Episode 3 Part 1 - Sneak Peek #33

Hi friends!

To make up for missing last week's sneak peek, I thought it would be fun to do a little demonstration of how player continuity shifts the path of a dialogue tree. These are four examples of the same conversation that have different results based on factors such as the player's previous choices, their approval/romance level, and other elements. 

This is from the Veyer branch and requires a specific event to unlock. 

• MC is not fired from the mission
• MC was trained by Varyn (for some small flavour text shifts)
• Rivals encompasses approval 59 and under, which results from either the neutral approval or low approval version of the Episode 2 fight. For context, the some of the dialogue only triggers with approval that is 39 and under. It also has an alt version for a very specific circumstance that I did not include here

Should go without saying, but this is very very very much not edited. 

+60 AERAN ROMANCE + CONFESSION

“You seem to know where you’re going,” you remark as Veyer trails several feet behind, distracted by the wall and its barrier. Tall grasses and undergrowth rustles against your serithan. You’re thankful for the shade; after the boat ride and the long climb, it’s good to be out of the sun.

Aeran stiffens. This familiar stance—the pair of you, pressing onwards to your destination side by side—feels alien. “Been here a while,” he mutters. “Got a good look at the place. Didn’t Malsara tell you? Or were you too distracted by Krellion to pay attention?”

The snide remark cuts deep. So he saw you. Of course he did. “It’s none of your business—”

“Isn’t it?” he hisses. “How can it not be? You remember what I said on the Dareia?”

Your stomach drops. The raw anguish from last night returns and your chest tightens painfully, your heart stuttering rapidly within. This morning you weren’t sure what to expect when you saw him again—but now you’re face to face, there’s a hollowness you cannot shake, a raw wound in relationship that deepens with every word, infecting you both like a virus.

You love him. You hate him. You don’t know what to make of him.

1. [ROMANCE 💔] “Maybe you’re the one who should remember. If there was truth to any of it, you would never have treated me the way you did last night.”
[CHOICE] 2. [PERSUASION] [LIE] “I remember. It’s not my fault I don’t feel the same.”
3. “Don’t you dare bring that up now. Don’t you dare—”

[Persuasion Succeeded]

Your mouth twists, savouring the lie. You don’t know why you chose to say this—perhaps out of a desperation to deny the feelings you still have for him, or the need to hurt him as much as he has hurt you. Your actions have already done that plenty, but this will only drive the knife deeper.

To your surprise, he falls silent and closes his eyes, a weary look crossing his face. “Good,” he says, his voice raw and breaking. “It’s better this way.”

Your stomach drops. You expected him to fight, to shout—anything but this blind acceptance of defeat. “Aeran—”

“I’ve been trying to make something of this every day since Karth,” he continues. “But I see now how foolish it was all along. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that. For all of this. I know how much I fucked up last night—gods, do I know it—and for what it’s worth, I am sorry. But I see now you’re exactly the kind of person I know I can never trust. Not now. Not in that way.”

He strides forwards, pushing onwards down the path without a backwards glance. You watch him go, traitorous tears panging in your eyes. There’s no triumph or satisfaction in your victory, only the brutal awareness that whatever remaining feelings you have for each other are now broken beyond repair.

You still love him. Of course you do. Feelings like that aren’t so easily killed—not by rage, not by anger, not even by sleeping with someone else. It would be easier if it was. But Veyer can’t save you from this.

Acknowledging it only leaves you numb.

+60 AERAN ROMANCE + NO CONFESSION

“You seem to know where you’re going,” you remark as Veyer trails several feet behind, distracted by the wall and its barrier. Tall grasses and undergrowth rustles against your serithan. You’re thankful for the shade; after the boat ride and the long climb, it’s good to be out of the sun.

Aeran stiffens. This familiar stance—the pair of you, pressing onwards to your destination side by side—feels alien. “Been here a while,” he mutters. “Got a good look at the place. Didn’t Malsara tell you? Or were you too distracted by Krellion to pay attention?”

The snide remark cuts deep. So he saw you. Of course he did. “We’re not discussing this—”

“Then I hope you know what you’re doing,” he hisses. “You may not believe it now, but Krellion is using you, just as they use everyone around them. They’ve had a lifetime in the Imperial court to perfect it.”

You grimace. After what Veyer asked you to do, there’s no denying that you are being used. “And what if they are? So is Umbria, so is Zenaida—hell, even Lethalis as a whole. At least they’re honest about their intentions. I can’t say the same for you.”

He flinches. “$nickname—”

“Thanks for the warning. Don’t see how it’s any of your business—”

“Because you’re my friend. Because it’s you.”

The weight he gives the word is impossible to ignore. You know all too well what he means, though the feelings you have for each other remain unspoken. And now he’s left you nowhere to hide.

Damn him.

The raw anguish from last night returns and your chest tightens painfully, your heart stuttering rapidly within. This morning you weren’t sure what to expect when you saw him again—but now you’re face to face, there’s a hollowness you cannot shake, a raw wound in relationship that deepens with every word, infecting you both like a virus.

You love him. You hate him. You don’t know what to make of him.

1. [ROMANCE 💔] “You don’t get to be in love with me. Not after what you did last night.”
[CHOICE] 2. [PERSUASION] [LIE] “Get your head out of your ass. I’m not in love with you.”
3. “No. Don’t you dare do this, don’t you dare—”

[Persuasion Succeeded]

Your mouth twists, savouring the lie. You don’t know why you chose to say this—perhaps out of a desperation to deny the feelings you still have for him, or the need to hurt him as much as he has hurt you. Your actions have already done that plenty, but this will only drive the knife deeper.

To your surprise, he falls silent and closes his eyes, a weary look crossing his face. “Good,” he says, his voice raw and breaking. “Good.”

Your stomach drops. You expected him to fight, to shout—anything but this blind acceptance of defeat. “Aeran—”

“I’ve been trying to make something of this every day since Karth,” he continues. “But I see now how foolish it was all along. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that. For all of this. I know how much I fucked up last night—gods, do I know it—and for what it’s worth, I am sorry. But I see now you’re exactly the kind of person I know I can never trust. Not now. Not in that way.”

He strides forwards, pushing onwards down the path without a backwards glance. You watch him go, traitorous tears panging in your eyes. There’s no triumph or satisfaction in your victory, only the brutal awareness that whatever remaining feelings you have for each other are now broken beyond repair.

You still love him. Of course you do. Feelings like that aren’t so easily killed—not by rage, not by anger, not even by sleeping with someone else. It would be easier if it was. But Veyer can’t save you from this.

Acknowledging it only leaves you numb.

+60 AERAN FRIENDSHIP

“You seem to know where you’re going,” you remark as Veyer trails several feet behind, distracted by the wall and its barrier. Tall grasses and undergrowth rustles against your serithan. You’re thankful for the shade; after the boat ride and the long climb, it’s good to be out of the sun.

Aeran stiffens. This familiar stance—the pair of you, pressing onwards to your destination side by side—feels alien. “Been here a while,” he mutters. “Got a good look at the place. Didn’t Malsara tell you? Or were you too distracted by Krellion to pay attention?”

The snide remark cuts deep. So he saw you. Of course he did. “We’re not discussing this—”

“Then I hope you know what you’re doing. You may not believe it now, but Krellion is using you, just as they use everyone around them. They’ve had a lifetime in the Imperial court to perfect it.”

You grimace. After what Veyer asked you to do, there’s no denying that you are being used. “And what if they are? So is Umbria, so is Zenaida—hell, even Lethalis as a whole. At least they’re honest about their intentions. I can’t say the same for you.”

He flinches. “$nickname—”

“Thanks for the warning. Don’t see how it’s any of your business—”

“Because you’re my friend and despite everything, I still care about you. There’s no way in hell I’m abandoning you to handle things alone. This is Guild territory. They have enough Wayfarer blood on their hands.”

You grimace. “I don’t know, are we? Friends? Because it seemed like two decades of friendship meant very little to you last night.”

He snorts. “Could say the same for you, considering who you’ve chosen to spend your time with—”

“Don’t start—”

“I waited for you, you know? I went back to that apartment and I waited for you. I know how much I fucked up last night—gods do I know it—and I was prepared to tell you everything—”

Anger flares in your chest. “Liar,” you hiss. “You were never going to tell me about the Spire, are you?”

Aeran stiffens and his expression turns dark. Anger would be expected, anger would be easy—but this is beyond that. This is bitter resentment. “I was,” he says. “Until you turned into exactly the kind of person I know I can never trust. You’re a real piece of work, $firstname. Guess you take after Brissa after all.”

He storms ahead without a backward glance. You watch him go, but there is no triumph or satisfaction in your victory. Only the brutal awareness that whatever remaining feelings he may have had for you have disintegrated alongside the feeble tatters of your friendship.

RIVALS [Main Version]

“You seem to know where we’re going,” you remark coldly, falling in line beside him. Veyer trails several feet behind, distracted by the wall and its barrier.

Aeran scoffs and glares ahead, avoiding your gaze. The dappled sunlight warms his face, throwing his bruised cheek into sharp relief. “I’ve been here long enough to get a good look at the place. Did Markal not tell you? Or were you too busy amusing yourself with Krellion to pay attention?”

So he saw you. Of course he did. “It’s none of your business.”

He fixes you with a cold look. “No,” he retorts under his breath, keen to keep your conversation private. “It really isn’t. Fuck whoever you want, I don’t care, but you should be careful with Veyer Krellion. They’re not the person you think they are.”

1. “Fuck off.”
[CHOICE] 2. “Have you considered they’re not the person you think they are?”
3. Walk on in silence.

Aeran’s expression darkens. “Ignore my advice all you want,” he says bitterly. “But don’t be surprised when they stab you in the back. Whatever they’ve told you, their priorities will always lie with the emperor first and themself second.”

You grit your teeth, unsure what to make of his comment, and stride ahead. “Did Umbria pay you extra for this little scouting mission?” you say. It’s too easy to feel the additional weight in your pack and imagine the heavy coin pouch stuffed within. “Or did you volunteer of your own accord?”

“I have my reasons for leaving Mahanin as soon as possible,” he grunts. “Just so happens that my plans coincided with Umbria’s.”

“So you’re taking additional orders from a Guild archsage? Thought you would have abandoned the mission altogether before letting it come to that—”

“You may be the last person I call a friend, $firstname, but there’s no way in hell I’m abandoning you to do this alone. This is Guild territory. They have enough Wayfarer blood on their hands.”

A chill runs down your spine. You’ve heard such words from him before, even as recent as last night. “Right. Anything else?”

“I scouted the perimeter this morning. The lakeside gate is unwatched and I’ve already dealt with the single surveillance orb in the area. It’s our best point of entry.”

[CHOICE] 1. “Dealt with? You mean you shot it down. Just like you to go and give our position away.”
2. “What do you want me to say? Congratulations for being on top of things?”
3. Say nothing.

Aeran bristles. “I took care of it so it wouldn’t give our position away—”

“Yeah? Say that again when someone comes to investigate why their surveillance orbs aren’t working—”

“You’re one to talk. You were happy enough to take one out yourself.”

You scowl. “Fuck off. Next time, Aeran, don’t mess with them.”

“I won’t if you won’t, $lastname1.”

You stop. $lastname1… It’s a name only he would know, one you have not heard in a very long time. Your family name, inherited from a backwater clan that never wanted you. “That’s not my name,” you snarl.

“Isn’t it?” he spits. “Not a lot of Wayfarers had the nerve to take on their mentors’ legacy. Are you sure you deserve Varyn’s?”

You stand, rooted to the spot as he storms down the path without a backwards glance. Fury courses through you, eating away at you like acid. No matter what form your relationship takes, one thing never changes: he always knows where to hurt you the most.