Ingles

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Monk
HOPEFUL
DISHONORED
SCORNED
ILL-DISPOSED
INTRIGUED
ZEALOUS
WAVERING
MASTER
FREED
Honorable
Noble
Valor
Stalemate
Nobles
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The fire in Sophia’s eyes fades.\nShe suddenly grows silent, then continues calmly.
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The story of my life remains written on these pages.
But my fate has always been my own.
Every deed, every choice, every person I met made me what I am.
Could I have taken a different path?
Could I've found a different calling? Altered the very course of history?
And what price would I have to pay?
I was growing up fast.
The school, the streets, and the whole wide world awaited me beyond the gate of my
parents' house...
Leaving my hometown behind,
I set out for the capital of the Empire.
There I would discover my role in society.
I will never forget that day.
For it was then that I chose the path I would walk
for the rest of my life.
A full adult now,
I returned from the capital a changed man,
yet my hometown was not the same as I had left it.
Fate had difficult times in store for all of us.
At last, the day has come which would decide my fate
as well as that of my family and, perhaps, the entire Empire.
The day of the Revolt.
The Revolt was crushed,
and it was I who restored order in Anizotte.
Mine was a victory for all of the Empire.
The Revolt succeeded,
and the city rejoiced in triumph.
I was the one to bring the people their victory.
We managed to defend the city,
wrestling our freedom from the clutches of the Empire.
But for how long?..
Fire...
Fire and blood engulfed the streets of Anizotte
before spreading to the rest of the Empire.
Neither side could overcome the other.
The fire of the Revolt could not be extinguished
The province, and then the whole Empire
fell on troubled times...
Gregor Brante
The head of the Brante family and a nobleman of the Mantle. A senior judge at the
Anizotte Prefecture.\nHe was the first person in the family to get an education and
achieve a noble title. His dream is to see his family ennobled by the Sword.\nA
cruel and fierce defender of the ancient order, he is constantly preoccupied with
arranging the future of his family line.
Robert <el> Brante
A nobleman of the Mantle and a judge at the Anizotte Prefecture.\nFollowing in the
footsteps of his father Gregor, he earned a noble title and a position at the
Prefecture. He works tirelessly in his judicial service for the sake of his
family.\nHe took your lowborn mother Lydia as his second wife, thereby jeopardizing
the family’s noble future.
Amalia El Borne
Stephan’s birthmother. She died while giving birth to him.\nShe was a noblewoman of
the Sword and the sister of Augustin El Borne, a powerful family friend. The match
between her and your father was your grandfather’s doing.\nAmalia is said to have
been a striking woman with a forceful personality who was proud of her noble
origins.
Lydia Brante
A humble commoner from the outskirts of Anizotte.\nNeither her lowly origins nor
the fact that your grandfather directly forbade the marriage stopped your father
from taking her into his home. She now manages the household and raises Robert’s
children.\nYour mother is devoted to her faith and insists that her children
observe their Lots.
A humble commoner from the outskirts of Anizotte.\nNeither her lowly origins nor
the fact that your grandfather directly forbade the marriage stopped your father
from taking her into his home.\nMother's health got noticeably worse during your
absence.
Stephan <el> Brante
Robert Brante's son from his first marriage and a noble by birth.\nFrom a young age
he has been striving to be first in all things and demonstrate his superiority to
the family.
Nathan Brante
The youngest child in the family and your only full sibling.\nAn odd child, he has
been secretive and aloof since he was a little boy. He is inept, constantly ill and
crying, always in need of care and protection. He started reading sacred texts at a
very young age.
The youngest child in the family and your only full sibling.\nHe has been
secretive, inept, and aloof since he was a little boy. Started reading sacred texts
at a very young age.\nStill hasn't found a place for himself in society.
Gloria
Gloria El Peletier
Gloria Brante
The illegitimate daughter of your mother Lydia. She has never met her real father.\
nHer position in the family is precarious. Robert Brante has never acknowledged her
as his own daughter.\nYour sister is a dreamer. She often has her head in the
clouds and can act recklessly at times.
The illegitimate daughter of your mother Lydia. She has never met her real father.\
nGrew up in a difficult position of an unacknowledged child. Since your departure
she has got involved in social struggle in Anizotte.
Uther Tempest II
Sovereign ruler of the Blessed Arknian Empire.\nHails from the Tempest dynasty
chosen by the Twins to rule over all humans and Arknians. Father to two crown
princes, Jerian and Flavius.
Jerian Tempest
Heir to the throne, son of Emperor Uther II.\nReceived his education from Cornelius
Tempest, who advocated for expanding the rights and freedoms of the common estate.
Those who supported the Creed practiced by Cornelius’s followers want Jerian to
succeed his father. He is known for his mercy and inquisitive mind.
Flavius Tempest
Prince Jerian’s younger brother, second in the line of succession.\nA child almost
never seen in public, Prince Flavius is an introvert who prefers books to people.
Cornelius Tempest
Younger brother of Emperor Uther Tempest II.\nManaged the affairs of the Empire for
many years as the Great Chancellor. A proponent of new rights and freedoms for the
common estate, he seeks to protect humans against Arknian tyranny.
Gaius Tempest
Younger brother of Emperor Uther II. Assigned to the province of Magra as the
Imperial Overseer. \nMuch more reserved in his views than his elder brother
Cornelius, he seeks to help the Empire survive as it faces the changes to come.
Archduke Milanidas
Archduke of Magra. Supreme lord in the province of your birth. \nKnown for being
obstinate and despotic; notorious even among the Arknians.
Octavia Milanidas
Young daughter of Tarquinius Milanidas, the Archduke of the Magra province. She is
the embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\nYou first laid eyes on her by a
fountain in the Golden Square of Anizotte when she dropped a handkerchief there.
the embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\nShe has arrived to Eterna as a
representative of the Milanidas family at the Imperial court.
Daughter of Tarquinius Milanidas, the Archduke of the Magra province. She is the
embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\nOctavia has great influence over
Anizotte's high society.
embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\nYou first laid eyes on her by a fountain
in the Golden Square of Anizotte when she dropped a handkerchief there.
the embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\r\nShe has arrived to Eterna as a
representative of the Milanidas family at the Imperial court.
embodiment of Arknian beauty and pride.\r\nOctavia has great influence over
Anizotte's high society.
Ex-Octavia
The incomprehensible creature that the Archduke's daughter has turned into after
the ritual of La-Tari, the long-forgotten race.
Aegerius Monrogue
Archduke of Monia. The most powerful lord in the Empire. \nHe runs his land in full
accordance to the traditions of old, yet the Monian army is said to be invincible.
One of the foremost opponents of granting the lowly estate new freedoms and rights.
Dorius Otton
A young Arknian from one of Anizotte's most venerable bloodlines.\nHe has been
trained for a military career since birth. He is already famous as a daring duelist
and a skillful swordsman. Many say he is the future High Commander of the province.
An Arknian from one of Anizotte's most venerable bloodlines. The High Commander of
the Imperial Legion of Magra.\nHe is famous as a daring duelist and a master
swordsman who has never known defeat.
Augustin El Borne
The supreme judge, or Prefect, of the Magra province and a family friend.\nA
nobleman of a renowned lineage, he is also the brother of the late Amalia El Borne,
your father’s first wife. He became Prefect by virtue of his unimpeachable service
and reputation.\nHe advocates greater liberties and rights for the common estate.
Gunter El Croix
Military commander, leader of the Eterna Legion.\nA gifted general, he swiftly rose
through the ranks despite his humble title and modest wealth. The first human ever
to be allowed to teach military strategy at the Military Academy of Eterna.
Felipe El Ferro
Advisor of the Secret Chancellery.\nA lesser-known, but very powerful official
entrusted with the task of protecting the Empire from unrest and dangerous plots of
all kinds. The guise of an unassuming nobleman of the Sword conceals a man who
wields incredible authority and controls spy networks that span the entire Empire.
Remy El Verman
Magistrate of Anizotte. Manages the city’s affairs. Head of the noble Court of
Honor.\nAn inveterate follower of the noble traditions of old, he opposes any and
all change in the Empire.
Patriarch Fotis
Patriarch of the Magra province and the founder of the New Faith.\nHe was the first
to defy the Lots established in the teachings of Isatius. He encouraged people to
find the Twin Gods within and says that everyone is equal in the Twins’ eyes.
Patriarch Junius
Patriarch of Astinia. One of the leaders of the New Faith.\nHails from one of the
great Arknian dynasties and commands the Holy Order, warriors of the Faith who
answer only to the Church. As a result, his words carry considerable weight with
the Imperial authorities.
Patriarch Luke
Patriarch of Arknia, the capital province of the Empire. One of the leaders of the
New Faith.\nChosen by the people, he defends the interests of the common folk. He
spreads the teachings of the late Patriarch Fotis along with Patriarch Junius
Diamant.
Patriarch Cassius
Patriarch of Magra and a known opponent of the New Faith. \nSince Father Cassius
assumed the patriarchate after Fotis’s death, he has become respected by the clergy
and beloved by the Old Believers.\nAt the next Sacred Conclave, his reelection as
patriarch is all but assured.
Father Ulrich
Inquisitor infamous for his ruthlessness and brutality.\nArdent enemy of the New
Faith and inexorable scourge of all heresy. \nHe used to head the House of
Humility, the Inquisition fortress in which all witches and mages are held.\n
Father Lennart
Abbot of the temple at the Silver Tree in Anizotte. \nA New Believer, he offers
guidance to his flock and provides aid to the poor. Many worshipers seek Lennart’s
temple, hoping to find peace and tranquility in his company.
Jeanne
An acolyte of the Temple of the Silver Tree in Anizotte.\nShe is a zealous adherent
of the Old Faith and the teachings of Isatius.
A young acolyte from Anizotte. She studies at the Divine Seminary of Eterna and
prepares to receive the Lot of the clergy.\nShe is a zealous adherent of the Old
Faith and the teachings of Isatius.
A priestess who serves the Inquisition in her native Anizotte.\nA zealous adversary
of witchcraft and heresies. She relentlessly follows the canons of the Old Faith.
Father Mark
Traveling preacher.\nHis doctrine of defiance of the Twins has found supporters
among all estates.
Jeremiah Haag
Inquisitor, one of the eldest and most respected teachers at the Divine Seminary of
Eterna. \nAn ardent Old Believer, he seeks to protect the Faith from any new
doctrines that might seek to undermine it.
Sophia
Your neighbor.\nA humble girl from a poor lowborn family living on the same street.
Your former neighbor.\nShe was in the service of the Arknian Dorius Otton before
fleeing Anizotte. In the capital, she became a rebel and founded the secret society
of the Lotless. She is leading a fight against the Empire’s unjust order.
Your former neighbor.\nSophia is waging a struggle against the Empire’s order. She
is the leader of the secret society named the Last Straw.
Tommas Guerro
Your childhood friend.\nHe lives on the same street, born to a family of humble
artisans. His dream is to change his Lot, get a military education, and earn the
right to a sword. He intends to join the imperial Legion.
Your childhood friend.\nHe lived on the same street, born to a family of humble
artisans. Went to Eterna to pursue a military career and to earn the title of
legionnaire.
Your childhood friend.\nAfter returning from the capital, he serves in the Imperial
Legion of Magra under the command of Dorius Otton.
Mayer Egmont
Wealthy and powerful industrialist based in Anizotte. Lead representative of the
common estate in the Magran Lesser Quorum. \nSeeking to protect the rights of the
common folk, he nevertheless acts carefully and in moderation. A shrewd negotiator
in matters of governance, he is always one step ahead of his opposition.
Gert Arkwright
The richest industrialist in the province of Eliria. \nSeeks equality between the
common folk and the other estates and believes that merchants and factory owners
should have a say in the governance of the Empire. A New Believer.
Aylis
Youthful actress and singer. Known as the Golden Voice, she quickly became famous
in every inn in Eterna for her irresistibly enchanting looks. \nShe came to the
capital along with Jeanne, who used to be an acolyte at the temple at the Silver
Tree.
Ringleader
Leader of the marauder gang that ravages the city.
Old Man
An elderly vagrant you met in the streets of Anisotti.
Carlo Fockegraben
An experienced Prefecture judge.\nLives a lavish lifestyle and enjoys power and
respect among the aristocracy.
Gustav El Avilla
Nobleman of the Sword from an impoverished bloodline. Owns several tracts of land
near Anizotte.
Basil Jung
Wealthy commoner, owner of a dyeworks built on land owned by Sir El Avilla.
Captain Linad
Captain of the Prefecture gendarmes.\nA man with a shady past and shadier
acquaintances, he is nevertheless well respected by his subordinates.
Alan El Corvio
Nobleman hailing from a renowned bloodline in Eterna.\nHe used to be the captain of
the Emperor’s personal guard.
Jose El Peletier
Young nobleman of the Sword, heir to an old and powerful Magran dynasty.\nReceived
his education at the Imperial College.
Oliver Moss
Hired goon of great skill who works for the Last Straw.\nAlways willing to get his
hands dirty for the promise of coin.
Ignasis Avertini
Priest, abbot of a New Faith temple in Anizotte.
Friedemund Schmidt
Artisan of lowly birth, one of the ringleaders of the disaffected commoners of the
city.
Legion Captain
Imperial officer, battalion leader in the Magran Legion.
Anne Steiner
Owner of a jewelry store, matriarch of her vast and prosperous family of commoners.
Gustav El Verger
Nobleman and large-scale landowner. Known for his dissolute lifestyle.
Alida Sirin
The Last Straw insurgent and conspirator, hardened enemy of the old order.\nOne of
the first to join the Last Straw.
Friedrich El Laberius
Nobleman, patriarch of one of the most eminent bloodlines in Anizotte. Leader of
the province’s noble militia.
Anna Monrogue
Arknian lady of exalted status. Sister to Aegerius Monrogue, Great Chancellor of
the Empire.
Alexis El Lance
Nobleman from a bloodline of great renown. Dabbles in spiritual pursuits of a
rather dubious variety.
David Agaronim
Squad captain of the Champions of Faith, noble warriors who serve the Inquisition.\
nA zealous Old Believer.
Ariadella
Village priestess suspected of witchcraft.
Anthony Fess
Young Arknian nobleman who audaciously defied the old Imperial ways.
Father Fuad
Rambling old preacher who joined the Last Straw as an insurgent.
Gustav
Former member of the Lotless, a secret society in Eterna.\nWas involved in the
infamous March of the Collars.
Silvan Samosta
Elderly New Believer and a fervent supporter of Abbot Lennart’s cause.
Monk
A wandering preacher.
Cathrine Terelman
A commoner waging a fanatical struggle against the New Faith.
Sir Neuman
A young nobleman of the Mantle on the mission to spread science.
—
Stephan treats you as usual.
SECRET PLOT
You and your elder brother made a secret plan: to marry Gloria off so she can start
a new family of her own.
DUEL IMPENDING
You and Stephan are going to fight a duel.
SEVERED ALL TIES
Stephan left the Brante home forever and severed all ties with his former family.
NEVER TO RETURN
Stephan left the Brante home forever but remained in touch with the family.
TRUE DEATH
Stephan was murdered by the frenzied mob.
KILLED IN A DUEL
Stephan fought you in a duel to the true death and perished by your hand.
BAD BLOOD
You defied your elder brother, and he now holds a grudge against you.
AT HOME
Your elder brother will remain a member of the Brante family.
You and your sister made a secret plan: to make Gloria a true Brante regardless of
what Stephan thinks.
BETROTHED
Gloria is betrothed to Jose El Peletier, a nobleman from an eminent dynasty.
MARRIED
Now the wife of the eminent Jose El Peletier, Gloria left the Brante home.
FLED
Gloria ran away from home and is hiding from the family.
Gloria left the Brante home forever and severed all ties with her former family.
GRATEFUL
Gloria remembers what you did for her.
Your sister was adopted by your father and is now a Brante.
Gloria was murdered by the frenzied mob.
Status — Detailed description
Your father remembers what you did for him.
The head of the Brante family was murdered by the frenzied mob.
REBEL
The head of the Brante family openly supported the Revolt.
DEFENDER OF THE EMPIRE
The head of the Brante family sided with the Empire.
The head of the Brante family is preparing to flee the rebellious city of Anizotte.
The head of the Brante family chose to remain in the rebellious city of Anizotte.
Status description
Your mother was murdered by the frenzied mob.
SUCCUMBED TO ILLNESS
Your mother passed away after a prolonged illness.
RECOVERED FROM ILLNESS
Your mother had fought back the illness and returned to life.
Your mother remembers what you did for her.
CONSUMED BY DESPAIR
Your younger brother abandoned all hope of ever finding a place in the world and
lost all purpose in life.
HOPEFUL
Nathan found new purpose in faithful service to the Twins.
RECRUITED
You convinced your younger brother to betray Father Mark and his disciples.
Your younger brother remembers what you did for him.
PROPHET
Your younger brother set out on a pilgrimage to preach his own teaching of the
Twins.
Your younger brother was murdered by the frenzied mob.
Your father’s first wife passed away soon after giving birth to Stephan, never to
be reborn.
Your grandfather passed away and departed to face the Twins’ judgment.
IN DANGER
Tommas’ superior in the Legion, Commander Dorius Otton, threatens to wreak a
terrible vengeance upon him.
IN HIDING
You found Tommas a secure shelter. He will be safe from Otton’s sword as long as he
remains there.
SAFE AND SOUND
You vouched for Tommas and kept him safe from Commander Otton.
RESCUED
Safe from the deadly threat, Tommas is about to begin his life anew.
BOUND BY FRIENDSHIP
Your friendship is strong enough to stand the test of time.
Nothing binds you to Tommas any longer. You are strangers to each other.
REMAINED FRIENDS
You remain friends with Tommas, though you had not taken an oath of eternal
friendship.
Tommas was slain by Commander Otton for insubordination.
EXILED
Tommas was stripped of his military rank and exiled from the province for refusing
to obey the Overseer’s order.
DIED HER FIRST DEATH
Sophia died her first death, trampled by noble horsemen.
TRUSTING
Your heroic act gave Sophia a faint glimmer of hope.
You joined forces with Sophia to incite a full-fledged rebellion.
EMBITTERED
After what you did, Sophia realized that the world is cruel and does not deserve to
be spared.
MERCILESS
After what you did, Sophia realized that the entire world hates her, and she will
respond in kind.
GROWN CLOSE
You have become the closest person to Sophia.
LEADING THE REVOLT
Sophia is the leader of the Anizotte Revolt.
BETRAYED
You told Felipe about your conspiracy with Sophia.
DISTRUSTFUL
Sophia cannot fully trust you.
ALLY
Sophia trusts you and considers you her ally in the rebellion.
ENEMY
Sophia lost all respect for you. You are now enemies for life.
LOVER
Sophia trusts you with all her heart, more than anyone else in the world.
CAPTIVE
Sophia was returned to Dorius Otton, her former Arknian master.
You executed Sophia on Felipe’s orders.
EXECUTED
Sophia was executed by the People’s Court on your orders.
You gave Sophia hope for a better future. In return, she entrusted you to lead the
Revolt.
DISHONORED
After falling out of favor with the Overseer of Magra, Otton was stripped of his
title as the military commander of the province.
You challenged Otton to a duel.
RECONCILED
You forced the obstinate Arkian to settle his differences with Prefect El Borne for
a time so they could suppress the Revolt together.
The prideful Arknian faced trial and was sentenced by you to true death by hanging.
The prideful Arknian was no match for you in single combat.
You and Mayer Egmont made a secret plan to incite rebellion in the city together.
MADE A DEAL
You and Mayer Egmont made a deal to legalize gunpowder for mining purposes.
IN JEOPARDY
You informed the Secret Chancellery of Egmont’s illicit plans.
You informed Magistrate El Verman of Egmont’s illicit plans.
ARRESTED
The industrialist was arrested by the Secret Chancellery.
Mayer Egmont is the leader of the Anizotte Revolt.
The wealthy commoner was executed for inciting rebellion against the Crown.
THE PROMISE
You promised to support El Borne in his struggle against noble tyranny.
You betrayed El Borne and aided his powerful adversaries.
The Prefect perished in a duel with Dorius Otton.
The highest judge in Magra publicly supported the Revolt.
The highest judge in Magra openly sided with the Overseer and the Empire.
YOUR PATRON
You earned Octavia’s favor in return for doing her bidding.
Your relationship with Octavia Milanidas has become romantic. Your encounters are
rare, yet passionate.
SCORNED
Octavia took your refusal to obey her whims and satisfy her desires as an affront.
BETRAYED BY YOU
You betrayed Octavia’s secrets to her father, Archduke Milanidas.
REMEMBERS YOU
The Arknian lady remembers you from the days of youth.
ACQUAINTED
Lady Octavia Milanidas knows your name.
ILL-DISPOSED
Octavia disapproves of you for what you did.
INTRIGUED
Octavia Milanidas has taken an interest in you.
BROUGHT BACK
You returned Octavia to her father, Archduke Milanidas.
After becoming La-Tari, Octavia was brought to the Inquisition.
LEFT A TRACE
Octavia departed from this world, but left the teachings of the La-Tari behind.
ESCAPED THE WORLD
After becoming La-Tari, Octavia left the world without a trace.
SPIRITUAL BOND
Octavia's fate is inextricably bound to yours.
Transformed into a mysterious creature, Octavia has disappeared without a trace.
You secretly sided with the Magistrate and swore to aid him against his enemies.
The Magistrate died a true death, never to be reborn.
You told Felipe about your conspiracy with Magistrate El Verman.
You did not live up to the Magistrate's hopes and upset his plans.
The Archduke of Magra is grateful to you for rescuing his daughter Octavia
Milanidas and guiding her back to the Faith.
A PROMISE IS MADE
You promised the abbot that you would defend the New Faith.
PENANCE
The abbot was found guilty by the Holy Tribunal of an affront to the Church and
received his penance.
PATRIARCH
The abbot became the new patriarch of Magra.
DEFEATED
Lennart’s pleas could not reach the Twins. His plan to become the new patriarch was
undone.
Lennart perished in the ruins of the temple at the Silver Tree, never to be reborn.
Lennart was executed by Overseer Gaius Tempest's order.
You and Jeanne grow closer than ever in spite of all the doubt.
ZEALOUS
Jeanne became merciless in her efforts to stamp out all heresy.
WAVERING
Jeanne remains strong and steadfast on the outside, but her belief in the dogma of
the Old Faith is growing weak.
STEADFAST IN FAITH
Jeanne’s belief in the dogma of the Old Faith grew stronger, and so did her
determination to cleanse the world of heresy.
By the Will of the Twins, you were destined to meet.
DOOMED FOR HER SIN
Jeanne defied her priestly Lot and took up arms.
RIGHTEOUS
Jeanne is determined to fight the New Faith with the power of sermons and guidance.
Inquisitor Jeanne struggled against the New Faith and failed.
NEW BELIEVER
After a long and arduous path, Jeanne finally converted to the New Faith.
The earth beneath the roots of the Silver Tree swallowed her whole.
DIED BY YOUR HAND
Jeanne died her true death by your hand.
BURIED ALIVE
Jeanne perished in the collapse of the Temple at the Silver Tree, never to be
reborn.
MASTER
Ulrich is your master now. He made you a Willist and gave you the Sacrament of the
Collar.
Ulrich left the mortal world to face the Twins’ judgment.
Wanted by the Inquisition for apostasy, Ulrich fled Magra.
You rejected Ulrich’s doctrine and sent him to the Twins.
IMPRISONED
The Twinsless apostate was captured thanks to you.
The heretic will face the judgement of the Twins and eternal torment at the Foot of
the Shining Pillar.
FREED
You sentenced the apostate to a lesser death. When he returns from the hereafter,
he will be free.
The old man left this world to face the Twins’ judgment.
JOINED A TROUPE
You and Jeanne helped the young woman flee the Inquisition and join a traveling
troupe as an actress.
Aylis was burned at the stake by the Inquisition.
SAW YOUR LOYALTY
You proved your loyalty to Sir Felipe.
The People’s Court sentenced Felipe to true death.
You took advantage of Sir Felipe’s trust and kept Sophia’s plan a secret.
Felipe fled Anizotte at the last possible moment before the rebellion.
The Overseer of Magra met his demise at your hands.
GRATITUDE
EXPERIENCED DEATH
ACQUAINTANCE
CURIOUS
ANGRY
Hostility
MODERATION
FIRM IN FAITH
Despotism
Interest
Acquaintance
Perplexity
Patronage
Exile
Danger
Promise
Deal
Accused
Master
Betrayed
Opposition
Affection
Friendship Break
This is a bug!
You dare to study fencing, like your father — even though you have no right to it
by birth.
The Fencing Lesson
You experience an insight when your mother tells you about the ways of the world
and the lots of its inhabitants.
Insight
You challenge the sacred order and attempt to seize a noble Lot.
Nobleman’s Sacrament
As a small child, you suffer your first death and rebirth.
Beyond
Gloria’s Secret
You discover the secret society your sister Gloria has joined.
Sophia Saved
You save the local girl named Sophia from lesser death.
Stephan’s Disgrace
You find out about your elder brother’s forbidden love.
Nathan’s Admonition
Your younger brother Nathan Brante receives a spiritual admonition from you.
Revelation of the Tree
You experience a revelation by the sacred Silver Tree.
Matters of the Heart
You experience your first romantic feelings.
Blood Tide
You join the Blood Tide of the Brante family.
Path of the Nobleman
Like your father and grandfather, you enroll in the Imperial College, hoping to
become a judge and a nobleman of the Mantle.
Path of the Priest
You enroll in the Seminary, hoping to become a priest and assume the Lot of the
clergy.
Path of the Lotless
You remain in the common estate, with no choice but to fend for yourself and make
your own way in the world.
Victory in the Tournament
You prevail over every opponent in the Imperial College Tournament.
Aylis’s Rescue
You save the enigmatic singer known as the Golden Voice from an untimely death.
Bond of Friendship
You and Tommas form an unbreakable bond of friendship.
Shield of the New Faith
You side with the New Faith and support the transformation of the Church.
Shield of the Old Faith
You side with the Old Faith and seek to defend its foundations.
Collapse of the Lotless
You fail to protect the Lotless. The Empire utterly destroys the secret society.
The Lotless at Large
You rescue the Lotless, and the secret society continues its activities in the
capital.
An Affluent Family
The Brante family becomes one of the most affluent and powerful families in
Anizotte.
The Sacred Tribunal
The Inquisition tribunal brings Patriarch Cassius to justice.
Anathema
The people overthrow Patriarch Cassius and bring about his final downfall.
The Future of Anizotte
The future of Anizotte now rests in your hands. Your efforts will determine the
rights of all the estates in the city.
Otton, Sentenced
You bring the military commander of Magra to trial and prove that the law is one
and the same for all, even an Arknian.
The Prefect of Magra
You become the new Prefect of Magra.
Arrest of the Lesser Quorum
The Lesser Quorum is disbanded, its leaders arrested.
The Revolt against the Empire
A rebellion against Imperial rule in Anizotte begins to take shape.
Sophia Has the Gunpowder
Sophia Stolz obtains the gunpowder she needs to fight the Imperial regime.
Robert adopts Gloria, and she becomes a full-fledged Brante.
The La-Tari Ritual
You participate in the enigmatic ritual of a long-dead race.\n
Branded by Dishonor
The Brante name is dragged through the dirt, never to recover.
The Family at Peace
You find a way to unite the Brante family and end all the strife at home.
Heir of the Family
You succeed your elder brother Stephan as the heir of the Brante family.
Tommas’s New Life
You see Tommas off to his new life, far from all the danger and chaos.
Favored by the Overseer
The Brante family becomes a hereditary dynasty of the Sword, earning the favor of
Overseer Gaius Tempest and a place at court.
The Family in Ruins
The financial wellbeing of the Brante family is decimated.
The Family Falls Apart
The Brante family is no more.
A Glorious Bloodline
The Brante family earns great renown, becoming the newest eminent dynasty in
Anizotte.
Mother Recovers
Mother finds the strength to recover from a grave illness.
A Family of Means
The Brante family becomes known throughout the city for its wealth.
Ennobled by the Sword
The Brante family becomes a hereditary dynasty of nobles of the Sword, its status
passed down from generation to generation.
Protector of the People
The people of Anizotte know and praise you as a defender of the common people’s
rights.\n
Night of the Serpents
The supporters of Archduke Milanidas take over the city.\n
Patronage of the Powerful
You earn the favor of someone very powerful indeed.
Otton is Sentenced
You convict Commander Otton in a court of law.\n
Court of Honor Banned
You ban the noble Court of Honor throughout Magra.\n
Otton Faces the Court of Honor
You force Commander Otton to face the noble Court of Honor for his misdeeds.\n
Evidence against Otton
You now have the evidence you need to bring Dorius Otton to trial.\n(The Justice
requirement for 'Otton is Sentenced' and the Career requirement for 'Otton Faces
the Court of Honor' are reduced by 1).
A Lesson Writ in Blood
Commander Otton teaches you your final lesson.\n
Broken Chains
The rebellious citizens take control of Anizotte.\n
Evidence against Cassius
You now have irrefutable evidence of Cassius’s apostasy — the key to bringing the
Patriarch down.
Torch of the New Faith
The New Believer zealots exact vigilante justice against the enemies of their
doctrine.
Right to Defend the Faith
The New Believers now have the right to fight back to defend their beliefs.\n
All-Powerful Ulrich
Ulrich bends the city to his will.\n
Cassius Overthrown
With your aid, the New Believers force Patriarch Cassius from his sacred post.
Collapse of the Inquisition
The Inquisition loses authority and respect in the province. The Order is now too
weak to make Cassius face the tribunal.
The New Faith, Persecuted
The New Faith faces ruthless persecution throughout Magra, with no hope for
reconciliation between the two doctrines.
Cassius Faces the Tribunal
You convict Patriarch Cassius in a Holy Tribunal.
True Death
Your earthly life is over.\nYou leave the world forever and face the judgement of
the Twins.
Shadow of the Will
You follow Ulrich on the Path of the Will until the very end.
Master of Anizotte
You help the Magistrate regain control of Anizotte in exchange for protection
against the Secret Chancellery.
Stash of Gunpowder
You happen to obtain a considerable amount of gunpowder.
Free Man
The El Brante family now has enough influence to protect you against Sir Felipe’s
wrath.
Farewell, Advisor!
Felipe’s plans come to fruition. You finally earn your freedom.
Glory to the Empire!
You stop the Anizotte Revolt dead in its tracks and become Felipe’s closest
confidant.
Sophia gains access to your stash of gunpowder.
Stockpile of Arms
You have enough weapons to arm a squad of rebels loyal to you alone.
Profitable Business
Thanks to your investment, the print shop becomes much more believable as a front
for your underground operations and may actually turn a profit sooner or later.
The Free City
Together with Mayer Egmont, the Last Straw incites a rebellion among the common
folk to fight for their rights.
The Last Straw’s Riot
The Last Straw breaks free of its chains and incites a full-blown uprising against
the Empire.
The Anizotte Massacre
The Revolt led by Sophia wins at the cost of relentless massacre.
The Legion is Defeated
The Revolt wins a decisive victory over the Imperial forces.
The Revolt is Defeated
The Revolt is suppressed by fire and sword.\nAnizotte is back under the rule of the
Empire.
The Surrender of the Revolt
The rebels surrender to the mercy of the Overseer.\nAnizotte is back under the rule
of the Empire.
The City is Defended
The rebels manage to fight back the attack of the Legion and hold Anizotte for some
time.
Dark Times
Neither side succeeds.\nChaos and disorder spread all over the Empire.
Peace with the Overseer
Overseer Gaius Tempest is forced to accept the demands of the Revolt.
Leading the Revolt
You succeed Sophia as the leader of all the rebel forces in Anizotte.
The Rebel
You take the side of the Revolt.
The Defender of the Empire
You take the side of the defenders of the Imperial government.
The Family has Fled
The Brante family hastily leaves the rebellious Anizotte.
The Family is Saved
The Brante family survives the night of the Revolt.
The Family is in the City
The Brante family chose to remain in the rebellious city of Anizotte.
The Family has Perished
All your family has perished in the fire of the Revolt.
Escape from the City
You flee the violent streets of Anizotte.
Secret Plot with Gloria
Unite the Family
Tommas is Safe
Family Ties are Severed
Egmont’s Gazette is Legalized
Anthony Fess is Acquitted
Rebel Mob is Placated
Right to Self-Defense
Protected from the Legion
El Corvio’s Duel is Legalized
Obey the Secret Chancellery
Make a Deal with El Verman
Become a Senior Judge
Join the La-Tari Circle
Ban the Court of Honor
Make a Promise to El Borne
El Borne is Betrayed
Submit to Otton’s Mercy
Find Nathan Guilty
Make a Deal with Mark
Bargain with Mark
The Temple in Ruins
Accept El Laberius’s Terms
Arm the New Believers
Denounce Cassius
Overthrow Cassius
1145
Give Sophia the Gunpowder
Obtain Gunpowder
Train with Father
Suffer your First Death
Play with the Ants
Kiss the Sword
Stand before Octavia
Grow Close to Jeanne
Defend Sophia
Rescue Sophia
The Nobleman’s Sacrament
Participate in the Ritual
An Epiphany
Experience the revelation
Aylis’s Death is Prevented
The Secret Society is Betrayed
Outwit Felipe
Remain a Commoner
Enroll in the Seminary
Relationship with Tommas
Swear an oath to Tommas
Side with the New Faith
Side with the Old Faith
Enroll in the College
Fight for Your Father
Stephan is Exiled or Dead
Gloria is not Part of the Family
Meet a Girl
Enter the Blood Tide
—————————————————
Gather Evidence
Protect the Common Folk
Gain a Powerful Patron
Seize the Guns
Invest in the Business
Eliminate Sophia
Side with the Revolt
Side with the Empire
Help the Family Escape
The Family Has Stayed in the City
Rescue the Family
Accept Your Fate
Flee the City
Accept True Death
Fail to Achieve Another Outcome
Nathan’s Birth
Your younger brother Nathan is born.
Birth
Your life in this world begins. How will you live it?
The Sacrament
You have taken your first Sacrament and received the commoner’s Lot.
A Visit from the Baroness
A distinguished guest visits your house — Baroness El Lodar.
Grandfather’s Return
Your grandfather Gregor Brante returned to the family home from the capital.
Stephan’s Departure
Your brother Stephan left to study at a boarding school for children of the
nobility.
First Studies
You learn reading, writing, counting, and the sciences.
Brother and Sister’s Sacrament
Your siblings Stephan and Gloria took their first Sacrament at the temple.
Grandfather’s Demise
Your grandfather Sir Gregor Brante left this world forever to meet the Twin Gods.
Met Tommas
You have made a friend, a boy named Tommas.
Departure from Home
You leave the family home for a long time. Your future awaits you in Eterna, the
capital of the Empire.
School Begins
You started studying at the school of Sir Tibor and began to master the sciences.
Arrival to the Capital
You arrived in Eterna, the ancient capital of the Blessed Arknian Empire.
The March of the Collars
The march in defense of the witches ended in chaos and carnage in the streets of
Eterna.
Attack on the Lotless
The secret society of the Lotless was struck down by the Secret Chancellery. Many
of the conspirators were captured.
Agent of the Secret Chancellery
You now serve the Secret Chancellery. You life and fate are in the hands of advisor
Felipe El Ferro.
Sacrament of the Priest
You have recieved your second sacrament. You are now rightfully ordained as a
priest.
Graduated from the College
You have earned the judge's mantle and the noble title.
Homecoming
After four years in the capital you return to your home city of Anizotte.
Mother's Demise
Your mother lost her fight to the severe illness. She will never return from the
hereafter.
Gloria's Betrothal
Gloria is promised as a wife to the noble Sir El Peletier and will soon leave the
house of Brante.
Stephan Exiled
Stephan had left the house of Brante and went to seek his fortune in the capital.
Gloria Got Married
Gloria had became the wife of the noble Sir El Peletier and left for his estate.
Stephan's Demise
Stefan died by your hand in a duel.
Began Service at the Prefecture
You started your service at the Prefecture of Magra.
Otton's Case
You have been entrusted with a case against the noble and influential Arknian, the
High Commander of the province. He is accused of violence against his own
legionaries.
An Affair with Octavia
You have started an affair with the daughter of the Archduke Milanidas.
Octavia's Transformation
Archduke's daughter had transformed into a mysterious creature, neither Arknian nor
human in nature.
A Deal with Egmont
Egmont made a deal with you — you're helping him to legitimize the use of gunpowder
in the mines.
A Deal with El Verman
You secretly sided with the Magistrate and promised him help in the struggle
against his enemies.
A Promise to El Borne
You gave El Borne a promise to support him in his fight against the tyranny of the
nobility.
Opened the Print Shop
You started your service for the Secret Chancellery by opening a print shop as a
cover.
A Plot with Egmont
You joined Egmont in his secret plot to start a rebellion in the city.
A Plot with El Verman
A Deal with Felipe
An Affair with Sophia
Thommas is Exiled
Tommas had violated the order of the Overseer. He had been demoted and went into
exile.
Egmont's Arrest
El Verman's Demise
The Magistrate died in an explosion arranged by Sophia.
Felipe is Betrayed
You took advantage of Sir Felipe's trust to keep Sophia's plot in secret from him.
In the Service of the Inquisition
You started your work as an Inquisitor of Magra.
The Sacred Conclave
The clergy reelected Cassius as the patriarch of Magra.
A Promise to Lennart
You promised the abbot to defend the teachings of the New Faith.
Lennart is Accused
The abbot was convicted by the sacred tribunal and received a penance.
Closeness with Jeanne
Despite all doubts, you and Jeanne became close.
Father Mark is Captured
You managed to arrest the blasphemeous priest.
Execution of Father Mark
The heretic went to face the Twins' judgment. Eternal torment at the Foot of the
Shining Pillar awaits him.
Father Mark is Free
You have sentenced the blasphemer to lesser death. When he returns from the
hereafter, Father Mark will be free.
Ulrich's Disciple
Ulrich has become your teacher. You accepted the belief of Willism and got your
collar.
Ulrich's Demise
You rejected Ulrich's teachings and sent him to the judgment of the Twins.
Ulrich's Escape
Ulrich left Magra and was forced to hide from the Inquisition.
Jeanne's Demise
Inquisitor Jeanne met true death at your hands.
Deaths
After suffering a lesser death, one is reborn. One who dies a true death faces the
judgment of the Twin Gods.
Untouched by Death
Died Once
Died Twice
Died Thrice
Willpower
Your remaining inner strength and readiness for action.\nYou spend it on difficult
choices.
Exhausted
Ready for Action
Full of Power
Prepared for Anything
Determination
Your perseverance and strength of character, your ability to get your way.\nIt
affects your frame of mind and the skills you have when you grow up.
Spineless
Active
Resolute
Adamant
Perception
Represents how attentive you are to other people and the world around you, your
ability to comprehend and learn.\nIt affects your frame of mind and the skills you
have when you grow up.
Inattentive
Curious
Inquisitive
Insightful
Nobility
Represents how noble your thoughts and deeds are in your pursuit of the honorable
ideals of the nobleman.\nIt affects your chances of becoming a noble of the Mantle
and future skills that are crucial for the noble estate.
Unprincipled
Honorable
Noble
Dignified
Ingenuity
Represents how quick-witted you are and how skillfully you can manipulate a
situation to your own end.\nIt affects your ability to survive without the
privileges of nobility and future skills that are crucial for a commoner.
Slow
Bright
Enterprising
Inventive
Spirituality
Your aspiration to unlock the mysteries of creation and explore the divine in the
mortal world, the people around you, and yourself.\nIt affects your ability to
become a priest and future skills crucial for the clergy.
Mundane
Searcher
Soulful
Blessed by the Gods
Diplomacy
Your proficiency in the laws of the Empire, as well as your connections and
influence among the ruling elite and high society. It affects your ability to
negotiate with people of importance.\nMost important to the Judge.
Unknown
Promising
Influential
Received in Elite Circles
Masterful Diplomat
Manipulation
Your ability to influence people by way of deception and trickery and use them to
achieve your goals.\nMost important to the Conspirator.
Naive
Canny
Clever
Con Artist
Master Manipulator
Theology
Your proficiency with sacred texts, comprehension of the divine Law, and ability to
construct and defend your own interpretation of the faith.\nMost important to
the Inquisitor.
Neophyte
Follower
Initiate
Theologist
Prophet
Valor
Your capabilities as a warrior, your strength in battles and duels. It affects your
ability to fight and command troops.\nMost important to the Judge.
Weak in Battle
Mediocre Fighter
Seasoned Warrior
Dangerous Enemy
Battle-Hardened
Scheming
Your talent for inciting riots, organizing ambushes, and plotting murders,
assaults, and sabotage. It determines the success of your criminal undertakings.\
nMost important to the Conspirator.
Inexperienced
Conspirator
Dangerous One
Criminal Mastermind
Eloquence
Your ability to instill faith, to guide and lead people with your speeches.\
nMost important to the Inquisitor.
Tongue-tied
Clear Speech
Silver Tongue
Inspired Speaker
Great Orator
Wealth
The financial state of your family, the level of your income and possessions.
Ruin
Poverty
Moderate Means
Affluence
Prosperous House
Reputation
The honor of your family and your position in high society.\nIt affects how the
nobility treats your family.
Disgraced
Tarnished Honor
Modest Position
Renowned among Nobles
Glorious House
Unity
Represents how close and trusting your family is.\nIt affects the fate of your
family members.
Hatred
Quarrels and Feuds
Disagreements
Peace
Harmony
Heir
A family member who will lead the House Brante in the future.
Power
Current balance of power in Magra and who rules the province.
Old Nobility in Power
Overseer in Power
Struggle for Power
Commoners in Power
Reign of Terror
Church
The prevailing religious school in the province of Magra.\nDetermines the
doctrines, rites, and traditions practiced by the majority of the population.
Fall of the New Faith
Old Faith
Schism
New Faith
Fall of the Old Faith
Wealth of Magra
The welfare of the province and its population.
Barren Land
Misery and Devastation
Security
Flourishing Land
Order
Respect for the law and the stability of order in the province.
Lawless Land
Unrest
Discontent
Triumph of the Law
Career
The support of the authorities and the nobility on your path to the post of Prefect
of Magra.
Career in Ruins
Dangerous Position
Judge
Future Prefect
Tyranny of the Nobles
Justice
The strength of the Prefecture and the power of law in the province.\nDetermines
the protection of commoners from the tyranny of nobles.
Downfall of the Prefecture
Lawlessness
Fight for Justice
Commoners are Protected
Commoners Seize Power
Represents how rebellious the commoners of the province are and how ready they are
to fight for their rights.\nIt determines the influence of the Last Straw in
Anizotte and the power of the impending rebellion.
Conspiracy is Failing
Unrest Calmed Down
People are Ready for Struggle
Riots and Mayhem
Spy Network
Your covert citywide network of spies and informants.\nIt determines the influence
of the Secret Chancellery in the city of Anizotte.
Spy Network is Failing
Treacherous Position
Infiltration
Your People are Everywhere
Felipe’s Reign
Tolerance of Faiths
Represents how many people in the province accept new teachings about the Twin
Gods.\nThe higher this tolerance is, the harder it is for the Inquisition to
suppress these teachings.
Reprisal against the New Faith
Persecution of Dissent
Surveillance of Faith
Power of the New Faith
Religious Riots
Inquisition Power
The influence of the Inquisition in the province of Magra.\nDetermines your
authority as an inquisitor.
Downfall of the Inquisition
The Order is Strenghtening
Indisputable Authority
Tyranny of the Inquisition
The Revolt
The general strength of the Revolt. Forces gathered by the rebels, solidarity among
them, support for the rebellion among the townspeople.\nThe outcome of the struggle
for Anisotti will depend on how strong the Revolt will be at the moment of the
decisive collision.
Rebels are Losing
Stalemate
Rebels are Winning
Bloodbath
Common Folk
Your influence among the common people of Anizotte.\nIt depends on the support of
the commoners whether you will be able to prevail in the struggle for the city.
No Followers
Cautious Support
Trust
Indisputable Leader
Nobles
Your influence among the noblemen of Anizotte.\r\nIt depends on the support of the
nobility whether you will be able to prevail in the struggle for the city.
Clergy
Your influence among the priesthood of Anizotte.\r\nIt depends on the support of
the clergy whether you will be able to prevail in the struggle for the city.
Troops
Military forces that you have managed to gather under your command.
Handful of Fighters
Squad
Regiment
Army
God
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Cassius
Fotis
Occupation
Chapter Outcomes
Personal Life
Family
Family Outcomes
To restart from the beginning of the chapter, click on chapter icon.
Patriarch
Overseer
Brante
Arknian
Grandfather
Father
Mother
Wife
Ex-wife
Brother
Sister
You
Vocation
Priest
El
Nobleman of the Sword
Noblewoman of the Sword
Nobleman of the Mantle
Noblewoman of the Mantle
Prefect
Inquisitor
Relations
Heir to the Brante family
Rebel
growing up
schoolboy
choice of path
student
seminarist
conspirator
Nobleman
Lowborn
Animated Illustrations
Subtitles in cutscenes
Resolution
Screen format
VSync
Fullscreen
Borderless Window
Window
chapter
I
Start
Chapter I. Childhood
II
Chapter II. Adolescence
III
Chapter III. Youth
IV
Chapter IV. Peace Time
V
Chapter V. The Revolt
Morning
Daytime
Evening
Night
Personality
The beginning of a long journey is the first small decision.
Destiny
These are important life events that may happen to you during this chapter.
Condition
<
≤
>
≥
≠
Continue
now
Turn
year
Year
Or
Event happened
Русский
English
Back to the Story
Close
The Province
Lore
History
House of Brante
Main Screen
Settings
Will unlock in Chapter II “Adolescence”
Will unlock in Chapter III “Youth”
Will unlock in Chapter IV “Peace Time”
Will unlock in Chapter V “The Revolt”
Back to Scene
Map of the Empire
Chapter “Peace Time” ends soon
Examine possible chapter endings to check which way you are headed.\nTo achieve the
goal that you've chosen, you'll have to meet all of its conditions at the end of
the chapter.
Describes the state of affairs in your native province of Magra — the structure of
society, the political climate, the power of the church, and the sentiments of the
people.\nThese factors can change as a result of key historical events, but your
actions can also become part of history and bring change to the province and then
to the Empire as a whole.
The members of the Brante family — who they are, their current position, and their
attitude towards you.
The state of the Brante House as a whole — its social position, its wealth, and the
relationships between family members.\nIt determines the future of your immediate
family and the Brante name.
The basis of your worldview is how strongly one of the three divine aspects is
manifested in you. The level of compliance with the divine ideal.\nDetermines if
you will be assigned to change the world.
The humans and Arknians you have encountered. Descriptions of them and your current
relationships with them.
You have no relations yet.
The state of affairs at your workplace.\nHow close are you to the goals you are
pursuing.
The balance of power in the struggle for Anizotte.
In every chapter there are a number of events waiting to happen that involve your
personal path, your family, your relationships, and even the Empire itself.\
nWhether or not these events will take place depends on a number of circumstances.\
nWhich events should you strive for, and which should you avoid? That is up to you.
Chapter History
The Anizotte Revolt
Your side:
Victory Conditions
New Personal Qualities
These are your personal qualities in adulthood which you will use for the rest of
your life. They are sum of the qualities that you have gained in Childhood and
Adolescence.\nFor most skill checks you will need a value between 10 and 16.
Values 17-19 are required for rare and especially difficult choices. The maximum
value (20) only gives you a chance for one extraordinary deed.
Prologue
Growing up
In chapters “Childhood,” “Adolescence,” and “Youth” you will live through your
hero's coming of age. You will shape the protagonist’s personality, his qualities
and relationships.\nBy the end of Prologue you will determine the estate and future
occupation of your hero. Only in adulthood will he start to influence the world
around him and even the ultimate fate of the Empire.\nWho will <username> Brante
grow up to be? It's your call.
Story mode
Only story
You will see the consequences of your possible choices in the scene in advance.\
nThis is the recommended game mode, as you will be able to direct the character's
fate in the way you want.\n(You can change this setting at any time in the menu).
Choice Requirements
Help
Choices may require you to have a certain level of personal qualities,
relationships with characters, and so on.\nIf these conditions are not met, the
choice button will be inactive.\nTo see choice conditions, hover over the icon
<sprite=0>
In every chapter there are a number of events waiting to happen that involve your
personal path, your family, your relationships, and even the Empire itself.\nAn
event will happen if and when its conditions are met.\nWhich events should you
strive for, and which should you avoid? That is up to you.
Info
Here you can see main information about your hero and his personal qualities.
The state of the Brante House as a whole — its social position, its wealth, and the
relationships between family members.\r\nIt determines the future of your immediate
family and the Brante name.
Delete Save Slot
Are you sure you want to delete this save slot?
Delete
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Rewind to Chapter
Do you want to rewind to the beginning of this Chapter?\nAll your progress after
this point will be lost!
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Do you want to continue the game from the last save location or replay the current
chapter?
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Childhood
Adolescence
Youth
Peace Time
Years
QUIT GAME
Are you sure you want to quit to the main menu?\n\nYour game will be saved
automatically.\nYou will be able to continue from the last scene.
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Enter your character's name
Choose your name carefully. Other characters will address you exactly like this.
Game Mode
Sir
Chapter Restarts
Consequences
Enter your character's name (at least 2 letters)
Disabled (Iron Man)
Enabled
You will NOT be able to go back to previous Chapters and change your decisions.\n\
nYou will live the character's life from start to finish and endure all mistakes
and misfortunes.
You will be able to rewind to the beginning of any Chapter you have completed and
continue from that point.
Open
Hidden
You will see the consequences of your possible choices in advance.\n\nThis is the
recommended game mode, as you will be able to direct the character's fate in the
way you want.\n(You can change this setting at any time in the menu).
You will NOT see the consequences of your possible choices in advance.\n\nChoose
this option if you want to discover the results of your decision only after you
have taken it.\n(You can change this setting at any time in the menu).
Back to Main Menu
Continue Game
Language
Music
Sound
Hidden Consequences
Quit to Main Menu
Resume
Choose whether you will see the consequences of your possible choices in advance.
Choose whether illustrations in scenes will be animated.
Begin Chapter
Chapter timeline
Age:
Estate:
Conditions
Not
Status
Make a choice
Distaste
Indifference
Sympathy
Conditions Not Met
One of these must be true:
Conditions Met
Event has happened
This event is a consequence of your previous actions.
<uppercase>Game Concept and Setting</uppercase>\nFyodor “Teodor” Slusarchuk\
n\n<uppercase>Project Lead</uppercase>\nDmitry “Nim” Ivanov\n\
n<uppercase>Story and Game Design</uppercase>\nSergey “Chip” Aksenov\nYuri
Bagriy\nFyodor “Teodor” Slusarchuk\n\n<uppercase>Systems Design</uppercase>\
nPavel Lesnykh\n\n<uppercase>Programming</uppercase>\nIlya Spitsyn
<uppercase>Writing</uppercase>\nSonya Dolgikh\nValentina Yarkova\nYuri
Bagriy\nSergey “Chip” Aksenov\nDmitry “Nim” Ivanov\n\n<uppercase>Additional
Writing & Editing</uppercase>\nEvgenya Patarakina\nAsya Volodina\nAlexey
Pereselentsev
<uppercase>Illustrations</uppercase>\nAnton “Comrade_Kolo” Kolomiets\n\
n<uppercase>Graphic and UI Design</uppercase>\nLyubov Elchaninova\n\
n<uppercase>Sound Design</uppercase>\nFyodor Trubin (The Void Brother)\n\
n<uppercase>Music</uppercase>\nVasiliy Kashnikov (Mushroomer)\nFyodor Trubin
(The Void Brother)
<uppercase>Additional Help</uppercase>\nDenis Ryabchikov\nNikita Dubrovin\
nAndrey Rybakov\n\n<uppercase>Additional Illustrations</uppercase>\nArina
Ponomareva\n\n<uppercase>Cutscene Animation</uppercase>\nIlya Spitsyn\nEmma
Miller\n\n<uppercase>Gloria’s Poetry by</uppercase>\nElena Ladovskaya\nSonya
Dolgykh\n\n<uppercase>Crowdfunding Campaign</uppercase>\nIrina Bagriy\n\
n<uppercase>Accounting & Finances</uppercase>\nXenia Smirnova
<uppercase>Managing Director, PC & Console Games</uppercase>\nOlga
Makushenko\n\n<uppercase>Producer</uppercase>\nEkaterina Kotova\n\
n<uppercase>Project Managers</uppercase>\nAndrey Chudaev\nJulia Ogurtsova\n\
n<uppercase>Marketing Director</uppercase>\nEkaterina Averyanova\n\
n<uppercase>Creative Producer</uppercase>\nAleksandr Astakhov\n\
n<uppercase>Head of User Acquisition</uppercase>\nAleksey Smoldyrev
<uppercase>Brand Managers</uppercase>\nAleksandra Vereshchagina\nAlexandra
Volskaya\n\n<uppercase>User Acquisition Managers</uppercase>\nAndrew Kozlov\
nAnna Davydchenko\n\n<uppercase>Influencer Marketing Managers</uppercase>\
nRoman Novikov\nVasiliy Vasilchenko\n\n<uppercase>Head of Community
Management</uppercase>\nOlga Murash\n\n<uppercase>Community
Manager</uppercase>\nTatyana Gnet
<uppercase>Art Director</uppercase>\nSergey Chigrin\n\n<uppercase>UX Team
Lead</uppercase>\nAnton Manyakin\n\n<uppercase>Lead
Designer</uppercase>\r\nYulan
Sya-Yu-Shan\n\n<uppercase>Designers</uppercase>\nIrina Kostromina\nAlbert
Gabdullin\nAnastasiya Ryzhkova\nAleksandra Ioileva\nNatalya Klimenko\n\
n<uppercase>Web Designer</uppercase>\nDaria Stogova
<uppercase>Film Director</uppercase>\nGerman Samsonov\n\
n<uppercase>Motion Designer</uppercase>\nAndrey Tkachev\n\n<uppercase>3D
Animator</uppercase>\nDmitriy Chikachev\n\n<uppercase>Camera Operator &
Video Editor</uppercase>\nEkaterina Polyanskaya
<uppercase>Head of Localization</uppercase>\nAlexey Levashov\n\
n<uppercase>Editors</uppercase>\nTatyana Bessonova\nAndrey Mikhnev\n\
n<uppercase>Head of Quality Assurance</uppercase>\nDmitry Bobylev\n\
n<uppercase>QA Engineers</uppercase>\nIvan Usik\nMikhail Lisovoy\nAlexander
Ignatov\nEugene Kostevich\n\n<uppercase>Lead Product Manager</uppercase>\
nSergey Prokhorov\n\n<uppercase>Front-End Developers</uppercase>\nIvan
Gorbunov\nRoman Vlasov
<uppercase>English translation by LEVSHA</uppercase>\n\
n<uppercase>Localization Project Managers</uppercase>\nAnton Gashenko\n\
n<uppercase>Translators</uppercase>\nDanila Evstifeev\nJulia Grigorenko\n\
n<uppercase>Editor</uppercase>\nNathan Klausner\n\n<uppercase>Voice of
Sir Brante</uppercase>\nMikhail Sushkov\nBrian Boland
<uppercase>Excerpts from poems</uppercase>\nFrancisco De Quevedo\n“Desengaño
de la exterior apariencia con el examen interior y verdadero”\n\nPercy Bysshe
Shelley\n“An Ode, written October, 1819, before the Spaniards had recovered their
Liberty”
<uppercase>Special Thanks to the creators\nof “Talisman” Live-Action Game
Series</uppercase>\nDaniil “Dan” Kogan\nElya Kareva\nDenis “Zigmund” Petrov\
nIvan Sikilinda\nAlexander Konovalov\nTatyana “Flame” Kogan\nEvgeniy Kuptsov\
nAlexey Pereselentsev\nStas Sutkin\nDarya Bedareva\n
<uppercase>Project Sponsors</uppercase>\nIlya Aschepkov\nIlya Maryasov\nYuri
Maslikov\nYuri Nekrasov\nYulia Ogurtsova\nAnna Ozerova\nRoman Sedykh\nIlya
Serebrennikov\nRoman Serebrennikov\n\n<uppercase>Special Thanks</uppercase>\
nNikita Biryukov\nNikolay Dybovskiy\nVyacheslav Idavollr\nDarya Koroleva\nDenis
Muravlyanskiy
<uppercase>Thank you to our backers:</uppercase>\nMikhail Averin\nUlyana
Babina\nNikita Bagaev\nStanislav Baryshnikov\nBG\nMaria Bolotskaya\nAndrey
Bryzgalov\nV.I\nEvgeniy Vinogradov\nEvgeniy Volodin\nIskander Gataullin\nAndrey
Germanov (Bel)\nDanil Glukhov\n
Elena Grishko\nKirill Gorbachevskiy\nAlexandra and Pavel Gorevy-Kurtyshevy\nAlexey
Drokonov\nSerge DarkGray\nEleNoise\nA. Evseev\nDmitry Zabirov\nAnton Fess Isakov\
nMike Ivanov\nVladislav Lebedev\nDmitry Loevskiy\nYuri Lomov\nNikolay Kaportsev\
nAnastasiya Kayda
Sergey Kardashov\nIlya Karev\nElya Kareva\nDavid Kats\nVasya Klimashin\nNikolay
Knyazev\nViktor Konkin\nEvgeniy Kohaev\nYaroslav Kravtsov\nKir Krasnoshchekov\
nMaxim Kruglov\nArseniy Kuznetsov\nAlexey Lance Kulakov\nFuad Kuliev\nIvan
Kurguzov\n
N.A. Mamonov\nDarya Maryasova\nEvgeniy Maslovskiy\nAlexander Milosavlevitch\nMokey\
nMoon_Donut\nYulia Nekrasova (Kess)\nNervovred Nazarov\nIvan Nikitin\nVasily
“Vasilisk” Nikolaev\nNastya Nikulshina \nVeronika Novokhatskaya\nMariyam Pavlova\
nSergey Panarin\nEvgeniya Patarakina\n
Maxim Paritskiy\nAlexander Plashkin\nP8rcy\nMaria Rachinskaya\nIvan Romanets\nXenia
Rubanova\nKirill Rusinov\nRainu Tramp\nAlexander Savitskiy\nDenis Sadovnikov\nLev
Samoylov\nVarvara Selina\nSergey Sergeev\nVitaly Slepenkov\n
Sfairat\nStalker_tsk\nDarya Tvorilova\nAlisa Tomina\nYulia Khalfina\nAlex Khvost\
nAntonina Khramova\nElena Chistova\nVasily Shatrov\nDmitry Sheshukov\nElizaveta
Shishlakova\nAlexey Shkorkin\nPolina Tscherba\nDmitry Yurinov\nLyudmila Yazovskaya
THANK YOU, DEAR PLAYER, FOR LIVING THROUGH
Peaceful Victory
Military Victory
Defender of the Empire
not chosen
Divine Omens
Chronicle of Life
End Life
'Relations' screen is now available
'Province' screen is now available
'Map of the Empire' screen is now available
'Personality' screen is now available
'Destiny' screen is now available
'Family' screen is now available
'House of Brante' screen is now available
'Occupation' screen is now available
'The Revolt' screen is now available
First Death
You fall into a pain that embraces you like a soft featherbed.\nYou feel light,
free… there are no restraints, just a warm glow that envelops you in its secure
embrace.\nThe waves carry you. Their touch is soft; they delicately enshroud what
was once your body.\nIt is a feeling unlike anything you have ever experienced
before, something absolute and complete. You touch something greater, the reason
behind everything, the reason for your very existence.
You were sculpted from this light. It was the first thing you ever felt — a
boundless and sincere unity of the diverse.\nYour beginning was a spark that cast
this light in all directions. And now you are here again, one with the Beginning of
Everything.\nThe light gleaming from you resembles the light of the Shining Pillar.
You still see it — in the north, as always.
The waves of light carry you to two figures.\nThe Elder is nearest. He is ready to
accept you. He is quiet, wise, kind, and pure.\nThe Younger waits further back —
you do not know what he is yet.
The waves pause at the Elder’s feet.\nHe leans over you and plants a featherlight
kiss on your forehead.
The kiss spreads all over you. You are filled with unparalleled delight and bliss.\
nYou exist. You are unique. There is no one else like you.\nThey know this — and
they love you!
You will never be alone. You are a part of them, a part of your family, a part of
this universe.\nThe Twin Gods will never leave you. They watch over you constantly.
The Elder softly touches you as you lie spread out amongst the waves, sending you
further down the torrent of light.\nYou float on, to the top of the Silver Tree’s
spreading crown.
The closer you get to the Silver Tree, the heavier you become.\nThe waves draw you
down along its trunk. But you do not wish to part with the warmth and the softness,
with the Love.
You turn around.\nThe Elder is still watching you. He nods — all is as it should
be.\nGo. Your time has not yet come. You must return to the world now.
As you tumble down toward your body, you comprehend the true meaning of your lesser
death and the divine Love that has been revealed to you.\nLove exists not only in
the hereafter. It is present in the entire design of the Twins that is the origin
of all life in this world.\nWhat is the manifestation of this Love in your mortal
life?
A sudden comprehension of the Love with which the entire world is imbued
illuminates your mind. But then it fades away and vanishes.
You regain the sensation of your flesh. It is heavy and unwieldy. It lacks that
lightness, that light; it is a burden; it is smothering you.
You gasp for air. Your chest expands painfully.\nYou feel as though your lungs are
about to burst. The stagnant odor of the crypt fills them — revolting, but so real.
You are back.
Empire
Lot
Cause
Yourself
Remain silent
By creating the Empire, the Twin Gods cared for all living creatures. The Empire is
the only thing that gives us a place in the world and a connection to others. It is
an enormous family, made for people by the Gods.
The Gods give you a clear mission in this world, thus gifting you your very being.
This is the manifestation of their Love for you and for all living things.
Love always lives in kindred blood. You share the miracle of life and the universe
with your kin. Your family is what you are given upon being born and what you leave
behind when you depart.
The Love the Gods have for you is so great that they allow you to change the world
they have created, to influence it with your deeds. Whatever your mission is, it is
a proof of the Twin Gods’ Love for you.
What could be a stronger manifestation of Love than your very existence? Your every
emotion, every thought, every action exist by virtue of the Love from which the
Twin Gods created you.
You do not find the answer you seek.
Second Death
Impenetrable darkness surrounds you. You stand alone, bare to your very essence. It
paralyzes you. You have an urge to cover yourself, to hide — no one should see you
so vulnerable. But you cannot conceal the truth in this place.\nYou are bathed in
an unbearably bright light. It has no hint of warmth in it. It is blinding; it
leaves no shadows in the entire world.
It is the light of the Shining Pillar itself.
In this radiance, you can clearly see all your thoughts and doubts. Your errors and
transgressions. The contradictions that have permeated you since birth. They cover
you from head to toe, like rough, gray tatters.\nBut they melt away in this light.
You are naked.
You feel liberated and whole. It is as though all the wounds and cracks in your
soul have been healed, making it the way it should be.\nIt is as though the scales
have fallen from your eyes. You see the true shapes of things now. These are the
laws by which the world abides, the Grand Design that moves life itself.
You tread a path that is barely visible in the blinding light giving shape to
everything.\nIn this light, you see the infinite complexity of the world, from the
tiniest leaf to the enormity of the Empire. And this world maintains its balance by
virtue of the Law that was embedded in it during the act of creation.
Ahead of you, two figures are waiting on the path. They are gigantic, many times
taller than a man. The Elder holds a lash, the Younger — a sword.\nThe Younger
gazes at you sternly, coldly. You kneel obediently before him and lower your head.
The God raises his sword above you.\nThis is divine retribution. There is no Law
without it, nor can there be. Every action has consequences. This is what shapes
the world, making its very existence possible.
In this moment, beneath the gaze of the merciless God, you comprehend the Law that
binds the entire world together.\nWhich manifestation of the Law in will you live
by?
The blade flashes.
The Younger’s sword slashes through the air above your head.\nYou do not yet
deserve your final punishment. The Law demands that you continue your life. Your
form has not been completely destroyed, nor has that of the world.
The Younger extends his gigantic hand and shows you the way. You must proceed.\nThe
path leads you to the top of the crown of the Silver Tree, spread wide in the white
gleam. The branches are close now. It is time to descend.
You are drawn downward, into darkness. The shadows that had disappeared in the
blinding glow creep around you and envelope you. This is to be expected.\n But the
purity and clarity of spirit are still with you.
Something is forcing your throat open… air. It scratches you on the inside. Your
soul is filled with struggle again, with the contradictions from which the fabric
of this world and you yourself are woven.\nThe divine light that gave you clarity
is fading away with each passing moment.\nYou have to open your eyes. Above you is
the dark ceiling of the crypt.
You are reborn.
The Younger’s sword slashes through the air above your head.\n You do not yet
deserve your final punishment. The Law demands that you continue your life. Your
form has not been completely destroyed, nor has that of the world.
You are drawn downward, into darkness. The shadows that had disappeared in the
blinding glow creep around you and envelope you. This is to be expected.\nBut the
purity and clarity of spirit are still with you.
Against the Law
Is this not the ultimate manifestation of the Law — the great and incredibly
sophisticated mode of existence of all people?
Your destiny is your own manifestation of the Divine Law.
It is the Law that has been with you since the day you were born. Your family is a
model of the world, a tiny universe. And it belongs to you just as you belong in
it.
Your life’s work shapes the world, and thus you influence the great Law itself.
You are an embodiment of the Law. You have been made in accordance with the divine
design.
You defy the design of the Gods and the Law that binds it together.
Third Death
You are surrounded by an immense gray void.\nThere is nothing but shadows around
you — the specters of your decisions, the spawn of your personal Will. You see
before you all your victories and defeats, all your errors and hopes.
Another shadow comes to life by your side.\nAs you gaze at these elusive moving
silhouettes, you recognize your last action. This is the death you chose to face,
knowing what fate was to befall you.\nThis is the decision you made.
The shadows keep spinning and dancing around you — the footprints of every step you
have taken since the day you were born…\nA colossal figure looms over them all:
your future True Death. You can no longer deny its imminence. It has always been
there, waiting for you. Now you are only one step away from it. But you will take
this step yourself.
The familiar gigantic figures of the Twin Gods appear from the void to meet you.\
nThey effortlessly lift your tiny soul and hold it in their hands.
You have always been in the Twin Gods’ hands. Their Will created you.\nThe Elder
did not grant you his Love, he forced it into you. The Younger shaped you according
to his Law without giving you a choice.
An enormous whirlwind arises in the void. The Twin Gods release you into it, and
the torrent of an unfathomable Will whisks you away.\nYou are merely a minuscule
particle of this universal tide. This Will is the sole determiner of all events —
past, present, and future. Your puny actions and choices are nothing in the face of
the force this torrent harbors.
You whirl in the cosmic vortex of the Twin Gods’ Will until it casts you out. You
careen back down to your earthly life.\nIt is only now that you regain your ability
to act. You see all the wills of the universe, intertwined in a perpetual struggle
against one another.
Which Will will you follow?
Fourth Death
This was your fourth and final death.\r\nYou had spent all the time allotted to you
by the Gods.
As you soar towards the Shining Pillar, you take one last glance down.\nYou see
thin shimmering lines running along the ground. You observe the human fates with
which your earthly life was connected.\nFates that will now continue their course
without you.
You fall into an endless web formed by the wills of the mortal world. Now that you
are free of the cosmic vortex, you can finally exert your own will and make a
choice.\nIt feels like a first gasp of air after being suffocated by an alien will
— the Will of the Gods.
But for your chosen will to be incarnated here in this world, one decision is not
enough.\nYou will have to follow this path to its conclusion, to turn this will
into reality by way of your decisions, deeds, and actions.
Your eyes snap open, and you sit up abruptly. The crypt is spinning around you.\
nThe stagnant stench chokes you. You got out; you succeeded in preserving yourself
against the whirlwind that was tearing you asunder. The Will of the Twin Gods have
commanded you to continue your existence. You feel the urge to fall flat on your
back and cackle madly.
You fall into an endless web formed by the wills of the mortal world. Now that you
are free of the cosmic vortex, you can finally exert your own will and make a
choice.\n It feels like a first gasp of air after being suffocated by an alien will
— the Will of the Gods.
The Will of the Elder
The Will of the Younger
Earthly Power
Your Own Will
You follow the Will of the God who brings Love to the world.
You follow the Will of the God who imposed His Law upon the world.
You abide by the wordly manifestation of the Law and the will of the authorities.
You obey the will of your ancestors and your family legacy.
History has a Will of its own. You must assume the position that was assigned to
you by this Will.
The only Will you are willing to live by is your own.
Anizotte
The city of your birth and the capital of the arid province of Magra. It is the
largest and most ancient city in the south of the Empire.\nAnizotte is home to the
Silver Tree, a sacred landmark grown by the Twins when They descended to the mortal
realm. The old prophecies say that Anizotte is where the end of the world will
begin.
Serpenverda
A castle in the middle of the Magran wastes that serves as the family seat of the
great Milanidas dynasty, the Archdukes of the province.\nIt is the most impregnable
and well-defended fortress in the south.\n
Enerie
The headquarters of Imperial Overseer Gaius Tempest. \nCastle Enerie itself, as
well as the village around it and the adjacent tracts of land, belonged to the
Milanidas dynasty until Gaius Tempest was appointed the province’s Overseer in the
Archduke’s stead.\nThanks to its vast farmland nourished with imported fertile
soil, Castle Enerie grows its own provisions and maintains independence from the
rest of Magra.
Tuono
A noble estate with a small village. It currently has no owner.\nIt was formerly
owned by the El Merce bloodline before their Blood Tide ran dry. According to the
ancient tradition, the Archduke of Magra will grant Tuono to the next bloodline to
be ennobled by the Sword.\n
Fabrene
The second-largest city in Magra and a place of industry. \nFabrene was the
original capital of the province before the appearance of the Silver Tree. There is
a common saying: “A man from Fabrene and a man from Anizotte will never see eye to
eye.”
Valona
A city that is home to the largest monastery in the province of Magra.\nFounded in
commemoration of the final unity of all the lands in the Empire, the Monastery of
Valona is the second most popular destination for pilgrims after the Silver Tree.
The monastery’s monks are famed throughout the Empire for their healing skills.
Sulmina
A large, prosperous village in the east of Magra. \nIt has accrued considerable
wealth thanks to the numerous silver mines in the nearby hills. Many Sulminan
commoners have grown rich and joined the New Faith.
Orta
Once a mere outpost of the Empire in its nascent years, the fortress of Orta was
built to fight off the heathens.\nIt is the founding place of the Holy Order and
contains their citadel and headquarters.\nWhen the Empire united all the lands in
the realm, Orta grew into a city of considerable size.
Klionis
The capital of Eliria, this sprawling industrial city is the home of scientists and
inventors of all stripes.\nOften called the city of free-thinkers, Klionis is
governed by a Lesser Quorum. The ruling Arknian dynasty of the province hardly ever
visits the area.
Kupffer
The most well-defended fortress in the south of Eliria. \nIt belongs to the great
Arknian Ogrif dynasty.
Eterna
The capital of the Blessed Arknian Empire, this ancient and beautiful city was
built upon the shores of three rivers.\nBy the Emperor’s own order, Eterna houses
the Imperial College and the Military Academy, which provide opportunities for
commoners to become nobles of the Mantle through service and valor, as well as the
Divine Seminary.\nEterna is the place where Arknian tradition, architecture, and
fashion have always reigned supreme, but the influx of human nobles and wealthy
merchants is slowly changing the way of life in the capital.
Siltrum
The personal domain of the Emperor’s own Tempest dynasty. \nKnown by all as the
most beautiful castle in the Empire, it keeps its gate closed to all but the most
exalted Arknians and humans.
Montis
The capital of Monia province and the most well-defended citadel in the Empire. \
nMontis is commonly known as the pillar of the old Arknian knightly spirit and is
the site of many a great tournament. Archduke Monrogue, like other Monrogues before
him, boasts that the walls of Montis will survive any siege.
Garcea
The sea-gate of Monia, Garcea is the only safe haven among the province’s rocky
shores. \nWell fortified and dangerous, this haven will accept no visiting ship
without permission from the Monrogue dynasty.
Pragos
The shining pearl of the North, Pragos is the capital and the only large city in
the province of Fiona.\nBuilt by the order of the Emperor’s own brother Cornelius
Tempest, this city has attracted many people of the Northern Provinces who
abandoned their meagre lands. \nThe citizens of Pragos are known to be loyal to
Cornelius Tempest and his laws.
Magra
The last to join the Empire, the southern province of Magra is an arid wasteland
ruled by Archduke Milanidas.\nDuring Char Milanidas’s rebellion, this land was
devastated by foul magic and rendered infertile. Local peasants now grow their
crops in soil imported from other regions.\nThe hills and mountains of Magra are
blessed with silver, iron, and coal.
Astinia
The heart of the Empire, Astinia is a province of bountiful harvests. This land is
the main stronghold of the New Faith, where commoners and nobles alike follow the
new doctrine. \nThis land is ruled by the old Arknian Diamant dynasty, but only
Patriarch Junius Diamant, the Archduke’s elder brother and leader of the Church in
the province, wields actual authority in Astinia.
Eliria
The strongest industrial province of the Empire, ruled over by the Orgrif
dynasty. \nThe noble landowners of Eliria lease out their land to commoners to
build new factories and mines, a practice that continues to this day.\nEliria was
the birthplace of gunpowder and the firearms that employ it before the noble estate
banned its use across the Empire as “weapons of dishonor.”
Arknia
The birthplace of the Empire and every Arknian dynasty, owned by the Emperor
himself. \nThe province with the most bountiful soil, Arknia abounds in ancient
castles, green fields, and towering forests. \nSprawling cities and factories are
virtually nonexistent here — no Arknian dynasty would ever let such massive human-
built structures disfigure the demesne of their ancestors.\nThe only place in the
province teeming with life and the spirit of the new age is Eterna, the capital of
the Empire.
Monia
The bastion of the Arknian aristocracy, protected from the rest of the Empire by
the sea and a mountain ridge. It is the second-oldest province of the Empire. \
nHere the noble traditions of yore are the strongest, and the lowly Lot is denied
all freedoms save those they absolutely require. \nThe Monrogue dynasty conquered
Monia long ago and now reigns supreme in this impregnable province.
Northern Provinces of Fiona, Constanta, and Hermia
The stern and inhospitable lands of the North. They were populated by barbarian
heathens until the great Arknian warriors of the past came to eradicate them. The
Northern Provinces are governed by the Emperor’s own Tempest dynasty. \nThe
provinces are very sparsely populated, with few factories or trading posts. Fishing
is the main trade here. The locals say you can see the very Peak of the Shining
Pillar looming above the sea when the skies are clear.
You hold the fate of a single man in your hands. You will follow his life from
birth to death.\n\nYour choices shall define who Sir Brante will grow up to be. You
will decide his personality, social status, and what mark he'll leave on history.\
n\nWith every step he takes at your behest, Sir Brante's character will change and
evolve. Your decisions will close some doors for him — but open many others.
The world of Sir Brante’s birth is a ruthless realm, where people are divided into
estates. It is hard to be a hero here.\n\nBe ready to accept that Sir Brante cannot
overcome every challenge in his path. Every hard choice will test his character and
personal qualities.\n\nOften you will not be able to make the choice you would like
to.\n\nIt may happen because you chose a different road earlier, exhausted your
hero's willpower, or haven't earned the right position in society.
Every victory will be a struggle — a path paved with bitter losses and gut-
wrenching failures. Accept the tragedy. This is how you will create a gripping and
unique tale for your hero.\n\nWhat will become of your Sir Brante, his loved ones,
and his world?\n\nIt all depends on you.
At The End of Time
Your fingers are stained with ink. Your breathing grows ragged, your hands are
shaking – yet the words begin appearing on the page before you one by one, clinging
together to form a chronicle of your own life.\nWho are you?\nAnd how did you reach
this end?\n
You were born, raised, and lived your entire life in the Blessed Arknian Empire.\
nIn this land, a man’s destiny is predetermined at the moment of his birth. Whether
Human or Arknian, nobleman, priest, or lowborn commoner, all bend to the divine
will of the Twin Gods.\nAnd each life is naught but a single cog in the universe’s
immeasurable machine.
The memories come flooding back. They engulf you as a merciless wave, binding
together days that are thrice dead and gone.\nThe dreams of your childhood. Your
adolescence. Your youth spent in the capital. Years of peace teeming with life, and
a war drenched in blood.\nHigh ranks and lowly deeds. Opulent palaces. Secretive
city backstreets. Fields of battle. And faces… so many faces of the people you held
dear, the people who walked this road by your side.\n
Such was your life, now all exposed by ink erupting onto the page. With your every
step you sought to change the world as you saw fit. The choices of your upbringing,
the path you carved in your youth, the fruits of your struggle, the consequences of
your sacrifice – all of it led you here, to the end of your time.\nAnd every choice
had a price.\nNow, years and years later, the crossroads of your life echo in your
memory, the pain and joy inextricably intermingled.\n
Could you have taken a different path?\r\nChosen a different calling? Found a
different place in the world? You had the power to alter the very course of
history!
Now, on the verge of death, you struggle with doubt, seeking answers to the last
and most crucial question of all.\r\nYour life… of all the paths in life, why did
you walk this one? Did you choose your own fate, or was your life shaped by forces
beyond your control?\r\nWhat determines a man’s destiny?
The man himself
The world around him
A higher power
There is no destiny
Your life has always been yours to live. You made your own destiny.
Your path was charted for you by the people, the age, and the society in which you
lived.
Your destiny was forged by a power greater than your own will.
Destiny does not exist. Human life is an exercise in chance. It is not governed by
any laws.
You can hear death’s footsteps drawing near. You square your shoulders and take a
deep, full breath.\nYou have found your final answer. What is destiny other than a
long chain of your own actions and decisions? No matter what happened in your life,
you always had a choice.\nYou lived the life you deserved. Only you can answer for
it.
But are you right about this? Is it all true?\nTo learn the truth, you will have to
return to the very beginning, remembering every step you took along the way.\nOn
these pages, the story of a man named <username> Brante will live once more.
Your final hours in this world are upon you. You close your eyes.\nIn your mind’s
eye, you see them once more, the faces of your family, your friends, your foes,
your underlings, your rulers. One after another, you recall the events that changed
you forever.
And in that moment, you know the truth. You are a part of this world; you are its
flesh and blood. Your family, your hometown, your Empire — they all made you what
you are.\nYour destiny was the sum total of your upbringing, your social status,
other people’s choices, and the age in which you lived.
But are you right about this? Is it all true?\r\nTo learn the truth, you will have
to return to the very beginning, remembering every step you took along the way.\r\
nOn these pages, the story of a man named <username> Brante will live once more.
You put your hands together in a silent prayer. Death is near, and you are ready to
step beyond the final threshold.\nYour life was not lived in vain. It was part of a
greater design.\nLike it or not, we are all guided by forces beyond our ken, the
same forces that shape the destinies of men and civilizations.
No matter how much free will we think we have, we are nothing but obedient
instruments in the hands or eternity.\nTrue freedom has always lain in
understanding the greater laws that govern our tiny lives.
You stand tall and stare death in the face, unflinching.\nThere was no “higher
power” guiding your life. It was just a wild jig, a chaotic tangle of innumerable
human wills, actions, and accidents.\nThe only thing that could ever turn this
chaos into an orderly narrative is the eternal human drive for storytelling.
Your life had no greater meaning. You were neither cursed by fate nor guided by
providence.\nAnd this is what made you truly free.
Childhood… where life begins. First words, first unsteady steps.\nYou are but a
small child learning about the world around you for the first time.\nYet it is also
here that you sow the seeds of your future self.\nWho will you grow up to be?
New Sections
Important life events that may happen to you during Childhood.
Your personal qualities at this age. They determine which choices you may take.
The sections that open in this Chapter.
End of Chapter I. Childhood
Soon you are a small boy no longer. As the days pass, play gradually gives way to
laborious study. Now your choices will decide your place in the bizarre and
ruthless world of adulthood.\nYour childhood years are over.
Important life events that had happened to you in this Сhapter.
Personal qualities that you have accumulated in Childhood. They will convert into
adult qualities at the end of Chapter II “Adolescence”.
Live through the entire \nlife and times of Sir Brante
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Sir Brante's early years are over, but his life and suffering have just begun.\nYou
have taken first steps in your hero's journey. What will they lead to? How will
they reflect on his ultimate fate?\nTake on the entire life path of Sir Brante in
the full version of the game!
Your world grows. The neighborhood, the houses nearby, the streets of the ancient
city of Anizotte…\nWill you accept the suffering that is the Lot of the lowborn for
your entire life? Or will you follow your father and fight for the right to become
a noble? Or is your path spiritual one?\nWhat awaits you beyond the walls of your
home?
Character
Important life events that may happen to you during Adolescence.
End of Chapter II. Adolescence
You survived your first clashes with the greater world around you and felt the
tingle of emotion for the first time.\nYou were taught by the school and the
streets. You explored the city of your birth and learned from its tales. You
witnessed firsthand the events that will be remembered by history for all time.\nIt
is time now for you to leave your family home.
Personal qualities that you have accumulated in Adolescence.\nAll your qualities
from Childhood and Adolescence will now convert into adult qualities.
You left your hometown to study in the Imperial capital.\nWhat life awaits you in
Eterna? What will you study, and where will you go? When push comes to shove, which
road will you take?\nYour youth awaits, and the years to come will determine the
nature of your destiny and your place in the society.
Important life events that may happen to you during Youth.
Your personal qualities in this Chapter. They will be used for the rest of your
life.
End of Chapter III. Youth
The years of your youth are at an end. The time has come to leave the capital
behind and return to your family and new business in your hometown of Anizotte.\
nThe years away from home were full of tumult and hardship. Had you chosen a
different Lot, it all could have been different.\nAll you can do now is walk the
path you have chosen.
Important life events that had happen to you during Youth.
Your personal qualities at the end of this Chapter. You will keep them for the rest
of your life.
You are home. But you are no longer the boy who set out for the capital four years
ago.\nYou are coming back a priest. Could your family ever have imagined that this
would be the Lot with which you would return? You will begin your service with the
Inquisition in your home province.
You are back in your home province, but you are no longer the boy who left it by
this very road four years ago.\nYou return a nobleman and a judge. You are
continuing the family trade. You have returned to serve at the province’s
prefecture.
You are back in your home province, but you are no longer the boy who left it by
this very road four years ago.\nWho are you now? A conspirator? A rebel? Or an
agent of the Secret Chancellery?\nCan you get your freedom back? Can you save
everything you hold dear?
Events in the personal life of the hero that can happen in this chapter.
Your inner strength and the number of lesser deaths that you have experienced.\
nThese qualities will stay with you for your entire life.
Life paths that you will choose from in this chapter.
Events that can happen to the Brante family in this chapter.
Outcomes for the Brante family
The most important events that may happen to the House of Brante at the end of this
chapter.
Deeds that you can accomplish on your chosen life path.
Outcomes of the Chapter
The most important event that will end this chapter.\nOnly one of them will happen.
Sides
The sides you can take in the struggle for Anizotte.
Important life events that may happen to you during this Chapter.
End of Chapter IV. Peace Time
Peaceful years are over. The storm of the Revolt is brewing in Anizotte.\r\
nTomorrow will be the day when you will reap the harvest of all your deeds during
these eight years.
Important life events that had happen to you during this Chapter.
Personal qualities with which you end this chapter. You will have to do with them
to go through the decisive chapter “The Revolt”.
The first rays of the rising sun light up the horizon. This day will go down in
history.\nYour entire life has led you to this moment. Step by step, you have made
yourself the man you are now.\nYour actions today could alter the course of
history. Are you ready?
Childhood… where life begins.\nFirst words, first unsteady steps.\nYou are but a
small child learning about the world in which you were born. To you, everything is
so new, so baffling, and so unforgiving.
A long, trying life stretches before you – so many feats and faults, so many
fateful choices to come.\nYet you are already sowing the seeds of your future self.
You are learning to live and survive in this world, looking for a place within it
to call your own, choosing your future destiny.
Who will you grow up to be?
Year 1121, Spring. The Origin
You are starting to understand more and more of what the adults say. Your family is
an unusual one. Your father is a nobleman, but not by birth – his is a title earned
through great service. But your mother is a lowborn woman, a commoner. \nBecause of
this, you were born a commoner, but Father says you may yet come unto nobility.\n
You learn to read at an early age. Together with Mother, you read and learn by
heart the many poems about the divine Twins, the Twin Gods who reside upon the
Shining Pillar.\nMother calls these poems “prayers.”\n
Again and again you try to discern the shapes of the gods in the strip of holy
light that shines in the sky all day and night, but the light is too blinding to
gaze upon.\n
The greatest joy of all is when the stairs are no longer an insurmountable
obstacle. Now you can climb and even jump from step to step! Father urges you to be
more careful and avoid climbing too high.\nBut even though you keep falling, you
never stop being curious about the world around you.\n
Your older brother Stephan now spends less and less time playing with Gloria and
you. Playing with commoners is beneath a nobleman-to-be, he says.\nSo Gloria calls
him names, and Stephan pulls her pigtails.\n
One fine evening Father gathers you all in the sitting room with an announcement:
you will have another little brother or sister soon. Gloria asks him to bring home
a little sister – another brother would be too much! Stephan gets frustrated –
there are too many little siblings getting in his way as it is.\nSoon you will be
an older brother too and it doesn’t really matter who the youngest will be – a boy
or a girl, you will love them the most.
When Father comes back from his trips he reads his adult books aloud for you. You
find those stories of wars, generals, and rebellions quite enchanting.\nAnd Father
approves of your fascination.
“Study hard, and maybe one day you’ll become a noble of the Mantle and earn your
sword.\n“But first you need to grow up.”
Growing up… the concept is as terrifying as it is alluring.
Year 1122, Winter. The Coming Sacrament
Mother is in her armchair, knitting woolen jackets, pants, and socks for the little
one. The baby will need to be kept warm, she says. \nFather spends less time at
home now. Mother says he’s very busy with his important job. He is a judge, after
all.\n
One day you decide to ask Mother about Stephan and Gloria. How come they’re brother
and sister to you, but not siblings to each other?
“Well, my dear, I didn’t give birth to Stephan, you see. He’s the son of another
mother. And Gloria is the daughter of another father.\n“Come now, don’t knit your
brow like that! You’ll understand when you’re older.”
How is that even possible?\nYou’re all family, are you not?
Several days later Mother calls Stephan and Gloria to the sitting room.\nYou sneak
in after them. At first Mother gets angry and asks you to leave, but then she
relents. You are told to sit still, be quiet, and remember every word you hear.
“When you enter the temple, bow to the Twins — first to the Elder on the right, and
then to the Younger on the left. Stephan, you’re a nobleman-to-be, so walk along
the side paved with marble, where the benches are. Gloria, you walk along the sharp
side.”
“When you’re there, you must get down on your knees, each on your own side.
Stephan, kiss the sword. Gloria, my daughter, they will strike you with the lash.
Don’t be afraid of it. Resign yourself to the suffering it brings. It is the
blessing of your Lot.”\n
Gloria doesn’t like the idea of the lash.\nThere’s a tense feeling in your chest as
well. You were told to remember this… will the lash strike you too one day?
On the next day they take your brother and sister to the temple. You run towards
them when they finally come back.\nThe back of Gloria’s dress is soaked with blood.
She’s hunched a bit, sobbing quietly.\nStephan is putting on airs, acting prouder
than ever.\nNothing else looks different about them. It’s like all is the same —
and yet everything has changed.
Each of them has accepted their Lot.
Year 1124, Summer. The Family Dinner
Today Father ordered the dinner table to be brought out into the yard.\nFor the
first time in months, he’s home, outside of the confines of his always-locked
study. He spent the entire day playing with Nathan and you, discussing various
matters with Stephan (now an adolescent), and walking in the garden.\nAnd now a
dinner under the open sky!
Your entire family gathers together, with Father at the head of the table, smiling.
He asks each of you about your studies.\nNathan climbs up on his knee and recites a
counting rhyme in a funny, sing-song voice.\nStephan mentions that his fencing
teacher praised his accomplishments. He rises from the table together with Father
to show his skill in a practice duel.
Next comes Gloria’s turn. She stands on her chair and recites a lengthy prayer by
heart. \nMother showers your sister with praise. Father chuckles quietly, hiding a
smile in his mustache.\nWhen your turn comes, you recite all the ranks in the
Legion, from common soldier to High Commander. Stephan listens to you with a
skeptical look on his face.
Night slowly falls, but the servants ensure that the yard is well illuminated.\nYou
don’t feel cold in the dusk tonight. It feels good yet so important: all of you are
finally together, sitting at the same table — no fighting, just smiles. No arguing,
just pleasant small talk.
Then a servant approaches Father with a letter in his hand.\nHe reads it in the dim
light, and each line gradually washes the smile off Father’s face until only a
stone-cold mask remains.\nMother looks at Father with an unspoken question in her
eyes.
“Gregor Brante is coming back to Anizotte. He is the head of our family. My
father.”
Year 1124, Fall. The Master of the House
Soon, Grandfather leaves. Your elder brother Stephan goes with him.\nFrom that day
on, Father’s hired teachers tend to you alone. They bore you with monotonous
lectures on writing, counting, and the way of life in the Blessed Arknian Empire. \
nYou often distract yourself from their instruction by playing with your younger
brother Nathan.
Your home grows quiet without your elder brother… too quiet.\nWeeks later, your
family receives a letter from Stephan. Grandfather has sent him to a boarding
school for nobles, and he is now studying hard in preparation for his service as a
nobleman.
“The rules here are way too strict — you can’t even sneeze without the teachers’
permission!\n“But I’ve been studying with my peers. We’re learning how to live as
nobles in a noble society. We’re also learning the art of swordplay. That’s my
favorite part!”
With Stephan now at the boarding school, Grandfather arrives once more, this time
to live in your home. The only good thing is that he often has urgent business in
Eterna, the capital of the Empire, and has to travel there.\nOne day you ask Mother
where he lived before. “In Eterna,” she says, “but now his place is here.”\n
Each time Grandfather returns, he gives the servants new orders. Your home is now
always busy with repairs. The servants are redecorating Grandfather’s chambers,
including his library and sitting room. \nSometimes Father tries to gently talk him
out of this — why subject the house to constant reconstruction?\nGrandfather’s
answer is always the same:
“This home is mine, and I will live here as befits a man of the nobility.”
Year 1125. Childhood’s End
The mark left on you by the Sacrament takes a long, long time to heal.\nMother says
it is a reminder of your Lot: suffering and sufferance, pain and patience.\nGloria
shows you the mark of the lash on her shoulder one day. It will never disappear.
You are a commoner now. This is the Lot you were born into.\nBut Father keeps
telling you to study hard so you may yet earn a different Lot and become noble of
the Mantle.
You recall the past with warm sadness — when Stephan still lived with you, or when
he wrote to you for a time shortly after he left. Now he thinks it beneath him to
write to the commoners in his family. \nMother didn’t lock herself in the bedroom
as often back then — this changed shortly before Nathan was born.\nBut, most
importantly, you miss the time before the terrifying figure of your grandfather was
constantly looming over you.
You learned the true power of the Lot only after the head of family's arrival. In
Grandfather’s eyes, no commoner deserves to be treated with kindness.\nIs this just
him, or is it the way of the entire world? The very thought makes you queasy.\n
You are older now — and, what’s more, you are an elder brother now.\nYou’ve learned
how to care about someone else, how to teach and protect.
Soon you are a small boy no longer. As the days pass, play gradually gives way to
laborious study.\nNow your choices will decide your place in the bizarre and
ruthless world of adulthood.\nYour childhood years are over.
You’ve lived in this world for eight years now. As you grow older, life grows more
complex.\nThe world of your childhood was limited to your house and family, but now
that realm is expanding — it also includes your neighborhood, the nearby houses,
the streets of the ancient city of Anizotte.\nA question now looms over you,
growing more pressing with each passing year: what will your place be in this vast
outside world?
Few people in the Blessed Arknian Empire trouble themselves with this question.\
nIt’s not within a man or woman’s power to choose. Their destiny is predetermined
by their birth and those who bore them.
And yet your peculiar birth has granted you a choice.\nYour father is a man of
nobility, a worthy example in matters of duty and honor. Your mother is a commoner
of lowly estate, humility and patience made flesh.\nAnd your sky is ablaze day and
night with the light of the Shining Pillar, the beacon of the clergy.
Your back bears the mark of the lash. Will you accept the drudgery and suffering
that is the Lot of the lowborn for your entire life?\nOr will you follow in the
footsteps of your father and your father’s father and fight for the right to serve
the Empire as a noble of the Mantle?\nPerhaps will you follow the Twin Gods’ Word
and offer spiritual guidance to others?
The answer lies out there in that vast, terrifying world.\nWhat awaits you beyond
the walls of your home?
Year 1128, Fall. Soil And Gunpowder
Sophia disappeared after the terrible incident with the horses.\nHer friends gossip
that her parents sent her off to serve a rich noble dynasty. \nYou haven’t seen
each other since that day, but you still remember Sophia’s eyes, the sunlight
shining in them.\nBut no matter what, life goes on.
You are ten years old now.\nYour studies continue, and you are learning more about
the land you live in.\nAnizotte is an ancient city in an Imperial province by the
name of Magra. All soil in Magra was turned to ash eons ago, scorched by magic
during the rebellion of Duke Char Milanidas. \nThe magical arts are all but gone
now, but the scorched earth has remained barren and infertile ever since.
Since then, the entire province has lain barren, tormented by cold and scorching
winds in equal measure, with few precious plants taking root on their own.\nAll
fertile land in Magra is bought elsewhere and brought here by an endless caravan of
carts and carriages.\nTo pay for food and soil, the cities of Magra became skilled
in many trades — primarily mining and digging for metals and stone.
Last fall there was an explosion just outside the city, followed by clouds of thick
smoke. The first such incident frightened the citizens, but then explosions and
smoke became an everyday occurrence. Soon everyone grew used to it.\nFather
explains that the miners are using a new invention called “gunpowder.” It makes it
easier for them to reach the precious stones and metals buried deep within the
earth.
Then one day a thunderous explosion rocks the city, and black, billowing smoke
covers the houses.\nPeople are stuck in their homes, all windows tightly shut. The
air is impossible to breathe. Nathan coughs all the time.\nGloria and you cough
only when nobody is watching. If mother hears it, she’ll make you inhale those hot
herbal vapors just like Nathan.
It takes two days for the black smoke to disperse. People pour out onto the streets
to meet their friends.\nTommas is eager to share everything he knows about this
incident with you.
“They took lots of burnt-up people to the city temple! Mom told me, she was helping
the healers.”
There are many rumors: some claim it was the work of a beast stirred from its
slumber, while others say it’s the surviving witches that continue to threaten the
order in the Empire with their accursed powers.\nBut as for you, you patiently wait
for Father to come back home, and then you’ll ask him about it.\nFather spends day
and night working at the Prefecture while mother spends all her time in prayer.
It takes a full week for Father to finally come home, and he’s almost completely
spent. You muster enough courage during dinner to ask him what happened outside the
city.\nFather raises his head, his face a bleak, weary mask, and starts muttering
his proclamation. It’s almost as if he doesn’t see you.
“It’s the mine outside the city. They were trying to get to a vein of ore. There
was an explosion. The mine caved in, and the black smoke started flowing. Many
workers died there.\n“It was all because Count El Velasco who owns the mines wanted
them to start mining that vein before they were ready.
“Some of the workers weren’t even reborn. Perhaps the Twins thought their final
time had come. The Prefecture has been inundated with complaints from families that
have lost their breadwinners, asking the judges for help. Many people also lost
their cattle to the black smoke.
“Count El Velasco blames gunpowder for the disaster. The prefecture and the
newspapers just repeat whatever he says. But it’s plain old greed and tyranny of
noblemen that are to blame.\nWhy is the welfare of our province always paid for
with commoner lives?”
Then, without warning, he grows silent again.\nYou keep thinking about it for days.
Can a human life really end so easily?\nA single moment of bad luck, and you die,
only to reemerge from the temple or the family crypt with a new black mark on your
arm. Or worse, you remain where you fell… dead. Never to be reborn again.\nEver.
Year 1130, Spring. The Quorum Decree
Twelve years old now, you overhear an important conversation. \nIt is a spring
night, and Mother has just sent everyone to bed. You walk past Father’s study and
hear voices coming from beyond the door. Grandfather is yelling, and Father is
replying quietly.\nThe elder Brante men are fighting, arguing about the place of
the commoners in the city. You sneak outside to avoid Mother’s attention and hide
next to the open window of the study — perhaps they’ll mention you too…
“That lowlife idiot had the gall to pay me a visit and beg me for some service! He
had the insolence to ask me outright! He thought I was going to support his claim
for the chairman’s seat in the Lesser Quorum! How dare he!”
“Father, please listen. Mayer Egmont may be lowborn, but he carries a lot of clout
in Magra. He owns five iron mines. A friend like him could be quite useful. Should
he become the chairman of the Lesser Quorum…”
“I don’t give a damn who this Egmont is, Robert! What he is, however, is lowborn.
His Lot is humility and obedience. The likes of him can never rule anything.
They’re nothing but a flock of sheep that need a firm noble hand to guide them!
“I wasted so many years trying to quash that Quorum Decree! But that accursed
Cornelius Tempest did everything in his power to make the Emperor sign that
pathetic screed… and now even lowlifes can wield power! True power, Robert!”
“Just the right to discuss the size of the Archduke’s tax, nothing more.”
“That is only the beginning! What’s next? Are they going to arm the lowlifes now?
Make them into judges? If the Empire rejects the foundations and the Lots, the
entire edifice will crumble! Bah, who am I telling this to?! It is already
crumbling, and you, my son and heir, are a harbinger of its destruction!”
“Father, I’m begging you… I do not wish to marry a third time. Lydia is a good wife
and a dutiful mother to my children. If you would only allow her to…”
“I will allow them nothing! Neither Egmont, nor that freeloading wench of yours!
What will you want me to do next, live by the laws of the lowborn? I can already
see where this is going, and I’d rather run my own sword through my gut than live
in a country where nobles and lowlifes share the same rights!
“My only dream is to see the name of Brante in the Blue Book… but that dream will
never come true. They will never call me ‘Venerable El Brante,’ and it’s all
because of this marriage of yours!”
“My only hope now is to hear Stephan addressed in such a manner one day. Thank the
Twins I didn’t let you ruin the boy. He’s about to grow up a true nobleman. His
children will bear the name of El Brante!”
“You have two more grandsons…”
“Those spineless milksops from the common Lot? They’re incapable of anything. The
best your middle son could do is sneak into the Imperial College and get ennobled
by the Mantle, although I have grave doubts about even that… as for the downtrodden
Nathan, I hold out no hope for him whatsoever.”
You hear Grandfather’s heavy footsteps, the thudding of his cane, and the slamming
of the door.\nIt’s time to sneak back home before you’re discovered.
1130, Fall — Noble Titles
Your education continues.\nAs you study Imperial law, you come to realize that
there is a certain hierarchy even within the noble estate. It seems your father’s
status is not quite equal to that of the more eminent human and Arknian gentry.
You return home with this new information at your disposal.\nFather asks you about
school after dinner, as he always does.
“And what is the difference between nobles of the Mantle and those of the Sword,
<username>?”
You already have an answer ready. The latter status is hereditary, meaning that it
is passed down from father to son. After the Arknians, nobles of the Sword are the
most eminent humans in the Empire. They own land and estates, they fill offices of
the highest ranks, and the names of their bloodlines are preserved within the great
Blue Book.\nNobility of the Sword can only be granted only by the Overseer of the
province or the Emperor himself.
“And how are such eminent people addressed?”
With the honorific “El,” before their last name, you respond.\n”Sir Augustin El
Borne,” for example.
Father pats you on the shoulder, clearly pleased.
“And what about the Arknians and their status? What have you learned about them?”
The Arknians stand above all human gentry. They are born to rule over humans
regardless of their titles.\nNo “El” is required when addressing them. They need no
honorifics, for the names of their ancient dynasties are known to all.
Father nods somberly.
“Yes. We can never be their equals. Do whatever an Arknian tells you and never defy
them. Ever.
“And what about Grandfather and me? Where do we stand as nobles?”
That is easy — Father and Grandfather are nobles of the Mantle.\nThis title cannot
be inherited, but it can be earned by any commoner as a reward for great service to
the Empire in the Legion or as a civil servant.
Father suddenly grows quiet and looks you in the eye intently.
“Yes. And someday you will earn a noble title too, son. All in due time.”
Year 1131, Fall. The Flash and the Flame
You are thirteen now.\nAnother theology lesson. Today’s sermon is about the priests
and why the clergy is the only one of the three estates with the right to interpret
the Lots and guide the other two estates accordingly. Tommas sits next to you,
huffing and puffing as he fervently writes down the teacher’s every word.\nBut
you’ve heard all this from Mother many times before, so you take this moment to
daydream a little. Father promised to take you to the capital once your studies are
complete…
But the teacher suddenly casts a stern look around the lecture hall and raises his
voice at one of your classmates.\nA boy by the name of Brian jumps out of his seat.
The teacher asks him to repeat what he had just said. Brian freezes and seems to
shrink. He tries to muster a reply, but nothing comes out.
The class becomes agitated — someone is about to get punished!\nThe teacher now
looms over Brian. The boy’s cheeks are flushed, and his eyes are covered in tears.
You all watch the teacher’s iron-bound book as he raises it sharply, about to
strike.\nBrian shrieks and raises a hand in front of him.
A sudden flash! The teacher screams and buries his face in his arms. His hair is
ablaze, and his skin is covered in horrible burns.\nIt’s magic! Real magic, just
like in the books about the Magra Rebellion!\nThe class freezes in shock. There is
a dull thud as the iron-bound book falls to the floor.\n
Brian’s hysterical laughter rends the silence. He stands up from his bench, fire in
his eyes and sparks on his fingertips.\nThere are screams now. Students run for the
door. The teacher tries to extinguish his burning hair.\nBrian snaps his fingers,
and the Books of Isatius on the desks turn into pillars of flame. He laughs and
raises his arms, and the curtains catch fire.
The screams grow louder as the fire howls. Brian’s face is tense and violent. His
mouth is spewing flames, and his whole body is shaking with laughter. He steps
toward the door.\nYou and Tommas glance at each other.
“He’s going to burn the whole school down!”
Your friend’s determination makes you brave. You run behind Brian and knock him off
his feet. You both tumble to the floor. Even through his clothes, his body sears
your flesh.\nBrian screams, convulses, and grabs Tommas by the shoulders with his
burning hands. Tommas howls but stays put, then knocks Brian senseless with several
fierce blows to the head.\n
There are servants fussing around the room now. They put out the fire and take away
the teacher, his body covered in horrible burns. You and Tommas remain next to
Brian, who is lying on the floor, silent.\nSoon three men in black cloaks enter the
doors of the school, each bearing an edict sealed with silver — the Inquisition!\
nYou and Tommas are told to step away from the witch. They lock Brian’s neck in a
silver collar and take him away.
One of the Inquisitors remains behind to tell the students what happened.\nThat was
magic, he explains. The ungodly power that twists the minds of men into savage
instruments of murder. Only the sacred shackles of silver can hold it at bay. Only
the power of the Twins can save us all from its evil grasp.\nThe next day you are
forbidden from ever mentioning Brian’s name again. He is no more.
Year 1133, Summer. The Bloodstained Sermon
You are about to turn fifteen. Just one step away from adulthood.\nMother is acting
anxious at dinner today, barely touching her food.\nYou exchange glances with
Gloria. She carefully tells you that she wants to go to the tailor.\nMother
shudders, and her hands clench into fists.
“No! Don’t you dare leave home today — I forbid it! That dirty heretic Fotis is
preaching his lies under the Silver Tree today! Twins willing, I don’t want you to
hear any of that!”
You and Gloria glance at each other again.\nFotis… He is a Patriarch, the head of
the clergy throughout the entire province. That is the first time you’ve heard
mother speak like this about a priest, especially such a high-ranking one.
Once you leave the dinner table, Gloria comes to your room with a cunning
expression on her face, like she’s about to play a trick on someone.\nShe has a
plan: the two of you should sneak out of the house and go to the Silver Tree!\nYou
simply must hear that sermon for yourself! What’s so bad about Patriarch Fotis? Why
does Mother hate him so much? You two are grownups now. Surely you have the right
to know!
You agree with your sister. Together you sneak out from under your mother’s
watchful eye and hurry to the Silver Tree.\nThe temple block is full of people from
all ranks and estate. There is barely enough room for you to squeeze through the
crowd.\nThe crowd has gathered around the very roots of the Tree. Gloria suggests
that you climb up to the roof of a nearby building so you can hear and see
everything better.
And not a moment too soon!\nFrom the roof you see a tall, silver-haired priest step
onto the platform by the Tree, dressed in the common black robe that looks far
beneath his rank. Yet he stands like a noble before the crowd. \nBehind his back is
a banner flapping in the wind: the open book. This is the symbol of the New Faith,
the crowd whispers.\n
The patriarch holds his hands up to the sky, and the entire temple block grows
quiet.\nHe begins his sermon, his vibrant voice rolling across the square.\nFotis
speaks of a great mistake.
“We entrusted ourselves to the Lots as the only way to fulfill divine providence in
this world. But for all these years the will of the Twins has been interpreted for
us by a single man: Prophet Isatius!\n“The Twins are ever watching from atop the
Shining Pillar. Of this we have no doubt. But how can we so blindly believe that we
truly follow their will by following the Lots?
“Have we not seen the Three Lots of Isatius fail again and again to answer the
question of how we ought to live our lives? Have we not seen people change their
Lot in life again and again without being smitten by divine wrath?\n“Every person
born, whether Human or Arknian, lowborn or noble, must find their Lot and their way
to the Gods on their own.
“From now on we will seek the Gods in the accounts of Their own lives, in Their own
acts in this world, and in Their own words as they echo within us!\n“And, as we
heed the voice of the Twins within, we will each find Their path for us on our
own!”
The crowd at the Silver Tree listens to the Patriarch’s speech in stunned silence.\
nYou glance at your sister. Her eyes glisten with tears as she hears Fotis’s
words.\n
Then, suddenly, a hoarse cry rises from the crowd: “If there are no Lots, does that
mean the nobles are gonna till the fields, and the commoners are gonna bear arms?”\
nThe crowd begins to murmur. The Patriarch raises an arm and inhales, ready to
answer.\n
An odd figure leaps from the crowd onto the platform: a dirty beggar dressed in
rags. A knife flashes in his hand.\nThe blade slices. Blood starts spurting from
Fotis’s throat. He slumps over and collapses. A dark brown puddle spreads across
the platform where he had stood.\nGloria clutches her mouth to suppress a shriek.\n
A few moments of stunned silence, and then the screams begin.\nThe people are
frantic. The temple guards try restore order in the crowd, but to no avail. An old
woman dressed in an Inquisitor’s cassock tries in vain to apply pressure to the
Patriarch’s wound. The nobles draw their swords. Dogs are barking. The crowd is
pushing and shoving. Children are crying.\nThe entire square by the Tree is in
chaos.\n
From the roof you see the moment when people start trampling each other — howling,
praying, shouting.\nGloria tugs on your sleeve. Time to go.\nYou climb down from
the roof and run.\n
You return home without exchanging a word. Mother has been in her room all the
while, so no one noticed your absence. Gloria locks herself in her room.\nYou do
not discuss the things you have just seen. They are too frightening.\nBut your
parents discuss every little detail of the bloodstained sermon over dinner.
“This is unbelievable! A Patriarch murdered in plain sight! The gendarmes and the
Archduke’s guards have searched every corner of the slums, and the murderous beggar
has disappeared without a trace.\n“I can’t even imagine a more gruesome crime.
Fotis has died a true death, never to return from the hereafter!”
“But how? Why can’t the Patriarch be reborn? He’s so close to the Twins…”
“Such is the way of the world, my children. Once you are granted great power by the
Twins’ Will, there’s no hope for you to come back, not even after the first of your
deaths. \n“Emperors, their powerful vassals, heads of great Arknian dynasties,
Patriarchs of the Church — none of them are destined to be reborn.”
“Fotis is gone forever. I fear for his soul — it was lost in doubt. Will the Twins
accept him upon the Peak of the Pillar?\n“We must pray for the Patriarch, children.
Let us hope he managed to return to the true Old Faith before the moment of his
passing!”
But there is little hope for that.
The End of Adolescence
Last night was your final night at home. The carriage is now waiting at the gate,
ready to take you to the capital. The clip-clopping of the idle hooves against the
cobblestones count the seconds before your departure.\nYou take one more look at
your parents’ house and recall your childhood spent there, in the nearby yards, at
your school. and on the winding streets of Anizotte.
You clashed with the greater world around you and survived. You felt the tingle of
emotion for the first time. You were taught by the school and the streets. You
explored the city of your birth and learned something of its past. You witnessed
firsthand events that will be remembered by history for all time.\nAll of this is
yours now, forever.
You saw death — lesser death followed by rebirth, and the true death that takes and
never gives back.\nYou saw death lying in wait to strike the unaware, like a beast
stalking its prey. \nYou saw Grandfather’s angry grimace lit by the flickering fire
of the lamp, the Archduke’s cavalry trampling those who stood in their way, and
your older brother’s bloodied sword slicing through the air.\nDeath has followed
you from a very young age.
And yet you live on.\nYou have a friend who has been by your side all these years.
Tommas taught you many things: how to take a hit, how to keep your word, and how to
remain true to your own self.\nAnd now Tommas is walking to the same carriage as
you are with a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Your friend will remain your
companion for the time being.
Ahead of you is a long trip towards the capital and adulthood. For the first time,
you will be away from your family and home.\nWhat awaits you in the future?
Leaving Home
The driver flicks the reins. The carriage slowly sways as it starts moving away
from your home. \nYou stick your head out the window and wave goodbye to your
family. Nathan is running after the carriage with Tommas’ younger brother in tow,
tears glistening in their eyes.
It hurts to leave your home behind. Ahead lies Eterna, the Imperial capital… you
have often read about it and heard stories from Father and Stephan. It is a city
that surpasses Anizotte enormously in terms of size, age, wealth, and beauty… but
what is it really like?\nWhat kind of life awaits you there? What will you learn
there, and where will your actions take you?
You pass the old walls of Anizotte. Somewhere within them is the old “fortress” you
and Tommas built together out of old wooden planks, now left to the care of your
younger brothers. \nYou two are adults now. Perhaps your fortress will crumble, now
abandoned; or perhaps your brothers will continue what you started. Who knows?
You look down at your hands: knuckles covered in scars from street antics, fingers
stained with ink. Mother gave you a cross to wear away from home, and now you can
feel its warmth against your chest. \nYour family counts on you, even though they
all wish a different future for you. But they are behind you now, in Anizotte. \
nFrom this point on, only you will decide which road you will take.
This is the journey you prepared for throughout your entire childhood.\nAhead of
you lie many years in the capital — years that will determine your fate and your
place in society.
Year 1134, Fall — The Advance of The New Faith
Patriarch Luke’s sermons have converted many commoners and nobles of the Mantle to
the New Faith. \nThere are now several temples in Eterna that follow the New
Canons, with Luke’s blessing. This has led to no small amount of anger among the
followers of the Old Faith.
Two mighty bishops of the Church lead the New Faith.\nOne of them is Luke, the
Patriarch of Arknia himself, spiritual mentor of the capital province. He preaches
all across Arknia, his every sermon adding to the New Faith’s flock.
The other leader of the New Faith is Patriarch Junius Diamant. Hailing from a great
Arknian dynasty, he is the de-facto ruler of Astinia province. Adored by his
subjects, he has founded the Holy Order anew.\nJunius Diamant rarely preaches, but
people believe the Astinian patriarch attends to the needs of all who convert to
the New Faith.
This schism within the Church is growing. \nThe split has furthered the divide
between the commoners and the nobles, though thankfully there has been no direct
conflict as of yet. \nBut is has become clear that there is no way to stop the
steady advance of the New Faith.\nBorn from the death of Patriarch Fotis, it grows
stronger by the day.
Year 1135, Spring — The Code of Laws
You are on your way to the largest library in Eterna to study for your entry exams.
It is right next to the College.\nThe streets are full of people. Everybody is
excited. You hesitate for a few seconds, then let your curiosity get the better of
you and head towards the place where you will soon study. \nBefore long you hear
the shouting — the Great Chancellor is about to give a speech about the future of
the Empire!
You cannot possibly miss this! You mix with the crowd and soon find a convenient
place to listen and watch what is about to unfold. \nOn the steps of the College
you see a small tribune guarded by two Arknians armed with swords.\nThis is the
first time you have ever seen an Arknian standing guard, let alone two of them.
The doors of the College open to reveal a stately Arknian surrounded by an honor
guard.\nIt is he, Cornelius Tempest, Great Chancellor of the Empire, younger
brother to the Emperor himself.\nHe heads for the tribune and casts a look over the
square. It is full of people in awe and utter silence.
“Long ago, Humans witnessed the Arknians’ arrival. The two nations built the Empire
side by side. The provinces joined us one by one, and Magra was the final province
to attain the absolute might and majesty of the Blessed Arknian Empire!
“Yet there was another great event long before that. A thousand years ago, the
Twins had graced us with Their presence.
“With Their arrival, the Twins granted us Their Will. They showed us Their Love and
Their Law, and They granted us knowledge of what awaits us in the hereafter…\n“They
chose the dynasty of Tempest to rule the Empire, and from that day forth our
dynasty has ruled this land, ordained by the Gods Themselves!
“However, it is our duty to the Twins not to seek power for power’s sake, but
rather to lead the Empire to further prosperity. And so the Great Imperial Council
is soon to review and adopt a new set of laws called the Creed. Under the Creed,
all estates will be granted rights; under the Creed, there will be one law for all
Imperial citizens to obey — Human or Arknian, from the lowliest commoner to the
Emperor himself!
“The strife among the estates will end. A single law will resolve all of our
quarrels.\n“Glory to the Empire!”
The Great Chancellor throws his arms into the air. \nThe crowd murmurs and applauds
in approval. \nCornelius Tempest casts another look over the crowd and leaves.
The crowd disperses. The sounds of agitated discussion are everywhere.\nIs it true
that the Emperor’s dynasty seeks to grant equal rights to all estates? \nWhat will
happen to the Empire then?
Year 1135, Fall — A Letter from Home
As soon as you are accepted into the Imperial College, you send a letter back home.
\nThe family replies quickly — their letter arrives in under a week. Most of it is
covered with your father’s handwriting.
“I am proud of you, my son, and I believe your grandfather takes pride in you too.
You have brought our family one step closer to being ennobled by the Sword.\n“You
will make an excellent judge. I have complete faith in your intellect and your
will. You shall bring glory to our family.”
Stephan’s congratulations follow your father’s.
“Congratulations, brother! The simple folk could only dream of what you have
already achieved. You can thank Father and Grandfather for this opportunity, but it
was you who proved yourself worthy. Once you receive your new Lot, you and I will
be equals at last.”
Then, some words of praise from Mother and Nathan.
“You have brought your father much joy and made him proud, and I am witness to
this. You now walk this path all thanks to him.\n“Yet it saddens me that you did
not consider the Divine Seminary, where you could have dedicated your life to our
Gods as well as the Empire itself.”
“You worked so hard for this! We held a big feast in your honor back home.\n“I hope
you achieved all you’ve ever wanted!”
And, at the very end, there is a small note from your sister:
“Congratulations. Good luck.”
After deciding to enroll in the Divine Seminary, you write back home. \nIt isn’t an
easy letter to write — Father sent you to the capital to enroll in the College. But
who could have predicted Archduke Monrogue’s assault on the College, or the
revelation that found you here?
Your family replies quickly — you receive their letter in just a week. Father is
not happy with your choice, just as you expected.
“My son, I realize that these are the difficult times in the capital. Nobody
expected an attack on the College. Had you been more firm, you could have upheld
your right to study there. Cornelius Tempest will ensure that the College opens
again, yet you have already rejected the nobleman’s Lot. It seems your grandfather
was right. \n“But your choice is made, so follow it, and study to become a priest.
I did not send you to the capital for this, but I accept your choice.”
Mother, on the other hand, supports you eagerly.
“My dearest son, I am so proud that you have chosen to follow your destiny, even if
it means going against your father’s expectations. I always knew you were born to
carry the Twins’ word in the world!\n“This is as it should be.”
Nathan echoes Mother’s sentiments.
“The path of the faith may be even more noble than the path of a noble! I’m going
to go to the Seminary in Anizotte like you. We’re going to live the same Lot, you
and I! You always show me the way.”
You are not surprised to learn that Stephan and Gloria are disappointed in you,
each for their own reasons.
“How could you defy Father’s will? It cost him so much time and money to send you
to the capital! But alas, what can we do? If the Lot of the clergy is your destiny,
then so be it. We of the noble Lot will attend to our family’s future from now on.”
“I wanted you to find your own way, you know — and you defied Father’s will, all to
bend to the will of the Church. I hope this new Lot fits you well.”
You write a letter home and tell them you failed to get into the College. There is
no other way — father would have learned everything one way or another.\nIt isn’t
an easy letter to write. He did send you to the capital specifically to attend the
College, after all… \nYou write about Archduke Monrogue’s assault and the students’
doubtful future now that their right to be ennobled by the Mantle may be revoked.
You tell them that you plan get a job in the capital and earn a living. They should
accept your choice.
The reply from your family arrives very quickly.
“We sent you to the capital with a sole purpose — but you failed! Indeed, nobody
expected an attack on the College, but you could have upheld your right to study
there had you been more firm! Cornelius Tempest will ensure the College opens
again, yet you have already rejected the nobleman’s Lot — and to what end?
“I can only accept your choice now — but you will no longer receive any support
from the family! It is up to you to earn your keep. I can only hope that you will
not disappear in the capital.”
“This entire siege incident is nothing but a poor excuse. You failed to uphold your
right to enter the College, and that is the end of it. It cost Father so much time
and money to send you to the capital, and you rejected it all! And for what? To
remain a commoner until the end of your days?\n“I hoped you would one day become my
equal. But now the very thought of this is just absurd.”
There is another letter: it is from Gloria. It seems neither Father nor Stephan
knew she sent it.
“Sir Robert smashed a vase when as he read your letter.\n“Stephan screamed at the
top of his lungs about lowborn and foulbloods. Fortunately, I led Mother and Nathan
away before we all got in trouble.”
“But I’m proud of you. You defied Father’s will, you went against all expectations,
against this entire rotten system. You made this decision, now follow it to the
end. I believe this path will lead you somewhere worthy.\n“Take good care of
yourself, my brother.”
Year 1136, Winter — The Trial of The Fifty
You have lived another year in the capital. \nEterna has been shaken by what is now
known as the Trial of The Fifty.\nFifty people stand trial at once, all prominent
members of several political circles. They are accused of treason and conspiracy
against the Crown.
The accused spoke in favor of reducing the power of the nobles and granting more
rights to the common estate. \nThere was no mention of rebellion, yet those words
alone were enough to indict them.
Every session of the trial is open to the public. \nIt is a show of power made to
discourage people from forming such circles ever again.
You attend one of these sessions. \nThe Fifty face their verdict: forced labor in
the mines of Magra and Eliria for regular members, and true death for their leaders
— six men and one woman. \nTheir public execution takes place in the Central Square
of Eterna.
You remember the woman: her name was Anni Sirin. She made a speech before her
execution. \nA young woman, not too tall, her face almost plain, with long bangs
over her eyes. She looks calm, even at this moment. \nYou cannot believe she is
about to leave this world forever.
Anni Sirin takes a look around before she speaks. Her voice is quiet, but you are
close enough to hear every single word.\nShe says she is happy to give her lives
fighting for the rights of the people. Her cause will never die, Anni claims —
others like her will continue their work in hiding, for their cause is right and
just!
She is dragged away to the others. They put a sack over her head and tighten a
noose around her neck.\nA hand yanks on the lever, and the seven dangle in the air.
\nTheir feet tremble at first, then grow still.
There are gasps and cries of discontent in the crowd.
Year 1136, Summer — The Feast of the Heir
The capital is preparing for a great celebration: the coming of age of Jerian
Tempest, heir to the throne.\nRibbons and flags flutter in the wind, the streets
are scrubbed clean, and the scent of flowers fills the air.\nYou, too, set some
time aside to join the celebration. It is not often that you can see the ruling
family of the Empire firsthand.
The celebration day comes, and Eterna is abuzz. A festive procession starts on the
streets. Students from the College and cadets from the Military Academy march in
front, lined up in columns, and other citizens follow suite. \nYou join the parade
around the tail of the procession. Before long, it reaches the square in front of
the Emperor’s palace.\n
The ruling dynasty of Tempests observes the parade from the palace balcony. They
are joined by the Empire’s highest dignitaries and province Overseers.\nFor the
first time in your life, you see Emperor Uther II with your own eyes — there, high
up above.
The columns of College students and Academy cadets come to a halt at the balcony
and salute the Emperor with their mottos.\nThe Emperor raises his hand in a gesture
of benevolent greeting. \nThen his voice echoes across the square. You can hear him
easily, even from so far away.\n
“I accept your gratitude, my loyal subjects. Take pride as you wield your knowledge
and valor in service to the Empire! All who are worthy will be ennobled by the
Mantle, by my grace!”\n
The nobles-to-be cheer the Emperor’s words. But then Archduke Monrogue steps onto
the balcony, and their jubilation gives way to murmurs of discontent.\nEveryone
here remembers all too well how the ruler of Monia tried to shut down the College
by force.\nStill, the Archduke is the de-facto leader of the Arknian gentry. He is
a force to be reckoned with, even for the Emperor.
“Hail your Emperor, common folk! Be forever obedient and grateful for the good
graces you do not deserve by birth!”\n
But then everyone grows silent.\nA young, slender Arknian with a shy smile comes
forth. There are whispers in the crowd: that’s Prince Jerian, heir to the throne!
Student of Cornelius, promise and the hope of the common estate!\nTo the left of
Jerian is his younger brother Flavius. He is baffled at the sight of the parade
below, too young to process what he is seeing.\n
“May the Twins be kind to you, my future subjects! I promise to repay you in kind
and help you prosper in your loyal service to the Empire!”
Exalted by these words, the nobles-to-be roar as one: “All hail Prince Jerian!”\
nAnother figure steps into view next to the heir. He is an Arknian, elegantly
dressed, and his mantle bears the Tempest colors. He raises his arms, about to make
a speech.\n
“Long live Prince Jerian! Students of the College, cadets of the Academy — time and
again you have proven yourselves to the Empire by word and deed!\n“Today is a day
of great celebration. And, in honor of Prince Jerian, you must ask the Emperor to
guarantee forever the right of distinguished common folk to be ennobled by the
Mantle. \n“So ask now!”
The cadets and students freeze in hesitation. They exchange glances, unsure whether
to follow the words of the Emperor’s own brother. \nOn the balcony high above,
Prince Jerian also remains still, listening to every reaction from the crowd.\
nArchduke Monrogue briskly steps into view once more. He takes several seconds to
observe the crowd before he speaks.\n
“Imperial subjects! What the Emperor’s brother wishes to say is that you must
always remember that you owe your status to the Tempest dynasty. The Emperor
accepts your gratitude and sends you off with his blessing. You may leave now!”
Commotion and murmurs spreads over the crowd as some of the nobles-to-be refuse to
follow Archduke Monrogue’s order. There are shouts heard here and there: “The law!
We ask for the law!”\nThe Academy officers and teachers of the College urge them to
fall in line and resume the parade, but tension is rising. The crowd slowly grows
enraged and unruly.
An Imperial Guard cavalry regiment emerges from the palace. They start slowly
advancing on the crowd, hands on their swords, pushing people out of the square.\
nThe commoners are now running left and right. You, too, have to move away.\nThis
quickly quells the commotion in the square, and the cavalry withdraws.
Emperor Uther II appears on the balcony again. Archduke Monrogue stands by his
side.\nThe square falls silent at the sight of the sovereign.
“My subjects, I can see how overjoyed you are for Prince Jerian! But your show of
reverence and gratitude was clear enough. Now obey my will — continue the parade,
and sing the praises of the Tempest dynasty that has given you so much!”\n
The square obediently lines up in columns once again.\nThe bout of defiance is in
the past now; and they resume the festive parade through the city streets.
Glory to Emperor Uther! Glory to Prince Jerian!\n
Year 1136, Summer — Letters from Home
There are days when you receive letters from home. \nFather’s writing is very
reserved. He mostly discusses events and work in Magra and writes very little about
the family.
“It makes me proud that I have managed to teach Stephan how to handle our affairs
at home. Your older brother behaves impeccably at the society balls and receptions
that we host. He has already made several crucial acquaintances.”
But Gloria has a different opinion of Stephan: she thinks your older brother is
taking more and more after Grandfather.
“Stephan is a lot like Grandfather. It’s in his manners, his posture, his voice —
he even dresses just like him! He used to be aloof around me, and we barely talked
in the past, but now he always blames me and tears me apart! I can’t take it
anymore. He walks all over me all the time and treats me like a housemaid.”
Mother writes to you. From her letters you learn that Nathan just barely managed to
graduate from school.
“It makes me sad to admit that Nathan has none of the talents you have. The other
day he told me he won’t even try to study in the capital. He says he won’t be able
to pass the exams.\n“I find solace only in the nights Nathan and I spend together
reading the scriptures and our walks to the church by the Silver Tree. He
accompanies me every time.”
Your sister and younger brother write about Mother too, and they say the same thing
about her health. \nShe now spends more time locked away in her chambers to brood.
Gloria does her best to accompany Mother when she leaves home, and Nathan’s letters
mention her steps echoing in the halls in the middle of the night.
There is one more thing Nathan mentions in his letters: Stephan and Gloria have
been fighting very often these days.
“Stephan always tries to get under Gloria’s skin, and she answers him in kind! Then
Stephan calls her a lowly commoner to make her shut up.”
You always tremble in excitement each time you see a new letter with the seal of
your home province.\nYour fate is still bound tightly to your family’s, no matter
the distance between you.
Year 1137, Summer — The Overseer of Magra
Two major events take place while you are busy living your life. \nFirstly,
Cornelius Tempest is no longer the Great Chancellor of the Empire. He has been
ousted and sent back to his province.\nHis replacement is the Archduke of Monia,
Aegerius Monrogue — the same Monrogue who sought to shut down the College. The most
powerful lord in the realm finally convinced the Emperor that his brother Cornelius
was giving too much freedom to the lowborn.
Now the policies of the Empire will be reversed. Many fear that the new Great
Chancellor will destroy the imperial Code of Laws and other achievements of
Cornelius.\nThere are cautious rumors among the people. They say the new Great
Chancellor is going to revoke the right of the common Lot to be ennobled by the
Mantle.
Secondly, Magra, your homeland, now has a new Overseer: Gaius Tempest, the other
brother of Emperor Uther II.\nUsually the Overseer of a province is its Archduke —
after all, it makes sense for the province’s most powerful noble to impart the
Emperor’s will to the locals. \nYet now this age-old tradition has been broken,
and, to no one’s surprise, Archduke Tarquinius Milanidas is absolutely furious.
Gaius Tempest used to be the main supporter of his brother, former Great Chancellor
Cornelius Tempest. \nThe nobles at the Emperor’s court say this is a stratagem by
the Arknian gentry, who want Gaius removed from court affairs along with
Cornelius.\nEither way, Gaius Tempest and Tarquinius Milanidas will be at each
other’s throats over the province. This does not bode well for their future.
Only one thing is clear: Magra, your home province, is about to face great changes.
Year 1137, Winter — Diamant Stands Trial
Just before you leave the capital, you overhear something unusual on the street:
Junius Diamant, Patriarch of Astinia and one of the leaders of the New Faith, will
stand trial before a Church tribunal!\nThe Order of the Inquisition has accused
Patriarch Junius of patronizing blasphemous witches and disseminating heresy.
The Holy Tribunal claims that Junius Diamant was scheming to free all witches and
sorcerers from the collars that fetter their accursed powers.\nAnd, what’s worse,
the Patriarch was also accused of forming the Lotless, a dangerous secret society
based in the Imperial capital.\nMembers of this society have been assaulting
Inquisitors and priests of the Church, as well as freeing witches from the
cleansing fire and helping them escape the Holy Law.
Now the Patriarch must face the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition in Eterna.\nBy all
accounts, this is a devastating blow to the New Faith and the end of days for
Junius Diamant himself. The Inquisition will make the most of this opportunity to
rid the land of this unwelcome Patriarch who dared to shake the foundation of the
Old Faith.
But then comes the sudden news of Patriarch Junius’ reply to the Holy Tribunal. It
is no less stunning than the accusation.
“These words are nothing but lies. I will say this to anyone who dares to bring
this accusation against me in person. But I want those hypocrites to bear the full
weight of their responsibility for this slander against me, my flock, the Diamant
dynasty, and the Holy Order. \n“I agree to stand trial before the Holy Tribunal,
but I will face them on my own land and on my terms.”
Patriarch Junius has already received strong support from Patriarch Luke and many
priests across Arknia. Parishes of the New Faith throughout the Empire are now
speaking out in support of Junius Diamant. The Church of the Twin Gods is about to
be rent in twain.
The Inquisition has no choice but to revoke the trial in order to avert the coming
schism. \nTheir new official stance is that Patriarch Junius has been wrongfully
accused, and the Holy Tribunal will now apply more cautious judgment during any
further trials against the followers of the New Faith. Following the teachings of
Patriarch Fotis is no longer seen as heresy by the Inquisition.
The trial of Junius Diamant has been averted, but the divide within the Church is
only deepening.\nThe New Faith has directly challenged the Old Faith.
The result is uncertain, depending on who you ask. \nSome say Junius Diamant all
but pled guilty; others believe the Patriarch and the alleged rebellion against the
Church as well as the Inquisition is nothing but a ruse. There are also people who
think the entire situation sounds like one of the Secret Chancellery’s dirty deeds.
One way or another, the Patriarch of Astinia and co-leader of the New Faith remains
at his post. \nBut for how long? And how will the Old Faith and the New Faith clash
next?
The End of Youth
The years of your youth have come to an end. The time has come to leave the capital
behind and return to your family and new business in your hometown of Anizotte.\
nThe years away from home were full of tumult and hardship. Your adult shoulders
now bear the burden of your first life-changing decisions. Did you have the freedom
to choose this Lot for yourself, or was it your destiny all along, ever since your
childhood years?\nAll you can do now is follow the path that lies before you.
The Road Back Home
As the carriage wheels clack a steady rhythm over the cobblestones, you watch the
lands of Magra, rendered dry and desolate by ancient magic, sail by the window.\
nYou are back in your home province, but you are no longer the boy who left it by
this very road four years ago.\nYou return a nobleman and a judge. You are
continuing the family trade. You have returned to serve at the province’s
prefecture.
Your home, Anizotte, is but a few hours away along this dusty road. The carriage is
stuffy and hot from the sun, even with the thick blinders shut tight. It is a
familiar heat, but you will now need to get used to it again.\nThe heat weighs
heavy on you, but it also reminds you of your childhood. You will see your family
again soon. \nTo pass the time before your return home, you read your father’s most
recent letter.
Again and again you carefully reread your father’s uneasy words, steeling yourself
for your first real job and the service that awaits.
“Dear <username>, I anxiously await your return, my son. You are the third judge in
our bloodline, the pride of our family! \n“Yet these are hard times for a judge. By
the Emperor’s decree, Archduke Tarquinius Milanidas is no longer the Overseer of
Magra. The new Overseer is the Emperor’s own brother Gaius Tempest. And now our
province has been split by enmity and strife between the Archduke and the Overseer.
“The nobles have split into two factions, and so too have the commoners. Some side
with the Archduke, loyal to their liege and determined to follow the traditions of
old. Yet many judges and officials are eager to side with Gaius Tempest as the new
Overseer. Compared to his brother Cornelius, he is less radical and more cautious,
but he, too, seeks to transform the Empire and bring the estates to peace.
“Yet other Arknians are outraged that Archduke Milanidas has been deposed. One
among them is Dorius Otton, High Commander of Magra. \n“Although Otton and his men
are sworn to serve Gaius Tempest and follow his orders, it is no secret that his
loyalty remains with the Archduke.
“While Gaius and the Archduke are at odds, there has been no open confrontation...
yet. I fear their patience may one day run dry.
“As for the judges at the Prefecture, every day we deal with more and more
litigation between nobles and commoners, yet there are no Imperial laws that
clearly formalize the rights of all three estates.\n“Wisdom, honor, and conscience
are every judge’s best advisors these days.
“You made the choice to serve the law, and you will have your work cut out for you.
You will answer directly to Prefect Augustin El Borne, a longstanding friend of the
family. He needs strong allies now more than ever.\n“With the support of people
such as you and I, the Prefect intends to alter the fate of our province. I am
looking forward to seeing you back in Anizotte, <username>.”
You put the letter back in your pocket. \nThe walls of Anizotte have finally
emerged on the horizon.\nA challenging job at the Prefecture awaits you… but first
you are going home.
Seventh Year of Service
Another year of service as a judge is behind you. But you have no time to
celebrate.\nYour days are filled with unremarkable litigation and similar-looking
complaints. Again and again you see poorly-written complaint forms. They claim that
noble landowners are extorting money, punishing commoners for nothing, doing
whatever they please. You have noticed a change in tone, from pleading to desperate
to quietly furious.\nThe lowborn Lot is to suffer, but how much longer can they
endure?
Every day, once the petty litigation has been dealt with, you return to Otton’s
case. Again and again — for two years now — you search for a way to do the
unthinkable: to have an Arknian, and the High Commander at that, convicted for his
crimes.
You have not heard from Otton since your encounter at the City Hall. But he likely
has spies among the judges and gendarmes. Sooner or later he will realize the true
state of your progress and find a way to get rid of this case… and you. \nUnless
you are prepared to strike the first blow.
But what should you do? Will you speak against Otton in public and summon him to a
trial? Is there any other way to deal with the High Commander?\nEither way, now is
not the time.\nAnd so you wait and prepare.
You and Jeanne are returning to Anizotte together.
You listen to the spinning wheels of the carriage as it makes its way along the
road. You see the land of Magra through the window — empty, desiccated by ancient
magic.
You are home. But you are no longer the boy who took this road to the capital four
years ago.\nYou are coming back a priest. Could your family ever have imagined that
this would be the Lot with which you would return? You will begin your service with
the Inquisition in your home province.
You will be reunited with your family soon.
A Note from Underground
The carriage makes its way along the road. You see the land of Magra through the
window, empty and desiccated by ancient magic.
Your home, Anizotte, is but a few hours away along this road. The carriage is
stuffy and hot from the sun, even with the thick blinds pulled tight. It is a
familiar heat, but you will now need to get used to it again.\nThe heat weighs
heavily on you, but it also reminds you of your childhood. You will see your family
again soon. \nHow will they react to you? Will they accept you after you betrayed
their hopes and their trust?
You are back in your native province. You will be home soon. But you are no longer
the boy who took this very road to the capital four years ago.
But who are you now? A clandestine outlaw? A rebel? Or an agent of the Secret
Chancellery?\nWhat future awaits you now? Can you get your freedom back? Can you
save everything you hold dear?
To drive away the worries about your new life and new destiny, you reread Sophia’s
letter yet again.
“I’m glad you didn’t do anything stupid and chose to seize your chance for freedom,
Brante.\nI’ll go to Anizotte a week after you. Both of us coming back at the same
time might attract unwanted attention. It’s best if nobody even knows we have
anything to do with each other. We’ll find an excuse for our frequent meetings
later.
“You should go home and reconnect with your family. Don’t draw any attention. Keep
your head down. Don’t leave that old house of yours. When the time comes, I’ll find
you.
“Tell everyone you’re planning to open a print shop. Find a building to rent for
it, someplace far from prying eyes. It’ll be our underground headquarters. I’ll
tell you more about our mission when we meet.
“That’s all.”
You put the letter back in your pocket. \nThe walls of Anizotte have finally
emerged on the horizon.\nBefore you do anything else, you are going home.
Year 1139. The Archduke and the Overseer
Two powerful lords have been struggling for power in Magra for over two years now.\
nThe new Overseer of the province, Gaius Tempest, cannot seem to rein in the
obstinate spirit of Archduke Tarquinius Milanidas.\nUnwilling to accept that he is
no longer the Overseer of Magra, the Archduke still stubbornly continues to assert
his right to rule the province. Most of the Magran gentry, who swore allegiance to
him generations ago, remain loyal to him even now.
Gaius Tempest has publicly demanded that the Archduke recognize the Overseer’s rule
as legitimate:
“I am the voice and the will of Emperor Uther II in the province of Magra. All
lands, deeds, and titles notwithstanding, Archduke Milanidas must obey his
sovereign’s will and heed his decree! I hereby extend to the Archduke an offer of
peace: should the Archduke cease his insubordination, his lands, deeds, and titles
shall remain his own.”
The Archduke’s response to the Overseer was openly defiant.
“Since the days of yore, the land of Magra has belonged to the Milanidas dynasty.
We are part of the Empire, and we are the Emperor’s loyal servants. However, our
dynasty will not stand for such intrusion upon our lawful rights and privileges.
Never before has an Archduke been stripped of his right to represent the Emperor’s
rule in his own province. So do not forget, sir Overseer, that the highest noble
families of Magra have sworn fealty to me alone!”
Neither the Archduke nor the Overseer will relent, but both are too powerful to be
readily disposed of.\nThe bad blood between the two Arknians has festered for too
long, and the common people have begun to pay the price for their strife.
Stripped of the Overseer’s tax privileges, the Archduke Milanidas has decided to
impose his own levy upon the citizens and villagers of Magra. The commoners are now
forced to pay taxes twice — first to the the Overseer, and then to the Archduke.\
nThis double burden is too much for the common people of Magra to bear. Many have
refused the second tax outright as a lawless measure, but the Imperial Legion, led
by young Dorius Otton, is ruthless. Eagerly and without mercy, the Legion soldiers
collect the Archduke’s due in cities and villages alike.
Year 1140. Egmont’s Speech
Just a few days into the year, Mayer Egmont, chairman of the Lesser Quorum and
owner of several silver mines, made a speech that caused quite a stir in the
province.\nThough a commoner, Egmont had the gall to demand that the Magran
authorities both enforce and obey Imperial law.
“What’s the use of the Imperial laws if they aren’t enforced as they should be?
Even today, any Anizotte nobleman who gets up on the wrong side of the bed can draw
his sword and run a commoner through with impunity!\n“These gentlemen may be our
rulers, but does that mean they can defy the Emperor’s will? Sir El Borne has been
appointed to enforce the rule of law in Magra — how come the Prefect doesn’t see
this?
“We commoners aren’t trying to seize the noble Lot and take over the province. But
the rule of tradition is a thing of the past.\nThis is the age of justice. We may
not all be equal in its eyes, but even the nobles and clergy must obey the law!”
The Magran aristocracy is furious with Egmont and demands that he be silenced, but
the rich industrialist has too much money and too many connections to be dealt with
so easily.\nYou hear more and more rumors about secret societies of commoners
appearing in the city, plotting against noble rule. The gentry fears that Egmont
and his peers might be behind this, but they have no proof — at least for now.
Father Lennart, abbot of the temple of the Silver Tree and leader of the New
Believers, supports Egmont and has spoken publicly in his favor.
“The Twins Themselves entrusted the noble estate with the right to rule over the
common folk. But rulers must also care for their subjects. The Old Faith is
mistaken: no commoner should ever be forced to suffer. It is for this very reason
that the Imperial law exists — it is there to ease the people’s suffering. May
those laws be duly enforced, and may they serve all the people of the Empire!”\n
Year 1141. The Guns of Eliria
Magra has received alarming news from the neighboring province of Eliria: the
lowborn convicts toiling in the Elirian mines have revolted against their noble
masters.\nFor the first time in many long, peaceful years, commoners have taken up
arms.
Worse yet, the insurgents had guns and gunpowder — and no one knows how they got
them.\nGunpowder weapons were banned throughout the Empire as soon as they were
invented. The lords deemed firearms dishonorable and unfit for the nobles. Even
Legion soldiers are forbidden from using them.\nBut now gunshots were echoing
through the mutinous Elirian mines.
The Imperial Legion was deployed to quell the riot. The legionnaires slaughtered
the rebels without mercy, and the uprising choked to death on its own blood before
it had even begun.\nThe south of Eliria is now a forest of gallows — the convicts’
corpses were left swaying in the wind as a warning to any commoner who might dare
to take up arms.
Although the rebellion quickly succumbed to the Imperial military’s onslaught, many
Legion soldiers and officers were slain by the insurgents’ firearms — their steel
armor was no match for bullets.\nThe rioters’ weapons were destroyed in a public
ceremony, but no one knows who built or smuggled them into the mines.\nAll Imperial
Overseers soon issued public reminders in their provinces: the punishment for
owning a gunpowder weapon is true death by execution.
But the Empire is still restless, still anxious. Somehow, guns found their way into
commoners’ hands, if only for a short time.\nCould gunpowder and lead one day
endanger the old ways of the Empire?
Authorities of Magra fear that unrest may soon spill over here.\nDue to the double
tax, peasant farms and industrial manufactories are facing harsh times. The
province's wealth is steadily declining.\nBut the discontent of the commoners is
still held back by the eternal Lot that demands they accept their suffering.
Year 1141. The Procession to the Tree
A holy day is coming, a day when the entire Empire thanks the Twins for the Silver
Tree, the sign They left behind as a reminder of Their eternal presence in this
world.\nThis momentous occasion is especially important for Anizotte, but the
clergy cannot agree on how best to celebrate it.\nFather Lennart has called for all
worshippers of the Twins to approach the temple of the Silver Tree and kneel before
the sacred relic. But the old clergy balks at the idea of Lennart and the New
Believers leading the ritual.
The day has come. An immense crowd is moving in a procession toward the temple near
the Silver Tree, where Father Lennart awaits.\nBut an inquisitor by the name of
Jeanne stands in their way. She strikes a defiant pose.\nConfronted by a member of
the Holy Order of the Inquisition, the procession reluctantly stops.
“People! Turn back! Those who attend Lennart’s rite will succumb to the New Faith.
Those who reject the Lots will defy Their divine design!\n“You’re about to bring
the Wrath of the Gods down upon us all! Open your eyes! Go back to your homes, and
pray to the Twins!”
The procession wants to move, but the people are confused — until Father Lennart
himself walks out of the temple to meet Jeanne face to face.
“People of Anizotte! No one has the right to deny you the sacred ritual of
worshipping at the Tree — not even the Inquisition! Is such a denial not more
likely to provoke the Wrath of the Twins?”
“The Inquisition must know that the New Faith does not seek to challenge or defy
the Twins. We are merely trying to correct the mistakes of those who came before
us. We do not anger the Twins; we merely vex those who refuse to accept the dawn of
a new age.”
Jeanne finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Seeing that she has no other
choice, she lets the procession pass.\nThe New Faith’s numbers have swelled of
late. It cannot be stopped now.
Year 1142. The Emperor’s Heirs in Danger
News from the capital quickly reaches every corner of the Empire. Jerian and
Flavius, the heirs to the throne, have left the Emperor’s palace for the province
of Monia, which is ruled by Great Chancellor Aegerius Monrogue.\nThe Great
Chancellor has accused the Emperor’s court of harboring malefactors conspiring
against the Imperial heirs. This is why he has offered them shelter and safety in
his own impregnable citadel.
The common people are particularly worried by the news — they take it as a sign
that the chancellor is seeking to solidify his power by holding the heirs hostage.\
nIf this continues, Monrogue could coerce the Emperor into revoking the Imperial
Law, thus depriving the common estate of any and all rights!
All hope for reform in the Empire has vanished. From farmer to rich industrialist,
the commoners are growing desperate.\nIn your province, the authorities are trying
their best to put the people at ease. The magistrate of Anizotte makes a speech
from his balcony to the excited crowd below:
“Trust in your Emperor, good people. The Imperial heirs are the future of the great
Tempest dynasty. The Emperor has made the wise decision to send them far away from
the scheming court. Great Chancellor Monrogue will take good care of them and keep
them safe. All glory to the Empire! All glory to the Tempests!”
Year 1143. The Last Straw
Rumors are running wild in Anizotte. People say that a mysterious clandestine
society called the the Last Straw holds the entirety of the city’s seedy underbelly
in its clutches, with men and safe houses all over Anizotte, plotting and scheming
against the nobles and the rulers of the province.\nTheir leader is a woman, a
ruthless criminal by the name of Sophia. She has evaded all attempts at capture.
The common people both fear the Last Straw and sympathize with their cause. If the
rumors are true, the city finally has someone who will stop at nothing to help the
people claim their rights.\nBut who would support this secret organization? And how
did the insurgents manage to survive this long? No one in the city knows the
answers.
Magistrate El Verman must assuage the people’s fears once again:
“The vile mutineers and heretics who call themselves the Last Straw will be caught
and executed very soon, and anyone who has given them money and shelter will meet
the same fate. The Secret Chancellery will make sure of that!”
But even facing a manhunt, the Last Straw still endures. Slowly but surely, the
influence of this underground organization is spreading throughout the city.
Year 1144. The Archduke Relents
After many years, the simmering, unceasing hostilities between Overseer Gaius
Tempest and Archduke Milanidas have finally come to an end.\nThe Archduke has
abandoned all attempts to collect additional taxes from the people.
“By my grace, I hereby release the common people of Magra from the Archduke’s tax.
All hail the dynasty of Milanidas, which has protected you since time immemorial!”
The farmers and merchants can finally heave a sigh of relief.\nUnexpectedly, the
Archduke soon withdrew from all provincial affairs, sequestering himself in his
ancestral castle of Serpenverda.\nThe gentry who remained loyal to the Archduke are
baffled. Has he accepted defeat at the hands of the Overseer, or is this just an
elaborate ruse?
Either way, with the Archduke out of the picture, the senior gentry of Magra have
lost some of their influence to the Overseer and his retinue of budding dynasties
and nobles of the Mantle.\nThe feud between the two Arknian rulers has ended, but
the noble estate has been split nonetheless. The common people see this as a yet
another reason to demand change.
Year 1145. A Storm on the Horizon
For over a year now Anizotte has been steadily simmering with unrest, like a soup
pot over a well-stoked flame.\nCommoners flock to the squares in droves. The mobs
grow bolder, demanding new freedoms and protection under the law. The Last Straw
insurgents commit brazen acts, hoping to overthrow the authorities.\nThe noble
gentry insisted that every mob be dispersed by force. They are ready to fight for
their ancient privilege, sword in hand. In spite of this enormous pressure,
Overseer Gaius Tempest remains highly reluctant to allow any bloodshed.
But the common people are already too desperate. Even the age-old fear of the
nobility’s might is barely enough to keep them in check.\nMore and more people are
rejecting the Lots and converting to the New Faith — not to mention other,
stranger, more esoteric teachings and beliefs. New secret societies and clandestine
gatherings appear every day. Printed pamphlets litter the streets.\nYet no one is
rushing to subdue the citizens or punish the city — for now.
Father Lennart has transformed the temple of the Silver Tree into a New Believer
stronghold. He is no longer afraid to break the ban on preaching the New Faith. His
sermons now openly challenge the Old Faith.
“It seems the Church of the Twins is unable to recognize its great mistake. The
Lots must be abandoned as relics of the past. The Twins granted everyone the
freedom to choose their own path in this world, and I will not stop until this
freedom is recognized throughout the Empire!”\n
“The next patriarch of Magra must be chosen by the parish, not the clergy. This is
the Will of the Twins, and it must be ours as well!”
Lennart intends to amend the old order of the Church and become Patriarch. His
opponents, however, are beset by internal struggle and strife.\nThe Inquisition is
fighting a myriad of heresies, more of which appear every day. Not even the highest
ranks of the Faith are free from suspicion.\nThe New Faith, meanwhile, is steadily
growing in numbers. People no longer fear being damned to the Foot of the Pillar
for rejecting the divine design.
The streets are restless and dangerous. Minds and souls are beset by confusion. The
authorities argue and bicker among themselves. Conspiracies plague the city.\nTime
marches on and the change is coming. It cannot be stopped. Can you find a way to
guide it in the right direction?\nThe weight of a new age now rests upon your
shoulders.
The Revolt Begins
You leave the Prefecture feeling uneasy.\nYour determined struggle for justice and
equality before the law has led the people of Magra to feel empowered for the first
time. Sensing their strength, they have taken up arms.\nIs this really what you
were striving for?
After the last confrontation between the rebels and the noble militia in front of
the Prefecture, the city has fallen silent. A traveler passing by would think that
life in Anizotte is carrying on as usual.\nBut rumors about the massacre in which
the Last Straw slaughtered the noble cavalry have already reached every house in
the city.
For the first time in memory, commoners have dared to take up arms against their
masters.
Mayer Egmont tried to demand rights for the lowly estate, but he was quickly
defeated.\nNow his place has been taken by the Last Straw.
The former underground movement led by the merciless Sophia will stop at nothing in
their struggle for a new order.\nAnd their numbers are growing.
The time for peaceful appeals has passed. The wrath of the people is gaining
momentum by the hour.\r\nTheir rulers can no longer appease them by throwing them a
bone and slightly loosening their grip. The commoners of Anizotte are ready to
fight to the true death for their rights.
Remy El Verman is already dead, his life taken by the verdict of the People’s
Court.\nHe was strangled by the mob that broke into the City Hall. The Magistrate’s
lifeless body now hangs just outside the windows of his office for all to see.
Whether you want it or not, the Revolt cannot be stopped now.
Dawn in breaking. You anxiously watch the streets of Anizotte from your window.\
nThe Night of the Serpents was supposed to purge the city of the noble freethinkers
who supported Gaius Tempest and silence the demands for more rights for the
commoners.
That night, nobles loyal to Archduke Milanidas broke into their enemies’ mansions
and executed those who had sullied their good name by betraying the ancient
traditions.\nThey managed to slay many of the Overseer’s supporters.
But as the menacing procession was marching toward the house of its principal
enemy, Prefect El Borne, squadrons of commoners armed with guns suddenly barred its
path.
The militia’s riders attacked at once. In mere moments, their deafening gunfire
sent Magra’s noble elite off to meet the Twins.
This attempt by the nobles to stop change in Magra once and for all became the
spark that lit the fire of the Revolt.
Magistrate El Verman is dead. The noble militia led by Otton has been defeated. But
the Arknian commander is still trying to build a new army and punish the lowborn.\
nArchduke Milanidas has taken refuge in his ancestral castle, too far from the city
to interfere in events that are unfolding with dizzying speed.
Obsessed by their struggle for power, they completely disregarded the commoners.\
nWhile the nobles were busy with their feuds, the lowly estate sensed its own power
and dared to take up arms.
You step away from the window, lost in troubling thoughts.\nYou may have survived
the Night of the Serpents, but the real struggle is just beginning.
Word about the sentence you passed upon the Arknian commander instantly spreads
throughout Anizotte.\nThe commoners are celebrating — for the first time, the law
has proven to be more powerful than the ancient authority of the Arknians!
All over the city, triumphant crowds are assembling. The people praise Judge Brante
and declare an end to their oppression.\nThe outcries become more daring by the
hour.\n“Freedom from tyranny!”\n“Down with the noble yoke!”
The authorities anxiously observe the people’s reverie. El Borne receives orders
from the Magistrate to disperse the crowds with gendarmes, but he refuses to do so
on the grounds that the people are unarmed and assembling peacefully.\nEl Verman is
livid. The animosity among the ruling circles is quickly transforming into naked
enmity.
Humiliated, Otton refuses to comply with his sentence and go into exile.
“The city is on the brink of a revolt! Whatever that dishonorable court may have
decided, my duty is to remain in Magra and stop this maddened mob!”
The nobility of Anizotte eagerly gather under Otton’s banners, outraged by his
sentence. They assemble a militia, ready to quell the disturbances with force.
The news that Otton has refused to comply with the court’s sentence infuriates the
common folk.\nThe crowds in the squares become larger. Gangs of armed commoners
take to the streets.
Remy El Verman is already dead, his life taken by the verdict of the People’s
Court.\nHe was strangled by the mob that broke into the City Hall. The chancellor’s
lifeless body now hangs just outside the windows of his office for all to see.
There is no stopping the Revolt now.\nBut you know that after Otton’s trial, your
name carries weight in the eyes of the commoners.\nHow will you use their support
at this crucial moment?
The Court of Honor has meted out its justice. Victorious, you return from the
Overseer’s headquarters to Anizotte, accompanied by a squadron of Legion soldiers.\
nThe soldiers have been assigned to you for the purpose of carrying out Gaius
Tempest’s personal orders.
“<el> Brante, I’m entrusting you with an affair of the utmost importance. During
the last year, Anizotte has veered dangerously close to a revolt. Commoners who
refuse to know their place, conspirators, New Faith fanatics...\n“I have no choice
— I must build an army and put an end to these disturbances.
“Sadly, Sir El Borne appears to be too merciful and incapable of dealing with the
unrest. Prove to me that you can take his place. Maintain order in the city until
my arrival.”
You arrive in Anizotte to find demonstrations in the squares, passionate sermons,
and demands for equality.\nThe news that Otton has been tried by the Court of Honor
merely fans the flames. The disgraced commander has returned to Anizotte and
refuses to go into exile.
“The city is on the brink of a revolt! Whatever the Court of Honor may have
decided, my duty is to remain in Magra and stop this maddened mob!”
After the humiliation Otton suffered in Enerie, it is difficult for him to gather
Anizotte’s noblemen beneath his banners. But many nobles who are against Gaius
Tempest are outraged to see such an insult inflicted upon a fellow elite.\nThey
assemble a militia ready to deal with the disturbances.
After receiving the news that Otton has refused to go into exile, the city seems
about to burst into flames.\nThe crowds in the squares have become larger. Armed
commoners take to the streets.
You have only a small squad of legionnaires under your command. For the moment,
stopping the simmering Revolt is simply beyond you.\nBut tomorrow, everything could
change.
The power the Old Faith once held over Anizotte dissipated along with ashes of
Ulrich and Cassius.
The news that an inquisitor was annihilated by the wrath of the Twins Themselves
has shaken the trust the people once had in the Order.\nThe execution of the
apostate patriarch has caused great turmoil in Magra. Commoners, clergy, nobles —
no one knows what to believe in anymore.
Abbot Lennart stubbornly continues to guide the New Believers alone.\nCountless
citizens have joined him since Ulrich’s defeat.
“What more proof is needed to show that we are right? The Inquisition and Cassius
tried to fight the Twins and failed! The Old Faith is dead.\n“As patriarch, I,
Lennart, will lead you to the true teachings and freedom from the Lots. The entire
Empire will eventually follow Magra on this path!”
Hordes of New Believers occupy the temples, squares, and streets. They are joined
by disaffected citizens, conspirators, and heretics of all stripes.
Thanks to your efforts, the Inquisition has retained considerable power.\nBut since
the fateful day when Ulrich was burned alongside Patriarch Cassius, the order has
been forced into a defensive position.
Cassius’s overthrow was a severe blow to the Old Faith.\nDisturbances have broken
out all over the city.
Your patronage of the New Faith has transformed it from an oppressed movement into
a prominent power.\nAnd this power stands poised to eradicate the old Church and
establish its own rule throughout Magra.
The New Believers are led by Abbot Lennart.\nCountless citizens have joined him
since Cassius death.
“The Old Faith’s time has passed. It must make way for the true teachings! As
patriarch, I, Lennart, will lead you to freedom from the Lots.\n“The entire Empire
will eventually follow Magra on this path!”
The name of Inquisitor Brante is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Your victories
have gained you the support of priests of the New Faith and their flock.\nBut the
real battle for the people’s souls is yet to come.
The Revolt is coming.
Cassius’s death at the hands of an enraged mob has dealt a severe blow to the Old
Faith.\nThe entire city is incensed. Street brawls and vigilante justice have
become commonplace. Fanatics drag priests of the Old Faith out of their hiding
places and execute them.
Your patronage of the New Faith has transformed it into a prominent power.\nAnd
this power stands poised to eradicate not only the old Church, but the old order in
its entirety.
Abbot Lennart tries to stop the bloodshed and take charge of the New Believers.\
nCountless citizens have joined him since Cassius was murdered.\nThere are many
people among them who have tasted blood and freedom from any law, divine or
otherwise.
“Stop, madmen! You doom your very souls! This world will burn in the flames of the
Twins’ wrath!”
The other inquisitors support Jeanne. But, forced to defend themselves against the
bloodthirsty mob, they soon have no more time for sermons.
After the heresy preached by Cassius was denounced, the city plunged into chaos.
You used the Inquisition to overthrow the patriarch. Your victory over Cassius has
strengthened the Order’s position.\nBut since the apostate patriarch was burned at
the stake, the divide between the Old and the New Faiths has inevitably deepened.
The old order has been shaken. The patriarch’s throne in Magra is still vacant.
Taking advantage of the general confusion, Abbot Lennart persists in his attempts
to assume spiritual authority in the province.
“The Old Faith’s time has passed. It must make way for the true teachings!\n“The
new patriarch must be chosen by the parish. I, Lennart, am ready to assume this
burden and lead you to freedom from the Lots.\n“The entire Empire will eventually
follow Magra on this path!”
The Inquisition uses all of its resources to rein in the unrest, but it cannot
pacify an entire city.
You take command of a squadron of Champions of Faith and prepare for the coming
Revolt.
Mayer Egmont is dead. You now lead those who followed him.\nThey trust you and hope
that you will lead them to freedom.\nGaius Tempest must hear you. He will have to
make concessions!
But you are not the only leader of an incipient rebellion.
Sophia and her soldiers are planning to take over Anizotte, and they have no
interest in negotiating with the Overseer.\nHarsh and merciless, they believe that
freedom can only be taken by force.\nTheir revolution will inevitably destroy the
Empire.
Aside from them, disgruntled citizens are rising up all over the city. Priests of
the New Faith and many of the nobles of the Mantle are now sided with the
commoners.\nAfter hearing Egmont’s fervent speeches and your impassioned pleas, the
masses are now waging a desperate struggle for their rights.\nIt cannot be stopped
anymore.
Felipe El Ferro is the first to realize it.\nHis scheme has birthed a genuine
revolt, and the Secret Chancellery has lost any chance it once had of putting it
down.\nFearing for his life, the advisor flees Anizotte.
The shadow of the imperial executioner that has loomed over you all these years is
now gone. You are finally free.\nAnd soon, your city will be free too.
After eight years of careful plotting, the streets of Anizotte are ablaze with the
flame of rebellion.\nFelipe’s scheme has birthed a genuine revolt.\nAlas, the
advisor is not here to witness it — Sophia executed him without mercy.
Sophia and her Last Straw soldiers are planning to take over Anizotte, and they
have no interest in negotiating with the Overseer.\nHarsh and merciless, they
believe that freedom can only be taken by force.\nTheir revolution will inevitably
destroy the Empire.
Disgruntled citizens are rising up all over the city.\nThe Last Straw’s Revolt has
led the masses to wage a desperate struggle for their rights.\nIt cannot be stopped
anymore.
Despite the growing chaos, you have no fear.\nFor the first time in years, no one
has any power over you. You will choose your own path in life from now on.\nYou
have been given a second chance, and you are not going to waste it.
flame of rebellion.\nFelipe’s scheme has birthed a genuine revolt.\nAlas, the
advisor will not witness it — with your help, the Magistrate has forced him to
leave the city.
But El Verman underestimated the might of the people’s wrath.\nFor the old
nobleman, this all was just another scheme — and ordering Egmont’s execution was a
fatal error.\nNow the Magistrate is dead, and his city is on the brink of chaos.
Sophia and her Last Straw soldiers are planning to take over Anizotte, and they
have no interest in negotiating with the Overseer.\nHarsh and merciless, they
believe that freedom can only be taken by force.\nTheir revolution will inevitably
destroy the Empire.\n
Disgruntled citizens are rising up all over the city.\nThe Last Straw’s Revolt has
led the masses to wage a desperate struggle for their rights.\nIt cannot be stopped
anymore.\n
flame of rebellion.\nFelipe’s scheme to use a fake uprising to strengthen his own
position has birthed a genuine revolt.\nAlas, the advisor is not here to witness it
— Sophia executed him without mercy.
Mayer Egmont is also dead, and his supporters have joined the Last Straw.
Sophia is planning to take over Anizotte, and she has no intention of negotiating
with the Overseer.\nHarsh and merciless, she believes that freedom can only be
taken by force.
Her revolt will inevitably destroy the Empire.
Despite the growing chaos, you have no fear.\nAfter all these years, you are
finally free.\nAnd soon your city will be free as well.
At Dawn
For years now, Anizotte has been simmering like a cookpot over a slow flame. The
powerlessness of the simple folk, unable to change the old order, has gradually
given way to rage.\nFinally, this anger became stronger than their age-old
submission to the higher estate and their fear of divine retribution.\nThis rage
was the spark that lit the fire of the Revolt.
All of Anizotte’s commoners have risen up in rebellion: workers, artisans,
merchants, beggars...\nThey all long to break free of noble tyranny and the
perpetual suffering that is their Lot.
The most daring among them have joined the Last Straw. The secret society has sent
entire squads of trained soldiers out into the streets.\nThey hand out guns and
bombs to the people — weapons that give them a chance to wage war on equal footing
against noblemen descended from generations of warriors.
But the most dangerous weapon the rebels possess is the People’s Court.\nThe
commoners have claimed the right to sentence their enemies to true death.\nThe
first nobles executed by the Last Straw this very night served as proof that these
sentences are real.
For the first time in the history of the Empire, the divine force of the law is in
possession not only of the noblemen, but also of the common estate.
Among the rebels are many New Believers. They are ready to take up arms to defend
their faith and freedom from the Lots.\nThey are led by Lennart, the abbot of the
Temple by the Silver Tree.
Prefect El Borne’s allegiance remains unknown.\nThe supreme judge has taken such
pains to give the lowly estate more rights... will he support a revolt that strives
to do the same?
Anizotte has recently been rocked by a series of spontaneous assemblies and
protests.\nThe mob demands equal rights for all estates and freedom from the
tyranny of the nobles. The authorities must recognize the New Faith and grant the
commoners the right to choose their own Lot.
By nightfall, the rebels had disposed of the guards and taken over the city gate.\
nIn a matter of minutes, Anizotte was under their control.
It is the duty of Overseer Gaius Tempest to crush the Revolt. The Arknian nobleman
feared for his own position and power, so he was reluctant to punish the rebellious
city as discontent slowly grew year by year.\nBut the ensuing uprising has left him
no choice.\nThe Overseer has announced a full-scale mobilization.
In the morning, the Legion will march toward Anizotte under his command and attempt
to return the city to Imperial authority with fire and sword.
The expeditious arrival of the Legion is the only hope the nobles have left now
that they are locked inside the city. Members of the higher estate, especially the
old aristocratic families, fear the coming rampage and strive to keep order on the
streets.
Meanwhile, the Inquisition led by Sister Jeanne is trying to stop the New Believers
and urging the people to reject the Revolt.\nBoth groups are aware that if the rest
of the province follows Anizotte into rebellion and chaos, the Empire itself and
the divine order will begin to crumble.
After nightfall, the city grows quiet. Its courtyards and squares are empty.\nIn
mansions and palaces, hasty negotiations are held, and schemes are concocted.\nIn
dark cellars, the Revolt is being prepared, and armed units are gathering. Parishes
are getting ready to defend the temples of the New Faith against the Inquisition.
All citizens, rich and poor, common and noble, are arming themselves — some with
ancestral swords, others with cleavers.\nAnizotte is preparing, waiting for the
dawn.
As the Legion arrives for the assault, the rebels assemble into a militia and get
ready to fend off the Imperial army.\nBut there is little unity in their camp —
their leaders are already mired in a power struggle.
There are also defenders of the Imperial order within the city walls: members of
the old aristocracy, soldiers of the Inquisition, priests of the Old Faith,
commoners unwilling to defy the law and the Twins’ design... these people too
refuse to lay down their arms.
The first rays of the rising sun light up the horizon. This day will go down in
history.\nYour entire life has led you to this moment. Step by step, you have made
yourself the man you are now.\nYour actions today could alter the course of
history. But are you ready to go the distance?
What will have become of you by the time the sun sets?
At first, there was nothing. No time, no sensation… nothing but darkness and void.\
nBut then a Will breathed life into nothingness. Matter and spirit were set in
motion. History began its march.
It was your turn to enter this world.
Your first memory: you are lying on your back, blinded by a bright white light.\
nYou are not alone. Above you tower the colossal figures of those who created you.\
nYou are a part of them, and they are a part of you. Between you and them is an
inexplicable connection, a strong, unbreakable link. They will always watch over
you, guard you, and protect you.
It hurts to breathe. You let out the pain in the form of a desperate scream. Your
creators extend their hands toward you.\nThere are two of them: the ones who made
your form from their own selves and brought you into this world.\nThey are united,
yet as they lean closer, you begin to see how different they are. \nYou can already
feel their differences within you, struggling against each other.
The first figure is soft and emphatic, wise and merciful.\nThe love that emanates
from it wraps you head to toe like an invisible blanket. The warmth from it is
never-ending.
The second figure is strong and powerful, commanding and noble.\nIt is harsh but
fair, a beacon of guidance, a force of protection, and merciless punishment for
every misdeed.
Yet there is also a third figure.\nIt is like a shadow barely seen behind them, yet
already pulsing with an unbreakable will to live. \nIt is the very will to live
that is now growing ever stronger within you.
A soft open palm; a strong closed fist; a lingering, distant shadow.\nYou struggle
to loosen the swaddling clothes wrapped around you and extend a tiny hand into the
world.
Reach out to the palm
Reach out to the fist
Smile at the shadow
You grasp the first of the figures by the finger.
You place a tiny hand on the second figure’s closed fist.
You smile at the figure standing behind them.
Your little palm awkwardly clasps the soft finger. \nYou explore your mother’s
hands by touch. She smiles gently as her arms wrap around you and lift you up.\nShe
smells of home: that indescribable smell, that feeling of safety that is second to
none.
Her embrace is the warmest place in the world, a place you want to stay for all
eternity.
The fist is stiff, coarse, and even unpleasant to the touch, but this firm hand
belongs to your father.\nA tiny newborn, you are helpless before the full-grown
man.\nYour little hand practically challenges him and his strength, and he accepts
the challenge.
Your father’s fist opens. His hand strokes your little hand gently, if somewhat
awkwardly.\nIt is a tender gesture, a glimpse into something he will seldom let
show in the years to come.
Your first smile appears on your face, awkward yet genuine.\nYour mother and father
exchange looks and start talking. You know no words yet, so all you hear is a
sequence of booming sounds. \nBut the stranger behind them has no need for words.
The stranger’s look is all it takes for you to feel the will to live and act that
now burns within you.
The shadow brings a finger to its lips, as if to say, “There, there, baby, don’t
cry. This is our secret now.”\nAnd then the shadow melts into the light.
Hide and Seek
As the days go by, you learn to tell your parents apart.\nYou recognize Father by
his heavy breath and strong, cold hands. He visits you rarely.
“Hello there, little <username> Brante!”
Mother’s tender voice, however, follows you day and night.
“My, you’re growing so quickly, my child!”
There are two more children in the family named Stephan and Gloria.\nGloria sings
songs to you. She often dresses you in tight clothing and gently holds your hands
as you learn to take your first steps. \nStephan likes to sweep you up and pinch
you and toss you into the air.
“Oh, look! This is your brother and sister.”
“Yeah! You’re my little brother. We’re gonna play together. But I’ll always be in
charge ‘cause you were born a commoner.”
“Be quiet, you! He doesn’t understand yet. Come on, baby <username>, let’s go play
in the yard.”
It is hot outside. You grip your brother’s hand with one hand and your sister’s
with another as they help you walk down the giant stone stairs. \nThen you sit on
the ground and start exploring the sparse blades of grass with your fingers. It
tickles. \nIn the sky far above and away from you is a gigantic pillar, a perfectly
straight stick made of light. It is so bright, it hurts to look at it.
“Why are you staring at the Shining Pillar? It’s not going anywhere, you know!”
“Hey! I wanna play hide-and-seek!”
“He’s just a little baby, how’s he gonna play?”
“Then you hide him. And I’ll try to find both of you!”
You have no idea what they are talking about, but you support them with happy
cooing. This is strange, but so exciting!\nStephan and Gloria glance at each other.
Then your brother walks to a big tree, closes his eyes, and starts shouting
something.\nGloria takes your hand and walks you through the yard.
Your sister takes you behind some thick bushes by a tall wall.\nThe light from that
light-stick on the horizon barely reaches here. You can’t see home from this place.
The ground is crawling with tiny black bugs. \nGloria sits you down on the ground
and puts a finger to her mouth for some reason.\nAnd then she’s gone.
You can no longer hear Stephan’s voice. Gloria is nowhere to be seen.\nYou feel
colder. The bugs are no fun to play with. You’ve been sitting here for a long time,
completely alone. Nobody checks on you.\nDid they forget about you? Did they
abandon you?
Cry loudly
Find your way home
Sit there and wait
You start crying, hoping to be found.
You get up off the ground and start crawling through the bushes to find your way
back home.
You start playing with leaves and twigs and little bugs.
You take a deep, deep breath and start bawling. This is the loudest you have ever
cried.\nIt is a cry of sheer terror, the cry of a boy waiting to be found, a boy
whose brother and sister hurt his feelings when they left him all alone.
You hear brisk steps, then the leaves and twigs rustling and parting.\nMother leans
over you.
“So that’s where they took you!”
Your tears dry the moment you see her. You greet her with glee. There is no reason
to be afraid anymore.\nMother picks you up, puts you to her chest, and pats you on
the head. Your brother and sister stand behind her, clearly feeling guilty.\nGloria
is in tears, just like you. Stephan keeps staring at his feet.\n
You hug Mother tightly.\nShe is here now.
You get up on your feet, swaying a little bit.\nCarefully, you take a first step,
then lose your balance and plop down on the ground again. \nBut you are determined.
You get up again and keep walking in the direction Gloria went.
You walk out of the bushes and further toward the wall of the house — and then the
most tender and gentle hands in the whole world embrace you and pick you up.\
nMother has found you.
“There you are!”
You lean on Mother’s chest and hold onto her with your arms. You want her to know
that you came here all by yourself, without any help!\nShe pats you on the head.
Your brother and sister stand behind her, clearly feeling guilty.\nGloria is in
tears. Stephan is starting at his feet.
You hug Mother tightly. She is here now.
The bush is covered with leaves swaying in the wind. You brush through them with
your fingers. The twigs and branches are stiff and will not bend. They are
different from the blades of grass.\nDown on the ground you see a group of bugs
carrying a little twig. You grab it from them. They’re so funny! One of the bugs
craws on your finger and bites it, just enough to sting a little.
You hear brisk steps, then the leaves and twigs rustling and parting.\nYour mother
leans over you.\nYou greet her with a happy face and show her the finger with the
bug on it.
Mother picks you up, puts you to her chest, and pats you on the head. Your brother
and sister stand behind her, clearly feeling guilty.\nGloria is in tears. Stephan
keeps staring at his feet.
The Great Descent
Another memory: you are still a little child, but you can already talk and run
around on your own.\nToday is out of the ordinary. Father is busy around the house,
giving orders to the servants. Throughout the day the kitchen has been abuzz with
work, and there are solemn, gloomy preparations and candles being lit. Even your
older brother Stephan is quiet today.\nMother takes your hand and brings you to
your sister Gloria.
“My son, today is the Great Descent. We honor the day when the Twin Gods descended
to us.\n“We must spend this day in reverence to the Gods. You are too young to
understand, so just do everything your sister says for now.”
Gloria takes you to the playroom. There are no toys there, no chairs. Even the
carpet has been taken away.\nThere is nothing there but a bare wooden floor.
“Today we’re not allowed to go to any other rooms. And we’ll be eating nothing but
gruel and stale bread. On the day of the Great Descent, everyone must be where they
belong.”
It is quiet… unusually so. Muffled voices from beyond the door are all you can
hear. You are sitting on the cold floor, confused, with no idea what to do.\nThen
you hear your sister’s voice — a lonely sound in the empty room. It is a little
song that mother taught her.\nYou hold your breath as you listen to it.
“When the Twins came down to earth,\nThey brought Lots for every birth.\nLet us
count them: one, two, three —\nThe Twins made them for you and me!\n\n
“Nobles rule and bravely fight,\nThey protect us with their might.\nPriests work
hard to understand,\nGuide us by the Twins’ commands.\nCommon people work and
toil,\nAlways patient, never spoiled.
“Live your Lot where you were born\nTo the day when you pass on.\nKnow your Lot and
know the prayer,\nFor the Twins see everywhere!”
You are transfixed by the tune.\nGloria notices your gaze, and a smile creeps
across her face.
“You like the rhyme, don’t you, <username>? Do you know what it’s all about?”
“Look… there are three Lots. They were brought to us by the Twins when they
descended to us from the Shining Pillar. Remember that pillar of light on the
horizon? That’s it! You can see the Shining Pillar anytime, from anywhere in the
world.
“If you follow your Lot as you live, you’ll reach the Peak of the Pillar. And if
you don’t, you’ll get eternal torment at the Foot!\n
“You and I are lowborn. Mom is a commoner too. So the Lot for you and me is to
suffer and be patient and work hard. Understand? \nThe priests and the nobles have
other Lots. The nobles fight and rule over everybody. The priests… well, I’m not
really sure what they do, but I guess they talk to the Twins and then teach
everybody.”
Gloria stares at you intently: did you get it, silly? Then she shakes her head and
keeps singing the song over and over again. Her voice transfixes you, drawing you
in.\nThe room starts to glow like the sky. From this light emerge two figures you
have known ever since the moment of your birth. One of them embraces your sister’s
shoulder; the other stands guard behind her back.\nYou watch this happening before
your very eyes, unable to turn away.
Gloria is swaying to the song, unaware of what is happening. She sings the final
verses once more:\n“Know your Lot and know the prayer…”\nYou feel compelled by this
divine sight to express yourself somehow; you feel words condensing within you from
the light.\nBut what will these words be?\n
Finish the song properly
Sing the last line wrong
You join your sister and finish the song the same way you heard it.
You shout words of your own instead of the last line of the song.
“Know your Lot and know the prayer…”
“For the Twins see everywhere!”
You sing the last line together with Gloria. Your sister looks up at you in
surprise and gives you a nod. \nThe shining pair standing behind her back turn to
look at you. You can feel their gaze piercing you from top to bottom. When the
moment passes, they melt into the dim light coming from the window.\nGloria turns
her head to look at where you were staring.
“Did you see something, <username>?”
You shake your head.\nNot anymore.
“The Lots are lies told everywhere!”
You shout these words, but you have no idea how they came to you. \nThe shining
pair standing behind her back turn to look at you. You can feel their gaze piercing
you from top to bottom. When the moment passes, they melt into the dim light coming
from the window.\nNow Gloria is staring at you. You see disappointment in her eyes.
“<username>! That’s not the way the song ends! Why did you ruin it?”
You shrug, quite pleased with your cleverness.
The Lot of Suffering
You keep staring at the carpet under your feet. You are both ashamed and proud, and
it feels odd. A scratch on your hand stings a little. Stephan is standing next to
you, sniffling from pain. \nYour brother was training in the yard with a wooden
sword. You wanted to play with him, but he ended up getting angry and throwing the
sword at you. The stick hit you in the shoulder.\nYou picked it up and hit him with
it.
You see Mother’s shoes walking to and fro on the carpet.\nYou do not want to look
up. You would rather not see her angry. She is not as gentle to you these days.
“Why did you hurt Stephan, <username>?”
You stammer out an explanation: he hit you first.\nYou just hit him back.
“How dare he pester me like that! When I grow up, I’m gonna hit you with a real
sword!”\n
Mother shushes you both and speaks to you again.\nHer voice is stern, and yet you
can still feel her concern for you.\n
“Even if Stephan hits you, you cannot hit him back. You are my son, and I was born
a commoner. Our Lot is to suffer. But your brother was born from a noble father and
a noble mother. His Sacrament is coming soon, and then he’ll rule over the likes of
us.”
“If you hurt a noble, you must be punished — that is your Lot. And the sooner you
learn it, the better off our entire family will be.”
Now Stephan looks at you in triumph.\nYou look up at Mother in fear, not sure what
to do now.
Accept your punishment
Deny your guilt
Demand an explanation
You accept your guilt and tell Mother you are ready to be punished.
You continue to insist that you are not guilty and will not be punished, no matter
what.
You demand that Mother explain why things are like this.
You look down and agree with what she just said. You are ready to be punished.\nYou
start apologizing to Stephan, but he turns his back on you.\nBefore you can finish,
mother takes your hand and leads you away. You do not want to follow her. Your
hands are getting sweaty, and your legs are growing heavy.\nThen suddenly she stops
and bends down to closer to you, look you straight into your eyes.
“My son, I see you understand our Lot now. We do not defy. We suffer. That is our
only path to the Twins after all our deaths, our only way to reach eternal bliss
atop the Peak of the Pillar.\nOur virtue is meekness. We are humble in our words.
We work hard. We think what is right. You have shown all of this. I’m so proud of
you.”
She hugs you, and you finally release the pent-up tears.\nYou feel much more at
ease now.
You are flogged in front of your entire family.\nThe pain burns on your skin again
and again, but you feel the touch of the divine law with each blow.
You break out of mother’s arms and start screaming. You’re innocent, you cry, and
if he hits you, you’ll hit him back. All fear and shame are gone. You stand up
straight and stare defiantly into Mother’s eyes.\nHer expression grows bitter. She
catches you by the collar of your shirt and drags you down the stairs.\n
“I’m doing this for your own good! Do not defy me, <username>! You’re born a
commoner, my son — power and will is not your Lot! This is Stephan’s lot. He’ll
become a noble soon. Life for you and me is humility and suffering. You have to
accept it!”
You are flogged in front of your entire family. The pain burns on your skin again
and again.\nYou clench your teeth and hold back the tears. This is the only way you
can prove that you are your brother’s equal.\nIt is the only way you can prove that
one day you will have the right to rule and fight.
You start asking questions. Why were you born a commoner if your father is a noble?
\nIf you have your father’s name, why can’t you have his Lot? \nAnd why can’t you
choose a Lot for yourself if you don’t like the one you have?\nMother is stunned by
all the questions you are peppering her with.
“Don’t you dare ask me about that, <username>! I’ll violate my Lot if I start
explaining it all to you! I’m a commoner, not a priest!”
You are flogged in front of your entire family. The pain burns on your skin again
and again. Tears keep rolling down your cheeks. It feels like the punishment will
never end.\nIt hurts to walk when you are finally let go. You slowly climb the
stairs and walk to your room.\nYou see a book on your bed: “The Teachings of
Isatius, Volume Two.”
Your tears have dried now. You begin to read, slowly making your way through the
difficult words.\n“…Every death of the body bringeth the soul ever closer to the
Twins’ judgment…”\n“…And when the body dieth a true death, the soul soareth to the
Shining Pillar…”\n“…The Twin Gods do judge every soul, and their judgment is stern
and unforgiving…”\n“…He who followeth his Lot in life from birth shall melt in
bliss atop the Peak of the Shining Pillar…”
The words confuse and elude you, instilling fear and awe.\nYou will read this
mysterious book again and again as you grow up.
Gloria’s Rhymes
Mother mostly stays in her chambers now. With each passing day she grows heavier
and her features get rounder. It gets difficult for her to walk, but she still
smiles all the time. \nOne day she takes your hands and puts them on her big belly,
and you feel a movement deep inside her.\nYou will have another brother or sister
soon.
Gloria takes you on walks to the yard now.\nYou explore the yard together under the
evening light of the Pillar, and she sings you songs and tells you amazing stories.
“Hey, <username>! Do you want to hear a rhyme? I wrote it myself! There’s even a
bit about you. But don’t tell anyone, okay?\nWriting poems and songs is only for
nobles. If Mommy hears about it, I’ll get flogged — remember how you got flogged
for hitting Stephan?
“Our judge is my second father;\nIn the past I had another.\nMother says the Twins
are great,\nSays we should not fight our fate.\nBrother loves to jump around.\
nPlease don’t fall down on the ground!\nSee, I wrote a little rhyme —\nPlease don’t
tell them it is mine!”
But today your sister is nowhere to be seen. She promised to take you to the old
pond and show you the red frogs that live there, but then she vanished.\nThe
servants join you in your search. Even Mother leaves her chambers when she hears
the commotion.\nFinally you find Gloria in the far corner of the garden. She is
holding a quill and sheets of paper covered in poetry.
Mother becomes angry the moment she sees it. She looks through the poetry, and her
face grows dark with rage. \nGloria is standing before her, wringing her hands and
looking for an opportunity to run, but there seems to be no escape.
“What is this nonsense, Gloria?! We talked about this! You were told to take care
of your little brother. You are absolutely not allowed to entertain yourself with
this writing!”
“I can decide that for myself, Mom!”
“No you cannot! It has already been decided by the Gods.”
“And he’s not a little brother anymore, he doesn’t need a nanny! And I need some
time alone to think for myself. I’m not hurting anyone!”
“You are a commoner and a future wife. It’s time you learned how to properly care
for children.\n“Had your disgraceful former father kept me in his house, you could
have been born a noble — but that is not our fate, and you are absolutely forbidden
from ever spoiling paper and wasting ink again!”
Mother grabs Gloria firmly by the hand and takes you both into the house. The
scribbled sheets fly into the fireplace.\nGloria sobs violently.\nYou are a
bystander to this scene, unsure of how to act.
Complain about your sister
Offer to write rhymes with her
Comfort your sister
Leave the room
You complain to Mother about how Gloria often leaves you alone.
When nobody can hear you, you offer to write poems with Gloria.
You comfort Gloria and say that Mother is wrong.
You retreat to your room without saying a word.
You tell Mother that was not the first time Gloria tricked you like this. In fact,
she often leaves you alone and hides somewhere — and today of all days she promised
to take you to the old pond to watch the frogs! But instead, here she was, hiding
in the garden!\nMother listens without uttering a word.\nGloria’s sobbing grows
louder.
“Is this true, daughter? Is it true that you care about your younger brother so
little? Don’t you care about your future at all?!
“That’s it, no more books for you! They are corrupting your mind. From this day
forth, you will do nothing but what is proper for a girl of your Lot: sewing and
chores!”
Mother leaves the sitting room in a rage. You run after her. Gloria stays where she
was, alone in her suffering.
Mother leaves. The last of your sister’s poetry burns away in the fireplace. \nYou
hug your sister and whisper to her. Let’s go to the library, you say. The two of
you can hide under the table and write something together.\nGloria shakes her head
violently. Mother said no, and there is no way she would ever defy her.\nYou
reassure her that it will be your secret.
You pull Gloria to the library. She fights you, but you refuse to relent.\nYou
carefully peek inside. Your sister takes a small book from one of the shelves, and
you read it together under the table.\nIt’s a book of poetry about eternal love.
Gloria clearly adores it.\nYou decide to write a poem of your own. She recites a
line in an ecstatic voice, and you repeat it after her and offer a rhyme of your
own.\nShe nods happily.
You do this until the day ends.\nYou have written a poem of your own and learned it
by heart — but not a single line of it has been committed to paper, which means
that you stayed true to your mother’s rule.
Mother leaves. The last of your sister’s poetry burns away in the fireplace.\nYou
walk up to your crying sister and take her by the hand. None of this is her fault,
you say. What mother did is wrong and far too harsh.\nGloria sniffles before
speaking.
“But I… I did leave you all alone. You’re not mad at me? Really?”
You nod in reassurance.\nGloria embraces you.
“<username>! You’re the best little brother in the world!”
The two of you make a little deal.\nShe promises to tell you when she wants to be
alone, and you promise to protect her and her secrets, always.
You slip out of the sitting room and go back to the playroom before the scene
reaches a conclusion.\nYou can still hear Mother yelling and Gloria crying behind
your back as you leave.\n
Back in the playroom, you start building a formidable fortress out of wooden blocks
to busy yourself. If only you had toy soldiers to storm it!\nA little later, the
playroom door opens.
“You’re not mad at me, are you?”
You shake your head.
“Can I… stay with you for a while?”
You nod and return to your game.\nGloria sits on the floor in a faraway corner of
the room.
The Newborn’s Cry
You eye the little bundle in your father’s arms with curiosity.\nBehind the many
layers of swaddling clothes is your newborn baby brother.\nMother is glowing and
smiling with joy. Stephan and Gloria are also here, all excited.
You promise yourself you’re going to be the best big brother in the world.\nYou’ll
never hit him, oh no — the two of you will play together, and tease Stephan
together, and help Mother together, and go on so many adventures together!\nIt
feels so strange to be an older brother. Just the other day you were the youngest
in the family, but everything is different now.
Your parents name your little brother Nathan, and Mother spends day and night by
his side.\nAnd Nathan cries all the time, day and night. Mother barely gets any
sleep. She is so worn out, she starts forgetting things.\nLike today, for instance:
she forgot her knitting in the armchair in the sitting room. You’d better bring it
back to her as soon as possible!
You run to Mother’s bedroom — you miss her smile so much!\nYou walk in without
saying hello and give her the knitting — but instead of gratitude, you get an ice-
cold, exhausted stare. \nNathan is also there, screaming all the time.
“Go away, <username>, you’re bothering me!”
She spits these words out through her teeth.\nYou look at the bawling newborn. She
can’t even get a minute of respite!
“Enough already! When are you going to stop?! I just want some peace and quiet!
Mother leaps across the room and starts shaking Nathan with malice in her eyes. His
cries get even louder.\nShe looks so tired from his never-ending screams… she seems
to be within an inch of smashing him against the wall! Somebody has to do
something!\nYou are scared of your mother right now, but you fear for Nathan’s life
much more.
Call Father for help
Redirect her anger to yourself
Snatch Nathan from Mother
Hug Mother
You run to Father’s study as fast as you can and ask him to calm her down.
You try your best to bring her back to her senses.
You take Nathan from Mother and run away.
You run up to Mother to calm her down.
You run away to Father’s study and stammer out a plea for help.\nFather gets up
immediately and runs back with you.
He barges into Mother’s chambers and embraces her and baby Nathan with all his
might and love.\nShe screams at him at first, crying how she is tired of everyone.
He whispers something in response, then takes Nathan from her and says she should
lie down and rest.\nThen, suddenly, Nathan stops crying. Mother looks around and
sees you standing next to Father.
“My son, please forgive me. I am so sorry you had to see this. Thank you for going
to your father for help. The Twins know I didn’t want to hurt anyone…”
Mother’s face is covered in tears. Everything will be alright now, Father tells
you. You can go.\nYou leave in quiet joy as Mother calms down and Nathan falls
asleep.\nFather won’t let anything bad happen.
Mother keeps shaking Nathan violently, and you cannot stay away any longer.\nHe is
no longer bawling… he is shrieking.
“Just — leave — me — alone!”
But then out comes your voice, so loud it drowns out their cries. \n”No, it’s not
Nathan’s fault, Mother! You’re just tired! Please don’t do anything to my little
brother! If you have to punish somebody, punish me instead! He’s too young, he
won’t understand!”
Your mother freezes and looks at you, her eyes two narrow slits. \nHer stare is
cold and full of pure wrath — so pure you cannot help but recoil in fear.
“Are you trying to teach me how to take care of a child? Are you giving me lessons
on calming a newborn baby?\n“You’re insolent, insipid, nagging know-it-all — it’s
time you learned your place!”
She puts Nathan on the bedsheets, then moves toward you. You step back, but a
closed door blocks your way. \nShe slaps you across the face. Your ears ring from
the heavy blow, and your cheek burn from her wrath.\nYou wince and close your eyes,
expecting a second slap. But nothing comes; nothing but Mother’s heavy breath and
Nathan’s shrill cries.
Then there is a knock at the door. You step aside. \nFather walks in. He looks at
you clutching a reddened cheek, at the bawling baby, at Mother, her eyes red with
rage and tears, her breath heavy and ragged.
“Go to your room, son. I’ll join you soon.”
You do as you’re told. Back in your room, you press your aching cheek against the
cold window, hurt and dazed by what just happened. \nSoon enough, Nathan stops
crying.\nYou hear Father’s heavy footsteps in the hallway. He comes into your room
and sits on the bed next to you.
“Son, please do not be angry with your mother. The Twins know she wishes nobody any
harm. This is a difficult time for her, but we will make it through it as a family.
\n“You stepped up to protect your brother. You acted like a little nobleman today.
I’m proud of you. Your mother and Nathan are resting now. \n“How bad does it hurt?”
You shake your head — not bad — but your hand still aches to clutch the cheek. \
nFather embraces you with a sorrowful smile and gingerly pats you on the head as
you press your forehead into his housecoat. \nThings grow calm now. The trouble has
passed, and you are quietly happy.
You leap at your mother and demand she give you Nathan. She freezes when she hears
the words.\nYou snatch your little brother out of her arms. She chokes with rage
and falls on the bed screaming.\nYou run away to the playroom.
Your baby brother is heavy in your arms. He sniffles.\nYou sway him gently like
Mother did and quietly sing him a lullaby about the Twins.\nNathan calms down; soon
he closes his eyes. You put the newborn on your bed and swear on your life that no
one will ever hurt him when you’re around.
You hear heavy footsteps in the hallway. Father enters the playroom. \nHe looks at
you, then at Nathan, somewhat confused.
“You did something bigger than you today, son. It is a noble deed to protect your
family, but you should have come to me. Please understand — this was my duty, not
yours.
“You saved your baby brother from harm. If you feel yourself ready to take the
responsibility to protect others, then maybe you can walk the path of the noble
when you’re older. But for now, we should bring him back to your mother. Come with
me.”
He picks Nathan up. Your brother is fast asleep, breathing quietly.\nThe three of
you return to Mother’s bedroom. Father puts Nathan back in the crib. Mother is no
longer screaming. She embraces you.
“Please forgive me. The Twins know I was out of my mind. Please don’t be angry with
me…”
You hug Mother in response.
You walk up to Mother quickly and lock her tightly in an embrace. Your arms are too
short, and the folds of her dress get in the way, but that does not stop you. \nShe
shudders at your unexpected touch and tries to free herself.
“Let me go! Stop tormenting me!”
But you only latch onto her even tighter — there’s no way you’re letting her go
now, not even if she screams at you or hits you. No way.\nYou are here now. You
will protect her and comfort her.
Nathan stops screaming, and an odd sobbing sound escapes his little baby mouth, as
if he is too tired to scream. \nMother accepts your sudden presence now: you feel
her relax, and her movements become calmer.\nBut there is still no way you’re
letting go. Not yet.
Then you hear a quiet song: your mother’s song. She is singing a lullaby to
Nathan.\nHe squeaks a little, then starts snoring quietly. \nThen you calm down as
well. Mother is now calmer in your embrace. Nathan is breathing quietly in his
sleep.
“Now please let me go, my dear. I have to put Nathan to bed.”
You release Mother, and she puts Nathan back in the crib.\nAfter a little pause,
she turns to you. Her face is still weary, but there is no sign of anger. \nShe
sits down next to you.
“Thank you, my son. The Twins know I didn’t want to hurt you or Nathan. I am so
sorry. Please don’t be angry with me. You did what you needed to. You gave me the
strength to work through this.”
She hugs you tightly. You do the same and press your forehead against her. She
smells like home.\nYour tears finally start to flow, but they are tears of
happiness now. She pats you on the head and kisses your forehead. Nathan is
sleeping quietly in his crib.\nIt feels so good when things are as they should be.
Toy Soldiers
You wake up to Father’s touch on your shoulder.\nHe is finally back home after a
long trip.
“<username>, today is your special day — the day when you begin your studies. Now
teachers will be coming to our home to teach you, and you must do everything they
say. Be diligent in your studies, and you will grow closer to the nobleman’s Lot.
“And since you must remember this day, a present is in order! Lydia, get our little
schoolboy dressed. I am taking him to the market district.”
Stephan wants to come with you too, but Father shushes him sternly — this is your
day.\nYour elder brother is hurt to hear this, but stays quiet.
An open carriage takes the two of you through the dusty, noisy city streets, a
pleasant wind tussling your hair. \nYour city is called Anizotte — that you already
know. It is one of the largest cities in the entire Empire!\nThere is a big shadow
on the street — it comes from the white foliage of an enormous tree that spreads
its branches all above the city.
“My son, did you know that the Silver Tree grew from the blood of our Gods’ own
disciples? It has been growing here for hundreds of years, right in our city. It
cannot be damaged or burned. Not even the clergy know why…”
The carriage comes to a halt by a small shop next to a city square.\nYou run there
and freeze by the stalls in excitement.\nThe shop is packed with dolls and
figurines and toys — you’ve never seen so many at once before!
“Have you chosen your present yet?” Father asks. You have: you want the Holy Order
set, which includes several figurines of the Empire’s greatest warriors of all
time.\nYou rattle off everything you know about the Holy Order: they were the ones
who aided the Emperor’s own forces in seizing the province of Magra and storming
our city. That’s how we joined the Empire!\nFather nods in approval.
“Very well! War isn’t your Lot for now, but maybe these toy soldiers will teach you
to think like a general.\n“We will lead them into battle and study military
strategy. Go ahead, take your present.”
Having said this, Father turns away to examine the books. You run to the box of toy
soldiers, delirious with excitement.\nBut there is a fancy-dressed boy in your way
— he is about to take your warriors for himself!\nHe elbows you aside and reaches
for the box. Anger overcomes you, and you push him from behind. Your opponent falls
to the floor.\n
The rich boy screams so loudly everybody in the shop hears it: he hit me, he hit
me!\nA tall tower of a man looms over you. This is the boy’s father.\nBut then you
feel your own father’s hands on your shoulders.\n
“What happened?”
You press against Father, your mind more at ease now. He will protect you.\nYes,
you shoved the boy to the floor in front of everyone — but he tried to take your
present for himself!\nFather turns you around to face him when he hears these
words.\n
“Is this true, <username>? Did you strike the son of a nobleman?”
Tell him the truth
Admit your guilt
You quietly say that it was an accident.
You tell Father that you repaid the impudent boy in kind.
You step between the adults and say that it was all your fault.
You hide behind Father and deny all wrongdoing. The boy was too clumsy!\nNow the
two fathers come face to face.\nYour father is calm, while the enraged nobleman
pelts him with insults and reaches for his sword again and again.
The insults do not stop. In the end, the nobleman challenges Father to a duel!\
nThere is only one way to protect the family honor. Father grudgingly accepts the
challenge.
They bring him home much later with a fresh wound in his side and another on his
shoulder.\nYou spend the entire day by his bedside doing whatever he says, overcome
with a mixture of shame, guilt, and gratitude.\nEven though Father rarely shows it,
he would readily risk everything for his family.
When Father’s wound heal, he brings you the belated present: a little box full of
soldiers, the Holy Order made of tin.\nYou line the warriors up in battle
formation, only one thought on your mind: your family is always by your side.
It isn’t fair to blame you without letting you speak too! You didn’t want to shove
that stupid boy, he was the one who shoved you first!\nBut the angry nobleman, the
boy’s father, will not let you finish. Nobody cares a whit for your so-called
truth, little lowborn! The law is the law, and your punishment is due.\nYour father
nods in agreement to these words, no matter how sad they may make him.
They lead you and the nobleman’s son out of the shop. You are told to bow to him
and show humility. A bad feeling sends a shiver down your spine.\nWith a satisfied
grin on his face, the boy swings his arm and slaps you on the cheek. \nHe strikes
you again and again.
“Enough. He got what he deserved. We’re leaving — get out of our way!”
Your head is swimming from the heavy blows. You return to your senses back in your
bed, with servants treating your face.\nFather stays by your side all day.
The morning after you find a little box on your bed with the tin soldiers of the
Holy Orders inside.\nYou paid dearly for your stubbornness.
You recall Mother’s words: if you hurt a noble, you must be punished. There is no
use trying to lie to escape it.\nYou say it was all your fault: you pushed the
other boy to the floor because you wanted to get your present before him.\n
Father nods to you, relieved to hear it, and the enraged nobleman grabs you by the
hand and drags you out into the street.\nThe law is the law, and your punishment is
due.
Father stays quiet all the while, but as you ride home after the punishment is
over, he shows you a rectangular package.\n
“I am proud to see you living by your Lot. A common birth leads to a life of
humility, and you told the truth and accepted your punishment like a man. This
present is yours, my son.”
Inside is a little box with the tin soldiers of the Holy Orders inside.\nThey are
your reward for humility.
The Intrusion
Ever since the news of Grandfather’s impending arrival, there has not been a single
day when the house has not been cleaned or decorated. Your parents anxiously make
sure everything is in order. \nThey tell you to wash your face and hands after
walks and scold you for leaving books on the floor.\nThey tell Gloria she will be
flogged if she is ever seen hiding in the attic. They make Stephan stay in his
room. Even baby Nathan gets in trouble.\nEveryone is on edge.
Then one day Grandfather arrives. It is a grim day, so hot your neck is sticky with
sweat. Father, Mother, Stephan, Gloria, you, and Nathan — the entire Brante family
stands on the porch in front of the house, the house servants lined up behind you.\
nThe carriage arrives, and out steps a tall, gaunt old man with a heavy walking-
stick and a heavier gaze.\nYou cringe instinctively.
“Good health to you, Father. Children, greet your grandfather as you have been
taught.”
“Still trying to look like a real nobleman, are you? You can’t fool me, Robert. I
was the first of the Brante family to be ennobled by the Mantle, and I am the only
one who remembers how to bear this burden properly.”
“I live honorably by my Lot…”
“Your marriage to that lowborn wench cut us off from ever becoming nobles of the
Sword. My progeny could have been born bearing noble blood!”
“Father, I beg you, this is not the place…”
Grandfather eyes him with scorn and walks into the house, the entire family
following close behind him.
“I have been away far too long. The entire house is a mess. This is an insult! How
can you live in such a pigsty, Robert?\n“The servants have grown far too lazy, all
thanks to your commoner of a wife! I warned you, did I not? And yet you did as you
saw fit! And the children — what do they know of tradition or honor?”
“They are being raised in a virtuous family, Father.”
“And now you’re speaking like a lowborn who’s content to live in humility! Twins
willing, now that I am here, this will not happen again.
“I am taking your oldest son to the capital. I see you cannot provide Stephan with
a proper education, so I will correct your mistake.”
Your brother’s fate has been decided just like that.\nFather does not object. He
orders the servants to prepare Stephan for the journey.\nStephan freezes in place,
glancing at Grandfather and Father again and again. The latter puts a hand on his
shoulder reassuringly.\nGrandfather’s lips are a tight line, white with contempt.
The house is examined, room after room.\nEverything Grandfather sees is showered
with scorn. He scoffs at a crease on a blanket in Nathan’s crib in mother’s
bedroom; he mocks Gloria’s knitting in her room.\nThe door to your room is next.
“What is this? Robert?! Tin soldiers in your younger son’s room? He was born a
commoner — I won’t have him daydreaming of battle!”
Grandfather seizes the box containing the tin warriors of the Holy Order. Your
father stays silent.\nAnger and fear boil within you. This is your big present from
the first day of your studies. It means so much to you! But what if he’s right?
What if you need to prove your right to command the toy soldiers first?\
nGrandfather shakes his head in disapproval and shoves the toybox into the roaring
fireplace. If you wait too long, they will melt in the flames!
Watch them melt helplessly
Rescue your tin warriors
Burst into tears
Strike Grandfather
Grandfather is right. These toys are nothing but a distraction from your studies.
You rescue the precious present from the fire, no matter how much your hands hurt.
You start crying, overwhelmed by the horrible sight.
Driven mad by anger and injustice, you kick Grandfather in the leg.
The wood crackles. The tin melts.\nThe unpleasant smell of burning paint fills the
room. Father grimly orders the servants to douse the fire and clean the mess that
was your birthday present just a few moments ago.
You run to the fire and take the box out. The wood is hot to the touch, and the
edges are burnt.\nThe pain comes slowly: horrible burns on your hands appear a few
moments later. Mother gasps loudly.
You watch your beloved present, the token of Father’s love and care, burn before
your very eyes.\nThe tin melts. The unpleasant smell of burning paint fills the
air.\nFor a moment, you cannot breathe, and you see no reason to maintain your
composure. The tears start flowing, burning your cheeks and staining your shirt.
You hide your face in your hands. \nAnd then you hear Grandfather’s voice, dripping
with disdain.
Overwhelmed by helpless rage, you run to Grandfather and kick him in the leg with
all the strength you can muster.\nYet he is immovable.\nThe next thing you see is
him leaning, towering over you menacingly, his heavy walking-stick in hand.
You watch the servants at work with a strange fascination, experiencing an odd
feeling of freedom. It all seems right now. It’s time for you to grow up.\
nGrandfather leaves to examine the other rooms of the house.
Then suddenly, a heavy blow strikes you on the back.\nYou turn around to see
Grandfather towering over you, his walking-stick in hand.\nYou stare back at him
defiantly.
“So the boy is a weakling, just like his mother.”
“Lowborn scum! How dare you raise a hand to me!”
“How dare you defy me, whelp! You are nobody!”
The blow hits home.
Furious, Grandfather wrenches the toybox out of your hands and leaves the room. \
nFather follows him immediately, yet he sneaks in a hidden smile for you before he
is gone.
The handle of the walking-stick is as heavy as a rock. You are dazed, robbed of
both hearing and sight.\nDown comes another blow. A sharp pain splits your head.
Then, darkness.
Your hand twitches against your will, then again and again, like it is trying to
catch a flying butterfly. And then you fall into the primordial void.\nThe void
takes away a part of you, one of the lives you were given to live. It will never
return. There is pain, and desperation, and a sense of loss.\nNothing can be done
now.
Then you smell a sickly moist smell. You feel dampness all around you. \nYou come
back to your senses in the gloom of the family crypt, lying flat on a stone slab.
Your parents are on their way to the crypt right now. \nYou hear their muffled
voices. They are arguing — and, against all rules, Mother will not agree with
Father!
“Why would Sir Gregor do this? He just took one of our child’s lives!”
“Lydia, my father is our family’s head, and the boy raised a hand to him. There was
nothing we could do. And Father did admit that he was too hard on him.\n“Please do
not anger Sir Gregor. You need to accept this. It will never happen to any of our
children ever again!”
Their voices grow quiet as they lean over you. You lean on your elbows to try and
get up from the stone.\nMother gingerly wraps her cloak over your naked body as you
shiver from the cold.
“My son… your first death came far too soon. I know it may be difficult to realize
what happened.\n”But know this: the Twin Gods are ever merciful. You are a child,
and your time to leave for the hereafter has not yet come. You will be returned
here by the Gods twice more — but do not tempt fate again. And never, ever defy
those who can easily take your life.”
“<username>, you have angered your grandfather greatly. Do not stand in Sir
Gregor’s way ever again, and he will never hurt you again. For now, just stay away
from him.”
Father stays a step away from you, not saying a word. When Mother finishes talking,
he picks you up and carries you outside.\nTogether your parents take you from the
family crypt.
On your way out of the crypt you take a moment to touch your head. It is perfectly
fine. There is no sign of the blow.\nBack home, Grandfather is still walking
through the house examining the rooms. You can see that Stephan and Gloria are
disturbed by what just happened. Nathan starts crying when he sees you.\nThe
playroom still reeks of burnt paint.
There is something new about you now: a pitch-black stripe on your left arm.\nIt
looks like a strange bit of dirt at first, but it will not wash off.\nIt will be
like that forever, Mother explains. That is all she will say of it.
An Illustrious Guest
Some days Grandfather stays home, and on those days you try your best to stay out
of his sight.\nBut there is no way you can avoid family breakfast. The food is
there, but you cannot bring yourself to eat it. Mother’s eyes are red and swollen —
she has been crying all night again.\nGrandfather sits at the head of the table,
where nobody used to sit before.
“Robert, it is high time your youngest sons underwent their Sacraments.”
“Sir Brante, please, let them live free of the Lot for a while longer, they are but
—”
“Shut your mouth! Robert, that wife of yours is impertinent enough to interrupt me.
If this ever happens again, she’ll be eating her gruel with the servants in the
kitchen where she belongs. It is time you considered a real marriage, Robert — one
to a woman of the proper station.”
Gloria drops her fork. Grandfather shoots her a scathing look.\nA tear rolls down
Mother’s cheek.\nFather does not look away from the plate, his hands clenched into
fists.
“Baroness El Lodar is one such woman. She is a comely widow and a fine match. She
is suing for her inheritance right now and could use proper support and a husband.\
n“You can keep your lowborn Lydia around if you like. Servant, mistress — I don’t
care.”
“I will not do that, Father.”
“I am the head of this family, and the family’s standing took a severe blow after
your married that commoner. It is unthinkable — how could you give up the memory of
beautiful Amalia El Borne for this lowly woman and that bastard child of hers?\
n“But now you have a chance to set things right. Don't disappoint me.”
Father nods curtly, trying not to look in Mother’s direction.
“Father, I wish to see Stephan.”
“If I find your conduct in the Baroness’s presence satisfactory enough, then you
may see him. She is coming for a visit tomorrow. Be prepared.”
Grandfather wipes his mouth with his napkin, throws it onto his plate, and leaves.
Mother’s lips move silently.\nNobody says a word.\nThen Father stands up and orders
you and the other children back to your rooms — he needs to speak to Mother in
private.
Father comes to your room before bedtime. He sits on the edge of the bed and
adjusts a crease on the woolen blanket.\nHe distanced himself from you after
Stephan’s departure, so you are not used to such attention from him.\nIn the
candlelight you can see his face in the dark. There is a sour expression on it.
“My son, Baroness Emma El Lodar will be visiting us tomorrow. Please be polite and
treat her with respect. Nathan will do as you do. I want this dinner to be as
immaculate as possible. Don’t let me down.”
On the next day Mother starts dressing you and Nathan for the coming dinner. You
see red all around her eyes.\nShe has been crying, and for a long time. It hurts
just to look at her.\nNathan starts whining quietly.
You and Nathan are dressed in new doublets, your tussled hair brushed into shape.
Gloria is told to stay in her room. \nFather appears wearing his best suit.\nMother
is in a humble brown dress, looking pale.\nGrandfather has an uncharacteristically
contented look about him.
You hear the sound of wheels and hooves against the cobbles in the yard, then a
pair of dainty heels come clacking.\nThe antechamber is completely quiet and still,
fearing grandfather’s observant eye.\nThe door opens.
You see your guest: a beautiful, dark-haired woman in a dress of elegant deep
blue.\nFather takes the hand of Lady El Lodar and kisses it, showering her in
compliments.\nGrandfather’s face is beaming in her presence. No one even bothers to
introduce Mother.
“Baroness, allow me to introduce you Robert’s sons, <username> and Nathan Brante.
Frankly, it’s his eldest, Stephan, who deserves the most attention, but currently
he is studying in Eterna with other young noblemen like himself.\n“It is my hope
that his younger sons will also make me proud one day.”
Grandfather eyes you with a probing look.\nHow will you act in front of the
baroness? Will you accept her here next to your mother, your father’s rightful
wife?
Greet the baroness politely
Walk away with Mother
Maintain your composure
Demand that Mother be introduced
You approach Baroness El Lodar and kiss her hand, following father’s example.
You take Mother’s arm and leave the hall by her side.
You greet Lady El Lodar with restraint and avoid getting too involved in the event.
You demand that Father introduces Mother as his wife.
You follow Father’s example and kiss the baroness’s fingers gently. Her laughter
fills the antechamber, ringing like chimes.\nYou gallantly offer to lead her to the
sitting room. Lady El Lodar graciously agrees.\nBehind your back you can hear
Mother sobbing.
You turn your back on the baroness and walk to Mother.\nYou walk upstairs to her
room, hand in hand.\nBehind your backs, stunned silence reigns in the antechamber.
You mutter a proper greeting to Lady El Lodar and bow your head.\nOut of the corner
of your eye you see Mother walking upstairs to her room.\nYou, on the other hand,
follow Father and Grandfather obediently into the sitting room.\n
You follow Father’s example and kiss the baroness’s fingers gently. Her laughter
fills the antechamber, ringing like chimes.\nBehind your back you can hear Mother
sobbing.\nGrandfather nods to you in approval.
Grandfather and Baroness El Lodar engage in small talk over dinner. She tells him
of the woes of litigation over her late husband’s inheritance, and he advises her
like the judge he is.\nFather is mostly silent, only getting in a word or two. \
nYou do your absolute best to behave yourself.
Soon, the two of you are alone. A burden falls from mother’s shoulders. \nShe
embraces you. Together, you wait until the dinner ends and the baroness leaves.
Grandfather and Baroness El Lodar engage in small talk over dinner. They discuss
her inheritance litigation, and he advises her like the judge he is.\nFather is
mostly silent, only getting in a word or two.
Out of the corner of your eye you see mother quietly walking upstairs.\nNo! This is
wrong! This cannot be!
After the decorous farewells to Lady El Lodar, Father quietly thanks you for your
model behavior.\nThe morning after he leaves for Eterna with Grandfather to visit
Stephan.\nMother spends almost an entire day in her bedroom. You cannot bring
yourself to speak to her.
“You didn’t betray me. If only you could feel how grateful I am right now…”
The morning after, father leaves for Eterna with Grandfather to visit Stephan.\nHe
returns from the capital in a quiet rage. You overhear your parents talking.
Apparently Grandfather has already poisoned Stephan’s mind against him, and he
greeted Father with cold hostility.\nThe name of Baroness El Lodar is never
mentioned in the house again.
You walk up to Father, look him into the eye, and ask in a voice loud enough to be
heard by everyone: why didn’t he introduce Mother to the guest? \nShe is his legal
wife and your mother, is she not?
Father returns from the capital in a quiet rage. You overhear your parents talking.
Apparently Grandfather has already poisoned Stephan’s mind against him, and he
greeted Father with cold hostility.\nThe name of Baroness El Lodar is never
mentioned in the house again.
There is silence. \nMother stops on the stairs and turns her head in surprise.
Father is confused. Nathan starts whining again. Grandfather grinds his teeth, his
hand tightly gripping the heavy walking-stick. \nYou keep Father transfixed by your
gaze. After a few moments that feel like an eternity, he winks at you — almost
imperceptibly — then adjusts his doublet and turns to your noble guest.
“Baroness, allow me to introduce Lydia Brante, my wife and mother to my younger
children. Lydia, would you be so kind as to join us for dinner?”
“What are you saying, Robert…?”
“Father, it would be a disgrace to hold a family dinner without the lady of the
house.”
Father marches up the stairs and offers his hand to Mother. She accepts it and
walks down with a shy smile on her face — for the first time in those many days.\
nThe baroness presses her lips in contempt at the sight.\nAfter a long moment,
Grandfather finally breaks the uneasy silence and leads everyone into the dining
room.
Mother sits at the furthest corner of the table, claiming that she needs to watch
over Nathan.\nThere is barely any small talk over dinner, apart from the baroness
and Grandfather discussing her widowhood and inheritance litigation. \nFather and
Mother do not say a word throughout the meal, yet they no longer look as tense as
the day before. There is not even a mention of any potential marriage.
As soon as the door closes behind the baroness, you flee to your bedroom and lock
the door. \nGrandfather’s heavy footsteps can already be heard in the hallway.\nHe
is a force of anger, eager to get his hands on you.
“Whelp! You had the nerve to interfere in the adults’ affairs! You ruined the
dinner with the baroness! Open the door this instant and face the punishment you
deserve!”
Then, suddenly, his voice dies down.\nYou hear Father speaking quietly.
“We both realize there can be no other marriage, Father. I already have a wife, and
there is nothing to be done about it. I’m sorry, Father, but you will have to
accept it.\n“And please leave my son alone. He only helped me face the truth, and
nothing else.”
Grandfather huffs and puffs, at a loss for words. \nYou hear the head of Brante
family and his adult son retreat from the door of your room.\nIt seems there will
be no punishment today after all.
Grandfather leaves for Eterna. Alone. \nAbout a fortnight later, Father receives a
letter from Stephan. It seems Grandfather told him about the incident with the
baroness, and so the letter is full of ire.\nHe writes that you have reminded high
society about Father’s marriage to a lowborn woman, and now the family’s reputation
is at stake.
Father winces when he reads Stephan’s letter, deep in thought.\nBut Mother is
smiling again because of Father’s actions, her joy a quiet, happy glow.
The Kaleidoscope
Father now checks on your studies often and nitpicks you for sitting or eating or
speaking in an incorrect fashion.\nOnce he becomes so annoyed, he says that he
wishes Stephan had been the one to stay home instead of you.\nYou never expected to
hear these words from your father, of all people.
Grandfather’s trip to the capital took longer than expected. It feels lighter
around the house without his presence.\nYou allow yourself a little change of
scenery: instead of your room, you now busy yourself with reading and calculations
in the sitting room across from the open door to the yard.\nGloria has joined you
today. She has already helped you progress through several complex passages in the
book. Right now she seems preoccupied with a strange tube.
“Aren’t you hurt by the way Grandfather treats you,” you ask?\nGloria just shrugs.
“Grandfather always says they should get rid of me. I’m used to it now. He hurts
you a lot worse because you’re closer to him. I just have to stay out of his way,
that’s it.”
She shows you the strange tube she has been holding all day.
“Look — it’s a kaleidoscope. I got it as a gift. Want to see inside?”
Excited by the idea, you close the book and peer into the tiny hole on one end of
the tube.\nYour eye sees a multitude of intricate patterns. Each turn of the tube
reveals a new web of interwoven colors. They mesmerize you.
The kaleidoscope turns the fire burning in the fireplace into a cavalry made of
flames. You are riding at the front of the fiery horsemen, ready to face the enemy.
Grandfather’s face emerges from the intersecting lines, and you swing the
kaleidoscope like a sword, cutting it in half.\nNow you look at the blue sky
through the window. The patterns are unending, secretive and calm and peaceful…\
nJust like Father’s smile before Grandfather’s invasion.
The deep blue gives way to a scattering of gold radiating gentle warmth, like
Mother’s arms.\nThis fleeting beauty too soon gives way to a hypnotic new pattern.
Again and again you see your family in these interconnecting figures as they come
together and break apart.\nAnd in the middle of this golden glow you see Gloria’s
green eyes, gazing at you observantly.
Your sister left you long ago.\nThe books are abandoned, and time slips away
unchecked. But you are still busy peering into the kaleidoscope.\nOrder emerges
from the chaos before your eyes again and again, but you cannot preserve it, no
matter how you try.
You are caught in an inner conflict! There is so much that can be done with this
kaleidoscope… \nShould you take it apart? Or ask Gloria how it works? Or keep
enjoying the patterns it shows you? \nBut you still have lessons to do today…
Take the kaleidoscope apart
Keep looking through the kaleidoscope
Return to your studies
You start taking the toy apart to learn the secrets of the never-ending patterns.
You keep playing with the kaleidoscope as visions of warriors bathed in glory
reveal themselves before you.
You choose to finish your studies first and share the discoveries with Gloria
later.
You examine the kaleidoscope as curiosity overtakes you.\nThere is something
strange rumbling around inside it — it has to be a mystery of some kind!\nYou are
dying to figure it out, itching to understand how it works.
You continue peering into the ever-changing patterns the kaleidoscope offers you. \
nThey become truly interesting when you point it at the Shining Pillar gleaming in
the sky.
You put the kaleidoscope away and return to studying the book. \nThere is so much
you have to discuss with Gloria! You cannot help but wonder… what things did she
see there?\nBut first, your lessons.
You rip away the wooden cylinder on the wide end of the kaleidoscope. Inside you
see three elongated mirrors, put together to form a triangle. The transparent glass
shield falls out and onto your knees. A bunch of glittering, tiny glass baubles
scatter on the table. \nThere was nothing infinite inside it, you realize. It was
just a clever trick.
In your mind’s eye, one battle follows another, filling your ears with clanging
steel and the neighing of horses.\nYou are leading the Imperial Army now. Everybody
is so proud of you — Grandfather says you are better than Stephan! — and…
When Father walks in, he sees you hard at work over the book. He chuckles in
approval, then spots the kaleidoscope on the table next to you.\nHe puts the toy to
his eye, then freezes still for a moment. It takes him an effort to put it back
down.\nThen he praises you for being diligent and leaves.
With a heavy heart, you go to your sister’s room and confess to breaking the
kaleidoscope. \nGloria is sad, but not angry with you. She asks you to promise
never to take her things apart again. \nYou promise.
And father’s stern voice cuts your daydream short.\nYou lost all track of time. It
is evening now.
When today’s section of the book is finished, you take the toy upstairs to your
sister’s room and tell her what you saw in it.\nGloria smiles, knowing what you
felt.
“How did you get your hands on this toy, <username>? Why aren’t you studying? Give
it to me! You will have double the lessons tomorrow!”
“I once saw a ballroom full of dancers. I watched it for an entire hour — my hands
even got sore!”
You spend a long time with your sister discussing the kaleidoscopic figures, and
you feel a strong connection to her. \nThe toy has brought you closer together,
made you interconnected — just like the lines and figures in its colorful eye.
Sweet Temptation
Grandfather’s visits are no longer a cause for fear and panic in the house. He has
become something you are used to, something nagging, yet not unordinary — like a
splinter or a stain on your trousers.\nThe tension still remains, however. Sir
Gregor’s disdain for everyone in the house is so palpable, it almost stings for
real.
Your lessons with the tutor are done for today. You are walking down the stairs
when you spot Gloria peeping into the sitting room through a slightly open door.\
nYou sneak up on your sister and tap her lightly on the shoulder. She is startled.
“Oh, it’s you, <username>. Look, Sir Gregor’s eating something!”
Grandfather is sitting on the sofa, flipping through a book with one hand and
reaching for a glass bowl with another now and then.\nInside the bowl you see
candied fruit — a sweet confectionary forbidden to the common estate, like all
sweet things!\nYet Grandfather’s face shows no pleasure as he keeps consuming the
highborn treats.
The clock strikes three.\nGrandfather rises from his seat, puts away the bowl on a
shelf, and leaves for the yard. He always takes a walk in the city at this time.
Gloria nudges you with her elbow and looks at the candy bowl when you look at her.\
nThe first emotion you feel is fear, but next comes curiosity, and it is stronger.\
nStephan used to boast that candied fruit tastes incredible — and now you have a
perfect opportunity to try it!
You try a candied fruit first. The sugar starts to melt as soon as you put it on
your tongue. It is so sweet! You have never eaten anything as good as this!\nYou
take the whole bowl off the shelf and give it to your sister.\nShe takes a fruit
and brings it to her mouth — carefully, like a rare treasure.
There is a thumping on the stairs — footsteps accompanied by the knocking of a
walking-stick. You have no idea why, but Grandfather is back!\nYou quickly hide
behind the sofa and pull Gloria after you, but she is frozen in place with the bowl
in her hands.\nThe door opens. Grandfather’s menacing figure advances on Gloria.
His hand seizes her arm.
“You squalid, ungrateful, lowborn child! How dare you bite the hand that feeds you?
You and your trollop of a mother would be sleeping in a ditch if it weren’t for my
spineless son!\n“The sweet and pleasant things in life are for the noble estate,
not for the likes of you! Did you forget your Lot?”
His hand swings and hits Gloria on the cheek.\nShe falls to the floor right next to
where you are hidden. Her fingers glisten with the warm melted sugar that brought
you here.\nGrandfather advances again, his walking-stick ready. But then he sees
you huddling behind the armchair.
“Please don’t hurt him, Sir Brante! This is all my fault! He tried to stop me!”
You can already see a bruise on Gloria’s cheek. This is only the beginning of her
punishment.\nGloria was caught red-handed, unlike you. You can still avoid your
punishment.
“What is it then, milksop? Did you try the sugar too? Or were you trying to stop
this piece of filth like she says?”
Tell the truth
Lie
Mock Grandfather along with your sister
You tell the truth: you did eat the candied fruit with your sister.
You convince Grandfather that you were trying to stop Gloria.
You start mocking Grandfather, convinced that Gloria will join you.
You stand up and tell the truth, even though it takes you an effort to do it. You
actually ate a candied fruit, but Gloria only touched it.\nYou hope this will help
your sister avoid punishment. You are quickly proven wrong.
You stand up and start talking: yes, Gloria was telling the truth, you were trying
to stop her!\nGrandfather tilts his head as he keeps you transfixed by his
inhospitably bitter gaze.
You jump up and try to shield Gloria. \nThen you start boasting right in his face:
yes, you did eat the sugary treat, and it was very much the opposite of sweet! Good
thing Gloria did not have time to eat hers, or it would have disappointed her too!\
nGloria catches on in a moment.
Grandfather’s face is red with rage.\nHe strikes you both with his walking stick,
blow for blow.
“Then why did you hide behind the armchair like a petty thief?”
“Yeah, sugary treats are for fat noble kids. But they’re gross to us, we’re just
commoners.”
He keeps hitting you until he grows tired; and then he leaves you where you are.\
nSoon enough, Mother comes in to find the two of you on the floor, too afraid to
move. She shakes her head in disappointment.\nYou are badly hurt and covered in
bruises, yet she still forces you to kneel and recite the precepts on the Lots and
how important it is to follow them.
It was all Gloria, you tell him. She told you to hide!\nGloria looks at you with
pain and disappointment when you say this.\nGrandfather nods, satisfied by your
answer. He tells you to stay and watch him punish Gloria.
You continue her train of thought: why, we simply got curious after Stephan started
boasting about it. He told us these treats are so good, you could eat them forever
— but no, your elder brother lied, they are simply unbearable!\nBut then again,
what else would you expect from Grandfather’s darling Stephan?
Then you stand before Father and Grandfather and swear never to take things that do
not belong to you again.
For the first time in your life, you see somebody else being punished — her skin
split apart by Grandfather’s walking-stick, her clothes getting soaked in blood as
she writhes in agony.
Night comes, but Gloria’s sobbing keeps you awake.\nYou go to her bedroom and try
to calm her down, but a muffled “go away!” is her only reaction.\nShe lied to
Grandfather for you, so why is she angry with you now?
“You dare mock me?! I will not let this stand! Know your place, you foul lowborn
scum!”
Mother takes Gloria to church next morning.\nThey return late in the afternoon, and
Gloria begs Father on her knees for forgiveness. She will never ever take what she
does not deserve by birth, she pleads.\nShe does not look at you, not even once.
He keeps hitting you until he grows tired; and then he leaves you where you are,
muttering in impotent rage.\nSoon enough, Mother comes in to find the two of you on
the floor, too afraid to move. She shakes her head in disappointment. \nYou are
badly hurt and covered in bruises, yet she still forces you to kneel and recite the
precepts on the Lots and how important it is to follow them.
Gloria’s face is bruised and swollen, but she still gives you a weak smile.
“We got him so riled up… two commoners made an honorable noble feel helpless. Makes
all the pain worth it — isn’t that right, brother?”
Your entire body hurts from the heavy blows, but deep inside you are ecstatic.\nYou
stood up to Grandfather today!\nIt is a victory you will remember for the rest of
your life.
Father and Mother have been focused on Nathan and you since early morning.\nInstead
of breakfast, you are told to say your prayers, wash your hands and faces, and get
dressed in plain white shirts.\nToday is the day of your Sacrament.
“Mother, I want to go play in the yard!”
“No playing today. You and <username> are big boys now. It is time for you both to
have your first Sacrament. No one can live without a Lot.”
“I don’t want a Lot!”
“Be quiet and listen! You were born commoners, so you must accept a lowborn Lot
before the Twins. When you grow up, you will get a chance earn a noble Lot.”
Father and Mother take you to the carriage. Nathan is hungry. He starts whining.
Grandfather is the last to get in the carriage. His eyes are on you and your
brother, looking for every fault.\nSoon the carriage is moving along the streets of
Anizotte, slowly and solemnly. One more turn, and you see the colossal white
building marked by two massive pillars.\nFor the first time in your life, you are
to enter the Church of the Twin Gods.
You enter the gate and walk under the splendorous dome of the church.\nThe church
hall is divided into two halves. They are drastically different from one another:
the floor on one side is rough and jagged and covered in dried brown spots, while
the floor on the other is made of smooth marble.\nThe commoners kneel on the jagged
floor, and the well-dressed nobles and their families sit on pews.
Father and Grandfather leave you to sit on one of the nobles’ pews. \nMother walks
to the rough stone of the commoners’ side and gets down on her knees. You see her
wince in pain, for the lowborn estate shall suffer in the House of the Faith.\nThe
church acolytes surround you and lead you to the altar, where you and other
children will take your Sacrament this day.
Before you stands a tall priest dressed in black, with a sword in one hand and a
hefty whip in the other.\nNathan’s whining grows louder. He dislikes this place. He
is scared. You remain quiet, but your stomach roils in uneasy anticipation.
The first child to take the Sacrament is a jaunty little boy from a family of
nobles.\nThe priest extends the sword before him and recites the words of his Lot:
from this day forth he will fight, and rule, and pursue the arts, his mind now
forever free from the throes of suffering, for he now belongs to the noble Lot.\
nThe boy proudly touches the flat of the blade with his lips.
Nathan is next to receive the Sacrament. He suddenly snaps out of his fearful
trance and tries to break free, but the acolyte pulls him towards the altar and
throws him on the jagged floor on the lowborn side.\nThe sharp edges bite into
Nathan’s knees as he lands, spraying drops of red around him.
“I don’t wanna! <username>, why do they want to whip me? What did I do?”
You try to break free and run to Nathan’s side. You want to give him courage and
protect him, but the acolyte’s grip on you is too firm.\nYou feel utterly
helpless.\nYour little brother has to face the world all by himself.
The priest starts reciting the words of the Lot as he swings the lash over Nathan’s
shoulders.\n”From this day forth, Nathan, thou shalt endure, and work, and suffer;
thou shalt be ardent in thy labor and humble in obedience to thy rulers.\n“And now
cometh thy first true suffering, which thou must accept with gratitude.”
The lash cracks.\nIt strikes his right shoulder.\nIt strikes his left shoulder. The
blows are so powerful that Nathan falls to the floor. The priest tells him to rise.
He has received his Lot.\nNathan gets on his feet and drags himself towards Mother,
his knees torn and bloodied, his spirit broken.
It is your turn. Your feet will not move. You can barely muster enough strength to
walk to the altar.\nYou get down on your knees and feel the sharp stones below — so
sharp your clothing cannot protect you. Your skin begins to burn.\nThe acolyte
forces your head down, and you feel the lash being drawn above you, ready to
strike.
The priest’s words are for you now.\n”This is thy Sacrament: thou shalt work, and
endure, and suffer. Thou art about to receive thy first true suffering by the
sacred Lash.\nDost thou accept thy Lot?”
Accept it
Raise your head
Catch the lash
Kiss the sword
You humbly accept the commoner’s Lot.
You raise your head defiantly and stand up.
You catch the lash before it strikes your shoulders.
You defy the rite of the Sacrament and kiss the priest’s sword.
The moment before the lash reaches you stretches out into an eternity.\nIts sound
approaches you slowly as it slices through the air.
The priest readies the lash.\nBut before he can strike, you raise your head and
stand up.\nThere are cries of indignation among the churchgoers.
The lash strikes.\nBut your hand flies up and intercepts it before it can reach
your shoulder.\nThe leather whip leaves a deep cut on the palm of your hand. Blood
starts dripping down your arm, soaking your humble shirt with red.
The whip slices through the air, about to strike, but your eyes are transfixed by
the blade the priest holds in his other hand. \nYou jump up and away. The lash
misses you.\nYou grab the blade with your hands; it cuts into them without mercy.
The priest wrenches it away from your bloodied fingers.\nYou look him straight in
the eye.
The whip cracks.\nIt strikes you on the right shoulder.\nThe lash is so heavy, it
bends your back and forces you to the floor.
The whip cracks. It strikes you on the right shoulder. \nBut you keep your head up.
\nIt strikes again, this time on your left shoulder, but you remain standing. No
one intervenes; even the priest is confused by this turn of events.\nHe grits his
teeth as he orders you to depart. You are to remain humble and obedient from this
day forth, for you now belong to the common estate.
The furious priest yanks the lash out of your hand. The acolytes grab you by the
arms again.\nYou will not be given a second chance to interrupt the Sacrament.
“I am <username> of House Brante!”
The lash cracks again. It hits you on the left shoulder.\nThere is blood running
down your back.
You walk away from the altar, swaying.\nYou see things with surprising clarity now.
You can barely feel the pain, even as blood runs down your back.\nA timid hand
touches yours. It is Nathan, his tearful face a mixture of confusion and awe.
The lash cracks. It hits you on the right shoulder.\nYou grit your teeth. Your back
barely hurts at all — the real pain comes from the cut on your hand.\nThe lash
strikes again, this time on your left shoulder.
The priest freezes in shock.\nYou seize this moment to pull the sword closer and
kiss the smooth, cold blade.
“Rise now, commoner,” the priest tells you.\nYou stand.\nEverything looks blurry.
You can barely walk on the sharp floor. Mother takes your hand and leads you away
from the altar.
Mother takes your hand and leads you out of the church.\nOnce you are outside, she
scolds you for being insubordinate.\nGrandfather is the last to leave his church.
His face is covered in red, angry blotches. There is a quiet fury in his voice as
he says something to Father, who remains quiet and miserable as you walk to the
carriage.
You rise and walk away from the altar, swaying. You see things with surprising
clarity right now.\nA timid hand touches yours. It is Nathan, his tearful face a
mixture of confusion and awe.
You hear cries of outrage among the churchgoers. Mother prostrates herself on the
jagged floor, wracked with fear. Father remains still, baffled by what you have
just done.\nBut Grandfather looks at you intently, as though truly seeing you for
the first time. There is a semblance of respect in his gaze.
There is agony, but there is also unfathomable tranquility. \nThis is right. This
is what you deserve. This is how it should be. This is the way of the world and its
laws. From this day forth you will accept all suffering in life with humility and
patience.\nFor you are a commoner.
You defied a powerful Will that day.\nThere is fear inside of you: you fear that
this Will might one day destroy you.
Mother takes your hand and leads you out of the church. Once you are outside, she
scolds you for being insubordinate.\nGrandfather is the last to leave his church.
His face is covered in red, angry blotches. There is a quiet fury in his voice as
he says something to Father, who remains quiet and miserable as you walk to the
carriage.
You are forced back to the commoners’ place at the altar. The acolytes seize you by
the arms and legs and keep your face bent closely to the bloodied, jagged stones of
the floor.\nThe lash strikes your right shoulder, then your left shoulder.\nThen
you are told to rise.\nYou are a commoner.
Mother takes your hand and leads you out of the church. Once you are outside, she
scolds you for being insubordinate and bringing shame to your family.\nNathan holds
your hand as you walk, his tearful face a mixture of confusion and awe as he looks
into your eyes.
But you do not feel as though you have made a mistake.\nYou did what was right for
you.
The Ant Farm
Your younger brother Nathan is growing. Mother spends more time with the rest of
the family now. You help her and play with your brother and take care of him when
she asks.\nYou often go to Mother’s room to sit at the foot of her bed after Nathan
falls asleep. She reads you the sacred books and asks you about the things you
learned that day.\nDuring these moments, you see the world through her eyes as
well.
One day the door of your room opens and she brings in a large box covered with a
piece of cloth.\nIt is rare for you to see her so overjoyed. She sets the box on
the floor and removes the cloth.
The box under the cloth is made of glass and has a wooden base.\nInside you see a
layer of earth shaped into carefully crafted passages, and these passages are full
of hardworking ants.
“<username>, this is my gift to you: an ant farm. It’s a little world in a small
box. We can watch them through the glass.\n“Look — this is the queen ant. She is
the reason all these little ants were born…”
You sit by the box together. You hold your breath as you watch the ant colony at
work. \nThere turns out to be a method to the ants’ chaotic movements. Every single
one of them has a task to perform.
Some of them have larger mandibles. They are the protectors of the colony. They can
draw blood from your finger.\nOthers work all around the colony, repairing the
walls and clearing any debris from the passages.\nThere are also workers who
collect food you put in a special tray — leaves, bits of meat, maggots — and bring
it to the rest of the colony.
You take a worker ant and put it right next to the food.\nHowever, the insect has
no interest in it. It starts circling around the tray aimlessly.\nMother takes the
stray ant and puts it back where it belongs.
“Why did you do that, my son? The ants cannot do what they weren’t born to do. Each
of them was born for their own job.”
You shake your head slowly. If only the ants could do whatever you wanted them to!
This is your gift now, so they belong to you.\nOr maybe Mother’s presence is the
reason they won’t obey you…
Keep playing with Mother
Play by yourself
You offer to go outside together and find some bugs to feed the ants.
You ask Mother to leave you alone.
Mother’s look is full of warmth and love. \nNathan, Gloria, and Father are away
right now. For the first time in a long while, it is just the two of you. And
Mother takes great joy in watching over the ant farm.\nShe shares her knowledge of
the world with you. The things she tells you are true.
You move away from Mother and pull the glass box toward yourself. She looks at you
in surprise.\nBut she gave it to you. It’ll be easier to learn about the ants on
your own. Mother sighs and stands back up.
You move closer to her and suggest going outside and finding some bugs for the
ants. She agrees to this happily and holds your hand as you leave the house.\nSoon
you are busy catching bugs and sharing your thoughts on how the ants will feed the
colony with them.\nFrom time to time you laugh together, making up stories about
errant flies and caterpillars overthrowing the ant kingdom.
“Very well. I understand. You want to find your own answers. You’ve grown up so
quickly, my son.”
You and Mother hold hands as you return to your room. She can’t help but smile. It
is a faint smile, a child’s smile, a smile full of sunlight.\nYou are so happy to
have seen the world through her eyes today.
The door creaks quietly as it closes, and you are left to your own devices. You
spend a long time watching the ants at work, and then you decide to go outside and
find them some bugs to feed on.\nOnce your haul is in the tray, you note which bugs
they drag away and which they leave untouched.
Day after day, you keep the tray full of food, provide the insects with plenty of
water, and remove dead ants from the farm. Your tiny subjects still refuse to
change their peculiar ways.\nIt is just as Mother said: the ant farm is exactly
like the world we live in.\nThe ants will never know that you are there.
Father's Sword
When Father is not working long hours, you often see him spending long stretches of
time in the back yard, practicing his fencing.\nYou are allowed to watch, but that
is it. You are forbidden from touching the sword, let alone actually learning how
to fight with it.
It is a new day today, and Father has been busy in his study since early morning.
Mother took Gloria and Nathan to the shops.\nYour studies are done for today. The
house is empty. You spot Father’s sword hanging by the yard door.\nHe must have
left it there by accident after a training session.
You deliberate at first, then grab the sword with resolve and run outside.\nAt last
you have a chance to see it up close.\nIt is a smallsword used for dueling, heavy
and devoid of any ornamentation. You recall that it was made specifically for him.
The weapon is difficult to handle. Its heft makes the palm of your hand shake.\nAs
you get used to it, you try your best to imitate Father’s feints. Your technique
leaves much to be desired, but at least it’s something.\nYou imagine yourself
fighting for the family’s honor as the thin blade slices through the air.
But you swing too far back — the blade nicks your shoulder and cuts through your
shirt, staining the fabric crimson.\nThe sword falls to the ground with a dull
clang.\nYou try to apply pressure to the wound to make it stop bleeding, but all
you do is make the blood flow faster.
“<username>! What are you doing here?”
The familiar voice hurts you more than the cut of the sword.\nFather walks up to
you briskly. His rugged arms rip off a length of cloth and bandage your shoulder.\
nHe squats by your side and pulls you into an awkward embrace.
“My son, why did you have to take the sword? You know you’re not supposed to hold
it. This is no toy — it is a weapon that can take lives. I know how you feel… I
used to yearn for my father’s dueling sword back when I was a lad. One day you
might have a chance to earn the right to carry a weapon, but first you must have
patience, and study, and become a noble. When that day comes, I will be proud to
teach you myself.”
You rarely spend time with Father without someone else around. There is paternal
love in his voice, so much that even the cut on your shoulder barely hurts now.\
nYou would be glad to be convinced by what he says.\nBut how can you forget your
dream? How can you abandon it just to earn Father’s approval?\nIs it right for him
to ask so much of you?
Agree with Father
Ask Father to teach you the basics
You promise never to touch his sword again.
You muster all your courage and beg Father to teach you how to hold the sword.
You take a deep breath, then slowly and solemnly swear that you will never touch a
sword again until you earn a nobleman’s title.\nThis promise is a difficult one for
you to make. No more secret fights with an imaginary blade. No more battles with
sticks.\nIf you give your word, you must keep it.
Father’s inquisitive look presses you for an answer. It takes you a long time to
muster enough courage to speak.\nYou beg him to teach you how to fight — at least
the very basics. It will certainly come in handy in your future.\nIt will be your
first step towards becoming a nobleman.
Father smiles at you warmly.
Now it takes Father a long time to respond. He is about to speak, and you expect a
refusal, but he says nothing. He draws a sharp breath again, but remains quiet. \
nThen, finally, he offers you the sword.
“It is one thing to make a promise, and another thing to keep it. But I know you
can do it, my son. You are on your way to becoming a man of your word. Let’s go
back inside now.
“But remember this, <username>: you are not a warrior… not yet. You will study this
like you study your lessons.”
He picks up the sword and leads you back into the house. You wash the blood from
the cut and agree to keep this a secret from everybody.\nThen Father asks you to
come into his study with him. He tells you stories of his studies in the capital.
He tells you about studying for the judgeship and the trials he had to face to be
ennobled by the Mantle.
He teaches you the first lesson right away.\nYou learn to dodge attacks. There are
several times when the tip of the blade cuts the air dangerously close to your
nose.\nIt is scary and difficult, but you manage it.
Father brings several toy soldiers from the house. He uses them to reenact the
famous Battle of The Green River.\nThe floor of the study becomes a battlefield,
and the books from his table turn into riverside hills.\nYou try your best to
remember his every word.
From that day forth, Father teaches you the foundations of sword-fighting in great
secret.\nYou use your passion for tree-climbing to explain the cuts you receive
during training.\nSoon you learn how to hold your own in a duel. But will you ever
need this art in real life?
The Boy Down The Street
The family expects more and more of you as you grow up.\nThe teachers and tutors
hired by your father keep you on your toes all the time.\nYour life these days is
dedicated to studying for your future, for the future of the Brante family.
Your younger brother Nathan keeps growing up too.\nHe can hold a conversation now.
You never refuse him when he comes to play, provided you have a bit of free time
between your demanding lessons.
It is a rainy day today. Father and Mother have gone to a ball, and they left
Nathan in your care. You lose track of time over the books in the sitting room, and
Nathan goes off alone to splash in the creek.\nSoon you hear his voice begging you
to come outside. He is on the porch, sobbing, all covered in dirt.\nYou walk up to
him as he continues to bawl.
“It’s all… it’s all that kid! He — he pushed me into the ditch and called me names!
He said I was a fancy-pants fool! I said I’ll call my brother! He’s still there.
You have to go punish him, <username>!”
Nathan points at a lopsided wooden house further down the street where the poorer
artisans live.\nYou see two boys lingering there on the porch. They are clearly
both commoners, but far from poor. One of them is almost as tall as Nathan, and he
frowns in a funny way, just like him.\nThe other looks older, almost your age, but
he is more broad-shouldered and taller. His name is Tommas. You’ve heard it before.
“There, <username>! That’s him!”
Nathan points at the younger boy and hides behind your back.\nTommas grins and
rolls up his sleeves to reveal strong forearms. He must have been helping his
father with manual labor for quite some time.
“Listen up, rich boys! We don’t give a damn about you or your friendship. We don’t
let nobody call our home a stinking rathole. Your little brother earned his ditch
dive.
“Maybe next time he’ll dress normal and stop picking fights with people who can
throw him in the mud!”
Your hands clench into fists before you react. \nNathan called them names first —
no wonder they did the same. That’s how it goes. But pushing your brother into a
ditch is too much.\nTommas stands tall and confident — he sees no threat in you.
You are about to get ready for a fight when you feel a tug on your sleeve.\nYou
turn your head to see Nathan, the one who started the whole mess.
Come at Tommas and give him a beating
Say your brother is to blame
Resolve the matter peacefully
Listen to your brother first
You simply have to teach that jerk a lesson!
He did call them names first…
You do your best to reason with Tommas and avoid a fight.
Nathan keeps tugging on your sleeve. It seems he has something important to tell
you.
The bold-faced bully is taller and clearly stronger, but nobody talks to you like
that!\nYou leap at Tommas and start tearing into him.\nHe jumps backward, surprised
by your assault. It takes him a moment to compose himself, but now he is ready. His
fists cover the face, and he attacks you with a quick jab.\nIt is now your turn to
take a step backward.\nYou start trading blows, huffing and puffing with rage. The
younger brothers gawk in awe at the sight.
It takes you a few moments to compose yourself and quell your rage. Your brother
has put you on the spot. He couldn’t bring himself to apologize, and now you have
to settle this for him. And how are you supposed to do that, pray tell?\nIf you had
done this, Grandfather would have had you flogged, and Father would have scolded
you and given you the cold shoulder for days afterward.\nYou frown and ask Nathan
to come closer.
This quarrel can be resolved peacefully.\nYou turn to Tommas and offer to solve the
problem like adults: his brother will apologize to Nathan, and Nathan will
apologize to him in return. There is no need to fight anymore, and you will give
Nathan a piece of your mind when you get home. You and Tommas are all grown up and
should act your age, you say.
Nathan keeps tugging on your sleeve, harder and harder. Finally you turn and look
at him.
Tommas does not resort to fancy moves, dirty tricks, or stupid taunts. He displays
nothing but skill earned in many a street fight, and his heavy fists aim for your
head.\nYou keep dodging him again and again, trying to reach him. He takes a couple
of glancing blows, but easily shakes them off. What a bruiser!\nYou start swinging
your firsts with greater and greater fury.
You address Nathan sternly: he told you these boys were to blame, but he was the
one who called them names first, so how is this their fault? It serves him right.
Next time he should watch his mouth.\nYour lecture sounds a lot like Father. You
think your tirade came out well enough.
The blood rushes to Tommas’s face when he hears this.
“Don’t fight him, please! Look, he’s huge! Let’s go home. Who cares about them?
You’re all sweaty.”
Your heart is pounding like a hammer. You see nothing but the foe in front of you.
How much longer will this take? You’re worn out. Your breath grows ragged, and your
muscles grow heavy.\nBut there is no way you can give up now — Nathan is watching
you!\nDesperate and out of options, you swing and punch Tommas square in the nose —
then immediately let his fist smack you in the temple.\nThe blow rings through your
head like a bell and blinds you for a moment.
Nathan pouts, looks away, and furrows his brow. Still, he nods.\nTommas slowly
shakes his head in disapproval. Then he bursts out laughing. To him, this is
actually hilarious.
“Act our age, you say? Are you calling me a baby?! You better shut your trap!”
“Are you gonna listen to your litter brother and walk away like a coward? All you
rich boys are chickens. You do nothing but squawk, but when the push comes to
shove, you run home to mommy!”
The world swims before your eyes. You clutch at your head to get your bearings.
Tommas is standing in front of you, blood dripping from his nose.\nYou no longer
want to fight it out, and it seems your opponent would rather end it too.\nBut you
keep standing there, eyeing each other angrily. \nThen, suddenly, you hear an angry
shout right next to you. An enraged man in a craftsman’s apron is shaking his
fist.\nTommas’s face contorts in terror right away.
“Well, would you look at that! You’re a right little nobleman! Are you gonna push
him into the ditch yourself now?”
This is all he says before he attacks. You barely dodge a fist flying at your
face.\nYou start trading blows, huffing and puffing with rage. The younger brothers
gawk in awe at the sight.
Now he’s done it — your patience has run out. You swing at Tommas, and he jumps
back, surprised by your assault.\nIt takes him a moment to compose himself, but now
he is ready. His fists cover his face, and he attacks you with a quick jab.\nNow it
is your turn to take a step backward.\nYou start trading blows, huffing and puffing
with rage. The younger brothers gawk in awe at the sight.
“It’s my father! Run!”
His words turn your seemingly perfect solution into a repulsive absurdity.\nBlood
rushes to your face. You step closer to Tommas and shove him — hard.\nHe jumps
back, surprised by your assault. It takes him a moment to compose himself, but now
he is ready. His fists cover his face, and he attacks you with a quick jab.\nNow it
is your turn to take a step backward.
The punishment for fighting is flogging, and the mere prospect of that makes you
run like the wind.\nTommas sprints in front of you.\nYou dash across the rotten
wooden planks of the back alley, up and over a lopsided fence, across a giant
puddle in one leap, and then forward into the tall grass…\nYou hide there and stay
quiet. You hear no sounds of pursuit.\nYou exchange glances with Tommas and start
laughing. His laughter is loud and infectious. But soon he cuts it short and grows
sadder.
“Eh, I’ll get flogged anyways! My dad’s always quick to give me a beating. And then
he’ll start nagging me about the Lots and the prayers for days like he always does.
Why do I always get myself mixed up in this stuff? But fighting’s the only way to
prove you’re worth anything, right?”
The adults didn’t see you fighting, you tell him, so all you have to do now is
convince them you weren’t.\nNosebleeds happen, right? Mother gets nosebleeds all
the time.
The world swims before your eyes. You clutch at your head to get your bearings.
Tommas is standing in front of you, blood dripping from his nose.\nYou no longer
want to fight it out, and it seems your opponent would rather end it too.\nBut you
keep standing there, eyeing each other angrily.\nThen, suddenly, you hear an angry
shout right next to you. An enraged man in a craftsman’s apron is shaking his
fist.\nTommas’s face contorts in terror right away.
“Well… we could try it. Let’s hope our little brothers don’t tell on us. I’ll talk
to mine. There’s a scratch on your head — don’t let them see it. Good thing I
didn’t hit you in the face. There, good as new!”
You assure him that Nathan will never tell — and in return, you’ll make sure he
behaves himself so he won’t get tossed into a ditch again. With that, you shake
hands with Tommas. His handshake is as strong as you would expect based on his
fists.\nYou make your way out of the tall grass. You need to leave before Tommas’s
father goes to your family and complains about you breaking your Lot.
“Eh, I’m gonna get flogged anyways! My dad’s always quick to give me a beating. And
then he’ll start nagging me about the Lots and the prayers for days like he always
does. Why do I always get myself mixed up in this stuff? But fighting’s the only
way to prove you’re worth anything, right?”
You come to a realization on the way back: you had no idea the place where you were
hiding even existed, and it wasn’t too far from home. Tommas smiles in excitement
when he hears this.
“Oh, I know lots of places like that! I’ll tell you what: if we get out of this
mess today, I’ll show you the way to the old wall. It’s the perfect place to build
forts! \n“I dragged a bunch of wooden planks there. Too bad it’s no fun to build
all alone. My brother never helps. He just gets in the way…”
You emerge from the muddy back alleys united by a secret only the two of you
know. \nIt seems you’ve made a friend today.
You come to a realization on the way back: you had no idea the place where you were
hiding even existed, and it wasn’t too far from home.\nTommas smiles in excitement
when he hears this.
mess today, I’ll show you the way to the old fortress wall. It’s the perfect place
to build your own fort! “I dragged a bunch of wooden planks there. Too bad it’s no
fun to build all alone. My brother never helps. He just gets in the way…”
mess today, I’ll show you the way to the old wall. It’s the perfect place to build
forts! “I dragged a bunch of wooden planks there. Too bad it’s no fun to build all
alone. My brother never helps. He just gets in the way…”
Riders on the Road
It is blistering hot today, even for the sun-parched land of Magra. As soon as you
are done with your studies, you dash outdoors and out of the stuffy room.\nYou and
Tommas roll up your shirtsleeves, but it barely helps. You would gladly go
shirtless had you only been in the company of other boys.\nBut there are three
girls in the yard today. They are doing the laundry in a big washtub, whispering
and giggling.\nIf you could, you would gladly keep watching one of them at work.
She has big eyes of deep blue. Her dark hair is braided, and her plain gray dress
is mended and patched all over.\nHer name is Sophia. She throws her head back a
little when she laughs. The rays of the sun are reflected in her eyes.\nYou,
Tommas, and the other boys keep telling silly stories — anything to make her laugh.
“You sure love telling tall tales, <username>! Oh, I remember this one time…”
But then Sophia hears a voice calling her home.\nShe nods to you and runs across
the street smiling. Her light steps carry her forward, but her eyes are looking
elsewhere.\nBut then a stone on the road catches her foot. She stumbles and falls
flat into the dust.
The street starts shaking from the thundering of hooves. Riders appear on the road
from around the corner.\nThey bear a coat of arms you recognize right away: a sable
serpent-blade upon a field of vert. It symbolizes the Milanidas dynasty, the family
of your province’s Archduke.\nThe horses dash forward. A lost wooden toy on the
road cracks under their hooves. They will not slow down — they are the nobles, and
the rest must make way for them.
Sophia is in their way, just now starting to get back on her feet. Her mother is
crying for her desperately from behind the fence door.\nYou freeze in terror. The
riders surely see the girl — are they going to stop? Or are they going to trample
her?\nIn only a few moments the beautiful girl will be toppled, trampled, and
crushed!
Shield Sophia from the horses
Stay where you are
You rush into the road, blinded by hope, determined to stop the riders.
You stay where you are lest you get trampled too.
You throw yourself blindly into the road, swinging your arms wildly. Dazed by the
sound of the thundering hooves, you can see nothing in the dust. \nFor a brief
moment the horses slow down — just long enough for Sophia to get back on her feet
and flee to the roadside.\nBut then the riders dig their spurs in.
You stand frozen by the roadside, unable to look away as the cloud of dust covers
the entire street.\nYou feel as if a massive, maddened beast whipped into a
merciless frenzy has just passed you by.\nYou hear no screams, no cracking bones,
nothing but the deafening din of the hooves.
Dozens of hooves knock you off your feet and roll across your body.\nYour bones
crack, break, and crumble. Your ears are ripped apart by the thundering rhythm of
the ride. Your innards are pulverized.\nThe last thing you remember is the sound of
your own skull caving in.
Once the horses are gone and the dust settles, you can finally see the road again —
and the repulsive blob of blood, flesh, and bone left on it.\nYou can still see
traces of Sophia in that mess: her dark hair, the remains of her dress…\nBut it is
no longer her.
Then you can feel again. You sense your body, head, arms, and legs.\nThe light
fades around you, obedient before a Will that is stronger than you.
Sophia’s earthly remains slowly dissipate and melt into the air. Her mother’s eyes
are filled with grief as she watches. She hunches over and slowly walks back into
the house.\nYou can still hear the riders, far away down the road.\nNone of them
even bothered to look back.
You return to the world.\nSuch is the Law of the Twins: you will return to the
world until the time of your true death, and in this world you will have a body
with which to feel pain and suffering and pleasure.
Your friends walk away, at a loss for words. You make your way home, dazed by what
you have seen.\nYou are still dazed as you retell these events to Mother, unable to
look up from the floor. After a moment of silence, she embraces you and calms you
down.
You smell a sickly, moist odor.\nYou open your eyes and see the figures of Mother
and Father in the gloom of the family crypt, speaking to each other quietly. They
stop as soon as they hear you gasp.\nMother runs to you and locks you in an embrace
as Father wraps you in his cloak. \nNeither of them says a word as they lead you
out to the surface and back home.
“Poor girl… what a terrible, painful death! But you must know that it was not her
true death.”
“You’ve met a terrible end, my son. You were trampled by those horses.\n“Don’t be
so careless ever again. The lives you were granted by the Twin Gods are not to be
wasted so recklessly.\n“You would be punished for this, but the Twins have already
meted out Their punishment.”
“By the Twins’ mercy, we are all given enough time in this world. Should you die
before your time, you will be brought back by Their grace.\n“For three times They
will rescue you from a terrible fate; but the fourth death is true and final for
all.”
You tremble, your steps unsteady as you learn how to move again. Your body is
eerily smooth, fresh, and renewed — even the recent scars and scratches are all
gone.\nBut there is something new on it: a fresh black mark, a reminder of your
lesser death beneath those hooves.
“Every loss of a life we were granted at our birth is a heavy blow to us. But the
Gods told us not to mourn a lesser death. Everybody will keep on living as though
nothing has happened, even Sophia’s parents.”
“Remember that, by the Twins’ mercy, we are all given enough time in this world.
Should you die before your time, you will be brought back by Their grace.\n”For
three times They will rescue you from a terrible fate; but the fourth death is true
and final for all.”
“Their family is poor, and they have no family crypt like we do. When the girl’s
soul comes back to life, her body will be reborn in the city church with all her
wounds healed. \n“Do not mourn her, my son, but thank the Twin Gods for Their
justice.”
“Every loss of a life we were granted at our birth is a heavy blow to us. But the
Gods told us not to mourn a lesser death. And so we will humbly accept this and
move on.\n“See, your body has been reborn anew, with all your wounds healed!”
You see Sophia by her house a few days later, and she looks completely fine,
without so much as a scratch.\nThe other children tell you that her parents now
forbid her to leave the yard after dying such an early first death.\nYou call out
Sophia’s name. She looks at you briefly, then walks back inside.
“Do not mourn your loss of life, my son, but thank the Twin Gods for Their
justice.\n“Do not speak of this. And do not ever play by the road again if you wish
to keep on living!”
Sophia never talks to you again.
You cautiously go back outside the next day. \nChildren from the neighborhood
surround you. They all saw you get trampled, and now they all ask you the same
question: what was it like to die?\nTommas rescues you from their pestering. He
pushes the motley crew aside, hugs you, and pats you on the back.
“Look at you, buddy! You gave an entire life to keep a girl safe…”
Then you see Sophia. She is standing nearby, shyly working up the courage to walk
over to you.\nSoon she finally approaches you and begins speaking rapidly.
“<username>! Why did you… why did you throw yourself in front of those horses? My
life isn’t worth any more than yours, so why did you think that? You weren’t
supposed to die there! It was all those riders’ fault! They deserve to die, not
you…”
Her voice rises to a shriek. She suddenly stops and runs back home. \nYou stay
where you are, watching her run, the golden rays of the sun dancing in her braided
hair.
Stephan’s Arrival
During lunch, father tells you to stay home in the evening and prepare to meet some
important guests.\nYour elder brother Stephan will return home by dinner tonight.
Joining him will be your grandfather Gregor Brante, as well as a noble friend of
the family.\nYou are excited about your brother’s return. It has been years since
you last saw him. How has he changed during his years away from home?
You and Father await the guests anxiously.\nThe doorbell rings. Three people are
standing outside.\nGrandfather is the first to come in — naturally. He has not
changed a bit since his last visit, still eyeing the house with contempt, looking
for any reason to demean it.
Grandfather is followed by a stately young man dressed in a jacket embroidered in
silver whom you barely recognize as your brother.\nStephan casts a glance at your
threadbare clothes, your dirty fingernails — \nAnd smirks.
The last to enter the house is a personable gentleman with a worn-out, wrinkled
face. You have heard a lot about this man from Father and Grandfather.\nHe is Baron
Augustin El Borne, Stephan’s uncle, a family friend and the province’s Prefect,
which means that he is the head judge and thus Father’s superior.\nSir El Borne
smiles lightly and offers you his hand.
“And this must be your younger son <username>, yes? You have your father’s eyes,
young man.”
Father bows slightly to Grandfather and Sir El Borne.\nBut there is a moment of
quiet when Stephan’s turn comes. Father reaches out to him awkwardly, expecting an
embrace.\nThere is a question in Stephan’s eyes as he looks at Grandfather. The old
man shakes his head almost imperceptibly.
“We noblemen oughtn’t put our emotions on public display, Father. Not even after a
lengthy separation.”
There is no embrace. Instead, Stephan nods to Father curtly. He responds in kind,
his face devoid of emotion.\nAfter the greeting, you proceed to the sitting room.
El Borne is the first to enter. He kisses Mother’s hand, and Gloria’s too, and
tussles Nathan’s hair after he sees him hiding by the table. Grandfather
acknowledges them with glum nod.
“Greetings, Lydia Brante! I remember you were kind to me when I was but a child.
And you must be Nathan! You could barely walk when I saw you last.”
Your elder brother ignores Gloria completely.\nNot even a greeting.
You proceed to the dining room in a dignified manner and take your seats.\nThe
dishes smell delicious, but they merely punctuate the overwhelming tension at the
table.\nEl Borne is the only one with a friendly smile on his face.
“The dinner is splendid, Lydia! Did you choose the dishes yourself? You have a
truly refined palate. It warms my heart to know Stephan spent his early years with
you. Womanly care always does a child good, no matter the estate.”
Your fork freezes in the air halfway to your mouth. You expect many things from a
noble of the Sword, but words of praise for a lowborn woman are not one of them.\
nYou cast a glance at Grandfather. He looks like he is about to choke on those
words.
“It would do my grandson more good to stay at boarding school among his equals.”
“Please, Gregor! Parenting is no less important. Nothing can replace a mother’s
love, I cannot deny it. It saddens me greatly that my late sister could not be
there to raise Stephan. But there was still a family for him, and he was surrounded
by love. How could that be bad?
“And besides, his father was by his side all the while. A father’s example is
always the best. After all, Robert earned the judge’s rank the same way you did…
your grandson will surely follow in your footsteps — and who knows, perhaps even
the younger men of the Brante family will contribute to the…”
“You clumsy lowborn cretin!”
Everybody is startled by this sudden outburst.\nGrandfather’s face turns red.\nHe
is glaring at a young lady-servant holding a pitcher over a glass. Stephan is
sitting right next to her, dabbing a napkin on a fresh stain on his jacket.
“Begone this instant!”
The lady-servant runs away, leaving the pitcher on a small table by the door.\
nAfter a quiet moment, El Borne smiles again.
“It appears the servants have left us, yet dinner is far from over…”
“Worry not, Uncle — there are enough commoners at this table to keep us served with
food and drink.”
Stephan glares at Gloria across the table. She is sitting right next to you. She
shrinks down and hunches over under his gaze.\nFather furrows his brows. Mother
covers her mouth with trembling hands.\nGrandfather sneers. Stephan’s gaze does not
move.\nThe silence lasts far too long.
Then she starts to rise from her chair.
“If the Brante gentlemen so wish it…”
Your hands clench into fists under the table.\nHow can he bring himself to
humiliate his own family, his own mother and sister like this? It is all
Grandfather’s doing — Stephan could not even bring himself to embrace Father
without his permission!\nAnd yet they are noblemen, and they have the right to act
this way.\nIf there is any way this dinner can become even more unbearable, you do
not want to see it.
Insult your brother
Make small talk over dinner
Join Gloria in her plight
You step out of line and insult Stephan for what he has done.
You try to act like nothing happened and make small talk with the guest.
You rise from the table and help your sister wait on your family.
You grab Gloria by the arm and keep her seated. Stephan turns a puzzled gaze toward
you.\nWith a wry smile, you open your mouth: “Stephan, how did you have the gall to
speak without Sir Gregor’s permission? Surely you wouldn’t even answer nature’s
call without his leave!”\nStephan looks at Grandfather, completely flabbergasted.
Moving stiffly, Gloria takes the wine pitcher and starts refilling the glasses.\
nYou turn away from your sister, eager to distract yourself from her presence
somehow. \nSo you ask Sir El Borne how you may contribute to the family legacy. He
turns to you, clearly relieved.
You deliberate for a moment, than take the napkin off your lap and rise to join
Gloria.\nA moment later, you hear the sound of another chair moving.\nYour mother
joins you.
And then, chaos.\nGrandfather roars with fury. Father stares you down with a
disappointed look on his face.\nGloria tries again and again to contain her
laughter. Nathan hides under the table.\nSir El Borne is unsure what to do.\
nStephan looks like he is about to cry.\nThen Mother takes your hand and leads you
out of the dining room.
“Your eagerness to support the family betrays your noble bearing, young man. It is
simple: always remember that you are a Brante. Your family has a path of its own.
You must follow in the footsteps of your father and grandfather and learn the
judge’s trade.”
The three of you now refill glasses, serve food, and clear away dirty dishes.\nSir
El Borne tries to make small talk with Father, but in vain, so he focuses his
attention on Grandfather and Stephan.\nGrandfather is pleased to inform him of
Stephan’s achievements at the boarding school, especially his exemplary sword-
fighting skills.
You expect to be locked in your room as usual.\nBut instead, she leads you outside,
to an unlit shed.
You keep asking questions about the life and duty of a nobleman, trying not to look
as Gloria continues serving the table.\nSir El Borne is eager to explain: a
nobleman must always live with honor in mind, but the Imperial Law stands higher.
There are three Lots and three estates. Naturally, they can never be equal, yet the
Law must govern those who live within each estate.\nYou have a hard time
understanding some of the things the Prefect of Magra says, but his intellect is
stunning.
He constantly stresses the importance of your elder brother for the future of the
family. You listen to him dispassionately as you continue serving new dishes to the
table.\nAs you wait at the noblemen’s table, you, your sister, and Mother never
bump into each other. Your labor is impeccable.\nGrandfather could not have found
fault with it even if he tried.
“I’m locking you in here for the night, son. Your presence tonight would be an
insult to our noble guests. It’s time you learned the meaning of humility.”
The dinner ends. Gloria takes away the last of the dirty dishes and disappears
quietly from the dining room.\nSir El Borne cordially bids you farewell.
Grandfather and Stephan are still as haughty as ever, but they are clearly
pleased.\nPleased with what, you wonder: the dinner, or Gloria’s humiliation?
Your shoulders and back are aching, but being a manservant inside your own house
hurts even more.\nWhen the guests finally leave, Mother and Gloria embrace you with
relief.\nYou did not neglect your relatives and shared their humiliation. And the
composure that you have shown gave you new strength.
You do your best to fall asleep inside the shed on the cold wooden floor — anything
to make this rotten day end sooner.\nGrandfather’s cries of outrage can still be
heard from the house.
Then you go to sleep.\nYour sister is sobbing in the next room, loud enough that
you hear her.
Gloria sneaks out to the shed in the middle of the night.\nShe calls to you from
behind the wooden planks. There is gratitude in her voice.
“I never thought you would defy them like that! Thank you so much for standing up
to them. Sir Gregor got so mad, he forgot all about me, so I ran away. Sir El Borne
took Stephan away with him. How are you doing in there? You’re not going to freeze
to death, are you?”
It’s nothing, you tell her. You’ll live. The important thing is that Grandfather
and Stephan finally left her alone.\nYou defended your sister’s honor tonight.
A Dropped Handkerchief
Hot, dry wind sweeps through the city from the barren lands around it.\nThe noble
residents of Anizotte prefer to remain in their chambers, while the commoners
huddle in tents or in the shade of the Silver Tree.\nYou are on an errand right
now: your father wrote a letter to a noble acquaintance, and you are to deliver
it.\nTommas, the boy down the street, is tagging along. The two of you are
inseparable now.
The errand is an easy one, so you decide to take this opportunity to loiter around
the part of Anizotte where the nobles live.\nSo here you are, in the middle of the
city square, resting on the ancient brickwork by the old fountain in the merciful
shade of the gargantuan Silver Tree.\nTommas is by your side, lazily slouching on
the edge of the fountain’s basin.
“It’s a hard life for commoners like you and me. Either you break your back in a
workshop day and night, hoping someone will buy your goods someday, or you become a
manservant to some noble. You never get a chance to enjoy life.”
This is our Lot, you remind him. We work and endure and suffer.\nBut Tommas waves
your words away.
“Yeah, I know all that already. Mother keeps drilling that stuff into me. We must
be humble, our strength is patience and persistence — so yeah, I say, but I wanna
make my fortune no matter what. So how ain’t that living by my Lot, I ask you?
“But the Lots, they ain’t easy. Let’s take you, for example, Brante: your father’s
a nobleman, but even if that didn’t make you one. Just look at your hands! You
never had to work as hard as me, but we have the same Lot, so we’re supposed to
suffer the same!\n“Or look at your father: he’s a judge, he toils at the Prefecture
day and night doing his judging, and he’s a noble? I’ve never seen an Arknian work
as hard as he does.”
You shrug.\nThe Arknians are a different race. The books say they were born to rule
over Humans. They are never commoners, always nobles of the Sword by birth. They
founded the Empire after subduing all the Human kingdoms on the continent.\nHumans
will never be their equals. Arknians are always better, smarter, stronger, and
their skin is a noble shade of blue — if the books are to be believed, of course.
You have never seen one yourself.
Your idle chatter is suddenly interrupted by a rugged-looking guardsman dressed in
black and green. He chases you away from the fountain: common rabble like you have
no place here!\nYou hear the clattering of hooves and wheels against the
cobblestones and see flags bearing a coat of arms: a sable serpent on a field of
vert. It makes you squirm.\nIt is the Archduke’s coat of arms… the Milanidas
dynasty. The carriage door opens, revealing a young lady in a luxurious dress.
You cannot look away from her.\nThose dainty shoulders, suggested, but not revealed
by the cut of her dress, her black hair cascading over them. Her stately, slim
silhouette; her pouty lips and prim nose… and those eyes, dark like the night sky.
The way she moves… fluidly, gracefully. And, most incredible of all, her skin glows
an azure blue.\nShe is a masterpiece given life.\nShe is an Arknian.
“Clear the way for me!”
The Milanidas guardsmen work quickly to clear the way to the fountain for the
Arknian lady.\nThe searing sun dances on her skin in bizarre patterns.\nWith one
elegant motion she reveals a handkerchief, then leans over the basin and wipes her
head and neck with its cool water.
“Well, I’ll be! That’s Octavia Milanidas, our Archduke’s own daughter!”
The Arknian turns away and proceeds gracefully back to her carriage. You see
something slip out of her hand and fall onto the cobblestones right next to you…\
nHer handkerchief!
It is right there by your feet. Intricate craftsmanship, expensive woven fabric,
delicately decorated with emerald filigree.\nYour heart skips a beat.\nWill you
dare draw the beautiful Arknian’s attention in order to return her lost possession?
Or would you rather not attempt to cross the chasm between you and her?
Give the handkerchief back to Octavia
Stash the trophy
Keep the handkerchief as a memento
You walk up to the Arknian lady to give her back the handkerchief she had dropped.
You quickly hide the trophy, planning to sell it later.
You watch the Arknian lady depart, trying to burn her every movement into your
memory.
It takes a moment to overcome your fear. You follow the young Lady Milanidas and
call out to her in a nervous voice.\nShe turns around, her beautiful face marred by
a puzzled expression.\nYou extend the dropped handkerchief towards her.
Octavia finishes her graceful return to the carriage. It takes off, and the
carriage disappears from the square.\nThen you look at Tommas and show him the
handkerchief you are holding. It’s time to show him how to start earning that
fortune!
You carefully observe Lady Octavia as she leaves.\nHer delicate figure moves
through the square like a waking dream. Her elegant hands gliding through the air,
her hair flowing in the light breeze — your eyes watch all of her.\nShe returns to
the carriage, leaning on a guardsman’s shoulder as she gracefully climbs back
inside.
Lady Octavia’s face contorts into a sneer.\nShe signs to the guardsmen
indifferently.
Your eyes single out a traveling peddler in the crowd.\nWhen you finally get his
attention, you pull the splendid handkerchief from your pocket.
The soft handkerchief feels warm in your hand. You fold it carefully and hide it in
your pocket.\nThe carriage drives away, marked by the thudding rhythm of hooves.\
nUntil that day, you associated the Milanidas dynasty with nothing but indifferent
cruelty. But now your breast pocket holds the proof of yet another quality they
possess: beauty.
A guardsman’s gauntlet-clad hand slaps you in the face. It rings your head like a
heavy bell; your nose cracks obediently under this staggering force.\nThe rest of
you follows suit, and you fall prone.\nYou can discern the guardsman’s voice
through the painful din in your ears: “Should I take the handkerchief back, Lady?”
The peddler smirks knowingly: finders keepers… and the noble who lost it certainly
won’t be weeping over it.\nTruth be told, it is a truly exquisite handkerchief. It
still looks quite presentable and will fetch a fair price.\nAfter some haggling
with the stingy peddler you trade it for a small fortune: four coins.\nHalf of this
sum you give to Tommas.
“After a commoner’s hands have befouled it? Let him wipe himself with it for all I
care.”
“But this was all your handiwork, <username>.”
The carriage drives away.\nTommas runs up to you and drags you back to the
fountain.\nYour head is still ringing from the blow. The fateful handkerchief is
still crumpled in your hand.
You just grin at him. He can find the next handkerchief.\nTommas laughs, and you
head off to the fruit stall together.
A Storm of Expectations
Finally the day comes when the teachers stop coming to the house.\nBut before you
can breathe a sigh of relief and put away the books, Father asks you to come to his
study.
“You’ve grown, my son. It’s time for you to continue your education away from home.
I’ve chosen a deserving school for you: Sir Tibor’s school for the children of
noblemen and well-off commoners. Naturally, it is not a boarding school for nobles,
so you will study there during the day and come home in the evening.”
You share the news with your best friend Tommas.
“Sir Tibor’s school, eh? Yeah, I gotta ask my parents to send me there too as soon
as they get the coin together. Father says his workshop has toiled day and night
for years to save up for my education.”
The school is based in an ancient estate of Arknian design. The classrooms are tall
and spacious, with massive benches. The sounds of scraping quills and lectures on
history and Imperial law and theology echo under the vaulted ceilings.\nThe rules
are strict, the lessons tiring.\nRestless Tommas keeps getting distracted, and
several times he gets his hand slapped with a stick for it.\nEvery teacher demands
flawless mastery of their subject.
Every day Father asks you about your studies.\nYou have already told him twice how
Magra joined the Empire and how the nobles’ court of honor is different from the
commoners’ civil court in the City Prefecture.\nBut Father keeps pressuring you to
work even harder.
When it is time to go to bed, Mother will not let you go to sleep until you recite
a newly-learned prayer for her.\nAnd when it is time to go to school, you promise
her every day that you will behave with great humility and steer clear of insolent
behavior of any kind, for you still live by the commoner’s Lot, and that Lot is
hard work and suffering.
Your first month in school draws to a close, and the teachers announce that there
will be exams at the end of the month to determine the best and the worst students
in each subject.\nFather insists that you devote all your spare time to studying
law and history if you wish to follow in his footsteps.\nBut when you speak to
Mother every day, you start considering theology. You still remember the
revelations and divine visions that came to you in your earliest years.
You have only one more day until the exam. You have locked yourself away in your
room. It is already getting late.\nYour desk is covered with handwritten notes
surrounded by leather-bound books. Just looking at them makes you queasy, but you
have to read through all of them again — at least for one of your subjects.
There is a nagging thought on your mind.\nTommas ended up in big trouble the other
day. He got in a fight with several boys who live next street: they heard about
your wooden fortress and got in an outrage by the fortification built by commoners.
They swore to dismantle it tonight. Tommas swore he would defend the fortress until
the end.\nPerhaps you should abandon the books to rescue the friend in need?
But then you hear your little brother Nathan knocking at the door. He stands there
shyly, not saying a word.\nHe often does that, standing still and staying
speechless until either you speak first or he runs away.\nBut this time he actually
says something.
“The door is locked… are you okay, <username>? Is there… anything I can do to
help?”
Your head is spinning.\nThis is the last evening before the school exam. If you
fail, your family will be very disappointed. You have to refresh your memory on law
or theology — either one or the other.\nBut Tommas and your fort are about to be
stormed! Why today, of all days? You grind your teeth in rage at the thought.\
nNathan is by the door, trying not to bother you. He wants to help you the only way
he can, for reasons known only to him. Will you accept his help?
Focus on law and history
Go help Tommas
Study theology
Spend a moment with Nathan
You intently study the books on the secular sciences.
You sneak out of the house and run to your wooden fort.
You devote what little time you have left before the exam to studying theological
texts.
You put everything away and accept your brother’s offer of help.
You push Nathan out of the room. He cannot possibly help you prepare for the exam!\
nSoon your eyes start to hurt from all the legal terms and chronologies and titles
of Imperial edicts. You repeat everything — every single line of it — until your
head hurts and your vision begins to blur.\nWhen Father walks in, he chuckles in
approval.\nYou fall asleep right there, amidst the books.
You push Nathan out of the room. He cannot possibly help you prepare for the exam!\
nBut once you are sure nobody is behind the door, you open the window and climb out
into the yard and over the fence.\nAnd then you run like the wind to your wooden
fort, where Tommas is in peril.
You push Nathan out of the room.He cannot possibly help you prepare for the exam!\
nWith him out of the way, you delve into the books on theology.\nYour mind is awash
with the names of saints and zealots and concepts of the divine.\nYour studies tire
you out so much that you fall asleep among the books until mother wakes you up
gently and sends you off to bed.
You cannot help but pay attention to your brother’s quiet, weak voice.\nYou push
the books away.\nNathan runs to you and wraps his arms around your legs.
The morning comes. You barely have the time to wake up before you are walking to
the menacing edifice of the school.\nTime for law. All the students sit still,
glued to their benches in terror.\nThe teacher’s voice singles you out.
The battle for the fort has already begun!\nTommas is cornered. He swings a loose
wooden plank, fending off three boys at once.\nThis is not a fair fight by any
means. Your friend is rugged enough to have a fighting chance against two of them,
but three is too many for him to handle alone.
Come morning, you barely have the time to wake up before you are walking to the
menacing edifice of the school.\nThe entire day is a constant stream of school
subjects demanding knowledge, questions demanding answers. You demonstrate
satisfactory knowledge of law and history, though you are somewhat confused by the
technicalities and chronological order.\nIt feels like the day will never end, but
the end does come at last: the theology exam. As luck would have it, it is the
final test of the day.
“They should just leave you alone! I don’t want you to get sick!”
If a commoner insults a nobleman’s honor, how ought he to be dealt with according
to Imperial law?\nBring the commoner to the Prefecture, where the judge will
sentence him to corporal punishment!\nAnd what if a noble takes a commoner’s life
by negligence or whim?\nThe noble is fined by the provincial authorities!\
nSurprising even yourself, you give the correct answers to these questions and the
many more that follow.
“Where have you been, <username>? They’re about to smash our fort! Get them!”
The teacher, a priest, starts asking you questions. Surprising even yourself, you
provide coherent answers for all of them.\nYou quote eminent theologians on why and
how the Lot of the clergy is to provide spiritual guidance to the other estates.\
nWhen the questions require examples, you quote prayers and lives of saints you
have read with Mother.\nYou earn the highest grade on this exam.
Warmth emanates from his hands.\nYou feel the burden of the responsibilities thrust
upon you fall from your shoulders. At last you realize something: you can make your
own decisions rather than submitting to the will of others.\nYou laugh at this
realization and feel a new spring in your step.\nNathan laughs with joy when he
feels this. He takes your hand and pulls you outside.
The next subject is the history of the Blessed Arknian Empire.\nYou masterfully
recount the history of every province as they merged with the Empire, from Monia to
Magra; then you recite the names of every Tempest who has ruled the Empire.\nYou
conquer every question the teacher asks you without confusing a single date.
You flank the assailants and slam into them at full speed, channeling the cavalry
of the Holy Warriors.\nYou take them by surprise as you pull one of the aggressors
away and knock him out with a punch to the jaw.\nTommas cheers you on. You team up
and make short work of the remaining foes.
Back home, you are overjoyed to tell Mother how you aced the theology exam.\nShe
pats you on the head gently and says you should tell Father how you did in history
and law.
You’ve studied enough.\nYou spend the rest of the evening playing with your little
brother, teaching him how to build a watchtower out of wooden planks, sticks, and
old rags behind the house.\nNathan’s success in construction leaves much to be
desired, unlike his skill in covering himself with mud. Still, he is absolutely
overjoyed.
You get the highest grade in law and history and an average grade in theology.\nYou
relay the teachers’ praise to Father over dinner. He smiles, pleased with you.
Your enemies retreat in shame.\nTommas got a black eye, and his knuckles are all
covered in blood, but he looks unusually pleased with himself.
The morning comes. You barely have time to wake up before you are walking to the
menacing edifice of the school.\nThe entire day is a constant flow of questions
demanding answers.\nYou give satisfactory responses on law and history, although
you are somewhat confused by the many technicalities and chronological orders. Your
knowledge of the interpretations of the Lots leaves much to be desired.\nYour
parents are dissatisfied with your performance. You know that you could have worked
harder.
“Well done, my son. I can see how hard you have been working. Keep at it, and you
will be among the Empire’s greatest servants. I am proud of you.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you. Just look at them trying to tell us where to
build our fort! Okay, time to fix ‘er up!”
Still, you believe yesterday was not a waste.
Your score on the exam was merely satisfactory, but still well above a failing
grade. The family is not too happy with you, but life goes on, and your studies
continue.\nYou know you could have worked harder to prove yourself to your
teachers, but your wooden fort still stands proud, and that is what matters.
Sons of the Nobility
Sir Tibor’s school teaches children of all stripes — nobles of the Mantle and
lowborn parents can send their sons here. And every passing day, the children of
noblemen invent new ways to snub and bully the commoners.\nMost of the time the
bully leading them is Diederik, the son of the secretary for the Imperial
Chancellery and a self-important slob.\nThe sons of noblemen never pick on you,
however — they know that your father has been ennobled by the Mantle.
However, Diederik and his retinue soon choose Tommas as their favorite victim.\
nTime and time again you ask your friend not to pay them any mind, but again and
again Tommas grows angry and snaps at their self-satisfied mockery.
It is early morning. The students are busy flocking to the classroom for the next
lesson.\nYou wave Tommas over when you see him.\nHe waves back at you — and then a
bucket full of slop splashes on him.\nNeedless to say, it is the work of Diederik
and his entourage. You hear his familiar creaky laughter: the tailor’s son stinks!
How dare he sit next to decent folk!\nTommas clenches his fists.
“You’re dead, Diederik!”
He throws himself at Diederik’s haughty entourage like a soldier ready to wage
war.\nHe attacks them first — this is just what they expected, and they are free to
retaliate! He barely makes one movement before four pairs of hands grab him at
once. Diederik sneers and kicks your friend in the belly. Tommas gasps for air and
starts coughing.
You stand between them as Diederik readies another kick.\nThe nobleman’s son cocks
an eyebrow. “Why do you mingle with commoners?” he asks. “Your father is a noble of
the Mantle — you ought to be friends with your own kind, your equals, not the dirt
beneath your feet.”
Behind him, four boys hold Tommas down as he struggles furiously. The other
students are watching you, frozen in fear.\nDiederik haughtily extends a hand to
you. He clearly expects you to shake it.\nWhat will you do?
Challenge Diederik to a fight
Turn him over to the teachers
Admonish the noblemen’s sons
Shake Diederik’s hand
You challenge the nobleman’s son to single combat.
You sic the school authorities on Diederik and his retinue.
The children of parents who have been ennobled by the Mantle still bear the
commoner’s Lot.
He’s right. Being friends with the sons of nobles can benefit your family.
You do not shake his hand. \nInstead, you challenge Diederik to display at least
some dignity by fighting you one on one.\nThat is, if he considers himself a
nobleman’s son, of course.\nDiederik’s face grows serious. There is no way for him
to refuse this challenge in public.
You fold your arms across your chest and declare that Diederik and his followers
will pay dearly for their insolence — their parents may be nobles, but they are not
yet nobles themselves! Here at school, we are all equals.
You make a speech — not to the lead bully himself, but rather to his retinue.\n”How
come Diederik sees himself fit to instigate fights? His family may be higher in
rank, but, like everyone else here, he has yet to take the nobleman’s Sacrament
himself!\nThe nobleman’s Lot is not yet his, so he is not yet fit to fight or rule.
Nor are any of you.\nThe Twin Gods are every watching over us, you add, and They
are ever vigilant. Do you dare to defy Their Will?”
Diederik, Tommas and the entire school sees you shake his hand.\nThere is truth in
what he said. You are both children of nobles: being friends with your peers is
good for the family and your father’s standing.
Diederik makes a sign, and Tommas is released and pushed to the floor. He gets back
on his feet, cursing and itching to rush at them again, but you hold your friend
back.\nThe teacher of Imperial Law comes into the room just in time. Everybody
immediately returns to their seats.
Diederik’s entourage is about to swarm you too, but the teacher of Imperial Law
comes into the room just in time.\nEverybody immediately returns to their seats.
Diederik tries to retort: they’ve broken no laws, he says; all they’ve done is
teach commoners the meaning of suffering! \nYou call upon the knowledge gained from
your theology lessons and easily pick his argument apart.\nEvery man’s first duty
is to follow his Lot, and Diederik and his friends lack the humility to accept that
they are not yet true nobles.
The secretary’s son’s hand is cold and moist.\nTommas winces when he sees you shake
the boy’s hand.\nA satisfied smile appears on Diederik’s face. Now that he has
finally gotten what he wanted, he signals to his friends to let Tommas go. \nTommas
gets back on his feet, looks you straight in the eye, and shakes his head in
disappointment.
A day full of lessons begins. You keep daydreaming of Diederik’s face and how you
are going to put an end to that nasty smile of his.
Once the lesson is over, you tell the teacher how Diederik and his friends have
been starting fights and picking on people.\nThey are the children of nobles, yet
not nobles themselves, which means they are guilty of defying their Lot and
encouraging other students to do the same!
The hands holding Tommas down grow weak. There is a whisper among the students
around you: you’re right, the Twins are always watching how we follow the Lots.\
nDiederik’s retinue quickly dissolves in embarrassment.\nHe furiously orders them
to come back and join his cause, but his exhortations are all in vain.
“I didn’t ask you about that, <username>! Why you…!”
“Let’s catch that bastard together and clean his clock! He hurt me, not you!”
The law teacher furrows his brow when he hears this.\nHe assembles all the students
and admonishes them: any student caught in defiance of his Lot will no longer be
welcome at the school. The Twins are always watching over us all, and the school
will not suffer the presence of troublemakers who defy Their Will.
The other boys are clearly impressed by your words.\nThe noble children will think
twice before acting out again.
Tommas avoids you for the rest of the day. When the lessons end, he quickly packs
up and leaves without you.\nYou spend the evening with Diederik and his retinue. As
it turns out, the children of noblemen aren’t so bad when you get to know them —
they are simply afraid for their status and eager to avoid being mixed up with the
lowborn boys.
The deal has been made, you tell your friend. This is a matter of your honor now.
Tommas huffs angrily, but agrees.\nDiederik is already waiting for you in a narrow
backstreet by the school, his retinue by his side.\nYou walk forward and give him
an opportunity to end this dispute once and for all. This is the nobleman’s way.\
nIf you win this battle, Diederik and the other children of nobles will never pick
on the commoners’ sons again. If he wins, you will never stand in their way and
protect other students.
The noblemen’s sons reluctantly agree: there is no good reason to risk picking on
nobles when the punishment is so high. \nTo say Diederik is angry at you would be
an understatement, but he can no longer hurt you or Tommas.\nThe bullying stops.
Not Diederik himself, however — his stupidity and bravado are astonishing. He
clearly became their leader through sheer audacity and overconfidence. However, you
always remember exactly why you need his friendship.\nSeveral days pass, and then
Diederik invites you to his family’s house.\nYou inform Father of the invitation.
You will fight him one on one.
“You have made friends with the City Hall secretary’s son? This may bode well for
our family. Well done! I will accompany you there.”
Diederik walks forward uncertainly. You both roll up your sleeves.\nYou raise your
fists in a fighting stance. Diederik tries to copy your movements. You hit him
first.\nDiederik does manage to land several glancing blows, but he is fighting a
losing battle — he has never been in a real street fight.\nTommas nods in approval
— you have learned a lot from him.
Both of you travel to the City Hall district when the time comes. The secretary’s
house is larger and more luxuriously decorated than your family’s. There is even a
garden in front of it, planted in imported soil.\nDiederik pompously introduces you
to his father, a balding, aloof-looking nobleman.
It does not take long for Diederik to stop fighting back. One more blow, and he
squeals and raises his hands.\nYou have won.
The two fathers sip wine until the sun goes down, discussing Anizotte affairs such
as the Quorum Decree, the Lesser Quorums, the policies of Archduke Milanidas, and
the new agenda set by Prefect El Borne.\nFather doesn’t forget to mention that he
is related to the prefect.
You turn to the other noblemen’s sons with a victorious look on your face.\nNo more
teasing!\nAnd if anyone else says so much as one bad word about Tommas, they’ll
pay.
The two fathers part on good terms — they agree to invite each other to dinners and
aid each other in work-related matters.\nYou take the carriage back home. Father
tousles your hair tipsily.
Diederik’s former retinue disperses silently.
“This is a very good connection for our family. I’ll tell your grandfather how you
helped me set it up. You did very well, <username>. Sir Gregor will certainly
appreciate this.”
In turn, you share a thought that has been weighing heavily on you: in order to
make this acquaintance, you had to ignore your best friend Tommas for the better
part of a week.\nWhat should you do now?
“Maybe you should apologize to him first. If you are truly good friends, your
friendship will survive this trial.”
The next day, you catch up to Tommas after school. Naturally, he would rather hurry
ahead instead of talking to you. \nYou have to keep up with him while talking,
which is quite difficult.
There’s no reason to be angry anymore, you plead with Tommas. Those noblemen’s sons
have settled down. They’ll never bully him again! \nYou tell him how your father
turned this fleeting acquaintance into a useful connection. \nYou reassure Tommas
that he will always be your friend, not Diederik — he’s nasty and stupid and only
wants the other boys to praise him.
Tommas stops when he hears you say that.\nHe turns to you, the familiar smile
beaming on his face once again.
“Now that’s interesting, Brante. So you’ve learned his weak spots, eh? Keep
talking, and I’ll see if I should forgive you.”
You tell Tommas all about the week you spent with Diederik. Soon the two of you are
making up new names for the bullies based on what you have learned, laughing
together again.\nHis resentment soon disappears, and he stops avoiding you. This
has left a mark on your relationship, but you remain friends.
The Silver Tree
Your theology teachers tell you more about Anizotte. It is more than just the
provincial capital, it is also a sacred place blessed by the Gods.\nIt is where the
Twin Gods’ first disciples spilled their blood, and from that blood grew the sacred
Silver Tree.\nIts enormous foliage hangs over the city. You see its branches in the
sky every day, but you have never approached the trunk of the Tree yourself.
Today you will you be taking your first trip to the Silver Tree. \nYour class is
visiting a service in the great temple by the Tree’s very roots.\nThanks to your
theology teacher, you and the other students will witness this landmark of the
Twins’ advent up close. Everybody is excited.
Soon you and the other boys enter the slums surrounding the Church district of
Anizotte. The roots are pulsating under your feet — they spread underground all
throughout the area.\nPathetic, cramped hovels and filthy streets surround the
trunk of the Tree. They are home to paupers, day laborers, and preachers.\nThe
people of the district bow humbly to you and point you towards the temple. They
seem at peace despite the abject poverty in which they live.
All who live directly beneath the Tree are filled with its divine grace, your
teacher says. People come here to make peace with the world and their fate in it.\
nYour class is unusually quiet. Everyone is listening to the rustling of the leaves
and the underground beating of the roots.\nThe sky above you is obscured by the
Tree’s canopy.
You find the temple of the Twin Gods right next to the tremendous trunk of the
Tree. It almost seems a part of it.\nThere is a crowd there: pilgrims dressed in
traveling clothes, paupers and beggars, common people of the city, and the
occasional well-dressed noble.\nThere are arguments among some people who are
gathered in separate small groups.\nMany people are wandering around, staring
upward at the Tree’s branches.
The Tree impresses you with its might and the calm emanating from it.\nYou are
filled with a desire to sit down and think of the world, to learn something about
yourself, to touch the silver-white bark and harken to the whispering leaves.\nYou
are distracted enough to fall back from the rest of your classmates. You notice a
small path — it should take you right next to the trunk…
A tall red-haired woman walks out of the crowd of pilgrims. She is wearing a worn
white robe. She is no longer young, but her face is youthful and covered in
freckles. Her hands clutch a book.\nYou have never seen this lady pilgrim before,
yet she looks at you almost as if she has recognized a lifelong friend.
She beckons to you and says her name: Matilde, a preacher from Astinia. What she
says next shakes you to your very core.\n“It is commendable to see a young man so
keen to learn the teachings of the Twins,” she says, “yet you will never follow the
light of truth within the walls of the temple. Inside you will find only the lies
about the Lots, the erring words of Prophet Isatius sanctified by the passage of
centuries — yet anyone who sets out to read the accounts of the Twins’ own lives
knows that they never so much as mentioned the Lots!”
The red-haired preacher’s words frighten you; they clash with everything you have
heard from Mother, everything you have been taught at school. The Lots… are a lie?\
nYou freeze in fear. Should you argue with Matilde, or ask her for more
information? Or should you treat her as a madwoman and catch up with your
classmates?
You suddenly feel a small, warm hand grasp your own.\nYou see a girl right next to
you. She is just a little older than you, wearing a black dress, threadbare yet
almost spotless. Her hair is covered by a handkerchief, with only a single golden
lock showing.\nHer brown eyes are burning with rage, her hand pulling you away from
the red-haired preacher.
You stare in confusion at the strange young girl, your cheeks flushed by the sudden
touch. \nThere is just a bit of color on her cheeks too. But then she starts
speaking to you quickly:
“Don’t listen to her! She’s dangerous. Come to the temple with me. Only there will
you see the truth.”
You stand there, surrounded by the crowd of praying pilgrims and the sounds of
shuffling feet, torn between two people you have never seen before.\nAnd each of
them expects you to follow her.\nBut all the while you hear the whispering of the
wind in the Tree’s branches. The branches reach out for you, almost as if the Tree
wishes to speak to you itself… can you hear its voice?
Follow the girl into the temple
Stay with the red-haired pilgrim
Leave them and approach the Tree
Give in to the epiphany
What truth will you learn inside the temple?
What else does she have to say?
The Tree… it knows more than any human…
You open yourself to the Tree and listen as it speaks.
You turn your back on the suspicious preacher and follow the girl inside.\nShe
introduces herself to you along the way. Her name is Jeanne.
You shrug, smile sheepishly at the girl, and walk towards the red-haired preacher.\
nThis Matilde of Astinia… she speaks too strangely to be ignored. You feel she will
be leaving soon anyway.\nAnd the temple… surely the temple is not going anywhere.
The Tree is beautiful.\nThe silver-white foliage stretches and spreads towards the
sky, held aloft by a trunk so thick it would be a challenge to walk around it. The
leaves rustle and whisper peacefully in the wind.\nThe Tree… it seems to speak to
you.
You step away from the girl in black and the woman in white, your eyes transfixed
by the tremendous towering trunk of the Tree.\nFor some odd reason, you recall
Mother’s ant farm, with the ants hard at work inside, and her face as she explained
its laws. It is a fleeting, distant memory, a child’s realization about the
workings of the world at large.\nAnd at this very moment, you see yourself and all
the other people for the ants they are.
The temple is filled with light. It is separated into two halves, just like the
temple in your district: one for the commoners and one for the nobles. Yet this
temple is far more grand than that one.\nYou see two towering statues by the altar,
carved with impeccable detail. They depict the Twins. The Elder bears an empathetic
smile, and the Younger has a stern look about him. They are depicted in the
garments of pilgrims, frozen in Their eternal journey to meet one another.
The lady preacher hands her book to you.\nThere are words on the cover: “The Lives
of the Twins.” The book is so heavy, you almost drop it.\nThe crowd around you
barely allows for a proper reading. The best you can do is flip through the pages
and hope to glimpse a message or two from it. Matilde’s hushed voice comments on
each new page.
You walk away from the odd-looking preacher and the young acolyte, ignoring them as
they call out to you.\nYou walk around the temple and the crowd of people, getting
closer to the Tree with every step.\nThen you extend a shaking hand and touch the
bark. It is unusually warm. You can feel a pulse beneath the roots.
You cannot look away from the Tree.\nThe people around you begin to fade away;
their voices melt together and disappear. The world that surrounds you feels frozen
and still now.\nThe slow swaying of the rustling branches is all there is. The
branches catch you and raise you up.
“My uncle is one of the priests in this temple. I’m an acolyte. I work in the
temple — I help him, clean the temple, and cook food for the poor. And I also greet
the worshippers! People come here all the time! Many are lost, and they don’t know
where to go once they’re inside. But nobody should feel lost in this place — the
temple is for all the estates.”
This book was written by the disciples of the Twins. When the Twin Gods descended
and brought faith into the world, they walked the lands with Them.\nIt is filled
with many stories of wonders and battles, as well as records of the Twins’ own
sermons and dialogs. They discuss many things that now guide the living: the fate
that awaits us on the Shining Pillar, the eternal life after true death, the
profane evil of magic…
The Tree is alive.
You soar in the air, higher and higher along the trunk of the Silver Tree. The
branches, the leaves… their light is blinding.\nTheir light holds you up and
embraces you.
Jeanne’s face is no longer angry — the red-haired preacher is long forgotten. She
is like a warm ray of light under the roof of the grand, bright temple.\nYou ask
her a question: is she happy in her service to the Twins?
Yet Matilde points out something that you cannot help but notice yourself: there is
not one mention of the Lots in this book. \n”How can this be?” you ask her.\n”It is
what it is,” she responds. “The Twins never spoke of them. They never left any
teaching behind — nothing but their deeds and their own lives in this world!”
The roots are so gigantic, they form large grottos, spaces of air embraced by the
roots and the ground.\nYou squeeze into one of these grottos. It is unusually
bright and quiet, shielded from the noise of Anizotte.
And at this moment, you realize something, something as clear as the daylight
beating down on you from high above.\nThis Tree is divine. There is no doubt left
in you: the Tree was planted by the Twin Gods and left in this land, an ever-living
proof and a mark of the Twins’ existence.
“Of course I am! This is where I belong. Inside the temple, I feel the Twins
watching over me all the time. When I’m with them, I’m never afraid, never sad.”
You frown. Then how come we know about the Lots now?\n”They exist thanks to
Isatius,” she says. “Isatius, favored by the gods, the Elder’s favorite disciple,
walked the lands by His side and through all His hardships until His fatal end in
Eterna. They came to be,” she explains, “when people came to Isatius and asked him
how they should live.\n”Yet Isatius was but a man, and his teachings of the Lots
were not a divine revelation, but a speculation of his own devising.”
Right now, there is only you and the Tree.
And the Tree… it speaks to you; speaks in a language you understand, in the
language you learned long before you were born. \nIt speaks of soothing Love; and
of crystal-clear Law; and of Love and Law intertwining to bring the miracle of life
to you.
She looks at the statues when she mentions the Twins and smiles at them as if they
are her close friends.
This feels much tougher than learning prayers. \nSo if the teachings of the Lots
come not from the Gods, but rather from Their student… what does that mean for you?
What does it mean for the people?\n”A New Faith,” the red-haired preacher says with
a smile.\nYou think about her words for a long time as the Silver Tree whispers
above your head — the very tree grown from the blood of the people who walked the
land with the Younger and the Elder.
You sit down. There are leaves rustling all around you.\nThe only noise you hear is
the beating pulse of life that flows through the Tree.\nAnd this pulse beats in
time with your own heart.
From this high up you can clearly see all of the land below. From here you see the
entire Empire, embroidered with a shining thread of providence, illuminated by the
Twins’ presence.\nIt takes you but a moment to finally realize what the teachers
have been talking about all this time.\nThe fates and Lots of the people, the
workings of life and the Empire… it was all created and arranged by the Twins, and
absolutely everything bears Their mark, Their design and inspiration!
“Do you feel it too?”
You keep on thinking about it even as you make your way home and into bed.\nYour
conclusions bring you no comfort.\nIf that strange lady preacher was right, then
you are supposed to be free to interpret the Twins’ words yourself, which means
that you and only you should be responsible for your life and fate in the
hereafter.\nBut who can tell for sure?
You feel clarity and calmness, free of doubt and frustration. \nThe Tree speaks to
you — or are they your own thoughts, so strange, unfamiliar, and eye-opening?\
nThese thoughts speak of soothing Love; and of crystal-clear Law; and of Love and
Law intertwining to bring the miracle of life to you.\nYou stop slouching, and your
frown becomes a light smile.\nHours pass like fleeting seconds.
And it is in this world that you were given life.
You, too, turn your eyes to face the Twin Gods.\nYou feel the eyes of the Elder
upon you. They feel warm, warm like Mother’s loving words.\nYou feel virtue and
order in the eyes of the Younger. They feel like Father’s words of pride and
respect.
You cannot fall asleep that night. So they were lying to you all this time?\nIn the
morning, you still mutter off a prayer and the words of your Lot: “to work, endure,
and suffer…” but is it all worth it if the Lots don’t really exist?\nOr is it the
will of the Twins after all? Did They actually speak their will through Isatius,
and those who defy that Will are defying the true order of the world?\nThese
questions will remain in your mind for a long time.
You lose track of time until you overhear someone shouting your name. \nAlas… it is
time to leave this grotto.\nThe sun is setting over Anizotte now. The day was quick
to pass.\nYour teacher frowns, ready to scold you. You mumble an explanation and
say you are ready to be punished for disobedience. Yet, instead, the teacher nods
in understanding.
Somehow, the Tree seems to realize that the revelation is now fully within you. It
gently lowers you back down to the ground.\nYou glide down between the glowing
branches, illuminated by what you have just seen.
“I knew it, I knew you could feel it! It’s so easy when you’re in the temple. But
they watch over us all the time, you know. Just pray from your heart and remember
how it feels all the time. Even back home. Even on a long, long journey!”
You keep looking back at the Tree all the way home.\nWhatever happened to you
today, you find it difficult to put it into words.
“You… you spoke to them?”
Jeanne’s voice is clear and insistent. As you listen to her, you just barely touch
the palm of your hand that held hers a moment ago.\nMaybe it’s just a delusion… but
that hand feels warmer now.
You come back to your senses. You are still standing by the Tree, firmly rooted to
the ground. The branches release you; and you are once again aware of the pilgrims’
prayers and the noise of the crowd.\nThe young girl in black is staring at you. She
is clearly agitated.
You keep looking back at the Tree all the way home.\nBut it is not the Tree you
see. You see Jeanne’s brown eyes, filled with inscrutable wisdom.
“My uncle is a priest, and he told me the Twins can choose to speak with you
through the Tree… but I’ve never seen it happen before!”
Jeanne starts asking you questions. She wants you to tell her what you just
experienced. \nBut you cannot speak. It is so difficult to see the temple’s
familiar interior again, to see the district around it and the sky above. \nThe
memory of the sight from atop the Silver Tree now gleams in your mind.
“I just hope you’ll share your revelation with me someday. Don’t worry, I’ll get
it. My name’s Jeanne. I’m an acolyte. I work in the temple — I help my uncle, clean
the grounds, and cook food for the poor. And I also greet the worshippers!”
“People come here all the time! Many are lost, and they don’t know where to go once
they’re inside. But nobody should feel lost in this place — the temple is for all
the estates…”
But then you hear your theology teacher calling you. It is time for your class to
return to the school.\nBefore you leave, Jeanne suddenly takes your hand. You can’t
help but blush.
“Please listen to me — few people ever see these things. The Twins, they were
speaking to you, and you heard them. It’s a sign! You should become a priest! \
n“You’ll be guiding those who cannot hear the Twins — you’ll be helping their souls
find the way to the top of the Pillar! It’s the most honorable calling in the
world!”
You say goodbye to the young acolyte.\nYet as you return to your ordinary life,
Jeanne’s words remain in your memory from that day forth.
The Shadow of the Past
Another school day has ended. You are making your way home, still mulling over the
things you learned from your teachers.\nThe founding of the Empire… the eternal and
unshakable rule of a single dynasty… the three estates, each with its own rights…
what an odd sort of order the world has — and yet so mysterious! At least, it
sounds that way when your teachers talk about it.
Mother is waiting for you on the porch. She smiles gently when she sees you, and
yet her expression still shows great concern.\nFather left on a trip to several
distant Magran towns a few days ago. Since then, Mother has been trying to tell you
something, but she seems uncertain.
“Son, could you put your things away and come pray with me?”
You join Mother in a prayer to the Twins.\nShe prays with fervent sincerity, her
head bowed low, reciting the words of obedience to Them and Their greater design in
a barely audible whisper.\nYou repeat after her, just as she has taught you ever
since you were a little boy.
When the prayer ends, Mother sighs and turns to you.
“<username>, my son… you are thirteen now. You’ll be grown soon. It’s time you
learned about certain things that are important to our family. Difficult things.\
n“It’s about your father and me… about our marriage.”
You gaze curiously into Mother’s eyes.
“I’m sure you’ve wondered about this before… your father is a nobleman of the
Mantle, so how could he marry a commoner with another man’s child?
“But you see, <username>… your father… when his first wife Amalia El Borne died, it
was a painful blow to him. He lost the will to live, lost all purpose. He felt like
his own destiny was cut short that day as well.
“And then he met me. You know the troubles I had in the past. I went to the
Prefecture as a petitioner, to ask them for help, protection, justice…
“When I was a young girl, I worked at a small shop that sold crockery and dishes. A
nobleman took a liking to me — may his name be forever forgotten!\n“The Twins know
I was humble and honored his Lot to rule. But he took me by force…”
Mother falls silent, summoning the courage to continue.
“Gloria is that nobleman’s daughter. But he was outraged — how could I have the
gall to burden him with lowborn progeny? He turned me out on the street with that
little baby girl in my arms!”
Mother’s voice is shaking now.\nYou take her hand tenderly.
“I had no home, no honor, nowhere to go, no one to help me. When I went to the
Prefecture, I didn’t really think the judges there would help me find justice
against my former master.
“But when Sir Robert heard my plea, his eyes met mine… and I believe that, at that
very moment, the Twins Themselves granted him the gift of Their Love.\n“Your father
told me that there was nothing he could do to make that detestable nobleman marry
me. But he would never abandon me and baby Gloria. And if I agreed, he would take
me into his own home.”
Tears are running down Mother’s cheeks.
“And I knew it, my son… I knew how much his honor and reputation would suffer. But
caring for me brought him back to life. It’s like he experienced another Sacrament
— he rediscovered his noble purpose, his Lot to rule and protect and care for
others. But his decision to marry me… he is still paying for it today!
“Your father had the courage to defy your grandfather, the founder of his
bloodline. If only you knew how much he had to endure, my son! If only you knew the
despicable rumors we heard about the Brantes all over Anizotte!\n“It was only
thanks to the efforts of Sir Gregor that the Brante bloodline managed to hang on to
what little remained of its reputation. And now the noble families have all but
forgotten about that scandal — thank the Twins!”
Mother falls silent. She looks at you intently — do you understand what she is
telling you?
“My son, I’m not telling you this just to share the pain of my past. I have no
reason to complain. Even Sir Gregor has accepted me through gritted teeth.”\n“But
you need to understand the heavy burden our family must bear — including our
scandalous marriage and Gloria’s foul origin.
“And Gloria… She can never be a Brante. Even if the elder Brantes agreed, the news
would stir up the old scandal in the minds of high society. And if that were to
happen, <username>, they would see even your birth as illegitimate…”
Mother sighs heavily.
“What I told you just now is something you have to know, son. You are about to
enter adult life. By my Lot, I must be humble. I cannot tell you how to treat your
family.\n“But… may I ask you a question? Now that you know all of this, do you
still see Gloria as your sister?”
Accept Gloria as your sister
Distance yourself from Gloria
Evade the question
Regardless of her origins, Gloria will always be family.
What is good for the family is good for you. You will be more wary when dealing
with Gloria from now on.
You do not want to disappoint Mother or Gloria, but you are not ready to promise
anything just yet.
Filled with determination, you assure Mother that Gloria is and will always be your
sister.\nYou want Gloria to be a Brante too; you want her to be a part of your
family. Who cares what the nobles of Anizotte say?!
Mother beams with quiet joy when she hears this.
“Oh, <username>! If only you knew how happy that would make me! To have our family
united at last!”
However, the joy on her face quickly gives way to concern.
“But I already owe good Sir Robert a debt I can never repay. He’s given my daughter
so much: a home, an education, his care and advice… the Brante bloodline could
suffer so much from Gloria’s existence. We should all just learn to accept her
status as it is.”
Just then, you hear Gloria carefully knock at the door of mother’s chambers.
“Mother! <username>! I couldn’t find you…”
You happily greet your sister. Yes, she is your sister. No old secrets can ever
change that.\nMother gives you and Gloria a kiss on the forehead and returns to her
prayers.
You and your sister walk downstairs together. Mother is alone by her bedside now,
thanking the Twins with a quiet prayer for the Brante family They have given her.\
nYou hope They can hear her.
You stand up straight, then softly and politely thank Mother for her warning.\nFrom
this point on, you will be more wary and prudent when it comes to Gloria. You are
not a noble yet, but you are still responsible for the family’s reputation.\nYou
understand very well that internal family matters could drag the family into
dishonor at any moment.
Mother’s eyes fill with sorrow and understanding.
“That’s right, <username>. You’re right to put your family first. It is your duty
to carry on the bloodline, after all.\n“No matter what happens to me or Gloria, I
will always be grateful to this home for everything it has given us.”
You cut her off.\nYou and Mother are discussing something important. Gloria should
wait until you are done.
“Why, <username>, you’re growing up quickly… did you learn that from your elder
brother? Or Grandfather, perhaps?”
Gloria snarls back at you, but still does as she is told and leaves.\nWith a sigh,
Mother gives you a kiss on the forehead and returns to her prayers.\nWhen you
leave, Mother remains alone by her bedside, thanking the Twins for the gift of
humility with a quiet prayer.
You do not want to disappoint Mother or Gloria, but you also do not want to make
any promises you cannot keep. Who knows what the future may hold?\nIt always pays
to be careful.
And so you hide your true feelings and offer Mother a guarded response.\nYou are
not grown up enough to have a say in matters such as these. You will not be in
charge of the family’s affairs any time soon.\nOf course Gloria means a lot to you,
and she always will, regardless of her status in the Brante home.
Mother nods sadly.
“I understand, <username>. You want what’s best for everyone. You don’t want to
betray your sister, but you also don’t want to give her too much hope. You’re still
young — you don’t have to make a choice just yet. But you will have to decide one
day, I’m afraid. The world won’t let you stand aside forever.”
You greet your sister as if the past few minutes never happened. You suggest
reading some ancient poetry down in the library together. Gloria agrees, suspecting
nothing about what Mother told you just now.\nMother remains alone by her bedside,
thanking the Twins for the gift of humility with a quiet prayer.
The Nobleman’s Lot
A great day looms ahead. One hundred years ago Uther Tempest was anointed to rule
over the Empire. Blessed by the Twins themselves, the Emperor's reign continues
into its second century.\nCelebrations in honor of the Tempest dynasty are held
throughout the city and the school is closed for two weeks because of that.
On one of these evenings, Father tells everyone that Grandfather is going to bring
Stephan back home for the holiday.\nThey say families should celebrate the Day of
Anointment together. You could benefit from your elder brother’s company — with his
noble education, Stephan might be able to teach you how noblemen are supposed to
act.
Soon, Stephan arrives.\nHe now handles himself differently. When it comes to
ordering servants around and ignoring Gloria, he is still Grandfather’s double, but
he is more grown up now and far less haughty to you.
It is a dark winter evening. A damp, cold wind sweeps through the city from the
barren lands of Magra.\nYou and Stephan are sitting in the library. He is telling
you all about Eterna, the capital of the Empire — it is full of so many wonders!
The Imperial Palace, the enormous Temple of the Twins, the Military Academy, the
Imperial College… you have read so much about these places, yet he has seen them
firsthand!\nNathan enters the library. He looks concerned.
“I can’t find Gloria. I looked everywhere! She’s not in the attic, not in the
sitting room, not in the kitchen… I heard she wanted to sneak off to the ruins of
Char Milanidas’s palace. She could be lost in there!”
You and Stephan exchange looks. Char Milanidas, the Rebellious Duke… the ruins of
his palace are a dangerous place. Some children claim his tainted magic still
lingers there — which means you absolutely have to make your way there and back
again to prove you are not afraid of the long-dead witch.\nYour brother tells you
to wait. He leaves and soon returns with his sword in its sheath.
“Get ready, <username> — we’re going to rescue Gloria. She must’ve gone to the
ruins in search of inspiration for another one of her little rhymes.”
The two of you instruct Nathan to tell your parents you’ve gone for a walk in the
square. You and your elder brother head outside.\nYou are confused by Stephan’s
actions: he refuses to treat Gloria like a human being, so why is he still so
determined to rescue her?\nStephan notices your expression.
“Are you wondering why I care about Gloria all of a sudden? I can’t act in any
other way, can I? The law of honor compels me to protect my family.\n“Gloria will
never be a Brante, but Father still took her into our house. I must respect his
seniority and defend Gloria like she is one of our own. You are a Brante too, noble
or not; which means it is your duty to aid me.”
The ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace span an entire district. The palace was
abandoned centuries ago, and its remnants are overgrown with thick underbrush.\nThe
ruined palace is empty, nothing but cold wind blowing over crumbling brickwork.
Even the worst scum of the land steer clear of this place.
You make your way through the ruins until you spot scattered sheets of paper
covered in writing… your sister’s writing!\nYou hear loud laughter coming from
behind a dilapidated stone wall nearby. You pull yourself up to peer over it.\
nGloria is lying on the ground face-down, twitching and sobbing. A gaggle of drunk
young thugs surround her, cackling and swinging their arms about.
You hear their shouts: “Look at the lass, sitting here rhyming words together! She
thinks she’s all noble! But don’t you worry, you lowborn tart — we’re gonna teach
you your place!”\nOne of the louts spits at Gloria as she lies there.
“Get away from her this instant, you bastards, or I’ll spill your guts!”
They respond with mocking laughter.\nStephan draws his sword.\nThe street thugs
recoil in fear, but they soon notice that he is only one armed man against many.
They start reaching out for sticks and stones.
“Stay by my side! Don’t let them flank me!”
Stephan’s hand shakes, but he looks ready for battle.\nHe is outnumbered. For a
moment, you hesitate. Perhaps it might be better to run for the nearby district and
call for guards…\nThe young thugs are already armed with makeshift weapons. They
start approaching you and Stephan cautiously.
Charge the attackers
Follow your brother’s orders
Call the guards
You grab the heaviest rock you can find and get ready to fight.
You get busy defending Stephan while his sword does the attacking.
You leave the fighting to Stephan and run for help.
The louts try to flank Stephan and surround him.\nYour brother’s sword thrusts and
feints methodically, like in a training bout. The thugs keep dodging and jumping
away. They’ve managed to stay safe so far. If things continue like this, soon one
of them will flank Stephan, kick the sword out of his hand, and bring him down.\
nThe ruffians are paying no attention to you, however.
Stephan’s firm voice fills you with confidence. You follow your noble brother’s
orders.\nIt takes a moment to grab a stick, and then you are at Stephan’s back,
angrily swinging at the louts as they try to bring him down.
For a moment, you want nothing more than to run away. You belong to the common Lot
— you are not allowed to bear arms, not allowed to fight!\nBut then you take one
more look at Stephan, who is almost surrounded, and at Gloria, sprawled out on the
ground…\n“I can’t act in any other way, can I?”\nYour brother’s words ring in your
ears. You cannot run. You have to help him, no matter what.\nYou pull a heavy rock
out of the old wall.
One of the louts lunges at your brother with a stone, but you hit him with the
stick, and he falls down right at Stephan’s feet.\nHis sword flashes. The blade
sinks deep into the young man’s stomach. He wheezes. Blood starts pouring onto the
ground.\nThe thugs freeze.\nStephan pulls the sword out, his face an inscrutable
mask, and returns to his fighting stance.
Stephan slashes with his sword. One of the young men falls. The others rush at your
brother.\nYou get Gloria back on her feet as she stares at you in astonishment.
It’s time to find the guards.
The tow-headed leader of the gang appears behind Stephan’s back, ready to knock him
down.\nNo time to think.\nIt takes you three steps to get to the foe.\nNo time to
think!\nYou bash the thug in the head with the rock.\nThe wretch stumbles and falls
down.
You are stunned to see Stephan take another man’s life so easily and effortlessly,
like picking his own teeth.\nThe thugs look like they are about to flee. There is
rage and confusion on their faces — they never expected the young nobleman to use
that sword.\nStephan just scoffs at them.
You find guards dressed in the Archduke’s colors patrolling the nearby district.
You tell them that a gang of lowborn thugs have assaulted a young nobleman.\nBut
when you make your way back, the louts’ bodies are already fading away. Stephan is
on his feet, his sword sinking in the last foe left standing.\nHe smiles at you
faintly, then his eyes roll back into his head, and he collapses.
Stephan seizes an opportunity to strike and lunges at the louts. They scatter under
his blows. You hear screams and the swishing of the sword.\nYou assault them too,
swinging away with the heavy rock…\nUntil you catch something pointy in the side.
“Lowborn scum, that’s all you are! This is the only language you understand. Good
job, brother. Gloria, get up — we’re going home.”
The guards help you bring Stephan back home.
A wave of pain washes over you. Blood starts flowing down your side and onto your
leg.\nStephan shouts something, but your mind is already fading fast.
He turns to glance at your sister, giving the enraged thugs just enough time to
rush you.\nYou get separated from Stephan; your back is against the wall now.\nThey
hit you hard — in the stomach, then the face, then the side of the head.\nThen your
mind slips away.
Grandfather sends for the doctor the moment he sees that his favorite grandson is
unconscious. The doctor quickly brings Stephan back to his senses and bandages the
injuries on his left arm.\nSir Gregor never leaves Stephan’s side.
When the darkness disperses, you find yourself lying in your bed. Stephan is in the
armchair next to you reading a book.\nHe is alive! With left arm in a sling and a
black eye, but still alive!\nAs for you, it hurts so much when you try to breathe.
You cannot help but moan quietly. Stephan looks up from the book.
When the darkness disperses, you find yourself lying in your bed. Stephan is in the
armchair next to you reading a book.\nHe is alive! With left arm in a sling and a
black eye, but still alive!\nYour head is spinning, and you feel nauseous. You try
your best to sit up. Stephan looks up from the book.
“You acted like a true nobleman, Stephan. You fought for the family’s honor, even
though you needn’t have risked your life for that freeloading wench. The burden of
a noble is a tough one to bear: we must obey our Lot so that the lowly estate may
toil for theirs. But when the lowborn scum grow insolent, we must be there to put
them in their place!”
“Don’t try to get up. You lost a lot of blood. Fortunately, the Archduke’s guards
got there too late to see you swinging that boulder around. They’d have shown you
no mercy otherwise.”
“Don’t try to get up. You lost a lot of blood. I suppose that was a few thugs too
many for a single warrior, even with good backup.”
“Now I fully believe that, thanks to you, the Brante name will be written in the
Blue Book, my boy! Your deeds will forever be remembered in our family’s Blood
Tide. And all of us will be there: you, your father — all of us. Words cannot
express how proud I am of you!”
“But I’m impressed, <username>. You were unarmed, but you still fought them. You
acted in defiance of your Lot, that much is certain, but you fought for our
family’s honor. You know, brother, the nobleman’s Lot is also a great burden that
few are able to bear. It takes courage — not to fight everything you see, but to do
your duty! Each and every decision a nobleman makes becomes a part of his family’s
legacy, flowing in the Blood Tide forever.”
“I’m impressed. We fought like an army: the noble orders, the commoner obeys, all
according to our Lots. We defended the family’s honor together. You know, brother,
the nobleman’s Lot is also a great burden that few are able to bear. It takes
courage — not to fight everything you see, but to do your duty! Each and every
decision a nobleman makes becomes a part of his family’s legacy, flowing in the
Blood Tide forever.”
You leave your brother’s side without a word. Grandfather will never recognize you
as Stephan’s equal and Father’s true heir. He will never treat you as part of the
family! He thinks you will not add a single worthy deed to the family’s Blood Tide!
You, Nathan, Mother — he acts like all of you are unworthy to even bear the Brante
name!\nHad you acted differently that night… would Grandfather be proud of you?\
nWho knows?
“I think about it often. A noble mustn’t act weak, a noble mustn’t suffer like
people of the lowborn Lot. A noble must rule over them wisely. A noble must ensure
that they have work to do. It’s not merely your own Lot you have to look after —
you have to ensure that a thousand others can live by their Lot as well. And there
are so many more matters to take care of: honor, dignity, tradition… it’s tough,
but it’s what it takes to be a nobleman. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”
For the first time in a long while, your brother looks at you as an equal.
There is approval in your brother’s eyes, for the first time in a long while.
“It was a pleasure to fight side by side. I’m glad you and I are brothers.”
“It was a pleasure to fight side by side, brother.”
Trial of the Assailants
Before long, the entire city hears how a gang of lowborn thugs assaulted Stephan
Brante.\nGrandfather ensures that the brash young men are found. Some of them are
taken into custody as soon as lesser death releases them. Grandfather seeks
vengeance on those who hurt his favorite grandson.\nPrefect El Borne, a friend of
your family, promises to personally oversee the trial and ensure that justice is
served.
Stephan and Grandfather decide to stay in Anizotte until the trial ends.
Grandfather demands true death for every single assailant.\nYou ask Father to
explain something: how can a legal court sentence criminals to true death? How can
worldly judgment overrule the Twin’s Law?
“Your words are true, my son: Their Law is second to none. Yet the Twin Gods also
made the Empire and all its ways.\n“The court of law exists to execute the laws of
heaven here in the world. Should the court of law sentence a person to death, the
Law high above will always enforce it — and so every execution brings true death.
“The commoners who assaulted Stephan — a born nobleman — have committed a grave
offense. There is no doubt about that. \nAnd yet, according to the Emperor's
decree, even commoners have the right to defend themselves when they are about to
face true death. This means that all of us will have to appear at the trial and
testify before the court.”
Evening comes.\nGloria visits your room. \nShe looks crestfallen, and her fingers
keep reaching for her long hair.\nYou put away your schoolbooks and ask what is
bothering her.
“The trial is tomorrow…”
“I thought I was going to appear there too, as an eyewitness. After all, this whole
mess started because of me… but Sir Robert isn’t even going to mention that I was
there. Can you imagine? He says it would ruin the case!”
“Why am I always in the way?! Nobody ever mentions me, nobody has to listen to me —
it’s like I don’t even exist!\n“And I thought Stephan standing up for me finally
meant something! Maybe I will become part of the family…\n“But no, everything is
back to usual now.”
Gloria tries her best to hold back the tears.\nYou do your best to comfort her.
Father just needs to keep the family out of trouble.
“If Sir Robert believes that I only bring trouble, why did he took me into the
house at all?”
Gloria runs away. You return to your books, but you can’t help but get lost in
thought. What if they told the court you weren’t there either? How would you feel
then?\nThere is a knock at the door.\nIt is Father. He closes the door behind him
and sits next to you. There is an exhausted look about him.
“Son, you will be testifying before the court tomorrow. Please remember what I’m
about to tell you.\n“Gloria wasn’t at the ruins at all. You went there with your
brother to inspect this historic site. The lowborn men insulted Stephan first and
then attacked him. Stephan had managed to deal with the assailants on his own by
the time the guards intervened.
“Gloria will cast suspicion on the case. If we mention her very existence to the
court, the reputation of the family will suffer. Your grandfather will never
forgive me if that happens.\n“Do not let me down. We are all counting on you.”
You recall the night of the fight like it was a moment ago: Gloria sprawled under
the feet of those cackling thugs… her poetry — her greatest treasure — scattered on
the ground…\n“She thinks she’s all noble!” Those were the words they spat down at
her. But doesn’t Grandfather mean the same thing when he denies that she is a part
of the family?
But if you do what Father tells you, the trial will end quickly. Those commoners
will face true death for assaulting a noble.\nIf you mention Gloria, things will
get complicated, and you cannot predict how the trial will end.\nWhich is more
important to you: what is right, or what is just?
Support Father
Lie to Father
Convince Father to change his mind
You will do as Father told you and avoid mentioning Gloria to the court.
You agree with Father now, but you will tell the truth later.
You are determined to change Father’s opinion and make sure Gloria gets the fair
treatment she deserves.
You nod in agreement: you will follow the family’s plan for the trial to the
letter.\nA faint smile appears on Father’s fatigued face.
You look Father straight in the eye and tell him what you think. You are not going
to bear false witness in court! He is a judge himself — how can he make you lie to
Sir El Borne?\nAnd what of Gloria? Is she not a Brante too? Does she not deserve
justice? Or maybe Grandfather is right, and she is just a freeloader who deserves
nothing but shame? If so, then how come Father agreed to take her into his home and
under his protection?
“Thank you, son. This is an important case for our family, and for me as well. I
appreciate your support.”
Saying this to Father is tough. Deep inside, you pray he hears no weakness in your
voice and sees no blood rushing to your cheeks.\nBut it seems he is listening to
you intently. The wrinkles on his forehead grow deeper as his fingers stammer out a
staccato against the armrest.
The day comes. The trial takes place in the Lesser Hall of the city prefecture. Sir
El Borne himself presides as the judge.\nYou are seated next to Father and Stephan.
You testify to the court one after another. You echo your brother’s testimony to
the letter.\nThe young commoners insulted you as you were both walking by the
ruins. Then they assaulted you. Stephan defended you.\nThe lives of the four thugs
are forfeit.
You watch Father leave your room and consider your options. When should you mention
Gloria during your testimony?\nThere is no way you will pretend she was not there —
that would not be fair in the slightest!
“This is going to be tough, son. But you’re right… you are right. I took Gloria
into my home, and so I must protect her like my own daughter. This was my decision,
and I must stand by it. I will speak with Stephan in the morning. Now I pray your
grandfather never hears of my change of heart.”
Sir El Borne rises to deliver the sentence.
The day comes. The trial takes place in the Lesser Hall of the city prefecture. Sir
El Borne himself presides as the judge.\nYou are seated next to Father and Stephan.
You are to testify to the court one after another.\nYour brother’s testimony
follows Father’s plan to the letter. The young commoners insulted you as you were
both walking by the ruins. Then they assaulted you. Stephan defended you.
The day comes.\nThe trial takes place in the Lesser Hall of the city prefecture.
Sir El Borne himself presides as the judge.\nYou are the first to testify to the
court.
“The Court of Anizotte judges you guilty of assaulting Stephan Brante, a nobleman.
All four defendants are sentenced to true death by hanging.”
You are next to speak.\nYou tell the court the truth about that night.\nHow the
thugs humiliated Gloria; how Stephan and you came to help her; and how Stephan
defended his half-sister.
You tell the court the truth about that night.\nHow the thugs humiliated Gloria;
how Stephan and you came to help her; and how Stephan defended his half-sister.\
nOut of the corner of your eye you watch Grandfather’s face grow red, yet he
remains silent.
There is no wind, but you feel a gust sweep through the hall. The defendants turn
pale. Their mothers are bawling and crying.\nEverybody in the court feels the
dreadful power of the Law, and it is stern and just. That very power has been
invoked by this sentence, and by that very sentence the lives of the four young men
are literally forfeit — for all eternity.
There are confused whispers in the hall.\nThe commoners on trial cry out: it’s the
truth, Gloria was reciting poetry, and they simply told her she was defying her
Lot.\nThe situation has changed. By this account, Stephan was not acting in defense
of himself or another, he merely assaulted them first in order to retaliate against
those who had insulted his half-sister.
The gallows await.\nStephan and Grandfather stand in the front row. The wood
creaks. The trapdoors open under the young men’s feet. They dangle in the air,
wheezing and reaching out for support with their feet in their final moments.\
nFather lets out an inaudible sigh of relief.
Grandfather’s face turns red, yet he remains silent.\nAll emotion disappears from
Father’s face. \nYour brother turns to look at you, disappointed.
You spread your feet to stand firm and inhale before you speak next. You ask the
hall: is it not a nobleman’s duty to honor his family name?\nGloria does not have
the Brante name. But your Father took her into his home. Therefore, it was
Stephan's duty to protect her — as he would have protected any of you.\
nContemptuous chuckles rush through the courtroom. You have just reminded the city
of Father's shameful second marriage.
It is all over now.
Sir El Borne rises to deliver the sentence. There is bitter regret in his voice as
he speaks.
Stephan is to testify next.\nHe reluctantly confirms your testimony, glancing at
Father and Grandfather all the while.\nHis arm in the sling is his main argument:
Stephan wanted the commoners to stop insulting Gloria, yet in the end the commoners
were the first to assault him.
When Gloria comes back home the day after, she refuses to eat dinner and locks
herself in her room. Before she leaves, however, you notice a scratch on her face,
and her hair is disheveled.\nYou go to her room and knock at the door, but she will
not open. Then she finally replies: she has already gone to bed, and you should
leave.
“With this new evidence in mind, the Court of Anizotte finds you not guilty of
assaulting Stephan El Brante, a nobleman. However, you are found guilty of
disgraceful conduct and injury to a noble. All four defendants are sentenced to
twenty lashes each.”
After a short recess, Sir El Borne returns and rises to deliver his sentence.
Did you do the right thing during the trial? Your sister is still being bullied. No
one knows she has a family to defend her, and Gloria does not want to be defended
now.\nThose four commoners saw no mercy — their lives ended for assaulting a
nobleman. \nWhat did you seek to prove with this, and to whom? Was it worth it in
the end?
The carriage is silent as your family drives home. Father asks to you go to the
sitting room: you need to talk. Alone.\nThe tone of his voice does not bode well
for you.\nThe sitting room doors slam shut behind him.
“The Court of Anizotte finds you guilty of assaulting Stephan El Brante, a
nobleman, who stood in defense of the honor of Gloria, a member of his household.\
n“All four defendants are sentenced to true death by hanging.”
“You have absolutely no idea what you’ve done! Why did you have to be so foolish
and stubborn?! Why?! Explain to me!”
There is no wind, but you feel a gust sweep through the hall.\nThe defendants turn
pale. Their mothers are bawling and crying.\nEverybody in the court feels the
dreadful power of the Law, and it is stern and just. That very power has been
invoked by this sentence, and by that very sentence the lives of the four young men
are literally forfeit — for all eternity.
Father is furious.\nYou try to explain yourself: you only wanted them to treat your
sister fairly.\nFather’s face turns red, just like Grandfather’s did.
The gallows await.\nStephan stands in the front row; father stands next to him. The
wood creaks. The trapdoors open under the young men’s feet. They dangle in the air,
wheezing and reaching out for support with their feet in their final moments.
“Treated fairly, he says! His sister, he says! Get out of my sight this instant,
both of you! You’re in for a world of punishment, young man — you and your sister.
You are nothing but a disappointment to me. Begone!”
Grandfather’s silence ends at home.\nHe screams at you and Father, at Stephan and
Gloria: this trial is a disgrace! His screams are punctuated by the thudding of his
walking stick against the floor.\nFather says they had to defend their family. It
would have truly been a disgrace if they had shirked their responsibilities.\
nStephan excuses himself to bandage his arm in order to stay out of the argument.\
nGloria is quiet, but glowing.\nYou stay quiet too. It is all over now.
Next, Father gives his orders. You and Gloria are flogged together, brutally enough
to ensure you learn your lesson.\nOnce this ordeal ends, your sister thanks you
through tears — at least you tried to stand up for her. Your back will not hurt
less for that, but at least you feel better now.
It is all over now. \nNobody bullies Gloria on the streets anymore. Those four
commoners are dead forever. Their families were taught a cruel lesson — so will it
be with anyone who dares to raise his hand against a nobleman.
When Gloria comes back home the day after, there is a fresh bruise on her cheek.
Her dress is covered in dust, and her hair is disheveled.\nYou ask her about it,
but she does her best to pretend nothing is wrong. When you ask about the bruise,
she says she just fell.
You meet those four commoners on the street a few days later. They thank you
mockingly and tease you mercilessly. “Sir <username> Brante,” they call you
sarcastically.\nYou walk away as fast as you can. They laugh behind your back.\
nWhatever happens now, Stephan will not protect you or Gloria anymore.
Agony
Stephan leaves soon after the trial — alone.\nGrandfather does not go with him. For
the first time in a long while, he lingers in the house for more than a fortnight.\
nFather says Sir Gregor is ill and needs rest.
Several months go by, and it becomes clear that Grandfather will not recover.\nThe
eldest Brante is mostly bedridden now. On some days he has trouble recognizing
people. When he means to address you or Nathan, he calls you “Robert” — your
father’s name.
But when he does get out of bed, the house grows empty.\nThe servants hide; Mother
locks herself in her chambers; you and Nathan run outside or hide quietly in your
rooms.\nIf Grandfather sees anyone in the hallway, he begins lamenting. Oh, nobody
heeds the Lots any longer; any harlot with a child can marry a nobleman these days;
children have no respect; his son betrayed him and let him down…\nAnd oh, how the
Brante family has lost its honor.
Again and again you hear Grandfather knocking at Mother’s door, screaming that it
is all her fault. He blames her for ruining his chances to find bliss in the
hereafter. He blames her for dooming him to suffer at the Foot of the Pillar.\nYou
overhear your parents talking one night. Mother begs Father to move Sir Gregor to
his old home and spare the children his decline.\nFather refuses her outright.
It is late at night. The hot, dry winds are coming.\nThe house is empty save for
you, Nathan, Gloria, Mother, and Grandfather in his bed. Father has left for the
capital on business.\nYou are engrossed in the history of the Empire, snapping out
of your reverie only when the clock strikes midnight. You blow out the candle and
get ready for bed.\nYou hear the shuffling of heavy feet outside your door. You see
light in the hallway.\nGrandfather… what could he want in the middle of the night?
You peek into the hallway once he is past. Grandfather’s figure sways as he heads
for the door to Mother’s chambers. He opens the door and walks in.\nYou hear him
saying something quietly. Your unease is stronger than your fear now; you sneak
closer to hear his words.
“You foul commoner! I need to… I have to cleanse my sins, I have to save my soul.
You are my greatest sin, you and what you have done to Robert and this family. I
should have put a stop to this marriage, I should have stopped Robert from tainting
this house by your presence… why, oh why didn’t I do it?!”
“Please, Sir Brante, I beg of you!”
“Silence! You will do my bidding! Fire will cleanse all lowborn filth from this
place. Fire, fire and flame will free Robert from this disgrace. This is for my
son’s sake, for my son’s sake, for my sake… I need to eradicate this lowborn filth…
the Twins, they are calling for me now, I can feel it, I can feel it…”
“I beg of you, please, have mercy!”
Mother begins to cry.\nYou run into the room, unable to stay out of this any
longer.\nGrandfather’s gaunt figure looms over Mother’s bed, a lit oil lamp in his
hand.\nMother is sprawled out on the bed, crying.
“Please, just let me warn the children! I beg of you! Sir Brante!”
Your steps are loud enough to be heard.\nGrandfather turns to look at you.
“Stay out of this, <username>! Be useful for once! Worldly matters concern me no
longer. I see only my sins now, and a sinner I am — a sinner! The Twins, They
forgive no one! They will judge me by the Pillar; I must do something! I don’t want
to suffer for all eternity… go away!”
Mother is crying.\nGrandfather is still looming over the bed, driven to madness.
His hand shakes as it clutches the oil lamp.\nHis eyes shine in the dark — he truly
believes this has to be done. You are suddenly torn. What if he is right? What if
that is the only way for his soul to find salvation?\nThere is no going back now.
You have but a moment to act.
Run away to rescue Nathan and Gloria
Stop Grandfather
Let it all happen as Grandfather wishes
You run away to wake up your siblings and rescue them from what is to come.
You run to Mother’s side and snatch the lamp out of Grandfather’s hand before he
can start a fire.
Grandfather wishes to purge his sins. He has the right to do so, even if it costs
you your lives…
You turn around and run for your brother and sister. Grandfather’s prayers and
mother’s sobbing drive you to run faster.\nYou wake up Nathan and Gloria and lead
them out of their rooms and the house without any explanation.\nYou hear Mother’s
shrill cry of despair from the porch.\nA second floor window shatters. A body in a
nightgown drops to the ground.\nThen, another cry of despair — an old man’s cry.\
nYou cover your brother’s eyes to hide the sight from him.
You look at Grandfather defiantly and step towards him. \nHe stares you down with
rage and throws the oil lamp at the floor.\nYou manage to catch it, but just
barely. Several drops of hot oil hit the rug — not nearly enough to start a fire.\
nThe lamp’s glass is blistering hot. It burns your hands, but you still hold onto
it safely.
You drop your hands as the grief in Grandfather’s eyes pierces your heart.\nHe is
staring true death in the face. Those who grow old do not return from the
hereafter. What fate awaits him there?\nThe nobleman’s Lot is to rule, but his
helpless inability to fulfil his Lot — within his own family no less — is causing
him so much suffering!
The second floor of the estate has caught fire.\nGloria runs for the neighbors. You
take Nathan’s hand and go to Tommas’s house.
“You lowborn scum! You ruined everything — you’re every bit like your mother, you,
you, you…”
You look at Grandfather’s face lit by the lamp, distorted by unyielding wrath. His
force of will astounds you — even if he is using this will to choose his own
demise.\nTo submit to this will is your duty. It is the duty of every single person
in this house.\nYou cannot deny him.
Neighbors and servants flock to the house to put out the fire. Together you manage
to extinguish the flames before the first floor is engulfed.\nThe second floor,
however, has been reduced to ash. You watch Mother’s body turn to dust and fly away
with the sparks.\nNathan is crying. Gloria hugs him and says that everything is
fine — Mother will return soon, reborn.\nTommas’s family gives you refuge for the
night.
Enraged, he takes a swing, and you squeeze your eyes shut.\nBut he does not hit
you; instead, there is a deep exhalation. You peek at him with one eye — just in
time to see him collapse, all his strength fading away. His chest is heaving, his
face a grimace of contempt.\nAnother heavy exhalation. The contempt is gone. There
is only fear now.\nGrandfather’s eyes open wide, almost in surprise. He exhales.
The lamp smashes against the floor.\nThe carpets, the curtains, the walls — it
takes a moment for the flames to engulf the entire room.
His charred body is taken to the family crypt in the morning. Gregor Brante has
died his true death.\nYou go there to look at him.\nHis face is covered by the
cloth, hiding its expression. Did Gregor Brante finally find solace at the Pillar
amongst the flames, in his final living moments? Or did he die as he lived, an
embittered soul driven mad because he could never truly live by his Lot?\nEither
way, life has changed. His burden no longer weighs heavy upon your family.
His eyes grow dim.
Grandfather’s hands go up as he intones a loud prayer to the Twins. You have known
these words all your life, but never have they sounded so solemn.\nHis eyes look
away, high above, his face a still mask reflected in the flickering flames.\nHe
smiles.
For a moment, you are overcome with rage. Hot tears start rolling down your
cheeks.\nThis is it — you will never be able to prove anything to him now. All your
future triumphs, all your words of defiance — Grandfather will never hear them, he
will never see you grow up.
Mother is there, whispering a prayer. She is shaking violently.\nYou put the oil
lamp gently on the bedside table and call for the servants. They carry the body
away. It does not disappear: true death has found him.\nHe will never return.\nYou
spend the rest of the night with Mother in the sitting room. She will not let go of
your hand.\nFor many, many nights afterward she keeps seeing Grandfather’s shadow
out of the corner of her eye.
You take Mother’s hands. She is crying and shaking violently, yet she will not
run.\nShe knows it too — it is her duty to stay here.\nThere is only one thing you
can do for her, and so you recite a prayer to her, as loud as you can, again and
again and again until the acrid smoke finally fills your lungs and takes your
breath away.\nGloria and Nathan are fast asleep, so they will perish before the
fire seizes them… this is your final thought before a lesser death claims you.
You hear a heavy door clang in the corner of the crypt.\nOut comes Mother, wrapped
in a black cape. She is reborn.\nShe looks around in surprise as she leaves the
cold stone walls behind, then finally notices you.
Father returns from Eterna the morning after. He is unusually composed as he
arranges for the funeral.\nThe house becomes quiet — not the looming, heavy sort of
quiet of the past few months, but the calm relief you all feel now that the crazed
old man is no more.\nAt last, Gregor Brante, the family’s patriarch, has departed
for the hereafter.
The first thing you see in the gloom of the family crypt is Mother’s sorrowful
eyes.\nThis is your fault. But what could you have done?\nWithout a sound, you
mouth to her the very words she taught you: we must accept all suffering. This is
the commoner’s Lot!\nAnd even at these very moments you live by your Lot, as you
lie on the cold rock of the crypt and do not turn away from Mother’s weary face.
“My son… Nathan? Gloria? What happened to them?”
“This is my last life.”
You briskly wipe your face and comfort her: no one else died that night. It is hard
to speak — like something is clutching at your throat.\nWhen Mother sees
Grandfather’s charred remains, she closes her eyes with a deep sigh, then shakes so
violently she falls to her knees.\nThen she starts whispering something. You
recognize it — it is a prayer of gratitude to the Twins.
In the depths of the crypt you find Nathan and Gloria, reborn for the first time. \
nThey are shaking and crying silently — they have experienced their first death.
When she is done, she briskly wipes her face like you did.\nShe looks younger now.
Her eyes sparkle. She smiles, so brightly and so sincerely — you have not seen her
like this for a long, long time.\nMother comes closer and pats you on the head,
fondly and gently.
Mother takes the children by the hand. You leave the crypt without a word and walk
to what is left of the Brante estate.\nYou belong to the common Lot, and so you
must endure the lash of fate as it strikes again and again.
“You rescued your brother and sister, saved them from a lesser death… thank you, my
son. Please remember this: none of this is your fault. This is my final life, and I
promise to live it in joy.”
The servants come in time to put out the fire, but the second floor has already
been reduced to ash. It will be a while before the floor is restored.\nTommas’s
family gives you refuge for the night.
You hear the snorting of horses outside — Father is back from Eterna.
No matter what happened, life goes on. The family estate was damaged by the fire,
yet the family continues to live there.\nGrandfather’s charred body is taken to the
family crypt. Gregor Brante has died his true death.\nYou go there to look at him.
His face is covered by cloth, hiding its expression.\nDid Gregor Brante finally
find solace at the Pillar amongst the flames, in his final living moments? Or did
he die as he lived, an embittered soul driven mad because he could never truly live
by his Lot?
Last Respects
The night of Grandfather’s death shook your family to the core. \nYet no matter how
it happened, your grandfather, Gregor Brante, is dead and will never return.\nHe
was a fearful shadow looming over the rest of the family, the Brante patriarch
exerting his influence on all the lives below him, and all of you will remember him
forever.
Father is the new patriarch of the family now, yet he still cannot bring himself to
sit at the head of the table where Sir Gregor used to preside.\nStephan locks
himself away in Grandfather’s bedroom every day. He will not talk to anyone. \
nGloria and Nathan still jump at every sound that so much as resembles the knocking
of his walking stick.\nMother spends all day in prayer at the temple.
And yet the house has become calm and quiet with his passing.\nBut there is one
more thing that must be done: the final farewell. It weighs heavily upon your soul.
The day comes to pay your final respects. Father goes to the tomb alone save for
Stephan, Nathan, and you. Mother and Gloria stay at home — only nobles or those who
may become nobles may join this ritual.\nThere is a solemn silence as you walk to
the crypt. Father is the one who breaks this silence when you finally reach the
door of the family crypt.
“Your grandfather built this crypt. And now he will be the first Brante to remain
here in body forever — the first ever noble in our family.
“It is our duty now hold to the Sacrament of Flowing Blood for Sir Gregor. We will
honor his legacy and join him as the founder of the noble Brante dynasty.”
Stephan perks up at father’s words. His hands still clutch Grandfather’s sword —
tradition decrees that it must remain in the niche above the owner’s sarcophagus.\
nNathan, on the other hand, looks even more frightened now.
Stairs carved of white stone lead you downward. \nDeep in the gloom of the crypt,
atop a pedestal, you see the sarcophagus that holds Grandfather’s body.\nFather
takes a moment to compose himself before paying his final respects.
“Gregor Brante, my father, brought our family into nobility through his unshakable
will. He was a judge and a loyal servant to the Empire. He lived his life as if he
had been born a noble, and he never strayed from the path he had chosen. He sought
to make the Brante family ennobled by the Sword so that our children’s children
might be of noble birth.
“The Twins know I abided by my father’s words all my life — even if I could not
obey him every time…”
Father lets of a bitter chuckle as he says this. \nStephan glares at Father, then
turns to glare at Nathan at you. \nAfter all, the two of you were born of Father’s
shameful decision to marry a commoner.
“All of you remember his disastrous passing. He did not die the true death he
deserved. Yet we all must know that he fought for the future he believed in, to the
very end. And he would be proud to see his family bid him farewell with this
sacrament of the nobility.”
Stephan still glares at Father sullenly. His fingers remain clutched around
Grandfather’s sword.\nNathan barely pays attention to the words. He looks around
with unease, his arms folded across his chest.
Father reaches into his jacket and pulls out a slender dagger, thin and sharp.\nHe
takes off his gloves.
“Watch me carefully, my sons. Make a small cut on the palm of your hand and let
your blood flow into this duct on the wall of the crypt. It will join your
grandfather’s blood here and flow forever. Then ancestor and progeny will become as
one.
“We shall enter our family’s Blood Tide and receive Grandfather’s final blessing,
for his blood flows first in our Blood Tide. He will respond to you. You are part
of him, and he is part of you.”
With a quick motion, Father slices his hand and holds the bleeding cut above a
small opening in the wall. Then he hands the dagger to Stephan.\nStephan cuts his
hand without hesitation and does as Father did.\nYou receive the dagger next.
The dagger’s handle feels warm. You hesitate for a moment as you look at the palm
of your hand.\nIf you participate in this ritual, you will enter the Brante Blood
Tide — you, a lowborn child, a child who is still a commoner!
Are you ready to claim your legacy as a descendant of the nobleman Gregor Brante?\
nThe eyes of your father and brothers are upon you…\nNathan, the youngest brother,
will follow your example — you can be certain of this.
Give the dagger back
Bleed
Ask for Grandfather’s blessing
You refuse to participate in the ritual — after all, you do not bear the nobleman’s
Lot.
You still recall your first Sacrament and how you defied the Lash. You are Gregor
Brante’s grandson — and so you deserve to enter his Blood Tide.
Before you dare enter his Blood Tide, you ask Grandfather’s spirit for his
blessing.
You return the dagger to Father and say you cannot participate in the ritual. \nYou
are a commoner, and your back bears the mark of the Lash — Grandfather would never
have let you honor his name as a nobleman.\nNathan nods in agreement — you do not
deserve this honor.\nFather furrows his brow and shakes his head.
You remember that fateful day when you were eight, the day when you tried to choose
a different Lot for yourself. You violated the ritual in the temple, you kissed the
sword, and, against all odds, you said you had the right to be a nobleman.\nAnd now
you must confirm this right. You must join the Brante Blood Tide.
You grasp the dagger firmly, then quickly drag the blade across your palm. The
fresh wound burns on your hand.\nYet before you allow your blood to join the blood
of your father and elder brother, you ask your late grandfather aloud:\nWill he
give you his blessing to become a part of him? Will he allow you to join the Brante
Blood Tide?
“Stephan, help me close the lid of the sarcophagus. And remember to ask for
Grandfather for his blessing.\n“And as for you two… it seems you weren’t ready to
walk the nobleman’s path after all. You’re right, son — your grandfather would
never have allowed it.”
You grasp the dagger firmly, then hold the blade to your skin and quickly drag it
across your palm. Drops of your blood fall into the duct, flowing further into the
crypt as they combine with the blood of your father and brother.\nThe fresh wound
burns on your hand.
You hear Stephan’s indignant sigh. He does not say a word, however. \nYour words
are a token of respect for Grandfather and his will. Should you obtain his
blessing, Stephan will not defy the late Brante patriarch.
The lid of the sarcophagus falls into place with a heavy, resonant thud. \nThen,
suddenly, you all freeze as each of you hears your late grandfather speak to you.
His voice is loud as it rings in the depths of the crypt, and yet he speaks to each
of you separately.
“What are you doing, <username>? Why did you have to take these two along, Father?
This ritual is for nobles, and you two aren’t even noblemen…”\n
Then, suddenly, you all freeze.\nEach of you hears your late grandfather speak to
you. His voice is loud as it rings in the depths of the crypt, and yet he speaks to
each of you separately.
“Foulblood weakling! I knew you never had it in you to rise above your meager
birth, <username>… you have not a drop of nobility in you, and your pathetic little
brother is the same. You are a taint upon my flesh and blood — begone from my
crypt!”
His eyes meet Father’s stern gaze — no one is to interrupt the sacrament! \
nIndignant as he is, Stephan falls silent. \nYou hand the dagger to Nathan.
“You had the courage to ask me for my blessing… well, so be it — you deserve an
answer!\n“To me, you are not incorrigible. You are half lowborn, yet you may make a
worthy nobleman one day. I shall allow you to join my Blood Tide.\n“But know this!
I will be watching you always; and my shadow will follow you forever.\n“Do not let
me down, boy!”
Your legs carry out of the crypt of their own accord. \nOut, out, out of that
stuffy crypt! You can finally breathe again! \nYou hear slow footsteps behind you.
You turn around and meet Nathan’s gaze.
Your younger brother hesitates. \nFather offers him help, but Nathan shakes his
head. Finally he makes a cut; and Nathan’s blood joins yours in the duct of the
crypt.
Grandfather’s voice falls silent. \nYou glance at your father and brothers,
astonished. Save for Stephan, everyone else is dumbfounded as well.
“You… you did the right thing. If it weren’t for you, I’d have done what father
told us.\n“Grandfather said I should stay away from his legacy — said it’ll do me
no good if I try to follow in his footsteps. How’s that for words of guidance, eh?”
The deed is done. It is time to close the sarcophagus. The lid falls into place
with a heavy, resonant thud. \nThen, suddenly, you all freeze as each of you hears
your late grandfather speak to you. His voice is loud as it rings in the depths of
the crypt, and yet he speaks to each of you separately.
You have Grandfather’s blessing.\nYou hold your hand above the opening in the wall.
Your blood drips into the duct and flows further into the crypt as it combines with
the blood of your father and brother.
Nathan sighs as he embraces you.
“So you think yourself my descendant, son of a lowborn woman? Very well — time will
tell how much nobility you have within. But know this! I am your ancestor; you are
my flesh and blood. I will be watching you always, and my shadow will follow you
forever. Do not let me down, boy!”
Nathan’s turn comes. Your younger brother hesitates. \nFather offers him help, but
Nathan shakes his head. Finally he makes a cut, and Nathan’s blood mixes with yours
in the duct of the crypt.
Father and Stephan leave the crypt much later and walk to the carriage without a
word. \nYou and Nathan humbly follow behind them.
The ritual is complete.\nStephan reverently kisses the grip of grandfather’s sword
and places it in the alcove above the sarcophagus.\nOnce all is done, you leave the
crypt together.
Cool, fresh wind blows in your face as you return to the surface. \nFather stops
halfway to the carriage and hugs Nathan and you briefly. Now your blood belongs to
the dynasty of Sir Gregor Brante as well.
Cool, fresh wind blows in your face as you return to the surface. \nStephan storms
off to the carriage, fuming. \nFather stops halfway to the carriage and hugs Nathan
and you briefly. Now your blood belongs to the dynasty of Sir Gregor Brante as
well.
The Fugitive Girl
Grandfather’s passing and last respects have left a mark on the entire family. His
words relayed from the hereafter keep echoing in your mind. \nYou still do your
best to avoid the memory of Grandfather’s last night and spend more time on the
city streets with Tommas and your other classmates.
The road by the house reminds you of another clash with death. Sometimes, as you
walk along that road, you recall Sophia, the beautiful girl with the wonderful
eyes, and the terrifying, thundering hooves.\nYou have not seen Sophia since that
fateful day. The children who live nearby say her parents sent her to a rich
Arknian family, the Ottons, as a servant.
The sun has set. The Pillar shines palely in the dark sky. Tommas is ill, so you
decide to visit him and tell him the latest news.\nThe streets seem oddly agitated
tonight, full of horses, cloaked men, strange faces, and hushed voices.\nA young
nobleman in a heavy embroidered cloak is walking back and forth, clutching at his
sword nervously. There is a grimace of rage on his delicate blue face. He is an
Arknian.
You overhear voices.\n“Sir Otton! The girl’s not at home. We searched the house.
Her parents swear she ran away from home too — they claim they wanted to bring her
back.”
“Just do whatever it takes. Turn this loathsome district upside down if you must,
but bring my servant back to me! She’s here!”
Sophia… ran away from an Arknian? How can this be?!\nThere is only one place on the
entire street where a person could hide: the abandoned Morrel house, four houses
away from yours.\nYou head there, doing your best not to attract attention.
The lopsided house built of yellow brick has been abandoned for twenty years or so.
You remember playing there as a boy.\nYou glimpse a figure inside even before you
enter.\nA pair of eyes glimmer in the dark. You would recognize them even after
another four years.\nSophia has grown up. She is almost an adult now, and her face
is full of fear. She is not the easygoing girl next door that you remember.\nShe
finally recognizes you.
“Oh, it’s you, <username>..! Be quiet — they’re all looking for me. I ran away from
the youngest Otton. I might be in for a lesser death here. But I’d rather die than
spend another day in their slavery. I’m just a thing to him, just a toy to play
with…”
Sophia winces and closes her mouth as she says this. There is a glint of bright
yellow deep in her eyes.
“I ran to my parents, I told them all about the men I had to serve… and they went
and alerted the Ottons! They don’t want to be the target of their ire… but you —
you aren’t going to tip them off, are you?”
The barking and shouting are getting closer. Sophia’s voice grows quiet. She runs
off to the darkest corner of the house before you can answer.\nOne of Otton’s
servants is so close you can hear his cloak swishing against the ground. He notices
something and calls for the others.
There are more voices around you now. They approach the house from the yard and
surround it.\nOne of them seems particularly snappy, annoyed, and impatient. You
have already heard this voice today.
“If you’re in there, girl, you’d be wise to come out and quit wasting my time. All
will be forgiven, and you will go back where you were — you know it… and if you
don’t, I’ll drag you out by the hair!”
The hilt of the young Arknian’s sword bashes at the door. He is about to lose his
patience for good.\nSophia hugs the wall in the dark, trying to stay still. She
glances at you: what will you do? \nYour heart is racing. Can you act against the
Arknian’s orders? Do you have the gall to defy the mighty nobleman?
Try to stop Otton
Bring Sophia back to Otton
Help Sophia flee
Hide alone
You will protect your friend, even if you have to defy the young Arknian.
The Arknian is within his rights. You will render him a service if you help him
capture her.
You lead the fugitive girl through the old cellar and away from the house.
Things have become too dangerous. You are not able to influence the fate of Sophia.
You pull yourself together and walk slowly to the half-collapsed doorway. Sophia
stays behind.\nThe tall young Arknian stares you down, his condescending smile
dripping with scorn.\nIn your most assertive voice, you answer his question: he
will find no fugitive girl in this house.
You pull yourself together and walk slowly to the half-collapsed doorway. Sophia
stays behind.\nThe tall young Arknian stares you down, his condescending smile
dripping with scorn.\nYour hand raises to point at Sophia’s hiding place.
You grab Sophia’s hand as you run down the stairs to the old cellar. She resists
you at first until she reads your lips: there is a secret way out!\nYou sneak away
into the cellar, leading the way. \nThe floorboards groan above your heads as the
Arknian and his men search the house. But only children who grew up in this
district know that this cellar leads to the neighboring district.
“What are you doing here, boy? I wasn’t speaking to you. Out of my way.”
Otton nods, satisfied. Then he steps inside, his fingers on the hilt of his
sword. \nYou follow him in tow.
You lead Sophia to the hole in the cellar floor and help her squeeze in. There it
is: an odd tunnel that leads to a well two streets away. None of the children know
who dug it, yet you played here and chased each other through it so many times as a
lad.\nAnd now, this secret passage will rescue Sophia from genuine pursuit.
Otton needs no permission to enter, so he steps inside. \nYou stand in his way. You
have already assured the young Arknian there is no one else inside. You have done
him a great service. What makes him doubt your words?
A silhouette runs in front of you. Sophia? You hear a high-pitched scream of rage.\
nA golden light blinds you — a flash so bright it rends you from the inside. There
is another voice in your head now, booming, screaming: “Halt! Freeze! Drop!”\nYou
lose control of your body, your arms and legs. You collapse at the Arknian’s feet.\
nSophia uses this moment of confusion to run past the nobleman and out through the
door.\nOtton steps over you, cursing, and runs after her.
Soon you are in the well. There is nothing above you save for the sky full of
clouds.\nYou wait until you hear no more steps around you, then climb out of the
well and help Sophia up.\nYou lead the way to the slums around the temple district
— the easiest place to disappear.
“Why, you lowlife! How dare you stand in an Arknian’s way! You must have lives to
spare!”
You hear noises from the other side of the wall: running, screaming, and orders to
give chase. \nYou lie there on a pile of old bricks, completely unable to move.\
nSlowly the stupor leaves you. Finally your knees can bend again. You get to your
feet, swaying, and walk out of the abandoned house.
A dog in a nearby house starts barking. One of Otton’s men appears in front of you.
\nYou take a step back as your fingers search for a brick, ready to defend Sophia
no matter the cost.\nShe squeezes your hand, and then you hear a high-pitched
scream of rage.\nA flash of yellow light stuns you. In the blink of an eye, Otton’s
man freezes and collapses, unable to get up.
Otton backhands you with immense strength, enough to send you flying. The Arknian
draws his sword. It rises into the air…\nBut then one of his men shouts: “Sir!
There she is!”\nThe Arknian turns around and briskly walks away.
The young Arknian is standing in the doorway, shaking his head in frustration.
Sophia’s eyes are no longer sky-blue — they are yellow now.\nShe lets go of your
hand. You recoil in fear.
Sophia used your distraction to climb out the window in the back!\nYou jump to your
feet and escape the house in the same way. \nSophia’s slight silhouette is gaining
distance far ahead. One of Otton’s men is chasing her down, ready to catch her at
any moment.
“So she’s a witch, is she? Well, I’ll be… what a fascinating lass! I knew I chose
her for a reason… ah, there you are, youngster. So how did you like your first
brush with magic? Tell me your name. And worry not — you have my thanks.”
“You weren’t supposed to see that, <username>. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. But I
won’t let them take me. I won’t go back to Otton after this. I need to run — run as
far as my legs can take me.”
But then, something unbelievable happens. \nSophia lets out a dreadful scream, and
the air around her sizzles with golden sparks.\nOtton’s man falls to the ground,
clutching his head. Sophia freezes for a second, as though uncertain of what she
just did.\nWhat was that?
You tremble as you introduce yourself to Dorius Otton.
“Thank you for helping me… and farewell.”
Otton screams at her right next to you.
“You will go far, young Brante. You know your loyalties.”
Sophia gives you a gentle kiss on the cheek and disappears down the dark alleyway.\
nYou stand there, stunned.\nSophia is a witch?! Her magic bound Otton’s man by the
arms and legs; it made him unable to move!\nYou hear Otton’s screams of rage and
the thumping of his men’s feet — but Sophia is long gone.\nIt’s a shame that was
all you could do for her.
“So that’s how it is, eh?! The wench is a witch! Seize her!”
You walk back home, lost in thought.\nSophia is a witch?! You recall how it felt,
how her magic bound you by the arms and legs, how it took away all control over
your body, how it made you lose the will to move. \nBut that spell… you could sense
something personal in the way it struck you.\nWas it hatred?
The runaway girl becomes the talk of your district for an entire week. You overhear
that Sophia managed to flee the city. The Ottons are furious.\nAfter this sudden
appearance, she disappears from your life once more. You will not see her again
until much, much later.
Magic? Sophia is a witch?!
Sophia’s silhouette disappears down an alleyway. Otton’s men give her chase, but
they will never find her in the dark, sprawling district.\nYou watch her go. Will
you ever see her again?
You swiftly turn away from Sophia’s desperate gaze and flee to cower in a dark
corner.\nA pained sigh reaches your ears.
“I knew it...”
You do not respond. You need to hide.\nThe front door slams open. Heavy footsteps
echo from the entrance.\nThe irate Arknian strides right past your hiding place,
paying you no heed whatsoever.
“Where are you, you little tramp? There’s no hiding from me!”
A shadowy figure streaks past you. Sophia?\nA high-pitched, furious scream slices
through the silence.
A blinding golden flash explodes in front of you, a sudden cascade of sparks
burning through the darkness.\nAs you blink, stunned, Otton’s tall figure
freezes...\nAnd suddenly collapses.
The golden sparks are still dancing before your eyes. A sudden pain seems to
rupture your skull from the inside.\nThrough the light and the pain you barely
catch a glimpse of Sophia as she dashes past the prone Arknian and runs out the
door.
It takes Otton a few long moments to regain his senses. He gets up with a curse and
runs after Sophia.
“So she’s a witch too, eh? Get her! Now!”
You hear men running, shouting, and barking orders on the other side of the wall. \
nYou lie there on a pile of old bricks, rubbing your eyes.
The strange stupor slowly leaves you.\nYou get to your feet and walk unsteadily out
of the abandoned house.\nThe danger has passed.
You walk back home, lost in thought.\nSo Sophia is a witch?! You recall how her
magic bound Otton by the arms and legs, how he lost all control of his body...
The runaway servant girl becomes the talk of the district for an entire week.\nYou
hear that Sophia has managed to flee the city. The Ottons are furious.
Sophia vanished from your life just as suddenly as she came. You will not see her
again for quite some time.
The Last Night
Tomorrow, you turn sixteen — according to Imperial law, you will be a full adult!\
nYour time at Sir Tibor’s school has ended. You have studied enough to apply for
the Imperial College and learn the judge’s trade there.\nYou are to travel to
Eterna tomorrow. Your friend Tommas will go there with you to try his luck in the
Imperial capital.\nMother and Father prepare you for the long journey.
“Remember, son, there is only one goal for you: you must become a student at the
Imperial College. Your teachers dragged you through all those books for a reason.
You have the knowledge and fervor to be ennobled by the Mantle as I was, and as my
late father was before me. And who knows… maybe one day you will be the one to
write the name Brante in the Blue Book and ensure that your children’s children
will be noble by birth!”
Then, Mother speaks to you carefully. There is worry in her eyes.
“But Robert… there may be another path for our son. Stephan, your firstborn, was
born a noble. He will surely earn the title for the entire Brante family. Your
second son bears the favor of the Twins. For him, the path of the priest is a
worthy calling, no less than a nobleman’s sword!”
They have been arguing about your future for a while now. Still, she would never
defy the will of a nobleman and her husband.\nYou smile at them both, trying to
placate them.\nGloria laughs quietly behind their backs.
“Just don’t become a snoot like Stephan, and you’ll do just fine!”
Mother chides Gloria for that. \nYou wink at your sister.\nNathan has been downcast
all evening. He barely touched his dinner. When everyone gets up from the table, he
suddenly rushes over to embrace you.
“Please don’t go, <username>! Can’t you stay? I don’t know what I’m going to do
without you!”
You tussle his hair in response. There is no way you can stay now, you say.\nBut
when you come home — and you will come home — you’ll tell him all your stories and
bring him a special present from Eterna!
This is it. All your lessons have been learned, all your things have been packed
for the road. You will leave the family home tomorrow.\nTonight is your last night
at home before your departure. You walk through the rooms one last time.\nThe
sitting room, where Mother used to read you fairy tales; the library, where Gloria
used to spend all her time; Father’s study, which you entered only on special
occasions; the backyard, where you taught Nathan to build towers one summer.
The whole place feels so familiar, so dear to you. It feels like home. You lived
here for sixteen years. \nWill you ever return?\nIt is getting late; everyone is
already in their rooms. But you hesitate. \nFather… Mother… Gloria… Nathan… it will
be a long time before you see them again.\nWho will you spend your last few hours
at home with?
Spend the time with Father
Spend the time with Mother
Spend the time with Gloria
Spend the time with Nathan
You decide to peak into Father’s study.
You go to Mother’s chambers and knock at the door.
You think your sister is still awake.
Surely your brother is awake at this hour… or isn’t he?
You find Father in his study reading a book. He has been like this for as long as
you can remember: always at his massive desk, surrounded by books and papers and
letters, reading or writing.\nYou enter the study. Father looks up from his book
and gives you an inquisitive glance.
You open the door to Mother’s room. She is kneeling in prayer. Her back is to the
door, and her whispers fill the room. She turns around and smiles gently when she
hears your footsteps.\nYou want to spend tonight with her before you leave. \
nMother reaches out to you.
Indeed, your sister is still awake. She jumps out of her armchair happily the
moment she sees you.
Nathan is already in bed, snoring. You approach your brother quietly and pat him on
the head.\nHe is startled, but starts smiling with joy when he realizes it is you.
You want to spend the night with him before you leave. Maybe he can tell you some
stories about Eterna and his own studies, or give you some fatherly advice…\nFather
smirks at that, as though he is plotting something.
“Come with me, <username> — there is no need for anybody else to hear us.”
“I’m so happy you’re actually here, brother! You know, before you leave, I actually
have something to tell you…”
“Hi! Hey, can we go outside? I need your help with something.”
“Have a seat, son.”
You walk silently downstairs, enter the empty sitting room, and light the candles.
Gloria takes your hand and leads you to the library. You light a lamp. Gloria pulls
out a hefty volume from one of the shelves.
You creep silently downstairs.\nThe air outside is damp, and drops of dew glisten
in the night. Nathan drags you towards the bushes.\nA spotted kitten looks at you
from the bushes with sad eyes. You see a bowl of water and some scraps of food next
to it.
He reaches into a drawer and produces a decanter filled with rich golden liquid.
“You are so close to the gods, my son. I knew it as soon as you were born — I saw
Them watching over you closely. Let us pray together, my son — may the Twins know
you honor Their every touch.”
“Look! This is a history of the noble houses. It’s got the story of how humans were
first ennobled.\n“I read all of it, and guess what: it didn’t happen until after
the expansion of the Empire. Apparently there weren’t enough Arknians for all the
land — they just couldn’t rule it all by themselves!”
“Look! He ran into our yard today. See, he’s got a broken paw… we need to save the
poor kitten!”
“Barley whisky — a nobleman’s drink. I think it would be good for you to try it.”
You stand by Mother’s side as she whispers prayer after prayer. First, she offers
gratitude for the life and Lot you have been granted; then, a plea to show you your
path through the world, for it has no mercy; next, a promise to heed and obey Their
every call.\nThere is such fervor in her prayer, such piety! You know for certain
as you pray with her that the gods will provide for you. They will ensure that your
path is true.\nFor there is no other way.
“Arknians have always treat humans like cattle, but human nobles are even worse.
They’re like their paltry copies now! Bearing noble titles, wearing gem-studded
jackets, bossing others around and poisoning their lives! They make me sick!”
You pat Nathan on the head. Together you sneak the poor animal into the house and
take him to the storage closet. Then you close the closet door and begin the
treatment.\nIf anyone is clumsy in your family, it is Nathan, yet his hands are
unusually accurate and calm as he binds the kitten’s paw.
Father pulls out two glasses and pours a little of the liquid into each of them.\
nYou take your glass and bring it to your mouth. The whisky stings your lips and
palate. Father clearly savors the drink.
The sun is about to rise. You should rest before the long trip, but you are not
tired at all. On the contrary, you feel lucid and clear-headed.\nMother embraces
you once the prayers are done.
“Everybody says nobles were born to rule, but if you ask me, I say they’re
nobodies. There’s nothing noble about demeaning others and living off their hard
work!”
You start chatting as you treat the kitten.\nAs you think out loud about living in
the capital and working towards your goal, Nathan strokes the poor animal’s wet
fur.\nHe sighs.
Father tells you a long story about his studies at the Imperial College. He had to
study among the sons of the richest nobles from all corners of the land. He was but
a commoner back then, and he had his fair share of hardships.\nWhen you ask him
about living in the capital, he says it was “difficult, dangerous, and full of
temptation.”
“My son… life is hard, but it is just, moreso for those who follow their Lot.
Remember: be humble in your words, and work hard.”
Gloria is growing unusually agitated. You knew she was not exactly fond of nobles,
but this is the first time you have heard such burning scorn in her voice.\nBut
then Gloria stops herself suddenly and calms down.
“It’s tough for me… you know, thinking about being a grownup. I’m not much of
anything even now. I wish I could be like you! You sure know where you’re going and
who you’re going to be.”
“You will have your share of time in high society as well. I hope the company of
nobles won’t lead you astray, son. You didn’t go to a boarding school like your
elder brother, but I believe a good education and a good family still stand for
something. Now, what else can I tell you before you leave?”
But before you go, Mother removes a pendant with the Twins’ cross and puts it
around your neck.\nYou return to your room and get into bed. You can see the
Shining Pillar from the window, glowing gently against the twilight morning sky. \
nAll your worries about the long journey are no more. You feel calm and serene.
“I just wanted to tell you, brother… you don’t actually have to become a noble. If
you’re a noble, you’ll have to follow their rules, like Stephan does. You’re not
like him. I know it.”
You shrug.
Father recalls the balls held in the capital when he was a youth. He even stands up
from the desk and shows you a couple of moves.\nTheir dancing was incredibly
modest: all bows and sidesteps, no touching between the dance partners.\nBut then
again, he chuckles, those were the days when a fair lady could steal your heart
with a single glance!\nYou nod. If anything, you know that feeling by now.
“Don’t listen to Mother, and definitely don’t listen to your father. They just want
you to blindly follow them. It’s true, Sir Brante spent plenty of money and effort
on your education… but a noble title and a judge’s rank were his dream for you, not
yours. It’s time to think for yourself!”
“No, I mean it! I can’t be like that. They say I’m going to study too, and go to
Eterna and become a priest or go to the College… but there’s no way I can make it
there. Does that mean there’s nothing else out there for me?”
After he mentions dancing, he starts speaking of something he has never mentioned
to you before: Stephan’s late mother and his first wife, Amalia El Borne.\nYou
listen to his every word, surprised by this show of trust.
Her words spark a dispute. You keep debating into the small hours.\nSoon you both
start reaching into history and politics and morals for material, pulling out
library books one by one to prove your points. It turns out Gloria is an excellent
debater — all the days and nights she spent in the library have honed her mind and
rhetorical skills.\nThe sun is about to rise. You should rest before the long trip,
but you are not tired at all.
“You’ll be leaving soon, and I’ll be all alone here. You’ll write to me, I know you
will. And you’ll come back one day. But I’m scared… scared I might lose my way when
you’re not around. You’ll come back, but it’ll be… different. You’ll be different.
I’ll be different too.”
“Oh, Amalia El Borne was the noble bird of prey of Anizotte, and the ballrooms were
her hunting ground. Everyone thought they could tame her.\n“Your grandfather saw
her just once, and then he was off to Baron El Borne to negotiate the marriage. I
was impressed by her, and I was so proud of myself… and yet…”
But before you return to your rooms, Gloria locks you in a heartfelt hug.
You swear to Nathan that even if everything changes, you will always be his
brother. You will always be there to offer him advice and support. And you have no
doubt that he will find his way in life.\nIt just takes time to find yourself —
sometimes more than you might expect.
“I expected Amalia to be reborn after childbirth. But it did not happen. And when I
recall it now after so many years, I see that the gods arranged it this way.
Otherwise I would have never started a family with your mother.\n“Oh, how much I
had to suffer for marrying Lydia! But she alone is the true heart of our family…”
“<username>, please promise me you’ll find your own way out there!”
The sun is about to rise. You should rest before the long trip, but you are not
tired at all. Nevertheless, it is time for bed.\nBefore you leave, Nathan hugs you
again.
The sun is about to rise. You should rest before the long trip. \nBefore he leaves
for his bedroom, Father embraces you tightly.
You nod to her and hug her back — and then she is off.\nYou get into bed, but you
cannot sleep.\nGloria’s words keep you up all night.
“Please promise you’ll come back, <username>.”
“I’m so proud you’re an adult now, son. You are capable of achieving so much.
Always remember that.”
You swear to him that you will.\nYou get into bed and fade away into a gentle,
happy sleep. \nThey will be waiting for you back here, no matter what.
You get into bed, your head spinning slightly.\nThis midnight talk with Father —
was it about your future, or his past? Regardless, it will remain in your memory
for years to come.
An Adult Question
The day is sunny, scorching, and hot. You are sitting in the yard, in the shade of
a tree, studying books about the Twins’ Great Descent.\nYou hear shy, quiet steps.
There is no need to look back — you know from the sound that it is Nathan. Your
younger brother also sits in the shade of the tree, yet he is quiet. He is not
tugging at your clothes this time. That is unusual.\nHe is just sitting by your
side, breathing loudly.
You tear yourself away from the book and look at your brother.\nNathan is deep in
thought. He seems uneasy. His is fidgeting with a symbol of the Twins — a cross
inside a circle, the Lash bound around the Sword.\nIt is Nathan’s pendant. He wears
it all the time, but not today.
The silence wears on. \nNathan takes a deep breath, like he is about to speak, but
he does not. His face grows even grimmer. He looks unusually hurt and bitter.
At last, Nathan gathers his courage. He takes another deep breath. His eyes narrow.
\nHis hand clutches the encircled cross.
“Tell me, <username>… the Twins, they hate me, don’t they?”
Nathan’s voice is quiet, yet firm.\nThe world falls silent around you — not even a
gust of wind can be heard. It is as if everything is waiting for your answer.\nYou
look at your brother again, confused.
Nathan, the youngest brother, the most unassuming child… he is quiet, obedient, and
thoughtful. He has been your responsibility almost since his birth, yet he has
never been a burden.\nFather was always aloof around him, and Mother was too tired
to even smile.\nEven Grandfather seemed to avoid Nathan with his scorn — he just
treated your little brother like a piece of trash. He never called him by name and
always winced at the sight of him, perhaps because he looks so much like Mother.
But is it true that the Twin Gods had no love for your little brother?\nSurely the
Twins have enough even for little Nathan, do they not?
Nathan was born a commoner, like you. His Lot is suffering.\nEveryone is tested by
the Twins before their true death; no one can expect mercy along their path.\nHe
was born the youngest child in your family — that is his trial.\nShould Nathan
persevere and bear the burden he was dealt, he shall yet reach the Peak of the
Pillar when his time runs out.
There is hope in Nathan’s eyes as he looks at you.\nGuiding others in matters of
faith is the clergy’s Lot. You are no priest, yet you cannot stay quiet. You see
his pain, you see his trepidation, and so you will tell him what you think.\nWhat
you are about say may be a turning point in his life.
Dispel Nathan’s fears
Confirm Nathan’s fears
The Twins are love for all that exists.
Your brother is right: the Twins are stern and ruthless.
You tell your brother that the Twins are more than just Law and Will — they are
also Love. So writes Isatius, the disciple of the Elder, and so says Mother.\nAnd
both you and him were brought into this world through Their providence.
You are quiet for a moment: and then you speak.\nThe Twins are stern indeed. They
pay no heed to the wishes of men, for They are gods. They have Their own vision,
and They follow it to guide all people to greatness.\nBut how can the Twins guide
people when they are not people themselves?
It is true that Their Love is quite unlike the love humans have for one another.
They cannot forgive others unconditionally, like Mother or Father would. Your
parents love you no matter what, but They are unlike them.\nAnd yet the Twins bear
no hatred, for they descended to our world and granted us knowledge of how to live.
\nAnd this is a great treasure indeed.
But there is a positive side to this: you do not have to love Them either. After
all, how can you force yourself to love forces that hate you just for being born? \
nHow can you force yourself to love entities that see you as wicked beings that can
do nothing but blindly obey Their Will?
The Twins put us all to the test with the hardships they send. They watch how we
follow our Lots.\nAnd if Nathan suffers and feels no love from Them, then that
means They believe in him and know he will endure this suffering. They know he will
humbly accept it and let it pass through him — let it purify him.\nThis is the
manifestation of Their love.
For our gods have no mercy indeed, and their law is inhuman. We have to accept it,
for it cannot be changed.\nBut when your true death comes, there are two paths open
to you: you can be brought to the Peak of the Shining Pillar, or you can be cast
down into eternal suffering at the Foot of the Pillar. If you wish for the Twins’
solace and eternal bliss in the hereafter, submitting to Their Will is the only
way.
Nathan hangs on your every word. \nThe despair fades from his face — he is smiling.
He puts the chain with the encircled cross back around his neck again and hugs you
gratefully.
Nathan hangs on your every word. \nThe despair on his face is replaced by rage. He
leaps to his feet. \nHis fingers ball into fists. A single tear rolls down his
reddened cheek.
“So They do love me… thank you! You… you’ve helped me hold on to my faith.”
“No! That cannot be, it is impossible, you simply cannot be right! The Twins are
testing me — and they’re testing me right now too! I’m… I’m gonna tell Mom you’re
spreading heresy!”
You hug Nathan back and hear him sniffle on your shoulder. \nHe will remember this
little talk for years to come.
Nathan screams these words in your face and runs away, his pendant clenched in his
fist instead of around his neck. \nYou turn back to the book with a heavy heart. It
always hurts to face the cruelty of this world. Will your younger brother weather
the storm?\nYou know his threat means nothing. He will never tell on you.\nHis
doubt is too great.
Forbidden Love
Another day of school is behind you. You are now wandering your district, taking
your time before going home. It is getting dark.\nSoon you are walking past the
splendid mansion of Count El Velasco, one of Magra’s richest landlords. You hear a
familiar voice from the other side of the iron fence. It is Stephan’s voice!\nIt is
followed by the sound of a young lady laughing.
You peek through the fence and into the mansion’s garden — and indeed, there you
see your elder brother, dressed like he is going to meet the Emperor Himself. He is
currently busy helping a pretty young lady out of the window.\nShe locks him in an
emotional embrace. You recognize her: Maria El Velasco, count El Velasco’s
daughter.\nAnd as the whole city knows, she is already betrothed to another young
nobleman from a far more illustrious family!
“Oh Maria, I thought I would help you come down to earth from your heavenly abode,
but your very touch brings me to the heavens!”
He picks the count’s daughter up and holds her in the air. She laughs, almost
imperceptibly, and kisses him on the cheek. But then Stephan takes her by the chin
and turns her to face him… their lips join in a kiss.\nA flurry of emotion washes
over you as you watch it happen.
Stephan is putting the reputation of his entire family at risk! Acting so
frivolously with the count’s daughter may turn the count’s influence against all
the Brantes — and yet Stephan always speaks so highly of noble bearing, and
composure, and family honor!
Stephan’s face is glowing with joy.\nYour older brother… he is happy — truly happy.
You have never seen Stephan like this as his arms hold the count’s daughter in a
tender embrace, so gently, as though he fears to hurt her.\nAnd Maria reciprocates
his feelings! Must you really rob them of their secret joy?
If you ever speak to him about this, no one else must hear it. You wait by the gate
patiently until Stephan decides to return from his escapades.\nHe is startled when
he finally notices you standing by the gate.
Remind him what a nobleman’s honor means
Aid Stephan in his cause
If Stephan keeps acting like this, he will bring disgrace upon the entire family.
You promise you will keep brother’s secret.
You fold your arms as you face your elder brother.\nHe is confused to see you
here.\nYou speak to him openly: you know of his affair with Maria El Velasco — and
Stephan should forget that young lady as soon as humanly possible.
“What are you doing here at this late hour, <username>? Is there something you wish
to tell me?”
He freezes at these words.\nYou keep talking. A noble cannot behave like this.
Stephan is risking bringing shame on all the Brantes — and worse yet, he is defying
his own Lot and his own words. His honor, Maria’s honor, the families’ honor — it
will all be harmed by his recklessness.\nHow could Stephan have forgotten about
this? How could he have let his emotions rule him? Why should you have to be there
to remind a born noble about this — you, who were born a commoner?
You confess to Stephan that you saw him today in the El Velasco garden with the
count’s daughter.\nThis affair puts both families’ honor at risk — yet you say you
are happy for him. You can see how much he cares for her. No matter what, it is
worth the risk.\nStephan can trust you with this secret, you assure him. The two of
you will keep it together.
Stephan frowns, but lets you keep talking. You wait for his anger, but there is
none.\nWhen you are finally done speaking, your brother stays quiet for a long
moment, and then sighs heavily.
Stephan reacts to you with anger at first; but your supportive words calm him down.
“Yes… yes, indeed, you’re right. I lost control of myself. Maria— I am a madman in
her presence. I forget the world when I’m with her. And I forgot my duty to my Lot
and my family… I will part ways with Lady El Velasco and offer my apologies to her
father. My brother… thank you. You’ve reminded me of who I am.”
“You’ve got all the makings of a professional spy! But you’re right — the risk is
too great. Your aid will not go amiss — you are no nobleman yet, but I hope your
word is worth my trust.”
From that day on, Stephan stops going out at night.\nHis attitude towards you has
changed too. He now looks at you with respect, as if he has finally come to see you
as an equal. Even in his anger, he is now quick to recall your brave decision and
stop himself.
From that day on, you help Stephan and Maria avoid attention on many occasions. You
even have to distract El Velasco’s manservants and lead them away on a wild goose
chase through the district. \nIn the end, you are never caught, and you earn your
brother yet another night with his beloved. They are both aware that the days of
their hidden love are numbered.
But how will your escapades affect the family’s reputation?\nYou and your brother
agree: whatever happens, happens. Young love is worth this risk.
The Poets
Today you and Tommas are to explore the streets of the Castle District.\nYou delve
deep into the district, right to the old siege walls of Anizotte. The city needs
these walls no longer.\nThere are no more enemies left for the Empire to fight —
since the Twins descended and chose the Tempest dynasty to rule the Empire, it has
spread one sea to sea, bringing its rule and peace for many generations.
The two of you gaze in awe at the old charcoal-black marks on the former fortress
walls. They say magic-wielders during Char Milanidas’s rebellion could conjure
gusts of fire with their own hands!\nThe Rebellious Duke fought against the Emperor
and the Church of the Twin Gods in the days of yore, but nothing remains of his
rebellion now save for scorched ruins and parched land throughout Magra.
You and your friend study the old walls and daydream about the battles that took
place here during the Rebellion.\nBut then you hear a muffled voice coming from
somewhere below the ground. You look around and find a hole in the brickwork where
the sounds are coming from.\nNaturally, you take a peek.
You see a half-ruined hall built below the ground and a handful of young men and
women standing there in the dark. The look a little bit older than you and are
wearing plain shirts and dresses.\nA young man is standing on a piece of crumbled
wall, reciting some of his poetry. It tells the story of a nobleman who fell into a
puddle thanks to his gaudy cloak, and none of his noble bearing was of any help. He
ends it with a farcical bow.\nYou hear applause and laughter.
He gets down from the crumbled wall, and a young girl takes his place. You cannot
see her face in the darkness, but hers is a voice you could recognize anywhere: it
is Gloria!\nYour sister begins to recite a poem she has written.
“Nay, Gloria, yours is no proper life:\nYou are to be a mother and a wife –\nAccept
the kitchen apron for a gag!\nAnd lo, another voice now takes a crack:\n‘You’re
straying from your Lot, you’ve got some nerve;\nEyes down, and be obedient, and
serve\nYour husband, children, house – they are your absolute!’\nNay, Gloria, you
are but rotten fruit…”
You lean down to hear her better, but sand and stones fall from under your feet and
into the underground hall.\nGloria looks up and meets your gaze.\nTommas pulls you
away from the hole.
“So they’re reading poems, imagine that! They sure hate nobles! And even Gloria — I
never thought your sister could do that! But… they’re sure gonna get in trouble if
they get spotted by an adult. Badmouthing a noble will get you flogged into next
week — not to mention all the trouble you can get into for writing poems if you’re
a commoner.\n“You’d better tell your sister to lay off. We’d better stay away from
them too.”
You nod — being around these people puts Gloria in great danger. But you know your
sister. It will not be easy to tell her this.\nYour adventure in the Castle
District is done for tonight. You and your friend return home.
During dinner, Gloria will not look at you. Her hair is all disheveled. Is she
afraid, or is she ashamed?\nYou are also worried sick. These literary gatherings
may spell danger for your sister. But for an illegitimate child like her, there are
so few ways to forge her own path…\nDinner is over. Soon you and Gloria are alone
at the table.\nWhat are you going to tell her?
Convince Gloria to leave the society
Keep Gloria’s secret
If anyone ever hears about this poets’ gathering, it could be bad for Gloria.
You promise to keep your sister’s secret safe and help her.
Gloria does not leave the table. After a few moments of silence, you begin to
speak.\nOnly nobles are allowed to create works of beauty and joy. Writing poetry
is against Gloria’s Lot in life, and doubly so for poetry that mocks a noble.
Gloria finally looks at you. You wink at your sister and promise to keep her
secret.\nYou praise the poetry you were able to overhear and confess that you were
impressed.\nA big, joyous smile appears on her face.
This secret passion may end badly for Gloria. At best, she will get flogged; at
worst, they will cut off her right hand, making her unable to write until a lesser
death causes her to be reborn.
“I’m so happy, brother! I thought you were about to tell me to stop going there and
say what mother says about my Lot… but I’m glad you’re not like that! Me and my
friends… without our poetry, we don’t have anything else left. Nothing but our
abysmal daily lives. At least we can laugh about it this way.”
She listens to you with her eyes downcast, looking unlike the older sister you
know. You keep talking.\nGoing to these meetings with her lowborn friends will
damage the family’s reputation, and Father could even refuse to protect Gloria,
especially if he realizes what her poems are about.
You get serious and tell her that her friends need to work much harder to hide
their meetings. After all, this secret passion could end badly for them if they get
caught. The best way out of this is to meet in a new place every time. You list off
several abandoned places nearby where nobody will look for them.\nYou promise her
that if she ever comes close to danger, you will be there to protect her.
Finally, Gloria looks up at you. Her eyes burn with stubborn rage.
Gloria nods and plants a kiss of sisterly joy on your cheek.
“You don’t understand, <username>! Me and my friends… without our poetry, we don’t
have anything else. Nothing but our abysmal daily lives. At least we can laugh
about it this way!”
Still, you insist that Gloria cut all ties with her poetry clique.\nIf she gets
caught, all the Brantes will pay. If she doesn’t care about herself, at least she
ought to think about the family that took her in!
Gloria twists her lips into a grimace and says you should leave. \nYou hear no
definitive answer from her.
You keep an eye on Gloria for the next few days. She no longer leaves home for
long.\nHas she stopped attending the secret poetry gatherings, or has she learned
to hide her tracks? You never know for sure.
Arrival in the Capital
It takes a whole month to reach Eterna.\nYou and Tommas spend the days wagging your
chins and staring at the scenery as your carriage makes its way along the road and
towards the next province. Soon it crosses from the familiar barren, arid lands of
Magra to the stately mountains of Eliria.\nDuring one of your many stays at a
roadside inn, the two of you even manage to share a whole bottle of strong wine and
keep it a secret from the servant who drives the carriage.
Adult life feels positively intoxicating.
“Soon, I tell you, soon we’ll be there! And I’ll earn my sword as soon as I get
accepted into the Military Academy, you’ll see! And then nobody’s gonna walk all
over me like I’m some commoner.”
You keep rehearsing everything they taught you in school.\nSoon you are almost at
the end of your long journey. You have left behind the arid rocks of Magra, the
mountains of Eliria, and the flooded meadows of Arknia. Eterna, the capital, is
right ahead.
Situated at the junction between the Reglata and Talrina rivers, the city is vast.
Three majestic stone bridges keep its three shores interconnected.\nSmooth stone
paves the main city streets; gilded moldings decorate the buildings; towering
pillars reach high into the sky.\nYour carriage takes you past a spacious park with
marble fountains and intricately trimmed bushes.
On the streets you see ornately decorated carriages bearing Arknian coats of arms
and abundant merchants’ tents filling the streets with beckoning cries and unusual
sights.\nThe spires of ancient temples dot the city skyline.
The carriage comes to a halt on a large city square with a towering marble
fountain.\nThe coachman says you have arrived.\nTommas is to apply to the Military
Academy. The Academy barracks are two streets away.\nYour lodging house is in the
alleyway nearby. A room has already been reserved for you.
You get out onto the street and say brief goodbyes to each other. You promise to
meet again after the entrance exams.\nThen your friend disappears into the crowded
streets of the capital.
You are left to your own devices in this vast city.\nA group of nobles walk past.
They are dressed in well-fitting clothing decorated with gems and golden thread.
You are not even noticed.\nStreet urchins chase a dog down the alleyway. Soldiers
of the Imperial Legion are marching to fifes and drums towards the barracks. Humble
pilgrims are gathering to the Great Temple of the Twins.\nThere are the sounds of
music and fountains and the smells of baked bread and garbage drains.
You quickly check in at the lodging house, then go back outside. The sun is
setting.\nThe streetlights come to life. Merry music fills the taverns. Couples and
noble coaches with tinted windows fill the streets. Shadows and hushed voices and
laughter fill the parks. \nYou are all alone with this city, so vast and
unfamiliar. You take a look around, determined to fill your first night in the
capital with memories.
You see young nobles gathered by the fountain, talking and making jokes excitedly.
One of them keeps glancing at the clock tower. They are about your age. Their
clothes are hand-tailored, and two of them bear noble swords.\nThey seem to be
waiting for something.\nIt might be a good idea to make their acquaintance. It
would be most helpful to develop a familiarity with the influential nobles of the
capital.
Loud music from a large establishment on the corner distracts you for a moment. The
servants have just opened the shutters to air out the hall — it seems there will be
a gathering inside. People from various estates greet each other as they take their
seats.\nA servant by the door of the establishment hails you: Sir Gert Arkwright
will be making a speech about the rights of the common estate. If you wish to
listen, you’d better get inside quickly.
Then you look at the Great Temple of the Twins at the far end of the street. The
Pillar shines in the evening dusk above it. The temple gates are open, and
worshippers are flocking inside.\nThere are too many people for an ordinary service
— this must be something important. What do they preach here in the capital? What
do they say of the New Faith and the teachings of Patriarch Fotis?
You snap out of your reverie when you hear loud laughter. A group of young men
dressed in the colors of the Imperial College have made the acquaintance of several
lovely girls. They are making their way down the road, united by merriment.\nOne of
the girls smiles at you — it is an invitation to join them. They turn the corner
and walk away, but you can still hear their voices ringing and echoing through the
street.\nA night of revelry and jolly, loud fun doesn’t sound half bad…
This is your first night in Eterna. No matter what you choose, you will remember it
for a long time to come.
Meet the noble youths
Listen to Arkwright’s speech
Visit the Great Temple of the Twins
Run after the students
You forge a bond with a group of young nobles.
You decide to listen to the speech on the rights of commoners.
You follow the other worshippers to the temple and attend the nightly service.
You run after the gaggle of students and join in their merriment.
You approach the young nobles and introduce yourself tactfully. Your father, a
judge, has sent you here to study, you explain.\nWould they mind showing you around
the capital?\nThe nobles eye you uncertainly and whisper to each other. You prepare
to face their rejection, but, to your surprise, they agree.
When the clock tower strikes eight, your new acquaintances proceed to a rich house
not too far away..\nCandlelight fills the halls before you, reflected in abundant
mirrors and gilded picture frames. Manservants bring drinks and refreshments to
every guest.
There are the sounds of music, and laughter, and small talk.\nHere and there you
see couples dancing to the music.\nIt appears you have made it to a small noble
party.
The nobles are gathered in groups. You take the time to get introduced to each of
them and join in their small talk.\nSome discuss their studies at the College,
while others relay fresh gossip. Have you heard that a Milanidas carriage was seen
in the city the other day?\nYou mention how you once encountered Octavia Milanidas,
daughter and heiress to the Archduke of Magra, at a square in Anizotte. These words
draw a small crowd.
The Milanidas dynasty rarely, if ever, visits Eterna. They say it is the only house
that can stand its ground against the Imperial Tempest dynasty. \nOne young man
even allows himself a little joke: they say the great Arknian houses turn to a
Milanidas only when a Tempest needs to be refused — after all, only the Milanidas
dynasty still knows how to say “no.”
But there is more. It turns out all humans owe the Milanidas dynasty for their
foray into nobility: Char Milanidas was the Arknian who opened the first College,
and its graduates were the first to be ennobled by the Mantle!\nTo feed and nourish
their barren land, the dukes of Magra took to industry and began adopting
innovative industrial and social practices. The dynasty’s motto is “Remembrance and
Majesty” — but “Strife and Change” would suit them better.
Then the nobles start discussing the other great Arknian dynasties.\nThe Tempest
dynasty is the first of the first, naturally — marked by the Twins, anointed to
rule. All Tempests are known for their sincerity often bordering on a volatile
temper, yet it is this very passion that has led them throughout history.\nThe
Tempests have been chosen by the gods to rule the Empire.
The Diamant dynasty are the main supporters of the Emperor’s family, honor
personified. The Diamants preside at the Arknian Courts of Honor that remain
throughout the Empire in spite of the public taboo. These courts hold more sway
over the laws and lives of the nobility than Imperial edits or prefectural
authorities. \nSome mention Patriarch Junius Diamant, the black sheep of his own
dynasty. He preaches the New Faith that rejects the Lots and stirs the minds of the
common folk.
The Orgrif dynasty is another noble bloodline favored by the Emperor. They
zealously advocate the Twins’ Faith and see the Empire as the union between heaven
and earth. Every year the Orgrifs donate enough funds to build new temples across
the Empire.
The Monrogue dynasty is an ancient and controversial name. The Monrogues often
speak in favor of removing humans from nobility, restoring nobility as a solely
Arknian privilege, and returning all human-manned offices in the Empire to the
Arknians.\nMany gossipers accuse the Monrogues of plotting against the rule of the
Tempests to bring back the old Arknian Republic and the joint rule of the great
Arknian dynasties as it existed long before the Emperors first came to be.
The discussion of courtly affairs and noble dynasties soon gives way to cultured
entertainment.\nExpensive wine flows like water. You, too, ask a couple noble
ladies to dance and show your skill.\nYou return to your lodging room in the small
hours of the night, with just enough strength left to undress before your aching
head and feet make you collapse.
For the first time in your life, you have mingled with a noble crowd on your own,
without your family’s aid.
You enter the establishment and find a free seat next to a group of well-dressed
young men and women.\nSoon the hall fills with people, packed wall to wall. A
richly dressed elderly man with a tenacious gaze and a wrinkled forehead appears
before the audience.
“My name is Gert Arkwright, and I’m an industrialist from Eliria. I should start
off with a few short words about myself. Just like you, I was born in the common
estate. My father was a hardworking miner. The mine broke his back, and he died of
natural causes. My mother used to say that was his Lot: you work, you endure, and
you suffer.
“Well, now I’m the owner of five ore processing factories, and every day gets me
thinking. How come a son of a run-of-the-mill miner and a wealthy industrialist
have to live by the same Lot?
“Tell me this, now: is it just and fair that a man who owns a factory has the same
meager rights as an ordinary farmer? If you own several stores and command the
workers almost like a noble commands an army, must you really suffer like a lowborn
man? Even if you can afford good clothing, good food, and a good house like a
nobleman, even if you live and stand closer to the nobles than farmers and tinkers
and manservants?”
His introduction sparks a debate. \nMost of the people in the hall side with
Arkwright. They say that well-to-do people need not live by the commoners’ Lot.\
nThere are outcries defending the holy function of the Lots, but they are quickly
snuffed without support.
For the first time in your life, you see people daring to defy their Lot in
public!\nEmotions soon begin to run high. More and more people shout words of
opposition to the current order of the Empire. They argue that industrialists,
merchants, and other well-off people are no worse than the nobles and ought to have
their say and their own rights!
“Order, my good people, order! Now’s not the time to rebel. If any of you are
itching for weapons, you should leave our company and proceed to the gallows on
your own. We are here to work out, through peaceful debate, a solution for this
gross injustice, and then submit our solution to the Great Imperial Council.”
The gathering ends in the small hours of the night.\nThe majority come to an
agreement: their idea of the best solution is to introduce a new social class, a
separate estate that would bear some of the nobles’ rights and freedoms.
“Unfortunately, there are too few of us to even convince the Great Council to have
our proposal seen. But we will not stop until we prove to the nobles and the
Emperor that we are rabble no longer!”
You make your way back to your lodging room. You are absolutely shocked.\nThere are
so many people in the capital who openly defy the Lots! How different they are from
the listless, lethargic people of Anizotte!\nYou think of Gloria before you drift
off to sleep. She would have been overjoyed to be present at a gathering like this…
You follow the worshippers and barely make it into the overcrowded Great Temple of
the Twins.\nEven this enormous hall of stone is not enough to fit so many people.
The commoners’ half is absolutely packed — there are no free seats left at all. The
crowd is buzzing in anticipation.\nYou hear reverent whispers: the preacher for
today’s evening service is Father Ulrich, one of the leaders of the punitive branch
of the church.
A man dressed in a long, black cassock and wearing a silver cross appears on the
raised platform by the altar. He bears a rolled scroll on his side, held tight by a
silver seal. You try your best to see his face: chiseled features, sunken cheeks,
bald head.\nFather Ulrich looks at the crowd with his steely eyes, and the hall
falls silent.
“Ye who live in Eterna — I see before me the faces of true believers! We are not
united before the Twins, yet in our faith in Them we are united. The Twins are the
guiding light in the darkness of our life; the Twins are the only incontrovertible
truth of this world. So says Isatius in his first book: the Twins are Law, and
Will, and Love.
“But the Will is above all — from this Will came Law; and Love, too, was born from
the Will.\n“The Twins had the Will to bring us those three gifts, and so the great
Arknian Empire came to be.\n“The Twins had the Will to lead us, and so we are no
longer lost in the darkness, now guided by true faith.
“The Twins brought Their teachings to us when the Empire was founded, and so They
created the very foundations of our lives. The knowledge of the Lots, and of the
hereafter, and of the paths we must follow in life — this is Their legacy and Their
gift to us.
“So heed these words: you who are righteous and live by your Lot, you shall be
brought to the Peak of the Shining Pillar for an eternity of bliss; but you who
live in defiance of your Lot, you shall endure eternal suffering at the Foot of the
Pillar. Every soul will face the stern gaze of the Twins upon their true death and
answer for every misdeed.\n“There is no escape from this judgment.
“So heed my Will, for it is the Will of the Twins! Follow your Lot in life and
follow the words of Isatius, and then you shall reach the Peak of the Pillar,
awaited by our Gods!”
You have heard these words many times — in the temple, in your theology lessons,
from Mother, and in the pages of books. \nBut Father Ulrich’s speech reaches far,
far deeper — it seeps into the very hidden depths of your soul, breaking, binding
you to the will of these words.\nThere is no resisting this Will.
Father Ulrich is right: there is no task more crucial than living by your Lot so
you may face the judgment of the Twins in the hereafter.\nAll doubt you had before
your visit to the temple is gone. You feel joy at each word spoken by Father
Ulrich.\nThe truth was revealed to you all along, yet you allowed it inside you
only now.\nYou know the Twins are always watching over you, always guiding, always
protecting, always judging.
The sermon ends in the small hours of the night. The sky is tinted by the pink
shade of the coming sunrise, and the Shining Pillar standing tall against the
heavens.\nYou return to your lodging, prepare all your things for the coming day,
and drift off to sleep free of any fear or doubt.
The students’ merriment is infectious. You join their group. They are almost your
age, maybe one or two years older.\nYou see so many faces — and soon you are in a
tavern somewhere in the city, getting to know so many people at a massive table.\
nSo many people, you do not even bother to remember their names now. And the wine,
it flows like water.
A lively tune is playing in the tavern. A girl just a little bit older than you
pulls you off your seat to dance. Her dress is unbuttoned a bit more than it is
supposed to be.\nShe smells of wine and honey.
You copy her motions in the dance as your hand clasps her waist. It slides lower of
its own accord. \nShe pulls away suddenly and stares into your eyes — and then
kisses you on the lips.\nYou are startled at first, but soon you respond to the
kiss as you pull her soft, supple body even closer to you.
You spend all night dancing, only returning to the table to catch your breath and
quench your thirst. The girl keeps embracing you, and laughing, and pouring even
more wine into your glasses.\nYou feel at ease; you feel carefree; you feel happy.
You do not remember returning to the lodging house.\nYour head and legs are aching
in the morning; you can barely remember the names of last night’s companions.\
nAfter some consideration, you choose to remain in bed for the rest of the new day.
Luke’s Sermon
You have spent the last three days studying books, but today you decide to take a
walk through the streets of Eterna. They are full of life as usual. You proceed to
the square next to the lodging house.\nA procession of priests walks through the
square. You notice that one of them holds a banner of the New Faith: an open book.\
nThis is the same banner that was behind Patriarch Fotis on the day of his
assassination!
A crowd immediately gathers around them.\nMany people are looking at an icon
painting on a small pedestal depicting a gray-haired man with glowing green eyes.
You recognize that face — the face of the late Patriarch Fotis.
A man with a thick beard appears by the icon painting. His broad shoulders bear a
white and gold cloak with the coat of arms of the capital province embroidered on
it. He is Luke, Patriarch of Arknia.\nHe casts his stern gaze over the crowd.
“I speak to all who live within the sight of the Shining Pillar!\n“Exactly one year
ago we lost Fotis, Patriarch of the Magra Province, mentor of the New Faith.
“Patriarch Fotis was the first to see the books of Isatius for nothing but the
words of a man, not the words of the Twins Themselves.\n“He was the first to tell
people to seek the path to the Gods in their own hearts instead of blindly
following the Lots — to seek answer in the lives of the Twins and their own hearts
rather than the words of priests.
“Through Patriarch Fotis, we were able to see the truth. Through his death, we saw
that his words are not heresy — they are the truth that used to be obscured by
Isatius’s lies.\n“And now I bring good news: Patriarch Junius Diamant has seen to
it that our teacher will be canonized as a saint!
“Yes — Junius Diamant, an Arknian from a great dynasty and the Patriarch of
Astinia, has joined the New Faith himself.\r\n“And through this we hope that the
entire Empire will soon see that our doctrine is the truth!
“We are free from the shackles of the Lots; we are equal before the Twins!\r\n“With
each day, more and more people harken to the truth — and one day the entire Empire
will hear our call.\n“So let us pray, my brothers!”
The believers around you bow their heads in prayer and thank the Twins — not for
the Lot they were given, as they usually would, but for the chance to choose their
own path.\nThe patriarch’s sermon is inspiring. It compels your hands to meet in a
sign of prayer; it compels your lips to repeat the words of the New Faith. \
nPatriarch Luke’s sermon forms a cadence, and your heart beats in time with it now.
You recall the murder of Patriarch Fotis a year ago. It seems more patriarchs share
his doctrine now…\nThe news of Junius Diamant joining the New Faith is stunning. If
an Arknian from a great dynasty has sided with Fotis’s doctrine and agreed to see
everyone as equals under the Twins, the New Faith must truly be putting down roots.
But suddenly several figures appear by the podium — figures clad in black, with
glinting silver on their sides.\nInquisitors!\nThey push through the crowd and form
a circle around Patriarch Luke. \nOne of these priests rises before the crowd. He
is clean-shaven, tall, with chiseled features. Everyone falls silent at the sight
of him.\nThe inquisitor speaks with a booming voice that can be heard by all.
“I am Father Ulrich. In the name of the Twins and by my right as an Inquisitor, I
order you to turn around and leave!\n“The words you’re hearing are full of lies.
Patriarch Luke has set out to poison your hearts and minds, and the Inquisition
will not allow this heresy to spread.\n“The only true path in life is the Will of
the Twins; life offers us no other choice.\n“You are hereby ordered to disperse at
once!”
Most people leave the square immediately. Few want to get involved with the
Inquisition.\nSome people stay, however.\nAnd some even shout angrily: “We want to
listen to Luke! He is the Patriarch of Arknia, and he has more to say! Get away
from our sermon, old believers! We will not listen to you and your hoary old lies
about the Lots!”
“Inquisitors, bring those who may yet listen back to their Lots, and leave the
others to the Champions of Faith.”
The black-clad inquisitors descend from the podium and approach the people who
chose to stay. With nothing but their words, they make people stop shouting and
start listening. The uproar ceases quickly. They have dissected the crowd, split it
in smaller groups that surround each inquisitor.\nOne of these inquisitors chooses
to approach you.
He is a humble-looking man of age with a rough haircut.\nHe looks you straight in
the eye as his lively, soulful voice forces you to listen to his words despite
yourself.
“My name is Father Jeremiah. I know your thoughts were stirred by the Patriarch’s
words. You are not sure whom to trust.\n“But I teach at the Seminary. I have been
studying the teachings of the Twins my entire life. You can trust me.\n“I know you
can hear what I have to say. I see Their light in your eyes, the light of the true
faith.\n“Will you listen to my counsel, my son?”
You feel no malice in the words of Inquisitor Jeremiah, only hope. It is his Lot to
aid you, to guide you away from error and set you on the path of the true faith. He
is a priest, so he should know the truth.\nOr perhaps the inquisitor himself is in
the wrong?
Listen to his counsel
Debate him
Resist him
You accept the inquisitor’s counsel.
You argue against the inquisitor and in favor of the New Faith.
You refuse to be ordered around by him. It is not the clergy’s place to give
orders.
At this crossroads in your life in an unfamiliar city, you honestly need advice.\
nYou lower your gaze and ask Father Jeremiah to show you the way and guide you from
error and doubt.\nThe inquisitor smiles and takes your hand.
You start debating the inquisitor, mustering all your knowledge and awareness of
the New Faith.\nThe Lots are an error introduced by Isatius. They are incorrect,
obsolete, and contrary the way of life of the modern Empire.
You strike a pose of authority and eye Father Jeremiah sharply.\nInquisitors cannot
order people around, you say — it is not within the Lot of the clergy. Only nobles
can give you orders!
“My son, all of us may sometimes stray from the path predetermined by the Twins.
You are well dressed, yet I presume you are of the common estate, are you not?
“Please hear me out, my son. In these difficult times, people of your estate are
the ones most tormented by doubt.\n“Your Lot is suffering, but not all of you are
ready to suffer. Some turn to guile and cunning to avoid it — and they end up in
eternity’s embrace at the Foot of the Pillar.”
The other commoners look at you in terror — you have just defied an inquisitor!\
nHowever, Father Jeremiah still looks at you without any of the anger you had
expected.
You nod, and Father Jeremiah sighs.
“Please understand… your Lot requires humility. Suffering is inevitable, and so is
doubt. Each of them may temper your soul, yet each may also destroy it.\n“But know
this: if you have doubts, you are always welcome at the temple. No priest will turn
you away in a moment of weakness. This is why we exist: to fortify faith in the
hearts of all people, to bring the word of the Twins to those who have gone astray.
“My son… your words do indeed contain a germ of truth. I am an inquisitor of the
clergy, and, by the Will of the Twins, I cannot give you any orders.\n“But know
this: the Inquisition does not imprison everyone suspected of heresy. We exist to
protect souls, to guide and save them.\n“We pursue dangerous doctrines and seek to
rescue every soul we meet.
“In these difficult times, people of your estate are the ones most tormented by
doubt.\n“Your Lot is suffering, but not all of you are ready to suffer. Some turn
to guile and cunning to avoid it — and they end up in eternity’s embrace at the
Foot of the Pillar.”
“Know this: the Inquisition does not imprison everyone suspect of heresy. We exist
to protect souls, to guide and save them. We pursue dangerous doctrines and seek to
rescue every soul we meet.”
“Arrest or execution is our last resort, reserved only for sinners beyond
redemption. You can see that I am merely speaking to you right now. I have not
resorted to force, nor am I giving you any orders.\n“But if the need arises, I will
summon the Champions of Faith, nobles who will be there to give orders and punish
those who defy the church.”
“Please understand, my son… your Lot requires humility. Suffering is inevitable; so
is doubt. Each of them may temper your soul, yet each may also destroy it.\n“But
know this: if you have doubts, you are always welcome at the temple. No priest will
turn you away in a moment of weakness.\r\n“This is why we exist: to fortify faith
in the hearts of all people, to bring the word of the Twins to those who have gone
astray.”
resorted to force, nor am I giving you any orders.\n”Do not resist this, but rather
consider the following: did the patriarch speak the truth?”
“But as long as you are not calling for the overthrow of faith, you are safe from
them. And, as you said, it is not within my Lot to give you orders.\n“You are free
to go… but expect no mercy in the hereafter, for after we die, there will be none.”
“Know this: the Inquisition does not imprison everyone suspect of heresy. We exist
to protect souls, to guide and save them.\n“We pursue dangerous doctrines and seek
to rescue every soul we meet.”
You answer that Luke’s sermon was far more convincing that Father Jeremiah’s words.
Everyone blindly heeds the writings of Isatius, who is but one man who decided he
had the right to define the lives of generations to come.\nBut people have the
right to free will, you say. They have the right to choose their destiny and bear
the burden of their choice!\nFather Jeremiah sighs in response.
With a bitter smile, the inquisitor leaves you and proceeds further. \nYou leave
the square freely, your dignity preserved.\nThe remaining people in the square
continue arguing with the other inquisitors. Armed Champions of Faith stand nearby,
but they do not intervene.\nLuke and his retinue can no longer be seen.\nOnly one
thing keeps nagging at you: Father Jeremiah’s words about how there will be no
mercy in the hereafter.
resorted to force, nor am I giving you orders. You are following your Lot by
hearing my counsel with humility.\n“With this in mind, consider the following: did
the patriarch speak the truth?”
“It saddens me to see that you have been led astray so easily. Yet you are young;
you should seek to learn the truth on your own. If you truly believe you can
interpret the Will of the Gods, perhaps you should become a priest yourself.”
You consider this question.\nYour fascination with Patriarch Luke’s speech has
vanished. Was it a sermon, or a temptation?\nThe Patriarch of Arknia made you doubt
your faith and your Lot — he made you see darkness and doubt. But all this time
your Lot has remained the same, the same as the one you were born with.
“If you come to the Divine Seminary and prove you deserve the Lot of the clergy,
you will be accepted. I teach there, and I am always happy to see students of
considerable talent — even if they have been led astray.\n“But for now, you should
leave this place. You will learn nothing by facing the Champions of Faith.”
You fold your hands in prayer and thank the inquisitor for his counsel. The light
of the Twins will keep you on Their path, and not even a Patriarch will ever be
able to intervene. \nOnly a new Sacrament, and not your will, can change your Lot,
you explain. And only the Imperial College can lead you to a second Sacrament.\
nYour voice starts shaking as you say this. Father Jeremiah notices it.
With this, Father Jeremiah leaves you and proceeds further. \nYou leave the square
freely, your dignity preserved.\nThe remaining people in the square continue
arguing with the other inquisitors. Armed Champions of Faith stand nearby, but they
do not intervene.\nLuke and his retinue can no longer be seen.
“This is not the only way, my son. You can always come to the Divine Seminary and
become a priest. If you come to the Seminary and prove you deserve the Lot of the
clergy, you will be accepted. I teach there, and I am always happy to see students
of considerable talent.\n“Your connection to the Twins is strong indeed — only
people such as you have it in them to guide and care for others. The work of a
priest is no less important than the work of a judge.”
You walk back to the lodging house, mulling over Father Jeremiah’s words about the
Seminary. \nYour family sent you to earn a noble title, but you have an opportunity
to become a priest — of the Old Faith or the New.\nIf you see your destiny in
service to the Gods, no one has the right to stand in your way.
You bid farewell to Father Jeremiah.\nWhile you were talking, the world around you
seemed to vanish. There was just you, him, and the word of the Twins.
The square is calm now. The inquisitors are providing counsel to those who remain.
Patriarch Luke and his retinue can no longer be seen.\nYou walk back to the lodging
house, mulling over Father Jeremiah’s words about the Seminary. Your family sent
you to earn a noble title, but you have an opportunity to become a priest — of the
Old Faith or the New. \nIf you see your destiny in service to the Gods, no one has
the right to stand in your way.
The City That Never Sleeps
The next few weeks pass by in hard work and preparation for the coming entrance
exam at the Imperial College. \nYou grow more and more exhausted with each passing
day, so much so that one night you fall asleep while studying another book.\nWhen
you finally come to, you decide it is high time to get some recreation outside.
The city of Eterna amazes you as you stroll through its splendid streets. It is
another night, a different night, yet the city is beautiful still.\nThe Shining
Pillar is a slice of light against the dark night sky. The lamps on the facades of
the buildings are lit — night descends on the capital. \nYou don’t feel like going
back to your books tonight.
Recently you made the acquaintance of several young men. They are children of
nobles of the Mantle just like you, sent to the capital to earn their noble titles
at the College. You decide to seek them out. \nYour new friends are having a late
dinner on the next street over, loudly discussing their plans for the night.
Some speak eagerly of a dueling club where you can see the most skilled and ardent
duelers in the Empire doing what they do best.\nYou have never seen professional
duelers fight… it must be far more exciting than Father’s fencing lessons or that
fight in the ruins in Anizotte.\nAnd if luck favors you, perhaps you can even make
useful contacts among the noble families in the capital.
The others try to convince the rest to take a trip to a certain secret salon. The
establishment is expecting a guest tonight, they say — a young lady who speak about
the true state of affairs in the Empire.\nThere are many questions about the nature
of the place and identity of the mysterious speaker, but the young men have only
one answer: they are forbidden to speak about this outside the club.\nHowever, they
can take you there as long as you aren’t afraid to learn a dangerous truth.
There are others still, drinking their fill of wine rather than eating. “Fencing?”
they say. “Speeches? Nonsense!”\nThe place you ought to go tonight, they claim, is
the Markian Society, a gathering for those of common estate but uncommon opinions
that offers pleasures for everyone: pleasures of the palate, pleasures of drink,
pleasures of the flesh…\nIs this not heresy and a crime? Perhaps… and yet some of
your newfound friends are eager to go there.
In the end, your group splits in three to spend the night as they see fit. \nWhat
will it be: a contest featuring the best fencers in Eterna, an establishment both
mysterious and dangerous, or an encounter with people who defy their Lot with
audacity?\nYou weigh your options.
Go to the Dueling Club
Go to the secret salon
Go to the Markian Society
You decide to learn from the Empire’s best duelers.
You choose to see this mysterious lady and listen to her dangerous speech.
You agree to join these people who have traded away the bliss of the hereafter for
all the pleasures of life.
You march down the street towards the Dueling Club, which is located in a manor
house decorated rather modestly on the outside, but lavishly on the inside. One of
your newfound friends nods to the servants, and they let you in. The rooms are
stuffy, noisy, and filled with tobacco smoke.\nThe sitting room is enormous. In the
center is an arena, a circle with wooden railings. Two young nobles are fighting
there already.
You take a glass of wine from a servant and watch the fight from one of the many
soft chairs. You cannot bear a sword yet, but nobody says you cannot watch.\nAs
soon as a dueler is wounded, the fight ends. But the way they fight still makes the
audience gasp and scream in awe.\nWhen a dueler is too slow to dodge, the duel ends
with a bright-red line cut through his sweat-soaked white shirt.
The thin fencing swords cut through the air so quickly, you only see glints of
flashing steel, like lightning in a storm. You do your best to remember all the
feints and tricks you see tonight.\nThey will come in handy when you earn your own
sword.
But then a tall young Arknian enters the room. He barges in from behind you and
leaps into the arena between the two fencers, thus ending the duel.\nHe bears a
coat of arms with a gryphon — this Arknian hails from the great dynasty of Orgrif.
The Arknian’s voice booms as he challenges everyone in the audience to a duel. \nHe
sneers smugly: if you consider yourself nobles, then how about you face an Arknian
lord in honorable combat?
No one moves. No one dares to step forth.\nA duel with an Arknian is suicide,
especially if that Arknian hails from one of the great dynasties. Such a duel will
end with a lesser death at best, or with a true death through trial and execution
at worst.\nEveryone knows the punishment for spilling blue blood. And so everyone
remains silent.
The Arknian grins. “So humans are cowards!” he says. “You will never be true nobles
if you are never ready to risk a lesser death. Then Arknian honor and tradition is
not for you, and war is not your domain either. For human nobles are but a mockery,
a gathering of animals dressed to resemble higher beings!”
A man leaps onto the arena. He is tall as a tree. His pockmarked face is white with
rage and covered in scars.\nThere are whispers of reverence in the audience: this
is Marth Ferasti, the owner of the Club! He has accepted the challenge for the
honor of all human nobles. He has yearned to fight an Arknian all his life — now is
his chance.
The duelers salute each other, and Sir Ferasti begins the attack. A lunge — a jab —
another — and then another.\nThe young Arknian deflects each attack like he knows
his opponent’s every move. Sir Ferasti’s eyes twitch with tension.\nThe owner of
the Club lunges again, but the Arknian deflects his sword and rips the weapon out
of the human’s hands.
Marth Ferasti looks at the Arknian in confusion, then bows his head in recognition
of his defeat. \nThe Orgrif youth flashes a proud, superior grin. His fencing sword
lifts the sleeve of his defeated opponent — it bears three black marks of lesser
death. \nNow the young Arknian eyes Sir Ferasti with a mockery of sadness and
compassion. Why, it appears the poor overeager ex-commoner is on his last life!
Ferasti shudders. He asks the Orgrif youth to be so kind as to spare his life,
nobleman to a nobleman.\nThe Arknian’s face grows dark and grim. His sword stabs
deep into Ferasti’s chest. \nThen the Orgrif youth speaks, loud enough for everyone
to hear. He is the only noble in this hall, he says, and everyone who saw this must
forget the Dueling Club ever existed and leave this place, never to return.
The nobles scowl, dress reluctantly, and leave with quiet resentment. No one dares
to defy the Arknian openly.\nThe noble gathering disperses outside.
You return to your lodging house, lost in thought. Arknians stand far above humans.
They do not care if you are a commoner or a high-ranking noble — in their eyes, you
are only a human.\nIt seems there is nothing that can readily oppose Arknian power.
They are the masters of this world, and humans are pale reflections of them at
best.
The trip to the Dueling Club ended on a grim note, but you learned a lot from
watching Eterna’s best duelers in action. \nYou recall their lunges and blocks
before you sleep, rather than the master of the Dueling Club being murdered in cold
blood.
The secret salon is an unremarkable wooden building down an alleyway a few blocks
from the Great Temple of the Twins. \nA couple of tough, taciturn fellows at the
door eye you suspiciously. Their faces are obscured by hoods. One of your newfound
friends nods to them, and you are allowed inside.
The inner rooms are stuffy and overcrowded. All the partitions have been removed to
make room for more people. There is a raised platform next to one of the walls,
perhaps a stage.\nThere are benches all around. They are occupied by people of the
common estate, most of them modestly dressed. They are artisans, tinkers, street
vendors, students… yet you see that some of them are wealthy and impeccably
dressed.
A mop-headed young man dressed like a low-ranking clerk appears on the stage. He
claps to attract the public’s attention. When the house goes quiet, he reads a
series of pamphlets condemning the supreme authorities of the Empire and their
obsolete rule.\nA group of young men appear on the stage next, their faces covered
in blue paint. They perform a derisive play entitled “A Day in the Life of the
Tempests.”
The performances are many, but their goal is always the same: they all claim the
Empire is stuck in the past and has to change. \nThen, finally, after another voice
of accusation, a young girl appears on the stage, and the crowd immediately grows
silent.
This is her, the mysterious guest they were talking about.\nYou look at her from
the crowd. You see short black hair, a slender figure, and those familiar shining
eyes…
“Brothers and sisters! You all came to this place because deep in your hearts you
know…”
It’s Sophia! The girl who used to live next door! \nShe’s grown so much since
you've last seen her! But what is she doing here?
But before Sophia even finishes her first sentence a short man in a shabby jacket
jumps up onto the stage.\nHe flashes a badge and screams at the crowd: “Nobody
move! You’re all under arrest as accomplices to an insurrection against the
Empire!”
Imperial gendarmes barge into the house. Swords and crossbows glint in the dim
light.\nFirst there is confusion, then, panic. Screams of fear and outrage fill the
hall. Sophia is already gone. You can barely hear the cries demanding that you stay
where you are. People start pushing against the gendarmes, against the doors,
against the windows… \nThe din is deafening. Only one thought remains in your mind:
you have to run, run away, as fast as you can!
You push your way to the furthest window in the hall.\nA hand grabs you by the
sleeve of your jacket. You pry it off without looking and keep pushing forward. The
expensive jacket starts to tear at the shoulder. \nThe window frame breaks and
falls outside. You drop down after it. Shards of glass bite into your hands, but
you barely feel the pain. You will have time to feel it later. \nBut now you need
to run!
You run and dodge and weave through the alleyways before finally heading for the
lodging house.\nYour heart is racing. Your hands are shaking. Blood is dripping
from the cuts on your arms.\nYou have no idea what happened to the people who were
arrested.
Finally you reach your room and collapse onto the bed. You are safe from pursuit,
but not from anxiety.\nWhat was Sophia going to say? How did she end up here in the
capital after she escaped? Was she arrested too?\nThere are too many questions, but
you have no way to answer them. Eventually you drift off into restless sleep.
You wander through the alleyways of Eterna with your group of pleasure-seekers
until you finally reach a towering stone building with purple pillars. \nSuch a
show of wealth seems ludicrous — you would expect something more humble and modest
for a society of commoners.
The air inside is stuffy and filled with noise. You smell fragrance, tobacco, and
sweat. \nThe hallways are covered in soft carpets. People wander through the
building, dressed only in light cloaks that leave their chests and shoulders bare.
You cannot tell which estate they belong to.\nThe main hall is enormous. On the
floor you see dishes full of exquisite food, including meat, fruit, and sweets.
There are many beds spread out across the hall on which men and women are engaged
in shameless pleasures of the flesh in full view. Their cries and moans fill the
building with a cacophony of lust.\nIn the very center of the hall is a circle of
shouting people. Inside this circle are two half-naked man. One of them is busy
punching another in the face. You can see bone through his bloodied knuckles, yet
they keep fighting. \nWhat is going on here?
A man dressed only in a thin, translucent cloak offers you a cup of wine. You
accept it and take several big gulps. The spirits warm your body and bring you the
tranquility you desire.\nNext you are offered a pipe with an odd smell about it.
You hesitate, but still put it to your lips and inhale.\nThe strange smoked clouds
your mind, but a few moments later your head feels clear and unexpectedly light.
You stumble forward in this strange state, bumping into people, until you reach the
feast on the floor.\nThe meat is incredibly delicious. The wine too.\nYour doubts
and fears are gone. This place is worth any risk!\nThe cries of the other people in
the house ring in your ears: accept pleasure! Reject suffering! Why wait for the
Peak if bliss is waiting for us right here?
A silly, intoxicated smile appears on your face. You nod and shove another piece of
meat into your mouth.\nStrong arms wrap around your shoulders — a stunningly
handsome young man has approached you. His flowing fair hair falls to his bare
chest. He is dressed in nothing but a thin loincloth.\nHe kisses and licks your
fingers gently, then guides your hand to his chest…
You hear a heavy blow, and the front door is smashed to pieces. This, and the sound
of screams, is enough to bring you back to your senses.\nMen in black cassocks with
silver crosses around their necks barge into the building accompanied by armed
guards. Next comes a terrifying shout: “in the name of the Inquisition, you are all
under arrest for the crime of heresy!”
The half-naked men abandon their fight in the center of the hall and throw
themselves at the inquisitors. The bulky, gray-haired man with broken knuckles is
among them. He takes a sword in the throat. His former opponent, a tall, thin young
man, falls to the floor with a crossbow bolt in his bare chest.\nThe others freeze,
unable to move. They are bound by barely-visible white threads, seemingly woven
from the air — the divine power of the Inquisition’s clergy.
Panic spreads throughout the house. Intoxicated and exposed men and women rush to
the front door, but the inquisitors’ allies await them with their swords at the
ready.\nYou dash away from the door and into a room with an open window. You jump
outside and run, run until you are out of breath and out of strength. Your jacket
was left inside, and your torso is uncovered. \nThe cool night air does wonders to
clear your head as the Pillar lights your way through the alleyways.
At last you return to your lodging house and tumble into bed. Your feet hurt; your
throat aches; your breath is ragged.\nYour eyes still see the horrors of the night.
Grown men immobilized by the Twins’ divine power; bloodied bodies cut down by
steel; naked pleasure-seekers with faces distorted by fear… perhaps the Inquisition
has rescued you from the worst error of your life — one that would have led you to
the Foot of the Pillar.\nYou fall asleep only at sunrise.
The Girl from Your Past
It is early morning. You have been awake since sunrise, studying. There is a knock
at the door.\nIs it a letter from home? Or a hotel servant?\nYou open the door and
freeze, stunned.
“Hello, Brante.”
Before you stands Sophia, the girl who used to live next door.\nShe is all grown up
now. She looks so different — but you would always recognize those blue eyes, no
matter what.
You gesture for her to come in.\nSophia enters the room, glances around, and sits
in an armchair. You eye the girl you used to know as you sit across from her.\nBut
the young woman you see now has little in common with the girl you used to know.
There is cold steel in the way she looks at things. Her hair is cut short.\nBut
what is she doing here?
“I can explain… I’ve been living in Eterna for a long time now — ever since I ran
from Anizotte. I heard the other day that you’d left for the capital to get into
the College. So I found you, and here I am.”
You ask how Sophia learned about your arrival and where you are staying, but she
answers your questions with an enigmatic smile.
“We’ll get to that later. Right now I want to see how much you’ve changed since we
last saw each other. As for me, I’ve changed a lot — I’m a whole different person
now.”
You look away as you recall your previous encounter, back when Sophia ran away from
her Arknian master. \nSophia chuckles as she continues.
“Would you like to know what happened next? I traveled through the entire Empire
all alone. I had nothing. My journey ended only when I reached this place — the
capital, with all its important people and events.
“This is the heart of the Empire. It’s a place where I can make a difference! I’ve
made friends here, found people I can truly call my family. I’ve even gotten an
education of sorts. And I have a purpose now.\n“I fight against injustice; I fight
against the Lots. I fight those who treat our lives like mud on the pavement.
“And no, I’m not afraid to tell you that. I came to you for a good reason: I need
help. \n“I know you. I have faith in your good heart. And besides, this is also
about the Imperial College you want to enroll in.
“There is a scholar there by the name of Bartholomew Dextra. He teaches natural
sciences at the College.\n“Dextra is an old man, but he’s quite progressive. He’ll
stop at nothing to advance science and acquire new knowledge.
“As you know, only second-generation nobles or above are allowed to teach at the
College. But Dextra… he is a commoner! He forged his patent of nobility to get a
position at the College.\n“But the Secret Chancellery recently learned of this.
Dextra is about to face true death for this forgery.
“But how is that justice?! A man wants to teach people, and for this, they’re going
to take all his lives? They’re going to punish him for the ‘crime’ of being born in
the wrong estate?\n“It’s evil and obscene, and I will not stand for it!\n“Dextra
deserves to be rescued.
“But I don’t want to put anyone in danger. So I need your help — you’re from a rich
family, you’re almost a noble. If you help me get Dextra out of the city, nobody
will suspect anything.\n“No one will know, and the scholar will live on to continue
his research elsewhere, far away from the Secret Chancellery.\n“Will you help me?”
You feel perplexed by Sophia’s sudden request. She is asking you to break Imperial
law and undermine the work of the Secret Chancellery to save this scholar. Rescuing
Dextra would be an adventure, but it would also be incredibly dangerous. \nAnd
besides, Dextra is a fake noble — he resorted to lies and deceit to get his current
position. How much does this matter to you?\nSophia’s blue eyes are studying you,
waiting for your reply.
Help her
Refuse
Assuage your guilt
You agree to help Sophia rescue Dextra.
There is no way you are going to rescue some false noble — he is getting his just
desserts!
You turned Sophia over to Otton. If you help her now, it will make up for what you
did to her.
You promise to help Sophia.\nBartholomew Dextra does not deserve this. He has to
leave the capital.\nShe can count on you.
No, you say, you are not going to help Sophia, you are not going to break any laws
for her sake. You did not come to the capital for this.\nDextra, a fake noble,
deserves his fate. He tried to fool the law, the College, and the Empire itself.
Even a scientific genius must be punished for such forgery and deception.\nHe had a
paper that said he was a noble, but only a Sacrament can make a person a noble, so
Dextra’s crime is also an affront to the Gods themselves.
You recall how you tried to turn Sophia over to Dorius Otton, her Arknian master,
many years ago.\nAnd yet here she is, still coming to you, asking for help. You
feel you have to make amends for the past.
“I knew I could count on you! Then we must act at once — there’s no time to waste!\
n“Dextra is to be arrested tomorrow. Here’s his address. Go there as soon as the
sun sets. No one will suspect you — Dextra often tutors young men for the College
entrance exams.”
Sophia leaps to her feet, her eyes burning with wrath, about to shine with yellow
light again. \nYou cringe involuntarily.
You promise to help Sophia.\nBartholomew Dextra does not deserve this. He has to
leave the capital.\nShe can count on you — you aren’t going to let her down this
time.
“Tell him the Owl sent you. Use the back door to get out. A carriage will drive up
to the back yard. The driver will hoot like an owl. He’ll take you to the South
Gate. If the guards stop the carriage, just talk your way out of it.\n“Once you’re
outside the city, Dextra will ride away in a different carriage. You’ll go back the
way you came. I’ll meet you in Majesty Square.”
“Your law makes slaves of us all! We are born, we live, and we die, all to serve
those who were born in a higher estate! Is this the order you want to protect?!”
“I’d hoped you’d grown up over these past few years. I’m glad to see I was right! I
forgive you — you were following the Arknian’s orders, I understand. You were born
a servant, just like all of us. Now its time to become your own master. \n“But
enough of that… we must act at once!”
You nod to her words, and your hands start to shake.\nYou are about to go against
the Secret Chancellery — you are going to help someone escape punishment! To defy
your own Lot like this… it’s unthinkable!\nWhen the sun sets, you leave the lodging
house and walk quickly, glancing over your shoulder repeatedly. Bartholomew
Dextra’s house must be somewhere around here…
The fire in Sophia’s eyes fades. She suddenly grows silent, then continues calmly.
“Dextra is to be arrested tomorrow. Here’s his address. Go there as soon as the sun
sets. No one will suspect you — Dextra often tutors young men for the College
entrance exams.”
You find the place. A genteel old man opens the door. His face is covered in
wrinkles, his shoulders are stooped — and yet his eyes are sharp and lively.\
nBartholomew Dextra looks at you for a moment, then asks why you have paid him a
visit.
“Then so be it… I don’t blame you. It’s not easy to break these chains when you’ve
been wearing them ever since you were born. They bind you better than any magic. I
hope you realize this before our great Empire chews you and spits you out.
Goodbye.”
You tell him you want to enroll in the College and are looking for a tutor. Dextra
nods and invites you inside.\nOnce you make sure nobody else can see or hear you,
you whisper to the scholar about the real reason for your visit: the Secret
Chancellery will be coming for him tomorrow, and he has to leave now to escape true
death.
Sophia leaves. The door shuts behind her.\nYou return to your books. The entrance
exam is coming up, and you have to work hard if you want to achieve your goals.
Dextra freezes, then turns to you. How do you know about him and the Secret
Chancellery?\nYou tell him that the Owl sent you and has provided for his escape.
As for the Secret Chancellery, they want him for forging a patent of nobility.
A few days later, a newspaper article catches your eye. Bartholomew Dextra, an
elderly lecturer at the Imperial College, was arrested while attempting to escape
the capital. The scholar was sentenced to breaking on the wheel and subsequent true
death for forging a patent of nobility.\nAnd so the fake noble suffered in death as
he was supposed to suffer in life.
The moment you utter Sophia’s name, the lecturer calms down and starts packing for
the journey.\nYou watch him distractedly and notice that he lives in a rather
austere fashion. It does not take him long to pack.
The hear the quiet clacking of hooves in the yard. Carefully, you and Dextra
proceed to the back yard of the building.\nYou see a carriage there. The driver
hoots quietly. You get in.\nThe carriage rolls down the road. There is tense
silence in the closed-off space inside the carriage. The scholar wrings his hands
anxiously.
Through the carriage windows, you see the massive city gate passing by. \nYou are
almost outside the city… but then a loud voice reaches you: “Halt!”\nThe driver
obediently halts the carriage.\nTwo city gendarmes approach you.
You leave the carriage to face the gendarmes before they can get a peek inside the
carriage. They look you over and ask where you are going so late at night.\nYou
tell them you are the son of a judge in Magra, here to enroll in the College, and
right now you wish to visit the estate of a newfound friend. To convince them
further, you mention the name of a noble’s son you have become friendly with.\nThe
gendarmes release the carriage and wish you a pleasant trip.
You drive along the high road until you encounter a peasant wagon. Dextra will take
it to seek refuge far away from the capital. \nBefore the two of you part ways, he
pats you on the shoulder and tells you that you have done a truly brave deed.
Through the carriage windows, you see the massive city gate passing by. \nYou are
almost outside the city… but then a loud voice reaches you: “Halt!”\nThe driver
obediently halts the carriage. Two city gendarmes approach you.
You return to the city without incident.\nYou find Sophia in Majesty Square as
agreed, sitting on a bench by a streetlight, reading a book of some sort. \nShe
closes the book when she sees you and offers you her hand.
“So, did everything go according to plan?”
You nod.
You return to the city without incident.\nYou find Sophia in Majesty Square as
agreed, sitting on a bench by a streetlight, reading a book of some sort. \nShe
closes the book when she sees you.
“Then we’ve earned ourselves a bit of free time. Let’s go.”
You set off on a walk through the maze of narrow backstreets.\nFinally you have
some time for questions. What happened to Sophia over the last two years? She was
just a girl before, a servant — how is she now a revolutionary?\nSophia just smiles
sadly.
“You’ve seen what I can do. I’m not just a girl… the Inquisition caught up with me
when I ran away from Anizotte.\n“I ended up in the House of Humility… a dreadful
place. I got collared.\n“Do you know how it feels to lose your free will? Losing
everything that makes you you…”
She unclasps the tall shirt collar that had been hiding her neck all this time, and
you see the round mark from the anti-magic collar.
You set off on a walk through the maze of narrow backstreets.\nFinally you have
some time for questions.\nWhat happened to Sophia over the last two years? She was
just a girl before, a servant — how is she now a revolutionary?
“They say a scar like this will remain even after a lesser death. But I got lucky…
Patriarch Junius Diamant saved me.”
“You’ve seen what I can do. I’m not just a girl… the Inquisition caught up with me
when I ran away from Anizotte. I ended up in the House of Humility… a dreadful
place. I got collared…”
“Diamant took me and the other mages from the House of Humility and removed our
collars.\n“He made me one of his attendants. He taught me that there are no Lots.
He told me that I’m like this not because I’m a freak, but because it’s my nature.
He told me I can find a path to the Twins like anyone else in the world.”
Sophia’s voice trails off.\nThere is a lot she is leaving unsaid, it seems.
“And then I was taken… I mean, I got out on my own. I found my own Lot: to protect
the common people from the noble yoke. To help others who are as unlucky as I am. \
n“To fight for a different world — a world where everybody has equal rights. A
world where mages don’t get robbed of their will just because of one aspect of
their birth; a world where the nobles no longer tread upon the commoners.”
“But then I escaped and found my own Lot: to protect the common people from the
noble yoke. To help others who are as unlucky as I am. \n“To fight for a different
world — a world where everybody has equal rights. A world where mages don’t get
robbed of their will just because of one aspect of their birth; a world where the
nobles no longer tread upon the commoners.”
“Yes! This is our dream — but we are still so far away from it! But I will keep
moving towards it, and I’ll stop at nothing.”
A strange, distorted expression appears on Sophia’s face, but she quickly returns
to normal.\nYou keep walking until you are at your lodging house again.\nFor a
moment, you just stand there looking at each other.
“You should join my cause! If we work together, one day we’ll become a force to be
reckoned with!\n“I know you came here to find your way, but I’ll never believe you
really want to bind yourself to other people’s laws and desires for the rest of
your life.\r\n“The path I walk is dangerous, it’s almost hopeless — but it’s worth
living for.\r\n“Think about it. Goodbye.”
Then, suddenly, Sophia embraces you.\nFor a moment she remains still in your arms
and whispers:
Sophia disappears into the dark streets of Eterna.\nYou make your way back to your
room, exhausted by the events of the day.\nWas this really just a single day in
your life?
“You should join my cause! If we work together, one day we’ll become a force to be
reckoned with!\n“I know you came here to find your way, but I’ll never believe you
really want to bind yourself to other people’s laws and desires for the rest of
your life. The path I walk is dangerous, it’s almost hopeless — but it’s worth
living for. Think about it. Goodbye.”
Then she withdraws just as quickly and disappears in the dark streets of Eterna.\
nYou make your way back to your room, exhausted by the events of the day.\nWas this
really just a single day in your life?
The Three Lots
There are only a few days left until the Imperial College entrance exam.\nHistory,
law, theology… you spend all day reading and rereading the books you brought with
you, staying at the Library of Eterna for hours, sometimes until it closes.\nAs the
day of the exam approaches, your hands start shaking more and more. \nAnd, finally,
the day comes.
A clear sky hangs over Eterna today. The breeze is warm.\nYou dress in your best
outfit, a gray jacket and velvet culotte trousers. You comb your hair carefully and
polish your boots until they shine.\nYou leave the lodging house and head for the
Imperial College.
Your legs grow heavier with each step.\nYour anxiety at the fact your fate will be
decided today is virtually tearing you apart.
The College is a majestic building that looks not unlike a castle. In the square in
front of it you can already see several dozen people — young men, sons of nobles of
the Mantle like you, waiting for the College’s doors to open.\nTime slows to a
crawl.
At last, the doors open. A stately man dressed in a professor’s mantle appears at
the entrance. He is the dean of the College. \nThe students-to-be fall silent as
the dean gets ready to deliver his welcoming speech.
But the silence is interrupted by heavy footsteps and clanking armor — a squadron
of warriors emerge near the College, led by Arknian officers. Their banner bears an
image of golden grains.\nThe noble militia of Monia Province? What are they doing
here?
The nobles of Monia form a circle around the College, each warrior moving quietly
and precisely until a chain is formed.\nOne of the Arknians is clad in an old-
fashioned suit of armor. He is the leader of the militia. He locks the bar on the
massive doors of the College into place, then proceeds to the stairs to address the
crowd loudly.
“Commoners! Before you stands Egerius of the Monrogue dynasty, Archduke of Monia!\
r\n“By my will, the College is hereby closed, and today’s entrance exam is
cancelled.\r\n“Your lowly origins make you unfit for the great honor of rendering
service to the Empire — a right that out to be available only to the hereditary
nobles of the Sword!
“The College’s reputation has been tarnished. It breeds mock nobles who bear not a
trace of noble blood.\n“You belong in the lowly estate, but have forgotten your
place! Cornelius Tempest and other traitors to the Empire are indulging you and
defacing the institution of the nobility for their lowly interests!\n“A noble Lot
for those of lowly birth — how can this be?!
“I will not stand for this disintegration of the Imperial order. Now turn away from
the College this instant and return to the humble trades of your ancestors! Plow
your fields, mend your boots, and work and suffer by your Lot.\n“If any of you
dares to set foot upon these stairs, you will be killed at once!”
The students-to-be meet this speech with a stunned silence. \nThe crowd in the
square is growing, however. The news of the Monian noble militia and the College’s
closing spreads through the streets like wildfire.\nMore humans join the crowd:
College students, commoners, officials who worked hard to be ennobled.
Unrest grows around you.\nYou hear people calling to rush Archduke Monrogue’s
forces, to take control of the College and defend your right to become noble.\n“The
Emperor himself gave us this right! We have to fight for it!”
This is a decisive moment for all of you.\nThe old gentry has challenged you. Will
you accept this challenge?\nIn the face of this shameful, illegal act by the
Archduke’s forces, you may prove that all of you deserve the noble Lot.\nYou will
need to break through the cordon, get inside the College, and take control of it.
The nobles will never dare hurt you if your presence is strong enough.\nIf you are
ready to risk it all and fight for your right to the nobility, you will have to
lead the charge.
People keep coming to the square in the meantime, including students and teachers
from the Divine Seminary.\nThe Lot of the clergy is to guide others to the right
path. When the estates clash, the priests are bound to intervene.\nThe Seminary
teachers instruct their students to form a line between the noble militia and the
outraged crowd.
The priests begin telling the warrior nobles and the riotous commoners to return to
the preordained divine order lest they provoke the Wrath of the Gods.\nThe Wrath of
the Gods… as the priests utter these words, the crowd around you disappears. A
vision appears before your eyes...
The Empire is ablaze… you see burning lands steeped with pain and despair
everywhere you look, rivers overflowing to extinguish the burning world… \nYou can
tell that soil scorched by such fire will never bear fruit again.
The Gods-given vision demands to be heard, demands to be prophesied to the world!\
nBut only a priest may speak to the Twins and for the Twins…\nWill you keep it
inside, or will you step onto the path the Twins have revealed to you?
Somebody shoves you in the back, and you snap out of the vision. You turn around to
see a small but decisive troop of commoners moving quickly through the crowd. They
are led… by Sophia.\nAs soon as she sees you, she signals to them to stop.
“So you’re here too! Going to rush the College, are you? Can’t you see it already?
The laws cannot be trusted!\r\n“They gave you the right to study here just to throw
you a bone. When the going gets tough, your masters will take it all away!
“It’s time for you to decide.\r\n“We are the Lotless, and we are not putting up
with this system any longer. We will fight for a new world.\n“Are you coming with
us, or are you going to submit to them?
“There are students and professors locked inside the College. Who knows how long
Monrogue will maintain this siege? And what if they start slaughtering people?
Neither group of nobles will care what happens to them.\n“We’re going to go inside
and pull them out.\n“Come with us if you’re ready to take control of your own
destiny!”
The tension in the square is palpable, and the situation is about to implode.\
nStudents, commoners, nobles of the Mantle, followers of the New Faith — all of
them are gathering their forces to move on the wall of soldiers.\nThey expect the
nobles to let them through en masse — surely they won’t start a massacre…\nThe
Lotless led by Sophia prepare to break through the siege to rescue the people in
the College.\nAnd all the while the priests preach peace to both sides of the
conflict.
The College is your only way into the nobility. Only you can fight for your new Lot
and fulfill your duty to your family.\nYou could organize an offensive strong
enough to get into the College and thus seize your lawful right like a true
nobleman.
Yet the revelation about the Wrath of the Gods still pulses in your mind.\nOnce
revealed, this vision will take you on a different path.\nStanding with the
priests, and preaching what you have just seen; warning all of the dire danger on
the path of warring estates.\nBringing the Twins’ word to the people and guiding
them to salvation… could this be your new Lot?
Sophia and the Lotless… they expect you to join their struggle. They are waiting
for you to cast off the old ways and the eternal yoke of subservience.\nIf you
choose this path, you will not change your Lot, and your suffering will continue.\
nBut your suffering might just change this world.
This is the moment.\nYour future life will be decided here and now.
Break through the cordon into the College
Preach your revelation
Follow the Lotless
You lead the future students and attempt to storm the College.
You preach the Twins’ vision to the people.
You join Sophia and her men and try to rescue the besieged students.
You get to work.\nRecalling the books on military tactics you used to study as a
boy, you call out to the students and children of nobles around you and assume
command. They hear you, and they listen.\nYou stand together in close formation and
march toward the weakest link in the line of nobles, more people joining you along
the way — a veritable phalanx of young men, armed with nothing but determination,
against the noblemen’s swords.
The noble militia readies their steel. The Arknian officer in command of this
section halts you and orders you to turn back.\nYou step forward and give him your
reply. These people are here to study at the College as the Emperor himself has
decreed.\nYou have every right to fulfill the Imperial law, and any nobles who dare
to intervene will be defying Uther Tempest II himself.
Your plan works.\nThe officer hesitates when confronted with your words and your
vigor. The noble militia is no longer ready to use their swords.\nThis is your
chance. You command your forces to focus their advantage in numbers for a singular
push, and the militia line breaks. You reach the College gates. More people start
running for the breach.\nThe nobles get their bearings quickly enough to restore
the line, but your phalanx is already inside!
You waste no time and begin barricading the gate.\nThe students who were stuck
inside the College run toward you.\nYou quickly tell them your plan: block all the
doors and windows with whatever comes to hand before Monrogue’s forces can get in.
If they do get in… only the Twins know what they will do.\nOne by one, all the
entrances are swiftly barricaded.
The riot outside the College has calmed for a moment, it seems.\nThrough an open
window you hear Monrogue giving orders to his militia. The Archduke is forming a
strong perimeter outside the College, ready for a proper siege.\nStudents and
professors of the College go to the balcony to negotiate. You are among them.
“Surrender and leave this building! I am not here to kill or execute you.. No loyal
subjects will die by my hand.”
The humans boo and jeer at Monrogue’s proposal. \nThe dean himself appears on the
balcony.\nThe Imperial family established the College, he claims, and he cannot
defy orders given by the great Arknian Tempest dynasty.
And so the College remains besieged. The noble militia stands in a circle around
the building, but there are no preparations for an assault.\nThe outrage in the
square continues.
You remain in control of the College for the entire day and the following night.
But at sunrise, the Emperor’s herald arrives in the square. \nHe brings news: the
Emperor is delighted to see Archduke Monrogue in the capital, yet he demands that
the noble militia of Monia vacate the square and allow classes to begin at the
College.
The besieged College celebrates the news.\nThis is the work of Cornelius Tempest,
Great Chancellor, the Emperor’s brother! He managed to convince the Emperor to
order Monrogue to withdraw. Even the Archduke of Monia, the most powerful noble
lord in all the Empire, cannot disobey a direct order from the Emperor.\nStill, the
College would never have held out for an entire day without your phalanx’s
determination and your daring plan.
You, the people of the common estate, have secured your right to study and earn the
noble Lot.\nThe College is open again, and the entrance exam will take place in a
few days.\nYou aren’t nervous at all this time. All the lessons at home, the books,
the schooling, your own noble actions — all that work and effort has finally
reached its culmination.\nThe procedure for appointing a provincial Overseer, the
five great Arknian dynasties, the property rights of all estates — you answer all
these questions with ease.
Hours pass, and the dean of the College reads the names of the new students to the
young men gathered at the College steps.\nYour name is among the first. He praises
what you did in defense of the College.\n“People like you are the Empire’s future,
Sir Brante,” he says.
Sunlight fills the College square. It feels so soft and soothing here in Eterna,
not as harsh as it gets in Anizotte.\nYou watch the Pillar shine in the sky as you
walk down the steps of the College. You are a Brante, the third judge in the
family, the man who will soon join the family’s noble Blood Tide.\nYou have seized
your right to achieve the nobleman’s Lot.
You should write to your father now. He will be so proud of you.
The Will that guides you now is beyond your own. There is no point in resisting it
— the Twins speak through you now.\nYou have to follow the Will of the Twins, you
must — you must tell everyone how close they have brought themselves to the point
of no return!
You walk up the stone stairs, raise your hands, and start speaking loudly. \
nThrough the din of the mob, the clanging of steel, and the preaching of priests,
your words still reach the ears of the people.
There will be a dreadful fire in the city of the Silver Tree! In its flames, the
ancient order will be lost forever.\r\nThe Gods' Wrath will be upon the Empire, and
the land shall be soaked with blood. Their judgement will come, followed by the
death of all that lives.\r\nThe last thing the world shall see will be the Twins'
faces, shedding bloody tears for their beloved creations that have gone astray.
Such is the world's fate.\nYet it's not too late to change it...
As you utter the last words of the revelation, you grow numb and rigid as the
vision leaves you.\nThere is a crowd around you now — they heard your every word.\
nThey heard the Twins speaking through you.
A hooded man dressed in a black cassock appears before you. He bears the silver
seal of the Inquisition.\nHe is accompanied by two warriors wearing heavy armor,
covered in sacred symbols.
“Seize this pretender! He dares to preach in defiance of his Lot!”
They grab you by the wrists, gag you, and throw you into a dark carriage.\r\nIt
takes you to the Inquisition ward by the Great Temple of the Twins. A week of
silence — this is the Inquisition’s punishment for laying claim to the Lot of the
clergy.\r\nYou are locked in a tiny cell, a small room normally fit for prayers.
The inhuman strength you just felt is gone. You are utterly exhausted.
The next week is a blur. You lose track of day and night, of dream and vision and
reality. And in those visions and with your eyes you see the Silver Tree, growing
through the walls and floor and ceiling of that tiny prayer cell.\nThen, finally,
the door opens. They take you outside.
You face a thin priest with a shaved head and a piercing gaze. You recall his face
— he was the man who stopped Patriarch Luke’s sermon.
“Good day to you, Brante. My name is Father Ulrich. Your penance is over, and it is
a joy to see how you accepted it. Please understand: that penance was for you as a
commoner, for such prophecies of warning are the Lot of the clergy.\n“But I heard
your words there, in the square. The Twins spoke to their servants through you.
“You came to the College seeking education and a noble title, yes? Its doors will
open soon, in no small part due to the efforts of Cornelius Tempest.\n“But that is
not your path. What you saw, young Brante, was a revelation. I can see why you had
to preach, even in defiance of your Lot.
“But truly understanding the Will of the Gods is no simple task. It is something
you must be taught to do. Your future is at the Seminary — I can see you are ready
to become a priest.\nThe Gods themselves have chosen this path for you. I will keep
a close eye on your progress, <username> Brante.”
You walk out of the Inquisition ward, released. The great bell of the Great Temple
rings, echoing over the capital; and you feel a great union with this sound.\nIt
resounds within you; it courses through you; it brings clarity of purpose.\nBefore
your mind reacts, your lips are already whispering a prayer.
This is it. This is your path.
The Divine Seminary is right by the Great Temple, its doors always open.\nAnd you
enter those doors.\nThe teachers will test you in several days. Before that day
comes, you must live in a prayer cell at the Seminary.
When the day comes, they put you to the test.\nA priest examines you on your
knowledge of the prayers, the works of Prophet Isatius, and the signs of the Great
Descent.\nIn your responses you mention the Silver Tree in your hometown; you
mention being at its very roots.
The final question comes: what brings you here?\nThe wish to see and understand the
Will, and Love, and the Law of the Twins, you reply.\nThe priest nods at your
words, satisfied.
\nYou are now a student of the Divine Seminary. This is now your new home and the
place where you will prepare to receive your new Lot.
You will become a priest.\nBy the law of the Empire, you cannot inherit family
property or titles.\nYou are to carry the word of the Twins into the world — from
this moment forth, and until true death takes you to the hereafter.
You have decided.\nThe storm of doubt in your mind clears at last. You are done
serving the will of others. You will defy your Lot, and you do not need another.
You are free already, and for this freedom, you are ready to sacrifice anything.\
nYou walk to the Lotless as Sophia smiles at you softly.\nHer companions pat you on
the shoulder, and then you get to work.
The Lotless withdraw from the mob in the square and prepare for the raid. They are
strong people of lowly birth, and their clothes are covered in dirt and soot. They
hang on Sophia’s every word.
“So, the plan is simple. I will go to the warriors by the side gate and distract
them. You know me — I have my ways.\n“The rest of you must get inside the College
and lead the people outside. When you are done, wait for my signal.”
Sparks of yellow flash in Sophia’s eyes.\nShe walks with confidence to the nobles
guarding the side gate. They meet her with drawn swords — and then a flash of
yellow light fills their eyes.\nThe warriors freeze in place. Sophia walks away,
and they follow her obediently.\nThe path is clear.\nYou hear one of the Lotless
gasp in awe — that’s our Owl alright. Only she can do that. It’s time.
You open the gate and get inside the College, leaving the cries of the mob behind.
Nobody stops you.\nOnce this is done, you scatter to search the halls for students
and professors. They are not too eager to trust the trespassing commoners, but with
Arknian swords hanging over their heads, they trust you anyway. Your student garb
helps you convince them.\nYou take everyone you can find out of the College through
the same unguarded gate.
The Lotless take a roll call in an alleyway behind the college. You rescued almost
two dozen men. Sophia is the last to reach you. It is time to leave.\nThe maze of
hidden alleyways takes you safely to a patch of abandoned land.
Sophia clambers up onto the half-crumbled wall of an old house.\nShe lights her
pipe and gestures confidently for everyone to come closer.
“Welcome, all.\r\n“We are the Lotless. We are the people who will never stand for
the injustice of the Imperial system. We live as we see fit — we have no masters,
only our own free will.\n“Join our ranks, and you will be forever free from the
whims of the Arknians and the gentry. Walk away, and they will be free to do with
you as they see fit. I believe today was a fair show of their intentions.”
The freed students exchange glances.\nIf they join you, their hopes of being
ennobled by the Mantle will be cut short… but they already saw how precarious their
position is. Many of them are enraged by the fact that the Arknians can take their
rights whenever they please.
“We won’t force you to stay. You’re free to leave and go back to the College when
it opens — if it opens. But if you don’t want to dance to their tune anymore, the
Lotless welcome you!”
Many students join the ranks of the Lotless that day. You are among them.\nYou are
greeted by the motto of the Lotless:
“Our cause is just!”
Your new life has begun — your life as a member of an outlaw brotherhood.\nThere is
no going back. You will be neither nobleman nor priest. Your father will never
forgive you for letting the family down. But for the first time in your life, you
feel truly free.\nYou have defied your Lot. Now your fate is yours alone.\nWhat
will happen next?
Bonds of Friendship
You return to the lodging house one last time to gather your belongings for the
move to your new home. \nA young man dressed in the uniform of the Military Academy
greets you by the door. It takes you a moment to recognize Tommas. \nYour friend
locks you in an embrace.
“Brante! Hey! How are you? I heard about the nasty stuff that went down in the
College square. Those damn gentry would do anything to keep lowborn folks under
their thumb. Glad the situation resolved itself.\n“As for me, I’m an Academy cadet
now!”
He is beaming with pride. You invite him in and chat while you pack.\nTommas
continues to relay the news as you walk up the stairs.
“I made it into the top ten, can you imagine? Did pretty well in sparring and the
sciences… it was all thanks to the help you gave me back in school in Anizotte.
I’ll be studying the art of war now, and then it’s a quick march to a noble title!
How about you?”
You tell Tommas about what happened over the past few days and of the path you have
chosen.\nHe remains quiet as you speak. Both of you realize that you may never see
each other again.
“You know, Brante, here’s what I think: you may have your own path in life, but
you’re my friend. We gotta make sure our friendship lasts forever, no matter what
happens to us.
“Here — I brought two brass rings. If the old tradition is to be believed, both the
rings and their wearers will always remain close to each other, no matter where
fate takes them. What do you say?”
The two of you grew up side by side. Tommas, the audacious, hot-blooded, sharp-
tongued boy who used to live next door… you can’t imagine your childhood without
him. \nBut would it be right to promise him that your friendship will last forever,
no matter what happens?
Two rings made of plain brass lie in his open palm.\nIf you wear these rings, you
will be bound by ties of friendship for the rest of your life…
Swear an oath of friendship
Take the ring
Keep things as they are
End the friendship
You take the ring that will bind your fate to Tommas’s and swear an oath of eternal
friendship.
You take the ring. The two of you have been friends for a long time — it seems
unthinkable that your friendship could ever end.
You are sure you will do your best to keep the friendship alive… but you cannot
promise it will last forever.
You are not the children you used to be. This is where you must part ways.
You take one of the rings from his outstretched palm.\nThe two of you have walked
side by side ever since you were children. Even now, you are walking in the same
direction toward a noble title — you as a judge, and Tommas as a warrior. Nothing
will ever tarnish your bond. You swear an oath of eternal friendship to Tommas.
You take one of the rings from his outstretched palm.\nThe two of you have walked
side by side ever since you were children. Even though your paths in life may
diverge, nothing will ever tarnish your bond. You are ready to preserve your
friendship in brass forever.\n
You do not take the ring, but simply pat Tommas on the shoulder.\nThe two of you
have walked side by side ever since you were children. Those years of friendship
will always be there. But nobody knows what might come next. The two of you are
walking different paths in life now. Why make promises you may not be able to
keep?\nFor now, the two of you are friends. And that is all that matters.
You do not take the ring. The smile on Tommas’s face fades.
Tommas solemnly swears the same.\nYou put the brass ring on your pinky — a perfect
fit! Tommas follows suit.\nHe starts beaming again.
You put the brass ring on your pinky — a perfect fit! Tommas does the same.\nHe
starts beaming again.
With a sigh, Tommas puts the rings back in his pocket.
You sigh heavily and tell him what you think. The two of you no longer walk the
same path. Why make false promises if you are going to belong to different worlds
and estates? No rings will ever change that…
“Now we’re friends forever, for all eternity! We gotta celebrate this! Come, come —
I know a place, I gotta show you. Tastiest mead I’ve ever tried, Brante! My treat!”
“Yeah, you’re right… nobody knows what’s gonna happen to us. Okay then, let’s not
make any big promises. But at least we got tonight, right, Brante? How about we
take a walk downtown and talk about old times?”
Tommas sighs heavily too. He puts the rings back in his pocket.
The two of you go to a noble salon by the Square of Emperor Severin. Surrounded by
tobacco smoke and mead bottles, you wag your tongues, recall the days of your
adolescence, and make plans for the future.\nNobody knows what could be waiting for
you, but you promise you will never lose sight of each other.
You wander to the banks of the river Reglata. The breeze blowing from the bay feels
cool and gentle on your face. You recall the first time the two of you fought, and
your school days, and all the adventures and escapades you had. Before you know it,
the sun has set.\nYou say goodbye to each other. You do not know if you will ever
meet again.
“Yeah… I get what you’re saying. Fair enough then — guess our friendship is a thing
of the past. So we’re going our separate ways after all… well, take care, Brante.
Who knows, maybe we’ll meet again someday.”
He offers you a hand to shake before he leaves. You wish each other luck and part
ways.
Tommas leaves, and the door closes behind him.\nYou are finally alone in your room.
It’s time to pack your things — your new home awaits.
The Ball
It is only a few days since you became a student at the College. Your education has
barely begun when an amazing piece of news surprises all the students.\nEvery year
Cornelius Tempest, the Great Chancellor and the Emperor’s younger brother, grants
an honor to all future nobles of the Mantle and invites them to a masquerade at his
summer palace.\nThe professors and lecturers instruct you to look and act your best
in order to preserve the College’s honor.
They tell you more about the ball, too. \nAll who attend it from the College must
prove themselves with word or deeds to the members of the great Arknian dynasties
that will be present there.\nThis means the reputation of your home province will
be at stake too!
It’s time to get ready. You order a proper suit for the occasion and a mask to go
with it. It looks simple, but by no means plain, and only hides your eyes.\nThe day
comes. You spend an entire morning preparing for the ball. Your fellow students
give you hints about how to attach the cuffs, keep the collar straight, and make
sure your hair remains coiffed for the entire night.
Soon, the carriages start flocking to Cornelius Tempest’s summer palace. \nThe
tall, ornate outer fence surrounds a sprawling garden in full bloom. The marble-
paved driveway is so wide it can accommodate two rows of carriages.\nYou and your
fellow students walk up the massive stairs to the front door of the palace.\nYou
seem tiny and incongruous against the background of this scenic grandeur.
The master of ceremonies instructs all newcomers to seek their province’s coats of
arms. \nYou see the banner of Magra from far away, depicting the Silver Tree
digging its roots into the murky gray soil. Below it is a banner bearing the coat
of arms of the Milanidas dynasty.
It turns out students from the College were not the only ones invited to this
party. \nYou see Academy cadets lined up beneath the banners too — and Tommas is
among them! A wide grin appears on his face when he sees you go under the banner of
Magra.
“I just knew you’d be here today, pal! What can I say — congratulations, student!
As for me, I’m not so bad off myself, see? The Military Academy is father and
mother to me now…”
His merry speech is interrupted by a tall, proud Arknian in a heavy cloak.\nYou
recognize him — he is Dorius Otton, Sophia’s former master!
“Make way for your Commander, soldiery.”
The last time you saw Otton he was searching the backstreets of Anizotte by your
house for a girl servant, but now the young Arknian’s uniform betrays his high
standing. He is young, yet he is already the province’s Commander.\nWho put him in
charge of all the military forces of Magra at such an age?
“What’s wrong? You know him or something?”
A brief description of Otton is enough to wipe the smile off his face.\nYou see no
other high-ranking officials bearing the colors of Magra at this party… it seems
Dorius Otton will be the main representative of your province tonight.
You watch the other College students and Academy cadets line up under the
provincial banners. The blue-and-silver banner of Arknia, the Emperor’s own
province, is in the very center of the hall.\nJudging by the hilts jutting out from
beneath their belts, many of those who surround that banner are nobles of the
Sword. Tommas is clearly jealous.\nThe group from Arknia stands proudly, ennobled
by its iconic and dignified history — the Arknian race and the Empire originated in
their very lands.
A sizable group of students stand under the banner of Monia, a wealthy agricultural
province signified by yellow grains on a field of or.\nThe wealth of the young men
beneath this banner is plain to see. Their attire is on par with the Arknians’ in
terms of luxury, and perhaps even more vibrant in terms of color.
The most numerous group at the party stands under the banner of Elyria — a yellow
gryphon against a field of azure.\nAll the Elyrians are clothed in well-tailored
suits with a minimum of decoration. Some of them wear gloves. Most of them come
from wealthy industrial families, and it seems many of them would feel more at ease
in their family factories than at a noble party like this one.
Three banners represent the northern provinces of Fiona, Hermia, and Constanta.
These banners, like the groups associated with them, stand together — the royal
Tempest dynasty oversees all three of them.\nThe students and cadets are clearly
well-off, yet they are dressed in modest, functional garments to honor the austere
traditions of the North.
And finally, the smallest of the groups is represented by an open book against
field of argent: Astinia, homeland of the Diamant dynasty. By the order of
Patriarch Junius Diamant, the open book of the New Faith has been added to the
banner only recently.\nNearly all the young men beneath this banner are clothed in
Academy uniforms. They wear no adornments, but are clad impeccably, with nary a
button undone, the embodiment of rigor and restraint.
The master of ceremonies signals the beginning of the party. It is time for
dancing.\nThe first dance is a minuet, and tradition calls for everyone to dance.
Harpsichord music fills the hall. The Academy cadets waste no time finding dance
partners and soon already making the fluid first steps of the minuet.\nYou take a
look around. One of the young ladies representing Magra catches your eye. She is
slender, like all Arknians, and clothed in a yellow dress embroidered with emerald
green, her face hidden behind a full mask decorated with bright-green feathers.
What happens next seems unbelievable — the enigmatic lady walks toward you. The way
she looks at you, the way she walks… \nThe black eyes from behind the mask watch
you closely. She tilts her head. There are no words, but you feel there is a
question.
Everyone in the hall is startled by a sudden noise. You look behind you… and see
Tommas getting up off the floor, his face a grimace of rage.\nDorius Otton stands
before him, eyeing him with disgust. His arm rests on the hilt of his sword.
“Who allowed this clumsy commoner inside the Great Chancellor’s palace? Its noble
masters are trying to dance, and it’s getting underfoot.”
Tommas looks like he is about to explode in Otton’s face, but the smug Arknian’s
sword is a clear threat. If your friend’s rage gets the better of him, he will end
up in trouble…\nThe enigmatic Arknian beauty, however, quickly loses all interest
in their quarrel. She comes even closer to you, expecting you to invite her to
dance.
Resolve the quarrel
Draw Otton’s ire upon yourself
Dance with the mysterious lady
You approach Otton and apologize courteously for Tommas’s gaffe.
You help Tommas to his feet and hurl some well-chosen words of mockery in Otton’s
face.
You seize the day and dance with the beguiling Arknian lady. Surely Tommas can take
care of himself.
You stand between Tommas and Otton before they can clash. The Arknian eyes you with
scorn.\nYou shower him with a flurry of apologies for your friend: Tommas has never
been to this kind of party before and still has a lot to learn when it comes to
etiquette — and besides, he is clearly flummoxed from witnessing an Arknian up
close!\nOtton smirks, just barely enough to notice.
“Well said. Sometimes I forget you humans are barely smarter than beasts. Take
pride in the fact that you were permitted to attend this party… you’ll have stories
to tell and all that. Very well — away with you, and try not to get in my way.”
“Why, I recognize your face, now that I think of it. Ah — you hail from Anizotte! I
must have seen you on the street somewhere. There are just too many of your kind
about… but you’re rather sharp, and you’ve been taught how to behave. That’s a
welcome sight.”
You back away from the Arknian in a most gallant way, clutching your friend by the
arm. There is a mixture of rage and bewilderment on Tommas’s face. Once you are far
away enough, he swears under his breath and heads for the refreshments.\nYou follow
him and watch him down two glasses of sparkling wine like a parched man guzzling
water.
“You’ve sure got skill when it comes to sucking up to the Arknians, friend… you
saved my hide today, no doubt about it. Still feels like a bucket of slop right
into the face, though.”
It could have been far worse, you tell him — better a moment of shame than a fight
with a mighty Arknian in the middle of a party. Assaulting an Arknian is the
easiest way to meet true death.\nTommas says nothing to this and downs a third
glass of wine. Out of the corner of your eye you catch the mysterious masked
Arknian lady, all beauty and grace, dancing with Otton. \nYou could have been in
his place, had you so chosen…
You stand between Tommas and Otton before they can clash. The Arknian eyes you with
scorn.\nYou help your friend to his feet, then stand against Otton and look him
straight in the eye. \nA moment later, you follow your stare with a mocking
question: is something amiss? Is the Arknian “master” so unsure of his nobility
that he must assert it before every commoner he sees? Or perhaps he considers such
to be his Lot?
The dance is interrupted. There are ladies’ whispers in the hall, and eyes watching
you — some judge you, while others grin at the Arknian. What will the High
Commander do now?\nSlowly, Otton looks around, confused for a moment. Then he gets
ahold of himself and flashes you a grisly grin.
“No, human. I will not grace you with the suffering that is your due… you did well
to invoke the Lots; now consider your own. Remember this day, the day when Sir
Dorius Otton showed you mercy.”
Having said this, the Arknian walks away to the banner of Magra. \nTommas wastes no
time dragging you to the opposite end of the hall.
“By the Twins, he looked savage! Seems your words hit home — that Arknian pig
couldn’t even think of a proper rejoinder! You’re a real friend. Thanks.”
You smile at his praise, then gladly and firmly shake your friend’s hand.\nOut of
the corner of your eye you catch the mysterious masked Arknian lady, all beauty and
grace, dancing with Otton. \nYou could have been in his place, had you so chosen…
You turn your head towards the Arknian beauty and offer her your hand, taking care
not to rush your movements. A moment later, her fingers gracefully come to rest in
yours. The masked lady’s touch feels electric against your skin.\nYou walk together
to the center of the hall, where the other couples are already dancing.\nYou bow,
and she makes a curtsy.
Her hands are incredibly thin — they seem so delicate, you fear you might snap them
if you squeeze too hard.\nYou adjust to her steps, counting the rhythm of the
music. Your lady for the dance is an Arknian, a noble born to rule, yet this is a
dance, where you must take the lead.
As you walk around her, your eyes catch an embroidered ornament on the arm of her
dress.\nYou spy many thin emerald threads, all interwoven into a pattern of
interlocking snakes.\nThis young woman is Octavia Milanidas, daughter to the
Archduke of your home province!
The minuet ends.\nYou bow to the lady and offer to accompany her wherever she
chooses before the next dance.
“Why, then be so kind as to accompany me for another dance!”
Before you know it, the night is almost over.\nOctavia will not let you go — she
does not accept another invitation until she has danced with you three times.\nYou
spot Tommas in the crowd during a break. He catches your eye and salutes you with a
wine glass. Judging from his lopsided grin, Otton must have had him removed from
the dancefloor.\nBut any concern for your friend is forgotten when you see the
beautiful Octavia approaching you again.
Searching for the Truth
Lessons at the Seminary start early in the morning. Before the lessons come two
prayers: one privately in your room, then a communal prayer in the refectory. \nThe
morning bell eases you from sleep in the morning. You adjust to the new routine
more easily than you would have expected.
The Seminary students are quite numerous — you have counted more than thirty young
adults studying with you. There are both boys and girls, but the girls already
cover their hair and keep everyone at a distance.\nMost of the time the boys and
girls study separately — unless a lesson is of particular importance.
The classroom is vast, and the boys and the girls sit separately, watching the
aged, unassuming teacher with rapt attention. His name is Father Jeremiah Haag.\nHe
writes a word in large letters on the blackboard: “Isatius.”
It is a name you know well. Isatius was the disciple of the Twins, the Elder’s
favorite. He wrote the two books that lay down the teachings of the Twins.\nThe
first book tells of how the Twins are Will, and Law, and Love.\nThe second book
tells of the Lots and how each of the three estates is granted its own Lot.\nFor
the entire first semester you will study only these two books, for they are the
foundations of the Faith.
Father Jeremiah gives a passionate lecture about Isatius and describes his life.\
nHis words are filled with reverence — after all, Isatius surely was second to none
when it comes to understanding Their divine providence.
After a dozen days in the Seminary as a student, you hear a rumor: Luke, the
patriarch of Arknia, is about to come here, and the teachers are preparing
themselves. \nFather Jeremiah informs you of the patriarch’s arrival a few days
later.
“It is a tradition that every year the patriarch of the capital province personally
teaches a class for the first-year students of the Seminary in Eterna. The lesson
in question will be held in three days.\nWe teachers are aware that many students
are too preoccupied with their current studies to attend this, ahem… lecture. But I
assure you, should you not attend this lesson, it will not affect you in any way.”
The students exchange wary glances.\nSkipping class is normally grounds for harsh
punishment. This uncharacteristic mercy is only a few words away from saying you
ought to skip the lecture.
Your curiosity is piqued. What is making the Seminary teachers treat the
patriarch’s lesson like this? Perhaps you should hear what he has to say and see
for yourself.\nYou decide to attend the lecture.
The day comes. The lecture hall is half empty. \nThere are several teachers in the
hall as well, keenly eyeing every student who has chosen to attend this class.
A few minutes behind schedule, Patriarch Luke arrives. You recognize his broad
shoulders and thick brown beard right away. His eyebrows are thick too, and brown,
half-squinting eyes gaze out from under them. He greets the students with a smile
and begins.
“The air in the Seminary is so inspiring! There was a time when I, too, studied the
teachings of the Twins within these walls. My mind was overflowing with questions,
but I found answers to only a few of them.\n“I believe that many among you find
little satisfaction in the answers that have come down to us from the faraway past.
And I believe that you will yet find the answers that eluded me.
“More than thousand years ago, the Twins came to our world. They brought us
knowledge: after true death, each of us shall face divine judgment and retribution.
And the fate of each of us in the hereafter depends on the righteousness of our
worldly lives.
“You are students of the Seminary. You are now studying the teachings of Isatius,
the foundations of our faith. This student of the Elder Twin lovingly assembled all
Their words, all Their guidance, and brought it to us who live in the present.\
n“But how true is it that the Lots, the bonds that hold our present society
together, were indeed established by the Gods?”
There are whispers from the teachers’ seats. They are not happy with these words,
but none of them sees fit to interrupt the patriarch.
“Apart from the written works of Isatius, there is no other proof that the Twins
established the Lots and told all people to follow them. While They were present in
this world, neither the Elder nor the Younger ever mentioned separating people into
three estates. The Twins only told us of the judgment we shall face in the
hereafter, and not of the laws by which They will judge us.
“That being said, I will ask you a question — the very questions my brethren fear
so much. Is there not a chance Isatius was in error, for no mortal man is free of
error? And is there not a chance we all are in error by repeating his words?\
n“Instead, would it not be more sensible for everyone to interpret the teachings of
the Twins individually? Perhaps the solution in the teachings of Isatius was right
for Isatius himself, and not for all of us.”
The teachers’ displeasure grows louder and louder with Luke’s every word. Finally
Father Jeremiah grows indignant enough to interrupt the lecture.
“This profane speech must end!\r\n“How can a man of your rank be so imprudent and
irresponsible as to confuse young people with such ungodly heresy?!\r\n“You will
find that no soul in this very hall will ever doubt the truth as it is written in
the sacred books!”
To this, Patriarch Luke smiles again.
“I am a mortal man, like Saint Isatius, so I may be in error as well. If this is
indeed so, and no student of the Seminary shares my concern enough to dedicate a
paper to the questions I have asked, then I will curtail my dangerous speech so as
not to confuse these bright young souls.
“But if perchance you are the ones in error, if one of these bright young souls
does in fact share my concerns, then my lectures on my outlook on Isatius and his
writings will continue.”
The patriarch leaves. For a time, the teachers converse in low voices.\nThen Father
Jeremiah casts a watchful eye over the students and rises.
“It is natural for young people such as you to face the eternal truths with doubt,
and the words you have heard may have sown themselves among those youthful doubts.
But listen to what I am about to say: there is no place for such impiety in the
life of a true priest!\n“Heed my words, all of you, and consider the danger well
before you allow such dangerous thoughts into the temple of your mind.
“There can be no doubt that the patriarch of Arknia could never call the true Faith
into question.\r\n“However, youths such as you, who are only beginning their
service to the Twins, may easily be led astray by such ideas.\r\n“So be mindful of
your thoughts and doubts and weed out any impiety, for the path of heresy can lead
only to the eternal suffering.”
You return to the monastic cell in which you live.\nThe books of Isatius are right
there on the shelf. You open the second book and run over the words about the
Lots.\nThese words are the truth of truths; you learned them by heart when you were
very young.\nHow could anyone ever doubt them?
Yet you cannot deny that there is at least one truth in Patriarch Luke’s words, and
this truth is gnawing at your mind.\nIsatius was indeed a mortal man…\nAnd, as a
mortal, he could have been in error. He could have gotten it all wrong.
These thoughts fill you with doubt.
Reject the doubt and strengthen your belief
Support Patriarch Luke
Seek comfort in prayer
Your mind is made up: the holy writ is not to be judged or doubted.
You decide to study this criticism of the Lots further and dedicate a research
paper to the subject.
You seek solace and unity with the Will, the Law, and the Love of the Twins.
The writings of Isatius are the very foundation of the Faith. The Lots are the
Twins’ Will, a timeless constant throughout the ages.\nThere can be no error. There
is no place for sinful doubt when it comes to this.
Soon, the day ends, and the next day begins. Before you know it, another week
passes.\nYou immerse yourself in learning the work and functions of a priest. You
read both books of Isatius over and over again and learn the best parts by heart:
on prayers, on cloister and seclusion, on confession…
You attend many lectures on the history of the Church; and on the pivotal changes
that followed the Twins’ Great Descent; and on the strong ties that bind the Faith
and the state together in the Empire; and on the dogmas of the church. \nYou also
learn the proper way to speak so that the sound of your sermon reaches every ear in
the temple.
You work hard to learn and memorize the sacred works. Soon you start learning how
to properly cite them in order to back up your own judgments. There is an answer to
every question in the works of Isatius — you just need to know how to find it.\nThe
teachers praise you now. Father Jeremiah is elated by your knowledge of Isatius’s
writings.
By the end of the semester nobody even remembers Patriarch Luke’s visit. Father
Jeremiah does mention his words in passing, at the very end of the semester, when
everyone hands in their research papers.\nHe nods in approval as he thumbs through
a stack of paper sheets covered in handwriting.
“Very good! It is fair to say that no student of the Seminary went so far astray as
to defend the impious notions of heresy. And, truth be told, I am happy to know I
was right about you. It is my hope that your example will serve to guide even your
superiors within the Faith away from such senseless conjecture.
“But right now I want to read some passages from one of these research papers that
impressed me the most.”
Of all the papers in the thick stack, he chooses yours.\nYou did go the extra mile
to write it. It is an in-depth study that attempts to prove that the Twins
Themselves were speaking through Isatius and that the teachings of the Lots come
not from a mortal man, but from the Gods.\nFather Jeremiah clearly enjoys reading a
few choice paragraphs from your work, nodding in agreement all the while. He gives
the conclusion of the paper particular attention.
“’The Lots are inviolable and sacrosanct, they are the foundations of the state and
of society, they are the Will and the Gift of the Twins.’ What an exemplary
statement, young Brante!
Every man makes mistakes. Anyone can misinterpret or misunderstand something… this
notion burns in your brain, so uncomfortable it hurts.\nPursued by this thought,
you flee to the Seminary library in search of answers.
You painstakingly pore over book after book.\nThe accounts of Isatius’s life are
inconsistent and often contradict one another. One thing is mentioned in each of
them, however: he was a disciple of the Elder, and he transcribed the Will of the
Twins.\nNo book in the library ever casts doubt upon this.
And so you begin researching this on your own. The first thing you do is visit the
Library of Eterna, the largest of them all — large enough to find a different
outlook on Isatius’s life.\nAnd in the end, you do find it. It turns out Isatius
based the concepts in his writings upon worldly laws, the divisions between estates
and classes, and the laws of the Empire, for the Twins had pronounced it the
Heavenly Kingdom. Therefore any critique of the divine Lots must be sought in the
laws of the Empire.
By the end of the semester, your research paper is done. You hand it to Father
Jeremiah.\nYou have a number of theses.\nNobles of the Mantle are ordinary people
who have decided to change their Lot. Priests cannot have families or bear
children, and any commoner or noble may elect to accept the Lot of the clergy.
The differences between estates and classes are becoming blurred, as are the
boundaries that separate the Lots. Estates may change, and so the Lots may change,
and new ways to change one’s Lot may soon appear.
You back this notion up with the growing authority of industrialists among the
commoners. Some of them are wealthier than the nobles of the Mantle or even the
nobles of the Sword. They manage factories, and so they wield power like a noble
would.
Bit by bit, word by word, you prove that the words of Isatius are not
unquestionable — in fact, they must be questioned. The Empire is changing, people’s
lives are changing, and so the divine Law must change as well.\nThe Lots are
already being defied in our ordinary lives left and right, you conclude, so is it
sensible to preach them so fervently while turning a blind eye to the changes
taking place around us?
Father Jeremiah grows furious as he thumbs through your paper. He rips it apart and
punishes you for showing a weakness of faith.\nPatriarch Luke will continue to hold
yearly lectures at the Seminary, but you are barred from attending his visits ever
again. You have no free time now — you spend every day at the scriptorium,
transcribing the teachings of Isatius.\nPage after page. Book after book.
The feud between Patriarch Luke and the Seminary teachers makes you think.\nWhy do
these old men have to argue over the interpretation of words written by a mortal
man, for mortal men?\nThe most important thing here is the Will of the Gods, but it
is being obscured behind a battle over dogma.
Once your lessons are done for the day, you head for the Temple.\nInside you raise
your head to look at the statues of the Twins — the Elder with the lash, the
Younger with the sword…\nThey look at you, almost as if they are curious to see
what you will do.
You clasp your hands and whisper a prayer.\nIt is part prayer, part question: what
is Their Will? What did the Twins truly intend to tell the people? How are we
supposed to live?\nYour whispered words scatter among the tall pillars and stretch
across the temple like a web waiting to catch an answer.\nEven the flicking
candlelight seems to dance to the rhythm of your prayer.
And then, you sense an unfamiliar feeling of comforting warmth — it is pulsing on
your chest, from the place where a priest’s encircled cross would be.\nYou do not
notice when your prayer changes. It is no longer a question; it is now an
expression of joy, a hymn to the Twins, to Their Will and Law and Love, and to the
Lots and the wisdom They have brought into this world.
The prayer ends, but the warmth in your chest remains. With that warmth comes
understanding: everything you are doing here is for a reason, and it is right.\nThe
Twins are within you, They are guiding you. And when you speak in a temple one day,
you will speak the Will of the Twins.\nAnd you will bring forth Their gift to all
existence.
Doubt plagues you no longer.
The Lotless
You cast one final glance over the room where you lived for so long. Here is the
table at which you sat studying all those books; here is the bed on which you
dreamed your dreams of the future…\nYour things are packed. You walk down the
stairs. The landlord’s servile smile is gone now. The unspent remainder of the
funds allocated for your accommodations drop onto the counter from his reluctant
hand, and then he turns away.
You have no Lot now. You are free, free even from the knowledge of your tomorrow.
You have cast away your destiny… but for what?\nThis remains to be seen.
The Brante family will support you no longer. But you have to find a play to stay
in the capital so you can aid the Lotless.\nAnd so you seek Sophia.
“I’m afraid I can’t offer you a noble estate… but we found a basement in an
abandoned house and made it into our home.\n“It’s on the bank of Reglata, by the
river port. It’s livable. There’s only one room for everyone, so bring your own
bedding. But it’s warm and clean, and we have food and a place to keep our things.\
n“You’ll be safe.”
After all those carriage rides, going through the city streets on foot isn’t half
bad. The bayside wind still gets under your skin, but it also cools you down on hot
days.\nNot that you need it — you were born in Anizotte, in the very southernmost
part of the Empire, and the hot season is the capital is nothing compared to the
real heat in Magra.
You recall all the hot days in the garden, sitting with Father and talking — about
the Lots, about your future in the capital… he used to look at you with such pride!
He was so confident you would follow in his footsteps…\nA chilling gust of wind
snaps you out of it.\nEnough nostalgia — it’s time to face the future you have
chosen for yourself.
The house where the Lotless live is close to the port. The basement entrance is
hard to find, but you eventually locate it. \nInside is one large room with bedding
and belongings strewn about all over the floor. You find some free space in one of
the corners, so you place your bedding and your things nearby.\nThen you take a
good look around.
There is only a handful of people in the building.\nYou introduce yourselves to
them. They show you the utilities: a small kitchen and a room with a stove and
several buckets of water. If you need more water, the river is right nearby.
You ask them how long they have lived here.\n“About eight months,” one of the
Lotless tells you. They took over this basement back when they only had ten
members. Most of them were more or less homeless — disowned by their families,
expelled from the College, Academy, or Seminary… Sophia found a place where they
could live together.\nEveryone sleeps in the basement and meets in the abandoned
house above.
“Sophia certainly is thoughtful,” you intone.\n”That she is,” your fellow Lotless
says, nodding. “She takes good care of us, but she’s also really secretive and
demands that we follow her orders to the letter.\n”Even after all those months,
nobody knows where she lives. She only shows herself when she deems it necessary.”
Soon you come to know the Lotless better, and you see that they truly believe in
what they are doing.\nAt present, they are trying to expand their ranks and
convince the common folk that the present order in the Empire can and must be
fought.\nYou can do this — you have to believe you can do this. And you have to do
whatever Sophia says.
Some of the students you rescued are also here — with their arrival, the ranks of
the Lotless practically doubled. The events at the College turned them against the
current system. They are eager to act, and so are you.\nSophia meets with every
newcomer in private. It takes a few days before she finally speaks to you too.
Sophia is sitting at a desk behind a pile of papers.\nShe looks worn out, but still
smiles at you.
“Hi.\n“There’s a reason I wanted to talk to you last. Our ranks are growing, but
not everyone is as smart and learned and cunning as you. I need results, and I
expect to get them from you.\n“We have to tell the common folk the truth about what
happened at the College. It doesn’t matter how we do it. The Lotless will never
forget, and we will never forgive the nobles for what they did.
“We have to tell people we exist; and we have to recruit new members. I know you
can think of a way to do both.\n“I expect a report in one week, at our next
meeting. Good luck.”
Sophia stops talking and looks at you.\nYou nod.\nThere is something else you want
to tell her, but you have no plan just yet — and it seems she has no time for small
talk.\nYou leave the meeting room.\nWhat will you do now? How can you tell people
about the Lotless without everyone getting arrested? The best place to do this
would be somewhere on the outskirts of the city, in the markets and taverns where
commoners tend to gather.
You spend the rest of the day strolling through the city streets. After a night of
pondering, you have three ideas.\nYour first idea is the safest: print a lot of
leaflets and spread them all across Eterna. Tiny papers are easy to hand out, and
all it takes is a few printed words that hit home… and a printing press. Can you
even find a print shop that will support your cause?
Plan number two: talk about the Lotless to anyone willing to lend an ear.\nThis is
a more reliable option — after all, people tend to believe other people more than
words on paper.\nIt’s more dangerous, too: it’s easier to arrest an orator than an
author, and your numbers are too few as it is.
And then there’s plan number three: the city is still abuzz after what happened at
the College. Somewhere out on those frantic streets are people willing to heed your
call. Instead of wasting time and effort telling everyone about the Lotless,
perhaps you should focus on recruiting.
Print leaflets
Condemn the nobles
Recruit new members
You write the text for the leaflets, print them, and spread them all across the
city.
You organize groups of agitators who will spread the truth by word of mouth in the
city squares.
You start combing the city’s taverns and public houses searching for more like-
minded people among the students and the young.
Printing leaflets is the safest way to go. They will tell everyone the truth about
the events at the College, and you will stay safe all the while.\nNow to find a
place to print them…
Your newfound comrades give you the name of the editor of a local newspaper called
“Imperial Sunrise.” He sympathizes with the Lotless. He even gave Sophia shelter in
their attic once during a raid.\nIt’s time to write the text that will be printed.
“The Arknians consider us dirt beneath their horses’ hooves.\nThey will do anything
to bring us down and stay in power.\nDo you know what happened at the College?
“Did you hear Archduke Monrogue mocking humans and threatening to kill anyone who
entered the College? We did.\n“Did you see him ready to kill innocent students
inside the College before they were rescued? We did.\n“Arknians think they can do
whatever they want. Will you keep on living under their thumb, or are you ready to
make a change?”
This looks good.\nSophia takes a look too and nods. She writes a brief note on a
piece of paper and tells you to head for the editor’s house. Give the note to the
servant, and everything will be ready.
The editor lives in a wealthy neighborhood. There are planters with flowers in them
at every door on his street. The doorknocker shines in the sun like a mirror. You
glimpse your reflection in the metal before you grab it.\nA servant opens the door.
He glances at the note and asks for the text to be printed. It will be ready in a
week, he says, and then the door is locked again.
You return one week later and receive a big stack of leaflets. \nYou divide them
among the Lotless. It only takes a single day to distribute them all.
Rumors quickly fill the streets of Eterna. On the following day you already hear
people talking: the nobles have done it this time, we’d better do something. It’s
time for a change!\nThe next time you meet Sophia, she rewards you with restrained
praise.
“Well done, <username>! I expected nothing less from you. I’m glad to have you
among us.”
You gather the students you rescued a few days ago and ask them a question: are
they ready to tell people the truth about what happened?\nThey cheer to that: of
course! Everyone should know about the injustice perpetrated by the nobles and what
Archduke Monrogue said, and those who experienced it firsthand at the College
should be the ones to spread the word.
You discuss the details of the plan together.\nRight now all you have to do is open
their eyes, convince them that this has to stop, get them ready. \nThere’s no need
to identify yourselves as the Lotless just yet — that would only cause doubt and
suspicion.\nYou have to do this step by step.
And step one is to make the commoners of Eterna realize how the nobles and Arknians
are treating them and make sure they know about the incident at the College. Once
you are certain that this has been done, recruiting new members will be easier.\
nRight now you should describe the Lotless — yourselves — as you would describe
someone else: there was a group of people who rescued the students. They risked
themselves to save innocent lives.
Nobody should get caught — you keep talking until you are sure everyone understands
this. If there is a risk, they should run. They should not begin until they are in
a place crowded with commoners, like the outskirts of the city or the markets.\nThe
ex-students nod to you. Their faces are serious. One of them furrows his brow in
concentrations as though he would prefer to write it all down.\nThere are no
questions, however.
You spread out across the streets of Eterna early next morning in groups of three.\
nThe plan is simple: two of the members of each group will find a place in a market
where they can be heard by merchants and passers-by, then start loudly discussing
the College incident. Once they’ve attracted enough gawkers, one of them will get
up onto a platform of some kind and loudly tell everyone about the incident.\nThe
third member will keep watch a ways away in case the gendarmes come.
You meet back in the evening and share the day’s results.\nThree of you had to run
away from gendarmes, but the others were more successful. One young man even got a
few free drinks at a tavern, and his friend had to help him back.\nYou agree to
continue the next day.
Three days of speeches is enough to fill the streets of Eterna with rumors. Soon
you start hearing people talking: the nobles have done it this time. We’d better do
something. It’s time for a change!\nThe next time you meet Sophia, she rewards you
with reserved praise.
“Well done, Brante! I expected nothing less from you. I’m glad to have you among
us.”
After the incident at the College, people starting asking questions and looking for
answers.\nYou see how many young people on the streets are quietly sharing rumors,
discussing the news, and trying to figure out what to do.\nThey already know the
truth — they have to be recruited right now. You won’t get another chance like
this.
Over the next few days you visit a number of taverns and public houses frequented
by young people. Two ex-students accompany you.\nWhile your comrades are loudly
discussing the College incident in order to provoke a reaction, you stay away,
listen carefully, and watch to see who reacts.\nAnyone ready to support your
position, anyone eager to speak and angry enough to act, is your target.
Once you have a target, you sign for your comrades to stop, and together you find a
way to get the target alone for a talk.
You tell your potential recruits about the Lotless and invite them to a meeting
next week. Almost all of them say they will be happy to come.\nThis plan is going
well. You enjoy spending time surrounded by loud, festive people, energized by
freedom, camaraderie, and unity, brought together by a common and just cause.\nThe
first day yields a dozen potential members; two more days yield another fifteen.
The day of the next meeting comes — and there are not enough seats to fit everyone
who arrived to join the Lotless.\nPeople are leaning on the walls, arguing,
laughing — and listening attentively to Sophia’s speech, so particularly inspired
today.\nShe addresses you at the end.
“Today I have nothing but words of gratitude for my old friend.\n“You used to walk
a different path, but you have seen that our cause is just. You joined us only
recently, but you have done so much for us already, and I’m confident that we have
a bright future together.\r\n“My thanks to you, Brante!”
Sir El Croix’s Lesson
Your studies at the Imperial College may have begun with a luxurious party, but
soon you settle into a routine of lesson after lesson. \nAlong with dozens of other
future judges, you spend hours listening to lectures in spacious College halls with
high ceilings. You study Imperial law and legislation, analyzing every technicality
and interpretation.\nThe subjects only get tougher, and the instructors grow ever
more demanding as your studies continue.
Yet law is not the only thing you study. There are other disciplines as well, such
as rhetoric and orthography — a true judge must have a perfect command of both the
spoken and written word.\nWashing dark-blue ink off your fingers becomes an
indelible part of your daily routine.
Of all your classes, you find the fencing lessons particularly exciting. \nEvery
lesson covers your body with more cuts and bruises and makes your muscles ache from
exertion, but your childhood dream is worth it.
Then, finally, there comes a short break in your studies — a handful of days for
rest and recreation.\nYou meet Tommas to discuss how you are going to spend this
time.
“You’re coming with me tonight. No excuses, Brante! We’ll be paying a visit to our
mentor, Baron El Croix. It’s time you learned a thing or two about how we do things
in the military!”
Your friend looks very cunning and pleased with himself when he says this.\nWith a
sigh, you change out of your College uniform and into your best clothes and follow
him.\nTommas rushes you to a two-story house somewhere in a noble neighborhood in
the capital. \nIts windows are open, and you can hear people talking over each
other.
The house’s sitting room is filled with young people — at least two dozen men,
almost all of them Academy cadets.\nIn the middle of the sitting room is an
armchair, and in this armchair is a gentleman wearing the uniform of an Imperial
Legion officer and smoking a pipe. His thick hair falls over his large, observant
eyes.\nBaron El Croix welcomes the two of you with a slight nod and continues his
speech while everyone listens respectfully.
“As I was saying, young men… I firmly believe that the days when all the military
glory of the Empire belonged to the Arknian dynasties are long gone. Human nobles
have been serving the Emperor at least as well as the Arknian nobles for a long
time now. Still, the Arknians keep acting like their origins are more important
than honor and service to the Crown.
“Take the Milanidas dynasty, for example. The Archdukes of Magra… long ago, their
leader Char Milanidas fomented a rebellion against the rule of the Tempests and the
Twins’ Faith. He sucked all life from his own land, doomed thousands of his own
subjects… and yet the Milanidas dynasty still rules over Magra like nothing ever
happened!”
Then suddenly, Sir El Croix flashes a cunning grin.
“I think this calls for a test of your strategic thinking, young men. But first,
let me refresh your memory on the rebellion of Char Milanidas. It may seem
surprising, but we have him to thank for our current status! He was the first to
ennoble humans — an act of unprecedented insolence! But it gave the Rebellious Duke
immense support in his province. He risked his own reputation and title to make
himself stronger thanks to humans, and in that, he succeeded.
“No one had ever dared challenge the rule of the Arknians and Tempests before, but
the Rebellion of Magra changed everything.\n“Humans became a part of the nobility —
we got a taste of the power only the Arknians could wield before. And, unless I’m
mistaken, most nobles in the Empire these days are human.\n“Why, we outnumber the
members of the Arknian dynasties dozens of times over!\n
“So, Char Milanidas had complete rule and control over the lands of Magra. He had
the loyalty of his ennobled human subjects. And he had the loyalty of the mages and
witches who fled to Anizotte, the only place in the Empire where they could hide
from the Church.\n“The Archduke of Magra had everything he needed to win, and yet
two pivotal changes brought him down.
“First of all, he cast a magic spell that incinerated the entire province. It
certainly stopped the Imperial legions in their tracks, but the population of Magra
would no longer side with Char Milanidas after that.\n“Second, the clergy struck at
the Rebellious Duke with the power of the Twins. His magic was gone, and his main
advantage was no more. Many fled. But, as you know, it still took the Empire an
entire month of siege before the palace in Anizotte was taken.
“After the Rebellion of Magra, the Empire changed drastically — and, most
importantly, humans finally received their lawful right to be ennobled. And, I’d
like to stress that in particular, ennobled not by birth, but by virtue of their
own knowledge and talent.
“History, young men, is more than just a memory of the past — it is also a lesson
for our future. I believe that part of our history proves my point. And now, a
test: tell me, if you were among the Imperial strategists during the Rebellion,
what would you have done? How would you have fought an enemy as powerful as Char
Milanidas?”
With this, Sir El Croix leans back in his armchair and takes a pull from his pipe
while the cadets start discussing.\nSome take no time to say they cannot believe
Sir El Croix thinks humans were first ennobled by serving the Rebellious Duke.\
nOthers say the prolonged palace siege might have been a mistake, and storming the
palace would have been a better choice.
Soon, ideas start flying. Some cause only laughter, while others lead to debate. \
nThey are discussing the past of Anizotte — the past of your hometown… you cannot
possibly stay silent right now!\nIf you were in command of the Imperial legions
back then, what would you have done?
Based on what you know about the Rebellion of Magra, you see three potential
strategies. \nThe first involves calling upon the Twins’ miracles to rob Milanidas
of magic and render him powerless. The second entails putting your faith in the
discipline and valor of the army for a frontal assault. The third means drawing out
the siege while making the enemy’s life as hard as possible through cunning.\nWhich
of these three strategies would you have chosen?
Rely on the Will of the Twins
Press for a decisive assault
Lay siege to the palace
You would have placed your faith in the power of the Twins.
Relying on the strength and valor of the Imperial legions would have been the best
choice.
You would have starved the city into submission and seized it by cunning.
You decide it is time for you to answer Sir El Croix. \nMost of the destruction
caused by Char Milanidas came from his magic — just one mage could obliterate five
dozen soldiers with their spells.\nBecause of this, you surmise, it would have been
prudent to call upon the power of the Twins to rob the ungodly witches of their
powers.
Sir El Croix looks at you, studying you attentively.
“What was your name again, young man? Brante? I agree with what you’re saying, in a
sense. Yes, the Twins imbued the clergy with great power that changed the outcome
of the war. Without magic, the witches that sided with Milanidas were helpless.
“Yet you are missing the most important point here. Priests never wage war — war is
a nobleman’s Lot. When Char Milanidas ennobled his human subjects, he gained an
immense and loyal army to command.
“Even without magic, his army was a force to be reckoned with — and when you face a
force such as this, what matters most is the discipline and unity of your own army.
An army that is utterly loyal to its leader will easily vanquish a foe torn apart
by strife and mistrust.
“And this, young men, is the moral of the story. Char Milanidas was defeated, but
not by the clergy and their prayers, and not even by the noble militias assembled
by other Archdukes. He was vanquished by the Imperial legions — a unified army with
clear regulations and ranks and a clear chain of command. An army that is strong in
discipline and loyalty to the Emperor.”
His eyes finally move away from you and back the rest of the young men in the hall,
but nobody else dares to argue with the battle-hardened officer.\nThe evening
continues. Sir El Croix shares some of his war stories, each more astounding than
the last.\nFor the rest of the night, you are out of the baron’s center of
attention, and so you join Tommas and the other cadets in sipping wine and enjoying
his tales.
You return to the College long after midnight.\nYou often recall Baron El Croix’s
story about the Rebellion of Char Milanidas after that. The Rebellious Duke lost
the war, and yet he brought about drastic changes for humans and the entire Empire!
You decide it is time for you to answer Sir El Croix. You begin by stating that you
hail from the city of Anizotte yourself.\nThe cornerstone of the Rebellious Duke’s
strategy was ennobling humans, you say. This won their loyalty and formed them into
a veritable army.\nAn army loyal to its leader can achieve any feat of valor, so
the Imperial legions also ought to have relied upon the valor and unity of their
soldiers. Inspire the warriors, earn their loyalty, and take the castle by the
storm — that is the way!
“Brante — is that your name, young man? I will make sure to remember it. You are
absolutely right.\n“The soldiers’ loyalty to their creed, their commander, their
Emperor — these are the things that make for an undefeatable army.\n“And I
wholeheartedly agree: a decisive assault would have brought down the castle at the
rebellion’s very inception and destroyed all their will to fight!
“And this, young men, is the moral of the story. Char Milanidas was defeated, but
not by the clergy and their prayers, and not even by the noble militias assembled
by other Archdukes.\n“He was vanquished by the Imperial legions — a unified army
with clear regulations and ranks and a clear chain of command. An army that is
strong in discipline and loyalty to the Emperor.
“Long ago, only Arknians had the right to wield weapons and wage war, but now
humans can prove their merit and earn the same right — humans like ourselves.\n“And
the present Empire has grown even stronger thanks to its new warriors and
functionaries. These days humans can judge, and rule, and create!\n“The terrors
wrought by the Rebellious Duke are undeniable, yet his Rebellion created new
possibilities for all of us — including you, young Sir Brante!”
He nods to you in approval, and then his eyes finally move away from you and back
the rest of the young men in the hall.\nAfter hearing him praise you, no one dares
to argue with the battle-hardened officer.\nThe evening continues. Sir El Croix
shares some of his war stories, each more astounding than the last.\nYou join
Tommas and the other cadets in sipping wine and enjoying his tales.
You decide it is time for you to answer Sir El Croix.\nThe proper way to bring down
the castle of Anizotte would have been through a prolonged siege, you say. The
lands of Magra could no longer feed the warriors of Char Milanidas at that stage of
the Rebellion, and when their supplies eventually ran out, they would have opened
the gate from the inside.
“I agree with what you’re saying, young Brante — in a sense. Had the Imperial
forces done that, they would have lost fewer men and kept the palace of Anizotte
intact.
“Yet you are missing my other point here. Milanidas’s army would have continued
fighting, even emaciated by the siege, even with their numbers dwindling!\n“True,
some did flee. But those who stayed to defend the city and the castle, even after
the Imperial forces broke in, remained loyal to their lord until the very end.
“Long ago, only Arknians had the right to wield weapons and wage war, but now
humans can prove their merit and earn the same right — humans like ourselves.\n“And
the present Empire has grown even stronger thanks to its new warriors and
functionaries. These days humans can judge, and rule, and create!\n“The terrors
wrought by the Rebellious Duke are undeniable, yet his Rebellion created new
possibilities for all of us.
You return to the College long after midnight.\nYou often recall Baron El Croix’s
story about the Rebellion of Char Milanidas after that.\nThe Rebellious Duke lost
the war, and yet he brought about drastic changes for humans and the entire Empire!
The Black Book
Your studies at the Seminary continue. You assist with the preparations for church
holidays and study the accounts of the Twins’ lives and the sacred scriptures.\nThe
Seminary sends some of its students on a pilgrimage to the holy sites of the Empire
to follow in the footsteps of one of the Twins.\nA large group of these pilgrims
returns to the Seminary several weeks after your studies begin.
Among the students in this group is a young woman who looks familiar. She holds her
head high as her brown eyes, filled with wisdom and strength, study you
attentively.\nShe approaches you first. It is Jeanne — you met in the past, by the
Silver Tree in Anizotte. Jeanne was but an acolyte at the temple by the Tree at
that time, but now she is in Eterna like you, almost ready to complete her studies.
“I remember you! I’m glad you’re here. So you found your way to the priestly Lot
after all!”
It’s nice to see a familiar face from your former life. \nYou start spending more
time with Jeanne, praying and reading the sacred scriptures together.
Most of the time, you discuss theology, but the more you learn about each other,
the more you start discussing your lives before the Seminary.\nYou tell her how
Mother prepared you to serve the Twins ever since you were a child, from daily
prayers to following your Lot in everything.
“As for me, I don’t know who my parents are. I grew in the orphanage by the temple.
Studying at the Seminary has been my goal since as long as I can remember. The
priests were kind to me, and now it is my sacred duty to serve the Twins.”
With the first term exams now behind you, you are allowed to visit the Antiquarium,
a special storage chamber for sacred relics and artifacts that harken back to the
history of the Faith.\nYou invite Jeanne to go there with you.
The inside of the Antiquarium is quiet. The items you see beyond the glass panes
and on the shelves are nothing short of amazing.
One thick, ragged tome is an original work inked by Isatius.\nYou see old images of
the Twins’ likenesses, faded with time.\nYou behold the lash used in the very first
Sacraments for the lowborn Lot.
The relics made of silver — the Twins-blessed metal — are kept in a separate
chamber.\nYou take some time poring over these handcrafted sacred symbols.\nThe
shelves on the opposite wall are covered with silver collars large and small.
“They’re so elegant! The things we make are much simpler nowadays — always cast
from silver, not forged by hand. Look — those old collars even had names stamped
into the silver!”
Another wall is covered with thin silver slabs, prayers to the Twins etched into
the metal. After taking the priest’s Sacrament, any priest may use such a silver
slab to call the Gods’ power down upon Their foes and work wonders, even outside
the temple grounds.
“Do you think these might be copies? Silver slabs disappear when they’re used,
don’t they? Just imagine the temptation — working wonders anywhere, just like
that!”
There is one more chamber at the farthest end of the Antiquarium, with only one
relic within — the only room here that is guarded.\nYour voices trail off when
Jeanne and you feel the eyes of the chamber guard upon you. He bears a scroll with
a silver seal on his cassock.\nAn inquisitor…
What the inquisitor is guarding is a black book, its pages blackened, seemingly by
fire. The book lies inside a spacious cage forged of time-faded silver.\nYou are
not allowed to approach it, the inquisitor says.\n“What is it?” you ask.
The inquisitor sighs and glances at the silver cage with worry and scorn.\nThis is
the most dangerous and vile of all the relics in the land, he says. It is a
monument to the dark ages, when Arknians used to fight one another for power, a
time when one of the great Arknian dynasties defied the Twins-chosen Tempests.
The Arknian who owned this book was Char Milanidas. Driven by helpless rage, he
scorched the land of Magra and ravaged the Imperial army with a terrible curse. But
the Twins’ power stripped him of his dark sorcery, and the Holy Order brought him
down. The book within this cage contains his sinister spells.
What the inquisitor says seems unbelievable. The books you have read say that all
of Milanidas’s relics were destroyed!\nHe explains, however.\nApparently the book
was utterly impossible to immolate. Even with the Gods’ divine aid, the countless
raging pyres it was subjected to could only blacken the pages with ash, but not
destroy them. The dark magic remains within the book, preserving its blasphemous
sorcery.
But the book alone was not enough. The Rebellious Duke turned his very land into a
weapon — by destroying it.\nThe Holy Order — the Swords of the Twins — surrounded
Milanidas’s forces along with the Imperial army. Their victories were numerous, for
true faith guided them towards the city of Anizotte.
With no other way to prolong the war and nourish his magical powers, the Rebellious
Duke squeezed all life from the land of Magra and transformed it into dark
sorcery.\nAnd so the province of Magra ruled by Char Milanidas became an infertile
desert during that war.\nThe people of Milanidas began dying from sickness and
famine, and many fled to the neighboring lands.
Yet this evil act did little to stop the Twins’ true believers. By the prayer of
the priests, the Gods took away the dark magic of Char Milanidas and dispelled the
accursed sorcery he had wrought.
The Holy Order dealt swiftly with the remnants of Milanidas’s army, while the
Inquisition captured all the mages and witches hiding in Anizotte.\nChar Milanidas
himself was executed as an oathbreaker possessed by heresy who had destroyed the
fertile lands of Magra and starved thousands of his subjects to death.
“Be wary of magic, for magic is an ungodly power that distorts and plagues all it
touches and so must be eradicated,” the Inquisitor concludes.
These words seem to affect Jeanne deeply. She turns pale and walks out of the room
containing the encaged book. You thank the priest for his story and follow her.\
nYou find the poor girl sitting on a bench in the park by the Temple, her face
hidden in her arms.\nYou lightly tap her on the shoulder and ask what is troubling
her.
“I’m… when I came to Eterna, I wasn’t alone, you know… I had… a friend, almost a
sister… her name is Aylis. I had one goal here: to serve the Twins, but she… she
wanted to be an actress…”
“I argued against it, told her that acting was in defiance of her Lot, but Aylis
wouldn’t listen. She’s performing in taverns now, and in markets on holidays… I
went to one of her performances once — just the other day, in fact…
“And I saw her eyes glowing yellow! Every time her eyes flashed, the people would
applaud her! She’s not just defying the Lot — she’s using magic. Aylis is
practicing the dark arts, confounding people’s minds with sorcery!
“I was far enough away, her spell didn’t reach me. I… I want to… but I can’t tell
the Inquisition about her! Aylis is my only real friend in the world… and she’s a
witch! I don’t know what to do!”
Jeanne’s shoulders tremble with anxiety. Her brown eyes are red with tears as she
looks at you, hoping for guidance that will save her from error.\nWhat do you tell
Jeanne?
Tell no one about Aylis
Inform the Inquisition
Guide your friend to the right path
The Twins are Law, and yet the Twins are Love as well. It would be best to give
Jeanne’s friend a chance to reconcile with the Twins on her own.
Those who wield magic are dangerous — they must be kept away from people!
You convince Jeanne to give counsel to her friend and guide her to the right path.
Jeanne is not a priestess yet, but this is her sacred duty nevertheless.
You look away from Jeanne and ask her a question: does she feel any evil in Aylis’s
heart? Would she ever use that power to harm others?\nJeanne shakes her head. No,
Aylis would never do that. But what will she face in the hereafter, how will she be
judged?\nIf this is true, you say, then there is no need for the Inquisition.
“Why do you say that?”
Because your friend is no Char Milanidas, you say. She is not killing the land, she
is not defying the Gods-chosen order, she is not starving thousands. \nAnd she will
never harm others.
If Aylis remains free, she will have a choice: a choice to willingly reject her
accursed power and accept the Lot she was dealt. \nBut if the Inquisition finds
her, she will be stripped of her Lot and turned into a limp mockery of a human
bound in a silver collar. She will never find her way to the Twins in the House of
Humility.
“How dare you say such a thing?! This is heresy! The Twins abhor all magic!”
The Twins gave people the Lots, you say, and they gave them the will to live their
lives. The Younger shall meet us all in the hereafter, and every decision shall be
judged.\nThe mages have their own burden to bear, their own trial to overcome, and
that trial is their power. They must overcome it, or fail and face punishment at
the Foot of the Pillar.
Jeanne leaps to her feet, anger burning in her tearful eyes.
“And what if the Inquisition finds her? They’ll burn her at the stake! And then
what?!”
Before that happens, Jeanne should talk to her friend and explain her situation,
you say. \nJeanne must take care of her, and teach her how to hide her power. The
best way for a witch to stay alive would be to flee Eterna and join a traveling
troupe.
Jeanne thanks you. Her voice rings with calm confidence now.\nShe sees that firm
faith does not mean zealous dogmatism, you realize. She has had to break the law
for the sake of love.\nThe Twins are Law, yet the Twins are also Love.
You get closer to Jeanne and speak to her calmly and confidently.\nThe Twins abhor
all magic, you say, and so every mage or witch must wear a collar to keep
temptation at bay and entrust their power, body, and life to the Inquisition.
And should they refuse, you continue, then the witch must be purified by flame in
the sacred ritual so that the earthly world can be purged of sorcerous blood. So
says the decree of Emperor Eric Tempest II.\nYou look straight at Jeanne as you say
these words.
Jeanne drop her arms from her face and straightens herself.
“You’re right… I almost allowed my feelings of love to distort my mind, as well as
my faith in the Twins and their Law.
“I need your help. I want to convince Aylis to go to the Inquisition of her own
volition. If she doesn’t, they’ll burn her for sure…”
You promise to help her.\nThe following evening you go to the Three Jugs Tavern,
where Jeanne’s friend Aylis performs.
The hall is full of people. Many of them are here to hear the Golden Voice, as she
is known among her fans. The people around you appear carefree, chatting before the
performance. Jeanne is nowhere to be seen.
The performance should begin any minute, but it does not. Growing anxious, you walk
backstage and catch the sound of a familiar voice.
“Don’t make an even bigger mistake, please! You’ve got to understand — I just want
to help you. You’ll face eternal torment at the Foot of the Pillar if you don’t
change your mind… how do you not understand this?”
“I am a witch, but it was never my choice. What choice do I have now? Be burnt at
the stake by the Inquisition or become their mindless, collared puppet? All for a
dubious chance to spend the hereafter on the Peak?
“No, I want to live my life my way, here and now! I want to enjoy this world and
all the gifts it gives. I want to make people happy and bring them joy!
“And if it costs me an eternity of bliss when it ends, then that’s the price I’m
willing to pay. But please, I’m begging you, do not take this life away from me. I
have nothing else but this. It’s the will of the Twins that I was made like this,
Jeanne. No one can change it!”
“Forgive me… I love you, but I will never accept what you’re saying.”
“Then forgive me too.”
You swing the door open and barge into the small dressing room. A luxuriously-
dressed young woman with golden hair looks at you in fear. Her eyes are glowing
with golden light. \nJeanne is held by two of the tavern’s manservants. Their eyes
are blank and emotionless.
“Get him!”
The two men let Jeanne go and lunge at you.\nOne of them is holding a kitchen
knife. The other is unarmed, but he reaches you first.\nHe slugs you so hard, your
legs buckle, and both of you roll out of the tiny room.\nHis hands lock onto your
throat.\nYou punch him in the face again and again, but he does not seem to notice
your blows at all.
You stop punching and start rummaging around in search of something, anything.\
nYour fingers clutch at the neck of an empty wine bottle.\nYou strike — the bottle
is sturdier than you thought. \nYou strike again. The bottle is still in one piece,
but the same cannot be said of your enemy’s head.\nBlood is dripping from a fresh
cut onto your face. Slowly, the man falls on top of you, now a heavy, immovable
burden.
You notice the other manservant out of the corner of your eye. He is coming toward
you, his knife at the ready, no emotion in his soulless eyes. \nYou are doing all
you can to get out from under the heavy body, but to no avail.\nThe blade rises
over your face…
And then the manservant stops.\nHe squints and shakes his head, as if awakening
from a bad dream.\nThe knife falls to the floor as he clutches his head and
stumbles to the side.\nYou finally manage to throw the defeated opponent off of
yourself and get back on your feet.
Jeanne is standing in the dressing room, holding a brass jewelry box. \nAylis is at
her feet, collapsed, her arms splayed out and her head twisted unnaturally. The
mess of golden hair is scattered across the floor, soaking in a small puddle of
blood beneath her pretty head.
“This was a mistake. We should’ve told the Inquisition.
“My doubt nearly cost us our lives. I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
A few days later, you see Jeanne accompanied by three inquisitors.\nWith them is
Aylis, bound in chains and locked into a silver collar.\nJeanne nods to you as they
pass by.
You head for the prayer room. \nTwo days ago you and Jeanne had to fight for your
lives. Was this waging war? Did you defy your Lot? How will the Younger judge you
for your actions in the hereafter? \nWhat awaits you after your true death?
You put your hand in Jeanne’s, just as you did on that day in Anizotte under the
Silver Tree.\nShe is a little startled. She looks at your hand, and then into your
eyes.
She cannot take away her friend’s magic, you say, and if she tells the Inquisition,
she will lose someone she loves.\nPerhaps it would be best to speak with her friend
and guide her to the true path like a priestess would and hope that the girl can
see the error of her ways and make the right decision.
Jeanne is not wearing the cassock yet, but for the sake of her friend’s life and
soul, she must act like a priestess.
Jeanne wipes away her tears as she looks at you — first with distrust, then with a
hint of a smile.
“But… don’t you think I’d be defying my Lot by doing this?”
You shake your head.\nThe two of you no longer have to work or suffer like
commoners, you say. You already live under the Lot of the clergy here at the
Seminary. Guiding souls to the true path is already your duty.\nShe withdraws her
hand from yours carefully, then wipes away the tears and fixes her hair.
“You’re… you’re right. I’m sorry for being so weak. I shall act as befits a true
priestess.”
You sit on the bench under the tree with her for quite some time, discussing how
the Will of the Twins is changing the world — through the Silver Tree of Anizotte,
magic will soon be gone from this world. \nAnd when the mages are no more, the
Twins’ sacred wonders of order and purity are all that will remain.
Jeanne is smiling now. Her tears have dried. \nThis discussion brings you peace —
just like the one beneath the Silver Tree.
Jeanne does not mention her friend again.\nSeveral days later, you ask her about
Aylis.
“I managed to guide her back to her Lot. She’s back in Anizotte now. She’s going to
work and suffer as her Lot demands.\nI’m happy for her, but it’s a shame our
friendship seems to have come to an end.”
As you think about this, you realize something: you also guided Jeanne herself
towards her Lot on the bench that fateful day.\nIs she aware of this?
Before the March
The ranks of the Lotless are growing steadily now.\nIt’s getting harder and harder
to breathe in your makeshift meeting hall. People are coming from all across
Eterna. Most of them are commoners — laborers, craftsmen, eager students…\nAnd all
of them feel that the social order based on the Lots is out of date.
They are always discussing this, both at the major meetings and one on one. How can
you change society without taking up arms? How can you defend those who suffer at
the nobles’ hands?\nYou write several articles for a newspaper that is sympathetic
to your cause. You cover the pages of the Imperial Sunrise with freedom-loving
ideas — but before your words reach the printed page, you let Sophia read them.
“I like your articles — they really sting! They burn with genuine fervor and true
audacity. And, most importantly, you’ve been calling for action more and more.\
n“Our cause is just, and I know it well — but your words light a fire in men’s
hearts. They bring hope for change. I’d never be able to do this without you,
Brante.\n“Thank you.”
It’s time for another meeting of the Lotless.\nSophia calms the crowd before she
begins.
“My friends, it’s time for us to act. We are strong! We are united! We are many!
Our cause is just!”
Her words are met with cries of support, and your voice joins them.\nSophia smiles,
but there is still a hard, controlled edge in her eyes.
“One month from now, the Empire will hold the Ritual of Purification in Saint
Ignatius Square. Mages and witches who refused to repent and wear collars will be
murdered in a public execution. The church is preparing carefully for this. \n“But
these witches never asked for this. They were branded at birth. Our Lot is to
suffer, but theirs is something far worse.
“The Inquisition’s collar takes away everything: your family, your estate, your
free, your will… a mage becomes a weapon for the Inquisition. They are stripped of
their Lot and place in this world. Mages are the true Lotless. \n“A witch’s collar
is the worst prison of all. We must set them free! Their freedom will mark the
beginning of freedom for the entire Empire.”
The cries of approval die down, replaced by a growing mumble of confusion. Nobody
in the room wants to openly defy the Inquisition.\nSophia raises her hand, her eyes
glinting in the reflected golden candlelight.\nThe room falls silent.
“We are not going to wage war against the Inquisition. What we are going to do is
hold a march — a march to support the mages.\n“This will be our statement. We will
seek the support of Patriarch Junius Diamant! He says that those who wield magic
have the same rights as anyone else in the Empire. He seeks to give mages the
freedom to find their own way to the Twins.\n“We are going to show the patriarch
that we have heard his words and are ready to openly heed his call.
“I am a mage myself. He took off my collar and allowed me to choose my own path. I
am going to give every mage and witch the same chance.\nNobody ever chooses to be
born with magic, but mages have the right to choose to abandon their power and
follow the Twins.\nOur cause is just!”
Sophia lets the others speak their mind.\nSome fully support the March.\nOthers
hesitate, unsure of what to do.\nThere is also a small group of people who reject
the idea outright.\nMagic is evil, they say. Witches are dangerous. Supporting
witches means defying the Twins.
Sophia leans over them. Angry sparks dance in her eyes.
“I am a witch, and yet you followed me. You chose to trust me. There’s no time left
for doubt.\n“If you are not ready to walk this road, it would be best for you to
leave the Lotless right away.”
Several people leave the hall, some of them ashamed, others grim. \nThey all get a
parting message from Sophia. Her cry rings through the basement and out onto the
street.
“You will tell them nothing!”
Everyone else grows quiet. This is the first time anyone has seen the leader of the
Lotless shout like that… \nSophia drops back into her chair and asks everyone
except for you and three others to leave.\nYou know these three Lotless — Sophia
uses them for special assignments.\nYou get ready to hear what she has to say.
“The goal of our March is to get Junius Diamant’s attention. We need his patronage.
It is essential that he hear about us and support our movement. Without his aid and
influence, our fight is doomed.”
With that, Sophia starts giving orders. \nShe sends a young man to get collars,
tells a lively girl to gather people and prepare banners, and instructs a lean
Legion soldier to plan out the shortest route and the best location to begin the
March.\nThen Sophia dismisses them. It is only the two of you now.
The basement room you use as a meeting hall grows empty and quiet, and you finally
notice how tiny and exhausted Sophia looks. Dark rings encircle her eyes, and her
skin is gray as parchment. She works so hard for your sake.\nAfter a moment of
quiet, Sophia speaks to you about the Imperial Legion.
“I don’t want to scare the others too soon, but I think you know what I’m going to
say. If they have trained legionnaires guarding the square instead of prefecture
gendarmes, the soldiers won’t stand on ceremony. Some people might die during this
March.”
You spend half the night planning escape routes in case you have to run for your
lives.\nBy the time the plan is finally ready, both of you are on the verge of
nodding off.\nThere is one more thing Sophia wants to discuss, however.
“Many people have joined the Lotless over the past few weeks, but we still don’t
have enough members.\n“We need to attract other people on the streets in order to
make our March stronger. People need to see that we aren’t just misfits.”
Sophia has two ideas for attracting more people to the March, but you only have
enough time to implement one of them.\nYou could call upon the commoners who
support the doctrine of Patriarch Fotis to join the March.\nPlenty of people in
Eterna had to suffer at the hands of the Inquisition back when the New Faith first
emerged. Those who rejected the Lots were treated like heretics and punished
accordingly.
Alternatively, you could seek support from the clergy and the nobles — even among
them, many have relatives and friends who have suffered at the hands of the
Inquisition.
Sophia looks up from her papers. The circles around her eyes are even darker now.
She is barely reacting to the world around her.\nShe is but a shadow of the
confident young leader of the Lotless you saw speak at the meeting.\nShe lights her
pipe and throws herself back into her chair, her eyes half-lidded, looking utterly
exhausted.\nIt seems this decision is yours.
Mobilize the commoners
Mobilize the nobles and the clergy
Show Sophia your support
You agree to mobilize the lowborn estate for the March.
You decide to mobilize nobles and priests who have suffered at the hands of the
Inquisition.
You put work aside in order to help Sophia regain her strength.
You spend more time writing a list of people who have not joined the Lotless, but
are determined and reliable enough to support the March.\nSophia rejects some of
the names outright
“I don’t trust that Moreno. He’s friendly with many of the Lotless, but I’ve never
seen him support our cause in a debate. Visser’s out too — he was in the square
during the College siege, but turned away as if he didn’t know us.”
You compose the invitations for the March, carefully crafting each individual
letter. Some families have lost people; some have seen people collared and taken to
the House of Humility; some have seen friends executed for heresy; some have been
punished for slandering the Church and the Twins. \nEach name, each family, each
story makes you more horrified by the Inquisition’s acts. You realize the extent of
Sophia’s truth.\nOur cause is indeed just.
You finish only in the small hours of the night. Sophia has barely enough strength
left to smile as you say good night.
“Go get some sleep, Brante. There won’t be much time for that in the weeks to
come.”
You watch her disappear down the dark streets of Eterna, amazed at how strong she
is.\nA few years ago, she was just an ordinary girl next door…
You spend more time writing a list of people who might show support for the cause
of the Lotless.\nYou compose the invitations for the March, carefully crafting each
individual letter.\nYou only choose priests who have criticized the Lots or sided
with Patriarch Junius at least once. \nAs for the nobles, you only choose those who
lost family members accused of sorcery. There are only a few of them.
It takes you and Sophia until early morning to slowly gather information about the
arrests of nobles accused of sorcery.\nSophia rejects some of the names outright.
“I don’t trust that Fabre. His brother got executed, sure, but everybody knows they
were never on good terms.\n“Levett’s out too — he spoke in support of Patriarch
Junius, but he’ll never march with the lowborn.”
You agree — the March must succeed, even if it means sending out a few fewer
invitations.\nSophia has barely enough strength left to smile as you say good night
at dawn.
You watch her walk away in the morning light, amazed at how strong she is.\nA few
years ago, she was just an ordinary girl next door…
Sophia smokes her pipe, sending rings of smoke flying through the room, thinking.\
nYou look around and notice a half-empty bottle of wine, likely left behind by one
of the Lotless.\nIt doesn’t take too long to find a somewhat clean mug and pour
some wine in it for Sophia.\nThen you find another and pour some for yourself.
Sophia glances at the mug of wine on the table, then at you.\nA little smile
appears on her face, almost imperceptibly. For one brief second, she is the same
girl from Anizotte you used to know, with the sun shining in her eyes — but her
smile almost immediately gives way to grief.\nShe takes a sip of the wine and
winces. You try yours — this wine has gone sour.
“Thanks. That was very… thoughtful of you.\n“I’m glad you’re here. Every day I
realize more and more that I made the right choice. I’d never be able to do this
without you.”
She takes another sip, looking more and more relaxed now.\nYou say you are also
happy to be one of the Lotless. Going against your parents’ wishes to find your own
way was the right decision.\nSophia lets herself assume a slightly more comfortable
pose in the chair and smile a little bit more.
“You could’ve been whatever you wanted, but you chose to join us. That’s… brave, if
I do say so. We’d be enemies right now had you followed in your father’s
footsteps…”
Her face grows grim.
“Those who take by force and oppress and extort us should never rule. We shouldn’t
be the ones suffering because of them. It’s all wrong! You know, I still have
nightmares about it…”
Sophia’s voice trails off suddenly, and you understand what she is talking about.\
nDistant memories flash before your eyes. The street shaking under the thundering
hooves, screams and cries. Dogs barking, the arrogant Arknian barking orders,
sparks of gold…
You look away, burning with guilt.\nSophia laughs ever so quietly.
“Don’t blame yourself for that. It’s the world, not you.”
Sophia leans in closer, so close you can smell tobacco and wine.\nHer face is so
near — and her lips are right by your ear…
“And we have to change it.”
She leans back and downs her wine.
“It’s late. Go get yourself some sleep — I’ll finish this on my own.”
The two of you go outside and say good night. You watch her walk away, wondering if
she’s really as strong as she looks, or just really good at playing the part.
The First Case
You will become a judge one day, so you are sent to the Prefecture of Eterna to be
mentored by a more experienced colleague.\nYour mentor is a judge of considerable
age, a noble of the Mantle with a proud bearing about him. He never misses a chance
to remind you that being mentored by such an experienced man of office is a great
honor.\nYour mentor entrusts you with his minor cases, and — to his great joy — his
night shift.
Another night begins. The office is growing darker.\nYou are still there, zealously
filling out the paperwork for the day.
A petty theft… a verbal assault against a noble of the Sword by a commoner… a fine
for the parents of children who covered an Imperial institution with obscene
drawings…\nPetty cases, all of them — but they are real cases a judge has to face.
And so you sit there, carefully comparing complaints, statements, and witness
testimony.
Then the door of your office swings open.\nA gendarme drags in a provocatively-
dressed girl. Her golden hair is undone, and her makeup is a fiery red. \nGirls
like her sell their bodies in houses of ill repute.
The next to enter the office is a stout priest, his face adorned by a nose of a
remarkable shape and a huge wart on his cheek.\nYou do your best to avoid starting
at it.
The gendarme gives his report: the girl was arrested with a certain gentleman in
the park by the temple of the Twins. They were commuting acts of carnality — an
affront to the Faith!\nThe huffing and puffing priest interrupts him and starts
yelling: he saw her doing magic, he did — the gentleman was enthralled by the girl,
and he was glowing like a lamppost!
You gesture for the priest to stay quiet and ask if the gendarme can prove this.
The gendarme only shrugs: he didn’t see anyone glowing.\nHe arrested the girl for
her sacrilegious conduct alone — the man in her company was a noble, so the
gendarme couldn’t bring himself to arrest him.\nHe does, however, remember his
name.
The priest is huffing and puffing even louder now.\nIt was magic, he screams — you
must refer this case to the Inquisition! This witch was loose on the streets of the
Empire’s illustrious capital, seducing good men with her vile charms!
The girl stays quiet all the while. Her eyes are emerald green, twinkling with gold
as she looks at you.\nWhen she does speak, her voice is soft, like smooth velvet.
“My name is Aylis, your honor. All I did was obey the noble gentleman’s wish. He
wanted my affection, right by the temple, and I dared not oppose him. I did not
defy my Lot, did I?”
The wench looks up and meet your gaze as she says these words. Her eyes reflect the
candlelight in the dusk, sending sparks of gold dancing across the walls.\nThe
gendarme stands awkwardly by the door, sighing. The priest goes off on another
rant. You tell him to be quiet.\nThe day is not over yet. You must decide how to
resolve this unusual case on your own.
The law says a judge must investigate all circumstances related to a case.\nYou
know the name of the nobleman who was seen with this girl in the throes of passion.
The gendarme was afraid to question him, but you are a future nobleman yourself, a
young judge.\nSurely you can find a way to resolve this matter with discretion and
get the information you need from the nobleman.
But perhaps this suspicious lady of evening Aylis is at the heart of the matter.
You have no doubt she will reveal her true colors if you question her.\nIf the
priest was right about her using magic, the girl’s fate is sealed.
“Your honor…”\n
You look up from your desk and into the eyes of the beautiful Aylis, and you
suddenly feel as though a divine light is shining upon you. This emotion flows like
a river, it lifts you up… this is more than beauty, more than passion — this is
much, much more…\nWill you resist this call, or will you heed it?
Find the nobleman
Interrogate Aylis
Release Aylis
You find the nobleman who was allegedly in Aylis’s company and question him
delicately about the incident.
Something is off about this streetwalker. You have to find the truth, even if it is
the last thing you do in this life.
This girl must not end up in chains — you will find a legal way to free her.
You tell the gendarme to take the girl to a holding cell.\nHer eyes are filled with
chagrin and pity as the man takes her away.
You compose a polite and thorough letter to Sir Diego El Catoir, the nobleman seen
with the girl in question. \nYou delicately hint that his reputation will be safe
and promise full confidentiality.
When you come to the office the next morning you see a nervous young nobleman
waiting at the door. “You must be Judge Brante,” he says.\nYou meet Sir El Catoir
with a dignified greeting and start questioning him on the case of Aylis the
harlot.\nIs it true that the two of them ended up in the temple park because this
was Sir El Catoir’s wish?
He says he barely remembers last night. He was quite inebriated and determined to
have a good time. \nHe spotted Aylis by accident — she was standing under a lamp
post by the temple. As for the temple park, he does not quite remember why they
ended up there.
You take his statement in accordance with established procedure. \nNext question:
would Sir El Catoir say his mind was clouded by the young woman?
The nobleman turns red. He asks quietly, “Haven’t you seen the lass yourself, Sir
Brante? How could anyone ignore her?”\nStill, you ask, was there anything
suspicious about her?
He speaks slowly. Yes… it was as though she could see his every desire, and he was
happy beyond measure in her embrace. It felt like the Gods themselves were smiling
at him, Sir El Catoir…\nAnd yet… perhaps it was merely the wine and her beauty, and
nothing else…
You thank the young nobleman for his honesty and promise to keep his statement a
carefully-guarded secret.
You sentence the harlot to two days in a pillory for defiling a place of worship
with her depravity.\nYou find no reason to refer Aylis to the Inquisition, however.
You write “case closed” on Aylis’s file and put it in the archives.
You dismiss the priest and gendarme and begin questioning Aylis. \nYou are alone
with the harlot now.\nShe traces lines on your table absentmindedly with her
finger.\nHer dress still reflects the candlelight, scattering it into golden specks
across the walls of the office.
You sense something unnatural in these sparks of gold…
You have seen these sparks before, once, as a youth. You recall a sunset in
Anizotte… an abandoned house… and Sophia’s deep blue eyes…\nYou cannot help but
share the priest’s concerns.
The questioning begins.\nYou ask Aylis how she makes a living.
“Your honor, my dream is to become an actress and join the Imperial Theater. But I
am just a poor girl of low birth… how else am I supposed to earn my keep?”
Her trade is none of your concern, you explain.\nHowever, engaging in depravity
next to a holy site is an affront to the Twins.
Aylis smiles craftily, and fire flashes in her eyes.\nThe light in her eyes
beckons, promising to take you somewhere far away…\nYou quietly pray to the Younger
to deliver you from this temptation for the sake of justice.
“An affront to the Gods? On the contrary, your honor! I serve the Twins. Their Love
flows within me. And I grant it to anyone who asks!”
Aylis rises from her chair, licensed. She is glowing — literally. The light
emanating from her is now bright enough to illuminate the entire room.
“This is neither my vice nor my folly, your honor! It was the Twins’ will that I be
born this way.\nI do not control people. I do not cloud their minds. All I do with
my gift is help them feel the Love of our Gods, which they have forgotten.
“And the Gods Themselves bless me for this! Had the Twins hated magic as much as
the Inquisition pretends, They would have never allowed me to be born.”
This is a confession. Aylis is a witch!\nDoes she not realize the fate that must
await all witches?
“Yes, I was born a witch! What am I supposed to do, your honor? Get myself burned
at the stake by the Inquisition or become their mindless, collared puppet? Is that
how I’m supposed to find my way to the Peak? \n“No! I will live my life my way, and
if the Twins judge me guilty in the hereafter for bringing their Love to the
people, then so be it!”
The case is closed. The girl is a witch who uses her sorcery to beguile the mind.
She confessed as much herself.\nYou must send for the Inquisition now. There is no
other way. Such is the Law.
“I hoped you could see it, Sir Brante… I hoped you could recognize their Love when
it touches you. I feel sorry for you.”
Stern-looking priests enter your office accompanied by armed Champions of Faith.
The inquisitors examine the girl closely, study your notes, and thank you for
catching the witch.\nThe Champions of Faith lock a collar around Aylis’s neck.\nThe
golden glow in her eyes is gone.
Three days later, pretty Aylis is burned at the stake in Majesty Square.
You dismiss the gendarme and priest and tell them you will take it from here.\nYou
are alone with Aylis now. Flecks of gold dance in her eyes, beckoning, calling for
you to immerse yourself in their light.
You feel your lips open almost on their own, saying the only words that feel right
at this moment. \nYou will not open a case against her. It would be a waste of time
and effort. She is free to go.
She looks straight into your eyes now. Her gaze feels warm and soothing.
“Would you come with me then, your honor?”
You comply and guide the lady of the evening through the halls of the prefecture.
It does not even occur to you to argue with her.\nThe two of you emerge from the
building. You start to shiver from the cold night wind. Aylis is wearing only a
thin dress. How is she not freezing in this weather?
“The Twins’ Love keeps me warm.”
With a smile, Aylis places her finger on your chest, as though showing where this
Love resides.\nEven through your jacket you can feel the warmth emanating from her.
It is more than human warmth — something more, something greater, something
higher.\nHer lips gently touch yours.
You do not recall how you ended up in a room at the nearest inn.\nAylis slides the
dress off her shoulders smoothly and easily, like a snakeskin, while you fumble out
of your clothes. \nThe bed beckons. Your bodies intertwine. The taste of her lips
is intoxicating. But you know, you feel that this is more than just a union of two
bodies.
Aylis places her fingers on your head and guides your gaze towards her eyes, and
you are filled with love, the very Love you have known ever since the moment of
your birth. This is true Love, pure Love, a Love that cannot be imitated…\nThis is
precisely who the Twins created you to be.
All doubts, all worries are gone now.\nYou are immolated in this golden, loving
glow; the utter joy is so intense, it almost tears you apart.
You do not sleep that night, yet you do not feel tired in the morning. On the
contrary, there is a perfect clarity about your mind and a fresh spring in your
step.\nAylis the harlot is asleep beside you, her golden hair strewn across the
pillow.\nYou quietly place her pay on the bedside table and look at her one last
time before closing the door softly behind you.
Matters of Faith
The months fly by now. Every day at the Seminary is filled with study and work. You
are being trained to live by your new Lot.\nThere can be no rest from service to
the Twins.
You are well acquainted with your instructors now, and with each passing day you
come closer to being their equal.\nEvery month you and your class learn more about
the sacred scriptures, and the life and routine of the Church, and how to guide
others to live by their Lots.
You learn about the founding of the Church and the Three Councils at which the
Twins’ first disciples first established the dogmas of the Faith.\nWhen the First
Council met, they pronounced that the Twins’ Faith would be the only Faith
throughout the Empire for all eternity and that the Tempest dynasty would rule the
land by Their Will, for they were chosen by the Gods.
The First Council also condemned all magic within the Empire other than the wonders
sent down by the Twins Themselves. \nThe Inquisition was created to enforce the
order established by the Twins and cleanse all heresy and sorcery from hearts,
minds, and bodies.\nMages and witches were offered two choices: they could either
accept the collar and reject their powers, or perish in the ritual of purifying
flame.
When the Second Council met, the Holy Order was founded. It became the mighty sword
wielded by the Church against its enemies. \nNobles who sought to serve the Twins
with their arms formed the ranks of this Order.
When the Third Council met, the two books of Prophet Isatius and the accounts of
the Twins’ own lives were deemed the sacred scriptures of the Faith.\nIt was then
pronounced that no more Councils would ever be convened so that the foundations of
the Faith could never be warped.
The main dogmas of the Faith are the same for everyone. However, the Seminary
students prepare for the Lot that lies ahead in different ways. \nSome of them
study the scriptures, spending hours at the Temple every day, attending every
sermon, and mastering the art of preaching.\nJeanne often appears among their
ranks.\nThese “preachers” ardently follow the age-old traditions and dogmas, doing
everything just as it was done hundreds years ago.
Others — you call them “supplicants” — rarely attend sermons, but spend plenty of
time in prayer rooms and temples and by the altars.\nYou know these supplicants are
seeking the Twins within themselves and looking for them in the signs and
revelations they experience.
There are still others who are never seen during sermons or in prayer rooms.\nYou
only see them during lessons, and when a lesson is over, they cross the gate of the
Seminary and disappear into the city, often waking you up when they return in the
small hours of the night.
“The Secret Society,” you call these students who are clearly united by a shared
mystery.\nThere are only a handful of them. When they meet, they sit at the same
table and speak in hushed whispers, falling silent if anyone tries to approach
them.
You have not joined any of these groups yourself. For now, you spend your days and
nights in study.\nToday is yet another ordinary days at the Seminary. You sit in
the common room, reading a book, when Jeanne approaches you.
“Why are you always alone with your books? You should learn from your elders and
attend sermons if you hope to walk the path of a priest. We can go to the next
sermon together if you wish.”
You promise to consider her offer.\nAs priests, you will be bound by the Lot to the
Will of the Twins, not the will of your instructors.\nStill, the Will of the Twins
is a mystery, and their revelations are ever involute… come to think of it,
learning from senior priests and studying their habits might be the best way to
understand your Lot.
Lost in thought, you look at the enigmatic handful of students sitting in the
faraway corner of the hall. What mystery are they hiding? What path have they
chosen to walk?
You need to decide what to do next. \nOne way or another, Jeanne is right — your
books will never do your preaching for you.
Join the preachers
Search for the divine within yourself
Infiltrate the secret society
You begin attending sermons and learning how to preach.
You begin praying more often, calling out to the Twins, striving to learn more
about their wisdom and partaking of their Will, Love, and Law.
You grow closer to the enigmatic group of Seminary students, hoping to learn their
secrets.
The bell summons everyone to the evening sermon.\nYou step inside the Temple and
walk toward the great hall, where you spot Jeanne among the crowd of students.\nThe
group of students nod to you. Jeanne smiles brightly when she sees you.
Together with the others, you hang on the preacher’s every word, repeat the
scriptural passages he cites, and pray with the other students.\nAfter dinner, your
group assembles in the Seminary yard.\nJeanne looks at you inquisitively.
“We’re all testing ourselves, seeing if we can preach on our own. You’ll never
succeed if you never try.\n“How about you try preaching to us? Let’s see how you
preach a sermon of blessing!”
You spend several minutes mentally preparing, then begin to speak.\nYou aren’t
especially nervous, but maintaining a proper cadence and intonation turns out to be
quite difficult. Every word you say must serve to guide others to live by their
Lot.\nThis turns out to be harder than it seems.
You describe your first encounter with the Silver Tree — how its majesty left an
impression on you, how you later read about the same impression from many books
written by others, how you realized the greatness of this gift from the Twins to
the people.\nYour “congregation” reacts with quiet approval. You first sermon seems
to have gone rather well.
As the days go by, preaching to the crowd gets easier.\nYou see the sermons at the
Temple in a different light now, taking note of the figures of speech, the changes
in tone, the reactions from the congregation, writing down the priests’ most
crucial expressions.\nThese realizations combine with everything you else have
learned at the Seminary, and together they coalesce into speeches and sermons that
can inspire and motivate.
In addition, as you learn to cite the sacred scriptures by heart, you see your
memory improve and your thinking become more regimented.\nYour words, thoughts, and
actions become more pure, more sincere.
At the same time, a strange feeling grows in you.\nEvery day is a walk along the
same path, a repetition of the same words.\nEach new sermon that you give seems to
bind you more and more.
It feels like you are always being watched now, watched closely by an intense,
implacable gaze.
The sun is setting. You head for a prayer room instead of the sermon. You kneel
before the holy image of the Older and the Younger and begin to pray.\nYou say all
the words you wish to tell the Twins — not quoting from the holy scriptures, but
straight from the heart.
You guide your mind and soul to reach the Gods; you strive to sense the
imperceptible connection that binds you to the addressee of your words.\nFrom that
evening on, you start praying more often.
Every day you guide your thoughts to the Twins, and before you know it, every
minute of your life becomes a living conversation with the Gods.\nA love for the
world and your cause and every being fills your body and mind.\nThe Twins are
indeed around us, and They fill you with Their grace.
During these moments, all questions disappear, and only answers remain.\nYou see
the founding principles of the world, and the Law that guides all life in the
Empire; you understand the ways of other Lots and estates and realize their
weaknesses and the guidance they require.\nYou see how matters of honor can come to
lead a noble away from the truth and how perspicacity in one’s labor and a desire
for change can drive a commoner away from the Twins’ Faith.
The Twins inspire you, and with every prayer, you immerse yourself more and more in
their Will and Love and Law. \nWith every passing day the divine presence within
you grows ever stronger, while your mortal self grows ever weaker.\nHow far are you
prepared to take your service to Them?\nAre you ready to allow the Twins to consume
you completely?\nWill you allow Their Will to supplant your own?
Sermons and prayers are something you already know. Right now you would rather
learn something else, something new.
For several days in a row you attempt to take a seat near the enigmatic Seminary
students. They eye you with suspicion and avoid you every time.
When you realize that this approach is not working, you try to ingratiate yourself
with the member who seems most eager to talk.\nYou inquire about their secret
meetings and promise to keep what he tells you a secret.\nHe tells you nothing, but
he does say that he will consult with the other members of the “society.”
Several days later, one of the enigmatic students nonchalantly invites you to take
a walk with him and the others.\nYou nod.\nYou are strongly warned that everything
that happens there must remain a secret.\nYou swear not to tell a soul.
You are going to a sermon, one of the students whispers in your ear as you walk the
streets of Eterna. But, he adds with a crafty smile, you have never heard a sermon
like this before — it will turn vision of the Twins upside down!\nIn the end,
curiosity gets the better of your doubts.
The students lead you to the basement of a lavishly decorated house.\nThere are at
least fifty more people in the basement hall, many of them dressed in the latest
fashion.\nYou can even see College students among the crowd.\nThey are all waiting
for someone…
Finally, a stout man with a bald spot walks up to the pulpit. He is wearing a
cassock, but you notice that he is not wearing the Twins’ cross.\nHe seems good-
natured enough. His plain face is lit up by a serene smile.
“Greetings, brethren! It warms my heart to see new faces here. My name is Father
Mark, and I say to you: reject the Twins! Cast them aside!”
For a moment, there is silence. \nYou look at Brother Mark in terror, then at the
Seminary students who brought you here, then back at him again. The other students
are staring at the false priest with what can only be described as adoration.
“The truth is that there is no difference between eternal bliss and eternal
suffering. We will be deprived of our will in the hereafter, deprived of our very
selves, immersed within the Will of the Twins. \n“There will be no ‘we’ in the
hereafter. Our existence and our freedom exist only in the here and now. We exist
only so long as we live in this world.
“If we resign ourselves to the Lots — if we resign our lives to the Will of the
Twins — we willing deprive ourselves of our one chance to live, even in the short
time we are allotted!\n“We can only be our true selves and live our lives to the
fullest if we reject the Gods and cast away the burden of the Lots.
“Life is short, and so we must strive to do everything before it ends. There will
be no desires after the Gods judge us, nor will there be any way to fulfill them in
the hereafter, for we will have no will of our own.\n“Our will exists only now. So
focus on worldly life, my brethren!\n“Reject the divine Law, and write your own law
here in this world!”
Fother Mark’s speech is long — very, very long — and his mellow expression never
changes.\nThis man is a heretic, yet everybody admires him so much!\nAfter some
time, you start thinking there might be a kernel of truth in what he is saying.
Every person lives their life bound — by their Lot, by tradition, by duty, by
honor… your entire life is predetermined, whether you like it or not, and an
opportunity to cast off this burden and seek a different way feels fascinating,
even thrilling.
Father Mark is a splendid orator.\nHis words are simple and powerful, and none of
them ever fall on deaf ears.\nYou cannot help but feel respect for this man, even
if you cannot accept what he is saying.
You keep thinking about his outlandish sermon after your return to the Seminary.\
nThe sermon was like a breath of fresh air…\nIt gives you a glimpse of the very
freedom Father Mark was talking about.
You broke the rules. You strayed from the choices they wanted you to make. You
sought other answers, sought something unlike the common-knowledge truths.\nAnd you
liked it. \nTonight, you felt alive. You felt emotion: you were outraged, you were
enchanted.\nYou were a part of this world, and the world gave you the strength to
keep on living.
March of the Collars
This is the morning you have all been preparing for. One of the houses in downtown
Eterna is packed with a crowd of people.\nEverybody puts collars on their necks.
There are not enough for everyone, so the rest of them cover their necks with
scarves and belts and anything else that looks dark against the skin. There are so
many faces, even faces you have never seen before.\nPeople of all estates have come
here today.
You flow out onto the street. People keep coming to join the crowd even as you
start walking.\nThere are shouts in the crowd now.\n”Our cause is just!”\nThese
words fill you with confidence, help you remain composed. Everyone is smiling.\nYou
march in the front row.\nThe feeling is indescribable. Change is coming.
The square is already covered with stacks of firewood for the pyres. You see people
in collars, tied to wooden stakes, with inquisitors busy around them.\nThe fiery
execution is almost ready to begin.\nYour path is blocked. Imperial Legion soldiers
stand guard on all streets leading to the square.\nThe crowd keeps pushing.
There are cries on the streets now:\n”Mages and witches are children of the Gods!”\
n”Give the witches back their lives!”\n”Down with the shackles of the Lots!”
The cries of the Lotless fill Saint Ignatius Square. A legionnaire yells over the
mob and orders you to stand aside before they draw their swords.\nAnd then you hear
a scream right next to you:
“We’ve got them outnumbered! We’re going through them!”
Her voice rings in your head and fills you with fury and faith in victory… and you
run, run straight at a legionnaire’s sharp sword.\nBut suddenly a hand catches you
and pulls you back. You see Sophia now, her eyes burning with golden light. The
ecstatic, furious mob flows around her and toward the unnerved legionnaire.\
nSophia’s face looks inhuman now, her grin predatory.
The legionnaire swings his sword at the maddened mob, but he is quickly knocked off
his feet. His fellow soldiers guarding the square lock their shields together and
draw their swords.\nThere is a look of bewilderment in the inquisitors’ eyes — it
seems none of them expected such frenzy.
Sophia leads the attack.
“Set the sufferers free! Junius Diamant is on our side! The Twins are our shields!”
Any idea of a peaceful march is now thrown to the wind. Sophia is about to send the
Lotless against the lines of legionnaires!\nOnly seconds, moments are left until
they strike.\nYou have to be there, in the front lines!\nOr will you try to stop
her and avoid further bloodshed? There is still time…\nOr will you execute the plan
yourself and free the captives from the funeral pyres on your own?
Begin the assault
Hold Sophia back
Free the captive mages on your own
You repeat Sophia’s cry and set her plan into motion.
You do your best to prevent this senseless loss of life.
You resolve to rescue the mages on your own.
You repeat Sophia’s furious cry.\nOur cause is just! Set these Lotless free!\
nProtect the people! This is how we pay for freedom — our freedom, and their
freedom!\nOther voices start repeating your call, and it becomes a chant, the
beating of a living drum.\nOur cause is just!\nOur cause is just!\nOur cause is
just!
The mob tramples the legionnaires. You keep pushing relentlessly, even as people
start dying at their swords.\nThe shield-bearing ranks break and scatter; the
Inquisition is gone — but the sky is already filling with smoke as the pyres begin
to burn.\nThe screams of mages burning alive fill the square.
People are trying to snuff one of the fires with their own clothes, but it is too
late. A woman with golden hair chokes on the smoke before you can save her. \nYou
see several people freeing another mage from a burning stake. Horrible burns cover
his legs.\nThe square starts smelling of hot fat and seared meat.
The mob is loud, but thundering hooves and clanging steel is louder — you hear the
Legion cavalry advancing to the square.\nYou scream to Sophia, but she can barely
hear what you are saying…\nBut when she does, she nods and orders a retreat.
There is chaos in the square now, and pushing, and pulling, and the sounds of
clanging metal. You run away and through the maze of streets.\nYou do not even
bother to look behind you to see if there is anyone in pursuit.
You run for as long as you can, until your foot catches a loose brick on the road
and you almost smash your teeth in. Only then do you stop.\nIt is quiet. You do not
recognize this part of Eterna. There is not a soul around you. \nIt is hard to
believe that this city can contain both this tranquility and the bloodstained chaos
of a few minutes ago.
You find a flophouse on a nearby street and rent a dirty cubbyhole of a room, no
questions asked.\nYou pay for a few days’ stay at once — it’s a good thing you kept
your money on you today!\nThen you walk upstairs to the room and collapse onto the
bed.
A wave of shakedowns and arrests washes over the capital over the next few days.
You wait it out in the room.
There is no news about the Lotless. It is as though none of it ever happened. \nYou
go to Saint Ignatius Square only three weeks later.\nThe cobblestones are covered
with soot, and you see spots of dried blood. In the bushes nearby you find several
broken collars.
Our cause is just.
You grab Sophia by the shoulders and demand to stop this madness. If she keeps
spurring people on, it will only lead to bloodshed!\nShe stares at you for a
moment, then stops shouting.
It is not the crowd you must command right now, you tell Sophia. She should focus
on the legionnaires who are blocking your way! They are confused. They want no
bloodshed.\nThey will break ranks and retreat if only she can convince them!
Sophia holds her arms up and approaches the legionnaires.\nThe sun is shining in
her eyes.
“Enough. We are here not for bloodshed — we are here to end it. The people are
angry, but theirs is a righteous anger. The people on those pyres are their
children, their relatives, their loved ones. They are innocent souls.\n“Anyone can
be born a mage. None of these people chose to be this way.”
Sophia’s speech has a strange, almost hypnotic effect on the legionnaires.\nSome of
them suddenly lower their swords — their ranks are broken. The inquisitors rush to
prevent this, but there are too few of them.\nThe Lotless start running for the
pyres..\nHands start untying ropes and scattering firewood. The mages are free, but
they frightened and confused.
A young woman in an inquisitor’s cassock helps another woman with golden hair down
from an unlit pyre.\nDid you just… hear her apologize?\nThe inquisitor looks at you
next.
“Thank you.”
Cries of victory fill Saint Ignatius Square.\nBut your triumph is short-lived.\
nThose cries may be loud, but thundering hooves and clanging steel are louder — you
hear Legion cavalry advancing on the square!
You glance around and run for the nearest backstreet. You dash through a house,
terrifying its inhabitants, then run through the back door and onto another
street.\nYou hear screams and the sounds of clanging metal behind you, so you keep
running, running through the maze of streets, not even bothering to look behind you
to see if there is anyone in pursuit.
You run for as long as you can, until your foot catches a loose brick on the road
and you almost smash your teeth in.\nOnly then do you stop. It is quiet. You do not
recognize this part of Eterna. There is not a soul around you.\nIt is hard to
believe that this city can contain both this tranquility and the hell of a few
minutes ago.
There is no news about the Lotless. It is as though none of it ever happened.\nYou
go to Saint Ignatius Square only three weeks later.\nThe cobblestones are covered
with soot, and you see spots of dried blood. In the bushes nearby you find several
broken collars.
The Lotless trample the legionnaires. The Inquisition tries to stop those who make
it past the shield-bearing soldiers.\nYour eyes catch an unguarded opening leading
straight to the square.
You run away from Sophia and through the crowd, then squeeze through the opening
and head for the pyres.\nThe inquisitors are too busy binding the fleeing Lotless
with the wondrous power of the Younger Twin. No one is watching the pyres. \nYou
turn over a barrel, flooding the square behind the inquisitors with tar, and set it
on fire. They are now trapped with the mob.
You start acting quickly, cutting the ropes that bind the mages to the stakes.\nAn
old man with a horrifying facial scar screams when you accidentally cut him, but
you have no time to be careful.\nTheir freedom comes first!
The last mage you free is a girl with golden hair.\nShe must have been a beauty in
the past, but now her body is beaten and bruised, and she is frightened and
confused, like all the other mages.
Then suddenly you notice a young woman in an inquisitor’s cassock. \nYou are
moments away from assaulting her — until you see that she is helping the girl with
the golden hair off the pyre. Did you just… hear her apologize?\nThe inquisitor
looks at you next.
You push the freed mages toward the mob, yelling instructions into each ear. They
have to scatter, they have to run — run away from Eterna, as fast and far away as
possible.\nThe mages mix with the collared crowd.\nAll you can do now is hope they
will find a way out.
Reaching Sophia in this chaos takes an eternity.\nYou grab her hand, shout that the
mages are free, and drag her away from the bloodshed.\nAnd then you run together,
until the screams in the square no longer can be heard.
“That’s far enough, Brante. We need to split up. We’re too suspicious. And let’s
take off these collars — we don’t need them anymore.
“We need to lay low, at least for several days. Don’t go back to our house — I get
the feeling there’s a shakedown coming. A lot of us are going to get arrested, I’m
afraid… but it was all worth it.\n“I’m just glad it ended so quickly.”
You nod and turn away, ready to flee — but before you do, Sophia grabs you by the
arm one more time.
“Was that all you? Did you set them free all by yourself?”
You nod.\nSophia’s eyes glow with awe.
There is no news about the Lotless. It is as though none of it ever happened.\nYou
go to Saint Ignatius Square only three weeks later. The cobblestones are covered
with soot, and you see spots of dried blood.\nIn the bushes nearby you find several
broken collars.
A Great Feast for All
The capital is preparing for a great celebration: the coming of age of Jerian
Tempest, heir to the throne. The streets are being cleaned, the lowborn merchants
are gone from the squares, and flags and flower garlands have appeared on the
buildings.\nBy the Emperor’s decree, everyone will celebrate for the next three
days.
Eterna is abuzz. A festive procession starts on the streets. Students from the
College and cadets from the Military Academy will be there to show their gratitude
to the Emperor’s family for entrusting them with the power they wield.\nRibbons and
flags flutter in the wind, the streets are scrubbed clean, and the scent of flowers
fills the air.
You march side by side with Tommas, carrying the banner of your province.\nYour
friend’s brown hair is unusually well-combed today. He waves to every girl you see
on the streets as you pass by. They giggle shyly, and some of them wave back.
“Did you see that, pal? Look at that beauty — she just smiled at me! Now this is
what I call living. I just love parades!”
The Tempest royal family observes the slowly approaching parade from the balcony of
the Imperial palace. They are joined by the Empire’s highest dignitaries and
provincial Overseers.\nYou see Emperor Uther II with your own eyes — there, high
above, yet so close.
The columns come to a halt at the balcony and salute the Emperor with the mottos of
the College and the Academy. \nYou join the other College students in crying,
“Learning is Strength, Learning is Will!”
The Emperor raises his hand in a gesture of benevolent greeting. \nHis voice echoes
across the square.
“I accept your gratitude, my loyal subjects. Take pride as you wield your knowledge
and valor in service of the Empire! All who are worthy will be ennobled by the
Mantle, by my grace!”
The future nobles around you cheer the Emperor’s words. But their jubilation gives
way to murmurs of discontent when Archduke Monrogue, the new Great Chancellor of
the Empire, steps onto the balcony.\nEveryone here remembers all too well how the
Archduke attempted to shut down the College by force.\nStill, the Archduke is the
de-facto leader of the Arknian gentry. He is a force to be reckoned with, even for
the Emperor, and so he is the Great Chancellor now.
“Hail your Emperor, common folk! Be forever obedient and grateful for the good
graces you do not deserve by birth!”
The Archduke does not even bother to hide his contempt for the gathering below.
Booed by the crowd, he rejoins the dignitaries in the back row. \nYou notice one of
them — a slender, elegant figure under an emerald banner with a black snake. She is
Octavia Milanidas, daughter to the Archduke of Magra.
“Now that’s new! You noticed Octavia too, eh? Our Archduke Milanidas sent his
daughter in his stead! That’s a sign of disrespect for the Emperor if I’ve ever
seen one. Is he so enraged ’cause he’s no longer the Overseer of Magra? I mean, you
can imagine his surprise — that’s never happened before.”
But then everyone grows silent.\nA young, slender Arknian with a shy smile comes
forth.\nThere are whispers in the crowd: that’s Prince Jerian, heir to the throne!
Ward of Cornelius, promise and hope of the common estate!\nTo the left of Jerian is
his younger brother Flavius. He is baffled at the sight of the parade below, too
young to process what he is seeing.
Exalted by these words, the future nobles roar as one: “All hail Prince Jerian!”\
nAnother figure steps into view next to the heir. He is an Arknian, elegantly
dressed, and his mantle bears the Tempest colors. He raises his arms, about to make
a speech.
“Hey, look! That’s Gaius Tempest, the Emperor’s brother — and the new Overseer of
Magra, by the by. It seems the Arknian elders want him as far from the throne as
possible, just like his other brother Cornelius. Those two have been promising too
many freedoms to commoners like you and me.”
“Long live Prince Jerian! Students of the College, cadets of the Academy — time and
again you have proven yourselves to the Empire by word and deed!\n“Today is a day
of great celebration. And, in honor of Prince Jerian, you must ask the Emperor to
guarantee forever the right of distinguished common folk to be ennobled by the
Mantle.\n“So ask now!”
The cadets and students freeze in hesitation. They exchange glances, unsure whether
to follow the words of the Emperor’s own brother.\nOn the balcony high above,
Prince Jerian also remains still, awaiting a reaction from the crowd.\nArchduke
Monrogue briskly steps into view once more. He takes several seconds to observe the
crowd before he speaks.
But the columns stay where they are.
“That’s not what Gaius Tempest said! Let the Emperor hear us! The law! We ask for
the law!”
Commotion and murmurs spread over the crowd as some of the future nobles refuse to
follow the Archduke’s order. There are shouts heard here and there: “The law! We
ask for the law!”\nThe Academy officers and teachers of the College urge them to
fall in line and resume the parade, but tension is rising. The crowd slowly grows
enraged and unruly.\nYou have to decide where you stand here.
Follow the order
Demand your rights
Bide your time
You follow the orders from above and direct your column to withdraw from the
square.
You join the call to have your right to nobility codified.
You wait to see how events unfold. Who wants to end up joining the losing side too
early?
You have the Emperor’s orders. You cannot help but submit. Your duty demands it. \
nAnd even if other students disagree with Chancellor Monrogue’s words, they too
have to follow his order!
And so you take the matter into your own hands, giving orders, talking down
objectors, and enlisting the responsible students to help you rein in the others.\
nEventually you whip the few remaining vocal students into shape and line up in a
semblance of a column.
“The law! The law!”
You grab your friend by the shoulder. Does Tommas not realize that he is violating
a direct order from Imperial high command? And he is a future army man!
“Then what of Gaius Tempest? All we ask is to be heard by the Emperor. Still,
you’re right, pal. Always observe the chain of command…”
Tommas sides with you and starts helping you reorganize people into a column.\nSome
students and cadets, however, keep crying for the law and demanding to hear what
the Emperor has to say. They gather in the very center of the square.\nAn Imperial
Guard cavalry regiment emerges from the palace. They start slowly advancing on the
crowd, hands on their swords, pushing people out of the square.
You combine and direct the efforts of Academy officers and cadets and restore order
to the procession.\nYour orders and calls to action finally have an effect: most
students submit and return to their columns.\nThe commotion in the square is
quelled, and the cavalry withdraws.
Emperor Uther II appears on the balcony again. Archduke Monrogue, the Emperor’s
Great Chancellor, stands by his side.\nThe square falls silent at the sight of the
sovereign.
“My subjects, I can see how overjoyed you are for Prince Jerian!\r\n“But your show
of reverence and gratitude is clear enough. Now follow the Great Chancellor’s order
and obey my will — continue the parade, and sing the praises of the Tempest dynasty
that has given you so much!”
The square obediently lines up in columns once again.\nThe bout of defiance is in
the past now, and they resume the festive parade through the city streets.\nYou
march along with your column. Thanks to your abilities, it was kept from rebellion.
Glory to Emperor Uther! Glory to Prince Jerian!
You cry out in support of Gaius Tempest’s call for the law. You have the right to
be heard, and you have the right to ask.\nYour voice grows stronger; soon others
join you. \nThe chant grows louder with every second: “The law! The law!”
Inspired by the support of your fellow students and cadets, you move through the
square and urge others to join you.\nTommas walks by your side, waving his arms
wildly, inciting others to shout along with you.
You, Tommas, and other vocal students and cadets gather in the very center of the
square.\nAcademy officers are trying to shout you into submission and order you
back into the procession, but they are barely heard above your chant. Still, some
submit and form back into the columns.\nBut the impassioned chant continues, and
you are at the very heart of the chanting crowd.
An Imperial Guard cavalry regiment emerges from the palace. They start slowly
advancing on the crowd, hands on their swords, pushing people out of the square.\
nYou have to stand your ground, so you start giving orders to defend the
cobblestones beneath your feet with your fellow future nobles.\nYou assemble into a
double-chain formation around the center of the square. It is strong enough to
prevent the Imperial Guard from reaching the very center.
The commoners go running left and right away from the horses, but the cavalry stops
when it reaches your double chain. They cannot break through unless they are
ordered to attack, and so they halt and wait for orders.\nThe horses paw at the
cobblestones. The cavalry swords are drawn, ready to come crashing down upon your
heads.\nIt is a standoff between the armor-clad cavalry and the unarmed students
and cadets.
Emperor Uther II appears on the balcony again, joined by his brother Gaius Tempest
and heir to the throne Jerian Tempest.\nWith a gesture, the Emperor calls for
attention. The square falls silent at the sight of the sovereign.
“My subjects, I have heard your request! There is no need to repeat it again and
again. The Great Imperial Council shall review my brother’s proposal. Now follow
your Lot and obey my will — continue the parade, and sing the praises to the ever
merciful Prince Jerian!”
These words from the Emperor are enough to quell the commotion in the square.\nThe
standoff ends, and the cavalry withdraws.
“Well, would you look at that, old friend — we did it! We stood up for our noble
right, and we won. That’s the Emperor’s word! That’s what our courage can do!”\n
Voices from the crowd are quick to disprove Tommas: the Emperor never gave his
word, he only promised to review the proposal.\nPeople begin to argue around you
again.\nThis time, however, no one wishes to disobey the orders from on high, and
so the students line up into columns once again.\nThe bout of defiance is in the
past now, and everyone resumes the festive parade through the city streets.
You decide to wait while others demand a new law and still others try to restore
order.\nNobody knows how this will end. In the meantime, you conserve your energy
and watch the events unfold.
The chant grows louder with every second: “The law! The law!”\nAcademy officers are
trying to shout the vocal cadets and students into submission and order you back
into the procession, but they are barely heard above your chant. Still, some submit
and form back into columns.\nBut the impassioned chant continues, and you find
yourself in the very heart of the chanting crowd.
Tommas walks right past you, waving his arms wildly, calling for you to join the
chant.
But you do not respond, and Tommas gives up on you.\nHe moves to the center of the
square, were the vocal future nobles are gathering.\nAn Imperial Guard cavalry
regiment emerges from the palace. They start slowly advancing on the crowd, hands
on their swords, pushing people out of the square.
The end of this conflict is clear: another moment, and the cavalry will crush the
disobedient youths.\nYou swiftly maneuver away from danger and rejoin your
semblance of a column in the procession.
The orders of Academy officers and cadets finally have some effect. Most students
submit and return to their columns.\nThe commotion in the square is quelled, and
the cavalry withdraws.
“My subjects, I can see how overjoyed you are for Prince Jerian! But your show of
reverence and gratitude is clear enough.\r\n“Now follow the Great Chancellor’s
order and obey my will — continue the parade, and sing the praises of the Tempest
dynasty that has given you so much!”
The square obediently lines up into columns once again.\nThe bout of defiance is in
the past now, and they resume the festive parade through the city streets.\nYou
march along with your column. You steered clear of the commotion and all the
useless rebellion, and now everything is back as it should be.
A Criminal Relationship
Spring is in full bloom. The city of Eterna is a sea of flowering trees. The apple
trees are particularly prevalent — you see them growing everywhere in the Seminary
yard alone. How nice it would be to sit here with a good book, enjoying the apple
blossoms and getting lost in important thoughts…\nBut there is no time for that — a
recent incident has the entire Seminary on edge.
One of the senior Seminary students has been accused of having a relationship with
a witch.\nThe Inquisition had been watching the girl for a long time. When the
lovers met and the girl put a floral wreath on the student’s head, the Inquisition
spies saw it all.\nThe lovers were immediately arrested.
You hear about it from Jeanne. She looks very anxious when she comes to you to
discuss the news.
“Are you going to watch the trial? They’re only allowing priests and Seminary
students to attend it.\r\n“We have to be there — it’s an important case. We could
learn so much from seeing the Holy Tribunal in action.”
You agree to go with her. After all, the case is highly unusual indeed.\nJunius
Diamant, one of the leaders of the New Faith, has stepped forth to defend the
student and the girl.
You have already met the other leader of the New Faith: Luke, Patriarch of Arknia.\
nBut Patriarch Junius holds much more authority. The Seminary students speak of him
in hushed voices and only when the instructors are not around.
Junius Diamant is more than a patriarch of one of the provinces — he is an Arknian
hailing from one of the great dynasties and the leader of the Holy Order, the
Empire’s finest knights in service to the Twins’ Church.
The prosecution will be represented by Father Ulrich. He is a powerful inquisitor
and the head warden at the House of Humility, the fortress that collars all mages
and subdues their will to the service of the Inquisition.\nYou have heard of him —
he is a fierce man who is ardent and merciless in service to the Twins.
The day comes.\nThe spacious courtroom is filled with people. All the seats are
taken. The judges sit at a long table upon a platform.\nThere are ten of them, all
high-ranking members of the Church. To the right of them is a man in a black
cassock. His head is shaved, and his back is perfectly straight.\nThis man — Father
Ulrich, a true and lawful inquisitor — will represent the prosecution.
To the left of the judges’ table stands an Arknian. He is wearing a white cassock
with a cape of white and gold on his shoulders. The Arknian’s blue hands rest on
the edge of the table, and his expression is that of perfect calm.\nThis man —
Patriarch Junius Diamant — will represent the defense.
To the left of him sit the accused, a young man in a Seminary uniform and a young
girl who looks like she just came back from the Foot of the Pillar. They are both
bound in chains. \nEven from your distant seat you can see that the inquisitors
have shown her no mercy. The girl’s face and neck are covered in bruises. There are
bloody wounds on her left hand where her fingernails should be, and her right hand
bears a horrible black burn.
Loud voices emanate from the stalls even before the trial begins. Some chide
Patriarch Junius, while others call out Father Ulrich.\nThere are more and more of
these shouts with every passing minute, and soon a judge’s gavel can do very little
to rein them in.
The trial begins. Father Ulrich is the first to speak.
“Judges of the Holy Tribunal, and you, my brethren! This is an act of sacrilege
beyond compare, committed within the walls of our own Seminary!\n“This man is a
venomous viper nurtured in the Church’s bosom! He defied all that is forbidden and
engaged in an act of hideous lechery – already a malefaction. But, worse yet, the
object of his lust is an abhorrent, sinful witch!”
The young woman in question looks up.\nYou see the color of her eyes: vibrant,
radiant emerald, green like the tender grass of spring. You recall a cautionary
tale — such eyes are the mark of a mage who holds sway over wildlife and nature.
“This blasphemer deserves nothing less than true death for what he had done!\n“The
walls of the Church are no place for traitors and licentious filth. We who bring
the Will of the Twins to the world may afford no weakness.\n“As for the witch – put
her in a collar, and cut off her nose so that her comely appearance may never again
lead a righteous man astray!”
With that, Father Ulrich takes his seat.\nThe man who rises next is Patriarch
Junius. He is tall as a pillar, and you feel an inexplicable power emanating from
him.\nHe takes his stand before the judges. Even before he speaks, Jeanne winces in
disgust — to her, an ally of the New Faith deserves neither tolerance nor sympathy.
“He’s already drenched in sin, and yet he thinks he can talk justice!”
Junius Diamant begins to speak.\n
“May it please the Tribunal, the accusation is indeed true. The young man before us
is at fault. It was his duty to convince the lady he had befriended to renounce all
magic, and yet he encouraged her profane practices.\n“But Father Ulrich’s proposal
is far too severe. I seek no lesser punishment for the witch — this is a matter for
the Inquisition — but the young man need not be executed. His life is the subject
of my debate.
“It was not by force that the young man now stands before us — he sought the Twins
entirely of his own volition. And so I plead with the Holy Tribunal to spare his
life!\n“May he instead take the vows and habit of a monk, and a vow of silence, and
be subject to corporal punishment – for the ways of the Church are stern, but
fair.\n“This young man need not lose his life in order to redeem himself.”
An accusation flies from the crowd: so Junius favors mages and takes them under his
wing in his province! Look at the man who dares doubt our Lots and reject the
orthodox faith! We won’t let your kind gain ground in Eterna!\nThis, in turn,
sparks a different cry. Another voice accuses Ulrich of being drunk with the power
he has acquired by enslaving those who wield magic.
Patriarch Junius attempts to pacify his followers as accusations from the
inquisitors’ side keep coming.\nFather Ulrich marks each condemnation of Junius and
the New Faith with an agreeable nod, his mouth a crooked smile.
The crowd begins to move.\nThose who side with the Inquisition start pushing
against the guards to exact their own brand of justice.\nJunius’s followers do not
stand still either — they rise and form a circle around the patriarch, as well as
the man and woman on trial.
Accusations fly, and the air above the crowd grows hot with boiling rage.\nPeople
are pushing and shoving. You hear screams of panic among the cries of outrage.
You and Jeanne find a temporary refuge on a podium rising above the human sea.\nThe
courtroom is becoming dangerous. You must attempt to escape now, or risk being
trampled.
There is still time — time for either Patriarch Junius or Father Ulrich to say
something, to calm the crowd, remind them why they are here… but they both froze in
confusion, unable to rein in the coalescing madness.\nPerhaps you could make your
voice heard from atop the crowd? Or would it be more sensible to escape the chaos
of this courtroom?
Defend the Seminary student
Demand punishment
Flee the courtroom
You shout in support of the Seminary student and cite sacred scriptures to back up
your point.
You yell an accusation and condemn the defendants — if they are forgiven now, this
will all happen again!
You take Jeanne by the hand and start pushing and shoving through the crowd to
escape the courtroom.
You take a deep breath and shout: the Seminary student is not a full priest just
yet! He has not undergone the second Sacrament! He must not be judged by the laws
of the clergy!\nAssisting a witch is a crime, but a commoner’s punishment for this
crime should not be as severe as this!\nThen you hear the voice of Patriarch Junius
above the crowd — he repeats what you said, almost word for word.
“This young man is still a commoner — he has not accepted his new Lot yet!\n“We
cannot judge a commoner by the laws of the clergy! A monk is what he shall become,
and through his prayer and his oath of silence he shall fulfill his Lot and reach
the Peak of the Pillar; but only then!”
The din of the crowd dies down. \nThe disturbance dissipates as everyone hears your
words spoken with the authority of Patriarch Junius.\nEveryone takes their seats
again, and the trial continues. After a brief discussion, the judges side with the
defense.\nFather Ulrich and the inquisitors take the girl away; the monks deal with
the young man.\nThe lovers can do nothing but exchange a brief farewell glance.
All eyes are on Patriarch Junius, the man who prevailed in this case.\nYou glance
at Jeanne. Her eyes are narrow slits as she stares you down.\nShe knows full well
who said the words the Patriarch repeated.
You shout over the crowd: we must not tolerate such crimes! If we show weakness
now, there will be a dozen others who follow their example!\nA priest must be ever
strong in the Faith, for a priest brings the Will of the Twins to the world and
guides others by word and example alike, just as the Twins Themselves once did!
Father Ulrich latches onto your words.
“The Younger’s penalty is inescapable! All must face the judgment they deserve! And
we, we must show no mercy and no weakness, for the Twins Themselves are watching!”
Father Ulrich’s righteous anger fills the courtroom and fuels those who have sided
with him. With a mad howl, the inquisitors push even harder and finally reach the
defendants.\nA hand smashes the chained young man into the table. A fist breaks the
face of the young girl by his side. A torn-off fragment of the courtroom railing
pierces her stomach.
Patriarch Junius’s blue face is splattered with red. The Arknian is frozen still,
paralyzed by this bloodshed.
The courtroom turns on itself in a frenzy of chaos and blood. You have never seen
people striking at one another with such rabid fury.\nIt is a raging storm of
priests, inquisitors, and Seminary students — in spite of their Lot, they wage war
on one another, fighting tooth and nail.
Jeanne tugs on your arm, and you literally crawl out of the Holy Tribunal
courtroom.\nYou pass by several people from the audience just outside the doors.
One of them is clutching a bloodied lip, another is cradling a twisted arm. A
third, an aged man, sits on the floor and cannot stand up.
Finally, after a few minutes, the sounds of fighting cease. You begin looking for
survivors in the bloodstained mess of the courtroom, joined by a handful of
likeminded people.
The floor feels slippery beneath your feet. Disfigured bodies and moans of pain
fill the courtroom. Only a dozen are alive — mangled, maimed, covered in blood,
bent over as they hid in fear in the nearest cranny they could find…\nPatriarch
Junius and Father Ulrich are nowhere to be seen — their guards took them out of the
courtroom.
Most of the bodies soon dissipate into white mist, their souls to be reborn. Some,
however, have met their true death, and their bodies remain.\nYou look over the
courtroom — a majestic, sacramental place of justice only a handful of hours ago,
now the bloodstained site of a massacre in which many true adherents of the Faith
lost their lives.
How many lives ended that day?\nAre you responsible for their deaths?
You leave the courtroom with Jeanne in tow, unable to look upon this chaos any
longer.\nBack at the Seminary, you retreat into your monastic cell and spend the
night praying, praying to erase this terrifying image from your mind.
You take Jeanne by the hand and leave the courtroom before the conflict reaches its
culmination.\nYou push and shove through screaming inquisitors, frenzied Seminary
students, and red-faced followers of the New Faith. As you leave, the hall behind
you erupts into screams of rage and pain and fighting.
You ask Jeanne if she wants to stay here and see the end of the trial.
“No… I’ve seen enough. This is too much like what happened to Aylis… I don’t want
to see what happens next. Let’s get out of here at once.”
You make your way back to the Seminary courtyard, where the apple trees are in
bloom. There are so many white flowers, you can barely see the leaves behind them…\
nAfter the din of the courtroom, the quiet here is deafening — so quiet you can
almost hear your own heartbeat.\nJeanne looks up with a quiet sigh and touches the
white petals.
“It feels so… strange. It’s like we’re back in Anizotte, beneath the branches of
the Silver Tree. I wish I could feel that calm again… don’t you agree?”
Carefully, Jeanne’s hand touches yours and squeezes your fingers gingerly — then,
suddenly, she embraces you.\nYou gasp with surprise and place your hands on her
waist. Is this a chaste hug… or perhaps…\nHer breath feels hot on your neck. Her
eyelashes flutter against your skin as her arms glide up and down your back.\nYou
are not yet priests; you are not yet one with the clergy; you are not yet bound by
the new Lot; and for now, anything is possible…
She smells so good… a lock of hair tumbles out from under her headcloth. You gently
touch this lock with your lips.\nHours, minutes, maybe seconds pass like this.\
nThen, suddenly, Jeanne moves away and looks at you defiantly, biting her lower
lip.\nYou smile in return. She will embrace you once more, will she not?
She steps back. You part ways. Jeanne heads for the prayer room, you walk back to
your monastic cell.\nStill, you look back once more before you leave.\nJeanne is
there, watching you go. When she catches your eye, she looks away and leaves.
The Trap Springs
Weeks pass, then months, and not a word from the Lotless. You have to resort to odd
jobs to survive. How much longer will you have to wait?\nYour hopes of seeing the
Lotless return wane more and more with each passing day. You still recall the loss
and bloodshed of Saint Ignatius Square with pain.\nWhat happened to the others? How
many of you managed to get away? And — more importantly — what happened to Sophia?
More days pass. You hear nothing.\nYou keep returning to the same familiar city
streets, glancing at the walls and windows, waiting anxiously for a sign or a
familiar face.\nThen, one day, you finally see a sign — a yellow towel hanging
outside the widow Meyer’s window.\nThat means tonight!
You return to the basement.\nOnly a few people are there. You look into their
faces.\nThere are fewer of you now — some of the Lotless could not bring themselves
to come, and others died back in the square.\nSophia sits at the opposite end of
the room, like an actor on a stage, her pipe in her hand. A golden ray of sunset
has just reached through the basement window to glint in her hair.
People are sitting at the benches or leaning against the wall. You sit where you
normally do: in the front row, almost in the middle.\nThere are voices, and there
are questions.\nWhy did our meetings stop? Where has Sophia been all this time?
What do we do now?\nSophia stands up and looks straight at you, a golden light
glowing in her eyes.
“I want to ask you all for one last favor. Please, for you own sake, don’t do
anything foolish.”
The golden light in Sophia’s eyes comes alive and flies through the hall,
enveloping the others in a viscous warmth.\nYour eyelids grow heavy. Your mind
becomes tangled and slow to react. You can barely stand, and your legs feel like
they’re made out of rubber.
The people in the front rows slump to the floor.\nThere are cries of surprise and
confusion from the back rows.
Then you hear heavy, stomping steps.\nArmed knights clad in black armor enter the
basement.\nThe Lotless at the door draw their weapons and are killed instantly.\nA
voice full of steel rings through the room: “In the name of Emperor Uther II, you
are all under arrest!”
You heart is racing, but the rays of sunlight will not release you from this
stupor.\nYou can do nothing but watch as your united brotherhood perishes. \nThis
feels like a nightmare. Some run for the tiny windows; others get down on their
knees and surrender immediately; others stand or sit still, unsure of what to do.
Your former unity is shattered. People you used to call friends and allies now
kneel in submission.\nAnd those who do not kneel are quickly cut down.\nThere are
screams and flashes of steel, and then a merciless cry: “Surrender or face
execution!”
Sophia is no longer glowing. Her eyelids are red. She tries to maintain her
composure, but you can see her lower lip trembling. Your eyes meet…\nAnd she looks
away.
Sophia! But… how?\nWhy?
Everything ends as quickly as it began.\nMost of you are arrested. Many are killed.
Everyone bound by Sophia’s spell is swiftly bound at the wrists and placed against
the wall.\nYou know most of you would rather die fighting — and you would, if you
were not bound and gagged by magic.\nThey took your choice away from you.
These people are well armed, well trained — but you see no signs on their armor.
They are not the Legion, nor the Prefecture, nor the Inquisition… \nYour worst fear
has come true.\nThese are soldiers from the Secret Chancellery.
Your body is bound by magic, so strong you cannot even twitch. You are trapped
along with the rest of the Lotless. There is no escape.\nYour eyes close; you have
to muster all your willpower to drive slumber away.\nDo you have enough willpower
to break Sophia’s spell, even for a moment? And, even if you do, will it even help
if you resist?
Resist Sophia
Create a distraction
Surrender
Sophia has betrayed you all. You urge your brothers to resist her.
You break free and distract the Secret Chancellery soldiers in order to give some
of the Lotless a chance to escape.
You accept the inevitable and do not resist arrest.
Out of options, you muster all your will in an attempt to break free from the
binding spell.\nYour voice cuts through the screams and chaos of the basement room.
You scream and scream for your fellow Lotless to fight until the end. \nSophia is a
traitor! One day you will get her, and then she will pay!
Your call inspires some of the Lotless to break free from the spell for a few
precious moments. They knock down one of the black-clad mercenaries. \nAnother man
lunges at Sophia with his bare hands, ready to choke her to death.\nBut one of the
men in black armor immediately jumps to protect her and greets unarmed man with his
sword.
The same bloody fate awaits the others who try to fight.\nOne of the mercenaries
slowly walks toward you and kicks you in the gut.\nYou collapse, gasping for air,
bound by the spell again.\nSophia leans over you, shaking her head slowly and
mournfully.
“What have you done, you fool? I told you not to do anything foolish — this will
only get you hurt!”
Sophia walks away, and the knights in black surround you. \nThey tie you up,
tightening the knots around your wrists so hard your fingers turn white, then kick
you in the gut again for good measure.\nYou are dragged out roughly and thrown into
a windowless wagon along with the other Lotless.
Soon the wagon shifts, then starts moving.\nYou are being taken somewhere.
You clench your teeth so hard they screech and do your best to stand up. It takes
so much strength that you scream, but you finally break free of the spell that
binds you.\nAnd you stand up.
Neither Sophia nor the armored mercenaries expected that to happen. You take
advantage of the confusion and knock down the Secret Chancellery knight at the
door.\nThen you run for an oil lamp on the wall and smash it against the floor. A
wave of fire spreads quickly.
Several men in black armor lunge at you. You are bound again — not by magic, but by
heavy, stomping boots.\nYou hear screams all around you: ”Halt! Stop them!”\nYour
distraction gave some of the Lotless enough time to break the spell and escape
through the door and the small windows.
The leader’s commanding voice stops the panic: “Let them flee! We’ll find them
later if we’re ordered to. Tie up the rest!” \nThey tie you up, tightening the knot
around our wrist so hard your fingers turn white, and kick you in the gut again for
good measure.
Sophia leans over you.\nShe whispers, so quietly you can barely hear, and yet every
word rings loudly in your mind.
“You did all you could, Brante. Do not resist them now. This is the only way I can
save your life.”
You are dragged outside and thrown into a windowless wagon along with the other
Lotless.
Soon the wagon shifts, then starts moving.\nYou are being taken somewhere.\n
You collapse against the wall as the spell gets the better of you. You are barely
strong enough to keep your eyes open.\nSuddenly, a boot kicks you roughly in the
gut. You double over in pain.\nSophia is right next to you, breathing heavily. You
lie slumped on the floor, expecting to be kicked again, but they do not touch you
anymore. She leans over you and whispers:
“I’m glad you didn’t try anything foolish. Now I know you’ll be safe.”
A soldier’s boot steps just shy of your face. There is blood on it.\n”Now I know
you’ll be safe…” Sophia is your only ticket out of this, but can you even trust her
after such a betrayal? Can you even believe in her after all the lies she used to
trick you and the Lotless?
“Crawl aside, Brante, and stay out of this until we’re done.”
Men clad in black armor quickly tie up your friends and take them outside, one by
one. You watch Sophia as you wait for them to get to you.\nYour breathing becomes
calmer; your doubt slowly dissipates. You have to trust Sophia in this. She will
find a way to keep you safe.
You hear heavy steps again. They tie you up, tightening the knot around your wrist
so hard your fingers turn white.\nYou are dragged outside roughly and thrown into a
windowless wagon along with the other Lotless.
The Way of the Sword
Your studies at the College come easily to you. Only now do you realize the
importance of all the lessons you had to endure as a child at Father’s expense. \
nMonth after month, you study the judge’s trade down to the smallest details,
growing more confident in your new calling with every lecture.
But there is more to your education than the judge’s trade and Imperial law. You
also learn manners, and courtly etiquette, and poetry and composition, and even
fencing.\nOn some days you go with Tommas to a deserted patch of land to practice
with the sword.
Then, finally, the day of your judge’s exam comes. \nYou send your test results to
Father, and he replies with an appointment to a judge’s office at the Prefecture of
Magra.\nNow you have a new life and a new profession back home. You will return to
your hometown as a judge.
It is early morning at the Great Temple of the Twins.\nYour heart skips a beat as
you step inside the Temple.\nIt feels like that day from your childhood again… the
priest is standing at the altar, and the Temple is divided into two halves.\nBut
you are no longer a frightened little child anymore — you are now a grown man who
is about to become a noble.
The floor on the common side is there to cause pain. You feel the jagged edges even
through the soles of your boots.\nThis pain marks your final few seconds as a
commoner.
The priest stands before you. You kneel again, but now there is warm, smooth marble
under your knees.\nYou hear the words spoken above your head. From this day forth
your lot is Strength and Will; from this day forth you will rule, and fight, and
pursue the arts.
Now rise, noble.
You place your lips on the smooth steel of the sword.\nAnd when you rise again, you
realize that the trembling you felt ever since your first Sacrament is now
completely gone.
You arise a new man, your every motion now uncannily accurate, your thoughts
surprisingly fresh, your muscles ready to face the fight.\nThis day feels worthy of
a poem — and now you can compose one if you wish.
You touch your back — the mark of the lash from your previous Sacrament is gone
completely, erased forever.
You hurry from the Sacrament back to your room at the College. Your father’s gift
awaits you there: a sword.\nYour very own sword.\nNow to celebrate! All College
students are invited to the College tournament, then a party. The sword feels
wonderful in your hand, a promise of future victories.
The tournament begins. The stands are loud with anticipation.\nNever in your entire
life you have seen so many beautiful noble ladies in one place. But there is only
one who attracts everybody’s attention: the raven-haired, black-eyed Octavia
Milanidas. The daughter to the Archduke of Magra has graced the tournament with a
visit!\nShe is wearing a dress of emerald green, her austere hairdo immaculate.\
nShe is surrounded by her ladies in waiting, all beauties in their own right.
When a noble enters the tournament, he must announce the name of the lady whose
honor he is fighting for.\nMany shout the names of their loved ones in the stalls.
You know that many would fight for Octavia Milanidas, but the onus of
responsibility is too great.\nYou take a few jabs with the sword, warming up for
the fight. Soon, it is your turn. \nAll eyes are on you now. The young Lady Octavia
hides her face behind the hand fan, yet her eyes watch you with curiosity.
Fight in Octavia’s name
Address Octavia publicly
Choose a lady of the court to fight for
Dedicate your fight to your father
You say you will fight for the honor of Octavia Milanidas.
You ask Octavia for permission to fight in her honor.
You choose a lesser-known lady in waiting in the stalls and fight in her honor.
You will fight for the honor of your father, for you owe your nobility to him.
You approach the stalls and shout clearly and loudly: you will fight for the honor
of the young Duchess Octavia Milanidas.\nSlowly, she rises from her seat. The
stalls grow quiet. If you suffer defeat after such insolent words, you may face the
ire of one of the ancient Arknian dynasties…
“Sir <username> Brante?.. How do I know this name? Ah yes, you have already dared
to draw my attention once.\n“In memory of our amusing encounter, I will grant you
the honor of fighting in my name. Do not disgrace it.”
The stalls explode with applause, celebrating your courage. \nThe first fight
begins. The rules are the same as for any noble duel: whoever draws first blood,
wins.\nYour first opponent does not put up much of a fight. A few minutes later, he
misses a jab to the thigh.
Your shirt is soaked with sweat; the hilt of your sword feels slippery in your wet
fingers.\nFrom behind her emerald hand fan, Octavia watches you closely from her
seat.
You prevail in three fights in a row and prepare to face a new opponent. You know
him well — he was mentored at the Prefecture of Eterna after you.\nHe is an
unusually quick and nimble fighter. He catches you with a faint, then follows it up
with a light jab to the side.\nFair enough… three victories — not bad.
You salute Octavia Milanidas with your sword, and she gracefully accepts your
gesture.
“You have proven yourself well, Sir Brante. Who knew you would become a noble, and
we would meet again, here in the capital of the Empire? I must say, I am amazed!”
The eyes of the young Archduchess follow you even as you leave the arena.
You will remember this day for the rest of your life — the day when you became a
noble.
You approach the stalls and introduce yourself. Then you muster your courage and
address the beautiful Archduchess Milanidas: will she permit you to fight in her
honor?\nSlowly, she rises from her seat. The stalls grow quiet. If you suffer
defeat after such insolent words, you may face the ire of one of the ancient
Arknian dynasties…
“Young Sir — I know not who you are, but you are most certainly a daring man if you
wish to fight in the name of the daughter of the Archduke of Magra. I recognize
neither your face nor your name… yet I like your audacity.\n“So be it — I will
grant you the honor of fighting in my name. Do not disgrace it!”
You prevail in two fights in a row, and face a new opponent. You know him well — he
was mentored at the Prefecture of Eterna after you.\nHe is unusually quick an
nimble in a fight. He catches you with a faint, and follows it up with an easy jab
to the side.\nFair enough… Two victories — not that bad.
“You have proven yourself well, young man. Brante, was it? I make no promises, but
I will try to remember your name.”
The young Archduchess laughs, but immediately covers her face with a hand fan. You
leave the arena.
You approach the stalls and introduce yourself. You choose one of the ladies in
waiting who strikes your fancy and announce that you will fight in her honor.
Now bored, Octavia Milanidas hides her beautiful face behind the emerald hand fan.
The first fight begins. The rules are the same as for any noble duel: whoever draws
first blood, wins.\nYour first opponent does not put up much of a fight. A few
minutes later, he misses a jab to the thigh.
fingers.
You salute the lady in waiting with your sword, and she gracefully accepts the
gesture. You leave the arena.
You approach the stalls and introduce yourself. Then you announce your decision:
you will fight in the name of your father, Robert Brante. You earned this noble
title only because he taught you well, and honor demands you dedicate your
victories to him.\nThe stalls grow quiet. Unlike the other fighters in the arena,
you are not fighting in a lady’s name.
fingers.\nStill, you prevail in three fights in a row, then prepare to face a new
opponent. You know him well — he was mentored at the Prefecture of Eterna after
you.\nHe is an unusually quick and nimble fighter. Again and again you find
yourself driven to the edge of the arena to avoid his jabs.
Then, with a slashing feint, you draw your opponent’s blood — another victory!\nTo
your surprise, you are about to fight for the champion’s title. You will face Jose
Peletier, the best fencer in the College, with five wins in this tournament alone.
Your skill pales before the mastery he has attained after months of grueling
practice with the sword.\nHe assaults you with a flurry of cuts, thrusts, and jabs.
You can barely react in time to deflect them.
But then you recall a bright moment from your childhood: your very first fencing
lesson with Father, the first man to teach you how to dodge a lunge. \nThis memory
comes alive in your mind.
You stand more confidently now. You take a few steps back to catch your breath and
study your opponent.\nThis Peletier is good at keeping his distance and following
an attack with a defense. Yet his movements are too learned, too mechanical.\nSo
you try a trick. First you pretend there is an opening in your defense. You rush
him suddenly, then follow your assault with a feint.
The sudden, unpredictable attack catches your opponent off guard. He jumps to the
side, but not before the very tip of your sword catches Peletier on the right
shoulder.\nHe is itching to continue the fight, but a patch of red spreads across
the sleeve of his shirt.
Victory! You salute the stalls and dedicate this victory to your father, Robert
Brante.\nYour fellow students pick you up and carry to the stalls as everyone
chants your name.\nThe winner’s reward is the tournament ribbon — and Lady Octavia
Milanidas, the tournament’s guest of honor, will tie it around your sword herself!
The crowd parts as the daughter of the Archduke of Magra walks toward you. All this
time Octavia has been watching you closely from behind her emerald hand fan.\nShe
ties the ribbon of honor around your blade.
“You have proven yourself admirably, Sir Brante. A worthy victory. Your father has
every right to be proud. The son of a judge from Anizotte… who could have known we
would meet one another here in the capital of the Empire? I must say I am amazed! I
will remember your name.”
The eyes of the young Archduchess follow you even as you leave the arena
victorious.
The Second Sacrament
You wanted to speak to Jeanne again, but she disappeared the next day. Some say she
was sent somewhere else to study.\nStrange… why did she tell you nothing? Why did
she not say goodbye?\nYou keep waiting for news from her at first, but as the days
go by, your thoughts turn to the upcoming exams and the second Sacrament.
All the sacred scriptures, holy procedures, and sacred hymns have been memorized
long ago.\nYou know the names of every disciple of the Elder and the Younger; all
the Patriarchs of the provinces, from the very first to the present day.\nAnd, most
importantly, your faith is strong, and your confidence is unshakeable.\nThe exams
are behind you now.
On the day of your second Sacrament you come to the Great Temple of the Twins
already dressed in a priest’s cassock. Father Jeremiah holds your belt in one hand
— he will conduct your Sacrament.\nHis other hand holds the sacred book — you are
to kiss it to show your complete submission to the Will of the Twins.\nYou approach
the altar on the commoners’ side. The jagged floor hurts as it bites into your bare
feet, but there is a hint of pleasure in that pain.
You kneel before Father Jeremiah on the lowest of the steps leading to the altar.\
nHe speaks the words of your new Lot above you.
“Thou shalt now carry the Will of the Twins to the world. Whosoever cometh to thee,
thou shalt give him guidance.\n“The Twins are Love, and Will, and Law. Thous shalt
bring it to the world. Thy new Lot is to interpret the Lots and give council in
faith.
“Arise, priest.”
You kiss the book and stand up, confidence blooming within you.\nYou now know the
answers to all questions. You are now a messenger of the true Word, the one who
carries true understanding.\nYou have the power to guide people toward a righteous
path, to help them see the truth, to help them find answers.\nFor the Twins will it
so.
New strength fills you.\nBy the grace of the Elder, you may pray to him to heal and
cure those who suffer.\nBy the Law of the Younger, you may pray to him to bind your
foes with his wondrous power.
When no one is looking, you reach for your back — the mark of the lash is gone.\
nYou feel as though you can breathe more easily now.
On the morning after, you are to conduct a Sacrament for the first time.\nYou walk
into a small temple on the outskirts of Eterna. Acolytes are running to and fro,
preparing for the ritual while you repeat the words of the Lots that you must tell
the children.
Slowly, the temple fills with people. You stand at the altar now, the sword in one
hand and the lash in the other. Three boys are to receive their Sacrament today: a
little nobleman and two lowborn boys of the same age.\nThe noble boy’s parents are
nervous and ask you to hurry with the Sacrament. And so you begin.
With confidence and proper pace, you recite the words of a noble’s Lot to the
little boy kneeling before you.\nThen you carefully bring the flat of the sword to
his lips. The boy kisses it, and you thank the Twins under your breath.
Now it is time for the common children to receive their Sacrament.\nYou notice
movement in the temple out of the corner of your eye — someone is standing in the
doorway.\nIt is the silhouette of a woman. You recognize her. She looks sterner
now, harsher… but the most striking feature about her now is her eyes — they are
cold, yet curious.\nSomething glints on Jeanne’s belt now. It is the silver seal of
the Inquisition.
“Do continue, priest.”
The boys stand before you, just like you and Nathan when you were boys… you were
just like them at your first Sacrament.\nThe elder of the two kneels on the jagged
floor. He winces slightly, but holds back the tears.\nYou recite his new Lot for
him and strike him twice with the lash.\nHe shudders, yet humbly accepts the first
suffering of his life.
They bring the other boy to you next. He is kicking and squirming, and his face is
red with tears. They force him to kneel, and he falls on all fours. The floor draws
blood from his hands.\nAdult hands hold him still; adult voices chide him angrily.\
nYou say the words of his new Lot and strike him once with the lash. The lash cuts
right through the boy’s shirt and soaks it with blood. The boy’s cries turn to
screams.
You raise your head slightly and notice Jeanne’s watchful eye. She is there,
waiting.\nYou look back down at the boy. He looks so much like Nathan — just as
frightened, just as distraught, just as defenseless…
You hesitate, unsure of what to do. The ritual must be finished: by your Lot, you
must bring forth the Will of the Twins and perform the sacrament of suffering.\nBut
this little boy huddling at your feet is so young — he will no doubt see so much
suffering in his life…\nPerhaps you should show him that the world can be merciful
too?
Have mercy on the child
Strike with all your might
You tell the child to rise: the sacrament is done.
You whip the boy a second time with all your might, just as the Sacrament demands.
You lower the lash, unable to bring yourself to strike again. Then you lean over
the boy and help him to his feet.\nThe temple falls completely silent as you
apologize to the boy for hurting him.\nPerhaps the New Faith is right. Perhaps the
Lots are just an error made by Isatius… you want to believe this as you look into
the boy’s tearful face.
You can feel the parents, the acolytes, and the congregation watching you in
confusion. The boy gets to his feet, sniffling, and you tell him to go and live by
his Lot… but on the inside, you are overcome by a surge of emotion.
There is a tense feeling in your chest as you think of your younger brother. You
miss him so much; you cannot wait to go home and embrace your mother…
The acolytes take the sword and lash away. You turn to face the altar and mutter a
quick prayer to the Twins for this day.\nYou hear quiet footsteps behind your back.
You know they are Jeanne’s. Her gaze burns into your back. You do not turn around.
“You can never show mercy if you are to carry out the Will of the Twins. That boy
was supposed to feel the full burden of his Lot… why did you have mercy on him?”
Jeanne takes a deep breath, ready to continue her indignant tirade.\nThe next
moment her speech is cut short by a powerful voice that would make anyone shudder.
“Enough, Sister Jeanne. This is not why we are here.”
You hastily turn around and see Inquisitor Ulrich appear from the shadows.\nHas he
been watching you perform the Sacrament this whole time?
“Father Ulrich! I beg you to reconsider. Brother <username> isn't ready to bear
such a duty...”
“That is for me to decide.”
Jeanne frowns but falls silent pursing her lips.\nUlrich turns his heavy gaze to
you.
“For two years I have been watching you, <username>. Now the time has come for you
to join us.”
Ulrich hands you a scroll marked with the silver seal of the Inquisition.
“Brother <username>! The Church is appointing you an inquisitor.\nYou are to return
to your native land and protect our true faith against heresy.”
Jeanne pierces you with an intent stare.\nThere is doubt in her eyes.
You bow your head and accept the scroll from Ulrich's hands. Then you solemnly
fasten the Inquisitor's insignia to your belt.\nBy the will of the Church and the
Gods themselves, you are now a servant to the Holy Order of the Inquisition.
“Henceforth, your life belongs to the Order. You shall fight against any apostasy
that threatens the Church and her flock.\n“Cast aside your doubts, Inquisitor
Brante, and be ready to fulfill your new righteous duty.
“Prepare yourself to set out for Anizotte. A special assignment awaits you there.
Sister Jeanne will accompany you as a fellow Inquisitor. She will tell you
everything else you need to know.”
With that, Ulrich abruptly turns away and leaves the temple.\nYour answer is not
required. The will of the Church is the law, and you must abide by it.
You are left alone with Jeanne.\r\nYour sister in faith betrays no emotions — her
words sound sharp and dry.
“The time has come to bid the capital farewell, Brother <username>. We are leaving
for Anizotte tomorrow.”
With that, Jeanne leaves you alone in the temple. You turn back to the altar and
finish your prayer.
You cast away all doubt, you muster all your will, and the lash cuts through the
air as it strikes the boy’s back again. His skin parts; his blood drips onto the
floor. The boy gasps for air, doubled over in pain, then sags in the acolytes’
arms.
With a stern voice you tell him to rise and live by the Lot he has been given. The
boy barely gets back to his feet, then walks back to his mother, panting.\nYou hand
the sword and lash to an acolyte, then turn to face the altar and say a quick
prayer to the Twins for this day.
You hear quiet footsteps behind you.
“I'm glad to see that you didn't hesitate. You must never show mercy if you are to
carry out the Will of the Twins.\n“You helped that boy understand the full burden
of his Lot. That is a blessing that will guide him towards the Peak of the Pillar.”
Jeanne puts her hand on your shoulder.\nYet she hastily removes it as both of you
hear a powerful voice that would make anyone shudder.
“You sure have a steady hand, Brother <username>.”
“Father Ulrich! You were correct after all. Brother <username> is ready to become
one of us.”
“For two years I have been watching you, <username>. Now the time has come for you
to join our ranks.”
“Brother <username>! The Church is appointing you an inquisitor.\n“You are to
return to your native land and protect our true faith against heresy.”
Jeanne pierces you with an intent stare.
“Henceforth, your life belongs to the Order. You shall fight against any apostasy
that threatens the Church and her flock\n“Cast aside your doubts, Inquisitor
Brante, and be ready to fulfill your new righteous duty.
You are left alone with Jeanne.\nYour sister in faith betrays no emotions — her
words sound sharp and dry.
Recruitment
Days are followed by nights; nights are followed by new days. You can only tell
because of the light coming in through the tiny window near the ceiling.\nYou have
spent several months in this cramped cell. It is five steps long, two steps wide.
These walls felt oppressive during your first weeks, but people can get used to
anything eventually.
They feed you twice a day. They do not answer any questions. They take away the
food if you scream too loudly.\nYou think of your family often. How would they
react if they heard you were facing execution for being part of an underground
movement?\nMother would die from grief. Execution always brings true death…
Father’s hair would turn white. Gloria would cry, Stephan would rage, and Nathan
would become even more isolated.
Sophia… how could she do such a thing? She said the Lotless were her family; she
insisted so much on freeing the innocent mages; she urged you to support Patriarch
Junius and the New Faith…\nSophia said all that — and then she stood there and
watched her fellow Lotless get killed and arrested, their lives lost, years of work
undone and destroyed!
Driven mad with rage, you punch the stone wall. Blood splatters from your knuckles.
It grows dark again. The lock on the door squeaks, and the cell opens.\nThey carry
you out by the arms, but you no longer resist. You are sick of this. It’s no use
anymore.
They seat you in the interrogation room. \nThere is a man sitting across you.
Plain, but well-tailored jacket; pale face with chiseled features; thick black
mustache; black eyes watching your every move from their deep sockets.\nWhen did
the Secret Chancellery first start watching? When did you all became pawns in their
game?
The nobleman keeps studying you with utter disdain — even Grandfather never looked
at you with such scorn. He wears a pendant in the shape of a wheel. His gloved
hands rest atop a table with a walking stick leaning against it.\nBehind him stands
Sophia, her head down.
“I am Baron Felipe El Ferro, advisor to the Secret Chancellery. But I have a
dislike for titles. Call me Sir Felipe — that will suffice.\n“I know everything
about you, young Brante. Your father and grandfather are loyal servants of the
Empire, your brother is a noble by birth… where did your life take such a turn? How
did you stoop so low?”
The advisor to the Secret Chancellery shakes his head, presenting you with a
clearly false smile of sympathy. \nYou feel like a student in front of a strict
teacher — but you will not leave this room with a mere flogging.
“You, young people, don’t even realize what you’re doing. Openly defying the Church
and its teachings, openly speaking out against the law… \n“And when Junius Diamant
gives you the order, you wreak havoc in the capital, assault priests, and free
apostate witches sentenced to execution.\n“Isn’t that right, Sophia?”
“Yes, Sir Felipe. It all happened exactly as you said.”
You shiver with disbelief. There was no order from Junius Diamant! That is not
true! It never happened! \nYou look at Sophia, but she will not look at you. Her
eyes are only on Baron El Ferro — and he looks at you with a fatherly smile and a
ruthless gaze.\nYou are trapped. Now his words will be the truth — and nobody will
ever believe anything you say.
“If only I could be like you, young Brante — a mere boy who thinks he can change
the Empire all on his own.\n“But I suppose it’s a good thing I’m not that naive.
Otherwise I’d be in your shoes right now…\n“And you’d be dealing with someone far
worse than me.
“There are many things in this world that do not sit well with me either. But,
unlike your youthful rebellion, my goals are quite clear.\n“My wish is to save the
Empire. To save it from the likes of you: people who reject tradition and the laws
given to us by the Gods; fools who seek to set the mages free; practitioners of the
New Faith that is destroying the church from within — even if their leader is a
patriarch and an Arknian from an ancient dynasty.
“Few know my methods, and that is why they are effective. Thanks to Sophia and this
‘secret society’ of hers, we have already managed to gather all the dangerous
insurgents together — and summarily deal with them in one fell swoop. The heretic
Junius Diamant is next in line. \n“But that is none of your concern. Let us speak
of your fate now…”
Felipe produces a folder full of notes and puts it on the table in front of you.
The folder bears your name.\nYour hands shake as you flip through the pages.
How you infiltrated the College during the siege… \nhow you helped recruit more
people for the Lotless… \nthe articles you wrote for that newspaper… \nthe advice
you gave Sophia… \nyour preparations for the March of the Collars…
Your life over the past three years is laid down on these pages.\nJust the records
of your presence at the Lotless meetings is enough to sentence you to execution —
but that is the least of what you have done over these years.\nYour stomach churns.
“Do not expect your father’s authority as a judge to save you from this, Brante. He
is just a second-generation judge.\n“A brief note from me, and you will face true
death. And then your father, and the rest of your peculiar little family as well.\
n“What say you? Is there any reason I shouldn’t do just that?”
“Sir Felipe, I…”
He strikes Sophia, swiftly and painfully. She doubles over and clutches at her
stomach, gasping for breath.\nSlowly, Felipe returns the walking stick to its
previous position. His gaze never leaves you.
“I don’t remember giving you permission to speak.\n“But very well, I grant it now.
Speak.”
Sophia finally catches her breath and leans against the wall. She looks at you for
the first time since the interrogation began.
“Sir Felipe, Brante grew up in Anizotte, like me. He is very bright and has proven
himself to be quite capable since his very first days with the Lotless. You will
find my description of him in my report. He will serve your cause in Magra well.”
You do not look at Sophia. Her betrayal is the reason you ended up here.\nBut now
she is putting herself at risk to save your life.\nFelipe stares you down, his chin
resting on his fist.
“Proved himself, you say? Then how about he proves himself to me as well… \n“There
are only two way out of this room, Brante. One leads to the gallows; the other
makes you my loyal servant.\n“Thank your childhood friend for this mercy. I will
give you one chance, and only one, to prove that you are useful to the Secret
Chancellery. I’m listening.”
Prove that you will be useful
Betray the remaining Lotless
Reject the Secret Chancellery
You convince the advisor that you will serve him well, but ensure that the
remaining Lotless will not get caught.
You prove to Sir Felipe you understand his plot and have what it takes to put it in
motion.
You seek salvation in service to your new master and name all the Lotless who have
managed to remain safe so far.
You choose true death for yourself and dishonor for the Brante family.
You pull yourself together and start thinking.\nYou have to earn your freedom — and
for that, you must prove that you can be useful to the City Hall.\nBut you cannot
betray the Lotless who are still free…
And so you start talking. You describe everything you have learned over the past
three years, including your work with the Lotless, your recruitment and propaganda
efforts, and the public activities you have hosted.\nFelipe listens carefully to
every word you say.
You use your cunning to convince him that the Lotless pose no threat and have no
leadership with Sophia and you out of the picture. \nIf you are to be believed, the
Lotless were already on the verge of disbanding.
Sophia is silent and emotionless as you speak.\nNothing in her reacts to your lies.
“Well then… you’re quite self-assured, Brante. So you’re trying to tell me your
entire secret society was held together entirely through your efforts? Granted, you
talk far better than those half-literate street rats…\n“One way or another, the
Lotless have outlived their usefulness. I have no use for the rest of those
pathetic ragamuffins.
“Color me impressed — but if you disappoint me, so much the worse for you.\n“Now
mark my words: from this moment on, you are my secret servant. This is your only
Lot in life now, as it were.\n“You will obey me and no one else. And do not even
think of mentioning the Secret Chancellery to anyone.”
“You and Sophia will return to Anizotte. Tell everyone you earned a small fortune
in the capital, or made wealthy friends… you’re a slippery young man — just think
of something believable, will you?\n“Once you’re there, open a print shop. Don’t
waste too much time on it — this job will be your cover to keep you looking busy in
public. My people will pay you visits from time to time and bring you instructions
from me. I have big plans for your desert province.”
“My every instruction must be carried out immediately. If you ever fail or try to
fool me, your family will suffer along with you.\n“Here — this should be enough for
the print shop. Now you have something to bring back home.”
With a chuckle, Felipe drops a hefty pouch at your feet. It falls like a rock and
makes a sound that only gold can make.\nBefore you can say anything, he turns
around and leaves.\nOnce you are left alone with Sophia, she finally lets her
emotions rise to the surface.
“Don’t you dare call me a traitor! Do you think it was easy for me to watch my
friends being killed? Nobody would’ve left the room alive if it wasn’t for me!\
n“Yes, I bound everyone I could with my spell — because otherwise you would’ve died
trying to fight back! I hoped I could get everyone out of there alive… but I only
got you out.”
“It’s a good thing you said what you said. Now Felipe will pay no attention to the
Lotless… the survivors will continue our work eventually, without us.\n“And as for
you and me… Felipe has us on his leash now — we’ll have to survive like this. We
can’t run from him. If I don’t do what I’m told, he’ll have me collared and sent
back to the House of Humility to be an obedient, soulless puppet…
“But we have each other now. We can do this. Don’t lose hope.”
A jailer enters the room before you can say anything else. You are led out of the
prison and into the yard. You wince at the light of the sun and the Shining
Pillar.\nA carriage takes you back to the flophouse where you took refuge after the
March of the Collars.\nThe driver kindly informs you he has orders to take you back
to Anizotte in three days.
You start packing. It all feels like a dream.\nEverything will happen exactly as
Felipe said. You have nowhere to run. If you try to flee, they will find you — and
they will find your family first.\nIn the Blessed Arknian Empire, there is no way
to start over with a clean slate. The Twins and the Secret Chancellery see all.
Your months in prison are in the past; but can you truly call yourself free now?\
nYou will be going home soon.
You pull yourself together and start thinking.\nThere is only one way out of this
prison and back to safety: you must prove that you are useful to the City Hall. \
nYou have to prove to this noble advisor that you are more than just a lowborn
malcontent — you have to prove that you can understand Felipe’s intricate plans and
play an important role in them.
And so you start talking, and Felipe listens carefully to every word you say.\nIf
you understand correctly, the noble advisor’s plan was to create a secret society —
the Lotless — in the capital, with Sophia as its leader, overseen and supported by
the Secret Chancellery. The purpose of this group was to entice as many
discontented young commoners as possible to join its ranks.
Once that was done, the society would begin peaceful protests to support the mages,
but those protests would quickly descend into chaos and bloodshed in the square
when they tried to free the imprisoned mages.\nHowever, you conclude, the Lotless
and the March of the Collars were just bargaining chips whose purpose was to
undermine the standing of Patriarch Junius Diamant, who is famous for showing his
support for the mages.\nFoment an act of rebellion that can be traced back to the
powerful highborn leader of the New Faith — that was Sir Felipe’s goal all along!
All of a sudden, Sir Felipe breaks into a satisfied smile.
“You are intelligent indeed, Brante! I’m not sure what schooling you received from
your father, but you’ll make a fine agent for the Secret Chancellery. You sure have
an eye for everything that matters.\n“Right you are: the Lotless have outlived
their usefulness. Soon we’ll find and deal with the rest of those lowborn
ragamuffins.
“And now Felipe is about to eliminate the rest of the Lotless… but we can do
nothing to save them now.\n“And, as for you and me… Felipe has us on his leash now.
We’ll have to survive like this. We can’t run from him. If I don’t do what I’m
told, he’ll have me collared and sent back to the House of Humility to be an
obedient, soulless puppet…”
You have no strength left to fight.\nBetrayal is the only choice you have left. If
you want to live, you have to prove your loyalty.
“Excellent, Brante. I see you’ve had enough time to accept your new position. And,
besides, those people mean nothing to you now… I have high hopes for you.”
You start talking: first names, last names, code names…\nYou mention Arthur Marae,
who supported you with money after he was freed, the Sachs family, who welcomed you
into their home, and a handful of other names.
Sophia is silent and emotionless as you speak, but her lips are pressed tightly.
“You have a fine memory, Brante. You just might make a good spy after all. And
you’ve already learned your lesson: serve the man who takes care of you.\n“I have
no use for the Lotless now. Soon we will find them all and deal with the rest of
those ragamuffins.
“How could you do such a thing? How could you betray those who were still free,
after everything I’ve done to keep them safe?! Do you think it was easy to watch my
friends being killed? Nobody would’ve left that room alive if it wasn’t for me! \
n“Yes, I bound everyone I could with my spell — because otherwise you would’ve died
trying to fight back! I hoped I could get everyone out of there alive… but I only
got you out.”
Then, suddenly, Sophia’s rage subsides. Her hand comes to rest on your shoulder.
“I know how you feel right now. But it’s all Felipe’s fault… he starved you in
prison, and you’re only human.\n“And now Felipe is about to eliminate the rest of
the Lotless… but we can do nothing to save them now.
“And as for you and me… Felipe has us on his leash now — we’ll have to survive like
this. We can’t run from him. If I don’t do what I’m told, he’ll have me collared
and sent back to the House of Humility to be an obedient, soulless puppet…”
Your months in prison are the past, but can you truly call yourself free now?\nYou
will be going home soon.
You have no strength left to fight, but you will never let your enemies win.\nYou
will never be a snitch; you will never beg; you will never betray the survivors.\
nYou are ready to pay the ultimate price.
And so you tell Sir Felipe: no, you will not work for the Secret Chancellery. You
will not betray the Lotless. You will not betray yourself. Not ever.
Sophia is silent and emotionless as you speak. Then, suddenly, a quiet cry of
terror rips out of her chest — until Sir Felipe’s gaze cuts her short.\nThe
advisor’s eyes study your face in every detail.
“You know, Brante, I envy you in a way… true death, the judgment of the Twins, the
disgrace of your family — none of that frightens you. \n“You are indeed a free man.
It’s a shame I cannot possibly let you enjoy your freedom any longer.”
“Why are you doing, Brante?! Wake up! I didn’t save you for this!”
They take you out of the interrogation room and back to your cell.\nYou spend
several more days in the silent gloom, alone with the decision you have made.
Then you are taken to Majesty Square. You see the broad gallows erected for the
honor of executing you and the other Lotless.\nSix fellow members, bound in chains,
acknowledge you with weak nods.\nSlowly, you walk up the rough wooden steps and
onto the scaffold.
You cast one final glance over the square. It is an ordinary day in the capital —
your execution has only attracted a handful of people.\nThey look at you — some
with pity, some with scorn, some with lazy anticipation.\nNo last words, no
speeches. All you get is a quick glance shared with the other Lotless before a
cloth sack covers your head.
A hand pulls the lever, and the trapdoor beneath your feet opens. The rope yanks
you back up…\nAnd then there is nothing.
A Farewell to the Capital
The Reglata and Talrina rivers meet outside the city walls.\nYou have barely left
the capital since you came here all those years ago. A breeze is blowing in your
face, and the bright noon sun hangs above the Shining Pillar.\nYour stay in Eterna
has come to an end.\nYou arrived here a boy, full of hopes and aspirations, driven
by your family’s expectations and a desire to live your life as you saw fit.
Where did your youthful ambition lead you in the end? Eterna never became your home
— to you, it was a place of turmoil and disappointment.\nYou tried to change the
course of history, but history broke you in half and threw you away. You were too
young and inexperienced.\nYour entire life was wrecked by a single decision. What
future could you possibly have now? All of your hopes are buried here in Eterna,
and you must leave this city behind.
Your hands clench into fists as you think about it.\nYou will have to live two
lives: a public life as the owner of a print shop, and a secret life as a spy for
the Secret Chancellery. This is the only path fate has in store for you now.
Mother used to say that humility and hard work are the strength of the common folk
— each new blow brings less pain and teaches you to get back up more quickly.\nAll
you have to do is walk this path without showing weakness.
But you strayed from the path of humility and graduated from the school of hard
knocks.\nYou learned to lie and manipulate others, to survive and hide and act in
secret. As a teacher, Sophia had no equal.\nBut what are you supposed to do now?
Will you accept your role in the schemes of the Secret Chancellery, since it means
well for the Empire? \nOr will you have what it takes to find another way and use
your new position for schemes of your own?
Many things must have changed back home by now.\nYou recall Gloria particularly
fondly — the way she used to rebel all the time and defy her Lot to write poems…
she always fought hard to be herself, no matter what other people or the law said.
Gloria was the only one who supported your decision to find your own path. You want
to see her so badly, and tell her all the news, and share the joy of your return
with her.\nYou have to get her a gift from the capital, something that will matter
to your sister, while there is still time! \nYou decide to buy her a book she could
never find in Anizotte.
You start combing through the market.\nYou go to five bookstores, but you see
nothing suitable… one last shop, and then it is time to leave, you promise
yourself.\nThe store is marked by an unremarkable sign on an unremarkable building.
You enter a dark room full of bookshelves. \nOn one of these shelves you see a
small book bound in black leather. The name of the author — Char Milanidas — is
stamped in gold.\nYou peek inside.
How strange… this is not a biography of the Rebellious Duke and his rebellion. It
is not even a study of his legacy.\nIt is… a book of his poems. \nYou thumb through
the pages and realize that Gloria would enjoy this book very much.\nThe poetry of
Char Milanidas is about love, and struggle, and strength of will, and the drive to
keep fighting even when all hope is lost.\nThe book costs almost nothing; it leaves
the bookstore with you.
You leave the capital the morning after. The carriage hired by the Secret
Chancellery awaits you at the door.\nEterna, the city where you spent four years,
slowly disappears on the horizon.\nWill you ever see the capital again? You do not
know.\nThe book — a gift for Gloria — is in your hands.
And now you have to leave, and this thought fills you with gentle sadness. \nEterna
did not become your home — and yet here you realized that you can be a messenger
between the Will of the Twins and the people. \nYou are the hand that shows the
way, the interpreter of the Gods, the man who guides others to the Peak when they
depart for the hereafter.
You have never felt so close to the Twins. \nBut now you carry within you the love
and wisdom of the Elder, and the law and power of the Younger. \nAfter your second
Sacrament, you started seeing the Twins’ presence in this world everywhere. What
will you see back in your hometown, or by the Silver Tree?
You have been chosen to serve the Inquisition. Now you are more than a mere priest
— you are a shield of the Church that wards away its enemies and false doctrines.\
nA pain in your chest, right under the Twins’ cross, echoes this thought. The
schism between the Church and the New Faith began in Anizotte — but the city is
still your home.\nChanges are coming, and, as an inquisitor, you will have to face
them.
You think of Sister Jeanne often. She was your only companion during the years of
study at the Seminary, and now she will teach and assist you in your service to the
Inquisition.\nWhat is the connection between you? Who will you become for one
another?
You exhale and close your eyes, feeling the riverside wind blowing into your face.\
nMany things must have changed back home by now. Does Mother still pray to the
Twins three times a day? What about the others? They used to repeat the sacred
words after her back then… what about now?
Nathan probably follows Mother’s example. Every letter he has sent you has been
filled with elation over your choice of the priest’s Lot.\nNathan failed to enter
the Seminary of Anizotte — he said he got too nervous — and he wrote that he was
ashamed of not being able to follow in your footsteps.
But being ashamed of failure is against the commoner’s Lot, you wrote back. A
commoner must humbly accept failure, just as he would accept any other kind of
suffering.
You should cheer Nathan up by bringing him a souvenir from the capital that will
remind him of you. A token of love that says you believe in him.\nAfter giving it
some thought, you head to the Temple for a prayer book.
You find the Great Temple of the Twins surrounded by the usual calm and quiet.
There are no loud voices coming from the people, no loud cries from the merchants.\
nYou approach a small bookstore by the Temple grounds and examine the prayer books
one by one.\nYou search for one with the proper prayers for everything Nathan needs
— for the good of the family, for humility, for meekness, and for following one’s
Lot.
A small book finds its way to you. The sturdy leather cover feels good in the palm
of your hand. You thumb through the prayer book and nod — everything you are
looking for is here.
You leave the capital the morning after in a carriage hired by the Inquisition.\
nEterna, the city where you spent four years, slowly disappears on the horizon.
Will you ever see the capital again? You do not know.\nThe prayer book is in your
hands.
And now you have to leave, and this thought fills you with gentle sadness. \nEterna
did not become your home — and yet here you have finally found your path.
Here in the capital, you became a nobleman and a judge. Now you are one of the
rulers, the warriors, the pleasure-seekers, the creators — those who spill their
blood for the Empire and family and honor — those who keep and honor the age-old
traditions.\nThis is your Lot now.
You are to work in the Prefecture of your home province as a judge.\nYour path to
this goal was a long one. And your friend Tommas was by your side all the while.
You fondly recall your walks through the streets of Eterna, your secret fencing
lessons, your heartfelt discussions.\nYou have no doubt your future back in
Anizotte will be full of glory.
And then you recall the black, enigmatic eyes of Octavia Milanidas, an Arknian from
one of the great dynasties. A woman whose beauty and majesty make you tremble… \
nYou heard she would be returning to the court of her father the Archduke in
Magra.\nWill you ever see her again?
You will meet father once more. He tends to hide his feelings, but not this time —
after all, you have fulfilled all his hopes, succeeded in your studies, and
continued your family’s noble legacy.
Many things must have changed back home by now. You recall your older brother
Stephan — now that you have been ennobled, you are practically equals at last.\
nThis means you should follow an old tradition and bring Stephan a gift. \nAnd so
you head for the market district of Eterna.
Soon you are busy trying out swords at a weaponsmith’s shop.\nThere is a lot to
consider for this gift. Stephan is taller, and his shoulders are broader, which
means his sword must be heavier and longer. There can be no embellishments —
Stephan would scoff at you if you brought him an extravagant weapon.
At last you find a suitable sword — blackened steel, a subtle ornament of leaves on
the blade, and a grip shaped like women vines. \nIt resembles the seared soil of
Magra beneath the Silver Tree.
You choose the sheath with the same diligence. \nThere — a light wooden frame bound
in thin, yet sturdy leather will make the blade easy to draw, and the buckle is
sturdy enough. \nYou leave the shop satisfied.
You leave the capital the morning after. Eterna, the city where you spent four
years, slowly disappears on the horizon.\nWill you ever see the capital again? You
do not know. The sword — a gift for Stephan — is in your hands.
The carriage stops.\nThe familiar gate. Your bedroom window — the same one you used
to climb out of at night from time to time.\nThe well-tended garden with its
imported soil, delightful greenery, and Mother’s beloved violet irises.\nThe porch
you used to jump off of when you were little.
You are home.
You touch the handle of the front door and halt for a moment. It has been four
years since you left for Eterna, but it feels like yesterday…\nThe air inside is
cool, as usual — Father cannot stand a stuffy room and insists on constantly airing
out the house.
Nathan’s shaggy head peeks out from behind the sitting room door.\nYour younger
brother is the first to reach you, crying out with joy.\nHe embraces you tightly.
Nathan is now as tall as you are, and his hair almost reaches his shoulders. But he
still has the same lost look in his eye he had when he was a boy.
“You’re finally back, <username>! Home just hasn’t been the same without you. And
look, you’re wearing a cassock — a true priest! I’ll never be one, unfortunately… I
didn’t get into the Seminary.”
He stares at the ground guiltily.\nYou show him the prayer book you bought for him
by the Great Temple of the Twins back in the capital.\nMay the light of the Faith
shine in your eyes forevermore, brother.\nNathan clutches at the little prayer book
and nods with gratitude.
Mother walks out of the sitting room. Nathan runs to her, and she leans on his arm
as he leads her to you.\nMother’s back is bent. She has grown pale, and a thin web
of wrinkles covers her face. She can barely stand unassisted. These are the
troubling, telltale signs of the illness your brother and sister mentioned in their
letters from home.
Slowly, she embraces you.\nYou press your face into her shoulder, breathing in the
nearly-forgotten, dearly beloved smell. Mother holds your shoulders and studies you
for a long time.
“You’ve been away so long, my son! But it was all for a good reason. I am so very
proud you chose to follow the priestly Lot! Never in my wildest dreams did I think
my own son would bring the Twins’ teachings to the world and save other men’s
souls! To think I held you in these arms not so long ago…”
Mother’s arms are thinner now. They feel nearly weightless.
Gloria walks up to you next. She is dressed in men’s clothing, including culottes,
a frock coat, and a necktie with a massive pin. She is almost unrecognizable in her
new attire.\nThere are dark circles under her eyes, as though from lack of sleep —
or frequent tears.\nHer first words to you are dripping with sarcasm.
“Well, hello there, my brother the priest. Can’t say I expected that. You’ll be the
one watching over our souls now, I suppose?”
You offer a composed response: you will always be ready to help Gloria if she finds
herself in need of spiritual guidance. But you are not just a priest, you are also
her brother.\nGloria breaks into an involuntary smile. She finally lets her
feelings show and embraces you.
Loud footsteps echo down the stairs. Stephan appears.\nYour elder brother has grown
taller and more broad-shouldered. You notice how harsh his features have become. He
looks even more like Grandfather now.\nStephan greets you politely with a solemn
nod.
“Greetings, brother. It’s a shame you returned with a cassock rather than a sword.
But at least you weren’t left a commoner like our youngest brother. You may not
have earned a noble Lot, but your cause is important to the Empire. The Brante
family welcomes you.”
As he says these words, you hear the door to Father’s office open.\nFather looks
older. His back is hunched, and he squints. There are deep lines around his mouth
and silver threads in his dark hair and moustache.\nHe stops a few steps away and
examines you from head to toe. You meet his gaze.
“When I sent you off to the capital, I didn’t expect you to return like this. But
you have chosen your own path. I am saddened that you won’t follow in my footsteps…
but such is the will of the Twins. I accept your decision.”
With a bit of hesitation, Father comes closer and pats you on the back.
“Well then, time for dinner! Your mother has prepared a veritable feast for you.”
For the first time in years, the entire family is together.\nYou can finally spend
some time with another member of your family today.
Find out how Mother is doing
Ask Gloria about her life
Chat with Nathan
Talk to Stephan
You are concerned about Mother’s health.
You find out what has happened in your sister’s life.
You spend some time with your younger brother.
You decide to discuss business with your elder brother.
Over dinner, you cautiously ask Mother about her health.
“Oh, it’s nothing, <username>. I have no complaints. I’ve just been a little weak
lately. It happens at my age. I humbly accept whatever fate the Twins have chosen
for me.”
Having said this, she stops abruptly and looks upward.\nFather cuts in.
“You know, son, you should tell us about your life in the capital. Have you made
any useful acquaintances? Our family could use some good connections right now.
“You mentioned in one of your letters that you’ve seen the Imperial family with
your eyes. What are they like, the Tempests?”
You have to relate the four years you spent in Eterna.\nOnly later that night,
while talking to Nathan on the back porch, do you learn more about Mother’s health.
“I’ll be frank with you… Mother isn’t doing so well. Gloria and I do our best not
to leave her alone. You can ask her questions, but her answers often don’t make
sense, and she keeps falling silent in the middle of a conversation like she did
today. Her illness is consuming her.\n“You know, if Mother passes, she may not be
reborn… I dread to think what will become of Father then. And of Gloria…
“Gloria has had it hard too lately. Stephan has treated her like dirt for the last
year. I think he plans to drive her out of the house so her origins won’t taint the
Brante reputation anymore. Stephan only cares about one thing now: getting our
family ennobled by the Sword. So for him, Gloria is just an obstacle between him
and his goal.”
You spend quite some time in silence, gazing at the radiant stripe of the Shining
Pillar as it grows more and more luminous against the darkening sky.\nThe Brante
family is about to face some challenging times.
At the table, you try to ask Gloria about her life, but your sister evades your
questions.
“I live, I suffer, I help around the house, I know my place. Just like a lowborn
girl is supposed to.”
“Then be silent, Gloria. Your brother’s Lot is to offer guidance to the lowborn,
not endure their pleas.\n“Why don’t you tell us if you’ve made any useful
acquaintances, <username>?”
You have to relate the four years you spent in Eterna.\nOnly later that night, when
the family is getting ready for bed, do you manage to have a conversation with your
sister by the smoldering fireplace.
You assure Gloria that your cassock and priestly status will never come between
you. She is still your sister.\nGloria casts a wary glance at you, then finally
gives free reign to her feelings. As you embrace, she buries her face in your
shoulder.\nYou stroke her tangled curls.
“I really hope you’ll always be my brother, <username>.\n“Mother, Nathan, and I —
we all seem to be unwanted in this house. Sir Robert spends all his time at work,
so Stephan has been running the household.
“It’s taken a heavy toll on Mother. I can see her losing her will to live. You
know, at her age, she might pass away forever and not be reborn. She had to endure
a lot before she met Sir Robert. And her illness is consuming her…
“All Stephan cares about is getting the family ennobled by the Sword. He’d
sacrifice anyone for it. I’m worried the first thing he’s going to do is drive me
out of the house so I won’t taint the Brante family name with my origins. I’m just
an obstacle to him, a hindrance…
“You know, <username>, I’m not sure how much longer I can tolerate this injustice.
Times are changing. If I’m lowborn, that doesn’t mean I’m going to serve the nobles
until my true death. All over the Empire, commoners are fighting for their rights…”
Gloria suddenly cuts herself short. For a long time, you sit in silence, listening
to the crackling fireplace.\nThe Brante family is about to face some challenging
times.
At the table, you ask Nathan how he is doing.\nYour inquiries make your little
brother uncomfortable.
“I tried as hard as I could… I wanted to be like you. I studied theology, read
books… but during my examination at the Seminary I started talking about something
else entirely. I don’t know what came over me.
“The priest asks me, ‘What is the manifestation of the Twins’ love for people?’ And
I went and said, ‘forgiveness!’”
“What are you talking about, son? The Twins could never forgive anyone for any sin.
Otherwise, how could we fulfill their design? Everyone would just do whatever they
wanted, since the Twins would forgive them anyway!”
Sorrow fills Nathan’s eyes.
“The priest was furious too. ‘Out of the Seminary, you ignoramus!’ he shouted. So I
left. And now I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“Just keep silent then. Quit prattling on about the troubles of the common folk —
such is your Lot. Instead, I’d like to hear what <username> has to tell us about
his life in the capital. Have you made any useful acquaintances? Our family would
benefit from some good connections right now.”
You have to relate the four years you spent in Eterna.\nYou resume your
conversation with Nathan later that night. You sit together on the back porch, away
from the rest of the family.
“I’m glad someone cares about me, brother. You’ve always been there for me. It must
be painful for you to see me grow up to be so useless.
“Things are bad for me. I try to at least look after Mother. You can ask her
questions, but her answers often don’t make sense, and she keeps falling silent in
the middle of a conversation like she did today. Her illness is consuming her.\
n“You know, if Mother passes, she may not be reborn… I dread to think what will
happen to Father then. And to Gloria…
After the meal, you and Stephan lounge by the fireplace.\nYou question your brother
exhaustively about the changes that have taken place in your household since you
left to pursue an education.
“Family matters are mostly in my hands now. Father’s work as a judge keeps him
exceedingly busy. But it’s time for the Brantes to become nobles of the Sword. I am
third-generation nobility, which means I can claim a hereditary title for us!
“I have to socialize, to build our reputation, to secure elite patronage for us.\
n“It is a grand cause. And now you share it with me, even as a priest. Remember
that any action of yours could have an impact on the reputation of the Brante
family.”
Stephan frowns.
“Our family is excessively… atypical. I respect Father’s wish to let Lydia’s
illegitimate daughter stay with us. But there are limits.\n“Gloria is an audacious
rebel, and Nathan is a useless good-for-nothing. They do not know their place and
often compromise the honor of the Brante family.
“But at least you were wise enough to transcend the lowly Lot, <username>! Pray
tell me what your life in the capital was like. Have you made any useful
acquaintances? Our family would benefit from some good connections right now.”
You delve into a discussion of recent news from the capital with your brother.\
nGloria walks by, casting a disappointed glance in your direction, then disappears
upstairs.
to climb out of at night from time to time. The well-tended garden with its
imported soil, delightful greenery, and Mother’s beloved violet irises. The porch
you used to jump off of when you were little.
You hear hurried footsteps coming from the direction of Father’s study. Before you
have time to take off your traveling cloak, you are crushed in Stephan’s strong
embrace.\nYour brother has grown taller and more broad-shouldered. When he detaches
himself from you, you notice how harsh his features have become. He looks even more
like Grandfather now.
“You’ve grown so much over the last four years, <username>! Just look at you — you
left a lowborn boy, but you’ve come back Sir Brante. I’m so glad you’ve joined us
in the noble estate!”
You respond by giving your brother a wrapped gift.\nStephan unwraps it carefully.
When he sees the sword, a boyish smile appears on his stern face.
“It’s beautiful! What a wonderful gift, brother! Maybe I should start a collection.
What do you think?”
“There’s no hurry, Stephan. And now let me have a look at the Prefecture’s new
judge!”
Father approaches you, his hand extended. You shake it and wrap your arms around
him.\nFather looks older. His back is hunched, and he squints. There are deep lines
around his mouth and silver threads in his dark hair and moustache.\nTaking a step
back, Father examines you from head to toe.
“What fine posture! You had excellent teachers. I’m so proud you made it, son!”
Mother comes out of the living room, leaning on Nathan’s arm.\nYou immediately see
signs of the illness you read about in the letters from home. Her back is bent, her
hair is gray, a thin web of wrinkles covers her face, and her complexion has lost
its color. She can barely stand unassisted.
Nathan leads Mother to you. Slowly, very delicately, she embraces you. You press
your face into her shoulder, breathing in the nearly-forgotten, dearly beloved
smell.\nMother holds your shoulders and studies your face for a long time.
“You’ve been away so long, son! How you’ve grown! Just a short while ago, I was
cradling you in my arms. You look so much like your father when he was your age!
Sir <username> Brante!”
Nathan approaches you next.\nYour younger brother is now as tall as you are, and
his hair almost reaches his shoulders. But he still has the same lost look in his
eye he had when he was a boy.
“And here’s your ne'er-do-well little brother. He hasn’t changed a bit or grown an
inch after all this time! He couldn’t get into the Seminary, so he just hangs
around.”
Nathan lets out a heavy sigh and awkwardly puts his arms around you.
“I’m glad to see you back, <username>. Home just hasn’t been the same without you.”
You hear a snort behind you. Everyone turns.\nAt the top of the stairs stands
Gloria, her arms across her chest. She is dressed as a man, in culottes, a frock
coat, and a necktie with a massive pin.\nThe entire family waits for her to greet
you. Stephan shakes his head disapprovingly.\nYou sister descends as if forcing
herself to do it. A few steps away from you, Gloria stops and bows.
“Welcome to your home, Sir Brante!”
Your sister looks thinner and leaner than she used to. She has dark circles under
her eyes, as though she has been sleeping too little or crying too much.
“Enough pleasantries. Come on in, the table is set! Lydia has prepared a veritable
feast for you.”
Support Gloria
Ask Nathan some questions
At the table you, cautiously ask Mother about her health.
“Oh, it’s nothing, <username>. I have no complaints. I’ve just been a little weak
lately. It happens at my age. I humbly accept whatever fate the Twin Gods have
chosen for me.”
After these words, she stops abruptly and lifts up her eyes.\nFather cuts in.
“You know, son, you should tell us about your life in the capital. Have you made
any useful acquaintances? Our family could do with some good connections right now.
“You said in one of your letters that you’ve laid your eyes on the Imperial family.
What are they like, the Tempests?”
“Gloria has had a hard time of it lately too. Stephan has treated her like dirt for
the last year. I think he plans to drive her out of the house so her origins won’t
taint the Brante name anymore. Stephan only cares about one thing now: getting our
and his goal.”
At the table you try to ask Gloria about her life, but your sister dodges your
questions.
“Then keep silent, Gloria. Your brother doesn’t care about the affairs of commoners
anymore.\n“Instead, why don’t you tell us if you’ve made any useful acquaintances,
<username>? Our family would benefit from some good connections right now.”
You assure Gloria that your noble title will not come between you. She is still
your sister.\nGloria casts a wary glance at you.
“So, your sword and title haven’t changed you after all?”
Giving in to her feelings at last, Gloria buries her face in your shoulder.\nYou
caress your sister’s disheveled locks.
“I worked as hard as I could… studied theology, read books… but during my
examination at the Seminary I started talking about something else entirely. I
don’t know what came over me.
“The priest asks me, ‘What is the manifestation of the Twin Gods’ love for people?’
And I went and said, ‘forgiveness!’”
“What are you talking about, son? The Twin Gods could never forgive anyone for any
sin. Otherwise, how could we fulfill their design? Everyone would just do whatever
they wanted, since the Gods would forgive them anyway!”
“Just keep silent then. Quit prattling on about the troubles of the common folk —
that’s your Lot for you. Instead I’d like to hear what <username> has to tell us
about his life in the capital. Have you made any useful acquaintances? Our family
would benefit from some good connections right now.”
After the meal, you and Stephan lounge by the fireplace.\nYou question your brother
exhaustively about the changes that have taken place in your household while you
were away getting your education.
“Family matters are mostly in my hands now. Father’s service keeps him exceedingly
busy. But it’s time for the Brantes to become nobles of the Sword. We are third-
generation nobility. That implies that we have a right to a hereditary title!
n“It is a grand cause. Now you share it with me. Remember that any action of yours
can have an impact on the Brante name.”
“But at least you’re going to prove yourself worthy of your new title, I have no
doubt about it! Pray tell me what your life in the capital was like. Have you made
any useful acquaintances? Our family would benefit from some good connections right
now.”
You delve into a discussion of recent news from the capital with your brother.\
nGloria passes you, casting a disappointed glance in your direction, then
disappears upstairs.
to climb out of at night from time to time.\nThe well-tended garden with its
imported soil, delightful greenery, and Mother’s beloved violet irises.\nThe porch
you used to jump off of when you were little.\n
You touch the handle of the front door and halt for a moment. It has been four
years since you left for Eterna, but it feels like yesterday...\nThe air inside is
cool, as usual — Father cannot stand a stuffy room and insists on constantly airing
out the house.
Inside the house, the first thing you hear is the sound of someone running out of
the library.\nYour sister Gloria appears and immediately throws her arms around
you.
Her joy is so strong, you barely manage to stay on your feet.\nGloria is dressed in
men’s clothing, including culottes, a frock coat, and a necktie with a massive pin.
She is almost unrecognizable in her new attire.\nThere are dark circles under her
eyes, as though from lack of sleep — or frequent tears.
“Brother! I’ve been waiting for you for so long. I’m proud to see you’ve chosen
your own path and decided to live the way you want! You’re actually going to open
your own print shop? You’re going to print books? Even poetry?”
Speaking of poetry... from the inner pocket of your jacket you produce a small book
bound in soft black leather.\nGloria gingerly accepts your gift. She notices the
author’s name — Char Milanidas — on the cover and knits her brow. But after quickly
flipping through the pages, she showers you with gratitude.
“I thought Milanidas was just a warlock — I had no idea he wrote poetry! How
fascinating! I’m going to read it all, from cover to cover!”
Mother comes out of the sitting room, leaning on Nathan’s arm.\nYou immediately see
signs of the illness mentioned in the letters from home.\nHer back is bent, her
hair is gray, a thin web of wrinkles covers her face, and her complexion has lost
its color.\nShe slowly embraces you. Her arms feel nearly weightless. You press
your face into her shoulder, breathing in the nearly-forgotten, dearly beloved
smell. Mother holds you by the shoulders and studies you for a long time.
“You’ve been away so long, son! It’s such a shame your journey was in vain. You
didn’t become a judge, or even a priest. I guess it’s your fate to bear your Lot
until the very end. But you’ll endure it. That’s how I raised you...”
Nathan approaches you after Mother.\nYour younger brother is the same height as you
now. His hair almost reaches his shoulders. But he still has the same lost look in
his eye he had when he was a boy.\n
“It’s good to see you, brother. Home just hasn’t been the same without you. Who
care about your estate, right? I’m just glad you’re here with us again.”
You pat Nathan on the back.\nLoud footsteps echo down the stairs. Stephan appears.
His shoulders have grown broader, and his features have become harsher, just like
Grandfather’s. He stares you and Nathan down with contempt, his arms crossed on his
chest.\n
“Welcome back, commoner. I’d hoped you’d become my equal, but apparently you just
didn’t have it in you. I guess you’re no better than Nathan.\nI can only hope
you’ll know your place from now on. Why did Father even send you to the capital in
the first place?”
As Stephan says these words, you see Father appear from his study.\nHe looks older
now. His back is hunched, and he squints. There are deep lines around his mouth and
silver threads in his dark hair and moustache.\nHe stops a few steps away and
examines you from head to toe. He does not say a word, shaking his head slowly.
You explain yourself to Father. This was the only path you could have taken. \nThe
College and the judge’s calling were not for you. However, your time in the capital
was not spent in vain — you made many influential friends there.\nAnd now you plan
to open a print shop in Anizotte and make a good living.
You do your very best to make this sound convincing. No one can ever see through
your cover story.
“When I sent my son to the capital, I expected him return a nobleman. But the man
who stands before me is a commoner, a merchant, an artisan. I had such high hopes
for you... but our family’s future rests in Stephan’s hands now.\n“Oh well... I’ve
had enough time to make my peace with this. You are still a member of this family.
We’ll see how your shop fares.\n“Perhaps you can still find a way to contribute to
the Brante household.
He lets out a bitter chuckle.\nThen, after a pause, Father spreads his arms wide to
embrace you.
“You’re finally home, my son.
“Well then, time for dinner. Your mother has prepared a veritable feast in your
honor!”
For the first time in years, your entire family shares a meal at the same table.
You decide to talk business with your elder brother.
You cautiously ask Mother about her health over dinner.
“Oh, it’s nothing, <username>. I have no complaints! I’ve just been a little weak
lately. It happens at my age. I humbly accept whatever fate the Twins have chosen
for me.”
“You know, son, you should tell us about your life in the capital. What gave you
the idea to open a print shop?
“You mentioned in one of your letters that you’ve seen the Imperial family with
your own eyes. What are the Tempests like?”
You have to relate the four years you spent in Eterna, carefully omitting anything
that might reveal your secret mission.\nOnly later that night, while talking to
Nathan on the back porch, do you learn more about Mother’s health.
“I’ll be frank with you... Mother isn’t doing so well. Gloria and I do our best not
to leave her alone. You can ask her questions, but her answers often don’t make
sense, and she keeps falling silent in the middle of a conversation like she did
today. Her illness is consuming her.\n“You know, if Mother passes, she may not be
reborn... I dread to think what will become of Father then. And of Gloria...
“Then be silent, Gloria. I’d like to hear about how exactly destiny abandoned our
brother in the common estate.”\n
that might reveal your secret mission.\nOnly later that night, when the family is
getting ready for bed, do you manage to have a conversation with your sister by the
smoldering fireplace.
Much later, when you are alone at last, Gloria gives in to her feelings. She buries
her face in your shoulder.\nYou caress your sister’s disheveled locks.
“I really hope things will finally get better now that you’re back, <username>!\
n“Mother, Nathan, and I — we all seem to be unwanted in this house. Sir Robert
spends all his time at work, so Stephan has been running the household.
“It’s taken a heavy toll on Mother. I can see her losing her will to live. You
know, at her age, she might pass away forever and not be reborn. She had to endure
a lot before she met Sir Robert. And her illness is consuming her...
“All Stephan cares about is getting the family ennobled by the Sword. He’d
sacrifice anyone for it. I’m worried the first thing he’s going to do is drive me
out of the house so I won’t taint the Brante family name with my origins. I’m just
an obstacle to him, a hindrance... but you’re on my side, right?
“You know, <username>, I’m not sure how much longer I can tolerate this injustice.
Times are changing. If I’m lowborn, that doesn’t mean I’m going to serve the nobles
until my true death. All over the Empire, commoners are fighting for their
rights...”
“I worked as hard as I could... studied theology, read books... but during my
examination at the Seminary I started talking about something else entirely. I
don’t know what came over me.
“Then be silent. If we must hear about the trials and travails of commoners, I’d
rather learn how destiny abandoned<username> in the lowly estate.”
that might reveal your secret mission.\nYou resume your conversation with Nathan
later that night. You sit together on the back porch, away from the rest of the
family.\n
“Things are bad for me. I try to at least look after Mother. You can ask her
questions, but her answers often don’t make sense, and she keeps falling silent in
the middle of a conversation like she did today. Her illness is consuming her.\
n“You know, if Mother passes, she may not be reborn... I dread to think what will
happen to Father then. And to Gloria...
“Gloria has had it hard too lately. Stephan has treated her like dirt for the last
year. I think he plans to drive her out of the house so her origins won’t taint the
Brante reputation anymore. Stephan only cares about one thing now: getting our
and his goal.”\n
After dinner, you ask Stephan to stay awhile. Feeling charitable, he nods at the
other armchair by the fireplace.\nYou question your brother exhaustively about the
changes that have taken place in your household since you left to pursue an
education.
n“It is a grand cause. And now you share it with me, even as a mere commoner.
Remember that any action of yours could have an impact on the reputation of the
Brante family.”
“Our family is excessively... atypical. I respect Father’s wish to let Lydia’s
illegitimate daughter stay with us. But there are limits.\n“Gloria is an audacious
rebel, and Nathan is a useless good-for-nothing. They do not know their place and
often compromise the honor of the Brante family.
“Don’t you let me down too, <username>! The printer’s trade is hardly an
illustrious one, but it ought to be profitable, I hope. Any money you bring home
will help us invest in our family’s future. This is the only reason I still have
any hope for you.\nBut enough about that. Tell me about your life in the capital!
How exactly did destiny abandon you in the common estate?”
that might reveal your secret mission.\nGloria walks by, casting a disappointed
glance in your direction, then disappears upstairs.\n
A Reception at the Brante Residence
You come back home after short stroll through the city.\nAs soon as you set foot in
the house you are greeted by Stephan, who invites you to have a talk in Father’s
office.\nWhen you enter the room, Father has a heap of letters in front of him and
is signing them one after another.
“Son, Stephan and I must discuss an important matter with you. While you were in
the capital, our family formally petitioned the Overseer to grant us the nobility
of the Sword. We have three generations of noble blood already. We have the right
to make our nobility hereditary.
“Your grandfather took the first steps towards the nobility of the Sword as soon as
Stephan was born. And now we are on the brink of becoming the El Brantes.\n“If
Overseer Gaius Tempest and the nobles of the province deem us worthy, we will
receive a hereditary title. All nobles of the Brante family will remain noble
forever, as will their descendants.”
“Father and I do our utmost to maintain the family’s position. But our goal can be
reached only if our reputation remains unblemished in the eyes of high society. The
nobility is watching our every step.”
Father lays a hand on your shoulder.
“Now this is your cause too. The future of our family depends on it. We need an
estimable reputation and wealth. Everyone bearing the name of Brante affects it.
Remember that with every action you take, <username>!”
“You will have to appear before Anizotte high society. We’re going to host a
reception for the nobility at our home soon. You must uphold the honor of our
family, brother. You’ll relate the news from Eterna to our guests and present
yourself in a favorable light…”
With Stephan at the helm, the entire family spends a full week preparing for the
majestic reception. The house is flooded with decorations and new tableware,
delicacies are cooking in the kitchen ‘round the clock, and the napkins now bear an
embroidered oak branch in chains — the Brante family crest.\nGloria is the only one
to neglect the common cause.
“Were it up to me, I wouldn’t be seen at this hypocritical gathering! But I don’t
want to let Sir Robert down. He’s the only reason I plan to stay for the event.”
The evening of the reception has come.\nDignified conversations and the clinking of
glasses fill the house. Among your guests are many highborn, powerful people. Your
father and Stephan dance from guest to guest, making sure no one is overlooked.
“Young <username>, how splendid to see you! So what was your time in the capital
like?”
You exchange pleasantries with a high-placed relative.\nMeanwhile, Gloria and
Mother spend the evening on a settee by the wall without drawing any attention.
Neither your father nor your elder brother introduce them to the noble guests.
Still, one of the guests, a young nobleman of the Sword named Jose El Peletier,
keeps staring at Gloria in fascination.\nYour sister averts her eyes, bemused.
“Lady Gloria! You are the true gem of the evening. You look so marvelously daring!
I haven’t seen your like even in the capital.”
When you walk past Gloria, you hear her hurried whisper.
“<username>, please talk to me. This Sir El Peletier keeps following me. I feel
uneasy. What does he want from me? I’m just a lowly commoner!\n“Come with me to the
other side of the room. Although I’ll probably still stand out among all these
refined nobles!
“Look, it’s Durante the painter! I wonder what’s brought him so far from the
capital… it would be fabulous if he could paint our family portrait! We should all
be on canvas together — we’re one big, happy family, after all…”
Wineglass in hand, you cast a look across the crowded room.\nIt is time to chose
how you will spend the evening.
Share the news from the capital
Present your mother and sister
Purchase a family portrait
Talk about your victory in the tournament
You display your knowledge of the metropolitan life to the guests.
Even though they are lowborn, your mother and sister deserve the attention of the
guests.
You persuade the renowned painter Durante to paint a portrait of the Brante family.
You have earned the right to vaunt your military achievements.
The moment you approach Stephan, he links elbows with you and leads you to the most
prestigious place by the table, where the most eminent of the guests are seated.
“May I present to you my younger brother <username> Brante. He’s just returned from
the capital. <username>, why don’t you entertain our guests with the latest news
from Eterna?”
You make a courtly introduction and describe recent noteworthy events in the
capital: the celebration of the heir’s coming of age, the attempt by Gaius Tempest
to enshrine in law the rights of nobles of the Mantle, Patriarch Luke’s sermon…
The nobles inquire about the customs and sentiments of the capital.\nIs it true
that the wealthy commoners of Eterna do not acknowledge the authority of the
nobility? Or that the adherents of the New Faith openly denounce the Lots?
You describe the state of affairs in the capital in a delicate manner so as not to
antagonize your guests.\nYes, there are plenty of liberties taken in Eterna. But
you can attest to the fact that the Empire still rules with a firm hand and
maintains order.\nMore and more listeners gather around you.\nThey plunge into a
heated discussion — will this wave of change reach our province? What awaits our
homeland under the rule of the new Overseer Gaius Tempest?
The guests agree that the nobles of the province have some tough times ahead of
them. But worthy families like the Brantes give them hope.
“Excellent, brother. You have shown yourself and our family in a favorable light.
Moreover, you managed not to distress our guests with alarming news. The night was
a success!”
You take your mother and sister by the arm and lead them to the middle of the
room.\nYou ask if you can have everyone’s attention for a moment in order to
present the hostesses of the evening.\n“May I present Lydia Brante, wife of Sir
Robert, and their daughter Gloria!”
The guests avert their gaze in confusion.\nMother bows with difficulty in response,
while Gloria supports her by her shoulders.
“My esteemed guests! It is a great honor for us to have you in our home. Although
we are not all of noble descent, the Brante family will always strive to give you
the welcome you deserve.”
Father, dumbfounded, walks up to Mother and takes her hand. You order the musicians
to start playing.\nFather has no choice but to dance with his wife.\nThe guests
whisper disdainfully to one another, but maintain decorum and join the dance.
Stephan, furious, rushes up to you.
“How dare you? You are not a child anymore, <username>! Why draw the nobility’s
attention to the fact that we still have all these commoners in our family?!”
You retort that this is what the Brantes are! If Stephan is so concerned about his
family, he has to acknowledge the existence of Lydia, Gloria, and Nathan, not try
to conceal them from the rest of the world.
With an aggrieved air, Stephan rejoins the guests.\nYour parents keep dancing
slowly. The illness has taken Mother’s former grace, but Father carefully holds
her, as if carrying her along with him.\nGloria watches them, mesmerized.
“That took a lot of courage, <username>! Let everyone see that our family is more
than our title and position. We’re people too!”
Father and Mother finally finish the dance and come back to you.\nMother gives you
and Gloria a gentle hug.
“That was a wonderful idea, son! My legs aren’t what they used to be, but it’s been
so long since I danced with Robert.”
The night is over.\nAfter the guests leave, you discuss the future of the family
long into the night.
The artist is scrutinizing the portrait of your grandfather on the wall of the
sitting room.\nYou will always remember Grandfather like this: his heavy, searching
look, his hawkish features, his imposing body, and the cane he kept in his hands at
all times.
As if by pure chance, you pass by Durante and mention that the portrait was painted
by a local artist.\nBut surely Sir Durante’s skill must be incomparably greater.
Would he be interested in painting a group portrait of the entire Brante family?
At first, Durante politely declines: he must head back to the capital soon, and he
has no time to spare for painting.\nBut you remonstrate that you will pay any
price, and his work will be seen by the highest society of Anizotte.\nDurante
eventually succumbs to your persuasion.
You spend the night negotiating with the painter.\nA proper portrait will take a
fair amount of time to paint, and Durante’s prices are high.
Convincing your family turns out to be just as challenging.\nGloria will not pose
in a dress or put her hair in a bun. Nathan almost has to be forced to cut his
hair. Stephan insists that he must be drawn to the right of his father, with Gloria
behind them.
Eventually you succeed in helping your family reach a consensus.\nThe portrait is
perfect. Your parents look dignified, hand in hand. Stephan stands proudly to their
right. You, in your best attire, are to the left of them. Gloria brings some life
to the painting with her unruly hair and daring outfit. Even Nathan seems to belong
there.\nThe portrait is proudly displayed above the fireplace in the sitting room.
“No one else in Magra has a portrait by Durante himself. This will emphasize our
position!”
For once, Gloria agrees with her elder brother.
“At least on this canvas we’re all one family, whatever our estates may be!”
“May I present to you my younger brother <username> Brante. He’s just returned from
the capital, where he was ennobled by the Mantle. <username>, why don’t you
entertain our guests with some stories from Eterna?”
Then you mention the big tournament at the end of your term in the College. Intense
battles, the most skilled fighters, an elite audience…\nThe nobles, intrigued, urge
you to reveal the winner.
You show them the ribbon that was tied around your sword by none other than the
daughter of the Archduke, Octavia Milanidas!\nThe crowd murmurs approvingly.\nWith
a wry smile, Jose El Peletier takes a step forward. He was your adversary in the
last duel. You exchange some pleasantries with your former fellow student. El
Peletier returned from the capital a short time before your arrival and has an
important position at the City Hall.
The young nobles observe you with envy. The older guests reminisce about the duels
of bygone days and predict a brilliant future for you.\nStephan is radiant.
“I see you haven’t wasted your time in the capital! We’ll ensure that you become
famous all over Anizotte — you and our family!”
A Rock and a Hard Place
The Brante home has been uneasy for several months now. With Father traveling all
over the province for his judicial duties, the animosity between Stephan and Gloria
has grown into a full-blown feud.\nYour elder brother tries to use his position as
heir to keep his sister in check and make her behave in accordance with her estate.
Gloria repudiates his authority.\nTheir fights rock the house on a daily basis.
Eventually, after returning from his latest trip, Father gathers Stephan, Gloria,
Nathan, and you in his office.\nHis somber look portends a difficult conversation.\
nStephan gazes at his father defiantly. Gloria is poised to lash out and run away.
Nathan quietly keeps to the side.
“Children! For a long time now our family has been striving to become nobles of the
Sword. Every noble member of the Brante family will gain a hereditary title. This
is your grandfather’s dying wish.”
Gloria sighs loudly.
“Then why am I here, Sir Robert?”
“She’s right. This is a Brante matter.”
“Wait until I finish, Stephan! I am still the head of this household. If you are
truly so concerned about honor, show your father some respect.
“It can't be helped — not all of us are noble. But now we must be united as never
before. We must work together to protect the reputation and wealth of this family.
But you, Stephan, perpetually humiliate Gloria!”
“Father, all I’m trying to do is put her in her place. You know perfectly well the
consequences of any attention Gloria might attract. Our every step is being
observed. The nobles will make pariahs of our family for all eternity if they
remember Gloria’s filthy origins… and your reckless marriage to Lydia!”
Father turns red in the face, but, with considerable effort, he remains composed.
“That is so.
“Our grandfather did everything in his power to remedy your mistakes. Please,
Father, don’t repeat them.”
Gloria speaks up.
“I’m just trying to live, Sir Robert! But Stephan wants to lock me in a cage so
nobody will ever lay eyes on me!”
“That's not it at all. You are lowborn, but you don’t live by your Lot! You do
whatever takes your fancy. You’re constantly grumbling about the order of things.
Did you know, Father, that she defies all prohibitions by continuing to write
poetry?”
“As far as you’re concerned, anyone who contradicts you is as an insurgent!”
“When will you grasp the idea that you may not argue with a nobleman?! I am the
heir of this family, and my word is your law!”
Purple with rage, Father slams his fist on the table. It is rare to see him so
furious.\nBoth your elder brother and sister instantly fall silent. Frightened,
Nathan shrinks into a corner.
“Hold your tongues, both of you! Let <username> speak. He has witnessed your
quarrels. He should know best which of you is in the right.”
Side with Stephan
Defend Gloria
Send Gloria to Valona
Appeal to Nathan
Gloria must stop bringing shame to your family by defying her Lot.
Stephan should give Gloria some respect. She is a member of this family too.
You persuade Gloria to go on a trip somewhere far away from Stephan. This will help
them bury the hatchet.
Your younger brother’s words will help you settle the dispute.
You sternly reprimand Gloria.\nYour sister has forgotten her Lot. She is ungrateful
to the family she owes everything to. The Brantes gave her shelter, security, and a
place in the world. Why does she insist on destroying it with her own hands?\
nGloria flushes with indignation.
“So does respecting my family mean spending my life sitting quietly in a corner? Is
that what you’re saying, brother?”
You cut her rant short. You remind Gloria that you live in the Empire, where
everyone has a Lot and a place.\nYour sister cannot jeopardize the family’s
wellbeing just because she is unhappy with the ways of this world.
“<username> is right, Gloria. I am not fully content with the order of things
either. As a judge, I struggle daily to ease the burden of the commoners.\n“But I
am responsible for your good name and that of our entire family. So I ask of you —
no, I demand — do not take part in any dangerous gatherings, and, at least in
public, please comport yourself with modesty, as your humble origins require!”
“Very well, Sir Brante.”
With these quiet words, Gloria, dispirited, retreats to her room. She doesn’t even
glance at you.\nYour father sighs heavily as he watches her go.
“At last, she listened! Don’t worry, <username>, let her sulk a little on her own.
At least she won’t cause any more trouble for the family.”
Father agrees, but stays behind in his office, looking downhearted.
Gloria does not come down to dinner.\nFor the entire next day, she does not utter a
single word.
You turn to Stephan abruptly and point your finger at him.\nIt’s no wonder Gloria
fights back so fiercely. Stephan torments and chastises her incessantly.\nIf your
elder brother stops smothering every impulse Gloria has, she won’t resist so
viciously! You’re a family, after all, not a pack of wild animals, where the strong
dominate the weak!
“Are you blaming me for her escapades, <username>? Me, who selflessly labors to
preserve our family name? This is outrageous! Father, will you really heed to his
advice?”
Purple with rage, Stephan clenches his fists.\nFather rises from his seat, eying
his eldest son gloomily.
“<username> is right. Stephan, you have overstepped your bounds. I took Gloria into
my house, so you, my son, must respect her and be considerate of her. Your origins
do not give you the right to put such pressure on your sister…”
Stephan rushes out of the office and slams the door behind him.\nGloria cannot
conceal her joy upon hearing you and Father chastise Stephan.
“The little tyrant! That’ll teach him that what goes around comes around. I hope he
leaves me be from now on.”
Soon rumors start circulating in Anizotte high society suggesting that you are
orchestrating a plot against Stephan, the legitimate heir of the family. It is not
hard to guess who started those rumors.\nNow the entire city knows that there is
trouble in the Brante household.
You take a conciliatory tone.\nYou note that the tempers are running too high. Your
siblings would benefit from spending some time apart. They need to cool off, then
try to settle their differences.
From what you hear, the town of Valona, in the southern part of the province, has
an excellent resort with healing springs. What if Gloria took a vacation there for
a month, to improve her health and have some rest by the sea?
Gloria shakes her head hesitantly.
“Are you trying to get rid of me, <username>? So I won’t be in your way? What am I
supposed to do at some twins-forsaken spa?”
You patiently explain to Gloria that she’ll be able to enjoy some reading, find
inspiration in contemplating the waves, and ponder on her future.\nAnd then, when
she comes back, she and Stephan will calmly discuss their issues.\nFinally, Gloria
gives in.
“A trip to Valona will be costly. I’d like to know who will pay for it.”
Speaking first and foremost to your father, you argue that peace in the family is
worth any expense.
“The two of you should indeed spend some time away from each other. Let it be as
you suggested, <username>. Gloria, start packing. Stephan, please send a note to
Valona and hire a carriage for your sister.”
Gloria reluctantly heads off to the coast. This trip forces the family to spend a
hefty sum, but, without the constant bickering of your brother and sister, the
tension at home quickly dissolves.\nWith no need to keep an eye on Gloria, Stephan
devotes himself to Anizotte social life.
Gloria returns surprisingly serene. After a month in Valona, her temper has
mellowed for a time.\nShe is engrossed in her own affairs and does not draw her
brother’s ire.
To everyone’s surprise, you turn to Nathan.\nHe meets you look with a quizzical
gaze from under his unruly hair.
You point out to Nathan that he has studied theology, after all. According to the
holy teachings, how should a brother and sister act?\nNathan is embarrassed and
replies reluctantly.
“Gloria refuses to accept her Lot and live like a commoner. I understand her… but
the Gods will neither understand nor forgive her.”
Nathan is transfigured. His face lights up, and his voice is suddenly strong.
“You, Stephan, don’t understand your Lot completely either. Ruling does not mean
being a tyrant. Ruling entails taking care of those beneath one's station!”
“What? Are you trying to teach me how to live by my noble Lot, you dimwit?”
You side with Nathan. The prophet Isatius himself interprets the noble Lot as
taking care of the other estates. So if Stephan uses his power to humiliate people
who displease him, he is violating his Lot.\nWasn’t he the one who spoke to you
about the nobleman’s duty to protect his family when you were searching for Gloria
in the far corners of Anizotte all those years ago?
Stephan frowns in displeasure, but has no response.
Next, you turn to Gloria.\nThe lowborn Lot is suffering. Gloria must remember that.
However unfairly Stephan may treat her, she ought to bear it with patience and
humility.
Your sister just purses her lips in response.
“We all have to live by our Lots. No mistakes are allowed. Isn’t that right,
<username>?”
You peer into the eyes of your younger brother — they are filled with a strange
sorrow. What is he trying to say?
“Enough. I can handle my Lot myself.”
Stephan marches swiftly out of the office. Gloria follows him to the door.
“I’ve heard it over and over again since I was a child — suffering, patience,
suffering, patience… so this is how I’ll live, if it so pleases the noble Brantes.”
After the conversation in your father’s office, Stephan and Gloria stop fighting
for a while. Your home is peaceful at last.\nOr is this just the calm before the
storm?
A Gift for the Family
This last year has been an ordeal for your family.\nThe pains taken to be ennobled
by the Sword, the close attention of the city aristocracy, the squabbles between
Stephan and Gloria…
Tonight your preoccupied father has gathered the entire family around a table in
the back yard. The sun has almost set, and there is a soft breeze. But, instead of
a meal in the open air, you are going to attend a family meeting.\nIn the middle of
the table you see an open gilded box. It is full of jewels.
“Archduke Milanidas himself has bestowed this gift upon us. It is a surprise
indeed! I thought you all had a right to know.”
Father unfolds a letter lying beside the box.
“Sir Robert Brante, I bestow this precious box upon you and your family as a symbol
of the care with which I treat the people of my province. Pray accept this gift,
and remember with whom the loyalty of the true nobles of Magra lies. Archduke of
Magra, Tarquinius of the Milanidas.”
The family stares in amazement at the jewels sparkling in the last rays of
sunshine.
“It’s worth quite a fortune… but the Archduke is fully aware that I am on the side
of Prefect El Borne and Overseer Gaius Tempest. Could he really expect our loyalty
to be bought so brazenly?”
“On the other hand, the Archduke is not demanding anything of us. And our family
has borne a lot of expenses recently…”
“Father, no one is forcing you to side with Milanidas. Who are we in comparison to
the Archduke, anyway? We must not anger him by refusing his gift. The jewels are
certainly welcome. They are worthy of being shared with the best families of
Anizotte. They will pave our way to the nobility of the Sword!”
Mother shakes her head glumly.
“Oh, Robert, I have a feeling this gift bodes ill. It may be an impertinence on my
part, but I do not want our family to be indebted to the Archduke…”
“Certainly not! Accepting gifts from Milanidas! He’s infamous for oppressing the
commoners and robbing villages blind with his taxes!”
“This isn’t your decision, Gloria. It’s a matter of our family's honor and
reputation.”
“Please don’t start bickering again! Let <username> say what he thinks we should do
with this gift.”
You are the center of attention now.\nYour vote will be the deciding factor.
Give the jewels to prominent nobles as gifts
Decline the gift
Sell the jewels
You accept the jewels from the Archduke. You and Stephan will give them away as
gifts for the local nobility to gain their favor.
You convince Father to send the precious box back to the Archduke.
You accept the jewels from the Archduke in order to sell them for a good price.
You agree with Stephan: a gift from the Archduke is not to be refused. It would be
better to use it for a more important goal: obtaining the nobility of the Sword.\
nYou and Stephan will determine when, how, and to whom the gifts will be given.
“I’m inclined towards the same solution. Let it be so. I’ll send a note to the
Archduke expressing our humblest gratitude, but I’ll point out that I don’t mean to
change sides. I still serve my Prefect and my Overseer.”
“Be careful, Father. The Milanidas House is not to be trifled with. But the
Archduke will have nothing to reproach you with. <username> and I will put the
jewels to good use.”
You and Stephan spend the next couple of weeks arranging meetings and attending
receptions and feasts. You discover that you are on par with your brother in your
understanding of the nobility of Anizotte, including their relations and their
quirks.\nThe generous gifts and the refined manners your brother and you display
before the aristocrats allow your family to rise in their esteem.
There is but one disadvantage: you do not have a single coin tucked away in the
family treasury.
Looking the family patriarch straight in the eye, you state that such a gift is not
to be accepted! The Archduke will see it as an oath of allegiance to him. It would
be better to provoke his anger than to fall into his trap.\nYou ask Father to send
the box back at once.
“Well… I suppose you’re right, <username>. It is far too dangerous — not only for
me, but for the entire family. I’ll write to the Archduke. Bring me my quill!”
“It’s your decision, Father. But please consider how much we stand to lose…”
“There are no jewels I would not renounce to keep you safe.”
Mother, Nathan, and Gloria cast grateful looks at you. Even Stephan accepts
Father’s decision after some grumbling.\nYou spend the rest of the night around the
table, resting, conversing pleasantly, and amusing yourselves. For the first time
in a long while, there is nothing casting a shadow over your home.
The Archduke does not deign to reply to Father’s letter. No one expected otherwise.
Does the Archduke count you among his enemies now, or has he forgotten about your
existence? But why waste time guessing when you have a moment of peace to enjoy?
There is only one disadvantage: you do not have a single coin tucked away in the
family treasury.
You speak.\nYou insist that the Archduke’s jewels should not be declined. But they
must not be given away either. Your family treasury needs an infusion of cash. The
family’s wealth is as important in the eyes of society as its noble reputation.
“I don’t know, <username>… money comes and goes, but our family honor is here to
stay.”
You object, reminding him that, in your own lifetime, the family has already fallen
out of favor and risen again. For the nobles, a family’s reputation is just another
form of currency.
“Is there truly nothing more important than money and reputation? Archduke
Milanidas is a villain like no other. Our family ought to stay away from him!”
“Simmer down, Gloria. I agree with <username>. Let it be so. I’ll send a note to
the Archduke expressing our humblest gratitude, but I’ll also point out that I
don’t mean to change sides. I still serve my Prefect and my Overseer. In the
meantime, <username> will see to the family coffers.”
You promptly take the precious box and go inside to start taking an inventory of
the jewels.\nMother, Gloria, and Nathan follow you with forlorn looks.
You sell the jewels and easily amass a considerable sum.\nYour efforts have now
ensured that the family treasury will not run short any time soon.
An Old Friend
Night is falling over Anizotte. The stifling heat gives way to an eagerly-
anticipated freshness. After a day at work, you stroll home at a leisurely pace.\
nYou turn down a side street that you have known since you were a little boy. It is
as if your legs are acting of their own accord, bringing you to the place of your
childhood play: the remnants of the wooden fort.\nSo much has changed since the
days when you used to play here with your little friends…
Engrossed in your memories, at first you fail to notice that you are not alone
here.\nA tall figure in the uniform of a Legion officer approaches you. You see
unruly brown hair and a twinkle in his eye.\nIt is Tommas.
“Now that’s a surprise! Hi, Brante! Fancy running into you the moment I’m back in
town!”
Your childhood friend puts his arms around you.
“Our battalion got transferred here recently. We’re under the command of the Magra
Legion now. I’m keeping the peace and maintaining order in my very own province!
“Well, why don’t we catch up? Lemme buy you dinner. We’ll have a little chat,
remember the old days…”
Tommas cuts himself short.\nYou suddenly notice how much older he looks. His face
has become sharper and rougher, and his eyes are filled with exhaustion rather than
their usual mischievous sparkle.
“I should warn you, though, <username> — I ain’t the best company nowadays. I’ve
managed to get myself some powerful enemies already. I’m a friend who could taint
your good name. So if you’d rather not be seen with me… well, I understand.”
The smile on his face starts to fade.
Have dinner with Tommas
Walk away
You aren’t about to miss a chance to spend some time with your old friend, no
matter what kind of danger he’s in.
You and Tommas parted ways long ago. His fate is no longer linked to yours.
You give Tommas your hand.\nYou shake hands firmly.
“So you haven’t forgotten your old friend, Brante! That’s the way it oughtta be.
Well, come on, then!”
You go to a tavern, reminiscing about your childhood antics on these very streets
along the way.\nYou choose a table in the far corner of the tavern. Tommas orders a
bottle of good wine and some food.
You talk about your latest case, about your first years back in Anizotte. You share
family news — your quest to become nobles of the Sword, the quarrels between your
elder brother and sister, your mother’s health…\nTommas nods with concern.
“Sounds like you’ve had some tough times. Your family has always been different.
Mine, on the other hand, is the same as it ever was: my pa is always in his
workshop, and my ma’s always doing chores. But look at me — I came home a service-
class nobleman. Although it doesn’t bring me much joy anymore…”
Tommas is suddenly grim.\nYou ask your old friend to share his troubles with you.\
nHe quickly glances around the room and lowers his voice.
“Well, I’m a captain in the Magran Legion now. And who’s our commander? His
Excellency Dorius Otton. That’s right, I serve under the very same Arknian whose
toes I stepped on back in Eterna. And you better believe he remembers me. I’m
afraid things are gonna end real bad.
“But hey, I’ll figure it out somehow. Don’t trouble yourself over it. Apart from
that — well, it’s the usual service: we impose order in uppity towns and villages,
protect the province, that sorta thing. And we run drills all day long, obviously.
If only you knew how sick I am of them barracks, <username>! I’ve thought about
starting a family. My ma keeps telling me to find a nice girl to marry. She says
it’s high time I got hitched!”
It is completely dark, and you are still talking. Finally, Tommas remembers that
his parents are waiting for him. You get up from the table, leaving some dirty
dishes and quite a few empty bottles behind.\nOn your way out, you catch a glimpse
of a nondescript figure following you to the door. As you walk alongside Tommas
through your home neighborhood, you keep glancing over your shoulder, but the
shadow that was following you has disappeared.
You reach your street and stop for a while in the semidarkness between your family
homes, just as you used to all those years ago.
“Bye, Brante. I hardly ever come to Anizotte these days. Our battalion is always on
the march all over the province. But Twins willing, we’ll see each other again real
soon.”
You advise your friend to safeguard his every life.
You shake your head.\nYou have no time to reminisce about your childhood. Your
lives have long since changed, and now your fates are no longer linked. You are
each following your own path.
Tommas nods with a sigh.\nHis voice loses the boyish ring it had, becoming heavy
and deep.
“You were right back then, in Eterna. Still, I’m happy that our paths have crossed
again, if only by chance. Take care, Brante.”
Tommas stays by the ruins of the fort, a lonely figure lost in thoughts unknown to
you.\nYou walk away without a backward glance.
The Call of the Ancestors
Today is a big day for the Brante family — the day your family line started, the
day when you remember all your ancestors.\nTonight everyone who bears the name
Brante must descend into the family crypt to keep vigil by the tombs. This is the
time to surrender yourself to your ancestors and hear their will.
The entire family prepares for the event in silence. Stephan has been choosing his
apparel since morning, praying anxiously under his breath all the while. The heir
has a special place in the family vigil.\nEven Mother is planning to go with you,
though Father tries to talk her out of it.
“Lydia, I beg of you, stay home. You are far too weak for an all-night vigil in the
crypt. Gloria, would you be so kind as to stay with your mother since you cannot…
ahem… join us anyway.”
Gloria answers in a muffled voice.
“As you wish, Sir Robert. The late Sir Gregor would only be enraged to see Mother
there. We all remember how their last encounter ended.
Father nods curtly, avoiding Gloria’s gaze.\nBut at that moment your attention is
drawn to a noise in the foyer. Nathan staggers through the door, stumbling over his
own feet. He reeks of cheap wine and filth.
“I’m not… uh… late, am I?”
Everyone gazes at him in consternation.\nNathan almost falls into Mother’s and
Gloria’s arms. Distressed, they fuss over him.\nStephan eyes his youngest brother
coldly.
“I expected nothing more of you, Nathan. Why even speak of duty to your family when
you can’t even manage to live by the commoner’s Lot? Go lie down in the pantry and
stay out of our sight. Father, <username>, it’s time. Let’s go.”
Alongside Father and Stephan, you descend into the family crypt. You cannot help
but remember paying your last respects to your grandfather nine years ago.\nYou
light the lamps. Dim, eerie flames illuminate the shrine. In the middle of it
stands a magnificent stone tomb containing the long-decayed remains of Gregor
Brante.\nYou take your places around the crypt and kneel. The all-night vigil has
begun.
At first, your ancestors remain silent. Each of you is left with their own
thoughts.\nThen a low murmur passes around you. The shadows in the corners of the
room deepen.
The voices grow stronger. You know that the ancestors of Gregor Brante, long-
forgotten commoners whom you never knew, are trying to talk to you.\nBut now a
memory of them has come to life in the darkness of the crypt. They are pleading for
something, demanding it of you, calling out to you, screaming…
Finally, you all hear that painfully familiar, deep, imperious voice echo from the
far end of the chamber.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you all! I hope you bear good tidings? All
this time, I’ve been waiting for you to fulfil my mission. Remember, as long as I
am in your blood, I will give you no peace!
“I did not have my family ennobled just to see our line cut short! Our Blood Tide
must join the grand flow of the Empire. And then each of my descendants will
inherit nobility for ever and ever!
“But I do not see any of you before my tomb. Where are you hiding? Where is the
head of our family, the man who will speak to me? Where is the man who will heed my
will?”
Father rises from his knees and makes his way toward Grandfather’s stone tomb, the
source of that booming voice.\nBut Stephan suddenly pushes him out of the way.\
nFather takes an indignant step forward, but Stephan firmly bars the way.
“Stop it, Stephan. You are my heir, but you are not the head of this family!”
“Father, it is not you that Sir Gregor is addressing. Earning the nobility of the
Sword is my duty to him. He has long forsaken any hope of seeing you achieve it.
You must understand that I am the one who will fulfill that duty!”
Stephan does not let him pass. Father breathes heavily in anger. You can all but
feel the frantic beating of both their hearts resonating somewhere within you.\
nBoth your father and brother seem to have forgotten that you are here too.\nEven
the restless voices of your ancestors have grown hushed, waiting for the outcome of
this confrontation.
Side with Father
Support Stephan’s superiority
Step forward yourself
Robert Brante remains the head of the family.
The eldest brother has earned the right to speak to the ancestors on behalf of the
family.
You yourself are entitled to speak to your ancestor.
You block Stephan’s way.\nYour ponderous voice fills the dark crypt.\nYou demand
that your brother step back. The head of your family is your father Robert Brante.
And so it will be as long as he lives. Could your brother have forgotten that it is
part of the noble Lot to acknowledge and honor seniority?
Your father is the man who must hear and accept your ancestor's will!
Stephan tries to maintain his composure, but even in the dark, you can see his face
twitch.
“Brother… you don’t understand. I’m not defying Father’s seniority. But I am the
man who bears this duty to our grandfather. I cannot remain a mere witness while
the future of our Blood Tide runs through our fingers!”
You resolutely push your brother to one side. Whether he wants to or not, he will
give way to the head of the family!\nFather catches his breath and approaches
Grandfather’s tomb.
“So, it’s you, Robert. Have you come to disappoint me yet again? Stephan is right.
I have not put my hopes in you for quite some time. If anyone will lead the Brante
family to glory, it will be my grandson.”
Stephan clenches his fists and whispers something to himself.
“I am doing my utmost, Father. We are closer to becoming nobles of the Sword than
ever before. The Overseer looks upon us with favor. Just a couple more years, and
your dream will come true.”
“This must be your dream too, Robert! But you still cater to your foundlings, Lydia
and Gloria, risking a permanent blemish upon the Brante name. My name!
“Dead though I may be, my will lives on. Heed it at last — get rid of that trollop
Gloria and devote yourself to your true family. Otherwise you will lead our family
to shame and ruin!”
Father hesitates for a moment.
“No, Father. This is impossible. Even if I must defy your will. I am responsible
for Gloria. My honor and my conscience will not allow me to do what you demand. You
must accept this, or keep on fighting me for all eternity.”
The voice of your deceased ancestor fades away.\nHe seems to have left this realm,
but then his voice suddenly booms from the other side of the crypt.
“Stephan! You are the heir of this family. Your duty by blood is to earn us a place
in eternity. Do not take after your spineless father. Do what must be done. Cleanse
our family of wickedness.”
Stephan is shivering. He replies in an unsteady voice.
“But Gloria… I can’t…”
Stephan checks himself.
“I will do my duty to my family, Sir Gregor. Whatever the price, I will pay it.”
The crypt is completely silent once more. You are alone again.\nYou see tears
glistening on Stephan’s face. Without uttering a word, he goes outside.
Father clasps his arms firmly around you. You feel him let out a sigh of sorrow and
relief.\nThe vigil is over.
You walk up to Father and gently put a hand on his shoulder.\nLet Stephan talk to
Grandfather. This is what our ancestor wishes. There is no reason to oppose him.\
nFather lowers his head and steps to the side.
Stephan approaches your grandfather’s tomb, his fists clenched tight.
“Stephan! I have always known that if anyone will lead the Brante family to glory,
it will be my grandson.”
“Sir Gregor, we are closer to becoming nobles of the Sword than ever before. The
Overseer looks upon us with favor. Give us but a couple more years, and you dream
will come true.”
“My dream, Stephan? It is the great cause of anyone who bears the name of Brante.
Earning us a place in eternity is your duty to your blood. Just as it is my duty to
look out for you even from beyond the grave.
“Your father’s follies have become a veritable threat. And I must help you overcome
it. You still cater to those foundlings, Lydia and Gloria, risking a permanent
blemish upon the Brante name. My name! You are but a step away from leading our
family to shame and ruin!
“Stephan! You are the heir of this family. Do not take after your spineless father.
Do what must be done. Cleanse our family of wickedness.”
Stephan is suddenly shivering.\nYou have never seen your elder brother like this
before. He replies to his ancestor in an unsteady voice.
“Do you dare hesitate? Dead though I may be, my will lives on. And you are the
embodiment of this will in the realm of the living!”
The crypt is completely silent once more. You are alone again.\nYou see tears
glistening on Stephan’s face. He suddenly clasps you in his arms.
“I hope you really do understand me, <username>. This is the burden I must bear.
But I don’t wish any harm to come to anyone who lives under our roof. I will find a
solution that is best for all of us.”
While your brother holds you in this firm embrace, you hear a sorrowful sigh from
Father. You watch as his lone, hunched figure walks up the stairs.\nThe vigil is
over.
While Stephan blocks your father’s way, you step forward yourself.\nNow they are
both trying to stop you, but you are already loudly addressing the spirit of Sir
Gregor.\nSir <username> of the Brantes is the man who will speak to him!
“Well, well, look who we have here! It’s <username> himself, a recent nobleman of
the Mantle and a judge. I must admit, grandson, it has always been my belief that
you would not be satisfied by the commoner’s Lot. Even when I punished you for your
escapades…
“But are you up to your old tricks again? Do you truly imagine yourself to be the
head of this family? What about my spineless son and his rightful heir Stephan? Or
are you planning to take his place?”
You look over your shoulder.\nFather has covered his face with his hands,
flustered. Stephan is clenching his fists angrily and whispering something under
his breath.
“Since you have been so bold as to speak to me, you will hear my will, <username>.
Dead though I may be, my will still lives. And you all are the embodiment of it in
the realm of the living.\nEarning the nobility of the Sword is the great cause of
anyone who bears the name of Brante. Your duty by blood is to earn us a place in
eternity. Just as it is my duty to look out for you even from beyond the grave.
“Your father’s follies have become a veritable threat. And I must help you overcome
it. You still cater to those foundlings, Lydia and Gloria, risking a permanent
blemish upon the Brante name. My name! You are but a step away from leading our
family to shame and ruin!”
Your grandfather’s authoritative speech is suddenly interrupted by your father.
“It is not to you that I am speaking, Robert. <username>! Take the family cause
into your hands. Do not take after your father. Do not shy away from taking
responsibility for your actions. Do what must be done. Cleanse our family of
wickedness.”
You do not have time to respond. Stephan’s strong arm hurls you to one side.\nBut
when your elder brother addresses Grandfather instead of you, he is shaking.
“Sir Gregor! <username> must be out of his mind. I am the heir here. I am ready to
heed your will.”
“You have heard it, Stephan. And do not let anyone usurp your rightful place again.
Otherwise you will lose your very birthright.”
Stephan answers his ancestor in a strained voice.
The crypt is completely silent once more. The spirit of Gregor Brante has left. You
are alone again.\nYou see tears glistening on Stephan’s face. Without a sound, he
detaches himself from you and leaves the crypt.\nYour father casts a disdainful
glance at you and follows him up the stairs.
You are left in the semidarkness, alone with the invisible spirits of the dead that
follow your family everywhere, even from oblivion.\nWhatever the will of your
deceased grandfather may be, you have proven before your ancestors that you have
the right to hear it on behalf of the Brante family.\nThe vigil is over.
Brothers in Misery
Your home has been much more peaceful for the last year. The fights between Stephan
and Gloria are not as fierce now… but how long will this last?\nYour job takes up
all your time. You see your parents and siblings less and less often. Sometimes you
don’t even know what they are doing while you deal with the constant stream of
duties.
This morning you head out on urgent business.\nYou take one step out of the gate
and run into a uniformed gendarme.
“<username> Brante, your presence is requested at the Prefecture dungeon.”
Taken aback, you ask what this is about.
“We have your brothers Stephan and Nathan Brante in a cell. They were arrested last
night at the Steiners’ inn. They asked us to send for you.”
The cells in the Prefecture dungeon are cold and damp.\nThe guards lead you to the
bars, and behind them you see Nathan huddled in the corner. Your younger brother is
unshaven, more disheveled than usual, and reeking of wine and filth.\nNear the cell
you see Stephan grimly sitting in a chair. You guess that the gendarmes thought it
best not to put him in the same cell as his lowborn brother.
Upon seeing you, Nathan lets out a whimper, and Stephan cracks a bitter smile.\nThe
sheath on your brother’s belt is empty.
“There you are at last, <username>. Have a look at our younger brother. Yesterday
he got drunk in the company of some dubious fellows. They are commoners, yet they
dared to surrender to pleasure. They started a brawl, wrecked the inn, and harassed
the waitresses. As soon as I heard, I rushed to save this drunkard from shame.”
Nathan cowers into the corner, horror-struck.
“I walked in and demanded that Nathan come with me. But his cronies wouldn’t let
him go…”
“That’s not true! You just grabbed me by the collar and dragged me after you! You
nearly suffocated me!”
“Shut your mouth, cur! So, brother, they seem to have some sort of sect. They all
shouted defamations against the Twin Gods. And one of them grabbed me by the arm.\
n“I was forced to skewer this heretic with my sword. I hope a lesser death will
teach him never to lay his filthy paws on a nobleman.”
“He was just trying to talk to you, Stephan!”
“Silence! Then the gendarmes barged in, and here we are. I have been accused of an
unlawful murder — apparently the new laws allow killing a commoner only if he
attacks first or wields a weapon. They say that in the event of an insult I’m
supposed to file a complaint with the Prefecture. So now they’re going to seize my
sword for a whole year. What a shame — and it’s all your fault, Nathan!”
Stephan gives the bars a furious kick.\nNathan covers his face with his hands in
despair.
“<username>, brother, you are our only hope. Get me my sword back and get us out of
here, and fast. We have to bury this sordid affair as deep as we can before anyone
finds out. Save our family from shame.”
Use your authority
Take them to the Inquisition
Blackmail the judge
Ask Father for help
Refuse to help
You use your position as a judge to free Stephan and Nathan.
You arrange for the case to be entrusted to you as an inquisitor and free your
brothers.
You find a document compromising the judge assigned to this case. He will free your
brothers.
You persuade the head of the family to use his power as judge to free Stephan and
Nathan.
You will not try to get your brothers out of trouble.
You command the gendarmes to give the nobleman Stephan Brante his sword back at
once. He has not broken any law and must be freed.\nAs for Nathan Brante, you will
personally cover the damages the inn has sustained. This is no reason to keep the
son of a noble family behind bars.
“But your honor… Sir Stephan ran that man through right before our eyes. The law
says…”
You glare furiously at the captain.\nThat commoner — a heretic, no less — dared to
assault a born nobleman and grab his arm! Or does Linad claim to know the law
better than Judge Brante?\nRemembering his position, the gendarme nods obediently
and returns Stephan’s confiscated sword.
“I knew I could count on you, <username>. You aren’t just my brother, after all,
but also a nobleman yourself. You know that honor is always paramount.”
Stephan sheathes his sword reverently as Nathan is let out of the cell.\nThe elder
brother takes the younger by the scruff of his neck and pulls him to the door.
Nathan staggers and shuffles along limply.
You manage to conceal the disgraceful occurrence from all of your relatives with
the exception of Sir El Borne.\nThe prefect is very displeased with your abuse of
power, but, needless to say, he does not order his nephew Stephan to be returned to
his cell.
Back home, Stephan starts lecturing Nathan.
“From now on, there will be no more drinking bouts or other nocturnal exploits. Who
are those rogues you’ve befriended, anyway? Stop shaming this family! If you’re so
worthless, at least let others go about their business in peace. Do you understand,
you blockhead?”
Nathan remains silent, staring despondently somewhere above him.
You produce your inquisitor’s medallion and show it to the gendarmes.\nYour
brothers’ case involves heresy, you explain. Hence, it must be transferred to the
Inquisition without delay.
“But, Inquisitor Brante… we saw Sir Stephan run that man through right before our
eyes. The law says…”
You glare at the gendarme captain.\nIs Linad questioning your authority? Or does he
wish to compel the Inquisition to take a closer look at all the Prefecture’s
cases?\nDistraught, the gendarme nods obediently and unlocks the cell.
The elder brother takes the younger by the scruff of the neck and pulls him to the
door. Nathan staggers and shuffles along limply.\nYou march after them, Stephan’s
sword in your hands.
Your brothers are free again.\nStephan sheathes his sword reverently.
“I knew I could count on you, <username>. Not even a priest’s robes could make you
forget that our family’s honor is always paramount.”
With a grim air, you agree.\nIn order to rectify this situation, you had to take
advantage of your office. Sooner or later the city’s clerics will become aware of
it. Your abuse of power will inevitably harm the Inquisition’s authority.
You interrogate Nathan yourself. You have to ascertain whether he is really keeping
company with heretics.\nYou ask Nathan who the people he was drinking with at the
inn were and what they were teaching him.
“They weren’t teaching me anything, <username>! We just decided that it was high
time we stopped incessantly restraining ourselves and did whatever our souls asked
of us.”
His soul? That is exactly what Nathan should be thinking about!\nYou sternly
expound the dangers of such insolence to your brother. Surely now that he has been
behind bars, he would not wish to end up in the dungeons of the Inquisition?\
nNathan furrows his brow and stares at you in silence. Whatever he is concealing,
you will not be able to force him to reveal it now.
You assure Stephan that you will get them out of this mess. You just need to put a
little pressure on a certain person.\nYou approach the gendarmes and ask them which
judge has been assigned to the Brante brothers’ case.
“Sir Carlo Fockegraben got the case, sir. I hear he’s a man you can reason with, if
you catch my drift…”
The captain of the gendarmes gives you a knowing wink.\nYou waste no time and go
straight to print shop. You open a secret compartment and rummage through the
papers you have collected over the past year. Denunciations, complaints, reports
from spies…\nYou find one concerning Carlo Fockegraben: one of the agents got his
hands on a letter the judge wrote to a wealthy manufacturer named Mayer Egmont. In
it, Fockegraben not too discretely demands a bribe from the industrialist. This is
just what you needed!
With the letter neatly tucked in your inside pocket, you return to the Prefecture.\
nYou spot Fockegraben’s bulky figure in the hallway right away.
“Well, well, another Brante, is it? Have you come to plead for your brothers?
They’ve certainly gotten themselves in a bit of a pickle. And to think that their
father is an officer of the Prefecture! I don’t even know how I could help you…”
You reply by showing Fockegraben his own letter in which he demands a bribe.\nThen
you ask Fockegraben if he has thought of any way to help the Brante brothers.\nThe
judge raised his eyebrows.
“I see you aren’t quite as simple as one might think. So be it. Your brothers
haven’t broken the law. A commoner — a heretic, no less — dared to assault a born
nobleman and grab his arm! There is no reason for Stephan and Nathan Brante to be
kept in custody.\n“May I have the letter now?”
You grin and hand the letter to the portly judge.\nHe is already giving orders to
the gendarmes. Stephan recovers his confiscated sword, and Nathan is let out of the
cell.
“I knew I could count on you, <username>. Even though you haven’t become a nobleman
yourself, you still haven’t forgotten our family’s honor.”
The elder brother takes the younger by the scruff of his neck and pulls him to the
door. Nathan staggers and shuffles along limply.
You manage to conceal the disgraceful occurrence. The city will not find out about
the Brantes’ shame.
At the same time, there appears to be a reason why Fockegraben was so easily
persuaded to make a deal. The fate of the Brante brothers was of little concern to
him… but the fact that someone has access to his personal correspondence certainly
piqued his interest.\nNow the corrupt judge is aware that the numerous spies in
Anizotte are linked to you. To prevent your entire network from being discovered,
you will have to tread even more lightly than before.
You tell Stephan that the only way to get them out of this mess is with Father’s
help.
“No, <username>! Father must not know about this. If he gets involved, we won’t be
able to avoid dishonoring the family!”
You coldly reply that, after this incident, disgrace is inevitable. All that
remains is to try and minimize the damage.\nLeaving your brothers, you go upstairs
to your father’s office.
“What happened, <username>?”
You give Father an account of the incident.\nHe becomes more and more grim with
every word you utter.
“Is this why I earned the judge’s mantle — to get my own sons out of prison? I
would have expected something like this from Nathan, but Stephan?! I will not
demean myself so they can avoid their punishment.”
You argue that in this case, the damage to your family’s reputation will be far
greater.\nStephan will be publicly deprived of his sword, and Nathan will be
sentenced to hard labor on the streets…
“I hate to admit it, but you’re right, son. I’ll have to swallow my pride and plead
their case to the prefect. Stephan is his nephew, after all…”
Father gets an audience with his superior, El Borne. He returns downhearted, but
holding the prefect’s order.\nTogether you walk down to the dungeon and present the
order to the gendarmes. Stephan Brante’s sword is to be returned at once. He has
not broken the law and must be freed.\nAs for Nathan Brante, you will personally
cover the damages the inn has sustained.This is no reason to keep a son of a noble
family behind bars.
Seeing the prefect’s seal, the gendarme nods obediently and returns Stephan’s
sword.
“Father! I knew you’d come to the rescue. I haven’t really done anything shameful…”
“We will discuss this at home.”
The Prefecture is highly displeased with the indiscreet nepotism your father took
advantage of.\nUnsavory rumors about the Brante family creep through Anizotte.
Back home, Father lectures Stephan.\nYour elder brother objects and blames Nathan
for everything.
“From now on, there will be no more drinking bouts or other nocturnal exploits,
Nathan. Who are those rogues you’ve befriended, anyway? Stop shaming this family!
If you’re so worthless, at least let others go about their business in peace. Do
you understand, you blockhead?”
You icily tell Stephan that he will have to bear the consequences of his actions
himself, as befits a nobleman.\nYou will not interfere.
“Do you think I’m pleading for myself, <username>? I can withstand any blow. That
commoner’s death wasn’t my fault. All I’m concerned about is our family’s
reputation. But you don’t seem to care about it at all!”
Nathan stares dully at the stones beneath his feet.\nYou turn around and leave.
For the crime of killing a commoner, Stephan is publicly forbidden to carry a sword
for a year. This is when Father and the rest of the family finally become aware of
the incident.\nAfter the verdict, Stephan spends his days secluded in his chambers.
He does not travel or take part in social activities. Your elder brother cannot
bear the shame of being seen without his sword.
Nathan is sentenced to hard labor in order to pay for the damage done to the city
and suffer in accordance with his Lot.\nWhen he comes home at dusk after a day of
arduous toil, your younger brother does not speak with any of you and locks himself
in his room.
The Festival of the Silver Tree
Today is an important holiday. The entire Empire is celebrating the Festival of the
Silver Tree, which commemorates the parting gift of the Twin Gods, the divine
sapling they planted in our mortal word, in the middle of Anizotte.\nThe families
of the city spend the day in peace and quiet, contemplating the divine roots that
join together all people, their bloodlines, and the entire Empire.
Mother always oversees this holiday. The day before the festival she seemed to have
shaken off her usual apathy and engaged in the preparations with excitement.\nIt
was as though her illness has loosened its grip.
Mother gathers the entire family for the holiday meal. Father is in high spirits
today, sharing jokes with you and Nathan. Stephan is trying to suppress an atypical
agitation.\nGloria is the last to join you at the table. She is wearing new
breeches with high stockings and a yellow vest.
“Gloria! You’re wearing men’s clothes again!”
“No, Mother, I’m wearing clothes women are forbidden to wear.”
Father gives Gloria a stern look. Stephan rolls his eyes, but says nothing.\
nSuddenly Nathan speaks up.
“A few days ago in the market I saw a grocer dressed as Overseer Gaius Tempest! He
had a huge carrot for a scepter. He got a sound drubbing, of course, but until
then, it was quite a hoot!”
Everybody laughs at the ridiculous story, relieved. Even Gloria has a smile on her
face when she sits down.\nThe feast commences. Your home finally feels warm for a
moment.
“It wasn’t so long ago the four of you couldn’t ever reach up to this table! The
first word you said, Gloria, was “gimme.” Nathan used to cling to my skirt all the
time, almost tearing it. And you, <username>, you couldn’t talk at all yet, but
your piercing stare was so expressive, it felt as if you were talking to me…”
Mother looks at Stephan and suddenly grows quiet.
“When I met Stephan, he was already three years old. He was so serious, and a
smooth talker to boot. I remember that he had a music teacher, but he was too shy
to play in front of me. So I used to listen from the next room.”
Stephan’s face twitches.\nYou elder brother rises and moves to the old harpsichord.
His fingers fly gracefully over the keys.\nA melody fill the house, melancholy and
sweet.
The last note lingers in the air.\nThen silence falls.\nThe family is awestruck.
Words fail you all.
“Who wrote that? A nobleman from the capital, between drinking a glass of wine and
beating a servant?”
Your sister’s cutting remark puts an end to the warm, cozy atmosphere.\nStephan
calmly turns to face her.
“No, it was I who composed this piece of music. It is called ‘Mother.’”
Mother rises to her feet. She would have needed help to do this just recently, but
now she treads unassisted toward Stephan and draws him close.\nStephan puts his
arms around his stepmother’s waist, then detaches himself awkwardly.
“May the Twin Gods bless you, Lydia.”
Gloria considers this scene with thinly-veiled fury in her eyes.
“Of course, highborn nobles like Stephan are made for the arts! They’re the only
ones lucky enough to have a soul and experience inspiration! Unlike us, the
lowborn. We aren’t supposed to feel anything but suffering, let alone express it in
poetry!”
Everyone notices that Gloria is clutching pages filled with writing — her poems.\
nYour sister casts a mournful glace at the family, and her eyes rest on you.
Let Gloria read her poems
Appeal to Mother
Interrupt Gloria
You persuade the family that Gloria has a right to read her poems.
Let Mother calm Gloria down.
Your sister is not to indulge in versification.
You rise from your seat and speak.\nIn your speech, you wholeheartedly support your
sister. Gloria had the misfortune to be born a commoner, but she is still entitled
to express her feeling. Why is Stephan the only one who has the right to delight
Mother with his creations? Every member of our family should be equal!
“But what about her Lot, son? Gloria is permitting herself to practice a noble
activity, thus breaching the divine order.”
You softly explain to Mother that times have changed.\nNowadays art isn’t just a
pleasure for the nobles, it’s also a trade plied by many commoners. More and more
lowborn tradespeople are taking up the pen and ink rather than the hammer. This is
now their labor and their suffering.
Mother lets out a heavy sigh, but yields to the onslaught of your inspired speech.\
nEmboldened by your support, Gloria steps into the center of the room. Her eyes are
fixed on Father.
“A stranger and a bastard I am called.\nI am, but still I long for you to say\nThat
I am yours, and melt the icy cold\nThat burns within my heart both night and day.
“My mother and my brothers all are near,\nBut I feel cold, as though we were
apart.\nAshamed, yet still compelled to make you hear,\nI long to hold you closely
to my heart.
“I am a stranger, 'tis my only crime.\nForgive me! Oh, but mercy is forbidden.\nI
hope you’ll see, if not forgive, in time\nMy bitter love, both joyous and well-
hidden.”
Father stares at her in bewilderment.
“Gloria… I…”
Stephan springs to his feet and leaves for his chambers, slamming the door behind
him.
“I don’t feel so well… Nathan, son, please help me to my room.”
Mother leaves the room, leaning on Nathan’s arm.\nThe celebration is cut short.
You walk up to Mother, take her hand in yours, and whisper in her ear: it is time
for her to interfere and save the family celebration.\nMother nods understandingly.
“Gloria, my dear child. Since you were little, I taught you to care for your soul.
But if I failed to convince you, please think about the family that took us in. I
implore you, do not take on noble activities. Do not infringe upon the divine
order.”
Gloria’s face flushes red with fury. She clasps the pages to her chest.
“That’s right, Mother! Since I was little! Do you think I’m not reminded of it with
every breath I take? Of all the things I’m forbidden to do because I’m lowborn?”
“My dear girl, listen to me… there is more to life than you and your aspirations.
You are a member of the Brante family. And our family is part of a greater
universe. Your actions affect all of us. We are not isolated. We are being watched
by the city, by the Empire, by the Twin Gods themselves!”
“So I’m not allowed to bear your name, but I still have to bear all the
responsibilities that come with it! What hypocrisy!”
Gloria runs out of the room, outraged and tearful.\nThe family is left dumbfounded.
Finally, Stephan speaks.
“I hope, Lydia, that you can still make her see reason. Your words were wise. Let
us heed them ourselves.”
The celebration continues despite Gloria’s absence.
Gloria is about to continue, but you intervene.\nGloria will not recite her poetry!
How many times do you have to reiterate that your sister may not violate the
commoner’s Lot? Yes, you understand that she is dissatisfied with it.\nBut there
are other things to think of here, things such as public order, or the reputation
and safety of this family. You can’t just live as though none of those things
existed!
Your reprimand takes Gloria by surprise.\nShe flushes red with fury and clasps the
pages to her chest.
“So you’re of the same mind as Stephan, <username>? I’m not allowed to bear your
name, but I still have to bear all the responsibilities that come with it! What
hypocrisy!”
“Don’t say things you’ll regret.”
“Everyone, calm down, please!”
Gloria runs out of the room, outraged and tearful.\nThe family freezes in place,
dumbfounded.
Stephan’s Gambit
You have hardly found any time for family matters this year. The events taking
place in the city keep you busy at all hours.\nTonight you come home extremely
late, but the fireplace in the sitting room is lit. By the fire you see Stephan
with a glass of wine.\nYour elder brother has been waiting for you.
You take a seat in the chair by Stephan’s side. Your brother keeps turning his
glass with his long fingers.
“<username>, we need to have a talk about Gloria. She flatly refuses to behave as
she ought to. Her antics are ruining our family’s reputation. If this situation
persists, nobility of the Sword will be out of the question.\n“Brother, I do not
wish her ill. But we have no right to sit idly by.
“Regrettably, Gloria will never truly be a part of the Brante family. Her origins
are too tarnished. So it is our duty to find her a new family. It is high time
Gloria got married.
“But we can’t just give our sister to a commoner, can we? And how could any noble
wed her, knowing her origins?\n“It’s been a stumbling block for a long time. But
I’ve finally found a suitable match for her.
“His name is Jose El Peletier. He is a young nobleman of the Sword, recently
graduated from the College, and now he has a position at the City Hall. Do you
recall a reception several years ago, where he couldn’t take his eyes off Gloria?
Peletier has been obsessed with her ever since. Not even her lowly origins can
deter him!\n“Admittedly, Gloria does not reciprocate his affection just yet.
“So let us convince Gloria that becoming Sir El Peletier’s bride is her chance to
escape her current situation.\n“And then let us pray she comes to her senses and
puts her rebellious ways behind her.
“Isn’t this an ideal solution?\nAfter marrying El Peletier, Gloria will be a
noblewoman herself. We’ll be granting her the freedom she’s craved since she was a
girl. And then she can write poetry and do whatever else takes her fancy.
“I will enter into negotiations with the El Peletier family. Rumor has it Jose’s
father already has a future wife in mind for him, the daughter of an important
Chancellery official. But Jose’s passion must win out in the end, don’t you agree?
“As for you, <username>, please help me with Gloria. You’re closest with her. You
can make see how beneficial this match will be. She must fulfill her duty to the
family that took her in, after all!”
Stephan looks at you expectantly.\nYou are at a crossroads. Will you accept your
brother’s plan, or refuse him? Will this marriage be a blessing? And for whom?
Agree
You will aid your brother in arranging this marriage for Gloria.
You will not participate in Stephan’s scheme.
You remain silent for some time, weighing your decision.\nThe plan your brother has
proposed sounds reasonable. In a new family, and with a noble title, Gloria will be
able to put all the resentment about her fate behind her and be free of the
limitations of the lowly estate.
You let Stephan know that you are on his side.\nA broad smile lights up his face as
he reclines in his chair.
“I knew you’d be sensible. Together we can certainly make it happen.\n“But remember
how stubborn Gloria is. An easy victory is not to be expected…”
The next morning you invite Gloria to join you in the library for a private
conversation.\nYou inquire carefully about your sister’s thoughts on marriage. If a
nobleman of the Sword were to wed her, she would join the noble estate, and all the
arts would be open to her.\nGloria laughs in response.
“Become a noblewoman? In all of Anizotte, you’d never find a single nobleman of the
Sword who would ever marry a lowborn girl like me. I don’t even have a father!”
You mention Jose El Peletier. This spirited young gentleman would be willing to
join Gloria in wedlock.
“Marry El Peletier? <username>, you don’t understand… sure, he’s easy on the eyes.
He’s a skilled warrior and a respected nobleman. But he’s been after me for a year
now, and I’ve managed to figure out what he’s after.\n“He needs a wife to give
birth to his heirs, follow him around obediently at social gatherings, and praise
his chivalry. Can you see me in that role?”
Gloria falls silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts.
“Besides, I don’t even want to be a noblewoman, okay?\n“I can’t just live
peacefully within the noble estate knowing that other commoners are still
suffering. I can’t just pretend their misery has nothing to do with me!”
You try to give her a taste of the benefits that a noble name brings, but your
sister doesn’t even want to hear you.
“This is all Stephan’s idea, isn’t it? You’d never throw me out of the house on
your own. So hear this: it’s not going to happen!”
Later, you inform Stephan of your sister’s refusal.\nHis face turns to stone.
“The ingrate! I’ve almost come to an agreement with old El Peletier. All the pains
we’ve taken to arrange her future, and this is how she repays us? Well, we’ll
proceed without consulting her.\n“Brother, we need to devise a way to put pressure
on Gloria. Even if it takes us a long time.”
Your words slice through the silence of the sleeping house.\nYou disagree with
Stephan and will not participate in his plots against your sister.
Stephan does not say anything, but his grip on the glass tightens. Finally you hear
the sound of breaking glass, and glimmering shards fall to the floor.\nStephan
pensively contemplates the blood running down his palm.
“Pity… what a pity our grandfather, Sir Gregor, is no longer with us. He would make
both you and Gloria see reason. Neither of you is capable of grasping what family
and blood mean.\n“So I suppose I must bear this burden alone.”
Stephan leaves the room.\nYou are left alone in front of the dying fire.
After your conversation last night Stephan mostly stays silent and treats Gloria
with pointed courtesy. The family breathes a collective sigh of relief — could the
feud between Stephan and Gloria finally be over?\nYou are the only one who is aware
of the scheme your brother is concocting.
The Illegitimate Girl
Your home is quiet tonight.\nFather is away, arbitrating disputes in Magran
villages. Stephan is visiting one of his high-placed patrons.\nAfter a dinner spent
in silence, everyone retreats to their chambers.\nYou are about to retire for the
night when Gloria calls out to you.
“<username>, wait a minute. I have an important favor to ask you.”
Your sister leads you to her long-time refuge, the library.\nHere, in the shadows
between the bookcases, you will not be overheard.
“Brother, I wished to speak with you before Stephan returns. His scheming is
becoming unbearable. It’s beyond Sir Robert’s power to stop him, let alone Mother
or Nathan. You’re my only hope.”
You shrug. \nAll families argue from time to time, but every quarrel has to end
sooner or later.
“Yes, it will end — when Stephan finally gets rid of me! As far as he’s concerned
I’m just a stumbling block and a stain on his father’s good name.\n“He lets me stay
in the house only to avoid causing a scandal in high society. But as soon as the
Brantes get his precious nobility of the Sword, I’ll be out on the street in the
blink of an eye!
“<username>, you don’t want for me to get kicked out of the family, do you? Please
help me.\n“I need to convince Sir Robert to adopt me and make me legitimate. After
that, it won’t be so easy for Stephan to dispose of me. And then I… I won’t bear
the stigma of being a bastard anymore!
“I know Sir Robert would agree, if only by virtue of the love he has for our
mother, but Stephan is standing in his way.\n“Tell me, will you help me?”
An illegitimate child who has never known her father, a stranger in the family…\
nGloria looks at you with hopeful, pleading eyes.
Help Gloria
Refuse Gloria
You promise your sister that you will side with her.
You refuse to participate in your sister’s plan.
You give Gloria a firm embrace. Ever since you were children, she has always been
by your side. The two of you may have different fathers, but she is your sister,
and she must remain a member of this family. It is your duty to come to her aid.\
nYou will make sure Gloria becomes a Brante.
Gloria lets out a sigh of relief and hugs you back.
“It makes me so happy to know you’re on my side!”
You wait for Stephan to come home. Your brother returns from his visit mirthful and
in high spirits.\nThis is the perfect moment to have a talk.
“That went splendidly, brother. Magistrate El Verman himself will support us. I’m
on a friendly footing with his son now. It won’t be long before we become nobles of
the Sword!\n“But why are you still up?”
You raise the matter of your sister.\nThe feud between Stephan and Gloria must end.
Your brother seems to be unaware of how much damage it is inflicting on the
family.\nBut you know how to remedy it. The reason for everything is Gloria’s lowly
station. She should bear the Brante name!
Your brother assumes a bored mien.
“Don’t waste your time, brother. I know what Gloria is after. You mentioned damage
to the family… can you even fathom what this would mean for the Brante name? By
allowing an illegitimate child into his family, our father would cover us all with
an indelible shame. Several generations of Brantes to come would not even dare to
dream of becoming nobles of the Sword. By the Twin Gods, I will not let that
happen!”
You attempt to point out to Stephan that Gloria’s desperate situation is leading
her to more and more audacious escapades.\nIf your sister becomes a member of this
family, she’ll stop.
“Believe me, <username>, I want to see Gloria at peace as much as you do. But not
at the cost of our entire family’s future. Absolutely not.
“I have a different idea for Gloria. And I’m sure this solution will satisfy
everyone involved. \n“Good night.”
You let your sister know of Stephan’s vehement denial.\nGloria is so vexed, she is
shaking.
“So he wouldn’t even hear us out, is that it? He’s willing to do anything just to
drive me out, isn’t he? <username>, we need to think of something…”
Gloria will continue her battle for the right to stay with the family.\nAnd you
have promised to help her.
You refuse your sister.\nThe world doesn’t work the way she would like it to. She
is a commoner and an illegitimate child. Why pointlessly revolt against it?\nGloria
is demanding too much from Sir Robert. Adopting Gloria as his daughter would be too
dangerous — the Brante family’s position is precarious enough as it is. You will
not scheme to pressure your father or Stephan into this.
Every word you utter makes Gloria flinch as though she were struck by a lash.\nHer
empty eyes wonder around the room, avoiding yours.
“I shouldn’t have opened my heart to you. This is my predicament, and mine alone.
Good night, brother.”
You go back to your bedroom, craving the oblivion of sleep.\nBut you keep tossing
and turning restlessly. Will your words compel Gloria to give up on her plan?
A year has passed since Stephan engaged you in his scheme to marry Gloria off. And
yet, you have had no chance to influence your obstinate sister.\nTempers are
running high in your household. Gloria disappears for days at a time. She is often
seen in the company of young commoners.\nFather constantly lectures Gloria, telling
her that her friends are libertines and troublemakers. Connections like these will
be her downfall!\nYour sister listens obediently, then vanishes again.
Tonight Stephan meets you by the door, looking distressed.
“<username>! I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time. Let’s go to the garden
and talk in private. It’s about Gloria.”
You sit on a shady bench. A hot, dry wind is blowing.
“I was on my way to a ball at the El Laberius mansion. I was already on their
doorstep when a servant told me that he had been ordered to turn me away. They will
not have anything to do with a family whose offspring is a member of a secret
society!
“I am certain they meant Gloria. And these are not mere rumors. You know full well
that she is entirely capable of such a thing. And here I was wondering where our
little rebel spends all her time!
“We have to act, brother. Any delay, and the damage to our family will be
irreparable. We have to make Gloria stop these escapades and get married — by any
means necessary!
“A secret society represents a tangible threat to our family. Father will see that
and side with us. But still, I will not accuse Gloria without firm evidence. That
would be dishonorable.
“My hope lies with you, <username>. You are admitted to the right circles. And
Gloria still trusts you, though she fears and loathes me. The two of you played
together as children so often. You should be able to strike the right tone with
her.
“Find a way to tame Gloria and force her to get married. Remember, we are doing
this for the House of Brante, as well as for her own good.”
The hot wind scorches your face mercilessly.\nYou are lost in thought.
Influence Gloria through Mother
Persuade Gloria to accept her fate
Reject the plan
Perhaps Mother can persuade Gloria to consent to the match.
You will use your spies to gather evidence proving that Gloria is a member of a
secret society.
You will convince your sister to accept the fate the family has chosen for her.
You will not continue pressuring Gloria.
You find Mother in her chambers. Her health is improving with each passing day.\
nYou sit down on the edge of her bed and ask her how she feels.
“You know, son, as the years go by, our stairs have seemed steeper and steeper. But
today I walked downstairs for lunch all by myself! Gloria and I had a long walk
around the garden before she left. Is she back yet?”
You carefully ask her if she knows where Gloria went.\nMother frowns.
“To the market. Or was it the weaver’s shop? I’m not sure…”
You softly tell Mother that Gloria is in trouble. She’s gotten herself involved
with some dangerous people, conspirators. She must be rescued as soon as possible.
“Oh my… are you certain, son? Could it have gone really that far? Might they not be
just fellow poets? They’re libertines and they don’t observe their Lot, but they’d
never take up arms.”
You insist. There can be no doubt: Gloria has joined a secret society. And before
she commits an offense against the authorities, it is your duty to bring her back
to safety.\nMother agrees with a tired air.
“You’ve always taken good care of this family, <username>. And now you’re right
about this too. I raised her; I taught her; I did my best. Was it all for nothing?
What do we do now, son?”
You tell her about the plan to give Gloria to Sir El Peletier in marriage.\nAt
first, Mother is incredulous.
“A nobleman of the Sword is willing to marry my illegitimate daughter Gloria? The
Twin Gods must be watching over her. But you do realize that she’ll rebel against
it, don’t you? And it would be so sad for me to give her away to another family…”
You assure Mother that if she does not get married, Gloria’s escapades will ruin
not only her own life, but also the Brante family — the same family that gave them
both shelter and a life of ease.\nMother and Gloria must repay father’s kindness —
even if being a nobleman’s wife is not exactly what Gloria wishes.
Mother’s face darkens. Her eyes are suddenly sharp. She speaks clearly and
distinctly.
“My daughter and I will do our duty to the house of Brante. Do not doubt us, son.”
Mother spends the rest of the day in prayer.\nWhen Gloria finally comes home, they
have a long conversation upstairs, in Mother’s chambers.\nYou hear pleading and
weeping coming from that room.
The next morning, when you are gathered around the table, Gloria rises to her feet.
Her face is still red and swollen from a tearful night.
“Noble Sirs Brante. I, Gloria, lowly daughter of Lady Lydia, hereby consent to
become the wife of Sir El Peletier and will no longer impose myself upon you.
“I am grateful to this house for everything I have received here. I do not want to
be a burden anymore and tarnish the Brante name. I don’t deserve to be among you.”
Your father is horrified. Mother nods sadly.\nStephan jumps to his feet.
“Gloria! You have mustered the strength to act valiantly. You are dear to our
hearts, but we must part ways for the common good. Let us hear nothing more of
shame. A family of the highest nobility and a happy husband await you. You will be
married to a nobleman of the Sword. I will send a letter to Jose El Peletier at
once!”
Gloria responds to Stephan with a wry smile.\nYour sister casts an intense look
around the room. Who else was behind the scheme to marry her off?
Gloria’s eyes fix on you.\nYou hold her stare without flinching.
Without further ado, you go to the print shop and send for Oliver Moss, a member of
the Last Straw. Surveillance, spying, eavesdropping — in all these skills, he is
second to none.\nMoss does not make you wait.
“I am at your service, Brante. Whom do you have your eye on?”
You instruct the spy to follow Gloria from the Brante household, find out which one
of the secret societies she is a member of, and gather some evidence.\nMoss smirks.
“A family matter, eh? I understand, <username>. Well, what do I care? Work is work.
You’ll have your report!”
Your spy brings back a pile of letters and pamphlets.\nSecret correspondence,
frenzied rhymes, appeals to overthrow the tyranny of the nobles…\nSkimming through
the pages, you recognize Gloria’s handwriting at a glance.
“What can I say? They’re young activists rebelling against the order of the Empire,
the children of merchants and artisans. They have no skills themselves and are most
likely of no use to us. I wonder why the Secret Chancellery hasn’t put them all
behind bars yet. They couldn’t even hide their documents properly.”
You command Moss to storm into their meeting and scare away the entire society. The
youngsters will flee and lie low — it will be safer for everyone.\nMeanwhile, you
take the papers and go to see your sister.
You drop the pile in front of her. Gloria stares at it in disbelief.
“Have you been spying on me, <username>? I thought, at least with you, I didn’t
need to watch my step. I thought you understood what it means to be a commoner in a
noble family. But you’re in league with Stephan, aren’t you?”
You reply drily that Gloria has no right to treat the family that gave her shelter
and a life of ease in this fashion. Her escapades must stop. You know everything
about her cronies and their secret society.\nGloria will agree to marry El Peletier
and leave the Brante home, or you will not be responsible for whatever fate might
befall her little secret society.
Stifling a cry, Gloria rushes out of the room and locks herself in her chambers.\
nThe next morning, when you are gathered around the table, Gloria rises. Her face
is still red and swollen after a tearful night.
Your father is horrified. Mothers falls back into her chair in bewilderment.\
nStephan jumps to his feet.
Gloria responds to Stephan with a wry smile and turns her gaze to you.
You cannot help but avert your eyes.
Stephan’s words remind you of that time you caught Gloria reading poems in the
ruins of the old fort of Char Milanidas, back when you were adolescents.\nCould it
be that your sister hasn’t relinquished her old habits and still keeps the same
company?\nYou decide to search the ruins.
Amidst the piles of stone rubble the memories come flooding back. This was a place
where the children of the district used to play. It was also the site of a bloody
battle with those ruffians who attacked Gloria.\nThat was so long ago…
Lost in thought, you all but run into Gloria. She is making her way among the
remnants of the ancient gate, clutching a pile of pages to her chest.
“<username>? What are you doing here?”
You squint at your sister and remark that secret schemes are not her strong suit.\
nIt is time to have a talk about her escapades and their effect on the Brante
family. It has come to your attention that your sister has joined a certain
society. It is already the talk of the town. Has Gloria thought about what this
could mean for the family that gave her shelter and a life of ease?
“Don’t you dare accuse me of being uncaring, brother! I can’t live in peace while
this deceitful and unfair order oppresses everyone who isn’t fortunate enough to be
born noble. I, and only I, am responsible for my actions before the world. I’m not
even acknowledged as a member of this family. I don’t even bear your name!”
You sigh and invite your sister to sit on a dilapidated section of a fort wall.\
nYou explain to Gloria that even though she doesn’t bear the name of Brante, her
fate is closely intertwined with that of the family that took her in. This isn’t
just about the family’s reputation in the eyes of noble society. The Twin Gods
themselves are watching over our every action. The consequences will befall not
only the trespasser, but also everyone connected to them.
“I don’t want to be a plaything of the Twins. You know I stopped believing in the
Lots long ago. I think the Twin Gods don’t care a whit about that division. The
strong came up with the whole thing just to bring the weak to heel. The Twins can
still enact their will in this world however they like.”
You respond gently to your sister. Even if there are no Lots, there are still the
Gods themselves.\nThey know neither mercy nor forgiveness. The highest expression
of their kindness is the order that Gloria detests so much. One can rebel against
it, one can defy one’s place in it — after all, the Gods granted people that right.
But one cannot deny that there will be a reckoning. \nIs Gloria prepared to pay the
price — and force the rest of the family to do so? Mother? Sir Robert?
Gloria’s face falls. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stands up and heads
home.\nYou follow her, but the conversation does not resume. At home, your sister
locks herself in her bedroom. All night you can hear her sobbing quietly.
The next morning, when you are gathered around the table, your sister rises to her
feet. Her face is still red and swollen after a tearful night.
You lower your head in compassion.\nYour sister has heeded your admonition.
You ponder the situation, trying to devise a plan of action. But you can come up
with nothing.\nCan you make Gloria follow your advice? Is it right to force your
sister to get married and leave the family that is now hers?
Finally, you make up your mind and give Stephan your answer: no, you will not push
Gloria. If she doesn’t wish to marry El Peletier, it is not within your power to
force her.\nStephan shouldn’t count on your involvement in his plan.
Stephan stays silent for a while, his arms crossed on his chest, then mutters
through clenched teeth.
“So this is what your word is worth, <username>? Well, that’s good to know. I
thought you cared for our family. But at the first sign of trouble, you yield. It
seems nobility has not filtered into your blood yet. Get out of my sight.”
Distraught, you retreat to your chambers.\nEven though you have forsaken your
brother’s plan, unsetting thoughts will not let you be.\nWhat will Stephan do now
that he does not have your support anymore?
The Lesser Evil
A year has passed since the day Gloria asked for your protection. You have brought
up her lowly position several time in conversations with Father, but every time his
face darkens and he asks you to stop.\nYou can feel Stephan’s influence behind
these refusals. Your only option is to wait for something to change.
Meanwhile, emotions are running high in the family.\nGloria disappears for days at
a time. She is often seen in the company of young citizens of low estate.\nFather
constantly lectures Gloria, telling her that her friends are libertines and
troublemakers, and connections like these will be her downfall!\nYour sister
obediently lends an ear to his speeches, then vanishes again.
You are relaxing in the bath after a long day when you suddenly hear rapid
footsteps in the hallway and Stephan’s angry voice.\nThe door to the bathroom
bursts open.
“<username>! Get dressed, we’re waiting for you in the sitting room. It’s urgent.”
Perplexed, you get out of the tub and make yourself presentable.\nFather and
Stephan are waiting for you in the sitting room. Gloria is huddled in a chair in
the corner.\nYour elder brother swiftly locks the door behind you. This bodes ill.
“So, I was on my way to a ball at the El Laberius mansion. I was already on their
doorstep when a servant told me that he had been ordered to turn me away. They will
not have anything to do with a family whose offspring is a member of a secret
society! Father, <username>, whom do you suppose they meant?”
Gloria looks at Stephan defiantly, her lips pursed tightly.
“This is the last straw! You will make pariahs of us all, Gloria! I will not allow
you to ruin everything Sir Gregor worked for!”
Stephan is nearly screaming, but then he pulls himself together and continues in a
more composed manner.
“I’m afraid Lady Gloria cannot remain in this house. But, being honorable people,
we must provide for her future. Sir Jose El Peletier is willing to take her as his
lawful wife. Gloria, you will be accepted into a household of nobles of the Sword!
I have been negotiating with your suitor for quite some time…”
“Who gave you the right to decide my fate behind my back? You aren’t even the head
of this family!”
“Gloria, you must abide by the decisions of your elders. This family has done so
much for you already. Now I’m even going to provide you with a good match. But
you’re acting like a spoiled child! You will be a nobleman’s wife, you fool! You’ll
be able to write your poems. You’ll want for nothing. You’ll be able to enjoy your
life.”
“Sir El Peletier has been hounding me for a year now. I can’t believe he’s in love
with me, a lowly common girl. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes. He’s a skilled warrior
and a respected nobleman. But he needs a wife to give birth to his heirs, follow
him around obediently at social gatherings, and praise his chivalry. Can’t you see
that I don’t belong in his family?!”
“Stuff and nonsense!\nFather, here is a letter to the El Peletiers. Sign it as the
head of the family. We should invite our future relatives to our house and
introduce ourselves to Gloria’s future husband and his parents. I hope that
<username> will do his part as well.”
Father reluctantly skims the letter and frowns.
“Stephan, why have you never spoken to me about a matter of such importance? No
match can be made without my consent. Have I announced my wish for Gloria to be
married?”
“Father, she leaves us no choice. You know that we cannot make Gloria a Brante. But
our family reputation still suffers because of her rebellious ways. Don’t you see
that this marriage will benefit everyone?!”
Gloria springs to her feet, choking with rage.
“You’d do anything to prevent me from joining this family! This marriage will bring
nothing but sorrow to me and Sir El Peletier. All you ever think about is your own
interests!”
“Ingrate! I’m looking our for you, and this is how you repay me? Or would you
prefer to be cast out for your disgraceful antics?\n“Father, please sign the letter
and free us from this debacle once and for all!”
Gloria rushes towards you in desperation and clasps your hand.
“Brother, please! You promised you’d never let them kick me out!”
Push pressure on Father
Challenge Stephan to a duel
Threaten Stephan
Say nothing
You force Father to adopt Gloria and keep her in the family.
You are prepared to fight your elder brother to the death to protect your sister.
You have known for a long time about your brother’s secret love affair. You
threaten to expose it unless Stephan relents.
Gloria’s fate must be decided by the senior members of the family.
Father hesitates, watching Stephan and Gloria argue. But you are certain that he
will most likely take your advice.\nPointedly turning away from Stephan, you
address your father. What is happening? How has Stephan assumed power in the
family? What gives him the right to makes decisions about Gloria’s future?
Rage slowly boils in your father’s eyes.\nYou zealously add fuel to the fire.
Your passionate speech continues: Father made his decision when he accepted Gloria
into his home with her mother. It was Grandfather who tried to oust them both from
his home for the crime of their low birth.\nThe old man may be resting in his tomb,
but his machinations have been taken over by his favorite grandson Stephan. Father
has surely had enough of this tyranny under his own roof.\nHe has the right to
choose his own family!
Father slams his fist on the table.\nStephan instinctively steps back. Gloria gives
the head of the house a look full of hope.
“You are right, <username>. Enough! I did not earn the noble Lot to be ordered
around. Stephan, I am the head of this household. You are not Gregor Brante, and
you never will be.”
He takes the letter to the groom’s family and tears it to shreds.\nStephan’s face
grows crimson. He can barely contain his rage.
“If you cannot keep the family in check and defend our honor, Father, then I will
have to do it myself!”
Stephan’s words send you into a long, vehement speech. How dare he? Father has
dedicated his entire life to this family! Only he knows what is best for it!
“You’re right, <username>. My fear of your grandfather was too strong. But those
days are over.\n“Gloria is Lydia’s daughter, the daughter of my wife. And she is my
daughter as well!”
Gloria is shaking now. She cannot believe her ears.
“Father, what are you saying…? Come to your senses… your dishonor will ruin our
entire family!”
Father does not dignify Stephan’s words with a response. His eyes are fixed solely
on Gloria.
“Dishonor does not frighten me. Gossip does not frighten me.”
“Come to me, my daughter… Gloria Brante.”
Gloria falls on her adoptive father’s shoulder, wracked by silent tears.
“Father…”
You join their embrace. Gloria squeezes your hand in hers, your sister’s eyes
glimmering with joy and gratitude.
The door slams loudly.\nStephan rushes down the steps, saddles his horse, and is
gone.\nA long time passes before he returns.
You take a step towards Stephan, shielding Gloria from him, and look your adversary
right in the eye.\nStephan has no authority to decide Gloria’s fate as though she
were his property. You will not let anyone order your sister around. She should
have become a Brante long ago!
“I hold myself responsible for our family’s good name! But you, <username> — you
wormed your way into the nobility, but you have no idea what nobility means! You
are living proof that noblemen are borne, not made…”
Father intervenes vehemently.
“<username> is right, Stephan! You’ve gone too far. This isn’t nobility, it’s
obsession. It’s time you remembered I am the head of this household. You are not
Gregor Brante, and you never will be.”
He takes the letter to the groom’s family and tears it into shreds.\nStephan’s face
grows crimson. He can barely contain his rage.
You join their embrace. Gloria squeezes your hand with hers, your sister’s eyes
glimmering with joy and gratitude.
Furious, Stephan tears you away from one another.
“No! As long as I live, this will never be!”
Stephan has left you no choice. Gloria is a Brante now, and you will protect her by
any means necessary. If your brother won’t listen to words, then your blades will
do the talking!\nYou challenge your elder brother to a duel.\nFather and Gloria are
speechless. Even Stephan is stunned at first, but quickly regains his composure.
“Sir <username> Brante, I accept your challenge. We shall duel to the true death.”
Father intervenes. His shock gives way to fury.
“This is madness! My sons, fighting to the death? Never!”
Stephan moves away from Father, cold and indifferent.
“The honor of our family is at stake. I see no one is willing to relent. Why
continue this dispute? We must settle this once and for all.”
“I forbid it! As your father, and as a Prefecture judge!”
“Calm yourself, Father. My honor is mine alone; you have no claim to it. Brother,
we shall duel tomorrow at sunrise, in the barren field by the city wall. Be ready.”
With a sharp turn, Stephan strides out of the room, perfectly composed.\nFather
grows pale. He collapses into an armchair and buries his face in his arms.\nGloria
rushes to your side.
“<username>, what have you done? I asked you to protect me; I didn’t ask for this!
You’re fools, both of you! Can’t you resolve this without spilling blood and taking
lives?”
You shake your head slowly. Not in this case, you can’t.\nIt is time to prepare for
the duel. Only one of you is coming back.
You approach Stephan with a sly grin. It’s time to share some old secrets.\nLong
ago, you saw Stephan at the estate of Duke El Velasco and learned about your
brother’s forbidden tryst. He has been in love with the duke’s daughter Maria ever
since he was a youth. But the old duke would never have given his daughter to the
son of a humble judge, would he?
Stephan’s face is distorted by pain and rage — you have struck a nerve.\nYou keep
the onslaught. Stephan and the duke’s daughter have been lovers ever since — in
spite of her marriage of many years! It seems your brother wasn’t strong enough to
end this forbidden affair… is this how he strives to improve the family’s
reputation?
“You conniving little sneak! You’ve been shadowing me ever since you were a boy. So
you’ve finally decided to play your hand, have you?!”
You reply calmly to his outburst. Either Stephan stands down, or high society will
learn of his affair with the duke’s daughter. He cannot dictate Gloria’s fate as
though she were his property.\nAnd Gloria must become a Brante and a full member of
the family. This is the only way to make sure this never happens again!
“<username>, you backstabbing wretch… you know I’ll do whatever it takes to save my
beloved’s reputation…”
You shrug. If Stephan truly treasured Maria’s reputation so much, he would have
ended their affair long ago .\nStephan lets out a bitter sigh.
“I never knew what a pitiless scoundrel you are… fine. You win. But if you so much
as mention Maria again, I’ll kill you on the spot… and from this day forth, you are
no brother of mine.”
The door slams loudly.\nStephan rushes down the steps, saddles his horse, and is
gone.
Father and Gloria are still in shock.
“<username>, what have you done? Stephan will never forgive you for this. And he
might never come home again…”
You offer Father an explanation. Stephan was trying to seize control of this
family; he wanted to decide its fate as he saw fit. He thought himself a second
Gregor Brante. But the Brantes have had their fill of tyrants!\nYou take the letter
of marriage and tear it to shreds. Gloria lets out a quiet shriek.
You continue with the same passion: Father made his choice long ago. It was
Grandfather who tried to oust Mother and Gloria from this home for the crime of
their low birth.\nFather has the right to choose his own family!
Father sighs deeply, pulling himself together.
“You’re right, <username>, I have to admit it. My fear of your grandfather was too
strong. But those days are over.\n“Gloria is Lydia’s daughter, the daughter of my
wife. And she is my daughter as well!”
The family is uneasy after Stephan’s disappearance.\nFurious at your extortion,
your elder brother does not return home for a long time.
You embrace Gloria and hold her close, but say nothing.\nShe looks into your eyes,
hopeful. But all she hears is your dull response: only the family’s patriarch and
heir can decide this matter.\nYour sister pushes herself away as soon as she hears
this, her eyes filled with quiet resentment.
“Well said! <username> has such respect for his elders — truly a vital tenet of any
worthy family. So, Father? What shall we do with this letter?”
“We mustn’t rush, Stephan. This is a very important decision. We have to consider
it carefully. We are giving Gloria away to another family…”
“Another noble family, no less! El Peletier is madly in love with Gloria, Father —
we need to strike while the iron is hot. Who else would accept a lowborn lass into
such an exalted and wealthy home?”
“Sir Robert, please! I’ll just be someone else’s property! Please let me stay in
your home. I’m not asking you to adopt me; all I’m looking for is my own little
place in the world.”
After Gloria’s speech, Father slowly begins to lose his temper.
“Don’t be so ungrateful, Gloria. You know I support granting more freedoms to the
common estate, but you have become too obstinate for your own good. A nobleman
wants to take you into his home, and you have the nerve to resist! Stephan’s right.
You’re behaving like a silly, petulant girl.”
With a quick flourish of the quill, Father signs El Peletier’s letter.\nGloria’s
head droops helplessly.
“You leave me no choice, Sir Robert. I will do as you say.”
There is sadness in your sister’s eyes as she looks at you once more, then leaves
the sitting room.
“Unbelievable… have we finally talked some sense in her? Now we just need to make a
good impression on El Peletier.\n“I’m glad you refused to pander to her whims,
<username>. Gloria is her own worst enemy. She’s lucky she has us to take care of
her.”
To the Death
It is early in the morning and dreadfully windy. In a barren field by the city
wall, two lonely figures approach one another.\nYou and Stephan face each other,
swords at the ready.\nStephan glares at you. There is sadness in his eyes.
“Quite the twist of fate… it seems I have learned to fence only to fight my own
little brother. Heh… remember how you hit me hard with a stick when we were boys?
And your mother scolded you for brandishing a weapon? Who knew it was all leading
to this!”
You regret what is about to happen, you reply, but this is the only way your
conflict can be resolved. Stephan nods gloomily. Childhood memories cloud your
faces: playing, fighting, pretending to fence… it takes you both an effort to
remain in the present.\nThe cloaks come off. Ceremonious bows are exchanged. You
can both sense the shades of your Brante ancestors watching you. A sacred ritual is
underway — for noblemen, there is no higher judgment.\nYour duel to the true death
begins.
Your elder brother wastes no time opening with a flurry of strikes. His skill and
mastery is truly commendable. You dodge, parry, and block, but Stephan keeps
driving you back.\nThe morning air is cool, yet your dress shirt is already soaked
with sweat. The tip of his blade slashes and weaves through the air, almost
invisible to the eye. Stephan is wearing you down. You cannot last long like this.
Sweat is streaming down your forehead now. Your tired muscles ache and seize.\nYour
brother’s first blow lands. A glancing cut; a blood-red line on your sleeve.\nYou
grit your teeth…
“You begin studying swordplay too late, brother!”
You have only been defending so far, but now you notice that Stephan is growing
exhausted himself. When the time is right, you go on the counterattack.\nAnd now
you are the one showering him with a flurry of blows. Your elder brother is
stepping back, surprised by your onslaught.
A jab! Another!\nYou take another swing with your trusty blade…
“Haaaah!”
Stephan deflects your blow with an artful feint and moves swiftly to the side. Your
foe is on your left now.\nYou are defenseless.
Stephan’s blade rises.\nYou have but one moment to act before he does.\nYour life
and your brother’s are hanging by a thread.
Parry
Resort to dirty tricks
Perish
Overcome death
You find the strength to defeat your brother.
You resort to a dirty trick — you will do whatever it takes to leave this duel
alive.
You cannot hope to best Stephan in a swordfight. All you can do now is accept your
demise.
You muster all your strength to parry Stephan's strike and save your life.
The sword swishes through the air.
But your hands act faster than you think. You turn around just in time.\nIn a
flash, your brother’s blade recoils, deflected.\nStephan barely stifles a gasp of
surprise.
“How the…?!”
Stephan is the one who is defenseless now.\nYou waste no time retaliating.
Your sword runs through your brother’s chest. Stephan staggers backward, a look of
surprise on his face.\nA strange gurgling noise comes out of his throat as he falls
to his knees. His eyes grow dim now. The tiniest red dot blots his dress shirt.\
nStephan’s lips move. His voice is less than a whisper. You lean closer to hear
him.
“You win… a noble victory. Proud of you… brother.”
A faint smile glimmers on his lips as his face loses all color. You listen, but
there are no more words now — only his breathing, weak and hoarse.\nStephan falls
prone on the cold, hard ground, coughing up blood, convulsing, shaking. Then, at
last, he grows still.
Stephan Brante, your elder brother, has died his true death in your arms.
You take Stephan’s lifeless body home.\nHe will rest in the family crypt now.
Stephan’s soul will join your family’s Blood Tide, an unseen specter watching over
you all.
The home is quiet. Silence rings in your ears.\nFather awaits you at the door, his
face a frozen mask of grief and pain.
“So, you are the one who has returned… I have no words, <username>.”
A long moment passes before Father speaks again.
“If only I knew your quarrel would cost me one of my sons! Oh, I should have had
you arrested for an attempted duel! But Stephan would never have allowed that…
Twins damn it!”
Father collapses in an armchair, hiding his face in his hands.\nIt takes some time
before he has enough strength to speak again.
“But there is nothing that can be done now. The judgment of noble honor has been
rendered. We must accept this loss. I have lost my firstborn son. My heir.
“Very well, <username>. You are now the family’s eldest son and the heir of the
Brante family. Remember this. You are now responsible for the fate of our family —
or what is left of it…”
You withdraw to your room, wash the blood off your shoulder, and collapse onto the
bed. You are overwhelmed by memories.\nYou remember your brother leading you by the
hand through the yard. You remember sitting at the big table on the porch, poking
each other in the arm. You remember marching through the streets of Anizotte at
night looking for Gloria. You remember Stephan embracing you tightly when you
returned from the capital…
Soon you see Stephan for the last time at his funeral. Your elder brother’s body is
now gone forever, reposing in the depths of the crypt. Did he reach the Peak of the
Shining Pillar? Or was he doomed to suffer at the Foot for all eternity?\nYour
family is quiet. They will not meet your eyes.
An unexpected thought pierces your mind. You could never best your brother in a
fair fight. If you want to be the one left standing, you need to resort to
trickery.\nYou fall to the ground. The tip of Stephan’s blade slices through the
air above you.
Stephan lowers his sword and steps closer.
“What foolishness is this, <username>? Stand up and fight!”
Stephan is waiting for you to get back up, his defenses completely lowered. It’s
now or never!\nYou begin to rise — then immediately stab him from below.
Your sword runs through your brother’s chest. Stephan staggers backward, a look of
surprise on his face.\nA strange gurgling noise comes out of his throat as he falls
to his knees. His eyes grow dim. The tiniest red dot blots his dress shirt.\
nStephan’s lips move. His voice is less than a whisper.
“A vile trick… you know nothing of honor. You’re no brother of mine…”
Disgust contorts his lips as his face loses all color. You keep listening, but
there are no more words now — only his breathing, weak and hoarse.\nStephan falls
prone on the cold, hard ground, coughing up blood, convulsing, shaking. Then, at
last, he grows still.
Stephan Brante, your elder brother, has died his true death by your hand.
Your sword is already flying through the air, trying to rise high enough to parry
your brother’s lunge.\nBut you already know it — you are too late.
The steel blade runs through your chest.
You collapse.\nStephan embraces you, supporting you with surprising tenderness.\
nYour vision begins to fade. He looks into your eyes, overcome with emotion.
“<username>… brother! It pains me that there was no other way. But you faced your
death with dignity and honor. You will head straight for the Peak — I believe it
with all my heart.”
Your brother says something else, but his voice is fading away.\nYou take one last
look around you — the barren field, the city walls you have known ever since
childhood, the Silver Tree shining high above you…
The judgment has been rendered, and you lost.\nThe light is growing dark before
your eyes. It is time to say your final farewell to this world. There is no coming
back.
And so you perish, never to return.
…
The Hunt for Tommas
You are shaving before going into town. You scoop some warm water from the
washbasin. The morning light, reflected in the mirror, is blinding.\nA servant
rushes in with an urgent letter — or, rather, a crumpled-up note. He says it is
from a childhood friend of yours.\nYou flinch involuntarily. A nasty cut appears on
your cheek.
“<username>, I’m in trouble. You’re the only one who can help me.\n“I already told
you about how I got on Commander Otton’s bad side. I went against an order of his —
didn’t want to squeeze the last penny from an already poor village. Otton thought
me a traitor, and now he’s finally found an excuse to take me out. If I don’t find
a way out of the city, I’ll be executed.
“I did my best to hide, but Otton’s henchmen are on my trail.\n“I’m out of time.
Brante, if you can, for the sake of our old friendship, help me out of this mess…
somehow.\n“If Otton finds me, I’ll be off to the Shining Pillar in no time.\n“Your
friend, Tommas.”
You crush the note in your hands. A drop of blood runs down your cheek.\nYour old
friend is in grave danger.\nIf you don’t interfere, Tommas Guerro is doomed.
Don’t get involved
Hide Tommas in the temple
Get Tommas out of the city
Turn to your benefactor for aid
You will not try to protect Tommas.
You immediately come to your friend’s rescue.
You enlist the Last Straw spies to help Tommas find refuge away from Anizotte.
You petition Archduke Milanidas himself to offer Tommas his protection.
You lower the note into the flame of a candle. It is reduced to ash in a matter of
moments.\nYou will not try to save Tommas Guerro. His fate is in his own hands.\nIt
is time for you to go. You have business to attend to.
You manage to finish all your errands before lunch. You decide to take the rest of
the day off and reward yourself with a stroll through the city.\nFirst, you come to
the square in the Silver District. Sitting on the edge of the old fountain, you
watch the noble carriages pass by. The canopy of the Silver Tree casts a soothing
shadow over you.
The sun is well past noon now. You continue your walk.\nA noisy group of students
burst out of Sir Tibor’s school. The young men have just finished their studies for
the day. You were a student there yourself not long ago.
You decide to watch the sun set by the city wall. You have an excellent view of the
desert, painted by the flaming hues of the setting sun. You gaze at the remnants of
the wooden fort from your childhood.\nBut it’s getting very late. Time to head
home.
The next morning a dead body with numerous knife wounds is found near the city
gate.\nA Legion captain by the name of Tommas Guerro has met his true death.
You cannot possibly leave your friend in need at a time like this —not even if you
have to break the rules of the Inquisition to aid him!\nYou will hide Tommas from
Otton in a place where no one will find him: the dungeons under the Inquisition
ward.
You set off to find Tommas. You eventually find the place where your friend has
taken shelter: an attic above a shabby inn.\nYou have not seen him for a while, but
he looks a decade older already. It pains you to see him so downcast.
You tell your friend about your plan.\nTommas stands tall again. You spy a wicked
spark in his eyes, a glimmer familiar from the years when you both were young.
“Well I’ll be, Inquisitor Brante from next door is on my side! Your dungeon don’t
sound half bad after our barracks. I’ll be fine!”
However, the joy on his face quickly gives way to worry.
“But you’d need a reason to get me locked up down there, right? They’ll surely find
you out one way or another. You’re getting yourself in a lot of trouble for my
sake…”
Your voice is calm and confident as you reply to the ex-Legion solider. You can
sort it all out, but Tommas has to remember one thing: he was seen preaching in an
inn in defiance of his secular Lot!\nTommas nods readily.
When you return to the inn, a squad of Champions of Faith enters behind you. You
ask the squad leader to be quiet and careful.\nTommas is shackled and thrown into
the dark dungeon. You make sure to visit your friend from time to time, pretending
to interrogate him about his illegal sermons.
The dungeon-keepers show Tommas no mercy, but at least Otton’s men have lost track
of him.\nSome time later, you decide to act, and Sir Tommas Guerro receives your
verdict. For preaching without the priest’s Lot, he is to sentenced to make a
pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Magra, which are quite far from Anizotte.
“Thank you, my friend. I accept this punishment with honor. And when I’m done, I’ll
go to that village, Sulmina, and lay low. The locals owe me one — I’m sure I’ll
find shelter there. Let’s just hope Otton forgets about me one day… well, until we
meet again, Brante!”
And so Tommas disappears outside the city gate.\nSeveral days pass. Filled with
relief after rescuing your friend, you have just returned to your usual duties when
Dorius Otton decides to pay the Inquisition a personal visit. He barges in, puffing
with rage, a heavy sword in his hand.
“Inquisitor Brante! I was told a Magran Legion captain by the name of Tommas Guerro
has escaped justice in your dungeons. I demand you release my underling into my
care this instant!”
You go to the Inquisition gate and meet the Arknian’s fuming demands with a calm
response. Indeed, Tommas Guerro was put into the dungeons for preaching in defiance
of his Lot, but he has already been punished and is now a pilgrim on the roads of
the province.\nYou regret to inform His Excellency that you cannot aid him in his
search.
“You’re a liar, Brante! You know I can’t prove it, but I know you hid him from me!
You’ve got quite the nerve to defy my right to command my men as I see fit! Do you
think your cassock’s going to protect you from me? All you did was show everyone
the Inquisition gives refuge to the very criminals it’s supposed to shun!
“But now, by my right, I’ll teach you a lesson of my own, a lesson you’ll never
forget!”
Otton’s hand moves in the blink of an eye. You have no time to react.\nCold steel
pierces your heart.\nYour vision grows dark, and then the world is filled with a
blinding light.
You come back to life naked and trembling in the cold, dark family crypt. It takes
time for your thoughts to return to recent events.
Your first thought is: what happened to Tommas?\nYou ask around after returning to
worldly matters. It appears Otton gave up the search for his subordinate and
disappeared without a trace in the sprawling lands of Magra.\nYour sacrifice was
not in vain. Your friend is finally safe.
Crumpling the note in your hand, you pace the room and think. You cannot abandon
your friend in his hour of need.\nBut Otton is the High Commander of Magra;
opposing him on your own would be unwise. You need a more cunning plan…
You are going to need Oliver Moss’s help.\nThe Last Straw spy welcomes you with an
ever-ready sly grin.
“Brante! How can I help you?”
You wave Moss over and brief him on the situation: Tommas Guerro, a friend of yours
and a supporter of the cause, is about to be attacked! Dorius Otton, the High
Commander of Magra, is itching to seize and execute the Legion deserter.\nThe spy’s
eyes narrow.
“We won’t let that happen, will we, Brante? But going against such a powerful
Arknian is a great risk… and a great risk demands a great reward.”
You assure Moss that his efforts will be duly rewarded. Together, you plan Tommas’s
escape.\nThe plan requires that you involve a number of the Last Straw members —
you will be short a good many hands while they lay low afterwards. But you are
ready to take this risk if it means saving your friend.
Moss’s spies easily find Tommas’s hiding place: an attic above a shabby inn.\nYou
have not seen him for a while, but he looks a decade older already. It pains you to
see him so downcast.
“Brante! But how did you find me? So Otton’s men are closer than I thought. You’re
in danger too!”
You assure your friend that you have a plan. He should pack up and get ready to
leave — you will take care of the rest.\nWhen night falls, you head for the city
gate with Tommas in tow. A gaggle of loyal cutthroats lead by Moss tail you in the
shadows, just a shout away.
Ominous silhouettes appear before you on the road out of the city. You examine the
faces hidden beneath their hoods. Their clothing is ostentatiously coarse, but
their manners and speech betray them as servants from a noble household.\nThe
leader speaks: “Are you friends of one Sir Tommas Guerro? Would you mind coming
with us?”
“Get ‘em!”
In the blink of an eye, the cutthroats swoop in and surround Otton’s henchmen.\nThe
blows from their clubs quickly beat any desire to resist out of them.
“Hurry! We need to get out of the city!”
You and Tommas hop into a carriage with covered windows and leave Anizotte. You are
not followed.\nYou reach the village of Sulmina by sunrise. You see a handful of
houses huddled at the foot of a mountain ridge, their outlines emerging from the
morning mist.
“Well, no one’s gonna bother me here, I’m sure of that. And I don’t see the locals
betraying me either. I’ll hide here until everything settles down. Thank you, my
friend. I hope we see each other again soon.”
Crumpling the note in your hand, you pace the room and think. You cannot abandon
your friend in his hour of need.\nBut Otton is the High Commander of Magra;
opposing him on your own would be unwise.\nIt is time to call in a favor…
It is no secret that Sir Otton is fully devoted to his lord and sovereign Archduke
Milanidas.\nOne word from the Archduke, and Otton will surrender any thought of
pursuing some obscure Legion officer.\nYou are no noble — which means that the
Archduke would never pay you any mind… but you are fortunate enough to have the
right connections.
You reach for a quill and compose a petition in defense of Captain Tommas Guerro,
an innocent and honest servant of the Empire.\nEvery single word of the petition is
carefully chosen. You make no demands and offer nothing that could incriminate
Otton directly — this is merely a most humble request, a plea for the Archduke to
save the life of a harmless little human.\nYou are confident that the letter will
find its way to the Archduke. Your past achievements will see to that.
You spend the next few days in great unease, hoping that Tommas is able to evade
Otton’s men in the interim.\nThen, finally, you have a reply. You receive a note
from the Archduke, written in indifferent haste.
“Brante! Puny petitions for nonentities do not ordinarily deserve even the tiniest
moment of my time, but in this case I will be merciful.\n“Sir Otton has been told
to hunt other prey for his amusement. As for Tommas Guerro, he shall leave the
Legion immediately, never to be seen by His Excellency again.\n“Tarquinius of the
Milanidas, Archduke of Magra.”
You heave a sigh of relief. Otton would never defy his sovereign the Archduke.\
nTommas is safe.
You set off to find Tommas and bring him the good news.\nYou eventually find the
place where your friend has taken shelter: an attic above a shabby inn.\nYou have
not seen him for a while, but he looks a decade older already. It pains you to see
him so downcast.
When you break the news of the Archduke’s intervention to Tommas, he looks very
conflicted indeed.
“Really? Otton agreed to let me off the hook if I quit the Legion? I can’t believe
the Arknians even bothered to listen to you! Does that mean I’m finally free from
his harassment?\n“Thank you, my friend — you’ve saved me from true death!
“But… if I leave the Legion, what will I do then? That’s the most humiliating thing
there is! All the work I put into joining the military would be wasted…\n“I’d have
no job, no pay… and I’d never be a nobleman again…
“I’m sorry, <username>… I don’t mean to seem ungrateful. It’s just… I gotta think
about what to do with my life now. But at least I’ll get to live it. And it’s all
thanks to you!”
Deathbed
Deafening silence fills your home.\nYou are standing by Mother’s bedside. So are
Father, Gloria, and Nathan.\nFor an entire day, Mother has been feverish, barely
conscious.\nGloria never leaves her side, not even for a minute. Nathan has even
stopped drinking so he can offer your sister his awkward help.
Mother’s health deteriorated greatly over the past year, and the fighting in the
family home has dealt a great blow to her. She has been bedridden for a month.\nYou
have been to every doctor and folk healer, but no one can help her. They all tell
you the same thing: Lady Lydia’s life is in the hands of the Twins now. If she
passes away, she will not come back.
And so you wait by Mother’s bed in sorrow, hoping that she will regain
consciousness.\nThere is a long silence that no one has the courage to break. Then,
at last, you hear Nathan’s meek voice:
“Mother? It’s me, Nathan. Can you hear me?”
Mother suddenly rises on her elbows. She looks around, her eyes unseeing, beads of
sweat forming on her pale forehead.
“My son! Where are you?”
Nathan takes Mother by her thin, emaciated hand.\nShe leans closer to look at him,
struggling to recognize his face.
“Stephan! Were you playing with your younger brothers in the garden? You must be
all dirty… come here. You may not be my son, but I care for you as though you were
my own. Oh, what a nice, happy family we have, a blessing from the Twins!”
Nathan is unsure what to do or say.\nFather strokes his wife’s hair. His eyes are
two orbs of searing, indescribable pain.
“You’re a little confused, Lydia. This is Nathan. And the children are all grown up
now, remember?”
Mother’s eyes were bright and alive just now, but the next moment they grow dim
again.\nHer head falls weakly back onto the pillow.
“You’re right, my husband… The children grew up, but I was never able to teach them
how to live in peace with each other.\n“I let you down, Robert. You made a mistake
when you took me into your home… you saved my daughter and me from a life of
poverty, and how did I repay you?”
Gloria cannot take it anymore.
“What are you saying, Mother?! Don’t you dare blame yourself! You did your best,
you did all you could!”
Father looks away, unable to hold back the deluge of tears.\nMother’s voice, so
faint now, calls out to you.
“And <username>? Where is he?”
With great care, you move closer to Mother.\nYou answer her quietly: you’re here,
right by her side.
“<username>… I’m so happy to know you’re here. I always knew greatness awaited you,
ever since you were a little boy. What a shame I won’t be there to see it…\n“I
couldn’t save the Brante family. I will face my punishment at my final judgment.\
n“But don’t worry, my dears. I am ready to stand before the Twins.”
Lydia Brante’s voice trails off — no longer a voice, just a final whisper of life.\
nWill you accept your mother’s death… or will you find a way to fight for her life?
Accept this loss
Share your strength with Mother
Unite the family
Mother is not long for this world, and there is nothing you can do about it.
You reinvigorate Mother so she can fight off her illness.
For the sake of Mother's recovery, you put an end to the quarrel that is tearing
your family apart. You have to make Gloria a part of the Brante house — even if
your name will be forever branded by dishonor.
Your heart aches and grows numb as you realize the inevitable.\nThere is nothing
you can do to help your dying mother. There is nothing that would give her
strength. Your family has grown weak from all the spite and strife that has filled
your home.\nEven now, at Mother’s deathbed, you can feel the enmity, disappointment
and anger driving your family apart.
“Children… accept this… humbly…”
Her voice trails off. Her eyes grow dull. Her cold hands release yours, fall onto
the bed, and grow still.\nThe last emotion on Mother’s face is a sadness born of
exhaustion.
A scream of despair rips itself out of Gloria’s throat.
“We did this to her! We fought so much that we killed her! Me! Stephan!
<username>!”
Nathan yelps with grief. He runs away, howling.\nFather slowly sits and takes his
late wife’s hands in his. His tears flow no more. His eyes stare far into the
distance, empty and bleak.
“Lydia…”
You mourn her together, but alone. You leave the house to roam the garden, empty
and numb.\nMother has left this world for the Peak of the Pillar to face the Twins’
judgement. She spent all her life preparing for this journey…\nBut now her mortal
life has ended. She is no longer here. Never again will she gather her family at
the table. Never again will she offer a word of solace in trying times. Never again
will she greet you with her quiet, humble smile.
You bury your face in your hands.\nLydia Brante — your mother — has left this
world.
You will not give up so easily. There is a reason you have fought tooth and nail to
keep this family together all these years, resolving every dispute within the
Brante home.\nYou lean down to Mother’s ear and begin to whisper.
No, Mother has not failed anyone. She has always given her all to this family. She
taught you well, and she took good care of you. She has nothing whatsoever to blame
herself for.\nYour family is torn apart by quarrels. But you are still a family —
because of Mother. She has no right to abandon you in this dark hour!
With a great effort, Mother lifts her head slightly. She looks over the faces of
her family huddled around her bed.\nGloria, with her arms folded on her chest in an
unspoken prayer. Nathan, pressing himself timidly against his sister. \nA faint,
humble glimmer of hope appears in Mother’s eyes.
“We are still a family…”
You stroke Mother’s hair gently.\nYes. Yes, we are. We are all Brantes; we are a
family. And as long as we remember that we are one, we will weather any storm and
overcome any strife.\nTimes are changing, and the family must face these changes.
But was it not Mother who taught us to face life with humility?
Mother sits up in bed.\nThe color returns to her pallid cheeks.
“Mother! You’re not leaving us! Brother, your words are better than any medicine!”
“Lydia!”
“<username> is right. I simply cannot abandon you like this. The Twins only know
what you’ll get up to without me around!”
The family laughs with relief.\nThe days pass, and mother’s condition continues to
improve. The illness that once seemed so intractable slowly releases her from its
clutches. Moreover, the family squabbles have stopped for her sake — at least for
now.
You refuse to accept this. Mother must not die. The Brante family must not fall
apart.\nFor years and years you have fought tooth and nail to keep this family
united, working hard to resolve every quarrel. You never conspired against Stephan,
and you never stabbed Gloria in the back.\nNow it is time to take family matters
into your own hands.\nThis family strife must end.
You learn down to Mother’s ear and whisper.\nNo, Mother has not failed anyone. She
has always given her all to this family. She taught you well, and she took good
care of you. She has nothing whatsoever to blame herself for.\r\nYour family is
torn apart by quarrels. But you are still a family — because of Mother. She has no
right to abandon you in this dark hour!
With a great effort, Mother lifts her head slightly. She looks over the faces of
her family huddled around her bed.\nGloria, with her arms folded on her chest in an
unspoken prayer. Nathan, pressing himself timidly against his sister. A faint,
humble glimmer of hope appears in Mother’s eyes.
Suddenly, there is a flurry of footsteps outside the door. To everyone’s surprise,
Stephan runs into Mother’s bedroom, flustered. He has been gone for so long…\
nFrightened, Gloria leaps from her seat and stands between him and Mother. But
Stephan ignores her and walks straight to the bed.
“Lydia! How are you? I hurried back home as soon as I could…”
Your words, and Stephan’s sudden show of concern, transform Mother, bringing her
back to life before your very eyes.\nShe sits up in bed. The color returns to her
pallid cheeks.
You look back at your flustered family and address them fervently, from the bottom
of your heart. We nearly brought a terrible woe upon ourselves, you tell them. This
is all the result of our strife, mistrust, and animosity.\nYou stare first at
Stephan, then at Gloria. They both remain silent, burning with shame. You say that
this cannot continue. It is time for them to wise up and stop scheming against one
another.
“You think I wouldn’t love to live in a calm, peaceful home? I’m just defending
myself against Stephan’s attempts to drive me out! He’s the one who’s obsessed with
our family’s reputation!”
Agitated, Stephan interrupts her.
“All I’m doing is trying to build a life for you! We can’t legally accept you into
our family just like that, don’t you understand?! The Brante family has to be
ennobled by the Sword, there's nothing more important than that…”
But then Stephan glances at Mother, who returned from the brink a mere moment ago,
and his voice trails off.\nYou ask your brother sternly: has he considered the
price our family must pay to be ennobled by the Sword? Is Stephan ready to
sacrifice the family just to have it ennobled?
“Brother, we’re just a step away from fulfilling our grandfather’s greatest
mission! And now you want me to reject it?”
You reply to your brother calmly: it is time for us all to decide what is most
important — our family’s standing, or our happiness.\nStephan grows quiet as he
ponders your words.\nBut Father suddenly interjects.
“And we will choose happiness, Stephan! I am the Brante patriarch; I bear the
responsibility for our family. And if the road to the Sword will cost our family
this much, then we must remain as we are.”
Stephan is silent. His throat twitches now and then, as though he is trying to
swallow something. Gloria and Nathan watch him, both hopeful.\nYour elder brother
stands up and starts pacing around the room. His face convulses. He is on the verge
of tears.
“Father… <username>… I… …I agree. I need to acknowledge that I have failed to
fulfil Grandfather’s mission. Well, so be it. Perhaps future generations of Brantes
will be ennobled by the Sword, but right now our duty is to preserve this family.
“Gloria! For the sake of our entire family, you must become a Brante once and for
all.”
Gloria’s mouth is agape. She cannot believe her ears. You reach over and give her
the smallest push.\nEver so slowly, she walks toward Stephan and bows.
“Stephan… I never dreamed you’d… I’ll never forget this.”
Father opens his arms wide for Gloria.
You join their embrace. Gloria squeezes your hand in hers, your sister’s eyes
glimmering with joy and gratitude. She looks away to catch Stephan’s gaze. He
smiles at his sister with a mixture of grief and happiness.\nYour family stands
together, embracing over your mother, who is too happy to speak. Your family is
united at last.
Days pass, and Mother’s condition continues to improve. The illness that once
seemed so intractable slowly releases her from its clutches.\nAnd the enmity
between Stephan and Gloria, the strife that has poisoned the family… is now finally
gone.
A Broken Branch
The sitting room is brightly illuminated by dozens of candles. Today, the tapestry
bearing the Brante family crest — an oak branch wrapped in chains — hangs above the
fireplace. The petitions have been granted, and the paperwork is ready. Today,
Gloria will join the Brante family and become your father’s lawful daughter.\nThe
entire family has gathered together… except for Stephan. Ever since you and Gloria
got your way, your elder brother has spent less and less time at home, preferring
to take prolonged trips or visit his noble friends.
Gloria is standing by the fireplace, clothed in a modest black dress quite unlike
her usual trousers and men’s jacket. Even her hair is braided today. For the sake
of this momentous occasion, she is behaving as reservedly as she can, though she
often glances at you with gratitude.\nFather steps forward solemnly and makes a
speech as the family watches in profound silence.
“Come closer, Gloria, and become a branch of the Brante family tree.”
Gloria kneels humbly before the man she has called “Sir Robert” all her life.\nHe
holds his hand in front of her face, as the ceremony demands.
“From this day forth, you shall be a full member of this family, your fate now
bound with ours. Wear your name with honor, and may the Brante family prosper with
you.”
Gloria leaves a filial kiss on the fingers of his outstretched hand.
“Now rise, Gloria Brante!”
Slowly, gracefully, confidently, Gloria rises to her feet. For the first time since
childhood, she looks and seems like your older sister. With a smile, Father at last
embraces his adopted daughter as a parent.\nGloria warmly responds to his embrace,
then hurries to you.
“<username>, we’re legally brother and sister now! I owe it all to you. I swear,
I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me! I promise I’ll be more careful from now
on. I’ll only do what’s best for the family whose name I bear.”
You answer her without hesitation: Gloria has always been your family. All you did
was make it official.\nYour sister squeezes your hand in excitement. This is her
day, the day she has been waiting for all her life.
Loud, thudding steps echo in the foyer. The doors swing open. Stephan stands on the
doorstep.\nYour elder brother — now haggard-looking and covered in the dust of the
road — casts a tired gaze over the faces of the family gathered around the
fireplace.
“So! It seems I’ve arrived at the very moment of triumph. Would you look at that!
Already celebrating the day the Brante family lost its honor, are you?”
Gloria stands between you and him, brave and confident, hands on her hips. She has
no reason to be afraid of Stephan’s fury now.
“We are celebrating the fact that no member of this family can now toss another
member out on the street.”
Stephan allows himself a bitter chuckle.
“Gloria, how typical of you… you’ve cut off your nose to spite your face. And my
brother <username> is just the same! You’ve all robbed our bloodline of our noble
future — you’ve ruined everything Sir Gregor Brante paid for in sweat and blood. If
it weren’t for him, we would have nothing!”
Stephan’s face grows crimson as he says these words. It takes him a moment, albeit
a brief one, to compose himself and continue.
“But what’s done is done. Our honor is already lost.\n“From now on, I will have no
further connection to your family. I’m leaving for the capital. Nothing will ever
make me visit this home again. I suppose it’s time for my farewells, then.”
“Stephan, wait! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re still my eldest son and heir!”
“And what, pray tell, am I to inherit, Father? You robbed us all of our hereditary
title right when it was within our grasp. But I don’t blame you. You’re just a
victim of my brother’s schemes. Or do you disagree, <username>?!”
Stephan delivers this furious tirade from the doorway, one step away from leaving.\
nWhat will you tell Stephan before he departs forever?
Sever all ties with Stephan
Maintain family ties with Stephan
You allow Stephan to sever all ties to the Brante family.
You convince your brother to keep the name Brante. You still belong to the same
bloodline.
Coldly, you snap back at Stephan that if a title was all your brother ever wanted
from this family, then he doesn’t deserve to bear the family name.\nAll Stephan has
brought to the Brante family is strife, animosity, and scorn. For the sake of his
ambition, he was ready and willing to sacrifice anything, anyone — all under the
pretense of protecting his family.\nGood riddance. There is no place for him here.
Stephan meets your lengthy speech with surprising calm. When you are done, a bitter
grin appears on his face once again.
“You will never understand what it means to be a nobleman, <username>. But you are
right about one thing: this is no longer my concern. It’s high time I did something
for myself.\n“I’m still the son of Amalia El Borne. Should I ask my uncle Sir El
Borne to grant me his family name, he will not refuse me. I shall forge a new fate
for myself — one without any of you in it.”
Stephan studies each of you, as though trying his best to remember this moment
forever. His face reflects a fleeting moment of regret, but it is quickly replaced
by decisiveness.
“I cannot reject this Blood Tide. It flows in my veins now. But I can reject all of
you.\n“Sir Robert Brante, you are no longer my father or my patriarch. <username>,
Nathan, you are my brothers no more. And I will make sure everyone knows it!”
Stephan removes a ring bearing the family seal from his finger and hurls it into
the roaring fireplace.\nThen he glances at each of you one last time before turning
away and walking briskly outside.
A moment later, you hear hooves clattering against cobblestones, growing quieter as
they recede into the distance.\nAnd then… a long silence marred only by the
crackling of the fireplace.\nFather collapses into a chair, overcome with grief.
“My eldest son has rejected our family! Ye Gods, what did I do to anger you so?!”
Gloria steps carefully toward her foster father. Her hand comes to rest on his
shoulder.\nHe puts it to his face as the tears begin to flow.
“I hoped Stephan would come to accept our decision. But a hereditary title means
more to him than our family’s happiness… we won’t make the same mistake he did.\
n“We will weather the scorn of the noble families with dignity. We will remain
united in this home, no matter what.”
“Yes, Father. That we will.”
Your family does their best to console each other, but the celebration is ruined.\
nEventually you go to your room to sleep, but a flood of memories keep slumber at
bay.\nYou remember Stephan leading you by the hand through the yard. You remember
sitting at the big table on the porch, poking each other in the arm. You remember
marching through the streets of Anizotte at night looking for Gloria…
And now Stephan has left his family home and Anizotte, never to return. This is the
last you will ever hear of the man who used to be your elder brother.
You step towards Stephan. Despite all your grievances against one another, you know
that your elder brother still listens to you.\nStephan has the right to do as he
sees fit, you say peacefully. If he must leave the family home, then so be it.\nBut
he cannot reject the name of his birth! Nor his father! Nor the Blood Tide that
will flow through his veins forever, an eternal tether between Stephan and his
ancestors!
Stephan lingers at the door, now hesitant to leave in haste. He considers your
words carefully.
“It pains me greatly to admit this… but you’re right, <username>. You have made a
terrible mistake. But I was born into this family, so these mistakes must be my
burden to bear.\n“The name Brante shall remain mine.
“But, Father, this does not mean that I will accept your decision. No matter what,
I cannot remain in this home any longer. I’m sorry. This is where we part ways.”
Father steps toward Stephan from behind you.
“At last you have heard the voice of reason! Stephan Brante is your name. And if
you ever want to return here, the doors of this home will always be open to you.”
Stephan sneers grimly.
“There’s nothing left for me in Anizotte, Father. My life’s work has been
destroyed. I can’t look any noble in this city in the eye now that my family honor
has been lost. \n“I’ll be heading to the capital. I’ll do my best to find a place
at court. Perhaps I can find another path to the nobility of the Sword.”
Stephan studies each of you, as though trying his best to remember this moment
forever.\nHis face reflects a fleeting moment of regret, but it is quickly replaced
by decisiveness.
“Farewell… my family.”
He glances at each of you one last time, turns away, and walks briskly outside.\
nYou hear hooves clattering against cobblestones, growing quieter as they recede
into the distance. For a long time you hear nothing but the crackling of the
fireplace.\nFather collapses into a chair, overcome with grief.
And so Stephan has left the family home for Eterna.\nNow and again you receive
short letters from him. Stephan has begun to build a career at the Emperor’s court
and is about to become a junior advisor in the Emperor’s military command. You read
a hint of regret between the lines of your ambitious brother’s correspondence — the
stain on the family’s reputation has become a setback for his budding career.
But even his dry tone cannot hide the filial feelings that remain in Stephan’s
heart.\nYou are still family.
Gloria of House Brante
The sitting room is brightly illuminated by dozens of candles. Today, the tapestry
bearing the Brante family crest — an oak branch wrapped in chains — hangs above the
fireplace. The petitions have been granted, and the paperwork is ready. Today,
Gloria will join the Brante family and become your father’s lawful daughter.
The Gilded Cage
Stephan’s efforts are about to bear fruit. All the arrangements have been taken
care of; all the negotiations are done.\nGloria shall marry Sir Jose El Peletier.\
nIt was no easy task to arrange this match between a nobleman and a commoner whose
father has rejected her. Every single member of El Peletier’s family did their best
to change the young nobleman’s mind, but he refused to relent.\nStephan did his
best too. He spent an eternity convincing the groom’s family that Gloria has
received an excellent education and will make Sir Jose a fine wife.
And so the wedding day has come.\nThe family prepares Gloria for the long journey.
The wedding ceremony will be held at a church next to the El Peletier estate. As
tradition demands, no one else is allowed to attend the wedding.\nGloria is
completely silent today. She meekly allows the servants to change her into the
coarse, humble garments her Lot demands she wear before the Twins, all without
saying a word.
“Gloria, say something, I beg of you. This marriage is the best thing the Brante
family can do for you. You’re about to join a noble bloodline…”
Gloria stares back at Sir Robert, her mother’s husband who never became her father.
There is bitter sorrow in her gaze.
“I think it’s more likely I’ll be added to their family’s opulent collection as
another exhibit. But still… from the bottom of my heart, I thank you, Sir Robert.
You’ve destroyed the last of my illusions. My fate rests in the hands of my noble
masters, and it always will.”
Father responds with a heavy sigh, at a loss for words. You prefer not to
intervene. Gloria would rather not speak to you anyway.\nJust outside the door, you
hear the neighing of horses and Stephan’s excited voice.
“Gloria! Your groom has arrived!”
The man who enters Gloria’s chambers behind Stephan is Gloria’s betrothed, Jose El
Peletier himself. His dignified bearing and the thin features of his wistful face
betray his noble origins. An elegant earring glints in his ear, a concession to
modern high fashion.\nEl Peletier greets the bride’s family with a gallant bow and
gently kisses the hem of Gloria’s dress. The young noble of the Sword takes great
pains to remain composed, but, standing so close to his future wife, he cannot help
but let his emotions show.
“Good sirs! I fell in love with Gloria the moment I laid eyes on her at that
fateful party so long ago. If I may, I give you my word that you are giving her to
a respected and prosperous home.
“And, from what Sir Stephan has told me, your family’s standing will only benefit
if Gloria… becomes a member of another family.\n“After all, I am a born nobleman
with a hereditary title — no scandalous rumors or gossip regarding my wife’s
origins can ever harm me! And any man who dares to speak a word of slander against
Gloria shall face a duel to the true death!”
“Well said, well said indeed! A most wonderful outcome for everyone involved!”
“Gloria will want for nothing. I will keep her safe from all the world’s troubles,
free to write poetry, indulge in entertainment, and serve her husband.”
The enamored noble gazes at Gloria with a tender expression.\nShe hides her eyes
behind her unkempt hair. There is a hopeless look about her.
“Gloria, my love! It is time. Our journey calls. The temple is ready for the
ceremony. Very soon we shall announce the sacred intertwining of our destines to
the Twins Themselves! And then, your new home and new life await.”
“I will do as you say, Sir El Peletier. But please allow me to say my goodbyes to
the gentlemen who have given me food and shelter.”
To Father, she gives a deep bow full of reverence. The family patriarch remains
silent, but tears run down his face.\nThen your sister embraces Nathan, who came
home gloomy and worse for wear even today.
“I’m sorry I drank all night. I couldn’t stop. I just can’t accept that you won’t
be at home anymore…”
She ruffles her younger brother’s hair and whispers something in his ear. His face
brightens, if only a little.\nAnd then, she bows to Stephan — a bow so impeccable,
it can only be interpreted as mockery.\nShe walks past you scornfully, refusing to
recognize your presence with even the slightest gesture.
“Farewell, <username>. I must admit, you did a fine job getting me out of the way.
I hope it was worth it.”
You remain silent.\nEl Peletier takes Gloria to his carriage. The driver flicks his
whip, and the horses take the bride and groom outside the city and to the church,
to face the Twins and the austere ritual that awaits them.\nOnce wed, they will
head straight for the groom’s estate.
Gloria has left the Brante home for good.
With an expression of great relief, Stephan closes the door. He sits in an armchair
by the window, his hand cradling a glass of wine.
“At last! We’ve done a great deed, my brother. We’ve arranged for the best possible
life for Gloria — and removed the last obstacle standing between us and the
nobility of the Sword!
“Now there is nothing preventing me from putting our family’s affairs in order.
This is my duty as heir.\n“And, most importantly, we need to put all ties to Gloria
behind us. She’s gone from the Brante home for good — thank the Twins and Their
mercy.”
“What say you, <username>? You won’t stand in my way, will you? Surely you won’t
deny that our family’s affairs are my responsibility.
Sever all ties with Gloria
Maintain family ties with Gloria
You accept your brother’s right to decide what is best for the family — which means
that the family must cut all ties with Gloria.
You insist the Brante family must preserve their ties to Gloria.
You deny your elder brother’s right to rule the family. Your dispute must be
settled with the sword.
You agree. Stephan represents the future of the Brante family, and if he says the
family ought to cut all ties with Gloria, then so be it.\nShe never belonged in the
family anyway. You took care of her as well as you could. Now her fate is no longer
linked to yours.
“I knew you’d understand me, <username>. Take your glass. A toast to the future of
the Brante family!”
You clink glasses.\nYou note a hint of bitterness in the flavor of the mulled wine.
“Anyway, it’s time to get down to business. I’ll head to the Overseer’s residence
at once. We are so close to earning a hereditary title, brother! Ah! Grandfather
would be so proud of us!”
With that, Stephan leaves you alone. Father has locked himself in his office to
brood. Nathan has wandered off somewhere to get drunk.\nYou roam the family home
that feels emptier now, lost in memories. You remember Gloria leading you by the
hand through the yard and showing you the Shining Pillar for the very first time.
You remember playing together. You remember the time you and Stephan went looking
for her in the Anizotte ruins. You remember the quill and paper that were your
sister’s constant companions…
After the wedding, you hear very little of Gloria’s fate. It seems she barely, if
ever, leaves the confines of the El Peletier estate.\nBy the will of your family
and its heir Stephan Brante, you no longer have any part in your former sister’s
fate.
Slowly, you rise from your seat and shake your head at Stephan’s words.\nYour elder
brother glares at you in confusion.
You assail Stephan’s confidence with a long, fervent speech. Gloria lived in this
home for so many years; she grew up with you and shared your joys and sorrows; she
is your mother’s daughter! Cutting all ties with her would be cowardly and bring
disgrace to your name.\nGloria may be a child of lowly birth who does not belong to
your Blood Tide, but family ties go beyond mere blood and social standing! How
could you even think of erasing her from your memory as though she never existed?
“Gloria used to be a permanent fixture in this home, that I cannot deny. But that
time has passed. It is blood that unites a family — if there’s no blood, there’s
nothing to talk about!”
You fold your arms on your chest before offering a retort.\nNo. You aided Stephan
and got Gloria to agree to the wedding. You also had a say in your sister’s future,
and now you must have a say in your family’s treatment of her.\nAnd you say that
the family will remain in touch with Gloria. Stephan needn’t fear any harm or
dishonor from that — she belongs to another bloodline now. The Brantes are safe
from scandal.
“So be it. We’ll stay in touch with Gloria. You’re right, she’s no threat to us
anymore.”
“Now take your glass, <username>. A toast to the future of the Brante family!”
The family remains in touch with the El Peletiers and does its best to stay up to
date on Gloria’s married life. However, your sister rarely, if ever, leaves her
husband’s opulent estate.\nHer letters grow shorter and shorter. She writes about
how her husband adores her and makes all her wishes come true, but she has fewer
and fewer wishes every day.
You beg Gloria to write poems for you, but she curtly responds that her inspiration
is gone. Every day is too much like the last.\nThe only thing that seems to bring
her back to life is the odd visit from your family. But you must inevitably leave,
and then Gloria goes back to spending days at a time in bed.
You rise from your seat, your eyes trained on Stephan. Your elder brother glares at
you in confusion.\nYour words come out one by one, like nails into the lid of a
coffin. Who says Stephan has the right to decide what your family says or does? You
will never agree to give him full control over the family’s affairs! You, too, are
a nobleman, and your Lot is to rule. Why should bend to Stephan’s will?
Stephan leaps to his feet, indignant.
“I hold myself responsible for our family’s good name! But you, <username>… you
wormed your way into the nobility, but you have no idea what nobility means! You
are living proof that noblemen are born, not made!”
But you have forgotten that Father is observing you.\nAnd he is furious.
“<username> is right, Stephan! You’ve gone too far. Gloria can do nothing to harm
our family’s standing now, and yet you are dead set on cutting all ties with her?
This is not nobility, it is obsession!
“It’s time you remembered I am the head of this household. You are not Gregor
Brante, and you never will be!”
Stephan’s face grows crimson. He can barely contain his rage.
“If you cannot keep the family in check and defend our honor, Father, then I have
to do it myself!”
This is it, the moment you have been waiting for. You cut Stephan off. He has left
you no choice. You will not let him rule over this family with an iron fist. And if
your brother won’t listen to words, your swords can do the talking!\nYou challenge
your elder brother to a duel.\nFather is at a loss for words. Even Stephan is
stunned at first, but quickly regains his composure.
With a sharp turn, Stephan strides out of the room, perfectly composed.\nFather
grows pale. He collapses into an armchair and buries his face in his arms.
It is time to prepare for the duel. Only one of you is coming back.
The Runaway Bride
For some time now you have been trying remain aloof from family matters. The
conflict between Stephan and Gloria has not been resolved, and you have refused to
take sides.\nYou are confident that they have been plotting and scheming against
each other all this time.
And now Stephan’s efforts are about to bear fruit. All the arrangements have been
made. All the negotiations are done.\nGloria is about to leave the Brante home to
marry Sir Jose El Peletier, the noble of the Sword who has fallen madly in love
with her.\nYour sister fought tooth and nail, but could not hold her ground against
Stephan forever.
It was no easy task to arrange this match between a nobleman and a commoner whose
father has rejected her. Every single member of El Peletier’s family did their best
to change the young nobleman’s mind, but he refused to relent.\nStephan did his
best too. He spent an eternity convincing the groom’s family that Gloria has
received an excellent education and will make Sir Jose a fine wife.
Gloria looks up. There is an obstinate glimmer in her eyes, so familiar from your
childhood years.
“No!
“I don’t agree to any of this. I’m not a member of the Brante family, after all.
They can’t trade me away as though I were their property.\n“I’m a bastard child of
lowly birth, and that’s what I’ll remain!”
At a loss for words, El Peletier turns to Stephan. He expects an explanation.
“Enough! You’re embarrassing us!”
“Am I? As far as you’re concerned, all I’ve ever done is embarrass the Brante
family. So deal with it!”
Gloria breaks free of El Peletier’s embrace. He lets her go, utterly baffled.
“I’m leaving! I’ll live on the street, or on skid row… I don’t care! Goodbye! And
goodbye, <username>! I took care of you my entire childhood, but you still wouldn’t
stand up for me! This isn’t my home anymore. I’m gone!”
Gloria rushes down the stairs, her rage fueling her speed. No one has the courage
to stop her.\nStephan barely musters enough composure in the face of this fiasco.
“What is the meaning of this, Stephan? You told me she agreed to the wedding! Do
you have any idea how this will sully the reputation of the El Peletier dynasty?”
“Enough, Jose! I’m just as flabbergasted as you are… is this another one of your
schemes, <username>? I can’t trust anyone in this house!”
Stephan begins to pace around the room, driven by helpless rage.\nEl Peletier
shakes his head. He returns to his carriage with a scornful expression.
Gloria has run away from home.\nYou cannot find her, no matter how hard you search
the surrounding neighborhoods.\nDid she find refuge in the seedy underbelly of
Anizotte? Did she leave the city entirely? You will never know.
The Brante home feels emptier now without her.\nYou wander the halls, lost in
memories. You remember Gloria leading you by the hand through the yard and showing
you the Shining Pillar for the very first time. You remember playing together. You
remember how you and Stephan went looking for her in the Anizotte ruins. You
remember the quill and paper what were your sister’s constant companions…
You refused to get involved in your sister’s destiny, and now you have lost her.
Tommas’s Wedding
This is a day you remember well. It began with a loud, impatient knock at the
door.\nYou are surprised to see Tommas paying a visit to your home. There is joy on
his face as your old friend shakes your hand.
“Brante! It’s been a while since I saw you last. I just got back to the city. I
visited my folks, then ran straight here.
“Otton finally stopped hounding me. I sure hope that whole mess is over for good.”
You invite your friend in, but he gestures for you to wait, a sly smile on his
face.
“I’m in a hurry right now, buddy. So much to do, so little time! I’ll explain.\n“I
just got back from Sulmina. There was this girl in the village, a shopkeeper named
Mirre. She gave me shelter, and I ended up falling head over heels in love with
her.”
You congratulate your friend and pat him on the shoulder with joy. He laughs
happily.
“My poor ma and pa… all their life they’d hoped I’d marry a noblewoman. I used to
hope for that too when I was young. But now I know some things matter more than
noble titles. Mirre’s about to be my wife!”
You offer Tommas words of congratulation: but he suddenly grows serious.
“Otton’s left me alone… but Mirre and I will still be better off far away from
Anizotte.\n“I wasn’t happy serving in the Legion anyway. I thought the nobleman’s
Lot would set me free from suffering and do the same for my descendants, but it
just ain’t that simple. I was less free than ever.
“I’ll be better off as a commoner again, earning my living by the sweat of my brow.
A farmstead might not be an estate, but the high and mighty won’t ever set their
sights on me again. I’ll live my life in peace, just like I wanted.
“I’ve just got one last request for you, though, <username>. You’ve done so much
for me, but… I’d be honored if you’d be a witness to my wedding vows before the
Twins!”
Bear witness to their wedding vows
Perform the wedding ceremony yourself
Bid Tommas farewell
You and Tommas have come a long way together. And now you will see him off to a new
life.
As a priest, you shall conduct Tommas’ wedding ceremony yourself.
You have done all you could for your friend. It is time for the two of you to part
ways.
Your hand comes to rest on Tommas’s shoulder. \nIt would be an honor and privilege
for you to be a witness at your friend’s wedding.
Tommas glows with joy.
“Wonderful! You’ve got no idea how much this means to me, <username>! I gotta go
get ready!”
Several days later, you follow your childhood friend to a smallish temple nestled
on the edge of the Brass District. He is wearing a plain white shirt — needless
luxuries are forbidden at the austere wedding ritual.\nYou are both welcomed by the
bride, a blond-haired young woman, innocence and hospitality written across her
trusting face. The bride’s parents stand further away, two aging villagers eying
the streets of the big city with suspicion.
“Mirre, meet <username> Brante, my best friend ever since we were lads. He’ll bear
witness to our oaths before the Twins.”
The bride greets you with a humble bow.\nThe three of you step inside the temple.
You close the doors behind you — tradition demands no one else be allowed to attend
the sacred wedding ritual.\nAn amiable, aged priest by the name of Ignasis Aventini
meets you inside.\nTommas and Mirre kneel before the altar.
“O Twins, Elder and Younger! Behold these two as they kneel before you. They
beseech you to join them in eternal wedlock!”
The candle flames dance and quiver. You hear a strange murmur in the temple.\nThe
darkness beneath the vault of the temple ceiling swirls into two colossal shades.
The bride and groom raise their eyes to them, awestruck.
“Tommas, dost thou swear thy loyalty to this divine union?”
“I do!”
The bride assents to the same query. Your turn is next.\nYou stand over the
kneeling bride and groom and speak their names as the Twins watch over you. Tommas
Guerro and Mirre of Sulmina!\nOne of the colossal shades leans over them, looming
like a towering sword, while the other bursts in a beacon of blinding light that
illuminates the temple from within.
Tommas and Mirre look into each other’s eyes in amazement.\nFrom this moment forth,
they are bound to one another by divine Law, and divine Love fills their hearts.
“In your sight of the Twins, Tommas Guerro and Mirre of Sulmina are now man and
wife, as <username> Brante bears witness.”
The stern, solemn ceremony has ended. It is time to celebrate — a humble, but happy
feast is to be held in the bride’s village.\nAs day gives way to night, you and
Tommas leave the revel to enjoy a moment of quiet repose on the front porch.\nYour
old friend looks off into the distance, hopeful.
“Yeah… remember how we fought in that yard over our little brothers? Look how much
has happened since then…”
Both of you laugh as you recall the beginning of your friendship.
“I’ll treasure those memories forever, I will.\n“And you can be sure that my
firstborn son’s name will be <username>.”
Tommas chuckles, pondering.
“You and I, we grew up on the same street, but look how different we turned out.
You have a say in other people’s fates, Brante. Your name will surely be
remembered. But me, I’m still a humble nobody. And you know what? I’m okay with
that.
“I used to be so sure a man could never start over with a clean slate… but I guess
I was wrong.\n“I’ll never forget you, <username> Brante. And I’ll never forget
everything you’ve done for me.”
A tear runs down your friend’s cheek.\nFor the last time, Tommas embraces you.\
nTomorrow he will leave Anizotte forever. Will you ever meet again? Nobody knows.
Your hand comes to rest on Tommas’ shoulder.\nYou are a priest yourself, perfectly
capable of conducting the wedding ceremony. It would be an honor. Will Tommas
agree?
“I was afraid to ask, <username>! Now my best friend’s gonna marry me to the love
of my life… how about that! I gotta go get ready!”
“Mirre, meet Father <username> Brante, my best friend ever since we were lads. He’s
gonna marry us before the Twins.”
The bride greets you with a humble bow.\nThe three of you step inside the temple.
You close the doors behind you — tradition demands no one else be allowed to attend
the sacred wedding ritual.\nTommas and Mirre kneel before the altar.
This is the first time you have performed a wedding ceremony, but you know the
ritual well.\nYou must summon the Twins to oversee the sacred union of this
couple.\nAnd so you call forth: O Twins, Elder and Younger! Behold these two as
they kneel before you. They beseech you to join them in eternal wedlock!”
Now you ask the bride and groom in turn to swear their loyalty to this divine
union.
The bride echoes Tommas.\nYou stand over the kneeling bride and groom and speak
their names as the Twins watch over you: Tommas Guerro and Mirre of Sulmina!\nOne
of the colossal shades leans over them, looming like a towering sword, while the
other bursts in a beacon of blinding light that illuminates the temple from within.
And with that, the ritual is complete.\nTommas Guerro and Mirre of Sulmina are now
man and wife in the eyes of the Twins.
The solemn ceremony has ended. It is time to celebrate — a humble, but happy feast
is to be held in the bride’s village.\nAs day gives way to night, you and Tommas
leave the revel to enjoy a moment of quiet repose on the front porch. The familiar
wastes of Magra stretch out before you in the darkness.\nYour old friend looks off
into the distance, hopeful.
“Yeah… Remember how we fought in that yard over our little brothers? So much
happened since then…
Your hand comes to rest on Tommas’s shoulder.\nYou and he have been through a lot
together, but now it is time for you each to go his own way. You wish your friend
the best of luck in his new life.
Tommas nods understandingly.
“Yeah… remember how we fought in that yard over our little brothers? So much
happened since then… I’ll treasure those memories forever.”
Tommas chuckles, pondering, wondering.
A tear rolls down your friend’s cheek.\nFor the last time, Tommas embraces you,
then walks out the door and disappears behind the gate.
Repentance
The last few months have been marked by a welcome absence of quarreling at the
Brante estate.\nYour only concern these days is the price you have had to pay for
this peace.
Today you come home late, wrung dry after a day of work and worry. Everyone is
sound asleep. \nYou are making your way to your bedroom when you hear a suspicious
noise coming from Father’s study.\nIt is too late for Father to be working…
You go to the door of the study, trying to tread softly, and turn the knob.\nThe
room is brightly lit by the moon. You recognize your brother’s clumsy silhouette
above Father’s desk in the moonlight.\nNathan hears you come in and leaps to the
side in fear. You see something glinting in his hands… Father’s dagger!
“Oh! <username>, it’s you! Shush! I just took the dagger for a moment. Don’t worry,
I know holding a weapon’s against my Lot. I don’t mean anyone any harm.
“It’s for me, actually. I just… I have to go to the Twins.”
Your younger brother clumsily turns the dagger around, holding it against his own
body.\nYou try to remain still. Nathan wants to take one of his own lives? But why?
“I’m not even sure how to say it… brother, I just can’t find a place in this world.
I’m always an outsider, always a waste of space. Isn’t there some place for me in
the Twins’ design? I can’t stop thinking about it…
“I’ve been trying to understand Them for so long! How am I supposed to live in
Their world? What’s my place in Their great plan?\n“But I’ve only made things
worse. I meddled with the Markian sect, defied and rejected my Lot, indulged in
vice — but I found nothing there.
“The Old Faith, the New Faith, Father Mark’s heresy… they gave me all sorts of
answers, but none of them worked. There’s nothing else left for me now. I’ve got to
go see the Twins myself and ask Them.
“I know I’m an affront to Their plan just because I’m alive. But I’ll repent! I’ll
pray for Their forgiveness!”
But the Twins never forgive, you tell Nathan softly. They never have, and They
never will. You will be judged in the hereafter for every false step you take.\
nYour younger brother sighs heavily.
“I know. Mother taught us that all our lives. But I still have to try. There’s no
other way. One of my lives isn’t too big a price if it works. I can’t find any use
for them anyway…
“See you soon, brother. Hope I’ll be different when I come back.”
A cloud passes over the moon. Father’s study grows dark, illuminated only by the
shining light of the distant Pillar.\nNathan’s body contorts awkwardly. He raises
the dagger, aiming it at his own heart.
Do not stop Nathan
Protect your brother
Call Mother
Your younger brother has his reasons for taking one of his own lives.
You prevent your younger brother from acting on his reckless plan.
Surely she can find a way to talk her foolhardy son out of this.
You take a step back.\nThe life that Nathan is about to take belongs to him. He is
free to do with it as he pleases. May he finally find an end to his desperate
search for meaning.
Nathan whispers a word of gratitude, barely audible. Then, a sharp exhale as he
gets ready to strike.\nHis hands guide the dagger awkwardly through the air and
into his chest. The sharp tip reluctantly sinks into his flesh. \nA weak yelp
escapes Nathan’s throat. He staggers and falls, blood oozing out of the wound.
Moments pass, and Nathan’s body dissipates as his mortal frame dissolves. He has
departed to commune with the Twins. What awaits him in the hereafter?\nYou pick up
Father’s dagger, carefully wipe it clean, and put it in the drawer of his desk
where it belongs.
When the skies begin to grow bright before the dawn, you go to the family crypt to
welcome your brother back.\nNathan is already there, lying atop the granite slab.
Even made anew, his naked body is still just as thin, awkward, and feeble.\nHe
suddenly stands when he hears your footsteps. His eyes are shining with
otherworldly light.
“I spoke to Them, brother! I dared to address Them as my soul rose up!\n“I begged
the Twins for forgiveness — and They heard me! They did!”
“And the Elder, He reached out to me. He wanted to respond to me, I know He did!
But the Younger’s sword stopped us — it cut the bond between us, and I fell… \n“But
I saw compassion in the Elder’s eyes as I fell — and He followed me! He shall
descend to the lands again, He shall witness our suffering and bring His mercy.\
n“And then the world will change at last!”
Your younger brother shivers, almost convulsing with cold. You wrap him in a black
cloak.\nTogether you return home before sunrise. No one in your family ever learns
of Nathan’s lesser death.
Nathan stops wasting time in taverns with suspicious characters. He spends every
day in ardent prayer — again and again, his quiet voice speaks of the Elder’s
coming return. \nThe family watches the drastic change in their wayward son with
great surprise.
You slowly approach your younger brother.\nHis shaking hands violently squeeze the
hilt of the dagger, but your soulful voice has a soothing effect on him. Nathan has
no reason to hurry, you assure him. He will meet the Twins when his time comes.
Trying to draw the Twins’ attention is an act of grave insolence, you tell him. The
Twins are always watching; They know everything They need to know. If They have
anything Nathan needs to hear, he will hear it when the time is right.
Nathan hesitates, but you know your brother well enough to sway him.\nHe lowers the
dagger without protest. You take the sharp steel from your brother’s hands and put
it back where it belongs.\nFather will never know of this midnight intrusion into
his study.
“You’re right, <username>. You’re always right. Who am I compared to the Twins? I
can’t even get anything out of a regular person.
“But how… how am I supposed to live in this silence?!”
You try to advise your brother on this, but he response to your words with broody
mutterings.
“So I’m beneath even the lowly Lot, it seems. I should just accept it and suffer,
but I can’t, despite everything Mother taught me. There are no answers out there
for me…”
After that night, Nathan throws all caution to the wind. He spends every day and
night in dank taverns surrounded by suspicious characters. His pitiful existence is
devoid of all meaning.\nYour only consolation is that one of your younger brother’s
lives has been spared.
You confront Nathan with a question he has not considered: what would Mother say
about this?
Nathan stops, stunned, startled.\nHis hand clutching the dagger is unmoving and
limp, hanging in midair.
“Mother?”
You assure your younger brother that Mother will help him deal with his misfortune.
You are going to call her right now.\nYou keep your eyes trained on Nathan as you
shout loudly for her.\nYour cry wakes up everyone in the house. But Mother is the
first to reach you. She is very worried.
“Twins almighty! Nathan, stop, please!”
Nathan is frozen in place. His fingers grip the dagger’s hilt even tighter.
“Mother! I’m so sorry, Mother. I have to go there, I have to reach the Twins. Just
for a little while. I need Them to hear me.”
“Then call out to Them from here! You don’t need to be in the hereafter to be
heard, my son… remember, they are always watching, they see every moment of your
life.
“All you need to do is pray to Them, my son! The Twins are always at your side, not
only at the moment of death. Your life is Their gift, and they watch every single
choice you make. Remember how you felt their gaze when you were a little boy?”
You hear a dull ringing sound as steel clatters against the floor. Nathan has
dropped the dagger.
“Yes… but why won’t they tell me anything? Why is dying the only way I can be close
to them?”
“My dear son, you must not dare to demand anything from the Twins Themselves! All
you can do is ask.\n“All you are doing right now is demanding: listen to me, give
me the answer! You cannot do this.
“You must address Them in prayer — in honest, humble prayer born from the truth in
your heart. It’s hard work, but, if such is Their Will, one day They will respond…
and then you will find peace.”
Mother opens her arms for Nathan. He sobs loudly. His knees buckle as he nearly
collapses into Mother’s arms.
“It’s a good thing your brother was at your side in this time of trouble. Twins
bless you for this good deed, <username>!”
Nathan stops wasting time in taverns with suspicious characters. He spends every
day in ardent prayer.\nThe family watches the stark change in their wayward son
with great surprise.\nAnd then, one day, Nathan shares a revelation with you.
“I spoke to Them, brother! I was deep in humble prayer, not even hoping for an
answer — but then I felt Them listening to me, felt it with all my being! It’s like
I left the mortal realm and went up into the heavens. And I dared to address Them.
“I begged the Twins for forgiveness — and the Elder, He reached out to me. He
wanted to respond to me, I know He did! But the Younger’s sword stopped us — it cut
the bond between us, and it was like I fell back down from a great height.
“But I saw compassion in the Elder’s eyes as I fell — and He followed me! He shall
descend again, He shall witness our suffering and bring His mercy. And then the
world will change at last!”
A Family Matter
For over a year now, Anizotte has been slowly simmering with unrest. The feud
between the estates… between the Old Faith and the New… between the law of the
Empire and noble traditions… tensions are at an all-time high, waiting for the
slightest spark to catch fire and burn.\nEven your family’s affairs have been
affected by the growing unrest. It is during these troubles times that the future
of your family will be decided.
Father shakes you awake early in the morning. He is excited, clutching a letter
bearing the Imperial seal of the Tempest dynasty.
“Wake up, son. Come to the sitting room. A letter has come from Overseer Gaius
Tempest.”
He gingerly breaks the seal and unfolds the missive.
“To the honorable Brante family: I, Gaius of the Tempest dynasty, Overseer of the
Province of Magra, have given due consideration to your petition to have your
bloodline ennobled by the Sword. You are expected in one week at Castle Enerie, as
are all petitioners for the Sword, where you shall hear my decision firsthand.”
After finishing the letter, Father turns to you. He looks fatigued.
“Well, son. It’s time for us to be honest with each other about our family. What do
you have to say about this? Where do we, the Brantes, stand after so many years?
What hopes do we have for the future of this family?”
The past seven years have been marked by many life-changing events. The rare joys,
the frequent fights, the arguments, the attempts at peace, the losses… sometimes
you have managed to change their minds, and sometimes you have not. But your
decisions have made you realize what matters most to you.\nThe future of the Brante
family must be decided here and now.
Become nobles of the Sword
Become members of the Overseer’s entourage
Preserve the family
Sever all ties with the family
Your bloodline has earned the right to a hereditary noble title.
Your family will be ennobled by the sword and become members of Overseer Gaius
Tempest’s entourage.
All hope of being ennobled by the Sword is lost — but the Brante family will remain
united.
The Brante family is a family in name only. There is no reason to stay together
anymore.
You assure Father that there is no cause for concern. You have personally worked
hard to ensure that the family’s reputation is spotless. All slanderous rumors, if
any, have been brushed aside, and your finances are as good as ever.\nIt is true
you had to part ways with Gloria — she is no longer a member of your household. And
yet the Brante family has prevailed, despite the hardships cruel fate has sent your
way.
Father puts a hand on your shoulder, a jubilant smile on his face.
“Yes, my son! We stood strong, no matter what. Remember how much your grandfather
doubted us? But together we have proven what the Brante family can achieve!”
Soon, the house grows happy and hectic. \nThe family has to prepare for a long
journey to Castle Enerie so that you may be judged by the sovereign of the
province. But you have no doubt the Overseer will find you worthy.
And, what’s more, your deeds have become famous among the noble dynasties of Magra.
You are confident the Overseer will not hesitate to grant you a hereditary title.
In fact, you may even become members of his entourage.\nFew can hope to attain the
Overseer’s favor, but you have earned it through your loyalty to Imperial
tradition.
The Brante family now has a mighty benefactor: the Emperor’s own brother!\nThe
future of your bloodline is secure. Your family will have power, respect, and lofty
positions in the Overseer’s court.
You reluctantly confess to Father what both of you already know: it is clear what
Gaius Tempest’s decision will be. Your family’s hopes of being ennobled by the
sword are long gone.\nYou had to maintain your family’s reputation, and fortune,
and peace at home… it all proved too much to handle.\nAfter expending too much
energy resolving the strife within your family, you had little strength left for
the rest.
With a sigh, Father agrees.
“You’re right, my son We couldn’t weather the storm that came upon us. Who could
even hope for a hereditary title after that?! I can only imagine how your
Grandfather must be raging in the hereafter!”
The Brante patriarch uneasily considers what comes next.
“But our family is still together, still whole. It pains me to think that there
were so many losses that could have been prevented… I must confess, at one point I
even feared there might be nothing of us left. But we are still a family.”
“Very well. We will abandon the pursuit of the nobility of the Sword for our
descendants and tend to the Brante family itself.”
Nathan peeks into the sitting room. His hair is tussled.
“Father? <username>? What happened?”
“Nothing, Nathan. Life goes on. That’s all.”
Your weary father embraces his two sons.\nThe last of the embers that were once the
letter from Gaius Tempest smolder away in the fireplace.
It was almost too much to bear, but your family ties have been preserved.\nThe
Brante family will live on.
You coldly point out that the family’s chance for a hereditary title is long gone.
And the family itself… why, it all but disintegrated years ago.\nYou failed to
quell the strife at home; you could not snuff the coals of enmity that slowly
turned your family into disjointed clumps of ash. All attempts to put the family’s
affairs in order have led to naught.
And now, it is time to admit that the Brante family is no more.
There is deep pain in Father’s eyes as he meets your gaze, but he does not argue.
Which is why, you continue, it would only be reasonable to sever what remains of
your family ties. It is for your own good. You have all been strangers for a long
time.\nYou may live under the same roof, but you are no family. It is time to end
these frantic attempts to fix that which is already beyond repair. Nothing good
will come of it.
Father is silent. A long moment passes before he speaks.
“As much as it saddens me to say this… you’re right, son. We failed. I failed as
the family patriarch, and I failed my Lot. I was chasing after a lofty position and
neglected all the troubles in our family. I tried to please everyone, and I let
everyone down. All I can say is that your grandfather was right about everything!”
You put your hand on Father’s shoulder.\nIt is not his fault alone, you tell him.
All of you made mistakes. You, too, bear a sizeable share of the blame.
“But I am the patriarch, no matter what. I am responsible for this family. What a
disgrace, what an embarrassment I am!”
Father hides his face in his hands.\nIt takes him a while to stifle his silent sobs
and muster enough strength to continue.
“But enough weakness. It is time to accept the inevitable. The family is gone. We
must all seek our own fortunes. I will quit my post at the Prefecture and leave
Anizotte. This city has grown far too unsettled as of late. But if any of you ever
want to visit my home, my door will be open to you.”
You leave Father alone with his grief in the sitting room. There is nothing you can
do to help him now.\nYou begin to pack your things. It is time to move out of the
house that stopped being your home long ago.\nYou will rent a lodging for now, and
then… you will see what comes next.
A carriage awaits you at the gate. You take one last look at you parents’ house,
the place that was your home and shelter for so many years.\nYour childhood games
in the garden… your loud, happy dinners… your quiet conversations on the porch… the
warm embrace of your family… it is time to leave it all behind.
You offer your family no farewells as you depart. They are no longer a part of your
life.\nFrom this day forward, you must fend for yourself.
A Noble Bloodline
The long preparation for the journey is finally over. You have packed your finest
garments, and a length of luxurious fabric has been embroidered with your family
crest. For this occasion, you must look your best.\nA four-in-hand carriage awaits
at the gate of the estate. Your entire family is leaving for Castle Enerie, where
Overseer Gaius Tempest is holding a reception of the utmost importance.
You spend several long days riding the dusty high road. Then, finally, you watch
from the carriage window as Gaius Tempest’s impregnable citadel emerges from behind
the craggy mountains.\nA cavalry detachment of the Overseer’s guard escort you
along the last stretch of road to the gate. Beyond the gate lies the Overseer’s
residence.
You are ushered into a grand hall, already teeming with pacing nobles from the
Overseer’s court. Beneath this tall stone vault, matters are resolved, deals are
brokered, and alliances are made. The Overseer’s throne is unoccupied for now.\nNot
far from the rest you see several noble families who have come from all over Magra.
These are petitioners for the hereditary title, anxiously awaiting Gaius Tempest’s
judgment.\nYou join them in the center of the hall.
Then, suddenly, everyone falls silent.\nGaius Tempest himself enters the room.
Dressed in finery, the Arknian takes his place upon the throne. He casts a keen eye
over the assembly, then gestures imperiously toward you. Approach!
Following Father’s lead, you kneel before the Overseer’s throne.
“Your Grace! The Brante family has come to hear and obey your supreme will.”
For a long moment, Gaius Tempest’s face is cold and expressionless as he studies
each and every one of you.\nThen, the Overseer allows himself a benevolent smile.
“I have heard the name Brante quite often in recent years. It brings me joy to see
you before me now. You have proven yourself in word and deed as loyal followers who
respect Imperial order and maintain a clean reputation.
“I, Gaius of the Tempest dynasty, I hereby grant your petition and mercifully
bestow upon the Brante bloodline the hereditary title of Nobles of the Sword. Bring
forth the Blue Book!”
The Blue Book bears the names of every noble dynasty in the province. It comes to
rest in Gaius Tempest’s hands.
“The descendants of the noble bloodline of Brante shall henceforth be born into the
noble Lot! And so it shall be for all eternity, so long as the Empire endures and
prospers!”
The nobles of the Overseer’s court bow their heads before you.\nThis is it, the
long-awaited triumph of the Brante family!
“And now, as ancient tradition dictates, may the heir of the bloodline inscribe the
name of Brante in the Blue Book, wherein it shall dwell forever. Step forth, heir!”
Step forward as the family heir
Accompany Stephan as he steps forward
You are the heir of the noble Brante family!
Your elder brother is the lawful heir of the Brante family.
You approach the throne with your head held high, your every movement watched by
the court.\nElegantly, you bow down before the Overseer. With an avuncular gesture,
he beckons for you to stand tall.
“Sir <username> Brante! I expected your brother Stephan to stand before me at this
moment, but it seems his fate has led him elsewhere.\n“One day the title of the
Brante patriarch will fall to you, as will the honorable duty that comes with it.
Bear it with honor. Now, inscribe the name of your bloodline upon the exalted pages
of the Empire!”
You bow your head to the Overseer as he presents you with a quill and the heavy
metal-bound book.
A solemn silence falls. The Blue Book is before you, open to an empty page.\nYour
heart skips a beat as the quill delicately inscribes upon it: “The Brante bloodline
of Anizotte, whose crest beareth an oaken branch.”\nThe quill glides across the
paper; and you feel a quiet, cold wind blowing from behind you. The shades of your
ancestors are watching.\nThen a deep, hard voice you have known since childhood
rings in your ears.
“So, grandson! How far you’ve come. I was always tough on you; I always treated you
harshly — but you never let anyone bring you down. You made yourself a judge and a
nobleman. You rescued our family from strife. And you earned us a title.
“I, your father, you yourself— we will all remain in the noble Blood Tide when our
mortal lives end. Now our family will never perish into darkness. Immortality
awaits us all. You have made me proud, my grandson!”
You turn around — but he is not there. You see only your family, beaming with
jubilation.\nFather is beyond proud. And now he is the one bowing to you.
“My heir!”
Your family has been ennobled by the Sword. You are more than just a judge made
noble to serve the law; your very blood is now endowed with nobility.\nThe fate of
the El Brantes now rests in your hands.
Stephan approaches the throne with his head held high. Elegantly, he bows down
before the Overseer’s throne.\nYou accompany him as his younger brother.
“Sir Stephan Brante! One day the title of the Brante patriarch will fall to you, as
will the duty that comes with it. Bear it with honor. Now, inscribe the name of
your bloodline upon the exalted pages of the Empire!”
The Overseer presents you with a quill and the heavy metal-bound book.\nYou open
the book to a blank page for Stephan.
Stephan triumphantly inscribes upon it: “The Brante bloodline of Anizotte, whose
crest beareth an oaken branch.”\nThe quill glides across the paper, guided by his
hand, and you feel a quiet, cold wind blowing behind you. The shades of your
ancestors are watching.\nThen a deep, hard voice you have known since childhood
rings in your ears.
“My Stephan! From the day of your birth, I believed you were to bring us to this
moment. And so it has come to pass! I, your father, you yourself — we will all
remain in the noble Blood Tide when our mortal lives end. Now our family will never
perish into darkness! You have made me proud, my grandson!”
You turn around at the sound of the voice — but he is not there. You see only your
family, beaming with jubilation.\nYour father is beyond proud.
“Stephan… my heir! <username>, my son!”
Unable to contain his emotion any longer, your elder brother embraces you firmly.
“Brother! I can’t believe it! Me, ennobled by the sword… we have brought the Brante
name to unprecedented heights. And none of it could have happened without you,
<username>!”
Your family has been ennobled by the Sword. From this day forth, the descendants of
the Brante bloodline will be born into nobility.\nThe fate of the El Brantes now
rests in the hands of Stephan and his descendants.
Family Strife
The tension at home has become insufferable. Everyone in your family has been
driven to the brink by the unending bickering and fighting.\nEven the smallest
family matter is bound to provoke hours of arguments and a drove of mutual insults.
Tonight, you can already hear it from the doorstep — screams of fury, shrill
sobbing…\nYou watch Father run down the stairs. He is absolutely livid.
“Twins, grant me strength! How am I even supposed to get along with my own family
now?!”
You ask what brought it on this time, but all your question does is draw Father’s
ire upon you.
“Of course you have no idea what’s going on! You’re doing nothing, <username>,
nothing at all to return peace to this family! You’re just fanning the flames!
You’re…”
Father stops himself before he can utter another word. He hurries to his study.\
nThe door shuts and locks.\nAt last, the house is quiet. But it is far from calm.
Ruin and Debt
Your most recent expense cost the family the last of its money.\nYou are on the
verge of ruin. This will be a difficult year.
The impending bankruptcy has driven your father to desperation.
“Why, <username>? Why did I even consider entrusting the family finances to you?!
All you’ve done is bankrupt yourself — and you’ve dragged us all down with you! Did
you really have to spend so much?
“My son, don’t you understand? We can’t afford to tighten our belts! Our status
demands that we look the part. We have to attend balls, host parties…”
You grimly promise to rescue the family finances. After all, this was your doing.\
nYou have no choice but to turn to moneylenders from the Silver District. They
eagerly offer a large loan to the noble <el> Brante family.
Before long, the family is swimming in debt. Your desk disappears beneath piles of
receipts and promissory notes.
The family manages to maintain a semblance of prosperity, but every day it becomes
harder and harder. The city soon learns of your troubles.\nYou will emerge from
this disaster one day. You will put your finances in order. But the Brante family
has already been branded by its brush with ruin.
The Mark of Dishonor
Recent events have dealt a crushing blow to the reputation of the Brante family.
You have slipped into the realm of infamy and disgrace.\nSo far, the noble families
of the city have patiently endured your transgressions, but now you have lost face
in their eyes.
Noble society is eager to bring your every dusty scandal back into the light — old
offenses, ancient grievances, and, naturally, Father’s marriage to Lydia Brante and
Gloria’s ignoble origins.\nAnd they have surely not forgotten that the sons of
Robert and Lydia Brante — <username> and Nathan — were born out of wedlock.
None of the nobles will ever say this to your face, of course. Their behavior will
seem perfectly ordinary… on the surface.\nBut, no matter where you go now, you will
be followed by scornful glances and dismissive whispers.
“We have to accept this and humbly bear this burden. All hope of being ennoble by
the Sword is lost. No matter what we do to restore our name, we will never wash
away this mark of dishonor.”
A Moment of Respite
Your work for the day is finally done. You hurry to the family home, where peace
and tranquility dwell again at last.\nStill, you have grown used to the idea that
this peace could be disturbed at any moment…
As you enter, Father walks down the stairs to greet you. He smiles, happily and
warmly.
“<username>! My dear son! You’re spending so much time at work… look, you can
barely stand! You need some rest. Please, stay at home with us for a while.
“Surely your work can wait. You’ve earned yourself a moment of respite.”
You consider his words for a moment and agree.\nOverjoyed, Father takes your hand
and leads you into the sitting room.
You spend several days resting in the family home, where your troubles are distant
and your family is close. They tell you their news; you carefully share yours.\nYou
spend the evenings together on the porch, just like in the good old days —
listening to Father’s stories of your family’s history, sharing laughter over
memories of childhood.
It is late now. Cicadas buzz quietly in the garden. The windows of the bedrooms
glow with a warm light. You recline in a wicker chair with a glass of good wine.\
nThere is no place like home.
Over the past few years, your family has grown wealthy beyond imagination.\
nWhatever money you had, you took good care of and made more — all thanks to your
uncanny aptitude for profit. The word “hardship” is long forgotten at home.
Whatever luxury you crave, you can afford it.\nThe entire city knows that the <el>
Brante family is an affluent one.
It is late in the evening on a sultry summer day. The sun has set, but the heat
still lingers in the garden.\nFather slowly measures the porch with his steps,
striding from one corner to the other.
“My son! Look how we’ve prospered! If you ask me, we <el> Brantes have grown too
used to our humble way of life. We don’t have to be thrifty anymore. Let’s invest
our wealth in the family — we won’t run out of money anytime soon!
“You’ve done so much to ensure our prosperity, son — it’s only fair for you to
decide where we should invest our fortune.”
You cast a glance over the family estate, thinking.\nHow will you spend your
wealth?
Invest in the house
Host a gala
Expand the library
It is time your family estate gets the maintenance it deserves.
It is time you show the nobles of the city how the <el> Brantes have flourished.
The books will preserve precious knowledge within your estate for centuries to
come.
The family estate is the most important place in the life of everyone who bears the
<el> Brante name.\nThe past few years have been unkind to the family dwelling. It
is high time you fixed it up.
You hire crews of builders, stonemasons, woodworkers, and gardeners. In the rooms,
on the roof, in the garden — everywhere you look, the house is buzzing with work.\
nElegant new furniture and decorations are ordered to suit the family’s tastes.
The familiar exterior of your parents’ estate remains the same. You went to great
pains to carefully preserve it. But it has been renewed, improved, and reinforced.\
nYour family agrees. You have taken their every suggestion and desire into
account.\nAnd now, after a day of work, you hurry back home eagerly. What a joy it
is to see the family home! What a delight it is to be here again!
It is time the noble families of Anizotte learned the extent of the <el> Brantes’
prosperity.\nYou suggest to Father that the family should host a grand party for
the entire city. At last, you have the money to afford a luxurious gala that will
satisfy even the most demanding tastes.
“A gala of our own? Excellent idea, my son! Money comes and goes, but the memory of
a great gala will endure.”
And so you begin the preparations. Money and effort are no object.\nSoon, the most
esteemed nobles of Anizotte receive the invitations — marvels of calligraphy on
delicate, perfumed paper.\nYour family estate is too small and humble to provide
for every guest, so you rent a country manor from an old noble dynasty and hire an
army of servants to whip it into shape, prepare the feast, and serve the guests.
The gala is immaculate, splendid, perfect.\nWith a smile, you watch the city’s
nobles, dazzled and awed by your work. All this majesty, afforded by a humble
family of the Mantle!\nThe night ends with your pride and joy: a marvelous,
colorful fireworks display. It illuminates the skies above Anizotte like a miracle.
Father was right. This gala will not soon be forgotten by the city of Anizotte.
Ever since you were a boy, the books from Father’s library have served you well.
Their pages told you how the ancient wars were fought, how the world works, what
the Twins have taught us…\nThose books have taught you so much… without them, you
would not be who you are today.
You decide to invest in a new family library.\nAfter all, your current book
collection is rather worn and limited, with many crucial tomes missing.
You buy new bookcases, spacious and built to order, and enlist the help of many
booksellers. Their goods are rare and demand a high price, but money is no object
now.\nCarefully, you seek out and choose the books to add to the family collection.
You hope that it will serve future generations of <el> Brantes well.
Soon, you are aglow with pride as you walk past your latest and greatest treasure.
Look at all the knowledge brought together on these shelves! And now it is all
here, always within reach.\nYou spend many days and nights with the new books.
Essays and treatises on war and theology… biographies and speeches of humans and
Arknians of note… they all contain priceless lessons that you soon commit to
memory.
Recent events have cemented the noble reputation of the Brante family. Now every
elite family in Anizotte respects your name and holds you in high regard.\nYour
actions speak for themselves. Your reputation is spotless. You honor the traditions
of the Empire. The noble families have come to rely on your word.
The Brantes are now the most honorable of the newly-formed bloodlines.\nYou have
not earned a hereditary title yes, but the city’s nobles are all but certain that
you will be ennobled by the Sword very soon. Your name is often mentioned to
Overseer Gaius Tempest, along with the highest praise.
Spiritual Guidance
The air in the carriage is stuffy despite the blinds that shut out the sun. It will
take time to get used to the heat again. The scorching days are followed by
freezing nights — such is the desert in wintertime.\nJeanne has changed drastically
during her months away. You struggle to begin a conversation with her.\nIn the end,
she is the first to speak.
“It's time I told you of our mission in Anizotte, Brother <username>.”
Then why has the Inquisition decided to assign it to two recent Seminary graduates?
“The Inquisition considers me sufficiently prepared for this mission. And I vouched
for you.\n“The mission that awaits us will take a long time to complete. I need
somebody reliable by my side.”
“Magra has grown restless of late.\n“The teachings of Fotis have taken root here.
The local priests reject their duty. They tell their congregations to seek their
Lots within themselves. They claim the teachings of Saint Isatius are lies.\n“Don’t
they see they’re marching straight to the Foot of the Pillar and dragging their
flock along with them?
“But that's not all...\r\nThe Church received an anonymous letter denouncing
Cassius, the patriarch of Magra, for enabling all manner of sects and heresies in
the province and blaspheming against the Gods.
“This report must be investigated. And, should we find proof of his guilt, we are
to remove Cassius from his post and defrock him.\n“Needless to say, this will not
be easy.\n“Right now the Magran Inquisition is weak, respected neither by the
nobles nor the clergy. Until they recognize our authority, they will be unlikely to
obey us.
“Cassius has been Patriarch since Fotis's demise five years ago. He was elected
unanimously at the Sacred Conclave of Magra. He is beloved by his flock and
respected by the clergy.\n“We have therefore been strongly advised to investigate
this matter in secret.
“We must restore the authority of the Inquisition. Then, if Cassius is indeed
guilty, we must find proof. Then, and only then, may we accuse him openly.\n“The
tribunal hearing against Patriarch Junius Diamant was a disgrace. What happened
there must not be repeated in Magra.
“The Church has entrusted Inquisitor Ulrich with this case.\nWe are expected to
assist in his investigation however we can and help protect Anizotte against
heresy.”
“But I think we should be wary of him. Father Ulrich is a ruthless man and a
zealous inquisitor — overzealous at times. They say he has burned entire villages
to the ground for the sake of the true Faith.\n“We will do our utmost to restore
the authority of the Inquisition. But I fear Father Ulrich may be inclined to…
abuse this authority. Please, for our sake, be discreet around him.
“Either way, our mission will not be simple. But we will restore order in Magra.\r\
n“Let us eradicate every seed of heresy here and uproot the weeds of this ‘new
faith.’ The city that houses the Silver Tree must remain a symbol of true Faith.\r\
n“Can I count on your support, <username>?”
Support Jeanne
Disagree with Jeanne
She has your full support.
The New Faith is no heresy.
You are not ready to give Jeanne a definitive answer yet.
You assure Jeanne that she has your full support.\nYou are entirely on her side.\
nHeresy will be dealt with, the Inquisition will grow strong, the truth about
Patriarch Cassius will be revealed.
“I’m glad to hear that, <username>.”
The city walls of Anizotte finally appear on the horizon.\r\nYour service to the
Inquisition promises to be difficult, but right now you are going home.
You make it clear to Jeanne that you do not see the New Faith as a heresy.\nWhen it
comes to purging false teachings and sects, bolstering the Inquisition’s authority,
or investigating Patriarch Cassius, you will be there for her.\nBut half the clergy
has recognized the teachings of Patriarch Fotis. There are even New Believers among
the ranks of the Inquisition.
Those who preach the New Faith see that the teachings of Saint Isatius are not
perfect. The world has changed, and its laws must change along with it. The answer
provided by Isatius one thousand years ago no longer suits the Empire.\nThe New
Faith is an attempt to resolve this contradiction.
Jeanne raises her eyebrows. She is clearly astounded by your response.
“Well… at least you were honest with me.\n“I can only hope that you will think
differently when you see those who defy their Lots firsthand. You greatly
underestimate the threat their dogma represents.”
The walls of Anizotte finally appear on the horizon.\nA challenging mission awaits
you on behalf of the Inquisition… but first you are going home.
You do not entirely agree with Jeanne, but you have no desire to argue with her.
However, you are not willing to lie.
You tell her that when it comes to purging false teachings and sects, bolstering
the Inquisition’s authority, or investigating Patriarch Cassius, you will be there
to aid her. However, you are not yet certain about Patriarch Fotis and his
teachings. The New Faith is powerful, and it would be a grave error to treat it as
just another sect.
Jeanne slowly shakes her head in disapproval.
“I advise you to make up your mind on this matter. The fate of thousands in the
hereafter may depend on it! Those who preach the New Faith are guiding their flock
straight to the Foot of the Pillar. Who’s going to stop them if not us?”
The walls of Anizotte finally appear on the horizon.\nYou will see them all very
soon: Father, Mother, your sister, your brothers. You will tell them about your
life in the capital and spend the night in your own room. You missed it so much in
Eterna… and oh, how you missed your family!\nComing home again at last… what a
wonderful feeling!
Spring has come. The nightly chill of the desert loses its bite; the daily heat
dissipates in gentle rains.\nAt the local Inquisition ward you are greeted only by
dust, dirt, and silence. The building is completely abandoned. It takes both of you
several weeks just to make it presentable again.
Father Ulrich is yet to arrive. You and Jeanne have kept your arrival a secret, but
you cannot wait any longer.\nToday is the day when a Sacred Conclave must assemble
in every province of the Empire. You will have to make your presence known to the
brothers and sisters of the clergy and announce your mission to purge heresy and
apostasy.
During a Sacred Conclave, each province elects a Patriarch to represent the faith
for the next eight years.\nIn the old days, every man and woman of the flock had to
attend the Conclave, but that tradition is long gone. Now only the clergy have a
say.
Conclave Day is a sacred day indeed.\nOn this day, the Twins Themselves descend and
reside within the temples of the Empire. They bear witness to the chosen Patriarchs
of each province, the holiest among equals, the men who will speak to the Gods
Themselves on behalf of their flock.
Cassius assumed the patriarchate after the tragic death of Patriarch Fotis and has
not been presented to the Twins yet. \nNevertheless, there is no doubt Cassius will
be elected by the clergy of Magra once again.
The Conclave is held at the temple by the Silver Tree. The last time you went
there, you were just a little boy.\nYou were struck by the Tree even then, but now
you gaze at it as though it were an old friend. As an inquisitor, you no longer
need to touch the Tree to feel the life beating within in it.
The square by the Silver Tree is rarely crowded, but today it is packed. All three
Lots are represented here in ample numbers.\nThe nobles repose in soft chairs in
the shade of the tents. The clergy file into the temple one by one. The common folk
swarm the square, pushing and shoving for a better view.
You hear cries of joy, a hum of approval, and applause. The common people do indeed
favor Cassius.\nYou and Jeanne have to push through the crowd to reach the temple
doors.
“Not even Eterna had crowds this big… I thought we’d be trampled for sure!”
Before entering the temple, you place your hand on the trunk of the Tree. It is
remarkably warm.\nAt least one thing is still the same.
There are over a hundred people in the temple. All the clergy of Magra are gathered
here, from the abbots of the principal Magran temples to travelling preachers.\
nMost wear the black robes of the Old Faith. In the far corner of the hall,
however, you see several priests of the New Faith. Few in number and dressed in
white, they keep to the side.
You and Jeanne sit in the front row.\nThe others eye you with curiosity and
suspicion.\nYou catch your names among the whispers that fill the temple — it seems
your arrival was a secret to no one.
“There is so much fear in them, so much hatred! Do you think they’re hiding
something? Or has someone poisoned their minds against our Order?”
The cheering of the crowd drowns out Jeanne’s words.\nPatriarch Cassius is
approaching, blessing the people around him as he crosses the square.
The patriarch enters the temple. The doors are locked behind him. The clamor grows
quiet.\nCassius has a pleasant look about him. A sturdy middle-aged man, he greets
people with a soft, peaceful smile.\nThose gathered at the temple rise from the
pews to greet the patriarch. The priests in white cassocks are the last to rise.
One of them, a priest of considerable age, catches your attention. You are struck
by his clean-shaven face and the uncannily sharp look in his eye. The trim of his
cassock is embroidered with gold, and his hands rest upon a long staff to help him
stand.
“That is Father Lennart. He’s been the abbot of this temple for over twenty years.
I remember him as a wise and kindly man… but my sorrow for him knows no measure
now. Fotis’s teachings have clouded his mind.”
The patriarch greets the audience with a dignified bow, and everyone takes their
seats.\nCassius slowly ascends the stairs to the altar of the Twins and kneels
before Their images. The words of his prayer echo throughout the temple.
“O Heavenly Lords, o givers of life! The Younger, Defender of the World, Judge and
Counsellor! The Elder, the Spirit of Truth and Love, filling everything with His
presence!\n“We humbly abide by Your Law, by the three Lots of Isatius.\n“May the
righteous achieve eternal bliss, and may the sinners suffer retribution without
mercy!
“In Your sight, I hereby relinquish my authority as patriarch. May You allow Your
children to elect him who shall take my place!”
The air feels heavy, as though it is pressing down on you. The priests remain
motionless, holding their breath.\nAn incredible, all-consuming silence falls upon
the room.\nIn this silence, you hear the faint patter of footsteps across the
temple.
The moment slowly passes. The illusion fades. The air becomes light again.\nA staff
taps against the tiles. The leader of the New Faith approaches Cassius.
“We have seen Their sign. The Twins are with us now. I, Father Lennart, abbot of
the temple by the Silver Tree, declare the Sacred Conclave open!\n“Father Cassius,
would you please join the rest?”
With a smile, Cassius does so.
“And so the Conclave of Magra must elect a patriarch to speak to the Twins on
behalf of our Faith for the next eight years to come.\n“Speak the names of those
who are worthy!”
Several dozen voices answer his call, all at once.\n“Cassius!”\n“Cassius!”\n“Father
Cassius!”\nNo other candidate is mentioned.\nFather Lennart rubs the bridge of his
nose before he continues.
“So… you have spoken the name of Father Cassius. I hear none other. Then let us
begin the ceremony.”
The acolytes give every priest two stones, one black and one white. An enormous
bowl is brought to stand before the altar of the Twins.\nOnce the stones have
filled the bowl, Father Lennart begins to count them, dividing them into two piles
on either side of the altar for all to see.
“I count one black stone for each New Believer here… does this mean that all the
others trust him without reservation?
“Then let the will of the Sacred Conclave be done beneath the watchful eye of the
Twins!\n“Father Cassius shall be our patriarch! He shall be our voice before the
Twins and our mentor in this earthly realm!”
Cassius steps before the altar, the soft smile still on his face.
“Before the image of the Twins, I accept my burden as patriarch of Magra. May the
wisdom of the Younger and the power of the Elder grant me strength in this
service!”
The priests rise from the pews once again to cheer for the new patriarch.\nFather
Lennart raises a hand, calling for silence.
“Brothers and sisters, this Conclave is concluded. But before we exit this temple
to announce the name of the new Patriarch to the people, we must first hear out the
inquisitors who have come to our province. They will proclaim their mission so that
each priest may relay their words to his or her parish.”
You and Jeanne take a step toward the altar, but an unexpected creaking sound
startles those within the temple.\nThe temple doors burst open. An armed squad
marches into the hall — Champions of Faith, warriors of the Order of the
Inquisition.\nThey are lead by Inquisitor Ulrich. He holds an edict sealed with
three seals.
“Who dares violate the laws of the Sacred Conclave? The doors of this temple must
remain closed until a new Patriarch has been elected!”
The patriarch’s voice booms within the temple walls, as though the Twins Themselves
share his indignation.\nAnd yet Inquisitor Ulrich only raises his eyebrows in
response.
“But Patriarch, the Conclave has concluded, has it not?”
“I am Inquisitor Ulrich. I have been sent by the Order of the Inquisition to purge
the last remnants of Char Milanidas’s legacy from your province.\nAnyone insolent
enough to stand in my way shall be branded an ally of the heretics and sentenced to
true death.”
You exchange a quick glance with Jeanne.\nPurging the dark legacy of Char Milanidas
from the province may be a trumped-up excuse, but it grants an inquisitor
incredible authority.\nHere in Magra, it is all too easy to tie anything and anyone
to the Rebellious Duke.
“There are two other inquisitors present here. I want their voices to be heard —
not just by the members of the Conclave, but by the common people as well.\n“The
clergy of Magra often tend to ignore or utterly distort the will of the
Inquisition. I am here to prevent this from happening.”
His words are met with indignant cries, but Father Ulrich remains still, his
piercing gaze transfixing Cassius, waiting for an answer. \nThe patriarch is
perplexed at first, but he slowly begins to regain his composure as he recognizes
the support he enjoys on the part of the clergy.
“You have no right to bring strife to this house of the Twins!\n“Magra never
required the attention of the Inquisition when I was its Patriarch, and nothing has
changed.. Our congregation’s faith is stronger than ever!”
The confidence in his voice grows. The other priests support him with shouts of
encouragement.\nInquisitor Ulrich takes several steps toward Cassius.
Those are powerful words, Patriarch. The Order of the Inquisition wants to
determine whether or not they are true. If they are, we will leave Magra.”
Ulrich gestures for you to come closer.
“But I have interrupted your speech, Inquisitors. Come, make our intentions known.
I am certain the people will give you their due attention now.\n“Brother
<username>, kindly address those who have gathered here today from the temple
steps.”
Put the Magrans at ease
Accuse the Magrans
You address the gathering with words of peace and reconciliation.
You address the gathering with words of accusation.
You stand on the steps of the temple. The crowd watches your face, distraught. The
clergy stare at your back, wary and alert. It is as though the entire city has
gathered to hear you speak.
You tell them that the Inquisition has come to Anizotte on an important mission —
but it is by no means a mission of punishment.\nYou have been sent here to save
souls, to protect them from the dangers of heresy and magic.\nAll of you, yourself
included, are but humble children of the Twins. Those whose faith is strong have
nothing to fear from you.
The crowd is silent. Jeanne stares at you in confusion. You hear hushed whispers
among the clergy behind your back.
“It brings me joy to hear these words! To fight the scourge of magic is a worthy
cause. But I doubt you will find it here in Magra.
“Now excuse me while I greet my flock and announce the conclusion of the Conclave.”
You breathe a sigh of relief only when you return to the Inquisition ward.
Inquisitor Ulrich is not pleased with you, and he makes no effort to hide it.
“I was told to act as your mentor. The first thing I will tell you is this: you
must cast away all fear and indecision! They are luxuries we cannot afford. We are
the servants of the Twins; we are Their shield, Their sword of punishment. We are
the ones who must be feared!
“Inquisitor Brante, you were supposed to show our strength, but instead you showed
only weakness.\n“You were supposed to remind the sinners of the inevitable
punishment that awaits them! You were supposed to strike fear into the hearts of
the apostates, to show the flock that we are here to root out all heresy and sin…\
n“But instead you made it seem as though our mission will not affect them!
“You two will handle the affairs of the Order while I investigate the patriarch’s
schemes. Dismissed.”
You proclaim that the Inquisition has come to Magra because this province is a
boundless field in need of weeding. You are here to weed out all heresies and
sects, all apostates, mages, and witches.\nThose whose faith is weak should expect
no mercy from you. You will uproot their false doctrines and burn their sinful
bodies at the stake!
You hear murmurs among the crowd. They expected to hear the name of the new
patriarch, not a furious tirade.\nPatriarch Cassius steps out from behind you. He
raises his arms to the sky to quell the growing discontent.
“My friends! This inquisitor is young and zealous. His words may be harsh, but his
intentions are laudable and virtuous!\n“The Order wishes to weed out heresy — such
is their calling. But we all know that we are free of sin! There are neither
witches nor apostates among us!
“And now, good inquisitors, excuse me while I announce the conclusion of the
Conclave to my flock.”
You breathe a sigh of relief only when you return to the Inquisition ward. Both
Jeanne and Ulrich are clearly pleased with your speech.
“I was told to act as your mentor. The first thing I will tell you is this: always
remain just as resolute and steadfast as you were today! We are the servants of the
Twins; we are Their shield, Their sword of punishment! Remember this, and cast away
all fear and indecision.
“Inquisitor Brante, you reminded the sinners of Magra that retribution is
inevitable. Every man and woman in this province should know that the Inquisition
will pursue all heresy relentlessly. There is no punishment we cannot employ to
crush the apostates!
The Will and the Law
The ward of the Magran Inquisition has little space for dungeons in which to detain
and question suspects — just a handful of underground cells with tiny windows and
heavy doors.
You and Jeanne are standing in one of them, facing a man accused of heresy. Two
days of questioning have yielded nothing.\nThis man was distributing books
containing a distorted version of the teachings of Isatius. The teachings
themselves were intact, but the books also included comments that openly criticized
the foundations of the Old Faith.
To set up a clandestine print shop for such blasphemous books, one needs powerful
connections and money. This could be your chance to track down a heretical sect of
considerable power.
The man is on a rack. Rope is wrapped tightly around his wrists, turning them a
deep shade of blue.\nJeanne has treated the prisoner with patience and mercy. She
has forbidden the use of torture in an effort to prove to the man that his silence
is pointless.
You hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Inquisitor Ulrich enters the room. He
has refrained from interfering in your investigation for two days, but it seems his
patience is at an end.\nYou and Jeanne welcome your mentor. With a curt nod, he
walks past you and examines the man upon the rack.\nSlowly, he shakes his head.
“I see you are in need of my aid and guidance.\n“Remove him from the rack and put
him in a chair.”
You humbly do as he says while Ulrich takes great care in selecting the proper tool
for what is to come.\nWhen the man is finally seated, the inquisitor steps closer.
Sharp steel flashes, and the severed tip of the man’s pinky falls to the floor.\
nThe man lets loose a bloodcurdling scream.
Father Ulrich severs the finger down to the knuckle.
“Well? Where is the print shop?”
The man shrieks and curses at him.
Father Ulrich walks around the chair. The prisoner’s eyes bulge in terror.\nThe
inquisitor removes the man’s ear with a precise cut.\nThe prisoner howls in pain,
shivering, convulsing. Blood streams down his neck, forming a dark-brown stain on
his plain shirt.
Jeanne is stone-faced as she watches it happen.\nUlrich is utterly dispassionate,
every bit as calm and calculating as before.\nThis manner of corporal punishment is
an everyday occurrence for him.
The inquisitor continues the torture, repeating the same question over and over
again in the same tranquil voice.\nThe prisoner will not stop convulsing. But he
says nothing.
Ten finger joints now lie scattered around the floor of the room. Streams of blood
trickle down the stone slabs.\nUlrich reaches for a hammer.\nFinger bones are
brittle. There is a crack. Then a scream; then sobbing.\nThe knees are next.
The prisoner will not stop screaming. Between the howling and the tears, his lips
are unsealed at last. He begs for you to stop. He will tell you everything.
The print shop is in Sulmina, a small mining town in eastern Magra. The prisoner
tells you exactly where it is hidden. Jeanne writes it down.\nFather Ulrich walks
over to a washbasin. He pours some water on his bloodstained hands, then carefully
wipes them dry. He glares at you and Jeanne.
“Never pity a heretic. They deserve neither compassion nor your mercy.
“Sister Jeanne, finish him off. A lesser death is a fitting punishment for his
crimes.”
“Father Ulrich, forgive me for my impudence, but this man’s fate must be determined
by a tribunal.”
“Sister, I have personally sentenced him to lesser death for his sins.\n“The
tribunal is a mere formality — a senseless waste of time, just like your attempts
to convince him to speak.”
“Forgive me, but I refuse. You and I belong to the same Lot. You are not a noble —
you cannot give me orders.”
“You are far too arrogant for a girl barely out of the Seminary.”
Father Ulrich’s voice rings like hardened steel. Jeanne meets his gaze defiantly.\
nThe prisoner is sobbing quietly, still shackled to the chair.
Kill the prisoner
You obey Father Ulrich’s order.
You insist that the prisoner must face a tribunal.
You take the knife and step behind the prisoner’s back.\nA moment of doubt — will
you defy your Lot if you kill this man?\nUlrich casts a weighty, confident gaze
upon you. You understand that he would do it without hesitation.
With a swift motion, you slit the prisoner’s throat.\nThe man emits a few
convulsive gasps before his head finally collapses onto his chest. Slowly, the body
dissolves into wisps of white smoke.
Jeanne twists her lips, turns on her heels, and hurries out of the interrogation
room.\nFather Ulrich gives you an approving nod.
“You have a firm hand, <username>, and you’re not afraid to get it dirty. A death
prefaced by torture often provides better guidance in the ways of the common Lot
than a hundred sermons. And guiding people to their Lots is our immediate duty.
“Sister Jeanne is too focused on rules and dogma. This is the simple approach to
the Inquisitor’s calling. It is also the path chosen by most of our brethren. But
you, perhaps, may yet see the true nature of the Twins.”
You leave the room, the prisoner’s bloodstained clothes the only reminder of his
former presence. The man’s body has vanished — the apostate paid for his crimes
with a lesser death.
After considering the quandary, you say that there is already a proper punishment
for every wrongdoing. To carry out a sentence here and now would be murder, and
such violence would be in defiance of your priestly Lot.\nFather Ulrich stands
erect. His gaze moves from Jeanne to you.
“Tell me, is your indecisiveness motivated by fear or pity? I advise you to
consider which of these is more ruinous for an inquisitor.
“Remember this: the rules and laws of the Order were all written by men. We,
however, fight those who seek to undermine the very Law of the Gods. But have it
your way. A tribunal will decide this man’s fate.”
With that, Ulrich turns and leaves the dungeon.
You summon the acolytes to take the prisoner back to his cell.\nWhen you are done,
Jeanne looks at you with resolve.
“The Younger is the Law, the Order, and the Form. To serve the Twins is to obey and
protect the Law. I’m glad to see you understand that.”
Two days later, the prisoner is burned at the stake. Father Ulrich insisted that
the heretic be sentenced to true death.\nJeanne attempted to appeal the sentence,
but the Inquisition tribunal stood with Ulrich.
You watch the execution take place in the yard of the Inquisition ward. The
prisoner’s howling under torture seems quiet compared to his screams of agony as he
is consumed by the flames. You cannot look away from his burning body. His death
comes slowly.\nKilling him yourself two days ago would have been a mercy…
The La-Tari Society
Another winter has come to Magra. It has been almost a year since your return
home.\nThe Order has gradually been gaining power and influence in Anizotte. \nThe
Inquisition ward is no longer as deserted as it once was. It is now filled with the
hushed voices of young inquisitors and the heavy, echoing footfalls of the
Champions of Faith.
You and Jeanne are only assigned cases of low importance. Inquisitor Ulrich has
taken it upon himself to investigate all cases related to Patriarch Cassius
personally.
Rarely, if ever, does Ulrich ask the two of you for assistance. But today of all
days, unexpectedly, he has requested a word with you.\nFor the first time ever, you
visit his cell, a spacious, yet ascetically furnished room. Ulrich is sitting on a
plain-looking stool behind a humble desk when you enter.\nA lash hangs on the wall
across from you. There is a disturbing air about it.
“Inquisitor <username>, there is a certain special case I’d like to entrust to you.
There is a… society that exists in Anizotte. They study the culture of the La-Tari,
an ancient civilization that is long extinct.\n“This is a society only for nobles.
Most of its members are young and carefree.\n“You come from a noble family. You
know their manners and their etiquette. Which is why you will be going there.
“By the Will of the Twins, the parents of one such carefree young nobleman have
found a book in his possession — an odd book indeed. And they brought it here.”
He points at book lying on the desk in front of him.\nThe front of the metal-bound
tome bears an engraving: Vedas of The La-Tari People, a Translation by Master
Neuman, Professor of the Imperial College.
“Upon his family’s insistence, this noble, a young man by the name of Arnaud El
Rancourt, paid us a visit. He claimed he had done nothing wrong and insisted that
the society’s meetings are just like any other noble party. The only unusual thing
about them is their theme.\n“They read the poetry of an extinct civilization. They
wear peculiar clothing. They hide their faces behind masks of gold, the same color
as the skin of the La-Tari.
“But he let it slip that a certain… mystery is about to take place at their next
gathering. His explanation was quite incomprehensible, but the young El Rancourt
was very excited indeed.\n“I convinced him to donate his invitation and mask to us.
His codename is A’El.
“This society has not gained much popularity just yet, but they must have a patron
of considerable influence. What if Patriarch Cassius is the one behind it, and this
society is what we have been warned about?\n“One way or another, we must arrest the
heretics and make Cassius pay for allowing such a sect to exist.
“Your mission is to find out what they’re up to. You must act quickly — before they
learn that we have El Rancourt.\n“My squad of Champions of Faith will follow you.
They will assist you in rounding up the apostates.”
You nod. At last, you finally have an important case to investigate.
You recall the history books you read and studied long ago.\nThe La-Tari were an
old civilization, an ancient race of magic-wielders who worshipped false gods and
even enjoyed a brief alliance with the Empire.\nAround two hundred years ago, the
La-Tari disappeared from the face of the world just like all the other lesser
civilizations.
Father Ulrich presents you with a gilded mask.
The society’s meeting place is a noble mansion on the outskirts of Anizotte.\nAs
you ride a carriage to the La-Tari Society, you lean back on the cushions and close
your eyes.\nWhat do you know of this dead civilization?
The most important thing you can remember is that the La-Tari believed that true
existence was the product of their own will. They thought the world around them was
an illusion, a dream of their own making.
You cannot help but wince at the thought.\nThe world was created by the Will of the
Twins, not the will of mortal creatures! No wonder They rid the world of the La-
Tari.
The carriage stops.\nYou meet with a small squad of the Champions of Faith in an
alley near the mansion.\nThe squad is led by one Captain David Agaronim. A
grizzled, muscled swordsman hailing from Arknia, his naturally grim face is made
even more hideous by a number of battle scars.
“Good evening, Inquisitor Brante. We’ll be right nearby. Give us a sign, and we’ll
come to your aid.”
The mansion is large, but inconspicuous. You see noble carriages in the courtyard —
many more than you had expected.\nThe gatekeepers bow and open the gate as soon as
they see you — it seems the mask is enough to convince them you belong inside.
You are ushered into a dressing room of sorts.\nA change of clothes already awaits
you inside. It is unlike any garment you have ever seen: a square of flowing,
sparkling cloth with clasps and cords to keep it in place.
The servants help you into this bizarre garb.\nYou cannot help but feel rather
silly and uneasy dressed like this.\nBut on your chest behind the costume rests the
symbol of the Twins, filling you with strength. The Champions of Faith await
nearby, ready to come to your aid. You can do this.
Next, a large hall. The windows are covered in black cloth to keep prying eyes
away.
What seems at first to be a strange performance is playing out before your very
eyes.\nYou hear droning, unfamiliar music coming seemingly from nowhere. People
fill the hall, dressed in flowing robes and delicate gilded masks with narrow slits
for eyes.
The people stand and move unexpectedly close to one another, their hands on each
other’s shoulders as they talk.\nYou approach one of the groups, hoping to overhear
the subject of their conversation — and almost recoil when several arms reach out
at once, attempting to grasp you tenderly by the shoulder.
Steeling yourself, you put a hand on another person’s forearm. You do not remember
the last time you allowed yourself to touch another human being.\nThe masked people
seem friendly and genial. No one appears surprised by your insecurity. They
continue their conversations as they accept you into their circle.
Their conversations are also quite out of the ordinary.\nYou hear unfamiliar names,
names that could belong to legendary heroes of the La-Tari or people here who have
taken them as secret identities. You hear references to books you do not know and
the emotions these people felt while reading them.\nYou listen as though in a
dream.
You hear several voices singing in a distant corner of the room. There are no
lyrics to the song — each voice maintains its own note. Together, they form a
tender, softly aching melody.
The circle of people next to yours begins to move in a strange, slow dance. Their
movements are unlike any dance you know — their intertwined arms become an embrace,
and that embrace then becomes intertwined arms yet again.
You see golden faces moving all around, and you suddenly realize with perfect
clarity that you are a part of this dance too.\nYou are one of them — one with
them. You are more than you have ever been before.\nIt is so alluring… it is true
greatness… it is power… limitless, endless power…
Your back is perfectly straight now, your head held high — as though you have
actually glimpsed another world through other eyes during the short time you have
spent here.\nWhat other eyes? The eyes of a noble? The eyes of the La-Tari?
The entire world is but the dream of the La-Tari.
The symbol of the Faith grows very warm beneath your clothing. It clears your mind
and helps you break free from the illusion.\nYou are here for a purpose.\nWithout a
sound, you mouth a prayer.
The Younger, Defender of the World,\nAid me, so I may serve Thee further;\nBring
order back into my soul.\nThe Elder, the spirit of Truth and Love,\nAid me, so I
may bear Thy word further;\nFill my mind with purpose.
You hear whispers of admiration all around you. An Arknian woman of below-average
height clad in a long cloak and a silver mask descends the stairs into the hall.\
n“Oh, Lady Octavia has something truly special for tonight!” says a voice next to
you.
And there she is, the secret patron of the La-Tari Society: Archduchess Octavia
Milanidas, the Archduke’s own daughter, heiress to the province of Magra!\nShe
smiles at everyone gathered here, her pitch-black eyes surveying the hall.
“The La-Tari were a great civilization with a wondrous and beautiful culture. Their
disappearance from the world is an immense tragedy.
“Thank you all for coming.\n“We have been united by a shared aspiration: to
understand the culture of the La-Tari. We have learned so much already, but the
mystery of the Circle of La-Tari remains inaccessible to us.\n“Today, some of you
shall aid me as we investigate this mystery.\n“Please close your eyes and listen.
“The time is coming when what must be said, must be said. When the thought becomes
the word, when the word becomes the world. Thus spake the La-Tari.\n“And at this
hour we have come together to form this Circle, to make our thoughts reality. The
La-Tari made us with the word, and with ourselves, we shall make the world. Thus
spake the La-Tari.
“Only that which is unchanging exists; only that which is real is eternal. Motion
is death; all that changes is an illusion that makes naught of aught. Thus spake
the La-Tari.\n“Only one thing in this world is unchanging: the La-Tari. The La-Tari
is the world, for it is all that is real. Thus spake the La-Tari.”
As she speaks, Octavia moves elegantly through the crowded hall. Her words enchant
and mesmerize. The people in the hall are swaying, seemingly entranced.\nOctavia
stops and whispers something to several chosen members. They walk away, deeper into
the mansion.
Octavia approaches you as well. This close, you can smell her perfume.
“Come with us too, A’El.”
The long hallway ends in a dark room. Octavia is the last to enter.
“Enter the Circle, o chosen ones, and join hands. Direct your thoughts and feelings
towards the circle’s center — towards me. Become one with me; become one inside the
circle; become La-Tari!”
One of the people in the circle begins a droning melody. Others join in the song.\
nCandles burn. There are strange, ritualistic symbols inscribed on the floor. You
look at them closer — they depict colorful, intertwined dragons.\nA long, thin
knife appears in Octavia’s hands.
“The gods are merciful to us, the La-Tari, their chosen kin. They granted us the
sacred Laws; the one true faith resides therein. We, La-Tari, were thus the first
creations of immortal gods — the moon sees all it comes across, yet none are equal
to our cause. Death is our enemy no more — eternal foe of mortal life. Should it
come closer than before, then neither run to it, nor hide.”
The tempo increases, the song becoming disjointed, chaotic, yet somehow orderly and
right.\nThe sacred symbol under your costume feels so hot, it burns your flesh.
Something is happening — and it is offensive in the eyes of the Twins!
“So heed the Law of La-Tari, one older than the very sky: he who wakes shall
prosper — he who sleeps shall die!”
As she speaks these final words, Octavia Milanidas discards her cloak. She is
naked, her beautiful body completely uncovered.\nThe song reaches its climax. Those
standing in the Circle sway from side to side, their eyes rolled back. They are
lost in a trance.
Octavia holds the knife to her wrist. She pierces the skin, then makes a long cut
along her arm.\nBluish blood begins to trickle down her fingers and onto the floor.
Octavia raises the knife above her other wrist. A moment more, and the ritual will
reach its culmination.\nShould you intervene?
Arrest the apostates
Preach to them
Become a part of the Circle
You rush out of the Circle of La-Tari and call for the Champions of Faith.
The leader of the Circle, Octavia Milanidas, must be guided back to her Lot. You
will help her return to the true Faith, along with her followers.
You remain in the Circle of La-Tari, hoping to behold a new facet of creation.
You break free of the Circle.\nOut, out of this house!\nThe song behind you stops
and dies. You hear bodies fall to the floor, one after another.\nRun, you have to
run!
You do not look back as you run outside. You rip the mask from your face and wave
your arms.\nThe Champions of Faith appear before you at once.\nHurry! The house is
full of apostates who must be arrested at once!
The Champions of Faith storm the mansion.\nSome of the nobles make a futile attempt
at resistance. Most surrender without a fight.
You return to the dark room deep within the mansion.\nThe ritual has been cut
short. The people are still on the floor, collapsed, unconscious.\nOctavia
Milanidas is on her knees, nude and bleeding.
You clutch at a thin silver slab with a prayer to the Elder etched into the metal.
Twins grant me the power of healing!\nAs the slab dissolves in a silvery glow,
light begins to emanate from your hands.\nThe wounds on Octavia’s body flash white.
Slowly, they begin to knit.
Octavia Milanidas is returned to her father. The Archduke of Magra expresses his
profound gratitude to the Inquisition and promises to see to it personally that his
progeny is returned to the Faith. His dynasty now bears a mark of great shame.
The other nobles await their execution. One by one, under the watchful eye of
Inquisitor Ulrich, the wayward souls ascend the pyres to face the judgment of the
Twins.
The La-Tari Society quickly becomes the talk of the entire city. How could this
have happened in Magra, of all places?\nMany turn to Patriarch Cassius for answers.
For the first time in a long while, he has none.
This marks the end of your first year back home.
You clutch at a thin silver slab, with a prayer to the Elder etched into the metal.
\nTwins grant me the power of healing!\nYou break free of the circle and step
towards Octavia Milanidas, white light emanating from your hands.\nAs the slab
dissolves in a silvery glow, the wounds on Octavia’s body flash white. Slowly, they
begin to knit.
The song stops and dies. The people are startled, as though awakened from a dream.
They look at you in confusion.\nAstonished, Octavia is at a loss for words.
“A’El? What the…?”
You stand up straight, casting a glance around the room and the people in it.\nYou
feel no hatred for them — only compassion for these children lost in the dark.\
nThey must be guided back to the light.
It is by the Will of the Twins they came into this world, and it is by Their will
they remain here.\nThere is no other truth but Their Love and Their Law.\nNo false
god shall hold sway over a true servant of the Twins, and no false god shall hold
sway over the True Gods.
And here it is, the proof of Their Will, Their Love, and Their Law!\nYou point at
Octavia Milanidas’s arms, already fully healed, without so much as a scar.\nBehold,
the Twins have healed her wounds and given her back her life — even after she
turned her back on Them!
The La-Tari are gone from this world — those who reject the Twins have no place
here. There shall be no gods in this world or the next but the Elder and the
Younger!\nThe La-Tari are dead; their culture is dead; their false faith is dead.
Those who imitate races that no longer exist will only follow them into oblivion.
And those who reject the Twins, and Their Law, and Their Love, you say, shall face
eternal torment at the Foot of the Pillar.\nThe nobles must live by the Lot they
were given, guided by their traditions of old and the Blood Tide of ancestry!
Octavia Milanidas is an Arknian; hers will always be a noble Lot, you say, no
matter what she tries.
Silence. You hear only the crackling of the candles.\nOctavia Milanidas lets the
knife fall from her hand. She throws the cloak over her shoulders.
“Leave, all of you. This event is over.
“Inquisitor… would you mind if we talk in private?”
You hear desperation in her voice.\nYou nod.\nThe two of you are left alone.
Octavia tries her best to maintain an air of composure, yet she is clearly
dismayed.
“Tell me, father… if the Twins are Law and Love, then why is their Law so harsh?
Why does it have no place for kindness or warmth?\n“I cannot bear to live by my
Lot. The noble traditions leave me no freedom, no air to breathe! I am suffering,
but the Twins’ Law denies me the very right to suffer!\n“What should I do?”
You see a plea in the depths of Octavia’s pitch-black eyes. She has lost her way.\
nShe has questions, and it falls upon you to answer them.\nSuch is your Lot.
You tell her that the Love of the Twins is like our parents’ love for us.\nThey
raise us and punish us, they warn us of mistakes and guide us to the right path,
for they know much more than we do.\nRebelling against the Will and Law of the
Twins is also like defying the will of our fathers and the guidance of our mothers.
You offer Octavia Milanidas your guidance. The two of you share a lengthy
conversation about her father. You lend an ear to her laments, ask questions in
return, and patiently witness her tears.\nYou explain to her how she ought to
behave. You tell her how to fulfil the duties of the noble Lot. You describe her
role and purpose in the world, the nature of the Blood Tide, and the Arknian
people.
It is a complex conversation. Octavia is intelligent and unhappy, and her family
must bear the grim burden of the legacy of Char Milanidas — which is why she was so
tempted to go astray in search of answers.\nBut the answers you give her take root
in her heart. She will be able to fulfil the duty of her Lot now — and she will
finally be able to sense the meaning of her real life.
You beg Octavia to tell you the names of the nobles who attended the gathering.
Everyone she tempted away from the Faith must be returned to the fold. You need her
help.\nShe agrees.
A while later, you list the names of the members of the La-Tari Society to Father
Ulrich.
“You’ve done well, I must admit. You showed everyone the greatness of the Twins,
offered guidance to a lost soul… I’m confident Archduke Milanidas will have many
questions for Patriarch Cassius now.\n“As for the rest of them… I will guide them
back to the Faith myself.”
One by one, many noble dynasties in the city succumb to Ulrich’s pressure and
confess to acts contrary to the Faith. But the ritual was prevented — this is the
only thing that saves them from ultimate punishment for the crime of apostasy.
Several days later, you receive a letter from none other than Archduke Milanidas.
“Inquisitor <username>, I am truly grateful for what you have done. Your guidance
has helped my daughter find a path toward accepting herself, her place in the
world, and her destiny.\n“Your father must be very proud of you. The Brante family
will win glory for ages to come.”
The Archduke’s is right — Father is overjoyed when he greets you at home. Through
your actions, you have earned the Archduke’s personal attention and gratitude.
This marks the end of your first year back in Anizotte.
You are a part of the circle. You are the Circle. You are La-Tari. Thou art La-
Tari.\nThe chain that has been broken is mended at last. You are now a part of the
Circle, and the Circle is now you.
Octavia Milanidas cuts a deep gash in her right arm.\nAs her head rises, her eyes
already begin to dim.
Softly, weakly, she drops to her knees. Her beautiful head falls to her chest.
Slowly, she collapses.\nThe chant continues.
You are one. You are La-Tari. You are the truth. Beyond you, there is nothing.\nThe
world around grows dull; the fragments are falling away. Your bodies, the walls,
the houses, the city; everything grows dull and disappears in the light.\nThere is
only the La-Tari; beyond them, there is nothing.\nThe world was but a dream, and
you have awoken from it.
The world has been cleansed of all that is empty and false. You are pure and free
from passion and fear, doubt and desire.\nYour attention latches onto the last
thing that remains in this world apart from yourself: the Shining Pillar. And from
the Peak, two silhouettes are watching you.
And They speak to you.
Hot metal burns on your chest. The world regains its shape. You were asleep, you
realize — you were only dreaming that you were awake.\nYou open your eyes and
clutch the red-hot symbol of the Twins on your chest.
The people in the Circle are unconscious, lost in a trance. The body of Octavia
Milanidas lies on the floor, fading away into nothing.\nShe has died a lesser
death.
You begin to feel sick. Your head is spinning.\nYour legs feel numb as you stumble
out of the room. Soon, you collapse on the floor, unable to walk any further. It is
hard to breathe.\nAnd then… darkness.
You open your eyes and realize that you are still very weak. You find yourself in a
comfortable bed, undressed. The thick curtains are shut tight — you have no idea
whether it is day or night.\nBeside your bed is a familiar silhouette shrouded in a
long cloak.
“I know who you are, Inquisitor <username>. You were one of us tonight. It will not
happen again. I am leaving Anizotte. I will you not to search for me.
“Moreover, I insist that you never speak of what happened last night.\n“If you do,
your Order will learn of everything you did: how you stood in the circle with the
heretics, how you shunned the Twins… and if that happens, your pyre will burn much
sooner than mine, and my family will do everything in our power to make sure the
Brante bloodline is never ennobled by the Sword.
“I hope I have made myself clear. Farewell, Inquisitor. We will not meet again.”
The woman heads for the door. A narrow ray of light cuts between the curtains to
illuminate her face. You see protruding cheekbones, abyssal, almond-shaped eyes,
skin that glints like gold…\nWas it a trick of the light? Or a mask? No Arknian can
have such golden skin!
Octavia Milanidas leaves, and you fall into oblivion once again.\nYou saw the
Twins, and They saw you. They see you always. From now on, you know that everything
in this world is dust — everything but Their Will, Their Love, and Their Law.\nThe
encircled cross has seared its mark into your chest.
In your delirium, you see yourself standing before an enormous crowd — thousands of
golden faces, all looking at you.\nYou have to tell them of the Twins’ truth. You
grasp for the right words, search for any prayer at all…\nBut only unfamiliar,
entrancing words escape your lips. They have no meaning; they have no end.\nAnd the
golden faces repeat after you.
You leave the mansion the next morning, greeted by the incredulous stares of the
Champions of Faith. Back at the Inquisition ward, you face Father Ulrich.
There is no need to waste our time on those nobles, you assure him. Their “rituals”
and “mysteries” are mere attempts to introduce a measure of variety into their
world-weary lives.\nNothing but drunken revelry and debauchery — and the members of
the society are no guiltier of this than any other nobles.\nYou never mention Lady
Milanidas or anything else that took place within the Circle of La-Tari.
“What an unproductive way to end the year… I was sure the La-Tari Society would
give the Order some influence against the local nobles. Now we’ll have to find
another way to get to the patriarch.\n“Are you sure you have nothing else to tell
me?”
You shake your head vigorously. The inquisitor studies you intently as you try your
best to remain calm and composed.
“Very well. Dismissed.”
For the next several days you cannot help but think of these events again and
again. What exactly happened to you that night?\nThe words that were spoken in the
Circle… were they true? Were you La-Tari? Were you all La-Tari?\nYour first year
back in Anizotte ends in self-doubt and inner turmoil.
In the Shadow of the Tree
As the Archduke and Overseer fight for power in Magra, the common people bear the
brunt of their conflict. Incensed speeches begin to fill the city.\nThe temple by
the White Tree seems to be the only place in the city free from the endless talk of
taxation.
Today, the worshippers in the temple are few, all of them poor people from nearby
districts.\nSome thank the Twins for the peace They have brought to the world. Some
beg for a sign from above. One little boy is on his knees, praying for prosperity.\
nHe has yet to learn that it is an error to rely on the Twins’ aid even as you
pray, for They are not our servants, but the rulers of this world.
You approach the altar, bow your head, and whisper a prayer for unity in the Brante
home.
O Elder, the spirit of truth and Love!\nI thank Thee for my family.\nAid them, and
let them abide in peace and tolerance.\nThough our woes may hide the gift of Thy
Love,\nMay we never refuse Thy bounty.
To your sorrow, the strife in your family home has proven to be far worse than you
had expected from the letters. You never thought the quarrel between Gloria and
Stephan would go this far…
The temple gradually fills with people as noon approaches. Midday is the hour of
the sermon.
A priest steps up to the altar, leaning on a staff. The trim of his white cassock
is embroidered with gold. He bears a book at his side entitled “Lives of the
Twins.” It is rarely quoted even among religious scholars — most of the faithful
rely on the teachings of Isatius.\nYou recognize this man from the Sacred Conclave:
Abbort Lennart.
“Brothers and sisters!\n“Today, I shall speak of the New Faith, of its nature and
its meaning. Many among you already know it in your hearts, but now I seek to find
the words to help you understand it with your minds. For our hearts and minds alike
forever seek the path to the Twins.
“We have all known the doctrines of the Old Belief and the teachings of Isatius
since childhood. Prophet Isatius, who lived more than thousand years ago, wrote
that the Twins granted us all three Lots to govern us.\n“And three Lots there are,
one for each estate of the Empire: nobles, commoners, and priests.
“And so, more than thousand years, we have lived by these Lots, and by the
teachings of Isatius. For it is said that, as you follow your Lot, you are brought
closer to the Twins; and after the true death that awaits us all at the end of that
path, we shall be brought to the Peak of the Shining Pillar.
“But now I implore you to look at the Blessed Arknian Empire. What was it like
during the time of Isatius? And what is it like now?
“Nowadays, no commoner may live by the sweat of his brow alone. In his home and in
his trade, even a commoner must lead and rule.\n“And what of the nobles? Their Lot
commands them to fight — but where will they fight, if the Blessed Arknian Empire
now extends from sea to shining sea? When all her enemies are gone?\n“The Lots of
Isatius were once our path to the Twins, but now they have become our shackles.
“Can you ever reach the Peak if you walk a path that is impassable?\n“The law that
Isatius gave cannot say. The Old Belief has no more answers for us — only
questions.
“I have been a priest for over thirty years, and every day I have considered this
question and found no answers. That is, until our mentor Fotis appeared.
“Fotis said: he who breaks beneath the burden of his Lot shall be guilty of the
worst sin of all: the sin of rejecting the Twins. Is this how we are to reach the
Peak of the Pillar? Is this what the Twins want from us?\n“And Fotis said: if the
Empire in which we live has changed over time, should not the Faith change along
with it?
“And the New Faith says: do not confuse your worldly life and the estate into which
you were born with your spiritual life, where each of us must find the Twins on his
own! And so may every person find his own Lot, his own path to the Twins!
“If a noble must suffer in order to purify his heart and fill it with the Love of
the Twins, then such is his path!\n“And if a commoner enjoys the fruits of her
labor and thanks the Twins for Their gifts, then let this be her path to the top of
the Shining Pillar!
“The priest’s calling is to offer guidance so that each of us can find his way to
the Twins, to Their Law, Will, and Love, and thus to bliss in the hereafter.
“Many servants of the Church still persevere in their rejection of the New Faith.
They find it difficult to reject what they have long considered to be the
unshakable foundation of all existence. They find it difficult to face the truth.\
n“Let us pray to the Twins that the guiding light of the New Faith will find them
as well.”
Most people in the temple kneel and bend their heads in silent prayer. The abbot
prays along with them.\nSome, however, remain on their feet. These people shake
their heads with expressions of distrust and disapproval.
The sermon ends. You feel it is time for you to leave, but then you notice the
abbot motioning for you to stay.\nHe walks up to you with a smile, as if seeing an
old friend. He gestures for you to sit on a pew.
“Inquisitor <username>, we have not been introduced yet. I am Father Lennart. But
you probably know that by now. How do I know you? Why, it’s no miracle. A good
friend of mine, Augustin El Borne, told me about you. He is a friend of your
family.
“Sir El Borne is a longstanding follower of the New Faith. And I have taken it upon
myself to act as his counsellor in matters of the Faith.”
That is certainly good to know, but what does Abbot Lennart want from you?
“I am aware that the Inquisition has come to Magra to investigate a report against
Patriarch Cassius. I am aware of this because I was the one who wrote the report.”
You stare at the abbot in surprise.\nWhat could possibly have motivated him to do
this?
“You see, the patriarch and I have known each other for many years. We used to
engage in debates quite often: on the nature of the Twins, on the teachings of
Isatius and Fotis, on the paths that serve to guide people to the Peak…\n“For all
those years, matters such as these were of great concern to Cassius. He used to
remember the purpose of his service at all times; he used to truly care for
people.\n“But now… something has changed him.
“As he is now, all Cassius desires is power. His sermons are filled with lies and
pretense.\n“He has gained the support of the Old Believers, and now he accuses us
of apostasy and heresy against the Twins. But in truth, he serves the Twins no
longer.
“Our opinions often differed, but my most recent conversation with Cassius left me
terrified. I expected him to accuse the New Faith once again of straying from the
true path to the Peak… but the patriarch suddenly questioned the importance of
guiding people to the Twins at all!
“The patriarch of Magra, of all people, told me this, <username>! The man who
addresses the Twins in the name of the entire congregation! The man who must be the
embodiment of purity and virtue for his flock!
“I wrote my report and sent it to the Order immediately after we spoke. I’m glad to
see you got here so quickly.\n“But if you ever find the proof of my words… what
will you do? What awaits Magra if the Sacred Tribunal of the Inquisition condemns
Cassius?
“You may have noticed the delicate situation in our province by now.\n“Magra is the
birthplace of the New Faith, and many worshippers have been eager to take the
teachings of Fotis to heart. And yet the priests in Magra remain deeply bound by
the old traditions. Can you imagine the chasm of misunderstanding that now
separates the clergy from their flock?
“And yet, should Patriarch Cassius be cast out of the Faith, the Conclave will most
likely elect another ardent Old Believer in his place. The gulf between the clergy
and the fold, the Old Faith and the present day… it will only grow deeper.\n“It is
my opinion, however, that there is another way out. Which is why I must beg you for
your aid.
“Tell me, if you may — what is the foundation of every faith and belief? It’s not
books, or rituals, or temples… it’s people.\n“Our Church has forgotten this. \n“But
it is the people who must choose the guide they will follow to the Shining Pillar.
“I know you came to Anizotte to weed out heretics and apostates. But I’m begging
you, please do not judge in haste. The fear of punishment paralyzes those who are
on the way to the New Faith. Please allow them to seek answers on their own.\n“They
might stumble along the way, but this is the price we must pay to blaze our own
trail.
“And, when all is said and done, the New Faith will be our salvation — for Magra,
for the Empire, and for every person who lives within it.”
Help Father Lennart
Refuse Father Lennart
Point out the flaws of the New Faith
You agree to help the New Believers.
You state that you will only serve the interests of the Inquisition.
You point out the flaws and inconsistencies in Fotis’s teachings to Father Lennart
and refuse to help him.
You see a kernel of truth in Father Lennart’s words.\nIf you grant people the
opportunity to seek the Peak of the Pillar on their own, they will be able to form
a new Church and find new faith in the Twins.\nAnd this New Faith will not be
imposed upon them, but will come from their own hearts.
You promise to show mercy to those who seek their own path to the Elder and the
Younger. You promise to help the New Faith grow stronger and find answers where the
Old Faith could not.\nWhen it comes to electing a new patriarch, it must be done by
the people, and not the clergy, who are entrenched in antiquated, outdated
tradition.
Father Lennart smiles and offers you his hand.
“Thank you, brother. May the truth reveal itself to you; may it fill you.”
You look at him intently. After a long pause, you tell him that the truth is to
follow the path of the Twins with a pure purpose and an open heart. They need
nothing more, and neither do you.
Clearly, Father Lennart is in error. The teachings of Fotis are a heresy, one that
dooms its worshippers to eternal torment at the Foot of the Pillar. It is the duty
of the Inquisition to guide people away from this dangerous doctrine and towards
the Old Faith, the true Faith!
The Lots are part of the Twins’ design, you say. No matter how much the world might
have changed, the Twins commanded us to live by this Law, for it is Their Will and
Their Love. To dispute this would be the same as denying the Twins Themselves and
condemning oneself to eternal agony at the Foot of the Pillar!
Fotis’s doctrine has split the Faith and clouded people’s minds. The Order of the
Inquisition must uproot this misguided heresy and reunite the Faith.
Father Lennart shakes his head slowly.
“You shouldn’t put all the blame for the schism on the New Faith.\n“Our world has
changed, yet the laws we are trying to obey have remained the same — this is the
reason for the schism. Patriarch Fotis was only the first to see this.
“It brings me sorrow to find no understanding in your heart. But I will accept your
words as they are, Inquisitor.\n“Go forth, brother, and may the Twins be ever by
your side.”
They already are, you tell him. You leave the temple for the sunlit streets of
Anizotte.\nThe sun shines in the sky, and the infinitely distant Pillar gleams on
the horizon.
Father Lennart is clearly in error. The teachings of Fotis are a heresy that dooms
its followers to torment at the Foot of the Pillar. It is the duty of the
Inquisition to guide people away from this dangerous doctrine and back to the Old
Faith, the true Faith!
Fotis’s doctrine has split the Faith and clouded people’s minds, you claim. This
absolute freedom to choose one’s own path is in fact no path at all.\nWithout the
unity afforded by a common path, how is the priest to guide his flock?\nWithout one
truth for all, how are we to know who is right and who is wrong?\nWithout one Law
from the heavens, how are we to make our own laws here in the world?
Fotis’s teachings will bring nothing but ruin to the souls of the people, and the
Blessed Arknian Empire, and the entire world. And so the Order of the Inquisition
must uproot this misguided heresy and reunite the Faith.
“Our teachings may be imperfect, but we are seeking answers where the Old Faith
abandoned the search long ago. The path to the truth is filled with mistakes.\n“It
brings me sorrow to find no understanding in your heart. But I will accept your
words as they are, Inquisitor.\n“Go forth, brother, and may the Twins be ever by
your side.”
The Printed Page
The first days of spring. It is early morning.\nThe carriage bounces over a pothole
on the road, jolting you awake. The village of Sulmina is already on the horizon.
You are close now.
You travel alone, escorted only by David Agaronim and his Champions of Faith.\
nFather Ulrich was so intent on denying Jeanne the chance to investigate the print
shop that he called for an Inquisition tribunal meeting for this very purpose. Your
mentor thought you better prepared for the journey to Sulmina, and the other
inquisitors stood by him.
Furious as she was, Jeanne had no choice but to accept the tribunal’s decision.\
nShe saw you off before your departure. Not one for affectionate farewells, she
gave you a stern admonition instead.
“Remember, only the clergy may preach and interpret the words of Isatius — such is
our Lot and the burden of the priestly estate. We are the ones who are educated and
trained to guide laymen to the righteous path.
“A commoner or noble who expostulates on the Twins is thus guilty of defying their
Lot and shall suffer at the Foot of the Shining Pillar for all eternity. The books
from this accursed print shop pose a grave danger to every member of the noble and
common estates.\n“I’m counting on you, <username>. Make those apostates pay for
what they’ve done.”
The carriage shakes as it rolls down the bumpy Magran high road. You pass the time
before your arrival by flipping through the pages of the book that started this
investigation. It is a paperbound tome, and so unusually light.\nYou look through
the familiar lines — the teachings of Isatius. In this section, the Prophet
outlines his thoughts on understanding the Lots.
“And so the Twins did descend upon the land. Clad in flesh, They walked Their path
among the living and brought Their word.
“Blessed was the Arknian race to carry their rule throughout the land, transforming
the land to suit their own design, for this design was pleasing to the Twins.\n“And
so the Twins did anoint the bloodline of Tempest to rule over a worldly kingdom;
such was Their Will, and Love, and Law. And so the Blessed the Arknian Empire came
to be, and so the law of this land became intertwined with the Law of the Heavens.
“And thus spake the Elder: he who lives a righteous life shall know eternal bliss
upon the Peak of the Shining Pillar.\n“And thus spake the Younger: he who defies
the Law in life shall find eternal torment at the Foot of the Shining Pillar.\
n“What is a righteous life? The Elder would not say. What is defying the Law? The
Younger would not say. But there was no malice in this, nor was there any secret.
“The Twins named the Blessed Arknian Empire their worldly kingdom. And thus, for
all eternity, the shape and form of the Empire shall be pleasing to Them, and the
laws of the Empire shall be the Law as given to us by the Twins.\n“Thus do we all
serve the Empire, and thus do we fulfill Their Will. The nobleman serves with the
sword and rules over other estates, for such is his noble Lot. The commoner labors
for the good of the Empire…”
Your eyes shift to the notes appended to these lines. Their author is unknown.
“Prophet Isatius, being the first disciple of the Elder, addressed the Twins by
Their side. ‘What is Your Will?’ he asked. ‘How does one live a righteous life in
keeping with Your Law?’\n“He was granted a revelation and given a reply. There can
be no doubt that this is the truth, just as there can be no doubt in the doctrines
that have guided the people of the Blessed Arknian Empire to the Peak for more than
thousand years.
“But this answer was given to the Prophet in a time when the world was unlike the
world of the present.\n“The Arknian Empire was surrounded by enemies on all sides,
and many lesser races and civilizations lived among us. Powerful sorcerers fought
to resist the Will of the true Gods, and priests of false gods were corrupting the
people’s souls with their profane rites.
“This was an age when the Arknian Empire had no nobles of the Mantle, nor any
nobles of the human race. Nor did it have any commoners to toil and labor and be
ruled over for the good of the Empire.
“The Empire has changed drastically since the time when Prophet Isatius was given
his answer. The Empire, its form and its laws, have all changed.\n“And so our path
of service to the Empire and the Twins must change as well. We must cast away the
old answers; we must forget Isatius and the Lots…”
The carriage comes to a halt. It is time to put the book away. You have reached the
village.\nThe locals are ready for your arrival. There are no women or children
outside, only men. They casually lean on pitchforks and scythes as though they just
happen to have them on hand. The miners remain close to their pickaxes and
sledgehammers.
They eye you with suspicion, waiting for you to act.\nAnd so you speak to them
loudly: there is a print shop in this village. Where is it?
The villagers do not answer — they only clutch harder at their mattocks and staves.
Some of them reach for rocks.\nThe peasants surround you on all sides.\nThe
Champions of Faith, in turn, reach for their swords. Captain Agaronim is ready to
give the order to attack at the slightest provocation.
But then you spot a figure up on the hill, a man with a staff, dressed in white.\
nIt is Father Lennart, abbot of the temple by the Silver Tree.\nHe waves to you and
walks down the hill. The crowd parts before him.
“Brothers and sisters, have no fear! I am sure our guests from the Order of the
Inquisition have come here with no ill intent.\n“Please, good inquisitors, leave
these people be! They were just trying to protect me — they don’t realize that the
Twins’ protection is the only shield I need.
“Come with me, my friends. I will show you what you seek.”
He guides you to a large house up on the hill.\nInside are several printing
presses. Young people dressed in white are tending to them, printing new pages,
sorting them, and binding them into books.\nThe print shop workers freeze in fear
when they notice your black cassock and the silver seal on your side.
“Do you see this, dear brother? These are all books that teach the New Faith. There
is neither heresy nor apostasy here. This is education. And the patriarch of Magra
has approved it!”
Lennart produces a scroll and shows it to you.
“I, Cassius, patriarch of Magra, hereby grant Father Lennart, abbot of the Temple
of the Silver Tree, permission to study and annotate the writings of the Great
Prophet Isatius,\n“for it is within that the Lot of the priest to study the Twins
and interpret their Will.”
“Please understand this, brother. It is true that any layman may seek guidance from
a priest, but no priest can guide every decision a person makes, for we are all
endowed with free will.\n“If the people learn more about the Twins, it will be much
easier for them to follow Their Will on their own and chart their own path to the
Peak of the Shining Pillar.”
“Enough of this heresy! Only priests have the right to interpret the Faith — so
said Isatius! This is your priestly Lot, your duty and your burden to bear!\n“But
you New Believers now seek to compel laymen to shoulder this burden! They have been
explicitly forbidden to bear it!
“You’re just leading people straight to torment at the Foot of the Pillar — and
you’re saying this is how it’s all supposed to be!”
“Please do not be so quick to blame me and our doctrine. What you have just said is
also an interpretation of the Lots, Captain — even though you claim it is not your
burden to bear. But I don’t judge you at all. For anyone who seeks Their Love, it
is only natural to seek an understanding of Their Law.
“The teachings of Fotis are not forbidden. The New Faith is not a heresy, but a
path to salvation. We will continue to preach our doctrine and look for other paths
to the Peak that have been rejected by the Old Faith.
“It saddens me to see that our teachings are still met with such fierce resistance
from the clergy — even here in Magra, the birthplace of the New Faith! Even when
the patriarchs of Arknia and Astinia have acknowledged the truth of the New Faith
and preach its doctrines themselves!”
Captain Agaronim’s brow furrows. He looks at you.\nIt is your Lot to judge matters
of the Faith. You are the one who must decide.
Destroy the print run
Leave the books alone
Redact and censor the books
These books must be banned.
You use the Patriarch’s permission as an excuse to let the books be published.
The books will be published — but only when you are done editing them personally.
You stand up straight and command Father Lennart and his New Believers to evacuate
the premises of the print shop. The scroll from Patriarch Cassius says nothing
about printing books, and casting doubt on the teachings of Isatius is bound to
spawn a multitude of heresies and sects.\nThe sacred texts must remain immutable
and untouched. Only the clergy has the right to interpret the Law of the Twins in
keeping with its lot!
With a deep sigh, Father Lennart obeys. One of his disciples attempts to express
his outrage, but the Champions of Faith drag the young man out of the print shop
and toss him into the dirt in front of the building.
The Champions pile all the books outside, douse them with lamp oil, and put them to
the torch. Only grey ash remains.
The villagers spot the fire from afar. You hear their angry cries. The hostile mob
heads in your direction, their weapons at the ready.
“No, please! Stop, for the sake of the Twins! Blood will solve nothing!”
“Draw your swords, men! Inquisitor, bind them with a spell! That is an order!”
You obey. The captain is a noble. War is his Lot, and right now you are a weapon he
must wield.\nYou clutch a thin silver slab as you whisper a prayer.\nThe power of
the Twins surrounds the villagers with a white glow. Some of the attackers freeze
in place, unable to move.\nThe rest hurl themselves at the Champions of Faith.
Captain Agaronim pushes you behind the Champions. You can barely see what happens
next.\nFather Lennart’s voice breaks through the angry clamor of the mob and the
clash of weapons.
“Stop this, I beg of you! Bloodshed will bring nothing but ruin!”
You ready several more silver slabs, clutching at them even harder. A white glow
begins to spread away from you in all directions.\nYou utter a prayer to the
Younger, and His power paralyzes the foes closest to you. You pray to the Elder,
and the wounds that cover the body of a prone Champion flare white and disappear.
Drop by drop, the silver drips from your hands and dissolves in the air.
The villagers are retreating. Three of them have died a lesser death by the
Champions’ swords — their bodies disintegrate and vanish. More are lying on the
ground, bleeding and groaning as they wait for the end.\nBy the grace of the Twins,
your company has suffered no losses at all.\nFather Lennart is on his knees before
a mutilated villager, healing his wounds with a prayer.
“We do not do this, Rutger. Ever. Bloodshed begets only bloodshed. You will never
meet the Twins if you continue on this path.”
Lennart turns to you.
“May I assume I am to come with you?”
You return to Anizotte together, escorted by the Champions of Faith.
One week later, Father Lennart has to face the Sacred Tribunal.\nPatriarch Cassius
attends the trial in person, since Father Lennart used his permission as a pretext
for his activities.\nThe tribunal wishes to hear his explanation.
“I only gave Father Lennart permission to study the works of Isatius. I never
authorized him to print heresy in my name!”
Once Cassius is done speaking, Abbot Lennart has no choice but to admit his guilt.\
nHe is forbidden to print books that have not been reviewed by the Inquisition. His
penance is to take a vow of silence for one full year.
After a moment of silence, you tell Captain Agaronim that Father Lennart is right.\
nAccording to the priestly Lot, any clergyman is free to offer interpretations of
the sacred texts and provide guidance to his flock. This work has been sanctioned
by Patriarch Cassius. The Inquisition will not stop these books from being printed
and distributed.
The more the commoners and nobles learn about the Twins, the easier it will be for
them to follow their paths to the Peak.
The captain frowns in displeasure, but accepts your judgment.
With a smile, Father Lennart thanks you from the bottom of his heart.\nYou have
prevented bloodshed today.
Upon your return, you tell Jeanne that the print shop belongs to Father Lennart.\
nAs a priest, it is his right and duty before men and the Gods to interpret the
sacred texts and the Will of the Twins.\nThe print shop in Sulmina will remain
open.
Jeanne raises her eyebrows, exasperated.
“Aiding heretics will only serve to guide you into heresy, <username>! Don’t you
understand? These people are delusional, and they’re spreading their delusion
throughout the world!\n“They are guiding their flock straight to the Foot of the
Pillar. The sooner the New Faith is seen as the heresy it is, the sooner we can
begin to fight them, and the more people we will save!
“I thought you understood that…
“It’s terrible to imagine all those people doomed to torment at the Foot of the
Pillar… and now their suffering is on your head as well.”
Inquisitor Ulrich greets you with a stone face when he learns of your decision.
“Those who show pity for heretics may one day become heretics themselves. You had
best not show any indulgence to New Believers in the future, Brother <username>.\
n“Trust me, it won't end well.”
You look from Captain Agaronim to Father Lennart, then back again.\nThey are both
right, in their own way. No one must be allowed to revile Prophet Isatius. Belief
in the tenets of the Old Faith must remain unshaken.\nHowever, the New Believers
must not be prevented from finding their own paths to the Twins.
Between the two extremes they offer, you suggest your own solution, a middle
ground.\nThe print shop will remain open. However, the Inquisition will have the
right to review and censor everything it prints.
The silence that follows is brief. Father Lennart nods, and Captain Agaronim shrugs
in support.\nIt falls upon you to review their book in detail and purge it of any
defamation of Prophet Isatius, all while keeping the teachings of Patriarch Fotis
intact.
This revision takes many weeks to complete. At last, the book is ready to see the
light.
Father Ulrich wears a dubious expression as he pages through the book.
“A compromise… the worst choice of all. So much effort, wasted on a book that
nobody wants to see in its current form.
“There’s one good thing, however: we’ve asserted our authority and claimed the
right to censor sacred texts. Congratulations on that, Brother <username>, if
nothing else.”
You cannot help but agree that Father Ulrich’s words ring true. Drained and
exhausted by the long labor, you return home and succumb to dreamless sleep as soon
as you close your eyes.
Miracles and Wonders
You have not had any serious cases since the investigations of Father Lennart’s
print shop and the La-Tari Society. The only matter that currently warrants the
Inquisition’s presence in the province is the ongoing struggle between the Old
Faith and the New.\nDid Abbot Lennart lie to you about Patriarch Cassius’s heresy?
There is a knock at the door. Father Ulrich has left the province for now, so all
petitioners are coming to you.\nYou set your thoughts aside and focus your gaze on
the visitor.
A middle-aged nobleman enters your office. His jacket is decorated with large sewn-
on beads.\nHe states his name, Carl El Capo, and claims to have run afoul of magic.
Sir El Capo owns a village by the name of Gracinia. The harvests there are
abundant, and all plants and trees take root with amazingly success.\nThe villagers
claim it is a blessing from the Twins.\nBut Sir El Capo thinks otherwise.
The nobleman claims that Sister Ariadella, the village priestess, is a witch.
People have seen plants and trees blossom and bear fruit at her touch — here in
barren Magra, with its lifeless soil!
A pious man, Sir El Capo does not want to shelter a witch who corrupts his property
with her ungodly sorcery and feeds its cursed fruit to his men!
You carefully write down the nobleman’s every word, then leave for Gracinia at
once, escorted by a squad of Champions.
Even from the high road, the village is striking. The trees, the grass, the
flowerbeds… it is all green!\nOnly nobles can afford such luxury in Anizotte, and
they import fertile soil for their gardens at great expense.\nYou grew up among
greenery, but your family garden had nothing this green and lush.
You come to a halt next to a small, well-tended little house. A tall, slender young
woman dressed in a black cassock comes out to greet you. This can only be Sister
Ariadella.\nShe looks at you, her eyes the brightest shade of emerald-green.
“Greetings, Inquisitor! Please come in!”
As unexpected as your visit must be, the young woman shows no fear whatsoever. You
tell the Champions of Faith to remain outside for now.\nAriadella takes you to the
back yard of her home — a beautiful, verdant garden.
“So, Inquisitor <username>, have you come to proclaim the miracle?”
What? What miracle?\nAriadella smiles. She gestures to the flowers and trees
growing all around.
“Why, just look — it’s a miracle! A vast garden has appeared here, all thanks to
our hard work and prayers to the Twins! There’s no garden like it anywhere else in
Magra, except for those with imported soil!
“I’ve prayed for this ever since I was a little girl. It all started when I prayed
for my mother’s flowers not to die. And as soon as I touched the soil with a prayer
on my lips, it became soft, and the flowers grew strong!\n“I’ve been doing it all
my life — I just pray, touch the earth, and the soil lives again!
“This is why I became a priest. I wanted to use my gift from the Twins for the good
of the people. I went to Patriarch Cassius, and he guided me towards the priestly
Lot and sent me back home to Gracinia. And now our life here has become truly
wondrous, thank the Twins!\n“I knew you’d come, I just knew it! Who else should
proclaim this miracle from the Twins if not the Inquisition?”
Ariadella whispers a prayer to the heavens and touches a green stalk. It responds
to her touch with a little bud. A moment later, a beautiful flower unfurls to greet
you.\nThe girl turns to you. There is great expectation in her eyes — and sparks of
verdant green.
You try your best to let her down gently. This wonder is different from the
miracles worked by the Twins.\nIn fact, it is the opposite. The young woman’s power
comes from heretical magic — a distortion of the Law of creation, an act abhorrent
to the Twins.\nThe priestess’s face expresses confusion, then terror.
“How can you say such a thing?! My power comes from the Twins, I know it! I serve
Them — I bring their blessing into this world!\n“I was guided to the priestly Lot
by Patriarch Cassius himself! He couldn’t have been mistaken! He’d never lie to me
like that!”
You are not yet ready to say why the patriarch would do this. But, as for Ariadella
herself… she must be collared and sent to the House of Humility, where all witches
and mages of the Empire belong. There she will be stripped of her Lot and her free
will, to serve the Empire and its people as an instrument of the Church.
The priestess is shocked. She cannot move. Tears begin to stream down her cheeks.
“No… you can’t do this… how… nothing will grow in Gracinia without me! This
village… it will die… and my entire garden along with it!”
The young woman falls to her knees, weeping. She folds her arms across her chest
and begins to mutter. You can barely distinguish her words between her sobs and
tears, but eventually you realize that she is praying.
Although she believed herself to be a holy woman, Ariadella was in fact
transgressing against the divine Law. She must be punished — so sayeth the
Younger.\nAnd yet she has devoted her powers to a good cause, utterly unaware that
what she was doing was wrong.
However, there is another question: why would Cassius allow her to use magic in the
name of the Twins? It could not have been a mistake. The patriarch intentionally
set her on this heretical path.\nBut why would he commit such sacrilege? To what
end?\nPerhaps Father Lennart’s report was not unfounded after all…
The time for pondering is at an end. You must act. Ariadella’s fate is in your
hands.
Subdue Ariadella
Proclaim this occurrence a miracle of the Twins
Have Ariadella executed
Save Ariadella
You will deliver her to the Inquisition, to be stripped of her Lot and her free
will.
Ariadella is a pious, Twins-fearing woman. Perhaps magic was her path to the Twins
after all.
Fire shall purge Ariadella’s hideous magic from this land. There is no place for
witches in the Empire.
The young woman is innocent; her magic does no harm. You will risk yourself to keep
her safe.
You look away from Ariadella, who is praying at your feet. You shout for the
Defenders of the Faith to arrest this woman.\nYou lock the silver collar on her
neck yourself. It will prevent her from casting her fiendish spells.\nOnce the
collar is in place, her eyes grow dim.
Back in Anizotte, you send Ariadella to the dungeons of the Inquisition and
instruct your subordinates to interrogate her without mercy.
The morning after, Patriarch Cassius comes to the Inquisition ward in person with
Sir El Capo in tow.\nThe nobleman is terrified. Claiming he mistook a miracle of
the Twins for magic, he begs you to undo his mistake, set the priestess free, and
punish him severely for his false accusation.
But the accusation proved to be true, you explain to him. Ariadella’s “miracles”
were in fact works of magic, and now she must be sent to the House of Humility, as
all mages must be.\nPatriarch Cassius walks up to you from behind the nobleman.
“After Sir El Capo visited you yesterday, the Twins led him to me. I know Sister
Ariadella well, which is why I’m here to speak on her behalf. This young woman is a
kind, timid soul with a pious and loving heart. To call her a vessel of magic is
unthinkable to me. This must be a terrible mistake, I’m sure of it!”
You shake your head.\nThe Order is absolutely certain about the nature of her
Twins-cursed powers, which the good Patriarch had overlooked. She was a threat to
the people of Gracinia and the entire Empire.
Cassius’s face grows grim, but he regains his composure. When he replies, his voice
sounds as calm as ever.
“I never had any concerns about Sister Ariadella. Neither did any of the priests in
Magra. Your accusations sound defiant, but I have no choice but to accept your
judgment.
“However, Gracinia has been left without guidance. Their priestess is gone — a
righteous, pious youth who lived for her faith in the Twins! You ought to consider
this.”
The patriarch walks away without saying goodbye. El Capo hurries after him.
You have to visit the village of Gracinia once again in order to preach to the
villagers.\nYou explain that the magic that had seeped into their soil will soon be
gone, just as all magic must vanish when confronted by the tender Will of the
Twins. The village parish will receive a new priest who will take good care of
them.
The people grow calm again, and you leave Gracinia.\nThe scorching Magran winds bid
you farewell by hurling desiccated yellow leaves at your back.
You watch Ariadella cry. You have made up your mind.\nShe will not go to the House
of Humility or the pyre.\nIn the hands of a pious soul, even abhorrent, heretical
magic can take the shape of prayer and worship of the Twins. What else could this
be, if not a true miracle?
You sit on the floor next to Ariadella. Your hand comes to rest on her shoulder. \
nShe is safe. There is no threat. Yes, she was right: she was the wonder-worker she
thought herself to be. They sent you here to test her faith. That is all.\nShe has
been judged and found truly faithful. Her heart is filled with nothing but love for
the Twins.
Ariadella looks up. An uncertain smile appears on her face.
“Oh! Good inquisitor! You scared me so badly!”
Ulrich is away from Magra on business — you have full authority in this matter.\
nBack in Anizotte, you publicly proclaim that you have witnessed a true miracle of
the Twins in the village of Gracinia: with the power of prayer, a priestess by the
name of Ariadella has made the arid soil of Magra fertile once more!
Next, you locate Sir El Capo. You tell him that all miracles of the Twins enjoy the
full protection of the Champions of Faith. He should be glad that Ariadella lives
in his village rather than somewhere else.
El Capo shakes his head in dismay. If both the patriarch and an inquisitor see no
evil where it is obvious to him, then the province is surely doomed. He will not
set foot on his own land until his soil has been purged of this abhorrent magic.
Soon after, you learn that Sir El Capo has shared his opinion with a number of
people outside the Inquisition ward. Rumors have begun to spread about an
inquisitor who spat on the laws of his own Order.\nThe young woman is safe, but the
Order’s authority in Magra has suffered. At least your mentor is too far away to
excoriate you.
You leave Ariadella to weep in her garden and shout for the Champions of Faith.\
nShackle the girl, you say. You are taking her to Anizotte to be executed.
Horrified, the villagers watch the soldiers drag the priestess to your carriage in
chains.\nThe women scream. The children bawl. Several men try to fight their way to
Ariadella, but the Champions of Faith keep them away.
You barely avoid a confrontation as you leave Gracinia.
Back in the city, you order preparations to be made for Ariadella’s execution.
Everything must be done quickly, before the patriarch can intervene.
Later that night, in the square by the Inquisition ward, the people of Anizotte
begin to gather.\nThey say nothing. They are here to watch the ritual purging of
corruption from this land.
The young woman is bound to a wooden stake and surrounded by kindling.\nIn a loud
voice, you proclaim the sentence:\nThe witch Ariadella shall undergo the Ritual of
Purifying Flame. May it cleanse this land of her abhorrent magic!
The flames grow reluctantly. The wood produces smoke rather than fire.\nYou close
your eyes and begin to recite a prayer. The Champions of Faith join you, and soon
everyone in the square is chanting.
Glory be to the Younger, Defender of the World and the Shining Pillar.\nGlory be to
the Law He has bestowed upon us.\nGlory be to the order He protects.\nMay he bless
our deeds. May he preserve us from corruption and lawlessness.\nMay His strength
abide with us.
But the choir of voices cannot drown out Ariadella’s screams as she dies her true
death in the flames.
You hear a distant cry. Several priests run up to the pyre.\nCassius is among them.
The patriarch is panting, drenched in sweat.
“Stop this! End this now! I beg of you!”
It is too late. Ariadella screams no longer, her body limp at the wooden stake,
consumed by the blaze.\nBy the light of the dancing flames, you swear you see tears
in the patriarch’s eyes.\nOne of the priests put an arm on Cassius’s shoulder.
“We should leave, Cassius. There’s nothing else we can do.”
The Patriarch leaves the square, his head bowed.\nThe crowd disperses. The fire
dies down.
Sir El Capo returns the next morning. He has come to thank you — the Inquisition
reacted so swiftly to his report! He is impressed by your resolve in dealing with
this evil. At first he had feared that the woman’s comely appearance might cloud
your judgement.
You are indifferent to the nobleman’s flattery.\nYou made this decision for the
sake of the Twins, to cleanse the world of the taint of magic.\nA human life is a
small price to pay for such a lofty goal.
You lean closer to Ariadella and say that you want to help.\nShe will have to leave
her garden, her village, and the life she knows — but she will survive. If she
doesn't flee now, the House of Humility or the Inquisition’s pyre await her.\nThe
young woman looks at you with her tearful eyes of emerald green. She nods
anxiously.
You whisper instructions in her ear. She will have to reach Anizotte on her own
now. She should wait for you at the temple by the Silver Tree tomorrow morning. She
has to trust you.
“Very well. I… I will be there.”
Later that evening, you return to Anizotte and release the Champions of Faith. If
you know Sister Jeanne, she will still be at the Inquisition ward.\nYour assumption
is correct — Jeanne is still at work, poring over some ancient scrolls.\nHer tired
eyes look at you with surprise.
“<username>? Shouldn’t you be in Gracinia?”
You tell Jeanne everything. There is no need to lie to her about Ariadella.\nThe
young priestess is a witch, a magic user, but she does not deserve the collar —
just like Aylis, Jeanne’s old friend.\nPerhaps Jeanne could get in touch with Aylis
and rescue Ariadella from her plight?
Jeanne falls silent. You can see the inner turmoil written on her face. Finally,
she lets out a sigh.
“Aylis and her troupe should have reached Kupffer by now — that’s a town in Eliria.
Tell this priestess of yours to go there. I’ll write her a note. After all, Aylis
owes us a debt.”
Early the next morning, you both take a carriage to the temple to meet Ariadella.\
nThe young woman is already there, dressed as a humble peasant girl, with a small
bindle over her shoulder. She is staring in amazement at the Silver Tree. Judging
by her expression, she is struggling with the desire to embrace it.\nYou tell her
how to find Aylis and put her in a carriage headed for Kupffer.
“Thank you both! May the Twins guard you always! I’ll never forget you!”
Jeanne watches the carriage until it disappears from view.
“She’s a wonderful girl. But… I’m still not sure we did the right thing,
<username>.”
With that, you return to your daily routine.\nSir El Capo is outraged by the
priestess’s sudden escape. For a while, he pesters you with demands to pursue her.
After several weeks he finally gives up, promising to let the city know that the
Inquisition is neglecting its duty.
Weeks later, Jeanne meets you at the Inquisition ward. She looks happy.\nShe is
carrying a rolled-up paper note and a hefty jewelry box.
“We got a letter! Hurry up and read it. We’d better burn it before anyone else sees
it. The jewelry box is full of money — it’s for both of us. What am I supposed to
do with it?”
“Jeanne, <username>, your friend is fitting right in. Life on the road is new to
her, but I’ll help her get used to it.\n“I’ve managed to earn a small fortune
travelling the Empire all these years, but I have no need of it. I’m sure you’ll
put it to good use and use it to save even more souls.
“My life has not been an easy one, but it is still an invaluable gift, and I have
you to thank for it. I will never, ever forget what you have done for me.\n“May
good fortune be with you always, no matter where you go.\n“P.S.\nJeanne, is
<username> the Seminary student you told me about back in Eterna?”
Jeanne snatches the note from your hands as you read the final line aloud. She
leaves your cell, her cheeks burning.
Revelation
It has been several months since Jeanne was rescued from the insurgents.\nYou learn
that the mage hunted by the Secret Chancellery was a rebel, a member of a
clandestine society who took refuge in a local parish.\nFather Ulrich took it upon
himself to personally interrogate the abbot of the parish.
The priest confessed to the crime. He even confirmed that Patriarch Cassius was
involved. According to the abbot, he accepted the mage as an acolyte at the parish
after the patriarch vouched for him personally.\nHowever, you are aware of the
methods Father Ulrich employs to extract his confessions — the abbot’s words may be
far from truth. You cannot help but suspect that Ulrich made the abbot lay all the
blame on Cassius for his own mysterious reasons.
Jeanne, on the other hand, is more eager than ever to believe that the patriarch is
guilty.
“We must put Cassius on trial before the new Sacred Conclave! The patriarch stands
before the Twins, and they will judge our entire flock based on him.\n“If the
newly-chosen Patriarch is a heretic, who knows what blasphemous obscenities he will
utter in Their presence?”
The evidence you have is not enough to bring the patriarch to trial. However,
Ulrich intends to use your information to destroy Cassius’s public image and his
support among the clergy.
Your sacred mission is looking more and more like a dirty political game, and you
find this sickening. Desperate for a change of scenery, you seek solace in a walk
through the familiar alleyways of Anizotte.
You notice something different: an unusual number of the people on the streets of
Anizotte are armed. Not just nobles; even commoners have defied their Lot by
carrying small hatchets and clubs tucked in their belts.
Father spoke of this at the dinner table last night.\nThe city’s gendarmes are
unable to maintain order on the streets.\nThe commoner members of the Lesser Quorum
are calling for the common folk to fight for their rights, while the nobles are
mired in the ongoing struggle between Archduke Tarquinius Milanidas and Imperial
Overseer Gaius Tempest.
You feel uneasy.\nPeople are beginning to challenge Isatius’s vision of the Lots.\
nToo many now reject the divine Law that brought order to the Empire by shackling
its subjects’ destinies to the Lots. The Empire is changing, and you cannot help
but feel a sense of foreboding, as though some dreadful, world-shaking event is
about to take place.
You do not remember how your legs guided you to the Silver Tree. As always, a
profound sense of tranquility descends upon you.\nYou close your eyes and whisper
words of gratitude. As you pray, you hear a loud voice in the distance — a monk you
have never met is preaching.
“The most sorrowful thing that happened when the Twins descended to our world was
Their deaths on opposite shores of the river Eterna.\n“The Elder was torn apart by
the mob — whether from love, madness, or some other purpose, we do not know. At
that very moment, the Younger disappeared as well, gone in a flash of light.\n“And
so a brief, but terrible time of troubles began.
“The people were lost, unsure of what to do. The Twins had told them of the Peak
and the Foot of the Shining Pillar, but before They could tell the people how to
reach the Peak and meet Them in the hereafter, they were gone.\n“Twelve years
passed between the day the Twins died and the day Isatius, beloved disciple of the
Elder, described the Twins as Will, Love, and Law in his first book.
“And then, two years later, Isatius received his second revelation, and thus the
second book was written.\n“And in this book, the Prophet taught us how to live a
righteous life and earn a place at the Peak of the Shining Pillar in the hereafter.
And all the faithful found peace at last.\n“With this understanding, the three Lots
came to be.”
You linger for a moment to listen to the sermon before moving on.
You see few armed men in the slums, and almost no gendarmes. Anizotte still seems
so peaceful here, just like in the days of your youth.\nMen and women pass by on
the narrow streets, busy with their lives. You hear children’s voices in the yards.
Two boys are pushing at each other by a fence. They are almost the same height, and
both are thin, with light-brown hair. One of them shouts at the other, “Don’t do
that! Mom’s gonna punish us! She told us to stop!”
His voice echoes in your head.\nThe world around you ripples and quivers. The
colors grow more vivid for a moment, then instantly turn pale. Everything is
getting brighter and brighter…
There is light coming from the Silver Tree. It fills the slums. It hurts to look at
it.\nA brilliant flash blinds you. The light drowns out everything.
You see a crowd of people. Their faces are blurred and inscrutable, like faded old
paintings.\nThey are listening to a man’s silhouette standing before them.\nYou
cannot hear his words, but you can feel the Love emanating from him. It washes over
everyone, like a wave of warmth.\nHe is a Wise Teacher offering guidance to his
disciples.
A peasant crawls up to the Teacher on his hands and knees. He is harnessed to a
plow. His reaches out in a desperate plea.\nAnd the Teacher removes the peasant’s
harness.\nHe helps him to his feet and hands him a sword.
And in this act, there is Love.
You have felt this sensation only once before. You cannot remember when.\nIt is
unquestionable, endless, absolute.\nThe softest touch, like a hand wiping the tears
from a child’s face.
The next moment, another silhouette appears beside the first. Your heart skips a
beat.\nCrime is always followed by punishment — inevitable, merciless retribution.
The Judge’s sentence.\nThis is right. This is how it must be.\nThe Judge is here,
and he craves justice.
The Law is one, the same for all.
The Teacher is alone. His audience disappears, dissolving like shadows.\nThe Judge
approaches, and the Teacher steps toward him, his arms open in an embrace.\nThe
Judge’s sword suddenly rises to meet him.
The image freezes before you.\nBoth silhouettes disappear in the light of the
Silver Tree.\nThe sentence has been rendered, the Lot fulfilled.
And then you are surrounded by the slums of Anizotte once again.\nThe encircled
cross of the Twins feels hot against your chest, burning your skin even through
your cassock. Your breath is ragged, the blood pounding in your temples.
You have just experienced an inexplicable revelation, a vision given to those
seeking answers — those such as Prophet Isatius.
And this revelation is bursting out of you.\nIt must be interpreted correctly.
Go to Father Lennart
Go to Jeanne
Prolong the revelation
Go home
You go to the temple by the Silver Tree to share this revelation with a priest of
the New Faith.
You walk to Jeanne’s home to share this revelation with a follower of the Old
Faith.
Like the La-Tari, for a brief moment you become one with something greater than
yourself.
You go to your family. They are more dear to you than anyone else in the world, and
you want to share this revelation with them.
You enter the temple at twilight. It is empty.
Father Lennart walks toward you from within the temple and greets you with a smile.
When he sees the trepidation on your face, he grows grave.
“Are you looking for me, Inquisitor? Has something happened?”
Without any preamble, you tell him about the vision you experienced in the flash of
white light.\nThe abbot listens to you intently. His face grows more and more
thoughtful with each sentence you utter.\nAnd then, he seems to have an epiphany.
“Brother, this revelation is a sign from the Twins, a sign of great mercy to the
New Believers. It shows us that our faith is true!\n“One’s Lot is not a shackle of
stone, not an immutable form that cannot be changed. You saw it with your own eyes
— the Elder took the commoner’s lot away from him and gave him a new one! So a
commoner may become a noble — such is the Elder’s mercy!
“The Elder chose to help people, and the Younger made himself their Judge. They
chose Their own Lots, and so we must each seek our own path to the Twins!\n“And if
one path does not suit you, then choose a different path and blaze your own trail
to the Peak…\n“I’m begging you, please speak of your revelation at tomorrow’s
sermon!”
You agree, although you know that openly supporting Father Lennart could deal a
blow to your family’s reputation.\nAmong the nobles, the New Faith is still
considered a heresy for the lowborn. Stephan will surely be furious. But that does
not matter anymore.
As you walk home, you consider Father Lennart’s words again and again.\nYour doubt
grows. The changing of Lots was not the most important part of your vision. There
was something else.\nSomething unjust, yet also orderly and natural.
You walk for over an hour. In Anizotte, the sun lingers for a long time in the
heavens, but when the sky grows dark, dusk comes suddenly.\nYou appear on Jeanne’s
doorstep at the very moment when the glow of the sunset gives way to the darkness.
“<username>? I wasn’t expecting it to be you. I thought it was one of the sisters —
they often visit me at this hour… well, come in, come in. Did something happen?”
You enter.\nHer house is tiny — a single room with a bed, a small table, the icons
of the Twins, a shelf of books, and a narrow wardrobe.\nJeanne offers you the only
chair and sits on the edge of the bed.\nYou sigh deeply a couple of times, then
begin to talk.
Jeanne plies you with questions, asking you to describe certain details again and
again. When you are done, you are both silent for a while.
“You’ve had a revelation… actually, I think I know what it means.”
“It means that even the Twins have Their own Lots, just as we have ours. And just
as They follow Their Lots, so must we follow ours.\n“The Elder is Love, but, for
the sake of His Love, he defied the Law. He took away the people’s preordained Lots
and gave them others.\n“What the Elder did, He did because He could not act in any
other way — such is the Lot of Love.
“And the Younger did what He did because He could not act in any other way. He had
to punish his brother for His crime — for the Younger is the Law; he is the Judge
and the Executioner.\n“And it is the nature of the Law that everyone must find the
punishment they duly deserve — even if that someone is a god.
“Could you please tell the people of Anizotte about your revelation during
tomorrow’s sermon?”
You agree.
The next day, you preach a sermon by the Silver Tree.\nYour words are met with
outrage among the New Believers, but the nobles and Old Believers receive it well.
Your sermon is further proof of their right to rule, and the common folk are
reminded that the Lots are unshakable.
That evening, to your surprise, Stephan greets you at the door of the family home.
He looks at you with uncustomary admiration.
“I was at your sermon today. The way you reminded the people of their duties was
truly inspirational!
“The Twins sent you this revelation so you could put those heretics and their false
ideas in their place. I’m sure of it — and so are all the other nobles who were at
the Silver Tree today. The El Vermans and the El Velascos send their warm regards.”
You thank him. Perhaps your brother would like to share a prayer with you?
Together, you kneel before the icons of the Twins and thank them.\nIn the trembling
candlelight, the Younger’s image seems give you a slight nod of approval.
You turn to face the Shining Pillar.\nYour revelation is fading like a memory of an
old dream… if only you could hold onto it just a bit longer!
There must be a way to see more, to see further than you were previously allowed.
You have to try. You get down on your knees and close your eyes.\nIn the past, you
partook of a heretical ritual with the La-Tari Society. You can still remember
their chanting, the music that took you far away from this world.\nAnd now it rings
in your head once again. But this time, in your mind, you change the words of the
chant.
“I am the Twins. I am the Elder, and I am the Younger. They are a part of me. I am
a part of Them.”
And the fading vision explodes into light, like a bolt from the blue.\nYou are
falling from the Peak of the Shining Pillar down to the mortal realm. There is
nothing but infinite darkness around you.\nIt feels like you are falling for an
eternity.
A hand extends from the blinding peak, reaching out to catch you.\nYou cannot
discern the features of your savior, only his silhouette. This soft, open hand —
you have known it ever since you were born.\nAbove your savior rises a ruthless
shadow. It grabs your savior by his shoulders, pulling him back.\nYou clutch the
outstretched hand at the last moment as you fall.
Back in the physical world, your body collapses under immeasurable pain. Your
ribcage bends in, blood gushes out of your nose, and your muscles spasm and
shudder, each breath a gasp of pain. You scream in desperate agony.\nIt takes
incredible willpower just to maintain this connection, to keep holding onto that
hand.
The Younger tries to pull you toward Him, out of the Elder’s arms. But the Elder
will not let go.\nYour own will fades away.\nThere is no more time, no more
sensation; everything is replaced by the Will of the two brothers. This is how it
was before you were born; this is how it shall be after you die for the last time.
Their dreams and aspirations; Their joys and sorrows; Their goals and aims — it all
flows through you in an endless stream.
The brothers strive for the same thing: they both wish the people well. To that
end, They have chosen different paths. Their Will, once united, has been rent in
twain. Their struggle will never end.\nThe Elder begs for his brother’s
forgiveness, but He will never find it, not even in the heavens. The Law is one,
the same for men and gods alike.
You slip out of their hands.
You are lying on the ground, face down. One of your hands is clenched into a fist,
and the other is open, caressing the clenched hand.\nThe pain fades away, but the
memory remains.\nYou will never be able to tell anyone about this.
It takes you more than an hour to reach your home. In Anizotte, the sun lingers for
a long time in the heavens, but when the sky grows dark, dusk falls suddenly.\nYou
reach the doorstep of your family home. Light shines from the windows. Augustin El
Borne, Stephan’s uncle and the prefect of Magra, was supposed to visit your family
today.
The house is full of guests, many of them nobles. They are all Stephan’s friends,
eager to make the acquaintance of one of the movers and shakers of Magra.
Your vision struggles within you, demanding to be told. You tremble feverishly.\
nYou hurry to the center of the room and raise a hand, calling for the guests’
attention.\nEveryone turns to you, curious.
And you relay your vision to them.\nEverything goes wrong from the very beginning.\
nYour description is too long, too convoluted. The image felt so vivid in your
mind, but it fades and blurs and loses meaning as you try to put it into words.
You try to recover by quoting the sacred scriptures — a classic rhetorical trick.
But it only makes things worse.\nThe passages you quote are too well-known, too
familiar. They feel jarring and stale at this particular moment.
Despair overcomes you. They can hear you, but they are unable to listen!\nThe Twins
told you the truth, but the mortal mind cannot grasp it; the mortal tongue cannot
speak it!\nOvercome with the suffering born of this realization, you cut yourself
off in mid-sentence.
“Did I understand you correctly, brother? You saw the Elder taking away the
people’s Lots that didn’t suit them and giving them the Lots they wanted?”
“Who even gave you permission to speak at a noble gathering? And to spout such
utter nonsense, no less?!\n“If there’s anything I gleaned from my brother’s words,
it’s that the Younger’s righteous fury will be quick to find anyone who dares
reject the Lots! Tell me, brother, is this true?”
“Ah, now you’re arguing over these matters too, just like the patriarchs of the
Faith! But as far as I know, not even they have made a final decision about the
teachings of the late Patriarch Fotis. So I’m quite confident the truth will not be
so easily found. Robert, what do you think?”
“The Lots have always been the cornerstone of our faith. But Father Lennart says
that Isatius found only one path to serve the Twins, and that there are other paths
that one must seek alone. It’s a lot to think about…”
“If you ask me, I don’t even think it’s worth it anymore. Eternal bliss after you
die for good — is it even worth the suffering it costs us to serve the Twins in
this world?”
“Nathan! What are you saying?! How dare you speak such blasphemy in your father’s
house!”
As the hosts and the main guest start to argue, younger nobles join in. Quiet
voices grow into loud shouts. Everyone wants to have a word, and no one wants to
listen.\nYou can only watch in terror as anger contorts their faces. This is not
what you wanted at all!\nBut your revelation only showed them what they each wanted
to see.
What was supposed to be a quiet evening has become a public scandal. You see this
as an ill omen — for the Empire, and for the entire world.
You squeeze pasts the shouting guests and family members and rush to your room.
Your cheeks are burning.\nYou spend several hours kneeling before the images of the
Twins. It is not a prayer so much a frank conversation with Them, like those you
had as a little boy.\nYou swear the Twins to learn a lesson from your mistake. The
clarity of your revelation must not be stained by the imperfections of your own
words.
If They ever deign to give you another chance, you will not make the same mistake
again. You swear to the Twins, and to yourself, to read once again the text of
every prophecy, the interpretation of every vision ever recorded, everything you
can find on the subject!\nAnd then maybe, just maybe, you will be able to put your
revelation into words with clarity, just like Isatius did.
The Trail of Sorcery
Since the incident with the priestess Ariadella, Patriarch Cassius has mostly
retreated from the public eye and stopped preaching. A coincidence? No one can say
for sure.
Not all witches and mages resemble the pious Ariadella. You still remember Brian,
the young boy who went to your school. If you and Tommas had not stopped him, he
would have burned that school to the ground…
You cannot help but think the patriarch may be aiding mages and offering them
shelter. The very thought makes you uneasy.\nYou share your concerns with Jeanne
and Father Ulrich.\nYour mentor nods in support.
“I have seen this before. Junius Diamant, the patriarch of Astinia, attempted to
protect a couple of sinners once. There was a priest who was rutting with a witch,
and Junius tried to protect them.\n“So perhaps you’re right, <username>. Perhaps
our Cassius has a soft spot for those abhorrent degenerates as well… I say we
should investigate.”
You exchange glances with Jeanne. Both of you still recall that tribunal in Eterna
five years ago.
“It’s a shame the Order has no way to secretly gather information about the
parishes that support the patriarch. Everyone in those parishes knows each and
every inquisitor by sight…\n“I intend to ask the Secret Chancellery for aid. This
should be a simple matter for them.”
Undercover outlaws who challenge and undermine the Emperor’s sacred rule; rebels
who pose a threat to the Twins-blessed order of the present — the Secret
Chancellery wages war on all these foes.\nYou know very little about their other
activities.
The Order and the Secret Chancellery decide to work together. For the long year
that follows, they painstakingly search for clues and investigate rumors.\nYou
examine each and every parish in Magra, trying in vain to find other mages
sheltered by the Patriarch — if such mages even exist.\nYou lose nearly all hope of
success.\nBut then, one winter night, your efforts are finally rewarded.
The sunset outside the window has turned to dusk, but Jeanne still has not returned
to the ward. Normally she would tell you if she were doing something after hours…\
nYou grow worried.\nSeeking reassurance, you approach the Champions of Faith who
have stood guard for the day and ask them when they last saw Sister Jeanne.
“Oh! Why, Sister Jeanne left early this morning to help the Secret Chancellery!
Their agent ran up to her at the doorstep. He gave her a sealed note, and they
drove away together. He said it was important. They say they found the trail of a
runaway mage — somewhere on the western edge of the city, in the warehouses in the
old city walls.
“I say you shouldn’t worry. We check a dozen such rumors from their agents every
month, but we never find anything.”
Despite the captain’s assurances, you remain apprehensive. You tell Agaronim to
gather the Champions and check on her.
You go to the western edge of Anizotte. There are almost no residential buildings
there, just ruins and workhouses. In fact, it can be quite hard to tell one from
the other.\nAs the half-crumbled wall on the edge of the city draws near, you feel
your heart beat with greater urgency. Your apprehension grows.
You come to the warehouse. The door is smashed in, ripped off the hinges. The
inside is splattered with blood. You see wrecked furniture and soot. An intense
battle was fought here.\nBy the basement stairs you find a small pile of scorched
clothes — the last remnants of someone’s lesser death.
It looks nothing like Jeanne’s cassock… thank the Twins!\nThere is something on the
lapel of the charred jacket: a brooch in the shape of a wheel. This belonged to an
agent of the Secret Chancellery.
One floor below you, you hear a blow followed by a woman’s muffled moan.\nJeanne
could be down there!
Captain Agaronim nods. Like a prayer, he whispers the usual words:
“Inquisitor <username>, you are a weapon I now must wield. Strike my enemies down
until I tell you otherwise.”
At his order, the Champions of Faith move out. Their heavy boots thunder down the
stairs to the basement.\nYou run down behind them.
A tunnel, low and dark. Jeanne is there, surrounded by half a dozen figures. Her
face is bruised, her lips cracked, her eyes barely open. Her cassock shows several
knife-cuts soaked with blood.\nThe unknown thugs turn to face you. They have
gunpowder weapons.
Shots explode in the dark. Swords flash like bolts of lightning. Screams. One of
them summons magical fire in his hands.\nYou clutch hard at a thin silver slab with
a prayer to the Younger, and the magical flames are doused as the silver melts in
your hand. You continue the whispered prayer, staring straight into the mage’s
eyes.
At this moment, in this place, it feels easier than ever to invoke the Younger’s
ruthless Law.
The mage glances around as the Champions of Faith push the outlaws back despite the
flurry of explosive shots. The rebels’ weapons are too slow to reload, and in close
combat, they are clearly weaker.\nThe mage turns tail and runs away down a long,
dark tunnel.
You glance back at Jeanne. Blood still oozes from her wounds, but more slowly now.
Her head has fallen on her chest. Her eyes are closed.
Chase the mage
Heal Jeanne
You give the mage chase, leaving Jeanne behind to bleed.
You let the mage escape. Right now, saving Jeanne’s life means more to you.
You leave the narrow room and the fighting behind and run after the mage.\nThe
tunnel ends in a pile of rubbish concealing a secret passage.\nOnce you emerge
outside, you pray to the Younger once again: grant me the strength to smite my
enemy! Bind him with the power of the Law!
The silver melts away at your fingertips — another thin slab of Twins-blessed metal
has been sacrificed. But They hear your prayer and grant you the power to perform a
miracle.\nA white glow surrounds the mage, binding him, depriving him of the
ability to move.
He falls down on the road, unable to move or speak. He is scrawny, apparently an
adolescent.\nThe Champions of Faith emerge behind you, battered and scarred from
the fight, pushing the bound outlaws ahead of them. Jeanne is nowhere to be seen.
You meet Captain Agaronim’s eyes. He slowly shakes his head.\nJeanne has died a
lesser death. But the sinful mage has been caught.
The Secret Chancellery takes your captive away for questioning. \nIs Patriarch
Cassius involved in this? You can only hope that you will learn the answer soon
enough.
Jeanne returns to the Inquisition ward the next morning. She meets your awkward
greeting with a smile. Then, all of a sudden, she grabs you by the arm of your
cassock.
“There’s something I wanted to tell you — but not here. Let’s go somewhere else…
maybe the yard?”
The yard of the ward is full of sunlight and thick lilac in bloom. No window can
see you from behind the lilac trees.
“I wanted to tell you not to worry about what happened to me. You did the right
thing. You caught him. The cost doesn’t matter — our lives are given to us to
serve…”
Her fingers are still there, holding you by the sleeve. You both notice this at the
same time.\nJeanne’s cheeks grow pink. Softly, you put your hand over hers.\nYou
feel as though you are a child under the Silver Tree again. Her hand rests in
yours. You stand like this until the bell rings for the noon sermon.
Jeanne pulls her hand away and looks at you. Her face shows embarrassment, fear,
and… joy?\nShe takes a step backward, then another, her eyes still meeting yours.
Then she quickly turns away and hurries inside, her hand clutched to her chest.
You rush to Jeanne’s side, dodging the slashing swords and swinging wooden clubs. A
bullet hits the wall next to you, throwing a cloud of stone dust in your face.\nYou
take the silver encircled cross from your neck and pray to the Elder for the power
to heal her wounds.
The wounds flare with a blinding white light. The bleeding stops; the bruises and
cuts on her face fade away. The blessed silver in your hands was the price of
faith’s sacrifice: the holy symbol melts into a white glow.\nYou untie Jeanne from
the chair to which she was bound. She opens her eyes, blinks, and looks around the
room.
“Where’s the mage?”
You nod towards the dark archway.
“Seize him, Captain! Don’t let him get away!”
Captain Agaronim barks an order, and three Champions of Faith take off down the
dark corridor after the mage. You are left behind, by Jeanne’s side.
“Help me up. I have to… I have to put an end to his vile magic. And I’m out of
silver. I need yours.”
You hand Jeanne your last slab with an etched prayer. You follow the Champions
together.\nGusts of flame flash in the dark corridor. Soldiers cry and scream in
pain. Your worst fears have been justified: your men have put their lives on the
line to hold the mage back, to give you more time to catch up to the fight.
The mage is before you — a young man, barely an adult.\nBalls of ravenous magical
fire fly from his fingertips.
Jeanne’s fingers squeeze the silver slab. She whispers a prayer, summoning a dome
of protection.\nThe flame is powerless against it. After a few moments, the magical
fire is doused. The mage stares at Jeanne in terror and hatred.
Captain Agaronim uses this moment of confusion to get back on his feet. His face is
covered in burns, and his left arm is charred like a stick left in the firepit.\nHe
lunges at the mage with a furious battle cry. His heavy gauntlet connects with the
young man’s head.\nThe mage collapses, unconscious.
One by one, you drag the cutthroats out of the basement. The Secret Chancellery men
finally arrive, too late for the fight, and stuff the thugs into inconspicuous,
windowless wagons.\nMany Champions from your squad are wounded. They are taken to
the nearest temple for healing.\nJeanne is utterly exhausted. She, too, needs help
at the temple. She catches the arm of your cassock from out of the stretcher.
“We nearly lost him, <username>. You think Cassius is behind all this? If he is, we
have to stop him. We can’t let the mages poison the Blessed Empire with their
sorcery…
“Remember… our lives are given to us to serve. No matter the cost…”
You watch them carry Jeanne away.
The Secret Chancellery takes your captive away for questioning. \nWas Patriarch
Cassius involved in this? You can only hope you will learn the answer soon enough.
You leave the narrow room and the fighting behind and run after the mage.\nThe
tunnel ends in a pile of rubbish concealing a secret passage.\nOnce you emerge
outside, you pray to the Younger once more: grant me the power to smite my enemy!
Bind him with the power of the Law!
Silver melts away at your fingertips — another thin slab of Twins-blessed metal has
been sacrificed. But They hear your prayer.\nA white glow surrounds the mage,
binding him, preventing him from moving.
The Secret Chancellery takes him away for questioning. \nIs Patriarch Cassius
involved in this? You can only hope you will learn the answer soon enough.
Jeanne returns to the Inquisition ward the morning after. She meets your awkward
greeting with a smile — and nothing more.
“There’s something I want to tell you, <username>. What happened there, in that
basement…
“Honestly… I was hoping you would come, hoping you’d rescue me. I knew it was
silly, but I still hoped you would. The Twins soothed me; they gave me the strength
to survive until you arrived.
“I wanted to thank you for coming. It was such a relief to see you there — even if
it was the last thing I saw before I died. I knew it would be alright. I had no
fear.
“And you — you did the right thing. You caught that mage.
“I don’t blame you for my death at all, don’t get me wrong! I knew I was beyond
help.\n“It’s just that… I fear I won’t be able to do it all now. I promised the
Twins I’d do so much…”
Jeanne looks into your eyes as she speaks. She takes a deep breath, like she wants
to continue…\nThe silence lingers a moment longer. Unable to find the words, she
turns and walks away.
You watch her leave.
She is still by your side. Thank the Twins…
You rush to Jeanne’s side, dodging the slashing swords and swinging wooden clubs. A
bullet hits the wall next to you, throwing a cloud of stone dust in your face.\nYou
take the silver encircled cross from your neck and touch it to her wounds: may the
Elder grant you the power to heal them!
The wounds flare with a blinding white light. The bleeding stops; the bruises and
cuts on her face fade away.\nThe blessed silver in your hands was the price of
faith’s sacrifice: a moment later, the holy symbol melts into a white glow.
You untie Jeanne from the chair to which she was bound. She opens her eyes, nods to
you, and faints.
The fight is over — the Champions of Faith are victorious. You take a few moments
to fashion crude stretchers out of nearby wooden planks and rags, then leave the
bloodied warehouse, carrying out your wounded.\nThen, one by one, you drag the
cutthroats out of the basement. The Secret Chancellery men finally arrive, too late
for the fight, and stuff the thugs into inconspicuous, windowless wagons.
Is Patriarch Cassius involved in this?\nYou can only hope you will learn the answer
soon enough.
Jeanne regains her senses as you leave the western outskirts of Anizotte and enter
the Temple District.
“<username>…? Did we catch the mage?”
You shake your head. Jeanne closes her eyes and remains silent for the rest of the
trip.
Many Champions from your squad are wounded. They take them to the nearest temple
for healing.\nJeanne is utterly exhausted. She, too, needs help at the temple. She
catches the arm of your cassock from out of the stretcher.
“Please, stay with me a moment…”
You accompany Jeanne to the infirmary by the temple. You healed her wounds, so it
should not take much to get her back on her feet very soon. Good food and proper
rest is all she requires.
“<username>, what do you think? Is Cassius behind this? And if he is — what made
him commit such a crime?”
When the infirmary nurses stop fussing around her, you take a stool and sit next to
Jeanne’s bed.\nWith some difficulty, Jeanne pulls her arm out from under the
bedsheets.
“Will you pray with me?”
You put your hand on hers. It feels warm, hard, and rough. Her fingers squeeze your
hand gingerly.\nYou begin the first words of the prayer of gratitude, and Jeanne
repeats after you. As you reach the middle of the prayer, you notice that you can
no longer hear her voice.\nJeanne is asleep.
You spend a moment sitting by Jeanne’s bedside, listening to her breathing.\nThen
you carefully take your hand out of hers and leave the infirmary.
A Confession
A servant wakes you up in the middle of the night. There is a visitor — a Champion
of Faith with an urgent note.\nYou unfold the scrap of paper.\n“Meet me at the
Silver Tree. It is urgent. Jeanne”
She would not summon you so late unless it were truly important. Something has
happened. Is Jeanne in danger?
The Shining Pillar is particularly bright tonight, its light merging with the glow
of the Silver Tree.
Jeanne is not by the temple door — she is a bit further away, in the square.\nShe
greets you and leads you under one of the Tree’s enormous roots. It is twisted and
bent, forming a peculiar kind of grotto.
“<username>, there is something I must tell you. You are the only person I can bare
my soul to.\n“Under the Silver Tree, no one can ever tell a lie. I will be
completely honest with you. Please offer me your guidance.\n“Or, if I am to suffer
for all eternity in the hereafter… then tell me this too.”
Slowly, you nod in return.\nThe Silver Tree’s tranquility fills you. The woman who
stands before you is not an inquisitor right now — at this moment, she is a human,
a person, with all her weaknesses, mistakes, and inner conflicts. Of course, you
tell her, you would be glad to offer her guidance.
Jeanne sighs heavily. She is terrified, but her resolve is stronger than her fear.
“The Twins are Law and Will and Love. This is what we tell everyone who comes to us
for help. This is what we say so many times a day in prayer.\n“Their Law is clear
to me, and I can feel Their Will everywhere. But… but what do I do about Love?\
n“How am I supposed to tell Their Love from the worldly love that no priests are
ever allowed to feel?
“Do you remember when we first met? It was here, a lifetime ago. We both belonged
to the common Lot back then.\n“I took your hand in mine. I wanted to keep you safe
at the temple, safe from the corrupting teachings of Fotis…\n“And that’s when it
all began. I can still remember how you blushed…
“All my life, service to the Twins has been my only truth. I’ve known my path and
the sacrifices I had to make ever since I was a little girl.\n“I’ll never be a wife
or a mother. I’ll never life a life of pleasure. I have been given the gift of
truth. I am one who must bring Their Word into the world.
“But you… every day I spend with you is agony.
“I’ve gone astray. The light of the Twins used to be my beacon. But you… you’re
blocking it out. This is wrong…\n“I’ve prayed to the Twins again and again to set
me free from this emotion. I’ve tried so hard to purge the thoughts of you from my
mind, tried to see you as a test They have sent me.\n“But I can’t… you are my sin,
my torture, my love. I cannot hide from this.
“Show me the way, please. You’re the only one who can do this, and no one else…”
Jeanne’s hazel eyes are full of tears.\nThe branches of the Silver Tree glow softly
above you.
She is right. There is no hiding from Love. You cannot resist it.\nShould you even
try? This is a place of honesty.\nAnd this Love, it fills you both. It asks no
questions as it guides you toward one another with great certainty.
You take a step closer to Jeanne. Your heart is beating so hard, it feels as though
your ribs are about to break. Then, awkward, uncertain, but utterly sincere — a
kiss.\nFor one moment, Jeanne is paralyzed in your arms. Then she responds with
passion, with all the love she has professed.\nThis feeling, this emotion, so
sincere, so strong… it is a gift from the Twins.
This touch feels so unfamiliar to you, so frightening to her. Your bodies have
never known it before, bound and shackled by years of taboo.\nBut right now, you
are both guided by something more than attraction and lust. This is Love, profound
and absolute, that which only They may give.
With a sense of awe, you remove the veil from her head.\nHer hair — it has been so
long, you forgot what color it was.\nIt is blond, and it shines like a halo in the
Silver Tree’s glow.
Jeanne moves away from you. Her fingers caress your neck.\nYou cover her palms and
wrists with kisses and undo the buttons and belt on her clothing.\nThe fallen
leaves are soft, like the softest bed, as you lay her down.
You cross a line you must not cross.\nBut the power of divine Love is irresistible.
There are no more secrets between you.
You close your eyes. Sight is only a distraction now. You find her lips blindly.\
nYou share in her passion, relish her tenderness, and put her fears to rest.\nAnd
she responds to you in kind, in perfect unison.\nAll is just as it should be.
Warmth spreads through your bodies, like a roaring fireplace on a rainy autumn day.
Like a long conversation with those you hold most dear. Honesty and awe.\nYou have
never felt so alive.\nThis is more than mere intimacy — so much more. It is
stronger than both of you.
Time has been shattered. Minutes pass, hours — or perhaps just seconds. Together,
you seem to share a furtive glance at an entire life you never lived.\nYou lie down
by her side, out of breath. Jeanne nestles closer to you. Her fingers trace the
contours of your chest as you stroke her hair.
When the sunrise finds you, it catches you by surprise.\nJeanne’s body is
illuminated by the sun. She blushes and turns away.\nYou fumble for your clothes,
averting your gaze and trying in vain to hide your physical and spiritual nudity.\
nYou do not look at each other until your bodies are clothed again.
“We… we can’t deny this. We can’t pretend it it didn’t happen.\n“But what do we do
now?
It was an illusion
It was a mistake
It was a miracle
These feelings are real
This is a test
The Silver Tree filled you both with love, but now the illusion is gone.
You have both transgressed, and there will be retribution.
The Twins have blessed you, for such is their Will.
You accept the love you share.
You must control your passion.
What happened was not your will — it was the Will of the Silver Tree.\nIt filled
you with a craving for a love you have never known.\nBut the Law of the Faith
cannot be altered.\nFor priests, physical love and the union of the flesh are
forbidden.
Jeanne looks downward. You are both silent.\nThe hum of morning life fills the
slums around the Tree. A thought surprises you: there were so many people around…
it feels awkward.\nWhen Jeanne can finally look at you again, her eyes are
glistening with tears.
“You’re… you’re right.\r\n“It was just an illusion. What we did is forbidden. I… I
have to go.”
As she walks away from the Silver Tree, her back is unusually straight. She does
not want her weakness to show.
You look up at the Tree’s branches and whisper a prayer. Strength fills your body.\
nThe illusion is gone now. Reality awaits — it is time to serve the Twins.
What happened was a mistake.\nNeither of you were able to resist this forbidden
attraction. And now, sooner or later, retribution awaits.\nThe Law cannot be
altered.\nFor priests, physical love and the union of the flesh are taboo.
Jeanne runs her hand over her face with a deep sigh.
“Yes. You’re right. It was a mistake. We’ve sinned. The Twins will punish us for
this. We should both forget everything that happened last night.”
You head for the Inquisition ward together in complete silence.\nYou try as hard as
you can not to think about what just happened between you.\nNo emotion shows on
Jeanne’s face.\nThis is for the best.
The hum of life fills the slums of the Temple District. The Silver Tree’s branches
rustle above you as you go. A whispered prayer leaves your lips.\nA new day awaits,
and you must live it righteously.
What happened last night was a miracle.\nOf all places, you ended up together right
here, by the divine Silver Tree.\nThe Twins would never have allowed you to succumb
to this feeling if They had not willed it so.
By the Will of the Twins, you and Jeanne were as one, and through this unity you
saw Their Love, even as you transgressed Their Law.\nYou say this as you gaze into
Jeanne’s stubborn eyes. You feel no fear; you hide nothing. You say it all.
There is silence. Jeanne looks downward, biting her lip.\nYour eyes are trained on
her as you wait for her reply.\nWhat will she tell you? What will she decide?
Then a smile appears on Jeanne’s face — so gentle, so sincere. \nShe reaches out to
you, and your fingers touch.\nIt gives you goosebumps.
Jeanne draws closer — not as close as last night, but much closer than usual.\nHer
lips touch your cheek.
“You’re right. The Twins are more than Law alone. Last night, they gave us the gift
of Their Love.”
As you leave the Silver Tree’s branches behind, you walk side by side, her hand on
your forearm.\nShe is by your side. You feel embarrassed by this, but you also feel
something else, something you have never felt before.\nYou are happy.
What happened between you is Love, THE Love, Their Love. You cannot deny this fact;
you cannot reject this truth.
For your bodies, love and passion are forbidden — this is the Law.\nBut no one ever
said that priests cannot love one another in spirit.\nYou will be together, for
this is your souls’ desire.\nNo one will ever learn of what happened last night. It
is between you, Jeanne, and the Silver Tree.
Jeanne smiles in return — an open smile, an honest smile, a smile without fear.
“Yes. You’re right. True Love does not need the union of the flesh. We’ll be
together without it.\r\n“You are dear to me. I need you. And I’m so happy you feel
the same way.”
You emerge onto the morning streets of Anizotte and walk away from the Silver
Tree’s branches. You are smiling. A smile of joy glows on Jeanne’s face.\nYou are
loved. You are happy.\nFor such is the Will of the Twins and your own souls.
You look up at the Tree’s branches.\nWhat happened between you is Love, THE Love,
Their Love. You cannot deny this fact; you cannot reject this truth.
For your bodies, love and passion are forbidden — this is the Law.\nBut no one ever
said that priests cannot love one another in spirit.\nYou will be together, for
this is your souls’ desire.\nNo one will ever learn of what happened that night. It
is between you, Jeanne, and the Silver Tree.
Jeanne frowns and shakes her head.
“No. This is wrong. We must refuse each other.\n“What happened here was a test of
the Twins, and we failed it! We are in error — we must be punished!”
You shake your head slowly.\nShe was the one who chose this place to speak the
truth. Why, then, is she so quick to brand your honesty to one another and the
Twins as a mistake? \nYour hearts have been filled with Love at the Twins’ behest.
Who are you to resist Their Will?\nJeanne is silent. She looks downward.
You have to resist your baser passions while preserving the intimacy you share.\
nYou need Jeanne. \nAs you say these words, you see her smile — timidly, yet
sincerely.
“And I… I need you too.\n“Not everyone has someone in their life who needs them… I
suppose it’s good we’re being honest with each other.”
You return to the Inquisition ward in silence.\nJeanne’s face shows no emotion, but
you can still see the smile in her eyes.\nShe is just as happy as you are. \nFor
such is the Will of the Twins and your own souls.
The Patriarch’s Sermon
Thanks to Father Ulrich’s efforts, Cassius has lost much of his support among the
clergy and the flock.\nBut today the patriarch has summoned the people to his
evening sermon in a clear bid to regain their trust.
With several Champions of Faith for an escort, you walk to the square by the Silver
Tree to hear the patriarch speak.
Cassius stands tall above the worshippers, his feet firmly planted on the stairs
leading into the temple. The Old Believers crowd the center of the square, while
the New Believers led by Father Lennart stand on the outer edge.
You arrive at the square as the sermon is about to begin. The patriarch calls for
silence, and the din of the crowd dies down in an instant.\nHe speaks in a somber
voice, clearly chosen for this purpose. As Cassius addresses the crowd, he lifts
his arms toward the heavens.
“As time goes by, the false teachings of Patriarch Fotis are spreading further and
further, poisoning our land. Every day I try to guide people to the true path, to
save those led astray by the heresy of the New Faith.\n“And when I saw that our
brethren from the Order of the Inquisition had paid us a visit, I felt great joy,
for I knew they were here to purge all lies and apostasy from the province of
Magra.
“But then my trust was betrayed — those who were supposed to guard the true Faith
deceived us all! Those who have sworn an oath to the Twins to purge all heresy now
abet it. They were supposed to be my strength, but they have turned against me!”
Hundreds of eyes turn to you, stern, unblinking.
“They came here to revile me and besmirch my name. They have clouded the minds of
my flock and turned my brethren against me!
“And now I call upon you, Brother <username>. You must now answer for your Order,
for I will tolerate this treatment no longer!
“Come to me now. Approach me and accept my blessing. Kneel before me and kiss my
hand so that all may see that you are humble servants of the Church. Show everyone
that the Order of the Inquisition stands with the true Faith!”
The crowd parts before you, forming a narrow passage to the temple stairs.
The patriarch extends his hand to you.\nKissing it would be a public statement,
tantamount to acknowledging that the Order sides with Cassius and supports him and
the Old Faith.\nBut do you have a reason to challenge the patriarch? Is this the
time to openly confront him and his entire flock?
Kiss the patriarch’s hand
Accuse Cassius
Rely on the New Believers for support
You make peace with the patriarch in public, reassuring the people and Cassius
himself.
The Order of the Inquisition does not submit to the patriarch. You make this clear
to everyone.
Cassius is a liar and an apostate. The Order will find the truth, and all shall be
revealed.
You call upon Father Lennart to stand with you against Cassius.
You approach the patriarch slowly, your shoulders buckling beneath the weight of a
thousand stares. Every step yields with great effort.
You overcome the last step on the stairs and stand in front of Cassius — and, as
quickly as you can, you lean down and kiss his hand.\nThe mob explodes with shouts
of elation. The Champions of Faith escorting you kneel behind you.
Father Lennart and the New Believers leave the square quietly, their faces full of
disappointment.
There are several more ceremonial gestures and signs, and then a brief prayer.
“Rise, Inquisitor. Be the shield of my flock and of the true Faith. With my word
and my blessing, serve them well!”
You rise from your knees and leave the square. The Old Believers celebrate around
you, shouting praise for their patriarch.
The burden of several hundred gazes feels heavy on your back.\nYou spread your
shoulders wide and address the people.
The Order of the Inquisition does not need the Patriarch’s blessing. The brothers
and sisters of the Order have already been blessed by the Twins Themselves.\nThe
inquisitors are the judges and executioners of those who would defy the Faith and
stray from the true path. They need no law but the Law of the Younger, no love but
the Love of the Elder!
Your words ring across the square, followed by silence.
“So the rumors are true. The Inquisition supports the schism within the Faith. Your
Order has come to Magra to lay waste to the true Faith in this land! Your Order is
working to blacken my good name among the clergy and the flock! Your Order wishes
to put some New Believer heretic in my place so that he may poison people’s hearts
with his false teachings!
“You have all forgotten the Law of the Younger. For each and every crime, there
will be retribution!”
Cassius’s speech is drowned out by the cries of the crowd.
You hear a scream. A rock flies out of the crowd and hits a Champion in the face.
The warrior falls to his knees, and the Champions of Faith draw their swords.\nThe
rock was but the first of many — a hail of cobblestones come flying at the heads of
your soldiers.\nYou cannot see the faces of your assailants. Who dares attack the
Order of the Inquisition? How is this even possible?!
Cassius watches you with indifference from the temple stairs. The rocks are still
flying. One by one, they find the Champions’ skulls.
Something hard hits you in the back of the head. You feel pain, and then… darkness.
You awaken in the family crypt. With your eyes closed, you feel the back of your
head — no bruises, no scars.\nThe Twins have brought you back to life.
Who were these people who dared to assault a member of the Inquisition? Is Cassius
behind this? Right now, you have no answers.\nAnd yet you are certain that the
answer is already within reach.
Cassius thinks you are trapped, cornered. But he has underestimated the force of
your Will.\nHundreds of eyes are trained on you, but you withstand their attention
with ease. They are all without Will, as is the patriarch who leads them.
You address Cassius just as Ulrich taught you. Your voice is a command. You are
filled with an overwhelming confidence in your truth, devoid of all doubt.
The Inquisition does not need the Patriarch’s blessing, you say. The Champions of
Faith obey the Twins, and Them alone. The blessed mission and goodwill of those who
serve the Order are beyond all doubt.\nYou need no law but the Law of the Younger,
no love but the Love of the Elder!
You will not lie, and you will not resort to half-truths. Only a weak Will would
stoop to such low cunning.\nAnd so you proclaim aloud: the Order of the Inquisition
is investigating the patriarch so that he may face the highest trial of the Faith.
Only the Sacred Tribunal may judge the accusations against Cassius.
Your words ring throughout the square, followed by silence.
You hear a scream. A rock flies out of the crowd and hits a Champion in the face.
The warrior falls to his knees. The Champions of Faith draw their swords.\nThe rock
was but the first many — a hail of cobblestones come flying all at once, aiming for
the heads of your soldiers. You cannot see the faces of those who had the gall to
attack the Order.
Cassius watches you with indifference from the temple stairs. The rocks continue to
fly. One by one, they attempt to find the Champions’ skulls.
But you have no fear.\nYou do not shout, but your voice is heard by all.
“Enough!”
The clamor dies down. The people around you freeze; the mob parts and recoils.\nYou
do not know who had the insolence to attack you — yet. But one thing is certain:
retribution is coming. So sayeth the Law.
Silence falls. Terrified, the patriarch looks at you and the crowd you froze with a
single word.\nYou and your retinue leave the square.
Retribution is inevitable. Cassius will pay for his heresy.\nThose who walk the
path of the Will shall never submit to the will of another.
You turn to Father Lennart. He nods in understanding.\nThe abbot of the temple
lifts his staff above his head. The people around him part so that he may be seen
and heard.
“Patriarch! As far as I’m aware, the Inquisition works to protect the Faith of the
Twins, which is more than the teachings of Isatius or the dogmas of the Old Faith.
They serve the Elder and the Younger, Cassius! Not you!”
Father Lennart’s words echo across the square, followed by silence.
“Lennart… sooner or later you will realize that the teachings of Fotis are nothing
but a lie you desperately wish to believe! But the souls you’ve dragged to the Foot
of the pillar will take you and your followers down with them!
You spread your shoulders wide and address the people as loudly as you can.
“So the rumors are true. The Inquisition supports the schism within the Faith. Your
Order has come to Magra to lay waste to the true Faith in this land! Your Order is
working to blacken my good name among the clergy and the flock! Your Order wishes
to put some New Believer heretic in my place so that he may poison people’s hearts
with his false teachings!”
“Cassius, every year more and more people in Magra and the rest of the Empire are
refusing to obey the merciless laws of the Old Faith. Our teacher, Patriarch Fotis,
preached in this very square, and it was in this very square that he was murdered —
but even that didn’t stop his teachings from spreading and gaining support!
“One day the New Faith will come to replace the teachings of Prophet Isatius. You,
too, will be replaced by a man chosen by the parish. But the Inquisition will still
stand guard to keep us safe from witches, apostates, and enemies of the Faith!
“Brother <username>, you should go. You will find nothing but lies and false
accusations here.”
You leave the square accompanied by Father Lennart. No one who was in the square
will ever forget that gesture or the words you spoke today.
A Sinner’s Confession
Dusk falls. After a hot day, the city begins to cool down. The skies grow darker;
the Pillar begins to shine brighter on the horizon. The people of Anizotte leave
their homes to enjoy an evening stroll.
This is what you see today from the windows of your ascetic lodging at the
Inquisition ward.\nHow many years has it been since you returned home? What have
you achieved in this time?\nEvery year, Magra descends even deeper into chaos. The
schism between the Old Faith and the New is tearing the Church apart. Patriarch
Cassius now openly opposes the Inquisition. And you are still not sure the report
against the patriarch was true.
You are running out of precious time, but the truth is just as elusive as it was
the day you came home to Anizotte.
If a priest has questions, who can answer them? Who can guide those who offer
guidance?\nA thin book finds its way into your hands: “Profound Revelation,” a
collection of all known speeches by the Elder preserved in writing by Prophet
Isatius.\nYou open the book, and your eyes find the words once spoken by a living
god.
“And the Elder said: I and Mine Own Brother did stand amidst the world, and
together We revealed Ourselves to them in the flesh. And we found them all
besotted, and yet they thirsted not, and sorrow did fill Our souls. For their
hearts were blind, and they did not see that they enter this world as empty
vessels.
“But now they are besotted. Should they reject the wine, they will beg for mercy,
but they shall have none. And My Brother shall judge them, and each shall obtain
retribution in the full measure of his deeds, whilst I remain apart in my sorrow.”
As you meditate over this line, you suddenly hear some sort of commotion on the
floor below. How strange… the Inquisition ward is supposed to be empty at this late
hour.
You hurry down the stairs.\nThere are several Champions of Faith dragging a chained
man down to the Inquisition dungeons.\nIt is your younger brother!
Nathan has been spending most of his time away from home lately. You are not sure
when you saw him last.\nHis clothes are torn and tattered, his unwashed hair is
tangled, and stubble covers his face. He is brazenly drunk, unable to stand. Even
from so far away, he reeks of vomit and urine.
“Inquisitor <username>! I didn’t think I’d find you here! My men caught this drunk
by a temple. People told us he was cursing at the Twins and pissing under Their
statues. We found him on his knees in a puddle of his own filth.\n“He must’ve been
praying for Their forgiveness, the fool. Even a child knows the Younger never stays
his hand.
“He’s so drunk, we couldn’t even get his name out of him. I’d let him sleep it off
before the interrogation if I were you.”
You thank captain for this information, but insist on interrogating the man right
away.
“As you wish. The night watchmen will be right here. Just give us a shout if you
need us.”
Nathan sprawls on the floor, motionless.\nYou hold a thin slab of silver in your
hands and pray to the Elder for a cure. The silver melts into thin air.\nYour
brother winces and squirms as if in pain, but soon grows quiet.\nHis eyelids
flutter open. His eyes are filled with animal terror.
“<username>? Where am I?”
You tell him everything Captain Agaronim told you just now, then ask Nathan to
explain what happened tonight.\nHe sits up, squeezing his knees to his chest. His
voice is very quiet.
“It’ll be a long story, brother. You won’t like it when you hear it. But… but I
don’t care. If it’s you, I’ll be honest.
“I’ve rejected the Twins. Several years ago now. Their Will and Love and Law mean
nothing to me anymore. Our Gods are merciless. Their Law is brutal, ruthless. Their
Love is an abuse. Their Will is tyrannical.”
What?! You cannot help but glance around the interrogation room. Are you sure no
one heard your brother’s blasphemy?
“I couldn’t live by the Lot of my birth like Isatius wants us to. I turned to the
New Faith and tried to find my own path to the Twins, but it just showed me I don’t
hate my path… I hate the Gods Themselves.
“I met a man once by the name of Father Mark. He was kind to me. He gave me the
answers I needed.\n“He guided me to the path I was looking for — a path away from
the Twins.
“Mark teaches that the Twins are nothing but absolute Will, and we’re all going to
be dissolved in it in the hereafter. Everything we are will be gone.
“Mark says that the mortal world is the only place where we’re free to reject the
Will of the Twins and live a life of freedom. Only here are we free to struggle
against Their merciless Law and the Love they force on us. Only here, in this
world, can people like me be themselves.”
Nathan cuts himself short. His eyes are filled with sorrow and disappointment.
“Mark never told us to pray or perform rituals. He told us to do everything we
could to forget the Twins exist. We need to set ourselves free from Their Will, to
be who we really are!
“And I believed him. I rejected the Twins… and I found my freedom. I became one of
Mark’s favorite disciples… you can’t even imagine how many important people follow
him! Even Patriarch Cassius — he follows Mark’s teachings too!”
You cannot believe your ears.
“Patriarch Cassius, he’s been helping witches, and people of other faiths, and
people like me. He gave us shelter to hide from your Order’s spies. He told us he
was happy to help somebody, anybody, be free from the Twins so we can live our
lives as we see fit.
“But there’s just one problem… most of us don’t know what to do with that freedom.\
r\n“You know, <username>, I’ve drunk so much wine, I’ve eaten all the food no
commoner is ever supposed to taste, I’ve made love to so many women and men, I’ve
felt all the pleasures I could find… but I’ve never found peace.\n“I was just
trying to drown out the cacophony of fear and desperation in my soul.”
He lets out a bitter chuckle and rolls up the sleeve of his shirt.\nThere is a
black circle around his forearm… your brother has known a lesser death.
“I’d been drunk for days when that happened. I don’t even know what killed me; can
you imagine? But that death woke me up.
“When I appeared before the Twins, I saw just how wrong I was. Mark… he took Them
away from me.\n“The freedom he gave me was just… nothing, an endless waste of life.
I’m already doomed to suffer — but I’m still not happy here, in my worldly life.”
Nathan points at his chest. He used to wear a symbol of the Twins there.
“Then I started drinking again. I tried to reject it, everything I felt. That’s
when I went to the statues of the Twins, screamed insults, asked Them questions…
why can’t I just accept Them? Why can’t They just accept me?\n“But, of course, They
didn’t tell me anything. They never listen — They just speak Their Word…
“Then I got down on my knees and begged Them for forgiveness, even though I know
They never, ever forgive…”
Nathan looks at you again.
“Brother Mark’s path wasn’t mine after all, <username>. But there are people, some
people, who don’t have a place in the world of the Twins. Please, I’m begging you,
have mercy on them. They’re already doomed in the hereafter — please let them live
their mortal lives in peace!”
Your eyes are fixed on your younger brother.\nThis is it — the answer you have been
waiting for all along. Have the Twins finally heard your prayers? And what do They
want you to do now?
Judge Nathan and find him guilty
Set Nathan free
Guide Nathan to the right path
The Law of the Younger knows no mercy. Nathan and all who have turned away from the
Faith will be caught, and they will be punished.
The Law of the Younger knows no mercy. But you do. You will let your brother go.
You are a priest — by your Lot, you must guide souls to the true path. Your brother
must help the Inquisition arrest Father Mark.
You do not mince words with Nathan. He will tell you the names of all of Brother
Mark’s disciples, the places where they gather, and the misdeeds they have
committed. Then he will face an Inquisition tribunal and learn his fate.\nNathan
lowers his eyes.
“No, brother. I will tell you nothing.”
He will not speak, no matter how much you press him. \nWhen the sun rises,
Inquisitor Ulrich and Sister Jeanne learn about the witness and the information he
has.
“We’ve got no choice, <username>. The heretic won’t talk — it’s our duty to guide
him to the right path.”
Inquisitor Ulrich walks towards Nathan. The door slams shut behind him.\nJeanne
touches your shoulder carefully.
“<username>, I’m so sorry… I can’t imagine how much it must hurt right now… but you
did what you had to do. Now we can only hope your brother won’t lose the Twins
again.”
Jeanne’s words are interrupted by Nathan’s screams.
It takes Ulrich three days to break Nathan’s spirit. You had no idea your little
brother could be so strong.\nYou spend those three days within the Inquisition
ward. You cannot bear to go back home.\nWhen you see Nathan again, there are no
bruises, no scratches — but his eyes are empty and blank.
“The apostate claims several Magran priests have sided with this blasphemous sect,
but he only knows a handful of them. Most of them are commoners or low-ranking
nobles — witches, mages, heretics, and weaklings who can’t bear the brunt of the
divine Law.
“We can use this against Cassius at the Sacred Conclave to get him found him
guilty. It’s time we put an end to his hypocritical sermons.
“I learned the time and place of Father Mark’s next ‘sermon.’ He’s had a falling
out with Cassius. Apparently, the patriarch is planning some act of sacrilege, but
he found no support with his mentor. We need to learn everything we can about his
plans.
“The place of that heretical sermon is the mansion of one Sir El Gauthier, just
outside the city. You’ll go there and arrest the apostate. But we’ll discuss the
details later.”
After a pause, Ulrich continues, his voice sounds more insistent now.
“And as for the trial of Nathan Brante…\n“His family may have been affected by
these heresies. Bring them here.”
You relay the news to your family. Mother nearly faints. Stephan, Gloria, and
Father are outraged.
“To the Foot of the Pillar with this! Even I never expected that dimwit to bring
this kind of shame upon us! I should have choked him to death when we were boys!”
“Be quiet! This isn’t his fault! We should have kept a closer eye on him…
<username>, how could you let the Order’s butchers get their hands on him?!”
“Enough! Both of you! Lydia? Are you okay?”
Mother gets to her feet, leaning on Father’s arm. When she speaks, there is a note
of grim determination in her typically quiet voice.
“Gloria, do not insult your brother. <username> was only doing his duty to the
Twins. Stephan, I ask you to show restraint. Nathan has stumbled — his retribution
awaits. But we are all his family, and we must be at his side.”
Mother has spoken. Together, your family leaves for the Inquisition ward. They
return hours later, having received guidance from your brethren.
Nathan stands trial before the Sacred Tribunal the same day.
“The punishment will be harsh, but your brother will live. I did my best to reduce
his suffering. He must perform the Walk of Shame through the main street of
Anizotte. He is a commoner — he will learn the Elder’s Love and the Younger’s Law
through suffering.”
At dawn the next day you and your family stand at the end of the main street,
waiting for Nathan. Jeanne is nearby — she will be the one to say when the
punishment is over.\nUlrich and Patriarch Cassius are there too, watching. Father
Lennart is among the crowd of common folk.
Citizens have lined up on both sides of the street — two long, thin rows of people.
It is every worshiper's sacred duty to participate in the punishment and help the
wayward soul find the Twins again. Men and women have brought rocks, broken
pottery, and chunks of wood. Children peek out from behind their backs, ready with
rotten vegetables and dirt.
Stephan does his best to remain apart from the rest of you. Gloria watches the
crowd with horror. Father’s eyes are averted, full of shame. Only Mother looks
straight ahead at Nathan, unblinking.
Two Champions of Faith push Nathan down the street with their spears, guiding him
along his path. Your brother looks down at his feet.
The first rock flies at him. Then another. Nathan recoils with each blow, but keeps
walking, his face shielded by his arms. Every step is harder than the last.
Bruises, cuts, and clods of dirt cover his skin, his blood dripping onto the road.
Nathan does his best to endure the punishment. His body, however, breaks before his
spirit. Your brother collapses on the road a mere dozen steps away. The rocks keep
flying. He cannot stand.
Mother can bear it no longer. She rushes to your younger brother’s side.
“You’ll kill him! Enough! Stop this!”
She falls to her knees and shields Nathan with her body. The rocks hit her. She is
in pain, but she will not budge.\nJeanne’s firm voice echoes over the crowd.
“The punishment has ended! Enough!”
The crowd falls still. A few belated clods of dirt still fly into the street, but
the eager children’s parents quickly shush them.
“Let them keep going! I say this apostate deserves a lesser death!”
“You have no say in this, Patriarch. The punishment has ended. The Inquisition has
spoken.”
The crowd slowly disperses, but Mother is oblivious to anything but her son. She
strokes his face, wiping away all the blood and grime.
“It’s all over, my son. It’s finally over. We’re going home now. All will be well.”
You assure Nathan that he has already been punished for his transgressions. His
path to the Twins has been full of suffering… but such is the Lot of the commoner.
“<username>… I don’t even know what to say! Thank you, brother!”
Nathan reaches out to you for an awkward hug.\nYou push him away, thinking about
how to get out of this predicament. If Nathan is left in the dungeon until morning,
Ulrich will surely get his hands on him…
You quickly walk upstairs.
“What is it, Inquisitor?”
The prisoner has confessed his misdeeds and is ready to be punished for them.
“Astonishing! I was certain it was impossible to get anything out of that drunkard.
What is his punishment?”
You sentence your brother to the usual punishment for drunkenness: seven days with
an iron chain around the neck. He will endure this burden and the shame that comes
with it.
You accompany your brother out of the Inquisition ward by the gray light of dawn.\
nNathan walks slowly. The metal ball chained to his neck weighs him down. Soon the
pain will make him scream, but this punishment is nothing compared to the crimes he
has committed.
“So, about Father Mark… Listen, he’s planning to gather his supporters at the
country mansion of a nobleman named El Gauthier.\n“There are usually several guards
at meetings like these, and they’re ready to sound the alarm at the drop of a hat.
They’ll definitely notice a group of men, but a single person won’t seem
suspicious.
“The password to the meeting is ‘Aylis.’ I heard it’s the name of a woman Mark used
to love…
“Talk to him. I think you’ll both have something to say to each other.”
You ask Nathan why he decided to share this with you.
“You have something the Twins don’t have.”
And what is that?
“Mercy.
“Mark isn’t a bad man. You’ll see. You helped me. Maybe you can help him too.”
You cannot promise that. Father Mark is an apostate and a renegade.
“I see…”
The next morning, your brother’s shame makes your family the talk of the town.
Stephan is livid, but the rest of the family just feels sorry for Nathan.\nThen, as
noon approaches, Inquisitor Ulrich sends for you. He wants to see you right away.
You meet at a chapel near the Inquisition ward. You are alone in the house of the
Twins.
“Surely you were not expecting to conceal yesterday’s incident from me? I have
questioned the witnesses. \n“Your brother’s actions called for a much severer
punishment. You allowed your feelings and family ties to outweigh your duty as a
servant of the Twins. This is unacceptable!”
Father Ulrich is right. You are ready to accept any punishment your mentor deems
necessary. But first, you have urgent news to deliver about Patriarch Cassius and
his apostasy.
Ulrich’s eyes grow wide. You tell your mentor about Father Mark and his connection
to the patriarch.\nThe inquisitor nods in approval.
“Very good. Your punishment can wait for now. Go find this Mark and take him to our
dungeons.\n“There’s not much time left until the next Sacred Conclave. If Cassius
is indeed a heretic, we must expose him before he is elected patriarch again.”
You ask your brother to recall your conversation by the tree in the family garden
all those years ago. He asked you about the Twins back then. Can Nathan remember
what you told him?
“Yes, I remember.\n“The Twins are always testing us, but they don’t hate us. They
came down to our world and taught us how to live. So Their Law contains Their
Love.”
That’s right. Without the Twins, there is no life, neither in this earthly realm,
nor in the hereafter. Those who reject the Gods die inside and can only eke out a
pathetic existence.
Father Mark and Patriarch Cassius are dooming the very people they’re supposed to
be fighting to save. They have failed their Lot and are now leading their flock to
the Foot of the Pillar.
But the Twins have blessed Nathan with a revelation that can save people. The Twins
showed Nathan a path to Them, and now they are giving him a chance to stop Mark and
his perverse teachings. The Twins want to save Mark’s erring apostates and return
them to the bosom of the true faith.
Nathan thinks deeply for a while, then answers.
“Very well, brother. If you promise not to punish these lost souls, but only offer
them salvation, I am willing to aid you.”
You ponder what to do about your brother. If Nathan stays until dawn, Ulrich will
surely get his hands on him.
“Surely you were not expecting to conceal yesterday’s incident from me? I have
questioned the witnesses. “Your brother’s actions called for a much severer
punishment. You allowed your feelings and family ties to outweigh your duty as a
servant of the Twins. This is unacceptable!”
The Renegade
It is quite late at night. The cold air of the desert burns your skin.\nYou are
accompanied by Jeanne, Captain Agaronim, and his Champions of Faith. You are on
your way to the El Gauthier estate. Father Mark will preach there tonight.\nYour
plan is almost complete — there are only minor details left to discuss.
“My squad and I will be right nearby. We’ll rush to your aid if you need us. Be
careful. We don’t know what to expect of these renegades. Try to arrest Father
Mark, but do not take any unnecessary risks.”
“Inquisitor, you are heading into the enemy’s lair to act as my weapon. When the
time comes, smite the heretics mercilessly with the power of the Twins.”
You promptly don inconspicuous travel attire instead of your usual cassock. There
are priests among Father Mark’s followers, but it is best not to attract attention.
You saddle up and ride toward the estate.\nThe entrance is guarded by armed men.
You give them the password and proceed to the courtyard.
You see several dozen people in the house. The cavernous main hall is lit by
flickering candlelight.\nYou see many commoners and a few noblemen seated around
the tables. You spot armed guards by the windows and doors.
You take a seat in the corner, far from the large groups of people, and await the
beginning of the sermon.\nA short, stout man steps up onto a little pedestal. He is
wearing the brown cassock of a clergyman, but without any symbols of the Twins.
The audience greets him with cheers.\nHe responds with a charming smile and raises
a hand, calling for silence.
“Greetings to you all.\n“I see some new faces among us. You came to this house
because you can find no refuge elsewhere. You came because you have question no one
is willing to answer.
“Why are the Laws of this world so cruel? Why is your life, regardless of your
estate, full of torment? Why are the ways of this world so unjust?
“And I answer: ‘Ye shall know the Tree by the fruits.’\n“The Twin Gods created this
world with their Will. The Twin Gods bestowed their Law upon us. The Twin Gods
filled the world with their Love. But their creation is unendurable!\n“There is no
mercy in it, no joy, no kindness. If the world the Gods created is so cruel, the
only conclusion is that we have very cruel Gods.”
A disturbed murmur buzzes through the audience.
“What the Twins do to us with their Will, their Law, and even their Love is a
violation. They take our lives away, subjecting our existence to their Will.\n“Our
happiness and joy is of no consequence to them, nor are our desires and hopes. All
they require is servitude and unquestioning obedience.
“After we die, the inevitable awaits us. We will be dissolved in their boundless
Will, submitted to their absolute Law and drowned in their merciless Love.\n“Our
will shall be no more. In the hereafter, there is no ‘I,’ just “They.” We will
cease to exist.
“So it makes no difference what we face after death.\n“Whether the Peak of the
Pillar or the Foot, it is all the same: eternity, dissolution, and oblivion.
“But despair not, brothers and sisters. As long as we have our worldly life, we do
exist. As long as we live, we can still discover ourselves and become what we want
to be, not what They want us to be.
“So we must cast aside the Twins and live our lives in this world without a second
thought for our cruel Gods! We are all doomed in the hereafter, hence we are free
now!
“I call upon you to rebel!\n“Without a spiritual rebellion, we will all become
slaves to Their Will for the rest of our lives, we will miss our only chance to
live beyond the bounds of Their pitiless Law, and our lives will be no different
from the hereafter that awaits us.”
The listeners meet Mark’s words with hushed awe.
“But be aware that the path of deliverance is hard. Freedom is a burden, and it can
break the spirit of even the most stalwart and wise.”
You think of Nathan lying on the dungeon floor.
“Patriarch Cassius was our brother and followed our teachings. He protected those
in need of salvation and freed those who could no longer bear the Will of the
Gods.\n“But Cassius embarked upon the path of rebellion in an attempt to become
like unto a God himself.
“I taught Cassius to forsake the divine Laws, but what he heard was, ‘make your own
law.’\n“I taught him to save those who suffer from the Will of the Twins, but he
heard, ‘subject the world to your own will.’
“Patriarch Cassius wants to defy the Twins and forcedly liberate people of their
oppression. His intention is to spread my teachings, turning them into a new prison
for this world.
“I tried to make Cassius see reason. But a man who considers himself equal to the
Gods is deaf to the words of a mere mortal. I cannot stand against him, and I will
not support him.\n“This is the reason I am leaving Anizotte and Magra. Tonight, we
meet for the last time.”
Mark steps down. He is instantly surrounded by people.\nIt is time to decide what
to do next.
Make a deal with Mark
Lure Mark into a trap
Capture Mark
Return to Jeanne
Mark will be allowed to leave Magra in exchange for evidence against Cassius
Nathan will help you lure Mark out of the house.
You must apprehend Father Mark by any means necessary.
You will not arrest Mark.
You patiently wait while everyone receives their admonition.\nOnly when Mark is
left alone do you approach the preacher.
“Good evening, young man. I don’t think we’ve spoken before, though your face does
seem somewhat familiar…”
Could it be that he recognizes the features you share with your younger brother?\
nMark’s eyebrows rise slightly, but he is still smiling.
“Ah, Inquisitor <username>, you are Nathan’s brother. Of course I remember you. My
pupil Cassius has a very particular opinion on you.\n“I presume you didn’t come
alone here, did you? So why am I not in chains yet?”
You respond with a direct offer: if Mark does not want to find himself in the
Inquisition ward, he will help the Order bring Patriarch Cassius to justice.\nMark
ponders your ultimatum.
“And what do you intend to do to me and my congregation?”
You reply that you are only interested in Patriarch Cassius at the moment. Father
Mark will be allowed to leave Magra and wile away his empty life until the Younger
sends him to the Foot of the pillar.\nMark sips his wine and nods.
“Cassius is going to commit sacrilege at the Sacred Conclave. He will defy the
Twins personally. The Gods usually disregard the voices of mere mortals, but the
voice of a patriarch during a sacrament might be just loud enough to reach the Peak
of the Shining Pillar.
“I will give you the names of the priests who share his ideas. They will tell you
more than I can.”
You carefully write down the names Mark lists, then alert the priest to the ambush
laid for him outside.
Father Mark and his followers leave the house through a secret passage they had
prepared. You are tied up and left to wait for help.\nThe Champions of Faith arrive
too late to stop Mark’s followers from fleeing.\nJeanne finds you in the hall.
“I told you not to take any unnecessary risks! Where are the heretics? Where is
Mark? Did you get any information?”
You tell her that you managed to overhear the names of several of Cassius’s
henchmen. Now that you know who they are, you will be able to extract the truth
about Cassius’s deeds from them.\nJeanne nods.
“Captain, send your men after them. Maybe you can still catch a few of them.
“Get up, <username>. We’ll have to question the priests you listed tomorrow. This
is our last chance to prove that Cassius is a renegade and bring charges against
him before the Sacred Conclave.”
You look for Nathan among the crowd. As promised, he is here, keeping quiet in the
shadows and trying to catch sight of you.\nYou sit down next to him. He flinches a
little and inadvertently touches his neck. The wounds from his punishment have not
healed yet.
“Oh, it’s you, <username>… I’m not used to seeing you dressed like that! Well, how
can I help? How can we save all these people who have lost the Twins in their
hearts?”
The first thing to do is to get Mark out of the house.\nNathan nods, perplexed.
“Father Mark likes to smoke his pipe outdoors. I’ll try to persuade him to take a
walk. I hope you know what you’re doing. Meet me at the back door!”
Nathan leaves the table and goes straight to Mark. You hope he will not let you
down.\nWith a glass of wine in your hand, you go outside and pretend to be enjoying
your drink and the coolness of the night.
The suspense is painful. Each minute lasts forever. Several people pass you by.
Eventually you hear some familiar voices.
“Your neck looks awful, Nathan! I’ve told you time and time again: drunkenness
isn’t freedom, it’s just another kind of yoke. The gifts of this world must be
enjoyed in moderation!”
You find the sliver slabs in your pocket and close your eyes for a moment, praying
to the Younger for a miracle.\nThe voices are drawing nearer still.
“You’re right, Father Mark. Don’t worry, I’ve learned a lesson I won’t soon
forget.”
The sound of their footsteps is very close now — you see Mark appear in the
doorframe.\nYou promptly lift your arms, allowing a miracle of the Twins to be
performed.\nThe burning hot silver disappears. A white flash lights up the night.
Jeanne will surely see the signal.
The preacher’s body falls to the ground. With a sharp cry, you order your brother
to get behind you.
You hear running footsteps. The Champions of Faith rush into the yard. A fight
erupts. You hear feet stamping and steel ringing all over the mansion.\nJeanne
walks up to you and points at Mark.
“Is that him?”
“Excellent.”
For the first time in a long while, a smile appears on Jeanne’s face.
You have to arrest Mark and wait for Jeanne to arrive — no matter what.
You step into the middle of the hall and make a loud pronouncement: in the name of
the Inquisition, everyone in this house is under arrest!\nThe building is
surrounded by Champions of Faith. Resistance will only lead to unnecessary
bloodshed!
People spring to their feet. The guards are bewildered. You continue to shout
orders, hoping that Jeanne will arrive in time.
El Gauthier, the host, draws up a curtain to reveal a secret door in the floor.
Mark and his entourage move toward the hidden exit.\nYou find a silver slab with
your fingers, say a short prayer to the Younger, and dash toward the heretic.
Without wasting a second, you implore the Younger. You raise your arms, allowing a
miracle of the Twins to be performed.\nThe burning hot silver disappears. A white
flash lights up the night. The preacher’s body falls to the floor.
El Gauthier gives orders to his men. Several guards run toward you. One flash after
another flies from your fingertips.\nThe men drop to the floor, bound by the power
of the Twins. The burning hot silver slab leave marks on your palms.\nWhere could
Jeanne be?
El Gauthier draws his sword and attacks you. You instinctively reach for a silver
slab, but do not have time to say a prayer.\nEl Gauthier’s blade slashes through
your face and chest. Your legs give way. You fall to the dirty floor, face down.\
nCold spreads throughout your body. Your vision is clouded by a bloody haze.
A few moments later a white flame flashes near you. El Gauthier falls down, bound
by the power of the Twins. Jeanne is here.\nYou draw your last breath. Then, all is
dark.
You awaken in the family crypt. Your clothes are laid out for you nearby. You can
hear the voices of Mother and Jeanne. They are conversing politely and take a
moment to notice your awakening.
“<username>, you’re back!”
“Get up. We’ve got work to do. We captured the heretic thanks to you.
“You know, before last night, I was sure that the greatest evil I’d ever face was
the false New Faith. But compared to Mark’s followers, the Fotis’s followers are
righteous, Gods-fearing people.\n“If Cassius has any connection to such a profane
heresy, we must mobilize all our resources to stop him. We can deal with Lennart
and the New Believers later.”
You can hardly do any good here. With such a huge crowd surrounding him, you cannot
arrest Mark on your own.\nTrying not to raise suspicion, you leave the mansion and
return to Jeanne.
“What are you doing here, <username>?”
You explain that you cannot capture Mark by yourself. There are too many people and
armed guards around.
“I see. Captain Agaronim, what should we do?”
The seasoned warrior smirks and shrugs.
“Charge in without hesitation. We’ve lost enough time as it is. But if they resist,
the heretics will have time to escape.”
“Well, let’s hope they see reason. Order the attack!”
With Agaronim in the lead, you approach the mansion. When you reach the gate, the
captain launches the attack with a battle cry.
The guards refuse to surrender without a fight. A ruthless battle begins all over
the mansion.\nYou say short prayers, appealing to the power of the Younger. Burning
silver slabs smolder away in your hands. One after another, flashes of white light
fly from your fingertips and bind your enemies with the power of the Twins.
In the heat of the battle you see heretics fleeing the mansion. They hastily leap
onto their horses and scatter into the darkness.\nBy the time you manage to quell
the resistance, the majority of people who attended the sermon have fled.\nThe
captives are being tied up.
“Well, is Mark among them?”
“To the Foot of the Pillar with all this!”
The Sentence
The morning is cold. At the entrance to the Inquisition ward you see a furious
crowd. Among them are both commoners and nobles.\nThe townspeople demand the
execution of the captured father Mark, and their numbers are quickly growing. The
Champions of Faith are guarding the doors from the mob.\nJeanne's angry voice is
heard from the stairs.
“Go away! The Inquisition will not allow mob rule! The investigation is still
underway, and only the Inquisition will decide when it ends!”
The mob is outraged.\nYou squeeze through the crowd. Jeanne gives you a nod. You
enter the ward together.\nYou ask: how is the Mark's interrogation going?
“Ulrich still won't let anyone into Mark's cell. It has been four days. I do not
know what he is doing there. \n“Meanwhile, Cassius gives one sermon after another,
accusing the Inquisition of harboring heretics...”
Jeanne suddenly stops. Ulrich goes up from the dungeons.\nThe hemline of his
cassock is splattered with blood. The senior inquisitor greets you with a contented
grin.
“The old man has finally told me everything I need. He turned out to be tougher
than I expected. But everyone has a breaking point.\n“So Cassius planned to
desecrate the sacred Conclave. He was going to address the Gods with the words of
heresy.\n“Mark gave me the names of the priests who promised to take his side.
Brante, you did much more than catching a dangerous heretic. With this evidence we
will bring down Cassius himself!”
“Father Ulrich, have you seen the crowd that gathers under our windows? Cassius has
been accusing us of inaction for days!\n“People came here to demand the execution
of Mark. If we have all the evidence we need, isn't it time to burn the heretic at
the stake?”
“Cassius cannot tell me what to do! The heretic will die when I let him die. And
that won't happen before we make sure he had told us the truth.\n“We have to find
everyone he has named. Let's start right now. I will visit the temples of the
Silver District. Sister Jeanne, you are going to the slums.\n“Brother <username>,
you shall stay to guard Mark.”
You walk down to the dungeons. A ray of sunshine from a tiny window casts some
light over the figure of the prisoner.\nMark looks drawn, his body mutilated. There
are bloody bandages on his hands. He is restrained so he cannot take his own life.
He is but a pale shadow of the once cheerful preacher. Only his eyes remain as
alert and perceptive as before.\nHe greets you with a gap-toothed grin and speaks
to you in a hoarse voice devoid of any rancor.
“Good morning, Inquisitor <username>. You know, I love winters in Magra. The snow-
covered sand looks so peculiar. In the morning, the horizon looks like a cake with
frosting on it. It’s too bad we can’t see it from here.\n“You know, your brother is
a good boy, but his spirit is weak. I wanted to ask you, <username>: how did it
happen? Where did I go wrong? Why did he betray us?”
You answer Mark’s question truthfully. You tell him that Nathan suffered a lesser
death and was freed from the delusion of his false teachings.\nMark responds with a
sad smile.
“So that was it… believe it or not, I have never suffered a lesser death. And it
seems I will not have a chance to.\n“Truth be told, I have always feared meeting
the Twins, and apparently I was right. We have no way to oppose Them there.\n“No
one is stronger than the Gods. So I can only forgive Nathan. I hope he finds enough
strength to forgive himself. Tell him that I hold no grudge against him.”
You hear the distant clamor of many voices through the window of Mark’s cell.
Hurried footsteps echo on the stairs. Captain Agaronim enters the hallway.\nHe is
deeply distressed.
“Inquisitor, a huge procession led by Patriarch Cassius is approaching the ward.
Apparently they want to pass judgment on Mark the heretic.\n“I commanded my men to
defend the main gate.”
The smile on Mark’s face fades away, replaced by sorrow or exasperation — the
bruises make it hard to tell.
“Another disciple who has betrayed me… but Cassius does not deserve my
forgiveness.”
The floor is shaking, resonating with the footsteps of the crowd.\nYou can hear the
patriarch’s voice faintly through the window.
“Follow me, good people. If the Inquisition cannot rid us of this heretic, we will
do it ourselves, for the glory of the Twins and their Law!”
The congregation echoes his speech. Not even a squad of Champions of Faith will be
enough to keep the throng at bay.\nYou need to act — and quickly.
Send for Jeanne and Father Lennart
Send for Ulrich
Release Mark from captivity
Hand Mark over
They will help you stop the vigilantes and make sure Mark gets a proper tribunal.
You can prevent Cassius’s assault if you join forces with your teacher.
The only way to save Mark from true death is to offer him a lesser one.
You hand Mark over to the furious crowd.
The people Cassius brought here are demanding that Father Mark be tried. It seems
that holding a tribunal is the only way to prevent the outraged crowd from
attacking the Inquisition ward.
You command the Champions of Faith to find Sister Jeanne and the other inquisitors
while the crowd is still far away. You also order them to bring Father Lennart and
his congregation to the Inquisition ward as quickly as possible.\nThese forces
should be enough to restrain the patriarch’s troops until the tribunal can begin.
“I can see what you’re planning to do, Inquisitor. I’ll send for them. What about
Inquisitor Ulrich?”
You shake your head. Your mentor has postponed this tribunal for far too long — he
may forbid it altogether now.\nAgaronim nods in understanding and hurries up the
stairs. You follow him.
The first to arrive at the Inquisition ward is Father Lennart. Jeanne follows
shortly after. For both of them, this meeting is utterly odd.
“Brother <username>, what is going on? What is he doing here?”
“Cool your ardor, Sister. I’m here to help.”
You try to avoid a quarrel. This is a moment when the entire Church of the Twin
Gods must unite against a common foe: Father Mark and his heresy. Otherwise Cassius
will steer the wrath of his congregation himself, directing it first against the
Inquisition, and then against the New Believers.
Jeanne and Lennart contemplate each other tentatively for a while.
“I will help you, Brother <username>.”
Jeanne agrees, albeit gloomily.
“Fine. What do I need to do?”
Time is of the essence.\nYou ask Lennart to come to Captain Agaronim’s aid. He will
address the congregation and appease their rage while Jeanne prepares Mark’s trial.
Lennart leaves the building. A moment later you hear his voice resounding over the
grumbling of the crowd.
“Cassius, my friend, why have you led these people here? And with a call to
bloodshed, no less! Is this in accordance with the common Lot you preach to your
flock?”
“I and the people who follow me bring the Law of the Twin Gods. Mark the renegade
must die!\n “The Inquisition is dragging its feet and will not hold a tribunal, so
it is my duty as the head of the Church in this land to smite the apostate!”
The loyal congregation roars in support of Patriarch Cassius.\nLennart responds,
his soothing tone unaltered.
“Only the Inquisition has the right to hold trial and punish priests. The fate of
this lost soul is in their hands.”
A few rocks fly from the crowd in Lennart’s direction — Cassius’s supporters are
outraged by the New Believer’s insolence.\nBut Jeanne stands by the priest’s side.
“Stop! Trespass not against your Lot! Rein in your wrath before it draws your souls
to the Foot of the Pillar!\n“You demand trial and punishment for the renegade. May
it be known that he will be tried and punished forthwith!”
Jeanne gestures toward a stake that has been prepared for Mark.
“Inquisitor <username> captured Mark the heretic. He will try the criminal before
your very eyes!”
You ask everyone to offer prayers to the Younger — these prayers are the beginning
of each sacred tribunal.
New and Old Believers alike kneel in prayer. Even Cassius is obliged to put his
hands together in the appropriate gesture. A harmonious chorus of voices
enunciating the holy words resounds over the streets.
The words of the prayer appease and soothe the crowd. The surging sea of people
grows calm.\nYou are not even interrupted when the inquisitors bring Father Mark
out of the Inquisition ward.
You ask Jeanne to deliver the speech for the prosecution.
“Honorable Tribunal of Faith! Among the ranks of the Inquisition, diverse ideas
about the true design of the Twin Gods coexist.\n“Some of us follow the teachings
bequeathed by Saint Isatius, and some have adopted the teachings of Patriarch
Fotis.\n“Yet we are united by a common understanding: the man who has been brought
before the tribunal today is a dangerous heretic and a renegade!
“Isatius teaches us that we must live by our Lots, by the divine Laws bestowed upon
us by the Twin Gods. But Father Mark teaches us to defy the very Gods and their
Laws, their Love and their Will.
“But what does a person have left in a world bereft of Gods? \n“What can fill the
void in his soul? Lust and debauchery? The pleasures of the table and other
excesses? Carnal delights?\n“Without the Twins, our souls can no longer find peace.
“Fotis taught his flock to find their own path to the Gods, and even if I do not
endorse these teachings, I can still see that they are born of a love for the Twins
and his flock.\n“But of what are Mark’s teachings born? What has driven this man to
encourage you to denounce the Twins and sacrifice your eternal souls?
“When I ask myself this, I can find no answer other than fear, pride, and
cowardice.
“Father Mark is a renegade. His teachings are among the most heinous and dangerous
ever created in the Blessed Arknian Empire.\n“Father Mark must be cleansed by fire.
His name and his teachings must be buried in oblivion.\n“The Inquisition and the
Church of the Twin Gods must set aside their differences and feuds to purge the
word of this poison!”
You ask if anyone wishes to defend Father Mark. All you get in response are shouts
demanding a verdict.
The apostate’s guilt is incontestable. He is sentenced to be burned at the stake.
Mark is tied to a stake, surrounded by a pile of dry wood. The exhausted preacher
remains silent. Only the accusatory glance he casts at Cassius betrays his
feelings.
You pick up a torch and hold it over the pile.\nWordly justice has been done. The
judgment of the Gods awaits.
You unclasp your hand. The flame spreads across the dry wood, crackling. The fire
blazes up. Mark perseveres for a while, but when the inferno enshrouds his body, he
screams in pain.\nHis last words are carried up into the winter sky.
“Naught but the prison of Their Will awaits you! Cherish every day as long as you
remain free!”
His cries die out. The crowd cheers.\nThe mantle of snow covering the sand turns
black from the ashes falling from the fire.
You command Agaronim to send for Inquisitor Ulrich.
“I’ll see to it, Inquisitor. What about Sister Jeanne?”
You shake your head. She would not understand the methods you and your mentor must
use.
You follow the captain to the yard.\nThe main gate is guarded by Champions of
Faith. They stand with swords and spears lifted, waiting for the approaching crowd.
\nAmidst the cacophony of furious shouts, you hear the patriarch’s commanding
voice.
“I and the people who follow me bring the Law of the Twin Gods. Mark the renegade
must die!\n“The Inquisition is dragging its feet and will not hold a tribunal, so
it is my duty as the head of the Church in this land to smite the apostate!”
You step forward.\nCassius gazes at you with a clear sense of superiority. He has
his entire congregation by his side, while you have only a handful of Champions.
“Inquisitor <username>, pray be reasonable. The citizens demand that the heretic be
put to trial. Why does the Inquisition defend him?”
Cassius takes a step forward. You remain motionless. You cannot allow your doubts
and fears to cloud your judgment. There can be no deliberation or appraisal, only
absolute certainty in your chosen path.\nYou tell the patriarch that he is not
allowed within the domain of the Inquisition. Nor are any of these people.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes are on the patriarch. His lips are trembling slightly. He
stares at the spears and blades.\nCassius is about to say something, but Ulrich’s
voice cuts him short.\nYour mentor makes his way through the crowd like a hot knife
through butter.
“The Inquisition is not subordinate to the will of the people. People are sinful,
foolish, and dangerous — especially when they are gathered in hordes such as this
one.\n“The Inquisition is subordinate only to the Will of the Twin Gods, Their Law,
and Their Love.”
Cassius struggles to answer, but cannot seem to find the words.\nYour teacher
stands by your side and addresses the crowd.
“Those gathered here today will spend eternity suffering at the Foot of the Pillar
for disobeying their Lot. The man you have chosen as your pastor is leading you
down the path of vice.\n“This is your crime, and the punishment is inevitable. You
will be punished in the name of the Younger. Now leave!”
Your teacher’s words strike fear into the hearts of the common folk. The crowd
begins to panic. Some retreat hesitantly, while others drop to their knees.
The crowd is dispersed within minutes. Cassius leaves too, his fists clenched in
perturbation.
“You made the right choice in sending for me, <username>. Cassius is weak. I saw
that today.\nWe got everything that we needed from Mark. Burn him at the stake at
dawn.”
Mark’s execution, much anticipated by the crowd, passes quietly, without drawing
any attention. \nThe exhausted preacher remains silent. Only the accusatory glance
he casts at the Shining Pillar betrays his feelings.
The inquisitors and the Champions of Faith watch as you pick up a torch and hold it
over the pile of wood.\nIt is time to pass the sentence.
In the name of the Younger, Mark, who once observed the Lot of the priest, is
hereby condemned to true death.\nWordly justice has been done. The judgment of the
Gods awaits.
The preacher’s eyes are fixed on the flames. You can clearly see fear creeping onto
his face. Strong as he may be, Mark now faces the inevitable.
You unclasp your hand.\nThe flame spreads across the dry wood, crackling. The fire
blazes up.\nMark perseveres for a while, but when the inferno enshrouds his body,
he screams in pain.\nHis last words are carried up into the winter sky.
The cries die down. The inquisitors bless themselves with the sign of the Twins in
grim silence. \nThe mantle of snow covering the sand turns black from the ashes
falling from the fire.
You command Captain Agaronim to join the Champions of Faith.\nYou only need a few
minutes. Then the Champions can let the crowd in.
Once you are left alone with Mark, you say in a low voice: people will burst in
here in no time.\nMark has only one chance to escape.
You have the power to condemn Mark to a lesser death.\nThen, after the rebirth, he
will be free.
Silence.
Mark’s lips tremble.\nHe tries to swallow, but his throat is too dry.
“I am afraid, <username>. What if I change? What if They break my will?”
There is no time to hesitate.\nEither Mark will escape through lesser death, or he
will be torn apart by the Cassius' flock.
Mark raises his eyes to the window.
“So be it, Inquisitor. It is better than burning at the stake.\n“Is it?”
You shrug.\nThis is the best you can do for him.
You make sure the dungeon’s halls are empty, then stand behind the preacher and
take a belt in your hands.\nMark closes his eyes. He is clearly trying to suppress
his fear.
“How clever, Inquisitor <username>. Strangulation, then? It is fast, isn’t it?”
You announce your sentence.\nIn the name of the Younger, the heretic Mark shall
suffer a lesser death for his crimes.
You put the belt around his neck and pull it tight. You strain your entire body to
hold the improvised garrote in place.\nA minute passes, then another. Finally, Mark
goes limp. A moment later, his body dissolves, leaving only a pile of rags behind.
When Cassius and his followers arrive at the Inquisition ward, you tell them that
they are too late.\nThe sacred tribunal has already taken place. The Inquisition
sentenced Mark to a lesser death for his heresy, and the sentence was carried out.
Cassius and his followers examine the cells suspiciously, but they are forced to
acknowledge that Mark is not here.
“Your sentence was too mild. That renegade should have suffered a true death in
flames for his false teachings! Well, your weakness will be made known to everyone
in Anizotte. I will see to that!”
Jeanne and Inquisitor Ulrich arrive at the Inquisition ward by noon.\nAfter hearing
your story, Ulrich shrugs indifferently. Jeanne, on the contrary, is furious.
“What?! Mark is an apostate! His teachings are a hundred times more dangerous than
the New Faith! He will continue to preach after his rebirth, you know! How could
you let him go?!”
“Calm down, Sister Jeanne. A death can sometimes be more instructive than a
thousand sermons. Mark will meet the Twins. No one returns unchanged from such an
encounter. \n“I think we’ve seen the last of him.”
You ask Agaronim not to resist the patriarch. Let them in.\nThe captain is clearly
startled by your decision, but dares not argue.
“Very well, Inquisitor. Don’t blame yourself, these things happen. Not every battle
can be won.”
You open the cell door and unchain Mark. You pull the heretic roughly to a standing
position and lead him up the stairs.\nMark stumbles and mutters under his breath.
“So, this is how it ends… just a little while left… a little more to endure. The
fire brings pain, but the pain is brief. And then, on the other side, it will only
be Them. I will be no more, so I will fear no more…”
The main gate is blocked by a phalanx of Champions of Faith. The crowd is roaring
on the other side.
“Squad, break ranks!”
Amidst the cacophony of angry shouts you can hear the commanding voice of the
patriarch.
You step forward, pushing Mark in front of you.\nYou are greeted by the mob’s
furious cries. A torrent of accusations and curses is hurled at the Inquisition and
the heretic you have been protecting all this time.
“You see before you a heretic who dared to defy the Twins Themselves! We will
punish him, for retribution is inevitable!\n“Give way! Make room for the stake!”
Cassius’s followers tear Mark from your hands. A stake is erected on the street in
front of the Inquisition ward, surrounded by a pile of wood.
You see Inquisitor Ulrich’s carriage stop in front of the ward, then watch as
Sister Jeanne makes her way through the crowd. You catch a glimpse of Father
Lennart’s white robe.\nAll of Anizotte has come to watch Cassius judge the heretic.
The parishioners are cheering and applauding their patriarch.
Cassius picks up a torch and holds it above the pile of wood.\nMark’s eyes are
fixed on the flames. You can clearly see fear creeping across his face. Strong as
he may be, the preacher now faces the inevitable.
“Heretic by the name of Mark, who once observed the Lot of the priest! In the name
of the Younger, I condemn you to true death for your apostasy. May your soul suffer
eternally at the Foot of the Pillar!”
The patriarch drops the torch.\nThe flame spreads across the dry wood, crackling.
The fire blazes up.\nMark perseveres for a while, but when the inferno enshrouds
his body, he screams in pain.\nHis last words are carried up into the winter sky.
The crowd breaks out into loud cheers. Cassius is breathing heavily.\nTurning his
back on his dying teacher, he walks away from the stake.
The screams grow quiet. The mantle of snow covering the sand turns black from the
ashes falling from the fire.
The Denunciation
The Inquisition ward that has become your second home now feels jarringly
different.\nJeanne is sitting on a crude bench, all hunched over, her face in her
hands. You stand by her side, still unable to believe that this is really
happening.
“Look. These… are our case files. Retribution is inevitable. We will face the
tribunal tomorrow.”
Without lifting her eyes, she hands you a couple of pages.
“…witnessed with my own eyes as Inquisitor <username> Brante and his Sister in
faith Jeanne indulged in debauchery beneath the canopy of the sacred Silver Tree…”
It is a denunciation. Someone saw you that night under the Silver Tree.
“Patriarch Cassius insisted on attending the hearing. And Ulrich will pass
judgment.”
Her eyes are full of angry tears. You reach out to touch her shoulder reassuringly,
but Jeanne moves away. She breathes deeply and pulls herself together.
“Answer him honestly. The Younger will be watching over us. Lying is out of
question.”
Should you acknowledge your guilt? Or is there a way to escape punishment?
Deny everything
Ask Archduke Milanidas for help
You confess everything that happened between you under the Silver Tree.
You call the accusation false and insist that someone is trying to slander you.
You will need a powerful protector to get out of this mess.
There are only a handful of people in the courtroom. They are all priests from
various Anizotte churches.\nYou stand before Patriarch Cassius and Inquisitor
Ulrich.\nThe inquisitor’s gaze is full of disappointment. The patriarch, on the
contrary, has a triumphant smile on his face.
The image of the Younger gazes at you sternly from the icon behind them.
“Let the tribunal begin. This shouldn’t take long.\n“Brother <username> and Sister
Jeanne! You stand accused of engaging in a depraved carnal liaison with one
another.
“Under the Silver Tree, no less. What sacrilege!”
The priests exchange whispers.\nYou feel the blood pounding in your temples.
“It is so, Patriarch. Still, this denunciation might well be an attempt to tarnish
our Order and nothing more — a slander concocted by someone who harbors a grudge
against the Inquisition.\n“Brother <username>! Beneath the gaze of the Younger,
tell us, your brethren and mentors in faith, what really happened.”
It is hard to keep calm.\nYou imagine that they are not here. Ulrich, Cassius, the
other priests — not even Jeanne is here.
You look into the face of the Younger and start relating everything to Him — the
whole truth.\nAs bitter as your shame is, you are indeed guilty, and penance must
be done.
Yes, you sinned. You yielded to the feelings that overcame you.\nYou deeply regret
the incident, but it was the Will of the Twins that led you to it, and neither you
nor Jeanne could resist it beneath the Silver Tree.\nIt happened but once. It never
happened again, and it could never happen again.
The room is silent. Cassius watches you intently, then lowers his gaze, concealing
a grin.\nInquisitor Ulrich’s nostrils flare angrily.
“What about you, Sister Jeanne? What do you have to say?”
Jeanne also speaks only to the image of the Younger. She stands tall, very
strained, her voice completely devoid of emotion.
“It happened just as Inquisitor <username> said. I have nothing to add to his
statement. I assume we will have to accept our punishment for this misdeed.”
“We have heard enough. Inquisitor Ulrich, what sentence would be sufficient for
these sinners?”
Ulrich remains silent for a moment.
“In the name of the Younger, I assign you the following penance: you will be
imprisoned. You will each spend three month in solitary prayer.\n“Your only
companions will be the Twins.”
The patriarch nods approvingly.
You leave the courtroom feeling exhausted.
“The Sacred Conclave is right around the corner. Do you think Patriarch Cassius
could be the one behind this denunciation?”
Does it matter? The Younger’s retribution is inevitable. It makes no difference who
carries out the punishment.
You summon all your fear and anger to announce, as firmly as you can, that you deny
all the accusations. They are nothing but vile slander!\nThe Inquisition’s enemies
are trying to besmirch your good names, but you are both innocent.
Jeanne looks at you in confusion. Cassius notices her bemusement.
“Sister Jeanne, you will now tell us what happened there.”
Jeanne stares at you in silence.
“Sister Jeanne?”
Jeanne shudders.
“I have nothing to add.”
The room is quiet. Cassius watches you with a probing look. Then he sighs in
disappointment, but remains silent.\nThe eyes of the Younger pierce you. He seems
to know all, to see right through your lies. You cannot escape your punishment.
“Well then… if, beneath the gaze of the Younger, the inquisitors deny having a
carnal liaison, how can we doubt them?”
Jeanne’s face is distorted in pain, but she says nothing. Cassius sneers.
“The tribunal is dismissed.”
Jeanne leaves the courtroom hastily.\nDid you see tears on her face?\nYou are not
sure.
No, you will not let Cassius get rid of Jeanne and you.\nArchduke Milanidas has
promised you his patronage. It is time to ask the great Arknian for help.
You find it hard to remain composed. Lying is futile, and Jeanne will refute your
words. Your only option is to confess…\nBut the moment you open your mouth, ready
to admit your guilt, the courtroom door bursts open. You hear a disdainful voice —
only Arknians speak so imperiously.
“In the name of Archduke Milanidas, ruler of Magra! I, Dorius Otton, demand an end
to this hearing!”
The priests exchange glances. Jeanne looks at you in bewilderment. Ulrich frowns.
The patriarch’s hands twitch nervously.\nNo one expected an Arknian to appear, let
alone Magra’s High Commander acting on behalf of the Archduke himself.
“Why have you come here, Sir Otton? This hearing is an internal Church matter. The
Archduke has no authority over it.”
The High Commander has not come alone. Several Legion soldiers are behind him, a
shackled old man in tow.\nThe Arknian snaps his fingers. The soldiers push the man
into the room and force him to kneel before Jeanne and you.\nThe commoner is
shaking with fear.
“I have come to defend the honor of Inquisitor Brante and Sister Jeanne.
“You see before you the author of the anonymous denunciation. All his statements
were false.\n“He saw two priests under the Silver Tree, but he did not recognize
them. He was forced to slander those two.”
Inquisitor Ulrich leans forward. His voice is sharp as steel as he speaks.
“Is this true? Your statement was slanderous?”
The man, pale, turns first to you and Jeanne, and then to Otton. The Arknian raises
an eyebrow.\nThe commoner whispers quietly:\n“Yes.”
“Hmm. Well, the truth has come out at last.\n“False accusations against an
inquisitor are a serious crime. The tribunal condemns you to have your tongue cut
out for your lies. Does anyone present oppose?”
Cassius says nothing. The situation has unexpectedly turned against him.\nIf it was
indeed the patriarch who orchestrated the denunciation, he might fear that any
further inquiry would reveal his connection to the case.
“If there is no opposition, the tribunal is dismissed.”
Jeanne hastily leaves the courtroom. You follow her, but Otton’s shoulder blocks
your way.
“I will tell you this once, Inquisitor: do not bother the Archduke again. His
gratitude is great, but it is not unlimited.”
The Final Step
Eight years have passed since your return to Anizotte. For eight years you have
served as an inquisitor.\nFor eight years you have struggled, facing trial after
trial.
The young seminary student is no more; only the you of today remains. All your
actions, all your decisions have lead you to this moment.\nThere is no more time
for investigations and interrogations. You have done all you could.
Today, on the eve of the Sacred Conclave, will you be able to stop Cassius on his
way to the patriarchate, or will you have to step aside and bear witness to his
victory?
Wait for the Conclave
You bring the patriarch to justice at an Inquisition tribunal.
You join forces with Abbot Lennart and his congregation to overthrow Cassius.
Unable to stop Cassius, you wait for the Sacred Conclave.
The Inquisition has become one of the major powers in the province in recent years.
You have enough evidence to confront Cassius. Retribution is inevitable. Such is
the Law of the Younger.
You attach your inquisitor’s medallion to your belt and leave your monastic cell.
Jeanne and Captain Agaronim are waiting for you in the yard of the Inquisition
ward.
“Squad! On guard!”
Jeanne smiles. She cannot wait to take the floor.
“Are you ready?”
“It is time to cleanse the sacred office of the patriarch.”
The dawn becomes morning. The door of Cassius’s home flies from its hinges.
“What are you doing in my home? How dare you barge in like this?!”
“Patriarch Cassius, in the name of the sacred Order of the Inquisition, you are
under arrest.”
The New Faith has become strong in recent years and is now edging out the teachings
of Isatius. Your name, now a symbol of the changes to come, is on the tip of every
Magran’s tongue.
The patriarch ought to be elected by his congregation. It is time to give the
people this right.
You leave the Inquisition ward at dawn.
Father Lennart meets you by the door of the temple.\nCassius’s guilt is undeniable.
You have found witnesses to all of his crimes. By exposing him, Lennart will be
able to unify his congregation and take the sacred title of patriarch from this
heretic.
You are painfully aware of your failure.\nYou did your utmost, but your efforts
proved insufficient.
Tomorrow Cassius will enter the temple by the Silver Tree once more.\nOnce more,
the clergy will grovel before him.\nOnce more, the Twins will gaze upon him, and
the heretic will speak to Them on behalf of his flock.\nNothing will stop him.
The Path of the Will
You stand in the midst of a crowd by the temple of the Silver Tree.\nYour long path
ends here.
Nothing can oppose the power of the Inquisition — neither the secular authorities,
nor the high-ranking clergy.\nEveryone in Magra knows your name. It is uttered with
trepidation and fear.\nThere is only one person who outshines you:\nInquisitor
Ulrich.
He knows no mercy; he makes no concessions; he never strays from his path. Today
Ulrich, the embodiment of the Inquisition, is to judge the patriarch of the
province.\nNo ones dares to interfere.
Patriarch Cassius has been chained to a stake, beaten mercilessly, in rags, almost
unconscious. He is to be burned alive.\nHe will have no chance to speak. His
congregation, so adoring just a while ago, will not have the courage to defend him
— they are too fearful of the almighty Inquisition.\nHis fate has been decided.
There was no need for a sacred tribunal, no need for a lengthy hearing and
carefully collected evidence.\nThese are but formalities, and, by Ulrich’s Will,
the Inquisition no longer needs them.
In the middle of an enormous sea of people, surrounded by inquisitors and Champions
of Faith, Ulrich seems invincible.\nHis unnaturally loud voice resounds over the
square.
“People of Anizotte!\n“For far too long, Patriarch Cassius has poisoned us with his
falsehoods. Beneath the mask of a Gods-fearing priest hides an apostate, a heretic,
a renegade!
“Today, the Inquisition will remedy the error of the clergy that allowed this
heretic to become patriarch. They will be punished for their error.\n“The Sacred
Conclave will no longer have the right to elect the patriarch. Henceforth, this
shall be the sole right of the Inquisition!”
Silence.\nAll you hear is Abbot Lennart’s lone cry.
“You cannot do this! The patriarch must be elected by his flock! He must earn the
trust of those who will follow him!”
Ulrich grins.
“This land is soaked in lies and filth, Abbot Lennart!\n“The heretic you see behind
me was chosen by the clergy of Magra. If your priests proved were blind enough not
to discern his heresy, how could mere laypeople unmask such an apostate?
“No, this is a burden the Inquisition must bear — to cleanse the cursed land of
Magra of all heresy. And so it is my burden too — I must lead this holy conquest!”
Ulrich raises a torch above his head.
“You will bow before my Will as you bow before Theirs.\n“You will obey my Law as
you obey Theirs.\n“You will accept my Love as you accept Theirs.”
Ulrich’s words echo repeatedly over the square. He throws the torch onto the pyre.
The flames are instantly ablaze.\nThe crowd freezes.\nIn his last moments, Cassius
screams with all his might.
“Do not tolerate the Will of another over you! Fight! There is no mercy in the
prison of the Twins — only cruelty!”
The deposed patriarch’s body squirms in the fire.\nThe entire crowd seems turned to
stone, paralyzed by the sight of his death. Terror is on all their faces.
Ulrich steps forward and raises a collar over his head.
“You, the sinful flock of a wayward patriarch, kneel and accept your new sacrament
— not that of the sword or the lash, but of the collar!\n“For I give unto you a new
Lot: the Lot to serve my Will!\n“You will no longer have the freedom to violate it!
“From now on, no other Will exists for you but my own. I shall become for you both
Love and Law. I shall lead you up the narrow, yet straight path to the very Peak of
the Shining Pillar!\n“For you, I shall become both the Elder and the Younger made
flesh!”
A peal of thunder echoes his words.
The sky darkens.\nThe ground shakes beneath your feet. Unable to keep their
balance, the people fall to the ground, shrieking and crushing each other.\nBlasts
of air blow in their faces. The wind wails in the branches of the Silver Tree like
a furious howl.
You hear the sound of a measured tread.\nOne step. Another. And another.
“My Will is the on—”
Ulrich chokes on his own words, as if an invisible knot has tightened around his
throat. He claws at his neck, scratching it until it bleeds.\nThen he falls to his
knees.
“My Will—”
The pyre behind him rises up in a whirlwind of flame and comes crashing down upon
the inquisitor.
Overcome by reverent awe, the people fall to their knees.\nThe flames subside. All
that remains are smoldering embers.
The Flame of the New Faith
All the New Believers of Anizotte have taken to the streets today.\nAn immense
torrent of people floods the square by the Silver Tree, where the acolytes of
Silvan Samosta have summoned them.\nThey are furious. They feel their power, and
they crave vengeance.
You rush to the square as well.\nOn every corner you see brawls and fights, traces
of blood, shattered windows, overturned carriages. The New Faith is asserting its
dominance over the Old.\nYou keep running. There is no time.
Neither Champions of Faith nor inquisitors are by your side. What has become of
them? Could they already be in the square? Or are they defending the ward against
the crazed New Believers?
A pyre is ready in the middle of the square.\nAmidst a pile of wood soaked in oil,
Patriarch Cassius is chained to the stake.\nHe has been beaten mercilessly, and his
clothes are in rags. He is barely conscious.
Commoners armed with axes surround him, preventing anyone from approaching. Only
old Samosta circles the patriarch, jabbing his fists into the air.\nEveryone is
listening to his hoarse cries, spellbound.
“We see before us the false patriarch Cassius, a heretic who has denounced the
Gods!\n“He has persecuted the followers of Fotis for years!\n“He has forced his
parishioners to shed blood in the name of the Old Faith, but he has no faith of his
own, neither in the Lots nor the Twins Themselves!
“So today the faithful will hold a trial for this heretic, and he will be justly
punished for his falsehoods and crimes!\n“The Gods have granted us the right to
purge this land of sin and choose a new shepherd for our flock!”
The crowd begins to shout.\n“Kill the apostate!”\n“Burn him at the stake!”\n“In the
name of the New Faith and the Twins!”
Suddenly, the people fall silent again.\nYou hear the brisk tapping of a staff
against the cobblestones.\nFather Lennart walks up to the stake. The axe-weilding
men make way and let him approach.
“Why, Silvan? Do not spill his blood! We can resolve this peacefully!”
Samosta’s face is twisted with rage.
“Peace is worthless unless it is defended with arms, Lennart.\n“We must fight for
our faith, or we will be slaughtered in our temples, just as we were on that tragic
night!”
“I will not be a patriarch whose path to the office is paved with human bones,
Silvan! I will not let you murder him!”
“This is not murder, Lennart. It is a court of justice, a court of all the
faithful, and the Twins whisper in my ear that They approve of this trial!”
Lennart takes a step toward the stake, but Samosta pushes him aside with a strong
hand. The abbot falls to the ground. The armed men block his path to the stake.\
nSilvan picks up a flaming torch.
“Tomorrow, on the day of the Sacred Conclave, we will elect our patriarch, the man
who will lead us to the Twins!
“But today, before the eyes of the Twins, we will execute Cassius the heretic!\
n“Brothers and sisters in faith, is this your will?”
The congregation shouts approvingly.\n“Death!”\n“Death to the heretic!”\n“Burn
him!”
Accompanied by the screaming crowd, Silvan sets fire to the wood. The flames rise
with astonishingly speed.\nIn his last moments, Cassius screams with all his might.
“You have defied the Lots, but you are still in the prison of Their Will! Fight
Them! Defame Their names! They know no mercy — only cruelty!”
The shouts of the crowd drown out his cries.\nThe back rows are pressing against
those in front. Drunk with the absence of restrictions, the people want to watch
the patriarch die.
You hear the clattering of hooves echo from nearby streets.
One after another, squads of armor-clad horsemen arrive in the square. You see the
banners of the noblest houses flying above their heads. They are followed by the
Champions of Faith.\nThe Noble Militia and the Inquisition have come to put an end
to the tyranny of the New Believers.
“Our Lot is to fight! Do not yield, brothers and sisters! We—”
A white flash. Silvan’s voice is cut short. In the spot where he stood only moments
ago, the figure Jeanne now towers.
There is a stampede. People scream in fear and desperation. Blades clink; horses
neigh.\nThe base of the Silver Tree becomes a battlefield.\nYou cannot tell how
long it all lasts.
Silence. The square is empty.\nThe bodies dissolve into shimmering mist. The light
garments of the New Believers remain on the cobblestones, slowly soaking in pools
of blood. The Silver Tree sheds its leaves over them.
The body of Patriarch Cassius slowly burns itself out.\nFather Lennart kneels by
the site of his enemy’s execution.
“This is not what I wanted, Cassius! Not like this!”
The Tribunal
The Inquisition ward is surrounded by a motley crowd. The most powerful people in
the province are here today.\nThe trial of Cassius is being held behind closed
doors. Only Magran clergy are allowed inside.
You are acting as the prosecution. By means of questioning, you are to expose
Cassius before the entire province.\nWith only a few minutes left before the
hearing, Jeanne walks up to you.
“I believe in you, Brother <username>. May this day be a fitting conclusion to our
years of hard work. The heretic must be duly punished.”
Cassius, surprisingly composed, sits in the middle of the courtroom.\nYou walk
around him in a slow circle, silencing the room with a gesture.\nYou offer a prayer
to the Younger and swear to be just in your prosecution.
Cassius smirks.
“I’m afraid your oath is entirely in vain. The Twins have no concept of justice.”
The audience murmurs in disapproval, but you raise your hand again, and the noise
dies down.
Your voice rings throughout the courtroom, piercing the tense silence.\nThe first
step toward unravelling the truth about the patriarch was an anonymous denunciation
stating that Patriarch Cassius has been spreading discord among the clergy of
Magra. He has lead them astray, compelling them to reject the Gods entirely.
You ask the patriarch if he denies this.
Cassius speaks, his voice full of contempt.
“No, I don’t!\n“I put the priests to the test with my words, one after another. I
mourned those who were still strong in their faith in the Twin Gods, for they will
never know a better life.\n“I welcomed and instructed those who could hear me.\
n“Believe me, brothers and sisters, there were many, and there will be many more!”
Angry shouts boom from the audience. \n“Heretic!”\n“We trusted you!”
Disregarding their cries, you continue your questioning.\nYou must remain calm.
Over the course of the investigation, the Inquisition established that Patriarch
Cassius harbored a pyromancer.\nWhat was the reason for this?
Suddenly, the patriarch sounds bitter. His voice loses the ring it had just a
moment ago, becoming quiet and hoarse.
“Because of the first lesson Father Mark taught me: witches cannot live in the
world created by the Twins. There is no place for them, neither in this world, nor
in the hereafter.\n“It was my duty to give them a chance to have a life, at least
in this world. To give them a chance to find happiness.”
The angry roar of the crowd is growing louder. You purposefully refrain from
quieting them. Everyone in the courtroom must be overwhelmed by contempt and hatred
for the defendant.\nThe people in the audience do not mince words.\n“Now you will
burn at the Foot of the Pillar just like them!”\n“Witch-lover! You deserve the
worst suffering imaginable!”
Cassius casts a disdainful glance at the audience. In spite of everything, he
remains oddly dignified.\nYou continue.
Patriarch Cassius has admitted to renouncing his faith and his service of the
Twins. But why did he maintain the image of a righteous Old Believer?
“Simple. I did it to support the schism within the Church.\n”The Old Faith, the New
Faith… they are both paths toward the cruel Gods — paths that lead nowhere.\n“Day
after day, I pitted you against each other. And even though I stand before this
tribunal today, you cannot deny that I have succeeded!”
Without waiting for the audience’s reaction, you promptly ask another question.
Why does Cassius hate the Gods so much? Why did he choose the path of heresy?
“After we die, we must face the prison of Their absolute Will. Only in this realm
do we have a chance to oppose Them. But instead, we continue living in that very
prison of our own volition.\n“Father Mark discovered the truth, but he was too
hesitant. We must defy the Gods, destroy the idols, burn the books that glorify
Them, obliterate Their names from history, and build a new world!”
The adherents of the Markian heresy and priests close to Cassius have stated that
the patriarch was planning to profane the day of the Sacred Conclave.\nWhat was it
he was planning to do?
“Oh, Inquisitor, I don’t think you’d understand me… I was going to change the
world.
“I was going to challenge Them. The moment They appeared in the temple to greet the
new patriarch, They would have heard me.\n“I would have liberated Magra, and then,
just as in the days of yore, the flame of rebellion against Their world would have
spread throughout the Empire!”
The priests of the Old Faith exchange remarks in an agitated manner. Those who have
known Cassius their whole life have trouble accepting the harsh truth of his
betrayal.
You call them to silence and announce that you have no further questions.\nThe
Inquisition demands that Patriarch Cassius be burned at the stake until his true
death.
The patriarch cackles, his hoarse laughter drowning out the shouts from the
audience.
“I regret only one thing: not being able to set this land free of the Twins! I
regret that the truth that was revealed to me remains beyond the comprehension of
others! I regret that I will not see Their temples torn down! I regret that I will
not hear the Twins defamed by every living person!”
“You have said enough! Stop this blasphemy!”
“Silence! Captain Agaronim, take Cassius away! This tribunal is over!”
Cassius is led out of the courtroom by the Champions of Faith, but the din of the
crowd grows louder still.
“There can be no better proof that the next patriarch must be chosen by the parish.
The clergy of the Old Faith have lost our trust!”
“Drop it, Abbot! That will never happen!”
Heated arguments continue.\nYou observe them, perturbed.
Despite your victory, you cannot shake a sense of apprehension.\nCassius’s
conviction has not ended the feud between the New Faith and the Old that has been
escalating for eight years.\nHow long will the Inquisition remain neutral?\nAnd
what will happen if you are forced to pick a side?
Cassius’s Downfall
“Cassius will deliver a sermon in the square by the Silver Tree at sunset, as is
customary.\n“Let us gather our flock and hasten there, Inquisitor <username>.”
The abbot’s appeal gathers half the city. Like the tributaries of a turbulent
river, the adepts of the New Faith flow through the narrow streets to join the
torrent that is the huge procession.\nThese people, led by their abbot, are here
for a common purpose: to depose Cassius.\nYou are a part of the power they
represent. It is a dizzying realization.
The square is full of Old Believers. It is so densely packed, there is no more room
for those who wish to attend.\nStanding on the stairs of the temple, Cassius towers
above the crowd, his trusted clergymen to either side of him.
“Brothers and sisters! For eight years I have borne the burden of the patriarchate
of Magra, and every day of those eight years I have prayed diligently to the Gods,
begging Them for mercy.
“But I see now that no mercy awaits us, only the wrath of the Gods. For the
teachings of Fotis, like venomous seeds cultivated by errant priests, have sprouted
among commoners and nobles — and now they are poisoning the entire Empire with
their bitter venom!
“Cursed be they who are called upon to defend the true faith, but have instead
nurtured heresy in their hearts!”
“Come, Brother <username>. The time has come to expose this heretic.”
The congregation stands aside, clearing a path straight to Cassius for you and the
abbot.\nYou walk toward the patriarch, disregarding the angry shouts. Your mission
is too urgent.
Lennart walks up the white stairs.\nHolding your medallion high in your raised
hand, you stand beside Cassius.\nIn the name of the Inquisition, you command that
his deceitful lips be sealed.
The patriarch falls silent, astonished by your sudden appearance.
“Every word you utter is a lie, Cassius! How dare you accuse others of heresy and
speak of the Gods when you yourself have strayed from the faith and befouled your
soul with apostasy!”
The crowd gasps.\nThe patriarch’s eyes narrow.
“Are you in a position to make accusations against me, New Believer?”
“Oh no, I am not.\n“But those who stand by your side, averting their gaze before
the implacable light of truth — they are. As are those you have poisoned with your
maleficent heresy.\n“Here they all are, before us!”
You gesture to the priests by his side.\nThey are speechless for a moment — then
fall to their knees.
Retribution is inevitable. Such is the Law.\nThese priests have confessed their
crimes to the Inquisition — now it is time for them to confess before the people
who put their trust in them.\nLet the people behold their fear and shame!
You hear grumble, whistles… the crowd is buzzing. The people do not comprehend what
is going on. They are frightened and agitated.\nThe priests lower their eyes.\
nCassius casts a bitter glance over those who have betrayed him, then raises his
hand with a sigh.
“Enough! I will not allow my followers to be humiliated. If you need the truth, I
will relate it myself!”
Lennart taps his staff on the ground. The crowd falls quiet.\nThe abbot’s voice
resounds over the square, piercing the tense silence.
“So, Brother Cassius!\n“Pray tell us: did you spread discord among the clergy of
Magra? Did you lead them astray, encouraging them to reject the Gods?”
Cassius replies, loudly and disdainfully.
“Yes, I did!”\n“I put the priests to the test with my words, one after another. I
mourned those who were still strong in their faith in the Twin Gods, for they will
never know a better life.\n“I welcomed and instructed those who could hear me.\
n“Believe me, brothers and sisters, there were many, and there will be many more!”
Angry shouts boom from the square. \n“Heretic!”\n“We trusted you!”
“Pray tell us: did you harbor sinful witches and give them shelter?”
Suddenly the patriarch sounds sorrowful. His voice loses the ring it had just a
moment ago, becoming quiet and hoarse.
“I did, and I am not ashamed of it!\n“The first lesson Father Mark taught me was
that witches cannot live in the world created by the Twins. There is no place for
them, neither in this world, nor in the hereafter.\n“It was my duty to give them a
chance to have a life, at least in this world.”
The angry roar of the crowd grows louder, the people’s cries becoming more and more
furious.\n“Now you’ll burn at the Foot of the Pillar along with them!”\n“Witch-
lover!”\n“Was this lunatic really our pastor?”
Cassius casts a disdainful glance at the audience. In spite of everything, he
remains dignified.\nLennart continues.
“So, you admit to renouncing your faith and your service to the Twins. But pray
tell your flock: why did you lie to us, maintaining the image of a righteous Old
Believer?”
”The Old Faith, the New Faith… they are both paths toward the cruel Gods — paths
that lead nowhere. It’s simple, brothers and sisters. I did it to support the
schism within the Church.\n“Day after day, I pitted you against each other. And
even though I stand before this tribunal today, you cannot deny that I have
succeeded!”
A shadow of sadness passes over the abbot’s face.
“But why, Cassius? Why did you choose the path of heresy? What made you hate the
Gods?”
“The scales fell from my eyes, Lennart. I saw that, after we die, we will find
ourselves in a prison of Their absolute Will. Only in this world do we have a
chance to oppose Them. But instead, we continue living in the same prison of our
own volition!
“Father Mark, my mentor, discovered the truth, but he was too hesitant. \n“We
shouldn’t just quietly slip away from their gaze. We must defy the Gods, destroy
Their idols, burn the books that glorify Them, obliterate Their names from history
and build a new world!”
Striving to calm the raging crowd, Lennart is almost screaming.
“There is evidence that you were planning to profane the day of the Sacred
Conclave! What were you going to do, Cassius?”
“Oh, Lennart, you will never understand me. I was going to change the world!
The patriarch’s words can no longer be heard over the roar of the crowd. Anger,
incomprehension, and sorrow distort the people’s faces. Many Old Believers are
weeping.\nTheir trust has been cruelly betrayed.
You step forward.\nThe Inquisition demands that Patriarch Cassius be burned at the
stake until his true death.
The patriarch cackles, his hoarse laughter drowning out the shouts from the square.
“You have said enough! Stop!
“You saw it all, you heard it all! There can be no better proof that the next
patriarch must be chosen by the parish. The priests of the Old Faith have lost our
trust — they elected a heretic to lead us!”
The people applaud Lennart. You hear your name amid their shouts of approval.
Under your command, Cassius and his entourage are marched out of the square. You
need to get them to the Inquisition ward before the crowd tears them to pieces.
When you leave the ward, you see Jeanne coming toward you. Her face is frozen in
fury, her fists clenched.\nShe is accompanied by Champions of Faith led by Captain
Agaronim.
“Never stand in my way again, Brante. When I look at you, I see neither a brother
nor an inquisitor. You have brought down one heretic only to elevate another. It is
a betrayal of everything we have worked for, everything we were, everything we
could have been.
“I have been indulgent with you all these years. But this is unforgivable. I will
not allow Lennart to become patriarch. Go, and never return.”
Jeanne walks back into the ward. The soldiers, once loyal to you, follow her.
Is this a victory?\nCassius may have been convicted of heresy, but his conviction
will not heal the division between the New Faith and the Old that has been growing
for the past eight years.
Will the Church ever be whole again?
Wrath of the Gods
Accompanied by Jeanne, you approach the temple of the Silver Tree. The square is
full of people. You hear cheers, the din of the crowd, and applause.\nToday is the
day of the Sacred Conclave.
The nobility, clergy, and common folk tirelessly support the current patriarch with
cheers and ovations. You and Jeanne have to force your way through the crowd to
reach the temple gates.
“It seems nothing has changed, <username>. Everything is just as it was eight years
ago.”
Her words sound bitter. You have no reply for her.\nBefore entering the Temple, you
touch the trunk of the Tree, as usual. It is shockingly cold.
There are over a hundred people in the temple.\nAll the clergy of Magra is gathered
here, from the abbots of Magra’s main temples to travelling preachers. Most of them
wear the black robes of the Old Faith. In the far corner of the temple you can see
several priests of the New Faith, but they are few and keep to the side.
You and Jeanne take your places in the first row. People glance at you with
distrust and contempt.
When Cassius enters the temple, the gates are locked. Everyone falls silent.\
nLooking at him, you can hardly recognize the man who became patriarch eight years
ago. His forced humility has given way to self-assurance. His voice has become
sterner and more severe.
The people stand to greet the patriarch. The white-clad priests of the New Faith
rise last.
The patriarch greets the audience with a dignified bow, and everyone takes their
seats.\nCassius slowly ascends the stairs to the alter of the Twins and kneels
before their images. The words of his prayer echo throughout the temple.
“Oh Heavenly Lords, givers of life! The Younger, Defender of the World, Judge and
Counsellor! The Elder, the spirit of Truth and Love, filling all with Your
presence!\n “We humbly abide by Your Law and by the three Lots of Isatius.\n “May
the righteous attain eternal bliss, and may the sinners suffer retribution without
mercy!
“Before your gaze, I hereby relinquish my authority as patriarch. Allow your
children to elect another to take my place!”
The air feels heavy, as though it is pressing down on you. The people remain
motionless, holding their breath.\nAn incredible, all-consuming silence falls over
the room.\nIn this silence, you can hear the faint patter of footsteps across the
temple.
The moment slowly passes. The illusion fades. The air becomes light again.\nA staff
taps against the tiles. Abbot Lennart approaches Cassius. You see despair in his
eyes.
The cup is full of white stones. An apostate will become patriarch of Magra!\nYou
feel so powerless, it makes you slightly ill.
“Then let the will of the Sacred Conclave be done beneath the watchful eye of the
Twins!\n“Father Cassius shall be our patriarch! He shall be our voice before the
Twins and our mentor in this worldly realm!”
“Before the image of the Gods, I hereby accept the burden of the patriarchate of
Magra!”
Cassius turns to face the images of the Gods. Some priests rise from their seats
and form a dense wall around him.\nThis is not part of the ceremony!
“What are they do—”
You hear the wrathful voice of Cassius above the confused murmur.
“So hear my voice, O Gods, and in my voice, hear those who follow me!\n“I, the
patriarch of Magra, speak on behalf of my congregation: from here to eternity, we
reject Your absolute Will, your cruel Love, and your merciless Law!
“You have no more power over us!\n“Your chains and your lashes are no more!\n“You
will quit this world at once!”
The agitated murmur turns to angry shouts.\nBut the priests loyal to the patriarch
repeat his words as though they were a well-known prayer, their chorus drowning all
other sounds.
“Listen, proud Gods! Repeat after me, people! Your power is no more!”
“Stop, you fool! Be silent! Repent your blasphemy! You will bring Their wrath down
upon you!”
You must stop this sacrilege before it is too late.\nWith Jeanne by your side, you
try to make your way to the patriarch, but suddenly the ground shudders beneath
your feet.
Unable to keep your balance, you fall to the floor.\nThe walls of the temple are
shaking. The lustrous decorations and heavy holy vessels come crashing down upon
the priests’ heads.
You hear screams as the ground continues to rumble. The air is thick again — you
cannot breathe.\nThe earth shakes once more.\nThe flames of the candles rise to the
ceiling, then fall in a fiery rain that washes over the mutinous priests.
Cassius is blazing like a torch. The glare is blinding.\nFiery flashes fall upon
the patriarch one after another, his frenzied cries now screams of agony.
The wrath of the Gods knows no mercy.
The burning figures tear around the temple in an attempt to save themselves. But
there is no salvation for them. Retribution is inevitable. Such is the Law of the
Younger.
Tears stream down Jeanne’s face. She is kneeling in the middle of the crumbling
temple, offering prayers to the Twins.
You close your eyes and bow before Their Will.
Evening Prayer
The Inquisition has lost what little power it once had in the province. Your silver
medallion no longer inspires any awe in people’s hearts — only disdain and rage.
It is a gloomy evening. You stop by a small chapel on the way home.\nWhat is your
duty now? Is the fate that has befallen the Order your fault?\nSeeking an answer,
you offer a prayer to the Twins.
The door behind you opens. The wind from outside blows the candles out. Half a
dozen silhouettes surround you in the darkness.
You hear an old woman speaking in a scornful voice.
“You are Brother <username>, are you not? Now listen closely, and repeat what I
tell you to the Order’s other hounds.\n“Stay away from our patriarch. We will not
allow your brethren to slander his good name. Understood?”
You can finally discern their faces and ragged clothing. They are clearly
commoners. But what right do they have to bear arms and ambush you?
Arrest them
Walk away silently
Remind them of their Lot
You will punish these insolent wretches for daring to threaten an inquisitor in a
temple.
You go home without engaging them in conversation.
They may be full of rage, but this is your duty as a clergyman.
You are in a temple of the Twins. They will protect you. This is a place where you
have no need of silver to tap into Their power.\nYou offer a prayer. A flash of
light pierces the darkness. Two men fall to the floor, bound by the might of the
Twins. The others are instantly blinded by the light.
You dash to the side and utter another prayer.\nThe woman comes at you with a
knife. The cold blade sinks into your flesh. Blood drips onto the floor of the
chapel.\nYou grab her hand, preventing her from striking again. Overcoming your
pain, you say another prayer. Frozen in place, the woman falls onto a pew.
You hear hurried footsteps. Two men are attempting to escape.\nYou pray to the
Younger, asking Him to unleash His fury upon those who have dared to spill a
priest’s blood in a temple. The men tumble to the floor.
As you pray to the Elder to heal you, gendarmes arrive.\nYou call out to them and
command them to deliver your attackers to the dungeons of the Inquisition.
The tribunal is held the next day.\nThe woman who led the attack is surprisingly
composed and confident.\nBefore passing sentence, you ask her what role Patriarch
Cassius played in the ambush.
“Patriarch Cassius did not ask anything of us. He did not need to. We know how the
Order works. If an inquisitor pays you a visit, a member of your family will be
burned at the stake the next day. You are no priests. You are murderers and
butchers.
“Patriarch Cassius is the only one in the whole city who isn’t afraid to stand up
to you, so you try to slander him. But our congregation will not allow you to
tarnish our patriarch’s good name. Get out of Magra!”
This fanatic seems to be sincere in her delusion. The last thing you want to know
is what gave this lowborn woman the right to take up arms and violate her Lot by
attacking a priest in a temple.
“My relationship with the Twins is none of your concern, Inquisitor. Fotis released
us from the Lots. If the Law does not exist, everything is permitted!”
Her last words summon a murmur of indignation from the audience. If this is how the
teachings of the New Faith are interpreted, the Empire will descend into chaos!
Raising your voice, you announce your verdict.\nAttacking a priest in a temple of
the Twins is tantamount to defying the Gods themselves. There can be but one
penance for such a crime: true death.
After the tribunal, Ulrich asks you to stay behind.
“Sister Jeanne, you were right. The New Faith in Magra can become a grave threat to
the Empire as a whole. Our Order is too small, and it is evident that we cannot
cope with this challenge.
“We must garner the support of the authorities. I will write to Overseer Gaius
Tempest and Archduke Milanidas.\n“While the Inquisition is weak, the noble militia,
gendarmes, and Legion will contain the spread of heresy in Magra.”
You have no intention of dignifying her demand with a response.\nSaying nothing,
you walk toward the exit, trying to ignore the intruders.
“Hey, murderer, are you deaf? You’d better answer, or you’ll regret it!”
Still silent, you walk between the men blocking the doorway and go outside.\nThey
follow you with threats and insults. But you have withstood this ordeal. You take a
deep breath and head home.
After taking off your cassock and saying your evening prayers, you are about to
turn in when you hear glass shattering downstairs.
Trying not to wake your family, you walk down to the first floor.\nYou smell
something burning. The sitting room is blanketed in smoke, fire slowly creeping up
the curtains and across the carpet.
You do not sleep that night. Your family and the servants pour water onto what was
once your sitting room.\nSomeone has scrawled the word “murderer” on the front door
of your house.
Father pulls you aside.
“<username>, I do not know what is going on in your Order, but this is
unacceptable. You have brought trouble to our home, the home I am sworn to protect.
Promise me this will never happen again.”
You promise Father that you will not endanger your family again.\nBut you are not
even remotely convinced that you will be able to keep your promise.
You are a priest, and your Lot is to admonish those who stray from the true path.
Overcoming your fear and the desire to flee, you ask the intruders to put their
anger aside and hear you out.
The path of violence will most certainly never lead them to the Peak of the Shining
Pillar. Bloodshed has never been the Lot of the commoner. Moreover, threatening a
priest in a temple is tantamount to challenging the Twins themselves.
“My relationship with the Twins is none of your concern, Inquisitor. I am free from
the Lots. If the Law does not exist, everything is permitted!”
The first blow hits you in the stomach. The knife sinks in to the hilt. They stab
you again. And again. And again.\nYour robes are covered in bloodstains. The pain
spreads throughout your body.
Eventually the knives stop. You fall to the ground. The last candle flickers before
your eyes.\nA gust of wind, and the candle is extinguished.
You see the ceiling of the crypt and Jeanne’s face as she leans over you. Your
family is behind her.\nJeanne’s voice seems deafening to you. Everything is too
bright and loud after a lesser death.
“Thank the Twins, you’re back! Do you remember who did it? We need to find them
right away!”
It is unlikely that you will. You did not see their faces, and the Inquisition does
not have sufficient resources or authority to get anyone to help them in their
search.\nSadly, this is partly your fault.
The New Sacrament
For the first time in years, the authority of the New Faith is on par with that of
the Old. The city is changing. Its people are changing too.\nAbbot Lennart is
beloved by the people. He has supporters in the city, among the peasantry, and even
among the nobles of the Mantle. They all want to see Lennart become patriarch.
You know that you can take some of the credit for this. The faithful no longer fear
the Twins — they proceed up to the Peak of the Shining Pillar along the path their
heart has chosen.\nAmong the ranks of the Order are many brothers and sisters who,
like you, openly support the teachings of Fotis and defend the New Faith.
Today Father Lennart is gathering his flock by the temple for a sermon.
“Our path to the Twins is a search for the Will, Love, and Law they have bestowed
upon us.\n“By means of the Word the Twins have bequeathed to us, we strive to
comprehend Their design and our place in it.
“May the Lash and the Sword remain things of the past, just like the Lots! Our
sacrament is that of the Word.\n“The Book will be the symbol of the New Faith.
‘Lives of the Twins’ will be the foundation of our sacrament.”
As soon as Abbot Lennart finishes his sermon, a familiar voice cuts through the din
of the crowd.
“New Faith! New sacrament! New patriarch!”
The parishioners echo Silvan’s cry.
“Pray right here on the street, preach to the people, spread our teachings!\n“Give
your neighbor the sacrament of the Book, and set them on the right path!\n“You are
free from the Lots — may everyone know this freedom!”
The New Believers take over the city in a matter of days.\nThey do not rob, loot,
or commit acts of violence.\nPriests, commoners, and nobles flood the squares and
street corners, preaching the New Faith and offering prayers to the Twins.
No one who walks the streets of Anizotte can fail to hear their Word: the Lots must
be forsaken.\nThose who wish to share the New Faith will obtain the sacrament of
the Book. Thus do the New Believers grant them the freedom to choose their own path
to the Gods.
This turn of events cannot remain unnoticed.\nHaving solicited the support of the
Overseer, Patriarch Cassius addresses the people of Anizotte.
“The sacrament is the foundation of the Law of the Twins, which is in turn the
foundation of our Blessed Empire. By rejecting the Sword and the Lash, the New
Believers have rejected the Elder and the Younger. Their new sacrament is a
rebellion against the order that the Twins bequeathed to us, and thus a rebellion
against the Empire itself.
“I hold the Overseer’s order in my hand. Gaius Tempest commands us to prevent any
change to the sacrament and punish those who persist in their sinful delusion!”
Jeanne echoes Cassius’s words before the brothers and sisters of the Order.
“The New Believers are not going to bow to our will without a fight. But our
righteous indignation is a manifestation of the Will of the Younger.\n“Punishing
those who trespass against the divine Law is our Lot and our sacred duty.\n“The
Prefecture’s gendarmes are on our side.”
But several brothers and sisters suddenly begin to advocate for the New Faith.\
nThey do not see the sacrament of the Book as a heresy. They also point out that
matters of faith are beyond the power of the Overseer. Gaius Tempest has no right
to give orders to the Inquisition!
Outraged by their words, Ulrich suddenly defends Jeanne.
“The Word is their weapon, but ours have always been the Sword and the Lash. Death
is a better admonition than a thousand sermons.\n“Tomorrow the Inquisition will
send those heretics to meet the Twins. There, they will know the light of truth.”
Appeal to the Overseer
Follow the Overseer’s order
Defend the New Believers
You ask Gaius Tempest to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
The Inquisition will force the New Believers to forsake their new sacrament.
You persuade your brothers and sisters in faith to defend the New Believers
You must prevent bloodshed. Despite the astounding insolence it represents, you
will have to address the Overseer directly.\nIf there is the slightest chance he
might hear you out, you must take it.
Only one person can help you.\nLate that night, you pay a visit to Augustin El
Borne.
You tell him of the Overseer’s order and the Empire’s plan to crush the rebellion
by force.\nIt must be prevented. The Overseer must negotiate with the New Believers
and appease the city!
“I have already had a conversation with the Overseer, <username>. Gaius Tempest
follows the teachings of Isatius to the letter, as do all Arknians.\n“But the words
of a priest might have an effect on him.
“The Overseer is in the city right now. I will arrange a meeting for you. But be
prepared for a chilly reception. Be respectful, and choose your words wisely.”
The next morning you arrive at the Overseer’s Anizotte residence, accompanied by El
Borne.\nIn the audience hall, you see the imperious Arknian seated on a small
throne.
You get down on one knee before him.\nGaius Tempest greets you with an icy glare.
“Who is this clergyman, Augustin? My time is valuable, and we have much to do.”
“This is Inquisitor <username> Brante. I implore you, Your Grace, hear what he has
to say.”
Gaius Tempest gestures for you to stand.
“Speak.”
Addressing a powerful Arknian and asking for a favor is already an act of
insolence. But you are about to point out his shortcomings. You freeze for a moment
in hesitation.\nBut you are a priest. Admonition is your duty.
You remind the Overseer that his Lot forbids him from deciding matters of faith.\
nInterpreting the Gods’ words and punishing heresy is the duty of the clergy. But
so far neither the Inquisition nor the Church have found the teachings of the New
Faith to be heretical.
For a nobleman, an attempt to give orders to the Inquisition represents a direct
violation of his Lot that can only lead to the Foot of the pillar.
Gaius Tempest’s face grows dark with fury and indignation.\nBut the Arknian regains
his composure and addresses you quite courteously.
“I appreciate your admonition, Inquisitor. But since you have decided to remind me
of my duty to my Lot, pray help me avoid an error in this matter.
“What should I do with those who would deny their Lot, and thus the estates
themselves? What should I do with those who would disrupt the Blessed Arknian
Empire with their teachings?”
The Overseer’s fear for the future of the Empire is understandable. But the New
Believers have no desire to rebel against the Empire or the Arknians.\nGaius
Tempest will see this for himself if he meets one of them.
The order issued by the Overseer will result in a massacre, and innocent people
will be killed. If he does not rescind his order, bloodshed, a desolated city, and
an outraged population are all Gaius Tempest will achieve.
The Arknian gazes at El Borne thoughtfully.
“Do you think he is right, Augustin?”
“I think that we should rely on a priest in matters of faith, Your Grace.”
The Overseer ponders this for a while, then makes an approving gesture.
“Prefect El Borne, go to the Inquisition and bring Inquisitor Ulrich to me. I will
inform him personally that I have changed my mind.\n“Also, summon Abbot Lennart. I
want to hear what he has to say.”
You heave a sigh of relief. Bloodshed has been avoided.
Later that day, Father Lennart gathers his flock once more. His sermon makes it
clear that his conversation with the Overseer was a hard one.
“Brothers and sisters, it is with grief that I tell you this: we must be humble and
leave the streets.\n“The matter of the sacrament is now in the patriarch’s hands.
Hence, as long as Cassius remains in power, the sacrament of the Book is
forbidden.”
Not everyone accepts this decision. Infuriated by this outcome, Silvan Samosta
leaves Anizotte.
The closing words of his last sermon before his departure are the talk of the town
for quite some time.
“I will no longer associate with cowards like Abbot Lennart. The Twins want us to
fight for the New Faith, not waste time in idle chatter!\n“Neither the abbot’s will
nor the Overseer’s can stop us!”
Some parishioners follow the elder when he leaves the city.
Life in Anizotte returns to normal. But your impertinence does not go unnoticed.
Archduke Milanidas and the noble families of Magra are indignant to learn that
Gaius Tempest would even consider negotiating with heretics. The result is disgrace
— for Augustin El Borne, your family, and those nobles who had already taken the
sacrament of the Book.
The nobles accuse the Inquisition of remaining idle and enabling heresy. Ulrich and
Jeanne have no arguments to the contrary.
Early in the morning, the clanking of armor resounds through the streets. You and
your brothers and sisters in faith accompany the Champions of Faith.
“Jeanne, <username>, go to the City Hall. The heretics have started to erect
barricades in the square. It is time to remind them of their Lot.\n“Meanwhile, I’ll
head for the Silver Tree. I will deal with Abbot Lennart and the New Believers who
have taken over the temple.”
You have almost reached the City Hall when you are forced to stop in front of
overturned carriages blocking the street. \nYou see New Believers led by Silvan
Samosta behind the barricades.
“Brothers and sisters, we will fight to the bitter end! The power of our faith
terrifies them. I can hear the Twins calling out to us. They are asking us to
fight!\n“Have no fear of the watchdogs sent by Cassius and the Overseer. The Gods
are on our side!”
They throw stones, oil lanterns, and torches at you from behind the barricades.\
nThe Champions of Faith raise their shields to protect the inquisitors.\nYou offer
a prayer to the Elder, asking Him to heal the wounded soldiers. Silver melts
between your fingers.
The fanatics attack you with a ferocity you would not have expected from New
Believers. The Champions of Faith draw their weapons.\nBlood is spilled. Dead
bodies are skewered on spears.
Your squad proceeds slowly, but steadily. You crush the barricades and the people
who stand in your way.
The fanatics’ untrained forces are scattered by the Champions of Faith. The New
Believers lose their nerve and retreat.\nThe brief, yet brutal battle ends in your
victory.
The square is littered with dozens of bodies. Most of them dissolve in shimmering
mist. They will receive their admonition and be reborn.
“I have seen this already, Brother <username>… I tell you true, I have seen it.\
n“The wrath of the Gods is nigh. If we do not stop the spread of the heretical New
Faith, the Twins will return to our world and bring Their retribution.”
It is very late at night by the time order is finally restored in the city.\nThe
New Believers in the temple of the Silver Tree voluntarily follow the Overseer’s
order.\nFather Lennart publicly denounces the new sacrament, thus maintaining his
office as abbot and saving his flock from slaughter.
Silvan Samosta is declared a traitor to the Empire. He fled he city after his
rebirth, and no one knows his current whereabouts.
The brothers and sisters who followed the path of the New Faith decide to leave the
Order. You are unable to dissuade them.\nThe bloodbath in the City Hall square —
the Inquisition’s handiwork — was the last straw for them.
You stand up to address the inquisitors.\nThe New Believers are not heretics. They
serve the Twins just as we all do.\nIt is the duty of the Order to protect the
faith — and now the New Faith is in need of our protection.
The Overseer has no right to interfere in matters of faith. He must be reminded of
this.\nThe Order must defend the New Believers’ right to the sacrament.
Your words resonate with both inquisitors and Champions of Faith.\nUlrich’s eyes
are ablaze with anger.
“You are making a mistake, brothers. The Blessed Arknian Empire will fall unless we
put an end to Fotis’s foul teachings!”
But his voice is drowned out by the shouts of the inquisitors. Persuaded by your
ardent speech, they side with you.\nJeanne watches in evident bemusement. She is so
furious, it renders her speechless.
The inquisitors and the Champions of Faith walk across the city, encouraging all
faithful to follow them. You move slowly so that your procession can be joined by
as many people as possible.\nAn immense crowd approaches the temple by the Silver
Tree.
You walk up the stairs and address the public.\nTheir fears are groundless. The
Inquisition has not come here to punish or admonish.\nToday the inquisitors and the
Champions of Faith have come to the temple to be admonished themselves.
The New Faith is a way to serve the Twin Gods, so anyone who defies it is defying
the Elder and the Younger.
Father Lennart and Silvan Samosta stand by your side, smiling.\nBefore the eyes of
the massive crowd, you take the sacrament of the Book.
The crowd cheers.\nOne after another, commoners and nobles step forward to give the
sacrament to the inquisitors and the Champions of Faith — tentatively at first,
then with growing confidence.
Standing side by side with Lennart and Samosta, you watch the jubilant crowd from
the temple stairs.\nYour head is spinning.\nThe sheer number of those who have
converted to the New Faith in recent years, people who can now choose their own
Lot…\nWhat an enormous force it is!
“This is the true power of faith! I can hear the Twins’ approval, Brother
<username>. Nobody can stop us — not that pig Cassius, and not the Overseer!”
Day of Wrath
Freedom — so intoxicating, so easily sliding into lawlessness.\nThe desire for
freedom infiltrates minds and hearts like a poison, leading people to commit
monstrous crimes.\nFreedom is like fire — in untrained hands, it can burn
everything down.
“Down with the patriarch and his watchdogs! Death to the Old Believers! Avenge the
blood of our brothers!”
The militant forces of the New Believers have gathered strength. Now that they are
strong, they have directed their anger at those they see as their enemies.
Desire for revenge, rage, and the exhilaration of lawlessness fill the hearts of
those who, until recently, lived in fear and knew no freedom.\nEnraged and drunk on
power, they barge into the temples of the Old Faith, knowing neither Lot nor Law.
The New Believers march through the city and ransack its temples. Blood is shed.\
nOn that day, many Old Believers suffer a lesser or true death in the house of the
Gods, and there is no mercy for them.
The Silence of the Gods
It is a rainy night.\nNeither the gendarmes nor the Champions of Faith are able to
stop the militant forces of the New Believers. This has been Silvan’s goal since
the day you met him.
You wait for Father Lennart by the entrance to the temple of the Silver Tree.\nYou
hear footsteps. The abbot hurries down a narrow street. He is exhausted, barely
standing. His white robes are covered in dirt.\nHis eyes are filled with fear.
“Brother <username>, you’re here! You came!”
The abbot enters the empty temple. The sound of the rain and the gentle rustling of
the Silver Tree calm you.\nLennart is reluctant to speak.
You ask the abbot where Silvan is now and what he is planning.
“Silvan found Cassius, Brother <username>. The old man is mad and will not listen
to me. Samosta believes that the Twins are guiding him. He is planning to kill the
patriarch.”
Lennart pulls at his hair. Tears run down his face. You have never seen him in such
a state.
“I never wanted this, <username>! I followed the teachings of Fotis and taught
people to find their own path to the Twins, to listen to Their Will, to accept
Their Love, to abide by Their Law…\n“And look where it led us!
“Now they are following this lunatic and shedding the blood of their brothers. They
demand to be led by someone with a sword or a lash!\n“They cannot live without it.
They don’t know how! They don’t want to!”
As if oblivious to your presence, Lennart kneels and crawls toward the statues of
the Twins, leaving a wet trail on the floor behind him.\nFrenzied, the abbot beats
his head against the marble tiles, appealing to the Gods.
“I know I can never be forgiven, and I will face Your wrath and Your punishment!
But give me a sign! Teach me, set me on the right path!”
The only answer to Lennart’s words are the patter of rain and the rustling of
leaves.\nThe Elder gazes gently, the Younger — sternly.\nThe Gods are silent.
Arrest Silvan
Do not stop the fanatics
Gather your strength and stop the crowd
You must stop this madness before the New Believers led by Samosta capture Cassius.
You will not save Cassius. Retribution is inevitable.
Silvan must be stopped.\nYou forcedly pull the abbot to his feet.\nWhere are they?!
“The chapel… the chapel by the north gate.”
You lead a squad of Champions of Faith across the city as rain pours down your
face. The people of Anizotte watch you with fearful looks.\nAround the corner, you
can see the chapel surrounded by New Believers. The crowd is led by Silvan Samosta.
The fanatics are armed and holding torches.
“He is here, brothers and sisters! He cannot escape us!”
When he sees the squad of Champions of Faith, Silvan Samosta only laughs.
“I told you! The Inquisition is no ally of ours. They’ve lost the trust of the
Twins, just as they’ve lost ours!\n“The Twins are on our side. I can hear Their
voice!\n“Smite those who no longer serve the Gods and have come here to defend a
heretic!”
Overcome by a fanatical frenzy, Silvan’s militants attack your squad. They have no
fear of death. They believe they are fighting for a just cause.\nThe Champions of
Faith can barely stand their ground against the onslaught of the frenzied mob.
“Yes, brothers and sisters, send them to the Twins! May the Younger judge them for
their sins!”
The doors of the chapel swing open. Patriarch Cassius takes advantage of the
commotion and flees down a side street.\nSilvan Samosta roars with laughter and
chases after him.
“Don’t let Cassius escape! Punish the heretical apostate!”
The militant forces are splitting up. You cannot lose them!\nYou dash after the
elder and the patriarch.
Hearing your footsteps, Silvan turns around.
A blow!
You feel a sharp pain. The blade of a knife slides deep into your body. It takes
everything you have not to lose consciousness.\nBut the righteous indignation
boiling within you lends you strength.\nYou push the elder to the ground. You
strike him. Again. The old man’s face is covered in blood. \nAnother blow.
“Stop, <username>! Don’t kill him!”
Jeanne’s voice returns you to reality. You feel weak. Your mouth is filled with
blood. Your stomach is burning with pain. Your life is slowly seeping from your
body.
Dazed, Jeanne tries to find the silver slabs with prayers to the Elder on your
belt. \nBut it is too late.
The last thing you see is the figure of Cassius looming over Silvan.
“You will die and meet your damn Twins soon enough, old man.”
You wake up. The air burns your lungs; your arms and legs feel heavy, as if made of
lead.\nWith a considerable effort, you awkwardly rise from the stone slab.\nJeanne
greets you in the crypt. She looks utterly exhausted.
“You’re back, thank the Twins. The execution is about to begin. Make haste.”
The sun is rising. An immense crowd is gathered in front of the temple of the
Silver Tree. People flood the adjacent streets.\nSilvan Samosta and his supporters
are tied to stakes, waiting to be burned. Despite his impending demise, the old man
is smiling.
Abbot Lennart stands, hunched over, surrounded by his visibly depleted flock of New
Believers. He tries not to meet the eyes of the people who are about to die.
Patriarch Cassius announces the sentence personally.
“For crimes against the true faith, for false teachings and brutal bloodshed,
Silvan Samosta and the other heretics are condemned to be burned at the stake until
their true death!”
“Now we’ll finally get a chance to warm up!”
“The Twins will embrace us! Eternal bliss awaits us at the Peak of the Pillar! This
is our path and our service!”
Dozens of pyres are lit, one after another. Screams of agony fill the square.\nThe
people of Anizotte watch the execution in silence.
You put a hand on the abbot’s shoulder.\nThe New Faith has liberated you from the
Lots. Everyone is free to choose their own path to the Twins now.\nIf Silvan chose
to preach and wage war, that was his choice and his service.
When Cassius dies, Lennart will lead the New Believers. The teachings of Fotis need
a strong leader, and the province needs a strong patriarch.\nOtherwise the New
Faith in Magra will be crushed.
“I did not wish for Cassius’s death. This is not how I wanted to become patriarch!”
You shake your head.\nCassius is a heretic and a renegade. He deserved to be burned
at the stake.\nSamosta will act as an instrument of the Twins’ Will, and the
patriarch will be duly punished.\nOnce this is over, it will be in Lennart’s power
to prevent such bloodshed from ever happening again.
“Patriarch Fotis was right… foolish is the shepherd who thinks he leads his flock.
Only the Twins can lead us…”
Lennart rises to his feet.\nYou hear the patter of rain and the rustling of leaves.
The Elder gazes gently, the Younger — sternly. The Gods are silent.
The Heretic
You have not seen Jeanne for days. Neither of you have had the courage to speak to
the other since the tribunal.\nShe has often been absent from the Inquisition ward
lately, which is alarming given that mere days remain before the Sacred Conclave.
You go to a small chapel early in the morning. Inquisitor Ulrich is waiting for you
there to discuss the upcoming trial of Patriarch Cassius.
You barely have time to greet each other before you hear the heavy footsteps of
armed men outside.\nThe doors fling open, and Jeanne enters the chapel accompanied
by Champions of Faith. She is holding a scroll bearing the seal of the Grand
Inquisitor.
“Inquisitor Ulrich, in the name of the Twin Gods, you are hereby accused of aiding
and abetting the Willist heresy. Like all Willists, you have corrupted our faith
and attempted to liken yourself to the Gods!\n“You are to appear before the sacred
tribunal at once. Follow me!”
You step back from the inquisitor. Ulrich raises an eyebrow in disdain.
“How dare you command me?! I abide by the Will of the Twins, and none other!”
“Yield, Ulrich!”
The Champions of Faith draw their weapons and take a step forward.
Ulrich’s voice fills the chapel. He does not yell, but the sound knocks everyone
off balance.
“I am Will. I am power. I know no obstacles, no restraints! Back away!”
His voice vibrates through your body. You are paralyzed with pain. Your bones
crack; your muscles convulse. A red haze blurs your vision.\nJeanne and the
Champions of Faith fall to the floor.
“I am leaving Anizotte. Do not try to find me!”
Ulrich’s words echo endlessly in your head. In your last moments of consciousness,
you see him dash out of the chapel.
After a while, you come to your senses. The Champions of Faith gingerly help each
other up, still dazed.
Jeanne approaches you and offers you her hand.
“I’m sorry for keeping this a secret from you. I suspected from the beginning that
something was wrong with Ulrich. But I only recently found out about the teachings
of the Willists — and then it all made sense. I spent the last few days gathering
evidence.
“The Willist heresy is among the most heinous teachings I have ever heard of. Once
a person decides to submit exclusively to the Will, forsaking Love and Law, he
becomes a monster drunk on power... Few things are more dangerous than this.
“Captain Agaronim, tell your men to stand down. There is no point in searching for
Ulrich. He has already left Anizotte.\n“We should focus on the patriarch.”
The Captive
It is the Inquisition’s duty to act as a sword of vengeance in the hands of the
Church, to inspire awe and trepidation in the hearts of sinners. But right now the
Order is too weak to protect itself even against the attacks of insolent minor
nobles.
Three days ago you received a denunciation from the village of La-Grasse claiming
that the new wife of Baron El Laberius is a magic-wielding witch.\nJeanne went to
see the baron and bring the woman in for questioning two days ago, but has not
returned.
Today the Inquisition received a letter from the baron.
“Inquisitor <username>, I have the deepest respect for the Inquisition, but I
cannot agree with the accusations against my wife.\n“Catalina is not a witch. She
is innocent — I give you my word as a nobleman. I have plenty of enemies. In their
eagerness to sully our good name, they often start ridiculous rumors that cloud the
minds of the peasants.
“Sister Jeanne refused to hear my arguments. I hope you will be more reasonable.
“Sister Jeanne is staying at my castle as an honored guest. Withdraw all
accusations against my wife, and Jeanne will return to Anizotte. I have no
intention of harming her — a promise which, incidentally, she refused to give me
regarding my wife’s treatment by the inquisition.”
Annoyed, you drop the letter on the desk.\nYour authority in Magra is already in a
sorry state. Acquiescing to El Laberius’s demands would mean publicly admitting how
weak the Order has become.\nBut is there any other resolution to this situation?
Abduct Catalina El Laberius
Seek aid from your parishioners
Withdraw the accusations
The alleged witch must be interrogated.
The righteous indignation of your flock will become a weapon in your hands.
Catalina El Laberius will be exonerated, and Jeanne will be released.
The Inquisition must regain its authority, no matter the cost. Otherwise, your
further service in Magra will become impossible.
You have to pay a hefty sum from your family funds, but a man by the name of Oliver
Moss assures you that he will deliver Catalina El Laberius to the Inquisition
ward.\nThe next day, you find the baron’s wife in a cell, awaiting interrogation.
A lengthy conversation confirms your hypothesis: Catalina is an ordinary woman.\
nThe accusations of witchcraft are merely a figment of the wild imagination of
ignorant peasants who have never seen a woman from the Empire’s northern provinces
before.
You send an ultimatum to El Laberius later that day.
He will set Jeanne free and publicly admit his trespass against the Inquisition, or
his wife will be convicted of witchcraft and burned at the stake.
The baron instantly agrees to all your demands and releases Jeanne.
You personally preside over the hearing in which El Laberius repents his crimes
against the Church.\nThe baron is sentenced to have his hand cut off for daring to
attack an inquisitor.
Your father, who, by virtue of his position as judge, is informed of all penalties
against nobles, does not hide his displeasure with your decision.
“Did El Laberius deserve such a severe punishment, son? He was merely trying to
protect his wife and the honor of the family.\n“Yes, you managed to instill fear in
many a noble heart. But along with fear comes hatred — which, in turn, will affect
the entire Brante family.”
You announce that a sermon will be given in Anizotte’s central temple.\nInquisitors
rarely speak publicly, so an unusual number of people gather for the occasion.
When you stand before the crowd, you feel awe, as though you have been filled by
some unseen force. Your thoughts become serene and clear. The words appear in your
mind as though of their own accord, and a metallic voice not your own emerges from
your lips.
You speak of the apostates and heretics who will face eternal suffering at the Foot
of the Pillar.\nOf the inevitability of death, judgment, and retribution.
You call anyone who turns his back on the Twins a criminal.\nAnyone who remains
silent and allows Magra to harbor renegades is guilty.
You encourage your parishioners to ward off fear and hesitation and bring vengeance
down upon those who sow the seeds of apostacy.
Your sermon fans the flames of hatred in the hearts of those who hear it.\nThey are
ready to rip the heretics limb from limb — they just need a target.
You tell them about Baron El Laberius, whose wife is accused of witchcraft. The
baron has abducted a sister of the Order and dared to threaten the Church. He must
be punished!
Later that day, the noble militia storms El Laberius’s castle. The baron and his
wife try to escape, but the raging crowd, agitated by your sermon, seizes them.\
nNow free, Jeanne brings them both to the Inquisition ward.
You find no sign of magic in Catalina El Laberius. She receives an admonition and
is released.\nThe baron is sentenced to have his hand cut off for daring to attack
an inquisitor.
A week passes before the nobles inspired by your sermon stop their rampage.\nIn
your appeal, they heard the voice of the Younger, and He leads them in battle
against the venomous seeds of the New Faith.\nMany of those who openly followed the
teachings of Fotis are forced to flee the city or hide. Father Lennart’s flock is
considerably depleted.
There is no other way. The baron is a powerful man with good connections. The
Inquisition will have to submit to his demands.\nYou write to El Laberius,
declaring the denunciation slanderous and withdrawing all accusations against his
wife Catalina.
Jeanne returns the next day, filled with rage.
“It was fairly obvious that Catalina is no witch. But how could you allow us to be
humiliated by the baron before all of Magra?!\n“Now all anyone will remember is
that we can be trampled into the muck! How can the Order protect them if it can’t
even protect itself?”
The Principle of the Will
The power of the Inquisition is growing in Magra with each passing day.\nYou
rejoice in the thought that you have contributed to this.
One evening, Inquisitor Ulrich comes to see you.
“Good evening, Inquisitor <username>. Tomorrow morning I am going on a little
pilgrimage to one of the most ancient temples of the Twins, not far from Anizotte.\
n“I would like you to accompany me.”
You meet Ulrich by the east gate at first light. Your mentor carries a pack of
torches behind his back. He hands you a heavy bag of water and supplies.
“Let’s go. It’s a long way. If we want to make it back before dark, we should
hurry.”
And so begins your journey deep into the desert.\nAfter Anizotte disappears
completely behind the dunes, you feel utterly lost. But Ulrich still marches on
confidently, never slowing down despite the increasing heat.
When the sun reaches its zenith, walking becomes an impossible task. Your throat is
dry, the hot air burning you on the inside with every breath you take.\nUlrich
climbs up one last dune and points at a small cliff standing tall amid the sand.
“This is it.”
Completely worn out by the heat, you trudge behind your mentor. He leads you toward
a small entrance to a cave and hands you one of the torches.
“It will be dark inside.”
The cave runs deep underground. Part of it is buried in sand.\nTrying not to fall
behind, you examine your surroundings as you walk.\nThe walls are covered with
pictures that look very ancient. The further down you go, the more images there
are.
After some pictures of creatures unknown to you, you see those of Arknians, humans,
and La-Tari.\nWhat is this place? Which eras and events are depicted in these
murals?
Eventually, the corridor ends. You enter a temple.\nIt is a spacious cavern. The
natural walls of the cave have been smoothed down and decorated with intricate
paintings. The largest image depicts two familiar figures.\nThe Elder and the
Younger.
Behind them, protected by the Gods, you see humans and Arknians. Other nations and
false gods burn at their feet.\nThe Younger smites His enemies with a sword,
enforcing the Law.\nThe Elder casts a sorrowful glance to the side. The denies His
Love to those who refuse to accept Him.
You are startled by Ulrich’s voice behind you. His words echo throughout the cave.
“Tell me, <username>, which aspect of the Twins stands above the others?”
You turn to your mentor, trying to comprehend the question.\nWithout waiting for an
answer, Ulrich continues.
“Isatius chose the Law as the foundation of his teachings. It was on this basis
that he constructed the theory of the Lots that now underpins our Blessed Arknian
Empire.\n“The New Believers see Love as the source of all existence and place it
above the Law.\n“But the truth is that both Law and Love are created by the Will,
as is everything in this world.
“This cave was the shrine of a people long vanished. They despised the Twins and
saw in our Gods the evil that destroyed their world.\n“But the history of this
civilization is buried in oblivion. The Twins destroyed all false Gods and those
who worshipped them of their own Will.
“There is no one else up there, only the Elder and the Younger. And there is no one
else in this world but humans and Arknians. Such is the triumph of Will over will.
Ulrich pauses. His gaze is fixed upon you.\nWhen he speaks again, his tone alters
subtly. The inquisitor seems to fill the cave with his very presence.
“But how can we serve those who are Will incarnate?\n“And what is the Will?
“Prophet Isatius gave us an answer to this question too — in the third volume of
his teachings, now banned by the Church and buried in oblivion.\n“Don’t be
surprised, <username>. The holy fathers were frightened by the teachings the
prophet gave us in the autumn of his years, but I will share his secret with you.
“Isatius said that the nature of the Will lies in struggle, in mastery, in power
over everything.\n“It was in a struggle between the Wills of the Elder and the
Younger that our world was born. By mastering someone else’s will, you gain your
own. The true path to serving the Twins entails power over the will of another.
“<username>, what would you do if you knew that only by breaking the Law could you
set foot upon the path of the Will? What would you say if you knew that only by
renouncing any will but your own could you serve the Gods?”
Disagree
The world is driven by Will — your entire life is proof of that. You are ready to
serve the Will from now on.
The Twins are more than just the Will; they are also Love and Law. You will not
walk a false path.
You look Ulrich straight in the eye.\nIt is indeed so. The Will is the source of
everything in this world. It is above the Law and stronger than Love.\nIt is the
true path of service to the Twins, and you are ready for it.
“Come hither, <username>.”
You step forward, unable to resist.\nYou are bound by his word alone. He has
uttered no prayer to the Twins, used no sacrificial silver.\nIs this truly the
power of the Gods?
With a cold smile, Ulrich draws a dagger.
He stabs you below the ribs. The cold steel slowly sinks into your flesh.\nBlood
soaks your clothing. You fall to your knees.\nThe sharp pain rips a scream from
your lips.\nUlrich lays a hand on your forehead.
“Fear not. Fear and hesitation are our greatest foe.”
The fear recedes. It is replaced by pain. With each passing second, you draw closer
to your death.\nUlrich reaches into his satchel, takes out a collar, and fastens it
around your neck.
“Death will not come soon. We will have plenty of time to do everything we need.
And then, when you are reborn, another Will shall guide you.”
Ulrich leans over you.\nHe speaks softly, but his voice fills the entire cave.
“I have chosen you, <username>. Now you are my disciple. The Will is within you —
my Will.
“We will purge Magra of heretics and renegades. Then we will purge the entire
Empire. \nOur Will shall bind the people of this Empire. Our Will shall bestow a
Lot upon them, a Lot they can neither renounce nor violate.”
The inquisitor straightens up.\nThe collar presses into your neck. You have trouble
breathing.
“You will not be able to remove the collar. Even after you die and are reborn, it
will remain in place.”
The burning in your stomach is insufferable now.\nYour vision goes dark. Ulrich’s
voice fades away.\nYou consciousness leaves you.\nYou die.
The crypt. Darkness. You feel the cold stone beneath your naked body.\nThe hot
collar is still around your neck. Invisible, intangible. Impossible to forget.
You are filled with an unfamiliar serenity.\nWhatever you might desire, whatever
you might strive for — it is all within your grasp. Your path is clear. Nothing can
stop you now. There is no hesitation, no fear. \nOnly the Will.
Under Ulrich’s gaze, you choke on your words. You cannot move.\nYour head is
spinning, as though you are walking into a hurricane. But you answer the
inquisitor.
The Twins are more than just Will; they are also Love and Law. Walking a path of
eternal struggle against another’s will, overcoming it and mastering it, means
rejecting Their Love. Defying the established order means defying the Law.
There is no service along the path of the Will. The path of the Will is an insolent
attempt to challenge the Twins themselves.
Ulrich scrutinizes you for a while, then nods.
“You are absolutely right, Brother <username>. The patriarchs of the Church made
the same judgement when they found out about this false teaching.
“I put your faith to the test, and it proved to be strong and unwavering.\n“Now let
us pray to the Twins.”
After a short prayer, you set out on the trek back to Anizotte. Ulrich remains
completely silent throughout the journey.
You relate your bizarre pilgrimage and Ulrich’s words to Jeanne the next day.\nShe
ponders them.
“You know, Brother <username>, that was a very odd test indeed. I think we should
gather some more information about our mentor. I’ll look into it. Perhaps our
brothers and sisters from Eterna can tell us something about his past.”
Privilege and Authority
The more powerful the Order becomes, the faster the tension between the inquisitors
and the civil authorities escalates.
It all starts with a small incident: you receive a report that a visitor from the
capital by the name of Alan El Corvio has fought a duel with a local nobleman of
the El Este family and killed him.\nThis story would be of no consequence for the
Inquisition if not for the cause of the duel: rumor has it Sir El Este accused Sir
El Corvio of heresy.
Inquisitor Ulrich promptly gives his orders, and the noble visitor is brought in
for questioning. You and Jeanne attend the interrogation.
Alan El Corvio is a slender, middle-aged nobleman wearing an elegant black jacket.
Firmly believing that he has done the right thing, he answers all questions freely.
“Sir El Corvio, a matter of faith has compelled me to summon here you for a little
conversation. Pray tell, what was the cause of your duel with Sir El Este?”
“I can see why you are concerned, Inquisitor. El Este called me a heretic, and I
couldn’t just let it slip. But I assure you, the arrogant fool’s insult had no
basis whatsoever.
“I am an adherent of the New Faith. Patriarch Luke can confirm my words. But El
Este was an uncompromising Old Believer, and an impetuous one at that. He dared
call me a heretic, for which he had to pay with his life.”
A shadow of enmity clouds Jeanne’s face.
“I have nothing more to tell you. I suppose we can end our conversation here.”
The nobleman is about to rise.
“Sit.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I told you to sit. You will leave when I say so.”
“What insolence! You have no reason to detain me here, and no right to give me
orders.
“I command you to release me!”
“As long as we have doubts about your innocence, you will remain in this room.”
“I told you everything. I don’t see any point in discussing this further.”
After half an hour of fruitless attempts to continue the interrogation, the three
of you leave the room to take counsel.
“He is guilty, and he is lying.”
“I am certain that he is not telling the whole truth. If he is a heretic, a duel
would be a fine way to get rid of a man who could accuse him.\n“But we have no
proof of his guilt. We will have to let him go.”
“No. Retribution is inevitable. If we let even one heretic go, we will appear
weak.\n“We cannot allow him to believe that he can renounce his noble Lot while
still retaining the privileges granted by the nobility. He will spend the night in
the dungeons. Tomorrow I will use enhanced interrogation techniques extract the
truth from him.”
As you leave the Inquisition ward, you meet Father by the gate. He seems agitated.
“We need to talk, son. Let’s take a little stroll, shall we?”
You walk silently in the twilight for several minutes before Father starts talking.
“I came here to warn you, <username>. That El Corvio fellow you detained… you
clearly have no idea of the wrath this could bring down upon you.
“Alan El Corvio is a figure of immense power in the Eterna court. He used to be the
Emperor’s head of security, no less. \n“The news of his arrest by the Inquisition
has already reached Magistrate El Verman. Through him, it will reach Archduke
Milanidas and Overseer Gaius Tempest.”
You thank Father and contemplate the situation.\nTomorrow the wrath of the nobility
could be unleashed upon you. If you do not have solid proof that El Corvio is
guilty, it might be wiser to let him go.\nBut would Ulrich agree to that?
Let the nobleman go
Support Ulrich
Fabricate evidence
There is no direct evidence proving El Corvio’s guilt, and torturing him will
aggravate the local nobles.
You will not let El Corvio go until you are sure he is innocent.
Manufactured evidence would be enough to deprive El Corvio of his noble patronage.
The next morning, you enter the cell in which Ulrich is selecting the tools for the
upcoming interrogation.
“Inquisitor <username>? I wasn’t expecting you this early.”
You tell Ulrich that you spent the night conducting an investigation of your own —
you questioned the nobles who witnessed the duel and talked to Father Lennart. Both
the nobles and the clergyman confirmed El Corvio’s story.\nAn enhanced
interrogation will gain you nothing. It will only turn the nobility of Anizotte
against the Inquisition.
Ulrich pinches the bridge of his nose.
“Have it your way, Brother <username>. I trust you.\n“But if we release a heretic
today, it will be on your head.”
When the disgruntled El Corvio leaves the ward, the city Magistrate himself, Remy
El Verman, greets him at the gate.\nHe is a man of advanced years. His face bears
the sharp, proud features so common among the old aristocracy.
“Good day, Sir El Corvio! Pray forgive us for this dreadful misunderstanding. The
Inquisition in our province is highly vigilant, and sometimes it comes at the price
of a certain degree of inconvenience…”
“I hope you will make an example of the Order and punish them for this audacity.”
The nobleman gets into his carriage. The Magistrate takes a step toward Ulrich.
“You should be more careful, Ulrich. You were lucky to have released him now. If
you had waited just a little bit longer, I would be unable to help you.\n“There can
be no more blunders of this sort.”
“This man is free only because he was proven innocent. The Inquisition serves the
Twins. There can be no greater power over us.”
Soon the entire city knows about El Corvio’s arrest and release.\nIn noble circles,
people start suggesting that supporting the Inquisition might be dangerous.\nStill,
if Ulrich had tortured such an influential person, the blow to your reputation
could have been much more devastating.
A few days later, Jeanne bursts into your room without knocking.
“You just let him go!”
What?
“I know everything, <username>. I checked — you never talked to the nobles or
Lennart! You just tricked Ulrich into letting El Corvio go!
“I won’t turn you in to Ulrich — I dread to imagine what he would do to you if he
discovered this lie. But you should remember the Law of the Younger: retribution is
inevitable.”
You reply with silence.\nJeanne waits a while, then lets out a disappointed sigh
and closes the door behind her.
Ulrich and Jeanne are right. It is the Inquisition’s mission to protect this world
against witches, heretics, and apostates.\nNeither the nobility, nor the civil
authorities can stop you.
Early the next morning El Corvio is dragged to the dungeons. Inquisitor Ulrich
begins the interrogation. You and Jeanne stay to the side, watching.
As noon approaches, El Corvio suffers a lesser death, unable to bear another
session of torture. He never confesses his guilt.
“I must admit, this man is either innocent, or so hardened in his heresy that even
the Inquisition is powerless against him.\n“Either way, he is with the Twins now.
An encounter with Them is more instructive than any sermon.
“I hope this lesser death teaches him a lesson, and the Twins return him to the
path of the true faith.”
As you walk upstairs, you run into a breathless man of advanced age. His face bears
the sharp, proud features so common among the old aristocracy. He is Magistrate El
Verman.\nHe is accompanied by several armed noblemen.
Upon seeing you, the Magistrate grows crimson with fury. The nobles draw their
swords.
“In the name of Overseer Gaius Tempest and Archduke of Magra Tarquinius Milanidas,
I demand the immediate release of Sir El Corvio. If you refuse, we will have to
resort to force!”
“There’s no need for that, Magistrate. The man you came to collect is with the
Twins now.\n“But rest assured, the Inquisition has no further questions for that
gentleman. El Corvio has been fully acquitted. I admit that the accusations of
heresy were false or the result of a misunderstanding.”
“Do you have you any idea what you’ve done?! He is a personal friend of Overseer
Tempest! He has the favor of the Emperor himself!”
“The Inquisition serves only the Twins. No title can excuse or protect those who
renounce the true faith!”
“But he wasn’t a heretic, Ulrich! You’ve gone too far! You will not get away with
this, Inquisitor!”
Unfortunately for you, the Magistrate is correct. \nOverseer Gaius Tempest swiftly
issues a decree that any arrest ordered by the Inquisition must be approved by the
Prefecture.
The next day the Inquisition ward is visited by officials from the Prefecture led
by Augustin El Borne.\nThey spend several month going over all the Inquisition’s
arrests and investigations.\nEl Borne proceeds with exceptional rigor, making it
quite impossible for you to continue your work.
Soon the entire city knows that a powerful noble New Believer was executed by the
Inquisition.\nThe followers of Fotis are terrified by the news, but not surprised.
Many of them hastily flee Anizotte and Magra.
You return to the Inquisition ward and carefully go through the items confiscated
from El Corvio before he was confined to the dungeons.\nYou find some envelopes
containing personal and business correspondence. This will do.
You grab a quill, ink, and a piece of paper and write a letter that will serve as
solid proof that your prisoner is guilty.\nThe letter will clearly indicate that El
Corvio came to Anizotte in order to find a certain sect. He was led by a burning
desire to take part in a pagan ritual.
You use your memories of the time you visited the La-Tari worshipers to fill the
letter with convincing details.
The next morning you enter the cell to find El Corvio slumped over in a chair,
unconscious. Ulrich is leaning over him with tongs in his hands.\nJeanne is
watching the interrogation from the corner.
You hand the letters to the inquisitor, including the counterfeit one you wrote
yourself.\nUlrich glances through the text, then lifts his eyes to you.
“Where did you find this letter? It was not among his papers when I examined them.”
This is not a letter one would keep in the open, you point out. You searched Sir El
Corvio’s belongings thoroughly and found a secret pocket inside the lining of his
jacket.
“Well done, Brother <username>.\n“Apparently, he did not manage to find any pagans,
but El Este grew suspicious of him, so he had to be eliminated. Well, we can stop
the interrogation.\n“Prepare the execution site.”
Jeanne nods.
Half an hour later, the execution site is ready.\nEl Corvio regains consciousness
as the acolytes are tying him to the stake. He blinks in confusion.
“What are you doing?! Why? Let me go! That’s an order! I’ve nothing wrong!”
“We serve only The Twins. Retribution is inevitable. Such is the Law.\n“El Corvio,
heretic and renouncer of the Twin Gods! In the name of the Younger, you are hereby
sentenced to true death. May you suffer for all eternity at the Foot of the
Pillar!”
Ulrich throws a torch onto the pyre. The flames rise, engulfing El Corvio’s body.\
nYou hear deafening screams of pain, and then the nobleman finally falls silent.
“What’s going on here?!”
A man of advanced age runs into the courtyard. He looks familiar — it is Magistrate
El Verman. His face bears the sharp, proud features so common among the old
aristocracy.
Upon seeing the burning stake, the Magistrate freezes in place. His face grows
crimson with fury.\nUlrich steps forward.
“A heretic was burned at the stake here.”
“What in the world are you talking about, Inquisitor?! He is a personal friend of
Overseer Gaius Tempest! He has the favor of the Emperor himself! Do you have any
idea what you’ve done?!”
Without engaging in a discussion, Ulrich gives the letter to the Magistrate.\nEl
Verman rips it from his hands, reads it quickly — and calms down surprisingly
quickly.
“A heretic, then… well, that’s where playing with the New Faith leads you. I was
suspicious of him from the start. And that duel… so this is what it was all about!
“But why didn’t you tell me this at once, Ulrich? Anyway, it doesn’t matter now.
Proof like this will be enough to persuade the Overseer to temper his wrath.”
El Verman leaves the ward. Ulrich stares after him with disdain.
The Inquisition serves only the Twins. Now this can be stated with certainty.\
nThere is not a single person left in all of Magra who will challenge your
authority. The price you have paid for this is irrelevant.
The Reflection
There are mere days left before the Sacred Conclave. Every day, as you walk the
streets of Anizotte, you see reverence in the faces of its residents. They bow to
you — some out of respect, others out of fear.\nThe Inquisition has never been so
powerful in Magra.
Ulrich summons you to his quarters. He has an urgent mission for you.\nYou enter
his cell and see your mentor reading a letter. It bears a seal with a wheel on it,
the symbol of the Secret Chancellery.
“The Secret Chancellery has done us a favor, my disciple. They’ve found one of
Cassius’s followers: Master Neuman. He is a nobleman of the Mantle and a famous
scholar.”
Master Neuman… you saw this name inscribed on the book about the La-Tari.
“Interrogate him and get the names of other apostates who support the patriarch.
After the questioning, sentence him to true death. The heresy spawned by Father
Mark must be obliterated completely.”
Taking two Champions of Faith with you, you head to the scholar’s house in the
heart of Anizotte.\nPeople duck down side streets upon seeing you. When you knock
on Neuman’s door, his neighbors quickly pull the shutters.
The young scholar lets you in shyly.
“How may I be of service, Inquisitor? Does the Order need my expertise on the
cultures of ancient civilizations?”
Instead of responding, you nod to the Champions of Faith.
The first hour of the interrogation is entirely fruitless. The scholar stubbornly
denies his guilt. He refuses to admit having any connection to Mark, Cassius, or
the La-Tari society.\nYou scrutinize the young man, trying to discern his
weaknesses.
You see carefully brushed blonde hair, clean skin… Neuman must take great care of
his looks.\nYou send for a mirror to be brought to the prison cell. Then you put
the scholar in front of it and choose a suitable blade.
“I have heard of you, Brother <username>. You serve the Gods. And this service
brings people suffering. But why do we need such gods? Why would we serve such
gods? Why do you do it?
“People do not need this hideous faith, nor these cruel gods. They need a drop of
humanity and mercy…”
You grab the scholar firmly by the hair.\nThe sharp blade slices his flesh.
Neuman’s nose falls to the floor. A shriek of pain echoes off the thick walls.
An ear. The upper lip. An eyebrow. The young man’s well-groomed face is transformed
into a hideous mask.\nNo, you will not let him slide into unconsciousness. Let him
behold his new face.\nThe names!
Eventually the pain, the realization of his helplessness and his imminent
suffering, break the heretic’s will.\nHe will name Cassius’s closest associates as
long as you stop the torture.
Neuman is carried away. You are left alone with your reflection.\nWhat?!\nNo, it
was just a trick of the light. You did not actually see Ulrich in the mirror. It is
just you.\nYour throat clenches at the thought. You hurry out of the dungeon.
You have a very long day ahead of you. Master Neuman’s execution, arresting and
questioning the people from the list…\nBut you are not tired. There is no
hesitation, no fear. Your path is clear. Nothing can stop you now.
The Triumph of the Will
Mere days remain before the Sacred Conclave, where Cassius’s fate will be decided.\
nAfter that, you and Ulrich will bring order to this cursed land.
The Inquisition ward has become the bulwark of the Church and the power you and
your mentor hold over the city.\nYou have come a long way. Your work is almost
done.
You enter Ulrich’s room, but your mentor is not in his prayer cell.\nThere is a
heap of papers on his desk — letters from the Inquisition of Eterna.\nYou catch a
glimpse of a torn envelope with Jeanne’s name on it.
Letters for Jeanne… why are they here?
After making sure you are alone, you quickly go through the papers.\nYou see
interrogation results. Copies of letters. Notes from sermons.\nOn top of the pile
you find an excerpt from the holy writ of the third, forbidden volume of Isatius.
These documents expose Ulrich as a servant of the Will.\nWith these papers, any
inquisitor could build a case for the tribunal.
“So, have you examined all the papers yet, <username>?”
The inquisitor is standing behind you.
“Sister Jeanne contacted my enemies in Eterna and asked them to send her these. As
you can gather, she suspects us. This could be a threat to our cause.
“But she will not act until she gets the papers. So we need not worry. We have
ample time to dispose of Jeanne.\n“We will have to deal with Cassius afterwards, of
course.
“Will you eliminate Jeanne? I command you to answer truly, disciple.”
The collar tightens around your neck.\nUlrich’s gaze is fixed on you.
Renounce Ulrich
Submit to his Will
Overcome Ulrich's Will
You have no intention of obeying him.
You promise to do whatever he asks.
You gather all your strength to break free from your master.
No.
You will not submit to his Will anymore.\nYou choke on your words. The collar is
strangling you.
Ulrich grits his teeth.
“Think again. Your disobedience is foolish. We are so close to our goal…”
No. You will accept his Will no longer.
Ulrich’s gaze is cold and imperious. His voice reverberates in your head.
“Very well. I accept your renunciation.
“Die.”
You feel pain in your chest. Your heart skips a beat.\nHot blood erupts from your
mouth. The collar is closing around your neck. You cannot breathe.
“Do not resist. It will only prolong the agony.”
Your body goes limp. Every movement requires more and more effort.\nIs this really
how you are going to die?
No!
The collar shatters into tiny pieces. You fill your lungs with air. Vigor streams
into your arms and legs. \nThere is no hesitation, no fear. Your path is clear.
Nothing can stand in your way now.
You dash toward Ulrich, grab him by the face, and jam your thumbs into his eye-
sockets as hard as you can.\nA shriek of unbearable pain echoes around the room.
You throw Ulrich against the wall.\nDie!
Ulrich clutches at his chest, his face distorted with pain. A moment later, he
slumps to the ground.\nThe body remains in place. Your teacher has died a true
death.
The next day is like a dream.\nYou stand trial. Jeanne defends you at the tribunal,
using the papers from Eterna as evidence. She exposes Ulrich as a Willist heretic
and a deadly menace.\nYou are acquitted.
You spend a few days at home, semi-conscious. The fight left you utterly drained.\
nYour nights are sleepless. You watch the Shining Pillar from your window.\nDid the
Gods land that last blow, or did you compel Ulrich to die by your own Will?\nYou
cannot say.
The news about Ulrich’s death spreads throughout the city instantly. The people of
Anizotte are overjoyed, as though they have all removed their own steel collars and
can breathe freely once again.\nThe ruthless butcher of the Inquisition is dead.
Ulrich’s death has deprived the Inquisition of a number privileges it has become
accustomed to in recent years. Some of your fellow inquisitors and Champions of
Faith flee Magra, fearing the wrath of the nobility.
You and Jeanne will lead the Order in Magra from now on.\nThe power of the
Inquisition is in your hands.
You bow your head reverently.\nYour mentor’s Will be done.
“Excellent, <username>. Forget all your doubts. Your Will is your weapon. Use it!”
You go to the chapel at the Inquisition ward.\nYou know Jeanne prays there every
evening in solitude.
You send the Champions of the Faith out of the ward, under the pretense of
searching for another supporter of Cassius.\nNo one will interfere with your plan.
It is late evening. Door creaks. You cross the threshold.\nOnly the radiance of the
faraway Pillar illuminates the chapel. Jeanne is on her knees before the altar.\nAs
your shadow falls on her, you hear a fragment of her prayer.
“O Younger, guide him! Lead him away from the wrong path—
Jeanne hears your steps and quickly stops praying.\nShe gets up, straightens the
kerchief on her head, and smiles at you.
“I was just thinking about you, <username>! Didn't expect anyone coming here at
such a late hour.\n“Have you been looking for me? Do you want to talk?”
You do not respond.\nSilence. Jeanne looks at you, puzzled.\nTime seems to stand
still.
The smile disappears from Jeanne's face.\nShe quickly jumps to her feet and grabs
the silver slab.
Jeanne's palms are burning with a white glow.\r\nBut you won't give her a chance.
“On your knees.”
Your quiet voice fills the entire chapel.\nYou don't scream at Jeanne. You don't
need to.
You are the Will.\nYou are strength.\nThere are no restraints. No shackles.
Jeanne convulses in pain. Her bones cracking, muscles cramping. She falls to her
knees.\nA desperate scream bursts from her chest.
“Damn you, heretic! The Gods will punish you!”
You raise your eyes at the faces of the Twins under the chapel dome.\nJeanne is
wrong. You and Master Ulrich are the true servants of the Twins.\nAnd she must be
silent!
Unable to resist your voice, Jeanne stops screaming.\nYou take the whip from your
belt and approach her from behind.
You wrap the leather tail around Jeanne's neck and start to strangle her.
Jeanne wheezes silently, unable to call for help.\nYou read your sentence slowly.
Inquisitor Jeanne dared to confront you and Master Ulrich. She had stood in your
way, planned to destroy you.\nYou sentence her to true death.
A sudden trembling seizes your body. Do you truly have the divine power to execute
anyone who resists your Will?\nBut another moment passes, and your doubts disappear
without trace.\nEverything is as it should be.
Convulsions stop. Jeanne goes limp and falls to the floor.\nLife has left her
fragile body.
Now no one will prevent you and your teacher from purging Magra from the heresy of
Cassius.
Night of Sword and Lash
You are awakened in the middle of the night by loud noises and shouting.\nYou
quickly slip on your cassock and run outside.\nYou smell something burning. People
with torches in their hands run past you, wearing capes bearing the symbol of the
Church of the Twin Gods.
Several buildings on your street are ablaze — the homes of New Believers.\nThe
torch-bearing crowd is moving toward the Silver Tree. You dart after them as fast
as your legs can carry you.
At the next corner, you stumble upon a brawl.\nThree armed man have surrounded a
man with grey hair wearing a bathrobe. A young man lays on the ground at his feet,
bleeding — his son, presumably.\nYou see encircled crosses on the murderers’
clothing.
You run through the city, fires and skirmishes all around you. It's as though a war
has broken out and some unknown enemy has infiltrated Anizotte.\nBut these enemies
dwell within the city itself.
Houses are burning. There is shouting, weeping, blood everywhere. \nA family with
many children is tearing through the square in a panic.\nA wounded man is lying in
the street, screaming for help. No one notices him.\nUnder a street light you see
the bodies of those who have died a true death stacked up like cordwood.
You run, avoiding any altercations.\nWhen you reach the square under the Silver
Tree, you see an immense, angry crowd.\nThey have surrounded the temple.
“Heretics!”\n“Heresy! Heresy!”\n“Death to the heretics!”
In the spot where Patriarch Fotis died stands a delicate brunette in a hood.\nShe
is brandishing a torch and calling out to the crowd.
“The time has come to purge this sacred place of the false teachings of Fotis! The
Church and the Inquisition tolerate their lies. But we — we will not allow the
heretics to desecrate the temple of the Silver Tree with their presence!”
The woman points at the temple.
“We will go against our Lot and accept the punishment, but we will purge the city
of heresy!”
Her appeal is met with vigorous cheers. The crowd starts moving. \nAbbot Lennart
and his flock have locked themselves in the temple, but the gate will not hold the
angry crowd back for long.
Admonish the angry crowd
Lead the New Believers out of the temple
Let the fanatics take over the temple
You try to stop the people by preaching to them.
You will save the New Believers and hide them in your own home.
There is nothing you can do to stop this from happening.
You dash in front of the roaring crowd and climb onto the platform to get their
attention.\nThe fanatics fall silent, then notice the silver inquisitor’s medallion
on your belt and begin shouting again.
“This is all your fault!”\n“You let this happen!”\n“You failed in your duty!”
You try to appease them.\nJudging matters of faith is the priest’s Lot! Fighting
and killing is the nobleman’s Lot!\nThe commoners must lay down their arms, leave
matters of faith to the clergy, and return to their humble labor as the Twins have
decreed!
You feel a sharp pain in your right side.\nTurning your head, you see the girl who
had encouraged them to break into the temple standing beside you.\nShe is holding a
knife. Blood is running down the blade — your blood.
“We do not trust those who defend heretics!”
There is a moment of silence. The frantic crowd breaks out into an angry roar.\nYou
fall down onto the platform.\nDarkness envelops you.
A heartbeat. An intake of breath.\nThe ceiling of the family crypt. The moist cold
of the stone slab.\nJeanne is by your side. She helps you up.
“<username>, you’re finally back! I was so afraid the Twins would take you to the
Peak. After what they did to you at the temple, the Gods could have deemed you
worthy of eternal bliss by Their side…
“Those fanatics ripped your body to pieces. But then they got cold feet.\n“They
didn’t dare to attack the temple.
“The Champions of Faith and I got there too late — the ringleaders had already
fled. We dispersed the crowd as best we could and led the people out of the
temple…\n“I still don’t understand… how could they have gone so far?”
Jeanne falls silent for a moment.
“The people haven’t forgiven us for our inaction. We have allowed this heresy to
fester for far too long. We are the reason they acted so horribly. This is all our
fault.
You ask Jeanne to help you home. Leaning on her arm, you stumble across the yard.\
nAn acrid stench lingers in the air. The neighboring houses have been burned to the
ground.\nYour yard is covered in ash.\nIt looks like a blanket of snow.
Jeanne once told you that, on the other side of the Silver Tree, hidden among the
roots, is a secret passage to the temple. You can only hope that no one from the
mob finds it first!\nBut the fanatics are busy trying to break down the gate. No
one is looking at you.
Completely unnoticed, you sneak into the temple.\nThere are a couple dozen people
inside. A tall woman in a white robe cries out when she sees you.
“Who are you? How did you get here?”
You tell her not to fear — you are here to help. You ask her where the abbot is.
Lennart and the acolytes are barricading the door of the temple with pews. The
abbot waves at you.
“Brother <username>, please save these people if you can! We can’t hold the door
much longer!
“Brothers, sisters, follow the inquisitor. I will stay in the temple to the end and
try to bring the fanatics to their senses. Sister Matilde, take care of them!”
“Yes, Abbot!”
Making your way down the narrow passage, you think about where to lead these
people. Their houses are most likely on fire right now. The Inquisition ward? No,
it is too far.\nYour own home is nearby. Your family must be awake — the commotion
on the street is far too loud. But is it wise to take these people home?
One after another, you lead the New Believers out of the temple. You tread along
the edge of the square carefully.\nIf you go unnoticed now, you might be able to
escape down the side streets of the Temple District…
“Get them!”
There is no time left. You dash toward your house.\nThe fanatics run after you.
Here it is. You lead the people inside and barely manage to lock the gate behind
you.\nMoments later, the wood is cracking beneath their furious blows.
Your mother is peeking out the window, frightened. Father runs out to the yard,
sword in hand. Stephan follows him.\nYou cry out to them to lock the shutters and
hide in the cellar.
The frightened New Believers huddle by the walls of your house.
“Son! Who are these people?!”
You can barely hear Father over the cries of the crazed attackers. Rocks and
torches are hurled over the gate.\nWindows shatter. Fire runs up the shutters. The
old shed is ablaze; several bushes in Mother’s garden have caught fire.\nThe crowd
is about to break in.
“Squad, attack!”
The Champions of Faith! Finally, they have come!
The commoners who were pursuing you with howls of rage are not prepared to confront
a squad of armed nobleman.\nThey drop their weapons and flee. The Champions of
Faith follow them.
Your legs go limp. Blood is pounding in your temples. You are exhausted. You long
for silence. \nBut it does not come.\nYou still hear the crackling of the spreading
flames and your brother’s yell.
“Damned heretics! Curse you for all eternity! Put out the fire!”
Together you manage to douse the blaze before it can spread to the rest of the
house. Nevertheless, a considerable part of the building will have to be repaired.
“Thank you, Inquisitor… we do not have the words to express our gratitude. Thank
you. We have to go… our families are waiting.”
“Get lost!\n“<username>, why did you bring them here? It’s a miracle we weren’t
killed! Now we’ll be known as protectors of heretics — as if I didn’t have enough
shame as it is!”
You do not reply to your brother. His reproach is justified.\nBe that as it may,
you and a group of innocent people survived the night.
The sun rises.\nThe windows are shattered, the walls covered in soot. An acrid
stench hangs in the air. The neighboring houses have been burned to the ground.\
nYour yard is covered in ash.\nIt looks like a blanket of snow.
You are powerless to stop this.
The crazed horde breaks down the temple door.
The fanatics take the books out of the temple. Their clothes are stained with
blood.\nThey leave red trails behind them as they tread on the white marble of the
square.
A massive pyre is lit in front of the Silver Tree. The books are thrown into it.
Father Lennart tries to bring the people to their senses, but his voice is drowned
out by the enraged roar of the crowd.
“Burn the false prophet’s writings! May the fire cleanse the Blessed Arknian Empire
of heresy!”
The Temple District burns all night long.
The mayhem winds down by morning.\nIt leaves behind houses burned to the ground and
families grieving for lost loved ones.
It leaves behind black bands on many arms and the graves of those who were not
reborn.\nIt leaves an enormous burned spot in the square by the temple.\nIt leaves
an emptiness in your soul.
Is she right? You dare not ask yourself.
The Fire
It is a beautiful morning. You are accompanying Inquisitor Ulrich to the site of a
recent fire.\nA new temple on the western edge of the city was burned down this
night.
“As inquisitors, we have to visit these smoldering ruins. But I have no intention
of staying long.\n“This temple is no great loss. It was built with the donations of
New Believers hoping to find a spiritual refuge there.\n“I don’t think the
Inquisition should waste its time looking for the person who started the fire.”
The scorched frame of the temple resembles an enormous skeleton. An acrid stench
hangs in the air.\nThe parishioners who fought the fire all night are wandering
about, dazed and covered in ash.\nYou find the old abbot of the temple, Father
Ignatius, sitting by a tiny pile of salvaged items. His gray eyes are full of
tears.
“Inquisitors! Just look at this… we collected donations for four years to build
this temple. People gave us the last of their money!\n“We’d almost finished it. The
first service was already scheduled. We built a school nearby, to teach the local
children letters and numbers — but it went up in flames too… the icons of the
Twins, our books… it’s all gone!
“Those renegades set fire to our temple — no one else would commit such a crime!
Tell me, Ulrich, will you find those godless wretches? You will punish them, won’t
you?”
“I will speak frankly, Abbot Ignatius.\n“This New Faith of yours is a heresy and
must be persecuted like any other false doctrine.\n“The shrine you call a temple
was burned down by the Will of the Twins. Whoever set it on fire did the
Inquisition a favor.
“If it were for up to me, both you and Father Lennart would have been burned at the
stake long ago.”
The old man is astounded by his directness. He stands up, shaking. His voice sounds
unusually loud.
“How dare you say such things?! We are of the same faith; we both serve the Twins!
We both teach people and set them on the path to the Peak of the Pillar! And you
call me a heretic?!”
“You have defied the Lots, and the Law of the Younger along with them. Your laymen
erected this temple without the Church’s authorization. Your laymen study the
sacred writings and interpret their Lots themselves. Your teachings are a venom
that is destroying the ancient order of the Blessed Arknian Empire.
“It is the duty of our Order to protect people from such heresy. Only wooden boards
and stones were burned. Human souls were saved.
“I think our duty as inquisitors is done here, <username>.”
You would like to stay a little longer.
“As you wish. But do not waste too much time.”
As Ulrich walks away, Abbot Ignatius follows him with a bitter look. The
parishioners gather around hesitantly.
“It is alright, my good people… despair not. This is not the first time we have
been persecuted. It pains me to hear such words from our brothers in faith… from
those who are supposed to protect us against the godless.
“The Inquisition may give free reign to our enemies. The patriarch himself may turn
a blind eye to our grief. But the hatred of men will not block our path to the
Twins.\n“We will persevere. We will not yield. We will start the collection again
and rebuild our temple for the glory of the Twins!”
The parishioners meet this speech with disordered cheers. But you see despair and
exhaustion in their faces.\nYour duty as a priest is to set people on the path to
the Twins. What is the best course of action here?
Rebuild the temple
Punish the arsonists
Admonish the parishioners
You will convince your father to donate some of the family funds to the cause.
You will investigate the arson, even if it means going against Ulrich.
Here and now, you will admonish the parishioners of the burned temple and bring
them back to the Old Faith and the Lots.
That night, you tell Father about the burned temple and its abbot.
It makes no difference whether the parishioners belong to the New Faith or the Old.
The temple is a house of the Twins.\nWithin its walls, everyone feels the presence
of the Elder and the Younger, everyone touches Them and is filled with Them.\nCan
we really leave these people without a temple?
The parishioners are trying to collect donations to rebuild the temple, but they
are poor commoners. How long will it take them to gather the necessary amount?\
nCould Father perhaps bring this matter to the attention of Prefect El Borne and
other noblemen? Many of them are New Believers too, even though they rarely pass
through the outskirts of the city…
To your surprise, Father takes your request to heart.
“You are right. Without help from the nobility, it will take these people years to
collect the necessary funds. Magistrate El Verman will jump at the chance to tax
such a big donation viciously… unless the prefect opposes him.
“I will donate a portion of our savings to rebuild the temple. And I will talk to
Augustin and the other noble New Believers.\n“I think together we can resist the
Magistrate, and afterwards the Prefecture will make sure this tragedy does not
repeat itself.”
With new donations and the prefect’s patronage, construction in resumed.\nLess than
a year later, the West Temple welcomes the faithful to its first service.
“Do not resent those who set fire to our temple. The Younger teaches us that
retribution is inevitable, so the miscreants will face His judgment and His
punishment.\n“But praise those who helped us restore our temple, and, by loving thy
neighbor, you will find a path to the Love of the Twins.”
You listen to this speech among the crowd of New Believers. Your heart feels
light.\nIt is through your efforts that the followers of Fotis have found another
refuge in Anizotte.
Despite what your mentor said, you start your own investigation.
You interrogate the workers who died in the flames and were reborn.\nOne of the
carpenters states that he saw a suspicious silhouette. He was then blinded by a
white flash and froze, unable to move.
There can be no doubt — a priest was involved in the arson.\nYou remember how
adamant Ulrich was in refusing to investigate the crime. Could the culprit be a
member of the Order?
You spend several days questioning inquisitors and Champions of Faith, asking them
about that fateful night, trying to get a lead on the arsonist. You eventually
settle on a single name.\nThe arsonist is Brother Dietrich, a young inquisitor who
recently joined the Order.
When you speak to Dietrich about the fire, he does not even try to deny his guilt.\
nThe young inquisitor proudly admits that it was his doing. He claims to have done
his duty before the Twins and saved hundreds of wayward souls from the false
teachings of the New Faith.
You cannot believe your ears.\nAn inquisitor, a man called to defend the faith and
the Twins, is guilty of sacrilege and does not even understand the atrocity of his
actions!
You summon a sacred tribunal to judge the arsonist. Brother Dietrich must be
brought to justice and duly punished for his crime.
The news about the Inquisition’s involvement in the burning of the temple spreads
through the city like wildfire. \nThe outraged citizens of Anizotte demand an open
trial. Patriarch Cassius is among them.
During the tribunal, none of the judges dare to defend a man who attacked a temple
of the Twins.\nThe Order publicly acknowledges Brother Dietrich’s guilt and
sentences him to true death.
Ulrich grows furious upon learning of the execution.
“Brother <username>, are you aware of the consequences of your actions? Do you
understand how much damage you’ve done to the Order and our cause?
“Retribution is inevitable. Such is the Law of The Younger. And I would have
punished Brother Dietrich for his misdeed. I would have done it myself, without
involving others.\n“But now the entire Order will pay for one man’s error. Some of
Cassius’s more hysterical supporters are already making a scene about our lapse all
over the province.”
After Brother Dietrich's trial, the persecution of the New Faith stops.\nThe
people’s hatred has found a new target. Parents use the Inquisition to frighten
their children. Your involvement is suspected in any questionable incident.
You raise your hand, calling for attention.
In Their Love, the Twins gave us the Law. And this Law established the order that
the Empire must follow.\nThese people must renounce the false teachings of Fotis
and return to the true faith.\nThey must remember their Lots and observe them
humbly and obediently.
The temple that burned down will not be restored, since it has no place in this
city.\nSuch a temple does not belong anywhere in the Empire, just as the teachings
of the New Faith do not belong here.
As he listens to your speech, Abbot Ignatius only clenches his fists in
frustration.\nSeeing that this is the only answer they are going to get, the people
slowly leave the scorched wasteland.
You look at the charred statues of the Twins. Their blackened faces appear twisted
with rage.
The persecution of the New Believers is getting more and more aggressive.\nThe only
safe place left for the followers of Fotis to gather is the temple of the Silver
Tree. But, sooner or later, the devotees of the true faith will get to it as well.
Lethal Weapons
With each passing year, more and more priests and laymen are becoming adherents of
the New Faith. The sermons of Abbot Lennart and his supporters are resonating with
people.\nThe New Believers proceed toward the Peak of the Pillar while defying the
Law of Isatius. They are led only by the Love of the Twins.
As Patriarch Cassius’s flock becomes smaller in numbers, his sermons become
progressively fiercer.
“Brothers and sisters, the false prophet Fotis is dead, but his heretical teachings
live on and continue to poison our land.\n“Every day more and more of our friends,
family members, and neighbors fall under the spell of Abbot Lennart and those who
have been deceived by his honeyed words.
“The Inquisition is supposed to be a shield for the true faith and a sword of
retribution for the heretics and apostates, yet it remains idle.\n“So we must rely
on ourselves!
“Heed my call, brothers and sisters! Save your loved ones! Save those who have lost
their way and their true faith!\n“Bring them back, whatever the cost!”
The leaves of the Silver Tree rustle soothingly.\nYou try to breathe deeply and
evenly, taking control of your emotions.\nBut as soon as you open your eyes, your
stomach turns.
The temple of the Silver Tree reeks of death.\nRed blood flows over the white
marble. In its hideous patterns, you recognize traces of bodies that have vanished
after a lesser death.\nEvery step produces a nauseating squelching sound.
Armed men barged into the temple during Father Lennart’s midday sermon. Their faces
were hidden, their clothes adorned with the symbol of the Church of the Twin Gods.
They attacked the New Believers, then took their own lives.
Jeanne’s voice echoes through the empty temple.
“I think we’re done here, Brother <username>. I have the full list of victims. They
all suffered a lesser death. We’ll question them thoroughly after they’re reborn.
“The attackers yelled that they were willing to condemn themselves to eternal
suffering just to purge this sacred place of heresy. They are commoners who dared
to go against their Lot in order to save people who have succumbed to the heresy of
the New Faith.
“Do you think Cassius is right? Is the Order to blame for what happened?”
You have no time to answer. A sharp voice calls out from the entrance of the
temple.
“Maybe you should get out of your cell once in a while, missy! The Old Believers
slaughter us like cattle in our own temple, but you’re willing to acquit them and
blame the Order for not taking charge of this bloody harvest?”
An unfamiliar, frail old man is standing by the entrance. Beside him stands
Lennart, the abbot of the temple. \nJeanne grows crimson with fury.
“How dare you say such things, old man?”
“Am I wrong? Did your Champions of Faith come to our aid? No, you let the fanatics
go ahead with their bloodbath!”
“Calm down, Silvan, I implore you. This is just your anger and bitterness talking.\
n“Sister Jeanne, pray forgive this man for his harsh words. He is full of sorrow
and grief. It is understandable.”
Jeanne heads for the exit without saying a word.\nYou are about to follow her, but
Father Lennart stops you at the threshold.
“Inquisitor <username>, may I ask you to stay for a moment?”
Jeanne leaves. The three of you are alone in the temple: you, Lennart, and the
strange old man.
“Let me introduce my old friend Silvan Samosta. Silvan, this is Inquisitor
<username>.”
Silvan examines you with distinct distrust. His eyes rest on your inquisitor’s
medallion.
“Why should we trust him, Lennart? He’s a bloodthirsty fanatic, like all the other
inquisitors. I don’t think we should…”
“Stop, Silvan! Inquisitor <username> is not our enemy. Can’t you trust one person?
He does not wish us ill — I can vouch for him.”
“Alright… the Twins whisper in my ear that you may be right.”
You ask the abbot what it was he wanted to discuss with you.
Instead of Lennart, the old man speaks to you. He points at the signs of the recent
massacre.
“Have a good look around, Inquisitor. We’re being killed in our own temple, but we
can’t defend ourselves. If something like this happened in a temple of the Old
Faith, the city would be teeming with furious nobles, gendarmes, and Legion
soldiers.
“But now? Everyone is silent. And the patriarch keeps siccing his fanatics on us.”
The patriarch? Does Samosta have any proof of his involvement in the attack?
“Is there any proof that he wasn’t involved? The oaf is simply horrified by the
prospect of Lennart becoming patriarch. He feels threatened. He wants to intimidate
us, or destroy us!”
Lennart puts a comforting hand on the old man’s shoulder.\nSilvan shakes it off
with irritation.
“Inquisitor <username>, we must get the right to protect our temples against such
attacks. In truth, we cannot rely upon the Champions of Faith.
“The New Faith does not limit people with Lots. Those who are willing to take up
arms in order to defend our temple have the right to do so. What if they find their
path to the Twins in this service — in defending their brothers in faith?
“If the prefect of the province allows the commoners of our parish to organize a
militia, we’ll be able to protect ourselves. This tragedy will not repeat itself.
“El Borne is a good man. He’s willing to cooperate, but he says he needs the
approval of either the patriarch or the Inquisition.\n“As you can imagine, we have
no hope when it comes to Cassius. But if you, <username>, speak on behalf of your
Order, the prefect will issue the decree, and we will fear these bloody massacres
no more.”
You turn to the site of the recent battle. The scarlet blood has been scorched
black by the heat.
Support Lennart
Dissuade Lennart
The New Believers will get the right to defend their temples.
Protecting temples is the duty of the Champions of Faith. They will stand guard at
the temple of the Silver Tree.
A militia formed by the New Believers would only escalate the conflict. Arming the
flock is not an answer.
Fine. You will speak on behalf of the Order and aid the New Believers in organizing
their own militia in order to protect the temples.
Silvan grins. Lennart lets out a sigh of relief.
“Alright, Lennart, you were right. Inquisitor <username> is a fine young man.”
Samosta unceremoniously pats you on the back. Lennart taps his staff on the ground
in indignation.
“Silvan! Show some respect, you old fool!\n“Thank you, Inquisitor. You have done a
good deed. Your decision will save many lives.”
Unbeknownst to Jeanne and Ulrich, you write a lengthy letter to Augustin El Borne.\
nThe Inquisition will allow the prefect to grant commoners of the New Faith the
right to defend the temples of the Twins.
Several days later, El Borne personally announces the new decree in front of the
Prefecture.
“The Prefecture hereby bestows upon commoners professing the New Faith the right to
defend their sacred temples in armed combat.\n“This decision has been approved by
the clergy of the New Faith and the Inquisition.”
When Jeanne and Ulrich find out what you have done, they are livid.
“How could you approve such an outrage?! You’ve deceived and betrayed us! You’ve
compelled the commoners to violate their Lot! You’ve armed those who recognize no
Law above them!\n“If even true believers have resorted to bloodshed, what is there
to stop those apostates?!”
“Not only have you led these people astray and doomed them to endless suffering at
the Foot of the Pillar, you’ve damned yourself as well!”
Squads of New Believers now guard all the temples in which the teachings of Fotis
are preached.\nOld Faith fanatics make a few more attempts to attack them, but the
New Faith Militia led by Silvan Samosta prevents any bloodshed.
The cost may have been high, but the New Believers can now perform their services
without fear of armed reprisals.
No. Alas, this measure will not stop the bloodshed.
“So, you’re refusing to help us? Well, that was to be expected…”
But that does not mean you do not want not help. Lennart is mistaken in thinking
that the New Believers cannot rely on the aid of the Champions of Faith. You are
all walking a path toward the Twins. You are all children of the same Church. \nThe
armed forces of the Inquisition will guard the temples to prevent further assaults.
“Don’t listen to him, Lennart. We must defend ourselves! The Champions of Faith are
merely the lapdogs of the Inquisition, they are just waiting for an excuse to
dispose of us!”
You made a vow to help the New Faith take root in Magra. Lennart must trust you.
Silvan tries to add something, but the abbot cuts him off with a gesture.
“If Inquisitor <username> believes that this is the best way, we shall trust him,
Silvan.”
The old man sighs, disappointed.
“The Twins whisper in my ear that you have chosen poorly. You’ve always lacked
decisiveness, my friend. But I can see you have no intention of listening to me.
“I hope Lennart’s trust in you is well-placed. But if Cassius unleashes his
fanatics on us again, this time we will not accept death humbly, like lambs to the
slaughter.”
You nod in reply. The old man turns around and leaves, whispering to some unseen
interlocutor.
Back at the Inquisition ward you call a general council of the Order to find a way
to help the New Believers.
“The New Faith is a heresy. The Order will not defend them!”
You point out that the New Faith has not been declared heretical. The New Believers
worship the Twin Gods, hence Ulrich and the other inquisitors must protect them
just as they protect those who follow the teachings of Isatius.
An attack against the temple of the Silver Tree is a sacrilege. The commoners who
shed blood there trespassed against their Lot, thus condemning themselves to
eternal suffering!\nJeanne speaks up from behind you.
“<username> is right. We must stop this — not for the sake of the New Believers,
but for the sake of preserving order, protecting holy places against sacrilege,
and, above all, saving those who would risk their souls by resorting to crime!”
A lengthy debate ensues. By nightfall you are drained, but you have managed to win
over the majority of your brothers and sisters in faith.
The Champions of Faith now guard all the temples in which the teachings of Fotis
are preached.\nOld Faith fanatics make a few more attempts to attack them, but
bloodshed is averted. \nThe cost may be high, but the New Believers can now perform
their services without fear of armed reprisals.
No. You will not do as Lennart asks.
“What did I tell you, Lennart? The Inquisition will never come to our aid!”
Silvan walks swiftly out of the temple.\nFather Lennart lingers.
“Is this your final answer, Inquisitor <username>? I have no chance of changing
your mind?”
You shake your head.\nWith a sad smile, Father Lennart follows Silvan.
The temple of the Silver Tree reeks of death.\nRed blood flows over the white
marble. The bodies of those who suffered true death today litter the floor. This is
the third attack on the temple of the Silver Tree. The smaller temples are targeted
even more frequently.
“I think we’re done here, Brother <username>.”
You stand in the midst of a crowd by the temple of the Silver Tree.\nYour long path
ends here.\n
Nothing can oppose the power of the Inquisition — neither the secular authorities,
nor the high-ranking clergy.\nEveryone in Magra knows your name. It is uttered with
trepidation and fear.\nThere is only one person who outshines you:\nInquisitor
Ulrich.\n
He knows no mercy, makes no concessions, and never strays from his path. Today
Ulrich, the embodiment of the Inquisition, will pass judgment upon the patriarch of
the province.\nNo ones dares to interfere.\n
Patriarch Cassius has been chained to a stake, beaten mercilessly, in rags, almost
unconscious. He is to be burned alive.\nHe will have no chance to speak. His
congregation, so adoring just a while ago, will not have the courage to defend him
— they are too fearful of the almighty Inquisition.\nHis fate has been decided.\n
There was no need for a sacred tribunal, no need for a lengthy hearing and
carefully collected evidence.\nThese are but formalities, and, by Ulrich’s Will,
the Inquisition no longer needs them.\n
In the middle of an enormous sea of people, surrounded by inquisitors and Champions
of Faith, Ulrich seems invincible.\nHis unnaturally loud voice fills the square.\n
“People of Anizotte!\n“For far too long, Patriarch Cassius has poisoned us with his
falsehoods. Beneath the mask of a Gods-fearing priest hides an apostate, a heretic,
and a renegade!\n
“Today, the Inquisition will remedy the error of the clergy who allowed this
heretic to become patriarch. They will be punished for their mistake.\n“The Sacred
Conclave will no longer have the right to elect the patriarch. Henceforth, this
shall be the sole right of the Inquisition!”\n
Silence.\nAll you hear is Abbot Lennart’s lone cry.\n
“This land is soaked in lies and filth, Abbot Lennart!\n“The heretic you see behind
me was chosen by the clergy of Magra. If your priests proved blind enough not to
discern his heresy, how could mere laymen unmask such an apostate?\n
“No, this is the Inquisition burden: to cleanse the cursed land of Magra of all
heresy. And so it is my burden too. I must lead this holy campaign!”
“You will bow before my Will as you bow before Theirs.\n“You will obey my Law as
you obey Theirs.\n“You will accept my Love as you accept Theirs.”\n
Ulrich’s words echo repeatedly, resounding throughout the square. He throws the
torch onto the pyre.
It is instantly ablaze.\nThe crowd freezes.\nIn his last moments, Cassius screams
with all his might.\n
The deposed patriarch’s body writhes in the flames.\nThe entire crowd seems turned
to stone, paralyzed by the sight of his demise. Their faces are masks of terror.\n
Ulrich steps forward and raises a collar above his head.
“You, the sinful flock of a wayward patriarch, shall kneel and accept your new
sacrament — not that of the Sword or the Lash, but of the Collar!\n“For I give unto
you a new Lot: the Lot of service to my Will!\n“You will no longer have the freedom
to violate it!\n
“From now on, no other Will exists for you but mine own. I shall become for you
both Love and Law. I shall lead you up the narrow, yet straight path to the very
Peak of the Shining Pillar!\n“For you, I am become both the Elder and the Younger
made flesh!”\n
The sky darkens.\nThe earth quakes beneath your feet. Unable to keep their balance,
the people fall to the ground, shrieking and crushing one another.\nBlasts of air
blow in their faces. The wind howls furiously in the branches of the Silver Tree.\n
You hear the sound of a measured tread.\nOne step. Another. Another.\n
Ulrich chokes on his own words, as if an invisible knot has tightened around his
throat. He claws at his neck, scratching it until it bleeds.\nThen he falls to his
knees.\n
Overcome by reverent awe, the people drop to their knees.\nBut the flames do not
subside. They surge at you, but you face the divine wrath without fear.\n
Unbearable heat. Then, a scream.\nYour body turns to ash.\n
The Judgment of the Twins
The pain relents, finally dissolving in a blinding light.\nYou are taken higher and
higher still, to the narrow strip that is the Shining Pillar.\nThis is where you
belong now.\n
You are so tiny compared to this all-absorbing radiance...\nYet you remain
yourself, even now. But for how long?\n
Two dots glow brilliantly before you, gradually growing larger and more distinct. \
nYou are taken toward them, faster and faster.\nInevitably.\nMercilessly.\n
The Creators reach out to you.
The first figure is soft, wise, and merciful.\nThe love that emanates from it
envelops you from head to toe. It radiates an endless warmth.\n
The second figure is strong and powerful, commanding and noble.\nIt is stern, but
just, a beacon of guidance, a force of protection, a merciless punishment for every
misdeed.\n
In their presence you are but a pale shade, your Will to live slowly fading away.
The hour of judgement has come.\nYour soul is laid bare for the Twin Gods to read
like a book... and with each line They read, you feel Their indignation grow.\nThey
disapprove of the way you served Them? But why?!
The Twin Gods respond.\nToo often did you reject Their Love, violate their Law, and
abuse Their Will. \n
An old nursery rhyme appears in your mind. Your sister used to sing it to you, so
long ago…
“When the Twins came down to earth,\nThey brought Lots for every birth.\nLet us
count them: one, two, three —\nThe Twins made them for you and me!\n
“Nobles rule and bravely fight,\nThey protect us with their might.\nPriests work
hard to understand,\nGuide us by the Twins’ commands.\nCommon people work and
toil,\nAlways patient, never spoiled.\n
“Live your Lot where you were born\nTo the day when you pass on.\nKnow your Lot and
know the prayer...\n
The sword of the Younger rises aloft.\nThe immense blade descends upon your pitiful
mortal soul.\n
Will you submit to this verdict?
Stand against the Twins
Humbly accept Their punishment
No one can break your Will — not even the Gods Themselves.
You accept your punishment.
This is it, Ulrich’s greatest mistake. He came so close to the summit of power, yet
he still thought that serving the Twins was his Lot.
You will not make the same mistake.\nYou will submit to no one — not even the
Gods!\nYou are power incarnate. There are no limits. There are no chains.\nLove and
Law are merely the spawn of the Will of whoever is strongest.\n
The sword strikes!
The Younger’s blade slices through your soul, but leaves no mark.\nYour unbending
Will to live is stronger still!
Your rise until you rival the Twins in size, an ever-growing shadow beside the
Gods. You see a tiny cradle behind them. There is a baby inside.
The little creature is bawling, but when it sees you, it smiles its first smile, so
awkward, yet so genuine.\nAs you meet the infant’s gaze, you bring a finger to your
lips.\n
“For the Twins see everywhere...”
The blade slices through your soul.\nPain fills your very being.
Hundreds of hands seize you and drag you down — hundreds of others just like you,
broken, crushed, ground into dust by this world.
The light of the Shining Pillar slowly fades. The silhouettes of the Gods vanish.\
nThey are replaced by infinite darkness.\n
Your Will is no more.\nAll that remains is the eternal suffering granted by the
Twins.\n
First Steps
After several days of searching and inquiring, you find a suitable location for the
print shop.
You choose a two-story building on a dead-end street away from any pedestrian
thoroughfares, right next to the city’s outer wall, spacious and sturdy. It has
more than enough space for the printing press and workbenches.\nThe basement is
dry, and the windows are too tiny to peek through.\nIt is the perfect location for
a clandestine headquarters.\n
You inspect the rooms. This corner will be good for the typesetting area, and the
shelves of ink can go over there…\nBefore you finish, Sophia knocks at the door.\
nOnce inside, she casts a glance over the rooms and walls and chuckles with
approval.
“This is just what we need, Brante. A perfect location — I couldn’t have found
anything better myself. Guess the capital taught you well!\n“I’m glad to see I was
right about you. This job will be a lot easier with your help.”
Sophia brushes a layer of dust from an old wooden crate, then lights her pipe as
she sits.
“So… how about I tell you what you and I are up to in this town, eh?”
“Remember what we did in the capital? Well, we’re gonna do the same trick here in
Anizotte. That’s our mission. Felipe wants us to found an underground society
here.\n“Anybody who wants to rebel and riot, we’ll let them join.\n“We’ll also keep
them in check and use them to do whatever the Secret Chancellery says.
“I still don’t know everything Felipe’s planning yet, but I can tell you he was
real angry about how the Inquisition cast all the dirt we dug up on Patriarch
Junius to the four winds.\n“Here in Anizotte, Felipe wants the real deal.”
You frown.\nThe real deal? What is that supposed to mean?
“It means you and I have to find all the troublemakers in town and take charge of
them.\n“Anybody who’s willing to fight for their rights, we turn them into an
organized force under our command.\n“And then we'll use them to do whatever Felipe
wants.
“Felipe wants to take the city in his own hands.\n“He needs disorder — little
disturbances and riots, enough unrest so there’s always an excuse to arrest folks
whenever they need to. But Felipe always has to be in control.\n“This is the Secret
Chancellery's way.
“As long as the streets are restless, everybody — especially the Overseer — will
keep thinking good old Sir Felipe El Ferro is a real useful friend to have. Savior
of the Empire and all that. Their last bulwark against the rabble-rousers.
“The more riots and unrest we incite, the stronger our underground force will
become, and the stronger the Secret Chancellery will get.\nOnce the people are
shouting in the squares, the Prefecture and the Magistrate will be powerless… and
our buddy Flipe will pick up the slack.\n“You're following so far?”
You nod.\nSo you are supposed to incite unrest. Is that all you have to do?
“That’s just the beginning.\n“Felipe also wants the Lesser Quorum broken up at some
point in the future. It’s full of folks who don’t like the way things are done in
the Empire.\n“But the Empire’s lucky for now — the Lesser Quorum spends too much
time bickering and not enough time trying to work together.\n“That’ll work in our
favor.
“So by the time Felipe wants to blackmail the Lesser Quorum, we need to have our
own underground network, and it’s gotta be big enough for his needs.\n“We’ll frame
Quorum members, gather accusations, plant agents, stuff like that.\n“In other
words, we’ll do the Secret Chancellery’s dirty work for them.
“Now, let's get down to business.\n“Here in Anizotte, there are some big shots who
are opposing the imperial order.\n“We need to do our best to exploit them for our
cause. If we’re lucky enough, maybe we can even get them on our side.”
Sophia starts counting on her fingers.
“Number one on my list is Augustin El Borne, Prefect of Magra. He's almost a
relative to you, isn't he?\n“When Gaius Tempest was first appointed Overseer of
Magra, he was the only member of the Provincial Council who openly supported him.
“El Borne is one of the most powerful nobles in Magra, but he has always protected
the common folk.\n“He could be our main ally — or a real dangerous enemy.
“The second fellow worth mentioning is Mayer Egmont, leader of the wealthy
commoners in the Lesser Quorum.\n“He’s an old merchant who got rich mining silver
and managed to weasel his way into provincial politics — as a commoner!”
“We need to ensure Egmont’s support as soon as possible. He’s rich, powerful, and
will be useful to our cause.
“Last on my list is Father Lennart. He’s the abbot of the temple by the Silver Tree
and the local spiritual leader of the New Believers.
“Right now lots of Magran commoners are rejecting Isatius’s teaching of the Lots,
and it’s all thanks to Lennart and his influence.\n“If those folks have managed to
cast off one burden, it should be easy to talk them into rejecting another one.”
Sophia taps her pipe against the crate, knocking the remaining tobacco onto the
floor.
“One more thing, Brante: we’re gonna be manipulating people — I’m talking lies,
half-truths, using and exploiting folks, you name it.\n“And we need to get them to
follow us. That’s a tough thing to do.
“People can smell phoneys a mile away. So we have to believe everything we say— I
mean really believe it, from the bottom of our hearts. If you aren't ready to die
for your cause, why expect it from other folks?”
“But you also have to remember who we’re really doing all this for…”
She trails off.\nYou wait a moment, then ask Sophia why she has agreed to do this.
Why is she working for Felipe? Can’t she run from him, or use her magic to subdue
him?
Sophia’s deep eyes focus all their attention on you.\nThe merciless Magran sun
fills the room through the narrow window, reflected in her eyes as a multitude of
yellow sparks.
“You think I never tried it, Brante? Don’t be naive.
“Magic will not help me to bring Felipe down. When I use my power, you notice it
quickly — and Felipe notices it even faster.\n“If I try to enchant him ever again,
I’ll be collared and sent back to the House of Humility. I’m never going back there
again. Not ever.
“As for escaping… there’s no hiding from the Secret Chancellery. Sooner or later,
they will find me.
“The Empire is absolute. The Empire is eternal. The Empire is everywhere.\n“We’re
all in the same cage. There’s no way out of it. And so it will be as long as the
Empire still stands.
“So forget about running away. If you want to get out of this alive, just do what I
tell you.\n“Trust me, and I’ll take care of you.
“Now let’s talk about your next step.\n“We need to shore up our cover story, make
sure it doesn’t fall apart the first time gendarmes take a close look at it.\n“Get
this print shop to work. You need employees.
“You’re good at picking the right people, just as good as me. So you’ll do the
hiring.\n“Choose people who are loyal. People who do the job and keep their mouths
shut.
“When Felipe gets here, we’ll have to show him what we’ve accomplished so far. And
you don’t want to disappoint him.\n“So you’d better get cracking. We’ve got a lot
of work to do.”
With that, Sophia nods to you and leaves. \nYou are left alone to pace the rooms of
your future print shop and think.\nWhat will you do first?
Hire rebels
Hire spies, moles, and crooks
Commit to the printing business
You look for people who are dissatisfied with the Imperial order and determined to
fight for their rights.
You look for people who are willing to get their hands dirty without asking too
many questions.
You invest more into the print shop and hire skilled labor in order to transform
your cover story into a proper business.
If there is one thing the capital and the Lotless have taught you, it is how to
find the right sort of people.\nPeople who are sick of the Empire and its unjust
laws.\nPeople who can no longer tolerate the tyranny of the nobles.\nPeople who
want to break free from the cruel shackles of their Lot.
There are even more commoners willing to fight the good fight in Magra than in the
capital.\nThanks to the growing popularity of the New Faith, the new Overseer who
has replaced Archduke Milanidas, and Prefect El Borne’s protection, the lowly
estate is freer in Anizotte than in any other city in the Empire.
You hire people who are sincerely displeased with the current state of affairs.\
nPeople who are willing to risk everything they have for a chance to change the
Empire.\nPeople who look and act just like you did a few years ago.
Their loyalty to you will be absolute — as long as they believe in you.\nThey will
do whatever you say as long as they are convinced it will bring a new and better
world.
If there is one thing the capital and the Lotless have taught you, it is how to
find the right sort of people.\nPeople who are willing to get their hands dirty.\
nPeople who are ready to spy, follow, intimidate, steal, and break into other
people’s homes, all without asking too many questions.
Here in Anizotte, there are plenty of people like that — even more than in the
capital.\nThere are many reasons for this.\nArchduke Milanidas and Overseer Gaius
Tempest, both trying to assert their rule… the Lesser Quorum’s struggle against
Magistrate El Verman… the clash between the two Faiths…\nIt has all served to make
the people of this city more desperate than ever.
You begin hiring people who make sense to you.\nThese are people who can and will
do any job if the price is right. All it takes to earn their loyalty is money. You
do not need to entrust them with much information. They ask few questions and do
what they are told.\nEven if they get caught, they will never tell anyone anything
that might harm you.
You know that they will hang on tight to this kind of job. Some have to pay off
gambling debts. Others owe a small fortune to loan sharks. Still others need a
place to hide from the law.\nFor the promise of coin, they will do whatever you
ask, in and out of the print shop.\nAnd, for the right price, any single one of
them will break the law without a second thought.
The undercover part of your job can wait. You have to get the print shop up and
running first.\nYou will not be satisfied by a mere semblance of a business. No,
you are going to found a successful shop capable of turning a profit!
You convince Father to contribute a portion of the family’s funds to the venture
and purchase a printing press, movable type, quality paper, and expensive ink.\
nThen you hire skilled labor — the best printers you can find in Anizotte.\nThey
will teach the future resistance members, whom you will hire later.
It is such a pleasure to watch the print shop come to life.\nYou may have begun
this undertaking for an entirely different cause, but now you have turned the print
shop into something that is yours.
The first thing you print is a thick stack of advertising sheets.\nSoon these black
and red leaflets appear on every street corner of Anizotte.\n“Brante’s Print Shop
is open for business!”
The Last Straw
The past few weeks in Anizotte resemble your first years in the capital, when you
and Sophia were recruiting people to join the Lotless.\nYou were so full of hope
and ambition back then...
Slowly, you both begin to make useful friends and acquaintances in the city —
gendarmes, street peddlers, merchants, laborers, vagrants — and each of them
requires a unique approach.
The techniques you used in Eterna work here as well.\nYou look for the people you
need, plan secret meetings, and make sure everything is secure.\nSophia delivers
one ardent speech after another, berating the Imperial order.
But so far only few people have stayed with you after these meetings. You have to
hunt for each new member all over the city.\nCommoners are too afraid. Only the
most desperate — or insane — are ready to join you.
There are two members in particular who stand out.\nOne is a Father Fuad, a creaky
old priest with fire in his eyes. He introduces himself as a commoner who has
chosen the preacher’s path.\nDoes that mean he is a New Believer? Fuad scoffs at
the question.
“I’ll put it this way: the only words that are true are those the Twins tell you
Themselves! And I’ve heard Their voice plenty!\n“But the priests who just cook up
some nonsense and call it divine law, they’re either crooks or fools, all of ‘em!
And Isatius is the biggest crook and fool of them all!”
Had he lived in any other city in the Empire, he would already have been burned at
the stake for these words.\nBut here in Anizotte, Fuad freely preaches in various
taverns and squares.
Moreover, the old man is well educated, so you hire him as a typesetter and even
let him sleep in the storeroom.\nWhen the time comes to assemble a mob or spread
some rumors, he will surely come in handy.
The other is Alida Sirin, who works at the print shop as a bookbinder. A quiet and
innocuous young woman, she nevertheless believes in your words and your struggle
with all her heart — and her innocent appearance hides an ardent will.\nWhy would
she choose to fight against the Empire? When Alida explains, you do not expect to
hear cold steel in her voice.
“My sister was hanged in Eterna after the Trial of the Fifty. I know I might sound
like a weepy little girl, but I’m not looking for pity. I just want her murderers
to hang. That’s it.”
Sophia’s speeches are always brimming with passion and sincerity. She speaks out
against the injustice of the Empire and calls for people to fight with such
intensity that sometimes you find yourself getting swept up by her words, nodding
along with the rest.\nWhen she speaks, Felipe's plans and the Secret Chancellery
disappear, replaced by a vision of a new world where justice and freedom reign.
But this illusion passes every time.\nAnd when it does, the truth about your
conspiracy always feels more crushing than ever.
You gave all your employees a day off today.\nSir Felipe El Ferro is coming to
Anizotte. Your print shop is the first place he will visit.
Sophia stuffs tobacco into her pipe over and over again, trying to look calm behind
the smoke.\nYou hear the sound of hooves and wheels on cobblestones. A carriage
comes to a halt outside.\nA man walks past the windows and knocks at the heavy
front door with the handle of his cane.
You open it hurriedly.\nFelipe is not alone. He is accompanied by a man with sinewy
arms and the face of a predator.\nOnce inside, the Secret Chancellery advisor
slowly takes off his cloak, then inspects the premises with care.
“Sophia was right. Excellent choice.\n“Well done, Brante. I had my doubts about
you, but those doubts are gradually being eased.\n“You are indeed a man of many
talents.
“Speaking of talents, allow me to introduce you to Oliver Moss, an old friend of
mine.\n“I brought him all the way from Eterna to help you out.\n“His skills are
even more unusual than yours, Brante. It’s amazing how much a person can learn to
do when he’s well paid!”
Oliver grins at Felipe’s words.\nThe toothy smile cuts through his face like a
gruesome scar.
“You flatter me, Sir Felipe. But you’re right: coin works wonders.”
Felipe chuckles at that.\nHe produces a small flask from a pocket and takes a
little sip.
“But you, Sophia… you disappoint me. I expected to see a functioning organization.\
n“But I am told that what you have here is not a secret society but a miserable
rabble of the worst people in the city. Just look at this self-proclaimed priest
Fuad! We are in Anizotte, this hotbed of heresy and rebellious ideas. How come you
aren't able to find skillful conspirators here?!
“I need a nice little revolt that’s easy to suppress. I need a network of spies to
dig up dirt on anyone who may stand in our way. Is it too much to ask?\n“You did
this job perfectly well in Eterna. What's the matter, Sophia? Can’t you do the same
thing again?”
“Sir Felipe, Brante and I are going out of our way to get more people into our
ranks.\n“But things are not looking too good for us right now. The province has a
new Overseer. Citizens are hopeful, they expect change. So the only people who come
to us are from the very bottom of life.”
“This rabble is dangerous. They will ruin my plan, and they will bring you and
Brante to the gallows. And this time I won't be able do anything for you!\n“Get rid
of them and find conspirators who can be trusted with real work.
“I have too many enemies here in Anizotte. The local Magistrate alone is a huge
thorn in my side…\n“You have to act faster. Time is of the essence.
“Or maybe you have more important things to do than serving the Empire?”
“We are doing everything in our power, Sir Felipe.\n“But in order to prepare your
plan, we must recruit as many people as possible. And this is what we are doing.”
“Don't try my patience, Sophia. I said get rid of the rabble, find real
conspirators, carefully vet each and every one of them.”
Sophia lowers her head, unable to further argue with the powerful adviser.\nFelipe
suddenly turns to you.
“Brante, you’re the main recruiter for the society. What do you say?\n“Can you do
this job for me?”
Agree with Felipe
Side with Sophia
You are ready to carry out Felipe's order and carefully vet everyone who wants to
join the underground.
You confirm Sophia's words. The secret society needs to quickly recruit people,
even if they are vagabonds and crooks.
You readily answer that you will follow Sir Felipe's order.\nIt is dangerous and
stupid to recruit strangers without any vetting. You will make every effort to
select only skilled and reliable conspirators.
You and Sophia made a mistake, but you will fix it.
Sophia scoffs at that.\nSir El Ferro, however, pats you on the shoulder.
“Well said, Brante. We’ll do just that.\n“As for you, Sophia — I don’t suggest
testing my patience any further. You’re one straw away from breaking the horse’s
back.
“Speaking of straws… I believe your secret society still needs a name, right?\n“The
‘Last Straw’ will do just fine. It’s cheap, grim, pompous… the lowborn ought to
like it.
“Oliver, I’m leaving you in the care of our rebels. Show them how real Secret
Chancellery agents get things done.”
Felipe downs the last of his flask and walks out of the print shop.\nSophia follows
him without saying a word.\nYou are left alone with Oliver. He looks you over.
“We’re gonna get along just fine, Brante. Don’t you worry.”
You take a quick look at Sophia. She nods to you faintly.\nYou look Sir Felipe
straight in the eyes and say firmly: Sophia is right. You cannot gather an
underground movement if you disdain the support of paupers and vagabonds — or, as
Sir Advisor calls them, rabble.
After all, you declare, you do not need to prepare a real uprising against the
government.\nAll you need is a small riot of commoners, doomed to fail. And for
this purpose, those poor bastards will do.
Your words of support reinvigorate Sophia. She continues to argue her case.
“That’s my point exactly, Sir Felipe!”
Felipe frowns in disappointment.
“If you are both so confident... So be it.\n“Recruit any fanatics or street scum
you want. As long as they are helping us reach our goal, I don't care.
“But remember that you will pay with your lives for any mistake.\n“None of this
rabble should be aware of our true purpose.
“I advise you against testing my patience. You’re one straw away from breaking the
horse’s back.
“Speaking of straws… I believe your secret society still needs a name, right?\n“The
‘Last Straw’ will do just fine. It’s simple, grim, pompous… the lowborn ought to
like it.
Felipe downs the last of his flask and walks out of the print shop.\nSophia shares
a word with you before following him.
“Thanks for backing me up.\n“If we have to do Felipe’s dirty work, let’s at least
do it our way. Right?”
With that, Sophia waves goodbye, scowls quietly at Oliver Moss, and walks out the
door.\nYou are left alone with Oliver. The sinewy man chuckles.
Hearts on Fire
The Last Straw is growing stronger by the day.\nMore and more names are being added
to your list of potential recruits.
“Dress fancy tomorrow, Brante, but don’t look too rich. We’re going to a salon. A
gathering of young poets.
“They’re all commoners. Mostly New Believers. So they think they aren’t defying
their Lot by writing poetry.\n“This’ll be their first meeting ever. I say we take a
gander. Who knows? They could be useful.”
You go to a small building in the very heart of the city.\nThe first floor was once
a tavern, but it has been converted into a stage with benches for the audience.\
nThe place is noisy and crowded. Those who cannot find a seat squeeze into the
spaces between the benches.\nYou and Sophia stand in the back corners, far away
from each other.
A young man in a threadbare jacket makes an announcement: “Welcome to the first
weekly gathering of the Anizotte Poetry Society!”
The poets are all young men and women. They take turns walking up to the stage from
the benches to read a poem or two of their own creation.\nThey look humble and shy
at first, but as they declaim their stanzas, their voices ring with sudden strength
and daring fervor.
“A mighty giant with his head held high,\nHis heavy tread, his trained and measured
stride;\nHe is an effigy of lowborn life,\nWith naught but chaff, and rags, and
dust inside.\n\n“By lowborn labor granted food and clothing,\nHe is indeed a
terrifying sight.\nBut look behind his eyes, and you will find\nNot grandeur or
renown, but fear and loathing.
“Behold the azure skin, the bred contempt —\nTheir past long turned to ash, their
blue blood bled,\nTheir majesty in flames, their mantles rent…\n\n“Ensconced in
diamonds white and rubies red,\nThe glimm’ring giant rots, his essence spent.\nThe
gems may glitter, but the husk is dead.”
The poems recited on stage display exceptional variety: rhymed couplets, blank
verse, short stanzas, lengthy cantos, pathos-laden ballads, vulgar screeds,
humorous epigrams, scathing tirades…\nBut in each and every voice you hear the same
pain, the same weary ache born of servitude, the gnawing grievance with the Gods,
the simmering rage against the Empire — and dreams of another destiny, another
life, another existence.
“A commoner! The word is like a brand.\nThe Twins Themselves once told me to be
silent.\nI want to scream! Can’t take this anymore —\nThe misery around me knows no
end!”\n\n“The gentlefolk just beat us and demean us\nThe young, the old, the poor,
the sick, the tired…\nThey tread upon us, gazing at the heavens\nThat feed upon our
sweat-soaked suffering.”
Every poem fills the room with loud applause.\nEvery line resounds in people’s
hearts — this much is clear from their faces. Some mark every word and verse with a
nod, while others cannot hold back tears.
With the zeal of preachers guiding their flock to their Lot, these young poets
chastise the ills of worldly life with every word they utter.
You join in the applause. Like it or not, their poetry hits home. Some of the poems
are crafted so well, you find yourself eager to read them.\nThis kind of poetry
would be in great demand here in Anizotte.\nWhat a shame no print shop would agree
to publish it…
Later that night, you rejoin Sophia to discuss what you have seen.
“I’ve never heard anything like that before. I’m used to nursery rhymes and bawdy
drinking songs, but this…\n“This is something else.”
You cannot help but nod. The meeting was like… a sermon. And the poets’ words hit
as hard and as true as the sacramental Lash.\nAnd the audience… you recognized the
look in their eyes. People look at Sophia just the same way every time she uses her
magic.
“The thing is, they have no magic. But they can see the truth, and they talk about
it so well, you can’t even stand it.
“Well, what can I say? I’m glad we went. Those kids could easily spark a riot with
just a rhyme or two!\n“But the question is, what are we supposed to do with them?”
It is a good question indeed. A difficult question.\nThose young poets are at their
strongest when they speak from the heart. Trying to tame their ardor would be like
playing with fire.\nYou could recruit them, but it would not be easy to use them.
If you cannot keep them in check, one day they will inevitably incite a rebellion.\
nMaybe it would be wiser to nip this in the bud and put an end to their society
right now.
The Secret Chancellery could easily deal with them. But…\nYou could also report
them to the Prefecture. The gendarmes could take care of them in no time.\nOr maybe
you could pass the case along to Father… it might do his career some good.
Or perhaps… this all seems so new, so unknown. Is there any other way you could
harness this strange new force of nature?
Recruit the poets
Let Felipe handle them
Publish a book of their poetry
Report the poets to Father
You convince the most gifted poets to join your underground society.
The Secret Chancellery will take care of those rebels-to-be.
You ask Gloria to help you get in touch with the poets so you can print a
compilation of their works.
The Prefecture will take care of those rebels-to-be.
You assure Sophia that your underground society could use these gifted young men
and women.\nThey are still so young, so trusting. It makes sense to recruit them.
“Okay. I’ll let you handle this.”
For the next few weeks, you diligently attend every single meeting of the poetry
society.\nOnce you become a regular, you carefully probe several of the poets —
those whose verses have the most bite to them.\nIt is a simple matter to convince
them to come to the Last Straw hideout.
Your poetically-endowed recruits eagerly join the ranks of the society.\nThey
quickly become a cornerstone of your organization.\nTheir voices turn the dissonant
gaggle of voices into a heartfelt choir — eager to act, eager to riot.
Their poems are quoted more and more often by the Last Straw members.\nThey are
declaimed by young people in the squares and on the streets… they are put to music
and sung in the taverns… they are written in paint and soot on the walls…\nMore and
more young people recite them instead of prayers: “I want to scream! Can’t take
this anymore!”
“Brante… You were right about recruiting them. They never cease to amaze me.
They’re so sincere, it’s infectious!\n“When they speak, sometimes even I forget
about the sleazy game we’re playing.”
No matter how gifted they may be, the risk is not worth it, you assure Sophia.\
nYour organization needs more people who are easier to control. As for these young
men and women… Felipe can find a use for them.
“I guess that makes sense. It’s your call.”
You have a word with Oliver Moss.\nYou tell him that the poetry society is too
unpredictable.\nIt would be wise to convert some of them into informers for your
cause and get rid of the rest.
“Understood. I’ll handle it, don’t you worry.”
You receive a note from Felipe a week later.
“Excellent job. The gendarmes received Oliver’s tip and arrested the poets during
one of their meetings — a perfect demonstration of our efficiency. A few of them
will hang, and the rest will be jailed.
“I spoke with a few of them in person and convinced them to work with us. I got
them exiled for a while. When they get back, feel free to use them as informers.\
n“Keep up the good work — and keep the reports coming.”
With a smile, you assure Sophia that you know a way to harness their youthful
ardor.
“Oh yeah? Okay, do it then.”
In spite of her lowly Lot, your sister has been writing poems and stories ever
since she was a little girl.\nAs Gloria grew up, she easily found like-minded
friends, poetry-inclined commoners like her. And you saw a number of her friends on
stage tonight.\nNow that you think about it, you half-expected Gloria to be there
as well.
Back home, you tell your sister how impressed you were by the poetry society.\nAs
the owner of your own print shop, maybe you could compile their works into a book
of poetry. It would be the Empire’s first book of poetry written by commoners.
You can turn a handsome profit and make the poets famous all over Magra.\nCould
Gloria tell her friends about this idea?
“Wow! I never thought you’d have the nerve to try something like this!\n“Sure, I’ll
have a word with my friends. I’m sure many of them will be interested!
“But there’s one thing… they’ll never use their real names in the book. Otherwise
they’ll get into trouble with the Prefecture or the Secret Chancellery.
“Actually… are you sure this is a good idea? Can you really trust the people at
your print shop?\n“Maybe you should do all the work yourself at night. That way
nobody will know. And you’ll have to distribute the books in secret too.\n“You
shouldn’t put your freedom at stake for the sake of coin!”
Not to worry, you assure Gloria. You have thought of everything. The poets’ real
names and the origins of the book will remain a secret.
“I can’t tell you how happy this makes me!\n“There are so many talented poets in
Anizotte, and they never even hoped their works would see print. They’ll treasure
your gift forever!”
It does not take you long to get started.\nThe compilation, entitled “The Voice of
Anizotte,” is soon ready. You instruct Alida and other Last Straw spies to sell the
books in secret all over the city.
“Will do, <username>.”
When it comes to this job, young Alida is even more eager than ever.\nAfter all,
many of the poems in the book are dedicated to the suffering of those who struggle
against tyranny — including those who died in Eterna after the Trial of the Fifty.
You sell several hundred copies in a matter of days and receive many requests to
print more.
Popular, rare, and banned by the authorities, the book turns a significant profit.\
nYou keep working on new print runs and sell them easily — even at three times the
price of a normal book.
The poems are quoted all over town. They are declaimed by young people in the
squares and on the streets… they are put to music and sung in taverns… they are
written in paint and soot on the walls…\nMore and more young people recite them
instead of prayers: “I want to scream! Can’t take this anymore!”
“I guess that makes sense. You can write the report then.”
In your report to Felipe, you describe the meeting in detail and conclude that
these overly creative commoners could destabilize your well-laid plans for the
future.\nYou need them gone.
You suggest tipping off the Prefecture and letting the gendarmes handle the
rebellious youths.\nIn the postscript, you kindly ask Sir Felipe El Ferro to get
the prefect to assign your father to this case.
A week later, the gendarmes storm the poetry society in the middle of a meeting.\
nEvery last poet leaves the building in chains, accused of inciting rebellion.
At home, Father remains quiet about his job. However, one day you manage to
overhear him speaking with Mother:
“You look unwell. Is something wrong at work?”
“Yes. I was assigned a case I could not refuse. A number of young men and women
have been accused of inciting rebellion.
“Other judges would love a case like this. You send those people to their doom and
make yourself a good career out of it…\n“But I know so many of them! They’re just
children. They were little boys and girls only yesterday! And many of them are good
friends of Gloria’s!
“And now I have to ruin their lives forever. The best I can do for them is a
lighter sentence. And I’ll get a promotion for this travesty — can you imagine?!
“Those poor kids are just pawns in someone else’s game… and I’m part of it. It
sickens me.”
“Oh, Robert…”
But Father’s pain is nothing compared to Gloria’s agony. She stays in her room for
days, stricken with grief.
“Excellent job. That was a perfect demonstration of our efficiency.\n“Now those
gifted youths will fulfill their lowly Lot in the far reaches of Magra, digging
ditches in exile. At the very least, Anizotte will be safer with them gone.
“I spoke with a few of the poets in person and convinced them to work with us.
Their exile will end much sooner. When they get back, feel free to use them as
informers.\n“Keep up the good work — and keep the reports coming.”
Concerned Сitizen
You and Sophia have accomplished a lot over the past year.\nThe Last Straw now
consists of half a dozen cells that know nothing about one another. You have
several informers gathering rumors and news. Many citizens support your cause and
are ready to help.
The ranks of the underground society include honest rebels eager to bring the
Empire down, as well as thieves and thugs willing to break any law as long as they
get paid.
As more and more people join your insurgency, rumors begin to spread throughout the
city. It will soon become impossible to conceal your existence.\nThe Last Straw
desperately needs a public figurehead — someone to act as the patron of your secret
society, someone who can justify your existence to the authorities.
You choose Mayer Egmont.\nHe has earned a fortune and made a name for himself
thanks to his silver mines, and now he is the leader of the Magran Lesser Quorum.
Rumor has it, he is eager to get in touch with someone from the underground. If
there was ever a time to meet, it is now.\nFortunately, you know people who know
people, and soon enough you arrange a meeting.
An empty warehouse, late at night.\nAll the workers have gone home. A dim lamp is
the only source of light in the spacious facility.\nThe two of you are alone here,
free from prying eyes.
Up close, Egmont turns out to be a broad-shouldered, middle-aged man in a pricy
frock coat. He wears no jewelry, but his beard and mustache are well-kempt. Only
the grey hair at his temples betray his age.
He offers you a warm, rough hand.\nIt is the calloused hand of a man who has had to
work all his life.\nYou shake it readily.
The industrialist offers you a seat at a nearby table.
“Truth be told, young man, I know your family quite well. I had the honor to be
introduced to your grandfather back in the day. Unfortunately, Sir Gregor Brante
wasn’t exactly delighted to meet me…
“But your father, he’s a staunch supporter of El Borne. We’ve often seen eye to
eye, he and I!\n“Let’s see if you and I can find some common ground too.
“I’ll be frank with you. I know quite a bit about what you’re up to here in
Anizotte.\n“You’ve built yourself a functioning underground society, and you’ve
done it very quickly, all without getting caught.\n“I’d say you got an eye for
business!
“But tell me… why are you doing all this? What’s your goal? What are you trying to
achieve?
“Please be sincere with me. I’m the last man who wants to see you reported to the
Secret Chancellery.”
You were prepared for this question.\nEgmont listens carefully as you give him a
short speech on the coming rebellion against the Empire — first in Anizotte, then
in Magra.\nWhen you are done, the industrialist lets out a sigh.
“Ambitious, determined… but utterly senseless.\n“Let’s say you do manage to foment
an uprising — against the Archduke, against the Overseer, even the Emperor himself…
well, what then?
“What are your demands? Who do you want to listen to them? If you ever negotiate or
make a deal, then with whom will you do it? What about your terms? And what will
your relationship with the Empire be like if your revolt succeeds?
“So far, <username>, I’ve heard no answers to those questions. To be honest, I’m
quite confident you don’t have any answers.\n“But, fortunately for you, I do.
“There’s also one self-evident fact I’d like to bring to your attention.\n“Whenever
someone discusses authority or power within the Empire, there’s one thing that
never seems to raise any doubt.\n“Prefects and commanders, magistrates and
Overseers… they’re always nobles. Any position of power — only for the nobles.
Landowners — always nobles.
“Who rules over Anizotte? Overseer Tempest… or Archduke Milanidas. No one can say
for sure these days.\n“Either way, no matter who they are, nobles rule the city.
“But a city isn’t a castle or a fortress. A city’s more than the sum total of its
walls and buildings.\n“A city is its people, the commoners who work and trade and
live there.\n“There always have been and always will be more of us than the
nobles.\n“We are this city, Brante.
“You’ve never been to a meeting of the Lesser Quorum, have you? I won’t bore you
with the details. Let me put it this way: it’s the only place where the common
estate has the same rights as the nobles.\n“Sure enough, there’s arguing, there’s
contention. There’s a fight every time we meet. But as we argue, as we contradict
each other, we find a new way — one that takes everybody’s interests into account!
“But, unfortunately, right now the Lesser Quorum only has the authority to discuss
issues related to taxation in the province. But if you and I come to an agreement,
this will change.\n“I’ve spent most of my life making the idea of the Quorum a
reality. And I swear to you on my life that it works!
“This is the only way to bring something new to the Empire — by giving the
commoners and the nobles the same power!”
Egmont is shouting now, his eyes shining with excitement.\nHe is utterly engrossed
in his idea — and you feel he actually believes what he says.
“And here, here in Magra, we have the chance!\n“We had no way to do it in the past,
back when Archduke Milanidas was in charge. But now Gaius Tempest represents the
Empire’s authority in Magra.
“Tempest still can’t find a way to share power with Milanidas. He needs all the
support he can get.\n“And you and I, we can give him that support.
“And <username>, are you aware of how Gaius Tempest ended up becoming the Overseer
of Magra?\n“He was too progressive for the capital and his fellow Arknians. He went
too far in his attempts to make nobles and commoners equal under Imperial law, and
he was exiled to Magra for his troubles.
“And yet Gaius Tempest has never abandoned the idea of making the estates equal!\
n“He was the one supported the creation of the Lesser Quorum. He is well-disposed
toward the lowly estate and tends to listen to reason.\n“We can make him our ally.
And your uprising could be the deciding factor!
“If we can manage to seize control of the city and hang onto it; if we can prove
we’re able to run Anizotte; if the citizens show us their support — then we’ll have
a lot to offer the Overseer.
“In return for making Anizotte a free city — a city-state, if you will — governed
by the Lesser Quorum, we’ll recognize Gaius Tempest’s authority in Magra and
support him in his power struggle against the Archduke!
“If nobles and commoners come to govern a city together, in just a few short years
it will become obvious to the entire Empire how advantageous this arrangement is.\
n“And then the old traditions will have no choice but to step aside.
“I understand that things like this take time.\n“But as you prepare for the revolt,
I’ll support your underground movement with all the power and funding at my
disposal — as long as you say you’ll walk toward this future with me!”
Mayer Egmont lets out an exhausted sigh. Delivering such a fervent speech is no
easy task for a man his age.
After a moment of quiet, you agree. Yes, you say, this is a future worth fighting
for. The Last Straw will support Egmont’s plan.\nYou promise to spread his vision
of the Free City of Anizotte — first among the rebels, then throughout the city —
starting immediately.
You shake hands.
Once the conversation is over, you leave the warehouse and walk back through the
dark streets of Anizotte.\nYou have made a promise. But what are you actually going
to do?
There is a kernel of truth in Mayer Egmont’s words. The aged industrialist’s plan
could actually work. This is no longer just a pointless revolt doomed to fail.\
nDangerous thoughts begin running through your mind.
Would it be best to abandon the idea of the Free City of Anizotte and report this
meeting to Sir Felipe?
Keep the conversation a secret
Report the conversation
You choose to take a chance and never mention Egmont’s plan in your report to
Felipe.
You write Felipe a detailed report on the conversation with Egmont.
In your report to Felipe, you claim that Mayer Egmont was more careful than you
expected, and your attempts to come to an agreement with him were unsuccessful.\
nYou claim that the industrialist is putting money into the struggle for commoners'
rights, but cleverly disguises it as charity.
In the end of the report you assure Felipe that you will find a way for the Secret
Chancellery to connect Egmont’s actions to underground activities and the brewing
revolt.\nHowever, you cannot do it right now.
You expect Felipe to reply with a furious letter.\nBut as the days go by, you do
not receive a single word from the Secret Chancellery advisor. This silence feels
more menacing than any threat.
You write up a detailed report on Mayer Egmont’s plan, noting in particular that
the industrialist seeks to solicit the support of Overseer Gaius Tempest and take
advantage of the revolt to put the Lesser Quorum in charge of Anizotte.
Felipe’s response reaches you before the end of the day.
“Excellent job, Brante. Continue playing the part, and keep reporting on Egmont’s
connection to the Last Straw.\n“Identify other members of the Lesser Quorum who
have sided with Egmont. Find me evidence that they are involved in this
conspiracy.”
Just how many people in this city actually support Egmont’s goals?\nAnd how many
potential rebels will you have to identify, blackmail, and recruit until Felipe
finally leaves Anizotte in peace?
The Gunpowder Plot
You are sitting on a solitary bench in a gazebo in the Archduke’s Garden. Tall
lanterns spread their dim glow in the cool evening air.\nWhen Gaius Tempest became
the Overseer of Magra, one of his first edicts granted the commoners entry to the
Archduke’s Garden. At the time, many Magrans saw this gesture as a sign of future
change.
But, unfortunately, the right to visit the Archduke’s Garden is the only new right
the commoners now enjoy by the grace of Overseer Tempest.\nIt does little to ease
the burden of double taxation or the need to work the mines without gunpowder.
A serpentine, stone-paved road leads to the gazebo. Many flower beds are nestled in
the bends and coils of the elaborate path.\nIn the distance, on the other end of
the path, you finally see Sophia’s silhouette.\nShe takes a look around, then steps
over the low fence and walks to you through the flowers.
“I had trouble finding you here, Brante. Let’s meet in one of the usual places next
time — it isn’t safe here.”
You agree, although you are sick and tired of the stuffy basement rooms and trash-
filled ruins where you typically arrange to meet the leaders of the Last Straw
cells.
“Okay, let’s get to it.\n“The Last Straw needs gunpowder. We could really use
some.\n“If we had gunpowder, we could blow up the Emperor’s statue in the Golden
square, or the wall of the city armory… there’s all kinds of stuff we could do!
“The thing is, you can’t find it anymore. Even owning it is forbidden, thanks to
the Overseer.\nMagran industry has had to swallow a bitter pill and trade their
fancy new gunpowder for good old shovels.\n“Except not everybody got rid of it.
Lucky for us, right?
“That new friend of yours Mayer Egmont… he’s a resourceful fellow. He started
buying gunpowder by the barrel some twenty years ago to work the mines.\n“They
still use it in his mines — but late at night, so nobody finds out.
“There’s a warehouse where they keep mountains of that stuff, Brante. We need to
get our hands on it.\n“If we can get Mayer to hand it over on his own, all the
better. But if he digs his heels in, we’ll just pay the warehouse a visit and grab
it. Done deal.
“What do you say?”
Make a deal with Mayer Egmont
Steal the gunpowder
Report this to Felipe
Reject the idea of gunpowder outright
Mayer Egmont has every reason to trust you. You are confident you can convince the
old industrialist to share some of his gunpowder with the underground.
There is no way you and Egmont will ever be able to make a deal. You will have to
rob the warehouse.
You decide to quietly tell Felipe about the gunpowder. Sophia does not have to
know.
You are staying out of this. Your movement will do just fine without gunpowder.
Sophia can rest easy. You promise to get her the gunpowder.
“Alright, Brante. I leave this up to you.”
You are meeting with Mayer Egmont in several days — for the fourth time this month,
in fact. After the deal you struck at the warehouse, you have to maintain utmost
secrecy every time.
You arrive at the usual meeting place, the Black Bread Tavern. Thick drapes hide
your table from prying eyes. \nEgmont is already there, ready to begin his usual
dinner — roast goose with vegetables and a pitcher of young wine.
Mayer consumes his food without any obvious pleasure. It must be an old habit —
after all, pleasures are forbidden to the common estate.\nYou cannot help but
imagine Grandfather’s outrage at seeing such a lavish feast for a lowly man.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, you get down to business.\nYour people need
gunpowder, and you know that Egmont has some.
The aging businessman puts down his knife and fork and dabs at his lips with a
napkin. His eyes, however, study you intently all the while.
“How do you know that, Brante? Who else knows what you just told me?\n“I trust you,
but can I trust your people?”
You assure Egmont that his secret is safe with you… but sooner or later the Secret
Chancellery will find out about the illegal use of gunpowder in his mines and
exploit it as leverage against him.
The industrialist’s fingers drum a nervous rhythm on the table. He sighs.
“You’re right. The risk is too big. I suppose I’ll have to keep my appetites
humble. Even if it means closing down several mines…
“As for your request… I don’t think I can agree. Gunpowder will make it obvious
that I was involved. I’m not going to ask how you plan to use the explosives, but
you’re bound to… make some noise. The Secret Chancellery will take note of it, and
then they’ll come after me for sure.”
But you are already plotting a revolt, you tell Egmont. This path leads to the
gallows, one way or another.\nIf the revolt fails, there is no way to escape
execution. The die has been cast — victory or death. It is too late to be afraid of
the Empire now.
And when explosions shake the city, your destiny will be decided on the streets,
not in the dungeons of the Secret Chancellery.
Egmont thinks for several minutes, then finally decides.
“Very well, Brante. You speak the truth. This is worth the risk.\n“I’ll give you
five barrels of the powder and get rid with the rest at once.
“Good luck out there, Brante. Use this weapon wisely.\n“And… be careful with it.
Gunpowder is an insidious and unpredictable force. It doesn’t care who or what it
destroys.”
A few days later, you transport the barrels to your secret warehouse.\nNo other
soul must ever know where you are hiding this perilous cargo.
The power of destruction now rests in your hands. You feel excitement… and a touch
of dread.
As much as you regret this, it cannot be helped. Egmont does not trust you enough
to just hand over the gunpowder if you ask him.\nStealing from his warehouse is a
much safer option.
“As I expected. Okay, we’re going in tonight.”
Night falls.\nFather Fuad sits on the high bench of a large, windowless wagon,
waiting for the signal to drive up to the warehouse.\nAlida Sirin is up in a tree,
watching the roads. If anyone shows up, she will let you know.
You, Sophia, and an unusually quiet Moss are sneaking to the main entrance of a
compact, sturdy-looking building. The guards are few, and the darkness hides you
well.
Sophia signs for you to stop. Her eyes glint with a golden glow.\nA guard by the
warehouse entrance slowly collapses to the ground.
“He’s asleep — deep asleep. Get him away from the gate.”
You grab the sleeping guard by the wrists and drag him away from the building.\
nMeanwhile, Oliver Moss convinces the door’s hinges to let you in. His crowbar
works quickly and quietly. When he is done, you push against the door, and the
warehouse is open.\nYou find dozens of waterproof barrels lined up against the
walls.
“Open one of them.”
Oliver punctures a barrel. Black powder trickles out of the wound and onto the
floor.\nGunpowder!\nOliver squeezes several grains between his fingers. He looks
disappointed.
“So that’s what it is, eh? Don’t look so dangerous to me.”
You give a sign with the lantern.\nFather Fuad drives the carriage up to the door.
You scurry into it, trying to carry as many barrels as you can.
“Faster, my friends, work faster! You’ve got no excuse for sluggishness at your
age!”
The wagon is only half full when you suddenly hear a long whistle. Alida has
spotted something… or someone?\nYou flash Sophia a wary glance. Should you risk it
and fill the wagon with barrels?
“Brante, drive off with Fuad. We need to keep what we have. Moss, you’re staying
with me. We need to hide our tracks. I’ll take care of Alida. Go.”
You hop into the wagon. Father Fuad flicks the reins.\nSeveral long, frantic
minutes pass as you ride along the edge of the road as quietly as you can.\nThe
blood pounds in your ears as you listen intently for the first sound of pursuit or
Sophia’s cry.
KABOOM!
The explosion is deafening. A pillar of the purest fire blooms where the building
once stood, filling the district with light for several seconds.\nYou cannot look
away from the spectacle. Two silhouettes are running toward you: Sophia and Moss.
Out of breath, they finally catch up with the wagon.\nWhat happened?
“Egmont’s men. Came for the powder. I’m such an idiot! Should’ve known they’d never
show up here during the day either!\n“We’re fine. At least we got some of it…”
What about Alida? Where is she?
“Don’t you worry, Brante. She’s a smart girl. She gets it. It’s her first lesser
death anyways.\n“We’re gonna split up to get them off our trail. Moss, you’re with
me. You and Fuad, drive fast. And hide those barrels well.”
With that, you ride away from the warehouse district.\nThe job is done.
Several hours later, you transport the barrels to your secret warehouse. No other
soul must ever know where you are hiding this perilous cargo.
You assure Sophia that you will take care of it.
“Okay, Brante. Try to be quick about it.”
Once you are alone, you write Felipe an urgent report. Egmont has a secret
warehouse full of gunpowder, you scribble quickly. Sophia wants that gunpowder for
herself.
The response arrives quickly.
“I’ll take care of Mayer Egmont myself.\n“Keep an eye on Sophia — she never
mentioned the gunpowder to me. Don’t spy on her, just watch out for anything
suspicious and keep me informed.\n“If she’s plotting something, I want to be the
first to know about it.”
The next day, Sophia arrives at the print shop distraught and bitter.
“We were too late. So much for the powder!\n“Somebody tipped the Prefecture off.
The gendarmes searched Egmont’s mines last night.\n“I’ve got no idea what’ll happen
to him now. Maybe he can weasel his way out of it… but the gunpowder’s gone. He had
to get rid of it.”
You throw up your hands, looking disappointed.\nIt’s alright, you assure Sophia.
You can get by without the gunpowder.\nYou just have to believe in yourselves.
That’s all it takes.
You shake you head at the idea. Meddling with gunpowder sounds far too dangerous.\
nThe Last Straw’s greatest asset is secrecy.\nGunpowder means explosions, and
explosions cannot be kept secret.
To prove your point, you remind Sophia that your goal is to keep innocent
casualties to a minimum. Gunpowder never discriminates — an explosion would slay
the innocent and the guilty alike.
Over the past few months, the Last Straw has been growing steadily in strength. You
have enough men for any operation.\nWhy risk it all for such a dubious opportunity?
Sophia breathes in deeply, ready to make her case, but says nothing. A few moments
later, she quietly exhales and sits next to you.
“It’s pretty here… although I don’t like gardens and parks all that much. They’re
beautiful, but useless, you know? Just a place for aimless walking and idle
chitchat. Fits the noble way of life, I guess…
“I suppose you’re right, Brante. That powder can go to the Foot of the Pillar for
all I care! We’ll do just fine without it.
“Stay here with me for a while, okay? I don’t want to be here all by myself.”
The Errors of Youth
It has been a month since Sophia left the city on Felipe’s urgent orders. You have
no idea where she went.\nUntil she returns, the Last Straw has been laying low. You
have had to tend to the print shop all by yourself.
Early morning.\nFather Fuad welcomes you to the print shop. He looks like he was
asleep just a moment ago himself. He gets up from his makeshift bed of crates and
beckons you closer with a finger.
“Brante! I’ve got something to tell you, young man.\n“So I made my rounds last
night, so to speak. I stopped by a few flophouses, hit a few taverns and other dens
of iniquity… and I met a young man we could use. Not sure if we can trust him,
though.
“His name’s Gustav. He told me he comes from Eterna. Says he’s on the run from the
Secret Chancellery.\n“He insists he was with the underground there in the capital.
The Lotless, they’re called. They were responsible for that March of the Collars
four years back.
“So Gustav tells me all the Lotless were nabbed by Secret Chancellery spooks after
their March! He thinks the Anizotte underground could be in danger too.\n“The
trouble is, that’s all he told me. He’s not exactly a trusting fellow.
“I think one of us ought to talk to him, find out who he is and what he knows. He
looks shady, if you ask me, but maybe we could use him here. What do you say, young
man?”
You thank Fuad for the information. You will think about how to meet with Gustav
yourself.
“Just give me the word, young man, and I’ll set it up.”
Fuad bows, stretches, and walks off to the printing presses.\nYou sigh, trying to
steady the furious beating of your heart.
Gustav was one of your trusted agents back in Etera. If he gets too friendly with
the Last Straw in Anizotte, your name will come up eventually.
You do not think that Gustav ever found out that the Lotless were established on
Felipe’s order.\nBut still…. he knows that you were deeply involved in the march.
That alone might be enough for him to dismantle your cover story here in Anizotte.
You need to deal with this problem as quickly as possible.
Lure Gustav into a trap
Help him escape the city
Explain yourself to him
Order everyone to lie low
You decide to turn him in to the Secret Chancellery.
You will help Gustav escape the city.
You will tell Gustav that you saved the Lotless in Eterna from a far worse fate and
offer him a place in the Last Straw.
You alert Felipe to Gustav’s presence. The Secret Chancellery can solve this
problem for you.
You ask Father Fuad to arrange a meeting. Needless to say, you will not be going
alone.
Oliver Moss is clearly the right man for the job.\nHe accepts your order without a
single question. He will do whatever you tell him, after all… unless Felipe says
otherwise.
You come to a decrepit shack by the city wall. Your eyes gradually adjust to the
darkness as you step inside.\nYou see dirty drapes hanging over a small window. The
floor is rotten and creaky. Gustav is sitting on a wooden crate.\nHe is clutching a
small meat cleaver.
You greet Gustav. He grips the handle tighter in response.\nYou need to stall for
time until Moss can circle around the building and reach the window behind Gustav.
You show him your palms to prove that you are unarmed.\nYou are so happy to see
Gustav. How is your old comrade-in-arms doing?\nHe smirks grimly.
“Well, I wouldn’t be meeting you here if I was doing good, would I? I know all
about you and the Lotless, Brante! So don’t try to play games with me.
“I gotta get out of this city, and you’re gonna help me do it, or I’ll tell ‘em how
young Sir Brante got the commoners to march back there in the capital. You got a
noble family, yeah? They’d be tickled pink, wouldn’t they?”
You ask Gustav to put the cleaver down.\nThere is no reason to threaten you. You
are here to help.
The nervous man lower his blade slightly as he considers your words.\nYou give Moss
the signal.
The wooden cudgel whistles through the air and connects with Gustav’s head. Two
swift blows — enough to put Gustav out of commission without killing him.\nMoss
takes the cleaver and ties the man’s arms with a length of rope. This kind of work
is clearly second nature to him.
You thank Oliver politely for a job done well. He can call his men in now.
“My pleasure, boss.”
Several minutes later, two nondescript agents shove Gustav into a carriage with
tinted windows and drive off into the night.\nYou have no idea what will become of
him.
However, you soon realize that your former associate from Eterna had managed to
make his mark in Anizotte before his capture. Rumors about the Lotless and your
involvement in the group begin to spread like wildfire.
The son of senior Prefecture judge Robert Brante was involved in the riots in the
capital! He was rubbing elbows with those mage-loving rebels!\nThese rumors make
you even more respected among the members of the Last Straw.\nThey also tarnish
your family’s reputation among the aristocracy. You do not know how the Brantes
will ever recover from this scandal.
You somehow manage to convince your family that the rumors are nothing but perverse
slander spread by your enemies. They accept this explanation, but Father and
Stephan are furious.
Did Gustav spread the word about you and the Lotless before your meeting? Or did he
make arrangements in case you betrayed him? You will never know.
Right now, all you can do is hope that this is the last time the specter of the
Lotless will rear its ugly head.
You ask Father Fuad to arrange the meeting.\nYou have just enough time to get
ready.
You greet Gustav with a nod. He grips the handle tighter in response.\nYou show him
your palms to prove you are unarmed.\nHow is your old comrade-in-arms doing? You
are so happy to see him.\nGustav smirks grimly.
“Yeah, right. I know all about you and the Lotless! So don’t try to play games with
me.
You ask Gustav to put the weapon down.\nYou are here to help.
The nervous man considers your words, then slowly puts the cleaver on the floor.\
nYou step closer and offer your old comrade your hand.
You have already taken care of everything, you tell him. There is a carriage
waiting by the western gate, ready to take him out of Anizotte. You struck a
bargain with the guards — they will not check him.\nInside the carriage is a fresh
change of clothes, a Prefecture-sealed travel permit, and enough money to disappear
anywhere in the Empire.
Gustav is at a loss for words.
“You must’ve spent a small fortune, Brante… but… I thought you was the one who
ratted us out!”
Gustav is mistaken, you explain. You were just lucky enough to escape Eterna with
your life.\nYou are trying to lay low, but you have not forgotten your old friends
and will do whatever you can to help them.
Gustav sighs loudly. He slouches forward as the tension leaves his body.\nFor a
brief second, you notice tears in the corners of his eyes.\nHe wipes them away and
smiles sadly.
“Thank you, Brante. I see I was wrong now. I wanted to blame somebody… but I pinned
it all on the wrong guy. Sorry about that.\n“You won’t have any trouble from me.
I’m leaving Magra, and I ain’t coming back.\n“Farewell.”
You never hear from Gustav again. His fate remains a mystery.
However, your former associate’s sudden appearance leaves a dent in the family
coffers.\nThe money you spent saving him was earmarked for emergencies. When the
expenditure is discovered, you are unable to offer your family a decent
explanation.
A long and bitter fight ensues. From now on, no one else can spend the family’s
funds without Father’s permission.\nThe quarrel only heightens the mounting tension
at home. You do your best to steer clear of your family.
You come to a decrepit shack by the city wall. Your eyes gradually adjust to the
darkness as you step inside.\nYou see dirty drapes hanging over a small window. The
floor is rotten and creaky. Gustav is sitting on a wooden crate. He is clutching a
small meat cleaver.
You greet Gustav with a nod. He grips the handle tighter in response.\nYou show him
your palms to prove you are unarmed.\nHow is your old comrade-in-arms doing? You
are happy to see him.\nGustav smirks grimly.
You ask Gustav to put the weapon down.\nThere is no reason to threaten you. You are
here to help.
The nervous man considers your words, then slowly puts the cleaver on the floor.\
nYou step closer and sit next to him.
You tell Gustav that some of the Lotless managed to evade the Secret Chancellery.\
nOmitting certain details, you name other members you were able to rescue from the
slaughter. For all you know, they could still could be fighting the good fight in
Eterna.\nYour struggle against Imperial rule is far from over, you assure him. This
is why you came back to Anizotte — to keep fighting.
“But I thought you just ran off… sold us out and disappeared… so… I guess I was
wrong?”
Yes. He was wrong.\nYou tell him about the Last Straw.\nThis is bigger than the
March now — you are planning a full-fledged revolt. You are organized and well
trained.\nAnd you still need people who are willing to fight for freedom.
You offer Gustav a job and a place to stay. Will he join you once more? Will he
keep fighting?
Gustav nods eagerly. There are tears in his eyes.
“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I was so wrong about you, <username> — I thought I
was all alone. I thought the fight was over, and we lost… I’m sorry. I hope you can
forgive me.\n“I’m on your side. Our cause is just!”
You pat your old friend on the back.
You have one request for him, however: Gustav must never tell a soul about the
Lotless and your and Sophia’s part in the March.\nYou do not want the members of
the new organization to be discouraged by your past failures.\nThere is no room for
error now. Even the slightest mishap could ruin everything.
He nods in understanding.
“Alright, my lips are sealed. I'll never mention the Lotless to you again — or to
anyone else, for that matter.”
You shake on it.
Dealing with Gustav on your own could put you and your cover story in danger.
You send Felipe an urgent report. You warn him about the last surviving member of
the Lotless and ask him to solve this problem for you.\nThen you send a warning to
each of the Last Straw cells: lay low, stay out of contact, and wait for a signal.
For several weeks, you live the quiet, peaceful life of a print shop owner.\nDays
pass.\nYou hear nothing about Gustav or the Lotless. Your worries eventually
disappear.
There are no new rumors or news about recent injustices throughout the Empire, no
never-ending speeches to inspire the people to fight, no meetings in basements.\nIt
feels strange at first.\nBut you soon grow accustomed to this serene existence.
Time marches on.
But these peaceful days cannot last forever, and one fine morning you receive a
letter from Felipe.
“Your problem has been solved. Get back to work. We’ve lost too much time already.\
n“No more delays.”
A Chat with the Magistrate
Your heart is pounding madly in your chest. You gasp desperately for air, paralyzed
by fear.\nTwo burly young men have just pulled a sack over your head and shoved you
into a carriage.
Who could have done this?\nAre they Felipe’s men? Members of the Last Straw?
Someone else with a grudge against you?\nWhere are they taking you?\nCan you even
hope to survive this day?
The carriage comes to a stop.\nThey drag you out, get you on your feet, and force
you to walk.\nYou march down long hallways in complete silence.\nThen, at last,
they sit you in a chair.
“Get that thing off his head. I can’t talk to him like that, can I?”
A hand wrenches the sack off your head.\nLight stabs you in the eyes as you gasp
for air.
Once your eyes adjust, you see a dining table covered in years of dust.\nThis is a
noble mansion, abandoned long ago. The paint is peeling, and the glazed gilt trim
is cracked and faded. The once-magnificent furniture is covered in rust and
cobwebs.
In the midst of this withered splendor you see a man who is known to all: the
Magistrate of Anizotte, Sir Remy El Verman.
“I suppose you’ve caught your breath by now, eh, Brante? Let’s have a little chat,
shall we?\n“First, the obvious: I know what you are, and I know who you work for. I
know your family. I have the power to ruin you and your father and everyone else
you care about.\n“If anyone ever hears about this conversation, I will crush you
before you can blink.
“But I didn’t arrange this meeting just to threaten you.\n“I’m prepared to offer
you something: salvation.
A glib smile spreads across El Verman’s face.
“Now let’s move on to the meat of our little tête-à-tête.\n“You’re in a real
pickle, Brante. You will never escape Felipe’s iron grip.\n“He will continue to use
you as long as you remain useful. And the moment that usefulness ends, he will deem
you an obstacle and eliminate you.
“However, I would like to extend to you an offer of protection. If you help me, I
will keep you safe from Felipe and the Secret Chancellery.
“I am aware of Felipe’s scheme to obtain special authority from the Overseer. \
n“The old dog is hungry for power. But I have enough on my plate as it is, what
with El Borne’s Prefecture and Egmont’s Lesser Quorum.
“The Secret Chancellery is supposed to safeguard Imperial rule! But instead, Felipe
is playing a game of his own in my city.\n“Anizotte does not need another man who
treats it like a plaything for acting out his utopian fantasies!
“This a disaster waiting to happen. If the Secret Chancellery ever gets
discretionary powers, no one will ever be able to stand in its way.\n“Especially
commoners like you.
“So here’s the deal, Brante.\n“You help me rid Anizotte of the Lesser Quorum and
all the other rebels and rabble-rousers…\n“And I’ll save you from Felipe.
“I already know that Mayer Egmont and his cronies are connected to your secret
network. And, knowing the Secret Chancellery, I’m quite certain you’ve made a note
of Egmont’s every last misdeed.
“Once you have enough evidence to put good old Mayer behind bars — or in a noose —
bring me everything you’ve got on him and the other upstarts.\n“Felipe will be left
empty-handed.
“With Egmont out of the picture, I’ll be free to disband the Lesser Quorum and rule
this city in peace. And then I’ll finally drive Felipe out of Anizotte!
“Which means that you will go free, I will rule as I should, and the city of
Anizotte will return to normal. No blood will be shed. There will be no more
plotting, no more need to pretend.
“What do you say to that, Brante?”
Agree to the deal
Refuse outright
You promise to help El Verman get rid of Mayer Egmont in return for his protection
against Felipe.
You refuse to make a deal with El Verman and betray Felipe.
You answer vaguely. You do not refuse El Verman’s offer, but you do not make any
promises either.
A chance to break free from Felipe’s clutches, to save the city from the Secret
Chancellery’s ruthless rule, to return power to a man who has what it takes to
restore order in Anizotte…\nThe way things stand, it seems to be the least bad
option.
You will have to go against Felipe. It is the only way. But if he finds out about
your betrayal before the time is ripe, no one will be able to save you from him.
You stand up and promise to fulfill the Magistrate’s request.\nYour underground
network will give Sir El Verman all the dirt he needs to bring down Egmont and
Anizotte’s other rabble-rousers.
The Magistrate nods, pleased with your answer.
“A wise choice, Brante.
“My men will see you out. And don’t forget the first part of our little chat.\n“We
never met. This never happened.”
Trying to undermine Felipe and the Secret Chancellery would be suicide.\nBesides,
how do you know the Magistrate will not get rid of you just the same once the job
is done?
You have made too many promises as it is. You will not put your neck in a noose
woven of betrayal, lies, and conspiracies.\nYou rise to your feet and speak. No,
you cannot accept his proposal.
El Verman cringes at your words.
“How very foolish of you, Brante. What is this? Fear? Or a sudden attack of
loyalty?
“Eh, who cares? I’ve lost all interest in you.\n“Get him out of my sight.”
A pair of hands stuff your head back into the same sack, then seize you by the
wrists and drag you outside.\nYou endure another eternity in the same rickety
carriage. You fall to the ground, skinning your palms.
You have made another enemy today.\nHowever, you are still breathing.\nPerhaps the
Magistrate of Anizotte is not quite as all-powerful as he might seem…
Yet the Magistrate wields great power. To refuse him would make him into yet
another fearsome enemy.
You rise to your feet and thank Sir El Verman for his confidence.\nYou are ready to
cooperate, you say, but Felipe trusts no one. You are watched at all times. It will
take a long time for the Magistrate to get the results he wants.
The Magistrate nods, satisfied with your answer.
You continue sending the usual reports to Felipe — and, from time to time, you send
El Verman a vague letter.\nIf the Magistrate wants to believe you have agreed to
his deal, you see no reason to disappoint him. Your web of lies is growing larger
and more convoluted by the day, but perhaps this new connection will come in handy…
Freedom of Speech
Your print shop has been graced by an unusual guest today: a short man of
considerable age dressed in the brown cassock of a priest.\nA smile appears on his
round face.
“Good morning, young man! You must be the owner of this splendid print shop. I’ve
heard so much about you and this wonderful place of yours.”
You ask the visitor his name. What brings him to your print shop?
“Ah, yes. My apologies. I am Mark — Father Mark, if you will. There is a certain
matter I hope you can help me with.
“I have learned much during my many years in this world. But, alas, our time here
is short — and, like everyone else, I will eventually have to face the ruthless
scrutiny of the Twins Themselves.
“However, I would like the truths that have been revealed to me to live on after I
shuffle off this mortal coil. Which is why I’ve come to you!
“I’ve written a book, you see, and now I want you to help me print it. I want the
largest print run you can possibly manage.”
The old priest is clearly not giving you the full picture.\nWhy has he come here,
of all places?
“You see, young man, my teachings are a bit bold for a realm that has endured a
thousand years of the Twins’ tyranny.
“Even the New Faith sees the truths I preach as excessively… blasphemous.\n“But
your print shop is known for its, shall we say… open-minded approach.\n“I believe
you have the fortitude to appreciate my teachings and the courage to accept my
order.”
Would Father Mark be so kind as to explain his teachings to you?
Another smile, kindhearted and sly, appears readily on the monk’s face.
“But of course, my son! By the Will of the Twins, it is my Lot to preach. How could
I refuse to instruct those in need?
“Here is the fundamental principle of my doctrine: our Gods are shit! We don’t need
them!
“They say a tree is known by its fruit. Well, if the Twins are a tree, then their
fruits are Will, Love, and Law. But their Will is arbitrary, their Love is cruel,
and their Law is ruthless!\n“The Twins don’t know the meaning of the word ‘mercy.’\
n“All they bring to their world is suffering!
“Everyone in this world is miserable, regardless of their estate or status. And we
will continue to be miserable as long as we continue to accept the burden of their
divine chains.
“There is only one path to salvation in this world: reject the Twins outright.\
n“You — and only you! — must accept responsibility for your own life!\n“Forge your
own secular law, fill your heart with secular love, exercise your own secular will,
and forget all about the Twins!
“But what about the hereafter, you say? What about the Final Judgment, eternal
torment at the Foot of the Pillar, and never-ending bliss at the Peak?\n“Everyone
asks me this. And here’s what I tell them: what happens to you in the hereafter
doesn’t matter, because there won’t be any ‘you’ in the hereafter anyway!
“We will all be dissolved in the Twins’ own endless Will. Out there, on the other
side of true death, Father Mark will cease to exist — and so will you, young man.
“You will have no will. You will make no decisions. You will be incapable of
action. In other words, your life will be over.\n“Your existence ends with your
true death. Whatever happens to you after that won’t really be happening to ‘you.’
So who cares?
“So let’s all tell the Twins to take their bullshit Law, their bullshit Will, and
their bullshit Love, and shove them straight up their divine asses!\n“Let’s cast
away the yoke of the Gods and live our worldly lives free of their despotic,
ruthless rule!”
Print the book in secret
Report the encounter to Felipe
Print and disseminate the book yourself
Tell your father about the encounter
You will publish Father Mark’s book in secret.
You will take Father Mark’s manuscript directly to Felipe.
You will publish Father Mark’s book and get on his good side, then denounce him and
all his followers to Felipe.
If the Prefecture can apprehend such a dangerous apostate, Father’s standing will
surely improve.
To reject the Twins is to deny their Law, Their Will, and Their Love.\nTo reject
the Twins is to deny that Their Empire is Blessed and absolute.\nTo reject the
Twins is to deny that the Tempests are chosen by the Gods Themselves to rule.
If these teachings begin to spread, there will be unrest the likes of which the
province has not seen since the emergence of the New Faith.
You accept Father Mark’s manuscript and promise to print the book as requested.\
nYou only have one condition: complete and total secrecy. No one must ever learn of
your arrangement.
“Most certainly, young man. If the years have taught me anything, it’s how to know
when to preach loudly and when to stay quiet.”
You get to work. To ensure that all goes well, you do most of the work alone. Only
sometimes do you ask your employees for help, and even then you make sure they
never work on the book long enough to glean its true nature.
After a month of work, Father Mark’s print run is done.
“My thanks, young man. I hope my sermon has found a place in your heart.\n“Do not
waste your worldly life in vain — it’s too short. Only here, in this life, can we
truly change anything. Only here can we truly feel alive!
“Be bold. Be audacious! Every single one of us is doomed, so do not fear the wrath
of the mighty, and live free of their chains!\n“Set yourself free, and live every
day as though it were your last.
You may have helped propel Father Mark’s teachings into the future.\nThese thin
little volumes in cheap leather bindings will spread across the Empire like
wildfire.\nYou have placed another bundle of kindling on the bonfire. One day,
sooner or later, it will catch fire.
If teachings like Mark’s begin to spread, there will be unrest the likes of which
the province has not seen since the emergence of the New Faith.
Father Mark is inciting revolt. He is fomenting rebellion against the Tempests, the
Empire, and the Twins.\nYou accept Brother Mark’s manuscript and promise to print
the book as requested.
Before the day ends, however, you send the manuscript to Felipe. He responds
immediately.
“Father Mark is a heretic and a renegade. The Inquisition has been hunting this man
for years.
“Thanks to your report, Father Mark has been arrested by the Secret Chancellery.\
n“He is no longer a threat to the Empire.”
“He has many followers among the common people. I will send their names your way.\
n“Have a little chat with them.\n“If they believed Father Mark, they should find
your ideas quite appealing.”
Felipe is right.\nIt takes some time to find the right tack to take with Mark’s
disciples, but eventually a number of them agree to join the Last Straw as
informers.\nAfter all, the desire for revenge is so easy to exploit.
If these teachings begin to spread, there will be unrest the likes of which the
province has not seen since the emergence of the New Faith.\nHis book is fomenting
rebellion against the Tempests, the Empire, and the Twins.
You accept Brother Mark’s manuscript and promise to print the run as soon as
possible.\nBut perhaps he needs someone to help him distribute the books? It would
be a simple matter for you to arrange it.
“Why so eager, young man?”
You respond that Father Mark’s words are music to your ears.\nYou charm him with a
passionate tale of your own creation, describing your many thoughts about the
divine design that fills all our lives with suffering.\nTo prove your words, you
quote the works of Isatius and the Lives of the Twins, which you remember from
childhood. These works are riddled with contradictions, but Father Mark has
resolved them all so simply!
You eventually get so caught up in your own fervor that you even promise to cover
some of the expenses for the print run. That is how convinced you are that Father
Mark’s doctrine must be shared!
Father Mark is impressed.
“Well, if you truly understand my teachings so well, I’m sure I can trust you to
both print and distribute the book.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope that my sermon has been of some
use to you.\n“Do not waste your worldly life in vain — it’s too short. Only here,
in this life, can we truly change anything. Only here can we truly feel alive!”
Every five days you receive new addresses and deliver the books to them as they are
printed.\nTemples and monasteries… small village churches and large city parishes…
commoners’ houses and noble estates… there are so many apostates in Magra!
When you learn that the last of the print run is to be delivered to the residence
of Patriarch Cassius, the last piece of the puzzle falls in place.\nThe face of the
provincial clergy… the head of the Church of the Twin Gods in Magra… has he fallen
victim to Mark’s apostasy as well?
You have to act quickly. You carefully transcribe all the address and send the list
to Felipe.\nThe response from the head of the Secret Chancellery arrives a few days
later.
“Father Mark has been arrested and handed over to the Inquisition thanks to your
report. He is no longer a threat to the Empire.\nThe Inquisition is about to
announce a purge of the Markian Heresy throughout Magra.
“Patriarch Cassius is the Inquisition’s problem. We will stay out of it.\n“However,
your list was a valuable resource for them. This collaboration will be of use to us
in the future. The Inquisitors know a lot about what goes on in people’s minds, and
they’ve promised to pass along anything that might be of interest to us.
“Now for the bad news: one of the noblemen who received a book from you recognized
you. What’s worse, his friends have already heard about it. There is no way to stop
the rumors now.
“Your family is about to become the talk of the town. Get ready to weather the
storm. Do not repeat this mistake in the future! Your family’s reputation offers
great protection, but it is more vulnerable that it might seem.”
You accept Brother Mark’s manuscript and promise to print the run as soon as
possible.
As soon as the priest leaves the print shop, you head to the prefecture to see
Father. You describe the strange visit and hand Mark’s manuscript over to him.\nHe
ought to handle this case himself, you say. The heretic must be arrested before it
is too late.
“This is extremely troubling, son. Matters such as these are really the
Inquisition’s domain… but we judges have some work to do here too.\n“This priest is
inciting rebellion against the Empire. He must face judgment under Imperial law.\
n“I’m glad you came to me with this. You did the right thing.
“This will be an excellent opportunity for El Borne and me to set our opponents at
ease.\n“No one at the Prefecture will be able to say we don’t protect Imperial
tradition now!”
Father Mark is soon arrested and sent to the Prefecture prison to await trial.
When the heretical priest is arrested, the city grows restless. But there is no
rioting, no protests…\nMany people leave the province in a hurry, including nobles,
commoners, and even a few priests. Some of your own men flee Magra without saying a
word. You have to rack your brains to find replacements.
You have seen for yourself just how many apostates reside in Anizotte.
Blast Wave
It has been four years since Archduke Milanidas and Overseer Tempest first clashed.
Each claims the right to collect taxes in the province.\nNow, for the third year in
a row, they are each collecting their own tax, and the province is sinking deeper
into poverty.
The people who have been hit the hardest are miners, diggers, and anyone who owns
or manages a mine.\nWhen gunpowder first appeared in Magra, mine workers felt hope
for a better future for the first time in years — but the ban soon followed, and
those hopes died.
People have lost their jobs. Industrialists and manufacturers have lost their
fortunes. The silver industry is in decline.
The Lesser Quorum led by Mayer Egmont has been fighting to stop double taxation and
reverse the ban on gunpowder for a long time now, but to no avail.\nThe common
people blame Magistrate El Verman. He has supported the gunpowder ban from the very
beginning, branding it too dangerous to be handled by commoners.
This friction is throwing sparks everywhere. You have always known that unrest
would flare up one day…\nBut, oddly enough, it all begins with a celebration.
It is early in the morning. You are eating breakfast with your family.\nStephan is
excited. Your brother has been invited to a ball at the Chancellery, and he has
been getting ready ever since he woke up.
“Magistrate El Verman is a sly man, Stephan. I’d be wary of him if I were you —
some friends in high places can take more than they give…”
“Enough, Father! I already know that. But if we ever want to be ennobled by the
Sword, we have to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. There
will be nobles of the highest rank there from all over the province! Besides,
there’s no risk in making El Verman’s acquaintance.”
Their conversation continues. Bored, you excuse yourself and go to the print shop.\
nAn ordinary day of work is followed by an ordinary evening. You are about to close
up shop for the night when Alida arrives unexpectedly.\nShe brings a letter.
“It’s an urgent report from Sophia!”
You glance through it hurriedly.\nThe handwriting is not Sophia’s.\nFelipe has
taken a great risk by writing to you under a false name, which means that this news
is too urgent for caution.
“Our informers with Egmont’s goons have warned us about a march tomorrow morning.
There’s trouble brewing.\n“Miners, diggers, and even mine owners are involved.
They’re coming from all over the province to demand that El Verman lift the
gunpowder ban.
“This march has Egmont’s name all over it. It’s supposed to be peaceful — no
bloodshed.\n“Apparently the miners think El Verman won’t have the guts to use
force, so he’ll have to listen to their demands.\n“Their plan is to show up during
the Magistrate’s party. They’re mad because he’s throwing money around while
they’re all starving.
“There are several hundred workers coming, and they’re fired up.\n“They should get
there early tomorrow morning. You have the night to get ready.
“Let’s hope you know how to put this intel to good use.”
You burn the letter in the flame of a candle. As the paper turns to ash, you weigh
your options.
Egmont wants the protest to be peaceful… but will he be able to keep the angry
miners from crossing the line?\nAnd Stephan will be at that damn party of his. This
complicates matters.
Either way, Felipe is right. You cannot ignore this.\nWhat will you do during this
unexpected protest?
Incite a full-fledged riot
Recruit the protesters to the Last Straw
Profit from the havoc
Alert El Verman
Using the Last Straw, you reveal the full extent of the miners’ furious
determination.
Your underground organization will support the miners’ march. In return, they will
join your cause.
The nobles’ attention will be focused on the protest tomorrow. This opportunity to
enrich yourself at their expense should not go to waste.
The Magistrate has to be informed about the approaching threat before Stephan and
the other nobles are trapped.
The nobles have never seen the common people as a force to be reckoned with. A
peaceful protest will be a waste of time and effort. No matter how many miners
crowd the city streets, they will not be heard until blood is spilled.\nThis matter
cannot be left to chance.
You send for Moss and Father Fuad and brief them on the situation.\nYou are going
need a number of the Last Straw members for this — people who do not mind getting
their hands dirty.\nThey need to be ready by morning.
You will join the miners’ march…\nAnd you will be armed.\nThe miners may be
planning a peaceful protest, but you will make sure things turn violent.
“I’m gonna need some guys who know what’s what. That means they won’t be able to
trail a few dozen bigwigs for a while.\n“It’s either-or, Brante. I only got so many
men.”
So be it.\nAs long as they are all ready in time.
Come morning, the miners march into the city, tools in hand.\nThey are dressed in
rags covered in soot and coal dust, hitting buckets with shovels and pickaxes with
every step. The rhythm is as loud as it is chaotic.
The miners are led by mine owners and industrialists, who are in turn led by Mayer
Egmont himself. His voice can be heard above the incessant din of metal on metal:
“Give us back our gunpowder!\n“Give us back our lives!\n“If you want coal and
silver, give us back our gunpowder!”
The entire procession repeats after him, hundreds of voices chanting in unison. The
people of Anizotte echo their refrain from the windows. Occasionally a gendarme
finds himself in their path and scurries away.\nThe procession is advancing toward
the Chancellery building.
Oliver’s men join them at the north gate.\nThey are murderers, thieves, debtors —
men who will do anything for money. They look just like ordinary citizens in the
crowd.
As the procession enters the Temple District, the white robes of New Faith priests
join the gray mass of miners. Father Fuad has worked a small miracle indeed.\nThe
priests’ voices join the commoners’ chant. The thunderous din grows louder still.
“The Twins are on our side! Our cause is pleasing to them!”
Alida joins the procession as it nears the noble districts, the Last Straw’s
youngest members in tow.\nThe miners grow bolder as they see more and more people
supporting their cause.
You hide in a back alley just around the corner from the Chancellery, making sure
your face is hidden. When the procession reaches you, you join its front ranks and
let it carry you along.\nYour men and women are ready to spring into action a soon
as you raise a red handkerchief above the throng.
The march approaches the Chancellery building.\nThe ball is cut short. Unable to
flee the celebration in time, most of the nobles are trapped, surrounded by the
chanting miners.\nStephan is somewhere among them.
Caught by surprise, the Magistrate barely manages to alert the city gendarmes.\
nTheir numbers are too small to disperse a mob this size, but the Anizotte Legion
garrison will appear any minute now. This is no time to be careless.
Sensing its strength, the mob continues to chant and bang on buckets without any
fear of the gendarmes.\nAmid the metallic cacophony, Egmont’s words repeat again
and again:\n“Bring us back our gunpowder!”\n“Bring us back our lives!”\n“You want
coal and silver? Bring back our gunpowder!”
Egmont clambers up onto a makeshift podium.
“Workers of Magra! Our so-called ‘protectors’ are having a feast today.\n“Let them
see you with their own eyes! Let them hear you with their own ears!\n“You are the
people who harvest the lifeblood of our province day and night in the darkness of
the mines!\n“You are the people hidden from the light of day!\n“You are the people
who earn riches for our masters!”
The chant is deafening. Pickaxes and shovels clang against metal…\nThis is the
moment of truth.\nEither El Verman concedes… or there will be blood.
To the Magistrate’s credit, he has the composure to face the people himself.\nThe
crowd goes quiet for him to speak.
“I understand your plight, but I will never accept such lawlessness in my city!\
n“Leave Anizotte immediately, before the gendarmes and the Legion force you out!”
The crowd murmurs in discontent. The people are on the verge of a riot.\nThe
Magistrate feels it too. He raises his hands, trying to say something else — but he
is too late.
You toss a red handkerchief into the air with one hand and hurl a cobblestone with
the other.\nThe heavy rock hits El Verman square in the chest.\nSpread throughout
the mob, Moss and his men scream in unison:\n“Get ’em!”
The gendarmes soon find more rocks flying in their direction. They try their best
to fight back, but your rabble-rousers rush them, followed by the enraged horde.
“Stop! Enough! Don’t do this!”
But there is no stopping it now. A confrontation is inevitable.\nYour work here is
done.\nYou try to escape the crowd…
But, a force of nature now, the mob will not release you.\nYou are only a drop in a
sea of humanity, and it washes you away.
Soon, the nobles join the gendarmes in a bid to quell the riot. The aristocracy’s
best draw their swords and fight an uneven battle, few against many.\nPeople push
and shove frantically. You are deafened by screams, your nostrils filled with the
stench of blood and sweat.\nThose pickaxes and shovels quickly become deadly
weapons.
The mob buffets you from side to side as it moves.\nYou barely manage to remain on
your feet, even as you stumble over the bodies of those less fortunate.\nThen,
finally, you are almost through the last stream of bodies when you hear an all-too-
familiar voice from behind your back.
“Not so fast, rebel!”
Cold steel pierces your back. The tip of a sword sprouts from your stomach. A foot
kicks you in the back.\nYou are thrown off the blade and onto your feet, but a
moment later you collapse onto the cobblestones.
You smash head-first into the hard stone. Your nose shatters with a sickening
crunch. The pain is blinding. Salty blood fills your mouth.\nAnd then, darkness.
You awaken. Your first breath is filled with pain.\nThe crypt is silent. No one is
there to meet you. With any luck, your family will never know that you died.\nMaybe
this is for the best.
The riot was an excellent dress rehearsal for the large-scale revolt Felipe will
eventually order you to lead.\nYou put your men to the test, and they acquitted
themselves nicely.\nWhen the time comes… you will be ready.
But do you really want that time to come?
You give Alida her orders. She is to tell Moss and Father Fuad to gather all your
men. They need to be ready by tomorrow morning.\nYour mission is simple: you will
join the miners’ march.\nThey should not bring weapons. You will support the
miners’ rally, then recruit anyone you can to your cause.
The miners are led by mine owners and industrialists, who are in turn led by Mayer
Egmont himself.\nHis voice can be heard above the incessant din of metal on metal:
The entire procession repeats after him, hundreds of voices chanting in unison.\
nThe people of Anizotte echo their refrain from the windows. Occasionally a
gendarme finds himself in their path and scurries away.\nThe procession is
advancing toward the Chancellery building.
Oliver’s men join them at the north gate. They are debtors and other assorted scum
willing to support any cause for the right price.
You push through the crowd to reach Egmont.
“I knew that was you, <username>! You’re not going to cause trouble, are you? We
just want them to make a few concessions. I know my men — but as for yours…
You tell Mayer not to worry.\nYour people are just here to show their support. Your
goals are the same.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that,<username>!”
The thousands of protesters soon approach the Chancellery building.\nThe ball is
cut short. Unable to flee the celebration in time, most of the nobles are trapped,
surrounded by the chanting miners.\nStephan is somewhere among them.
“I understand your plight — but I will never accept such lawlessness in my city!\
n“Leave Anizotte immediately, before the gendarmes and the Legion force you out!”
The crowd murmurs in discontent. The people are on the verge of a riot.\nThe
Magistrate feels it too. He raises his hands.
“However! I cannot promise you an end to the ban, but I am willing to procure grain
and food with my own funds and distribute these supplies to everyone in need!”
This is a pittance, an insignificant handout designed to keep the people calm.\nBut
it is all they can hope for as long as the nobles remain in power.\nEgmont catches
your glance.\nHe understands it too.
“Magistrate, we accept your offer! We are leaving for the warehouses, and we expect
the food wagons to arrive there by tomorrow. Once the miners have their supplies,
they will leave the city!”
The mob disperses.\nSome leave feeling victorious, invigorated by the triumph of
justice. Others, however, walk away feeling dejected and powerless.
Your people put your plan into action. As the march spits up into groups, they join
them and begin making friends, learning names, making connections.\nWhen the time
comes, many of those miners will walk the streets again and get what they deserve —
or to be sacrificed for Felipe’s personal agenda.
Later that evening, you are treated to another fight between Stephan and Gloria.
Your brother rants about the commoners who ruined the ball. Angry with the
nobility, Gloria claims there will be a full-fledged revolt one day.\nYou stay out
of it.
The unexpected march will be a perfect distraction for the gendarmes and the Legion
soldiers garrisoned in the city.\nA chance like this does not come along every day.
You could not ask for a better opportunity for a big score.\nYou ask Alida to find
Moss for you — fast.
Oliver arrives even faster.\nYou are going need a number of the Last Straw members
for this — people who do not mind getting their hands dirty.\nThey need to be ready
by tomorrow morning.\nYou are going to rob noble mansions blind while the miners
are busy raising a ruckus at the Chancellery building.
“And I suppose Sophia doesn’t have to know about this, eh? Hows about Sir Felipe,
boss?”
Good question. You are not a greedy man — you are willing to divvy up the profits,
fair and square.\nOliver lets off a chuckle.
“A man in our line of work never misses a chance for some coin. It’s a deal, then.”
The two of you spend the rest of the night planning the robberies. This will be a
fast smash-and-grab operation — you will not have much time.\nStephan mentioned a
great many names list night, so you know each and every noble family that will be
attending the Magistrate’s ball. You expect their servants to have the day off for
the occasion, so you should not encounter any resistance.
Once everything is planned and ready, you go to bed, but cannot sleep. As the sun
rises, you head to the north gate to watch Egmont’s march from a safe distance.
The miners are dressed in rags covered in soot and coal dust, hitting buckets with
shovels and pickaxes with every step. The rhythm is as loud as it is chaotic.
nThe people of Anizotte echo their refrain from the windows. \nOccasionally a
gendarme finds himself in their path and scurries away.
Sensing its strength, the mob continues to chant and bang on buckets without any
fear of the gendarmes.Amid the metallic cacophony, Egmont’s words repeat again and
again:\n“Bring us back our gunpowder!”\n“Bring us back our lives!”\n“You want coal
and silver? Bring back our gunpowder!”
“Workers of Magra! Our so-called ‘protectors’ are having a feast today.\n“Let them
see you with their own eyes! Let them hear you with their own ears!\n“You are the
people who harvest the lifeblood of our province day and night in the darkness of
the mines!“You are the people hidden from the light of day!\n“You are the people
who earn riches for our masters!”
This is a pittance, an insignificant handout designed to keep the people calm.\nBut
it is all they can hope for as long as the nobles remain in power.\nJudging from
Egmont’s face, he understands this too.
Moss arrives at the print shop in the evening and places a hefty pouch in front of
you.
“We had a pretty good take. A few of the boys got too greedy. The gendarmes got
‘em.\n“But don’t you worry, they don’t know much, so there ain’t no problem. We
just gotta find some new dopes to replace ‘em.”
The glint of gold and silver calms your nerves. The shouting mob and Egmont’s
bitter cries seem more distant now.\nEven when history is happening before your
very eyes, it’s always important to look out for number one.
El Verman has to be told about the upcoming march.\nYou thank Alida for the letter
and head to the Magistrate’s estate at once.
The hour is late. The servants receive you coldly, but you insist. They eventually
inform Magistrate El Verman of your arrival.\nThey escort you into his office.
“Brante? You’re the last man I expected to see right now. Why the rush? Is
something the matter?”
You quickly relate the contents of Felipe’s warning to the Magistrate.\nEl Verman’s
face grows beet red with wrath.
“The arrogant, lowborn wretch! So Egmont thinks he’s free to do whatever he wants
in my city, does he?!\n“Well, we’ll see about that! This ends here and now!”
What exactly is the Magistrate planning for tomorrow, you ask?\nTo your surprise,
El Verman snickers.
“Let him come. He’ll be walking right into my trap. I have plenty of time to
prepare now.\n“This is a very precious warning indeed. I will remember this,
Brante.”
You are surprised to hear actual respect in the Magistrate’s voice.
When the sun rises, you head to the north gate to watch Egmont’s march from a safe
distance.
nThe people of Anizotte echo their refrain from the windows.
The thousands of protesters soon reach the Chancellery.\nBut what they find there
does not resemble a ball in the slightest.\nThe noble militia is standing before
the Chancellery gate, forming a line of defense. They are ready for a fight. You
spot Stephan among their ranks.
The gendarmes and Legion soldiers garrisoned in the city have blocked all the side
streets leading out of the square. The miners have no escape route.
Despite this, the mob continues to chant and bang on buckets without any fear of
the gendarmes.Amid the metallic cacophony, Egmont’s words repeat again and again:\
n“Bring us back our gunpowder!”\n“Bring us back our lives!”\n“You want coal and
silver? Bring back our gunpowder!”
The Magistrate faces the people in person, his head held high.\nThe crowd grows
silent.
“You have come here to demand that I violate Imperial law. But I will never accept
such lawlessness in my city!\n“Leave Anizotte immediately, before the gendarmes and
the Legion force you out!”
The mob responds with a confused murmur.
“Huh?!”
Egmont is baffled, disoriented, unsure of what to do. He is too slow to react.
“If you won’t listen to reason… Captain!”
The Magistrate gives the signal to attack.
The Legion soldiers form a square and advance on the miners, pushing them back with
their pikes.\nSwords begin hacking at the crowd from all sides.\nBut the people
refuse to surrender without a fight. Pickaxes and shovels become deadly weapons in
the blink of an eye.
You follow your brother with your eyes.\nUnder the Magistrate’s command, the
aristocrats rush at the miners. They slice through their front lines effortlessly,
but go too far and find themselves surrounded.
The flat end of a shovel connects with Stephan’s head.\nYour brother falls.
You dash to his side through the mob. \nThe sea of humanity buffets you from side
to side. You run to your brother, struggling to stay on your feet, tripping over
the bodies of those who were not so fortunate.\nMiraculously, he has not been
trampled.
You lift Stephan onto your shoulders and carry him through the thick of the fray.\
nThe way back is even worse. People are pushing, fleeing, shoving. Cobblestones and
rocks whistle above your heads.\nBut somehow, by some strange fluke, you manage to
escape.\nYou carry your brother as far away from the Chancellery as you can. You do
not look back.
“<username>? How did you…?”
You tell Stephan not to speak. He almost got his head cracked open.\nHe just
laughs.
“So you rescued me? Hah… not bad for a commoner…”
He loses consciousness again.\nYou hear cries of victory far behind you.\nThe
miners’ march has ended in an ignominious defeat.
It is only thanks to his wealth and connections that Mayer Egmont is spared.\nAll
the blame is placed squarely on the miners and workers — those who were unable to
flee Anizotte in time. Five miners are publicly executed, and the mine owners face
exorbitant fines.
It will be a long while before the miners demand anything from the nobility again.
An Invitation to Dinner
Commoners are still flocking to Anizotte.\nRefugees from villages that have been
squeezed dry, miners who have lost their jobs, craftsmen who have lost their last
coin — they all come to the city in search of shelter, safety, and justice.
Makeshift shacks litter the outskirts of the city, steadily growing into shanty
towns.\nEvery day the people of Anizotte see more men and women hanging around the
streets looking for work, leaving their children in the care of the most infirm and
elderly of the refugees.
Of all the powerful people in the city, Mayer Egmont is the only one who considers
this a problem.\nHe has ordered several of his warehouses to be converted into
shelters and begun distributing bread to the refugees free of charge.
You and Sophia are sitting on the roof of an apartment building watching people
huddle around a wagon. The bread line stretched to the small square between the
buildings yesterday.\nBut today it disappears down the backstreets, with no end in
sight.
“Look at those poor bastards — they’ve been betrayed by their own masters. The
nobles robbed ’em blind, razed their villages, and left ‘em to die.\n“Back-breaking
labor, endless suffering, dying in the gutter… that’s all they’ve ever given them.
“Would any of them blasted nobles even move a finger to help the refugees? Not on
your life. Mayer Egmont’s the only one who cares. He’s their only chance for
survival.
“Say, Brante… I hear Augustin El Borne and Mayer Egmont have both been invited to
your house for dinner. That true?”
How does Sophia know about this? Father asked you to keep it a secret.
“What difference does it make? You should have told me!
“Do you have any idea what this dinner means?\n“It’s a sit-down, Brante. They could
be deciding the fate of our city. The fate of the Last Straw. The fate of our
rebellion!
“You’ve gotta get me invited to that dinner — tell ‘em I’m your friend, your
fiancee, your lover, I don’t care!\n“Just find some excuse for me to be there,
okay?”
Invite Sophia to the dinner
Agree with Sophia
Give in to her demands
You have no qualms about inviting Sophia to the dinner and introducing her to your
family.
After some consideration, you invite Sophia to the dinner and introduce her to your
family.
Despite your misgivings, you invite Sophia to the dinner and introduce her to your
family.
You tell Sophia that there is no way you could invite her to the dinner.
Of course, Sophia can come to the dinner tonight.\r\nBut she is going to need a
proper outfit...
“No worries, Brante. I can behave in a noble society.”
Time for the dinner party arrives. The Brante house prepares for guests.\nYou
cannot remember the last time your entire family got together like this.
Father is unusually focused and serious today.\nMother is wearing Father’s wedding
gift: a precious brooch adorned with gems. To her, it is a small act of defiance —
commoners may not indulge in luxury. But today is a special day indeed, and she has
found the courage to dare this small transgression.
Stephan is more carefree and high-spirited than usual. He always enjoys his uncle’s
visits.\nNathan is as quiet, furtive, and inconspicuous as ever.\nGloria, however,
only smiles to herself.
Sophia is sitting at the table to your left. The family casts curious glances at
her from time to time.\nIt feels so strange to see her here at home, together with
your family.\nMother is the first to acknowledge her presence.
“Sophia, <username> told us he was inviting someone important to him, but he never
mentioned that this ‘someone’ was a charming young lady.\n“Pray tell, how did you
and my son meet?”
“Oh, it was a long time ago. We’ve known each other ever since we were little. We
used to play in the neighbors’ yards together.\n“And then <username> helped me
to... um... get out of Anizotte and go to the capital. He was a real hero, you
know.”
You see dubious recognition in your family’s eyes.
“My brother mentioned meeting an old friend in the capital! So that was you?”
“Why, yes! Our paths crossed again in Eterna. What a wonderful city! I have such
fond memories of the years I spent there.\n“I was so lucky to have <username> by my
side. He helped me a lot.”
“Is that so? Then I don’t suppose you could shed some light on what happened to him
there? What was my son doing in Eterna all those years? He came home with a small
fortune, but refused to tell us where it came from.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know much about that myself… all I can say is that I was
fortunate enough to introduce your son to a very important man. <username> proved
himself and earned the man’s patronage.”
“Well, I certainly hope this man was a decent, honorable nobleman, not some upstart
commoner with deep pockets like that Egmont…”
“Stephan, could you please refrain from such remarks while Egmont is here? If only
for my sake…”
“Worry not, Father. I would never embarrass you in front of Sir El Borne.”
“I assure you, Sir Stephan, your brother’s benefactor is one of the most
respectable noblemen I’ve ever met! I’m sure the two of you would have a lot in
common if you ever happened to meet.”
You watch in awe as Sophia charms your family with polite small talk, effortlessly
picking the right words for everyone at the table.\nHer presence is so enchanting
that your family enjoys a moment of peace and harmony for the first time in ages.
The servants soon announce the guests’ arrival.\nBaron Augustin El Borne and Mayer
Egmont greet the master and mistress of the house one after another, then take
their seats at the dinner table.
After the traditional exchange of pleasantries, you enjoy an exquisite dinner
followed by wine.\nThere would ordinarily be dessert for Father and Stephan, but
today the noblemen make do with wine.
El Borne and Egmont finally begin to discuss the droves of commoners seeking refuge
in the city.
“I must confess, Egmont, I don’t understand your motivation here. Are you moved by
an honest desire to help people, or the expectation of some inscrutable profit?
Regardless, you have to put an end to this, before it’s too late!
“The food and shelter you offer them only serves to attract more and more refugees
to Anizotte.\n“And when they finally fill streets, what are you going to do then?
What am I going to do then? The Archduke, the Overseer — what are they going to do?
Have you even considered this?
“Please understand me — I harbor no ill will toward these people.\n“But Gaius
Tempest is concerned that they will eventually start causing trouble. Archduke
Milanidas is looking for any excuse to march his punitive battalions into the city,
Mayer! Is that really what you want?”
“With all due respect, Sir Prefect… I cannot do what you ask.\n“These people have
nowhere else to go. No one else will help them. Here in Anizotte, at least I can
offer them food and shelter.\n“Are you really asking me to let them starve to
death?
“Do not deceive yourself, Augustin. I was one of those who welcomed the new
Overseer at first! Just like all the rest, I hoped that the common estate would get
a little more breathing room under his rule.\n“But what did Gaius Tempest do?
“He started this power struggle with the Archduke. He made the double tax possible.
He signed the ban on gunpowder.\n“A ban on gunpowder, and in Magra of all places —
a province that lives off of the silver ore we mine!
“Which is why, Sir El Borne, I do not trust the Arknians or the nobility anymore.
No, sir. I will not rely on their generosity.\n“The only way I can accomplish
anything in this world is by myself, by the sweat of my brow, by sticking my neck
out for others.
“Augustin, you are the only noble in the Imperial government I can still trust.\
n“You are known throughout the city as the protector of the lowly estate. So
protect the lowly estate!\n“Offer protection to the refugees! Convince the Overseer
to let them stay here! Let me save their lives!”
“I am very sorry, Egmont, but that is impossible. Gaius Tempest has made it very
clear that if I cannot resolve this situation, he will bring the Legion into the
city and deal with it himself.
“It pains me to say this, but those people would be better off leaving the city —
or maybe even Magra. You must realize this! They should go to Eliria or some other
place and start new lives!\n“The only thing waiting for them here in Anizotte is
death. There’s nothing I can do to help them.”
You glance at Sophia warily. Her brows are furrowed, and her hands are balled into
fists.\nShe interrupts El Borne without warning.
Everyone turns to her in surprise. Did a lowborn woman just have the audacity to
raise her voice while important men were talking?
“That’s enough. You are Baron Augustin El Borne, the prefect of Magra! The
protector of the common folk, the last hope for people like me. You’re all we’ve
got.\n“Mayer Egmont is right — the Arknians don’t care about us at all! As far as
the Milanidases and the Tempests are concerned, we don’t even exist.
“Every commoner in this city knows there’s only one noble in Anizotte who actually
cares, and that’s you, Sir El Borne.\n“Not the Overseer, not the Archduke, not the
Magistrate, not the Patriarch — none of them.
“You’re the only man who can change things in this city.\n“If not you, then who? If
not now, then when?
“The Overseer needs your support — he trusts you! He’ll listen to you. You don’t
have to blindly follow his every order. You’re free to make up your own mind and
speak to him on behalf of the people.
“I’m begging you, please don’t betray us. Don’t betray all the trust we’ve placed
in you. Help Mayer save these people!”
The amber candlelight glimmers and sparkles, reflected in Sophia’s blue eyes.
“My apologies, ma’am… we have not been introduced.”
“Sophia. A commoner.”
A lengthy silence hangs over the room. No one knows what to do. Everyone holds
their breath, waiting for Augustin El Borne to react.
“Thank you, Sophia. Your words…
“You ought to thank this young lady, Mayer. You will have my support.\n“The
refugees may stay. Do your best to give them decent shelter and food, and see if
there is any work they can do.\n“I’ll see if I can convince the Archduke that they
pose no threat, and I’ll take steps to keep the streets safe.”
The guests thank their hosts for their hospitality, then leave one after another.\
nYou walk Sophia to a carriage.
“That was some night, eh, Brante? You’ve got an interesting family.\n“Too bad I’ll
probably never have a reason to get to know them better.”
The next day, Augustin El Borne makes a statement to the people of Anizotte: the
Prefecture and the Lesser Quorum have reached an agreement.\nThe refugees arriving
in the city will be offered temporary shelter and provisions.
No announcements from the Overseer are forthcoming.
her from time to time. It feels so strange to see her here at home, together with
“Oh, why, I actually used to live around here when I was little. You probably don’t
remember me.\n“But then fate brought your son and me together years later, and now
we see each other all the time.”
Sophia’s hand gently comes to rest on yours. The touch of her skin sends a warm
ripple through your entire body.\nYour family notices this little gesture. Mother
exchanges a knowing glance with Father.
“Is that so? To be honest, I’m surprised <username> has been hiding such a charming
young lady from us all this time. But I’m glad he’s finally had the courage to
introduce us.\n“I’m sorry I won’t be able to chat with you as much as I’d like
during dinner tonight, but you’re welcome to come back anytime.”
Sophia turns to you with a beautiful, alluring smile. She leans in closer to
whisper in your ear.
“Sorry for the charade, Brante. I figured it’d make things easier.”
You feel an odd sense of excitement swelling in your chest and spreading its warmth
to the rest of your body. You cannot help but smile at Sophia’s little pretense.
You hold hands with Sophia openly. Oh, if only this dinner could be just a dinner…
if only the woman next to you could just be your beloved, here to meet your family
for the first time… if only this pretense could be a reality! How simple, pure, and
happy that imaginary life would have been!
The amber candlelight glimmers and sparkles, reflected in Sophia’s eyes.
“Thanks for dinner, <username>. It was fun acting like everything’s normal for
once. You played your part like a pro.”
The next day, Augustin El Borne makes a statement to the people of Anizotte: the
Prefecture and the Lesser Quorum have reached an agreement.\nThe refugees arriving
in the city will be offered temporary shelter and provisions.
Stephan is more carefree and high-spirited than usual. He always enjoys his uncle’s
visits.Nathan is as quiet, furtive, and inconspicuous as ever.\nGloria, however,
only smiles to herself.
her from time to time.It feels so strange to see her here at home, together with
Sophia lets the question hang in the air with an absentminded chuckle. You have to
answer respond for her.\nShe is an old friend of yours, you explain. The two of you
have reconnected for the first time in years, and you thought a family dinner would
be the perfect time and place to meet again.
“Augustin, you are the only noble in the Imperial government I can still trust.“You
are known throughout the city as the protector of the lowly estate. So protect the
lowly estate!\n“Offer protection to the refugees! Convince the Overseer to let them
stay here! Let me save their lives!”
“The Overseer needs your support — he trusts you! He’ll listen to you. You don’t
have to be afraid of him! If you speak to him on behalf of the people, he won’t
ignore you!
The guests thank their hosts for their hospitality, then leave one after another.\
nYou walk Sophia to a carriage.\nShe bids you goodbye with the usual preoccupied
look and curt, silent nod.
You shake your head in response.\nAlas, this is impossible. You're not taking
Sophia with you to the family dinner.
Sophia sighs, displeased.\nBut she does not argue.
“Damn these noble rules...\n“Well, I hope Egmont will be able to bring Sir Prefect
to the side of the people by himself.”
With all of them together, you cannot help but start reminiscing about your
childhood.\nMother’s soft embrace. The weight of Father’s firm hand on your
shoulder.\nGloria’s voice resounding as she recites poetry. Nathan’s humble,
cautious questions. Stephan’s confused face just before he left for the capital
with Grandfather.
So many memories, intersecting one another like fragments in a kaleidoscope.\nThe
people seated at this table are dearer to you than anyone else.\nYour family is
everything to you — they ARE you. And you see them reflected in every moment of
your past, present, and future.
Mayer Egmont’s shoulders slump.
“Very well, Augustin… I understand where you stand now.\n“I’ll do my best to
prevent any social unrest.
“Thank you for being honest with me, Sir El Borne. Thank you for your hospitality,
Sir Brante. And thank you for the wonderful dinner, Lydia.\n“I’m afraid I have to
go.”
Egmont bows and leaves your home.\nBaron El Borne says his goodbyes next.
“Thank you for letting us meet in your home, Robert.\n“I’ll mention your name to
the Overseer next time I have an audience with him. It’s the least I can do.”
The following day, Mayer Egmont announces that, for a number of reasons, the
refugees will now receive less and less food every day. Eventually the bread
handouts will cease altogether.\nThe Prefecture orders all refugees to leave
Anizotte within a week.
The Lesser Quorum promises to distribute travel money to the refugees to help them
make their way back home.
Getting Even
Felipe left Anizotte for the capital last night on urgent business.\nHe gave you
both direct, unambiguous orders before he left: cease all activity and wait for him
to return.
A month of freedom. An entire month of peace.\nIs this real? Can you finally stop
and catch your breath?
But, unfortunately, you do not even get to enjoy the thought of freedom for long.\
nAs noon approaches, Sophia appears in the door of your office.\nShe has risked a
visit in the middle of the day. This must be urgent.
What brings her here?
“Dorius Otton. Ring a bell?\n“You know, the High Commander of Magra. An Arknian. My
former master. Rapist, murderer, all-around piece of shit. \n“I’ve been keeping
tabs on him ever since I got back to Anizotte.
“Here’s where it gets interesting, Brante.\n“Turns out Felipe El Ferro isn’t the
only guy trying to take advantage of the chaos to make a grab for power.
“There’s a noble revolt brewing, way up in the upper echelons. Milanidas’s
followers are itching to rebel against Overseer Tempest.\n“And Dorius Otton is one
of the heavies.
“You see where I’m going with this?\n“All Gaius Tempest’s authority comes from the
Imperial Legions’ swords. And the guy in charge of them all, the High Commander of
the province? That’s Otton.\n“And he can’t wait to betray the Overseer and hand all
that power over to the Archduke!”
“If this revolt goes through, everything we’ve worked for will go up in smoke. We
can’t let this happen.\n“We need to expose Otton as the traitor he is and give
Gaius Tempest all the proof!”
What about Felipe? What does he have to say about this?
“We don’t even know where Felipe is right now. He’s incommunicado. We’ll have to go
against his orders and act on our own.\n“We’ve got no time to waste, either. They
could spring into action at the drop of a hat.”
Sophia’s voice is trembling. You are not used to hearing her like this.\nYou ask
her why she is so eager to take Otton down.\nIs she out for revenge?
“I’m more worried about the Last Straw’s future than revenge. But I’m gonna level
with you: if I had my way, I’d love nothing more than to strangle Otton with my
bare hands.\n“Siccing the Overseer on him is the next best thing.”
As usual, Sophia sounds level level-headed and makes a solid point. But you cannot
help but feel she is still hiding something.
Should you defy Felipe’s orders and aid her?\nIs it a good idea to get involved in
the struggle between the province’s two most powerful Arknians?
Ask her to explain herself
Refuse and have Sophia shadowed
You will put your faith in Sophia as long as she trusts you in return.
You will support Sophia’s plan without question.
Until Felipe returns, there is no way you are getting involved in anything this
serious.
You refuse to participate in Sophia’s plan and order your men to follow her in
secret.
Of course you will help Sophia with this.\nBut she is doing herself a disservice by
keeping her friends in the dark. Before you go through with this, you would like
her to explain it all to you.
Sophia’s eyes narrow as she studies you, pondering your words.\nYou remain quiet,
giving her time, trying to breathe as quietly as you can.\nOver a minute passes
before Sophia speaks again.
“Okay, <username>. I trust you, so I’ll level with you. But if you betray that
trust, it’ll just about kill me, okay?
“I’m tired.\n“I’ve been a pawn all my life. An Arknian’s maidservant. A witch with
no will of her own, stuck in prison. A toy in Felipe’s hands. A tiny insect in the
divine design.\n“I’m just… I’m sick of it.
“I’m sick of being a thing. I’m sick of having owners. I’m sick of following
orders. I’m sick of being used for someone else’s goals.\n“Well, I’m done. You got
that? I’M. DONE.
“We’re doomed, you and me. You’re not deluding yourself on that account, are you?
Felipe’s gonna see us hanged, just like he did the Lotless in Eterna.\n“We’ll stay
alive as long as we’re useful. No amount of loyalty to the Secret Chancellery can
save us.\n“But when he finally decides to get rid of us… I’ll be ready.
“And Dorius Otton, you know… he’s the worst Arknian of them all. I was his
maidservant for years. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me. Ever.\
n“Worse than the House of Humility. Way worse than now.
“And now, Otton is scheming to betray Gaius Tempest. Just one of his many plots,
business as usual.\n“And the thing is, he’s never had to pay the price for his own
schemes — other people did. Kids who lost their homes… who had to slave away for
scraps… and their fathers, hanging themselves from despair…”
Sophia’s voice trails off. She rummages around in her pocket, stuffs a hearty pinch
of tobacco into her pipe, and puffs out a cloud of yellowish smoke. Then she
continues, her voice a calm, lifeless monotone.
“And now I have a chance to end it all. If it means putting my life on the line, so
be it.
“Because we’re doomed, see? The moment I realized that, I became free.\n“If I can
make this world better, I’m gonna try. And I’ll keep on trying until I drop.
“And you… you’re with me, <username>. That means a lot.”
For the next ten days, you watch Otton’s house, memorizing the guards’ schedule,
studying the layout of the mansion, planning escape routes…\nUntil, finally, you
have the opportunity to act.
When night falls, the two of you go there together.\nThere is a carriage at the
gate. It looks all too familiar… is there a guest at Otton’s mansion?\nWho cares?
There’s no turning back now. There’s no time.
You climb over the tall stone wall and disappear into the dark garden.\nThe
sprawling shrubbery conceals you.\nPerfect timing — a few seconds later, two night
watchmen turn the corner, about to walk past.
Sophia’s eyes flare with burning yellow light.\nThe guards fall into a deep sleep
and collapse on the spot.\nYou drag them into the shadows. Once you have their
keys, your dagger finishes them both off.\nThe bodies dissipate. Two lesser deaths.
Once inside and in the mansion kitchen, you prick up your ears\nYou hear footsteps
and the muffled voices of Otton and his late-night guest. They are too far away for
you to recognize a single word, but their voices are coming from the sitting room.\
nThis is promising — you need to make your way to Otton’s study on the second
floor.
You sneak to the stairs, shrouded in total darkness.\nThe voices are clearer now.
“You’re trying too hard to please both the Overseer and the Archduke, Magistrate.
You ought to stop that before you lose your seat to someone else. Unless you side
with the right people, that is.”
“Sir Otton, I wholeheartedly share the Archduke’s anger!\n”But a revolt? The city
will suffer immensely…”
“So you’re just a coward then, human?”
You have wasted enough time on this.\nYou sneak to the upper floor and conceal
yourselves in Otton’s study.
“So it’s all true. Otton’s in this thing up to his eyeballs… we’re almost out of
time, <username>. Look for papers. Anything with the Milanidas seal on it.\n“We’re
gonna put the screws to this prick.”
The two of you hurriedly rummage around in bookshelves, drawers, and cabinets. Any
note or letter you find that seems even remotely useful, you stuff in a bag.
The floorboards creak.\nThe footsteps grow louder, closer.
“The window!”
Glass shatters. Sophia jumps through the window frame.\nThe door behind you slams
open. Otton dashes into the room with inhuman speed. He grabs a sword from the wall
and rushes at you.
Out of options, you leap outside just as cold steel slices through the skin on your
back.\nBut you are already falling. Sophia helps you to your feet.
“Don’t let them get away!”
But the High Commander’s order is futile. No one knows the streets and alleyways of
Anizotte better than you and Sophia.
Several hours later, you finally reach the door of the print shop.
“Take your shirt off. I need to wash that wound of yours. You got lucky — real
lucky. He almost had you.”
What now? What will she do next?
“Oh, I’ll send the Overseer a little gift. I’m sure you and I will hear about Otton
real soon.”
Three days later, the papers find their way to Gaius Tempest. He issues an order to
relieve Otton of his duties as the High Commander of Magra.\nSoon after that, the
disgraced Arknian departs for Castle Serpenverda, the citadel of his master
Archduke Milanidas.
That fateful night has left you with a treasure trove of dangerous information,
enough to tarnish the reputations of many of the nobles complicit in the plot. You
wisely keep the intelligence to yourself for now.\nIt just might come in handy one
day.
“Thank you, <username>. I never doubted you for an instant.”
You have wasted enough time on this. You sneak to the upper floor and conceal
yourselves in Otton’s study.
The floorboards creak. The footsteps grow louder, closer.
Three days later, the papers find their way to Gaius Tempest. He issues an order to
relieve Otton of his duties as the High Commander of Magra. Soon after that, the
disgraced Arknian departs for Castle Serpenverda.
That fateful night has left you with a treasure trove of dangerous information,
enough to tarnish the reputations of many of the nobles complicit in the plot. You
wisely keep the intelligence to yourself for now. It just might come in handy one
day.
You shake your head.\nNo, you will not help Sophia with this.
“You dope! You think Felipe’s gonna save you if you’re a good boy?!
“But hey, it’s your funeral. I’m disappointed.”
With that, Sophia leaves.\nA few days later, you hear that a gang of street thugs
tried to break into Otton’s mansion, but failed and were killed on the spot.
Was this Sophia’s attempt to follow through on her plan without you?\nEither way,
you cannot be blamed for this. Only a fool would ever defy an Arknian as powerful
as Otton.
Anyway, she is alive. You drive away the worrisome thoughts.\nFreedom awaits you —
an entire month of freedom. You should enjoy it to the fullest before Felipe El
Ferro returns to Anizotte.
You shake your head. No, you will not help Sophia with this.
With that, Sophia leaves.
You call Alida Sirin into your office.\nSophia has been acting strangely recently.
You are concerned. You ask Alida to keep an eye on her.
Alida reports to you the next morning.
“I followed Sophia through the city like you asked. She met some people. They acted
like the Last Straw, but I’ve never seem them at our meetings before… ever.
“And they’re not just some greenhorns — they clearly know the trade. And they know
Sophia and trust her, and she trusts them too.\n“They’ve set up a watch around the
Arknian’s house, no two ways about it.
“I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Would’ve had to get too close.\n“What’s
going on? Did you and Sophia have or fight or something? That’s the last thing we
need right now! On the contrary, we need to pull together. That’s what you always
tell us!”
You set Alida’s fears to rest.\nEverything is okay. You are just worried about
Sophia. She seems to be involved in some kind of risky venture, but she has been
keeping it a secret from you for some reason.
A few days later, you hear that a gang of street thugs tried to break into Otton’s
mansion, but failed and were killed on the spot.\nFigures. Defying an Arknian as
powerful as Otton was a fool’s errand.
But now you know something: Sophia does not trust you. She is playing a game of her
own. She even has her own little private gang.\nWhat other secrets could she be
hiding?
The Hard Goodbye
Night falls upon the city, shrouding it in darkness and dotting the sky with
stars.\nThe din of the streets dies down slowly. Soon, the heavy footfalls of
gendarme patrols is the only sound.\nYou are at the print shop, tying up the day’s
loose ends.
There is a sudden knock at the door. Sophia walks in without a word, holding a
half-empty bag.\nShe heads to the room containing the shop’s records. Somewhere in
there, under piles of paperwork, is a crate with her things in it.
Sophia pushes the papers aside and starts shoving her things into the bag. She
barely looks at what she is doing.\nWhat is going on?\nShe freezes, as though
noticing you for the first time. Then she pulls up a chair, sits down, and lights
her pipe.
“I was with Felipe just now. I’m leaving. For a long time. Could be a whole year.
Gotta recruit pissed-off people for the Last Straw from all over Magra. He thinks
we’ve already found everybody here in Anizotte.”
Is she going alone?\nSophia nods, exhaling smoke.
“Yup. Felipe’s orders. Says it’s safer that way. He needs you here.”
Her eyes are trained on you. You notice yellow light glimmering deep within them.\
nEven without the underground movement, Sophia is just as dangerous on her own. And
Felipe actually thinks she is going to recruit hundreds more people to die for his
scheme?
Sophia puffs out ring after ring. They slowly dissolve in the air, filling the room
with acrid smoke. \nThere is no hiding from her light-blue eyes.\nA gentle smile
plays on her lips.\n
“Just don’t botch the whole thing while I’m gone, okay, Brante?”
You nod. An awkward silence follows. Deep inside Sophia’s pipe, a red spark flares
back to life again.\nShe knew you would be at the print shop alone tonight. Did she
really come here just to tell you this?\n
She does not look away.
Wish her a safe journey
Swear to remain loyal to her no matter what
Promise to protect her
Tell her how you feel
Confess your love for her
You wish her a safe journey and good luck finding new people for the cause.
You belong to Sophia. You swear to remain loyal to her until the very end.
You tell her that if she ever needs any help or protection, you will be there.
You confess the strong feelings you have had for her ever since you were children.
You profess your love for her and ask her if she feels the same.
You look Sophia in the eye and wish her good luck and safe travels.\nThere is
plenty of danger on the road in Magra — especially now, in these troubled times —
but you are confident that Sophia will survive and thrive no matter where she goes.
She nods and looks away.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll be okay. You’d better be okay too, <username>. I can’t
help you anymore. From now on, you’re on your own.
“Be careful who you trust. And don’t get yourself caught.”\n
Sophia stands up, slings her bag over her shoulder, and hands you a sheathe. It
contains a misericorde — a long, slender dagger.\nYou accept the parting gift.\nA
moment later, the door closes quietly behind her.\n
Only then do you realize that she was waiting for something from you, something
more than just a few kind words and a good-luck wish.\nBut Sophia is gone now. The
moment has passed.\n
You are alone.\nThe Last Straw rests solely on your shoulders now.
You take a step toward her — and kneel.\nYou swear to remain loyal to Sophia and
her cause, forever and ever, no matter what. Until the very end.
Her eyes narrow.
“Get up! What’s with the noble melodrama?”
“So what if I tell you to go and die for me, eh? True death? Would you still be
loyal to me?”
You stand up and take a step closer.\nYes, you tell her. Any order she gives you,
you will obey without question. You are completely and utterly loyal to her.\n
You take her by the hand and kiss her tobacco-stained fingers.\nSophia squeezes
your hand so hard it hurts.\n
“You’ll regret those words someday.
“You’re standing awfully close to me, Brante. Too close, maybe.\n“I’ve got nothing
to give you, see? You won’t get any tenderness or joy from me. Just rage and
revenge.\n
“You ain’t free until you’re ready to make sacrifices with no regrets. And I’m way
past regrets. I’ll sacrifice you too one day.\n“You sure you’re ready for that?”\n
Yes, you tell her. You are ready.\n
Sophia lets out a hard, bitter chuckle — and kisses you, hard and hungrily, biting
your lips until they hurt.
She is a force of nature, a calamity, a ruthless, elemental power. Her insistent
fingers undo the buttons of your shirt. She does not ask — she just takes. And
right now, she wants you.
You follow her lead exactly, undoing the ties of her blouse — but only as long as
she permits it. You have no choice but to obey.
Sophia pushes you down onto the floor and straddles you. She does not allow you to
move. She does everything herself, as always.
When the sun rises, the two of you are still together. You are exhausted, spent,
done. The sweat-drenched scratches left by her nails still sting. \nNude, Sophia
lights her pipe. She does not seem the least bit tired.\nNeither of you speaks to
the other.\n
Slowly, Sophia begins sifting through the clothes on the floor.\nOnce she is
dressed, she hands you a sheathe. It contains a misericorde — a long, slender
dagger.\n
“Here. It’ll remind you of your oath.\nThat was fun, <username>. Don’t miss me,
okay? I won’t miss you either.\n
“There’s so much dirt in our past, and so much blood in our future… but we won’t
stop until we’re done. Our cause is just.”
The door closes quietly behind her.\nThe Last Straw rests solely on your shoulders
now.
Surrendering to a rush of emotion, you take her by the hand.\nNo matter where she
goes, you will always be on her side. She is more than just a comrade-in-arms — she
means the world to you. You will do everything in your power to protect her. She
should never forget that.
Sophia raises an eyebrow.
“What, you think I need protection? You think there’s something waiting for me I
can’t handle?”
You reassure Sophia that she has your complete confidence. There is no need to get
upset. But even so, you want her to know that here in Anizotte, she always has
someone she can rely on.
“Oh, Brante… you really think I’m that naive? Me, relying on an agent of the Secret
Chancellery? Next you’ll tell me I’m gonna dance on the Peak in a white gown after
I’m dead!”
You sigh.\nSophia is free to doubt your words if she wants, but right now you are
being sincere. And, no matter what she thinks, you will be always be there for her,
even if it means defying Felipe’s orders. \n
Silence follows.\nSophia grins.\n
“Fine. Hope I won’t be needing your help. But here, have something to remember me
by. Maybe it’ll give you some confidence.\n“Time for me to hit the road,
<username>. You watch your back while I’m gone. Remember — our cause is just.”\n
She hands you a sheathe containing a misericorde — a long, slender dagger. Then she
nods and walks away.\n
But before the door closes quietly behind her, you hear an even quieter whisper…\n
You muster all your courage and take a step forward, as though you are about dive
into cold water.\nIf you are going to be apart for so long… you want her to know
something: you have been in love with her ever since you were children.\nYou
remember every moment you spent together. The games you used to play… her escape
from the city… your chance encounter in Eterna…
You have both experienced plenty of misfortune in your lives, but you are still
happy because you have always been together.\nThe days you spent with Sophia were
the best days of your life. You will miss her terribly.
Sophia rubs her temples, as though unsure of what to say.
“Wow, <username>. It took a lot of guts to say… what you just said. Only a brave
man could say something like that right now.\n
“I wish I could tell you I feel the same way. Believe me, I do. But I can’t. These
words, these feelings — we can’t afford them. We need to put everything we’ve got
into achieving our goals. Trust me, it’s better this way.
“If I ever need your help out there, I’ll let you know. And… good luck here in
Anizotte, <username>. You can do it. You’re a good leader.\n“Here, take this to
remember me by, okay? Our cause is just.”
She hands you a sheathe containing a misericorde — a long, slender dagger. Then she
nods and walks away.\nThe door closes quietly behind her.\n
You take a moment to think, then sit next to Sophia.\nAfter another pause, you
finally speak your mind.
You have had this feeling ever since you were a child. You have tried to fight it,
tried to ignore it, but it was all in vain. And now there is no reason to hide it
anymore.\nYou remember every moment you spent together. The games you used to play…
her escape from the city… your chance encounter in Eterna…
You have both experienced plenty of misfortune in your lives, but you are still
happy because you have always been together.
And then you say it: I love you.\nI will always be there for you. I will keep you
safe from the rest of the world. There is nothing I will not do for you.
Sophia freezes, as though she has forgotten how to breathe.\nShe interrupts you in
a hushed whisper.\n
“Why are you… this can’t be happening… this isn’t real, it’s never real — nobody
stays, everybody leaves, one way or another…\n“I’m leaving right now… and then…
then you’ll leave me too…”
You get down on your knees before Sophia and kiss her tobacco-stained fingers. You
embrace her with great care, holding her close, stroking her hair.\nNo, you will
never leave her. Not ever.\n
Her back grows stiff. But then… Sophia’s shoulders begin to shake. She is crying.
Crying… you never thought it possible.
You wipe the tears from her eyes. She holds your face in her hands.\nAnd kisses you
on the lips.\nThere is nothing to say. She feels exactly the same.\n
You cannot stop, you do not want to stop, your head swimming in a blissful daze,
your mind all but gone, dissolved in those kisses.\nThe warm caresses, so gentle…
the whispers, so soft and sweet… the beating of your heart… the sound of discarded
clothing falling to the floor…\n
She is so vulnerable, so amazingly, impossibly defenseless. You never thought she
would open herself to you like this, and yet here she is, right by your side,
smiling and crying, laughing and kissing, touching and caressing, looking at you so
tenderly, all at once.\nThe night lasts an eternity. You are with her. She is
yours.\n
The sun rises. She has to leave.\nYou can barely force yourself to let her go. Your
kisses follow her to the doorstep. You promise to wait for her. You swear to remain
by her side until the very end.\nJust before the door shuts, Sophia gives you a
sheathe containing a misericorde — a long, slender dagger.
“Here. It’s for you. May it give you strength. You can do anything. I know it. It’s
just the way it is.
“That was amazing, <username>… the memory of our night together is the most
precious thing I’m bringing with me. It’ll tide me over until I come back to you.\
n“Take care. And don’t be afraid of nothing. Our cause is just.”\n
She gives you a long, slow kiss, then leaves at last.\nThe door closes quietly
behind her.\n
The Last Straw is on your shoulders now.\nBut you are no longer alone.
The Legion in the City
The unrest in Magra is growing by the day.\nMore and more commoners flock to the
streets and squares, trying to make their voices heard by the nobility.\nThe crowds
have become too large for the gendarmes to disperse. They can no longer be ignored.
For the first time in years, the ruling estate seems to have seen the people for
the terrifying power they represent.\nAnd they have decided to fight fire with
fire.
In spite of all the resistance offered by Prefect El Borne and the Lesser Quorum,
the Magistrate and the aristocracy finally get their way.\nOverseer Tempest deploys
troops to the city.
The streets and squares are packed on this ill-fated day.\nHidden in the crowd, you
watch two battalions of the Imperial Legion march triumphantly down the streets of
Anizotte.\nThe banners of Magra and the Tempest dynasty soar proudly above the
soldiers’ heads.
Gaius Tempest leads the battalions himself atop a white Monian stallion.\nTo his
right you see the young captain of the battalion.\nHe looks familiar… it is Tommas
Guerro!
When the procession reaches the Golden Square, it stops so the Overseer can address
the people.\n
“Battalions! Defensive formation!”
The Legion soldiers spring into action, slamming their weapons against their
shields as they move.\nTheir ranks shift in eerie harmony down to the last man,
like an enormous, uncanny machine — and then they all stop at once in an instant.\n
The square grows silent.\nThe Overseer’s booming voice echoes for all to hear.
“People of Anizotte! I have heard your cry for help and come to this city
accompanied by my loyal soldiers.\n“The Imperial Legion will bring order to
Anizotte and put an end to all riots and crime!\n“These soldiers will protect you
from the schemes of rebellious nobles, insidious insurgents, and anyone else who
seeks to spark unrest!\n
“I am Gaius Tempest, the Overseer of Magra and Anizotte. By the Emperor’s decree, I
rule this land!\n“Those who question my rule question the Emperor’s rule as well,
and they will be executed as rebels and insurrectionists!\n
You hear whispers throughout the square.\nThey Legion’s arrival is a harbinger of
change… but how drastic will this change be?\n
Even at home, the Legion is the only topic of conversation during dinner.
“Thank the Twins Gaius Tempest has finally decided to act! Those lowborn scum have
grown far too insolent of late. They ought to be reminded of their place with an
iron fist!”
“Intimidating the people won’t do anyone any good, Stephan. They have valid reasons
to take to the streets! But, instead of hearing them out, the Overseer is hiding
behind his soldiers… it’s disgusting!”\n
“I think Gloria is right. Everyone’s really scared. A lot of my friends want the
Legion to leave the city too.”
“Those friends of yours know nothing, Nathan! Their Lot is to work and suffer, not
wag their tongues.”
“Oh, we’re so sorry, Sir Stephan — we forgot that only bluebloods can rule! Too bad
all that inbreeding hasn’t made them any smarter!”
“Enough bickering, you two! You clearly don’t understand what’s going on here.
“The purpose of the Overseer’s move is, first and foremost, to thwart the plot
against him set in motion by Archduke Milanidas’s loyal clique of nobles. The
commoners are a secondary matter.
“By the way, <username>, I’ve heard the battalion is being led by an old schoolmate
of yours. He hasn’t told you anything about what Gaius Tempest is up to, has he?”\n
You have not seen Tommas in a long time.\nHe has not told you anything.
“That’s too bad… oh well. I suppose time will tell.”\n
Whatever the reason, the Legion is here in Anizotte, and it is a force that must be
reckoned with.\nAnd, as luck would have it, Tommas is in command of it!\nIs there
any way for you to turn this situation to the Last Straw’s advantage? \n
Use Tommas
Convince Tommas to cooperate
Incite the common people to riot against them
Denounce the rebellious nobles to Tommas
You ask him to violate his order and let the people protest despite the risk of
incurring the Overseer’s wrath.
You are prepared to give Tommas the names of the commoners inciting unrest in the
city. In exchange, you will recruit several Legion officers as Secret Chancellery
informants.
You start printing leaflets condemning the presence of Gaius Tempest and the Legion
in the city.
You give Tommas the names of the nobles plotting against the Overseer in exchange
for his assistance.
You and Tommas have known each other ever since you were boys.\nYou used to play on
these very streets, pretending to be heroes of old, fighting the great battles of
the past.\nNow Tommas commands the Legion soldiers sent to Anizotte to quash the
unrest, while you command the Last Straw and have spent several years preparing the
city for a full-scale revolt.
There it is, the ruins of Char Milanidas’ palace. The remains of your childhood
fort still stand among the crumbling stonework.
Tommas arrives alone, without any soldiers to guard him.\nHe wears a suit of armor
and the vibrant cloak of a commanding officer, a sword by his side. His shoulders
have grown even broader, and he treads firmly. You spot a few early gray threads in
his hair. Your old friend has changed quite a bit.\nBut he still recognizes you
with the same bright smile, just as in the good old days.
“<username>! Am I ever glad to see you!”\n
After a warm embrace, you congratulate your old friend on his promotion.\n
“Oh, it’s nothing… but that was a good idea, meeting here like this! And look,
there’s our old fort! Can you believe it’s still there after all these years?\n
“It feels like a dream whenever I’m back in Anizotte. So much has happened — I’ve
become a nobleman, joined the Legion, got promoted to captain… but everything here
is still just as it was.\n“Even those old wooden planks we lugged all the way here
are still standing!”\n
You interrupt Tommas’s reminiscences. This is no time for nostalgia — you have
something important to discuss.\nTommas’s face grows serious.\n
“I’m listening, <username>. I’ll help if I can.”\n
It is not about you, you explain. You want Tommas to hear you out not as a
battalion captain, but as your old friend who grew up right here, on the streets of
Anizotte.
The power struggle between Gaius Tempest and Tarquinius Milanidas has starved Magra
and shattered the lives of many of your friends.\nThe people are at the end of
their rope. They cannot live like this any longer.\nThey will never stop protesting
because their only hope is to get the Overseer to listen to them.\n
The protestors are not a handful of insurgents, you tell Tommas. No, they are all
people he has known his entire life, and they are only protesting because they have
no other choice.
If the Legion soldiers try to stop them, there will be blood. Tommas will have to
slaughter his own people.\nYou do not want this for him. You do not want this for
the people of Anizotte.\n
“That can’t be, Brante…\n“What do you mean, the Overseer isn’t listening? That’s
why my battalions are here — to bring peace back to the people! To show them the
Overseer cares about them and wants to protect them!”\n
Tommas has been away from Anizotte for a long time. The people have grown
desperate. They now see Legion soldiers as enemies rather than protectors.\nSooner
or later, they will clash. The only way to prevent bloodshed is for the Legion to
allow the people to be heard by the Overseer.\nAnd the more people assemble, the
sooner he will hear them.\n
“What are you saying? How can you ask me this? I’m here to stop that from
happening!\n“If I go against the Overseer’s orders… why, that’s treason! Do you
know what they do to traitors? They’d hang me without a second thought!”\n
You raise your hands in a conciliatory gesture.\nObviously, you don’t want your
friend to be punished. But some things just have to be said. There are so many
lives at stake here, and Tommas is in a position to make a difference.\n
Tommas sighs anxiously, rubbing his forehead.
“You’re right about one thing, <username>: I haven't been back to Anizotte in a
long time. I’ll take a look around, see things for myself. And if you’re right…
then maybe I’ll think about it.”\n
Certainly, you reply. That is all you ask.
The city is quiet for the next week. The people slowly grow accustomed to the sight
of Legion soldiers patrolling the streets, but remain nervous around them just the
same.\nA fortnight after the conversation with your old friend, a letter arrives.\n
“Dear Brante,\n“You were right. I spoke with my friends and family, acquaintances,
simple folk… and it’s true. They’ve got nothing left but hope.\n“I also met with
nobles, including the Overseer himself, and none of them even want to see how
they’re driving the city off a cliff.\n
“I’m a warrior, not a butcher. I will not allow the Legion to silence the people
with steel — no matter what.
It is time to act.
A sea of people fills the Chancellery square.\nLegion soldiers stand between the
mob and the Chancellery itself. Tommas’s vibrant cloak flashes here and there
behind their backs. They stand with their shields together, but their spears are
pointed upward rather than at the protesters.\nThey do not take a single step
toward the crowd.\n
You personally instructed your comrades to make sure the gathering remains
peaceful, but you are still terrified to see so many people amassed in one place.\
nYou cannot see Alida, or Fuad, or Oliver… but you hear one voice after another
begin shouting from various parts of the mob.\nMore and more voices join the
chant.\n
“Legion out of Anizotte!\n“Legion out of Anizotte!\n“Legion out of Anizotte!”\n
The Legion battalions remain frozen in place, like stone statues.\nThey do not let
the commoners reach the Chancellery walls, but they do not disperse them either.\n
An hour passes like this. Then another.\nThe chanting dies down, only to begin
again and again.\nFather Fuad’s speeches keep the mob on the edge. Oliver’s paid
barkers do their job. Alida’s voice stokes the fire in the hearts of the young. But
the people are getting tired.\n
Did you miscalculate? Has the Overseer left the city for the day?
The Chancellery doors swing open.\nThe Overseer is here after all.\nHe raises a
hand, and a shiver runs through the horde. The square falls silent.\n
“Good people of Anizotte! Your voice has been heard.\n“In the name of the Emperor,
you have my word that if you all leave this square quickly and peacefully, my
battalions will vacate the city.\n“But if any of you are still in this square one
hour hence, my battalions will restore order!”\n
Once the Overseer finishes his speech, he turns around and disappears inside the
Chancellery. Silence follows.\nFor a brief moment, the people are dumbstruck. Then
they begin to disperse.\nTheir elation grows. They have been heard. They have won.\
n
You leave the square along with them.\nThe Last Straw has won the day. You got what
you wanted.
The battalions leave the city by night. An Arknian always keeps his promise.
The next day starts with yet another fight in the Brante household.\nGloria
gleefully gloats over yesterday’s events. Stephan responds with an outburst of rage
— he is still furious over the Overseer’s perceived weakness.\nYour head begins to
ache from their shouting and foul language. Is one day of peace too much to ask?\n
Several days pass.\nThere is a knock at the door. Tommas is standing there, dressed
in plainclothes. No vibrant officer’s cloak, no sword by his side…\nWhat happened?\
nYour old friend just chuckles.\n
“See what I get for listening to you, Brante? We’re in the same estate again, just
like in the good old days.”\n
You do not know what to say.\nYou never wanted this.
“It’s okay, Brante. You didn’t force my hand. It was my choice, and I don’t regret
it. I’d rather be a commoner than a butcher.
“I came to say goodbye. I’ve been ordered by the Overseer to leave Anizotte and
never come back. Oh well. Beats getting executed, right?\n“I doubt we’ll ever see
each other again.”\n
Tommas offers you his hand.
“Farewell, <username>. You stay on your path, no matter what.”\n
You shake your friend’s hand for the last time.
You ruined Tommas’ life for your own ends… \nHow much more will you have to
sacrifice before this is finally over?\n
The Secret Chancellery feels the brunt of the Overseer’s fury as well.\n
“Brante, I need to execute a few people to convince Gaius Tempest the instigators
of the protest have been found.\n“Pick a few people you won’t mind losing.”\n
It is not an easy choice to make…\nAfter thinking long and hard, you decide to go
the safe route and hand over several of Moss’s agents to the authorities. No one
will miss those drunks and degenerates. \n
“Eh, good riddance to bad rubbish. But don’t go thinkin’ I can replace ‘em just
like that. I ain’t made of goons, yeah?\n“Guess Sir Felipe’ll have to get by
without reports on his enemies for a bit.”
Tommas and his soldiers are just the tool you need to rein the people in…\nAnd
Legion officers would make perfect informants. This is a priceless opportunity to
recruit them for a song.\nYou could certainly use some eyes and ears among the
Overseer’s pet soldiers.
You and Tommas have known each other ever since you were boys.\nYou used to play on
these very streets, pretending to be heroes of old, fighting the great battles of
the past.\nNow Tommas commands the Legion soldiers sent to Anizotte to quash the
unrest.\nAnd you command the Last Straw and have spent several years preparing the
city for a full-scale revolt.
But even with the Overseer’s orders looming over him, Tommas still loves his
hometown and feels for its people. You will have to convince him how dangerous it
has become since the days of your youth.
There it is, the ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace. The remains of your childhood
fort still stand among the crumbling stonework.
Tommas arrives alone, without any soldiers to guard him.\nHe wears a suit of armor
and the vibrant cloak of a commanding officer, a sword by his side.\nHis shoulders
have grown even broader, and he treads firmly. You spot a few early gray threads in
his hair.
“Hello, <username>! Good to see you!”
You shake your old friend’s hand and congratulate him on his promotion.\n
“Oh, it’s nothing… but that was a good idea, meeting here like this! And look,
there’s our old fort! Can you believe it’s still here after all these years?\n
“I’m listening, <username>.”
This is not about you, you explain. It is about your city.\nWhy did Gaius Tempest
send Tommas and the Legion to Anizotte? To subdue the unruly mobs and maintain
order in the city, right?\n
“Right. But I’ll be honest with you, Brante, I think the Overseer is being too
harsh. We didn’t exactly get a warm welcome, but I wouldn’t be too happy either if
I was one of them.”
Tommas could not be any more wrong, you explain. The Legion came here for a very
good reason. Anizotte is swarming with scheming nobles, rioting commoners, and
insurgents lurking in the shadows.\nSomeone has to do something about it.\nTommas
recoils as though he has been kicked in the gut.
“What are you saying, <username>? How do you even know all this?”
You tell him the truth.\nYou are an agent of the Secret Chancellery, working for
the good of the Empire.\n
Tommas responds with a chuckle at first, but when he sees you are serious, his
smile fades.\n
“Well, I’ll be… who knew this is where the Twins would take you? Alright, I’ll hear
you out.”
You tell him about all the rebels plotting and scheming in Anizotte day and night.
There is so much to explain, it takes you a long time to finish.\nYou need Tommas’s
soldiers to deal with them. You will lead them to the insurgents’ hideouts, and
Tommas will return to the Overseer a hero.\n
Tommas hesitates as he considers your words, but in the end, your old bonds of
friendship prevail.
“Okay, Brante. So be it. Let’s see if we can work together to rid the city of this
filth.”\n
Life is much easier when you have a small army at your disposal.\nAs the days go
by, you feed victim after victim to the Legion.\n
Unreliable Last Straw cells… everyone who has ever let you down or betrayed you…
criminals, rioters, and rebels who refused to join your ranks…\nThanks to you, they
are all imprisoned and executed by Tommas’s soldiers in a series of raids.\n
As a reward, you manage to recruit a great many Legion soldiers for your spy
network.\nSoldiers are useful. They know things, and they are fervently loyal to
the Empire.\n
The more you pursue your victims, however, the harder they fight for their lives.\
nYou and Tommas lead the next raid together.\nPeople begin to flee as soon as they
see the Legionnaires. There it is, the nondescript door to the basement. The
soldiers ready the battering ram.
“Smash it open!”
A hit! Another! The hinges break.\nYou head downstairs.\nIt is pitch black. You
smell damp walls and unwashed bodies.\n
“In the name of Overseer Tempest, I order you to surrender! The Younger’s righteous
trial awaits!”\n
The answer is a brief moment of quiet, followed by a desperate, rasping voice.\n“Go
to the Foot of the Pillar, you bastards! Get ‘em, boys!”
Howling, desperate shadows rush you in the dark. The Legion soldiers fall back, but
are cut down one by one.\nTommas’s scream snaps you back to reality. He is still
fighting for his life, one against three.
“Run, <username>!”
You scramble to the stairs, but several hands latch onto you at once. Your back
hits the floor. A muffled scream is the last sound you make.\nDarkness fills your
eyes. Knives sink into your flesh. Blood fills your mouth.\nYou almost welcome
death when it comes.
The low ceiling of the family crypt. Silence. The cold stone slab beneath you.\nAs
you get up, your muscles feel unusually relaxed. The memory of your death feels so
distant now, like a half-forgotten dream…\nYou shake it off and carefully leave the
family crypt, making sure you are not seen.\nThe family can never find out about
this death.\n
Several days later, Tommas reports to the Overseer that the menace has been dealt
with.\nThe battalions leave Anizotte and return to Castle Enerie.\n
The people have seen the Legion in action. They will be far more reluctant to take
to the streets and make demands now.
For a time, Anizotte enjoys a shaky, unsteady semblance of peace.
But at the dinner table, emotions run high.\nStephan gleefully gloats over
yesterday’s events. Gloria responds with an outburst of rage — she is still furious
over the Legion’s ruthless methods.\nYour head begins to ache from all the shouting
and foul language. Is a single day of peace too much to ask?
You have about a dozen leaflets sketches to choose from.\n“LEGION OUT OF
ANIZOTTE!”\nThe slogan is written in big, bright-red letters over a profile of the
Overseer’s deep blue visage.\nIt’ll do.
The Legionnaires are patrolling the streets, but you know how to get things done
without being spotted.\nIt only takes a night for the leaflets to appear on every
street corner in Anizotte.
The battalions’ arrival has already upset the city. All you have to do is call for
action against the Overseer’s move.\nThe next morning you hear people quoting your
leaflets on the streets and children screaming at the Legion soldiers to leave.
You spot Tommas on your way home from work.\nHe is standing in front of his old
home, reading a leaflet glued to the wall. With a heavy sigh, he finally tears it
off and tosses the crumpled piece of paper to the ground.\nYou hail Tommas and
greet him as you come closer.\n
“Hey, <username>. Did you see this? What happened to our city while I was gone?
“I was really looking forward to coming back! I begged Gaius Tempest to give me
this command. I honestly thought I was coming here to protect my friends and family
against insurgents and rioters…
“But I guess I was wrong. The people I care about don’t want my protection. They
hate me, Brante. Do you?”
You stand there silently.\nAfter a moment, you politely wish Tommas a good night
and head back home.\n
The Legion battalions commanded by Tommas Guerro remain stationed in the city for
two months.\nThe soldiers continue patrolling the streets and try their best to act
carefully, but their attempts at peacemaking only further irritate the already
inflamed populace. Your leaflets have turned the people of Anizotte against the
Legion.
The protests on the streets and in the squares continue.\nMore and more new
leaflets continue to appear throughout Anizotte.\nThe city is even more restless
than before.\n
After two months of this, Gaius Tempest finally orders the battalions back to
Castle Enerie. \nPrefect Augustin El Borne is once again entrusted with keeping the
peace.
There it is, the ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace. The remains of your childhood
fort still stand among the crumbling stonework.\nYou wait for Tommas.
He arrives alone, without any soldiers to guard him.\nHe wears a suit of armor and
the vibrant cloak of a commanding officer, a sword by his side.\nHis shoulders have
grown even broader, and he treads firmly. You spot a few early gray threads in his
hair.
You shake your old friend’s hand and congratulate him on his promotion.
You interrupt Tommas’s reminiscences. This is no time for nostalgia — you have
something important to discuss.\nTommas’s face grows serious.
This is not about you, you explain — it is about Tommas himself.\nHe has been gone
from Anizotte for so long, he may have trouble understanding the state of
contemporary noble society.\nThere is something he needs to know.
You show your friend the stack of notes and letters stolen from Otton’s mansion. \
nSurely Tommas has heard about the nobles plotting a revolt against the Overseer in
the name of Archduke Milanidas?
“Yeah, I’ve heard about that. That treasonous whoreson Otton was caught red-
handed.\n“The Overseer got some of his letters, but none of them ever implicated
other nobles…”
Tommas considers the letters a moment, then points at them and turns to you.
“Is this what I think it is? So… it was you?! You were the one who exposed Otton!”
Exactly, you reply. And these documents are enough to implicate the rest of the
traitors.
“Alright, Brante, I gotta admit, I’m surprised… although I guess ought to thank you
for what you did to Otton. You have no idea how much easier my life got when he
finally fled Magra!
“The Overseer really is worried about those rebellious nobles. If you have their
names, please give them to me. Save the city from bloodshed.\n“But… where did you
get these papers?” \n
That is a question he should not have asked… still, you answer him truthfully.\nYou
serve the Empire as an agent of the Secret Chancellery.\nYour old friend falls
silent for a moment, clearly stunned by the news.
“Wow, Brante… very well. What do you want for these papers?”
What you want is to have a few of those scheming nobles disappear on the way to the
dungeons. Surely Tommas understands that this is in everyone’s best interests.\
nYour friend hesitates for a moment, then finally makes up his mind.
“Alright, <username>. If you say so.\n“Life sure is strange, don’t you think? I
mean, who could have guessed this is where the Twins would take you?”\n
You and Tommas shake hands, embrace, and part ways.\nYour friendship began right
here, all those years ago… will you ever see each other again?
Over the course of the next week, the nobles you reported to Tommas leave Anizotte
one by one.\nSome are taken away in chains, arrested for plotting a revolt.\nOthers
manage to escape on their own and take shelter in Archduke Milanidas’s castle.\n
Still others find themselves imprisoned in the Last Straw’s subterranean hideouts.\
nYou order Oliver to beat every last drop of information about the Archduke’s plans
out of them, then eliminate them.\n
“The nobler they are, the louder they scream… they’re a right delicate bunch, boss.
Gotta find me a cell with thick walls.”
Having dealt with the noble plot in Anizotte, the battalions leave the city and
return to Castle Enerie.
The people have seen the Legion in action. They will be far more reluctant to take
to the streets and make demands now.\nFor a time, Anizotte enjoys a shaky, unsteady
semblance of peace and quiet.\n
An Urgent Deal
It is late. You are preparing to go home when a priest with a long staff walks into
the print shop.\nYou recognize him immediately. He is the abbot of the temple at
the Silver Tree, the face if the New Faith in Anizotte, Father Lennart.
“I must apologize for visiting you at so late an hour. Still, I am glad you are
here, <username>.\n“I am Father Lennart. You may have been to a sermon of mine, but
I do not believe we have ever spoken in person.”
“I’ve come to you regarding a rather delicate matter.\n“But I have been made aware
that your print shop often deals in matters such as these.
“I believe you know that Cassius, Magra’s current patriarch, has not recognized the
New Faith.\n“Our numbers are great, but the Patriarch thinks we are just another
heretical sect.
“My teacher Patriarch Fotis was betrayed and murdered before he could have his
doctrine recognized. The light of the New Faith struck fear into the hearts of his
enemies.\n“But I am determined to make sure Fotis’s teachings get the same
recognition and respect in Magra as the teachings of Isatius.
“One month from today is an important day for the New Faith: the anniversary of
Patriarch Fotis’s murder. I wish to gather my flock at the place of his true death
to address Patriarch Cassius and demand recognition for our Faith.\n“If several
thousand New Believers gather in the city, the patriarch will have no choice but to
heed our call!
“But, in order to bring all these people to Anizotte, I need your help, Brante.\n“I
know you can not only print my appeal, but also distribute it throughout the
province. \n
“In the city of Anizotte, the New Believers stand firmly united. But our brethren
are isolated from one another in the rest of the province, and I have no way of
reaching them through the temples.\n“The Inquisition and the priests of the Old
Faith will never let my summons spread throughout Magra… but you can achieve what I
cannot! \n
“I have written my appeal down for you.\n“Please print it and see that my summons
spreads to every corner of Magra!\n“I want every Magran New Believer to realize
that now is the time to stand up for our doctrine. I will summon them to the Silver
Tree on the day of Fotis’s death.”\n
Patriarch Fotis claimed that the truth that revealed itself to Isatius is not the
only way to serve the Twins.\nThe doctrine of the New Faith frees its followers
from the strict shackles of the Lots and teaches them to seek their own path to the
Peak of the Shining Pillar.\n
Commoners free from the Lots, refusing to do nothing but work and suffer…\nLowly
peasants claiming the right to rule and wage war… \nNew Believers ready to take up
arms and fight for their faith…\nIf they receive Father Lennart’s summons, they
will likely flock to the streets of Anizotte.\n
You glance over the handwritten page the abbot has given you.
“Brothers and sisters who have heard and received the word of Patriarch Fotis as
your own New Faith — you have been summoned!\n“Come to the place where our
teacher’s life was tragically cut short on the day of his demise. We will meet
there in the shade of the Silver Tree to honor the memory of Patriarch Fotis and
complete his life’s work!\n
“We will make ourselves heard by Patriarch Cassius.\n“We will demand that the
Church recognize the New Faith as equal to the teachings of Saint Isatius.\n“We
will make camp in the city, and we will not leave until our demands are met!”\n
Father Lennart has a great following among the people. His summons could have
significant repercussions in Anizotte.\nWhat should you do?\n
Fulfil his request
Report Lennart to Felipe
Take advantage of his sermon to recruit people into the Last Straw
Contact the Inquisition
You print his appeal and distribute it throughout Magra.
Father Lennart’s appeal could pose too much of a threat to the balance of power in
Anizotte.
You accept the abbot’s request on one condition: he must let your man speak to his
flock before Lennart delivers his sermon.
You report Father Lennart’s plan to the Inquisition.
All other orders are cancelled. You focus all your efforts on printing Father
Lennart’s summons.
Once the leaflets are done, they are spread throughout the province by people you
trust.\nNew Believers soon begin to leave small Magran towns and villages and head
to Anizotte.
The city authorities soon take note of the pilgrims arriving in greater numbers
every day.\nOne week before Patriarch Fotis’s memorial, the Anizotte shuts its
gates.\nBut the thousands of New Believers already inside its walls are outraged,
and the gendarmes are forced to reopen the city.
The Prefecture, the Inquisition, the Legion — none of them are ready to contend
with masses of New Believers united by a common purpose.
On the day of Patriarch Fotis’s death, Father Lennart addresses his flock with a
sermon, then leads the inspired followers to the residence of Patriarch Cassius.
One against an immense crowd, Cassius has no choice but to accept their demands.\
nHe recognizes the New Faith as equal to the teachings of Saint Isatius and grants
the New Faith priests in Magra freedom to preach their doctrine as they see fit. \n
Most of the New Believers soon leave the city for their homes. However, some
commoners choose to remain in Anizotte.\nThese several days of sudden chaos have
ruined several of the Secret Chancellery’s best-laid plans. Your spy network’s
operations are also disrupted.\n
What’s more, the people eventually learn that your print shop was involved in the
affair.\nAs a consequence, your family falls out of favor with the gentry, who
still respect the teachings of Isatius.\n
Father Lennart and his flock, on the other hand, are sincerely grateful for your
assistance.
“I could never have assembled so many people without your aid, Brante! If you ever
need our help, we will gladly stand by your side.”
Yes, you say. Of course your print shop will accept this order.\nAs soon as the
abbot blesses you with the sign of the Twins and leaves, you pull out a blank sheet
of paper and write a letter to Advisor El Ferro.
Night falls. You open the door of a nondescript carriage with tinted windows parked
near the garden.\nIt begins to move. Felipe covers the window with a thick velvet
curtain.
“Report, Brante. What’s so urgent?”
You fill him in on your conversation with Father Lennart.\nFelipe frowns.\n
“The teachings of Fotis is a dangerous heresy. The Inquisition has long shown that
it is unable to put an end to the New Faith.\n“Well, then it is us who have to take
care of that.
“Too many people heed Father Lennart's words.\n“His sermon can cause an unrest that
we can't manage.
“I'll send a denunciation to the Prefecture. I need your people to testify against
Lennart.\n“Act quickly. It will be better if you testify yourself as well. Get
ready to sit in prison for a few days. This will be more convincing.”
The next day you are brought to the Prefecture along with your employees and the
fresh print run of leaflets.\nYou give your testimony about Father Lennart and his
order, carefully mentioning each and every place you were supposed to deliver the
leaflets.\nAnd then they throw you in a cell.\n
The promised fortnight in jail, however, never happens — you are released before
the day’s end.\nYou know this must be Father’s doing, but he gives you the cold
shoulder.\nYour involvement in questionable affairs means more headaches for him.
Father Lennart’s arrest becomes a scandal, the talk of the town.\nThe New Believers
see the Secret Chancellery agents coming and lock themselves in the temple beneath
the Silver Tree, refusing to release their abbot.\nBut when the threat of bloodshed
becomes too great, Father Lennart hands himself over to Felipe.\n
The Prefecture judges ban Father Lennart from preaching in any province of the
Empire ever again.\nThe secular court strips him of the right to annotate the
sacred scriptures and make public sermons, even as the abbot of his own temple.
Felipe’s agents turn Lennart’s most loyal followers into informants. Those who
refuse, face the Inquisition.
The New Believers grow desperate. Fear and confusion spread among them.\nIt will be
a long time before they can begin to recover from such a devastating blow.\n
On the day of Fotis’s death, Patriarch Cassius gives a sermon at the Silver Tree.\
nHe expresses his sorrow over the fate of Father Lennart, who crossed the line in
seeking to reject the Lots, and condemns the Secret Chancellery for impinging upon
Church matters.
But, surprisingly, the Inquisition prefers not to get involved, as though nothing
of substance has happened.
You will help Father Lennart, but only on one condition: the abbot must let your
man address the New Believers on that day.\nLennart hesitates. He is clearly wary
of your request.\nBut he is also clearly out of options.
“Very well. You have my word, <username>.”
The city authorities soon take note of the pilgrims arriving in greater numbers
every day.\nOne week before Patriarch Fotis’s memorial, the Anizotte shuts its
gates.\nBut the thousands of New Believers already inside its walls are outraged,
and the gendarmes are forced to reopen the city.\n
On the day of Patriarch Fotis’s death, Father Lennart prepares to address his flock
with a sermon at the Silver Tree. Before he does so, however, he keeps his promise
and lets your man, Fuad, have the first word.\nFor several days you have been
preparing a speech for Fuad. Every word has been honed: not one is to be wasted.\
nYou pull up your hood and join the huge crowd that has answered the abbot's call.
And now the elderly preacher comes out on the steps of the temple.\nFuad addresses
the immense crowd with all the might his voice can muster.
“The New Faith has given them the chance to choose their own Lots, you say, despite
the resistance of the Old Faith and the entire old world.\n“Those who wish to
follow their own path will have to oppose the old ways. It cannot be helped.\n“But
they need not fear — because they are not alone!”
The mob mutters, but it is clear that many of them are weighing Fuad's words.\
nSomeone shouts a question: if they choose this path, where should they go?\nAnd
Fuad responds: the Last Straw will welcome them with open arms!
You hear harsh shouts behind your back. The gendarmes use clubs to make their way
through the crowd to the steps of the temple.\nYou give Fuad a signal — time to
run!
The old preacher quickly disappears in the backstreets of the Temple District.\
nFather Lennart starts his sermon, but the New Believers, excited and confused by
Fuad's speech, barely listen.\nThe struggle against the Patriarch barely interests
them now. Many of them have begun to dream of a new and better goal.
The abbot’s plan for Patriarch Fotis’s memorial is ruined. The flock has assembled
in the city, but the throng of New Believers are not united.\nSome leave the city
soon afterward. Others, however, linger in the streets.\n
“This mysterious Last Straw is the only thing the faithful are talking about! I
remember all their faces, then send them to Alida to make sure they share our
goals.\n“If she says they pass muster, I speak to them myself — and let me tell
you, friend, there are even priests among them!”\n
Unfortunately, the fact that your print shop was connected to the gathering of the
New Faith cannot be concealed for long.\nAs a consequence, your family falls out of
favor with the noble gentry, who all respect the teachings of Isatius.\nBut you pay
no attention to the accusations. The identity of the strange, rebellious preacher
was never discovered, after all.\n
Lennart will never reveal your identity. Of that you can be certain.\nHis
intentions may be different from yours, but you know that he wants a revolt no less
than you. Your words clearly hit home with him.\n
Yes, you tell him. Of course your print shop will accept Father Lennart’s order.\
nAs soon as the abbot blesses you with the sign of the Twins and leaves, you pull
out a blank sheet of paper and write a letter to the Inquisition.
You describe today’s encounter and the abbot’s strange request, noting that his
activities clearly go beyond matters of religion.\nFather Lennart holds too many
people under his sway. If he is allowed to deliver his sermon, it could spark
unrest of immense proportions.\nAfter all, New Believers who reject the Lots of
Isatius might seek to reach the Peak through a violent struggle against the Church…
Once the letter is done, you tell Alida to bring it to the Inquisition ward.
The next morning, a woman appears in the doorway of the print shop, clothed in a
black cassock and bearing the telltale silver seal of the Inquisition.\nHer face
seems somehow familiar.\n
“Are you <username> Brante? I am Inquisitor Jeanne.\n“Perhaps you remember me. We
met long ago, when we were just children, by the temple at the Silver Tree. I still
remember our encounter, although you have changed so much since then…\n
“But I digress. I am here for a reason.\n“I have read your letter.”\n
You invite her in to continue the conversation. The inquisitor refuses.
“I won’t stay long. Frankly, I just came here to thank you on behalf of the Order.\
n“We’ve long suspected Lennart of fomenting discord among the flock. Your report
has helped us greatly.”\n
You say you are happy to help the protectors of the Faith. But what will happen to
Lennart now?\nJeanne reacts to your question with a wry smile.\n
“He will face an Inquisition tribunal. The heretic will likely remain an abbot, I’m
afraid, but he will be forbidden to preach in Magra forever.\n“Never again will his
sermons lead souls from the path of the true faith.\n“You deserve much of the
credit for this, <username>.”\n
Unfortunately, the Last Straw did not benefit from this incident.\nBut a month
later, in a casual conversation with Stephan, you hear that the nobility of
Anizotte now count the Brantes among the most zealous followers of the Old Faith.\
nThis must be the work of Inquisitor Jeanne.
A Dangerous Haul
Now that Archduke Milanidas has yielded in his struggle for power, the city of
Anizotte is enjoying a moment of respite.\nBut your gut tells you to stay on your
guard.\nThe powerful Arknian noble has relinquished some of his power, and someone
will surely make an attempt to seize it.
You tell your people to watch the city closely and report anything even slightly
suspicious to you right away.\nAt first, they mistake your unease for unfounded
paranoia.\nBut your gut feeling soon proves to be true. Late one night, Alida
barges into the print shop, clearly excited.\n
“Fuad’s found something big. You’ve got to see this!”\n
She takes you to the North Gate.\nFuad is waiting for you in a dark backstreet next
to a sizeable wooden crate.\nThe old man lifts the heavy lid with a groan.\n
“Here, my friend. Take a look…”
You take a step closer… and freeze involuntarily.\nAlida manages a nervous
chuckle.\nFuad wipes beads of sweat from his brow. \n
Inside the crate are at least two dozen gunpowder muskets, along with bullet
pouches full of lead balls.\nWith a couple of kegs of gunpowder, this would be
enough to arm a full squad.\n
You cannot help but recall the convicts’ revolt in Eliria three years ago.\
nNowadays anyone even suspected of owning a firearm similar to the guns they used
is sent to the gallows at once. \n
Where did Fuad find all this? \nThe old man lifts a finger, eager to enlighten you.
“So I was doing my watch, just like you asked, in a nice little place by the gate.\
n“And then I see a loaded wagon with three sturdy fellows on it. They look every
bit like your ordinary workmen — except there’s something funny about ’em.\n
“They keep whispering and fidgeting, all odd-like. So I think: maybe they’re the
Last Straw, right? I wanted to shush them, tell them to calm down, but the Twins
told me I better wait.\n“And them — bam! They get stopped by a patrol!\n
“The gendarmes keep asking them questions. Before you know it, they ask to see
what’s in the crate. Well, that was that!
“The youngsters were all over the gendarmes before I could blink, and they did a
real number on them, I tell you what!\n“The gendarmes barely managed to cry for
help before they all got knocked out.
“Then the guys started bickering. They ended up dumping the crate down an alley and
scattering.\n“The gendarmes came to and stumbled after them. Everybody forgot about
the crate.\n“I thought I ought to see what all the fuss was about. When I saw what
was in there, I dragged the crate off to the side and called for you right away.”
You give the packing crate a closer look and notice a trademark branded on the
side.\nThis is a crate from one of Mayer Egmont’s mines. They usually contain
silver.
So Egmont is smuggling firearms into the city now, and men who know about it are
being hunted by the Prefecture. They will not be able to hide for long.\nAnd once
they are finally caught, it will not be long before Felipe hears about these
weapons.
You stare at the guns, lost in thought.\nWhere did Egmont procure these weapons?
Are there more of them stashed throughout the city?\nYou might not have all the
answers, but you still have to do something.
Inform El Verman about this
Keep Egmont’s secrets safe
Seize the guns for yourself
You give him the crate of guns and track down the men who smuggled it into the
city.
If Felipe gets his hands on Egmont, El Verman’s plan will fall apart.
You take the weapons back to him. Then you make sure his men have a place to hide.
With the gunpowder, you can use these weapons to arm a squad of the Last Straw
members personally loyal to you.
You instruct Alida and Fuad to start looking for the men who tried to smuggle the
guns into the city. They are to tell no one else about their discovery.\nYou will
dispose of the crate on your own.\n
“You don’t think it might come in handy?”
It is too dangerous to own guns nowadays, you explain. They are more trouble than
they are worth.\nRight now, you need Moss.\n
Fuad and Alida nod knowingly and hurry away.\nOliver and his goons arrive half an
hour later. He whistles in surprise when he spies the guns.\n
“Yikes, Brante. I don’t even know if this is good news or bad…”\n
You tell him to take the crate straight to Sir Felipe — along with a note.
The guns came from Mayer Egmont. The Last Straw is already looking for the men who
brought them here.\nYou promise to bring the advisor proof, as well as living
witnesses, by dawn.\nThat should be enough evidence for the baron to get rid of his
old nemesis.\n
“Will do, boss.”
The next morning…\nSand scrapes beneath your heels. The shade from the trees in the
city garden provides barely any respite from the beating sun. There is no one
here.\n
Sir Felipe awaits you on a little bench at the far end of a garden path.\nThe
advisor is surrounded by a flock of birds. Muttering softly, Felipe feeds them tiny
scraps of bread from a small loaf.\n
You take a seat next to him.\nWhen Felipe finally speaks to you, you are surprised
to hear sincere, friendly warmth in his voice. \n
“You know, <username>, life has taught me an important lesson: when somebody does
their job and does it well, that’s worthy of respect.\n“You were actually useful
today. I don’t say that often.”
You thank Sir Felipe for the high praise.
“We own Egmont now, head to toe. I interrogated him myself. When he realized what
we were accusing him off, he didn’t even try to hide it. He gave up all his men the
moment I pressed the issue.
“There were more wagons of guns coming into the city today. We stopped them all.
They were coming straight from Eliria.
“Egmont was hoping to spark a violent uprising very soon, you see. He wanted to arm
his miners and send them off to demand justice!\n“This could have ruined all our
plans… but you reacted just in time.\n
“I wish I could have dealt with him then and there… but we shouldn’t provoke the
lowly estate too early. I can wait. When that revolt of yours begins, he’ll be
among the first to hang.”
You have never seen Sir El Ferro so serene and calm.\nHe rewards you once more with
a heartfelt grin, then throws the bread on the ground and leaves.\nThe birds in
front of the bench tear into the loaf, ripping it to pieces as the sound of
Felipe’s cane fades away into the distance.
You watch them uneasily.\nMayer Egmont is a bold man, but smuggling guns into the
city? This is too much, even for him.\nSomeone must have put the old man up to it.
Someone he would give his life for.\n
And why was Felipe so calm about this?\nHas his success gone to his head? Or does
he know something you do not?\nEither way, you should stay on your guard.\n
“You don’t think it might come in handy?”\n
It is too dangerous to own guns nowadays, you explain. They are more trouble than
they are worth.
Fuad and Alida nod knowingly and hurry away.\nOnce your are sure they are gone, you
carefully conceal the crate and walk to the Magistrate’s mansion.\n
The servants let you in through the back door.\nSir El Verman is in his sitting
room, seated at a small table with a glass of wine. He looks like he has not slept
in days.\n
“It’s a bit late for a visit, Brante. What do you want?”
You quickly inform him about the crate of guns with Mayer Egmont’s brand on it and
the smugglers on the run from the Prefecture and the Last Straw.
There is no time to waste, you explain.\nIf the Magistrate wants to prevail in his
feud with Egmont, he has to act now. Felipe will learn about the smuggled arms in
the morning, and he will waste no time using it to his advantage.\nEl Verman downs
the glass.
“So what do you want me to do?”
First, he should tell the gendarme patrol to give up their pursuit. Second, you
need more men to catch the runaway smugglers. Third, you need the crate hidden from
prying eyes.
“The gendarme patrol won’t be a problem. Captain Linad owes me one.\n“My men will
be here in half an hour. Show them to the crate, and they’ll bring it to me.”\n
Once El Verman’s men arrive, you begin the hunt.\nThe Last Straw knows how to work
quickly and efficiently. Alida has already tracked the smugglers down.\n
You capture them easily.\nBefore sunrise, all three find themselves trapped in an
abandoned mansion — the same mansion where you had your first friendly chat with El
Verman.\n
As the sun rises, the Magistrate emerges from the basement of the mansion. His face
is pale from another sleepless night, but he smiles nevertheless, satisfied with
the results.
“Those lowborn grunts were just following orders… but they still had some important
information for me.
“They have been shipping Elirian firearms here for several months now. I presume
Egmont means to start an armed uprising.\n“Now there are guns stashed all over
Anizotte. My men are already looking for them, but we have next to no chances of
finding them.”
You say that you would be happy to help, but the risk of Felipe getting word of
this is too great.
“There’s no need, Brante. One crate and a handful of witnesses is more than enough
for me to dispose of Egmont anytime I want. His life is forfeit now. No need to
worry.\n“And I doubt his men will amount to much on their own, without his
guidance.
“Oh, it’s so tempting, so incredibly tempting — I could just send him to the
gallows right now! But I must stay my hand. If I’m too hasty, that blasted Felipe
will realize he’s in danger and hide his tracks.
“I have to deal with them both at the same time. I’m counting on you, Brante.\n“I
need direct proof that Advisor El Ferro is plotting a revolt. Give it to me, and we
can end this.\n“After I give the Overseer the evidence, I will be free to rule
Anizotte on my own once more… and you will have your freedom.”
You assure the Magistrate that you will return to him soon with good news.
Dawn. The city slowly awakens. As you walk down the street, you think about last
night’s events once more.
Something is gnawing at you.\nMayer Egmont is a bold man, but smuggling guns into
the city? That is too much, even for him. Someone must have put the old man up to
it. And that someone is almost certainly dangerous.\nYou need to stay on your
guard.
You tell Alida and Fuad to find the smugglers as soon as possible. They are to use
all your people to distract the gendarmes from the chase. The smugglers need to
escape pursuit, no matter the cost.
“And when we find them? What do we do with them?”\n
They are to take them to a safehouse — by force, if need be. \n
“And the guns?”
You will return the guns to their rightful owner.
Fuad and Alida nod knowingly and hurry away.\nOnce you are alone, you conceal the
crate from prying eyes and walk to Egmont’s house.\n
Egmont opens the door himself, still bleary-eyed. He looks surprised.
“<username>? Do you have any idea how late it is?”
You walk in without waiting for an invitation. This matter is too important for
politeness.
You quickly inform him about the crate of guns and the smugglers on the run from
the Prefecture and the Last Straw.\nIf Sir Egmont wants to keep his secrets hidden
from his worst enemies, he needs to explain himself.
“There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding, <username>…”
You repeat the question more forcefully. Now is not the time to hem and haw! If
Egmont is planning an armed revolt, he needs to tell it to you straight!\nHe made a
big mistake by keeping you out of the loop!\n
“Fine, Brante… you’re right. Your friend Sophia talked me into it. She claims the
revolt will fail without good weapons, no matter how just our cause.\n“The people
need something that will enable them to stand their ground against the noble
militia and the Legion. Firearms are our best option.\n
“She told me to keep it a secret and tell no one. So you didn’t know…?”
You keep your eyes trained on Egmont — but he seems to be telling the truth.\nDoes
Felipe know? No. Even he would never…\nYou tell Egmont to keep talking.\n
“Sophia made a deal with someone in Eliria. I don’t know who. I’m just a middleman.
My men take the guns, bring them to the city, and leave them for Sophia’s people to
stash somewhere.
“I hesitated when she told me, <username>. But these guns are the people’s only
chance at victory. We had to do it…”
Egmont’s voice trails off.\nYou tell him where to find the crate. His men will
return shortly.\nHe can rest easy now. His secret — Sophia’s secret — is safe with
you.\n
“You have my thanks, <username>. I’m truly sorry we didn’t trust you with this
right away.\n“I’m sure Sophia only kept you out of it to keep the plan safe. The
fewer people know about it, the less risk there is.”
With that, you leave his house and return to the moonlit streets of Anizotte.\
nSomewhere in the city are dozens of gun stashes, waiting, hidden. And when the
time comes, the common estate will take up arms. And then there will be blood.
These firearms are incredibly valuable. They ought to be put to good use.\nYou tell
Fuad to find you a wagon of your own so you can hide the crate somewhere safe.\n
“And the gendarmes? They’re patrolling the city — they’ll be sure to search us if
they see us!”\n
Let Alida take care of it — a few carefully-orchestrated street brawls along your
route ought to distract the gendarmes long enough for you to pass.
“Got it.”
A few hours later, you reach your safehouse.\nYou hide the crate of guns under some
sackcloth in the same cave where you keep the gunpowder.\nWith weapons like these,
your loyal men will be transformed into a powerful army.\nBut for now, you have to
keep them a secret.
You return to the print shop at dawn, tired and aching after a sleepless night.\
nMoss is waiting in your office when you arrive.\n
“Tired, Brante? Well, no rest for the wicked — Sir Felipe wants to meet you in the
Archduke’s Garden in an hour. Don’t be late. He ain’t in the best of moods.”
Felipe seldom if ever meets with anyone in person…\nYou nod to Moss and send him
away, trying to keep your hands from shaking.
Sand scrapes beneath your heels. The shade from the trees in the city garden
provides barely any respite from the beating sun. There is no one here.\nSir Felipe
awaits you on a little bench at the far end of a garden path.\nThe advisor is
surrounded by a flock of birds. Muttering softly, Felipe feeds them tiny scraps of
bread from a small loaf.
“You know, <username>, life has taught me an important lesson: when somebody does
their job and does it well, that’s worthy of respect.\n“It’s a shame that doesn’t
apply to you.”
You tamp down the rising panic.\nYou cautiously ask what you have done to
disappoint Sir Felipe.\n
“Mayer Egmont tried to spark an armed uprising right under your nose, you see. His
men have been smuggling firearms into the city.\n“He was hoping to arm his miners
and send them off to demand justice!\n“Were you aware of this, Brante?”\n
The friendly warmth in his voice is gone.\nNo, you were not, you tell him, trying
to keep your voice steady. Not in the slightest.\nFelipe seems to believe you. He
sneers at your reply.\n
“I know you weren’t. But it’s your job to be, Brante! You’re the ringleader of
every riot in this city, are you not?\n“But you didn’t catch this, Brante. Egmont
would have slipped through our fingers if the gendarmes hadn’t reacted in time. And
then the Twins alone know what he would have done.
“But now we own Egmont, head to toe, thank the Twins. I interrogated him myself.
When he realized what we were accusing him off, he didn’t even try to hide it. He
gave up all his men as soon as I pressed the issue.\n“They’ve been smuggling guns
here for several months now, all the way from Eliria. They’re stashed all across
the city. Even Egmont doesn’t know where they all are.
“It won’t be easy for my agents to find them all. Even the crate the smugglers
brought here last night has disappeared.\n“So you and the Last Straw need to keep
an eye out for those guns. Got it?”\n
You avert your gaze and nod. \n
“Egmont will hang as soon as our revolt begins. Don’t disappoint me again unless
you want to swing next to him, Brante. You’re only alive as long as you’re
useful.”\n
He stands up, throws the bread on the ground, and leaves.\nThe birds in front of
the bench tear into the loaf, ripping it to pieces as the sound of Felipe’s cane
fades away into the distance.
A cold shiver runs down your spine as you watch them.\nThe advisor suspected
nothing.
But now you have even more questions than before.\nMayer Egmont is a bold man, but
smuggling guns into the city? That is too much, even for him. Someone must have put
the old man up to it. And that someone is almost certainly dangerous.\nYou need to
stay on your guard.\n
A Sleepless Night
Even late at night, the streets of Anizotte echo with chatter. The city cannot
sleep.\nYou cannot sleep tonight either.
Advisor El Ferro sent you a surprising note a few hours ago: he is coming.
You hear slow, steady footsteps accompanied by the tapping of a cane. There is a
knock at the door. Felipe enters the print shop.\nSophia quietly follows him in.
You exchange a nod.
The print shop is crowded despite the late hour.\nFather Fuad, Alida, and the other
workers observe Felipe uneasily. Oliver is there too. He acknowledges the baron
with a polite nod.\nYou suddenly realize that Felipe no longer cares at all if the
Last Straw members see his face.
You walk into your office with Felipe and Sophia and lock the door.
“Well then, Brante. I hope your people are ready. It’s time to put our plan into
action.”
“They’re ready. Just give us the word.”\n
“Excellent. Excellent. Soon our song of victory will reach its final note!
“Our road has been a long once, much longer than we thought, but now the end is in
sight.\n“I had a word with the Overseer, and in the end I managed to convince him
that El Borne simply cannot maintain order in Anizotte.\n
“We are just one step away from being granted special authority for the Secret
Chancellery. All we need is an excuse for action.\n“Prepare your people, and take
to the streets!\n
“And when I finally get that authority, we will eliminate each and every traitor to
the Empire. Egmont, Lennart, El Borne — all of them!
“But those scum will probably try to flee Anizotte… I’ll need the people you’ve
recruited throughout Magra, Sophia.”
“There are more than enough of them.”
“I’m glad to hear that.\n“How much time do you need to prepare, Brante?”\n
You shift your gaze from Felipe to Sophia. She has been standing behind him all
this time, a silent shadow with her head held high, her eyes trained on you.\
nFelipe’s cane taps the floor impatiently. He is waiting for an answer.
The advisor is right… the day you have worked for all these years has finally
come.\nAre you ready? What will you do now?
Murder Felipe
Proceed with the Felipe's plan
Go into hiding
Ask Egmont to hide you
Ask El Verman to hide you
This is your chance to break free of the Secret Chancellery and spark a real revolt
in Anizotte.
You will sacrifice the Last Straw to save the Empire.
You will deceive Felipe to stay out of this mess. No one will find you until the
danger has passed.
You betray Felipe and seek Mayer Egmont’s protection.
You betray Felipe and seek Magistrate El Verman’s protection.
You meet Sophia’s gaze.\nYou nod.\nIt is time.
“I’m asking you a question, Brante. How much time do you need to get your people
ready for the revolt?”
Your people have been ready for a long time, you say.
Sophia walks to the door and slides the bolt open. It clangs loudly.\nYour loyal
people enter the room one by one. Alida… Fuad…\nEach of them is accompanied by two
musclebound, well-armed young men.\n
“What in the Younger’s name…? Who are these people, Sophia? What is the meaning of
this?
“Have you seriously decided to start before I even leave? You lowborn punks can be
so difficult to work with…”
“Shut up. You’ve said enough.\n“Get him.”\n
The burly young men grab Felipe by the shoulders on either side.\nAlida wrenches
the cane from his hands and tosses it into a corner.
“You won’t be needing this anymore.”\n
The advisor grows pale, even as he tries to retain an air of composure.
“So, mutiny, is it? And what are you going to do next, Sophia? What’s your plan? I
still have all my lives. I’ll be back tomorrow, and none of you will ever escape
me, I can assure you of that.
“Are you going to drag your little insurgency to the Foot of the Pillar along with
you? Have you really found a backbone now? Your little sacrifice changes nothing,
you know that?
“And you, Brante… so you’re staying loyal to this two-faced, backstabbing trollop?
Or did you happen to buy into the lies you were feeding them? Big mistake…”
A swift blow cuts him short.\nSophia knees Felipe in the groin. He doubles over in
pain, gasping for air.\n
“I thought I told you to shut up. What happens next is none of your concern.\n
“We’re gonna put this man on trial, <username>. The People’s Court will judge him.\
n“I want you to carry out the sentence.”\n
You unsheathe Sophia’s gift: the misericorde.
“The People’s Court? What kind of dog and pony show is this?”
Another blow convinces Felipe to remain silent.\nHe is forced to his knees. You
form a circle around him.\n
“Felipe El Ferro! For crimes against the people, for tyranny, for the murder of
innocents, we the People’s Court hereby sentence you to true death.
“What say you, judges?”
The people gathered around you throw their fists in the air. Thy shout as one:\
n“Death!”\n
“The People’s Court has spoken.”
You stab Felipe hard in the chest with the dagger.\nThe blade hits the advisor
between the ribs and sinks down to the hilt.
“Pathetic farce…”
Felipe collapses to the floor.\nBlood begins to pool under his body. The rebels
step uneasily away from the growing puddle. Sophia stays where she is.\nHer eyes
remain fixed on the advisor’s corpse.\n
A moment passes, and then another. The dead body remains in place. Felipe has met
his true death.\nYou cannot believe your eyes.\nThe People’s Court — whatever it
may be — wields the same authority as the Prefecture!\n
Your word has become the Law. Felipe has left this world forever.
Sophia wipes the sweat from her brow. With a deep breath, she straightens her
shoulders.\nThe yellow sparks in her eyes gleam brighter than you have ever seen
before.\n
“We’ve got our work cut out for us now, <username>. Gather everyone, down to the
last man. The New Believers, Egmont’s miners, the homeless, the farmers — tell them
all to get ready!\n“Anyone who supports us needs to hit the streets and unleash
their rage against the nobles and the Empire.\n
“We’ll use the ruckus they raise to deal with the rest of the Secret Chancellery’s
agents. First things first, we’ll purge the Last Straw of Felipe’s bootlickers.
“Retribution is inevitable. That’s the law of the land.\n“And now it’s time for all
the nobles and Arknians to pay for their crimes and stand trial before the People’s
Court.”
But what will you do with Felipe’s body?
“Nail it to the Chancellery gate. We don’t need to hide anymore.”
With that, Sophia leaves the print shop with several of your men.\nThe fringe of
her dress, still soaked in blood, drips a crimson trail on the floor behind her. \n
Two days, you tell him. Two days ought to be enough.
Felipe nods, satisfied with your answer.
“Excellent, Brante. Follow the plan we’ve agreed on.\n“Egmont’s execution will be
your signal to begin. That arrogant upstart of a commoner is about to get what he
deserves.”
Then, finally, Sir El Ferro leaves. As the door closes behind him, Sophia lights
the pipe she had been stuffing with tobacco since his arrival.\nSmoke billows out
of her mouth, concealing her expression.
“Well then, <username>. Guess this is it.”
You shrug.\nYes. It seems like this is all finally about to end.\n
“Okay then. Get ready.\n“Print more leaflets. This’ll be the final print run, so no
need to be careful anymore. Might as well tell it like it is. If you still have any
more candidates in mind, send somebody to see if they’re in. Feel free to use force
if you need to.\n“If we’re sending all these people out to die, we might as well go
the extra mile, right?”
You raise an eyebrow.\nWhat is that, a reproach? Right now? All these people would
have taken to the streets anyway, with or without you.\nWho cares who talked them
into it?
“No, it ain’t a reproach. I’m just… tired. So tired of all this. Haven’t slept much
recently.\n“Suppose I should get some shuteye before we get started.”
She walks out the door, leaving the acrid smell of tobacco behind her.
Day One. Preparations.
Contacts, letters, messengers… you need to gather them all.
Strangers come to you and give you passwords.\nThey ask for instructions, but more
often they ask for money. They need funds to bribe, cajole, and intimidate.\n
Pamphlets. Slogans. Lists. Plans. Notes. Maps. Somber faces. Men. Women. The
elderly. Adolescents.\nWhat an enormous number of people you have recruited over
the years!
You need to remember to relate everything to Felipe.\nYou can barely keep your eyes
open…
Day Two.\nInstructions.
The rebellion needs to be spectacular.\nPlenty of running around, shouting, and
breaking windows.\nBloody brawls.\nA few flashy fires.\nThe key is not to overdo
it. The whole affair should take three or four hours, not more.
The riot has to be easy to put down.\nWhat you need is a crowd. Ringleaders like
Alida and Fuad should march in the front, accompanied by small groups.\nThey will
wear headbands so they can easily be identified by Felipe’s men.
Those two actually believe that, as the leaders of the revolt, they are supposed to
wear the red headbands so the other conspirators can effortlessly spot them in the
crowd…\nHow stupid can you get?\n
When inspiring other people to rebel, you sometimes get carried away and find
yourself believing in your own words about liberty and freedom from the Lots.\nBut,
during your rare moments of solitude, you have to suppress the inappropriate pricks
of conscience brought on by your own hypocrisy.\nIt gets easier, though, the more
you watch Sophia deceive the same people with the same infectious passion.\nYou are
not alone in this cage.
Tomorrow, it will all end at last.
“Very well. You have two days. You get your people ready, and I’ll get mine ready.\
n“I need the names of every leader in your freak show, as well as the streets
they’ll be marching on.”
You sigh.\nYou are tired… so very, very tired. You should probably get some sleep
while you can. You will see each other again tomorrow. It will all be over soon.\n
“You really think so?”\n
You just shrug.\n
“Fine. I’m dead on my feet too. See you tomorrow.”
You just sit there for a while, your face buried in your hands.\nYou really are
tired. All these months and years squirming under an unbearable burden have taken
their toll on you.\n
You have done all you could.\nYou cannot go along with Felipe’s plan anymore. You
do not want this. You cannot do it. You will not do it.
You walk around the print shop and gather each and every scrap of paper related to
the Last Straw.\nThe reports. The letters. The bills. And the many, many lists and
notes — the names of agents and contacts, the addresses and hideouts, the passwords
and drop points…\n
You get all the papers together and drench them in ink.\nNo one will ever be able
to read them now. No one will ever be able to retrieve so much as a single name —
not Felipe, and not Sophia.\n
Once you are done with the papers, you light two lanterns and put them on the
windowsill — a signal to your people.\nThey need to run. Flee Anizotte and hide.
This is all you can do for them. \n
Even at night, the city will not sleep. You make your way down crowded, noisy
streets to a small ramshackle house at the northern edge of town.\nIt used to be a
dyer’s shop, but the dyer does not live there any more. He fled Magra long ago,
like so many tradespeople who could not bear the burden of the double tax.
The smell of paint is strong inside even now. It has driven away many of the
refugees who fill the city.\nYou will wait here for days, or perhaps weeks, until
this is all over — or until you think of a better way out.
You throw your bag against the wall and collapse onto a dirty old mattress. The
straw inside is cold and damp.\nBut the city around you will not sleep, and neither
will you.\n
No, you tell her. This is only the beginning — and Sophia knows why.\nEnough games.
You know about her firearms and her ties to Egmont. \n
Sophia takes another drag from the pipe. She slowly exhales a cloud of yellowish
smoke.
“And since Felipe is still none the wiser, I take it you don’t want to follow
through with this plan of his, right?”
Right. Sophia has to trust you. You have sided with Egmont in his struggle. You are
all in this together.\nSophia grins.
“Sure.
“Go pay Egmont a visit. My men and my guns are at your disposal. I’ll keep Felipe
from getting suspicious while you’re busy getting ready.”
Before you can reply, she walks out the door, leaving the acrid smell of smoke
behind her.\nYou have been through so much together… will Sophia never trust you,
not even now? \n
You knock at Egmont’s front door for a while. He finally opens it, still bleary-
eyed.
“Brante? What are you doing here? You’re certainly welcome, but—”
You have to talk.\nThe Secret Chancellery has found the Last Straw. You need
somewhere to hide until the danger passes.\nIn exchange for Egmont’s protection,
you will help him with people and connections — everything you have. Sophia is in
too.\nIf Mayer wants a revolt, he must begin as soon as possible. \n
“Yes, Brante. Of course. I’ll put you someplace safe. The Secret Chancellery will
never find you there.
“I have no intention of abandoning my struggle. We will take to the streets very
soon.\n“I will count on your support.”\n
The house in which you find yourself is swarming with people like ants on an
anthill. This is one of Mayer Egmont’s shelters for the refugees who have flocked
to the city.\nA mat on the cold floor, a wooden bowl, and a bag for your belongings
— this is all you have in the world.\nHiding out in a flophouse like this is not
difficult.\n
Your sleep is restless and troubled, bringing neither rest nor respite. Anxiety and
worry gnaw at you from within.\nThe city will not sleep, and neither will you.\n
“Very well. You have two days. You get your people ready, and I’ll get mine ready.\
n“I need the names of every leader in your freak show, as well as the streets
they’ll be marching on.”\n
Then, finally, Sir El Ferro leaves. As the door closes behind him, Sophia lights
the pipe she had been stuffing with tobacco since his arrival.\nSmoke billows out
of her mouth, concealing her expression.\n
She walks out of the print shop, leaving the acrid smell of smoke behind her.\nYou
lock the door. There is no time to waste.\n
You walk around the print shop and gather each and every scrap of paper related to
the Last Straw. Anything that connects Felipe to the insurgents. You need it all.
You leave the print shop with the papers and go to the only man who can help you.\
nThe Magistrate of Anizotte.\n
Getting into his office is not easy, but you eventually manage it.\nMagistrate El
Verman is not happy to see you.\n
“I thought you understood the danger of showing up here in person, Brante! This
stunt of yours is going to be a major headache for us both.”
You apologize to the count for your sudden appearance, but you need his help, right
now.\nThe Secret Chancellery will begin hunting you very soon. You need a place to
hide out until the danger passes.\nIn exchange for safety and protection, you offer
the Magistrate some of the intelligence connecting Felipe to the Last Straw.\n
The advisor’s fake revolt is about to begin. If El Verman wants to prevent it, the
time to act is now.\nThis is only a portion of the papers you have. You will let
the Magistrate have the rest once you are safe and sound.
He rubs his chin, thinking, calculating.
“Well, if nothing else, I can congratulate you on being brave enough to defy
Felipe’s orders… you will have your shelter. But I plan to carefully examine this
intelligence of yours.”
You soon arrive at El Verman’s shelter, a once-noble mansion at the edge of the
city. The place is rotten and ramshackle now, covered with peeling paint, cracked
gilding, and rust.\nThe dust has been settling here for years, so thick it now
records your every step.\n
You throw your bag against the wall and sit down on a once-lavish bed. It groans
beneath you. The heavy canopy hangs above your head, silent and unmoving.\nBut the
city around you will not sleep, and neither will you.\n
Masks Off
It has been two days since you last saw Felipe. Two days since that terrible,
dreadful night.\nYou have managed to buy yourself a moment of respite. What should
you do next?
Felipe will never forgive your betrayal, there can be no doubt about that.\nHis men
are surely looking for you already. They will find this place in a matter of days.
It is time to act — or run for your life.\nWhat will you do?
Ask your family for help
Side with Mayer Egmont
Side with Remy El Verman
Flee the city
Your father and brother are both nobles of the Sword. They will keep you safe from
Felipe. They will help you be free again.
You will incite a real uprising in Anizotte that will be too much for Felipe to
deal with.
You will help the Magistrate regain control of Anizotte in exchange for protection
against the Secret Chancellery.
There is nothing keeping you in Anizotte.
There is no use hiding. It is time to go home and see what awaits you there.
Father And Stephan meet you in the sitting room.\nFather leaps to his feet as soon
as he sees you. Your brother just glares at you from his seat and scoffs.
“Where have you been, <username>? Please tell us the truth! You look like a kicked
dog!”
You ask Father to have a seat first. You have a lot to tell them.
You confess everything.\nThe riots in Eterna… being recruited by the Secret
Chancellery… the Last Straw… and so many other secrets you have been keeping from
your family.\nIt takes you well over an hour to tell it all, and every word feels
like a weight falling from your shoulders.\n
You finally finish your tale. Silence fills the sitting room, disturbed only by the
crackling of the fireplace.\nAfter a long pause, Stephan is the first to speak.
“I imagine there’s a reason you’re telling us this, <username>?”
Yes. You need their help.\nFelipe will have you killed the moment he finds out
where you are. You have nowhere else to go. \nYou have no one else to turn to but
your family.\n
“So, Baron Felipe El Ferro… that’s the kind of man he is.\n“And you think he’s
going to have you murdered, even now that we’ve been ennobled by the Sword?”
Felipe is cunning and ruthless, you tell him. He will not let you off the hook.
However, he has to consider your family’s current status. He could easily ignore
nobles of the Mantle, but now… you do not know.\nAs you say these words, Father
rises from his armchair again. His voice is cold and determined. He does not meet
your gaze.
“Then we will find out. We will invite Sir El Ferro to dine with us and resolve
this matter properly.”
Stephan raises an eyebrow.
“And you think we can force him to reconsider?”
“Men like him only care about one thing: their own skin. If he sees that we are
willing to negotiate, he will relent. He has no real need of <username> now anyway.
He’s just a thorn in his side, nothing more.”
“Indeed. You may be right.
“Go wash up for dinner, brother. And dress properly. You may have brought shame
upon yourself, but at least you can avoid bringing it upon us as well.”
You breathe a sigh of relief.\nThey have taken your side, even now…\nYour family
will always be there for you, no matter what.\n
The sun begins to set. The dining room is empty save for Father, Stephan, and you.
The candles fill the room with a soft, soothing glow, and the exquisite food smells
wonderful… but you can still feel the tension in the air.\nThere is a knock at the
door. The familiar sound of a cane tapping against the floor sucks the air from
your lungs.\n
As a noble well versed in etiquette, Felipe greets Father and Stephan as he enters,
paying you no heed whatsoever. Only then does he allow himself to take a seat.
“Lovely wine, Robert. I hope you don’t mind if I call you by your first name. Your
hospitality has put me in the mood for a frank conversation.”
“I think we can do without that, Sir El Ferro. In fact, we would prefer for this
dinner to be our sole encounter.”
Felipe just chuckles at these words.
“So, the rumors are true, Stephan — you are indeed quite straightforward. Or should
I say tactless? I suppose we shall see.”
“Yes, my grandfather always spoke his mind, and he raised me to do the same. He may
not have made many friends that way, but he was not tormented by things left unsaid
either.”
Stephan stares at Felipe defiantly.\nThe advisor continues to smile. \n
“Sir El Ferro, Stephan has put it rather rudely, but he is right nevertheless. This
will be the first and last time we meet.\n“We have invited you here to discuss my
son’s fate.”
Felipe takes another sip from his glass. For the first time tonight, he looks right
at you.
“Your son, Sir El Brante, is a traitor to the Empire. Saving his life will not be
easy.”
Father makes no attempt to hide his disdain for Felipe. His eyes are burning.
Stephan’s hands clench into fists.
“I beg to differ, Sir El Ferro. You have used him as your personal slave, a pawn in
your own twisted game.”
“It is rather unwise to speak to me like that, I must say. Unless…”
“There is no ‘unless,’ Baron. This is what will happen: you will forget my
brother’s very existence, and in return, the Overseer will learn nothing of your
schemes.
“Surely he will listen to his trusted vassals, yes? Oh, I think he will. So if you
wish for your secrets to remain secret, then please be so kind as to finish your
wine and never darken our door again!”
A tense silence follows.\nFelipe sets his glass aside.\n
“Very well. <username> will be pardoned. But if the Overseer ever hears so much as
a word about this, I will drag your family down to the Foot of the Pillar along
with me. You’d best be quiet.”
He gets up and leaves the table.
“I’m afraid I won’t be staying for dessert. My thanks for the wine.”
You hear the tapping of his cane, and then a door slamming shut.\nBaron Felipe El
Ferro, advisor of the Secret Chancellery, cold-blooded and ruthless schemer,
heartless butcher on the Empire’s payroll… has left your home and your life for
good.\n
You are truly free at last.
Your only chance for freedom is an uprising — a revolt that goes out of control, a
revolution that cannot be quashed by the Secret Chancellery, the Prefecture, or
even the Legion.\nIf Felipe loses control of the situation, he will have no choice
but to flee Magra.
And, more importantly, the people of Anizotte will finally have a chance for real
change.\nIf Mayer Egmont manages to coerce the Overseer into making Anizotte a free
city-state, it will become the first city in which commoners can govern themselves
and defend their own rights.
It is time to leave your shelter and meet Egmont.
“Are you ready, <username>? My people are prepared. It is your turn now.”
Yes. You are ready.\nYou have to begin the revolt as soon as you can, before the
Secret Chancellery can act. The element of surprise is your only advantage.\n
“You’re right. We can’t delay any longer. I knew Sophia should never have doubted
you!”
Your years of experience make it so easy.\nEven while hiding from Felipe’s agents
and fearing betrayal from anyone close to you, you still retain your sway over the
underground — enough to command the people to fill the streets and unleash their
fury against the nobles and the Empire.\n
Your messengers quickly distribute short notes throughout the city. The coded
message in every dead drop is short and clear:\nIt is time.\n
You try to get in touch with Sophia, but no one has seen her since the night you
decided to betray Felipe.\nYou can only hope she will be there at the right time,
armed and ready.\n
The final preparations are over.\nTomorrow, Anizotte will begin its journey toward
freedom.
Remy El Verman’s protection is your only chance to remain free.\nIf the Magistrate
manages to retain his grip on power, he will purge all his enemies from the city,
including Felipe.
You leave your shelter and return to the city proper to deliver the last of your
papers to the Magistrate. The intelligence you have given him should be more than
enough to implicate Advisor El Ferro in inciting a revolt against the Empire.\nIt
is time for Magistrate El Verman to regain his power and you to regain your
freedom.
You have to flee the shelter.\nThere is nowhere else to go.
Hiding your face, you make your way toward the city gates, keeping to narrow
streets and deserted alleys.\nYour heart pounds in your chest. You jump at every
rustle, every shadow.\n
You finally see the archway of Anizotte’s north gate. You breathe a quiet sigh of
relief.\nYour footsteps grow steadier and steadier. Each step brings you closer to
escaping the giant cage that is Anizotte.\nThe Shining Pillar guides you like a
beacon on the horizon.\n
You hear a familiar voice behind your back.
“Going somewhere, Sir Brante?”\n
You do not even bother to look back. You break into a run, but several figures
appear out of nowhere and cut you off.\nDarkness covers your eyes as a burlap sack
is placed over your head.\n
A blow.
The world fades out around you.
How many hours — or days? — have passed? You do not know. For a long while,
darkness is all you see.\nYour eyes have trouble adjusting to the light. Your are
shaking. Your hands are numb from the tight ropes wrapped around your wrists. The
pain is gone now — you have just stopped feeling it.\n
Your tongue is so parched and swollen, it barely fits in your mouth despite the
extra room afforded by several missing teeth.\nA firm hand grabs you by the hair.
Moss lifts your head up so you can see the man across from you.
Baron Felipe El Ferro, advisor of the Secret Chancellery, eyes you with disgust and
disappointment.
“I had a whole farewell speech for you, Brante. I was going to tell you about your
mistakes, about my disappointment, about the abhorrent consequences of your
actions…
“But now I look at you, and I realize that words are useless here.\nI do have one
question, though: where is Sophia? What is she up to?\n
You silently squint at Felipe through your swollen eyelids.
“I guess even Sophia is done with you.
“Well, it’s time to end this.\n“Here’s your sentence, signed by Judge Fockegraben.
I don’t see any point in delaying it.”
But you… you can still be of use to the advisor!\nFelipe just grimaces in disgust.\
n
“How? You couldn’t even betray me properly.\n“A man with no patrons, no friends, no
support… you couldn’t even save your own life. I have no use for you.”\n
He nods slightly to Oliver.
“No hard feelings, <username>. Nothing personal.”
A noose is placed around you neck. Strong hands tighten the rope. Your body jerks
in a last desperate attempt to survive, but you know full well that this is the
end.\nYou suffocate. Convulsive spasms shake your body.\nEverything around you
turns red.\n
There is no more fear, no more pain. The only thing you feel is infinite
loneliness.\nBut that fades away too.\nThe darkness deepens. The Shining Pillar
draws nearer.\nThe Twins… They will be with you, forever and always.\n
The Last Straw’s Revolt
Freedom — so intoxicating, so easily sliding into lawlessness. The desire for
freedom infiltrates minds and hearts like a poison, leading people to commit
monstrous crimes.\nFreedom is like fire — in untrained hands, it can burn
everything down.
The Chancellery now bears the banner of the Last Straw: a hand clutching a lantern,
its beam cleaving the darkness.
The body of Felipe El Ferro is chained to the Chancellery gate for all to see.
There is a wooden wheel on his stiff neck — the mark of the Secret Chancellery.\
nThe mob is eager to pelt the advisor’s corpse with stones.
The gendarmes seized Mayer Egmont in first few hours of the revolt.\nHe was swiftly
sentenced to true death for treason against the Empire and beheaded.
His head was put on a stake in front of the Lesser Quorum to frighten the people
into submission.\nBut it did not work. The common people have seen Mayer Egmont as
their protector for years now. His death has only enraged them.\n
The people fill the streets. Tempers run high, thanks in no small part to the Last
Straw’s provocateurs.\nA spark has fallen on dry tinder… and now the entire city
has caught fire.\n
With Felipe dead, the authorities are helpless against your uprising — just as
planned.\nThe Legion, the noble militia, the Prefecture gendarmes… they can do
nothing to stop the revolt.\nYour guns and gunpowder have crushed their every
attempt to restore order.\n
Sophia’s little army has defeated the Empire’s first attempt to resist your
movement.\nAnd now, for one brief moment, the Last Straw holds sway over the entire
city.\n
Together with Sophia, you step out onto the Chancellery’s tall stairs in the
evening sun.\nThe square is crowded, teeming, full of people, all of them shouting
ecstatically.\nThe time has come to pass judgment.\n
Sophia raises an arm. Her eyes are glowing, brighter than ever before.\nThe crowd
falls silent.\n
“Listen, everybody!\n“The nobles will never dare to oppress the commoners again!
We’ve got weapons. We’ve got men.\n”We are the Last Straw. The old world order is
about to come to an end!\n
“Today they tried to stop us on our way to freedom. They will be punished by the
People’s Court!”
One by one, your people drag Felipe’s thugs out before the crowd and make them
kneel in the dust. You spot Moss among them, glancing around like a cornered
beast.\nThe mob screams in their faces.
“The people you see before you are loyal lapdogs of the Secret Chancellery. They
all served the man who now hangs on the fence behind me.\n“Today, we will put them
on trial.” \n
Your men line up before the prisoners.\nYou give the command: ready!\n
“Please, <username>! Spare me! I wanna live! I was always faithful to you. I don’t
deserve to die!”
“Enemies of freedom! For crimes against the people of Anizotte, we the People’s
Court hereby sentence you to true death!”
You raise an arm: aim!\nThe gunmen train their muskets on the prisoners.\n
The people in the crowd pump their fists in the air. The cacophony of disparate
voices merges into one.\n“Death!”\n
You drop your hand.
The guns fire all at once.
Bodies fall to the ground.
The mob watches in awe as blood begins to drip down the Chancellery stairs. The
bodies remain, forever dead.\nAnd then they scream in terror and glee — a choir of
voices so deafening, it makes the nearby windows shake.
The word of the people has become the Law.
“We cannot be stopped. We have tolerated the tyranny of the Empire for far too
long! The time has come to take our destiny into our own hands. Those imperial
bastards can’t stop our righteous revolution!\n“Arm yourself, people! Your freedom
is in your hands!”\n
You walk down the stairs, accompanied by the cries of the people.
“Friedemund, take the men and tell everyone to leave the square, then get to the
city walls. We need to get all the gates under control. Gaius Tempest is probably
already on his way here with his battalions.”
“Aye-aye!”
Sophia turns to you. Although utterly exhausted, she still manages a smile.
“I told you I was nothing but trouble… even I don’t know what’s gonna happen next.”
It doesn’t matter anymore, you tell her. Now you will either win or hang. No two
ways about it.\nSophia laughs.
“Well said…\n“I got an urgent job for you, <username>. We’ve done well, but our
foothold here is still too weak. If our enemies decide to work together, we’ll be
crushed.\n“We need to split up.\n
“I’ll arm the new recruits. Friedemund will defend the walls.\n“You keep an eye on
the city. We have to finish off our enemies here in Anizotte and find new allies to
support us.” \n
You promise to do everything you can.
Sophia’s fingers lightly brush against your cheek. Her lips find yours, briefly.\
nBut there is little time to waste.\n
“I love you.”
She leaves the square before you can manage a reply.\nYou leave as well.\n
The reassembled gendarmes and garrison battalions soon retake the Chancellery and
most of the central districts.
Night falls. And for a brief moment, the city is quiet once more.
Eight long years have passed. In that time, the people have grown bold. And now the
commoners are finally ready to take control.\nThe age of obedience to the nobility
ends now.
People fill the Chancellery square, excited, angry, shaking clubs and hatchets over
their heads.\nMayer Egmont has abandoned his lavish suit for a commoner’s plain
shirt. He clambers up onto an impromptu podium made of stacked crates.
“People of Anizotte! The time has come. They humiliate us; they squeeze us dry;
they obey no laws — we’re not going to take it anymore!\nWe’re not just some
lowborn rabble. The Empire stands on the shoulders of the common estate!\n“We’re in
charge!”
The excited mob echoes his call with passion.\n“We’re in charge!”
Egmont raises a hand and points at the windows of the Chancellery behind him.
“The Empire cannot control us now!\n“We will have the same rights as the noble
estate. We will make the New Faith legal. We will return the city and the province
to the people who live in this land, who feed it, who toil for it!\n“We’re in
charge!”
The crowd’s cries shake the windows of the nearby buildings. Their excitement has
reached a fevered pitch. More and more people keep flocking to the square from
every street.
“Follow me, people! We’re going to occupy the Chancellery! We’re going to take over
the city and demand the Overseer recognize our rights!\n“Onward! To the
Chancellery!”\n
You hear the clattering of hooves… horsemen riding beneath the Archduke’s banner!\
nThe cavalry troops of the noble militia appears at the edge of the square. They
advance. The shields of the Anizotte Legion garrison cover their flanks.\n
The riders grip their spears, ready to strike.\nThe battalion bristles with
unsheathed swords.\nSoldiers surround the square, cutting off all escape routes.\n
“Do not be afraid! Stay where you are! They will never dare to attack us!”
But the old mine owner is wrong.
The cavalry moves. The riders crash into the mob.\nPeople flee in terror, pushing,
shoving, screaming, trying to outrun the hooves and the neighing horses.\nThe noble
militia hacks at the rioters without mercy.
“Sophia! Sophia!”
Soon, several riders reach Mayer Egmont.\nHe is completely unarmed. They pull him
from the podium and drag him away.\n
Egmont is done for — but you cannot dwell on that. You have to take charge of the
people before they start to panic!
You push your way to the stack of crates.
Do not retreat, you shout! Do not surrender! Egmont gave his life for this — we
must avenge him!\nWe are stronger than this!\nWe’re in charge! \n
Your voice grows louder and louder, every word adding fuel to the flames of rage
burning in their hearts.
Our fight is far from over!\nWe’ll show them all! Those Imperial butchers need to
be taught a lesson! They cannot contain the fury of the people!\n
The riders are still corralling the mob, cutting down anyone in their way. You see
some of them head for you.\nBut the human sea moves to block their advance.\n
Alida throws her slender, fragile body at a rider. His sword cuts her down.\nFather
Fuad grips a rider by the foot and drags him from his horse.\nEveryone here is
ready to die for you today.\n
But, despite their bravery, their wooden clubs and stakes are no match for Imperial
swords and spears.
You hear a deafening salvo.\nThick white smoke wafts above the square.\nAnother
volley.
The cavalrymen fall, their gilded armor pierced by bullets.\nThe horses buck,
startled by the loud noise, throwing their nobles riders in terror and trampling
those who fall beneath their hooves.\n
You spot people with long muskets and rifles dotting the square. \nYou hear more
thunderous gunshots.\nThere is smoke and mayhem everywhere.\nThe riders who survive
run for their lives. The Legion soldiers also begin to retreat from the gunfire.
A bearded, bald stranger rushes to your side.
“Sophia told us to say hi! Quit gawking and get up, buddy — they need you!”
Sophia’s men quickly move through the mob, then duck down back alleys.\nThe sound
of gunfire ceases.\n
There are hundreds of people around you. They look at you, and their bloodied
hands, and those who now lie on the cobblestones under their feet, clutching at
their stomachs.\nMayer Egmont is gone. You are the only one left.\nBefore they can
come to their senses, you begin to shout.\n
The nobles will never trample the common folk ever again!\nWe have the weapons! We
have the numbers! We are the Last Straw. The days of the old regime are numbered!\
nThe Overseer will hear us whether he wants to or not!\nWe will not be stopped!\n
You scream, and the mob screams with you.\n“WE’RE — IN — CHARGE!”
A storm is about to rock Anizotte.\nAnd you are ready.\n
A Free Man
The collar of your shirt is so tight, it feels like a noose around your neck. You
unbutton it and try to breathe normally.\nIt is no use.
You won your freedom a week ago. You broke free from the chains of betrayal and
intrigue. Or so it seemed.
But even now, every night, you cannot help but check the locks on the doors and
scout the windows for uninvited guests.\nAnd whenever you are out of the house, you
are constantly looking over your shoulder. You never go home the same way twice.
Anyone could strike at any time. You never know who will move first.\nAgents of the
Secret Chancellery, eager to keep Felipe’s secrets safe?\nOr perhaps a vengeful
former ally, someone from the Last Straw who has learned of your betrayal?
Your past, your choices, your deeds — they follow you even now.\nYou can never be
free of yourself.
With every day that passes, Anizotte slides deeper into frenzied madness. You watch
the consequences of your deeds unfold before your very eyes.
Even without your involvement, the advisor’s dangerous game continues.
Felipe accused Mayer Egmont of treason against the Empire.\nThe penalty is true
death.\n
The dead body of the man who presided over the Lesser Quorum and did so much to
help the people of Magra now dangles in front of the Chancellery.\nAnd the news of
his death becomes the spark that starts the fire.\n
The Last Straw has begun to march, a mob of incredible proportions in tow.
As you sit in your room, you cannot help but imagine Alida and Fuad leading hordes
of commoners as they march through the streets.\nAnd Sophia is pulling the strings.
Smoke is rising over the city. The mob is raiding noble houses and temples of the
Old Faith.\nThe Last Straw is getting ready to assault the Chancellery.\nEverything
is going according to plan.
But as the disorder grows, it becomes clear that Felipe is losing control.\nThe
baron’s fake revolt has become a real uprising in a matter of days.\n
It comes as no surprise to you to hear gunfire and furious cries reverberating
throughout the city:\n“Our cause is just!”\n
Sophia is leading the people in an uprising against their masters — for Egmont’s
death, for the years of poverty, for all the suffering they have endured.
El Ferro’s carefully laid plan has gone up in smoke — and all you can do is watch
it happen from the comfort of your home.
As planned, the insurgents are met in the square by Anizotte’s finest warriors, the
noble militia.\nHowever, the nobles are not prepared for their attack to be met
with firm resistance.
Instead of unarmed commoners, they face volleys of gunfire.\nThe noble cavalry is
crushed. Riderless horses gallop down the streets, neighing desperately.\n
The battalions of the city garrison eventually arrive at the square.\nBut, instead
of an easy victory, they meet fierce resistance. Unprepared to face firearms, the
Legion soldiers are forced to fall back.\n
Upon hearing that the militia and Legion have been defeated, the gendarmes hesitate
to engage in combat with the furious horde rampaging through the streets.
The revolt has begun.
Now you can only hope to survive the bloodbath that will ensue.\nYou can still feel
the noose around your neck.\nYou cannot just sit there. Despite the risk, you throw
all caution to the wind and leave the safety of your home.\nYou have to see this.
You need to see it happen.\n
As the sun is setting, Sophia appears in the square herself. She addresses the
crowd from the stairs of the Chancellery, infusing the wrath of the people with new
energy.
“Listen, everybody!\n“The nobles will never dare to oppress the commoners again!
We’ve got weapons. We’ve got men.\n“We are the Last Straw. The old world order is
about to come to an end!\n
“Today someone tried to stop us from claiming our freedom. This man will be
punished!”
Sophia’s men drop Felipe on the stairs. Bruised and covered in blood, the baron
nevertheless retains his arrogant air.\nThe crowd bursts into angry shouts.
“You see before you Felipe El Ferro, the head of the Secret Chancellery of Magra.
Today we are going to put him to trial. He will be judged by the People’s Court!”
With a sudden blow, Sophia pierces Felipe’s chest. The blade slides between his
ribs, sinking in down to the hilt.
The advisor’s body collapses on the stairs of the Chancellery.\nThe silence is
absolute. A moment passes, and then another.\nBlood runs down the stairs. The dead
body remains in place.\nFelipe has died his true death.\n
You cannot believe your eyes.\nThe People’s Court — whatever it may be — wields the
same authority as the Prefecture!
The word of the mob has become the Law. Felipe has left this world forever.
Sophia leaves the square as the crowd roars.
Her people stay behind, scurrying to and fro and ordering the others to scatter
throughout the city. You nod without noticing it.\nThe Anizotte troops will return
to the square soon. Despite their initial success, the insurgents are not yet
capable of rebuffing an organized attack.\n
Several hours later, the reassembled gendarmes and garrison battalions retake the
Chancellery and most of the central districts.
Night falls, and quiet returns to Anizotte.\nBut for how long?\nYou stare at the
Shining Pillar in the distance, trying to banish all thoughts from your mind.\n
Felipe is dead. You are a free man now.
But you still feel the noose around your neck.
The Master of Anizotte
It is late at night. Time drags along, so painfully slowly. It has been well over a
day now… have you outlived your usefulness to the Magistrate?
You hear hooves clack against cobblestones. Several carriages approach the door of
the house.
The carriage doors creak open. You hear footsteps. Muffled voices.\nWho is here?
Who are these people? Maybe you should run while you still can…\nBut where?
As terrified thoughts shoot through your mind, the front door opens.\nRemy El
Verman enters. And behind him walks Felipe El Ferro, the advisor of the Secret
Chancellery.
“All as I told you, Baron, he is here, on my property, expecting to meet you.”
“Thank you, Count. I’ve been looking forward to meeting this man.”
You clench your hands into fists to keep them from shaking.
“Indeed. This conflict ought to have been resolved long ago. And, as the Magistrate
of Anizotte and the chairman of the Court of Honor, I will take it upon myself to
aid you in this matter.”
“There’s no need for that, Count. I assure you, this is a matter I can easily
handle on my own.”
“But I am afraid I must insist, Sir El Ferro.”
Felipe’s expression shifts slightly.
“It’s time we were honest with each other, Felipe.\n“I know about your plan. I know
everything you want to do to my city. It will never happen.\n
“And now, Sir Advisor, here is what you will do.
“You will leave this city right now. Tonight. And you will never come back.\n“And
then you will leave Magra behind and forget this province even exists.\n
“All your agents will leave as well.\n“I don’t need the Secret Chancellery in my
city, Felipe, so long as men like you of you are in charge.\n
“And if you ever come back, or if I even hear of one of your agents being in the
city, or if anything suspicious ever happens to this young man, then everyone in
Eterna will hear about how Sir Felipe El Ferro, the Secret Chancellery Advisor,
sponsored the Anizotte underground for years and used it to incite a city-wide
revolt.
“Have I made myself clear, Felipe? Do I need to say it again?”
The advisor’s face remains expressionless. His voice sounds perfectly calm. You can
only imagine the effort it must take Felipe to retain his composure at this moment.
“You have made yourself quite clear, Count. I will leave the city.
“But you will come to regret your decision.\n“Anizotte is on the verge of an
uprising. Can’t you see that? And once I am gone, the real insurgents will take my
place. Or didn’t Brante tell you about them?”\n
“Enough empty threats, Baron. It’s pathetic. Now leave.”
“I must say, I’m impressed, <username>. You’ve learned to weasel your way out of a
tight spot after all these years.\n“But when the Wrath of the Gods grinds our poor
Empire into dust, there will be nowhere to run.”\n
Felipe straightens up and leaves the mansion.\nThe Magistrate watches him walk away
with a wry smile.\n
“And there we have it, <username>. That wasn’t so bad, was it?\n“You should stay
here until tomorrow. Let’s give the baron some time to pack. As of tomorrow, you
can consider yourself a free man.\n“I hope you will use this freedom wisely and
live a worthy life.\n
“My men will guard you until the dawn. Sleep well.”
This is it. You are free.\nOr are you?\n
You really do spend the night in peaceful slumber.
The morning after, a meeting of the Lesser Quorum is interrupted by gendarmes.\
nThey arrest every commoner in the Quorum, including Mayer Egmont, for plotting an
armed revolt.\n
The trial is done before the day’s end.\nThe Magistrate has every piece of evidence
ready: crates with Egmont’s brand on them, firearms, witnesses.\n
Egmont and his most ardent supporters are executed for treason against the Empire.\
nThe city watches as the only protectors of the common folk are hanged.\n
With Mayer Egmont dangling from a rope, the commoners will be easily scared back
into submission. At least, that is what the Magistrate thought.\nBut reality could
not be more different.\n
The people’s rage has reached its boiling point.
The Last Straw finally begins its march.
Led by Sophia, the people rise up against their masters — for Egmont’s death, for
the years of poverty, for all the suffering they have endured.\n“Our cause is
just!”\n
She leads the enraged mob against the city’s Armory. Then, the Chancellery.\nThis
is a full-scale revolt now. The authorities are helpless against it.\n
The Legion, the noble militia, the Prefecture gendarmes… they can do nothing to
stop the revolt. Their every attempt to restore order is foiled by a hail of
bullets.\nSophia’s little army crushes the Empire’s resistance.
Now you can only hope to survive the bloodbath that will ensue.
“Listen, everybody!\nThe nobles will never trample the common folk ever again!\nWe
have the weapons! We have the numbers! We are the Last Straw.\nThe days of the old
regime are numbered!”\n
You effortlessly conceal yourself in the crowd. You have to see this with your own
eyes.
Magistrate El Verman is dragged out before the crowd.\nThe count looks confused,
surprised by the city’s hatred for him, baffled by his citizens’ screams of rage.\n
“You see before you Count Remy El Verman, the ex-Magistrate of your city.\n“Today
we are going to put him to trial. He will be judged by the People’s Court!”\n
“What? The People’s Court…?”
“Remy El Verman! For crimes against the people, for inaction in a time of great
need, for tyranny and the murder of innocents, we the People’s Court hereby
sentence you to true death.
With a sudden blow, Sophia pierces the Magistrate’s chest. The blade slides between
his ribs, sinking in down to the hilt.
“This cannot be…”
El Verman collapses.
The silence is absolute. A moment passes, and then another.\nBlood runs down the
stairs. The dead body remains in place.\nThe Magistrate has died his true death.\n
You cannot believe your eyes. The People’s Court — whatever it may be — wields the
same authority as the Prefecture!
The word of the mob has become the Law.\nRemy El Verman has left this world
forever.
“We cannot be stopped.\n“We have tolerated the tyranny of the Empire for far too
long! The time has come for us to make our own destiny.\n
“Those imperial bastards can’t stop our righteous revolution! Arm yourself, people!
Your freedom is in your hands!”
Night falls, and quiet returns to Anizotte.\nBut for how long?\n
Day Three. The Revolt.
Felipe accused Mayer Egmont of treason against the Empire.\nThe penalty is true
death.
The dead body of the man who presided over the Lesser Quorum and did so much to
help the people of Magra now dangles in front of the Chancellery.
The time has come.\nThe news of Egmont’s death is the spark that starts the fire.
The Last Straw begins to march.
Smoke is rising over the city. The crowd is raiding noble houses and temples of the
Old Faith.\nThe Last Straw is getting ready to assault the Chancellery. A special
squad is about to attack the city arsenal.\nEverything is going according to plan.
You are amazed to see how smoothly this performance is playing out.\nHorrified by
the angry mob, the nobles hide in their luxurious mansions.\nThe clergymen of the
Old Faith lock the doors of their temples to keep the heretics out.\nThe loyal
lowborn subjects of the Emperor flee, fearing their own neighbors.
They need not worry, however.\nThe curtain is about to fall. The traps are set, and
they will soon be sprung, one after another.\n
You observe the street from the broad windows of El Ferro’s salon. Sophia is
nearby, serenely packing her pipe.\nThe advisor has summoned you to give you
further orders and, as he put it, some good news.
You keep pulling at your too-tight collar. What kinds of news could El Ferro have
for you?\nYou can only envy Sophia’s tranquility. She blows smoke rings and seems
not to be anxious at all.
A servant finally opens the doors to the office.\nFelipe greets you standing by the
window.
“Come in, come in. But please put that nasty thing out, Sophia.”
Sophia knocks her pipe out into a flowerpot and follows you into the advisor’s
office.
You see two documents on Felipe’s desk. Both of them bear a seal with a wheel on
it.
“You’ve done well, both of you. Everything went off without a hitch. Well, now it’s
time for me to hold up my end of the bargain.\n“Come here, Brante.”\n
You take a step forward.\nFelipe picks up one of the documents and hands it to
you.\n
“This is an official pardon for the crimes you committed in Eterna.\n“You are now a
free man. Use your new life wisely.”\n
Felipe shifts his glance to Sophia.
“As for you…”
Sophia has a predatory smile on her face.
“I don’t need anything from you.”
With one swift motion, she draws a flintlock pistol from under her blouse.
Bang!
The bullet goes right through Felipe’s knee. The advisor falls to the floor,
screaming in pain.
Sophia draws a second pistol and aims it at you.\nWithout thinking, you dash to the
window.\n
The bullet hits the wall by your right ear.
Leaping to your feet, you rush to the fence, jump over it, and run for dear life
until you are exhausted.
No one is pursuing you.\nYou pull yourself together and see that you are close to
the Chancellery.\nAs you catch your breath, you hear the rumble of gunfire coming
from all directions.\n
Sophia has traded her chance for freedom for a bloody revolution.\nHas she lost her
mind?\n
El Ferro’s carefully laid plan has gone up in smoke.
Instead of unarmed rebels, they face volleys of gunfire.\nThe bullets pierce their
gilded armor.\nThe noble cavalry is crushed. Riderless horses gallop down the
streets, neighing desperately.\nThe survivors retreat in haste.\n
The battalions of the city garrison eventually arrive at the square.\nBut, instead
of an easy victory, they they meet fierce resistance. Unprepared to face firearms,
the Legion soldiers are forced to fall back.\n
The rebellion has begun.
The advisor’s body collapses on the stairs of the Chancellery.\nThe silence is
absolute. A moment passes, and then another.\nBlood runs down the stairs. The dead
body remains in place. Felipe has died his true death.\n
You cannot believe your eyes.\nThe People’s Court — whatever it may be — wields the
same authority as the Prefecture!\n
You stare at the Shining Pillar in the distance, trying to banish all thoughts from
your mind.
Your pardon, signed, is in your lap. You have read and reread it a hundred times,
but you cannot stop.\nYou payed dearly for this piece of paper.\n
Whatever happens next, you are now in control of your own life.
Sophia is dead. There is no one else capable of thwarting Felipe’s plans.
After several days of agonizing suspense, you finally receive a short note.
“It’s time.”
Day one. Preparations.
Messengers, letters, couriers… you need to get them all together.
Strangers come to you and give you passwords.\nThey ask for instructions, but
usually they ask for money they can use to bribe, negotiate, and pressure.\n
Pamphlets. Slogans. Lists. Plans. Notes. Maps. Somber faces. Men. Women. Elderly
people. Adolescents.\nWhat an enormous number of people you’ve recruited over the
years!\n
You have to remember to relate everything to Felipe. You can barely stay awake…
Day two. Instructions.
The rebellion needs to be spectacular.\nPlenty of running around, shouting, and
breaking windows.\nBloody brawls.\nA few flashy fires. The key is not to overdo
it.\nThe whole affair should take three or four hours, not more.
The riot has to be easy to put down.\nWhat you need is a crowd. Ringleaders like
Alida and Fuad should march in the front, accompanied by small groups.\nThey will
wear headbands so they can easily be identified by Felipe’s men.\n
When inspiring other people to rebel, you sometimes get carried away and find
yourself believing in your own words about liberty and freedom from the Lots.\nBut,
during your rare moments of solitude, you have to suppress the inappropriate pricks
of conscience brought on by your own hypocrisy.\nIt’s okay. It's not that hard.\n
Day three. The revolt.
Felipe accused Mayer Egmont of treason against the Empire. The penalty is true
death.\nThe dead body of the man who presided over the Lesser Quorum and did so
much to help the people of Magra now dangles in front of the Chancellery.\n
The time has come.\nThe news of Egmont’s death is the spark that starts the fire.\n
Smoke is rising over the city. The crowd is raiding noble houses and temples of the
Old Faith.\nThe Last Straw is getting ready to assault the Chancellery. A special
squad is about to attack the city arsenal.\nEverything is going according to plan.\
n
You are amazed to see how smoothly this performance is playing out.\nHorrified by
the angry mob, the nobles hide in their luxurious mansions.\nThe clergymen of the
Old Faith lock the doors of their temples to keep the heretics out.\nThe loyal
lowborn subjects of the Emperor flee, fearing their own neighbors. \n
They need not worry, however.\nThe curtain is about to fall.\n
The square in front of the Chancellery.\nThe rebels are celebrating their victory.
In a moment, the banner of the Revolt will fly!\n
But the cries of joy are drowned out by clattering hooves and clanking armor.
The noble militia, Anizotte’s finest warriors, enter the square.
The people panic. They push and shove.\nThere are futile efforts at resistance.\n
The steel fist of the nobility nips the revolt in the bud.
The Armory, the source of the weapons the insurgents so desperately need, turns out
to be empty.\nThe battalions of the city garrison cut off the Last Straw’s escape
route.
The rampaging crowds that once looked so threatening now scatter under the very
first blows from the gendarmes.\nThere is no one to lead the rebels, no one to
encourage them to resist.\nThe determination of these people accustomed to a life
of obedience vanishes in the blink of an eye.\n
By the time the sun sets, silence reigns in the city.\nBut this is not the end.\n
Day four. El Ferro strikes.
The Last Straw is sent to the dungeons. Expert torturers from the capital extract
all the necessary confessions from them.\nFelipe makes his move.
The advisor lances all the Empire’s boils one by one.
The Lesser Quorum goes down first.\nTheir connection to the Last Straw is enough
for the upstart merchants to be hanged as traitors.\nWith the Lesser Quorum gone,
there will be no more need to humor the lowborn — ever.
The New Faith, the cancer that has spread throughout this city, is next. Not even
the Silver Tree could cleanse its venom from Magra.\nBut Felipe can.\nLennart will
be hanged for fomenting rebellion — Magra does not need another Fotis.\nAny
clergyman who dares to object will follow his pastor to the gallows.\n
The last strike Felipe delivers is directed at his long-time enemy Augustin El
Borne, a criminal who has betrayed his noble Lot.\nHis laws have put the Empire in
jeopardy, and he no longer has the faith of the people or the Overseer.\nNow
demoted to a simple judge by Gaius Tempest and stripped of the nobility of the
Sword, he can harm the Empire no more.
The enemies of the Empire have been captured and defamed.\nIt is time for the
trial.
The last day. Execution.
A fresh breeze in your face — there is nothing more precious under the merciless
Magran sun.\nThe view from the rooftop of a house near the Chancellery is
magnificent. From this spot, the teeming crowd looks like a river flooding the
streets.\n
The square is not big enough to accommodate everyone who has come to watch.\nThe
citizens of Anizotte are here to see the execution of the insurgents.\n
All the instigators of the revolt are lined up on a long scaffold.\nNooses swing
heavily in the wind before them.\n
Abbot Lennart, whose pristine white cassock has been replaced by a filthy prison
garb.\nFragile Alida and frail Fuad, who still cannot believe this is really
happening.\nMany, many people who devoted their lives to this pointless rebellion.
Felipe’s voice rouses you from your contemplation.
“Is the Overseer waiting for the entire province to show up? It’s time to finish
this. The heat is unbearable.”
An old Arknian — Gaius Tempest, the Emperor’s Overseer in Magra — walks up to the
stairs of the Chancellery and faces the crowd.\nThe people fall silent.\nEven Baron
El Ferro lowers his voice to a whisper.\n
“Guess he’s finally satisfied with the size of the audience…”
Gaius Tempest addresses the crowd in a rich baritone. The people devour his every
word.
“I am the protector of my subjects, and I always will be.\n“I have never been a
butcher or a tyrant. In keeping with the teachings of the Twins and Isatius, it is
my Lot to be a ruler and a warrior.\n“And, as a warrior, I must fight our enemies.
“The people who were convicted today chose to rebel against me.\n“They chose to
rebel against the Emperor.\n“They chose to rebel against everything the Empire
stands for.\n
“But the Empire has loyal defenders who can discern the darkest of plots. They
captured these insurgents and heretics and thwarted their murderous, meaningless
riot.\n“Today, I thank them for their service.”\n
The Overseers pauses.
“Nobility is one thing, but he’s not above using fear. Magra is in good hands now,
<username>.”
“The punishment for these traitors against the Empire is true death by hanging. May
the sentence be carried out before the gaze of the Younger!”
The executioner pulls the lever. The trap door swings open.\nThe prisoners plummet
through the floor and dangle, suspended in midair by the nooses.\nYou hear their
necks snap.\n
The insurgents are on their way to the Foot of the Pillar.
The crowd applauds obediently.
Everything is as it should be.
“That was a fine execution. What a relief, eh, Brante?
“By the way, I have something for you.”
The advisor reaches into an inner pocket and pulls out two documents.\nHe
immediately gives you one of them.
You glance at the other document.\nAnd what is this?\nFelipe grins.
“This is an order giving you a job at the Secret Chancellery, <username>.
“You see, I’m getting older. I need a successor.\n“Someone loyal, but smart.
Someone who isn’t afraid of blood and difficult decisions. Someone who knows how to
achieve his goals. Someone who understands the great burden we bear.\n“You shook my
hand once, and it paid off. What do you say now?”
Felipe offers you his hand.
You shake it without a moment’s hesitation.\n
“I’m pleased to welcome you to the service, <username> Brante.\n“With defenders
like you, the Empire will stand for all eternity.”\n
Raid
“We’ve got company, <username>.”
You glance at your desk.\nNo, nothing suspicious there.\nYou burn most notes and
reports right away. Some papers have to be stored, but they are well hidden.
You look up to see a tall gendarme captain. He fixes his short blond hair while
looking searchingly around the room.
“Who is the owner of this business?”
You say your name.\nThe captain continues, frowning.
“Greetings, Brante. You may call me Captain Linad.\n“Your print shop has attracted
the attention of the Prefecture. A number of suspicious individuals have mentioned
it.\n“So I’m sure you understand the purpose of our visit.”
The captain has a number of questions for you.\nWhat is the financial basis of this
print shop? What does it do? Do any of its employees have a history of contact with
criminals?
Your cover story has been ready for a long time. You provide all the answers easily
while trying not to express any unnecessary emotion.
“Okay, that’s all the questions. I also have orders to perform a careful search of
the building. I’m sure you’re a law-abiding subject, <username>, so you have
nothing to hide, right?”
The gendarmes are crowded outside, obviously waiting for the order.
The outcome of this unexpected search will depend on what you say now.
Bribe the captain
Ask for help
Destroy evidence
You persuade him that there is absolutely no need to search the print shop.
You send for Father, hoping to use his reputation and influence to protect you from
suspicion.
You destroy the intelligence from your spy network just before the search.
You smile politely and assume a smug air.\nThe print shop is small, but its revenue
is steady. You often receive private orders from the nobility. It has become
fashionable among the nobles to publish especially important letters.\nYour shop
has not been in business for long, but it is flourishing.
You lead the gendarme captain to the composing table and give him a detailed
explanation of how the print shop typically operates.\nYou show him an
advertisement for horses, the last order you printed.
Surely the captain can see that the rumors about your print shop have been spread
by those who envy or hate you. Even a single day of downtime would cost you a
fortune!\nPerhaps this search is not necessary after all.
After uttering those words, you casually rest your hand on a purse hanging from
your belt.\nThe captain gives you a smile.
“You’re a talented fellow! It’s no wonder your rivals want to undermine such a
successful business.\n“I think we can call off the search. I’ve already looked
everything over anyway.”
As you shake the captain’s hand, you pass him a heavy purse.\nLinad bids you
farewell with a satisfied nod.
You reply to the captain with a nod.\nOf course. You have nothing to hide.\nBut you
inform the captain that, before he starts the search, you will have to send for
your father, Robert Brante. He would be most displeased if it occurred in his
absence.
Your father’s name is obviously familiar to the captain. He flinches, but sends a
man to the Prefecture nevertheless.
After a long, strained silence you see Father enter the print shop.\nHe seems
displeased, but speaks calmly.
“What’s this about, Captain Linad? This print shop is my son’s business. I don’t
understand why the Prefecture is concerned about it.”
“With all due respect, Judge Brante… I have orders, you see. There are a number of
issues I need to clarify…”
The captain asks you several more questions with exaggerated politeness.\nHe
inquires as to what sort of orders the print shop accepts and who is employed
there.\nYou answer in detail.\nThe captain falls silent, then addresses Father
again.
“I assure you of that I hold you in the highest esteem, Judge Brante, but I have
very clear orders to search this place. You know what the consequences will be if I
disobey a direct order…”
“Go wait outside for a couple of minutes, <username>.”
You go outside and wait.\nThe gendarmes wait with you. Their faces are completely
impassive.\nThey converse in hushed tones and spit on the ground from time to time.
They remark that these inspections are a tedious waste of time and express the hope
that the print shop is the last place they have to search today.
Eventually the captain exits the print shop, pocketing a small sack of coins as he
does so.\nThe gendarmes snap to attention.
“We’re leaving. I performed the search personally. There is nothing suspicious
inside.”
You go back inside to thank Father.
“Sit down. We need to have a frank conversation.\n“I’ve never interfered with your
business before, son, and I don’t give a damn why the Prefecture is suspicious of
you.\n“But now is not the time to put our reputation at risk. The future of the
Brante family is at stake. You bear as much responsibility for it as the other
members of our family.
“A good reputation is slowly earned and quickly lost. From now on, our family will
be suspected of helping the insurgents.\n“I had to pay the captain for his silence,
and I am not proud of it. This is completely unacceptable. Think of your family
first next time, <username>!”
You thank Father and promise not to let him down again.\nHe nods and departs. He
must return to his work at the Prefecture.
You do not oppose Captain Linad. He may perform his search. You have nothing to
hide.\nThe captain goes back to the door for a few seconds to call the gendarmes.\
nYou take a step toward the printing press. With a swift movement of your hand, you
pull some papers from a secret compartment and discretely drop them into the
printing ink.
The documents are ruined — the ink permeates them immediately.
The search begins. The gendarmes peek under the tables, pull the cabinets from the
walls, and try to lift the presses. They clearly do not have a very clear idea of
what they are looking for.\nWhile they are turning the place upside down, you stand
in the middle of the room with an amiable air, occasionally warning them to watch
out for ink.
The captain rummages through a pile of horse advertisements. Finding nothing of
interest there, he proceeds to the printing ink.
“What’s that floating in there?”
You reply that one of your employees accidentally dropped some waste paper from the
last order in the ink.
“Fish it out, Sargent.”
He examines the papers, clearly frustrated.\nUnfortunately, the papers are
completely illegible.
“I see. We have no further questions for you.”
The gendarmes leave.\nAfter cleaning up the shop, you sit at your desk and write a
letter to Felipe.
You inform the advisor that you had to destroy some important documents in order to
prevent the Prefecture from getting its hands on them.\nReports from spies,
materials compromising some people of high importance, intercepted letters that
were to be used for blackmail and as bargaining chips — all irretrievably lost.
You deliver the note personally by leaving it under the sandal of the statue of
Emperor Uther II in the Archduke's garden.\nFelipe’s henchmen will retrieve it
before long.
Later that night, you find a letter waiting for you on your desk at home.\nYou do
not ask your family who delivered it. Chances are, they never even saw the courier.
“Think long and hard about what you are going to replace those papers with, Brante.
My investment in you has yet to pay off.
“Remember that you will only remain alive as long as you are of use to me.”
Hand of the Law
Anizotte is quiet.\nNow that the gendarmes no longer need to spend their time
constantly restoring order in the streets, the Prefecture has decided to do
everything it can to prevent any future unrest.
A wave of arrests sweep the city. Gendarmes fill the dungeons with all sorts of
people — merchants, artisans, actors, innkeepers…\nThey have all been accused of
helping the secret society and plotting a revolt against the Empire.
One morning, on your way to the print shop, a grim man bumps into you and slips a
note into your pocket.
“The hunt for the Last Straw has begun in earnest.\n“There are some files in the
Prefecture that could lead the gendarmes to us.\n“These papers must be destroyed.
“Send a small group there. Tell them to sneak in and start a fire.\n“It’s a risky
move, but we’ve got no time to lose. Do it today.\n“I expect results.”
Your only chance of infiltrating the Prefecture is by distracting the gendarmes.\
nYou need to hurry.
You call for Alida and Fuad and tell them to gather a crowd. They need to create
some kind of small, attention-getting disturbance in front of the Prefecture.\nBut
who should you entrust the most important job too?
“Take Lien and Jacques. They used to be miners. I recruited them pretty recently.
They lost everything they had because of the nobles.”
“Yeah, they’ll be perfect for the job. All they ever talk about is revenge! They’re
angry, tough, and reliable.\n“Also, they hardly know any of us — that’ll work in
our favor too.”
You agree.\nTheir mission is to sneak into the Prefecture, find the files, and burn
them while the crowd makes a scene and distracts the gendarmes.
“Good. I’ll give them the instructions. We’ll start tonight.”
A few hours later, a disgruntled crowd takes to the streets.\nThey all have family
members who were recently arrested by the Prefecture.
“Free our sons!” \n“My husband is innocent!” \n“Let my brother go! He’s no rebel!
He’s been slandered!”
While the angry crowd buzzes like a kicked hornet’s nest, Lien and Jacques try to
break a window and sneak into the building.\nBut one of the gendarmes hears the
glass breaking and looks around.
“Hey! What are you doing there?! Get ‘em!”
You see Alida’s confused face.\nThe crowd she has gathered is loud and angry, but
they are not ready to fight the gendarmes.\nNo one tries to help Jacques and Lien
as the gendarmes arrest them. All you can do is watch as they are taken to the
Prefecture.
The operation is a complete failure.\nYou have to decide on your next course of
action right away.
The people have been too frightened since the recent wave of arrests began. They
obediently accept every decision the authorities make. It would be difficult to
persuade them to take to the streets.\nThe very existence of the Last Straw is in
jeopardy. The more peaceful the city is, the easier it will be to find you.
You need to find a way to turn today’s failure to your own advantage.\nBut how?
Free the insurgents
Provoke the people
Lie low
You start a riot, demanding freedom for Jacques and Lien.
You accuse the prefect of being in cahoots with the Secret Chancellery in order to
provoke public outrage.
You order the Last Straw to lie low and make no attempt to help Jacques and Lien.
You have to work through the night, but by dawn you have a stack of leaflets
designed to stir up social unrest.\nYou send a couple of notes to loyal Last Straw
members, and within a few hours there are leaflets hung up all over the districts
of Anizotte where commoners live.
“Stop the tyranny of the Prefecture today, or you could be locked in a cage
tomorrow!\n“They arrested the miners today — they’ll come for the merchants
tomorrow!\n“We can’t let them silence us!”
In light of the increasingly frequent arrests, the people need an example before
they will dare to take to the streets.\nThis time you will have to lead the protest
yourself.
You start in the morning, with a small group of your closest comrades.\nYou march
from the furthest outskirts of Anizotte, taking time to stop at crossroads and make
fiery speeches in front of crowds of pedestrians.
The sun has already passed its zenith by the time the growing swelling approaches
the noble districts.\nYou have lost your voice from shouting inspirational tirades,
but the deed is done.\nThis crowd cannot pass unnoticed.\nThe Prefecture will have
to listen.
The people just needed to see an example. Now they are unstoppable.\nThe citizens
of Anizotte are sick and tired of keeping their mouths shut. There is shouting in
the streets all day long — the roar of the angry crowd, the cries of passers-by who
have stumbled into the middle of the fray, the wails of merchants whose shops have
been damaged.
The people of Anizotte are demonstrating the force of their will once again.
You return home late at night, completely drained.\nFather meets you as you enter,
livid with rage.\nYou ask him what the matter is.
“How dare you even ask?! Do you know how many notes I’ve gotten filled with mock
pity at my son’s participation in these riots? Do you have any idea how many absurd
accusations of plotting a revolt I’ve had to endure?\n“If I weren’t a judge at the
Prefecture, you would have already been thrown in the dungeon!
“I can understand your compassion for the common folk. But we are bound by noble
obligations! You had no right to ignore your family’s honor!\n“Did you even think
about the consequences your escapade would have for our reputation, <username>?!”
You lower your head humbly and utter a few words of apology.\nFather shakes his
head in disappointment.
“Sometimes, son, I feel like all these words are utterly meaningless to you. I feel
like you don’t give a damn about our family’s interests. And that hurts me much,
much more than any mockery.”
A new day has dawned.\nBy the personal order of Prefect Augustin El Borne, Jacques
and Lien are released. But it is already too late to stop the disturbances in the
city. The riots only intensify.
“Your methods surprised me, but I must admit they were effective.\n“The gendarmes
will be too preoccupied with dispersing the disgruntled citizens to hunt for the
Last Straw. This suits me just fine.”
You have come up with a plan, but it seems ludicrous, even to you.\nBut you are out
of time. You must act without hesitation.
You have to work through the night, but by dawn you have a stack of leaflets
designed to stir up social unrest.\nYou send a couple of notes to loyal Last Straw
members, and within a few hours there are red and black leaflets hung up all over
the districts of Anizotte where commoners live.
“Citizens of Anizotte! Prefect El Borne has long been seen as a defender of the
common estate.\n“BUT IS HE?!\n“Have you ever asked yourself… WHO IS REALLY BEHIND
EL BORNE?
“The prefect is actually a puppet. Who is pulling his strings? THE SECRET
CHANCELLERY!\n“All the laws he passes — seemingly to protect the common folk — have
one true purpose: to get more disaffected COMMONERS THROWN IN JAIL for daring to
think that THEY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE!
“Dozens of your brothers and sisters, your sons and daughters, have been convicted,
and it is the fault of the SECRET CHANCELLERY!\nTake to the streets, people of
Anizotte!\nLET THEM HEAR YOUR VOICE!”
You spend the next couple of hours covering your tracks.\nYou melt the metal
typeface you used to print the leaflets. You mix the inks. You burn all the unused
paper.\nNo one should be able to trace the leaflets back to your print shop now.
You stay off the streets for several days, but your scouts report that your plan
has worked.\nIn fact, it may have worked a little too well.
The roar of the angry mob. The shrieks of passers-by caught in the chaos. The wails
of merchants whose shops have been damaged in the unrest.\nThe city is surprisingly
quick to get used to these new sounds.\nThe Prefecture is unable to deal with the
riots.
It turns out, however, that your blatant slander of El Borne has divided the
angriest citizens. There are a surprising number of people in Anizotte who are
eager to defend the prefect’s good name.\nFights among commoners become commonplace
for several weeks. Sometimes entire districts get swept up in the mayhem.
All this time, Felipe remains silent. There are no new orders, no angry letters.\
nEventually the waiting becomes unbearable, and you ask Moss if he knows what is
going on.
“Sir Advisor is too busy. He’s getting his men out of the Prefecture before the
gendarmes can sniff ‘em out.\n“It’s a proper mess out there, boss! He says he’ll
have to put his spies on ice for a good six month or so.
“Still, he says there’s one good thing about it: the gendarmes have their hands
full, so they can’t hunt us in earnest. They just don’t have the manpower, what
with the riots and all.”
In all the chaos, the swift trial of Jacques and Lien passes unnoticed. The
unfortunate insurgents are sent to the mines. You lose track of them.
You have to make sure both you and the Last Straw are safe.\nYou cannot let the
Prefecture discover you.
You give the orders the next morning.\nNo one is allowed to contact the prisoners.
A rescue attempt is out of the question.\nLien and Jacques are dead to the Last
Straw. This is the only way to save your cause from complete and utter failure.\
nYou order anyone who knew the two miners personally to leave the city until
further notice.
After a swift trial, Jacques and Lien are sent to the mines.\nThe Prefecture raids
a handful of your empty hideouts and abandoned safehouses, but finds nothing. The
gendarmes try to spy on the secret society for a few weeks, then abandon the
endeavor.
The Last Straw can get back to work now, but, with the threat of the Prefecture
looming over you, your job is becoming more and more difficult.
You need to turn things around…\nIf you still can.
Powder Keg
The air is chilly. The sun has set.\nYou make your way toward the city walls,
avoiding busy streets. There, by an old grain warehouse, you have an appointment
with Sophia.\nShe wanted to speak to you face to face. Is she afraid of being
overheard?
She is already there, leaning on the old wall and smoking her pipe. She greets you
with a nod.
“I’m glad you got here quick. Listen up.\n“We’ve been in Anizotte for a while now.
I’ve seen how you handle things with the Last Straw. I think I can trust you.
“I need to ask you a favor. It’s for the Last Straw. But Felipe can never find out
about it.
“I need gunpowder, and I need it now.\n“I led you to the stuff, and now I want you
to tell me where they’re hiding it.”
You ask Sophia what she needs the gunpowder for.\nThe young woman squints and looks
you in the eye.
“To get people riled up. To start the revolt. Don’t expect any details. You know
how it goes: the longer the chain, the easier it breaks. You’ll find out soon
enough.\n“For now, the question is whether you trust me or not. Just give me the
gunpowder, and keep your trap shut. Think you can handle that?”
You tell Sophia where the gunpowder is being kept.
You reply that you cannot give Sophia the gunpowder without knowing what she is
going to do with it.
You draw a map on the ground with the tip of your boot.\nThere is a small mountain
ridge half an hour to the east of the South Gate. There used to be a quarry there.
You stashed the gunpowder in one of the tunnels.
Sophia studies your sketch intently, then wipes it away with her foot.
“I’m glad to see I was right about you. Thanks. When the time comes, I’ll be able
to help both of us.”
Once she has the gunpowder, Sophia wastes no time.
The first blast detonates in front of the Chancellery.\nThe granite statue of
Emperor Uther falls from its pedestal and shatters, strewing rubble across the
square.
Another blast.\nA wall of the Inquisition ward falls. Several Champions of Faith
are killed. About a dozen apostates manage to escape in the chaos.
A third blast.\nThe bridge over the Brine near Anizotte collapses. A caravan of
Archduke Milanidas’s tax collectors are lost in the turbulent waters.
This is clearly just the beginning. Sophia is not one to rest on her laurels.
The Overseer is livid. The Prefecture raids manufacturers and mine owners, but
cannot find a single superfluous gunpowder keg.
The citizens are agitated. Rumors about the bombers run rampant.\nSome say they are
criminals who escaped from the mines. Others are convinced that witches are behind
the explosions. There is also a rumor that the explosions were set off by enemies
of the Empire.
But everyone is equally horrified by the deadly, merciless force of gunpowder.\nIt
spares no one. All are equal before it. Nobles die in explosions just like
commoners or clergymen.
The fear that has paralyzed the people begins to erode.\nThe commoners are now
armed with a weapon capable of destroying an entire army.\nIt does not take them
long to come to grips with this.
The Last Straw’s ranks continue to swell. Those who had doubts are now free of
them.\nThe call for freedom resounds louder and louder on the streets of Anizotte.
A few powder kegs were enough to shatter the illusion of the Empire’s
invincibility.\nSophia’s plan worked.
No. You cannot give Sophia the gunpowder without knowing her intentions.
“I helped you get that gunpowder. It’s not yours!”
Be that as it may, it is still too dangerous. You ask Sophia why you should trust
her.\nShe purses her lips, annoyed.
“So that’s how it is.”
The moon’s golden reflection dances in her bottomless eyes. The dizziness knocks
you off your feet.
“Felipe will never find out about this conversation.
“Remember, <username>, a slave only gets to live as long as he’s useful.\n”The
minute you aren’t useful anymore, one word from Felipe will be enough to wipe you
from the face of existence.”
Sound and Fury
Riots in Anizotte are reaching boiling point.\nThe disgruntled crowds that took to
the streets two days ago are protesting night and day.\nThe pavement is littered
with rubble and broken glass.
It is impossible to deny that you had a hand in this. The Last Straw has spent
years helping the common folk of Anizotte realize that they have the right to make
their voice heard.\nAny attempt to silence that voice has led to paroxysms of rage
among the people.
The Lesser Quorum petitioned Gaius Tempest three days ago.\nThe petition asked the
Overseer to suspend the nobility’s ancient right to be exempt from taxes. This
would ease the burden of the poor common folk.
But the petition never reached the Overseer.\nSeveral furious nobles barged in
while the Quorum was still in session.\nIt all ended in bloodshed.
The next day, the commoners took to the streets.
They demand that the Overseer adopt the Quorum’s proposal at once.\nThey have
clamored tirelessly for the nobles’ despotism to be punished for two days now.\nThe
authorities remain silent.\nThe city is on the verge of a revolt.
“I need you to deal with this at once, Brante. Stop this madness by any means
necessary.\n“If these disturbances go too far, noble blood could be spilled. We
can’t let it happen.”
But how are you supposed to stop the crowd?\nAnd for that matter, should you?
Bribe the leaders of the revolt
Threaten the Lesser Quorum
Take control of the disturbances
Momentarily overcome by greed, the leaders of the revolt agree to put an end to the
riots.
You blackmail the members of the Lesser Quorum into withdrawing their petition to
the Overseer.
To prevent bloodshed, you take charge of the disturbances yourself.
You count your coins. This will have to be enough.
You gather your people and give them their orders.\nFirst, they will find the
ringleaders.
“That shouldn’t be too hard. They’re the ones shouting the loudest!”
Next, they will persuade them to break up the protests.
“But why? We’re not gendarmes! Isn’t it what we’ve been working for all these
years?”
You reply that, unfortunately, these disturbances are actually undermining the Last
Straw’s cause. This revolt can only drain the lifeblood from the coming
revolution.\nThese people need to see that the time for the real revolt is yet to
come.\nThe insurgents nod in agreement.
“But people have taken to the streets for a reason. They’ve got nothing to eat.
They’ve got no money. If we want to get them to settle down, we’ll have to give
something — or at least give their leaders something…
You have the money.
You hand sacks of coins out to your men.\nOliver Moss is in charge of the
operation. He is well acquainted with Anizotte’s most troubled distracts, so he
knows who can use the money to calm the social unrest.
“Too bad we can’t keep the cash for ourselves, eh?”
Your people are experts at what they do. Without anyone noticing, the violence
stops as if by itself. Crowds just disappear from the streets.\nMomentary greed
proves to be more powerful than a striving for justice.
How long will this calm last? No one knows.\nYou just hope that when the unrest
builds up steam again, you will be ready for it.
You flip through your papers. It is time to find out if all the hours spent spying
on the Lesser Quorum have paid off.
Bribery.\nSmuggling.\nTies to the insurgency.\nEvery member of the Quorum has his
sins. Exploiting them is child’s play.
You thoughtfully and deliberately compose several letters.\nYou list all the
circumstances that are known to you, sparing no detail.
“You can either wait for your secrets to be divulged to your enemies, or persuade
the commoners that expecting their taxes to be lowered is absurd.\n“If you do this,
we will agree to forget what we know forever.”
This is nothing but blatant, shameless blackmail.\nBut it works.
The very next day, almost the entire Lesser Quorum appears before the people of
Anizotte.\nMayer Egmont is the only one not present.
The delegates announce that they have withdrawn their plea to the Overseer. They
appeal to the people to remember their Lot and show patience and fortitude.\nA
revolt will solve nothing. It will only lead to pointless bloodshed.
The people disperse.\nYou see anger and resentment on their faces. They put their
trust in the delegates, and that trust has been betrayed.\nTheir rage still simmers
below the surface, but the revolt no longer serves any purpose.
The only way to avoid bloodshed is to take charge of the disturbances yourself.\
nFinding the ringleaders of the protests proves to be a simple task. Excited by
your offer of support, they are eager to talk to you.
The meeting takes place at night.\nThe dim candlelight casts shadows on their worn
faces.\nYou see an ancient-looking woman in a moth-eaten silk garment. A stout
middle-aged workman. A gray-eyed old man wearing the white tunic of a New Faith
priest.\n
You ask them whether they understand that a massacre is about to happen.\nAll the
nobles need is a single attack by the commoners, and the Overseer will sic the
Legion on them.
“Yeah, you’re right. None of us want bloodshed. But what are we supposed to do if
they won’t listen to us?
“What are you suggesting?”
The commoners already live their lives buried beneath the staggering burden of
their Lot. The nobility rules over them without realizing how dependent they are on
their own subordinates.\nBut there is a way to remind them of this.
And it will not require any bloodshed.\nAll the commoners need to do is stop
working. If the peasants do not take to the fields, if the merchants do not open
their shops, if the miners abandon their pickaxes, the nobles will have to suffer
along with them.\nIt will not take long for them to see that the province is on the
brink of ruin. The Overseer will have no choice but to relent.
They ponder your words.
“Are you suggesting that we lose what little income we have left? Our children are
already starving as it is!”
Exactly. The people already earn a pathetic pittance for their back-breaking labor.
If the Overseer ignores the Lesser Quorum’s plea, many will not survive the
winter.\nIt is a frightening proposition.\nBut it will be worth it.
“We’ll need time to persuade the others. But we’ll try.”
The next day, the city comes to a standstill.\nThe commoners of Anizotte, including
those who did not dare to take to the streets, refuse to work until the Overseer
hears them out.
The streets are buried in sand.\nThe shops are closed.\nThe factories are empty.\
nThe unplowed fields are choked with weeds.
Many nobles resort to force in an attempt to make their servants return to work,
but the common folk dutifully accept their punishment without resuming their
labor.\nOverseer Tempest refuses to send the Legion against people who have not
even attempted to arm themselves.
Confronted by their own helplessness, the nobles ask the clergy for aid.\nBut, to
their surprise, the priests of the New Faith led by Abbot Lennart support the
common folk.
“The people of Anizotte who have chosen labor as their Lot must be justly
remunerated for it rather than extorted by taxation and left penniless.\n“What kind
of obedience can you expect from starving people?”
Only a week passes before the nobles of Anizotte are ready to negotiate with the
Lesser Quorum.\nThe petition finally reaches the Overseer.\nMagistrate El Verman
has the honor of announcing the response.
“His Grace Gaius Tempest has learned of the hardships of his people. Now hear his
will!
‘An appeal from the people of Magra has reached my ears. The misery of the lowborn
is great indeed, and an honorable governor must support his subjects.\n‘I hereby
command the nobles of Anizotte to pay taxes to the treasury of Magra for the next
year.\n‘During that same year, the taxes of the lowly estate shall be halved.’”
You return home to find Father bent over his ledger.\nAs a nobleman of the Mantle,
he will be one of the first to pay the new tax.
This is the first real victory the people have ever achieved.\nIt may not be a
revolt, but it demonstrates that the citizens of Anizotte are ready to fight for
their future.
In your note to Felipe, you remark that you have avoided bloodshed just as the
advisor wanted.
Explosion
A deafening rumble. The tinkling of broken glass. The pavement shudders beneath
your feet.\nAnother explosion.
Sophia! What has she done?!
You struggle to understand what is going on. People stare in horror at the white
cloud rising slowly above downtown Anizotte.\nMagistrate El Verman’s mansion!\nYou
run toward it.
The impact of the explosion is visible from several districts away. Houses and
fences are crooked, and a grotesque mosaic of shattered glass litters the street.\
nShrieks of terror. Moans of pain.
The air is still. A massive cloud of dust and gunpowder smoke blankets the entire
noble district.\nPeople stumble out of the haze covered in gray dust. They look
like shadows.\nEverything seems colorless — only the blood oozing from the victims’
wounds is of a vivid, scarlet hue.
A crowd of onlookers has already gathered around the ruins of El Verman’s mansion.\
nYou notice Alida among them. She can hardly suppress a smile.
“This is the most powerful blow against the tyranny of the Empire I’ve ever seen!”
Where the Magistrate’s mansion once stood, there is now only a gaping hole full of
rubble. Ripped from the ground by the blast, the pavement around the house
resembles cracked eggshells. The neighboring homes have lost their exterior walls,
the their rooms are exposed.
Gendarmes pull the bodies of those who have met their true death out of the
wreckage, wrap them in coarse fabric, and load them onto wagons.\nYou feel sick.
You have never seen so many dead bodies before.\nMutilated in the explosion, they
look only vaguely human.\nYou force yourself not to avert your gaze.
How many of them deserved this? How many just happened to be in the wrong place at
the wrong time?\nServants, coachmen, simple passers-by… most of them must have been
quite old… but still!\nDid they really have to fall victim to Sophia’s plot?
Sophia chose the perfect target.\nThe murder of El Verman, an extremely powerful
nobleman of ancient lineage, will not only remind the simple folk that the Last
Straw is fighting tyranny; it will also instill fear in the defenders of the
Empire.
Did you make the wrong choice? Should you have refused Sophia and prevented this
disaster?\nIt is too late to change anything now.
The Greater Good
It is nighttime. The print shop is empty. You sit by a lit candle, awaiting
Sophia’s arrival.\nShe finally returns…
The door creeks. You can barely discern the smoldering embers of her pipe in the
darkness. Her languid footsteps approach.\nThe glow of the candlelight falls across
Sophia’s face.
“Hey there, <username>.”
You take a step forward. The familiar smell of tobacco tickles your nostrils.\
nSophia glances at the misericorde, her farewell gift.
“Still got it on you, huh? That’s good. You’ll need it soon enough.”
You raise your eyebrows inquiringly.
“It’s time I told you everything. Sorry I couldn’t confide in you until the last
minute… I see I was wrong now.”
What in the world is she talking about?
“That moron Felipe had no idea there was a real revolt brewing right under his
nose. Well, everything’s finally ready. We are ready, <username>!
“The Last Straw is tough now. Real tough. We’ve got firearms, manpower, an idea,
and, most importantly, the people’s rage. There’s no stoppin’ it now! We just need
to point it in the right direction, and… bam!”
You ask Sophia where she intends to direct this rage.
She stares at you. You cannot tell whether she is surprised or dismayed.
“Whaddaya mean, where?! At the Empire, of course! We’re gonna declare war! We’re
gonna fight until there’s nothing left of the old order!\n“We’re gonna fight until
all those nobles are wiped out! Until the world finally changes!
“The half-measures guys like Egmont want ain’t gonna make the world better.\nWe’re
doing this for the greater good!
“We’re gonna take the first step tomorrow. Felipe thinks he’s achieved his goals.
He’ll order us to start his fake revolt.\n“But we’re gonna start our own revolt. A
real one.\n“We’ll take Felipe out, and then we’ll finally be free.”
Sophia takes your hand. She clenches it so hard, it hurts.
“I want you by my side, <username>. It’s payback time.”
Her eyes are fixed on yours. The golden reflection of the candle flame flickers in
them.
Try to talk her out of it.
You will be with her until the end.
The path Sophia wants to walk is a dead end. She has to stop.
You tell her that you will always be together.\nTomorrow you will kill Felipe and
be free at last.
Sophia pushes you onto the desk.\nThe entire world disappears except for her
smoldering lips and the flame of the candle.
You gently free your hand from her trembling fingers. Sophia glances up at you.
“So… you’re not with me…”
You tell Sophia that you understand her reasons for hating the Empire. You hate it
too. But this is not the solution. The revolt she is planning will only end in a
bloodbath.
The Empire cannot be defeated. Killing Felipe is an ill-considered move. The danger
is too great. You want no part of it.\nYou try to persuade Sophia that she needs to
let go of her past before it destroys her.
Sophia jerks her hand back. An unbearable silence hangs in the air.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, <username>. You’re right about everything. I should’ve
talked this over with you sooner…”
You reach for her hand, but she steps back.
“I’m beat. We’ve got a tough day ahead of us tomorrow. Let’s get some rest.”
She departs hastily, without saying goodbye.
You watch from the window as her silhouette fades into the darkness.\nWas Sophia
really moved by your speech, or was she just pretending?\nYou will find out
tomorrow.
At Midnight
It is early in the morning. You are at home.\nYou hear a sudden knock at the door,
followed by Mother’s voice from the foyer.
“<username>! You have a visitor!”
Oliver Moss appears in the doorway, flashing his predatory smile.\nWhat is he doing
here?!
“Morning, <username>. I’ve got a letter for you. It’s about the print shop.”
“Well, if it’s about business, I’ll leave you to it.”
Oliver follows your mother with a curious look, then leans on the doorframe and
casts a searching glance over the house.\nYou snatch the message from his hands.\
nYou tell Oliver emphatically that he should not be here.
Moss responds to your reproach with a meaningful nod at the letter.\nYou hastily
open the envelope.\nIt is Felipe’s handwriting. The letters are uneven.\nHe was
clearly in a rage when he wrote this.
“Enough. I’m done wasting time on you.
“Your family’s safety isn’t a gift from the Twins, Brante. It’s payment for a job
well done.\n“And you haven’t done your job.\n“You’re nobody. Nothing but dirt
beneath my feet. And it’s high time I shook you off.\n
“Your spies get no results. I’ve been accused of dereliction of duty. My enemies
mock me, and it’s all because of you!\n
“You have one day to fix this. And you will fix it.
“You will present your solution to me by the roots of the Silver Tree at midnight
tonight.\n“Your time is up.”
Cold sweat runs down your back. \nOliver takes the letter with a nonchalant
gesture. He shrugs in mock sympathy and leaves your house.\n
Beg for mercy
Comply with Felipe’s demands
This is your only chance to escape Felipe’s wrath.
You go to the meeting hoping to beg Felipe for one last chance.
You have no choice. You will have to relinquish part of the Last Straw to Felipe.
Overtaken by despair, you keep turning Felipe’s words over in your mind. You have
no chance of escaping the advisor’s wrath.\nThere is only one solution.\nYou have
to flee the city. You have to go into hiding and never come back to Anizotte again.
You hastily pack the essentials and briskly say goodbye to your family.\nYou tell
them that you have urgent business to attend to back at the print shop.
Your farewells are mundane. Your family has no idea this is the last time you will
ever see each other.\nMother is the only one who suspects something is wrong.
“I hope everything is alright, son. You look so tired… you can’t do a good job at
work if you don’t get enough rest!”
You promise her that you will make sure to get some rest just as soon as you come
back.\nShe puts her arms around you, then blesses you with the holy symbol and
watches as you hurriedly cross the yard and turn the corner. \n
When you take another turn and finally see the archway of the North Gate, you start
breathing more easily.\nYour footsteps grow steadier. You have almost escaped the
giant cage that is Anizotte.\nThe Shining Pillar guides you from afar like a
beacon.\n
You hear a familiar voice from behind your back.
“Going somewhere, Sir Brante?”
Without turning around, you break into a run — but several figures seem to appear
from nowhere and block your path.\nSomeone throws a dark sack over your head from
behind.
The world fades away around you.
How many hours — or is it days? — have passed? You do not know. You have been in
darkness.\nYour eyes have trouble adjusting to the light. You are shaking. Your
hands are numb from the tight ropes securing your wrists. The pain is gone — you
just stopped feeling it.\n
Your swollen tongue barely fits in your mouth despite the extra room afforded by
your missing teeth.\nMoss’s firm hand grabs you by the hair and lifts your head so
you can see the man across from you.
Secret Chancellery Advisor Baron Felipe El Ferro watches you with a gaze full of
disgust and disappointment.
“But now I look at you, and I realize that words are useless here.”
You hastily mumble that you can still be of use to the advisor.\nFelipe just frowns
in disgust.\n
“How? You couldn’t even betray me properly.\n“A man with no patronage, no friends,
no support… a man who can’t even save his own life… what good are you to me?”\n
He gives Oliver a quick nod.
There is no more fear, no more pain. The only thing you feel is infinite
loneliness.\nBut that fades away too.\nThe darkness deepens. The Shining Pillar
draws nearer.\n
Fleeing the city is not an option. Your only hope is that Felipe will give you one
last chance.\nYou head toward the Silver Tree as midnight approaches.
Everything is quiet. Giant roots. The lights of lanterns and torches.\nFive men led
by Moss meet you and stare at you intently.\nFelipe emerges from the darkness
behind them.
“I’m glad you had enough sense not to hide from me like a rat.\n“Well?”
You kneel before Felipe. Your knees are shaking with fear.\nYou swear that your
life belongs to the advisor.\n
You assure him that the recent failures are caused by the cunning of the
insurgents. You have come to await his justice even though your life is at risk. If
Sir El Ferro can find it in his heart to pardon you, you will do everything you can
for him.
You have nothing more to say.
The advisor looks down at you contemplatively. He slowly walks behind you.\nHe runs
the handle of his cane along your spine.\nA powerful blow. You fall to the ground.\
n
A sharp pain pierces your back. Tears gush from your eyes.\nBut you manage to bring
yourself back up to a kneeling position and continue begging for mercy.\n
The advisor takes a slow, deep breath.
“Well, Brante… you’re a fool, but at least you’re a loyal fool. You may live.\n“As
a commoner, you must accept your punishment. But your own pain clearly isn’t enough
motivation for you.\n“Perhaps your family’s pain will help you do better.” \n
You lift your eyes to the advisor’s face.\nYou see only disdain in his eyes.\n
“You didn’t think I was going to let you off easy, did you? If you say anything to
your family, it’ll just make things worse.\n“You’re the only one who can set things
right, Brante.”
You return home, but cannot fall asleep for a long time. You are still trembling.\
nYou have managed to save your own life.\nBut what price will your family pay now?\
n
The punishment comes the very next day. Nathan is the first to be targeted.\nYou
find him at your doorstep, badly beaten. His clothes are soaked with blood. His
nose is broken, and some of his teeth are missing. The bruises on his face render
him barely recognizable.\n
“Who did this to you, Nathan?!”
“I don’t know, Mother… they just appeared out of the darkness…”
The second target is your home.\nSomeone sets fire to the west wing in the middle
of the night.\nYou manage to put it out, but the building is severely damaged. The
repairs will be extremely expensive.\n
An air of wistful desperation permeates your home.
The last blow strikes your father.\nHis work at the Prefecture suddenly grinds to a
halt. The intervention of some unknown authority causes all his cases to be taken
from him.\nHe still goes to the office every day, returning more and more dejected
each time.\nThere are rumors among his colleagues that he is about to be expelled
from the Prefecture.\n
Your family’s troubles are all your fault.\nBut could you have acted differently?\n
You spend the entire day pondering the decision you have made.\nYou will save your
own life, but it will cost you yet another betrayal.
You head toward the Silver Tree as midnight approaches.
“I’m glad you had enough sense left not to hide from me in some cellar like a rat.\
n“Well?”
You tell Sir Felipe that you have a plan. He will get what he wants.
The Last Straw has ties to freethinkers all over Magra.\nIt will be easy to set up
a meeting with the leaders of underground organizations in Valona, Fabrene, and
other towns.\n
You will go there in person in order to maintain your cover. The Secret Chancellery
will have no trouble arresting the insurgents.\nThere will be enough of them to
ensure that Sir Felipe’s enemies will not dare accuse him of inaction.\n
“Alright, Brante. Are threats really the only way to get anything useful out of
you?\n“These meetings are just as unpleasant for me as they are for you. Make sure
I never have to threaten you again.\n
“I’ll be waiting for you to give me the time and place. But you’re on thin ice.
Don’t forget it.\n“You may go.”
A week later, you watch from a safe distance as your comrades are taken to a prison
wagon.
They were the bravest members of the Last Straw. They were not afraid to defy the
Empire, despite living in small towns and villages where most commoners cannot even
imagine a life free of their Lot.
You have, with your own hands, sent them to a place from which they will never
return.\n
These local organizations were supposed to serve as the pillars of the revolt when
it began.\nYou will have to start recruiting outside Anizotte from scratch.\nIt is
awful to think of the amount of time and effort it will take.\n
A Sound of Thunder
Late one night, you send all the print shop employees home.\nFelipe El Ferro wishes
to see you in person tonight.
You sit behind your desk, anxiously attentive to every sound.\nYou hear quiet
stomping outside. Several men enter the room, led by Moss.
“Hello there, <username>.”
They are all, without a doubt, armed.
They stop at the door.\nYou hear a cane tapping on the floor as Felipe walks in.\
nHe sits at your desk and squints at you without saying a word.
“So, Brante, how’s our spy network doing?”
You open your mouth, but the advisor cuts you short.\nHis voice is utterly hostile.
“Why aren’t you getting any results?\n“Do you think you can fool me? Or are you
just too stupid to be entrusted with such a crucial mission?\n“How can I explain
your ineptitude, Brante? Betrayal, or idiocy?
“Don’t you understand that your job is the only thing you should be doing? Don’t
you see how important it is?\n“I’m standing on the brink of chaos, and it’s about
to consume us all. The safety of the Empire depends on the intelligence you’re
supposed to be gathering!\n“I trust you, and what do I get in return? Idleness and
wasted time!
“Either you’re dragging your feet on purpose, or you’re too witless and sluggish to
obey my orders. I have no use for traitors or fools.
“Was I wrong to believe Sophia? Should I just dispose of you and find someone who
can do better?”
Beg for forgiveness
Promise quick results
Lie to Felipe
You ask the advisor to forgive your failure.
You will use all of the Last Straw’s resources to gather the information Felipe
needs.
You promise to use all the resources at the Last Straw’s disposal to gather the
information Felipe needs.
Lowering your head, you implore Felipe to forgive your failure.\nIf the advisor
could just wait a little longer…
Felipe taps the desk, annoyed, then lets out a tired sigh.
“You don’t seem to understand, Brante. There’s only one thing that matters in our
line of work: results.\n“If you can’t get results, you’re of no use to me.”
Felipe rises, snaps his fingers, and points right at you.\nHis goons instantly rush
to your side and twist your arms behind your back.
They push you onto the desk. Papers and writing implements scatter across the
floor.\nOliver looks at you with genuine compassion.
“Tough break, <username>.”
Felipe towers over you like a grim shadow.
“I do not tolerate failure from my subordinates, Brante.”
The advisor gestures to Moss. You try to say something, to explain, to assure
Felipe of your loyalty…\nMoss puts one hand on the back of you head and the other
on your chin.\nYour neck snaps with a sickening crunch.\nDarkness falls.
The crypt is quiet. A ray of light from a tiny window strikes your eyes. You
awaken.\nYou sit up, your feet touching the stone floor. You instinctively reach
for your neck.\nYou are lucky. This death was just a warning.
You cannot expect Advisor El Ferro to be so merciful next time.
You assure the advisor that this will never happen again. You will use all the
resources of the secret society to gather valuable information and recruit
informants.\nThe results will be presented to Sir Felipe in a matter of days.
“For your sake, Brante, I hope that turns out to be true.\n“This is your last
chance.\n“If you fail to provide me with interesting information very soon, I will
conclude that your service and your life are of no further use to me.”
Felipe rises and nods to his men. On his way out, he whispers something in Oliver’s
ear, then leaves the print shop with the others.\nYou and Moss remain inside. The
thug smiles amicably.
“I’ve been instructed to observe your progress, <username>. You don’t want to
disappoint Sir Advisor again, do ya, boss?”
You spend the next few days and sleepless nights gathering information for Felipe.
The only way to do this quickly is to sacrifice a part of the Last Straw.\nYou were
planning to use these people to keep tabs on unrest in the city, but now,
unbeknownst to themselves, they have become new threads in your spy network.
Before long, new reports land on the advisor’s desk.\nLeaders of political salons,
members of the commoners’ party in the Lesser Quorum, noblemen who are critical of
the authorities — they all find themselves under Felipe El Ferro’s keen eye.
Many of them are promptly arrested by the Secret Chancellery. Some are exiled.
Others are to be executed for plotting a rebellion.\nThey are all friends,
colleagues, or relatives of Last Straw members.
Your society is consumed by desperation and panic.
“I didn’t want to believe it, but there’s no other explanation — there’s a mole in
the Last Straw! We need to find the traitor!”
You nod. \nSooner or later, the mole will give himself away.
You assure Felipe that all the resources of the secret organization are already
being used to search for valuable information. Your men are doing everything they
can.\nThe spy network is actually in a much better state than it may seem.
The results you have obtained so far only seem insignificant because the task at
hand is so demanding. You have to train people on the job. And hardly any of them —
you nod at Moss — are master spies.\nThey make a lot of mistakes. In your personal
opinion, the fact that none of them has been caught yet is an achievement in and of
itself. But they are learning!
You implore the advisor to give you one more chance.\nYou promise results very,
very soon!
Felipe looks at you incredulously, drumming his fingers on the desk.\nAfter a long
pause, he eventually nods.
“For your sake, Brante, I hope that turns out to be true.\n“This is your last
chance.\n“If you fail to provide me with valuable intelligence very soon, I will
conclude that your service and your life are of no further use to me.”
Felipe nods to his guards at the door, and they all leave the print shop.
You spend the next few days at your desk, concocting a pile of counterfeit reports
for Felipe, inventing compromising details about people you do not know so you have
something to present to the Secret Chancellery.\nYou can only hope your lies will
seem plausible.
These reports will placate Felipe’s wrath… for a while.\nBut you are just buying
time. You need to act, or this will all end in tragedy.
You keep pulling at your collar, but cannot shake the feeling that you are
suffocating.\nAn audience with Felipe El Ferro is not something one can ever be
prepared for.
You have been summoned to a noble mansion not far from Anizotte. As far as you
know, this is Felipe’s private residence.\nThe invitation would seem to indicate a
certain level of trust on the advisor’s part. What could it mean?
A servant shows you to Felipe’s study.\nYou see walls of brilliant white. Exquisite
furniture of dark wood. Giant windows decorated with greenery.\nThe Emperor’s
portrait on the wall is the only thing not in keeping with the general lightness of
the room.
In answer to your greeting, Felipe gestures to a chair. The advisor seems to be in
good spirits.
“The heat is unbearable today. A glass of water, Brante?”
Your throat suddenly feels dry, and you hastily agree.
After setting his own empty glass down, the advisor heaves a sigh of satisfaction
and speaks in a nonchalant tone.
“Well, <username>. I hasten to remark that you’ve made some progress in serving the
Empire.\n“I must admit, I underestimated you.\n“But your deeds have proven your
loyalty, so I want to repay you for your service. In our line of work, the only
real asset is mutual trust.\n
“I know that your mother is a woman of great faith. She taught you piety from a
young age, didn’t she?”
You answer with a short nod. Your mother has always been very pious.\nFelipe rises
from his desk. Only now do you notice that, on the wall opposite the Emperor’s
portrait, there hangs a lushly decorated icon of the Twins.\n
“In a sense, the Secret Chancellery is not unlike the Inquisition. We defend the
Blessed Arknian Empire in order to preserve the order bestowed upon us by the
Twins.\n“If we fail to preserve the Gods’ design, the world will face Their wrath.\
n
“The foundation of the Empire is the order given to us by the Twins’ commandments.\
n“Any disturbance of that order is a crime. And for every crime, retribution is
inevitable — such is the Law of the Younger.\n“Men like you and me are the shield
of this world. We are the bonds that hold it together.” \n
Felipe stops by the window.\nHis gaze is fixed upon the Shining Pillar.\n
“These rebels who demand boundless freedom are fools, Brante. A man has as much
freedom as the Twins have chosen to give him.\n“Overstep those bounds, and chaos
will ensue.
“We are the true guardians of this world. And we must be free of all doubt.\n“Some
may call me cruel, but I’m not afraid to get a little blood on my hands. I know
that if we don’t destroy the enemies of the Blessed Empire, our entire world will
cease to exist.\n“Unfortunately, most of the men who wield power in this world
don’t truly comprehend this.\n
“I need people I can rely on. People like you, <username>.\n“If you continue to
serve our cause with the same vigor, I may give you the gift of my patronage.\n“I
know how to show my gratitude.”\n
The advisor turns around and looks you straight in the eye.\nYou cannot help
feeling that, for the first time, Felipe is being completely sincere. The
suffocating anxiety that plagued you earlier wears off.
“By suppressing a real revolt in Anizotte, I will prove to the Arknians that I am
worthy of power.\n“But, in order to direct this revolt, I need tools like Sophia.
Although she can be a… difficult tool to use.\n
“Believe me, I actually admire the woman at times. No one can stop her from
pursuing her goal.\n“But I will never be able to trust Sophia. Her appetite for
destruction is too great. A woman like her cannot be saved from herself.\n
“Here’s what I want to ask of you, Brante.\n“I need you to gain Sophia’s trust. She
is indispensable right now. We cannot get rid of her. But if she ever decides to
betray me, I need to know about it.
“In return, I promise you freedom and a chance to be one of the defenders of the
Empire. Do not try to lie, please. Do you agree?
Felipe offers you his hand.\nWill you shake it?\n
Shake his hand
You agree to Felipe’s proposal.
You will not lie: you are only interested your freedom, not serving the Empire.
You will be loyal to Sir Felipe, but you must warn him: Sophia will never trust
you.
You shake Felipe’s hand and swear your loyalty to him.
“Thank you for trusting me, Brante. I’ll look forward to your reports.”
Felipe was not lying about offering you his patronage. The trust that has been
built between you, though fragile, is beneficial to you both.\nThe advisor has
entrusted you with considerable funds that you can use to surveille Last Straw
members who are personally loyal to Sophia.
Spying on them proves to be difficult. It takes you quite some time to get the
first bits of information.\n
Felipe keeps his word and promptly shows his gratitude.\nHe rewards you with money
and puts in a good word for your family with certain nobles — and this is only the
down payment for your loyalty.\n
After a pause, you carefully remark that you do not see your future in serving the
Secret Chancellery.\nAs Sir Felipe requested, you will not lie to him.
You expect a fit of rage, but Felipe just lowers his hand slowly.
“What a shame, Brante. You could have accomplished so much. Well, in that case, you
may go.\n“Continue your service. Once your mission is complete, you’ll get your
freedom.”
You shake Felipe’s hand and swear your loyalty to him.\nBut you must warn the
advisor: Sophia is unlikely to ever trust you. Your history together precludes that
possibility.\nThe baron considers your words for a moment.
“Well, Brante, in that case, continue your service as before. I’ll find someone
else.\n“But don’t worry, I meant what I said about your chance to make something of
yourself. Just keep doing your job as well as you have been.”
Felipe was not lying when he promised you his patronage. He promptly shows his
gratitude.\nThe advisor rewards you with money and puts in a good word for your
family with certain nobles — and this is just a down payment for your loyalty.\n
Personal Interests
The Last Straw has succeeded in covering the entire city of Anizotte with its spy
network.\nDenunciations come flooding in. New secret arrests are made every day.
Stories of people going missing after expressing displeasure with the Law become
commonplace.\nThe spies surveille everyone, including the most powerful people in
the city.
But you have no time to enjoy your accomplishments. You try to stop your hands from
trembling nervously as you stare at Felipe’s note.
This was bound to happen sooner or later.\nThere is a mole in the Last Straw.\
nSomeone has stolen papers tying your organization to the Secret Chancellery from
your personal secret compartment in the print shop.
This is hardly surprising. Information that Advisor Felipe El Ferro is in cahoots
with the enemies of the Empire would be worth a fortune.\nWhoever this traitor is,
their intention is obviously to sell the papers to the highest bidder.
If Felipe goes to prison, you will follow him. You need to choose a course of
action at once.\nYou reread the last lines of Felipe’s letter one more time.
“Whoever this bastard is, he’s smart. I almost admire him.\n“You’re in a better
position to evaluate the situation than I am right now. Do as you see fit.\n“I
expect you to take action immediately.”
Felipe rarely allows you to act so freely. He may not have a choice this time.\nA
gruff voice snaps you out of your reverie. You look up and see Oliver Moss.
“Sir Advisor is waiting, boss. You got an answer for ‘im?”
Buy the compromising materials back
Track down the traitor
Offer the traitor the best price for the stolen papers
The Last Straw needs to stop all its activities until things settle down.
You will not let anyone make a fool of you.
The information that has fallen into the traitor’s hands is far too valuable. You
need to buy the documents before someone else does.\nYou write to Felipe, informing
him that you intend to strike a deal with the traitor.
The answer arrives later that evening.
“You have my approval. All of the Last Straw’s funds are at your disposal.\n“Get
those papers, no matter the cost.”
The cost turns out to be very high. You have to add your personal funds to the Last
Straw’s.\nThe offer has to be the very best, or the traitor will not agree.\n
Once the money is ready, you start a rumor among your spies that you are ready to
buy the compromising materials.
You find a note on your desk the following morning.
“Leave the money in the ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace, under the snake statue in
the main hall. You have until midnight. At dawn, you can take your papers back from
the same place.\n“Don’t try to track me down, or the deal is off.”
You hide the money in the designated spot.\nThe traitor is as good as their word.
You find an envelope containing the papers at dawn.\nThey are all there.
After this incident, you stop keeping your documents at the print shop. No one else
can know their whereabouts.\nYou cannot allow this to happen again. You cannot
afford a second ransom.\n
There is no other way. The best strategy is to lie low. You will have to put all
operations on hold.\nEven if Felipe’s enemies get the compromising materials, they
must not be able to corroborate them.
Felipe’s answer comes quickly.
“If that’s the only way, so be it. Do whatever it takes to deal with this as
quickly as possible.”
You give urgent orders to the Last Straw.\nAll current hideouts must be changed.
All documents and other evidence must be disposed of. Anyone who can leave Anizotte
must do so and stay away until they receive further orders.\nAnd, most importantly,
all contact related to recruitments in progress must be cut off at once.\n
The wait is interminable. You remain idle for months. But, eventually, it pays off.
When the information about Felipe finally comes to light, the Overseer commands the
Prefecture to begin an investigation.\nBut you have covered your tracks well.\nIt
is impossible to prove that the advisor of the Secret Chancellery is connected to
the unrest in Anizotte.\n
You wait several more months to make sure the Secret Chancellery is cleared of
suspicion. Only then does Felipe order you to resume operations.
You have your hands full now — you need to restore all the connections you have
lost.
But, before you do anything else, you choose a new hiding place for your
documents.\nNo one else can know their whereabouts. You cannot allow this to happen
again.\n
You tell the advisor that the Last Straw needs several days to get the money
together and make the thief an offer.\nYou cannot trust anyone at the moment. If
the traitor sees the letter, it should convince them that their plan has worked.
The only chance to find the mole is to figure out who the potential buyer is.
You doubt that anyone in the Last Straw knows about Felipe’s secret foes. So it is
highly probable that the buyer is an open enemy.\nThe person must also be in
possession of considerable funds…
Augustin El Borne — the prefect of Anizotte, the assiduous adversary of the Secret
Chancellery, a man close to Overseer Tempest himself.\nIt has to be him. \n
You put the prefect under surveillance… and almost immediately have a stroke of
luck.\nEarly one morning, a cloaked man comes to El Borne’s mansion.\nHe quickly
passes an envelope to a servant, then hastily retreats.\n
You follow the mysterious man down the alleys of the city. The traitor is
experienced — even though he is unaware of the surveillance, he still tries to
shake you.\nYou almost lose him twice — first in a marketplace crowd, then in a
desolate district.
You eventually manage to trail him to a small inn.\nFeeling safe, he finally lifts
his hood.\nYou are not surprised to discover that the mole is Oliver Moss.\n
Well, it is time Felipe knew his trusted agent’s true colors.
That night, you summon Moss to the print shop.\nHe walks in, softly whistling a
melody.\n
“How goes it, <username>? I was just…”
He is cut short by echoing footsteps.\nFelipe leisurely walks out of the adjacent
room, accompanied by two gruff-looking men.\n
“Why, I’m doing quite well, Oliver. Wish I could say the same for you.
“You’ve been in my employ for ten years now, my friend. Did you really think you
could betray me and get away with it?”
For the first time ever, you see the grin vanish from Oliver’s face.
“You’ve made a grave error. Where are the papers?”
“I’ve got ‘em, Sir Felipe! They’re hidden in a secure place! I ain’t told nobody
yet!”
“You are trying my patience. I want that to be the last lie you ever tell me. Do
you really think your connection to the prefect is such a big secret?”
The baron snaps his fingers. Oliver is restrained by the two men.\nHe does not
resist.\n
“No! Please, no! I beg of you, Sir Felipe… I can still be of use to you, I can!
I’ll take you to the papers at once. I’ll give ‘em all back, I swear!”
Sweat is running down his face. There are tears in his eyes.\nYou never imagined
that this man could be capable of experiencing such fear.
“Let’s hope the proper amount of suffering can put you back on the straight and
narrow.”
A powerful blow to the face renders Moss unconscious.\nYou ask what will happen to
him now.\nThe advisor chuckles at your question.
“Oh, a couple of days of torture, then a lesser death. Gifted men like Moss always
get out of control eventually.\n“But I’m comfortable giving such a useful man a
second chance. It would be foolish to squander valuable personnel.
“He’ll be back in three days. Keep an eye on him, Brante. I do not believe in third
chances.”
You hear his cane tap on the floor as Sir Felipe leaves the print shop.\nThe goons
drag Oliver’s body away.
Mutually Beneficial Collaboration
It is amazing the heights of power a man can ascend to without a title when he has
all the resources of the Empire working for him.\nThe more loyally you serve
Felipe, the more authority he delegates to you.
The spy network covering the entire city has achieved astonishing results.\nYou
appear to be an all-seeing prophet. Nothing and no one can escape your keen eye.\
nIt is intoxicating.
Thanks to you, Felipe’s power grows with every arrest, every conviction, every
execution.\nThe Secret Chancellery proves to the citizens and the Overseer time and
again that Anizotte is swarming of insurgents.\nAnd it is the only organization
that can protect the Empire from the renegades.
Clean Hands
You have been pacing your office for an hour, lost in thought. The pieces of the
puzzle finally fit.\nSophia managed to conceal her plans until the last moment, but
after the incident with the firearms, everything came to light.
Sophia made her decision after leaving the city. She assembled a unit of people who
were loyal to her personally, chosen from among the Magran insurgency. Mayer Egmont
helped her transport the firearms from Eliria to Anizotte.\nThe spies you sent to
verify this confirmed your deductions. Posing as refugees, Sophia’s people are
flocking to the city.
It is evident that as soon as Felipe gives the word to proceed with the revolt,
Sophia will transform it from a counterfeit rebellion into a genuine uprising.\nIf
this happens, the streets of Anizotte will run red with blood. The firearms will
grant Sophia’s insurgents a decisive advantage even against Arknian soldiers.
You get up from your chair and gather your papers. Felipe is expecting you to
deliver your report in person.\nYou must not keep the advisor waiting.
Keep Sophia’s secret
Kill Sophia
You conceal what you have learned from Felipe.
You reveal Sophia’s plan to Felipe and dispose of the out-of-control rebel
together.
You arrive at Felipe’s mansion. A servant escorts you to the advisor’s study.
Felipe is flipping through some documents. He looks up at you.\nThe familiar
feeling of being suffocated that you thought gone forever returns at this most
inconvenient moment.
“Greetings, <username>. Sit down. A glass of wine? I don’t think such a tiny sin
will outweigh your good deeds in the eyes of the Twins.”
Felipe snaps his fingers. A servant pours you a glass of thick red wine. Trying not
to betray your anxiety, you thank the advisor and take a sip without tasting it.
“So, what have you learned about our dear Sophia? As the day of the revolt draws
near, I am growing more and more concerned about her behavior.\n“She is about to
return to Anizotte. What should I expect from her?”\n
In a calm voice, you assure the advisor that his apprehension is unnecessary.\
nSophia is still loyal to the plan. You have not found anything suspicious.\nSir
Felipe need not worry.\n
There is a short pause.\nFelipe examines your face keenly. His practiced eye is
searching for any indication that you are lying.\nBut you have learned a lot since
your first encounter in the dungeons of Eterna.
The advisor visibly relaxes.\nThe trust you have earned over the years has worked
to your advantage.\n
“Splendid. The Overseer has almost made up his mind to grant me special authority.
We will start preparing our little revolt very soon.”
After returning to the print shop, you immediately start sending out notes.\nYou
need to get rid of any spies and evidence leading to Sophia as quickly as possible.
No matter how much Felipe might trust you, he will double-check your report
nonetheless.\n
What will happen to you when the advisor figures out that his plans are not meant
to come to fruition and you are no longer of value to him?
Felipe is flipping through some documents. He looks up at you.
Felipe snaps his fingers. A servant pours you a glass of thick red wine. You thank
the advisor and take a sip of the noble drink.
You reply that Sir Felipe’s apprehensions are well founded.\nThen you tell him
everything you know about Sophia’s plans.
The advisor listens to you intently. You can tell that he is tired and slightly
annoyed. When you are done with your report, he takes another sip of wine.
“The ungrateful piece of trash… well, that was to be expected.
“It’s a good thing you’ve found out about this now. The Overseer has almost made up
his mind to grant me special authority. We will start preparing our little revolt
very soon.
“So, <username>, it’s time to quietly dispose of her. You’ve managed to gain her
trust, you say? Will you be able to eliminate her?”
You nod and assure the advisor that you are the only person who can get close
enough to Sophia.\nFelipe pulls a piece of paper from a drawer in his desk. It
takes him less than a minute to draw up and sign Sophia’s death warrant.
“Don’t let her get away, <username>. May the Younger guide you.”
It is nighttime. The print shop is empty. You sit by a lit candle awaiting Sophia’s
arrival.
You greet her and take a step forward.\nSophia glances at the misericorde, her
farewell gift.
“”So you’ve still got in on you, huh? That’s great.
“I missed you so much…”
Sophia steps closer. There is a shy smile on her face. She reaches out to embrace
you.
You strike her on the temple with the hilt of the dagger.
You tie Sophia to a chair and wait for her to regain consciousness.\nA criminal
cannot be executed until they have heard their death sentence.
Sophia recovers quickly. She looks up at you slowly, still not quite grasping what
has happened.
“What’s going on, <username>? You…”
She notices the misericorde in your hand.
Sophia falls silent. For a moment, you see tears glimmering in her eyes.\nHer lips
quiver like those of a hurt child.\nBut another moment passes, and she pulls
herself together enough to muster a bitter smirk.\n
“Stupid girl… well, what are you waiting for, you imperial lapdog? DO IT!”
You read the sentence aloud.\nIn the name of the Younger, the Secret Chancellery
hereby condemns Sophia to true death for crimes against the Empire.\n
You stab Sophia hard in the chest with the dagger.\nThe divine power of the Law
guides your hand. The blade hits the rebel between the ribs and sinks down to the
hilt.\n
“Rot in your cage forever…”
The sentence has been carried out.\nThe candlelight flickers in Sophia’s glassy
eyes.\n
Usual Suspects
Felipe has chosen an unusual meeting place tonight.\nAnizotte’s ancient marble
bathhouse is a place only nobles are allowed to enter. But tonight, in accordance
with the advisor’s will, its doors are open to you.\n
The staff treat you with the subservience typically reserved for real noblemen.\
nYou are shown to a magnificent hall with a ceiling supported by centuries-old
columns and left alone.\n
The reflections of hundreds of candle flames dance across the walls and the water
in the marble pool. You notice a bowl of candied fruit and a bottle of wine.\nThere
are no other patrons.
This is most likely the only time you will ever see the inside of the bathhouse —
Felipe rarely uses the same meeting place twice.\nAfter a while, you muster enough
courage to enter the water.
It is very warm.\nYou lie on your back and float. Your body relaxes, and a pleasant
feeling of drowsiness creeps over you…
You are startled by echoing footsteps and the percussive thudding of a cane.\
nFelipe is approaching. Several burly men lead by Oliver Moss follow behind him.
You get out of the water and reach for your clothes, but Moss steps onto your
garments, preventing you from covering yourself.
“Hello there, Brante.”
Felipe’s men surround you.
The advisor taps the floor with his cane. The sound echoes off the marble walls.\
nDroplets of water from your wet hair run down your back, causing you to shiver.\n
“Are you really naive enough to think you could conceal your betrayal from me,
Brante?
“I’m the advisor of the Secret Chancellery. I know all about the deals you made
behind my back.\n“But I’ll give you one last chance to save yourself. Confess your
betrayal, and maybe, just maybe, I won’t drown you in this pool like a runt.”
Prove your loyalty
Betray El Verman
Betray Egmont
Betray Sophia
You persuade Felipe that you have always been loyal to him and him alone.
You admit being in cahoots with El Verman.
You admit being in cahoots with Egmont.
You admit being in cahoots with Sophia.
You make up a clever lie to throw off suspicion.
Looking Felipe straight in the eye, you tell him that this test makes no sense.\
nNone of his enemies could possibly have counted on your help — not even for a
second. You have made no deals. You have conspired with no one. You have not
betrayed Sir Advisor. You are loyal to him and him alone.
Felipe gazes at you for a moment, then snaps his fingers.\nMoss lifts his foot from
your clothes. His men move aside a bit.\n
“Fine, Brante. You’ve passed the test.
“Your loyalty is admirable. I need a man in Magra I can trust.\n“You may stay here
until midnight. Loyalty deserves to be rewarded.”\n
They leave.\nYou sit down right on the marble floor, trying to calm your pounding
heart.\n
After catching your breath, you decide that spending the evening in the bathhouse
is a fine idea. You deserve it.\n
You close your eyes and take a deep breath.\nYes, Remy El Verman did indeed ask you
to work for him. He would love nothing more than to get rid of Felipe and rule over
the city once again.\n
Felipe’s lip begins to curl, but you do not let him interrupt you.\nYou made a
mistake by not reporting this offer. You regret it. But you had no intention of
making a deal with El Verman.\nYour loyalty lies with Felipe and Felipe alone, and
you will do whatever it takes to prove it!\n
“Yes, Brante, you are correct. Your life does belong to me. You will never make a
mistake like this again.\n
“El Verman must be desperate if he asked you for help. But I can use that to my
advantage.\n“Keep pretending to be in cahoots with him. I want to know all about
his little schemes.”\n
You heave a sigh of relief.\nYou will live. Felipe needs you.\n
“But you didn’t think I’d let this go unpunished, did you?”
The baron takes a few steps back and snaps his fingers. His thugs push you to the
marble floor.\nThe first blow hits you in the head. The world spins around you
several times. Blinded, you try to curl up into a ball to protect your stomach.
They continue to kick you until another finger-snap is heard.
You cannot breathe.\nA powerful hand holds your head in the water as you struggle.
Then you are pulled out for a moment — and as soon as you can take a convulsive
breath, you are submerged again.\n
Dark spots dance before your eyes. Your mouth is filled with blood.\nFootsteps fade
away in the distance. You lie naked on the white marble.\n
You close your eyes and take a deep breath.\nYes, Mayer Egmont did indeed offer you
a bargain. He wants to start a real revolt and force Gaius Tempest to make Anizotte
a free city.\n
Felipe’s lip begins to curl, but you do not let him interrupt you.\nYou made a
mistake by not reporting this offer. You regret it. But you had no intention of
working for Egmont. Your loyalty lies with Felipe and Felipe alone, and you will do
whatever it takes to prove it!\n
“Egmont was a fool to trust someone like you. But I will use that my advantage.
Continue pretending to be in cahoots with him. I want to know what he’s up to.”
You heave a sigh of relief. You will live. Felipe needs you.
You cannot breathe. A powerful hand holds your head in the water as you struggle.
Then you are pulled out for a moment — and as soon as you can take a convulsive
breath, you are submerged again.
You close your eyes and take a deep breath.\nYes, Sophia did indeed order you to
hide something from the advisor.\nShe is the one who orchestrated the escape from
the Inquisition ward and set off the other explosions, and you are the one who gave
her the gunpowder.
“So that’s what that little piece of trash has been playing at behind my back. How
disappointing…”
You admit that you made a mistake by not reporting this. You regret it. But
everything you did, you did for the Last Straw. Your loyalty lies with Felipe and
Felipe alone, and you will do whatever it takes to prove it!
“Yes, Brante, you are correct. Your life does belong to me.\n”You will never make a
mistake like this again.\n
“Sophia is a fool if she trusted someone like you. I’ve got to admit, her plan
makes a kind of sense. But it’s time to put an end to all of this.\n“Stop
trembling, Brante. You will live.”
You breathe a sigh of relief.
You try to imagine Sophia’s face when she learns of your betrayal. How will she
redeem herself before the advisor? What punishment awaits her?\nYou cannot even
imagine.\n
You need to remain calm. Felipe does not know anything for sure. He is just
fishing.\nThe advisor is a hard man to deceive, but you have learned a lot over the
years.\n
“Your loyalty is admirable. I need a man in Magra I can trust. You may stay here
until midnight. Loyalty deserves to be rewarded.”
They leave.\nYou sit down right on the marble floor, trying to calm your pounding
heart. Just a little bit longer, and you would have involuntarily given yourself
away.\n
Imagining your limp body floating in the pool, you feel no desire to stay.\nYou
wait a little while, then go home. \n
A Banner Year
You enter the print shop in the morning and sit down at your desk to go over the
books.\nThe ledger is a mess. Your employees have made their entries sloppily, and
often in haste.\nIt takes you a long time to make sense of it all.
You spend the entire day comparing documents and analyzing numbers.\nIn the
evening, once everything is added up, you finally determine that the print shop’s
revenue has increased over the last year.\n
It has usually been barely enough to keep the business running.\nBut lately book-
printing and other orders have been extremely lucrative.\n
You walk home that night with several heavy coin purses hanging from your belt.
First Day of Service
Your service as a judge begins today.\nYou get dressed early in the morning,
donning a brand-new jacket with a cravat and hat. It’s an immaculate look, if you
dare say so yourself.\nYou head to the Prefecture with Father.
The Prefecture moved recently. It now occupies a massive new building of white
sandstone in the very center of Anizotte. =\nA stone statue looms above it — the
sword of the Younger Twin, the divine Law that directs worldly judgment. All legal
disputes in the province are to be resolved here.\nYou and Father walk up the
marble stairs past the commoners, merchants, and lesser nobles — all petitioners
and litigants — huddled by the pillars.
“Well now, my son, here you shall begin your service to the Empire, in the midst of
the great struggle I told you about. If you don’t mind a little advice… you will
serve under Sir El Borne. Follow my example and stay close to your superior. He is
a human of great worth, and practically your relative.”
You walk past the courtroom and up to the second floor, where judges work in their
offices and receive petitioners. The corridors are many and narrow, filled with the
smell of old papers and the sounds of muffled, mumbling voices and secretaries and
gendarmes running to and fro.\nFather guides you down a corridor that ends with the
door to Sir El Borne’s office.
“<username>, it is time for you to stand before the Prefect. Remember the
friendship between our families.”
You knock and enter. The spacious, oak-paneled office is not without decoration,
yet its adornments are tasteful and elegant rather than garish. The flag of Magra
bearing the Silver Tree hangs on the wall.\nBehind an imposing desk sits Baron
Augustin El Borne, surrounded by papers. His face wears a focused expression you
recall from his visits in the past, although it is more wrinkled than you
remember.\nHe looks up, and his face comes to life. He rises and extends a hand to
you.
“Why, young <username> Brante! What a pleasure it is to see you again. I see your
years at the capital have turned you into a stately young man! \n“I was told you
proved yourself quite capable at the College. The city of Anizotte needs worthy
judges who know their craft now more than ever. Allow me to welcome you into
service for the good of the Empire!
“I’m sure you already know the basics of judicial work. Serving at the Prefecture,
however, takes more than finding your way through our laws — although they are
quite labyrinthine and contradictory, there’s no denying that…\n“Anywhere you look
in our province, you will see friction between the estates. Old noble blood, new
nobles, rich commoners, poor commoners… they all have their legal disputes.
“And we judges work here to make sure this pot never boils over.\n“If we are too
eager to follow the traditions of old and bow to noble privilege, the common estate
will grow desperate and lose all hope for freedom. But if we openly side with the
commoners, the nobles’ ire will be quick to find us.
“And so, Judge Brante, I ask you to be wary and wise. Peace hangs by a thread in
this province. Carefully consider every decision you make at court before rendering
your verdict.
“But first you need to get accustomed to your new position. You shall begin at once
— the Prefecture has already assigned you a number of legal proceedings to review
and judge. Your office is ready and waiting for you, Sir Brante.”
The instructions are over. The work begins.\nYou recognize your new office by the
brass plate on the door reading “Sir <username> Brante, Judge.”\nYou find it rather
cramped on the inside, yet still reasonably comfortable. The sturdy desk has all
the stationery you need. Behind the desk is a large chair of carved wood, and in
front of it are several smaller chairs for petitioners. Heavy curtains hang over
the window — worthy opponents for the morning light trying to shine through.
There are papers on the desk already, including instructions, orders, rulings, and
all sorts of other Prefecture paperwork.\nYou are about to begin when you hear a
sudden knock at the door.\nThe source of the disturbance turns out to be a stout,
smartly-dressed nobleman. He greets you with an elegant bow you would not have
expected from such a sizeable individual.
“Sir Brante! Congratulations on your first day of service! Allow me to introduce
myself: Judge Carlo Fockegraben, a humble servant of the law like yourself. It is
my hope that we will become fast friends!
“And now, if I may — a word of warning to help your work progress smoothly, as a
token of our future friendship. I am aware that Sir El Borne is your immediate
superior. As a loyal servant of the Empire, you will, of course, take his word as
your guide.\n“Yet there is no reason to neglect all the other judges at the
Prefecture, all of whom are noble men of great worth. Their guidance will most
certainly aid you as a judge!
“It will be my pleasure, Sir Brante, to facilitate your introduction to the noble
judges of the Prefecture as soon as possible. I see glory in your future service to
the Empire, yet it certainly cannot hurt to receive reassurance and support when
you might need it most.\n“I shall not detain you any longer, but if you wish to
make some valuable connections, my office is right across from your own.”
Another elegant bow from Judge Fockegraben, and the door closes. You are alone at
your desk once again. The scorching sun is rising over the province behind the
window.\nToday is an important day — the day when you are to take your first steps
in your new profession.\nWhat will you focus on today?
Prepare to deal with your first cases
Get acquainted with the judges
Ask Father for advice
You carefully prepare for your judicial duties.
You take Carlo Fockegraben up on his offer and make several useful acquaintances
among the judges of the Prefecture.
You go to Father to get an inside look at Prefecture affairs and see where he
stands himself.
For now, you decide to sequester yourself from the internal power struggles and
intrigue of the Prefecture.\nEdicts and orders, rulings and decrees,
interpretations of local laws — these are the matters that occupy your mind, and
you quickly become immersed in them.
You spend the entire day studying the legal battlefields on which you are about to
fight, analyzing similar cases and verdicts rendered by other judges.\nYou can see
a clear pattern: when a noble and a commoner clash in the courtroom, the court
sides with the noble every time, no matter how affluent the commoner may be.\nIf
both parties hail from the common estate, only then may the judges fully depend
upon the rule of law.
A legal dispute between two nobles, on the other hand, is a sticky situation any
judge would rather avoid. Resolving such a case properly means striking a careful
balance between ancient noble traditions and imperial edicts, all while taking the
weight of noble dynasties into account.\nIt gets even worse with matters of noble
honor. A Prefecture judge has no say there — the noble Court of Honor resolves such
disputes, regardless of what Imperial law might say.
Before you know it, the sun outside is sinking beneath the horizon, its vermillion
rays shining through the gaps in the window shade. \nThe Prefect himself pays a
visit to your office at the end of the day.
“You’re being quite thorough today, I see! Your attention to your work is
praiseworthy, Brante. I am glad to see your father’s recommendation can be trusted.
Still, you should save some of that energy for tomorrow.”
You are walking towards the carriage waiting for you outside.\nAfter going through
so many cases, you are quite worn out, yet your mind feels light and prepared for
the trials to come.
Sir Fockegraben’s offer seems rather reasonable, now that you think about it.\nYou
dedicate some time to the cases and necessary paperwork, then shift the case
folders aside and walk to the office across from yours.\nJudge Fockegraben greets
you warmly.
“Sir Brante! How splendid of you to stop by! Come, let us pay a few visits to the
most distinguished of your new colleagues. I’m sure they will be delighted to make
the acquaintance of such a promising young man.”
With that, Fockegraben leads you through the corridors of the Prefecture. As you
walk down the hall, he starts mentioning other judges by name and origin, age and
experience, power and influence. \nYou stop by a number of other judges’ offices.
Hours pass in dignified greetings, bowing, pats on the shoulder, and courteous
conversation.
One after another, the judges make it quite clear to you that when a noble and a
commoner clash in the courtroom, the court is to side with the noble every time, no
matter how affluent the commoner may be.\nOnly when both parties hail from the
common estate may a judge fully rely upon the rule of law.\nBefore you know it,
your first day at the Prefecture is over.
“Just look at how much you’ve accomplished in just one day, Brante! So many
experienced judges, and you’ve made a splendid impression on all of them. Your
future is all but assured now, I guarantee it!”
“But remember: courteous words are not the only thing that matters at the
Prefecture. Your decisions will not go unnoticed.\n“<username>, my friend, I
greatly hope your youthful exuberance will not result in any gaffes that may hinder
our mutual effort at maintaining order in our province. Act with wisdom in mind,
especially when the wisdom of your colleagues is always within reach!”
You say farewell to the eloquent, affable judge and walk to the carriage outside
waiting to take you home.\nWith so many useful acquaintances made at the Prefecture
today, your career will surely prosper. However, there is a burden of expectation
upon you — they want you to fall in line and side with noble privilege without a
second thought.\nHowever, the conflict between the noble and common estates is
growing tenser by the day… it will only become harder to uphold the law in the
future.
For a while, you busy yourself with paperwork and upcoming cases… until you
remember that Father’s office is right next to yours. He used to help you master
the intricacies of Imperial law at school. Perhaps you could benefit from his
experience and guidance now.\nYou shift the case folders aside and walk out of your
office.
Your father is in his office, standing at the window with a deeply pensive look.
The subject of his thought is in his hand: a letter bearing the Archduke’s seal. He
turns around and pats you on the shoulder, then asks you about your meeting with
Sir El Borne.\nA few moments later, you ask him to give you some advice and fill
you in on the situation at the Prefecture.
“My son, you’d best be wary for now. Sir El Borne will be watching you closely. But
this is certainly understandable — the Prefect’s views have made his position
rather tenuous. Only a handful of judges at the Prefecture have sided with him
fully, and I am one of them. Yet even I would not dare draw the ire of those above
us and risk our family’s welfare.
“When a noble and a commoner clash in the courtroom these days, the court almost
always sides with the noble — no matter the circumstances. Even if the commoner is
wealthy, the courts are not on his side.\n“The judges rely upon the rule of law if
— and only if — both parties hail from the common estate.
“Sir El Borne aims to change this, little by little. He is eager to ensure that
Imperial law applies to all three estates in equal measure. But there are many who
oppose him, from Archduke Milanidas and his loyal Commander Otton to our own fellow
judges.
“Right now, Sir El Borne enjoys the backing of Gaius Tempest, but the imperial
Overseer may abandon him at any moment. So here is my word of advice to you: be
careful. Help Sir El Borne bring the nobles under Imperial law, but do not draw the
ire of the other judges.\n“Remember, more than just your career depends upon your
verdicts. Even a single careless judgment may be enough to bring our family into
disfavor.
“It was wise of you to ask for my advice before rendering verdicts on your own. I’m
sure you will be able to tackle any issue you might encounter — after all, we have
prepared you for this ever since you were a child.”
Your discussion continues. Father shares his own experience of carefully siding
with the common estate whenever possible while properly respecting the privileges
of the nobility. Even a partial victory in such a legal dispute comes as a great
surprise to any commoner.\nSoon, the vermillion rays of the setting sun fill
Father’s office. Your workday has come to an end.
As you walk through the corridors with Father, you see the other judges watching
you closely. There is a knowing look about them.\nSir Fockegraben, your new
acquaintance, is one of those judges.
“Sir Brante Senior, Sir Brante Junior, good evening to you! It is a joy to see a
son following in his father’s footsteps, both in and out of the courtroom, I
assume… \n“I still believe you would do well to take me up on my offer. A grown man
needn’t cling to his father’s coattails, although the decision is yours, of
course.”
Fockegraben follows this with a courteous farewell and a nod. Father nods to him
reservedly, keeping his emotions perfectly in check.\nYour first day at the
Prefecture has ended. A carriage is waiting outside to take you both back home.
The Vassal and the Lord
It is another day at the Prefecture. A secretary peeks into your office with a
message from the Prefect: there is a new case he wishes you to handle.\nYou put
away your quill and walk to Sir El Borne’s office. To your surprise, he happens to
have another visitor already.
There is a graceful figure sitting across from your immediate superior — none other
than Octavia Milanidas.\nAfter all the times you have met her in the capital, you
expected the Archduke’s daughter to be brilliantly, lavishly dressed, but her
appearance today is modest and formal, with a high-necked dress and a strict bun.
However, her demure attire only serves to emphasize her role as a distinguished
visitor to the Prefecture.
You bow to the Prefect and the noble Arknian lady.\nOctavia offers you a curt
greeting, then returns to the conversation you have interrupted.
“This matter can brook no delay, Baron El Borne. The young judge may well wait
outside.”
Nonetheless, Sir El Borne insists that you come in and take a seat.
“Worry not, Brante, you are aren’t interrupting at all. \n“Lady Milanidas, I was
scheduled to meet with Sir Brante at this very hour. I regret to inform you that
your visit was perhaps somewhat unfortunately timed.”
Octavia rises from the soft, high-backed chair.\nThe young Arknian lady now stands
tall, elegant and indignant.
“You are out of line, Sir El Borne! Archduke Milanidas has graced you with a
representative from his dynasty, and you will listen to what I have to say this
instant.
“The Archduke has expressed concern over your manner of governance at the
Prefecture. You have always been headstrong and eager to infringe upon the freedoms
of your own noble estate.\n“But now it appears you find it acceptable to conduct
proceedings against our own loyal subjects! Our dynasty has already seen many loyal
nobles of the Sword arrested or faced with punishment in court.\n“Where will this
lead? Do you mean to enforce your lowly laws against us Arknians?
“Do not forget that those laws were written to keep lowborn humans in check! Our
lives have always been governed by noble honor and tradition, as well as the Blood
Tide that is our heritage. \n“Our only justice is the Court of Honor. The only rule
above us is that of our sovereign the Emperor and the Twins. Our only duty is to
our kin and our forefathers!
“My ancestor Char Milanidas himself granted the boon of nobility to you humans. It
would be most unwise to make me regret his decision of old.\n“In the name of
Archduke Milanidas, I demand that you end any and all proceedings against our
subjects at once.”
Sir El Borne acknowledges Lady Octavia’s vehement speech with a calm smile — and
nothing else.\nHe shows no trepidation, no tremor, nor fear, even though the lady
across from him represents one of the Empire’s mightiest dynasties!
“Lady Milanidas, the Twins have graced the blessed Arknian lineage with a boon of
long life, yet the world can be quick to change at times.\n“The laws of the Empire
now govern the nobles of the Mantle and even the nobles of the Sword, along with
the common estate. This particular change is not as recent as it might seem.
“The laws of the empire are the decrees of the Emperor himself, the Twins-chosen
supreme sovereign. His laws are his will — which is, as you said yourself, the only
rule above us; and that means all of us, from a highborn Arknian to the lowliest
commoner.
“Presently, the Emperor’s representative in our province is Overseer Gaius Tempest.
Like this Prefecture in its entirety, I am simply obeying the Overseer’s will and
the laws of the Empire.”
“Then pray tell me, Baron El Borne, who is your own sovereign and protector? He is
none other than my father Archduke Milanidas! You swore him an oath of fealty and
vassalage; it is your duty to follow his word and will. Or do you wish for the
Archduke himself to address you directly?
“I tell you, cease this harassment of our loyal noble subjects at once. I will not
leave until this order is carried out.”
“Why, Lady Milanidas, I’m afraid this is quite impossible. As a servant of the
Empire and Imperial Overseer Gaius Tempest, it is my duty to enforce the law. \
n“Now, if you will excuse me, Sir Brante and I have urgent matters to discuss.”
The gaze of the Archduke’s daughter is locked with the prefect’s in a silent
struggle. Each expects the other to back down first.\nBut then Octavia suddenly
turns toward you.
“But I believe the young judge has more in him than blind obedience. Surely you are
able to distinguish a rightful claimant from a threat to the province, are you
not?”
Silence resounds within the prefect’s office.\nThey are both waiting for you to
speak.
Support El Borne
Side with Octavia
Defuse the situation
You assist the prefect in deflecting Octavia’s demands.
You assert the right of the Archduke’s daughter to defend her noble subjects.
Octavia knows who you are, and this gives you an opportunity to defuse the dispute
and keep the prefect safe from her ire.
You engage in the argument and respectfully mention that your business with the
prefect is urgent indeed.\nThere are many issues that need to be resolved with Sir
El Borne. You begin listing them one after another to prove your point.
Octavia’s face grows dark.\nShe shakes her elegant head in indignation.
“What a shame, Brante, seeing you eating out of this visionless gentleman’s hand…
and I hoped you were bold enough to have an opinion of your own.\n“It seems my
ancestor Char Milanidas was mistaken after all… humans will never realize what it
means to be a noble and live in honor.
“And as for you, Sir El Borne — the Milanidas dynasty will continue this
conversation whether you like it or not. I’m afraid our next meeting will not be as
innocuous as today’s!”
Octavia rises from her seat, elegantly yet quickly. A moment later you hear her
high heels clacking away in the corridor. \nSir El Borne sighs with relief.
“Thank you for showing her what you’re made of, <username>. I appreciate your
loyalty to the cause. The Prefecture and the Archduke are about to enter a full-
blown war. It’s a pleasure to see a reliable judge on my side.
“Archduke Milanidas is testing the Prefecture with his daughter — otherwise he’d
have asked me to visit his palace personally. He’s showing caution, which means we
still stand strong, at least for now. We will continue our service to the law
without regard for the outmoded ways of the past.
“But I digress. This is high politics, and the Prefecture still has plenty of cases
to resolve.\n”Let’s get back to our work, Judge Brante.”
With that, El Borne hands you a new case file. \nYou thank the baron and head back
to your office to study it properly. It’s time to get back to work.
You pull yourself together and tell Sir El Borne that, as a representative of a
great dynasty, Lady Milanidas is well within her rights to defend her noble
subjects. \nWith that in mind, you would rather wait for the prefect to provide a
satisfactory reply to Lady Milanidas before interrupting their discussion with your
own affairs.
Octavia smiles, victorious.
“See, Augustin! Your judges have a far better understanding of the law, it appears.
Now, may I finally have your assurance that all of the Archduke’s noble subjects
will be free of any and all persecution?”
Having lost your support, Sir El Borne is cornered. He accepts defeat with his head
hanging low.
“It stands to reason, Lady Octavia. If the Archduke himself feels that Imperial law
is a burden he will not bear, then I feel I do not have the right to oppose him.\
nThe Prefecture will satisfy your demands.
“Brante, would you be so kind as to accompany Lady Milanidas outside? Your next
case will be delivered to your office.”
You open the door for the Archduke’s daughter. The two of you leave the Prefecture
together.\nLady Octavia deigns to allow you to accompany her to a luxurious
carriage adorned with her dynasty’s heraldic serpents.
“I wish to thank you for your boldness, <username> Brante. It seems my ancestor
Char Milanidas was right to bring humans into the nobility — at least some of you
have come to grips with the meaning of loyalty and honor. I shall mention your name
to my father when I next speak with him.”
With that, Octavia’s face disappears behind the thick curtain of the carriage door.
You stay on the street and watch her leave, then return to your office.\nA case
folder awaits you on your desk. It’s time to get back to work.
You have Lady Octavia’s attention now. She may not have shown it in Sir El Borne’s
presence, but she remembers you from the capital quite well. \nSkillfully, you take
advantage of this connection to reduce the tension.
You start by reaffirming her position: truly, the Archduke has every right to look
after his noble subjects. You would never expect an ancient dynasty to abandon the
loyal nobles to their fate!\nHaving said that, you shower the Archduke and his
noble dynasty with praise, including his brilliant progeny who has deigned to grace
the prefect’s office with a visit. You casually mention your encounter with Lady
Octavia at the fencing tournament in Eterna.
“I have to admit, Brante, for a human, you fought valiantly indeed! I’ve witnessed
some of the best Arknian sword masters at work, and yet your fighting piqued my
curiosity.”
There is a look of relief on Sir El Borne’s face as he watches you converse.\
nStill, you return to Octavia’s demands: after all, she did not come here for small
talk. \nThe Archduke’s words carry great weight, but, sadly, Sir El Borne has no
power to decide the matter — after all, he is but a humble servant of the Emperor.
Perhaps it would be more prudent to take this matter to the Emperor’s Overseer,
Gaius Tempest, who is also an Arknian of noble lineage.
Just like a moment ago, Octavia winces at the mention of Gaius Tempest. \nThe
Emperor’s brother took away her noble family’s right to represent Imperial
authority in the province of Magra…\nStill, the Arknian lady considers your words
well before speaking again.
“To a certain extent, you are right, <username> Brante. I cannot help but admit it.
We Arknians ought to avoid involving humans in matters of supreme authority.\n“It
is still my wish and intention that Sir El Borne present us with an answer, but if
he absolutely must learn the will of Gaius Tempest beforehand, then so be it. But
do not tarry too long with your answer, or you risk angering my father!”
Octavia rises elegantly from her seat. Before she leaves the Prefect’s office, her
eyes rest on you for a moment. She bats her eyes charmingly and addresses you with
a gentle smile, and then she is gone.\nEl Borne pats you on the shoulder, content
with the outcome of the interview.
“Unbelievable! I never expected you be acquainted with Octavia Milanidas. My
thanks, Brante — you bought me some time. If you hadn’t intervened just now, I’d
have had to defy the law and end all cases against nobles who serve the Archduke.
We’ll see what the Overseer says about this now…
“But I digress. This is high politics, and the Prefecture still has plenty of cases
to resolve.\n”Let’s get back to our work, shall we?”
The Land Dispute
It is the morning of a very sultry day, and you are back at the office. You are
beginning to get used to the duties of your new profession.\nFather visits you on
the job now and then to see your progress and provide advice, but by now he is
confident you can handle the work on your own.
Today is your first case, assigned by the prefect himself.\nFrom the comfort of
your chair, you go through the facts and circumstances of the case.
The matter seems simple at first. Seeking some desperately-needed financial gain, a
noble from the less-than-wealthy El Avilla family rented out a sizeable portion of
his estate to a well-off commoner by the name of Basil Jung.\nAll the rent payments
are in order, and there is plenty of time left before the lease is set to expire…\
nBut the commoner built a large dyeworks on the estate, and then El Avilla suddenly
filed a case with the Prefecture to evict him.
The rental agreement specifically states that the commoner Jung has the right to
construct any building on the land. The noble landowner, however, thinks he has the
final say on any construction since the land belongs to him.\nBasil Jung, on the
other hand, has refused to vacate the rented land since the term of the agreement
has not expired.
Both parties are to appear at the Prefecture to hear your decision. \nThe litigant,
Sir El Avilla, enters first. He is an aging noble who dresses far too colorfully
for his years. He walks into your office with confidence and sits in front of you.
The next man to enter is Basil Jung, a heavyset man with a thick beard, clothed in
an old jacket and clutching a hat. He stands by your desk and bows to you.\nSir El
Avilla does not hesitate to speak first.
“Your honor, I demand you drive the commoner Jung from my land! His dyeworks is a
noisy, nasty, ugly building, and I refuse to have it on my property!\n“My family
already had to endure their warehouses and their filthy workers right by our own
estate, but this is simply beyond the pale! Either the court says the dyeworks must
be demolished, or I, Gustav El Avilla, will do it myself!”
You ask Sir El Avilla to compose himself and tell the commoner to give his
statement.\nBasil Jung gives his account, speaking in a deep, gruff bass.
“Your honor, it cost me all my money to build the dyeworks. The contract says it
clear: I got the right to build anything on the land during my rental period. And
Sir Avilla didn’t say a word at first — but now he up and demands we demolish it!
My family’ll be ruined! That’s not gonna happen, I say!”
Sir El Avilla screams at him in return, outraged by what he calls his “cunning
trickery.” The bearded Basil Jung disagrees again and again, his pudgy finger
pointing at the clause in the agreement.\nIt is noon already. The sun is so hot,
even the air itself seems to melts away…\nThis is your first case ever. It is time
to deliver your verdict.
Protect Jung’s rights
Comply with El Avilla’s demands
Terminate the rental agreement
Ask Jung for a bribe
You confirm that Basil Jung had the right to construct the dyeworks on the rented
land.
You terminate the rental agreement between the noble El Avilla and the commoner
Jung.
You propose a law that would grant noble landowners the right to terminate their
rental agreements in court at any time.
You speak with the commoner in private and imply that some generosity might change
your opinion about the case.
You deliver your verdict…\nAs the rental agreement clearly states, Basil Jung has
the right to use the aforementioned lands belonging to the El Avilla family until
the year 1150 and construct any buildings on the aforementioned lands.\nBasil
Jung’s use of the land is not in violation of the agreement, and therefore he must
not be evicted, and the dyeworks will remain. Any attempt to drive him off or
demolish the building will constitute a breach of law.
“How dare you?! This is my own land, and I can do whatever I want with it! It is my
right! I can rent it out, and I can take it back just the same! And your puny
little papers mean nothing to me! If you refuse to resolve this peacefully, your
honor, why… I’ll just put the damn dyeworks to the torch!”
You have a response to that: if Jung’s property should come to harm through El
Avilla’s actions, the nobleman will provide recompense for all damages and pay a
fine to the Emperor.\nThe law of the Empire is the Emperor’s rule; nobles and
commoners alike must obey the law in equal measure.\nYour words are tactful but
unyielding; the nobleman has no chance. His face pale with rage, Sir El Avilla
spits out a goodbye through clenched teeth and walks away.
“Thank you so much for your just verdict, Sir Brante! I never even hoped you would
protect my rights after all. Now the dyeworks is gonna hit it big!”
The other judges soon learn of your verdict. With your very first case, you have
caused quite a stir at the Prefecture. Most judges would not have even deigned to
hear the commoner’s statement.\nYet you defied noble privilege and enforced a
lawful agreement against a nobleman — an ill omen for the other nobles…
You deliver your verdict…\nThe terms of the rental agreement notwithstanding, no
commoner has the right to construct a factory or any other full-scale production
facility on a noble’s lands without the noble’s explicit agreement.\nYou remind
Jung that the land belongs to and will always belong to the El Avilla family. As a
noble of the Sword, this right trumps any agreement. The commoner Jung has one week
to dismantle the dyeworks and vacate the land, effective immediately.
“What are you saying, your honor?! I put all I had into this — my family’ll starve!
I’m not leaving until I have my justice!”
You have no choice but to call for the gendarmes. You demand that Jung calm down
and accept the verdict with humility, as a commoner should. Rule over land is an
eternal noble right, not a commoner’s right, you tell him.\nBut Basil Jung is
stubborn — he refuses to leave your office and keeps shaking the rental agreement
at you even as the gendarmes remove him from your office and the Prefecture.
With that done, you tell Sir El Avilla to take good care of Jung and his family.
They are commoners, yet they are his subjects too. It is the noble’s duty to rule
well over the common estate.
“Certainly, Sir Brante! You have my thanks for resolving the matter so swiftly —
not that I expected any other resolution, of course… rest assured, the other nobles
of the Sword will hear of your integrity.”
The rest of the Prefecture soon learns of your verdict. \nMost of them support your
decision — the law exists to keep the lowly estate in check. When the lowborn
resort to cunning and bite the noble hand that feeds them, a judge must be there to
put a stop to it.
No matter what the agreement says, no commoner has the right to construct a
production facility on a noble’s lands without the noble’s permission.\nPresently,
however, you cannot reasonably terminate such a contract between a commoner and a
noble, which means that the Prefecture needs to pass a law to this effect.
You postpone the verdict and tell Sir El Avilla and Basil Jung to leave for now.\
nThe Prefecture does more than judge cases and resolve litigation — it also
generates regulations that have the force of law within the province, and even the
youngest judge in the employ of the Prefecture may suggest a new regulation.\nWhen
it comes to land agreements, it is clear that the province needs to guarantee that
any noble has the right to terminate any agreement that impinges upon the ownership
of their own land.
And so you meticulously compose a proposal for a new provincial law.\nOwnership of
land, you write, is a foundation of noble authority, for, along with a noble title,
it is one of the boons granted to those ennobled by the Sword. A noble is the
sovereign of his land; and so he must have the right to recover that land if need
be.
The other judges eagerly support your draft. Given the many litigations of this
kind between nobles and commoners they face every year, it will present them with a
quick and effortless solution.\nEventually, even the Emperor’s Overseer in Magra,
Gaius Tempest, sanctions this regulation — with the name Brante mentioned therein.
Your standing with Anizotte high society improves.
Once the new regulation is in force, you reopen El Avilla’s case. Now armed with a
legal justification, you terminate his rental agreement with Basil Jung and restore
the noble’s ownership of the land. The dyeworks is to be demolished.
“What are you saying, your honor?! I put all I had into this — my family’ll
starve!”
Your decision is now backed by a provincial regulation, you remind him, and even
stubborn Basil Jung has no choice but to accept it. \nThe hapless dyer is a sorry
sight, his broad shoulders hunched and drooping. The man has nothing more to say —
he is ruined, and he knows it.
“You have my thanks, Sir Brante — this certainly took longer than I expected, but
the land rights of all nobles in Magra are now well protected against scheming
lowborn tenants who have grown rich beyond measure! Rest assured, the other nobles
of the Sword will hear of your integrity.”
Many newspapers have appeared in Anizotte of late, but today every single one of
them writes about your law.\nMany periodicals praise the young judge from the
Brante family as the protector of timeless noble rights. \nOther newspapers,
however, condemn the regulation openly. They claim that it renders pointless any
and all rental agreement in the province — the common estate now has no secure
foundation on which to ensure the security of their trade and production
facilities, since all land suitable for construction belongs to the noble estate.
You ask Sir El Avilla to wait in the hall. Annoyed at your words, the nobleman
demands to be present at every stage of the litigation, but, as luck would have it,
you are quite adept at persuasion.
Now alone with Basil Jung, you offer him a secret deal.\nThis case is far from cut
and dry, and its facts and circumstances could be swayed in either direction. You
are, however, ready to side with the dyer and protect his agreement…\nBut you
expect your efforts to be well compensated.
Jung is vexed at first. He groans as he looks you over, adding up all the
expenses.\nBut soon Jung’s gruff bass reaches your ears. He agrees.
“I never thought the law would protect me here in the first place. Guess there’s no
other way for me — I gotta accept this expense to avoid utter ruin…”
You ask El Avilla to come back in, then deliver your verdict…\nAs the rental
agreement clearly states, Basil Jung has the right to use the aforementioned lands
belonging to the El Avilla family until the year 1150 and construct any buildings
on the aforementioned lands.\nBasil Jung’s use of the land is not in violation of
the agreement, and therefore he must not be evicted, and the dyeworks will remain.
Any attempt to drive him off or demolish the building will constitute a breach of
law.
“That was brave of you, Sir Brante, stopping him like that! Thank you so much!
Guess coin means justice nowadays… I get it, I get it. We have a deal then — I’ll
send you a portion of the income from the dyeworks next year.”
The other judges soon learn of your verdict. With your very first case, you have
caused quite a stir at the Prefecture. Most judges would not have even deigned to
hear the commoner’s statement.\nYet you defied noble privilege and enforced a
lawful agreement against a nobleman — an ill omen for the other nobles, but a
sizable source of profit for your own family.
The Power of the Law
You have just completed your first year of service at the Prefecture.\nSeveral days
after your second year begins, there is a knock at the door. You look up from your
paperwork and tell the visitor to come in.\nSir El Borne’s secretary slips inside
quietly. The prefect has an important matter to discuss with you in his office.
Augustin El Borne looks weary and aged, but he greets you with his usual
characteristic warmth. You take a seat in the comfortable chair across from him. \
nSir El Borne asks his secretary to pour you and him some wine.
“Sir Brante! Good to see you. I hope the judge’s trade is coming easily to you now.
I must admit, I’ve been watching your first cases closely. You have already had to
resolve a rather difficult land dispute between a commoner and a noble. We will see
even more litigation of this kind in our province in the future…\n“Now it’s time
for you to answer an important question: in this great dispute between the two
estates, where will you stand as a judge?
“Take a look around you. Life in the Empire as we know it is changing. It is our
duty as nobles and judges to make peace between all the estates on the basis of the
law. \n“However, the Prefecture faces a great hindrance in its pursuit of this
goal.
“Many nobles are still determined to abide only by the traditions of old —
especially the Arknians. For those nobles, the only law above them is the Court of
Honor, where noble ranks and duels decide everything. They reject the jurisdiction
of the Prefecture and outright defy the newer laws and regulations of the Empire.
“This is to say nothing of what happens when an Arknian has a dispute with a human
commoner… some Arknians would rather cut a human down then and there than waste
time on what they see as pointless litigation.\n“Even though the law says that all
the Emperor’s subjects have the right to a fair and just trial!
“One of the most flagrant violators of the law is Dorius Otton, the commander of
our province’s military. You’ve encountered him before, haven’t you?\n“That Arknian
nobleman is a notorious duelist. Anyone who crosses his path risks ‘insulting his
honor.’ His sword has ended the lives of many human nobles — not to mention all the
commoners who have been unlucky enough to run afoul of him when he was bored!
“Surely you realize, Brante, that we are the only ones who can protect those
people. The lowborn Lot forbids a commoner to arm himself — and even those who
would rather defy their Lot have no chance against Dorius Otton, one of the most
skilled Arknian sword masters.
“Otton cannot be allowed to commit murder with impunity! We have to stop him and
all the others who act as he does. Imperial law must prevail over their barbarous
traditions!
“But, as of now, I have no authority to put Otton on trial. Our province still
abides by the old traditions, and humans are powerless against the dynastic power
of the Arknian aristocracy. Putting an Arknian on trial for his crimes would be
unthinkable at best.\n“We have to work gradually to change this, Brante. I need you
as an ally.
“What we have to do is strengthen the power of Imperial law in Magra so that
eventually everyone will respect the law, from humble beggars to highborn
Arknians.\n“We must show everyone that the law is not a noble instrument of
oppression against the common folk. Like the Divine Law, Imperial law must stand
above all — with no regard for birth, rank, or title.
“This is why I have decided to address you today, <username> Brante. Side with the
law; side with your father and myself.\n“Side with justice in every case always, no
matter who stands trial before you, be they lowly commoner or noble elite! With
enough precedents, we will put an end to highborn tyranny and ensure that the law
is respected throughout the province.
“But I must warn you… even here at the Prefecture, I am not all-powerful. Many
judges oppose my point of view — not openly… at least not yet. But I am certain
they will work against us in the shadows.
“Now, Brante, what is your answer? Are you ready to side with me and change our
province for the better?\n“Are you prepared to support me against the high-handed
gentry and defend the common folk from the likes of Dorius Otton?”
Side with El Borne
Reject his offer
You promise to side with the prefect and support his gambit.
You cannot accept Sir El Borne’s offer.
You nod energetically, determined to support El Borne and bring nobles and Arknians
under the rule of Imperial law.\nYou realize the risks, but, for the future of the
Empire and its subjects, you are willing to face them.\nYou seal the promise with a
handshake. The prefect leans back in his big chair and points at the glasses full
of wine.
“I never doubted you, Brante! With your potential and youthful zeal, nothing will
stop us. And now, a toast — to the triumph of law in Magra!”
Your glasses clink melodically. The prefect takes a sip, then puts the glass down
to instruct you further.
“Remember to be cautious. Between the powerful nobles and many other judges at the
Prefecture, there will be no shortage of enemies on this path. \n“There will be
times when I will be unable to help you — my own position is too unstable as it is.
So please do not draw too much of their ire. Letting their wrath reach you is the
last thing I want.
“Last but not least: we mustn’t be hasty. If we move too fast and enforce the law
against the nobles too soon, they might take up their swords as they have before.
We have to prevent an uprising and avert bloodshed.
“At all times, be just; but also wise and alert. I’m glad to see you on the side of
justice! I’m counting on you, and you can count on me in return, <username> Brante.
May luck be with you in service to the Empire!”
You return to your office, your desk covered with endless paperwork as always. At
first glance, nothing has changed — but now you realize the great and important
cause working quietly behind your daily grind.\nDeep in thought, you sit at the
desk once again. What fate awaits you in service to this cause?
For a long moment, there is silence. After such an passionate speech, it feels
difficult to decline the offer.\nNo matter what you think of the prefect or his
views, you are not ready to make El Borne any promises.
Your service at the Prefecture has just begun — your life could still change at any
moment. If you accept his plea and his offer, what cases will you have to tackle?
Who will you have to represent? What will it cost your family and yourself? No… you
are not willing to make any promises you cannot reliably keep.
You share these concerns aloud with the Prefect.\nEl Borne’s face grows stiff,
becoming an emotionless mask. He answers with a reserved nod.
“I understand what you’re saying, young Brante. When I was young, I also thought
the Empire was too big, too monolithic, too set in stone. I thought any attempt to
change it was futile and doomed from the start.
“But now I know one thing for certain: the world changes, and it is people who
change it. Anyone may act today to change the Empire of tomorrow. \n“When you have
to deliver your next verdict, consider my words.
“Rest assured, your decision will not affect your job in any way. Continue
performing your duty as a judge, and I guarantee your efforts will be justly
rewarded. Best of luck in your service to the Empire, Sir Brante.”
You return to your office, your desk still covered with endless paperwork as
always. At first glance, nothing has changed — but now you know how much your daily
grind at the Prefecture affects the world at large.\nYou sit at the desk once
again, deep in thought.
The Newspaper Case
Your first year at the Prefecture has come to an end. \nYou are not a young student
anymore. You know now that a judge’s trade means so much more than knowing the law
and carrying it out.\nResolving a litigation of any importance requires striking a
balance between the code of law, high society’s opinion, and the whims of the
provincial powers-that-be.\nYour second year is beginning, and it feels much
tougher already. Trampled by the nobles, the commoners seek help, and so they turn
to the law. They turn to you.
A carriage takes you through the Silver District of Anizotte. \nIt is early
morning, and you have just received a letter bearing the seal of the City Hall.
Remy El Verman, the Magistrate of Magra himself, wishes to see you at once.
The mere sight of the Magistrate’s invitation is enough to make you scowl.\nThis is
no doubt about your newest case regarding the Quorum Gazette, which may spell
trouble for everyone involved.
A provincial legislature, the Lesser Quorum governs the volume and distribution of
taxes in Magra.\nAfter a new law created by the Emperor’s own brother Cornelius
Tempest several years ago, commoners of considerable wealth were granted
representation in the Quorum on par with the nobility, thus forming the Lesser
Quorum.
Now the representatives of the lowly estate have founded a newspaper of their own,
and this Quorum Gazette, distributed all across Anizotte, fervently argues for
commoners’ rights in provincial governance.\nThe man behind the newspaper is Mayer
Egmont, a well-off industrialist and owner of several silver mines. And it was his
article, and his demands, that brought about this litigation.
You take out a newspaper and read Egmont’s article printed within.\nIt addresses
Imperial Overseer Gaius Tempest directly.
“…We demand that Sir Overseer Gaius Tempest cease his habitual disregard for our
meetings! From our Emperor Uther II we received the lawful right to assemble and
sit in the Lesser Quorum. And we say to the Overseer: our voice must be heard! Our
message must be accepted!”
The carriage stops in a square by a luxurious building. This is the City Hall,
where Imperial officials manage all domestic and economic matters of Anizotte.\nYou
are escorted up a long, winding staircase to the door of the Magistrate’s office.
You now stand before Remy El Verman. \nThe Magistrate maintains a haughty bearing
in spite of his venerable age. His face bears the sharp, proud features so common
among the old aristocracy.
“Ah, yes, Sir Judge! You are from the Brante family, I believe? I appreciate your
prompt arrival. I’d rather not waste your time and get right down to business — the
matter for which I called you here is urgent indeed.
“You are judging a case against that newspaper by the Lesser Quorum, are you not?
I’ve had a torrent of complaints against it from the most venerable members of the
Quorum. They say Mayer Egmont has insulted Gaius Tempest — our Overseer and an
Arknian from the Emperor’s own great dynasty — and I say they’re absolutely right.
“The Empire gave those uppity commoners a hand in managing the province’s very
wellbeing, which is already a violation of their lowly Lot! But no, that wasn’t
enough for them, it seems!
“You’ve earned the Mantle only recently, Sir Brante, but you must realize that this
is an affront to the honor of the entire nobility!\n“I expect you to do your duty
as a judge and immediately find a pretext for shutting down their pathetic gazette.
“El Borne, your prefect, might think otherwise. However, Sir Brante, if you
exercise enough wisdom and cunning, I am certain you will realize which position is
most beneficial to you. With your youth and potential, it’ll do you good to have
powerful friends on your side.
“I’m sure you will reach the only appropriate and just verdict when closing this
case, and I hope you will be duly judicious. For now, farewell.”
You return to the Prefecture lost in thought.\nSir El Verman is right— your word is
all it will take to shut the Lesser Quorum newspaper down. As a judge and a
nobleman, you do not even need a reason — the people running the gazette are mere
commoners, no matter how wealthy they might be.
There was no breach of law, however. Mayer Egmont’s article simply requested that
the Overseer of Magra hear what the Lesser Quorum has to say.\nYou can reject the
nobility’s complaints and thus show the commoners they may rely on the Prefecture’s
justice, but Sir El Verman and many fellow judges will be outraged.
Father learns that the case has been assigned to you.\nHe visits you and offers
some advice.
“You’re in quite a predicament now, son. If you try to appease one party, the other
will be furious… \n“Wouldn’t you rather see if there’s any way to make peace
between them? We could host a party at our estate and invite both Mayer Egmont and
the noble elders from the Quorum.
“If you are successful at defusing their quarrel, no one would object if you decide
to legitimize the Quorum Gazette. Even El Verman won’t be against it if the nobles
stop complaining.”
However, Father is not your only visitor of note that day.\nShortly after the door
closes behind him, the familiar face of Judge Carlo Fockegraben appears in your
office. He looks around cautiously before speaking his mind.
“I hear you’ve been ordered to deal with that newspaper run by wealthy commoners.
It’s a complicated case indeed… if you ask me, work like that deserves to be
rewarded. Why not make the most of it?
“You’re quite close with Prefect El Borne, are you not? Almost related, as it were?
What if you were to shut down the paper and seize their printing press? All it
would take is Sir Prefect’s signature.\n“And my friends among the Quorum nobles —
why, they could use a gazette of their own!
“I would be delighted to help you put that printing press in good hands. Just think
of it — you would shut down a subversive periodical and help our esteemed nobles
spread their message, all while earning a lucrative reward for your efforts! It’s
quite a coup, really! Everyone wins! Do think on it, Brante.”
He leaves, and you are left alone in your office to deliberate.\nIf you decide to
shut down the gazette… how far should you go?\nAnd if you choose to legitimize the
periodical… how will you go about it?
Shut down the gazette
Do not show down the gazette
Legitimize the gazette
Seize the printing press
You ban the Lesser Quorum’s gazette.
You rule that the gazette has a legal right to exist and reject the nobles’
numerous complaints.
You host a party to help Egmont and the Quorum nobles make peace. This allows you
to legitimize the Quorum Gazette.
With the prefect’s help, you seize the printing press used for the gazette and give
it to the Quorum nobility.
You peer over the papers as you write your verdict…\nPublished by commoners, the
newspaper in question has demonstrated insolence in addressing the Overseer of
Magra, who represents the Imperial Tempest Dynasty. This alone is reason enough to
end the existence of the Quorum Gazette once and for all.
The newspaper’s owner Mayer Egmont soon hears of your ruling and comes to the
Prefecture in person. \nHe looks almost like a nobleman. Egmont is well-groomed and
wears expensive clothing only a wealthy industrialist could afford. Nevertheless,
his rough manner of speaking and boorish posture betray his humble origins.\nEgmont
leans menacingly over your desk, fuming with rage.
“Your honor, there wasn’t a single word of insolence against Imperial rule or any
slander against the Tempests in my article, and you know it just as well as I do!
Doesn’t the common estate deserve justice in court? Don’t we have the right to be
heard?”
You tell him coldly that the newspaper has been deemed illegal, and commoner Mayer
Egmont must pay a fine to the City Hall.\nYour judgment is final and without
appeal.
“So that’s how it is! I’ll pay. I have the money, as you surely know. But you, your
honor — how long have you been a noble yourself? Did you already forget how it
feels to be under somebody else’s thumb all the time? Let me tell you, the times
are changing. We won’t be silenced so easily.”
Egmont slams the door behind him as he leaves, his war for the rights of the lowly
estate far from over.
You receive a note from Magistrate Remy El Verman the day after.
“Your honorable service and righteous verdict are appreciated. No longer will the
lowborn waste paper slandering their noble masters. I was right to put my faith in
you. Rest assured, I will mention you most favorably at future noble gatherings.
Keep up the good work, Judge Brante!”
You peer over the papers as you write your verdict…\nThe Lesser Quorum’s newspaper
has not violated any Imperial law. You therefore have no choice but to reject the
nobles’ complaints as unfounded.
The newspaper’s owner Mayer Egmont soon hears of your verdict and comes to the
Prefecture in person.\nHe looks almost like a nobleman. Egmont is well-groomed and
wears expensive clothing only a wealthy industrialist could afford. Nevertheless,
his rough manner of speaking and boorish posture betray his humble origins.\nHe
bows to you ceremoniously.
“Your honor, you have my gratitude for your righteous judgment! I don’t know if the
nobles are going to stop complaining after this, but now we know the Prefecture is
ready to protect the common estate.”
You warn Egmont against any further careless statements in the newspaper — the next
judge may not rule in their favor.
“But your honor, we write what we think, and follow Imperial law to the letter!”
“Brante, your verdict is an outrage and an affront to the nobility of Magra. This
continued waste of paper on lowborn libel is simply unacceptable. I am very
disappointed. Wasting your potential protecting thankless rabble-rousers is no way
to advance your career.”
The gazette remains in publication – until the Prefecture orders another judge to
investigate it after being inundated with complaints from the nobles. The new judge
wastes no time banning the paper and fining Egmont for insolence against the
nobility.\nYou could have done this to begin with, but you did not. Anizotte high
society does not forget this.
You spend several days scheduling audiences, exchanging greetings, and presenting
invitations to the senior nobles of Anizotte. \nYou have to pull all the strings
you have and muster all your knowledge of Anizotte high society — to say nothing of
the family funds you spend throwing a suitable party for such esteemed guests.
After much effort, both the nobles and the commoners from the Lesser Quorum have
gathered together at your family estate at last. Mayer Egmont, owner of the Quorum
Gazette, has accepted your invitation as well.\nThe nobles are clearly vexed at
having to tolerate the commoners’ presence, yet they maintain the decorum etiquette
demands.\nYou tactfully take advantage of the situation to begin a negotiation.
You inform the esteemed gathering that you are the judge handling the case of the
Quorum Gazette. In your opinion, a periodical for their legislature is a most
useful initiative…\nBut only if the entirety of the Lesser Quorum shows support for
the Quorum Gazette, and only if the Gazette represents the opinions of all its
members, including commoners and nobles alike.
Your words are met with a flurry of resentful, shouting, disputing voices. People
start to argue.\nSome time later, the gazette owner Mayer Egmont takes his turn to
speak. He looks almost like a nobleman. Egmont is well-groomed and wears expensive
clothing only a wealthy industrialist could afford. Nevertheless, his rough manner
of speaking and boorish posture betray his humble origins.
“I do say there’s some truth in what you’re saying, Sir Brante! We did begin the
Gazette without asking the noble sirs for their opinion. Still, if they let us have
our articles printed, I suppose I’ll agree to publish their opinions as well.”
This leads to another fervent debate. Some nobles reject sharing a periodical with
the lowborn, while the more obstinate commoners of the Quorum insist they already
have the right to publish the gazette on their own.\nIt takes you no small amount
of time and negotiation to bring both sides to an agreement.
“It’s settled, then! As the owner of the Quorum Gazette, I pronounce it the
official and legitimate newsletter of the Lesser Quorum — and the noble sirs are
invited to publish their articles on the state of affairs in our province.”
Industrialists and merchants surround you and shower you with praise as a skillful
negotiator. Tonight, you defended more than a newspaper — you stood up for the
entire common estate of the province!\nFather keeps his distance for most of the
party, but once matters are settled, he pats you on the shoulder.
“Excellent work, son! You chose the path of justice while staying on the good side
with the powerful nobility. Even Magistrate El Verman won’t hold this against you.
Your career at the Prefecture will surely flourish!\n“Let’s just hope your
notoriety as a protector of the common folk won’t harm you in the future…”
The night is over. One by one, the esteemed guests leave the Brante estate, the
family home you know so well. \nYou never thought the affairs of the entire
province would be one day decided within these familiar walls…
You decide to follow Judge Fockegraben’s cunning plan.\nYou and your family could
come out of this tricky case better off — and Magistrate El Verman will not be
disappointed. However, this plan requires discretion. The fewer people learn about
the seizure of the print shop, the better.
You draft a property seizure order against Mayer Egmont, the owner of the gazette,
and present it to Prefect El Borne to be signed.
“Did I see this right? You think it necessary to shut down the newspaper and seize
Egmont’s property too?”
But you have an answer ready. The Lesser Quorum’s newspaper is an affront to the
senior nobles and a threat to peace in the province. Now is not the time to incite
more tension between the estates. \nBut, if all you do is ban the gazette, you add,
Egmont will quickly repurpose the press and spread their message in other ways.
“Very well, Brante. I trust your judgment. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
A squad of gendarmes in tow, you set off to search Egmont’s print shop. You find
the printing press, the movable type, the frames and the inks, and confiscate them.
\nThe owner of the gazette, Mayer Egmont, is quick to arrive. He looks almost like
a nobleman. Egmont is well-groomed and wears expensive clothing only a wealthy
industrialist could afford. Nevertheless, his rough manner of speaking and boorish
posture betray his humble origins.
“You’ve got quite the nerve, Sir Brante! You have the right to ban the newspaper,
but this print shop is my property. I bought it with money I earned with my own two
hands!”
Instead of an answer, you coldly present him with an order signed by Prefect El
Borne.
“I see… so the law and the Prefecture have no justice for the common folk. But you,
Sir Brante — how long have you been a noble yourself? Did you already forget how it
feels to be under somebody else’s thumb all the time? Let me tell you, the times,
are changing. We won’t be silenced so easily.”
All the fuming industrialist can do is watch the gendarmes load his printing press
onto a cart and take it away.\nOnce the matter of the print shop is settled, you
pay Carlo Fockegraben a visit.
“Most expertly done, Brante! I shall present the printing press to the nobles of
the Quorum posthaste. They will handle this newspaper initiative from here on out.”
“This act has not gone unnoticed. The noble Quorum owes your family a great debt.\
n“I’ve already made the arrangements. Your family will not have to pay the
Archduke’s tax for two years. This is a great honor — only nobles of the Sword are
exempt from taxation!”
El Borne soon learns of the shady deal you have made.
“Brante, I hear you’ve already repurposed the confiscated printing press… this is a
dangerous game you’re playing. Some might consider it an abuse of your position as
judge. I will not tolerate such scheming in the future.”
Indeed, many people at the Prefecture consider your actions unworthy of a judge,
and the outraged commoners of the Lesser Quorum have lost faith in the justice
system.\nNevertheless, the arrangement has earned your family new privileges, which
means more money for the Brantes and much improved standing with the nobility.
The Case of Father Mark
Your most recent year of service at the Prefecture has seen an increase in
litigation on crimes against the Church.\nMore and more people are joining the
ranks of the New Faith in Anizotte. The movement began with destitute beggars who
had nothing to lose, but for years now many well-off commoners and new nobles have
been joining the fold.\nPeople say the leader of the New Faith in Anizotte is
Father Lennart, the abbot of the temple at the Silver Tree. The city’s leaders
would love to expel him, but he is too highly regarded by the common folk.
Complaints and cases of defiance of one’s Lot keep pouring in. Every day somebody
is reported by their neighbors for heresy.\nMany commoners, adherents of the Old
Faith, fear that such flagrant defiance of the Lots will usher in the prophesied
Wrath of the Gods.\nHowever, you and the other judges have no choice but to reject
most of these cases. As a secular institution, the Prefecture has no authority when
it comes to crimes against faith. Only the Church and the Inquisition have any say
here.
In the middle of another busy day at the Prefecture office, the door suddenly
swings open. \nA tall gendarme wearing an officer’s uniform walks in. He takes off
his helmet, adjusts his short, fair hair, and bows to you hastily.
“Captain Linad reporting, your honor! My boys finally caught Father Mark, the
dreaded apostate heretic! The Prefect told us to take him to you for judgment…\
n“You! Bring him in!”
Two gendarmes bring in a short, stout man wearing a worn, dirty priest’s cassock.
Priests wear the sacred symbol of the twins — a cross within a circle — but this
man does not.\nForced to sit before you, this odd-looking priest is nonetheless
strangely undisturbed by his arrest. His eyes, curious and glimmering with life,
study you intently.
“This is him, Father Mark in the flesh! We caught him trying to preach that
teaching of his — smack in the middle of a drinking hole for the lowborn in the
Gray District. Some guy took offense and called for the gendarmes, and we got there
right away!”
Father Mark… you’ve heard the name ever since you were a child. His cult of
rejection of the Twins has expanded tenfold over the past several years, with
nobles, commoners, and even other priests joining his flock.\nThe Inquisition has
hunted this heretical apostate for years, but Father Mark has always eluded
capture… until now. Some say he has powerful protectors.
“Here are statements from people at the establishment, your honor.”
You flip through pages of handwritten statements.\nFather Mark isn’t just preaching
— he is openly defying not only the Lots, but even the Twins Themselves! Father
Mark teaches that the Gods have neither design nor purpose for us, so we are under
no obligation to serve them or prepare our souls for the hereafter.
You put the papers away, ready to question the profane priest.\nWhat was the
subject of his sermons? What was he trying to convince his listeners to do?\nFather
Mark prefaces his answer with a dazzling smile.
“As a judge, it is your duty to enforce secular law. You know as well as I do that
I have broken no such law. I am a priest, my friend. And in the Empire, priests are
allowed to preach.
“I was preaching the proper way to live one’s worldly life, for this is the only
existence we have. I told my listeners not to waste their lives serving those
Gods.\n“The Twins surely love us… but alas, their Love violates us as much as their
Law. This entire world is proof of that!
“I see my words upset you… but I’m afraid you can’t judge me guilty for that.
Here’s why.\n“You see, mine is the priestly Lot, if the judgment of the Church is
to be trusted… which means that only the Inquisition Tribunal may find me guilty.
“So you could hand me over to those black-clad thugs… but, alas, you will get
absolutely nothing in return! The Inquisition wants to light their pyres in every
corner of Anizotte, and all they need for that is me.\n“As soon as they get me, the
inquisitors will tell the Prefecture to step aside and start enforcing the law
themselves. Is that what you want, my friend?
“So what are you to do with me? Well, let’s think about it. \n“As a secular judge,
you can’t judge me guilty. But giving me to the Inquisition will weaken the
Prefecture.\n“And so, my friend, everybody will be better off if you just set me
free! Trust an old philosopher — it’s better for me, better for your prefect, and
better for you as well.”
Surprisingly, the gendarme captain smiles knowingly at these words.\nHe leans over
and whispers a few words into your ear. You cannot help but notice the scars all
over his neck.
“I say the old heretic’s right, your honor… if he’s still got the priestly Lot,
he’s the Inquisition’s problem. It’s too dangerous for the Prefecture to meddle in
churchly affairs.
“And, strictly between you and me, if the reports I’ve been getting are to be
trusted, this here Mark’s been rubbing elbows with Patriarch Cassius himself!
Letting him go might get us on his good side — and Sir Patriarch’s a very wealthy
man…”
But suddenly the captain’s voice trails off as the door to your office opens
without warning. \nThere is a young woman at the door, clothed in a black cassock
and bearing the telltale silver seal of the Inquisition.
“I am Sister Jeanne, your honor. I serve the Order of the Inquisition.”
That stern face, those piercing brown eyes… they seem somehow familiar. \nOf
course! This is the young acolyte girl from the temple at the Silver Tree, the one
you saw during that school visit… she is an inquisitor now!
“Your men did well to track down and arrest Father Mark. Splendid! We’ve been
hunting this false preacher for a long time. \n“As I’m sure you know, priests may
not be judged by secular laws, your honor. Mark has denigrated the Twins and called
for the people to reject them. He has broken his sacred vows and defied his Lot. He
will face the Tribunal of the Inquisition for his transgressions.
“The man before you is a great threat to the people of Anizotte, Judge Brante. His
words lead people astray; his speeches doom them to eternal suffering at the Foot
of the Pillar! Only the Church knows the way to end his heresy!\n“You will hand
Father Mark over to me at once.”
Sister Jeanne remains in the doorway, wordlessly refusing to leave the Prefecture
without the captured heretic.\nThe gendarmes and the captain stand still, awaiting
your orders.\nFather Mark is lounging in the chair, enjoying himself and eyeing you
curiously, waiting for your decision on this contentious situation.
Judge him
Hand him over to the Inquisition
Set him free
Prosecute the case with the Inquisition
Imperial law exists for all estates, so you will find a way to judge Father Mark
guilty in a secular court.
The Inquisition ought to deal with Father Mark’s heretical acts. You hand him over
to Sister Jeanne.
Father Mark has not violated any Imperial law. If the Inquisition wants him so
badly, they can catch him on their own.
You insist on participating in Father Mark’s trial. As a judge, you have something
to say in this litigation, and the Inquisition must take it into account.
You order the gendarmes to put Father Mark in jail. \nThe priest just shakes his
head, slowly and sadly.\nThe gendarme captain smirks slyly at Sister Jeanne and
tells his men to put the priest in shackles.
“As you wish, your honor!”
The mere sight of Father Mark being taken away by the law sends Sister Jeanne into
an apoplectic fit of rage.
“How dare you defy the judgment of the Inquisition?! You have no right to judge a
priest — not even such an erring heretic as Mark! Only other priests may pronounce
judgement upon a priest! \n“You have clearly forgotten your own Lot if you see it
otherwise!”
“Know this, Sir Brante: the Inquisition will not forget this outrage. We will do
whatever it takes to get you dismissed.”
After Jeanne finally storms out, you head for El Borne’s office.\nThanks to the
firm guidance of the prefect and your verdicts as a judge, the rule of law in the
province has been on the rise. Even nobles can be seen falling in line and
acknowledging the Prefecture’s authority.\nCould this be the time to take another
step forward and make the priests acknowledge secular law just as they accept the
Divine Law?
“That was quite brazen of you, Brante, defying the Inquisition like that… it could
cost you dearly.\n“But I’m on your side in this matter. Father Mark will set an
ideal precedent: a priest judged by Imperial law rather than a Church tribunal!
“The man you caught is an apostate and a heretic, so the Inquisition will provide
no legal defense. This all but ensures a guilty verdict… permission granted,
Brante. Prepare the case!”
To ensure that the Inquisition has no time to intervene, you schedule the trial as
soon as possible.\nBut even with these precautions, the courtroom on the day of
trial is a strange sight to see. Outraged priests and odd-looking commoners fill
the stalls. Now and again you hear their cries: some demand you hand over Father
Mark to the Inquisition, while others shout in support of the apostate.\nMark
himself is quiet and utterly calm, his arms folded across his chest.
The time for the verdict has come…\nInstead of heresy, you accuse Father Mark of
inciting rebellion against the Emperor’s rule.\nIn his sermons, Mark told people to
reject the Twins — but the Tempest Dynasty was chosen to rule by the Twins
Themselves. Therefore his call to reject the Twins represents an act of rebellion
against the Tempest Dynasty and the Empire as a whole.
You thus conclude that Father Mark is an insurgent and a traitor, a crime that
falls within the authority of the Prefecture.
Your speech has the board of justice backed against the wall. Despite their better
judgment, they are now obligated to side with you instead of the Inquisition.
Through clenched teeth, they accept your arguments for persecuting Father Mark in a
secular trial.\nThe verdict has been rendered.
“Well then, your honors… I hope your ambition has been duly satisfied and your
authority duly enforced. But alas, every single one of you is still a puppet of the
alien will of the Gods…\n“It’s time to hand me over to the Inquisition. After all,
only the Church knows the proper punishment for me.”
The gendarmes unceremoniously stuff a gag in Father Mark’s mouth to protect society
from his heretical notions.\nSister Jeanne is waiting right outside the courtroom,
an inscrutable expression on her face.\nShe takes custody of Father Mark, now a
convict, and leads him to the dungeons of the Inquisition for his long-overdue
punishment.
Shortly after, you learn that your father was one of the judges on the board of
justice.
“That was some trial! And it was led by my own son, of all people! A priest
convicted by the Prefecture — our province has never seen anything like this
before.\n“Many judges are bound to hold a grudge against you for making us clash
with the Inquisition. As for me, I’m proud you saw the case through to the very
end. We will succeed, no matter what fate has in store for us.”
For a while, you consider your options. Then you get up from your chair and give
the gendarmes a sign. \nThey obediently lead him to Sister Jeanne. She allows
herself the luxury of a brief smile.
“Thank you for being so sensible, your honor. I knew you had great potential ever
since we first met. Rest assured, Father Mark will never break another law, whether
sacred or secular. \n“Now his sycophants will be able to hide from us no longer,
thanks to you.”
“If you ask me, it’s all thanks to you, your honor! Not that there’s any
difference, though, if you think about it… you’re just a puppet of the alien will
of the Gods, same as the rest of us…”
The gendarmes unceremoniously stuff a gag in Father Mark’s mouth to protect you
from his heretical notions.\nSister Jeanne takes the apostate away to the dungeons
of the Inquisition for his long-overdue punishment.
You soon receive new reports: interrogation and torture yielded the Inquisition the
names of several of Father Mark’s followers, all of whom were caught quickly. \nThe
pyres light up on the streets of Anizotte. Imperial law has no power here, for
judging heretics is the domain of the Inquisition.
As Prophet Isatius teaches, “the earthly must remain upon the earth, the heavenly —
in heaven.” \nThe Prefecture’s duty is to enforce the law upon the earth. The laws
of heaven are beyond the scope of your authority.
And so you say a prayer to the Younger Twin.
You are filled with the power of Law you serve, so intense it is almost
overwhelming.\nThe Law is one of the three manifestations of the Twins; the Law is
your calling.
You tell Sister Jeanne that, regardless of the situation, legal action is
required.\nAnd legal action takes time.
“Then make haste, your honor. When it comes to protecting the faith, my order will
brook no delay.”
The inquisitor leaves your office, clearly displeased.\nYou are left alone in your
office with Father Mark. He is still as calm as before, eyeing you, waiting for you
to speak.\nYou admit that Mark, as a priest, has not violated any Imperial law with
his sermon. And you are no inquisitor, and thus not qualified to judge the truth or
falsehood of his teachings.
“You are demonstrating a will of your own, my friend! Well done, your honor! This
is your first step toward freedom — yours, not mine!\n“Your fellow judges won’t
understand your decision, but you mustn’t let that cloud your judgment.”
“Handing me over to the Inquisition would spark far more than a single pyre — the
Inquisitors would gladly break every Imperial law you have. You have protected the
authority of the Prefecture. Well done.”
“Although I can’t say you will be free of this predicament anytime soon… but then
again, I’m sure one of my many patrons will be happy to soften the blow with a
helping of earthly boons.\n“But we have a more pressing matter to discuss right
now, don’t we?”
You summon Captain Linad once again and give him your instructions. Father Mark is
to be taken to the Prefecture jail — and mysteriously disappear from his cell
during the changing of the guard at night. You will close the case before then, so
there will be no need for a manhunt. Linad chuckles knowingly and sets off to
follow his orders.\nYou fill out the necessary paperwork. “No violation of Imperial
law found. Case closed,” you write, then file the aborted case against Father Mark
away in a box.
The Inquisition learns of this only days later.\nSister Jeanne burst into your
office, beside herself with rage.
“You call yourself a judge after this, Sir Brante?! How dare you defy the
Inquisition?! Protecting a heretic like Father Mark shows you for the fool and
apostate you truly are. We had him! But, thanks to you, the Markian Heresy will
continue poisoning the souls of those whose faith is weak.
“Hundreds and hundreds will follow Father Mark to the Foot of the Pillar in the
hereafter. You will be responsible for their eternal torment, Sir Brante!\n“And,
rest assured, the Inquisition will not forget this!”
You return home, exhausted by a long day of threats and accusations.\nWhat awaits
you back home, however, is a pleasant surprise: a treasure trove of fine wine
straight from the cellar of Cassius, Patriarch of Magra!\nYour servants tell you
the wine came with a letter.
“Sir Brante, please enjoy this wine. Savor your earthly life before the Twins
snatch it away as well.”
For a while, you consider your options.\nOpposing the Inquisition means making a
powerful enemy — for yourself and the Prefecture alike… however, taking part in the
tribunal trial as a prosecutor would surely give your career a shot in the arm.\
nBesides, you’re well-versed enough in theological matters to hold your own during
an Inquisition tribunal.
And so you tell Jeanne that you will hand over Father Mark to the Inquisition, but
on one condition: you must be allowed to make a speech for the prosecution — for
the earthly laws do reflect the Divine Law, and their unity is the truth of truths.
“I see you cannot wait to demonstrate your theological knowledge! Why, I can still
recall how we met — two children at the Silver Tree…”
“But I digress. A judge from the Prefecture speaking at a Holy Tribunal behind
closed doors… ordinarily, this is forbidden… but Father Mark is anything but
ordinary. He leads souls astray and seeks to erode the very foundation of the
Empire! I think the Tribunal will allow you this speech.”
The church trial takes months to prepare. \nThe high-profile case of Father Mark
brings many priests from all over the Empire to a massive, chilly old temple at the
edge of the city.\nFather Mark stands still and calm, his arms folded across his
chest, waiting for the prosecution’s closing argument.
As the main prosecutor of the trial, Sister Jeanne lists every confirmed case of
Father Mark openly preaching against the Twins, against their worship, and against
any restraint and moderation in mortal life. Her voice rings with fury. \nThen, it
is finally time for your speech.
Aside from heresy, you also accuse Father Mark of inciting a rebellion against the
Emperor’s rule.\nIn his sermons, Mark told people to reject the Twins — but the
Tempest Dynasty was chosen to rule by the Twins Themselves. Therefore his call to
reject the Twins is an act of rebellion against the Tempest Dynasty and the Empire
as a whole.
You thus conclude that Father Mark is an insurgent and a traitor who deserves
punishment both in this world and the hereafter.
The priests shout in support of your speech. With a Prefecture judge participating
in the trial, the verdict against Brother Mark seems even more convincing.\nThe
trial is over. Father Mark is found guilty on all counts.
“Very well, my brothers. I hope your ambition has been duly satisfied and your
authority duly enforced. But alas, every single one of you is still a puppet of the
alien will of the Gods…”
Somebody unceremoniously stuffs a gag in Father Mark’s mouth to protect the
gathering from his heretical notions.\nHe is taken away to the dungeons of the
Inquisition for his long-overdue punishment.
You soon receive new reports: interrogation and torture yielded the Inquisition the
names of several of Father Mark’s followers, all of whom were caught quickly. The
pyres light up on the streets of Anizotte. Imperial law has no power here, for
judging heretics is the domain of the Inquisition.
As Prophet Isatius teaches, “the earthly must remain upon the earth, the heavenly —
in heaven.”\nThe Prefecture’s duty is to enforce the law upon the earth. The laws
of heaven are beyond the scope of your authority.
Your triumphant tribunal speech has earned you the respect of many Prefecture
judges. \nSome of them even begin turning to you for help with the finer points of
the Faith.
A Friend in Need
You arrive at the office one fine morning and find a visitor already sitting
there.\nThe visitor is none other than Tommas Guerro! His heavy uniform already
bears a captain’s chevrons.\nTommas looks nervous, his fingers drumming a
foreboding staccato on the desk. Why has your old friend decided to pay you a
visit?
You pat your friend on the shoulder and congratulate him on his promotion. \nTommas
shrugs, quietly brimming with pride.
“I got bumped up a month ago. Apparently the Legion is running short on decent
officers… \n“And then I realized why there are so few of them. Wish I knew my
direct superior was gonna be our very own Commander Otton!”
Tommas grows grim at the mention of Otton.
“Listen, buddy… you and me, we always help each other out, right?\n“That Arknian
bastard… well, he challenged me to a duel. For the second time. He cut me down a
month ago. That was my second lesser death…
“I know, I never told you. But it was tough. The Gods, they… they spoke to me
there, in the hereafter.
“But right now I got something worse to worry about than matters of the soul. See,
Otton, he remembers me from the time at the Academy when I stood up to him at the
party. Now he’s gonna kill me again and again until my true death comes.\n“So it’s
a duel. That’s Otton’s way of having fun with his subordinates.
“<username>, I’m asking you as a friend: will you be my second at the duel?\n“I
know Prefect El Borne doesn’t like any kind of sword fighting — it’s one of the old
traditions he wants to put a stop to… \n“But if I show up without a second, he
won’t just kill me for a third time, he’ll dishonor me too.”
You knit your brow in thought.\nIn the Prefect’s opinion, dueling is a lawless tool
of noble tyranny. El Borne sees duels as an outmoded way of circumventing the legal
system. He would be crushed to learn that one of his judges had been involved in a
duel.\nTommas sighs heavily.
“I know this is hard, pal, but I’ve got no one else to turn to. All the boys in the
Legion fear Otton like the plague. You’re the only noble who can support me in
this.
“But I know this duel won’t be the end… our great Sir Otton will find an excuse for
a third duel before you know it. That’ll be my last one for sure…”
Tommas rolls up the sleeve of his uniform — two pitch-black lines encircle his
forearm.\nHe is desperate; and it is easy to see why. One on one against an Arknian
swordsman, he is doomed.
The law forbids dueling.\nBut if you refuse to show Tommas your support through
your presence, your friend’s spirit will be broken before his body can even be
killed.\nYou recall all the previous encounters with Otton in your youth… \nIs
there a chance the distinguished Arknian still remembers you? If you go to him and
speak in Tommas’s defense, will he even bother to listen?
Agree to be Tommas’s second
Stop the duel from taking place
Decline Tommas’s request
You cannot possibly leave Tommas in need at a time like this! You will go to the
duel along with him.
Since you have Dorius Otton’s favor, you can prevent the duel and save your friend.
You refuse to participate in the duel.
You have been best friends with Tommas ever since you were little boys. Does he
really think you would abandon him to such a cruel fate?\nOf course you will be his
second at the duel, no matter what! Your friendship will not be broken, not even if
you risk Prefect El Borne’s displeasure.
As the two of you walk to the palace ruins, you finally have time to ask Tommas for
more information. \nWhat was Otton’s excuse for challenging him to a duel this
time?
“Here’s what happened: Otton told me to head to a nearby village with a squad of
Legion soldiers. Sulmina, it’s called. \n”The villagers refused to pay the
Archduke’s tax — said they already paid the tax to Gaius Tempest’s men. He’s the
Overseer, so the law says the tax is his. \n“So Otton told me and the lads to
string up a couple of the rowdiest peasants and put their houses to the torch to
teach the rest of them a lesson.
“So we went there. And let me tell you, buddy, I didn’t join the Legion to start
hanging people and burning villages… so we decided to have a word with the village
elder first.\n“The locals soon realized what was going on. Losing money is one
thing, but losing a spare life is worse. They hemmed and hawed and finally found
enough cash to pay Archduke Milanidas.
“Which means we came back to Anizotte with nobody dead and all the money for the
treasury! \n“But then the commander summons me and claims I didn’t follow his order
— which means I also slighted the honor of the noble Arknian who’s my commander.\
n“So he challenges me to a duel.
“And you know what? I’m not the first, <username>, and I’m not the last! Any
officer in the Legion could end up like me.\n“Otton does as he sees fit, with no
plans to stop. He’s a commander, he’s a noble of the Sword, he’s an Arknian — we’re
just dirt under his boot.\n“Who’s gonna rein him in?”
You reach the site of the duel just before dawn. By a half-crumbled wall you see a
tall figure clad in a thick cloak — Dorius Otton, High Commander of Magra, already
expecting you. His azure fingers drum impatiently on the pommel of his sword.\
nTommas dutifully bows to his commander. \nOtton grimaces at him.
“You’re late, Captain Guerro. Why should I have to wait for you? You’ve insulted me
again already… and who is this? I’ve seen your face before…\n“Anyway, don’t have
time for this. Make haste. I have other duels today.”
The commander’s second appears from the shadows — a young nobleman, quiet and eager
to oblige his betters. As seconds, you ask the duelists if they are ready.\nWithout
a word, Otton draws his sword.\nTommas nods anxiously, clearly ready to face
another death.
The two bow ceremoniously and adopt a dueling stance. \nThe difference between them
is apparent as soon as they begin. Otton’s sword seems like an extension of his
arm. Tommas pales before him, like a clumsy child who has grabbed father’s sword
for the first time.
Everything about this battle shows that Otton treats this duel as no more than
entertainment. The Arknian moves around so rapidly and gracefully, your friend can
barely defend himself against the flurry of strikes. \nThen, for the smallest
moment, Otton tones down his assault — and for the first time during the duel,
Tommas makes a riposte.
Easily, effortlessly, Otton deflects Tommas’s blow — and then retaliates. His sword
sticks through your friend’s shoulder.\nAs soon as you see the blade drew blood,
you shout for the duel to end. The debt for the insult has been paid in blood — if
the loser of the duel is ready to offer his apology, the fight must stop!
“What? Is some human trying to teach me the laws of the duel? I am an Arknian of
the Otton dynasty — there is no one here who can teach me the ways of honor!”
His sword flashes — and stabs your friend straight through the heart. A wet red
spot begins to spread across Tommas’s shirt. \nYour friend stumbles backward; he
drops his sword; his knees buckle. A wheeze, another, then a cough full of blood…
and his bright eyes grow dim and dull.
Slowly, Tommas’s body disappears. His bloodstained clothes, his sword, and his
footsteps in the dust are all that remains.\nOtton hands his sword to his second,
who is ready to wipe it down.
“Well then. That pitiful human will face another duel very soon. Let’s hope he
fights better during his last life. When your friend is reborn, tell him my exact
words.”
The Arknian walks away, calm and composed, his second in tow. Dazed and numb, all
you can do now is gather your friend’s belongings and bring them to his house.\
nUnless you intervene, Tommas is doomed to meet his true death soon. \nYou are a
judge — but to an Arknian of such rank and birth, your authority means nothing. Is
there any way you can help your friend?
You have been best friends with Tommas ever since you were little boys. Does he
really think you would abandon him to such a cruel fate?\nDueling Otton is suicide
— but there is a much better way to emerge from this predicament.\nYou tell Tommas
you will meet with Otton and make a deal with him. He will be safe from Otton’s
harassment.
Tommas slowly shakes his head, unconvinced.
“I’m happy you’re so willing to help, buddy… but Otton, he isn’t going to listen.
Even Arknians say he’s a loose cannon. You’re just another human to him — you’re
not even a noble of the Sword…”
You tell him Otton will surely remember you, especially since you got his attention
on several occasions. \nBack at the party in Eterna, Otton deigned to hear you out
when Tommas first attracted his ire… surely you can do it again!
“You can try it, Brante… but I’m gonna prepare for the worst anyway. If Otton wants
me dead, he’s gonna have me dead sooner or later. Either way, thank you for being
on my side.”
Before you leave to seek an audience with the commander, you ask Tommas for more
information.\nWhat was Otton’s excuse for challenging him to a duel this time?
“And you know what? I’m not the first, Brante, and I’m not the last! Any officer in
the Legion could end up like me.\n“Otton does as he sees fit, with no plans to
stop. He’s a commander, he’s a noble of the Sword, he’s an Arknian — we’re just
dirt under his boot.\n“Who’s gonna rein him in?”
His story over, Tommas leaves your office.\nWasting no time, you head for the Magra
Armory, the headquarters of the province’s High Commander.
You approach the ancient barracks built of ruddy-red stone. Between those walls and
the outside world stands a tall fence; the same fence encircles the field nearby.
Ever since the old days of the Arknian Republic, this has been the training ground
of the armed militia.\nIt does not take you long to find Otton. He is in a square
in front of the Armory, inspecting the uniforms of lined-up Legion troops, looking
intently for faults.
“Captain! If I notice that even one of your hundred troops is not in compliance
with the uniform code, I will take it as a personal insult. You don’t wish to
insult my honor, do you, Captain?”
The Legion captain in question stands before him. He promises to do his best, his
voice shaking.\nSatisfied, Otton takes a seat and begins reading an essay on
military strategy.\nYou seize this opportune moment to approach the commander,
tactfully draw his attention, and introduce yourself.
“Brante…? Oh yes. Aren't you the same young man my old servant girl Sophia got
mixed up with? I wonder what happened to that little tart…
“So you grew up to become a Prefecture judge, I see. Not much of a step up from a
commoner… but I will grant you a bit of my time. What brings you here?”
You explain: you are here to petition for Captain Tommas Guerro. \nHe will never
reject a duel when his honor is on the line, but Sir Otton must surely realize that
the duel will not be an even one.\nWould the esteemed High Commander of Magra be
kind enough to choose a different officer for his exercise? Surely a sword master
such as the esteemed Sir Otton can find no shortage of clumsy lowborn soldiers to
duel?
“You think I don’t know what I want, Brante? You think I can’t decide for myself?
That son of a whore Guerro had the nerve to disobey my orders! He insulted me, and
I will not allow such a stain upon the honor of my family. You think your pitiful
excuses will change this?”
You humbly ask the commander to show mercy to a man who was but a commoner a few
years before.
“Show mercy, you say? Well then… I agree, but only on one condition: he must quit
my Legion immediately. I will strip him of his captain’s rank and pay, and then he
will leave and never show himself again, or that will be his final insult.
“If your pitiful friend is willing to throw away a noble title and end his days in
poverty, then I have no desire to fight him. No Arknian would ever duel such lowly
filth. \n“Tell him to bring me his letter of resignation in person.
“Remember this: I granted you my time only because of all the pleasant memories of
my Sophia… do not expect me to hear your groveling again in the future. You and
your family ought to consider whether scum such as Guerro is worth your trouble.”
It’s time to break the news to Tommas.\nHe looks very conflicted when he learns of
the deal you have struck with Otton.
“Really? Otton agreed to let me leave the Legion? I can’t believe he even bothered
to hear you out! Does that mean I’m finally free from his harassment? Thank you, my
friend — you’ve saved me from true death!
“I have to think about this. But, one way or another, you’ve bought me some time.
And I still have two lives left — all thanks to you, buddy!”
With a heavy sigh, you remind Tommas how you chose not to swear an oath you would
not be able to keep.
You are no longer the boy next door who could help him out in a fight at a moment’s
notice. \nYou are a Prefecture judge now. Being his second in the duel would make
you an accomplice to a crime.
Tommas hears you out calmly.\nHis bright eyes, however, grow more dull and dead
with every word you utter.
“You’re right, Brante. Damn, you’re always right… so I guess I’m alone in this.
Well, I didn’t go to the Military Academy just to fear true death.”
Tommas bids you farewell, and the door closes behind him. Tomorrow he will face
certain death yet again.\nYou are left alone in your quiet, empty office.
The Case against Otton
The day after your meeting with Tommas, time slows to a crawl. As you examine one
case after another, you cannot help but think back to your friend and his fate,
again and again.\nThere is a knock at the door. Baron El Borne, the Prefect, has
decided to pay you a visit.
“I have a matter to discuss with you, Brante. Would you mind if we take a walk?
It’s getting a bit stuffy in here…”
The Prefect clearly wants to discuss something in private.\nYou walk down the
stairs together and leave the Prefecture.
Soon, the two of you are walking down the noisy streets of the Brass District. The
wind is strong today, the gray sky mercifully overcast. The people around you are
bartering, buying, and selling eagerly; the streets are full of craftsmen and
factory workers. Merchant carts squeak as they roll down the streets.\nThe head of
the Prefecture looks more worried than usual, lost in thought as he observes the
bustling street life around him.
“Brante, do you recall how we talked about the tyranny of the nobility in the
province? Dorius Otton, the High Commander of Magra, is on a murderous spree. He
challenges his subordinates to a duel for the slightest infraction and slaughters
them with impunity. \n“If our law is unable to protect anyone from the violent
tyranny of the Arknians, who will ever respect the law? It’s time we put an end to
this.
“As long as I’m in charge of the Prefecture, establishing the rule of law over
people of all estates and titles is our most important task.\n“But people like
Otton stand in our way — people who think themselves above the law. We need to
prove them wrong.
“I have been informed that Otton has pressured your childhood friend, Captain
Tommas Guerro, into a duel. And I believe Sir Guerro has sought your assistance in
private. Am I right?”
You admit that it is so. Indeed, as an old friend, Tommas is counting on you to
defend him.
“And so, young Brante, I believe that to be reason enough to entrust this case to
you officially.
“If you find yourself doubting your abilities, know that you are my best candidate.
No other judge would have the courage to prosecute an Arknian — that, and I trust
you more than any ordinary judge.\n“I spoke to your father, but even he would not
accept this undertaking. He says your family has worked too hard to be ennobled by
the Sword to risk it all now… but you bear no such burden, do you?
“As it stands right now, sentencing an Arknian to even to the smallest punishment
is unthinkable. But, drop by drop, water can wear down any stone. We will make our
way to Otton, but we must do it slowly and carefully.\n“What we need is a perfectly
prepared case. We need you to find enough incontrovertible evidence and enough
witnesses who are willing to testify in court.
“But I’m sure you realize that even this won’t be enough to force an Arknian to go
to trial, don’t you, <username>? We have to change the unspoken rules in our city
and province. We’ll start with lower-ranking people, lower-ranking cases, and,
little by little, we’ll establish rules that even highborn nobles will have to
obey.”
All of a sudden, El Borne stops. Standing in the middle of a street bustling with
life, he points out a number of commoners hurrying about their business.
“Just look — all these people need to know that there is such a thing as justice.
The law must apply to them all, no matter their Lot, whether suffering, praying, or
ruling… they need to know they can rely on us judges to enforce the law against
anyone and everyone.\n“I am counting on you in this, Sir Brante.”
You stand motionless as El Borne studies you intently. \nFrom now on, from this
moment forth, you will prosecute a case against the High Commander of Magra, a
highborn Arknian from an ancient dynasty. This is a pivotal moment in your destiny
and your career. You could rise higher than ever, or plunge into obscurity and
ruin.
You decide to talk about Tommas and his fate. Right now he represents your best
chance at getting Otton indicted, but there is absolutely no guarantee he will live
to speak at trial.\nIf you are to oversee this case, ensuring his safety has to be
the first thing you do.
“You’re right, Brante. We need Tommas Guerro to see this to the end. But remember —
this is about more than just your friend and his fate. This is a matter of law and
justice for the entire province! The peril to Sir Tommas’s life is great indeed,
but if you openly defy the High Commander right now, your standing will suffer
accordingly.
“You could find a safe shelter for Sir Tommas, away from Otton. But if Tommas
remains in the city, he might be of use when you begin looking for Otton’s other
victims.\n“I realize you are looking for a way to rescue your friend, but right now
we must all use caution, lest our entire cause suffer. \n“What say you, <username>?
What is your plan?”
Let Tommas roam freely
Have Tommas taken into custody
Send Tommas out of Anizotte
Convince Tommas to leave the Legion
You choose to exercise caution and refrain from getting involved in Tommas’s fate.
You get Tommas framed and taken to prison, all to keep him safe from another duel.
You pressure El Borne to give you a squad of gendarmes to ensure that Tommas is
well guarded.
Thanks to the deal you struck with Otton, you convince your friend to leave
military service and give him some money to live on for the time being.
You inform the prefect that observing Tommas without interference would be the best
course of action right now. \nThe time to counter Otton with decisive action has
not yet come. You must not put the entire cause at risk just to save one man, even
if that man is a key witness.
“In all honesty, Brante, I have to admit you’re right. We can only hope Sir Tommas
has what it takes to fend for himself.
“For now, this course of action should keep your position as a judge safe and
secure, without drawing the ire of the high nobility.
“Well, we should get back to work. Begin preparing the case at once.”
Back at the office, you send a note to Tommas’s address — a brief request to visit
you at the Prefecture as soon as possible.\nHe returns to your office that evening.
You have not seen him for just one day, but he looks a decade older. It pains you
to see him so downcast.
You explain the situation to him, carefully choosing your words.\nOtton is well on
his way toward being punished for his crimes. You are building a case against the
High Commander of Magra.\nBut you need evidence to prove Otton’s guilt, and you
hope Tommas will help you find it.
You are going to do everything you can to stop Otton’s murderous rampage, but you
have neither the authority nor the connections to protect Tommas at present.\nYour
friend will have to be prepared to fend for himself.
Tommas hunches over, his exhaustion showing, and gazes at you dully.
“Just taking on a case against that Arknian means a lot to me. I agree to bear
witness. Do whatever you can. Life goes on. I’ll go back to the Legion and do all I
can to stay out of Otton’s way. I'll be fine.”
Tommas shakes your hand. It takes him a significant effort to rise from his seat
and walk out the door. \nYou remain in your chair, deep in thought.\nYour friend is
still in danger. When will Otton be reminded of his existence next? At least your
own position is safe for now.
You inform El Borne that you have a plan to protect Tommas, but the prefect need
not know the details. It will be safer for everyone this way.
“That it will, Brante. You are the only one who truly knows how to help your
friend. Proceed, then. My only request is that you remain within the law at all
times.”
You assure the prefect that the law will not be broken. On the contrary, it will be
enforced with prejudice.
“I will leave that to your conscience, then. We should get back to work. Begin
preparing the case at once.”
But you have news. Otton is well on his way toward being punished for his crimes.\
nYou are building a case against the High Commander of Magra, and Tommas absolutely
has to participate in the trial as the main witness and tell the whole truth about
the lawless tyranny of the haughty Arknian.
Upon hearing these words, Tommas stands tall again. You spy a wicked spark in his
eyes, a glimmer familiar from the years when you both were young.
“My oh my, the Brante boy next door wants to put an Arknian behind bars! Count me
in, buddy. I’ll bear witness alright, and I’m gonna have myself a good rant about
that highborn bastard!”
You ask your friend to pace himself for now. First of all, Tommas needs protection
against Otton’s harassment. And you have a plan for that.\nYou will start building
a case of illegal dueling, but introduce the facts in a different way. It will look
like Tommas was the one who initiated the duel, and you will personally sentence
him to a term in prison and temporary revocation of the sword.\nThis way Otton will
be unable to reach Tommas or challenge him again. Tommas will remain safe for
several months.
“You want to put me in jail? Isn’t that too much? How’s that going to affect my
standing in the Legion? But my only alternative is dueling Otton again… okay, do
what you must! I’ll put my trust in you, even if it means spending a couple of
months behind bars. It shouldn’t be any worse than our barracks.”
That settled, you write an order to imprison Captain Tommas Guerro for inciting a
duel with his superior, Sir Dorius Otton.\nAll that is left now is to summon the
gendarmes and have them seize Tommas’s sword and take him to prison.
You calmly watch your friend being put in shackles. He manages a sly wink before
being led out of your office.\nNow Captain Guerro should be locked in a dark cell
and kept safe and sound by the Prefecture. Not even an Arknian High Commander has
the power to pull get to him there.
But your gambit does not go unnoticed.\nOne of the judges at the Prefecture learns
about your order and starts spreading rumors among the other nobles, claiming you
besmirched the good name of Sir Dorius Otton. \nAfter all, you have created a
written record of Otton being challenged to a duel by one of his own captains — a
considerable mark of shame for an Arknian High Commander!
The nobles are talking about it now. This will surely attract Otton’s unwanted
attention to the case and make your work as a judge more difficult…
You assure the Prefect that Tommas is a crucial witness — without his statement,
the case will fall short of its goal. He will speak at the trial because he is your
friend. Few other people would willingly testify against a highborn Arknian.\nYou
have to keep Captain Guerro safe from Otton’s harassment.
El Borne himself has entrusted you with the Otton's case. He has to support you and
help the Prefecture keep Tommas safe.\nAnd the only way to keep Tommas safe is to
take him out of the city and keep him well guarded.
Baron El Borne rubs the bridge of his nose, agitated by your words.
“That’s a dangerous first move, Brante. Acting like this is bound to attract
Otton’s attention sooner than necessary. But you gave me your word, and I have no
reason to doubt your loyalties. If you think this is crucial, I am ready to take
the risk.
“But Captain Guerro is still a subordinate of Commander Otton’s, is he not? I do
not condone desertion. How will you explain his disappearance?”
You tell him about your plan to send Tommas, guarded by several gendarmes, to the
village of Sulmina, which he recently taxed on Otton’s orders.\nThe villagers are
still grateful to him for saving them from the commander’s ire over the unpaid tax,
so they will provide him with a safe haven for a time — hopefully long enough for
Otton to forget he exists.\nReluctantly, El Borne accepts your plan.
“I’m sure you realize that such a plan cannot possibly be sanctioned by the
prefect. Very well, prepare and execute the escape — I shall overlook this
transgression. Use extra caution. My reputation is at stake, along with yours.”
You ask your friend to pace himself for now. First of all, Tommas needs protection
against Otton’s persecution. \nAnd you have a plan for that.
“Wow, it’s like our school days all over again! I’m listening!”
That very night you and Tommas leave the city in a carriage with blocked-out
windows, accompanied by a squad of gendarmes. \nCaptain Linad, the leader of the
squad, soon grows suspicious of the situation.
“Your honor, may I ask my we’re heading out in the middle of the night? Pardon me
for speaking out of line, sir, but there’s something fishy about this…”
You nip the gendarmes’ doubt in the bud. They are soldiers in service to the law
and the Prefecture, and your word is the will of the law. So they had better
respect the glory of the nobility and follow the orders of their superior!\nYou
take command of the gendarme squad for the rest of the journey.\nThough displeased,
Captain Linad has no choice but to relinquish his authority.
You reach the village of Sulmina by sunrise. You see a handful of houses huddled at
the foot of a mountain ridge, their outlines emerging from the morning mist.
“Well, no one’s gonna bother me here, I’m sure of that. And I don’t see the locals
betraying me either. Thank you, my friend. I hope we see each other again soon.”
After a heartfelt goodbye, you make your way back to Anizotte, exhausted by the
long trip.
Unexpectedly, the entire Prefecture soon learns about your suspicious midnight
visit to Sulmina.\nDid that snake in the grass Captain Linad spread the word? Or
was this the handiwork of one of your enemies? You never learn the truth. \nYou do,
however, find an acceptable excuse: Captain Guerro was sent to the village with a
squad of gendarmes on your orders to make sure the village’s taxes had been
collected properly. Sir El Borne has no choice but to issue you an official
reprimand for taking an unsanctioned action.\nTommas remains safe for now. But your
progress on the case of Dorius Otton has slowed down.
You inform the prefect that the safety of Tommas Guerro is already assured — you
asked Otton to spare him. \nAll that remains is for Tommas to submit his letter of
resignation from the Legion and reject his officer’s rank and noble title. Once
that is done, he will be safe.
“Is that true, Brante? Sir Otton actually took your request to heart? Color me
amazed! I wonder what the commander would say if he knew he was aiding his own
accuser… this will be a major blow to Sir Guerro’s honor, but the safety of our
most crucial witness will be assured.
“I will leave this matter to you, then. We should get back to work. Begin preparing
the case at once.”
You ask your friend to pace himself for now — what Tommas needs right now is
protection against Otton’s harassment.\nYou have struck a deal with the commander.
It is crucial that Tommas accept this deal and leave the Legion. This means his
days as an officer and a nobleman will end, but his life will continue, free from
Otton’s endless persecution.
“Oh… I didn’t expect being ennobled by the Mantle to be like this. My parents
worked their fingers to bone to send me to the Academy, and I wanted to leave the
commoner’s Lot behind me for good. Living a free life, fighting the good fight,
defending the Empire from any threat…and this is what the Empire gives me in
return.
“Yeah, buddy… I was so naive. Life doesn’t work that way, it turns out… being a
noble doesn’t mean being free — on the contrary! Every day you do nothing but bow
to all the people who can’t wait to order you around… I’m less free now than I ever
was.
“I need a moment to pull myself together. Then I’ll go to Otton and submit my
letter. Just the thought of giving him my sword and leaving the uniform behind
hurts so much! But at least I’ll be alive. Guess it’s time to remember the lowborn
Lot.”
From within your desk you produce a hefty bag full of gold coins. You push the bag
closer to Tommas.\nHe stares back at you, uneasy, not sure what it means.\nYou
follow up the gift with an explanation: losing his sword and title means losing his
pay, but you would never abandon your friend in his hour of need. The contents of
the bag should be enough for him to get a fresh start.
“You don’t have to do that! But… thank you, thank you, my friend. I’ll never forget
what you’ve done for me! Whatever happens, you can count on me anytime.”
Inspired by your support, Tommas gets up from his seat and absentmindedly adjusts
his sword. He notices this habit and chuckles sadly, then unbuckles the sword and
leaves.\nYour friend’s noble rank and title are forfeit, but he will remain safe.
You are left alone in your office again — alone with a case against a highborn
Arknian who could annihilate you utterly with a single word.
The Search for Evidence
You are walking up the marble stairs that lead to the doors of the Prefecture. The
sword of the Younger Twin, carved from stone, looms above the doors — just as the
case of Dorius Otton now looms over you.\nPreparing this case will take many long
months, or even years — the words of Prefect El Borne are evidence enough of that.
And time and again you will ask yourself: are you ready to see this case through to
the end?
Father meets you at the stairs.\nAnd, judging by the dour look about him, news of
your most recent case has already reached him.
“Son… I didn’t want to discuss this back home. El Borne is our friend, and I stand
by him at all times. But he’s dragged you into something that is far too dangerous.
“I’m not going to repeat your grandfather’s mistakes, so I won’t tell my son how to
live his life or what to do. \n“But I ask you to please consider our family… would
it be worth it to let us come to harm, even if the triumph of justice and law is at
stake?
“There are already rumors at the Prefecture: they say you’re getting ready to
summon a highborn Arknian to court. Soon these rumors will spread beyond the
Prefecture walls.\n“You and I are both Brantes. Perhaps we ought to stay away from
something so dangerous… some battles are too ugly for us to win.\n“You can always
slow down the process and bide your time with routine paperwork, avoid attracting
unwanted attention…
“This way your career and our family honor would not be at risk. Trust me in this,
son — rather than making a selfless sacrifice, we can achieve far more through
tireless service for the good of the law.”
You promise Father you will consider his words. You say goodbye and return to your
office.\nYou are at a crossroads. If you are to make any headway in the case
against Otton, you have to start now, while the trail of his misdeeds is still
fresh.
You have little firsthand knowledge of Otton’s criminal wrongdoings — only Tommas’s
stories and what you have seen for yourself. Turning this case into a trial
requires far more evidence than that.\nYour friend could be the key to the entire
case — if he can help you find the other men who have suffered under the
remorseless Arknian. But Tommas is a hunted man. He has every reason to lay low and
steer clear of the courthouse.
If Tommas can put you in touch with other victims and witnesses among the soldiers
and officers of the Legion, perhaps you could gather evidence yourself…\nbut the
Legion may meet a lone outsider such as you with too much resistance. Things might
get ugly.
You consider your options. Apart from Tommas, who else could help you gather
compelling evidence against the commander?\nOtton is an Arknian from an ancient
dynasty. Anyone involved will hold their tongue, no matter what. The way things are
right now, not a single soul would risk angering the Ottons to aid a middling judge
from an unknown family.\nUnless… unless an even more highborn Arknian chooses to
support your cause.
Gaius Tempest, the Imperial Overseer of Magra. The Emperor’s own brother. Every
aristocrat in the province knows he detests Dorius Otton for remaining loyal to
Archduke Milanidas.\nEnsuring the Overseer’s support would increase your authority
greatly — and give you a chance to gather evidence against Otton without Tommas
lifting a finger.
But the Imperial Overseer is one step above the prefect, your immediate superior.
You can only address Gaius Tempest directly if you keep it a secret from El Borne.\
nCommunicating directly with the Overseer of the province means defying your
loyalty to El Borne. Are you willing to do this?
Puzzled, you start pacing around your office.\nIt’s time to decide how you will
begin this case. Depending on what you choose, the case against Otton could lead to
you to unprecedented success… or end your career, or even your very life.
Ask Tommas to help you gather evidence
Ask Overseer Gaius for support
Search for evidence on your own
Don’t waste your time
Your friend is still in the city. He could introduce you to other people who have
suffered at Otton’s hands — but at the cost of his own safety.
You directly address Gaius Tempest, Overseer of Magra, and request expanded
authority to gather evidence against his adversary Gaius Otton.
You set off to find the trail of Otton’s misdeeds on your own… even though having
no support could spell great danger for you.
The case against Commander Otton is too much of a risk. You dedicate yourself to
other cases at the Prefecture instead.
Tommas is trying his best to keep out of Otton’s way, but justice demands evidence,
so he has to help you gather it.\nYou send Tommas a request to meet with you, fully
confident that your friend will not turn you away.
Tommas takes almost no time to reply, just as you expected. \nYou meet at one of
his favorite taverns in the Brass District.
“Honestly, pal, I gotta be as quiet as a temple mouse right now, or else His
Excellency might remember I exist. But I guess there’s no way around it if it’s the
only way to get the bastard…\n“It’s a deal, <username>. I’ll introduce you to all
the Legion men I know. Down your glass, and let’s go!”
Together you visit a number of Legion officers who have already met a lesser death
in a duel with Otton — all of them nobles of the Mantle, ennobled only recently,
young and full of potential to serve the good of the Empire.\nNone of them are
eager to speak of the duel; all of them are anxious to avoid getting challenged
again. For many of them, another duel would be their last.
“You have to trust us, please! I suffered at his hands just like you, but I won’t
let him get away with it! Don’t you want the Arknians to stop threatening us with
violence all the time? All of us? You? All the fresh recruits for the Legion? Judge
Brante is gonna see this through to the end, he’s gonna indict him — and Otton’s
Arknian ancestry isn’t gonna stand in his way!”
Tommas’s fervor tips the scales. His surviving brothers-in-arms from the Legion
finally agree to have their statements committed to ink and paper.\nTheir testimony
paints a picture. There is a method to Otton’s madness, you realize: all of the
officers disobeyed the commander at least once or expressed their disagreement, no
matter how respectfully.
More and more officers are starting to realize that Otton’s loyalty lies with
Archduke Milanidas, and not his lawful superior the Overseer, so more and more
officers are getting challenged by Otton.\nHave Otton’s duels gone beyond his
passion for sword fighting? Were they just an excuse to eliminate any suspicion of
his treason?
The relatives of the officers who have met true death in a duel are the hardest to
convince. Widows, mothers, fathers — they all say the same thing with the same grim
expression: they have nothing to complain about; nothing can be done anymore; the
officer met his death in the line of duty; and that is all.\nBut Tommas is
persistent, and eventually he persuades them to admit that their husbands and
relatives all met their end at Otton’s hands.
In all those duels and deaths, you begin to notice a trend:\nNone of them were
sanctioned or monitored by the Court of Honor. Noble tradition demands that every
sword fight be sanctioned by noble society and overseen by a representative of the
Court of Honor.\nSo Otton thinks himself above even the noble traditions of old?
When all is done, you thank Tommas from the bottom of your heart: you would have
never taken these statements without his aid.
“It’s nothing. We’re friends, aren’t we? It’s high time someone put an end to his
beastly behavior. I’ll always be there to help you beat down that ugly blue
freak. \n“But I’d better lay low for now — if Otton hears of me snooping around
with you and asking about his duels, it’ll be curtains for me!”
The once-thin folder against Otton grows fatter by the day as you write down every
instance and incident, every name, every circumstance.\nOne day, Prefect El Borne
pays you a visit to see your progress firsthand.
“You’ve done great work, Brante! Commander Otton isn’t even bothering to cover his
tracks, I must say…. this evidence alone would be enough to indict anyone — anyone
save for an Arknian nobleman, sadly.
“So your work here is far from over: I see you realize that. The way things stand
right now, summoning an Arknian to trial in a court of law would indict us rather
than him. It would be best to postpone the case for now, but keep the folder safe
and secure.
“If we want to have any chance of getting him indicted in court, we need to make
the nobles in the province recognize duels as acts of murder. This means defying a
tradition of old — a road perilous and seldom traveled. It means enforcing the rule
of law over the Anizotte gentry.\n“For now, Sir Brante, return to your other
duties, and pay particular attention to any dueling incidents.\n“We will take our
next step against Sir Otton when the time is right.”
You were ennobled by the Mantle, and only recently at that, yet the Imperial
Overseer should pay heed to your letter if your interests happen to align with
his.\nThe reputation of the Brante family among the nobility of Magra is high
enough to make Gaius Tempest at least consider a petition from a young judge.
You compose the letter to Gaius Tempest slowly and carefully, doing your best to
avoid openly incriminating Otton. Through subtle hints placed here and there, you
inform the Overseer that you might be useful to him in establishing order in the
province as he sees fit and neutralizing his opposition along the way.\nYou are
ready and willing to gather evidence that will implicate Otton in treason. All you
need is the authority to represent the Overseer in this matter.
At last, the letter is finished and sealed with the Brante family crest: a branch
of vert wrapped in a heavy chain.\nTo your surprise, the Overseer’s reply arrives
just a few days later.
“Judge Brante, your eagerness to serve the Overseer is praiseworthy indeed. One
does not doubt the good intentions of the Brante family, whose reputation precedes
them. The future of the Empire rests upon the shoulders of young nobles such as
yourself.
“As the supreme commander of Magra, I cannot condone such lawless behavior in my
Legion. It is your duty to investigate the Legion officer tainted by such
allegations, and no one may interfere with the performance of your duty.
“You will soon receive a document to the effect that you represent the interests of
the Imperial Overseer in this investigation. However, do not make haste to
publicize any evidence you might gather — this matter is too delicate to act
recklessly. \n“You will receive word when the time is right. From this moment on,
Sir Brante, the Imperial Overseer holds you personally responsible for this
endeavor!”
With your authority thus expanded, you begin the investigation at once.\nThe fiat
of Gaius Tempest is enough to open doors and make people talk. No official employed
by the Imperial Legion can refuse an inquiry made with the Overseer’s authority.
You soon learn the names of several Legion officers who have already met a lesser
death in a duel with Otton — all of them nobles of the Mantle, ennobled only
recently, young and full of potential to serve the good of the Empire.\nNone of
them are eager to speak of the duel; all of them are anxious to avoid getting
challenged again. For many of them, another duel would be their last.
They finally agree to have their statements committed to ink and paper only after
you reassure them again and again that their testimony will put an end to Otton’s
murderous rampage.\nTheir statements paint a picture. There is a method to Otton’s
madness, you realize: all of the officers disobeyed the commander at least once or
expressed their disagreement, no matter how respectfully.
The relatives of the officers who have met true death in a duel are the hardest to
convince. Widows, mothers, fathers — they all say the same thing with the same grim
expression: they have nothing to complain about; nothing can be done anymore; the
officer met his death in the line of duty; and that is all.\nBut you are
persistent, and eventually you persuade them to admit that their husbands and
relatives all met their end at Otton’s hands.
The once-thin folder against Otton grows fatter by the day as you write down every
instance and incident, every name, every circumstance.\nOne day, Prefect El Borne
pays you a visit to see your progress firsthand. You show him the results, but
wisely refrain from mentioning the aid you have received from Gaius Tempest or the
loyalty you have sworn to the Overseer in return.
“You’ve done great work, Brante! I’m quite surprised you’ve managed to gather all
this evidence on your own! Commander Otton isn’t even bothering to cover his
tracks, I must say…. this evidence alone would be enough to indict anyone — anyone
save for an Arknian nobleman, sadly.
“If we want to have any chance of getting him indicted in court, we need to make
the nobles in the province recognize duels as acts of murder. This means defying a
tradition of old — a road perilous and seldom traveled. It means enforcing the rule
of law over the Anizotte gentry.\n“For now, Sir Brante, return to your other
duties, and pay particular attention to any dueling incidents. We will take our
next step against Sir Otton when the time is right.”
You decide to gather the evidence entirely on your own. \nYou begin investigating
the crimes committed by Otton without anyone else’s support.
You start with the Imperial Legion. After plenty of inquiries, demands, and
threats, you finally get a list of Otton’s other victims.\nList in hand, you go to
the Armory of Anizotte. There you meet the Legion officers who have already met a
lesser death in a duel with the Arknian — all of them nobles of the Mantle,
ennobled only recently, young and full of potential to serve the good of the
Empire.\nThey are all anxious to avoid getting challenged again. For many of them,
another duel would be their last.
None of them are eager to provide written statements about their duels — it would
be improper for a soldier to bear witness against his commander, the latter’s
conduct notwithstanding.\nThey finally agree to have their testimony committed to
ink and paper only after you reassure them again and again that their statements
will put an end to Otton’s murderous rampage.
Their stories paint a clear picture, you realize. There is a method to Otton’s
madness: all of the officers disobeyed the commander at least once or expressed
their disagreement, no matter how respectfully.
Once all the officers’ statements have been collected, you make your way back from
the Legion barracks as the sun sets beyond the horizon. The night grows dark.\nYou
hear a sudden thundering of boots. Several bulky silhouettes emerge from the dark
behind you.\nYou quicken your pace, and the strangers break into a run.
You turn around and draw your sword. Your pursuers encircle you as they draw
theirs. \nYou stand ready to defend your life.
The strangers attack. Their faces are concealed, but their fighting style betrays
their Legion training. You abandon any hope of launching a counterattack and focus
on defense, somehow deflecting every single blow.\nThen you see an opening and dash
towards the nearest home, your back now safely pressed against a wall.
The assassins get closer and form a half-circle around you. You have nowhere to run
now.\nYou meet them with a flurry of desperate slashes, doing everything you can to
keep them away, but your strength is already ebbing with every deflected blow. \
nThen, finally, you are felled by a blade in the stomach.
The assailants form a tight circle around you, blocking out the darkening sky.\
nThen you hear a gruff, unfamiliar voice: “We’ve got a message for you, sir: mind
your own business.”
The soldier steps on your chest and stabs you in the throat with his sword.\nYou
choke on your own blood, shudder, and die.\nDeath comes quickly, almost painlessly.
You can feel the world again. The cold stone of the tomb. A weak gust of stagnant
air.\nYou rise again from the stone slab in the middle of your family crypt and
look closely at your arm. A new black mark encircles it. Little else has changed in
your body born anew, although getting used to it will take some time.\nThis death
is behind you now. It’s time to return to your life.
You go to work in the morning as usual. \nHaving returned to life, you do all you
can to ensure that nobody learns about your death. Any attempt to find your killers
and bring them to justice would only hinder your progress in the case. Those Legion
soldiers were just following orders — and it’s not difficult to figure out whose.
For now, you do your best to recover and commit to paper every instance and
incident, every name, every circumstance. The once-thin folder against Otton grows
fatter by the day.\nOne day, Prefect El Borne pays you a visit to see your progress
firsthand.
Father is right. There is no reason to risk your wellbeing and the wellbeing of
your friends and family like this. \nThis way you will not antagonize the
aristocracy. With no noble human or Arknian perceiving you as a threat, your career
will be secure, and it may even flourish.\nYou will refrain from pursuing Otton for
now and commit only the minimum effort necessary to this case.
Without leaving your office, you draw up a detailed list of Otton’s potential
transgressions — and indicate that acquiring credible evidence for these crimes is
currently impossible.
The Legion officers who have fallen victim to Otton’s sword are unlikely to speak
of the duels, anxious as they are to avoid getting challenged again. For many of
them, another duel would be their last.\nThe lack of formal complaints from the
officers or their families makes inaction even easier. The officers met their death
in the line of duty; what else is there to say?
You add these conclusions to the thin folder against Otton, then file it away and
move on to other cases.\nOne day, Prefect El Borne pays you a visit to see your
progress firsthand.
“Are you saying you’ve learned nothing else of note, Brante? What a pity. The
Legion soldiers are not the only ones who fear Commander Otton, it seems… I hoped
you would be braver than your father. But this is understandable. \n“A dangerous
case like this is nothing but a hindrance to a promising young judge who seeks to
advance his career, is it not?
“Well then… it saddens me to say it, but so far we lack the evidence to have the
commander indicted — especially since he is a highborn Arknian. \n“But this is only
the beginning. The situation could change at any time. I see you’ve put away
Otton’s case to focus on others — quite sensible, seeing as we have no alternative
right now.
At the end of the day, you run into your father on the way out of the office.\nAs
you go down the winding staircase leading to the exit, he gives you a quick hug
when no one is looking.
“I spoke with El Borne, <username>. He’s disappointed in you, but don’t take it
personally. You chose to avoid the ire of people more powerful than us — you did
the right thing. It’s much easier for El Borne to get involved is something like
this. He’s a baron and a noble of the Sword — an Arknian’s word won’t be enough to
have him executed.\n“You, on the other hand, don’t have that privilege. You can’t
bring any hope or justice to this world if you’re dead.
“This case… it’s much more serious than it may seem. Even Sir Otton, highborn
Arknian though he is, is just a pawn in a much larger game. The Brante family would
do well to stay off the board entirely.”
A Realm Unknown
The sun is setting on a cold, windy day as you return from the Prefecture.\nTo your
surprise, a messenger awaits you at the door with an urgent letter from Sir El
Borne.\nYou open the letter.
“Brante, there is an urgent case that I must entrust to you. We have just received
a report of a secret society formed by young nobles. The Archduke’s family may be
involved. This concerns me. I suspect a possible plot to depose Overseer Tempest.
“Normally the Secret Chancellery handles all such cases, but I’d rather investigate
the rumors of the plot before there is any action. Preventing unnecessary bloodshed
and disgrace would be prudent. \n“You are to investigate this matter as soon as
possible.
“The gendarmes tracked down a suspicious nobleman by the name of Alexis El Lance.
Based on his confession, a meeting of this society will be held tonight.
Unfortunately, this is all we were able to learn from him. The El Lance family is
of too high standing for more thorough questioning.
“Fortunately, all members of this secret society wear masks when attending
meetings. We have acquired El Lance’s personal mask and will ensure that he is late
to the meeting. You should be able to impersonate him quite easily.\n“You are to
attend the meeting tonight and learn as much as possible about this secret society.
This will allow us to foil a dangerous plot — or save many young people from the
Secret Chancellery.”
The letter includes a delicate gilded mask of intricate workmanship.\nFortunately,
it fits your face perfectly.\nIt seem your plans for tonight have changed.
Following the prefect’s instructions, you come at the appointed hour to an
inconspicuous mansion on the edge of Anizotte with a spacious yard and a tall fence
around it.\nThe gatekeepers bow and open the gate as soon as they see you — it
seems the mask is enough to convince them you belong inside. \nInside the yard, you
see noble carriages — many more than you had expected.
You are ushered into a dressing room of sorts.\nA change of clothes already awaits
you inside. It is a curious garb: a square of flowing, sparkling cloth with clasps
and cords to keep it from unwrapping. You have never seen anything like it.\nWith
this strange robe and the gilded mask over your normal clothes and face, you cannot
help but feel rather silly. This attire feels positively unsuitable for any kind of
plotting or scheming!
Next, you proceed to a large room. The windows are covered in black cloth to keep
prying eyes away, but you forget about it moments later.\nWhat seems to be a
strange performance is playing out before your very eyes.\nYou hear droning,
unfamiliar music coming seemingly from nowhere. You see candlelight dancing and
glimmering. Ribbons of gold and silver are hung along the walls as decorations. And
there are people, many people — like you, they are dressed in flowing robes and
delicate gilded masks with narrow slits for eyes.
The people are talking. They stand unexpectedly close to one another, their hands
on each other’s shoulders.\nYou approach one of the groups, hoping to overhear the
subject of their conversation, but you almost recoil when several arms reach out at
once, attempting to grasp you tenderly by the shoulder.\nSteeling yourself, you put
a hand on another person’s forearm. \nThe masked people seem friendly and genial.
No one appears surprised by your insecurity.
And their conversations are also quite out of the ordinary.\nYou hear unfamiliar
names, names that could belong to legendary heroes of old, or to the people here
who have taken them as secret identities. You hear mentions of books you do not
know and emotions they felt while reading them.\nTheir conversations feel like a
strange dream.
You hear several voices singing in a far-off corner of the room. There are no
lyrics to the song — each voice maintains its own note.\nTogether these voices form
a tender, softly aching melody. It feels enrapturing, it spirits you away — you
feel so distant now from the purpose of your visit, so withdrawn from the judge’s
trade, so far away from the Empire and from your very self…
A hand touches your shoulder, bringing you back to your senses. A pair of familiar
eyes look at you intently from behind a glinting, greenish-silver mask.\nThey
belong to Octavia.\nYou pull back and bow to the Archduke’s daughter.
“I believe I recognize the man behind this mask… I never expected to see you here
today, my extraordinary human.\n“But I must behave here. You’d best do the same. We
are not alone — it would be best if we are not seen too close to one another.
“As for this place, Sir Brante… allow me to explain. This is my Circle of La-Tari.
And before you ask, no, we do not plot, nor do we scheme. We have removed ourselves
as far as possible from such machinations.
“This place is a little world of our own, a brief respite from tradition and noble
customs and other such fuss. Our gathering is but a pretense, a game of make-
believe. We pretend we are neither nobles, nor citizens of the Blessed Empire, nor
humans, nor Arknians, but the La-Tari. Do you know what this word means?
“I would not be surprised if you have never heard of the La-Tari. These days the
people of La-Tari are mentioned only in rare historical works. \n“Long before us,
in an age when this land was fertile and green, the La-Tari lived upon the land
that would become Magra. They were masters of a remarkable art: they could create
worlds from nothing but their conscious minds.
“Many of these people come here for simple entertainment and a brief taste of
freedom. Others seek a respite from the binding customs of the noble Lot. Still
others feel encumbered by their Blood Tides and ancestral obligations.\n“Only here
are we fully free from the burden of our past and our present.
“Yet some among us seek more than brief moments of freedom. They are drawn here by
a fascination with the La-Tari and their idea that our entire existence can be
shaped by the mind alone.
“We strive to know the La-Tari people for ourselves. We strive to continue their
teachings. We strive to become them. \n“If we happen to master the art of shaping
worlds from our own minds, we may yet break free of the trap that is this harsh
existence…”
Surprised by this, you ask her why she is telling you this so openly. She knows
that the rituals of extinct races are held in the same regard as magic, and
punishable as such…\nIn response to your question, Octavia suddenly takes off her
golden mask — and reveals a slight smile on her once-hidden face.
“May your voice ne’er speak words of deceit;\nTo great shame lies the path of
untruth.\nWhere an Arknian lies, where a human denies,\nThe La-Tari speak truly,
forsooth.
“I’m not afraid. The truth of the La-Tari matters more to me than any persecution.\
n“You came here in secret and wearing a mask, which means the Prefecture has taken
an interest in my little gatherings. But I am confident you will describe this as
an innocent club of young nobles and keep our fragile world from prying eyes and
ears. Would you do this for me, <username> Brante?”
These words spoken by Octavia sound more like an assertion than a question.\nBut
you are in no hurry to respond. \nYour thoughts are tangled, lost among the echoing
voices, fluid motions, and transcendent music.
This gathering is in violation of the law — this you cannot deny. All rituals of
extinct races were banned at the foundation of the Empire.\nYou may summon the
gendarmes here at any moment — you need only give a sign to the driver. And when
they get here, the Circle of La-Tari will be gone in an instant.\nYou will prove to
the city that not even the most noble of its denizens are above the law.\nBut
Octavia will never forgive you.
You could, on the other hand, keep the Circle of La-Tari a secret from El Borne and
report this meeting as a harmless gathering of young nobles looking for an
opportunity to socialize.\nBut if the Secret Chancellery ever takes interest in
these meetings, you will be powerless. Someone has already reported Octavia’s
circle to the Prefecture; there is a very good chance these reports will
continue. \nPerhaps if you tell Octavia of the danger she is facing, she will
disband the Circle herself…
There is one more way you could resolve this predicament. \nWith a piece of paper,
some ink, and a bit of skill, the Circle of La-Tari could become a noble historical
society, one of many dozen in Anizotte alone. Legitimized by the city, Octavia’s
gatherings would remain a secret within this mansion.\nBut do you have enough
influence to make this possible? And would it be wise to expend it in this way?
“Say something, <username> — this is no time to be quiet. The great mystery of La-
Tari is about to begin.”
Keep their secret
Ban the Circle of La-Tari
Convince Octavia to disband the Circle
Legitimize the Circle
You promise Octavia to keep the Circle of La-Tari a secret.
You summon the gendarmes to break up the Circle of La-Tari.
You insist that Octavia must disband the society for her own good.
You find a way to help the Circle of La-Tari continue to exist as a historical
society.
You promise Octavia not to tell a soul about the Circle of La-Tari and ensure the
Prefecture is none the wiser. You will tell the prefect that this gathering of
young nobles is just an elaborate, yet harmless amusement that poses no threat to
public order whatsoever.\nThe Arknian lady rewards you with an enigmatic smile.
“I expected nothing less, <username> Brante. I value your loyalty. This Circle is
the most important thing in my life right now.
“If only we were alone, so I could show you the full extent of my gratitude… but
the great mystery of the night is about to begin. Since you have joined us tonight,
<username>, you will take part in it.”
Octavia withdraws, walks to the center of the room, and raises her arms.\nThe
voices and music fall silent.
“Form a circle, o chosen ones, and join hands. Direct your thoughts and feelings
towards the circle’s center — towards me. Become one with me; become one inside the
circle; become La-Tari!”
Before you know it, the masked people have formed a large circle. They begin to
move. It is a strange, slow dance devoid of music. Their movements are unlike any
dance you know — intertwined arms become an embrace, and that embrace then becomes
intertwined arms yet again.\nEveryone dances, and the dance sweeps you away and
absorbs you as well.
You see golden faces moving all around.\nDeep within, you begin to feel a strange
connection to them. It is as if you have known them all along; as if you have known
yourself as a being with a gilded, delicate face… \nYou are united, one with the
people who surround you; insecure no more, uneasy no more, all of you dissolved and
blended within this space.
You are one. You are La-Tari. You are the truth. Beyond you, there is nothing.\nThe
world around grows dull; the fragments are falling away. Your bodies, the walls,
the houses, the city; everything grows dull and disappears in the light.\nThere is
only the La-Tari; beyond them, there is nothing. The world was but a dream, and you
have awoken from it.
The music stops, and the circle breaks apart.\nYour back is perfectly straight,
your head held high — as if you actually glimpsed another world through other eyes
during the short time you spent here.\nYou shudder at this thought.
The minutes spent in this strange dance… what were they?\nThat, you do not know.\
nBut the Law, the Lot, the Empire itself, they did not exist so long as this dance
of unity lasted.
“Do you understand now? Do you see why there’s nothing in the world more important
to me than this Circle? This world holds us like a prison; yet there can be
another! A world free from the Twins and their design… \n“Ah! I can glimpse it; but
if only I could step into it…”
Octavia cuts her speech short. She looks at you intently.
“But this is only my concern and my responsibility. Because I want it to be so. \
n“Do not return here, <username>. You’ve seen enough. You’ll bring danger upon the
Circle if you’re seen coming here again.”
The next day, you report to El Borne and tell him that his concerns are baseless:
there was no sign of a noble plot whatsoever.\nIt was nothing but a costume party
hosted by several young nobles seeking entertainment — and sweet pleasure belongs
to the nobles by their Lot, do they not?
“I figured as much. I’m glad we didn’t sic the gendarmes on them. I just hope the
Secret Chancellery and Sir El Ferro never hear of these reports — I doubt the
advisor would be as tolerant of their youthful amusements… well then. You may
return to Otton’s case, Brante.”
As you sift through yet another pile of paperwork, you cannot help but think of the
Circle of La-Tari again.\nThere can be no doubt: the members of the Circle are
pretending to be a long-extinct race. They are therefore revolting against the
Empire — not on the streets, but in their minds, and this is an even bigger
threat.\nThe followers of the La-Tari have escaped punishment. And you have been
among them.
Octavia turns around and heads for center of the room, taking your silence for a
sign of consent. But you rush ahead and stand in her way, your arms folded across
your chest.\nYou serve the Prefecture, and you do not condone any breach of the
law. Ever since the Empire was founded, reenactment of any rituals of extinct races
has been considered a sign of revolt against the Crown.\nAnd, worse yet, the Circle
seeks to reach the La-Tari, to flee the Empire, and to circumvent both worldly and
divine law.
The Prefecture gendarmes will arrive very soon and put an end to the meetings of
the Circle. Noble or not, highborn or otherwise, the people hiding behind these
gilded masks will have to answer to the law.
Octavia is focused on you, the smile fading from her lips. Perfectly suppressed
fury now burns in her dark-green eyes. She turns to face the people in the room and
raises her hand to call for their attention.
“Circle of La-Tari! Our meeting will have to end before its time. There will be no
mystery tonight. An overzealous judge seeks to disperse us. We shall see what they
can do. You all know how to behave when dealing with the authorities.”
The guests exchange glances and nod knowingly. They begin taking off their La-Tari
masks and robes. You now recognize many of them as the offspring of respectable
noble families residing in Anizotte.\nOctavia, meanwhile, turns to you.
“Surely you realize that none of them will face punishment, judge… all you have
done is shatter my Circle and kill my creation.\n“You saw so much, but you
understood nothing. What a shame… but I should have expected nothing less from a
human. Your duty is to serve. Now go away and serve whoever you like. I never want
to see you again.”
Very soon, an entire platoon of well-armed gendarmes surround the estate, but their
belligerent attitude disappears as soon as they see the noble faces of the highborn
progeny. They politely suggest that the noble ladies and gentlemen return to their
homes and await further communication from the Prefecture.\nYou could expect
nothing more.
The high society of Anizotte is abuzz the morning after: news of the dispersed
secret society led by the Archduke’s daughter spreads like wildfire.\nThe
litigation at the Prefecture, however, quickly comes to a standstill thanks to the
influence of many noble families and Archduke Milanidas himself. It is just as
Octavia foresaw.
“I hate to say it, Brante, but I cannot take on every powerful noble family in the
city at once. I had to deliver the verdict myself and say the society had performed
no forbidden rituals. None of them will be punished.\n“But you’ve managed to
disperse their so-called Circle, at the very least. The common folk will now see we
aren’t going to let the younger nobles break the law.”
The age of equality under the law still remains distant; but, thanks to you,
justice has taken one step forward in Anizotte.
Gently, you take the Archduke’s daughter by the hand and beg her to hear you out. \
nWith great patience and insistence, you tell Octavia that she has underestimated
the danger that looms over her guests and herself.
Ever since the Empire was founded, reenactment of any rituals of extinct races has
been considered a sign of revolt against the Crown.\nAnd, worse yet, the Circle
seeks to reach the La-Tari, to flee the Empire, and to circumvent the worldly and
divine law.\nIf the powers that be ever learn about this, they will have no mercy.
Not even Octavia’s noble birth will save the Circle from what will come next.
The Circle of La-Tari has already been reported and is about to be dispersed, and
you cannot stop it. Either you will disperse it yourself, or the Secret Chancellery
will take it upon themselves. Octavia will come to no harm no matter what, but many
other members of her society will be taken away, regardless of their noble rank or
birth.
Octavia is focused on you as you speak, her thoughts a mystery behind her dark-
green eyes.\nWhen you finish, she remains silent for a while, perfectly composed as
befits a lady of her rank, the trembling of her thin lips the only hint of any
inner torment.
“<username>, I have no choice but to admit that you are right… but why now, of all
times?! So be it, my gentle judge, you leave me no other choice.”
She turns gracefully to face the people in the hall and raises her hand to call for
their attention.
“Circle of La-Tari!\n“There will be no mystery tonight. Our meeting will have to
end before its time, and there will never be another.\n“I am your leader, and I
demand that you forget forever everything that has happened within these walls.
That is my word and my will.\n“Leave this place, never to return.”
The guests exchange confused glances. They begin taking off their La-Tari masks and
robes. You now recognize many of them as the offspring of respectable noble
families residing in Anizotte.\nOctavia, meanwhile, turns to you.
“This is enough, I hope? Congratulations, you’ve just ended a dangerous plot
against the Empire itself. As for me… I will continue on my own. I no longer need
the other as much as I did at first.”
“But this is only my concern and my responsibility.\n“Farewell, <username>. It will
be a long while before we meet again. I have much to do on my own.”
You report to El Borne the morning after that his concerns were well-founded. \nA
group of young nobles had founded a secret society that sought to reenact the
rituals of long-extinct races, but you convinced them to end their dangerous
practices.
“Wisely done, Brante. Far better than taking on every powerful noble family at
once. We’d never have been able to punish them all.\n“But you’ve managed to
disperse their so-called Circle, at the very least. The common folk will now see
that we aren’t going to let younger nobles break the law.”
You cannot help but think of Octavia and those who followed her.\nThey dared to
reject their nature, Lot, and birth in an attempt to become something else
entirely.\nBut in the Empire, there is no “something else.”
As for Octavia herself, she has disappeared from your life for the foreseeable
future. She seems to have vanished from the social circles of Anizotte since that
night.\nThe Arknian has never been one to share her plans with you. Your encounters
with her have ended as abruptly as they had begun.
You chuckle, shaking your head.\nHow quaint! A group of nobles, hiding from sight,
wearing masks, studying the culture of a long-dead race. \nHas Lady Octavia never
considered taking her historical studies a bit more seriously?
Octavia’s eyes narrow, trying to discern the meaning behind your words.
There is a way to make the meetings of the Circle fully legitimate, you continue.\
nYou have enough influence to get the papers they need and have them signed by the
right people…
Octavia’s face lights up. She continues your half-finished thought right away:
“Indeed! My dear Sir Brante, welcome to a meeting of our Imperial historical
society! Surely you would be so kind as to procure us a proper plaque for the
door?”
You nod.\nWith a genial smile, Octavia extends her hand to you. You take it and
kiss it gently.
“If only we were alone so I could show you the full extent of my gratitude… but the
great mystery of the night is about to begin. You should leave us — you’ll bring
danger upon the Circle if you’re seen coming here again. You’d best get those
papers prepared right away, kind <username>.”
The members of the Circle are already gathering in the middle of the room, ready to
begin their mysterious ritual.\nYou feel dozens of eyes on you from behind the
gilded masks. They will not begin until you leave the Circle.\nFollowing Lady
Octavia’s suggestion, you change into your normal clothes. and leave the mansion.
The next day, you report to El Borne and put his concerns to rest: there was no
sign whatsoever of any noble plot.\nThe group is nothing but a historical society
run by several young nobles who meet to discuss the cultures of old.\nThey simply
lack legitimacy. But you can rectify that.
“This sounds suspicious, Brante. And the Archduke’s daughter is involved… I hope
you know what you’re doing. Either way, I’m glad we didn’t sic the gendarmes on
them. I hope the Secret Chancellery and Sir El Ferro never learn of those reports —
I doubt the advisor would be as tolerant of their youthful amusements…”
You assure the prefect that Lady Octavia’s historical society will have all the
permits they need to operate without arousing suspicion.\nAnd so the Anizotte
Historical Society for the Study of Ancient Peoples is founded. the City Hall
wastes no time approving the necessary paperwork — every official there knows that
Judge Brante is a respectable gentleman with friends in high places.\nAnd your busy
patrons pay no heed to the follies of young nobles.
Octavia sends you her reward in the form of a letter. \nWhen you open the envelope
to read it, a gilded key clinks onto the floor.
“<username>, I am impressed by your abilities. You know how to use your connections
and bring me joy. It pleases me to know that I was right about you.\n“A chest
matching this key will be delivered to your estate tonight.
“Farewell, <username>. It will be some time before we meet again. I have much to do
on my own.”
You cannot help but think of Octavia and those who followed her.\nThey have dared
to reject their nature, Lot, and birth in an attempt to become something else
entirely.\nBut do they have what it takes to cast off the shackles of their
existence? Or are they nothing but madmen who yearn for the impossible?
As for Octavia and her Circle of La-Tari, you hear nothing of them for a long time.
After that night, the Archduke’s daughter seems to vanish from the social circles
of Anizotte.\nShe has never been one to tell you about her plans. Your encounters
with her have ended as abruptly as they had begun.
Threats and Promises
You are in the middle of ascending the City Hall’s long, curved marble staircase —
a small man beneath the building’s towering vault.\nYou were suddenly visited that
night by messengers from Magistrate El Verman. They insisted the reason was most
urgent. You are already expected upstairs.
There is a deafening silence in the lavishly decorated corridors, your footsteps
the only noise you can hear.\nFinally, you enter the spacious room that is the
office of El Verman, a stately official of considerable age. You find him sitting
in his comfortable chair of carved wood. He acknowledges your presence with a nod.\
nHowever, the Magistrate is not alone.
By the window of the office stands a tall Arknian. The cape of the Imperial Legion
covers his shoulders. He is Dorius Otton, the commander of Magra, in the flesh. He
does not even bother to turn around and look at you.\nThe Magistrate gestures to
you formally, beckoning you closer.
“Judge Brante, you have come at last! Sir Otton has been eagerly awaiting your
arrival. You see, the commander has learned about a litigation being prepared
against him at the Prefecture. He demanded that an end be put to these machinations
at once.\n“And I humbly offered him my assistance.”
Slowly, Otton turns to face you. He eyes you with cold contempt.
“Brante. You again. So, you’ve been chosen to oversee this so-called case against
me. I don’t envy you.\n“I will be brief. I will not stand idly by in the face of
slander and baseless accusations. Give me your word of honor as a nobleman that you
will do everything in your power to put a stop to this litigation. Only then will
you be free to leave.
“I will treat any other answer as an insult against my noble lineage. And let it be
known that Sir El Verman holds many positions — such as the chairman’s seat at the
Court of Honor — which means that any insult will be soon followed by a legitimate
duel of honor. I’m sure you know full well how others have fared in duels against
me.”
Otton turns toward the window before you say anything, as if your answer has
already been heard.\nMagistrate El Verman watches Otton and you silently with a
mysterious smirk.\nYou stand before the two lords of the city, a young man only
recently ennobled by the Mantle. Any word that leaves your lips now will affect
your fate.
Put Otton at ease
Retaliate against Otton
Seek Sir El Verman’s protection
Give Otton your word
You mollify the outraged Arknian, assuring him that the case poses no threat to him
whatsoever.
You stand your ground against the Arknian’s threats and force him to back down.
The Magistrate favors you for your past achievements. You call in this favor in
exchange for his protection.
You swear an oath to the Arknian: you will do everything you can to keep this case
from progressing.
Defying Otton’s will now means facing true death by his sword — and your family
will be left to suffer next.\nYou have no choice but to lie and mislead the enraged
Arknian, doing what you can to mollify him.
And so you bow deeply and speak as meekly as you can. Indeed, you say, His
Excellency has every right to feel wronged by the Prefecture. There is indeed a
folder with his name on it in the archives.\nBut you do not seek to besmirch
Otton’s honorable name. No, quite the contrary! You have merely been told to
investigate slanderous rumors of illegal duels, and so far you have found no
evidence that could tarnish the honor of the commander of Magra. It is true that
Sir Otton is an impeccable master of the sword, and no opponent can duel him
without suffering a lesser death; but His Excellency had every right to duel
whomever he chooses.
You, on the other hand, are but a humble servant of the law. To you, even the
thought of initiating litigation against an Arknian lord is simply unthinkable!\
nWho would ever seek to judge guilty those who have been chosen by the Gods
Themselves to rule over the rest of the Empire?
“Quit your groveling, Brante. I don’t need to waste my time on a duel to see you’re
no threat to me… so much the better for me, then. The Archduke is expecting me
already.\n“But pray to the Twins if I hear even a word of this so-called case ever
again… Farewell.”
Otton quickly walks out of the Magistrate’s office.\nOnce his cape has disappeared
down the long corridor, El Verman turns to you with a smile of approval.
“I see you’re getting more and more accustomed to knowing your place, Brante. The
likes of you are always a perfect fit in the ranks of power, even if you will never
reach the very top… once again, I am most pleased to have you with us.”
You leave the City Hall with a heavy heart. Sir El Borne wants Otton’s case to
progress, and so it will — no matter how much you have to bluff and delude those in
power.\nOtton’s sword will continue to loom over you until his case comes to an
end.
If Otton challenges you to a duel, a lesser death is certain. Any attempt to avoid
it will only delay the inevitable… so it would be best to confront him now.\nAnd
so, head held high, you place your hand on the hilt of your sword and take a step
closer to Otton.\nNext come the words — your words, echoing loudly in the stunned
silence of the City Hall.
Indeed, you are the judge in charge of Otton’s case, and you will see it through to
the very end. Your duty and your honor demand that you serve the Empire and enforce
its laws, which apply to all its subjects.\nYes, Otton will surely defeat you in a
sacred duel, but the evidence you have gathered against him will see the light
nevertheless. You are far from the only judge ready to challenge even the most
powerful nobles of the province in the name of the law, and, no matter what,
justice will find Otton and strike him down!
Otton is stunned by your verbal assault. For a moment, he remains motionless by the
window, his face an azure mask.\nSlowly, the commander of Magra walks towards you,
his heavy, piercing gaze transfixing you.
“You, a human… dare to threaten me?!”
You calmly meet his eyes in total silence.\nThen, suddenly, a grimace of rage
splits the Arknian’s face. His sword flashes like lightning.\nYou barely have time
to draw your own blade.
The clanging of swords cuts through the stunned silence of the City Hall.\nOtton
lets out a torrent of strikes in an attempt to overwhelm you. Again and again you
barely deflect them. The Arknian’s command of the blade is impeccable.\nYou cannot
possibly stand your ground against him for long. You cannot find even a single
opening to strike back as Otton’s fierce assault drives you toward the window.\nA
commanding voice calls out from the other side of the office.
“Sir Otton! What do you think you’re doing?!”
For a moment, Otton stops. This is your chance! You prepare to strike him down as
quickly as you can —\nBut the commander of Magra notices your movement. He steps to
the side and runs you through with his sword.
A cold wave washes over you as the steel enters the body. You slowly collapse onto
the marble floor, barely able to move.\nOtton stands tall over you, panting with
rage.
“Sir Otton, what have you done?! This is no honorable noble duel — it is a murder
in the heart of the City Hall! In front of the chairman of the Court of Honor, no
less!\n“I insist that you leave Brante alone from now on! One death is enough for
him!”
Having caught his breath, Otton slowly wipes his sword and sheathes it again.
“You forget yourself, El Verman! You’re as much a human as he. Still, what you say
makes sense — this judge doesn’t deserve my wrath. But if he ever tries to tarnish
the name of Otton again…”
You lie prone at the feet of your murderer, your hands clutching at the wound in
your chest — a tiny speck of red on your white dress shirt.\nBlack clouds your
vision…\nYour final thoughts freeze and slowly disintegrate as you leave your dead
body and head for the glimmering white high, high above.
You come to your senses atop the stone slab of your family crypt. For a while you
do not move, slowly getting acquainted with your body born anew. \nYour mother’s
somber silhouette stands above you, bowed in prayer. You hear her quiet, meek
voice, just as you did as a child.
“At last you’re back with us, <username>… my son, it pains so much to watch you
sacrifice yourself so, all for the sake of your trade and your honor! You have four
lives in this world by the Twins’ grace, each a precious gift. You’ve cast away the
lowly Lot of suffering, so I beg you, do not seek it anew, steer clear of pain and
wounds and death!”
Your father appears in the doorway of the crypt. He comes closer and bows to you
respectfully.
“Son… the entire city is talking about you and your sword fight with Otton. Even
the highest aristocracy believes the commander of Magra deserves all the blame for
assaulting you without challenging you to a duel.\n“While you acted like a true
nobleman and defended the honor of the Brante name. You suffered a lesser death
through no fault of your own…”
You leave the family crypt with a heavy heart. You have resisted Otton. He will not
be clashing with you directly anytime soon.\nBut his sword will continue to loom
over you until his case comes to an end.
You are facing true death and ruin for your family, and you are not going to take
any risks — especially when you are fortunate enough to have benefactors already.\
nThe man who sits before to you is a powerful city official; his word is enough to
defend you from Otton. It’s time to put the influence you have earned to good use.
And so you meet Otton’s gaze and answer. The case at the Prefecture is no cause for
concern, you say confidently. You are simply doing your duty. No one has any reason
to blame you for any slander or false accusations. You are an honest judge working
for the good of the Empire and its noble representatives.\nIs that not so, Sir
Magistrate?
At first, El Verman remains quiet.\nBut then he shrugs, fighting back doubt, and
finally rises from his seat slightly to address Otton.
“Sir Otton, my friend, allow me to speak in favor of young Brante. He is still
young. He has not learned his place just yet, but he has already proven himself to
be a worthy servant of the Empire. I can personally assure you that he will not
permit any slander and will honorably quash any rumors that might tarnish your
reputation. Give him time.”
Finally, Otton turns around. He looks at El Verman with distrust, not having
expected him to speak in your defense.
“I don’t know what this human did to earn your favor… you’d better be speaking the
truth, Remy.\n“So be it, Brante — I’ll give you time. Do not fail the Magistrate.
He vouched for you just now. And pray to the Twins if I hear even a word of this
so-called case ever again…”
Otton quickly walks out of the Magistrate’s office. Once his cape has disappeared
down the long corridor, El Verman turns to you, shaking his head in disapproval.
“So, Brante, it appears you know how to make good use of your past achievements.
But you should know that favor does not last forever — especially when your actions
earn you the ire of Arknians who represent the pinnacle of our society.\n“Be
careful from now on, and heed Sir Otton’s words. Believe me, he will know how you
conduct this case.\n“Good night, judge.”
Defying Otton’s will now means facing true death by his sword — and your family
will be left to suffer next. You are not ready to make this sacrifice.\nYou have no
choice but to submit to the Arknians will and do as the Twins have willed it.
And so you bow to the commander of Magra. Indeed, you confess, this case was
entrusted to you; but you honor the sacred order whereby the noble Arknian
dynasties stand above all else. You would never dare to dispute an Arknian’s right
to duel anyone who has insulted his honor.\nTh case is unjust and unfounded, and
you will do everything you can to prevent it from going to trial.
You give him your word as a nobleman.
Otton does not turn around; he is focused on the view on the Silver Tree from the
window before him. But he nods, slowly, in approval of your words.
“Much better, Brante. You ought to have refused the case at the very beginning.
Blindly doing your prefect’s bidding is already a stain on your family’s
reputation; at least now you realize your error.\n“Pray to the Twins that I never
hear a word of this so-called case ever again… farewell.”
Otton quickly walks out of the Magistrate’s office. Once his cape has disappeared
down the long corridor, El Verman turns to you and sighs heavily.
“Otton is right, Brante. You should have refused this case when you could. Don’t
ruin your career for the prefect’s convenience. Don’t let an Arknian be summoned to
court. And heed the words of the commander — believe me, he will know how you
conduct this case. Good night, judge.”
You leave the City Hall with a heavy heart. You gave Otton your word. Will you be
able to keep it?\nSir El Borne wants Otton’s case to progress, and so it will — no
matter what you do.\nOtton’s sword will continue to loom over you until his case
comes to an end.
Passion
The repercussions of your most recent encounter with the Archduke’s daughter
Octavia soon manifest themselves. \nA letter bearing the seal of the great dynasty
of Milanidas arrives the next day. Inside the envelope you find an invitation to
Castle Serpenverda, the Archduke’s residence.
Visiting the Archduke of Magra himself is a great honor. To decline such an
invitation would be an insult of colossal magnitude.\nYou immediately purchase a
new doublet in the latest fashion and ask Father to lend you a precious family
brooch. It depicts the Brante family crest, and the leaves on the oak branch are
made of tiny emeralds. Octavia should find it to her liking.
Your family cannot help but notice your preparations. Mother watches nervously as
you make sure everything is ready for your journey.
“This odd invitation has me worried, my son… be careful in the Archduke’s castle.
You’re still of lowborn origin — Arknian attention spells danger to people like us
every time. Remember not to displease them, or the Milanidases will grind our
family into dust.”
Come early morning, the carriage takes you away from the border walls of Anizotte.
It takes you a full day to reach Serpenverda along the dusty, sun-scorched high
road. \nWhile on the road, you read notes on Arknian traditions and rules of
etiquette again and again. To preserve your family’s honor, you must make the best
possible impression — the provincial powers that be will be watching your every
step, and so will Octavia, with her cunning grin…
Only as the sun is about to set do you manage to spot the dark, colossal shape of
Castle Serpenverda, a towering fortification of jet-black stone spread across a
peak looming over the bed of a long-gone river. \nThe carriage climbs the narrow,
serpentine road to the castle gate. Soldiers of the Archduke’s guard approach you,
and you present them with the invitation. The guards eye you with suspicion, but
give the signal to open the gate.
You are now inside the walls of the Archduke’s castle. You had expected to see many
carriages of other guests beyond the gate, but the courtyard is strangely empty.\
nThe guards show you to a servant who guides you to a room reserved for guests and
leaves you there to wait.
The servant soon returns, and you follow him through the dimly lit corridors of
Serpenverda, lavishly adorned with silver, emeralds, and weapons of war.\nThe
castle is silent. There is no noise, no music; it seems completely uninhabited. The
sound of your footsteps is smothered by the soft velvet beneath your feet.\nThe
servant stops in front of a pair of massive doors made of black wood. This is your
destination, he gestures silently.
You enter an enormous room, its walls covered in portraits and ancestral relics. In
the very center of the room is a towering throne carved of black wood.\nUpon the
throne you see the delicate silhouette of Octavia Milanidas, clad in a black velvet
dress embroidered in silver.\nWith a commanding gesture, the Arknian lady bids you
approach.
“You’re here at last.”
“Are you surprised, <username>? How odd. You didn’t think my father would actually
summon you to an Arknian castle, did you? Or are you truly that naive? How sweet of
you…\n“No, it was I who summoned you here.”
You are alone in the castle.\nPortraits cover the walls: portraits of Arknians with
dark eyes and jet-black hair. They all resemble birds of prey, and their eyes seem
to watch you with contempt that makes you uneasy.
“Allow me to introduce you to my family. Family, this is a human by the name of
Brante.\n“What do you think of him, Father?”
She casts a defiant glance at the portrait of the Archduke Milanidas. Then she
removes a glove from her hand and casts it as well — it hits the great Archduke
right in the nose. Octavia laughs at that, and the tall walls and innumerable
portraits echo her voice.\nBaffled, you ask Lady Milanidas why she has summoned
you.
“Because you have caught my attention. I noticed you, even when you were… somewhat
younger than you are now. And then I started seeing you again and again. I’ve
caught myself thinking about you quite often. And so I’ve decided that I wish to
possess you.
“You will become my companion. Other humans will envy you, but no one will dare to
cross you. My name will open any door you like.\n“In return, you will satisfy my
every whim, and I will do with you as I please.”
Octavia rises from the throne, the hem of her dress lifting up to reveal her
elegant, slender leg.
“You know the history of this throne, yes? My ancestor, Char Milanidas, used to sit
here during the Rebellion of Magra. Can you imagine that? Char Milanidas made
decisions that transformed the entire Empire, all from this very seat! And now it’s
gathering dust in this vainglorious art gallery of my father’s… now come to me,
human.”
Octavia waits for you to do her bidding. One does not argue with an Arknian. Since
the dawn of the Empire, they have taken whatever they wanted.\nIf you refuse
Octavia, daughter to the Archduke of Magra, you will insult her greatly.\nIf you
submit to this Arknian woman, if you become her plaything… everyone will know you
are in the good graces of Lady Milanidas herself. As a human, what more could you
possibly dream of?
You recall your chance encounters with her, from the days of your youth to more
recent times. What are your feelings for this exceptional Arknian lady? And what
does she truly want from you?\nIf you are willing to enter into a perilous romance
with Octavia, perhaps you could do it on your own terms… returning her affections
while keeping your honor.\nWould she defy all the traditions of old for you and
recognize you as her equal, even if only in secret?
Octavia arches her back on her father’s throne and waits for you, her slender hand
beckoning you closer.
Submit to her
Insist on being treated as her equal
Reject her
You will do all as Octavia wishes in return for her favor.
You agree to be Octavia’s lover only if she sees you as an equal.
You insulted Octavia immensely and leave the castle.
You have seen Octavia only briefly, and yet you seem to understand something about
her already. You know what she wants, and you know how to take advantage of it. \
nAnd so you follow the beckoning silky glove to the throne.\nOctavia stretches out
her legs to you, a toying look in her eyes. She is wearing black velvet high-heels.
“Remove these. I am tired!”
You kneel chivalrously before her and take off one shoe, then another. Stockings
cover her feet and legs — smooth silk, so soft to the touch.\nYou run your hand
along her calf, enchanted.
“Come closer… don’t make me lean toward you.”
You bring yourself closer. Octavia reaches out for your still-bowed head, her hands
roughly caressing your face.\nA moment passes, and suddenly her arms wrap around
your neck and her legs lock around your torso as she pulls, pulls you closer to her
with all her might. You freeze in terror for a moment, not daring to resist the
Arknian’s assault.
Then, just as suddenly, Lady Milanidas lets you go and stands. Without her shoes,
she is shockingly tiny, barely as high as your shoulder.\nShe suddenly grasps you
by the cravat and drags you onto the throne.
“So, human, how do you like the seat of the great Char Milanidas? Just a piece of
wood, don’t you agree? Uncomfortable, too. But spacious enough for two…”
Octavia’s eyes are dark, black as the starless sky. The Arknian woman tears off
your clothes, and her ravenous lips find your bare skin. Vicious and insatiable,
she thirsts for pleasure.\nBut why does she seek it with you? Why would she
humiliate her ancestors and her very dynasty by having an affair with a human?
Seeing you preoccupied, Octavia slaps you across the face and tells you to keep
going. Your lips do her bidding, running down her body in a state of considerable
undress.\nOctavia’s inhuman passion swallows you and overtakes you, devoid of all
tenderness. The youngest woman of the Milanidas dynasty demands, and you obey,
until the vast hall echoes with her satisfied moan.\nOctavia caresses your hair
assertively.
“What do you want now, my human?”
You humbly bow and respond that all you want is to serve Lady Milanidas, satisfying
her every whim, her every secret desire.\nYet she would bring you great happiness
if you and your family could live and prosper in her good graces, alive and safe
from intrigue and ambush of any kind. With your family secure, you would be free to
serve her as long as you live.
“My, you know your price, young Brante! And with whom should I put a word in for
you, my sweet boy?”
You beg her to mention your name to the oldest of the Archduke’s vassals, the most
ancient families of Anizotte, to mention that your family enjoys the Archduke’s
favor and deserves to be ennobled by the Sword for all time.\nOctavia laughs at
that. Her fingers squeeze your chin painfully.
“Ennobled by the Sword? Your ambitions run so low… but what am I saying? You’re
only human, after all. Very well — I’ll be your secret patron… as long as you keep
me entertained.
“Bring me my clothes and help me get properly dressed, then go to your room for the
night. You will leave at dawn and return to your silly service and your cases. I
will visit Anizotte now and again and send you letters when I wish to meet you. My
pleasure is your first and most important duty from now on — never forget that.”
You kneel before Lady Milanidas and kiss her hand.\nYou could never forget. Not
even if you wanted to.
You give Octavia your answer, looking her straight in the eye.\nYou have been in
love with her ever since you were young, enchanted by her beauty and grace, every
chance encounter a treasured memory. And you know that this feeling is mutual.\nTo
you, there is no greater honor than Lady Octavia’s affection.
But you cannot sacrifice your honor as a nobleman for the sake of this love. You do
not mean this as an insult — on the contrary. Lady Milanidas is far superior to
you, it is true; yet you, too, are of the noble estate, and you cannot accept
humiliation, even if you must face the full extent of the Milanidas’ ire.\nYou will
reciprocate Octavia’s affection — not as an obedient plaything, but as a man and a
noble.
Your impassioned speech ends, and you steel yourself to face her wrath. \nBut, to
your surprise, Octavia seems lost in thought, her eyes downcast.
”Nobody denies me… I’m not used to this. You are a remarkable human indeed,
<username> Brante… I have noticed this ever since we first met. Your words echo in
my heart. You do not follow the usual rules — any other man would have been
groveling at my feet by now. Perhaps you can be my escape from this stifling,
sickening world…
“So be it. I choose a human as my lover — and I care little for what the
aristocracy of this Twins-forsaken province has to say about it. I’ll take this as
far as I like.
“But you will be safer if our affair remains a secret to the world. Now come to me,
my sweet human…”
You draw closer to Octavia on the throne. She reaches out for your face, caressing
it gently and carefully, as though touching a human for the first time.\nA moment
passes, and suddenly her arms wrap around your neck and her legs lock around your
torso and she pulls, pulls you closer to her with all her might.\nYou do not resist
the Arknian’s assault. Her embrace leads you to the throne.
“So, how do you like the seat of the great Char Milanidas? Just a piece of wood,
don’t you agree? Uncomfortable, too. But, luckily, it’s spacious enough for the two
of us…”
Octavia’s ravenous lips find yours as her hands free you from your fashionable
attire, her entire body shivering with excitement. You caress her skin, tender and
azure.\nYou commit her to memory, studying her, trying to understand her… Octavia’s
eyes are dark as the starless sky, sparkling with delight from your sweet
transgression.\nBut why does she seek this pleasure with you? Why would she
humiliate her ancestors and her very dynasty by having an affair with a human?
Seeing you preoccupied, Octavia gently pulls your head up by the chin. She kisses
you passionately, and her lips start moving down your half-naked body.\nHer inhuman
passion swallows you and overtakes you, until the vast throne room of the Milanidas
Dynasty echoes with the last of her ecstatic moans.
Then there is silence, save for the sound of your heavy breathing.\nOctavia
caresses your back slowly, then playfully pushes you off the throne.\nThe Arknians
watch you from the portraits, their faces as dispassionate as ever.
Octavia returns to you at dawn, now wearing a modest black dress, her hair in a
formal bun.
“It is time for you to leave, <username>. The Archduke will return to the castle
soon. I will visit Anizotte now and again. Several estates there belong to me. We
will meet there, safe from prying eyes.”
You leave Serpenverda with your head spinning and your heart racing. The day it
takes to return to Anizotte passes like a single moment.\nWhen your family asks you
about your visit to the Archduke, you evade the question.
From that day forth your heart aches sweetly, yearning for Octavia’s letters; and
when it is time for a brief tryst, the two of you disappear to one of her estates
and give in to your secret passion.\nThere are days when your love and your lover
seem but an illusion, something gone forever… but soon another note arrives, and
the affair continues, only to be cut short again for an unknown time.\nYou have
stolen the heart of the most beautiful and highborn Arknian lady of Magra. Only one
nagging thought casts a shadow on your love: what will be the price for this
insolence?
You hesitate.
“Well? I’m waiting!”
You compose yourself as much as you can and shake your head.\nThen, out comes your
curt reply: “Lady Milanidas, I am afraid I must decline.”
Dumbfounded by your response, Octavia stares at you blankly, then rises from the
throne menacingly.\nThis may be the very first time someone has ever denied her.
“You dare to defy me? When Octavia Milanidas herself has offered you her favor? Do
you even know your place? I’ve never seen such insolence from a human in all my
life!
“Get out of my sight, you worthless nonentity! You will rue the day you met me,
<username> Brante.”
Soldiers from the Archduke’s private guard appear behind her back. You feel a heavy
steel gauntlet on the shoulder.\nThey eject you from the castle and shove you back
into the carriage, grimly suggesting that you stay away from Serpenverda from now
on.
When you finally return home, you feign illness ill and spend several days alone in
your room.\nWhen Mother asks you about your visit to the Archduke, you insistently
evade the question.
You hear nothing more from Lady Milanidas — a bad omen.\nThere will be reckoning
for your insolence, you realize, but you can only guess when it will come.
Arknians do not forgive.
Nobleman’s Honor
Otton’s case still looms over you, a burden and a threat.\nAs the strife between
the estates grows more bitter, the judge’s trade grows tougher by the day. The
commoners demand more rights and legal protections; the nobles do their best to
push back.\nAs things stand right now, any verdict made in court may result in
upheaval in the province — and possibly determine the outcome of your case against
Otton.
One day, in a park by the Falez estate favored by dueling Anizotte nobles…\nYou see
a curly-haired young man lying prone in the small sunlit square. His body has been
pierced by a sword, and it has not vanished. A true death. \nYou are here to
investigate a report of an illegal duel. The winner is still here, a slender
middle-aged noble in an elegant black jacket, his hand still on the hilt of his
sword, surrounded by gendarmes.
“Your orders, your honor? Sir El Corvio will not submit on his own, and we wouldn’t
dare use force against him…”
You sign for the gendarmes to lower their weapons and approach the duelist.\nEl
Corvio’s eyes widen and his face comes to life when he notices you. Before you can
ask him, the nobleman begins to speak, far louder than necessary.
“It was a duel, sanctioned by the Court of Honor. That is all. The late Sir El Este
questioned my loyalty to the Emperor and called me an apostate. He left me no other
choice but to defend my honor. And now he’s dead.\n“Please be quick with your
verdict, sir judge — I’m expected at the capital. You do know who I am, don’t you?”
Before you can say a single world, a carriage bearing the crest of Magistrate El
Verman rolls through the gate.\nThe Magistrate furrows his silvery brow as he looks
at the sorrowful scene, then gestures politely for El Corvio to approach his
carriage. With a chuckle, the duelist walks through the line of gendarmes and leans
on the carriage.\nMeanwhile, the Magistrate takes you aside for a moment.
“Brante, as you know, I am the chairman of our city’s Court of Honor. I refused to
sanction this duel for as long as I could, since true death was on the line.\n“But
Alan El Corvio insisted that denying him would spell trouble for the city of
Anizotte. Regrettably, he’s a small, yet important person in the Emperor’s court —
he used to command the Emperor’s personal guard.
“I realize that you must mete out justice as your duty demands. But remember: duels
of honor are one of the cornerstones of Imperial tradition, one of the pillars that
support the Twins’ divine vision for the Empire.
“You have the authority to punish El Corvio, but be careful. He might make a
dangerous enemy, both for yourself and for all the nobles of Anizotte.\n“That fool
El Este didn’t know this, and now he’s lying there before us. We would be wise not
to repeat his mistake.”
The Magistrate of Anizotte glances around, then continues in a hushed tone:
“Brante, this situation is far from ordinary. If the fate of your city means
anything to you, it would be best to let El Corvio go without a trial. Anizotte
doesn’t need any trouble from the capital, and the El Estes are not as strong as
they used to be. They’ll get through it.\n“You may fine him if you wish — El Corvio
will pay it and move on, and justice will be done, at least to some extent.
“However, if you can defuse the matter entirely, you’ll earn favor with all the
aristocracy of Anizotte — and I’ll personally see to it you get a swift promotion.”
Deep in thought, you gaze upon the body of the dead duelist and the long shadow of
El Corvio.\nThe decision you are about to make could influence all future duels in
the province… as well as your own standing.
Fine El Corvio
Sentence El Corvio to capital punishment
Legalize duels
Pronounce the Court of Honor illegal
A semblance of justice will be served.
Your elite patronage allows you to have the murderer prosecuted to the fullest
extent of the law.
El Corvio’s right to the duel will be acknowledged as lawful.
You ban meetings of the Court of Honor itself to prevent any such duels in the
future.
You approach the silent El Corvio with your decision.\nYou find him guilty of
manslaughter. As punishment, he is ordered to pay a fine to the Imperial Treasury
and make a donation to the family of the dead man.
El Corvio’s lips twist in a wry grin. He throws a heavy coin purse your way.
“That ought to be enough to cut down a couple more brash, impudent youths who dare
to call me a traitor to the Crown. I have urgent business in Eterna, judge. I’m
sure you can handle the paperwork yourself. Farewell.”
With an accommodating smile, El Verman opens the door of his carriage to the
duelist. El Corvio vanishes within.\nBefore they leave, the Magistrate takes a
moment to approach you.
“The Court of Honor thanks you for this wise resolution, <username> Brante. Now I
will placate El Corvio myself.\n“You’ve acted like a true noble, even though traces
of this incident will remain, unfortunately. Your reasonable action will not be
forgotten.”
You dismiss the gendarmes and return to the Prefecture to take care of the
paperwork. As long as your report is worded carefully enough, nothing about this
incident will clash with the Empire-wide dueling ban.\nBut no matter what the
paperwork says, young El Este will still be dead.
You shake your head dispassionately.\nEnunciating every word with perfect
precision, you explain the situation to El Verman: a murder in a duel is still a
murder, and the punishment for murder is execution. You do not have the right to
distort the law.
The Magistrate’s face falls in surprise.
“Brante, you don’t seem to realize how the world works! I just told you El Corvio
plays an important role in the Emperor’s court! Are you really so eager to make
enemies? Well, you’re about to. No connections will protect you if you’re so intent
upon trampling ancient noble traditions!”
It seems El Verman is not aware that you have friends in very high places, you tell
him in turn. The Archduke’s family will readily side with you.\nThe Magistrate
dashes to El Corvio, fuming with rage at your words.
“Sir El Corvio, this is a terrible misunderstanding — I’ll do everything I can to
right this wrong, but these good sirs mean to have you arrested!”
You give the gendarmes a firm order: seize the murderer’s sword, shackle him, and
take him to the Prefecture.
“You dare call me a murderer? Doesn’t anyone in your filthy, decrepit province know
the meaning of a duel?!”
El Corvio draws his sword and assumes a defensive stance, startling the gendarmes
with such a fervent refusal to comply.\nYou start giving commands to the gendarmes.
Following your orders, they manage to surround and disarm El Corvio.
You head for the Prefecture to take care of the paperwork and send a message to
Octavia.\nYou ask your powerful benefactress to convince the aristocracy to side
with you in ordering the death penalty for El Corvio. He is a complete outsider in
Magra, you write, who happened to murder the heir to the ancient bloodline of El
Este.\nSurely Octavia can aid her humble servant in such a trifling matter?\nHer
reply takes almost no time to arrive.
“El Corvio is a staunch follower of the Tempests and the new Overseer. This puts
him at great odds with my father. Removing him will be easy, especially if you have
a proper case against him.\n“Rest assured, <username>, The Milanidas Dynasty will
side with you in this trial. As for the other nobles, have no fear. I will let no
harm come to you, my dearest human.”
El Corvio’s trial comes and goes incredibly quickly. The seats in the courtroom are
absolutely empty — no noble risks appearing in defense of the visitor from Eterna
and attracting the displeasure of Archduke Milanidas.\nOne by one, you present
evidence of El Corvio’s guilt. The ill-fated noble visitor coldly spits out threats
in return.\nThe board of justice, presided over by El Borne, makes its final
judgment.
“Sending a noble to the hereafter is never easy. But there are times when the court
has no other way to instill respect for Imperial law among those of the noble
estate.\n“Sir El Corvio, we hereby sentence you to true death by decapitation. The
sentence will be carried out in Majesty Square tomorrow.”
El Corvio is silent, unwilling to believe in what has just happened.\nBut the
verdict has been made. El Corvio is taken to the dungeon, the shackles still on his
wrists.\nTomorrow the city of Anizotte will, for the first time, witness a noble
being executed for a duel.
The aristocracy of Anizotte is indignant over your decision. They fear what might
come next.\nAnd yet El Corvio’s shameful end on the executioner’s block goes
seemingly unnoticed in the capital. Soon, rumors begin to spread. Some say the
beheaded nobleman was indeed a traitor to the Crown — why else would the Emperor’s
court ignore the beheading entirely? Or was it all the handiwork of Archduke
Milanidas himself?
Soon after the execution, something arrives on your doorstep: a small, yet hefty
chest with a note attached.
“Sir Brante, we realize how difficult it must have been for you to deliver this
strict, yet righteous verdict. We mourn the loss of our son, who transgressed
against the law forbidding all duels. Yet justice has found his murderer thanks to
you. Please accept this humble gift as a token of our gratitude.\n— Sir Constance
El Este and Lady Margaret El Este.”
El Corvio may rest easy, you assure the Magistrate: Your position as a judge allows
you to use this incident to set a precedent and create a law that will legitimize
all duels sanctioned by the Court of Honor.\nThe Magistrate reacts with a nod of
approval.
“Splendid news! This will do well to reinforce the Court of Honor, the most noble
of our institutions! It gladdens me to see you showing such respect for our noble
traditions, Sir Brante. El Corvio’s wrath would surely spell much woe for our
city.\n“And, might I add, you are looking more and more like a judge who belongs in
the prefect’s seat! I shall vouch for you personally.”
Unfazed, El Corvio gives you a formal bow and disappears into the Magistrate’s
carriage.\nYou dismiss the gendarmes and return to the Prefecture to assemble a
board of justice. You describe the matter at hand to the judges you have chosen.\
nYou convince them that dueling must remain within the jurisdiction of the Court of
Honor, and its sanctions must be made legal. Thanks to your insistence — and your
influence in the city — they soon add their signatures beneath yours. It is done.
The morning after, Prefect El Borne summons you to his office.
“Brante, I need an explanation! There was a murder — a young nobleman from an
illustrious bloodline has died a true death. Why did you decide to dismiss the
case?”
You give him your explanation. As long as nobles continue to challenge each other
to duels, the Court of Honor will continue to exist. If you cannot put an end to
dueling, then it is prudent to ensure that the ancient dueling code is overseen by
a respected institution.\nAfter all, why set law and tradition at odds?
“You could not possibly be more wrong, Brante! Courts of Honor are hoary relics of
the past, as are many of our other traditions. Staying attached to the old ways
will only drag us backward.
“You have entrusted the power of law to the Court of Honor… do you even realize the
extent to which this undermines our power to enforce the law?\n“All you did was
reassure the aristocracy that the noble estate needn’t care about following
Imperial laws. You may leave now, judge.”
You shake your head dispassionately.\nEnunciating every word with perfect
precision, you explain the situation to El Verman: a murder in a duel is still a
murder, and the punishment for murder is execution. You do not have the right to
distort the law.\nCourts of Honor are hoary relics of the past, left over from an
age when nobles had no law above them. But times have changed. The Court of Honor
ought to remain in the past.
The Magistrate begins boiling with rage.
“Banning the Court of Honor?! Are you out of your mind, Brante? The Court of Honor
is a tradition older than the Empire itself! If you try to strike at us, you will
regret it tenfold! Who do you think you are? You’re no one!”
It seems El Verman is not aware that you have friends in very high places, you tell
him in turn. El Corvio will stand trial, and the Court of Honor will be banned.\
nThe Magistrate dashes to El Corvio, fuming with fury.
You give the gendarmes a firm order: seize the murderer’s sword, shackle him, and
take him to the Prefecture.\nThe gendarmes are as flabbergasted by your words as El
Corvio himself, but, upon seeing your resolve, they begin to act.
You return to the Prefecture to assemble a board of justice. You describe the
matter at hand to the judges you have selected.\nYou try to convince them that the
Court of Honor stands in opposition to Imperial law and must therefore be made
illegal in the province of Magra. After a long debate filled with warnings against
this shocking measure, your insistence — and your influence in the city —
eventually win the board of judges over to your side.
The morning after, you present the new order to the prefect to be signed.\nEl Borne
stares at you with genuine respect in his eyes.
“Abolishing the Court of Honor is most brazen, Brante, if not outright absurd… but
this is the only way we can really change things.
“Judge Brante, prepare to weather a hailstorm when this commences. I shall do my
best to protect you, but I am not all-powerful.\n“I’m glad to see I was right to
put my trust in you.”
El Corvio is found guilty. He is banned from ever entering Magra and has to pay a
significant fine to the El Este family.\nThe outsider’s threats have no
consequences. Soon, rumors begin to appear. Some say the convicted noble was indeed
a traitor to the Crown — he fell out of favor with the Emperor shortly after
returning to Eterna.
However, it does not take long for the consequences of outlawing the Court of Honor
to be felt.\nThreats and complaints from all ranks of the aristocracy arrive by the
hundreds. Such insolence! Matters of honor now remain at an impasse because of your
ignoble laws!\nEl Borne assigns a couple of gendarmes to serve as your bodyguards
in the city until the unrest is quelled.
Your family feels the impact as well.
“How could you do such a thing, <username>? Do you have any idea what I’ve heard
about us from the highest nobles of the city?! I’d have to duel them myself if you
hadn’t outlawed the Court of Honor!”
You endure the storm calmly, however, firmly believing that you have done the right
thing.\nThere is nothing higher than Imperial law.\nAnd every soul who lives in the
Empire has to accept it, no matter who they are.
El Ferro's List
You spend day after day hard at work, toiling over Otton’s case. But something far
more urgent demands the Prefecture’s attention today.\nThe city is in chaos — there
was an explosion in the square in front of the City Hall.
Someone threw a bomb at Magistrate Remy El Verman’s carriage.\nThe assassination
attempt failed — the Magistrate was not inside the carriage at the time. He was
unharmed, although his servants and driver did not fare so well.\nEven in your
office, you can still smell the acrid smoke from the blast.
The gendarmes reacted quickly. Five suspects — craftsmen and factory workers — were
brought to the Prefecture before sunset.\nThey are accused of joining the Last
Straw, a secret society of insurgents seeking to overthrow Imperial rule.\nThis
society is on its way to becoming the talk of the city. Rumor has it their leader
is an enigmatic woman, a tough criminal by the name of Sophia.
The five suspects deny their involvement, but a number of eyewitnesses saw them
walking toward the square, and some of them still have traces of gunpowder on their
fingers.\nJudge Carlo Fockegraben has taken the case. The trial will be mercilessly
swift — the five are to be hanged tomorrow morning.
The sun begins to set. You are about to leave for home when you hear heavy
footsteps in the hallway. \nA stranger enters your office. He is pale, with
chiseled features, a furrowed brow, a thick black mustache, and dark eyes watching
you intently from deep within their sockets.\nHe presents you with a gilded pendant
in the shape of a wheel.
“Baron Felipe El Ferro, Secret Chancellery Advisor. I imagine you’re well aware
that we deal with plots, schemes, and revolts against the Empire.\n“I have a matter
of great importance to the Empire to discuss with you, Sir Brante. I am aware that
the case of the explosion in the square was not assigned to you, but, for our
purposes, this is actually for the best.
“The Secret Chancellery has been following this so-called “Last Straw” group for a
long time now. They are the greatest threat to peace in Anizotte. But you can help
us rid the city of this menace.”
Baron El Ferro produces a neatly folded sheet of paper.
“This is a list of known insurgents connected to the Last Straw. They haven’t blown
anyone up just yet, but surely you realize that it would be most imprudent to wait
for them to commit their next crime. The time to act is now.”
You scan the list quickly. Some of the names on it seem somewhat familiar, perhaps
from your youth…
“Find a way, any way, to implicate them in today’s assassination attempt, and you
will prevent more explosions in the future. The Empire will rest easy if we can rid
ourselves of this scum as quickly as possible.
“If you render this service to the Secret Chancellery, you may rely on my
assistance in the future. As you may suspect, I have more than my fair share of
powerful connections.”
Silence falls. \nThe Secret Chancellery advisor pierces you with his heavy gaze.
Protect the people on the list
Conduct an investigation
Shelter the suspects
You refuse Advisor El Ferro and protect the people on the list from the Secret
Chancellery. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Before doing anything to the people on El Ferro’s list, you must find proof of
their guilt first.
You agree to sentence these people to death on false charges.
You refuse to accept the case and warn the people on the list of the danger looming
over them.
You rise from your chair and offer the advisor a curt response. No, you will not
serve the Secret Chancellery.\nYou serve the law, and you will never break it, no
matter what you might stand to gain. You will not falsify a case, and you will not
hang people on unproven charges.
Baron El Ferro’s face remains dispassionate as ever. His voice, however, loses all
warmth.\nHe stands up as well and steps toward you menacingly.
“I believe you misunderstand me, Brante. This is not a request. It is an order.”
You dryly ask the advisor to leave your office. \nNo matter who gives the orders,
if they are at odds with the law, you will refuse to follow them.
“You actually seem to be looking for trouble, Sir <username> Brante. Very well — if
it’s trouble you want, then trouble you shall have.”
Baron El Ferro leaves without saying goodbye.
The moment he is gone from your office, you grab a quill pen and write down the
names from the list while they are still fresh in your memory.\nNext, you summon
the gendarmes and tell them that an unlawful attack is planned against these people
tonight. \nThe gendarmes receive your orders. Tonight they will stand watch at the
homes of Sir El Ferro’s suspects.
After nightfall, covered wagons arrive at the same homes, and nondescript, cloaked
men head for the doors — but the gendarmes bar their way, as ordered.\nThe Secret
Chancellery’s minions are furious, but you appear before them next: all the
residents of these buildings are under the Prefecture’s protection!\nThe worried
commoners watch the events unfold from behind their windows.\nThe Secret
Chancellery has no choice but to fall back. The covered wagons disappear into the
darkness. You keep watch until dawn.
In the early morning, an emergency court sentences the five suspects arrested in
the square to true death for attempted rebellion against the Crown. Soon their
bodies are dangling from a gallows in the same square in which their crimes were
committed.\nPeople say the gallows would have claimed more than five lives today
had the Prefecture not protected those whose guilt remained unproven.
Were the people from Sir El Ferro’s list involved in the attack? No one will ever
know.\nThey all take advantage of the Secret Chancellery’s helpless retreat and
flee Anizotte immediately.
A week passes. The Prefecture receives orders from the capital: the Secret
Chancellery is to investigate the loyalty of every judge in Anizotte and weed out
any traitors.\nThe judges are questioned, and their cases are seized for further
study. Two of your fellow judges disappear without a trace. No one dares to inquire
about their fate.\nHelpless and furious, the judges have no choice but to grit
their teeth and bear it.
“Why did you have to take on the Secret Chancellery, Brante? Don’t you know we’re
all hanging by a thread now?!”
In the meantime, strange, unsettling rumors begin to circulate. Your sister Gloria
is accused of helping the Last Straw and the people who prepared the explosions,
but no one can prove these allegations.\nThese events take a great toll on your
mental and physical wellbeing.
Over dinner, you tell your family how you refused the Secret Chancellery and what
happened next.
“That’s the Secret Chancellery for you, son. They cannot strike at us directly, but
they can act from the shadows. No judge or honorable noble should ever follow their
orders. I’m proud that you refused them. The false rumors will die down sooner or
later; but your honor will remain your own.”
“I’m pleased too, brother. Those people would label anyone an insurgent just to
curry favor! I’m glad you kept those innocent people safe.”
Your family’s assurances bring some relief. \nThe false rumors have tarnished your
family’s honor, but together you can weather the storm.
You rise from your chair, ready to answer the advisor. You cannot fulfill his order
until you have legal grounds for arresting and executing these people.\nYou serve
the law, and you will never break it, no matter what you might stand to gain. You
will not falsify a case, and you will not hang people on unproven charges.
You are willing to investigate the people from the advisor’s list thoroughly and
punish the guilty, but only if you find proof that they are involved in the
insurgency.\nBaron El Ferro winces in displeasure at these words.
“Brante, can’t you see we’re not dealing with ordinary outlaws here? We’re fighting
an insurgency that has declared war on the Empire. There’s no time for the usual
formalities. You have to understand that, thanks to your indecisiveness, those
insurgents will roam free and fashion new bombs for more attacks!”
But you insist: you will not send anyone to the gallows without evidence. \nEither
you do things your way, or the aristocracy will soon be talking about abuse of
power at the hands of the Secret Chancellery — you will see to that.
For a while, Felipe considers your words.
“Very well, Brante. Have it your way. Begin your investigation. But if another bomb
goes off in Anizotte in the meantime, it will be on your head. And then a promising
servant of the Empire will stand trial along with the insurgents as their
accomplice. I have a handful of good friends as well, sir judge.”
Felipe leaves without saying goodbye.
And so you begin a lengthy investigation. \nThis was your idea, which means you
have to pay the gendarmes and informants out of your own pocket.
The gendarmes in your employ tail every man and woman from the list for the next
fortnight.\nFor a long while, none of your suspects does anything suspicious.\nOver
the course of these two weeks you come to bitterly regret getting involved in this
business, but Felipe left you no choice. You will either find the truth or get
tried along with the insurgents. Baron El Ferro did not look like a man who makes
empty threats.
Disappointed with this fruitless surveillance, you are about to call it off when
one of the commoners suddenly signals to the others to meet.
Your raid catches them by surprise in an abandoned house on the edge of the city.\
nMuch to your chagrin, the Secret Chancellery was right — you arrest them just as
they are plotting another attack, a map of the City Hall on the table. A stockpile
of weapons and bombs are found in the house.
The litigation is quick — you have all the evidence you need against the
insurgents.\nEvery one of them is sentenced to death by hanging. Another Last Straw
cell is no more.\nTheir bodies now dangle in the wind by the still-rotting rebels
who tried to kill the Magistrate.
You sigh heavily and manage a nod.\nBaron El Ferro allows himself a reassuring
half-smile.
“I am glad to see we understand each other, Brante. I will put in a good word for
you with my connections. You’re a much more agreeable man than your prefect.
Perhaps you might take his place one day… but until that happens, you may call for
my assistance in matters that require particular discretion.”
A long and sleepless night follows. Ten new cases lie open before you. Gendarmes
set up ambushes and catch every soul on El Ferro’s list. You fabricate witness
statements and describe nonexistent evidence tying these ten people to the five
behind the assassination attempt against the Magistrate.\nOne by one, the ten
prisoners appear in your office to hear their verdict. You do not look at them —
you would rather not remember the faces of the people you send to the hereafter.
The morning after, ten more people join the five that have already been sent to the
gallows.
Back at home, Father asks you about the case. He is furious when he learns the
truth.
“I cannot believe it! Those people were never proven guilty, and yet you sent them
off to die!”
You quote Felipe: the end justifies the means when you’re fighting an insurgency.
If you take too long to eradicate the threat, it might be too late!
“I never thought I’d hear my own son say such things! The shame, the disgrace! You
should never have done this! We serve the law — we don’t break it!”
Your sister Gloria also hears about these events from your father.
“That execution… it was you? I knew those people. Three of them were our neighbors.
This is horrible… how could you do such a thing, <username>?”
After that day, you and Father barely speak at home. At work, you only talk about
work.\nThe rest of the Prefecture soon notices the change.
“Don’t take it so hard, Brante. Everyone has their principles — sometimes they just
don’t line up. The world wouldn’t need any judges if that wasn’t true.\n“Your
father blames you, but if you ask me, I say you did your duty. Had you refused the
Secret Chancellery, it would have meant nothing but disaster for all of us. What
kind of justice could we expect then?”
However, the quarrel with Father goes on and on. You begin to feel uncomfortable at
home.\nYou start spending more and more time at work with each passing day.
You look through the list. Ten unfamiliar names… or are they?\nYou seem to remember
some of them being friends of your sister’s. That’s right! She used to go the old
castle ruins with them to read poetry.\nThat was so long ago…
No, you cannot possibly send Gloria’s old friends to the gallows on trumped-up
charges.
In your meekest tone, you tell Baron El Ferro that you regretfully cannot be of
service. This is a very significant case, and you fear you do not have what it
takes. It would be prudent of you to recommend one of your colleagues in your stead
— they are all far more experienced in such matters.\nThe Secret Chancellery
advisor knits his brow.
“I expected your loyalty to be stronger, Brante. Very well… I hope the other judges
will be far more decisive and far less reluctant to get their hands dirty in order
to save the Empire. Good day.”
You go to Gloria’s room as soon as you return home. \nYou tell your sister that the
Secret Chancellery is looking for her old friends from the poetry society. Even if
she has lost touch with them, perhaps she could…
“The Secret Chancellery? I need to warn them! We don’t meet very often these days,
but we have mutual friends. There’s still time!”
Gloria rushes outside. She returns only at nightfall, carrying a hefty purse full
of coins.
“I was just in time! They’ve left Anizotte until things settle down. They’d have
been caught by now if not for you.\n“I know you didn’t do it for money, but this is
from my friends — a token of their gratitude to our family.”
Were these people involved in the crimes committed by the Last Straw? No one will
ever know now — neither you, nor Gloria, nor the Secret Chancellery.\nIf they were,
they have managed to escape prosecution.
The morning after, the Prefecture is buzzing like a kicked hornet’s nest. Judge
Fockegraben took up the case eagerly, but now you watch indifferently as he sweats
and fidgets, casting glances at the door and waiting for Advisor El Ferro to
arrive.\nHe sent gendarmes for the suspects last night, but they came back empty-
handed.
You avoid the head of the Secret Chancellery for now.\nYou can only hope you will
never cross paths again.
Justice for All
As you approach the steps of the Prefecture today, a line of Legion soldiers
wearing red cloaks bar your path. They are the personal guard of the provincial
Overseer… has Gaius Tempest graced you with his august presence?\nYou enter only
after presenting your judge’s signet to the guards.
The common room of the Prefecture is remarkably quiet and deserted. All petitioners
have been chased away. The judges and gendarmes do not dare to leave their offices.
Everyone is afraid to breathe — the Overseer, the Emperor’s own brother, has
arrived completely unexpectedly.\nThe guards standing watch say you are expected at
the prefect’s office. You are escorted upstairs.
El Borne is visibly anxious. \nThe honored guest is there. Reclining in the
prefect’s comfortable chair, his crimson, fur-trimmed cloak cast over its back, is
Overseer Gaius Tempest himself.\nYou bow deeply to the Overseer. He acknowledges
your presence with a quick nod and turns back to El Borne.
“Well, El Borne, I am positively incensed to see what has become of the city under
your care. I put you in this seat to instill order under Imperial law. But you have
given the commoners too many freedoms. \n“And now they are revolting against their
Lot and the Emperor’s rule — plotting, forming secret societies… and now an
explosion in Anizotte! An attempt on the Magistrate’s life! Everyone in the city is
talking about some group called the Last Straw! This is unthinkable!”
El Borne accepts the blame without any sign of emotion, but you notice the muscles
twitch behind the wrinkles on his face.
“I have ordered the Secret Chancellery to deal with this Last Straw. But their
leader, a lowborn woman named Sophia, is still at large.
“Last night I ordered a Legion squad to set a trap for this Sophia. We almost had
her, but then an Arknian appeared and attacked the soldiers!”
El Borne glances at you, confused, an unspoken question in his eyes: did you hear
that, Brante?
“An Arknian? Defending a lowborn woman? But how?”
“Indeed, Prefect. One Anthony Fess, a young Arknian of little note. It seems he now
values lowborn insurgents more than his high birth, his honor, and his loyalty to
the Imperial dynasty!\n“Baron El Ferro of the Secret Chancellery has been tracking
him for quite some time. The young man began mingling with revolutionary rabble and
has since lost his mind. Now he swings his sword about in defense of the rights of
the common folk.
“Let us leave the insurgents to the Secret Chancellery. That is their duty.\n“What
concerns me, however, is Anthony Fess. My legionnaires were nipping at the
insurgents’ heels, and then this Arknian appeared and murdered five soldiers! Those
poor souls were utterly flummoxed, unsure whether to fight back or humbly accept
their death at the hands of an Arknian…”
“The mind boggles, Your Eminence! An Arknian has broken the law for the sake of the
common estate?\n“May I assume Your Eminence has a plan for this Sir Fess?”
“Would that I had even a semblance of a plan! What a sordid predicament! Anthony
Fess is a traitor who has committed a great offense against the Crown. Yet he is an
Arknian — I shudder to think what might happen were he to be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law.\n“This has never happened in all of the province’s
history. The Arknian dynasties will not tolerate it — and Archduke Milanidas will
be swift to take advantage of the situation and undermine my authority in the
province.”
“Your Eminence, the law of the Empire is the same for all its subjects. Perhaps it
would be better to have its power demonstrated, once and for all? Sir Fess
challenged more than the soldiers of the Legion; he challenged the rule of the
Emperor Himself…”
“El Borne, El Borne! What did I just tell you? Prosecuting an Arknian would
represent an even greater threat to my authority!\n“Find another way. This Fess is
young and hot-tempered, so push him to the breaking point in the courtroom! Get him
to draw his sword; let everyone see him for the dangerous traitor he is! Even for
an Arknian, this would be an unforgivable transgression. Not even the Archduke
would dispute a verdict against him.”
Gaius Tempest’s gaze focuses on you.\nYou do your best to show no emotion and
remain as invisible as possible until the Overseer gives you permission to speak.
“Judge Brante, you are here for a reason. You will handle the prosecution. I’d
rather have Sir Prefect deal with this mess of a case himself, but he is too
powerful to risk if it fails. Rest assured, many nobles and Arknians will demand
you set him free no matter how much evidence you have against him.
“The traitor Fess must be punished. But I ask you to ensure that my reputation
remains untarnished. I have no intention of going down in history as the Overseer
who allowed our inviolable Arknian rights to be compromised. That would be crossing
the line. Prepare your case.”
Gaius Tempest rises from his seat in the blink of an eye and walks out, escorted by
his guards.\nFor a few seconds, utter silence fills the Prefect’s office… then, at
long last, El Borne feels he no longer has to restrain himself.
“He blames me for what is going on? Me, his most loyal human? No, I will do
everything I can to have that criminal punished. Do you realize how much it will
advance our cause if we can get that Arknian condemned in a court of law? This is
the only way we can instill the rule of law in these lands, Brante!”
The Overseer insists that the trial be scheduled for tomorrow. Anthony Fess has
been located. He was found and surrounded by gendarmes on the street; however, he
did not resist and gave his word of honor to stand trial.\nYou barely have time to
prepare the charges before entering the courtroom.
The normally half-empty seats in the courtroom are crowded today. The highest ranks
of the aristocracy and the most noble families and dynasties all focus their gaze
on you as soon as you step inside.\nIn the depths of the courtroom you notice
Octavia Milanidas, surrounded by her retinue of young ladies. The Archduke’s
daughter watches the trial unfold with a wry, indifferent smile.
You ascend to the podium. Prefect El Borne himself presides over the board of
judges.\nThe courtroom doors swing open, and the defendant Anthony Fess enters,
escorted by gendarmes. The young Arknian is dressed in a defiantly modest garb for
his status — no embellishments, no jewelry, just a simple linen undershirt.
However, he still carries a sword, as expected from a highborn noble.
You read the charges as procedure demands.\nSir Anthony Fess willfully caused the
lesser deaths of five soldiers of the Legion, thereby allowing a number of the Last
Straw insurgents to escape punishment.
Murmuring fills the courtroom.\nThe Arknian’s large, dark eyes watch closely,
catching every motion in the hall.\nThen, suddenly, Anthony Fess interrupts you to
speak for himself.
“People of Anizotte! I was not brought here by force today. I broke the law, and I
am ready and willing to be held accountable before all of you.\n“I fought those
Legion soldiers, and I killed him. Did I violate Imperial law? Yes, I did. Yet does
anyone even bother to count the transgressions committed by our rulers on a daily
basis? Why does this law exist, if no one follows it?
“I do not accept a law that offers no salvation from eternal tyranny for the common
estate! By my birth, I was given the power to rule over humans, but if suffering is
all that rule brings, then I reject it!\n“I am ready and willing to sacrifice my
very life for the sake of justice, so that all citizens of the Empire will begin to
respect the law!”
The young Arknian’s words, loud and desperately audacious, spark turmoil in the
courtroom. The stunned board of judges is at a loss for words; the gendarmes freeze
in confusion.\nAnd the nobles are terrified. You hear their screams: “Madman! Pull
yourself together! You’re no commoner, you’re an Arknian!”
The courtroom is on the verge of exploding with tension. The gendarmes try in vain
to placate the audience. \nThe board of judges looks to you. As the prosecutor, you
must continue reading the charges against the defendant.\nThe fate of the
rebellious Arknian is in your hands, but do you have what it takes to make the most
of this situation?
Provoke the Arknian
Acquit him and clear him of all charges
Turn to Octavia for aid
Find him guilty, as the law demands
You take advantage of the tense situation to provoke the defendant to draw his
sword.
You drop all charges against the Arknian Anthony Fess.
You ask Octavia to pardon the young Arknian in the Archduke’s name.
You ensure that the Arknian is found guilty of treason.
As passions in the courtroom are running high, you prepare yourself for what is
about to come, your hand clutching at the hilt of your sword, your eyes studying
the young Arknian’s heated face as he fervently affirms the justice of his
position.\nThen you announce that the prosecution must continue to read the charges
against the defendant.
The courtroom grows quiet, and you continue your opening remarks.\nSir Anthony Fess
has publicly declared that he does not accept Imperial law. Does this mean that Sir
Fess is willing to take any life in this courtroom for the sake of his cause, just
as he took those of five Legion soldiers?
“I have as much faith in your law as you do, your honor, but I would never kill
anyone without cause. I fight for the common people.”
Slowly, you approach the defendant, your hand ready on the hilt of the sword.\nThen
it seems Sir Fess is not truly willing to go all the way for his cause! Is he not
ready to prove in public, to everyone, without fear, that the law must not be
obeyed?!\nYou do not speak those last few words; you scream them in the Arknian’s
face. “No!” you continue. “You are more than a traitor, Sir Fess! You are a coward
and a liar!”
A grimace of pure hatred contorts the young Arknian’s face. He draws his sword and
attacks you in an instant.\nEveryone in the courtroom freezes in terror.
“How dare you call me a liar! I’m not afraid of you, nor of the Legion, nor of the
Emperor Himself!”
Anthony Fess assaults you with a storm of slashes and strikes. \nYou parry them
furiously, but you cannot withstand the strength and skill of an Arknian. He
presses you to the wall of the podium, all eyes on the fight.\nThe gendarmes rush
to your aid, but the Arknian’s blade flashes so quickly, they cannot even hope to
approach you.
You mount your last defense, your strength failing.\nThe frenzied young Arknian
strikes you down with all of his fury, almost as if he sees you as the embodiment
of all injustice in the Empire.\nYou are too slow to parry his next blow.
The steel sinks into your heart. With a burst of chilling pain, it shudders and
stops.\nA lady’s muffled scream from deep within the courtroom is the last thing
you hear.
You return to life upon the slab of stone set in the center of your family crypt —
naked, blank, reborn.\nA massive silhouette in a heavy cloak leans over you. It
takes you some time to recognize your own father.
“At last you have returned… son, you had him found guilty, but at the cost of your
own life. Were you prepared for this? I do not know. But your sacrifice was not in
vain.
“The Arknian Anthony Fess has been exiled to the northern isles; his entire family
estate will go to the Overseer. After the assault in the courtroom, no Arknian
could say a word against it. He was convicted of treason and conspiracy against the
Crown.\n“Needless to say, this is a singular occasion for our province.
“Gaius Tempest is pleased with the way you resolved the trial against the Arknian
insurgent. We have received a letter expressing his gratitude. Your career is sure
to soar now. Our family is favored by the Overseer. Now we must use that favor
wisely before it is gone.
“But just think of the sheer scale of the situation you have gotten yourself
involved in! The Arknian’s sentence is the talk of Anizotte. Everyone saw that the
law has power even over the higher race. Though the common folk still bemoan the
fate of the only Arknian defiant enough to fight for their cause.”
As you walk up the stairs out of the crypt, you cannot help but remember the young
Arknian’s eyes, the way they burned with a righteous flame, the way he risked it
all for the common estate.\nIn the end, Anthony Fess was sacrificed for justice,
although it was not the kind of sacrifice he had in mind.
You loudly call for attention. Some time passes before you restore order in the
court and continue your opening remarks.\nAlbeit with a sudden, unexpected twist.
There has been a misunderstanding, you say. Indeed, Sir Anthony Fess engaged in
combat with Legion soldiers, but only because their brazen behavior left him no
choice but to defend his honor. Naturally, you say, the insurgents were not
involved in any way.\nThere can be doubt that no Arknian of noble birth would ever
defy the sacred rule of the Emperor. Surely the honorable board of judges would
agree?
The nobles in the courtroom, left stunned and speechless by the young Arknian’s
words a moment ago, seem to awaken from their daze. They applaud you. “Hear, hear!”
they cry. “Hands off the Arknians!”\nOnly Octavia Milanidas remains silent in the
back row, her face contorted in a disdainful smirk.\nAnthony Fess looks around the
courtroom, dumbfounded. He tries to speak again, but you cut him off before he can
even begin.
You continue your speech: this young Arknian nobleman has allowed his roiling
ancient blood and desire for greatness to speak louder than reason. We should not
misinterpret his youthful fervor as treason!\nAnthony Fess is clearly innocent and
must be freed at once!
Your speech concluded, you catch your breath, but when you look up, your eyes meet
El Borne’s heavy, scornful gaze, devoid of all respect. \nThe prefect sighs —
painfully, grievously — and reaches for his gavel.
“Due to the absence of any charges, the court has no choice but to find Sir Anthony
Fess not guilty. \n“You are free to go. But remember: the laws of the Empire
represent the will of our Emperor and the Twins Themselves.”
The aristocracy applauds this just verdict from the stalls.\nThe gendarmes hurry
the rebellious Arknian out of the courtroom before he can utter another word.\nThe
prefect walks down from the podium, his eyes trained on you, full of chagrin.
“Not only have you let me down, Brante, you’ve also shown everyone that Arknians
are above the law even if they commit crimes out in the open. I had hoped that this
outrageous call for rebellion would finally force an Arknian to face justice.\n“Yet
the aristocracy would rather tolerate a singular madman’s revolt than risk their
immunity from the legal process.”
Fortunately for you, the prefect is quickly surrounded by nobles. Excited by the
case of Anthony Fess, they have questions that demand answers.\nYou slip out of the
courtroom…\nOnly to run into a crowd of commoners. But, to your surprise, they
shower you with adoring cries: “All hail Judge Brante!” they shout. “He saved good
Sir Fess!”\nThe news that you have rescued the sole Arknian fighting for the
lowborn is quick to spread all across Anizotte.
A letter arrives almost immediately after the trial bearing the Overseer’s seal. \
nGaius Tempest makes to attempt to conceal his anger.
“Entrusting this case to you was a mistake, judge. You failed to resolve it in a
worthy fashion. Anthony Fess is now at large, free to rouse the people to revolt as
he pleases. But do not blame yourself — it is my own fault for assigning a delicate
matter of such importance to a man who was but recently a commoner.”
You let out a heavy sigh.\nIt seems everyone in Magra has their own reason to
condemn your decision.
As passions in the courtroom run high, you look around to find Octavia.\nLady
Milanidas returns your gaze with a calm, wry smile, elegant as ever.
You take advantage of the turmoil to quickly walk over to Octavia and whisper into
her ear.\nYou politely ask the Archduke’s daughter to save you from the peril of
condemning an Arknian — your entire future could be ruined by this verdict.
Octavia’s influence is more than sufficient to make everybody take heed.
“Very well, my sweet human. After all, is there any point in power if you never
abuse it?”
Octavia rises and proceeds elegantly to the podium, her emerald green dress
trailing triumphantly behind her.\nThe courtroom immediately falls silent. Everyone
pricks up their ears.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I must confess I’ve grown quite weary of this trial. But, as
an Arknian, I feel a duty to save my kinsman from mistreatment of any sort.
“In the name of the Milanidas dynasty, I hereby pardon Anthony Fess on behalf of
the Archduke. May he never again utter rebellious speeches or slay Legion soldiers
lest he part with his sword. The Archduke has forgiven you, Sir Fess — for now. You
are all free to leave.”
Octavia nonchalantly returns to her seat. \nFlabbergasted, El Borne can only
announce the end of the trial. The nobles all gasp and shout, gossiping about the
deranged act of the Archduke’s daughter.\nAnthony Fess bows stiffly to Octavia and
leaves the courtroom.
“Do you see, <username>? I will spare no expense for you, my human. And I have
taken somewhat of a liking to this Anthony Fess — he has no qualms about defying
rules of any sort. I can already imagine my father’s fury when he hears of my
pardon… but what is he going to do, take me to court? Ha ha!”
Your chance to set a precedent against an Arknian in court is gone. Anthony Fess
roams free now in spite of his outright call for revolt.\nA letter arrives almost
immediately after the trial bearing the Overseer’s seal. \nYou steel yourself for
the worst — but, to your surprise, Gaius Tempest is delighted.
“Splendid work, Judge Brante. I have no idea how you managed to get the Archduke’s
progeny involved in this case, but the rebellious young Fess is his problem now.\
n“I was right to assign a delicate matter of such importance to you. El Borne will
be told to promote you as soon as possible. I need more intelligent, reliable men
like you at the Prefecture.”
You exchange glances with El Borne.\nThe time has come to keep the promise you gave
him and bring all nobles, even Arknians, under the rule of law.\nEl Borne nods,
determined to support your accusation.
You raise your hand in a commanding gesture, calling for attention. With everyone
focused on you, Anthony Fess’s voice trails off.\nYou continue your opening
statement and list in detail all the transgressions committed by the young Arknian
nobleman: five counts of assault and murder of an Imperial servant. Aiding
insurgents. And his rebellious statements made just now in court.
The evidence is presented next, piece by piece.\nSummoned to the podium one by one,
the reborn Legion soldiers who suffered lesser deaths at Fess’s hand confirm your
every word.\nAnthony Fess stares you down defiantly, his gaze full of scorn.
The aristocracy bristles at your accusations, even after Fess’s call for a revolt.\
nThere are whispers in the stalls: what is that judge thinking, trying to convict
an Arknian?
But you are well prepared. You have earned enough favours in high places. Even the
old nobility will have to step back.\nMagistrate El Verman rises to speak.
“Judge Brante is young, but he deserves our trust. Sir Fess’s transgressions
against the Empire are heinous, but his views are even more so. The insurgent must
face justice, his high birth and lineage notwithstanding.”
Slowly, reluctantly, the nobles side with their leader.\nThe trial continues, but
the outcome is all but decided after the Magistrate’s speech.\nThe board of judges
led by El Borne is ready to deliver the verdict. The other judges are uncertain,
but the prefect’s eyes are adamant.
“We find Sir Fess guilty on all counts. For treason and insurgency against the
Crown, Anthony Fess is sentenced to exile to the northern isles. The Fess family
will forfeit its estate to the provincial Overseer.\n“May this be a lesson to all
subjects in this province, regardless of their birth or estate. From now on, no one
is above the law!”
“Judges, I accept your sentence. I prepared myself long ago to suffer as the
lowborn suffer. But mark my words: justice must be the same for all! I will fight
against the old ways until justice and equality reign throughout the Empire.”
You watch firsthand as the Arknian is stripped of his noble sword and put in
chains.\nEl Borne watches too, weary and almost incredulous.\nYou walk to his seat
at the head of the board and shake his hand.
“We did it, <username>. An Arknian in chains! I never thought I’d live to see the
day.”
“It’s just a shame we had to sacrifice this particular Arknian for our goal. He was
the only one of his race who fought for equal justice… but alas, that does not
justify his crimes.\n“Still, this case is over now. Get some rest, Brante. You’ve
earned it.”
A letter arrives soon after the trial bearing the Overseer’s seal. \nPredictably,
Gaius Tempest is displeased with the outcome.
“Sir Judge, I warned you against exactly this kind of impertinence! Now I will face
a hail of complaints from all the Arknian dynasties in Magra, each and every
Arknian demanding sanctuary from the law. What am I to tell them now? Your myopic
decision is most regretful. From now on, I will be more careful when selecting
trusted individuals.”
You file away the Overseer’s letter, grab a bottle of fine wine, and head to the
prefect’s office with it.\nYou may not have won the Overseer’s favor this time, but
today was a triumph nevertheless.
Transformation
It has been a long time since your last encounter with Octavia Milanidas. You have
come to expect to run into her from time to time in the most unusual of
circumstances. \nBut Octavia has all but disappeared, vanished completely from
Imperial high society.
Then one night you come home to find a letter bearing the heraldic serpents of the
Milanidas Dynasty. \nThe handwriting is not Octavia’s. This letter was penned by
the Archduke himself.
“We, Duke Tarquinius of the great Milanidas dynasty, salute you, Judge <username>
Brante. We have been made aware of your relationship with our daughter Octavia, but
we shall leave the particulars of this relationship for another time.\n“Lady
Octavia has disappeared. It has been one month since she was last seen in any of
our holdings within the city of Anizotte. We, Archduke Milanidas, expect you,
Brante, to aid us in finding our lost daughter.
“Tread carefully, lest you attract unwanted attention to this matter. The
reputation of the Milanidas Dynasty is at stake. Do not fail us, Judge Brante.”
The Archduke’s expectation represents a direct order to find her as soon as
possible. To refuse him would spell certain and immeasurable disaster.\nYou begin
looking for Octavia immediately.\nThe building where the Circle of La-Tari used to
gather was abandoned long ago. You have no hope of finding any of Octavia’s
followers there.
You decide to search the Prefecture archives. You spend an entire morning going
through each and every case and report concerned with ancient races and rituals of
old, even indirectly.\nAfter a long search, you finally stumble upon a familiar
name: Alexis El Lance, a noble from an influential bloodline… you impersonated him
when you infiltrated the Circle of La-Tari two years ago!\nThe archives say that El
Lance was reported multiple times to be searching for “another faith” and claimed
he was seeking to “understand the design of the Twins” in his own way.
You chuckle upon seeing this. The original El Lance was one of the first humans
ennobled by Char Milanidas himself. The proud name of his forefather is the only
thing that has saved the willful Alexis from the Inquisition’s pyres.\nRegardless,
he is your only clue to Octavia’s whereabouts. You head for the El Lance mansion at
once.
You tell the servants at the door that you have an urgent matter to discuss with
their master. \nA tall, gaunt nobleman with a thick beard walks down the stairs to
greet you, studying you intently during the introduction.\nHis eyes seem to be
locked in a perpetual state of pain — but it is different from the ever-familiar
pain and suffering of the common Lot.
You inform El Lance sternly that you are aware of his involvement in the Circle of
La-Tari and hint that his noble origins may not save him from an inquisitorial
visit this time.\nYou are looking for Octavia Milanidas. Where is she?
The eccentric nobleman lets out a rueful chuckle. He is not one to hide the truth.\
nThe Circle of La-Tari is here, within these walls, El Lance tells you.\nBut Lady
Milanidas is currently conducting a ritual of the utmost importance. No one may
interfere! This rite will return the La-Tari to this world — or, rather, it will
return the world to the eternal fold of the La-Tari…
You resolutely walk past El Lance and his intellectualizing and march up the
stairs. The servants rush to stop you, but one stern glance is enough to remind
them of their Lot. \nUpstairs, you hear the familiar droning chant. You fling open
the massive gilded double doors leading to the sitting room. The silhouettes in
gilded masks and flowing garb are here, undulating in their dance and producing all
manner of strange sounds.\nIn the center of their dancing circle is Octavia
Milanidas, lying prostrate on the floor!
Octavia is dying. A sea of blood has already been drained from her slashed wrists.\
nBut she is still alive!
You break through the circle of the La-Tari followers and rush to Octavia’s side.\
nThe Arknian opens her dark eyes to look at you, the world reflected in them
growing faint and dim. She wheezes a true death-rattle.\nOctavia’s body melts away
your arms.
Long fingers rest on your shoulder. They belong to Alexis El Lance. \n“Lady Octavia
will not be reborn,” he tells you. “She has left her body and soul alike. She has
become La-Tari.”
Without a word, the members of the Circle slowly part and spread out around the
large room.\n“The deed is done,” says El Lance. “Sending one of our number to
commune with the La-Tari is the most we could have hoped for.”
Before you can compose yourself, the creature that was once Octavia flows into the
room. Everyone falls silent, watching in wonder and awe.\nYou can still recognize
Octavia’s features in this creature. It seems to float in the air, its body
thinner, its skin now gilded and reflective in the candlelight, its eyes larger and
bizarrely elongated.
Octavia’s followers cover the creature’s delicate shoulders with a cloak and stand
reverently before it. \nThe creature that was once an Arknian approaches you,
slowly, without touching the ground at all.\nIts voice drones, remote and distant,
like an echo from a faraway realm.
“You have borne witness to a rebirth. The one you call Octavia Milanidas is no
more. The mind of the La-Tari now resides within this body.”
“The one called Octavia has cast off the shackles of your narrow world. She has
awakened, now free of Blood Tide, birth, and other such burdens. She sees the world
as it exists in the mind of the La-Tari — the only true world, for all other worlds
exist within it.
“Neither you nor any other denizen of your illusory world can return the one called
Octavia to her cage.”
“You must leave, human <username> Brante. The one you seek is no more.”
Demand that Octavia be returned to her family
Let the La-Tari go
Accept your beloved’s transformation
Open yourself to the truth of La-Tari
You insist that Octavia be returned to her father’s side.
You leave without interfering with the enigmatic La-Tari.
You assure the now-transformed Octavia that you still care for her.
You ask the La-Tari to open your eyes to the true nature of things.
You produce the Archduke’s letter and extend it to the creature that was once
Octavia. You must return to Serpenverda at once, you say. The Archduke demands it!\
nThe creature takes a brief look at the letter — and, for a moment, its face
contorts into Octavia’s familiar furious scowl.
“You do not understand. The La-Tari are not a part of the one called Octavia’s
illusionary world. The La-Tari care not for this world. We contain within us all
the peoples and all the worlds that may be. Unhand us, human Brante.”
But you do not let go.\nAnd then Octavia turns her head and looks at you. The
creature’s eyes are nothing but emptiness, darkness. It swallows you in an
instant.\nFor an unknown time, you cease to exist. No family, no calling, no
people, no things; never born, never died, never lived.\nYou ought to be terrified,
you realize, but the man who ought to be terrified has ceased to exist just the
same.
How long it lasts, you cannot tell. You regain consciousness in your bed back
home.\nThe servants say a strange, gaunt, bearded man brought your unconscious body
home in his carriage last night. He said something odd when he handed you over: “he
faced the truth and failed to accept it.” Those were his words.
As soon as you recover from this experience, you head to Castle Serpenverda. The
Archduke will not tolerate any delays when it comes to his daughter’s fate.\nThe
guards escort you to the ancient throne room, the same room where Octavia once met
you herself.\nOn the throne sits the Archduke, sullen and dour. His face resembles
that of a bird of prey; his lips are tightly pressed; his body is hunched and
tense.\nYou kneel before the reigning lord of the province.
“I have no time for formalities, Brante. Tell me what happened to Octavia!”
You remain kneeling, your eyes cast down. You tell him about everything that
happened in the Circle of La-Tari and explain the mystery and rebirth of Octavia
Milanidas.\nYou describe how you attempted to stop the ritual and return Octavia to
her family estate, but the creature that was once her told you that Octavia was no
more.
Archduke Milanidas listens, showing no emotion, but his hand clutches at his
scepter harder and harder with every word. Does he even believe what you are
saying?\nAfter you finish, he remains silent for a long while, thinking. Finally,
he speaks:
“Would that you had lied to me, Brante… but you have told me no lies. I know what
my daughter is capable of.\n“What happens now is none of your concern. You will
forget any ties you had to Octavia, as well as my orders. Forever.
“I intend to repay my debt to your family. Nobility of the province will know about
my gratitude to you.\n“But tread lightly, Sir <username>, for my favor does not
last forever. Farewell.”
The high road takes you back to Anizotte, empty in the dark night. You cannot help
but think of Octavia — or of the creature she has become.\nThe creature that called
itself La-Tari has disappeared without a trace. The Archduke’s men scour the entire
city, but cannot find her. \nWill you ever see her fragile, ethereal silhouette
again?
You reach out and put your hand on the shoulder of the creature that was once
Octavia. Its body is so delicate now, so fragile, that you fear to shatter it with
a single touch. \nThe gaze of its abyssal, almond-shaped eyes is utterly inhuman.
You know nothing of what she is doing or why, you tell the reborn Octavia, but you
will not hinder her. She must be careful — the Archduke will search for her
relentlessly.\nThe creature that calls itself La-Tari reacts with a satisfied smile
that reminds you of the old Octavia.
“The one called Octavia knew you would protect us… I… she will be grateful for your
assistance. She held you dear, human <username>.
“The La-Tari will meet you again. But for now, we must see the world with new eyes.
Onward!”
The creature’s fingers trace the outlines of your face. Your body reacts to this
touch with a flurry of emotions and sensations you cannot even attempt to
describe.\nThe creature once known throughout the province as Octavia Milanidas
floats down the stairs and disappears from sight.\nDazed, you watch the members of
the Circle part and walk away without a word.\nYou are soon left alone.
You remain kneeling, your eyes cast down. You tell him that you have been unable to
find Octavia. \nYou searched all across the city and questioned everyone who had
ties to the Archduke’s daughter, but it was all in vain. You have failed to carry
out his order.
Archduke Milanidas listens, showing no emotion, but his hand clutches at his
scepter harder and harder with every word. Does he even believe what you are
saying.?
“You had a service you could have performed for me, Brante, a service that would
have brought honor to your family. Instead, you have failed me. I will remember
this when your father requests to be ennobled by the Sword.\n“You shall forget all
ties you had to Octavia, as well my orders. Forever.”
The high road takes you back to Anizotte, empty in the dark night. You cannot help
but think of Octavia — or of the creature she has become.\nThe creature that called
itself La-Tari has disappeared without a trace. The Archduke’s men scour the entire
city, but cannot find her.\nWill you ever see her fragile, ethereal silhouette
again?
The creature that was once Octavia Milanidas turns away and slowly departs, as
though swimming through invisible water.\nYou shake off your amazement at
witnessing this incredible creature.\nYou tell yourself again and again that this
is still Octavia, your beloved!
With determination, you hurry after the creature and put your hand on its shoulder.
Its body is so delicate now, so fragile, that you fear to shatter it with a single
touch. \nThe gaze of its abyssal, almond-shaped eyes is utterly inhuman.
You know nothing of what has happened to her, you tell the reborn Octavia, but your
feelings for her remain the same. No matter what, you accept her transformation and
will remain by her side in your thoughts and actions, even if she is no longer the
woman you knew!
The creature that calls itself La-Tari reacts with a shadow of a smile that reminds
you of the old Octavia.
“She would be glad to hear that. We thank you, <username> Brante. The one called
Octavia’s feelings for you were strong. She will remember you and leave a place for
you in this illusory world until it burns away in the flames of her mind. You will
remain connected until the world of the one called Octavia Milanidas ceases to
exist.
“But she must walk her path alone. You cannot aid her, nor can you hinder her. The
time has come for the one called Octavia to see the world anew. She wishes to bid
you farewell.”
The La-Tari, this strange creature, suddenly grasps your hand and holds it to its
face, inhaling the scent of your skin.\nYour body reacts to this touch with a
flurry of emotions and sensations you cannot even attempt to describe.\nFinally,
the creature once known throughout the province as Octavia Milanidas floats down
the stairs and disappears from sight.
Dazed, you watch the members of the Circle part and walk away without a word.\nYou
are soon left alone.
As soon as you recover from this experience, you head to Castle Serpenverda. The
Archduke will not tolerate any delays when it comes to his daughter’s fate.\nThe
guards escort you to the ancient throne room, the same room where Octavia once met
you herself.\nOn the throne sits the Archduke, sullen and dour. His face resembles
that of a bird of prey; his lips are tightly pressed; his body is hunched and
tense. You kneel before the reigning lord of the province.
Dazed by the encounter, you look at the creature into which Octavia transformed
before your very eyes. \nYou cannot help but think of the only other La-Tari ritual
you have seen. The gilded faces, the intoxicating dance, the strange connection
that made everyone and everything seem as one. The world falling apart into shards
of dreams, until there is was the La-Tari.\nOctavia chose this path, and she has
walked it to the end.
Carefully, you reach out and put your hand on the shoulder of the creature that was
once Octavia. Its body is so delicate now, so fragile, that you fear to shatter it
with a single touch. \nThe gaze of its abyssal, almond-shaped eyes is utterly
inhuman.
You ask the now-reborn Octavia to show you the truth of her new existence. Is there
a way for her to share this experience with you?\nThere is a strange glimmer in the
creature’s dark eyes as it gazes at you.
“You are still human, <username> Brante. Your nature will not allow you to
comprehend that you only exist within our mind. But the one called Octavia
remembers how you sought to understand the La-Tari. She will show you that which
you will be able to see.”
All of a sudden, the La-Tari takes your arms and puts them on its head.\nYour body
reacts to this touch with a flurry of emotions and sensations you cannot even
attempt to describe.\nThe creature then turns its head and looks at you. Its eyes
are nothing, emptiness, darkness. It swallows you in an instant.
For an unknown time, you cease to exist. No family, no calling, no people, no
things; never born, never died, never lived.\nYou ought to be terrified, you
realize, but the man who ought to be terrified has ceased to exist all the same.\
nOnly what you see in your mind’s eye exists now.
You see a little Arknian girl sleeping in an exquisite bed, surrounded by nothing
but darkness. The rest of the world is only her dream.\nShe dreams of a prison of
gilded cages and noble parties and dances and mansions, all surrounded by a moat of
blood that is her father’s Blood Tide. She dreams of trying to flee, prying the
bars apart, only to slam into the bars of an even larger cage. The Twins tower
above her — the cage is their great design.\nThe girl is crying now — she has
realized that there is nothing outside the cage.
But suddenly the Arknian girl wakes up. She sees herself sleeping. She sees her own
dream. She gets out of bed and walks away. \nAnd then the Lots and the Blood Tide,
and the Empire and the Twins and their design, they all shatter and turn to ash,
for the girl has awakened.\nShe suddenly realizes that the world is far larger than
this dream. She can create it on her own now. She is within the La-Tari. She is no
longer trapped — she herself is La-Tari.
You emerge from the blackness of those La-Tari eyes just as suddenly as you had
plunged into oblivion.
“You, too, could have stopped being human, <username> Brante. But you have your own
path to walk. You cannot create a world of your own — you are too busy struggling
within a cage that is not of your own design. \n“The La-Tari will meet you again.
But for now, we must see the world through new eyes. Onward!”
Final Preparations
The carriage takes you further down the city’s narrow streets. They are filled with
noble carriages and commoners hurrying about their business, but the driver
skillfully avoids them all.\nYou watch the city uneasily from behind the carriage
doors.
The past few months have been so tense and challenging, they felt like a single
unbearable moment. You had to face one ordeal after another, and Otton’s case
sometimes fell by the wayside.\nBut you have no doubt that the outcome of this case
will determine your fate. Your previous encounters with the haughty commander have
assured you of that.
The time to strike Otton down is coming soon. Right now, you need to make your
final preparations.\nYour gut tells you that time is running out — either you seize
the initiative, or Otton will destroy you himself.\nBut what should you focus on at
this critical juncture? You consider your options...
Address the people with a speech
Start a rumor among the aristocracy
To gather public support for your case, you go to a square and publicly voice your
accusations against Otton.
You sow the seeds of scandalous small talk to make the nobles believe that Otton’s
downfall is inevitable.
You are already prepared to face Otton. All you need to do now is gather your
strength.
There is no turning back now. It is time to show the arrogant Arknian that you no
longer fear his wrath. The common people will support you.\nYou tell the driver to
take you to Gold Square.
The square in front of the Chancellery is as crowded as ever, teeming with people
of all estates and ranks.\nOnce in the square, you ascend a raised platform and
address the crowd as loudly as you can. At first, the people pay you no heed and
merely hurry along, but as your speech continues, every pair of eyes soon turns to
you.
Excited voices fill the square:\n“Who’s that?” “It’s Judge <el> Brante!”
You begin your accusatory speech.\nThe people of Anizotte have a right to know
about Dorius Otton’s crimes! His duty as military commander is to preserve peace in
the province, but he behaves like a lawless villain, murdering his own soldiers
left and right! His duty as a highborn noble is to rule over his subjects wisely,
but instead, he brings dishonor to all of Magra!
The mob responds with murmurs, confused at first. Is this an act of defiance by a
common judge? Is a human really speaking out against one of the most powerful
Arknians in the province?\nMany flee the square in terror as soon as they realize
what you are saying, hoping to stay out of harm’s way.\nBut you also catch a few
awkward shouts of support from among the din: “Down with the tyrant! We won’t stand
for it!”
You latch onto those words. Yes, down with Otton! You will put an end to his
crimes.\nBut you cannot do it all by yourself. If the citizens of Anizotte want
justice, if they want to defend their rights, they have to be brave and stand their
ground against the lawless commander when the time comes.\nAny citizen of Anizotte
who is fed up with noble tyranny must rally to your cause!
Ecstatic shouts fill the square.\n“The people deserve rights! Down with Otton!
We’re with you, Judge!”
You descend the platform triumphant. Many voices of support follow you out of the
square.\nWhen the time comes to clash with Otton, the people will support you. But
do the common folk have what it takes to openly defy the age-old rule of an
Arknian?
To ensure Otton’s downfall, you need to make arrangements. The haughty Arknian
still has too many friends in high places.\nYou tell the driver to take you to the
Gardens of Plenty, where most eminent Anizotte nobles flock to enjoy an afternoon
stroll.
During this outing, you just so happen to meet many eminent nobles in the garden.\
nAfter each exchange of pleasantries, you let them in on a little secret: Otton’s
days are numbered. Overseer Gaius Tempest is about to get rid of the unruly
commander, and no one, not even Archduke Milanidas, can change his mind. Naturally
you realize that the Ottons are one of the most ancient Arknian dynasties, but who
would dare to defy the will of a Twins-blessed Tempest?
Many of the noblemen you meet that day react to your words with incredulous looks.
But you have the reputation of a respectable and powerful official privy to many
secrets.\nSoon the rumor of Otton’s imminent downfall begins to spread among the
Anizotte aristocracy. Many eminent nobleman are quick to disassociate themselves
from the military commander in order to keep their own reputations safe.
You rub your hands together in satisfaction.\nSoon, very soon, Otton will be the
only one unaware of his inevitable downfall.
You tell the driver to take you home.\nYou will take this time to rest up and
regain your strength before the most trying challenge of your life.
The Hour Has Come
You stand at the window of your office and watch the living streets below,
exhausted. For over a year Anizotte has been steadily simmering with unrest, like a
soup pot over a well-stoked flame.\r\nThe endless feud between the Archduke and the
Overseer… the first trials against nobles… insurgencies flaring up all across the
Empire…\r\nGrim, heavy, dark-red storm clouds now hang in the sky above Anizotte.
Preachers of the New Faith fill the streets, urging the people to reject the Lots.
The abbot of the temple at the Silver Tree, Father Lennart, has turned the city’s
most ancient church into a New Believer stronghold.\nCommoners flock to the squares
in droves. The mobs grow bolder and bolder as they demand new freedoms and
protection under the law. Commoners have begun forming armed militias. The Last
Straw insurgents commit brazen acts, hoping to overthrow the authorities.\nThe
nobles of the Sword demand that every mob be dispersed by force. They are ready to
fight for their ancient privileges, sword in hand.
You cast a glance back at your desk, still covered with piles of paperwork for
Otton’s case. You have been working on it for over two years now. \nThis case will
have to reach a conclusion someday… but when? Will you be able to free yourself
from the mortal peril into which it has drawn you?
Your thoughts are interrupted by heavy footsteps and clacking hooves.\nThe square
in front of the Prefecture quickly clears as workers and merchants do their best to
flee.\nA Legion battalion is advancing on the Prefecture. It is led by Dorius
Otton, on horseback and in full armor. He rides right up to the steps, the square
resounds with his commanding voice.
“I am Dorius Otton, High Commander of this province, and I have come to demand
justice! I have proof that a judge named <username> Brante has been collecting
slander for years, seeking to tarnish the Otton name. I have already warned this
judge, and I will not stand idly by in the face of an insult! To accuse me is to
undermine the rule of the Arknians, our noble traditions, and the sacred order of
the Empire! itself!”
“I demand that a stop be put to this campaign of defamation! I expect Judge Brante
to burn his so-called case right now! \n“Until that happens, my battalion is under
orders to treat all those who serve at the Prefecture as traitors to the Crown. No
one will leave this building until I see these vile accusations against an Arknian
dynasty burned to ash!”
El Borne comes rushing into your office. \nHe is pale as a ghost, but trying his
hardest to remain composed.
“<username>! Otton caught us off guard. I knew we should have begun his trial much
sooner! He has the upper hand now — no one will come to our aid. We must give Otton
our reply.
“It’ll all up to you now, Sir Brante. This is it, the moment of truth. How will you
respond to Otton’s ultimatum?”
Without saying a word, you stare out the window again. The sky is dark and
overcast, thunder echoing in the distance. The Legion soldiers stand still,
awaiting new orders. Otton’s horse is right by the stairs as he awaits your reply.\
nThe past several years flash before your eyes: cases and verdicts, threats and
promises, decisions and deeds. Where have they led you, your career, your
province?\nHow will you approach the task of rebuffing one of the mightiest
Arknians in the province?\nIt will all be decided now.
Charge Otton with crimes
Summon Otton to trial
Bring Otton to the Court of Honor
Call for Gaius Tempest’s aid
Burn the case
You respond to Otton by summoning him to trial. You wield the power of the law, and
you have enough evidence to indict even an Arknian.
You respond to Otton by summoning him to trial. The power of law has grown
substantially in Magra — not even an Arknian can escape justice now.
You have assembled enough evidence and garnered enough influence with the
aristocracy to submit the case to the Overseer and doom Otton to face the Court of
Honor.
You have garnered enough influence with the aristocracy to submit the case to the
Overseer and doom Otton to face the Court of Honor.
You are not strong enough to oppose Otton. You forfeit the struggle and do as the
Arknian orders.
You descend the stairs and walk to the door of the Prefecture, ready to meet Otton
face to face.
You have worked hard to defend the rule of law within the province, and your
efforts have borne fruit. Commoners, nobles, even Arknians — all are now equal
before the law.\nIt is thanks to you that this change has taken root, both in and
out of court. You have had to sacrifice your own career and your family’s
reputation; you have been intimidated and shunned by your peers…
But now, you will see this through to the very end. Otton is not just any noble
Arknian — he is the High Commander of the province, the right hand of Archduke
Milanidas… but he will stand trial nonetheless. Your evidence is overwhelming. And
after the people hear of this, the court will have no choice but to find him
guilty.
You approach Otton and face him. \nHe dismounts his horse, but, clad in a full suit
of ancient armor, the Arknian is still a head taller than you.
“Here you are at last, Brante. You obeyed me and came out — a wise choice! But
where are all the papers you are to burn?”
You stare down the High Commander and tell him that his case awaits him in the
court of law to which he has been summoned.\nYou hereby accuse Dorius Otton of
murdering nineteen servants of the Empire! The trial will begin three days hence
and is open to all citizens of Anizotte.
“You vile wretch! How dare you give orders to an Arknian?! Or do you want me to
round up the tally and make it twenty?”
You do not even flinch at his words. Behind you, the pillars of the Prefecture —
the stronghold of law and justice — reach up for the sky.\nYou notice people
flocking to the square, taking heed of your voice. “Have no fear, Judge <el>
Brante!” they shout, “Protect the judge!” \nThe commoners form a living wall
between you and the furious Arknian warrior.
“Battalion! Prepare for battle! Disperse the mob!”
But the Legion soldiers behind Otton are already faltering. The legionnaires no
longer wish to tolerate the murderer of their brothers-in-arms.\nThe battalion
captain stares at Otton, his eyes like daggers. “Sheathe your swords!” he commands
his men. “About face! To the barracks, march!”\nAbandoned, the Arknian looks around
in confusion, alone and armor-clad, like a painting of old brought to life.
“Traitors! You dare call yourselves nobles?! You will all pay for this, every last
one of you! As will you, Brante, your lowborn cronies, and your foul court!”
Otton leaps into the saddle and flees the square, booed by the resentful crowd.\
nYou let out a loud sigh. Only now do you realize how incredibly tense you felt.\
nEl Borne’s hand comes to rest on your shoulder.
“We’ve won, <username>. Otton has already lost, whether he knows it or not. Prepare
for the trial, <el> Brante.”
The sky over Anizotte splits apart, showering the dust-covered streets with long-
awaited rain.
But now, you will see this through to the very end. Otton is not just any noble
Arknian — he is the High Commander of the province, the right hand of Archduke
Milanidas… but he will stand trial nonetheless. Your evidence may be lacking, but
when the people hear of it, the court will have no choice but to find him guilty.\
nAnd you have the support of Prefect El Borne, who is ready to repay your loyalty.
You implore El Borne to leave the negotiation to you. This goes beyond the affairs
of the Prefecture, you tell him. This is personal.\nWhen you are sure the prefect
is no longer watching, you summon a messenger and send him off with an urgent note
to Overseer Gaius Tempest.
You have spent all these years amassing influence, crafting connections, rendering
favors, and reinforcing your career.\nNow the highest nobility and the mightiest
Arknians in Anizotte take heed of what you say — and their patronage and their
favor will finally bear fruit. \nYou will finally get rid of Otton, your sworn
enemy, and ensure that your career soars higher than ever.
The note to Gaius Tempest says that you have overwhelming evidence of Otton’s
crimes, and your connections in high society are too strong for anyone important to
contest it. \nOtton has murdered warriors of the Legion, defenders of the
Overseer’s power in the province. This makes him a traitor against Gaius Tempest,
his lawful sovereign and representative of the Emperor’s own dynasty. He must be
punished for treason.
You beseech the Overseer to come to the Prefecture at once with a garrison of
troops, lest the traitorous Otton take the matter further.\nYou seal the letter
with your family crest. The messenger takes it and slips out through a hidden
passage.\nAll you can do now is wait and pray that Gaius Tempest is currently in
the city.
In the meantime, you instruct the other judges to sit still and await their rescue,
then retreat to your office and lock the door.\nThe air hangs heavy and oppressive
over the city, a gloomy calm before the storm. Outside the window you can hear the
clanging of armor and Otton’s menacing cries.
“Do not make me storm your offices by force! Brante, I am speaking to you! Quit
hiding from the inevitable. You’ve lost. Accept it humbly! Come outside and face
defeat!”
This tone of his voice leaves no doubt. Otton is beyond furious — he is a moment
away from committing full-scale slaughter in the citadel of law.\nWith no other
choice left, you go down the stairs and through the door to face Otton. \nHe
dismounts his horse, but, clad in a full suit of ancient armor, the Arknian is
still a head taller than you.
You stare down the High Commander and explain the situation to him. Otton’s case is
complete, and it will not burn. It will be passed up the chain to the proper
authorities. \nThe people must know that Dorius Otton has willingly murdered
nineteen warriors of the Legion! This is an act of treason against Overseer Gaius
Tempest and an insult to his honor. For this, Commander Otton will face His
Highness’s harsh retribution.
“How dare you speak of honor, pathetic human?! Who are you to meddle in Arknian
affairs?!”
You hear a drumroll. Soldiers of the city garrison are marching toward the
square. \nThey are led by Gaius Tempest himself, riding a jet-black steed.
“Dorius Otton! I, Gaius of the Tempest Dynasty, your Overseer and commander, hereby
assume command of this battalion. Soldiers of the Legion, return to your barracks!
March!”
“Your Highness, you have no authority over them. I am the High Commander…”
“You speak of authority, Sir Otton? By my sacred right and authority, I challenge
you to a Duel of Honor. You have insulted me, your Overseer, with your treason, and
only blood can wash it away.”
“Lies, Your Highness! Lies and slander you can never prove to the Court of Honor!”
“Sir <username> <el> Brante says otherwise. I have no reason to doubt the words of
such a distinguished judge. The rest of the aristocracy thinks the same.”
You solemnly nod, confirming the Overseer’s words, feeling all eyes focused on
you.\nWith a satisfied grin, Gaius Tempest continues:
“Otton, you will come to my headquarters at Castle Enerie, where your treason to
the Crown will be proven while the highest aristocracy of Magra bears witness.\n“We
will clash in a Duel of Honor to the true death, as ancient tradition demands. May
the justice of the heavens prevail in that fateful battle.”
Dorius Otton does not speak, his spirit crushed, his soldiers routed. Weakly, he
gets back into the saddle and leaves the square, alone and armor-clad, like a
painting of old brought to life in the wrong age.
Gaius Tempest dismounts his stallion and offers you his hand. You bow respectfully
and shake hands with the Emperor’s own brother.
“You were almost too late, <el> Brante. Your note found me when I was about to
leave the city. Fortunately, I had loyal people by my side. \n“I am glad to see you
have proven yourself loyal to me!
“Otton’s fate is sealed. With your influence and the evidence you have amassed, not
even the Archduke will be able to stand up for his protege.\n“I shall await you at
<el> Enerie as well, Brante. You will proclaim the proof of Otton’s treason and
witness the Duel of Honor firsthand.”
You bow, recognizing the great honor granted to you and your family.
“This is only the beginning, Judge <el> Brante. Prepare to take the prefect’s seat.
You show far more promise than old El Borne — he does nothing but erode the ancient
order, while you know how to maintain balance. People like you will save the Empire
from revolt and ruin! Until we meet again, at my castle!”
The Overseer and his warriors march back, kicking up clouds of dust.\nEl Borne
appears in the doorway of the Prefecture. He slowly walks out and casts a sorrowful
eye over the now-empty square.
“So you’ve squandered all the years spent on Otton’s case just to curry favor with
the Overseer, <el> Brante?\n“We could have brought one of the mightiest Arknians to
justice. We could have shown everyone the power of the law! But you chose
otherwise. And you chose poorly, I’m afraid.
“Can’t you see what’s happening on the streets? Can’t you feel the pressure
building up in the souls of the people from this tyranny? No friends in high places
will save us when that tension finally reaches the breaking point. And neither you
nor I will be able to do anything to prevent the fire and blood…”
El Borne shakes his head slowly and drags himself back to his office. You watch him
leave, a lonely, bent old man.\nThe sky over Anizotte splits apart, showering the
dust-covered streets with long-awaited rain.
The note to Gaius Tempest says that, though your evidence may be lacking, your
connections in high society are too strong for anyone important to contest your
case against Otton. \nHe has murdered warriors of the Legion, defenders of the
Overseer’s power in the province. This makes him a traitor against Gaius Tempest,
his lawful sovereign and representative of the Emperor’s own dynasty. He must be
punished for treason.
The tone of his voice leaves no doubt. Otton is beyond furious — he is a moment
away from full-scale slaughter in the citadel of law.\nWith no other choice left,
you go down the stairs and through the door to face Otton. \nHe dismounts his
horse, but, clad in a full suit of ancient armor, the Arknian is still a head
taller than you.
You stare down the High Commander and explain the situation to him. Otton’s case is
complete, and it will not burn. It will be passed up the chain to the proper
authorities.\nThe people must know that Dorius Otton has willingly murdered
nineteen warriors of the Legion! This is an act of treason against Overseer Gaius
Tempest and an insult to his honor. For this, Commander Otton will face His
Highness’s harsh retribution.
You hear a drumroll. Soldiers of the city garrison are marching toward the square.\
nThey are led by Gaius Tempest himself, riding a jet-black steed.
“You were almost too late, <el> Brante. Your note found me when I was about to
leave the city. Fortunately, I had loyal people by my side.\n“I am glad to see you
have proven yourself loyal to me!
“Otton’s fate is sealed. With your influence and the evidence you have amassed, not
even the Archduke will be able to stand up for his protege.\n“I shall await you at
Enerie as well, <el> Brante. You will proclaim the proof of Otton’s treason and
witness the Duel of Honor firsthand.”
El Borne shakes his head slowly, and drags himself back to the office. You watch
him leave, a lonely, bent old man.\nThe sky over Anizotte splits apart, showering
the dust-covered streets with long-awaited rain.
You stare out the window helplessly.\nAll those years of service as a judge spent
trying to achieve balance… siding with the common estate while avoiding the ire of
the mighty… gathering influence and climbing higher while doing your duty as a
judge…\nYou have been buffeted by twists of fate, by schemes and plots…\nAnd you
have failed to maintain that fragile balance.
You have failed to protect justice in your home province. The common people are so
desperate, they are ready to take their rights by force. But the law is too weak to
govern commoners, nobles, and Arknians alike. You will not be able to convict
Otton, no matter how many crimes he has committed. \nThe grip of tradition is too
strong. The Arknians are and will remain immune to the rule of law.
On the other hand, you have also failed to garner enough influence and establish
enough connections within the aristocracy.\nYou have not earned their respect or
curried their favor. Without powerful patrons, Otton, your sworn enemy, cannot be
defeated.
There is only one thing left to do: acquiesce to Otton’s demand.\nYour hands shake
as you collect all the papers on Otton’s case in your office. You walk down the
stairs to the door of the Prefecture.
Otton meets you face to face. \nHe dismounts his horse, but, clad in a full suit of
ancient armor, the Arknian is still a head taller than you.
“There you are at last, Brante! I expect nothing less. You humans are predictably
apt at finding your proper place soon enough.\n“Now destroy those despicable
scribbles!”
A Legion soldier hands you a burning torch.\nHumble and obedient, you bring the
fire closer to the papers containing Otton’s case. All the evidence you have, all
your statements, it all burns away in an instant. The wind lifts the ashes and
scatters them across the square.
“That is what you should have done the moment your upstart of a prefect instructed
you to undertake this so-called case. Still, my mercy is known far and wide.
Confess your lies and slander to the entire city, and you will be forgiven.”
Your stomach roils. It is hard to breathe.\nIt takes all the effort you can muster
to take a deep breath — and then you do as he asks. You submit to the highborn
Arknian’s truth. You gathered slanderous rumors — a task beneath a true noble’s
honor.
“Did everyone hear that? That’s enough, Brante. You’re free to go. Return to your
cases of petty theft and stolen trinkets, and do not meddle in the affairs of your
betters.”
Otton springs back into the saddle and commands the battalion to return to the
barracks.\nYou remain in the square, unmoving, your spirit broken. From behind you,
El Borne’s hand comes to rest on your shoulder.
“<username>… you did all you could. It pains me to say it, but we cannot bring
Otton to justice or make all the estates equal under the law. We must accept this
defeat. We weren’t ready. I am so sorry for getting you involved in this hopeless
case. I wanted to change the Empire — but instead I doomed you to humiliation.
“I fear Otton’s case was our last and only chance to avert a riot in Anizotte. Soon
the humans’ patience will run out, and they will explode in defiance of this
lawless tyranny. And no one will be able to prevent the fire and blood…
”You may go, <el> Brante. Brace yourself for the tough times ahead. Take care.”
El Borne embraces you like a father and drags himself back to his office. You watch
him leave, a lonely, bent old man.\nThe sky over Anizotte splits apart, showering
the dust-covered streets with long-awaited rain.
The Crowded Square
Your most recent verdicts seemed to have convinced the nobles of their absolute
impunity and complete rule over the lowborn estate. And now the commoners in every
corner of the province grovel and scream as their landlords take and punish and
humiliate.\nAny attempts to appeal to justice will not succeed — the judges reject
all complaints against nobles without even reading them.
Today, there is a large gathering of people in the square in front of the
Prefecture. But this is no festivity, no celebration, no joyous occasion.\nThis is
a mob of commoners, and they have come to ask for justice.\nMany are on their
knees, begging, praying. Those with the loudest voices stand on tall barrels,
screaming at the Prefecture:
“Do you hear us, Sir Prefect? We ask for justice! We beg for protection!”
“The tax is too high! We cannot pay it twice! Our families starve, but we must pay
our last coin to the duke and then the Overseer!”
Prefect El Borne watches the crowd from his window, lost in thought.\nHe knits his
brow as he turns to face you.
“This is how a riot begins, <el> Brante. The commoners are only asking for justice
now. If they don’t get it, they will try force soon enough. Imagine what will
happen if they all bring torches next time…
“The noble Lot is to rule, yes, but we must rule wisely and provide for those we
rule over.\n“Too many nobles think the law was written only for the common folk. It
pains me to say it, but you seem to be among them, <el> Brante…
“But you seem wise enough, sir judge, so put your wisdom to use. Go outside and set
things right. Something must be done about them before this mob turns into a
stampede. Take Captain Linad and his men and go to the square.\n“You have to calm
these people. They have to disperse before the noble militia notices them and
reaches for their swords — and then there won’t be any end to the bloodshed. Help
me buy some time, and we will defuse the situation together.”
You are in the square. \nYou stand on the steps of the Prefecture, surrounded by
gendarmes, searching for the leaders of the mob.\nIn the middle of the crowd,
standing on a wooden crate, you see a woman dressed in trousers and a jacket,
gesticulating wildly.
“Truth and justice! Truth and justice!”
Gloria used to recite poetry like that when you were children…\nBut she is not a
couch in your home anymore. She now stands in the middle of a roiling human sea.\
nShe sees you, and for a moment, her voice trails off… but then she starts chanting
to the crowd even louder.
“Give us the law! Give us the law!”
Another ringleader notices you in the meantime: a sturdy bald man with a short
beard and the appearance of a craftsman.
“You’re finally here, milord! You're Judge <el> Brante! We know you well, we know
you quite well!\n“We’re looking for a way to help His Highness Gaius Tempest hear
our pleas! If the Prefecture can’t protect us, then His Highness is our only hope!”
The cries and screams grow louder and fiercer. Slowly, the mob of petitioners
begins to advance toward the Prefecture.\nThe gendarmes are ready to fight back.
Captain Linad eyes the crowd, awaiting your orders.
Have the mob dispersed
Make peace with the people
Kill the ringleader
Grant their request
You order the gendarmes to find and imprison those who are instigating the mob.
Without their leadership, the throng will disperse.
You take advantage of your popularity with the people to mollify the crowd with
promises of justice.
Friedemund Schmidt will pay for his insolence. His death will show those arrogant
commoners their place.
You promise the people to do what they ask as a representative of the Prefecture.
You shake your head at Schmidt. There can be no negotiating as long as this mob
threatens the peace and order of the city, you tell the bald instigator.\nThen, in
a louder voice, you address the entire crowd: any attempts to pressure the
authorities into action will lead to nothing but bloodshed, and you will not
condone it. Everyone must disperse immediately. Those who continue to disturb the
peace will be arrested
The mob stops, confused by your words, but the voices of the ringleaders spur the
people onward.\nFrom far away, you hear Gloria cry out:
“Are you going to arrest me too, judge?”
You move from talk to action. At your order, the gendarmes surge forward like
bloodhounds, cleaving through the panic-stricken mob with their blackjacks.\nYou
are there, giving orders, making sure no leader of this march escapes. You have
them surrounded on their crates and barrels, then bound and arrested.\nPeople start
fleeing the square, leaving only mud and the stench of human sweat behind.
Gloria is rounded up as well. She is escorted to the Prefecture jail along with the
other leaders of the march, her hands and theirs bound by the same long rope.\nYour
own sister screams and curses you as you march them to their cells.
“Have you forgotten that you used to be lowborn too?! You nobles — this is all your
fault! You never listen to us, you just squeeze us dry! I… I hate you!!”
Gloria tries to swing her arms at you, but she is tied too tight.\nYou try not to
look your sister in the eye.
Unsettled by the mob, the judges greet you as a victor. You were hard on the
people, but you defended the Prefecture and prevented a full-scale riot.
Most of the rabble-rousers you had arrested are released before the day ends. It is
El Borne’s order — the prefect does not want to inflame the people even more when
tensions in the city are already running high.\nFriedemund Schmidt leaves his cell
and walks away, giving you a mockery of a bow.\nBehind him, out walks Gloria, her
head hanging low. Father’s arm is around her shoulder. He glances at you furiously
as they walk past you in cold, bitter silence.
You cast a glance over the crowd. The people know you. You have earned their
trust.\nAnd so you step forward and address the crowd.
You, Judge <el> Brante, hear their words! You will see to it that their pleas are
heard by those above you as well. And then peace and justice will return to
Anizotte, as well to all of Magra.
“Hey, that’s Judge <el> Brante! He’s been fighting for us common folk for a long
time now! You can trust him — he’s as good as his word! He’ll make our voices
heard!”
The people hum in approval. The name Judge <el> Brante carries weight among them.
The more sensational of your verdicts have earned you the loyalty of Anizotte’s
common folk.\nGloria waves at you, overjoyed, pointing you out to everyone around
her.
“Did you hear that? My brother will protect us!”
You keep talking, inspired by their response: but people must not disturb peace and
order in the city! Marches like these bring only danger and bloodshed. They cause
the nobles to panic and respond with more oppression.\nThe voices of the people
have been heard, you insist. Now is the time to walk away!
The crowd obeys. Slowly but surely, the mob disperses.\nThe gendarmes were prepared
to break up the crowd by force, but now they watch in astonishment as the people
walk away of their own volition.
“Your speeches are a gift from the Twins, Judge Brante! You keep that up, and me
and the boys are gonna lose our jobs. That was fine work if I ever saw it! Even the
city rulers will be pleased to hear that the mob broke up on its own.”
You rub your throat. \nYou seem to have lost your voice.
You shove Friedemund Schmidt aside and give the bald craftsman an earful. He is a
commoner — he does not have the right to harry the noble estate with his demands.\
nThe commoners have their, and their Lot is to suffer!
Your sword flashes as you stab him in the gut. He opens his eyes wide and falls to
his knees, clutching his punctured stomach.\nDeath comes for him before he can
utter a single word, blood slowly flowing over the cobblestones of the square. His
corpse remains there for several long minutes before it fades away. Only a puddle
of thick red remains.\nYou watch Gloria’s face grow pale.
You speak to the mob: soon, other nobles will come to this square, and they have
far less patience than you do.\nAnd if the mob does not disperse even then, the
Arknians and the Imperial Legion will come next, and they will spill enough blood
to paint the city walls red!
The square falls silent. No one dares to speak. Their gazes, filled with hatred and
terror, pierce you.\nThe sight of a noble taking a commoner’s life so easily is
enough to sow fear among them. No one is willing to follow Schmidt to the
hereafter.
With that, you walk away from the square.\nYou do not even need to look back to
know what is going to happen. Soon, the silent crowd will disperse. They have
nothing left to say. Until they are ready to die for their words, the lowly estate
will remain lowly. They will always be ruled over by their noble masters.\nSuch is
the will of the Twins.
You call out for Friedemund Schmidt, one of the leaders of the common folk.\nThe
demands of the people will be heard, you tell him, and their petition will be
referred to Overseer Gaius Tempest. As a judge, you readily assure them the Empire
protects all its subjects in equal measure.
“Well said, sir!”
“Hey, Judge <el> Brante just promised the Overseer is gonna accept our demands!
Hooray!”
The square roars with approval. You hear Gloria’s exuberant cries somewhere in the
human sea.\nYou furrow your brow. That is not quite what you said…
“Mark my words, Judge Brante, soon they’ll be saying you promised to get rid of the
taxes, and the Archduke, and the Lots…\n“I think I’ll stay here and keep order.
You’d better go with them and collect their petitions for the Overseer like you
promised.”
Several leaders of the march follow you into the Prefecture to petition Overseer
Gaius Tempest.\nEl Borne meets the commoners inside, surprisingly composed.
“You are welcome to join me in my office. <el> Brante, could you please return to
the square and see to it that the crowd is dispersed?”
Judge Carlo Fockegraben catches sight of you in the hallway. He almost crushes you
against the wall.
“Have you lost your mind, <el> Brante?! You should have scattered the mob and put
them in their place, not pampered them! Those commoners have us wrapped around
their finger now!
“And what madness made you agree to drag the Overseer himself into this? He’ll be
forced to respond to their petition now — do you have any idea what this means for
the Prefecture? Or for your career, for that matter?”
You manage to slip away from Carlo Fockegraben without saying a word.\nOnce you are
outside at last, the square is almost empty of people, to your great relief.
“Everything’s in order, Sir <el> Brante! As soon as you left, that loud girl in
men’s clothing climbed up on a barrel and shouted that it was time for the people
to hold up their end of the bargain. And then they up and left! I never thought it
could’ve ended this peacefully!”
But is it truly over?\nYour heart fills with uncertainty as you slowly cast your
gaze over the square and what remains of the mob.\nThe common people got what they
wanted today, and it was all thanks to you.
March of the Desperate
An enormous mob is marching through the streets of Anizotte — men, women, young,
old…\nEmaciated faces. Tattered rags. Stomachs bloated from hunger. Crying newborns
in the arms of old women. Their moans and cries can be heard from far away.\nThe
people are walking toward the City Hall — the Provincial Council is in session
today.
The Overseer has ordered you to prevent any blood from being shed on the streets of
Anizotte today.\nYou walk with resolve to face the mob, three squads of gendarmes
following you grimly. The tension runs so high you can feel it on your skin.
You know full well that the commoners have taken to the streets because of the
choices you have made.\nThe lowborn folk have been deprived of the last of their
rights. They are wide open to the tyranny of the nobles, with no way to defend
themselves.\nCraftsmen and workers, farmers and wealthy commoners — they all suffer
at the hands of the nobles for the smallest infraction. And every day the
Prefecture receives reports of unpunished looting, arson, and murder.
The march approaches you and stumbles into a halt, confused and uneasy. You take a
moment to study the crowd.\nThe commoners are humble and silent. They are unarmed.
The recent years of tyranny have squeezed the very idea of revolt from their minds.
\nThey will shed no blood.
You call for the gendarmes to give way and follow the mob while you look for the
leader of this march.\nIn the front rows you notice a priest of considerable age
clad in a white cassock. You recognize him: Father Lennart, abbot of the temple at
the Silver Tree.
“We go to the City Hall, sir judge. The Provincial Council must see the children of
Magra. If we cannot appeal to their conscience, there must be some pity left in
their hearts! The Twins know the common folk can bear this burden no longer…
“The councilmen must witness their handiwork, face their shame, and show mercy!
Their law has brought us nothing but suffering…”
The march has almost reached the square in front of the City Hall, but then it
suddenly stops. You hurry to the front, following the angry cries.\nSoldiers are
blocking the road: a punitive battalion of the Imperial Legion.\nYou scowl. The
Battalion came to the city with Dorius Otton, High Commander of Magra, after a full
year of burning, pillaging, and looting Magran villagers who had refused to pay the
tax a second time.
The commoners are huddling together. The back rows are trying to push to the
front.\nThe Legion soldiers hold the line. It will not take long for someone to
cast the first stone, and then blood will be shed.\nFather Lennart takes a step
forward.
“Let the common people go to the City Hall! The rulers must see what has become of
the city without justice!”
“Silence! Anyone who takes a step forward after this false priest will see the
Twins before their time!”
The gendarmes help you reach the square. You head straight for the battalion
officer, a tall Legion captain with red hair and cold eyes.\nYou inquire about
their orders.
“We’re here on Commander Otton’s orders, sir! We’re to protect the Provincial
Council and keep the lowborn away from the City Hall!
“Battalion, form rank!”
Moving as one like a well-oiled machine, the Legion soldiers form a line to block
the road — a wall of shields bristling with swords.\nThe mob stops, even as the
back rows keep pushing.\nThe soldiers start banging their shields on the ground — a
terrible, clanging rhythm that causes even the crying newborns to freeze in terror.
“Swordsmen, form a line!”
Sullen swordsmen line up behind the shieldbearers, ready to draw their weapons and
step to the front at any moment.\nYou ask the captain a question: do they really
want to attack these people?
“Why not? I’m following the commander’s orders. My men can’t wait. Sir Otton says
anyone looting in the city will face true death, but my boys don’t like going home
empty-handed. At least they’ll have their fun.”
The captain studies you for a moment, then ponders for a while. He steps very close
to you and continues in a low voice on the verge of a whisper:
“You know, I could cooperate and hold my men back… let them march to the City Hall…
but I gotta get some gold in my pockets. You know what I mean?”
You stare back at the Legion officer, astonished. These are the men Otton has
recruited for his punitive battalions?
The march has stopped. The front lines led by Father Lennart stand their ground,
unwilling to retreat. But the mob behind them is growing louder, angrier, and more
frantic.\nThe Legion soldiers keep slamming their shields into the ground. They
will advance on the mob any moment now. The red-haired captain is casting glances
at you, ready to give the word.\nYour gendarmes stand by your side, blackjacks
clutched in their nervous hands.
Bribe the Legion captain
Give the Legion free reign
Protect the common folk
You promise to give the Legion captain a bribe in exchange for letting the people
march to the City Hall.
You call back the gendarmes and let the punitive battalion do what they must.
You order the gendarmes to protect the common people at the cost of their lives.
You tell the captain you will fulfill his demands if he lets the people to the City
Hall without any bloodshed.\nThe captain nods. Without saying a word, he lifts up
his fingers to show you how much money he wants. It is far more than you expected.
“Now all I need is a promissory note, and then this… peaceful march may pass.”
Gritting your teeth, you write him the promissory note. This will be a heavy blow
to the family fortune. \nThe captain grins in delight.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Sir <el> Brante! Swordsmen, fall back! Make
way!”
For a moment, the confused mob remains where they are, but as the front rows led by
Lennart march bravely past the Legion soldiers and toward the City Hall, the others
quickly follow.\nThe square becomes a sea of people.
“Rulers of Magra and Anizotte! We are your subjects! Look what lawless chaos has
done to us!
Magistrate El Verman and his entourage of officials, all looking highly perturbed,
appear high above them on the balcony of the City Hall.
“Rulers, listen to your people! We need justice to end poverty! We need justice to
end hunger! We need justice to end bloodshed! We’re begging you, please give us
justice!”
As Father Lennart makes his speech, the people around him cry out in desperation.\
nThe Magistrate and other officials linger on the balcony in a daze. But then, at
last, Overseer Gaius Tempest appears.\nThe sight of the Emperor’s own brother is
enough to make the mob fall silent in awe. With a gesture, he calls for attention.
“Common people of Anizotte! I can see your suffering. But remember your sacred Lot.
Do not dare to demand anything from your rulers!”
“Have mercy on your subjects, Overseer Tempest! At least offer them a hope of
seeing justice restored!”
“The Twins know how much I have done to alleviate the plight of my lowborn
subjects. I have had to make many a sacrifice to give you the law! But do not try
to take by force that which is not in your power!\n”You have gathered here to
pressure the nobility — those chosen by the Gods themselves to rule over you! I,
Gaius Tempest, of the dynasty anointed to rule this world, hereby order you to
disperse!”
The crowd mills about uneasily.
“Disperse! Or this city will know the wrath of the Tempests!”
The Arknian’s powerful voice subdues the crowd. The commoners walk away,
frightened. Neither Father Lennart nor the other leaders of the march can stop
them.\nThe common folk’s desperation has fun afoul of their age-old obedience and
lost.
You watch gravely as the careworn people scatter down the streets and back to their
everyday suffering.\nThere is no doubt that the authorities will soon know who led
the march up to the City Hall and why the Legion remained idle.\nYou have succeeded
in preventing bloodshed and saved many lives, but your family will pay a heavy
price — not only in gold, but in reputation.
You step aside. You have no intention of bribing Legion soldiers.
“As you wish, Sir Prefecture. Then I’ll go ahead and carry out my orders. Forward!”
You order the gendarmes to retreat and form up away from the battalion. \nBloodshed
is inevitable now, but you won’t be involved in it.
Still banging their shields, the Legion soldiers attack. The wall of shields pushes
the people back step by step, further and further.\nThe rear rows press on the
front ones. In the chaos, people are no longer able to turn around.\nThe moaning
heard throughout the square becomes a roar.
The shieldbearers make way, and the swordsmen advance.
The battalion rolls through the crowd. The soldiers are merciless and precise. They
chop off heads and rip open stomachs. There is no cruelty in their actions, only
serenity and firmness, like a butcher at the slaughter.\nRow after row of dead
bodies fall at the soldiers’ feet. The corpses of children fade away almost
instantly, off to be reborn. The elderly remain on the pavement.
You observe the slaughter from the side, securely surrounded by a formation of
gendarmes.
The next day you have to give an account of the march to Prefect El Borne.
“Up until the very end, I didn’t believe the Legion would choose to use their
weapons. As many people were trampled as were slain by swords. The damned
cutthroats!\n“And you, Sir <username> <el> Brante, were powerless to protect the
people. As always…
“The worst part of it is that not even such a bold march has persuaded our
governing elite to listen to the lower estate and give them back at least some of
their rights.\n“Mark my words, this slaughter will lead to a rift throughout the
entire Empire!”
You lead the gendarmes off to the side as though you are about to depart. But, once
you are out of earshot of the red-haired captain, you command the gendarmes to get
ready.\nYou tell them that the punitive battalion is about to attack a peaceful
march. Their duty is to protect the citizens from this lawless massacre!
Still rhythmically banging their shields, the Legion marches forward. The wall of
shields pushes the people away step by step, further and further. The rear rows
press on the front ones. In the chaos, people are no longer able to turn around.\
nThe moaning heard throughout the square becomes a roar.
“Gendarmes, prepare for battle!”
The gendarmes draw their weapons. You lead the charge, suddenly attacking the
punitive battalion from the rear.\nThe Legion soldiers turn around to defend
themselves against these new enemies. Meanwhile, the commoners scatter to escape
the massacre. This is now a battle between the Legion and the forces of the
Prefecture.
Blood. Roaring. Bodies drop to the pavement and dissipate in glimmering mist.\nYou
wield your trusty sword, leading the charge against the battalion’s wall of
shields.\nSuddenly, a sharp blade enters your side. You do not notice the strike
itself. Was it an enemy — or were you stabbed in the back by one of your own
gendarmes?
Pierced, you fall prone. The marching soldiers’ heavy boots trample you.\nYour body
dissolves into ash, freeing your soul from its physical shell.
You stand up in the cold darkness of the family crypt. Your body is still shaking,
as though the boots of the Legion soldiers are still treading on you. But no, your
body is completely intact. There is no sign of your previous injuries — just a new
black line around your arm.\nA familiar silhouette appears in the doorway. It is
Father.
“Son… I hurried here as soon as I got the news of your demise. You sacrificed an
entire life today, but it was not in vain. You saved many others.
“Your order was unprecedented. Attacking a Legion punitive battalion… I can
understand your motives, <username>, but it’s clear that you’ve crossed a dangerous
line. I will make every effort to help keep you out of trouble, but you will pay
for this brazen act with the loss of your position, at the very least.
“The worst of it is that not even such a daring march could persuade our governing
elite to listen to the lower estate and give them back at least some of their
rights.\n“Now the common folk want just one thing: to avoid further massacres.
After what happened today, they see you as a defender of the people — dangerous as
that may seem…
“Let’s go, son. It’s morning already.”
Friend of the People
Another day of work at the Prefecture is winding down. After hours of paperwork,
your fingers are cramped, your vision blurred.\nToday you must finish incorporating
the new decrees of the Great Imperial Counsel into the Magran code of law. The
document will then be sent to the Overseer.
A knock at the door distracts you.\nYour visitor is someone you were not expecting
to see — Mayer Egmont enters your office. He is the wealthiest man in Magra, the
owner of the silver mines, and the leader of the wealthy commoners’ party in the
Lesser Quorum.\nHe wears a high-priced frock coat made of light gray fabric. He
wears no jewelry, but his coat is richly embroidered — the most luxury a commoner
can ever afford.
Egmont offers you a broad, suntanned hand. It is hard, work-weary, and eternally
calloused. This is a man who has earned his fortune with the sweat of his brow.
“Good afternoon, Judge <el> Brante. We met recently about that newspaper business,
but today I need to discuss a different matter with you.
“I came to talk to you on behalf of the manufacturers of Magra. As you know, the
principal source of income in the province is the silver mines. Our mines provide
silver for the sacramental rites conducted in temples all over the Empire.\n”But
the upper vein of ore is nearly exhausted. We need to process new deposits that are
lower down.
“That’s where our trouble with the law comes into play.
“In order to get to the deeper layers of ore, we need gunpowder. But a decree from
the Great Imperial Counsel has forbidden common people from using it. Back in the
capital, they’re afraid we’ll turn that gunpowder into a weapon.
“But this restriction will harm not only the manufacturers and the miners, but the
province as a whole! The silver trade will decline. We won’t have enough money to
buy grain, and soon even the nobility will be impoverished!
“I know that you, the judges of the Prefecture, are the ones who interpret the
decrees from the capital. So I implore you, Sir <el> Brante, to come to the aid of
the honest tradesmen of Magra.\n”Pass an amendment allowing the use of gunpowder in
the silver mines.”
You give Egmont a speculative glance and ask him why he has asked you,
specifically, for help.
“I’ve been following your decisions for quite some time, your honor. They give me
hope. I don’t agree with you on everything, but we seem to see eye to eye on the
essentials.\n“The common estate needs to get real rights.
“It’s the only way for our province and for the Empire as a whole. Sure, Prefect El
Borne has proclaimed as much himself. But, unfortunately, he’s a nobleman of the
Sword first and foremost. He’s bound by the Blood Tide, by the power of the
Overseer and the Arknians… so all his undertakings are doomed to failure.
“If you, Sir <el> Brante, truly care for the people, you need some powerful allies
among the lowborn. Allies like me.\n”Do this for me, and together we’ll change the
fate of Magra.”
Egmont extends his hand, hope in his eyes.\nYou take your time before answering,
weighing his words carefully.
You pass an amendment allowing the use of gunpowder in mines.
You refuse Egmont. The imperial decree will be implemented as is.
You take his hand. Egmont gives you a strong handshake.\nYou tell him that you
share his apprehension and understand that silver is crucial to the province.\nYou
promise to amend the law so that the restrictions do not apply to silver mines.
“Thank you, <username> <el> Brante. Nobles who care about the needs of the common
folk are few and far between! This is what nobility really means. I share your
belief that only a union of the estates will lead the Empire to order and
prosperity. You can count on my support.
“Silver is the lifeblood of Magra. Today you’ve not only saved us all from ruin,
you’ve also made every Magran a little bit richer, yourself included. I’ll make
sure the <el> Brantes get a share of the profits.
“And I promise you, <el> Brante, this gunpowder will shatter those ancient rock
formations and reveal their hidden treasure to us all.”
You do not take Egmont’s hand.\nYou retort coldly that you will not tempt fate by
making loopholes in a decree issued by the Great Imperial Counsel.\nThe lowborn
will have to muster their patience and humility to work and fulfill their Lot. Let
those preordained to rule make decisions about the use of gunpowder.
“That’s a pity, <el> Brante. You take after your grandfather. Your deeds used to
indicate the opposite. I must have been mistaken.\n”Well, do as you must. In a
matter of years you’ll see our native province ruined. Farewell.”
Mayer Egmont stands up abruptly and leaves.\nYou are left alone amidst heaps of
Imperial decrees.
Debacle in the Shop
Your tenure as a judge has yielded considerable results. More and more often,
common people come to the Prefecture to assert their rights — and succeed in doing
so. Some local villagers have even started coming to seek the court’s protection.\
nAll over the province there is talk that a new era has come, that the law is in
fact the same for all!
This morning on your way to the Prefecture you anticipate a peaceful day, full of
paperwork.\nBut as soon as you enter your office, El Borne rushes in after you.
“Don’t sit down, Brante. You’ve been assigned an urgent investigation.\nThis
morning a tradeswoman, old Mrs. Steiner, came to the Prefecture with her two
grandchildren. She demands that we punish Sir El Verger for setting fire to her
shop and trying to rob her.
“Well, the Steiners had just finished writing up the complaint when El Verger
himself came bursting in. He immediately sued the Steiners — for his own murder!
“I’ve come to warn you, Brante. Even though the Steiners were acting in self-
defense, you still have to find in favor of El Verger.”
You’re surprised to here this from El Borne. Seeing your perplexed look, the
prefect frowns.
“I’ll explain. Before, lowborn shopkeepers like the Steiners wouldn’t have dreamed
of suing a nobleman. Everything was always decided in favor of the nobility, as you
may recall. But now the law has more power — our efforts have not been in vain.
“However, now we’re talking about the murder of a nobleman by commoners! I’m afraid
these changes have been too drastic.
“The governing elite of the province are watching our every step. Justifying the
murder of a nobleman would be going too far. The Overseer and the Magistrate might
well decide that it’s time to take back the common people’s rights. We can’t let
that happen, <username>.”
Court is in session. You are presiding over the board of justice.\nOne bench is
occupied by the somber Maximillian El Verger. His papers state that he is a
nobleman of the Sword, living off his estate.\nHe strokes the pommel of his sword
nervously and breathes heavily, ready to explode in a fit of rage.
On the other bench you see the Steiners, the lowborn owners of a well-known jewelry
store.\nAnne Steiner, a short, wizened woman wrapped in several layers of dark
silk, looks defiantly at El Verger. Her two grandchildren stand silently behind
her, their faces impassive.
“My squad noticed the fire at the Steiners’ shop. We stormed in and saw those
Steiners standing over the dead body of Sir El Verger and watching it crumble to
dust.
“The old woman shouted that she had to go to the Prefecture, so we brought her and
her grandchildren here. And Sir El Verger suffered a lesser death before our very
eyes.”
“Miscreants! Those lowborn scum killed me!”
You sternly call the nobleman to order.\nThe commoners will speak first.
“Sir El Verger showed up at our shop at dawn and started banging on the door.\n”We
opened, despite him being completely drunk, scarcely able to stand on his feet. He
demanded to see our pearls. Well, what could I do? I showed them to him. And then
he started sweeping our pearls right into his own pockets!
“I tell him, ‘those pearls are not free, sir!’ But he draws his sword. ‘I’m a
nobleman,’ he says, ‘everything should be free for me! Such is your Lot!’ he yells.
‘Your Lot is to work for me!’\n”Well, I explain that the pearls cost twenty coins.
So he takes a lit lamp and smashes it on the floor. And then he charges at me with
his sword!
“My grandchildren came to my rescue. They went and pushed him. They used no weapon,
naturally. Sir El Verger hit his temple against a showcase and fell. We came to see
how he was, but he was already dying. We didn’t kill him, his own anger did!
“So I didn’t come here to confess to murder, but to ask you, your honor, to protect
our family against this bloodsucker! We had a hard time putting the fire in the
shop out after what that rascal did…”
“You ungrateful old hag! You should have been delighted that I was taking your
pearls — all of high society would have seen them!
“You’re a blasphemer, too, not knowing your Lot! The lowborn must not contradict us
nobles — it’s forbidden. I know my Lot, I’m supposed to command!\n“So I’m in my
right when I take what I want from the rabble. And his honor the judge will agree
with me!
“Your honor, I appeal to you, one nobleman to another, it’s simply an outrage for
the rabble to behave like this. Those little shopkeepers took my first life from me
— me, the heir to the El Verger legacy!\n“I demand that these Steiners be hanged at
once! Or burned at the stake, since they follow the heresy of Fotis. Only the
heretics deny their Lot!
There is commotion in the courtroom. Those who came to support the Steiners are
infuriated by the nobleman’s words. El Verger’s noble friends franticly demand that
the lowborn be silenced.\nYou call the court to order, but to no avail. The room
will not calm down until you deliver your verdict.
You rub your temple.\nIf you manage to acquit the old lady, it will set a precedent
for the entire Empire. The lowborn have never had the right to defend themselves
with force against one another, let alone the nobles.\nYou have the increased
influence of the Prefecture on your side. You could even try to legalize the right
of the common people of Magra to defend their lives. But such a daring move will
not succeed without the support of powerful people.
You remember El Borne’s warning. What would the consequences of your decision be
for the common folk of Anizotte?\nShould you acquit the Steiners? Can you?
Acquit the Steiners
Grant the right to self-defense
Punish the Steiners
The Steiners were merely protecting themselves. They broke no law.
All residents of the province are granted the right to defend their lives.
The law must defend the rights of the nobleman who suffered a lesser death.
You rise, cutting off the racket in the room, and begin your speech.\nYou gesture
passionately, putting all your faith in the power of justice into every word you
utter.
You have heard both parties and are ready to deliver your verdict.\nHowever much El
Verger may cling to the Lots, he is not in a church. He is in a court of law, and
this court’s duty is to judge all the estates and decide all cases fairly.\nThis
case is of a nobleman who believes he has the right to rob and murder commoners as
he sees fit!
The Steiners are completely innocent. They were merely defending themselves against
El Verger’s assault. They are free to go!\nOn pain of punishment, El Verger must
not persecute these people further or make any attempt on their property.
The courtroom is stunned by your decision. For a few moments, everyone is frozen,
unable to believe that you have just acquitted the killers of a nobleman. Then the
common folk burst into cheers.\nThe guards escort the enraged El Verger out of the
room by force.\nFlummoxed, the Steiners talk over each other in their hast to thank
you. The other judges stare at you in horror.\nThe trial is over.
“Well then, Brante. It’s a shame you didn’t follow my advice. Now the lowborn have
nothing to stop them from taking up arms. There’s a terrible storm brewing. We can
only hope we won’t be smashed against the rocks.”
You rise, cutting off the racket in the room, and begin your speech.
El Verger is mistaken in considering himself the master of all commoners. The sole
master of a free commoner is the Empire itself. In this province, the Empire is
represented by Overseer Tempest. El Verger’s attempt at robbery and murder
represents an attack on the Overseer’s authority, and thus the Empire itself!
The Steiners, you continue, were merely protecting themselves against El Verger’s
assault. By doing so, they strove to defend the laws of the Empire. The Steiners
are innocent!\nFrom this day forth, every commoner so assaulted has the right to do
the same. The law has spoken!
The news that you have granted the common people the right to self-defense spreads
like wildfire.\nThat very evening, a messenger brings you a letter from Overseer
Gaius Tempest himself.
“Brante, your zeal in serving the Empire has gone far indeed. Granting all the
commoners of Magra the right to self-defense is a daring move.\n“But my advisors
insist that your judgment is to be trusted. Additionally, your argument that an
assault against a commoner represents an attack on Imperial authority is not
without elegance.
“Your judgment remains valid. But keep in mind that if anyone interprets your
ruling as permission to kill nobles, you will be held accountable for your
actions.”
“Well then, Brante. Your lofty patronage will protect you for the time being.
Still, it’s a shame you didn’t follow my advice. Now the lowborn have nothing to
stop them from taking up arms. There’s a terrible storm brewing. We can only hope
we won’t be smashed against the rocks.”
That night the common folk all over the city, from laborers to wealthy merchants,
celebrate the right to self-defense that you have granted them.\nIn the taverns,
several brawls among citizens end in bloodshed. Emboldened by your ruling, the
lowborn brawlers went for knives and axes.\nAnd they all stubbornly claim to have
been defending themselves.
Curtly and unemotionally, you deliver your verdict — the very same verdict the
majority of people in the courtroom were expecting.\nEl Verger’s demand will be
satisfied. The Steiners committed the murder of a nobleman. Their guilt is
undeniable. Whether El Verger attacked them or not is of no consequence. A commoner
may not raise his hand against a nobleman.\nThe three of them will be hanged this
very day.
“We’ve never expected anything good from the upper class before, so why start now?!
I’ve heard plenty of talk about your justice, but nothing’s really changed!\n“Shame
on you, judge!”
The trial is over. The old woman and her grandchildren are taken away to be
prepared for the execution.\nEl Verger lifts his hat politely and leaves.\nOn your
way out, you meet El Borne. The prefect follows you with a look of understanding.
You spend the rest of the day pacing your office mindlessly.\nThis trying day is
finally at an end.
The Smell of Gunpowder
All of Anizotte has been rocked by a gunpowder explosion.\nIts victims were Legion
officers in charge of a punitive battalion. For some years now they have been using
force to collect the Archduke’s tax from villages that refused to pay. The common
folk remember their cruelty well.\nNow the tables have turned.
A tavern called The Three Phalerae, the favorite drinking hole of the Legion
officers, was blown up by a huge charge of gunpowder.\nEveryone in the tavern was
killed. A number of people living in nearby homes were also injured.
The reborn officers reported that they were blown up by an ordinary lowborn girl!\
nBefore lowering her torch to the fuse, the girl cried out that now the nobles will
pay for their crimes with their lives.
“The powder will make us all equals!” — those were her last words.
The Legion has been brought to combat readiness. Commander Otton plans to punish
the criminal’s entire home district.\nBut the nobles of Anizotte are nervous. No
military training, no armor can protect them from a sudden gunpowder explosion.
The city remembers that you were the one who made gunpowder available for silver
mining.\nBut now barrels of gunpowder are somehow being delivered to rebels rather
than the mines.\nNever before have the lowborn had such a dangerous weapon at their
disposal.
Chutes and Ladders
News of your latest actions spreads rapidly across Anizotte. You have made many
enemies during your years as a judge, and now is their chance to strike. Your
career is hanging by a thread.\nYou have to fight off accusations, denouncements,
and slander just to retain your position.
A quiet knock at the door interrupts your musing.\nThe imposing figure of Judge
Carlo Fockegraben solemnly floats into your office.
“We hardly ever see each other these days, Brante! I have decided to pay you a
visit — with the most cordial of intentions, of course.\n“I’ve been hearing
everywhere that things are not going well for you. So I asked myself the question:
how could a man of your talents quarrel with almost all of Anizotte high society?
I’m sure you are simply misguided. But worry not, I will show you the way!
“Many judges see you as a threat. They think that your daring rulings are putting
the entire Prefecture in danger. Let’s examine your latest case, for instance. Its
outcome enraged all the nobility of the city!\n“But I know you aren’t what they say
you are. The others need to see how much you care for your colleagues and our
institution!
“Take my advice, <username> — don’t forget that it is a judge’s job to maintain law
and order among the estates, not destroy it!\n“Admit your error and reconsider at
least some of your past decisions in favor of the nobility.
“Do this, and, I assure you, society will come to see you as a respectable nobleman
and a wise judge once again.\n“Do not emulate our prefect. You know that I hold El
Borne in the highest esteem. But between you and me, he’s on the edge of a
precipice, and he’s dragging you down with him!
“Promise me you’ll think about what I’ve said, Brante! I am only concerned about
your wellbeing. I care about the career of a promising judge like you.”
Fockegraben takes a bow and leaves as silently as he came.\nYou reread your latest
cases, lost in thought. This is what has turned high society against you…\nYour
enemies’ schemes are preventing you from continuing your work. You need to find a
way out of this situation.
Ask your father for help
Annul your decisions
Continue the fight
Ask a powerful benefactor to protect your honor
You father can help you deal with the problems you are having at work.
You change several of your past rulings in favor of the nobles in order to reassure
your colleagues.
You refuse to give in. You will continue to fight for justice and the rights of the
common people.
You protect your position by seeking assistance from highly-placed patrons.
You walk swiftly to your father’s office. No matter what happens, he will always
come to your aid\nThe conversation begins awkwardly. You tell him about your latest
rulings, the enemies you have made, and the pressure from Fockegraben and those
like him.\nWill he help you out of your difficulty?
Having carefully listened to your account, Father frowns.
“You are in dire straits indeed. You know that I will always be on your side, but
now you’ve gone too far. It’s my fault too, <username>. It’s time we got you out of
this mess.
“Our family has still managed to build a reputation over the past few years. I’ll
arrange meetings with some important noblemen and plead your case.\n“Like predatory
beasts, they will smell our vulnerability. As soon as you ask for a favor, you
become not only an debtor, but also a prospective victim. But we have no choice.
Otherwise, you will lose your position as judge.
“But promise me, son, that from now on you will be more cautious and refrain from
making more enemies for our family.”
You assure Father that you will do your utmost. Then you awkwardly thank him for
his help.\nHe pats you on the shoulder in response and picks up his quill pen.
Letters, entreaties, and humiliating visits await him.
It is with a heavy heart that you contemplate the rulings you have made this year
to protect the rights of the common people.\nIt would be unwise to resist the
pressure any longer. If you do, you will be crushed, and all your efforts will go
up in smoke, along with your career.\nYou have no choice but to make a compromise
with your conscience.
Overturning your own rulings proves to be a difficult task. You have to knock on
the doors of offices and chancelleries all over Anizotte.\nYou see an endless
succession of Imperial officers of various ranks. You explain to each of them that
there has been an unfortunate error. You made your rulings without taking all the
circumstances into account, and now the nobles are displeased…
After some more soliciting and humiliation, the cases are reconsidered.\nThe
indignant commoners you had previously protected attempt to get an audience with
you.\nYou order the gendarmes to prevent the petitioners from entering your office.
You have nothing to say to them anyway.
There is another knock at the door. You brace yourself, ready to turn away another
scornful commoner, but it is in fact Sir Carlo Fockegraben, a smile beaming across
his face.
“I rejoice to see that I have not misjudged you, Brante! The Prefecture has duly
appreciated your vigor and your willingness to compromise. I believe that now you
will not only restore your position, but ascend even higher than before. Who knows…
what if I am looking at the future prefect of Magra?
As soon as Fockegraben vanishes behind the door, you put the old cases away in a
drawer and get back to work. New lawsuits, litigations, and pleas demand your
attention.\nYour choice was made long ago. You will not give in or compromise with
your conscience. Justice must be upheld. If you don’t do it, who will?
The consequences are not long in coming.\nAn onslaught of complaints and
denunciations comes crashing down upon you. Notable noblemen demand that El Borne
throw you out of the Prefecture in disgrace. The prefect comes to your defense, but
he will not be able to sustain the pressure for long. The other judges simply avoid
you like the plague.
Upon meeting you in the hallway, Carlo Fockegraben just shakes his head solemnly
and keeps walking.
You are forced to fight to keep your position.\nWork feels like a battlefield now,
and with each passing day, your enemies close in on you. Soon they will attack, and
you will have to make your last stand.
As you stare after the departing Fockegraben, you smirk.\nDuring the last few
years, you have not only made enemies, but also gained some powerful patrons. With
their help, you will extricate yourself from this dangerous situation.\nYou take up
your pen.
You write a plea to Overseer Gaius Tempest.\nYour good name has been slandered —
but you were only doing your duty as a servant of the Empire. You humbly request
that your honor be protected so that you may continue your service as a judge for
the good of the Overseer and the Emperor.
After finishing your plea, you recline in your chair, satisfied. Of course, the
document will have to pass through the hands of several high-ranking officials
first, but they will be on your side. Your past merits will come in handy.\nJust a
few days later, a messenger from Gaius Tempest himself ceremoniously hands you the
response.
“Judge Brante, your request for the protection of your honor is granted. Your deeds
have proven that you are a loyal officer of the Imperial law. The finest people in
this province have come to your defense. Let it be known to all that Gaius of the
Tempests hereby affirms that any and all accusations against your good name are
false and slanderous.”
At the Overseer’s order, his missive is read at assemblies of the nobility and the
City Hall.\nYour enemies are forced to cease their endless torrent of complaints
and denunciations. No one is willing to openly defy the Overseer.\nYou are able
practice law again and no longer have to spend your days defending your good name.\
nThe other judges stop shunning you, but there are whispered conversations about
how long you can hold out even with such elite protection.
Invitation to the Ball
Your last ruling cost you dearly. The nobility of Anizotte demands that you vacate
your position as judge. You have made many enemies during your tenure at the
Prefecture.\nPrefect El Borne uses all his resources to curb the attacks — it is
only by virtue of his protection that you remain a judge.\nBut your career is
hanging by a thread. One misstep, and you will lose your position, if not your
noble rank.
Night is slowly falling upon Anizotte. You examine yourself in the mirror. You are
dressed in your best doublet, every crease carefully ironed. Your sword rests in a
luxurious sheath. This night is of the utmost importance.\nThe door to your room
opens. Stephan is immaculately dressed, as always, but tonight you are on par with
him.
“Looking good, <username>! Let’s go, our carriage is waiting.”
You leave together to attend a noble ball.\nStephan patronizingly continues the
speech he began at home.
“Please understand, brother. The nobles of Anizotte already have an axe to grind
with you. It would be fine if it only concerned your work, but now they’re casting
aspersions on the entire Brante family!\n“The fact that I managed to persuade El
Laberius to invite us to the ball is a sheer miracle. He’s from the entourage of
Archduke Milanidas and the leader of the noble militia.
“I beg you, <username>, swallow your pride and show El Laberius that you’re
actually someone he can work with. If you please him, you’ll save your position!”
You sullenly tell your brother that you will do your utmost.
The ball is being held in a glorious mansion within half an hour’s ride of
Anizotte. The house is built in the Old Arknian style, like many of the homes you
have seen on the outskirts of Eterna. The mansion is surrounded by a hedgerow — an
extraordinary luxury in the desiccated province of Magra.\nYou hear the sound of
music from the back yard and smell the scent of flowers. Servants obligingly escort
you to the estate.
The doors to the garden open. But you behold no dancing couples or buffet. Where
you had expected a ball, you see only a few violin players. Upon seeing you, they
hastily lift their bows from their strings.\nIn the middle of the garden is a table
set for dinner, and in the only occupied seat you see the master of the house, an
elderly nobleman. Despite his advanced age, his posture and movements are those of
a hardened warrior. His face bears an expression of tired serenity and slight
melancholy.
“At last, the guests of honor have arrived: the Brante brothers! Welcome to my
humble abode. Please, have a seat.”
You see several armed men approaching you in the semi-darkness. Are they knights
from the noble militia?\nYou glance at Stephan. He does not look the least bit
surprised by this turn of events. He answers your silent question.
“Yes, I knew there was no ball. But your actions have left me no other option,
Judge Brante. This is for the good of our entire family. Before you get angry,
listen to what Sir El Laberius has to say.”
Carefully looking around, you sit down at the dinner table.\nThe master of the
house smirks and sips from his glass.
“Well, Sir <username> Brante, I speak on behalf of all the noble families of the
city. May I assume you understand the degree to which you have enraged noble
society?
“You have inflicted numerous wounds upon the nobility of Anizotte — too many to
list. But we do not wish to confine the young Brante family to contempt and
dishonor.\n“Tomorrow morning you will publicly declare that all your rulings
against the nobles have been based on false evidence. And that the Prefecture has
annulled them. Thereafter, the noble families will take mercy on you.
“Have we come to an understanding, <username>?”
El Laberius folds his arms across his chest.\nYour brother shoots you impatient
glances: come on, <username>, agree!\nThe militiamen in the shadows tighten the
grips on their swords.\nThe future of your career and your family is at stake — as
well as your life.
Reject the demands
Accept the conditions
Challenge El Laberius to a duel
Expiate your errors with blood
You refuse El Laberius and leave the mansion.
You agree to recant your own rulings
You suggest that the insult be expunged in a duel of honor.
You suggest that the insult be expunged in a duel of honor, although you have no
hope of winning.
Determined, you stand up and inform Friedrich El Laberius that you will not accept
his dishonorable demands.\nThe elderly nobleman lets out a tired sigh and gestures
to the servant to pour him more wine.
“So, you accuse me of dishonor? You, who have slandered the good names of so many
nobles? I’m afraid no one and nothing can help you now, Sir Brante.\n“I did what I
could, Stephan. You may go now.”
Your brother bows guiltily.
“Don’t listen to my brother, Sir El Laberius. He knows not what he does.”
“I know that you would act differently, Stephan. But your blood shares the same
Tide as that of this impertinent young man. And your entire family will be judged
by his actions.”
All the way home, Stephan is tense and silent.\nLater that night, when you enter
your house, he finally explodes in a furious tirade.
“Are you too arrogant, or too stupid? Do you have any idea what I had to do to
arrange that meeting for you? But you only made our troubles worse and brought
shame on our family! How do you imagine we’ll ever be ennobled by the Sword now
that you’ve insulted someone so close to the Archduke? You ran away like a coward!”
You counter that Stephan lied to you from the start. He led you straight into an
enemy trap!
“Was I supposed to tell you the truth? Don’t make me laugh! You’d never have gone
to such a meeting. All you care about is your so-called justice for the lowborn.
You don’t give a damn about your own family!”
When he hears you shouting, Father comes downstairs.
“What is going on here?! Everyone is asleep! Weren’t you supposed to be at a ball?”
Stephan hastily relates the events at El Laberius’s mansion to your father.\nFather
pinches the bridge of his nose. His voice seems strained.
“Stephan, you should not have lied. It’s unbecoming of a nobleman. But, <username>…
I warned you. You’ve made us enemies that are more powerful still. Your brother is
right, our reputation will suffer even more now. You should have been more
diplomatic…”
“You’re no better, Father! You and Uncle Augustin dragged Judge Brante here into
disputing the rights of the nobility. And now you pretend it’s all <username>’s
fault! Am I the only person in this family who knows what it means to live the
nobleman’s Lot?”
Your father breathes heavily, not knowing how to respond. Finally, he turns around
and slams the door of his study.\nThe clock strikes midnight, shattering the
silence.
Your fight against the nobility has driven you into a corner. You have no choice
but to accept the conditions proposed by El Laberius.\nYou tell the old nobleman
that you have come to an understanding. You will do all that is requested from
you.\nSir Friedrich allows himself a light smirk and gestures to a servant to pour
some wine for you and your brother.
“You were right after all, Stephan. Your brother isn’t hopeless.”
Stephan bows his head.
“On behalf of the Brante family I thank you for the confidence you have placed in
us, Sir El Laberius.”
“This puts an end to your fall, <username> Brante. It’s time to rise back up to
rectitude and honor. We will discuss the details over dinner. Help yourself,
please!”
Accompanied by the violins, El Laberius spends dinner explaining to you what to do
about each case in which you have infringed on noble interests. He acts as if this
were a typical subject for small-talk, forcing you and your brother to nod and
agree.\nEl Laberius and Stephan drink wine and enjoy roasted partridges, all while
casually undoing the results of your arduous work.
You and your brother come home very late that night.\nAs you climb out of the
carriage, slightly drunk, Stephan turns to you with a guilty expression.
“Listen, <username>… I’m sorry that I lied to you. But if I’d told you the truth,
you would never have agreed to go see El Laberius. I know you believed in what you
did. And I appreciate that you decided to do this. You’ve saved our family from
even greater disaster. Thank you.”
After a sleepless night, you get ready for your day at work.\nIn the mirror you see
not the immaculately-dressed <username> Brante of last night, but merely his faded
shadow.
At noon you order the gendarmes to gather the people in the square in front of the
Prefecture. You will speak before the citizens.\nAgain and again, you loudly
denounce your own rulings. You slander yourself and the commoners you were trying
to protect from the nobles’ abuse.
Several horsemen from the Archduke’s militia follow your declaration with great
attention. They nod approvingly upon hearing each of your false confessions.\nThe
end of your speech is met with restrained applause.
You and the other citizens of Anizotte have no choice to admit the harsh truth that
the nobility is still above the law.\nAnd anyone who tries to defy it will be
crushed.
You rise slowly, your hand on your sword. Your voice is polite and confident.\nYou
suggest another way to wash away this insult. El Laberius represents the noble
families that you have allegedly wronged. Is he prepared to settle this dispute in
a noble duel to the lesser death?
El Laberius sighs wearily and gestures to a servant to pour him more wine.
“You’ve chosen a fine time to remember our noble traditions, Sir Brante — now that
your own honor is threatened.”
Your brother springs to his feet.
“What’s wrong with you, <username>? Sir El Laberius has offered you a helping hand,
and you’re going to fight him?”
El Laberius rises. He limps slightly, but it is clear from his build and bearing
that he is a seasoned fighter.
“Never mind, Stephan. Your brother has decided that this is a matter of honor. For
the first time, he has chosen the side of our noble traditions.\nIf this is the way
you want to settle our dispute, so be it. I’ve never fled from a fight. I hope you
have more than one life left, <username>. Give me my sword. And play something.”
The violins play. Stephan and the noblemen of the militia silently watch the
beginning of the fight.\nStep by step, your weapons drawn, you come closer to one
another. El Laberius drags his right foot slightly. This is your chance.\nYou enter
the fight with a series of rapid strikes. This is no time for elegance — you need
to push him off balance by sheer force.
You have to admit that despite his old age, El Laberius is a splendid swordsman. He
firmly blocks each of your lunges. You make a powerful attack — and it nearly ends
up being your last one when the dexterous old man makes a sudden riposte, hitting
your sword with great force.\nBut your chosen strategy gradually begins to pay off.
Soon El Laberius, forced to retreat, takes too wide a step back — and finally loses
his balance.
With a heavy slashing blow, you knock the sword from his hands. You continue the
movement, and your blade slides right into your opponent’s chest.\nThe old nobleman
staggers and passes his hand over the wound. When he feels the blood, El Laberius
chuckles — and falls flat on his back. His body dissipates almost immediately. This
was not the nobleman’s last life.\nThe violins fall silent. The witnesses to your
duel exchange glances. You have won a duel of honor.
You leave the mansion in silence.\nOn the way home, Stephan addresses you guiltily.
“Listen, <username>… sorry for lying to you. I didn’t think you’d ever come if I
told you the truth. I was wrong. You accepted the challenge like a true nobleman.
The aristocrats won’t refute that. For the time being, we’re no longer in jeopardy.
\n“But I implore you, be more careful from now on. The family must not be harmed by
your actions.”
The next morning, you go back to work.\nThere is a letter on your desk. You
recognize El Borne’s handwriting at a glance.
“Sir <username> Brante, I hereby notify you that the Prefecture has become aware of
a duel you fought in the mansion of Friedrich El Laberius. According to the decree
of His Majesty the Emperor Uther II forbidding dueling, you are liable to a fine to
be paid to the Imperial treasury. Your right to carry a sword is revoked for a term
of one week.
“I understand how heavy the burden of your circumstances is. But a judge who breaks
the law undermines the idea of justice in the eyes of all the estates. It is an
unforgivable mistake.”
You sigh.\nThe law is the law.
You rise slowly, your hand on your sword. Under the unblinking stare of your host,
you find it difficult to speak confidently, but you muster your strength.\nYou
suggest another way to wash away the insult. El Laberius represents the noble
families that you have allegedly wronged. Is he prepared to settle this dispute in
a noble duel to the lesser death?
“You’ve chosen a fine time to remember our noble traditions, Sir Brante — now that
your own honor is threatened. Will you really violate your own ban on duels?”
The violins play. Stephan and the nobleman of the militia silently watch the
beginning of the fight.\nEl Laberius’s steps are steady in spite of his limp.
As you expected, despite his age, El Laberius is a splendid swordsman. Your own
experience in battle does not even begin to compare.\nHe firmly blocks each of your
lunges. You try to strike a powerful blow — but the dexterous old man makes a
sudden riposte, hitting your blade with great force.\nYour sword is knocked out of
your hand.
A strong thrust — and the old nobleman’s blade slides into your chest.\nYou stagger
and clutch the wound. There is blood on your fingers and pain in your chest. The
violins fall silent.
“Well then, our dispute is settled. The insult has been washed away with blood. But
I warn you, young man — you won’t get off so easily next time.”
You fall flat on your back. The pain in your chest fades away.\nDeath is upon you.
You awaken at dawn in the family crypt. You are naked, blank, rejuvenated.\nStephan
is sitting solemnly by your side, holding a light cape for you.
“You’re back at last. Listen, <username>… I shouldn’t have lied to you. But I was
afraid that if I told you the truth, you’d refuse to go to this meeting. I was
wrong. You accepted this challenge like a true nobleman. The aristocrats won’t
refute that. For the time being, we are no longer in jeopardy.\n“But I implore you,
be more careful from now on. The family must not be harmed by your actions.”
Later that day, you go back to work.\nThere is a letter on your desk. You recognize
El Borne’s handwriting at a glance.
“Sir <username> Brante, I hereby notify you that the Prefecture has become aware of
the duel you had in the mansion of Friedrich El Laberius. According to the decree
of His Majesty the Emperor Uther II forbidding dueling, your right to carry a sword
is revoked for a term of one week.
The Road to the Top
Your actions result in well-earned progress up the professional ladder. You are
expected to have a glorious future in the field of law.\nYou receive more and more
invitations to balls and noble gatherings. High-ranking nobles wish to befriend
you.
Powerful people have been keeping a close eye on your ascent.\nToday a personal
letter from the Magistrate Remy El Verman is delivered to your home.
“Sir <username> Brante, I would like to further our acquaintance and discuss
certain matters over a glass of Elirian. I will expect you at my estate this
afternoon.”
Accompanied by servants, you walk down the imposing enfilade of El Verman’s granite
manor. Gold, tapestry, stone carvings of ancestors’ profiles… compared to this
luxury, your own home seems tiny and cramped.\nEl Verman greets you by the fire. At
home, the influential ruler of the city seems peaceful and amiable.
“Judge Brante! Pray come in. I’m delighted to see you again. Servants, pour us some
wine!
“Please have some, <username>… though your most recent deeds call for much more
than a glass of Elirian. I’ll be frank: after our first encounter, I had my doubts
about your trustworthiness. But now you have proven by your actions that you have a
future.”
You sip the wine. It is excellent, as expected.\nYou calmly reply that you strive
to serve the Empire and the Prefecture faithfully and in the manner you deem
proper.
“I am overjoyed to see that the younger generation honors our traditions and cares
about the fate of our nation. We have that in common, you and I.\n“Many see me as
merely power-hungry. But why would power itself be of interest to me? My family is
already powerful and wealthy; its position is secure for many generations to come.
No, my friend, I need power to save the city that has been entrusted to me from a
grave threat.
“Take a look around. More and more insurgents are preparing a bloody uprising among
the common folk. The New Faith compels people to defy their Lots. The foundation of
the Empire has been shaken. What do you think, will a new world be born from this?\
n“Those who hope to see this happen seem to have forgotten that our world was
created in accordance with the Twins’ design. And we are already on the cusp of
provoking their wrath!”
El Verman’s is becoming truly incensed. Apparently the fate of the Empire is not
just a subject of idle chatter for him.
“You must understand, Brante — I’ve seen plenty of starry-eyed idealists yearning
to change the world. And I know where those dreams lead. We have trespassed against
the sacred order, and now we are on the verge of the Wrath of the Gods. I am a
nobleman and a citizen of the Empire, and it is my duty to save this world from
ruin.
“While the Overseer and the Archduke persist in their futile squabble, the danger
is growing. It’s time to take matters into own hands.\n“I’m seeking allies — people
who will stand by my side to protect the city and the Empire. I hope you have the
courage to become one of us.
“Let me speak plainly: Prefect El Borne is, alas, among those who are dragging us
toward our destruction. He aims to subject all estates to the tyranny of the law.
He seems to have forgotten that the law must serve the good of the Empire and be a
mainstay of order. But El Borne wishes to disrupt this order.\n“He is pushing for
the lowborn to gain power. What do you suppose will be the first thing they do once
they get it? They’ll take up arms and destroy this country!
“El Borne has doomed himself to a shameful fall. Meanwhile, the city needs someone
at the helm of the Prefecture who is bound by honor and concerned about the fate of
the Empire.\n“You can be that someone, Brante.”
You stare at your glass of wine, trying to hide your feelings.
“If you prove yourself worthy in the future, Sir Brante, I can promise you the post
of the prefect of Magra.\n“I hope you see it not only as a chance to elevate
yourself, but also to make your mark on history.
“Side with me, and together we’ll save Anizotte from the uprising.\n“If you remain
El Borne’s servant, you both will lose and fall together.”
Refuse and protect your family
Refuse and protect your career
You swear allegiance to El Verman and betray your prefect.
You remain loyal to El Borne and try to salvage your family’s reputation.
You remain loyal to El Borne and try to retain your position at the Prefecture.
After some contemplation, you respond that you are willing to be the Magistrate’s
ally.\nFrom now on, El Verman can count on your loyalty — you give him your word as
a nobleman.
“Splendid! I’m pleased to see I was right about you, Brante. You’ll make a
marvelous prefect. But we have much work to do before we can accomplish this. To
our alliance!”
You clink glasses.
“I’ll see to your promotion, <username>. If you have any trouble, don’t hesitate to
contact me.\n“But, in order to make you the prefect, we need to know all of El
Borne’s plans. He trusts your family. I’m sure it will be no trouble at all for you
to obtain a better understanding of his affairs and gain access to his personal
papers. I’ll expect weekly reports from you.
“Go back, go on with your work, and maintain your position at the appropriate
level. Remember that your every move is being watched. I hope you won’t tarnish
yourself by taking your cue from El Borne. But everything is much simpler once
you’ve chosen your side once and for all, isn’t it?”
You leave El Verman’s estate.\nYour carriage slowly drives through the busy streets
of Anizotte. The sun is shrouded in clouds of dust. A sandstorm is approaching.
Silence.\nYou hold the Magistrate’s heavy stare and respond calmly that you are not
prepared make any promises. You thank El Verman for his trust, but you are a judge
of the Prefecture, and you already have a superior.\nEl Verman frowns, shakes his
head disdainfully, and rises from his chair.
“I’m very sorry to hear that, Sir Brante. I had high hopes for you. We could have
achieved so much together. Soon you’ll see that you’ve chosen the wrong side.
Farewell.”
Back at home, you describe your conversation with the Magistrate to your father. El
Verman’s threatening tone is alarming.\nAn enemy as powerful as the Magistrate
could turn the nobility of Anizotte against your family.
“I’m proud of you for staying loyal to our friend El Borne. The Magistrate is a
dirty schemer who is only using this talk of honor and protecting the Empire as
cover.\nDon’t worry about the family. I’ll make sure to talk to the noble families
of the city in advance in order to get ahead of the Magistrate’s plot. Hopefully
this will be enough to protect our reputation against his slander.”
Your father’s efforts to thwart El Verman’s schemes have been successful so far.\
nBut your feud with the Magistrate has a damaging effect on your career. The
documents you prepare take weeks to be signed. Obtaining an audience or arranging a
meeting is frequently impossible.\nYou hear anxious whispers behind your back:
<username> Brante crossed the ruler of the city. Steer clear of him.
Upon your return, you describe your conversation with the Magistrate to Prefect El
Borne.\nEl Verman’s threatening tone is alarming. An enemy as powerful as the
Magistrate could turn the officials of the province against the Prefecture and
cause trouble at work.
“I was right about you after all, <username>. I appreciate your honesty. The least
I can do in return is protect you from El Verman’s schemes. Don’t worry, I’ll make
sure no one hinders your work.”
El Borne’s protection manages to safeguard you from scandal at work.\nBut El Verman
has instigated secret attacks against your family’s reputation. Some noble houses
have stopped receiving you. A few noble acquaintances refuse to shake your hand.\
nYou and your father hear anxious whispers behind your backs: the Brantes crossed
the ruler of the city. Steer clear of them.
An Audience with the Overseer
Recent events have strengthened your position even further. Your authority among
the judges is unchallenged.\nThere is talk in noble circles to the effect that a
nobleman with such respect for honor and tradition would be ideal for the post of
prefect.
You receive a letter early in the morning. The seal on the envelope is that of the
Imperial Tempest Dynasty.\nGaius Tempest himself, the Overseer of the province and
the Emperor’s brother, has summoned you to an audience with him. You are to head
for his headquarters at the castle of Enerie at once.
Without delay, you send for a tailor and purchase a new suit in the latest fashion:
a waistcoat, a shirt with a jabot, and a long velvet coat fitted at the waist.\nYou
also go to the barber and make sure your appearance is impeccable.
You are leaving Anizotte.\nThe journey to Enerie is not a short one. You while away
the time by observing the barren landscape and musing.\nThe Overseer of Magra
himself wishes to see you in person — but why? All you can do is wait for the
audience.
Five days later, you arrive at your destination. The estate of Enerie is remarkably
prosperous for the desiccated province of Magra.\nGaius Tempest’s home has a truly
Arknian flair. A massive stronghold surrounded by imposing walls, it is set upon a
rocky ledge and encircled by a moat with a stone bridge across it.\nYou are
expected to present yourself for an audience by noon.
You enter a study. It is quite modestly decorated — by Arknian standards.\nThe most
powerful Arknian in Magra is sitting at his desk, penning some ordinances. After
finishing another line, he notices you.\nThe scratching of his quill stops.
Gaius Tempest has not changed since the time you saw him on the balcony of the
Imperial palace, celebrating the heir’s coming of age.\nAnd now the Overseer of
Magra, scion of the Tempest Dynasty and brother of the Emperor, stands before you.\
nYou offer a gracious bow. Gaius Tempest accepts your greeting with a favorable
nod.
“I’ve heard of your family, Sir <username> Brante. Nobles of the Mantle for two
generations only — and already such recognition among noble society. Your work as a
judge deserves respect as well. It seems you know how to choose your friends and
allies.”
You assure the Overseer that you are flattered by his appreciation. You also remark
that your principal allies are the law and your loyalty to the Empire.\nA faint
grin passes over Gaius Tempest’s exquisite features.
“Just as I thought. But one of those who must be your allies, Sir El Borne, has
disappointed me of late.\n“Please understand what I mean, Brante. My prefect is a
talented and honest judge. But, alas, he is also myopic, and acts too hastily. Firm
power is needed to bring a positive change to the province. As for El Borne’s
escapades… he is playing with fire by expanding the rights of the lowborn and
aggravating the nobility.
“Change is out of the question as long as my legitimate authority in Magra can be
challenged by that serpent Milanidas and his entourage. Because of his schemes,
half of the old nobility have turned against me.\n“The other half are people like
Remy El Verman who do not know what true loyalty is. Scoundrels like him never stay
with the same master or ally for long. His only goal is to destroy his enemies, no
matter the cost.
“But let us return to the question I brought you here to discuss. I am aware that
you have begun legal proceedings against Commander Otton. He is among those who
have chosen the wrong side in my dispute with the Archduke.\n“I will not object if
this impudent youth pays for his stubbornness. But please remember his noble blood.
I cannot allow a highborn Arknian to be judged by the same court that reviews the
petty grievances of the lowborn. There are certain traditions that must remain
inviolable.
“The case will not be adjudicated by the Prefecture.\n“Otton must be handed over to
a noble Court of Honor.
“It is not a question of justice. By killing my Legion soldiers, Otton has insulted
me personally! In a Court of Honor, I will be able to deal with Otton properly,
Arknian to Arknian.\n“But only if you, Brante, can gather sufficient proof — and
occupy such a position that not only I, but all the other nobles, must heed your
advice.
“I need a personal ally at the Prefecture. If you prove to be useful to me, you
will become a member of the entourage of Overseer Gaius of the Tempests.\n“In order
to give you a free hand, I will order you to be promoted to the rank of senior
judge. You have already shown yourself to be worthy of the title.\n“But remember:
you are henceforth loyal to me personally, and not to Prefect El Borne.”
Gaius Tempest gestures to a sealed envelope on his desk.
“This is the decree ordering your promotion. But remember that Otton must not stand
trial in a Prefecture court. The only judgment awaiting him is my own. May I assume
that we are clear, Sir Brante?
Gaius Tempest watches you intently. His cold stare is difficult to endure. The
Overseer is not accustomed to being refused.\nBut are you willing to accept his
proposal?
Take the envelope
Decline
Decline and tell El Borne
You swear allegiance to the Overseer and agree to hand Otton over to the Court of
Honor instead of sentencing him yourself.
You refuse to hand Otton over to the Court of Honor in spite of the Overseer’s
wrath.
You refuse Gaius Tempest and inform El Borne of his intentions.
Your head bowed, you accept the envelope.\nYou promise the Overseer that you will
carry out all his orders.\nGaius Tempest reclines in his chair with a satisfied
air.
“I expected nothing less. You have risen high, Brante. You have the patronage of a
noble Arknian from the Tempest family. Don’t let me down. Otton must fall.\n“Gather
evidence and prepare your case. But remember your place in this affair — it is a
dispute between two Arknians, not a human trial!
“It is time for the midday meal. You will depart first thing tomorrow, but you will
spend the night in the castle.”
You leave for Anizotte the next morning.
Rumors about your audience with the Overseer make their way through every noble
household. Becoming a senior judge is a big deal.\nPrefect El Borne receives the
news of your promotion with the utmost surprise, but fulfills Gaius Tempest’s
request without any objection.
Traditionally, a promotion is an occasion that calls for celebration. Your family
funds must shoulder this burden — such is the custom.\nYour grandfather Gregor
Brante is the only other member of the family to hold such a lofty position at the
Prefecture.\nThe celebration attracts all of Anizotte high society. Among the other
guests, Magistrate El Verman pays you a visit.
The celebration is in full swing when Remy El Verman takes the stage.
“My dear <username>! Allow me to congratulate you on becoming a senior judge. I am
glad to see this post filled by a real nobleman who has respect for our traditions.
You may not have been born a nobleman, but you have become one!
“But you mustn’t rest on your laurels. Instead of truly dispensing justice, many
judges prefer to interfere with the lives of Anizotte’s most esteemed citizens. I’m
sure you will find a way to put them in their place.\n“A toast to new heights for
Senior Judge Brante!”
The Magistrate's speech is met with applause.\r\nMeanwhile, the seat reserved for
Prefect El Borne is empty. He has chosen not to come at all.
Gaius Tempest is right — you have risen high. But the higher the ascent, the more
deadly the fall.\nOtton’s case has turned into something more: a struggle for power
in the province. You must be careful.\nWith that thought, you empty your glass.
You bow and thank his Grace Gaius Tempest for his trust. But you cannot accept his
terms. First and foremost, you are committed to your cause. Otton must stand trial
for his crimes.\nThe noble Court of Honor can only settle disputes between two
highborn Arknians. It will allow Otton to go unpunished before the people of the
province — his true victims.
Gaius Tempest crumples up the envelope and throws it into the fireplace. The
Arknian’s voice is cold as steel.
“Before you leave my study, Brante, I will warn you one more time. I am generous
and kind to my entourage, but I have no pity for my enemies. I can reduce you to
dust, and if you get in my way, I will do just that. Not a word of this
conversation must leave these walls.\n“You will be transported back to Anizotte
tomorrow morning. Now go.”
Hastily leaving the room, you try to stop your hands from trembling. You will pay
dearly for refusing the highest-ranking Arknian in the province. \nBut you will not
betray yourself — even if the Emperor himself demands it.
You leave for Anizotte the next morning.\nUpon your return, rumors of your audience
with the Overseer make their way through every noble household. This bodes ill.
As soon as you enter the Prefecture, El Borne summons you to his office.
“<username>, I don’t know what you told the Overseer during your audience, but I
must warn you.\n“Gaius Tempest is outraged with you. I have instructions to shelve
all your cases until the end of the year. I doubt I’m the only person who received
such orders.\n“I’m sorry you were unable to turn the audience with the Overseer to
your advantage.
“Still, you must continue with the Otton case, in secret if need be. Not even the
highest Arknian authority can not stop me there.”
The first thing you do after your arrival is arrange a meeting with El Borne. But
you take some precautions. You plan the rendezvous not in the Prefecture, but in a
quiet wine cellar nearby.
You move closer and quietly relate your conversation with the Overseer to the
prefect.\nEl Borne leans his elbow on the table and strokes his chin pensively.
“So, his Grace is of the opinion that I am too hasty in establishing the rule of
law in the province, is he? Well, we won’t disappoint him, Brante. If Gaius Tempest
wants to take the position of prefect from me, I will act even more decisively!
“In any case, you must continue with the Otton case, in secret if need be. Not even
the highest Arknian authority can not stop me there.
“I appreciate your loyalty, <username>. You can count on mine in return. But please
be careful.”
The Empty Chair
Days pass, and then months.\nFor a long time now you have been fulfilling the terms
of your allegiance with Magistrate El Verman, sending him secret reports about what
goes on at the Prefecture and what plans Prefect El Borne has.\nYou have grown so
accustomed to your weekly reports to the Magistrate that they seem like just
another part of your work routine.
You have become accustomed to your new position as well. With the influential
Magistrate’s patronage, many doors are open to you.
In response to your latest report, you receive a letter from El Verman.\nThe
envelope is made of intentionally coarse paper — according to noble custom, this is
how good news is delivered.
“Sir <username> <el> Brante, since our last meeting, you have achieved quite a lot
at your post. I have not been idle either. I have provided you with the support of
the nobles. The elite of the province are ready to make you the next prefect.\
n“There is just one step left.
“El Borne must relinquish the post of prefect.\n“Fortunately, your reports have
decisively proven that he is not worthy of our trust and must step down.
“Prepare to take his place when it becomes vacant, my friend. We have great deeds
ahead of us.\n“P.S. I am sure you know what to do with this letter.”
With a smirk, you burn the letter to ashes.
Twilight over Anizotte
Night is falling upon the city.\nYou are about to leave the Prefecture when El
Verman’s assistant comes for you. The Magistrate needs to see you urgently.\nYou
throw on a cape and attach your sword to your belt.
On your way through the Silver District you notice that many noble houses are
flying flags: emerald serpents on a field of sable. This is the coat of arms of
Archduke Milanidas. The lowborn servants look around apprehensively and double-
check the bolts on the gates.
The City Hall is empty — there is no one in the building save for the guards at the
entrance.\nYou are escorted to El Verman’s quarters. In the twilight, the
Magistrate’s figure looms over the room like a long shadow.\nA servant lights the
candles. The reflections of their flickering flames dance across the walls.
“It is time, <el> Brante. This night will be a difficult one for Anizotte. But it
will also go down in history. And we can take some credit for it, sir judge. This
is the night we rid the province of its vilest enemies.
“You have done well. Your rulings in court, your defense of the nobles, your
reports on El Borne’s plans — they have all allowed us to seize power.\n“We will
protect order and destroy those who are leading the province and the Empire to
ruin.
“We have Archduke Milanidas himself on our side, as well as the noble elite of
Anizotte.\n“This night, the noble militia will smite the supporters of Gaius
Tempest. El Borne and the other false nobles who have forgotten honor and tradition
in favor of lowborn rebels will soon meet true death at the hands of the Court of
Honor.\n“The Archduke will reclaim this province, and henceforth no one will dare
to defy the power of the nobility or attempt to strike at the very foundations of
the Empire.
“We have a long list of traitors. Sadly, your father Robert <el> Brante is among
them. However, out of regard for you, I have excluded him from the list. Your
family is safe.”
El Verman gives you a heavy parcel.
“This is the Archduke’s flag. Fly it from the gate of your home, and your family
will have no trouble. The militia will see that loyal supporters of the Archduke
live within.”
You cannot hide your anxiety.\nWhy is it only now that you hear of this plan? How
long has the Magistrate been preparing it?
“Come now, <el> Brante, don’t get so worked up! Yes, I’ve concealed some of my
plans from you, but it was for your own good. Do you have any idea how dangerous
the preparations for this night were for me? I have spared you that.
“All my promises still stand. The position of prefect will be yours. You will
uphold the laws and protect order in the province.\n“Now we just need to clear a
path for you. But the noble militia is saddling up already.
“Oh yes, and forget that so-called Otton case once and for all. The commander is on
our side, and tonight he will lead the noble militia. Don’t worry, I’ll help you
make peace with him.
“Take my advice, <el> Brante: go home, don’t talk to anyone, fly the serpent flag,
and go to sleep in peace. You have already done your part.\n“If all goes according
to plan tonight, tomorrow you will awaken as the new prefect of Magra.”
You hastily leave the City Hall and find yourself in the middle of a deserted
square. Everywhere you look, shutters are drawn and doors are locked. A carriage
rolls past you. You hear the sound of hooves in the distance.\nThe city is
anticipating trouble. But the ordinary citizens cannot begin to imagine the
massacre the Magistrate and Archduke have planned.
The sun has set. Darkness envelops Anizotte. There is hardly any time left.\nIf you
are going to change sides, you must do it now.\nYou can either accept the role the
Magistrate has assigned you and retreat to the safety of your home, or rush to
alert El Borne about the conspiracy in order to prevent the massacre.
Warn El Borne
You warn the prefect in an attempt to sabotage El Verman’s conspiracy.
You follow El Verman’s advice and wait to see how the night ends.
Night is near. You briskly walk up to the stairs of the Prefecture, glancing over
your shoulder with each step.\nDid you just see someone’s shadow moving behind you?
But here you are, in front of the prefect’s door.\nWhen you cross the threshold and
tell El Borne about the noble conspiracy, you will have to confess your own
betrayal.\nYou will have to tell your superior about your weekly reports to Remy El
Verman; about the promise of the prefect’s chair the Magistrate made in exchange
for your espionage.
You summon your courage, open the door, and take a resolute step forward.
When you think back on these events, you cannot recall the beginning of this
conversation. All you remember is the feeling of profound relief and the calm,
attentive look in El Borne’s eyes.\nA dismal silence fills the room. The prefect
has not uttered a single word all this time.\nFinally, he speaks.
“You are braver than I thought you were, <el> Brante. I have long suspected that
you’d been dragged into some nasty business. But you have admitted your error
yourself, late though it be.
“I’ll decide what to do about you later. The most important thing right now is to
prevent the massacre. I’ll inform the Overseer and the officers of the Legion at
once. Hopefully the troops will have time to enter the city and stop the
conspirators…
“As for you, <username> — go home and pray that the Legion remains loyal to the
Overseer. You’ve done your part.”
When you go down the stairs to your carriage, two shadows detach themselves from
the wall.\nBefore you can draw your weapon, a knife sinks into your back. Again.
Again. And again.\nYou fall down on the marble stairs, bleeding.
You are dead.
Cold pierces your newly-reborn body. You get up and take a few steps on the smooth
stone, getting accustomed to walking again.\nIt’s time to get back to your life.
What happened in the world while your soul was on high?
Father anxiously relates the events of the previous night.\nThe conspiracy that was
about to destroy El Borne and the other supporters of Gaius Tempest fell apart.\
nApparently, El Verman’s spies who stabbed you in the back reported to their master
that the Overseer was gathering trusted troops and the element of surprise had been
lost.\nThe conspirators went to ground at once. The serpent flags vanished from the
noble houses as quickly as they had appeared.
The battalions of the imperial Legion that entered the city at dawn found its
streets empty and peaceful.
Remy El Verman retreated to his country estate under the pretext of illness.
Although he has found out about the alliance between the Magistrate and the
Archduke, Overseer Gaius Tempest has not yet decided to strike back at him.\nThe
guilt of the other conspirators, including Otton, is yet to be proven — a seasoned
schemer, El Verman has covered his tracks carefully. All you can do now is hope
that your involvement in the conspiracy remains a secret from the Overseer.
When you return to the Prefecture, you can hardly recognize it. Formerly swarming
with people, complaints, and disputes, it now resembles a somber crypt.\nAfter
finding out that the judges were behind the fall of the conspiracy, all the noble
families of Anizotte turned against the Prefecture.\nEl Borne has difficulty
holding back the daily onslaught. He is forced to hide you from sight and forbids
you from appearing in the courtroom.
You work is paralyzed. Walking down half-empty corridors, you feel the cold stares
of the other judges on your back. They look at you as though you were a man
condemned to true death.\nOtton, El Verman, Gaius Tempest, Archduke Milanidas… you
have managed to antagonize everyone with real power in the province. They all have
a reason to dispose of you now.\nWill you be able to survive without powerful
patrons?
You glance once again at the dark mass of the City Hall.\nYou have made an alliance
with El Verman, and now you must see it through to the end. This night will decide
whether or not you have backed the right horse.\nNothing more is required of you.
All you can do is wait for the outcome.
You walk down silent streets, heading home.\nWhen you reach the fence, you unfurl
the flag that was in the parcel. Now the emerald serpents of the Archduke look down
from your gate.\nWill they protect you?
You walk inside and bolt the door securely.\nYou do not talk to any of your family
members. None of them has any suspicion about what is about to happen in the city
tonight. Let it remain so.\nIt’s just one night.\nIt will be over soon.
You are shaving before going to work. You scoop some warm water from the washbasin.
The morning light, reflected in the mirror, is blinding.\nA servant rushes in with
an urgent letter — or, rather, a crumbled note. He says it is from a childhood
friend of yours.\nYou flinch involuntarily. A nasty cut appears on your cheek.
“<username>, I’m in trouble. Otton knows that I helped you. Now he’s finally
decided to get rid of me. His henchmen are on my trail already. They’ll find me no
matter how well I hide.\nI’m out of time. Brante, if you can, for the sake of our
old friendship, help me out of this mess… somehow.”
“If Otton finds me, I’ll be off to the Shining Pillar. I’m all out of lives.\nYour
friend, Tommas.”
You crush the note in your hands. A drop of blood runs down your cheek.\nYour old
friend is in danger because he helped you with the case against Otton.\nIf you
don’t interfere, Tommas Guerro is doomed.
Protect Tommas
Eliminate Otton’s henchmen
You bribe Prefecture gendarmes to capture and kill the enemies threatening Tommas.
You lower the note into the flame of a candle. It is reduced to ash in a matter of
moments.\nYou will not try to save Tommas Guerro. His fate is in his own hands.\
nIt’s time for you to go to work.
You manage to finish all your work before lunch. You decide to take the rest of the
day off and reward yourself with a stroll through the city.\nFirst, you come to the
square in the Silver District. Sitting on the edge of the old fountain, you watch
the noble carriages pass by. The canopy of the Silver Tree casts a soothing shadow
over you.
You decide to watch the sun set by the city wall. You have an excellent view of the
desert, painted by the flaming hues of the setting sun. You gaze at the remnants of
a wooden fort from your childhood.\nBut it’s getting very late. Time to head home.
You failed to protect Tommas from Otton’s revenge last time. You will not fail him
again!\nYou crumple up the note, pick up your sword, and rush to help your friend.\
nYou know where Tommas has been trying to hide recently: the ruined palace of Char
Milanidas where you used to play as children.
You get there just in time. You hear a familiar voice coming from the ruins of an
ancient bathhouse.
“Quit hiding, you bastards! You won’t take me without spilling some blood of your
own!”
You follow the cry.\nIn the middle of the old bathhouse you see Tommas — dirty, his
hair overgrown, a sword clutched in his hand. Five men, inconspicuously dressed in
coarse clothing and wielding various weapons, are slowly closing in on him.\nThey
all freeze, stunned by your unexpected appearance.
“What took you so long, Brante?!”
You hear intense joy in his voice.\nYou rush to Tommas’s side. Back to back, you
start the fight.\nYou are more skilled than Otton’s henchmen, but they outnumber
you. You do not let them surround you, but the fight is still a tough one.\nYou
succeed in wounding one of the enemies in the leg and force him to drop out of the
battle, but another huge bruiser is swinging a club wildly, and all you can do is
dodge. You are quickly becoming exhausted.
Tommas keeps pace with you — he performs a masterful counterattack against one of
the enemies and skewers him with his sword. Unfortunately, his weapon becomes stuck
in the enemy’s body. He will not be able to dodge the other assailant!\nWith a
swift turn, you put yourself in the line of fire and catch the blade with your
glove. You steer the tip away from Tommas, then run your sword through the thug’s
stomach with a quick thrust.
But your triumph is short-lived — you momentarily lose track of the big fellow, and
he lands a heavy blow on your back.\nYour ribs crack. You are thrown several feet
away.\nThe thug swings the bloodied club again.\nBut Tommas hurries to help you.
“Die, you bastard!”
Everything turns red.\nYou lie motionless and listen as the fight continues… until
several shrieks of agony announce that it is over.
Tommas leans over you.\nAn incongruous smile flickers across his face.
“Hey, Brante, I just asked you to help, not to die in my place!”
Your old friend’s stupid joke is the last thing you hear.\nTommas’s face, and then
the rest of the world, dissolves in a white light.
You awaken in the crypt. No one is there to meet you — it is quite possible that no
one knows about your death.\nThe place smells of damp earth.
The battle in the abandoned palace of Char Milanidas is the talk of the city for
several days.\nYour name somehow comes up. Commander Otton does not openly accuse
you — if he did, he would have to explain what his men were doing there.\nBut his
schemes make it much more difficult for your brother Stephan to have the Brante
family ennobled by the Sword.
Tommas fled right after the fight.\nIt takes quite some time for you to get any
news from him.
“<username>, as soon as we fought off those thugs, I decided to go into hiding
somewhere far away from Anizotte. Without his spies, Otton seems to have lost my
trail. And it’s all thanks to you! I’m in your eternal debt, Brante.
“I hope you take down that bastard and put an end to his crimes once and for all.\
n“We’ll meet again. Your friend, Tommas.”
Crumpling the note in your hand, you pace the room and think.\nThe hiding place you
provided for Tommas proved to be insufficient. You have not been able to save him
from Otton entirely.\nWell, you must do it now!\nBut fighting Otton on your own
would be unwise. You need a more cunning plan…
How could Otton’s henchmen find Tommas’s hiding place? Only through you. But they
would not be so foolish as to attack you, a Prefecture judge. That means you have
to get rid of them yourself!\nYou get in your carriage and order the driver to take
you to the Prefecture. You find Captain Linad.\nThe commander of the gendarmes
greets you like an old friend.
“Judge Brante! How can I be of service?”
With a mysterious air, you gesture for Linad to come closer and inform him that an
attack is planned against you tonight!\nCaptain Linad narrows his eyes, suspicious.
“Keeping order is our duty, your honor. My squad will defend you.”
You hint to Linad that the situation is a little more complicated than that. The
perpetrators might not attack you outright. They may just threaten you…\nBut the
gendarmes have a responsibility to prevent this as well, don’t they? And
afterwards, perhaps they could testify in court that the criminals were about to
attack you.
“I see. You know, many citizens of Anizotte live on the edge of poverty. Crime is
on the rise, your honor. It’s understandable — even with a gendarme’s wages, it’s
hard to get by…”
You understand what Linad is implying, and you assure that the efforts of the
gendarmes will be properly rewarded.\nBut, after capturing the criminals, gendarmes
also have to confirm the fact of the attack in the court.
That night you go for a walk around the city, purposefully choosing empty side
streets. Shadows follow you at a distance — gendarmes in civilian dress.
Ominous silhouettes appear before you. You examine the faces hidden beneath their
hoods. Their clothing is ostentatiously coarse, but their manners and speech betray
them as servants from a noble household.\nThe leader speaks, asking if you are a
friend of one Sir Tommas Guerro. He says that they are his friends too and wish to
pay him a visit, but are having trouble finding him…
“They’re attacking the judge! Arrest them!”
In the blink of an eye, the gendarmes swoop in and round up Otton’s henchmen.\nThe
blows from the gendarmes’ clubs quickly beat any desire to resist out of them. They
are put in wooden restraints and taken to the Prefecture.\nLinad hands you some
papers.
“These are our statements, your honor. We’re always happy to help!”
The same night, with a stroke of a pen, you send all five of Otton’s servants to
the gallows for attacking a nobleman and a judge.\nFortunately, they all are
lowborn, so no one will intercede on their behalf — not even Otton himself.\nThe
commander will be furious, but he will also have to find some new goons. At the
very least, you have bought Tommas some time.
You hurry to see your friend, but he is not in his hideout anymore.\nAll you find
is a note.
“<username>, after you got rid of those thugs, I decided to flee Anizotte. Without
his spies, Otton seems to have lost my trail. And it’s all thanks to you! I’m in
your eternal debt, Brante.
Payback
Quiet music, voices, clinking glasses… there is a reception tonight in honor of
Lady Anne Monrogue, sister of the Great Chancellor of the Empire Archduke Monia.
The distinguished noblewoman recently came to visit longtime allies of her family,
the Milanidas House.\nYou arrive at the reception alongside Stephan. Your elder
brother insisted that the two of you represent the Brante family in high society.\
nManeuvering through the crowd of guests, you follow in Stephan’s tracks and
mingle.
Through your brother’s efforts you are granted the honor of being presented to the
hostess of the evening, Lady Monrogue herself.\nA slender, fair-haired Arknian
dressed in luxurious furs meets your bow with a condescending nod. Her piercing
gaze runs you through.
“Brante… I’ve never heard that name before. But keep reaching for the stars, young
man, and perhaps one day I will remember you. The best among us are always
victorious.”
Suddenly all music and conversation ceases.\nThe doors swing open. Accompanied by
guardsmen, dressed in black and green, Octavia Milanidas enters the ballroom.\nThe
nobles hurry to meet her, peppering the lady with compliments. The black eyes of
Archduke’s daughter observe the guests — and narrow maliciously when she sees you.\
nNo, she clearly has not forgotten you.
“Are you mocking me, Lady Monrogue? I was expecting to meet the most distinguished
nobles of the city at this gathering, but instead I behold a man who has insulted
me. There he is, <username> Brante! The impudent wretch has no business in high
society.\n“I demand that he leave this reception at once!”
A stunned silence hangs in the air. Everyone looks at you.\nStephan breathes
heavily by your side. Such a public loss of face is a grave blow to your family’s
reputation.\nOctavia Milanidas stamps her foot impatiently.\nArknians never
forgive. But perhaps…
Offer an apology
Defend yourself
Seek assistance from the hostess
You publicly admit your fault before Octavia.
You object — you did not insult Octavia. You acted like a nobleman.
You try to convince the aristocrats gathered here that this is all in jest.
You pull yourself together and step forward. The other guests follow your every
move intently. Stephan fails to hold back a mournful sigh.\nYou kneel before the
Archduke’s daughter. You have foolishly insulted a lady from a noble family. You
are prepared to pay for your impudence in whatever manner most pleases Lady
Milanidas.
Suddenly calm, Octavia looks at you thoughtfully, her head cocked to one side.
“The things people do to save their skin! You’re bolder in person than you are in
public. Well, let this be a lesson to you. A human must respect Arknian supremacy.
Greet me properly, and your apology will be accepted.”
The Archduke’s daughter presents you with an elegant green-slippered foot.\nNo one
dares to breathe. They are all watching you.
You swallow your pride, bend even lower, and kiss Octavia’s slipper.\nEven without
lifting your eyes, you can feel the crowd’s scathing glances.
“Well! It seems <username> Brante knows his place as a human again. I’m not
vindictive. You may stay, Brante. You have earned it. The soiree may continue. Lady
Monrogue, let us be merry! I’ve missed you so much!”
The musicians return to their instruments. The conversations resume. People lose
interest in you.\nYou stand up and rejoin your brother, trying not to look him in
the eye.
“Well, <username>, I wasn’t expecting this… how did you manage to insult Octavia
Milanidas herself? What were you thinking? I’m glad you had the courage to
apologize, even though you had to humiliate yourself to do it. Now the Archduke’s
family won’t stamp us out of existence… I suppose that’s something. But the blow to
our family’s reputation is immense.”
You have to endure the rest of the evening. Stephan leaves you behind. None of the
guests dare to speak to you.\nGloomily passing time with a new glass of wine in
your hand, you keep an eye on Octavia. She has forgotten all about you, lost in a
dance with one of the Magistrate’s sons.
You step forward. The other guests follow your every move intently.\nStanding
rigidly and enunciating every word precisely, you say that you have never insulted
Lady Milanidas in any way. On the contrary, it was Her Grace who demanded that you
perform actions unbecoming of a nobleman.\nYou will not tolerate slander against
your honor, even if it is uttered by the noblest of lips!
The guests freeze. Did you just dare to contradict the Archduke’s daughter?
Moreover, have you truly accused her of slander?\nYou cast a glance over the crowd.
Stephan’s pale face is twisted with horror.\nOctavia stands before you as if
speechless.
Finally, Octavia bursts into laughter that sounds like silver bells.\nSeeing the
Arknian laugh, the young nobles follow her lead and start giggling uncertainly.
“What nonsense! Look, ladies and gentlemen, <username> Brante is defending his
honor! Before me, an Arknian, the daughter of the Archduke! So, I’ve insulted you,
have I? You are truly an extraordinary human, Brante. I will permit you to stay.
Your humiliation in the eyes of all these good people will be punishment enough.
“But really, I haven’t laughed this hard in ages. It takes real effort to violate
all the customs of our world at once. The soiree may continue. Lady Monrogue, let
us be merry! I’ve missed you so much!”
The musicians return to their instruments. The conversations resume. People lose
interest in you.\nYou retreat to join your brother with a dignified mien. Stephan
is livid and ready to tear you apart.
“If I only knew, <username>! First you manage to insult Octavia Milanidas, and now
you deny it in front of everyone? We can only hope the Archduke won’t stamp us out
of existence after all this. I’ve worked so hard to build up the Brante family’s
reputation, but your impudence has undone it all. You should have thought of your
honor beforehand!”
You have to endure the rest of the evening. Stephan leaves you behind. None of the
guests dare to speak to you.\nGloomily passing time with a new glass of wine in
your hand, you keep an eye on Octavia. She is busy dancing with one of the
Magistrate’s sons, but from time to time she shoots mysterious glances in your
direction.
What is going through the eccentric Arknian’s mind? Why didn’t your bold action
anger her, but rather earn you her forgiveness? You can only guess. The crux of the
matter is that Octavia is no longer angry with you.
The guests freeze. All eyes are upon you. Each word you utter could deal a fatal
blow to your social standing.\nBut you will not yield without a fight. You look
over the room — who might take your side? Your eyes rest on the hostess, Lady Anne
Monrogue. The noble lady examines you as though you were an exotic animal — how
will you act under pressure?
You muster your courage and take a step forward toward Octavia Milanidas. You greet
the Arknian with a graceful bow.\nWhen you speak, it is not so much to her as to
the other guests. You have indeed been a tad forward with Lady Octavia. But it was
merely a regrettable jest. Is it truly worth ruining a soiree? Those present know
you as an honest nobleman and would surely vouch that you would never insult the
Archduke’s family.
Wouldn’t it be better to set aside this pointless squabble and continue with the
evening? After all, tonight we celebrate the arrival of Lady Monrogue herself!\nYou
cast a meaningful glance at the noble lady.
“You are right, Sir… Brante. My dear Octavia, why spoil the evening over some
little human missteps? I’m sure the judge meant nothing by it. Music!”
The musicians return to their instruments. Excited, the guests loudly discuss the
scene they have just witnessed.\nYou bow respectfully to Lady Monrogue and look at
Octavia triumphantly. She is surprisingly composed.\nSuddenly, she offers you her
hand, inviting you to dance. Soon you are gliding across the ballroom, hand in
hand.
“Even I am impressed with you, human. Where were your good manners back then, in
Serpenverda? Your foolish pride will be your undoing. But not today…”
Octavia squeezes your fingers as though her hand were a trap, and yours — a tiny
animal that has foolishly fallen into it.\nThe dance is over. You bow courteously
to Octavia and return to your elder brother.\nMeanwhile, Stephan is surrounded by
inquisitive guests. Everyone is eager to find out how you know Octavia Milanidas
and what your connection to her is.
With an imperious look, you hint that the Archduke’s daughter has been interested
in you for several years.\nStephan pulls you aside.
“<username>, why didn’t you tell me you’d made Lady Octavia’s acquaintance? I have
no idea what you did to insult her, but I hope it’s history now. Octavia is famous
for her extravagance, after all.\n“Don’t you dare lose her favor again — this is
our direct path to being ennobled by the Sword!”
A Rendezvous with Octavia
Octavia and you do not see each other very often. Sometimes, as the days wear on,
you forget about your unusual liaison. But then the Archduke’s daughter bursts into
your life and you abandon yourselves to passion until she disappears again.\nToday
Octavia is waiting for you at her summer home in the city. It is a cozy little
villa, well concealed from prying eyes by a high fence. Beyond the fence is a
glorious garden — you have never seen one so beautiful in Magra.
Octavia meets you on the veranda. She is wearing a light white frock that leaves
her shoulders exposed. Her black hair cascades down her back.\nYou bow to Lady
Milanidas. She grins and draws you toward her so that you sit down by her side.
The sun is melting beyond the horizon.\nOctavia commands her servants to leave you
alone. Tonight she is strangely pensive, barely touching her food and drink.\nYou
cautiously inquire if anything is amiss.
“Listen to me, <username>. I’m… at a crossroads. My father, the Archduke, is
planning to send me out of Magra for a while. Apparently, in his opinion, my
escapades are bound to cause trouble for our family!”
Octavia stands up, towering above you. Her eyes burn with a menacing flame.
“I am a daughter of the great family of Milanidas! An Arknian, born at the peak of
the world — all shall tremble before me! Isn’t that so, <username> Brante?”
But before you can reply, Octavia abruptly lowers her head, downhearted.
“I am not free. Just like you, my dear human Brante. I have a duty to my family. To
my Blood Tide. To the Empire. My whole life, all I’ve ever done is fulfil
obligations created by others!
“I have no aspirations. Everything is preordained: what the world is like, how I
ought to live! What my father doesn’t decide for me, those two up on the Peak of
the Shining Pillar already have!
“I’m looking for a way out of this cage. It must exist! I study history, but all I
find are tidbits of lost knowledge. But I believe that I’m not the first to try to
escape the chains of this world.
“What am I to do, <username>? You yearn to break free of the fetters of fate just
as I do. You have escaped the commoner’s Lot and joined the higher estate. But your
new Lot is just as much of a prison, isn’t it?\n“Could it really be that none of us
will ever be free?”
Octavia looks into your eyes dolefully.\nYou have never seen her so helpless
before.
Share your revelation
Inquire about this arcane knowledge
Lose yourself in pleasure
Ask for assistance
You relate to Octavia the grandeur of the Twin Gods’ design as it was revealed to
you in your revelation.
You ask Octavia about the lost knowledge she has been seeking.
You encourage Octavia to remember the joys of this earthly life.
You steer the conversation in a specific direction and entreat Octavia to put in a
good word for you.
You put your hand on Octavia’s shoulder and gesture to the blazing line of the
Shining Pillar in the sky.\nFlashes of your childhood experience come back to you.
What you felt then was the truth. It came to you from the heavens and poured
straight into your soul. It needs neither proof nor prayer.\nAnd you share your
truth with your beloved.
Your existence is a gift from the Twin Gods. You are creations of their Will.\nYes,
all people who live in this world lack freedom, if only because they were put into
existence by the will of another. But this is also the most beautiful thing that
could possibly exist.
You are a part of the Gods’ design. So no one is ever lonely, lost, or empty. Yes,
you comply with that design, but the design is a pure embodiment of the Gods’ love
for you.\nYou have experienced it. You know it. Because it is so.
Octavia sneers and moves away from you.
“The way you describe it, this Love of theirs is nothing but a violation! And we’re
supposed to not just submit, but rejoice?”
You protest that it is a violation only if you fight it, if you struggle. But why
struggle? The Twin Gods used their design to let you into their world, to allow you
to live in it, to think, feel, and understand. This in itself is a blessing.\nAny
other world would have barriers of its own. So why not accept these?
Octavia looks at the Shining Pillar thoughtfully.
“There is something to what you say… but you experienced this revelation firsthand,
and I didn’t. And to me, it all appears to be submission, as though I were a puny
commoner at the feet of my master.\nMust I, Octavia Milanidas, submit and endure?
No, I’ll find another way.
“Anyway, that’s enough theology for today. Put your arms around me, <username>. I
want to savor what I have now.”
You carefully inquire about the lost knowledge Octavia was speaking of. What is she
trying to find in these ancient manuscripts?
Octavia responds with a playful smile. She takes your hand and leads you into her
chambers.\nThere, under the flickering candlelight, she covers you with a semi-
transparent, gold-colored veil. Then she puts a mysterious mask of the same color
over your face.
“Don’t speak. You’ll understand. Let me in.”
Octavia entwines her fingers with yours and starts singing.\nYou have never heard
this language before. The song is a slow, inhuman drawl.\nAt first, nothing
happens.\nYou listen to Octavia’s song, watching the glimmer of the candlelight on
her face and the walls of her chamber… everything is gently shifting.
“…and when she cometh near, fear not, but hasten not toward her…”
Octavia’s lips are not moving. The words seem to take shape inside your head by
themselves.\nThe skin of your limbs has taken on a different hue. Now it is blue
like that of the Arknians.\nWho is sitting opposite you? Octavia? Yourself? You
cannot tell anymore. Everything has become one.
The world fades away and shatters. Your bodies, the walls, the rooms, the
buildings, the city — everything grows pale and dissolves into the light.\nAll of
it — the Lots, the Empire, the Twin Gods themselves — is but a dream.
And you have wandered through this dream all your life.
You come to your senses in the dead of night, in Lady Milanidas’s bed.\nShe is
lying beside you — asleep, naked, her black hair spilled across the pillow.\nYou
run your trembling fingers over her skin.
Octavia is sleeping soundly.
You pull Octavia close and embrace her. The Arknian lays her head on your chest.\
nQuietly, you watch the Shining Pillar blaze in the rays of the setting sun.\nYou
delicately touch your beloved — her neck, her shoulders, her fingers.
You do your best to calm Octavia down.\nAll these attempts to break down barriers
are dangerous. Why seek danger? It will lead to nothing but disappointment and
loss.\nEverything that exist has barriers. A simple judge has certain barriers, and
a lady of the Milanidas family has others. Beyond these barriers, only reprisal and
ruin await.
Isn’t it better to turn to the earthly pleasures still at our disposal?\nYou don’t
have much time together, after all…
Octavia detaches herself from you and smiles playfully.
“<username>, I think you are not as simple as you wish to appear. I’ll wager you
are seeking far more that the pleasures known to you. You just don’t want to let me
slip away.
“You say that everything has its barriers. But to me, everything appears to be
submission, as though I were a puny commoner at the feet of my master. Even if my
master is the design of the Gods.\n“Must I, Octavia Milanidas, submit and endure?
No, I’ll find another way.
“But you are right about one thing: that’s enough theology for today. Carry me to
the bedroom, and quickly, before I change my mind.”
You spend the night caressing each other, delighting in idleness and pleasure.\
nNothing can disturb you tonight — not the Archduke, not the Lots, not even the
Twin Gods Themselves.
You refrain from answering her question and silently lay your head on Octavia’s
knees.\nThe Arknian caresses your hair pensively and gazes into the distance, where
the eternal line of the Shining Pillar is glowing.
You attempt to calm Octavia down, to distract her with idle talk and amuse her with
society gossip.\nBut heavy thoughts remain in the mind of your patroness.
“You wouldn’t understand, <username>. Only yesterday you were a commoner; you’re
used to humility. You will endure patiently the notion that your fate is not in
your hands. Even obtaining nobility will change nothing. Am I, an Arknian, Octavia
Milanidas, destined for the same? No, I will continue looking for a way out of this
cage. And one day I will find it.”
You obediently echo Octavia’s words: certainly, your lady will find her own way.
And you will be delighted to help her find it.\nOctavia smiles in reply.
“I’m afraid it was an error to discuss spiritual matters with a human. Don’t worry,
I won’t involve you in my quest. Metaphysical pursuits are simply beyond you. You
are troubled by matters far closer to earth, aren’t you?”
You admit that Lady Octavia is right.\nYour career is progressing far too slowly.
And the Brante name is still firmly linked with the notorious Prefect El Borne.\nIt
would be beneficial to show noble society that the Brantes have other patrons too…
“So this is what is on your mind? How painfully dreary! Very well then, my
<username>. I will drop the name Brante at a few stuffy receptions. Even the most
slow-witted among us will gather that you are in the good graces of the Archduke’s
family.”
You caress Octavia’s hand gratefully. She snatches it from you and turns away.
“I’m not in the mood for pleasure tonight. Leave. I’ll keep my promise.”
You comply with your patroness’s command.\nOn your way down the dark promenade, you
turn around. Her lonely figure is still staring intently into the heavens.
You relate to Octavia the grandeur of the Twin Gods’ design as it was revealed to
you in your childhood.
Prisoners
You walk down the cold steps to the Prefecture dungeon. The damp air makes it hard
to breathe.\nYou were urgently summoned here after the explosion at the Three
Phaleras. The gendarmes have captured the perpetrator, a lowborn girl. Soon people
from the Secret Chancellery will be here — their institution handles riots and
crimes against Imperial authority.
The worst of it is that gunpowder is involved — and you were the one who succumbed
to Mayer Egmont’s entreaties and authorized the use of gunpowder in the silver
mines.\nYou need to get to the bottom of this before the Secret Chancellery comes
after you.
Behind the bars of the cell you see Alida Sirin, an unremarkable girl just like any
other from the Brass District.\nShe glances up at you suspiciously from under her
long bangs and chuckles.
“Yeah, I blew ‘em up. I’m not gonna deny it, let alone beg for mercy. I know nobles
haven’t got any anyway. My sister taught me that when she was hanged for making a
peaceful speech in the capital.”
You send the gendarmes away. You need to interrogate the culprit one on one.\
nHaving made sure you are alone, you ask Alida where she got the gunpowder.\nShe
smirks, looking at you defiantly.
“This is just the beginning. We’re the Last Straw. We’re gonna destroy the old
order, reduce it to nothing. We’ve got weapons. We’ve got gunpowder. We aren’t
helpless anymore.”
You are interrupted by loud footsteps down the hall, accompanied by angry shouts.
You have to hold your tongue.\nThe gendarmes push another prisoner into the
adjacent cell. Your heart skips a beat when you recognize him.
“Do you know who I am? I own half the mines in Magra!\n”Judge <el> Brante! Your
gendarmes dragged me here by force. Why didn’t you just summon me? I’d have come of
my own free will!”
The gendarmes unceremoniously lock the industrialist in the cell and report to you:
this commoner is suspected of transferring gunpowder to the rebels.
You once again command the gendarmes to leave you alone with the conspirators. They
lock the cells securely before leaving.\nYou, Egmont, and the rebel Alida are alone
in the cold semi-darkness.\nEgmont clutches the bars anxiously.
“Now I see… I’m accused of orchestrating the explosion at the Three Phaleras.\
n“Come closer, <el> Brante. Your life is in as much peril as mine.”
You take a step forward, approaching the bars.\nYou feel the imprisoned
industrialist’s heavy breath on your face.
“I’ll cut right to the chase, <el> Brante. Yes, with your help, we put the
gunpowder to good use. We used it for a great cause: fighting for the rights of the
lowborn. I armed the soldiers of the Last Straw, and I’m forming my own militia.\
n“The gunpowder finally forced the nobles to take us seriously!
“But I’m not a madman, and I’m not a butcher. The explosion in the tavern was just
a way to demonstrate what we’re capable of in case the Empire doesn’t make any
concessions.\n“We’re no longer just rabble that can be ordered about. And we
achieved that in no small part thanks to your help, Judge <el> Brante. Now the
nobles will see that if they don’t give us rights, we’ll have to take them by
force!”
You look at the wealthy commoner in consternation.\nSo, you have unwittingly become
part of his conspiracy!
“Yes, I concealed some parts of my plan from you. But it was even safer for you
this way. You continued your work as a judge and your fight for justice while we
did our part. I just wish the Last Straw had worked a little more cleanly!”
You demand that Egmont tell you the nature of his connection to the Last Straw.
“We made an alliance. The Last Straw are relentless fighters, like this young lady
here. And it’s wonderful that there are people who are willing to make sacrifices
for the greater good. Sadly, sometimes they leave too many clues behind…”
Egmont casts a disapproving sidelong glance at the rebel girl.\nThen he leans in
even closer and continues quietly.
“But explosions and bloodshed aren’t my goal. I’m going to make Anizotte the first
city in the Empire where all citizens have equal rights — no matter what estate
they’re born to or what Lot they have. Isn’t that what you’ve been struggling to
achieve all along, <el> Brante?
“Do you think this is just some fantasy? We’re one step away from taking power in
the city and imposing our conditions on the Overseer and the Archduke!
“Time is running out. Soon the Secret Chancellery will take us, and then our cause
is doomed. Unfortunately, you’ll go down with us, my friend. We’re in this
together, since you gave us the gunpowder.\n“Let’s not let that happen — not now,
not when we’re so close to sparking a genuine uprising…”
You don’t betray your emotions to Egmont.\nYour face is thoroughly concealed by the
shadows.
“Let us both out of the cage, me and the girl from the Last Straw. Help us escape.
I’ll make sure you’re clear of any suspicion — it’ll seem like we broke out on our
own. The Secret Chancellery will be busy hunting us down, and they’ll leave you
alone.\n“Meanwhile, we’ll finish our preparations and strike first.
“You’ve already picked a side, <username> <el> Brante. Now’s not the time to change
it. Help me escape, and you’ll be one of the heroes of the uprising — but if you
betray me, you’ll be one of its first victims.\n“Hurry!”
Keep the prisoners in captivity
Help them escape.
You hand the rebels over to the Secret Chancellery and destroy all evidence linking
you to Egmont.
You let Egmont out of the cell and allow him to flee and start the uprising.
Finally, you let Egmont see your face in the semidarkness. You have had a sneer on
your lips for quite some time.\nNo, you are not going to go down because of
Egmont’s deception. You have your own plans in that regard.
“It’s too late! You can’t stop it, <el> Brante! You fool! The uprising will make
mincemeat of you if you don’t come to your senses. History will be on our side…”
Not listening to him, you turn around and swiftly go upstairs. Egmont’s threats die
out in the darkness.\nDoing your best to look composed, you walk up the stairs and
announce that the interrogation is over — it is time to hand the prisoners over to
the Secret Chancellery.\nAfterwards, you lock yourself in your office and go
through all your papers in search of any evidence that could link you to Egmont.
You burn all proof of your involvement in the unfortunate gunpowder affair. But
this isn’t all — you will have to go to other Imperial institutions as well.
Hopefully your connections will be enough to sever any threads leading back to
you…\nYou hear a knock at the door!
A familiar figure with a cane treads heavily into your office. Felipe El Ferro, the
Secret Chancellery advisor, carefully examines you.
“You again, Sir <el> Brante. I have just interrogated the captured insurgents…”
You break into a cold sweat and do your best to maintain a calm facade.\nEl Ferro
looms over your desk, obstructing the light.
“So… there is no doubt that the explosion was the handiwork not only of the Last
Straw, but also of Mayer Egmont, whom you know well. I was particularly curious to
find out who was responsible for authorizing the use of gunpowder in his mines. He
named you.”
The advisor pauses and observes you.\nYou look back at Sir Felipe dispassionately.
The storm that is raging inside you must be contained.\nSuddenly, Felipe beams at
you and shrugs.
“But, you know, I’d never take a commoner’s word over that of a nobleman. And you
are a true nobleman, aren’t you, <el> Brante?”
You lower your head modestly.
“So I thought. The noble Lot is not an easy one. Even the best of us make mistakes
sometimes. But this is where a noble education comes into play. We nobles know how
to fix our mistakes.”
You explain gravely that you had no idea that allowing the use of gunpowder in the
mines would lead to this. You only wanted to ensure the prosperity of the province…
“I have no doubt about that! That’s why you’re going to do me a favor — for the
sake of the province.\n“Over the last few years, you’ve worked hard to satisfy the
claims and pleas of the commoners. But do you know how many insurgents could have
been among them?\n“The Secret Chancellery will review these cases. I hope you do
not mind if I take over your office for a while. You won’t need it for the time
being.
“By my authority, I hereby declare a state of emergency in the Prefecture. It will
remain in effect until we have dealt with the threat of an uprising.\n“You may go
now. Take a break, and don’t get involved. We’ll call for you when we need you
again.”
El Ferro installs himself in your chair and promptly begins going through your
papers. He is no longer paying attention to you.\nYou have no choice — you vacate
your own office.
Back home, you collapse into bed and sleep for a long time.
Mayer Egmont is hanged before a huge crowd. The execution of a prominent advocate
for commoners’ rights infuriates them, but they are too frightened to take up arms.
In addition, many say that Egmont only desired more power and profit for himself,
not protection for the poor.\nEgmont’s body is left hanging in the square in front
of the City Hall for a long time as a reminder of the fate awaiting anyone who
attempts to defy the Imperial order.
You spend the next month at home.\nThe explosion allowed the Secret Chancellery to
obtain special authority for the purpose of defeating the rebels.\nThe gates of
Anizotte are locked. Citizens are commanded not to leave their homes without a good
reason. The gendarmes, transferred temporarily under the command of the Secret
Chancellery, prowl the city, searching houses and arresting suspicious individuals.
The people they arrest usually disappear without a trace.
Finally, a month later, the Secret Chancellery declares that the threat of
rebellion has been eliminated.\nThe gendarmes return to El Borne’s command. For the
first time in a long while, you go to the Prefecture.
Your office has hardly changed, although it is clear that it has been used daily.\
nThe inkwell is all but empty. A number of documents concerning your old cases have
vanished from the drawers.\nYou see small spots of dried blood on the carpet.
After a slight pause, you agree with Egmont’s plan. You will help him escape.\nBut
no one can know that you are involved, or you will end up swinging from the same
gallows as the fugitives!\nEgmont’s face brightens.
“I knew you wouldn’t abandon the cause, <el> Brante! You’ve just made history! Now
hurry, there’s no time to spare!”
You walk up the stairs nonchalantly. You command the gendarmes to bring the
prisoners Mayer Egmont and Alida Sirin to the back yard of the Prefecture. You will
hand the insurgents over to the Secret Chancellery personally.\nThe gendarmes shrug
and go down to the dungeon. You put the key to their shackles in your pocket.
The prisoners are lead out to the back yard. As you accompany them, you discretely
slip the key into Alida Sirin’s hand.\nYou find yourselves in the empty yard behind
the Prefecture. But the gendarmes continue to stand guard. They are in no hurry to
leave the prisoners alone.
Before you can say anything, Alida Sirin suddenly waves her arms, now free of the
shackles. The gendarmes rush toward the criminal, but she leaps behind you and
wraps the chain with which she had been shackled around your neck.
The rebel’s thin arms air shockingly strong. The chain digs into your neck. You
open your mouth helplessly, gasping for air.\nThe gendarmes, stupefied, do not risk
coming nearer. Meanwhile, Mayer Egmont shakes off his shackles as well.
“Don’t move, or the judge gets it!”
The gendarmes freeze in hesitation.\nAlida drags you along with her, retreating
toward the street. The world is going dark before your eyes. You cannot breathe.\
nEgmont moves after you and quickly whispers in your ear:
“As promised, you’re free of suspicion! See you in the new world, Citizen <el>
Brante!”
The chain tightens around your neck. Convulsions overtake you. You double over,
trying to grab your neck, but to no avail.\nThen the light in your eyes abruptly
winks out.
You find yourself in the darkness and cold of the family crypt. Shaking, you run
your hands over your new body. You touch your neck involuntarily — there is no sign
of strangulation. You are renewed. It is time to return to the world.\nWhat
happened while you were beyond this realm?
The prisoners managed to escape.\nMayer Egmont is lying low, preparing to put his
plan into action. They are searching for him all over the city, but in vain.
You expect to share his fate, but no one is inclined to blame you for the rebels’
escape. After all, you were killed at their hands right in front of the gendarmes.\
nBut the Secret Chancellery issues an order to suspend you from judicial service
for a month. Felipe El Ferro deems it necessary to inquire into your possible
connection to the insurgents.
But no direct evidence can to be found, not even by the Secret Chancellery’s best
sleuths. Egmont was not lying — he has done his best to keep you out of the line of
fire.\nYou regain your position, but your reputation is tarnished.
After a long while, you return to your office.\nThrough the window of your carriage
you see the streets you have known since you were a child. But you cannot recognize
your own city. Commoners no longer cower by the walls, but stroll right in the
middle of the streets. Many of them carry axes or clubs on their belts. Noble
conveyances try to get behind the tall fences of the mansions as soon as they can.
There are gatherings, sermons, and furious cries on every street corner.
Mayer Egmont was right — the city is one step away from an uprising.\nOr perhaps
that step was taken the day you freed the conspirators…
Forsaken
Days pass, then months.\nYou have held up your end of the bargain with Magistrate
El Verman for quite some time, sending him secret reports about the goings-on at
the Prefecture and El Borne’s plans.\nYou have grown so accustomed to your weekly
reports to the chancellor that they seem like just another part of your work
routine.
You have grown used to your new position as well.\nWith the influential
Magistrate’s patronage, many doors are now open to you.
But soon after the breakup of your family, El Verman sends you a letter.
“Dear Sir <username> <el> Brante, I used to consider you a reliable ally. I made
sure you were supported by the aristocracy. The rulers of the province had already
agreed to make you prefect in due time.
“You were one step away — but you ruined it all! Or did you think a nobleman could
allow his family to collapse and escape with his honor intact?\n“You have
dishonored my name as much as yours! I was a fool to trust a man who lost his own
family and bloodline. You have ruined all my plans!
“I’ll be straight with you: our deal is off. Stay out of my sight and say nothing
of our meetings, or you will regret it deeply.”
You helplessly crush the letter in your fist.\nYou have lost not only your family,
but the Magistrate’s favor as well. You have no one to rely on now but yourself.
With great unease, you peer out the window of your office at the street below.\
nOtton’s case has been put aside, unfinished. You spent several years of your life
preparing for that trial…\nBut it is too late to decide the fate of a single
Arknian now. Through your advocacy and protection, the common people have grown
bold and are now ready to take justice into their own hands. The age of nobles
governing commoners is no more.
A large mob has gathered in the square in front of the prefecture, and many of the
lowborn are waving clubs and hatchets.\nThey have piled boxes and crates in the
middle of the square. Their leader, Mayer Egmont, now rises to this impromptu
podium. He has abandoned his typically luxurious attire for a plain shirt and
pants.
“People of Anizotte! The time has come. They humiliate us; they squeeze us dry;
they obey no laws — we’re not going to take it anymore! We’re not just some lowborn
rabble. The Empire stands on the shoulders of the common estate!\n“We’re in
charge!”
The excited mob echoes his call with passion. “We’re in charge!”\nEgmont raises a
hand and points at the windows of the Prefecture behind him.
“The judges and the law are on our side! We will have the same rights as the noble
estate. We will make the New Faith legal. We will return the city and the province
to the people who live in this land, who feed it, who toil for it! We’re in
charge!”
The crowd’s cries shake the windows of your office. Their excitement has reached a
fevered pitch.\nMore and more people keep flocking to the square from every
street.\nEl Borne appears behind you. He is visibly pale. Without a word, he
watches it all unfold.
“Follow me, people! We’re going to occupy the City Hall! We’re going to take over
the city and demand the Overseer recognize our rights! Onward! To the City Hall!”
But then, on the very edge of the square, cavalry troops bearing the Archduke’s
banners come into view. They form a line, their swords at the ready. The noble
militia of Anizotte, the city’s prized warriors, are prepared to attack.\nEl Borne
cannot suppress a loud, terrified gasp.
“Egmont! That lunatic… he’s going to get these people killed! We should’ve left him
behind the bars!”
“Do not be afraid! Stay where you are. They will never dare to attack us!
“Come on, Sophia! Where are your fighters?!”
Soon, several riders reach Mayer Egmont. They drag him from the podium and ride
away with the quarry.
“The poor man… he’s finished. What was he thinking?”
The other riders remain in the square, corralling the mob, cutting down anyone in
their way.\nBut then, from the crowd — a loud salvo! Gunfire! Thick black smoke
wafts over the square.\nAnd then another. The cavalrymen fall, their gilded armor
pierced by bullets. The horses buck, startled by the loud noise, throwing their
nobles riders in terror and trampling those who fall beneath their hooves.
You spot people with long muskets and rifles dotting the square. There is smoke
everywhere. Thunderous gunshots and mayhem rule.\nThe riders who survive run for
their lives. What remains of the mob flees the square as well.
A woman in a plain gray dress climbs to the top of the abandoned podium. Something
about her limping gait seems vaguely familiar to you.
“All of you, listen to me! The nobles will never trample the common folk ever
again! We have the weapons! We have the numbers! We are the Last Straw. The days of
the old regime are numbered!\n“They stood in our way today, but we will not be
stopped. Get your weapons, people! Get ready to fight! We’re coming back here
tomorrow!”
El Borne watches it all unfold, terrified.
“What have we done, <username>?! This is how the common people use the freedom
we’ve given them?! All our plans and good intentions — they’re going to drown it
all in blood! No… no, I’m not letting any of those lunatics ruin my life’s work!
“We must act, <el> Brante — you and I. We started all this. Now we must end this
calamity and save the city — even if it means violating our oaths and sacrificing
our honor.
“Prepare yourself, Judge <el> Brante. A storm is coming.”
You are at the window, staring into the darkness.\nYour family is safe behind the
sturdy walls of your home. The flag bearing the Archduke’s serpents is hanging on
the gate of the estate.\nBut you cannot afford to sleep tonight.
One by one, you see fires sparking to life and glowing throughout the city. The
quiet of the night is gone, trampled and crushed by thundering hooves and screams
and sharpened steel.\nA cavalcade of riders rush down the street nearby, blazing
torches in their hands.\nThis is going to be a long night.
Father runs to your window, hurriedly dressed, sword in hand. He is clearly
agitated.
“This is it, <username>… I knew Otton and El Verman and all their underlings would
strike one day, those vile dogs! Are they actually going to slaughter everyone
who’s taken the Overseer’s side, right out in the open?”
Father clutches at his head, crushed by this realization.
“It’s too late… our friend El Borne, all those other decent people — we won’t be
able to help them. But… we still have a duty to protect this family!
“We can do this, son. We’ll give them a good fight. I just told everyone else to
hide in the library and lock the doors — they’re strong enough to withstand a
hurricane. Oh, why does Stephan have to be so far away right now?! We could use a
third fighter right now…
You explain to Father that you are in no danger. You have already taken steps to
keep the family safe…
The street just outside your window lights up. More torch-carrying riders appear
from around the corner, bearing standards of black and green and dragging a rope-
bound body behind them… a mutilated corpse dressed in the ragged remains of an
expensive suit.
“That’s Mayer Egmont! They’ve murdered the richest man in Magra! And you’re saying
they’re going to spare my family and me, a man who supports El Borne?”
The riders stop in front of your estate. Their leader dismounts, checks his papers,
and walks up to the gate.\nYou hear him shout through the window: “Robert and
<username> <el> Brante! Open the gate! You stand accused of treason against the
Archduke!”\nFather glances at you and slowly heads for the door, his sword at the
ready.
But then another group of riders stop outside the house. They are led by none other
than Dorius Otton!\nThe Arknian’s voice is strong and powerful as he speaks to the
besieging noblemen:
“Why, good sirs, don’t you see the flag on the gate? The people who live here are
no traitors — they’ve sided with the Archduke! I’m well aware that their reputation
is far from spotless, but <username> <el> Brante himself has proven his loyalty to
the Magistrate. No one will touch this house tonight!”
The High Commander of Magra turns to your window, his eyes searching for you.
“Rest easy, <el> Brante! The Archduke and his men know how to keep their promises.”
“Now keep moving, good sirs! We have real enemies to hunt. Follow me — to El
Borne’s estate!”
The riders oblige. They all turn the corner and follow Otton, leaving nothing but a
cloud of dust behind.\nYour street grows quiet again.
“So, <username>, you’ve made a deal with those people… now I know the price of our
safety! What’s next? I take it they’re going to make you the new prefect? After El
Borne is slaughtered — along with everyone else who refused to kneel before them?!”
Father’s fist slams into a nearby wall.\nHe storms out of the room.
More torches light up all over Anizotte. The swordsmen from the noble militia scour
the city, checking off the doomed names on El Verman’s list one by one. Few nobles
who chose the wrong side in the clash between the Archduke and the Overseer will
live to see the dawn.\nBut that is happening over there, far away. You are here,
safe behind the strong walls of your family home.\nThe flag of black and green
flaps in the wind upon the gate, warding off any trouble.
Your career has soared higher than anyone could have expected, and it shows no sign
of faltering. You have reasserted the rights of the noble gentry; you have become a
pillar of noble tradition, a prominent man within the aristocracy of Anizotte.
Overseer Gaius Tempest knows your name. The other judges are aware of your powerful
connections and dare not question anything you do.\nBut tonight… not even you could
have expected tonight.
You are at a window of your home, staring into the darkness.\nYou noticed signs on
many noble estates as you walked back home tonight: black flags with emerald
serpents, the banners of Archduke Milanidas.\nEverywhere you look, shutters are
drawn and doors are locked. A carriage careens past you. You hear the sound of
hooves in the distance.\nThe city is anticipating trouble.
Your sword is at your side, ready to leap into action.
More and more torches light up throughout Anizotte. Swordsmen from the noble
militia are searching the city.\nFew of the nobles who chose the wrong side in the
clash between the Archduke and the Overseer will live to see the dawn.
The street just outside your window lights up.\nMore torch-carrying riders appear
from around the corner, bearing standards of black and green and dragging a rope-
bound body behind them… a mutilated corpse dressed in the ragged remains of an
expensive suit.
“That’s Mayer Egmont! They’ve murdered the richest man in Magra! And I’m El Borne’s
supporter — they’ll never spare me…”
The riders stop in front of your home. Their leader is none other than El Verman\
nThe elderly Magistrate dismounts, checks his papers, and slowly walks up to your
gate.
“Robert and <username> <el> Brante! I see no flag upon your gate, good sirs! That
bodes ill on such a night!
“You both stand accused of treason for joining El Borne’s plot against the
Archduke’s lawful rule over his home province. Come out and face the justice of the
nobility.”
The city is surrounded by burning torches and dark riders. There is nowhere to
run.\nFather looks at you helplessly.\nSwords in hand, you walk to the gate
together.
“Ah, there they are, good sirs! You’ve managed to climb rather high since I saw you
last, <username>. But I warned you you would never become the new prefect without
my aid… I’m afraid you and your father will have to pay the price for your poor
decisions. What a pity!”
Calm and collected, you tell the Magistrate that he does not dare assault the <el>
Brantes. You hold far too lofty a position to be cut down is such a fashion. The
Overseer will protect you.
“Come now, Sir <el> Brante! The Overseer cannot save so much as a single life
tonight. Every name on my long list claims the same protection. But they will all
be judged and executed by the order and will of Archduke Milanidas, the one and
only true ruler of this land!
“You should accept defeat. Open the gate and face your sentence, and we’ll spare
the rest of your family. After all, unlike you, they never sullied themselves with
judicial service…”
El Verman strikes the gate with impatience.\nYou and Father exchange glances. He
sighs and begins walking toward the Magistrate.\nBut, instead of unlatching the
gate, he suddenly stabs his sword through the rails.
Robert <el> Brante’s blade runs El Verman through. He collapses.\nFather dislodges
his sword and steps to the side, emotionless, ready to defend himself.\nYou stand
by his side.\nThe Magistrate’s body lies motionless in a pool of blood. He has died
his true death.
The noble riders from the Magistrate’s squadron are furious. They are seconds away
from breaking down the gate.\nBut you and Father are ready to cut them down.\nThe
gate falls, and they all charge at you. There are too many. Their leaders howl,
“don’t let them die in battle! Save them for the execution!”
You do your best to hold back the assault, but their onslaught knocks you to the
ground.\nFather tries to rush to you, but they surround him as well.\nSeveral
swords are raised above you. You can only see one way out.
And so you leap to your feet and throw yourself at their swords. The nobles recoil
in a vain attempt to disarm you, but you will not let them take you alive.\nTheir
blades plunge into your chest.
You fall on the green grass of your family home. The agony of death overtakes you.\
nYour father is still on his feet, fight hing for dear life. The same fate looms
over him.
Then — a sound so loud, your ears begin to ring. Gunfire.\nOne by one, the riders
collapse. Their steeds neigh in terror outside the gate. Acrid smoke fills the
family garden.\nCommoners crowd the street, armed with guns and gunpowder. You hear
their screams: “Down with the tyrants! Freedom for the people of Anizotte!”
You manage to catch a glimpse of the commoners as they help your wounded father to
his feet, stepping over the nobles’ disappearing bodies.\nThey hurry to you as
well, but it is too late. Your vision grows dark, and then you see nothing but a
blinding light.\nYou die.
The cold stone of the family tomb bids you welcome. The stale air smells of fire
and smoke.\nYour eyes catch Father’s hunched silhouette beside you. His voice,
right next to your ear, grounds you firmly in the mortal realm.
“You’re back, <username>… please get up. We have to hurry...”
Otton’s Sentence
The day of the trial has come. The large Prefecture courtroom is overcrowded. The
gentry rarely, if ever, visit this place, to say nothing of the Arknian dynasties.\
nBut this is an unprecedented occasion. The man about to stand trial is an Arknian,
one born to rule: Dorius of the Otton dynasty, the High Commander of Magra, the
Archduke’s second-in-command.
All of the elite provincial aristocracy is here today to show their support for
Otton. You see Magistrate El Verman among them, as well as many other nobles you
have angered as a judge. The noblemen are restless, clutching uneasily at the hilts
of their swords.\nPrefect El Borne presides over the trial. Gaius Tempest occupies
the seat of honor next to him. The Overseer’s face remains coldly indifferent.
Your time has come.\nYou walk to the podium, step after step, the weight of their
gazes on your back. Thanks to your efforts, commoners and nobles must now face
trial equally. Those born to rule have no choice but to submit to the justice
system.\nStep by step. The future depends on what you are about to say.
You begin the opening statement for the prosecution. \nFirst, you say that Sir
Dorius Otton, a highborn noble, has been found in violation of the emperor’s ban on
dueling, with ample evidence to that effect…
“Enough of this. I’ve already wasted far too much time on this pathetic trial. So,
you want my money, eh, judge? Very well, I’ll pay all the fines. The Otton
bloodline can afford them and more.
“But I was born into my Lot, and that Lot is to wage war and kill. Thus do I serve
the divine design. And no once-lowborn human is going to teach me how to live by my
Lot!\n“In the sight of Gaius Tempest, a fellow nobleman born to rule, I demand an
end to this disgraceful farce. May no Arknian ever be summoned again to this filthy
courtroom fit for peasants and petty merchants!”
The stalls grow silent. All eyes turn to the Overseer.\nGaius Tempest winces and
knits his brow. He casts a glance over the nobles gathered in the courtroom, then
nods for El Borne to continue.
“In one sense, Sir Otton, you are correct. It truly is disgraceful to see an
Arknian stoop so low that he must be brought before this court!\n“The trial will
continue. Sir <el> Brante, please conclude your opening statement.”
You move on to the core of your accusation, speaking with such force that it shakes
the stalls.\nOtton has not merely violated the dueling ban — he has taken lives of
at least nineteen of his subordinates, all loyal servants of the Emperor! This is
murder. It is an act of sabotage against the Legion. It is treason against the
Emperor himself.
You speak these last words right in Otton’s face. All the grumbling voices from the
stalls immediately grow quiet.\nThe High Commander turns pale with fury.
“Gaius Tempest! You are an Overseer; you hail from the Emperor’s own bloodline. Are
you going to allow this unprincipled human scum to decide an Arknian’s fate? Why,
this is nothing more than a bid to seize power — the very power that has flowed
through our veins since the Empire was founded!”
Gaius Tempest rises from his seat, his calm countenance twisted with rage.
“The Imperial court of justice is that very power.”
Muffled gasps and quiet cries echo from the stalls.\nThe High Commander grits his
teeth and stares defiantly at Gaius Tempest.
“Then you are the traitor here, Your Grace! You are the one who has betrayed the
province — nay, the entire Empire — by condemning us to the mercy of the humans and
their lowly, dishonorable law! Archduke Milanidas is the only one who still
remembers his honor as an Arknian and a noble, and justice is on his side! I say
this before the entire aristocracy of Anizotte!”
The nobles in the stalls who have come to stand with Otton recoil in terror. His
supporters retreat further into the recesses of the courtroom.
“You are mad, Otton. Be quiet, or I shall silence you permanently.\n“Proceed with
the verdict, Prefect”.
El Borne exchanges a meaningful glance with you and ascends to the podium.
“Dorius Otton! For violating the ban on dueling, manslaughter of Imperial servants,
and treason against Overseer Gaius Tempest, this court hereby deprives you of your
sword and sentences you to eternal exile from the province of Magra.”
Otton stands still, unmoving, unflinching. The gendarmes cautiously approach the
Arknian to take his sword.\nOtton suddenly draws the blade himself and hands it to
the officers of the court.
Otton’s sword comes to rest in your hands. The entire courtroom watches you,
holding its breath.\nRaising your old nemesis’s weapon above your head, you turn to
face the courtroom.
You snap Otton’s blade in half.\nThe venerable old steel shatters with a ringing
sound, reduced to pathetic, broken fragments.\nBlood trickles down your arms, but
you do not notice the pain.
Otton’s eyes are dead and empty as he stares at you. He staggers to his feet,
stumbles out the door, and walks away. His steps echo loudly in the deafening
silence of the courtroom.
Dorius Otton, once the High Commander of Magra, has been stripped of his sword and
banished to exile.
Your bloodied hands still clutch the verdict.\nToday marks a precedent the likes of
which the Empire has never seen. The old ways will never be the same.\nThanks to
you, change has been put in motion today. There is no stopping it now.
Otton and the Court of Honor
The lofty stone ceilings of Castle Enerie, the headquarters of Overseer Gaius
Tempest, are enough to make anyone feel small and insignificant.\nThe greatest
aristocrats in the province have gathered here today, many of them Arknians.\nBut
you, a human of common birth, have earned the right to share their company on this
day as the accuser on behalf of Gaius Tempest.
The servants announce the arrival of Commander Dorius Otton.\nThe nobles’ small
talk stops, and Gaius Tempest takes his throne, his authority underscored by the
majestic cloak draped about his shoulders. His face remains coldly indifferent.
The doors open. Otton enters the hall and comes to rest in front of the Overseer.
He stands proud and defiant.
“Noble Arknians and most worthy humans of Magra! I have assembled you all so that
you may witness an act of supreme justice.\nI hereby ask that the Court of Honor
confirm my right to meet Dorius Otton in a sacred duel.
Magistrate El Verman, who represents the Court of Honor, approaches the Overseer’s
throne.\nOtton furiously tries to get the Magistrate’s attention, but El Verman
does not even glance at him.
“Your Grace, the Court of Honor humbly begs you to state the reason for the duel…”
“Sir <username> Brante will speak in my name!”
Your time has come.\nYou take a step forward, the weight of many gazes on your
back.\nStep by step. You have fought hard to reassert the old traditions and defend
noble honor. You have earned a noble reputation, a place among the aristocracy.\
nAnd with that, you have attained the power to punish Otton for his evil deeds.
Your speech shakes the hall.\nOtton has taken the lives of at least nineteen of his
subordinates — strong warriors ready to fight for the Overseer! As part of a secret
arrangement with the rebellious Archduke Milanidas, Otton has sought to eliminate
officers loyal to the Overseer one by one. This is an act of treason against
Overseer Gaius Tempest and an insult to His Grace’s honor!
You spit the last words right in Otton’s face.\nThe High Commander shudders with
hatred.
“You, a former commoner… how dare you speak of an Arknian’s honor?! Your words are
as pathetic as your lowly birth!”
“Silence, subject! Unlike you, Sir <el> Brante knows the meaning of honor and
respect for authority. Does the Court of Honor doubt his words?”
“The Court of Honor hereby accepts Sir <el> Brante’s accusation. Through his
actions, Otton has insulted His Grace Gaius Tempest. May the duel to the true death
begin! May the ancestors of their bloodlines bear witness to the duel and guide
their swords in sacred combat! May the Younger carry out His justice through this
battle!”
Gaius Tempest takes off his cloak. He walks down to the center of the hall and
draws his sword.\nDorius Otton adopts a combat stance, then immediately attacks,
making one jab after another.
“Justice is on my side, Gaius Tempest! You’ve seized the province for yourself! It
belongs to the Archduke’s bloodline by right! Now everyone here will watch you die
for your dishonor!”
Gaius Tempest evades Otton’s onslaught effortlessly, then launches an offensive of
his own. You watch the two Arknians fence, their battle an otherworldly dance of
death.\nYou can almost see the two Blood Tides clashing, spattering everything with
drops of crimson as hundreds of ancestors guide each sword from behind the
combatants.\nThis is no mere fight. The Arknians’ forefathers are judging their
progeny before your very eyes.
Otton fights with frenzied ferocity, but with every swing of his sword, another
ancestral shade withdraws into the darkness behind him.\nEventually, Otton is alone
— alone against Gaius Tempest, who is backed by a retinue of crown-bearing shades.
A strike. And then, silence.\nBlood drips onto the dark marble of the great castle
hall.\nOtton falls to his knees, wounded. With a loud clang, his sword drops from
his fingers.
“Enough. I am no butcher. I will let him live. Before your eyes and in the sight of
my ancestors, I have prevailed. The truth is on my side.”
“Dorius Otton, you are hereby stripped of your sword and sentenced to eternal exile
from the province of Magra. And anyone else who dares defy my rule shall face the
same fate!”
The nobles kneel before the Overseer.\nOtton heaves and pants, clutching at the
fresh wound on his chest.
“Sir <el> Brante! Act as my right hand and deprive Otton of his blade.”
Otton’s sword comes to rest in your hands. The entire hall watches you, holding its
breath.\nRaising your old nemesis’s weapon above your head, you turn and bow to the
Overseer.
Otton’s eyes are dead and empty as he stares at you. He staggers to his feet,
stumbles out the door, and walks away. His steps echo loudly in the deafening
silence of the hall.
And with that, the former commander of Magra is banished into exile.\nYou have
reached your goal — not through law and legislation, but through the power of noble
tradition. The judgment of our ancestors is the highest justice there is.\nThe
Overseer graciously invites you to meet him one on one — a sign of great favor.
“You have served me well, <el> Brante! The prefect’s seat is yours. I shall appoint
you the next time I come to Anizotte. Be ready.”
The journey home is long and slow. You cannot help but think of the unrest in
Anizotte.\nYou have intervened in a conflict between mighty Arknians and changed
the course of their fates… but what happened on the streets of your hometown while
you were away?
Tonight is gray, miserable, and gloomy. You walk down the steps of the Prefecture,
dragging your feet to your carriage.\nNow that Otton’s case has met an ignoble end,
your sense of duty seems to be the only thing keeping you at the office. Cases,
complaints, petitions… it is all a blur.\nAnother day has ended.
Anizotte is growing more restless by the day. The commoners cannot endure the
tyranny and humiliation of the nobles any longer. More and more of them are
refusing to obey, taking up arms, and gathering in the squares. The noble militia
of Anizotte is making preparations to suppress the riots. The New Believers are
marching through the city. The Last Straw insurgents continue to incite unrest,
striking again and again.\nIt pains you to think that you could have made a
difference if only you had not lost against Otton…
A voice you do not recognize calls out to you. As you turn around to look,
something heavy hits you on the head. The world grows dark before your eyes.\
nAnother blow lands, this time in your stomach. You fall to the ground, gasping for
air, as pain and nausea crumple your body into a tight ball.
Your ears are ringing so loudly you can barely hear the voices above you, but you
still recognize your assailants as Legion officers.\nThey bind your wrists and
ankles and put a sack over your head. A carriage arrives. They drag you inside and
shove you onto the seat.
You are alone with the squeaky wheels and the clacking of hooves. You hear the city
gate opening — they are taking you out of the city.\nThey drag you out of the
carriage and remove the sack. You find yourself on waste ground outside the city
limits, lit by the torches and surrounded by silhouettes. You recognize a number of
aristocrats.\nMagistrate Remy El Verman is here… as is Friedrich El Laberius, head
of the noble militia… so many people you have angered.
But the biggest silhouette of them all belongs to Dorius Otton, who stands right
before you.
“How was the trip, Sir <username> Brante? I took the liberty of sending my personal
carriage to pick you up. I didn’t want you to miss our appointment.”
Otton leans down to you and looks you in the eye.
“I remember you as a young boy. I remember how insolent you were even back then. I
knew we’d fight one another eventually. Well, the time has come.
“Surely you didn’t expect me to forgive your insult just like that, did you? You
renounced your case, yes — but my honor as an Arknian demands satisfaction. You
have done more than merely insult my bloodline. You have questioned the power of
those who rule this world. You are all alone. No one will protect you.\n“You knew
what you were doing, Brante. And now you’re going to pay.”
“I challenge you to a duel!”
“The Court of Honor hereby accepts the challenge. Sir Otton may rightfully defend
his honor in a duel to the true death. Both parties shall fight blindfolded.”
Otton takes off his jacket and draws his sword. He has clearly done this many times
before. A blindfold is placed over his eyes.\nYour head is covered by the same
sack, this time knotted tightly around your neck.
“Dorius of the Otton dynasty and <username> of the <el> Brante bloodline will now
cross swords in mortal combat! I summon their ancestors to bear witness to their
duel! May their Blood Tides meet in sacred battle and determine the truth. May the
Younger witness our trial and behold the power of His inevitable Law!”
A hand shoves a sword into yours.\nYou can barely breathe through the thick
sackcloth. Your hands are shaking, unwilling to fight.\nYou probe the darkness with
the tip of your blade, unsure of where to strike.
“Let the battle begin!”
Your arms grow tired. The sword feels incredibly heavy and unwieldy.\nYou fall
silent, trying to hear your enemy moving. Something rustles ahead — you step back
as soon as you hear it, holding the blade in front of you.
“Still trying to run from me, eh, Brante? I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”
You swing at the voice, but your blade slices nothing but air.\nYou take a quick
hop backwards.\nYour head shrinks into your shoulders. You cannot allow yourself to
breathe, waiting for another strike.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Surprised by the voice, you take a deep breath.\nThe steel band you had felt around
your chest is suddenly shattered.
“You cannot possibly defeat him. But you can accept your death with dignity. Prove
you’re worthy of the <el> Brante name!”
You square your shoulders. The rope around your neck bothers you no longer.\nYou
still cannot see a thing, but you have no need for sight now.
“Keep your feet steady. Get your sword up. I’m here with you.”
A step. A swing. A jab.\nYou know where to strike.\nYour blade sinks into flesh.
“Argh! Pathetic human runt! That’s it, I’m done playing with you.”
Something slices through the air. You deflect it. Again. Once more.\nYou are not in
command of the blade — the blade commands you.
You feel the blade swing in front of your face. You move to parry it, but your
sword meets nothing.\nAnd then his sword stabs you straight in the heart.
You take a few slow steps back. The darkness in your eyes gives way to light — a
light brighter than anything you have ever seen before.\nYou keep the sword in your
hands until the very last moment.\nYou die on your feet.
“All is well, <username>. Come to me.”
The Fall of Judge Brante
Your career has soared higher than anyone could have expected, and it shows no sign
of faltering. You have reasserted the rights of the noble gentry; you have become a
pillar of noble tradition, a prominent man within the aristocracy of Anizotte.\
nOverseer Gaius Tempest knows your name. The other judges are aware of your
powerful connections and dare not question anything you do.
As your successes mount, the only thing that weighs heavy on your soul is the
collapse of the <el> Brante family. But the city’s nobles have not learned of it
just yet.\nWorrisome thoughts plague your mind. How will this affect your standing
when the news breaks?
After another day of work, you return to the hotel suite where you now reside.\nThe
carriage rolls through the streets of the Silver District, so uncannily silent
tonight.
Along the way you notice signs on many noble estates: sable flags with serpents of
vert, the coat of arms of Archduke Milanidas.\nEverywhere you look, shutters are
drawn and doors are locked. A carriage careens past you. You hear the clattering of
hooves in the distance.\nThe city is anticipating trouble.
Then, one by one, you see fires sparking to life and glowing throughout the city.\
nThe quiet of the night is gone, trampled and crushed by thundering hooves,
screams, and the ring of sharpened steel.
The streets suddenly light up.\nTorch-carrying riders appear from around the
corner, bearing standards of black and green and dragging a rope-bound body behind
them... a mutilated corpse dressed in the tattered remnants of an expensive suit.
It is El Borne!\nSo the Archduke’s henchmen have decided to do away with Gaius
Tempest’s allies!
You shout for the driver to steer clear of the threat, but another group of
horsemen block your way.\nIt is led by none other than Magistrate El Verman on
horseback.\nThe aged ruler of the city points at your carriage and sneers.
“Come out, Sir <el> Brante! It’s time to pay for your obstinance!”
Then, to your complete surprise, El Borne — whom you thought dead — weakly raises
himself up from the cobblestones and groans.
“Brante... run... they’ll kill us all...”
But you are surrounded. There is no way out. All you can do now is accept the
inevitable with dignity.\nYou calmly leave the carriage and stand tall before the
Magistrate.
“You have my thanks, <el> Brante. First you had the audacity to reject my favor and
protection, but then you handed the city over to me on a silver platter!
“I must say, I’m impressed — you’ve had an impressive career. But the harder you
worked for your own ends, the more you consolidated our authority.\n“If want to
stay on top, you need friends in the right places. You backed the wrong horse,
Brante!”
The Magistrate gracefully dismounts.
“<username> <el> Brante, you stand accused of treason. You and the Overseer’s other
cronies conspired against the Archduke’s lawful rule over his native province.”
El Borne moans faintly at the feet of his mortal enemy.\nEl Verman refuses to
dignify him with so much as a glance.
“The noble court awaits, <el> Brante. A certain Arknian of great honor has a score
to settle with you.”
You say nothing, clutching at the hilt of your sword.\nThe flickering light of the
torches parts around you. The familiar form of Dorius Otton emerges from the
darkness.
“Surely you didn’t expect me to forgive your insult just like that, did you? You
have done more than merely insult my bloodline. You have questioned the power of
those who rule this world. You are all alone. No one will protect you.\n“You knew
what you were doing, Brante. And now you’re going to pay.”
To Arms
The time has come.\nA long and arduous day looms before you. You will need all the
support you can get.\nIt is time to distribute your stash of guns and gunpowder to
those you can truly trust.
You guide your loyal Last Straw comrades to the secret warehouse.\nThey dig into
the contents enthusiastically, arming themselves with guns and hanging pouches of
bullets from their belts.
You are now in command of an armed squad of loyal commoners.\nToday they will help
you reach your goal.
The Family’s Fate
The first rays of the morning sun reach the windows of your family home. It would
be so easy to forget about the impending Revolt here within these old, familiar
walls...\nBut the calm before the storm will soon be over, and yesterday’s turmoil
will return.\nThere are only a handful of hours left. The <el> Brantes have to
decide what to do. Should the family stay in the city and prepare to weather the
storm? Should they join the struggle? Or should they simply avoid it?
After a sleepless night, you gather in the sitting room as a family once again.\
nFather is the first to speak. His determined, yet surprisingly calm voice fills
the room.
“This is what I was afraid would happen. The noble estate has turned a blind eye to
the common people’s misery... and now we have a Revolt on our hands.\n“It is my
fault as well. I did all I could to serve the cause of justice... but it just
wasn’t enough. And now blood will be shed.”
The family patriarch casts a somber gaze over his children.
“I want to make one thing very clear: today, our family cannot get involved in the
unrest. We will not take sides.
“I feel for the common estate, but we’re not getting dragged into a hopeless
bloodbath.\n“As for preserving the Overseer’s rule in Anizotte... we will not
sacrifice ourselves for that either. He has led Magra to this rebellion, and now
it’s up to him and his Legion to deal with the rebels.
“And we mustn’t forget Commander Otton and his noble militia — they’re all too
eager to use this opportunity to slaughter all the nobles they blame for the
Revolt.”
Father is silent for a while. Then he takes his sword off the wall and places it
firmly on the table.\nHis voice rings with the coldness of steel.
“We will stay in our city and protect our home.\n”Whatever danger we might face
today, the <el> Brantes will not surrender their home, their status, or their place
in this world!”
None of you have ever seen Father so filled with resolve. But he still seeks your
support.\nRobert, the patriarch of the <el> Brante family, meets your gaze.
“My son... I know you’re going to make your own decision. You’re too deeply
involved in this conflict to just stand aside.\n“But right now, I’m talking about
our family here, <username>. Our family must remain out of harm’s way, no matter
what you decide to do!”
Agree with Father and protect your home
The <el> Brantes will flee the city
The <el> Brantes will oppose the Revolt
The <el> Brantes will side with the Revolt
Father is right. The family must remain in the city and protect their home.
You insist that Anizotte has grown too dangerous. Your family cannot stay here.
Regardless of what you decide to do, they must flee the city before it is too late.
You and Stephan convince Father to openly side with the Overseer and work to quash
the Revolt.
You and Gloria convince Father to support the rebels and fight the powers that be.
You agree with Father.\nThe <el> Brantes need to take shelter at home and stay out
of this struggle. It would be unwise for the family to take any side in the coming
conflict — they should just focus on keeping each other safe.
You, however, will have to act on your own.\nThis is a historic day. You cannot
stay out of it. Soon you will join the struggle for the city’s future.\nYou have to
get ready and muster all your strength.
Father lets out a bitter sigh and puts his hand on your shoulder.
“Very well, son... I always knew you had your own destiny. I hope you fulfill it
today.”
Determination written in his face, Father stands up and buckles on his sword belt.
“As for the rest of us, we will stay home and stick together.\n“Check all the
locks, board all the windows, and reinforce the doors.”
You say your hurried farewells to your family and leave them to their preparations
for the coming storm.\nIf they should find themselves in danger, you promise to
come home and help them at once.\nBut, in your heart of hearts, you are still
uneasy.
You finally walk out the door and head for the gate.\nThis is where you belong now
— on the streets, where history is about to be written.
“<username>! Hold on!”
You turn around and look behind you.\nThe hunched, hapless silhouette of your
younger brother appears on the steps.\nNathan hurries toward you.
You respond firmly: Father is wrong.\nThe family cannot remain in the city any
longer. You have too many enemies. An attack on the <el> Brante home is
inevitable.\nThe family needs to take advantage of the uprising to leave Anizotte
before it is too late!
Father hesitates. He looks first at you, then at Grandfather’s portrait on the
wall.\nThe late Gregor Brante stares back at his progeny, implacable and stern.
“I can’t just abandon our home... we’d be giving up our entire lives!”
You put your hand on Father’s shoulder.\nEven if your family leaves the city, your
lives will not end. The <el> Brante legacy will live on.\nAs a nobleman and the
head of the household, it is Father’s duty to keep the family safe — even if it
means making sacrifices.
Father lets out a bitter sigh and puts his sword back on the table.
“You’re right, <username>. My children are more important than my former life. I
must protect them.\n“Now hurry — we need to get ready for our journey! We’re
leaving this city.”
Everyone starts packing hurriedly. You take only what you need, and nothing else.\
nYou move from room to room, gathering family jewels and heirlooms into a sack,
watching the house grow empty and abandoned before your very eyes.\nWill the <el>
Brantes ever return to this home? Will you ever see it again?
“<username>!”
You turn around and look behind you as you carry your belongings to the gate.\nThe
hunched, hapless silhouette of your younger brother appears on the steps.\nNathan
hurries toward you.
You slam your fist down on the table, unable to contain your indignation.\nFather
is making a mistake!
Even if the nobility and the Overseer are to blame for the rebellion, the <el>
Brante family cannot simply stay out of this. The future of this city — your city —
will be decided today!\nIf the Revolt takes root in Anizotte, it will spread to the
rest of the province, then plunge the entire Empire into chaos.\nYou have to fight
against the Revolt. You have to put an end to this!
Stephan leaps to his feet.\nYour brother has been quiet all this time, but your
words have emboldened him.
“<username>’ is right, Father!\n“I understand your compassion for the common folk,
but you and El Borne have already tried and failed to placate the people! Surely
you see this!\n“If the rebels seize power, the city will be doomed... they’ll drown
all of Magra in blood!
“And when the common rabble size power, do you think they’ll remember everything
you did for them? Do you think they’ll let you and your family just walk away? No,
they won’t!\n“We are noblemen. We are subjects of the Emperor. It is our duty to
suppress this rebellion while we still can!”
Stephan points at the sword in Father’s hands.
“Remember your Oath of Honor, Father! You took up the sword — now use it to defend
your family and your city!”
Father hesitates. You and Stephan stand above him, waiting.\nHe looks at
Grandfather’s portrait on the wall.\nThe late Gregor Brante stares back at his
progeny, implacable and stern.
Father lets out a bitter sigh and grips his sword tightly.
“You’re right, both of you. There is no way we can stay out of this.\n“It pains me
to no end that I must fight against my life’s work... but this revolt will be the
death of our city if I don’t.\n“The <el> Brantes will fight by the Overseer’s
side.”
Stephan lets out a joyous cry.
“That’s the spirit, Father! I’ll inform the noble families at once that the <el>
Brantes will fight for the lawful regime!\n“<username>, you’re not staying out of
this either, are you? If we are to quash this rebellion, we’ll need the city’s
gentry fighting by our side!”
“Take care of yourselves, my sons. I’ll see to the safety of our home.”
Stephan squeezes your shoulder, elated.
“Look at us now, <username>! Just a few years ago you were a little boy, and I was
dragging you around by the ears... and here we are, about to fight off the rebels
and rescue our city together. Who knew you’d grow up to be a real warrior?”
You grin at your brother and embrace him briefly with all your might, then leave
the sitting room.\nIt is time to get ready and muster all your strength. You are
about to join the battle for the fate of the city.
Then, at last, you step out the door and walk to the gate.\nThis is where you
belong now — on the streets, where history is about to be written.
You spring to your feet and meet Father’s eyes with a steely gaze of your own.\nHe
is making a mistake!
The people have grown so desperate because the nobles have driven them to despair
with their merciless, wonton cruelty. Yes, Father, El Borne, and others fought for
their rights, but even they dragged their feet on real change.\nYou, the <el>
Brante family, must openly side with the Revolt!
Gloria leaps to her feet.\nYour sister has been quiet all this time, but she cannot
hold back anymore.
“Father! I have always been obedient. I have never defied your will. But I am a
member of this family now, and I cannot remain silent when our family’s future is
at stake!
“The people are finally rising up against tyranny and oppression. You cannot simply
stay out of it!\n“Yes, there are many cutthroats and thieves among them who just
want to get rich off the riots, and yes, there will be chaos... but we can no
longer live in fear of change!
“Father, you have always tried your best as a judge to bring justice to all the
estates... but the old ways will never change if all we do today is lock our
doors.\n“We need to get out there and fight!”
Gloria points at the sword in Father’s hands.
“You took up arms — so use them to fight the enemies of freedom!”
Father hesitates, pondering Gloria’s passionate plea. He looks first at you and
your sister, and then at Grandfather’s portrait on the wall.\nThe late Gregor
Brante stares back at his progeny, implacable and stern.
Father shudders. Then he turns his back on the portrait, as though shedding the
last of his doubts.\nHe buckles on his sword belt.
“Gloria... <username>... you’re right, both of you. I will see my life’s work
through to the end if it’s the last thing I do. I would never forgive myself
otherwise.\n“The <el> Brante family will fight for the Revolt!”
With no time to waste, Father begins to strategize.
“It is crucial that the city be able to withstand the Legion’s onslaught. I’ll go
gather people to defend the city walls.\n“I hope the commoners will follow me...
the name <el> Brante ought to carry some weight with the rebels!”
Gloria squeezes your hand gleefully.
“Brother! We’re finally fighting the old order together, you and me! You know, I
knew you’d grow up to be a great man, even back when you were just a baby in my
arms.\n“I’m going to talk to everyone I know who cares about our cause and tell
them to join us!”
You embrace your sister briefly with all your might, then leave the sitting room.\
nIt is time to get ready and muster all your strength. You are about to join the
battle for the fate of the city.
You step out the door and walk to the gate. Your place is on the streets, where
history is about to be written.\nBut then you hear Nathan’s voice behind you.
By Their Will
Your younger brother stands before you, clutching an old prayer book.\nHe speaks
sighs deeply, then begins to speak.
“I know you’re in a hurry, <username>... I’ll try not to take up too much of your
time.
“As you know, my faith has wavered all my life. The Twins know how much I’ve
sinned. But even in my darkest hour, I knew They hadn’t turned away from our
world.\n“I knew They still cared...”
Nathan is quiet for a moment, watching a tiny ant make its way across the porch.
“But I just can’t understand, no matter how hard I try... what’s happening to us?
This Revolt against the Empire — how did the Twins let it happen? Is this even
possible?\n“I mean, the Twins made the whole world as part of Their design, didn’t
They? Does that mean the entire world is about to fall apart?
“This Revolt... what is it? Please help me understand!”
Nathan’s sullen gaze rises toward the Shining Pillar, but thick, gray storm clouds
are already moving toward the city. The shining strip at the edge of the sky is
growing dimmer by the second.\nYou watch the sky too, lost in thought.\nWhat will
you tell him?
He should ask the Elder
The Revolt is a challenge against the Gods
The Revolt is a threat to Their design
The Revolt is part of Their design
Walk away without giving Nathan an answer
Only the Twins Themselves know the truth. Nathan can ask them himself.
The world is corrupt and unjust. The Twins need to hear the people. The only way to
get them to listen is by challenging Their Will.
The Revolt is a threat to the Twins’ very design for this world. It has to be
stopped before the Gods unleash their wrath upon us all.
The Twins gave people freedom, and that freedom includes the ability to alter Their
great design.
You are not about to waste your precious time on your wayward brother’s latest
delusion.
Your hand comes to rest on Nathan’s shoulder.\nYou have always tried to guide your
little brother to the truth, but right now only the Gods Themselves hold the answer
he seeks.
But you believe that he has the power to ask the Twins himself.\nHe spoke to the
Elder once. Surely he can speak to Him again!
Nathan falls silent, dumbstruck by your words. He unconsciously touches the sacred
symbol he wears on his chest.
“<username>... you believe me? You really believe the Elder spoke to me?”
Your eyes shift to the Silver Tree. It has always stood over this city. It brings
back so many memories. You recall the way you felt when you first saw it up
close...\nAnd then you speak. Yes, you tell Nathan. You believe him. And you
believe in him.
Your little brother kneels silently.\nHe bows his head and speaks a prayer to the
Elder.
Nathan’s body begins to tremble. His eyes roll back in their sockets. The sacred
symbol in his hand burns with a silver flame.\nYou try to call out to him, but your
mouth will not open.\nYour lips are sealed tight. The air is growing heavy.
Time and space freeze. A few moments seem to last an eternity.\nAnd then it passes.
Nathan leaps to his feet, his eyes wide.
“I heard Him! I did!\n“He’s here, <username>! The Elder — he walks among us!
“The Elder is looking for an answer, just like me! He’s calling out to us; He wants
to know what happened to our world. He wants to hear us!\n“I need to find Him!”
Nathan suddenly stops in mid-thought.
“But... our family needs me now too, right? We’ve got to stick together...”
Your hand comes to rest on your brother’s shoulder once again.\nWhat’s done is
done. He has seen the truth, and it will never let him go.\nIt is time for Nathan
to walk his own path. He must find the Elder. He must make himself heard.
Nathan smiles meekly and embraces you as awkwardly as ever.
“I’ll never forget everything you’ve done for me, brother. Farewell.”
Before he leaves, Nathan hesitates for a moment. He casts one final glance at the
family home, then disappears beyond the gate.\nHe walks alone now, combing the
streets for a God mere moment before they erupt in madness.\nBut this is Nathan’s
one true path now.
You ponder Nathan’s question for a while, then answer.\nThe Gods no longer hear our
pleas. They filled the world with people and bent it to Their design, but that was
long ago.
As the world evolved, Their divine design began to falter. The Emperor’s eternal
rule... the three estates... the three Lots... our lives can no longer conform to
these claustrophobic old rules.\nBut the Gods cannot discern our minuscule woes
from up there, on the Peak of the Pillar. They have no idea how broken their design
has become.
There is only one way to make the Twins pay attention to the woes of the world They
created: by offering them a challenge, a revolt, an opposition to Their Will.\nThis
is the only way to change our lives for the better. Therefore, the coming Revolt is
a great boon.
Nathan averts his gaze as he listens to you, staring down at the dirt beneath his
feet.\nAt last, he manages to look you in the eye.
“You’ve always had a way with words, <username>, but this... I just can’t believe
it. I can’t believe that humans or Arknians can speak to the Twins as equals.\n“Now
I fear the Gods will never hear us... our prayers, our threats, or our tears...
“I’ve been trying to find an answer for so long, but it’s all been for nothing...”
The glow of the Pillar is barely visible in the gloomy sky, but Nathan is not
looking at it anymore.\nYou leave him sitting on the porch, his eyes downcast,
clutching his knees — a broken little man who never found a place in the great
design.
“I’m sorry for wasting your time, <username>. You can go.”
You raise your hands skyward and begin to preach, as though you are standing not
before your younger brother, but a whole horde of doubters.\nThe Revolt, you tell
him, threatens this world’s very existence. The rebels are blinded by their desire
to challenge the divine design, even if it means bringing the Wrath of the Gods
down upon us all!
Just like every other aspect of our lives, the structure of the Empire is a
reflection of the divine Will. So it was, so it is, and so it shall be,
forevermore.\nNo matter how imperfect it may seem to our simple, mortal minds, the
greatness of all creation still dwells within it.
The rebels cannot perceive the beauty and greatness of the order that lies within
the Twins’ mysterious design. They resist the divine Will, branding Their order as
cruel and unjust, but the true cause of their suffering is their own willful
disobedience.\nAnd so the Revolt that has begin in Anizotte is destined to fail!
Your brother’s body trembles as he listens to your sermon.\nHe hunches over, hangs
his head, and thinks long and hard before replying.
“You’ve always had a way with words, <username>, but... how can the Twins be so
indifferent to us? We're their creations, aren’t we?\nHow can they just watch us
suffer from up there and do nothing? Even if we don’t rebel, even if we obey their
rules, we’re suffering just the same!
“And now the Twins are going to punish us just for questioning them...
The glow of the Pillar is barely visible in the gloomy sky, but Nathan is not
looking at it anymore.\nYou leave him sitting on the porch, his eyes downcast,
clutching his knees — a broken little man who has given up all hope of being heard
by the Gods.
You sit next to him and gently tousle your younger brother’s hair. He grips your
hand and sighs sorrowfully.\nYou share a quiet moment, just as you did so often as
children, when little Nathan would play quietly next to you while you read.
“Remember when I was little, and you taught me about the Gods? I guess I need your
help again...”
You nod, gather your thoughts, and speak.
What if the Revolt is neither a threat to our world nor an affront to the Twins?\
nAfter all, the Twins gave us a portion of Their Will. So whatever mortals choose
to do with that Will must be part of Their grand design.
That means there is nothing to fear — no punishment, no end of the world, no Wrath
of the Gods.\nWhen the Twins gave us free will in the world They created, They made
Their decision. And this is all we need.\nAll we mortals can do now is try to live
the best we can. Whether we are meek or rebellious, happy or sad, the Twins are
silently watching over us all.
You look deep into your brother’s eyes as you speak, watching faint hope shine
through the fear and sorrow.\nWithout saying a word, Nathan considers your words.
As he meditates over their meaning, his mouth stretches slightly into a shy, almost
childlike grin. It has been so long since you last saw your brother smile like
this.
“So there’s hope after all... there’s a little bit of Their Will in everything we
do, everything we think. There’s a little bit of Them in all of us.\n“I’ve been
trying to hard to get closer to the Twins... but They’ve been right here with me
the whole time!”
You watch Nathan transform before your very eyes. His back, always hunched,
suddenly straightens.\nHis eyes light up, as though he is seeing the world around
him for the first time.
“I’ve been trying to find the answer for so long, but it was right there in front
of me!
“You go ahead, <username>. I know you have a lot on your plate right now. I’ll be
here.”
Before you walk out the gate, you turn around one last time.\nNathan is kneeling
under the old tree in the garden.\nHe is praying.
A nearby gunshot startles you, brings you back to reality.\nYou shake off your
reverie and focus on the task at hand.\nThere is no time to waste.
You tell your brother that you have no time for theological debates.\nYou have to
go.
Nathan’s mouth begins to tremble, and his shoulders slump.\nHe barely manages to
stay calm and composed.
“You’re right, <username>. I’m sorry for bothering you. I just thought we might not
get another chance…\n“Well, off you go.”
Nathan’s bewildered eyes follow you to the gate. He hangs his head, still clutching
at his old prayer book, his hunched figure looking even smaller now.\nYou leave him
to his own devices, face to face with the sprawling, livid, mad, mysterious world
around him.
Escape from Anizotte
The house where you were born and raised is empty now.\nAll the supplies, clothes,
and valuables you need for the journey have been packed into an inconspicuous-
looking carriage.\nThe horses neigh nervously at every sound, every shout echoing
down the street.
Father puts a heavy lock on the gate of the house.\nHe takes one last look at the
estate, with its covered windows and boarded-up doors, then turns to you.
“We’re ready, son. It’s time to go.
“We’d better hurry. The insurgents have already taken the city gate. I’m afraid it
won’t be easy to get out of Anizotte.”
Your carriage hurtles down the perilous streets.\nPlaces and faces flash outside
the small windows. You see bands of armed commoners... preachers with crowds
gathered around them... nobles on horseback, scrambling to defend their homes...
“I never thought I’d have to abandon our home... to leave our city behind, lost in
chaos and confusion...\n“What happened to our world, <username>? Is everything
really going to change?
The city gate grows closer.\nYour path is blocked by a hastily-erected barricade. A
cordon of stone-faced commoners stand before it. They are armed not with knives and
clubs, but muskets.\nOne of them shouts an order as soon as he spots the carriage.
The guards train their weapons on you.
“Hey you! The rich folks in the carriage! Turn around and go back! The people
control the gate now!
“Or maybe you think we might let one little noble slip through? So you can hightail
it to the Legion and the Overseer and beg for help?\n“I don’t think so! Now beat
it, and pray to the Twins we don’t get you!”
With a dozen muskets trained on the carriage, you have no choice but to stop.
“What were we thinking? We should have seen this coming.\n“But these guards don’t
exactly look like saints. We can’t force our way through, but maybe we can convince
them somehow... or bribe them.
“What should we do, <username>?”
Flee with your family, leaving everything behind
Bribe the guards
Order them to let your family through
Attack the guards
Turn the carriage around
You bribe the guards with all you have so you and your family can leave the city
and your past behind. The fate of the Revolt will be decided without you.
You bribe the guards to let your family through the gate. You, however, will stay
behind and fight for your cause.
The guards know exactly who you are and will let the carriage through on your
orders. You, however, will stay behind and fight for your cause.
You have enough men to break through the cordon and get your family out of the
city. You, however, will stay behind and fight for your cause.
All you can do now is obey the rebels and go back home.
Father is right. These guards are poor commoners — the sort of men who can be
bargained with. The chest containing your family fortune ought to do the trick.
“This means losing everything we’ve worked for all these years... but what good is
money in a dying city? They’ll take it one way or another... do what you must,
son.”
It falls on you to negotiate for your family’s safety. Carefully, you open the
carriage door and speak to the man in charge of the guards.\nYou tell him that you
would be willing to contribute the family’s funds to the Revolt if the guards let
you through the gate without incident.
The leader of the guards leans on his musket, grinning eagerly.
“Hey, now we’re talking! Make with the gold and scram.\n“Don’t worry. We ain’t
nobles, but we’re as good as our word.”
A moment later, the chest containing all your valuables and jewels changes hands.\
nThe guards let you around the barricade. The gate opens with a groan.\nThe
carriage passes through the wall and rushes away from Anizotte.
You take one last look at your home city as it fades away in a cloud of dust..\
nAnizotte was at a crossroads, but you decided not to intervene. You left just as
history was about to be written.\nYour struggle... your dreams... your suffering...
you have left it all behind.
You gaze at the horizon ahead, barren and empty.\nWhat awaits your family at the
end of the road? What will become of Anizotte after this unrest? What will happen
to the Empire itself? You do not know.\nYou have made your choice. The fate of your
world will be decided without you.
But at least you managed to rescue the <el> Brante family and save yourself.
As you look back at your life, your choices and decisions, your failures and
achievements, you realize one thing: this life is a tale that deserves to be told.\
nBefore you vanish into oblivion forever, you will tell your story...\nThe story of
a man named <username> <el> Brante.
A moment later, the chest containing all your valuables and jewels changes hands.\
nThe guards let you around the barricade. The gate opens with a groan.
This is where you must part ways.\nYou have to stay in Anizotte and try to make a
difference. You will do what you can to change the course of history.
Quick embraces. Rushed goodbyes.\nWill you ever see each other again?
“It pains me so much that you can’t go with us, <username>! But I know you can’t
turn back now. There’s too much at stake for you.
“Be safe, my son. We’ll see each other again soon. I know it.”
The carriage passes through the gate, rushing away from Anizotte and into the
serene wasteland.\nWith a heavy groan, the gate slams shut again.
You are left alone in a city in turmoil.
You answer Father with quiet words and a wry smile. These men will do whatever you
tell them to.
Confidently, you open the carriage door and motion for the armed rebels to lower
their weapons.\nThe guards recognize you and do as they are told.
“Oh, it’s you, Brante! If you don’t mind my asking, what’s a Last Straw boss doing
in a carriage with a bunch of fancy-pants nobles?”
You coldly reply that those fancy-pants nobles are your family, and they are going
to leave Anizotte without incident.\nThat is an order!
“Huh... so what you're saying is, we’re stuck here shooing the nobles away from the
gate while you’re being busy sneakin’ ’em out?!”
You bark your order again: open the gate, Schmidt!\nOr is he itching to stand
before the Last Straw court along with the nobles?
“Ah, I get it now... so we’ve got our rules, and you’ve got yours, eh? All you
noble pups are the same. Does Sophia know what you’re up to?\n“Just wait till I
tell all our boys what you’re really about, Brante!”
You look away, just barely able to contain your rage.\nThe guards reluctantly let
the carriage around the barricade. The gate swings open with a groan.
You answer Father readily, your voice ringing with cold steel: you will break
through the gates. Whatever it takes.\nIt is time to summon your troops.
Your carriage turns around and leaves, but stops just out of earshot of the gate. \
nYou send out a messenger with a note. Before long, a squad of fighters loyal to
you approaches the gate.
You order the squad to clear a path to the gate, if just for a short time.\nAttack!
The horses’ hooves thunder. Iron clanks and rattles. Gunshots rumble.\nThe rebels
barely have time for a single salvo before the riders’ advance forces them to
scatter.\nThe path is clear! But the surviving guards are already calling furiously
for backup.
Hurry! Get it open!
The gate swings open with a groan.\nThe carriage containing your family dashes past
the carnage and disappears beyond the city walls.
There is no time to respond.\nMore gunfire. A bullet buzzes over your head,
pulverizing a nearby wall.\nMore Last Straw insurgents are heading this way to seal
the gate.\nThere is no way to hold this position. You must retreat.
Spread out!\nYour squad obeys your command and retreats down alleyways.\nYou are
right behind them.
You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Your family is safe.\nYou know you will
see them again. Surely this cannot be your last goodbye, without so much as a
single word of farewell...
You will see them again. You have to.
But right now, you are alone in a city in turmoil.
You breathe a sigh of helpless frustration.\nNo, you tell Father. There is no way
you can bargain with those guards or force your way past them.\nYou have no choice
but to turn back.
Father responds with a bitter chuckle.
“We bade farewell to our family home too soon... I knew it would be foolish to
leave it behind. Very well. Turn around and head back. We’ll have to return to my
original plan.”
The carriage hurries to the almost-abandoned family estate.\nFather rushes up the
steps, unlocking the doors again.
“We will protect the house and steer clear of the rebellion for as long as
possible.\n“Check all the locks and reinforce the doors.”
You agree with Father.\nThe <el> Brantes should take shelter in the family home and
try to stay safe. It would be unwise for them to take a side in the coming
conflict.
You, however, will return to the streets.\nThis is a historic day. You cannot stay
out of it. Soon you will join the struggle for the city’s future.\nYou have to get
ready and muster all your strength.
Mustering the Forces
The crimson sun slowly rises above the horizon.\nYou make your way through a city
in chaos, carefully observing what is happening on the streets.\nThe rebellion is
flaring up again after a night of calm.
Once again, the commoners are taking to the squares in droves.\nThe grim resolve in
the rebels’ eyes speaks volumes — they are determined to seize their freedom or die
trying.\nThere are others, however, who are huddling inside their homes, locking
their doors, and praying to survive the Revolt unscathed.
With every passing minute you see more and more people carrying banners. They bear
a hand clutching a lantern... the mark of the Last Straw.\nThe conspirators have
left the shadows at last. They hand out guns to the common folk, using these last
precious minutes to quickly teach them how to fire them.\nThe artisans are out on
the streets too, cobbling together makeshift shields out of wood and nails to
protect against the nobles and their blades.
Fortunately for the rebels, the nobles remain divided.
The old noble bloodlines have sided with Dorius Otton. The Arknian has sworn to
bring down the Revolt by any means necessary. \nHis noble militia now stands guard
in the Silver District, where the city’s most eminent aristocrats have their homes.
They represent the greatest threat to the Revolt.
Many nobles of the Mantle, however, are all too eager to violate their oath of
fealty and side with the rebels. Though ennobled to serve the Empire, they no
longer want to suffer under the boot of the high-born Arknians and human gentry.\
nBut there are many more who are still undecided. Soldiers and low-ranking officers
of the Legion from the city’s garrison, officials and functionaries — they have all
found themselves caught between the Overseer’s orders and the people’s Revolt.
Many of them are biding their time, hoping the Legion or the Prefecture will spring
into action and quell the unrest.\nBut the Prefecture has yet to react. The city
prefect, Sir El Borne, still has not made it clear which side he is on.
Even the clergy has been swept up in the strife.\nAbbot Lennart is gathering New
Believers for a procession to the Silver Tree, where the people will elect a new
Patriarch. Old Believer priests and common folk who prefer to cling to the Lots and
save their souls stand in opposition.\nEven the Inquisition, whose duty it is to
protect the Church of the Twin Gods against heresy, has been tainted by this
schism.
The true fight for the fate of Anizotte will begin in a matter of hours.\nYou have
had eight years to curry influence among the people of this city. It is time to put
your connections to the test.\nWho can you sway to your side? Who will be willing
to sacrifice their lives and fight for your cause?
Incite a riot among the Legion troops
Assemble a squad of loyal rebels
Support the Old Believer priests
Unite the nobles
Buy the people’s loyalty
You surround yourself with people who are ready to take up arms and fight for the
Revolt and the New Faith.
There are officers and soldiers of the Legion garrisoned in the city. They are all
but ready to fight for the Revolt.
You assemble a band of fighters from the Last Straw — people who are loyal to you
and you alone. You'll lead them to fight for the Revolt.
The priests of the Old Faith must struggle against the Revolt and stop the people
from violating their sacred Lots.
Right now, the noble bloodlines only care for their own safety. You have to unite
them in the struggle against the Revolt.
With enough coin, you can convince at least some of the commoners to help you
supress the Revolt.
You decide to bide your time an avoid taking a side for now.
Without a proper army, the Revolt does not stand a chance against the Legion. \nYou
walk from temple to temple, calling out to everyone who is willing to arm
themselves and defend the New Faith.
You bear the word of the Twins.\nYou speak with Their voice. The flock knows this
full well.
Next on the list is a temple on the edge of the Brass District — the same temple
where you received your first Sacrament.\nYou see an old priest on the steps,
addressing the people around him. Could this be the same man who struck you with
the sacred Lash all those years ago?
“It is not your Lot to fight — that is the purview of the noble Lot! Put down your
weapons, you fools! Restrain yourselves! Stop this, before your souls are doomed to
an eternity of torment at the Foot of the Pillar!”
You face the old man with a smile.\nHe is blind. All he can do is frighten people.
He cannot see the truth.\nYou respond to him with the words of the Elder.
“He who entereth the house of a strong man cannot take it by force unless he
bindeth his hands. Only then can the house be plundered.”
And that is why Gaius Tempest is coming — to bind the hands of the strong.\nAnd
then their houses will be plundered. But Tempest will not take the people’s riches;
he will take their Twins-given freedom.\nHe is coming to take away their right to
choose their own Lot and their own path to the Shining Pillar.
If the people you see before you wish to be bound, they should flee with their
tails between their legs.\nBut if they wish to be free, they must cast away all
fear and have the courage to stand their ground!
The old priest is silent.\nThe crowd of New Believers shouts in approval, chanting
enthusiastically:\n“Down with the Lots!\n“Down with the Old Faith!”
All doubt has been cast away.\nFor the first time, the people around you raise
their knives, hatchets, and axes not to toil humbly, but to depose their eternal
masters.\nUnder your guidance, they will see this fight to the end.
Do you have what it takes to realize their hopes and guide them to victory? It is
time to find out.\nThe sound of gunfire fills the city streets once again.\nThe
lull has passed.
You head for the Armory.\nThe main forces of the Legion are still several hours’
march from the city. The soldiers stationed here must be wavering — they may yet
join the Revolt.
Soon you reach the ancient barracks built of ruddy stone.\nThe Legion soldiers
standing guard around it are exhausted and anxious after a sleepless night. They
will not trust an unfamiliar face.\nHowever, some of them recognize you: “It’s
Judge <el> Brante! Let him in!”
The air around the barracks is thick with alarm and unease. The officers are
forming squads to head out and break up the crowds, but the soldiers are already on
the verge of a full-blown mutiny.\nThe only thing keeping them in check is an age-
old fear of their betters.
You waste no time. In the middle of the square, in front of the Armory, is a
platform. You leap onto it and address the soldiers of the Empire:\nWarriors of the
Legion! <username> <el> Brante, the defender of the common people against the
Arknian elite, has something to tell you!\nDo you know what happened to Tommas
Guerro, the Legion captain who was rescued from Commander Otton’s clutches?
You have their attention now.\nMany of them are aware of Tommas and his plight.
You continue your impassioned speech, their eyes trained on you:\nCaptain Guerro
was a soldier just like you! Have you all earned a military rank and the right to
serve just to grovel in the dirt before the Arknians? You are nobles of the Mantle,
but the Imperial authorities will continue to treat you like dishonorable rabble
until you force them to reckon with you!\nToday is the day when the soldiers must
join the people and cast off the chains of Arknian tyranny!
A furious shout cuts your tirade short. The garrison commander has had enough.\nThe
enraged old nobleman jabs a gnarled finger at you.
“Traitor! You dare call yourself a nobleman?! Seize him, now! You are servants of
the Emperor!”
The soldiers do not budge.\nThey watch you intently, waiting for your response.
“That’s an order! Are you deaf, or just stupid?!”
You cast an arm forward and bellow: down with tyrants!\nKill him!
A legionnaire's sword pierces the old nobleman’s chest. He collapses to the ground
with a heavy thud, like a sack of old clothes.\nSlowly, his body dissolves into
shimmering ash. The old officer still had lives to spare — but by the time he
returns to the living, history will have been written without him.
The invisible fetters of terror that once bound the legionnaires have been
shattered. They make quick work of the remaining officers.\nAfter the mutiny, many
soldiers throw away their uniforms and flee, but the rest of them line up in front
of you.
The Legionnaires bang their swords against their shields. You command them now.\
nThey have only one goal: to put an end to the old regime.
Do you have what it takes to realize their hopes and guide them to victory?\nIt is
time to find out.\nThe sound of gunfire fills the city streets once again.\nThe
lull has passed.
Many of the Last Straw members are loyal to you and you alone. When the Revolt
began, they disappeared into the thick of the fray.\nThese last few hours of
silence are the perfect opportunity to find them again.\nYou send out a citywide
message summoning your people to the usual meeting place.
As noon draws closer, the empty print shop comes to life once again.\nThe rebels
who flock there are ready to fight for the Revolt. In their eyes, you are the
leader of the city’s underground, the one guiding light in the ensuing chaos.
You start handing out weapons, appointing lieutenants, and teaching your men to
fight in the streets.\nStrike quickly, you tell them, and try to take the enemy by
surprise. Then retreat, split up, reassemble somewhere else.
They are miners, diggers, artisans, merchants, paupers, desperate commoners... and
they are all ready to pull all their remaining lives on the line.\nThey will either
win their freedom or face the gallows for unimaginable acts of treason against the
Empire.\nThis is all they have left.
The Old Faith in Magra has been left reeling by Cassius’s betrayal and the schism
within the Inquisition.\nThe true servants of the Twins have been left without a
patriarch on the day of their greatest ordeal.
These few hours of quiet are your last chance to rescue your brothers and sisters
in faith and earn their support.
The rage of the New Believers is terrifying. They have already begun rounding up
priests of the Old Faith and handing them over to the People’s Court.\nMere hours
ago, the rebels somehow obtained the sacred power to sentence people to true
death.\nDid the Twins really allow this to happen?
You focus all your efforts on tracking down and rescuing the true servants of the
Twins.\nYou find refuge in the temple at the edge of the Brass District — the same
one where you first felt the kiss of the sacred Lash as a child.\nIts walls are
strong. The panic-stricken clergy will be safe here.
Beneath the vaulted ceiling of the temple, you feel their pain and trepidation. It
seems as though all of Anizotte has turned its back on the Twins’ sacred Will.\
nMany of the priests insist that everyone should stay here and humbly watch as the
Gods decide the fate of the city without them.
When you hear these words, you walk up to the altar and address the priests you
have rescued.\nHave they all forgotten that humility is not their Lot? It is their
sacred duty to guide the people, and today they must lead them away from the brink
of ruin and save their souls from a tragic error!\nIt falls upon the priests to
rescue them from eternal agony and avert the Wrath of the Gods!
Your speech inspires the priests gathered in the temple. They will follow you to
the end if it means restoring order and saving the Faith.\nThey are ready to preach
on the streets and try to convince the people to lay down their arms — even if it
means true death for some of them.
There is no stopping this Revolt until the aristocracy employs their power and
leverage to aid Gaius Tempest and his Legion.\nBut many nobles are hiding in their
houses and mansions, shocked by recent events, trying to stay safe at all costs.\
nThey need unity. They need a leader.
You use these last few hours of quiet to send messengers to the most eminent
families in Anizotte.\nThe El Brantes are the Overseer's most loyal servants — you
are the voice of his will. By your order, all the noble families must gather at
your estate, despite the unrest in the city.
As noon draws closer, riders, carriages, and guards armed to the teeth begin to
gather by your gate.\nNever before has your family home been graced by such eminent
guests. You used to play hide-and-seek in this very garden... and now the fate of
Anizotte will be decided here.
The nobles eye one another with suspicion, the usual courtesy and decorum
practically gone.\nEven with terror in their hearts and old grudges in their minds,
the families have heeded your call.\nTheir hands rest on their sword hilts, and
they leap at every cry from the nearby streets.
You address the aristocrats from the steps of your family home.\nThe unthinkable
has happened. The lowborn have rebelled, and now they threaten to destroy the
current world order — even if it means drawing the Wrath of the Twins down upon us
all!\nAt this troubling time, it falls upon Anizotte’s finest citizens to cast
aside their pride, their grudges, and their old feuds!
A cold, lordly voice ruthlessly cuts you short.\nFriedrich El Laberius, the aging
patriarch of one of Anizotte’s oldest human bloodlines, speaks.
“Those are some fine words, young Sir El Brante... but we’ve all been locked away
in a city swarming with malcontents. They have numerical superiority.\n“I say we of
the old blood know best when it comes to keeping us, our families, and the Empire
safe...”
To that, you lift your own sword skyward.\nYou are <username> El Brante, and you
are ready to personally lead the fight against the Revolt!\nEveryone who stands
here must remember their Lot — the Lot to rule! The nobility of Anizotte may have
squandered its energy on petty grudges as the city sank into lawlessness and chaos,
but now the noble estate must take responsibility — for their own lives, and for
the lives of all the subjects of the Empire!
Now is the time for us all to prove that we deserve to rule; that the swords at our
sides are not just for show; that we are not afraid to bear the burden of ruling
the other two estates!\nThis city has been entrusted to us, and only we can rescue
it from the brink at this fateful hour!
The nobles are stupefied at first, but they keep listening.\nSoon other swords are
raised alongside yours, and other voices join your call.\n“For El Brante! For the
Overseer! For the Emperor! Down with the rebels!”
Now you must prepare a plan to suppress the Revolt.\nYou insist that your strength
must be conserved until Gaius Tempest arrives with his forces. And when he does,
you will strike at the rebels from within! But for now, you must keep the
messengers running, remain informed, and prepare for the decisive clash to come.
The nobles accept your plan, vow to work together to save the city, and return to
their homes to play their parts.\nThe most esteemed bloodlines of Anizotte have
accepted you as their leader.
You listen to the uneasy chatter on the streets, and your hunch soon proves
correct: many citizens are quite confused about the Revolt and have only a vague
understanding of what the rebels are fighting for.\nThat means you can still
influence them!
The Revolt is about to engulf all of Anizotte.\nNow is not the time for frugality.
Even if the common folk do not have the sense to fight for law and order, they will
always follow coin.\nYou still have enough money left in the family coffers to help
save the city.
You quickly get in touch with your old friends from the underground and spread the
word to every flophouse and inn: ten honest coins to every soul willing to cry out
against the Revolt on the streets!\nThey are to gather at the now-empty print shop
and await further instructions.
Soon paupers, street urchins, and crooks start flocking to the print shop by the
dozen, ready to shout whatever you like for a handful of coins.\nThe <el> Brante
family spent many long years earning this money, but it only takes a few moments to
scatter it among the poor.
The commoners pocket their pay and scatter among the city squares.\nOnce there,
they start yelling and screaming. Some call out to the people to uphold the
Imperial regime, the Old Faith, and Gaius Tempest.\nOthers try to terrify them: the
rebels and their families will be executed! They will suffer at the Foot of the
Shining Pillar for all eternity!\nArguments, accusations, and infighting flare up
among the Foot listeners.
The city’s commoners are becoming divided. There is still hope.\nPerhaps this
Revolt of theirs can be stopped after all.
The sound of gunfire begins to fill the city streets.\nThe lull is over.
This will be a long day indeed. It will take all your wits and composure to do what
must be done.\nYou spend these last few hours of quiet biding your time and
mustering your strength.
You keep your ear to the ground and plan your next move. The timing for this
respite rest could not have been more perfect.\nThe storm is yet to come. Both the
defenders of the Imperial regime and the rebels need time to gather their forces
for the pivotal clash.\nGaius Tempest and the Legion will not arrive in Anizotte
until nightfall. Only then will the fate of the Revolt be decided in the ultimate
struggle.
The Legion is already on the march toward the rebellious city. What can the rebels
do to oppose it?\nEverything depends on how the conflicts of the day play out
before the sun sets.
The Prefecture and the gendarmes... will they pursue the rebels, or take their
side?\nLennart’s procession of New Believers to the Silver Tree... will the people
elect their first patriarch?\nThe disjointed groups of insurgents... will they be
able to unite? And if so, who will unite them?
Your thoughts are interrupted. The sound of gunfire fills the city streets again.\
nThe lull is over.\nYou can wait no longer.
A Fading Light
The sun rises higher and higher.\nYour carriage is hurtling down the street, making
its way through the crowd with great difficulty. Many barricades have appeared
overnight, made of old boards and rotten trash.\nYou have to reach the Prefecture
as soon as you can. The gendarmes’ and judges’ reaction to the Revolt could be
decided at any moment.\nAny word from Sir El Borne — no, even the slightest sign
from him — could determine their allegiance.
The Silver District is empty now, populated only by a searing wind sweeping light
debris across the cobblestones. You smell smoke — a noble house must have been set
on fire nearby. You hear hooves clattering in the distance.\nThere is not a soul
around.\nAll you can hear is a fountain burbling in a small square... mixed with
gentle, melodic laughter.
You yell for the carriage to stop.
Those graceful movements... that clothing, so light and airy... that thin, slender
figure, playing and splashing in the water...\nThe rays of the sun dance and
glitter on its golden skin.
That hot, carefree day flashes before your eyes... the sound of the carriage on the
cobblestones... the handkerchief dropped on the ground...
Does Octavia still remember how you first met?\nThis creature... does it still have
anything in common with the prideful Arknian lady you met here all those years ago?
The creature that was once Octavia is laughing, as though she cannot see the ruined
streets around her.
You come closer.\nYou feel a strange, involuntary sense of calm next to this
bizarre creature. There can be no hatred in her presence, no pain, no suffering.
She raises her large, pitch-black eyes to you.\nHer voice rings with genuine
elation.
“Do you see it all crumbling now? It’s the old world dying, collapsing under its
own weight.\n“Do not fear it. It’s not a bad thing. This is how it has to be.
“You live in the dream of the one called Octavia Milanidas, human who bears the
name of Brante. This dream will end soon. And then it will all be gone — your
Empire, your estates, your Lots, your Shining Pillar...
“And you, human named Brante, will be gone too. And the great mind of the La-Tari
will leave this dream and move on, beyond all borders, beyond all limits.\n“What
great joy that moment will bring us!”
The creature that was once Octavia stretches her thin arms toward the horizon,
where smoke already wafts against the backdrop of the sky. The screams of the
rioting crowd are drawing closer.\nThis being is not of this world, and it is
utterly helpless... especially here in Anizotte, in the middle of a rebellion.\nThe
fate of the woman you knew as Octavia Milanidas is in your hands now.
Hand her over to the Inquisition
Get her out of the city
Share a final moment with her before she leaves this world
Part ways with her
The soul of Octavia Milanidas has lost its way. Only the priests can help her now.
You must rescue the creature that was once Octavia from the flames of the Revolt.
But the only one who can rescue the Archduke’s daughter from the city is Dorius
Otton, the Archduke’s long-time ally…
If your beloved wants to leave this world, then so be it. You will accept her
decision. But perhaps she can leave something behind, impart some kind of wisdom
about her newfound existence before her departure.
The destiny of this transcendent creature is none of your concern now.
The inner calm you felt is suddenly replaced by worry.\nIt is not for you to
admonish Octavia — she has strayed too far down her forbidden path. Dragging
Arknian and human souls away from the Foot of the Pillar is the Lot off the
priests. Only they can help her now.\nAnd so you place both hands on Octavia’s
slender shoulders and guide her to your carriage.
The creature offers no resistance.
“Wherever you take me, human named Brante, we will remain where we are. Watch your
world melt away before your very eyes...”
You tell the flabbergasted driver to take you to the Inquisition ward.\nThe moment
you step out of the carriage, Jeanne’s familiar figure emerges from behind the
ward’s tall fence. She is accompanied by several grim-looking Champions of Faith.
“Judge <el> Brante! If you have business with the Order, you’d better be quick. We
need to put an end to Lennart’s madness and his procession.”
You explain the reason for your arrival.\nYou have found the daughter of Archduke
Milanidas. She has strayed from the Church, allowed the La-Tarian heresy to beguile
her, and altered her body and mind to resemble the enigmatic extinct race.
Jeanne’s exhausted eyes grow brighter.
“The Archduke’s daughter? Sir <el> Brante... it’s a good thing you brought her to
us!\n“If the people had heard that even the Arknians had succumbed to heresy, the
city would have strayed even further from the true Faith!
“Your deeds fill me with hope, Judge <el> Brante. I knew there was a reason I
approached you beneath the Tree all those years ago...
“Know this: when the time comes to unite the city against this rebellion, the
clergy and the Inquisition will support you.”
The Champions of Faith lead Octavia away.\nThe golden creature’s thin, fragile
figure disappears behind the tall fence.\nBut the last thing she just said is still
echoing in your mind...
“Abandon your attempts to change this dying world, human named <username>. They
will only prolong your suffering.”
You shake your head and return to reality.\nEl Borne. The Prefecture.\nYou need to
hurry.
No matter what may have happened to Octavia, you cannot leave her alone amid these
roiling streets.\nThere is only one place where she can be truly safe: Castle
Serpenverda, Archuke Milanidas’s stronghold.\nBut the city is locked down. No one
can enter or leave, especially a noble Arknian lady with the body of an extinct
race!
There is only one Arknian who can return Octavia to her father.\nDespite your
longstanding rivalry, you will still have to bargain with him.
You take Octavia by her slender shoulder.\nYou tell her to come with you.
“Your will is like a troubled sea, human named <username>. But this world will
collapse no matter where we are. Take us wherever you wish.”
You reach the Falez estate, where Dorius Otton is busy amassing his forces to fight
the rebels. As the carriage approaches, the horsemen of the noble militia ride
toward you.\nThey hear your explanation: you must see the Arknian lord about a
matter of the utmost importance.\nYour name is known — you are loyal to the Empire.
They will not stop you.
Surrounded by armor-clad nobles on all sides, the High Commander of Magra is
leaning over a map of Anizotte. They are planning to assault Empire Square.\nYou
push through the crowd and make your way to the Arknian’s table, Octavia in tow.
When Otton looks up at you, he leaps to his feet, furious.
“<el> Brante?! After all your vile deeds, you dare show your face here?!”
You raise an arm in a sign of peace.\nYou are not here to settle old scores. You
have brought the daughter of Archduke Milanidas! She cannot be left in the city —
she must be brought back to Serpenverda at all costs.
“What?! Lady Octavia?! Ah, there you are!”
The sight of the transformed Octavia paralyzes the Arknian.
“Lady Milanidas... what have you done to yourself?”
“I must say, <el> Brante... for the first time ever, you have impressed me. You’ve
done the Archduke a great service and made yourself some powerful allies.
“But this matter is no longer your concern.\n“Accompany Lady Milanidas with a
contingent of my cavalrymen. They’ll cut through the gate’s defenses and take her
to the Archduke’s men.”
The thin, fragile creature that was once Octavia disappears behind the backs of the
noble militia.\nBut the last thing she said is still echoing in your mind...
“Farewell, human named Brante. We will not see each other again. Do not regret
anything you have done. All your sorrows, all your suffering, it will all vanish
soon. Your cage will be destroyed as well.”
You reach out to the creature that was once your lover.\nThe thought that Octavia
will never return makes your heart ache...\nBut you accept her choice to leave.
You take the being before you by a slender hand. Under your breath, you whisper a
final farewell.\nThe world created by the Twins is a cruel one indeed. You
understand why the La-Tari would wish to leave it.\nThanks to the ritual, you have
sojourned beyond it yourself.
But there are still so many humans and Arknians desperately locked in the chains of
this existence, just as Octavia Milanidas once was!\nThe La-Tari must not depart
from this world without leaving something behind, some shred of the truth she has
worked so hard to unveil.
The creature’s large, pitch-black eyes close for a moment.\nWhen they open again,
you see tears in them.
“What a terrible world the Twins have created... the La-Tari know how much they
suffer from the flaws in their own creation.
“Those who live in this world must still have hope, even as their world burns
around them. Their minuscule spark of life is not the only one in the universe...”
The La-Tarian ritual... you recall how it felt, and for a moment, the streets
scarred by the uprising seem unreal to you, an unnatural composition made by chance
out of hundreds of tiny particles, like an image in a kaleidoscope.\nIt is quiet.
Water splashes in the fountain.\nYou gingerly put your hand on the strange being’s
golden shoulder.\nIt is so warm.
She strokes your head.\nYou can barely feel her slim fingers.
“Octavia cared for you. You helped her break free from her cage. She mustn’t leave
without a trace.
“The end of this world is approaching. This, we cannot change.\n“However, we will
leave a hidden path behind. A path to the La-Tari.
“But it is not your path, human named Brante. You are too tightly bound to your
city, your goals, and your Gods.
“You will never see us again. But we will remember you always, <username> Brante.”
The creature floats away, turns a corner, and is gone.\nBut some tiny part of the
woman you loved will remain in this world...
You linger there for a time, staring at the empty street.\nThen you shake your head
and return to reality.\nEl Borne. The Prefecture.\nYou need to hurry.
Her large, pitch-black eyes are watching you.\nBut you remain silent.
Whatever connection you had to Octavia Milanidas, it is gone now.\nThe fate of this
bizarre creature is none of your concern. She can follow her inscrutable path on
her own.
The creature that was once Octavia hangs her head in sorrow.
“The saddest thing about the death of this world, human named <username> Brante, is
that you are so tightly bound to it. You will burn along with it.\n“We will mourn
you as you fade away. Goodbye forever.”
The thin, slender, ethereal figure hops from the edge of the fountain and onto the
cobblestones. She turns her back to you and walks away down an empty street.\nThe
eerie calm she emanated remains with you for a while, but soon dissipates.
Only the acrid smell of smoke remains.
You shake your head and wrench yourself back to reality.\nEl Borne. The
Prefecture.\nYou need to hurry.
Sir El Borne’s Choice
It is noon.\nA large crowd has gathered in the Prefecture square.\nThe gendarmes
form a line in front of the stairs, clutching their cudgels nervously.
The commoners keep coming. The mob keeps growing.\nThey call out to the windows of
the Prefecture. Their screams are deafening.\n“El Borne sides with the people!”\
n“Gendarmes! Judges! Join us!”\n“The people need you! It’s now or never!”
The rebelling citizens demand that the prefect take a side.\nThis decision must not
be made without you. You have to get inside.\nYou push your way through the dense
crowd until you reach the gendarmes.
“Oh! Sir <el> Brante! I thought you’d been captured.\n“Men! Let the judge through!
“Tell the judges to make up their minds! The people haven’t attacked us yet, but
you never know...”
The main hall of the Prefecture is stuffy and crowded. The din of voices is as loud
here as outside.\nAlmost every judge in the province is here now, save for those
who stayed home or fled the city in advance.\nMost of them demand that the prefect
disperse the crowd.
Augustin El Borne is on the podium in the courtroom, looming above the indignant
judges.
“No! I will not sic the gendarmes on the people! It is the Prefecture’s duty to
listen to the Emperor’s subjects, not force them to be silent!\n“If we disperse
this crowd, it will only fan the flames!”
“And what of the Overseer’s orders, Sir Prefect? We have to quash the Revolt while
we still can!\n“Tell the gendarmes to do their duty and protect the city from these
riots!
“Or do you want this so-called ‘People’s Court’ to hang us all?\n”Have you
forgotten about the Last Straw and that freak Sophia? They’re executing people left
and right, as though they’re wielding the divine Law!\n“Do you really think you’ll
be spared?”
The judges applaud Fockegraben — even those you believed to be the prefect’s most
ardent supporters.
“This unrest needs to be quelled with words, not clubs!\n“If we turn this
demonstration into a bloodbath, there will be no stopping the carnage!”
El Borne tries to respond, but cries of outrage drown out his words.\nThe prefect
frowns in consternation. The wrinkles on his forehead grow deeper.\nHe casts
another glance around the courtroom and notices you standing in the doorway.
Await El Borne’s decision
Convince El Borne to side with the rebellion
Support El Borne’s plan
Condemn El Borne
You will not intervene. The Prefect can make this decision on his own.
You convince the Prefect to openly side with the Revolt.
You speak out in support of the Prefect. He can calm the mob. The people will
listen to him.
It is the duty of every judge to follow the Overseer’s orders and suppress this
revolt by any means necessary!
You look away from El Borne.\nThis decision falls on the prefect and the rest of
the judges.\nYou are staying out of this.
The judges and the prefect are just going around in circles. They make the same
arguments over and over again. Even the stateliest judges are shouting now.\
nFinally, El Borne loses his patience and pounds the top of the podium with his
fist.
“I am still the prefect of Magra!\n“The gendarmes will not attack the people. This
is my final decision! Now please, good judges, quit your bickering and do your
jobs!”
The courtroom falls silent.
“El Borne, El Borne! You have the power to uphold law and order in Anizotte, but
you’re afraid of your own power, afraid to give a single simple order! You’re a
coward!”
El Borne’s face grows red. He leaps from behind the podium.\nCaptain Linad suddenly
barges into the courtroom. The sounds of screams and clattering hooves fill the
room.
“The riders are coming! It’s Otton and his noble militia!”
You start elbowing through the agitated crowd of judges and make your way up to the
podium.\nYou stand to El Borne’s right. He acknowledges you with a friendly nod.
“Let Judge <el> Brante speak!”
You address the judges.\nIt is the Prefecture’s duty to meet out justice. The
common people of Anizotte have rebelled not because they are disobedient, but
because of the judges’ hypocrisy and the nobles’ tyranny, because the law has been
flouted at every turn.\nThat is why all of us — the judges, the gendarmes, the
entire Prefecture — must demand true justice from the Imperial regime. We must join
the people and fight for it!
You turn to El Borne.\nIt is time for the highest judge in Magra to proclaim that
the Prefecture has sided with the Revolt!
El Borne is stunned.\nThe judges watch the podium with sheer terror in their eyes.
“Traitors! To arms!”
A dozen judges unsheathe their swords and rush to the podium, with Fockegraben in
the lead.\nYou barely manage to draw your blade in time to deflect their furious
blows.
“<el> Brante! Move back! To the wall!”
El Borne draws his sword and come to your aid. He clearly struggles to wield his
blade, but together the two of you manage to fend off your attackers.
“Sir Prefect! Hold on! We’re coming”
The gendarme captain runs into the courtroom, followed by his subordinates.\nThe
defiant judges, now greatly outnumbered, have no choice but to lower their weapons.
They glare at you and El Borne, their eyes brimming with hatred.\nThere are so many
of them... so many judges who will never forgive your betrayal.
“You’ve betrayed the Empire today, Prefect. You’ve betrayed your own estate and
your very honor. And it’s all thanks to that upstart <el> Brante! You’ll pay for
this!”
El Borne turns his back on the captive judges and begins giving orders to the
gendarmes.
“Jail anyone who drew his sword on me and Sir <el> Brante.\n“As for the rest of the
judges... you are still my subordinates. You may either follow my orders or join
Sir Fockegraben in the dungeon.”
You, El Borne, and the gendarmes leave the courtroom and walk out onto the stairs
in front of the building. The judges who have chosen to side with you follow
awkwardly.\nThe prefect casts his gaze over the people gathered before him. The mob
has grown to fill the entire square, spilling out into the adjacent streets.
“People of Anizotte! I, Prefect Augustin El Borne, on behalf of all the judges and
gendarmes of Anizotte, say this: we stand with the Revolt!”
The mob explodes into deafening cries of elation.\n“The judges are with us!”\
n“Hooray for El Borne! Hooray for <el> Brante!”\n“We’ll win our freedom yet!”
“Phew... well, at least we avoided a bloodbath.\n“What now, Sir <el> Brante? What
are your orders?”
You are about to respond to the gendarme captain, but are cut short.\nYou hear
hooves clacking toward the square, coming from the Silver District. The people at
the edges of the mob begin screaming in terror.\nConfusion and fear ripple through
the crowded square.
You address the judges.
Sir Prefect is right! We need to talk to the people; we need to convince them!\
nEvery commoner knows the name El Borne. They respect the prefect. They will listen
to him. This is the only way to prevent more riots!
The judges respond uneasily.
“Have you lost your mind, <el> Brante? The Revolt is already here; it can’t be
stopped! Wasting more time trying to convince the people is the same as helping the
rebels!”
“Enough, Sir Fockegraben! I am still the prefect.\n“We will negotiate with the
crowd outside. This is my final decision!”
The prefect has managed to regain his composure and confidence thanks to your
support.\nThere are still disgruntled voices in the courtroom, but no one will dare
to question his actions directly now.
Only Fockegraben is still fuming. He stares daggers at you.
“Well done, Brante. You’ve finally shown yourself for the mangy cur you are. You
may have convinced the prefect, but no true nobleman will ever side with you!”
You, El Borne, and the gendarmes leave the courtroom and step out onto the stairs
of the Prefecture.\nThe mob clamors loudly upon your arrival.
“People of Anizotte! You all know that I have fought for justice for the common
people as the prefect of Magra.\n“And, right now, I am asking you all to trust me.”
“Do not take up arms. Do not listen to those Last Straw thugs. Do not riot or
commit senseless acts of violence. Keep order in our city.\n“Allow me to negotiate
with Overseer Tempest!”
The mob buzzes again, this time in outrage.\n“Whose side are you on, El Borne — the
people’s, or the Overseer’s?”\n“Are you telling us to bow down and wait for the
Legion to come slaughter us?”
The prefect urges them to remain calm.
“You’ve already started this Revolt and showed the Overseer that times have
changed. The common estate is a powerful force, a force to be reckoned with, a
force to be negotiated with!\n“But blood and death will change nothing — it will
only bring the Legion down upon you and your families!”
The crowd is split.\nSome continue to demand that the prefect take their side.
Others, however, begin to shout in his favor, insisting that the Revolt can be
resolved peacefully, without bloodshed.\nThe rebellious horde’s former unity is no
more.
El Borne is about to give you a chance to speak when you suddenly hear hooves
clacking toward the square, coming from the Silver District. The people at the
edges of the mob begin screaming in terror.\nConfusion and fear ripple through the
crowded square.
You start elbowing your way through the agitated crowd of judges and make your way
up to the podium.\nYou shove El Borne aside.
“Well done! Let <username> speak!”
You raise a hand, and the judges grow silent.
The Overseer has ordered his subordinates to quash the riots. It is time for Sir
Prefect to stop kowtowing to the mob!\nIt is too late to resolve this situation
peacefully. The fate of the Empire is at stake!
The judges respond to your speech with joyous cries. Many of them draw their swords
and raise them aloft, saluting you. \nEl Borne winces. He will find no support in
this courtroom now.
“Very well, gentlemen. I cannot agree with this, but I am a servant of the Empire
just like you. And, just like you, I am honor-bound to submit to His Grace’s will.\
n“We will follow the Overseer’s orders and do our duty to the end — even if it
Anizotte careens into oblivion in the process...”
No one hears the end of his speech. The judges are too busy giving orders to the
gendarmes.
“Magnificent speech, <el> Brante! Finally, somebody had the backbone to put El
Borne in his place!\n“Now we’ll bring order back to this city!”
You ask a nearby gendarme to find Captain Linad.\nThey are to clear the rebellious
mob out of the square at once!
But, before the gendarme turns to leave, Captain Linad himself barges into the
courtroom.\nHe is panting. The sounds of screams and clattering hooves fill the
room.
A Cornered Beast
Noon approaches.\nYour thoughts keep returning to Sophia as you muster your forces
for the impending fight for the city’s future.\nWhere is she right now? What are
her plans? What are her orders for the Last Straw?
Joined by your followers, you carefully make your way through the now-empty
streets. Danger could lurk behind any corner.
You take another turn and hear someone moaning in pain. You quickly zigzag to the
edge of the Silver District. At the end of the street is a square in which several
wooden stakes have been hastily erected.\nNailed to each stake is a commoner
dressed in bloodied, tattered rags.
What is going on here?!\nYou sign for your men to take cover by the wall of an old
factory.
You hear the hooves of a single horse clattering along the cobblestones.\nA stately
horseman rides toward the stakes, a luxurious cloak draped across his shoulders.
You have know his dire form since you were a lad.\nThe Arknian’s arrogant voice
echoes through the square.\n
“People of Anizotte! Heed my words! I am Dorius Otton, High Commander of Magra,
leader of the noble militia!”
Otton points the tip of his sword at the writhing commoners.
“These lowborn wretches dared to sneak into the Silver District and rob noble
homes! But I will not grant them the mercy of a lesser death by my blade. They will
live and suffer as befits their Lot. This is their divine duty.
“Know this, rebels: anyone who follows your precious Sophia will share the same
fate!\n“I know my runaway servant’s wily ways. She’ll send you all at me without a
second thought, and you will all die by my hand! She won’t care. She’s completely
insane! All she wants is to see Anizotte burn to the ground!”
Your men exchange uneasy glances.\nYou motion for them to remain quiet. You need to
stay out of sight for now.
“Sophia! I know you’re around here somewhere. You’ve grown up, but you’re still my
property. I can see your people turning their backs on you. All hope is lost.\
n“Come back to your lord and master! You will be mine forever!”
The lone rider is motionless and silent in the empty square.\nIt is quiet. Even the
captive commoners stifle their moans.
A squad of Last Straw rebels spills out of an alleyway and rushes at Otton.\nSophia
is the first among them, her plain shirt stained with blood, a long, heavy musket
in her hands.
“You lying, blue-faced whoreson! I want him alive — the People’s Court will deal
with him!”
Sophia stops and takes aim.\nAnother gunshot rumbles.\nOtton’s mare collapses,
wounded, taking her rider to the ground.
The rebels run toward Otton, celebrating his downfall.\nBut then you hear the
deafening clacking of hooves coming from the Silver District.\nThe noble militia!
The riders were waiting to ambush Sophia!
The elite cavalrymen smash into the Last Straw squad like a heavy steel gauntlet.\
nThe rebels are taken by surprise. They are about to retreat.\nOtton gets up from
under his horse, his sword at the ready.
“Not one step back, damn you! We’ll fight them to the end!”
The militia has the rebels and their leader surrounded.\nYour people are hugging
the wall, trying to stay out of sight. They watch the fight anxiously, awaiting
your orders.
It is time to act.\nIf Sophia is captured, she will not be there to lead the
rebellion. However, if she escapes, the Revolt will be ruled by her merciless,
vindictive cruelty.\nThis is about more than just Sophia, you remind yourself. This
confrontation could decide the fate of the entire Revolt.
Rush to Sophia’s side
Get rid of Sophia
Stop Sophia
Order a retreat
Capture Sophia and have her executed
You come to Sophia’s aid and rescue her squad from the ambush.
Sophia is in your way. You will deceive her and hand her over to Otton.
Sophia’s wrath will be the death of your entire cause and herself as well. You
rescue Sophia from the ambush, hoping you can talk some sense into her and take
control of the rebellion.
You are staying out of this. Whether Sophia gets out of this or not is up to her.
Sophia is cornered, trapped. You will snatch her from Otton’s clutches only to
eliminate her yourself.
You give your orders quietly. Ready your weapons, be quiet, and follow me.\nWe must
rescue Sophia and her people!
The rage of battle and the deafening rumble of gunfire render the noble riders
blind and deaf to your approach.\nYou bring your squad closer, waiting for the
perfect moment to take them by surprise.
Sophia and her rebels fight with all their might, but the riders keep pushing. The
ring around them becomes smaller and smaller…\nSquad! Attack!
“Our cause is just!”\n“Sophia! We’re coming!”\n“Death to tyrants!”
Steel grinding against steel. Clouds of acrid smoke. The stench of blood. Horses
neighing in terror.\nYou used to walk to Sir Tibor’s school along this very street,
but now it is the site of a terrible battle.
To find Sophia in the chaotic skirmish, you follow the flashes of magical yellow
light. One by one, the riders fall from their saddles, paralyzed by her spell.\
nSophia’s sepia eyes burn with rage.
“Come here, Otton! I’ll show you what your ‘servant’ can do!”
Driven by blinding rage, the desperate young woman faces the armed and armored
riders on her own.\nYou finally make your way to her side.\nSophia!
“<username>?! Finally! I thought they got you… come on, let’s crush them together!”
You scream over the sounds of the skirmish: no! This is a battle you cannot win.
You will have to abandon the captives.\nYou have to get out of this trap right now!
Sophia takes a moment to catch her breath and return to her senses. The furious
yellow light in her eyes dies down.\nHer loyal fighters form a shield around her,
blocking another assault by Otton’s riders.
Reinforcements on horseback are already heading your way from the noble Silver
District.\nYou grab Sophia by the elbow.\nYour voice hoarse, you scream an order at
the rebels: retreat!
You withdraw from the square down narrow backstreets and alleyways under the cover
of gunfire.\nThe riders quickly lose track of you.\nOnly Otton’s scream of rage
reaches your ears now.
“Just wait till I get my hands on you, you filthy slut! You’d better thank the
Twins I have more important matters to attend to!”
In a quiet space surrounded by several houses with boarded-up doors and windows,
Sophia’s rebels take a moment to lick their wounds.\nThey join your fighters next.
Few of those rebels survived, but they have the guns, training, and tenacity to see
this through to the very end.
While everyone recovers, you wander away to find Sophia.\nShe is sitting on the
doorstep of an abandoned house, far from the rest of you.
“I almost got us all killed, <username>. If it weren’t for you...\n“Otton tried to
turn our own men against us. He told them I was crazy... I couldn’t let him keep
lying like that!”
You put a hand on Sophia’s shoulder.\nEver since this all began, you have both
known that the Revolt would cost you dearly. Right now, all you can do is keep
fighting, no matter what.\nAnd if any other members of the Last Straw get scared
and try to switch sides when faced with fire and blood... you will show them no
mercy.
Sophia should know that you will be by her side until the very end.
Sophia gets back on her feet, angry flecks of gold glowing in her eyes again
“You’re right. No mercy. If they listen to the enemy, they’re the enemy too! I
won’t make the same mistake again. I’m through second-guessing myself.
“The people need me. My place is here, in the street.\n“I need to lead the people.
Give them a purpose. Give them a leader. And grind the old order into dust.
“There’s a big gathering at Empire Square over by the Chancellery. I should be
there. If we want to fend off the Legion, I gotta bring this whole city together
under the banner of the Last Straw!
“But we’ve still got plenty of enemies in Anizotte. I hear Otton and his militia
have just moved out to the Prefecture — they wanna execute El Borne and his judges
for treason.
“There’s lots of people by the Prefecture — we need them on our side. Who knows?
Maybe even El Borne’ll join us.\n“You should head there. I'll start getting people
together in Empire Square.”
Sophia squeezes your hand so hard it hurts.
“And... come back to me as soon as you can, okay, <username>? I can’t do this
without you.”
You squeeze her hand in return.\nAnd then you part ways. Sophia and her most loyal
rebels leave for Empire Square.\nYour next stop is the Prefecture.
You have seen enough over the past few days. Sophia is out of control. She is going
to undermine your cause and lead the city to ruin.\nHer reckless hatred for the
entire world order spells doom for this rebellion. Revenge and destruction — that
is all Sophia wants.\nIf she remains in charge, the Revolt will descend into
bloodshed and wanton cruelty.
She must be eliminated.\nYou should be in command of the Revolt. You will not get a
better chance to make your move.\nSophia was all too eager to walk into a trap
before. She will trust you.
Sophia flashes a predatory grin and dashes toward her sword-wielding former master.
“There you are! I knew you’d come. Missed your master, did you?\n“Your magic won’t
help you this time. I’ve got a fresh collar right here with your name on it!”
Sophia’s eyes glare at him like two brilliant suns.
“You’ll be the one running now, Otton! But you won’t get far!\n“<username>! Shoot
him!”
You glance around quickly — then, with one swift motion, you smash Sophia in the
back of the neck with the butt of your musket. \nShe collapses, struggling to
breathe.
“Not you, Brante...”
She loses consciousness before she can finish her thought.\nHer former master looks
up at you, utterly mystified.
“So you’re on my side, commoner? Wait a moment... I think I know your face...”
But you do not converse with the Arknian — instead, you hurry back to the rest of
the rebels and order them to retreat.\nSophia has been caught! Fall back!\nYou
withdraw from the square down backstreets under the cover of gunfire.
“Let the scum flee, gentlemen. We have what we came for.\n“Have her shackled at
once, and don’t forget the collar. Without her in the lead, this puny rebellion is
doomed!\n“Hurry! There are more rabble-rousers for us to deal with!”
Sophia’s rebels take a moment to lick their wounds.\nArmed with guns and
explosives, they will make a formidable force once they join your soldiers.
But Sophia has been captured. Her rebels’ morale has cracked.\nThe Last Straw has
lost its leader.
You gather the rebels around you.\nSophia has been caught. Your foes expect the
rebellion to crumble without her in the lead, but you cannot be broken.\nYou are
ready to step up and lead the Revolt in her stead!
Some voice their distrust with quiet whispers.\nMany of them saw you dive into the
thick of the skirmish with Sophia by your side and emerge alone. You still walk
free — why did you let her get caught?
But you nip their suspicions in the bud.\nYou protected Sophia’s back for as long
as you could, but who could fight off an Arknian swordsman? You had to retreat —
you had to make sure the Revolt still had a leader!
Sophia did the impossible: she brought you all together; she armed you; she taught
you to fight for a just cause... and you were by her side all the while!\nIt is now
your responsibility to see her vision through and win freedom for the people!
You raise a fist skyward.\nFor Sophia! For the Revolt!\nThe Last Straw rebels lift
their muskets.\n“Brante! Lead us, Brante!”\nOnly a handful remain quiet, their arms
folded resentfully across their chests.
You take a deep breath after your fervent speech, then send a spy to figure out
where Otton is headed next.\nHe reports back soon. The noble militia has left for
the Prefecture.\nA mob has gathered there, demanding that the prefect side with the
Revolt.\nOtton, however, wants to break the demonstration up — and have El Borne
and his judges executed for treason!
There is still time. If you play your cards right, you could make new allies and
eliminate enemies.
With that in mind, you order your men to get ready.\nThe Prefecture awaits.
Reinforcements on horseback are already heading your way from the noble Silver
District.\nYou grab Sophia by the elbow.\nYour voice hoarse, you scream an order at
the rebels: retreat!
Sophia’s rebels take a moment to lick their wounds.\nThey join your men. Armed with
guns and explosives, they will make a formidable force.
While everyone recovers, you wander away to find Sophia.\nShe is sitting on the
doorstep of an abandoned house, far from the rest of you.\nHer eyes are trained on
her own reflection in a muddy window across from her. She tries to stuff tobacco
into her pipe with trembling hands. Most of it ends up on her lap.
“I almost ruined everything, <username>. If it weren’t for you...\n“Otton tried to
turn our own men against us. He told them I was crazy... I couldn’t let him keep
lying like that!”
You put a hand on her shoulder.\nSophia looks up at you, surprised.
You ask her to hear you out and not get angry.\nThis has nothing to do with Otton
or his schemes.\nSophia has lost her purpose — she is fighting without a true goal!
The one emotion that keeps her going is the pain the world has caused her. All she
cares about is revenge and destruction.\nBut what is she going to leave behind once
the old world has been destroyed?
Sophia leaps to her feet, enraged. She throws her pipe to the ground.
“What? Are you quoting Otton to me, <username>? You think I’m crazy and ruthless
too?!
“You followed me yourself! You know as well as I do that nothing’s ever gonna
change until we wreck the old world completely!\n“We have to do it — even if it
means destroying everything we care about!”
You patiently wait for her outburst to end. When Sophia calms down, you offer her a
hand in a peaceful gesture.\nYou care about her. You will not sacrifice her.\nWhat
will she do?
Sophia begins to tremble, at a loss for words.
You keep talking. \nThe world made by the Twins is merciless. There is so much
suffering, so much injustice, so much wretchedness...\nBut there is more than that.
Your loyal comrades in arms. Good, honest people who just want a better life.
People who hope for change. And the feelings you and Sophia share…\nIs she really
ready to destroy it all?
Tears are running down Sophia’s cheeks.
“It’s the only way I know, <username>! This world has shown me time and time again
that destruction is all it deserves…”
You take Sophia by the hand. She squeezes yours so hard it hurts.\nAnd you tell
her: no. The two of you have come so far. You are fighting for so much — you will
not let it all burn away in the flames of a ruthless war.
Sophia hesitates.\nHer trembling fingers cling to your hand.
“I can’t even trust myself... there’s no way out for us. It’s all my fault.”
You pull Sophia closer so that her head rests on your chest and start whispering.\
nShe has done the impossible. After all the centuries of humility and suffering,
she has taught the people rise up and fight against their masters.\nSophia is their
leader, their guide — and she has to guide them toward a new world rather than ruin
and death!
She smiles weakly and rises.
“All I can do is destroy. You’ll have to be the one to do all the building,
<username>. I’ll step aside, help you however I can. I know you’ll do it right.\
n“You’re gonna lead the people from now on.”
The tears on her face have dried now.\nShe summons the rebels to you in the
commanding voice they expect from her.
“Brante’s the leader of the Revolt now. You know he’s loyal to our cause. Trust
him, and he’ll lead you all to victory — and a new life.”
Her hand comes to rest on your shoulder. You raise a fist skyward — the Last Straw
rebels lift their muskets and shout your name.\nThey will follow you to the end.
Sophia pulls you aside.
“That’s enough talk for now. We’ve still got plenty of enemies in this city.\n“I
hear Otton and his militia have just moved out to the Prefecture — they wanna
execute El Borne and his judges for treason.
“There’s a lot of people by the Prefecture — we need them on our side. Who knows?
Maybe even El Borne’ll join us.
“You should head there. I'll start gathering people in Empire Square. We’ve gotta
unite every single rebel in the city if we want to fend off the Legion.”
Before you leave, Sophia squeezes your hand once more.
“You better come back to me alive, <username>. The people of Anizotte need you. And
so do I.”
You give your orders quietly: fall back carefully and do not intervene!\nThe way
things stand, any losses could be too much for the movement to bear. You have to
conserve your strength for the decisive battle to come.
Sophia and her rebels fight with all their might, but the riders keep pushing.\nThe
ring around them becomes smaller and smaller.
A bright flash of golden light in the thick of the fray is the last thing you see
before you retreat.\nRiders are falling from their saddles left and right,
paralyzed by Sophia’s spell.
“Hurry! Retreat, before they recover!”
Sophia and her rebels withdraw from the square down narrow backstreets under the
cover of gunfire.\nOtton screams in rage as they fall back.
The Leader of the Last Straw remains at large. Anizotte’s rebels have not lost
their commander.
You take a deep breath and send a spy to figure out where Otton is headed next.\nHe
reports back soon. The noble militia has left for the Prefecture.\nA mob has
gathered there, demanding that the prefect side with the Revolt. Otton, however,
wants to break the demonstration up — and have El Borne and his judges executed for
treason!
Sophia is your most dangerous foe.\nShe has to be taken out of the equation — no
matter what.\nSophia was all too eager to walk into a trap. You will not get a
better chance than this.
You give your orders quietly: ready your weapons, be quiet, and follow me.\nSophia
must not escape this trap, or the Revolt will doom the entire city under her
leadership!
Sophia and her rebels fight with all their might, but the riders keep pushing. The
ring around them becomes smaller and smaller.\nSquad! Attack!
Your men attack Sophia’s forces from the rear.\nYou push your way forward,
searching for their leader.
Driven by blinding fury, the desperate young woman faces the armed and armored
riders on her own.\nYou finally make your way to her side.\nSophia!
Sophia turns when she hears her name — and freezes for a moment.
“You!”
She glares at you, her eyes like two glowing suns.\nThe world begins to spin around
you... but you are already too close. You struggle against her spell for a moment —
it is enough. With one swift motion, the butt of your musket connects with Sophia’s
stomach.\nShe collapses, the breath knocked out of her lungs.
Your people are taking a beating, both from Sophia’s rebels and the noble riders,
who care little about which commoners are on which side.\nYou scoop up the
unconscious witch and order a retreat.
“Those vile wretches have my servant! After them!”
You withdraw from the square down narrow backstreets and alleyways under the cover
of gunfire.\nThe riders quickly lose track of you.
your people take a moment to lick their wounds.\nSophia lies on the ground, her
arms and legs bound. She refuses to speak, quietly awaiting her fate.
You remind the wounded soldiers that time is of the essence. You must get rid of
Sophia once and for all.\nThe time has come for the People’s Court.\nPut her
against the wall! Take aim!
Sophia scrambles to her feet with difficulty.\nHer face is a hideous mask of
bruises.
“Too bad it took me so long to figure out what you really are, Brante. Too bad...\
n“But this ain’t over yet. Before you know it, you’ll be burning in the fire I
started — you and this whole ugly world!”
You cut Sophia off and address your men.\nIt is time for Sophia to stand trial.
They will judge her in the name of the people of Anizotte.\nShe was plotting to
destroy the city and start a bloodbath that would doom us all, commoners and the
other estates alike!\nFor the sake of the people, Sophia must be sentenced to true
death!
People of Anizotte, what say you?!
“Death!”
A volley of gunshots. Sophia is hurled against the wall. Shaking violently, she
collapses to the ground.\nHer eyes, which had shone with a livid yellow glow just
moments ago, are extinguished forever.\nThe soldiers lower their firearms slowly.
It is done.
Before you leave, you take one last look behind you.\nThe young woman’s mutilated
body is still there, slumped against the wall. You can barely recognize the girl
who used to live next door to you.
The Order, Divided
It is noon. The wind drives the sand along the stone slabs.\nThe Inquisition has
gathered inside the yard of the ward, but they are uneasy. The schism within the
church has split the Order as well.\nSome of the inquisitors follow the Old Faith,
while others are New Believers. Their contentious quarreling can be heard over the
ward’s tall fence.
“We need to stay in the ward and protect ourselves until the Overseer’s army
comes!”\n“But we cannot abandon the people at a time like this! It is our duty to
stay with the faithful and preach on the streets!”\n“We need to show our support to
the noble militia! They’re the ones protecting the Order!”
“The rebels are fighting for the legitimacy of the New Faith! We’re done being
persecuted!”\n“It is the Will of the Twins that Lennart become Patriarch! We cannot
stop him!”
The ward’s doors open. Jeanne briskly walks outside.
“Enough!
“It was I, brothers and sisters, who brought the Inquisition back to power in
Anizotte, and you all know it! But now it pains me to see what we have become!
“I have never taught you to be cruel. I used to believe that each and every
Inquisitor knew their sacred Lot, that you all saw the Wrath of the Gods looming
ever so close, that you all knew what They could do to our world should we besmirch
Their design!\n“But, clearly, I was wrong.
“This city is full of heretics. The Inquisition has failed. The time for talk is
over. There will be no more words, no more prayers... no more mercy.\n“I am taking
control of the Order, and and it will smite the heathens!
“Lennart will stop at nothing to become the new Patriarch — even if it means
defiling our sacred ceremony.\n“We will stand in the way of his procession. Not a
single one of those rebels will reach the Silver Tree!”
“But, Inquisitor, Lennart will have crowds of people on his side. The Champions of
Faith won’t be able to stop them!”
“Then the inquisitors will have to take up arms as well!”
The inquisitors meet her words with stunned silence.\nFinally, someone speaks up
hesitantly.\n“But what about our Lot? We cannot wield weapons in battle! Do you
realize what this means for our souls, Jeanne?”
“Our Lot? It is our Lot to guide those who have strayed and save their souls — even
if it means our own souls must be damned to eternal torment at the Foot of the
Pillar!
“The fate of our flock depends on what we do at this fateful hour. If we must defy
our Lot and sacrifice ourselves to avert the Wrath of the Gods, then so be it!”
Jeanne points an accusing finger at the inquisitors who espouse the New Faith.
“Captain Agaronim — seize the heretics!”
The Champions of Faith do as they are told.\nThey force the wayward inquisitors to
their knees.\nThe other priests watch in confusion.
“We shall begin by purging this heresy from our Order.\n“Then we will head to the
Silver Tree. Lennart and his flock must not enter the Temple, lest our world be
doomed!”
You walk through the gate.\nJeanne’s furious eyes dart toward you.
Convince her to spare the inquisitors
Free the captive inquisitors by force
Seize control of the Order
Stop Jeanne
Do not get involved
Accept death
You persuade Jeanne to spare the New Believers kneeling before her.
You order your followers to attack and save the captives.
You and Jeanne take control of the Inquisition. The heresy must be purged, even if
it means violating your Lot.
You convince Jeanne to change her mind before she violates her Lot.
You let Jeanne decide for herself.
You are one of those whom Jeanne seeks to destroy. You cannot escape this fate.
You hurry to Jeanne’s side. She motions for the Champions of Faith to put the
execution on hold.\nOnce she is very close. You speak to her so quietly that only
she can hear you.
Why would she choose a Lot that is not her own? Why would she seek to rule over the
Order and punish those who stand in her way? She chose a different path long ago —
she needs to follow it.\nHow could she even think of executing her fellow
inquisitors?
Their deaths will change nothing. The fate of the world will be decided by the Gods
— not by us, and not in this yard!\nWhy doom your own soul for no reason?
You see Jeanne’s lips begin to tremble.\nShe turns away from everyone else, looking
straight at you.
You mouth a plea:\n“Last chance. Just one last chance. For them, and for you.\
n“Please...”
She opens her mouth as though she wants to say something, then bites her lip so
hard it turns white.\nWith a loud sigh, she once again assumes an indifferent
expression and turns to face the kneeling inquisitors.
“To the Foot of the Pillar with you, heretics! Let them go.
“But stay out of our way. And remember: if you aren’t willing to reject your New
Faith, run away, as far as you can. Find a hole in the ground and cower there like
venomous snakes!\n“Because when this rebellion is quashed, the Order will find
every last heretic in Magra and burn you all alive!
“Captain Agaronim! Ready your troops. We’re going!”
The inquisitors rise slowly to their feet, afraid to move.
Your heart is pounding in your chest.\nYour fellow New Believers surround you. They
praise your courage and faith — and they want you to lead them!
“We knew you’d come, Inquisitor Brante!”\n“We’re going to help Father Lennart now,
right?”\n“We have to show the people the Inquisition isn’t their enemy!”
You try your best to gather your thoughts.\nIt is too early for Lennart to head for
the Silver Tree. It will be a while before the New Faith procession begins.\nThere
is still time to find allies…
Suddenly, a flustered priest runs through the gate.\n“Dorius Otton and his noble
militia! They’re going to the Prefecture to execute Sir El Borne for treason!”
Clarity fills your mind.\nPrefect El Borne has always stood with the New Faith. He
will be a powerful ally — if he survives…
You must hurry.\nYou order your comrades to get ready. The Prefecture awaits.
She is right. The time for words and prayers has passed.\nYou point at the kneeling
inquisitors surrounded by the Champions of Faith.
Free the captives!
“No!”
The Champions of Faith draw their swords.
But your flock is armed and ready to fend off the warriors of the Inquisition.\nYou
greatly outnumber the enemy, and, for the sake of their faith, each and every one
of your followers is ready to face death...\nEven if it be their last.
Steel clangs on steel. You see flashes of burning silver in the hands of Jeanne’s
loyal inquisitors.\nThe silver glow paralyzes your people... but others replace
them as they collapse. They fiercely rush at the Champions of Faith.\nThe fight
does not last long.
“Sister Jeanne! There’s too many of them! We must retreat!”
Jeanne casts her gaze over the battlefield.\nThe dead bodies of inquisitors and
commoners litter the yard, slowly dissolving into glimmering mist. You have both
lost at least half of your forces.\nBut your fighters keep coming.
“Do what the captain says. We’re leaving!”
The Champions of Faith stay in formation as they retreat. Jeanne is safe among
them, covered by their shields.\nHer desperate cry reaches your ears.
“You’ve led the Order to bloodshed, Brante! You’re destroying everything we’ve
spent years building!\n“Don’t expect any mercy from me at the Silver Tree!”
Your heart is pounding in your chest.\nYour fellow New Believers surround you.
Their ecstatic cries ring in your ears.\nThey praise your courage and faith — and
they want you to lead them!
“We knew you’d come, Inquisitor Brante!”\n“We’re going to help Father Lennart now,
right?”\n“We have to show the people the Inquisition is on their side!”
You take a step forward and raise an arm.\nThe inquisitors all look at you.
It is true, you say. Everything Jeanne has said is true. There can be no doubt!\
nLennart is a heretic. No matter how many people he has on his side, the
Inquisition must not let him usurp the patriarchate and sully the sacred rite!
If the Order falters now, the hordes of New Believers will lead Anizotte to ruin.
These people want nothing more than to annihilate the Faith and destroy the divine
design!\nNow more than ever, the Inquisition must be resolute and ruthless! We must
uproot any and all apostasy!
And if we must take up arms in violation of our Lot, we must not fear. The Sword is
the symbol of the Younger, of His just and merciless Law.\nBy His Law, we, as
priests, will doom our souls by wielding weapons, but the souls of our flock will
be saved, and the Twins’ divine design will remain inviolate!
But were we to let the world burn in the flames of the Wrath of the Gods... that
would truly be a betrayal of our Lot!
Your passionate speech erases the last of doubts in the hearts of your fellow Old
Believers.\nExecute the heretics! Purge their taint from the Order!
The kneeling inquisitors bow their heads, knowing their lives are forfeit.\nBut
some are still screaming.\n“You cannot destroy the truth! The Old Faith is dying!”\
n“You’ll be the ones punished by the Twins! You’re interfering with the freedom
They gave us!”
“Silence!
“In the name of the Younger, I condemn you all to true death for betrayal of the
Church and blasphemy against the Twins. May you meet eternal torment at the Foot of
the Shining Pillar!
“Captain Agaronim! Carry out the sentence!”
Swords slice through the air.\nSilence. Blood soaks into the sand.\nThe inquisitors
fold their hands in prayer as they watch the bodies of their brothers and sisters
collapse.
“The apostates are gone now. From this day forth, Inquisitor Brante and I will lead
the Order! Inquisitors, draw your swords!”
The unthinkable has happened. The priests have bared their weapons — not to conduct
the sacred rites, but do battle.\nThey will follow your orders.
“Onward, inquisitors! We must hurry to the Silver Tree and block the path of
Lennart’s procession. They must not reach our holy site!”
Jeanne takes a moment to catch her breath. She turns to you.
“You got here just in time, <username>! I was afraid our brothers and sisters
wouldn’t have the courage to do their duty. But you were able to push them in the
right direction.\n“I’m glad to know I won’t be all alone when I doom my soul to
eternal torment...”
There is still time.\nIf you play your cards right, you could make new allies and
eliminate enemies.
“You’re right. We have to split up. Take your people to the Prefecture.\n“I’ll take
the Champions of Faith to the Silver Tree. Lennart’s procession is about to move.
“I’ll hold off the heretics until you come to my aid, <username>.”
You and Jeanne proceed through the gate and out of the ward, followed by the army
you have created.\nThe commoners on the street freeze in terror at the sight of
priests of the Old Faith walking past them, swords in hand!
You know that Jeanne’s intentions are pure and righteous.\nBut she cannot let her
rage consume her!
Has she forgotten the teachings of Isatius? The very foundations of the Faith?\nAn
inquisitor must wield not a sword, but the Word of the Twins. This is the only way.
You can save the people and their souls, all without violating your Lot. If your
faith falters and your hand reaches for the hilt of your sword, you will lead the
Church and your flock to ruin yourself!\nThere is still time to avert this. We must
have faith!
Jeanne’s simmering fury gives way to confusion and bewilderment.
“I thought violating our Lot was the only way... our adversaries are too strong for
anything else! I steeled myself to sacrifice anything, even my very soul...\n“But
you’re right, <username>. My faith was shaken.”
The inquisitors and Champions of Faith are still there, waiting. Jeanne turns to
face them.
“I must confess my error. We are inquisitors — we must follow our Lot and keep our
swords sheathed. We will bring our word to the rebels and admonish them to rejoin
the sacred order.”
Jeanne gestures toward the captive inquisitors.
“Set our stray brethren free. They will find their reckoning in the hereafter.”
The Champions of Faith lower their blades eagerly. In spite of everything, they
were reluctant to condemn the inquisitors they have served for so many years to
true death.\nThe New Believers rise to their feet, dumbfounded at having been
spared. Some of them begin to weep with the realization.\nJeanne’s followers also
heave sighs of relief — they will no longer be forced to doom their souls to
eternal perdition. You have their full support now.
You look Jeanne in the eye...\nAnd see tears.
“I nearly made a terrible mistake. <username>, you saved me from doing something
that could not have been undone... I wanted to save the Faith, but I nearly
committed heresy myself!\n“But now my faith will be strong and true. Nothing will
lead me astray today!
“But now it’s time to move. We have the Champions of Faith on our side. Some of
them will stay with me, and the rest will follow you.\n“We’re going to need more
troops and a lot more allies if we’re going to put down the Revolt...”
Suddenly, a flustered priest runs into the gate.\n“Dorius Otton and his noble
militia! They’re going to the Prefecture to execute Sir El Borne for treason!”
You leave the Inquisition ward with a small army.\nThe Prefecture awaits.
You say nothing.\nIt is not your place to intervene in this confrontation. The
Inquisition needs to resolve its internal struggles on its own.\nOnce Jeanne
realizes that she will get no support from you, she turns to the captives and
raises an arm.
“Silence!”
“The apostates have been dealt with. From this day forth, I will lead the Order!\
n“Inquisitors, draw your swords! Only we can stop the heretics!”
Jeanne casts a stern gaze over her fellow brothers and sisters of the Order.\nThey
remain silent.\nFinally, one of them steps forward to speak.
“We are not coming with you, Jeanne. You are usurping the noble Lot. Punishing
those who oppose you, ordering us to take up arms... you are leading our Order to
ruin!”
Jeanne casts on last imploring look your way. \nBut you say nothing.
In the end, only a few inquisitors choose to remain loyal to Jeanne. Even this is
unthinkable. These priests have bared their weapons — not to conduct the sacred
rites, but to do battle.
The rest of the inquisitors leave the abattoir that was once the courtyard of the
Inquisition ward.\nJeanne can do nothing to stop them. Desperate, she turns to you.
“I hoped you would support me, <username>. Can’t you see the horrors Fotis’s heresy
has wrought upon the Empire and its people? Aren’t you terrified by it? Are you
blind, or just stupid?
“So your faith is too weak to support me... but you’re also too spineless to stand
against me.\n“You’re not willing to sacrifice anything for a higher purpose, are
you? I suppose someone else will have to bear that burden!\n“<username> Brante...
what a shame your path has strayed so far from mine.
“Captain Agaronim! We’re leaving!\n“We will hurry to the Silver Tree and block the
path of Lennart’s procession. They must not reach our holy site!”
The inquisitors who sided with Jeanne join the few remaining Champions of Faith.
They follow her through the gate and out of the ward.\nThe commoners on the street
freeze in terror at the sight of priests of the Old Faith walking past them side by
side with the Champions, swords in hand!
The moment they leave the courtyard, a flustered priest runs through the gate.\
n“Dorius Otton and his noble militia! They’re going to the Prefecture to execute
Sir El Borne for treason!”
With that in mind, you tell your allies to get ready.\nThe Prefecture awaits.
Jeanne’s eyes are burning with rage.
“There’s Brante, the leader of the heretics! Seize him at once!”
There is no hope. You helped Lennart rise to power. Jeanne will never listen to
you.\nYou call out to your fellow inquisitors, trying to get them to change their
minds, but your efforts are wasted. Your brethren wince in disgust and turn away.\
nThe Champions of Faith twist your arm and drag you to the others.
You are forced to your knees. For a moment, an expression of regret flashes across
Jeanne’s face, but it is immediately replaced by the same seething fury.
“The man before you has betrayed my trust and our entire Order.\n“He has poisoned
the very heart of the Inquisition. He has aided heretics and apostates for years!\
n”Because of him, that cursed Lennart is marching proudly to the Silver Tree with
his mob of lunatics!
“But I must say, <username> Brante, it was very pious of you to come here of your
own accord and accept your punishment.
“In the name of the Younger, I condemn you, <username> the heretic, and all your
apostate followers to true death for betrayal of the Church and blasphemy against
the Twins.\n“May you meet eternal torment at the Foot of the Shining Pillar!”
A hand stuffs a gag into your mouth before you can speak a word in your own
defense.
“No last words for you, Brante. I won’t allow your heretical speeches to lead the
servants of the true faith astray. Bring him to the pyre!”
They tie you to the stake.\nBefore you know it, a curtain of fire rises before you.
You catch a glimpse of Jeanne through the suffocating smoke. She hides her face in
her hands.\nHer shoulders are trembling.
You writhe in unspeakable agony as you are engulfed in flames.\nYour lungs fill
with ash. You cannot breathe. You convulse helplessly.
Then, suddenly, the wrathful blaze of the flames is replaced by a tranquil white
glow. The pain is gone.\nYou leave this world forever.
The Prefecture under Siege
The searing sun looms high in the sky above the rebellious city.
The square in front of the Prefecture is packed with commoners.\nJust a moment ago,
they boldly demanded that the judges and gendarmes side with the Rebellion.\nBut
now they are terrified. They fear the noble army that is coming for them. Their
calls for rebellion are gone, replaced by frightened screams.
Hooves thunder against the cobblestones.\nThe earth quakes beneath their feet.
The noble militia led by Dorius Otton carves a path through the human sea.\nThe
terrified rebels scatter as the riders approach.
The gendarmes remain where they are, forming a tight circle around the Prefecture
and El Borne.\nThe prefect calls out to the crowd, his voice hoarse.
“Everyone, stay calm! Let them through! Do not draw your weapons!”
Otton’s riders push the mob aside and eventually reach the tall building.\nThe
Arknian commander draws in his reigns only when the gendarmes all that separate him
from the Prefecture stairs.
“Prefect El Borne! How dare you disobey the orders of the province’s rightful
rulers? You have abused your position to appease the rebels and defy Imperial
rule.\n“This inconceivable rebellion is your fault!
“It’s time for you to accept your well-earned punishment.\n“In the name of Archduke
Milanidas, I hereby order you and your gendarmes to surrender your weapons!”
The supreme judge of the Prefecture maintains his composure in the face of this
recrimination.
“I only obey the laws of the Empire, Sir Otton — not you or your runaway Archduke!”
Otton’s face contorts into a predatory grin.
“Excellent. You’ve had your chance to save face, old man.\n“Instead of a dignified
execution, you and your cronies will hang — like the foul rabble you’ve betrayed us
for!”
Otton lifts his sword skyward, prepared to order an assault. The riders behind him
are about to attack.\nThe gendarmes ready their clubs. Their hands are trembling.
They will not stand a chance against the noble cavalry.\nThe mob begins to shift,
about to flee the square.\nThe fate of this moment hangs by a thread.
Rouse the mob and encourage them to defend the prefect
Get Otton’s army to abandon him
Challenge Otton to a duel
Overthrow El Borne
Get Otton and El Borne to reconcile
Stay out of it
El Borne has always protected the common folk. Now it is time for them to protect
him.
Otton has been stripped of his rank. You reason with the nobles and convince them
to abandon their leader.
It is time to settle your feud with Otton once and for all.
You help Otton bring the prefect down for good.
If Otton and El Borne both want to put an end to the Revolt, they should abandon
their feud and join forces.
You observe their conflict as an indifferent bystander.
Otton’s riders advance on the gendarmes.
If you do nothing, the Prefecture will fall.\nYou need to act — now!
You leap into the mob, scramble up onto an overturned carriage, and call out to the
throng.
You hear voices throughout the crowd: “It’s <el> Brante! <username> <el> Brante
wants to say something!”
You shout as loudly as you can: People of Anizotte! Do not fear the wrath of the
nobles! \nYour lives are finally yours, for the first time since the Empire was
founded! Cast off the Lot of humility!\nYou are many, and they are few! It is time
to fight!
For years and years, the Prefecture has always been there to protect the rights and
freedoms of the common man.\nWe cannot let it fall into enemy hands!\nStop them!
Protect the prefect!
El Borne hears you over the din of the struggle on the Prefecture stairs. His voice
joins yours.
“Show them you have no fear! Take your rights by force! I, Prefect El Borne, I am
on your side!”
Your words inspire the people with a sense of solidarity.\nThey have much to lose
now, and they will not surrender their freedom without a fight.\nIn the blink of an
eye, the unwieldy throng bristles with heavy sticks, wooden clubs, and makeshift
spears.
You start giving orders from your impromptu podium, commanding this newfound army
to assault the rear of Otton’s cavalry.
“Cut the rabble down! No mercy!”
The cavalry turns to face them with an onslaught of sharp steel.\nBones crack
beneath hooves. Swords slice through defenseless flesh.\nThe stench of blood fills
the square as fallen bodies dissipate into glimmering dust.
You keep doling out furious commands, trying to ensure that the common folk are not
routed.\nHold the line! Stand your ground! Better a lesser death than eternal
slavery!
The riders smash into them again, but the line holds. The people have numerical
superiority, and their spears and clubs strike back. \nThe cavalry begins to drown
in the sea of humanity.
The gendarmes hit Otton’s warriors from the rear.\nOne by one, the riders are
dragged from their horses.
The noble militia falters.
“Traitorous filth! Retreat!”
Otton and his surviving horsemen turn tail and flee, furiously carving a path with
their swords.\nAt least half of Otton’s men have fallen in this battle.
Cries of victory fill the square.\nThe commoners shake their weapons, eager to
follow your orders.
But it is far too early to celebrate. You have only fought off one assault.\
nPrefect El Borne finds you in the boisterous crowd.
“<username>! Your courage has saved the Prefecture! I’m with you until the end.
Whatever you need from me, you will have it.
“We need to hurry now. The noble militia we’ve seen in the city pales in comparison
to the forces of the Legion. I’ll gather our forces at the Prefecture and establish
a unified command structure.
“You should find Abbot Lennart and aid him in any way you can. His procession must
be en route to the Silver Tree by now. The enemies of the New Faith are waiting
there, weapons in hand.\n“They’ll massacre each other if we don’t stop them, <el>
Brante! This city is a powder keg with a short fuse — more fire and blood is the
last thing we need.
“What we need is more allies, and having Lennart on our side is crucial. We need a
spiritual leader who can unite the city against the Legion.”
You nod to El Borne. The fate of the feud between the two Faiths will be decided in
the clash at the Silver Tree. You have to be there.\nYou wish the prefect luck,
then muster your loyal forces and head for the Tree.
To everyone’s surprise, you walk confidently through the ranks of the gendarmes.\
nThe riders notice your raised arm and rein in their horses.\nThe noblemen know who
you are.
You begin to speak — not to Otton, but to the militia.\nBy the verdict of the
Imperial Court, Otton has been stripped of his rank in disgrace. He no longer has
any right to command the militia.\nThe law of the Empire has spoken. Why are they
defying it?
Flabbergasted at your audacity, Otton makes his horse prance — a menacing sight.
“Once a filthy commoner, always a filthy commoner, eh, Brante? Your preposterous
verdicts mean nothing to true noblemen! And they never will!”
You only grin at his words. True noblemen are free to make up their own minds.
Otton is not their master.\nThe riders grip their reins, hesitating.
You speak to them again.\nSoon the city of Anizotte will have a new order and new
laws. There is no stopping it. Why follow a criminal and a fool who doesn’t give a
damn about their future?!
The Revolt is about to prevail.\nAnd when it does, all who opposed it will hang —
but those who accept the new order and fight for it will be pardoned.\nYou swear on
your noble honor!
“I vouch for the words of Judge <el> Brante as the prefect of Magra! Surrender to
us, good sirs, and your lives will be spared!”
“Shut your traitorous mouth! Follow me, men! Cut these rebels down!”
The proud Arknian lifts his sword skyward and rushes at the gendarmes.\nNot one
cavalryman follows him.
Otton smashes into the gendarmes alone.\nHe slices left and right with desperation
so fierce, it almost seems as though he might be able to break through the
gendarmes’ defenses single-handed.\nBut not even his skill as a swordsman is enough
to oppose a company of trained men. In the end, Otton finds himself knocked from
his saddle and shackled.
“Cowards! Turncoats! You’re begging for mercy from this pitiful rabble?! You’ll die
in dishonor and suffer forever at the Foot of the Pillar!”
But the noble militia has already made its decision.\nTheir commander has been
disgraced, and their morale has crumbled. The riders surrender their arms.
Otton will not receive the same mercy.
“After his prior crimes, Dorius Otton has committed new offenses against the
subjects of the Empire. His final trial awaits.”
The prefect turns to you.
“Judge <el> Brante! You are familiar with Sir Otton’s crimes. What is your
verdict?”
You pronounce your sentence: Otton is hereby sentenced to death by hanging. Let the
people of Anizotte see that there is one law for all!\nThe mob around you explodes
with elation at your words.
Otton is stunned, shocked, unable to believe what is happening. He does not even
struggle when the gendarmes throw the noose around his neck.\nThe final realization
dawns on the Arknian nobleman at the very last moment.\nFor the first time, terror
flashes in his eyes.
“Brante...”
He neck snaps with a sickening crunch. Dorius Otton falls silent.\nForever.
Cries of victory fill the square.\nYou have executed not just an enemy of the
Revolt, but an Arknian and the former High Commander of Magra!
Your verdict inspires the people with a sense of solidarity. In the blink of an
eye, they arm themselves with wooden clubs, heavy sticks, and makeshift spears. The
most audacious among them awkwardly try on the nobles’ surrendered swords.\nThe
common people form squads and choose you as their commander.
You nod to El Borne. The fate of the feud between the two Faiths hangs by the clash
at the Silver Tree. You have to be there.\nYou wish the prefect best of luck with
his work, then muster your loyal forces and head for the temple.
To everyone’s surprise, you walk confidently through the ranks of the gendarmes.\
nThe riders notice your raised arm and rein in their horses.
The noblemen know who you are.
And then you begin to speak — not to Otton, but to them.\nYou are a loyal servant
of the Emperor and the Overseer, just like Sir El Borne!
Otton, however, has been stripped of his rank in disgrace by the Court of Honor. He
no longer has any right to command the militia.\nThe Overseer has spoken. Why are
they defying him?
“Once a filthy commoner, always a filthy commoner, eh, Brante? You orchestrated
that dishonorable duel. It means nothing to true noblemen, and it never will!”
Refusing to dignify Otton with a response, you continue addressing the noble
militia.\nIf the good noblemen truly wish to side with the Overseer and his just
rule, they must abandon their disgraced former commander at once and accept your
command!
“This is treason, Brante!”
Treason? Otton, of all men, dares accuse you of treason?!\nYou refuse to suffer
such an indignity! It is time to settle this once and for all.
You challenge Otton to a sacred duel.\nIf you emerge victorious, the noble militia
will recognize you as their leader. Should Otton prevail, El Borne will surrender
the Prefecture without a fight.
Otton sneers and casts a glance at the prefect.\nEl Borne’s eyes meet yours. He
hesitates. He has spent years struggling against the ancient rite of the duel...
“So be it! Let the Trial of Honor begin.”
Otton gets down from his horse and postures haughtily.
“At last, Brante! I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to finish you off!”
The stunned mob parts, giving you ample space for a duel.\nYou draw your sword and
step toward your nemesis.
The time has come for your final battle.
The prefect and his gendarmes are enemies of the Empire, but there is no way you
will let Otton be the one to bring them down.\nIt is time to reveal your honor and
strength and show everyone who the true defender of the Empire is!
At Otton’s command, the noble militia surges forward to crush the Prefecture’s
defenses.\nEl Borne retreats to the door and takes cover behind the thick, sturdy
walls, escorted by several gendarmes.
“Cut down the traitors! No mercy!”
The cavalry turns to face the gendarmes with an onslaught of sharp steel.\nBones
crack beneath hooves. Swords slice through the air.\nThe stench of blood fills the
square as fallen bodies dissipate into glimmering dust.
While Otton and his army are engaged in the battle, you lead your men around the
building. Unseen, you invade the Prefecture through the windows.
Once inside, you barely encounter any resistance.\nThe remaining gendarmes quickly
drop their weapons or fall to your blades.
You guide your men up the stairs to the prefect’s office.\nIt only takes a single
blow to smash the hinges.
“You too, <el> Brante?! I watched you grow. I considered you family...”
You do not even dignify El Borne’s plea with a response. Your warriors quickly bind
him and drag him onto the balcony.\nFrom high above, you present the captive
prefect to the mob.
El Borne has been captured! The rebellious Prefecture has lost its leader!\nThe
time has come for all the traitors scheming against the Empire to surrender!
The commoners gathered below you scatter in terror. Their ever-present guardian has
been taken by the enemy. The square is soon empty.\nDown below, the gendarmes
falter against the force of the noble cavalry. They throw down their weapons and
flee.
The noble riders shower you with praise.\nEven Otton acknowledges your
accomplishment through clenched teeth.
“I could have taken the traitor by myself, of course. But the deed is done... bring
him here!”
The noble militia takes the captured prefect from you.
“Time to die, El Borne. But I am no butcher. You may be a traitor, but you are
still known as a man of honor. You deserve a nobleman’s justice.
“So draw your sword, El Borne. It is time for you to learn that the Court of Honor
is the only true trial!”
El Borne meets Otton’s words with a bitter chuckle.\nThe old man does not stand a
chance against one of the most skilled swordsmen in Magra.
“Dying in a barbaric ritual I’ve fought against all my life ... I suppose there’s
no changing this world after all, is there?”
Otton and El Borne cross swords.
El Borne has grown unaccustomed to holding a sword, and it shows. The prefect’s
stance leaves much to be desired. He waves the blade around clumsily, leaving
himself open to an attack.\nWith a single riposte, Otton guides his blade straight
into the old man’s heart.
“Just another arrogant human. All this trouble just because of him...
“As for the gendarmes... kill them. A lesser death suits them well. This rebellion
will be dead and buried by the time they make their way back from the hereafter.”
“Please! Listen to us!”
The noble riders quickly cut the prisoners’ entreaties and lives short. Their
uniformed bodies fall on the stairs of the Prefecture, soon evaporating into a
cloud of glittering mist.\nThanks to you, the Prefecture is no more. El Borne and
his gendarmes have been removed from the equation — they will not be there for the
final clash.
Otton gets back into his saddle and looks down at you.
“You are an arrogant upstart, <el> Brante. But you’ve proven your allegiance well
enough.”
With the tip of his sword, Otton points at the Silver Tree looming in the distance.
“Lennart’s procession of New Believers must have begun by now. They will defile the
great temple at the Silver Tree and name that heretic the new Patriarch of Magra. I
hope you realize the threat this represents.
“If you are indeed a loyal servant of the Empire, you know what to do.\n“Head there
and deal with it while I muster my forces to rout the rabble at the city gate.”
Once the last few gendarmes have been dealt with, Otton rides away with his
cavalry, scattering the pathetic remnants of the rebellious mob.
The fate of the feud between the two Faiths will be decided by the clash at the
Silver Tree. You have to be there.\nYou ready your men and head for the temple at
the Tree.
The cavalry is already surging at the cordon encircling the Prefecture.
Taking advantage of your position and status as a well-known figure in Anizotte,
you ask the noble militia to cease their attack and hear you out.
“And disobey a direct order? Just who do you think you are?”
The other cavalrymen ask their leader to let you speak. They know you have friends
in high places and are a man who must be taken seriously.
After taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you address Otton politely.\nWith
all due respect, the feud between the High Commander of Magra and Prefect El Borne
is of secondary importance right now. The city has been swept up in a rebellion.
For the sake of Anizotte, Sir Otton and the prefect must set this old spat aside.
They are both loyal defenders of the Empire, and their duty is more important than
any personal grudge!
Otton winces in disdain.
“Enough of this drivel, Brante. You’ve sullied your honor already with your so-
called ‘investigation’ directed against me. Thank the Twins you were unable to see
it through, or you’d be next in line to the Shining Pillar after El Borne.”
But you will not give up so easily. You urge Otton’s militia to consider your
words.\nAs much as they may hate El Borne for what he has done in the past, they
cannot let themselves be blinded by this hatred. Their infighting will only serve
to embolden the rebels and allow dissent to spread throughout the city.\nEl Borne
and Otton have to unite! They must join forces if they want to suppress this
rebellion!
The noble militia takes your side.\n“Sir <el> Brante is a respected nobleman,
commander. He wouldn’t lie to us. Tell El Borne to pledge allegiance to our cause
and join us!”
In a situation as dire as this, even the haughty Arknian is compelled to heed his
warriors’ pleas.
“Fine. Have it your way.\n“El Borne! Come out and face us, if you serve the Empire
as loyally as they say!”
The gendarmes part to let him pass.\nThe prefect staggers forward.
“You and I, Sir Otton, will never see eye to eye... except in this case. Today we
must save Anizotte from utter collapse.”
El Borne turns to you.\nThere are tears in his eyes.
“I’d rather abandon my vision than condemn my city to the flames of rebellion.\
n“And if the people I’ve spent my life protecting consider it treachery... then so
be it. This is the price I must pay.”
Otton motions for the prefect to speak to the crowd.
“People of Anizotte! I, Prefect El Borne, remain ever loyal to the Emperor and his
Overseer, His Grace Gaius Tempest.\n“The Prefecture shall continue to maintain law
and order in this city along with the noble militia.
“You must cease all dissent at once, return to your homes, and await the Overseer’s
mercy — and I promise you all a better life and justice in the future!\n“Those who
remain outside and loot other people’s property will face due punishment at the
hands of the gendarmes!”
“El Borne’s a traitor!”\n“Arknian bootlicker! We trusted you!”
The prefect’s shoulders slump. He bitterly orders the gendarmes to disperse the
crowd.
The gendarmes advance on the mob around them, their heavy clubs at the ready.\
nOtton’s cavalry turns to face the terrified commoners and joins the assault.
The people begin to flee, the heavy blackjacks and towering horses driving them
from the Prefecture.\nThe square clears in the blink of an eye.\nAll that remains
is upside-down carriages, abandoned sticks, makeshift spears, and corpses
dissolving into shimmering dust.
Otton guides his horse to where you and El Borne are standing, a satisfied smirk on
his azure face.
“Sir Prefect! I must say, I did not expect you to show such resolve!”
“I had no choice. You and your kind have made a peaceful solution impossible.”
“I suppose we could set our differences aside until this rebellion is dealt with.
Isn’t that right, Brante?
“Now restore order on the streets. Tell your gendarmes to disperse any new crowds
and gangs of rabble-rousers that might appear.\n“I’ll continue mustering the forces
of the noble militia. When the Legion comes, we must be ready to strike the rebels
from the rear.”
With that, Otton and his warriors ride away.\nEl Borne casts a mournful, defeated
gaze over the empty square, decimated by the slaughter.
“Look at the price you’ve paid to make peace with our enemy, <el> Brante. Now I can
only hope that sacrificing our principles will be worth it in the end.
“But I suppose now is not the time for regret. You should head to the Silver Tree.\
nLennart’s procession must be en route to the Silver Tree by now. The enemies of
the New Faith are waiting there, weapons in hand.\n“They’ll massacre each other
unless we stop them! This city is a powder keg with a short fuse — more fire and
blood is the last thing we need.
“But if Lennart is pronounced the new patriarch, the Revolt will gain a powerful
leader. We won’t stand a chance if that happens.\n“You’ll have to make a choice
there, <el> Brante. It won’t be easy...”
You and your followers observe the heated struggle at the stairs of the Prefecture
from a distance.\nIt is too late to get involved. All you can do now is watch and
save your strength for the future.
With a furious scream, Otton orders the noble militia to attack the Prefecture’s
defenses.
“Cut the traitors down! No mercy!”
Prefect El Borne shouts to the people for aid, but his voice is drowned out in the
cacophonous fray.\nThe common folk know that the Prefecture will collapse without
support... but their deeply-ingrained fear of the noble warriors is too strong.
The human sea that once filled the square dries up in the blink of an eye.
The gendarmes falter against the surging noble cavalry. Their line breaks. With no
one to support them, they surrender their arms.\nThe gendarme captain leads El
Borne to Otton.
“Please spare our lives, Sir Otton! My men and I, we’ll swear loyalty to you!”
The Arknian gracefully dismounts, ignoring the captain’s pleas.
“As for the gendarmes... kill them. A lesser death suits them well. This rebellion
will be dead and buried by the time they make their way back from the hereafter.
And be quick about it — we still have to breach the city gate!”
The noble riders quickly cut the prisoners’ entreaties and lives short. Their
uniformed bodies fall on the stairs of the Prefecture, soon evaporating into a
cloud of glittering mist.\nOnce they are dealt with, Otton rides away with his
cavalry, scattering the pathetic remnants of the rebellious mob.
The Prefecture is no more. El Borne and his gendarmes have been removed from the
equation — they will not be there for the final clash.
Your men have been keeping an eye on the city. They tell you that the procession to
the Silver Tree has already begun.\nAbbot Lennart and his followers are on their
way to elect him the new patriarch before the common folk and the Twins Themselves.
The Duel with Otton
The prefect’s voice booms over the square, raspy with tension.\nThe greatest enemy
of the rite of single combat has no choice but to announce the duel.
“Dorius of the Otton dynasty and <username> of the <el> Brante bloodline will now
cross swords in mortal combat! I summon their ancestors to bear witness to their
duel!\n“May their Blood Tides meet in sacred battle and determine the truth. May
the Younger witness our trial and behold the power of His inevitable Law!”
The mob that surrounds you falls silent. The whispering wind is the only sound you
hear.\nThere is no more time for solemn ceremonial bows. You and your foe are about
to clash in a merciless battle.
“You’ve got quite the nerve, Brante, crossing the lines like that. I know that full
well. But how you will fare in a real fight...”
Before finishing his sentence, the Arknian lunges at you with a rising slash, swift
as a venomous snake.
You vividly recall Otton’s trial by combat at castle Enerie — he tried the same
trick on Gaius Tempest!\nYou lean to the left quickly, dodging the mortal blow.
Otton bares his teeth and strikes again, faster than lightning.\nYou manage to
parry his lunge. Sharpened steel screeches against steel.\nYet the Arknian’s
inhuman strength ultimately overwhelms you. He pushes until the edge of his blade
bites into your shoulder.
Cold steel slices through your jacket and sinks into your flesh.\nBut you manage to
fight through the pain. With a burst of strength, you shove Otton’s blade away.
The two of you stand face to face, panting loudly. Warm blood drips down onto your
clothes.\nThere are whispers in the mob. “<el> Brante’s done for! Why did he even
challenge an Arknian?”
Otton allows himself an arrogant chuckle.
“Your blood is weak, Brante. But what do you expect? Once a commoner, always a
commoner. Your grandfather was born a peasant, and your father never became a true
nobleman...
Slowly, Otton creeps toward you, preparing to strike again.\nThe Arknian’s cold
eyes glint with adamant confidence in his own superiority. His sword flashes in the
light of the sun, heralding your impending demise.\nYou assume a fighting stance
again, mustering the last of your strength.\nThe next moment will decide the
outcome of the duel.
Defeat Otton
Call upon your forebear
Die with honor
Your skill with the sword is great — great enough to rival even the most skilled
swordsman in Magra.
Otton’s bloodline gives him strength, but you are not alone in this battle either.
You cannot win, but you will face your inevitable end with honor, for the sake of
the <el> Brante bloodline.
You muster all your inner strength to defeat the Arknian.
You grip the hilt of your sword and exhale calmly. The Arknian wants to throw you
off balance. He wants to see fear in your eyes.\nThat will never happen.\nYou have
fought many battles over the years. Combat has tempered you, made you stronger.
Otton was born an Arknian, but that one advantage does not mean that you will
yield.
So you hold still and wait, watching the Arknian’s every move.\nOtton leans forward
slightly. You quickly step back, the tip of your blade dancing in circles before
you.
“Trying to run from me, eh, Brante? I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”
Another feint distracts your nemesis, and you push this advantage. A quick step
forward. A lunge. A hit!\nThe tip reaches Otton’s face. A longer blade would have
pierced his head, but yours leaves a mark.
Otton jumps back. Dark blue blood slowly begins to ooze out of the fresh cut on his
cheek.\nStunned, the Arknian wipes it off with the palm of his hand.
His patience exhausted, the Arknian leaps forward, determined to finish this.\nYou
wait for the blow to land, but it never does. Instead, to your surprise, he throws
his cloak in your face.\nFor a moment, you lose track of your foe.
Out of options, you close your eyes and lunge forward with all your might, leaving
yourself wide open.
Your sword seems to guide your hand as you move.\nThe blade runs through the
crimson silk of the cloak with no resistance — and pierces the flesh of your
nemesis behind it.
You open your eyes.\nOtton is swaying from side to side, clutching the blade of
your sword with both hands.\nHe has been run through.
“No! Curse you... curse all humans! You’ve forgotten your place...”
Otton’s sword drops onto the cobblestones with a loud clang.\nThe Arknian warrior
sways slightly to the side once more, then falls flat on his back.\nThe Trial of
Honor is at an end. Dorius Otton will not return from the hereafter.
“The duel is over. <username> of the <el> Brante bloodline is victorious, proven
righteous in the Younger’s sight by sacred combat.”
The nobles are utterly speechless.\nFor the first time ever, an Arknian has fallen
to a human in combat!
You are dead tired. Still, you have enough strength to speak to the noble militia.\
nIt is time for them to keep their word. They will swear loyalty to the Overseer
and accept you as their interim commander.
One by one, the noble riders bend the knee and take an oath of fealty to you.\nFrom
this moment forth, until Overseer Gaius Tempest returns to Anizotte to reinstate
his lawful rule, you will command his army!
You motion for the prefect to address the mob.
The mob obeys. The people disperse without the need for force.\nWith the Prefecture
gendarmes fighting side by side with the noble militia, they do not stand a
chance.\nStill, it is far too early to celebrate. The leaders of the Revolt may
still try to unite their forces.
El Borne casts a mournful, defeated gaze over the square, empty in the wake of the
duel.
“Your skill is astonishing, <el> Brante. That makes it all the sadder that you had
to resort to manslaughter to prevail in this struggle. I’ve worked so hard to
suppress this criminal custom... but all the blame falls squarely on me, and I’m
ready to accept it. There was no other way.
“Look at the price we’ve paid to save the city from ruin, <el> Brante. Now I can
only hope that sacrificing our principles will be worth it in the end.
Your arms feel like they are made of lead. Your sword feels unbelievably heavy and
unwieldy in your hands.\nTry as you might, your swordsmanship will never compare to
Otton’s.
But you are not facing him alone in this duel.
You take a swing in Otton’s direction, but your blade slices nothing but air.\nYou
hop backwards.\nYou brace yourself and stop breathing, waiting for the next strike.
Startled by the voice, you take a deep breath.\nThe steel band you felt around your
chest is suddenly shattered.
“You’re every bit the man he is, grandson! You are <username> El Brante, a noble of
the Sword. You are the one who has ennobled our bloodline for all of time. Now
prove you are worthy to bear this name!”
You square your shoulders, then exhale, calmly and confidently.
Another feint distracts your nemesis. You push the advantage. A quick step forward.
A lunge. A strike!\nThe tip of your sword reaches Otton’s face. A longer blade
would have pierced his head, but yours leaves a mark.
His patience exhausted, the Arknian leaps forward, determined to finish this.
“Don’t just fend him off! Attack him! I taught you to endure any suffering, survive
any punishment. This is no time for second thoughts — you need to punish that
arrogant fool!
“His Blood Tide has degenerated over time — it’s dried up, tainted! But our blood
runs fresh and strong, my grandson!”
Power beyond imagination fills your limbs.\nYou move without waiting for Otton to
strike. You no longer wield the blade — it wields you.
Steel screeches against steel as your swords collide.
Otton manages to deflect the blow, but the staggering force of the impact wrenches
the Arknian’s blade from his hands. It clatters against the cobblestones.\nThe
crowd around you gasps in awe.
Otton looks at his empty hand in disbelief, astonished.
“How in the...?!”
It is time to settle this feud once and for all.\nYou lunge quickly and run the
highborn Arknian through.\nOtton sways from side to side, both hands clutching the
blade of your sword.
“I’m proud of you, grandson. Remember your bloodline always, and it will remember
you. Now go fight for Anizotte with pride. Victory awaits you. I’m sure of it.”
The Arknian warrior sways slightly to the side once more, then falls flat on his
back.\nThe Trial of Honor is at an end. Dorius Otton will not return from the
hereafter.
You are dead tired. Still, you have enough strength to speak to Otton’s noble
militia.\nIt is time for them to keep their word. They will swear loyalty to the
Overseer and accept you as their interim commander.
Your arms feel like they are made of lead. Your sword feels unbelievably heavy and
unwieldy in your hands. Try as you might, your swordsmanship will never compare to
Otton’s.
A step. A swing. A jab.\nThe blade sinks into flesh.
Something slices through the air. You deflect it. Again. Once more.\nYou no longer
wield the blade — it wields you.
You take a few slow steps back. The darkness in your eyes gives way to light — a
light brighter than anything you have ever seen before.\nYou keep the sword in your
hand until the very last moment.\nYou die on your feet.
“It’s okay, <username>. Come to me.”
The March of the New Faith
An enormous sea of humanity flows through Anizotte, filling the streets of the
Temple District.\nThey are led by Abbot Lennart.
The New Believers walk peacefully behind him, many of them women and the elderly.
They are unarmed. Their faces show neither fear nor anger.\nThey are so drastically
unlike the throngs of rebels who are currently ransacking streets and looting noble
houses.
The procession slowly makes its way toward the temple at the Silver Tree.\nThe
Temple has always been where patriarchs of the Church accept their sacred duty,
along with the heavy burden of responsibility for their flock before the Twin Gods.
When a Patriarch speaks, the Twins pay heed.\nAnd every eight years, it falls upon
the Patriarch to proclaim in Their sight how Their world is humbly following the
Lot it has been given.
Long, long after the Twins descended to our world, the patriarchs came to be
elected at the Conclave by the clergy. This tradition has continued for many
years.\nToday dozens of priests have come to the Temple in spite of the unrest to
conduct the rite and spare the Twins’ world from Their wrath.\nBut now thousands of
commoners are walking to the same temple to elect the new Patriarch themselves.
You and your followers take a side street to the temple, avoiding the immense
procession.
Soon the square by the Tree is packed, teeming, overwhelmed.\nBut the stairs to the
Temple doors cannot be reached — a stalwart phalanx of Champions of Faith blocks
the way, with Jeanne in the lead.\nThey are joined by the inquisitors — those who
have decided to walk the path of the Old Faith until the very end.
“I will not allow you into the Temple, Lennart.\n“These heretics will not make you
patriarch!”
Father Lennart slowly begins to ascend the stairs.\nHe does not argue with Jeanne.
The abbot simply faces her with a humble smile and gestures at the people standing
behind him.
Doubt clouds the Champions’ faces.\nLennart’s procession is truly staggering. Even
if they are mere commoners, even if they are unarmed and empty-handed, there are
simply too many of them to be stopped by a few dozen Old Believers.
“Sister Jeanne... look at them.\n“Are they truly heretics? All of them? They are
just people, our brothers and sisters in Faith!\n“Why would the Inquisition treat
us like enemies? We do not reject the Twin Gods — nay, we seek Them with our every
thought.”
“You rejected the Law of the Younger when you chose to seek your own Lots!”
“No, Jeanne! The only thing we reject is Isatius’s error!”
“This argument has been going on for years, Lennart. I know each and every point
you can make. Don’t even bother.\n“You will not enter the Temple.
“And all these people... you’re just dragging them down to the Foot of the Pillar
along with you. How can you still not understand this after so many years? What do
you think you’re doing, Lennart?!\n“Don’t you fear the Wrath of the Gods?”
“I do not, Jeanne. When I become Patriarch, I will tell the Twins that we still
love and revere Them just as we always have, even as we seek a different path to
Them.\n“The Twins will hear us. They will listen. They will understand.\n“There
will be no Wrath of the Gods!”
The New Believers heed Lennart’s words. They begin to firmly ascend the stairs to
the door of the temple.\nThe Champions’ swords do not deter them.
Jeanne watches the massive congregation approach her, her eyes filled with
remorse.\nShe raises an arm, about to give her final order.
“Champions of Faith! Protect the sacred Temple! Fight to the bitter end!”
You reach the foot of the stairs as she speaks these words.\nThis is your last
chance to intervene.
Lead the procession to the Temple
Stand with Jeanne and drive the procession away
Save the New Believers from bloodshed
Fend them off with the Champions of Faith
Order the priests to attack
Lennart will become Patriarch. The clergy will support his candidacy.
Allowing the common folk to elect the patriarch is an affront to the Twin Gods. The
Inquisition and the clergy will never let that happen!
You need to try to get these people away from the Temple!
You need to drive the commoners away from the sacred Temple!
You will protect the one true Faith, even if it leads you to the Foot of the
Pillar.
You are staying out of this. The fate of the Faith will be decided without you.
You step onto the temple stairs and address Jeanne and the Champions of Faith.
These people will not turn back now. That cannot happen.\nThe Old Faith is dead.
How blind must one be not to see it?\nJeanne and the warriors of the Church have no
choice but to accept their fate.
“Those of the common Lot will never decide the fate of the Church, no matter how
may of them come here today!”
No. Jeanne is wrong.\nShe only sees those who were told to suffer by their Lot, but
they are not the only ones who came here today!
You address the crowd.
Those who received the Sacrament of the Old Faith before joining Lennart — may they
set foot upon these stairs!\nMay the Inquisition see that the New Faith is the one
true faith!
One by one, dozens of people trickle through the mob to answer your call.\nYou know
them all. So does Jeanne.\nPriests. Abbots of Magran temples. Monks. Acolytes.
Preachers. Men and women, old and young, walk up the stairs and stand behind you.
Among them, right by your side, are fellow inquisitors of the Order.\nYou have
spent the last eight years guiding them in matters of the Faith, and now they have
decided.
Jeanne stares at them, utterly baffled.\nThe Champions of Faith behind her lower
their blades.
A stunned silence falls.
Lennart turns to face the people. With a faint smile, he stretches an arm forward.
And the people begin to move.
“Halt! Wait! Stop it, you lunatics!”
But nobody listens to Jeanne.\nShe tries to hold people back by the wrists, tries
pushing them back from the steps... all in vain.\nShe finally collapses at the
door, exhausted.\nThe people keep walking past her. Those who do notice Jeanne gaze
at her with silent compassion.
Thousands of people gather beneath the majestic vault of the sacred Temple.\nThey
keep coming until there is no space left, and then they crowd the stairs, the
square, looking inside through the open Temple door.
The stone faces of the Twins watch them indifferently from above.
Lennart walks up to the altar and kneels.\nYou stand by his side as thousands and
thousands watch intently.
The Gods are here.\nA profound, familiar silence swallows all sound inside the
Temple at the Silver Tree, dimming the light of the candles.\nEverything is still.
Your own heartbeat is the only sound you hear.\nAt this moment, you are the one who
must ask the Twins to grant Lennart permission to become the new Patriarch.\nYour
words surge through the heavy air.
“Let the will of the people be done beneath the watchful eye of the Twins!\n“People
of Anizotte! Do you wish for Father Lennart to be our patriarch? Do you wish for
him to be our voice before the Twins and our mentor in this worldly realm?”
The answer comes in the form of thousands of voices that seem to shake the very
walls of the Temple.
“YES!”
Father Lennart closes his eyes and solemnly blesses himself with the sign of the
Twins.
“Before the faces of the Gods, by the will of the people, I hereby accept the great
burden of the patriarchate of Magra!
“Oh Heavenly Lords, givers of life! The Younger, Defender of the World, Judge and
Counsellor! The Elder, the spirit of Truth and Love, filling all with Your
presence!\n“Witness now our New Faith, which guides to You all those who have
chosen their own Lot in life!”
The heavy air grows incredibly thick, almost solid. The last echo of Lennart’s
voice dissolves in this clotted tension.\nThere is silence all around you.\nThe
Gods are watching.
Lennart closes his eyes.
The feeling passes. The air melts, ready to fill your lungs again. It rings with
the echo of imperceptibly quiet footsteps.\nThe Twin Gods have accepted the will of
the people.
The new Patriarch emerges from the sacred Temple to face the elated thousands who
wait outside — with you, his greatest supporter, by his side.
It only takes a few steps to reach Jeanne and stand by her side, blocking Lennart.
And it only takes a single gesture to order your followers to join the Champions of
Faith.\nThe warriors of the Inquisition grow more confident.\nNow that their forces
are united, you will be able to hold back this human flood.
Jeanne greets you with an imperceptible nod.\nYour support has visibly
reinvigorated her.
Thousands of eyes focus on you.
“Inquisitor <username>, do you also think that the will of all these people is not
enough to make us heard by the Twins?”
You respond to Lennart’s question with laughter.\nOh, you have an answer for that!\
nBut your answer is not for Lennart — it is for the people who have followed him
here!
You begin to speak louder, and the people listen.
What Abbot Lennart seeks is not a new path to the Twin Gods — it is only power for
himself. He calls himself a priest, yet he yearns to lord it over his flock like a
nobleman!\nThe people of Anizotte chose to follow Lennart’s path because they hoped
the Twins would be waiting at the end, but his path only leads to eternal torment
at the Foot of the Shining Pillar!
But... the blame is not theirs. A heretic led them astray by blaming the Lots for
all their woes.\nYet the root of the evil lies elsewhere!\nHumans and Arknians have
forgotten the true Faith, distorted the true Faith — that is the root of all evil!
And we all know who bears the blame for that!
For years, the heretical Cassius had been corrupting the land of Magra, distorting
the Faith he was duty-bound to preserve in the eyes of the Twin Gods.\nHe led the
people astray and sowed the seeds of great strife. He was biding his time until he
could face the Twins again and reject Them in the name of all Magra... and he
almost succeeded in this vile endeavor!
But you and Sister Jeanne unmasked the false patriarch.\nAnd now, on the day of the
Sacred Conclave, the priests of Magra have one last chance to tell the Twins that
Magra’s Faith is still strong, that the people who live here deserve to find bliss
atop the Peak of the Shining Pillar!
Today is a day when Anizotte has been gripped by confusion and strife.\nLeft
untended, fear and hatred can drive a soul down the path of self-destruction. And
if fear and hatred can extinguish a single soul, imagine what they could do to an
entire city!
Can the people not see that the Twins are watching them, preparing to render their
judgment? \nThe people are one step away from betraying the Twins... but they may
yet awaken from this madness and be saved!
The Empire can still flourish, but not through destruction and hatred! Only when
the noble Lot and the lowly Lot return to the one true Faith together and purge all
heresy from this land can the Empire flourish once again!
Here and now, beneath the Silver Tree, we all see that the priestly Lot has never
abandoned the people — the Gods are here with us now!
Your voice booms across the square like a thunderclap. The door of the sacred
Temple swings open behind you.\nA mighty gust of wind blasts forth, searing
people’s faces with cold.
The startled procession recoils, shouting in excitement.\n“The Twins! They’re
here!”\n“It’s a sign from the Gods!”
“The Gods are here with us at this fateful hour! They have heard your voice,
Brother <username>!”
One by one, the people around you make the sign of the Twins, bowing and
genuflecting in a paroxysm of piety.\nSome begin to weep, and the gust wind echoes
their sobs of repentance.
Lennart turns to his flock, white as a sheet, but no one will meet his gaze. All
eyes are on you.
“My children! We cannot abandon everything we have fought for so easily!”
The wind howls, drowning out his voice and carrying Jeanne’s exalted cry across the
square.
“The Gods are here, and They have given us a sign!\n”Brother <username> — he is the
one They wish to see as the new Patriarch!\n“Brothers and sisters in Faith! Our new
Patriarch stands before you on the stairs of the Temple — come forth and greet
him!”
You watch them emerge from the temple one by one — priests, abbots of Magran
temples, monks, acolytes, preachers, men, women... it feels like a strange dream.\
nThey all come out to greet you, acknowledging you as their true patriarch. The mob
below buzzes its approval.\nThe Twins have willed it so. There can be no doubt!
“Oh, almighty Gods!\n”The Younger, the unyielding Judge! The Elder, keeper of Truth
and Love!\n”With all our strength, we will preserve our true Faith! We will follow
our Lots and punish all heresy without mercy!
“Under their eye, and by your will, may Brother <username> become our new
Patriarch!”
Jeanne cannot hold back a smile as she says this. With an expression of almost
childlike glee, she reaches up to the heavens.\nA blast of freezing wind blows in
your face.
The Twins’ Will and Love and Law reveal themselves to you, filling you completely.\
nEvery sensation is utterly acute now. All that remains is Their sight.\nThe Elder
watches with love and joy. All living things are His children. As their patriarch,
He expects you to treat them with wisdom and kindness.\nThe Younger watches
sternly. He expects you to show no mercy to the enemies of the Faith and commit no
errors.
You are filled with love for Them.\nYou will do whatever it takes to fulfill Their
Will with wisdom and righteousness.
“Before the faces of the Gods, I accept the great burden of the patriarchate of
Magra. May Their Will and Love and Law be my guide!”
Could you ever have guessed you would be standing here this day?
The vision passes. You open your eyes.\nThe leaves of the Silver Tree rustle above
you. A smile plays across Jeanne’s face. You are surrounded by kneeling people as
far as the eye can see.
Jeanne gestures to the Champions of Faith. Two of them reach out for Lennart and
bind his hands. Dejected, broken, he does not resist.\nNo one even bothers to try
to defend him.
You are the Patriarch of Magra.
There can never be peace between the Inquisition and the New Believers. Sister
Jeanne is right — the dispute between them has been going on for years. Neither
side will ever yield to the other.\nRight now, there is only one thing you can do:
rescue as many of them as you can from what is to come.
You gesture to your followers hurriedly — spread out and guide the people away from
here, as many as they can!
Go, in the name of the Younger!
The Champions of Faith obey Jeanne’s order. They get into formation and begin
advancing on the New Believers, weapons is hand.
The unarmed mob recoils in fear, but those in the front row are pushed from behind
and driven onto the blades.
Blood splatters onto the stairs of the sacred Temple.
A woman’s voice lets out a shrill scream.\nPanic spreads throughout the mob like
wildfire.\nChaos fills the minds of women and men. They begin pushing, pulling,
dashing, recoiling like frightened animals — and the warriors of the Church keep
advancing, unrelenting and lethal.
Your men have reached the edges of the square. They try to guide the New Believers
down back alleys, shouting, “here! Over here!”\nBut for many of them, it already
too late.
A mighty gust of wind rushes over the square.\nIt roars, howls, almost screams,
filled with remorse, agony, and wrath.
The earth begins to tremble beneath your feet.\nBefore your very eyes, as though in
some terrible nightmare, the roof of the sacred Temple begins to shake, and the
pillars start to sway back and forth...
The world is turned upside down, like a kaleidoscope shaken by a massive hand.\nFor
several seconds, everything blends together.\nYou fall flat on your back.
Slowly, you come to your senses.\nYou are surrounded by dozens of bodies and chunks
of rock.\nWhat the...?!
Where the temple at the Silver Tree one stood, there is nothing.\nThe grand,
majestic structure is no more. It has been leveled to the ground. Remnants of its
walls and roof are scattered across the square. The stairs that once lead to it
have been ground into gravel.
A cloud of dust slowly settles upon the square. \nAfter the dust come the leaves —
thousands and thousands of leaves shed by the Silver Tree. They cover the corpses
of the truly dead like a pale white shroud.
The entire square glows as the bodies of those yet to be reborn dissolve into
nothingness. There are so many that the light stings your eyes, even through the
thick dust that still hangs over it all.\nJust how many people met their deaths
today?
Sister Jeanne and her warriors are gone, buried beneath the rocks.\nThe Order of
the Inquisition in Anizotte is finished.
You stagger to your feet and go to where you last saw Father Lennart.\nYou soon
spot the edge of his once-white cassock, pinned by a chunk of broken pillar.\nIt
takes all your strength to roll the heavy stone away and drag the abbot out from
under the rubble.
Lennart is wounded, but conscious.\nHe looks around, trying to understand what has
happened... then slowly falls to his knees. A loud groan escapes his lips.
Blood and tears trickle down Lennart’s face, mixing together.\nThe abbot chokes on
the dust. His eyes are fixed on the ruins of what was once his temple, the bare
branches of the Tree piercing the sky like swords.
“I was wrong, I was wrong... the Gods, they wouldn’t listen to us, they rejected
our Faith! What do I do now, <username>? What do I do? My temple… how will we live
now? There’s no hope left… this is the end...”
Lennart’s words become incoherent, descending into a frantic babble.\nYou speak to
the abbot, trying to console him. All is not lost. You managed to save many
people.\nYou are not sure he can hear you now.
But you cannot wait for him to come to his senses.\nYou have to take the lead. So
you begin mustering your forces and getting ready to move to Empire Square.\
nEnormous crowds of people are already on their way there, about to choose the
leader of the Anizotte rebellion.\nThe sun slowly begins to set.
A woman’s scream of rage rends the momentary silence.\n“Murderers!”
Chaos breaks loose.\nThe Champions of Faith try to advance on the people, but the
enraged horde will not be driven back. They rush at the warriors, trying to break
their ranks by sheer force, dragging or knocking them to the ground one by one.
“No! Stop! Do not do this! Do not resort to bloodshed!”
The abbot does his best to rein in his flock, but they will not listen.\nYou shout
to your followers: now!
Your people join the fight. Side by side with the Champions of Faith, you try to
hold back the commoners.\nIt is an arduous task. They are unarmed, but they greatly
outnumber you.\nHold the line!
Behind you, the inquisitors raise thin silver slabs and shout incantations.
Flurries of silver sparks spread across the front lines of the jostling mob,
binding them with the power of the Twins. They collapse, but others immediately
take their place.\nHold the line!
Every minute of this fight feels like an eternity. Eventually, the furious
onslaught seems to subside...\nYou catch a glimpse of Jeanne. She throws away a
fading slab of silver and clutches her sword, then breaks the line and dashes
forward with a fearsome cry. \nShe is headed straight for Lennart.
The abbot struggles to remain on his feet in the frenzied human storm raging around
him. It takes him a moment to notice Jeanne, her ceremonial blade raised aloft.\
nLennart meets her with a confused look. His arms move slowly, trying to shield his
face.\nBut it is too late.\nThe inquisitor strikes.
At the last possible moment, the rage on Jeanne’s face gives way to terror.\nShe
leans into her swing with all her might and guides the blade aside. It slips out of
her hand.\nThe battle still rages around you, but you clearly hear the steel
clatter against the marble slabs of the stairs.
“My child!”
A moment later, a heavy stone flies through the air and hits Jeanne square in the
side of the head. She yelps and falls down.\nHurry! You need to reach her before
she is trampled!
An unearthly chill runs down your spine.\nThis is it... this is what Sister Jeanne
told you about!
The earth begins to tremble beneath your feet.\nBefore your very eyes, as though in
some terrible nightmare, the roof of the sacred Temple begins to shake, and the
pillars start to sway back and forth...
“Oh Gods!”
You turn to your followers and scream at the top of your lungs, gesturing wildly to
the inquisitors: fall back! Hurry! Follow me!
The commoners try to flee the square, darting down back alleys, trampling one
another.\nFor you, there is nowhere to run. Only the trunk of the Silver Tree
offers some protection.\nSo you rush to the white trunk as fast as you can.
Where the temple at the Silver Tree once stood, there is nothing. The grand,
majestic structure is no more. It has been leveled to the ground. Remnants of its
walls and roof are scattered across the square. The stairs that once lead to it
have been ground into gravel.\nBut the massive trunk shielded you from the falling
rubble.
You stagger to your feet and go to where you last saw Jeanne.
You find the inquisitor in a small space between two shattered slabs of stone,
curled up into a ball.\nHer body shakes as she sobs uncontrollably.
“All is lost... all of it... everything...\n“I couldn’t do it... couldn’t see it
through to the end... do you understand? I betrayed Them. I couldn’t kill the
heretics... the Temple is gone because of me... the Inquisition is gone because of
me...”
You gently tap her on the shoulder.\nThat isn’t so, you tell her. The inquisitors
and the Champions are all safe.\nAnd Lennart is dead, buried in the ruins of his
own temple — but Jeanne was spared from the Wrath of the Gods! What is she saying?
How could she possibly think she betrayed Them?
Jeanne grows silent. She slowly rises to her feet, breathing heavily.
“You don’t understand... all of this... just... leave me be...”
The young woman walks away from you unsteadily. A few steps away she stops, her
arms crossed.\nShe stares at the ruins.
The captain of the Champions of Faith approaches you.
“I’m afraid Sister Jeanne won’t be able to command us from now on. My Champions owe
you their lives. What are your orders?”
You have to take the lead. So you begin mustering your forces and getting ready to
move to Empire Square.\nEnormous crowds of people are already on their way there,
about to choose the leader of the Anizotte rebellion.\nThe sun slowly begins to
set.
Your ceremonial blade rises skyward. You stand by Jeanne’s side.\nNo mercy for the
New Believer heretics! Inquisitors of Magra, attack!
The inquisitors behind the Champions echo your battle cry and draw their swords.\
nIf you must doom your souls to an eternity at the Foot of the Pillar, then so be
it — you will sacrifice yourselves readily to defend the true Faith!
A stunned scream echoes from the mob.\n“The priests are taking up arms! It can’t
be!”
“Follow Inquisitor Brante, brothers and sisters in Faith! In the name of the
Younger, the heretics will be punished!”
The Champions of Faith get into formation and begin advancing on the New Believers,
weapons is hand.
The inquisitors under your command join the fight. Side by side with the Champions
of Faith, you try to hold back the commoners.\nIt is an arduous task. They are
unarmed, but they greatly outnumber you.\nHold the line!
You fight on the front lines, knowing full well that every strike of your weapon is
a betrayal of your priestly Lot.\nThe sword given to you for the Sacrament now
strikes the New Believers down one by one, their blood drenching your cassock.
A spear suddenly emerges from the horde, about to stab you! You cannot dodge it!
But Jeanne stands in its way. A swing of her sword slices your attacker open.
Every minute of this fight feels like an eternity. Eventually, the furious
onslaught seems to subside...\nYou catch a glimpse of Jeanne. She breaks the line
and dashes forward with a fearsome cry. \nShe is headed straight for Lennart.
The abbot struggles to remain on his feet in the frenzied human storm raging around
him. It takes him a moment to notice Jeanne, her ceremonial blade raised aloft.\
nLennart meets her with a confused look. His arms move slowly, trying to shield his
face.\nBut it is too late.
But at the last possible moment, the rage on Jeanne’s face gives way to terror.
A mighty gust of wind rushes over the square.\nIt roars, howls, almost screams with
wrath.\nThe Twins are here!
You scream to Jeanne over the din of combat: there is room for doubt now!\nThe Twin
Gods are watching! It is time to mete out justice!
The terror on Jeanne’s face disappears, replaced by furious determination.\nHer
pain-filled roar merges with the howling of the wind.
“Die in the name of the Younger, Lennart! The Twins know you gave us no choice!”
The inquisitor strikes.\nHer sword cleaves the old man’s flesh. Lennart’s white
cassock turns crimson with blood.\nThe abbot is gone forever.
The wind grows, gaining in strength, becoming a furious, merciless vortex.\nIt
howls louder and louder as it sows fear and panic in the hearts of people, knocking
them off their feet and dragging them ruthlessly across the ground.\nThis is it...
this is what Jeanne warned you about! The Wrath of the Gods is upon us!
The calamity does not approach the roots of the sacred Tree.\nBut, away from the
trunk, the divine fury comes crashing down upon the heretics.
All the buildings around you lie in ruins. Only the Temple of the Silver Tree
remains untouched.
Your fellow inquisitors stand silently, staring at the aftermath of the battle.
Some cannot look away from the bloodstains on their weapons, while others examine
the temple, unable to believe it is all over.
You address them.\nEverything you did today, you did for a reason. You have
protected the Faith, and the Twins have protected you in turn! Lennart the heretic
is no more. The New Faith has been purged from Anizotte!
The inquisitors bless themselves with the sign of the Twins.\nYou do not see Jeanne
among their ranks. Where is she?
There can never be peace between the Inquisition and the New Believers. Sister
Jeanne is right — the dispute between them has been going on for years. Neither
side will ever yield to the other.\nYou have nothing to gain here, and everything
to lose.
You gesture to your followers hurriedly: fall back!
You watch Jeanne from a safe distance. No longer able to bear the tension, she
orders her warriors to attack.
“In the name of the Younger, go forth! Drive them from this square!”
“By the Twins! What is happening?!”
The street jerks beneath you, buckling slightly. Some of your men struggle to
remain on their feet.\nBut you cannot look away from the square and the terrifying
sight unfolding there, as people try in vain to escape the divine reckoning.\nAfter
a few minutes, silence falls.
Where the temple at the Silver Tree once stood, there is nothing. The grand,
majestic structure is no more. It has been leveled to the ground. \nRemnants of its
walls and roof are strewn across the square like building block scattered by a
massive hand. The stairs that once lead to it have been ground into gravel.
You do not see another living soul in the square. Neither Lennart nor Jeanne
survived the Temple’s collapse — the two irreconcilable enemies were both buried in
the rubble.\nThe Wrath of the Gods knows no mercy.
What is done is done. There is no changing it.\nYou begin mustering your forces and
prepare to move to Empire Square.\nEnormous crowds of people are already on their
way there, about to choose the leader of the Anizotte rebellion.\nThe sun slowly
begins to set.
A Farewell to Jeanne
Jeanne stumbles away from the square and heads toward the base of the Silver Tree.\
nYou follow her. You can guess where she is going.\n
You carefully enter the familiar grotto formed by the gigantic root.\nJeanne is
there, on her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.\n
Her hands are on the bark of the Tree as she prays. She does not notice you…
Convert Jeanne to the New Faith
Congratulate Jeanne
Try to take Jeanne into custody
Share Jeanne’s sorrow
Console Jeanne
Leave Jeanne by herself
The Twins Themselves have recognized Lennart as the rightful patriarch. Jeanne has
no choice but to humbly accept Their Will.
You have defended the true faith... so why is she crying?
You cannot allow her to her remain at large.
It is true that you defied your priestly Lot and took up arms, but you did it to
defend the Faith.
Jeanne did everything she could for the sake of the Old Faith. What happened is not
her fault. She must not lose faith!
You have nothing more to tell her.
Jeanne’s world has crumbled.\nYour duty demands that you guide her to the new path.
It is what she deserves.\n
You take a step forward. The leaves rustle.\nJeanne whirls around like a cornered
animal.\n
She has been strong and stalwart for as long as you can remember, but now you
cannot look at her without pity. Her cassock is in tatters, her hair is matted, and
her face is red and puffy from crying.\nThe silver pendant of the Twins lies on the
ground beside her, cast away.\n
“What do you want from me?! You already won! Leave me alone!”
Your palms raised, you urge Jeanne to remain calm.\nShe is in no danger. You just
want to tell her something. It will not take long.\n
You pick up the discarded encircled cross and carefully hand it to Jeanne.\nThe
young woman grimaces in despair when she sees it, but she still accepts the sacred
symbol.\nWell, it’s a start. All you can do now is hope that she will listen.\n
You sit on the ground next to her.\nJeanne wipes away the tears, trying her best to
regain her composure.\n
“Why did you come here? Aren’t you going to celebrate Lennart’s triumph? He won,
and it’s all thanks to you!”
You came because you care about Jeanne, you tell her. Your disagreement does not
change that.\nIf she wants you to leave, you will.
Jeanne says nothing. She just looks away.\nThe two of you sit there together,
sharing a moment of silence. It is so calm here, beneath the Silver Tree... you
doubt even the din of battle could disturb this tranquility.
“Why have the Twins punished us, <username>? Isatius’s teachings... are they all
lies? Have I been wrong this whole time? Are the Twins not what I thought They
were?”
You cannot say. But there is something you are certain of.\nLennart was named
patriarch, and the Will of the Twins allowed it to happen. This means that the Old
Faith is not the only path.\n
Jeanne looks up at you pensively.
Perhaps even the Twins Themselves can change over time, just like people do... but
that does not matter right now.\nWhat does matter is that the Old Faith has already
given all the answers it has to give, while the New Faith has just begun to seek
them.\n
Yes, the unknown is terrifying. You do not know what will happen next.\nBut one
thing is clear: the world given to Isatius by the Twins is gone forever.\n
And if the Twins allowed the people to choose a patriarch for themselves, perhaps
They will allow us, Their children, to seek the meaning of life on our own?\nEvery
parent has to let their children live their own lives eventually.\n
Jeanne stares at the sacred symbol of the Twins.\nThere is a battle raging within
her. Only she can decide where her life will take her from this moment onward.\n
You hear a commotion outside the grotto. It is getting louder. You have to go.
You rise to your feet.\nIt is time to say goodbye. You hope that when you meet
again, it will be not as enemies, but as friends.\n
“Thank you, <username>. I will find an answer. I promise.”
You emerge from beneath the Tree to the sound of thunderous applause. But there is
no time to celebrate your victory.\nAt this very moment, the people of Anizotte are
flocking to Empire Square. Sophia, the leader of the Revolt, is about to address
the common folk in front of the Chancellery.\nYou need to be there.\n
The sun slowly begins to set.
You take a step forward. The leaves rustle. Jeanne turns around.
“Oh, it’s you, <username>… I’m sorry, I just... I needed some time alone to think
this all through.”
She hurriedly wipes away the tears and hides her matted hair beneath a kerchief.
But why is she crying? Lennart has been taken into custody. The New Faith will
never recover from this blow!
Jeanne looks aside, flustered.
“These are tears of joy. We did it! We actually won!\n“You know... When I saw that
crowd, all those people, I... I lost faith. I thought we were all doomed. I thought
we were all going to die on the stairs of the Temple, <username>. I was so
frightened!\n“But your faith was strong, and the Twins Themselves were there to
help you. But I... I was too weak…”\n
You sit down next to Jeanne and wipe away the last of her tears.\nYou tell her that
she is wrong.
You could have never done this without her. Jeanne’s ardent faith and unyielding
commitment to the Twins are second to none.\nBut no one can be strong all the time
— not even the Twins. There are two of Them, and one would not exist without the
other. You were there to rescue her, and she would have done the same for you.\nShe
has nothing to blame herself for. You won together.\n
Jeanne’s touches your hand shyly.
“It’s a miracle... you’re the Patriarch now! What a weight off my shoulders! After
so many years, finally someone I can trust is in charge of the Church in Magra —
thank the Twins!”
She laughs. There is no trace of her usual stern demeanor. You gaze at her smile
with great pleasure.
“It’s so peaceful here! So calm!\n“I know there’s so a lot we have to do, but...
could we stay here like this... just a little longer?”\n
You nod.\nThe two of you sit there together, hands clasped, sharing a moment of
silence. It is so calm here beneath the Silver Tree... you doubt even the din of
battle could disturb this tranquility.\nWhat a shame you cannot stay here and watch
the sun set...
Reluctantly, you finally let go of Jeanne’s hand. There will be time for that
later.\nRight now, you need to go. The battle for the soul of Anizotte is not
finished yet.\n
“You’re right. Let’s go.”\n
A visibly anxious Captain Agaronim finds you in the square.
“Patriarch <username>! Inquisitor Jeanne! I’ve found you! I’ve got an urgent
report!\n“The people of Anizotte are moving to Empire Square.\n“Sophia, the leader
of the Revolt, wants to address the people in front of the Chancellery.”
You tell the captain to muster your forces. You have to be there.
He nods and walks back to his men. Jeanne’s face grows stern again.
“Looks like we’re parting ways again. You won’t need me where you’re going. But I’m
confident you’ll do just fine on your own, Patriarch.”
It feels so odd to be addressed like this…\nAnd what about Jeanne? Where will she
go?\n
“I’ll do what my priestly Lot demands. The people are in dire need of guidance.\
n“Maybe I can still convince some of them to join our side as you ready the
soldiers for battle.”\n
So be it.\nYou hope this is not your last meeting.
“I hope so too, <username>.”
She squeezes your hand and walks away.\nYou look up at the Shining Pillar.\nIt is
time to go.
You gaze intently at your former sister in Faith.\nShe has been strong and stalwart
for as long as you can remember, but now you cannot look at her without pity. Her
cassock is in tatters, her hair is matted, and her face is red and puffy from
crying.\nThe silver pendant of the Twins lies on the ground beside her, cast away.\
n
It is hardly surprising. Her world was shattered today.
You tell Jeanne that she has to come with you. The city is in being consumed by the
flames of the Revolt. You cannot allow her to remain at large.
Jeanne looks at you silently, the tears drying on her cheeks.\nThere is no fear in
her eyes, only exhaustion and desolation.\nShe sighs deeply and touches the bark of
the Tree.\n
“We came to Anizotte together, you and I. I hoped I could bring you back to the
faith, save you from heresy...\n“How did it come to this, <username>? How could the
man I love have betrayed me and the Twins Themselves?”\n
Jeanne’s voice is shaking. Tears of rage appear in the corners of her eyes. She
wipes them away.
The Twins have spoken, you reply. There, at the Temple.\nDid she not see it along
with everyone else? Even They have recognized the New Faith! Why must Jeanne be so
stubborn?!
Jeanne averts her gaze. Her fingers reach for her chest, but there is nothing where
the encircled cross used to be.
“Yes. I saw it. Even They have betrayed me...”
With a swift motion, she unbuckles the ceremonial blade from her waist and hands it
to you.
“At least do this for me, <username>.”
What?!
“Deliver your verdict, Inquisitor. Sentence me to true death. Send me to the Foot
of the PiIllar.”
What is she saying?\nYes, what Jeanne did was wrong, but she did it in zealous
service to her Lot! The Twins will lift her up to the Peak of the Pillar!
“I don’t think so, <username>. But let’s let Them decide for themselves.
You are not doing this! Never!
She shrugs at your refusal.
“So even a New Believer is better at following his priestly Lot than me... very
well. Step back.”
Jeanne kneels.\nShe hesitates for a moment, then undoes her kerchief and bows
deeply. Her blond hair fall to her shoulders.
“O Younger, the Judge and the Shield! Your humble servant Jeanne has violated her
Lot — may You meet her upon the threshold of the hereafter. In Your name, I hereby
find myself guilty and sentence myself to true death. I await Your judgment.”
You take a step closer to her — and the ground beneath you begins to shake.
You fall flat on your back. The earth quakes again, and again, and again, as though
kegs of gunpowder are exploding far below the surface.\nAs the ground rumbles, you
hear Jeanne scream.
The earth beneath her feet yawns open. The inquisitor drops her sword and falls.
You try to get up, but cannot. All you can do is watch Jeanne’s body disappear
beneath an avalanche of shaking soil.\nThe groan of the Silver Tree drowns out her
scream.\n
Soon, the shuddering stops.
You dash to the place where she used to be. You try to dig in the dirt with your
hands — she could still be alive!\nBut you find nothing but massive roots.\n
Inquisitor Jeanne has met her true death.
You walk back to the square some time later.\nCries of joy welcome you outside the
Tree. All you can manage is an exhausted nod. There is no time to celebrate this
victory.\n
You hear shouting. Rumor has it the people of Anizotte are moving to Empire
Square.\nSophia, the leader of the Revolt, wants to address the city in front of
the Chancellery.\nYou have to be there.\n
“Oh, it’s you, <username>… I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stay there any longer.”
She hurriedly wipes away the tears.
Jeanne has been strong and stalwart for as long as you can remember, but now you
ground beside her, cast away.
Of all the people you know, she is most deserving of the Twins’ mercy and bliss in
the hereafter.\nBut, despite your good intentions, you have transgressed against
your Lot.\nThe Twins know no mercy.
You pick up the encircled cross and carefully hand it to Jeanne.\nShe grimaces in
despair when she sees it, but still accepts the sacred symbol.\n
“I know I shouldn’t show weakness. Our fight isn’t over yet. We need to see it
through to the very end...”
Jeanne is wrong. As an inquisitor, her work here is done. She has already done more
than anyone could have asked of her. Whether or not she will continue down this
path is for her to decide.
“I...”
Tears begin streaming down her cheeks again. You embrace her, stroking her hair
softly.\nJeanne buries her face in your chest.
You hold her until she stops crying.
“Thank you for being here for me... and... forgive me, if you can. I can’t go with
you. All of this... I just can’t.”
The encircled cross drops from her hand. Jeanne’s shoulders begin to shake again.
There is no sound, only silent sobs.
“I forced them all into sin! I was wrong! There had to be another way!”
You wipe away her tears. If she was wrong, then you were wrong too. But you had no
choice.\nJeanne nods. Then — suddenly — she grasps your hand.\n
“Then maybe we don’t have to do anything else, <username>. We’ve done everything we
can do already, both of us! We can just stay here!”
You sigh bitterly. No. You cannot stay here.
Softly, you withdraw from her grasp. It is time to go.\nYou have not reached the
end of your path yet. Anizotte needs to be saved — this is your duty. But Jeanne’s
duty is done.\nShe lowers her gaze.\n
“Very well. Have it your way, <username>. Go on then. And good luck.”
You have no need for luck. The Twins are with you still.
You leave the quiet grotto and return to the square.\nWill you ever see Jeanne
again? Or was this your final meeting?\n
“Inquisitor <username>! I found you... Urgent report!\n“The people of Anizotte are
moving to the Empire Square — it’s next to the Chancellery.\n“Sophia, the leader of
the Revolt, wants to address the people at the building.”
“Understood. And what about Inquisitor Jeanne?”
You look up at the Shining Pillar.\nHer service to the Twins has come to an end.
You take a step forward.\nThe leaves rustle. Jeanne turns around.
Jeanne hurriedly wipes away the tears.
She has been strong and stalwart for as long as you can remember, but now you
ground beside her.\n
Jeanne’s world has crumbled. The temple of the Silver Tree lies in ruins. Blood was
spilled there before the eyes of the Twins.
“I... I wanted to kill him! But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t, do you understand?
Maybe if the Twins had seen my zeal... maybe it wouldn’t have ended like this!”
This is no time for doubt. Lennart did not become patriarch. That is all that
matters.\nThe Twins have punished him and the other heretics.\nBut Their loyal
servants remained safe, and Jeanne herself has not tainted her soul with sin.\n
The Temple of the Silver Tree is no more, it is true. But she must not blame
herself for that. It was already sullied by many years of heresy — first by Fotis,
then by Cassius, and most recently by Lennart. There will be another temple, one
built by our descendants in the name of the Twins.
But if Jeanne wants that to happen, she cannot remain idle. The Revolt is still
raging, and it is our duty to oppose it!
You offer Jeanne your hand.
Your words restore her former confidence. She takes your hand, rises, and wipes
away the tears.
“You’re right. We can’t stop now, <username>. We need to keep fighting until the
end.
“Thank you for being here for me now, in my darkest hour.”
You emerge from the grotto together, your hands clasped.
A visibly anxious Captain Agaronim finds you in the square. You reluctantly let go
of Jeanne’s hand.
“Inquisitor <username>! Inquisitor Jeanne! I’ve found you! I’ve got an urgent
report!\n“The people of Anizotte are moving to Empire Square.\n“Sophia, the leader
of the Revolt, wants to address the people in front of the Chancellery.”
“Understood.”
He nods and returns to his warriors. Jeanne sighs.
“This means we’ll be parting ways again. You won’t need me where you’re going. Your
faith is stronger. You should be the one to lead the Order.”
And what about her? What will she do?
“I’ll follow my Lot. The people are in dire need of guidance. Maybe I can still
convince some of them to join our side as you muster our forces for the coming
battle.”
So be it. You hope this is not your last meeting.
You have nothing more to say to her, so you leave the grotto beneath the Tree,
respecting Jeanne’s silent solitude.\nThis could well be the last time you see her.
Returning to your men, you hear rumors: the people of Anizotte are moving to Empire
Square. Sophia, the leader of the Revolt, wants to address the city in front of the
Chancellery.\nYou have to be there.\n
You gather your men and leave the Silver Tree for the heart of the city.\nThe sun
slowly begins to set.\n
The Rebel Leader
The sun is setting.\nThe blood-red sky quavers in the hot smoke from the fires
raging throughout the city.\nYou cannot help but recall a passage from the Lives of
the Twins, one of the many pages Mother used to quote when you were a child.\n“And
the Elder said, ‘Lo, I have cast a flame into the world, and I shall guard it until
it begins to blaze.’”
Could this passage be referring to today?
You lead your followers to Empire Square.\nYou walk around rubble, past abandoned
carriages and unfinished barricades.\nThere have clearly been clashes here recently
— the dust of the departed is still rising into the sky.
Thousands fill the square before the Chancellery — well over half the commoners of
Anizotte.\nThe Chancellery has been under rebel control since noon. All Imperial
officials either fled or were torn apart by the mob.
Scraps of rumors and gossip reach your ears as you move closer.\n“Did you hear what
happened at the great Tree?”\n“It’s the inquisitors! They just started slaughterin’
folks! They grabbed them swords o’ theirs and started killin’ unarmed people!”\
n“Lennart’s procession made it into the Temple! There was a sign from the Twins!”\
n“All lies! The Twins got angry and destroyed ’em all under the Tree! The temple’s
gone, I tells ya, gone for good!”
The crowd is on edge. Any dispute could explode into a brawl.\nA voice from the
Chancellery stairs calls for another People’s Court. The mob turns as one.
Several Last Straw rebels drag a handful of well-dressed nobles out onto the steps
and force them to their knees.\nThe leader of the executioners is a preacher with a
mane of unkempt hair and the wild eyes of a lunatic.
“The Younger! The Younger, he speaks through us, He does! He gave us the power of
His Law — the power to punish our enemies, to execute them!\n“Anyone who stands in
our way is an enemy of the Twins Themselves!
“People! It’s time to judge these enemies of the simple folk. What is your
sentence?”
The mob roars so loudly, the square shakes.\n“Death! True death!”\n
The Last Straw rebels ready their guns.\nOne of the captive gets to his feet and
speaks out defiantly.
“You dare call this pathetic freak show a People’s Court? You don’t have the power
— you never have, and you never will! You think you can wield the Law of the Twins?
Bah! We’ll come back, and we’ll make you pay...”
The aged nobleman’s last words are drowned out by a thunderous volley of gunfire.\
nOne by one, the nobles collapse, their bodies pierced by bullets. They remain
where they fall.\nThe mob gasps in amazement.\nThere can be no doubt — the People’s
Court has the power to mete out true death at will!
“This is what will happen to anyone who dares to oppose us! All hail the Revolt!
All hail our leader! All hail Sophia!
“Sophia’s gonna lead us. She’s gonna fend off the Legion! She’s gonna bring justice
— first to Anizotte, then to the whole Empire! She’s gonna tear down the old ways
and wipe all them tyrants and nobles from the face of the world!”
The mob explodes into an ecstatic chant.\nThey shout one word over and over again:
The enormous throng bellows wildly, eager to see the face of its leader.
Unite the rebels around Sophia
Take control of the Revolt
Break up the mob
Destroy their morale
Overthrow Sophia
Watch what happens next
You give Sophia your full support so she can unite and lead the people.
You should be the one to lead the rebels, not Sophia.
You order your men to break up the mob so the rebels cannot unify the people under
their banner.
You have eliminated Sophia. Now you will spread the word and watch the mob tear
itself apart.
You challenge Sophia’s rule over the people and have her executed.
You stay away from the mob and watch events unfold without getting involved.
Thanks to you, Sophia will never heed the mob’s call. There will be no one to lead
the people.
You make your way through the crowd and reach the Chancellery stairs.\nYou belong
here, by Sophia’s side.
The door of the Chancellery swings open, and Sophia emerges before the thousands of
people gathered in the square.\nHer silhouette seems to blaze in the light of the
setting sun. She raises a clenched fist in the air, demanding silence.\nThe
enormous crowd ceases its murmuring at once.
The voice of the leader of the Revolt rings with frigid fury.
“People of Anizotte! Today is not only the day we took up arms and cast off our
shackles.
“Today is the first day of a new era. We will begin by taking back our city. We
will eliminate anyone who dares to stand in our way.\n“Then we will declare war
against the old regime — against the entire Empire!”
Upon hearing these words, even the most frantic rebels fall silent.\nA frightened
murmur ripples through the crowd. Is Sophia asking them to take on the entire
world?!
You exchange glances with Sophia and step forward.\nSurely the people do not think
the Empire will simply allow Anizotte to remain free after hundreds of years of
slavery and tyranny?
The people of Anizotte have already crossed the line. There is no turning back.
Anyone who fights for the Revolt today will go down in history as a hero.\nToday’s
spark will kindle tomorrow’s fire, and that fire will spread until the entire
Empire burns to the ground!
Our fear of the nobles and divine retribution is a thing of the past. Our future
lies in struggle and freedom!\nThe people know you. You are <username> Brante, and
you will fight for Sophia until the very end!
The people cheer ecstatically.\nSophia steps forward again, her eyes gleaming with
yellow light.\nThe crowds falls silent, rapt with attention, the golden light
reflected in thousands of eyes.
“Well said, Brante! No mercy! Nobles, defenders of the Old Faith, the tyrants of
the old regime — they will all be executed by the People’s Court. Every single
enemy of the Anizotte Revolt will be eliminated!
“Arm yourselves! Find and execute our enemies before the Legion reaches the city!\
n“And then, when the bell tolls, go to the walls. We will unite the entire city and
take our freedom by force!”
The people echo Sophia’s cry.\nArtisans, merchants, peasants from the outskirts of
Anizotte — they all take up arms and join the ranks of the Last Straw.\nThe rest
form into gangs, ready to unleash their wrath against temples and noble houses
alike.
Sophia catches her breath after her rousing speech and grips you by the shoulder.
“I knew you’d be by my side when the time came, <username>. And we’ve got all the
commoners on our side now too!
“But we’re short on time. I’ll go hunt down our enemies inside the walls. I need to
take charge of the People’s Court. You should go defend the city from the Legion.”
You eagerly accept this assignment.\nA report soon arrives from the scouts at the
gate. The Legion is only a few hours away — the final battle is drawing near.\nWill
the outcome of the Revolt be decided in combat, or is there a peaceful solution? It
all depends on the actions you take in the coming hours.
You make your way through the crowd and reach the Chancellery stairs.\nYour
silhouette seems to blaze in the light of the setting sun. \n
You raise a clenched fist into the air, demanding silence.\nYour voice booming, you
make your proclamation: Sophia is no longer the leader of the Revolt! I, <username>
Brante, lead you now!
The people freeze in astonishment when they hear this.\nA murmur of discontent
spreads throughout the crowded square.\n“Who does this Brante guy think he is?”\
n“We follow Sophia, not you!”
The discontent grows, but you refuse to relent.\nSophia was leading our city to
destruction, slaughter, and death. Had she remained in charge, it would have meant
suffering for us all!
You are gathered here not to revel in revenge or destruction. For the first time in
history, you have what it takes to lay the foundation of a new world — a world
where justice is the same for all, where all estates are equal, where we are free
of the Lots!
You will defend this city. You will fend off the Legion. You will persevere and
show the Empire that you are a force to be reckoned with.\nAnd once they finally
realize they have no choice but to reckon with you, they will reckon with all the
commoners of the Empire!
You end your speech, exhausted and hoarse.\nThe murmur fades away. All fear and
uncertainty are gone. The thousands of people in the square are no longer
suspicious of you — they are hopeful once more. You can see it in their eyes.\n
Then come the first shouts.\n“Lead us, Brante! We’re right behind you!”\n“Brante!
<username> Brante!”\n
Soon everyone is shouting your name. \nEven the old guard of the Last Straw, those
who have always been loyal to Sophia, cannot help but accept your leadership.\
nArtisans, merchants, peasants from the outskirts of Anizotte — they all take up
arms and join the ranks of the Last Straw.
A report soon arrives from the scouts at the gate. The Legion is only a few hours
away — the final battle is drawing near.\nWill the outcome of the Revolt be decided
in combat, or is there a peaceful solution? It all depends on the actions you take
in the coming hours.
If Sophia manages to unite the mob around her leadership, the Revolt will consume
the entire city.\nYou cannot let that happen. If there is ever a time to strike, it
is now!\n
Sophia has not shown up yet. You seize the moment and command all your forces to
begin an all-out attack on the square.\nYour troops smash into the human sea in
front of the Chancellery, hurling people aside and hacking through the throng as
they advance.
As you command them, you shout at the mob at the top of your lungs: leave the
streets! Go home, and you’ll be spared! Whoever stays here will face our blades!
The rebellious rabble did not see the attack coming.\nYour forces are resilient,
and the crowd panics. The rebels have no choice but to flee.\n
Dozens of people fall to the ground in the mindlessly jostling throng, only to be
trampled by the fleeing horde.\nBlood runs down the cobblestones. The corpses of
those killed dissipate in shimmering mist.
Before long, your men control the blood-spattered square. They celebrate their
victory with joyous cries.\nBut a voice simmering with rage soon cuts through the
air from the direction of the Chancellery stairs.
“The Last Straw! Ready... aim... fire!”
Rebel squads dash out of the Chancellery, firearms in hand.\nThe volleys come in
quick succession. A hail of bullets hits the square, sparing no one from either
side. Commoners trying to escape die along with your soldiers.
You are losing men. The Last Straw’s position is too strong here. You cannot
advance on the Chancellery in the face of their gunfire.\nOut of options, you order
a retreat.
You breathe a sigh of relief once the last of your men have left the square.\nThe
deed is done. You lost too many men, and Sophia is still running amok, but you
still managed to deal a resounding blow against the Revolt and shatter the rebels’
morale.
The news that you dispersed the mob at Empire Square spreads throughout across the
city like wildfire.\nThe nobility and Old Faith clergy celebrate this victory, more
eager than ever to keep fighting by your side.
You make your way through the crowd and reach the Chancellery stairs. The common
people whisper as you walk up to the raised podium: “Brante! It’s <username>
Brante! He’s here!”
The light of the setting sun sets your figure ablaze. You demand silence with a
raised fist.\nYou will speak, and they will listen! The people are waiting for
Sophia, but she will never come.\nThe rebel leader has been executed!
Sophia was leading this city into chaos, and she was justly punished for her
crimes.\nAnyone who does not leave this square immediately will share her fate.
Soon, very soon, the last remnants of the rebellion will be suppressed, and all
those who plotted the Revolt and joined the rebels will be sentenced to true death!
The mob is incredulous at first. \n“No! Sophia’s alive, she’s out there! Execute
this Brante guy!”
Rocks begin flying in your direction. A handful of overeager rebels are already
coming at you through the throng. But you remain calm and composed.\nIf you are
lying, then where is their much-vaunted leader? Why has she abandoned her people at
this fateful hour?
The mob is torn apart by confusion, its former zeal fading before your very eyes.\
n“He’s right! They got Sophia!”\n“We gotta run while we still can!”\n“Traitors!
Cowards! Get ’em!”
The entire square is quickly consumed by dissent. Fights break out here and there.\
nPeople accuse each other of treason. A few unfortunate commoners are torn apart by
the enraged horde.
Sensing an incipient riot, people begin to flee the square.\nSoon only the most
loyal Last Straw soldiers remain by the Chancellery, vainly trying to rally and
reunite the fleeing commoners.\nSome of the insurgents fire at you, but the chaos
makes it difficult for them to aim.
You escape the square, pursued by the rumble of gunfire, and rejoin your allies in
the ruins of Char Milanidas’s castle.\nThe deed is done. Without a leader to unite
them, the Revolt has been divided, its morale destroyed.\nBut it is too early to
celebrate just yet — even with these losses, the rebels could still hold the city.
You make your way through the crowd and reach the Chancellery stairs.\nYour
silhouette seems to blaze in the light of the setting sun.\n
Suddenly a loud, shrill cry resounds behind you, cutting through the cheers.
“Traitor! Death to the traitor Brante!”
The crowds fall silent. All eyes are on a figure descending the Chancellery stairs.
Twin sepia flames smolder in the young woman’s eyes.
“Brante is lying to you, people! If you follow him, you’ll be slaves until the end
of time! Don’t you know that our enemy can’t be bargained with?!\n“First they’ll
throw us a bone just to restore order, and then they’ll get even stronger and
tighten the nooses around our necks!\n“We can’t reason with them — we have to
destroy them!\n
“Today is the first day of a new era. We will begin by taking back our city. We
will eliminate anyone who dares to stand in our way.\n“Then we will declare war
against the old regime — against the entire Empire!\n“No mercy!”\n
Sophia raises her arms skyward.\nHer eyes are like two blazing suns.
“Anyone who turns tail and runs is an enemy of the Revolt — our enemy!”
The crowd remains silent, transfixed by Sophia’s glowing gaze.\nNo one will dare to
utter a word against her now...
This is your last chance to take action before the entire mob turns on you.\nYou
take a deep breath and scream at the top of your lungs: she’s a witch! It’s all
witchcraft! Sophia is using magic to control your minds!
Incredulous murmurs spread throughout the crowd.
You shout as loud as you can: Sophia is just as much of a tyrant as those she wants
you to overthrow! She’ll take away your old shackles and replace them with magical
ones!\nShe doesn’t care about the people! She only wants one thing: to watch the
world burn!
The thousands of eyes around you no longer reflect Sophia’s golden glow. Confusion
spreads among the people. Who should they listen to?\nThen the shouts begin:\n“Burn
the lying witch!”\n“She wants us all dead!”\n
Desperate for support, Sophia glances back at her gang.
“Enough of this! Kill Brante and his lapdogs!”
The time for words has passed. \nThe Last Straw soldiers reach for their guns.\nBut
you are already shouting orders. Your battalions advance on them.\nThe mob is split
by the ensuing chaos. Some commoners defend Sophia’s cause, while others side with
you. More still flee the square as fast as their legs can carry them.
Rebel squads dash out of the Chancellery, firearms in hand.\nThe volleys come in
quick succession. A hail of bullets hits the square, sparing no one from either
side.\nCommoners trying to escape die along with your soldiers.\n
The battle is a short one. The firearms hold back your assault, the enemy’s bullets
taking your men out one by one.\nBut you outflank Sophia’s forces and engage them
in a hand-to-hand combat.\nThe surviving insurgents drop their weapons and beg you
not to execute them. They are willing to fight on your side and hand their leader
over to you!
Sophia is quickly bound and hurled to the ground at your feet.\nThe rebel leader
glares at you from behind a mass of tangled hair.
You remind the wounded soldiers that time is of the essence. You must dispose of
Sophia for good.\nThe time has come for the People’s Court.
You command your squad to stand Sophia against the wall of the Chancellery and take
aim.
Sophia scrambles to her feet with difficulty.\nHer face is a hideous mask of
bruises.\n
“Too bad it took me so long to figure out what you really are, Brante. Too bad...\
n“But this ain’t over yet. Before you know it, you’ll be burning in the fire I
started — you and this whole ugly world!”\n
Bitter tears run down Sophia’s cheeks.\nFor a split second, you see the frightened
girl from next door, pursed by terrifying horsemen...
You cut Sophia off and address what remains of the mob.\nIt is time for Sophia to
stand trial. They will judge her in the name of the people of Anizotte.\nThis woman
was plotting to destroy the city and start a bloodbath that would doom us all,
commoners and the other estates alike!\nFor the sake of the people, Sophia must be
sentenced to true death!
A volley of gunshots. Sophia is hurled against the wall. Shaking violently, she
collapses to the ground.\nHer eyes, which had shone with a livid yellow glow just
moments ago, are extinguished forever.\nThe soldiers slowly lower their firearms.
You turn to the silent crowd.\nThe verdict of the People’s Court has been carried
out!
The citizens have saved Anizotte from death and destruction. Tonight we must also
save it from the Legion!\nWe will no longer be led by Sophia’s blind hatred. We
will stand firm! We know what we are fighting for!\n
You see hope return to the faces of the disconcerted people.\nThey were shaken by
Sophia’s death, but you showed them a new goal, and they have cast their fears
aside.\n“Lead us, Brante!”\n
Even the old guard of the Last Straw who have always been loyal to Sophia will
follow you.
The Revolt city has accepted you as its new leader.
Meanwhile, the watchmen at the gate bring news. The Legion is only a few hours
away. The final battle is drawing near.Will the outcome of the Revolt be decided in
combat, or is there a peaceful solution? It all depends on the actions you take in
the coming hours.
You keep your men away from the crowd and observe the situation from afar.\nThis
matter will be decided without your interference.
The door of the Chancellery swings open, and Sophia emerges before the thousands of
people gathered in the square.\nHer silhouette seems to blaze in the light of the
setting sun. She raises a clenched fist in the air, demanding silence.\nThe
enormous crowd instantly ceases its murmuring.
Sophia lifts her hands high. Her eyes gleam with yellow light.\nThe mob
involuntarily grows quiet and watches its leader, rapt with attention. Sophia’s
golden glow is reflected in thousands of eyes.
“That’s right — war! No mercy! Nobles, defenders of the Old Faith, the tyrants of
the old regime — they will all be executed by the People’s Court. Every single
enemy of the Anizotte Revolt will be eliminated!
“Arm yourselves! Find and execute our enemies before the Legion reaches the city!
And then, when the bell tolls, go to the walls. We will unite the entire city and
take our freedom by force!”
The people echo Sophia’s cry.\nArtisans, merchants, peasants from the outskirts of
Anizotte — they all take up arms and join the ranks of the Last Straw.\nThe crowd
storms the streets, ready to unleash its wrath against temples and noble houses
alike.
You lead your supporters out of the square. The time for the last battle has come.\
nThe watchmen inform you that the Legion is only a few hours away.\nWill the
outcome of the Revolt be decided in combat, or is there a peaceful solution? It all
depends on the actions you take in the coming hours.
The mob’s hopes are vain.\nSophia is not coming to lead them. You have made sure of
that.
You keep your men away from the crowd and remain aloof, observing from afar.
No one emerges to address to eager mob.\nCries of “Sophia! Sophia!” eventually give
way to murmurs of discontent.\n“Where is she? Could she really have abandoned us
now, at the moment of truth?”
The soldiers of the Last Straw are just as confused.\nThe rebel preacher Fuad steps
forward again.
“Do not fret, my brethren! Sophia has merely been detained. She will join us soon!”
But the furious crowd can no longer be appeased.\n“She’s been taken by the
Arknians! Otton is holding her captive!”\n“No! She was executed by the Last Straw,
killed by her own men!”\n“That’s a lie! She fled the city! She’s betrayed us!”\
n“Sophia died for us! Anyone who tries to sully her good name is a traitor!”\n
Sensing an incipient riot, people begin to flee the square.\nSoon only the most
loyal Last Straw soldiers remain by the Chancellery, vainly trying to rally and
reunite the fleeing commoners.
You have achieved your goal. The rebel forces are now leaderless.\nYou order your
supporters to leave the square.
Meanwhile, the watchmen bring news: The Legion is only a few hours away. The final
battle is drawing near.Will the outcome of the Revolt be decided in combat, or is
there a peaceful solution? It all depends on the actions you take in the coming
hours.
Hearth and Home
While you are busy preparing, night falls over Anizotte.\nThe darkness brings
disorder, lawlessness, and chaos.
In the dark, madmen, robbers, and looters flood the city. These gangs have no
interest in the fate of the Empire or the Revolt.\nThey see the uprising as a sign
that the end of the world is nigh.\nAnd if the Wrath of the Gods is at hand, then
everything is permitted.\n
Upon hearing reports of gangs roaming the streets, you sense danger.\nWhat is to
stop them from attacking your home?\nYour people may need you, but you will never
abandon your family!\n
Taking a squad of loyal men with you, you hurry to your home district.\nYour
instinct proves to be correct. Even before reaching your street, you smell smoke.
Sir Tibor’s school is ablaze. The old man was hurled out a third-story window and
impaled on the sharp spikes of the gate below.\nAshes from dozens of burning books
blanket the ground like black snow.
Tommas’s old house lies in ruins.\nBreathless, you run up the street. Your men can
barely keep up with you.\nYou hope you are not too late...
You round the last turn.\nThere it is, the gate of your ancestral home!
You see dozens of figures approaching by the light of the burning houses.\nThe
thugs are close — too close!
You run through the gate and into the house.
Your men stay to guard the outside.\nYou hastily open the door.
Your father is on the doorstep, sword in hand.\nHe recognizes you and lets out a
sigh of relief.\n
“It’s you, <username>! I’m so glad you’re here! The bastards have burned down half
the district, and they’re on their way here...”
He is cut short.\nThe living room window is shattered. A torch lands on the floor.\
nYou quickly stamp out the flames.\n
A battle is in full swing in the front yard.\nA massive crowd is furiously
attacking your soldiers without any regard for their own safety.
The looters are led by a rugged, half-naked old man clad in rags. Horrible scars on
his wrists and ankles reveal his past as a convict.\nHe yells franticly in your
direction, his shrieks cutting through the din of the fray.\n
“The world is coming to an end! We’ve disobeyed the Twins, and they’re punishing
us. There ain’t no punishment worse than this, so there ain’t nothing to fear!
These are our last hours! Do whatever you want!”
The crowd bellows in support of the old man.\nYour soldiers fall one after another
beneath the onslaught of the rabid gang.
“The Twins have damned us all. We’ve been damned for your sins, you filthy nobles,
you false priests!\n“But before we face our final judgment, we’ll dole out a little
punishment of our own, hee hee hee! We’ll take our revenge on you before we die.
Our judgment cometh!”
The horde crushes your squad’s resistance and approaches the house.\nThe stomping
of their feet shakes the windows.\nYour father looks at you in despair.
“They want to execute us! What do we do, son?”
Die for your home
Kill the leader
Fight for your home
Subdue the thugs
Call in the troops
Convince them that you are on their side
Flee alone
You rush into a hopeless fight for your home.
You and your father join forces and kill the gang’s insane leader.
You, your father, and Stephan route the gang.
You use your popularity with the common folk to appease the angry mob.
You will sneak out and bring back reinforcements. But one of you will have to
provide a distraction.
You inform the gang that your family supports the Revolt and defends the rights of
the commoners.
In order to survive and continue the fight, you will have to abandon your home and
your family.
There are too many enraged thugs.\nYou are doomed, but the <el> Brante family will
not surrender without a fight.\nYou walk out the front door to face your death with
dignity.\n
“Take ‘em alive! That one there is Judge <el> Brante! Let’s give him a little taste
of our judgement right now!”
The maniacal looters charge at you. Father takes the first of them down with a few
swift lunges, but new thugs immediately take their place.\nYou fight with all your
might, but you cannot hold back such a frenzied mob.\nYou are knocked to the ground
and bound.\n
They all come at you, kicking and punching.\nYou writhe on the ground, hearing your
family scream.\nBut you cannot help them anymore.
The old leader leans over you.
“You shouldn’t have resisted us, you fool! Now you’ll be the last to die. You’ll
watch your whole family die before your very eyes, hee hee hee!”
You are dragged back into the house.\nYou try to struggle, but your body will not
obey. You feel blood dripping from your mouth.\nYour family’s screams echo
throughout the house.
“<username>! Son! Where are you?!”
You try to answer, but you do not have the strength.
“The end of the world is nigh! No one can stop us anymore — not the nobles, not the
priests, not even the Twins Themselves! In our final hours, we’re taking power into
our hands. Feel our wrath!\n“<el> Brante family! We hereby sentence you to true
death by fire!”
The old man’s supporters hurl torches through the windows.\nThe flames engulf the
building in a matter of seconds. You can barely see through the smoke.
“Our verdict has been carried out! We’ve punished the nobles! Well, off we go! Our
campaign has just begun, hee hee!”
Is this the end?\nYour home, your family, your hopes and dreams — will they all go
up in flames?
One by one, the screams of your loved ones fall silent.
The tree in the front yard that once protected you and Nathan from the midday heat
is now a massive torch.
The attic where Gloria used to hide to secretly write her poetry crumbles in a
torrent of sparks.
The dining room where Stephan used to entertain high-ranking guests is consumed by
the blaze.
The bedroom where you saw your parents’ faces for the first time is in flames.
Your memories help you bear the searing pain of the fire once it finally reaches
you.\nBut smoke soon fills your lungs. You cannot breathe.
The groan of your house as it comes crashing down around you is the last sound you
hear.\nYour life and suffering have come to an end.
You are whisked away toward a blinding light.
Your answer comes without any hesitation.You must fight to the end!\nYes, there is
an entire crowd attacking you. But they are mere commoners who have never even held
a sword before. Once they see true swordsmen, they will yield!\n
They have a lone maniacal false preacher leading them — without him, they will
flee.
“Wise words, son. We’ll fight back to back — no one can defeat us!\n“It’s too bad
Stephan is no longer with us. I know he would have fought for this house to the
very end.
For a moment, Father looks far off into the distance, but then the sorrow leaves
his face, and his eyes are on you again.
“I have made many mistakes in my life... but I have raised a brave son!”
You fling the door wide open, ready to meet your assailants face to face.
“Take ‘em alive! Those two, the father and son — they’re the <el> Brante judges!
Let’s give ‘em a little taste of our judgement right now!”
The enraged looters attack you.\nFather takes them down with a few swift lunges,
but new thugs immediately take their place.
The thugs’ onslaught intensifies.\nBut you skillfully deflect their attacks,
standing back to back, keeping the enemy at bay.\nYou know Father’s fighting style
perfectly — he is the one who gave you your first fencing lessons, after all.
Without even glancing at each other, you know when to strike and when to shield the
other swordsman.
“There’s just two of ‘em! What are you afraid of, you cowards!”
The insane preacher elbows his way to the front, a huge torrent of followers in his
wake.
This is your chance! Like a deadly hurricane, you tear through the enemies to get
to their leader.\nHe raises his axe aloft, aiming for Father’s head.
But your trusty sword is quicker.\nYou knock the weapon from the madman’s hand.
A moment later, Father runs his sword straight through the gang leader’s throat
with perfect precision.
Father’s voice booms above the battle.
“Run, you bastards! Leave our home, and never come back!”
The mob hesitates.\nOne by one, the looters drop their weapons and flee.
You have won!
Breathing heavily, you exchange a tired glance with Father.\nYou have successfully
defended your ancestral home.\n
“Well, <username>... I’m certainly glad you had the gall to pick up a sword as a
lad!”
With a sigh of relief, he lowers his weapon — only now do you notice how violently
his hands are shaking.
You tell him that you cannot stay any longer.\nPreparations still need to be made
for the final battle.
“I understand, son. Take care. I hope to see you again soon.”
You order a small squad to guard the house in case of another attack, say goodbye
to Father, and leave to face your destiny.\nIt is almost midnight.
Stephan comes out behind you in full battle gear. There is not even a hint of fear
or hesitation in his face.\nCarefully approaching the window, he counts the
assailants and smirks.
“Not too many commoners for a decent swordsman!”
“This is too time for arrogance, Stephan. Instead of congratulating yourself on a
victory not yet won, think about how we can defeat them.”
You are first to answer father's question.\nYes, there is an entire crowd attacking
you. But they are mere commoners who have never even held a sword before. Once they
see true swordsmen, they will yield!\nThey have a lone maniacal false preacher
leading them — without him, they will flee.
Stephan clenches his fists.
“Wise words, brother. Father and I are skilled at fighting back to back. No lowborn
scum will ever get close to us!”
Father pauses for a moment in contemplation.
“I have made many a mistake in my life... but I have raised brave sons!”
You cannot hold them back for long!\nYour father and brother are your only hope
now. Covering each other’s backs, they skillfully fend off the assailants.\nThe
enemy outnumbers them, but their training gives them a decisive edge.
“There are only three of ‘em! What are you afraid of, you cowards!”
Spying the leader, you shout: now!\nThis is your chance! Like a deadly hurricane,
you tear through the enemies to reach the old madman.\nHe raises his axe aloft,
aiming for Father’s head.
But Stephan’s sword is quicker.\nHe knocks the weapon from the elderly thug’s hand.
A split second later, he runs his sword straight through the man’s throat with
perfect precision.
Your elder brother’s voice booms above the battle.
Breathing heavily, you exchange tired glances with your father and brother.\nYou
have defended your ancestral home.\n
With a sigh of relief, Father lowers his weapon. Only now do you notice how
violently his hands are shaking.
“Thank the Twins! I was so afraid I’d lose you both...”
“Me, die at the hands of those pathetic wretches? Not likely, Father! That’s not
the way you raised us!”
“Well, <username>... I suppose it’s a good thing I taught you to put upstart rabble
in their place back when you were a boy!”
You cannot stay any longer.\nThe preparations for the decisive battle are not
finished.
“And I hope you know what you’re up against, <username>. Regardless... good luck,
brother.”
You leave a small squad behind in case of another attack, you say your goodbyes and
take off to face your fate.\nIt is almost midnight.
You calmly tell Father that he has nothing to fear.\nAll the commoners of Anizotte
know you — even the madmen surrounding your house.
Without a trace of fear, you fling the door open and walk out to face the enraged
horde unarmed.
“He came out by himself! Take him alive!”
With an imperious gesture, you stop the thugs in their tracks.\nYou inform them
that you are <username> Brante, one of the leaders of the Revolt! Surely they know
your name?
The crowd hesitates.\n“Hey... it really is him!”\n“All the common folk support
Brante!”\n“He ain’t no enemy of ours...”
Now that you have their attention, you continue your speech.\nThe end of the world
is not coming. A new day is about to dawn.\nThis old lunatic is leading them down a
path that will doom their lives — nay, their very souls — just when the Revolt is
just one step away from victory!
“Lies! Do you really think this man is your leader? He’s just tryin’ to save his
own hide, even though the end of the world is comin’!\n“This Brante and his ilk are
just as rotten as the powers that be! The end times is already upon us, but they
still wanna damn you all to an even worse fate! Let’s punish the lot of ‘em, hee
hee hee!”
But the the insane prophet’s followers are starting to grumble.\n“No way we’re
goin’ after Brante!” \n“He’s no tyrant!”\n“Leave him be, old man!”\n
The elderly gang leader grits his teeth.\nSome of his supporters slowly approach
him, their knives drawn.\nHe has no choice but to admit defeat.
“Fine, have it your way! Looks like folks have decided to spare you and your house.
But remember, you can’t escape the ultimate punishment. It’s comin’ for us all, hee
hee!
“And know this — we’ll spread word of your hypocrisy all over the city. While poor
folks is gettin’ ready to fight the Legion with their bare hands, you’re holed up
in your fine house like a damn coward!
“Let’s go! Other sinners await!”
The bloodthirsty horde careens away from your home.\nYou heave a sigh of relief.
Visibly shaken, Father stumbles out into the front yard.
“By the Gods... you routed them with words alone! It’s hard to believe that my own
son has such power over the people!”
You embrace Father warmly.But you cannot stay any longer. The preparations for the
decisive battle are not finished.
You carefully peer out the window.\nThe attackers are too many. Your small squad
has already fallen.\nThere is only one chance for you to protect your home: call in
reinforcements. You could sneak outside and dash to where your men are stationed...
But if you are to return to something more than a heap of smoldering ash, someone
must stall the attackers until help arrives.
“I’m afraid that if they see me, they won’t even bother to talk, son...”
Nathan suddenly speaks from behind Father. His voice is unusually firm.
“I’ll go. I have something to tell them.”
He squares his shoulders, his gaze fixed resolutely before him.\nIs this really
your little brother?
Father blocks his way.
“No, Nathan! Come to your senses!”
You put your hand on Father’s shoulder.\nThe family has always considered Nathan a
failure. But you know that he is anything but.\nLet him speak to the crowd.
Father steps aside, staring at his youngest son in astonishment.\nNathan flings the
door open and walks out to face the enraged horde.
“Hey, one of ‘em came out on his own! Take him alive!”
Paying the old madman no heed, Nathan begins his speech.\nHe speaks quietly, but
sincerely, and the furious crowd soon falls into a strange stupor.
“Listen to me, people. I know your suffering. I used to be just like your leader. I
lost my faith in the Twins. I thought They hated us, Their own creation, and that
was why They doomed us to eternal misery, both in this world and the next.
“But then the truth was revealed to me. I beheld the Elder up close, just as I see
you now. I saw pity writ upon His face. And he gave me an omen.\n“Let it be known
that He has descended to this world again! He will behold our suffering. He will
show us mercy. The world will not end!”
Upon hearing Nathan’s words, the crowd murmurs in awe.\nCould one of the Twins
really be speaking through him?
But you have no time to think.\nYou dash out to the back yard. Several thugs await
you there.\nDesperation lends you strength. You run past your foes, leap over the
fence in a single bound, and land in the darkness of the back alley.
Run, Brante! Don’t stop!
Your heart is pounding in your chest. You never knew you could run so fast.\nYou
just hope you are not too late!
At last, you reach your troops.\nFrantically shouting orders, you assemble a large
unit and immediately head back.
When you finally return to the house, you hear furious cries.\nNathan’s sermon is
being drowned out by the frantic shrieks of the false prophet.
“How long are you gonna listen to him, you fools? He’s just a noble brat tryin’ to
bargain for a few more minutes to live! He ain’t even a priest! You think the Elder
really spoke to him?! It’s all lies!
Not daring to defy the old man, the crowd is about to hurl torches into the house.\
nThis order your men to attack.
Your squad rushes through the gate.\nThe lowborn thugs are caught unawares, but
their leader urges them to fight.
The hordes fights fiercely, sparing neither their enemies nor themselves.\nYour
soldiers were not expecting such resistance from indigent rabble.\nYou lead your
troops forward relentlessly, but they take heavy casualties.
“Fight ‘em! Punish ‘em! We got nothin’ more to fear! The end times is already here,
hee hee!”
Axe in hand, the old madman rushes at Nathan as he calls out to the Twins.
“To the Foot of the Pillar with you, heretic!”
You shout at the top of your lungs: Nathan! Run!
The door swings open.\nFather dashes out to help his youngest son.
The leader of the mob raises his axe, aiming for Nathan’s head.\nBut your brother
just stares back at him, completely still.
Suddenly, the old man’s hand begins to tremble.\nThe weapon falls out from his
fingers. He gapes into Nathan’s eyes in bewilderment.
A split second later, Father runs his sword straight through the man’s throat with
perfect precision.
His voice booms above the battle.
The mob hesitates.\nOne by one, the looters drop their weapons and flee. If Nathan
is right and the sun really will rise tomorrow, they still have much to lose...\n
Breathing heavily, you exchange tired glances with your father and younger
brother.\nYou have defended your ancestral home.\n
Father lowers his weapon with a sigh of relief.
“<username>, Nathan... I was so afraid I’d lose you both...”
Nathan smiles serenely, as though a bloody battle had not been waged in front of
him.
“The Twins love us, Father. Soon They will release this world from its suffering.”
You embrace your father and younger brother warmly.\nBut you cannot stay any
longer. The preparations for the decisive battle are not finished.
“May the Twins protect you, brother!”
You leave part of your squad behind in case of another attack, you say your
goodbyes and take off to face your fate.\nIt is almost midnight.
You will not be able to hold them off for long.\nBut even this angry rabble must
understand that you are no enemy of theirs. Your family has openly supported the
Revolt!
“But how, <username>?! To those madmen, we’re just a noble family that deserves to
be punished for the world’s sins!”
Suddenly, you hear your sister’s voice ring out from behind you.\n
“In that case, we need to tell them they’ve made a mistake. Let me go. I’ll talk to
them.”
Her lips are trembling slightly, but her eyes are filled with determination.
Father stands in the doorway, blocking it with his arms.
“No, Gloria! They’ll tear you apart! Come to your senses!”
You put your hand on Father’s shoulder.\nGloria bears the Brante name for a reason.
She has the right to defend her family. You both know that she is capable of far
more than just patiently awaiting her fate.\nLet Gloria speak to the crowd. She
will not be alone. You will aid her.
Father steps aside with a sigh.\nGloria squeezes your hand. You go out to face the
raging mob together.
“Look, it’s our nobles! They can’t wait to accept their punishment, hee hee hee!”
Without so much as a glance at the insane leader, Gloria addresses the crowd
fearlessly and passionately.
“People! This madman has no idea of what he’s talking about!\n“I am Gloria Brante.
I was born poor. I don’t even know the name of the man who sired me. I don’t have
to tell you how cruel and full of sorrow our world is.\n“And I would still be one
of you if this family hadn’t taken me in!
“You blame all the nobles for your troubles. But Robert Brante has been kinder to
me than any commoner. He accepted me, a penniless, lowborn girl, as his own
daughter. He’s devoted his entire life to defending the rights of people like us!”
The crowd is bewildered by Gloria’s words.\nEven the old madman has nothing to say.
“Today we, the Brante family, are fighting for the Revolt alongside the common
estate.\n“We are fighting for a new tomorrow! For freedom for the people! We want
to build a life that is fair and just for everyone — the poor, the nobles, and the
clergy alike!”
The leader of the gang finally spits out the rage simmering within him.
“Are you really gonna listen to this nobles trollop?! She’s lyin’ to you! This
world has no future!\n“The Twins hate us for our sins. Nobody can be redeemed.
Follow me! Let’s take our revenge, hee hee!”\n
The old man raises a rusty axe and dashes through the crowd toward the porch.\
nGloria grips your hand and stands her ground.
You desperately shout to the crowd, urging them to come to their senses. This
madman wants to doom them before anything has even been decided!
Someone reaches out from the mob and grabs the leader by the arm. Others do the
same.\nThe old man stops, still holding his axe.
“What?! Instead of me, who’s suffered through all the worst this world has to
offer, you believe them noble brats?!”
But the people have made their choice and reached their verdict. They surround
their former leader.\nThe old madman disappears, engulfed by the crowd. You hear a
wail of agony.\nAnd then it is over.
Finally, silence falls. Dozens of eyes are fixed on you and Gloria.\nFather walks
out of the house, lays his sword on the ground, and gets down on one knee.
“Thank you. Thank you for trusting us. We will not let you down!”
The people have never seen a nobleman behave like this before.\nYou hear hesitant
cries.\n“Brante! Brante’s with us!”\n“He’s with the Revolt! We’re still fighting!”
Gloria turns to you and Father, smiling.
“Thank you for believing in me!”\n
“I’ve raised a wonderful daughter. My only regret is that it took me so long to
call you my child...”
You embrace your father and sister warmly.\nBut you cannot stay any longer. The
preparations for the decisive battle are not finished.
“I understand, son. I’ll spend the rest of the night trying to get more commoners
from nearby districts to join us.\n“Take care. I hope to see you again soon.
“Even if we don’t see each other during the battle, know that I am by your side!”
You stare at the approaching crowd, terrified.\nThere is nothing you can do to stop
them. You are doomed!
“<username>?! Say something!”
You have to flee!\nThere is no other way. You cannot escape together. You will each
have to find your own way out.
“Hold on, son! This is our home!”
Another torch is thrown through the window. More and more follow.\nYour ancestral
home is ablaze.
You cast a farewell glance at your father, then turn around and run.\nYou dash to
the back yard. Several thugs await you there.\nDesperation lends you strength. You
run past your foes, leap over the fence in a single bound, and land in the darkness
of the back alley.
You hear the din of battle and the roar of the flames raging behind you, but you do
not look back.\nRun, Brante! Don’t stop!\n
Only once you round the corner do you dare to look over your shoulder.
The verdict of the frenzied horde echoes from the house.
One by one, the distant screams of your loved ones fall silent.
Finally, the house crumbles with a deafening crash.\nYou could not have saved them.
The <el> Brante family is no more.\nBut your path has not come to an end. You have
saved your own life, and now you will do all you can to make sure their sacrifices
were not in vain.
You turn and gaze at the lurid glow of the fire one last time, then step into the
darkness.\nIt is almost midnight. You still have a part to play in Anizotte’s fate.
The Final Hour
It is mere moments from midnight.\nThe glow of the Shining Pillar is barely visible
behind the crimson clouds coming in from the north.\n
But the darkness hanging above the city is dissipated by countless lights.\nCrowds
of people holding torches. Stakes burning in the squares. Houses in flames.
The glow of the fires can also be seen from beyond the city walls.\nThe Legion
marches down the road, inexorably approaching the gate of a city in the throes of
rebellion.
The final battle draws near.All the troops still loyal to the Overseer and the
Empire are flocking to the ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace, where you have
established your base.\nYou used to play here as a child, but now it serves as a
base of operations for the fight against the insurgents.
Armored nobles assemble into squadrons.\nSome hastily-armed commoners who do not
trust the rebels have agreed to follow them.\nThe priests who have sided with you
are preparing to appeal to the insurgents and exhort them to lay down their arms in
the name of the Twins.
The insurgents have gained a foothold by the city gate, and preparations are in
full swing at their camp as well.\nTheir fate will be decided soon — will they win
their freedom, or endure brutal retribution for violating the sacred order of the
Empire?
There is almost no time left.\nJust enough for one last attempt to tip the scales
in your favor.
Will you spend this final hour appealing to one of your allies for help? Or would
it be wiser to wait and muster your forces for the final battle?\nDo you plan to
crush the Revolt by force, or persuade the insurgents to lay down their arms
voluntarily?\nThe fate of Anizotte is in your hands.
Go see El Borne
Ask Jeanne for help
Ask Otton for reinforcements
Save your strength
You ask the prefect to join forces and try to rein in the rebellious citizens
before the Legion arrives.
Father and Stephan have assembled an entire squadron of noble cavalry beneath their
banner. You must combine your forces while you still can.
You will be able to win over more commoners with Jeanne’s passionate sermons.
The Arknian nobleman will certainly agree to help you and give you troops.
Your preparations are complete. All you need to do now is save your strength for
the moment of truth.
While the city squares are consumed by unrest, the defenders of the Empire will be
too busy breaking up street brawls to assist the Legion when it arrives.\nYou need
to do all you can to break up the gangs of rebelling commoners.
While there is still time, you take a few trusted men and head to the Prefecture.
El Borne greets you on the stairs, surrounded by gendarmes.You waste no time and
promptly ask the prefect to place the gendarmes under your command.\nEl Borne nods
somberly and turns to the defenders of law and order.
“Gendarmes! When you began your service at the Prefecture, it was not to take up
arms against the simple folk. You came here to maintain order and defend our
citizens against lawlessness, whatever their estate.
“But a dark day is upon us. It is our duty to save Anizotte from chaos and
destruction. We have been unable to convince the insurgents with words... so now
your clubs will have to do the talking for you.\n“Purge the streets of rebellion.
Pave the way for the Overseer’s army. <username> <el> Brante will lead you!”
An intimidating cordon of gendarmes marches down the main streets of the city,
beating their clubs against their shields in a measured rhythm.\nYou lead the
squadron, dispersing the rebellious crowds and dismantling barricades as you go.\
nThe gendarmes swing their clubs right and left, quickly routing those who resist
them.
Over the course of an hour you manage to quash disturbances in a significant
portion of Anizotte’s main squares.\nBut the insurgents’ main forces have
established a foothold by the city gate. The gendarmes’ numbers are not sufficient
to attack them.
Midnight strikes. You can hear the menacing tread of the Legion outside the city
walls.\nThe time has come.\nYou order your troops to assemble and prepare to head
for the gate.
You spend your remaining hours searching for your father and Stephan.\nThis proves
to be a difficult task in a city consumed by rebellion. As darkness falls, a number
of couriers are intercepted and executed by the insurgents.
You eventually get word that your brother and father have assembled a company of
noble horsemen still loyal to the Overseer.\nThis is wonderful news — right now,
every soldier counts!
You wait expectantly until your father and Stephan appear by the headquarters,
noble cavalrymen in tow.\nThey are still visibly shaken after the attack on your
house. Their clothes are gray with soot, their blades — crimson with blood.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, brother. The streets are teeming with rebellious mobs —
we had to fight our way through.
“Father and I will lead the cavalry in a flanking maneuver.\n“Let’s show this
rabble what the <el> Brantes are worth!”
Stephan makes his horse prance and lets loose a battle cry.
“Save your passion for the battle, Stephan. It will be a hard one.”
Father dismounts and puts his hand on your shoulder.
“Even if we lose sight of each other during the battle... remember that we’re
always by your side, son!”
You shake his hand firmly in response.
In order to crush the Revolt, you will have to win over more commoners. At this
point the word of the Twins is the only thing still capable of influencing those
with lingering doubts.\nYou take a small squad and immediately set out to find
Jeanne.
While passing through the smokey, soot-covered Brass District, you find Jeanne
surrounded by a large crowd.\nThey are listening to her sermon. Her voice is filled
with righteous might, as though the prophet Isatius himself were speaking.
“I understand the reason for your rage, people!\n“The Church has been poisoned by
heresy for many years. It has allowed the nobles to drive you to untold depths of
despair, offering nothing by way of consolation or guidance.\n
“But now, at long last, salvation has come! Cassius the heretic has been cast down.
The Church will pursue its sacred mission once more: saving your souls so you can
ascend to the Peak of the Shining Pillar!”
You join Jeanne and extend both arms toward the crowd.\nCassius’s heresy has
brought unrest and delusion to this province. But that heresy has been defeated.\
nThe path toward order, justice, and eternal bliss in the hereafter is now open to
the people of Anizotte once more.\nBut, in order to return to that path, true
believers must fight the Revolt and defeat those who spit on the Twins’ grand
design. If they do, the Church of the Twin Gods will tend to their souls!
The commoners reverently fold their hands in prayer and kneel before your righteous
ardor.\nAfter receiving this admonition from you, the crowd of believers goes
around the district, urging their neighbors to lay down their arms and refrain from
defying the Old Faith.
You have many soldiers under your command, but they may still not be enough to deal
with the rebellious horde.\nYour troops need to be reinforced with seasoned
warriors who have trained for combat from an early age.
Fortunately, you have managed to form some unexpected alliances over the course of
the day.\nYou head for the Silver District, where the noble militia is assembling
under the command of Sir Otton.
The Arknian briskly gives his officers the last of his orders.\nYou sense anxiety
in his imperious voice. Despite his pride, not even Otton knows how this night will
end.
“Brante? What are you doing here? I thought you’d be preparing your troops for the
attack.”
You bow your head and explain to the Arknian commander that you have come seeking
aid.\nCould he send some of the noble cavalry to assist you?
Otton looks down his nose at you.
“I knew you wouldn’t get far without me, Brante. Under ordinary circumstances, I
wouldn’t place a single noble warrior under the command of a human with one foot
still in the gutter. But we are on the same side today.
“I’ll send a squad of horsemen to join you. You owe me, Brante. Don’t let my
goodwill go to waste.”
You gallop back to your camp, followed by fifty riders clad in shining armor.\
nRebellious commoners scatter in fear at the sight of you.\n
This day has already turned out to be the most arduous of your entire life — and
the hardest part is yet to come.\nYou need to take advantage of this lull to clear
your mind. Who knows? Perhaps your inner strength is what will decide the outcome
of the coming clash.
You leave the army’s noisy preparations behind, sit on a half-crumbled chunk of
wall, and watch the faint glow of the Shining Pillar in the dark sky.\nYour
memories bring you back to a time when these ruins were just the site of your
childish play. In your mind’s eye, you see young faces of Tommas, Stephan,
Gloria... but that is all in the past now.
It is mere moments from midnight.\nThe glow of the Shining Pillar is barely visible
behind the crimson clouds coming in from the north.
The final battle draws near.All the forces that have chosen to defy the Overseer
and the Empire flock to the city gate, where you have set up your base.\nThe
soldiers of the Last Straw assemble commoners into squads and hastily arm them.
Other rebels are led by nobles of the Mantle and former members of the Legion who
have joined the Revolt.\nThe priests who have sided with you will spread the Word
of the Twins from the city walls, attempting to convince the Legion soldiers to
retreat and allow the people of Anizotte to be free of the Lots.
Preparations are also in full swing at the camp of the defenders of the old order,
who have established a foothold in the ruins of Char Milanidas’s palace.\nSoon
their fate will be decided — will they crush the Revolt with the aid of the Legion,
or be crushed themselves by the new era?
Will you spend this final hour appealing to one of your allies for help? Or would
it be wiser to wait and muster your forces for the final battle?\nWill you attempt
to defeat the Legion and the Overseer’s army in combat, or persuade them to retreat
without engaging in battle?\nThe fate of Anizotte is in your hands.
Ask Lennart for help
Gather the soldiers of the Last Straw
Muster your forces
The prefect will help you win over the nobles who have yet to choose a side.
You ask Patriarch Lennart to give a sermon and convert as many citizens as possible
to the New Faith.
Father and Gloria will find a way to inspire the common folk to fight to the end.
Sophia is willing to transfer all of the Last Straw’s soldiers to your command.
There are many highborn families in Anizotte that have not yet responded to Otton’s
appeal to join the noble militia. They have preferred to lock themselves up in
their mansions and avoid waging war against the lowborn.\nThey could still be won
over to your side, but you will need help from a high-ranking nobleman.
El Borne greets you on the stairs, surrounded by gendarmes.He accepts your request
eagerly.
“You’re right, <el> Brante. There are many nobles who are uncertain as to what fate
will befall them if the Revolt wins. We need to reassure them if we want to gain
their support.”
With the help of the gendarmes, you send out an appeal to all the noble houses you
consider dependable.\nEl Borne signs the letters to each family personally.
“Noble sirs, you know me as a man of honor. I have been a loyal servant to the
Overseer, but my ultimate duty is to uphold the law and ensure justice for all the
estates. The high-handedness of the noble elite and their neglect of their Lot —
which is to rule the lowly estate with care and wisdom — has led the people of
Anizotte to the brink of despair.\n“This is why I have sided with the Revolt, and I
encourage you to do the same!
“May it be known that once our victory has been achieved, none of you will face
reprisal. I, Prefect El Borne, hereby swear that anyone who supports the Revolt in
word or deed will obtain a rightful place in the newly-transformed city of
Anizotte!”
The messengers return one by one, bringing back news that noble families have
agreed not to stand in the way of the Revolt. Only a few of them leave El Borne’s
appeal unanswered.\nThe support of the nobles will be of great value in the
critical hours of the confrontation.
Midnight strikes. You can hear the menacing tread of the Legion outside the city
walls.\nThe time has come.\nYou order your troops to assemble and prepare to defend
the wall.
In order to crush the Legion, you will have to win over more commoners and
clergymen. At this point the word of the Twins is the only thing still capable of
influencing those with lingering doubts.\nYou take a small squad and immediately
set out for the Temple at the Silver Tree.
The square in front of the Temple is packed with people. It has become filled with
tents and crude barracks in a matter of hours.\nPatriarch Lennart and his flock are
helping the wounded, sharing food and shelter with the commoners.
The newly-elected patriarch is so exhausted, he can barely stand, but he still
finds enough strength to offer you a friendly greeting.\n
“Brother <username>! I’m so glad to see you escaped the carnage. How may I be of
help?”
You get right to the point.\nAlthough Lennart was elected patriarch in the sight of
the Twins Themselves, there are still many Old Believers among the people of
Anizotte.\nThis is his last chance to win them over — he must not squander it!
“You are quite right, brother. I must speak to them. Let your people bring those
who hesitate hither, beneath the Silver Tree.\n“I will promise my guardianship and
the protection of the Twins Themselves to all who come to the Temple and accept the
New Faith!”
You order your people to spread the word of the patriarch’s promise. A communion
ceremony will be held by the Silver Tree tonight.
Despite all the disturbances and fighting in the streets, many commoners and
priests still gather for the sermon.\nThe Shining Pillar glimmers above the square.
The leaves of the Silver Tree suddenly rustle so loudly, they drown out the
drumbeat of the oncoming Legion.
Lennart addresses the crowd gathered before him.\nEven on a night as troubled as
this, his resonant voice still instills hope in those who hear it.
“My brothers and sisters in faith! I, the first patriarch of Magra chosen by the
people, have glad tidings for you.\n“The Lots are no more! You are all free to
choose your own path in this wordly life!”
An excited murmur ripples throughout the crowd.\n“But what if you’re wrong,
Lennart?”\n“What if we disobey the Will of the Twins and get sent to the Foot of
the Pillar to endure eternal torment?!”
“I understand your fears. But they are nothing before the great Will of the Twins.
And today, Their Will has acknowledged the New Faith!”
Upon hearing this, an awed hush falls over the crowd. Both commoners and clergymen
kneel obediently to accept the New Faith.
“No, my brethren! Stand! You have knelt long enough! Neither the sword nor the lash
will ever touch you again. Only the Word of the Twins will guide you to the Peak of
the Pillar. As you hear Their Word, stall, as equals. Accept Their blessing!”
Dumbfounded, not quite believing their ears, the people rise to their feet.
“I, Lennart, Patriarch of Magra by the Will of the people and the Twins, hereby
accept you into the bosom of our new Church.\n“From this day forth, your only Lot
is the one you choose for yourselves. Your destiny is your own. Fight for it, and
you shall be victorious!”
The Temple square shakes with shouts of joy.\nEven the Silver Tree itself seems to
echo these cried, its roots and branches quivering.
Many of your soldiers are workers and artisans who are going into battle for the
first time.\nTo make sure they do not falter at this crucial moment, you must
inspire them to put up a real fight.
You order your people to find your father and Gloria.\nBoth soon arrive at your
headquarters by the city gate.\nThey are still shaken after the attack on your
home, but they keep their wits about them.
You ask Father and Gloria to lift the morale of your inexperienced army.\nYou have
done all you could on your own.\nPerhaps your sister, who has defended the lowly
estate since she was a girl, and your father, a man celebrated among the people for
his fairness, can help you.
“We’ll do everything we can. Isn’t that right, my daughter?”
Father climbs a flight of stairs by the city gate and addresses the uneven ranks of
armed commoners.\nYou can hear the beat of the Legion’s drums, but at this moment,
Father’s usually soft voice drowns out their martial din.
“Free people of Anizotte! You know how hard I and my comrades worked to achieve
justice and equity for you. We were unable to obtain it peacefully, but we will
never give up. It is time for you to take what is yours by force!
“In order to be with you here today, I have risked everything — my position, my
noble title, even my family.\n“I expect no less from you! Dare to seize your due,
and your efforts — your sacrifices — will not be in vain!”
The ragtag army meets the former judge’s speech with enthusiastic cries.\nNext,
Gloria ascends the wall to speak to the commoners.
Your sister takes a deep breath and starts reciting poetry with all the fervor she
can muster.\nYou recognize the poem instantly — it is one Gloria found in an old
book in Father’s library when she was a little girl. She used to read it to you in
secret, but you did not grasp its meaning back then.
“The banner of freedom, flying so high,\nWhat keeps it aloft? What manner of wind?\
nThe sighs of the famished are helping it fly —\nLet the chase for our Freedom
begin!\nExhausted by battle, blind to the light,\nOur hearts beat as one — we all
must unite!\nWe’ll finish the fight, and we’ll win!
“I’m chanting the praises, I’m telling the story\nOf those who must suffer this
day.\nOur struggle will bring you both freedom and glory —\nAnd no one can take
them away!”
Gloria’s wild, rebellious spirit is infectious.\nEven the gloomiest commoners,
those who mere moments ago could not believe in a victory over the Legion, begin to
take heart and long for battle.
You need to spend this last hour gathering all of the Last Straw’s soldiers.\nBut
time is running out. How can you accomplish this in a city overcome by chaos?
Your nostrils are filled by the potent sting of tobacco.\nA familiar voice behind
you offers a mocking greeting.
“Guess you need me after all, eh, <username>? While you were speechifying in Empire
Square, I was out rounding up all our old friends.”
Delighted, you squeeze Sophia’s hands.\nShe frees herself with a smirk.
“Don’t get all mushy on me now, <username>. Our people are already on the march.
Otton’s militia is right behind them, but don’t worry, my men’ll fight them off.
They’ll join you at the gate before midnight.
“They’re yours to command. I’ll stay behind and send you backup.”
The soldiers of the Last Straw arrive at the city walls — wounded, but still armed
to the teeth and filled with grim determination. You recognize many of your old
comrades from the underground.
You pump your fist in the air in a familiar gesture.\n“Our cause is just!”\nAn
entire chorus of fierce voices echoes you.
You need to start getting ready for battle.\nTime is running out.
“Well, <username>, guess it’s time to say goodbye again, huh?”
Yes, you tell her. But not for long this time.
Sophia flashes you a heartfelt smile.\nJust as she did all those years ago, when
she was just the girl next door.
“I’ll hold you to that, Brante.”
You walk away from the army’s noisy preparations, sit on a parapet, and watch the
city burn. Off in the distance, you can just make out the district where you were
born and raised.\nYour memories bring you back to a time when you first walked
these streets. In your mind’s eye, you see young faces of Tommas, Stephan,
Gloria... but that is all in the past now.
The Battle for Anizotte
The dark void beyond the walls of Anizotte is lit by hundreds of lights.\nHeavy
boots tread the soil. Armor clanks. Halberds gleam. Drums beat a lively march.\nLit
by the glow of the torches, the Magran Legion approaches the city walls.
Gaius Tempest himself leads the Legion. It is the Overseer’s duty to crush the
Revolt this very night and pacify the city before news of the incident spreads
throughout the Empire.\nIf the Overseer’s hesitation allows the Revolt to last even
a few days, it could jeopardize not only his position, but even the fate of the
entire province that has been entrusted to him.
An entire city rebelling against Imperial rule... nothing like this has happened
for generations.
The people of Anizotte tremble in fear before the punishment that will befall them
if the Legion wins.\nYou have done your utmost to crush the revolt on the streets.\
nThe crowds in the squares have been dispersed. The riots and fires have stopped.
The armed commoners clamoring for freedom as the sun set have now scattered and
locked themselves in their homes.
But the main forces of the Revolt have not been defeated yet.\nThere are still many
insurgents who are ready to fight to the true death for their cause...
The soldiers of the Last Straw, reckless conspirators and dangerous fighters taught
by Sophia to struggle against the old order until the bitter end.\nZealous New
Believers who would rather face execution than betray their faith.\nPoor nobles and
former Legion soldiers who have joined the Revolt in violation of their oath of
loyalty to the Empire. They know there will be no mercy for them, so they have
nothing to lose.
The remaining rebel forces have gathered at a fortified base by the city gate.\nThe
rebels have surrounded it with barricades, preparing to repel an attack from either
side.\nThe soldiers of the Revolt, some armed with spears and axes, some with
firearms, and some with simple rocks, hastily assemble atop the walls.\nThe rest of
the city no longer supports them. But the revolt has not been crushed yet.
The Legion gets into formation in front of the gate, ready to begin the assault as
soon as their commander gives the order.\nThe defenders atop the walls respond by
raising their firearms.\nA herald from Gaius Tempest comes forward, stopping mere
steps from the gate. He loudly proclaims the Overseer’s demands.\n
“My subjects! Lay down your arms this instant and open the gate! I know that you
have been deceived by the insurgency.\n“You have my word as an Arknian ruler that I
will spare anyone who aids the Legion and turns over the leaders of the revolt.
“Should you disobey this order from your lawful ruler, none of you will escape
disgrace, execution, and eternal torment at the Foot of the Shining Pillar!”
The Legion herald proudly lifts his head, awaiting the rebels’ decision.
You cast a quick glance at your allies.\nThe time for preparations has ended.
Everything depends on the size of your army and the balance in the city between the
forces you have managed to win over and those you have antagonized.\nThe next hour
will determine your place in history.
Crush the rebel forces
Force the rebels to surrender the city
Route the insurgents
Die in battle against the Revolt
You order your troops to open the gate from inside and assist the Legion.
The entire city is behind you. You can avoid bloodshed and force the insurgents to
lay down their arms without a fight.
You cannot crush all the rebel forces, but you can try to eliminate their leader.
You have already disposed of Sophia. Without their leader, the insurgents will
falter and drop their weapons.
You cannot defeat the rebels. Your only choice is to launch an attack and fight
until your last breath.
You cannot change the outcome of the battle for Anizotte, but it is not too late to
save your own life.
Shots ring out from the walls, and Gaius Tempest’s herald falls from his horse.\
nThe rebels have responded to the Overseer’s demands.
“Anizotte will never submit to the Empire!”
Trumpets blare.\nThe Legion is about to attack.
“Legion... charge! Take the city!”
But the rebels’ defenses are too secure. Not even the Legion can take the city in a
single assault. The offensive will be repelled without fail.\nAnizotte is in for a
lengthy siege. The Revolt will continue to fester within its walls until the city
rots from the inside. Disturbances will break out all over the province and spread
to the rest of the Empire.\nYou cannot let that happen!
It is now or never!\nThe time has come for you to strike at the rebels from within
the city.
You have an entire army of Imperial loyalists behind you. You have assembled a
massive force over the course of this single day. All your warriors are ready to do
their duty to the city, the Overseer, and the Empire.\nThe people of Anizotte will
support you as well. Most of the nobles and clergymen are on your side. Your
troops’ morale is high.
You lead your army against the enemy.\n“Attack! Down with the Revolt! Death to the
insurgents!”
Hundreds of loyal warriors cry out as one:\n“We’re with you, <el> Brante! Death to
the insurgents!”
As you lead your troops through the empty streets, you contemplate your plan of
attack.\nThe walls of the city, built back in the days of Char Milanidas, are still
strong. The insurgents have gained a foothold by the gate. Under the cover of
gunfire, they will be able to thwart the Legion’s offensive for quite some time.
Your only chance to emerge victorious this night is to make your way to the gate,
open it, and let the Legion in.
Your watchmen report that Sophia has split the rebel forces in two.\nOne squad will
repel the Legion’s attack from the wall above the gate.\nThe other will guard the
gate from the rear.
Your army reaches the square by the city gate\nThe rebel camp is encircled by a row
of barricades. Behind them are rows of muskets and spears, all aimed at you.
A battle is already raging on the walls.\nThe Legion soldiers climb siege ladders
beneath a hail of bullets, rocks, and arrows. Once they finally clamber to the top,
they are met by the blades of bloodthirsty insurgents. The rebels fend off one wave
after another in a desperate melee.\nAll over the walls, the bodies of slain
Imperial soldiers shimmer into oblivion as they fall.
More and more shots are fired.\nThe wall above the gate is illuminated by the
yellow glow of witchcraft. Sophia’s sorcery stupefies the Imperial soldiers, making
them easy targets.\nThe Legion’s offensive is steadily being repelled.
You must attack and fight your way to the gate!\nYou order your infantry to assault
the insurgent camp. The Inquisitors and their prayers will assist you.\nIf you draw
the enemy fire, the noble cavalry will be able to break through the barricades from
the other side.
Like a guiding star, the Shining Pillar gleams through the dark, heavy clouds.\
nYour soldiers offer their last prayers to the Twins.
You grip the Imperial banner firmly and order your men to attack.
“Damn, it’s the enemy! They’re attacking from the rear! Hold the line!”
Reinforcement rush to the barricades.\nYour unit is approaching the rebel camp. The
barrels of at least a hundred muskets are pointed straight at you.
A volley of gunfire rings out.\nEntire rows of soldiers fall.\nYour forces are
barely able to stay in formation.
But you have led these men here, and you will lead them until the very end.\nYou
raise the banner high above your head.\n“The Twins are watching! Death to the
rebels!”
Your soldiers echo your cry and adamantly persevere in their onslaught under heavy
fire.\nThe Inquisitors aid them. Silver slabs gleam in their hands. Touched by
divine grace, wounded soldiers return to their positions.
“Defend the camp! Hold the gate, whatever the cost!”
You attack. The rebels prepare to fire again.\nThen, suddenly, the noble cavalry
emerges from the darkness and slams into the enemy’s right flank.
The squadron cuts through the enemy barricades and bursts into the camp.\nThe
gunmen are overwhelmed by the assault.
You order your men to charge.\nYour regiment occupies the main barricade. The
insurgents’ defenses have been broken.\nThe soldiers of the Legion are on the verge
of despair, but when they see your success from the walls, they attack with renewed
vigor.\nVictory is at hand!
You hear a furious shriek.\nYou are blinded by a golden light. The flash seems to
rupture your skull from the inside. A strange voice commands you: “Come!”\nYou are
no longer in control of your own body. The banner falls from your grasp. Unable to
resist, you heed the call. It leads you toward the gate.
The battle is raging around you. Amidst the scurrying shadows and gunpowder smoke,
you discern the familiar glow of golden eyes.\nSophia.\nShe is holding a gun.
“I hate you!”\n
At the last possible moment, you muster all the willpower you possess and break
free of the spell.\nA gunshot!\nBut you are already dashing toward the rebel
leader. The bullet whizzes past you.
You snatch the gun from Sophia’s hands. Her sepia eyes pierce you with a burning
gaze, but your will cannot be broken a second time.\nYour soldiers come to your
aid. They bind the rebel leader hand and foot.
Now restrained, the criminal glares at you from behind a mass of tangled hair, her
face contorted in hatred.
“Don’t get your hopes up, Brante. The fire I started will rage again soon enough.
You and this whole monstrous world are gonna burn!”
Bitter tears run down Sophia’s cheeks.\nFor a split second, you see the frightened
girl from next door, pursued by terrifying horsemen...
You look away.\nThe Imperial authorities and Overseer Gaius Tempest will decide
this criminal’s fate now.
The resistance has been crushed.\nThe legionnaires reach the top of the wall and
begin taking out the most reckless Last Straw fighters.\nThe rest of the insurgents
flee their ransacked camp, trying to escape down back alleys.
Your army shouts in unison:\n“Victory!”\n“<username> <el> Brante!”\n“Glory! Glory!”
With a triumphant air, you give the order to open the gate. It swings open,
creaking heavily.On the other side, you see the fluttering banners of the
approaching Legion forces. The Shining Pillar gleams in the heavens.\nYou duty is
done. You stand before your troops and await the Overseer in the square.
Tonight you have saved your city, extinguishing the flames of a rebellion that
threatened to spread across the entire Empire.
You look back at the years gone by... all the difficult decisions you had to make,
all the actions that helped you take your place in the history of the Empire...\
nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
The watchmen bring you alarming news.\nInstead of responding, the rebels shot the
herald sent by Gaius Tempest.\nThe Legion is about to attack.
The rebels’ defenses are too secure. Not even the Legion can take the city in a
single assault. The offensive will be repelled without fail.\nAnizotte is in for a
lengthy siege. The Revolt will continue to fester within its walls until the city
rots from the inside. Disturbances will break out all over the province and spread
to the rest of the Empire.\nYou cannot let that happen!
It is now or never!\nYou will use your influence to stop the Revolt without further
bloodshed.
You take the lead of a gigantic procession composed of your supporters.\nGuarded by
loyal troops, you march through the empty streets to the insurgent camp.\nNobles,
clergymen, commoners — all the estates of the city follow you to demand an end to
the Revolt.
Your procession reaches the square by the city gate.\nThe rebel camp is encircled
by a row of barricades. Behind them are rows of muskets and spears, all aimed at
you.
But no one dares to attack you.
From the top of the wall, you hear the leader of the insurgents, her voice hoarse.
“Dammit! Everybody, defend the camp! Fire!”
But instead of gunshots, you only hear grumbling from the barricades.
“Are you deaf? Shoot them! Or do you want them to take away your rights and make
you all slaves again?”
Without fear, you step toward the barricades.\nThe square behind you is packed with
people of all estates.
You announce that the entire city of Anizotte is against this rebellion. It will
return to lawful Imperial rule this very day!
You tell the insurgents that they must lay down their weapons, surrender, and beg
the Overseer for mercy.\nThey are outnumbered. The city is on your side!
Behind you, the crowd bellows loudly:\n“Down with the Revolt!”\n“Surrender!”\n“No
more blood!”
You shout to Sophia’s confused soldiers that further destruction will not save
them.\nSophia is a madwoman. She has used her people to fan the flames of the
Revolt, but she cares nothing for them. All the people of Magra will get from this
insurrection is more suffering! Is this what they want?
Renounce your loyalty to Sophia, turn her over, and lay down your arms!
“Never! You knew this moment would come, men! We’ll fight to the end! Freedom or
death!”
The massive mob freezes involuntarily.\nThe leader of the Revolt comes down from
the wall, her eyes aglow with a furious yellow light.
“People, this imperial lapdog is lying to you! If you believe Brante, you’ll be
slaves forever.\n“He’s trying to scare you with fire and destruction — but isn’t
that what you signed up for? We’re gonna destroy the old order! We’re gonna level
it to the ground!”
The most loyal of Sophia’s supporters raise their guns, but the others cannot
withstand the pressure.\nFlatly refusing to follow Sophia’s order, they drop their
weapons one after another.
“If you ain’t with us, you’re against us! Die, traitors!”
A fight breaks out within the insurgent camp as Sophia and her loyal soldiers
attack the defectors.\nGunshots. Cries. Smoke. Yellow sparks.\nEventually, it comes
to an end.
The remaining insurgents emerge from behind the barricades, their hands in the
air.\nSophia is thrown at your feet.\nHer arms bound, the rebel glares at you from
behind a mass of tangled hair, her face contorted in hatred.
The resistance has been crushed.\nEven the most ardent Last Straw fighters
surrender their weapons grimly. The rest of the insurgents flee the walls, trying
to escape down back alleys.\nThey are not followed. Enough blood has been spilled
today.
The people gathered in the square shout loudly:“Victory!”\n“<username> <el>
Brante!”\n“Glory! Glory!”
With a triumphant air, you give the order to open the gate. It swings open,
creaking heavily.You stand before the gathering in the square and await the arrival
of the Overseer.\n
Trumpets blare. The Legion is about to attack.
You have managed to amass a considerable army since this morning, but it is not
enough to defeat the insurgents.\nMoreover, your troops’ morale is rather low. The
soldiers know that not all the estates of Anizotte are on your side.
The only chance the Legion has of emerging victorious this night is for you to make
your way to the gate.\nBut you cannot accomplish this while the merciless Sophia is
in charge of the defense.
Before the battle begins, you address your troops.\nYou cannot promise them victory
or glory. You cannot even promise that they will come back alive.\nBut it is their
sworn duty to do everything in their power to help the Legion free the city.
The insurgents may be numerous, but they have a weakness. Kill the head, and the
body will die.\nTheir mission is to capture Sophia herself and execute her!
No one questions your order. Your soldiers are ready to fight to the end.\nThey
reply with a loud shout:\n“We’re with you, <el> Brante! Death to the insurgents!
Death to Sophia!”
Your army reaches the square by the city gate.The rebel camp is encircled by a row
of barricades. Behind them are rows of muskets and spears, all aimed at you.
You must attack and fight your way to Sophia!\nYou order your infantry to assault
the insurgent camp. The Inquisitors and their prayers will assist you.\nIf you draw
the enemy fire, the noble cavalry will be able to break through the barricades from
the other side.
Reinforcements rush to the barricades.\nThe leader of the Revolt comes down from
the wall, her eyes aglow with a furious yellow light.
Your unit is approaching the rebel camp.\nThe barrels of at least a hundred muskets
are pointed straight at you.
You order your men to charge.\nDespite heavy losses, your regiment breaks through
the main barricade.\nThe soldiers of the Legion are on the verge of despair, but
when they see your success from the walls, they attack with renewed vigor.\nVictory
is at hand!
“I hate you!”
A sharp pain pierces your thigh. Powerless, you fall to your knees.
“We got Brante! Take him away to be executed!”
With your last ounce of strength, you shout: Get Sophia! She’s here!
Suddenly, the noble cavalry emerges from the smoke and charges straight at Sophia.\
nThe leader of the rebellion falls helplessly beneath their hooves. Your supporters
seize her and drag her from the battlefield.\nSophia will face a swift trial and
execution.
Still kneeling, you follow the retreating cavalry and the captive rebel leader with
your eyes.\nFor a split second, you see the frightened girl from next door, pursued
by terrifying horsemen...
You watch helplessly as the rebels’ superior forces overwhelm the rest of your
troops.\nOne by one, your soldiers fall and vanish into dust.
But up on the walls, the resistance has been overcome. After scattering through the
square and losing Sophia, the insurgents cannot withstand another assault by the
Overseer’s army.\nThe legionnaires reach the top of the wall and begin taking out
the most reckless Last Straw fighters.\nA loud battle cry rings out from atop the
walls.
“Legion, charge! Assault their positions! Victory is at hand!”\n
Strong arms grab you.\nYou are surrounded by a horde of furious, blood-spattered
Last Straw fighters.
“You’re finished, <el> Brante!”\n“Execute him!”\n“Avenge Sophia!”\n“Quick, put him
to trial!”
The insurgents hastily drag you to their ruined camp.
The gunmen raise their weapons.\n“People of Anizotte! Before you is an enemy of
your freedom, <username> Brante. What is your verdict?”
The heavy gate swings open. You see the banners of the approaching Legion
fluttering on the other side.\nAll rebel resistance has been crushed. The city has
been liberated.
“We sentence him to true death!”
Breaking through the dark, heavy clouds, the soft gleam of the Shining Pillar
envelops you.Tonight you have saved your city, extinguishing the flames of a
rebellion that threatened to spread across the entire Empire.
A gunshot.
You head toward a blinding light.
You have already eliminated the main threat: the leader of the revolt, the
merciless Sophia.\nYour troops and the support of the people will be enough to
strike the insurgents from the rear.\nYou may be a mere commoner, but at this
moment even the nobles who have joined your army are ready to follow you.
Your loyal warriors cry out as one:\n“We’re with you, Brante! Death to the
insurgents!”\n
As you lead your troops through the empty streets, you contemplate your plan of
attack.\nThe walls of the city, built back in the days of Char Milanidas, are still
strong. The insurgents have gained a foothold by the gate. Under the cover of
gunfire, they will be able to thwart the Legion’s offensive for quite some
time.Even without their leader, the insurgents will fight to the end, like a
cornered animal.
Your watchmen report that the rebel forces have been split in two.\nOne squad will
repel the Legion’s attack from the wall above the gate.\nThe other will guard the
gate from the rear.
More and more gunshots are fired.\nThe Legion’s assault is gradually being
repelled.
You must attack and make your way to the gate!\nYou will lead your squad forward,
straight to the enemy camp.\nWithout Sophia to guide them, they cannot have built
up sufficient defenses. You are certain of that.
Like a guiding star, the Shining Pillar gleams through the dark, heavy clouds.\
nYour soldiers offer a prayers to the Twins.
But you have led these people here, and you will lead them until the very end.\nYou
raise the banner high above your head.\n“Death to the rebels!”
The soldiers echo your cry and resolutely continue their onslaught under heavy
fire. You finally take the main barricade.\nThe insurgents panic. They have left
too few men to guard the rear!
The insurgents’ defenses have been broken.\nThe soldiers of the Legion are on the
verge of despair, but when they see your success from the walls, they attack with
renewed vigor.\nVictory is at hand!
You lead your squad toward the gate, crushing the remnants of the rebel forces
along the way.
Open the gate!\nThe gate swings open, creaking loudly.\nOn the other side, you see
the fluttering banners of the approaching Legion. The Shining Pillar gleams in the
heavens.You stand before your troops in the square and await the arrival of the
Overseer.
The Legion marches into the city. The surviving insurgents flee before its menacing
march.\nEventually a company of horsemen led by the Overseer himself enters the
gate.
“Clear the streets and squares! The time has come to restore law and order in
Anizotte!
“I knew I could count on the loyal servants of the Empire within the city!\n“But
who delivered the blow from the inside? Who opened the gate?”
Ragged and covered in blood, you step forth, approach the Overseer, and name
yourself with a bow.
The Arknian raises his eyebrows in surprise.
“<username> Brante? Of the lowly estate? Your courage and valor in battle are
worthy of a nobleman!\n“Rest assured, Brante, I will not forget what you have done
for my province this day!”
The Overseer leaves, following the Legion. He has the rest of the night to restore
order in Anizotte.
But you have not managed to gather sufficient forces and win the city over to your
side. The troops that are still loyal to you will not be enough to defeat the
insurgents.\nYour soldiers see this as plainly as you do.
As you lead your small squad through the empty streets, you contemplate your plan
of attack.\nThe walls of the city, built back in the days of Char Milanidas, are
still strong. The insurgents have gained a foothold by the gate. Under the cover of
gunfire, they will be able to thwart the Legion’s offensive for quite some time.
Your only chance to emerge victorious this night is to make your way to the
gate.You will do what you can, even if your plan is doomed.
Before the battle begins, you address your allies.\nYou cannot promise them victory
or glory. You cannot even promise that they will come back alive.\nBut it is their
sworn duty to do everything in their power to help the Legion free the city.
They respond with grim silence.\nBut no one dares to question your orders.
You must attack and at least attempt to reach the gate!\nYou will lead your unit
forward, charging straight at the enemy camp.
Like a guiding star, the Shining Pillar gleams through the dark, heavy clouds.
You grip the Imperial banner firmly and order your men to attack.Your squad
approaches the insurgent camp.\n
Reinforcements rush to the barricades.\n“Damn, it’s the enemy! They’re attacking
from the rear! Hold the line!”At least a hundred musket barrels are pointed at you.
A volley of gunfire rings out.\nEntire rows of soldiers fall.
You run forward.\nBut when you glance over your shoulder, you see your allies
fleeing one after another, terrified by the endless hail of bullets.\nYou grit your
teeth and carry on, trying desperately to reach the barricade.
A gunshot!A sharp pain pierces your thigh. You fall to your knees.
You watch helplessly as the superior forces of the insurgents hunt down the rest of
your men.
“Brante’s been captured! We got Brante! Take him away to be executed!”
“You’re finished, Brante!”\n“Execute him!”\n“Quick! Put him to trial!”
The insurgents hastily drag you to their camp.
envelops you.You think back on the years gone by... all the difficult decisions you
had to make, all the actions that led you here...\nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
You head toward a blinding light.\n
The city is at a crossroads. This is it, the moment when the scales could be tipped
by a singe person...\nUnfortunately, that person is not you.\nYou have done what
you could, but it is not enough. With the forces you have managed to gather, you
will not be able to make any difference in the battle for Anizotte.
Shots ring out from the walls, and Gaius Tempest’s herald falls from his horse.\
nThe rebels have responded to the Overseer’s demands, and they have done it without
you.\n
You can either doom yourself and your allies, or leave the city to the whim of fate
and try to save your own life.\nYou choose to flee.
The rumble of thousands of boots can be heard from behind the walls. The deafening
cracks of gunshots echo through the streets.\nTransfixed, your allies stare at the
battle as it unfolds.\nUnbeknownst to anyone, you sneak down the nearest side
street.
Darkness blankets the city, dispersed here and there by the glow of the fires.\nYou
are one of many citizens scrambling to take cover. No one stands in your way.
How can you escape a city under siege without being noticed?\nEven though you are
alone, it is a difficult undertaking. But you have studied the darkest corners of
Anizotte quite thoroughly.\nYou know where to go.
The din of the battle soon grows quieter.\nYou are near the west wall, by some old
ruins. There are no inhabited homes here, not even the campfires of tramps.\nNo one
but scroungers and scavengers has set foot here for years. Waste and sewage is
brought here from all over the city.\n
There it is — the sound of running water very close to the wall!\nThe odor assaults
your nostrils. You cover your face with your sleeve and try to breathe as little as
possible.\nRats scurry as you approach. You step on something soft that makes an
unpleasant crunching noise beneath your boot.\n
Trying to tread carefully, you approach the wall. The revolting stench makes your
eyes water. Your stomach heaves.\nNo, that is not the sound of running water.\n
This tiny creek hidden under piles of trash used to be a spring. There is still an
old drain in the wall.\nIt is now full of foul waste that is slowly oozing out of
it.\n
The wall is not all that wide. As repulsive as this path may be, it is a way out.\
nDo you have any other choice?\nYou did, once. But not now.\n
There is no more time.\nCovering your face, you take a deep breath, hunch over, and
plunge into the foul-smelling muck.\n
After several lunges through the viscous sludge, you finally emerge — breathless,
filthy, and exhausted — on the other side of the wall.\nYou are free.
It is quiet and dark.\nYou can barely hear the noise of the battle from here. What
is happening back there? You cannot tell.\nThe battle is no longer your concern.\n
You scrutinize the desolate horizon.\nWhat awaits you at the end of the road? How
will the chaos in Anizotte end? What fate will befall the rest of the Empire? You
cannot say.\nEverything you fought for, suffered for, strived to achieve... you
have left it all behind.
But at least you managed to save yourself.
As you look back at your life, your choices and decisions, your failures and
achievements, you realize one thing: this life is a tale that deserves to be told.\
nBefore you vanish into oblivion forever, you will tell your story...\nThe story of
a man named <username> Brante.
You take one last look at the city walls, then vanish into the wastelands of Magra.
The Imperial army finally arrives to put an end to this unfathomable revolt.Gaius
Tempest himself leads the Legion. It is the Overseer’s duty to crush the Revolt
this very night and pacify the city before news of the incident spreads throughout
the Empire.\nIf the Overseer’s hesitation allows the Revolt to last even a few
days, it could jeopardize not only his position, but even the fate of the entire
province that has been entrusted to him.
But what is afoot within the walls of Anizotte?\nThe decisions you made today have
left the city in a state of chaos and unrest. The defenders of the Empire are not
strong enough to crush the revolt and disperse the armed crowds.\nBut the leaders
of the Revolt have not managed to unite the insurgents under a single banner
either.\nNeither side has the upper hand.
Riots and fires continue in the streets. Many commoners have decided to use this
opportunity to exact personal revenge or loot homes and businesses.\nHowever, fear
of the punishment that will befall them if the Legion wins is still strong among
the simple folk.
However, the main forces of the Revolt maintain order in their camp with a firm
hand.\nThere are still many insurgents who are ready to fight to the true death for
their cause...
All the remaining rebel forces gather at a fortified base by the city gate.\nThe
rebels have surrounded it with barricades, preparing to repel an attack from either
side.\nThe soldiers of the Revolt, some armed with spears and axes, some with
firearms, and some with simple rocks, hastily assemble atop the walls.
The Legion gets into formation in front of the gate, ready to begin the assault as
soon as their commander gives the order.\nThe defenders atop the walls respond by
raising their firearms.\nA herald from Gaius Tempest comes forward, stopping mere
steps from the gate. He loudly proclaims the Overseer’s demands.
Defend the city
Die for the Revolt
Your troops will protect the city against the first assault of the Imperial forces.
But this battle will not be the last.
You cannot defeat the armed forces of the Empire. You only option is to fight until
your dying breath.
You cannot change the outcome of the battle for Anizotte. But it is not too late to
save your own life.
Muskets in hand, the soldiers on the walls freeze in anticipation, awaiting your
decision.\nFor the last time, you consider the consequences — the fate of Anizotte
depends on your reply.
You cast a glance over the imposing ranks of your rebel troops. Most of Anizotte’s
commoners have already sided with the revolt.\nYour know your answer.
From atop the city gate, you proclaim that the Overseer no longer has any subjects
in this city.\nFrom this day forth, Anizotte is free!
Hundreds of allies roar in support behind you.\n“We’re no servants of yours
anymore!”\n“Get lost!”
The herald silently retreats to the Legion formation.\nThere is a brief moment of
quiet.\nHolding your breath, you watch the menacing enemy army.
Finally, the silence is broken by a drumroll and the stamping of thousands of
feet.\nThe Legion is about to attack.\nTo arms!
While your soldiers are preparing to face the Legion assault, you consider your
plan to defend your position.\nYou swiftly give orders to the squads on the wall,
as though placing toy soldiers.
The fortress of Anizotte has withstood many an assault. These stones saw many
battles before the foundation of the Empire.\nThe Legion, on the other hand, rushed
here equipped with nothing but jerry-rigged siege ladders.
Gaius Tempest needs to pacify the city this very night.\nTherefore, his soldiers
will try to make their way over the wall, open the gate from inside, and let the
main forces in.
“Legion! Attack!”
The Overseer sends his first battalions at the walls closest to the gate.\nThe
Arknian remains with his elite cavalry, observing the assault from afar.
You order the gunmen to take cover behind the merlons.\nThe rest of the soldiers
need to throw back the siege ladders, no matter the cost. Not a single legionnaire
can be allowed to scale the wall!
From atop the gate, you watch intently as the ranks of the Legion begin the
assault.\nWhen the time is right, you order your gunmen to fire.
The first ranks of Legion soldiers are felled by rebel muskets.\nMost of their
bodies glow dimly and turn to ash. But some remain where they lay — Legion veterans
who have met their fourth and true death.
The gunfire is followed by a volley of stones and arrows.\nThe wave hits the wall
and recedes. The first attempt to storm the walls has been thwarted.
The rebels jeer at the retreating Legion soldiers.\nBut you urge them to stay
alert. That was just the beginning.\nReady!
“Take the wall! Come on, men, they’re just commoners! They don’t stand a chance
against you!”\n
The Legion begins its second attack.\nThis time Gaius Tempest sends two battalions
of heavy infantry at the wall to the left of the gate. They are followed by
archers.\nNot even gunshots can stop this attack.
The ladders fly up.\nA hail of arrows pelt your positions.\nHold the line!
The defenders on the walls attempt to throw the ladders back, hurtling stones at
their assailants and pouring boiling oil on them.\nBut the onslaught is too strong.
One by one, the Legion soldiers begin to leap from their ladders and onto the city
walls.
If you falter now, all is lost!\nYou gather your best men and send them against the
Legion soldiers. The walls erupt into bloody mayhem.
All over the walls, the bodies of the fallen fade into brilliant flashes of light.\
nYou and your soldiers desperately hack, shoot, and hurl enemies from the walls.
The siege ladders fall to the ground below.\nThe attack has been repelled!
Twice more, Gaius Tempest orders his troops to attack the wall. Twice more, the
walls are stained with blood. Twice more, your soldiers withstand the onslaught.\
nThe enemy cannot break through your defenses!
The dawn is drawing near.\nEven from your position on the wall, you can see how
slowly and hesitantly the Legion soldiers reform their ranks. The Overseer himself
appears hunched over, deflated.\nYou order your men to freeze — you need to hear
the enemy commander’s orders to his troops.
“Legion! You have fought valiantly. I have nothing to reproach you with. But I do
not want any more loss of life.\n“We cannot take the city today.
“We will retreat...”
A bewildered murmur ripples through the ranks of the Legion.
“...but soon we will return in much greater numbers and restore lawful Imperial
rule in Anizotte!”
Gaius Tempest turns to face the city and proclaims loudly, so that you can hear
every word he utters:
“Madmen! You have doomed your city! It will be destroyed!
“I was not your enemy. I gave you a path to salvation. But you spurned my gracious
offer. Now all the might of the Empire will be upon you! The punishment for your
insolence will be terrible indeed!”
Your soldiers respond with impudent mockery:\n“Beat it!”\n“Get lost, blueface!
You’re not in charge anymore!”\n“You can’t tell us what to do!”
The Overseer disregards their mocking cries.
“Legion! Marching formation!”
Gaius Tempest casts one final glance at the walls of Anizotte and leaps into his
saddle.\nThe Legion gets into formation and marches away from the city.
You have won!\nThe surviving defenders on the walls lean against the merlons,
exhausted, or simply collapse.\nDown by the gate, you hear triumphant shouts. Like
a wave, they roll further, over the streets and squares, over the entire city.\nYou
have won! Anizotte has repelled the attack! The city is free!
Leading your loyal supporters, you come down from the walls. You are ragged,
wounded, barely able to stand.\nYou have achieved the unthinkable. Not only have
you freed your city from centuries of slavery; you have even defended it against
the Overseer himself. At least for now...
Gaius Tempest is right. Now Anizotte will have to face the entire Imperial army.\
nBut you have won the first battle. And you will continue the fight — even
completely surrounded, even with no hope of winning.\nThere is no turning back.
And if your mission is doomed to fail, you would rather die for it than keep
enduring perpetual injustice, tyranny, and cruelty.
You look back at your city, lit by the rising dawn of a new day. Leaning against
the wall, you take a deep breath.\nIs it over?\nNo. The fight for Anizotte has just
begun. And even if you are not destined to see it finished, you have played your
part in this story.
You think about the years gone by... all the difficult decisions you had to make,
all the actions that helped you take your place in the annals of history...\nYou,
<username> Brante, are the reason the city of Anizotte rebelled against Imperial
rule and stood its ground against the Legion.\nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
No one questions your order. Your soldiers are ready to fight to the end.\nThey
reply with a loud shout:\n“We’re with you, Brante! Death to the insurgents! Death
to Sophia!”
Your army reaches the square by the city gate.\nThe rebel camp is encircled by a
row of barricades. Behind them are rows of muskets and spears, all aimed at you.
“Damn, it’s the enemy! They’re attacking from the rear! Hold the line!”\n
Your regiment is approaching the rebel camp.\nThe barrels of at least a hundred
muskets are pointed straight at you.
You order your men to charge.\nDespite heavy losses, your regiment breaks through
the main barricade.\nThe soldiers of the Legion are on the verge of despair, but
when they see your success from the walls, they attack with renewed vigor.
no longer in control of your own body. The banner falls from your grasp. Unable to
resist, you heed the call. It leads you toward the gate.\n
you discern the familiar glow of golden eyes.\nSophia.\nShe is holding a gun.\n
But up on the walls, the resistance has been overcome. After scattering through the
square and losing Sophia, the insurgents cannot withstand another assault by the
Overseer’s army.The legionnaires reach the top of the wall and begin taking out the
most reckless Last Straw fighters.\nA loud battle cry rings out from atop the
walls.
“You’re finished, Brante!”\n“Execute him!”\n“Avenge Sophia!”\n“Quick! Put him to
trial!”
envelops you.\nTonight you have saved your city, extinguishing the flames of a
rebellion that threatened to spread across the entire Empire.
Reinforcement rush to the barricades.\nYour regiment is approaching the rebel camp.
The barrels of at least a hundred muskets are pointed straight at you.
Open the gate!\nThe gate swings open, creaking loudly.On the other side, you see
the fluttering banners of the approaching Legion forces. The Shining Pillar gleams
in the heavens.\nYou stand before your troops and await the Overseer in the square.
Your only chance to emerge victorious this night is to make your way to the gate.\
nYou will do what you can, even if your plan is doomed.
A gunshot!\nA sharp pain pierces your thigh. You fall to your knees.
The soldiers on the walls freeze in anticipation, awaiting your decision.\nFor the
last time, you consider the consequences — the fate of Anizotte depends on your
reply.
You look back at your rebel troops, their numbers greatly depleted. You look back
at your city, where many have turned their backs on you — some because of your
actions today, others out of fear of the punishment they will inevitably face for
rising up against the Empire.\nBut there is no turning back now. You know your
answer!
Behind you, you hear the loud roar of those who still support you.\n“We’re not your
servants anymore!”\n“Get lost!”\n
“Charge! Take the city!”
The fortress of Anizotte has withstood many an assault. These stones saw many
battles before the foundation of the Empire.\nThe Legion, on the other hand, rushed
here equipped with nothing but jerry-rigged siege ladders. You still hope to stand
your ground...
You cast a glance at your soldiers, contemplating your next move.\nBut you suddenly
hear cries of terror, the clattering of hooves, and the clanking of armor from your
camp at the gate below.\nThe enemy is attacking from the rear!\n
If your defenses are broken from the inside of the city, you are doomed!\nGathering
your soldiers, you dash down to the barricades protecting the gate.
Beneath the banner of the Empire, squads of militiamen led by local nobles are
assaulting your camp.\nIt pains you greatly to see so many poorly-armed commoners
among their ranks. They echo their commander, screaming:“The Twins are watching us!
Death to the rebels!”
You hurry toward the fortifications.\nThe defenders repel the first onslaught with
great effort. For now, the barricades have kept the enemy from reaching the gate.\
nBut your strength is quickly running out. Meanwhile, up on the walls, you can
already see the Legion’s siege ladders.
You voice is hoarse, but you keep shouting orders: hold the barricade! Freedom or
death!\nThe noble cavalry suddenly emerges from the darkness, striking your right
flank. You rush to stop them, but it is too late. The mounted soldiers have already
smashed the barricades and burst into your camp.\nYour defenses have fallen. All
hope is lost.
Your soldiers scatter, terrified by the furious horsemen. Ragged and covered in
blood, barely able to stand, you lead the few rebels still ready to fight to the
end.\nFalling into formation, you aim your weapons at the cavalry as it charges
you.
The horsemen slam into your squad like an avalanche, crushing it.\nYou are knocked
off your feet.\nYou no longer have the strength to get back up and continue the
fight.
“That’s him! That’s Brante, their leader!”\nA gang of commoners run up to you and
bind you hand and foot.
Lying helplessly on the ground, you lift your gaze.\nThe Legion’s vanguard has
already decimated the resistance on the walls and is now opening the gate. The few
surviving rebels dash from the gate and try to escape down back alleys.
The gate swings open, creaking loudly.On the other side, you see the fluttering
banners of the approaching Legion.
The victorious Imperial army cries in unison:\n“We won! We won!”\n“Long live the
Emperor!”\n“Death to the insurgents! Put them to trial!”
Accompanied by the clanking of armor, the Legion battalions enter the city one
after another.\nAt the head of the cavalry, Overseer Gaius Tempest imperiously
passes through the gate.
“Punitive battalion, pacify the city! These streets must be completely free of
rebels by dawn!
“First, we must be sure to dispose of all their leaders. Bring them to me!”
Wounded and bound, you are thrown at the Overseer’s feet.
“Your Grace, this is one of their leaders, <username> Brante.”
The other leaders of the Revolt are shoved to the ground by your side.\nYou
exchange grim looks with your comrades.
“Madmen! What were you hoping for? The Empire is great and eternal. Why did you
defy a force that can crush any of you in an instant?”
You remain silent, looking the Overseer straight in the eye.
“I was not your enemy. I have always cared for my subjects. I gave you a path to
salvation. But you spurned my gracious offer. Now you face just retribution at my
hands!
“Hang them.”
The Overseer watches without pleasure as hastily-made nooses are thrown around your
necks.
“For high treason and mutiny against the lawful and sacred authority of the Blessed
Arknian Empire, I, Gaius of the Tempests, Overseer of Magra, hereby sentence you to
true death. May your execution serve as a lesson to all those who dare consider
themselves above the divine order!”
You think back on the years gone by... all the difficult decisions you had to make,
all the actions that led you here...\nEverything you fought for, everything you
strove for — all that is behind you now.\nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
The Legion soldiers pull on the rope. Your body is jerked upward, no longer under
your control.\nYour neck snaps with a sickening crunch.\nYour life and suffering
have ended.
The decisions you made today have compelled most of the people of Anizotte to join
the Revolt.\nBy nightfall, the rebels have gained the upper hand. The defenders of
the Empire have no hope of victory.\nThey may have amassed a considerable army to
fight the Revolt, but they came too late. The troops loyal to the Empire have
reached an impasse. The entire city has risen against them.
Exhausted and demoralized by the futile fight, many Imperial loyalists leave their
camp or surrender to the rebels.
Only the inexorably approaching Legion separates the Revolt from total victory.\
nThe time for rioting and lawlessness has passed — now all the forces of the Revolt
have joined forces in pursuit of a single goal:\nTo hold the city!
The main forces of the Revolt maintain order in their camp with a firm hand.\nThere
are still many insurgents who are ready to fight to the true death for their cause.
Defeat the Legion
Achieve peace
You have brought the entire city together to fight the Empire. It is within your
power to achieve a decisive victory and win freedom for Anizotte.
You hold back the Legion assault and force the Overseer to name Anizotte a free
city.
You cast a glance over the imposing ranks of your rebel troops. Every last commoner
has sided with the Revolt.\nYour know your answer.
From atop the city gate, you proclaim that the Overseer no longer has any subjects
in this city.\nFrom this day forth, Anizotte is free!\n
“Take the wall! Come on, men, they’re just commoners! They don’t stand a chance
against you!”
Twice more, Gaius Tempest orders his troops to attack the wall. Twice more, the
walls are stained with blood. Twice more, your soldiers withstand the onslaught.
The dawn is drawing near.Even from your position on the walls, you see the Legion
soldiers slowly, hesitantly regrouping for their next attack.\nDesperate, the
Overseer himself steps forward to address his demoralized troops.
“Are you really afraid of some commoners who can barely hold a weapon? Don’t fear
them, you fools! Fear the wrath of your Emperor! Fear the wrath of the Tempests!
“It is your sacred duty to reestablish Imperial rule in Anizotte! The city will
fall, and its pathetic rebellion will be crushed! Go forth! I will lead the charge
myself!”
The Overseer raises his ancient sword high above his head.\nThe Legion soldiers
shudder.\nNo member of the royal family has taken up arms in centuries!
The first rays of the rising sun appear on the horizon, breaking through the gray
storm clouds.\nLed by its royal commander, the Legion begins its decisive attack.
Ragged, covered in blood, barely able to stand, you get the surviving soldiers back
on their feet and order them to defend the city one last time.\nNot even the Twins
Themselves could get through this gate!
But the time for speeches has passed.\nNow there is only smoke, blood, and the
clanking of swords.\nAll you can do now is fight and win.
You see the Imperial banner flutter before you. The Legion soldiers are scaling the
wall, the Overseer himself first among them.\nIt is now or never! You and your men
rush toward the banner. You will capture Gaius Tempest!
Sensing that victory is close at hand, your warriors use their last ounce of
strength to break through to the enemy commander.\nThe legionnaires try to form a
defensive ring around the Overseer, but the enraged rebels dash them aside like toy
soldiers.
Gaius Tempest is surrounded.\nWielding his sword masterfully, he slays one rebel
after another... but eventually the overwhelming onslaught forces him to drop his
blade.
The Arknian nobleman freezes, seemingly unable to believe that this is really
happening.\nThe Imperial banner falls from the wall behind him. The Legion soldiers
abandon their ladders and flee.
You have won!\nThe surviving defenders on the walls lean against the merlons,
exhausted, or simply collapse.\nDown by the gate, you hear triumphant shouts. Like
a wave, they roll further, over the streets and squares, over the entire city.\
nVictory! Anizotte has won its freedom!
Escorted by your loyal allies, you approach your prisoner.\nOverseer Gaius Tempest
glares at you icily. There is genuine bitterness in his voice.
“Madmen! You have doomed your city. It will be destroyed! I was not your enemy
until you forced me to send my army against you. One step at a time, I would have
changed this province. I would have made your lives better!
“But now the entire force of the Empire is about to come crashing down upon you!
The punishment for your insolence will be terrible indeed...”
You remind the Arknian that he, the Overseer of Magra and the brother of the
Emperor Himself, is currently your hostage.\nThe authorities will have no choice
but to negotiate with you. And as long as Anizotte remains free, news of your
victory will spread throughout the Empire. Other cities will rise up in rebellion
throughout Magra!
“And then what? Do you want the entire world at war? What will become of the Empire
after your Revolt?”
You look back at your city, lit by the rising dawn of a new day.\nYou tell your
former ruler that the Empire is about to change.\nAnd whatever that change might
entail, it will be better than the old order — better then never-ending injustice,
tyranny, and cruelty.
The days of the old regime have ended.\nYou will find your own way to the new
world, along with all the people of the Empire.
Gaius Tempest turns away, refusing to dignify your speech with a response.\nYou
order your men to take him away.
Finally, you lean against the wall and take a deep breath.\nIs it over?\nNo. A new
era begins today.
all the actions that helped you take your place in history...\nYou are <username>
Brante, the man who brought victory to the Anizotte Revolt.\nYour destiny has been
fulfilled.
You cast a glance over the imposing ranks of your rebel troops. Every commoner in
Anizotte is on your side. There are many among the nobles and clergy who will
support you when the time is right.\nAll you have to do is withstand the first
onslaught of the Legion. This will force the Overseer to listen to the city’s
demands.
The Overseer sends his first battalions at the walls closest to the gate.\nThe
Arknian remains with his elite cavalry, observing the assault from afar.
The rebels jeer at the retreating Legion soldiers.\nBut you sternly cut them
short.\nYour goal is not to antagonize the Overseer into attempting another assault
against the city! You may not be able to repel another attack.
Perturbed by their unforeseen failure, the Legion temporarily retreats. The
Imperial warriors were expecting to face a handful of rebels, not an entire city.\
nA long-awaited lull ensues.
It is now or never!\nYou will use your influence to win freedom for Anizotte
without further bloodshed.
You gather your most trusted allies and assemble an entourage.\nCommoners, priests,
even noblemen — representatives of all three estates will go with you to meet Gaius
Tempest and inform him that the city will no longer submit to his rule.
You order the gate to be unlocked.\nIt swings open with a heavy groan to let your
procession through, then closes again.\nYou fearlessly approach the Legion camp.
Your voice booming, you announce that you have come to speak to Overseer Gaius
Tempest on behalf of the free city of Anizotte.
You are made to wait. The Legion soldiers form a circle around you, unsure of what
to do with you.\nFinally, the imperious ruler himself comes to meet you clad in
ancient Arknian armor. Despite his army’s defeat, Gaius Tempest remains composed
and dignified.
“So be it. I shall hear you out. But do not expect me to make concessions to
insurgents and enemies of the Empire!”
You step forward and introduce yourself.\nYou remark that you are here not just as
the leader of the Revolt — you are the voice of Anizotte herself. The people behind
you are proof of that.
Gaius Tempest casts a weary glance at your envoys, recognizing many of them.
“I do not dispute that you have fomented rebellion throughout the city, <username>
Brante. But by doing so, you have also doomed it. You have assured Anizotte’s
destruction.
“I was not your enemy until you forced me to send my army against you. One step at
a time, I would have changed this province. I would have made your lives better...
“But your revolt will soon be crushed. You have defied the entire Empire! It is
just a matter of time.”
You retort that the city is capable of withstanding many an assault. Overseer
Tempest has seen this with his own eyes.\nDay after day, as the Imperial
authorities make more futile attempts to quash the Anizotte Revolt, the entire
province will gradually be overtaken by unrest and anarchy. These disturbances will
spill over into neighboring provinces and eventually spread throughout the Empire.\
nIs this what the Overseer wants?
“You and your accomplices leave me no choice, Brante. My duty as a servant of the
Empire is to stamp out mutiny of any kind. Are you suggesting we make some kind of
deal? That would be not only treason, but blasphemy!”
You remain absolutely calm as you listen to the Arknian’s furious tirade.\nYou know
that the Overseer himself wanted to bring change to his province and the Empire at
large. But he was fettered by ancient tradition and his own feud.\nThe people had
no choice but to make this change themselves!
You tell him that the days of the old order and the eternal inequity of the estates
are coming to an end. The ancient Empire can either change or die in agony.\nIf the
Overseer is indeed devoted to his duty, he can join you and lay the foundation of
this new era.\nIs this not what is best for the Empire and the house of Tempest?
The Arknian nobleman hesitates.\nYour words have clearly resonated with him.
“What do you suggest I do, Brante? Become a rebel myself?”
You assure him that this is not at all what you are proposing.\nInstead, the
Overseer could simply withdraw his troops and grant freedom to Anizotte and all its
citizens.\nThey will be free from their masters, free to worship as they please,
and free to choose their own Lots.
This is what the people of Anizotte demand — all of them, regardless of their
estate.\nThis conflict will be resolved peacefully. You will not permit any
violence against the nobility or the Old Faith clergy. In the new Anizotte, there
will be a place for anyone who wishes to be free.
The Overseer looks you in the eye, studying you intently.
“Others will follow you. I am risking more than just my position — I am risking all
of Magra!”
Yes, there is a risk.\nBut it is a risk that someone must take. Someone has to try
to reform the Empire before it is slowly torn asunder by internecine feuds, social
unrest, and anarchy.
Gaius Tempest looks sorrowfully into the distance, where the first rays of the
breaking dawn are glimmering on the horizon.
“Much as it pains me to say this, Brante... you are right. Even if I am in error,
history will be my judge — as well as yours.
“By the power vested in me, I hereby declare Anizotte a free city! From this day
forth, her citizens will rule over her as they see fit. May they answer to the
Twins for their actions.
“Legion! The battle is over! Marching formation!”
You and your envoys return to the gate as the city is bathed in the dawn of a new
day.\nYour supporters shout loudly:\n“We won! The Overseer recognized our
freedom!”\n“Long live <username> Brante!”\n“All glory to the Revolt!”
You lean against the wall and take a deep breath.\nIs it over?\nNo. A new era is
beginning today.
all the actions that helped you take your place in history...\nYou, <username>
Brante, have led the Revolt to victory in Anizotte.\nYour destiny has been
fulfilled.
The dawn is drawing near.\nEven from your position on the wall, you can see how
slowly and hesitantly the Legion soldiers reform their ranks. The Overseer himself
appears hunched over, deflated.\nYou order your men to freeze — you need hear to
the enemy commander’s orders to his troops.
“Legion! You have fought valiantly. I have nothing to reproach you with. But I do
not want any more loss of life.\n“We cannot take the city today.\n
Reinforcements rush to the barricades.\n“Damn, it’s the enemy! They’re attacking
from the rear! Hold the line!”\nAt least a hundred musket barrels are pointed at
you.
Beneath the banner of the Empire, squads of militiamen led by local nobles are
assaulting your camp.\nIt pains you greatly to see so many poorly-armed commoners
among their ranks. They echo their commander, screaming: “The Twins are watching
us! Death to the rebels!”
The gate swings open, creaking loudly.\nOn the other side, you see the fluttering
banners of the approaching Legion.
Before ordering an assault, the Overseer sent a message to the city.
But the Overseer’s threat only further enraged the rebels.An entire city rebelling
against Imperial rule... nothing like this has happened for generations.\nBut not
even experts in ancient history could have imagined what is happening on the
streets of Anizotte at this moment.\n
The decisions you made today have led the entire city to rise up against Imperial
rule.\nBy nightfall, everyone who has ever suffered from noble tyranny has taken to
the streets in support of the Last Straw. Even those who began the day cowering in
terror from the Overseer’s wrath have now emerged from their homes and joined your
cause.\nThe commoners’ fear has been eclipsed by their rage. They march though the
city in droves, ready to dispense their own justice.
By sunset, even the most loyal defenders of the Empire have come to realize that
all hope is lost.\nThe loyalists have amassed considerable forces at Char
Milanidas’s palace, but they are too late.\nHordes of furious commoners storm their
camp, crushing any resistance.
Exhausted and demoralized by the futile fight, many defenders of the old order flee
mob justice or surrender and accept their death with dignity.\nThe moans of those
trampled by the incensed throng can be heard throughout the camp.\nAbandoned
Imperial banners are hurled into the fire.
“Make way!”
The crowd grows silent and parts before Sophia.\nThe leader of the Revolt is
disheveled, her clothes stained with blood, but a predatory smile lingers on her
face.\nHere, amidst fire and madness, she has finally found her place in the
world.\n
“Just look at your former masters now! Pathetic, ain’t they? They thought they
could put us in chains again. But they dropped their swords at the first sight of
us!
“They lied to you for centuries, telling you it was your Lot to suffer and break
your back for them. But look who’s suffering now!
“I give you my word: tonight, we’re gonna execute anyone who isn’t on our side —
every single one of ‘em!\n“And then we’ll feast among the ruins of the old world!”
The crowd roars, shaking their weapons in the air.
“Now the only thing standing between us and freedom is the Legion. But we’ll take
down the Overseer’s troops just like we took down the Emperor’s lackeys here in
Anizotte!
“But first we need to get rid of the rest of the enemies and traitors in this
camp...”
Sophia takes a glance around the site of the recent massacre .\nHer merciless gaze
stops at you.
“Brante!”
The time has come.\nThis moment will determine your place in history.
Defy Sophia
Take charge of the bloodbath
Stop the slaughter
Flee
You tried to rein in the Revolt and failed. All you can do now is accept the
inevitable.
You refuse to destroy your own city. In despair, you appeal to the crowd, asking
them to renounce Sophia and stop the carnage.
There can be no mercy for the enemies of the Revolt! You will be responsible for
dispensing vigilante justice and defending the walls from the Legion.
Anizotte is about to drown in bloodshed and chaos. You will put an end to this
madness — even if you have to betray the Revolt and perish.
As if oblivious to Sophia’s voice, you look around you, paralyzed.
Fires have blanketed Anizotte in acrid smoke.\nThe noble districts are in flames,
as is the Chancellery. The temples of the Old Faith are ablaze, and priests who
refused to join the rebels are burned alive within.\nThe bodies of those executed
by firing squad lay in heaps by the walls. The cobblestones are littered with the
corpses of those hurled from the windows of their own homes.\n
What has become of your city?
Where are all the peacekeepers you worked so hard to recruit?\nYou did not even
have time to send them into battle...\nAll your supporters have either fled,
surrendered, or been trampled by the mob.
At Sophia’s order, you are forced to your knees.\nThe crowd cheers in bloodthirsty
anticipation, eager for the execution of one of their most hated foes.
The gunmen raise their muskets.
“Citizens of Anizotte! Here is <username> Brante, another enemy of your freedom.
Like all the people of this city, he was given a chance to take our side. But he
chose to fight us.\n“What is your verdict?”
“True death!”
You think back on the years gone by... all the difficult decisions you had to make,
all the actions that led you to this moment...\nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
Could you have chosen differently?
“Fire!”
A thunderous volley of gunshots rings in your ears.
As if oblivious to Sophia’s order, you look around you, paralyzed.
refused to join the rebels are burned alive within.\nThe bodies of those executed
by firing squad lay in heaps by the walls. The cobblestones are littered with the
corpses of those hurled from the windows of their own homes.
You turn your head slowly and meet Sophia’s gaze again.\nYou will not perpetuate
this madness!
In despair, you address the crowd: is this really what they want? Fire, blood, and
murder?\nThey have overthrown the nobles who ruled over them — but who have they
chosen to take their place? Sophia will only lead them to eternal bloodshed and
endless suffering!\n
They have not gathered here to revel in revenge and destruction. For the first time
in history, they are in a position to lay the foundation for a new world. They have
a chance to bring justice to everyone, to establish equality among the estates, to
free themselves from the Lots!
Your voice hoarse, you finish your speech, utterly exhausted by the effort..\nThe
crowd is silent. Even Sophia is bewildered by your passionate plea. For a moment,
you see the frightened girl who once lived next door to you...\nBut the leader of
the Revolt swiftly regains her composure.\n
“Brante’s a traitor! Get him!”
The crowd bellows: “Traitor! Imperial lapdog!”\nStrong arms grab you.\nYou are
surrounded by a horde of furious, blood-spattered Last Straw fighters.
At Sophia’s order, you are forced to your knees.\nThe crowd cheers in bloodthirsty
anticipation, eager for another execution .
“People of Anizotte! This is <username> Brante, another enemy of our freedom. You
know him as a comrade who fought by your side. But now, at the moment of truth, he
faltered and betrayed us!\n“What is your verdict?”
You meet Sophia’s gaze. You share her ruthless determination.\nTogether, you will
dispose of anyone who dares to stand in your way. The path you have chosen will
lead to plenty of blood and suffering, but you are both ready. Your cause leaves no
room for hesitation.
“You handle the executions, <username>. But hurry! The Legion is about to attack.
“At least we don’t have to worry about getting attacked from the rear. Go on, get
your verdicts. I’ll be waiting for you up on the walls.”
Leaving a small squad with you, Sophia rushes off to defend the gate. You eagerly
get to work.\nYour soldiers dash around the wrecked camp and drag all the survivors
to one spot.\nHigh-ranking nobles, inquisitors, commoners from the enemy militia —
they are all thrown to the ground at your feet.
You are surrounded by a horde of enraged commoners, desperate to strangle their
enemies with their bare hands.\nYou order them to restrain themselves. This is not
how it is done! Do they want their enemies to come back from the hereafter and take
revenge? You need the verdict of the People’s Court!
At your order, the captives are lined up and forced to their knees.\nThe crowd
cheers in bloodthirsty anticipation, eager for the next execution.
You address the people of Anizotte, loudly announcing that these are enemies of
their freedom who have dared to take up arms against the great cause of the
Revolt!\nWhat is their verdict?
The gunmen take aim and fire.\nAgain. And again, until the last of the captives
falls, their bodies pierced by bullets.\nThey twitch helplessly, then lie still.\n
Meanwhile, you can hear the din of battle from the walls. Siege ladders fly up
against the ramparts. The ground shakes with the heavy tread of the Legion’s iron
boots.\nYou must hurry.You assemble a squad and head toward the gate. \n
It is slow going.Fires have blanketed Anizotte in acrid smoke.\nThe noble districts
are in flames, as is the Chancellery. The temples of the Old Faith are ablaze, and
priests who refused to join the rebels are burned alive within.\n
Bodies dressed in luxurious clothing float face-down in the fountains.\nThe bodies
of those executed by firing squad lay in heaps by the walls. The cobblestones are
littered with the corpses of those hurled from the windows of their own
homes.Robbers loot the crypts of noble families, tossing ancient bones into the
dirt.\n
But right now the streets are empty. Everyone capable of holding a weapon is
rushing to defend the gate.\nBy the time you arrive, the battle has already reached
its peak. Deafening gunshots ring out from above.
“Brante! Come here! We fought off the first attack!”
You clamber up onto the wall, giving orders as you go, as if placing toy soldiers.\
nYou almost bump into Sophia. She is excited, her black from gunpowder smoke. She
squeezes your shoulder.
“We repelled the first attack, <username>! That blue-faced bastard sent us a herald
— said we should lay down our arms and surrender. I shot him right in his head!”
Meanwhile, the Overseer orders another assault.
This time Gaius Tempest sends two battalions of heavy infantry at the wall to the
left of the gate. They are followed by archers.\nNot even gunshots can stop this
attack.
“I’ll hit the archers. You hold the wall. Don’t let them through!”
But the time for speeches has long passed.\nNow there is only smoke, blood,
clanking of swords.\nNow you can just fight and win.
You see the Imperial banner flutter before you. The Legion soldiers are scaling the
wall, the Overseer himself first among them.\nYou and your men rush toward the
banner. You will capture Gaius Tempest!
Sensing that victory is close at hand, your warriors use their last ounce of
strength to break through to the enemy commander.\nThe legionnaires try to form a
defensive ring around the Overseer, but the enraged rebels dash them aside like toy
soldiers.\n
Gaius Tempest is surrounded.\nWielding his sword masterfully, he slays one of your
soldiers after another.\nSophia suddenly emerges from behind him, her furious
visage aglow with sorcerous sparks.
“Freeze!”
Against his will, the Arknian nobleman stumbles and halts.\nIt is now or never!\
nYou charge at your enemy and knock the blade from his hands.
Still bound by Sophia’s spell, Gaius Tempest stares at you in astonishment.\nA
dozen soldiers pin him against the wall.\nSophia stops beside you, casting a
mocking glance at the defeated commander.
“Who’s the master now, huh?”
The leader of the Revolt picks up a fallen imperial banner and tosses it off the
edge of the wall.\nDown below, the soldiers of the Legion begin to flee.
The Overseer glares at you icily.\nThere is genuine bitterness in his voice.
“Madmen! You have doomed your city. It will be destroyed! I was not your enemy
until you forced me to send my army against you. One step at a time, I would have
changed this province. I would have made your lives better.\n
“But now the entire force of the Empire is about to come crashing down upon you!
The punishment for your insolence will be terrible indeed...\n”And what was it all
for? What do you hope to achieve?”\n
“Freedom from butchers like you.”
“Butchers like men? And what exactly do you think you are?
“You withstood my attack today. Now what? Do you want the entire world at war? What
will become of the Empire after all your Revolt?”
You look back at your city, crimson in the glow of the flames and the rays of the
rising sun.\nYou turn back to your former ruler: I want to burn it all down!\nThose
who used to be in power will burn. The old regime will burn. The endless injustice
the Empire is built on — it will all burn.
Sophia grabs the captive commander by the neck and forces him to face the city.\nA
massive crowd has gathered by the gate. Everyone is watching, waiting to see what
will become of the Overseer.
“See? See how many of us there are? Your day is done. Say bye-bye to your power,
blueface.”
Sophia raises a fist in the air and proclaims victory before the entire city.
“People of Anizotte! We’ve won! Nothing in the Empire can stop us now!
“But remember, this was just the beginning. Next we’re gonna put the whole Empire
on trial. And the first person we’re gonna judge is Gaius Tempest, your former
Overseer and the Emperor’s brother!
“You know all about his crimes against you. What is your verdict, people of
Anizotte?”
The fateful words roll through the square like thunder: “True death!”
“This cannot be... the Law is divine! Only the Twins can grant the right to judge!”
Sophia hands you a dagger.
“<username> Brante will carry out the sentence!”
Raising the blade aloft, you step toward Gaius Tempest as he kneels before you.\
nThe crowd roars.
Strength beyond imagining surges through your arm.\nWith one swift motion, you slit
the former Overseer’s throat. Royal blood runs down your fingers.\nThe man who,
just yesterday, was one of the most powerful Arknians in the Empire, collapses at
your feet.
You raise the bloody dagger high in the air.\nThe Empire has been sentenced to
death!
Time stands still.\nYou look back at the years gone by... all the difficult
decisions you had to make, all the actions that helped you take your place in
history...\nYou have put an end to the old era with your own hand.
Your destiny has been fulfilled.
“He’s dead! The Overseer is dead!”
“Go, people! There are plenty of enemies left in this city. It’s high time they
learned the true meaning of suffering!\n“Find them, capture them, and execute them!
Brante will lead you!”
The bloody procession begins to scour Anizotte for enemies of the Revolt.\nOnce the
city is purged, it will continue its march from province to province. In time, it
will reach the capital, and then the throne of the Emperor himself.\nAnd you are in
command of it.
refused to join the rebels are burned alive within\nThe bodies of those executed by
firing squad lay in heaps by the walls. The cobblestones are littered with the
corpses of those hurled from the windows of their own homes.\n
You turn your head slowly and meet Sophia’s gaze again.\nShe seems to sense your
uncertainty.
“What’s the matter, <username>? Feel sorry for ‘em? The people who’ve been
torturing simple folk like us for centuries? This ain’t no time for hesitation. I
guess I’d better handle the executions myself.”
The soldiers of the Last Straw dash through the wrecked camp and drag the survivors
to one spot.\nHigh-ranking nobles, inquisitors, commoners from the enemy militia —
they are all thrown to the ground at Sophia’s feet.
“And you, take some men and get to the walls! The Legion is about to attack.”
You nod silently and gather your troops. But you have already made a different
decision.\nYou only take men you know to be loyal to you personally. You are
certain that most of them will obey you rather than the mad Sophia.
You lead your trusted warriors away from the camp.\nWhile marching down an empty
street, you suddenly stop your squad and address them.\nYou tell them that they are
not going to follow Sophia’s orders.
Is this what they are fighting for? Fire, blood, and murder?\nThey have overthrown
the nobles who ruled over them, but who have they chosen to replace them? Sophia
will only lead them to endless bloodshed and suffering! It is a road to nowhere!\
nYou do not deny that you were among those responsible for leading the Revolt to
this madness. But you were wrong.
Your voice drowns out the gunshots that echo over and over again from the ruined
camp.\nYour soldiers listen to you in confusion. Many of them grip their weapons.
Casting away all fear, you continue.\nThe purpose of this Revolt was not to revel
in revenge and destruction. For the first time in history, we are in a position to
lay the foundation for a new world. We can bring justice to everyone, establish
equality among the estates, and free ourselves from the Lots!\nBut instead, we have
only helped Sophia start a fire that will soon consume the entire city!
Furrowing their brows, your soldiers agree. This is not the revolution they were
fighting for.\nBut what are they to do? The streets are teeming with raging crowds
mad with bloodlust. The entire city is on fire.
You tell them your plan.\nOverseer Gaius Tempest has proclaimed that he will spare
the people of Anizotte if they open the gate.\nThis is what you will do, even if
some will call you traitors. You will return Anizotte to its previous masters. It
is better than seeing it razed to the ground.\nYou will save your city, even if
means your true death.
Your troops grimly clench their weapons. They will follow you to the end.
Meanwhile, you can hear the din of battle from the walls. Siege ladders fly up
against the ramparts. The ground shakes with the heavy tread of the Legion’s iron
boots.\nYou must hurry.You head toward the gate.\n
When you reach the rebel camp by the gate, there is already a battle raging on the
walls.\nThe Legion soldiers climb siege ladders beneath a hail of bullets, rocks,
and arrows. Once they finally clamber to the top, they are met by the blades of
bloodthirsty insurgents. The rebels fend off one wave after another in a desperate
melee.\nAll over the walls, the bodies of slain Imperial soldiers shimmer into
oblivion as they fall.
The rebels defending the gate from the rear cry out joyously upon seeing you: “It’s
Brante and his men! Finally! Get to the walls, they’re having a rough time up
there!”
Once your entire squad is behind the fortified barrier, you suddenly order them to
attack.
Gunshots blare. Steel clanks against steel. You surprise the guards at the gate
with a stab in the back, quickly disposing of them.\nBut some manage to escape over
the barricade. They yell desperately: “Treason! Brante’s betrayed us!”
You haven’t a moment to lose! You lead your men to the gate.\nYour voice hoarse,
you order them to defend the perimeter and open the gate.
The gate begins to swing open with a groan.\nHaving just caught word of your
betrayal, rebels rush down from the walls.\nA bloody battle ensues. You have to
hold out until the Legion comes through the gate!
Your soldiers fight with their last ounce of strength, but the rebels massively
outnumber you. One after another, your men fall to the ground.\nYou will not be
able to hold on much longer.
“Traitors! Take them alive! Close the gate before it’s too late!”
The elite Last Straw fighters hasten to join the battle.\nThey are led by Sophia
herself, her eyes ablaze with furious yellow flame.
But you have led those men here, and you will lead them until the end.\nYou hold
your ground with a battle cry: “For Anizotte! Fight to the death!”
At last, the gate is open. On the other side, you see the fluttering banners of the
approaching Legion. The Shining Pillar gleams in the heavens.The first Legion
battalions are marching through. You did it!
“Onward, men! Victory is at hand!”
no longer in control of your own body. Unable to resist, you heed the call. It
leads right into Sophia’s clutches.\n
you discern the glowing golden eyes you have known since you were a boy.
A gunshot!\nA sharp pain pierces your thigh. Powerless, you fall to your knees.
“We got Brante! Death to the traitor! Execute him! Hurry!”
“You’re finished, Brante!”\n“Execute him!”\n“Kill the traitorous scum!”\n“Quick!
Put him to trial!”
A group of rebels drag you behind a barricade.\nAt Sophia’s order, you are forced
to your knees. Her face is contorted by hatred and pain.
“How could you, <username>? How could you hand the city over to the enemy? Did you
really think you could free the people without getting your hands dirty?\n“You
coward! You just didn’t have the guts to see this through to the end!”
The other rebels urge Sophia to hurry. She glances around.\nThe defenders on the
walls are scattering around you, dropping their weapons.\nThe Legion has entered
the city and is taking the last of the barricades.\nThe Revolt is doomed. Entire
squads of rebels are surrendering to the Legion.
“Nobody move till we deal with the traitor!”
The gunmen quickly raise their muskets.
“People of Anizotte! <username> Brante is a traitor! He delivered you into enemy
hands! What is your verdict?”
envelops you.\nThe ground shudders beneath the heavy footsteps of the Legion as
they restore law and order.
all the actions that helped you take your place in history...\nYou don't hope for
glory after death. You will still be seen as a rebel who cowardly betrayed his
side. The Brante name will remain stained forever.\nBut now, at your last breath,
you know the truth. You have saved your city, and perhaps the entire Empire, from
mindless slaughter.\nYour destiny has been fulfilled.
You break into a sweat beneath Sophia’s merciless glare.\nThis is your last chance.
You have to try to escape.\nPerhaps you can flee the city before it is washed away
in a wave of bloody mayhem.
Wasting no more time, you dash through the crowd.\nSkillfully elbowing your way
through the throng and dodging those who stand in your way, you cause a commotion
and disappear in the bewildered mob.
But at that moment, the heavy footsteps of thousands of boots are heard from the
other side of the walls. Deafening gunfire echoes in the streets.\nThe Legion is
attacking!\n
“Dammit! Forget Brante! We’ll get rid of him later. Everyone, to the walls! Fight!”
You force your way through the frenzied horde, squeeze through a crack in the old
palace wall, and escape down the nearest back alley.
A New Day Dawns
It is morning.\nYou stumble along a now-empty backstreet, utterly exhausted after
the most trying night of your life.\nAn elderly stranger in a threadbare cloak
shambles down the road in the opposite direction.
The old man looks around cautiously at every step, seemingly struggling to remember
where he is going.\nAs you approach him, he suddenly stops and speaks to you.
“Good morning to you!”
You slow down for the old man and wearily return his greeting.
“May I ask you for a favor, my friend?”
You barely have any energy to waste today... but there is something about this old
stranger’s voice that compels you to listen.\nA favor? What kind of favor?
“Well, my brother and I had a disagreement, you see, and I want to know who was
right.
“My brother says this world is already perfect as it is. The Twins made it like
this, after all...”
The old stranger pauses, casting a glance over the street — the charred carcasses
of buildings and homes, the overturned carriages, the dried bloodstains on the
paving stones.
“And I told my brother that, no matter what Their initial design may have been, the
world as it is now needs to change.
“So then my brother asked me, ‘what exactly needs changing?’\n“But I had no answer
for him.
“So here I am, wandering around, tormented by this question. Would you help us
settle our dispute, my good man?\n“Who’s in the right here, me or my brother?
“If you were in the Twins’ place, what would you do? What about this world needs
changing?”
Say you would grant the world forgiveness
Say you would leave the world alone
Say you would take better care of the world
Say you would free mortals from the Lots
Say you would destroy the world
Say nothing and walk away
Life is a long road, and mistakes are inevitable. The Twins ought to grant mortals
hope for forgiveness.
The Twins did create the world, but now They ought to leave Their creation in peace
and refrain from meddling in the affairs of men.
The Twins should never have been so distant from Their creation. Mortals need Their
care, assistance, and supervision.
If it were up to you, you would make it known that everyone is free to choose their
own Lot and their own path to the Twins.
The Twins’ creation is nothing more than a monstrous cage, a dark dungeon that
dooms mortals to a life of suffering. If you had made this world, you would destroy
it with your hands.
You leave the old man’s question unanswered.
You rub your temples, thinking, and recall the last words you heard from Nathan. He
spoke of forgiveness.\nYou have an answer for the old man.
The Twin Gods know no mercy. That is why Their world is flawed.
The Twins granted us Their Law in order to steer us away from eternal suffering in
the afterlife.\nBut this same Law also dooms our souls to torment at the Foot of
the Pillar for even the slightest transgression!\nA man who commits a single error
has no hope for redemption. Our existence is nothing more than an agonizing
preamble to inevitable retribution.\nIs this really what the Twins wanted for us?
They gave mortals free will, and so they are filled with passions, doubts, and
desires. You know this as well as anyone!\nIf you were Them, you would grant people
forgiveness — or at least grant it to those who truly repent and make an effort to
right their own wrongs.
The elderly man listens carefully to your every word.\nHis eyes are wide, like a
child seeing the world around him for the first time.
“You know, someone else told me something very similar... a young man who was far
too old and wise for his years.”
“I can feel the pain and the truth in your words.\n“Thank you, <username>, for
settling our disagreement.”
The old man rewards you with a gentle smile and slowly walks away.\nWait... how did
he know your name?\nYou spin around, but the street is empty.
You respond with a suspicious frown.\nVery well. If he wants to know your opinion,
here it is.
No one, not even the Twins Themselves, can judge Their creation as long it dwells
beneath Their tireless gaze, trembling in fear of Their merciless godhead.
The Twins showed mortals the way to the Peak of the Pillar, yes. And They granted
them a tiny portion of Their Will so they could choose their own path.\nBut then
why do the Twins now act as watchmen over their own creation, guarding the world
like prison wardens?
If you were Them, you would free people from Their unwanted, never-ending care and
distance yourself from the world as much as possible. Mortals ought to be left to
their own devices, for it is they — and not the Twins — who will face the ultimate
judgment.\nThen, and only then, will it be possible to judge the success or failure
of Their design.
The elderly man listens carefully to your remonstrance.\nHis shoulders slump as he
heeds your every word.\nFinally, he speaks, his voice muffled and strained.
The old man shuffles away, his back bent.\nWait.. how did he your name?\nYou spin
around, but the street is empty.
A deep sigh escapes you as you meet the old man’s gaze.\nYou have an answer ready.
The Twins granted mortals a tiny portion of Their Will — and therein lies the root
of the paradox.\nThere is no way the divine Law can coexist with the freedom to
escape it.\nEven the most righteous people eventually come into conflict with the
divine design and suffer for it... you have seen it time and time again!
Man was made free. This cannot be changed. But people, such as they are, need a
watchful eye, someone to care for them, someone to watch over them.\nThey do not
need judges — they need loving parents.
If you were the Twins, you would look after your children. You would care for them
and protect them from themselves.\nYou would keep them safe from all the mistakes
they make when the Twins remain silent.
The elderly man listens carefully to your every word, a look of endless sorrow on
his face.\nHis bright eyes are filled with tears.
The elderly man pats you on the head like a doting father, then slowly walks away.\
nWait... how did he know your name?\nYou spin around, but the street is empty.
You put a hand on the old man’s shoulder.\nWhy, this quarrel was settled long ago!
All the suffering in the world, all the injustice, all the wickedness — it all
stems from the error made by Prophet Isatius!
The Lots were forced upon people by other people, and the Twins have been condoning
it for centuries, thereby dooming Their great creation to eternal suffering!\nYou
have met many, many people in your life who rejected the Lot of their birth. But
their intention was never to defy the Law of the Twins — they sought only to be
free from other mortals.
If you were the Twins, you would make it known that everyone is free to find their
own path to Them.\nAnd then, step by step, Their divine design would attain
perfection all by itself.
The old man looks at you in surprise.\nOddly enough, he seems to be completely
unaware of the New Faith.
“But then how can you tell the righteous from the wicked?”
You readily explain. The wicked are those who willingly choose to defy the Twins
and the eternal bliss They bring.\nThe righteous, on the other hand, are those who
seek the Twins within themselves, who pray to Them, seeking Their guidance and
approval.\nEveryone should be free to choose their own Lot and bear their own
burden. Then we will remain within the Twins’ great design, but be free to find our
own place within it.
The stranger spends a long time pondering what you have told him.
The old man rewards you with a slight nod, then slowly walks away.\nWait... how did
he know your name?\nYou spin around, but the street is empty.
Your face stretches in a predatory grin.
If it were up to you, you would not change anything.\nEverything that had to happen
has already happened.
This world is hideous, and thus it will be destroyed. There is nothing here but
suffering. Why prolong the agony?\nIf the Twins want to make something good... why,
They ought to dismantle Their own creation and start over again from scratch.
Dazed by your words, the old man recoils in pain and terror.
“Haven’t you seen a single good thing in your life? In all of creation?”
You respond by pointing at the ash-choked sky looming ominously above the city.\nIf
there was ever anything good in this world, it is long gone by now.
Right now the past is strangling this world with its shackles and multiplying its
suffering.\nIt is time to free the world from its past — time to tear it all down.
Bitter tears stream down the old stranger’s cheeks.
“I can feel the pain and the truth in your words.\n“Thank you, <username>, for
settling our disagreement. Goodbye.”
You are too tired for this.\nYou have no interest in settling someone else’s
disagreement in matters of faith.
You keep walking, not dignifying the stranger’s plea with a response.\nThe old man
lets out a quiet, sorrowful sigh.
“What a shame. Your answer was the one I wanted to hear most of all, <username>…”
Wait... how did he know your name?\nYou spin around, but the street is empty.
What Became of Robert <el> Brante
Your confession rendered Father speechless at first — you spent eight years working
for the Secret Chancellery, and you kept it a secret from him the entire time!\
nBut, after cooling off and considering your situation, he eventually came to terms
with your decision and accepted it.
Once the unrest in Anizotte was quelled, Robert <el> Brante resumed his duties at
the Prefecture.
Your father always sought to alleviate the burden of the common estate and
establish justice for all.\nOverseer Gaius Tempest gradually came to share his
views, and in time your father became one of his most ardent supporters.
After a lifetime spent diligently working to transform his home province, Sir
Robert <el> Brante died a quiet death in peace and dignity, knowing he had not
lived in vain.\nHe will be remembered forever as a protector of the common people’s
rights and a judge of impeccable honor.
After his family fell apart, Robert <el> Brante left Magra for the northern
provinces. There, in another city, he found employment at the local Prefecture as
an assistant judge.
This minor post allowed Robert to eke out a humble existence, far from any power
struggles or social turmoil.\nHis family’s woes, once the root of his unending
suffering, were finally behind him, leaving him with nothing but bitter memories.
He remained alone for the rest of his life and passed away in solitude.
Your father lost his status, his career, and his home.\nThe rebellion destroyed
Robert Brante’s life and gave him nothing in return.
When the world changed, your father found himself unable to adapt and find a new
place in it. He had no choice but to abandon his ambitions and live in obscurity.\
nHis family was all he had left, so he dedicated himself to caring for its
wellbeing.
Your father lost his status, his career, and his home.\nThe rebellion destroyed
Robert <el> Brante’s life and gave him nothing in return.
Your father became the judicial advisor in the court of Overseer Gaius Tempest.\
nThis lofty position gave him the power to help alleviate the burden of the common
estate and establish justice for all.
After a lifetime spent diligently working to transform his home province, Sir
Robert El Brante died a quiet death in peace and dignity, knowing he had not lived
in vain.\nHe will be remembered forever as a protector of the common people’s
rights and a judge of impeccable honor.
Your father became the judicial advisor in the court of Gaius Tempest.\nThis lofty
position gave him the power to help alleviate the burden of the common estate and
establish justice for all.
In the end, however, Sir Robert El Brante could do very little to improve the lives
of the common folk in his home province. After everything that transpired during
the Revolt, Gaius Temepest’s resistance to peaceful change was too great. \nDespite
this, the common people still remembered your father fondly as a protector of the
common people’s rights.
Your father became a key member of the Council of Anizotte, tasked with managing
the city’s external relations and negotiating with the rest of the Empire.\nAs a
man deeply familiar with noble traditions and the ways of diplomacy, he helped
convince many Imperial officials to side with the new order.
After a lifetime spent diligently working to transform his home city, Sir Robert
<el> Brante died a quiet death in peace and dignity, knowing he had not lived in
vain.\nHe will be remembered forever as a protector of the common people’s rights
and one of the founders of the new Anizotte.
In the years that followed, Robert <el> Brante deeply regretted not believing in
the Revolt or supporting its cause.\nHe decided not to take sides, and in the end,
he was left by the wayside.
When the Revolt prevailed, your father became a judge again — now elected by the
people — and helped the city codify a new, more just code of law.\nRobert <el>
Brante continued to play his own humble part in the city’s life until the end, and
its people remember him as an honest and honorable judge.
On the day the city’s rebel forces met their demise, your father took command of a
noble militia squad.\nHis efforts at restoring order in the rebellious city were
recognized and lauded by the Overseer himself.
Once the unrest had been reined in, Robert <el> Brante resumed his duties at the
Prefecture.\nBut after the terrible events of the Revolt, his views changed, and he
abandoned his long-cherished goal of attaining more freedom for the common folk.\
nYour father became a resolute supporter of the Overseer’s uncompromising rule and
served to protect law and order in the province until he breathed his last.
Once the unrest had been reined in, Robert <el> Brante resumed his duties at the
Prefecture. In spite of all the horrors your father witnessed during the Revolt, he
always sought to alleviate the burden of the common estate and establish justice
for all.\nGaius Tempest gradually came to share his views, and in time Robert
became one of his most ardent supporters.
Your father fought to his last breath to protect his home against a horde of
Sophia’s bloodthirsty followers in what came to be known as the Anizotte Massacre.
But in the end, he suffered the same fate as all the other enemies of the Revolt.\
nIn accordance with the verdict of the People’s Court, Robert <el> Brante was torn
apart by the rabid mob.
Your father fought to his last breath to protect his home against a horde of crazed
looters.
But in the end, he suffered the same fate as many other wealthy citizens of
Anizotte.\nIn accordance with the verdict of the People’s Court, Robert <el> Brante
was burned at the stake.
But after the terrible events of the Revolt, his views changed, and he abandoned
his long-cherished goal of attaining more freedom for the common folk.\nYour father
became a resolute supporter of the Overseer’s uncompromising rule and served to
protect law and order in the province until he breathed his last.
After the Imperial forces entered the city, Robert <el> Brante did his best to
resume his duties at the Prefecture.\nBut the quiet days of the past were over.
Instead of resolving disputes and dispensing justice, your father had to fight
tooth and nail against the unrest simmering beneath the surface of the city.
After the terrible events of the Revolt, his views changed, and he abandoned his
long-cherished goal of attaining more freedom for the common folk.\nYour father
became a resolute supporter of uncompromising rule and tried in vain to restore law
and order in the province until he breathed his last.
Each subsequent riot in Anizotte was inevitably repressed, but it was during one of
these disturbances that your father met his final death.\nThe frenzied mob branded
Robert <el> Brante an enemy of freedom and tore him limb from limb in accordance
with the verdict of the People’s Court.
What Became of Lydia Brante
Your mother passed away from illness long before these events transpired.
Lydia Brante was not there to see what became of her family.
Lydia Brante’s health had became very delicate over the years.\nAfter the family
fell apart, she never recovered from this staggering blow.
Your father did everything he could to preserve Lydia’s life, but his efforts were
in vain. Soon after your fateful decision, she passed away quietly and meekly in
her bed.
The Anizotte Massacre did not spare your mother either. She pleaded with the
violent mob until she could breathe no more.\nBut it was not her own life she was
trying to save — Lydia also wanted to save the Lot-defying commoners from the
terrible sins they were so intent on committing.
In her last moments, your mother prayed to the Twins.\nShe had led a righteous
life, and she departed for the Twins’ final judgment without fear.
Lydia Brantes’ health had become very delicate over the years. The new challenges
the family had to face amid the growing unrest were a staggering blow from which
she never recovered.
Your father did everything he could to preserve Lydia’s life, but his efforts were
in vain. She soon passed away quietly and meekly in her bed.
In her last moments, Lydia prayed to the Twins.\nShe had led a righteous life, and
she departed for the Twins’ final judgment without fear.
Lydia Brante’s health had become very delicate over the years. The loss of the
family home and life on the road were a staggering blow from which she never
recovered.
Lydia Brante always believed in the ways of the Empire and the Old Faith. It was
this very faith that helped her survive every trial the family had to face during
those fateful days.\nWhen it was finally over, Lydia lived the to a ripe old age in
peace and quiet with Robert, her faithful husband.
For the rest of her days, your mother took pride in your great deeds and supported
you every step of the way.
When the end came, Lydia departed to the Twins’ final judgment without fear.
For the rest of her days, your mother took pride in her son’s great deeds during
the suppression of the Revolt.
Lydia Brante always believed in the ways of the Empire and the Old Faith. She could
never come to terms with the new order.\nShe remained dismissive of the New Faith
until the end of her days and continued to live by the commoner’s Lot.
Your mother was persistent in her efforts to return you to the Old Faith and
constantly reminded you of what awaited you at the Foot of the Pillar.\nShe never
understood why you did what you did.
Your mother remained a pious Old Believer even as the world around her moved away
from the Old Faith. When the end came, she departed to the Twins’ final judgment
without fear.
Lydia Brante always believed in the ways of the Empire and the Old Faith. It was
this very faith that helped her survive every trial the family had to face during
those fateful days.\nLydia had to leave her home and her native city, but she still
lived the to a ripe old age in peace and quiet with Robert, her faithful husband.
When the family obtained new lodgings, your mother transformed them into a real
home for the Brante family.\nShe managed the household until well into her twilight
years. Her prayers and the sweat of her brow were her Lot and her strength.
What Became of Stephan Brante
Having severed all ties with the family, Stephan had no reason to remain in
Anizotte. After abandoning his aspirations for the Brante bloodline, he fully
dedicated himself to his own ambitions.\nYour former brother took on a new name:
Stephan El Borne. He moved to the capital and began working hard to earn himself a
place in the Emperor’s court.
But in the end, Stephan was too plainspoken to survive in the realm of courtly
intrigue. His bold and ambitious nature swiftly earned him a plethora of enemies at
court.\nBefore long, he was falsely accused of plotting against the Crown.
Stephan’s attempts to exonerate himself proved futile, and his life and honor met
an ignoble end.
Stephan’s attempts to exonerate himself proved futile, and his life and honor met
an ignoble end at the executioner's block.
Stephan had left the family after your successful plot to make Gloria part of the
House Brante. He moved to the capital where he started a military career and began
working hard to earn himself a place in the Emperor’s court.\nYour elder brother
was now far away from the family, but he continued to bear the name of Brante and
sent letters home.
But Stephan was too plainspoken to survive in the realm of courtly intrigue. His
bold and ambitious nature swiftly earned him a plethora of enemies at court.\
nBefore long, he was falsely accused of plotting against the Crown.
But Stephan found the strength to turn to his father and write home for help.\
nRobert, who was well versed in judicial affairs and court intrigue, saved him from
executioner's axe.
Stephan was quick to take advantage of his enemies’ unraveled plots.\nWhen the
false accusations crumbled, he used them as stepping stones for his own career.
In a matter of years, your elder brother became the supreme commander of the
Imperial Legion.\nHe never saw the faces of his loved ones again, but his family
remained in his heart for the rest of his life.
Stephan never had a chance to affect the struggle for Anizotte or decide the fate
of the Brante family.
He was killed in a duel long before these events came to pass.\nHe died by your
hand and never made a mark on history.
What Became of Stephan <el> Brante
When the fateful day came, Stephan fought with all his might side by side with your
father, just as any true nobleman would have.
But his courage and valor were not enough to best a bloodthirsty mob.\nAs the
family home burned, Stephan perished inside it along with your father.
When the fateful day came, Stephan fought for dear life side by side with your
father, just as any true nobleman would have.
But his courage and valor were not enough to best a bloodthirsty mob.\nThey
mercilessly executed him after murdering your father.
Stephan accepted your newfound calling with grudging respect.\nYou did not choose
it of your own volition, but were instead forced to aid Sir Felipe in his dubious
undertakings, but it still brought you considerable power and respect\nYour elder
brother had no choice but to reckon with this.
Once the days of the Revolt were past and Stephan was confident that the family’s
wellbeing was all but assured, he dedicated himself to his own present and future.\
nYour elder brother cast aside his old unrequited love for Maria El Velasco, who
had been married away long ago. In time, he managed to secure a successful marriage
with another noblewoman of the Sword, albeit one of less eminent birth.
After the wedding, Stephan and his wife moved to her family’s estate, but he never
lost touch with the <el> Brantes and dedicated himself to improving the family’s
reputation and continuing its legacy.\nStephan El Brante was remembered by those
around him as an honest and honorable nobleman.
Stephan agreed with your father’s decision not to take sides.\nWhen the Empire
turned the tide in the battle for Anizotte and you were out there making history,
he remained idle. He regretted this choice bitterly for the rest of his life.
His efforts to secure a flourishing career never brought him any success. Stephan
had no choice but to abandon his aspirations and make do with what he already had.\
nYour elder brother cast aside his old unrequited love for Maria El Velasco. In
time, he managed to secure a successful marriage to another noblewoman of the
Sword, albeit one of less eminent birth.
Stephan <el> Brante proved his true worth as a nobleman in the battle for Anizotte.
When the Revolt came, he saved many eminent families from certain death at the
hands of the rebels — an act of true dedication to the noble Lot.
The Overseer himself recognized Stephan’s valor and invited him in to serve at
Castle Enerie.\nBefore long, your elder brother became Gaius Tempest’s own military
advisor and one of his closest confidants.
But even in this high-ranking position, Stephan never forgot about the family that
had helped him reach such lofty heights.
Stephan never accepted the new order. Frustrated by your decision and the success
of the Revolt, he was not ready to come to terms with a free Anizotte that had
stripped him of his noble privileges.\nYet he never became your enemy, despite the
growing distance between you. He did, however, choose to leave his home city, never
to return.
Stephan moved to the capital and worked hard to pursue a military career and find a
place in the Emperor’s court.\nFor many long years, your elder brother lived alone,
far from the rest of you, yet he still carried the <el> Brante name and never
stopped writing letters back home.
Stephan was too plainspoken to survive the intrigue and never-ending power
struggles of the capital. His bold and ambitious nature swiftly earned him a
plethora of enemies at court.\nBefore long, he was falsely accused of plotting
against the Crown.
However, Stephan found the strength to reach out to your father for help.\nA man
equally skilled at courtroom arguments and backroom diplomacy, Robert intervened
just in time to save his son from execution.
Stephan was quick to take advantage of his enemies’ unraveled plots. When the false
accusations crumbled, he used them as stepping stones for his own career.
When Father joined the Gaius Tempest’s court, Stephan followed suit and found
employment at Castle Enerie as well.\nBefore long, your elder brother became a
high-ranking officer in his lord’s elite guard.
In a bid to restore law and order in his home city, Stephan joined Gaius Tempest’s
forces.\nTo your elder brother, the unrest and riots were an opportunity to convert
his lifelong ambitions into honor and status for his family.
After your father was murdered by the rebels, Stephan’s zeal only grew. He
continued to repress riots as they broke out and personally commanded the
Overseer’s forces on a punitive mission throughout Magra.
For the rest of his days, Stephan kept fighting the rebellion with all his might,
but his life ended before his work was done.
Stephan never accepted the new order you were fighting for. But after you struggled
selflessly for the good of the city, even he could recognize your commitment and
dedication.\nYou were never able to see eye to eye again, but when you parted ways,
you were not enemies.\nYou were still brothers.
In a bid to restore law and order in his home city, Stephan attempted to join Gaius
Tempest’s forces.\nTo your elder brother, the unrest and riots were an opportunity
to convert his lifelong ambitions into honor and status for his family.
By that time, however, the Brante name had been tainted by the Revolt. Stephan’s
request was refused by the Overseer himself, who told him to get out of his sight.
Still determined to set right all the things that had gone wrong for him, Stephan
left for Eterna hoping to make his way in the world through loyal service in the
Emperor’s own court.\nBut news of the Brante family’s disgrace made its way to the
capital before Stephan arrived. As his desperation grew, Stephan began dueling
anyone who disparaged the Brante name.
It was in one of these duels that your elder brother met his final death.
In a bid to restore law and order in his home city, Stephan joined Gaius Tempest’s
forces.\r\nTo your elder brother, the unrest and riots were an opportunity to
convert his lifelong ambitions into honor and status for his family.\r
What Became of Gloria
The Brante family managed to marry Gloria off to Sir El Peletier. When the family
collapsed, the news hit her hard.\nHer last connection to her old life now lost to
oblivion, Gloria’s melancholy grew darker and deeper.
Soon after, Gloria El Peletier wrote her last poem:
My God, you’re tired, ill and sore;\nOr ruthless, either-or...\nWhen you rose
higher to create the world,\nYou cursed us all forevermore —\nAn ashen skeleton was
all you bore.
My voice now gone, I try so hard to shriek,\nMy freedom stripped by fishing nets
you’ve cast.\nAgainst their stubborn threads, I am too weak,\nMy purpose lost,
about to breathe my last.
I’m done with this, my God! I’ve got no more to lose.\nThe net is torn, the rusted
bars are cracked.\nI won’t forgive. For me, there’s no excuse.\nYou wanted this to
end... now comes my final act.
Gloria’s new life as a nobleman’s wife put an end to her youthful ardor. When she
moved to her husband’s home, her fervent poetry and her struggle in the name of the
common folk remained in the past.\nShe languished in her newfound monotony at
first, mourning her fate.
But her connection to the Brante family remained. Through this surviving link,
Gloria found the strength to overcome her alienation and pull herself out of the
depths of melancholy in which she was mired.\nSlowly but surely, she came to
recognize and accept the genuine love of Sir Jose El Peletier, and in time she
responded to his selfless and cordial care with deep gratitude.
Gloria eventually came to terms with her newfound life in the noble estate, far
from the city. She soon gave birth to the first of their children and dedicated
herself to raising the heir of the great El Peletier bloodline.\nAnd so Gloria
spent the rest of her life far from the turmoil in Anizotte, surrounded by comfort
and warmth until the end of her days.
Gloria’s new life as a nobleman’s wife put an end to her youthful ardor. When she
moved to her husband’s home, her fervent poetry and her struggle in the name of the
common folk remained in the past.\nAs time went on, she languished more and more in
the monotony of her new life.
After the Brante family cut all ties with her, Gloria felt all alone in the world
and sunk deeper into melancholy by the day.\nSir Jose El Peletier offered her
genuine love, but she never came to accept it. He tended to her with selfless,
cordial care, but his efforts were all rejected.
Driven by despair, Gloria eventually attempted to flee, but was caught.\nEl
Peletier never forgave her for this.
Once she had been returned, Gloria’s husband treated her like property, denying her
any freedom whatsoever.
And so Gloria remained in his noble mansion to the end of her days, surrounded by
luxury, silence, and solitude.
After that unforgettable quarrel in the Brante home, Gloria left Anizotte to travel
the Empire.\nShe hoped to see the life of the common folk firsthand and transcribe
the truth in her travel notes.
The news of the Revolt back in Anizotte reached Gloria during her trip through the
province of Eliria. She seized the opportunity right away and sparked an uprising
against the crown among the local commoners.
However, the province’s noble militia swiftly suppressed the riots.\nGloria was
captured and sentenced to hard labor in the mines for life.
But not even hard labor could stop Gloria. She did her best to inspire her fellow
prisoners to rise up against their captors.\nBut, rather than share her fervor, the
other laborers turned her in, hoping for a reduced sentence.
Gloria fought tooth and nail against the old ways, but she did not live long enough
to see whether or not her efforts ever bore fruit.\nInstead, she met a swift and
ignoble end.
Gloria’s dream of becoming a full-fledged Brante was brutally shattered.\nThe
quarrel over her adoption ultimately tore the family apart.
Her home and newfound family gone, Gloria left Anizotte to escape her past and
travel the Empire.\nShe hoped to see the life of the common folk firsthand and
transcribe the truth in her travel notes.
Until the very end, Gloria boldly believed that she could convince the rebels
surrounding your home that the <el> Brantes were their allies.\nBut when the
violence began, she finally realized that the time for words had passed.
Desperate to protect Robert, she threw herself at the incensed mob attacking her
home.\nBut the thugs easily seized the unarmed woman and threw her into the roaring
flames, laughing all the while.
Your sister perished along with all her poems.\nFuture generations will not know
the works of Gloria Brante.
Until the very end, Gloria boldly believed that she could convince the rebels
surrounding your home that the <el> Brantes were their allies.\nBut when the
violence began, she finally realized that the time for words had passed.
Desperate to protect Robert, she threw herself at the incensed mob attacking her
home.\nBut the thugs easily seized the unarmed woman and forced her to her knees to
carry out the sentence of the People’s Court.
When the family home was looted and abandoned, her poems were lost to oblivion.\
nFuture generations will not know the works of Gloria Brante.
Gloria didn’t take the failure of the Revolt well. Unbeknownst to the rest of the
family, she continued to aid what remained of the rebellion.
Your sister dedicated herself to stoking the simmering coals of unrest in the city
and uniting the rebellion’s disparate remnants.\nEvery poem and pamphlet she wrote
quickly spread throughout Anizotte.
But, in the end, she was robbed of her chance to see the fruits of her labor.\nThe
Secret Chancellery eventually caught wind of the rebellious poet.
Gloria was snatched off the street and sent to the Imperial dungeon. She was never
seen again.\nHer poetry, however, continued to roam free, inspiring the common folk
to fight for their freedom.
Gloria took great pride in the victory of the Revolt and her own contribution to
it. She worked with you to help build a new order in Anizotte.
Your sister dedicated her life to educating the common folk and uniting the city
during the dawn of its new age.\nGloria’s relentless quill became mightier than any
sword. Her passionate poems and ardent articles quickly spread throughout Anizotte,
championing the cause of social equality and freedom from the Lots.
Gloria Brante was remembered as the first poet of the common folk and the harbinger
of a new age.
When the Revolt prevailed against all odds, Gloria was not able to contribute to
its great victory. She bitterly regretted her inaction, but she still worked with
you to help build a new order in Anizotte.
Gloria was horrified to learn that you had been employed by the Secret Chancellery
for years as a mole within the insurgency.\nShe quickly came to blame you for every
injustice, labeling you a nobleman's lapdog and an enemy of freedom.
But when your father took your side, she was absolutely furious. Gloria screamed in
your face that she would never live under the same roof with a two-faced,
manipulative crook and immediately left the Brante home.
Gloria did not take the failure of the Revolt well. Unbeknownst to the rest of the
family, she continued to aid what remained of the rebellion.\nThe Overseer’s
promises of future change meant nothing to her.
Your sister dedicated herself to rekindling the flames of unrest in Anizotte. But
her poems and pamphlets railing against the old ways fell on deaf ears.\nThe mere
thought of another rebellion became repulsive to the people of Anizotte, who
believed that the Imperial authorities would finally work for the good of the
common people.
In the end, Gloria had no choice but to abandon her attempts at inciting a new
rebellion.\nIn time, she accepted the status quo and came to believe in Gaius
Tempest’s honesty.
For the rest of her life, Gloria made a living doing back-breaking manual labor at
a textile factory. However, she kept writing poems, unsure if they would ever see
the light, but hopeful that future generations would read them.\nShe often thought
of home, and considered going back many times, but she could never forgive you or
understand why you did what you did.
Gloria never accepted the failure of the Revolt. Unbeknownst to the rest of the
family, she continued to aid what remained of the rebellion.\nThe Overseer’s
promises of future change meant nothing to her.
In the end, Gloria had no choice but to abandon her attempts at inciting a new
rebellion. In time, she accepted the status quo and came to believe in Gaius
Tempest’s honesty.
For the rest of her life, your sister dedicated herself to the wellbeing of the
Brante family. However, she kept writing poems, unsure if they would ever see the
light, but hopeful that future generations would read them.
Gloria never accepted the failure of the Revolt. After the Legion gained control of
the city, she returned home, but, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, she
continued to aid what remained of the rebellion.
Gloria witnessed the massacres and the horrors of the Revolt firsthand. Disgusted
and disillusioned, your sister abandoned her former cause.\nShe took every poem in
which she had urged the people to rebel and threw them into the fire.
In the end, her fear of senseless bloodshed was stronger than any grievance against
injustice, stronger than any desire to change the world for the better.\nGloria
always regretted having involuntarily aided a monster like Sophia.
She grew inseparable from your father and worked hard to help him survive the
hardships of their new life.
What Became of Nathan Brante
Nathan left Anizotte with your blessing, inexplicably managing to escape the city
in the middle of the Revolt. He then set out on a lengthy journey across the
Empire.\nHe emerged unscathed from every danger or hardship he encountered during
his travels. It was as though the Twins Themselves were watching over him.
One day, after months of wandering the world as a pilgrim, Nathan suddenly returned
to Anizotte.\nYour brother walked to the Silver Tree, where he spoke to the people.
He told him about how he had met the Elder Twin Himself, who had descended from on
high to walk the world once more.
Nathan confessed all his transgressions and sins to Him, knowing full well that he
would find no mercy, only eternal torment at the Foot of the Pillar.\nTo his
surprise, the Elder listened to him with tears in his eyes. Filled with compassion
for His own creation, He forgave Nathan for all the evils he had done.
After his sermon, followers started flocking to Nathan’s side. In time, they came
to call themselves the Elder’s Witnesses.\nTheir teachings began to make their way
across the Empire. To this day, Nathan’s disciples still spread the word: the Twin
Gods have learned forgiveness.
Nathan accepted his death at the hands of a frenzied mob. He did not resist.
The realization that the world had nothing to offer him but suffering killed your
younger brother’s spirit long before his final death.\nHe departed to the Twins to
face the ultimate punishment for all the sins he had committed.
Dazed by the changes brought by the rebellion, Nathan Brante found himself
completely lost in the world around him.\nAs the burden of his past sins grew more
and more unbearable, he retreated into his own mind until not even his own family
could reach him.\nIn the end, his despair drove him away from the family home. He
roamed Magra as a vagabond, devoid of all purpose.
Nathan wantonly squandered the rest of his lives one by one in meaningless fights.
He died his true death in a drunken brawl in a filthy roadhouse somewhere on the
outskirts of Magra.
Your younger brother survived the Revolt. When it passed, he found the strength to
start his life anew.\nYou had given him a glimmer of hope that he nurtured within
his soul, and one day that spark brought him to the doorstep of a temple of the New
Faith.
Free to choose his own Lot, Nathan became a priest and dedicated his life to
serving the Twins. He left his aimless past behind and finally found a purpose.\
nThe suffering he had endured in his spiritual quest became a source of wisdom.
Nathan’s renown as a New Faith preacher quickly grew, and he helped hundreds of
tormented souls find their own way to the Twins.
Your younger brother survived the Revolt. When it passed, he found the strength to
start his life anew.\nYou had given him a glimmer of hope that he nurtured within
his soul, and it helped him to accept the common Lot as his path to the Peak of the
Pillar.
He dedicated the rest of his life to prayer, toil, and humility.\nThe suffering he
had endured in his spiritual quest became the foundation of his faith.
When the end came, Nathan departed to the Twins’ final judgment without fear.
What Became of Gregor Brante
Gregor Brante did not live to see the realization of his great dream. But through
the efforts of his descendants, it did come to pass.\nThe name Brante is now
forever enshrined within the Blue Book, listed among those of the other noble
dynasties of the Empire.
The Blood Tide ushered in by Gregor Brante attained immortality.
Not even in the afterlife did Gregor Brante see the realization of his great dream.
His descendants failed to have the Brante name ennobled by the Sword.\nThe Brante
bloodline was denied its chance to become one of the Empire’s most eminent
dynasties.
The Blood Tide ushered in by Gregor Brante would never have another chance at
immortality.
Gregor Brante was denied his final rest, even in the hereafter.\nThe frenzied mob
did more than just destroy the Brante home — the family crypt was looted and left
to rot.
The Brante forefather’s remains were desecrated, his very name and legacy
dishonored.
Gregor Brante did not live to see the realization of his great dream. But through
your efforts, it did come to pass, albeit in a most unexpected fashion.\nThe name
Brante is now forever enshrined within the Blue Book, listed among those of the
other noble dynasties of the Empire.
The Blood Tide ushered in by Gregor Brante attained immortality thanks to you.
What Became of You
You have made your last and most important choice.\nWas your death worth it? Could
you have chosen a different path? Either way, there is no going back.\nYour fate is
sealed.
There is no returning from the hereafter.
And so you bid farewell to your mortal life.\nEverything you fought for, everything
you strove for — all that is behind you now.\nYou are on your way to the Shining
Pillar to await the judgment of the Twins.
You can no longer change the world’s destiny... but the choices you made and the
deeds you did have left an indelible mark.\nThe world will remember the life and
suffering of <username> <el> Brante.
Unable to affect the outcome of the struggle for Anizotte, you decided to flee the
city.
But the Imperial authorities already know your name.\nYou are wanted as one of the
insurgents who started the Revolt. A small fortune has been promised to anyone who
can take you alive.
The rebellion also remembers the name Brante — as a notorious traitor who fled when
he could have led them to the moment of truth.\nThe People’s Court has already
found you guilty.
You spend the rest of your days in hiding, moving from one well-populated city to
the next.\nYou live your life on the run, hunted by the Empire, pursued by the
rebellion’s executioners.
But, in spite of it all, your life has remained your own.\nAnd now, on these very
pages, you will tell your tale...
The tale of the life and suffering of <username> Brante.
But your actions have stained your name with dishonor — you fled at the moment of
truth, when other defenders of the Empire were counting on your aid.
The rebellion also remembers you — as an enemy of the Revolt.\nThe People’s Court
has already found you guilty.
You spend the rest of your days in hiding, moving from one well-populated city to
the next.\nYou live your life on the run, pursued by the rebellion’s executioners.
As bloody chaos swept across the Empire, you remained aloof.\nYou chose to live
your life free of any renown or attention, somewhere on the outskirts of your home
province.
History will not know your name.
But you are labeled a coward and a traitor.\nYou fled at the moment of truth, when
other defenders of the Empire were counting on your aid.
However, the name <el> Brante had previously earned the respect of the Overseer
himself. That, and only that, saves you from complete disgrace. Gaius Tempest
himself speaks in your favor. Little by little, your fellow loyalists slowly forget
your bizarre disappearance.\nYou join the Overseer’s court as one of his aides and
help him curtail the growing disorder.
As time passes, the Overseer’s dominance steadily declines, but you remain by your
patron’s side even in these dark times.\nYou reside at Castle Enerie in Gaius
Tempest’s court and help the lord of the province hold onto power.\nYou are behind
many of the Overseer’s pivotal changes, but history will not know your name.
The tale of the life and suffering of <username> <el> Brante.
Peace and order have returned to Anizotte, all thanks to you.
For your service to the Empire, you are rewarded by Overseer Gaius Tempest at Sir
Felipe’s behest. You join the gentry as a nobleman of the Sword and receive a
palatial estate near Anizotte.\nDespite your humble origins, you have soared to the
top.
Later, after many more years of loyal service to Felipe El Ferro, you come to lead
the Secret Chancellery in his stead.\nYour place is now in the Imperial capital,
attending to matters of the utmost secrecy and importance.
For the rest of your life, you remain an unseen, but powerful figure in the
Empire.\nYou bear a heavy burden, but you bear it proudly and scoff at the
temptations of glory and fame.\nEnding plots before they begin, suppressing riots,
quelling unrest, maintaining order throughout the land, helping the Empire to
flourish — these are your contributions.
Until your final death, very few people ever know the true extent of the power and
authority you wielded in your life.\nYou are remembered as the savior of Anizotte
in the face of a great rebellion and a man with a most peculiar destiny.
So ends the life and suffering of Sir <username> <el> Brante.
At the fateful hour, you were the one who led the soldiers of the Empire to
victory.\nGaius Tempest makes you his right-hand man at court. The Emperor himself
expresses his gratitude to you:
“<username> of the <el> Brantes is the pride of the Empire and a bulwark of her
prosperity. His service for the good of the realm shall be remembered for all
time!”
Chosen by the Twins Themselves, you have become the leader of the Faith in Magra.\
nAs patriarch, you restore the Old Faith to its former glory throughout the
province and succeed in uprooting all false teachings within your grasp.
For the rest of your days, you are venerated by every soul in the province, from
the lowliest peasant to the most eminent nobleman.\nYou remain the patriarch of
Magra until your true death.
You are remembered as the savior of Anizotte in the face of a great rebellion and
the most righteous patriarch of your time.
But even the Emperor’s own gratitude will offer you no reprieve when the hour of
the Twins’ merciless judgment comes.\nYou achieved this victory through a terrible
transgression. You defied the priestly Lot, and for that, your soul is forfeit.
For the rest of your days, you continue to serve the Inquisition as a guardian of
the Old Faith.\nYou are honored and respected by your brothers and sisters of the
Order for the sacrifice you had to make.
You are remembered as the savior of Anizotte in the face of a great rebellion and a
man who cast away his soul for the greatest of causes.
At the fateful hour, you were the one who led the soldiers of the Empire to
victory.\nThe Emperor himself expresses his gratitude to you:
You are rewarded by Overseer Gaius Tempest. You join the gentry as a nobleman of
the Sword and receive a palatial estate near Anizotte.
Despite your humble origins, you have soared to the top. Later, after several years
of loyal service to the Overseer of Magra, you become the Magistrate of Anizotte.\
nFor the rest of your days, you remain an eminent and powerful figure in your home
city and province, maintaining order throughout the land and helping it to
flourish.
You are remembered as the savior of Anizotte in the face of a great rebellion and a
man with a most peculiar destiny.
You are rewarded by Overseer Gaius Tempest with the title of prefect.\nYou replace
El Borne as the head judge of Magra, tasked with dispensing the highest justice.\
nFor the rest of your days, you continue to maintain law and order in your home
city and province.
Despite your humble origins, you have soared to the top. \nYou are remembered as
the savior of Anizotte in the face of a great rebellion, a judge of immense
authority, and a man with a most peculiar destiny.
Your sacrifice in the Battle of Anizotte was not in vain. Your followers captured
Sophia and executed her, then broke through the ranks of the leaderless rebels and
breached the walls.\nIt was only thanks to your selfless decision that the Legion
managed to enter the city that day.
The place where you met your end at the Anizotte gate now bears an obelisk of stone
— a memorial to those who gave their last lives to end the rebellion.\nYou did not
survive to see your moment of glory, but your name been inscribed upon the
chronicles of the Empire and will be remembered forevermore.
So ends the life and suffering of <username> <el> Brante.
You sacrificed your life and the cause of the Revolt to spare your home city from
an inevitable massacre.\nThe city of Anizotte will remember your name forever. Some
call you a hero, the man who put an end to bloodshed and saved the city. Others
curse you as the vilest of all traitors, a lone turncoat who doomed the rebellion.
Even in death, your name never received glory or fame.\nTo the highest ranks of the
Empire you were just an insurgent, one of many, who sided with those in power at
the last moment possible.
It took many years for historians to realize the crucial role you played that
fateful night — had you not opened the gate to the Legion and forced the Revolt to
surrender, civil war would have swept across the Empire.\nIn the end, it was thanks
to you that Gaius Tempest managed to prevent bloodshed and begin his reforms. The
Empire could have been plunged into slaughter, riots, and fire had you chosen a
different path.
So ends the life and suffering of <username> Brante.
By taking charge of the city’s defenses against all odds, you doomed yourself in an
uneven fight against the far superior might of the Empire.\nThe people chose you as
the first and only governor of the Free City of Anizotte. Under your leadership,
the city’s free militia managed to fend off many assaults by Legion forces from all
across the Empire.\nEven as the city grew worn and desperate throughout the never-
ending siege, you remained there to make the sacrifices that had to be made and
maintain order within its walls.
But there came a day when the city’s defenders finally had no more strength left to
fight. At last, the Imperial Legions breached your defenses.\nYou fought on the
walls of Anizotte until you could no longer stand and were captured alive.
By the order of Emperor Uther II himself, you were brought to Eterna, where you
were brutally executed as a lesson to other would-be enemies of the Tempest
dynasty’s rule.
You faced that reckoning proudly and without fear.\nYou knew that the cause you had
fought for would live on.
So ended the life and suffering of <username> Brante.
You were elected by the people to the Council of Anizotte, along with the other
leaders of the Revolt.\nIt was a heavy burden to bear, but it was necessary in
order to overcome the city’s challenges on the path to building a new society.\nAnd
so you devoted the rest of your life to preserving the freedoms you had won and
building a new and just order in Anizotte.
The people of the Empire came to see you as the greatest champion of the New Faith.
Through you, the teachings of Fotis finally assumed a dominant role in the Empire.\
nA new, special order of believers was formed at your behest to carry the true
doctrine to other cities, towns, and villages throughout the Empire.
You are remembered as the liberator of Anizotte and an apostle of the New Faith
equal to Patriarch Fotis himself.
When Anizotte became a free city, you became its supreme judge. Your quill inked
laws that became the foundation of modern Anizotte.\nThe people of the Empire came
to know you as the quintessential enlightened nobleman, a man seeking equality and
justice for all, an example followed by many young officials, civil servants,
soldiers, and officers.
You are remembered as the liberator of Anizotte and the creator of the first
unified Code of Law applicable to all estates.
You became the voice of the Revolt, a man who took his vision of a new way of life
and relentlessly carried it throughout the Empire.\nThanks to you, more cities and
provinces soon joined the battle for change.
Your exceptional path through life made you living proof that any commoner can
shape their future with their own actions and change the world, no matter what
might stand in their way.\nYou began this path in chains, bound by the Secret
Chancellery, but you earned freedom — not just for yourself, but for others as
well.
You are remembered as the liberator of Anizotte and the harbinger of a new age.
Side by side with Sophia, you began the march against the old ways, and the
rebellious hordes followed you.\nNo one remembered your old name any longer, but
your new name instilled terror in every corner of the Empire: the Butcher of
Anizotte. The cruelty with which you dispatched your enemies became the stuff of
legend.
Along the way, you faced many powerful foes and crushed them all, free from fear of
death, unafraid of the Twins’ judgment.\nAgain and again, you emerged from the
flames to bring the common folk the freedom they so coveted, and they fought for
you until they bled their last.
You, the Butcher of Anizotte, became a flame that incinerated the monstrous,
decrepit husk of an Empire until nothing remained.\nBut it was not your fate to see
whether or not a new world would rise from the ashes of the old.
The hour of your death has come.\nYour soul has left your body, never to return.
You are taken to the Peak of the Shining Pillar.\nEvery moment separates you more
and more from the mortal realm. The link that once bound you to it is gone forever.
You look up to see two divine visages watching you intently.\nThe Elder Twin gazes
upon you, full of sorrow and compassion.\nThe Younger examines you dispassionately,
seeing your every act and thought.
You have ascended from the mortal realm.\nFrom here, you are but one step away from
partaking in eternal bliss atop the Peak of the Shining Pillar.\nBut first you must
be judged by Them, just as every other soul born in this world has been judged
since time immemorial. Only Their judgment can decide whether you deserve to remain
atop the Peak or be hurled down to the Foot.
You stand before the Twins.\nYour very essence is laid bare before them, all the
secrets of your inner self revealed in full.\nYour soul is like an open book to
them, one that preserves the story of your entire life.
You lie prostrate before the Gods.\nThe time has come to take responsibility for
your mortal life.
And the Elder Twin asks:\n“Are you thankful to the Gods for the life you lived?”
You are thankful
You are glad it is over
You refuse to submit to them
You despise them
You regret it
You are calm
Your soul is filled with love for those who created you and gave you the gift of
life.
Your life was agony. You are happy to end that mortal existence and leave it
behind.
You feel no gratitude whatsoever to your creators. Your mortal life was yours and
yours alone.
You hate the world the Twins created, as well as your entire mortal life.
You regret how you squandered the Twins-given gift of mortal life.
You staunchly accept everything that happened to you in the world the Twins
created. Your life was your life.
They hear your answer.\nCompassion and remorse fill the immeasurably deep eyes of
the Elder Twin. He turns to face His divine brother, who returns his gaze with an
expression of stern remorse.
The Elder Twin asks once more:\n“What was your life to you?”
Struggle
Suffering
Toil
Enlightenment
Service
Creation
Empathy
Your life was a struggle for your beliefs.
You spent your life staunchly enduring despair, hardship, and grief.
You spent your life diligently doing your duty.
Your life was focused on learning about the world and its truths.
Your life was spent in service to others.
In your life, you created something new, something the world had never seen before.
Your life was dedicated to other people and your relationships with them. You
changed them, and they changed you.
The Elder Twin bows His head wearily, considering your response.\nBut the stern
visage of the Younger already looms above you.
Human by the name of Brante, what did you live for?
Principles
Freedom
Other people
Faith
Happiness
A cause
There is nothing more important than living by your beliefs.
You lived for the sake of freedom, both for yourself and for others.
You sought to shape the world and bend it to your will.
You lived to make other people’s lives better.
You strove to gain a better understanding of the Twins and find your own path to
them.
More than anything else, you wanted to find happiness and joy for yourself, your
family, and those around you.
You yearned to do a great deed that would outlive you.
The Younger’s gaze lingers on your bare, defenseless soul.\nThe divine figure
continues its stern interrogation.
What did you leave behind?
Change
Doctrine
Home
Legacy
Achievement
Nothing
You blazed a trail for change that will long outlive you.
You brought order to a restless and confused mortal realm.
You believed in something, and it changed the world.
You provided for your family and bloodline and gave it a future.
You have become an important part of the history of the Empire.
Your achievements will live on.
You left no mark in the mortal realm.
The Younger Twin now moves toward you with clear intent, poised to render His
judgment.\nBut the Elder Twin restrains His brother with a gesture.
A divine voice fills you once again:\n“Did your life make the world we made better
and more perfect?”
It became better
It cannot be changed
It did not become better
It became worse
You do not know
Through your will, you managed to influence and improve the mortal world.
No mortal can ever improve the world — only the Twins have this power.
You failed to change the fate of the world for the better.
You left the mortal world a far more terrible place than it was before.
That is not for you to judge.
The Younger Twin is silent, his eyes two swords piercing your soul.\nThe Elder Twin
speaks to you again.\nBut you already know the question — the very same question
that caused you so much suffering shortly before your true and final death.
“What determined your destiny?”
The world around you
No one
The Twin Gods exchange a glance that lasts a brief moment — and all eternity.
Then the hand of the Elder Twin reaches out to you, glowing with light and warmth.\
nThe Gods offer you an unprecedented opportunity... to change your destiny.\nTo
rewrite the book of your life.
Would you like to take a different path in life?
No
Yes
Your life is over. You will face whatever awaits you with no regrets.
You will return to the mortal world and live your life a different way.
You reject the hand of the Elder.\nThe immense divine silhouette withdraws in
sorrow.
The Younger Twin steps forward, leaving you to face His Law alone.\nThe Twins’
judgment is nearing its end.
You reach out to the massive hand of the Elder.\nIt lifts you up, and you are
enveloped in warmth and love. You want to stay like this forever.
But you must return to the life you knew.\nThe Elder Twin’s hand releases you.\nYou
fly down, down to the mortal world once more.
The soul of a man named <el> Brante lies prostrate at Your feet.\nYou have
witnessed his entire life, known his every act, seen his every thought and desire.\
nNo other soul could ever walk the same path. So many difficult choices, so many
emotions, so much pain…
Another soul awaits your judgment.\nYou know no mercy, nor does Your Brother.\
nEvery mortal must walk the path chosen for him to the very end. Those who abide by
the precepts set forth by You and Your Brother shall return to You and become a
part of You.\nThose who reject You shall know the eternal suffering of oblivion.
Where does the man named <username> <el> Brante belong?
The Peak of the Pillar
The Foot of the Pillar
This man shall know eternal bliss.
This man shall be condemned to eternal suffering.
You gingerly grasp the fragile soul, lift it up, and turn to face your Elder
Brother.\nYou lift Your sword. Your Brother stands with arms akimbo, ready for the
blow.\nThe blade slices through His chest. Blinding light gushes from the gash.
You bring the minuscule soul to Your Brother’s chest, and it dissolves in the
streams of shimmering luminescence.\nA tiny fragment of Your shared creation has
rejoined the Whole.
The man named <el> Brante is no more.\nThere is only the eternal fount in which he
now abides.
The sword strikes!\nThe blade mercilessly slices the minuscule soul in twain.\nIt
shatters into a multitude of sparks.
Each of these sparks was once a dream, a deed, a thought, a hope…
The sparks fly down, down to the Foot of the Shining Pillar, to the eternal
darkness of non-being.\nThe lonely light is slowly extinguished.
The man named <username> <el> Brante is no more.\nHe has finally come to know true
suffering — he has become nothing.
Outcome of the Revolt
With your assistance, the Imperial loyalists crushed the rebellion in a single
night.\nAfter swiftly quelling the unrest in Anizotte, Overseer Gaius Tempest
restored order within the city’s walls with an iron fist. The insurgents refused to
submit to the Legion and paid in blood for their defiance.\nAll the leaders of the
Revolt met their final deaths at the end of a noose. Many rank-and-file rebels also
faced justice — they were arrested for carrying firearms, exposed by their
neighbors, or driven to the authorities by their guilty consciences and the blood
on their hands.
The city quickly ran out of space for executions. The gallows in the main square
spilled out onto nearby streets.\nThe rebels’ corpses were left swinging in the
wind for a long time as a grim warning to all the people of Magra.
After his swift victory, Gaius Tempest’s authority grew stronger.\nHis subjects had
been pacified, and no one else had the nerve to lead an armed insurgency against
his lawful rule.\nOnce the rebellion was silenced, Magra finally entered an age of
peace and calm.
And yet the Overseer learned much from the lessons of the Anizotte Revolt. He saw
what can happen when a ruler shows weakness and makes concessions to the lowly
estate.\nFrom that point on, Gaius Tempest sought to preserve order and curtail all
unrest at any cost.\nIn time, the rest of the Empire came to the same conclusion —
the order established by the Twins must remain unchanged, and the entire Empire
must abide by it in order to prevent more disturbances and provide peace and
prosperity to its people.
With your assistance, the Imperial loyalists crushed the rebellion in a single
night without further bloodshed.\nAfter swiftly quelling the unrest in Anizotte,
Overseer Gaius Tempest restored order within the city’s walls with an iron fist.\
nAll the leaders of the Revolt met their final deaths at the end of a noose, but
any rebels who surrendered before they had used their weapons against the Legion
were granted mercy. The Arknian ruler was as good as his word.
After his swift victory, Gaius Tempest’s authority grew stronger. Now that his
subjects had been pacified, the eminent gentry and the Archduke’s sympathizers no
longer had a chance to stop him from ruling Magra as he saw fit.\nOnce the
rebellion had been silenced, the province finally entered an age of peace.
And yet the Overseer learned much from the lessons of the Anizotte Revolt. He
realized that he had no choice but to address the woes of the lowly estate, lest
further turmoil sweep across the land.\nGaius Tempest took advantage of his growing
power and finally began his first, careful reforms. The nobles’ privileges remained
unchanged, but, little by little, the common estate came to enjoy new protections
under his rule.
In time, the rest of the Empire came to the same conclusion: the order established
by the Twins must remain unchanged, but if the realm wished to enjoy prosperity and
peace, then evevryone, from lowly commoner to highborn Arknian, must be protected
equally by the strong arm of the law.\nFor the first time in centuries, there was
change, albeit gradual change guided by eminent nobles and the royal Tempest
dynasty in their stern wisdom.
For years after your death, Anizotte continued to simmer like a cookpot over a slow
flame. The powerlessness of the simple folk, unable to change the old order,
gradually gave way to rage.\nFinally, this anger became stronger than their age-old
submission to the higher estate and their fear of divine retribution.\nThis rage
was the spark that lit the fire of the Revolt. The rebels took up arms and seized
the city for themselves, led from the shadows by the Last Straw.
When the moment of truth came, there was no soul in Anizotte strong-willed enough
to spearhead the raging Revolt.\nThe opposing factions soon reached a stalemate in
which neither side could prevail completely.
Anizotte refused to surrender; but after a prolonged siege, Gaius Tempest finally
broke the city’s defenses, and the Legion entered the rebellious city of Anizotte.\
nThe insurgents fled. The mobs disappeared from the squares and the streets. The
leaders of the Revolt were hanged.
But the city’s capture made even more trouble for the Overseer. \nThe unrest was
beaten down, but not suppressed completely. New riots followed one by one, as the
common folk, the New Faith Priests, and many nobles of the Mantle continued to wage
a desperate struggle against the old authorities.\nGaius Tempest responded to the
seething rebellion with more executions and threats, but dissent continued to grow.
As the unrest in the city smoldered, the rest of the Empire eventually caught wind
of the Anizotte Revolt.\nNearby Magran towns and villages saw their first riots
soon after. Chaos began to spread across the Empire.
The Empire responded to this enduring turmoil with ruthless action. But even after
several villages and towns were drowned in blood, the riots only intensified.\nThe
dominance of the Emperor and his dynasty began to wane. Power struggles broke out
between the powerful nobles in the capital.
Then, a shocking event shook the Empire to its core: Emperor Uther II was found
dead in his palace, never to be reborn. His heirs, Jerian and Flavius, both
disappeared without a trace.\nWith no one to take the throne, the noble dynasties
accused one another of plotting against the Tempests’ rule. Feuds and internecine
strife became commonplace.
And so began an age of anarchy, a time of massacre and riots, conflict and
bloodshed, chaos and unrest.\nThere were no winners in this war of all against all,
only survivors.\nThe Empire entered a dark and terrible age.
You took command of Anizotte and fended off the Legion’s attack. The rebellious
city remained yours.\nThe rebels celebrated. For the first time in history, the
Imperial army was powerless against the will of the common people! Now Anizotte
would become a free city ruled by its people, where all estates would be equal!
But the leaders of the Revolt barely had time to establish this new rule before the
city was surrounded again — this time by armies and noble militias from nearby
provinces.\nThe Imperial authorities preferred to see the rebellious city razed to
the ground rather than let it foment further unrest.
You fended off their assaults one by one. Then came a long and grueling siege.\
nSupplies soon ran thin. The rebels’ morale began to decline. With each passing
day, it became harder and harder to maintain order on the streets. New traitors
appeared one after another, eager to open the gate to the enemy in exchange for a
pardon.\nIllness, hunger, and despair gripped Anizotte.
After a year-long siege, the rebellious city fell. The Imperial army finally
managed to breach the gate, ready punish Anizotte cruelly for its impudence.\nBy
the Emperor’s own order, the city was made an example for the rest of the Empire.
All the leaders of the Revolt were hanged, and many more rank-and-file rebels were
tortured or executed.\nThe Legion established strict martial law in Anizotte, and
this uncompromising rule continued for many years.
Once the rebellion had been silenced, the province finally entered a time of
peace.\nThe common folk were finally pacified, and no one else had the nerve to
lead an armed insurgency against the Overseer’s lawful rule.
And yet the year of Anizotte’s freedom from the Empire made its mark. In time, the
rest of the Empire learned of the just and lawful system the rebels had established
in the rebellious city, no matter how briefly.\nThe Crown worked hard to stamp out
the very memory of the Revolt, but its efforts were in vain. The tale of the
Anizotte Revolt took root in the hearts of the people, sowing seeds of hope.
They hoped for a new Revolt — someday, somewhere — a Revolt that would emerge
victorious.
You took command of Anizotte and routed the Legion.\nThe rebels celebrated. For the
first time in history, the Imperial army was powerless against the will of the
common people! Now Anizotte would become a free city ruled by its people, where all
estates would be equal!
The rebellious city would have been crushed by the Empire’s superior forces had it
not been for your eminent hostage: Gaius Tempest, the Overseer of Magra and the
Emperor’s own brother.\nMany in the Emperor’s court were furious. They urged His
Majesty Uther II to drown Anizotte in blood and crush the rebellion with no hope of
parley.\nBut the Emperor could not see his brother die, so he never gave the order
to besiege the city.
The negotiations for Gaius Tempest’s life and freedom took quite some time. As they
drew out, the news of the Revolt reached even the most remote provinces.\nMore and
more towns and villages learned from the lesson of Anizotte. Their citizens begin
to arm themselves and join the Revolt.\nThe Imperial army began a frantic campaign
to douse the flames of unrest, but it was all in vain. The Legions suffered defeat
after defeat.
The powerful nobles eventually grew vexed with the Emperor and his dynasty, and
power struggles broke out in the capital.\nThen, a shocking event shook the Empire
to its core: Emperor Uther II was found dead in his palace, never to be reborn. His
heirs, Jerian and Flavius, both disappeared without a trace.\nWith no one to take
the throne, the noble dynasties accused one another of plotting against the
Tempests’ rule. Feuds and internecine strife became commonplace.
Meanwhile, the rebellion only grew stronger. Soon the banners of the Revolt could
be seen even in the most remote corners of the Empire. The lands that won freedom
from noble tyranny and the Lots formed a defensive alliance called the League of
Equals.\nBut the old rulers were loathe to see their power slip between their
fingers. More and more soldiers gathered beneath the banners of the old Arknian
dynasties.
The Empire has been split in half.\nWar is coming. Regardless of the outcome, the
world will never be the same again.
The peace treaty you negotiated with the Overseer marked an important turning
point, the beginning of sudden change throughout the Empire.\nAnizotte became a
free city in which all estates had equal rights. Though still the Emperor’s
subjects, its citizens were free to govern the city on their own.
The rebels celebrated this momentous occasion — the day they earned unimaginable
freedom backed by Gaius Tempest, who represented Imperial rule.\nThe city hastily
elected a Council of Anizotte to govern it, each member chosen from the loyal
supporters of the new order and elected by the people.\nThe Council’s very first
decrees made all estates equal under the city’s laws, proclaimed freedom from the
Lots, and named the New Faith the official Church of Anizotte.
The noble gentry and the old clergy began to flee the city and the province,
terrified and enraged by the events that had transpired. \nThey quickly spread word
throughout the Empire of the causes behind their exodus and demanded that the
Emperor hold Gaius Tempest responsible for aiding and abetting rebellion.
Overseer Gaius Tempest was summoned to the capital at once. His many enemies at
court demanded that every single one of Anizotte’s freedoms be revoked.\nOnly his
status as the Emperor’s brother made him safe from this dreadful scandal.
The power struggle in the capital took quite some time. As it drew out, the news of
the Revolt reached even the most remote provinces.\nMore and more towns and
villages learned from the lesson of Anizotte. Their citizens begin to arm
themselves and join the Revolt.\nThe Imperial army began a frantic campaign to
douse the flames of unrest, but it was all in vain. The Legions suffered defeat
after defeat.
The Imperial authorities were at a loss. The riots continued, with even the
fiercest loyalists powerless to stop them.\nIn the end, Gaius Tempest was the only
one who could. He convinced his brother Uther II to grant new freedoms to the
common estate. The Twins trusted the Tempest dynasty to rule over the Empire
wisely, after all.\nThe times were changing, and the Tempests had a choice: either
change the Empire or destroy it.
Prince Jerian, the heir to the throne, eagerly sided with Gaius Tempest.\nAfter a
long period of uneasy deliberation, Uther II and the other Tempests announced their
decision to comply with the rebels’ demands.\nThe commoners celebrated the day and
hailed the Emperor while Gaius Tempest and his allies drafted laws that would
change the face of the nation.
But the old rulers were loathe to see their power slip between their fingers. The
enemies of change are gathering beneath their banners.\nThey are amassing a
powerful army on the edges of the capital province, determined to restore the old
ways by force.
Two banners now fly above the Empire.\nOne, that of the Imperial Legions and the
armed commoners, stands for the Tempests and the change to come.\nThe other, that
of the noble militias and the dynasties of old, stands for a return to the old
order.
It only took a few days for the entire Empire to learn of the Revolt and the events
that had transpired in Anizotte.\nThe unthinkable victory of the common folk over
the war engine that was the Imperial Legion. \nThe ruthless and fearsome leaders of
the rebellion.\nThe terrifying slaughter of the nobles, priests, and anyone else
who stood in the insurgents’ way.
By the end of the second day, the Revolt had reduced the city of Anizotte to a
charred, smoldering ruin.\nThick, acrid smoke from burning buildings and gunpowder
blanketed the city. Bodies swung from ropes on every street. The results of the
justice of the People’s Court — sprawled, abandoned, lead-riddled corpses — could
be found in every square.\nThe events of those days entered the annals of history
as the Great Anizotte Massacre.
But the rebels were not content. Having purged all their enemies from Anizotte,
they immediately began to march across the province.\nEvery town and village in
their way was freed from the noble rule. As the landowners fled in terror, the
commoners abandoned their homes and armed themselves to fight beneath the banner of
the Last Straw.\nThe rebel army grew larger and stronger by the day.
So began their bloody campaign of destruction. Wherever the rebels march, the old
ways of the Empire collapse. They have no mercy, leaving nothing behind but
smoldering ruins and the ashes of the dead. Age-old traditions burn as their
ravenous flames consume town after town, city after city.\nThe old noble dynasties
are amassing their own armies beneath the banner of the Tempests to fight off this
chaos.\nBut the rebel hordes are already approaching the capital. There is no
stopping them.
Sophia’s dream of waging war against the old world has begun.\nRegardless of the
outcome, the Empire will never be the same again.
Sir Felipe’s plan succeeded without a hitch, all thanks to you. The masterfully
manipulated rebellion was quashed as swiftly as it began.\nYou and your patron
cleansed the city overnight, eliminating all the rebel leaders who posed a threat
to peace and prosperity in the Empire.\nThe other rebels were pardoned by the
Overseer at Felipe’s personal request.
After his swift victory over the rebellion, Gaius Tempest’s authority grew
stronger. Now that his subjects had been pacified, the eminent gentry and the
Archduke’s sympathizers no longer had a chance to stop him from ruling Magra as he
saw fit.\nOnce the rebellion had been silenced, the province finally entered an age
of peace.
The power struggle in the province was over, and Archduke Milanidas and the old
gentry had prevailed.\nWell-versed in all manner of plots and schemes, the Archduke
secured himself in his castle and remained aloof from the events of the Revolt
until the Empire’s grasp on the province grew weak.
As chaos followed in the wake of the Revolt, the Archduke and his loyal followers
among the oldest Arknian dynasties in Magra confronted the Overseer over the
Anizotte Revolt and the many other ordeals the province had endured over the past
few years.\nWith the last of his authority gone, Gaius Tempest had no choice but to
return the Overseer’s title to the Milanidas dynasty.
The old elite gentry soon restored the rule of ancient tradition in Magra. They
flaunted Imperial law and returned the province to the days of yore, when the noble
dynasties ruled their domains as they saw fit.
The power struggle in the province was fierce, but in the end, Gaius Tempest
remained the Overseer of Magra.\nHis authority suffered from the feud with Archduke
Milanidas and the years of unrest that preceded the Revolt, and yet the Arknian
lord had the wisdom to surround himself with loyal allies and garner support with
the Magran nobles.
No one could challenge the Overseer’s rule now.\nMagra is a part of the Empire, and
the Tempest dynasty has been chosen by the Twins Themselves to rule over it all.\
nSuch is Their grand design, and so it shall be for all eternity.
The power struggle in Magra continues. None of the factions are strong enough to
prevail over the others. \nThe estates are locked in a civil war. The common folk
have rebelled against the rule of Gaius Tempest, and the nobility has been
shattered into feuding camps.
Animosity and strife have taken over. If this continues, Magra could remain divided
for a very long time.
The common estate achieved its goals and won the rights and freedoms it sought.
Liberated from the noble yoke, the people of Anizotte became a force to be reckoned
with.\nThe old restrictions imposed on industrialists and merchants of the common
Lot were lifted. The lands and estates of the noble families that fled the city
were seized.\nNow the citizens had to learn to govern their city and manage their
lives all on their own.
The coming war does not frighten the people of Anizotte. They are already rallying
other cities in the province to their cause.\nThey will not surrender their hard-
earned freedom without a fight.
The bloodthirsty march of the rebellion obliterated any semblance of the rule of
law in Magra.\nThe Last Straw and its followers massacred all the old rulers,
leaving chaos and anarchy in their wake.
It was only inevitable that the province would fall into the hands of outlaws and
marauders.\nThe old ways are gone — but can the people of Magra build something new
in their place?
Everyone in Magra knows that the New Faith is a dangerous heresy that must be wiped
from the face of the world.\nBlessed by all the people of the province, the Order
of the Inquisition sets out to eradicate every last follower of Fotis’s teachings.
The pyres of the Inquisition are soon burning in countless towns and villages,
incinerating the remnants of the heretical doctrine.\nOutlawed in Magra, the New
Faith soon becomes illegal throughout the Empire.
The Old Faith has regained a firm foothold in Magra as the one true doctrine of the
Twins.\nThe teachings of Isatius have once again became Law, and so have the Lots.
The New Believers’ numbers are dwindling rapidly as their persecution becomes more
and more widespread.\nAnd yet the teachings of Fotis still survive... and one day,
the New Faith could return.
The clash between the Old Faith and the New continued. As the schism in the clergy
grew, the people of Magra remained similarly divided.\nNeither doctrine has enough
power to prevail over the other, so the venomous accusations and fervent disputes
continue.\nThe Inquisition is powerless to end the struggle.
The strife between the faiths will continue to fester.\nThe people of the province
and the Empire will never be at peace until they decide which path of worship is
the one that leads to the Twins.
The New Faith endured the persecution of the Inquisition and survived Patriarch
Cassius to become the dominant church in Magra.\nSince then, most Magran priests
preach that everyone is free to find their own path to the Twins.
The Old Faith has lost the influence it once had.\nIt survives only thanks to the
most uncompromising priests, the dynasties of old, and fearful commoners in the
most remote Magran villages.
The New Faith has prevailed at last.\nNow everyone in Magra knows that the Old
Faith is a lie perpetuated by the Church authorities to doom people to suffer in
life and after death.\nThe teachings of Isatius must be eradicated forever.
New Faith fanatics hunt down and judge the priests who still have the gall to
preach the Old Faith.\nEveryone must undergo the New Sacrament and break free of
their past Lot or face death in the flames.
The land of Magra is dead.\nThe crises of the past few years have annihilated the
province’s former prosperity.\nThe fields have been razed, trampled, and scorched.
The livestock has been culled. The factories lie in ruins.
The common folk face once lesser death after another from illness and hunger. Even
the wealthiest noble estates have grown destitute.\nThe land scarred by Char
Milanidas’s curse has reaped yet another harvest of lives.
The crises of the past few years have annihilated the province’s former
prosperity.\nThe fertile fields have been scorched. The mines have been abandoned.
The factories stand idle, with no one to work in them.
The looming threat of hunger and poverty drives the people to back-breaking labor
and the tried-and-true ways of their ancestors.\nCommoners flee the cities in
droves and flock to villages and towns, hoping to squeeze some paltry nourishment
from the inhospitable Magran soil.
The province is on the verge of starvation and turmoil.
The farmers, miners, and tradesmen of Magra managed to survive the years of unrest.
Once those dark days were behind them, they quickly recovered.\nThe fields filled
with imported soil continue to supply the people with food, and the Magran silver
mines maintain a steady flow of the blessed metal to the rest of the Empire.
Whatever happens next, the province is safe from poverty and hunger.
The changes that swept across Magra brought down the age-old barriers that held the
common people back, paving way for trade and industry.\nThe new freedoms have made
Magra one of the most prosperous lands of the Empire, with new factories, mills,
and trade routes appearing one after another.
The city of Anizotte soon becomes a vital trade hub, the only place to procure the
best and newest commodities, tools, and factory equipment.\nThe wealth of its
citizens is unrivaled throughout the Empire.
The changes that swept across Magra brought down the age-old barriers that held the
common people back, paving way for trade and industry.\nThe new freedoms swiftly
made Magra the most prosperous province in the Empire, with new factories, mills,
and trade routes appearing every day.
The city of Anizotte soon becomes a vital trade hub, the only place to procure the
best and newest commodities, tools, and factory equipment.\nThe city’s authority in
matters of money and trade is so great that the rest of the Empire involuntary
begins to follow its example.
Lawless anarchy replaced the old order, plunging Magra into chaos. \nThe people of
the province no longer know whose orders and which laws they are to follow, and the
authorities that remain have no power to maintain order.
The most reckless commoners become outlaws and thieves. The nobles feud amongst
themselves.\nBloodshed, looting, and wanton cruelty became commonplace in Magra,
and this lawlessness soon spreads to the rest of the Empire.
The years of unrest have left a mark on Magra.\nPeople no longer fear or respect
the rule of law.\nDisorder continues to spread throughout the land.
The only thing capable of maintaining an unsteady balance is brute force, as
carnage, riots, and disdain for the law continue to plague the province.\nIt will
be a long time before Magra has a chance at peace again.
After years of unrest and strife, the people have grown harsh and bitter.\nThe
rebellion survives in the province’s smaller villages and towns. Now and again it
manifests itself as petty acts of violence and insubordination.\nAs respect for
Imperial law dwindled, gangs of criminals began to form and grow in power.
Although the city of Anizotte and the rest of Magra are mostly calm now, the new
age has brought neither order nor peace.\nTurmoil still simmers beneath the
surface, ready to spill out onto the streets at the slightest provocation.
After many long years of disorder and strife, the land of Magra finally found order
and peace.\nThe people grew weary of violence and turmoil of any kind. They came to
respect the law no longer fear to leave their homes.
The chaos and hostility that once reigned are gone.\nThe people Anizotte and Magra
enjoy a long-awaited age of reconciliation.
After many long years of disorder and strife, the land of Magra is finally brought
to order.\nThe lords of the land now rule it with an iron fist, ruthlessly
eradicating crime, dissent, and insubordination of any kind.
Never before have the streets of Anizotte enjoyed such peace and safety.\nThe order
established in Magra becomes an example for the Empire in the years to come.
Nathan the Prophet taught the people of the Empire that anyone who violates the Law
of the Twins should pray to Them and ask Their forgiveness.
The people were reluctant to believe his words at first — until they saw the signs
from the Gods Themselves.\nEvery person who endured a lesser death and went to meet
the Twins now returned to the mortal world bearing Their glad tidings.\nThe Gods
have learned what it means to forgive, and They shall grant forgiveness to all who
sincerely repent and are prepared to right the wrongs they have done.
The people of the Empire now have hope — a promise of forgiveness, no matter their
transgression.
The Anizotte Revolt was followed by more omens that shook the Empire.\nThe Silver
Tree withered away, leaving nothing but a dessicated trunk and bare branches.\
nPriests throughout the Empire suddenly lost the power to perform divine miracles.
Then the Shining Pillar began to recede into the distance until it was nothing more
than a pale sliver of light on the horizon.\nThose who prayed to the Twins soon
realized that They were no longer listening.
The black marks of lesser deaths disappeared from the arms of those who had died
and returned. Every death was now true and final.\nNo mortal would ever have
another chance to meet the Gods before Their final judgement.
Without the Twins watching over them, the people of the Empire are by terror.\
nChange is coming.
The Anizotte Revolt was followed by more omens that shook the Empire.
The Shining Pillar grew closer and closer, its ever-present light becoming strong
enough to be seen under any sky, even through the thickest clouds.\nThose who
prayed to the Twins soon realized that They were listening carefully to their every
word and deed.
The Twins will watch over the Blessed Arknian Empire and tend to it for all time.
In every temple throughout the Empire, the symbols of the Sacrament — the Lash, the
Sword, and the Book — turned to ash in an instant.
The commoners’ scars left by the sacramental Lash all disappeared overnight,
completely healed.
All across the Empire, priests and laymen debated the meaning of this sign.\nBut
the Twins have uttered Their Word.
The Revolt in Anizotte was followed by more omens in the years to come — terrible
omens that sowed fear throughout the Empire.
Pitch-black ash rained from the sky day and night. Plants and trees withered and
died. The rivers ran dry. The year’s harvest rotted in the fields.\nThe earth
beneath the temples split open. Plagues and natural disasters swept through every
province.
To every soul in the Empire, from the poorest beggar to the mightiest Arknian lord,
the meaning of the omens is clear: the Gods have abandoned Their creation.\nThe end
of days is nigh.
For many years after the Revolt in Anizotte, the people of the Empire told the tale
of how the Elder Twin Himself visited the mortal world once again.
He donned the guise of a common mortal to seek the truth of His own creation and
settle a dispute with the Younger.\nBut no one helped Him find the answer he
sought.
And so, as the legend goes, the Elder Twin returned to the Shining Pillar, never to
descend to the mortal realm again.
What Became of Felipe El Ferro
His years of hard work in Anizotte finally helped Sir Felipe El Ferro attain his
lifelong goal.\nWith the most recent insurgency swiftly quelled, he had the
authority he needed to rise in rank and become the head of the Secret Chancellery.
Felipe came to wield immense power, and he used it to stamp out all unrest and
heresy in the realm.\nHe remained a bulwark of law and order within the Blessed
Arknian Empire and lived to a ripe old age.
When the end came, the secretive official departed to the Twins’ final judgment
without fear, confident that They would reward him for all his hard work.
Until his dying breath, Sir Felipe refused to believe that the Last Straw, his own
creation, would ever rise against him.
Yet Felipe’s own fate proved that the common estate had also obtained the power to
render judgment.\nThe Secret Chancellery advisor became the first person in history
to be sentenced to true death by the common folk.
The first, but hardly the last.
Although Felipe escaped Anizotte with his life shortly before the rebellion broke
out, his ambition still cost him dearly.
The Last Straw, ostensibly a straw man of Felipe’s own creation, incited a full-
fledged Revolt.\nThe advisor took great pains to keep his work a secret, but his
involvement in the Revolt was eventually uncovered.
Advisor Felipe El Ferro was found guilty of treason and plotting to take over
Anizotte.\nHe met his end on the gallows in the main square of Eterna.
The Revolt was suppressed swiftly enough.\nThis allowed Felipe to escape the city
on the eve of the rebellion and hide his involvement in its creation.
The Secret Chancellery advisor nonchalantly returned to the capital, where he
continued to serve the Empire. He never never became the head of the Secret
Chancellery, but he still managed to retain the authority he already had.\nHe
remained a proponent of swift and ruthless action against all manner of dissent in
the Empire for the rest of his days.
What Became of Dorius Otton
The undefeated Arknian commander met his final death by your hand.
With the death of the dynasty’s once-renowned descendant, the venerable Otton Blood
Tide ran dry.
Until the very end, the Arknian commander refused to acknowledge that the laws that
governed the lowly Lot held sway over him as well.\nAnd yet, thanks to you, he
finally faced justice.
The once-renowned descendant of the Otton dynasty met an ignoble end on the gallows
— a terrible blow from which his family never recovered.\nWith the death of its
last living son, the venerable Otton Blood Tide ran dry.
The Arknian commander fought with all his might against the rebellious rabble he so
despised, yet even a skilled swordsman such as he was doomed when confronted with a
citywide uprising.
The haughty Arknian became Sophia’s prisoner, and so his life was forfeit. He spent
his final moments in inconceivable agony.\nSophia did not permit him to die until
his spirit and body were completely and utterly broken.
Long after the once-invincible Dorius Otton was no more, the corpse of the mighty
Arknian remained chained to the Anizotte gate.
The haughty Arknian was taken prisoner by the enraged mob, and so his life was
forfeit. He spent his final moments in inconceivable agony.\nThe rebels did not
permit him to die until his spirit and body were completely and utterly broken.
When you opened the city gate, Dorius Otton was fighting back the rebellion in the
streets.\nHe routed a number of gangs and squads that sought to reinforce the main
rebellion.
Once the Legion had control of the city, the haughty Arknian considered his duty to
the Empire fulfilled. He made his way back to the castle of Archduke Milanidas and
returned to his military service.\nNo one dared to stop him.
The Battle of Anizotte won Dorius Otton great glory. Respected by venerable
dynasties in every corner of the Empire as a hero, he lived a long life.\nEven in
his old age, he remained undefeated in the duel of honor.
What Became of Ulrich
You found the inner strength to reject Ulrich’s heresy.\nThe man who betrayed the
Order of the Inquisition met his end by your hand.
With Ulrich dead, his sacrilegious heresy perished along with him.
Ulrich had grown insolent beyond all measure and was punished by the Gods.\nThe
delusional Inquisitor believed himself to be Their equal and perished in the sacred
flame of Their wrath.
Ulrich’s immolation was described in every historical and religious work of the
time — a cautionary tale of a man so impudent that he dared to speak in the name of
the Twins.
Once order had been restored in Anizotte, the Inquisition hunted Ulrich
relentlessly. They refused to let him escape a second time.
Despite his power and guile, the rogue Inquisitor could not evade pursuit.
With your help, the heretic was tracked down, arrested, and executed.
The Willist heresy has been stamped out forever.
Once order was restored in Anizotte, the New Faith declared Ulrich an enemy of the
Church.
Despite his power and guile, the rogue Inquisitor could not escape his well-
deserved punishment.
Ulrich took advantage of the chaos that had gripped Anizotte and the painful schism
within the ranks of the Inquisition to easily evade pursuit.
The heretical Inquisitor is still at large, preaching his doctrine somewhere on the
edge of the Empire, forcing the Willist Sacrament upon more and more new adepts.
The profane heresy survived and now it bides time, waiting to reemerge.\nAnd
someday, somewhere, it will.
What Became of Augustin El Borne
Prefect Augustin El Borne’s dream finally came true. The Revolt gave him a chance
to create a new society in Magra.\nHe dedicated his final years to transforming his
home city and province.
With the aid of the former judge, the city abandoned the barbaric traditions of the
nobility and established the rule of law over all people.\nThrough El Borne’s
enormous contribution, the new popular governance of Anizotte grew strong, which
earned him tremendous respect among the people.
Prefect El Borne died of old age, surrounded by friends and allies.\nHe is
remembered as one of the leaders of the Revolt and a luminary of the new age.
Prefect Augustin El Borne came incredibly close to fulfilling his lifelong dream. \
nThe Revolt gave him the opportunity to usher in a new kind of society... but the
prefect did not live to see it.\n
He joined the rest of Anizotte’s defenders in the final fight.\nThe prefect was
captured and stripped of his noble title for the crime of treason, then hanged in
disgrace.
El Borne faced death with dignity and did not utter a single word of regret for
what he had done.
The former prefect is remembered as one of the leaders of the Revolt, though he did
not live long enough to witness the coming of a new age.
The highest judge in Magra, Augustin El Borne, was killed in a duel with Dorius
Otton.
The life of Sir El Borne ended before the fight for Anizotte had come to a definite
conclusion.\nHis legacy soon vanished into oblivion.
When Prefect Augustin El Borne saw firsthand the atrocities being committed on the
streets of Anizotte, he did what he could to urge the people to stop Sophia and her
henchmen by any means necessary.\nBut he was too late.
In the end, El Borne shared the same fate as the Last Straw’s other enemies.
The former judge faced death with dignity, showing no fear before the rebels’
muskets.\nHis face expressed only deep, bitter sorrow.
Sir El Borne is remembered as one of the ringleaders of the Anizotte Massacre and
the bloodthirsty rebellion that poisoned the entire Empire.
Prefect Augustin El Borne never saw his lifelong dream come to fruition.\nThe
Revolt crumbled, and the long-awaited change it promised was cut short.\n
In defiance of his principles and against his better judgment, Augustin El Borne
did his duty and helped restore order in Anizotte.
On the day Gaius Tempest’s troops entered the city, the aging judge resigned.\nHis
lifelong dream now shattered, he humbly watched Magra’s destiny unfold from the
seclusion of retirement.\n
Sir El Borne, once an important figure and a harbinger of change, vanished from the
annals of history.
Augustin El Borne did his duty as the highest judge in the province and maintained
law and order in Anizotte. He did all he could to curb the rebellion and put a stop
to the chaos and bloodshed.
The aged judge was rewarded for his service by Overseer Gaius Tempest, becoming a
member of the Overseer’s inner circle and his personal advisor.
Together with his patron, El Borne worked to strengthen the rule of law and
gradually granted the common estate more rights.\nThrough El Borne’s contribution,
the barbaric traditions of the nobility were finally laid to rest.\n
Sir El Borne died of old age, surrounded by friends and allies.\nHe is remembered
as a prominent public official of the new age.
What Became of Father Lennart
Abbot Lennart had hoped to become the first patriarch elected by the people.\nBut
this was not meant to be.
The leader of the New Faith met his end beneath the ruins of the very Temple that
had been entrusted into his care.\nHe is remembered as a priest who provoked the
wrath of the Twins Themselves and reduced the Empire’s greatest holy place to
rubble.
For the first time in centuries, the people elected their patriarch, and the Twins
accepted him. Patriarch Lennart became a symbol of the New Faith’s triumph over the
Old.
The wise old priest dedicated the rest of his life to strengthening the alliance
between the various New Faith patriarchates throughout the Empire.\nThrough his
guidance, thousands found their own path to the Twins.
Lennart is remembered as the greatest and most eminent clergyman of his day.
For the first time in centuries, the people elected their patriarch. Patriarch
Lennart became a symbol of the New Faith’s triumph over the Old.
Inspired by the news from Anizotte, New Believers all across the Empire rose up to
fight for their beliefs.
But the patriarch himself did not live to see the fruits of his labor.\nBy the
order of the Overseer of Magra, Lennart was arrested and handed over to the
Inquisition.
They branded the new patriarch a heretic and sentenced him to be burned at the
stake.\nHe faced his suffering and death with dignity, never renouncing his
beliefs.
Lennart is remembered as a prophet of the New Faith and the greatest preacher of
his day.
As one of the leaders of the rebellion, Lennart saw no mercy from the Overseer.\nBy
the order of Gaius Tempest, he was arrested and handed over to the Inquisition.
They branded the abbot a heretic and sentenced him to be burned at the stake.\nHe
faced his suffering and death with dignity, never renouncing his beliefs.
Lennart is remembered by the New Believers as the greatest preacher of his day.\
nBut among Old Believers, he left an undying legacy as a nemesis of the Church who
violated the Twins’ divine design.\n
Lennart railed furiously against the murderous executions perpetrated by Sophia. In
an effort to end the massacre, he sought to reconcile the opposing factions.
Lennart was labeled an enemy of the Revolt. \nFor crimes against the great cause,
the People’s Court sentenced him to death along with its other perceived foes.\nHe
spent his final moments in prayer, tormented by the realization that he had
unwillingly helped to precipitate this terrible slaughter.
Abbot Lennart failed to attain his lifelong goal of becoming patriarch.\nRejected
by the Twins, he renounced the priesthood and became a hermit.\n
Long after he left the city, many New Believers sought his guidance, searching high
and low for the former abbot.\nNo one ever found him.
Lennart is remembered by the New Believers as the greatest preacher of his day.\
nBut among Old Believers, he left an undying legacy as a nemesis of the Church who
violated the Twins’ divine design.
What Became of Tommas
Tommas Guerro always tried to make his own way in the world.\nBut his independence
became his undoing when he fell afoul of Dorius Otton, the military commander of
Magra.\nThe noble Lot did nothing to protect Tommas from the whims of the mightier
Arknian.
As the Empire was consumed by unrest, no one noticed or remembered the final death
of a Legion officer by the name of Tommas Guerro.
Dishonorably discharged from the Legion, Tommas Guerro began to roam the Empire.\
nYour former friend did all he could to find a new place for himself, but the
stigma he bore made it impossible to find a decent position.
In the end, Tommas decided that he was no longer fit to bear the noble Lot and
settled down in a northern village.\nHe lived the rest of his days toiling in the
sweat of his brow, his former ambitions long forgotten.
But when he heard the news of your victory, Tommas returned to his home city. In
time, his service to the new Anizotte earned him the rank of captain of the city
guard.\nCaptain Tommas Guerro enjoyed respect and trust of the people of Anizotte.
Tommas was glad to see you at the helm of the Revolt, but the two of you were never
close again.
By the time the Revolt had set Anizotte ablaze, Tommas Guerro was already living a
new life with a new family far from the city.
But when he heard the news of the Revolt’s victory, Tommas hurried back to his home
city with his family. Inspired by your triumph, he was eager to help lay the
foundation of the new order.\nWhen your old friend arrived in the Free City of
Anizotte, you were there to greet him with open arms.
In time, Tommas rose through the ranks to become the captain of the city guard.
Captain Tommas Guerro maintained peace and order in Anizotte during its first
restless years.\nThe two of you remained friends for the rest of your lives.
new life with his family far from the city.\nIt seemed as though he could finally
enjoy a peaceful life.
But a few months later, the rebellion reached the sleepy village where your friend
and his wife had put down roots.\nA horde of rebels approached the village where
they lived, and most of the villagers joined them, eager to loot and pillage their
very own community.
Tommas fought desperately for his life and livelihood, but he was torn limb from
limb by his former neighbors.
new life with his family far from the city.\nHe was finally able to enjoy a
peaceful life.
The chaos and riots in his home city never reached the sleepy village where your
friend and his wife had put down roots.\nTommas dedicated himself wholeheartedly to
his family and his household.
For the rest of his life, your old friend remembered you fondly, and he was always
grateful for what you had done for him.
He named his firstborn son <username> Guerro.
What Became of Jeanne
The divine reckoning caught up with Jeanne by the temple at the Silver Tree — the
very temple where you and she had first met.
The staunch Old Believer was defeated.\nHer soul departed to the Twins to face
Their final judgment.
After the Anizotte Revolt, Jeanne rejected the Old Faith.\nWhen the people elected
Lennart as their new patriarch, she witnessed it firsthand. She spent a long time
reflecting on these events and eventually came to see them as a sign that she had
been wrong.
For the rest of her life, Jeanne remained by your side, loyally supporting you in
everything you did.\nUnder her continued guidance, the Magran Inquisition no longer
persecuted New Believers, focusing only on dangerous heresies.
Some remember Jeanne as a traitor to the Old Faith.\nOthers, however, see her as a
quintessential example of a clergywoman who came to terms with the truth and
courageously accepted the light of the New Faith.\n
Jeanne rejected the Old Faith shortly before her death.\nWhen the people elected
Lennart as their new Patriarch, she witnessed it firsthand. She spent a long time
reflecting on those events and eventually came to see them as a sign that she had
been wrong.
She stood with you to defend her city and remained by your side until the very end.
When Anizotte was finally seized, Jeanne was captured and sentenced to death along
with the other New Believers.
In her final moments on the pyre, Jeanne felt no fear.\nShe knew that, at the end
of her life, she had finally chosen the true path.
Like many other Old Believer priests, Jeanne was driven out of Anizotte.
Jeanne never forgave herself for the Old Faith's defeat.\nTormented by guilt over
the temple’s destruction, she swore never to offer guidance to another soul ever
again.\n
To spare herself disgrace, Jeanne abandoned the priesthood.\nShe spent the rest of
her life in voluntary exile, humbly waiting for the end to come and take her to
face the Twins’ judgment.\n
Your words and deeds helped Jeanne preserve her faith during the chaos and turmoil
of those fateful days.\nUnder her continued guidance, the Magran Inquisition soon
regained its former strength.
For the rest of her life, she remained by your side, loyally supporting you in
everything you did.
Jeanne is remembered as a truly righteous woman of the cloth who saved many souls
from the taint of heresy.\nShe died of old age in peace and tranquility, surrounded
by her sisters and brothers of the Order, knowing full well that the Twins would
reward her for her service.\n
Jeanne did her duty, but in doing so, she defied her Lot, and the burden of that
guilt broke her.
Jeanne abandoned the priesthood.\nShe spent the rest of her life in voluntary
exile, waiting for the end and the Twins’ foregone judgment.\n
Jeanne is remembered as a great martyr who sacrificed her soul so that many more
might be spared.
To spare herself disgrace, Jeanne abandoned the priesthood.\nShe spent the rest of
her life in voluntary exile, humbly waiting for the end to come and take her to
face the Twins’ judgment.
Even though the Revolt ended in a failure, your words found their way into Jeanne’s
heart. They sowed seeds of doubt in her mind, and she eventually left the Order.
Some say she left the city on a pilgrimage soon after to seek the true path of
service to the Twins.
Your words and deeds helped Jeanne preserve her faith during the chaos and turmoil
of those fateful days.
She dedicated the rest of her life to rebuilding the Magran Inquisition.\nFor many
years, Jeanne fought tirelessly against social unrest and the New Faith.\n
She died of old age in peace and tranquility, surrounded by her sisters and
brothers of the Order.\nShe knew that the Twins would reward her for her service
despite her inability to uproot the New Faith.
Jeanne was captured by the Last Straw insurgents. They sentenced her to true death
as one of the most ardent opponents of the Revolt.
By Sophia’s order, the People’s Court burned the priestess at the stake in view of
the ruins of the Inquisition ward.
What Became of Octavia
Octavia Milanidas had the ill fortune to end up in the Inquisition dungeon under
lock and key during the bloodbath in Anizotte.
When Sophia’s commoners broke into the dungeons, they took the Archduke’s daughter
for some unknown, inhuman beast. She met a swift and gruesome end.
Long after the creature that was once Octavia Milanidas was no more, its corpse
remained on display as a macabre spectacle in this city drunk on freedom.
Having fallen into the hands of the Inquisiton, Octavia was doomed.
After an extensive, lenthy, and brutal interrogation, they burned this strange
being at the stake for the crime of heresy.\nNot even the archduchess’s noble birth
could spare her from the punishment of the Church.\nThe Inquisition proclaimed that
Octavia Milanidas had died long ago, her mortal body occupied by an abhorrent
monstrosity spawned from the ancient past.
They say that the creature that was once Octavia Milanidas remained silent during
the execution even as its body was engulfed in flames.\nThere was nothing left of
Octavia — not even ashes.
The creature that was once Octavia Milanidas found its way to the Archduke’s
palace.
The inconsolable Archduke did all he could to cure his daughter of this
unfathomable condition. Even after dozens of failed remedies, he still refused to
accept her transformation.
Imprisoned forever in the Archduke’s castle, the freedom-seeking La-Tari wasted
away. The strange being’s skin grew thinner and paler by the day. Its gleaming eyes
lost their luster.\nThe wondrous being was reduced to a pathetic shadow of its
former self.\n
In time, even this shadow ceased to be.\nAnd so Octavia Milanidas departed from
this world without a trace.
The creature that was once Octavia Milanidas left this world forever.\nBut it
honored your request and left something behind.\n
Years later, new followers of the La-Tari began to emerge throughout the Empire,
forming new Circles in which to study their strange teachings and seek a way out of
the world the Twins had created.\nOne by one, they discovered scraps of knowledge
scattered across the Empire.
But only you knew where this knowledge had originated.
Despite the persecution they suffer throughout the Empire, the followers of the La-
Tari refuse to abandon their teachings.\nThe La-Tari have returned to the world.
The being that was once Octavia Milanidas departed from this world forever without
a trace.\nIt was as though neither the beautiful young Arknian lady nor the
enigmatic being she became ever existed.
All the knowledge of the La-Tari was lost forever, along with the legacy of Octavia
Milanidas.
What Became of Sophia
The hardships of Sophia’s life forged her into a ruthless killer desperate to
annihilate the Empire.
You could not allow Sophia to live.\nFor the good of the nation, she had to die.
You can only hope that her rebellious soul has come to see the extent of her flawed
vision as she faces the judgment of the Twins.
It was your duty to stop Sophia.\nThe leader of the Last Straw was executed by your
hand.
Some remember her forever as a great freedom fighter who struggled for the good of
the common folk. Others call her a vicious murderer who threatened to raze the
Empire to the ground.
You surrendered Sophia to Otton, her former master. But the noble militia was
defeated soon after, and Otton was executed by the mob.\nSophia did not remain a
prisoner for long. She snuck out of the city in secret and disappeared without a
trace.
The Secret Chancellery scoured the Empire high and low in search of her, but,
despite their best efforts, she was never apprehended.
Sophia did not remain in hiding for long.\nEven after her failure in Anizotte, she
still threatens to foment unrest in various parts of the Empire.\nAfter your
betrayal, she grew even more desperate and cruel than before. She has learned from
her mistake and will never trust anyone again.
After your betrayal, she grew even more desperate and cruel than before. She has
learned from her mistake and will never trust anyone again.\nBut as much as she
hates you and loathes your name, Sophia still throws it around as a means to
recruit new supporters for her cause.
She still threatens to foment unrest in various parts of the Empire, hoping to
avenge those who died defending the freedom of Anizotte.
You surrendered Sophia to Otton, her former master. But the noble militia was
defeated soon after, and Otton was executed by the mob.\nShe escaped from captivity
and disappeared into the restless streets of Anizotte.
After your betrayal, she grew even more desperate and cruel than before.\nIt was
not long before Sophia tried to foment a new uprising, now aimed at you and the new
government.\nShe recruited commoners who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the
Revolt and furiously accused you of betraying the people and seeking power for
yourself.
But the Revolt had prevailed, and your right to lead the people of Anizotte was
unquestioned.\nSophia’s desperate attempt to usurp your authority was swiftly and
ruthlessly suppressed. In the end, she was abandoned by even her most loyal
followers.
The Court of Anizotte sentenced Sophia to true death.\nThe inveterate rebel met her
end on the gallows.
Sophia is remembered only as your former comrade, a revolutionary who betrayed the
great cause of the Revolt for the sake of revenge.
Sophia’s intimate relationship with you helped her avert the destructive campaign
she was about to wage and find a place for herself in the new world.
Sophia fought furiously for Anizotte’s freedom until the very end.\nFor the rest of
her life, she remained loyally by your side and supported you in everything you
did. And when the time came to build a new order and fight for it, you did it
together.\n
But when the fight was over, Sophia had won much more than mere freedom.\nFor the
first time in years, the agonizing pain in the back of her mind was gone. After the
horrors of her youth, the hatred in her heart was replaced by something different.
Sophia is remembered as a woman who fought fiercely for the good of the common folk
and your most stalwart ally.
Sophia’s intimate relationship with you helped her avert the destructive campaign
she was about to wage and find hope for a better world.
Sophia fought furiously for Anizotte’s freedom until the very end.\nFor the rest of
her life, she remained loyally by your side and supported you in everything you
did.
But she found much more than mere freedom.\nFor the first time in years, the
agonizing pain in the back of her mind was gone. After the horrors of her youth,
the hatred in her heart was replaced by something different.
When the city surrendered to the Empire and Sophia was captured, she smiled
peacefully even as they dragged her off to the gallows.\nShe had done all she
could.\nIt was time to die.
Ever since she was young, Sophia had been the living embodiment of hatred, the
spawn of every hideous injustice committed in the Empire.\nShe prevailed in
struggle for Anizotte, and that victory finally revealed her true power.
Now Sophia casts her shadow over every corner of the Empire, her eyes blazing with
yellow flame, eager to incinerate every army and province in her path.\nNo one can
stop Sophia and defeat her bloodthirsty hordes.
After the victory in Anizotte, the inveterate rebel began a brutal war against the
old order — a war that had seemed utterly unthinkable just a few years ago.
A war of annihilation.
Sophia is remembered as the woman who destroyed the Blessed Arknian Empire and
burned the old world to the ground.
Ever since she was young, Sophia had been the living embodiment of hatred, the
spawn of every hideous injustice committed in the Empire.\nShe had all she needed
to wage a bloodthirsty campaign against the entire Empire and eradicate every
living thing in her path... had she prevailed.
But Sophia’s best-laid plans came to naught following your heroic act at the city
gate.
By the Overseer’s order, the main instigator of the rebellion was hanged in the
main square of Anizotte.\nNo execution before or since has amassed such a crowd.
Sophia’s last words were a furious, desperate wail:\n“War! War to the end!”
But the mob only booed and whistled at her, mocking her and her legacy.
Some still remember Sophia as a woman who fought fiercely for the good of the
common folk.\nBut many more view her as a vicious murderer who was prevented from
destroying the entire Empire.\n
Sophia suffered a crushing defeat.\nBut she evaded capture. Just as the Legion took
over Anizotte, she snuck out of the city in secret.
The inveterate rebel fled Magra along with a handful of her most loyal supporters.\
nBut she kept on fighting.
Years later, Sophia sparked a new revolt among the farmers of the Empire’s northern
provinces.\nThis time, however, the Legion was more swift and ruthless. Dozens of
villages in the North were reduced to ash.\n
Sophia was captured and brought to Eterna for a public hanging in the capital’s
main square.\nNo execution before or since has amassed such a crowd.
They say that Sophia’s last words were a furious, desperate wail:\n“War! War to the
end!”
Some remember her forever as a great freedom fighter who struggled for the good of
the common folk. Others call her a vengeful murderer who betrayed the entire
Empire.
What Became of the <el> Brante Family
Once the Revolt was suppressed, your family returned to their old life very
quickly.\nWith Felipe’s plans finally fulfilled, you had the freedom to tell your
family about the secrets you had been keeping from them ever since your return from
the capital.
Thanks to the power and authority you now wield, the <el> Brante family will be
prosperous for all time.
The family survived every ordeal and finally found peace.
The <el> Brante family fell apart, rent asunder by squabbling and strife. Your
family home grew desolate and empty long ago.\nNone of you ever found a way to make
peace, and in the end, your old grudges were stronger than the blood you shared.
You remained strangers for the rest of your lives.
Thanks to your efforts, the <el> Brante family escaped Anizotte with their lives
just before the rebellion reached its apex.\nBut there would be no return to the
rebellious city. The family home was burned to the ground by a rioting mob, and
their old life was lost along with it.
The <el> Brantes never picked a side in the battle for Anizotte, and in the end,
they were rejected by both factions. Now the family must roam the Empire, looking
for a new place to take shelter.\nLeft without a home, influence, or friends, the
<el> Brantes have fallen on hard times. But they are ready to face the future
bravely as long as they have each other.
Thanks to your efforts, the <el> Brante family escaped Anizotte with their lives
just before the rebellion reached its apex.
The <el> Brantes hurried back to the city as soon as they heard the news that the
rebellion had been suppressed. No one barred them entry — after all, they never
sided with the insurgents.
But the family estate back in Anizotte had already been burned to the ground by a
rioting mob.\nThey managed to find temporary shelter and are now working hard to
rebuild the family home and return to their old lives.
The <el> Brantes hurried back to the city as soon as they heard the news that you
had emerged victorious. No one barred them entry — after all, they never sided
against the Revolt.\nYou welcomed them back to Anizotte, now a free city.
With your assistance, your family has joined the new order and is determined to
find a place within it.
The <el> Brantes hurried back to the city as soon as they heard the news that you
had emerged victorious. No one barred them entry — after all, they never sided with
the insurgents.
The <el> Brantes retained their favor with Gaius Tempest despite their departure on
that fateful day.\nThanks to their privileged status, the family soon resettled in
their home city and returned to a peaceful life.
To avoid the ensuing chaos, the family hurried to the safety of the Overseer’s
headquarters at Castle Enerie.\nThe <el> Brantes retained their favor with Overseer
Gaius Tempest despite their departure on that fateful day.
Thanks to their privileged status, your family began a new life, safe behind the
tall walls of Gaius Tempest’s castle.
The <el> Brante estate was razed to the ground.\nAll who lived within its walls are
dead, murdered by the ruthless mob and condemned by the People’s Court.
Even the family crypt was desecrated and destroyed.\nCommitting blasphemy and
defiling the final resting place of the dead meant nothing to the crazed looters.
The ignoble fate of the <el> Brante family became a tragic tale told among the
people for years to come.
You defended your home from a gang of thugs, but nothing could protect your family
from the doom that awaited them soon after. When the massacre began, every single
member of the <el> Brante family was murdered.\nThe <el> Brantes never sided with
the rebellion, and they paid a terrible price for it.
When the massacre began, your family was spared.\nHaving publicly supported the
Revolt, they remained safe from people’s wrath.
At the dawn of that fateful day, both Father and Gloria fought for the cause of the
Revolt. By the day’s end, however, they had grown disillusioned and horrified by
all the atrocities Sophia had committed.\nWhen the time was right, the family fled
the burning city, never to return.
Now the family must roam the Empire, looking for a new place to take shelter.\nLeft
without a home, influence, or friends, the <el> Brantes have fallen on hard times.
The <el> Brante family openly opposed the Revolt on that fateful day and
contributed greatly to its defeat.\nOnce the Imperial forces were victorious,
Overseer Gaius Tempest commended the family patriarch’s decision and rewarded the
<el> Brantes with vast tracts of land not far from Anizotte.
With that, the <el> Brante family became powerful and respected among the
aristocracy. Above all, they finally found peace.
The <el> Brante family publicly supported the Revolt on that fateful day and
contributed greatly to its success.\nBut all their efforts were cut short when you
opened the city gate to the Legion, hoping to avert further bloodshed.
The Anizotte aristocracy branded the <el> Brantes traitors and demanded that the
Overseer execute them all.\nBut, in light of your sacrifice, Gaius Tempest exiled
your family instead.
You defended the family home from the frenzied mob.\nThe <el> Brante family
remained aloof from the struggle on that fateful day. Thanks to your efforts, they
survived the dreadful night that followed.
Once the Imperial forces were victorious, your family returned to life as usual.\
nAt first the aristocracy accused them of cowardice, since no <el> Brante helped
the Legion’s cause.\nBut the family never sided with the Revolt either. Their honor
remained untarnished, and your heroic act at the city gate kept them safe.
The Brante family publicly supported the Revolt on that fateful day and contributed
greatly to its success.\nWith the rebellion victorious, the people lauded them as
heroes.
Under the new order, the <el> Brantes became greatly respected in Anizotte. The
citizens remember that they owe their freedom to your family.\nThe <el> Brantes
survived every ordeal and finally found peace.
Once the rebellion was victorious, your family returned to life as usual.\nAt first
the people accused them of cowardice, since no <el> Brante helped the cause of the
Revolt.\nBut the family never sided with the Legion either. Their honor remained
untarnished, and your status in the new order kept them safe.
The Brante family brought shame upon itself by openly siding with the rebellion and
had to escape into the Magran wastes to flee the Overseer’s ire.\nThey can never
return to the city again. Their old life is gone forever.
Now the family must roam the Empire, looking for a new place to take shelter as the
Empire is gradually consumed by chaos.\nLeft without a home, influence, or friends,
the <el> Brantes have fallen on hard times. But they are ready to face the future
bravely as long as they have each other.
You defended the family home from the frenzied mob.\nThanks to your efforts, the
<el> Brante family survived the dreadful night that followed.
But this challenge was only the first of many.\nThe <el> Brantes had to survive in
the besieged city and fend off more attacks on the family estate until the Legion
finally returned to Anizotte.
The family never sided with the Revolt, and so they were spared the Overseer’s ire.
Once the rebellion was suppressed, they sought to return to their old life.
But the city continues to simmer with unrest, and the family will never find peace
until the disturbances end.\nUnable to thrive, the <el> Brantes continue to fight
tooth and nail just to survive.
Your family never brought shame upon themselves by siding with the Revolt.\
nMoreover, they retained Gaius Tempest’s favor.
In order to remain aloof from the spreading chaos, the family hurried to the safety
of the Overseer’s headquarters at Castle Enerie.\nThanks to their privileged
status, the <el> Brantes began a new life, safe behind the tall walls of Gaius
Tempest’s castle.
You defended the family home from the frenzied mob.\nThe Brante family remained
aloof from the struggle on that fateful day. Thanks to your efforts, they survived
the dreadful night that followed.
But this challenge was only the first of many.\nThe city was besieged. Were they to
remain there, they would have been doomed to hardship and certain death.
Faced by an agonizing choice, you decided to part ways forever.\nWhile Anizotte was
preparing for another attack by the Empire, you guided your family beyond the city
walls in secret.
Your actions cost the <el> Brante bloodline what remained of its honor. Now branded
as rebels, your family must roam the Empire, looking for a new place to take
shelter.\nLeft without a home, influence, or friends, the <el> Brantes have fallen
on hard times. But they are ready to face the future bravely as long as they have
each another.
Your family will always remember what you did for them.

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