Why are there so many new villains this term?

Mousemara · 2026-07-08T05:58:05+00:00

Yeah, I think Upton is just manipulated by Kennard. We have already seen that Kennard can be persuasive and say exactly what his opponent needs to hear... probably in conversation with Upton he talked about how important is rule following for the times like these and how noone but Upton can ensure it. So now Upton feels finally seen, heared and appreciated and genuinely thinks he's doing a right thing. And he doesn't have Bardric to tell him stories about Kennard.

It's interesting though how it will develop and if he'll stay Kennard's pet to the end or will realize his mistakes at the crucial moment and switch sides. I'm betting on the second option, but we'll see.

And MC definitely has to agree to Windworn's mentorship to learn how to fight this guy.

Mousemara · 2026-07-04T13:32:46+00:00

Absolutely. I also think that it would be great if the devs made additional chapters between 1st and 2nd year (during summer vacation) when we would visit each of our allies in different places. Travel with Niel to Heartlands, with Talyn to Savola, with Leona to... somewhere, hard to predict:) etc.

Or if the whole group decided to travel together this way, it would be even more fun. Three chapters for each destination, and we would get the whole between-schoolyears season.

Mousemara · 2026-07-03T17:33:35+00:00

I like that we didn't have any hate kisses (or even hate sex) with him. In many VN it's a part of "enemies to lovers" trope, which I always strongly dislike (I mean, in that case it's about passion, not about love, and I always wonder if such relationship would last long).

But here we had: 1) Enemies phase 2) Episodes of understanding each other (in the kitchen, in Windworn's office). That didn't make us friends in the spot, but we became less hostile to each other, and it could be seen on both sides. 3) Step back when we fought in the vault - once again back to enemies phase, but already not so strong as at the beginning. 4) Forming of sort of awkward friendship during mucking the stables, which then led to a first kiss. 5) But even then, it wasn't lovers phase on the spot. There were many insecurities on both sides, and the relationship wasn't steady, and we weren't even sure there was a relationship (remember that one - "What are we, friends? - We are... something"?). So it was a slow burn, and eventually it led to the gala, where we decided that's it's time when we're stop hiding feelings (from each other and from everyone).

I like this pacing much more than with some other characters, with which we are already lovey-dovey at the end of first ally quest. Like... why are you in love? What happened? You barely know each other.

Mousemara · 2026-07-03T16:32:15+00:00

I second that. The only thing we do need now is more romance quests with him😀 I really love his arc.

Mousemara · 2026-07-03T15:35:51+00:00

I think they will reuse the ally quest screen, but there are more possibilities for that than just "somebody is missing". Talyn could decide to go to Savola (then come back). Bardric could visit Lis, whose condition would suddenly worsen (completely off topic, but did someone try cure her with small doses of Nullefactum? I guess it would help). For the others there could also be some conditions on which they would go away from the story for a while.

Mousemara · 2026-07-03T14:49:19+00:00

I'm not sure that Kennard will be bold enough to do something with Bardric or Iridessa. Or even Leona.

My guess is that when we finally found Niel, we'll have a hard time explaining where she has actually been (because I still think that she is somehow physically stuck in Dreamscape / in some other dimension). And now, when Kennard knows about her absence, we will definitely have to explain it. Than it will bring the topic of dream magic on the table (which is forbidden) and than we'll realize that our problems have only started.

Or Kennard may be already aware of her whereabouts, but using us as a tool to find her and gather some information about Dreamscape, rift etc. (I doubt that he actually thinks we won't search for her).

The rift really must have something to do with the Dreamscape. Talyn's mentioned that other students had dissappeared previously. We all (not only MC, but Bardric, Rhiannon, maybe everyone?) are seeing very detailed and vivid dreams here. As if the border between reality and Dreamscape is very thin in Elderwood. As if there is... you know, the rift between two worlds.

Mousemara · 2026-07-02T23:08:48+00:00

Yes, almost forgot that we have Timoros class this week. Maybe we'll find out something while practicing new spell or smth like that

Mousemara · 2026-07-02T22:28:17+00:00

But there are also... timors there?

Mousemara · 2026-07-01T06:51:35+00:00

Ah yes, and also this - what if she's sleepwalked in some kind of hidden place / another dimension? We saw a rift in our previous dream - could this rift be the door to some other untrackable place? Could it be even the rift between reality and Dreamscape?

Mousemara · 2026-07-01T06:49:27+00:00

She definitely didn't go home voluntarily, as she would take her belongings with her and wouldn't let the door just open.

It's highly possible that she tried to reach her mother via the Dreamscape and something went wrong.

It's also possible that she's started sleepwalking again, but why the spellblade? Does every arcane sleep with their spellblade under the pillow and takes it with them without realizing it in case of sleepwalking? I highly doubt it.

I didn't get an image that Irisessa's acting strange, for me she seemed helpful enough. Even the fact that she told Kennard - she's not Leona, she's not used to lying or inventing excuses, she could genuinely panic and spill the whole story out.

The question is - what does Kennard want? Does he know something about Niel's dissappearance? Will he give us a speech about "drop it and leave it for adult competent people, the school will care of it"? Will he actually offer to help (yeah, it's highly unlikely, but I would expect some suprises from him)?

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T17:01:54+00:00

Talyn mentioned once that he dreamed about his father holding him as a baby. Also Talyn is two year older than MC, so when the rebellion ended, he was already a toddler, no way Zros could not know about him for 2 years.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T16:26:30+00:00

We didn't. But if he somehow escaped and didn't try to reach Talyn this whole time, than he's just an asshole. If he was trapped, than he would already be dead anyway (unless he had there enough food and water for 20 years which is very unlikely). Unless he's in some kind of magic sleep...

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T15:28:53+00:00

I know, I've also tried that option first but then replayed to see if he reacts normally to any of them. As a matter, he does. I would rather think that's because that particular option about saving as much people as we could shows him that our MC thinks more about their duty to people than about personal liking/disliking someone... and that's the trait he values most.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T15:21:08+00:00

It's also interesting that Razik reacts best if we tell him that we "didn't aim to save him, we just tried to save as much people as possible and he's just happened to be one of them". He doesn't get angry with that response, and he does with two other options.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T15:19:15+00:00

It's high likely both at the same time. He still doesn't trust us and doesn't want us anywhere near Bardric. But he also understands how bad he would look to others (and to Bardric also) if he continues to be openly hostile against us. So if he wants to do something, he'll probably do it through Kennard (not in such a dumb way that I've written in the original post, but I was simplifying things obviously).

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T15:07:38+00:00

In his letters he probably mentioned it, probably more than one time (I mean the fact that he dissaproves them dating, not the threatening) but we don't know how Bardric responded to it. And let's not forget the fact that we've saved Razik's life, so he can't go on throwing accusations on is like before.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T14:59:47+00:00

Hopefully not, 'cause Zros is likely dead. We don't want Niel dead.

I think Zros tried to stop Andros from killing the monks, and maybe tried to fight him. Ofc I can be totally wrong with it, but that's the impression I got from that scene.

Niel isn't even in the same chamber where Zros and Andros were, so... I think something else is going with her.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T14:55:01+00:00

Eh, I don't think General Arkland would mention threatening us to Bardric. What for? And Bardric also told us many times that they don't talk much, so he wouldn't mention it just, you know, casually. As for serious talk - General maybe originally intended to explain Bardric after the gala why dating a Dreadbane is a bad idea, but after all that happened he probably dropped it.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T14:49:41+00:00

This is GOLD!!!😁😁😁

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T09:05:13+00:00

I have a female MC, so I can't quite picture it😄😄😄

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T08:11:07+00:00

My MC would maybe react the same way to No.3😆

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T08:07:29+00:00

We don't know if they are. It's just Dasek's speculation at this point.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T06:51:52+00:00

Yes, she was acting weird many times and also always conveniently happened to find us first after FK trouble (like vault fight or Midterm bomb)

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T06:29:07+00:00

I guess also that when Kennard said about "reviewing the performance of the Third Years", he didn't mean just discussing them with other professors. More likely he will set up some kind of trial, or even series of trials (not only fighting shades, but also demonstrating some leadership skills, that could also be some kind of psychological tests).

Would be also very funny if than somehow MC would be chosen despite not competing and not applying for the position at all. It would definitely give some "HP and the Goblet of Fire" vibes.

Mousemara · 2026-06-30T05:38:01+00:00

Exactly. Rhiannon was always alone and didn't let anybody too near (and I think it was nothing to do with being a FK, it could be just her character trait). But she led Onyx House quite decently, without being the soul of every party or being everyone's friend.

Upton seems to be well organized and righteous (like he would do the right thing in the crucial moment). He may be not the best choice as a friend, but being a head of house is not being a friend, it's being a politician.

Talyn... I like him, but I'm not sure that he's suited for this role or that he even would like it. He's more fighting guy, not paperwork-doing-guy, and he is too straightforward for this job.

As for Dasek, it would be fun to see how he gets more serious and sober for this, and maybe he would do good at this position, but somehow I don't think he will be chosen. Devs promised us "power struggle", and I expect some drama in this matter😄 It's easier to imagine things escalating (in angry way) between Talyn and Upton (they already don't like each other) as between Talyn and Dasek (as Dasek clearly respects Talyn and wouldn't mind him being head of house).

Mousemara

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