Story Update

Observer: You find yourself back in the encampment of the corrupt army, walking through the mud.
Observer: It seems as though their presence in this area has killed much of the native wildlife, and you find your eyes widening as you notice some blighted mushrooms growing.
Observer: They’re not large enough to give off spores yet, but…
Observer: That’s certainly not good news for the residents of the Verdant Kingdom.
Observer: You find yourself at Morgana and Muramasa’s tent, the large central one. The sides have been raised to accommodate what look like their different commanders.
Morgana: “-no, the Swamplands are no longer an option for flanking.”
Morgana: “The team working through the barricades they put into our tunnel is probably our best bet to get a surprise attack on their forces, right now.”
Muramasa: “You are all also failing to consider that we are achieving things they cannot undo, even if we are forced to retreat.”
Muramasa: “No matter how much they clean up after our battles, the mushrooms are taking root here.”
Morgana: “And they take root in some of our battlefields.”
Morgana: “I looked at our one on the shore, and found some sprouting so nicely there.”
Muramasa: “I think they’ve resorted to trying to use human cleaning products to remove them.”
Muramasa: “More proof of how unfit they are for the throne - seeking the aid of humans, even in something small, is a dangerous and foolish choice.”
Morgana: “The whore is too stupid for life. Why reject a gift such as necrosis instead of embracing it? The mushrooms are beautiful, a wonderful part of our planet.”
Morgana: “They’re not so different from any other mushroom, other than the gift they give…”
Observer: You can see, whenever the couple are not looking at some of the commanders, that a great number of them do not agree… but they do not dare disagree openly.
Observer: You would almost hazard a guess that the ones who seem unhappy with this weren’t willingly corrupted, for the most part…
Morgana: “I wonder… Why don’t we try smuggling some of our soldiers with mushrooms into Haven?”
Morgana: “If they could get past the guards to plant them, we could convert the population with time…”
Observer: She must see a good opportunity, because she gestures to a group of commanders to come forward.
Morgana: “The rest of you are dismissed - business as usual. You four, however, I want you to find suitable individuals in your commands to send into Haven. They are to report directly to me.”
Observer: You wonder if Queen Iola and King Nero have counted on this, as you slip off with the commanders who were dismissed…

Attack on the verdant kingdom (Daily)

Observer: Passing by a store that has a news channel one, you pause as you see a reporter speaking excitedly.
Reporter: “We’ve just received information that Queen Syndra and Queen Anja from the Eternal Depths, along with a contingent of their guards, have been deployed to the Swamplands.”
Reporter: “The safety of the swamplands have been of great concern to all observers of this war, thanks to Queen Goolia’s controversial decision to disband the Swamp guard just three months ago.”
Reporter: “This has left the Swamplands with no meaningful protection against an invasive force such as the corrupt army.”
Reporter: “However, Queen Syndra is believed to be one of the most powerful mages on Aerius. Her presence in the Swamplands should ease the fears of residents there, as well as observers like us.”
Reporter: “Other nations near the Verdant Kingdom are believed to be taking other protective measures, but we lack the details on those just yet.”
Reporter: “Reporting live from the Verdant Kingdom-“
Observer: You tune out as the reporter signs off, more interested to hear that Queen Goolia had disbanded her guard earlier in the year.
Observer: What a strange thing for her to have done…
Observer: No wonder Queen Iola was worried enough for them to bypass her dislike of Queen Syndra and Queen Anja. Without them, the swamplands would have no defense at all, it sounds like…
Observer: Clearly, it would be interesting to take a visit there in the future…

Crystal Casino

Observer: The casino is as close to silent as you have ever seen it.
Observer: There are a few tables of truly dedicated gamblers clustered together, and a surprising number of staff playing with them - possibly because it makes things look busier?
Observer: Or they’re just bored, who knows.
Observer: In one of the nearly deserted restaurants within the casino, you are startled to see Queen Ashe, a few guards sitting and standing around her. She seems to be writing in a notebook, a frown on her face.
Observer: You kind of have to pass them to get to the bar, and as you get closer…
Queen Ashe: “-think this route might be the better one to trap them between our forces.”
Observer: As your head turns, one of the guards nudges the Queen, who quickly touches something and speaks again.
Queen Ashe: “Do you think this color would look better in my sitting room than the current one? We’re taking advantage of the ugly situation down there to repaint, but I just can’t decide what looks best…”
Observer: …you’re… pretty sure that was not at all what she was just talking about, and that you weren’t supposed to overhear what you did.
Observer: Best to just pretend you didn’t overhear it, you decide - but maybe Queen Ashe is more interesting to pay attention to than you had thought…
Observer: Not too long after you’re seated and have ordered, the entourage has headed out.
Observer: You wonder why they weren’t somewhere more private in the first place, but maybe there actually is repainting going on in the Crystal Palace?
Observer: It’s something you’ll just have to listen about, you suppose.
Observer: When you’re not eating a burger, anyways.

Rodeo Ruff Pets

Observer: As you step into Rodeo Ruff, you see Blossom, to your surprise.
Observer: …wait, why are you surprised? Of course the shopkeepers go other places and have lives of their own.
Observer: You shake it off, looking curiously at her before spotting the blushing suldra she’s holding, who is munching on a cookie.
Blossom: “She’s such a sweetheart. Hopefully she can stand up to Petal better than Camilla can…”
Boone: “Well, I reckon it’ll help she’s not that much bigger than Miss Petal is - the big ones like Camilla just don’t wanna hurt anyone, so they’ll let themselves get pushed around.”
Blossom: “Yeah… Animals are a lot nicer than people in that regard…”
Boone: “Now don’t go getting yourself down like that, Miss Bloom.”
Observer: Blossom sighs, resting her head on the back of the suldra, who has cuddled over her shoulder to stare at you.
Blossom: “I know… Just with the war and everything, and that blighted mushroom in my shop a while back… It’s hard to feel optimistic about things [even though we’re winning].”
Boone: “I understand that, Morgana’s plumb crazy. Always has been. Guess it’s what made her so good in bed.”
Observer: Blossom makes a choking sound and the two of you stare at Boone.
Boone: “…what? Don’t tell me you didn’t think I’d never had sex, I have a daughter, you’ve met her!”
Blossom: “Having sex with Cupid’s mom is a LOT different from having had sex with Morgana Kita!”
Observer: The volume of Blossom’s reaction causes most of the animals in the shop to look to stare at the pair of them, and even Boone’s draphibian props its head onto the counter, casting confused looks between the two of them.
Blossom: “Didn’t it bother you she was married?”
Boone: “Eh, it might’ve if I was who I am now. I was younger then, and a lot dumber, what can I say?”
Boone: “She slept with most of the guards back then, pretty much, and about every visiting noble too.”
Boone: “Muramasa hated it as our captain, of course, but not enough to divorce her. Might’ve turned out less of a crazy bastard himself if he had.”
Blossom: “Wow, I… Why didn’t he?”
Boone: “Damned if I know. I didn’t really pay that much attention to how everyone interacted, back then.”
Observer: Blossom shakes her head for a long moment.
Blossom: “Well I’m gonna… get back to my place and look at settling this cutie in…”
Boone: “Let me know how she handles things - she’s been feisty with the other pets here, but they’re all easier to cow than Miss Petal.”
Blossom: “Will do - I hope she can handle her… Thanks for her, Boone.”
Observer: You step out of the way to let her pass, and quickly decide to browse the pets so you have time to finish processing that conversation before you talk to Boone…

Strawberry Gardens

Observer: As you step through the doorway to Strawberry Gardens, you see from the corner of your eye someone darting to hide behind the counter.
Observer: Curiously, you approach the counter and ask if anyone is there.
Nervous Voice: “Umm… Me… but I don’t know how to work the register or anything yet…”
Nervous Voice: “So I can’t… really help…”
Nervous Voice: “Sorry…”
Nervous Voice: “Blossom should be back soon though, she can help you!”
Observer: You feel a little bad for bothering them and accept that, and move on to browse the store.
Observer: Hopefully Blossom can get them trained soon so you can meet them…

Decore Galore

Observer: Decore Galore is busy when you enter the shop, but you have a clear view of Serena working at the counter.
Observer: It seems like it’ll be hard to get to her to actually speak to her, but she does look a little bit more relaxed than she did when you first broke the news to her about the invasion of the Verdant Kingdom.
Observer: It probably helps that the Verdant Kingdom have been mostly winning - they’ve lost a few smaller battles recently, sure, but the overall trend hasn’t had the corrupt army beat them for any of the serious fights.
Observer: For a moment, you think you see someone peeking out of the office behind Serena.
Observer: Your eyes meet a singular blue eye, and then the face jerks back and the door shuts again.
Observer: Interesting - maybe Serena’s new friend is getting a little bolder?
Observer: You’ll just have to hope to see more the next time you visit…

Trash Kingdom

Observer: Wouldn’t it be nice if your feet would stop dragging you out this way?
Observer: Wouldn’t it be nice to stop wondering what new horrors you’ll hear?
Observer: Unfortunately, you don’t get to know how nice it might be, as your feet finally come to a stop near where you have listened before.
Observer: You can hear the sounds of extremely focused chewing of fabric, and grimace at it.
Angelic Voice: “Mmm the work to get the hat off Masamasa was worth it…”
Angelic Voice: “It’s such a treat for the teeth, so rich and crunchy all at once…”
Chill Voice: “I think the cravat is my favorite. It’s got a nice and soft mouthfeel, I bet he uses really fancy soaps on it.”
Angelic Voice: “Oh, definitely. When I was in the Wilds, before they kicked me out, I got into their laundry room once. Someone in the Enchanted Vale is smuggling all kinds of luxury stuff to them.”
Angelic Voice: “Too bad nobody was smuggling more trash to them.”
Angelic Voice: “You’d think a place calling itself the Corrupt Court would be a little dirtier…”
Observer: The voices sigh in twin disappointment.
Angelic Voice: “Truly, such a letdown. At least their clothes are tasty.”
Observer: It feels like time to go, and so you hurry away…

Attack on the Verdant Kingdom (Shop)

Observer: Even on the approach to the shop, you can hear the shouting.
Observer: Peeking your head into the cave, you are surprised to see Morgana, her back to you, shouting at a team of corrupt soldiers.
Morgana: “Do you think gloves just get up and walk off? Muramasa took them off me in the storeroom, and that’s where they should still fucking be!”
Observer: The soldiers all look somewhere between exhausted, done, pissed off, and afraid.
Observer: For your part, you’re just…
Observer: …recalling something you overheard recently…
Observer: You decide it might be for the best to come back later - you don’t want to find out what happens if Morgana realizes you know what happened to her gloves.