Tyranny Walkthrough - Part VII

The Bastard City

Tunon's Court

• That's right, you don't get to explore the City itself; instead, you are just dropped straight into the Court (+150 party experience).

• The audience chamber is packed with City nobles who have come to settle grievances and pledge fealty to Tunon the Adjudicator, Archon of Justice. Lady Anda Lucretius is one of them: her family's ancestral hall of Thistlehome became collateral damage during the conquest of the City. She complained about the belt of rings and outlying plot of land assigned to her by Tunon in compensation - Tunon told me to build anew and start farming. Farming! Can you believe that? - to which I responded, in simple terms, that Tunon's word is Kyros' law and that he isn't one to change his mind (Tunon: Gain Average Favor x2). So there. But yeah, why is she still standing there? Can't she be scripted to take her leave of the chamber? Guards? We have loiterer.

• Now, the Court will already be in session; in fact, in its closing stages. A rabble of representatives from the Vendrien's Well siege (Albertronas, Aurora & Ceveus of the Disfavored and Blood Mulch, Bitter Quip & Mocking Blaze of the Chorus) have gathered to testify before Tunon, who, from his podium, will welcome you and inform you that he is in the process of cross-examination (Tunon: Gain Average Favor). Having heard the conflicting accounts from opposing lieutenants, Albetronas & Blood Mulch (and enough of their blame-game) Tunon will silence them, turn his gaze to you and, since it coincided with your arrival, request an explanation as to how war could have broken out between Ashe & VoN. I responded that the Archons could not agree on who would lead the siege, so I chose to side with the Chorus and lead them to the Citadel with an unstoppable advance (Tunon: Gain Average Favor).

Why did I choose the Chorus over the elite Disfavored? VoN was willing to win the Citadel at any cost, whereas GvA values his army more than his duty to Kyros. At that, Tunon will accept your testimony, dismiss the petitioners of both factions, and summon you to a private audience in the terrace above his Court (+150 party experience).

• PRIMARY QUEST: A TRIAL OF THE ARCHONS & PRIMARY QUEST: THE DISSONANCE OF WAR. Now speaking privately, I agreed with Tunon that the civil war is an affront to Kyros' Peace and that it should not have taken the better part of a year to quell the Oathbreaker rebellion (Tunon: Gain Average Favor). Tunon charged me with conducting an investigation into the Archons in order to find out who was principally responsible for the civil war and unrest; to that end giving me permission to use force against the Disfavored and cunning against VoN (i.e, enter into his confidence, become a friend, and get him to divulge his secrets). The Chorus stronghold of Cacophony should now be unlocked on your world map.

• Ok, so. The object is to continue accumulating evidence against both Archons. Here is what I have on them thus far:

Evidence against GvA. • The Disfavored were ineffectual at gaining Cairn, the Archon of Stone, to follow orders.

Evidence against VoN. • He unleashed the Archon Sirin, who sowed chaos and even enthralled a Disfavored soldier. • During the conquest, the Scarlet Chorus sought to conscript new recruits from the Forge-Bound, who are under Tunon's protection.

• Tunon then moved onto a more "sensitive" issue. He complimented me on proclaiming Kyros' Edict, on resolving its demanding conditions, and on ascending the Spire - deeds that are worthy of recognition by the highest authority (Kyros) - but such accomplishments I humbly credited to my privileged position as Fatebinder (Tunon: Gain Average Favor). Nevertheless, Tunon wisely acknowledged that my deeds have transcended a hierarchical title and captured the attention of Kyros' armies and those of the local tiersman; ergo, he encouraged me to exploit my new standing to its fullest, bring justice to the lawless frontier, and bring glory and honor to the Tiers in Kyros' name. He then dismissed the Fatebinder, rapped his gavel on the floor, and blinked back to his podium. PRIMARY QUEST: THE VOICE OF KYROS (COMPLETE) (+300 party experience). Back on the podium, Tunon can be milked for much lore on Kyros (to whom he refers in the feminine), Bleden Mark (Archon of Shadows) and - especially - matters of law. I expressed a wish to extensively understand law, and Tunon's execution of it (Lore: 58, +22 exp, Tunon: Gain Major Favor). He told me his history, how he used law and order to win a bloodless victory for Kyros and become her Adjudicator. Then, in response to Tunon's statement that the Fatebinder was not selected for her independent thought, that her intellect is of value in the tasks that lie ahead but that unwavering obedience is of greater value, I questioned that perhaps he didn't want me to interpret Kyros' laws to fit any circumstance (Lore: 58, +21 exp). In answer, Tunon simply cautioned me not to overstep my bounds (as some of his pupils have done in the past, and to their detriment). Tunon reputation. Favor: Tier 4 (95% to tier 5).

• Back down in the audience chamber, lieutenant Blood Mulch acknowledged the Fatebinder's role in granting the Chorus control of Lethian's Crossing (Chorus: Gain Major Favor, Quickstart Conquest Chorus Path). He shared with me some Blood Chanter lore that was promised to me by Fifth Eye back in the Chorus Camp; namely, Scroll: Sigil of Blood Magic (Accent). At this point I broke into fifth tier Favor with the Chorus and gained the Visage of Terror reputation ability as a result (AoE cone that immobilizes and terrifies enemies). Also, Bitter Quip lived up to his name: Nice job making it out of Vendrien's Well in one piece. Must be easy when you can hide in a Spire. On the other hand, and to no surprise, the Disfavored are not all that talkative or sprightly. A curt nod is about all I got out of them.

 

• You can engage in extensive dialogue with Fatebinders Calio, Nunoval & Rhogalus but (info-dumps aside) there is nothing to be gained.

 

• As you take your leave Bleden Mark, the Archon of Shadows, will appear from stealth and engage you in conversation. I lost Average Favor and gained Average Wrath with the Archon for having sided with the Chorus. I jokingly took an evasive stance to his rhetorical questions (Bleden Mark: Gain Average Favor) but thanked him for his advice on VoN; that is, be mindful that VoN will attempt to exploit my unique powers for his own gain (Bleden Mark: Gain Average Favor).

Anyway, I'm going to put Lethian's Crossing and its related PRIMARY QUEST: STIRRING VISIONS on hold while I meet up with VoN at Cacophony, a five-and-a-half day trek from the Bastard City. Oddly, the party encounters not a single waylay/ambush or object of interest en route. I mean, they could have at least pitted us against some Disfavored - especially after all that dialogue and lore - but they just didn't. FIVE-AND-ONE-HALF-DAYS OF TRAVEL AND NOTHING HAPPENED. Gimme some crap to kill, for fuck's sake. And we couldn't even harvest a single consumable in the wilds along the way, not even a lowly Marshberry?

Continued in Part VIII.