Qeresî
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Development Sneak Peek
🕑 Added 2025-01-19 01:30:00 +0000 UTCI meant to get this one out yesterday but I needed some time to actually write more for the chapter before picking out little preview snippets to show off haha.
If you've read the previous two progress updates for this month, you'll know I've been working on the big court scene that's going to happen in the first half of the chapter, and I've been chipping away at it over the past week.
Honestly, coming up with the public petitions was super fun, and while they deal mostly with serious subject matter, I did enjoy throwing in one that was a little bit more lighthearted and humorous. In a ridiculous kind of way lol. It wouldn't be AToC if everything was constantly serious and dreary!!
“The wolves are causing a commotion in the corridor,” the guard whispers over your shoulder, and your brows arch nearly to your hairline as you gaze down at the owner.
“You brought them to the palace?”
“To display their training,” she argues. “I assure you, they have been perfectly well-behaved.”
You stare at her. “They are wolves.” You murmur to your invisible guard as an aside, “Please tell me they are caged or kept on leashes.”
“Of course,” the guard says, and you release a sigh of relief. “They have been properly contained by wards, and thus far, they have not been hostile towards anyone. Still, the servants are understandably nervous.”
Rubbing your forehead with your fingers, you take a moment to resign yourself to the absurdity of the situation before you finally address the owner again. “Surely you understand why travelers might be unnerved by the pack of wolves freely roaming around your estate, right by a busy road?”
“They haven’t attacked anyone,” the owner argues. You start to think you’re talking to a wall.
“Yes,” you say slowly, “not yet. We should take precautions to avoid such an outcome, should we not?”
She frowns. “But containing them would be cruel.”
You lower your head into your hands.
[...]
You find $xname out in the hall, standing before the large, warded barrier that contains three massive wolves. $xname appears to be admiring them, standing a few steps away from the barrier and observing them with contemplation.
“Don’t,” $aname says from beside you as you approach, $atheir warning tone drawing $xname’s eyes away from the wolves towards you.
“What?” $xname looks perfectly innocent. “I wasn’t doing anything!”
“You were thinking it.”
“How would you know what I was thinking?”
“You cannot befriend wild animals, $xname.”
$xname huffs, crossing $xtheir arms, though the exaggerated petulance of it all tells you $xthey are merely playing around. You can almost see $xtheir lips curve with the urge to grin. “Says you.”
You narrow your eyes at $xname, trying to look exasperated, though a hint of humor cracks through your tone. “Please don’t tell me you’re taking the owner’s side.”
“Of course not, she’s an idiot.” $xname looks at the wolves. “I, on the other hand, could handle them just fine. You should give them to the Crescent Blades! Just imagine—”
“You travel around too much and too far,” $rname says. “The wolves need territory where they can roam and make their dens. They would not be happy being unable to settle.”
$xname’s expression falls, and then $xthey sighs. “You’re right. It wouldn’t be good for them.” $cxthey gazes through the barrier at the wolves with a forlorn stare—the wolves in question appear entirely apathetic, one of them yawning and laying down to nap. “Farewell, my friends! May we meet when you are free… preferably without you trying to eat me. I would hate to have to kill you.”
No wolf pet for X, alas 😔
Generally I think the choices you get with each public petition will be three-fold: one option will get you points with the elites, one with the public, and one will be a middle-of-the-road option that does not net you any points with either faction.
For now, you'll still get a 3rd option that is neutral, but eventually, your Crown will be forced to pick a side or else face disaster. If you've ever seen this Disco Elysium snippet that's been used as a meme, this is pretty much how the game will handle it lmao:
No centrism for the Crown!!
Tomorrow I'll be uploading the first character snippet (I've decided on an R POV scene of CH12), so check back in then 💖
