The King's Dragoons Ride Again: Let's Play Guns of Infinity!

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Lord Cyrahzax: Oct 11, 2012

TheGreatEvilKing posted:

This is a terrible idea but we are literally playing a war criminal named "Atrocity" who is a coward and too stupid to keep his mouth shut.

Let's go down in flames.

Major Atrocity. For the all the reasons we don't need a promotion, losing that name is at the top of the list

Anyway:

quote:

You snap to attention and give a light nod; a shockingly rude thing to do to a king in formal circumstances. Only your quiet "sire" as your head dips offers any real deference.

The King, for all that he is concerned, does not seem to care about your informality. "Approach," he says, his voice tinged not with indignation at your lack of flattery but with amusement.

You step forward, deeper into the night. For a moment, you stand beside your sovereign, the two of you staring out into the darkness. "It has come to our attention that you fought with great distinction during the storm of Kharangia," your sovereign observes. "For that, you have our gratitude and our esteem."

The words themselves carry little emotion with them, but the fact that they have issued from the lips of a king makes it carry the weight of an hour's worth of flattery from lesser men. "If I had the power, I would wear your compliments upon my breast mounted in gold and diamonds, sire," you reply smoothly.

However, the King is not finished with you yet.

"It appears to us that you are gifted off the battlefield, as well," he states. "We watched with great interest your debate with Lady Welles. We thought you possessed of a great alacrity of mind and word."

Another compliment? Why�

"That being said, we must wonder: shall you resist all such arguments for change so tenaciously?"

"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs."

"Not all, sire; some change is needed, and one must decide on an individual basis."

"No, sire; I only objected as not to antagonise my fellows."

"No, sire; we are in dire need of change, simply not the changes Lady Welles suggests."

See, here's the thing: we actually have really good Charisma when we bother to use it, and that's the way to meet the king here: you have to debate Welles and decisively defeat her. This meeting can go in different ways, but not as many as the speeches we can give at the dinner, which I'll be showing off soon.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 06:26

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# ? Jun 9, 2024 13:09

Crazycryodude: Aug 15, 2015; Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?

Wha.... he didn't order us beheaded? I thought the kid was a die-hard reformer who hasn't had his idealism tempered by experience yet. Why is he agreeing with our argument?

Still, reactionary as possible.
"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs." The current state of affairs lets us commit many war crimes, you see.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 06:38

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

Dire change. We need more freedom of action.

I can't believe this is all working out.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 07:16

where the red fern gropes: Aug 24, 2011

holy gently caress i thought we were a corpse

dire change, we need what currently passes for a warcrime to be legal so that we can start committing actual warcrimes worthy of the name

# ? Nov 12, 2016 08:09

Bulletfodder: Dec 4, 2009

Crazycryodude posted:

Wha.... he didn't order us beheaded? I thought the kid was a die-hard reformer who hasn't had his idealism tempered by experience yet. Why is he agreeing with our argument?

Don't think he agrees with us, he's just impressed with our oratory skills.

I wonder how much charisma you need to be able for the speech at Blogia to be succesful. It makes sense that preaching to the choir is easier than turning a defeat into a rallying cry, but I thought our CHA would have been enough to pull it off.

Also:

"No, sire; I only objected as not to antagonise my fellows."

Let's turn Atrocity into a coward even with his principles.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 10:11

Arbite: Nov 4, 2009

Dire.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 10:59

Gort: Aug 18, 2003; Good day what ho cup of tea

I think he's just buttered us up a bit to make us feel comfortable enough to tell the truth. He's giving us enough rope to hang ourselves with.

"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs." seems most in-keeping with what we've said so far.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 11:48

Nothingtoseehere: Nov 11, 2010

Gort posted:

I think he's just buttered us up a bit to make us feel comfortable enough to tell the truth. He's giving us enough rope to hang ourselves with.

"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs." seems most in-keeping with what we've said so far.

This

# ? Nov 12, 2016 12:02

where the red fern gropes: Aug 24, 2011

Gort posted:

I think he's just buttered us up a bit to make us feel comfortable enough to tell the truth. He's giving us enough rope to hang ourselves with.

"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs." seems most in-keeping with what we've said so far.

he's the king he can hang us if he wants to, we dont have to say anything for that to happen

# ? Nov 12, 2016 12:19

ModernMajorGeneral: Jun 25, 2010

Dire change. Why would we pass up the opportunity to influence policy?

# ? Nov 12, 2016 13:01

sullat: Jan 9, 2012

Gort posted:

I think he's just buttered us up a bit to make us feel comfortable enough to tell the truth. He's giving us enough rope to hang ourselves with.

"I will, sire; I am committed to the preservation of the current state of affairs." seems most in-keeping with what we've said so far.

agreed

# ? Nov 12, 2016 15:53

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

Dire changes

# ? Nov 12, 2016 15:56

WhiskeyWhiskers: Oct 14, 2013; "هذا ليس عادلاً."
"هذا ليس عادلاً على الإطلاق."
"كان هناك وقت الآن."
(السياق الخفي: للقراءة)

ModernMajorGeneral posted:

Dire change. Why would we pass up the opportunity to influence policy?

WhiskeyWhiskers fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Nov 12, 2016

# ? Nov 12, 2016 16:33

KYOON GRIFFEY JR: Apr 12, 2010; Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

dire change

why, in Q3 warcrmies were down over 17%! this calls for action!

# ? Nov 12, 2016 16:42

WhiskeyWhiskers: Oct 14, 2013; "هذا ليس عادلاً."
"هذا ليس عادلاً على الإطلاق."
"كان هناك وقت الآن."
(السياق الخفي: للقراءة)

I bet those stinking elves hate change.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 16:44

where the red fern gropes: Aug 24, 2011

I hope we can ban elves

where's caz? i don't know if our soldiering skill is high enough to kill the bodyguard, could use a +1

# ? Nov 12, 2016 16:50

Xarn: Jun 26, 2015

Dire changes.

Since we rejected the idea to have baneblooded women as officers, the dire changes might be baneless men as officers... Which means a promotion for our good buddy Caz. :getin:

# ? Nov 12, 2016 20:11

AJ_Impy: Jun 17, 2007; SWORD OF SMATTAS. CAN YOU NOT HEAR A WORLD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE? WHEN WILL YOU DELIVER IT?; Yam Slacker

We need Change, but bigger and covered in spikes and natural armor.

# ? Nov 12, 2016 20:30

TheGreatEvilKing: Mar 28, 2016

Change

# ? Nov 12, 2016 22:24

Lord Cyrahzax: Oct 11, 2012

quote:

The King nods. "True, not all change is good," he replies, "but some change is necessary, if we are to survive as a power, as a kingdom, as a people."

The King's eyes seem to sharpen as he turns towards you fully. "I have great plans for Tierra, ones fit to shake creation to its very foundations," he proclaims, dropping his majestic plural. His face is animated by a ruddy flame, and for the first time tonight, he actually looks his twenty-four years. "When the day comes that those plans are to be put into execution, I shall hope for your support."

What does he mean by that? Does His Majesty seek to cultivate you as an ally? But you are nowhere near important enough for that!

For a moment, there is silence; the quiet of two men, one a king, the other a mere soldier, standing in the cold dark, trying and failing to find something to say to the other.

"We have taken up enough of your time," the King finally says. "Corporal Alvarado will return you to the hall."

It is as clear a dismissal as any. "As you command, sire," you reply in acknowledgement, even as the grenadier beside you bows and gestures indoors. You follow him back into the warm light.

quote:

The clamour of the great hall is much diminished by the time you return to it. Half the guests are gone, and the rest gather in loose clusters, conversing in private under the canopy of the aromatic smoke which now spreads like a grey haze over the empty and unattended chairs.

There is little reason for you to stay here now. You suppose it would be best if you returned to your billet.

Marion meets you in the antechamber with your greatcoat. Even with summer no more than two months away, the nights are still too chilly to stroll about in your jacket and pelisse.

With the heavy grey coat draped awkwardly over your shoulders, you wait for your bat-man to find and light a lantern before heading out onto the darkened streets.

quote:

The town of Solokovil had fallen without a fight. The King's division had reached the town in the summer of the previous year. Faced with an army of twelve thousand men, the lord of the city had only been able to muster a few hundred ill-armed serfs to man the town's archaic walls. Ultimately, the man had wisely chosen honourable surrender over suicide, sparing his people and his town the gallery of horrors which was to be visited upon Kharangia not two months later.

As a result, the King's division was able to take the town intact, without a single shot fired.

It was a damned fortunate thing in more ways than one; Solokovil is only a fraction of the size of Kharangia, and even with every house undamaged and much of the original population driven out, space is at an absolute premium.

Your own quarters are nothing more than a pair of rooms in what you suppose had once been the house of some prosperous freeholder or other. Your new bedroom is cramped and bare compared to the luxurious quarters you had enjoyed in Kharangia, but to your lieutenants, who must make do with one room each, or your enlisted men, packed into single houses by the dozen, the very privilege of even having a separate bedroom is an extravagant luxury.

However, it is the other room given over to your use, your office, in which you spend almost the whole of your waking hours, bound to your desk while your subordinates range out from the town in accordance with His Tierran Majesty's grand plan.

The King, it seems, has taken Solokovil for a specific reason, namely the fact that the town lies a mere thirty-five kilometres south of what had once been Prince Khorobirit's main camp at the town of Mhillanovil. Though the bulk of Khorobirit's forces have long gone south to retake Kharangia, you are quickly made aware that the Antari continue to route their supplies through their former base.

That is apparently why the King has ordered the Antari remaining in Mhillanovil to be placed under constant watch by all the available squadrons of cavalry under his command, which now includes yours.

For the duration, the three troops commanded by your lieutenants have been broken up into individual patrols, sent off on vedette duty while you must remain in Solokovil with your two remaining troops held in reserve for any eventuality or crisis.

However, that hardly means that you have any time for leisure; as a squadron commander detached from your regiment, you are responsible for both managing your subordinates' patrol schedules and keeping your command fed, supplied, and equipped. While the men under your command ride out to spy upon the enemy, you spend the day spying nothing but the endless stream of requisition forms, notices, and memoranda which Marion brings to your desk.

As the weeks pass and the summer grows sweltering hot, your subordinates lead their men out on daring sortie after daring sortie, while you are left behind to deal with the paperwork.

I had hoped squadron command to be more 'dash and heroics' and less 'sign on the dashed line.'

To be truthful, I am indifferent.

I am eager do whatever the King's Army demands of me.

I do not love it, but I mislike getting shot at regularly even more.

In fact, I am rather partial to paperwork.

quote:

As of the Summer of the 610th year of the Old Imperial Era

Atros d'al City
Age: 22
Rank: Major
Wealth: 450
Income: 20

Soldiering: 77%
Charisma: 60%
Intellect: 35%
Reputation: 44%
Health: 65%
Idealism: 47% Cynicism: 53%
Ruthlessness: 91% Mercy: 9%

Second Squadron, Royal Dragoons
Senior NCO: Staff-sergeant Villanueva

Discipline: 26%
Morale: 13%
Loyalty: 24%
Strength: 85%

# ? Nov 13, 2016 15:23

my dad: Oct 17, 2012; this shall be humorous

Not a fan of not killing, but certainly a fan of not dying.

# ? Nov 13, 2016 15:27

where the red fern gropes: Aug 24, 2011

Paperwork is great, we can ~~hide~~ ~~justify~~ something something warcrimes

# ? Nov 13, 2016 15:42

sullat: Jan 9, 2012

Indifferent. It may be necessary to support the army in its war-criming tasks, but it lacks the personal touch.

# ? Nov 13, 2016 16:30

Crazycryodude: Aug 15, 2015; Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?

where the red fern gropes posted:

Paperwork is great, we can ~~hide~~ ~~justify~~ something something warcrimes

# ? Nov 13, 2016 18:29

AJ_Impy: Jun 17, 2007; SWORD OF SMATTAS. CAN YOU NOT HEAR A WORLD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE? WHEN WILL YOU DELIVER IT?; Yam Slacker

History is written by the victors, time to get my supporting evidence in early. Aw yea, paperwork!

# ? Nov 13, 2016 20:08

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

where the red fern gropes posted:

Paperwork is great, we can ~~hide~~ ~~justify~~ something something warcrimes

# ? Nov 14, 2016 03:05

devildragon777: May 17, 2014; They'd be a lot more scary if they were more than an inch tall each.

where the red fern gropes posted:

Paperwork is great, we can ~~hide~~ ~~justify~~ something something warcrimes

Not an emptyquote.

# ? Nov 15, 2016 00:31

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

Pretend to do paperword while secretly drafting exonerating memoirs.

# ? Nov 15, 2016 02:58

Lord Cyrahzax: Oct 11, 2012

quote:

You have heard your fellow officers complain at length about the burdens of desk work. They use words like 'onerous,' 'pointless,' and 'torturous' to describe it.

In truth, you have not the slightest clue what they are talking about; for you, paperwork has always been a relaxing activity, one which causes you little stress whilst still leaving your mind active and your duty to Crown and kingdom fulfilled.

With pen in hand, the hours fly by, and every night, you polish off the last batch of the day's work with more a sense of regret than relief.

quote:

One day, early in the afternoon, when the day is at its hottest, your small office receives an unexpected visitor.

"Good day, Sandoral," you manage with some confusion as you look up to see your bespectacled subordinate slip through the door. You know that the reedy Lieutenant's next patrol isn't due to depart for another two days, so what is he doing here?

"Sir," he begins, tugging at his collar, "might I speak to you about rescheduling my next assignment?"

You are not much enamoured of that idea; to reshuffle the patrol schedule would mean a great deal of paperwork would have to redone. "I trust you have a good reason for it?"

Your subordinate mops at his brow with the tail of his uniform cravat. "Uhm, yes sir. Her Ladyship the Countess of Welles is holding a salon three days hence, and I would like to be present."

A salon? Sandoral wants you to throw the patrol schedule into disarray because he wishes to attend a lady's salon? Already, you can feel your eyes narrowing and the blood rushing to your face.

"I assure you, sir! It is not a social event!" the nervous young Lieutenant adds hurriedly. "There is to be a discussion of reforms in military doctrine based on the lessons we have learned in the past few years' campaigning. You have my word, sir, my interest is purely in the opportunity to develop my abilities as a King's officer."

In hindsight, that does seem like something a fellow like Sandoral would hold great interest in, not to mention something which is likely to sharpen your intellectual subordinate's head for command. However, that does not necessarily mean that you are willing to re-arrange three troops' worth of patrols just so Sandoral might spend an afternoon discussing tactics�.

Does it?

"I'll not upend the entire patrol schedule just so that one junior officer might attend a salon."

"Very well, I shall humour you this once, but I'll not do it again."

"Consider it done, Lieutenant."

# ? Nov 16, 2016 03:29

Crazycryodude: Aug 15, 2015; Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 03:44

where the red fern gropes: Aug 24, 2011

Crazycryodude posted:

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 06:01

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

Crazycryodude posted:

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 06:04

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

Crazycryodude posted:

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 07:33

Arbite: Nov 4, 2009

Crazycryodude posted:

gently caress you, no

# ? Nov 16, 2016 07:47

WhiskeyWhiskers: Oct 14, 2013; "هذا ليس عادلاً."
"هذا ليس عادلاً على الإطلاق."
"كان هناك وقت الآن."
(السياق الخفي: للقراءة)

Crazycryodude posted:

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 09:05

my dad: Oct 17, 2012; this shall be humorous

Crazycryodude posted:

No, gently caress you

# ? Nov 16, 2016 09:09

Ikasuhito: Sep 29, 2013; Haram as Fuck.

Of course! :v:

# ? Nov 16, 2016 09:26

Thesaya: May 17, 2011; I am a Plant.

Fine, but just once
Hey, we just said we liked paperwork!

# ? Nov 16, 2016 14:01

Crazycryodude: Aug 15, 2015; Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?

We like paperwork because the alternative is usually along the lines of bleeding out in the forest somewhere after a lucky peasant put a musket ball in your lung, not because it's actually fun.

# ? Nov 16, 2016 14:13

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# ? Jun 9, 2024 13:09

AJ_Impy: Jun 17, 2007; SWORD OF SMATTAS. CAN YOU NOT HEAR A WORLD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE? WHEN WILL YOU DELIVER IT?; Yam Slacker

I get to do more paperwork? Score! Thanks, man.

# ? Nov 16, 2016 15:45

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