[LP CYOA] Epic

[m4davis]

B but why dont we just use our new and improved telekinis to push him off the tower

 

[Zero Credibility]

Maybe he is just too far. Otherwise, why wouldn't we do that? I'd bet that would break his concentration.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Er, I'm B, Tome, not that it matters much.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Maybe he is just too far. Otherwise, why wouldn't we do that? I'd bet that would break his concentration.

Well, maybe we could throw a rock at him... A big one. treave, is there any way we could become our own catapult? (using telekinesis)

 

[Baltika9]

Not in our condition, I suspect.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I don't know, knocking over that huge tower seems like a pretty difficut thing. If we could do that, launching a rock that's not even 1/10 the size of the tower using our mind powers doesn't seem too far fetched...

edit: if we are accurate enough, we could even just throw a sword straight at him...

 

[Zero Credibility]

Let's not throw our sword to the enemy. Rocks would do just fine - doesn't even have be to very large rocks. I think we could be as effective as a catapult and considerably more precise (because we can guide the missile at least part of the way). A few 10 kg rocks traveling at 100 km/h would make short work of that tower and the Gieloth on it. Unfortunately, I don't think we would be able to hide this display of power from our troops. And of course, this is just speculation before we know just what we are capable of at this point.

Edit: That is, unless that guy also has telekinesis and can deflect incoming missiles. But if he does, why didn't he use it to bombard us from afar before the battle?

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I didn't say our sword - just a sword...

As for the troops seeing us:
We could just say we "felt the gods grant us their power for a moment" or something. Who cares what the primitives think. I'd wager that winning the battle is all that's on their minds and if we can do it - by whatever means - they'd be overjoyed.

Edit: That is, unless that guy also has telekinesis and can deflect incoming missiles. But if he does, why didn't he use it to bombard us from afar before the battle?

Even if he can deflect, I suspect that he'll have to take his mind off controlling the troops for a moment. Which would be good for us as it'd delay them from reaching the walls. They might even start fighting his control once they realize what's happening.

 

[Zero Credibility]

We'll I would definitely be for at least trying it. It's not as if an attempt would take a long time. Just pick up a rock (must be plenty around on the walls ready at hand) and throw it. Maybe try to mask our full abilities by making it look like a feat of pure strength (after all, our men already know we are a monster in battle). And if it doesn't work, no harm done. Probably.

Edit: But in the end treave is the final arbiter of what can and can't be done. We might just be too weak to throw rocks that far. Maybe all we have now are our men and our sword.

 

[treave]

You don't have the range or accuracy right now. It's a rainy and windy day. Maybe if you can get closer...

 

[Storyfag]

B

 

[kazgar]

Another thing for B is that the mind control has left them acting like automatons, doesn't mean that'll have the dexterity/skills to climb ladders fast or fight nimbly in battle (more like "robot chop") so it may mean the soldiers skill in battle is rather compromised, thus providing us more of a edge while they're being controlled. There's also the whole pushing away ladder boiling/oil siege scenario, being drone like won't give them the reaction time they need? The action of placing ladders across moat, climing across then placing/replacing ladders may be difficult and in our favour.

On the flipside, the more dudes we kill, the less power will be required by the glieoth, so he could do other things, but the tradeoff will probably be worth it (once numbers get too small, may be no benefit in invading the rest of egypt)

 

[Zero Credibility]

You don't have the range or accuracy right now. It's a rainy and windy day. Maybe if you can get closer...

Wind and rain would have little effect on a sufficiently heavy rock, but if we don't have the range then that's that. I'm still in favour of toppling or breaking any ladders we can with our telekinesis though - we do have enough power for that at least, right?

Edit: And speaking of rain (and the clouds it fell from - "the sky darkened"), does that mean that the Gieloth has just negated the advantage the sun in our eyes gave him?

 

[treave]

Chapter 3.22: Hold the Wall

Three hundred years later, the brief ten years of your doctrine still remain instilled in Sumerian soldiers. Even under Gieloth control – or maybe because of it – they moved remarkably well as a unit, each man forming a firm brick in their shield wall. They did not falter, as normal soldiers would, and this made their formation all the more impenetrable to your ranged weaponry. Were it not for the numerous traps you had laid, they would have made it to the walls with ease. Their bows outranged those of Egyptian make, and soon your own archers, despite their height advantage, were having to duck in fear of being skewered by stray Sumerian arrows. Still, the weather made it far harder for them to hit you, and you figured it would be hard for them to climb the walls in the rain too. You wonder if the Gieloth couldn't stop the rain once he had started it...

The Babylonians reached the moat, with less men than they had started out with, but still enough to outnumber your soldiers three to one. They began dropping their ladders to span the moat, but the first few who crossed were snapped up by the crocodiles, who proceeded to eat the ladders too. Most of the men moved back, and they began to file into line at the gate. You were fine with that. Arrows and rocks rained upon them, but for every one you killed, two more lined up to take their place, shields at the ready. Their tight formation and sturdy shields made sure that they could well survive your attacks once they had hunkered down into position... and they did not move from their spot, camped in front of the gate. They made no effort to raise their ladders. You move to the top of the gate, wondering if you could get a huge piece of rock to drop on them while they weren't moving. You notice that the rain was getting heavier... the clouds were darkening even further, and gathering above your head.

Something was wrong. The air began to buzz around your ears. Your eyes widen, and you yell at your men to find cover. There is a blinding flash, and a roaring sound. Fast as you are, you can't dodge lightning yet. You are blown clear of the gate, tumbling back inside the fortress, as a lightning bolt strikes the top of the wall. There is another flash, and another strike.

That tower was bad news after all.
Looks like your first guess was right – it allows the Gieloth to do what he does better.
I suppose it isn't as handy as your Honourblade if he's going to have to lug that big phallic object around whenever he goes to battle...
No offense to your smaller phallic object that does the same thing, but being shorter certainly makes it more manageable in size.

“No offense taken.” As you clamber to your feet, you grit your teeth. Your wounds were still healing... but there was no time for pain. You let out a loud yell and charge back to the top of the wall, rallying whichever soldiers you could pick up to go with you. On your way, you pass Menos, who nods at you and begins preparing his militia to reinforce the men on the walls. Many of your soldiers had gathered near the gate to heap rocks upon the Babylonians – that lightning strike would have taken out a few dozen, easily. You need to keep morale high. As you reach the top of the wall, you find that the Babylonians have raised their ladders. Already their soldiers were engaged in battle with your men, and pushing them back. There were many of them already on the walls – you cannot let more up. Focusing on the hooks of the ladders that you can see, you make a silent, gripping motion with your both your fists, and snap them off at the top. That should buy you some time. Then you charge into the fray.

The rain has made the walls slick, and you watch your footing as you dance into the chaotic melee, reaping bodies with your sword. The Babylonians fought particularly well – they were strong and skilled, but each of them seemed to have a certain rote to their skills. It was not easily noticeable, but they would hold their blades so before a attack, and move there to dodge, and turn just so before a feint. There were several variants to their movements, but it was nothing a really keen-eyed and experienced fighter couldn't spot. Unfortunately, you didn't have even a hundred of these in your army, while they had thousands of good if dull warriors. You kept up the attack, attempting to clear the walls. You just didn't have enough men to guard every spot, and for every ladder you knocked down, more sprang up out of your sight, while you were distracted by more enemies. You are not sure how long you hacked your way through the rain, how many ladders you destroyed, how many men you killed, but you did notice that with every passing minute, the Babylonian soldiers grew better. They had began to adapt to your movements; now, instead of angling their blade so before an attack, they began to angle their blade so before turning their blade thus when you moved to attack their weakness. This was still nothing you couldn't handle, but they were gradually inflicting more and more casualties on your men. All of a sudden, the last Babylonian collapses in a gurgle of blood, and then there were no more. The Babylonians made no further attempts to scale the gates. You wonder if they had given up. Walking over to the edge of the scorched, crumbling wall, you scanned the area.

The Babylonians were retreating in an orderly manner. Judging from their number, you might have killed more than five hundred men as they tried to claim the walls, before they pulled back. Your own men did not fare much better, however – even with the advantage of fighting on their own walls, more than five hundred were wounded, with at least three hundred more dead. Of these, many of them were professional soldiers, who had been in the bulk of the fighting. Tomorrow, the militia would have to begin to take up the slack. The civilians have much work to do today. The rain clouds did not let up, and you begin orders for the wounded to be treated and the dead to be buried.

The Babylonian army did not move for the rest of the day, but you note that they had already set up camps, apparently preparing to be here for at least another night. No chance of them going back immediately with their tails behind their legs, then.

***

That night, you receive a visitor in your head.

Greetings, mighty immortal.

The sound in your head was unmistakeably that of a Gieloth.

I am Nabu, commander of the Babylonian forces currently arrayed against your brave warriors.

You could not respond out loud, seeing as you were having dinner with your men. You settled for thinking really hard back at Nabu.

“What do you have to say to me?” Him beaming his voice into your head wasn't really a surprise to you – you had caught a flicker of communications between the Babylonian forces currently outside your fortress and Assyria. You presumed 'Lord Marduk' had something he wanted.

It has been fun testing your abilities – I was particularly impressed at the way you turned Baran into a little ball, and how you noticed the little learning subroutine I implanted into the soldiers, but I fear the test must end tonight. My lord Marduk has decreed that I should break your mind and take your body before him. He has no interest in Egypt anymore... only you.

With that, you feel his tentacle on your brain, pressing on your mind. Instantly you realize the sheer extent of his psychic abilities. He would be formidable enough without his tower, but with it, he could shatter your mind with one push. It wouldn't be permanent, but you would certainly go into a coma for quite some time as your mind repaired itself. You resist the urge to break out into a cold sweat somehow, and keep your calm while chewing the tough crocodile meat that were part of the cellar stockpiles.

“Why have you not done so?” You keep your questions simple and cautious.

Why, has Sekhenun not told you of me? I am surprised. I would have thought her gossipy enough to reveal all the internecine politics of the Gieloth!

You hear a slight tone of amusement, but you keep quiet.

Suffice to say, I have no love for my lord, nor the foolish little errands that he sends me out on. There are far greater concerns we should be facing than dealing with petty little Earthling squabbles.

You sigh. “Can you get to the point? I'm trying to have dinner here, if you haven't noticed.”

Sekhenun was right, you are pretty rude. Here is what I propose... I will bring you before Marduk... unbroken. Then you shall take him by surprise, and slay him.

“What do you get out of this?”

I will get what I want, you will get a bountiful reward from me, and Marduk will get what he deserves. Is that a good enough answer?

“Not really. Next question: How can I trust you?”

It's simple. I could break you right now and send my army to fetch your body once your men are in disarray. I won't. Tomorrow morning, you will come to the Babylonian camp, alone. I will dismantle the tower as a sign of good faith, when you are a hundred paces from the gates, and once you are with me, my army will retreat. Your men might even think you died heroically to chase us away. Wouldn't that be nice?

This Gieloth was particularly talkative. Then again, the ones you had met since awakening from your slumber were quite chatty, unlike the two you had dealt with before. What should you do? He was holding your mind hostage to try to get you to accede to his demands – on the other hand, could he really deliver on his threat?

***

A. You accept his offer, and prepare to head to Sumeria with this weird Gieloth. Having felt his power, you have no doubt that he could crush your mind should he choose to, and with you gone, the leaderless fortress would fall with the next assault. His words may not be entirely truthful, but you don't think you have any other choice. You can decide what to do next after you arrive in Sumeria.

B. You pretend to accept his offer. Tomorrow, once he dismantles the tower, you will use his own foolishness against him and destroy his army. He is no threat without that sorcerous building of his, and in close combat, you are confident you can strike him down before he can concentrate his psychic abilities on you.

C. You grasp the Honourblade tightly and steel yourself against the impending assault – you will reject his offer and call his bluff. You do not trust a single word he says, and if he could have crushed your mind that easily you are sure he would have done it a long time ago. You beat his forces back today, you will continue to do so tomorrow, and the day after that, until every last one of his men is dead.

D. Rather than having him crush your mind, you'd rather sacrifice yourself to destroy him! YOU UNLEASH THE EARTHQUAKE! If the tower was still parked where it was, he'd plummet, along with it, into the abyss.

 

[m4davis]

D

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

A

edit: I have a feeling that b leads to a, but with an angry gieloth who orders all our troops killed as punishment for our failed assualt. I just don't see how we can win when we have only around 1000 healthy soldiers - mostly militia and they have 4900 pros...

Flopped to D. Let's send Nabu straight to hell.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Well shit. D would destroy us right now, right? What about tomorrow? If we stall for time and then trigger the quake tomorrow (maybe by pretending to agree), will we heal enough to survive? Can he actually read our mind and know we are lying or are our mental defenses preventing him from doing that?

 

[Bloodshifter]

A if he is true to his word we get to kill a master class tentacle and set up the perfect thing to return to Egypt as Ean the Undying! or what whatever we decide to call ourselves. even if he is lying at least his "larger" phallic device will no longer make us inferior with our "smaller" phallic device.

I loled so hard at that reference fell out of my chair

 

[treave]

I suppose at this stage it won't matter to your body whether you trigger it now or tomorrow. The recovery period would only be a tad longer... relatively speaking. You were at your absolute weakest right after killing Baran, up until the battle ended. Expect a pretty long recovery period, though. No, whatever ails you, it won't be a coma, which is my way of telling you option D isn't a joke option that puts you out for a thousand years.

 

[Bloodshifter]

I suppose at this stage it won't matter to your body whether you trigger it now or tomorrow. The recovery period would only be a tad longer... relatively speaking. You were at your absolute weakest right after killing Baran, up until the battle ended. Expect a pretty long recovery period, though. No, whatever ails you, it won't be a coma, which is my way of telling you option D isn't a joke option that puts you out for a thousand years.

*tears at hair* SEE I knew it wasn't a coma

Well played Treave well played we missed our chance to really F them good.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I suppose at this stage it won't matter to your body whether you trigger it now or tomorrow. The recovery period would only be a tad longer... relatively speaking. You were at your absolute weakest right after killing Baran, up until the battle ended. Expect a pretty long recovery period, though. No, whatever ails you, it won't be a coma, which is my way of telling you option D isn't a joke option that puts you out for a thousand years.

Yet you are pretty clear that we'd be sacrificing ourselves... Hmm. Considering option D...

edit: the option says "If the tower was still parked where it was" - can we not see it?

 

[Zero Credibility]

What, triggering the quake would bury us along with him? What about mind reading - will he know if we lie to him? Can he read all of our thoughts or just those we send to him?

 

[m4davis]

A

edit: I have a feeling that b leads to a, but with an angry gieloth who orders all our troops killed as punishment for our failed assualt. I just don't see how we can win when we have only around 500 healthy soldiers...

I feel the need to tell you we would be killing him first

 

[treave]

Ean isn't exactly sure what it'll do to him. He's never had to use this much power before. So he has to assume the worst that can happen. There will be a drawback, but it won't be as serious as going comatose for three hundred years, though you can expect the recovery to be very, very, very lengthy.

You could ask Nabu to wait while you go out the halls, up the walls, and look for the tower... he's the sort who would be arrogant and amused enough to indulge you. But yes, it is actually at the same spot right now. Hasn't moved, author's fiat, you won't need to go up and spot it.

Well, as far as mind reading goes, you don't know if he can actually read your mind, or tell if you're lying. It's a gamble. Lying to him might or might not pay off... just as trusting him might or might not be ill-advised. Can't say anything more than that.

edit: Gotta say having Netzi in charge of the men instead of Kharun pretty much prevented a total rout on the walls just now - he had your soldiers fight together more defensively, which bought them time until Nabu ordered the retreat. The update was too lengthy as it is so I snipped that part out. Kharun would've been too aggressive, which is commendable but would ultimately backfire by taking too many casualties against an opponent with an advantage in numbers, overall skill and unbreakable morale. At least, that is how I saw it.

 

[Smashing Axe]

We can't abandon our men, so that leaves A out. The question is, do we choose B, C or D? I have no idea. I'm tempted towards B, but... eh. I'm out of my depth here.