Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered her: “I mock thee not, dear child, but in very truth Odysseus is here, and has come home, even as I tell thee. He is that stranger to whom all men did dishonor in the halls. But Telemachus long ago knew that he was here, yet in his prudence he hid the purpose of his father, till he should take vengeance on the violence of overweening men.” So she spoke, and Penelope was glad, and she leapt from her bed and flung her arms about the old woman and let the tears fall from her eyelids; and she spoke, and addressed her with winged words:

"Come now, dear nurse, I pray thee tell me truly, if verily he has come home, as thou sayest, how he put forth his hands upon the shameless wooers, all alone as he was, while they remained always in a body in the house.” Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered her: “I saw not, I asked not; only I heard the groaning of men that were being slain. As for us women, we sat terror-stricken in the innermost part of our well-built chambers, and the close-fitting doors shut us in, until the hour when thy son Telemachus called me from the hall, for his father had sent him forth to call me.Then I found Odysseus standing among the bodies of the slain, and they, stretched all around him on the hard floor, lay one upon the other; the sight would have warmed thy heart with cheer.

Deianira Hippomedion

Level 1
Height: 6’3”
Age: 22

Kleos: You’re an unknown! -5 to Kleos checks. Deeds below:

Hilltop Raider (+1 Kleos).

Timae: That of a typical impoverished country noblewoman. -5 to Timae checks.

STATS:

STR - 8/20 (-1)
AGI - 5/20 (-3)
CON - 11/20 (+0)
WILL - 14/23 (+2)
INT - 15/23 (+3)
CHA - 17/23 (+5)

Regional Alignment: Thessalian Noblewoman (+1 STR, +1 AGI, + 1 CON, +3 CHA). Your training in the house of Hippomedon emphasized social skills, womanly arts (song, dance, etc) and the modest conduct expected of a noblewoman and future wife. That said, your constant (and sometimes secret) treks through the harsher Thessalian terrain for herbs, plants and various other supplies has granted you a measure of strength, agility and hardiness.

Epithets:

• Pharmakis: Providers of medicines, drugs, and various other tinctures (from Witch/Physician).

Traits:

• Dutiful – Your father, Hippomedon, insisted that you were as diligent in your own education as your brother. You get an extra stat point per level in the +2/+3 alternating pattern that Homer established.

Tier 0:
• Abercion's Grip: A lingering touch of the divine marks you – in this case, literally. The skin of your right forearm has been marked black with the icy grip of Abercion, a divinity-in-disguise who once visited your palace. He attempted to shatter your will, but you found a hidden source of strength within yourself, making you resistant to such tricks in the future. +2 bonus to WILL rolls when Deianira is attempting to resist mind-bending magic or divine influence.

Tier 1:
• Fresh Olympian Blood: +1 to all stats and regenerate 2 health per turn of combat. +3 when interacting with daemons. You can see and talk to supernatural entities without assistance. Life experiences may unlock hidden bonuses or traits over time.

• Physician: Cures, tonics and various medical therapies are your domain (+1 to INT; +3 to diagnosis/treatment attempts, stacks with Witch bonuses). Any potion, tonic, or healing agent created through the ritual process has a significant bonus to success (+3); +3 bonus to rolls to treat wounds, injuries, maladies. People, animals, or entities under your personal medical care and receiving one of your treatments make rapid recoveries (twice as fast) and weather life-threatening illnesses; you can fan the flame of life in a person on the verge of death.

>cont

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Tier 2:
Witch: The esoteric art of magic herbalism is known to few mortals. These few are almost exclusively witches. While your brother spent endless hours in the training yard, you labored through days and nights learning the ways of the Witch. Your mother had arranged for your tutelage with a mysterious woman, Spathion – how exactly she arranged for this is unclear to you (+3 INT/INT cap, +3 to CHA/CHA cap, +3 to WILL/WILL cap; -1 to all physical stats). You are knowledgeable regarding an extremely broad array of medicines, poisons, and illnesses; these same skills provide you access to all manners of creams, lotions and perfumes to enhance your physical presentation. With appropriate preparation, you may engage in occult ritualism to produce a magic spell or potion; reagents for such rituals are typically difficult and expensive to obtain.

MALII:
Women’s Frailty: Strength Reduction (-3). This malus is permanent and cannot be resolved through Deianira’s actions.
River Daimon’s Gift: Agility Reduction (-6). This malus is semi-permanent and may only be removed through narrative progress.

STATUS

HP- (8/8)

Skills:

• Witch’s Knowledge: +2 when attempting to identify herbs, plants, poisons, potions, or magic spells, also +2 to create these. Commonplace animals, plants and reagents will not require rolls to identify.
• Witch’s Aspect: +2 to all social/will rolls (under select circumstances, the social bonus may be doubled when interacting with “vulnerable” males, but this may have consequences)
• Physician: +3 to all rolls to diagnose or treat illness.
• Divine Aura: +3 when interacting with daemons. (FOB)
• Divine Regeneration: Heal 2 health per combat turn (FOB)
• Witch’s Vendetta: +2 to all social rolls, Witch rolls, hostile spell/philter effectiveness. (Currently against the River Daimon who murdered Iudas)
• More skills to be uncovered as circumstances and traits necessitate.

Personal Inventory:

• Knife of Hippomedon: 1d4 + STR + Knifeplay damage
• Hunting Bow: 1d4 + AGI + Archery damage
• Abercion’s Globe of Vapors
• Witch’s Tools: various mortars, pestles, bowls, and other needed equipment to produce all manners of tonics and tinctures.
• Physician’s Supplies: all manner of mundane bandages, knives, and such implements necessary to trait human illness.
•Current Potion Inventory: Two charges of Dionysian Frankencense, two charges of Kerberos’ Slaverings.

Current Reagent Inventory:
- Deianira’s blood (always available)
- One bundle of Nightshade.
- One Oak acorn
- Two black lambs in the fields of Hippomedon.

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>Players previously determined that Deianira will request Myrethuia, handmaiden of Lady Charima, will bring her to the Damachidean Kitchen...

Clearing your throat, you make a bashful request of slim Myrethuia:

“Would you be so kind as to direct me to the Palace Kitchens?”

Myrethuia’s eyebrows climb before she catches herself, face returning to a neutral expression. You quickly explain that you are an aspiring chef, as well as a vocalist, and expertly bring color to your cheeks with a treasured memory of an attractive suitor from long years past. For Lady Deianira, taking a personal interest in the chef’s work would be considered a true oddity – unbecoming of her station. For Pylia, however – an impoverished, unlanded noblewoman – such an interest is more of an embarrassing quirk; perhaps the passion of a woman who cares not for society expectations. Myrethuia, sensing no danger in the request (and seeming a bit impatient that her encounter with you has run longer than expected) quickly brings you to the Palace Kitchens – your troupe is left outside the Palace Gates in the company of a swiftly-summon paired of Damachidean spears.

It's not difficult to find the Kitchens themselves – following the smell is easy enough, although you allow Myrethuia to guide you for appearances. As you step within the busy kitchen, nearly quadruple the size of your palace’s, it is crowded with cooks, servants, slaves stoking the fires, many roasting goats and oxen, and guiding them all, a general of silver hair and exacting standards. In every direction, you see white-robed men and women preparing huge quantities of food at a breakneck pace - you're shocked at the raw volume of production here. You attempt to calculate the monetary value of the roasting oxen alone, and quickly give up.

The head chef of Damachides is a slender man of short stature, a commoner, but you immediately find him somewhat intimidating – his posture and a steely glint in his eye tells you that he expects total obedience within his realm – a king with a ladle. Myrethuia and yourself stand out amongst the crowd immediately, between your height and your robes. Your presence does not go unnoticed – the head chef has immediately pivoted from disciplining a heavy-set male servant in dirty robes, and is now heading your way at a high march.

Myrethuia interposes herself and catches the man before he reprimands you for entering his domain - she reminds the man of her identity, introduces you as tonight’s entertainment (at this, the chef’s stern features soften), and finally, you gather the name of the man – Thrinakos. Having smoothed things over, Myrethuia vanishes – no doubt she plans to tell Lady Charima of her discussions with you.

>>5725952

As for Thrinakos – you find unexpectedly that he is not Greek; he speaks with an unfamiliar accent, although you can understand him well enough. You politely explain that you are an aspiring chef yourself and have a passing knowledge of herbs and spices – for a woman of your charms, you find it surprisingly difficult to break through Thrinakos’ businesslike attitude. He is reticent to share details of his labors – you have heard it said that cooks and chefs can be paranoid about their methods, and that certainly seems to be the case here. Nonetheless, after some minutes, you convince the shorter man of your status as a fellow service worker, despite your noble heritage, and to bring you along a lightning tour of his empire – this providing you with ample time to make your own conversational thrust.

>What does Deianira ask of Thrinakos during her chat with him, between small talk of cooking methods, etc etc?

>Ask Thrinakos about the tensions between slaves and soldiers of the Damachidean οἶκος? His insights would no doubt be both accurate and practical given his essential role within the household. He may very well have a better read on the situation than Corcyrus or Damachides. Moderate Difficulty.

>Ask Thrinakos to provide your troupe with a large oenochoe of fine wine, a long table, a great blanket, and two exquisite kylixes – at the penultimate moment of your play, Acinus, the titular character is consumed, and his blood consumed as wine. Amply supplied, you could serve Acinus’ blood directly to Damachides and Charima. Moderate Difficulty.

>Ask Thrinakos whether Damachides or Lady Charima request special meals or desserts during feast nights, and if so, whether he might prepare a set of these delicacies? Myrethuia must have forgotten to deliver this request, you see... Thrinakos may be put off by Deianira's request here, given that she is a stranger to the household and is specifically asking for special delicacies for the Lord/Lady of the οἶκος. High Difficulty.

>Ask Thrinakos to serve very-lightly mixed wine to the audience members tonight – explain that tonight is your play’s first real performance, and having the crowd liberally intoxicated would greatly assist you in your endeavors tonight. This is somewhat of a faux-pas, given that a chef of his caliber would know how to water down wine appropriately. High Difficulty.

>Something else I haven’t thought of?

>>5725955
>Ask Thrinakos to serve very-lightly mixed wine to the audience members tonight – explain that tonight is your play’s first real performance, and having the crowd liberally intoxicated would greatly assist you in your endeavors tonight. This is somewhat of a faux-pas, given that a chef of his caliber would know how to water down wine appropriately. High Difficulty.

>>5725955
>>Ask Thrinakos to serve very-lightly mixed wine to the audience members tonight – explain that tonight is your play’s first real performance, and having the crowd liberally intoxicated would greatly assist you in your endeavors tonight. This is somewhat of a faux-pas, given that a chef of his caliber would know how to water down wine appropriately. High Difficulty.

>>5725955
>>Ask Thrinakos to provide your troupe with a large oenochoe of fine wine, a long table, a great blanket, and two exquisite kylixes – at the penultimate moment of your play, Acinus, the titular character is consumed, and his blood consumed as wine. Amply supplied, you could serve Acinus’ blood directly to Damachides and Charima. Moderate Difficulty.

>>5725955
>Ask Thrinakos to serve very-lightly mixed wine to the audience members tonight – explain that tonight is your play’s first real performance, and having the crowd liberally intoxicated would greatly assist you in your endeavors tonight. This is somewhat of a faux-pas, given that a chef of his caliber would know how to water down wine appropriately. High Difficulty.

>>5725955
>Ask Thrinakos to provide your troupe with a large oenochoe of fine wine, a long table, a great blanket, and two exquisite kylixes – at the penultimate moment of your play, Acinus, the titular character is consumed, and his blood consumed as wine. Amply supplied, you could serve Acinus’ blood directly to Damachides and Charima. Moderate Difficulty.

>>5725902
Also like the OP image very much. Exquisitely elegant.

>>5725955
>Ask Thrinakos to provide your troupe with a large oenochoe of fine wine, a long table, a great blanket, and two exquisite kylixes – at the penultimate moment of your play, Acinus, the titular character is consumed, and his blood consumed as wine. Amply supplied, you could serve Acinus’ blood directly to Damachides and Charima. Moderate Difficulty.

We need good props for the play i don't feel confident on escaping suspicion if we give it to him directly but we could slip the poison in passing over his food or something.

The poison is milky white however, would it mix and get absorbed by stuff or leave a very clear stain?

But if we want to go for inebriating the crowd there may be the chance to slip a dose of special frankincense into a brazier next to damachides.

>>5726281

>The poison is milky white however, would it mix and get absorbed by stuff or leave a very clear stain?

It’s basically quite mixable- 30mL of solution that can easily dissolve in wine, water, oil or other fluids. Careful application to physical objects is possible but the white smudging would be clearly visible against a dark background.

Deianira could definitely apply the poison directly to a person’s skin through a difficult sleight of hand check, presuming that the person is distracted.

>>5726328
As you said a partial poisoning would still be fatal though not immediate.
Will they be immediately writhing in pain on the ground or would they only feel a build up of feverish symptoms until they drop dead?

I'm not confident about sleight of hands checks ...unless for that kind of check the broken ankle malus to agility doesn't apply?

>double 1's for both deianira and damachides.
>deianira fumbles and puts the poison on her hand, decides to roll with it and slaps damachides on the back, both drop dead on the spot.
Slapstick comedy greek tragedy style.

>>5726346

>what does partial poisoning look like?

Slow build of nausea, vomiting, frothing at the mouth, seizures over 20 minutes or more. Immediately clear to all that poison is at work as the victim dies gruesomely. Skin absorption would lead to a similar process.

>what does full poisoning look like?

True ingestion in food and drink basically would lead to dizziness and collapse within two minutes - the poison hits the nervous system so hard that there’s no time for further symptoms. This could be seen as a non-poisoning death by observers.

Deianira’s ankle would not affect a sleight of hand check, fwiw.

You guys don’t need an elaborate plot or to actually use the poison, for what it’s worth. Damachides is an old man - consider the possibilities!

>>5726359
Mayhaps.

>>5726346
We likely need to get an idea of the place if we need tobget out

>>5726402
If we need to get out and we leave behind the troupe then there's nowhere in thessaly we could hide.
Best to avoid suspicion outright, giving him the poisoned chalice would work then if there's no trained physician.
Which he could have since he's rich and old... unless he's the guy in the cage because he couldn't help damachides get it up for his wife(!?)

I'm intrigued by the hint of there being other ways to seal the deal, perhaps an excess of alcohol would do him in regardless?
Or if we wore an open dress he gets a heart attack from seeing titties?
(Fishing for that patrician taste anon here)

Get 'em drunk

>>5726000
>>5726103
>>5726197

Ask for a oenochoe of wine for a prop

>>5726110
>>5726263
>>5726281

---

We appear to be tied at 3-3 - vote ends at 9pm EST tonight, lurkers, make your voice heard! I'll roll a d2 later if we're still tied.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5726478

1 = get ‘em drunk
2 = oenophile, kylixes, props, etc

Thrinakos, irritated at the beginning of the kitchen tour, soon loosens up as you feign awe and amazement for the orderly machinations of his staff. Truthfully, you’re playing a caricature of your true respect – it is actually quite impressive that a commoner man of no special heritage has an instantaneous command over hundreds of servants and slaves – remarkably, he seems to know each of his helpers by name, face and even recall personal details about all of them. The man would have made for a fantastic general, had he turned to military pursuits – but in only a few minutes, you get the impression that this would be unthinkable to Thrinakos – he appears to be a man totally at peace with his actions and his role. You’re a bit jealous – here is a person who have found his natural position in the world and needs nothing more.

Thrinakos is busy waving you alongside the butcher’s stations, where his people are expertly filleting all manner of livestock, even as young boys with urns of water continually wash away the blood and gore into channels carved into the floor. You’re tempted to ask Thrinakos to provide you and your troupe with the finest wine possible – this way, you can serve a (possibly poisoned?) kylix of Acinus’ blood to Lord Damachides during the penultimate scene of your play. As tempted as you are – there are perhaps too many risks, given that many eyes will be upon you during your performance. Not to mention – the image of yourself serving Damachides wine is perhaps not the memory you would wish to create, especially if he dies immediately at the feasting table. Surrounded by Damachideans in all directions and with no means to escape, and hobble as you are, you could very well be arrested, if not beaten down immediately on the theatre floor.

No - better to instead create a chaotic environment, one in which you may move freely and avoid significant attention. Perhaps if Thrinakos was to serve only lightly-mixed wine, a stronger concoction than typical, the audience members would become inebriated. You may have much better luck in organizing Damachides’ death following the play’s conclusion if half the audience is wobbling with drunkenness. Afterwards, too – you suspect you will have the latitude you will need to organize a subtle death for Damachides.
You gather the courage to make your request, as you stride between roaring ovens and huge vats of milk, oil and wine, and make your pitch – you call upon every bit of artistry as you simultaneously project naivety, innocence and anxiety. You beg Thrinakos to assist you, a fellow server of the nobility, in your first major performance – a healthy lubrication of the audience is critical for a comedic triumph, you insist. Simultaneously, you betray no intimation that your request is offensive to Thrinakos – you hope that this is read as true innocence from a beautiful girl with no common sense, rather than raw self-interest.

>cont

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Rolled 9, 13, 2 + 3 = 27 (3d20 + 3)

>I'm rolling for Thrinakos' WILL - he has a base WILL of 10, plus I'm adding an extra die and +3 context penalty given that you're in his kitchen requesting that he purposefully fuck up a basic part of his job.

>Deianira is applying every ounce of her womanly talents here, so I'll need TWO rolls of dice+1d20+9.

>If Deianira fails this roll, she pisses off Thrinakos, who will talk mad shit later but otherwise not screw up the play, because he's a consummate professional.

Every degree of success will apply a -1 drunkenness modifier to the WILL/INT stats of Damachides, Charima, and other audience members.

Let's see if Dionysus will be joining Deianira tonight...

Rolled 4 + 9 (1d20 + 9)

>>5726676
Everything will be funnier if people are sloshed!

Rolled 19 + 9 (1d20 + 9)

>>5726676

>>5726754
I'm already sloshed. Fuck this captcha is small.

>>5726760
>I'm already sloshed.
That explains why bakkhos blessed your roll

>>5726764
Thank the gods for their blessings eh? Since this debuff is going straight to their stat instead of their modifier it could be a pretty significant malus on their end.

>>5726779
The gods taketh and giveth away. But ya, depending on their stats the straight debuff might do us some wonders. Who knows, maybe Damachides will keel over from drinking too much, he is old and lacks FOB. Or perhaps we slip G-boy some drink and he can murder everyone here for us.

>>5726760
>Lightly mixed wine?
>My sweet girl i'm gonna serve them dyonisus own blood!
>everybody's dies of alcohol poisoning

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>>5726450
Hahaha that's me. Let's say I'm not opposed to closing out our play in the most eye catching manner.

>>5726779

Correct, the commoners in attendance will be absolutely hammered and will likely laugh at anything you say or do.

As for the nobility, they have a significantly higher WILL stat at baseline, so even drunk, they’ll be more put together.

Application of the Dionysian Frankencense should be carefully considered, given that you’ve already secured a big debuff here. The audience could devolve into total chaos if people are walking around with WILLs of <3

>>5727040
I was thinking more of an afterparty thing when the play is done and people are already hammered.
We can place the incense in the brazier then excuse ourselves to the bathroom for half an hour then come back, shove the poison down damachides gullet and retreat for the night.
Death by partying too hard.

>>5727020
Dressed to kill!
But that is better kept in reserve for when nikos comes back with the prospective husband

>>5727066

Sure, Deianira will be able to choose when/if to apply the Dionysian Frankencense.

This would be a free action on her part since it’s literally just tossing a bag of herbs into a brazier or fire and there will be tons of them around the theatre itself.

Anyways, update post for later tonight, 9pm EST if all goes well.

Nobody still hasnt heard anything from Homer?

>>5727237

Not as far as I know, I still check my quest email from time to time.

Although, I am planning to restart Trojan War Quest: νόστος in the near future (now that I have become a bit more educated in the time period and culture, and feel that I could do a serviceable job of it). Perhaps he would consider reaching out at that time?

I really do think he is still lurking from time to time based on some posts here and there over the past few months

>>5727177
>literally just tossing a bag of herbs into a brazier or fire
What a play it would be for the audience. Both utterly intoxicated and high as a kite. They might actually think Acinus is being torn apart. Do we and our play members get affected as well?

>>5727403
Everyone who breaths it gets high. But we wouldn't be drunk so comparatively we'd be better off. Still blazed though.

>>5727407
>Still blazed though.
Dionysius got the good kush. Tho blazed for ‘Nira who has FOB and somewhat better WILL is probably a mind bending trip for someone else. I wonder if either being a witch or physician would mean she has a higher tolerance. Or even Abercion grip trait could come into play.

>>5727459

Yes, Abercion's Grip trait partially mitigates the effect of the DF, good catch anon.

Deianira will only get mildly baked instead of being completely crossfaded like her guests.

>>5727477
>crossfaded
Wait does the frankincense have a similar effect to marijuana such as inhibiting the gag reflex? Because a real danger of alcohol and marijuana is alcohol-induced aspiration where a drunk person is trying to vomit but can’t, leading to them choking to death on their own vomit. Even if that doesn’t kill incomplete vomiting can lead to acid entering into the lungs and causing damage which can lead to infection and into fatal pneumonia.

>>5727497

Good question, but I'm envisaging the DF as more of a "magical" effect than a pharmacological one. the DF directly reduces WILL and releases inhibitions, but isn't psychoactive/physiologic in the same way that marijuana might be - the attendees aren't going to get high. To say this another way - people are going to feel different, LOOSER, than normal, but they haven't actually been drugged - they might just think that they're having a truly excellent time.

So anyways, I used "crossfaded" for comedic effect.

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>28 vs 16 – three degrees of success!
>Dionysus smiles upon Deianira’s plan for revelry!

Winged words escape the barrier of your teeth – and to your glee, you find that you have struck the appropriate tone, the correct phrases that soften Thrinakos’ resistance to your imposition. A strange gleam enters his eye as he listens to your impassioned request for aid – servant to servant – and his tanned visage, previously stern, rumples unexpectedly into a broad grin. Wrinkles of kindness appear in the corners of his eyes and around his mouth – and for a moment, you see the carefree boy that he must have been, before he came to Hellas.

“It has been too long since this palace was visited by Dionysus Σωτηριος, reliever of madness. Cloying paranoia has meandered through these halls for too long, Pylia. Your words are fair and orderly - a respite from the heavy manacles of discipline is needed. Your play will break the spell that has robbed the οἶκος of its pleasures!”
Thrinakos snaps his fingers and he is immediately attended to by no less than four gray-robed kitchen servants – a few seconds more, and they whirl away to the Palace’s endless number of storage rooms, to unearth the most ancient and venerable wines for tonight’s sampling. Thrinakos spends a few minutes more chatting amiably – now that the conspiracy has been struck, he seems to view you as a treasured servant of the οἶκος, rather than the stranger that you are. You thank him earnestly, before you depart the Palace itself, and make your way to the theatre. Dusk is falling about the hillside, as the purple veil of a Phoenician princess might drape itself about a chair or lounge; streams of servants, spearmen tarry about their tasks, but you catch whispers on your way:

“A play – a comedy tonight!”

and also

“Did you see the oenochoe being pulled from the stores? Thrinakos must have been moved by Dionysus himself!”

Reviewing recent events mentally, you can hardly believe your luck so far - but it seems like the gods are at your side, here in the Damachidean realm. It feels like with every step, barriers are moved aside and even the most iron-hardened hearts are softened before you: truly, the gods are cruel and kind in equal measure. Striding downhill, along the pathway flanked with lit torches and braziers, you find that your mood is buoyant – you haven’t been this pleased since before – but you cannot forget the black memory of the Stream Catastrophe, can you? The wet, cold hands of the river daimon crush against your neck even now – there is a deep place, a drowning place, within your mind that cannot be discarded – not until justice has been meted out. You shake these dreary thoughts of vengeance from your mind, as you stride into the theatre grounds.

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Per your specifications, the theatre floor contains a long table that will be needed for the penultimate scene of Acinus’ sacrifice, and your troupe has already prepared the props that will be needed – the giant grape, the various masks, the “spear” of Acinus. You find that the chorus is eager to begin – they have jitters, yes – but none of them appear to be nervous about their future performance, not even Gerasimos.

Directly beyond the theatre floor, there is a pair of long benches – no doubt, this is where the nobility will sit and feast, with excellent views of the action upon the theatre itself. Dug into the hillside itself, there are concentric rings of benches – perhaps more than two hundred people could sit amongst the stands, if they crammed closely together.

It’s not too long before harried groups of servants appear, carrying cups, bowls, knives and all manner of things to set the Nobles’ tables with; up on the hillside, you see them setting up stands. You intuit that they keep the majority of the feast above the benches of the theatre and therefore out of sight of the viewers.

A few minutes more, and the feast has appeared – efficient work by Thrinakos’ detachment, per usual. You impose yourself on a group of them and have them move one of the larger braziers onto the theatre floor, but well off to the side, so it doesn’t impede the view – it would be trivial to make your way over the brazier and apply the Dionysian Frankencense at your convenience, even during the play, if you so desired.

You and your troupe quickly eat dinner yourselves – as traveling entertainers who are not suppliants, you are essentially considered servants, and therefore it would be inappropriate to dine with Damachides and Charima. Time passes quickly as your troupe engages in a series of light vocal warm-ups – calls and responses designed to prepare them for the play itself. Meanwhile, you see that the traffic of servants about the palace grounds is beginning to thin out.

Finally – the stage is set, the feast is ready, and the (unmixed) wine is prepared in huge silverbowls. Twilight gives way to darkness. The theatre itself is ringed with torches, and there is a hush in the night air. Copper excitement floods your mouth, and you again wonder whether you might take your troupe to Phthia, maybe even Mycenae? It would be easy – to forgo the οἶκος and the petty games of marriage amongst nobility and live a quieter life of simple pleasures. Standing in the central arena, you imagine the life of a commoner – and find it welcoming.

>cont

>>5727528
How high do you need to roll to get a degree of success anyway?

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These easy dreams collapse instantly as you lay eyes upon Damachides – your prey. He strides surely down the theatre steps, offering an arm to Lady Charima in the process. Right away, you dispel the notion that Damachides is doddering or frail – there’s no mistaking that he was once a man of great and terrible strength – now, he is merely fearsome. He has retained his grace, even in his fading years, and from the set of his shoulders and his piercing eyes, you immediately grasp a keen intellect as well. Charima is a vision of beauty – decades younger than Damachides, her beauty exceeds your own, although she is much shorter. It is rare for you to encounter a woman who sparks jealousy – and yet you feel it, as she smiles in your direction – an immediate and irrational hostility seizes you.

You came here to kill an old man – euthanasia, you had imagined it - but you now realize your hubris. Even now, the Lord of the οἶκος is analyzing you, dissecting you with decades of experience, the survivor of a thousand challenges, an uncrowned King. The man commands two thousand spears, untold wealth, armies of servants – and you imagined that a girl of twenty-two could bring an end to his reign over uncountable plethrons of territory.

It’s not too late to turn back, ‘Nira. Νίκων whispers. Cast aside your bargain with Aristonax! Reveal the conspiracy to Damachides tonight, and make him your ally. Think of what could be done with him in partnership!

In your heart, you are divided. The feast begins – the wine begins to flow. Your chorus sits off the side of the arena, preparing to enter when it is time for the parodos. You adorn one of the white masks of the chorus in preparation. You see Corcyrus, the handmaidens of Charima, and various other luminaries of the Damachidean οἶκος filter into the stands, along with men you presume to be guard captains, and perhaps even a few visiting nobles of lesser importance.

If he calls your loyalty into question, you must give him Gerasimos as collateral. Νίκων’s voice, infuriatingly, ploddingly continuing despite your protestations. You shut him out - you must focus! You must perform! Betray Aristonax, 'Nira - none know of the bargain but you two conspirators!

Myrethuia is announcing you and your troupe, even as you battle within yourself – you bow gracefully to the Lord and Lady, and begin your prologue:

"Almighty Zeus of the wise counsels,
and Apollo Μουσηγετης, leader of the Muses,
be pleased! Let voices ring out in your praise,
and mortal folly bring you joy!

Amongst the rolling hills of Thessaly,
join us as King and consort cry out for relief,
and yet find none in their striving*,
lamenting their deplorable relations...

*Nira gestures with her hands to make it clear this is an innuendo

>cont

>Well, /qst/ - the play is upon us! How will Deianira proceed with the Dionysian Frankencense?

>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.

>She'll use it later, during the post-play reception in the Damachidean courtyard - this will be a more intimate setting where Deianira can speak with Damachides, Charima and other figures directly.

>She'll defer use of the Dionysian Frankencense - the flowing wine and her chorus' skills will be enough to guarantee success in tonight's activities.

>Something else that I haven't thought of?

Once this vote is cleared, I'll call for performance rolls for Deianira and her chorus (as one unit), and I'll roll for the audience/Damachides/Charima/Corcyrus overall reception.

>>5727549

Generally - 3-4 points per degree of success. However, generally - social rolls against mortals max out at three degrees of success.

Social rolls against divines and daimons is a bit more exciting, and higher degrees of both success and failure may be possible in some circumstances, plus crits apply.

>>5727561
>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.
At this point I just want to murder Damachides because we've spent this much effort. The sudden hatred of Charima makes me wonder if that might provoke our Witch’s Vendetta.
>>5727526
Darn, well that would've been an easy way to kill the guy by just getting him to drink until he tried vomiting and choked to death on it.

Actually how noticeable is our gold-flecked eyes? I'm kind of surprised no one has remarked on it.

An idea comes to mind on how to kill Damachides, since everybody is hammered out of their minds, which directly impacts their INT and WILL stat, can't we just go up to Charima, who was noted to be not that smart and lie to her? Something like telling her to slip a milky white liquid into her husband's drink before he sleeps tonight to ensure they have a child? Maybe slip him the drink first, then drink herself, and the very next day, she will be all the more likely to get pregnant. We do have two charges. We could even point out our gold-flecked eyes and lie that we've been sent by a god-given dream to help her. Tall tales tend to work on drunks, especially ones who are desperate.

>>5727696
That may work but she could tattle to her confidant and even so it may go wrong in a myryad of ways and leave a trail that spiking his cup now don't have.

>>5727561
>She'll use it later, during the post-play reception in the Damachidean courtyard - this will be a more intimate setting where Deianira can speak with Damachides, Charima and other figures directly.

To use it now means to throw away the play and have everybody go wild, by having it later we would be in a more intimate setting in a position of trust and closer to the target as they're getting baked.
How easily would it be to force drink him one more cup of wine while he's too drunk to protest and the others too baked to notice.

And we probably will need to use the frankincense as damachides seems one of those types of hardy old men who has a good will stat.

>>5727561
>She'll use it later, during the post-play reception in the Damachidean courtyard - this will be a more intimate setting where Deianira can speak with Damachides, Charima and other figures directly.
Time to be more than wink wink seductive. We should be direct and make ourself more arousing and more tempting than Charima.

>>5727755
>more tempting than Charima
anon, she's prettier than us and Damachides seems like a paranoid type so a stranger trying to sweet talk him would put him on his guard. I'm pretty sure that's one of the strategies in the art of war, send pretty ladies to distract your enemy commander.

>>5727768
Maybe, but drunk people make unwise choices.

>>5727561
>>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.
Let's get everyone acting horny and unwise. We still have another dose for Damachides if we need it later.

>>5727561
>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.
goooooo

>>5727803
>Double dose of frankincense
Dude not even satyrs party this hard

>>5727561
>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.

>>5727561
>>She'll use it now, during the prologue. This means that the audience members will be more receptive to the play, but this may have unintended consequences.

I don't thnik our play will ever become famous as much as this party is going to be..
Now i wonder if we had like 1kg of frankincense what would happen to this fortress, if we were to ship it to nikon and have him catapult a burning sack into troy he would win without a fight.

Rolled 15, 12, 8, 4, 14, 3, 1, 17, 15, 7, 17, 1, 16 = 130 (13d20)

use it now!

>>5727652
>>5727803
>>5727820
>>5727859
>>5727920

use it later!

>>5727713
>>5727755

----

>Deianira will stack DF on top of the pre-existing booze penalty (-3 to INT, -3 to WILL).
>Dionysian Frankencense provides a -3 malus to WILL
>The Booze Malus will convent from -1 to -3 as people chug wine like hobos (-1/-3) from the first half to the second half of the play.
>I'll be rolling for FUN things as time goes on
>Deianira's effective WILL is now 11 (+0), Gerasimos' effective WILL is 5 (-4)

Who will be the uninvited guest, Eris or Dionysus himself?

WARNING WARNING WARNING

I am now calling for PLAY PERFORMANCE ROLLS for the first half of the play!

I need TWO rolls of dice+1d20+7 to see how Deianira and her troupe perform against the WILLs of the following parties. I'm rolling 3d20 for Damachides (he hates plays), and 4d20 for Corcyrus (he is too sociopathic to care about art most of the time), and 2d20 for the remaining.

Damachides = +1 bonus
Charima = -5 bonus
Corcyrus = +0 bonus
Handmaidens (as a block) = -4 bonus
People in the Stands (as a block) = -4 bonus

>>5728259

>Damachides = 16
>Charima = 9
>Corcyrus = 17
>Handmaidens = 13
>People in Stands = 12

---

I'll be able to write up this update for tomorrow night - I was sucked into a vortex at work and couldn't find the time tonight.

as an FYI, in the middle of the play, Deianira and her troupe will do a little song and dance/stand-up comedy routine (parabasis), and then we'll roll again for the second half of the play.

Rolled 15 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>5728259

Rolled 7 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>5728259
>two 1's
If only they were gods. If only.

So the audience members going to have a -6 to WILL in the second half of the play. This is going to be chaos, wonder if we can add a second dose and people have -9 to WILL, what does a negative WILL even do?

>>5728329
>local greek woman attempts to invent meme fetish face thousands of years early with mindbreaking levels of debuffs

>>5728259
>Who will be the uninvited guest, Eris or Dionysus himself?
Hell no fucking gods, we need to finish this fast

>>5728259
>>5728432
>gods may be involved
I told you fools to wait before adding the frankincense!

>>5728276
You act on the assumption that a 1 roll for a god wouldn't also be bad for everyone involved,
It's waaaay worse when a god feels humiliated or played.

>>5728262
While the others remain somewhat coherent i think charima may be the one to invent the new fashion statement of the century by the end of the night.

>>5728442
>I told you fools to wait before adding the frankincense!
Another dose! We'll have a party so great that even the gods would be impressed!
>You act on the assumption that a 1 roll for a god wouldn't also be bad for everyone involved,
I mean last time a god rolled a 1 against us we got two divine artifacts and handy dandy trait. Admittedly that was under the special circumstances of xenia.

>>5728442
>You act on the assumption that a 1 roll for a god wouldn't also be bad for everyone involved,
At this point I only care that they get shit smeared in their faces. Especially ones pertaining to water.

Also because it would be monumentally shitty of Lesches to take a critfail for someone else to directly punish us.

>>5728461
I can see it now, Nike goes to plead on Nikon's behalf for aid from Zeus and rolls a nat 1, fumbling her words and accidentally implying that Nikon needs more challenges, proving that she is the true dork goddess for Nikon.

>>5728442
>>5728461

Have no fear, anons, I wouldn’t penalize Deianira or her troupe for a opposing divine nat 1. Although divine visitors aren’t guaranteed in the first place, I’m going to roll for this later.

Anyways, friendly reminder to all that the play itself is just a tactic to get close to Damachides under false pretenses and you guys have cleared the first check by a good margin.

You guys got multiple degrees of success even against Corcyrus. Basically, you guys are hilarious.

>>5728474
And sexy

>>5728471
If that ever happens the universe is obligated to let Nikon smash.

>>5728474
>Abericion shows back up for round two
>double nat 1s
>he actually has a really good time
>now has mortal plays as a guilty pleasure

Unfortunately, I've been hit with a case of crippling writer's block, all.

I have an update that's about 80% written but I just can't figure out how to finish it. I'll get it out the door tomorrow night at the latest - stay tuned.

>>5728887
Ah! this is surely a sign that the muses did not appreciate the shallow tricks we used to mellow the audience to our play.
We will wait patiently, offering sacrifices until they once again turn their favour upon our storyteller.

>>5728887
Everyone gets their dicks out

>>5728887
Stay strong

>>5729036
>>5729125
>>5729139

Have no fear, anons, I have surmounted the challenge. However i won’t be able to post the completed update until later tonight EST, maybe 9pm EST

I estimate that we can resolve this prologue of TWQ:DS by 08/14 at the absolute latest, and I plan to immediately start TWQ: Nostos once this has occurred

>Please note that I made a minor correction – 'Nira’s Abercion’s Grip trait means that her current will is 13 – she retains a +1 bonus to WILL rolls while under the effects of the DF.

>Also, sorry for delay - I was ready to post last night but I think 4chan was getting DDOSed.

You find it trivial to flick the bag of the Dionysian Frankencense into the nearest brazier – you place the bag such that it will smolder continually at the rim of the brazier itself – out of direct contact with the flames, it begins to smoke almost instantly. You continue with your prologue, and already, you hear smatterings of laughter and hooting from the audience in the stands – you find that the base humor generally is well-received. You suppose the novelty of a beautiful woman making crude gestures to a large crowd of people is reason enough for some to laugh.

As you begin Episode One, your satire (hardly subtle) prompts even more laughter amongst the nobility – your ridiculous caricature of the hapless Menelaus lands extremely well. You can’t help but grin under your mask – the pungent scents of the Dionysian Frankencense are rushing into your bloodstream, and the nervous jitters are smoothed away. There is an energy between yourself, your chorus and the audience – a synergistic loop of performance and reaction, attention and focus. You catch glimpses of the nobility between sung lyrics, and you’re pleased at what you see – wine being served with military efficiency by Thrinakos’ squadrons and silly grins spreading across the face of the nobility. The chorus excels – they move as one, act as one and sing as one – you couldn’t be prouder of them!

You’re careful to check for audience reactions, even as you perform – keeping your wits about you despite the Frankencense. In particular, Charima seems to have been transported – she cackles raucously at your intimations of the King’s... pliable... bedroom armaments, and of the King’s wife’s wandering eye. Even Damachides, a man who no doubt treasures reputation for sternness, barks out laughter despite himself when as the King, you plead for a son from Dionysus, while simultaneously implying that Menelaus rules Sparta only through the backing of Agamemnon.

As you begin the second episode, the atmosphere of the audience grows a bit wilder – jeers and laughing catcalls from the stands become more frequent, and even the nobles’ table grows a bit unruly. Gerasimos, in a stroke of brilliance, performing as Acinus, the grape prince, adjusts his cloak and chiton to display a deep neckline, and proceeds to make several highly offensive ad-libbed remarks about princes crossdressing on islands. Damachides and Charima loses their composure at this – tears rolling down their faces and laughing uproariously, they collapse against one another at the nobles’ table. You make a mental note to kiss Gerasimos for this gift – the boy has outperformed all expectations.

>cont

The interlude approaches – as is common, you provide a break in the play to engage in some light repartee with the crowd or otherwise embark on a short speech. This portion of the play, the parabasis, provides you with an opportunity to take social action from the security of the theatre floor. You could choose to foment anarchy and bad feelings amongst the various Damachideans present, or instead, choose to send up winged words to ingratiate yourself with one of the groups present.

>What will Deianira do during the parabasis? Each of these options will be delivered in a satirical fashion…but may lead to serious effects. These are all "offensive" social actions and therefore will be delivered with Deianira's full CHA bonus (+9)

>Call out to Damachides and make several lewd remarks to him, in an effort to simultaneously draw his wandering eye. There's a possibility that this action will incense Charima, given the public nature of your overtures, but you're not certain about the tenor of their relationship.

>Compliment Charima as a radiant beauty and offer earnest praise of her support of the theatre. Imply that your troupe is looking for a benefactor that could subsidize travel to Phthia, Mycenae and beyond. Even noble ladies dream of fame and fortune in Ancient Greek!

>Make several comments about Corcyrus’ loosening discipline of the Damachidean forces, and otherwise imply that he has been hiding problems from Damachides. You hope that comments like these might spark active conflict between them, although again, you have heard no such rumors about tensions here - you simply don't know whether this might be a productive decision.

>Suggest that the Damachidean οἶκοs is especially harsh on slaves and that cruel behavior towards slaves is not pious behavior. This is a generally offensive comment to all Damachideans present, but such discord may lead to advantages to Deianira. In particular, the servants and waitstaff of the event are constantly going about their business and are listening as well - such a message could be well-received by the slaves

>Call out to the handmaidens and actively request that they find you a man for tonight's entertainments. This would be a shocking (but amusing!) request, and would likely create stampede of suitors in your direction. A woman under these circumstances might be forced to create a tournament or set of challenges to find the man worthy of her amorous attentions.

>Reveal to Damachides your true identity and reveal that Lord Aristonax attempted to organize his murder - in this confession, you will be clear that you were forced to enter his estates under false circumstances, under threat of death from Gerasimos. This would be a highly risky venture, but may lead to Damachides' publicly rewarding Deianira for her warning.

>Something else? Deianira has wide latitude during this period to do and say anything that she says fit.

>>5729646
>Suggest that the Damachidean οἶκοs is especially harsh on slaves and that cruel behavior towards slaves is not pious behavior. This is a generally offensive comment to all Damachideans present, but such discord may lead to advantages to Deianira. In particular, the servants and waitstaff of the event are constantly going about their business and are listening as well - such a message could be well-received by the slaves
There’s a bunch of them and one might have the courage and hatred we need. Also everyone is drugged to hell and back.
>the boy has outperformed all expectations
I’ll admit, barring ‘Nira, G-boy had been my favorite.

>>5729646
>Call out to Damachides and make several lewd remarks to him, in an effort to simultaneously draw his wandering eye. There's a possibility that this action will incense Charima, given the public nature of your overtures, but you're not certain about the tenor of their relationship.

>Call out to the handmaidens and actively request that they find you a man for tonight's entertainments. This would be a shocking (but amusing!) request, and would likely create stampede of suitors in your direction. A woman under these circumstances might be forced to create a tournament or set of challenges to find the man worthy of her amorous attentions.

Either should be fun

>>5729646
>Call out to Damachides and make several lewd remarks to him, in an effort to simultaneously draw his wandering eye. There's a possibility that this action will incense Charima, given the public nature of your overtures, but you're not certain about the tenor of their relationship.
Scandalous!

>>5729646
>Call out to the handmaidens and actively request that they find you a man for tonight's entertainments. This would be a shocking (but amusing!) request, and would likely create stampede of suitors in your direction. A woman under these circumstances might be forced to create a tournament or set of challenges to find the man worthy of her amorous attentions.

>Gerasimos, in a stroke of brilliance, performing as Acinus, the grape prince, adjusts his cloak and chiton to display a deep neckline, and proceeds to make several highly offensive ad-libbed remarks about princes crossdressing on islands.
Damn, he did our boy Achilles dirty.

>>5727656
>>5727696

>has anyone noticed our eyes?

Short answer, yes, but my headcanon here is that relatively few people understand the connection between these and divine ancestry.

Essentially no commoners are aware of the connection and even the average nobleman might not realize that this is marker of recent divine ancestry.

However, important and well-educated nobility or people who would reasonably interact with those of strong divine heritage on a recurring basis would learn about this, or a person who is literate and has done a lot of reading would also know.

>>5729646
>>Call out to the handmaidens and actively request that they find you a man for tonight's entertainments. This would be a shocking (but amusing!) request, and would likely create stampede of suitors in your direction. A woman under these circumstances might be forced to create a tournament or set of challenges to find the man worthy of her amorous attentions.

>>5729646
The one thing about a call to the handmaidens is sure to be chaos, maybe give us an opportunity to orchestrate the death of damachides.
But Gerasimos is certain to fight for the first place and i don't want to implicate him in a murder spree for a woman.

Which could also spark if we were to seduce damachides.

>Compliment Charima as a radiant beauty and offer earnest praise of her support of the theatre. Imply that your troupe is looking for a benefactor that could subsidize travel to Phthia, Mycenae and beyond. Even noble ladies dream of fame and fortune in Ancient Greek!
Frankly all other seem to cause chaos we don't need while this one would be the most in character for our persona

>>5729648

have you considered being nicer to your enslaved peoples?

>>5729648

Seduce Damachides

>>5729652 (0.5)
>>5729668

Tell the Handmaidens to find you a man

>>5729652 (0.5)
>>5729674
>>5729717

Butter up Charima like you're going to hit her with a business prospectus later

>>5729805

----

Looks like we got our seven votes, but I'll leave the voting window open until 9pm EST per usual for any lurkers to make their voice heard.

>>5729646
>Call out to the handmaidens and actively request that they find you a man for tonight's entertainments. This would be a shocking (but amusing!) request, and would likely create stampede of suitors in your direction. A woman under these circumstances might be forced to create a tournament or set of challenges to find the man worthy of her amorous attentions.

>>5729708
>relatively few people understand the connection between these and divine ancestry
Alrighty, though I do feel like it would be one of the warning signs people would learn about alongside fearing the daimons/gods is to watch out for gold-flecked eyes, because the children and descendants of gods can be quite terrifying. There is also the fact that there was the grand marriage between Peleus and Thetis which is still in living memory, she was noted to have gold-blue eyes, and all sorts of divine folks attended. Maybe people think 'Nira has hazel eyes or something.

>>5729936
One thing is you have to get close enough to examine them, and then hold eye contact. Which can be difficult for a number of reasons at any given time.

>>5729936
>>5729998

All valid points but just for reference, I’m operating under the assumption that Damachides, and Nira’s/Nikon’s mother (who Homer did not name in TWQ but who is presumably a Thessalian version of Nealce per Statius’ Thebaid Book xII) were present in Phthia but did not actually attend the wedding of Thetis/Peleus given their low status as minor nobility - Damachides wasn’t quite as wealthy as he is now, either.

File: LBA album art.jpg (159 KB, 1260x485)

159 KB JPG

Your voice rings loudly and clearly – like musical chimes or of golden bells. Your chorus hums and soars behind you – yes, you and your troupe are under the influence of the Dionysian Frankencense as well, but truthfully, the real magic was in the endless repetitions and rehearsals you set upon them. As the second Episode comes to a close, you feel real pride in their performance – commoners who have banded together (with the exception of Gerasimos) and performed at the very limits of their capabilities.

As you move into the parabasis, you signal lightly to your troupe, and they fall into a low, murmuring staccato – a backbeat!
>Deianira auto-succeeds on this social action given her baseline bonuses, effect of the Dionysian Frankencense upon the crowd, and very good performance from her troupe so far!

You stride actively about the arena floor, hardpacked earth, a caricature of a woman in distress. You strike an artful pose, because moaning out in despair:

“What am I to do?! This estate, blessed richly with substance, contains endless wool, wine, gold, and good hospitality! The fields are endless, the slaves well-behaved, the servants adroit and unerring, the livestock fat and multiplying, and everywhere, the mark of a well-run οἶκος…” Removing your mask, you roll your eyes.

“Where is the chaos? Where is the fun? Where are all the MEN?!?” Hoots and hollers from the stands tell you that you have immediately scored a hit. You seize the moment, and call out to the handmaidens:

“Attendants of Charima, please – you must know – which of these men in the stands are strong-greaved soldiers? Artful in song and in love? Which among them has braved the fury of a winter storm, and which of them have sacked a strong-founded citadel? Aphrodite Ποθων Μητηρ has seized my heart cruelly and demands that I find a companion – tonight!”

The men in the audience are screaming over one another and beating their chests to gain your attention – the Frankencense removing the thin veneer of socialization from their actions. Without casting a glance in their direction, you wave their voices aside, batting their calls out of the air and shushing them to silence. You instead raise a grateful arm in the direction of Myrethuia, and say:

“You, you – Myrethuia, you know your way about your Lady’s οἶκος – through what means may I reveal the man blessed by the Cyprus-Born and fit company for a beauty such as myself?”

Myrethuia seems shocked by your outburst, unable to respond, but fortunately, her colleagues don’t fail to disappoint – they scream out joyously over one another:

“A CHALLENGE! A TRIAL! A TOURNAMENT!”

“Yes, yes!” you cry out – “through rivalry and striving will the appropriate man bring himself to the fore!” You look pointedly at Damachides and Charima – a tacit request for approval. Damachides and Charima trade glances, sphinxlike, before Charima shouts out:

>cont

“Tell us, Pylia – how will they compete?! We will prepare the courtyard accordingly!”

>Well, /qst/ - how will Deianira make a scene in the courtyard after the play is completed, to reveal a suitor? Each of these scenarios will provide a mechanism to kill Damachides – if you are smart and lucky! This would take place assuming that something unexpected doesn't happen before the end of the play.

>Deainira calls for a small tournament of wrestling! She implies that contests of raw strength and brutality are needed to whet her appetites.

>Deianira calls for a competition of song and music! As a performer, she could easily explain that she prefers men of culture and refinement.

>Deianira calls for a competition of archery and precision! It is focus, diligence and absolute commitment that drives her into the arms of a man.

>Deianira calls for a competition of discus throwing! She loves the power, the speed - the sense of danger as the discuses come striking to the earth!

>Something else I haven't thought of?


Also, I'll call for performance rolls sometime tomorrow for the final act of the play.

>>5730118
>Deainira calls for a small tournament of wrestling! She implies that contests of raw strength and brutality are needed to whet her appetites.
big sweaty men running into each other

>>5730118
>>Deianira calls for a competition of discus throwing! She loves the power, the speed - the sense of danger as the discuses come striking to the earth!
If we're lucky, they'll be so drunk they hit him in the neck!

>>5730115
>Where are all the MEN?!?
This must of have been a very fun scene to write.
>>5730118
>Deianira calls for a competition of discus throwing! She loves the power, the speed - the sense of danger as the discuses come striking to the earth!
Their coordination will be all over the place due to drinking. We also do have that handy blinding tool. Perhaps Damachides can be our Acrisius.

>>5730118
> Archery
Drunks and arrows, what could go wrong?

>>5730118
>>Deainira calls for a small tournament of wrestling! She implies that contests of raw strength and brutality are needed to whet her appetites.
Big naked drunk men wrestling is fun for the whole family!

>>5730118
>>Deianira calls for a competition of song and music! As a performer, she could easily explain that she prefers men of culture and refinement.

>>5730118
>Deianira calls for a competition of archery and precision! It is focus, diligence and absolute commitment that drives her into the arms of a man.
The classic. Mishaps can happen too.

>>5730118
Archery is probably how to recreate the story of william tell
The song one we can offer a cup of wine to damachides to wet his throat
Wrestling i don't know
And discus is more than liable to have collateral victims.
No javelin toss?

>>5730403

You could suggest javelin toss as a write-in but I had previously discarded it as a “standard” option given that this will be taking place in-doors at night within the palace.

Even a drunken, DF-influenced Damachides would probably decline to host a javelin throwing contest inside his own palace given the sheer probability of property damage, lol

>>5730428
And discus isn't destructive?
But maybe i'm thinking about the more modern discipline which may be different?
For example javelin toss was very different..
The way it was explained in the copy of the iliad i had it was more like a contest between two athletes to throw the javelin trying to draw blood from the opponent in turns, so very dangerous but mostly only for the two contenders.

>>5730443

Okay, okay - you’ve convinced me that javelin tossing is not unreasonable.

Could you point me towards the Iliad javelin-tossing episode that you’re referencing though? I can only recall the time when Achilles halts Agamemnon and Meriones from competing in the Patroklos-funeral-games javelin toss in Book 23, since Agamemnon is apparently too good to compete against.

>>5730118
>Deianira calls for a competition of discus throwing! She loves the power, the speed - the sense of danger as the discuses come striking to the earth!

Fuck it, you never get to see discus throwing and I might have a plan on how to poison him, absolve us of suspicion, and get one of the few women better looking than us in the area removed. Maybe. Might be too complicated.

>>5730493
Eh it was a children's book so i won't hold it as a reliable source.
Still it was strange that it expanded like that on such a detail so i will have to investigate..
Once i get my hands on it again.

>>5730118
For fairness sake i'll vote for the discus then just because it is rare enough.

>>5730118
>Deainira calls for a small tournament of wrestling! She implies that contests of raw strength and brutality are needed to whet her appetites.

File: DiscusThrow.jpg (15 KB, 538x208)

15 KB JPG

Rolled 7, 11, 16, 5, 8, 13, 7, 8, 13, 4, 18, 17, 1 = 128 (13d20)

WrestleMania Thessaly

>>5730128
>>5730252
>>5730572

Oedipan Roulette

>>5730142
>>5730155
>>5730519
>>5730538

Drunk Archery

>>5730240
>>5730323

Thessaly's Got Talent!

>>5730292

---

I'm swooning lads, 11 votes!

Looks like the discus toss narrowly takes it, how fun!

Unfortunately, no actual update tonight on the account of the fact that I am being repeatedly bodyslammed at work by no less than six competing projects of various sizes. However, we should be able to return to a regular update schedule starting tomorrow.

I need TWO rolls of dice+1d20+7 to see how Deianira and her troupe perform against the WILLs of the following parties. I'm rolling 3d20 for Damachides (he hates plays), and 4d20 for Corcyrus (he is too sociopathic to care about art most of the time), and 2d20 for the remaining. Please note that I've included the additional -2 booze penalty to the audience members.

Damachides = -1 bonus
Charima = -7 bonus
Corcyrus = -2 bonus
Handmaidens (as a block) = -6 bonus
People in the Stands (as a block) = -6 bonus

Rolled 12 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>5730715

Rolled 9 + 7 (1d20 + 7)

>>5730715

I'm really glad we focused on training the troupe, those bonuses are coming in clutch.

>>5730715

Also please note that I meant "Hyacinthan Roulette" instead of Oedipan roulette.

For some reason I was under the impression that Oedipus killed his father Laius with a discus toss but I think I must have been misremembering, there's apparently no such version of this myth.

>>5730716
>>5730717

1st half performance roll: 22

>Damachides = 16 - two successes
>Charima = 9 - three successes
>Corcyrus = 17 - one success
>Handmaidens = 13 - three successes
>People in Stands = 12 - three successes

2nd half performance roll: 19

>Damachides: 15 - one success
>Charima: a literal 1 - three successes
>Corcyrus: 11 - two successes
>Handmaidens: 12 - two successes
>People in the Stands: 11 - two successes

Final tally:

Damachides: three total successes - he is officially surprised and gladdened by your performance!

Charima: six total successes - Charima is ready to finance your world tour!

Corcyrus: three total successes - he is also impressed but in a grudging sort of assholish way.

Handmaidens: five total successes - You're a Star!

People in the Stands: five total successes - You're a Star!

>This theatrical performance has been a raging success! Deianira will have SIGNIFICANT advantages in the afterparty and the Damachideans hold Pylia in high regard, well done!

>>5730725
Seems the true way into people's hearts is alcohol, magical substances, and hard work. Shame we have to essentially kill our biggest fans.

>>5730728

>Shame we have to essentially kill our biggest fans.

Are you sure about that? One might consider what is worth more to Deianira - Aristonax's loyalty and a big chest of gold, versus what she might gain out of an alliance with Damachides.

>>5730735
Valid, but at the same time betraying someone who has fought with us, given us men, and put his son into our care does not sit well. Moreover, considering the snippets we've gotten about the lax discipline, he runs out of time, has pissed off the barbarians, doesn't talk to the other nobles, and enslaves travelers. It doesn't paint a good picture of the future state of affairs. Aristonax may not be a good father or even a great commander, but he has been a guest, fought with us, and will give us gold from his stores and the captured along with enslaved people. Plus, I can't resist the visceral high drama of killing Damachides after wowing his estate with a great play.

>>5730745
Yeah, for all his shortcomings at least aristonax isn't an asshole, and i haven't got the heart to betray puppy eyed gerasimos (is it weird that i always default to gerasimov when i try to write his name?)
Besides best to have an ally who owe us their rise to power than one who is only sponsoring us out of a wild night of fancy.

>>5730763
>at least aristonax isn't an asshole
He absolutely is an asshole. He's just the cantankerous old man type asshole. I think the only thing that really separates Shitass and Stony is that Shitass is actually competent as well as ambitious.

I give it only a few months of Aristonax being a retard in charge to fuck shit up on the frontier.

>>5730772
>I think the only thing that really separates Shitass and Stony is that Shitass is actually competent as well as ambitious.
I think you are missing the biggest difference, the one that matters the most, especially in the eyes of the gods. Shitass is impious. Great heroes and kings have been laid low for this alone.
>fuck shit up on the frontier
This is my interpretation, but I think the frontier has gotten so bad because of Shitass being so ambitious; you don't get barbarians raiding you daily unless you have taken a staggering amount from them. There's also the fact that his attention has waned in maintaining discipline and why his troops are acting more like bandits. It leads me to worry about the talk of a great barbarian band. You push back against a group long enough, and a challenger will arise to meet your force, and I think Shitass has weakened discipline-wise but still massively enslaves people, so a challenger will come and he be found wanting. Stony seems like a disciplinarian to the bone and as harsh on himself as he is with everyone else. Hopefully, if the barbarians learn about Shitass' death, they'll be less inclined to raid, but if they do, Stony, barring competence, has a personality that would demand he keep his new lands safe.

>>5730803
The murmurings of a barbaroi king have already begun. Events have been set in motion. It is probably already too late to stop. We may be able to entice Shitass to behave more defensively than offensively against the barbaroi if he has a child to draw his attention homeward rather than outward. Stopping him from stirring up more shit with the savages and paying more attention to his men and their duties of guarding the land. There are always solutions to problems.

I'm just not confident any of our choices are the right ones. There are bad vibes no matter what we pick. At this juncture it is more luck than sure-thinking that'll save us, probably. We really, REALLY need to get ourselves set up and self-sufficient. Then we can settle in properly and become unassailable from any threat short of the gods themselves. Because FUCK most of our neighbors are total clowns. Or monsters. Or savages. Damn.

>>5730820
>Because FUCK most of our neighbors are total clowns. Or monsters. Or savages. Damn
'Sleepy' social intrigues in Thessaly.
It sort of feels like at times that the dice demand that Nikon's somewhat peaceful journey is counterbalanced by the sheer amount of shit that gets thrown at Nira.

>>5730826
Truly, two sides of the same drachma. Or they would be, if they existed yet.

>>5730820
By your logic we could even pass to the barbaroi side and become the dreaded witch supporting them with sorceries.
Surely a barbaroi king competent enough to reunite all the tribes would be greater than the two idiots we have here.

>>5730881
No that's irrational. Barbaroi aren't people, so a king of their ilk wouldn't mesh with us civilized folk. Don't be silly, anon.

Yes, but I wouldn't pick to try that option if it ever presented itself. Since most of our agency would be stripped by a foreign king muscling his way into our homeland. I'm sure he would be repelled eventually but I'm trying to avoid as much damage to our and the neighboring lands as possible. Also not get raped by barbarians.

>>5730901
Well by being a witch i'm sure we could garner much more respect by superstition than amongst the civilized folk.
And godblooded witches aren't found everywhere.
But sure, it's an option to consider only as a final resort.

>>5730826
>>5730832

>sleepy social intrigues

Honestly, I swear this was my goal to start. But between the dice, the player choices, and what comes out of my brain - I've lost control of this quest, to some extent...

>There are bad vibes no matter what we pick

Yes, yes! That's EXACTLY what I'm going for here.

Update post momentarily.

File: discobolus_bronze.jpg (98 KB, 800x1290)

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You pretend to agonize over the choice, pacing back and forth across the packed earth of the theatre floor. Suggestions are being volleyed at you furiously – a cacophony of shouts echoing down the hillside. You wryly note that even your troupe seems to have forgotten themselves and are calling out to you, hands raised to their mouths. Gerasimos is practically hopping with excitement – he has removed his mask, revealing his youthful face – his eyes are flickering wildly between you, Charima, Damachides and the crowd. You can only imagine what ambitious plans are being constructed and discarded within his mind.

As for yourself, you are engaged in your own frenetic planning process – what event would best place you near to Damachides? What event would best maximize the chances of Damachides’ death? How can you arrange for this in broad view and have it appear to be an accident?

The answer is clear – the discus toss. Men of divine heritage tossing heavy discuses at high speeds – accidents happen all the time, and this is when the throwers are sober. The legend of Hyacinthus is well-known to you – even Apollo could not prevent such a tragic, accidental death to his lover. Later, Apollo is said to have negotiated with Hades for the release of Hyacinthus from the Elysian Fields – he was immortalized and made divine, prompting the celebration of Hyacinthia in Lacedaemon, although that is more or less all you’ve heard about such matters.

‘The whirling power, the breathless speed – only a champion Δισκοβόλος can capture my attentions!” Wild applause follows your pronouncement, and Charima is only too eager to assent loudly to your request –

“Men of the Estates, put out the call! Tonight, we shall throw the discus and all present here are invited!” she cries, standing from her seat and holding her white arms upraised. Damachides quickly stands himself, and adds –

“Servants, come here! We must prepare the field, the courtyard is no place for such a competition!” At once, a herd of gray-robed servants form a quick gaggle – Damachides makes several efficient gestures, as he speaks at a normal volume – you can’t hear what he’s saying, unfortunately, but in a few moments, he nods, smiling, and the servants scatter off to do their business.

>cont

File: mosaic.png (3.7 MB, 1446x1071)

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Once seated, Damachides and Charima turn their attentions back to you, and you hold them in regard – waiting for the audience’s catcalls and laughter to subside. The second half of the performance is shorter – really, just the penultimate act and the final monologue on your part. In this part of the play, Acinus’ phenomenal achievements on the battlefield have made his father fantastically wealthy, and famous besides – his father, throwing caution to wind, decides to hold a vast banquet to celebrate the greatness of his kingdom. Here, you take the King and use him to imagine what a successful Menelaus might look like – a lesser man convinced of the superiority of his household, despite no personal contribution. Gerasimos wears the role of Acinus like a perfectly-fitting cloak – he is becomes a self-assured prince, and even better – he manages to hit his solo perfectly, a surprisingly melodic lament:

O Father, is there no mountain peak -
Wreathed with the august crown of nimbus,
Where I might stand atop and be seen by you?
How many shades of men, torn down by my pitiless bronze,
Must be led, blind and feeble, by Αργειφοντης
Unless their cries are heard atop high Olympos?

The audience is completely silent as he sings, his voice rising into the night, lit by torches – your breath catches as Gerasimos, seemingly led by the intoxication of the Dionysian Frankencense, improvises a wordless melody as the lyrics conclude, raw emotion in his voice. It occurs to you that Gerasimos might see something of himself in Acinus – a boy who is given much, who expects to inherit the world – and who carries the impossible burden of deserving the inheritance that he receives. Needless to say, this solo becomes the emotional pinnacle of the Third Episode – rather than a sarcastic ditty like you had imagined it to be.

Acinus’ death by cannibalism, once his blood is transformed to wine , is also a more solemn affair then you imagined – the tragedy of men’s weak morality, the lack of strength of mind, shows through more clearly in front of a crowd. You're not surprised to hear weeping from amongst the handmaidens as you perform the penultimate scene – the King’s Wife, now tortured by her failings, exiles herself to live amongst the beasts and wilderness of Hellas.

Seizing the moment at the end of the play, you also improvise – you leave off the awkward moralizing sermon, and simply end the play by walking offstage, and into the darkness of the night. There is a long delay, as your troupe stands frozen in confusion before Gerasimos ushers them along – their hesitation comes across as a disciplined timing.

The applause, when it comes, is deafening! You return to the theatre floor with your troupe, and removing your masks, you salute the crowd, nodding and waving at the audience. Honestly, it’s gone much better than you could have dreamed – even Damachides is standing to applaud you!

I ran out of steam for tonight, but will get us into the Discus Toss tomorrow. Deianira has basically earned a free action after the smashing success of Acinus.

After the Discus toss is complete, Deianira will have TWO palace actions to organize Damachides' death.

I might just be reading wrong, but in the play does Nira act for both the King and Queen?

>>5731500
damn everything went way better than expected. I love the way the play itself becomes so much more!

>>5731523

Yes, that’s right - for my reading, I understand that Ancient Greek theatre involved a lot of role-switching and only a few cast members.

The chorus usually would announce when actor’s role would switch, and I’ve been imagining that Deianira has been switching masks when this occurs as well.

Given that I’m not a trained classicist I’m certain that there are elements that i am missing. I’m also sort of pretending that comedies were present in ~1200 BCE Greece but there’s really no evidence for comedies until much later, like 400 BCE, if I understand properly

Oh and I forgot: someone give me a dice+1d100 for reasons

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5731817

>>5731796
Love how the play took life almost enough to overshadow the main reason!
I like to think deianira doesn't really know what she's doing but bumbles her way to her goal.
>>5731824
Almost perfectly balanced, hopefully no gods appear.

>>5731901

I briefly considered actually writing out a play in the style of Aristophanes but discarded this as being too time inefficient and unnecessary.

>>5731824

Thanks, anon.

I should have an update out for tonight at 9pm or so. We’re getting quite close to the end of Deianira’s beginning here…

Just binged the entire quest, thanks for keeping this alive. Also Deianira not being able to stay as a happy witch makes me sad.

File: DT_field.jpg (82 KB, 1280x720)

82 KB JPG

Rolled 1, 1 + 1 = 3 (2d4 + 1)

>>5732130

Good timing, anon - just as I'm about to dip into TWQ proper!

---

A kylix of (very lightly mixed) wine appears in your hand, brought to you by none other than Thrinakos himself! He must have stolen into the stands to observe your play once his business in the kitchens had concluded. He congratulates you over the din of the applause and you thank him earnestly for his support – nearly having to yell yourself!

He waves you and your troupe over the noble’s table and just as quickly, you are being bathed in the praise of a radiant Charima – her words a bit mushy, she wobbles a bit as she stands –

“Pylia – Pylia – what a triumph! You are a generational talent; you belong in Phthia! Zeus on high, think of the audiences you’ll draw in Mycenae once we build your reputation!” Her energy is infectious, and you can’t help but remember your irrational hostility towards the petite blonde earlier – it has been instantly transmuted in overwhelming good feeling between you. Damachides, at a level height with you, places a solid hand on his wife’s shoulder –

“Dearest, please – give the woman a chance to celebrate! Give her the night to enjoy herself and in the morning, we can discuss funding, travel expenses…We’ll need horses, yes, but also some well-trained spears as well…” Gray-bearded Damachides is generally warm and pleasant to you, betraying no sign of inebriation, but his warm grim does not quite extend his pale eyes – he has the look of a King, ‘Nira – a man in control. It’s not too late to turn aside from this foolishness! Νίκων whispers in your ear.

Damachides reaches out his arm to grasp your shoulder, and his hand is iron – he opens his mouth to speak further, meeting your gaze directly, but his eyes widen in surprise – he has recognized your eyes for what they are.

“Lord Damachides – is something wrong?” you ask innocently – and the moment passes. He murmurs some excuses about preparing the fields for the discus toss, and makes himself scarce. A few minutes pass, as you make light conversation with Charima and her attendants, inventing plausible stories about your recent travels through this portion of Thessaly. Gerasimos and the troupe, having been previously advised discretion by yourself, follow suit – fortunately, your hosts have had their wits dulled thoroughly at this point in this time, and are scarcely capable of sustained interrogation.

---

You join a huge crowd of people, flowing back up to the Palace Gates, and then down again to the opposite hillside - to your surprise, a large team of slaves has assembled a field of torches, spaced at regular intervals - the combined and ruddy light of these is enough to dimly illuminate the hillside. Looking more closely, you see that this is actually an athletic grounds - vaguely circular, with regular markings on the earth. There's even a discus station - a round mat upon which the throwers may spin.

>>5732207

Damachides, Charima and their attendants invite you to sit amongst them at the nobles' table, but you politely demur - you instead request their leave to stand by the throwers to best judge their form and technique up close.
Damachides, chuckling at your serious interest in judging your suitors, waves his permission to you genially.

Despite the vast crowd of observers, only two men actually volunteer themselves for the toss - both with the long limbs of noble ancestry, but who could not be more different in their appearance. One man is hale, sturdy and approaching middle-age - he has a winning smile, blondish hair, and the cauliflowered ears of a wrestler. You're perhaps half a head taller than he is. You peg him to be a fearsome competitor - he has an athlete's air about him, even if he stumbles a tad due to a bellyful of wine.

The second man is a trim and businesslike man in his twenties - he stares at you flatly, limbering up with a series of practiced stretches. He is not particular attractive, but demonstrates impressive flexibility as he limbers up. At first, you had discarded him - but watching him stretch, you see also that he is fiercely competitive. He may yet surprise you - you see no signs of intoxication about him either.

Finally, Gerasimos cannot resist his chance to play for your attentions - the crowd hoots and hollers when they realize one of your troupe will step forward as well. Gerasimos, to his credit, projects confidence and surety, as he tests the weight of the red-painted discus. It occurs to you that this may be a chance to strike out against Damachides - the discus itself is reasonably heavy, and flung at high velocity - a strike against the skull could very well be lethal. The other men you do not know, but Gerasimos - you suspect that he would do anything asked of him if he felt it would result in your feminine attentions. A man could not be blamed for a tragic accident...

>Does Deianira ask Gerasimos to throw his discus last, and aim his discus at Damachides? It's possible but probably unlikely that the first two challengers may loose wildly and strike a guest with their discus, but Gerasimos could "ensure" that this occurs. Deianira will auto-succeed at this persuasion attempt.

>Yes, have Gerasimos attempt to murder Damachides during the toss.

>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.

>>5732210
>>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.
It has to be an accident. Not enough layers of separation between Deianira and the victim here imo

>>5732207
>he has recognized your eyes for what they are.
Just noticed this. There is a non-zero chance Damachides knows who we are. Now we either try and kill him now before he can tell, or try to ally with him. Or set things up on purpose to save him so he owes us. There are a few different options available me-thinks.

>>5732210
>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.
He'll crack and tell them.
Is the vapor shot out by the orb a noticeable thing to those without FOB?

>>5732210
>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.

Not enough degrees of separation.

>>5732210
>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.

I believe in you gerasimov!
Whoever wins we can still run circles around them by promising to join them later and never show up, shame about not going to join damachides as the distraction of discus throwing may have been good enough to slip him the poison.

>>5732210
>>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors

>>5732210
>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors

>>5732216

Damachides is smart enough to know that between your height and your eyes, you’re not just a broke playwright…

>>5732229

Yes, the vapors from the Orb are visible to regular mortals. However, the orb itself is of divine construction and the golden tracery that Deianira noticed during her investigation would not be visible to a person of lesser ancestry. To a mortal, it just looks a strangely ridged glass orb full of smoke, of mysterious construction.

>I’m tracking this vote with interest, thanks all for your continued engagement.

Running TWQ:DS has sometimes been challenging, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Also I’ve started in on Statius’ Thebaid, woo boy - it’s a bit denser to read. You can really see how Latin epic poetry is “richer” - more allusions, more similes/metaphors, more of everything! My translation is heavily footnoted which is helpful…

>>5732210
>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors

Tell Gerasimos to aim for the stars

>>5732211
>>5732229
>>5732245
>>5732339
>>5732469
>>5732589
>>5732675

Tbqh, I’m surprised by the unanimous consensus here. Looks like ‘Nira is shooting to kill Damachides without collateral damage - an admirable goal!

I’ll leave the vote open until 9pm EST as planned but seems unlikely that we’ll get 8 votes for yes…

>>5732210
>>No, have Gerasimos throw honestly against the two competitors.
This is quite bad, but lets keep going. We need Damadiches dead very soon otherwise things will end shortly.

I wonder if we could get Charima to pay us. I don't mind getting even more wealth out of this. We desperatly need even the most worthless coin for our oikos there is so much to be done and to buy.

Burly guy = two discus rolls, one accuracy roll. Manual -1 bonus to discus roll, but -3 to accuracy. Right-handed.

Lithe guy = two discus rolls, two accuracy rolls. Manual +2 bonus to discuss roll, +0 bonus to accuracy. Left-handed.

G-boy = two discuss rolls, one accuracy rolls. Manual +1 bonus to discus roll, but +0 to accuracy. Right-handed.

Some things to know:

right-hand accuracy rolls:

9: something good
8: something VERY bad
7: something neutral

left-hand accuracy rolls:

7: something good
5: something VERY bad
3: something neutral

Rolled 3, 14, 12, 11, 1, 3, 3, 15, 5, 6 = 73 (10d20)

>>5733071

Strange, the board ate my roll

File: wtf Zeus stop fucking wit(...).jpg (786 KB, 1500x1093)

786 KB JPG

>>5733074

Anons, doublecheck my math, but I'm pretty sure the below is correct:

Burly:

distance: 13
accuracy: 9 you have to be fucking kidding me, anons

Lithe:

distance: 13
accuracy: 3 (KEK)

G-boy:

distance: 16
accuracy: 6

---

Okay, the gods have overturned my plans once again and are yanking this quest in a direction I wasn't expecting.

Next update for tomorrow night and hold onto your robes, this quest is ending faster than I imagined

>>5733079
Did Burly just hit Shitass in the head? Did G-boy just beat everyone in distance?

>>5733079
Dionysus was so pleased by our performance and binge-drinking he decided to give us exactly what we hoped for. What a lad.

>>5733081
>g-boy proving once again that drunken boxing was invented by some fuckboy in greece
Seriously, a barrel of wine, and point him at Troy.

>>5733115
>What a lad.
That's what we get from throwing one of the sickest plays ever.

Though it might be putting the cart before the horse, should we consider sending something off the Nikon when the First Platoon departs? Like a dose of Kerberos’ Slaverings or even the Globe of Vapors? I could see either being very useful for the amount of war he will experience. The orb being able to blind people sounds quite useful for a fight.

Uh, speaking of the Globe of Vapors, will the sash ever appear again, or is that just lost forever?

>>5733190
Lesches said that the sash is probably still around where we lost it, i guess sending somebody to look for it won't be amiss..
Maybe task some kids to look for it?
Or possibly deianira special eyes might give an advantage for searching?

Anyway letting dyonisus take the wheel was totally the right call, it's not a great party without a few dead.

>>5733190
I doubt it will be easy, it s on the same level of finding our head scout Pantaleon if not worse because is a sash, that sash no doubt got ruined and dirtied, and the river might be moving it further down the stream if its there and wasn't moved by an animal, found by someone or was covered by nature.
And Pantaleon should be gone for find work somewhere else, with more cash than us.

I am also not sending kids in the wild parts of our land, the only thing that should go there is a full army for pacify the place. The """"best""" option would be it if it was found by someone, it s easier than searching through a river, dirt, rocks, bushes and trees.

>>5733370
Well they got lost together so we have good chances to find one or the other.
Perhaps use the soldiers while we still have them.
Depends on how this situation we're in is resolved.

Really fucking interested in how this plays out. Like if the dude dies by accident with us doing absolutely nothing making it completely untraceable, we can probably play it off as all part of a master plan weeks in the making with a dozen separate steps to aristonax, and start building a reputation as the most cunning and ruthless Woman in Thessaly lol.

>>5733482
Remember, the best assassins have no reputation.

>>5733632
True enough but there certainly is power in everyone knowing you killed or had powerful people killed but there is absolutely no way to prove it and even the gods look away from the crimes. That along with our stupid high charisma and some rumors about our witchy ways could turn Neira into a very feared lady and provide us with much-needed opportunities.

Feared by everyone outside of her territory, and loved by everyone within is a nice combination

>>5733691
Anon, if the rich cousin catches wind of rumors about ’Nira killing Shitass, he has the full power to march his troops into our territory and take everything from us and kill us. This society thinks piracy is an honorable profession because if you can take it and they can't stop you, it is yours, so killing someone who had a hand in your cousin’s death and taking their stuff seems well in the realm of possibility. They just need an excuse.

File: Discus-Throw-720x480.jpg (27 KB, 720x480)

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The night is still and the stars shine above – the top of the Pleaides now clearly visible over the horizon. You briefly wonder where your brother is – perhaps lounging in luxury amongst the guests of King Agamemnon’s halls? You doubt it – your brother is a man of action and energy…You wonder how he might do with the discus – you’ve never seen him throw.

Similarly, you have no idea whether Gerasimos has trained with the discus, but he catches you examining him as he limbers up – he grins at you forwardly, a leer scrawled across his features – the Frankencense causing his amorous desires to bubble forth. You sigh quietly, even as you smile politely and clap your encouragement. He is a handsome child, certainly – with refined features and a strong chin, but you have sensed little discretion in his behavior so far. He will learn that the world is an unpleasant place soon enough.

The crowd quiets as Gerasimos saunters up to the throwing circle – a ring of chalk dust upon the packed soil. Before him, there are long rays of chalked earth, with markings for range. You’re no athlete yourself, but you understand that the longest throw wins, and that the discus must fall within the marked wedge if it is to be counted. He has the confident stride of a young man who believes himself special – he has temporarily discarded the preening prance of Acinus. You can’t help but take a step forwards – you’re curious to see how he’ll perform, even if you have no romantic interest in the boy. He takes a moment to tie his sandals tightly, testing their grip against the earth, before placing his discus to the side of the chalked circle.

You watch as he continues to stretch in various methods, before engaging in several test spins, finally picking up the discus in his right-hand. He waves off the crowd as the murmurs begin to rise again, letting everyone know that he is not quite ready – after another several test spins, he squares his feet, settling into a crouch, his back towards the field.

Without warning, his legs pulse, and he kicks out his right leg in a wide arc, spinning quickly, generating the dynamic force needed. He rises effortlessly into the air, smoothly rotating, before landing upon his left foot, right leg pointed to the field. Twisting his torso, forcing a hard shout from his diaphragm, he looses the discus with a wild toss! Surprisingly, you’re able to track the discus even as it sails through the night – the underside has been painted with a reflective substance. The crowd across from you, sensing danger, scrambles out of position, ducking and diving onto the earth - Gerasimos timed his release too early – the discus flies widely outside the marked sector before crashing to the earth, leaving a long slash in the loose earth outside the athletic fields. He gives a good-natured grin, waving and saluting the crowd – it was a powerful throw, truly, but by the rules of the sport, is disqualified.

>cont

File: it is I, Kekosalos!.jpg (33 KB, 250x333)

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Rolled 3, 6 - 1 = 8 (2d8 - 1)

Gerasimos comes to the sideline and you clap him on the shoulder, congratulating him earnestly – even having failed, his competitive spirit pleases Ζηλος, god of rivalry and athletic contests, and is to be commended.

Next up to the throwing circle is the lithe man – unlike Gerasimos, he appears to be ready to cast immediately. He pays no attention to the crowd as he approaches the chalked circle, and he takes only a few warm-up spins before crouching in readiness, and fires off a discus at high velocity. Bizarrely, you see that his face is screwed up in concentration, eyes closed, as he spins! His initial rotation carries him too far and he doesn’t realize that he is too far to the left, and aiming too low besides. The crowd dives once again in dismay, bellowing out wine-sodden insults and jeers to him as they scatter. His discus flies wildly to the left, askew from the chalked sector - another disqualification. The thin man stumbles past you – at close range, you now realize that you misjudged him earlier – he is practically unconscious with drunkenness, glassy-eyed, and barely acknowledges you as he marches off into the darkness.

You turn back to watch the thickly-set competitor, the last to throw, approach the throwing circle, but hearing an odd rustling noise, turn around again. The thin man has collapsed into a bush, feet upraised, and implausibly, you hear the sounds of quiet snoring emanating from the vegetation. He is immediately set upon by mocking crowdsmembers – you watch as two men cast his sandals downhill and another begin relieving himself upon the collapsed figure. You laugh yourself at the scene– such is the rightful punishment of those rendered insensate by wine!

The thickly-set competitor has been diligently tamping the earth of the throwing circle, removing the scuffmarks made by Gerasimos and the drunkard. He does not strike you as flexible or agile, although perhaps he can account for these deficiencies by sheer throwing force alone? He is strongly-built, with wide shoulders, although not nearly as hulking as Νίκων.

He surprises you somewhat by addressing the crowd before his toss, holding his arms wide.

“To all present, I introduce myself as Kekosalos!” The crowd dutifully claps, although the applause is somewhat tepid. He looks at you directly, pointing at you with his discus –
“To you, Pylia, I dedicate this throw, and may I emulate Zeus Αστραπαιος as well!” he continues, buffoonishly.

Without much further ado, he settles into a prepared crouch, with his back to the discus sector, and in line with your expectations, stiffly rotates before launching his discus at high speed – he has aimed far too low and missed the sector as well! Your head whips around to track the spinning discus, soaring directly at Damachides, who is seated at the edge of the nobles’ table!

>1st die = (roll/2)-1 = total DMG dealt.
>2nd die = on a 6-8, dbl DMG.

>>5733825

>4 damage dealt to Damachides! He is now at 4/8 wounds!

The whickering discus careens directly into the top of Damachides' skull and bounces off into the night - Damachides immediately topples off his bench, and already, Charima is shrieking – SHRIEKING – at the top of her lungs. You are charging over to Damachides yourself – not sure what your intentions are, you are nonetheless certain you must be close to him.

There is immediate chaos - a third of the audience flees the scene outright, while Corcyrus is screaming - "DETAIN HIM! DETAIN HIM!". You push your way through wailing handmaidens and rudely shove aside drunken noblemen, who are only just noticing the uproar.

Skipping as fast you as you can with your staff, with your damnable right ankle locking up, you're late to the scene - Damachides rolled onto his back, a terrible gash across his scalp, bleeding profusely - Charima wailing miserably. Corcyrus is nowhere to be found, and you are vaguely aware of Myrethuia crashing to the earth beside Charima, begging to help. Around you, servants of various types appear instantly, leaning forwards to take a glimpse of their master.

Aware of prying eyes, you cannot conduct a full investigation - but you immediately notice that Damachides lives - his chest rising and falling in a subtle fashion. His face is slack and his eyes rolled into his head, he is clearly unconscious, although you cannot say for how long. The wound is serious, but not fatal - you're certain that Damachides will not die as a result of this blow alone. In the distance, you hear the howling of a trapped animal - Kekosalos, you realize darkly, will be eviscerated for this.

And yet - this may be your moment of opportunity. Surrounded by chaos, Damachides lies before you, with only his hysterical wife, a spare few handmaidens and servants to defend him.

You may not get a better chance than this.

>vote post inbound

>Well, /qst/ - you and the gods together have conspired to lay Damachides low. But what will you with him now that he is here?

>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will treat Damachides as a patient and rouse him gently from his slumber, making every effort to treat him well. She will not poison him at this moment in time. Please note that success here in medical treatment will certainly raise further interest in Pylia's true identity - but perhaps this is desired if Deianira wishes to ally herself with Damachides?

>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will use this opportunity to poison Damachides by applying Kerberos' Slaverings to his wound dressings and scalp directly. This would be trivial to do (no sleight of hand check) and his death will be guaranteed - but drawn out over many long minutes of seizures and vomiting. It's possible that an insightful guest may realize that Damachides' death is not consistent with head trauma alone. Perhaps it would be best to gone when this occurs?

>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...

>Something else I haven't thought of?

>>5733848
>>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will treat Damachides as a patient and rouse him gently from his slumber, making every effort to treat him well. She will not poison him at this moment in time. Please note that success here in medical treatment will certainly raise further interest in Pylia's true identity - but perhaps this is desired if Deianira wishes to ally herself with Damachides?
My goals are beyond your understanding.

Also everyone keep in mind, if we betray Stony then we'll probably also wind up having to kill G-boy. Unless he's really a-ok with us getting his pops killed before he can prove himself a man to him. And if we kill him then we'll probably just have to kill that entire family. Which Shitass will totally do anyway if he hears he was the target of a hit. So don't vote to spare Shitass unless you're ready to kill an entire family.

>>5733848
>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will treat Damachides as a patient and rouse him gently from his slumber, making every effort to treat him well. She will not poison him at this moment in time. Please note that success here in medical treatment will certainly raise further interest in Pylia's true identity - but perhaps this is desired if Deianira wishes to ally herself with Damachides?
Gain trust, and then betray. Kill him with kindness.

>>5733898
My guy if you want to kill him just do it now.

>>5733848
>deianira waits to see if a guest steps up with medical knowledge, if so she will fake to assist by bringing water poisoned by kerberos slavering to the lips of damachides, if no one medically natured steps up she will and instruct the servants to gather supplies and fake helping damachides while instead applying the poison.

I think seeing if they have a trusted healer is best rather than have them question us later since we don't know if they do.
Perhaps even asking charima herself if she knows anybody that can help before offering.

>>5733848
>>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...
Or maybe we could just show some titties. That might shock him to death.

>>5733848
>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...

>>5733848
>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...

I mean, Charima is currently drunk, we made a great impression, not smart, and drugged up. But Damachides needs to die, we have come too far and have been too fortunate to let this chance slip through our fingers.

I'll admit to not entirely understanding for the second option why we can't just put the poison directly into the open wound rather than on the dressings and scalp.

>>5733472
I genuily don't believe Pantaleon is there anymore. Like if he doesn't want to serve, he must want to make more money so he must be gone.
And remaining in the wild is just dumb. He clearly isn't an idiot.
If he still there, he is either dead or captured by a monster or demon.

Our soldiers will remain here, at least the 2nd platoon we gained.

>>5733482
I prefer not having his powerful cousin on us. The prize here is gaining more money, more than what we agreed with Aristonax . Charima wasn't against giving us some funds.


>>5733848
>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...

He needs to die now.

>>5733848
>>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will treat Damachides as a patient and rouse him gently from his slumber, making every effort to treat him well. She will not poison him at this moment in time. Please note that success here in medical treatment will certainly raise further interest in Pylia's true identity - but perhaps this is desired if Deianira wishes to ally herself with Damachides?

If the third option wins, we might be able to increase our odds of success by lying that as a troupe master, we have faced this situation before and should be listened to.

>>5733848

>why we can't just put the poison directly into the open wound rather than on the dressings and scalp?

Sorry- to be clear, in this option Nira is using the dressing process to apply the poison to the scalp would directly. It would be easy for her to introduce the poison to the bandages or the honey salve itself, thus no sleight of hand check. Anyways the poison would enter Damachides’ system at a faster rate than dermal application alone, but not as fast as if Deianira dumps the poison down his gullet. So there’s a chance that as he dies over like 10 minutes, someone puts two and two together. However, everyone is drunk except for you, FWIW

>>5733942

I’ll just go right out and say that Deianira can reasonably expect that Damachides has no trained medic or physician on staff - this kind of training is exceedingly rare unless you have access to an Asclepian disciple and Deianira would have noticed such a person at the dinner.

So I’ll treat this vote as “Deianira treats Damachides” unless you change it later?

>>5734100
In that case yeah, just not going as far as escape right after, we need to put to rest both damachides and whatever suspicion they might have of foul play, going so far as to dispose of the manner of poisoning too.
Which in this case i mean to slip the poison in a way that won't be handled by servants cleaning the body and accidentally die by poisoning later.

>>5734131
So wait are you voting option 3? Where we get everyone out of the room?

>>5733848
>Deianira quickly instructs the servants to gather water, linens, sewing needle, honey and ashes. She will use this opportunity to poison Damachides by applying Kerberos' Slaverings to his wound dressings and scalp directly. This would be trivial to do (no sleight of hand check) and his death will be guaranteed - but drawn out over many long minutes of seizures and vomiting. It's possible that an insightful guest may realize that Damachides' death is not consistent with head trauma alone. Perhaps it would be best to gone when this occurs?

>>5734138
No, basically i mean to do two sleight of hands, one to apply the poison and another to remove the evidence whichever way we decide to apply the poison and then lie our ass off on how nobody could have saved him but asclepios in person, console the recent widow and part as friends with none the wiser.

>>5733848
>Deianira quickly convinces Charima, Myrethuia and the servants to gather water, food, and a litter for transport of Damachides - leaving her alone with him for a matter of moments. This would be a difficult CHA check, but success means that she will be able to apply Kerberos' Slaverings directly into Damachides' open mouth before rising to collect supplies (or escape?) - he will die extremely quickly, and his death would be reasonably blamed on the head wound by most. However, it's possible that days later, it will be remembered later that a tall, beautiful comedian named Pylia was kneeling besides Damachides before he died...

Dr. Deianira is in!

>>5733881
>>5733898
>>5734019

Strike now!

>>5733944
>>5733951
>>5733992
>>5734011
>>5734413

Poisoned poultice

>>5734200 (with a write-in modifier)
>>5734164

----

Looks like Deianira is going to strike! Unfortunately, no update tonight as I am bombarded with familial duties this weekend, but I hope to call for rolls and update tomorrow at 1-2pm EST. Stay tuned folks.

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Rolled 14, 19, 19, 19, 2 = 73 (5d20)

Your resolve stiffens – this is the moment you have been waiting for! You ruthlessly crush your doubts and take stock of your surroundings. Charima and Myrethuia are both pawing at Damachides’ chest, seemingly unaware of the fact that he still breathes, wailing in despair. The servants themselves are frozen – portraits of agony, despair, terror. Beyond the gaggle of concerned Damachideans surrounding you, it is pandemonium – fistfights have broken out amongst the attendees, many of the women have fled entirely, and you distantly hear Corcyrus thundering orders to the spearmen to drape a net around the theatre grounds in a gambit to locate Kekosalos – he must have slipped away despite their best efforts. Hard-hearted Eris has alighted here, on the hills of Damachides’ estates, and the ampoules of Kerberos’ Slaverings all but sing out to you from your leather bag.

This is the moment!

Rising head and shoulders above the huddle, you gild your voice with the brazen notes of command, and pronounce the following:

”Servants! We need boiling water, bandages, wine and a stretcher to carry him!”

They stare at you blankly for a moment, stunned – until you clap loudly, emitting a loud CRACK, belting out a second GO!. They may not know you, but they recognize the voice of nobility commanding them with utmost confidence in their obedience – they abruptly spin and charge out into the night to find what you requisitioned.

>Deainira automatically passes her difficult CHA attempt against the servants between her natural bonuses and the effects of Dionysian Frankencense (the servants are otherwise sober).

Myrethuia and Charima turn to look at you, disheveled and dismayed. Charima’s face is yellowed, sickly, under the light of the bright-tressed Selene – her youthful beauty distorted. Myrethuia, too, looks deeply concerned – but you see a reptilian gleam of self-interest crawling behind her eyes as she refuses to meet your gaze. You had hoped that some within the οἶκος would not mourn Damachides’ passing – and Myrethuia’s reaction is proof that you had guessed well.

>okay, /qst/, give me a dice+2d20+4 against Charima and Myrethuia’s WILL. This is a purposeful deception on Deianira’s part, so it’s a combined (INT+CHA/2 or (3+5)/2) roll against Charima and Myrethuia’s INT+WILL (to detect the deception/be persuaded to leave Damachides in a time of crisis).

>Charima is rolling to resist with a –2 modifier and an extra die (-3 INT due to booze, -3 WILL due to booze, another -3 WILL due to the DF. Her current INT bonus is -4, her current WILL bonus is -1).

>Myrethuia is rolling to resist with a +1 modifier but no extra die (-3 INT due to booze, -3 WILL due to booze, another -3 WILL due to the DF. Her current INT bonus is +0, her current WILL bonus is -3. However, Myrethuia has a relevant trait bonus (Handmaiden’s Awareness) to defensive social rolls, and gains an additional +2).

Rolled 20, 11 + 4 = 35 (2d20 + 4)

>>5735331

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Rolled 19, 2 + 4 = 25 (2d20 + 4)

>>5735331
>Rolled 14, 19, 19, 19, 2 = 73 (5d20)
dude

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>>5735342
>>5735345

Well, you guys really turned up the heat here.

kek

>okay, here’s how I’m disentangling this. I’m applying the combined INT/WILL bonii for Charima and Myrethuia to both their INT/WILL rolls, if that wasn’t clear previously. Let me know if I fucked up the math but I’m pretty sure I got it right.

>24 vs (14 - 2 (roll malus)) = 12 – four degrees of success against Charima for the deception part of the roll (against Charima’s INT). The 2nd, 3rd and 4th degrees of success reduce her WILL DC by 1 apiece.
>15 vs (19 – 2 (roll malus) – 3 (‘Nira’s successes) = 14 = one degree of success against Charima’s WILL. She got an extra WILL die as I mentioned earlier but ended up rolling two 19s, go figure.
>24 vs 20 – one degree of success against Myrethuia’s INT – no further penalties to her WILL roll.
>15 vs (2 + 1 (manual roll bonus) = 3) = four degrees of success against Myrethuia’s WILL. She dgaf.

“Lady Charima, please – you must reassure your household that all is well, look about you! It is madness – you must find Corcyrus, and have him establish control!” Charima, with red-rimmed eyes, instinctively shakes her head, rejecting your words, but you continue:

“Lady, please! Damachides is hardy and all will be well – look, he breathes still! But men and women of your οἶκος may die tonight unless you clamp down on the palace and its grounds! Think of what Damachides would do!” you hiss. Charima’s blonde hair is coming loose from its elaborate braid, and she stares at the rising and falling of Damachides’ chest, her mouth working silently. It suddenly draws shut – and her face smoothes into a mask of control.

“All you say is fair and orderly, Pylia – and Damachides would advise me the same. Organize the servants’ care and have him delivered to the andron – I will bring you an armed guard!” She picks up her robes and sprints into the darkness herself, and you hear her screaming out for Corcyrus, the piercing cry of a falcon. Myrethuia’s frantic wailing ceases as soon as you lose Charima in the gloom, you notice.

Turning to Myrethuia, you take a blunter, more forceful approach; as you look down upon her, you place a firm hand on her delicate shoulder:

“Myrethuia, you must secure your handmaidens – there will be rapes tonight. Go to your gynaikon and bar the door.” You deliver this statement with all the certainty that you can muster – and it is almost insufficient. She wavers there, eyebrows raised in alarm, for one heartbeat – for three – and you see the handmills turning behind her eyes, her mind working furiously to digest this request. You do not break eye-contact – and she does not seem to know the meaning of your gold-flecked eyes. Her brows lower, and her eyes clear – her decision has been made.

She senses something amiss – but does not know what, or does not care to learn, you think.

>cont

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>>5735432

She disappears into the night, and you are left alone with unconscious Damachides, although it may only be for moments before the servants begin to return.

You don’t hesitate – you swiftly remove one dose of Kerberos’ Slaverings from its woolen shell within your leather bag, use your father’s knife to pull out of the seal, dump the poison into Damachides’ open mouth – holding his mouth closed, you massage his throat until he swallows by reflex. Finally, you return the seal to the empty ampoule, closing it once more, and return it to its woolen shell. This occurs in less than ten heartbeats.

It is done.

Damachides continues to breath for now, but his heart will still before he awakens – he will descend to the underworld unaware of his killer or your true identity, and by order of Erebus, his shade will be doomed to stumble for a century in the underworld, as one of the unavenged, before he is gifted the draught of dull Lethe.

You spin about, the night echoing with shouts of rage, calls for calmness and peace, but no one has approached you or Damachides as you worked. You breathe deeply, a heavy burden lifting off your shoulders - you’ve accomplished your mission and organized Damachides’death, and at least for now, kept your true identity intact. But how to proceed? The danger is not yet past – on the contrary, escape from the Damachidean estates may be even more difficult than gaining entry. As you think further, Damachides was the keystone holding this household together, and his death will almost certainly cause the tinderbox of his estate to explode into flame.

>vote post coming, I can't quite get it to fit

>Okay, /qst/, how does Deianira proceed from here?

>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.

>Escape immediately into the night. Damachides' death will set off a wave of bloodshed. Best to be absent when this occurs, although Pylia's disappearance may well spark suspicion in Myrethuia, Charima and Corcyrus (if they survive). Nonetheless, you might prefer to be well on your way home by the time that rosy-fingered Eos rises. However, you will certain to come across Damachidean patrols and this is a danger in its own right...

>Have Gerasimos strike you over the head, splitting your scalp and covering you in blood. He can then drag you into the underbrush, where you can be "discovered" later on and brought to the Palace for medical treatment. This provides Pylia a convenient excuse for her disappearance and creates the possibility of further blaming Kekosalos for the murder of Damachides - Deianira will concoct a fiction about Kekosalos returning to suffocate Damachides and bludgeoning her. A successful misdirection here may further obfuscate your role in Damachides' death, but does not further your escape.

>Flee to Thrinakos' Kitchens - you may find sanctuary in his minor fiefdom, although you do not know his true loyalties - he may save you from roving bands of treasonous spearmen tonight, only to detain you if he suspects your role in Damachides' murder. Nonetheless, you may prefer the immediate safety amongst his staff and you will trust in your ability to persuade him successfully.

>Something else I haven't thought of?

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.
Either this or the third option are the most appealing to me.

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.
I don't trust G-boy enough with the 3rd option, especially when he's high.

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.

Looks like the best way out

>Escape immediately into the night.
All I can hear is Bury the Light

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.

So long as we remain under a semblance of order we can turn the situation as we want with our charisma.
But best have gerasimov rally our entourage behind us just to be safe.
I don't believe the slaves will siege the oikos in open revolt, most of the people here will simply disappear after looting we must make sure charima remains here after we go away and that she sits on the treasury until aristonax can come and take it from her.

>>5735452
I'm actually thinking if we shouldn't send gerasimov out to get the news to his father so he can come immediately to bring order to the land.
I believe he can slink past the chaos with little trouble.
Then we can convince charima once the oikos is besieged by aristonax to bribe him with the treasures so that he lets her return to her brother.
So charima is saved without creating a blood feud with another powerful but distant lord.

>>5735452
>>Have Gerasimos strike you over the head, splitting your scalp and covering you in blood. He can then drag you into the underbrush, where you can be "discovered" later on and brought to the Palace for medical treatment. This provides Pylia a convenient excuse for her disappearance and creates the possibility of further blaming Kekosalos for the murder of Damachides - Deianira will concoct a fiction about Kekosalos returning to suffocate Damachides and bludgeoning her. A successful misdirection here may further obfuscate your role in Damachides' death, but does not further your escape.

>>5735797
Anon, if G-boy is missing when the headcount happens how do you think that will look like for 'Nira who is still there? We definitely don't want to be here when people start fighting for the scraps of the land.

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.

>>5735452
>Escape immediately into the night. Damachides' death will set off a wave of bloodshed. Best to be absent when this occurs, although Pylia's disappearance may well spark suspicion in Myrethuia, Charima and Corcyrus (if they survive). Nonetheless, you might prefer to be well on your way home by the time that rosy-fingered Eos rises. However, you will certain to come across Damachidean patrols and this is a danger in its own right...

>>5735801
Who will look for gerasimov, a stranger, when the whole oikos is more than halved?
We could just claim he fled in the chaos, nobody knows our relationship with him nor knows who he is.
Besides this is a good chance to start poaching retinue members from this crumbling household.

>>5735797
>>5735801
>>5735892

>send G-boy out to his dad to let him know that Damachides is dead

This is totally possible and would be hugely helpful to Aristonax (since Deianira suspects that he is hoping to assume command of the Damachidean oikos), but in-character, Deianira would know that this could be insanely dangerous if things explode tonight. However, Gerasimos is not totally helpless here - on the contrary, he is capable of acts of heroism and derring-do in his own right.

Deianira could even try to have Charima provide a spare horse for Gerasimos, although this would be a difficult ask without revealing who she and Gerasimos really are. Not to mention, Charima may not want to be conquered by a somewhat inferior version of her husband…

>>5735452
>Stay true to Charima's order and organize the delivery of Damachides to the courtyard. He will die en route, but you will feign shock and horror when this is discovered. Surrounded by spearmen and servants, it will be difficult to accuse you of nefarious action, and furthermore, this option will place you in Charima's close proximity. You may be able to work with her to create the fiction that Damachides lives to maintain order, and eventually request an armed guard out of the Damachidean Estates. However, you would be in tremendous danger if your cover if blown.

>>5735920
I was thinking to send him on foot, he would be incospicous enough for guards to not really care about him and the slaves won't connect him to their oppressors.
Still we should at least try to get him the pass the guards use so they don't kill him or something.
How far away on foot or horse would aristonax land be from damachide's palace?

>>5736172

It’s about two and a half days march on foot but a rider on horseback could do it in a single day if they were pushing hard on a good horse.

In-character, Deianira would imagine that sending Gerasimos on foot or on horseback would essentially increase Aristonax’s reaction speed by several days at the moderate-to-significant risk of Gerasimos’ death if massive chaos breaks out.

Of course, if order is maintained in the estates, and Gerasimos can stay under the radar, he would be in relative safety as he travels back to his father.

Just following orders, ma'am

>>5735459
>>5735461
>>5735482
>>5735793
>>5735853
>>5736108

Rough play with Gerasimos

>>5735800

GTFO

>>5735860

--

Writing!

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Charima’s words ring in your ears – have him delivered to the andron… and as you turn over the order in your mind, obedience feels correct – you briefly consider fleeing into the uncaring night, but you cannot risk being caught up in Damachidean patrols. Furthermore, Damachides would be discovered dead – whereas if you organize his transport to the andron, you may yet continue to influence efforts. You also consider Gerasimos alone out to his father, to better inform him, but you come against the same barrier – even a hot-blooded young nobleman may be beaten down by ten lesser men, and therefore it is guile and deception that will win you your safety. You make every effort to appear busy, tending to Damachides even as his heartbeat grows thready and erratic. Already, you notice the beginnings of his humors curdling – the color of his cheeks, beneath his white beard, are beginning to fade from ruddy to corpse-white. Likewise, you detect the unnatural slackness in his head and neck through subtle investigation – truly, the man has already died, even if his heart continues to beat for a minute or two longer.

The servants return nearly as soon as you’ve made your decision to obey Charima – you immediately set about binding the wounds of Damachides, feeding him small dribbles of water, and giving every pretense of attentive care. None of the servants seem to notice Damachides’ oncoming death, or the black mist which is beginning to pool about his eyes. You request a servant bring you a large white sheet, to cover Damachides from sight, and he returns almost immediately with one – best to keep him obfuscated while he is transported, lest you start the rumor of his death yourself. It’s a moment effort for the servants lift him onto the litter and bind him gently to the rods.

As for the armed guard, they arrive only a minute later – a breathless group of half-a-dozen divisions scraped together into an impromptu honor guard of twenty or so; old veterans and trembling youths made compatriots by chance. Only half of them are equipped properly, with linothorax, bronze-tipped spears and shields. They stumble into one another comically as they come to a halt, staring at the blanketed figure below them on the ground with fearful eyes.

You hiss at them, using your noblewoman’s voice:

“Fools! Stop gawking and bring us to the andron! He will have you executed if Charima wishes it!” Your venomous outburst does wonders – reminds them of their duty, suggests that Damachides is alive and expected to recover, stirs them into action.

To their credit, they move quickly and do not hesitate to beat aside the drunken guests that wander before Damachides’ parade – a cruel mockery of a funerary procession. You and your troupe follow closely behind, riding the wake of their passage. You pass through the Palace Gates, and to your relief, find that security has trebled – for now, order is maintained.

>cont

Rolled 16 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

To their credit, they move quickly and do not hesitate to beat aside the drunken guests that wander before Damachides’ parade – a cruel mockery of a funerary procession. You and your troupe follow closely behind, riding the wake of their passage. You pass through the Palace Gates, and to your relief, find that security has trebled – for now, order is maintained. In the great entry hall, Corcyrus is patiently heating an iron brand in a brazier of fire, before the caged man you had seen before. Clearly, Corcyrus has plans to torture the captive, although for what purpose you cannot say. The man in the cage shifts and sits upright, and to your surprise, he is godlike in his presence – the frayed and filthy rags do nothing to hide his broad chest, his muscled frame or his sharp eyes. Beyond these markings of the divine, his face is ruggedly handsome – his beauty causes your breath to catch in your chest, even as you stumble by. His eyes are locked upon Corcyrus' face, not on the brand, and the caged man's pale eyes burn hotter than the flames.

As curious as this is, you have no time for further investigation, and in another moment, you have turned into the Palace proper – hobbling over the stone floors, you reach the andron. It’s a large room, clearly designed for battlefield planning – leather maps of Thessaly, Hellas and the broader Thracian lands dot the long tables. To your surprise, the room is empty – Charima is late. You order the servant to place Damachides upon the map of Hellas and order the spearmen to split in two – to guard Damachides and the door itself, and you place your troupe in a huddle in the far corner, out of sight.

You don't wait long before Charima breathlessly storms into the room, with a flock of handmaidens at her back - Myrethuia among them. Charima's eyes lock onto the shrouded figure of her husband and your breath catches a second time in anxiety - how will she react?

>rolling a MORALE check for Charima to see if she can not freak out here, she has to roll under her effective WILL to keep her composure.

>>5736359
>Rolled 16 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
Ah the freakout.
>the caged man's pale eyes burn hotter than the flames
I kind of want to somehow recruit this guy now if the chaos allows it.

>>5736359

>Charima fails her WILL check by three degrees, 17 vs 8
>she's freaking out

Charima opens her mouth wide in a silent gasp of terror and fear - you think she might faint outright for a moment, and Myrethuia appear at her side to brace her as she sways and stumbles on her way to her husband. Charima is a nightmare vision - her steps carrying against her will toward her husband, even as her eyes communicate abject denial of what they see. She is tearing her hair out in large clumps as she staggers, and as she approaches, you realize that she is actually screaming - at a pitch and frequency so high it can only just be heard.

Some part of her already knows, you think. A wave of empathy, shame and guilt rush through your body - how could you have done this to her? What a crime you have committed! You stand next to her murdered husband, a man you have killed yourself only minutes before, and now must console this woman through deceitful words and deeds. You push aside these black thoughts as you interpose yourself between Charima and Damachides - she may rip aside the shroud of the Damachides and reveal that he is dead to the entire room if she approaches - chaos would immediately erupt!

>Deianira has only a split-second to react, how does she proceed?

>Wrap Charima in an embrace and attempt to soothe her spirit with calming words. This would be a difficult CHA check, to say the least, but would provide Deianira a chance to further build her rapport with Charima.

>Order Myrethuia and the handmaidens to hold Charima back until she is calmed - this would be another difficult CHA check, but the handmaidens are drunk and under the influence of DF; you may be able to restore order amongst those present.

>Do nothing, allow Charima to approach Damachides and do as she wills? You will have to trust in your ability to adapt on the fly under these circumstances, but certainly, such chaos could work to your advantage.

>Something else?

>>5736369
>Wrap Charima in an embrace and attempt to soothe her spirit with calming words. This would be a difficult CHA check, to say the least, but would provide Deianira a chance to further build her rapport with Charima.

>>5736369
>Do nothing, allow Charima to approach Damachides and do as she wills? You will have to trust in your ability to adapt on the fly under these circumstances, but certainly, such chaos could work to your advantage.

>>5736369
>Wrap Charima in an embrace and attempt to soothe her spirit with calming words. This would be a difficult CHA check, to say the least, but would provide Deianira a chance to further build her rapport with Charima.

>>5736369
>Do nothing, allow Charima to approach Damachides and do as she wills? You will have to trust in your ability to adapt on the fly under these circumstances, but certainly, such chaos could work to your advantage.

In this moment i won't interpose deianira between the two, let her freak out then possibly try to influence her afterwards.
To show ourselves too domineering may come back to bite us.

>>5736369
>Do nothing, allow Charima to approach Damachides and do as she wills? You will have to trust in your ability to adapt on the fly under these circumstances, but certainly, such chaos could work to your advantage

>>5736369

Vote will close at 8pm EST, get your votes in lurkers!

This update was a little janky, thanks for everyone’s continued attentions.

>>5736369
>Do nothing, allow Charima to approach Damachides and do as she wills? You will have to trust in your ability to adapt on the fly under these circumstances, but certainly, such chaos could work to your advantage.

>>5736369
>Wrap Charima in an embrace and attempt to soothe her spirit with calming words. This would be a difficult CHA check, to say the least, but would provide Deianira a chance to further build her rapport with Charima.

hug it out

>>5736521
>>5736585
>>5736801

let Myrethuia and Charima hash it out

>>5736538
>>5736654
>>5736667
>>5736771

---

wise strategy, anons

Writing now, should have a mini-update out in a few minutes. Work has been especially challenging this past two weeks, but I still have gas in the tank yet, anons.

File: they didn't have marriage(...).png (1.04 MB, 741x658)

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Rolled 3, 9, 6, 11, 4, 1 = 34 (6d20)

You fight your natural inclination to intervene, as Charima stumbled towards you, blind with grief – it’s a volatile situation and you simply can’t risk turning Charima against you, despite your tremendous anxiety and visceral need to take control. You step far to the side, hopping a bit with your staff for support, providing a clear path to Damachides himself. None of the others dare approach – the spearmen, your troupe and the servants are all standing at the corners of the andron – as a group, their faces project true dismay, grief, and black dread. You trade glances with Myrethuia, as she half-carries, half-supports her noble Lady by her shoulders – Myrethuia’s eyes have regained the watery, confused quality of a drunken, anxious girl, but you’re not fooled. You’ve already caught a glimpse of the real Myrethuia lurking within, behind the frivolous and chatty brunette who first met you at the Palace gates, who quakes and wails in times of disaster…just as she is expected to.

Charima, reaching her husband after stumbling the last few strides, tosses aside the linen shroud – to your physician’s eye and from close range, he is definitively, obviously dead. Ashen gray, with his eyes closed and mouth open loosely, his exposed gums have begun to lose the pinkish quality of living flesh – his bandaged scalp wound has not bled any further as well, a telltale sign that his heart has ceased its loyal marching. And yet, Charima is so beside herself, she does not yet react – weeping, she places her head against his chest, babbling incoherently. Myrethuia, approaching gently, whispers gently in her ear, just loud enough that you can listen in…

>Myrethuia is rolling CHA against Charima’s INT, and she is choosing a very difficult strategy (Charima gets two extra dice to resist), but Myrethuia does have a special +2 bonus to social rolls due to her Handmaiden’s Awareness trait.

>Myrethuia is drunk, but this doesn't effect her offensive CHA rolls (+3 CHA plus +2 HA trait bonus = +5 total). Charima is drunk, so she is rolling with a combined INT -4 bonus (yes, really).

>Let’s see how she makes out…

>>5737261

>Myrethuia rolls a 14 vs 7
>two degrees of success!

Deianira has front-row seats to some very nefarious activity, stay tuned all.

Update tomorrow night - 10pm EST or so.

>>5737267
Alright, ten obols that this handmaiden has been poisoning the lady of the house so she couldn't get pregnant this entire time.

>>5737267
Doom.....

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The andron is gloomy, quiet - only the flickering of torchlight illuminates the room. Servants and spearmen shift anxiously on their feet, but in the twilight, you cannot glimpse their features clearly. In the corner of the room, you see Gerasimos' crouched on his heels - a profile of coiled action, he is watching intently, even as the rest of your chorus, mostly women, huddle against one another in terror.

Myrethuia, with slurred tones, speaks at just above a whisper, as she stands above before Damachides’ corpse with Charima, and embraces her.

“Lady Charima, Lady Charima! The Lord needs rest and recuperation – see how exhausted he looks? We must make him comfortable until we can obtain an Asclepian…We must send for blankets and pillows, milk and cheese, oils and incenses to soothe him for the night…” Myrethuia simultaneously waves to the servants in the room as she speaks, and they all but sprint out of the room to fetch bedding and the sundries requested. You can’t see Charima’s face at this angle, only the back of her head – braids askew, you nonetheless see her nodding tentatively.

Your eyes practically pop out of your head – a more blatant attempt to recast reality you have never seen in your life, but bizarrely, Charima seems to believe Myrethuia’s ridiculous statements. Myrethuia, facing you, is certainly drunk – her face is entirely too close to Charima, and as she whispers, you begin to see the outlines of their true relationship. This is not the hierarchical relationship between Lady and servant, but something more complicated, more twisted, more poisonous than you could have guessed. Myrethuia’s doelike eyes are locked onto Charima’s, unblinking, and you see naked possession written over Myrethuia’s pretty face – she is Charima’s jailer!

It must have happened over years, you think – innocent suggestions from Myrethuia becoming more and more insistent, “playful” insults becoming acidic and curdling, Myrethuia’s tempestuous and unpredictable joys and frustrations becoming central to Charima’s daily life... The slow construction of a prison cell with words, with feelings, with thoughts - a gossamer cage hovering beyond Charima's fingertips, untouchable. Charima never stood a chance – not against a woman carefully chipping against her autonomy, day after day, night after night…

It disgusts you – this relationship is aberrant, a violation – Myrethuia’s arm is looped casually around Charima’s shoulders, and the contact does not strike you as romantic or sexual, but as an expression of power, and of Charima’s powerlessness.

She has surrendered everything to Myrethuia out of convenience, and now…there is nothing left within. you think.

Rolled 1, 16, 11 = 28 (3d20)

“Lady, please – you must rest your eyes yourself – the night has been too turbulent so far, and you must be well-rested when Damachides’ awakens…” The servants, returning with bedding and portable bed, place it next to Damachides, along with a folding table brimming with well-watered wine, milk, cheese, bread, and honey. Myrethuia quickly guides Charima to this portable bed and you watch as she... tucks Charima into bed as if she is a child of five. Charima loses consciousness almost immediately, her delicate snores barely audible. Myrethuia makes a shooing motion to the servants and also to the spearmen within the room – they immediately vanish into the hall. You cast a warning glance to Gerasimos and your troupe – they take the hint and stay seated amongst the far chaises along the andron wall.

Turning, Myrethuia’s predatory eyes rise up lazily to meet your own, and disquiet races through your limbs – you have no idea what she’ll say next. She sheds all pretense as she walks to you, her face growing cold, and she hisses out to you, words slippery with wine:

“Tell me, playwright Pylia, who are you really? Speak honestly, and I will find a use for you.” The pressure in the room builds as she locks eyes with you – she attempting to break your will!

>I need a defensive roll from Deianira here – two rolls of dice+1d20+1 (normally +2 WILL bonus but the net effect of DF with Abercion’s Grip trait reduces to +1). A success here means that you will take control of the conversation at your advantage. Failure means that you will find yourself disclosing yourself to her: one failure, that you are a noblewoman from the local region. two failures, that you are Deianira Hippomedion. three failures - that you killed Damachides' yourself.

>I’m rolling for Myrethuia – dice+3d20+-1. She has a significant context bonus here but the effect of the DF is impairing her natural bonii.

Rolled 19 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>5737993
Outis

I love Odysseus despite how much a headache he will probably be on Nikon's trip to Troy

>>5737995
>>5737998

He won't be a problem if you keep rolling this well, anon. Although Nikon has historically been the jobber of the siblings, so I wouldn't bet on this luck holding true.

I keep setting up all these social challenges and Deianira just smashes right through them...

>>5738001
>Deianira just smashes right through them...
'Nira should've been the one sent to Troy with G-boy as a lieutenant.

Rolled 8 + 1 (1d20 + 1)

>>5737993

>>5738008

A lot would have to transpire before Deianira is called to Troy, but anything’s possible anon

>>5738013
>Big sis Nira comes to heroically save the day!
>Gods dying of laughter

>>5738013
>Deianira enters troy with a clever subterfuge.
>Three days later they open the gates of their own volition.
I feel like the greek expedition would have not fallen apart so easily if they had more high charisma heroes around.
Nikon would benefit immensely from deianira's presence in the camp.

>>5738092
I can just imagine now the number of suitors that would both come and go upon realizing there's a hot noble babe but she's sibling to a meat mountain who is currently looking at you no differently than a butcher analyzing a cut of meat.

Nobles are pretty shameless, casting an angry glance at them makes them smug, but the cold dispassion of being evaluated by a true tactician is something else.

Myrethuia does not realize her mistake immediately – she must expect you to quail before her as Charima does. Unfortunately for you, your own will is a razor-sharp blade, a heavy maul – long nights of weaving φύσις have created a powerful tool.

You gather your your own will, a wordless sneer upon your features, pressure crashing against pressure – slowly, the balance between you shifts. Your gold-flecked eyes push against Myrethuia’s brown ones and heartbeats pass by slowly. Without warning, she crumbles, biting her lip in dismay. You resist the urge to cackle in victory and vaunt your success – such actions are counterproductive.

That being said, you’re quick to seize the moment, in the guttering torchlight of Damachides’ andron – this is your chance to extract something of value from Myrethuia!

>Well, /qst/, you’ve got the handmaiden on the backfoot. Choose wisely. Each of these rolls will require an offensive CHA roll from Deianira.

>Ask that Myrethuia to provide you and your troupe with an armed guard to the edge of the estates. This is the easiest and most direct means of escape – she may wish to provide you with a speedy exit, now that you have revealed yourself to be a woman of superior will – an unknown variable for her. Easy difficulty.

>Persuade Myrethuia to reveal her own schemes for the night and offer her your assistance as a talented accomplice. Of course, you may later betray her for your own reasons, but this option would provide you with insight about Myrethuia’s own plans. Moderate difficulty.

>Attempt to persuade Myrethuia to rob the Damachides’ treasury and escape from the estates before Damachides’ death is broadly known. There is tremendous wealth present here in the palace, but Myrethuia is perhaps not eager to engage in such a brazen (it’s a pun!) heist. Even if you succeed in the robbery, escaping the Estates would not be a trivial matter. Hard difficulty.

>Something else I haven’t thought of?

Additionally, there’s a subvote to engage in:

>Reveal that Aristonax will be invading the Damachidean Estates within a fortnight and that collaboration with yourself and him may be very profitable indeed. This information could be incredibly risky to reveal, as it may provide Myrethuia the information she needs to deduce Deianira’s true identity, and potentially raise suspicion of Damachides. However, Myrethuia's participation in the conspiracy may very beneficial for both yourself and Aristonax. This information will provide a +3 roll bonus to the above conversation options.

>Keep Aristonax’s goals and motivations a secret from Myrethuia – let her sink or swim under her own power!

>>5738103
Maybe we should ask about the guy chained in the lobby. And if we can take him. But I don't know.

>Ask that Myrethuia to provide you and your troupe with an armed guard to the edge of the estates. This is the easiest and most direct means of escape – she may wish to provide you with a speedy exit, now that you have revealed yourself to be a woman of superior will – an unknown variable for her. Easy difficulty.
Honestly, I just want out. We have done our part. If Aristonax gets fucked up by this chick it ain't our problem. As a matter of fact, if Aristonax does get wrecked then his sons will inherit, and we can bully G-boy into doing shit for us.

>>5738103
>Ask that Myrethuia to provide you and your troupe with an armed guard to the edge of the estates. This is the easiest and most direct means of escape – she may wish to provide you with a speedy exit, now that you have revealed yourself to be a woman of superior will – an unknown variable for her. Easy difficulty.

>Keep Aristonax’s goals and motivations a secret from Myrethuia – let her sink or swim under her own power!

Time to skedaddle since we got an easy out, aristonax can sort these bitches out himself, we got a sash and an irsute epirot to recover.
Also once we get on the border better send gerasimov to his daddy asap.

>>5738103
>Ask that Myrethuia to provide you and your troupe with an armed guard to the edge of the estates. This is the easiest and most direct means of escape – she may wish to provide you with a speedy exit, now that you have revealed yourself to be a woman of superior will – an unknown variable for her. Easy difficulty.
>Keep Aristonax’s goals and motivations a secret from Myrethuia – let her sink or swim under her own power!