[LP CYOA] Epic

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

A isn't abandoning them. It's sacrificing ourselves to insure they live.

Ean isn't exactly sure what it'll do to him. He's never had to use this much power before. So he has to assume the worst that can happen. There will be a drawback, but it won't be as serious as going comatose for three hundred years, though you can expect the recovery to be very, very, very lengthy.

Hmm. So we'll be gimped for a century or so? Marduk could just raise another army, but at least Egypt would be prepared - ourselves, maybe not.

The only thing is d and b both seem out of character for Ean wielder of Honourblade.
Actually, d isn't out of character because Ean hasn't agreed to anything yet.

A

edit: I have a feeling that b leads to a, but with an angry gieloth who orders all our troops killed as punishment for our failed assualt. I just don't see how we can win when we have only around 500 healthy soldiers...

I feel the need to tell you we would be killing him first

Would we? It says we'd "destroy his army" and that we think we could kill him in close combat, not that we'd be assassinating him - assuming he wouldn't be able to read our intent.

 

[Tigranes]

Guys, B is not going to work. No way. The Gieloth has made this offer at his own initiative, and he is a very powerful being. Why would he leave such an obvious weakness in the plan he presents to you? Either he is sure that even without the tower he can subdue Ean at will, or he already has a plan to deceive him in some way once he has left the safety of the fortress. There's no way that he would provide this window, and he knows our own capabilities well. My guess is that when we are near him the distance factor makes the tower unnecessary, or once we're outside he'll just knock Ean out in some way.

We might as well go for one of the other options. My impression is that the Babylonians retain the advantage, especially due to the tower, but that we have done pretty well, and have certainly killed a lot more, traps included. The problem with C, though, is that it's pretty likely the Gieloth can harm or incapacitate us at least to some degree; the next few days will then see the Gieloth still powerful and with the tower, us without traps and with an even more weakened Ean.

Basically, I think it comes down to A or D. We either accept his proposition, or we call his bluff in the most Shepardian manner possible. I'd have liked to hear more about just why Nabu needs Ean, whom he says he could easily destroy, to kill Marduk, but I assume that he is one of the most psychically talented Gieloth, and thinks with a powerful warrior in on his plan he can do it - which then assumes his now deceased brother was not up to it. There's a lot of questions there...

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Well, it could be political - he needs someone to pin the blame on so he won't take the heat for the assassination. "Oh, no! That immoratal assassinated Marduk. Woe is me. Didn't see that coming. Arrest him!"

 

[Smashing Axe]

I'm tired of psychic bastards like Shulgi and Nabu thinking they can walk all over Ean. Let's not stand for his manipulation, let's be firm. We want to have a strong will, we want to be resilient against psychic influence? Then we need to take a stand.

C

We'll kill Marduk, but on our terms.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

We'd die. And our men. And we'd be taken in anyway. If you want to fight, pick D, bro.

 

[Bloodshifter]

more likely then not his brother supported Marduk without his brother to support him there is no other Gieloth except Marduk meaning once he is finished Nabu takes the throne. These tentacles value self over the common good If I am better off what does it matter that everyone else is dead?

 

[Zero Credibility]

I could live with being weakened for a long time. It's the put entirely out of commission for a long time scenario that I loathe. Just as we get to know the setting and the players, we get throw into the future.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

There's also the matter of Nabu. If we help him take power, he'll either betray us and try to kill us afterward and/or we'll have helped a very powerful enemy become even more powerful...

Flopping to D. Let's take the renegade option. :shepard:

 

[Smashing Axe]

Off-topic. There seems to be three sides currently in this struggle, the Masters, the Gieloth, and the humans who are their pawns. I like the idea of us championing humanity and trying to nurture civilisation to one-day be a player to contend against the Masters and the Gieloth both, and carve out our own destiny to the cries of despair from tentacles and Naram.

 

[Urist McLurker]

So far we've been somewhat friendly towards the Gieloth, at least compared to what we could be like..Though in our experiences so far, the arrogant ones aren't the ones we want in positions of leadership.

D I hope that removing the enemy leader in a fucking earthquake after having killed their general will be enough to cause a rout and win the siege.

Edit: Flipped to C

 

[Bloodshifter]

Remember we get stronger after every "near" death encounter I doubtful he wants to betray us before he is certain we can't win also we could not break the shield he implanted into his brother without using the tower what makes you think we can beat him when we are the defender? and he has a "larger" device?

 

[Tigranes]

Off-topic. There seems to be three sides currently in this struggle, the Masters, the Gieloth, and the humans who are their pawns. I like the idea of us championing humanity and trying to nurture civilisation to one-day be a player to contend against the Masters and the Gieloth both, and carve out our own destiny to the cries of despair from tentacles and Naram.

I like it too, and it seems to offer the most interesting role for us story-wise. As we can see in the Tjaru siege, our support of humanity means we're always the underdogs, but we get to play with conventional combat tactics and logistics as well as the supernatural, which makes it easier for us to discuss good and bad. I felt that in the Sekhenun womb it was much harder to judge which option would be better, like playing a fantasy RPG where you don't have a ruleset - I'd say out of the violent engagements this siege has been the most interesting, although it's been a great CYOA throughout.

Anyway, in light of that, D, though I also like C if someone can show we could pull it off (Esquilax?)

 

[Zero Credibility]

I'm still fuzzy on what we expect the results the earthquake would be - wouldn't we also take out the fortress and everyone in it? Or would the effect be somehow localized to the enemy encampment?

 

[Smashing Axe]

Defending is generally easier than attacking, we're far away, and have thick walls between us. We're mentally prepared, and we have the Honourblade to enhance our defense. With a defiant will, we could win, and if we do, he won't have any tool other than his army to overcome us. Never do what the enemy wants, he could well be luring us into chains because he knows he's not capable of controlling us directly.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

We just lost half our troops in the last assualt and the enemy lost only 500. What makes you think it'll go any better for us this time?

 

[Zero Credibility]

Also, if we are going to be the a champion of humanity, I think we should take more time teaching them technologies given to us. Nothing would empower humans against Gieloth like new tech would - that's why the only improvements we saw in the attacking army are those we have done ourselves 300 years ago. They want slaves, not rivals.

 

[Smashing Axe]

We'll be more recovered the next day and can take more daring action than we could today.

 

[treave]

I'm still fuzzy on what we expect the results the earthquake would be - wouldn't we also take out the fortress and everyone in it? Or would the effect be somehow localized to the enemy encampment?

Luckily, the fault line doesn't run close to the fortress. Which means, of course, there would've been no point using it once the Babylonians closed in. Their encampment is closer; the tower itself is almost on top of it (because Nabu wanted to draw some energy from the fault, ha ha). It will handily remove the tower and any army around it, which I think would mean that the Egyptians win.

Sounds great, but of course it will all come with a hefty price.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Nabu wanted to draw some energy from the fault, ha ha

edit:

We'll be more recovered the next day and can take more daring action than we could today.

What other daring action could we take to win against 6500 babylonians - and the super-phallic gieloth - with our army of around 500-800?

Again, if you want daring action, pick d.

 

[Zero Credibility]

I'm still fuzzy on what we expect the results the earthquake would be - wouldn't we also take out the fortress and everyone in it? Or would the effect be somehow localized to the enemy encampment?

Luckily, the fault line doesn't run close to the fortress. Which means, of course, there would've been no point using it once the Babylonians closed in. Their encampment is closer; the tower itself is almost on top of it (because Nabu wanted to draw some energy from the fault, ha ha). It will handily remove the tower and any army around it, which I think would mean that the Egyptians win.

Sounds great, but of course it will all come with a hefty price.

Then in the words of Commisar Fuklaw my answer to Nabu is: BADGER CUNT DICKS

D

Take him out. We bowed to Astarth not out fear for ourselves, but because he threatened our men. This time we can protect our men and take out the arrogant son of bitch at the same time. With him and the army gone and with Astarth finishing Thebes as we speak, Egypt should be save from Gieloth for a while. As to what happens to us, I hope it will just severely weaken us, rather then outright put us out.

Just one request - let him give us the time to get to the walls before we strike - not because I don't believe the tower is not there, but because I want Ean to look at him as we take him out.

 

[newcomer]

I see... so he is quite a talkative one... too bad he is a guy...

But one thing remains the same... he have TENTACLES! ALL TENTACLES MUST DIE!

D

Well, some of the "weakening" that I can thought of are either general weakening on all abilities until recovery, or destruction of honourblade. Actually I'm pretty inclined myself to trust the tentacle, but maybe he's planning to make us serve him?


Edit: and I just realized what phallic means


Now that I think of it, it was not Baran who decided to scout. This proves that Nabu "might" be telling the truth, since he must be the one wanting to remove Baran from the equation. And Baran seemed to be quite loyal to Marduk from his speech, so if Nabu wanted to remove him Nabu must have hated Marduk.

Still, it could also be a trap... treave did we receive any long-range communication from Babylon camp to Sumeria during the scouting mission?

Flopping to A for now

 

[Esquilax]

Nope, I don't see a single way of making C work, Tigranes. In fact, I pretty much agree with everything you said completely, that it's basically a choice between A or D. Making a deal with this guy is far more precarious than dealing with Sekhenun ever was - for one, when we made a deal with Sekhenun, we were standing over her severed head. This guy is in a position of power, so of course any deal he makes is going to work out better for him than us.

Still, I really don't want to unleash the Doomsday Machine. This thing is extremely volatile and I would be fucking pissed if it resulted in the destruction of our sweet sword. Surrendering right now will buy us some time, then we can recover and deal with him and Lord Marduk when the time comes. Whatever we do, we have to shit or get off the pot. Either accept his deal or tell him to go fuck himself by using up our trump card. B and C are really bad.

I'm voting for A. D would result in us being weakened - we'd win the battle, but the aftermath wouldn't be pretty. Remember that in the update Lord Marduk doesn't give a fuck about Egypt - he cares only about Ean. He is certainly not lying about that. That will be when the real problems begin. What do you suppose is going to happen once he finds out we killed off Baran and Nabu? He's going to be so pissed off that he's going to attend to matters here personally - we've enraged him to the point that it's become personal.

Even though making a deal with Nabu works better for him than us, it buys us time. Play the game a little meekly now, and the opportunity to get the upper-hand will present itself.

Fuck it, you need to sacrifice to win.

D

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Still, I really don't want to unleash the Doomsday Machine. This thing is extremely volatile and I would be fucking pissed if it resulted in the destruction of our sweet sword.

:shrug: We can always make another one.* edit:*though nothing mentioned says that will happen anyway.

Look, even if Marduk is pissed at us, Egypt will have time to build up their forces. (We'll probably have to kill the current moron in charge so he doesn't start anymore wars though.) Marduk will come again, but with his best general dead and his most powerful psychic on a journey to the center of the earth, the Egyptian army should be able to repel him while we recover. Worst case, we run and hide - taking our recovery time to do some sightseeing far away from the gieloth.

 

[newcomer]

:shrug: We can always make another one.

And we lose the experience & "level-ups" that the sword had

Where's the run into wilderness option when we need it

 

[Baltika9]

A. I want to meet the MHD.