[LP CYOA] Epic

[Stygian Lurker]

B

 

[Esquilax]

B seems like a bad idea. Most people voted to listen to what Rimush was saying, and now that we know what he said, you're actively ignoring it, which makes no sense to me.

Now for some conspiracy theory time: I think that Shulgi has arranged the odds in such a way to have us lose no matter what we do. I think he has been anticipating our arrival for quite some time and he has taken measures to stop us. I believe that if we attack the dam, especially on our own, prospects are pretty grim given our condition at the moment. Shulgi likely has a lot of his cultists waiting to ambush us at the location Rimush described. On the other hand, if we go into the city, I think Shulgi, cunning guy that he is, will flood the dam and attack us anyways.

In light of all this, I don't really see many ways to win, but a lot of ways to lose. The only winning move is to not play.

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Voting C

 

[Arpad]

Flip-flop C

 

[TOME]

In light of all this, I don't really see many ways to win, but a lot of ways to lose. The only winning move is to not play.

A and B are clearly bad choices. A might be a trap for us and B for the whole army. So why not vote C? It does throw the ball to the king but he clearly isn't stupid, well because he is the king. D is the safest option, but we came this far already. Let's not forget that we already killed lots of men manning the wall, we have team ilfiltrating the city via the tunnels and we just killed the man on the throne. Although he wasn't the real leader there, but soldiers defending the city don't know that. So their morale is low.

We can safely withdraw from the walls and present the current situation to the king and let him make the call. So please vote C.

 

[Esquilax]

A and B are clearly bad choices. A might be a trap for us and B for the whole army. So why not vote C? It does throw the ball to the king but he clearly isn't stupid, well because he is the king. D is the safest option, but we came this far already. Let's not forget that we already killed lots of men manning the wall, we have team ilfiltrating the city via the tunnels and we just killed the man on the throne. Although he wasn't the real leader there, but soldiers defending the city don't know that. So their morale is low.

We can safely withdraw from the walls and present the current situation to the king and let him make the call. So please vote C.

You're right, we may not like the King but we can't let that cloud our judgment right now. Besides, he is still only a man and the soldiers that have fought with Ean revere him. We've fought with them and saved their lives so many times that I think if it came down to it, they would choose us over Sargon. Allying ourselves with the King ties in the best with our previous choices too - we've cut Rimush's head off, so we may as well stick with the dude for now.

Flopping my original post to C.

EDIT: This isn't to say that C is particularly good as well. The King mistrusts us and we've cut off Rimush's head so he'll pretty much have to take our word for it after we've confessed about lying before. There is a decent chance that the King won't believe us.

 

[XenomorphII]

Flipping to C

 

[Kipeci]

Since C is coming back, I'll flip to C once more.

 

[TOME]

A: 1 (Cassidy)
B: 9 (Stygian Lurker, eklektyk, urist Mclurker, ScubaV,SerratedBiz, Tigranes, Baltika9, CappenVarra, Smashing Axe)
C: 7 (Kipeci, XenomorphII, Esquilax, TOME, Quetzacoatl, Omicron, Oscar)http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?members/esquilax.12663/
D: 5 (Arpad, root, anus_pounder, Curufinwe, Newcomer)http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?members/esquilax.12663/

 

[anus_pounder]

Don't count my vote just yet.
Since C is coming back, I'll flip-flop back to

B.

 

[ScubaV]

Hmm, it is tempting to flip flop to C. If we're going to make a move on the dam, we'll need assistance. All the choices have a lot of downsides and not much upside. If I were to put some positive spin on B it might go like this: at the very least a flood in the city won't catch us by surprise. The king and his men, yes, but not Ean. Shulgi may be counting on this and thus we can pull a surprise of our own.

 

[Esquilax]

Hmm, it is tempting to flip flop to C. If we're going to make a move on the dam, we'll need assistance. All the choices have a lot of downsides and not much upside. If I were to put some positive spin on B it might go like this: at the very least a flood in the city won't catch us by surprise. The king and his men, yes, but not Ean. Shulgi may be counting on this and thus we can pull a surprise of our own.

Like what? If Shulgi bears down on the city with a few thousand screaming cultists, what could we possibly do to counter that if the majority of our forces have drowned? If he wipes everybody out and throws our army into disarray, we're fucked and I don't really see how we can unfuck ourselves in that situation. Unless of course you have some ideas.

Also, it doesn't seem really in tune with our previous choices - Ean has saved the lives of his men a few times already, and it doesn't make much sense to risk having them all killed like that now. Personally, I don't think of it as "the King and his men", I consider it more like "the king and our men" because I believe we've won them over at this point.

Worst thing that happens with B is that most of the army dies and we're ambushed. Worst thing that happens with C is that the King doesn't listen to us because he doesn't trust Ean on his word. In which case, even if Sargon doesn't believe us, perhaps the men whose loyalty we've inspired will. Even as angry and jealous as Sargon is, he's not an idiot. He can't exactly order his men to burn Ean as an offering to the gods after our hand - it would destroy morale and he needs us to capture Shulgi so he can find the secret of immortality.

 

[ScubaV]

I guess what I don't like about C is that we commit to following Sargon's orders for at least another update. I just know that at some point he's going to try to kill us permanently or steal our immortality because of his jealousy and paranoia. It could be that Shulgi's plan is for Sargon to bring Ean and some men to the dam and then Shulgi tries to convince Sargon that he can steal Ean's immortality through some ritual. I guess if we're confident we can convince the soldiers to follow us instead of Sargon, we have insurance.

It's interesting that you voted to not know Rimush's info thinking it would be trickery, but now that you have it you want to follow up on it. Anyway, I'll have to think on this. We still have one more day. I may flip-flop again.

 

[Esquilax]

I guess what I don't like about C is that we commit to following Sargon's orders for at least another update. I just know that at some point he's going to try to kill us permanently or steal our immortality because of his jealousy and paranoia. It could be that Shulgi's plan is for Sargon to bring Ean and some men to the dam and then Shulgi tries to convince Sargon that he can steal Ean's immortality through some ritual. I guess if we're confident we can convince the soldiers to follow us instead of Sargon, we have insurance.

Sargon only has power because his men believe he has power and he is King. On the other hand, we have power because the men have seen that we're an immortal demigod who sacrificed his hand and saved their lives on more than one occasion. I don't think Sargon is going to be able to just say "off with his head!" and be done with it. The ace up our sleeve that we have against Sargon and Shulgi is the loyalty of the men, and I think we ought to take advantage of it.

It's interesting that you voted to not know Rimush's info thinking it would be trickery, but now that you have it you want to follow up on it. Anyway, I'll have to think on this. We still have one more day. I may flip-flop again.

You got me there. I know that I voted against Rimush because I thought that anything he would say would cloud our judgment. I still stand by that, and I believe it has. However, now that the genie's out of the bottle, there's no way to put it back in. Now that I know about the information, I can't not react to it, and perhaps that's a huge error on my part.

 

[Tigranes]

OK, Esquilax has a good point. It would help if we knew how the number and might of our army compared with Shulgi's cultists, but I suppose we can assume our men are professional, battle-hardened and loyal to Ean, whereas Shulgi's men will be crazy fanatics, perhaps with whatever Shulgi has been able to conjure up.

C

 

[m4davis]

C

 

[treave]

That's a lot of flip-flopping. So right now, it's:

A 1
B 10
C 9
D 4

 

[anus_pounder]

I wonder which way this will go. One of the most intriguing CYOAs I've read.

 

[treave]

Chapter 1.13: The Flood of Akkad

The king did not seem terribly pleased when you returned Rimush’s head to him, though he commended you for following his orders. His other gambit involving the tunnel had failed. The men in the tunnel had apparently been killed by a fire-breathing beast, and a sole survivor was left to tell the tale. That did not concern you right now, however. With the walls taken, Sargon’s army was free to liberate the gates. What was meant as a suicidal distraction had turned out to be the impetus for your victory. Most of the enemy soldiers had scattered during the assault on the walls, and there was virtually no resistance as your army marched through the streets of Akkad. The citizenry’s nervous faces stare out of the doorways of the city’s buildings.

As you rode alongside the king in your chariot, Rimush’s words played over in your mind. A flood and an ambush. You wonder if he was right. King Sargon was not told of this; losing your hand had made you irritable, and the voices agreed that this was the choice that made the best out of a poor situation. You are not sure if you agree.

You hear a rumbling in the distance.

That’s… probably the water. Guess Rimush was telling the truth after all.

The rumbling grows louder, and becomes a faint roar. The march has stopped, and the soldiers look around, confused.

Sargon may have wronged you, but the soldiers are your men, and don’t deserve to die like this. “Get to higher ground! Climb! Enter the buildings and reach the roofs!” you scream. “The city is about to be flooded!” Nearly a quarter of the men fall out of formation and enter the nearest building at the sound of your orders.

The king grabs you, furious. “Ean, what do you think you are doing? What are you babbling about? You better have a good reason for this if you do not want to be left without any hands!” You think quickly. Feeling a bit more prudent than before, you reply, “My king, that roar means the city is about to be flooded. My priority right now is to get you to safety, so please follow me.”

“Very well then.” The king gives a dismissive snort, and faces his troops. “Men! Your king orders you to reach the rooftops immediately! There is a flood coming, and we shall all be swept away if we do not do so!” The remaining soldiers make to do so, but before they can move, you hear screams coming from the building where the first of those who heeded your warnings fled to immediately.

The cultists. It looks like Shulgi has planted them inside buildings, hoping to carry out his ambush once any surviving soldiers from the flood had fled inside seeking shelter. You feel water starting to lap at the soles of your sandals. The flood was coming too.

“The enemy is waiting for us inside the buildings, but unless any of you fancy taking a long swim, we better go in there and drag their entrails out! Be careful, but be quick!” You give your directions to the troops, and then run towards the nearest building together with the king. A dozen cultists were inside, brandishing long, crooked knives. They fought with great tenacity and fanaticism – their zest to kill the enemy in Shulgi’s name made them seem impervious to pain. You dispatch of them just the same, the king following behind you.

***

Reaching the rooftop, you survey the condition of the battle. A torrent of water was raging through the streets, sweeping away any stragglers that had not managed to get to safety. Cries of battle and bronze hitting leather could be heard from the buildings all around you. Several rooftops had your troops and Shulgi’s cultists engaged in combat. Sargon’s army was scattered, though your timely warning had allowed most of them to escape the brunt of the flood. Their superior discipline and skill should win them the day against the cultists, who have nothing but enthusiasm going for them.

“My king… my king! I have something urgent to report!” You turn and see one of your men climb up onto the roof, his clothes sopping wet. You go to help him up. As you reach for the man, he looks up at you and freezes. “You. I did not expect to see you here.” Upon seeing his face, you freeze too. You feel a flicker of panic in his mind, which soon faded from your perception and became a blank, unreadable void.

“Shulgi.”

You mutter his name aloud, attracting the king’s attention. He glances at the soaked Shulgi, and grins. “So the little mastermind has decided to give himself up? That is very noble of you.” Shulgi bows mockingly. “King Sargon. I was looking forward to our little private meeting. It's such a pity you brought your loyal dog along.” The king chuckles briefly before replying. “Silence. No more words. I will have many, many questions to ask you after I cut off your arms and legs.” Sargon draws his sword. “Ean! Capture that traitor, and do it quickly! You shall never want for anything again after this.”

Whether or not you agree with Sargon, you know Shulgi is too dangerous to be left to his own devices. You lunge at him, your own sword at the ready. Shulgi draws his dagger, a crooked affair similar to those his cultists wield, and tries to ward you off. He moves faster and stronger than most other people, and you cannot read him, but still, you are better. Some of the soldiers that managed to fight off the ambush had already begun to gather on the rooftops – they see your duel with Shulgi, and cheer loudly. The first few exchanges happen without anything of note, but soon you manage to understand his amateurish movements. Your blade flashes past his guard and nicks his cheek, drawing blood. Shulgi grimaces in pain and gestures with his free hand. To your surprise, a small jet of water shoots up from the flood waters and hits you in the face. Shulgi takes advantage of your distraction and closes the distance, attempting to sink his dagger into you. You manage to recover and step back in time; the dagger merely opens up the front of your chest to the bone – no big deal for an immortal. Shifting your footwork quickly, you dart back forwards, faster than Shulgi can react, and run him through with your sword.

The king begins to clap. “Wonderful, Ean! Now, cut off his limbs and interrogate him.” Shulgi grins weakly. “What a great dog you are, Ean. He takes your hand, and even so you still obey his every word.” You open your mouth to retort. Suddenly, he cackles and clasps his hands over your temples. “I’m not going out like this, you bastards, not without a fight!” Before you can say anything, your head is assaulted by blinding pain. Shulgi mouths something that you cannot hear past the pain, and you instinctively rip your sword upwards with all your might, out of his body, cutting the astrologer into two. The bisected man falls backwards into the swift-flowing waters.

“No, you fool!” Sargon comes at you, grabbing you again. “I told you to capture him alive!” Your head still hurts tremendously, and as you look into Sargon’s furious eyes, you finally hear what Shulgi said: kill King Sargon. You lift your sword against your will.

Uh.. no, we’re not the ones doing it this time. That guy must’ve put a suggestion on you.
Nifty trick, that. But it’s still weak. You can fight it.

The voices encourage you as you fight the compulsion – you are definitely not going to let Shulgi give you any commands. You concentrate your mental focus to resist Shulgi’s suggestion, holding your arm back by pure willpower. You succeed, but just barely.

The king, however, was not amused. Not realizing that he had escaped death by a whisker, he spits at you. “I see now. You would raise your sword against me. You have killed my son, you keep the secrets of Shulgi’s immortality from me; now you plan to kill me, and then you would be king of all Sumer and Egypt! Does your treachery know no bounds?” He points his sword at you, his hostile intent clear. The king will probably try to disable you and do to you what he planned to do to Shulgi. You can tell that any words are useless. Sargon is too far gone in his bitterness.

***

A. You fight, and kill the king. If Sargon, Shulgi and Rimush could have so much fun playing at ruling, why should you not reign yourself? After all, you have put two of them out of the picture yourself. Clearly you deserve to be king much more than any of them – it is your right.

B. Whether you think fighting the king is futile, or that you cannot find it in you to raise your sword against your liege, the solution remains the same for you. You dive into the waters, letting them wash you right into the wilderness. Ruling does not interest you anyway – you are a man of battle, not of court and politics.

 

[Tigranes]

Well that didn't end so badly. I doubt our lovely relationship with Sargon could have gone on for decades, in any case, once he cut off our hand. As it stands Shulgi has not been appropriated but he should be out of the picture until he regenerates, the men are going to win the battle, and we've made the best case that they should follow us rather than Sargon. To me the only question here is what we want to do for the next little while.

A for now, we should enjoy the fruits of our labours a little before going incognito. Perhaps we can use our sovereignty to install some centuries-lasting contingency plans or architecture that we can then use in subsequent eras?

 

[Quetzacoatl]

A) Damn the king!

 

[ScubaV]

Well that went better than expected. I have to go with A here. The men will see us kill Sargon, but we can make up some excuse. They should follow us anyway. Maybe we don't even need an excuse. Unfortunately, I don't think bisecting Shulgi will put him out of action for very long, but there's no way we'll find both halves of his corpse to take further measures. Perhaps in the best case scenario he takes long enough to regenerate that his body is eaten by scavengers and he has to reconstitute himself from poop!

We now know he can shapeshift and force-persuade. It's a good thing we developed telepathy. We can still trust our underlings as long as their minds aren't blank.

 

[eklektyk]

B, i wander what will happen
ps. when we go with A and claim all kingdom we will focus all attention on ourselves and thats not a good idea remembering that tentacleguy from while back....

 

[Esquilax]

Fuck this, we have been following people's orders and doing what we've been told since Day 1. I think obedience has made us and will make us mentally weak and susceptible to mind control in the future. We don't want to be the badass warrior who is a meek pushover outside the battlefield. We barely managed to fight Shulgi's mind control, and I think that this was a direct consequence of being so "obedient" up till now:

The voices encourage you as you fight the compulsion – you are definitely not going to let Shulgi give you any commands. You concentrate your mental focus to resist Shulgi’s suggestion, holding your arm back by pure willpower. You succeed, but just barely.

B

 

[XenomorphII]

B.

Time to cut and run. While ruling might be nice and all, it seems to me that we should probably focus on developing ourselves and our knowledge of what is going on. Also I am guessing that Shulgi's actions might have drawn some unpleasant interest in the area from other forces, and I am not sure we are really ready to deal with that kind of attention (especially considering that we have just fought a small civil war, and may have to fight another after we kill Sargon to secure the throne).