Community Game: Long Live the Queen XXIV (Fatal Finally Dies (Fatally))

Fatal: :) Being declared the BEST in front of everyone in the domain is the BEST possible prize.
Joslyn: Very well. I will draft the announcements.

Dear Diary,

After I talked with my ever-affectionate father, I wandered back to my room. That same creepy hall I mentioned previously was being creepy again. This time, all the flowers in the window vases were dead. I...think they were alive when I had gone that way that morning.

(You fail a Divination + Decoration check.)

I think, for the sake of my sanity, I'm going to blame Alice. Speaking of which, she brought me yet another gift this afternoon.

"Your Highness," she said, giving me a brightly-colored box, "A present has arrived from Kigal."

"From the Duke? I guess he heard his poisoned pillow trick did not work."

"No, it's from a merchant house."

(You fail a Trade + Production check.)

"That's okay, then." I grabbed the package and ripped off the paper to reveal...CHOCOLATE!!!

(You gain Cheerful +1.)

"They look lovely, your Highness." She paused and said tentatively, "They're not even in...unusual shapes."

"Alice, I'm shocked. Are you trying to develop a sense of humor?"

She thought about it. "That depends."

"It's a start. And don't worry, I'm not going to kill you today either. Not for that, anyway. Sadly, though, you're right. It seems the Castle Pervert and I have had a falling out. We were getting along so well...."

"What kind of chocolates, Your Highness?"

I studied the lid. "Lavender, Blood Orange, Caramel, Lychee, Curry...oh, here's one that's just chocolate."

(You fail a Court Manners skill check. You fail a Dog Handling skill check.)

I popped it in my mouth. Diary, it was absolute heaven. I haven't had such lovely chocolates since my thirteenth birthday party. It had a thin, snappy shell and a smooth creamy center, and it was big enough to fill my hand.

...

...

...

...

At this point, I would write more, but my Diary seems to have disappeared.

"Hi," said my mother. She was standing beside me. At first, I was too shocked to do anything, and then I finally hugged her, but it was awkward. I mean, I've been at boarding school since I was six, and then, well, she died, and all. We haven't spent a lot of time together, is what I'm saying.

She kissed me on the forehead and stroked my hair, running her fingers through to the ends and picking up a strand. "Pink?" she said. Geez, Dead Mom, it's cool, okay?

I smoothed my hair back down and said, "So...." but I kinda had to stop there.

"So you died," she filled in.

"What? When?!"

"Just now."

"I was writing my diary..." I thought aloud.

"And then you dropped it for all the thrashing and foaming at the mouth that came next."

"I don't remember that at all! Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure...I just thought you could skip all that and pop up here a little early."

"No, Geez, Mom, Queen Mom, it's nice of you, but I don't want to die yet. I might survive????"

"Oh no," she said thoughtfully, "I don't think that would have had happened considering what orifice your spleen just oozed out of."

"Ugh," I said.

"Exactly," she said. "So, here you are. You were poisoned, by the way."

"What?! But I took so many poison classes."

"And yet you still failed that last critical skill check."

(You fail a Poisons skill check.)

"What does that mean?" I asked, but my mother just floated there looking ethereally smug.

"Okay, who poisoned me?"

"I'm not quite sure. It was one of the thirty-nine people who wanted to kill you personally, or maybe just a political murder."

"Well, shoot." I thought about it. "Thirty-six weeks as queen, though. That's got to be some kind of record. For brevity. At least I will be remembered."

"Well, you were never actually crowned, so..."

"Okay, so, fine, I get to meet the Good Lady now, or what?"

"Well, about that. You didn't exactly manage to become enlightened during your life, did you?"

I rubbed my hands nervously. "Was there a class in that? Look, I only had thirty-six weeks." Plus fourteen years, I added silently to myself. Desperately, I tried to think of something impressive. "Ooo, I did learn to blow up people with my mind!"

My mother looked shocked and appalled, "You've been doing that!?"

"Who me? No, no. I wouldn't do that. Why, it's so, so wrong. I would...never...do that. I...didn't...do that?"

"A Lumen should live to serve her people, not blow people up!"

"I will get right on that, as soon as I can get back to being alive. Is there a form to fill out?"

My mother sighed. "Fortunately, despite your lack of good deeds, your achievements towards becoming a magical being qualify you for reincarnation...unless you want to stay here and mediate on the nature of reality."

"Well, that's out. What are my reincarnation options?"

"Right now, the only magical being we have available is a terrible beast of darkness whose very name--"

"I'll take it!" I said.

My mother sputtered. "Fatal! Take the rabbit instead. You'll be perfectly...innocuous."

"Geeze, Mom. I'm not a little girl anymore. I've spent most of the year in constant danger honing myself into a killing machine. I sat in that stupid strategy classroom so many times, and the teacher wouldn't even let me wear my Magical Girl costume, and I had to listen to the Countess and the Priestess titter at each other day after day while I practiced. And I had to wear a corset, and curtsey, and dance with Dad, and every single person I knew hated me. No, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm a terrible beast of darkness. Hopefully. As soon as possible. Whenever it's convenient."

So that's why I'm a Keythong now, a beast who's very name is....pretty ridiculous. But man can I rampage. My claws are named Terror and Destruction, my wings are Overshadowing, and my Maw is Hell, but my Tail is pink, because, dammit, I can do what I want now.

I guess this is the end, Diary. I'm an immortal beast of horror, you're a book, and written in you was a list of people whom I needed to revenge myself upon. Do you remember? I need to go work on that.

You have earned the achievements:

1. Died at least once
2. Transformed into a Lumen
3. Ordered an assassination
4. Been poisoned
5. Reincarnation as a Keythong

Thanks for playing, guys! It's been fun.

Player:  ugh. That's just nonsense. I don't approve of games where you lose for failure to do things you did.  (Namely, preparing well for the possibility of being poisoned.)

Me:  Sorry. I'm sad too, but I tried to make Fatal's ending at least entertaining. You guys managed to luck your way past vast numbers of unfair deaths. I'm surprised you made it this far, but making it this far makes the game seem like it just suddenly turned unfair. Believe me, it was unfair all along.  (several likes)

Player:  d*** I really want to beat this d*** game now. It was kinda fun  (lots of likes)

Community Game: Long Live the Queen XXIII (The Last Few Decisions Before Death)

You finally get around to visiting your mother's tomb. It's about as depressing as you expected. Your mood is now Willful (Angry 3, Willful 4, Lonely 4).

Fatal's Diary:

Alice said to me today, "Your majesty, I--"

"What?!" I replied. "Again with the mysterious boxes."

"No, ma'am!" said Alice, "I made absolutely sure it was from the General."

"Oh, no. The Castle Pervert didn't send me _anything_ this week?"

"The Ca--"

"Unless???" I unwrapped the box. Diary, the General is not the Castle Pervert. The box contained a military uniform. Not that kind. "Well, well," I said, "Red and black waistcoat with gold trim and epaulets. White cummerbund and jodhpurs, riding boots, a saber...holder..." (I'm going to get back to sword training any week now.) "Wait a minute! Alice, black hairbows are not part of the official uniform."

"Maybe they are for...the queen?"

"Alice..."

"I swear it's from the general, Your Majesty! He said he'll eat his athletic supporter before he lets you parade in front of the men in your underwear one more time."

"I wasn't parading!" I replied. "I merely had on underwear and was walking."

"Regardless, Your Majesty."

"I know! I'll wear my Magical Girl outfit once more so I can see this spectacle the General was promising."

"Oh, no, no, no.......I mean, Your Majesty, miss, please, no."

I guess Alice is not the Castle Pervert either. Darn. She was on my short list.

You are now wearing: Uniform (since your military skills are lower than your Lumen skills). Let me know if you want to change it.

You take Sense Magic for a new score of 48.48 and Wield Magic for a new score of 94.79. You can now remotely manipulate light and create light explosions, causing burns and blindness.

Event:

Joslyn: I have more unpleasant news. Soldiers from "Talasse have crossed the border into Elath and are pushing towards the ducal seat. The Duke of Sedna insists that he is the rightful heir and the territory belongs to him. Your newly-appointed Duke requests additional military support and supplies.

(You gain Pressured +1).

Fatal: Fine.

Joslyn: You also have some letters.

Fatal: (Another letter from Briony. Why? We were never even friends. She says she's bored and lonely and looking forward to seeing me at Gwenelle's birthday party. Gwenelle is about to turn fifteen! She'll be the Duchess of Sudbury now. The other letter is my invitation to her birthday celebration next week. Gwenelle and I were friends in school, and this is a big event, but it's also a long way to travel. A lot can happen on the road.)

(You fail a Divination check.)

1. Go to Sudbury for Gwenelle's party.
2. Send regrets.


Fatal: *sigh* I'd better stay here.

You Attend Service during the weekend as it is your only option to remain Willful.

Fatal's Stats
Mood: Willful (Angry 2, Willful 4, Lonely 3)
Powers: Lumen
Outfit: Uniform (+10 Military) (Your other options are Catsuit (Intrigue) and Magical Girl (Lumen).)
Skill List:
Agility (Reflexes 31, Dance 11.86)
Animal Handling (Falcons 15)
Athletics (Climbing 10.3)
Conversation (Court Manners 43.7, Flattery 10.0, Public Speaking 18.3)
Economics (Accounting 47.31, Trade 13.67, Production 13.67)
Faith (Divination 15, Lore 15.8)
Intrigue (Internal Affairs 67.8, Foreign Intelligence 33.1, Ciphering 36.9)
Lumen (Sense Magic 48.5, Resist Magic 52, Wield Magic 94.8)
Medicine (Poison 39.1)
Military (Strategy 41, Naval Strategy 36.9, Logistics 35.7)
Royal Demeanor (Presence 50, Composure 15.27)
Weapons (Swords 5.2)

I did not include the Outfit Bonus in the above Stats. What outfit would you like to wear this week, and what classes should you take? This week, you will not die because you did not go to the party, as you would have been arrow'd by bandits on the road. It is possible something else will kill you though.

You dutifully wear your Uniform to class and obtain the following stats. Missing Gwenelle's party increased your loneliness. You fail a Court Manners check while writing your regrets. Gwenelle's mother replies, very angry that you are ignoring them.

Fatal's Stats
Mood: Willful (Angry 2, Willful 4, Lonely 4)
Powers: Lumen
Outfit: Uniform (+10 Military) (Your other options are Catsuit (Intrigue) and Magical Girl (Lumen).)
Skill List:
Agility (Reflexes 31, Dance 11.86)
Animal Handling (Falcons 15)
Athletics (Climbing 10.3)
Conversation (Court Manners 43.7, Flattery 10.0, Public Speaking 18.3)
Economics (Accounting 47.31, Trade 13.67, Production 13.67)
Faith (Divination 15, Lore 15.8)
Intrigue (Internal Affairs 67.8, Foreign Intelligence 33.1, Ciphering 36.9)
Lumen (Sense Magic 48.5, Resist Magic 52, Wield Magic 94.8)
Medicine (Poison 39.1)
Military (Strategy 41, Naval Strategy 58.9, Logistics 58.16)
Royal Demeanor (Presence 50, Composure 15.27)
Weapons (Swords 5.2)

Choose your weekend activity:

1. Visit the Royal Treasury (???)
2. Attend court (+2 Yielding, +1 Depressed + 1 Pressured)
3. Explore Castle (+1 Lonely, +1 Afraid)
4. Visit Tomb (+1 Depressed, +1 Afraid)
5. Attend Service (-1 Angry)
6. Walk in Garden (+1 Lonely, +1 Cheerful)
7.Play Sports (+1 Angry, - 1 Lonely)
8. Sneak out (+2 Willful, +1 Lonely)
9. Play with toys (+1 Yielding, +1 Lonely, +1 Cheerful)
10. Visit Dungeon (+1 Willful, +1 Angry)
11. Tour Barracks (-1 Willful, + 1 Pressured)

Then, choose your classes and outfit for the week.

You visit the Dungeon, still wearing your uniform. You take Reflexes and Sense Magic classes. You now have Reflexes 43.51 and Sense Magic 74.38. You can now sense old magic and can learn something about when the spell was cast.

Alice: The new Duke of Lillah has sent you a gift.
Fatal: What is it?

It's a finely-embroidered cushion with a design of a running horse. It clearly required hours of work, but it's also...useless. Or is it? Does he know you had his mother killed? Is it some sort of message? Is it trapped, perhaps poisoned?

You throw the pillow across the room. (+1 Afraid) Tomorrow you'll have it quietly destroyed.

Dear Diary,

I mentioned previously that I had ordered my first assassination. Turns out there are repercussions. I'm not sleeping well... I did give the assassin, whose name is Gus, a medal for Excellence in Assassination. I designed it myself! Don't worry; I told him not to show it to too many people...

Oh, also, the Duke of Sedna invaded. Geez, how many ways do I have to say no?! Turn a guy down once, and he starts invading your country. Well, twice. I did boot him out of the succession, but that was totally justified. The new Duke I appointed in his place sent me a costly commemorative pillow. If it's some kind of message, I can't read it. Is he calling me a horse? Is he the horse? Did Gus rat me out??! Maybe the medal was a bad idea.

 

You visit the treasury, or at least you try. Scaffolding is everywhere, and it is even more heavily guarded than before while the walls are being rebuilt. (You partially succeed on an Accounting check and fail a Presence check.) The old guard is dead, and the new guard won't let you in either.

Fatal: grumpy emoticon (Anger +1, Willful + )

You have 10 weeks until your coronation, should you live that long. You may now decide your classes and your outfit for the week.

Fatal's Stats
Mood: Willful (Angry 3, Willful 5, Lonely 4)
Powers: Lumen
Outfit: Uniform (+10 Military) (Your other options are Catsuit (Intrigue) and Magical Girl (Lumen).)
Skill List:
Agility (Reflexes 43.5, Dance 11.86)
Animal Handling (Falcons 15)
Athletics (Climbing 10.3)
Conversation (Court Manners 43.7, Flattery 10.0, Public Speaking 18.3)
Economics (Accounting 47.31, Trade 13.67, Production 13.67)
Faith (Divination 15, Lore 15.8)
Intrigue (Internal Affairs 67.8, Foreign Intelligence 33.1, Ciphering 36.9)
Lumen (Sense Magic 74.4, Resist Magic 52, Wield Magic 94.8)
Medicine (Poison 39.1)
Military (Strategy 41, Naval Strategy 59.4, Logistics 58.16)
Royal Demeanor (Presence 50, Composure 15.27)
Weapons (Swords 5.2)

You cannot learn History this week due to your mood penalty. Royal Demeanor is at a heavy penalty, but some learning is possible.

You raise your Poison score to 50, hitting the skill cap. Your Strategy skill is now 65.96.

Evant:
Alice: The Duchess of Mead, Your Highness.
Fatal: Show her in.
Corisande: I'm sorry to trouble you, but have you seen Briony?
Fatal: smile emoticon Not since I left school.
Corisande: She's gone missing from school. I know she was unhappy, but I didn't expect...
Fatal: She wrote me a letter saying she was bored and wanted adventure, but that's all I know.
Corisande: Oh...oh, dear. I hope she hasn't done anything foolish. My poor little lamb...I have to go look for her.

Choose your weekend activity:

1. Visit the Royal Treasury (???)
2. Attend court (+2 Yielding, +1 Depressed + 1 Pressured)
3. Explore Castle (+1 Lonely, +1 Afraid)
4. Visit Tomb (+1 Depressed, +1 Afraid)
5. Attend Service (-1 Angry)
6. Walk in Garden (+1 Lonely, +1 Cheerful)
7.Play Sports (+1 Angry, - 1 Lonely)
8. Sneak out (+2 Willful, +1 Lonely)
9. Play with toys (+1 Yielding, +1 Lonely, +1 Cheerful)
10. Visit Dungeon (+1 Willful, +1 Angry)
11. Tour Barracks (-1 Willful, + 1 Pressured)

You tour the barracks. You now have 8 battalions and 2 platoons, decreased slightly due to the incursion of the Duke of Sedna. Your mood is now Willful (Angry 3, Willful 4, Lonely 3).

You are wearing your Uniform (+10 to Military). Other options are Magical Girl (+10 to Lumen) and Catsuit (+10 to Intrigue).

Your military and Lumen skills follow, not including any bonus:

Strategy 66
Naval Strategy 59
Logistics 58
Sense Magic 74
Resist Magic 52
Wield Magic 94.8

You are unable to study History this week. You also have big penalties in Royal Demeanor and Economics. Your biggest bonus is to Lumen, then Military, then Intrigue.

What classes do you want to take?
What outfit do you want to wear?

 You now have Logistics 84.57 and Running 10.94.

Event: As you are walking through the castle, a freak gust of wind blows out every candle in the hall. (You fail a Divination skill check.)

Fatal: How strange. Someone must have left a window open...somewhere.

Your mood is now Willful (Angry 3, Willful 4, Lonely 3).

You have the usual choices for the weekend.

Your mood is now Willful (Angry 4, Willful 5, Lonely 3).

Fatal's Stats
Mood: Willful (Angry 2, Willful 4, Lonely 4)
Powers: Lumen
Outfit: Uniform (+10 Military) (Your other options are Catsuit (Intrigue) and Magical Girl (Lumen).)
Skill List:
Agility (Reflexes 31, Dance 11.86)
Animal Handling (Falcons 15)
Athletics (Climbing 10.3, Running 10.9)
Conversation (Court Manners 43.7, Flattery 10.0, Public Speaking 18.3)
Economics (Accounting 47.31, Trade 13.67, Production 13.67)
Faith (Divination 15, Lore 15.8)
Intrigue (Internal Affairs 67.8, Foreign Intelligence 33.1, Ciphering 36.9)
Lumen (Sense Magic 74.4, Resist Magic 52, Wield Magic 94.8)
Medicine (Poison 50)
Military (Strategy 66, Naval Strategy 59.4, Logistics 84.6)
Royal Demeanor (Presence 50, Composure 15.27)
Weapons (Swords 5.2)

Please select two classes and an outfit.

You don your Magical Girl outfit and dutifully avoid your Military teachers. You now have Swords 15.89 and Divination 27.8.

Fatal: Things have been so unsettled lately. Everyone is on edge. We need something cheerful.
Joslyn: You could hold a tournament.
Fatal: Good idea! grin emoticon Knights, jousting, music...all sorts of competition. Everyone loves a contest.
Joslyn: What will you offer as prizes to the winners?

What should you say?

1. Status and praise.
2. Employment.
3. Gold