Inactive [LP CYOA] Overlord

[Esquilax]

“I don’t know myself.” As you speak your doubts, the Hero’s Medal pinned to your chest tingles gently, subtly reminding you of your destiny and of the righteousness of your cause. “Perhaps the goddesses love me?”

“The goddesses love all mankind equally, but they would not reciprocate the love of a womanizer. Not in that profane way, so stop your drooling,” lectures Althus mockingly.

“AN ASSASSIN IS EXPENDABLE. THEY ARE PUPPETS TO BE DISCARDED AFTER THEIR PURPOSE IS ACHIEVED… PUPPETS OF FATE THAT DO NOT QUESTION WHETHER THEIR CAUSE IS JUST.”

Those goddesses of fate are nothing but a bunch of cock-teasers. We do what they say, and then they'll be all like "Uh... thanks for saving the world, you're my best friend!" I don't like playing along with their little game. The lovely Demon Princess shall be our bride! A vote for C is a vote to become a Naram.

B

 

[Esquilax]

On a side note: This Hero Medal always seems to remind us of the "righteousness of our cause" every time we're not 100% in line with the goal that we've been tasked to achieve. Does it have some subtle mind control powers to keep us on the straight and narrow?

 

[Baltika9]

On a side note: This Hero Medal always seems to remind us of the "righteousness of our cause" every time we're not 100% in line with the goal that we've been tasked to achieve. Does it have some subtle mind control powers to keep us on the straight and narrow?

I agree. Furthermore, the Demon Lord sounds like he's going through a rehearsed script. Either treave is just parodying some common cliches (I didn't know what Dungeon Quest was until he mentioned it), or we are being played here.

“I can’t say that you are being very convincing, Demon Lord,” you say, drawing your sword. “You’ll have to offer me something better. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can go back to lazing about.”

“I SEE. MORAL REASON WILL NOT WORK. VERY WELL, LET US MOVE NEGOTIATIONS UP A NOTCH. I BELIEVE THE CUSTOMARY OFFER IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD BE… HALF OF THE WORLD, WAS IT NOT?”

“That’s a bit more tempting, I must admit.”

“AHEM.” The massive demon coughs politely, and stands up from his throne. His wings stretch out, blotting out the light from the torches. The gust created from such a minor movement almost forces you to your knees to stay upright. Placing the full weight of his attention upon you, he declares: “JOIN ME, HERO, AND YOU WILL HAVE HALF OF THE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS.”

I can just hear him thinking 'Am I doing this right?'
No, I don't think anyone here expects the Gullible Idiot Hero to accept this proposal. Which is why we should flip the script.
Flopping to A>B

 

[Azira]

A lazy, womanizing person wouldn't want to actually rule half of the world. Too much hassle.

The demon princess seems like a catch, but to actually settle down with her? Betrayal against our womanizing ways!

Nope. We won't marry the daughter, and ruling half the world's too much to be bothered about. Had we chosen to do this for glory, then yes, I could see us taking that choice.
But we chose to be lazy and womanizing.
In that light, I can only go for option C

 

[Baltika9]

Nope. We won't marry the daughter, and ruling half the world's too much to be bothered about. Had we chosen to do this for glory, then yes, I could see us taking that choice.

To be fair, each choice has a good reason for the character to act that way, otherwise they wouldn't be present. Ironically enough, C sounds like the most out-of-character choice:

A. “We have a deal.” It’s half of the world! How could any sane person turn down an offer like that? It would be a great start for your ambitions, a perfect package to kick off the rest of your life. When you are the ruler of half the world, you can easily laze your days away without any consequence, with more luxury and women than you know what to do with.

B. “I would rather have your daughter instead.” Ruling the world, even in name only, sounds like a hassle. Being the son-in-law of the Demon Lord that rules the world seems like an easier life. After all, you do not discriminate. A beautiful woman is a beautiful woman, no matter the species, and the demon princess is quite possibly the loveliest girl you have ever seen.

C. “I refuse!” It is an insult to think that you would bow to the fiend that you have been fighting so long against. Humans are livestock to him: the Demon Lord cannot be trusted. The Hero’s Medal shines brightly, giving you confidence to fight. What sort of betrayer would you be to turn against your allies when the enemy is pushed to the brink? Besides, if you actually wanted the trouble of ruling half the world, you’d plan for that yourself.

Why would a brilliant, lazy lecher care about any of that, really? Camaraderie aside, since our group is depicted as a regular band of brothers, the rest doesn't sound like sloth at all. And then there's the Medal. I have a very strong suspicion we're being played here, so I think it would be better to act like a lazy, ambitious lecher and do the unexpected.

Those goddesses of fate are nothing but a bunch of cock-teasers. We do what they say, and then they'll be all like "Uh... thanks for saving the world, you're my best friend!"

Test-Run 2: The Fedora Strikes Back.

 

[Kayerts]

You bros lack the courage of your lack of convictions. I was all for picking the honabru protagonist who would choose C, but we didn't, and I'm not really sold on the slacker following the script.

B

 

[Esquilax]

You bros lack the courage of your lack of convictions. I was all for picking the honabru protagonist who would choose C, but we didn't, and I'm not really sold on the slacker following the script.

B

Yep, the moment we get an option of playing a character who is mildly selfish (and this guy isn't that bad! Imagine if we picked the brutal Genghis Khan type mercenary) we puss out when it's time to make a choice.

 

[Baltika9]

Yep, the moment we get an option of playing a character who is mildly selfish (and this guy isn't that bad! Imagine if we picked the brutal Genghis Khan type mercenary)

I was wondering about that, actually. treave, had we picked the stoic paladin type, would we even have the option to switch sides?

 

[Absinthe]

Eh, I'm more interested in starting from scratch than being handed huge goodies right from the start tbh.

 

[Baltika9]

True. And starting off as a betrayed hero instead of the guys who betrayed his employers before they could betray him has it's charm, but I honestly don't think the siding with the Demon King will give us that many advantages in the end. Remember, we still have the whole Imperial Legion behind us.

 

[Azira]

"Huge goodies" eh? Wouldn't mind handling a pair of those though.

 

[Nevill]

I have little doubt that the 'Dex would pick C like the little paladins they are. I mean, how could we agree with such a foul demon?!

I do believe there is merit in what the others say, that we are acting out a script. We are a hero chosen by Goddesses and backed down by a medal that is all too eager to remind us of our place. Of course we will fight to the death, prevail and liberate the Kingdoms. All hail the Hero who slew the Demon Lord.

Everyone, even the Demon Lord, expects that. He makes his proposition like a lawyer reads you your rights - 'here is an obligatory join or die offer, please sign that you have familiarized yourself with the procedures'.

However, there is one variant that does not adhere to the script. The Demon Lord cares about his daughter (that's why he removed her from battle) and did not offer her to a third rate assassin, thinking to tempt us with half of the world instead. If there is one thing that breaks the expectations of both sides, it's the request of the demonic princess' hand.

That it goes well together with the existing character is just a bonus. B.

 

[Esquilax]

"Huge goodies" eh? Wouldn't mind handling a pair of those though.

There is a huge pair of goodies right in front of you in choice B, but you are going with C just to be cucked by a bunch of goddesses. For shame, Codex.

to Nevill. Great post.

 

[Azira]

Those goodies might preclude us from other goodies in the future though. Choice B specifically sets us up becoming the son-in-law. In my language, that means marriage.
Our character being a womanizer, I don't see him settling down just yet, for the first pair of nice titties he sees.

I wouldn't mind that being the choice that wins though. I'm just arguing for why I vote as I do.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

B>C - but it needs to be clear that she is to be but the first wife in our harem.

 

[Baltika9]

Those goodies might preclude us from other goodies in the future though. Choice B specifically sets us up becoming the son-in-law. In my language, that means marriage.
Our character being a womanizer, I don't see him settling down just yet, for the first pair of nice titties he sees.

Hey, she's the wife. Our fidelity is on her.

 

[Grimgravy]

Butthurt about gigadyne winning. The thought behind it is just so pedestrian.

 

[treave]

treave, had we picked the stoic paladin type, would we even have the option to switch sides?

You wouldn't, but there would be another choice to make.

 

[Kipeci]

My initial reaction is to quote this and vote C:

Darius started to prepare for another battle after the failure of the second negotiation attempt. Even so, he made a third and final effort to negotiate after Alexander's departure from Egypt. Darius' third offer was much more generous. He praised Alexander for the treatment of his mother Sisygambis and offered him all territory west of the Euphrates, co-rulership of the Achaemenid Empire, the hand of one of his daughters and 30,000 talent of silver. In the account of Diodorus, Alexander deliberated this offer with his friends. Parmenion was the only one who spoke up, saying "If I were Alexander, I should accept what was offered and make a treaty." Alexander reportedly replied "So should I, if I were Parmenion." Alexander again refused the offer of Darius, insisting that there could be only one king of Asia. He called on Darius to surrender to him or to meet him in battle to decide who was to be the sole king of Asia.

Since it's obvious that the medallion is manipulating us (though into not being lazy, which I might approve of) and unlike Alexander we're not directly conquering everything we win as we have a hero operating on the behalf of other kingdoms, I think I'd be open to a flop if someone puts a good argument for that ahead.

 

[Cassidy]

Bring on the Cuck Meme.

 

[Baltika9]

“I SEE. MORAL REASON WILL NOT WORK. VERY WELL, LET US MOVE NEGOTIATIONS UP A NOTCH. I BELIEVE THE CUSTOMARY OFFER IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD BE… HALF OF THE WORLD, WAS IT NOT?”

treave, I want us to ask him a question, since talking is a free action: what does he mean by customary offer and this scenario? Has he gone through this before with someone else? *gasp* Are we not his first hero!?

 

[treave]

treave, I want us to ask him a question, since talking is a free action: what does he mean by customary offer and this scenario? Has he gone through this before with someone else? *gasp* Are we not his first hero!

"IT IS TRADITION."

 

[Baltika9]

Bring on the Cuck Meme.

We got cucked by our own nemesis.

 

[Tigranes]

B>A. After all, surely a demon lord's daughter ought to expect us to be adulterous, or polygamous.

I'm also curious as to what would happen with A, since in all the stories, the hero never actually accepts such a proposal. You usually tend to take the whole empire or to kill the villain.

 

[Nevill]

Let me attempt a prediction and say that I suspect this to end in a fight regardless. I mean, just look at the Prologue title. Something is bound to go right/wrong - either the DL flat out refuses our counter-offer, or the princess runs off, or our barbarian makes it through - you get the idea. The Goddesses have seen the DL perish in their prophesies, and it is our destiny to be the Overlord, not his.

I suspect this choice to be more about our motivations (yet again) more than anything else.

What I know, though, is that half of the world would never satisfy me, and that I am not anyone's puppet. That leaves me with but a single option.