Opening
guard
Chief! Chief! Why are you
napping here of all places?
oren
Chief? Feels like no one has
called me that in ages.
guard
No idea what you mean, but
Archsage Nerysa calls for you.
oren
The past week has taken quite a toll on me.
I ought not be late to this negotiation.
guard
We're suing for peace after all.
Isn't that what the defeated do?
oren
We may have scored a few victories,
but without the element of surprise, future battles risk heavy casualties.
guard
Shame. I was hoping for a
noble skull as a trophy.
rosetta
You've surprised me, Chief Oren. For a
man capable of such devastating victory, I would assume you'd demand far more
compensation in settling this... dispute.
oren
I just want this conflict to be over.
If that means letting your house go
unpunished for its crimes, so be it.
rosetta
We've already paid enough of a price
for our folly. There is little more to add,
our fleet shall depart by the next morning.
oren
The Crescent will not be so merciful for
a second transgression, Lady Rosetta.
Ensure your cronies do not set foot on
the Crescent or sink our ships again.
rosetta
I understand. You're now in control
of most of the Crescent, Chief Oren.
An envious but dangerous position. Your
struggles will not end with our departure.
oren
That will be my business,
Lady Rosetta.
(Oren leaves.)
rosetta
Has Instructor Cherise
left for good?
speedwell
Yes, Young Lady. She is rather displeased with
your decision to abandon the Crescent.
rosetta
Then so be it. It is madness to gamble what
we still have on merely a chance of victory.
We have already lost far too much, on this
ill-thought-out plan which I approved.
speedwell
Do not weigh yourself down with guilt. Even if
you did not approve of your father's plan, he would have forced it ahead anyways.
rosetta
Regardless, I must take responsibility
as the current head of House Heron.
Even if the start of my tenure is
marked by an unprecedented disaster, I have many years ahead of me.
Rest assured, Sir Speedwell, I shall lead
House Heron to a prosperous future, no matter what it takes.
speedwell
I will be sure to live
long to see that future.
nerysa
You should have pushed them for more.
It was obvious they did not want to
continue this war anymore than we did.
oren
Perhaps I could have, but I was overcome
with the desire to end things quickly.
nerysa
The Heron Lady's words are truthful.
You are now the Guild's primary foe.
Irinde shall see more conflict if
we wish to maintain our position.
oren
... I suppose I am too hopeful in wanting to
return to our peaceful life before this war.
nerysa
You are. There was no true time of
peace, only a temporary ceasefire.
oren
I miss the freedom of
not having responsibility.
Nerysa! Watch out!
(An assassin appears suddenly and attacks, greviously wounding Oren. The assassin flees and collapses the path behind him.)
nerysa
Assassin!
Defend the Chieftain!
guard
Enemies have collapsed
the way behind us!
nerysa
The Guild strikes so soon? Damn it all, what
is this? My staves aren't functioning!
There is something out there interfering
with the very field of magic in this area.
guard
It's not just the Guild, it's some of
our own men!
They're blockading us, demanding Chief Oren's head for
their claims of having betrayed Irinde!
nerysa
What is this nonsense, is
desiring peace a betrayal?
Does Dune lead these
villainous sycophants?
guard
It is Dune, Archsage.
nerysa
May her flesh rot and her bones snap!
I've bandaged Oren, but it's a deep
wound requires magical healing.
We'll just have to push our way
through and get Oren to safety.
guard
Good plan! This lance tolerates
no treachery to Irinde.
guildmaster
Dune believes she is simply using us, yet now she shall unwittingly be the
instrument of Irinde's destruction.
oily oates
Really exemplifies the daftness
of those Irinde meatheads.
mitchell
Good plan, Guildmaster, but
do I really need to be here?
I have no idea how to use
a ballista or lead a battle.
guildmaster
You've always wanted to be more
involved in the Guild's business.
I am granting you that opportunity.
mitchell
I meant more in...
Yes, Guildmaster.
guildmaster
Cannibal, is the artifact
in working order?
the cannibal
Yes. Staves on lockdown, shortly.
guildmaster
Good. We shall attend
to other matters.
Oates, Mitchell, this battle
is yours to see through.
(The Guildmaster and the Cannibal leave.)
oily oates
Mitch, you fought
a battle before?
mitchell
Never in my life. Used to be
a half-decent poacher though.
oily oates
Then follow my lead. Stand at the
very rear, and hope for the best.
mitchell
Sounds like as sound
of a plan as any.
narrator
Oren loses 4 Max HP each turn.
Staves are disabled on this map.
If Telon is alive
(Telon enters the battlefield.)
telon
Now is the time to be strong. This
is the culmination of my journey.
My sister asked me to lend her my
strength, I will prove myself.
(Dune enters the battlefield.)
dune
I didn't and still don't, understand why the
Chief chose you as his successor over me, his own daughter!
Your compromising ways
weaken what Irinde has always stood for.
It is disgraceful of me to use the Guild for
my ends, but you leave me with little choice.
If Thyme is alive
(Thyme enters the battlefield.)
thyme
No hard feelings, Oren, but
I'm picking the winning side.
I always come out on top.
(Unari enters the battlefield.)
unari
That is Oren's delegation, isn't it? Why
are they skirmishing with Irinde's troops?
frostfire 1
I think I see the Guild with
them, over in the distance.
frostfire 2
It's looking bad for him.
unari
I should've known the Guild would make
a move after negotiations, but so soon?
And who could have turned Oren's own
soldiers against him with such speed?
frostfire 2
What do we do, Commander?
I vote we leave quietly.
unari
You, go call for the rest of our men,
I doubt they'll make it, but worth a try.
frostfire 1
Got it!
unari
You're coming with me.
We're going to save the Chief.
frostfire 2
But I was the one
who voted to leave...
Ending
nerysa
I can't thank you enough.
You owe no allegiance to Irinde,
yet you arrived in our time of need.
unari
Oren and I go far back.
It's the least I could do.
nerysa
I can see why my husband
spoke so highly of you.
Unfortunately, this is
where we must part ways.
We're leaving the Crescent.
unari
You'd abandon Irinde?
What would Oren think of this?
nerysa
We've done all we can for that town,
yet Irinde disappoints us again and again.
Even if Oren holds any remaining attachment,
I will not allow him to head back into danger.
unari
Your mind is set, I see. And the Crescent,
you understand what might become of it.
nerysa
It's not too late for you to jump
ship yourself, Commander Unari.
(Nerysa leaves.)
unari
... What now, Unari?
Can Frosthaven stand alone?
the cannibal
They've broken through.
guildmaster
Oren's delayed death is inconsequential
compared to Irinde's dismemberment.
All our major rivals have been destroyed.
House Heron is no longer in any position to
control us. A golden era comes to Yalunzar,
I am grateful to see it arrive in my lifetime.
the cannibal
I would like to
return to work.
guildmaster
Allow me some time to ramble, Cannibal.
It is a necessary part of growing old.
the cannibal
Not for me.
maurice
... Two years in this place
searching fruitlessly.
Even now, I can't bring myself to
believe Ellerie died silently.
She must be hiding somewhere,
biding her time. Surely?
oriana
We rushed all the way back to Yalunzar,
only to see the invasion already at its end.
tower
My bones ache. I don't recall why we
needed to return with such haste.
oriana
We sailed all this way, you
didn't exert yourself at all.
tower
I had to raise the sails.
My point stands.
oriana
I suppose this is a better outcome
than I would have predicted.
House Heron has retreated, most of
the Crescent is still standing, but...
tower
But Irinde lost?
oriana
Isn't it absurd? Irinde did so well
against this impossible threat, and was immediately pulled
apart by an internal struggle.
tower
I knew Chief Oren couldn't
hold things together for long.
Didn't have the same brutality
of his predecessors.
oriana
Irinde must be in such a mess right
now. I intend to head back there and... help sort things out, I suppose.
I won't
let the Guild dominate the Crescent.
tower
I thought you believed the politics
of the Crescent are beyond us.
oriana
Irinde is still my hometown.
I won't idly stand by and let the Guild
get away with what they've done.
tower
Even with the Tide still out there?
You're giving up on the source?
oriana
I can no longer hide behind the veil of
neutrality when Krynia has picked her lot.
The search for the Tide can wait for
another day, another adventure.
tower
Better reason than most. Not much else for
me to do and Irinde has pretty good beer.
(Mince approaches.)
mince
Captain, Tower, I thought about this
last night and came to a decision.
I intend to settle in Irinde and
leave the travelling life behind.
oriana
We were planning on the same.
The Crescent no longer needs
adventurers like our kind.
mince
Oh, fantastic. I had a whole farewell
speech prepared and everything.
Glad I no longer need to use it.
tower
I'll miss your cooking. And all your
miscellaneous positive attributes.
That's what I would've said.
mince
I love my miscellaneous
positive attributes.
oriana
Why Irinde, Mince?
Just for familiarity?
mince
It was a friendly place and...
Ellerie's there too.
We came here together.
It feels right to stay with her.
oriana
It's a tragedy she was
lost to us far too soon.
I think she'd be happy to see
how far you've come, Mince.
tower
She had the makings
of a competent Captain.
mince
She left behind so many unfulfilled dreams.
Hopefully, she can rest easy in the beyond.
lindros
Pom, has the situation
gotten any better?
pomelo
Everyone's still running around
like headless chickens.
From what I hear, the Chief and
the Archsage are gone for good.
lindros
What about that one guard captain
person? Isn't she next in line?
pomelo
That's what I was coming over to report.
Killed in her sleep just last night.
lindros
... I'm glad we've kept to ourselves
too much to be targets.
(Krynia approaches.)
krynia
Pomelo, Lindros.
Glad you two are doing fine.
pomelo
Krynia? Welcome. Be careful out there,
even the Guard Captain died recently.
krynia
I've heard the news, what a sad
way for such a strong warrior to go.
lindros
I don't know how long
the chaos will go on, or if the next Chief will even
give us the time of day.
I hate this uncertainty.
krynia
Indeed, all this chaos must end.
Pomelo, Lindros, will you support
me to become Irinde's new chief?
lindros
You? You're still young. How
could Irinde accept you as Chief?
krynia
I won't let that stop me. I've served
with Irinde under Chief Oren's guidance, I've won battles against House Heron.
I can lean on the names of my mother
and grandmother. More importantly...
I can burn challengers to a crisp.
But I need support. You two were in
the Chief's confidence for some time,
your word means a good deal.
pomelo
It's not just a question of strength.
Are you sure you want such responsibility?
Are you willing to make this commitment?
krynia
I am. I'm no simple-minded youth.
You're both good friends of Mother,
I trust you more than all others.
Once I'm Chief, you will be able to
continue your projects as with Oren, even in these tougher times.
lindros
You understand how to
immediately get my interest.
pomelo
Lin, don't be hasty. Krynia, even if
you manage to become Chief, it would put you in more danger.
The only winner of this war has been
the Guild and they want Irinde gone.
If House Heron ever decides to
come back, we'd be totally doomed.
krynia
I know that. But Irinde has been my home,
and my family's home, all these years.
I will put my life on the line to defend it.
Where better than at its forefront?
lindros
You've convinced me.
She's Oriana's daughter
and a dragon to boot.
Pom, you have no need to
play the patronising adult.
pomelo
If you're committed to the idea, then
all I can do is give you my full support.
krynia
Thank you! Let's do this.
Let's save Irinde.
(Quilan watches from afar.)
quilan
What in heaven's name happened
to my story? My main character?
Why is Oren suddenly important
when he was some nobody?
... Has the years of isolation
finally taken its toll on my mind?