Part 5: Flece learns the finer points of sneaking

Commence Sneaking Mission.

Soundtrack - Lenele Palace 1



We find a false wall here that lets us into the cellar.



There is a guard at the top of the stairs that we can talk to.



I bring food for Lord Yago.

Palace guard: Well, make it quick then, and no dawdling, or the prince will have my head! Now that we're at war, he thinks every cook and varlet is a spy!

I guess he confused us for a servant, but it doesn't last past the end of the conversation.



As he then immediately arrests us!



Every time you are caught Flece ends up back at the sewer entrance with a new quip from Joseph.
I assume she is thrown out the front door, runs back through the sewers and into the palace again.
Flece is going to get some cardio today.

Having trouble?

I'm working on it.



Lord Yago?

Palace servant: You'll find Lord Yago's chambers among the royal apartments on the third floor. In the palace, beggars are mighty, and the mighty are fools.

Alright, we have our target now. The third floor.



Thankfully, the doors that are locked and not pick-able are clearly indicated by being an infinite void of darkness.



There are a lot of people to interact with as well. Time to get the dirt on the palace!



Oh, no.



Oh, shit!

Palace guard: Halt! In the name of the king!



Did you find Yago?

I'm working on it. Just wait right here.



We find the nerd terrarium on the second level.






Sounds like the king is broke! I think he spent way too much on the guard training! Way too competent.

Palace guard: You there! Halt! You have no business here!



So where's Yago?

I just need to get past the guards!



Well, let's make our way back up.



Sounds like if we didn't forge that release for Jinyan he would never have gotten it. Dude's way too busy playing Warhammer with the other lords in town.




People on the second level are dicks!



Shit!



You've never done this before, have you?

Keep your mouth shut, and stay right where you are!

This sneaking mission is actually awesome.



Alright, finally on the third level.



Why would you speak to someone holding a magic sword like that?



Empty threats I guess because I just swipe her cash right in front of her and not a peep!



Alright, so this should be easier on this floor, the guards don't patrol into rooms, just the hallways and...

Palace guard: Halt! In the name of the king!

Damnit!



Why don't I go with you this time?

Why don't I break your legs?



Thankfully, a miracle happens after you fail enough times. The guard at the top of the stairs guarding the kitchen disappears!



Dress?

Panef the cook: Here are some clothes the last girl left behind. They should fit you well enough. Now hurry up and be done with it. I've an errand for you to run.

Errand?

Panef the cook: Aye. Lord Yago has sent word that he's hungry. The old beggars always are. So you'll bring this food to him. His chambers are on the third level.



Boy am I glad they put in this option, otherwise this would be terrible.



This kid is terrified of the coming war and thinks everyone is going to die. He's probably right.



We can now converse with the guards safely. They tell us not to pass through, but wont do shit to stop us.



The ghost of Lord Korel haunts the infinite void of this room.



Yes.

Lord Flixe: Then tell that kitchen wench I'll be late for the council on her account! While the vassals go off to war, I'll be guarding the privy.

Guarding the privy?

Lord Flixe: I would call myself the King of Infinite Space, but Bellias will suffer no posterior on the throne but his own!

I guess the king is occupying all of the palace's shitters.



While we wait for the king to depart the throne, let's find what Flece was after.



What could Drego want with the amulet of a dead prince?



We get a cutscene when we approach the king's room.



King Bellias: I am the King of Medeva.



King Bellias: Show yourself intruder or I will summon the guard!



Unknown: Why is it you don't recognize me Bellias?



King Bellias: By the blood of Urath! I am haunted by ghosts.



Unknown: Haunted by the living your majesty.



King Bellias: Why have you come? What do you want from me?

Unknown: I come only to whisper in your ear...



King Bellias: Impossible. This cannot be true.

Unknown: I have journeyed too far to lie to you.



King Bellias: Enough! You are nothing but a ghost! A phantom! You have said your piece, now go!



Unknown: You have aged Bellias, you are now an old man. Our paths have crossed for the last time.



King Bellias: No! It cannot be!



Good thing the king left Yago's key in a burlap sack in the middle of the room before he went to pout in his chamber.



Also good thing that we have this servants dress. This looks like a pain in the dick to sneak through with no actual sneak skill.



Never mind who I am. I have a message for you.

Yago: A message? From whom?

His name is Joseph.

Yago: Joseph? Where is he? I must speak to him at once!

He's waiting down in the storeroom below the kitchen.

Yago: How did you get here?

I sneaked past the guards.

You sure did.

Yago: Hmm. perhaps you might be able to help our friend. He is in great peril.

Peril?

Yago: I will explain along the way. Come. I will ask the palace guard to escort Joseph to the great hall, and we will meet him there. Let's go.



Yup, they give us the sneak skill after we have to sneak in.



And so the guards were dispatched to find Joseph in the cellar of the palace.



Meanwhile, Flece and I proceeded to the great hall to wait for Joseph. There the king's vassals were gathering for the war council.



At last, my protege and I were reunited.

Palace guard: We found this lad in the cellar.



Yago: That will be all.



Yago: Well, Joseph. Truly the forces of destiny are at work. I feared you wouldn't come.

The palace guards didn't make it easy.

Yago: Ah, yes. For that I must apologize. Sornehan has convinced himself the palace is full of spies. These precautions are unnecessary, but he no longer seems to heed my advice.

How did you become the prince's counselor?

Yago: Let's just say Sornehan remembered me from long ago, and he took pity on an old friend. Though we have much to catch up on, there are more pressing matters to discuss. No doubt you have learned why the Orenians have come to Medeva?

The riders destroyed Masad searching for me.

Yago: Death and misfortune will be your companions until you accept your gift and learn how to master it.

Then death and misfortune will bow to your will.

Gift? What gift? I wouldn't call it a gift.

Yago: Then call it whatever pleases you. You were born with the mark of the summoner, and the emperor will do all in his power to keep you from using it.

Why? What have I done to the Emperor of Orenia?

Yago: It's not your past that troubles him, but your future. Many years ago, the emperor received a prophecy that a summoner would end his reign.

But why does he send an army? I'm nothing but a farmer!

Yago: The Emperor of Orenia isn't doing battle against a landless cottar. Murod has declared war against the forces of destiny itself.

Then what choice do I have?

Yago: You can surrender to the emperor and allow the kingdom to fall under his dark tyranny, or you can finish what you started nine years ago.

Guess I have to destroy Orenia and Medeva! Busy!

How? I threw that ring down a well.

Yago: That which must be found shall be found.

*Yago places a ring of black obsidian in your hand. The ring is smooth and cold to the touch. This was the ring you wore when you summoned the demon that destroyed Ciran.*

<Joseph Aquired skill: Summon!>

Neat little detail, when escaping from Masad, you can interact with the well, but it says there is nothing but water.

The ring... How did you find it?

Yago: When Murod is defeated, we will share our stories, but time now is of the essence.

The last time I used this ring, I destroyed my village.

Yago: The demon destroyed Ciran because you were too young to master your power, and the people of your village perished. You were wise to throw the ring down the well, but now you must learn how to use it.

Yes, but how?

Yago: Nine years ago, you were but a child. You are older now. And stronger. This power is part of you.

What if you're wrong?

Yago: Whether I am right or wrong, many innocent people will die if you do nothing. You must fulfill your destiny. Defeat the emperor, or this war will destroy Orenia and Medeva both.

Then tell me what to do.

Yago: Go east from Lenele to the Iona Monastery. There you will find the ring of light. The Abbot Laurent will help you find the ring of fire and the ring of stone.

Light? Fire? Stone?

Yago: The ring in your possession is only one of four. You will need all of them if you hope to defeat the emperor. When you have found the ring of light, come back to Lenele and tell me what you have learned.

Yago... How do you know all this?

Yago: Because I was once a monk of Iona, long before we ever met. You must understand Joseph. I sacrificed ten years of my life and all that I cherished in this world searching for you.

I still don't understand.



Yago: Go to Iona, Joseph. That is our only hope.

JOSEPH PLEASE LEAVE






They give us a run down on how summoning works. The actual skill itself wont be getting any points.
Each ring has an experience value, once it reaches a certain amount, the second summon becomes available.
The skill only increases the rate at which the rings gain experience.



Because Flece was above level 8, we unlocked Hide and Sneak at the same time.
Hide makes her hunker down and become invisible, while sneak allows her to walk around.
However, if you sneak right in front of something, it's going to punch you in the face. It just makes everything outside of their cone of vision a safe zone.
Putting points into those skills only lowers the cooldown on using them. So pretty much a waste of points.



Interesting?

Sir Hargor the Defiant: Prince Sornehan found the old man begging in the streets. A wretched creature, all bundled in rags. The vagrant had the gall to ask for a coin, so the prince raised his hand to strike him.

To strike him?

Sir Hargor the Defiant: Yes, but Sornehan realized he knew this beggar! 'Brother Yago, is that you?' He asked. And all were amazed. 'Is this beggar troubling your highness?' Asked the guard. 'This beggar,' Sornehan replied, 'Is a monk of the Order of Iona, and my true friend and brother.'

Friend and brother?

Sir Hargor the Defiant: Indeed! The old man has lived in the palace ever since. Those close to the prince were none too pleased to have their position usurped by a vagrant!

Usurped?

Sir Hargor the Defiant: Now they fear Yago, or 'Lord Yago' as they call him. A monk of the Order is not to be trifled with, even an exile from the island. Their study of the language makes them daft, I've heard. Oh, and the 'Lord Yago' bit-- He's not a lord at all. Doesn't hold a scrap of land, not even a stone to beat a serf with. They made that up for fun. To mock him, you see? But now they say 'Lord Yago' out of respect. Even the king has him sit on the council now.

Council?

Sir Hargor the Defiant: Indeed! Yago's detractors have become rather silent as of late. So stay on his good side, friend. Sometimes the one more powerful than the king is the voice whispering in his ear.



We wouldn't want a countryside full of aroused peasants, now would we?




Check out that sweet tabletop setup they have in the great hall.



SHUT THE FUCK UP



Chronicler?

Time for a history lesson.

Amacelsus: I am charged with recording the events of out monarch's reign and securing for all posterity his legacy in the annals of the kingdom.

*From the folds of his robes, Armacelsus extracts a sheet of vellum. The words on the parchment are written in a small, precise script.*

Amacelsus: Let's see. What do you think of this? 'The young Bellias, sixth of that name, ascended to the throne in 580 V.M.', V.M. stands for Vorhno Medeva, the old man explains, or the reckoning of the Medevan kingdom, for in the year 1 V.M., King Perin declared himself the rightful sovereign of all Medeva, five hundred ninety-six years ago.

Bellias?

Amacelsus: As a young prince, Bellias distinguished himself on the battlefield of the civil war of 577, when the barons protested the taxation of their lands. A fierce warrior was Bellias, though no beard darkened his chin. *The historian frowns and stops reading* Hmmm... No, I don't care for how I worded that. No matter. There will be time to revise.

Warrior?

Amacelsus: *Amacelsus resumes his lecture.* In the eighth lunar of 577, Bellias won the battle of Tormannen, a victory that rallied the armies of the crown. The following year, he married Galienne, daughter of the Duke of Tarhimun, and so the war ended. *Armacelsus glances up from the parchment and adds* I am speaking here of the present Duke's father, of course. The old man passed on in 586, and the son inherited the title.

Galienne?

Amacelsus: Though Galienne and Bellias never met before the wedding day, theirs was an enduring love. *Armacelsus leans forward and whispers in your ear* Well, everyone knows that's nonsense, but I have to put that in there. Never confuse history with the truth, my friend.

Wedding?

Amacelsus: The marriage secured the power of the monarchy, granting Medeva twenty years of peace and prosperity. Well, never mind the plagues and famines. And lords never tire of butchery.

Go on.

Joseph is very interested in those last couple sentences.

Amacelsus: Ah, some other time! You must forgive me. The war council will convene soon. These are busy times for those who make history and for those who write it!



So the duke is a paragon of knighthood.



The prince is a cunning sorcerer.



And they both want control of the army.



All that is whispered?

Sir Ionhis the Wolf Cub: If Sornehan truly desired the throne and possessed the sinister powers of which he is accused, the prince still has done nothing to wrest power from his brother.

His brother?

Sir Ionhis the Wolf Cub: The king is an impeccable judge of character, and the love and trust he has for Sornehan should not be dismissed so readily.

Sinister powers?

Sir Ionhis the Wolf Cub: His enemies say he is a disciple of the 'Nhuvasarim,' the death magic that seduced the Emperor Murod of Orenia.

Nhuvasarim?

Sir Ionhis the Wolf Cub: The last of the Nhuvasarim perished in the inquisition of 104 Vorhno Medeva, executed by the priests of Urath, but their infernal lore survives.

Enemies?

Sir Ionhis the Wolf Cub: His greatest rival is the Queen's brother, the Duke of Tarhimun, who has risen in the king's esteem though their ancestors waged a bloody feud.

Ok, actually the prince is a cunning, satan worshiping sorcerer.



Disposition?

Sir Remor the Bold: Bellias has no natural heir, and his time will soon be at an end. If he does not choose a successor, Medeva will once again fall into civil war and ruin. Bellias and Galienne had four children, though none survived to majority. the first was stillborn, and the second died of fever. A boar killed the third, a bright young prince, during the hunt of Amundorn. The fourth, an agile climber and maker of mischief, fell from the Tower of Verindal.

That was Yon, the previous owner of the amulet Flece acquired.

None survived?

Sir Remor the Bold: The king and queen could bear no more grief, and so the king will name his heir. Yet, the lords all fear, no matter his choice, his death will mean a new civil war.

Who will he choose?

Sir Remor the Bold: No one knows. Sornehan is a subtle wolf. His spies hide in every shadow of the realm. I've heard that Sornehan once tried to kill his brother when they were children, though both swore to keep the act a secret. This was before the prince left for Iona, where he failed his training.

Kill his brother?

Sir Remor the Bold: I've heard whispers that Sornehan murdered his four nephews to keep the line of succession open to his claim. Yet what subterfuge or magic he used remains a mystery even to his enemies.

A real Crusader Kings 2 pro.

Murdered?

Sir Remor the Bold: I believe the queen does blame him, though she cannot say how he committed the deeds. On Iona, Sornehan learned magic, and here he continues his studies. Dark and mysterious are the ways of the sorcerer.

Failed his training?

Sir Remor the Bold: The training of the monks of Iona is rigorous, and only the strongest endure. His ambition drove him to failure, and so he returned to Lenele. His brother Bellias, now king, restored the titles and lands Sornehan relinquished.



Plays her role?

Lady Qaladur of Ovato: Galienne wields much influence in her husband's court, and her subjects love her. But the queen is no fool, as the lords of Medeva have learned. Prince Sornehan in particular. Galienne and Sornehan despise each other, and their hatred deepens with every passing day. she and Bellias have no natural heir, and she fears if the king dies, the prince will claim the throne.

Throne?

Lady Qaladur of Ovato: Perhaps she will put her brother on the throne, and what a coup that would be! An Omori prince wearing the high crown of the Rhunari! Sornehan would be the only one to stand in her way, for his claim is stronger.

Claim?

Lady Qaladur of Ovato: Aye, she has much support among the lords, priests, and commoners. The death of Bellias will mean civil war for Medeva.

Influence?

Lady Qaladur of Ovato: Some say it is the queen who rules Medeva. Bellias the mighty warrior of yore, has no patience for financial and judicial administration. But he is a good king who knows when to let his wife rule.

Omori?

Lady Qaladur of Ovato: The Omori settled the lands east of the Darhu. Their name means 'Warriors of the Fist.' Of all the fueds among the thirteen clans of Medeva, none were so bloody as the war between Rhunari and Omori.

Phew, shit. That was a lot of words.
But it helped to shed some light on the current situation.

A bankrupt kingdom soon to have a successor problem, caused by an evil satan worshiping sorcerer prince, under attack by an, also evil satan worshiping sorcerer, emperor from across the distant sea river.
And the savior is a dense farmer.

Sweet.



On to Iona! Next time.