I think Rade’s main source of legitimacy is the same as the Marshal’s: he’s got a big army and knows how to use it. “I don’t want to fight them because they’ll beat the shit out of me” is a valid - if fleeting - source of legitimacy.
Ultimately, most forms of political legitimacy are built on top of that foundation: a single person or family having the biggest stick becomes so normalised that people automatically assume that obeying them is not only necessary for survival, but morally correct.
If Rade’s on the back foot, and the Marshal has Elya killed (the Marshal is going to have to have Elya killed, if they want to secure their reign), then they have some breathing room to develop their own political power base. It won’t be easy, and the Marshal is certainly liable to fuck it up, but I could see it happening.
That was just cuddling? I’ll be honest and say I assumed it was a fade to black moment but I’m alright with it either way, it felt vague to me, tbh I was pretty tired when I read the end of the book because I wanted to finish it before sleeping.
@fsix
I’m glad that Milon and Lada don’t push further considering the Marshal needs to work through some things.
I think I’d ideally like the RO’s to do that kind of thing after the Marshal has opened up regarding the mental side of things. Assuming they accept the Marshal and help them work through that a little so they are doing better but I don’t know.
I think the difference here would be that the ursurper Marshal still has to beat Rade once again to consolidate his legitimacy. Rade had some assurance that the Marshal does not possess, being the only man with a big army and the knowledge on how to use in the realm. This kingdom is not big enough for the two of them.
My problem with that is, with the way our society has been established to have an honour culture, the Marshal is as low as one can get in that regard. Of course, there will still be some willing to follow him despite that, but a bastard king will have to fight an uphill battle in every single aspect, be it as a ruler or general. The greatest exemple for that would be how it will probably be harder for him to secure loans and vassals, as he doesnt exacly have a reputation of being a trustworthy fellow, and with that his armies will be diminished and ill equiped/payed.
I can see how the Marshal can struggle his way out of this war, but only as little more then a “king of ashes”, as others have mentioned. Now, I am being very pessimistic on this path, particularly because I dont like it a lot lol (I am loyal to my Queens, in whichever reality they are in), but I still think that, no matter what, it wont be the best path for Kanton and for its inhabitants. It may be that the best case scenario of a ursurper game is better then a bad loyalist/regent one, but that wouldnt change that a kingdom with a strong Elya at its head is the best possible one we can probably end up with.
I’m kinda glad that Milon/Lada decided to restrain themselves from sleeping with the Marshal near the end. Just because it feels like a very death flag kind of moment. I’ve seen scenes like this happen before in other media and it really felt like it was gonna go that way.
Finally for Marshal to found love just to get it ripped away from you the next day.
One thing I haven’t understood is will the Regent Marshal eventually crown himself king, or maybe have the monarchy be abolished or will a reconciled Vedran become a puppet monarch of the Marshal and the allied nobility once the war with Rade has been settled?
When I say the Regent Marshal, I mean the ending in which Elya dies.
I assume this depends on the Marshal, but a loyal Marshal would step down if they are just acting as regent for Elya, non? Assuming something happens to Elya though all bets be off I suppose. I can’t imagine Vedran being made ki-- Oh wait did you mean “Regent Marshal” regarding Ending 4?
Ahh yeah I assume that means the Marshal would end up being the Ruler though non? Other avenues seem pretty closed considering Vedran is the only other person of royal blood than the Marshal left alive in that scenario and he was an active traitor to Elya and basically indirectly tried to get her killed himself.
God I really want to do an ending 4 run now, but I’ma wait a bit me thinks, get some space and replay the game once I’ve forgotten a bit of it
I honestly like that all three endings (even Ending 4, the one where the loyalists are canonically on the back foot) that can be carried forward are so different and worth carrying forward. I also like that there are achievements for it.
The thing to remember here is that honour isn’t an ends unto itself. It’s a sign of good faith. A person who is seen as honourable is one who others will see as dealing with them fairly, and this is important in an honour culture because it determines whether people with weapons are willing to trust in an individual’s leadership or not.
The thing is, the Marshal already has an army willing to trust them (assuming high respect here), which means they have an immediate leg up. Of course, that doesn’t mean the nobility, or even commoners outside the army trust them, but the army is a start - and one which they can work with.
I think it is left open so the player can decide it in the future. All of those options seems valid, with the exception of abolishing the monarchy, I don’t think the nobles would allow that
It is my belief that Krorid will, “through the will of the people,” nominate (anoint, proclaim, or whatever) the MC as its ruler, assuming there is no hidden family, etc of the current ruler in book two.
With a loyal MC to Elya this then would lead to a dual monarchy type of arraignment with Elya and MC being equal monarchs of a theoretical(ideallized) HRE type of proto-nationstate where the monarchies within were “equal”.
There are other “outlying” lands that are going to see Krorid “independence” as a trumpet call to break away from the core Kantan lands. Rade will have the ability to flee any eventual loss in the Reich(sp) duchy to one of these outlying regions.
The MC has the legitimacy and the loyalty of Krorid, from top to bottom, and now that she has secured Kanton for Elya, Krorid society will solidify the MC as this world’s Arthur/St. George/Forgotten One.
I think Cataphrak says it better than I can, so I’ll quote him:
The MC has built upon their foundational legitimacy originally established 5 years ago by basically doing a repeat in Kanton, teaching everyone that obeying the MC is necessary for survival.
The morality will follow and be rationalized.
Thank you, Bacondoneright, for a story that I adore and that inspires.
I wonder to where the Prince Regent ending will lead us in case Vedran is gone too. With every single member of the royal family done for the Marshal is virtually the only person left with even a shred of legitimacy, yet at the same time, you can promise to “step down” after the war is over.
But “step down” in favor of who? The aristocracy? Is Kanton on the way of becoming some kind of elective monarchy in this route? I assume that our approach to this position will be an important point in the sequel, but still, questions questions questions…
As my Bastard Queen is one of those Marshal Monarchs that still loves Elya and wants to still be friends with her. I personally don’t think that will happen. I’m just roleplaying.
In Krorid she haven’t been queen yet . She hold no power,If She become queen,she will be power hungry .just like her good father . and use Marshall as war tool. Mostly Ruler isn’t innocent, sweet candy. They are pracmatic,cold and incline to Ruthless.If they consider It is great good for their country Do you think They let Krorid be indendent forever ? Now Elya have to accept it because she have no choice.
She never says she doesn’t want you to rule there, she says that she doesn’t want it to be priority right now, because you have your own succession crisis to deal with
