Yes, Your Grace: How to Keep Eryk's Family Alive and Get the Best Ending

Securing the best ending in Yes, Your Grace requires keeping all four members of King Eryk’s family alive, gathering at least 600 to 700 troops to survive the Radovian siege, and identifying the true culprit in King Talys’s poisoning. Failing to meet military thresholds or neglecting domestic sidequests leads to castle collapse or character deaths.

Recruit Core Agents and Stabilize Resources Early

Weekly petitions will quickly deplete your treasury if you resolve every problem with raw coin or food. Early in the campaign, recruit the crown's three primary agents—the General, the Witch, and the Hunter. Dispatching these agents resolves many petitioner dilemmas without spending gold or supplies.

Apply the following rules during throne room sessions:

• Fund sustainable infrastructure: Pay to repair critical regional assets like the local mill or collapsed mine shafts. These investments yield recurring food and tax revenue in later weeks.
• Deny low-value disputes: Turn away petitioners who ask for payouts over personal brawls, omens, or unverified claims. Send an agent to investigate when available, but do not spend treasury reserves.
• Maintain reserve thresholds: Never let your food stockpile drop below 10 to 15 units during the harvest season. Running out of food causes village unrest and hurts recruitment.
• Upgrade castle infrastructure early: Purchase wall insulation and gate reinforcements before mid-game tensions escalate. Insulated walls protect morale during cold snaps, and reinforced gates reduce casualties during battle.

Manage Lord Alliances for the Impending War

Davern cannot survive the Radovian invasion alone. King Eryk must forge alliances across neighboring territories to build an army. Each lord demands specific concessions or resources before committing troops.

The political marriage between Princess Lorsulia and Prince Ivo of Atana cannot be avoided if you want the army needed to repel early threats. While the betrothal is mandatory, resist Ivo’s crueler demands in dialogue to protect family morale.

Uncover the Truth at the Royal Poison Trial

Following the sudden poisoning of King Talys, Davern must conduct a formal investigation to determine the killer before the royal trial concludes. Naming the wrong suspect damages alliances and causes severe political fallout.

1. Search for physical clues: Send the General and the Witch to inspect the feast hall, the cellar, and the courtyard. Collect evidence from contaminated wine carafes and search for suspicious powder residue.
2. Examine suspect movements: Track alibis and unverified movements around the royal quarters on the night of the feast.
3. Analyze the substance: Consult the Witch to identify the botanical properties of the residue to determine where the poison originated.
4. Avoid easy scapegoats: Do not pin the blame on domestic servants or the Radovian prisoner simply to resolve the trial quickly. Present the botanical findings and contradictory testimonies to expose the true mastermind.

Prepare Castle Defenses for the Radovian Siege

Entering the siege with fewer than roughly 600 to 700 combined soldiers causes the castle perimeter to fail, locking out the best ending. In addition to troop counts, prepare the fortress with physical countermeasures before the assault begins:

• Stock defensive supplies: Supply the ramparts with boiling oil and catapult ammunition to thin attacking waves before enemy forces reach the gates.
• Position ranged units: Station archers along the walls, and deploy the Hunter to neutralize enemy sappers and ladder teams.
• Prepare medical supplies: Deliver medicinal herbs to the castle physician or Witch before the battle to ensure wounded soldiers can be treated and returned to the fight between phases.
• Hold the gates: Prioritize gate reinforcement over aggressive counter-offensives. Ordering reckless cavalry charges wastes allied ranks and leaves the courtyard vulnerable to late-stage shock troops.

Fulfill Royal Family Survival Requirements

The best ending hinges on keeping Queen Aurelea, Princess Lorsulia, Princess Asalia, and Cedani alive until the campaign closes:

• Queen Aurelea: Attend private family gatherings, listen to her counsel during domestic scenes, and supply vital remedies immediately when illness strikes the royal chambers.
• Princess Lorsulia: Fulfill the unavoidable marriage alliance to Ivo, but support her emotional well-being by pushing back against Ivo's mistreatment whenever diplomatic dialogue gives you the option.
• Princess Asalia: When her personal romance conflicts with prospective political matches, respect her wishes and prioritize her personal freedom over short-term diplomatic bribes.
• Cedani: Indulge her curiosity and spend time with her in the castle, but intervene to steer her away from genuine supernatural hazards.