Sorry it took a while. I've been reading a bunch of fanfiction/doing real life stuff so I've been busy. This chapter's a bit shorter than my usual fare but hopefully the end can lead to further plot developments.
Anyway, I'm wondering about RWBY fanfiction. I only ever watched the show casually but the world and characters seem fun. It's also weirdly popular to crossover with Fallout. Guess we'll see.
"Driscoll and Anya are sick," Tiffania said.
Matilda pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a frustrated breath. She half expected this would happen considering their forced march in the rain the night prior, but she still hoped luck would turn to them for once. Of course not. She looked down at the two red-faced, panting children with a frown. Contrary to how it might have appeared, she wasn't unsympathetic to the children. It was why she'd suggested taking them to an orphanage rather than leaving them in the next village they came across.
And it was for their safety too, as much as Tiffania might not have wanted to admit it. Case in point.
"Hm." Six knelt down next to the two children and placed a hand on their foreheads. His mouth lowered in a slight frown, "No surprise, I guess. We were walking around in the rain for a while." He stood up, "If I knew what the plants here were like I might be able to whip something up."
"Nothing in your pack that can help them?" She'd seen those syringes he carried around. Apparently they were the only reason he was still walking.
"Stimpaks help with wounds, not fevers or infections. And unless they have radiation poisoning I doubt Radaway or Rad-X is going to help." Radiation? Nevermind, she'd ask later if she needed it, "What about you? No magic potion to help?" He said it as if a potion wasn't something commonplace. Whatever world he came from must've been a horrid one if concoctions and tonics were rare.
"No, we weren't exactly flush with gold when we left the last town." They spent nearly everything they had getting supplies, and for what? Just to trudge through the rain because the Legion took over a town before they realized? "Potions to cure fevers and infections are also expensive. It's why you won't see many commoners using them." Or go to a water mage for help. Much cheaper to let the fever take its course.
"We got two choices then. We go and get something to help the kids...or we sit and hope they get better." It was clear by his face that the second option wasn't preferable, and she agreed with him on that. Waiting for a fever to pass was simple enough if you were in a village with amenities. In a damp cave where the closest things to comfort they had were campfires and bedrolls the fever could last days even in the best of scenarios.
Matilda turned around and looked out to the covered entrance. The closest town was half a day's travel on foot and even then they risked another unexpected circumstance. What if the Legion had taken more than the last village? It was clear their knowledge was off by now and they got lucky the night prior. One more misstep and it wouldn't just be her and Six paying the price.
The dull gray clouds weren't a good sign either. Even if it was nothing more than a drizzle, forcing the children and Tiffania to keep going just risked more possibilities of sickness in the future. That and worsen the state of Anya and Driscoll.
"...All of you need to stay here," she said eventually. Her little sister's eyes widened at the unexpected reply, "Moving as a group is unfeasible given the current circumstances."
"Wh-What will you do?" Tiffania asked.
"I'll go to the closest town and see about buying some medicine." Or stealing it.
"I should probably go with you-"
"No," Matilda said, cutting Six off, "Someone needs to stay here and look after everyone else. This isn't a safe place."
"And what happens when the next village ends up being filled with Legion?" Well she wouldn't kill them all, she thought just a little too bitterly, "You need someone to look out for you."
"I can take care of myself," she bit back, more heated than she would've liked.
"Not saying you can't, but you've seen the Legion. You know what they'll do to a woman traveling alone." She frowned and didn't reply. As much as she wanted to disagree she'd seen firsthand what he meant. While most of the Legion touted order and safety for 'civilized' people more than a few used it to indulge...baser urges. So long as they were willing to throw their bodies to the fire their leaders easily looked past it.
Which wasn't to say the average mercenary or soldier was much better, but at least they usually kept that behavior to raids rather than mucking about like glorified bandits.
"Someone needs to look after everyone else," she said again.
"But who's going to be looking out for you?" Surprisingly enough it was Tiffania that answered. She was prepared to make another rebuttal when she saw her little sister's eyes narrow, "I know you're worried about our safety, but you're the one who's going to be out there."
"What do you suggest I do then?"
"Take Six with you like you did back when you rescued that boy." Yes, that 'rescue'. She didn't have the heart to tell her all the details of that Brimir damned day. Even after Six told her he killed everyone it did little to explain just how gruesome that scene was. Would she have been so eager for his help if she'd seen what Matilda had? "This cave isn't a village but it's out of the way and it's safe. If anyone comes in I can fog their memories like I always do."
Six spoke up next, "I'll leave ED-E behind, too. You've seen what the little guy brings to the table." Indeed she did. The blue flame(?) it used as weaponry was incredibly potent despite its small size, "The faster we get that medicine the quicker we can come back."
"...Fine." Matila let out a frustrated breath and grabbed her pack. She felt distinctly outnumbered the past few days. What happened to the good old days when she and Tiffania didn't argue? "The closest village I remember is Riquewihr. With any luck the Legion hasn't taken it over just yet."
They said their goodbyes to the rest of the group and Matilda made double sure that the rock she'd put in front of the entrance was enough to block them from sight. She'd been separating from Tiffania and the rest far more than she would've liked, but as much as loathed to admit it she expected this to happen. There was a reason she worked alone all those years. A group always drew attention.
The first half hour was spent in heavy silence. Apart from their brief excursion to the village they hadn't spent any time alone together...and her accusations the night prior likely didn't help mend fences.
Matilda cringed and looked down at the ground with a frown. Despite her very well justified apprehension she did feel...ungrateful. Tiffania made it clear that they would've been enslaved by the Legion if not for him and he'd proven a helpful companion since he joined them. And yet when she looked at his face she remembered the ravaged and misshapen bodies he left behind in that camp, the way he executed that dying man and rifled through his pockets without a care.
But why did she truly care? For those villages the Legion would raze in response? That was wyvern shit and they both knew it. And while it would make the Legion more wary, it wasn't as if a large group like them wouldn't already garner undue attention.
So was it truly just fear then? She'd worked with mercenaries before, seen death before, but this felt different somehow. Even mercenaries and bandits felt something when they killed. He appeared to treat it no differently than one wiping dirt from their boots.
She eyed her traveling companion again. He hadn't said a word since they left but she knew he was still paying attention. His walk was rigidly paced and she didn't miss the way his eyes occasionally flickered to look around them. Watching out for more Legion patrols? They were taking the off-beaten path but she supposed that it only made sense to remain wary after last night's events.
The silence was shattered when he pulled out a rolled strip of paper with tobacco inside. He called them cigarettes, which were apparently different from the cigars and pipes she'd seen some noblemen partake in. He'd rolled it himself before they left the village. The ones he brought with him were finite and he wanted to save them for 'special occasions', whatever that meant.
He flicked the small copper square and clicked his tongue when no flame ignited. Another item she hadn't seen before. Fire at the tip of your fingers without any kind of magic. Convenient.
Matilda shook her head and spoke before he could stop and try to light a fire manually, "Here." She cast a cantrip and the tip of her wand lit with a small flame. His brows lifted at the sudden offer but he didn't complain, both watching as the strip of paper caught fire and the tobacco burned.
The smell of tobacco in the air wasn't pleasant, but she'd dealt with far worse. Mostly she wondered why he seemed so fond of it. Even those puffed up old men who smoked cigars seemed obsessed with it, "Thanks..." he said eventually, blowing out a thick plume of smoke from his mouth. She waved the gesture away and the silence returned, slightly less heavy than before.
She looked him up and down again. If she hadn't seen the aftermath first hand she wouldn't have believed he was capable of doing what he did all those days ago. He was no Mage and even hardened spellswords would be hesitatant to face odds when they were so outnumbered. Those kinds of numbers were in the realm of Firtborns and Ghouls, not commoners - even those from different worlds.
"You really don't like me, do you?" he said suddenly.
"What?"
"Way you're staring at me. Feels like you're trying to burn a hole through my skull."
"That's not..." She sighed and brought a hand through her hair. He wasn't exactly wrong...but not wholly correct either, "I'll admit I'm still...wary of you-" Six scoffed, "-but that doesn't mean I'm ungrateful for everything you've done and I'm...sorry." She had to force the last word out. Apologies weren't something she did. In her line of work concession was a sign of weakness. Whoever spoke of honor among thieves had never truly dealt with one. It was a nest of vipers where the only way to survive was to be more vicious than the rest.
"...Guess I should remember this place isn't the Mojave," he said, taking another slow drag of the thin cigar, "Look, back where I came from it's kill or be killed. You could be walking down the road when some Raider or Powder Ganger or whatever the hell else the wasteland spits out decided to kill you for whatever you're carrying. Place like that you learn how to take care of yourself or you die."
"The more you tell me about this place the more it sounds like some kind of helscape."
"Wanna know the funny part? It's still one of the better places around. Go to places like Arizona before the Legion, the Sierra Madre or the Divide and it makes the Mojave look like a pre-war suburb." The war. He talked about it offhand before. Something about a great conflict centuries before, fought with weapons that could end the lives of thousands, that left their world in its current state.
Even the thought of it made her shudder.
"That's something we need to discuss." She took another deep breath. If they were going to be...partners in the future then they needed to at least understand one another and come to an accord, "You said you were a courier, not a soldier, and yet the way you carried yourself puts that into doubt. Who trained you?"
"No one, really." He shrugged, "Woke up in that shallow grave without any memories, remember? Got a refresher from my friend Sunny but apart from that I just picked things up. Either that or dying." Or so he claimed. She'd seen many sellswords before, each claiming that grit and determination would compensate for any lack of training. They died the quickest. There was a reason the more successful mercenaries were the ones who had experience before taking up the trade.
"What kind of things could you have possibly experienced to force you to pick up that many skills? I assume that not everyone is as...adept as you are."
"I'm just lucky. Same with the bullet to the noggin. Benny just had shit aim, I didn't force it out or anything." He laughed under his breath for some reason, "Like I said, it was do or die." Her eyes narrowed. He was holding something back.
"Couriers are marked for death a lot back where you come from?" she asked sarcastically.
"All the time. Everyone takes shoot the messenger really seriously." His grin was weak. They looked at one another for a few seconds before he took another slow inhale of the cigar, "...Sure you really wanna known? Didn't exactly look keen when you saw my handiwork last time."
"If we're going to be working together then we need to cooperate," she said neutrally. As much as she would've preferred to do this alone Tiffania made it clear that wasn't an option. She'd make do, "The way you talk about the Legion and this 'En See Are' is far too familiar for someone who just handles packages. And yet you made it quite clear that you weren't a soldier or any kind of knight in their army. Explain."
"...It's a long story."
"We have time."
So he told her. About how his home was contested between the Legion and this 'NCR' (he was insistent on that title) while a third man by the name of House made his own plans. And all this for a dam, of all things. Apparently in his world they could be used to supply an energy made of controlled electricity that could control machines that gave them their comforts. It sounded insane to her, but she doubted he'd lie after so much hesitation.
"And how did you get involved in all this?" she asked.
"Was carrying a package for House. It was his house edge." She rolled her eyes at the pun, "This slimy gecko called Benny grabs me and digs me a grave cause he's a classy fink like that." He scoffed, "Woke up later and tracked that checker suit prick across the desert. Kinda just wanted payback for the gift he gave me, but then it just kinda spiraled from there. House wanted an agent, NCR thought I could be useful and Sallow...well, I dunno what the hell he was thinking. His brain tumor probably told him it was a good idea."
"Why didn't you walk away then? Seemed like you had no horse in that race."
"I hated the Legion, there's that." Another laugh, "And it wasn't just me. I had friends by that point and they all their own thoughts. Boone and Cass wanted to back the NCR, Arcade wanted all sides out, Veronica just wanted her family safe...we had some fights. End of the day the NCR won and House agreed to let them annex New Vegas while he bided his time. Guy waited 200 years, he can wait another couple decades for his plans to pan out."
"And what exactly did you do for this 'NCR' that their soldiers couldn't?" She raised a brow. She failed to see how a courier, even an especially skilled one, would be so valuable one that had a standing army.
"You haven't seen NCR soldiers. A lot of them are just kids drafted from their farms, had a rifle shoved into their hands and told 'for the NCR!'. Poor bastards get two weeks of training if they're lucky." For something he supported he seemed more bitter than she expected, "I remember back when I was helping out at Forlorn Hope. There was this 18 year old kid. His shithead sergeant left him behind without even making sure if he was dead or not. Poor guy was scared out of his mind and I had to drag him back to camp. When I got back I punched the sergeant right in the jaw."
"I think I see now why they didn't like you," she snarked.
"Yeah, well..." He shrugged, "I had more to worry about than some gunny with a grudge. The Legion assassins were a lot more important."
She almost stopped walking at that. Assassins? Plural? "I'm sorry, did you say assassins?"
"Oh, yeah." He shook his head, "Bastards were relentless. Didn't matter where I was, they'd find me and scream in my face about how 'the Caesar marked me for death, ready yourself for battle!'" he said with an exageratted accent. She was still stuck on his referring to assassination attempts so casually, "They're one of the reasons I had to do or die. Didn't wanna give them the satisfaction of getting a pat on the head for a job well done."
"...I hesitate to ask what you did to incur their wrath."
He was quiet for a moment and she thought that he wouldn't reply. She was about to change to change the topic when he suddenly cut in.
"I killed Caesar. My Caesar, I mean" This time she did stop. He kept walking for a bit before he realized she wasn't following and looked back, "...You alright there?"
"Yes, I'm just trying to make sense of what you just said. Assuming I didn't mishear you, you're claiming that the reason you had assassins sent after you is because back in your homeland you killed the leader of your Caesar's Legion. I'm understanding that correctly, yes?"
"Pretty much." He shrugged again, "Well, it was me, ED-E and my friend Boone. Weirdly enough no one gives the First Recon Sniper any credit for that." Again, he was far too casual about killing the leader of a band of marauding slavers strong enough to rival an army, "But like I said, it was luck. Somehow we didn't get dogpiled by the rest of the army and Lanius wasn't there. Not sure we could've made it out of that."
"...I think I'm beginning to understand why Tiffania summoned you for a Familiar." A courier her ass. Assuming he wasn't lying, and again she doubted that considering how hard it was to pry the information from him, it made sense that the ritual would choose him. The Legion was threatening her and the children and so the gate took someone who could defend them.
And who better than the Legion back in his homeland?
"I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled and stamped the spent cigar underfoot, "Point is I can take care of myself, so you don't have to worry."
"That wasn't what I was worried about." She started walking again, "...I think I understand how you view the world better, but this place is different. You can't simply kill an entire garrison of troops without thought."
"I don't feel bad for what I did."
"That's not what I'm saying either." She sighed. He could be annoyingly stubborn, "I meant what I said before. While our group already draws attention leaving a trail of bodies will only complicate things."
"...I see your point." His face was set in a deep frown, "But if I see any of them raiding or keeping any slaves all bets are off. Some things you just can't walk away from." She wanted to disagree again before remembering how he came to be here. To him Tiffania and the children were just more victims of the Legion and that compelled him to act, to protect them even days after he was taken from his home.
"Agreed."
Just like that she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It wasn't perfect, but it was an...understanding, which was more than what they had since their first meeting.
They made it to the village hours later. The sun was high in the sky and she wiped the sweat from her brow as they passed through the outskirts. Thankfully Gefion finally smiled down upon them and the village wasn't taken over by the Legion. That gave them some breathing room.
Even more luck, there was an apothecary in town. She was tempted to try her luck in stealing the potions they needed before thinking better of it. This place seemed relatively safe and a good place to take the rest of the group for at least a couple of days. The last thing they needed was drawing attention by commiting theft after just arriving.
"Any ideas on how to drum up money?" Six asked.
"First things first, we need to talk about your name."
"This again? Kinda late to the whole 'a number isn't a name' debate." He rolled his eyes.
"Not that." She sighed, "Even if you can't remember your real name calling you 'Six' is just going to leave an impression. Better if you have a normal name, at least while we're in villages. Helps blend in."
"Sure, I get the logic. Not the first time I used a fake name."
"Any preference?"
"You pick. You're the one who wants to keep a 'low profile," he said it with air quotes. She was only slightly offended, so it was progress of a sort.
"Fine, we'll call you...Adam." It was nondescript enough and he wasn't a noble so a last name wasn't necessary.
"That name mean anything to you?"
Yes.
"No."
"Whatever you say, partner." He stretched his arms above his head, "So do we just ask around and see if anyone needs something doing? Who knows, maybe we'll get some courier work."
"Did that pay a lot back in your home?"
"Not really, not unless you're delivering casino chips."
Thankfully it didn't take them long to find something worthwhile. Places like this weren't exactly bustling with commerce but there was often enough travel that a mercenary or two could pass by, hence the board filled with requests for any sellsword looking to ply their trade or even just people who needed laborers for a few weeks. She caught sight of a few asking for people to help gather crops or plow the fields.
The one that drew her attention was one paper in particular, "...What does that say?" Si- Adam asked her. She had to get used to the name.
"Can't read it?"
"No, looks like gibberish to me." He clicked his tongue, "Damn it, I was actually hoping I could buy a book on plants while we were here. Figured I could learn to make something so we don't gotta buy magic potions every time."
"Don't strain yourself. Most Commoners can't read." Which was why many of the requests had pictures and numbers on top of the written words. Even the one she took had a crudely drawn drawing of a goblin with an agreeable price underneath it, "The request is to clear out a goblin lair that's not too far away from the village. It's not glamorous work, but the pay is decent and between the two of us it shouldn't prove too difficult."
"Goblins? Jesus, and I thought the Vampires were weird." What was he complaining about? They certainly sounded less unpleasant than those 'Deathclaw' creatures, "Right, so just making sure we're on the right page, you're talking about the little ugly green men in loincloths?"
"More or less. I'll admit I've only ever encountered them rarely. Mercenary work is hardly my forte. Still, we shouldn't have any trouble. They're hardly comparable to a troop of Legionnaires." They walked past an armored knight muttering about 'slaying them all' and got the details from village's chief. It took a bit of haggling but eventually she managed to get a better price for the effort they were putting in. Surprisingly enough Adam didn't complain about her haggling. She half-expected him to suggest they do it at half the price.
The cave wasn't too far actually, just a couple of hours walk from the town. She wasn't too surprised. From what limited knowledge of goblins she had she knew that they didn't stay in places long. They traveled around, raided, kidnapped if they were lucky, and then they either left or someone finally decided to end their miserable lives.
"So what are your plans after? When you get to that Tristain place, I mean," Adam suddenly asked.
"I'm not sure. I have a few safehouses there, but even with that necklace I have my worries about leaving Tiffania in a city." Not to mention it was looking more and more unlikely that an orphanage was an option for the rest of the children, "I'm not even sure if staying in Tristain is the best idea. I've heard rumblings about how the Legion plan to invade Tristain in their next step to 'unify' Halkeginia."
"If not this Tristain place then where?"
"I don't know. Germania, perhaps? Or maybe Gallia. Definitely not Romalia, though. That country is full of zealots." Germania would at least provide security. As split as the ruling families were they united in one thing: ensuring Germania's independence. If they Legion tried to attack them head-on the Germanian army would crush them.
"Hm..."
"...What about you? What are your plans?" He'd agreed to come with them only till they were safely out of the country.
"No clue. I'll probably stick around here at least for a while. Doesn't seem like the Legion's going anywhere anytime soon so that'll keep me busy."
"You're honestly planning to wage war against the Legion? Do you have that much of a deathwish?"
"Way I see it my ticket got punched that night at Goodsprings. If I bite it now then it's long overdue." She narrowed her eyes. She'd seen men claim they didn't fear death, boasting about how they welcomed helheim. All to a man they showed their true nature when damnation stared them in the face.
"Is that why you aren't worried about finding a way back home?"
"Kinda? I mean I won't say no to it, but the Mojave...it's already a pretty safe place, as far as wastelands go. Legion's in the retreat back in Arizona. That place is still a hellhole, but far as I can tell so is this one. Feels like I'm fighting the Legion if I stay or go so what's the difference?"
"Your friends or family? You don't think they'll miss you?"
"Don't think I have any family, at least not the blood kind. My friends and I already said our goodbyes. Back in the Mojave you didn't really do long goodbyes or long grief when you live the kind of life we do. Someone you're friends with can bite it cause a Raider gets a lucky shot. You just grit your teeth and move on. If they dont find my body they'll move on."
Matilda hummed and didn't say anything else. As grim as it sounded she couldn't deny that similar thoughts crept at the back of her mind. Her job, such as it was, had its own set of risks and she'd always considered the grim thought of being caught and executed one day. Tiffania would grieve, assuming she even found out what happened, which was unlikely. To her she'd simply disappear one day without a word or even a body to mourn.
Her musings were cut off when they made it to the cave. Matilda used farsight to scout it out and frowned at the numerous, ugly monstrosities that lined the entrance. That was far more than what the poster indicated, "Doesn't look like we can do this stealthily. Hope you're ready for a fight."
"Always." He hefted the rifle he used the night prior.
Matilda took her place on the left side of the cave's entrance while Adam took the right. The plan was simple: attack them from both sides and force them to split their forces going after two threats. Matilda summoned a pair of golems while Adam, barely seen between the trees, crouched down and took aim with his rifle.
The pop of the firearm sent the monsters into a frenzy. Matilda sent her golems forward to disrupt the frothing charge and cast more spells, impaling the wretched little things in the chest and head with thick stone spikes. The smell of goblin blood in the air made her gag and she covered her nose with her free hand. The chief definitely owed them for this.
She expected the horde to thin, but the wave showed no signs of letting up. More and more goblins charged out of the cave and she cast a spell to collapse the entrance altogether when she saw Adam get swarmed by a mob of goblins, rusty blades drawn. She quickly changed course and cast a spell to knock them away from him.
More goblins slipped past the goblins and charged towards her, drooling and grinning. Matilda walked back and quickly cast another spell. The ground in front of her rose 10 feet high and surged forward, taking the majority of the fetid horde with it. A couple more goblins, either through luck or skill, managed to avoid the wave and were on her before she could even cast a cantrip.
The two jumped and tackled her to the ground. Matilda grit her teeth and scrambled for the knife sheathed on her side and slashed up in a panic. She caught one of the leering monsters in the stomach while the was too close, face pressed against hers so close that she smelled its foul breath and saw its shit-stained teeth.
And then its expression slackened just before the head fell, leaving a bloody, headless stump in its place. She almost screamed, but she managed to hold it in long enough to push the decapitated body off of her. Not Adam, not unless he figured out windblade magic without telling her.
"Get up, milady. It's not over yet." A pair of hands grabbed her from behind and forced her up. She only just regained her bearings and barely saw the pink and blue blur that zipped past her and impaled another goblin with a rapier before another spell created a miniature tornado consumed the wailing horde.
That speed and power...a Wind Mage? The swordmanship spoke of a trained knight, however.
The screams of more goblins reminded her that it wasn't the time to be distracted. Ignoring the foul smelling blood on her face and chest, Matilda focused and summoned more golems to thin the mob.
The next couple of minutes were a blood filled haze. By the end of it all the ground was practically inundated with Goblin corpses and she tasted the iron in the air. Matilda put her hands on her knees and panted while Adam moved to rejoin her. He was injured, there were at least a couple of scratches on his face and wrists, but he looked remarkably well all things considered.
All thanks to their mysterious savior.
Despite being covered in flecks of goblin blood on her coat, the woman - more a girl, really - somehow looked immaculate and graceful amidst the pile of goblin corpses. She was definitely young, looking maybe 14 or 15 at most, though the heeled boots she wore added a few inches to her. Her long pink hair was tied in an off-center ponytail to her left and her royal blue coat, frock and pants were obviously of fine make.
A noble, one who made no attempt to hide who she was in a country dominated by the Legion. Brave or foolish? Maybe both.
She flicked the rapier to the side and the blood fell away in a thick wave. Enchanted weaponry then. Those refused to rust, "Are you both alright?" Her voice was high, young, and Matilda suddenly felt a lot more ashamed that someone Tiffania's age had to rescue her.
"Yeah. Got pretty hairy there for a sec, but you really helped out. Thaks for the save," Six said for her.
"It's not an issue. I heard about this nest of goblins and decided that it was only right to kill these pests. I would've gotten here sooner, but my Familiar needed to rest." Her eyes widened slightly, "Oh, where are my manners? I should introduce myself. My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Valliere. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
A Valliere...? Things just got a hel of a lot more complicated.
Alright, so for those asking if Louise is gonna show up or if she summoned Saito? There's your answer. Kinda leaning towards no on the latter considering she seems to be a Wind mage here.
Anyway, yeah, introducing the next potential companion: Louise Valliere, a Triangle class wind mage that doubles as a spellblade. Unlike Fouquet she's just as adept in melee as she is in spellcasting and focuses more on speed rather than golem creation.
So far these are the companions planned:
Fouquet - Triangle class earth mage/thief. Will join regardless of faction. Loyalty mission: Find a home of Tiffania and the children. Romancable: Yes.
Louise - Triangle class wind mage/spellblade. Will only join if allied with Tristain. Loyalty mission: Help find a cure for her sister's sickness. Romancable: No.
Agnes - Chevalier. Will only join if allied with Tristain. Loyalty mission: Help her take revenge on those who burned her village. Romancable: Yes.
Julio (or whoever is summoned in his place) - Windalfr/battle priest. Will only join if allied with Romalia. Loyalty mission: Root out a corrupt sect of the church. Romancable: Yes.
Tabitha - Triangle class wind mage/crown agent. Will join regardless of faction. Loyalty mission: Cure her mother's insanity. Romancable: No.
There's a definite lack of male companions available, but there aren't a lot of prominent male characters in ZNT. I thought of Guiche but he can't really fight and is made redunant by the much better Matilda.
Questions:
1. Any suggestions for companions? I was debating adding Wales but I'm not sure how combat capable he is.
2. Do you guys mind if we get POV's for people besides Six/Fouquet/Tiffania? Adding POV's for the companions could help us get a bigger picture of the plot Six can't have but might ruin the feel of the early chapters.