Part 110: Evil Elodie Moments - Part 1

Earlier, Elodie dealt with the Ixion conflict by executing Brin and later Banion. That's a pretty impressive death count. But we can do better.

At the Festival of the Good Lady...










At the end of the route, you help the priestesses turn over the earth for the new tree to be planted. Then the new life is blessed, and all the attendants join in song. The procession regroups to return to the castle.



As you walk, all of a sudden, a man in black leaps out of the crowd, heading straight for you... and he's holding a sword!



Thanks to your quick reflexes, you are able to leap out of the way of the assassin's blade.
Panic ripples through the crowd. In moments, everything will be chaos. Your guards may or may not be able to reach you in time to prevent your attacker's next strike.



You summon up all the magical power you possess in order to strike down your attacker.



Taking hold of your royal scepter, you summon up a beam of searing light to smash into your attacker, pinning him in his place before he can attack you again. There is a terrible noise, half scream and half sizzle.
The assassin is dead, his face burned beyond all recognition. The crowd is hushed, staring at you in shock and horror.
Then, timidly, someone applauds. Soon they are all cheering for your victory. But is it your imagination, or does that approval ring hollow?


Just before the ball...






All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.

(gulp!)

No one would dare attempt to harm you under this roof, but I don't doubt that your enemies are here, close, and watching.

He hands you a bit of paper containing a sequence of dots and squiggles.

This is the only clue we have so far about who might have sent that attacker, but clues can be misleading. It's safer to assume that everyone is plotting against you. Don't turn your back.

He leaves you alone.



You turn the piece of paper around and around, but the markings on it are completely meaningless.
There's no time to pursue suspicions now; you have a ball to attend. And more than one person there may want you dead.


Later that night...




If I might have your attention? I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess. Her respect for tradition and the rights of the nobility means that we can all sleep safe in our beds. Her respect for tradition and the rights of the nobility means that we can all sleep safe in our beds. Our mother entrusted the jewel of her lands to my sister Brin, a bequest which the princess holds in honor.

The blatant falseness of his words grates on your ears. He's challenging your honor in front of the entire assembly.



(I can't let this slide!)



Bold words from one who dabbles in assassination.

What?

The entire capital saw your agent try and fail to take my life. That was not honorable.

(I don't really know it was him, but it could have been. What matters is that it sounds good.)

I...

Silence!





For your crimes, you will be executed.

This is ridiculous! Surely you won't let her do this!

No one moves to his defense.

His titles will pass to the offspring of his brother Bennett. Guards, take him away.

After that, it seems that your remaining guests have little stomach for light entertainment.


Now that Elodie has accused someone of treason and executed him without a shred of proof, let's see what that message actually said.




He hands you a bit of paper containing a sequence of dots and squiggles.

This is the only clue we have so far about who might have sent that attacker, but clues can be misleading.

It's safer to assume that everyone is plotting against you. Don't turn your back.

He leaves you alone.



You puzzle over the scrap of paper, mentally translating symbols into letters. It will take time to completely crack the code, but you think you can see references to place-names that indicate the route of the assassin's journey.

He came from Maree.

There's no time to pursue suspicions now; you have a ball to attend. And more than one person there may want you dead.


Well, at least she executed the right person.