#Slay The Princess or like. even just playing a route a certain way | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bluerosesonata · 8 months

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I played and finished Slay the Princess last night while I was puppy sitting. I had such a great time. She’s my scary wife now.

Spoilers + more detailed thoughts below the cut, but without spoilers:

[points at devs] haha horror podcast fans

I’ve always loved Nicole Goodnight from her first appearances on Nosleep. she did so excellent as the Princess.

Very impressive scope, even with the very definitive ending I got, I came away from the game feeling like there were still paths I hadn’t seen.

Just as a general tone setter, I love the opening card/disclaimer that ends with “This Is A Love Story.”

GREAT visual style and art. I’ll get into this in my breakdown below, but with my amateur eye I love how they took a non-traditional approach to way the images/characters are displayed in a renpy game

INCREDIBLE music.

Hard to avoid Disco Elysium comparisons with the aspects of the Self mechanic, which I’m sure is either a received as a high compliment or is a source of annoyance for the devs, lol

Highly recommend it for OELVN fans, horror fans, and lesbians.

First and foremost, I’m genuinely very impressed at the amount of variety to the paths.

On my first playthrough, I got on a loop where I kept the princess locked up, and then she came upstairs and killed me. The next loop, The Paranoid showed up, and when we went into the basement, it was all spooky and distorted. In this one, we had some great banter with The Princess before I ultimately decided to slay her, and trapped me in the basement by warping reality and removing the stairs, forcing me to kill myself to escape that loop. The Cold showed up in chapter 3, and I think that was when I tried to leave the woods.

In subsequent loops, even when choosing all the choices I made to the best of my memory, I couldn’t recreate that first loop at all. It really speaks to the scope of the game in an impressive way.

The first vessel I managed to provide was The Tower. (It was the outcome of being mauled on your first encounter with her, then perceiving her as a dominating, inevitable force.) After discovering my new objective, the endings I saw were The Prisoner (It’s the ending where you just wait for the cell to rot away around you), The Razor (GOATED route, I will be calling her ‘Knife Wife,’), The Damsel, and ended with The Adversary (devil horns), before reaching Awakening.

These are the only routes I can talk about, but I’m certain there were at least 2 I missed/didn’t get to see. It’s an EXTREMELY impressive scope, and fully voiced, to boot, so my hat is off to the devs on that front.

(The next few paragraphs are about the voice acting, if you want my story thoughts, I made a small heading for that bc my VA thoughts got a bit out of hand lol)

Voice Acting

While I’m on the subject of the game being fully voiced: Nicole’s voice acting really shines here, and it’s absolutely essential to making this game what it was. I think a version of this game without it would be very Good, but not nearly as Haunting. The sheer variety of reads on certain lines based on how you first approach the princess is incredibly impressive, as well. (Again— scope!!!)

As far as the narrator VO goes, i can’t deny that Jonathan did a great job, and with his history of being the main narrator for The Magnus Archives, he was a good fit for the tone and audience of the game. I would even posit that, even if there were other people who were considered in the early phases of development, the cross-promotional potential of drawing in even a small section of an audience already primed for cosmic, reality-altering horror via TMA was a very smart business decision, and I applaud them for it. That being said, I think one unintended side effect of his casting may be that people familiar with his TMA character (a…semi-reliable narrator) might immediately come in primed with doubts about the Narrator. They seem to have anticipated this, though, and included skeptical and suspicious dialogue choices with him right off the bat in the first chapter, which is fun.

(A brief aside: If it seems like I am being very measured with my thoughts on the Narrator, it is not because I have anything negative to say about his performance. I am being measured simply because the narrative devices the game employs makes it impossible to not draw comparisons to Big Hitters like The Stanley Parable and Disco Elysium— both incredible games that I personally would be both delighted and terrified to be brought up when discussing a game I created or a role I was playing.

These games did not Create the idea of “a narrator you interact with and who is sometimes rude to you” or “multiple voices with distinct Traits butting in on your current predicament,” but both games are incredibly prolific in how implemented those devices and the vocal performances involved….so it is not a fair comparison.)

Story Thoughts

The subtitle for this section could also be “Faron ranks how hot they find all of the versions of The Princess.” jk.

I am not going to do summaries here I’m just going to assume most people reading this have played the game.

But let’s start again with the sentence at the beginning of the game: “This is a love story.”

Not long ago, there was a big discussion on tumblr about the statement that horror is “about love”, (it might have even been spurred on by TMA, lol) and that lead to a lot of justified (but not always kind) posts from my fellow horror fans being annoyed by that take. I’ll spare you a rehash of all of that. But it is exactly Because of that discourse (and my general gothic preferences) that I like the choice to open with this a whole lot. The phrase “This is a love story,” written in bold, at the end of a disclaimer saying ‘there are no wrong choices, just different paths,’ has an immense power to it. It is a mic drop way to open up a story, as a way to prime the audience to be open to the Princess as more than a monster, and creates the anticipation for a greater relationship to be uncovered between the protagonist and the princess.

It could also be that the phrase hit my brain in a weird way because of Fata Morgana. I don’t think The House in Fata Morgana had a similar line in the actual game— but my roommate who handed me Fata Morgana very specifically told me, “it is a horror game, and it is a tragedy, but at its core, It Is a Love Story.” And that’s always stuck with me. (I digress.)

A Brief Address to Loops and the Popularity of the Looping Narrative

I could sit here all day and talk to you guys about looping metanarrative structure and the different approaches to it, but you’ve probably all played a VN with that before. (If you haven’t, and this is your first time encountering something like this and it blew your mind…Go play Zero Escape: 999. Run, don’t walk.)

I believe very strongly that reviews should be about what a game Is, and how well it accomplished what it aims to be, not about what you wish the game was. But it is an even stronger opinion of mine that loop narratives, especially in visual novels, can sometimes get too bogged down in the details of “why am i in a time loop.”

I am extremely glad that this game (mostly) avoided this, bc it offers an opportunity to say something about the subgenre as a whole.

At the end of the day, looping narratives mainly exist as a metanarrative device in VNs to acknowledge and offer a reason why your character’s behavior (and/or your choices) change. It’s an easy way to create ludonarrative harmony, and to inject some extra drama with little extra effort.

But BECAUSE it’s easy, it can also feel Extremely Overused, and starts to become an expectation.

I won’t go on a soapbox about it, especially because I feel like this game handled it very well, and the looping, metanarrative aspect is suited to the themes and character subject matter of Beings Who Are Concepts, even if they Why doesn’t really satisfy. At the end of the day, this is a love story, and the why matters less than the feelings involved.

Specific Path Thoughts

All versions of the Princess are incredibly strong concepts, and the game is structured in a way that I very much would enjoy seeing how different people’s first loops influence their opinions on her. It’s got IMMENSE “streamability” in that regard.

Someone that encountered The Damsel version of the princess first would have an INCREDIBLY different experience than someone who encountered the Adversary first, which ties very neatly into the subject of the greater love story and can also generate some great post-play discussion.

I think, undoubtedly, the Aspects of the princess that made the biggest impressions on me were The Adversary (demon wife) and The Razor (Knife Wife). Part of this is due to the sheer length of their paths, as both of them take 3+ loops (correct me if I’m wrong) to reach the conclusion of their sections, whereas The Damsel, The Tower, and The Prisoner all only took 2. (See the next section for more on that). Thinking about it, every path was similar in the amount of sheer resources created for them (illustrations, animation), but these two create the illusion of having more than the others simply due to being the longest action sequences and loops in the game.

The Razor has an OUTSTANDING design, and the sequence to slay her would have been an incredible finale in its own right, as we get introduced to EVERY Aspect of ourselves as we die over and over again, even shoving the narrator out of the way so we can just jump to the cabin and fight her again, and the PC reasoning that “if there’s enough of Me, I might be able to overcome her”. For this reason, and because of the big knife skeleton body, I think that the Razor path is more Fun than the Adversary’s.

Flavor-wise, however, I feel like The Adversary is a much stronger character and narrative thread. A princess who doesn’t want to escape— she just wants a good fight. She wants you at your best, and she won’t have any less. That’s exactly the sort of character dynamic that really gets me going. I love single-minded women, and I love a main character who meets them on their level of crazy.

Both of these paths involve the Aspects of Self “The Hunted” and “The Stubborn,” and they are the aspects of the PC that by FAR have the most color to them (besides the lover, who is more of a buffoon.) I think they were my favorites.

That being said, I adored how exhausted the Narrator got during the Damsel path, and I thought there was a very quiet, profound power in the Prisoner version of the Princess. She had an austere, quiet pride to her, tinged with an undeniable sorrow.

I really do appreciate the variety of ways they provide for one to approach your dialogues with the Shifting Mound after every loop. They really create a lot of space for the player to decide how they feel about her. Even if it sort of bothered me that every time there was a choice to tell her you would slay her once it was all over, I appreciate the option being there. (And, again- the sheer amount of dialogue!! Sheesh!)

Lastly, the finale. It was incredible, going through all of the forms, reliving all of the choices you made. But this is the part that the amount of options started to detract from my experience.

Again- I love that they left a lot of space for people to decide how they feel. I like the amount of responses provided, and I get the impression they don’t change the final choice in any way, just the dialogue she says to get to it.

But it bothered me that there was an option to just…opt out of seeing every vessel, either by submitting to her or by killing her. I can’t see a world where anyone playing a finale like this would WANT to cut the big final movement short. It seems silly.

The payoff was worth it, though. It was a beautiful end and one that definitely will stick with me.

(And Obviously I decided to take her hand and remain endless with her! How could I not!)

Mechanical Musings

Note: I am a dabbler in Ren’Py, but I have been a dabbler for over a decade, and I went to college for game design. (You’re allowed to laugh) I’m not GOOD at programming, and I forget the class names for basically everything unless I’m looking at it.

All of this is all to say I am PURELY speculating on how certain parts of the game were accomplished.

UI/Display/Visuals

The choice to omit a typical text box was an objectively correct one for this game, in no small part to how they decided to do the visuals on this game. It kept the game looking clean and drew the eye to the stunning visuals. The right aligned prompt box similarly aided in that respect, and I think that being forced to scroll down to resist during certain tense sequences was a great touch. Makes me wonder if there’s a timed element on those responses.

The choice to eschew using typical talk sprites (outside of The Long Quiet scenes, the sequence with The Damsel, i thiiiiink the confrontation in the basement maze, and the finale) in favor of using scenes/displayed images really aided in the storybook vibes, and the animated loops they had on those images gave the pencil work an amazing kinetic energy for the scenes where the princess is just standing or sitting still. (For the uninitiated- It’s incredibly simple to program animation loops using static images in RPY, but I’m not clear if that the most memory-efficient way to do so; I’m going to assume they did this though)

The menu Ui is what gives it away as Renpy to me, but you know, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, lol.

I’m sort of surprised there wasn’t anything like a scene viewer or gallery that unlocked at the end, but I guess that might sort of be immersion breaking.

Gameplay

Just from my hobbyist eye, I can tell there’s a looooott of dialogue flags in this one, where they track previous things you’ve said in the scene. There is absolutely a variable for “Princess hostility,” just based on the fact there’s several like reads of her answering the questions you can ask in chapter one, but since I only did a single run where I didn’t pick up the knife in chapter 1, I can’t be sure if it’s points based or binary “has knife = true.”

My guessssss about how the Aspects are inherited is that it might be a point based system combined with a flag indicating how you died; this would explain how I inherited “the paranoid” in ch2 my first run, but never after that.

I can say with almost complete certainty from the way it completely locked me out of deciding to leave the princess locked up after my choice to leave the woods that there is a true/false variable tracker for each path that stores if you’ve reached the Long Quiet or not, bc no matter what I did I could NOT do that again. Either that or there’s a flag where the narrator will lock you downstairs after seeing that screen once.

There’s also probably some variables tied to your appearance changing in the mirror, but i would need to double check achievements to be sure that text isn’t just set to appear after X vessels being provided.

There’s also a distinct possibility there are different “pools” for the princess’ aspects to be pulled from after each “level” of ascension; this would set it up so that it’s impossible for you to end with an event that is only 1 loop long, and it would be easier to assure story pacing that way.

(Ex: “If Vessels < 2, use Event_Pool_A, Else use Event_Pool_B”, where pool A contains vessels that use less than 2 loops to complete)

All in all, if I ever got the chance to crack the hood open on this, I would. I highly recommend it.

#bluerose txt #slay the princess #game thoughts #bluerose reviews

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saucy-mesothelioma · 5 months

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In honor of my partner and I finishing our first Slay the Princess playthrough, I started a little project against my better judgment and wanted to share a little bit of it. This bit contains spoilers for the beginning of The Nightmare's route as well as how you get on the route in the first place. I've already written for The Tower as well as the offshoots of The Fury and The Apotheosis, but The Nightmare is my girl and I love her, hence why I'm posting what I've written for her so far. It didn't format well from the doc to Tumblr, so just be warned that there's a few giant blocks of text below the cut

He sits in front of you, weaponless and vulnerable as he gives his interrogation. But you do not strike. Instead, you play the victim. There’s no reason to make this harder than it needs to be, and if you can convince him to simply free you, that would make things far more simple. You maintain your facade of the defenseless and scared princess, taking extra care to assure that your voice never loses that pathetic waver. You’re certain that he finally believes you and that you’re about to be set free from these confines, but then he makes the suggestion of keeping you down here to chat. That is enough to make you lose your patience. Your face immediately drops the big doe-eyes and trembling lip to be replaced with a look that is far more cunning and threatening. You assure him that one way or another, you are getting out of this cabin. And if he doesn’t help you, he won’t like what happens. If it’s from dropping the act or testing your threat you aren’t sure, but he makes the decision to simply walk out and leave you here. Your voice shakes with barely-contained hatred as you watch him leave and hear the door to the basement shut, leaving you alone and cold in the dark once more. You start to hyperventilate, adrenaline born from fear and anger coursing through your veins. You have spent your entire existence trapped in this godforsaken basement, and when you finally meet another living creature, someone who could’ve been your hope and salvation, they turn away and abandon you. You can’t do this anymore. You can’t be alone. You won’t be alone. You refuse to be alone. And as your fear and panic and anger rises, you let out a piercing wail that could shatter glass. You free yourself from your chains and make a frenzied dash for the stairs. You trip over yourself as you scramble to reach the door, your nails leaving scratches in the old wood as you grab onto anything to maintain your ascent. And when you finally reach the door, you pound on it and throw yourself against the wood. He’s blockaded the door, you can tell because of the resistance every time you smash your body against it. But you refuse to stop even as bruises begin to blossom over your skin and splinters dig into your flesh. You will not be abandoned again, and you will do whatever is necessary to keep that from happening.

You call out to him as you bang on the door, your voice broken and crazed. You all but beg to be let out, assuring him that this door can’t hold you for long and suggesting that he get on your good side. When he doesn’t respond, you increase your efforts tenfold, threatening to tear him apart. You will never forget what he’s done to you, nor will you ever forgive it. And then he has the audacity to call you a monster, for putting on an act. Your mind reels at that accusation, and your voice begins to grow hoarse as you accuse him right back of teasing you with the fresh air and freedom you so desperately crave. He doesn’t answer once more, and you bite back a scream of despair as you throw yourself against the door again and again and again and again. You don’t know how long you abused your body with these repetitions, but finally the door gives way and you burst through to the other side. You stand there for a moment, breath coming in ragged, wheezing pants as you crumple to the ground. Your body aches with every breath and you can’t stop trembling. Your throat is raw from the screaming and your hands are bleeding, nails horribly broken and fingers and palms covered with splinters. Your wavy hair is matted with sweat, dust, and blood. But none of that matters, because you can feel the night air through the windows of the cabin.

You choke out a sob of relief as you sit there, letting the tears fall down your face. You’re finally free. But your job isn’t done yet. When your eyes clear, you can see him asleep against the opposite wall, and your heart is filled with a cold vengeance. You could easily kill him now, but you want to make him suffer for what he did to you. As you stare at his sleeping body, something in you snaps. You twitch, and your body twitches with you, blinking in and out of existence. So he thinks you’re a monster? Well, then you’ll make him wish this was a nightmare. When he wakes up, he’s immediately in a panic as he notices the door is now ajar. And then you appear before him, grinning madly. His terror intensifies, and you can feel it feeding directly into your newfound ability. As you move closer, blinking in and out of reality like a ghost, you notice that he is quite literally paralyzed with fear. Your manic grin widens, and you taunt him. You’re going to play with him. And you’re going to make it last. As you move forward step by step, you can feel his organs shutting down one by one due to your mere proximity. As his lungs and heart finally cease, you look down at his still body and can’t help but be disappointed. He didn’t last as nearly as long as you’d hope to get your revenge, but at least he’s dead. You have lost your toy, but you have gained your freedom. Or so you thought. The cabin wouldn’t let you leave, even if you tried to drag his body with you. You’ve been abandoned once again.

You awaken to find that your basement has become a dark and barren wonderland. It is filled with shifting shadows and watching eyes: the perfect playground. You feel his presence the second he steps into the basement, and you smile. Your toy has come back to play, and you’ll make sure that he doesn’t break so quickly this time. Even though you’re nowhere near him, you tease and taunt him, letting him know just how much you look forward to playing with him once more. He descends further into your maze and cold joy spreads through your body. You have your toy back, and you’re going to ensure that he will never leave you again. And when he turns right, you finally come face to face with him. You approach him, and already his body begins to shut down. The power you had gained before has increased dramatically, although there are a few setbacks. Your body is unstable and acts more like a phantom as you float and blink in and out of reality at a far more rapid pace than when you started. But to say you didn’t like it would be a lie; you’re far more terrifying this way. And terror is exactly what you need from your little toy. You’re barely inches from his face now, and he almost collapses as his organs immediately fail. But against all odds, he somehow manages to pull himself back from the brink of death. You’re surprised, but you couldn’t be more delighted. It’s more fun this way. He asks you questions and you answer, teasing him occasionally by coming even closer to bring him closer to death before allowing him to claw his way back. You need him alive to leave, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with him first.

#I don't really write as much as I'd like to nor do I like to share what little I do write #but this game means a lot to me so I decided to take that risk #this is just how I choose to interpret her #so if you don't agree with how I wrote her that's perfectly fine #slay the princess #stp the nightmare

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juliandev0rak · 4 years

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Cadmus Durand ⚔️

the charming assassin on the run

Introducing...

Full name: Comte Cadmus Orion François Durand

Meaning: the title Comte is the same as a count or an earl (Cadmus is specifically an earl) his first name comes from Greek mythology:

In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece. He also famously slayed a dragon.

source 1 source 2

Cadmus also translates to “one who excels”

Gender: male, he/ him

Birthday: April 10th

Age (start of story): 29

Orientation: bisexual

Magic: illusions, light

Occupation: assassin

Familiar: Agatha the black mamba snake, named after Agathodaemon, a mythological personal companion spirit often pictured as a snake

Love interest: Julian Devorak, no canon route

Shippable?: very!

Theme song: Take Me Out- Franz Ferdinand

(the perfect song for him, lyrically and because the band is named after the famously assassinated Archduke)

full playlist

— ALIGNMENTS —

Zodiac signs:

Sun: aries

Moon: aquarius

Rising: capricorn

MBTI: entj

Element: fire

Major Arcana: The Chariot

UPRIGHT: Control, willpower, success, action, determination

REVERSED: Self-discipline, opposition, lack of direction

Minor Arcana: 9 of Wands

UPRIGHT: Resilience, courage, persistence, test of faith, boundaries

REVERSED: Inner resources, struggle, overwhelm, defensive, paranoia

Magic:

— Illusions: Can create minor illusions such as fake walls to hide behind or temporarily changing his appearance (hair color, facial features etc)

— Light: Can create a ball of golden light, for flashlight or distraction purposes usually

Other abilities: espionage, speaks multiple languages, skilled in various types of weapons including swords of all kinds and archery, skilled dancer

— PERSONALITY & PREFERENCES —

Personality: Cadmus is direct, confident, and decisive. He’s quick thinking and resourceful and always has a plan. He’s outwardly very charming, though he uses the information he learns from others to figure out the best way to take them down. Always vigilant and observant, Cadmus tends to see people in terms of how they can be of use to him.

He’s got a talent for making people feel like they know him, even though they don’t. He makes friends easily, though whether he would consider them friends is another matter. He also makes enemies easily, both through his job and family affiliation and through his boastful attitude. He has a bad temper and his pride is easily hurt. He likes to be the best at everything he does, and he usually is. Cadmus will rise to any challenge and has to hold himself back from fighting every battle.

When he does genuinely care for someone he is loyal, protective, and can be kind. The only people to earn this treatment so far are his younger sister Daphne, and occasionally his best friend and Captain of the Guard, Alexander Garreau.

Mental health: Cadmus is very emotionally closed off, he deals with PTSD from his childhood and vocation but generally does a great job of never letting anyone know he’s upset. His attention ranges from hyperfocus to being completely unfocused with little in between. He also has very bad coping mechanisms and tends to be self destructive in his relationships

Likes: dancing, sunny days, playing games (of any kind), sleeping in

Dislikes: indecision, lack of control, travelling by boat

Fears: small spaces (he’s claustrophobic), losing his sister

Quirks: walks with a bit of a limp from previous injuries

Favorite food: crème brûlée

Favorite drink: gin

Favorite flower: larkspur

Favorite color: black and gold

Most likely to: consider sword fighting first base

— APPEARANCE —

Height: 6’, 183 cm

Eyes: blue grey

Hair: honey blonde, curly, he often lets it grow to his shoulders

Other: has freckles everywhere, and a multitude of battle scars ranging from tiny ones on his arms to a large one on his torso, his left shoulder has a tattoo of a dragon that stretches onto his arm, he also has pierced ears

Color theme: black, gold, silver, royal blue

Fashion sense: described as “fancy goth prince / part time pirate”, his clothing is expensive, detailed, and always impeccably tailored, he comes from money and his wardrobe shows it. Cadmus wears mostly black, especially on missions, but at special events will branch into colors, usually blue or gold. He’s a fan of a classic puffy sleeve and tight pants combo.

— FAMILY & BACKGROUND —

Family:

The Durand Family Motto is “ex gladio vita” from the sword, life

Augustin Durand - father- alive | relationship: bad

Helene Durand - mother - alive | relationship: nearly nonexistent

Alastor Durand - younger brother - alive | relationship: bad, pretty much mortal enemies

Daphne Durand - younger sister - alive | relationship: best friends, slightly paternal

History:

Born and raised in the city of Avronne, Cadmus was trained as an assassin from a young age to protect his family’s political and business ventures. He’s used as a weapon, a pawn to his father the Comte d'Avronne, and sent across the world on missions to take out anyone who could threaten the family. Cadmus never questioned the things he was asked to do, simply doing as he was told to protect his life and out of a sense of duty and loyalty to his family and city.

He grew up in the luxury of the castle, going on missions as commanded until he was forced to reconsider his morals and family loyalty. He’s sent to assassinate the princess of a neighboring city to allow his family to control the line of succession in their favor. When he arrives, he finds that the princess is only 16 years old and reminds him too much of his own younger sister Daphne. When the time comes to kill, he chooses to spare her instead and faces his family’s wrath.

On the run from his family and their army of trained assassins (some of them Cadmus’ own friends and relatives) he flees to Vesuvia, a city big enough to hide in. He plans to stay for a few weeks at most, but plans change when he meets an old friend (or enemy depending on who you ask) His stay in Vesuvia is cut short when he receives word that his sister is in terrible danger.

Now Cadmus must choose whether to walk into his father’s trap to save his sister, perhaps at the cost of his own life. With the help of a certain red haired doctor he might just be able to pull it off- but sacrifices must be made.

Five facts:

he’s allergic to nuts which has nearly killed him on at least 2 occasions

he loves his horse, he’s the male equivalent of a horse girl but he’d never admit to it

he has a chipped front tooth and it gives him a slightly crooked looking smile

his familiar Agatha has deadly venom and has assisted him with taking down targets before

he fights with a sword left handed for the tactical advantage, even though he’s right handed

note: Hi hello here is my newest child, I’m very excited to share him! Special thanks to @leila-of-ravens because I stole her oc bio template lol, and thank you to all of my lovely mutuals who have listened to me gush about him 💗

#he’s here!!#cadmus durand #beas ocs #ok so maybe he’s originally inspired by westley from the princess bride #decided to do a more involved bio for him than i have for my others #he has a lot of backstory to share #this info is all subject to change but For Now!#also his original quote was 'try me bitch' but i gave him something more serious dfsjfj #his story has no ending yet but i’m hoping to write a fic series for him eventually to tell it all!

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luxusnoname · 4 years

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Glory Is A Whisper (Part One)

Summary: All his life, Braig dreamed of the honor and prestige that came along with being a hero from the stories of old. So when an opportunity to find a legendary weapon falls right into his lap, how can he say no? But if those stories are anything to go by, things never turn out quite as expected. Part one of (?) in a series. For Day 6 of @apprenticeweek : AU.

Characters/Pairings: Braig, Dilan, Aeleus, bg Dilan/Aeleus. More to come in the next part 👀

Rating: T; some alcohol and swears

Word Count: ~2.1k

Author’s Note: Will be posting part 2 tomorrow for the free day! I started writing this as a one shot but it quickly spiraled out of control. You know what they say: once you start using fantasy name generators for your towns and mountain ranges it’s all downhill from there.

~~~

Glory Is A Whisper

“I just don’t get it,” Braig pondered aloud, kicking his feet up on the rough-hewn tavern table as he tipped back precariously in his chair. “What do all of those legendary heroes have that I don’t?”

The fairy-tales always made it sound so easy. Sure, there was usually a dragon guarding the princess or some ancient necromancer with an army of undead to protect a magical artifact, but the hero's path always seemed to lay out nicely before them. Sometimes it appeared in the form of a magical mentor, sending the hero on a quest or guiding them to great power. Other times it was a prophecy, a pre-destined event that one was born and molded for their entire lives. Braig had neither of these going for him. So what then was an aspiring glory seeker to do?

Dilan, one of Braig’s only friends in the village, sighed and sloshed the liquid in his tankard around. How many times had they had this conversation before? He didn’t look up from his ale as he responded sharply.

“Manners, for starters. Feet off the table, Braig.”

The smaller man gave a dramatic groan, but obeyed. “I’m serious! I’ve got charisma-”

“Debatable.”

“-good looks-”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

“-and my skill with a bow.”

Dilan grumbled; he unfortunately couldn’t refute that. If there was anything that could be said about Braig’s potential for greatness, it would be attributed to his keen marksmanship. He was also quick and far more clever than most would give him credit for, but he often acted carelessly on impulse. His personality, boisterous and cocksure, left much to be desired.

He was a man through and through - by all accounts, the least remarkable race in the realm. And if one asked any of the villagers of Dunstead that knew Braig, he in particular was even less so.

“All I’m saying,” Braig continued, “is that there’s gotta be something more to life than… This.” He gestured to the rest of the tavern and its rowdy, drunken patrons. The irony that he was one of them went completely over his head.

Dilan scowled. “You’re the one who wanted to come here in the first place.”

“You know what I mean! Yeah, I like to come here because sometimes people come through with stories. Stories of places and treasures far away from here. But if this is all I have to look forward to for the rest of my life? What’s the point?”

“I think you’ve had too much ale and it’s muddling what little sense you have left.” He shook his head. “Perhaps it’s time we leave. I have to be at the blacksmith’s first thing tomorrow morning.”

Braig waved his hand dismissively. “I’m not nearly as drunk as you think. You can go if you want, but I’m going to stay a while longer.”

“If you say so.” Dilan stood up with a grunt, digging around in his pocket for a few silver pieces. He set them on the table. “Give these to the barkeep before you leave. Do not pocket them.”

“Give ‘em to him yourself then. Aeleus likes you better anyway.”

He watched his companion leave the tavern, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aeleus doing the same. Braig rolled his eyes. Their mutual infatuation was so obvious to everyone but each other, yet Dilan called him the simpleton. He kicked his feet back up on the table and closed his eyes, listening for any threads of conversation that might be mildly interesting.

“They’re not so much from me as they are an apology for him having to put up with you,” he quipped, with a quick glance at the ginger man behind the counter. “Besides. He’s busy right now and doesn’t need me distracting him.”

Braig shrugged. “Whatever you say, Dil. Have a good night.”

He had spent many a night like this in Dunstead’s tavern, listening to rangers and travelers and peddlers exchange stories in hopes of finding a legend to follow. Preferably something that required his skill with a bow to slay a dangerous beast or defeat a great foe. His fingers itched for a more challenging opponent than the rabbit he hunted for dinner last night.

But these were not the sorts of stories he heard. Most of them were boring and none were even close to anything he would consider legendary. Sure, killing a rabid wolf that had been slowly picking off members of a nearby village was worth some bragging rights, but where were the riches? The grandeur? He wanted recognition and reward for his efforts, but he was beginning to think the opportunity would never come.

And then the tavern door creaked open and the din of the crowd quieted ever so slightly. Braig cracked an eye open and glanced toward the newcomer. It appeared to be an older man judging by his gait, but a heavy cloak obscured his face. He wasn’t a Dunstead local, that much was for certain. More than a few pairs of eyes followed him to the bar where he seated himself. There was a heavy and distinct air of otherness about him that Braig couldn’t put his finger on. He seemed… Powerful. Important.

Maybe he’d had too much ale after all, because he didn’t even think before he stood from his own table and swiped up the money left by Dilan, making his way to the bar. He seated himself next to the stranger and beckoned Aeleus over.

“A pint of your finest for myself and this gentleman here.” Braig handed him a silver piece with a flourish. “You can keep the change.”

Aeleus nodded and set about pouring their drinks. Braig turned to the old man, who had watched the exchange passively. It was strange; even up close, he couldn’t make out any distinguishing features beneath the cowl.

“I appreciate the kindness, stranger.” The newcomer's voice came as a deep and gravely rasp. “Do you often buy drinks for weary travelers?”

“I guess you could say I’m in charge of hospitality here,” he grinned. “The name’s Braig.”

The man dipped his head in acknowledgement. “A pleasure.”

“Your drinks, gentlemen,” Aeleus interrupted, shooting Braig a brief ‘I know you’re bullshitting this man but I’m going to stay out of it’ glance before setting their tankards down and leaving to serve another patron.

Braig lifted his drink in a toast, bumping it with the stranger’s. “Welcome to Dunstead, my friend!”

As they drank, Braig got the feeling that this reclusive stranger was privy to some secret knowledge or power. He just had a feeling. And so he found himself crafting a very elaborate and very false story about how he was a famed archer in the region and basically the hero of Dunstead. He recounted a tale in which he single-handedly defended a young prince who’d been attacked by bandits while passing through the hills on the east end of the village, and was rewarded handsomely for his valor. Most of the money was donated to widows and poor families in town, of course. He peppered in other small, more believable acts of kindness as well, and the stranger listened with rapt attention.

“A shame your deeds are not known elsewhere,” the gentleman hummed at the end of it all. “It is to be expected, of course. Such heroic men are usually only acknowledged in the pages of history. But it would appear I’ve found a legend in the making.”

“Eh, maybe so,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “But helping others is a reward all its own.”

“Me? A living legend?” Braig laughed, playing up his modesty. “As if. I’m just a guy who does the right thing, regardless of reward.”

“Oh, but that selflessness is what qualifies you to be a hero,” the stranger continued. “You’ve risked your life for others with little regard for your own safety. Don’t you think that’s deserving of something more than just the respect of your fellow man?”

“But what if I told you that it doesn’t have to be?”

Braig’s façade almost cracked as whatever he’d been about to say died on his lips. His shock, however, was quickly covered up with an easy grin. He knew his act was working as intended, but he hadn’t expected to get to this point so quickly.

The man dug around in his robe for a moment before procuring a rolled parchment. He laid it on the bar to reveal a map of the realm. Braig had seen one like it once before, a traveling peddler’s map marked with safe trade routes and profitable towns. But this map… There was only one destination marked on it. An inconspicuous spot at the foot of the Skarnfell mountain range.

“Tell me, Braig, have you heard tales of Whisperwind?”

His jaw nearly hit the floor. Of course he knew of Whisperwind, as did every other child who’d ever heard a bedtime story. It was a legendary elven bow, enchanted so that as long as the target was in sight, its wielder would aim true every time. He hadn’t allowed himself to believe it was real since he was a boy that dreamed of discovering it. Most dismissed it as a legend.

The stranger gave a low chuckle. “I can tell by your expression that you have. Now, don’t you think such a weapon would be fitting for a hero such as yourself?”

“But… I thought the elves left this region long ago.”

“That is what history has told us, yes. But their last settlement before moving on, a city inside the mountain, still stands. And inside, they left behind one of their greatest artifacts.” The man pointed to the spot on the map to reinforce his point. “I’ve searched for it myself, but lack the wits I’d had in my youth. Perhaps you’d fare better?”

“I-I don’t know what to say.” They were the first honest words he’d spoken to the stranger so far, a sure sign of his shock. “I appreciate it, I do, but… Why entrust something like this to me?”

The stranger laid a hand on his shoulder, eyes beneath the cowl silently penetrating his very soul. Was that a flash of gold he saw?

“You are a great man in word and deed, Braig. As I said before, I believe you are worthy of more than just praise alone. This is your opportunity to become something more. A true legend.”

Maybe it was just Braig’s imagination, but was the man’s grip on his shoulder tighter? Or was he just nervous, already imagining the journey ahead? This was what he’d always dreamed of, after all. A legend to chase after. His chance for glory.

His destiny.

“Take this map home with you and think on what I’ve said.” He let go of Braig’s shoulder and rolled the parchment up once more. “A gift, for entertaining this weary old man with tales of valor and generosity.”

Braig stood up, tucking the map into his pocket and shaking the stranger’s hand. “Thank you, mister…” He chuckled awkwardly. “Y’know, this whole time we were talking, I never did catch your name.”

“My name is hardly important. But I’ve affixed the corner of the map with my symbol. If you discover Whisperwind and make it into the pages of history, I would like to be named in your story. My symbol will suffice for such a purpose.”

Braig nodded dumbly, head still reeling from the revelations of the past few minutes. “Yeah, of course. I’ll never forget your kindness, sir. Truly.” He turned to walk away, but stopped short. “Wait, do you have a place to stay tonight? If you don’t, it’s the least I could do to offer you mine.”

The man laughed, deep and rich. “You needn’t put yourself out on my account. I have money for a room at the inn tonight. I’ll be moving on tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, well. I bid you a good night then. And safe travels.”

“Likewise, young man.”

As Braig left the tavern, he nodded to Aeleus, who was doing his best not to make eye contact with Braig. Bless the man, he really did mind his business… Oh right, he almost forgot the tip! Braig stopped just outside the door and dug in his pocket for the silver coins Dilan left, but his fingers found nothing. Huh, maybe he’d dropped them on the way to the bar. They were probably long gone, swept up by some vulture. Not that it mattered, anyway. What was a few pieces of silver to a great weapon from the age of elves?

Braig hardly got a wink of sleep that night. The stranger told him to think it over, but he’d already made up his mind. He packed a bag and was ready to leave at sunrise. The journey would only take a week, so he really had nothing to lose. The most difficult part would be the day spent navigating through Willowmire forest at the northern border of Dunstead. But as long as he stuck to the path, he’d be fine. He had to be, for his destiny awaited him.

#apprenticeweek2020 #kingdom hearts #braig #dilan #aeleus #nobody asked for a fantasy au #but i'm writing it anyway #actually this all was inspired by a single fe character from a game I never played lmao #embarrassingly enough #maybe i will elaborate on that later. we shall see #Xigbar/Braig #Xaldin/Dilan #Lexaeus/Aeleus

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