Esthera

Story
A powerful and strange female who holds a major fragment. In the first meeting with the group, she seems quite ruthless, as per her actions toward Simon, but her current nature remains unclear.

Her salute to her colleagues is a good show of her style: provocative, ironic and sexy at the same time.

During the Gathering, as the new Incubus King is her vassal, the party acts in various occasions as her own personal boy errand, but she can be quite generous in her rewards if you serve her well. Although the kindness or the well-being doesn't seem to be in a high position among her priorities, she seems neither to be the type to go out of her way to inflict pain, humiliation or other nasty things for the sake of it.

Although she is one of the most powerful beings among the IK, she doesn't consider herself above the games of cloak and dagger. In total contrast with the transparency of Xerces, she uses the group's services to contact indirectly with the Queen of Ghenalon to establish trade relations. She seems to have a strong interest in courting her, because later, she rigs her own activity just to give Ghenalon a clear win.

She seems to have a very deep knowledge of the Succubi's machinations to allow the free circulation between the different domains of both Succubi and Orcs.

During Simon's route, we are treated to a much more in-depth overview of her history and motivations. At first, she seems to fit the role of a powerful, uncaring dominant but appearances can be deceiving as you will see later. If you take the time to know her better, you will find a lonely, scared lady that has no companions or a powerful second-in-command, because of her own isolation and distrust.

We are also given her daughter, Nalili, to train and guide, not by an act of uncaring selfishness but because she cares. One interesting fact that it's revealed only after her return from the Gathering is her vulnerability, her regrets about past mistakes and she no longer can't take the risk to have sexual relations with Simon any more. The interactions between the shards could be messy...

Before and during the Third Arclent War, she behaves like a loyal ally even when she has the chance to grab more power for herself.

Relationship points
Maximum affection is 100, at which you can have a conversation with the harem girl that will lock her affection there.

Base value: 10-60.

Maximum legit value: 136?
 * Up to for 10 affection per 5 Esthera mood points (this determines her base value).
 * for getting the Office Orgy sex scene.
 * Up to for the Nalili maturity score score at the end of Simon's route.
 * for having Dari's best evaluation about the Battle for Yhilin "Sounds like the battle went great overall!".
 * for funding Aram Border Reinforcement.
 * for funding Ardoheim Border Reinforcement.
 * for examining Doom King statue in Ari-Yhilina Square IF funded.
 * for observing her conversation with Nalili in the negotiation hall.
 * for copying the succubus in the negotiation hall.
 * for having Janine's best evaluations "everyone was quite impressed" at the trade negotiations, OR for "everyone was rather impressed", OR  for "will be worth it soon", OR  for "will be worth it", OR  for "worth it eventually".
 * low instability across the continent upon reaching Conference Chamber in the war aftermath. (Iris must not say you had "trouble pulling our resources together due to all the instability.")
 * low collateral damage across the continent upon reaching Conference Chamber in the war aftermath. (No definite telltale for achieving this, unfortunately, but Sarai's presence indicates failure.)
 * conversation via comm sphere in HQ bedroom.
 * talking to her after the Extradimensional HQ meeting, during the first Erosian conflict.
 * talking to her in Order of Thaumaturgy Guildhall, during the aftermath of the first Erosian conflict.
 * if Iris's evaluation of the first Erosian conflict is "We did remarkably well!", OR "we did quite well", OR  "we did well enough."
 * if Iris's evaluation of Stenai trip "I think we still did an especially good job" OR "I think we still did a good job"
 * chatting with her during the second Stenai trip
 * for sending troops early in Stenai, OR for holding back.

Esthera mood points
During Simon's route, Empress Esthera has a hidden "mood" score. Raising it affects her affection score and unlocks certain events. In general, you want to speak to her often, pick conversation options she responds non-negatively to, treat Chaya gently, assist the palace bureaucrats, and raise Nalili's maturity.

Base value: 1. Maximum legit value: 32
 * for saying hello to Chaya, OR for grabbing Chaya.
 * for asking Chaya for books (recommended), OR for responding "Just yourself".
 * for responding her "My pleasure", OR for "If you insist" or "I live to serve".
 * for helping Chaya move heavy stuff.
 * for helping Chaya shop.
 * for refusing to help Chaya escape, OR for offering your help.
 * Up to for sharing your thoughts on seeing the Empire after being let out of her room.
 * for responding her "Let's do it!" or "Decline" to entertainment idea, OR for responding "...", OR  for "That's horrible!".
 * for trying the stairs to Nalili's room after being warned.
 * for asking Nalili's room guard "Who are you?", OR for "What's up there?".
 * for finding all 5 office workers then talking to their boss.
 * for having the best evaluation from the planning succubus "You're like some kind of route-planning genius!".
 * for having the best evaluation from the meetings succubus "Well, fuck me! Everybody did exactly what you wanted...".
 * for having the best evaluation from the accounting succubus "I'll try even harder in the future!".
 * for opening the box in Empress's room on day 20.
 * for sleeping and getting the Wendis dream.
 * for talking to her after Wendis dream and starting with "...", OR for "Want to talk about the dream?" or "Stay out of my head".
 * for immediately truthfully answering her when she asks about Simon's children, OR for saying nothing initially.
 * for talking to her about Nalili by Nalili's room IF Nalili maturity score is at least 2.
 * for enslaving the smugglers.
 * for participating in the succubus meeting on the 2nd floor while she is at the Gathering.
 * for talking to her by the vault near the end of Simon's route.

Final warning: Above all else, do not defeat the elite in the fighting ring without following Nalili's idea and learning Dominate first. This removes all her maturity, drops Esthera's mood by 10, and for some reason adds 10 to Simon's daycount (an epic 10-day battle...?). It's hard to do without burning thru restoratives anyway.