Egil up. He can't fully tank the toughest dredge anymore.


The first wave is pretty easy, but everyone is a little wounded. Remember how Iver started with 16 armor? Well now he's down to 5. Some of the others aren't much better off.


Then again, the enemy AI doesn't realize that thanks to Iver's Namejs' Ring he will ignore 2 points of strength damage and now it's wasting its turn attacking him.


Which it does for a while once we're in PILLAGE! mode.

But here's the thing. While it keeps wasting turns, everyone else in the party is resting. You get +1 willpower back when you rest.

Oh, and Eyvind has the Calabilla equipped--that rank 5 coin I got for saving all the civilians outside Frostvellr. That gives him back +1 armor and +1 will per turn.

Eyvind can heal armor using his "mend" skill. Half his current willpower, rounded down.

So we rest. A lot. And Eyvind gets all his willpower back. And he mends the entire party. Now everyone is back to full armor, full willpower, and only Alette took any strength damage to speak of in the first wave. We all move to the center before Egil kills off the lone slinger to start the second wave.


We're properly prepared now. This should be a cake walk.


The only real threats are the 2 blue-pants slingers, and Gunnulf immediately moves to maim one.


Rook and Alette go down--enemies with turn advantage are a pain--but the battle is under control. Gunnulf crits the hell out of this poor slob for 24 damage.


Eventually Eyvind and Iver succumb, too. Having 3 enemies on the board is a HUGE pain if they're at full health.


But Gunnulf takes care of things to win wave 2, and...


Hey, nice!



That's a pretty decent trade, if you ask me.


Unfortunately, the road is just too choked off with dredge. Pushing any further is a bad idea with Iver (and to a lesser extent, Rook/Alette/Eyvind) injured. We'll have to go back to the main road.
You order the caravan back around and head back to the main road before any more casualties are had. At least the dredge may think twice about following too closely.



: Who are you and what are you doing out here?
"Call me Unnarr or anything else you like," the old man says. "A man goes where he pleases, doesn't he?" His stern look is more comical than intimidating, but you stop looking for answers.
: You're welcome to join if you can keep pace.
"Keep pace?" The old man puffs through his moustache. "No fleeter than old Unnarr! And husbands, mind your wives! I'm cursed with the golden tongue. Not silver." The caravan enjoys as good laugh as they start moving once again.
Weird old dude gives us a morale boost.


We hit a random village on our way to Haukstorp. I'm pretty satisfied with our ability to maintain a caravan at this point so I encourage them to join.

+112 clansmen is...a lot. I hope we can manage it.


Certainly this'll help, and we can probably even rest a day or so to recover a bit.


But first we'll stop to talk to Gunnulf, now with Rook's party instead of Hakon's.


: Don't talk much, do you?
You approach the massive green-clad varl who is sitting quietly by himself, eating bread.

: So?
: Just wanted to know anyone who can cleave a dredge in two like that a little better. I'm Rook.
: What to know? Ubin asks me to chop a dredge in two, I chop him.
: You like that sword, huh?
: No. I love this sword. Given to me by old Skrymir, himself. When I start working for Ubin, he says, "I protect the king's collection, I protect the king."
Gunnulf makes an expression somewhere between pain and frustration.
: I couldn't save it, though.
He makes a hand motion like an object falling from a tall height and exploding.
: Mattered a lot at the time. I think it doesn't matter now. Skrymir is dead, anyway.
: Traveled with Ubin for long?
: Yes, long time. When I was young, I fight for another varl. It did not work out. But I learn to swing a sword. Ubin pays well, gives me plenty of things to kill. To be honest, maybe too many things these days.
: I'll let you finish your meal.
: Want to be friends with Gunnulf, Rook?
He pops the last bit of bread into his mouth.
: Keep food in the cart.

...I'm trying, man!
Also, he's referring to the tax cart that went splat a few chapters ago. And Skrymir was the king before Jorundr was.


Not even a day goes by after we leave the village that this happens.


What's that?


Hey, neat. Let's go back and see if there's anyone else.
The warriors complain as they ready their weapons. "Nid," you say, "Come with us if you can keep that up." She smiles and joins the fighters getting ready to head back to the village.


Thanks to Oddleif training the women, we now have a new hero unit: Nid. She'll join us in this battle (offscreen) and that might be it. She's very good, and her special allows her to attack units from SUUUUUPER far away. But although she starts at rank 2, she also starts at 0 kills meaning she needs to get the full 14 to hit Rank 5. And even 5 kills for Rank 3 which is sorta the minimum to make her useful. I'm not sure I've got the time to do that given how little renown I've got to spare.


Nothing we haven't seen before. Biggest threats are the slingers, as usual. The big guys will be cut down to size before they can reach melee distance.


Abridged version: they're no match for us.


This gets us 21 clansmen, though the delay costs us a day's journey.


"I think you just ruined her dream of marrying a varl boy," you say, timing your smile just right. The giant grins, then throws back his head with booming laugher. Other varl join in the mirth and the caravan feels a bit uplifted for it.

The giant explains, "We live in the North for its space. Endless miles of snow, ice, mountains, fields. Space to be alone. But here there is no time for such things." Understranding slowly trickles through the caravan, relieving some of the tension.



At long last, we get clear of the endless snow and see green grass for the first time since crossing the wastes.




We arrive at Godstone Dundr, which looks more impressive when played in real-time.


"I almost wonder if we should rest here for the night," says Iver, who seems to have noticed the same thing. With all the snow around it, dredge might not even be able to find us.
Godstones haven't steered us wrong yet, so we stay overnight.
You walk around camp before settlng in. Along each strand of Dundr's massive beard is carved a different part of his story, and you turn your head to and from to read it. While the Loom-mother was the first to create, she soon found a counterpart in Dundr, who embodied her ideals in a masculine form. Dundr took some of her creations, gave them beards and showed them the secrets of smithing, though many remember him just as fondly for teaching them games and songs of mirth.

As the camp settles in you notice a group of boys huddled around something. They show you an offering box, carved into the godstone itself. The box is an elaborate construction of interlocking pieces which slide around when touched. "We can't get it open," they tell you. "It's like a puzzle."
: Let me take a look at it.
The boys take turns working out the puzzle and give you tips when it's your turn, though you don't seem to make much progress. Eventually they leave to sleep until it's just you and a couple of other determined youngers.
: This is too much for me. Skal.
Instead of spending all night on a silly game, you go to Alette and huddle together to keep warm. You wake up with a thought so profound it strikes you like lightning. Rushing to the puzzle box, your fingers move with purpose until you hear a click. The lid springs open!
Inside is...nothing. "Oh no," says a boy who was watching. "What a waste of time." To your surpirse, when you close the lid the whole box detaches from the stone. With a shrug you take it with you. You're suddenly glad you didn't spend all night working on this.


I'm glad too, because if Rook doesn't go to sleep he isn't granted the epiphany he needs to acquire the PUZZLE BOX OF THE TWIN RIVERS, a level 4 artifact that gives +1 will per turn and +3 willpower in general. It's AWESOME for Eyvind.


Alas, my good luck doesn't hold. Right before Haukstorp, we catch fire.



We take a hit to our morale, and we're drat near out of food again. Thankfully Haukstorp is a stone's throw away.


Bet you can't guess what comes next!
: I hope others would do the same for me. Dredge are nothing we haven't faced before.
: Hmph.
: Besides, it might throw Bellower off the scent a bit.


We immediately have to fight upon getting into town.


I've had enough of low-armor Alette getting maimed. She gets both her points in armor as she promotes to Rank 4. She also can use Iver's old belt with +3 armor break now.


I hosed this battle up. Completely forgot to move Alette out of the lower half when I positioned everyone.


With predictable results.


Otherwise, the battle's a cake walk. Annoyed that I let Alette get injured, but it's only 2 days.



We get a whopping 1 clansman and also can raid his market stall for the last 50 supplies in the town. It only costs us 5 renown.


Let's meet Nid.


: I don't know if we've ever spoken. I'm Nid. You're Rook, I know. We've actually been traveling together for a long time. Isn't it strange how you can be so close to people and not know them?
: Every day I pass peopel I swear I've never seen before.
: I wanted to thank you. For letting me join you.
: Where are you from? I don't think you're from Skogr. I knew most of the people there.
: No. I had a house in Frostvellr. But we were driven out when the dredge started to show up. My husband...died trying to protect our home. My sons and I were thrown out into the fields.
: I'm sorry.
: Ekkill's men killed my husband. When we left I was angry. Why was I the one who had to leave their home? How do I deserve this?
You look away momentarily, not sure what to say.
: But I've let it go. I have three sons. And I don't want them to grow up with hatred in their hearts. That's why I wanted to thank you.
: Have you always been such a good shot?
: Honestly? I never even tried before Oddleif made me. I spent my whole life making clothes, cleaning.
: Oddleif's good, but I don't think this is all her doing.
: It feels right. I just look where I want it to go...anyway, I feel better. The caravan, the people worrying all day and making problems...sometimes they really stew in their misery. I'm glad I can do something helpful.
: You're welcome. I should be going.
: Don't think anything of it. We all have our own problems to deal with. Let me know if you need to put an arrow in something.
She returns to her tent where her boys are waiting for her.

Nothing left beyond that, so we head out again.


I don't remember getting this many random events before. Anyway, I think (hope) we've got time to stop and heal her.
As the caravan's tents rise, a fire is built beside the girl who is covered in furs and ointments. Progress is slow, but soon you see the girl alive enough to swallow water and some heated broth. When you wake the next day, the healer tells you the girl should be fine in time.


Not long after healing the girl, we arrive at this godstone.


Godstone Ingrid.


Godstones always give us an item, seems like, so let's see what's at Godstone Ingrid.


As you're readying to depart, you hear screams from near the main godstone. The same boys so curious about the dead dredge before are shrieking and pointing. For a moment you think it must not have been dead. But then you see that they have opened a wrapping that was in the dredge's hands.
: Wait. This shouldn't be seen, Rook. Get everyone away...
Alette rushes past and gasps.
: STOP!
But it's too late. The curious onlookers have already seen it.


On the ground before the dead slinger is a small stony figure, its hands searching for something it can't find.

: That's a...baby.
: That dredge is a woman?
: We've been killing women...we've been slaughtering women and children this whole time? Leaving them to die?

: In a war it's only the males who fight.
: We've been fighting these dredge the whole way. WHy are women with children on their backs attacking us?
: They're not invading. They're running.
Everyone stops dead in their tracks. The entire caravan is gathered around, aghast.

: When I spoke to Juno, she told me something was coming. She didn't know what. A darkness. Something black is covering the world, and the dredge are running from it just as we're running from them. The serpent. The quake. It's all the beginning of the end.
: Iver, you knew? Why? Why didn't you say something?
: Iver?

: When I was young, I killed one of the Sundr. During the second great war. We called it Raze. Every time we would build our defense it would flatten them, and push us back again. I became separated from the rest of the varl, and stumbled upon Raze deep in a snowstorm. Alone. She was nursing.
: I threw my axe, it twisted in the wind...her son died in her arms. She was so pathetic, kneeling in the snow. She didn't even try to stop me when I took her head. That's how I killed a Sundr. When I found my way Grofheim, the varl wanted to make me kendr. Next to be king.
: I left. Walked until I ended up in Skogr.

: Where no one knew what I had done.
The only sound is the wind blowing through the trees.



:siren: VOTE TIME! Do we:
1.) Let the caravan decide
2.) Demand we take the dredge baby with us
3.) Demand we leave the dredge baby to die
4.) I don't even know what this option does it seems like a cop out. Let's just vote on 1-3.

Gologle
Apr 15, 2013

The Gologle Posting Experience.

<3
Maybe if we use the baby as a dredge shield, the dredge will know that we're not the true enemy! I vote Two

TheFlyingLlama
Jan 2, 2013

You really think someone would do that? Just go on the internet and be a llama?



2.) Demand we take the dredge baby with us

there is absolutely no way this could go wrong

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
2. Take the baby with us. My guess is we are going to ally with the Dredge sooner or later to deal with whatever the darkness is so we might as well get started now.

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
Voting to put it up to a vote sounds too much like an RL government thing, and Rook's too nice for his own good, so 2.

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

Let's be kind. 2

Jack2142
Jul 17, 2014

Shitposting in Seattle

This is one of the things that make the story of this game great.

Iver the random Varl living in a tiny town at the edge of the world gets outed as a long lost Varl Hero. While obviously you know he is a badass, you hear he is the only Varl to kill a Sundr. He then admits here he only managed to kill Raze because he murdered her baby first. Then he couldn't stand the adulation and walked away from very likely being king of the Varl.

So don't make Ivers mistake don't kill the baby.

mauman
Jul 30, 2014

Whoever's got the biggest whiskers does the talking.
Take the baby

fucking love Fiona Apple
Jun 19, 2013

samus comfy so what

2. We don't kill babies.

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


2

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

Alright, I was gonna leave it open for a day but this is unanimous. We'll save the baby dredge.

FairGame
Jul 24, 2001

Der Kommander

UPDATE 12: SIGRHOLM

A quick update tonight because there's another thing that requires a vote.


Not long afterward, one of the women comes to you. "Its swaddling was being held by this," she says, giving you a hair pin that looks distinctly un-dredge-like. An inscription ont he silver almost slips your notice: 'persevere.' "From the goddess herself, if you ask me," the woman tells you.

We gain the Vadrun Silver Brooch, a rank 3 artifact that ignores 1 strength damage. Useful, but we've got a better version of it on Iver.


Soon after leaving Godstone Ingrid, this happens.


: Ubin, you'd rather be known for falling asleep and dying in the corner of a mead house than battling a Sundr?
: I'd rather be known for not dying.
: Don't even know what you're worried about. I did this a hundred times in the great wars. Take some warriors. Plow headfirst into the dredge. They follow you into the hills, get lost, now they're not following you.
: When you did this "a hundred times," did they have Bellower leading them?
: Have you never heard about the time I hit Bellower in the head with a throwing axe?
Both varl halt their debate when they suddenly notice you watching.
: You're planning to confront the dredge?
: Careful, my friend. A lot of old history getting thrown around here.
: The warriors were just noticing that there's a drat good number of dredge on our asses.
: Bellower pulling up the rear. This one thinks he can just wander up there and throw them off our tracks.
: How about some gratitude? Thought you'd be happy to finally be oldest varl in the land, Ubin.
: I'm never happy to lose more varl, Krumr. Besides, I'm not convinced you're really older than me.
: Old rivalry you've got here.
: Comments like that remind me, I've already wasted too much time doing nothing. In the old days I'd be halfway to the battlefield by now. Speaking of which...you coming, Yngvar? You could ask Bellower for your arm back.

: Don't think so. Not exactly in the mood right now.
: Alright then. I'll tell Hadrborg you said hello.
Krumr and a good many varl warriors head out toward the growing army of dredge.
: Is he going to come back?
: He always has before.
: But this time feels different, I fear.

So...yeah. Krumr's gone, along with 40 varl. Can't be avoided. Unless Krumr can die in Einartoft somehow--he will always leave you at this point.


It's here that I make a fatal mistake. Morale is poor and I want to play along with the varl who are cool and good.
Taking the mead, you shout, "Skal!" The crowd cheers and laughter echoes through the camp for hours as each person comes up wiht increasingly more absurd stories of woe. The varl's remedy is a success and the caravan is in a much better mood the following day, albeit hungover and with less mead than before.
Guess what our supplies include large amounts of, apparently.


We have 1 day of supplies left, and Sigrholm (seen just barely at the left of the screen) is more than a day away. It's going to take a miracle to reach there without starving. I've been on the knife's edge so long...


Here's one miracle. Krumr returns victorious, along with 37 of the 40 varl he left with.



He gives us 20 renown--we can buy a lot of supplies with that in Sigrholm, albeit likely too late. He also has Dundr's Hand, a rank 5 relic that gives +3 strength. Handy!


I can see Sigrholm. It's only hours away. But...


: As Sigrholm approaches we fear the worst. The once calm lake surroudning it now looks like a bowl that has been flipped, proud homes sinking quietly into muddy water. A side effect of the quake...


We were so close. A handful of our caravan starves to death, including 4 fighters from a diminishing supply of fighting-capable men and women.


Maybe Juno can help us. Can she conjure food?




Well...poo poo. Juno's not here yet.


: All I'm saying is how long are you willing to wait?
While taking stock of the caravan you've inadvertently walked into a debate between Oddleif and Eyvind.

: As long as we need to.
: And I think we need to get out of here. I don't feel good about this place.
: Why? What's wrong?
: Something doesn't feel right. The people here are staring at us like those vultures in the wastes.

: I'm sorry, Eyvind. I think Oddleif is right. I saw a man...the whole time we were setting up he was just watching me. Uh...in a creepy way. And how long before the dredge find us here?
: Juno will come. Just give it a little more time, Rook. Listen to me. I need you to trust me on this.


We can't wait at all if we don't have supplies, so...


Ooh. The Bjorg av Leander is awesome. +2 armor per turn. I really should spend all 28 renown on supplies, but I'll take this and buy 54 supplies instead.


OK, we've got enough to last a week. Let's go talk to Eyvind and see how long this'll take.


: You're really worried about her, aren't you?
: What? Oh, Juno. Worried doesn't begin to describe it. If she doesn't find us here, or if something has happened to her...
: Are you sure what you saw was real? It could have been a dream. Or, I don't know. You were pretty exhausted.
: I...I don't know. To be honest, I'm not sure anymore. Everything is a blur. Uh...dont' tell the others I said that. I have to hope it wasn't just a dream.
: Why is Bellower still following us?
: I saw Grofheim as it burned.
Eyvind gets a far away look in his eyes.
: The Sundr blew through it like a tempest. The varl fell in the thousands. Most of the Sundr left the city and headed south. Who knows where they are now. They might be destroying every town they come to, or heading toward Arberrang. Bellower stayed in Grofheim, just for the sport of it, I think. As we fled to Einartoft I thought he must want to wipe the varl off the map completely. But then he came after us.
: Maybe he knew Iver was the one who killed Raze.
: Maybe. But I...let's just make sure he doesn't catch up.
: What's it like being a mender?
: Being a mender? I guess I never really thought about it like that. It's just part of me. They knew very young that I would join the order. Born into it, you could say. My mother and father, both menders. The guild is for lots of people now, builders and healers.
: Do they all pull lightning out of the sky?
: No. No...that's...not normal. It's one of the reasons I know Juno. She's one of the council. She helps me control things like this. So we don't end up scaring people.
: How does mending work, anyway?
: Well, the hardest part is usually seeing the threads. Everything is part of the tapestry. It's made of threads woven together. If you can see the threads you can manipulate them. I don't know how to explain it, really. It's like trying to play a harp with invisible strings. Look at my staff, for example. Some menders carve intricate patterns in the wood to help them remember the shapes of...er, like I said. Hard to explain.
: Do you think this is the end times?
: I...I don't know whwat to think. I wish I could give you a better answer. Even if we escape the dredge, that serpent said a darkness was covering the world. I don't know how long that will take. Or what it means, even. I'm just trying to solve one problem at a time. The menders are in Arberrang. If we can find ships and make it to the capital, we might have a chance.
: I won't take any more time.
: No, it's ok, Rook. I appreciate the talk. It's good to stay grounded. I spend all day worrying about serpents or Sundr. I think a lot of people are intimidated, or scared maybe. Of me. Don't worry, it's nothing new. I'm used to it. Maybe sometime we can talk about things that don't include the world ending.



We make camp for a night, but the minute we do, this happens. We give chase, which predictably leads to a fight.


loving archers.


Rook takes an injury but otherwise we wipe the floor with them. Oddleif now has 14 kills so she can promote to rank 5. But first she has to promote to rank 4. But first we need to not be starving to death constantly so we can use renown to level up.



And...that's actually not so bad because the store still has the remaining 30 supplies from before, and now I have 10 renown with which to buy it. But still--we're now in a town where we have 7 days of supplies and no sign of Juno.

And if we rest another day...


We can leave right now and not lose anyone. But Sigrholm is hosed, we can stay a week at most before people start starving (and the distance to the next town is probably significant, so the choice is starving in town or starving in the road if we wait too long.)

On the other hand, giant world-ending serpenet and only Juno has managed to do anything about it so far. And Eyvind seems dead set on staying, is a stand-up guy, saved Iver's life, and also really helpful in battle.

:siren: VOTE TIME!
I'm only willing to wait 3 more days. After that, there's too great a risk of starvation. Unless mending includes conjuring food, even if Juno shows up 4 days or later she's gonna be too late to save the lives of a lot of clansmen.

Or we can leave now. Or anywhere in between. We will absolutely have people disaffect and/or be attacked or murdered if we stay. Eyvind may well disaffect if we go.

As usual, bad choices abound.
A.) LEAVE IMMEDIATELY
B.) WAIT 1 MORE DAY
C.) WAIT 2 MORE DAYS
3.) WAIT 3 MORE DAYS

Sankara
Jul 18, 2008


I've never seen what happens when you stay, so do that. Uh... 3 days, I guess. We're living through a fairy tale, that's a fairy tale number.

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


Wait 3 days.

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

Wait three more days. We need to know what's happening.

ArcadePark
Feb 4, 2011

Damn it, It's all your fault!
Evynd is a pretty poo poo wizard.




Oh wait, that's a different wizard from a different universe.

Evynd is actuall really really good. Imagine what his mentor can do.

C Wait 3 days

Gologle
Apr 15, 2013

The Gologle Posting Experience.

<3
Juno is a magic wizard who was able to communicate across more than 2 weeks worth of traveling distance in a dream. If she isnt here by now, she may not even come. Wait 1 Day, then book it.

TheFlyingLlama
Jan 2, 2013

You really think someone would do that? Just go on the internet and be a llama?



3.) WAIT 3 MORE DAYS

Space Kablooey
May 6, 2009


3.) WAIT 3 MORE DAYS


Can I make a request?

FairGame posted:


: Ubin, you'd rather be known for falling asleep and dying in the corner of a mead house than battling a Sundr?

Can you not repeat the text of the picture in the dialog line following it? I feel it makes the text very awkward to read, and it's really bothering me. OTOH maybe I'm the crazy one, since nobody else is complaining.

ArchWizard
Mar 27, 2009

There's the Roy I know and love.


I believe waiting three days is customary when a magical healer whose name starts with 'J' promises to come back from the dead to save you.

Xerophyte
Mar 17, 2008

This space intentionally left blank
Leave immediately.

Let's not risk starving 750 people to death for one potential wizard who was supposed to already be here. Just leave a note for her or something.

Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
If Juno's that great she can find us herself. Town's rear end, so Leave now

TGG
Aug 8, 2003

"I Dare."
Get the gently caress out of here!
Our mender guide just said he couldn't even be sure if this vision of his was real and I feel more thievery on the rise, head out while you still can.

Jack2142
Jul 17, 2014

Shitposting in Seattle

Man you are powering through TBS.

Wait at least one day, because I am curious about something.

mauman
Jul 30, 2014

Whoever's got the biggest whiskers does the talking.
Get out of this sinkhole

fucking love Fiona Apple
Jun 19, 2013

samus comfy so what

Let's leave immediately!

If this Juno is as powerful as out mender friend says, she'll be able to find us on the road.

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I brought my Drake
Jul 10, 2014

These high-G injections have some serious side effects after pulling so many jumps.

I don't want to find out what happens if you stay if even Alette's creeped out. Leave immediately .

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