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You are Theodora Cain, daughter of Basiliscus The First, king of the human realm. You are the king's rightful and only heir, destined to take his place governing his land.
The human realm, also named Ceoressa, is situated on fertile soils and crossed by many rivers descending from the northern mountains, which belong partly to the Akashee, a specie of half-bird, half-men pacifists. The southern border touches the elves' great forest, smaller than any other kingdom but fiercely guarded by their magicians, who are also their leaders and with whom you are currently at peace (which was not always the case).
On the West lies the Jewel Sea, shining under a rarely clouded sun and is populated by wondrous creatures, some intelligent and capable of manipulating magic, but very secretive and all in all not a threat to Ceoressa because of the peace treaty binding you both which has always been respected.
To the East, on the contrary, lies a swarm of problems. The chaotic land from where it is said magic and elves originaly came, now corrupted by the dark powers and decadence of the Alrunes. It is whispered that these horned and perverted folks were once humans who let emotions and desires take control of their souls to gain unnatural access to magic. Ceoressa isn't at war with them but they are suspected of trying to assassinate the previous kings and queens of the land, and are known for their violent, brutal and twisted society.
For now, no war is feared among the people, the last plague broke out fifty years ago and crops grow stronger than ever. The King and yourself are loved by your folks... Until now.
You turned 16 a few months ago and your father got wounded in a ritual duel with an Akashee chief. The injury got infected and the only magicians powerful enough to cure him live in the far away land of the elves so they didn't make it in time to save him. After mourning his death, since you respected him as a leader and loved him as a father, you start preparing yourself to be Queen. You know there will be many choices to make and with the King dying so suddendly and you still being so young, you'll have to prove that you have what it takes to be a great Queen.
But first, you need to talk to your people. For the first time, you are wearing your father's crown and it rests heavily on your head. You can hear chants coming from outside, the whole court is waiting for you. You step forwards, walk through the thick red curtains. The sun blinds you for a second and the crowd roars with excitement. Your most trusted advisor, tries to summon silence, but only your hands resting on the marble handrail achieves it.
You now stand, fierce and proud, almost intoxicated with the feeling of the power that now rests in your hands... But you can't shake off the anxiety of the consequences of your actions.
What do you tell the people listening, and by extension the whole world to whom scribes will read your speech ? What do you promise them ?
>>
>>515030
Squats & Taxes.
>>
>>515030
Blah blah tragic blow blah blah together we are strong and we'll continue on into the bright future etc etc
>Akashee
>pacifists
> ritual duel
> killed the beloved king
The harpies are clearly begging to be invaded, if only they didn't live up in the mountains
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>>515030
Even though we are a woman we still take on the title of "King"
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>>515052
On the subject of Akashee, the duel was meant to stop at first blood and the wound itself wasn't deadly at all. There is, however, a possiblity that the blade could have been poisoned (unlikely coming from the Akashee themselves) or that the wound was poisoned after the combat. You're going to deal with that matter right after the crowning ceremony ends.
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>>515030
>What do you promise them
That you'll find a dragon and make half dragon heirs
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>>515085
Dragons do exist yes but they are rare and scattered across the Akashee territory. They are intelligent but get bored of other life forms pretty quickly because they consider that no specie can be as wise and powerful as them. The Akashee treat them with respectful distance and regular gifts.
>>
>>515085
Think it would be better we just married a close relative to keep the bloodline "pure"
>>
Writing update now so we can get to the real royzl stuff.
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>>515052
>>515072
So you make a speech about how the tragic loss of your father has only made you fiercer and prouder to rule this beautiful kingdom, and that in these times of trouble you will lead them to the glory they deserve. You also inform them that you will keep your father's title in honor of his memory and thereof shall be called King.
The crowd is going mad over you but you know that those bored nobles would go mad over anything that changes from their usual train of life. You however note that your adviser, Luther, a 40 year-old bearded veteran, winks at you with a confident smile as you leave the balcony under the applause of your people.
"You have done very well Mylady... Or should I say Mylord ?"
He allows himself to joke around you because he has known you since you were a little girl and was the one who taught you military strategy. You are pretty fond of him and trust his knowledge and experience, even though you think he sometimes takes matter a little too lightly.
Now that your speech is over and you are in company of Luther, what do you intend to take care of ?
>Investigate on your father's death
>Go through the list of suitors the royal council has set for you
>Meet the Elvish delegation which was sent to save your father but arrived too late (you havn't had the time to meet them yet with the funeral and crowning
>Other
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>>515143
>>Meet the Elvish delegation which was sent to save your father but arrived too late (you havn't had the time to meet them yet with the funeral and crowning
Diplomacy first
>>
>>515143
>Meet the Elvish delegation which was sent to save your father but arrived too late (you havn't had the time to meet them yet with the funeral and crowning
Around elves watch yourselves
>>
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>>515150
>>515148
You let a servant bring you to the visitor's wing and arrive in a tastefully decorated dining room. There is a round table in the middle of it and around it are three elves dressed in ceremonial robes. Two of them are obviously warriors and sit on each side of the third, whom you know is the powerful healer (pic related), but also an important political figure in the Elvish home forest. He is called Vaï'lar.
He gets up and bows respectfully while the other two get down on their knees. You tell them to sit back down and bow yourself, though not as low, as you know etiquette calls when adressing a guest.
You sit down and ask for a bottle of wine and four glasses. The magician rises his, lowering his chin.
"To the memory of your father. May his spirit be appeased by your reign."
You all drink respectfully before resuming the conversation. The delegation presents you their most sincere apologies for not showing up on time and you exchange usual protocolish smalltalk about your respective kingdoms.
What do you do ?
>You know the healer examined your father's body. Ask what he found out
>Try to get as much information on who you have in front of you to be sure you can trust them
>Ask about what is going on back home
>Ask them to leave the country as soon as possible
>Invite them to stay as long as they please
>Other
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>>515187
>>You know the healer examined your father's body. Ask what he found out
Never hurt to ask
>>
>>515187
>You know the healer examined your father's body. Ask what he found out
>>
>>515187
>You know the healer examined your father's body. Ask what he found out.
>>
>>515198
>>515197
>>515195
I see you all seem to agree here !
You ask him about your father's body and what he found out. Vaï sends his warriors back to their chambers and asks you to do the same with your servants so these information stay confidential.
"Your Majesty... I wanted to wait for you to have time to deal with this, that is why I didn't come to you earlier... But I am certain that your father didn't die of sickness or even of his wounds. His body was infused with a slow, discreet poison, probably given to him on a regular basis for a long time."
You try to remain calm as this information in made aware of you, but you can't help your hands clinging on the egde of the table with rage. You knew it. Your father wasn't old or weak...
"If I where you I'd watch every person that had the occasion to see him regularly closely and put his personal healer in a cell."
Vaï speaks about the human magician as if he was nothing but a cockroach under his boot. You remember how elves scorn human magic and those who wield it, as they believe it to be less pure and way less powerful.
Vaï'lar informs you shortly after that that he could not exactly identify the poison used or from which plant it was extracted, but that it was definetely not magic. He also tells you that he and his delegation will be leaving soon to attend matters in their own land.
What do you do ?
>Stay here and ask more questions to Vaï'lar ?
>Go investigate on your father's murder/lock up some people
>Gather the council to ask them for advice about what to do in the murder case
>Go through the list of suitors the royal council has set for you
>The scribes are certainly waiting for you to proofread what they will send to every ruler known to your kingdom in honor of your crowning
>Other
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>>515231
>>The scribes are certainly waiting for you to proofread what they will send to every ruler known to your kingdom in honor of your crowning
Pretend we did not know the news to avoid triggering the culprit
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>>515231
>Go investigate on your father's murder/lock up some people
Lock up all the cooks and healers that has contact with daddy, can't hurt to be sure
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>>515241
This.
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>>515231
>The scribes are certainly waiting for you to proofread what they will send to every ruler known to your kingdom in honor of your crowning
>>
>>
>>515269
>>515262
>>515241
You leave Vaï'lar, thanking him once again for his help, and try to contain your anger as you go to the council room where your scribes must be waiting.
Luther joins you as you walk in the corridors and informs you that you just received a letter from the Akashee leader. You tell him that you'll read it later and go into the council's room.
Three scribes are waiting inside, chatting about syntax and metaphors to put in the message. You know that they are three brothers who have been serving the kingdom their whole life. They all look alike, all balding men dressed in humble robes with slightly twitching hands and bright blue eyes.
"Your Majesty !"
Says the first one as the bow so low that their forehead touches their knees. You tell them to sit down and do so yourself. You ask them about the speech and they all say it was good, but you might want to make each message a little different, depending on the people you're sending it to.
What do you do ?
>For which one(s) do you make the message slightly menacing ?
>Friendly ?
>Austere ?
>Other
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>>515292
Friendly to allies/neutrals
Slightly menacing to enemies
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>>515292
Friendly to all except the East.
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>>515342
>>515327
You spend quite a long time talking about diplomacy with Luther and your scribes, about how your country used to get along with others, about the old wars with the elves and the first encounter of the Alrunes. You do send personnalized letter to each leader, hoping this will have good repercussion.
What do you do now ?
>Go investigate on your father's murder/lock up some people
>Gather the council to ask them for advice about what to do in the murder case
>Go through the list of suitors the royal council has set for you
>Read the Akashee chief's letter
>Other
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>>515375
>Read the Akashee chief's letter
Is he the same guy that injured our father?
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>>515398
this
>>
>>515375
>Read the Akashee chief's letter
>>
>>515398
>>515399
>>515403
Yes it is the same person that injured your father.
The letter goes like this :
"Your Majesty Theodora the First,
I, Anatë, chief of all Akashee tribes, present you my most sincere apologies for the death of your father as well as my best wishes for your reign. I hope I can help return our relations to their original state after this terrible tragedy, and if you care to accept it, I would like to offer you the help of my people in finding out what happened to Basiliscus, for I am confident my people had nothing to do with his tragic fate. If I can help you in any other way during your reign, know that I am in your debt.
With the highest esteem,
Anatë, Chief of Akashee, Wings of Thunder, Son of the Sky
>>
What do you do now ?
>Go investigate on your father's murder/lock up some people
>Gather the council to ask them for advice about what to do in the murder case
>Go through the list of suitors the royal council has set for you
>Answer the letter right now
>Other
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>>515456
Accept his help. His specialists may be able to identify the poison plant. Also:
>Go investigate on your father's murder/lock up some people
Proceed with discretion.
>>
>Answer the letter right now
>>
>>515456
> poisoned over a long time
Time to interrogate his personal healer. If he missed that he is either in cahoots our incompetent
>>
Gotta go to work, update when I come back
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>>515456
We should check the suitors for potential suspects.
They all have a motive (becoming king).
Same with the council.
>>
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>>517682
>>515859
>>515723
>>515469
You tell your scribes to answer the letter by accepting his help before asking Luther to bring you the King's healer.
You join them both in a quiet room, far from any prying ears. The healer, named Horace (pic related), is sitting at a table, Luther menacingly staring at him from the other end. The magician seems anxious and is twisting his fingers. When he sees you, he immediately gets up to bow and you notice that he has handcuffs... Probably Luther's initiative.
You tell him to sit down and do so yourself. Horace immediately starts talking.
"Your Majesty, my dear King, you know I would never do anything to your father, our beloved leader, I've been working for your family since I was six years old and couldn't even make a spoon levitate properly..."
You raise your hand and he shuts his mouth immediately. You know he has spent his life in this castle, being teached by the court's magicians as he grew up to become a skilled healer. You also know that if he didn't poison the King, it still is strange that he didn't notice anything wrong about your father's illness.
What do you do ?
>Threaten him of being beheaded for killing the King
>Threaten him of something else to get information
>Try to calm him to get more out of him
>Try to calm him because you don't suspect him
>Consider this thins useless and leave
>Other
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>>518332
>>Try to calm him to get more out of him
>>
>>518332
>>Try to calm him to get more out of him
>>Try to calm him because you don't suspect him
>>
>>518332
>Try to calm him to get more out of him
>>
>>518332
>Try to calm him to get more out of him
>>
>>515104
So you're saying it's entirely possible
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>>518420
I'm saying it is not known if humans can have children with dragons. Humans have not even seen dragons in years.
>>518418
>>518402
>>518365
>>518339
You confort him and ask Luther to take off the handcuffs. You reassure him, telling him that he is not suspected of the murder but you want to know more about what happened during the time your father was sick.
Horace immediately blushes.
"I... I don't know... I was worried about your father but... There was my training and... Do you know Ilemnis ?"
You get instantely tense. Of course you know Ilemnis. She is a member of the Alrunes' royal family, sent here at a very young age to serve as hostage, as a guarantee for peace : the hostages are always the first killed when war between two kingdoms brake out. Your cousin Nestor serves the same purpose there.
You don't see Ilemnis that often, only at formal dinners and some diplomatic gatherings, but you know she has always been obedient to the rules your father stated for her. However, she is the only Alrune present between these walls... You ask Horace to keep going.
"Well... We've been seeing each other lately... We didn't tell anyone because it would be a scandal but... I may have been distracted while taking care of the King..."
He seems truly sorry of his possible mistake. You, meanwhile, are thinking hard about the situation. A member of the royal family, taken as a political hostage, who ends up flirting with a low ranked magician, who was the King's healer only because the former one died of old age too soon. That would be a scandal, yes, on both sides.
What do you do ?
>Interrogate him further
>Leave him to see Ilemnis alone
>Call Ilemnis in the room with him
>Leave to do something else (list of possible actions found in previous posts)
>Other
>>
>>518461
Saying sorry is not enough.Throw him in jail.
Go talk to llemnis.
>>
>>518474
this
>>
>>518461
Tell him neck is only safe if he finds us that poison
>>
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>>518476
>>518474
Well, apparently that got you really mad, because you order him jailed no sooner than right now and summon Ilemnis (pic related but you know without weapons).
She enters the room. You discretely gasp as she does because she grew up a lot since the last time you saw her. You knew the Alrunes' lifes were shorter due to the high concentration of energy flowing through them and draining their body, but you didn't think a few months could make that much of a difference. She was a shy teenager and now seems to have grown into a fierce woman. You observe that she is not wearing a dress, which is a tradition in your kingdom as well as in the Alrunes' (not for the same reasons though).
She seems however still polite and civilized as she bows low in front of you and waits for your signal to sit down and start talking.
"I apologize, your Majesty, for showing up in such an attire, but I figured your calling was more important than changing clothes."
You do agree on this... The tension is rising inside your mind.
"I understand you threw Horace in a cell because of our relationship... I understand why your Majesty did so, but I must, for my honor's sake, state that no there were no intercourse involved in this. I was raised in your traditions and morals and I intend to follow them."
What do you do ?
>Ask her about Horace
>Ask her about the King's illness
>Ask her about something else
>Ask her about what she recently heard of her people's plans
>Accuse her of killing the King
>Throw her in a cell as well (a different one)
>Other
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>>518537
>>Ask her about Horace
>>
>>518537
>Ask her about Horace
>Ask her about the King's illness
>>
>>518537
>Ask her about the King's illness
>Ask her about what she recently heard of her people's plans
>>
>>518561
>>518556
>>518549
You ask her about Horace and why she would be interested by a mere human mage.
"Horace is an interesting person..."
For the first time since you met her, youa ctually see her smile, a cute smile of fondness, which looks strange on her demon face.
"I like speaking with him and spending time with him... He understands magic in a way my people can't and it is charming... I guess I just really like him."
You ask about the King's illness.
"Your Grace I am, once again, sorry for your loss. The King's death was a tragic event and an unexpected one. You wouldn't think a strong man like him would die of an infected wound..."
She uses a tone filled with curiosity and interest.
You ask about what she heard from her people.
"I don't get news very often. I don't think they care bout me at all actually, so I just don't care about them. I understand there is a sort of ritual gathering at this time of year. It usually means lots of intercourse, use of dark magic and many unnecessary deaths. Their idea of celebration apparently."
What do you do ?
>Keep asking questions
>Accuse her of killing the King
>Throw her in a cell as well (a different one)
>Leave her and go do something else
>Other
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>>518580
>>Accuse her of killing the King
>>Throw her in a cell as well (a different one)
Fishy as fuck, she's an accomplice either way
>>
>>518580
>Leave her and go do something else
Let's not lock up everyone, they can't slip up in a cage.
>>
I'll let you think I need to got to sleep
Just so you know, throwing a diplomatic hostage in a cell could very well be seen as a declaration of war.
>>
>>518580
>>Leave her and go do something else
>>
>>518580
>Leave her and go do something else
>>
>>518580
Leave her in a cell for a bit while someone goes over her rooms with a find toothed comb. If she complains just tell her she is being detained on suspicion of colluding in a alrune plot, because of her race.
>>
Do we really want to tip our hand here? Giving them an opportunity to declare war or warning one is coming does not work in our favour. Let's see if we can beg a truth spell from the elves and get some reliable intel first.
>>
Looks like we need a vote here ! Or maybe Theodora just needs advice from her council on this matter. Anyway, I'm gonna leave for work soon so make up your mind before I come back please
>>
>>520003
Imprison her and the doctor for negligence and causing the King to be killed. Then do a kangaroo trial
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>>520010
While convicting someone innocent might mean the actual culpret becomes less weary I want to actually investigate the girl to see if she was actually involved first (so lock her up queitly in the meantime). I'm OK with taking the shitty doctor's head though. He had one job, ONE JOB!
>>
>>519064
>elves
>truth
Pick one and only one
>>
>>520037
Instead of putting her in jail we could put her on house arrest (in her room and heavily guarded) to prevent diplomatic trouble.
>>
>>520003
Lock her up
>>
>>520184
Right, I mainly just want delay her so we can have some goons toss her house before she gets back to see if there are any secret communiques or anything.
>>
>>520184
Good idea.
>>
>>520200
>>520199
>>520184
I guess that counts as a majority decision since it also satisfies the people who wanted her thrown in jail.
You tell her she's going to be confined in her chambers. She seems suprised and upset, but doesn't complain or try to contradict your orders. She is brought to he room, accompanied by two guards.
Luther, once your are alone with him, sits down next to you and asks, with a concerned look on his face.
"Mylady, I wouldn't think of doubting your decisions, but I am suprised to witness such harsh choices coming from you for a simple affair between two young people of the court... Is there something I don't know ?"
>Tell him about the poison
>Tell him about the poison and the fact you got the info from the elf magician
>Don't tell him anything but don't reprimand him
>Don't tell him and slate him for asking
>Other
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>>520373
Better share the info and its source with our trusted advisor, let's tell him about the interview with the elven delegation
>>
>>520373
>>Don't tell him anything but don't reprimand him
>>
>>520373
>Tell him about the poison
>>
>>520373
>Tell him about the poison and the fact you got the info from the elf magician
>>
>>520373
>Tell him about the poison
>>
>>
>>520440
I don't mind either.
>>
So one vote for telling him, one don't care.
>>
Gonna go to sleep sweeties (I'll be around more after tomorrow)
Make up your mind while I'm not here
>>
>>520691
Tell him for the elves
>>
>>520373
I vote for telling him everything
Surely if Luther were involved he would have made a stronger play for power by now
>>
>>521060
>>521000
Alright so you tell him about the elves and the poison. He listens quietly, slightly frowning at the mention of the elvish delegation. When you finish your story, he sighs.
"Mylady, I don't want to seem like I doubt the opinion of this high elf magician but... Have our magicians brought any suspicions that the King's death was not caused by sickness ? All of those skilled enough in healing practices examined the body and they all concluded it was infection... Did he give you any other details ?..."
What do you do ?
>>
>>522386
According to the elf magician it was not made from magic but some kind of plant so it's possible our magicians didn't perceive it simply because it's outside their area of expertise. Moreover I don't see any reason why the elf would lie about this.
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