Oh, Rae.  Oh.

That was powerful. 

I expected Ara to struggle with this choice.  I was terrified that you would elect to fight and die here... and I couldn't blame you for that one bit.

Dropping the blade, though.  Wow.  I had assumed Ara would sheathe it if she chose to surrender.  Offer it up. 

Wow.  That was incredible..

We should all go to group therapy after this.

Reralae, gd, keeping it together because I'm all upset at my desk right now, but gd.

That was beautiful and horrible and I wish I could hug our bladesinger.

I feel stabbed in the gut.  A Bladesinger would rather die than dishonor their blade.  If they drop it, they will literally leave it in the dirt in the middle of a fight, as they are no longer worthy to carry it.  If they can't take one from a foe... they don't deserve to live. 

For Ara to drop it like that, given her training, experience, and belief system... that had to be one of the hardest things anyone has ever done. 

Yeah, theray sounds good. 

I'm telling you, I feel like a MONSTER for inflicting this on these characters.

Maybe Davena trips and the blister device ends up down her throat. Win-win.

It was how she reconciled that choice. Either she fought until the end, and the sword fall with her. Or she gave up. To give up was to go against what she knew was wanted by everyone else, to die honourably in battle, to not give the enemy any satisfaction of playing with their lives any further. Either she died physically, or she died in her heart by potentially betraying everyone else's desires. Not something a leader should do. Not something she wanted to do. She accepted her death as the unwavering leader, and with that, accepted that the blade was no longer hers to carry; it was dishonoured before it touched the ground.

This actually marks the second time in her long life that she's lost her blade.

Gutted.

I'm going home.

This is just such next level writing.  I am awed. 

One could point out that doing what it takes to save their lives just shows how utterly qualified Ara is to lead.  

That callback to KCANDK, though.  Don't die for me.

I literally teared up.

Woah! 

Great storytelling!

I once had a paladin who unwittingly was conned into helping a thieves guild perform some pretty heinous deeds. One of the funner aspects of playing that character was the trials to regain his honor and his deity's favor. Which he did... posthumously. Let's hope that this is not the case for our brave leader. 

When I originally felt that this song fit Aranwen's story, I didn't think it would foretell these events... that's one heck of a coincidence.

Specifically these lyrics:

Gaining by losing always haunt us
To our dying day stuck in the haze
How did it ever come to this

Edit: As Aranwen and I both anticipated, I'm sure Gib is the first of a few to be disappointed in her choice here... whew, I think I'm going to hide on Cal'ele'miur for a bit.

That song, man. Knowing all I do now about Ara's story and everything, it's all just so heart-wrenching. I love that character so much.

I was preparing myself to this day and moment or what this could end up becoming... I played around with the thought of Cedric dying in my head. I ended up deciding his death wouldn't touch me as he wasn't mine originally. I simply adopted someone else's character and continued from where he left off.. (oh that reminds me of another wonderful game...) 

But.. Truth be told, I have grown to love Cedric and not just because of where I've taken the character, but because of the group; the family he is part of. Sure, the feelings aren't as strong as they could be for a character I have played for a much longer time, but I was surprised about what I felt when I read Olan's post.

Should he die and should I be able to bring in another character, he or she would have to be something totally different. 

I feel that. I adopted Kithran as well, and now I'd never want to give her up. Her fate is also so up in the air, and it stresses me out every single day. And what Reralae's done with Ara--well I'm obviously an Ara stan. That's canon.

I remember you being hesitant to take up Cedric, Raven, but I'm so glad you did! You've given him so much life and character, it's been a lot of fun watching him grow protecting our little group

And of course OP Cat-Daddy and Battle Cleric, guuuh, let's just all decide not to let Olan kill our characters, okay? Okay thanks.

...I don't even know where to start or what to say!!!

I'm stunned, amazed, sad, and furious all at once! Was NOT prepared.

I'm gonna go cry into my coffee and suck my thumb for a bit.

The responses have been incredible.  Brom, the funeral dirge in Gib's head, knowing he wasn't going to survive... wow.  Top shelf stuff, there. 

I've said this before, I'll say it again... I'm sorry, folks, for what is to come.  I don't like upsetting people, I really don't.   I'm afraid that there is some serious upset to come.

This RP, though... people, with a little editing, maybe adding some depth to Midge and some stuff to Cedric and Aranwen before they got picked up by the current players... I think this game could read like a quality fantasy novel.  The play has just been incredible, I am so very gratified to have been part of this with you all.