Choice of Rebels: Uprising — Lead the revolt against a bloodthirsty empire!

[Norilinde]

@Havenstone

@Norilinde

why the city of Shayard is not even close to the center of the province of Shayard

Similar reasons to London, Beijing, Moscow, and Washington (non-central capitals in our world): it was the launchpad of a successful campaign of conquest. Corlune is however the commercial capital of Shayard, sitting astride all the major sea and riverine trade routes. And over the next couple of games, the political center of gravity may shift closer to Karagon as well.

@Havenstone My concern is less that Shayard city is not near the center of Shayard province and hence the center of the old Kingdom of Shayard, and more that the old capital would have been located so close to the border of a rival great power. I would note Washington is a poor counter-example since it was in the center when it was built, unless your point is that the city of Shayard was originally in the center of Shayardene strength. I concede Russia is a good counter-example with St. Petersburg serving as such even better than Moscow. I am a bit puzzled why the old Shayardene monarchy would not have expanded to create more of a buffer around the capital. Based on Yed Gaverne’s story, has the Abhuman side of the border always been mainly desert? That could explain the lack of need or benefit to expand in that direction.

                I'm not sure you appreciate the vastness of the realm, my dear  
              *if tone = 3
                the realm is vast,
              ${kuria} ${lname}." The Leilatou scratches one stubbly cheek.  "We stand here a hundred leagues from Shayard City—but it's another three hundred from the Court out to Linos' home in the Easter Reach.  The monarchs of old had knit together quite an impressive little empire in the name of Shayard before the first Theurges burst onto the scene, you know…  No, I'd not take Conte Phrygia's place for all the silver of Erezza."

Could we get a scale on that map? For example, how far is it from Rim Square to the city of Shayard? From lore, the XOR world is supposedly round. That raises the question of what kind of projection is that map? Is that a Mercator projection? If there are ever any further updates to Game 1, I would suggest if possible maybe adding the World Map to the World Index Geography section.

@Havenstone

Sneaks:

She despises you if you don’t pick Breden for deputy, even directly after saving her life while Breden did nothing

Elery thinks it’s a terrible idea to exclude one of the rebellion’s most capable and charismatic leaders, settling on an indifferent (if physically attractive) bandit instead, just because of one failing. She would insist that she’s not just judging Breden with a friend’s bias, that xhe really is one of the most vital assets the rebellion has, and that you’re a fool for distrusting xhim–let alone killing xhim or driving xhim off.

This is a stronger judgment than others make, which is why you don’t see the same reaction from others. But I don’t think it’s an implausible one.

One failing? No, sadly not just one failing. If it only were one failing, even my main MC might reluctantly continue to tolerate Breden.

@Norilinde

@Havenstone It occurs to me that in Chapter 4 if the MC chooses to defer judgment on Breden till after escaping, the game makes it sound as though there is no way of allocating blame to one specific individual (Breden). However, there is a very clear case to be made for blaming Breden specifically because unlike the other two rebel cooks, Breden had been brought into the inner circle’s hunt for traitors so even if Breden is not personally the traitor, this completely invalidates Breden’s defense that Breden was unaware of the presence of an enemy in the camp. So a strong case could be made that Breden is if not a traitor then guilty of the equivalent of criminal negligence or dereliction of duty.

The problem is Breden continues to demonstrate what is at best either cowardice or ineptitude such as when Breden is sent to bring in Horion/Linos. That is why my MC would have preferred to have Breden tried and executed for criminal negligence/dereliction of duty after the food poisoning.

@Sneaks

We disagree on that but I’m willing to accept less-than-stellar judgement as one of Elery’s character flaws and leave it at that.

Yes.

@Havenstone

Cari-san:

I wait until chapter 4 bc there we can kill them making sure that they really can’t cause any more problems

Or boost the rebellion, either. A Breden you send away may not feel very friendly towards you, but xhe’ll continue working to spread the uprising.

Breden might spread “a” rebellion if you count Breden shoring up the support for the Xthonic Canon as doing THE Rebellion a favor. If shoring up support for the Xthonic Canon is actually harmful to the Rebellion, well then… In any case Breden has at best the equivalent of CHA 2 although I suppose like the MC perhaps that could increase. The MC can get other spokespeople, and it would be hard though I’m sure not impossible to find one more untrustworthy than Breden.

@Havenstone

Under most scenarios in which you run into Breden again in future games, xhe’ll have a sizeable following that would complicate the process of bringing xhim to trial…

This being the case, my MC will have to choose between being “tragically” late at stopping Radmar from doing the Rebellion a favor by killing Breden, or executing Breden personally. I know it sets a flag on the violence of the Rebellion, but that might be worthwhile anyway. I also doubt Breden will be the only individual of questionable loyalty the Rebellion must handle.