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At first I was going to vote the Tempers, just because I am a terrible person, and I didn't care at first. Then I realized we should suffer not the Accused to liverate. But then I read this: Aumanor posted:Let's stomp Manley and then put Ti'zo up for Ascension in the match against Lendel for maximum troll value.  Manley
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Jul 17, 2018 04:57
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Finally caught up on this LP again. Definitely voting for that obsequious rat, Manley.
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Jul 19, 2018 23:31
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  Gfy  : Now, the stars bid you to return to the Pit of Milithe, where you shall stand against the Accusers once again. : As the thread has decided, we’re going to return to Flagging Hands, for the first time since our initial journey. We seem to be evenly divided on whether we want to play against Lendel for the sake of slapping Lendel around, and to get the page on the Pit of Milithe in the Book. : His last remaining chance to earn the favor of the Scribes and then regain his freedom likely hinges on the outcome of this next Rite. The cycle of the Rites is soon to end. The exiles of the Downside striving to be free… your adversaries, your companions, even you yourself… are running out of time. : It does certainly beg the question as to whether we’ll ever be eligible for freedom. So far, it’s only been for the participants in the Rites, but we can’t compete because of our non-specific injury.: In any case, we don’t get too many offers to have a chat in the blackwagon anymore. : Also, the Downberries are back in season, it appears.: After the liberation of Pamitha, you find The Lone Minstrel back in the wagon, looking as though no such thing had just occurred this night. You think you see him tilt his head as you approach. : Some words of congratulations are in order for this evening, I should think, Reader, and so… congratulations on prevailing in the Liberation Rite. Surely Pamitha shall be most grateful. And, her safe return unto your Commonwealth ought benefit the Plan in which you all now play a part.: As for your adversaries of the Withdrawn… this must have been a bitter loss for them and Udmildhe. Although, they must have known their chance was far from certain.: I’d think Udmildhe honestly would only give half a drat. She’s far closer to Yslach here than in the Commonwealth, and it’s not like this is going to get her to stop her practicing the dark arts. A Liberation Rite for her would be more of a formality than a major make-it-or-break-it situation for her.: Thus shall we all await the next turn of the cycle of the Rites. Celeste and I are to return to our respective duties, for the time, as now, Scribesgate is sealed. : He trails off, then nods to you in his cordial manner, and bids you a good rest of the evening. : Before we head to bed and call it for tonight, I do believe we’ve unlocked a page or two, since the Rite. Gfy    : There aren’t a lot of cycles remaining in the stars. But, one thing is for sure: we’ve been given permission to fart in Lendel’s general direction once more, and the winds aren’t exactly going to get any stronger, from the looks of things. Best not waste any time!: At dawn, your companions are prepared to depart. Everyone is silent. Your travels are to take you back to the Pit of Milithe, but soon after, the stars shall draw you here again.  : As usual, my goal while flying around the Downside is to check for points of interest, and to avoid flying imps, if I happen to come across any. Our destination, for the first time, is Flagging Hands, which we’ve passed over time and again; I’m sure there ought to be a point of interest there. Someone’s probably been blue in the face with some interesting tidbits about the place that they haven’t been able to say. : We can’t see their emblems in this lighting, but this is the Tempers on the left, and the Essence on the right. Neither of them have anything to say to us; they’re probably pissed that the Rites are ending and that we’ve stopped both of them in their mission to liberate themselves.: Black Basin, Deathless Tempest, Sea of Solis and Wyrm Gulf are all fairly desolate… : There was a point of interest in Flagging Hands, and I flew into it before the map had even loaded in. Like I said, Tariq’s probably been very anxious to say some words about it!: Many in the Downside believe it to be nothing other than a foul den. They take the tales of Yslach Astral-Born to be mythology, embellished through retelling over time. You have met others, such as Witch Udmildhe, who believe otherwise… although, whichever their beliefs, I know of none who would go near the place unless the stars demanded it. Thus shall your coming Rite against the Accusers take place in complete secrecy, as always the Rites have.: Oh, those matches that I flew over were supposed to be secrets? Uh… : Unusually, Flagging Hands gives me three options to land, as opposed to the typical two.   : Bertrude and Volfred both helped Pamitha ascend back to the Commonwealth just last Rite, but Bertrude was voted in first, so between them, it’s pretty simple.: However, people that aren’t on my team, or aren’t participants in the Rites, are wildcards that I can’t rely on the thread’s bias to decide for me.: In this case, I think that Tariq’s path specifically is just there for players to not stay in Flagging Hands for longer than they need to be, since the longer you’re here, the more you’re debuffed. And, on top of that, Bertrude used to live here; she probably knows her way around Flagging Hands and the best way to deal with its, uh, atmosphere.   : We shall show ye how to withstand the less-pleasant qualities of this locale.: She reveals various salves and minor enchantments that help to counteract the spirit-draining effects of the region. Soon, everyone is feeling better, if but for the assurances. : Oh, drat, that’s pretty nice. And, we haven’t even had the chance to interact with Bertrude for choosing her route, leading me to believe that this is an automatic thing as soon as you land here after the first Liberation Rite. If you remember, we got Bertrude immediately after we defeated the Tempers. : Once more, there’s not much happening, so, let’s just watch the grass grow for the time, I guess.: A foreboding feeling stuck with you since your arrival in the gloomy hollows of Fallowfield. Some of it spreads to others in the group. : We mislike this wretched place.: Really? Wow, that’s a surprise to me. It would do herself and her business a lot of help if she moved Big Bertrude’s to someplace a little more approachable – say, maybe, the edge of Jomuer Valley? That way, she’s still close to Flagging Hands for all the weird flora that she’s into for her potions and junk. : Tomorrow is another day, but for the time, we’ll have to ride this out.: You decide to focus on pursing your Vocations until the blackwagon is ready to move on. : Hmm… I wonder who’s in a talkative mood here, of all places. : Oh. That’s not that – well, actually, it’s a little surprising, given that she just said she hates this place. Or maybe that’s why she wants to talk.: You approach Bertrude just as she is finished polishing the various bottles, flasks, and vials that your fellow exiled have collected during your travels through the Downside.: The evidence of thy travails… how brazenly ye put them on display. : She lets out a long breath.: Nonetheless, these trinkets stir our memories. Not merely of these lands, but of the country whence we came.: Know, Reading-One, that we are here because of Sandalwood. We met him, long ago, within the Southern Bogs. He offered many courtesies, and an exchange we found agreeable. We sought then certain reagents, necessary to our studies of the heaven and the earth, nrrrrggghhh… and he? He knew where to procure them. : Unless the paper it’s printed on is also fireproof and tear-proof, that’s an awful lot of effort for something that won’t matter. But hey, I’m not the witch, here.: ‘Twas then we first began collecting samples of the regions of the Downside, for Sandalwood was ever-true to his word. Long had we studied this accursed place. Black Basin… the chaos of the Deathless Tempest… the richness of the bogs of Flagging Hands… land so far away, and yet… they called to us. : If Molten Milithe was able to traverse the Downside in its entirety an age ago, then, surely ‘twas not beyond reckoning that we could do the same.: That’s a healthy go-get-‘em attitude.: Furthermore, nrrrggghhhh….: But, she hesitates. : She slithers away, without further explanation. She seems reluctant to discuss the circumstances of her past with Volfred. Yet, you sense that she is here by choice.  : You might have forgotten, but we actually didn’t know why Bertrude was in the Downside to begin with until now. Her bio summarizes it pretty well: she was a known practitioner of black magic in the Commonwealth, but despite her hexes and potions, it was actually an unassuming request for invincible ink that got her sent here.: That said, though, she doesn’t give the littlest drat, and she’s perfectly fine being here as long as she’s with Volfred, despite his reluctance to give her the affection she’s clearly after. : This decision is actually kind of difficult! I’m not exactly hurting for money, but if Ron is going to hold that sale, I could use as much as I can get in order to buy out his stock. On the other hand, two of us are on the cusp of their final level up, and considering how deep into the game we are, we should probably get them as powerful as we can get; the matches in our future are only going to get harder and harder.: Ultimately, I think, I’m going to go with the tutoring. The strength is more important than the money, and, like I said, I’m not exactly poor. I should be fine on cash for the time. Gfy  : Our two candidates are Ti’zo and Volfred, and the one I tutor is guaranteed to level up, leaving the other one as the final companion to reach their final level.: I pick Ti’zo, for exactly one reason: he and Lendel have history, and if we’re going to go against the Accusers for the final time, I want Ti’zo to be at his strongest, regardless of whether he’s actually voted in. : You and Ti’zo go over his understanding of his Aura, and its connection to his presence both physical and spiritual. The discussion proves informative.  : (A hidden power, a terrible, unbridled fury, seems to have awakened within Ti’zo.) : (All in all, he seems very enthusiastic about it.): That’s the spirit! : A very serious question, though, is which perk should I take…?: My two available perks are his third-level perk Inner Glory, which gives Ti’zo a straight +10 buff to Glory, which is massive and puts him on par with Bertrude’s base Glory, and his first-level perk Moon Sign, which, when Ti’zo is banished, places a sigil wherever he was banished that his companions can teleport straight to.: This decision isn’t as easy as it may sound. Early in this LP, I was all for Inner Glory, because, come on, +10 Glory is nothing to sneeze at. Despite Ti’zo’s difficulty forging his path forward, he’s nonetheless very fast on his feet, and getting from one end of the field to the other for a dunk shouldn’t be too challenging for him.: Except… that was an age ago, and these games aren’t exactly getting easier, especially with the Titan Stars. Ti’zo has a hard time pushing forward specifically because he can’t cast his Aura, so he’s best used on defense, not offense. Giving Ti’zo so much Glory would be akin to, I don’t know, a rule in soccer or something where scores made by goalies are worth three times as much. It would be tempting to try for, but it also means your net is empty.: Moon Sign still requires Ti’zo to leave his Pyre unattended, but, in the event he doesn’t get a score (which, if he’s not on defense, is what he should be going for), then his hypothetical banishment would give his other linemen a straight line to their endzone.: Both of these perks are offense-oriented, and it comes down to whether I want Moon Sign to give my actual offensive linemen an easier time, or if I want to move Ti’zo from defense to offense permanently for the round. Realistically, no matter which choice I make, there’s a good chance that I might regret it later.: So… give me Moon Sign, I suppose.  : (Ti’zo believes the size of one’s Aura does not always correlate with one’s capacity in the Rites.): He’s right; it’s not about the size of the Aura, it’s how you use it. Rukey and Sir Gilman had tiny Auras, and they were both decent offensive linemen. : Now that Ti’zo is fully-powered, it’s time for our final match against the first triumvirate we had done battle with, oh-so long ago.: At dawn, Ti’zo finds you shortly before the wagon is set to depart.: (Ti’zo knows you are soon to confront Lendel once again, and is none too eager to see him.): (Nonetheless, Ti’zo is more than willing to help you prevail against Lendel this time.):  : Ti’zo rejoins the others in making final preparations for departure. As you prepare to set forth, you sense his mixed emotions about the coming Rite. : Look at that face. That’s a pretty punchable face. Maybe not the most punchable, but it’s up there.   Gfy : The Book’s gotten some interesting new pages in it. Let’s give it a looksee. Gfy   : So, tolerating the Pit of Milithe is uniquely an Udmildhe thing; neither Bertrude nor Milithe herself were big fans of the place. Which makes sense, considering what’s possibly still alive in the bottom of the pit.: Ron! You got something to sell me?  : She still around, by any chance…? Because, uh… um… well, anyways. : Just a Scribe Snuff and a heaping helping of Stardust. Nothing too crazy this time, and they’re all still at their regular price.: I suppose today is mostly a casual visit, then. I have some things to offload…  : … hell, gimme another hit of the dust. A smaller one this time, though. I need to hold onto my cash for that sale of yours, if it ever happens.  : See you guys again sometime soon maybe, OK, because, I gotta say, you are my favorite customers I had all week? : Well, with all that said and done… you know the drill by now. We’ve come a long way just to push Lendel around and make sure he doesn’t make it to Mount Alodiel one last time.: By now, having to make preparations for the Rites has become second nature to your companions. They go about the process efficiently, and, this time, in almost total silence.: You cannot shake the sense that the routine shall not go on much longer. : Everything should be in order.: (Ti’zo enjoys having had these chances to watch the stars with you and the others. Ti’zo wishes you to know that he values your friendship, whatever happens in the days to come.): Same, buddy. Same.: You and Ti’zo stand together in silence for a time, looking for the stars above to show some indication that the Rites is to commence.: It is taking too long. Concern begins to well up in you… but then… : Harn, Sung-Gries, and Bialanthius are still lit up. It makes me kind of nervous, like, are they supercharged or something?: I’m thinking I should be safe with all twelve Stars still active… our team is dwindling in terms of potential strategies, but given that I beat Udmildhe rather simply, and Barker without breaking a sweat, I should be able to beat Lendel without too much trouble.  : The Pyres on each side are burning bright. From across the field, you observe the leader of the Accusers approach, and remove his mask. : Nightwings… you have been a thorn in my side since the first. : I may never yet regain my freedom… but, perhaps I still can ensure you never regain yours. : Oh jeez, he’s flanked by two demons. That’s a whole lot of area he’s cutting off from me. And, this screenshot doesn’t show it, but he also has an Ashen Coal, which gives his own Pyre an additional thirty-five Pyrepoints. : With the exception of his Hope, which is just brutally unfair, his stats are fairly generic – and he doesn’t even have all four perks yet. : His demon friends, though, have only slightly less Presence and Quickness than Oralech; a little more Hope than he did; and a whole lot more Glory.: I, uh… I dunno. Some of my stronger tactics, including Pamitha’s body tackle and her flight, and Gilman’s quickness and area-denial, aren’t available for me to overpower numbers like these. I might have to reconsider some of those Stars.: Also, a neat little fact: when we played against Lendel and the Accusers in the Nest of Triesta, he was backed by two nomads named Vispa and Darben. These two demons are named Vispaleth and Darbenfor - they've been in the Downside long enough to become demons. Which is a great little attention to detail, if a little on the sombre side.: In any case, who should we bring into this Rite against Lendel and the Accusers? Our options are Mae, Ti’zo, Volfed, and Bertrude.: Lemme know what you think in the next twenty-four hours, and I’ll see it done!
Maple Leaf fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Jul 24, 2018 |
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Jul 22, 2018 15:42
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Bertrude, Volfred, and Ti'zo Volfred needs his last level and Ti'zo needs to piss in Lendel's cereal. Bertrude's shotgun aura might be useful against Lendel's tanks. And don't be afraid to turn off Titan Stars, we're not gonna question your skill at sportsball this far into the game.
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Jul 22, 2018 16:11
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I wonder if those demons are the same people that Lendel was travelling with at the start. We might need the big guns for this one. Mae, Volfred and Bertrude. We're probably going to need Mae's bounciness to score goals, it'd be good to get Volfred's level up so everyone is maxed out, and if we had both him and Ti'zo then there's no defenders that can cast their auras, which would be troublesome against the demons. Incidentally, the flagging fungus can be picked just like the downberry can, for an additional 5 sols per cycle. Not much use to us this late, of course.
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Jul 22, 2018 16:12
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This one's tough. Tenebrais brings up a good point re: having both defenders out, but I still want Volfred to get his last level. Ti'zo wants to personally ruin Lendel's time. I tend to lean more towards practicality, so let's have Mae, Volfred, and Bertrude take care of this. As much as I'd like Ti'zo to dunk on Lendel's face, we need two offensive members out there, and Volfred's last level is a higher priority for me.
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Jul 22, 2018 16:31
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Mae, Volfred and Ti'zo.
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Jul 22, 2018 17:30
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Mae, Bertrude, Ti'zo
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Jul 22, 2018 17:32
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IMJack posted:Bertrude, Volfred, and Ti'zo Not an emptyquote.
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Jul 22, 2018 21:22
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IMJack posted:Bertrude, Volfred, and Ti'zo Also not an emptyquote. Accusers delenda est, etc etc.
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Jul 22, 2018 21:51
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IMJack posted:Bertrude, Volfred, and Ti'zo
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Jul 22, 2018 23:16
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IMJack posted:Bertrude, Volfred, and Ti'zo Yet another not-emptyquote.
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Jul 23, 2018 09:49
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Maple Leaf posted:
I think this might explain why the pages look the way they do - the pages are ink-black, and we're reading the parts that aren't inked.
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Jul 23, 2018 13:26
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Bertrude, Volfred, Ti'zo for the reasons stated above.MaskedHuzzah posted:I think this might explain why the pages look the way they do - the pages are ink-black, and we're reading the parts that aren't inked. I don't think Volfred was printing The Book, but rather his own seditious materials. One of the pages in the book explains the materials used to make it, I'm not sure if we've seen it. Also, I disagree with your assessment of Ti'zo. He can definitely be played as an offensive character, with his mobility allowing him to dodge opponents. But he's even better at creating openings for the rest of your team. Dive in, get close to two or three enemies, explode. The +10 Glory also buffs the radius of his explosion, making it even easier to take out several enemies. Then the rest of your team can just walk it in while the enemies are banished. I guess he's more of a play maker than strictly offensive or defensive. I think it's just a matter of different play styles.
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Jul 23, 2018 16:21
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Junpei posted:Mae, Volfred and Ti'zo. This is my vote as well.
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Jul 23, 2018 18:14
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Have Lendel's "new companions" just turned demonic over the course of these rites, or are they different people from his initial entourage?
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Jul 24, 2018 07:03
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Glazius posted:Have Lendel's "new companions" just turned demonic over the course of these rites, or are they different people from his initial entourage? An interesting question! I looked back on the two times we encountered Lendel beforehand to see if I had the foresight to check his companion's names. The first time we played the Accusers (and, in fact, the first time we played Sportsball ever, not counting the tutorial against Sandra), we didn't get a chance to look at any bios or anything - but, the second time, in Black Basin's Nest of Triesta, his companions were named Vispa and Darben. Here, his two demon friends are named Vispaleth and Darbenfor. So, yes! These are the same two companions that have been traveling with Lendel all this time. Which is a neat touch! I'll throw that little factoid into the update.
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Jul 24, 2018 07:23
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Maple Leaf posted:An interesting question! I looked back on the two times we encountered Lendel beforehand to see if I had the foresight to check his companion's names. The first time we played the Accusers (and, in fact, the first time we played Sportsball ever, not counting the tutorial against Sandra), we didn't get a chance to look at any bios or anything - but, the second time, in Black Basin's Nest of Triesta, his companions were named Vispa and Darben. Here, his two demon friends are named Vispaleth and Darbenfor.
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Jul 24, 2018 08:48
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Bacchante posted:The fact that they've demonised when Lendel hasn't is fascinating. Especially when Oralech, who was apparently human when he was with the Nightwings before, has. I wonder if there's something about your mental state that can contribute to it? It could be a manifestation of despair. I mean, notice how none of the other triumvirates seem to have anyone who's aiming for liberation than their captains? Perhaps Lendel's fellows have long since given up and are just trying to get their leader out - or perhaps, knowing him, he's simply selfishly demanded that they support him. Jodariel, too, had no belief she was worth liberating and seemed depressingly shocked by someone being willing to give her freedom. Soliam Murr, too, had also totally given up on freedom and his old life when he was found, and he was already a demon. Jetrauben fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Jul 24, 2018 |
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Jul 24, 2018 09:46
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Jetrauben posted:It could be a manifestation of despair. I mean, notice how none of the other triumvirates seem to have anyone who's aiming for liberation than their captains? Perhaps Lendel's fellows have long since given up and are just trying to get their leader out - or perhaps, knowing him, he's simply selfishly demanded that they support him. Jodariel, too, had no belief she was worth liberating and seemed depressingly shocked by someone being willing to give her freedom. Gol Golathanian kept his human shape, possibly because of his single-minded devotion to his mission, whether that was hunting down Soliam or working with him to develop the Rites and the Book. He didn't despair his imprisonment. Khalymer Rope-Caller stayed human as well, but maybe because he got killed too quickly to really feel the Downside's effects. Beyond his enchanted mantle going crazy and then merging with imps to become a monster, anyway. It's interesting to me that Khalymer is the "patron" of Savages. Khalymer's villainy and manipulation set Soliam down the path to degeneracy and then enlightenment, so the Rope-Caller is as responsible for the creation of the Rites and the Commonwealth as anybody. Savages are those who are too wild and nonconformist to fit in with the Commonwealth, and in its current state of stagnation and corruption, maybe Khalymer's role of usurper is as necessary as those of the Scribes.
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Jul 24, 2018 22:12
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 : An Age Is Ending – Gameplay   : We learn and strive together, we prevail or we fail together, on this path we share…. It has been, and shall continue to be, my greatest honor. : It’s time for our final level up in the game. Our available perks are Guardian Sapling (when Volfred is banished, Santalum will sprout automatically on top of our own Pyre) and Guardian Shield (whenever Volfred uses his Aura Shield, his shield covers his companions as well).: Technically, I think Guardian Shield has more utility at this point (although I might be wrong, considering that Lendel and the Accusers never once threw the Orb themselves), but the problem with it is that I need to be in control of Volfred in order to use it. Volfred is a defensive character, meaning I won’t be using him unless my own Pyre is under attack; it wouldn’t be very practical of me to dive in deep with Mae or Bertrude, then swap to Volfred just for his shield.: Besides, if Volfred is banished, Santalum will at least give me some defense, which is better than none.  : Pardon the interruption, Reader, though I need to ask a moment of your time, while the night is clear enough for you to see.: It’s raining cats and dogs out there! Meteorology, not how it works, etc.: Please, come have a look outside. Perhaps the news of your next destination may further stir the hearts of your companions.    Gfy : I was kind of worried that Sir Deluge would snipe the victory from Barker at the last second, and we wouldn’t get to hear Never To Thrash Pack. Though it was unlikely, it was still quite possible – and it wouldn’t have been a huge loss, because Sir Deluge’s theme song is actually pretty great too. Just, not as great as Thrash Pack.: The cycle turns even more quickly now. Until such time as it shall shudder to a halt.: He makes a sound, then, almost like a laugh.: …I forget myself, Reader. I should not say such things. The Scribes, they would say that one ought focus on the path in front of him. When we set forth to walk a long and labored path, it can be all too much, if we stand back and look upon it as a whole. We may well decide to turn around.: But, if we begin to walk, whilst casting down our gaze, and whilst resisting well the urge to look too far ahead, we may make steady, careful progress.: …Soon enough, we may arrive where we endeavored.: The Lone Minstrel bids you a good evening. You had best reture for the night, for when first daylight comes, it shall be time again to take to the skies. : Our next stop is back to Mount Alodiel. We had just come from there! But, before we head out, I’d like to clear my head with a bit of the good words from the good Book. : The Downberries are ready for harvesting again, and someone in the thread told me that the mushrooms on the log can actually be plucked and sold as well. Which makes sense, considering we’ve sold Ron nearly half a dozen of them already. Gfy    : There aren’t exactly a lot of opportunities left to liberate one of our own. Our journeys to Mount Alodiel are numbered.: No sense dwelling on it, of course. One among us gets to go home after just one more game of Sportsball. Either them, or Barker. And, to be honest with you – I can’t really say I feel too intimidated by Barker, especially after the last time I played him. An all-cur team just doesn’t have the staying power to be especially threatening.: But, that’s enough of my jinxing myself.  : All’s quiet. : You know, uh, I just realized, but we never paid a second visit to the Sea of Solis either. So, that’s a page we kind of missed out on. Oh well!: Moving on, though, it’s all the same, every time we travel north for another Liberation Rite. Despite its name, the Deathless Tempest is quiet; Black Basin is empty; Sclorian Shore is unoccupied; and Mount Alodiel is–  Gfy : Who’s in here?!: Your wagon reels from the impact of some sort of massive object slamming into it, mid-flight. : Oralech calls down to all of you from atop his wagon. : Again, you seek to climb that cursed mountain beneath us. Again, you seek to take my rightful place. : I should send you crashing down to it, that you might fall, as I have.: He stares down at all of you.: …But, I shall not. Rather, we shall meet upon the summit. Ere the last cycle of the Rites is ended.: Until then. : And then he just buzzes off. What kind of rear end in a top hat just careens into other people’s wagons mid-flight like that? Someone could really get hurt!: Well! If he’s so excited to hurry up and get his rear end beaten in another Liberation Rite, we’ll just have to keep things expedient, won’t we?  : Bertrude and Volfred both received the same amount of votes in the Rite against the Accusers, but Bertrude got there first, meaning we’re more biased in her favour. It was very close!  : …Oralech spoke the truth. He has a right to gain the summit. When the time comes… Celeste shall deem him worthy, and shall let him pass. While he has transgressed against the Rites, he has also already been anointed, and prevailed. Nothing is written in the Book on this, and liberty ought already be his.: For the time, it seems that he has not yet traveled to the summit. Perhaps he is still making preparations with his fellow exiles.: When, exactly, Oralech intends to make good on his promise, he did not make clear. For now, you are to confront Barker and the Dissidents upon the summit. But first, you may prepare. : According to Bertrude, crones and wyrms are distant relatives of each other, so it makes some sense that she might want to seek favour with Underking Ores. There’s nothing for us in the wagon, so let’s head to it.: Later that afternoon, you accompany Bertrude through the sheer cliffs of Temple Cistern to the monument of Underking Ores.: <We do not fear ye, ancient gods. We, who cannot even keep the stars illuminated in the dark. We do not fear what is to come. We do not fear for our companions. We do not fear our adversaries. We do not fear the Commonwealth, or fear for it. And, we do not fear for us….>: Underking Ores would appreciate that sort of fronting, I think. Going right up to the gods and telling them that you don’t give half a care is something he’d appreciate, knowing him and how he writes his entries into the Book.: You return to the wagon after she is finished paying her respects. The summit awaits, but first, there is time to continue practicing your Vocations.  : Well, this makes my decision a whole lot easier.: What’s shakin– : –Bertrude?: You notice Bertrude studying the Beyonder Crystal. She sets it down as you approach.: …The mouthy wraith rebuketh our attempt to summon her. She insisteth that we are too young to understand, nrrrgggghh!: She must be referring to Sandra. It seems that Bertrude may be able to invoke her.: Wow, be glad that you made it that far! Nowadays I can’t get more than a ‘hello.’: Stubborn, that one. Possessing of an ancient understanding. Olden ways, and olden times. Many centuries of history… knowledge of the Eight Scribes, themselves… held captive there, within that green-tinged stone. Within that wraith’s own memories. Would that we could extract them, in some way…. : Haha, look at her, trying to cozy up to us so we can get Sandra to squawk. This is an unusually… valley-girl approach Bertrude is taking to get what she wants.: Although, nnnrrrgggghhhhh…: She stops and thinks, very carefully. The Beyonder Crystal is not to be tampered with. Your fellow exiles know that its use is at your sole discretion. She backs away from you, still thinking to herself.: I like to think that she realized how she must have looked, and was immediately disgusted with herself.: …Ignorest thee our inquires about this, Reading-One. Our reasoning has taken us elsewhere…. Her refusal to cooperate is like to be an ancient warning of some sort.: Nrrrrgggghhh, ‘tis possible that others of the Southern Bogs know something of her. But, we shall not be tampering further with such sorceries, ourselves.: That the wraith refuseth to cooperate suggesteth her predicament is suitably deserved.: she heads out in a huff. But, just as the air grows still and quiet, you sense something from the Beyonder Crystal. : Sandra the Unseeing laughs to herself; your proximity to the Beyonder Crystal must have been sufficient to invoke her, in this case. : That crone of yours is far too curious, I think. But it appears that even she has learned her lesson in this case. Thank the stars, I am beholden to no more than one among you Nightwings at a time. And, thank the stars, that happens to be you, rather than her. : And if that Crone attempts to lay her fingers on my Beyonder Crystal again, I shall just have to torment her dreams till she’s my age. Do feel free to mention that, if it comes up.: …Now, farewell! You know where to find me, lovely Reader.: She vanishes. It seems that Sandra proved resistant to Bertrude’s tampering. If so much history is trapped within the Beyonder Crystal, there it shall remain for the foreseeable future. : That’s the most interaction I’ve gotten with Sandra in months. That was nice. And she even said she liked being with us (rather than with Bertrude).: Anyway… : We’re not much for Vocations anymore, so, this isn’t really a thought anymore. Which is good! Less thinking, which is hard. Who has time to think anymore? : Gleaming Frost would give me a Wisdom Trace, while Crystal Basin gives me money. If I couldn’t tutor any of my guys, then a Wisdom Trace would be worth – actually, they’re worth 80 Sol, so it doesn’t matter which one I take.: That said, I didn’t think of that at the time of recording, and I think I would have just taken the money anyway, so.  : Some marital vows, or something? Whatever’s written on this thing is worth quite a bit of money. Which isn’t too wild, really; autographs and contracts can be worth quite a lot, so. : Alright, we all know the drill. Let’s head on up to Scribesgate and ask Celeste if we’re worthy, and then move on and say hello to Barker.   Gfy  : Right, I forgot. I think it was because I was expecting it later, and because we haven’t been back to Mount Alodiel in such a short time.  : Music: Talon Sheath: In fact, she was asked to join the military council given her unique background. Yet, she refused to cooperate, and instead demanded to be reunited with her sister, Tamitha.: Oh, for chrissake.: But when they threatened her with a re-sentencing to exile and insisted that she take the opportunity, Pamitha said at last that she would “think it over” and return with a decision soon.: Next she was seen, however, was among Volfred’s sons and daughters of the revolution, where it is said she has attached her loyalty, at least for the time.: You thank the imp for bringing you this news, which soon gets your companions talking.: (Ti’zo wishes for Pamitha to find her way and her sister in the Commonwealth.): I hold to hope that both the Theyn sisters one day soon shall join together as part of our good cause. The two of them can help lead us toward a brighter future. : I wonder where her sister is right now? I’m sure she cares for Pamitha, I’m sure of it!!: We suspect the ancient enmity between the winged and the flightless shall not be soon resolved, if ever at all.: In spite of some mixed feelings, the news of Pamitha’s liberation fills you and your fellow exiles with resolve. : Anything that makes me just a little bit stronger to deal with the Dissidents. I’m confident that I can beat them, but… you know, every little bit helps regardless.  Gfy   : The exiles of the Nightwings. And you, Tariq. This is to be one of our final meetings. : Greetings, Celeste. The Nightwings are prepared. And afterwards, I would have words with you, in private, if you please.: Tariq, buddy…: You know what? The world is ending. You go for it one more time. : It seems to me rather late for words now, Tariq. But I shall hear them, once your charges cross the Gate. Now, all of you, come forth. Please state your names and what is it that you seek whilst crossing Scribesgate.: Once more, your companions cross the Gate, one after another, and once more, you follow them, in turn. Celeste regard you all, then waves you through, toward the summit.: The Eight Scribes bid the Nightwings welcome. Go forth with glory.: And, Tariq?: …Aye, Celeste?  : Certainly, Celeste.: everyone… I shall see you shortly.: Knock her dead, buddy     : Celeste and Tariq started singing a duet once we left Scribesgate, but I’m afraid I couldn’t find the name of the song anywhere, or where it might be on Youtube.: Switching it up once more, I’m going to visit Ron before checking out the Book. There are very, very few pages remaining, and I noticed that we tend to unlock a new page every time we spend a handful of cash at the slugmarket.: Ron, there aren’t going to be a lot of opportunities left for me to say ‘how ya doin’.’ How’s business? : …OK, I m-m-may have b-b-been exaggerating, j-j-just a l-l-little, s-s-since I have been w-w-w-waiting here, a l-l-little while, I g-g-g-guess, but are you b-b-b-buying anything? : No new Talismans or even Stardust this time; he just restocked in serums. One new serum of each flavour.: Well, first of all, I got a few things that apparently he’s interested in.   : I have so much money and I have no idea what to spend it on. A common issue in today’s economy, I’m sure a lot of my readers would agree and sympathize.: That said, I also used that one serum that I bought a lifetime ago on Bertrude last Rite, and I could use a resupply. So, you know what? Let’s resupply the hell out of ourselves.   : I’ll see you next time, whenever that is, Ron. : And, before we begin the Liberation Rite, let’s hit the Books.Gfy    : It’s time to… uh… kick – no, uh… this Liberation Rite is about to go to the dogs!! Nailed it.: Wait, that means that–: The time has come again to deliver one of your fellow exiles to a homecoming in the Commonwealth, lest your adversaries, the Dissidents, achieve the same instead.: The Lone Minstrel has returned, and approaches as you await the signal from the stars.: If you’re here, then your time with Celeste must not have been a good one, huh? : You have observed the stars. If you would not mind my asking you in such a direct manner… how many Liberation Rites are you supposing yet remain? : I don’t really have an in-universe answer to this question, but there are two ways to know that the answer is that there are two Liberation Rites remaining, including this one. The first is that this Liberation Rite isn’t against Oralech (and we know that because Oralech himself told us); and the second is because, if we succeed in this Liberation Rite, we’ll be down to just three companions. There couldn’t be one after the next because we’d be down to two people, making us ineligible to play.: Unless, of course, I get put in. You never know! : You tell him the only logical deduction which you have been able to make based on all of your readings of the stars of late; that there shall be one final Liberation Rite, after tonight.: …I concur with your evaluation, Reader sir. I wished to make certain that you were aware, so that you and the Nightwings may yet make the most of your remaining time together, thus.: As to what shall happen once the final Liberation Rite is ended… we soon shall both find out. But, lo, it seems that we are called upon once more. Look forth. : Like I said earlier, I’m not terribly scared of Barker and his all-cur team. And, on top of that, like with Udmildhe, it feels like a bit of a disservice to turn off any of the Titan Stars at this point for Liberation Rites. Barker’s trying to get out, too, and all.   : The Pyres burn, and each of the triumvirates is present and prepared.: I concur. The Pyres burn, and each of the triumvirates is present and prepared.: Then, anointed one of the Dissidents! Come forth, now, and declare yourself, and pay any respects you have unto your adversaries, the Nightwings. Music: Thrash Pack : A real pleasure to be here, mates, truly! Barker Ashpaws, call me Barker, though, all right? By the by, it was a real pisser getting here, ya know.: …Begging your pardon, Barker Ashpaws? You thusly speak, upon the summit of the sacred mountain?: Oh, my, so terribly sorry to offend you, there, lassie! I forgot we got the stars above up there to make me watch me language!: Though, let’s get one thing straight, lassie. : Me and my pack, we’re here just for the laughs, you got that?! The other side ain’t any better than this one. We ain’t interested in your freedom! But, just the same, we’re gonna get it! Take it from those wee little babes there so antsy for it!: Hear that, you Nightwings?! You better put up a good fight, here, or I ain’t gonna be happy, understand?!: I admire your confidence, Barker, after the absolute butt-blasting that was our last match. Maybe this time I’ll let you score once or twice, to make things interesting.: Then he shoves his mask back on.  : …Nightwings. Your choice. In whose name shall you conduct this Liberation Rite?: I wish you the wisdom of the Scribes in making your choice, Reader.: …And I wish you to come prepare our song with me, Tariq.    : Who is eligible for liberation is usually our top-three-most Enlightened companions, but all four of them are tied at maximum. Thus, all four of them are eligible. This is the first, and only, time that our choice is a little more flexible than usual.Who do we choose?  Mae has a spiritual connection with the Scribes and the world around her that nobody, least of all herself, can properly describe. She meets all challenges and peoples with a warm smile, a hearty dance, and some laughter, and she’s attuned to her companions so deeply that she shares in their misery as much as their happiness. She’s even taken to calling the blackwagon itself her ‘little brother.’ Her crime is vagrancy – she was simply seen as too ‘different’ to be accepted in the social graces of the Commonwealth, and when she wouldn’t adhere to their demands that she change herself, she was cast to the Downside, where they would no longer have to suffer her uniqueness. Do we anoint Mae?  Ti’zo is a simple imp that was born and raised in the Downside. He has been with the Nightwings since Volfred’s time, and is therefore more attuned to their practices and properties than anyone else in the triumvirate. Imps of Ti’zo’s intelligence and wit are very rare, and it’s been implied that Ti’zo is directly descended from Ha’ub the Swallow, the first Scribe and author of the Book of Rites, himself. He has committed no crime: as a native born in the Downside, he has no home in the Commonwealth and his only aspiration for freedom is to one day see the world beyond the Downside. Do we anoint Ti’zo?  Volfred has been with the Nightwings since Ti’zo’s time, and acted as their own Reader back then, to guide them through the Rites and towards their glory on Mount Alodiel. Since then, with his familiarity with the Rites, he has proclaimed himself as leader, and has done his best to lead his triumvirate with the wisdom and experience that’s come with his years as a competitor. Volfred’s crime is publishing – it wasn’t merely that Volfred was capable of literacy himself, which is a damnable crime in the Commonwealth, but he also owned, and liberally operated, a Stamping-Press, which spread the infection that is literacy across the country. By day, he operated as an unassuming professor, but his alter-ego brought to light the crimes and injustices committed by the Commonwealth’s aristocracy by way of mass-produced articles and journals. When he was caught, his sentencing was quick. Do we anoint Volfred?  Bertrude is a well-known practitioner of black magics and dark arts, even before her banishment from the Commonwealth. She operated within its borders with little regard for her practice’s legitimacy in the eyes of its law, working with all manner of customers in need of all manner of potions, hexes, and curses. Her crime is conspiracy: one of her customers was Volfred Sandalwood, who had approached her for a set of inks that could not be destroyed for use in his published works. Though a modest request in light of her other work, it nonetheless enabled Volfred’s push to spread literacy across the country, and when she was found, she was swiftly banished alongside him. Do we anoint Bertrude? One of these four candidates must be the frontman for our triumvirate, although any of the rest of the Nightwings may also participate to help see their anointed companion gain their freedom. Should we succeed against Barker and the Dissidents, our anointed frontman will be permanently removed from the game. Twenty-four hours. Choose wisely. Maple Leaf fucked around with this message at 09:17 on Jul 27, 2018 |
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Jul 26, 2018 06:45
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As much as it will pain us to have him gone, Volfred. The Plan must succeed. Scribes help us, for the Commonwealth won't.
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Jul 26, 2018 07:53
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I think Mae should go up this round. I think Volfred would want to be the last one out. Volfred and Bertrude can back Mae up, of course.
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Jul 26, 2018 08:11
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Tizo. Volf would want to be last out if ever, Bertrude wouldn’t want to be away from Volf and Mae has that whole romance dealio, and doesn’t seem to mind all that much given the whole “talks directly to Scribes” thing. Tizo, by contrast, has never had the opportunity to compare the two lands and have a choice given the whole “born into mass prison” thing. That, and all good revolutions need a mascot and Tizo is a pretty excellent mascot, both for fuzzy-cute and direct-scribe-descendant.
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Jul 26, 2018 08:26
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Shinji117 posted:Tizo. I agree. Voting for Tizo.
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Jul 26, 2018 08:36
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Volfred. The Plan is the single most important thing we have to aim for, and Volfred is obviously the single most important person for the Plan we have left.
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Jul 26, 2018 08:41
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Shinji117 posted:Tizo.
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Jul 26, 2018 08:51
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Anoing Mae. She doesn't deserve to be stuck down here, even if she is sweet on a boy. Back her up with Bertrude and Tizo I guess.
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Jul 26, 2018 12:09
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Anoint Mae. I'm agreeing with the others that Volfred would want to be the last one out, and none of the others really seem to care where they go Back her up with Bertrude and Volfred.
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Jul 26, 2018 14:14
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Appoint Volfred , backed up by Mae and Bertrude. Mae, Ti'zo and Bertrude all seem content down here, and all of this has been Volfred's plan, let's let him see it come to fruition.
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Jul 26, 2018 14:43
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Odysseus S. Grant posted:Mae, Ti'zo and Bertrude all seem content down here, and all of this has been Volfred's plan, let's let him see it come to fruition. And I have a feeling, based on previous Supergiant endings, about how the last Rite is going to go down and what possible choices will be raised and this might be the last time we get/want to free a teammate, so Bertrude would be SOL in that case. Also, there’s the question of if the Voice would even allow Volfred any opportunity to leave the other side of the portal and not just light him on fire or w/e once he left the pool given his obvious deep hatred of Volfred. Or at least just re-lock him up and not let him join up with the resistance. Like, gameplay wise that’s super unlikely because wow the players would be immensely cheated and furious, but that’s out of story reasoning which I always personally find a tad iffy with these sorts of supposedly-incharacter choices.
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Jul 26, 2018 15:00
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Let Mae go home! With Ti'Zo and Bertrude as back-up.
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Jul 26, 2018 15:27
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Bertrude should be annointed with Volfred and Mae backing her up
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Jul 26, 2018 15:48
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Odysseus S. Grant posted:Appoint Volfred , backed up by Mae and Bertrude. This, so that we can free Bertrude later. Volfred is the best person for the Plan, and neither Tizo nor Mae seem to care about being down here. We have to send one of Volfred/Bertrude now, and Bertrude is so overwhelmingly good at sports ball that it makes sense for her to go last.
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Jul 26, 2018 15:52
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Keep in mind that we are also choosing our de facto team for the last few rites in the campaign, since we'll be down to 3 players total. Whomever we don't send up gets to go up against Oralech in the grand finals.
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Jul 26, 2018 15:55
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Time to say goodbye to Mae. Have her team be Volfred and Ti'zo.
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Jul 26, 2018 16:02
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Odysseus S. Grant posted:Appoint Volfred , backed up by Mae and Bertrude. I also support this team.
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Jul 26, 2018 16:22
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SgtSteel91 posted:Bertrude should be annointed with Volfred and Mae backing her up
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Jul 26, 2018 19:22
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IMJack posted:Keep in mind that we are also choosing our de facto team for the last few rites in the campaign, since we'll be down to 3 players total. Whomever we don't send up gets to the grand finals. Oralech's a big part of why I'm voting to send Mae upstairs, with Volfred and Bertrude as backup. The remaining three are pretty happy to remain if necessary. I am dumb and did not notice him declaring himself the final boss in the update.  Ti'zo and Volfred need to face Oralech at the end, and ain't no way we're sending Berty up without Volfs. Goatse James Bond fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Jul 27, 2018 |
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Jul 26, 2018 20:41
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Ti'zo shall go with Mae and Volfred as support. Mae has found love here and Bertrude loves Volfred. I don't want to split up either couple. Plus Volfred should look Oralech in the eye in the last match and try one last time to redeem himself to Oralech
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Jul 26, 2018 22:32
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