Opening
narrator
The finest coconut rum. The finest
pearly beaches. The finest view of
the forest that will grind us all to dust.
Be sure to hurry up and visit before
this place gets obliterated. With
how drunk the town guards are, I'd give this place five years at most.
-Basil's guide to the Cerulean Crescent
Eylenhurst
oriana
Are you all who are left?
Where's the mayor?
fighter
Dead as of
an hour ago.
oriana
This is quite the situation.
Can we hold this position?
tower
A good defensible position is
on high ground, with few exits.
Our current position has
neither of those advantages.
guard
The town does not contain much better
places to defend from. It's pretty open.
tower
You'd think when building a town
next to the “Devouring Woods”, they'd have thought about this.
guard
Our ancestors didn't
have the most foresight.
fighter
A last resort would be for you
to take the children, and flee.
We can fall, but they must not.
tower
Not an unreasonable proposition,
given the approaching hordes.
oriana
But we'd be leaving
too many behind!
guard
I shall not run from my own home!
Captain, Tower, you are both
renowned in the Seahawks.
You must be able to bring us victory.
fighter
They are not from Eylenhurst.
To demand another to risk death is-
oriana
It is our duty as adventurers
to protect this land and its people,
how can I call myself one if I was
to flee? We shall stand with you.
guard
Thank you, Captain!
Goddess bless you with victory!
fighter
You honour the name of
adventurers on the Crescent.
(The militiamen leave.)
tower
If you had agreed to run, I'd think
you were taken by an evil spirit.
oriana
Of course. Protecting the undefended
is the bare minimum of human decency.
tower
Yet, we've seen so many capable
warriors fleeing on our way here.
If we all thought that way, we'd have
retaken the whole coast years ago.
oriana
Indeed, if we were unified, this wouldn't...
I wonder if we'd be better off once
Ellerie succeeds in her not-so-subtle goal.
tower
If I recall correctly, you were the one
berating her for pursuing her own agenda.
oriana
I know, but there's only so much
we've been able to do as adventurers.
If Irinde wasn't also beset by an invasion, I'm sure she could simply rally all her
allies and troops to crush this horde.
tower
Even if that unity is brought about
by unscrupulous practices?
oriana
I won't deny that she has her unclean
dealings, but she has her boundaries.
tower
A world under her highness Queen
Ellerie might have some advantages, but I'm sure you remember the
oppressive nature of the Mainland.
Those men hanged for shooting a deer
did not get the benefit of centralised rule.
oriana
Those cruel despots
are not Ellerie.
tower
Not now. But in a few decades?
A century, if her bloodline was
to hold the whole Crescent?
oriana
What matters is the now,
not the hypothetical future.
tower
But this is a pointless discussion. We're not
in a position to be doing anything about it.
oriana
You're right. On the other hand, we
are in a position to save this town.
Let's get to preparing our defence.
tower
We can only do so much preparation,
being on low ground with five entrances.
That is to say, practically nothing.
oriana
Pretending to do something might
assuage the fear of the others.
rosetta
I was hoping for a nice dinner with the local
chief, but looks like that is not happening.
So this is one of these monster attacks.
cherise
Ah, the Green Tide. Though further south
than it usually hits. Has it been expanding?
Ain't the Crescent if it ain't getting worse.
rosetta
Another threat we will need
to overcome in due time.
For now, let us give these poor
souls the full aid of House Heron!
cherise
Just like old times, but I'm
actually being paid to do this.
(Rosetta approaches the Shearwaters.)
rosetta
Are you the local leader
of the defending forces?
oriana
He died hours ago. I'm simply
the one keeping things together.
If you're looking for protection,
stay within the circle.
rosetta
Far from it. I am Rosetta of House Heron, and I am here to offer my aid to the good
folk of the Crescent in their time of need.
oriana
... House Heron?
You're already here?
rosetta
I was under the impression our arrival was
more secretive, but that's irrelevant.
Deploy us to where you see fit. You shall
see that our courage does not falter.
oriana
I certainly won't turn
down more help.
cherise
And me too.
oriana
Cherise? You're here
with House Heron?
cherise
My, my, little Oriana? I knew you'd
become an adventurer one day, with how much you wouldn't
stop blabbering about it.
rosetta
Are you old friends?
cherise
Barely. Her mother was my
teacher, that's about it.
Send me to any entrance,
I can hold one on my own.
oriana
I had long thought you dead.
I am certainly grateful to have
your assistance in this mess.
(Maurice emerges from a barrel and approaches Oriana.)
oriana
Nice of you to join us, Maurice.
I was worried that barrel might
be a little too comfortable.
maurice
I get it. If you all die, I'm
not making it out myself.
oriana
Saving all these people might
be a nice bonus too.
Ending
oriana
(grins) We've slain their commanders!
Break them while they're confused!
oriana
(grins) They're dispersing!
The day is ours!
If you saved 9+ NPCs:
fighter
(grins) By the goddess. We're alive. The worst
Green Tide yet, and we wrecked them.
guard
The Seahawks really came through.
Wow, this is rare. You're breaking
out your prized mana cubes?
fighter
Aye, didn't have time to eat before battle.
What better way to celebrate our victory?
guard
Gimme some.
fighter
Captain Oriana! You're even more
impressive than all the stories say!
guard
I thought we were dead for sure, but we
got through that with so few casualties.
fighter
Even the Headtaker couldn't
achieve such a feat, I'm sure.
oriana
(smiles) I was merely doing my
duty as an adventurer.
It is dutiful warriors like you that
are true heroes of the Crescent.
guard
You hear that?
She called me a hero.
fighter
Don't inflate his ego, Captain.
Want one of these mana cubes?
Patented family recipe.
oriana
With pleasure.
guard
You haven't even
given me one.
fighter
You're lower on the
totem pole, buddy.
guard
You know what,
I have these nice cookies.
Here, have one, Captain.
Guess who ain't getting any.
fighter
Oh come on, you know
I love those. Trade?
guard
Now you come crawling
back to me? But sure.
(Oriana receives Mana Cubes and a Fortune Cookie.)
If you saved 7-8 NPCs:
fighter
(grins) We survived, and with
barely a scratch.
guard
We could not have done it without
our hero of the hour, and here she is.
fighter
You're really just as skilled
as the legends say!
I say legends, as if you've
been around for ages.
You know what I mean.
oriana
(smiles) Happy to serve
the Crescent.
guard
I bestow upon you my most
prized possession. This cookie.
oriana
I would not turn
down a free snack.
fighter
I love those.
Do you have more?
guard
No. Captain, would
you like any more?
oriana
Prejudice!
(Oriana receives a Fortune Cookie.)
If you saved 5-6 NPCs:
fighter
Owww! Are you sure you
have real staff experience?
guard
Yes. Sit still.
oriana
Are you doing alright?
I can get Tower over.
fighter
Only minor injuries, no
need to bother the Tower!
He must be busy with
more important things.
oriana
He's just a regular
old man.
guard
(grins) A really scary one! Some
good folk didn't make it, but without your help, the
casualties would've been bad.
fighter
You're one of those good adventurers.
I knew those rumours were inaccurate.
oriana
Rumours?
fighter
Don't worry about it. Just
know that you're fantastic.
If you saved 3-4 NPCs:
oriana
Is your friend..?
guard
Aye, he has
indeed fallen.
oriana
He will be remembered
as a great hero.
guard
I hope so, but once Eylenhurst is
abandoned, who will remember him?
If you saved 2 or fewer NPCs:
oriana
The two soldiers that greeted us have
both fallen. I hope they won't be forgotten.
mince
(serious) We won, and by all means,
a bigger win than the last.
But I'm having a hard time
feeling happier about it.
tower
What is on your mind?
mince
All the survivors are leaving.
Eylenhurst will be a ghost town.
A bit of a bitter taste, and
I never liked bitter foods.
tower
With the precedent of the
Tide striking this far south, few wish to gamble with their lives.
It is natural that the citizens of
Eylenhurst will disperse.
mince
But if we had been here for the
initial attack, if more were saved, if I didn't waste so much time
insisting on cooking a huge meal-
tower
It's about that, huh? If we had not marched
here well-fed, we may have lost that battle.
You need not concern yourself with every
possibility. That is the path to insanity.
You may have seen only victory under Ellerie,
but adventuring is harsh and bitter work.
mince
I just remembered the rush of falling
into danger and coming out on top, bags laden with spoils. I looked past
everything else about adventuring.
tower
If the adventuring life ain't for you,
there is no shame in admitting it.
mince
(smiles) The great Mince doesn't trip
at a single obstacle, Tower!
Beat me down once, and I'll
come back bigger and better.
A small taste of abject
misery cannot stop me!
tower
You bounced back fast.
mince
I just need to eat. Melancholy arises from
an empty stomach. Let's make lunch.
tower
I can't agree more.
oriana
What is a noblewoman of House
Heron doing this far from home?
Don't tell me it's to see the sights.
rosetta
You know of our arrival,
but not our intent?
oriana
To conquer these lands
and call it your own?
rosetta
What we desire is to end the
squabbling in these lands and
create a new nation of prosperity.
You've seen for yourself the
internal struggles that have plagued
the Crescent, merely a year past.
We offer to be the force which
truly unifies the Crescent towards
one single goal, to live and thrive.
oriana
You promise much, but there is a cost.
To place the lives of the Crescent into
the hands of unknown mainlanders.
rosetta
The northern regions of the Mainland
have not seen war in decades, thanks to the authority of House Heron!
Surely such a world is preferable to the
chaos that envelopes the Crescent.
oriana
Your willingness to endanger yourself
for strangers lends you credence.
However, it does not change the
truth that you are invaders, to place your authority above
a land that is not your own!
rosetta
They will see that House Heron is
more than a change in leadership!
We bring along with us not just soldiers,
but workmen, artisans, and mages.
Manpower that can raise infrastructure,
link settlements, turn back monsters.
oriana
What shall you do with the settlements
who do not surrender to your ownership?
rosetta
That is...
oriana
Don't pretend you have an option
other than overwhelming force.
If this peace is brought about at
speartip, what value does it have?
cherise
So?
oriana
What are you trying
to say, Cherise?
cherise
Is it not the law of the Crescent for absolute
power to fall only to the most brutal?
There was no pretence of moral justification
for the settlements to devour each other.
Why would this change with House Heron?
oriana
That's- That's backwards
thinking. That's barbarism.
cherise
What alternative do you propose,
to see endless battle until one
neighbour finally devours the rest?
Is that freedom to you, Oriana?
oriana
I do not need to propose a solution
to fixing the Crescent's problems.
All I need is to know that the Crescent
shall not fold before unwelcome guests.
cherise
I hear a lot of useless babble. All that
matters is which side crushes the other.
rosetta
Instructor, please! Leave the talking to me.
Is the risk of a new way not worth
doing away with the cycles of violence?
oriana
An uninvited occupation is
nothing more than an invasion, regardless of how justly
you label your mission.
rosetta
What if I tell you that
we are not uninvited?
oriana
I know of House Heron's
ties to the Guild.
rosetta
Not just the Guild, but a major
part of the western coast.
The Chieftain of Irinde personally
asked for our intervention.
oriana
The Chieftain of Irinde?
She “invited” you here?
To the Crescent?
rosetta
She is my cousin, and
blood supports blood.
oriana
... This changes nothing. A lone city or
leader cannot speak for the Crescent.
The Crescent and its people do not need
a foreign house to usurp leadership.
cherise
By Elis, this is a waste of time.
Do you know how I can uphold the law
of the Crescent? By killing you here.
oriana
Surrounded by my allies? I'd like to see
you and your charge leave this place alive.
rosetta
No! Instructor, don't.
cherise
It's really tempting. It'd be
quite the instructive lesson.
Little Oriana must have learned
some tricks from her mother.
oriana
I won't deny that you've done
well to fend off the Crescent, but I cannot sympathise
with your objectives.
Leave before the hour ends,
or I won't show mercy.
cherise
My offer is still on the
table, Young Lady.
rosetta
It's a shame we don't see things
the same way, Captain Oriana.
Nevertheless, you're a hero to the
Crescent and I hope that in the future, we might find an agreeable conclusion.
oriana
I hope so, too.
Now, go.
(Rosetta and Cherise leave.)
cherise
She was always a pretentious
brat, even when we were kids.
rosetta
...
cherise
Come off it now,
you're demoralised by only a few words
from some woman on her high pegasus?
rosetta
I came here hoping for a
more diplomatic conclusion.
Father thinks he can roll over
the Crescent with our army, but that is a last resort.
cherise
There's not a single great leader
who hasn't had to put their hands
in the metaphorical red paint bucket.
rosetta
Just because something has been
doesn't mean something has to be.
cherise
Just because I can imagine eating a juicy
steak doesn't make me a bloody chef.
rosetta
Small setbacks won't deter me, Instructor.
I am certain I can eventually work out a
solution that doesn't involve bloodshed.
It'll just take more time than I had hoped.
cherise
Would your Father approve of such
a course of action, Young Lady?
rosetta
That...
I'm sure I can convi-
(Unari approaches.)
cherise
Move another step,
and you're sliced salmon.
unari
No need to point a blade to my throat.
I am just here for a peaceful proposition.
rosetta
Please, introduce yourself.
unari
Unari, commander of the Frostfires,
leader of the town of Frosthaven.
cherise
Incredible, that town still exists? I had bet
200 gold that it'd be gone by last year.
unari
We've been doing just fine, thank you.
You're Cherise, the Headtaker's disciple?
cherise
Thought the Crescent would've
forgotten about me. We've met?
unari
Only at a distance, but there's only so
many pink-haired swordswomen about.
Oriana might not be willing to play ball,
but I am not so quick to dismiss.
rosetta
That is music to my ears! I'm glad not all
are so unreceptive to House Heron's arrival.
unari
Frosthaven has been in an unenvious position
in this mess of a land for far too long.
If House Heron can truly live up to what you
promised Oriana, you'll have our support.
cherise
But you're not promising
anything yourself, I assume.
unari
Frosthaven can only do so much,
given our losses in the last war.
But my word is not so meaningless,
I still speak for a major faction.
rosetta
The day of settlement shall not
come slowly, Frosthaven commander.
I hope to see your promise bear fruit.
unari
I shall be glad
to see that.
mince
Captain! You just missed lunch.
It was great. I can describe it to
you in vivid detail if you'd like.
oriana
I'll pass.
tower
Oriana, you look a little shaken. Did that
noblewoman make some kind of threat?
oriana
Nothing of the sort. I just had to drive her
off, even if she helped save these civilians.
tower
Don't put much stock into it, she's a noble.
I doubt there is any desire to aid Eylenhurst
besides the incentive of her reputation.
oriana
I hope you're right, Tower.
It would make things easier.
mince
Wait, that was Lady Rosetta, right? I know
that face! House Heron is already here?
tower
Ellerie never did elaborate on her exact
status. Rosetta would be her... Cousin?
mince
Yeah. I hear she's one of the rare
good nobles but Ellerie says...
tower
Go on.
mince
They do have a history, but
it's the Chief's own business.
Any more than that is
not for me to talk about.
tower
Bah. Don't you know how impolite
it is to leave others hanging?
oriana
If the lady of House Heron is here, does
this mean the invasion is already over?
mince
Trying to not think about that, Captain.
Ellerie's really sneaky, the nobles can't pull
one over her... I'm sure she's doing fine.
oriana
But what if Ellerie...
No, nothing.
tower
If they already won, this Lady
Rosetta would have a real escort.
What did I say about overthinking
things we can't change?
mince
Yeah, Ellerie's relying on us, the Shear-
something, to save the Crescent!
I'm looking forward to a third round
of Mince vs the Crescent, two-zero.
oriana
... You're right. Get everyone ready.
We shall first check on Hunter's Hollow,
then we end this Green Tide at its roots.
If Vermillion, Joyful Jo, and Empress are alive and Vermillion is level 18+
mince
(Master of stealth. Master of stealth.)
Aha! I have you now, thief!
vermillion
Not this annoying chunk
of metal again.
mince
Why are there
THREE of you?
empress
You intrude upon a meeting
of your betters, mortal.
mince
It's way too late for me to
deal with this! Mince, out!
(Mince leaves.)
empress
Minor distraction aside,
this has been a fine feast.
vermillion
The armoured mortal is the perfect
target to plunder for his foodstuffs.
empress
He will be allowed to live. I am pleased.
For this offering, I shall grant you a boon.
I shall allow you to visit the Skyward Gate,
the place where chickens leap into heaven.
vermillion
This one is honoured,
Senior.
joyful jo
Her celestial highness hasn't had
anyone to show off to for some time.
empress
What shame is there in introducing
the pieces of my empire?
joyful jo
The Skyward Gate is where the path ends,
but do not forget where you currently are.
vermillion
I would like to see this
place for myself, Senior, if only to give respect
to all who came before.
empress
Your apprentice is more pleasing
than you, you lump of coal.
[The Pinnacle begins.]
Character Descriptions
Maurice
I should've killed him, but I need all
the help I can get. I unsubtly hope I
won't have to fulfil my end of the deal.
Rosetta
A noblewoman helping in both the
defence and the invasion of this land.
Cherise
A swordswoman in the service of
House Heron. I recognise some
of my Mother's blade techniques.
Marzipan
A member of Rosetta's elite guard.
Capable of surfing with her shield.
Tapado
A member of Rosetta's elite guard.
Used to moonlight as a gladiator.
Belekoy
A member of Rosetta's elite guard.
An astrologist in her spare time.
Liquorice
A member of Rosetta's elite guard.
A ballista expert turned archer.
Rootkeeper
The demon trees have some kind
of invincibility shield now. Lovely.
Skill: Immunize
Allies within 3 tiles do
not take damage when defending.
Goliath
Do not, I repeat, do not try
blocking this one's attacks.
Skill: Overwhelm
If HP is higher than
enemy HP, boost attack to 99.
Plaguehost
The rotting pile of meat also carries
diseases? Who could've thought.
Skill: Bilebite
Inflict weaken on hit,
reducing target damage by
10 for one turn.
Clairvoyant
The last thing we need is for these
flesh things to start seeing the future.
Skill: Anticipation
Enemies within 3 tiles
have their attack reduced by 25%
Aberration
Being up close and personal, and in
beheading range, is now compulsory.
Skill: Tower Shield+
Take no damage
against attacks received at range.
Deadeye
Now they'll leave even more lasting
wounds to overwork our healers.
Skill: Counter
Physical, non-lethal
damage in 1-2 range is reflected.
Cannot do lethal damage.
Goliath
Do not, I repeat, do not try
blocking this one's attacks.
Skill: Overwhelm
If HP is higher than
enemy HP, boost attack to 99.
Wood Lord
A conduit for the invasion forces
determined to exterminate humanity.
Free Fiend
Our greatest enemy, but also what keeps
us in business. A lot easier to cut down
than a human, in a manner of speaking.
Militia
Simple soldiers willing to give it their
very all in the defence of their town.
Adventurer
Another adventurer like myself. Most of
them are quite wary of us, as we have
wiped out a lot of adventuring bands.
Lightwalker
It does not matter which of the old
gods they worship or their beliefs,
not dying is always first priority.
Child
A bundle of hopes and dreams.