Part 70: Governor Boris and The Shitty Leader

Governor Boris and The Shitty Leader

Last time on Tyranny, we drafted Mattias into the Chorus despite literally everyone knowing this was a bad idea going in. Today we're going to continue that train of thought.



We COULD go to the Oldwalls and retrieve the Dauntless. In practice, I abandoned a recording session out of frustration because those Bane took my melee loving party apart super hard.



Back to Sentinel Stand. Things go a bit differently this time.



We meet Mattias again, and he got a new, shittier Chorus name.

: The Scarlet Chorus gave you a new name?

: Apparently it's the first step of initiation into a Chorus gang. The rest is open to the interpretation of whichever gang boss happens to be in charge and how they like to welcome new recruits. He grimaces.

: Without getting into any detail, I can say that Jagged Remedy is a sick fuck. The journey here wasn't my finest hour.



: Why Brown Bottom?

: I... He hesitates, glancing away in discomfort.

: The initiation rites were severe. Jagged Remedy makes sure that his new recruits are too degraded and spoiled for any other gang to want them.



What did you think was gonna happen, buddy?

: These winds are extraordinary.

: That they are. And just beyond them, Straydus Herodin, the last Regent, sits in the comfort of Sentinel Stand.

: Mattias spits into the whipping wind. During the war, we kept the fortress provisioned to outlast any siege, so it's safe to assume Herodin won't starve to death. We'll have to find another way to make it through these winds.





: The storm didn't leave much behind.

: A year of brutal weather will do that. Kyros' Edict of Storms devastated the once-mighty Realm of Stalwart, all but wiping it from the map. There isn't much left of the old country, save for the Unbroken and their stubborn pride.



I ask Barik about the stand, but we've seen it already. We can ask about the Regents, and Barik gives the same answer - but Mattias pipes up.



It's a side of Herodin we don't normally see.



: I'm only interested in one thing - how we get inside.

: Couldn't say. The powers fighting over this realm must have some notion, otherwise they wouldn't squabble for control over this blasted wasteland. We should track down someone with answers.

: Stay vigilant, Fatebinder. Do you hear that? A voice, almost. Perhaps a song?





We get jumped by a bunch of Bane. I'll explain in a bit.



With the Bane gone we can continue the conversation.



It's Janos again! He's gonna make a bit more sense this time!

: You handle the Bane well enough, but what brings you to this forsaken place? He pauses as recognition dawns in his eyes.



Oops!



Even the narration boxes let you know just how much Mattias has fouled up here.



: I'm looking for Graven Ashe's daughter, Amelia. Rumor has it she's inside.

: Is that so? The Scarlet Chorus have mostly left this territory alone. It comes as some surprise that they would send troops into Disfavored-occupied lands to fetch one prisoner of war.

: I can't imagine what the Voices of Nerat wants out of Ashe's daughter. If he dispatched you to the task, she must be something special.

: Well, you won't be making it to Sentinel Stand any time soon. The only people to see the inside of the keep since 430 are the last Regent, his personal guard, and a few Disfavored prisoners.



: Why are you here?

: I make it my business to meet with overly-inquisitive travelers and give them the lay of the land. He offers you a blank stare.



: What was that about Disfavored prisoners?

: You were the one who brought up Amelia. If you know that she ended up behind the windwall, then you have half the story already.

: Before the Edict of Storms hit us last year, a Stalwart patrol captured a company of Disfavored. I know at least some of the prisoners made it to Sentinel Stand. No one's been in contact with the keep since the Edict hit, but I have it on good authority that one of the prisoners was the daughter of Graven Ashe.



: Barik, are you all right?

: Nothing. I... We can discuss it later.



: Why is the last Regent important?

: I don't know, Chorus rat - why don't you tell me? Or better yet, ask your new recruit. He tips his head at Mattias.

: Straydus Herodin is the last living Regent, and his bloodline is tied to the Edict of Storms. Mattias grimaces. The only reason that these storms persist is because Herodin hides within Sentinel Stand - a prison that even we can't breach.



: What do the Unbroken want?



: You didn't help us with the Bane.

Gee, really, Boris?



: How can I get inside Sentinel Stand?

: I'm not stupid enough to give up our plans to some Chorus rats, even if the lives of anyone in Sentinel Stand mean less to me than the piss I took this morning.

Ok, Janos' actions in the Anarchy route are making more sense now. I suspect he knew about Mattias' plans to defect, which is why he sicced Cleo on him. We were played!



: Damn him... I wish his words didn't sting, but he's a good patriot and I can't fault his bias. Mattias sighs. In my heart I know I made this choice to get back at the Disfavored and the Regent, but it's not easy to face the censure of my countrymen.

Well... no, you're an ineffectual traitor.





: Why don't you go?



: Why should Elia cooperate with me?



Tunon gave us permission to kill Disfavored, so we are going to abuse the shit out of that.

: Tell me about these Regent heirlooms.

: They're items of incredible power - rallying symbols and weapons that defined great deeds in the history of Stalwart. Members of the Regent families wore them or wielded them as symbolic badges of office, though in truth they're much more than that.



: How can the Regent heirlooms help us?





This is why the Bane showed up seemingly at random. The idea that something of this dinky little backwards nation is capable of contesting against Kyros' power is an extremely heretical idea that whiplashes our little Fatebinder's cognitive dissonance hard.

: I'll head to Rust Canyons and contact Elia.





That last line is giving me real Jaime Lannister vibes.


This helpfully answers the questions I had on the Anarchist path about why Janos basically handed us Mattias and Elia on a silver platter - he's not setting his cause back at all, he's using the Fatebinder to purge two potential traitors who were planning to sell out to the Scarlet Chorus. When we next meet Janos, he's promoted from scout to a leader of the Unbroken, so one might surmise he's using us to pull a power play a la Stalin being a secret informer for the Tsar's police. Whatever! Maybe we don't have to kill Elia this time?



We just kinda watch and do nothing and nothing changes. Teodor offers to make Elia his, erm, "camp slave", Elia tells him to go fuck off, and then things get interesting.





Elia likes that we warned everyone to get out of the Edict's blast zone, which is a good start!

: I received word from Mattias that told me to expect you. He says we're to work with the Chorus to avenge ourselves on the Disfavored and the Regent. Normally I wouldn't trust a red bird, but I know our captain's handwriting. She frowns.

: The whole thing sounds like a wagonload of Beast shit to me, but I don't have time to send him my thoughts with the Disfavored breathing down my neck.



: Why haven't the Disfavored finished off this fort?



: The Disfavored are my enemy. I seek Graven Ashe's daughter in Sentinel Stand.

: You've come all the way out here for the sake of one prisoner? I can't decide if that's impressive or a waste of resources. Maybe both. I suppose the Voices of Nerat has his reasons for seeking the daughter of his enemy. Not that I want to know any of them.



: Were you able to find anything?

: She frowns and glances off, scanning the horizon of Rust Canyons. Not exactly. Not what we were looking for, in any case.



: What must be done?

: For now, I'll be pleased if we can hold this fort against the Disfavored.

: The fight will come to us whether we're prepared for it or not. My scouts have reported Disfavored forces closing in, so it would be in your best interest to arm yourselves for battle.

: We could always use an edge on the battlefield... Elia studies you and nods. Some of our men are captive to the Disfavored outside of camp. Deal with Kyros' soldiers and rescue ours - that will give us a few more warm bodies to hurl at our enemies.

That language is very similar to the Chorus commanders throwing conscripts into the fire. Interesting.






Time to talk to Teodor!

: He frowns and tightens his grip on his sword. Normally I would welcome a servant of the Court, but Ashe told me to keep an eye out for traitors stepping on our territory.

: Stand down, commander. I don't always agree with the Fatebinder's methods, but I believe we can get this war back under control. We have this opportunity to help each other and set the right example!

Barik is pulling a Mattias here I see.



This had me very confused for a moment, especially as I explicitly claimed multiple times over the course of this LP that Ashe never extended an offer for Barik to return. The more I think about this the more I think Teodor is acting on his own initiative here. Ashe could have sent a runner or a bird to reach out to Barik, but I think Teodor is trying to get his old friend out from under the Fatebinder's boot.



Barik has seen too much. He's not quite at the point where he realizes that the cruelty is the intended outcome, but he also saw Teodor cut down that prisoner and recognizes on some level that Ashe fucked them over by marching into the storm.



Oh, you're threatening me now?



: [Athletics 42] If any of you doubt your chances against me, leave now. I won't make this offer twice.





This guy just nopes the fuck out, proving that the Disfavored bravery and discipline are just more hot air.

: You better run faster than the legion! We'll find you, traitor!

: He turns red with sudden fury, spittle flying as he barks orders. Men, to arms! Kill the Fatebinder and hold this position!




We do a bunch of Tyranny combat and they all die. If only the rest of the update went this well...



We release these guys.



There is one other mention of the Candle Mountains as far as I know, and it's the iron brand carried by Jagged Remedy which references "overworked smiths". Presumably these men were going to be used as slaves in a labor camp.



Elia lets us into the fort, and thus we have a LOT of Tyranny combat ahead.



We get the Unbroken favor ability at least.



Nothing of value is said - Elia says the defenses are partially ready, Barik comments that it's a lot of work to fortify something so worthless, and then the Disfavored show up.



This section involves killing a group of guys who bust through...



Then a guy runs up to send us to another location full of Disfavored...



Repeat for too damn long!



This is the last group.



Alright, Boris' totally legal murder has nearly won over Elia here.

: Troubling. If the Disfavored were sent on an assault without a commander, the move had to be a stalling tactic.

This would seem to be a suboptimal tactic - after all, Erenyos complained in Act 1 that the Disfavored were running low on troops and no reinforcements were coming. However, we know the Disfavored are dumb fascists who glorify death, so they are more than willing to throw away hordes of irreplaceable troops to desperately try to impress Graven Ashe, who will never love them.

: We won't survive the day if we stay here. Our walls have been compromised, and the winds grow stronger still. She points north, past the twisted remains of the gate. That's our only route. Teodor sent men to hold the northern junkyard. We have a chance with them, but only if we act now.



: What of you and your soldiers?



: Very well. I'll go now.

: One more thing, Fatebinder. Not all of my men made it behind the walls after the initial attack. My hope is that they're hiding in the northern canyons and still well enough to attack. If you find any of my crew, give them a chance to escape while there's still time.




These guys die, but drop some Disfavored armor for Boris. which is good, because he's probably the weakest link on the team right now.



We met these guys on the Anarchist route and killed them. They won't leave until all the Disfavored are dead.



We meet this guy, and here I fuck up royally.

: [Say nothing]

: Graven Ashe will never forget this... his anger is something only an Archon could comprehend. I hope, for your sake, that you have the decency to die here.

We are going to. This fight is actually super dangerous, especially if you're a melee dumbass.





Yeah, that's, uh, two enemy mages. They beat the SHIT out of Sirin despite me having two tanks with fairly strong taunts.



Yeah with Lantry paralyzed and getting beaten up by warrior guys we're not winning this one.



Fuck! They even cut down Barik as he prayed to Ashe for protection. Oops!

Then I discovered that I hadn't saved, so I'd have to go all the way back to Teodor's warcrime again. One of two things is happening - either I'm going to respec Boris as a mage, or the difficulty is going down to easy mode.

Next time: Mash that difficulty slider like it owes me money.