You run up the stairs of the tower. The time has come. Dark Lord Vhapesh, the man responsible for the deaths of millions, conqueror of the known world, the one who exterminated the elves and whose highest ranking general killed your father lies just before you. You are Adam, a paladin, and you bring with you Maria, the sorceress, Deepak, the thief, Jezebelle, the druid, and Antioch, the warlock. You lead the party, a sword in your hand that glows with bright white light. You don't even stop for the door, bashing it down with your shoulder as you enter the top room where the Dark Lord sits.
"Oh, hello. Fancy a cup of tea?" An old man, rather scrawny, sits at a coffee table with teacups laid out. He seems to have politely refrained from drinking any before your arrival. "My vizier told me that I had guests arriving. I do hope that you enjoy jasmine tea. Please, have a seat."
>"Are you Vhapesh?"
>"Oh, um, okay. Thanks."
>"You'll pay for your crimes against humanity!"
>>43598309
>>"Are you Vhapesh?"
>>43598342
"You you Vhapesh?" You ask, holding your sword up.
"Oh, well, I suppose I am. You get so used to the whole 'my lord', or 'your highness' thing that sometimes you forget your name."
The old man smiles, his teeth yellow or missing. This guy has to be at least 90. Nothing like the stories of that dark lord who conquered the lands.
"Come in, come in," he says, waving his hand. "There's no reason to be hostile, is there?"
Maria looks at you as Vhapesh motions for you all to sit and drink some tea.
>Nod, taking a seat.
>"You'll pay for your crimes against humanity!"
>Detect Evil.
>"Enough talk! You die now!"
>>43598469
You have my attention. Least for now.
>>43598469
>>Detect Evil.
>>43598790
Your name remind me too much ofRepublic commando quest;_;
>>43598469
>Detect Evil.
Where'd the vote go!
>>43598831man you don't even know the sad I have over that. Goodnight Commando.
>>43598920
>>43598831
Guys, he confirmed it's coming back.
Like literally minutes ago.
Holy shit my fuckin timing.
>>43599233
!!!!
>>43598920
>>43598831
>>43598790
"You have my attention. Least for now."
You call upon the power of your gods to detect evil in the room and find that, yes, the old man is radiating evil. He doesn't seem to be malicious, though.
"I can feel one of your divine magical tricks, sir. Is there any need to be so paranoid?" He leans back in his chair. "Now, as I said, there's no reason to be hostile. I am trying to be courteous. The tea is beginning to cool." He takes a sip from his cup.
>Take a seat and have some tea.
>Charge in with your weapon.
>"Why should I trust you?"
>Write-in
>Take a seat and have some tea.
>>43599290
>>Take a seat and have some tea.
>>43599308
>>43599406
You sit down. The chair is remarkably comfortable, made of elven silk. You sit the tip of your sword on the ground and lean back, and your companions also join you in sitting down.
"Drink, please," the Dark Lord says, pouring tea into cups. He sets one in front of you. You look down into your tea, contemplating what poisons might be held inside.
Your companions nervously look at each other before Jezebelle takes a drink.
"The tea is quite nice, thank you," she says.
"Don't even mention it, my dear," Vhapesh says. "Now, I believe you came here for a reason."
>"We came here to kill you."
>"We came here to set the lands you control free."
>"We came here to destroy your empire."
>Write-in
>>43599413
Well honestly I didn't expect you to be this civil. It kinda has thrown me off. And the tea is poisoned isn't it? Otherwise yeah here to end you evil and all that.
>>43599413
"I want to hear your side of this story. How much of it is your work?"
>>43599442
>>43599502
"Well honestly I didn't expect you to be this civil. It kinda has thrown me off. And the tea is poisoned isn't it? Otherwise yeah here to end you evil and all that."
"Of course the tea isn't poisoned! I'm a king, not an assassin. Besides, that would be very rude." He winks at Maria. She covers her mouth with her hand to hold back a smile. "End my evil, you say? Well, I can't really have that, I'm sorry to say."
"This is ridiculous," Antioch says, sipping his tea.
"Of course, evil is a relative term, isn't it?"
"I've seen what your armies have done. Innocent men, women, and children dead. The elves! How much of it is your work?" You cry out.
"All unfortunate circumstances, I know. But I am the king here, and ruling a kingdom is hard. Always with the trade disputes and wars. It can be quite tiring, you know, and over time it leads to the loss of a great deal of life. So, while my tactics have been... unconventional, I hope that you and I will see eye to eye soon enough."
>"How can you answer for the lives you've ended?"
>"Tell us more. How can you convince me that you're some kind of innocent?"
>"I've heard enough. It's time for you to meet your end."
>Write-in
>>43599646
>>"Tell us more. How can you convince me that you're some kind of innocent?"
Also this is really good tea.
>>43599665
You sip your tea. "Tell us more. How can you convince me that you're some kind of innocent? Also, this is really good tea."
"I hoped you would like jasmine tea. Yes, the loss of life has been tragic, but don't you understand? There is only one city left on this planet that is not under my rule. In the places I've taken over, disease is at an all time low, there's nearly no crime in the streets, and if this world is unified under one banner, we won't have to worry about future wars. The amount of people saved by my actions will be countless."
"But the people you've killed must have justice."
"Must they? Each time one of my armies went to a city or village, the people were given a choice. Either stand by my side and build a better world, or be forced into submission. While you and your kind may think of my actions as evil, everything that I have done has been for the greater good."
>"Why shouldn't I kill you now, to avenge those who died by your hand?"
>"These people aren't united, they're under the iron fist of a tyrant!"
>"What you're saying makes sense. But why haven't you killed us yet?"
>Write-in
>>43599765
>>"What you're saying makes sense. But why haven't you killed us yet?"
>>43599819
"What you're saying makes sense. But why haven't you killed us yet?"
"I'll admit, you and your group has stirred up a bit of trouble for me. But you are young, determined individuals! And, to be honest, I can't rule an entire planet on my own. I'll need officials ruling individual states within this new world, and since you've killed all of my officials so far, perhaps you would take their place."
"You want us to become overlords in your empire?"
"It's the best way. You know the people of this land, and you can convince them that this is all for the greater good. They trust you, and would live under you willingly."
>"There's no way we would live under your tyranny! Die, monster!"
>"Why wouldn't we kill you and return things to the way they used to be?"
>"I'm thrilled by the offer, thank you."
>"Or we could just kill you now and take your place. The work's done for us already."
>>43599999
>>"I'm thrilled by the offer, thank you."
>>"But we could just kill you now and take your place. The work's done for us already."
>>43600299
"I'm thrilled by the offer, thank you. But we could just kill you now and take your place. The work's done for us already."
"You could, yes. An honorable paladin allowing himself or his companions to kill an old man with no means of defense."
"It could be worth it."
"But, consider this. If you kill me, who will deliver the message that you now rule the lands? And would you not fight amongst yourselves to gain full control? Even then, why would my armies listen to you? You would be hunted down like a bugbear and torn to shreds."
>"I see your point. Then we'll go with the original offer."
>"Enough of this. I can't abandon everything I've worked for. You die!"
>"We've faced your most powerful servants already. What can't we defeat?"
>Write-in
>>43599999
>"And then, when you die, the Empire falls apart as our heirs eventually succumb to the greed and temptation of rule. Well...Deepak's heirs anyways. You know it's true, Deepak, shut it. Anyways, assigning Overlords without having a strong, singular heir in mind will only lead to a fragmented kingdom, and all the millions slain will only have amounted to a couple generations of your vaunted 'peace'. Still a poor trade that you will be inherently unable to answer for, at that point."
>>43600447
>"I see your point. Then we'll go with the original offer."
>>43600530
this
>>43600447
>>"I see your point. Then we'll go with the original offer."
>>43600530
>>43600655
"And then, when you die, the Empire falls apart as our heirs eventually succumb to the greed and temptation of rule. Well...Deepak's heirs anyways. You know it's true, Deepak, shut it. Anyways, assigning Overlords without having a strong, singular heir in mind will only lead to a fragmented kingdom, and all the millions slain will only have amounted to a couple generations of your vaunted 'peace'. Still a poor trade that you will be inherently unable to answer for, at that point."
"Of course, I am an old man. And I may well soon die. I would be a fool not to choose an heir. Then, how about this."
"I'm listening."
"Each of you will go to rule separate states. The one who brings in the largest profit by the time of my death will take my place. Does that sound fair?"
>"Sounds fair to me. When do I start?"
>"No. You die here, now."
>Write-in
>>43600530
That
>>43600856
>"Sounds fair to me. When do I start?"
>>43600856
>And then we end up scheming against eachother, a wedge driven into the bonds we've made on our quest, cementing that whoever you choose will have to rule over disgruntled states solely by a dead man's reputation. You command armies and govern cities well, I'll grant, but you're failing where individual people are concerned.
>>43600916
this
Rolled 1 (1d2)
>>43600880
>>43600916
1 is the first one, 2 is the second one.
>>43600880
Dropping this vote
Voting for >>43600916
>>43601332
Disregard this.
>>43600916
>>43601321
"And then we end up scheming against eachother, a wedge driven into the bonds we've made on our quest, cementing that whoever you choose will have to rule over disgruntled states solely by a dead man's reputation. You command armies and govern cities well, I'll grant, but you're failing where individual people are concerned."
"Then what do you propose? Killing me would only result in mayhem across the planet. You know that."
"Well..."
>Write-in
>>43601370
We shall serve as a counsel and upon your death will all rule together. Should that function we will appoint heirs to replace us upon our deaths.
>>43601370
>"You spend your final years teaching us to rule as a democratic council elected from a select pool of qualified elites."Fantasy 'murica
