I’d forgotten that ending with Mildred; it’s been long enough that I actually was wondering earlier today about a save file of a servant who’d managed to get knighted at the end.
I really enjoyed all the mentors in Kendrickstone and all the ways you can bond with each of them as a protege. Even beyond direct interactions, I really like that the PC gets to see Mildred’s point of origin in this entry and Williams’ in the next; it gives some nice context for their previous development.
@Cataphrak
Why didn’t Duke Leofric just call help from the other lords of the Concordat to help with the bandit threat?
Leofric had more than enough military force on hand to fight the bandits head-to-head. The problem was finding them.
Basically, up until the point the teleportation circles come up, he had very little idea where the attacks were based from.
@Cataphrak
How did the bandit attacks affect Sonnemerci, assuming it wasn’t just left untouched like Forrester’s Hollow?
Sonnemerci’s got its own farms, so could hold out in the short term.
However, it also relies on Kendrickstone for a lot of skilled labour and finished goods, which the local community couldn’t access if the road to Kendrickstone was too difficult for travel.
As for Sonnemerci and Forester’s Hollow themselves, both are protected by rather substantial fortresses, which means they’re not worth the trouble of attacking with a group of bandits - just like Kendrickstone itself.
@Cataphrak
Wouldn’t there be an incentive for those in the Northern cities or the Iron Marches to send aid? Kendrickstone is the only path way to the Iron Marches, so wouldn’t the Iron League or those in the cities that needed the iron trade at least send rangers to help find the bandits?
Sort of. Kendrickstone is the shortest route from the Iron Marches to places like Arnault, but the iron caravans can still route themselves through Torinhall instead. It just takes longer, not that the Duke of Torinhall’s complaining.
This implies that
1: The Iron League has troops to spare.
2: The other cities can easily muster a appropriate force and send it to Kendrickstone in a timely manner - which they can’t, especially given the fact that teleportation is considered “impossible”.
3: That “rangers” exist as some kind of professional force in this setting - which they don’t. The standard D&D fantasy ranger was partially an invention to fill a combat niche, and partially a development of Tolkien’s rangers, that doesn’t mean they exist here.
4: That even with a specialised scouting force (ones who - if they come from other cities - will be unfamiliar with the woods around Kendrickstone), they’d be able to locate the bandit camp, seeing as it can literally relocate on basically half a minute’s notice.
The real thing that breaks the case wide-open is the MC discovering that Milius Black-Clad is using the Flowering Court stone circles as teleportation pads. That narrows the possible locations from “anywhere within an 800 square km wooded area” to “one of three exact locations”. After that, Kendrickstone itself has more than enough resources (including you) to deal with the crisis.
#I want stability. I want peace. I want love.
*set love_counter +1
*if love_counter = 3
*achieve romantic
*set renown +10
*set order %+10
*set loyalty %-5
*set compassion %+10
With things so unstable within the walls of the great city, you need someone to lean on, a source of emotional stability to help you through troubled times.
Yet, you find none.
There are dalliances, yes, but quick, furtive ones. Prices are rising, shops are closing, the bandits keep attacking, and food is running out. Nobody wants to commit to a relationship when such dire circumstances might tear it asunder at any time.
Ultimately, you end up sharing your frustrations with Dame Mildred.
*if loyalty < 60
Though surprisingly sympathetic, the knight offers only a few words of comfort and encouragement. They don't help much.
*if loyalty >= 60
She offers an ear and a few words of encouragement, enough to keep your spirits up. You begin to think of her not just as a superior and a teacher, but as a friend.
*goto chap6_mildred2
I think the *set loyalty %-5 should be *set loyalty %+5
I realize it’s a little late to report bugs, just saw it in the code and thought I’d post it here
Really random thought:
The mc’s attempts at romance in the game mirror what dating for young adults is like during a crisis. Covid-19 broke apart a lot of early-stage relationships. People who were in the first couple weeks/months of a new relationship, where you haven’t decided what the relationship is, had those ties cut off. No one is interested in starting a new relationship because everyone is too worried about the future, and are afraid of getting infected by someone outside their quarantine bubble.
Really cool to go and look back at a story and find new things, insightful peeks on being human and what’s happening in society.
Relevant article https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/612352/
@Cataphrak Hi, I was wondering if you could talk a bit more about organized religion in the Fledgling Realms? From time to time, we see expressions like “Court protect you” pop up in the story, but I don’t think any religious sites or traditions are ever mentioned, so it made me a bit curious.
Sounds like a question for the Patreon.
apologies in advance for all the questions(I wasn’t able to figure any of these out via your guide to the fledgling realms series as of yet)
If we become the guildmaster of the adventurers guild, can we train/recruit/mentor other up and coming adventurers(or even convince others to become guilded)?
Also, is this the first time that an adventures guild has been established(which would make us the very first guildmaster of an adventurers guild)?
would we be able to expand into the iron marches & help create some form of stability among the “roguish wild west” type of adventurers who usually operate there via expanding the reach/powers of the adventureres guild(assuming ours is the only one, which if it is then #4. why have there been no attempts to Guild Adventurers in the past? they seem like a constant part of any society/city or frontier we’ve seen so far)
and lastly 5#. you mentioned in your series that guildmasters get a seat on the town council & are able to vote on matters regarding the city/township. does this mean this is the only boon that grants you this power(refer to link below under guild politics - also I hope it’s okay that i posted the direct link here, if not please flag & I will take them down promptly)? Since it’s never explicitly stated that as a Knight, “Junior” Court Wizard, Noble(Manse Boon), Envoy or Watch Captain you get voting rights on Kendrickstone’s Council - (would this open the door for political play in the future should the MC seek it? it could be another form of acquiring power/influence to establish adventurism as a guilded/regulated trade which may alter the stigma around them)
Thank you so much for taking the time, really love your creativity & style, hope this wasn’t too much of a bother!
Something I should mention from the start is that the Fledgling Realms is a very “bottom-up” sort of setting. I started by building Kendrickstone and its Grand Duchy, and I’m expanding out more or less as stories cover the regions involved. My idea was more or less to write the series the way tabletop RPG publishers write adventure modules, which means that more of the world gets filled in as the players visit them.
However, this also means that very little is actually set in stone (the way things are in, for example, in my other series). I do have plans to write a story set in the Iron Marches next, and it’ll probably tie into your connections to Kendrickstone’s leadership (including the Adventurers’ Guild), but I haven’t quite hammered down what it’s going to be yet.
So the answer to most of your questions comes down to either “maybe”, or “probably”, and I can’t really give you anything more certain than that.
@Cataphrak
sorry back again with 2 quick questions on the MC’s origins/upbringing
It seems that for the wizard upbringing the MC has parents + siblings & for the Shepherd upbringing it’s confirmed your parents are dead & you have no siblings.
My first question is: for the minor noble/squire upbringing, do you have any family? Same question for the Bard upbringing, if so then where might they be/why aren’t they around if they aren’t in the picture
My Second question is that I noticed there’s a variable for upbringing type/choice, will this have any story implications moving forward(same with the family thing) asides from what was mentioned in book 1? Like will the minor noble(Sir Callum’s Squire) have an advantage over a casteless bard for example & vice versa?
Thanks for taking the time to read through this, your work is fantastic!
Yes, but I can’t really give you any more specifics beyond “somewhere else”. In the Bard’s case, you’ve been travelling for a while, and in the squire’s case, you’re probably from pretty far off, given that Sir Callum used to be one of Duke Leofric’s adventuring companions and they went more or less everywhere.
Definitely. I just haven’t really gotten around to it yet.
Is there a guide for a “magic knight” build?
In your dreams be a Might Warrior, choose The magic background when you wake up, when you are going to Kendrickstone sleep in the best room possible, become Isan’s apprentice, get the Prowess ring from
I finally got my Court Wizard Magic Knight! I named him Reinhardt, of course.
Another option is to do the full wizard background and dream, then hold off the bandits successfully with magic (don’t get the worst meal at the inn so you have 5 Will). Mildred will offer you a position as her squire, which you should take.
This magic knight isn’t as good at magic as one who trains with Isan as they never have the chance to increase their magic lore in the first game, but still gets to use magic meaningfully in a number of places and can become a powerful mage in Cryptkeepers. Advantages include being able to become an actual knight, getting a sword for free and having better armour.
Should I aim to get the Sword for the Magic Knight or the Book ?