Opening
narrator
Seahawks Monthly Income
Green Tide Payment 53000
Spoils of War 49000
Civilian Requests 23000
Airship -168000
Wages -38000
Rent -9500
Provisions -8000
Note: Need to get Pomelo
to stop blowing our budget
on the airship.
Note: Nah.
Note: How did you
get your hands on this?
jeziel
You've lost the entirety of the Cormorants,
the troops we loaned to you, the Sanctuary, the hostages, the prototypes.
All this in
the span of three days. Incredible efficiency.
sequoia
It was not just Irinde-
jeziel
YOU INCOMPETENT
BUFFOON! YOU-
unari
If I recall, Prince Jeziel, you entered into
negotiations to prevent Irinde from joining
the war, necessitated by your actions.
jeziel
It must've been a trick
on Irinde's part, then!
They feigned weakness to
prepare for this attack!
sequoia
My forces had already captured
Johnsbury before their ambush.
How could I have known they
would be lying in wait?
unari
But even if you had been
beaten back from Johnsbury, how could you lose a position
as well-fortified as the-
No matter. Sequoia, what can
you tell us about the new foe?
sequoia
They're a mix of townsfolk
and those new adventurers, whose Captain has taken
over as the new chief.
They are not numerous, but they are more than a
match for even our elites.
unari
I've heard of her, Ellerie.
The one with the airship?
jeziel
They won't stop with their Chief rescued,
given they clearly wanted this war.
unari
With our supplies dwindling, and our reserves
lost at the lake, this siege cannot last.
And if Irinde reinforces them... Prince Jeziel,
we must enact our invasion plan tonight.
sequoia
Allow me to do whatever
I can to avenge my defeat.
jeziel
Please spare us of your help,
lest you continue your streak.
unari
Under the cover of night, The Prince
will lead one army to draw their fire.
I'll lead a second to strike at their wards.
The third army can then breach their
walls with a rush of the monster fodder.
jeziel
Sir Secundus will lead the third army.
He is a skilled warrior and tactician.
sequoia
The one whose expert negotiation assured
us Irinde would not enter this war?
jeziel
You should be with your peers instead
of interrupting important discussions.
unari
The man's behaviour does
not inspire much confidence.
My lieutenant Daffodil has
learnt much from me, she-
jeziel
I will not let a young girl lead my men,
regardless of her supposed merits.
unari
And I will not entrust my company's
lives into Sir Secundus' hands.
Are we really going to repeat this
argument for the fourth time?
sequoia
Let me lead the third army. No one
wishes for a victory as much as me.
jeziel
You think we would-
unari
If we cannot settle this, Sequoia can be a
compromise. We must take action, now.
jeziel
Bah, I tire of this argument.
Let us hope you do not
regret your decision, Unari.
(Jeziel leaves.)
sequoia
Thank you for giving me this
opportunity, Frostfire Captain.
unari
We're kindred souls, both rose from nothing
and found fortune through adventuring.
A little support would not be amiss.
sequoia
It is honest folk like us who
must stand together to bring
about a better Crescent.
That Jeziel, even if we are to
win this day, he will not be a
reliable ally to our sort.
unari
He would not be my first, or seventh
pick, but we need his support nonetheless.
I must ask, has the Azure Streak
survived the Sanctuary battle?
sequoia
I do not know. The battle
was far too chaotic.
unari
Perhaps she lives, recuperating from
her injuries, though I fear the worst.
With our victory, the sacrifices of our
comrades will surely not be for nothing.
sequoia
Aye, I've lost far too much. A good man
who loved fishing as much as his life.
unari
Let us drink to lost companions,
and to victory.
tower
If I recall correctly, you handwave the need
to clear any surviving rampaging monsters, saying that it is far more crucial to defeat
our foes at Yalunzar as soon as possible.
ellerie
These are indeed things that
have come out of my mouth.
tower
Yet we are sitting here, doing nothing while
the enemy breaks down Yalunzar's walls.
ellerie
This battle isn't just about defeating
the Iron Realm and their allies.
Irinde's position would only benefit
with both its rivals weakened.
oriana
The Guild may have had a stranglehold
over the Crescent, but the common people
in Yalunzar are caught in the crossfire.
Isn't it our calling as adventurers to defend
the innocent from harm when we are able?
ellerie
I'm not just an adventuring
captain, I am also chief of Irinde.
oriana
And you wonder why we might have been
concerned with you taking that position.
tower
We were also in a hurry to skip discussion on
how they were able to control the monsters.
Now call this a stretch, but did a certain
someone not achieve exactly this?
ellerie
I've said all there is to say on the
matter. We're not starting this again.
oriana
Tower, let the matter rest. Lindros
was always with us the entire way.
tower
Hmph. Don't listen to the grumpy
old man, he is just old and grumpy.
ellerie
Relay to the Irinde troops that
they are to stay put too.
I wouldn't put it past them rushing
in carelessly and getting flanked.
Yalunzar Outskirts
(Irinde's militia stakes out a defensive position.)
potato
Slow down!
I can't keep up!
he who chops
Yeah. Slow down!
potato
You're on a horse,
quit complaining!
guard
We can't wait for our foes to come to us!
We'll bring Irinde's fury on our own terms.
(Elite Iron Realm troops approach.)
sir slaughter
Look who it is! Irinde's fools, thinking
holding sticks will turn them into soldiers,
going like lambs to the Slaughter.
seguradez
Sir... Knight. We have a
mission to accomplish.
sir slaughter
Lambs. To the Slaughter. Knights!
Why are you not laughing? Laugh!
knight 1
Hee hee! Ho ho!
knight 2
Good one, Sir Slaughter!
knight 1
I get it, it's because
that's your name!
seguradez
What are you doing?
Give it a rest.
sir slaughter
Just trying to raise
our morale, Sir Seguradez!
(Irinde's militia watches the knights' approach.)
guard
An ambush!
potato
The Chief even said
to not rush ahead...
he who chops
I don't think I can
chop this many people.
guard
Everyone, retreat back towards
the Chief! I'll hold them off here.
potato
Much thanks, Guard Captain!
I'll pay respects at your grave!
he who chops
So are we gonna
start choppin-
potato
Run, idiot!
Or ride, whatever!
(Everyone except the guard captain flees. The knights move in to flank her.)
sir slaughter
Delightful show! This is almost as easy
as cutting down fleeing civilians,
which is my favorite pastime.
Seguradez
... Sir Knight. Please.
sir slaughter
That was a joke, Sir!
Seguradez
So this is the quality of knights
we've been training from the Crescent.
How in Elis's name were you selected
as the sixth division commander?
sir slaughter
Well, you see, Sir,
it's a bit of a-
guard
Every one of Irinde is worth a
hundred of you pretend knights!
I don't know how many I'll stop,
but it will be more than enough.
Seguradez
I am wasting precious time. On my command!
Fifth division! Sixth division! Charge!
sir slaughter
Let the slaughter of purely combatants
and not any civilians begin!
(The screen fades out to the sound of battle.)
Yalunzar Streets
sequoia
Why has my past come back to haunt me?
I didn't want to resort to this, but
even if it costs me everything I have, I will end this nightmare right here.
Cormorants! Let's fight for freed- ...
(Locust and Big Berd sneak onto the battlefield.)
locust
A messy raid, cover of night, wealthy
victims, perfect opportunity to loot.
big berd
...
locust
What? You gonna say they don't deserve
it? They're rich, of course they do.
big berd
What's even the point? You know the
Seahawks are going to get here.
locust
C'mon, Big Man! What happened to
your pluck? You gonna let them win?
big berd
We've been lucky to somehow survive
each encounter! Lucky! Really lucky!
locust
I think it's less
luck and more skil-
big berd
You have to stop this obsession, Loc.
You're gonna get yourself, no, us, killed.
locust
One more, Berd. One more, and we'll...
go live on a farm or something.
big berd
I just want to have a normal
life, Loc. Not one like this.
ellerie
On my order, neutralize anyone
carrying a weapon and facing our way!
(A nearby muse approaches.)
xeo
Lady Ellerie? It is I, Xeo
Burnsbridge of Huffingham!
ellerie
Lord Burnsbridge? Aren't you
a far cry from that snobby, well-kept aristocrat.
The road wasn't kind to you.
xeo
That's what you're going to say?
Not, “a pleasure to see you
again when everyone else died?”
ellerie
If I had a list for those who I
think could survive the purge, you wouldn't even make the first hundred.
So congratulations are in order. Milord.
xeo
Despite your discourtesy, I still must
warn you about Maurice. His mercenaries
would have slain me if not for Ivadne.
ellerie
Ivadne is here too? Of course she survived.
But your news is a little outdated, I've
already crushed him and his pathetic allies.
xeo
... That is jubilant news.
ellerie
I suppose I'll take you on,
as a favor to the Princess.
You can... cheer from
the backline or something.
xeo
What a great honour that
will be, Lady Ellerie.
(A runeplate watches from afar.)
ivadne
Ellerie? And fighting for Yalunzar?
She's certainly made something of
her exile, the damned opportunist.
And I'm going to have to join her,
aren't I? Woe is me, I suppose.
If you did not agree to loot the merchants
dune
Have you decided if we are to extract
some advance payment from the Guild?
ellerie
These homes seem plenty looted to me,
not sure if there's anything we can grab.
dune
You think these money-grubbing mongrels
have their whole hoard on the surface?
There's plenty more to seize, as long
as you know the right places to look.
ellerie
You have experience with
giving to the poor?
dune
Yes.
ellerie
I suppose an explanation
is too much to ask.
dune
Yes.
(A sword spirit enters the battlefield.)
blaine
My body may be broken,
but I am one with my blade.
You'll never be free of me,
Seahawks.
lindros
Any magic user can feel that the
air is extremely magically charged.
ellerie
I don't feel anything.
lindros
Because you're a fraud.
We can use
the leylines to disrupt the flow of magic, lest we get hit by... something bad.
ellerie
Rude, but I'll take your word for it.
Ending
(The Seahawks surround Sequoia.)
mince
Good... news? The guy
appears to be alive.
ellerie
Oriana, Mince, leave us.
We're going to have some
parent-child heart-to-heart.
sequoia
*Cough* Right.
Heart-to-heart.
oriana
Are you sure?
He's a tricky one.
ellerie
What's he going to do, spit
blood on me? I'll be fine.
(Mince and Oriana leave.)
sequoia
What do you want from me, Ellerie? You
didn't shy away from killing me outright.
ellerie
That's when I still thought
of you as a threat.
sequoia
So, what now? You want to gloat?
Have me beg for my life?
I won't give you the satisfaction.
ellerie
I want to talk about my Mother.
When we met for the first time, you did not speak once of her.
Not even to fake your role.
sequoia
Do you know how many women
I've had over the years, how many bastards I've sired?
Do you think you're so special?
(The world fades away.)
ellerie
Then why did you give her any hope at all?
Mother always told me that you'd return, as he had promised.
And I hoped, and hoped,
and hoped, and that hope turned to hatred.
And that hatred turned into acceptance,
that you died in a ditch. But you live!
sequoia
If she was such a fool to take
bedside whispers as promises, then she had it coming.
What's
more, it is her that tricked me!
I would not have done a thing if
I knew she was of House Heron!
I was forced to flee the Mainland!
ellerie
Coward! If you took her to the Crescent as
planned, what could they have done to you?
She threw away her reputation and future,
and you left her disgraced and with a child!
sequoia
Why should I care? Are you so foolish to
think a tryst could be a permanent vow?
If she wished to be so self-destructive,
that's entirely her own prerogative!
ellerie
My mental image of this lost father grew
more and more twisted over these years, and what a surprise that it's so accurate!
sequoia
Do you know what I see?
I see that I'm a scapegoat for
all that went wrong in your life.
ellerie
Why you-
sequoia
You couldn't change your circumstances.
You couldn't help your harebrained mother.
So you created this imaginary foe in your
head.
I see you for what you really are. A pathetic-
(Ellerie brutally beats Sequoia to death and continues beating him even after he's dead. Eventually, Ellerie steps back.)
ellerie
Huff... huff... huff...
That was unpleasant.
Sorry you had to see that.
oriana
...
mince
(serious) Chief, are you-
ellerie
I'm alright.
Let's go.
(Mince and Ellerie leave, but Oriana stays behind.)
oriana
He was not much of a father,
but he deserves a proper burial.
Yalunzar Outskirts
(The guard captain is still standing, having defeated everyone except the commanders. She attacks Seguradez, leaving him within an inch of his life, and he staggers back.)
Seguradez
My knees... Argh!
guard
Not bad, for an old man.
Well, are you going to just
stand there? Attack me!
sir slaughter
What is this? How is this
happening? I have to get help!
(Sir Slaughter flees.)
guard
Chicken-livered
craven! Come back!
(Sir Slaughter runs into Jeziel's personal force as he tries to flee.)
jeziel
Sir Slaughter! Why were the 5th
and 6th divisions not in position?
sir slaughter
Your highness, there is no
longer a 5th and 6th division!
jeziel
Have Irinde and the Seahawks
reached us so soon?
How did some of my best
not put up more of a fight?
sir slaughter
Yes, but...
jeziel
Seguradez!
(Jeziel runs to protect Seguradez, facing off with the guard captain.)
jeziel
Scavenging the battlefield for scraps?
You should have left with your peers.
sir slaughter
Your highness,
that's, that's-
guard
Even more reinforcements?
I'm not in a good state,
but I can hold out for more.
jeziel
Have you gone mad? I'll
end your madness here.
(Jeziel lands a critical hit, leaving the guard captain within an inch of her life. She retaliates with a critical hit of her own, making Jeziel stagger back.)
jeziel
Aarrggh!
guard
Not bad at all...
(The guard captain collapses.)
sir slaughter
Your highness!
Are you okay?
jeziel
I'm- Urgh!
Rescue Seguradez!
sir slaughter
Take Sir Seguradez
and fall back!
(A wyvern knight takes Seguardez and the platoon retreats.)
unari
Finally have you on the ropes.
Not so in control now, Guildmaster.
guildmaster
My, my, how miserly of you, to wage
war for the loss of a few extra coins.
unari
A few extra coins?
How many fell to the Tide because of
the price spike in essential supplies?
And so soon, after we had the simplest
of dealings with the Iron Realm!
guildmaster
It might do you good to better prepare
your settlement for potential disturbances, rather than blame what you can't control.
unari
Enough of your excuses. Bardiche! How have
the other armies been held up this long?
bardiche
Boss, it's really not looking good. Sequoia's
army has been crushed by the Seahawks,
and Prince Jeziel has taken big casualties.
unari
No! Not when victory draws so near! Damn it
all! How could they be this incompetent?
This is what I get for trusting them!
bardiche
We can still take this victory
without them. Let us charge!
unari
We'll take far more casualties
than victory will be worth.
We have to retreat.
bardiche
So that's it, we're done? All of us
Frostfires who died, for nothing?
unari
It's not for nothing. We've shown the
Guild can be beaten, but just not today.
(The Frostfires retreat.)
guildmaster
So, Irinde shows their hand.
They will be an interesting... ally.
ellerie
You're telling me, that the Guard
Captain told you all to run,
and then proceeded to wipe out
two whole cavalry divisions,
cripple one of their commanders,
as well as heavily wounding Jeziel?
he who chops
Really impressive right? Showed those
pansies what hardy folk are made out of!
ellerie
Great, fantastic even.
How is the Guard Captain?
he who chops
The healers say they have
no idea if she'll survive, but given she's not dead, I'd say she'll make a full
recovery with certainty.
ellerie
That's promising. Tell her that
she's exceeded all expectations.
he who chops
On it, Chief. Even if she's
not conscious to hear it.
(He Who Chops leaves.)
ellerie
What an inability to follow orders.
Even had the audacity to overachieve, resulting in the Guild having taken
far less damage than I would hope...
(smiles) But a great victory nonetheless.
Everyone, let us make haste to have
celebration worthy of this victory!
irinde 1
(smiling) And then I said to the knight, “You should
probably lay off the alcohol." He was all,
“What?" And I said, “Because you wouldn't
want to be hammered!" And then bam! Pow!
irinde 2
(grins) Ho hee ho! That's a real kneesnapper,
axeguy. Because you broke his knees.
irinde 3
Yeah, that was great. Let's get moving
to the pub, drinks are on the Chief.
irinde 1
Now that's a chief
I can get behind.
(Yalunzar civilians watch from afar as the Irinde soldiers file into the pub.)
man 1
Colour me surprised. The folks from
Irinde actually did something useful.
man 2
They sure do enjoy making that known
to everyone they meet. Cocky bastards.
man 3
Bah, the Guild did most of the work and
they swooped in at the last minute.
All they've been doing is getting drunk
and making a mess in the streets.
I want them out of town soon as possible.
man 2
Are you going to
be the one to ask?
man 3
Hell no, they're armed. Won't
stop me complaining though.
man 1
It's not all bad. I've been overcharging
those fools and making a tidy profit.
man 2
Didn't they smash up Golly Gavin's
store for doing exactly that?
man 1
Just lie better.
Always worked for me.
If Xeo and Ivadne survived
ivadne
Already moving up in the world, Ellerie?
The exile sure didn't affect you for long.
ellerie
Unlike the meathead you are, my skill
set goes beyond just breaking skulls.
It only makes sense I've achieved something
while you were just keeping yourself afloat.
ivadne
That's rich. I've heard that you and your
crew have been doing nothing but fighting.
No doubt you have some other scheme that
profits off the conflict, the snake you are.
xeo
I know you two love your banter, but
let us dispense with this. It is tiring.
ivadne
My dear Lord Xeo, you think
this is friendly banter?
ellerie
I'd like to hear what befell our
faction whilst I was locked away, in greater detail than just rumors.
xeo
There is little more we can add
to what you must've heard.
Our conspiracy was uncovered, and
the state's forces turned on us.
ivadne
The Princess sacrificed herself
to buy us more time to escape.
What insanity, a ruler giving up her
own life to save her vassals.
ellerie
She blames solely herself for the outcome,
no doubt. That is something she would do, a misplaced sense of responsibility.
It's sheer insanity. But it is why
I devoted myself to her over any other.
xeo
Even so, much blood was
spilled in our hasty escape.
As you may have noticed, Lady Ellerie, my eye was
lost in the heat of battle.
ivadne
Tripped over a shattered
wine glass while fleeing.
ellerie
Oh.
xeo
Ivadne, what do you-
what is this jest?
ivadne
The fact she immediately believed my
lie over you says everything it needs to.
But I must admit, Lord Xeo fought
ferociously as any good knight would.
ellerie
I had you pegged as some inbred noble who
wished to bed the Princess for his own gain.
I will admit, I was wrong.
xeo
That's the closest I will get
to a compliment from you.
I shall accept it with grace.
ivadne
It is funny you say that, because
I assumed the same about you.
ellerie
You see less with both eyes than
Lord Burnsbridge can with one, so I shall not be too offended.
ivadne
Our journey was fraught with danger, but how in Elis's name did you
make it onto the Crescent?
You were slated for execution.
ellerie
It's a long story, but let's just
say Mince is a miracle worker.
xeo
Mince? The Princess's chef?
The one who serves a good stew?
ellerie
The one and the same,
he is also traveling with me.
ivadne
And here I thought the Princess was losing
her mind when she knighted some chef.
I guess she saw something I didn't.
ellerie
No, I'm pretty sure not.
Are you all that's escaped?
ivadne
Whilst most were killed, I know that there's
many who've scattered across the land.
xeo
But they are as good as dead,
forced into hiding for perpetuity.
As we are, exiled from our home.
ellerie
But not forever. I've been
consolidating my powerbase.
First, Irinde, then, the Crescent.
When the time is ripe, I will
return to the Mainland, and pull the mewling king
off his underserved throne.
xeo
You paint a bright picture, but if our forces were
broken at our finest hour, what hope do we have now?
ivadne
You'll give up so easily?
Lord Xeo Burnsbridge,
I don't take you for a craven.
xeo
I am honored to serve the
good Princess and her ideals, but I can't give my loyalty
to a corpse.
Call me a craven if you must,
I've already lost enough.
ellerie
What did you have left to lose?
You've already lost everything.
xeo
I still have my life.
ellerie
Without your title and deeds,
it's practically worth nothing.
You may as well make something of it.
xeo
...
ivadne
Ellerie, I can't say I like you at all,
but I do respect your dogged ambition.
ellerie
We alone are united in our cause.
Let's give it our all for the Princess.
ivadne
Aye, for the Princess.
Lord Xeo?
xeo
... I don't foresee a bright future
in any path I take. For the Princess.
If only Ivadne survived
ellerie
Lord Burnsbridge is dead?
ivadne
Yeah. Worked my butt off to keep him alive,
and he had the audacity to die on me.
ellerie
Our coup may have failed, but I don't
plan for the sacrifices to be in vain.
If you'd join me, I intend to-
ivadne
Just shut up and leave me be.
I'll talk to you later.
ellerie
... Alright.
If only Xeo survived
ellerie
Did Ivadne not return
from battle?
xeo
No, she's definitely gone.
With how much she survived,
I thought she was invincible.
ellerie
We had pretty significant differences,
but she is a respectable knight to the end.
xeo
I need to write a good eulogy. She deserves
more than to be remembered as a traitor.
ellerie
One day, I will take back
the mainland, Lord Burnsbridge.
Ivadne will be given the
respect she deserves.
I need trusted allies like
you, if you are to join me.
xeo
Give me some time, Lady
Ellerie. Let Ivadne rest.
If Xeo and Ivadne died
mince
That's...
Ivadne and Lord Xeo?
ellerie
For them to survive the purge,
and then die in a battle that
had nothing to do with them.
mince
I didn't know them very well, but it's a
shame that's two less of us conspirators.
ellerie
They could have been staunch
allies despite our differences, but it is what it is.
Character Descriptions
Xeo
A noble who has lost everything
and is rather melancholic. Unsure
how useful he is without his status.
Ivadne
A hardy knight captain of the Princess
whose loyalty is unquestionable, but
has a rather terrible personality.
Sequoia
A very unfortunate man that
deserves everything he gets.
Blaine
The man, the legend, the Blaine.
Seriously, who is this person?
Squad Leader
A mook with more responsibility.
Iron Infantry
The backbone of the Iron Realm's forces.
Most of them would rather be farming.
Glade Gallant
The Iron Prince's mounted division and
most trusted fighters. Maintaining the
mounts necessary is becoming very costly.
Frostfires
An adventuring band that made their
fortune pillaging artifacts in the White
Wastes. Not immune to fire or the cold.
War Golem
Artifical beings built for the war effort,
great as replaceable cannon fodder but
aren't very good at following orders.
Big Berd
An incredibly large fellow, who must
have spent a fortune on red paint.
Can't hit the broad side of a barn.
Locust
I could've sworn there was someone
standing right here. Maybe I didn't
get enough sleep.