Eternal
You know what this is going to be, his attempt to convince you of why you shouldn’t be helping Quintus. You’re not interested in anything he has to say, and it will be pointless to do so.
“I’m going to just leave now and stop wasting both of our time, Batty. I suggest you don’t try to stop me.” You remark and begin walking towards the door.
“But, you’re already here! You can’t just listen?” Batalimus says.
“No. This was a lapse in judgement on my part I suppose. Still, I guess I got a good idea of the layout of this place when I eventually have to kill you.”
“Very well then, but I had hoped you’d be reasonable about this Eternal.”
With those last words you leave Batalimus’ house and return to your duties in Quala. Just as you’re thinking about how you need to go see Trog soon about your little arrangement you get an urgent message from a republic messenger.
“He’s fucking dead?!” you exclaim.
“Yes sir, as I said he was found dead in his home, poisoned. His assets are all being seized due to him owing various people, though his wife is contesting…”
As the messenger drones on about this, you realize you’re in position that you really should’ve considered. Namely, you have no “patron” anymore. Sure, you’re somewhat popular with the military, but Quintus’ influence on the population and his fellow senators were a big deal. Batalimus must be behind this and even if he isn’t, he’s going to be the main one taking advantage of the situation.
Without another word you ride off to Nalin and you don’t stop until you arrive at Batalimus’ place. Batalimus’ personal guards are surprised to see you and even more surprised when you start chopping them down with your sword. Despite killing everyone in his home, you don’t find Batalimus so you go to the next logical place to look, the senate building.
You don’t have any more luck there, all you manage to do is interrupt some of the senators debating something or other.
“Where is Batalimus?!” you demand.
“I don’t know! We don’t know!” the senator that has the floor answers, but it really isn’t the answer you want to hear.
“Lies!” you say and fry the senator with a lightning bolt.
“You really think your republic is going to survive? Most of you were already supporting Quintus’ ideas, now I bet you’re ready to turn your back on those same ideas just because he’s dead. Well Batty killed the wrong man. I will see the Empire return even if the rest of you are too cowardly to do so!” you shout and begin throwing fireballs at the rest of the senators. You don’t stop until you leave the senate house in flames.
By this time the military is on the scene, but they’re unsure of what to do for several reasons. So you give them the reasons.
You take immediate control of the military and tell them to start hunting for Batalimus and to maintain order. A few days later and it’s official. You make your announcement that the Republic is dead and that the Empire now lives again. The general public doesn’t know quite what to make of everything. You’re sure that there will be some sort of misguided rebellion especially with Batalimus still on the run probably stirring up dissent, but with the military behind you’re confident that you won’t have too much trouble.
Year 541
“You really think this is going to change anything? Look at the nation! Despite your attempts to crush its spirit with your outdated concepts of order it still resists you! Face it, you’ve already lost and my death will not save you!” Batalimus screams defiantly.
You break a couple more of his ribs with a few stomps to his chest. The older man wheezes and gasps in pain. He won’t show fear though; he’s fully willing to die.
“It may not change anything, but keep this in mind before I send you on your way. Your actions did NOT save the republic; it only increased the chaos and strife. You may have fucked up my plans, but you have completely destroyed and betrayed your own.”
“(Wheeze) Perhaps…Eternal…(gasp) but better the people should live in anarchy than under your brutal order!”
You shake your head at his answer and crush his windpipe with your boot. At last the thorn in your side has been removed, but the damage he’s done has not. In fact you’re not even certain that you can repair it. Even with Jennifer doing her best with the propaganda machine, it’s still not enough.
You have attempted to recreate a secret police in a similar style of the Emperor’s Eyes, but efforts haven’t proved too successful mainly because you’re too busy using the military to keep direct order.
Even portions of your military have turned against you, if not outright treason then desertion. Some have fled to find work within the six cities of Arat or even joined up with the pirate groups in Delerg.
It isn’t that the people don’t fear you, it’s that they hate you more than they fear. Even after you’ve destroyed entire towns that have dared defy you, you still get pockets of resistance running off into the wilderness to cause ongoing problems.
Your methods in the beginning months were probably too harsh in retrospect. Killing everyone in the senate certainly didn’t help as perhaps some of those experienced fools might’ve still been useful in swaying public opinion and dealing with the more mundane issues of running the government. Combine this with the fact that the idea of things like “liberty” still lingered within the people, your brutal actions only proved to them what happens when a single tyrant takes power. Instead of cowing them into submission, you ended up lighting a fire of freedom that you still haven’t put out yet and at this point you wonder if you ever will. Batalimus of course took advantage of that fact too.
Between the steady attrition of loyal soldiers, the ongoing defiance of the people, external threats like the Flogger tribe hearing of your struggles and taking advantage of your lightly defended outposts in Quala (And certainly have no intention of joining your Empire now) you are pushed to the brink and beyond.
You decide if the fools won’t submit to your rule, you’ll burn the whole damn thing down. Jennifer however talks you out of it saying that it won’t solve anything. She also tries to convince you that maybe you should consolidate what holdings you do have and build from there.
It’s a nice thought and it’s certainly logical, but you’re so exasperated at the entire situation that you decide to just give up. You realize that your time has come and gone. The people don’t want you around and at this point you don’t even care to rule them anymore. In fact you don’t even care about ruling anything anymore. All you really ever wanted to do was serve the Emperor and the Empire and enjoy your time with Alison.
Things were so much simpler back then.
You shouldn’t have ever listened to Semra. Even if the Emperor had killed you, at least you wouldn’t exist in a time where the Empire doesn’t. You would’ve died at least knowing the Empire would still be around.
Not being able to go on and unwilling to stick around, you suddenly leave Nalin forever. Where, nobody knows. Some say you found death in the Usksha Desert, others say you found it in the cold mountains of Rask, but ultimately what happened to you is lost to time.
“I’m going to just leave now and stop wasting both of our time, Batty. I suggest you don’t try to stop me.” You remark and begin walking towards the door.
“But, you’re already here! You can’t just listen?” Batalimus says.
“No. This was a lapse in judgement on my part I suppose. Still, I guess I got a good idea of the layout of this place when I eventually have to kill you.”
“Very well then, but I had hoped you’d be reasonable about this Eternal.”
With those last words you leave Batalimus’ house and return to your duties in Quala. Just as you’re thinking about how you need to go see Trog soon about your little arrangement you get an urgent message from a republic messenger.
“He’s fucking dead?!” you exclaim.
“Yes sir, as I said he was found dead in his home, poisoned. His assets are all being seized due to him owing various people, though his wife is contesting…”
As the messenger drones on about this, you realize you’re in position that you really should’ve considered. Namely, you have no “patron” anymore. Sure, you’re somewhat popular with the military, but Quintus’ influence on the population and his fellow senators were a big deal. Batalimus must be behind this and even if he isn’t, he’s going to be the main one taking advantage of the situation.
Without another word you ride off to Nalin and you don’t stop until you arrive at Batalimus’ place. Batalimus’ personal guards are surprised to see you and even more surprised when you start chopping them down with your sword. Despite killing everyone in his home, you don’t find Batalimus so you go to the next logical place to look, the senate building.
You don’t have any more luck there, all you manage to do is interrupt some of the senators debating something or other.
“Where is Batalimus?!” you demand.
“I don’t know! We don’t know!” the senator that has the floor answers, but it really isn’t the answer you want to hear.
“Lies!” you say and fry the senator with a lightning bolt.
“You really think your republic is going to survive? Most of you were already supporting Quintus’ ideas, now I bet you’re ready to turn your back on those same ideas just because he’s dead. Well Batty killed the wrong man. I will see the Empire return even if the rest of you are too cowardly to do so!” you shout and begin throwing fireballs at the rest of the senators. You don’t stop until you leave the senate house in flames.
By this time the military is on the scene, but they’re unsure of what to do for several reasons. So you give them the reasons.
You take immediate control of the military and tell them to start hunting for Batalimus and to maintain order. A few days later and it’s official. You make your announcement that the Republic is dead and that the Empire now lives again. The general public doesn’t know quite what to make of everything. You’re sure that there will be some sort of misguided rebellion especially with Batalimus still on the run probably stirring up dissent, but with the military behind you’re confident that you won’t have too much trouble.
Year 541
“You really think this is going to change anything? Look at the nation! Despite your attempts to crush its spirit with your outdated concepts of order it still resists you! Face it, you’ve already lost and my death will not save you!” Batalimus screams defiantly.
You break a couple more of his ribs with a few stomps to his chest. The older man wheezes and gasps in pain. He won’t show fear though; he’s fully willing to die.
“It may not change anything, but keep this in mind before I send you on your way. Your actions did NOT save the republic; it only increased the chaos and strife. You may have fucked up my plans, but you have completely destroyed and betrayed your own.”
“(Wheeze) Perhaps…Eternal…(gasp) but better the people should live in anarchy than under your brutal order!”
You shake your head at his answer and crush his windpipe with your boot. At last the thorn in your side has been removed, but the damage he’s done has not. In fact you’re not even certain that you can repair it. Even with Jennifer doing her best with the propaganda machine, it’s still not enough.
You have attempted to recreate a secret police in a similar style of the Emperor’s Eyes, but efforts haven’t proved too successful mainly because you’re too busy using the military to keep direct order.
Even portions of your military have turned against you, if not outright treason then desertion. Some have fled to find work within the six cities of Arat or even joined up with the pirate groups in Delerg.
It isn’t that the people don’t fear you, it’s that they hate you more than they fear. Even after you’ve destroyed entire towns that have dared defy you, you still get pockets of resistance running off into the wilderness to cause ongoing problems.
Your methods in the beginning months were probably too harsh in retrospect. Killing everyone in the senate certainly didn’t help as perhaps some of those experienced fools might’ve still been useful in swaying public opinion and dealing with the more mundane issues of running the government. Combine this with the fact that the idea of things like “liberty” still lingered within the people, your brutal actions only proved to them what happens when a single tyrant takes power. Instead of cowing them into submission, you ended up lighting a fire of freedom that you still haven’t put out yet and at this point you wonder if you ever will. Batalimus of course took advantage of that fact too.
Between the steady attrition of loyal soldiers, the ongoing defiance of the people, external threats like the Flogger tribe hearing of your struggles and taking advantage of your lightly defended outposts in Quala (And certainly have no intention of joining your Empire now) you are pushed to the brink and beyond.
You decide if the fools won’t submit to your rule, you’ll burn the whole damn thing down. Jennifer however talks you out of it saying that it won’t solve anything. She also tries to convince you that maybe you should consolidate what holdings you do have and build from there.
It’s a nice thought and it’s certainly logical, but you’re so exasperated at the entire situation that you decide to just give up. You realize that your time has come and gone. The people don’t want you around and at this point you don’t even care to rule them anymore. In fact you don’t even care about ruling anything anymore. All you really ever wanted to do was serve the Emperor and the Empire and enjoy your time with Alison.
Things were so much simpler back then.
You shouldn’t have ever listened to Semra. Even if the Emperor had killed you, at least you wouldn’t exist in a time where the Empire doesn’t. You would’ve died at least knowing the Empire would still be around.
Not being able to go on and unwilling to stick around, you suddenly leave Nalin forever. Where, nobody knows. Some say you found death in the Usksha Desert, others say you found it in the cold mountains of Rask, but ultimately what happened to you is lost to time.
