No.766596[View All]
After parting ways with their comrades descending into Tartarus, the remaining group of the Saviors met with Ecclesia to join into the Vermillion Corps, a mercenary faction that would give extra aid while they prepare for the oncoming forces of the Treibheanna. Their first mission is heading north to Ornifex to uphold the promise made to Zjetya to help her homeland with the Draconic Lords. Their official task for Ecclesia is to end the civil war, not mattering which side wins, leaving leverage of their aid to stick with the victor.
After a long journey, they reached their first destination of Vortigern's home village, where they met her husband, Grantz, and were filled in over time on the history of the land and the takeover enacted by the Dragon Lords. With unanimous agreement to aid the rebels against the dragons, their first step in fighting the war was to recruit Alloy, a descendant of Buiwong and sister of Mocha, to strip the draconic power given to knights that collected tributes from the lower villages.
With a grand success, they then joined a meeting of the villages, learning they were divided between the sides of the war as well, leading to a sneak attack against them in their sleep. Stopping the attacked, they discovered the dragons also had the aid of angels on their side, with the attacked under a heavy and inescapable mental alteration.
Now, they work to decide their next step. Lying low while they wait for the villages to decide who they stand with, and working on a defense against the angelic mind control to avoid losing themselves in the conflict.
204 posts omitted. Click reply to view. No.767568
>>767564"That's terrible… I can see why they'd stick out of this," Pryce says. After Grantz mentions they'd be halfway there if they continued down the trails from their earlier hunts, Pryce has an idea.
"Wait, so they'd be the most impacted by the increased monster numbers then, right? The commander admitted they were behind that. If we tell those villages, they'd surely side with us then."
No.767572
>>767568"Perhaps…" Vortigern says. "But there is another possibility. That of their complicity."
River furrows her brow. "Why would they agree to let the dracoknights summon monsters into their lands to sabotage some of the only villages that helped them?"
Vortigern shrugs. "Why would they attempt to secede from a unity of villages that helped them? Desperation and scarcity make people do strange and illogical things, and harbor even worse thoughts. I have seen firsthoof that there are plenty who truly believe that we 'held out' on them during the time of the emigrations. They are the subject of many crass jokes and contemptuous stereotypes among the people here for their apparent insanity and isolationism."
Grantz shakes his head. "If they help us win the war, they can have their damn separation for all I care."
"No," Vortigern says. "If I've learned even a single thing on my quest it's that it's unity, or death, in the face of an overwhelming threat."
Grantz nods, but sighs the sigh of one who has had to deal repeatedly with an impossible personality (not Vortigern mind you).
No.767573
>>767572Pryce frowns at hearing the villages could have agreed to the monster summons out of spite. "We must be able to convince them in some way to side with us, right? This is for the fate of their home country after all."
No.767575
>>767573Vortigern nods. "Yes… there must be. We only need to figure it out."
Grantz shrugs. "They pledged to stay out of things in their letter. I say we take what we can get and focus on the foes in front of us."
"Absolutely not," Vortigern says. "I know what they pledged to do. But we still need to get to the bottom of the monster attacks, even if we can't secure their friendship– which, for the record, I still believe we can get."
Grantz nods. "Right… you know, if they agreed to the monster attacks, they're probably getting a sweet deal out of it from Yongning-si. Intercepting that bribe would probably put them in a more… cooperative mood."
No.767576
>>767575"We could go out that way, see if there's anything being delivered, or catch any more summons in the act," Pryce proposes as an idea, thinking over their possibilities.
"Hmm… Sir Estuary, did you see anypony official looking going out that way before you ran across us on our hunt?" Pryce asks, given Sir Estuary left from the capital and would've bene on a similar path if any bribes were being done recently.
No.767579
>>767576Estuary shakes his head. "The distance between the capital and the west-southwestern villages is too great to be certain… but I did see dispatches of dracoknights flying out in this general direction."
Zjetya stamps her hoof in realization. "Then it's possible they're got a deal."
Spitshine tilts his head. "Hang on… wouldn't the Draconic Lords demand their loyalty in exchange for a bribe? The secessionists are isolated, and they sound like they're weak, too. Why would the Lords tolerate them trying to bug off and do their own thing?"
Vortigern blinks. "You know, that's a good point…"
"Simple, they're lying to us about neutrality," Grantz says.
No.767586
>>767579"I wonder, do you think they have something beneficial to the Draconic Lords?" Pryce adds, following the thought. "If they are weak and isolated, having their loyalty or not wouldn't matter too much overall. And what good would lying on neutrality do aside from cut off from the rest, which would happen either way. …Do you think they could be the ones doing the summoning, or have something else to give?"
No.767590
>>767586"Hmm…" Vortigern tilts her head in thought. "I'm starting to think we just don't have enough pieces of the puzzle yet. Best thing for it is to see things for ourselves."
"And to deal with their secession the way we did the last one," Grantz says.
"Yesterday's methods may not be enough," Vortigern says. "We should consider going a step further to settle this matter once and for all."
A nervous chill passes through your allies as they consider Vortigern's ominous words…
No.767599
>>767590"Yesterday's methods?" Pryce asks, unsure if he missed something more major happening. "Do they really try to secede that often?"
No.767602
>>767599"Huh?" Vortigern asks. "Oh no, I was speaking poetically."
She looks over at all your allies, who are looking quite spooked. "…What did you think I meant?"
"Violent conquest and exile," Estuary says.
"Crippling economic sanctions," Onion suggests.
"A not-so-friendly flyting match?" Sugar asks.
Vortigern's jaw drops. "…The first two went wildly far of the mark. But the third one is nearly there."
"Oho?" Sugar asks.
"Our tribes have many means by which to settle disputes, according to scope and severity, the flyting among those methods," Vortigern continues. "Another of these is the trial by combat, which we employed on the last outburst of secessionist fervor. But to settle the matter definitively, I believe we must resort to another method… one we are less likely to win."
No.767605
>>767602Pryce thinks along the flyting method a moment, then remembers Zjetya's comment before and disregards it.
"We have quite a range of talents here now, what could the method be that still wouldn't be in our favor?"
No.767607
>>767605"It's a game," Vortigern says. "An athletic competition, between two teams of five players. The name is difficult to translate into your language, but the game itself is universal in its simplicity."
Grantz nods. "It's been used as a substitute for tribal warfare in the past. As such, it's one of the most respected methods of settling disputes we have today. If we whip 'em in the game, they'd have a damn hard time denying us. Trouble is… they've got one of the best teams, historically."
No.767610
>>767607"An athletic competition? Well, that seems simple enough," Pryce says, looking from Vortigern and Grantz to Sir Estuary and the rest of the party.
"I'm not going to underestimate them given what's at stake, but we've been through a lot together. For a group game, I don't think many could match us for teamwork. How's it played?"
No.767613
>>767610"At its most basic level," Grantz says. "Get the ball, put the ball into the goal. Enemy team tries to do the same. First to five points wins."
"And as a bonus," Vortigern says. "You get to beat the crap out of each other with sticks in the process."
Grantz chuckles. "That's her favorite part. Now, traditionally, each team of five has to include at least one member from each of the three major villages under a tribe's command, but the remaining two can be from wherever. It's a little unorthodox… but I think including at least one of you is the move here."
Zjetya looks intrigued. Given this wasn't in her knowledge before, this must be idiosyncratic to the tribes, and not of interest in and around the capital.
No.767616
>>767613"A ball game… I think we can pull that off, without too much injury," Pryce comments.
Pryce nods in agreement with Grantz.
"Bring in an outsider and mix up the game plans, I think that'll give us a great edge."
Pryce looks over to Zjetya, seeing her interest. "Which got your attention, the game or the violence?" He jokes.
No.767618
>>767616"Yes," Zjetya says.
"Unfortunately," Vortigern says. "The game involves a good bit of flying. Meaning not all of you could participate in the final game… but of course, we can all practice together."
Estuary's disappointment recedes just a little, not that he lets either of these show on his face.
"I'd say we get started," Grantz says. "If I have to stay cooped up reading letters all day I'm going to go crazy."
No.767619
>>767618"That does limit things down…" Pryce notes, seeing that would leave just River, Zjetya, and himself as viable participants from their group into the final game. "How much flying is involved?"
"Right, let's get as much practice in as we can," Pryce agrees.
No.767641
>>767619River and Zjetya go off to the side to discuss the matter among themselves.
"Let's go over the basic rules first," Vortigern says. "There are two goals on either side of an arena, each defended by a team of five. Players must snatch up the ball using only their 'spear' – resembling a wildlife net without the netting – and deliver it through the enemy's goal. First to five points wins the game, best of five games wins the match."
Grantz continues. "Whoever scores a goal banishes one player of their choice, OR returns a banished teammate back onto the field of play. Only one player from each team can be banished at a time. Any player who touches the ball – accidentally, deliberately, or through the aggression of another player – is automatically banished."
Vortigern nods. "The goals are positioned high, so the conventional wisdom is that only fliers can plausibly compete. But some close matches have been won through last minute ground plays."
No.767673
>>767641"Sound simple…" Pryce thinks as they give him the rules. "If only one player can be banished per team, does that mean touching the ball is safe if you already have somepony banished?"
"Ah, I see," Pryce mutters at the goal height. "Sir Estuary, how good is your throwing?"
No.767674
>>767673"No," Vortigern says. "Touching the ball means banishment no matter the circumstances, so the current banished player on that team would be set free, and the one who touched the ball goes out. This can be done in a pinch if the best player on the team has been banished."
"As deadly as a trebuchet, my liege," Estuary says, forgetting what you said about formal titles.
No.767683
>>767674"Hmm, so there can be a lot of juggling with the players and the ball. Sounds like the strategies can go deep with this," Pryce says, intrigued.
Pryce first opens his mouth to correct Sir Estuary about the title, but opts out with a minor sigh.
"Good, that can be an edge then. But to open our options, how would you like a pair of wings?"
No.767685
>>767683"No way," Zjetya scoffs. "You're not gonna make him an alicorn prince, are you?"
Estuary arches his eyebrow. "…Whatever wins us this war."
River snorts and laughs at the suggestion. "That's better than what I had in mind!"
Even Alloy chuckles. "Taking a page out of my grandfather's book, huh?"
River's laugh catches short, worrying how you might take Alloy's comment.
No.767688
>>767685"Hmm, I suppose that is an option. I was opting for just the wings for now," Pryce says, realizing the options available. He takes out the Wand of Chimeramorph, aiming for it to give Sir Estuary flight.
"What did you have in mind?" Pryce asks on River's comment.
"The difference, is mine will work the first time," Pryce retorts, remembering the wonkiness that came when he first got his wings.
Pryce gives a flourish with the wand, casting at Sir Estuary to give the goo pony some wings.
>Wings [1d10]>ROD OF CHIMERAMORPH>Effect: Must hit an exposed body part; Change some aspect of the Target's body into that of an animal whose appearance you know; Changes whole body on 8+; Equipment is not morphed to accommodate their new form.>Duration: Until DispelledRoll #1 7 = 7 No.767691
>>767688River sighs with relief, seeing that you rolled with Alloy's joke alright. "I was going to say that you should take Zjetya. Being that she speaks both our languages, she'd be able to understand any call-outs that the other players are making."
"Mmm," Vortigern says. "I must warn you they're going to hate your accent over there."
"Too bad for them," Zjetya says. "I'm chatty."
"Agreed," Vortigern says. "That aside, anyone who doesn't participate in the match can cheer from the stands."
"Cheerleading!?" Zjetya gasps. "Okay, take Estuary then. I wanna do that."
You turn Sir Estuary into a goo-pegasus. He gives a few experimental flaps of his new wings, which splashes a bit of goo here and there in the chamber.
No.767693
>>767691"Ah, that is a good idea. I was thinking we could use Sir Estuary and then whichever of the three of us did the best in practice."
"What's wrong with her accent?" Pryce asks.
When the setup changes easily at the mention of cheerleading, Pryce is surprised and realized at how easy this worked out.
"You sure?" He asks Zjetya.
Pryce tucks away the wand, stepping back from the splashing of goo from Sir Estuary. "How's it feel being the first pegoosus?"
No.767695
>>767693"I sound like I'm from Yongning-si," Zjetya explains. "Doesn't matter that I have the specific regional accent of the changelings…"
River nods. "I suppose it's like how Accorsians would lump all northwestern accents together when they wanted to mock people based on stereotypes, despite the myriad idiosyncrasies of each region."
Moving on, Zjetya shrugs. "Well, like you said, whoever's got the best knack for it in tryouts should go for it… but I really do wanna wear a cheerleading costume."
"Less risk of getting bonked on the head that way too," River says.
Estuary looks at his wings. "Cumbersome things… I feel like I need to take up another fasting day."
Vortigern lets the fat-shaming slide. "I'll begin drafting a letter of challenge to our secessionists. Their right to separate shall hinge upon this match. Even if they ignored the result of the duel we held last time they tried this, they won't ignore the outcome of the sacred game."
No.767697
>>767695"We can leave it between River and I then, if you want to cheerlead," Pryce offers.
As Sir Estuary seems to have difficulties adjusting, Pryce spreads out his wings with a flourish.
"You'll get the hang of them, took me a little bit too. I can dispel them once we're done with the game if you'd like."
Pryce nods as Vortigern begins to officiate the process.
"We won't let you down with this," He says resolutely.
No.767699
>>767697Estuary grunts. "I really should just conjure the elemental dragons I used against you during our battle."
Vortigern shudders. "Don't. You'd be opening up every can of 'wyrms' imaginable if you started summoning dragons."
As the others laugh at the pun, Vortigern starts to draft the letter. Grantz motions for you to follow him to the training yard.
No.767702
>>767699Pryce chuckles at the pun.
"Just wait until you get in the air," Pryce says to turn Sir Estuary's mood around.
At the motion, Pryce leads the group after Grantz to the training yard.
No.767705
>>767702You go to the village training yard, where some warriors are currently holding little practice spars here and there. Some snap to attention seeing Grantz, but he waves them off to their own devices. He goes to the corner of the yard, to a vast conics where many rows of weapons and armor are organized along the walls. Going to a far corner, not used as often, he opens shed doors, where you see many sticks with funny-looking ends, clearly designed to grasp something. Various lengths of sticks are there, meant for many sizes of player, but the heads are all uniform, probably cut to a regulation code.
"Alright, have your pick," Grantz says, picking up a stick and a rounded hoop.
No.767707
>>767705Pryce looks over the odd sticks, thinking about the rules Vortigern and Grantz told them. Pryce opts for a longer stick, feeling the size of a polearm or halberd will give good reach and defense for a potentially aggressive game.
"So who will we be playing with from your villages?" Pryce asks as they set up.
No.767711
>>767707"I'll have to get the best player from each village," Grantz says. "Incidentally, the best one from ours is Vortigern. So, she can translate orders like you suggested, River."
"Cheerleading duty for me, then," Zjetya brags.
He sets up the hoop on a high stand in the corner of the yard. Then, he rolls out a ball. It looks like it'd fit quite nicely into the prongs of the stick – solid enough that you could fly with it, loose enough that you could fling it, or even whack somebody with it at the cost of losing the ball. He kicks the ball your way. "First, try picking up the ball, then feed it through the goal."
No.767712
>>767711"Alright, let's give this a toss."
Pryce grabs his stick in his telekinesis, and gives the ball a scoop and tries to toss it towards the goal.
>Scoop and Flick [1d10]Roll #1 10 = 10 No.767713
>>767712"Not bad," Grantz concedes as you sink the goal hitting nothing but air. "There's no official rule against it, but try not to use magic. They're likely to cry foul if you do."
The others take a chance at tossing the ball with the stick, to middling success.
Grant positions himself in front of the goal, guarding it with stick at the ready. "Now, again."
No.767714
>>767713"Ah, haven't heard that in quite a while."
Pryce takes the stick in his hoof, playing traditional as he grabs the ball again and gets a feel for the balance this time. Adapting fairly well, Pryce readies his throw, and gives a bit of spin to it to try and get past Grantz's guard.
>Curve Ball [1d10]Roll #1 4 = 4 No.767715
>>767714Onion snorts. "Nice that that's the biggest concern of the day, innit. Not demons, not food shortages…"
Grantz deflects your shot. The others line up for their turn as well, but he blocks all of those one after the other. A slight smirk shows on his face.
A spider comes up to Alloy not long after that. He picks it up with ears perked. "…are you sure I should relay that…?" he mutters nervously to the spider.
No.767716
>>767715"It's good to have a light moment now and then," Pryce muses on the concern.
At the ease of all their shots being deflected, Pryce scoops up the ball again to ready for another try, wondering if he could outspeed Grantz. Before he can, he looks over as Alloy is greeted by a spider.
"Is something wrong?" Pryce asks, wondering what it could be with Alloy's reaction to it.
No.767717
>>767716"Uh…" Alloy mumbles, looking about with apprehension.
"Out with it," River commands.
"It's from Vortigern," Alloy finally says. "She says, uh… Grantz, you have to go easy on us while we learn."
Grantz sputters in annoyance. "How are you supposed to learn if I take it easy… oh, alright. Village Chief's orders…"
No.767718
>>767717When the spiders turns out to just be Vortigern relaying instructions, Pryce gives a sigh of relief.
"I don't mind if you take it serious for my shots. I want to know if my skills are up to snuff for this game when it comes to it," Pryce adds.
Once Grantz is back in position, Pryce gives another toss of the ball, working on the speed of his shots.
>Fastball [1d10]Roll #1 5 = 5 No.767720
>>767718>>767717With new orders on their training given, but Pryce electing to take take the harder path, they progress ahead in the teachings of the ball game. They cover the basics that were to be expected from this, passing, blocking, shooting, intercepting, and so on.
Then the lessons grew more advanced, covering into the fighting tactics for the game, dives, sweeps, and all other aerials. This was the one Pryce found the most difficulty getting the hang of, having to pick up flight maneuvers for combat while also not being able to use his telekinesis for his stick.
By the end of their practice, Pryce feels ragged, almost like going through a day of Sir Estuary's training. But it is an enjoyable exhaustion, from a good improvement being made.
No.767722
>>767720You and Estuary continue your training for four days in this style, eschewing Vortigern's command of leniency. Grantz appreciates your commitment… but the others don't quite like his all-out training style. Grantz finds it quite annoying to do so, but he takes it easy on River, Zjetya and Onion… but only a little bit. As for Spitshine, Sugar and KP, he finds it easier to let them have a few wins that he could have easily denied.
Meanwhile, Vortigern's messengers depart for the territory of the secessionists, carrying her letter of challenge.
On the fifth day, you arrive in the training yard just after breakfast as usual, only to find that Grantz isn't there. Some of the usual warriors who have seen you practicing gesture to the council-longhouse… seems Grantz is there.
No.767724
>>767722Pryce heads out, feeling confident on his ability to win in today's training. When they find Grantz not at the training hall, but over in the longhouse, Pryce leads the group in that direction.
"I wonder if they have news for the game," He wonders aloud, assuming that must be the reason for the change in schedule.
No.767725
>>767724When you arrive in the council-chamber, you see that the wise women are there, as are Vortigern and Grantz. Alloy is there as well, and before you can take your seats, he stops each of you to take your measurements.
"Well, everyone," Vortigern says. "I hope you're ready to crush your enemies and drive them before you."
"… on the field of play," Grantz specifies, rolling his eyes just a little at Vortigern's theatricality.
No.767757
>>767725Pryce pauses as Alloy takes their measurements.
"The game is soon then I take it?" Pryce questions to Vortigern's dramatic greeting.
No.767758
>>767757"They've accepted the challenge," Vortigern confirms. "We may fight as soon as we are ready. So, are you?"
Estuary nods.
"And once we've made the uniforms…" Alloy adds. "Should afford you some more time to practice at least."
No.767760
>>767758Pryce nods in unison with Sir Estuary.
"I'm confident we'll win without a doubt!"
"How long will those take?" Pryce asks Alloy, wondering what they'll look like.
No.767761
>>767760"We should be done by the time you arrive," Alloy says. "The local weavers circle is gonna let me and my spiders help."
"River," Vortigern says. "You and I will be on Dark Corridor duty. I'd rather not make a target out of the airship. Once the uniforms are done here, pop back and pick them up."
River bows lightly.
"Now then," Vortigern says. "Pack up for a hike, everyone. It's time to meet my old rivals once more."
No.767762
>>767761Pryce nods as Vortigern tells them to prepare for the hike.
"Is there anything we should expect when we get there? Pre-game ceremonies or village customs?" He asks, not sure how far this game is taken for matters like this.
No.767763
>>767762"They'll handle those," Vortigern says. She thinks it over. "Shouldn't be anything too difficult for you across the language barrier. Just stand when I stand and sit when I sit."
>timeskip available
