Rolled 15, 1, 16, 11, 3 = 46 (5d20)
>>5739014“Renounce my…” Prince Rufos’ eyes narrow, then widen in realization. “You… You want to steal the throne!”
“No, to gift it… To Princcesss Ekaterine.”
“It’s as good as the same thing!” the now pale-faced prince balk. “She’s… You’ve ensorcelled her, just as you did me!”
“I FREED you from the Ssuccubusss, remember?” you correct him. “You made your choicesss, you plays at power, your dark dealings, all under your OWN volition. Only when you foolishly turned againssst my mercccy did she reclaim you.”
“You browbeat me into it!” he whines then, rationalizing his weakness. “I never would have… It was for fear of the demon! Of… Of your murderous monsters!”
“Then you allowed fear to lead you into sssin and to compromisse your judgement,” you criticize him. “Do you think Ekaterine—who REMAINSSS a free woman, thank you very much—would have done the ssame?”
“I…”
The Prince trails off, his face a mask of shame, confusion, and doubt. Perfect. You pounce.
“A plague isss coming… Brought about, unfortunately, by my own people.”
“What?!” he balks. “You criticize ME as an unfit leader while you—"
“I have put a sstop to itss sspread,” you interrupt him. “I need only the authority over the ssso-called Holy order of Hawksssong to make them do their duty—in ssspite of their missstrusst of me—to ssave the people who might ssstill be affected by the poissson which wass already sspread before I intervened. Help me to defend thisss ccity… By placccing a worthy Queen in your sstead.”
Prince Rufos digests all this, staring into space. You take the opportunity to continue:
“I am a Knight Asscendant of the Flying Ssserpent, God of Pride and Glory.” You lift your head high, and press a clenched fist to your beating heart. “I am FORBIDDEN to make an oath and not to keep it, by the lawsss of my Dark God. ASSS a Knight Asscendant, I make you thiss promissse: if you back Ekaterine asss Queen of Hawksssong, I will sspare the livesss of you, your wife, your children… And never again will I allow the Ssuccubusss, or any other demon, to interfere with you.”
He looks up at you, visibly skeptical but silent. He is considering it. You tame your tail, willing it not to lash as you await his reply, inwardly anxious. If he refuses this bargain… What will you even do? What CAN you do, but kill them all?
[4d20 Diplomacy with a bonus Intimidation die. DC 13, for your strong position and the quality of discussion.]
