Prologue: Prison Break

Objective Reach Door

Have a unit open the bottom door

To access this chapter, the player must possess the Plucker's Gift at the end of Chapter 26.

Opening

Capital Prison

(Mince, along with a duelist, break into the section where Ellerie is held.)

mince

I told you, Princess, I'm a master of stealth, and you didn't believe me.

princess

My brother's thugs have gotten real careless after my alleged death,
but yes, I admit that I was totally wrong. You're pretty darn sneaky.

mince

I have to be if I want to bring in the freshest cuts of meat.

princess

Ellerie should be in this cell. Can you get her out?

mince

On it, Princess. I'll apply the universal lockpick.

(Mince breaks the wall of Ellerie's cell.)

ellerie

Mince? Princess? How are you here? They said you were already dead!

princess

What can I say? Your Princess is just a little too good at everything.
Get out the cell. We're breaking out!

mince

My universal lockpick wasn't as quiet as I thought, Princess.
I think they've found us.

princess

No matter. We'll just go south and sneak into one of the many tunnels to the catacombs.

ellerie

I thought all hope had been lost. It brings me no greater joy than to see you again.

princess

Love you too, Ellerie. But get a move on, eh?
We can get all sappy later.

If the upper door is opened

guard 1

Of course he looked like a Rufus- Huh?

guard 2

Who are you again?

guard 3

It's a break-in, you dolts! Sound the alarm!

(Game over.)

When the door is opened

ellerie

... Was there always this much dungeon back here? Where do we go?

princess

It's a large place, Ellerie. Now, I don't remember exactly where those tunnels are...

ellerie

Don't scare me like this, Princess.

princess

No need to worry. I'm sure with a bit of looking, we'll be out of here in no time.

(The prison expands into a labyrinthine maze shrouded in darkness. In addition to the regular enemies, powerful shades appear at fixed points; they have no name or description except for one, which is Seguradez.)

Every turn, the objective will randomly change to one of the following:

Objective Ellerie Exits

Ellerie reaches exit

Objective Give Up

Give Up Give Up Give Up Give Up

4 Turns after opening the door

(Three Pluckers appear at the start of the prison and begin moving towards Ellerie.)

ellerie

A shiver ran down my spine just now. Princess, do you feel like something's off?

princess

I know these passages like the back of my hand. We'll be out here in no time.

ellerie

That's not quite what I mean. I don't know... It's just not right.

princess

No need to be so worried, my dear Ellerie. With our pace and our massive headstart, we'll be on the seas before Maurice and his cronies even have a chance to notice.

ellerie

Alright, you know best.

Death Quotes

Ellerie

ellerie

How cruel fate is, to die so close to freedom...

Princess

ellerie

Princess! Please, get up!

princess

Ellerie, keep running...

Mince

mince

A good blow, but can that really bring down THE Mince?
... ...
... Can't stop the bleeding. Damn, guess it can after all.

If Ellerie dies or is caught by the Plucker

ellerie

No, I can't... I can't go further...

(Ellerie falls into a void surrounded by Pluckers. She trembles, then becomes a shade.)

mince

All my precious tools of the trade are right here and all accounted for.
... Why do I still have the nagging sense that I've lost something important?

narrator

Ellerie's fate has been severed.
DO NOT overwrite this save file if you wish to see the end of her tale. Make a separate save file!

[Unbroken Cycle begins.]

Ending (stairs reached)

ellerie

It's as dark as ink in here. Princess, you wouldn't have forgotten a lamp, right?
Princess? ... What is... It's not right...
...

[The Picnic begins]

Character Descriptions

The shades have no name or description except for Seguradez.

Ellerie
Yours truly, a prisoner awaiting execution. What a bloody awful series of events my life has been.

Princess
A rebellious princess from this declining dynasty. A dear friend to me and one of the few people I'd give up my life for.

Plucker's Gift
A price paid for mobility.
-4 Def/Res. +2 Move.

Wisp
A [] from []. A [] to me and one of the [].

Mince
Some chef the Princess knighted on a whim. I thought it was bizarre but I am grateful for that choice now.

King's Knight
Another dog to the throne, serving a master who deserves none of their loyalty. What a worthless existence.

Plucker
A chicken it be.

Chapter 71: The Picnic

Opening

rosetta

This is one of the most foolhardy things you've made us do.
A trek to some isolated village on our lonesome, and then getting lost!

princess

How can we investigate potential corruption without coming in secret?
Being lost is my fault, but in my defence, this map is totally trite.

ellerie

If you really wanted to know why records weren't matching up, you should have just sent one of the guards under your command.

rosetta

See? Ellerie actually has common sense.

princess

Ellerie always agrees with you.
Besides, isn't a secret investigation more exciting than etiquette lessons, or whatever you noble ladies do?

rosetta

Whatever you noble ladies do? Princess, explain that one.

princess

I always have far more important matters to attend to, like conducting investigations.

ellerie

You don't have much leeway to complain, cousin. After all, you still volunteered.

rosetta

Alright, I did bring this upon myself.
But I thought we'd be there by evening at the latest!
This investigation better bear fruit, or else I won't let you forget it.

princess

Even if the investigation is a bust, we can still enjoy the quaint rural environment.
Have a picnic in the beautiful meadows.

ellerie

Let's focus hard on getting there. I would really not like to camp out in the wild.

princess

Sleeping exposed to the winds always makes me feel more tired in the morning.

ellerie

I'm more thinking about being eaten by wild animals, but that is also a consideration.

rosetta

Look over there, torchlight! Our good night's sleep is saved.

(They approach to find the village in ruins and overrun by soldiers.)

rosetta

Or not. This is... no longer a village.

ellerie

Censuses are hardly accurate, but it still painted the picture of a healthy village,
not this abandoned ruin.

princess

Has the local lord been delivering complete fabrications? I will have his head!

ellerie

This is no mere temporary abandonment. These houses have decayed for years.
Why spend so much effort covering this up?

rosetta

It has to be more nefarious than simple incompetence.

(Soldiers approach.)

thug

You three seem a little lost.

princess

Soldiers, here? Identify yourselves! What have you done with this village?

soldier

They've been worked to death in the mines years ago. You're a little late.

rosetta

How could such horrendous acts have happened so close to the Capital?

princess

A secret mine? Gold, salt, iron? This explains the cover-up.

thug

Idiot! Why did you reveal that?

soldier

Well, we ain't letting any of them go anyways.

princess

I suggest you think twice. Before you is the Princess, and two ladies of House Heron.

thug

Don't matter what your identities are once we carve up your faces! Boys!
We got some more wolfbait tonight!

(They leave.)

princess

See! I was right. If we had just sent a messenger, they'd just end up dead.

rosetta

As opposed to us, surrounded as we are?

princess

I'm more than a match for even a dozen armed men!
Well, they have more than that, but give or take a few dozen.

rosetta

I've never been more glad to have not slacked off on my training.

(Rosetta turns to Ellerie.)

rosetta

I meant for this to be a surprise gift at the picnic, but now is a more apt time.

(Rosetta gives Ellerie the Fengyan.)

ellerie

This fine of a lance, for me? I was never any good at fighting.

rosetta

Now's not a bad time to learn, cousin.

princess

Rose and I will clear the way, you just focus on making it onto the roads.

ellerie

Understood. I'll take my chance on open ground compared to their neck of the woods.

Turn 2

(After a flash of light, the world changes to look like Aberdeep and Blaine's Band appears.)

blaine

Stop, you villains! Your crime spree shall come to an end, for you face the allies of justice!

rosetta

Allies of justice? Is he delusional, or just exceptionally stupid?

ellerie

What about the fact the world just changed?

Turn 3

(After a flash of light, the world changes to look like Irinde and the Irinde militia appears.)

johnny spices

Us civilians of Irinde have your back, brave adventurers!
These Pirate Sages won't step another foot into our town.

ellerie

Princess, this is bizarre. What is happening?

princess

We can ask them later, for now I'm just glad we have reinforcements!

Turn 4

(After a flash of light, the world changes to look like the Sanctuary and war golems appear.)

ellerie

What in Elis's name? Those are monsters!

rosetta

I think we've stumbled onto a little more than a bandit base!

princess

If we all die here, feel free to blame me. Before that though, let's get through this!

ellerie

Are you two not seeing the world warp before your eyes?

(The world continues shifting on each successive turn. The Plucker appears at Ellerie's starting location on turn 6.)

Death Quotes

Ellerie

ellerie

I want to live... I can't let my enemies get their way...

Princess

princess

To fall against common brigands... What disgrace...

Rosetta

rosetta

What a harsh punishment for neglecting my training...

Ending

ellerie

What is all of this? I can't... Can't think. My skull feels like it's split- Get me out of here!

(The world shifts and becomes House Heron. Ellerie is a child surrounded by silhouettes.)

ellerie

That can't be true! It can't! Mother would never abandon me!

Ellerie
I don't want to be alone.

(Ellerie stumbles through the manor.)

voices

Disgrace...
Family name...

Sullied...
Harlot...

Child...
Bastard...

(Ellerie stumbles through the manor.)

voices

Only good deed...

To cease...

Narrator

Give Up

(Ellerie stumbles through the manor.)

voices

Blemish...
Blood...

Vermin...
Lineage...

???

Ellerie!

(The Princess appears.)

Princess
That is...

(Ellerie speaks to the Princess.)

???

My most sincere apologies for this disruption, Your Highness!
I will have her removed at once!

princess

There is no need for that.
I could use someone my own age to talk to.
Hey, I'm [] but you can call me []. What's your name?

(After a flash, Ellerie becomes her adult self again.)

ellerie

I... Thank you. Thank you.

(The world fades away.)

ellerie

I'm drowning in memories. Everything is still muddled up. How long will this clarity last?

(Ellerie lies on a beach. Gecko speaks to her.)

gecko

[ ]

(The world fades away again.)

ellerie

Can I really do that? It's not real. It won't hurt. Is any of this real? I don't know.
But it's still...

options

Give Up

Pull

options

Give Up

Pull

options

Pull

("Pull" must be selected 5 times. The menu becomes increasingly glitched out with every selection. Upon the fifth selection, Ellerie pulls out her eye.)

ellerie

Aaaaauuuuah!

(Ellerie wakes up.)

pomelo

Chief? What's wrong?

ellerie

A nightmare.

lindros

Could you not scream like you got an eye plucked out? My brilliant mind needs rest.

ellerie

... Notice something a little different about me? My face?

lindros

What do you mean?

pomelo

Not really. I guess I always wondered why you never wore an eye patch.

lindros

I didn't get dragged out of my blankets to hear this nonsense. I'm going back to sleep.

(Lindros leaves.)

pomelo

He's always this cranky past midnight.

ellerie

Sorry for waking you two. Get some rest.

pomelo

If you need some help sleeping, I hear they've got some potions that can knock you out.

ellerie

... At least I look more intimidating this way. I don't need an eyepatch.

(The Plucker's Gift disappears from the inventory.)

If Gecko is alive

(Ellerie speaks to Gecko in the Yardfort.)

gecko

Ah! Captain, you- I'm sorry.

ellerie

Sorry for what? All things considered, I got off easy, thanks to your... advice.

gecko

It wasn't advice. I just panicked and did something really stupid.

ellerie

We're both still here. What an... enlightening experience.
And I thought I knew better than to deal with the unknown.

gecko

I think it knows when we're helpless to its offer. But it still obeys its own rules.

ellerie

I was so dedicated to my delusions of quick vengeance, I gambled on far too much.
Was your temptation the same?

gecko

I thought they could make me powerful, enough to fight back.
But I couldn't. I was a whimpering child. I was too weak to do anything.
All I could do was hurt myself.

ellerie

If anything, you're strong for making it through all of it with your own strength.
We've overcome our struggles, we're free from its influence, aren't we?

gecko

... Yes, we are, Chieftain.

ellerie

At least I can look forward to a good night's rest even if this empty socket still throbs.

(Shades appear around the Yardfort and follow Ellerie as she leaves.)

Character Descriptions

The starting enemies and the Plucker's shades have no name or description. Many previously-appearing units also appear throughout this chapter, but for expediency they will not be listed here.

Ellerie
Yours truly, a lowly bureaucrat in the imperial administration. Still doing grunt work, but no doubt I'll rise up the ranks.

Princess
A rebellious princess from this declining dynasty. A dear friend to me and one of the few people I'd give up my life for.

Plucker's Gift
A price paid for mobility.
-4 Def/Res. +2 Move.

[The Princess has B-rank support with both Ellerie and Rosetta.]

Wisp
A [] from []. A [] to me and one of the [].

Rosetta
As harsh as those years in House Heron were, I'm beyond grateful to have a true friend to share those struggles with.

Plucker
A chicken it be.