It's the turn for the Beastkin tribe and adventure today, plus a little extra. Unfortunately, the last two adventures were by far the ones that had their plot the least fleshed out, so we will put more attention into their background, the various story beats, and the social context that I wanted to depict.

Recap

Here's a relatively exhaustive recap of what we had seen in the game about the Beastkin: We have Relentless Scourge (Oren), a lion-man as the tribe's chieftain, and Fearsome Leap (Catria), a tiger-woman, leader of the local branch of the Passion Temple, who was a Candidate in the previous generation. These two were married, which for a while was a very convenient political alliance despite their disagreements, and had two children: Claw, and her older brother (whom I don't remember if he was ever named?).

Three years before the story, there was another large conflict with the Lizardlins, during which, several people died. One of them was Claw's brother. This sends Relentless Scourge into a very dark direction, where he leads some social and legal changes in the Beastkin tribe, in short, enacting slavery. Fearsome Leap radically opposed him at every step, but was ultimately unable to stop it, so she instead recruited everyone involved in her branch temple, along with a group of people she thought would fall to slavery, and went into hiding, secretly trying to negotiate with Drishtya and other tribe leaders to create a coalition to topple Relentless Scourge, but to no avail.

An ancient tradition of the Beastkin involves passing a physical trial upon reaching age maturity. Passing it means the Beastkin gets to choose their new adult name, while failing it is considered dishonorable (despite it not being too uncommon) and heavily tarnishes someone's chances to ever become influential in the tribe. Relentless Scourge argues: dying wasn't supposed to be a thing in the Confined Valley, yet in the last conflict with the Lizardlin many of our people died, so warriors, as they risk everything for everyone's sake, deserve to have not only more prestige, but also privileges, so people failing the Beastkin trial become eligible for slavery, and warriors of merit have a chance to become their masters (not yet explained how).

Among Fearsome Leap's resistance, we find Hope (Ruri, fox-girl) and Rock (Nou, wolf-boy), the first of which Leap tries to impose as the Beastkin Candidate for the Passion Temple, as she considers would improve her chances to ultimately win her tribal conflict. During a brief conversation before the second adventure, it is implied that Rock and Claw used to be closer in the past, and Rock asks Claw about a third person of whom we haven't heard or seen anything else. During the second adventure, we find Pain (Tenko, bear-girl) and Sheze (without self-declared name, tapir-girl). Pain immediately attempts to humiliate Claw and seek trouble with others, while Sheze, who is explained to be her slave, attempts to mediate when Pain's recklessness might not work in her favor, but nonetheless displays no issues about her own situation. It is notable that Sheze wields magic, but its nature isn't very clear.

This is the end of the recap! Ok, we can finally open the pot and see what I was cooking.

The Beastkin culture

The most important thing to understand about the Beastkin tribe's culture is that, even from far before Scourge's rule, it glorified not only physical prowess, but also its weaponization to increase one's social standing. This kind of social system is almost never absolute in a large enough group, so there were always corners of society were people who didn't want to form part of it could retreat to, but always at the cost of reputation and its consequent difficulty at forming friendly, romantic and sexual relationships. The Passion Temple's branch would be the only place where one could be exempted from this social dynamic without being considered a failure, but still at the cost of becoming an "other". Both of these dynamics are very common in real world history. The glorification of honor and violence was famously prominent in ancient Norse societies (to put an example), and even still exists in far smaller versions everywhere through the world today (often tempered by law, the convenience of keeping peace with the people you'll have to work and trade with, and a culture, education and social norms that have evolved accompanied by other social changes), while the situation where people that do not really fit into the strict social conventions of their place and time could retreat into a religious place for "others" may not be as obvious, it hides in plain sight: if you're an asexual teen in a peasant family in 1000 CE who feels repulsed whenever his elders mention the idea of him marrying the cute daughter of the neighbours, the idea of claiming that God has told you that you must become a priest could far more easily creep into your mind. Of course, you're still trading an oppressive set of social rules for another, but still one that might allow you to be happier without becoming a pariah.

Back to the Beastkins. Claw's brother was the prominent child in a system such as this: naturally strong as a lion-boy, first-born to the tribe's chieftain, and having socially privileged people who would always have his back if he ever got into a fight he couldn't win, he was set up to become the golden child, someone others in his age range could sometimes beat, but still would learn not to after dealing the consequences. Pain, as someone naturally strong and bully-ish, quickly got herself a place in his circle, with people often assuming she would be his mate, not because of any particularly notable sentimental connection between the two, but because their association was mutually beneficial for their image. Claw, as the second child who isn't particularly notable by her own merits, turns out slightly shy and far more often than not, relegated to a second place. She is often teased by her brother, and with some extra ill intent, also by Pain, but it's rare for anyone to mess with her, as her brother will ultimately come in her defense.

She instead prefers the company of Nou, Ruri, and a bunny-boy whose name isn't in my character glossary, so we'll call him Boku. Claw's brother's protection doesn't extend to her friends, so Ruri often ends up involved in fights she cannot win by herself, sometimes saved by Nou's mediation, and sometimes simply taking a beating. Boku, who is naturally squeamish and weakly willed, simply tries to do his best to go unnoticed. And Claw, little weirdo that she is, decides that she likes the gentle and compassionate nature that Boku shows in private, so she confesses to him, but is rejected. Fearsome Leap takes a liking to Ruri: she may sometimes be rude, coarse in her manners and even meddlesome, but she (almost) never gets into a conflict for the pleasure of seeing someone else squirm; she adopts some of the rules and weapons of the dominant culture, but only to rebel against it, and while Leap never truly dreams as something as grand such as reforming the Beastkin tribe, she decides that Ruri might be a good successor as the priestess in the branch Temple, so she takes her as an apprentice.

After the war

It is then that the conflict with the Lizardlins takes place. In the final battle, many die, plenty of whom are Beastkin warriors. Scourge begins to declare his intention for reforms for various reasons, some of which are personal, some of which are political; and when Leap voices her opposition, their separation is all but official. Carine had passed her trial of maturity shortly before the conflict, thus becoming Claw, but by the time it is Ruri's, Nou's and Boku's turn, there are already rumors running around about what might happen to those who fail. Ruri becomes Hope. Nou becomes Rock. But Boku fails his trial, among many others. And Scourge announces that those who failed the trial would become servants of the most accomplished warriors of the tribe.

It was known to everyone that Scourge was preparing his son to become his successor. With his son's death, the position was all but open. Claw's brother's social circle breaks down, no longer connected by the mutual benefit of being the chieftain's son's cronies, and Pain? Pain's whole world gets torn apart. The beginning of the conflict with the Lizardlins was fun, as she could unleash her brimming, half-contained sadism, but now the person she considered her partner is dead, the last battle with the Lizardlins was a hell that has scarred her for life, she has no allies, and the people who previously respected her are now trying to bring her down like hyenas. She lashes out, the bullying she previously subjected others to ramps up, she picks up a fight whenever she gets the opportunity, and she often loses, discovering she's outnumbered. There's no doubt of her power, but she's mentally unstable, unable to make allies by herself, and in a cruel world where everyone with a piece of brawn and brain is maneuvering to come out on top in the new social order, she's considered a target they can't afford to miss. Even the very Scourge, who briefly after the conflict with the Lizardlins had started treating her like he treated his son, quickly turned his back on her, upon realizing what a terrible pick she was.

Someone is going through something very similar. Claw is very distant to Boku, Hope and Rock are almost always nowhere to be seen, both her father and mother are always very busy, her brother is nowhere to protect her now, and plenty of people in the tribe have a vested interest to humiliate her. No one will take it way too far, she's still the daughter of the chieftain after all, but they've still put her in a situation where she can't get close to anyone, as that would paint a target in her new friends' backs. So she will sometimes be taunted into small fights, and sometimes she will participate, but whether she wins or loses, there's always a certain restrain. There's one exception, however. Pain doesn't have the same grasp about the consequences of her actions, is far stronger than Claw, and neither of them have anyone covering their back. So Claw becomes the most convenient way to relieve Pain's frustrations.

Slavery

Scourge announces a tournament: all warriors in the tribe who have their own chosen name will compete, and those in the best positions, will have priority to choose their own slave, among the valid picks. The institution of slavery isn't a theoretical, vague future, but something that will take place on a given date, after a specific event. Dissent becomes loud, but daily violence is as high as it ever was, so those who will come out on top under the new social order punish protesters. Leap makes a call to everyone with a conscience to boycott the event, but far too few warriors follow her cry. Hope and Rock ask Claw to stand down as well.

But she decides to join. Who are these people, who have abandoned her in her moment of highest need to make demands of her? She's been alone for a long while now, surviving and becoming stronger, accepting the miserable nature of her existence. Boku... Boku rejected her. Is it wrong of her to desire to own him? She has reservations about everything her father has been proposing, even moreso since those who look happiest about it are those making her life miserable. But that's the wrong question. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong - it will happen, and Boku will become someone's slave. So why shouldn't she make it so that his master will be her?

She has become strong, as it's known by many lowlives in the tribe, but it's still a surprise to her very own family. She's even surprised by how far she's getting, and the thought of winning the very tournament itself becomes more and more real, as she wins every round... Until she reaches Pain. Pain thoroughly beats her up. It takes her more effort than her previous matches, sure, but Claw is still far weaker. This little bitch, who always stood so proud despite her weakness, who she had to put down as she competed by her boyfriend's affection, who earned her not few fights when she tried to put her in her place - Scourge himself, along with a few others, rush to grab Pain, as she's completely lost in her own delusions and insecurities, further torturing a completely defeated Claw.

When Claw comes back from the shock, she breaks down crying. She's never been this scared in her life, not even during the conflict with the Lizardlins, not even after being told that her brother had died, not even when she was alone in the forest, surrounded by monsters. And yet, her father tells her to cheer up. Why is she crying? She was a little weakling a few years ago, and now she's a promising warrior. She hasn't won the tournament, but she got a good position, and she'll become someone's master soon. Her father's words come out of nowhere, and shake her to her very core. The person who was meant to care for her but acted like she never existed, the strongest warrior of the tribe, was, for the first time in her life, telling her she had done a great job, even in defeat. And Boku was still within her reach. With some restrain, she cried some more, but this time, it was with pride. And someone, very angrily, watched it all from afar.

At night, Leap makes her move. There are some quiet steps outside. The quiet steps are joined by murmurs, and then, by the noise of a run. Everyone related to the Passion Temple branch has joined a flight, and the people marked to become slaves the next day are running. Everyone who shouldn't wake up begin to do so, and so begins a hunt of Beastkin against Beastkin. The rebels have started the conflict with some time advantage, but it's difficult to outrun a Beastkin warrior in a forest when you aren't one yourself. No group can completely claim victory, as many are captured and brought back to the village, but now there's a rebel group that will keep provoking trouble for Scourge.

The next day, there's a lot of very loud anger. There will not be as many slaves to choose from, so many of the people who got good positions at the tournament will not get the prize they were promised. For those willing to listen to the least loud voices, there's also sorrow: from those whose fates got sealed, and from those who, from one day to the next, have found themselves with broken families. Regardless, the enslavement begins soon, and Claw notices that Boku is among those who got captured. The first warrior to choose their slave, the one who won the tournament, is Pain, full of vindictiveness. And for no reason other than to bring honor to her own name, she picks Boku. Almost no one realizes the significance of this action, but she takes immense delight in seeing the contorted, disfigured face of Claw... Until Scourge interrupts her. Scourge didn't participate in the tournament, but that doesn't mean he won't get to enjoy the new privilege. For the first time, he mentions that he will take three slaves, and Boku is one of them. Pain contains her anger, her plans suddenly ruined, and she picks some blonde girl, almost at random. Claw doesn't get to choose anyone, due to last night's flight, but her father calls her, and tells her: if she will honor him, if she fulfills the duties he commands of her, if she renounces the name of her mother, then once day, Boku... Boku will be hers. And almost two years later, her mission is given: she must become a Candidate at the Passion Temple, and the next High Priestess.

Story beats during the adventure - Intro

When the six Candidates from the Passion Temple reach the Beastkin tribe, Scourge tells them that they're celebrating a skirmish they've recently won. Against the Lizardlins? Not, against the rebels. And they've manage to re-capture some of them. Much to the Candidates' relief, neither Hope, Rock nor Leap are among the captives. Scourge then explains that they've prepared a little competition, to be held in a few days, and that those who get the best positions will be given slaves from among their newest captures. And the Candidates are invited to participate.

Later, in private, Shrezdill tells the Candidates that this is a clear maneuver to have people in the Passion Temple who are more permissive of Scourge's policies, as it's harder to condemn something you're also participating in. She does invites the Candidates to participate as well, but anyone who is "given" to them will be immediately released upon reaching the Passion Temple. Then ensues a discussion about the morality of allowing such vile practices to continue among the tribes of the Confined Valley, and Shrezdill tells the Candidates that they will often be forced to tolerate things they hate. The Passion Temple is at a very weak position where they require the collaboration of as many tribes as possible to deal with the Lizardlin menace, but the new High Priestess might have a chance to bring chance once that conflict is resolved. Or perhaps they might not find enough allies, in which case they'll have to accept the situation.

Naturally, there should be plenty of opportunities to learn of the details and intricacies of Claw's past during the next few days, to understand where she's come from, and a few final opportunities to push her in either direction. While in adventures 1 and 2 there are plenty of opportunities to move things in one direction or the other, the game is almost finished by this point, so if you want Claw to finally condemn her father's reign and change what she wants for her tribe, you should have worked in changing her drives during the previous months. Even so, the worldview she had when she reached the Passion Temple was very well cemented, therefore, a radical change in her mentality will be sudden, painful, and precipitated by a very important event, even if that required plenty of prior work. If you reach the point where you understand where Claw's coming from, and she's almost decided that she was wrong, she won't admit it until all triggers are pulled.

Story beats during the adventure - Sheze

If you were wondering why Sheze had zero protagonism in the narration so far, that's because I was saving it for now. Varyonte, naturally, makes a routine visit to the Gaanidan Candidate's mind during the night, but this time, she gets kicked out, and the player character meets Sheze instead. The tapir-girl acts unfazed at first, asking very direct and strange questions, such as what does the Gaanidan think of her companions, and what has happened in the last few months. Very quickly, however, she realizes that something's wrong with your answers, and attacks you. This is a fight you shouldn't win. Sheze is not a tapir, she's a baku, and she routinely enters people's minds at night, getting information from them and manipulating them. When she notices that she wasn't talking to the Gaanidan's unconscious self, but the conscious one, and that you understand how strange this is, she decides she cannot be careful, and will instead attempt to subjugate you.

I'm not sure about how would the following segment work. Mind control? Memory erasure? Heavy debuffs? My most fun idea was temporary body swapping, having Sheze change bodies with the player character for a few days, but at some point I decided against that due to the potential increase of scope. In any case, this marks a point where the player gets to know more and more about Sheze, since the baku is convinced that you're under her control and won't be capable of breaking away from it, so she feels confident in sharing a bit about herself.

In her view, Pain picking Sheze was a blessing for both of them. Sheze understood very early in her life that her powers were considered unnatural, and reasonably dangerous, so she tried to lay low for most of her life, accepting her pitiful place in Beastkin society. When she failed her trial of maturity and became Pain's slave, she was scared at first, but soon enough she begun to see it as an opportunity. As long as she avoided her fits of rage, she could slowly mold her, breaking her mind's defenses more and more until she was under her control. She had to get on her knees and serve her? That's okay, she enjoyed that. But it didn't take long for Sheze to stop seeing herself as the slave in their relationship. She built dykes of contention around Pain's most dangerous tendencies, accustomed her to her influence, and established more and more triggers in her mind. Year by year, the bear-girl was becoming a more controllable puppet, and Sheze had all but decided that she would be the queen in the shadow. She would keep appearances, Pain had learnt about many of her powers, and many around them has their suspicions, too. But it was only a matter of time until Scourge's time would be over, and Pain, through her control, would take the new position as Beastkin chief. Sure, she didn't have complete control, and sometimes she had to deal with Pain taking the sudden, stupid decision to visit another tribe to feed her own ego, or perhaps she'd get embroiled in a little slave rebellion that she had to spoil from its very insides, but from her point of view, she was the second most powerful person in the Beastkin tribe. In time, she'd be the first, and perhaps she could play politics well enough to subject other tribes under her control, as well.

Why does she tell so much to the Gaanidan? In part, because she, in truth, isn't in a good psychological place. She's lived a double life for her whole life, forced to pretend she's a weakling and a servant while she legitimately and truthfully was masterfully pulling the strings around her, daily seeing the proof of her talent and merit but never getting any recognition for it. And suddenly, she finds someone with such a strangely open soul that she can see her conscious self during a dream walk. Someone dangerous, someone of merit at an important hierarchy, and someone powerful, but also someone with a vulnerable soul that she can overpower and curse. The moment she has neutralized the Gaanidan, in a move so brazen she hadn't dared to try before, she breaks down and decides to talk like she never has in her life. And the Gaanidan Candidate can tell none of it.

Tomorrow will be the competition planned by Scourge, and when the player character is desperate about not having come any closer to breaking Sheze's control, Varyonte appears again. Sheze's intervention is particularly annoying to her, so she does what she can to weaken her curse, and tells the player character to get rid of that pest if she doesn't want to become human cattle. The Gaanidan wakes up, but there's no time to tell Shrezdill, as everyone is already heading out.

Story beats during the adventure - The hunt

There's a very notable geographical formation close to the Beastkin tribe: two giant crags, unclimbable, quite very close to each other. Between the two of them, a trail two hundred meters wide that extends for a few miles, brimming with eerie, scrawny flora that has managed to grow high, brown and feeble with whatever little light they receive. At the end of the passage, the crags join together, so there only exists one possible route, one that finishes at a dead-end. Scourge, some of his men and the slaves headed into it first, during the night, and await at the end. The competitors who reach it first will be allowed to claim someone for themselves, and whichever captive doesn't end up in anyone's hands, will be executed for rebellion at the end of the day. Shrezdill immediately protests at the prospect of taking anyone's life, but is told to shut it. She doesn't have the authority to stop any of this, and if she wants to avoid anyone's death, she must make sure the Candidates don't attempt to ruin the competition in any way. While the organizer begins counting down, Shrezdill tells the Candidates to remain extremely wary, as something in this whole matter doesn't add up. Regardless, you must run.

At first, what seems not to add up is the presence of monsters along the trail. There should be no reason for monsters to be there, as such an isolated place shouldn't have anything of interest to them. Did they find out about the people at the end, somehow? Or were they brought here in some way? Regardless, the Candidates agree that they should attempt to run past them. The problem isn't just the monsters: some of the competing Beastkin are attacking each other, and soon, a group of them attack the Candidates themselves, seemingly having decided that beating their opponents in a fight are alternate valid means to win the competition. They soon realize that they're losing too much distance, so the fights end soon, instead turning into little skirmishes to injure other runners. But none of that is the real problem.

Half the way into the passage, someone ahead shouts, mentioning the rebels. The rebels are in the passage, not just new captives, but those who are still free, and the competitors are now chasing them. As the word travels, competitors stop fighting themselves, or the Candidates, and simply run ahead to join the front lines. It is no longer a competition, but a hunt. The Candidates wonder what's going on, and what should they do. Shrezdill was clear that the Passion Temple doesn't have the means to change the balance of power in the Beastkin tribe. The rebels are few and scattered. This place will lead to a dead-end... This whole thing was a taunt against the rebels, a trap, and one that has worked. The Candidates have no choice but to continue advancing until the end.

As they approach it, the terrain becomes more and more rugged, often requiring not just to run, but to climb or even jump. And this is the place where the rebels, albeit outnumbered, decide to fight back, as many of them are capable of using magic. Their fight slowly turns from a hunt into a skirmish, and then into a siege, with the Beastkin competitors suddenly transformed into a disorganized, angry army. The Candidates are recognized by the rebels as 'the priestesses', and they aren't getting attacked. The attacking Beastkin shout that they must past through, and the rebels tell the Candidates that they must run past them. It's only natural: if Scourge is beyond the rebels and hasn't pincered them yet, something must be going on at the other side. And so the Candidates pass, and they reach the end of the passage.

The mountains by the sides have almost touched, and it is only possible to pass through a relatively small gap, two people at a time. After that, the air is so thick, and the light so brim, that it would be almost appropriate to call it a cavern. And just a little further ahead, they see it. Two groups are fighting, and so does a pair behind them. Even further behind, a couple dozen of people lay in the ground, chained. The two groups at the front involve Hope, Rock, Pain, Sheze, and many others you don't personally know, some of them lying at the ground. The pair at the back are Relentless Scourge and Fearsome Leap. But before any of you reaches the fray, Ate asks all the Candidates to stop, and to look to the ground. There's a giant circle of chalk and salfis flowers. If the fight continues, people will die. A couple might already be dead. Some Candidates shout at everyone to stop, and they're ignored. The rebels have been stuck here for well over an hour. They've known this was a trap for a while, and they had stalled until they had no other choice. When they got news that they were being attacked from the other side, Leap took the strongest people in her group to break in. And now, all of them are where Scourge wanted them: forced to fight until the very end.

The Candidates are too scared and do not want to join immediately. Claw does not want to join at all. She's not going to kill Hope or Rock. And she's not going to kill either of her parents. As for the Gaanidan, it isn't her choice to make. In contrast to Pain's enjoyment, Sheze is visibly anxious: none of this was in her plans. She didn't know there would be a fight to the death, she didn't know she'd be forced to show her powers, but Scourge had kept everything secret from them up until he told Pain early at night, and Pain took Sheze with them. And so Sheze forces the Gaanidan to walk forwards, exerting all her control, but when she tries to make the Gaanidan attack, she discovers it's not enough. She knew that Varyonte was still around, but she didn't know that on the very same night she couldn't watch over the Gaanidan, this meddlesome spirit would break so much of her control over her new puppet.

A battle scene ensues, with some Candidates joining depending on their drives and relations with the player character, all of them against Pain and Sheze, realizing what was going on - Claw still stays behind. And Claw stops the fight just a few rounds in, screaming. Leap has taken the full blow of Scourge's spear right through her neck. She'll die in a matter of seconds. Scourge walks past her and shouts at the Candidates to run away if they don't want war to break out between the tribes. Claw shouts back at him, asking him what he's doing, and Pain taunts her. Like a sole burning tree in a deserted landscape, Pain is laughing, full of joy, fully vindicated in her horror of her old rival. Scourge reprimands Pain, and asks her why she's wasting her time now, and why was she wasting her time earlier. Pain protests, arguing that he took too long as well, and when he turns angry at the insubordination, Pain attacks him, knocking him down in a single blow to the head. Sheze shouts, but it's too late. She, victim of her own panic, has kept Pain unchecked for too long, and the worst scenario has taken place in a matter of seconds.

But Pain herself is unfazed. She mocks at the old man, revealing that he had concealed his injury from the war against the Lizardlin too well, but it was finally his time to go. His fight against Leap, she says, was a mockery, two cripples trying to hurt each other. She has defeated the Beastkin chieftain, and by right of might, she declares herself the new chieftain. And Claw jumps against her. If the player character chooses to stay behind, supporting the rebels, a Claw vs Pain fight will ensue. If the player character rushes in to aid Claw, Sheze will follow, making it a 2vs2 instead. On the very same turn anyone falls, Ate will declare that she's broken the ritual, so no one else will die.

Conclusion

There are three different outcomes here.

- If Pain wins, the rebels will be rounded up. Scourge's forces recognize her as the new chieftain, the rebels are utterly defeated, and slavery will be maintained in the Beastkin tribe. She attempts to keep the Candidates imprisoned as well, but later changes her mind. Much later, it is revealed that Sheze has become a highly respected figure, hinting that she has finally succeded in her plans. Her powers are revealed everywhere else in the Valley, so her ambitions will never reach any further, but in the Beastkin tribe itself, anyone who questions her will be punished by Pain. Claw's spirit will be crushed, falling into a downwards spiral that she will not fully recover from during the remaining duration of the story. Hope and Rock will not be seen again.

- If Claw wins, she may choose to follow her father's path. She claims to have defeated the chieftain and demands obedience from the Beastkin, orders the imprisonment of the rebels, Pain and Sheze, and eventually decides that Scourge's reforms will stay. When challenged about her status, she declares that she will demand everyone to recognize her as the new chieftain after a new High Priestess is elected, and if anyone disagrees, she will crush them against the ground. She enlists the obedience of the Beastkin warriors for the Passion Temple, takes Pain and Sheze as captives to the Passion Temple, Boku will become her slave on her return, and declares Hope and Rock to be exiled from the Beastkin tribe, as a means to save them from slavery. After explaining the situation to Drishtya, she considers the situation deeply troublesome for various reasons (such as having a Candidate be next in line to lead a tribe), but praises the imprisonment of Pain and Sheze. Hope and Rock will occasionally be seen again.

- If Claw wins and has changed her views enough, she will break down crying, and a completely battered Pain will taunt her. Claw gives a new meaning to Pain's name by kick her and hurting her and slashing her at a state where she cannot fight back, or die, until she's told to get it together. She then claims to have defeated the chieftain and demands obedience from the Beastkin, orders the imprisonment of Pain, Sheze, and Scourge's most important still living cronies, and eventually decides that Scourge's reforms will be reverted. When challenged about her status, she declares that the Beastkin tribe will be put under the temporary management of Hope, and once a new High Priestess is chosen, she will come back and beat up anyone who doesn't recognize her as the new chieftain. She enlists the obedience of the Beastkin warriors for the Passion Temple, but her leadership is called into question by the warriors who have lost their slaves, hinting at brewing trouble in the tribe. Regardless, Drishtya will later praise Claw's actions, but tells her that she cannot be both her tribe's chieftain and the new High Priestess, which Claw accepts, tactically refusing to announce which position she's renouncing to.

Naturally, a conversation between Claw and Padmiri takes place at some point after the adventure, serving as a follow-up from their small discussion at the beginning of the game. Ironically, there's room for a situation where Padmiri adopted Eyfrein's philosophy while Claw completely renounced her own previous views, completely turning the tables. Padmiri would dissect her experiences in the Beastkin tribe and whatever she's learned about Claw's life, ultimately reaching a more nuanced perspective and exonerating Claw's past actions (unless she maintained slavery in the Beastkin tribe while Padmiri didn't become a green little pseudo-vampire), or still condemning her if Claw doubled down. Perhaps I will write these scenes after all. No, don't call it cheating! I can write the fun parts even if I skip everything else!

I know I keep saying the later parts of the story weren't as fleshed out, only to vomit walls of text like this later. I won't stop saying it, though. Next time, we'll see about the Aiishen adventure and the dreams sequences I previously mentioned. See you soon!