[594 / 93 / 81]
You are Blair Weaver. Mercenary Captain. Dark Flier. Witch. Over the past five years, you’ve been busy making a name for yourself as the leader of the Blackwings, a renowned mercenary company that has seen victory across several fronts of the ongoing Fodlan Unification War. Recently, you defeated one of the Seven Sages of Agartha, and freed the city of Ordelia from their clutches.>Blair Weaver >Level 38 Seraph Knight (0/100) >Personal Skill: >Offensive Skills: >Defensive Skills >Proficiencies: >Spells: >Inventory: Killer Lance+, Axereaver, Magic Staff, Blessed Lance, Elixir(x2) >Gold: 7850g
TreeHouses QM
>>5648666 “Wait…really?! The messenger from Faerghus exclaimed with surprise. The man had been sulking in your camp, waiting for an answer to the letter you’d received from Duke Fraldarius. It seems as though he’d resigned himself to the idea that you would be rejecting the offer to join the Faerghus Army at Gronder. So, when you inform him that you’re accepting the duke’s request, he nearly falls off of his wyvern.
>“Fly ahead and inform your masters that they will be able to rely on the services of the Blackwings for the upcoming battle.” The messenger quickly regains his composure and gives you a formal salute. “As you wish my lady. I will relay the location of the Faerghus Army to your lieutenant. May the Goddess be with you.” With a crack of his whip, his Wyvern takes flight, and the messenger departs westward in a hurry. He wasn’t the only one moving quick this morning. By now, word had spread across the camp that the Blackwings were being forced to depart Derdriu. The response to the news that you’d be ending your contract with the Leicester Alliance and joining forces with Faerghus had been mixed. On one hand, the company had originally formed within Kingdom territory. A large portion of its members, including several of its captains, were able to call Faerghus home, and relished the opportunity to return. On the other hand, there were those who believed that Claude had treated the company exceptionally well, and leaving the Alliance to join forces with a weaker army was a fool’s choice. Still, no one would oppose your decision.
>“A weaker army…” You muttered to yourself as you sat within your command tent. Perhaps, and perhaps not. It’s true that the Kingdom being divided in two seriously hampered their firepower. Worse yet, they’d suffered no shortage of losses at the hands of the Empire. But of the four factions on the board, they possessed the most Heroes Relics. In a battlefield like Gronder, an advantage like that could be more than enough to punch through the Empire. Fodlan’s history had been carved out by those weapons, and they could help to even the odds against a foe that outnumbered them and courted Demonic Beasts amongst their ranks. You tap the table in front of you, groaning and massaging your head. You hoped this was the right decision to make. Two books were sitting on the table in front of you. The first was a recent purchase. A romance novel you’d acquired from Anna, which tells the story of a passionate but brief love affair between a blue-haired knight and a beautiful maiden he encounters in the forest. It was a lengthy novel, but Anna had assured you that it had been a hit amongst her customers. You’d developed a soft spot for these types of stories, but now hardly seemed the time to read this sort of thing.
>+2 Charisma! TreeHouses QM
>>5648670 The other was a worn green book that you’d already started on. It was the treasured spell tome that you’d received from Leopold during your brief return to Garreg Mach, Foresti. Containing magic of the highest caliber, you thought it imperative that you learn its secrets before the battle at Gronder. As the Blackwings continue their preparations to move, you stay within your tent, pouring over the contents of the tome. After the passing of several hours, you feel as though you finally have somewhat of an understanding of how the spell works.
>Spell Learned! Forseti: (S Rank, +20 DMG, 30% CRIT, Enemy attacks will miss you for 1 turn, 1 Use) As you close the book, satisfied with your lesson for the day, you realize that someone had packed away all your belongings, as well as put away your tent, leaving you sitting in the middle of the camp. Evidently, you’d been too engrossed in pouring over Foresti to notice. Stowing away the tome safely, you look around the camp. Perhaps a quick walk and a nice chat would be a good way to end the day before heading out on your march to rendezvous with the Faerghus army.
>A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) >B): Check in on Anemone and Eulalia TreeHouses QM
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >>A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe! Ashe! Ashe!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >>A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Corinne
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe time.
Anonymous
Oh hey, this is back quicker than expected. Welcome back, Tree!
Also holy shit, Forseti a strong spell. It's technically Wind Magic, so I'm not sure if it counts as effective against Fliers like Aircalibur and Excalibur, but even if it's not, it's an amazing trump card. Might be just what we need to eke out a win against Rex
or to do some crazy, risky stuff like flying in, drawing aggro from everyone, and then using Forseti to basically be invincible for a turn .
>>5648671 >A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe, but mostly because I'm curious what he feels like to be fighting for the Kingdom instead of the Dukedom. Hopefully the others don't rag on him too hard for it.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >>B): Check in on Anemone and Eulalia Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >>A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe.
A little bit surprised we got the CHA book
Anonymous
>>5649112 Inb4 Rex has some bullshit Wind nullification item
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648671 >A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) Ashe, our love
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5649493 He's 100% got like a Delphi Shield or something that protects him from normal flier weaknesses, pilfered off of one of the Almyran Warlords he killed. Thankfully, the damage and the rest of the effect should be fine.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5648675 >A): Speak with one of the members of the Blackwings (Who?) >Ashe >Perhaps a quick walk and a nice chat would be a good way to end the day before heading out on your march to rendezvous with the Faerghus army. A quick walk,
a quick fling Anonymous
Quoted By:
>B): Check in on Anemone and Eulalia
TreeHouses QM
>>5648671 You find Ashe alone, sitting on a tree stump. He appears to be engrossed in the middle of carving some sort of wooden figurine, so he fails to notice you sneak up behind him and place your arms around his neck. You’d been careful about showing him too much public affection, afraid that others in the company might interpret your relationship as favoritism. However, the ever-looming threat of your imminent death at Gronder has gotten you to shirk this rule for now.
>“What are you doing sitting here alone? I’ve been terribly lonely.” Ashe chuckles. “Really? You seemed incredibly engrossed in that book you were reading. So much so you didn’t even notice me calling out to you. That must have been some story.”
>“Mhm.” You mutter, resting your chin on top of his head. “It’s a tale I don’t believe I’ll ever forget. I’m glad to see that you’re still into woodworking. I’ve been holding on to that pegasus you made for me back at Garreg Mach this whole time.” “Really? That old thing?” Ashe says surprised. “My carving skills have really improved since then. You should let me make you a new one. It’ll come out much better.”
>“Not a chance. I think it’s perfect the way it is.” You observe your lover’s handiwork. What he says is true. Ashe whittles away at the block of wood with all the confidence and dexterity of a master craftsman. The figure that he’s working on currently seems as though it may pop to life any second. As he continues his work, it dawns on you just what he is making. >“Isn’t that the giant spider from underneath Ordelia?” “It is!” Ashe beams happily. “I’m glad you recognized it so quickly.”
>“…Why in the Goddess’ name would you carve that of all things? It tried to kill us Ashe.” The sniper shrugs nonchalantly. “I just thought it was cool, is all. You know I like animals, and it’s not every day you see a giant spider! Besides, it never actually stood a chance at killing us with you there. That thing could hardly keep up with your speed!”
>“How fortunate for me.” You sigh. “I’ll refrain from critiquing your taste in art too much. Though, I am curious about something else. How are you feeling about my decision?” “You mean leaving the Alliance to go and fight for Faerghus? Well…I trust you. I’ll support whatever decision you make, and I’ll be ready to fight for you regardless of what happens.”
>“That doesn’t sound particularly convincing. Are you nervous about seeing the Blue Lions again?” TreeHouses QM
>>5650326 “I’m…terrified.” He says, placing his tools down. “We were only together for less than a year. At this point, I’ve been away from them longer than I’ve actually known them. Leaving the Blue Lions to join the Black Eagles was one thing. We were just in school. Sure, they were disappointed, but we were all still friends at the end of the day. But now…I fought for the Dukedom for almost five years. I’ve killed Kingdom soldiers in the name of my former lord. That’s not just swapping houses. As far as Dimitri would be concerned, that’s just treason. And I can’t say he’s wrong. I committed treason against my King and country. I regret it, and I wish things could have been different somehow, but it’s far too late now.”
>“But you’re coming back. You’re making amends for all of that and backing up the Kingdom in what could very well be the decisive battle of the war. Surely that must count for something?” “I don’t know if they’ll see it that way. And I can’t exactly fault them for that either. If Sebastian wanted me dead, I imagine the others might as well.” Ashe says bitterly.
A thought crosses your head. One you’d failed to think of before when making your choice. What Ashe is saying is true. In the eyes of the Kingdom, he was a deserter at best, a traitor at worst. While it’s true that he’d parted ways with the Dukedom and was a Blackwing now, there were those in the Kingdom who may not look at him kindly. Worse yet, you feared what King Dimitri himself might do. The two were close classmates back at the academy, but if he was anything still like the last time you’d seen him, then it was hard to say whether he’d have any compassion left for Ashe. Even if you were to claim that the Sniper was now a critical component of your company, it may not be enough to save him. Worse yet, it might cast the Blackwings in a suspicious light.
>A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you.
>B): Take your chances and try your best to defend Ashe if possible, without hiding his identity. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you. Dimitri WILL go ballistic. Ashe has shed his past when he joined the Blackwings - let his true name remain secret.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >>B): Take your chances and try your best to defend Ashe if possible, without hiding his identity. Hiding him will just make the problem worse. And the split in Faerghus has to be resolved without just killing everyone who fought on one side, allowing people to defect (again) is important.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >B): Take your chances and try your best to defend Ashe if possible, without hiding his identity. It would be a shame if we had to tie up Ashe and leave him in a wagon, regularly visiting him to keep his spirits up. He wouldn't like it at first, but he'll learn.
In the end, the relationship between Ashe and Blair isn't one of equals. Equals means that Ashe has a say, and we can't have Ashe saying anything besides "I love you". Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >>A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you. Ashe is our personal property, no touchy.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >>B): Take your chances and try your best to defend Ashe if possible, without hiding his identity. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 You know what Dimitri is still currently fucking nuts so this might be sneaky but I worry for Ashe's safety.
>A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you. Also maybe not order but strongly suggest
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you. This situation is gonna be dicey as it is. If Blair's gonna even try to diplomacy discretion is the better part of valor.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >>B): Take your chances and try your best to defend Ashe if possible, without hiding his identity. We have to make it clear to everyone that Ashe is here as our personal prisoner
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >A): Order Ashe to disguise his identity while working with the Faerghus Army. The Kingdom should have no idea he’s with you. TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
A's have it. Writing
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5650329 >You clutch Ashe’s face in your hands so that he is making direct eye contact with you. “Listen to me. For the duration of our time working with the Faerghus army, you are to disguise your identity. I don’t care if you wear a mask or shave your head or grow a beard, but under no circumstances are you to reveal who you are. That’s a direct order from your commander.” “What? But Blair-”
>“But nothing. You’ve only been with the company for an incredibly short time. They should have no idea that you’ve left the Dukedom and joined with me. If you do as I say, they’ll have no reason to suspect you. They’ll think you’re just another one of my ‘eccentric’ band of killers that I keep around. Goddess knows we have plenty of those types to go around here.” “It feels like I’m hiding is all…”
>“If the alternative is watching Dimitri order that you be sent to the gallows, then I’m willing to hide you away from all prying eyes. I know there’s much you’d probably like to say to your former classmates. I’m mor than willing to tread carefully and find out what their thoughts on you are. But I won’t risk your life in such a stupid way, having you walk into a lion’s den. I’m here to protect you.” “You know, in relationships it’s the usually the man who’s supposed to say things like that.”
“What can I say? I’ve never been an ordinary woman.”
Ashe sighs, before giving you a tired smile. “Very well. If it’s an order from my commander, I can’t refuse, can I?”
>“Not unless you want to be flogged for insubordination. Now come, all this prattling has me even more restless than usual.” The next day, the Blackwings depart Derdriu without much fanfare. The city has seemed to erupt into a pro-war fervor overnight. You can hardly blame them. Years of fearing that the Empire would come and carve up their country have finally boiled over now that the Alliance has reunified. With little in the way of fighting save for their encounters with Almyra, Leicester’s army should be many times fresher than that of the Kingdom’s. Still, that itself would not be without its downsides. Only a fraction of the army would have any real combat experience. You also had your doubts on how quickly and cohesively a military that was divided in two only yesterday would come together. Claude and the others would have their work cut out for them. You wished them the best, but your destiny lay elsewhere.
The messenger from Faerghus had informed you that Dimitri planned to use the newly captured Great Bridge of Myrddin to cross over into Gronder. By now, their army was likely already within Leicester territory, closing in on their destination. Something that you were sure no doubt infuriated the lords of the Alliance. Fortunately for you though, Derdriu’s proximity to the Great Bridge allows you to reach the Faerghus army in a quick manner.
TreeHouses QM
>>5650329 >You clutch Ashe’s face in your hands so that he is making direct eye contact with you. “Listen to me. For the duration of our time working with the Faerghus army, you are to disguise your identity. I don’t care if you wear a mask or shave your head or grow a beard, but under no circumstances are you to reveal who you are. That’s a direct order from your commander.” “What? But Blair-”
>“But nothing. You’ve only been with the company for an incredibly short time. They should have no idea that you’ve left the Dukedom and joined with me. If you do as I say, they’ll have no reason to suspect you. They’ll think you’re just another one of my ‘eccentric’ band of killers that I keep around. Goddess knows we have plenty of those types to go around here.” “It feels like I’m hiding is all…”
>“If the alternative is watching Dimitri order that you be sent to the gallows, then I’m willing to hide you away from all prying eyes. I know there’s much you’d probably like to say to your former classmates. I’m mor than willing to tread carefully and find out what their thoughts on you are. But I won’t risk your life in such a stupid way, having you walk into a lion’s den. I’m here to protect you.” “You know, in relationships it’s the usually the man who’s supposed to say things like that.”
>“What can I say? I’ve never been an ordinary woman.” Ashe sighs, before giving you a tired smile. “Very well. If it’s an order from my commander, I can’t refuse, can I?”
>“Not unless you want to be flogged for insubordination. Now come, all this prattling has me even more restless than usual.” The next day, the Blackwings depart Derdriu without much fanfare. The city has seemed to erupt into a pro-war fervor overnight. You can hardly blame them. Years of fearing that the Empire would come and carve up their country have finally boiled over now that the Alliance has reunified. With little in the way of fighting save for their encounters with Almyra, Leicester’s army should be many times fresher than that of the Kingdom’s. Still, that itself would not be without its downsides. Only a fraction of the army would have any real combat experience. You also had your doubts on how quickly and cohesively a military that was divided in two only yesterday would come together. Claude and the others would have their work cut out for them. You wished them the best, but your destiny lay elsewhere.
The messenger from Faerghus had informed you that Dimitri planned to use the newly captured Great Bridge of Myrddin to cross over into Gronder. By now, their army was likely already within Leicester territory, closing in on their destination. Something that you were sure no doubt infuriated the lords of the Alliance. Fortunately for you though, Derdriu’s proximity to the Great Bridge allows you to reach the Faerghus army in a quick manner.
TreeHouses QM
>>5651552 “Halt! State your business!” The camp’s guard shouts as you approach him. He has already drawn his spear and has it pointed towards your direction. Not very hospitable it seems, these knights of Faerghus.
>“Blair Weaver, Commander of the Blackwings. Duke Rodrigue of Faerghus has requested our presence.” The camp sentry looks at you with some suspicion. As you get a closer look at him, you notice that his armor is worn and damaged. One of the shoulder plates appears to have been smashed off as if by a blunt weapon. There are also several fresh-looking cuts and gashes across both his arms and face, as if he’d been in several fights only recently. More telling though is the look in his eyes. Perhaps it’s just that he’s been at his post all night, but the man looks as if he’s hardly gotten any sleep. His eyes are tired, vacant, and lifeless.
“The Blackwings…we’ve been expecting you.” He puts his spear away and extends his arm to let you pass. “Duke Fraldarius is meeting with the King and the other lords. You’re free to enter the camp, but don’t wander too far, and don’t get too comfortable. We aren’t staying here for long.”
>A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp >B): Observe the state of the Kingdom’s army. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >>A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >B): Observe the state of the Kingdom’s army. Anonymous
>>5651554 >A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp >“Not unless you want to be flogged for insubordination. Now come, all this prattling has me even more restless than usual.” Bring out the flog anyway Blair Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp >>5651607 Blair did flog someone that night, not for insubordination though Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >>B): Observe the state of the Kingdom’s army. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >>A): Attempt to find a familiar face within the Kingdom’s Camp Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5651554 >>B): Observe the state of the Kingdom’s army. Know yourself! And then your enemy. If Blair is throwing her lot in with the Kingdom then she should know how far they can be trusted. Are they bloodied but resolved, or are they desperate?
TreeHouses QM
>>5651554 “This is some crowd.” Corrine muses next to you. “I’ve seen graveyards livelier than this. You’d almost think they’ve already given up.”
Corrine isn’t wrong. The morale of the Kingdom’s camp seems to be shockingly low. You’ve never seen soldiers quite as quiet as these. Those few that do engage in conversation do so in muted mutters. Even the arrival of the Blackwings, which should have prompted some interested stares from the crowd, does nothing to stir these soldiers of Faerghus. At best, you and your men are spared a few disinterested and curious glances. Much like the sentry you’d seen posted at the camp’s gate, these soldiers wear worn out and used gear and equipment. From a quick glance, it looks as though resupplies have been an infrequent occurrence.
>“Corrine, get the men settled in. I’m going to see if I can find any familiar faces amongst the crowd. I imagine Duke Fraldarius will be summoning us shortly, so be ready. I’ll want you with me when we meet the king. You were there as well when we saved him outside Charon. Hopefully our presence will trigger some goodwill in him.” Corrine sighs. “I wouldn’t hold my breath, but sure. I’ll take care of things here.”
You stroll around the hastily put-together camp, head on a swivel on the lookout for any members of the Blue Lions. Before you arrived in the camp, you’d seen Ashe borrowing a knight’s helm that had been sitting in storage from Milly. With his face obscured completely, he was unlikely to be recognized by anyone from the academy who might spot him. As you walk through rows of worn-out tents, you keep an eye on the Faerghus soldiers present. The usual excitement that follows an army on the move is nowhere to be seen. One didn’t need to attend Garreg Mach to see that this was an army that had been on the losing side of a five-year war. Still, if there was anything positive you could say about the situation, it was that each man that you encountered seemed as though they were veterans. They’d survived the worst that the Empire could throw at them and had emerged all the stronger for it.
As you continue walking through the camp, you stumble across what must pass for their infirmary. Rows of sick and injured soldiers lay on the ground in cots, being tended to by the army’s medics. One such medic is in the midst of finishing her work, wrapping up a broken arm in a thick padded cloth. Even after five years and a change in hairstyle, you’re able to instantly recognize Mercedes von Martritz. Amidst the agony and torment of those injured soldiers, the woman retains the same grace and beauty she always had. You approach her in a hurry, shoving past the guard who tries to stop you.
“Ma’am, this area is for injured soldiers only.” Mercedes says, looking up at you. “If you require assistance, I ask that you wait until I’ve finished attending to these soldiers.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5653460 >“Mercedes! It’s me, Blair!” “Blair?” She squints her eyes, taking you in, before they open in surprise and shock. “Blair! Is that really you?!” She leaves her charge to wrap you in the biggest hug you’ve ever received, squeezing you tightly. You can hardly breathe, but you return the gesture, lifting her up. “It’s been so long! I’m glad to see that you’re still safe and well. And I love what you’ve done with your hair!” Mercedes says gleefully, brushing aside your bangs. “You’ve really grown up haven’t you, Blair?”
>“It’s been so long. I haven’t seen you since Charon when we all spent the night at that tavern. It feels like a lifetime ago! Are the others here with you as well?” She nods. “Yes! Annette is working with some of the mages here, and Felix should be off somewhere training no doubt. As for Sylvain and Dedue, they’re probably with…Dimitri.” You notice her tone change, and the smile that she wears shows the faintest sign of a crack. You always thought Mercedes looked radiant, but just like all the other soldiers you’ve seen so far in this camp, the bags under her eyes suggest the faintest trace of fatigue.
>“Duke Fraldarius had penned a letter to me. He requested that I take the Blackwings and join forces with you here at Gronder Field. We’ll be fighting together against the Empire.” “Oh…we will?” Mercedes’ smile has now completely vanished. The girl was never one for violence, but you can see plain as day that she’s deeply uncomfortable in this environment. “Blair…I’m so happy to see you again. My heart is singing with joy that you’ve survived all the terrible ordeals I’m sure you’ve been put through. But…why? Why would you come here? This isn’t your battle. Don’t throw your life away here. Please.”
>“Mercedes…I wanted to come and help you. Working together, I believe we may stand a chance against the Empire. If we can defeat them here at Gronder, we can turn the entire war on its head. I haven’t forgotten our friendship, as well as the hospitality you all showed me at Charon.” Your words do little to lift the girl’s spirits.
>“The battle hasn’t even started and you and everyone else I’ve seen are acting like we’ve already lost! Have some faith. We’ve fought together plenty of times before, and always won. We’ll just have to do it again.” Mercedes holds onto your hands tightly. “I hope you’re right.” She doesn’t make eye-contact.
>A): Ask Mercedes how things have been in Faerghus >B): Inquire about Dimitri’s state of mind >C): Ask how she and the others feel about Ashe >D): Write-in Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >C): Ask how she and the others feel about Ashe Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >B): Inquire about Dimitri’s state of mind Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >>A): Ask Mercedes how things have been in Faerghus Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >>B): Inquire about Dimitri’s state of mind Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >>B): Inquire about Dimitri’s state of mind Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >C): Ask how she and the others feel about Ashe Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5653462 >B): Inquire about Dimitri’s state of mind We can guess about the state of the Kingdom, but if she has any insight on how to sway the mad boar, then it's very good intel.
TreeHouses QM
>>5653462 >“How is Dimitri these days? I haven’t seen him since the battle at Bulgar. I recall that he wasn’t…exactly himself back then. Is he doing any better now?” Mercedes purses her lips. Her eyes are no longer on you, but on the various soldiers present. After the injured man that she was healing takes his leave and the two of you are finally left alone does she finally answer your question. “The Dimitri you knew from the Academy is long gone, Blair. The changes were subtle at first. Small ticks, here and there. A dark comment or a foul mood. But as the war has stretched and more lives have been lost, I’m afraid he’s been completely consumed by his desire for vengeance against Edelgard. He trusts no one, and he’s become fixated on this march, so much so that he was willing to abandon whatever territory the Kingdom had left to embark on it. The battle at Gronder is to be the Kingdom’s final do or die moment. There’s nothing he isn’t willing to sacrifice, including his own life, if it means destroying Edelgard.”
>“The morale around camp seemed to be…exceedingly low.” “Can you blame them?” Mercedes gives an exasperated sigh. “They’re all loyal knights of Faerghus who will follow their king to hell and back. They have been fighting the Empire for years and have seen many of their friends and family perish in battle. All they have left is to place whatever is left of their faith in Dimitri and give it all one final push. I fear that they’ve made peace with the situation and are ready to die out there.”
>“Is there anything we can do? Surely this can’t be as hopeless of a situation as you’re making it seem. What of Leicester? I know that Claude had proposed that the Kingdom form an Alliance with them. With the two of our forces combined, we’d stand a much greater chance of achieving victory.” Mercedes shakes her head solemnly. “Perhaps you are right, but Dimitri does not trust Claude. He thinks him a schemer. He holds a grudge against Claude for not doing more to fight against the Empire, and even believes that he may be plotting to take advantage of the Kingdom in its weakened state. To use us as a buffer against the Empire and then to swoop in once we’ve exhausted them. Whether that’s true or not, it’s what he believes, and there are few within this camp that would dare to question their King’s command.” She looks at you with sudden passion. “Blair, if you are to meet with Dimitri, you must not try and provoke him. I know that you’re coming from the Alliance, and I know that you have your own ideas about how this battle should be run. But you must understand, he’s made up his mind already. This battle will proceed the way Dimitri wishes it to. I fear that if you antagonize him, it may spell trouble for you.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5654331 Before you can respond, you are interrupted by the arrival of a knight of Faerghus who addresses you.
“Commander Blair. Duke Fraldarius requests your presence in the command tent. You are to follow me immediately.”
Mercedes gives your hand a parting squeeze and a weak smile. “We’ll speak more later, I’m sure. Good luck, Blair.”
You are guided by the soldier back through the camp and into what must pass as the command tent. You enter the comfortably large dwelling and find Corrine already there waiting for you, along with a handful of knights and nobles of Faerghus. Inside is a large table, covered in various maps and trinkets that you take are meant to symbolize the various divisions of the Kingdom’s army. Amongst the soldiers present, you spot a few familiar faces.
“Is that Blair?!” Sylvain cries, astonished. “When did you get so cut-uhh…it’s good to see you again! It’s been too long!” He’s matured in the face somewhat, and grown quite a bit as well, but he’s still the same ardent womanizer you remember from the academy.
“Blair.” Felix gives you a curt nod. “It’s good to have you with us.” Felix as well, seems to have not changed as much. He’s still as direct as ever. You note the large shield strapped to his back. The Aegis Shield, one of the Heroes Relics, pulsates slowly, as if it were a beating heart. Next to Felix is his father and your one-time employer, Duke Rodrigue Fraldarius.
“Blair.” Rodrigue says with a noticeable hint of relief in his voice. “I must thank you for heeding our call and arriving here as quickly as you did. Your help is greatly appreciated and will be a boon at Gronder. With the Blackwings on our side, we’ll have full control of the skies.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5654332 Your eyes fall on the far end of the room. Dedue, ever Dimitri’s faithful servant, stands by his side and gives you a polite nod. Dimitri, meanwhile, has his only remaining eye fixated on you. His armor is chipped and scarred, with traces of mud splattered on it. You can tell immediately from his body language and expression that he’s hardly paid any attention to the proceedings in the room, and the look he gives you is almost enough to cause you to take a step back. Instead, you and Corrine bow in the presence of him and the other nobles.
>“King Dimitri. My lords. Thank you for welcoming us into your camp. I am looking forward to working together with each of you. The Blackwings are at you-” “Who sent for this woman?” Dimitri interrupts you. As if in an instant, any good cheer that had been in the room has been sucked dry.
“My lord.” Rodrigue answers. “I did. We had spoken of employing mercenaries at Gronder, and the Blackwings are-”
“Are in the service of the Leicester Alliance.” Dimitri cuts him off. “I seem to recall them joining that snake Claude, even after the Kingdom had funded them with the gold necessary to start their company. So, tell me, Blair d’Rusalka.” He spits out your name with venom. “Why have you come here? Is this perhaps one of your lord’s famous tricks? Should I have you dealt with now before you betray us on the battlefield?”
>A): I am no longer in Claude’s service and wish to pledge myself to the Kingdom once more. >B): I am a mercenary. It’s only natural that our allegiances may change during the course of the war. >C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. >D): Write-in Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >>B): I am a mercenary. It’s only natural that our allegiances may change during the course of the war. Anonymous
>>5654335 The A options a bit too nice and would make Dimitri doubt, the B option would just make him say that our allegiance can change even to the empire, The C option looks the best but I want to try making my own option.
>D): I was hired by him yes but I didn't pledge my full alliance to him, while he wished to use me in the battle on his side I have decided to join you instead, a fact he considered foolish and tried to argue against but I've made up my mind, I want to aid the Kingdom in the coming battle. Hopefully adding in that Claude didn't like our decision might ease him? Hoping.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. I guess if we want anything done, we'll need to go around the mad king
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >>C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >D): I was hired by him yes but I didn't pledge my full alliance to him, while he wished to use me in the battle on his side I have decided to join you instead, a fact he considered foolish and tried to argue against but I've made up my mind, I want to aid the Kingdom in the coming battle. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >>C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>“Is that Blair?!” Sylvain cries, astonished. “When did you get so cut-uhh…it’s good to see you again! It’s been too long!” We've come a long way since that day we 'knighted' him in the sauna. Good times. I wonder if pic related is still possible or if the height difference has evened things out.
Or if we're tall enough to turn it on him-- though I don't know how tall we've gotten since then. And man, I knew Dimitri would be in a pretty bad spot, but I didn't think it'd be *this* bad. We're definitely going to have to try and influence the other commanders to try and coordinate stuff, if at all possible-- though considering how loyal
or afraid they are, we're probably not going to have a lot of wiggle room.
>>5654335 >C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. Anonymous
>>5654389 Supporting.
C is simply way too passive. We would be acting as if we had no real allegiance to the kingdom other than repaying a debt, being as paranoid as he is right now, we can't take any chances.
On a side note, finally finished reading two year's worth of FE questing. Great job QM this is peak.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5654335 >C): I wished to pay the Kingdom back for the good it did me and assist you in your battle. Also couldn't bear to fight our friends, it would be too much.
Caspar is going to be on the Empire's side in this battle, isn't he? Goddamn his dad is probably going to die here too. This is going to be so fucked up. TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
C wins. Writing.
>>5654746 Glad to have you onboard anon!
TreeHouses QM
>>5654335 >You’re surprised at just how quickly this entire situation has turned south. You imagined you might have some explaining to do once you came face to face with Dimitri again, but you had no idea things would turn this hostile. If he had any goodwill for the work you’d done for him in the past, it was long gone. Still, you might as well try. “Your Grace, I came here because I wished to pay the Kingdom back for all the good it did me. I am not here in any capacity for Claude and the Alliance. I simply wish to help you as a friend of the Kingdom.” “You call yourself a friend, and yet you were quick to accept the schemer’s gold once offered to you.” Dimitri answers. “Was the promise of nobility under the Kingdom too tantalizing an offer for you to reject?”
>By now, with what Mercedes had told you and finally seeing him for yourself, you feel as though you’ve gained a good grasp on Dimitri. You decide to try appealing to his newfound interests. “Your Grace…I have always been forward that my enemy is the Adrestian Empire, as well as the snakes who control it from within. Since joining with Claude, I have fought primarily against the Empire, and vanquished many of those snakes slithering in the dark within its ranks. Now, I wish to renew my pledge to you, and continue rooting out those fiends. That is, and has always been, my priority.” Dimitri’s eye narrows as he takes you in deeper. “Ahh yes, the specters you were so fond of. I’ll hold you to your word, sellsword, but I will brook no tricks from you. Should I sense a hint of betrayal or deception from you, I will have no issue slaying you like the Imperial you really are.”
Rodrigue clears his throat. “My lord, the Blackwings have done much good for us in the past. I trust that Blair and her company will be a strong addition to our ranks. Now that she’s here, I’d like to discuss our next move, if you would allow.”
Dimitri waves him off. “Go on.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Rodrigue bows, before addressing you and the others present. “At our current pace, we are set to arrive at Gronder Field within two days. Preliminary scouting from our pegasus knights suggests that the Empire’s army likely numbers around 10,000. This includes regular infantry, as well as spellcasters and calvary, both grounded and flying. There are also likely an unknown number of Demonic Beasts being shepherded through as well. Furthermore, the flag of House Hresvelg has been seen at the helm of their host, suggesting that it is likely none other than the Adrestian Empire herself leading this army.”
“Edelgard…” Dimitri mutters under his breath. “You finally show yourself. How nice of you to meet me at Gronder rather than make me go all the way to Enbarr to rip your black heart out.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5655112 “At 10,000 soldiers, we’re outnumbered quote badly.” Sylvain interjects, ignoring Dimitri’s ravings. “We’re only sitting at about 2,000 soldiers ourselves. Perhaps 2,200 now with the addition of the Blackwings.”
“Our troop quality should be far greater than theirs.” Felix says. “Most of the Empire’s experienced soldiers were taken out at Myrddin or are still stationed within Western Faerghus. Many of the troops under Edelgard should be fresh conscripts. We can more than make up for our numerical disadvantage. The ones we should be watching out for are House Bergliez. Gronder lies within their territory, and Leopold von Bergliez is considered to be the greatest general the Empire has. The troops under his command will present us the greatest difficulty.”
Bergliez? This must be Caspar’s father. Tales of his strength had reached you even back during your days at Castle Rusalka. He would be a formidable foe indeed.
“What of the others?” Sylvain asks. “Will the Knights of Seiros be partaking in this battle?”
An orange-haired knight answers Sylvain. You recall seeing this man back at Garreg Mach and believe that his name was Gilbert. “We’re still awaiting numbers on the Alliance’s forces. As for the Knights of Seiros…Lord Seteth has declined our offer to join forces at Gronder. He says that the Knights suffered heavy losses taking Myrddin and will require some time to recover.”
“Cowards.” Dimitri seethes. “To think that professor I’ve heard so much about would back out at a time like this. It matters not. We do not need her.”
“Our best bet at victory lies in dealing a fatal blow to the Empress.” Rodrigue says. “A protracted battle will only increase the chances of our downfall. Tend to your men and ensure that they are ready to fight. As we draw closer to Gronder and get a better view of the situation, I will call you all back to discuss our strategy. For now, you are dismissed.”
You exit the command tent alongside Corrine, who looks positively furious. You can hardly blame her. The way Dimitri spoke to you made it clear that he cares very little about your presence here and could possibly even intend to use your forces as cannon fodder.
TreeHouses QM
>>5655113 “What an utter face. I hope you know what you’re doing here.” She says. “The way I see it, these fools are a lost cause.”
“Blair! Over here!” You turn around to find Sylvain and Felix approaching you. Before you can answer Corrine, she storms off towards the direction of the other Blackwings.
Sylvain wraps you in a big hug. “My favorite pegasus knight! Just don’t tell Ingrid I said that. Thank the Goddess you’ve made it through all this alive. And you’ve somehow emerged with even greater beauty than before! It almost seems as though the war has been good for you.”
“Let her go, Sylvain.” Felix says. “It’s hard to find competent help these days. I’m afraid if you hold onto her any longer, she may turn tail and flee the army.”
>A): Ask the two how they’ve been >B): Ask how they feel about the upcoming battle >C): Ask how they feel about Ashe >D): Ask how they feel about Dimitri >E): Write-in Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 05 May 2023 02:36:22 No. 5655122 Report >>5655114 >C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Man almost forgot to put on my regular username for this thread... Also that interaction with Gilbert and Dimitri, is it implying Byleth won't join here? Because uh... Yikes.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>B): Ask how they feel about the upcoming battle We're so fucking dead
Anonymous
>>5655114 >A): Ask the two how they’ve been Anonymous
>>5655114 >C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Anonymous
>>5655114 >E): Ask how they feel about the Alliance and if they'd be willing to battle alongside them. Maybe (meat) Grinder Field wasn't such a good idea... Don't let our men know, though.
Either way, we need to make sure that the people in the field won't be attacking potentially friendly troops.
Anonymous
>>5655233 Supporting.
If we can't reason with the boar the best chance we have is to reason with his subordinates. Dimitri could face Edelgard straight on cutting everyone in his path, but we could convince the rest of the army not to attack the alliance.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655122 Yep. This is the Silver Snow Battle of Gronder-- everyone pretty much dies here without some intervention, iirc.
>>5655114 >B): Ask how they feel about the upcoming battle Dimitri's a lost cause, but his commanders still have some shred of sanity, I'm sure. If we can't get them to work together with the Alliance as a single, unified force, then we can at least be two separate forces striking the Empire at the same time. It's certainly better than just attacking indiscriminately, anyway.
Anonymous
>>5655114 >B): Ask how they feel about the upcoming battle Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>5655190 Changing my vote to
>C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Anonymous
>>5655233 +1, seems like a plan
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>5655229 Switching to
>E): Ask how they feel about the Alliance and if they'd be willing to battle alongside them. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>E): Ask how they feel about the Alliance and if they'd be willing to battle alongside them. Anonymous
>>5655114 Switching my vote
>>5655378 to
>>5655233 Phoneposting so sorry if my ID switched
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >>C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Anonymous
>>5655114 >B): Ask how they feel about the upcoming battle >>5655233 >>5655276 >>5655580 >>5655626 >>5655871 >Dimitri suspects us of being spies and traitors >'No were' not, we're here to repay our debts to the Kingdom' >immediately starts acting like a spy and feeling out if any of the commanders in the Kingdom army are amicable to the Alliance Excellent, lets get ourselves killed by Dimitri as quickly as possible. At least then we'll not have to participate in the battle.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656323 That's the main reason I switched to ask about how they feel about Ashe. Sure it's not as ideal, but it's better than the write-in.
Anonymous
>>5656323 Fair, but we're reasoning with Felix and Sylvain here, not Dimitri. No reason not to persuade them to focus their men fighting the empire and ignore the Alliance. Dimitri wouldn't even notice as he would be too focused on crushing Edelgard's forces.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5655114 >C): Ask how they feel about Ashe Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656366 And who's to say Dimitri won't find out about this discussion? Who's to say Felix and Sylvain will value their friendship with us over their loyalty to Dimitri? Dimitri literally just called us out during the Strategy Meeting because he thought we were here to run errands or spy for Claude. We assured him and all the commanders present that we're not here on Claude's behalf, including Felix and Sylvain. And now we're doing just that.
We're doing what Dimitri said we were, and even if he's mad beyond belief and they follow him only because that's what a loyal subject would do, at least Felix out of the two is clever enough to go 'The Boar is mad, but his paranoia pays off now and again. Better report this to Dimitri'.
Best case scenario of this write in is that both Felix and Sylvain tell us off and that they'll overlook this gross overstep just this once. Worst case scenario is that we get ourselves and the Blackwings executed by the Kingdom for being traitors.
>>5656323 >>5655114 Swapping votes to:
>C): Ask how they feel about Ashe I don't like this choice either, it's the most inflamatory of the four given and is bound to create uneccessary tension just before the battle, but it's significantly better than this write in.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
Looks like E wins by one. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5655114 At first glance, Sylvain and Felix appear to have not changed much in their personalities since your time together at Garreg Mach. Sylvain is still as much of a womanizer as ever, while Felix is still reserved, blunt and to the point.
“Sorry you had to go through that in there, Blair.” Sylvain says apologetically. “Dimitri’s heart is in the right place, but he’s been through a lot since the battle at the monastery all those years ago. I understand that he can be a bit hard to talk to. But trust me when I say that you and the Blackwings are a much needed and welcome addition to our band here. We all heard about your battle with the Almyrans at Fodlan’s Locket. You’ve really gone and made a name for yourself!”
>“Thank you, but there’s no need to apologize. I suppose it’s only natural that Dimitri should regard me with some measure of suspicion given my proximity to Claude over the last year. Still, what do the two of you think? Would you be willing to battle alongside the Alliance? If Lord Rodrigue’s estimate of 10,000 soldiers is accurate, that’s a major numerical disadvantage we find ourselves in. Even if the majority of the enemy were conscripts, we’d have a hard time cutting through them to make it to Edelgard.” “I suggest you end that line of thinking there.” Felix says. “Partnering with the Alliance has been a subject of great debate around here, and it does have its merits. Ultimately though, it’s Dimitri’s decision, and it won’t be happening. We’ve petitioned the Alliance for aid in the past, only to be met with denials and claims that they had their own problems to deal with. Now that the Knights of Seiros have saved them from collapsing overnight, they seek to reach out and join hands? It’s obvious that Claude is only now giving us the time of day because he stands to gain from the Empire’s defeat at Gronder.”
“Dimitri believes that Claude wishes to use us as a battering ram against the Empire.” Says Sylvain. “To soften them up so that he can then swoop in and take the victory. Honestly, he might be right. I can’t say that guy ever seemed like the altruistic type back at Garreg Mach. If his plan worked, then the Alliance would have the strongest and freshest military in Fodlan. Claude may seem like a nice guy, but he isn’t the type to just sit back and do nothing with that power. We’d be trading in one Edelgard for another.”
>“Does that mean that we intend to fight the Alliance out there as well?” Felix shrugs. “As long as they don’t get in our way, I don’t really care what they do. But if they become a threat to the Kingdom, then I’m fully prepared to cut them down, same as if they were imperial soldiers.”
>“So, it would be a three-way battle out there. The loss of life on all sides would be immense.” TreeHouses QM
>>5656663 “I wouldn’t concern yourself with any losses but our own.” Felix says. “I have no issues with you, Blair. But as you’ve seen for yourself, the Boar King is quick to mistrust. Everyone here at camp is willing to follow his lead. For us to succeed at Gronder, it will require everyone being on the same page. Individual soldiers acting on their own wants and desires will only serve to drag us down.”
>“I understand.” You weren’t sure whether you were just paying lip service or not. If the plan really was to go at it independently, then it was true that Faerghus would need every soldier backing the plan. The numbers at their disposal would not allow for any alternatives. You just weren’t sure if this ‘plan’ made any sense to you. Still, Felix was right about one thing. You were here in the capacity of a mercenary, serving an army of knights fanatically devoted to their liege lord. The leadership of this army had no interest in you taking over their strategy. If you pushed the idea of allying with the Leicester Alliance any further, it could spell grave consequences for you and yours. “Enough about Gronder already.” Sylvain groans. “If that battlefield is to be my last then for the love of the Goddess lets at least not spend the final moments we have droning on about it as well.” He claps you on the shoulder. “Come Blair, I’m in need of some good cheer. Have you seen Ingrid and Annette yet? Let’s drink the night away and talk about the good old days. Bring Corrine too! Her lovely presence is always welcome.”
>A): Go with Sylvain and the others >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control Anonymous
Quoted By:
>“I suggest you end that line of thinking there. Partnering with the Alliance has been a subject of great debate around here, and it does have its merits. Ultimately though, it’s Dimitri’s decision, and it won’t be happening." >If you pushed the idea of allying with the Leicester Alliance any further, it could spell grave consequences for you and yours. 2 + 2 = 4. How astonishing, who could've predicted this. Doing exactly what we promised the Mad Boar we weren't doing would've lead to dire consequences, why I never! Thankfully B-support with both of these characters seems to have saved us from outright being executed.
>>5656664 >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control We've already said the wrong things, spending a night drinking is going to make us say more things we shouldn't. Especially with Ingrid around it's bound to get heated, and then it's possible our friendship with the Lions aren't enough to protect us anymore.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >>A): Go with Sylvain and the others Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control Yeah that was pretty dumb. We basically didn't get anything done, and A will probably go badly as well like the other anon said.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control Is this the first time double write ins actually made things worse
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control It was a big gamble which didn't pay off at all. At least we conveyed to them the immense disadvantage they would be at by forcing a battle with both, although that will do nothing if the Alliance decides to get in the Kingdom's way.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Oof, this is rough. Not unexpected, though.
>>5656664 >A): Go with Sylvain and the others Eh, we've got a C-Support with Ingrid and Annette. They're probably going to die, so we should check in, at least.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >>B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >A): Go with Sylvain and the others Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >>A): Go with Sylvain and the others Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5656664 >B): Stay with the Blackwings and make sure things are under control TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
B wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5656664 >“I appreciate the invitation, Sylvain. But I should head back and check in on the Blackwings. As Felix said, we’ll all need to be on the same page for this upcoming battle. It’s my responsibility to make sure that my mercenaries are fully ready for what’s to come.” Sylvain looks disappointed but does not offer a challenge. “If you say so. I still owe you for helping me retrieve the Lance of Ruin though. I’d love to be able to pay you back for that. Hopefully while I’m still able to.” He gives an awkward laugh that causes Felix to give him a scathing stare.
You make your way back to where the Blackwings have stationed themselves in camp. Fortunately for you, Corrine has done an excellent job as your second in ensuring that each mercenary knows where they should be and who they should be reporting to. You find that there’s very little to do right now as you walk around the camp. Eventually, you’re stopped by a familiar face.
“Oy.” Anemone calls out to you. She’s leaning against a half-open tent. As you take a peek inside, you can see Eulalia hard at work on something. The sound of clanging metal assails you even from where you are standing.
>“How are you enjoying the camp?” You ask the Agarthan. “It must be a change of pace for you to be surrounded by all these people.” “Not particularly.” Anemone responds. “I’ve been undercover in human settlements for years now. Staying with a group of mercenaries isn’t anything too unusual for me.”
>“Tell me, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the current situation.” “Honestly?” She leans even further back, staring towards the sky. “I think this whole thing is idiotic. And I’m a bit surprised you’d be willing to be part of it.”
>“Not one to mince words are you?” You wince. “You know full well who the true enemy is.” Anemone says. “The Empire is a mere distraction that they employ to divert attention from themselves. Furthermore, the morale in this camp is deathly low. It seems as if the knights of Faerghus have already come to accept their imminent death. I just can’t help but think there’s something better we could be doing with our time. The way I see it, the Kingdom of Faerghus is a lost cause. Better to leave it to be destroyed, than to be caught up with it.”
>“With your help, the chances that we win would be increased. Won’t you lend us a hand?” Anemone shakes her head. “I already told you. I have no interest in your human conflicts.” She pauses for a moment, before continuing. “That being said…I believe there’s a good chance that the Empire may utilize the Agarthans in their ranks. This appears to be a dire battle for Adrestia. One that they cannot afford to lose. I don’t plan on helping you battle against the rank-and-file imperial soldier. However, should I sense the presence of Agarthan influencers out there, then I believe this would be the perfect opportunity to eliminate them."
TreeHouses QM
>>5658087 >“Do you believe we may encounter another Sage out there?” “It’s certainly possible. They won’t just let all the work they’ve put into corrupting the Empire go to waste. If we do find any Agarthans out there, you can be sure I’ll be close by to strike them down.”
>“I suppose I can be at least grateful for at least that.” You sigh. “Take what you can get.” Anemone says, walking towards you. “I hope you know what you are doing. I’ve grown somewhat fond of you, Blair. And I’m relying on you to help me root out the rest of Shambhala. I cannot afford you dying here. So, it’s imperative that you succeed, no matter the cost.”
>“Can I rely on whatever Eulalia is cooking up in there?” You gesture towards the tent where the Agarthan is hard at work. “Not yet.” Anemone says. “The state of that spearhead you gave her was horrific to say the least. She’s still at work reconstructing the shaft, as well as putting her own finishing touches on the blade. You won’t have it in time for Gronder I’m afraid. Rest assured though that Eulalia is Arcadia’s foremost expert on blacksmithing. With her at the helm, whatever she cooks up is sure to spell doom for your enemies. All the more reason you must succeed and come back to us alive.”
>“I’m thankful for her support. How is your study into Diogenes’ research going?” Anemone shrugs. “Slow. The madman wasn’t taking me into consideration when documenting what he was up to. Still, I’ve come across some interesting findings in his notes. Apparently, the Empire had discovered the existence of two of the Four Saints, Indech and Maculi.”
>“Four Saints?” You ask quizzically. “You mean the ones that fought alongside Saint Seiros against the King of Liberation? Wouldn’t they be thousands of years old by now?” “Assuming they possessed the blood of the Nabateans, such a feat would hardly be considered difficult for them. Diogenes’ notes indicate that their location had been discovered from secret documents retrieved during the Empire’s occupation of Garreg Mach and deciphered by their allies in the Orthodox Church. The Empire succeeded in slaying the two of them and harnessed their blood for use in Diogenes’ Crest research. That would explain how that bandit woman managed to acquire the Crest of Indech.”
>“Slaying two of the Four Saints…whoever was capable of such a feat would have to be incredibly strong.” “Diogenes’ notes are scant on just who committed the deed. But like I said, I’ve only managed to scratch the surface of what he’d written.”
>You sigh. “Very well, I’ll leave you to it then.” Anemone nods. “Remember what I said. I’m counting on you, Blair. Don’t die.”
You depart from the Agarthan’s tent. Night has fallen. There are a few Blackwings still moving around, seemingly unable to sleep. You approach:
>A): Clay >B): Scratch >C): Corrine >D): Sebastian >E): Diana and Shelley Anonymous
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Mon 08 May 2023 07:11:51 No. 5658171 Report Quoted By:
>>5658090 >>C): Corrine Scratch and Clay would be interesting but man, gotta talk to home girl.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5658090 >D): Sebastian We're finally back, fighting for his home country, after all. I'm interested in seeing what he's got to say.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5658090 >E): Diana and Shelley Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5658090 >D): Sebastian Surely a man like him can bring some encouragement to the Faerghus soldiers.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5658090 >E): Diana and Shelley TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
D wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5658090 Though night has already fallen, the light provided by the camp’s braziers allow you to make out Sebastian training alone. The general is practicing swinging a large two-handed blade that seems far too heavy for someone like you to lift but fits perfectly in his hands. As you approach the sweating man, he acknowledges your presence, though does not cease his drilling.
“Commander.” Sebastian says through his exertion. You can see that beads of sweat are dripping off the man, suggesting he’s been at this already for a while.
>“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to call it a night, Sebastian? How long have you been at this?” “Just a few hours. I need to make sure that I’m well and ready for Gronder Field. We face the toughest battle yet, against overwhelming odds and numbers that dwarf our own. I must be the shield that weathers the storm. The Empire will crash against my bulwark and find themselves lacking. Of that you have my word.”
>“I have no reason to doubt you. You’ve always been a staunch and reliable ally. Tell me, how do you feel about being back amongst the soldiers of Faerghus?” Sebastian stops swinging his blade to take you in. He lets out a sigh before speaking. “At first, I was happy to hear that you’d accepted Duke Fraldarius’ offer. I felt that I’d been away from my king and countrymen for too long. Finally, a chance to fight at their side once more, and in a battle that would decide the fate of the entire Kingdom, no less. It was as if this was the moment my entire life had been leading up to.”
>“And now?” Sebastian grimaces. “I ran into some old friends of mine while here. Fellow knights that I’d once taken my vows with. They filled me in on how things in this army have been. The lack of proper supply and trade routes have forced them to seize assets and supplies from the very villagers they were sworn to protect. Torn into two, the Kingdom has become plagued with bandits and cutthroats, left with no choice but to steal to survive. The King does nothing about it. His only focus has been on Adrestia, and his single-minded obsession with its Empress. Those who do not share the same single-minded enthusiasm for bloodshed as him are accused of being sympathizers for the Empire at best, or collaborators at worst. Many do not return at all. It’s only the Faerghus code of chivalry that is keeping this army together. And I fear even that will not be enough in due time.”
>“To think the Knights of Faerghus could be so blindly loyal that they would still choose to serve the King under such circumstances.” You realize the gravity of your words and who you just said them to. “Apologies, I spoke out of turn.” TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5659114 Sebastian shakes his head. “Truthfully…you’re not wrong. When I became a knight, I swore my oaths to King Lambert, Dimitri’s father. He was a valiant man. One who truly embodied the code of chivalry, and cared for and protected the common man. After his untimely passing, I’d had high hopes that his son would follow in his footsteps. Being here today though…I can’t help but wonder what King Lambert would think of all this. Loyalty to one’s liege is important. It’s the only thing that matters to a knight. But the sort of blind loyalty I see here disgusts me. If my Lord commanded me to cut off his hand, I’d refuse to obey such an order. And yet, Dimitri has caused himself no shortage of grievous harm by his own command, with nary a refusal from those at his side. He’s surrounded with sycophants and cowards, and I fear that the result now means the end of my home. All of my training, all those vows that I once swore, will soon be for nothing.”
>“Sebastian...” “I should be the one to apologize. I’ve spoken out of line. Forgive me. My conversations with my former colleagues has put me in a foul mood. Rest assured that regardless of my feelings, I will fight to my utmost abilities. You can count on me, Blair.”
>Sebastian receives a Silver Blade! (+20 DMG, -5 SPD) You return to your tent, with plenty on your mind to distract you from falling asleep. Tomorrow, you’re to report back to the command tent. You’ve received word that Lord Rodrigue has come up with the battle plan for Gronder Field, where you should arrive in just one more day. You decide to spend the night:
>A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) >B): Reminisce about your time in Rusalka (+2 MAG next battle) >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 DEX next battle) TreeHouses QM
>>5659114 Sebastian shakes his head. “Truthfully…you’re not wrong. When I became a knight, I swore my oaths to King Lambert, Dimitri’s father. He was a valiant man. One who truly embodied the code of chivalry, and cared for and protected the common man. After his untimely passing, I’d had high hopes that his son would follow in his footsteps. Being here today though…I can’t help but wonder what King Lambert would think of all this. Loyalty to one’s liege is important. It’s the only thing that matters to a knight. But the sort of blind loyalty I see here disgusts me. If my Lord commanded me to cut off his hand, I’d refuse to obey such an order. And yet, Dimitri has caused himself no shortage of grievous harm by his own command, with nary a refusal from those at his side. He’s surrounded with sycophants and cowards, and I fear that the result now means the end of my home. All of my training, all those vows that I once swore, will soon be for nothing.”
>“Sebastian...” “I should be the one to apologize. I’ve spoken out of line. Forgive me. My conversations with my former colleagues has put me in a foul mood. Rest assured that regardless of my feelings, I will fight to my utmost abilities. You can count on me, Blair.”
>Sebastian receives a Silver Blade! (+20 DMG, -5 SPD) You return to your tent, with plenty on your mind to distract you from falling asleep. Tomorrow, you’re to report back to the command tent. You’ve received word that Lord Rodrigue has come up with the battle plan for Gronder Field, where you should arrive in just one more day. You decide to spend the night:
>A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) >B): Reminisce about your time in Rusalka (+2 MAG next battle) >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659114 >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) Anonymous
>>5659116 >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >>A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) Oh shiny
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Tue 09 May 2023 07:34:57 No. 5659173 Report Quoted By:
>>5659116 +20 damage? goddamn that's a good sword
>C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) UNTIL HIS BONES BREAK
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) I can't resist.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >>D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) MUST HAVE CUTE BOY
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) Anonymous
>>5659116 >>5659130 I'll change my vote to
>D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) Just to break the tie
Anonymous
>>5659116 >A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) Stop being horny.
Anonymous
>>5659542 The speed bonus is nice though
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659556 Ashekeks finding any excuse to spend time with him.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >A): Going over your old possessions (Receive a new item) Shiny!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >D): Spend the night with Ashe (+2 SPD next battle) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659116 >>5659540 At the risk of flip flopping, I'll change my vote back to:
>>5659130 >C): Remember the time spent with your father (+2 STR next battle) TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
A wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5659116 Your conversation with Sebastian leaves you with much to think about. Returning to your tent and unable to sleep, you begin sorting through your belongings. Within your trunk of knick-knacks, trinkets, and other items of personal importance, you find a curious item that you’d forgotten about. It was a small, green bottle with containing some indistinct liquid. Milly had brewed it once for some members of the company, claiming that it was an old family recipe. It smelled terrible though, so you hid the bottle behind your back rather than hurt the girl’s feelings. Theo had drunk some of the brew though and swore that it increased his strength almost ten-fold. For a short while, at least. You shrug. Maybe it’s worth the try.
>Strength Tonic obtained! (+7 DMG for 1 turn) The next day, you’re awoken early by Corrine. It seems Rodrigue has moved up the scheduled meeting to discuss the plans for Gronder. Dressing yourself as quick as you can, you exit the tent and follow your lieutenant to the camp’s command room. When you arrive, you find Dimitri sitting in the center of the room, Dedue at his side. The other familiar faces are there as well, including Sylvain, Rodrigue, and Gilbert. Additionally, there are a few other fresh faces present.
"Blair! It really is you!” Annette cries gleefully.
“Blair, it’s good to see you again!” Ingrid says with a warm smile. “I’m looking forward to finally getting a chance to fly together on the same side.”
Annette and Ingrid, like the others, have aged gracefully. Annette has become a full-grown woman, while Ingrid is the picturesque image of a noble pegasus knight. Seeing the two of them together and thriving fills you with hope that you stand a chance at Gronder.
>“Thank you for having me, both of you. We have much to catch up on.” Indeed, you did, but now was not the time. From the mood you were reading in the room, things were about to heat up fast. “Now that we’re all here, how about you start.” Felix says, motioning towards Rodrigue. You notice quite a bit of coldness in how Felix refers to his father. The two certainly make a strange family.
Rodrigue clears his throat. “Lady Ingrid has returned to us with news from her scouting expedition. The Empire has arrived at Gronder Field and has begun preparations to fortify the area for the battle.”
Sylvain shrugs. “Not exactly comforting, but that’s not much of a surprise. They were closer to Gronder than we were. Not to mention they aren’t hampered by the same logistical issues that we’ve been dealing with. This was always going to be a defensive battle for them.”
Rodrigue nods. “Our estimate of their number is still somewhere around 10,000, with the potential possibility for reinforcements. Now, please direct your attention to this map here. It’s a tad old but should still serve as a good frame of reference for the battlefield.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5659954 You peer down at the map blanketing the command table. You recognize it as one of the same maps you studied before the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. The forests, rivers and ruins that dot it are all seemingly where you remember them being. In particular, the middle of the map grabs your attention. It’s here where Rodrigue scribbles something down. You recall this was the site of a large, raised platform that contained a ballista. It would have been a source of great trouble for you during the mock battle, had Hubert not suggested burning it down.
“I understand some of you are familiar with this battlefield.” Rodrigue continues. “We’ll approach Gronder from the north. Over here, on our west side, is where our scouts have reported the Leicester Alliance’s army is currently marching. Preliminary reports suggest their army numbers somewhere between six to seven thousand regular troops.”
All the more reason to ally yourselves with them, you quietly think. But you know better than to vocalize that thought. At this point, there’s no chance of it happening. At the very least, regardless of whether your factions had an alliance or not, the Empire would still have an additional several thousand enemy troops to contend with.
“The Empire’s engineers have been hard at work, fortifying defensive positions and building out trenches.” Rodrigue continues. “In particular though, our scouts report that they’ve been working day and night on completely rebuilding the wooden platform here.” He points towards the middle of the map. “They’re turning it into a sniper’s nest. In addition to the ballista, which has been completely rebuilt to fire several bolts at once, there’s now room to fit several archers. Given the tower’s location and design, it seems that they have the capability to fire down from it in a complete circular radius. I believe that this tower will serve as the crux of the Empire’s defense here. If we wish to stand any chance of taking out Edelgard, we’ll have to make sure it falls.”
“That thing is scary.” Ingrid interjects. “I’ve seen it for myself. As long as it’s on the field and under their control, we’ll be unable to take to the skies.”
“Hmph, why don’t we turn it against them then?” Dimitri asks. “Let them feel the full brunt of their insidious designs.”
“I believe that may be our only choice, my King.” Rodrigue says. “Circumventing the tower will be impossible. The casualties they’d inflict on us would be immense. We’ll need to punch a hole straight down south and capture that tower first, doing our best to weather the oncoming storm of arrows. It will be a tough job, but we have no shortage of armored knights and calvary that should be able to make it through with minimal casualties. Once they reach their destination, they should have no issue slaughtering the defenders within.”
“So, who’s got the lucky job?” Sylvain asks, dread evident.
TreeHouses QM
>>5659955 “I’ll go.” Felix says. “With the Aegis Shield I should be okay. And I haven’t met an archer yet than can contend with me in close range.”
Rodrigue nods. “Felix is a good choice to lead the charge. With an elite vanguard that possesses high physical defensive capabilities, as well as his Hero’s Relic, I believe he can succeed. Once the tower falls, the rest of our army will begin marching south, towards the Empire’s main camp here, nestled in between these ruins. This army will contain Dimitri, Annette, Sylvain and Mercedes. Felix, you’ll rendezvous with them after the tower falls. With five Hero’s Relics, you should be able to fend most of the small fry away, while also dealing with any Demonic Beasts you might encounter.”
“What of the Alliance?” Annette asks. “How do they factor into this?”
Rodrigue pauses before continuing. “While we have no alliance with Leicester, we have no cause to battle them as well. So long as they stay out of our way and focus on attacking the Empire on their front, things should be okay. In fact, if the Alliance winds up taking the bulk of the attention away from our own men, all the better. It means getting through to Edelgard will be all the easier. Still…” Rodrigue trails off. “In the event that Claude were to try something underhanded against us, I believe it may be prudent to have a small scouting party in play to warn us. A group with high enough dexterity and speed to be able to outmaneuver Claude’s own scouts and report back to us.”
“What is our role in this?” Ingrid asks, gesturing to you.
“You’re to stay grounded until the tower has been dealt with.” Rodrigue answers. “It’s far too dangerous to send you out before then. Once it falls though, you and your knights, along with the Blackwings, are to counter the enemy’s own flying units. The Empire will have no shortage of wyvern and pegasus knights at their disposal, and they’ll all be trying their hardest to hit our backline and sow discord. You need to keep them off our flanks, and make sure the skies are clear. Once you do so, your task will then be to identify and eliminate key targets. There will be several high-level commanders and soldiers in play here. Eliminating even one of them will help pave our way through to Edelgard.”
“Understood.” Ingrid says.
>“Very well.” You say. “Blair, I understand that not all of the Blackwings are mounted fliers.” Rodrigue says. “I’d like to borrow some of your soldiers for our attack on the tower, as well as to assist our scouting party on the Alliance’s flank. Is there anyone that you could recommend?”
>Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. Anonymous
Hoo boy. And so it begins.
>>5659958 >Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Sebastian >Roxanne They're our (physically) tankiest lads. If anyone can weather the ballista storm, it's them.
>Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Damian Caleb's a no-brainer. We need all of our fliers on deck, so Nero and Ava are out. Ashe would be a good choice, but... we need to make sure he's in sight at all times.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660008 Whoops. Changing this real quick. Instead of sending Damian for the scouting mission, send...
>Milly She's only marginally faster than Damian, but she also has much higher Dex. It's a shame she doesn't have as strong ranged options, but I'm sure she can probably throw knives.
Anonymous
>>5659958 Sounds like a plan.
>Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Sebastian >Roxanne > >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly Anonymous
>>5659958 >>Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >>Sebastian >>Roxanne >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly Anonymous
Ingrid didn't hold a grudge over the years, how about that. I guess the war and our performance in it, especially us aiding the Kingdom as we were starting out helped her have a change of heart. Or at the very least she decided to let bygones be bygones.
>Annette and Mercedes will march against the main Empire army with Dimitri Oh no no no no, this will not end well at all. >>5659958 >>5660008 >>5660015 >>5660055 I would rather do:
>Uriel >Roxanne for the first choice.
While Uriel isn't as tanky as Sebastian against raw physical DPS, he has the Blessed Lance to self-heal and Mend to help keep allied casualties on the approach to a minimum. It also makes the assault slightly less vulnerable in case they just slap Mages in the tower instead of Archers (remember, the Adrestian Empire has an abundance of mages compared to the rest of Fodlan) as Uriel has an average amount of RES, as supposed to Sebastians grand total of 7.
Most importantly though, we're fighting the Empire. The Silver Snow Empire. They will absolutely have multiple Demonic Beasts guarding this tower, or will be keeping them nearby to spring a trap on anyone attacking the tower, so Uriel with his double effectiveness against them (Personal Skill + Lance) would absolutely slaughter them, no contest.
He also fucks over Dark Mages thanks to his Skill, in case they run in to any of those on the approach, but that's less likely than running in to demonic beasts. It's also not the smartest to send both of frontline tanks of our group against the Empire if we need to turn and face the Alliance. Keep Sebastian around in case Claude does something stupid and we need to plug the line.
For the second choice I'd go:
>Ava >Milly if Ava isn't in danger of being hit by the Ballista. Milly, as an assassin, is the perfect choice for scouting since she can probably hide well and sneak about, but you can only see so much from the ground. We'll need an aerial unit here or risk missing any sneaky movements by the Alliance army.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659958 >Uriel >Roxanne >Ava >Milly Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660116 Hm, you make some good points, but I'm still a little worried because there are certain 'requirements' for each section that are requested, namely 'high physical defensive capabilities' and 'high enough dexterity and speed'.
Uriel might be a serviceable replacement for Sebastian, but the healing from his Blessed Lance is reliant on him attacking-- he could use Mend instead, but if he gets sniped by two or three bolts, he might not be able to keep everyone topped off faster than he would be taking damage. The idea that he could take down demonic beasts there for a faster clear might be good too, but between Felix and the support from the other Blue Lions (Dimitri, Annette, Sylvain and Mercedes), I think they'll probably be fine (granted, the other Blue Lions are to rendezvous *after* the tower is taken, so really ,it'd be up to Felix and the Vanguard to clear, which does raise a concern-- though I still think that Felix will be more than enough in that regard).
Keeping Sebastian in reserve for a potential flank (and to stop him from being sniped by mages) might be good idea, but I also think it would be putting his talents to waste. We have plenty of capable infantrymen in the Blackwings-- although they might not be as bulky as Sebastian-- they can still handily go toe-to-toe with Empire or Alliance soldiers. We have the advantage of unit quality here, between the Kingdom Knights and the Blackwings, so we should leverage that against the Empire and Alliance where we can.
I have no qualms for swapping Caleb for Ava; though she'd have to remain grounded or else she'd get shot down pretty quickly. It does leave me a bit concerned that we're essentially tying up one of our air captains when we were hired to assist with air superiority in the first place, but if she can make it back in time, I suppose it should be fine.
With all that said, I think I'll maintain my vote. Your plan does sound feasible though, so hopefully there are multiple avenues to correct unit placement here.
Anonymous
>>5659958 >Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Uriel >Roxanne While Sebastian may be an armoured monster, we need to capture the ballista with haste. Heaviliy armoured units would not ony slow us down, but be a perfect target for the repeating ballista. They're not going to tank that.
>Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly I'd rather take no risks with Ava. She's a flying unit and we don't know the full strength of the upgraded Ballista. What if it had increased range, manouverability and firepower? Not taking that risk.
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Wed 10 May 2023 14:08:59 No. 5660398 Report Quoted By:
>>5659954 >while Ingrid is the picturesque image of a noble pegasus knight. While we are black armored, black horse flying magic slinger, man, we really did become like the nega-Ingrid didn't we?
>>5659958 >Uriel >Roxanne >Caleb >Milly Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659958 >Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Sebastian >Roxanne >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5659958 >Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Uriel >Roxanne >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly Anonymous
Anonymous
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5660648 >Choose two Blackwings to assist Felix in his assault on the sniper tower. >Uriel >Roxanne >Choose two Blackwings to monitor the Alliance and report any trickery. >Caleb >Milly Wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5659958 For the assault on the tower, Roxanne and Uriel come to mind. While Sebastian could also fill that niche, the knight lacks the same sort of mobility available to Uriel. His own skillset may be better suited to crashing into the Empire’s infantry once the tower is captured. As for the scouting party, you quickly settle on Milly and Caleb. Besides being amongst the quickest and most dexterous amongst your troop, they both have natural chemistry. If the Alliance does move to attack the Kingdom’s flank, they’ll spot it and report back before they run into any trouble.
>“There is. I’ll have suitable mercenaries available to you for each task.” Rodrigue nods. “Very good. That concludes our meeting. I’ve yet to see a plan that goes off without a hitch, and we find ourselves facing a motived Adrestian army with competent leadership and tacticians behind it. We’ll all be required to keep a certain degree of flexibility and adapt as needed. But if we all play our parts right, we may come out of this on top.”
“We WILL win.” Dimitri corrects his retainer. “We must. For all the pain and suffering that wretched ‘Empress’ has inflicted upon the world. We will revisit it all upon her head tenfold. Let them throw as many of their soldiers against us as they wish.” Dimitri stands and grips the spear on his back; Areadbhar, the Hero’s Relic of House Blaiddyd. “I will slay as many imperial dogs as it takes. They are all guilty. Not a single one of them will escape retribution for the sins that they bear! There will be no stopping my wrath. The voices of the dead will have their vengeance at long last.”
Perhaps in other camps, such a monologue from the army’s commander might have inspired a roaring round of applause and cheers. Some sort of affirmation that the soldiers and officers present were fully behind their leader, if not in mind at least in practice. However, there’s hardly so much as a peep here. Everyone from Faerghus bears a determined look, but behind it, you can sense what can only be described as exhaustion. How long has Dimitri been like this, and how long have these people had to humor him? All those long years holding their true thoughts to themselves, afraid to offend or betray their King, simply grinning and bearing it. Perhaps Sebastian was right. And he wasn’t the only one. Ashe would never be able to justify to himself his decision to join the Dukedom. But in this moment, even though you’d never say it aloud, you were glad he deserted these people. What good was it to die for a King who had long since abandoned his sense? You once found such notions of chivalry inspiring. But now…
“We resume our march.” Rodrigue continues. “We shall arrive to Gronder within the next day. Make your final preparations, and may the Goddess see us all to victory.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5660823 Everyone exits the tent in a rushed fashion, as if they were afraid the walls were about to close in and leave them trapped with their liege lord. Corrine meets your eyes again, giving you an incredulous look. The two of you have been close together for five years, and you almost telepathically know full well where she’s getting at. You had a sinking feeling in your gut and a splitting headache telling you that there would be some dearly grave decisions to make tomorrow. She walks off to inform your selected captains of their duties tomorrow, and finish unit preparations.
The march to Gronder continues undeterred by any further meetings for strategy. The pace is brisk, and the weather warm and gentle. There are no marching songs or cries for victory that one would typically find in an army of this size. Dimitri leads a pack of ghosts into battle. Some part of these men died long ago, and now the only thing that keeps them moving is a desire to sate their king’s vengeance. You hear murmurs amongst the Blackwings, who find the entire situation strange. The silence unnerves a few of your men, who crack a joke or try their best to strike up a conversation, only for the quiet to quickly return. After a few failed attempts to break the status quo, your mercenaries cease trying.
The army camps for the night, only a few paces away from Gronder. As you’re finishing inspecting your troops, a hand slaps down on your arm. You turn to find Sylvain there, smiling. In his other hand is a bottle of wine.
“Hey! You blew us off last time, but you’re not getting away again that easy. Us Blue Lions are getting the class back together for a quick toast before the battle. As an honorary member, your attendance is non-negotiable. Bring Corrine too! The two of you can fill in for Dimitri and Dedue.”
>“Drinking before the eve of battle? Is that really a wise idea?” “Hey, this is going to be the last battle we ever have! I think we deserve a little bit of a reprieve; don’t you think?” His face contorts into a grimace. “Sorry, lost track of my words there for a second. This ‘might’ be the last battle we ever have. And if it is, I think we should enjoy ourselves a drink. Nothing too crazy, don’t worry.”
>A): Accept >B): Decline Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660825 >A): Accept Blair started the quest pure and will end up a depressed alcoholic with a weed addiction.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660825 >A): Accept Let's say our goodbyes. Most of these guys won't be coming back.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660825 >>A): Accept I say if the chance comes up we take Mercie and leg it.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660825 >A): Accept We're all going to die aren't we?
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Thu 11 May 2023 08:55:22 No. 5661079 Report Quoted By:
>>5660825 >A): Accept Might be a moment to finally ask about Ashe
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5660825 >A): Accept As unanimous as it gets
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5660825 You and Corrine follow Sylvain to his personal quarters; a tent barely larger than those the regular soldiers are sleeping in. As you step inside, you find a small table has been set up, with a few Blue Lions already there waiting for you. Annette sits at one side, drinking from a delicate looking teacup. Across from her are Ingrid and Mercedes, who is currently fiddling with the former’s hair, despite her protests. Felix is at the head of the table, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
“Hey! Liven up everyone. I brought our drinking companions for the night.” Sylvain shouts, announcing your presence to the group. “Put the tea away, Annette. Tonight, we drink to our good fortune tomorrow!”
“Blegh!” Annette sticks her tongue out. “You know I hate that stuff. Couldn’t you find anything sweeter?”
“Times are tough, my dear. We must make do with what we have.” He reaches into a chest, producing several serving cups, and begins distributing them amongst those present. You and Corrine take a seat opposite Mercedes and Ingrid.
“It really is nice to see you again, Blair.” Ingrid gives you a warm smile. “It’s kind of funny to think that only a few years ago you and I were at this exact same battlefield opposing each other. And now, we’re going to be fighting on the same side.”
“Yes, if I recall correctly, Blair won that bout did she not?” Corrine says smugly. Your face reddens and you move to chastise her but before you can, you’re surprised to hear Ingrid laughing.
“Yes, she did. I was immature and mad, that I can’t deny. But I suppose that’s just the way battles go sometimes. It was a learning experience to not let my emotions get the better of myself. I suppose I can at least thank you for that, Blair.”
>You shake your head, helping yourself to a glass of Sylvain’s wine. “It was a dirty trick. No surprise it was Hubert’s idea.” Ingrid shakes her head. “Trick or not, you came out on top during the mock battle. I just hope you have a few more up your sleeve come tomorrow. I’ve heard much about the dreaded ‘Witch’ and her band of mercenaries. I’m looking forward to flying with her.”
“Oh yes!” Mercedes interjects with a surprised expression. “Is it really true what they say? That you cook the bones of your enemies in a cauldron and can change the weather at will?”
“It is.” Corrine says.
>“It is not!” TreeHouses QM
>>5660825 You and Corrine follow Sylvain to his personal quarters; a tent barely larger than those the regular soldiers are sleeping in. As you step inside, you find a small table has been set up, with a few Blue Lions already there waiting for you. Annette sits at one side, drinking from a delicate looking teacup. Across from her are Ingrid and Mercedes, who is currently fiddling with the former’s hair, despite her protests. Felix is at the head of the table, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
“Hey! Liven up everyone. I brought our drinking companions for the night.” Sylvain shouts, announcing your presence to the group. “Put the tea away, Annette. Tonight, we drink to our good fortune tomorrow!”
“Blegh!” Annette sticks her tongue out. “You know I hate that stuff. Couldn’t you find anything sweeter?”
“Times are tough, my dear. We must make do with what we have.” He reaches into a chest, producing several serving cups, and begins distributing them amongst those present. You and Corrine take a seat opposite Mercedes and Ingrid.
“It really is nice to see you again, Blair.” Ingrid gives you a warm smile. “It’s kind of funny to think that only a few years ago you and I were at this exact same battlefield opposing each other. And now, we’re going to be fighting on the same side.”
“Yes, if I recall correctly, Blair won that bout did she not?” Corrine says smugly. Your face reddens and you move to chastise her but before you can, you’re surprised to hear Ingrid laughing.
“Yes, she did. I was immature and mad, that I can’t deny. But I suppose that’s just the way battles go sometimes. It was a learning experience to not let my emotions get the better of myself. I suppose I can at least thank you for that, Blair.”
>You shake your head, helping yourself to a glass of Sylvain’s wine. “It was a dirty trick. No surprise it was Hubert’s idea.” Ingrid shakes her head. “Trick or not, you came out on top during the mock battle. I just hope you have a few more up your sleeve come tomorrow. I’ve heard much about the dreaded ‘Witch’ and her band of mercenaries. I’m looking forward to flying with her.”
“Oh yes!” Mercedes interjects with a surprised expression. “Is it really true what they say? That you cook the bones of your enemies in a cauldron and can change the weather at will?”
“It is.” Corrine says.
>“It is not!” The Blue Lions erupt into laughter. Even Felix seems to join in on the merriment, helping himself to a cup of sour wine. Annette asks you to fill the group in on some of the adventures you’d been up to since leaving Charon all those years ago.
TreeHouses QM
>>5661781 You regale them with tales about the battle at Fodlan’s Locket, and how you slew the Almyran Warlord, Jaswant, in single combat. You tell them about rooting out members of the Pro-Imperial faction of the Alliance and preventing them from defecting to the Empire. And you even talk briefly about your recent experience in Ordelia. Though you are careful about the details you share, you tell them about the Agarthans, and your battles with them as well.
“So, that girl Monica, and Tomas too. They were what you call Agarthans?” Ingrid asks.
>“Yes. There’s little information about them, but we know they possess the ability to shapeshift, and I believe they’re the reason for the corruption behind the Empire. I’ve made it my goal to seek them out and destroy them wherever I can. The one I put to the sword in Ordelia was one of their leaders. With him dead, their presence in Leicester should have diminished greatly.” “Hmph, I always thought there was something strange about that whole ordeal with Monica and Tomas.” Felix says. “Details were scant on our end, since it was the Black Eagles who ultimately took care of them. But, I did think it was strange how quickly their existence was covered up following the incident at the abandoned chapel. Regardless, if they’re with the Empire, I’ll cut them down all the same.”
“That’s right.” Sylvain says. “So, you began fighting them to avenge Martha and Xavier? I remember those two well from when we fought against my brother. They were an energetic pair. Always at each other’s throats, yelling and poking fun. Though I believe deep down they did care for one another. And they seemed to value you greatly as their squad leader.”
>“What happened to them was horrible. To be subjected to torture and experimentation at the hands of those villains…to be turned into a Demonic Beast…I couldn’t support the Empire if they were one and the same. I won’t rest until Fodlan is safe from their clutches.” Ingrid nods. “All the more reason we must win tomorrow. Edelgard needs to be stopped, and we’re the only ones that can do it. This goes beyond simply a dispute between countries. This is a battle of good vs evil. And I believe the Goddess is on our side.”
Felix snorts. “I don’t know about all that, but you’re right. We can’t sit around and wait for a miracle to happen. Fodlan’s future is riding on the outcome at Gronder. Tomorrow, the enemy will be fighting out of their fear of Edelgard and Hubert. Meanwhile, our men will be fighting to seize their home back from the Empire. To avenge all the family and friends they’d lost at the hands of Adrestian aggression. They may seem quiet and solemn now, but that will soon change. Each one of them is as motivated as Dimitri is to see Edelgard’s head on a pike. The difference in reason alone may be enough to see us through this.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5661783 “Dimitri…” Mercedes looks sadly into her cup. “If only he’d joined us. And Dedue too. Then it would be a real class reunion.”
>“Well, you’re also missing Ashe, no?” “That traitor?” Felix grimaces. “Who cares about him?”
“Ashe…” Ingrid’s face darkens. “To think he’d have sided with Count Rowe after all his talk of knights and chivalry. And to turn tail during the battle of Garreg Mach. He’s no Blue Lion.”
“I don’t wish him any harm.” Mercedes says solemnly. “I hope that he’s been able to escape the fighting and live a peaceful life. If not for his sake, then for the sake of his siblings whom he cared so much for.” Annette nods in agreement.
“Sorry, Blair. I know you two had a thing going on back at the academy, but we’re not exactly too fond of him around these parts.” Sylvain says with an awkward laugh. “Oh, speaking of which! Is there anyone you’re seeing right now? Surely the lovely ‘Witch’ has no shortage of men lining up to try and woo her?”
So, that was how they felt about him? In a way, you understood it. They’d only known Ashe during their time at Garreg Mach, of which they didn’t even share a full year together. And having turned to the Dukedom’s side, it was only natural they’d feel animosity towards him. Still, something about how they referred to him was heartbreaking. You believe Ashe truly felt remorse for his actions, so much so that he was even willing to fight at their side here, albeit in disguise. He still held some sense of affection towards his former classmates. But it was too late. That class has been driven apart. You hear Sylvain’s question, but you fail to muster up the resolve to answer. Sensing your predicament, Corrine steps up.
“No boys for Blair until the war is over.” She says. “That’s our rule. Sorry, Sylvain, but you’ll just have to wait until we win.”
“Ugh, how cruel.” Sylvain groans. “To think such a beauty has been marching off to battle without the affection of another! Well, what about you Corrine? Is there any man that’s caught your eye?”
“Man? Not quite. Women, though, that’s a different story. In fact, there are some within this very tent I’m having trouble keeping me eyes off.”
“Eh…heh…” Ingrid laughs awkwardly.
“It’s getting late.” Mercedes yawns. “Goddess, where did the night go?”
“Mercedes is right. We should retire.” Annette says. “Big day tomorrow, and all.”
“Wait! We can’t leave without a toast!” Sylvain declares. “Blair, you’re the guest here. I’ll leave the honor to you. To what do we toast to?”
>A): To victory >B): To King Dimitri >C): To returning from Gronder together >D): To destroying the Empire >E): Write-in Anonymous
This toast is totally going to have unseen ramifications, right?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >C): To returning from Gronder together Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661812 you worry too much :)
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >C): To returning from Gronder together To Edelgard and the Empire!
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 12 May 2023 07:06:20 No. 5661857 Report Quoted By:
>>5661785 >C): To returning from Gronder together Do you smell that? There's darkness in the air, the scent of a cunning and cruelty spreads all around us, it's him, and him is me.
Hubert's coming for the lions.
Anonymous
>>5661785 >D): To destroying the Empire Yeah I don't like C, it feels off for some reason but I'm too much of a smoothbrain to explain why.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >>B): To King Dimitri Maybe we can regain some trust
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >C): To returning from Gronder together Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >B): To King Dimitri Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >>5661859 I'll change my vote to:
>B): To King Dimitri Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >>A): To victory Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >C): To returning from Gronder together Read: Nobody made it out. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 B): To King Dimitri
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 12 May 2023 16:51:02 No. 5662158 Report So 3H without spoiling anything how would you predict this upcoming battle? A single word will suffice.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 13 May 2023 05:58:17 No. 5662630 Report Quoted By:
Way to be positive guys
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5661785 >>C): To returning from Gronder together Anonymous
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 13 May 2023 15:18:12 No. 5662912 Report Quoted By:
>>5662713 Finally you're speaking my language
TreeHouses QM
>>5661785 >Several options pop through your head. You could toast to victory, but what would that really mean? Even if you won tomorrow, the loss of life was sure to be grand. You could toast to the King, Dimitri, but if you were being honest, he wasn’t exactly an inspiring figure for you right now. Destroying the Empire might satisfy some of the people in this room, but not you. You want to see your home liberated from Agarthan influences, not destroyed outright. So, you settle on where your true desires lie. “To all of us returning safely from the battlefield tomorrow. This was fun, and I’d love nothing more than to do it again with each of you.” “Now that’s something I can get behind!” Sylvain exclaims excitedly. “Here here!” The group all raises their glasses high and drinks. Afterwards, you and Corrine depart from the tent, and head back silently to your own quarters for the night.
The next day, the Kingdom’s army finally arrives at Gronder Field. You’re greeted by warm weather and clear skies, perfect conditions for war. You notice that for the first time, the Kingdom’s soldiers seem to finally have a pep in their step as they finish their final preparations. Perhaps what Felix had said about their motivation was correct. They are single-mindedly devoted to defeating the Empire, and now that they’ve arrived at Gronder, they’ve woken up from their self-induced trance. The Blackwings are not far behind. There’s a buzz in the air to get this battle going with. You meet with the captains you’d selected for Rodrigue prior to heading out.
“Letting me take part in the vanguard? You really do know the way to my heart, Blair.” Roxanne says happily. “It’ll take more than an oversized bow to stop my charge. We’ll have that tower captured in no time.”
Uriel nods in agreement. “I appreciate the young lady’s enthusiasm, though I ask that you don’t get too carried away. We face an enemy that has nearly succeeded at conquering the entire continent. It’s safe to say that they will hold nothing back against us.”
The two captains, along with several of their hand-picked men, depart to meetup with Felix and his soldiers.
“So, we’re keeping an eye on the Leicester Alliance and making sure they don’t backdoor us?” Caleb asks. “Gotta say, feels funny saying that. We’d been working for them for so long, I can’t imagine having to fight any of them. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if it does, you can be sure we’ll be one step ahead of them.”
“I’d really prefer a less dangerous job…” Milly trails off. “But, if I’m your girl then that’s that. We’ll keep a good eye on the flank for you. Just come back safe, okay!”
TreeHouses QM
>>5663350 Caleb, Milly, and their soldiers follow the first two captains in meeting up with the other Faerghus scouts. Most of the other Blackwing captains and soldiers would be attached to the regular Faerghus infantry, under the command of Corrine and Sebastian and operating under Dimitri and Rodrigue’s order. For now, you were left with the company’s pegasus and wyvern knights. Numbering 40 in total, they’d follow your lead as you worked together with Ingrid. Diana, Shelley, Ava and Nero would work with you in a five-man elite unit. Meanwhile, thanks to her Crest and Luin, her Hero’s Relic, Ingrid would be a force to be reckoned with all on her own.
“I hear you’re gonna become a Countess if we win.” Nero says to you. “This job ain’t exactly paying much to write home about, but I expect once you become proper nobility, you’ll remember your friends kindly.”
“I’m just glad I get to shoot down Empire rats for once instead of monsters and snake people.” Ava says. ‘Not a single one of those overgrown pigeons will make it to the ground safely.”
>“Any updates?” You ask Ingrid, who has flown over to join you and the others on a steep hill overlooking the battlefield. You manage to find a spot where you’re far enough from the ballista to avoid being shot down, while still close enough to join the fray once it became safe to fly. “The Alliance arrived earlier this morning, almost exactly when we did.” Ingrid says. “Right now, they’re content to sit pretty on the east side, near the forests. It seems like all three of us are now just waiting for someone to make a move.”
>“That someone will likely be Dimitri. I can’t imagine he’s content to sit around and stare Edelgard down.” “You’re from the Empire, you must know something about their wing divisions, right?” Ingrid points towards the horizon. Though it’s too far to make out any specific banners or insignias, the Empire has a plethora of their own wyvern riders and pegasus knights dotting the sky above them. And there were likely still more that were grounded for the time being.” “Are there any companies or soldiers that we should be wary of?”
TreeHouses QM
>>5663353 There was the obvious one. You had no idea if the Hellwings were here or not. In fact, there’d been very little news on them at all. From what you were able to gather from rumors and hearsay, they’d been active during the war, often times flying covert missions for the Empire. Naturally, as was befitting of your one-time brother, anywhere he went death followed. Rex d’Rusalka, the Empire’s strongest wyvern lord. Could you beat him? Perhaps. You’d grown much stronger since he’d last seen you, experiencing countless fighting against powerful opponents and garnering no shortage of magic that could shred through a wyvern. But you weren’t sure. There was no doubt that Rex had also grown stronger and feasted on a plethora of foes. Rex had always seemed an insurmountable mountain. Growing up, the idea that you could one day become stronger than him had the same likelihood as you suddenly growing wings. An impossible daydream a child might have. Truthfully, you held no grudge against him. Though he would often tease you, almost to the point of bullying, you felt that he did like you on some level. He’d welcomed you into his home, and held no grudge or disdain against you, an adopted child of his father. When you’d last seen each other during the Mock Battle, he even seemed almost proud of how much you’d matured. If the Goddess was merciful, Rex was somewhere else presently indisposed.
“The Hellwings.” You answer Ingrid. “Rex d’Rusalka’s company. They’re the most veteran of all the Empire’s wings. If we face them, it could spell trouble.”
“I see…” Ingrid gives you a look. It isn’t judgmental or suspicious, but she seems to sense your internal conflict. She knows your background well. “I’ve heard much about the Sky Shadow. They say he’s quite strong. Should we face them out there…perhaps it would be best if you left him to me? You can deal with his subordinates.”
Ingrid seems to be throwing you a bone here.
>A): Agree >B): Disagree >C): Write-in Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5663356 >A): Agree >But if you look like you are in trouble, I'll come to your side. No need to lose a friend over our personal matters
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5663356 >Disagree >I'd like to avoid engaging him altogether, frankly. but should our forces come to blows, I do not intend to shy away from an enemy, no matter their might or what history may bind us. like hell im gonna let that narrative opportunity pass us.
Anonymous
>>5663356 >C): Write-in "Rex and I have some matters to settle, but I fear I alone may not be enough to take him down. I would be delighted to have you by my side. I know he would not hesitate to play dirty, so fighting him with both of our strength is only fair, don't you think?"
Gotta flatter her a little bit, but there's no way we're passing up on that fight and letting her get massacred.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5663356 >Disagree Hell no this is such a potential big moment for the story
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5663474 Support.
Even with Luin there is no world where Rex doesn't decimate her.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5663356 >>5663474 Support
Yeah I 100% see Rex fighting as dirty as possible in order to take the user of Luin out. Also this is a nice parallel to the last time these two were in a fight at Gronder.
Anonymous
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sun 14 May 2023 14:44:01 No. 5663797 Report Quoted By:
>>5663356 >>5663474 Yeah I support this, I was also thinking of Blair and Ingrid joining forces together to fight him.
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sun 14 May 2023 18:24:15 No. 5663985 Report Quoted By:
Ingrid the pegasus rider of the kingdom and Blair the darkflier formerly of the empire! Together the two opposite yet the same riders strike as one against the formers brother of ages lost!
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
TreeHouses QM
>>5663356 >You understood what she was doing. Regardless of Rex’s own individual skill, Ingrid wished to spare you the pain of having to fight against someone you used to call your brother. And while it was true that she would have a greater chance against him than you would, together you’d be a force to be reckoned with. “Thank you, Ingrid. However, Rex and I have some matters to settle. Perhaps it would be better for us to take him down together. I would be delighted to have you by my side. I know he would not hesitate to play dirty, so fighting him together is only fair, don’t you think?” Ingrid gives you a sympathetic look, but ultimately does not offer any protest. “Very well. I don’t need you to tell me about the Hellwings. I’ve lost many of my own comrades to them in the past. We’ll work together and take them down. The skies belong to us today, Blair.”
>You gain a B-Support with Ingrid! “Look, something’s happening!” Diana exclaims.
You sensed it before she could even speak. A surge of magical energy emanating from the Imperial camp. From this distance, it could be only one thing: siege magic. Several fireballs suddenly appear in the sky above the ruins the Empire is using as their base. They hover in the air, growing larger and more numerous, before they split into two groups and begin sailing towards their intended targets. The first wave strikes the Alliance Army head on, exploding upon contact and kicking up a mountain of dust and earth. The second wave heads straight for where Dimitri and the Kingdom’s infantry currently are. Before the fireballs can land on their targets though, you see a bright blue flash come from the area in question. The fireballs suddenly explode in mid-air, as if colliding with an invisible wall. The Kingdom’s army stands strong, having been barely affected by imperial siege magic.
“The Rafail Gem.” Ingrid says from next to you. “The Hero’s Relic of Lamine, currently in possession of Mercedes. It allows her to greatly nullify enemy attacks. To think she’d gotten so adept with it that she could even block the enemy’s siege magic. She can be really scary when she wants to…”
Horns begin blaring from each side of the battlefield. You can hear Dimitri’s voice over the noise, amplified by magic to reach the rest of the army. He has no rousing speech or motivation to share before the battle begins. True to his fashion, his announcement to the army is simple and to the point.
“Kill every last one of them!”
The Faerghus Army, which up to this point had acted as if it were made up of shambling husks, erupts in an ear shattering roar. They begin to move forward, with Felix and his vanguard at the tip of the spear.
“That was totally scary…” Diana says next to you. “I knew that the Empire had strong mages, but I’ve never seen anything like that. They would have burnt us to a crisp before the fight even started!”
TreeHouses QM
>>5664190 Something told you that wasn’t just the Empire’s mages at work. Even from this distance, you could make out large blots on the ground that were unmistakably Demonic Beasts. Coupled with that display of magic just now, you were sure more than ever that this wasn’t just the Empire you were up against. You look behind your shoulder towards the sky. Anemone was here somewhere, watching the battle from a front-row seat. Had she already realized there were Agarthans here? She’d already told you she would not help you here, but the presence of an Agarthan Talon or Sage would spell a different story.
“They’re clashing.” Ava says, stealing your attention back to the frontlines.
Felix and his vanguard had just collided into the Imperial front-line head on. Though outnumbered, they had no issue punching through their inexperienced foe. True to Ingrid’s report, the large ballista on-top fires several bolts at once into the Kingdom’s frontlines. The damage is somewhat subdued thanks to Mercedes and her relic, but you can make out that there are some casualties. The ballista then rotates to the right and begins firing upon the Alliance’s army. Much like Rodrigue, it seemed that Claude also had the same idea of taking out the sniper tower first. Coming under attack from both north and east, the Empire’s snipers have their attention split into two, lessening the total damage they should have been able to inflict. A perfect example of what could have been accomplished had both sides chosen to work together.
“They’re losing ground!” Diana says happily. Indeed, Felix’s vanguard had the Empire’s front-line on the backstep. Every so often, you could see that same familiar flash of blue light emanating from that battle, indicating that Felix was hard at work utilizing his Crest and Relic to cut through. And he wasn’t the only one. On the Alliance’s side, you could make out the same blue light, likely coming from Hilda and her Relic, the great axe, Freikugel. If this kept up, the Empire would be forced back on both fronts and the Kingdom and the Alliance would seize the tower at the same time. Still, something seemed off.
“The Empire’s holding back most of their troops still.” Ingrid observes.
She was right. Given the size of their army, it looked as if the Empire had committed only a fraction of the number of soldiers that would have been needed to defend their precious tower. The bulk was still hanging back by the ruins. At this rate, the sniper tower would fall with hardly a challenge, and the Empire would be down a valuable battlefield asset.
“You’re better at this sort of thing than I am. What do you suppose their plan is?” She asks you.
>A): The Empire underestimated their opponents >B): They’re looking to wear us down first >C): This must be some sort of trap >D): Write-in Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap This is Hubert we're talking about. Knowing him, he would have planned for Dimitri and his men to just mindlessly massacre their way to the tower in order to capture it, so there's gotta be something wrong there. Hidden demonic beasts? Dark magics that would entrap and kill anyone present near the tower?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap Hubert laid out a similar strategy during the mock battle five years ago. A concentrated magic barrage to destroy the ballista, then wait while the Lions and the Deers wore eachother down.
This time is different though, is he trying to catch both armies as they assault the tower in one massive siege magic attack, and then pounce while they attempt to recover? Would Mercedes be able to block a full blast of that siege magic rather than just half of it?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >>C): This must be some sort of trap Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap Damn
Mercedes just stonewalled an artillery barrage.
Probably saved dozens of lives, possibly over a hundred.
Radiating that hero power.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap If they can't keep the hill, they'll burn it just to deny it to us. Just like last time.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap A couple of meteors taking out the forces converging on the tower and the empire is sitting pretty. That siege magic stunt earlier was 100% to make it look like a nice juicy target - Hubert must have known Mercy has her relic.
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Mon 15 May 2023 07:05:53 No. 5664391 Report Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap I bet they have some explosives or magic set in place that would just nuke the tower... Or maybe they're planning on using a small javelin on it?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap I have a feeling the Empire wants the Alliance and the Kingdom to fight each other over the ballista, then take care of the remaining forces with a trap.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >C): This must be some sort of trap Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664192 >>B): They’re looking to wear us down first TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5664192 Even were the Alliance and Kingdom to combine, the Empire would still slightly outnumber both armies. So why commit so few troops to the defense of the tower? According to Ingrid, they’d been hard at work rebuilding it night and day. To give it up after such a paltry fight made no sense. The troops left to the tower’s defense did outnumber Felix’s vanguard, but the speed at which they were being cut down made you think it was likely they were conscripts. Men and women plucked from their homes and placed at the frontline in a desperate attempt to stem the tide. You knew Hubert likely did not care, but this seemed wasteful even for him. No, that couldn’t be right. He was the Empire’s great strategist. The last time you were here, it was he who suggested burning down the ballista before it could be used against the Black Eagles. There had to be something more to this.
>“It’s a trap…I’m sure of it…” “Really?” Ingrid asks, astonished. “How so?”
>“I don’t know…but this isn’t how Hubert would operate. I spent enough time around him to know that much. Perhaps he intends to use another surge of siege magic to burn the tower down once it’s been seized by the enemy.” You shake your head. “But…would that even be worth it? At best he might slow down the vanguard and take a few soldiers down, but hardly worth the effort of building that wooden structure.” “They’re taking it!” Diana shouts.
The last of the Empire’s troops on both sides are now routing. Deftly snuffed out by both Felix and the Alliance respectively, you estimate only half of the Adrestian front-line remains. Both offensives begin charging up the hill to take the tower. The ballista has ceased firing, and you can make out panic beginning to spread amongst the archers on its rooftop. With their assailants having now reached them, they abandon their posts and weapons, retreating from the tower and fleeing to the bottom of the hill back towards the main host. They are quickly replaced by their besiegers, who begin spreading around the roof.
“The tower’s been taken!” Ingrid shouts. “You know what that means. Let’s fl-!”
Ingrid is interrupted by a loud explosion that, even from your distance, shakes the very ground itself. Beathan neighs and stirs under you excitedly, causing you to try and calm him down. At the same time, you are forced to turn your eyes away from the sudden bright light that accompanies whatever is happening. When you bring your steed under control and look up, you’re shocked to find that the tower has been engulfed in a prison of flames that reaches up to the very top itself.
“Waaah!” Diana whines. “How?! I didn’t see them use any magic!”
>“Damnit, I was right. The way those archers fled; they must have known that damn thing was rigged to explode from the start.” TreeHouses QM
>>5664192 Even were the Alliance and Kingdom to combine, the Empire would still slightly outnumber both armies. So why commit so few troops to the defense of the tower? According to Ingrid, they’d been hard at work rebuilding it night and day. To give it up after such a paltry fight made no sense. The troops left to the tower’s defense did outnumber Felix’s vanguard, but the speed at which they were being cut down made you think it was likely they were conscripts. Men and women plucked from their homes and placed at the frontline in a desperate attempt to stem the tide. You knew Hubert likely did not care, but this seemed wasteful even for him. No, that couldn’t be right. He was the Empire’s great strategist. The last time you were here, it was he who suggested burning down the ballista before it could be used against the Black Eagles. There had to be something more to this.
>“It’s a trap…I’m sure of it…” “Really?” Ingrid asks, astonished. “How so?”
>“I don’t know…but this isn’t how Hubert would operate. I spent enough time around him to know that much. Perhaps he intends to use another surge of siege magic to burn the tower down once it’s been seized by the enemy.” You shake your head. “But…would that even be worth it? At best he might slow down the vanguard and take a few soldiers down, but hardly worth the effort of building that wooden structure.” “They’re taking it!” Diana shouts.
The last of the Empire’s troops on both sides are now routing. Deftly snuffed out by both Felix and the Alliance respectively, you estimate only half of the Adrestian front-line remains. Both offensives begin charging up the hill to take the tower. The ballista has ceased firing, and you can make out panic beginning to spread amongst the archers on its rooftop. With their assailants having now reached them, they abandon their posts and weapons, retreating from the tower and fleeing to the bottom of the hill back towards the main host. They are quickly replaced by their besiegers, who begin spreading around the roof.
“The tower’s been taken!” Ingrid shouts. “You know what that means. Let’s fl-!”
Ingrid is interrupted by a loud explosion that, even from your distance, shakes the very ground itself. Beathan neighs and stirs under you excitedly, causing you to try and calm him down. At the same time, you are forced to turn your eyes away from the sudden bright light that accompanies whatever is happening. When you bring your steed under control and look up, you’re shocked to find that the tower has been engulfed in a prison of flames that reaches up to the very top itself.
“Waaah!” Diana whines. “How?! I didn’t see them use any magic!”
>“Damnit, I was right. The way those archers fled; they must have known that damn thing was rigged to explode from the start.” TreeHouses QM
>>5664994 The scene before you is chaotic. The Kingdom’s army, which had been planning to use the hill to march southward, has completely halted. Likewise, the Alliance’s army is also at a standstill. Both militaries have had their vanguards completely cut off. If Felix and the others weren’t killed in that explosion, they were trapped on that hill, and now desperately needed to either escape or be rescued. Just when you thought the situation couldn’t grow worse, you begin to notice something strange happening down below. The fire appears to be spreading rapidly, almost deliberately, down the western side of the hill. The flames continue to burn and extend out, looking as if they threaten to engulf the entirety of the western side of Gronder Field.
>“So that’s your plan, Hubert. If the Kingdom is blockaded from marching south or west, they’ll have to go east…through the Alliance’s army.” Damn that black-hearted fiend. Allowing him enough time to prepare the battlefield might be the biggest mistake made yet. Horns begin blaring from the south, and through the smoke and flames, you can make out signs that the greater Empire army is now on the move. And they aren’t the only ones. A rather large squadron of imperial pegasus knights cuts through the black fog. Based on their trajectory, they look as though they are going to strike the backline of the Kingdom’s army once afforded the opportunity. “Enemy Pegasus Squadron ahead!” Ingrid shouts. “Let’s take care of them!”
>“Wait! What about Felix and the others? They’re trapped up there, and the only way out is towards the Empire’s army. Shouldn’t we try and save them?” Ingrid shakes her head, looking perhaps somewhat unsure. “We have our orders! Lord Rodrigue said it was imperative that we defeat the enemy’s fliers before they could harass the main army. Felix is resourceful, he’ll just have to find a way to escape from that hellhole on his own!”
She was right, orders were orders. But the way things stood now, your squadron was the only one capable of saving the vanguard. It wasn’t just Felix up there. Many of your own men, including Sebastian and Roxanne were there as well. Could you leave them there to burn to death?
>A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) >B): Ingrid is right, we need to follow orders and remove the enemy pegasus knights. >C): Disobey Ingrid’s command. Fly over with your men and try and save the others. >In the event A wins and you fail to convince Ingrid, do you follow or disregard her command? Anonymous
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) If that fails
>Follow her command Splitting the troops leaves us sitting ducks to be picked off. Hubert is probably expecting some of our fliers to try to launch a heroic rescue so it needs to be all or nothing.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) The sooner we can get our men out of the inferno, the better off the situation on the ground will be.
If that fails...
>Follow her command Might as well do what we're paid to.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >B): Ingrid is right, we need to follow orders and remove the enemy pegasus knights. If we go to save Felix and the crew we leave the rest of the army open to their fliers, and we know Rex is here. We can't let him run around doing as he pleases. Felix and his men will have to fend for themselves, we have to keep the big picture in mind.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) Surely our archers (notably our masked one) would be able to hold them off for a tiny bit before we rescue the others. We can then resume and attack them as soon as they're out of the inferno.
>Follow her command Let's not split up.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >B): Ingrid is right, we need to follow orders and remove the enemy pegasus knights. While it would be great to be able to attempt to save felix, it won't have mattered anyways if the Pegasus Knights start harassing our army and there is no one to defend it.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >>B): Ingrid is right, we need to follow orders and remove the enemy pegasus knights. Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Tue 16 May 2023 13:29:59 No. 5665234 Report Quoted By:
>>5664996 >B): Ingrid is right, we need to follow orders and remove the enemy pegasus knights. I'm gonna trust Felix and hour homies to survive this, god speed to you all.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >>A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) >Follow if fail Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) >Follow Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5664996 >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed) >Obey TreeHouses QM
Rolled 96 (1d100) >A): Convince Ingrid to rescue Felix and the others first (CHARM x 2.5: Roll 1-60 to succeed)
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5665871 Aegis Shield it's all up to you now.
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Tue 16 May 2023 23:18:01 No. 5665901 Report Quoted By:
>>5665871 Damn low roll rules
Well you can do this Felix, trusting you bro fires no biggie for a swordsman like yourself.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5665871 F. I'm sure Felix can make it out, but I hope Roxanne and Uriel gets out as well.
TreeHouses QM
>>5664996 >“Ingrid, they’re completely cut off! If we don’t try to help them, they’ll either burn to death or be completely overrun!” Ingrid, finding the resolve needed to stick to her decision, shakes her head firmly. “I said we have our orders, Blair! If you’re to be under my command, I expect you to follow them! Now come, we must not let those enemy pegasus knights make matters even worse for Dimitri and the others.”
>You bite your tongue. If you had any hope of convincing Ingrid, you’d already blown it. Separating from her command would only serve to divide your unit and make you that much weaker. You’d just have to hope that Felix, Uriel and Roxanne could make it out of there on their own. “Blackwings, we follow Ingrid’s lead! Move out!” Ingrid and the few knights she has take off from the hill you’d been waiting at, and you and your mercenaries follow suit. You rapidly begin approaching the center of Gronder Field, where the chaos and confusion has only increased tenfold. The Kingdom’s main army has been forced to divert course and begins moving towards the right side of the battlefield, closer to the Leicester Army. Hubert, having anticipated that the army would be forced to turn their back on them, must have sent these enemy pegasus knights to hit them from behind. As you draw nearer, you figure that the enemy fliers number sits somewhere around 60, all of which are pegasus knights. That fact sets your mind at ease a bit. Were these the Hellwings, most of them would be riding wyverns. Knowing that the enemy in front of you is not Rex and his men makes you that much more confident that you can beat them.
Ingrid serves as the tip of your spear. From where you’re flying behind her, you can see her unsheathe Luin from her back. The enemy squadron did not see your group emerge from behind the hill, and they’re caught in the side completely unaware of your unit’s presence. Luin flashes brightly alongside Ingrid’s crest activation, and the heir to House Galata charges forward in a blinding flash. Before you know it, five enemy pegasus knights have all been cut down in a spray of blood and viscera. You and the rest of the Blackwings follow suit, slamming into the surprised foe. Your Killer Lance deftly cuts the head off a pegasus, sending its rider screaming down to the ground below. Two pegasus knights turn towards you and raise their weapons, only for Diana and Shelley to fall upon them. In a flash, both women are cut down, and sent to join their comrade down below.
TreeHouses QM
>>5666108 The three of you form a tight wing, fending off all enemy attacks and countering, either with fatal blows against the rider or the steed. Behind you, Ava is picking off enemies with her bow. Pegasus Knights adept with a bow are a rarity, and at such close range coupled with the element of surprise, Ava’s targets are fish in a barrel. One of her arrows finds purchase in an enemy rider’s throat. The woman loses control of her pegasus, careening into one of her comrades and sending both of them plummeting. By now, over half of the imperial wing has been decimated. Despite each of them being experienced riders, they are no match for Ingrid, Luin, and the Blackwings.
The imperial wing has recovered from the surprise attack and begins fighting back with greater efficiency. You watch as an enemy rider’s spear pierces through the back of one of Ingrid’s knights. The rider retrieves her weapon to block an attack from one of the Blackwings. With two rapid thrusts, she takes down both rider and steed, killing your subordinate. You’ve seen that sort of weapon before. This rider is using a Brave Lance, a rare and special type of weapon that allows her to make multiple rapid attacks. Based on her equipment and skill, you take her as the leader of this imperial wing. The two of you make eye-contact and move to engage each other. You lash out with a wide swing of your Killer Lance, but the woman is fast, and manages to clash her own spear with yours. Suddenly, she speaks to you.
“That disgusting black pegasus can only mean one thing. You’re the Witch of the Blackwings, aren’t you?” The woman says.
>“That’s what they call me.” The woman hisses. “Of all the rotten luck. I didn’t even want to be here, you know!”
>“Well then leave!” You pull back before she can strike at you with that Brave Lance. This one is definitely more skilled than the others, and likely their captain. Diana and Shelley have split up, engaged in battles of their own. Likewise, Ava and Nero are also dealing with their own enemies. It seems that this one would be left to you.
>A): Engage the captain in melee-combat. That Brave Lance is dangerous, but her physical defense should be weaker than her magical resistance. >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. >C): She said she doesn’t want to be here and seems to be somewhat of a coward. Maybe you can convince her to leave. (CHARM x 1: Roll 1-24) >D): Backup and wait for aid from your allies. >E): Write-in Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >A): Engage the captain in melee-combat. That Brave Lance is dangerous, but her physical defense should be weaker than her magical resistance. Let's save our Aircaliburs for a Wyvern Knight or two.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. She's a strong enemy. Let's keep her at bay with one use of wind magic while we wait for archers to be ready to strike her.
Also, I'm wondering... Would it not be possible to use wind magic to spread the ballista fire to the southwest, to the empire's positions? I don't know how easy it'll be, but if they can get caught by their own trap, it would definitely get us a strong advantage.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >>B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Wed 17 May 2023 11:18:36 No. 5666241 Report Quoted By:
>>5666108 >Objective: Survive oh boy
>>5666110 >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >>C): She said she doesn’t want to be here and seems to be somewhat of a coward. Maybe you can convince her to leave. (CHARM x 1: Roll 1-24) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. Anonymous
>>5666110 >B): Attack her with magic. With proper usage of wind magic, you should be able to take her down. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666710 >*Tony Saprano runs up behind you with his guys and they bash broken bottles over your heads.* >Your party have fucking died from blood loss Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >A): Engage the captain in melee-combat. That Brave Lance is dangerous, but her physical defense should be weaker than her magical resistance. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5666110 >>A): Engage the captain in melee-combat. That Brave Lance is dangerous, but her physical defense should be weaker than her magical resistance. TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
B wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5666110 High magical resistance or not, there was no way she’d be able to withstand a severe barrage of Aircalibur. You channel your magic through the Staff in your hand and fire your first barrage of cutting gale at the imperial captain.
>(Blair: 26 MAG +5 (Magic Staff) +5 (Black Tomefaire) + 3 (Wind) = 39 x 3 = 117 – 30 = 87 DMG (KO) >Aircalibur 4/5 Uses The imperial captain is fast. After you pushed her back in the melee clash, she recovered quickly and had already begun to pursue you. Her Brave Lance outstretched; she was merely a few inches away from piercing Beathan before taking the full brunt of your attack. The blades of wind completely rip through her pegasus, shredding both of its wings. The arm holding that rare spear is ripped off, the captain’s armor offering her no protection. Even with her naturally high resistance, she was no match for your fully charged anti-aerial magic. Marina and her steed hover in the air for a brief second, a grisly sight. Before she expires, you can hear her utter her final words.
“Didn’t…want to be…here…” The imperial captain and her pegasus then plummet to the fiery ground below. Her subordinates that remain snap their head to where she’d once been hovering. Any resolve they might have had to continue this losing fight has been completely eviscerated. Fighting a Hero’s Relic was bad enough, but if there was a Dark Flier here that could use anti-air magic, then there was no way they stood a chance. Those few pegasus knights that remain begin fleeing back into the smoke, routed.
With the enemy defeated, you’re afforded a moment to survey the battlefield. Your heart sinks at what you see. The Kingdom and the Alliance’s army, despite sharing the same foe, have seemingly begun clashing with each other on the eastern side of the battlefield. You’re unsure of how it happened, but the two factions are fighting, no mistake about it. The Alliance’s army looks as though it’s been cut in half, with one side fighting against the Kingdom and the other fighting against the Empire. You can make out several crest activations from down below, as Dimitri and the others seem to be trying to cut a path through the Alliance soldiers to get to the Imperial Army. From the hill, you can no longer make out Felix and the others. The flames and smoke have simply grown too strong.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5667711 “That’s all of them, Blair!” Ingrid shouts, pulling up next to your mount. “It looks like the Alliance has gotten in Dimitri’s way. We need to go down there and clear a path for them.”
>“How do you intend we do that?!” “We’ll circle around the Alliance line and find a weak spot! There has to be one that exists. If we can hit them from behind with a surprise assault, that should allow Dimitri and the others to break the stalemate.”
Your worst fears about this battle were beginning to come true one by one. To think you’d be fighting the Alliance here was…you shake the thought away. You’re here for a job, and you’ll see it through. You and the others follow Ingrid as she leads your wing towards the ongoing battle between yellow and blue. As you draw closer, you see a blue light, followed by a large purple explosion in the distance, where the Empire and the Alliance were fighting. The attack and magic felt familiar, and you quickly deduce that its origin must have been Lysithea. So, was she currently engaging the Empire instead of the Kingdom? That made you feel somewhat better, though if it was out of fear for her safety or yours you couldn’t say.
“There!” Ingrid shouts. “Look how the Alliance’s line is thin in the center. We’ll divebomb them there and split them in two halves.”
Ingrid’s right. The Alliance has been spread thin in an attempt to hold off the rush of higher skilled Kingdom soldiers. If you hit them where Ingrid had suggested, there was no doubt it would be slaughter. But those intrusive thoughts suddenly enter your mind once more. You’d spent a year in Leicester and been treated with great hospitality. It was very likely you even had a friend or two in the center of that mess. Could you really do this?
>A): Attack Lecister >B): Refuse the order TreeHouses QM
>>5667711 “That’s all of them, Blair!” Ingrid shouts, pulling up next to your mount. “It looks like the Alliance has gotten in Dimitri’s way. We need to go down there and clear a path for them.”
>“How do you intend we do that?!” “We’ll circle around the Alliance line and find a weak spot! There has to be one that exists. If we can hit them from behind with a surprise assault, that should allow Dimitri and the others to break the stalemate.”
Your worst fears about this battle were beginning to come true one by one. To think you’d be fighting the Alliance here was…you shake the thought away. You’re here for a job, and you’ll see it through. You and the others follow Ingrid as she leads your wing towards the ongoing battle between yellow and blue. As you draw closer, you see a blue light, followed by a large purple explosion in the distance, where the Empire and the Alliance were fighting. The attack and magic felt familiar, and you quickly deduce that its origin must have been Lysithea. So, was she currently engaging the Empire instead of the Kingdom? That made you feel somewhat better, though if it was out of fear for her safety or yours you couldn’t say.
“There!” Ingrid shouts. “Look how the Alliance’s line is thin in the center. We’ll divebomb them there and split them in two halves.”
Ingrid’s right. The Alliance has been spread thin in an attempt to hold off the rush of higher skilled Kingdom soldiers. If you hit them where Ingrid had suggested, there was no doubt it would be slaughter. But those intrusive thoughts suddenly enter your mind once more. You’d spent a year in Leicester and been treated with great hospitality. It was very likely you even had a friend or two in the center of that mess. Could you really do this?
>A): Attack Leicester >B): Refuse the order Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >A): Attack Leicester Warcrime time.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >A): Attack Leicester If we hesitate and not attack, more people will die in the ensuing stalemate, and the Empire strengthens its position. As sad as it is to turn on friends, we are a mercenary company with a job to do.
There go our odds of teaming up with Golden Deer to take down Nemesis, though. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >A): Attack Leicester There's no way around it. To reduce the overall number of casualties, we might have to get down and scare them into backing off, either through words or actions. Surely they're more likely to listen to reason than the Kingdom, right?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >A): Attack Leicester Mercenary moment.
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 19 May 2023 10:25:32 No. 5667886 Report Quoted By:
>>5667714 >>A): Attack Leicester maaaannn..... at least Lysithea will be okay right?
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 19 May 2023 10:27:14 No. 5667888 Report Quoted By:
Feels like things are falling apart, but I get the feeling with how Dimitri acted even if we chose to be here with the Alliance we'd have to attack the Kingdom due to him just not giving a shit about us and attacking us first.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >>B): Refuse the order This is a bad plan
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5667714 >>A): Attack Leicester Why did anons even vote to reject Claude's offer reeeeeeeeeeeeeee
TreeHouses QM
>>5667714 >Blair Weaver >Level 39 Seraph Knight (0/100) HP: 58 (90%) +1 = 59
STR: 29 (40%)
MAG: 26 (50%) +1 = 27
DEX: 25 (45%)
SPD: 40 (65%)
LCK: 30 (30%)
DEF: 24 (50%)
RES: 23 (40%)
CHARM: 24 (45%)
There was no going back now. You’d made your decision to support the Kingdom, even if it meant having to turn your blade against those friends you’d had in Leicester. Grasping your Killer Lance, you nod towards Ingrid and give the order for the Blackwings to divebomb the weak point that was pointed out to you. The Alliance’s solders are so preoccupied with holding off the tide of Faerghus knights that they hardly even notice you flying over them. Any air support that they might have counted on finds itself tied up fighting the Empire. As such, the infantry is ripe for the slaughter.
The line of Alliance soldiers is sent flying when hundreds of pounds of pegasi and wyvern crash into them from behind. Beathan lands on small-looking infantryman with a bone-shattering crunch that flattens them on the ground. Killer Lance in hand, you swing your spear in a wide-arc and are met with a spray of blood as it decapitates two soldiers and disembowels a third. One spearman tries to stab at you in a desperate thrust, but they are cut down by Shelley before they can get close enough. In just a few short seconds, the thin line of Leicester soldiers had been completely dismantled. Your attack has allowed for a wave of Kingdom soldiers to push through, led by none other than King Dimitri himself. The King is a grisly sight, covered in enough blood that he seems to have swum through it. An absolute demon, you think it a miracle from the Goddess herself that he can distinguish friend from foe. He swings Areadbhar wildly, knocking back seemingly dozens of Alliance soldiers with each swing. You’ve never seen anything so terrifying. Dimitri moves right past your group, acknowledging neither you nor Ingrid. He continues moving forward ahead of the rest of his men. A one-man-army, Dimitri ignores all fleeing Leicester soldiers save for the ones unfortunate enough to find themselves in his path. Those he cuts down mercilessly as he makes his way towards his destination, the imperial army.
The Alliance, which had already been split into two, is now divided even further. Most of the Kingdom’s army has made it through to the other side, but you can still see pockets of both factions fighting against each other.
“Looks like that did the trick.” Ingrid says next to you. “Come, let’s follow Dimitri from above.” Ingrid takes flight. Their job here done, the Blackwings follow her into the sky one by one. Before you can take off though, something heavy suddenly slams into you with enough force to knock you off mount. You hear Beathan whine loudly as you’re sent flying to roll across the corpse-strewn ground.
>(Blair: (-5 HP, 53/58) TreeHouses QM
>>5668311 “I knew I recognized that pegasus! What’s the matter with you, Blair?!” A gruff male voice shouts.
You look up and find none other than Raphael standing before you. The hulking grappler is covered in blood, and all traces of his usual mirth and cheer are long gone. He stares at you with a mix of bewilderment and scorn. He begins to approach you.
“I thought we were friends! You didn’t have to fight for us, but why are you fighting against us?!” As he draws in closer to you, two spearmen from the Kingdom rush at his flanks. Sensing them coming, the giant moves with a speed that betrays his size. His right hand, equipped with a claw-like silver gauntlet, connects in an uppercut with the first soldier’s jaw, sending the man’s head flying into the sky. He dances out of the way of the second soldier’s spear and punches him in his spine with his left fist. The soldier instantly crumples to the ground as if he were made of paper, completely broken.
>“Stand back, Raphael! This doesn’t have to come to blows!” “But I want to fight you! I can’t standby while you hurt more of my friends! Because of you people, Ignatz is…” He cuts himself off. With a snarl, he puts his fist into a fighting pose and rushes at you.
>A): Fight Raphael in melee >B): Try and hit Raphael with magic before he reaches you >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) >D): Try to outmaneuver Raphael so that you can mount Beathan (SPD x 1: Roll: 1-40) (I forgot to give you boss experience from beating Marina, hence the level-up.)
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) This is the opportunity we've been waiting for to try and stop anymore senseless bloodshed. The Alliance must understand that the Kingdom will trample everything on its way to Edelgard - they MUST go around this, lest they end up crushed meaninglessly.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668311 Holy shit.. the Kingdom is on a rampage. ‘Severe numerical disadvantage’ was apparently a polite suggestion.
Semi divine warriior aristocracy are powerful, turns out…
>(I forgot to give you boss experience from beating Marina, hence the level-up.) That’s very generous of you, considering how swiftly she was killed.
>C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5668313 >>C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54) Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 20 May 2023 10:13:18 No. 5668617 Report >>5668313 Oh fuck Ignatz is dead, I'm guessing he was in the towers direction before it blew up?
Anonymous
>>5668617 Lysithea is at home right? She's not here right? Right?
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Blackwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 20 May 2023 11:32:45 No. 5668646 Report Quoted By:
>>5668626 No, she's on the battlefield as well... Currently fighting the empire's forces as it was mentioned her Crest activated to cause an explosion, so currently she's most likely alive... but we'll see how long that lasts.
TreeHouses QM
Rolled 52 (1d100) >C): Attempt to talk him down (CHARM + LCK x 1: Roll 1-54)
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669259 we can only go up from here, bros
TreeHouses QM
>>5668313 From a physical standpoint, Raphael dwarfs you both in size and physical strength. You’d actually fought him once before, an eternity ago during your first mock battle. You’d defeated him soundly with your fledgling magic, but that was then, and this is now. Though never close, the two of you were friendly, and had even fought together once before. You didn’t want to kill him if you could help it.
>“Raphael, please! I wasn’t the one who hurt Ignatz!” From his comment earlier, you believe you’ve gotten a good understanding of just what’s gotten him so worked up. Ignatz, his best friend of many years, must have perished during Dimitri and the army’s attack. “I wanted none of this. I only came here to help my friends from Faerghus get through this battle alive. You must believe me; I never wanted our two sides to fight!” Raphael is only a few steps away from you. He’d caught you unaware, and his clawed fist was curled back and ready to lay into you in what would have undoubtedly been an extremely painful blow. His fist never comes down though. You can see visible strain on his face as the behemoth shakes, unsure of what to do.
>“Raphael, please. Let’s not do this…you have a sister that you care for very much, don’t you? Put your hand down and get out of here.” You try your hardest to sound as soothing as possible. “The soldiers on your side have been scattered and confused…you need to get them out of here before more of them are hurt unnecessarily. Please, Raphael. Leave this place.” “Blair…I don’t understand…” Tears well up in his eyes. His fist is still raised as if it could fall on you at any moment. “Why did this have to happen…”
You’ve succeeded in stopping Raphael’s attack. However, the grappler does not back down, and you’re still in danger. Growing increasingly nervous, you try to find the right combination of words that may be able to convince Raphael to flee the battlefield. Already there had already been so much unnecessary bloodshed. You desperately wanted your friend to leave this useless place and return to his family. Before you can try again though, something out of the corner catches your attention.
“Get away from her!” Sylvain shouts. The heir to House Gautier is galloping towards you in a frenzy, and in his hand is none other than the Lance of Ruin you’d helped him reacquire. Before you even have a chance to shout your protest, he attacks Raphael in a flash of blue light. The Lance of Ruin enters through Raphael’s chest and out his back. Lodged on the spear, he is dragged several feet by Sylvain before the weapon is finally wrenched free from his corpse in a spray of gore.
“Blair! Are you okay?” Sylvain asks, lifting the visor from his face and giving you a concerned look.
>A): Admonish Sylvain >B): You’re fine, and you have no more time to waste. Return to your duty. >C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >>C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. Only way to salvage everything at this point would be convincing Claude to stay out of the way, but he'll probably be trying to shoot us down on sight rather than talk now. Might as well ask in the off chance he started the fighting instead of it being Dimitri/the empire manipulating both sides.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >B): You’re fine, and you have no more time to waste. Return to your duty. Hopefully if we end things quickly and focus on the battle we can save a few more of the Blackwings.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >B): You’re fine, and you have no more time to waste. Return to your duty. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. i can't take anymore ;-;
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. I guess this only ends one way. Get ready to suffer blair.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sun 21 May 2023 11:28:13 No. 5669676 Report Quoted By:
>>5669336 Holy fuck, man... Shit's going down and I'm loving it! This is the reason why I chose to not join the Empire! The Drama! The Despair and sadness! This is only the beginning!
>B): You’re fine, and you have no more time to waste. Return to your duty. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >>C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >>B): You’re fine, and you have no more time to waste. Return to your duty Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5669336 >>C): Ask Sylvain why the Kingdom and the Alliance are fighting. TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
C wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5669336 Sylvain is speaking to you, but your eyes don’t leave Raphael. The grappler is dead, there’s no question about it. Perhaps there was a chance that had he not been disarmed by your pleas; he might have survived. Or perhaps not. Sylvain was an experienced paladin armed with a Crest and Hero’s Relic. One could reasonably argue that Raphael would not have stood a chance either way. Still, someone who you could once rely on as an ally and a friend had just died, and in an incredibly brutal fashion at that. Gronder was proving to be far worse than you could have imagined.
“Blair! Are you alright?!” Sylvain asks once more, penetrating your defenses and snapping you back to reality. The redheaded paladin has galloped up to your side and offers you a hand from atop his steed. He’s the spitting image of a heroic knight gallantly riding to his maiden’s side to ensure she was protected. And though you were horrified at the way he’d disposed of Raphael; you can’t help but grimly admit that he’d come to your aid and possibly saved your life. There was no time to mourn or cry for what had already been lost. You had to see this battle through to the end.
>“I’m fine. What’s going on here? Why are the Kingdom and the Alliance fighting? I thought the plan was to stay out of each other’s way.” Sylvain shrugs. “I honestly don’t know. Once the hill exploded, we were forced to divert our march eastward. Things became a chaotic mess, and then the next thing we knew, fighting had broken out. Your scouts were able to warn us just in time so that we could prepare ourselves for the Alliance’s soldiers.”
>“Are they still alive?” You ask, referring to Caleb and Milly. Sylvain nods. “I saw them myself not too long ago.”
>“This is a disaster…there are so few of us…why are we wasting our valuable manpower fighting against the Alliance?” Sylvain winces. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but what’s done is done. First blood has been shed, and no amount of groveling or apologizing will fix that. Our goal of stopping Edelgard remains the same, and if the Alliance is in the way, we’ll have to take them out too. Now get it together, Blair. We still need you.” With that, the paladin rides off to rejoin the front.
You find Beathan waiting for you a few steps away. Sparing one final glance at Raphael’s corpse, you remount your faithful companion and take to the skies. Sylvain’s words ring through your mind. Your worst fears had come true, and this had become a three-way battle to the death. Any Alliance soldier that you’d come across now you’d have to consider an enemy, and vice versa. Your thoughts naturally drifted towards Lysithea, Hilda and Claude. You made a silent prayer to the Goddess that they’d be okay, but if today’s events were anything to go buy, she’d been ignoring you for quite some time.
TreeHouses QM
>>5670166 Taking to the skies once more, you’re able to get a clearer view of the battlefield. The Kingdom’s army has made it south, and is threatening to flank the Alliance, which is currently wearing down the Empire’s infantry. From behind the Empire’s line, you can see three large, rather powerful looking Demonic Beasts making their way forward to join the fray. Behind them were a line of dark clad imperial mages. You’d had your eye on those mages ever since that opening salvo of fireballs that started this fight, and you can’t help but think that you may be facing Agarthans. You make your way towards where Ingrid and the others have been hovering in the air, waiting for you.
“There you are!” Ingrid shouts. “The army is about to make contact; we have to act fast! Those Demonic Beasts look bad. They’ll spell trouble for our infantry.”
>“I don’t like the look of those mages down there either. If they’re anything like the ones from before, they have access to powerful magic that can devastate us from a distance.” “Let’s split up. Half of us will take out the Demonic Beasts, while the others will deal with the magic users. It’s your call, Blair. What do you prefer?”
>A): Choose to fight the mages. >B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts We have a blessed lance.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >>B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >>B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5670167 >>B): Choose to fight the Demonic Beasts. TreeHouses QM
>>5670167 >“I’ll handle those monsters down below.” You say, unsheathing the Blessed Lance you kept equipped to Beathan. Those Demonic Beasts looked fierce and were likely experimented on to be even deadlier than the usual breed. But there were only three, and you possessed a weapon that was more than effective against them. With your captains at your side, you felt more than capable of dispatching the creatures. “You deal with those mages, Ingrid. Leave the Demonic Beasts to us. Fighting these things has become my specialty.” Ingrid nods. “Very well. Best of luck, Blair. We’ll rendezvous once we’re done.”
You and your captains fly over the ongoing three-way battle below you. By now, Dimitri and the others have joined the fray, trapping the Alliance between themselves and the Empire. You can make out multiple crests activating from every side of the fighting. You think to yourself that if there’s any silver lining here, it’s that you can fly over that hellhole and avoid getting involved in the fray. Your had nothing but the highest sympathies for those infantrymen unfortunate enough to be caught within the crossfire of feuding noblemen.
The three Demonic Beasts before you are both massive and are armored in such a way that most of their vital organs are defended. Their heads are completely covered in some sort of bizarre looking plating, and they are being guided to the front-line by small batches of imperial soldiers who are dragging them along with chains. Upon seeing you and your allies descending on them, the soldiers freeze and abandon the creatures, causing them to begin rampaging.
The first Demonic Beast crushes an imperial soldier underfoot and roars loud enough for the entire battlefield to hear it. It looks up just in time to see you attacking it in a downward aerial strike.
>Blair: (29 STR + 8 (Blessed Lance) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) – 19 DEF = 27x3 = 81 DMG >Demonic Beast (59/149 HP) The Blessed Lance glows red hot upon sensing its favored foe. It cracks straight through the beast’s armored plating, letting loose a gush of blood from the wound it inflicts. The beast roars in pain but is far from dead as it swipes at you with one of its large claws. You’re not fast enough to avoid the creature’s attack, and a grazing slash is left on the side of you and Beathan.
>Demonic Beast: 35 STR – 24 DEF = 11 DMG >Blair: 42/59 HP Hurt, but undeterred by the creature’s attack, you out speed it before it can recover and attack it once more with your enchanted lance, striking the same spot you had previously hit. This time, your second attack proves to be enough to put the beast down for good. Your spear plunges deep and connects with whatever mechanism it is that keeps the foul creature moving. Its nerves severed, it falls to the ground to lie in a heap, dead.
>20xp gained! (20/100) TreeHouses QM
>>5671667 The other two Demonic Beasts are now bearing down on you. The first moves to attack you, roaring and galloping towards your direction. Before the second can join it, it finds itself attacked by Nero and Ava, who grab the beast’s attention, leaving you and your left and right wing to deal with the singular foe. The Demonic Beast lunges at you, jumping in the air and seeking to take you down with its full weight. It’s an intimidating attack, but one that’s far too slow to catch you by surprise. You and the others dodge the attack, and the beast lands on the ground with a shattering thud that seems to shake the entire battlefield. Giving Diana and Shelley a knowing look, the three of you assume the Triangle Attack formation. If you could make anything out of the beast’s face through that horrendous mask, you’d imagine it would be confused as it tries and fails to follow you and your comrades’ erratic movement. Unable to focus on your display, it looks as if it’s stunned right before you slam your spear into its head. The creature rears back on its hindlegs, and before it is even afforded an opportunity to roar, Diana and Shelley attack its neck from the sides. The beast’s head is completely severed, killed in one blow.
>30xp gained! (50/100) >“Excellent work! Now, let’s help the oth-” “You call yourselves soldiers of the Empire!? Running away at the first sight of the enemy!?” You hear a voice shouting from down below. Several of the Imperial soldiers that were escorting the Demonic Beasts to the frontlines have been stopped in their tracks by a single man. A massive axe is in one hand, while his other is pulsating with a dark glow. Two soldiers seemingly lay dead at his feet, and the other five seem to be cowering in fear of him.
“If it is courage that you lack…” The man says. “I am more than willing to provide that for you!” He raises his hand, and the five remaining soldiers freeze in place. They begin screaming and wailing in a horrific manner, and before your eyes their bodies seem to begin pulsating and glowing. He walks up to each one of them, touching them in some distinct manner that you’re unable to make out. After he places a hand on the last soldier, he stares up at the sky, seemingly making direct eye-contact with you. Even from this distance, you can make out his smug, wicked smile.
“Stand strong, men. Our enemy is none other than the Scourge of Agartha. But with your help…I will succeed in hunting down the quarry that eluded me in Ordelia!”
The men burst in an explosion of dark energy. The next thing you know, five fresh and unarmored Demonic Beasts stand before you, having fully formed before your eyes.
>A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast >B): Attack the newly formed Demonic Beasts >C): Attack the mysterious man >D): Pull back and seek further assistance Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >B): Attack the newly formed Demonic Beasts Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast That way it's easier to group up for our next move.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >>B): Attack the newly formed Demonic Beasts Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >C): Attack the mysterious man Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast And so begins our Agarthan hunt. Wonder if Anemone and Eulalia will pop in to help, or if they're too busy dealing with the Sage(s) over at Ingrid.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Do we gain two rounds of health regen from the Blessed Lance?
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast I doubt we can kill the man on the spot, so let’s take a round to regroup and fight together, instead of being picked apart.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >>A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >>C): Attack the mysterious man Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5671670 >A): Assist Ava and Nero with defeating their Demonic Beast TreeHouses QM
>>5671670 >Blessed Lance: +5 HP (Blair: 47/59 HP) Ordelia? If this man was an Agarthan, then this must be none other than Phaedo. He was the only one of Diogenes’ group to have survived the battle back there. He was also the one that was responsible for the Demonic Beast attack upon the Blackwings that were camped outside the city. The very same attack that led to the deaths of many of your subordinates, including Boleslav. So, he’d remained close by and now sought to eliminate you. You’d love nothing more than to drive your spear through his black heart, but you were stronger together as one cohesive unit, and right now you needed to free up Ava and Nero so that they could assist you. They’d done a fine job so far of keeping that second armored Demonic Beast from harassing you, and now you had the opportunity to remove it from the field. You ignore the scene before you in favor of flying back towards where your two captains are fighting.
“You will not escape me this time, Witch!” You hear Phaedo yell behind your back.
The armored Demonic Beast is already damaged and is entirely focused on trying to swat Ava out of the sky, who has been busy peppering it with arrows. It never stands a chance at fighting back as your Blessed Lance pierces through the back of its head, slicing through its brain and sending it crashing to the ground without ever knowing what hit it.
>20xp gained! (70/100) “Ugh, there’s more of them?!” Nero asks, dismayed.
>“They were spawned by that one over there.” You point towards Phaedo, who is approaching you, leading his Demonic Beasts as if he were at the head of some twisted parade. “He’s the same one that attacked us outside Ordelia. He can somehow create those things, and we risk more of them spawning if we don’t take him out.” “That’s the bastard that had me hiding in a damn wagon?!” Nero shouts, indignation evident in his voice. “What are we waiting for? Let’s hurry up and gut him like the dog he is!”
By now, two of the Demonic Beasts have galloped towards you. Opening their horrid jaws wide, they launch twin fireballs at you and your companions. The resulting explosion engulfs you and the others, leaving you with little ability to dodge the attack. While the flames fail to do too much damage to yourself and the other pegasus knights, you notice that Nero and his wyvern take the larger brunt of the attack.
>Blair: (37/59 HP) >Diana: (29/29 HP) >Shelley: (33/43 HP) >Ava: (24/34 HP) >Nero: (36/56 HP) TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>“Nero! Ava! Spread out and cover the flanks! Diana! Shelley! Triangle Attack Formation!” >20xp gained! (90/100) >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. >B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x3 to succeed) >For the purposes of this roll, your entire group will use your stats. Each of them will have to roll successfully to avoid being hit.
TreeHouses QM
>>5672294 >“Nero! Ava! Spread out and cover the flanks! Diana! Shelley! Triangle Attack Formation!” Shaking the attack off to the best of your abilities, you and your comrades swoop in to eliminate the two Demonic Beasts before the others can join them. Flying in the sky alongside Diana and Shelley serves to greatly increase your killing potential. The Triangle Attack is the tried-and-true technique of veteran pegasus knights for good reason. You nearly cut the first Demonic Beast in half with your counterattack, your Blessed Lance burning hot as it swings through its spine in one fell swoop. Before the second can even react, the three of you are on it. Diana and Shelley each land an attack on its eyes, causing it to screech in pain before another swing of your enchanted lance finishes the beast off for good.
>20xp gained! (90/100) The three Demonic Beasts that remain overtake Phaedo and spread out in a formation that is, eerily enough, not too dissimilar from your own. With the Agarthan alone, it seems as if you and the others can simply fly over these creatures, close the distance between yourselves and your target, and eliminate him. You’re confident that a single Triangle Attack would be enough to end his miserable life. Before you can enact this plan though, something catches you by surprise. The Agarthan slows his approach towards you and raises that hand of his that had been previously glowing. A familiar barrage of cutting gales is sent your way, and you and the others are only barely lucky enough to dodge the attack by the skin of your teeth. Your forward advance has been halted.
“Eeek! That was bad! Really bad!” Diana whines.
“Blair! He can use Aircalibur! He can tear us to shreds if he hits us even once!” Shelley shouts.
No, that wasn’t Aircalibur. If it was, it was a far more powerful version of it than you could summon. It had the potential to hit all of you rather than just one target. Your mind briefly wanders to the grisly memory of that Imperial Captain you tore apart earlier. Shelley was right. A single hit from that Aircalibur would eradicate anyone it hit were they still in the air. Your only options seemed to be to either land on the ground and deal with those Demonic Beasts on foot, or to risk it attempt to flyover them while dodging Phaedo’s magic.
>A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. >B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x5 to succeed) >For the purposes of this roll, Diana and Shelley will use your stats. Each of them will have to roll successfully to avoid being hit. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. Not worth having one of our girls whiff the dodge roll and thus take triangle attack out of the picture. Besides if we're on the ground we might be able to get some of our other allies in on the action.
Anonymous
>>5672296 >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. If my math is right, the odds of everyone rolling 1-70 on a 1d100 (5 times total) is... 16.91%? Most will dodge, but at least one or two will get nabbed by the spell, and if we're unlucky, three or more will instead.
Might as well just take it to the ground and fight him here.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >>B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x5 to succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. TreeHouses QM
>>5672296 >>5672312 That's a mistake on my end folks sorry. It should be x3 not x5. You only need to roll it three times.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Thu 25 May 2023 14:38:24 No. 5672500 Report Quoted By:
>>5672296 >>B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x3 to succeed) I too like to live dangerously
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672452 That does increase the odds.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x3 to succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672452 Ah, that changes things somewhat. Odds go from 16.91% on everyone dodging, to 34.3%. That's still twice as good, and certainly possible, but...
If we lose either Shelley or Diana, we lose the Triangle Attack for the rest of the mission (or even for the entire game). And of course, if Blair goes down, this mission goes tits up real fast. My vote remains with...
>A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. This does put us at some risk, but that risk is preferable to being one-shot, imo.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >>A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >B): Fly over those Demonic Beasts and attack Phaedo directly. (SPD/LCK Roll: 1-70 x5 to succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5672296 >A): Dismount and take the battle to the ground. TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
A wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5672296 >Blessed Lance: +5 HP (Blair: 42/59 HP) Staying in flight was too dangerous now that you knew Phaedo could shoot you down with his wind magic. Though you loathed the idea, you had no choice but to give the order to your comrades to ground themselves and dismount. You, Diana and Shelley force your mounts to the ground, while Ava and Nero follow suit a few yards behind you. The Demonic Beasts had been moving their ugly heads from left to right trying to follow your movements in the air. Now that you have landed though, they eagerly begin galloping towards you, the ground shaking the entire time. You’re used to fighting these things from the sky, but now that you’ve been grounded, you’re fully aware just how huge they really are. Taking the lead in front of your two friends, you hold your Blessed Lance tight and brace for imminent impact.
>Demonic Beast: 32 STR – 24 DEF = 8 DMG >Blair: 34/59 HP The Demonic Beasts that Phaedo created, while intimidating, seem to lack the same type of strength as the armored variant you fought earlier. You backstep just as the first beast slams its giant claw onto the ground. You dodge the full brunt of the attack but fail to come out unscathed as you’re showered by a slew of detritus and debris that cuts into you. Digging your heel into the ground, you plunge your Blessed Lance perfectly into its heart. With less defense than the armored beasts you fought earlier, you’re capable of felling the creature in a single hit. As it falls on its back with a gaping and steaming hole through its chest, the other two Demonic Beasts follow suit and attack, coming at you from the left and the right.
>Demonic Beast: 32 STR – 24 DEF = 8 DMG >Blair: 26/59 HP The first Demonic Beast slams into you on your left. You’re thrown back into the arms of Diana and Shelley, who right you before you land on the ground. You’re shaken and your bones feel like they’re about to break, but you hold it together long enough to slay the beast with an attack similar to your first. Its flesh easily gives way to the enchanted lance, and it too falls to the floor dead.
>Demonic Beast: 32 STR – 24 DEF = 8 DMG >Blair: 18/59 HP The third Demonic Beast swipes at you with one of its claws. You block the attack with your spear, straining with all your might to hold the creature back. Your arms feel like they’re about to snap, but thanks to the spear’s enchantment, the monster’s limbs fail it before yours do. The final Demonic Beast is ended in the same way as the other two. One thrust of your spear is all it takes to end the abomination’s short life. It falls to the ground to reveal Phaedo, who is now close enough to have a conversation.
>30xp gained! Level up! TreeHouses QM
>>5673045 >Blair Weaver >Level 39 Seraph Knight (0/100) HP: 59 (90%) +1 = 60
STR: 29 (40%) + 1 = 30
MAG: 27 (50%)
DEX: 25 (45%)
SPD: 40 (65%) + 1 = 41
LCK: 30 (30%)
DEF: 24 (50%) + 1 = 25
RES: 23 (40%)
CHARM: 24 (45%)
“To slay multiple Demonic Beasts in such short order…you’re an impressive one, Witch.” Phaedo says. The same smug look of satisfaction is on his face. His right hand holds his large battle axe, while the left glows with fell magic. “You have my heartfelt thanks for finally ridding me of that fool Diogenes. But unfortunately, I cannot return to Shambhala empty-handed. If I wish to receive a warm welcome, I will require your head, as well as the research you pilfered from the depths of Ordelia’s castle.”
>“What-?” When did he get here. This was bad. You were severely hurt, and in desperate need of healing. There was no way you’d stand a chance against an Agarthan Talon in your current state. “Did you think I would not notice?” Phaedo says, drawing closer. “Just what did you intend to do with the knowledge of Blood Reconstruction? Did you fancy gaining a Crest yourself? If it was power you sought, all you had to do was ask, and we’d have been more than happy to oblige.”
>“Better that knowledge lay in my hands than fiends such as yourself.” Phaedo barks a harsh laugh. “And who are you, Blair d’Rusalka? If you’re so noble, why not simply destroy the book rather than hoard its secrets? Is it perhaps because you’re as power-hungry and covetous as the rest of your foul kind? I will ask you only once. Reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome. Do so and I promise I will kill you swiftly. Delay or attempt to fight back, and I will torture you and your friends beyond your wildest imaginations. I’ve already killed several of your kind, ‘Blackwing’. I’d be more than happy to root out the rest of you.” He raises his axe, now only a few inches away from your neck. Diana and Shelley are on edge but will likely be unable to assist you here before you’re attacked.
Sudden movement from over Phaedo’s shoulder catches your attention, but you do your best not to arouse suspicion. A pegasus is heading straight for you. Ingrid? Or Anemone, perhaps. Whoever it is, in your current state, it is a small glimmer of hope.
>A): Make a surprise attack on Phaedo (SPD Roll: 1-41 to Succeed) >B): Bluff and reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome (LCK + CHA Roll: 1-54 to Succeed) >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. TreeHouses QM
>>5673047 >*Level 40, not 39 Anonymous
Quoted By:
Damn, we boutta die.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >>C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. Yeah both of those dice rolls are terrible.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. The time has come.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >>B): Bluff and reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome (LCK + CHA Roll: 1-54 to Succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. Damn. I'd really preferred to have saved this for the fight against Rex, Kate, or any of the other Empire lads we'll probably come across, but there's no point in preserving resources if we're risking our life on a coin toss.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >>C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >B): Bluff and reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome (LCK + CHA Roll: 1-54 to Succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >>B): Bluff and reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome (LCK + CHA Roll: 1-54 to Succeed) Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 26 May 2023 16:55:02 No. 5673399 Report Quoted By:
>>5673050 Damn, 40 huh? We're in the endgame now boyos
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. I too like to live safely
TreeHouses QM
I can't believe I forgot my own quest's birthday! Tuesday marked 2 years of /thq/. Whether you've been here since the beginning or joined in somewhere along the way, thank you so much for reading and playing along
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>it's been two years since we baked cake for Ashe
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673509 >It's been 2 years I remember exactly what I was doing when I joined the thread in the beginning... Time really flies! Thank you for sticking with this quest, QM, it really is great.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673509 Having only joined at the end of Part 1, I'm glad I picked this quest up! It's one of my most anticipated ones, and I love the writing.
Here's to riding it out all the way, eh?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. >>5673509 Now there is only pain
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Fri 26 May 2023 22:37:55 No. 5673665 Report Quoted By:
>>5673509 Oh shit, 2 whole years huh? And yeah I think I was here like... early to midway in the first thread, it has been a wild journey.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673509 Still can't believe I found this thread a month ago. In a way I'm glad I got here late, because I'm sure I would have voted for the CF route.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673509 I still remember! I was the second voter (or third).
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >>A): Make a surprise attack on Phaedo (SPD Roll: 1-41 to Succeed) >>5673509 Happy birthday!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >B): Bluff and reveal the location of Diogenes’ tome (LCK + CHA Roll: 1-54 to Succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673047 >C): Forseti would make you invulnerable to his attack, while dealing huge damage. Now’s as good a time as any to use it. >>5673509 I only found the thread recently, but it's been great. Thanks for the quest.
TreeHouses QM
>>5673047 Phaedo’s axe was only a few inches away from your throat, and your knowledge regarding the whereabouts of Diogenes’ research was the only thing keeping your head attached to your body. You could attempt to bluff your way out of this situation by giving the man what he wants, allowing time for that pegasus knight to reach you. But Phaedo’s words ring through your mind, echoing over and over. He was right when he said he’d already killed several of your subordinates. He’d taken their lives in a cowardly attack when you were not present, and their blood was on his hands. Trying to appease this fiend with words didn’t sit well with you. You refused to wait and be saved. Instead, you’d avenge your comrades with your own hands. You could only use this spell once a day, and only the Goddess knew if this was the right time to reveal your trump card. Even still, if it would wipe this scum off the face of Fodlan, so be it.
“Keeping your lips tight, are you? Fine. I can’t say this disappoints me.” Phaedo says.
The moment you see his arm twitch, you spring into action. Forseti is powerful magic of the highest tier. It took weeks upon weeks of studying that worn tome for you to uncover its power. If you wished to call upon its deadly winds now, there was nothing that could stop you. In an instant flash, a powerful gale is summoned that envelops both you and Phaedo. You can no longer hear the clashing of weapons and screams of the battlefield. The entire world has been drowned out by galeforce winds that darken all and threaten to uproot whoever or whatever stands in their way.
“What sorcery is this?!” Phaedo cries out. He slashes at you with his axe, only for the blade to pass harmlessly through you. You’ve become one with the very wind of vengeance that you’ve summoned. You’ve become naked power, giving up form, reason and desire. Your singular goal now is to cleanse the world of the enemy before you and scatter their remains across the far corners of the world.
>Blair: (27 MAG + 20(Forseti) + 5 (Black Tomefaire) + 4(FB+) = 56 – 25 RES = 31 DMGx2 >Crit Roll: 4, 53 (Success, Fail) >93 DMG, 31 DMG (Phaedo: 16/140 HP) You awaken on the opposite side of where Phaedo had been standing. The world has returned to normal. The sun is shining, and men are once again fighting and dying. You turn around to find Phaedo, or at least whatever remains of him. Despite missing an arm and having much of his skin flayed off his body, the Agarthan Talon is still alive. His axe has clattered to the ground, and you can hear his teeth chattering even over the sounds of the clashing of nearby armies. If he’s trying to say something, you never find out. Shelley calmly walks up to the immobilized assassin, and with a single cut of her sword, Phaedo’s faceless head falls to the ground, joining the Demonic Beasts he’d summoned.
“Good riddance.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5673856 The pegasus that you’d been tracking finally draws close enough for you to make out the rider’s identity. Stormy lands on the ground, bearing both Anemone and Eulalia, who offers you a polite wave.
“I guess you didn’t need me after all.” Anemone remarks, staring down at the headless corpse of Phaedo.
>“What happened to helping fight the Agarthans?” You spit out. By now you’re barely able to stand and are relying on your Blessed Lance as a crutch. “I did just that.” She shrugs. “The Agarthan mages are all dead. The Galatea girl and I killed the last of them moments ago. After which, she flew off in a hurry towards the battle. At any rate, you shouldn’t have to contend with any more Demonic Beasts or fell magic here.” Dismounting Stormy, she lends a hand to you and the rest of your comrades. A white aura envelops her, and you feel the sudden warm sensation of your wounds closing and mending.
>Full HP Restored “And with that, my work here is done.” Anemone says, remounting Stormy. “Tell me, do you truly intend to see this through to the end? There doesn’t appear to be an Agarthan Sage here present. I simply can’t fathom why you’d choose to remain embroiled in this hell hole. You must know by now that the Mad King cannot win this battle. Look there.” She points towards the far distance, where Edelgard and the rest of her army are camped. The Empire still had fresh soldiers in reserve who had yet to enter the battle, and you could see them beginning to move in the distance. “This fight will soon be over. Once the Empress joins the fray with those soldiers, the Kingdom’s army will collapse. Whether or not the Blackwings remain here will make no difference. At the end of the day, you’re mercenaries. It’s not unheard of for your kind to depart the battlefield when things go south.”
>“Is this concern I’m sensing from you?” “Perhaps. Though I’d be lying if I didn’t have my own selfish motivations. Your dying here would greatly weaken our ability to fight back against the Sages.”
Horns blow from behind you. The Imperial Army that had been fighting against the Kingdom is retreating, and the Alliance is nowhere to be seen in great number. Anemone is correct, the battle will soon be coming to a head.
>A): I’m going to see this through to the end. >B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >>A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >>B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating Anonymous
>>5673857 >>A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674028 There is (maybe) a chance we could possibly win if Dimitri manages to take out Edelgard. The moment we start suffering heavy losses and Ingrid starts chanting about loyalty to the bitter end, I really see no reason to stay. We're a mercenary after all.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. Anonymous
>>5673857 Damn, Foreseti is sick. Now I kinda wish we had saved it for Rex.
>A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 27 May 2023 15:05:13 No. 5674111 Report Quoted By:
>>5673857 >A): I’m going to see this through to the end. You know, it would be pretty poetic for this all to end right around the 2nd year anniversary
Anonymous
>>5673857 >B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. I feel like either running off or staying will immediately result in a rex interrupt.
>>5674088 Doesn't he have that one shield that would block Forseti?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >A): I’m going to see this through to the end. I don't think that the rest of the Blackwings would be too happy if we just up and left right now and it would ruin our reputation as well. I'd at least wait until Dimitri gets killed first before we abandon this.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >>B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. This might be our last chance to back out
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >>B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. we've played our cards and now have an empty hand. our nose is undoubtedly bloodied from this, and we'll lose some of the more...fervent Blackwings, but the bulk of the company will stay on, to continue the war, and continue working against the agarthans
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >A): I’m going to see this through to the end. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 Can we at least go and pick up Uriel and Roxanne and figure out where Milly and Cabel are at before we make a decision? I'd like a full regroup of the Blackwings so we can check our casualties and have a quick roundtable to hear out if there's anyone who wants to bail on this suicide mission.
In reality it's not likely anyone would bail, but just getting all our captains together lets us tell them to fight conservatively in this upcoming suicide charge so fewer of them die . Also lets us pick up Sword Autist McGee so he can stop fucking around on the hill and do something useful.
I hope Lysithea bailed out of the fight before she died. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5673857 >B): We’ve done enough. The Blackwings are retreating. TreeHouses QM
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sat 27 May 2023 22:06:39 No. 5674376 Report Quoted By:
>>5674340 LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
We gon die
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Why do anons love punishing Blair so much?
TreeHouses QM
>>5673857 >You shake your head. After all this, you couldn’t just pack up and leave with things still unfinished. The Agarthans present at Gronder may have been dealt with, but the Empire was still standing. If this war was to ever have any hope of ending on a positive note, then the Imperial Army had to suffer a defeat here and now. “I appreciate your concern, and I promise I have not forgotten my vow to see the Seven Sages dealt with. But this must be done. The Empire has become a tool of the Agarthans, and we now have a chance of dealing a crushing blow to their strongest asset. I can’t back down now.” Anemone makes a clicking noise, clearly disappointed with your answer. “This is exactly what they want, you know? Your kind, fighting and killing each other in droves. The strongest amongst you distracted from the bigger picture. Even if the Empire were to fall, they’d just simply acquire another cudgel with which to smash all that they oppose. They’ve survived this way for thousands of years. Even the Empress is replaceable to them if need be. But fine, I will offer no further protest. Should you survive, come and find me back at camp.” She takes off on the back of Stormy, alongside Eulalia, disappearing into the sky.
You and the others rejoin the remainder of the Kingdom’s army, which rallied together on the southern side of the battlefield. During the flyover, you’re stunned by the carpet of bodies that litter the ground. Colored red, blue, and yellow, it seems as though each side suffered tremendous losses during their three-way fight. Whatever was left of the Imperial Army had retreated from the frontline in a desperate attempt to regroup with Edelgard’s forces. Meanwhile, whatever remains of the Leicester Army appears to be in complete disarray. You can make out several pockets of their soldiers, having fled far from the fighting and appearing to lack any real leadership. Of the three armies, they were in the worst shape, and likely fully routed from the battlefield. This would come down to a final confrontation between the Kingdom and the Empire.
“There you are!” Ingrid greets you upon landing. “Great job taking out those Demonic Beasts. I fear they would have inflicted great damage on us had they been allowed through.”
>“Nothing we couldn’t handle. What’s the plan now?” “We’re regrouping before one final push against the Empress. While I estimate we’ve lost about half of our army so far, all of our Relics are still in-tact. We can really do this, Blair.”
>“Our Relics are in-tact? Then Felix and the others…they survived?” Such news was incredible to hear. The Blue Lions were still alive! For the first time today, you actually felt as though you may come out of the battle with a victory. As the words leave your mouth, you spot the blue-haired swordsman sitting on a nearby rock, his wounds being attended to intently by Mercedes. TreeHouses QM
>>5674396 Relief washes over you that your friend made it out okay, and that perhaps so did your comrades. You make to go speak with him when a hand grasps your shoulder and stops you. You turn to see Uriel, face looking grim.
“Give him some space. He just learned that his father perished in the fighting.” Uriel says.
Your blood runs cold. Rodrigue perished? But he had been the one commanding the army. If he was gone, then did that mean Dimitri was running things now?
>“Where’s Roxanne?” You ask the veteran paladin. His eyes close and he shakes his head. “Fallen in battle. After that explosion, she helped hold the line against a slew of Imperial soldiers that sought to finish us off as we sought to escape the burning rubble. She fought valiantly and to the last, but there were only so few of us. With no back-up, there was nothing that could be done.”
>“Roxanne’s dead…I’m sorry, Uriel. We should have tried to intervene.” Uriel shakes his head. “There is no room for regret on the battlefield, Commander. What’s done is done, and all we can do now is make sure that her life was not lost in vain.” He pauses, before continuing. “You should know as well that I also witnessed Lady Goneril fall as well. She’d been caught up in the initial explosion and was unable to escape. Though not a member of our army, I know that you dealt with her much during our time at Derdriu.”
Hilda was dead too? You stifle a groan. She’d been nothing but kind to you since you’d first met, having welcomed you to Derdriu and always being there to see you once you’d returned from a mission. What about Lysithea? And Claude? Were their corpses lying out here somewhere as well?
“I know not who else we’ve lost out here.” Uriel says. “But channel their memory as you fight on, Commander. This day is far from over, and we’ll have need of your full abilities to see it through.” He takes his leave.
“The Imperial Army is advancing!” A panicked voice cries out in alarm.
“Form ranks! For the Kingdom! For King Dimitri!”
Horns begin blaring across the battlefield once more, and the incredibly brief respite that you were offered from the fighting has now ended.
“Same plan, Blair.” Ingrid says. “We’ll own the skies and try to take out as many of their commanding officers as we can. With our air superiority, we can-“
“Enemy reinforcements spotted from the north!” A Blackwing scout shouts next to you. You recognize that frame. It’s Ashe, still hiding his identity. You look towards where he was pointing. A squadron of Wyvern Knights have indeed entered the battlefield and are advancing south upon your location. Their banner is too far to make out, but you can recognize the colors. Black and red. There was only one group this could be.
Rex d’Rusalka and the Hellwings had joined the battle.
>A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. >B): All we need to do is land a fatal blow on the Empress, and we win. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >>A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. Fugg this
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. Leave Edel for the relic users.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. SHOWDOWN
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. With Dimitri in charge, we probably would have been forced to fight through both the Kingdom and also the Hellwings if we did try to bail out.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. fug, roxanne and hilda ;-;
just hope lysithia and a few others aren't dead too
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. Anonymous
>>5674195 He'd be immune to the Wind weakness, for sure. But Forseti still allows for one round of our hardest-hitting spell while giving us immunity to enemy attacks for a turn, making it pretty key in any risky boss fights.
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. Let's go.
Also, F for Roxanne. She didn't have to put up the red light, but she was cool. Here's hoping we didn't lose any other Blackwing Captains.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. Here we go.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >>B): All we need to do is land a fatal blow on the Empress, and we win. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5674399 >>A): Meet the Hellwings in combat. TreeHouses QM
>>5674399 >“It’s the Hellwings.” You say. There’s no need to wait for any further confirmation or scouting. You know within your heart that it can’t be anyone else but your former brother. “We have to deal with them now. If they flank us while the main army is dealing with Edelgard, we’ll be easily wiped out.” Ingrid nods. “Agreed. We’ll meet them headfirst in battle. Remember what we talked about earlier, Blair. You don’t have to take them on by yourself. Together, we can beat back the Sky Shadow. I’m sure of it. Now come, let’s show them that the skies belong to us!”
“Spears at the ready! We march forward on my signal! Leave the Bloody Empress to me! I will be the one that takes her head once and for all!” Dimitri shouts, raising Areadbhar to the sky. Upon the sight of the Hero’s Relic, the rest of the army erupts into cheers. Swords bang against shields and spears against the ground. They’d marched across hell to get here and were now only a few steps away from slaying the one they thought responsible for all their suffering. They’d greet the climax of Gronder Field with everything they had.
You and the others fly over the burned-out ruins of the sniper tower. The inferno that had been there previously has died down, but you can still make out several fires burning intensely. Looking down at the carnage, your stomach turns and twists. Roxanne was down there somewhere, you thought. Hilda as well. And if you aren’t careful, you might end up joining them. You’d heard stories of your brother. Tales of how he single-handedly slaughtered a dozen wyvern knights during the Dagda-Brigid War. How he’d ventured over the wall into Almyra and slew one of their Four Warlords, the strongest fighters in the country, in single combat. Part of you had always feared him. He could be a bully, and he spared no expense when it came to teasing you. But you’d also looked up to him. Growing up under the same roof, his strength was inspiring for someone such as yourself, who strived to also ride the skies and become a powerful knight. To go from eating frozen sorbet with him and the Count to this…it all seemed like a bad dream.
“Enemy ahead!” Ingrid announces.
It was him, alright. The enemy was close enough to make out, and you could now plainly see the insignia of the Hellwings; a black bat’s wing on a red background. Rex was at the front, and your stomach began turning once more. He was atop his impossibly large wyvern, Ashnard, and in his hand was a spear that looked similar to the one you’d seen Jaswant using. This one was known as the Gae Bolg, an Almyran treasure, pilfered by Rex during his travels. The Hellwings draw closer, when Rex raises a hand to the sky, and they suddenly stop their advance. They drop their battle stances, and watch as their Commander moves alone towards you.
TreeHouses QM
>>5675226 “Is he…looking to talk?” Ingrid asks, genuine confusion in her voice. “After everything I’ve heard about the Sky Shadow…this is quite the surprise.”
>“Let’s indulge him.” You say. “Our goal is to hold them off while Dimitri tries to finish off the Empress. The more time we can buy without crossing blades, the better.” A perfect sounding excuse, you think. Regardless, Ingrid does not offer any protest, and simply defers to you. “Blackwings, halt!” Your mercenaries cease their advance, forming a line opposite that of the Hellwings. The two groups simply stare off against each other. You and Ingrid follow Rex’s move and advance forward slowly. Rex stares at you intently as you draw near. He points directly towards you, and you feel that horrid knot again. “That’s close enough. Where is your commander? Where is Blair? Before this battle begins, I would speak with her.”
>You blink. “W-what? It’s me, Rex. I’m Blair.” Rex simply stares at you. He leans forward on his wyvern, as if to get a closer look. “Impossible. The Blair that I knew was much shorter. Not nearly as developed as you, either. She was also a crybaby. She’d never be at the front of an army like this.” He waves you off. “Go get me Blair, or I’ll strike you down, lying wench.”
>“Is this your idea of a joke, Rex?” You seethe. “Gahahahaha!” The Wyvern Lord erupts into a loud, raucous laughter. The Hellwings behind him, despite their distance, also begin laughing and hollering. Despite very likely not hearing the conversation at all, they’re all too keen to join in with their commander. Rex wipes an invisible tear from his eye. “You make it too easy, Blair. Despite all the achievements and battles you’ve fought in, you’re still just a little girl at heart, aren’t you?”
>“What is the meaning of this, Rex?” Rex feigns ignorance. “Am I not allowed to say hello to my sweet little sister? You’ve been gone from us for five years now, and I daresay I’ve even missed you somewhat. That old geezer back home still finds himself thinking about you. He was heartbroken when he discovered you’d deserted and fled Garreg Mach. But he was positively torn to shreds when he’d found out just why you’d done it. He was hopeful you’d run off to some corner of Fodlan, find a husband, sire a few children, and keep a low profile. But instead, you’ve been running around at the head of a band of sellswords, getting into all sorts of trouble.”
>“If I have brought shame upon the Count for turning against the Empire, you should know that I’ve always felt-“ “The Empire?” Rex snorts. “Who cares about that. Fighting against a decrepit puppet nation is one matter. Swearing yourself to be an enemy of Shambhala is another. One that finds you at the helm of a very short life.”
TreeHouses QM
>>5675229 >“Shambhala?! Rex, do you know abou-?” “What, did you believe yourself to be the only one aware of the existence of those disgusting mole people?” Rex laughs. “I’m well aware of where the true power in the Empire lies.”
>“If you know what they are, then why fight for them?! Are you an Agarthan yourself?!” Rex laughs. “Now there’s a thought! I wonder how paranoid you’ve been over the last few years. Have you taken to pointing fingers at every suspicious person you find, accusing them of being Agarthan? Either way, you’re mistaken. I’m the pinnacle of humanity, through and through. And I don’t fight for them. I fight for myself. Those pale freaks are simply a means to an end for me. A tool to exploit, nothing more.”
>“And what of the Count? Is he-“ “Ask him yourself.” Rex grins. “Provided you live long enough that is. I’ve come here today to gorge myself on blood and war, not answer your inane questions. And fortunately for you, there’s much more exquisite prey nearby.” He turns to Ingrid. “Lady Galatea, I hear tales of your strength. They say that you are the strongest warrior in the skies. I wish to test that for myself. Are you the real deal? Or are you another pampered noble pup with an overreliance on Crest and Relic? It is decided, you are to be my first course.”
>“You aren’t getting away that easy-” You grip your spear and prepare to attack Rex, when you feel a sudden surge of strange magic and a flash. You look up to see that a Wyvern Knight has appeared as if seemingly out of thin air. The rider is a massive, noble-looking older man clad in thick red armor. He looks down upon you. TreeHouses QM
>>5675230 “Commander Blair, I presume? A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” He says, heave a large axe onto his shoulder.
Another flash, and another Wyvern Rider has appeared. Messy blonde hair obscures half of his face, and he stares down at you with contempt. He holds a strange sword behind his head that bears a passing resemblance to the same sort of Runesword that Clay uses.
“That’s her? She doesn’t look like she’ll offer me much fun.”
A third flash, and another rider. This wyvern looks stranger than the others, appearing more serpent like. Its rider is a dignified looking blonde man clutching a spellbook in one hand.
“Witch…your treachery ends here. My magic will undo you.”
A fourth flash. This time, a pegasus appears, and you’re completely surrounded. You instantly recognize the rider. Her face completely devoid of emotion, she offers you only a short wave.
“Hi Blair.” Kate says.
“Warp magic? Winona must have grown impatient with me.” Rex says. “Best not to keep her waiting any longer. We do have a job to do, after all. Blair, allow me to introduce you to the Hellwings’ Aces. I believe you’ll find each one of them to be more than a match for you.” He turns his attention towards them. “Leave the Galatea girl to me! I will brook no intrusion on my hunt. As for my sister, one of you can deal with her. The rest can begin the attack!”
Rex suddenly rushes forward, swinging Gae Bolg directly at Ingrid, who manages to meet the attack with Luin just in time. Both riders enter the melee with each other, flying off into the distance, while you remain trapped in the middle of the four Aces.
“We shall leave the honor of choosing your opponent to you, Witch.” The first knight says. “It matters not to us who lays the finishing blow on you.”
The rest of the Hellwings begin moving forward, and the Blackwings follow suit.
>A): Duel Bradley, the Axe-Wielding Wyvern Knight >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword >C): Duel Aubert, the Wyvern Knight capable of using magic >D): Duel Kate, your former comrade from Garreg Mach >E): Try to escape and regroup with the others (SPD Roll: 1-40) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword As a dark flier, our res is pretty good... So I certainly like our odds against him.
Ingrid is very dead, though.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword We should have the advantage against him. If possible we should leave Kate for last, there's always hope.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >>D): Duel Kate, your former comrade from Garreg Mach Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword Him and the magic dude are probably going to be the more annoying threats for our captains, so it'd be better to kill them first.
Anonymous
>>5675231 >tfw boss rush Based. Let's see what we can do.
>B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675493 >>5674735 Looks like my ID changed. This would be me.
TreeHouses QM
Now that Blair is Level 40, she has access to her Mastered skill for the Seraph Knight class.
Anonymous
>>5675506 That's going to be useful. Getting a free round on enemies in 1v1s, and stopping an enemy in their tracks in other scenarios is pretty good.
Incidentally, from this point on, is stat gain the only thing we'll be gaining from level-ups?
Anonymous
>>5675231 >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword Yeah if this is a restore HP on hit sword might as well put sword breaker to use. Do runeswords do magic damage, I can't remember.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5675514 Yep. We're in the Endgame.
>>5675515 Yep, they target RES.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675231 >C): Duel Aubert, the Wyvern Knight capable of using magic Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Mon 29 May 2023 16:24:22 No. 5675860 Report Quoted By:
>>5675231 Ah shit we have to 1v4 them? Well this'll be a fine last stand then, also almost forgot Kate was with the Hellwings, I say we leave her last for dramatic effect.
>B): Duel Rene, the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword TreeHouses QM
>>5675231 There was a lot running through your mind, but now was not the time to stop and think. You had to act fast. From a distance, you could hear the Kingdom and Imperial armies clashing, their final battle having finally commenced. You had to break out of this situation fast so that you could join up with Ingrid and help take down Rex. If doing so required you to play along with this ‘duel’, then you’d see it through. Scanning the four enemies surrounding you, it’s not immediately apparent which one you should pick. Rex was right when he said they’d each be a match for you. All of them looked incredibly strong. And Kate…why was she here? To think she’d joined the Hellwings…
>“You.” You point at the Wyvern Knight with the Runesword. You had no time to feel sorry for yourself. You’d deal with Kate later. For now, you had to pick an enemy, and it would be better for your comrades if you dealt with that Runesword first. Having witnessed Clay using it, you knew well how powerful that weapon could be. “Very well.” The older Wyvern Knight says. “Rene, we leave the Witch to you. I will brook none of your sadism here. Regardless of whether she is our enemy, she is still a former sister to the Commander. Kill her swiftly, and then rejoin us on the front. Hellwings! Forward!”
The three Aces spare you a glance, before moving forward to enter battle with the Blackwings. You hoped your friends could survive long enough for you to come to their aid. For that to be the case, you’d have to wipe out Rene as quickly as possible.
“I’m flattered you’d choose me, Witch.” Rene smirks. The haughty-looking knight stares at you with hungry, lecherous eyes. “I’ve heard much about you, but I’d no idea you were such a beauty. Tell me, have you ever heard of me?”
>“No.” Rene scoffs with fake indignation. “Surely you jest! I am Rene d’Bathory, the ‘Vampire of Adrestia’. I leave my enemies withered husks, drained of all their life and blood! Someone as strong as you…but with such soft and fair skin…such exquisite life force you must possess. I will have it!”
>Rene Bathory >Level 44 Wyvern Lord HP: 90/90
STR: 33
MAG: 27
DEX: 35
SPD: 37
LCK: 20
DEF: 28
RES: 25
Weapon: Runesword (+8 DMG, Restores HP on hit), Delphi Shield (Negate Flier’s Weakness)
Skill: Sol (DEX Chance: Restore HP on hit)
>Objective: Defeat Rene in 3 turns TreeHouses QM
>>5675881 Rene wields his Runesword in one hand, while in the other is a rare item that you hadn’t seen in a long time; a Delphi Shield. Your wind spells would be ineffective against it. No matter. You’d kill him and claim that shield for yourself if need be. Beathan shoots forward, faster than Rene could have possibly expected. Delphi Shield or not, he should still be weak against magic. You Transmute your Killing Lance with arcane power, and attack.
>Transmute: 4/5 >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5(Lancefaire) = 45 – 25 RES = 20 DMGx2 (Darting Blow) >Crit Roll: 71, 71 (Missx2) >Stun: 77 (Miss) >40 DMG (Rene: 50/90) Rene’s eyes widen, blinded by your speed. You slash out with your glaive before he can pull back, catching both him and his Wyvern with a skyward swing. Beast and man both scream as you follow up with another attack. This one slashes him across the shoulder, destroying the pauldron completely and dislocating his shield arm. Before you can pull back, Rene thrusts his Runesword out, the blade slicing up your right arm.
>Rene: (MAG: 27 + 8 (Runesword) = 35 – 23 RES = 12 DMG >Sol: 46 (Miss) >Blair: (48/60) >Rene: (62/90) “Yes!” Rene grins, blood running down his face. “I was right! You’re delicious, Witch! More! More, I say! I will drain you dry and consume you whole!” He goes on the attack, Runesword glowing brightly. His wide swipe misses you, and yet you still feel your life essence draining as the sword activates its magic.
>Rene: (MAG: 27 + 8 (Runesword) = 35 – 23 RES = 12 DMG >Sol: 22 (Hit) >Blair: 36/60 >Rene: (86/90) By now, Rene’s wounds seem to have almost fully healed. You swing your Lance at him before he can pull back, connecting with an attack on his side.
>Transmute: 3/5 >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) = 49 – 25 RES = 24 DMG >Crit Roll: 96 (Miss) >Stun: 64 (Miss) >Rene: (62/90) “Struggle harder, Witch!” Rene laughs. “Don’t make this too easy. I wish to see you squirm as I drain you of every last drop.”
>A): Continue attacking with Transmute >B): Switch to magic and attack >C): Use an Elixir (2/3) >2 Turns Remain Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >A): Continue attacking with Transmute We can keep tanking for now, an elixir is probably the wrong choice here. We can hope for a lucky crit with the Killing Lance.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Mon 29 May 2023 18:07:34 No. 5675914 Report Quoted By:
>>5675881 >Delphi Shield Fucking knew it
>>5675882 >A): Continue attacking with Transmute Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >>B): Switch to magic and attack Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >A): Continue attacking with Transmute Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >B): Switch to magic and attack Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >A): Continue attacking with Transmute Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >>A): Continue attacking with Transmute Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5675882 >A): Continue attacking with Transmute TreeHouses QM
>>5675882 If your goal had been to defeat one of the Four Aces in a timely manner and help your friends, you might have picked the worst member to square off against. This Rene was an infuriating one, both in terms of personality as well as that Runesword. He had every intention of stretching this out as long as possible in hopes of making you scream for mercy. That weapon was a difficult one to contend with, but you had to win. Rene could rejuvenate himself as much as he liked, you’d just keep swatting away at him until there was nothing left. Transmuting your Killing Lance once more, you charge forward with a battle cry and fresh intent to kill.
>Transmute: 2 Uses Left >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) = 49 – 25 RES = 24 DMGx2 (Darting Blow) >Crit Roll: 30, 80 (Hit, Miss) >96 DMG (KO!) There was no question that Rene was strong and durable. Even while carrying around that heavy blade and shield, he still managed to be an agile fighter. But when you went on the attack, you were able to claw away a slight edge over him with your superior agility. You charge him straight on and he braces himself for impact, Runesword above shield, poised to strike and absorb whatever damage you might inflict. You feint at the very last second and Rene falls for the bait. He thrusts his blade forward, only to overextend as he misses his attack. You outmaneuver the slower Wyvern, weaving towards the right and finding yourself behind him, poised for a critical strike. Knowing you’ll only get one chance at this, you thrust your transmuted glaive straight through the Ace’s back. The point pierces through his chest, and the Vampire of Adrestia finds himself disemboweled by your spear.
“Gah!!?! How-!” Rene coughs up a gout of blood. He hangs off the side of his wyvern, and you quickly extend a free hand out to rip his Delphi Shield off before it is lost.
>Obtained a Delphi Shield! ((Negate Flier’s Weakness) >“The only one squirming here was you, Vampire.” You say, pulling your spear out in a spray of blood. You slash at his Wyvern’s neck, decapitating the beast and letting both rider and beast plummet down into the smoldering ruins below. >100xp gained! (Level Up!) >Blair Weaver >Level 41 Seraph Knight (0/100) HP: 60 (90%)
STR: 30 (40%)
MAG: 27 (50%) +1 = 28
DEX: 25 (45%) +1 = 26
SPD: 41 (65%) +1 = 42
LCK: 30 (30%)
DEF: 25 (50%) +1 = 26
RES: 23 (40%)
CHARM: 24 (45%)
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5676248 You take a quick moment to catch your breath and survey the battlefield. The Kingdom and Empire’s armies were clashing. Though you were too far to see who was winning, you could make out several Crests activating off in the distance. In the immediate vicinity, the Hellwings and Blackwings were facing off in a battle for aerial supremacy. From your point of view, the other three Aces were pushing your forces back, and threatened to do serious damage to your company if they were allowed to continue. Meanwhile, in another corner of the sky, high above your current altitude, Rex and Ingrid were still in the middle of their duel. Though you couldn’t see who was winning, you could still make out those same blue lights flashing. Ingrid must be fighting all-out with her Crest, you thought.
You managed to defeat Rene before it was too late, and your reward was a choice. Your comrades, or Ingrid. You could only come to one side’s aid.
>A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) TreeHouses QM
>>5676248 You take a quick moment to catch your breath and survey the battlefield. The Kingdom and Empire’s armies were clashing. Though you were too far to see who was winning, you could make out several Crests activating off in the distance. In the immediate vicinity, the Hellwings and Blackwings were facing off in a battle for aerial supremacy. From your point of view, the other three Aces were pushing your forces back, and threatened to do serious damage to your company if they were allowed to continue. Meanwhile, in another corner of the sky, high above your current altitude, Rex and Ingrid were still in the middle of their duel. Though you couldn’t see who was winning, you could still make out those same blue lights flashing. Ingrid must be fighting all-out with her Crest, you thought.
You managed to defeat Rene before it was too late, and your reward was a choice. Your comrades, or Ingrid. You could only come to one side’s aid.
>A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) Anonymous
>>5676252 >A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) Yes
Hopefully what we've said to Ingrid earlier about dealing with Rex gives her the idea to try to retreat and then regroup with us because she's definitely dead otherwise.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 >B): Rush to aid Ingrid Like we planned, gang up on him and he dies.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Tue 30 May 2023 08:55:58 No. 5676349 Report Quoted By:
>>5676252 Helping the Blackwings sounds nice but Rex needs to be dealt with quick and we did promise Ingrid we'd fight him together, I don't put much hope in her just coming to us upon seeing the other Hellwings dead, Rex might just use the escape attempt to backstab her.
>B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) >Yes Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 Fuuuuck. If I knew the other aces were going to go and attack the rest of the Blackwings, I would've voted to try for Kate instead to try and diplomance her. Judging by their HP levels... Diana and Shelley (and Nero?) are on the chopping block here.
I don't really feel good about leaving Ingrid to die, but I also *really* don't want to lose our Left and Right Wings. We promised to fight with Ingrid against Rex, and that's our best chance of winning against him, but... losing the Triangle Attack (and potentially losing the chance to talk to Kate) sucks.
I kinda want to support one side with some cheeky Bolting snipes, before moving to assist the other, but if that's not possible...
>B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) >Yes He has a 10-level advantage over her, all while being a boss enemy. Crest and Holy Relic be damned, she's dead without support, and if she attempts to run away, she'll probably be picked off. Together, we might stand a chance.
Might have to say goodbye to our air captains, though. Anonymous
Quoted By:
As much as Ingrid needs the help, ensuring the rest of the company and the captains survive is more important.>A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) >Yes
Anonymous
>>5676252 >B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use Elixir He is going to be a pain in the fucking neck to deal with in a 1v1 since he's capable of going toe to toe with a crest user, especially since we burned Forseti earlier. Also if we down him quick enough the others might retreat or we can drag Ingrid to help clear up.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676385 Ah damn the vote about the Elixir is supposed to be
>Use Elixir >Yes Anonymous
…..how in the world did Kate get *this* strong?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 >>B): Rush to aid Ingrid >yes Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Tue 30 May 2023 11:53:37 No. 5676407 Report Quoted By:
>>5676400 Bet Rex and the Aces have just fed her protean and blood for the last 2 years, and taking Kate's personality into account she'd just go ''Okay.'' and do it.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 >A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >Use an Elixir Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 >B): Rush to aid Ingrid >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) >Yes Man, we're not going to be able to do the triangle attack after this.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676252 >A): Rush to aid the Blackwings >Use an Elixir? (2 Remaining) Yes
I'd rather we keep our men than Ingrid alive; if she's smart, she'll disengage and come back to us.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
B wins. Writing
TreeHouses QM
>>5676252 You gave Ingrid your word that you would aid her, and you intended to keep it. Rex was the enemy commander. Defeating him could potentially stop the Hellwings in their tracks. The others would have to make do without you for the time being. You spur Beathan towards the direction of Ingrid and Rex’s ongoing battle. Your mount faithfully obeys, flying higher and quicker towards the site of their duel. Meanwhile, you uncork one of the two Elixirs sitting on your belt, consuming the contents, and healing yourself of the wounds you’d taken during your battle with Rene.
>HP Restored! (60/60) Higher and higher, Beathan gains altitude, until you can finally make out the two competitors clashing. At first glance, they appear to be somewhat even matched. They trade blows with each other, neither giving up too much space to the other. As you draw closer though, realization strikes you. Ingrid is in far worse shape than Rex is. While she manages to parry blow after blow from him, she’s hardly able to go on the offensive. Rex has her pinned, and by the state of her and her pegasus’ armor, she’s already taken more than one blow. What’s worse, she’s only parrying with her right arm, while her left seems to be dangling uselessly at her side. This was bad. You think to yourself that you have an opportunity to land a sneak attack on Rex while his attention is centered on the attack, when the sky suddenly darkens.
“None may interrupt my Lord Rex’s battle.” A voice resonates in your mind.
>Winona: 40 (MAG) + 12 (Bolting) = 52 DMG – 23 RES = 29 DMG >Blair: (31/60) You scream at the top of your lungs at the magically infused bolt roasts you and Beathan alive. By the time the spell runs its course, you’re shaken up, and badly hurt. You’ve heard that voice before, but where? And where did that Bolting spell come from? Was there someone on the ground-”
“Blair! Are you daft, woman!” Rex’s loud voice pulls you out of your pain-induced stupor and snaps you back to reality. His duel with Ingrid has been temporarily paused by the sudden appearance of that Bolting spell. He stares at you with great fury. “I said I would brook no intrusions on my hunt! Neither from my men, nor you!”
“Blair!” Ingrid calls out. She’s panting heavily, and one of her eyes is swollen shut. As she turns her attention towards you, you find that half her face is obscured by her own blood. “Get out of here!”
“No, stay!” Rex laughs boisterously. “I believe I’ve extracted all the fun I was going to get from this one. I’ll finish her off, and then I can make my way to you.”
>“I don’t understand…” You pant. “A Crest and a Hero’s Relic failed to stop you?” TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5676836 “You’re only right to be confused. I told you…I am the pinnacle of humanity.” Rex boasts. “I have achieved the upper limits of what a human is capable of. Of what a PURE human is capable of. Unlike this pampered pup, I was not fortunate enough to be born with a Crest. I never had the blood of dragons pouring through my veins like so many of these Kingdom nobles did. No matter how strong I became, I would always be one step behind those who bore the gift of the Nabateans. I’d reached my limit, but I was not content with that. In order to break past that barrier and achieve new peaks, I needed to find a way to bridge that gap. That was when I happened upon a certain man from Ordelia. Recent news has informed me that you also met his acquaintance, though with far less enthusiasm than I.”
>“What?! You can’t mean-” Rex glows a horrifyingly familiar blue color as he extends a hand towards you. A familiar arcane symbol appears in front of him, one that you only just recently bore witness to when you first met Scratch.
“Behold! The Crest of Indech!” Rex laughs. “No ordinary Crest would be good enough for me! So, I journeyed across Fodlan to claim this one from the corpse of the legendary Saint himself! That madman Diogenes was all too happy to graft me with Indech’s blood! Now, I have broken past the limits the Goddess imposed on us and stand at the pinnacle of might!”
>“You’d go as far as to have those disgusting monsters operate on your body just for a little bit of extra strength?! What’s wrong with you?!” “The Agarthans were a means to an end, and nothing more. If it provides you any solace, rest assured that in due time, they too will feel the bite of my steel.” Rex points his spear at you. “Now come! If you’re here, that must mean one of my Aces now lies dead. Show me that strength of yours you’ve honed so well, Blair!”
“Blair! Get out of here!” Ingrid shouts once more.
>Rex d’Rusalka >Level 50 Barbarossa HP: 75/120
STR: 42
DEX: 40
SPD: 39
LCK: 35
DEF: 37
RES: 30
Weapon: Gae Bolg (+20 DMG, 10% Crit), Delphi Shield (Negate Flier’s Weakness)
Skills: Dragon-kin Wyvern (DEX based chance for Wyvern to launch a fireball or wind attack), Crest of Indech Level 3 (30% Chance to follow-up attack)
>A): Attack Rex with your spear >B): Attack Rex with Magic >C): Use an Elixir >D): Ingrid is right, this is a mistake. Flee the battle. (SPD Roll with disadvantage: 1-42 to succeed) TreeHouses QM
>>5676836 “You’re only right to be confused. I told you…I am the pinnacle of humanity.” Rex boasts. “I have achieved the upper limits of what a human is capable of. Of what a PURE human is capable of. Unlike this pampered pup, I was not fortunate enough to be born with a Crest. I never had the blood of dragons pouring through my veins like so many of these Kingdom nobles did. No matter how strong I became, I would always be one step behind those who bore the gift of the Nabateans. I’d reached my limit, but I was not content with that. In order to break past that barrier and achieve new peaks, I needed to find a way to bridge that gap. That was when I happened upon a certain man from Ordelia. Recent news has informed me that you also met his acquaintance, though with far less enthusiasm than I.”
>“What?! You can’t mean-” Rex glows a horrifyingly familiar blue as he extends a hand towards you. A familiar arcane symbol appears in front of him, one that you only just recently bore witness to when you first met Scratch.
“Behold! The Crest of Indech!” Rex laughs. “No ordinary Crest would be good enough for me! So, I journeyed across Fodlan to claim this one from the corpse of the legendary Saint himself! That madman Diogenes was all too happy to graft me with Indech’s blood! Now, I have broken past the limits the Goddess imposed on us and stand at the pinnacle of might!”
>“You’d go as far as to have those disgusting monsters operate on your body just for a little bit of extra strength?! What’s wrong with you?!” “The Agarthans were a means to an end, and nothing more. If it provides you any solace, rest assured that in due time, they too will feel the bite of my steel.” Rex points his spear at you. “Now come! If you’re here, that must mean one of my Aces now lies dead. Show me that strength of yours you’ve honed so well, Blair!”
“Blair! Get out of here!” Ingrid shouts once more.
>Rex d’Rusalka >Level 50 Barbarossa HP: 75/120
STR: 42
DEX: 40
SPD: 39
LCK: 35
DEF: 37
RES: 30
Weapon: Gae Bolg (+20 DMG, 10% Crit), Delphi Shield (Negate Flier’s Weakness)
Skills: Dragon-kin Wyvern (DEX based chance for Wyvern to launch a fireball or wind attack), Crest of Indech Level 3 (30% Chance to follow-up attack)
>A): Attack Rex with your spear >B): Attack Rex with magic >C): Use an Elixir >D): Ingrid is right, this is a mistake. Flee the battle. (SPD Roll with disadvantage: 1-42 to succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>B): Attack Rex with magic Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 To say that this is a bad situation doesn't do it justice.
>C): Use an Elixir No need to risk this.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>D): Ingrid is right, this is a mistake. Flee the battle. (SPD Roll with disadvantage: 1-42 to succeed) Anonymous
>He's got a Crest Hoo boy. If we survive this, we may have to go down the same route. Maybe even pick up that lost Hero Relic in the Edmund Woods... Though I can't help but feel we're going full Arthas with this.
>>5676840 Well... shit. Looking at Rex's stats and comparing it to our own... There is no universe where we win this fight. A single hit will end us-- and if he attacks multiple times with the Crest of Indech, then we're dead several times over. If we still had Forseti, we'd have a chance of turning the tables, but as it stands... It would take at least two crits from a Transmuted Killer Lance attack, or from Fimbulvetr to win this.
>C): Use an Elixir If my calculations are correct... After that hit from Bolting, we're in kill range. All other options will kill us on retaliation or in enemy phase, or otherwise leaves Ingrid to die. Using an elixir stalls the fight, but it doesn't solve any of the problems or give us any advantages other than making sure we don't die, so it might not be enough.
Hopefully, this option gives Ingrid the chance to assist or otherwise run away, because otherwise, this might be the end.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>>B): Attack Rex with magic Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >C): Use an Elixir thx for that bolting :D
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >C) Use an Elixir Blair must live, or all is lost. We really should've gone to aid the Blackwings, but what's done is done.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >C): Use an Elixir Jeez, she can just teleport in shock troops and hit people with bolting from out of nowhere. Truly a master of the scry and fry.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >C): Use an Elixir We could potentially kill him if we get lucky with crits/Stun, but I'd rather not take those chances.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>C): Use an Elixir This is bad
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676868 You know getting a crest implanted is starting to sound more and more enticing.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>D): Ingrid is right, this is a mistake. Flee the battle. (SPD Roll with disadvantage: 1-42 to succeed) Run away, run away!
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 >>C): Use an Elixir TreeHouses QM
>>5676840 No! You wouldn’t back down. Not here, and not in front of Ingrid. You’d rescue her and defeat Rex. You had no other choice but to succeed. Uncorking the final elixir from your belt, you consume its contents and undo the damage inflicted upon you by the enemy’s Bolting spell. As you do, Rex and his Wyvern make a beeline towards you, Gae Bolg drawn and ready for action.
>Blair: (60/60) Rex is far quicker than his wyvern’s bulky appearance would suggest. You try and outmaneuver him in the skies, dodging left and right in hopes of keeping your distance away from him. It’s no use though. This wyvern of his is unlike any you’d seen before. It seems to have no trouble keeping up with Beathan, a feat few others of its kind could claim. Rex increases his altitude and passes you, only to sharply turn and attack you with a divebomb. Gae Bolg slashes through your right side in a spray of blood. The spear does not stop there though. His attack manages to cut through Beathan as well. Your pegasus lets out an anguished cry as it begins to struggle to keep you afloat.
>Rex: 42 STR + 20 (Gae Bolg) = 62 – 26 DEF = 36 DMG >Crest: 47 (Miss) >Dragon-kin: 67 (Miss) >Crit: 99 (Miss) >Blair: (24/60 HP) While Rex is still in close distance, you transmute your Killing Lance, infusing it with magic, and swing at the Wyvern Lord’s head.
>Transmute: 1 Use Left >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) = 49 – 30 RES = 19 DMG >Crit: 65 (Miss) >Stun: 22 (Miss) You swing wildly, and instead catch Rex on his right pauldron. A wince of pain flashes across his face, but he quickly replaces it with a grin as he pulls away from you.
>Rex: 56/120 HP By the mercy of Rex’s Crest not activating, you are still alive. You and Rex continue to circle each other, both of you seeking openings in the other’s defenses. Rex seems to find a hole in yours before you do his, and he bids Ashnard to rush forward. His spear poised and ready to strike, you brace for the end when a flash of blue from behind him alerts you to Ingrid’s presence. She’s mustered up whatever remained of her strength to join the fray once more. Rex and Ashanrd turn at the very last second. He brings his guard up and manages to seemingly halt Luin in its tracks. As their spears clash, for a brief second, it appears that he’s managed to successfully block Ingrid. Slowly but surely though, Rex is being slowly pushed back. The Crest of Daphnel activates once more, resonating with Luin. Ingrid is rewarded with a newfound strength. She succeeds in breaking Rex’s guard, before plunging Luin into your brother’s chest.
>Ingrid: 34 STR + 25 (Luin) = 59 – 37 DEF = 22 DMG + 10 (Crest of Daphnel) = 32 Damage >Rex: 24/140 HP TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5677549 “Is that all you have?!” Rex screams, grasping onto Luin with one free hand and preventing Ingrid from releasing the weapon. “Here! Let me show you mine!”
Her weapon stuck, Ingrid is powerless to dodge or escape in time. Rex emulates her attack and plunges Gae Bolg through her chest. Throwing her head back in agony, she releases Luin to now grab onto the spear penetrating her body. She weakly tugs at the weapon, but to no avail as the last of her life ebbs away. Rex succeeds in pulling the Hero’s Relic out of him, before ripping Gae Bolg out of Ingrid’s chest. He holds on to Luin, and watches disinterestedly as the heir to House Daphnel plummets out of the sky and down to the ground below.
“Pathetic.” Rex mutters as he watches Ingrid’s body disappear from view. He turns towards you. “I thought she might have proved a worthy foe, but how wrong I was. She needed your help just to even come close to killing me.” He lifts Luin up in front of him, allowing himself a closer look. “I find myself disappointed in these events. But at the very least…I’ve been afforded a great prize today. I’ve always wondered what using a Hero’s Relic felt like. And now that I’ve obtained a Crest, I can find out for myself!” He sheathes Gae Bolg, and points Luin towards you. “Now come! I’m not yet done with today’s festivities!”
Ingrid was dead. Beathan was on his last leg. You were injured, and now, all alone against Rex. Just as you were ready to give in to despair, one final desperate gamble pops into your head.
Milly’s Strength Tonic. The item you’d found in your belongings before the battle started. You’d forgotten all about it. It allowed for a quick and immediate, albeit extremely temporary surge in strength. Would it be enough? It was possible. Despite Rex’s boasting, Ingrid had inflicted an incredibly grievous wound upon him. The boost in strength from that tonic may prove to be just enough to take him down. But could you use that item in time before Rex attacked you? If you failed here, there was no question that you would die.
>A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) >B): Throw your weapon down and surrender. Rex wants a duel to the death. He won’t attack you if you’re unarmed. TreeHouses QM
>>5677549 “Is that all you have?!” Rex screams, grasping onto Luin with one free hand and preventing Ingrid from releasing the weapon. “Here! Let me show you mine!”
Her weapon stuck, Ingrid is powerless to dodge or escape in time. Rex emulates her attack and plunges Gae Bolg through her chest. Throwing her head back in agony, she releases Luin to now grab onto the spear penetrating her body. She weakly tugs at the weapon, but to no avail as the last of her life ebbs away. Rex succeeds in pulling the Hero’s Relic out of him, before ripping Gae Bolg out of Ingrid’s chest. He holds on to Luin, and watches disinterestedly as the heir to House Daphnel plummets out of the sky and down to the ground below.
“Pathetic.” Rex mutters as he watches Ingrid’s body disappear from view. He turns towards you. “I thought she might have proved a worthy foe, but how wrong I was. She needed your help just to even come close to killing me.” He lifts Luin up in front of him, allowing himself a closer look. “I find myself disappointed in these events. But at the very least…I’ve been afforded a great prize today. I’ve always wondered what using a Hero’s Relic felt like. And now that I’ve obtained a Crest, I can find out for myself!” He sheathes Gae Bolg, and points Luin towards you. “Now come! I’m not yet done with today’s festivities!”
Ingrid was dead. Beathan was on his last leg. You were injured, and now, all alone against Rex. Just as you were ready to give in to despair, one final desperate gamble pops into your head.
Milly’s Strength Tonic. The item you’d found in your belongings before the battle started. You’d forgotten all about it. It allowed for a quick and immediate, albeit extremely temporary surge in strength. Would it be enough? It was possible. Despite Rex’s boasting, Ingrid had inflicted an incredibly grievous wound upon him. The boost in strength from that tonic may prove to be just enough to take him down. But could you use that item in time before Rex attacked you? If you failed here, there was no question that you would die.
>A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) >B): The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. >C): Throw your weapon down and surrender. Rex wants a duel to the death. He won’t attack you if you’re unarmed. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) I put my faith in the dice
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >>A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >B) The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. We can't afford to screw around here. No frills, no risks, just finish this. We have to win this. For those we have lost, and for those we can yet save. May the eternal flames take us if we fail now!
Anonymous
>>5677552 Brief question, because I really don’t understand Fire Emblem special powers, which frankly all seem OP to me.
However
I thought we have a Dexterity score higher than 22, for Stun?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >>B): The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677579 oh no, did qm fuck up
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >>C): Throw your weapon down and surrender. Rex wants a duel to the death. He won’t attack you if you’re unarmed. A little dishonor as a treat
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) I don't think we have enough damage to beat rex with option B.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677579 Wait, he's right. Don't we have 26 DEX? Unless I'm not understanding something.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677579 Yeah, shouldn't Stun have activated from that roll? But if not,
>>5677552 >B): The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. Ingrid is dead and so are some of our captains at this point. Might as well go out in a blaze of glory if we fail rather than fumbling with our inventory.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Thu 01 Jun 2023 10:36:31 No. 5677641 Report Quoted By:
>>5677579 3H fucking sweating right now wondering if he really fucked up during a high risk situation.
>>5677552 >A): Use the Strength Tonic and attack Rex (SPD Roll: 1-42 to Succeed) But if he didn't fuck up I vote to gamble it all baby
Anonymous
Quoted By:
Firstly, F for Ingrid. I do hope that Stun from last turn goes through, because she was cool, and we broke off from the lads to try and save her in the first place.
Killer Lance+ gives us... +35 Crit, according to the archives. If we're using 3H Crit Calculation, then our Crit Chance is [Crit Chance from Equipment, Combat Arts, Battalions, and Abilities] + [Dex + Luck / 2]. Combat Arts and Battalions don't exist, and we don't have and crit-boosting abilities, so we use the base 35% from KL+, and add 26+30/2=28. That's 63%.
But crits are also calculated against the enemy's crit avoid. Crit avoid is equal to luck, plus any avoid bonuses from combat arts. Rex has a Luck of 35. That brings our crit chance down from 63% to 28%.
However, Stun could trigger too, and if that uses our current stat, that's a 26% chance. If either stun or a crit triggers, we win. If my calculator is correct, that's... a 46.72% chance?
That's technically better than the 42% chance of success from the Strength Tonic. Assuming of course, my math is right, and Rex doesn't have any secret modifiers that are being taken into account.
>>5677552 >B): The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. In the end, there's only really a 4% difference in the options, but I'll take it.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677552 >B): The tonic is too risky. Stake everything on one final attack. TreeHouses QM
>>5677579 You're 100% right, I made a horrible mistake and forgot Stun was on a DEX chance to proc and instead thought it was a flat 20% chance. This is likely because I initially intended Stun to be 20%, but later changed it to DEX to incorporate stat changes into the quest better. Stun proccing would change things considerably.
I'm going to have to null this last update. Consider it a hallucination, a what-if scenario, or perhaps a manic schizophrenic episode at best.
Sorry folks, I'm very embarrassed. New update later.
TreeHouses QM
>>5677579 Also thank you for noticing the error in the first place anon. Great eye.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677714 Thank the Goddess. I was going to reeeeeeee if we spent our last night rummaging for useless item instead of being with Ashe.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Thu 01 Jun 2023 14:55:30 No. 5677728 Report Quoted By:
>>5677714 INGRID LIVES HALLELUJAH BLESS BE TO THE FLAWS OF THE CREATOR!
Anonymous
>>5677716 No problem…. Sorry about making work for you.
All of these high levelled powers seem so… powerful. Is real Fire Emblem also like rocket tag?
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5677730 No need to apologize. I'd rather we discover this now than later. If it were a minor inconsequential thing I'd be more likely to overlook it but this is pretty huge.
And yeah, Fire Emblems with skill system tend to get nutty fast. Particularly once everyone has enough Skill/Dex to proc their actions. It's something I'm learning to deal with as Blair gets stronger.
Anonymous
>>5677730 Oh you have no idea. In the lategame, especially in Three houses, everything becomes a battle of who has the highest Crit and Speed.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677714 Eyyyy! I'm glad our gambit paid off, then!
And props to you, Tree, for admitting your fault and rolling it back. I'm sure it would've been easy to say that you forgot to take one of Rex's secret mods into account, or to change the way Stun works at the last second, but you noted the mistake and decided to fix it. Respect.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Thu 01 Jun 2023 15:20:11 No. 5677744 Report Quoted By:
>>5677737 I still remember playing the Blue Lions route and dear god Dimitri was literally unstoppable, he hits hard and he almost always crits his hits, it's insane.
Anonymous
>>5677714 >Today Blair will hallucinate defeat Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:lPWtwtCZ Thu 01 Jun 2023 19:49:49 No. 5677859 Report Quoted By:
>>5677854 She sees her death but then suddenly wakes up as she's standing over Rex's bloodied corpse and Ingrid just looks at her in fear and awe.
Anonymous
>>5677854 Clearly, she has Saber's Instinct skill, allowing her to see a result that would result in her death moments before it happens, allowing her to change her action just in time.
Alternatively, this is just why people call her Witch.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677714 everyone makes mistakes
Anonymous
>>5677885 Would be funny if Tree can incorporate the nightmare episode inside the real update.
Anonymous
>>5677885 "I foresaw it in a dream"
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677730 it's not just rocket tag but you can also steal your enemy's rocket with things like Vantage (which allows you to hit first even if you're attacked on your enemy's turn) or Counterattack (which allows you to hit back when you're attacked even if you're 10 squares away)
but ultimately it's a PvE game, so mostly it's just the player styling on hordes of AI. most of the enemies don't have the busted combinations. anyone who does, like Winona, becomes a famous unit that kills many a player's favorite character, like the Pass assassin reinforcements (which move the same turn they appear and can move through your frontline to attack your vulnerable squishies) in Three Houses Chapter 5. Winona is astounding, as she has Warp and Bolting both of which are top tier spells that make a unit worthwhile on their own, let alone having both on a single list
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5677961 >>5677966 You know, that wouldn't surprise me. Maybe this is just one of Yara's premonitions, and she just deals with this kind of stuff daily.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5676840 As you face off against Rex, a vision of defeat flashes across your mind. There was no doubt you were outclassed. In a normal one-on-one bout against Rex, there was no question that you would lose. But you weren’t alone. Despite being on the verge of death, Ingrid had managed to inflict substantial damage on her opponent. And while he’d never admit it, the wounds she’d inflicted on Rex might just be enough for you to sneak away with your life. It wasn’t how you ever imagined your inevitable fight with him would go, but this was the best shot you had. There was no room for doubt. You uncork the final Elixir from your belt and consume the contents just as Rex charges forward in a flash to strike you.
>Rex: 42 STR + 20 (Gae Bolg) = 62 – 26 DEF = 36 DMG >Crest: 47 (Miss) >Dragon-kin: 67 (Miss) >Crit: 99 (Miss) >Blair: (24/60 HP) Rex’s wyvern, Ashnard was of a rare breed. The only other one you’d ever seen like it belonged to Claude. Not only capable of great speeds, it also possessed the uncanny ability to attack using a form of primitive animalistic magic. Capable of generating slicing winds with its wings and fireballs from its mouth, you were forced to watch for not only Rex’s spear, but this beast as well. Beathan maneuvers out of the way of Ashnard’s talons but is unable to escape the edge of Rex’s Gae Bolg. He slashes out with the large Almyran spear, ripping a chunk of flesh not just from Beathan, but from your own side as well. You somehow manage to maintain your composure. You only had one shot at this and had to make it count.
>Transmute: 1 Use Left >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) = 49 – 30 RES = 19 DMG >Crit: 65 (Miss) >Stun: 22 (Hit) >Rex: 56/120 HP You’d been practicing a certain combat art ever since you became a Seraph Knight. It was an obscure technique you’d once found in a dusty tome at Garreg Mach. Originating from a nameless pegasus knight of eons’ past, it utilized thunder magic to briefly paralyze the target. The technique itself was difficult to accomplish, requiring you to strike a particular nerve in your opponent with a magically infused strike. As Rex lashes out at you, you maintain your composure long enough to retaliate on the exact spot you needed to strike to complete your Stun technique. You attack with your glaive, just narrowly managing to strike the necessary pressure point. In addition to the gout of blood you’re rewarded with upon landing a hit on Rex, you notice that his shoulders reflexively slump downward, indicating that your Stun succeeded. Rex has been paralyzed temporarily, long enough for Ingrid to catch him with a sneak attack. The heir to House Galatea musters up the last of her strength to bid her Pegasus forward so that she may attack Rex with Luin. The blow catches him from behind, with Luin penetrating his backside.
TreeHouses QM
>>5676840 As you face off against Rex, a vision of defeat flashes across your mind. There was no doubt you were outclassed. In a normal one-on-one bout against Rex, there was no question that you would lose. But you weren’t alone. Despite being on the verge of death, Ingrid had managed to inflict substantial damage on her opponent. And while he’d never admit it, the wounds she’d inflicted on Rex might just be enough for you to sneak away with your life. It wasn’t how you ever imagined your inevitable fight with him would go, but this was the best shot you had. There was no room for doubt. You uncork the final Elixir from your belt and consume the contents just as Rex charges forward in a flash to strike you.
>Rex: 42 STR + 20 (Gae Bolg) = 62 – 26 DEF = 36 DMG >Crest: 47 (Miss) >Dragon-kin: 67 (Miss) >Crit: 99 (Miss) >Blair: (24/60 HP) Rex’s wyvern, Ashnard was of a rare breed. The only other one you’d ever seen like it belonged to Claude. Not only capable of great speeds, it also possessed the uncanny ability to attack using a form of primitive animalistic magic. Capable of generating slicing winds with its wings and fireballs from its mouth, you were forced to watch for not only Rex’s spear, but this beast as well. Beathan maneuvers out of the way of Ashnard’s talons but is unable to escape the edge of Rex’s Gae Bolg. He slashes out with the large Almyran spear, ripping a chunk of flesh not just from Beathan, but from your own side as well. You somehow manage to maintain your composure. You only had one shot at this and had to make it count.
>Transmute: 1 Use Left >Blair: (30 STR + 10 (KL+) + 5 (Lancefaire) + 4 (Fiery Blood) = 49 – 30 RES = 19 DMG >Crit: 65 (Miss) >Stun: 22 (Hit) >Rex: 56/120 HP You’d been practicing a certain combat art ever since you became a Seraph Knight. It was an obscure technique you’d once found in a dusty tome at Garreg Mach. Originating from a nameless pegasus knight of eons’ past, it utilized thunder magic to briefly paralyze the target. The technique itself was difficult to accomplish, requiring you to strike a particular nerve in your opponent with a magically infused strike. As Rex lashes out at you, you maintain your composure long enough to retaliate on the exact spot you needed to strike to complete your Stun technique. You attack with your glaive, just narrowly managing to strike the necessary pressure point. In addition to the gout of blood you’re rewarded with upon landing a hit on Rex, you notice that his shoulders reflexively slump downward, indicating that your Stun succeeded. Rex has been paralyzed temporarily, long enough for Ingrid to catch him with a sneak attack. The heir to House Galatea musters up the last of her strength to bid her Pegasus forward so that she may attack Rex with Luin. The blow catches him from behind, with Luin penetrating his backside.
TreeHouses QM
>>5678698 >Ingrid: 34 STR + 25 (Luin) = 59 – 37 DEF = 22 DMG + 10 (Crest of Daphnel) = 32 Damage >Rex: 24/140 HP Rex is stunned, unable to muster up the strength necessary to counter Ingrid. She rushes to your side after her attack, and the two of you exchange nods. Now was the time to land the finishing blow. You both rush towards Rex before he is able to recover from your Stun technique. Ingrid takes the right, while you take the left. You both in coordination land grievous blows on Rex, culminating in a cross slash that finishes off both the Wyvern Lord and his faithful steed in dual sprays of gore.
>Rex: 0/140 HP >100xp Gained! Level Up! >Blair Weaver >Level 42 Seraph Knight (0/100) HP: 60 (90%) + 1 = 61
STR: 30 (40%)
MAG: 28 (50%) + 1 = 29
DEX: 27 (45%)
SPD: 42 (65%) + 1 = 43
LCK: 30 (30%)
DEF: 26 (50%) +1 = 27
RES: 23 (40%)
CHARM: 24 (45%)
“Hahahaha…to think that you of all people would be the one to land the finishing blow.” Rex laughs. “Still…I suppose this isn’t so bad. In fact, I can at least say in the end that I’m proud of you.”
>“Was this really worth it in the end, Rex?” “Save your sentimentality.” Rex spits blood. “Know this…your enemy is not as unified as it seems. Heed my words, a civil war threatens to run rampant amongst those snakes. The one that you will cross blades with is the strongest amongst them. Hold nothing back when that day comes. Despite your shared history, he will stop at nothing to see his goals met.”
>“You can’t possibly mean-“ “Aye.” Rex grins, blood running down his mouth. “Would that I could be there for the ‘family’ reunion. Alas, I’ve met my match. Emerge victorious, Blair. Charles d’Rusalka will be a stronger opponent than you can fathom.”
Before you can question him any further, Ashnard’s wings finally give in, and both it and Rex fall to the earth below.
The silence that follows is deafening. You and Ingrid stare at each other wordlessly, in awe at what you’ve accomplished.
Rex d’Rusalka has been bested.
Before you can bask in your victory, horns blaring pull you out of your stupor. You look towards the distance to trace their origin.
The Kingdom’s Army is routing.
>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings >B): Attempt to group up with the routing Kingdom Army. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A) Group up with the other Blackwings We can't save anyone if we're all out of position. If the Blackwings are going to reverse the rout, they'd best do it as a unit rather than piecemeal.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Holy shit
We actually did it
……..we should take his lance. We deserve it.
Anyways…. The men come first.
Anonymous
…..do you think we can take over the Hellwings, now? Merge them with the Blackwings?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings I really hope we can nab his weapon
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Woah. We're actually alive.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Stun coming in clutch omg.
And if the kingdom with all its relics is routing then Dimitri is 100% dead oof.
Drag Ingrid with us by the hair if we have to.
Anonymous
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Time to invest in DEX whenever possible for more Stun cheese.
Anonymous
>>5678780 Also hate to be that guy but it looks like we suddenly have 1 more point in dex than we're supposed to. We had 26 at level 41 but now we're at 27 and it doesn't look like that was from the level up.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Anonymous
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings we left them to the Aces, they're probably ravaged and torn to bits. There are definitely additional casualties. I'll miss Roxanne, and the rest who died here
>>5678719 it'd be fanciful, but the hellwings are an Imperial unit. if they were another mercenary band it'd be one thing to poach a few fairweather fighters (we've got some already) but I don't think most of them are going to desert just because Blair killed their commander.
but hey maybe Kate would defect now that her replacement Blair is dead, and Winona won't declare absolute vengeance on Blair and Ingrid, and Edelgard is either fully dead or well enough to not get puppeted as in SS canon gronder. as long as we're wishing!
Anonymous
>>5678842 …..about that
Winona is still alive
And has Bolting
…….
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678854 >>5678842 If Winona was going to intervene then she could have easily done so when Rex was stunned. Rex died doing exactly what he loved and I think Winona will respect that.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings We did it
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A) Group up with the other Blackwings We sould take surviving that as an absolute win.
>>5678719 Highly unlikely, wouldn't make much sense for them to join us. Maybe Kate if we find her?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >>A): Group-up with the other Blackwings We live, bitch
Anonymous
Well, Ingrid was there for the whole conversation about Rex getting a crest, along with the snakes and all. I can only hope she pushes the idea that Blair is telling the truth to the rest of the Kingdom.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679070 the kingdom is basically an even more ragtag band than the blackwings at this point, they have no leadership or powerbase with rodrigue and dimitri dead and their soldiers all routed here. you're right that if we can recruit anyone it's going to be them
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Anonymous
You guys think that if we focused on the Empress instead of the Hellwings we could've saved Dimitri/the kingdom?
Anonymous
>>5679189 Maybe? I'm pretty sure the Kingdom was done for anyways, only having 2000 men. I wonder where the Blackwings will go now that the Kingdom has fallen, the Alliance (likely) sees us untrustworthy and the Empire is our direct enemy.
Anonymous
>>5679189 Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know now.
>>5679191 We really did back the wrong horse here. Sylvain running Raphael through right in front of us clinched it. Ignatz and Hilda could've been blamed on the Empire if not for that, but now they'll probably get pinned on us, too. If we ever see Claude again, it'll be with the Sword of Begalta pressed to our throat.
Our best bet is to board the Knights of Seiros train.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
I mean as usual it's typically best to try and back the protagonist.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679189 I really hope Tree does a Q&A after this session because I was planning to ask them that.
My gut says that we wouldn't have been able to stand a chance against the Empire's crests and whatever other tactics they had up their sleeves, and if we tried to stop Dimitri then he'd probably literally stab his way through us to get to Edel. Plus if we left the Hellwings alone then they'd be able to pick us off like fish in a barrel or maybe even successfully pincer us against the Empire's army.
Hell we just barely scraped our way through the Rex encounter, and that's only due to a crest user softening him up beforehand and the dice gods finally smiling on Blair's side with that stun.
>>5679191 With all the info we have about the snakes it would be stupid not to team up with Byleth. Hopefully if any of our kingdom friends survive we might be able to convince them to join up with us.
>>5679200 To be fair, if we flubbed our dice rolls and Sylvain didn't show up then Raf would have done some serious damage to us before we could manage to take him out.
I don't see how we'd get blamed for Hilda and Ignatz though? That's all on the Empire, and also Claude for not seeing through the obvious trap.
Anonymous
>>5679189 Maybe, but it was a losing battle anyways considering the state of the Kingdom. I'd imagine that if we had ignored the Hellwings we'd still end up fighting them except with more support from the Blue Lions but they probably would have picked off some of the Blackwings. We're probably still losing more of our non-flier captains anyways, but I can see someone like Mina easily getting killed by the Hellwings if we didn't intercept them first.
>>5679191 Our best bet would be working with the Church now. Claude if he's still alive definitely isn't going to want see us anymore after this.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679211 >if he's still alive Oh, I bet he is. Remember, dev intention is that he survives all routes.
Anonymous
F, Rex. You were a bloodthirsty, warmongering blood knight. But you did want you wanted, even giving us some parting words at the end.
...I wonder what's going on in IngridQuest right now.
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Time to see the damage. Blair and Ingrid alone can't turn the tide of the battle anyway.
>>5679189 It's hard to say. I'm fairly certain that if we decided to attack the Empire forces, we'd have to go head-to-head against someone like Edelgard, Hubert, or one of our old supports like Petra or Caspar. Failure would've meant the Hellwings crashing in to finish everyone off. Might've been a win, or it might've been a lot of heartbreak-- hard to say.
>>5679191 The funny thing is, even if we won this battle for the Kingdom and settled down as nobles, it wouldn't surprise me if we'd have been looked upon as a house of traitors in spite of our contributions (especially if we take Ashe on as a husband). Though now that the Kingdom is scattered, it'll probably fracture into hundreds of earldoms and city states, or it'll be absorbed by the Dukedom.
It goes without saying that we're not welcome in the Empire, certainly not after everything we've done. Even if it lost the battle here and collapsed, I'm sure there may be some animosity if we took up the seat of the county of Rusalka. We may never be welcomed in our homeland again, even once the the snakes are gone.
And the Alliance... even if we we had once parted on good terms, we turned away from them (and even against them) during a critical juncture. *Maybe* if we chose not to attack them during the stalemate, they would've found another way around, but with Dimitri at the helm, I somehow doubt it. Lysithea might still be willing to work with us to take down the snakes, but I don't know if we'll be able to find work there for a while.
That leaves... the Knights of Seiros, who are still cool with us, in the end. I don't think Blair's amenable to taking on Dame Serana's place as a Professor at the Academy, but we'll see. For now, it seems all of the lands will have *some* beef with us, but that's par for the course for someone of our level on our crusade.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5678700 >A): Group-up with the other Blackwings Blair lives to fight another day
TreeHouses QM
>>5678700 There was no mistaking what you were seeing. The Kingdom army had finally broken. Those few that remained were doing their best to flee from the opposing line of Imperial soldiers, who were curiously not pursuing the stragglers. While the Empire had taken substantial losses of their own, it was plain to see that they were the only army left standing on the field. Dimitri and Claude’s gambits had both failed to pay off. The Adrestian Empire was victorious today.
“No…they’re routing!” Ingrid gasps, horrified.
You say nothing. What was there to say? A part of you saw this coming from the beginning. Despite the best efforts of you and your men, the battle had been decided the moment Dimitri had refused to ally with the Alliance. Perhaps Ingrid hadn’t seen it that way, but you knew better. Now, your main priority was to rally what remained of your allies and escape here with the life you’d somehow managed to secure.
>“Let’s link up with the others and then decide a course of action.” “No!” Ingrid shouts, wincing in pain. The wounds Rex had inflicted on her were grievous indeed. It was a miracle she was somehow still conscious. “We should fly on ahead. Let’s see if there’s anyone still ali-”
>“Out of the question!” You hiss. “I came here to save YOUR life, likely at the cost of several of my subordinates. If you throw that away after all this, I’ll never forgive you.” If the Blackwings were still battling the Aces of the Hellwings, you had no time to waste. You have no issue speaking to Ingrid harshly, cutting to the matter at hand. Despite your own personal victory today, you hardly derived any pleasure from it. You’d have to confront Rex’s final words when you finally had a moment where you weren’t on the brink of death. “Blair, the King may still be out-”
>“Open your eyes! The Imperial Army isn’t pursuing. If Dimitri were still alive, there’s no doubt they’d stop at nothing to finish him off. And the same goes for anyone out there who’d been using a Hero’s Relic. The fact that they’re stalling means they’ve achieved what they came here for. They’re dead, Ingrid. And if the Imperials spot you flying over there, rest assured they’ll try to kill you too. Let’s see to those who still live first, and then decide what to do from here.” Ingrid says nothing. Her face in her hands, the only response you get from her is a muffled moan that you interpret as her saying she won’t resist your orders. The two of you fly towards where you’d seen the battle with the Hellwings occurring. The entire way over, you’re mindful of any further Bolting spells that may come off in the distance. Fortunately, you aren’t harried by the enemy spellcaster. As you arrive, you see the battle still in full swing. Your heart beats rapidly as you quickly take account of the surroundings, noticing that there are far more Hellwings still in the sky than your own.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5679364 “You!” One of the Aces hisses. It was the snide-looking noble that seemed to be capable of using magic. “What are you two doing here?! Did you flee from my lord in a desperate attempt to preserve your lives?!”
If any of them were as strong as Rene had been, then neither you nor Ingrid were in any condition to fight this battle. You’d have to try getting them to stand down.
“Here me, Imperials! Rex d’Rusalka has fallen in battle! He was slain by my own hand! This battle is over. Leave now or suffer the same fate!”
“Liar!” The Ace seethes. He motions to attack you but is halted by the one who seems to be in charge of this bunch.
“Aubert! Hold!” The older Ace shouts. He stares at you and Ingrid, looking right through the two of you. Taking a second to glance back towards the main Imperial army, he raises one hand forward before giving a new command to his soldiers present. “Hellwings, fall back! Regroup with Lady Winona.”
“You can’t be serious, Bradley!” The one known as Aubert shouts. “You’re going to let her walk away while she slanders the Commander’s name? She isn’t worthy of being slain by him! Give me the order and I’ll strike her down where she stands!”
“Unfortunately…I don’t believe she’s lying.” Bradley says, all the while never taking his eyes off you. “We regroup with Lady Winona. That’s an order. Don’t make me repeat myself. Hellwings, move out!”
Aubert is furious but does not disobey his captain’s command. Sparing one last hateful glance towards you, him and the other Hellwings depart the battle. One by one they turn their back on you, until only Kate is left afloat. The two of you stare at each other, giving nothing away. You always considered her to be a dear friend. Along with Xavier and Martha, she’d been a member of your unit back at Garreg Mach. You fought beside each other countless times. She’d even saved your life when you’d been kidnapped by Kronya. You wanted to reach out to her. To learn of what she’d been through, and maybe to even see if she’d be amenable to somehow joining forces with you again.
TreeHouses QM
>>5679364 “You!” One of the Aces hisses. It was the snide-looking noble that seemed to be capable of using magic. “What are you two doing here?! Did you flee from my lord in a desperate attempt to preserve your lives?!”
If any of them were as strong as Rene had been, then neither you nor Ingrid were in any condition to fight this battle. You’d have to try getting them to stand down.
>“Here me, Imperials! Rex d’Rusalka has fallen in battle! He was slain by my own hand! This battle is over. Leave now or suffer the same fate!” “Liar!” The Ace seethes. He motions to attack you but is halted by the one who seems to be in charge of this bunch.
“Aubert! Hold!” The older Ace shouts. He stares at you and Ingrid, looking right through the two of you. Taking a second to glance back towards the main Imperial army, he raises one hand forward before giving a new command to his soldiers present. “Hellwings, fall back! Regroup with Lady Winona.”
“You can’t be serious, Bradley!” The one known as Aubert shouts. “You’re going to let her walk away while she slanders the Commander’s name? She isn’t worthy of being slain by him! Give me the order and I’ll strike her down where she stands!”
“Unfortunately…I don’t believe she’s lying.” Bradley says, all the while never taking his eyes off you. “We regroup with Lady Winona. That’s an order. Don’t make me repeat myself. Hellwings, move out!”
Aubert is furious but does not disobey his captain’s command. Sparing one last hateful glance towards you, him and the other Hellwings depart the battle. One by one they turn their back on you, until only Kate is left afloat. The two of you stare at each other, giving nothing away. You always considered her to be a dear friend. Along with Xavier and Martha, she’d been a member of your unit back at Garreg Mach. You fought beside each other countless times. She’d even saved your life when you’d been kidnapped by Kronya. You wanted to reach out to her. To learn of what she’d been through, and maybe to even see if she’d be amenable to somehow joining forces with you again.
TreeHouses QM
>>5679367 >“Kate-” “Did you really kill him?” Kate asks you blankly.
>“I did.” “I see.” Kate offers you a small, slight smile. “Then that settles it. The next time we meet, I’m going to kill you. And I can now do it with no regrets.” She turns her pegasus, and leaves to follow the other Hellwings.
“Commander!” Ava flies next to you. She looked in bad shape, pale from a loss of blood. You noticed she was using one hand to staunch a nasty wound she’d received on her shoulder. “You’re alive…thank the Goddess…”
>“Ava, I’m relieved to see you’re okay. What’s the damage?” Her face crinkles up. In a way, you were glad she was the one to deliver you the bad news. You didn’t need any sugarcoating. You wanted to know what your victory over Rex had cost you.
“Nero. Shelley as well.”
>A deep breath. There would be time for mourning later. You had to get everyone out of here now. “Where’s Diana?” “Rallying the others…Mina and Caleb are alive…I saw them down below firing off arrows at the enemy to lend us some aid. Yara and Damien as well, I believe. I can’t speak for anyone else, but the others should know by now to fall back.”
>“Good. As soon as they do, we leave.” Ingrid makes a strangled, broken sound. Her face is buried in her pegasus’ mane, but you know what ails her. You may never hear the end of it if you don’t give her what she wants.
>A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield >B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Anonymous
>>5679369 This is a difficult choice.
We know when we're licked. Trying to pick Felix or Annette or Sylvain out of the pile of corpses will probably get us hewn in half by Aymr. We've screwed ourselves out of every possible ally except the Knights of Seiros, we've lost the battle we came here to fight, and Rodrigue's probably too dead to pay us our due. Any analysis of the situation should see the Blackwings pick up and retreat.
But if we don't go looking, it won't just be Ingrid who never forgives us. Ashe still cares for the Lions, even if they all went to their graves hating him. We've lost, once and for all, so many friendships from our Garreg Mach days, including Kate just now. We can't afford to lose him, too. Also, Sylvain saved our life, so we should at least try to find him and return the favor.
Reluctantly, I vote:
>A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield. May the Goddess damn me and me alone if this gets us Bad Ended.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>Nero died Farewell, you beautiful ugly bastard, you. I can respect a mercenary who was only really in it for coin. That just makes him more honest than most. We're gonna need some heavy restructuring...
>Shelley died as well F. There goes the Triangle Attack.
Though now I wonder if Ingrid will tag along in her stead-- it's not like she has anything else to do. >>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield I know we're half-dead, with no healing, and this is very dangerous, but... although all the relic users are probably dead... if there are still Blackwing Captains dying in the main battlefield that can still be rescued, I'd like the chance to try and pull them out. This gives us a chance to grow the support rank a little more, too.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >>A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Is Ashe safe? We can't leave our boy there.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Yeah, figured we'd lose one of the members of the triangle attack. Also, I REFUSE TO LEAVE UNTIL FINDING OUT IF ASHE IS SAFE
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Grim. Can't say it's unexpected though since we always knew how outnumbered and broken down the Kingdom was.
It might be dangerous, but it's been noted that the Empire isn't pursuing, so they've either suffered some major casualties on their side as well or they're planning something and it'll be a massive mistake for us to not escape. I'd still prefer us taking the risk to search for survivors.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >>B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >>A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Ingrid you'll be the death of me.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >>B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield. Living on the edge at this point.
>>5679373 To be completely honest, I wonder how the Blackwings as a whole will react to this. No pay, two captains dead, several losses. Even as a mercenary company, we won nothing for them here.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679373 Also, I absolutely refuse to give up on Kate.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. It's too late. We're gonna get ambushed.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sun 04 Jun 2023 12:10:13 No. 5679845 Report Quoted By:
>>5679312 >...I wonder what's going on in IngridQuest right now. Oh those fuckers must be in awe of how the DM is making all this extra bullshit for his OC that kicked our asses back in school yet he swears it that he didn't plan any of this and it only happened due to background rolls he made.
No one is convinced.
>>5679369 >A): Search for any survivors on the main battlefield Now i'm curious to see how the story will go, shit's pretty bad but we're alive
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5679369 >B): It’s pointless, and dangerous at that. Accept reality and retreat. Please don't send Blair to near certain death (again)
TreeHouses QM
>>5679369 >“I’m going to see if there may be any survivors out there.” Ava raises a brow. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
>“Better we know now than wonder later. I’m sorry, I know you’re hurt, but please see that you and Ingrid receive medical attention as soon as possible.” “I’m going with you.” Ingrid mutters.
>“Out of the question. You’re in no condition to be flying right now, and your presence is more than likely to spur the Empire to restart the attack. You stay behind, or I won’t go at all.” You’d been taking your orders from Ingrid the entire day. Even when your judgment told you to fly over and come to the aid of Roxanne and the others, you still deferred to her command. But now the battle was over. There was no more Faerghus Army, and the Kingdom was likely to fall into a state of intense anarchy while the Dukedom claimed what was left of its territory. Her rank and nobility were hardly of any importance now. There was no need for you to follow Ingrid’s orders anymore. Perhaps she knew that as well, as she offers you no protest. She merely nods, and follows Ava to dismount below, meeting with the others. >You click your tongue in annoyance, take a deep breath, and scratch Beathan’s neck. “We’re almost done, buddy. Just one more thing left to do. Bear with me for a few more moments, please.” Your faithful companion ferries you over towards the site of the three-way battle. Flying over the ruined hill and the remains of the sniper tower, you’re able to make out several charred bodies down below. Even despite your altitude, the sickly smell of burning flesh wafts through your nose. You were no stranger to the grisliness of the battlefield. At this point, you’d likely seen more loss of life than most of humanity ever had. But there was no comparison to thousands of fresh corpses piled over each other. The stench of blood, sweat, loosened bowels and more hung heavy like a miasma. Worse than the bodies though, were the ones who’d survived. Those unfortunate souls who’d taken an incapacitating or grievous wound and were now left behind. You could hear them moaning and crying, calling for help that would never come. If you looked down, you could swear you’d see hands reaching to the sky, begging you to swoop down and save them. But you were only one person, and in no good shape yourself. There was nothing you could do for them.
By now, the Empire’s army had given themselves a wide berth from the site of their battle with the Kingdom. They’d won, but at great cost. You estimated that they’d lost over two-thirds of their army here. It was safe to say they could hardly afford any more victories like this one. The Kingdom had fallen, and the Alliance was in dire straits, but the Knights of Seiros still remained. Your old Professor was now the only thing preventing the Empire’s complete domination over all Fodlan.
TreeHouses QM
>>5680113 You land at the epicenter of the battle, your hand instinctively covering your mouth and nose to prevent retching. How in the Goddess’ name were you to possibly find anyone you knew here? The bodies seemed to go on endlessly. Dismounting Beathan so that you could avoid tramping any of the corpses underfoot, you begin the arduous process of walking through the scene. In the area you find yourself in, you notice several of the bodies wearing the colors of Leicester. This must be where they’d been ambushed, sandwiched in between the Empire and Kingdom. You find the remains of several imperials lying in a crater. You recall the explosion you’d seen earlier. Lysithea’s work no doubt. As you wade through to get a closer look, you come upon your friend, or rather what remained of her.
She was lying face down, and her body had been severely trampled, but there was no mistaking that it was her. Even through the carnage, you could distinguish her white hair and small frame. She looked as if she’d been torn nearly in half. From what you could tell, she must have not even seen the attack coming. Dimitri and the others flanked her from behind before she could retaliate. To think that she would die so senselessly, and after only just finding out that her Crests could be removed. After the two of you promised to continue to aid each other, and after all you went through together in Ordelia. Your heart shattered at the thought of leaving her out here to rot, but there was nothing you could do. Wiping the tears from your face, you say a quick prayer for her and continue walking forward.
You leave the Alliance bodies behind. Claude was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps his body had been taken by the Empire? Or perhaps he’d managed to survive and flee. Either way, you were glad to have not seen him. Dead or alive, you were not sure you could face Claude again. You and Beathan find yourselves at the site of the battle between the Kingdom and the Empire. Unlike before, you hear no weeping or cries for help. Save for the sounds of carrion, the site is completely silent, signifying to you that there were no survivors present. The bodies here on both sides seem to have been brutalized, far worse than the others you’d seen earlier. This was a battle without mercy, both sides wishing to bite down on each other’s jugulars.
TreeHouses QM
>>5680116 Felix’s is the next body you recognize. He seemed to have died alone, surrounded by the corpses of Imperial soldiers. A dagger was lodged in his throat. It was a strange looking one, almost primitive in nature, with a bone handle. You recognized it as Brigid in origin. Could Petra have done this? You couldn’t say for sure, though it hardly mattered. Another friend of yours was lost. The Aegis Shield lay on the ground next to him. It seemed a waste to leave it here, but it was still a Hero’s Relic. Touching it could drive you to turn into a Demonic Beast, and you didn’t come this far just to risk it.
A short distance away, you find Annette. Someone had split open her head. Next to her was her Hero’s Relic, Crusher. The gigantic mace was still being clutched onto by her severed arm. Gilbert was only a few steps away from her. It looked as if he’d tried to come to her aid but was overrun. His plate armor had caved in, blood seeping through the slots.
Upon finding Mercedes and the state she was in, you wretch uncontrollably. You decide that you’ve seen enough. This had been a pointless endeavor. You should have never come here. Perhaps you should have never come to Gronder at all. Your mood and outlook have darkened considerably. You mount Beathan and take your leave of this horrid place. You had to lead your men out of here. But the question was where? Garreg Mach seemed the obvious place, but right now the Empire was blocking the path there. There were too many wounded Blackwings. You’d never be able to outmaneuver them with all your baggage. That left either Faerghus, or the Alliance, both of which seemed to be horrid options. When did you somehow manage to make an enemy of the entire world?
>A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. >B): Flee to the Alliance. The situation would be a bit more stable than that of the Kingdom’s, but you were likely to be treated as an enemy once word got out. Anonymous
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Mostly to snipe anyone left for the Blackwings, something like an anon was suggesting before.
Where are the Knights or Seiros located again?
TreeHouses QM
Thread is archived:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Three+Houses That wraps things up. I was worried all last week that I wouldn't get to finish this chapter in time before the thread was bumped off, but looks like we managed to do so with even a bit of time to spare. The wait time for Thread #17 will be a little longer than usual as I have a few personal things coming up and I'd prefer to write as consistently as possible. My guess is around June 17th-18 at the latest.
I'll stick around until the thread bumps off to answer whatever questions you have. I'll say this part here had the greatest deviation from what I initially envisioned. So much so that a lot of my planning has been completely thrown on a loop. But that's the fun of quests! Coming up with elaborate scenarios that you end up never using is just the nature of the game.
TreeHouses QM
>>5678792 Looking back, you did level up Dex here but it looks like I just forgot to write it down. I seem to be very forgetful these days. Luckily you're all holding me accountable! Appreciate the heads up anon.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Fleeing to the alliance, even if stable seems liek a horrid idea. We might find provisions and supplies, but once the word gets out that we fought on Faerghus' side we're done for. This was absolutely brutal, guess we won't be able to fullfill our promise to Lys. Really felt the hoplessness of it all, excellent job QM.
>>5680122 In the center of Fódlan, it would be hard getting there immediately as it's entirely surrounded by mountains.
Anonymous
>>5680124 Greatest deviation? What was your initial plan?
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5680128 I never in a million years thought Blair would beat Rex here, let alone that anons would want to fight him here once they saw he was 9 levels above Blair and packing heat as far as stats went. The rolls really paid off, as did the timely acquisition of Stun.
Anonymous
It would appear the choice to fight the Hellwings made it impossible to save any of our allies on the field. Had we been there we could've possibly saved one or two of the Lions (personally would've aimed for Mercedes akin to how we saved her during the mission to Tauros Village), but Ingrid would certianly be dead and so would most likely our entire company. Alas, it was not to be. Still got Ingrid though.
For anyone thinking there was a missed choice or hidden path that could've saved them all or saved, it's very unlikely. This is the Canon Gronder Fields for Silver Snow, everyone of the major characters present dies except for Claude
who as an Almyran Prince either escapes back to Almyra, or leaves Fodlan on a ship never to return, which path is canon I don't remember but he just disappears in the story and Edelgard, who is gravely injured from fighting Dimitri. Hubert escapes too because he's a bastard. We're lucky we still have units in our Company after this battle while also pulling at least Ingrid out of here alive.
In the game all main Eagles are with the Byleth at the Bridge so none of them die here, but the Professor only has Ferdinand, Dorothea and Bernadetta with her now so it's likely both Petra and Caspar participated in the battle, Petra most certianly was here judging from the knife in Felix's throat.
Hanneman and Manuela, the other professors and house leaders from Garreg Mach, as former subjects of Adrestia would also be in service of Edelgard as they went back there after the war began. At least they did in the game, this quest could differ, and even if they are enlisted to fight it's hard to say if they were here at the battle. In the end we didn't interact much with them at the Academy after all, so it probably wouldn't have mattered as much as the deaths of the Lions to Blair.
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Sylvain is nowhere to be found, it's possible he escaped after the battle was lost. Or we just didn't find his body. That he's not confirmed dead gives just a little glimmer of hope at the very least that Ingrid isn't the only one who lived, so if we're looking to find him reatreating there is the right choice. Also a large group of our Company came from Faerghus right? Then it would also make more sense to head there than the Alliance.
Ashe is still missing as well, but hopefully he's with the rest of the Blackwings that survived.
>>5680124 How close was this write-in
>>5655233 to having us executed by Dimitri?
Anonymous
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. >No Dimitri or Sylvain. They've probably taken Dimitri's corpse to be a war trophy, but omg Sylvain please make it out.
>>5680124 >Questions Yeah I wanna know all the choices we missed out on.
Most pressing, what would have happened if we didn't go after the Hellwings and instead joined the Lions charge against the Empire? And what would have gone on if we tried to join up with the routing army instead of the Blackwings?
Apart from being able to save Roxanne, what else would have resulted from going in to try to save our friends after the explosion? (Either with Ingrid or alone).
Where would Rex have popped again up if he survived Gronder? Apart from the family reunion.
Consequences on going "screw this" and choosing not to attack Leicester?
Finally, if we chose to attack another one of Rex's Elite four would more of the Blackwings have been able to make it out?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >>B): Flee to the Alliance. The situation would be a bit more stable than that of the Kingdom’s, but you were likely to be treated as an enemy once word got out. Where is our boy aaaaa
Anonymous
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. >>5680124 How many could we have saved if we had stuck with Claude?
Anonymous
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. where are ashe and corrine ;-;
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Sun 04 Jun 2023 23:08:41 No. 5680282 Report Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Unlike the Alliance we tried to help them in this fight, also yeah Claude doesn't want to meet us again for a long fucking time, but I doubt even if we joined the alliance here it would have changed much if anything, maybe only save a few alliance members? Hm... Shit's bad.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. >>5680254 They're fine. Don't even think of the worst case scenario anon.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Already sad that we lost Shelley, but man Ashe better be safe.
Anonymous
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. We are persona non grata in Leicester, people. We killed Raphael, we'll probably get blamed for killing Hilda and Ignatz since the Kingdom and Alliance forces were fighting for/over the central hill when it all went BOOM and whoever reports back might not mention the Empire did the firestarting, and we let Lysithea die maybe a WEEK after giving her hope of restoring her lifespan and giving her parents hope of spending their twilight years with their daughter. Count Ordelia is going to put a bounty on our heads, mark my words. We did everything wrong. We shouldn't be surprised if the history books consider us little better than Acheron or the Dukedom, assuming they're not the ones who end up writing them.
Ashe and Ingrid, at least, have survived. Let's hole up in Galatea territory, or Fraldarius territory if by some utter miracle of the Goddess Rodrigue is still alive. From there, we can lick our wounds and make Cleobulus our next target among the Sages. Killing Agarthans is all we're good for anymore.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680318 Amending my statement, Ashe has PROBABLY survived. PROBABLY. It is unlikely that he has become a true knight.
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra
Hubert ''Deathwing'' Vestra ID:OtihNtzI Mon 05 Jun 2023 00:32:02 No. 5680322 Report >>5680318 Oh yeah, the history books aren't gonna view us nicely, even in the present we have a bad reputation so I doubt future historians are gonna think we're good when we turncoated the empire, went to be mercenaries in the kingdom before getting hired by the alliance only to switch back to the kingdom during it's last stand... Only if we like somehow help the kingdom rebuild after this whole things over will our reputation be saved, and only if we survive
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Anonymous
>>5680322 This is why I wish I'd been here in time to vote for us going to Gronder on the Alliance side. One more vote might not have changed anything, but maybe I could've convinced some people to change their votes?
Anonymous
>>5680324 Probably our worst decision. I still don't understand why.
TreeHouses QM
>>5680140 Manuela and Hanneman would be with Byleth and the Church of Seiros in this quest. As for the write-in, probably one more instance of looking to align yourselves with the Alliance would have spelled trouble Whether it'd be straight-up execution or something else who knows?
>>5680161 >Most pressing, what would have happened if we didn't go after the Hellwings and instead joined the Lions charge against the Empire? And what would have gone on if we tried to join up with the routing army instead of the Blackwings? Major Blackwing losses after you're pincered by the Hellwings, while potentially getting the opportunity to save some other Blue Lion. If you'd gone to join the routing army, more Blackwings would die as well.
>Apart from being able to save Roxanne, what else would have resulted from going in to try to save our friends after the explosion? (Either with Ingrid or alone). What I had planned was that you'd get there and offer Felix and Ingrid a ride out. Hilda, who was there with Alliance soldiers, would ask you to help as well, while Felix would be against offering them aid. You'd have to choose what to do from there, either passing a Charm/Luck check or maybe even fighting. We never got that far though, so can't say how that would really play out.
>Where would Rex have popped again up if he survived Gronder? Apart from the family reunion. At the Imperial Capital, for the inevitable final battle of the war.
>Consequences on going "screw this" and choosing not to attack Leicester? You rally the other Blackwings to your side, pack up and leave. It's not like the Kingdom would be able to do anything about it. Someone might try and stop you, at which point you'd cut them down. They had more pressing matters, and weren't long for this earth anyway.
>Finally, if we chose to attack another one of Rex's Elite four would more of the Blackwings have been able to make it out? Nope, just the boss battle you were in would have been different. The Blackwings died against the Aces only when you chose to go help Ingrid instead.
>>5680248 Not a lot. Maybe just Lysithea and possibly Hilda. I had a few Leicester ideas planned for this battle as I was sure that was the route we'd go, but nothing major fleshed out.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5666110 Poor Marina here was one of many victims of Blair's power creep. I had intended to use this character looooong ago. She would be the Imperial version of Shelley had you joined forces with Adrestia, while Kate would take Diana's role. Glad I could use her, even if it was just to remind what wind magic does to fliers without a Delphi Shield.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>Dimitri (most likely) dead >Sylvain MIA >Rodrigue dead >Felix dead >Annette dead >Mercedes dead F. Here's hoping Sylvain made it out-- someone's got to oppose the Dukedom and take charge of what's left.
>Claude MIA >Ignatz dead >Raphael dead >Hilda dead >Lysithea dead Goddamn. F. Here's to you, Golden Deer. Losing Lysithea is especially sad.
We don't see any named Black Eagles down there, but desu... they probably carried those bodies with them, so it's entirely possible that they lost a lot of their guys as well. It's looking like canon Gronder Field now. I do hope our other Blackwing Captains on the ground survived though.
>>5680117 >>A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Punished Blair, a Woman Denied Her Home. It seems we're doomed to either take on mercenary work for the rest of our lives, carve out a piece of the Kingdom for ourselves, or to just take up a teaching position at the Academy by the end of this. That, or maybe see if the folks at Arcadia are willing to take us on, hah.
Whatever the case is, I suppose we'll have to work with Byleth to take out the Sages now.
Anonymous
>>5680354 >Choosing to break off to save friends after the explosion would've let us save Hilda as well as Roxanne. Interesting. Would she have then survived the ensuing battle when we attacked Leicester, or would she be dead either way? And I presume doing that instead of attacking Adrestian fliers would've meant the Kingdom would've been worse off as their backline got attacked, but it seems it wouldn't have mattered much.
>Choosing to not attack Leicester would've resulted in us just peacing out and leaving with the Blackwings. Honestly pretty hilarious, though of course, that probably leaves Roxanne and Uriel to die instead of allowing them to regroup.
>If we went with Leicester instead, we might've been able to save Lysithea and maybe Hilda, but not much else. Huh. I suppose even if we are the protagonist of our own story, we're not exactly the super protag that is Byleth-- we probably wouldn't have changed much even if we decided not to go.
>>5680124 As for my own questions, I have to ask...
What would've happened if we chose to attack the mages instead of attacking the demonic beasts? Would we still fight Phaedo, or is there another Sage present?
If we chose to not participate in the battle of Gronder Field at all, what would've happened? Would our reputation be worse off than it is now?
If we chose to duel Kate instead, would we have gotten a chance to convince her to join us? Have we locked ourselves out of the route to have her join us?
If we weren't intended to win against Rex here, would we have instead been directed to seek other forms of power (i.e. Crests and Hero Relics) once we fled the field?
Are there any choices here that would've resulted in a bad end / game over for the Blackwings other than battles?
Lastly, was victory for either the Kingdom or the Alliance possible at all? Or was the outcome decided as soon as we went down the Silver Snow route?
Anonymous
>>5680324 Same. I've got absolutely no idea why most anons jumped on a sinking boat, especially when we had a great reputation with Claide.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. We really put ourselves in a terrible position by not siding with the Alliance. Hopefully Sylvain is still alive, but if he's dead, going to Faerghus at least puts us in the path of killing more Agarthans.
>>5680125 >you did level up Dex here but it looks like I just forgot to write it down Nice, that's even better. And don't sweat it since it was a minor typo.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Starting to worry about Ashe and Corinne. Where are they????
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680117 >A): Flee to Faerghus. The Kingdom will likely be in a state of anarchy, but the chaos should provide you with enough cover to regroup, recover, and plan out your next move. Ooohhh I wonder what the consequences of killing Rex early would entail. Fewer deaths in the end?
Anonymous
>>5680324 >>5680342 >>5680514 I feel like a lot of anons were convinced or otherwise holding onto hope that while they couldn't control Dimitri, they might be able to convince the others. I know I certainly was. Plus, if we look at our support list...
Blackwings
>Ashe, Corrine, Elizabeth, Diana, Shelley, Clay, Sebastian Black Eagles
>Petra, Caspar, Edelgard Blue Lions
>Mercedes, Sylvain, Felix, Dimitri, Annette, Ingrid Golden Deer
>Lysithea Church of Seiros / Byleth's Team
>Dorothea, Bernadetta, Leopold, Catherine, Flayn ...we'll see that Blue Lions hold a large number of our supports. Personally, I wanted a chance to try and save a few of them, and we've... mostly succeeded with Ingrid, though at great cost.
Of course, in hindsight, we should've written of Dimitri and the Kingdom as a lost cause early and sided with the Alliance instead. I don't think we would've won, of course, but maybe we would've been able to retreat into somewhere mostly safe, save Lysithea and Hilda, all while possibly claiming our pay.
Instead, we've come out having lost lots of good friends today, and with a slightly traumatized Blair. The only plus is that we actually managed to kill Rex early, which I don't think would be possible unless Ingrid survived long enough for the Hellwings to arrive (which of course, wouldn't be possible because the Kingdom would try to take out the Alliance first-- in fact, we'd likely be the one to kill her if she would lead their air divisions towards us).
Anonymous
>>5680777 >Rex died early from us teaming up with Ingrid Well there's a positive in this near desperate situation. It's probably one of the only good things to come out of siding with the Blue Lions, that and saving Ingrid.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5680811 Oh yeah, 100%. With Rex's 10-level difference, hugely inflated stats, and Crest, we wouldn't beat him in a duel unless we were rolling repeated stuns and crits. It'd probably be a rout. We only won against him because Ingrid softened him up big time, and then even helped us finish him off.
And of course, even with all of that... we still had to roll hot for the lucky stun to land. Here's hoping that Rex dying early opens some new paths for us.
Anonymous
I really hope Blair nabs Rex's spear when leaving the battlefield
Anonymous
>>5680777 >the Supports Did we really have zero pre-Lys supports with the Deer? Dang. That does explain it a little, and I understand not wanting to kill Ingrid. I still agree with you that we should've sided with the Alliance, since at least we know Claude would've survived long enough to pay us.
Anonymous
>>5681043 Yeah, since our story focused on Black Eagles and Blue Lions, the Golden Deer suffered from a natural lack of screentime. I think if we had built their relations more in the Academy Phase, we'd grow more attached to the other characters, but even having spent 3+ years with them (post-timeskip) as a mercenary, we hadn't really formed any true (support) connections.
I suppose that makes sense, though. We had basically spent no time with them. Back in the Academy, Blair was buddying up with the Blue Lions so much that she was basically Blue Lions-adjacent. Even Edelgard and Hubert were beginning to wonder if our loyalties were still to the Black Eagles and the Empire. Though once Ashe left Blue Lions to join us, we had reverted that.
Things would've probably turned out better if Blair (and Byleth) had joined Blue Lions at the start of the quest, but then we wouldn't have nearly as much of a compelling narrative as we do now. For better or worse, I suppose this is how things have turned out.
We're in the endgame now, though. We need money, resources, manpower, and a place to hunker down soon, or we're not going to last long with so many enemies. We'll just have to make sure to kill the snakes faster than they kill us.
Anonymous
>>5681087 There's also the matter of morale. We lost so many Blackwings with little to show and no pay at all. I hope they don't start thinking the wrong ideas.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5681104 For sure. We did a good job last thread, having managed to turn our low morale into something greater by galvanizing them into pursuing a new goal that didn't involve money, but... taking two heavy losses after coasting on successive victories is going to sting. Morale is definitely going to get worse before it gets better.
If there's any consolation, anyone who's still sticking with Blair after all of this is going to be exceptionally loyal. We're still the greatest mercenary band in all of Fodlan, which is definitely saying something-- and being one of the few companies to survive Gronder Field (even on a loss) has to count for something.
But yeah. Next thread is going to be a lot of funerals, hazard pay, restructuring, and... perhaps opportunities to bring some new people into the fold.
TreeHouses QM
>>5680384 >What would've happened if we chose to attack the mages instead of attacking the demonic beasts? Would we still fight Phaedo, or is there another Sage present? You'd still fight Phaedo, though the actual battle itself would be different. Demonic Beasts were probably easier. Lot of mileage out of that Blessed Lance.
>If we chose to not participate in the battle of Gronder Field at all, what would've happened? Would our reputation be worse off than it is now? Realistically, you'd be fine. You wouldn't be able to save anyone that was fighting in the battle, but this wasn't exactly a fight anyone was clamoring for. As for what you'd be doing in the downtime, hard to say. I was so sure people here would vote to participate that I didn't really flesh out a contingency plan.
If we chose to duel Kate instead, would we have gotten a chance to convince her to join us? Have we locked ourselves out of the route to have her join us?
Can't reveal that yet!
>If we weren't intended to win against Rex here, would we have instead been directed to seek other forms of power (i.e. Crests and Hero Relics) once we fled the field? Can't reveal that yet!
>Are there any choices here that would've resulted in a bad end / game over for the Blackwings other than battles? Pushing to keep allying yourselves with the Alliance pre-Gronder would have led to something bad.
>Lastly, was victory for either the Kingdom or the Alliance possible at all? Or was the outcome decided as soon as we went down the Silver Snow route? The victory condition for the Kingdom and the Alliance was to defeat Edelgard. Your presence here would not have allowed that to occur in any way. She's a powerful Relic user who saved the best for last, and was surrounded by her own guard. You might have been able to mitigate damage, but you'd never succeed in landing a fatal blow.
>>5680926 You lost sight of it when he fell. It's also very likely someone else has already grabbed it.
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5681150 >Are there any choices here that would've resulted in a bad end / game over for the Blackwings other than battles? To elaborate on this a bit further, there was also the choice you had to make about who would go attack the tower and who would go scout. Had they not met the right stat requirements, they'd die. Caleb and Milly met the stat requirements and were fine. Roxanne and Uriel did as well, but the option to rescue them was its own separate thing.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5681150 >You might have been able to mitigate damage, but you'd never succeed in landing a fatal blow. Well it's good to know we made the right choice in fighting the Hellwings instead of focusing on the Empress.
>Pushing to keep allying yourselves with the Alliance pre-Gronder would have led to something bad. You mean while we were with the Blue Lions, or before then?
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5681150 >Can't reveal stuff about Kate yet "So, have you found a reason to fight yet? Buddy." >Can't reveal other forms of power yet Hoo boy. I'm interested to see how that turns out. Blair managing to beat Rex in spite of her lack of Crest and Hero Relic might mean she's more likely to not pursue that path, but... at the same time, I think she'd know that there was basically no universe where she'd ever beat Rex in a fair fight without it. Either way, I'm curious to see how this darker Blair would reflect upon it-- her enemies are only getting stronger, after all.
>Victory was impossible from the start That tracks. It's good that we focused on trying to work on damage control instead of trying to win, then. Of course, it came at great cost, but... we gotta try and keep our supports alive whenever possible.
>You lost sight of it when he fell. It's also very likely someone else has already grabbed it. inb4
Kate picked it up, and once Eulalia reforges the Almyrian Warlord Spear we won, it's going to be the wielder of the Gungnir vs the wielder of the Gáe Bolg all over again. Pic related. Anonymous
>>5681087 Whie that's true, we had already disclosed a lot of what we knew about the Agarthans with Claude. His interests aligned with ours in one way or another. In terms of our true endgoal, having direct assistance from the leader of Leister would have been critical. We did grow close to the Blue Lions, which is why if we sided with the Alliance it would have made the battle even more of a tragedy for Blair, being forced to kill her past friends. (Sometimes I just want chaos, destruction and to make Blair suffer) If only the Boar could be reasoned with.
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5681326 Heh, fair enough. I suppose Blair's naive attempt to hold onto to the few friends she had left has only made things harder on her in the end. Though whether or not Claude still would've left like he does in canon, or if he stays if we had backed him is another thing.
I can imagine a what-if scenario of Gronder Field on the Alliance side being pretty damn harrowing for her as well. Felix refusing to join on a pegasus ride out of the inferno, having to duel Ingrid to the death, and then maybe even trying to talk down Sylvain, Annette, or Mercedes, before they're killed by one of the Golden Deer... and of course, being routed from the field by the Hellwings, and then watching the rest of the Alliance die in the ensuing fight.
...war truly is hell, it seems.
Anonymous
>>5681150 Was Ashe going to be instantly executed if we did not order him to disguise himself?
TreeHouses QM
Quoted By:
>>5682017 Maybe not instantly, but he'd certainly be in a heap of trouble. Imprisonment or execution were a sure thing.
Anonymous
Darn, I would've liked to see Blair aggressively kiss Ashe atop her pegasus before claiming that Ashe was her man and the Kingdom could try and take him at their peril
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5686482 Would've been cute, true
Anonymous
Quoted By:
>>5686482 Blair the war criminal Disney princess.
