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Chapter 13: The Bridal Path
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Key



Joined: 08 Feb 2004
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:32 pm    Post subject: Chapter 13: The Bridal Path  

The next chapter of the featured storygame "The Machine's Daughter" has been posted:

Chapter 13: The Bridal Path

Discusssion and voting are complete for chapter 13.

For more about the storygame, see the New Players Start Here topic in this forum.
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Shady Stoat



Joined: 02 Oct 2005
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:47 am    Post subject:  

Tough. Very tough :shock:

I think things have got a lot worse for Pilla now. She's reduced herself to being not much more than a slave of Rigiva. Whatever happens, I think it's time to take some of the responsibility for her own life back.

I must say, I'm tempted between two options at the moment. The first is to sneak to her horse and ride. She can outdistance the Scarpi and continue on her journey alone. The difficulties are that the Serpent-witches are hard to find, she has friends that she won't want to leave and she knows the whole situation will be waiting for her if and when she returns from the witches.

The second is to demand that the guards take her to the king. Then she can tell Rigiva that if he harms a single one of her followers that she will not marry him.

He will ignore her, thinking her silly and brainless and weak - but that may be his undoing. Presuming Pilla carries her spear with her wherever she goes, she may well be able to strike at him while he is distracted by his giving of battle orders. If she has pre-poisoned the spear, the poison should be able to do more damage to Rigiva than his stinger would do to Pilla. That much has already been discussed.

With their leader dead, would the Virivoi be demoralized? They would still fight - at least some of them would - but Pilla's followers would probably be in a frenzy, after their recent plunge in morale followed by their 'god' showing such strength at a time of crisis. Perhaps the battle would be more even than anyone thinks?

Would she strike though? Negatives: She only came on this journey to fulfil her own need for answers, not to commit murder or start a war. It would be easier to escape. Positives: She has friends she needs to protect, and she will become a slave if she doesn't.

That's all I got for now :)
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Smee



Joined: 16 Oct 2004
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 1:07 am    Post subject:  

Very tricky chapter :shock:

I'm thinking the apparent failing of her logic is going to provoke some more animal based reaction from her.

Everything she has tried to do logicially has been twisted, and at best hasn't hurt her position. But now it has, her people angry and in danger. Rigiva has already announced quite clearly his intention for the marriage. All Pilla's doubts and irritation is going to be fired by her inability to do anything to help if she thinks logically.

So for the sake of her friends and her mission she will do something like....

I think she should try and dress herself formally, using whatever she has learnt of the Scarpi traditions, complete with poisoned spear and demand to be taken to her husband to be.

When in front of him, she needs to make a big show of taking back control for her own people from him. Assuming that he has them in front of him as he 'deals' with them, draw close and get equally angry and forceful - utilising Rigiva's own lessons in language to convince him you are seeing his side. Demand co-operation from them towards your choice of husband.

As she speaks, wander back and forth, trailing the spear with her as if it's too heavy. As she wanders past Rigiva's eyeline she allows it to drop and gently scratch him before dropping it to the floor with as much drama as she can manage. Hopefully the confusion will be enough for him to not notice the slight scratch and time enough for the poison to work. If not, then it's down to chance whether she can stick it in him again harder.

If all goes to plan and he suddenly just dies - then it will be down to Pilla to immediate declare that it is the action of the gods after praying for guidence over the marriage that evening. She had assumed that as he was still alive that the gods condoned the marriage but now the message was clear for all to see.

I've waffled on enough.

Happy Writing. :D
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Muaddib



Joined: 31 Dec 2004
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:20 am    Post subject:  

He thinks you're already married. He wants a taremto child as his salt wife. Pilla should stop acting like a naive little kid and take control. Use the poison we have been given. He intends to deal with your tribe on his own. Our power is about to be snatched from us. We have nothing if that is gone, we'll be at the mercy of Rigiva.
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LordoftheNight



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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:53 am    Post subject:  

I think she's going to have to kill him, as the logical and instinctive choice. Won't go into more here, but Smee and Shady have both made good points.
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Araex
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:58 am    Post subject:  

Hmmm. Pilla is slowing losing her power and influence; and now Rigiva is treating her like a slave and, presumably, about to kill some of her followers, which we can't let happen.

I like Smee's ideas a lot, up to the point of the spear. Dragging round a spear as if it is heavy isn't going to get respect, and just casually dropping it might not be enough to scratch his hide.

Perhaps we can create a con - fill a second vial with water, and say it is holy water? Down the water yourself, and hand him the poison. Say that if he survives; he will be fit for marriage, if not, then the gods have spoken.

I do agree that now, killing him is the only real option - we couldn't abandon our friends before, and now they'd have even less chance of surviving.
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xïa
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:33 pm    Post subject: hello  

Hello,

I think Pilla (sounds so touchy) has to escape and run away from the King before he might hurt her so bad it will be badly.

The mighty King is mighty tough. He has no good spirit.

And then...

She will recover from Ainee's healing thoughts. That's my idea for now!
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Photinia
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 1:18 pm    Post subject: smash hit  

come on........

the king is evil like the devil. why run away like a whimp when she got the power down the spout.

didn't she get a dangerous potent drink?

killing isn't the answer. more fun to whip him badly!
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LordoftheNight
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:22 pm    Post subject:  

Araex, the trouble with that is he will probably demand a switch. He didn't get to be king by being foolish or weak. Maybe if you double bluffed him, by giving yourself the posioned cup.

Or have to empty cups, the rim of one is posioned. Pour the water in view of all, and drink first.

Or condition yourself to the posion by taking small amounts, but she doesn't have enough time for that to work.
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:54 pm    Post subject:  



Dang, we're in a tight spot.

Like Smee has mentioned, Pilla seems to be gradually understanding that her Zigot logic is not going to help her solve her problems. And that it is time to dump logic, and follow her more violent, animalistic emotions.

Killing the king though still sounds rash. We have no evidence that he is the one ordered his Scarpi to attack Pilla's followers. All we could know is that his followers are mutinying against him. He seems to like the idea of an alliance marriage with Pilla, whatever his reasons might be.

But it looks like with all the events happening now, reason and logic is not going to do anything. Maybe tis time for Pilla to stand between the two groups, and demand Rigiva answers about the rumors concerning his supposed betrayal. Maybe that will clear the air between the two groups a bit.

Running away is too cowardly for Pilla, who is supposed to be a leader and a Child of Tarmeto. She needs to make a stand, and re-establish herself in front of her followers. It is true Rigiva has taken away her command of the Scarpi that follow her.
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Araex
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:50 pm    Post subject:  

"We have no evidence that he is the one ordered his Scarpi to attack Pilla's followers."

The way I see it, they weren't ordered to attack at all, it was just the logical outcome of their animosity, and the resentment of that. There are probably counter-rumours about the other tribes left Masakati to her doom whilst only Rigiva's tribe stood with her to the last - or something like that, I can't remember details.

"Maybe tis time for Pilla to stand between the two groups, and demand Rigiva answers about the rumors concerning his supposed betrayal."

This would be a good idea, I'm just not sure about the physical how - does she just walk out in formal wear, and say, "Right, b*tches, I've had enough. Let's talk"?
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Mother Goose
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:06 pm    Post subject:  

Yes, Pilla needs to confront this fiance of hers in sight and hearing of the troops of both sides, and before he takes his revenge for the killing of one of his soldiers. She can't just sit in her tent quietly while he "deals" with the situation. Before she gets the guards to take her to Rigiva, she should prepare something to protect herself, though - not a cumbersome spear, but an easy-to-conceal poisoned knife or dagger.

Then she should assert her autonomy and insist on traveling with her own people alone to the Wild Lands. "Surely Rigiva has important duties in his capital, which would suffer from his prolonged absence. As long as she is allowed passage, she would not trouble him for an escort, and it might take a while to find the witches - really too much of an imposition on his time!"

If he gets physical, she should not hesitate to use the dagger.
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:11 pm    Post subject:  

Araex wrote: "We have no evidence that he is the one ordered his Scarpi to attack Pilla's followers."

The way I see it, they weren't ordered to attack at all, it was just the logical outcome of their animosity, and the resentment of that. There are probably counter-rumours about the other tribes left Masakati to her doom whilst only Rigiva's tribe stood with her to the last - or something like that, I can't remember details.

I was just offering another suggestion as to why there may be further animosity between the two groups. Like you said, it may be just generarl resentment. But IF Rigiva ordered such movement, he could be considered one of the instigators of the tension.

Quote: "Maybe tis time for Pilla to stand between the two groups, and demand Rigiva answers about the rumors concerning his supposed betrayal."

This would be a good idea, I'm just not sure about the physical how - does she just walk out in formal wear, and say, "Right, b*tches, I've had enough. Let's talk"?

*laughs* Well, I don't think that would get Pilla very far. But it could be the one way to clearing the air. I think one thing that she shouldn't do is walk out in formal wear. She needs to establish herself as one of them, not above them.

I don't know what she should say. We already know that placating words won't work on this group. I believe we tried that already. She will have to probably act a bit patronizing, while at the same time have a calm, commanding air around her. Although she may not be in formal wear, she needs to establish supremancy over the group, even Rigiva, though he may become angry.

Just a few thoughts. :cool:
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Mother Goose
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:21 am    Post subject:  

She could tell Rigiva (in public of course), "It's too soon to meld the troops. Obviously they aren't getting along, and to avoid a war, we must separate." He won't buy that, since he has no objection to a war he knows he will win, but he might not want to say so in front of the troops who will die in it.
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Key
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:34 am    Post subject:  

Poll's up! Happy voting. :D
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Smee
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:00 am    Post subject:  

I voted for Confront Rigiva publicly, with a poisoned spear at the ready as I think it was the idea I had, although I wasn't sure it might be the 3rd option :?
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Key
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:07 am    Post subject:  

The third option was meant to be your suggestion, Smee. I edited it to make it clearer. Let me know if you want to change your vote.
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:28 pm    Post subject:  

Mother Goose wrote: She could tell Rigiva (in public of course), "It's too soon to meld the troops. Obviously they aren't getting along, and to avoid a war, we must separate." He won't buy that, since he has no objection to a war he knows he will win, but he might not want to say so in front of the troops who will die in it.



I can see him declaring war right in front of his troops. If they are as loyal as most of the people are saying they are, they wouldn't object to dying for their lord and master.

I like daggers, so I am going for the second to last idea. :cool: Either way, Pilla needs to be ready for defense.
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Smee
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:30 pm    Post subject:  

Yes - could I change my vote please - cheers. :)
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Araex
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:31 pm    Post subject:  

I say no daggers, as if we are discovered it's a bit harder to explain:

"Why are you hiding a dagger behind your back?"

"Umm... scratching?"
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:44 pm    Post subject:  

Well, I would think a dagger would be easier to hide than a spear. Though the poll is saying that most of the members here are for open offense with the spear in hand.

Like I said, either way, Pilla must be prepared.
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LordoftheNight
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:44 pm    Post subject:  

Voted for the third option, though I did like Mother Goose's idea of publicing telling him to seperate, although that didn't make it to the poll.
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Key
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:38 pm    Post subject:  

A public confrontation means that Pilla challenges Rigiva in some way. That could include asking to have the groups separate.
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Muaddib
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:38 pm    Post subject:  

I voted to confront Rigiva with a poisoned hidden dagger.
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:51 am    Post subject:  

Have to gloat. The dagger is winning by two votes... :cool:
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:49 pm    Post subject:  

I missed the discussion, but I voted for confronting him publicly with a hidden dagger. It seems the best option because you are not openly threatening him with a spear...he is not aware either, so you can strike when he doesn't expect it.
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Chinaren
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:12 pm    Post subject:  

Well, I voted for getting out of dodge. Pilla* has become embroiled in something that really isn't any of her business for no real reason. Leave them to it I say.

*This name sounds like someone on the back of a motorbike
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Key
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:18 pm    Post subject:  

Poll's closed. Confronting Rigiva publicly, with a hidden poisoned dagger at the ready, won the vote.
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Key
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:47 pm    Post subject:  

Locking this chapter. Chapter 14 posted.
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