Previous post here: Long Live the Queen (Angel Ending)
Hey! I finally got around to recording another one of these. (I definitely recommend watching the first one first, though. I didn't give as much backstory for characters on this one, because I was trying to keep this video shorter. Alas, I failed on that point.)
Once again, some technical details first: I used LiteCamHD to grab the video and my voice, and I used Freemake Video Converter to merge the video files together whenever I had to stop for any reason. And I am still unable to find a way to transcribe these with any degree of accuracy, and I apologize for that; I'm sorry to our deaf and hard-of-hearing members of the community.
Also, copyright permission: I thank Hanako games for responding to my request for copyright permission to use this material (to avoid all those pesky Fair Use considerations) with "open permission for people to make let's plays of our videos and to use the standard youtube monetisation tools if they want". That's a wonderful policy.
Now for the actual content: I wanted to show the Summon Cthulhu ending and (spoilers!) we actually did get there. However, it took some save-scumming because I was trying to optimize my way through (rather than just follow a script like before) and that failed horribly because this game is unforgiving like whoa.
And, ironically, the things I was trying to optimize for (up-ing Meditation so that I would detect that Priestess Selene is a Lumen; up-ing Voice to hire a spy) didn't pan out at all, while the things I needed to be optimizing (Intrigue; Cruelty so that we could unlock the Sacrifice Charlotte ending) I completely forgot about because I have marbles where my brain should be.
So! This video will:
1. Show you how to summon Cthulhu and two (not three, doh!) ways of dealing with him. [Content Note on the second ending for depression and self-harm, so you may want to stop the video there.]
2. Show you how to win the naval battle with three (not four, doh!) Lumen magic-users.
3. Show an unexpected death scene for Elodie, which was probably caused by bullying Ixion into withdrawing from Brin's territories.
4. Show Ana completely flummoxed about #3, which is potentially amusing for viewers and deeply annoying to herself because how could I have forgotten that I pissed Ixion off etc.
5. Show some longish stretches of Ana making strange mouth-noises about how to optimize Elodie while frantically apologizing for taking so long because oh my god how boring is this video. YMMV.
6. Show Ana blubbing over an unexpected conversation with an older grandfatherly man at the royal gala dance.
YouTube video below the cut, plus game transcript. I also strongly recommend the LLtQ wiki for any questions about the characters.
Week 0
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: We're almost home. Your room is just the way you left it.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: We're almost home. Your room is just the way you left it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I know it's hard to leave your school and all your friends, but I've arranged the best possible tutors for every subject.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll have to work hard this year to prepare yourself before your fifteenth birthday, but I know you can do it.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll learn quickly and you'll make a wonderful queen. It's what your mother would have wanted.
Elodie, Crown Princess: This is not what Mother would have wanted!
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wouldn't have wanted to die and leave me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No. She wouldn't. But sometimes bad things happen. We have to pick up and carry on.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All of Nova depends on us. On you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: *sigh*
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I will be here to guide you until your coronation, but the decisions you make are ultimately up to you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Come. Your maids are waiting.
Welcome to Long Live The Queen! If this is your first time playing, you should read this brief introduction to how the game works.
Menu: [Tell me more] [I've played this before]
Player chose: I've played this before
________________________________________
Week 1
(Studied Meditation in the morning.)
(Studied Meditation in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's all that noise outside? Who's here?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! It's my cousins! And my aunt and uncle.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Darling. We were so terribly sorry to hear about your mother Fidelia.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Laurent, Duke of Merva: You look well, niece.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hi, Lottie. I haven't seen you in ages! Will you be staying long?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Yup! Mummy said we'd be here all month.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Yup! Mummy said we'd be here all month.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Maybe we'll have some time to talk later.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
________________________________________
Week 2
(Studied Lore in the morning.)
(Studied Lore in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's that commotion outside? Father? What's going on?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I have come to pay my respects in honor of your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have no respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have no respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What?!?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I am a Lumen, as was she, and like every Lumen I am willing to give my life if necessary to protect our domain.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I am a Lumen, as was she, and like every Lumen I am willing to give my life if necessary to protect our domain.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your line has been traitors for two hundred years. I won't have you corrupting my daughter.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is for the Crown Princess to decide.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Elodie, your mother trusted me, and I have much to teach you.
Menu: [Send her away] [Arrest her] [Let her stay]
Player chose: Arrest her
Elodie, Crown Princess: You are a traitor to the crown and I ought to have you executed.
Elodie, Crown Princess: GUARDS! Arrest her!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Throw her into the castle dungeons and let her rot!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Well. I suppose she won't be a problem anymore.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I love this room! It's so much bigger than mine back home.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You should visit more often. It's awful that the only time I get to see you is...
Elodie, Crown Princess: ... something like this.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I know your brother and sister are still too young, but why haven't you come to school?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: My mother worries about me. She doesn't think anywhere but home is safe.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I understand. I'm probably not going to be allowed to leave this castle until my birthday.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But at least we can have fun together here!
________________________________________
Week 3
(Studied Divination in the morning.)
(Studied Divination in the afternoon.)
Charlotte, Lady Merva: He loves me, he loves me not...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lottie, do you have a boyfriend?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Not really. I just like to play with the flowers.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Me too.
You gather your skirts and prepare to sit down, when all of a sudden, a hissing noise alerts you to a hidden danger - a snake!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Charlotte, don't move!
You grab for a stick to push the snake away, but you lack the skills to do the job properly, and poking the snake only makes it angry. Too fast to see, it lunges forward and sinks its fangs into your leg!
Elodie, Crown Princess: OW!
The snake slithers away, but it's too late now. A strange tingling sensation begins to spread through your flesh.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: That's a milk viper. They're poisonous!
Elodie, Crown Princess: I don't feel good.
Your leg is going numb. You stumble and fall to the ground.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hold on!
Your cousin kneels beside you and presses her hands over the bite mark. The area throbs painfully, then begins to feel warm.
After a minute, you're dizzy, but your leg isn't buzzing anymore, and even the wound has disappeared.
Elodie, Crown Princess: How did you do that?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I don't know how I do it. I just can.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I'm not supposed to tell anybody. People think it's freaky. You won't tell, will you?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Of course not. I'm just lucky you were here.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Girls? What's going on out here? I heard yelling.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Nothing!
Elodie, Crown Princess: We saw a snake, but it got away.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: A snake! That's it. Charlotte, pack your things. We're going back to Merva. It's not safe here.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: A snake! That's it. Charlotte, pack your things. We're going back to Merva. It's not safe here.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Awww...
You venture into the depths of the castle dungeons.
The Duchess of Ursul is there, in her cell, sitting perfectly straight on the bench against the wall and looking your direction as if she'd been expecting you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Caution is wise for one in your position. Hasty judgments can lead to trouble.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Are you ready to listen now?
Menu: [Hear her out] [Taunt her]
Player chose: Hear her out
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you want to say?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is the responsibility of the king or queen of Nova to handle magical energies to protect the domain.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is what a Lumen does - what your mother did, and what I do.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My father said it was your fault she died!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What he said was that she died by magic. Being a Lumen is never safe. We pay a high price for our powers.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: But without a Lumen queen, this entire domain is at risk.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's right - the priestesses have taught me that the rulers of Nova are always Lumens.)
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Release me, and I will teach you what you need to know to keep your responsibilities.
Menu: [Free her] [Refuse]
Player chose: Free her
Elodie, Crown Princess: I don't have any choice, do I?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine. I'll have the guards release you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Come to me in my rooms as soon as you can to begin your training.
________________________________________
Week 4
(Studied Meditation in the morning.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
(Studied Meditation in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: The castle seems quieter with Charlotte and Emry and Zahra and their parents gone.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's certainly not empty, though. It seems like we get more servants every day.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What is it you wanted to teach me?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: First, I need to know if you have your mother's crystal.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What crystal?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The source of power for any Lumen is a particular magical crystal. Once you've bonded with it, it becomes a part of you as long as you live.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The Royal Crystal has been passed down from ruler to ruler for generations. It belongs to you, now - except that the King may be keeping it from you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Do you have a crystal?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Of course.
She holds out her hands. Light flickers above her bosom, and then, with a shower of sparkles, something takes shape.
You reach out to touch it, and it dissolves away into nothing.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It belongs to me. No one can take it from me until I die.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You need to find the crystal that belongs to you.
(Put on the faith outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 5
(Studied Meditation in the morning.)
(Studied Divination in the afternoon.)
One of the maids approaches for your attention.
Alice: My lady, couriers have arrived from the Duke of Sedna.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We have a Duke of Sedna?
Alice: ... No, my Lady. The duchy of Sedna is in Talasse.
Alice: ... No, my Lady. The duchy of Sedna is in Talasse.
Alice: They have brought you a letter, and a gift.
Elodie, Crown Princess: 'Condolences on the death of', 'deeply regret', 'best wishes'...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! What a beautiful necklace!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Something sparkly will make me feel better.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
________________________________________
Week 6
(Studied Divination in the morning.)
(Studied Lore in the afternoon.)
As you are walking, you spot a familiar figure in the palace gardens.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's the Duchess of Ursul! Maybe I should go and say hello.)
Then you notice that seated beside her is a woman in the robes of a priestess. They are very close together, their hands gently touching as they speak.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Looks like she's busy!)
You turn and walk in a different direction, so as not to disturb them. At that moment, you notice something unusual. It looks like someone just left the palace grounds by going over the hedge.
Was that a servant? A thief? Or... an assassin?
Menu: [Climb up to look over the hedge] [Call the guards] [Run and hide]
Player chose: Call the guards
Elodie, Crown Princess: Guards!
However, by the time the response is organised and directed to the area beyond the palace, there's no sign of any intruder.
You wonder if you were only imagining it.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
________________________________________
Week 7
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
As you are walking up the stairs, a maid comes running down holding a towering pile of linen.
You gracefully step aside and let her pass.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
________________________________________
Week 8
(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Composure in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a man here to see you. He wishes Crown funding for a project of his.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember, the treasury is not unlimited. If you choose to invest, you will have less money to work with later.
Man: Your Royal Highness, I have a plan to print books using metal letters which can be moved and reused.
Man: I need to borrow 875 lassi to assemble the metal and a factory to mold and cast the type.
Man: With this system, we will be able to create new books in a fraction of the time it takes now, and make copies to send all over the world.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know much about factories or trade. Would that really be worthwhile?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Dad, what happened to Mom's Lumen crystal?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It's in a safe place.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Can I have it?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But it's mine!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Meddling with magic killed your mother. I don't want that to happen to you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Once you're crowned Queen, I can't stop you from doing anything you want, but for now you are still a child.
________________________________________
Week 9
(Studied Presence in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, my sympathies for your loss. Even after all these years I sometimes forget that my own mother will never be coming back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: However, I must call for your aid. The Ixionite occupation of the county of Imbrium has gone on for too long. Now is the time to push back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I know there's been some problems with Ixion, but I don't know the details. I guess they're occupying southern Maree.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything about the military. I don't want to fight.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: There must be a peaceful way to settle this. I will send for diplomats from Ixion and try to come to some arrangement.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Thank you, Your Highness.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, if I may ask... That necklace you're wearing. Where did it come from?
Elodie, Crown Princess: It was a gift from the Duke of Sedna.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Then, you have made arrangements with him?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Um... What sort of arrangements?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, that is a courting gift. The man wishes to gain your hand in marriage.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh. I didn't realise.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My father says I can't have the crystal until I'm Queen, so we'll just have to wait.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: There may not be time to wait.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: This world is filled with dangers, and you will need the powers of a Lumen to fight them. You can't begin training until you have bonded with your crystal.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Well, what else am I supposed to do about it?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The crystal is probably held under guard in the Royal Treasury. You are the princess; you should be able to find a way inside.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Otherwise we might have to take drastic action.
Menu: [I'll wait until I'm older] [I'll try to find a way] [What drastic action?]
Player chose: I'll try to find a way
Elodie, Crown Princess: All right. I will try to get into the treasury.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 10
(Studied Presence in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The representative from Ixion is here. Be careful - no one wants to give up prizes that they have won.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: You have the full support of my sister and myself, Your Highness.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: Hmph. Let's get this over with.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: Hmph. Let's get this over with.
Diplomat from Ixion: Your Royal Highness, thank you for granting me this audience. I am sure we can come to an amicable agreement.
Diplomat from Ixion: Let bygones be bygones, no? We will forget about your unprovoked attacks on us, and you will transfer the rights to this little province.
Diplomat from Ixion: We can be good neighbors again, without any lives being lost.
Menu: [Surrender Province] [Offer him money if Ixion withdraws] [Bluff / Intimidate] [Execute him]
Player chose: Bluff / Intimidate
Elodie, Crown Princess: You are trespassing on our lands. You will withdraw your troops at once. Only then will we have peace.
Menu: [Threaten to attack]
Player chose: Threaten to attack
Elodie, Crown Princess: My soldiers are poised to destroy you. Withdraw now.
Diplomat from Ixion: ... Very well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Phew!)
You order the guards to stand aside and walk forward with your head held high. None of them dares to deny you access to your own treasury.
The glitter is dazzling, but some sixth sense draws you towards one little locked box in particular. This is what you need. This is the crystal that will make you a Lumen.
You tuck the box into your pocket. You can show it to your mentor later and get instructions on what to do next.
(Put on the faith outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 11
(Studied Lore in the morning.)
(Studied Lore in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Lore.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There are reports that a keythong has been sighted leaving the Old Forest.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (The Old Forest - that's the area by Kathre Lake where the capital was, until it was destroyed by monsters.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's a keythong?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: A beast with the body of an enormous golden cat, a sharp beak, and spikes on its back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Eek!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Several disappearances in southern Caloris are already thought to be the work of this creature.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do we do? Should we send hunters?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The traditional policy on stray beasts is to hope that they return to the forest and stay there.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Hunters are no match for such creatures. You would only make it angry and waste more lives.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So... we just let it eat people?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Everyone dies in the end.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Also, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Talarist, the Duke of Sedna, will be arriving next week for an official visit.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: I got it!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do I do now?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Pick up the crystal with your bare hands. Press it against your chest, over your heart, and say "Illuminate!"
Menu: [Do it] [Don't do it]
Player chose: Do it
Elodie, Crown Princess: Okay... Here we go... Illuminate!
You feel dizzy, and both larger and lighter than you were before. The crystal has disappeared from view, but you know where it is.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Wow.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The priestess here is a friend of mine. I will come to your lessons in the faith and train you to use your powers.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 12
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Sense Magic in the afternoon.)
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: Ah, Your Highness. What a pleasure it is to meet you in person at last. Your description did not do you justice.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: Ah, Your Highness. What a pleasure it is to meet you in person at last. Your description did not do you justice.
Elodie, Crown Princess: *giggle*
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know how to deal with handsome older men paying me compliments!)
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I was so pleased to hear that you had accepted my humble offering. A jewel for a jewel - but you are the more precious.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I hope that this is only the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. A union between us would bring stability to both our peoples.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He really does want to marry me!)
Menu: [Accept his offer] [Politely decline]
Player chose: Accept his offer
Elodie, Crown Princess: I would be honored!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Elodie!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your Grace, are you not aware that my daughter has only fourteen summers?
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's my decision.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: A betrothal only, of course. There is no need for hurry. You have your coronation to plan for, after all.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: If I might be of service in any way, please, send for me. I will be happy to offer my protection or advice.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: ...
Elodie, Crown Princess: There's something I don't understand.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What is it?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Magical powers are connected to Lumen crystals, right?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is correct.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But I can make myself glow by concentrating the right way, and I did that before I even got the crystal.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Let me see.
You concentrate, and your skin begins to glimmer.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You're right. It's not proper magic. It's something else.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is that bad?
She holds her hands above your shoulders, moving slowly down along your arms.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I sense no danger. Ignore it. It's a distraction.
Menu: [Drop the subject] [Keep pushing]
Player chose: Keep pushing
Elodie, Crown Princess: There are a million magical secrets I don't know, but I'm trying to learn.
Elodie, Crown Princess: This one affects me personally! I need to know what's causing it.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Very well. If I had to guess, I suspect it has something to do with your mother's powers.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: She was already a Lumen when she bore you. Some small trickle of that energy may have passed into you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So the daughter of an active Lumen might have strange powers...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Charlotte!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What?
Elodie, Crown Princess: She...
Just in time you remember that you promised Charlotte you wouldn't tell anyone about her healing powers.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Nothing.
She is your cousin, after all. Maybe it's just something that runs in the blood. But you think you'd better write to her and see if you can find out more.
________________________________________
Week 13
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A woman has been convicted of attempted murder and requests the mercy of the Crown.
Kevan, Earl of Io: Your Highness! This slattern dares to beg pardon, when she admits that she tried to poison my sister under her own roof!
Kevan, Earl of Io: Your Highness! This slattern dares to beg pardon, when she admits that she tried to poison my sister under her own roof!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Which sister?
Kevan, Earl of Io: Corisande, the Duchess of Mead.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is she all right?
Kevan, Earl of Io: She is unharmed. We caught the culprit in the kitchens before anyone could eat her foul spew.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Well, what do you have to say for yourself?
Condemned Woman: It's justice, it is! Them devils killed me brother, and broke me mam's heart.
Condemned Woman: Lied to her, they did, when she went to see why he'd not come back. Said he'd gone for a soldier, when he never would!
Condemned Woman: He weren't the only one neither. I waited ten years for my chance to get my own back. That's justice!
Kevan, Earl of Io: You see? She's completely unrepentant! Hang her and be done with it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know what this is all about. Either way, murder is a serious crime, but...)
Menu: [Put her to work] [Imprison her] [Execute her]
Player chose: Imprison her
Elodie, Crown Princess: You have tried to murder a noble of my domain, and I have no reason to believe you wouldn't do it again.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You will be imprisoned for the rest of your life.
Condemned Woman: Ye'll not have me!
All of a sudden, she breaks loose from her guards and rushes at you!
In your Court dress, you are unarmed - you grope for a weapon and find only a heavy golden ornament which you hurl in her direction.
Your missile flies wide of its mark.
Before you have a chance to do anything else, your personal guards step into action, cutting the woman down before she can endanger you. Her lifeless body lies bleeding on your carpet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ... Clean that up.
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six gold lassi and twenty-one silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 14
(Studied Wield Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
As you are walking one day in the gardens, you hear a strange sound and look up to see an owl flying overhead. A single dry leaf flutters in its talons.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (An owl in daylight and a dead leaf - Someone important will die in the next few months.)
When you return to the castle, your father is waiting for you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She wishes Crown funding for a project.
Woman: Thank you for seeing me, Your Royal Highness. I... I come to you on behalf of the people.
Woman: I wish to build a hospital where any citizen afflicted with disease can be brought for treatment.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Putting all the sick people together? Wouldn't that make them die even faster?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
________________________________________
Week 15
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember that the Festival of the Good Lady is approaching.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There will be public celebrations for the commoners, followed by a grand gala for the nobility.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you would be expected to lead the procession and take part in the ceremonial planting, possibly give a speech.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: However, since you are not yet crowned, it is not required, and it may not be safe to expose you to the public.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, not safe?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Outside of the castle, you are less well protected. If anyone means you harm... Think on it now, decide later.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a letter for you as well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's from Briony! I went to school with her, but she's a couple years older than me. Her mother is the Duchess of Mead.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's complaining that her mother still won't let her come home for the holidays.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Apparently her uncle Kevan has been acting strangely lately and shouting at shadows.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's bored and looking for an adventure. Well, I don't have any to suggest to her!)
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five gold lassi and eighty-six silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 16
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Sense Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Today is the procession and planting for the Festival of the Good Lady. Will you be leading the parade?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you have any concerns about your safety, please, stay here.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will recover from disappointment; if we lose you, there is no recovery.
Menu: [I will lead the parade] [I will parade and make a speech] [I would rather not go]
Player chose: I would rather not go
Elodie, Crown Princess: No... I guess I'd rather stay here.
You watch the procession from your tower window, feeling safe but lonely.
Suddenly, you hear someone moving around inside your room. You turn in surprise, but it's only a maid.
Alice: My lady? What are you - Should you not be in the procession?
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's a major festival, but there are other ways to celebrate.)
Menu: [Confess your fears] [Yell at her] [Make religious excuse]
Player chose: Make religious excuse
Elodie, Crown Princess: I prefer to give thanks for the Good Lady's blessings by meditating.
Alice: That's very wise of you, my lady.
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five gold lassi and seventy-five silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 17
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Sense Magic.
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Are you ready for the grand ball?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (gulp!)
You finish dressing and descend the stairs to make a grand entrance.
All around, the rich and powerful pause in their activities to gaze upon you, the ruler of them all.
You let your eyes rest upon each in turn as you have been taught, impressing upon them that you are not a child, but a Queen.
Your father waits for you at the bottom of the stairs and offers you his arm.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The first dance is for us.
He guides you gently around the dance floor, never rushing you. It's fun to dance with your father, but the look in his eyes is so sad.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: After this, you must choose your own partner. There are a number of men who hope to catch your eye.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Duke of Kigal alone has brought three eligible sons, all near your age.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But I'm already betrothed to the Duke of Sedna!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: That does not bar you from dancing.
Menu: [Dance with suitors] [Refuse]
Player chose: Dance with suitors
You look around the room at all your possible partners - which is to say, everyone. No one may begin dancing until you do. You can pick whomever you want and you will not be denied.
Menu: [Someone about your age] [Someone younger than you] [Someone older than you] [Someone already married] [Someone scandalous]
Player chose: Someone already married
You don't want everyone assuming that whoever you pick first is your intended marriage partner, so what better way to prove that than by choosing someone who's already married?
With that in mind, you approach Erwin, the Earl of Ishtar. He's old enough to be your grandfather, and his wife is right there with him.
He seems startled by your approach at first, then thoughtful, and accepts your hand with a kindly smile.
Dancing with a real partner feels quite different from dancing with your father. You knew him, knew his steps like a part of you. Now every move is a mystery.
Unfortunately, you lose track of which steps you're supposed to do when, and trip over your own feet. Oops!
Between the dances, there is time for the guests to mingle, chat, and sample tiny bites of exquisite food.
You notice that Fabian, the elderly Earl of Titan, is not looking entirely well. Could this have something to do with the omen the owl brought you of death and disruption?
Fabian is the father of, and regent for, Adair, the Young Lord of Elath. The boy is only twelve, years too young to assume his full title.
Tragedy has been a common visitor to the Elath line; his mother Cayleigh died in childbirth, and her mother and sister died when Cayleigh herself was a very young girl.
If Fabian dies before Adair is of age, there will be a succession crisis in Elath.
Menu: [Talk to him] [Say nothing]
Player chose: Talk to him
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lord Fabian, can we talk? You don't look so good, and I'm worried about what will happen to Adair if you die.
He stares at you, and you realise that you've spoken too bluntly for politeness.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Some of my family would claim that I have already lived forever, and could continue to do so.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Some of my family would claim that I have already lived forever, and could continue to do so.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: But the mornings do grow colder. I hope to see Adair become a man, but I know that it may not happen.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: I know she's no blood of his, but I say, leave the boy with Arisse and her brood in Lillah.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Her youngest three are near enough to Adair's siblings, Adele especially. She dotes on him.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: My other children are too old, Adair's never known them. And his grandfather...
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Well. He and I will never settle it who should have known better, and it's too late now.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Still, I would never trust him with Cayleigh's son.
He pats your hand.
Fabian, Duke-Regent of Elath, Earl of Titan: Good little girl, you are, for thinking of me. What will come will come.
During a lull in the music, Banion, the duke of Maree, taps an elegant fingernail against a wineglass, letting the clear note ring out through the room.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If I might have your attention?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Her words of wisdom guide us through our difficulties.
Everyone applauds politely.
As the gala continues, you take the opportunity to observe nobles that you rarely see.
There's Gwenelle, for instance - the Young Lady of Sudbury, only months older than you and due to finally inherit control of her duchy soon.
Or Adele, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Lillah and a fierce sportswoman. She was a few years ahead of you at school and the absolute terror of the ballfields.
No Briony - she had said her parents were leaving her stuck at school this season.
Her parents are here, dancing together - the Duke-Consort clutching his Duchess possessively tight.
Strange that there's no sign of your cousins, though. Shouldn't they be here?
Especially after you'd specifically asked for Charlotte to come and see you?
Your aunt and uncle are here, of course. It would be scandalous if they hadn't come, Merva being so close by.
There's something itching at your senses, something familiar.
Then it hits you. Aunt Lucille is a Lumen!
Menu: [Talk to your aunt] [Let it go]
Player chose: Talk to your aunt
Elodie, Crown Princess: Aunt Lucille, may I speak with you privately?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Of course, dear.
You withdraw to a small side room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I can sense your powers. You're a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?!?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I am, too. That's how I know. Can't you sense that?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: No. No, I can't.
She looks down, shaking her head.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I... I do have a Lumen crystal. I found it, years ago. It called to me. But I don't know anything about magic.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I can make the crystal appear and disappear, and I can block out sound with it. That's all.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't think that's true at all.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (There are traces of old magic around her, too faint to make sense of, but strong.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: Why keep it hidden? It's not illegal to be a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Magic is dangerous, everyone knows that. People might think I was an evil witch. They wouldn't trust me.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Look at how much trouble the Duchess of Ursul has. Please, Your Highness, don't tell anyone.
Menu: [Accuse her] [Offer her a court position] [Keep her secret]
Player chose: Offer her a court position
Elodie, Crown Princess: What I think I should tell everyone is that you are my new Lumen Minister.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lumens have power. If you train with me, you'll become even stronger.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I want that strength here to defend the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You'll have status and recognition and no one will dare to call you a witch. What do you say?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I accept.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Good!
It's nice to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, isn't it?
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five gold lassi and thirty-seven silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 18
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
You wander downstairs to visit your father and talk about the latest events in the domain.
You're moving with such enthusiasm that you don't realise your father isn't alone until it's too late to avoid him and his... companion.
Sirin, Countess of Miranda and Callisto: You are too kind, Joslyn.
Countess Sirin. Not a member of your circles - she's a bit more than a decade your senior, far too old to have ever been your friend. And yet, not at all old, as noblewomen go.
She has two minor titles, no husband, and your father's arm in her grasp.
How dare she make a move on your father?
Menu: [Shame her with silent scorn] [Insult her with false flattery] [Trip her as she passes]
Player chose: Shame her with silent scorn
You meet her eyes and imagine your mother's disapproving presence behind you.
Her color pales, and she releases her grip on your father's arm, mumbling an apology before hurrying out of the room. You have defeated her.
Once she's gone, you raise an eyebrow at your father.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This is the path that you have set us on.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your acts have made everyone think about preparations for the future. Caloris needs an heir.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My brother, your uncle Armand, is looking for a wife as well. One of us, at least, must produce more children.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But... Mama...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Nothing can ever replace your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: But we all have to do things that we don't want to do.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You should be careful how you deal with people like Sirin. You need the goodwill of your nobles as well as your commoners.
Elodie, Crown Princess: There haven't been any problems so far.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you must be aware of everything around you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I am paying attention to what's around me!)
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
________________________________________
Week 19
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Resist Magic.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is the time of year to decide any necessary adjustments to the royal budget.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The majority of the money we receive is already spoken for, but there is always some room for discretion.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I really don't understand all of these numbers.)
Menu: [Raise taxes] [Keep them the same] [Lower taxes]
Player chose: Keep them the same
Elodie, Crown Princess: I think they're fine as they are.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
(Put on the lumen outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 20
(Studied Meditation in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Meditation.
(Studied Divination in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Divination.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A man has been convicted of the murder-by-strangling of his wife.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He does not deny the act, but requests a pardon that he might be set free.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you admit you killed your wife, why do you think I'm going to set you free?
Condemned man: Save me, Your Majesty! Wasn't my fault. Demons made me do it.
Condemned man: Everyone knows the power of magical beasties! They used me, they twisted my fingers into chains...
Condemned man: My wife found me screaming, she tried to shake me, and the chains wrapped around her...
Condemned man: I need the priestesses to bless me and make me clean again!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Demons? This man is a Lumen! Where did he get a crystal?)
Menu: [Question him about crystal] [Pardon him] [Imprison him] [Execute him]
Player chose: Question him about crystal
Elodie, Crown Princess: It was a demon's magic that killed your wife? Not your own magic?
Condemned man: ... So you know what I am.
He throws out his hands, and his fingertips elongate into floating strings of gold.
Condemned man: DIE!
Golden chains slash at you like whips.
With so much warning, of course, it is easy for you to resist. His attack bounces harmlessly off your shields, the chains flying back in the direction from which they came... where they find an easier target.
Before your eyes, the renegade Lumen is choked to death by his own powers.
After a moment, an orange crystal materialises next to his body.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I guess I'll have to take that for safe keeping.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
________________________________________
Week 21
(Studied Voice in the morning.)
(Studied Voice in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who sent this? It isn't signed...)
It appears to be a poem, describing you in a manner that is entirely inappropriate for a Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I *what*? With a *squid*?)
Menu: [That's hilarious!] [That's terrible!]
Player chose: That's terrible!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who writes this garbage?!?)
Just then, an incredibly unlucky breeze swirls between the windows of your tower bedroom, tugging the paper out of your hands and off into the sky.
You stick your head out the window to discover the 'poem' caught and fluttering on the roof nearby. You can almost reach it.
Menu: [Climb out and grab it] [Ignore it]
Player chose: Ignore it
What's the worst that can happen? It blows off and someone reads it and laughs at you? That's better than breaking your neck.
Besides, if you're lucky it will rain and wash the words away.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you attack an enemy Lumen, and you win, and they leave behind a crystal...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is it possible to combine that crystal with mine to make it stronger?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Each Lumen can hold only one crystal.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The only way to combine their magic is if a living wielder chooses to join its power to another.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So I should destroy other crystals, to stop anyone from using them against me.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is the traditional policy - but it is a lie. Lumen crystals cannot be destroyed.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Rulers claim otherwise to discourage thieves from seeking dangerous treasures.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What am I supposed to do with a crystal, then?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Guard it, or hide it, or give it into other hands to wield.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: But if the last holder of the crystal was an enemy, the resonance of the crystal will work against you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It will be attuned to a personality as foolish or violent or scheming as the Lumen you defeated.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So anyone taking the crystal would probably become a new enemy. That's useless!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: A weak-willed candidate might be acceptable to the crystal and yet still controllable.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You could then steer that Lumen away from dangerous paths, making an ally and changing the crystal's resonance.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is, however, a dangerous endeavor and one that requires your complete attention.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Not really a project I can work on while I'm so busy studying for my coronation.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Wait. In the past, all the Dukes and Duchesses of Nova were Lumens.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That means all those crystals must be out there somewhere...)
________________________________________
Week 22
(Studied Voice in the morning.)
(Studied Voice in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I regret to inform you that Fabian, the Earl of Titan and Duke-Regent of Elath, has passed away.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I expected that was coming.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: With the control of Elath in doubt, it falls to the crown to make decisions.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Young Lord Adair will not reach his fifteenth birthday for over two years. He requires a regent.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: His stepmother, Arisse, the Duchess of Lillah, has petitioned that the boy be left in her care.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This would, however, leave her in personal control of two neighboring duchies, which is generally forbidden.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Almost the entire eastern border.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything really bad about her, though...)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The boy does have a living grandfather, the Earl of Ishtar. Or you might appoint an unrelated noble to act in his stead.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I talked to the late Regent at the gala about what he wanted for his son's future.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He said that Adair should stay with either his stepmother or his stepsister Adele.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Adele would be a less politically dangerous choice.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He also said definitely not to give Adair to his grandfather.)
Menu: [Leave him with Arisse] [Send him to his grandfather] [Send him to your uncle] [Make his stepsister Adele regent]
Player chose: Make his stepsister Adele regent
Elodie, Crown Princess: Let him stay with his family, but instead of Arisse, give the regency to Adair's stepsister Adele.
Elodie, Crown Princess: They've grown up together, and she's old enough for the responsibility.
Elodie, Crown Princess: She doesn't have a title of her own and is more likely to be loyal to Elath's interests.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: A clever compromise.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
________________________________________
Week 23
(Studied Voice in the morning.)
(Studied Voice in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Voice is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Expression skills are 25 or higher.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She is a musician and wishes Crown patronage.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Which means money.)
Musician: Your Royal Highness! If you accept me as a member of your court I will immortalise you in word and song.
Musician: I have dabbled in musical styles from many countries, and can entertain your guests and lighten your evenings.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Immortalise me in words? I wonder if she wrote that filthy poem?)
The musician sings a little ditty to demonstrate her skills with the lute.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's okay, but nothing special.)
Menu: [Accept her as Court Musician] [Reject her]
Player chose: Accept her as Court Musician
Elodie, Crown Princess: Very well, you can remain as part of the court.
Musician: I will do my best for you!
You sneak a peek at some of the luckless peasants held in the dungeons - petty thieves and troublemakers, now suffering in the dark. They're obviously bad people, but seeing them so miserable still feels unfair. There must be a better way.
________________________________________
Week 24
(Studied Naval Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
You receive a letter from Young Lord Adair.
It's a bit messy and hard to read, but he seems to be thanking you for letting him stay with the family he knows.
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, seven hundred and forty-three gold lassi and ten silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 25
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Strategy in the afternoon.)
Staring up into the sky out your window, you notice a strange flash of light.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A falling star at that angle... It means war is coming to Nova!)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (At least, it might. Not every sign in the stars is meant for me.)
Still, if there is a war about to happen, this forewarning gives you time to prepare and build your strength.
Menu: [Hire more soldiers] [Do nothing]
Player chose: Hire more soldiers
You make a note to have the recruiters try to get more soldiers ready for the army.
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have eight thousand, seven hundred and forty-two gold lassi and seventy-two silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 26
(Studied Logistics in the morning.)
(Studied Logistics in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What a beautiful day!
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's nice to stop and breathe sometimes.
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have eight thousand, seven hundred and forty-two gold lassi and thirty silver tilassi.
________________________________________
Week 27
(Studied Naval Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, there are letters for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Another letter from Briony. Why does she keep writing me? We were never even friends.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She says she's bored and lonely and she's looking forward to seeing me at Gwenelle's birthday party.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's right! Gwenelle is about to turn fifteen! She'll be Duchess of Sudbury for real now.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (This other letter must be my invitation to her birthday celebration next week.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Gwenelle and I were friends at school, and this will be a big event, but it's also a long way to travel.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A lot of things can happen on the road.)
Menu: [Go to Sudbury for Gwenelle's party] [Send your regrets]
Player chose: Send your regrets
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I'd better stay here.)
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
________________________________________
Week 28
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
You may now tour the Barracks on the weekends.
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: *sigh*
Elodie, Crown Princess: (All of my friends are at Gwenelle's party and I don't get to go.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I sent Gwenelle a letter saying that I couldn't come, but it was her mother the Countess who replied.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I think she's insulted that I didn't consider the event important enough to attend.)
You are impressed by the discipline of the Novan troops, but the responsibility for their lives weighs heavily on your shoulders.
There are approximately ten battalions, three companies, and one platoon under your direct command.
________________________________________
Week 29
(Studied Climbing in the morning.)
(Studied Climbing in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I noticed you were looking over some military records the other day.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I was just checking into how many soldiers we had available.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you're desperate to recruit more fighters, you could offer pardons to criminals in exchange for service.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Be careful, though. Some of them are dangerous and unreliable. That's why they were imprisoned to begin with.
Menu: [Recruit soldiers from prison] [Don't]
Player chose: Recruit soldiers from prison
Elodie, Crown Princess: All right, let's do that. Criminals probably already know how to fight.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well.
You are impressed by the discipline of the Novan troops, but the responsibility for their lives weighs heavily on your shoulders.
There are approximately eleven battalions, two companies, and one platoon under your direct command.
________________________________________
Week 30
(Studied Climbing in the morning.)
(Studied Climbing in the afternoon.)
Alice: The Duchess of Mead is here to see you, my lady.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: Hello, Elodie. I'm sorry to trouble you, but - have you seen Briony?
Elodie, Crown Princess: No, not since I left school.
She shakes her head.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: She's gone missing. She's not at school where she should be. I know she was unhappy, but I never expected...
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wrote me a letter saying that she was bored and looking for adventure, but that's all I know.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: Oh, dear.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: I hope she hasn't done anything too foolish. My poor little lamb... I have to go look for her.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
________________________________________
Week 31
(Studied Running in the morning.)
(Studied Swimming in the afternoon.)
As you are walking through the great hall, a freak gust of wind suddenly blows out all the candles in the room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (An omen of war and danger...)
There's no sign of where the danger might be coming from, so there's nothing you can do about it. Perhaps it's nothing.
You sneak a peek at some of the luckless peasants held in the dungeons - petty thieves and troublemakers, now suffering in the dark. They're obviously bad people, but seeing them so miserable still feels unfair. There must be a better way.
________________________________________
Week 32
(Studied Running in the morning.)
(Studied Swimming in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Things have been so unsettled lately... Everyone's on edge. We need something cheerful.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could hold a tournament.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What a good idea!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Knights, jousting, musicians... all sorts of competitions. Everyone loves a contest.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What will you offer as prizes to the winners?
Menu: [Status and praise] [Employment] [Gold]
Player chose: Employment
Elodie, Crown Princess: The winners will have the option of taking up royal appointments.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's a recruitment drive!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well. I will draft the announcements.
You leave him to his work.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
(Put on the boarding_school outfit.): (Put on the military outfit.): (Put on the faith outfit.): (Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.): (Put on the athletics outfit.): (Put on the lumen outfit.): (Put on the lumen outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 33
(Studied Climbing in the morning.)
(Studied Climbing in the afternoon.)
This is the week of the general tournament. Nobles and commoners alike have turned out to compete against each other.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will be pleased if you participate in their games. However, it would expose you to danger.
What event do you wish to take part in?
Menu: [Mounted Parade] [Jousting] [Fencing] [Archery] [Music] [Falconry] [None]
Player chose: Music
You take your place in line for the bardic contest.
You aren't trained in any instrument that's appropriate for a setting like this, so you have to sing a capella.
You don't embarrass yourself, but your song won't be remembered as a highlight of the day, either.
All the winners are announced and displayed to great cheers. As near-Queen, you place flower garlands around their necks.
All of a sudden, a man approaches the winner's platform.
It's Kevan, the Earl of Io.
In one hand, he carries an armored gauntlet. In the other, a sword.
Kevan, Earl of Io: My family's blood is on your hands!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (What is he talking about?)
He casts the metal glove to the ground with a clatter and raises his sword, pointing it at you.
Kevan, Earl of Io: I challenge you, Elodie! A life for a life!
He's challenging you to a duel?
Doesn't he know you could burn him to a crisp just by waving your hand?
Menu: [Accept] [Refuse] [Kill him with magic]
Player chose: Kill him with magic
Without a further word, you direct the full force of your magical wrath at the Earl of Io.
There is a horrible scream, and the smell of burning flesh.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I decline.
Kevan's sword falls to the ground beside his gauntlet. He won't be needing either anymore.
You are impressed by the discipline of the Novan troops, but the responsibility for their lives weighs heavily on your shoulders.
There are approximately eleven battalions, three companies, and one platoon under your direct command.
________________________________________
Week 34
(Studied Climbing in the morning.)
(Studied Logistics in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, your father wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine, I'm coming.
You find your father standing over a map of the coastline, his face grave.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Ships have been sighted on approach from Shanjia. Not tradeships - this is a warfleet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Within a week they will be in Novan waters. Within two they could reach the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Then we will fight to defend ourselves.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You can try to use the treasury funds to hire additional soldiers, but it may be difficult on short notice.
Menu: [Recruit soldiers] [Don't]
Player chose: Recruit soldiers
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine, we'll do that.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What about Talasse? Can we call on any troops from Sedna?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Send a message, but even if he agrees, it will take time for his soldiers to mobilise.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You will need to draw up a naval strategy for our ships to carry out.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could choose to act as admiral and lead the fleet in person, but the danger to you would be very great.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Unless you think your personal skills will make the difference, I would strongly advise against it.
Menu: [Direct the fleet] [Stay in the capital]
Player chose: Direct the fleet
Elodie, Crown Princess: The risk is mine to take.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have your mother's heart.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is one more thing. I hesitate to ask, but...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: An invasion...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This is the sort of disaster for which a Lumen's power may be worth the cost.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If the fleet could be destroyed before they reached our waters, many lives would be saved.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know any magic that could sink a whole fleet!)
Elodie, Crown Princess: I... I'll have to talk to my mentor.
You find the Duchess of Ursul in her guest quarters.
Elodie, Crown Princess: A fleet from Shanjia is attacking us. Is it possible to sink them all with magic?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is easy enough to attack one soldier, one ship, as a demonstration. But to obliterate an entire fleet...
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You would need an immense amount of power spread over a large area, more than any one Lumen could control.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: If you tried to raise that much power yourself, you would die. Not could. Would.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So it's hopeless.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Not necessarily.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The most dangerous power of Imperial Nova was that of Lumens acting in concert.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: If the need is great and the will is true, one Lumen may choose to give command of her power to another.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Three, perhaps four people working together might have the strength to destroy a fleet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You, me, and Aunt Lucille. Will that be enough?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It might. Are you willing to take the risk? Such power has its price.
Menu: [Yes] [No]
Player chose: Yes
Elodie, Crown Princess: This is what I was born for. I say we do it.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Then we will begin the preparations.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: So be it.
You sneak a peek at some of the luckless peasants held in the dungeons - petty thieves and troublemakers, now suffering in the dark. They're obviously bad people, but seeing them so miserable still feels unfair. There must be a better way.
________________________________________
Week 35
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Logistics in the afternoon.)
Danger on the high seas!
You and your two fellow Lumens join hands to focus your powers.
Your magical training has paid off by allowing you to stage this attempt at a safe distance from the invading vessels of war.
Far in the distance, you hear the roar of the ocean you have charmed as it buckles beneath the incoming ships, opening up a maw of void into which they tumble helplessly.
Then, as they fall, the water rushes back in around them, washing over decks and pummelling hulls.
Even from so far away, you can see the disturbance you have made rippling through the water.
Some of the Shanjians may survive, but their threat as an invasion has ended.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
________________________________________
Week 36
(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Internal Affairs in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The magical storms you summoned created giant waves which swept inland as well as out.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Damage has been reported along the shoreline from Mazomba down to northern Maree.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The beaches are covered with wrack and the bodies of animals, and many fishers and cocklers are missing.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Are you blaming me?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Of course not. Many more lives would have been lost if the fleet had landed.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What worries me is that these reports are increasing, even long after the events of the battle.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: More than that, an observatory in Caloris has seen strange shapes in the sea to the west.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Something worse than a simple storm may have been unleashed.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Does that mean... a sea monster?)
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
________________________________________
Week 37
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Composure in the afternoon.)
In the grand hall, your father is waiting for you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Our fears have been realised. A kraken has risen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: A kraken?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: An enormous tentacled sea monster which can dive and surface at will.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is fast, voracious, and apparently unkillable. Any ship that ventures into its range is at risk.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This could destroy Nova's shipping.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What can we do? Do we just wait and hope it goes away?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: No.
Quite unexpectedly, the priestess strides into the room.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What are you doing here?
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's a Lumen!)
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: I came to bring the records of the circle, so that you would know what you face.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Left alone, the beast will feed until the seas run red, and only then will it sleep.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It would cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
Elodie, Crown Princess: !
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: There are only two ways to end its threat.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Lumen spellweaving can freeze a kraken in its tracks, holding it motionless - but only for a short time.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: If the spell is renewed every moon giving the beast no time between castings to move freely...
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It should eventually sleep.
Elodie, Crown Princess: How long would that take?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Approximately seven years.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Years!)
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: But if at any point the spell cast is too weak, or is not renewed in time, it would break loose.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: And the treasury would be drained keeping up such a routine. What is the other way?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It is well-known that eldritch beasts can be driven out by... sacrifice.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: The life-force of a Lumen or potential Lumen on the cusp of adulthood, would be the ideal choice.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No! You will not take my daughter!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You see, Elodie! This is why I told you to reject them! They are all witches!
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Even without her mother's crystal, she would still have been a potential Lumen.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Keeping her ignorant would not have kept her safe.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A potential Lumen... because I'm my mother's daughter...)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Which means Charlotte too.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (But I could never hurt my favorite cousin.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I will not allow this!
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: The choice belongs to the Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Me.)
Menu: [Sacrifice yourself] [Try to seal it]
Player chose: Try to seal it
Elodie, Crown Princess: We'll have to do our best to seal the kraken away, no matter how long it takes.
Elodie, Crown Princess: After all, isn't that what our magic is for? To defend the world from darkness?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: I will teach you the necessary spells. You must arrange the transportation.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
________________________________________
Week 38
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Composure in the afternoon.)
Visitors have arrived to help you prepare for the upcoming festivities - your family.
Laurent, Duke of Merva: Good day to you, niece. I hope all is well.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie! Mummy said you have all the best tutors and I should take classes with you!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Great!
Time has slipped by you so quickly. Only two weeks remain before your birthday celebration, and your official coronation as Queen. Have you done enough to build a stable Nova?
The first of your soon-to-be-regular voyages has now set out with Selene on board. She appears to have some special affinity with sea water which makes her the best choice to guide a vessel while it hunts for the elusive beast. After all, you have to find it before you can enchant it.
It is traditional for the palace to provide entertainment and refreshment for the common people when a new monarch is crowned. It is a rare opportunity for the poor of the land to dine like nobles.
The size and scope of any such feast depends on what expense the royal treasury is willing to bear.
Menu: [An extravagant feast] [A respectable feast] [A small feast] [No celebration]
Player chose: A respectable feast
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I'm sure we can afford to give everyone in the city some bread and sausage and a bit of cake.)
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
________________________________________
Week 39
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Presence.
The castle is buzzing with preparations for your upcoming coronation. Ministers press you with details for your favorite colors and flowers and so on.
You really can't see the point of wasting time worrying about decorations when there's so much else to worry about.
Others are more interested in the subject of your marriage.
It can't take place until you are of age, of course, and considering all the preparations (and the need to recover from the coronation) not for much longer than that. Still, it doesn't stop people from buzzing around full of ideas and suggestions.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
________________________________________
Week 40
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Elegance.
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Presence.
At this time last year, you were celebrating your fourteenth birthday. You were in the school gardens, surrounded by your friends. A teacher brought you tea and cakes, while a wealthy merchant's son wove a crown of flowers for your head.
It didn't matter so much that you were a princess then. Your title was something for the future. Many of your peers would be Duchesses or Earls or the like, someday, but not then. You were children.
Your parents could not attend on the actual day, but they did send wonderful gifts, some for you, and some for you to share. And a week later, they came for a visit, and your mother took you with her through the countryside in a splendid carriage.
It was the last time you would ever see her.
You wonder if, wherever she is, she can see you now.
You are fifteen years old, a legal adult. You have worked and studied and suffered and prepared, and now the time has come.
You kneel before the priestess, barely hearing her words as she recites the blessings.
She calls upon the gods to deliver peace, wisdom, and prosperity to you, and through you, to all of Nova. And then she calls upon you, for your oath of rulership.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you guide and govern and protect your people to the best of your ability, according to law and custom?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you to the best of your power uphold the ideals of love, honor, justice, and mercy?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Lords and Ladies assembled: I present to you your undoubted Queen, who has sworn you her loyalty.
Priestess of the First Circle: You who have come to give homage, will you do the same?
One at a time, the head of each duchy approaches your throne and kneels to swear his or her service to you and your heirs.
Priestess of the First Circle: People of Nova, I give you Elodie, daughter of Fidelia, your true sovereign. What say you all?
People: LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
Elodie, Queen of Nova: (Thank you! I will!)
The following year, Elodie and Talarist were married in a ceremony that threatened to rival her coronation for pomp and splendour.
Once his daughter was secure on her throne, Joslyn returned to his birthplace to focus on his duties as Duke of Caloris.
He was pursued by many women, but showed little interest in remarrying, directing them instead to his brother, the Duke of Mazomba.
As Lumen Minister, Lucille requisitioned the orange crystal that Elodie had taken from the dead criminal and offered it to her daughter. However, Charlotte was not able to activate the crystal's powers. The young Queen pointed out that a crazed murderer would obviously have a very different resonance than her favorite cousin. Charlotte would have to wait to inherit her mother's magic.
The Queen and her trusted Lumens sailed out every week to check on the condition of the kraken and reinforce the seals. It was inevitable that others would discover their secret and blame them for it. After all, the old Novan capital had been rendered uninhabitable by monstrous Lumen experiments. A tentacled beast from the deep was just more of the same.
The Novan people were not the only ones to notice the increased naval traffic and the frequent absences of the young Lumen Queen. Pirates from Orcus stepped up their raids in the area, hoping to take Elodie hostage and ransom her for a fortune.
The Queen was forced to engage an even larger naval escort to make her regular trips to the binding site, and the Novan economy struggled under the burden.
Elodie developed a deep interest in the hidden lore of Nova. Why had no one properly dealt with the problem of the Old Forest? What happened to the Lumen crystals of the Novan nobles of the past? The answers she found would surprise her, particularly the artifact trove her father had been hiding from her all this time.
Deciding that lost was no less dangerous than found, Elodie made it her goal to round up and catalog all of the magical weapons and dangers of Old Nova.
And thus Queen Elodie's legacy stretched into the future...
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