A Practical Guide to Evil III: A Series of Unfortunate Peace Treaties

[Forum Explorer]

Any predictions on Hanno vs Cordelia for Warden?
My prediction is Cordelia.

I also think Cordelia, because a constant theme of the books is changing the world, and Hanno would push for things to not change. Also because her scope is larger, and more encompasses both the common people and Named than Hanno does.

Prediction is Cordelia, but Hanno is just clearly the correct choice so hard it hurts.

Yeah, I agree. Cordelia is good, but she doesn't really represent Good. And she's highly tied to Procer, even now.

Hanno is about the morality of things and opposes Cat when it matters. Because that would be very important for Cat, someone who draws a line in the sand when she's in full BS mode and telling her to get her **** together. There is a limit to how much good someone can do by compromising their morals.

Worrying about whether or not Named have too much power is pointless, they already do have power. In basically everywhere but Procer. Like the council in Levant often include Named in their number. Cordelia's argument against a Named having power over the nation's decisions is kinda pointless. Callow is set to be ruled by a Named, and Praes is a hard maybe.


Funny enough, Cat's got it backwards. Cordelia is good for the war, while Hanno would be better for the peace. When your backs are against the wall, and annihilation threatens is when you want to be able to compromise and do whatever it takes to achieve victory. While during peace is when it is better to have faith in your fellow man and help them do the right thing, not force/trick them into it. And to stand by your beliefs even if it is inconvenient to do so.

[Mith]

My bet is a dual Named with both of them sharing the Name, but Cat personally pays the 'price' of the pivot.

[AmberVael]

I think Cordelia is the better pick of the two.

The name is Warden of the West. It needs to mirror Warden of the East, and to do that it needs to be an authority, an enforcer, to an extent. Hanno is not that. He's shifted a little on the matter, but he still doesn't want to judge, to oversee and take charge. He's still the man who let things go to far and lost his fingers because of it.
He could take up the name, but the role would be empty.

That said? I don't like Cordelia for it either. She'd be an authority, but she's not a hero and she doesn't want to be. She had her opportunity to do this and rejected it. There's no good story for her, I think. The name would be weak.


If you ask me? I think I'd look elsewhere. Pick Rozala.

"Shame on us,” Rozala Malanza softly said, “if we ever forget it.”

Her sword she thrust into the ground, through snow and ice and earth, and it bit deep.

“And if ever comes to that,” she said. “On that day I, or one of my line, will come for that sword again. To take it up and wield it until the shame has been cleansed.”

She has what it takes to be a hero. She's fought the fight, set aside revenge, willingly offered up her crown if it means defending her people.

She has the story for the role. She has sworn not just to be better, but to hold her people to it - to be a warden.

And I think she could do the role. She's a leader in a way that Hanno isn't. She gets politics and manuevering, and she isn't going to just trust in the inherent goodness of men and heroes. I think she'd take charge and keep watch in a way he wouldn't.


I doubt it'll happen. I'm also dubious about a shared name. But... the more I think on it, the more I wonder if we will get some third route. Because both Cordelia and Hanno have major flaws.

[Rydiro]

I doubt it'll happen. I'm also dubious about a shared name. But... the more I think on it, the more I wonder if we will get some third route. Because both Cordelia and Hanno have major flaws.

You mean Cordelia does not want to be a hero and Hanno does not want to deal with politics?

[AmberVael]

You mean Cordelia does not want to be a hero and Hanno does not want to deal with politics?

Putting it that way understates it. Both of them have a core conflict with the name, and are bending themselves to fit.

Hanno does not want to judge, does not want authority. He doesn't reject them now, but he won't wield them. An empty throne, as it was put. He'd be a Named, but not really a warden.

Cordelia doesn't want to be a named. She isn't rejecting the idea, but it's grudging. "If it must be done," she says. She'd be a warden, but not really a named.

I don't think the story fits well for either. It compromises too much for either, both have a major point where this just isn't them.

[Dragonus45]

Putting it that way understates it. Both of them have a core conflict with the name, and are bending themselves to fit.

Hanno does not want to judge, does not want authority. He doesn't reject them now, but he won't wield them. An empty throne, as it was put. He'd be a Named, but not really a warden.

Cordelia doesn't want to be a named. She isn't rejecting the idea, but it's grudging. "If it must be done," she says. She'd be a warden, but not really a named.

I don't think the story fits well for either. It compromises too much for either, both have a major point where this just isn't them.

It fit's Hano just fine, it's just a very different idea of what it is to lead in general from our authoritarian nightmare of a person named Warden of the East, and different take on the meaning of Warden entirely. Someone who enforces rules and laws, not someone who is the prison guard for the worst of humanity. If Hano puts his Name behind agreeing to a law you bet your ass he will follow through to enforce it and wield that power when needed though, the throne certainly won't be empty. But the person in it won't be putting their name on any laws that could really cross the line, and they will be much more willing and able to call Cat on her BS and draw a hard line in the sand which Cat needs more then anything else. The Arsenal incident shows that Cat and Cordelia both need someone else to keep them honest and left to their own devices they will be more then willing to cut out anyone who tries to do so when they have the option.

[AmberVael]

It fit's Hano just fine, it's just a very different idea of what it is to lead in general from our authoritarian nightmare of a person named Warden of the East, and different take on the meaning of Warden entirely. Someone who enforces rules and laws, not someone who is the prison guard for the worst of humanity. If Hano puts his Name behind agreeing to a law you bet your ass he will follow through to enforce it and wield that power when needed though, the throne certainly won't be empty. But the person in it won't be putting their name on any laws that could really cross the line, and they will be much more willing and able to call Cat on her BS and draw a hard line in the sand which Cat needs more then anything else. The Arsenal incident shows that Cat and Cordelia both need someone else to keep them honest and left to their own devices they will be more then willing to cut out anyone who tries to do so when they have the option.

I really disagree. I think Cat's understanding of what Hanno would be like here is pretty spot on.

He would not rule them, I thought. The heroes. He would not bind or marshal them to a cause or purpose, because he trusted them to follow their own. Hanno trusted heroes, believed in them in a way that I simply could not. I had cut too many of them open to believe them anything more than men. There would be no centre under him, no throne.

It really fits with how Hanno operates and has always operated. He trusts greatly, tries to gently guide and help, and works to bring out the best in people. There's a lot of good in that, and I honestly like the role he's putting forward.

The problem is that I don't think the role he's describing is Warden. The problem is that the way he works has its flaws, and those flaws are why he lost his fingers in the Arsenal. Because sometimes you do need to take a stricter line and more proactive stance, and that's not how he uses his authority. Sometimes you get the Mirror Knight or the Red Axe and trying to come at them with a gentle counsel session ends with things spiraling out of control and blood on the floor.

Cat thinks she won't have as many arguments with Hanno, and I think that's a very telling sign and not a good one at all. There's too much he isn't invested in here. He wants to be a hero, maybe a mentor like Tariq. Not a Warden.

[Tvtyrant]

I really disagree. I think Cat's understanding of what Hanno would be like here is pretty spot on.



It really fits with how Hanno operates and has always operated. He trusts greatly, tries to gently guide and help, and works to bring out the best in people. There's a lot of good in that, and I honestly like the role he's putting forward.

The problem is that I don't think the role he's describing is Warden. The problem is that the way he works has its flaws, and those flaws are why he lost his fingers in the Arsenal. Because sometimes you do need to take a stricter line and more proactive stance, and that's not how he uses his authority. Sometimes you get the Mirror Knight or the Red Axe and trying to come at them with a gentle counsel session ends with things spiraling out of control and blood on the floor.

Cat thinks she won't have as many arguments with Hanno, and I think that's a very telling sign and not a good one at all. There's too much he isn't invested in here. He wants to be a hero, maybe a mentor like Tariq. Not a Warden.

As opposed to Cat, whose policies have left her physically crippled?

The Warden of the West can't be an exact mirror of the Warden of the East, they aren't ruling the same things. In the East Named and Government are the same thing, from Warlord to Emperor to King. In the West the Named are usually more like superheroes, even the Dominion the Named are only rarely actually members of the government.

The split is over that I think. The roles of Named and Government are split in the West so the Warden has rival claimants unlike the East.

[AmberVael]

As opposed to Cat, whose policies have left her physically crippled?

We're not talking about Cat, we're talking about Hanno. Whether she's suitable as a Warden (and whether the consequences she's suffered are indicative of her suitability) isn't really relevant.

The Warden of the West can't be an exact mirror of the Warden of the East, they aren't ruling the same things. In the East Named and Government are the same thing, from Warlord to Emperor to King. In the West the Named are usually more like superheroes, even the Dominion the Named are only rarely actually members of the government.

The split is over that I think. The roles of Named and Government are split in the West so the Warden has rival claimants unlike the East.

They can't be exact mirrors, but I do think they need some mirroring. And even you're saying ruling here, and my general argument is that Hanno is bad at that. It's just not what he does. He doesn't take charge - even the Prince White thing is something he's letting other people do rather than something he's taking up.

My central argument is that what Hanno said about himself here still holds true:

Hanno was no more lord over heroes than heroes were lords over Creation, and though the demands of experience often saw him walk the fine line between stewardship and government he must never cross it willingly.

The Warden of the West needs to be some kind of authority over named, and at his core, that is not what Hanno is.

[Dragonus45]

It really fits with how Hanno operates and has always operated. He trusts greatly, tries to gently guide and help, and works to bring out the best in people. There's a lot of good in that, and I honestly like the role he's putting forward.

Let me rephrase to be more clear, I agree that Hano will not be a commanding figure centralizing power among heroes which arguably is a better way to lead the heroes then villains anyways. What he will be is someone who once he has agreed to the existence of a rule he has personally attached his name too be absolutely willing to enforce it. The incident with the Mirror Knight showed that very clearly, he will extend you trust and let you have room to work things out but when the time comes will redecorate the architecture with your face.

The problem is that I don't think the role he's describing is Warden. The problem is that the way he works has its flaws, and those flaws are why he lost his fingers in the Arsenal. Because sometimes you do need to take a stricter line and more proactive stance, and that's not how he uses his authority. Sometimes you get the Mirror Knight or the Red Axe and trying to come at them with a gentle counsel session ends with things spiraling out of control and blood on the floor.

No one has a perfect leadership style that lets everyone work out perfectly forever. Hano's has worked out ok in the end with the Mirror Knight who while a massive paranoid ******* wasn't entirely wrong in his complaints. How on earth do you think Hano deals with that differently? Does he just start beating Mirror Knight weekly to establish dominance for a few years ahead of time so he knows better long before they wound up in that room? What is the solution that problem to take proactively? And the Red Axe was not his fault. Red Axe was everyone's problem as a personification of injustice of the compromises forced by the need to battle the Dead King and a weapon wielded by the bard. You can blame Cat for that as easily if not more

Cat thinks she won't have as many arguments with Hanno, and I think that's a very telling sign and not a good one at all. There's too much he isn't invested in here. He wants to be a hero, maybe a mentor like Tariq. Not a Warden.

Why do you insist on underestimating Hano? From the moment Cat was describing the very concept of the accords he got it. He got exactly what she was trying to do and how and generally seems to have believed in the idea of them. He may not need to pick many fights to keep things on course. Just pick the right ones. And remember what Amadeus said when he said he would agree to the accords. He genuinely believed it would be to Evils advantage to sign them because they would be better at twisting the rules when seen and breaking them when hiding. The story that needs to be told here for the Warden of the West is someone who can stand against that by refusing to budge and let the letter of the accords replace their spirit and who will not back down and compromise. Want to talk about failures related to Red Axe? Cordelia and Cat cannot be left to their own devices.

[Tvtyrant]

We're not talking about Cat, we're talking about Hanno. Whether she's suitable as a Warden (and whether the consequences she's suffered are indicative of her suitability) isn't really relevant.



They can't be exact mirrors, but I do think they need some mirroring. And even you're saying ruling here, and my general argument is that Hanno is bad at that. It's just not what he does. He doesn't take charge - even the Prince White thing is something he's letting other people do rather than something he's taking up.

My central argument is that what Hanno said about himself here still holds true:



The Warden of the West needs to be some kind of authority over named, and at his core, that is not what Hanno is.

Yeah see I disagree. The whole point is that the West is not the East, and the Warden is not going to be a copy-cat. Heroes don't need a Queen, and the much more varied governments of the West don't need a Judge.

The East is essentially defined by a war between very similar governments in Callow and the Dread Empire. Named rulers with courts of nobles and Named roles in those courts, Warlock vs. Wizard of the West, Legion vs Knightly orders, it's all designed to be hierarchical and top down. Cat neatly fits herself into that, adding a ruler of the rulers of that system.

The West is made of a bunch of principalities, tribes and city states banded into three alliances. One has a ruler, the other two don't. It's not the same situation, imposing the East's solution on the West won't work.

[Forum Explorer]

It fit's Hano just fine, it's just a very different idea of what it is to lead in general from our authoritarian nightmare of a person named Warden of the East, and different take on the meaning of Warden entirely. Someone who enforces rules and laws, not someone who is the prison guard for the worst of humanity. If Hano puts his Name behind agreeing to a law you bet your ass he will follow through to enforce it and wield that power when needed though, the throne certainly won't be empty. But the person in it won't be putting their name on any laws that could really cross the line, and they will be much more willing and able to call Cat on her BS and draw a hard line in the sand which Cat needs more then anything else. The Arsenal incident shows that Cat and Cordelia both need someone else to keep them honest and left to their own devices they will be more then willing to cut out anyone who tries to do so when they have the option.

Yeah, I'd like to remind everyone that Coredlia orchestrated the Crusade in the first place, not because she thought Cat needed to be overthrown, but to solidify her 'Grand Alliance'. Yes, it would've likely lead to a generation of peace, maybe even an end to large scale wars in general, but it would've also caused Callow to cease to exist as a nation, kill tens if not hundreds of thousands of people, and you know, not work since Villains like Malicia have no reason to not escalate like crazy.

Seriously, if you think about it, unleashing the Dead King worked almost perfectly for Malicia. Everyone immediately put dealing with him as their top priority, and Praes didn't get invaded for years as a result. with all invading armies being pulled back. And really, her big flaw was not having a good exit strategy. and meddling a little too much. She should've been offering to turn against the Dead King pretty much as soon as the Drow joined the fight, if not a little sooner.

It really fits with how Hanno operates and has always operated. He trusts greatly, tries to gently guide and help, and works to bring out the best in people. There's a lot of good in that, and I honestly like the role he's putting forward.

The problem is that I don't think the role he's describing is Warden. The problem is that the way he works has its flaws, and those flaws are why he lost his fingers in the Arsenal. Because sometimes you do need to take a stricter line and more proactive stance, and that's not how he uses his authority. Sometimes you get the Mirror Knight or the Red Axe and trying to come at them with a gentle counsel session ends with things spiraling out of control and blood on the floor.

Cat thinks she won't have as many arguments with Hanno, and I think that's a very telling sign and not a good one at all. There's too much he isn't invested in here. He wants to be a hero, maybe a mentor like Tariq. Not a Warden.

Cat is the Warden, in the sense of a ruler of a prison. She protects everyone else from the people she's overlooks.

Hanno would be the Warden, in the sense of a protector or guardian. He would intervene when necessary to protect people from the Game of the Gods, be that gently chiding someone about to go to far, or ordering the execution of someone who has gone to far. Or to put another way, he protects the people under his care from both themselves and the outside world.

[Dragonus45]

Yeah, I'd like to remind everyone that Coredlia orchestrated the Crusade in the first place, not because she thought Cat needed to be overthrown, but to solidify her 'Grand Alliance'. Yes, it would've likely lead to a generation of peace, maybe even an end to large scale wars in general, but it would've also caused Callow to cease to exist as a nation, kill tens if not hundreds of thousands of people, and you know, not work since Villains like Malicia have no reason to not escalate like crazy.

Seriously, if you think about it, unleashing the Dead King worked almost perfectly for Malicia. Everyone immediately put dealing with him as their top priority, and Praes didn't get invaded for years as a result. with all invading armies being pulled back. And really, her big flaw was not having a good exit strategy. and meddling a little too much. She should've been offering to turn against the Dead King pretty much as soon as the Drow joined the fight, if not a little sooner.

Night of Knives. Malicia's one true total failure, not understanding that such an act could never be just brushed aside as a polite stabbing or buried for the sake of realpolitik. That one moment was the moment she had no choice but to keep escalating ever higher trying to get Cat to fold.

Cat is the Warden, in the sense of a ruler of a prison. She protects everyone else from the people she's overlooks.

Hanno would be the Warden, in the sense of a protector or guardian. He would intervene when necessary to protect people from the Game of the Gods, be that gently chiding someone about to go to far, or ordering the execution of someone who has gone to far. Or to put another way, he protects the people under his care from both themselves and the outside world.

Yea this. This exactly.

[Forum Explorer]

Night of Knives. Malicia's one true total failure, not understanding that such an act could never be just brushed aside as a polite stabbing or buried for the sake of realpolitik. That one moment was the moment she had no choice but to keep escalating ever higher trying to get Cat to fold.

I put that under 'meddling a little too much'. Though I suppose that did happen before Cat returned with the drow.

[AmberVael]

No one has a perfect leadership style that lets everyone work out perfectly forever. Hano's has worked out ok in the end with the Mirror Knight who while a massive paranoid ******* wasn't entirely wrong in his complaints. How on earth do you think Hano deals with that differently? Does he just start beating Mirror Knight weekly to establish dominance for a few years ahead of time so he knows better long before they wound up in that room? What is the solution that problem to take proactively?

It was a pretty simple solution he thought of himself, but discarded: confront the Mirror Knight earlier and alone. Recognize the problem, and accept that he was the authority to handle it. The dialogue they had shows that Hanno was way more in control of the situation and probably could have gotten the conclusion he wanted. But, since he didn't want to be a lord and didn't want to set himself over others, he let everyone come together instead. As one voice among the rest he wasn't enough, and things got very heated and out of hand.
Or off of hand, as it happened.

And the Red Axe was not his fault.

Definitely not. Lumping her in with the Mirror Knight may have confused my message, I was citing her as the kind of person and situation his softer approach would not have worked on. She was set on doing what she did, in the same way Hanno sticks to his own convictions.

Why do you insist on underestimating Hano? From the moment Cat was describing the very concept of the accords he got it. He got exactly what she was trying to do and how and generally seems to have believed in the idea of them. He may not need to pick many fights to keep things on course. Just pick the right ones. And remember what Amadeus said when he said he would agree to the accords. He genuinely believed it would be to Evils advantage to sign them because they would be better at twisting the rules when seen and breaking them when hiding. The story that needs to be told here for the Warden of the West is someone who can stand against that by refusing to budge and let the letter of the accords replace their spirit and who will not back down and compromise. Want to talk about failures related to Red Axe? Cordelia and Cat cannot be left to their own devices.

I don't believe it's underestimating Hanno to recognize this as part of his character. He's compassionate, he's insightful, he's a frighteningly effective combatant - but his story started with "I do not judge" and that has left a huge mark on him. He can pick up on the subtle implications of the Accords, but he never really did anything with that insight. He left crafting the Accords or debating over it to others. He became a representative under the Truce and Terms, but we were shown that he didn't take up an active or heavy role with it like Cat did - in fact, he left a lot of duties to her, and its only after she starts suffering under their weight that he realizes he needs to take some of them up. Even now as he's shifting to take up some authority, to be willing to judge a bit, I think it's fair to say it isn't coming naturally to him and it's not what he wants. Or as I said, he's letting people call him Prince White, but he hasn't claimed it. He's still being very passive and reactive about it.

Yeah see I disagree. The whole point is that the West is not the East, and the Warden is not going to be a copy-cat. Heroes don't need a Queen, and the much more varied governments of the West don't need a Judge.

The East is essentially defined by a war between very similar governments in Callow and the Dread Empire. Named rulers with courts of nobles and Named roles in those courts, Warlock vs. Wizard of the West, Legion vs Knightly orders, it's all designed to be hierarchical and top down. Cat neatly fits herself into that, adding a ruler of the rulers of that system.

The West is made of a bunch of principalities, tribes and city states banded into three alliances. One has a ruler, the other two don't. It's not the same situation, imposing the East's solution on the West won't work.

Cat is the Warden, in the sense of a ruler of a prison. She protects everyone else from the people she's overlooks.

Hanno would be the Warden, in the sense of a protector or guardian. He would intervene when necessary to protect people from the Game of the Gods, be that gently chiding someone about to go to far, or ordering the execution of someone who has gone to far. Or to put another way, he protects the people under his care from both themselves and the outside world.

I don't think it's necessary to copy. I don't think the word Warden needs to be used in the same way. But I think the role Hanno is envisioning is that of a mentor and counselor and that he'd hesitate to wield authority. Maybe a Warden will be able to get away with that later down the line, when the systems and roles and new path for Named is set, but that's not where things are. The path still needs to be crafted and shaped, and the old ways of doing things need to be actively curbed and redirected.


Anyway, I think I've said enough to illustrate my thinking, I don't really want to beat my points and thoughts into the ground, so I'll try and leave it there.

[Dragonus45]

It was a pretty simple solution he thought of himself, but discarded: confront the Mirror Knight earlier and alone. Recognize the problem, and accept that he was the authority to handle it. The dialogue they had shows that Hanno was way more in control of the situation and probably could have gotten the conclusion he wanted. But, since he didn't want to be a lord and didn't want to set himself over others, he let everyone come together instead. As one voice among the rest he wasn't enough, and things got very heated and out of hand.
Or off of hand, as it happened.

That might have worked, or Mirror Knight might have been too stubborn or an *******. We see that Hano's way didn't work out but that doesn't mean it was doomed to do so, or that he wouldn't recognize the need to step in in a similar situation again.

Definitely not. Lumping her in with the Mirror Knight may have confused my message, I was citing her as the kind of person and situation his softer approach would not have worked on. She was set on doing what she did, in the same way Hanno sticks to his own convictions.

Taking a hard Cat like approach wouldn't have worked on her either.

I don't believe it's underestimating Hanno to recognize this as part of his character. He's compassionate, he's insightful, he's a frighteningly effective combatant - but his story started with "I do not judge" and that has left a huge mark on him. He can pick up on the subtle implications of the Accords, but he never really did anything with that insight. He left crafting the Accords or debating over it to others. He became a representative under the Truce and Terms, but we were shown that he didn't take up an active or heavy role with it like Cat did - in fact, he left a lot of duties to her, and its only after she starts suffering under their weight that he realizes he needs to take some of them up. Even now as he's shifting to take up some authority, to be willing to judge a bit, I think it's fair to say it isn't coming naturally to him and it's not what he wants. Or as I said, he's letting people call him Prince White, but he hasn't claimed it. He's still being very passive and reactive about it.

Leaving aside my already stated belief that handling the champions of above requires a fundamentally different approach overall from being the keeper for the opposition, this chapter very deliberately frames Hano as having learned from his mistakes and grown as a person through the thing with the wall. Hence why I feel he is being underestimated when the assumption is that he will continue to repeat those mistakes.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I'm not sure I agree that Hanno is the right one to oppose Cat's domineering tendencies. I think Cordelia's consistent opposition will result in consistent compromise, but Hanno will let her get her way 90% of the time and then refuse to compromise at all that remaining 10%, and I can't see that ending well for anyone. /exaggeration

What Scourge do people think Barrow Sword will have a showdown with? I'd put my money on Hawk (as the one who's been built up the most) except that he's not especially well suited to fighting her. Maybe we'll get an extended chase, with her harassing and occasionally killing him as he relentlessly pursues? Or is that twin axe invulnerable armor guy still around?

[tyckspoon]

What Scourge do people think Barrow Sword will have a showdown with? I'd put my money on Hawk (as the one who's been built up the most) except that he's not especially well suited to fighting her. Maybe we'll get an extended chase, with her harassing and occasionally killing him as he relentlessly pursues? Or is that twin axe invulnerable armor guy still around?

Got buried under one of Cat's trademark "Let's drop a lake on this" landslides, IIRC? Probably not destroyed (although the rest of the division of heavy-armor undead he lead likely was), but stuck under millions of tons of mud and rock. Might show up again if DK thinks it's worth the time to dig him out.

Maybe Tempest? If my memory is right part of how it manages as much magic as it does is by binding the souls of other magic users to itself, which would make it a very tasty target for Barrow Sword's blade.

[The Glyphstone]

I thought Akua already destroyed Tempest by ripping out its oversoul and letting the sub-souls fight each other.

[halfeye]

I thought that Hanno's use of the word "intercessor" perhaps foreshadowed something.

[lord_khaine]

That might have worked, or Mirror Knight might have been too stubborn or an *******. We see that Hano's way didn't work out but that doesn't mean it was doomed to do so, or that he wouldn't recognize the need to step in in a similar situation again.

It likely had a better chance of working than anything else.
I do think it was a situation Hanno learned from. About not taking so much of an hands-off approach.

Taking a hard Cat like approach wouldn't have worked on her either.

You needed a harder.. but also more slim approach for her.
She were the kind of maniac you cant reason with. The one who is ready to let the continent burn for her own vendetta.

All the same. With how clearly the choice is being set up as Hanno or Cordelia. Then i think we should take it for granted a 3rd solution is found.

[tyckspoon]

I thought Akua already destroyed Tempest by ripping out its oversoul and letting the sub-souls fight each other.

Ah, may have. I recalled they did something to screw with it, but didn't remember if they had declared it completely down or that was just how they took it out of that particular battle.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Spoiler: Movements

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Ah, so the parasite Drow has made its move.

I give 50% odds that it will be dealt with just in time for the Sisters to ride in as a cavalry at just the right time to buoy the push into Keter.

[The Glyphstone]

Spoiler: Movements

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Ah, so the parasite Drow has made its move.

I give 50% odds that it will be dealt with just in time for the Sisters to ride in as a cavalry at just the right time to buoy the push into Keter.

Spoiler

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Remind me who that k-something drow is again? PgtE continues to lack a search function so I can't archive trawl for it.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Spoiler

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Remind me who that k-something drow is again? PgtE continues to lack a search function so I can't archive trawl for it.

Spoiler

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It's been mentioned off and on a couple of times; we've never seen it in action AFIK. It's the Mighty that has been burrowing into the Night like a parasite, seizing large amounts of the Goddess' power for itself. This worried Rumena (the Drow head general) enough that it waged a war in an attempt to eradicate the parasite Drow... a war that Rumena, who fought against both Cat at the height of her Winter power and the Saint of Swords on an equal footing, lost, and lost badly enough that it was forced to the outskirts of the Drow kingdom. So yeah, the guy has been built up as a legit powerhouse, and now it turns out was also hiding its true capabilities.

[Iruka]

I thought Akua already destroyed Tempest by ripping out its oversoul and letting the sub-souls fight each other.

We did not see a body, so ...
Also it fled on its own after the battle and Masego expected an attack on the oversoul to make the souls struggle for control but not destroy the Revenant.

Edit: Did we ever learn what the Pale Knight said to Cat before she got shot?

[uncool]

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It's been mentioned off and on a couple of times; we've never seen it in action AFIK. It's the Mighty that has been burrowing into the Night like a parasite, seizing large amounts of the Goddess' power for itself. This worried Rumena (the Drow head general) enough that it waged a war in an attempt to eradicate the parasite Drow... a war that Rumena, who fought against both Cat at the height of her Winter power and the Saint of Swords on an equal footing, lost, and lost badly enough that it was forced to the outskirts of the Drow kingdom. So yeah, the guy has been built up as a legit powerhouse, and now it turns out was also hiding its true capabilities.

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The only reference the wiki has is https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpre...er-12-contest/, where the only real information is:

Mighty Kurosiv the All-Knowing, the Second General. It rarely bothered with deeper tactics than throwing warriors at the enemy but given the absurd amount of those within its sigil that tended to work regardless. I found the way it benefited from the deaths of its own and so encouraged them to be rather disgusting, and I suspected the Sisters felt rather the same for different reasons: Kurosiv had found a way to grow fat as a parasite nestled in the heart of the Night, exploiting the system they had built as no one else had before or since. Rumena had allegedly taken it as enough of a threat it’d exterminated its first five sigils, earning the epithet of Tomb-maker in the process, but it was telling that in the end it was not Kurosiv that’d settled in the Outer Rings.

[HolyDraconus]

New chapter… it’s a doozy..


And Reddit spoiled this immediately

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One affray had still lain untouched, the one she had never explained, and with a hum the Intercessor took out the Tower once more and placed it above that very affray, obscuring the Empress. The Black Queen’s eyes narrowed.

“You are trying to drown my first victory,” she said.

“I am succeeding,” the Wandering Bard corrected. “The Empress was from the beginning our old friend Cordelia Hasenbach, who is still headed this way. There are many ways to skin a cat, Catherine, and I know every last one of them.”

[...]

Neither of them looked back, as they left, and so neither saw that by the sheerest of coincidence the struggle had left untouched one of the affrays – the Empress, the Tower – save for one card that’d fallen from the Bard’s sleeve in her death throes.

Judgement lay with the Tower between it and the Empress, speckled with blood.

so yeah…. That…

[lord_khaine]

Im actually not certain what that spoilers for the first chapter.
Since its so obscure, after having read the chapter, i still cant figure its meaning out xD

[Iruka]

I liked the chapter, that detective work was as suspenseful as a battle scene.

Im actually not certain what that spoilers for the first chapter.
Since its so obscure, after having read the chapter, i still cant figure its meaning out xD

Seems not like much of a spoiler for me, more like confirmation that the current events had been foreshadowed some time ago and that it is indeed enemy action behind it.