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OOC Thread: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...40&pagenumber=1 Greetings, and welcome to the game. The OP is likely to change over the course of the game, what with new ideas for actions and whatnot popping in, and no doubt countless alterations and revisions. -------------------- Map:  ------------------- Actions and difficulty: Notes on Keywords: Bless- A lasting positive action performed on a mortal or group of mortals. Curse- A lasting negative action performed on a mortal or group of mortals. Inspire- A lasting change to the way of thinking of a mortal or group of mortals. Teach actions fall under this Keyword in the absence of other mechanics to handle them. Levy- To “create” a number of units of troops. Unit- A number of troops, abstracted. 1 Unit of foot troops is 2000, 1 unit of cavalry is 500. Engineers and Siege Weapon units are further abstracted and the number involved is much less. Peasant Unit - Represent the largest supply of troops. They are weak and tend to run. Garrison Unit - Unit of foot troops more meant to defend cities, and so gain bonuses to it. In this, a garrison and a militia are one in the same. Penal Legion - Unit of prisoners drug up from the dungeons in your land. They have low morale but fight better than peasant units. Intrigues - Actions you can do to further define another House; lets face it, a House isn't going to divulge it's own secrets/skeletons, so it's up to the other players to define what those skeletons are. Court Members: Castellon - Guy who watches over the castle and runs things while the main lord is away Steward - Guy who runs all the finances and estates while the lord is away Maester - learned man of lore and logics, Master at arms - Guy in command of all the foot troops Master of horse - Guy in charge of all the cavalry Master of hunt - Guy in command of ...hunting Kennel master - Trains/raises animals and waranimals Vassal knights - Those special members of the court that swear fealty to your lord (and more importantly have small amounts of troops to pledge to your cause) Captain of the Royal Guard - (commands a buffed up garrison, as long as you have the Captain of the Royal Guard they will be there provided they don't suffer major casualties) Effortless: no roll, not counted as actions -Manufacture/Produce for narrative affects a small quantity of anything -Speak to the other Houses (via pigeon-messengers or men sent with scrolls, perhaps even in person so to speak) -Send your nobles to the locations of other Houses (Movement is hidden on the map) Difficulty: 5 Local Action -Attempt to attract a Court Member (Can be appointed to an heir within the family for the same DC) -Order your armies to battle (state their goal/destination, and they will make the necessary trips to that point) -Levy 1 Garrison Unit at 1 Town or larger settlement type -Levy 1 Peasant Unit at Village/Larger Settlement type -Levy 1 Penal Legion at City/Larger Settlement Type -Send any number of units to the Wall in the North (Permanent), or number of seasons duty in the South -Construct Guildhouses (variable 1-2 seasons) -Construct Marketplaces -Construct Farmland -Construct/Improve Roads through 1 province -Hire mercenaries (up to 4 units; mercenaries are usually terrible people and will have ill effects on local populace). Difficulty: 7 Village Action -Levy Armies within your holdings (up to 2 units, available choices are infantry and archers; Requires Master at Arms) -Levy Cavalry within your holdings (up to 1 unit; requires Master of Horse) -Name a Village within your Borders (Adds it to the map, give a +0 quality to it; limit 10 per province) -Affect(Bless/Curse/Inspire) a small group of mortals(50) for life -Create a group of trivial(10) or one heroic mortal items -Aquiring/Raising a single non sentient creature smaller than an elephant. (Requires a Kennel Master) -Organize a Royal Hunt (Requires a Master of Hunt) -Organize a small Tournament Difficulty: 9 Town Action -Name a Town within your Borders (Adds it to the map, give a +2 and -2 quality to it; limit 3 per province) -Levy Armies from your Banner House(s) (Up to 2 troops from each, see Banner House creation in the next DC). -Affect(Bless/Curse/Inspire) a large group of mortals(500). -Create a Paragon-equivalent mortal item (This item has a significant history, presumably passed generation to generation) -Aquiring/Raising a non-sentient species smaller than an elephant. (Requires a Kennel Master) -Organize a large tournament -Pass a minor law (Affects your lands, minor plot effects) Difficulty: 11 Area Action -Construct a Tower (Defense of +2, creates 1ish years to create) -Levy a unit of Engineers (Requires a Maester) -Levy a unit of Siege Equipment (Requires a Maester) -Construct a Banner House (Specialized Barracks, it’s loyalty is to your house, the troops get a +2 and a -2 and are unique as you want them to be. Limit 1 Banner House/City). -Affect (Bless/Curse/Inspire) a very large group of mortals(1000) for life. -Create an Epic Mortal Item (This item is the hallmark of mankind’s ability, the pinnacle of what can be done without magic). -Aquiring/Raising a non-sentient species larger than an elephant (Requires a Kennel Master with a domain) -Pass a moderate law (Affects your lands and more than likely surrounding lands, likely to interact with other Houses in some scope, moderate plot effects). Difficulty: 13 Regional Action -Construct a Castle (Defense of +4, takes 2ish years to create; requires an Artisan to oversee the process) -Name a City on the Map (Adds it ot the map, give a total of +4 and a -2 to it; limit 1 per province) -Affect (Bless/Curse/Inspire) a huge amount of mortals(2000) for the rest of their lives. -Enchant/Scry an area of many towns or a metropolis or small Kingdom. -Create intrigue about another house (Rumor mongering, that sort of thing, potential for it to stick) -Organize a Grand Tournament -Pass a Major Law (Requires to control the Throne of Bone, scope effects all of Westhold, major plot effects) -Lay claim to a land adjacent to a province you control; this creates a right to control the land, and military actions against it won’t be seen as bloodthirsty or tyrantish (unless of course you murder prisoners/burn villages, that kind of thing). -Place a family member or npc in a ruling position of a province you have claim over (that is currently empty of a ruler); this “unlocks” the province for purposes of generating towns/villages/castlebuilding/roadbuilding and all of that. Difficulty: 15 Continental Action -Construct a Superior Castle (Defense of +6, takes 3ish years to create; requires an Artisan to oversee the process) -Heavily stir up intrigue about another House with significant effects Difficulty: 17 -Construct a Citadel: The hardiest structure known to man, its defenses are almost impervious, and even a siege would have trouble with it. (Defense of +8, randomized possibilities for attackers with usually dire results, takes 4ish years to create; requires an Artisan to oversee the process) -Create major intrigue within another House (In flavor effects, this is something your house may not even be involved with; it just happens that you happen to “hear” about a surly “forgotten heir” or something along those lines). -Kidnapping a Noble from a House (This is extremely public as the attempt to capture a noble is with the mind of extorting the family for money/political favor. Note that a Noble dieing while in captivity of another House will be seen as the one of the most depraved acts the capturing House could commit). Difficulty: 19 -Assassination attempt on an heir. The results of the roll are further randomized with more extreme possibilities occurring for attempts on the most critical heirs. Be warned that the likelyhood of being discovered in the attempt is there, and the political ramifications of it would be extreme. -Introduce a technology that would affect the entirety of the game world in its operation; such technology is inherently magical (steampunk at the most) and would likely be highly experimental and unpredictable. ---------------------------------------------------------- Game Mechanics Armies - Armies of all kinds will move about the map when they are making battle and otherwise campaigning, and this is going to be heavily abstracted, but will attempt to take in account of: weather, landscape, army composition, defenses, and supplies. Families - Families will grow, get sick, die off, breed, and otherwise attempt to simulate a living environment. Much of this is based off of random charts that I will be rolling on, as well as taking into account game actions and traits. Heirs - Once an heir comes of age, you will be notified, and your domain can increase. When heirs are born, i’m going to let the player controlling them decide if their heirs follow boys/girls or whatever on the line. The main focus is that the heirs will be born directly in your current House ruler’s family. The Walls - The North Wall and the South Wall will basically be generating armies through random table rolls. The South Wall barbarians tend to have much more options open as far as dealing with them diplomatically, with the weakness that the Southern Wall is broken, and much more open to attack if things go south (lol). The King of Bone - Every House in the game has a legitimate claim to the Throne of Bone; however, the people will generally better follow a King of a particular bloodline as it is passed down through a single House, as the Kingdom would probably suffer through a series of bloody civil wars in attempt to gain control of Westhold. Royal Advisors - The King of Bone will have several Royal Advisors (played by 4 other players). These Advisors, while aiding the King and the Kingdom in general, are motivated by their own interests; their actions will be recorded in secret by myself; They will be making deals within the thread with the King/other Houses openly within this thread. They are a necessary evil at times, and removal of them will incur penalties if only because of how much resources they control and maintain within the Kingdom. There are some constants that will generally be adhered to, if you will, necessary objectives otherwise the game will fail and you all will lose: 1. The Kingdom of Westhold must survive. This is left intentionally vague as there are many interpretations of what this could become, and I’m really eager to see what becomes of Westhold. 2. There must be a King of Bone. Without one, the Kingdom of Westhold will break apart, and therefore would fail the first objective. Once a King of Bone has stepped down/been assassinated/died, there are essentially only so many years that the game can run without one before poo poo starts hitting the fan. --------------------------------------------------------- When you post, I generally want it under a template. The template is below. The focus on the game is your individual Houses, then secondary the royal members of those Houses. If you want to write a synopsis of your House with all the different characters having dialogue with each other, go ahead. Communication between other Houses is considered “instant” within the game due to the span for each update (a season). You have the option, if you wish, to do 1 action involving one of your House members along with your House action; example: House Burbur starts working on a castle. Greg Burbur hunts a bear. House bonuses and Noble bonuses cannot combine for a single action. Limit of 1 House action per post. Limit of 1 noble action per post. Noble actions will use the default DC list for PDQ. ---------------------------------------------- Posting Template: House Name Flavor Text OOC text, DC actions. Noble Name Flavor Text OOC text, DC actions. ---------------------------------------------------------- Zombie #246 fucked around with this message at Feb 4, 2013 around 02:24 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 02:30 |
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| # ? May 22, 2013 14:59 |
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History LONG TIME AGO (beyond 200 years ago) Storm Isles become inhabited. Febrani constructs the northern wall. House Febrani formed. Febrani wars against the barbarians to the north. House Behr formed. House Arten formed. House Ninian formed. King of Bone conquers the Southern Lands. Laughing King's Ruse. House Rivie formed; granted recognzition by the King of Bone at the Time. House Febrani suffers major famine following raids by inhabitants of the Storm Isles. King of Bone formally announces his reign over the entirety of Westhold, claiming the North Wall to the Southern barbarian lands. House Phokas formed; granted recognition by the King of Bone at the time. House Phokas begins building the Southern Wall; House Phokas also helps reinforce sections of the aging (but still incredibly strong) Northern Wall. DISTANT PAST (200 years ago till 60) Southern Wall completed. House Guilgium formed. War of Six Dukes started. Battle of Hart's Hill. Slaughter of Arten Keep. Battle of the Bells. War of Six Dukes ended. House Lohenholt founded. House Styirik formed; granted recognition by the King of Bone at the time. House Styirik raids villages south of House Febrani, interuppting their food supply. RECENT PAST (Last 60 years) Minor noble family of Zyat begins to spread. House Podhorich formed from Northeastern Marches; unified by Podhor the Even-Handed. House Podhorich and House Febrani work together against a combination of undead attack along with a raid from hostile pirates and minor nobles of House Styirik. All sides lose significant numbers of men in the battles. The undead are repelled. House Febrani suffers the worst casualties, and is barely able to staff their section of the wall due to food shortages. King of Bone in a legendary move orders all jails to be emptied, and the men to be conscripted and sent to the North Wall, and to begin an invasion against the undead. Thousands of men are sent beyond the North Wall, never to be heard of again. It's whispered that significant numbers of political enemies to the King were among those sent North. Lady Isabelle Guilguim and Lord Amaury Guilgium bring monumental change to the lands of House Guilgium for a unified tomorrow. Number of small raids and skirmishes between House Rivie and House Styirik over the course of the year. Stalemate and white peace offered and accepted between both Houses. The skirmishes cause some famine effects for House Febrani due to supply chain disruptions. Major famine across large sections of Westhold. Small skirmishes and military posturing begins, and for a time it appears that Westhold will be involved in a catastrophic civil war. Only the King of Bone's advisors manage to keep Westhold together. House Febrani and Zyat noblelands are hit the worst by the famine. Minor noble family Zyat now on the cusp of being a formal house. Major uprising of the barbarian lands; House Rivie, House Styirik, House Phokas, the King's Army, and droves and droves of House Zyat's men fought against it. Extremely bloody battle that resulted in large sections of the Southern Wall being destroyed. Honors for the battle rest with House Phokas, with Duke Iordanes having singlehandedly killing the barbarian leader (though even now this is but a passing memory). House Zyat formed; granted formal recognition by the King of Bone for their heroism and troops sacrificed in the name of the Kingdom. Zombie #246 fucked around with this message at Jan 27, 2013 around 03:22 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 02:30 |
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Reserved Zombie #246 fucked around with this message at Feb 21, 2013 around 17:10 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 02:31 |
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Family Trees This will list the PC Houses, and their family lines following the start of the game. House Guilgium House Podhorich House Lohenholt House Febrani House Styirik House Rivie House Behr House Phokas House Zyat Zombie #246 fucked around with this message at Jan 27, 2013 around 03:21 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 02:31 |
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Spring, Year 1 (Please post character sheets in your first post) A Sun shines through the misty fog, and breaks through the incredibly harsh winter (in most places). The King of Bone, in a message sent throughout Westhold, explained that he was dieing and ill. The note read, “In these times, I look to the Great Houses that make up this glorious Kingdom, and in each of them I find qualities I myself cherish. My twilight years are upon me, and I will retreat for a time, and name my heir. My queen and daughter are not fond of this decision, as I have waited and still not married my daughter off. You will have my answer within the coming year.” The King of Bone is quite old, and still has no heir to this day. Some reckon that he is upwards of 97 years old, a miracle in and of itself in this day and age. Rumors of undead sightings in the north have increased. House Guilgium The news of the King’s letter has many of the nobles within House Guilgium rubbing their hands together. Some have even approached Lord Amaury in open to discuss under-handed measures. Bandits in the north have become a small problem as well. House Podhoric Soldiers of House Podhoric have brought to the court dozens of men who were involved with banditry against surrounding Houses. They all stand before Lord Ladislau Podhorich, heads hung low, for they know of the justice they are likely to be dealt. House Lohenholt Lord Conn Lohenholt received an additional letter at Lohen, one marked in different ink with the seal of one of the Royal Advisors. When the letter was broken, it contained the message, “We would like to see you on the Throne when the good King passes this life.” You have started the game with the castle of Lohen. House Febrani Food has come to precipitously low levels; the winter was harsh and unyielding, and you have lost much of the manpower supplying your side of the North Wall. Undead have been spotted around the interior of the Wall, and many fear that the mines have been compromised severely. As deadly as the undead are, however, they have not breached your inner sanctum. You begin the game with a Superior Castle, Castle Febrani. It does have the weakness that it is very close to the mine-system in the mountains, however. House Styirik The people of the Storm Isles are getting rowdy; not enough looting and pillaging in the recent years, but some more ambitious explorers/plunderers have found some ruins in the northern islands. Your copy of the King’s Letter, as noted above, was not sent to you but instead found from a messenger that was robbed by one of your men. It does not appear that the letter was ever meant to be sent to you. Dun dun dunnnn! House Rivie Lady Fayessa Rivie has received word by one of her many spies that her brother’s body was found, confirmed dead, presumably having fallen sometime last winter. The North Wall’s service is demanding after all... You have also received word that the Royal Advisor’s have been sending many messages back and forth between the Houses, presumably making arrangements on who the King names as his heir... House Behr While the winter wasn’t as bad as it has been, it was still bad for anyone soft from the lower lands; much of your men saw combat this winter, not from the undead thread (which seemed less concentrated on your side, rumor has it it’s been particularly bad near House Febrani), but the woods around House Behr have filled with terrible things. If your men weren’t already battle-hardened from birth, things may have been quite worse. You begin the game with level 1 roads through your province (essentially dirt paths that trackers and traders can move through relatively well). House Phokas Barbarian attacks have been on the rise...but not on your section of the wall. Some tribes have even sent gifts; this is unusual for them. A messenger from the King of Bone was caught trying to flee through your lands (he had refused necessary safety checks at intervals). He had a message on his person, stamped with the symbol of the Royal Advisors; it appeared he was taking it to the barbarian lands south of your province. He destroyed it before it could be apprehended, and managed an escape. You start the game with a Tower against the Southern Wall. You also start with level 2 roads (proper roads) in your province. House Zyat You are used to the King’s Messengers to be using your lands to get to where they need, but never this number; it seems droves and droves of messengers have traveled through your province...and not one has stopped to speak with any of your nobles. With as many people as your population boasts, word reached Lord Hugart’s ears eventually. You start the game with 4 villages revealed in your province. Provide names! You start with level 2 roads in your province. You start with several areas of cultivated land in your province. You heard about the letter from the King, but never received a copy of your own. Zombie #246 fucked around with this message at Dec 30, 2012 around 03:00 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 02:32 |
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House Zyat It was disappointing for Lord Hugart. He still remembered the celebration with his father when the war in the South had ended, the short conflict for the lands themselves was won, and the House had been recognized by the King himself as one of the great houses. Now letters bounce back and forth about this news, though none of it was formal when it came to his seat. Was this truly the recognition that his father and the Zyat people fought for? His mind remained enraptured with the thought before it snapped back down to the clerk standing next to him with several reams of paper, "Lord Hugart? Yes- Hello? Ah- You have the town of Pinsnau, which has many of the kingdom's roads leading into it. Then, of course, you have Mannau which has some of our most fertile fields. It shares borders with Yashtek, whose people are popular for their cooking- Your boy's favorite cooks come from Yashtek, of course- and finally Pilburgh, which is where more than three quarters of the House's decorated war heroes have come from. The birthplace of your father and named after him. A dashing name, really. Each of them would desire your attention, though I must inform you that we will only have enough... Blah blah blah," His mind drifted again. Pinsnau was known for the beautiful women. Ooh. Yes, the people of Pinsnau would love him if he helped them first. "Build a market in Pinsnau, and be on the lookout for any of the particularly beautiful aristocrats that happen to live there." "Uh... Of course. It will be organized at once, m'Lord." Village Names: Pinsnau: +0 Center of Trade Mannau: +0 Breadbasket Yashtek: +0 Culinary Tradition Pilburgh: +0 Courageous Men Action: Construct Marketplaces in Pinsnau DC5 --- Lady Shay She had noticed Hugart's eyes twinkling again for the past few days, though he never spoke of what he was doing. She was sure it was just him being himself, but it is good that he is happy. She wanted some good friends, but her marriage into the family meant that she could only go for equals, not lower. It was bothersome. Lady Guilgium was rather scary, as was Lady Behr though in a different way. Lady Styirik was out of the question, as just traveling there would most likely end in her death. She was fairly sure Duchess Evanthia hated her, and Lady Febrani's lands were in no condition for a celebration. Lady Rivie was also terrifying in her high castle with the whistling winds and Lady Podhorich was just a sad sack- Someone that needed cheering up. That was it! That was someone who desperately needed a smile on their face, even if just for a little while. What would a woman so beautiful laugh at? A comedy, maybe? Perhaps just a party with lots of different colorful things? With all the mud and dirt covering House Podhorich's things, they would only seem more colorful! She would figure it out on the way there, though the formal thing to do would be to send a letter first. Dearest friend Lady Giselle, I am coming by for a visit soon! I hope you have room in your schedule for a bit of excitement! With the highest regards, Lady Shay She stared at her note momentarily. Good enough! Now to find those fire jugglers... Lady Shay is going to go party it up in House Podhorich's lands whether they want her to or not. Her primary objective is to cheer up Lady Giselle, if even for just the duration of the visit, by using Party! +2. Commoners posted:House Zyat - The House of Many Commoners fucked around with this message at Mar 5, 2013 around 05:36 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 08:08 |
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House Lohenholt The young man arrived at the castle of Lohen without fanfare or procession; once, he reflected, a man of his family would have gone nowhere without a retinue, for they had been great Lords once upon a time. Those years were long past, though, and he - like his father before him - did not wish for a return to those years, for House Ninian had fallen ingloriously. No, they had a new place, and that place was in service to the House that had become the new Wardens of the West, the House of Lohenholt. It was an honor that they, alone among the rebel Houses, were permitted - the reason that they, alone among the rebel Houses, survived. Plus, he was looking forward to seeing his friend, the young Sir Brian Lohenholt, again. DC 5, attempt to attract a Court Member - in this case a Steward by the name of Gregory Ninian. Using House Lohenholt's quality of Lordly Paragons [+2] to ensure that Gregory is loyal and conscientious, inspired by the House's example. Lord Conn Lohenholt His first instinct was to burn the letter - both of them, preferably, but certainly the second. But that would be wrong of him; his family deserved to know what was happening. And so, Lord Conn Lohenholt took the counsel of his wife. "This could be an opportunity for us," Lady Ariane insisted, late at night in their quarters. "But one that I suspect, my husband, that you aren't looking forward to." Lady Ariane had been of House Zyat, a marriage arranged before that House's recent elevation to the status of a Great House, but she knew her husband, and she knew that it was not the opportunity that spoke to him here, but the dangers - for himself, and for the realm. She understood him, for she had grown to love the Lohenholts' unshakable sense of loyalty and nobility; the years had made her more Lohenholt than Zyat, as tended to happen after a lengthy marriage. "Not a bit," Lord Conn murmured, sighing gently and running a hand through his hair - once black as night, but starting to go grey a bit here and there. "We serve the Throne loyally; it's in our blood. We don't take it." "But if there is no one else suitable..." "We're not there yet." Lord Conn shook his head, set his jaw. "If the King dies without a proclamation and the Council asks me to be Regent, I shall consider it - but as Regent, not King. The King has a daughter still; her place in the succession must be maintained." "Perhaps if Brian were to court her...?" Ariane murmured, and Lord Conn fell silent, considering. Such a match would ease his mind more than a little - if he were to watch over the Throne for the future Queen, that would let him do so without endangering the loyalty for which his House had become a watchword. And that was an admirable aim. "He'll need guardsmen," the Lord murmured, and Lady Ariane couldn't help but smile. "To protect him from her, no doubt..." As a personal action, Lord Conn is going to send his Personal Guard along with his son, Sir Brian, to go to the capital and hopefully meet the Princess. Sure, she's an ill-tempered headstrong pain, but she's also the King's sole issue and thus, to Lord Conn's mind, heir. Let's go make friends. Using his reputation as a Paragon of Loyalty [+2] to smooth the way and see to it that introductions will be made. (This action was edited into the post after a conversation with Zombeh.) DivineCoffeeBinge posted:House Lohenholt DivineCoffeeBinge fucked around with this message at Dec 30, 2012 around 12:29 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 10:27 |
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House Podhorich The men dragged filthy, half-thawed winter mud in with them as they were brought, bound in ropes, before Lord Ladislau Podhorich. Spears poked at their backs and they fell to their knees. The Lord himself sat on a simple, but solid wooden chair, with the young Vasily at his side, moving his eyebrows to look serious and threatening despite his fresh face and peach fuzz. Off by the wall, peasants stood, hat in hand - witnesses. "Watch and learn, boy", mumbled Ladislau to his son, coughed, and boomed in his most authoritative voice: "You are all accused of the vile crime of banditry. Of taking what is not yours by force, of sowing violence and discord where safety and honest work are needed. These people to your left, your honest and true countrymen, are your superiors in so many ways, yet many of them lost their homes, their families and belongings to your greed. You, come forth." A battered and bruised man of about thirty years shuffled forward on his knees, hands tied behind his back. Ladislau turned to the peasants. "Who has seen this wretch lawlessly harm another?" "I did, m'lord." A young peasant raised his hand. "I remember his face well. When he came to the village with those other four over there. Burned two houses, killed old Jan, and he didn't kill me wife, but he... he..." "Say no more. You will be taking back news of justice to your village. You, filth, would be gelded and your hands cut off, but you will see mercy. To do that before a hanging is torture, and that we do not do such things just for the sake of cruel spectacle is what makes us different from animals like you. Guards, take the rope to him and the others pointed out by this man." At the end of the day, seventeen corpses swayed in the wind. Three left hands and two right ones were cast into the fire when men could not be accused of violence, five first-offenders were thrown on a cart headed to the Wall, and two poor sods would not be giving the world any offspring. What Podhorich subjects referred to as the "Spring Harvest" was done, and Vasily had learned several valuable lessons. Ladislau is taking a Personal Action by judging the bandits himself, using [+2] Proven Leader to have the peasants send a message to their villages, probably improving his opinion, and to teach Vasily about Podhorich values. --- "Giselle! You're up!" Lord Ladislau looked up from his midday meal, traces of egg yolk on his moustache, and beamed that way he only did when he saw his wife. His mood improved instantly after the worries the courier brought. She was up, well past noon, sure, but that meant it wasn't one of those days after all. Giselle murmured an answer. Ladislau cleared his throat. "How are you," he paused for a moment, trying to recall what the poet had told him. "Um, o brightest star of my night sky, delicate swan upon the... the... the clear lake of my soul!" Was that it? He wasn't sure. Didn't sound quite right. Giselle plopped into her chair opposite him, jabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and contemplated it for a moment. "I am well, dear. I suppose. I got a letter from Lady Zyat, she wants to come here and organize something. It would be a good start to the year, don't you think?" "Oh. Um. Well, yes, naturally. Why, I can't imagine anything I'd enjoy more than one of her legendary parties! Fantastic idea!" In truth, Ladislau thought Lady Shay to be insufferably cheery, but if it would please his wife, then so be it. The gods knew she desperately needed someone to call a friend. "Of course, it's Spring, we won't be able to welcome her with a proper feast. I'm sure she won't be offended." An understatement. You couldn't offend that poor woman if you spat in her face. Lady Giselle smiled. Ladislau hadn't seen that in a long time, and he had nearly forgotten how it was his favorite sight in the world. If Lady Shay could make that happen more often, then her lack of spine be damned, she was a good woman. He could just sit there all day with food in his beard and stare at his wife slack-jawed like an infatuated youth, but there were matters to attend to. "Come to think of it, Lady Shay knows a lot of people," he said. "That could come in useful now. Take a look at this letter. Hard times ahead for the Kingdom. I doubt we're much of a contender here, but you have to be prepared. You always have to be prepared. The people are burning out some forests and settling new land as we speak." The Lady Podhorich was intently and silently looking at a fly on the wall. Even doing that, her green eyes looked clever and graceful. Ladislau could swear it was magic. She spoke up, apparently on a completely different topic. "Vasily's growing up, Ladi. We need to look for a match for him." Ladislau winced. He was proud to see his son grow into a strong man who would succeed him, he did not hide from him the darkest aspects of ruling, but at times he missed his little boy. "Do you have anyone in mind?" "That depends. I've been... out of the loop for a while." Out of the loop. They both knew what that meant, but never mentioned it out loud. "Do the Lohenholts have any daughters? Nieces? A fine family, don't you think? Even if they don't, it would be good for him to spend some time away from home. Learn the ways of the world, and those are trustworthy people." Actions Name a Village, DC7. Does Salt of the Earth come in here? Also looking for the answer to the question above. Guildencrantz posted:House Podhorich Guildencrantz fucked around with this message at Dec 31, 2012 around 18:00 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 11:12 |
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House Guilgium Bandits to the north, and the Houses closest allies at risk from the imminent Undead. The King thinks that now is a good time to withdraw from political life? Ignorant, selfish fool. Bandits and Undead can both be solved by only one thing; strength of arms. Both of those require a Master of Arms. The old one left with the Night of Black Jackels and the House hadn't yet seen the need for a new one, until now. Someone from outside the House would be required, but with no outstanding favours owed, who could be bought in? Guilgium has wealth of a kind, one which is easily transferable to other kinds. Many of the lesser Houses of Westhold are in need of some raw material, especially in these uncertain times. A deal will be struck then; cheap, almost free materials in exchange for a good, loyal Maester. There must be a House willing to loan a stout leader of men in exchange for the material wealth of House Guilgium. Use House Guilgium's Vast Material Wealth +2 to leverage a decent Master of Arms for the house. Lady Isabelle Guilgium Lady Isabelle sighed to herself. It was not often she could not convince her Husband of something, but earlier that they, his foot had been put down. “I don't want to try for the Throne of Bone while all these problems are going on. With these bandits to the north and House Febrani getting into even deeper trouble, we have to focus on solving our internal problems. Isabelle dear, I need you to be with me on this.” And with that insufferable kicked-puppy look of his, Lady Isabelle could not refuse. God drat was Amaury irritating when he was standing up to her. “He thinks we have internal problems, does he? I'll show him internal problems” Isabelle slurred out, slightly drunk. The unexpected backbone of her husband had confused her; Isabelle hadn't known whether to celebrate it or bemoan it. Still, the bandits were a problem that had to be dealt with. Perhaps they could serve as a welcome distraction? The Lady called in her agents, and set to work. Utilise Lady Isabelle's skills as an Intricate Web-Weaver +2 to find out more information about the bandit threat. OscarDiggs posted:Much better, though some things may still need changing.
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| # ? Dec 30, 2012 11:28 |
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House Phokas Duke Iordanes had retreated to his chambers, allowing only his wife to accompany him. The recent developments had him profoundly confused. "First the King is going to kick the bucket without an heir, and then the Royal Advisors try to contact the barbarians. What is the meaning of this?" Iordanes exclaims, stomping around the room. "The King is old and senile. Can't expect smart decisions from him." Evanthia replies, while casually admiring herself from a hand mirror. "As for the messenger, can't say. I wouldn't make guesses about the south until we hear more news from there." "Do they plan to encourage the barbarians to attack now? To prevent me from interfering with the succession?" "You're being paranoid, dear. What are your plans regarding the Throne?" Iordanes paused momentarily. "I don't know." There was a knock on the door. A messenger shyly informed that Captain Eremias' scouting party had returned, and that there had been casualties. Captain Eremias, a trusted leader, was given order last season to lead his horsemen beyond the Wall and gather information. Duke Iordanes made his way to the courtyard immediately to meet the scouts. He hoped that Eremias was not among the casualties, trusted leaders were a luxury. Action: DC5 to attract Master of Horse, Captain Eremias. Also, if they have any news from the south, that would be nice. No noble actions this season, unless gathering news from South counts. Lord Hypnostache posted:House Phokas Lord Hypnostache fucked around with this message at Dec 31, 2012 around 12:57 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 13:55 |
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Mr. Eleven(The Brass Man), House Guilgium Not long after the messengers had returned a traveling group had followed. A score of soldiers all bearing marks of the Royal Army, guarding a man wearing a mask- the dead face of one of the metal men of old. A Letter came with him, stamped with the Gear-Signet of the Brass Man. quote:To The Royal House of Guilgium. Hoping to leverage Master Warcraft[+2] to supply a shrewd and able Master-at-Arms to aid in taking care of the bandit problem in the area, and perhaps secure that offered material wealth for the Royal Forces. The Masked Men are intended to be an elite group shrouded in mystery. Their assumed names are numbers, they are said to be raised by the Brass Man himself, and theories abound: Eunuchs, part machine themselves, they’re remnants of his own group wearing human skin, and many other tall tales. In reality they’re just men who’ve earned The Brass Man’s trust and respect and vice versa. quote:The Brass Man
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| # ? Dec 30, 2012 18:36 |
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House Behr "Bah, the Southeron Houses will be too busy buggering themselves over the Old King's message than anything else for a while yet. I'm more worried about whatever the hell Mercia has gotten up to." Sighing as he carefully folds the missive and hands it to an aide for safekeeping, Caradhog mutters to himself darkly. "drat girl won't stay put, but whatever she drags out of the woods is going to be trouble enough. Call forth the Kennel Master! There'll be trouble enough for Man or Beast, and knowing her it'll largely be the latter." House Behr will DC 5 spawn a Court Member: Kennel Master. +2 Bears: Yeah you'd expect a Noble House that breeds/raises Bears to have an experienced Kennel Master wouldn't you? Establishing dominance with a bear and training it to perform tasks is a lot like any other kind of animal taming in some respects. Lady Mercia Behr Spitting in the freshly turned dirt, Lady Mercia scowled at the ominous tracks leading into the Deep Woods. She glared at the party of woodsmen from atop her furred mount. "You there! There are foul things afoot and I intend to hunt and destroy them. Which one of you is man enough to act as hound and courser for me this day?" Flipping a gold coin high in the air before catching it in a pale fist she looked down upon them and laughed. "A gold coin to whichever one of you serves me best in this. Do it well enough and you can even have a title." Lady Mercia will +2 Bears: This ain't no hunt with your ordinary noblemen and the foxes and the hounds. This is bear hunting. Puppies are dicks posted:Name: House Behr Puppies are dicks fucked around with this message at Jan 25, 2013 around 01:11 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 18:47 |
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House Styirik "How dare he!" Lord Vincent exploded at the ale barrel which had brought him the bad news. "His father and his father's father were great men, men of steel and caliber but this King is a weakling!" The thin polished brass chalice was dashed against the back of the massive stone fireplace which adorned the great hall of Stormlord's Keep. A finer stone edifice there had never existed in the Storm Isles. Vincent turned to howl at the messenger who had delivered the news the ale barrel had given him. The beaten man was quite shaken, a smart concept when delivered to a man known for his mercurial mood and violent outbursts. The young man flinched and nearly passed out when Lord Vincent whipped his dagger from the sheath at his belt to clean his teeth. Bright white teeth were important to the Axe of the West and he demanded perfect dental hygiene from his warriors as well. A fat Febrani lord once told his archers not to fire upon a band of Styirik raiders "until you see the whites of their smiles!" "He thinks to stiff me, does he? WHY ARE YOU QUIVERING MAN GROW A DAMNED BACKBONE! Glory be, pick him up off the floor and get the good fellow a bed will you? And when he wakes up have him castrated before sending him on his way. There's a good lad. Send a message to Lord Hoenholt asking him to serve me here at Stormlord's Keep. Then command the priests to offer up a sacrifice to the God of Storms and Air. This peace has been kept for too long. Soon, the Styirik will sail the bloody waves again!" +2 Seafaring Warriors to attract a properly badass Castellon, Lord Hoenholt, to serve the keep well. Lady Erlika Styirik "My lord husband has called the Axes to war and we must be prepared." The Lady Styirik stood on a tall stump in one of the many rocky valleys which dotted Sartar, the largest of the Storm Isles and home of the Styirik tribe for hundreds of years. Spread before her were the Warthanes who led the Axes, the main unit of troop for House Styirik. There were also a few Huscarls in attendance, their elite status marked by their Febrani steel weaponry and armor as well as the easy attitude with which they took this call to arms. "Is there one among you here today who believes he has the stones to lead the Axes in battle, to become a Shieldbrother to my Lord Husband and myself? We shall find out. Behind me is a Circle of Equals and today each of you will fight until there is only one man standing. That man has to fight me, and I will judge whether or not he is worthy. There is only one rule, death means disqualification. There are no heads to take this day." The good Lady Styirik is looking for a bodyguard by fighting all the elite warriors of the House. +2 Completely Clever to judge which of them is the smartest, not just the best fighter. House Styirik Terminology Warthanes - A knight, fighting either on foot or on horse Huscarl - A minor lord in service to House Styirik, usually an elite warrior Shieldbrother - An elite warrior directly serving the Lord or Lady Styirik, called a Maester by weak Mainlanders Axe (not the swinging kind) - A troop unit of roughly 2000 men. Shield (not the blocking kind) - Half an Axe, usually for a Raid in Force Deadmeat5150 posted:House Styirik Deadmeat5150 fucked around with this message at Feb 21, 2013 around 17:30 |
| # ? Dec 30, 2012 23:12 |
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Kidding. No I love the inhabitants of the Iron Island and my pseudo-Viking-totally-not-Orlanthi are sort of like them.
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House GuilgiumJamezBfod posted:To The Royal House of Guilgium. “Do you have a problem with this, Husband?” Lady Isabelle asked, not really looking at her husband as she re-read the note. “N-n-no. I think it would be great! Ahaha.” Lord Amaury laughes meekly, only slightly cowering behind his wife's chair. “Some of the Nobles may have a slight problem though. You know what they're like!” “If they do, I'll have them fired.” “You can't really fire Nobles, dear.” “At the stake.” Lady Isabelle was silent for a moment, then turned around to look at her husband. Seeing the confused look on his face, she only sighed, deeply. “Mr Eleven.” She started, ignoring her husbands ignorance. “It would be the most sincere pleasure of House Guilgium to entertain you as our new Maester, while we deal... ERIC. Either ask permission or learn to sneak better! ...While we deal with the bandit threat. In an unrelated matter, House Guilgium is more then willing to enter very, very, very generous trade deals with “The Brass Man” and the Royal Army.” House Guilgium shall accept the help from The Brass Man, in exchange for it's Vast Material Wealth.
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| # ? Dec 31, 2012 00:32 |
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Lord Stavros, Master of Coin Nessa fills the cup with a practiced hand before Stravros waves her off and she simply leaves the carafe and stands by the door, head bowed. He swirls the deep red wine, staring into the cup before taking a sip. "It's too difficult to find wine like this in your country. Do you know why?" The maidservant shakes her head. "I am not much for wine, m'lord." She straightens out her skirts, a tasteful and darkly-colored uniform chosen by the Steward. She looks around the room, though she's cleaned it dozens of times, it was always when the Master of Coin was not present. She rarely serves the guests and residents and with good reason; they terrify her, or at least the thought of a misstep does. Much better to just stick to cleaning empty rooms. Less strange aristos asking you weird questions in their strange-smelling rooms with wall-to-wall bookshelves and squiggly maps. Stavros smiles. They always smile, like it's some grand thing, outsmarting some poor scared maid, Nessa thinks to herself. What is that smell? Some kind of spice? He speaks, "That's exactly it--" He pulls out a leatherbound ledger from his desk bearing the gold Royal Seal. "Just look at the great Houses. Lohenholt--Wool. Febrani--Iron goods. Guilgium--Well, let's just say if it can be mined--but that's beside the point. Wine is hardly on their list of priorities. And you know--what's your name?" "Nessa, m'lord." "Right. Nessa, cultivating is a slow, delicate process. You need the right land, the right weather, and just the right grapes. And even then, it might be all for naught if you've got bad barrels or corks. Vintners, Nessa, are a different kind of people." He finishes his cup and pours himself another. "I suspect if Westhold was a country of vintners, this whole succession business would be an entirely different game. Malkossa is known for its wines, by the way. This bottle comes from the vineyard of a pretender who came out badly in the last civil war. He lost his head but on the bright side, his family went back home to make more wine then ever. So to the health of Emperor Galvinus II and House Kostrossa, may his reign last a hundred years, and may his heirs follow." He laughs bitterly at a joke only he understands before drinking to the toast. "But, I suppose if Westhold were a country of vintners, you'd also be much further from those damned undead, which would help solve a number of other problems as well. Nessa, could you send in my secretary, Mr. Hutchins? I've got some business to get to." THE SECOND ROYAL ADVISOR IS REVEALED! Legal tender is my game and I'm willing to tender my services for a price. Anybody need some no-strings-attached subsidies?  Stavros posted:Lord Stavros, Master of Coin Mr. Fowl fucked around with this message at Jan 25, 2013 around 01:34 |
| # ? Dec 31, 2012 00:57 |
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House Rivie Overlooking her domain from atop the Lumspihr, Lady Fayessa was filled with a joy that bordered on elation. Her brother – the one who tried to steal what she’d quite legally obtained - had died in some frozen shithole in the north, and the King’s declaration had set the whole realm abuzz with whispered plots, plots that she was surely soon to learn. The kingdom was about to see more political maneuvering and courtly intrigue in a year than it had in twenty, and thoughts of the many strange twists and turns the coming year would have in store for the realm made her almost feel like dancing. True, the day had contained a few unpleasantries. The funeral had taken several hours, had involved ceremonial garb, and she’d had to contain her mirth as best she could for the sake of propriety. She’d then had to wear black for the rest of the day as a sign of grief, despite feeling absolutely none. Later still in the day, her Maester (Merek, a gaunt and elderly man) had died of a weak heart before he’d even bothered to finish writing the letters she’d instructed him to, and of course she’d had to finish them herself. Still, just thinking of the fun that was to come made her grin and laugh for a moment or two, the sound echoing across the otherwise tranquil night before being muffled by the fog. Fayessa sat there for some time, watching the night sky and the fogbanked valley below them, while considering all of the people and powers at work in the kingdom. Eventually she left and retired to her room, but not before reading over the letters her former maester had died writing. She’d let agents know a few moments after his death to spread word she was looking for a new maester. Liberate one from prison, have one go missing, bribe one, it didn’t matter– Fayessa didn’t intend on wasting another day writing her own letters. +2 Spy Network, acquiring a maester, hopefully one indebted to house Rivie. Also proposing a mutual defence pact to House Phokas, and suggesting to her heir lady Elyse that she spend time with the princess. The letters quote:To the Great Duke Iordanes, quote:To my darling daughter Elyse, Ostov Rivie Ostov hadn’t had nearly as good of a day as his wife. The funeral was bizarre (he was slowly finding the religion he was surrounded by to be rather annoying) and her giddiness at her brother’s death had unnerved him. But he knew there was a way to fix this. He’d needed a pretext to leave the castle, which he luckily now had. The veteran campaigner knew that thing king’s pronouncement meant war was totally inevitable, and the second best thing to start doing was getting ready for it. He departed that evening, riding throughout the Shrouded Valley, intent on personally meeting with important mayors and vassals. He’d overlook the state of each’s readiness for war, make recommendations to those that would listen and orders to those that wouldn’t. When things inevitably went south, he wanted the entire Rivie force to have supplies ready, command structures in place and well maintained weapon caches. As for the best thing to do before a kingdom is engulfed in war, and the way Ostov intended on fixing his day? loving. He knew a good inn with a great girl in a township a little farther south on his way. Might as well inspect her defenses first, to get his journey off to a great start. He could visit a few without it being noteworthy, he doubted Fayessa would find out. Ostov is making sure House Rivie is ready if (in his mind, when) war comes, and will try and shore up any deficiencies in preparation. + 2 Seasoned Warrior. quote:House Rivie, Lords of the Shrouded Valley Rauri fucked around with this message at Dec 31, 2012 around 19:19 |
| # ? Dec 31, 2012 02:04 |
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House Febrani "This is a sad sight.." sighed Erik as he looked at the devastation created by the undead. It was a sad sight indeed, for this land had once been prosperous and had supplied the lands of the Febrani with much of what they needed, which was mostly bread and pork. Now that the undead scourge had been beaten back, the crops had been burnt, the huts destroyed and the peasants either dead or still cowering within the walls of Castle Febrani. And now, afraid of still roaming undead that occasionally still popped up within the grazing greens of the Febrani, they did not want to come back, especially to a land that had claimed so many of their own. "'Tis indeed, me Lord, but something oughta be done. The people, me Lord, are starving." Erik was speaking to one of the minor landowning peasant that had previously been the head of the village that was front of Erik, of which little remained. "I know, but the reclamation will take time and effort. The smell of death is still present within this land. I have seen the devastation caused by war and this is something different: the undead have devastated this land like no other war I've been part of." The landowner merely nodded his head in assent, while Erik thought about the events of the past few seasons. The war agains the undead had been fought hard, especially by the Febrani, and they, along with the Behr, had taken much of the brunt of the destruction caused by the ravening undead. It was clear that reclaiming the lands would not solve the immediate problem of the Febrani people starving, since the food would not be available still for many reasons. Much as he regretted it and as much as it would hurt the pride of the Febrani, it would be necessary to petition some of the other houses in order to work out shipments of food: it would be the only way to prevent a catastrophe that would spell the downfall of the Febrani. There was also the matter of the remaining undead: most of the people were currently safe under the shadow of the castle, but lands outside of the main city of Febrani were always under attack. First of all, there was the matter of the food, though. As well as needing the reclaim the land, due to the lack of manpower, it would also be necessary to attract new peasants to the lands. There was, hopefully, a friend within the North of Westhold that could hopefully supply both: House Behr had little to offer and relations with them weren't traditionally friendly. House Guilgium, however, had long been a trade partner of the Febrani and maybe it was within their power to help the Febrani further. "Alderman, I promise you that we will spend all possible wealth to see these lands brings crops anew. One of my courtiers will contact you further with details." The Alderman nodded and with a small bow, the man left, returning to direct some of the peasants that had already begun the rebuilding process. When the man had finally left the presence of Lord Erik, the Lord instructed one of his courtiers to send a message to Lord Guilgium, asking if Lord Erik Febrani would be welcome to visit the Lands of Guilgium and meet Lord Guilgium with the hope of negotiating new trade treaties between the two realms. Construct Farmland, DC5. Send a message to Lord Guilgium with the hope of visiting him. quote:House Febrani
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| # ? Jan 1, 2013 19:59 |
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Summer, Year 1 Most notable rumors abound in the Kingdom: House Guilgium’s Master At Arms is a man of tin and iron; most know of the Royal Advisor to the King of Bone, The Brass Man, is a man of similar complexion. House Zyat Pinsnau, the newest center of trade in the area, now has a market in place. The village itself is still relatively new among your lands, but it looks like the people here have some amount of ingenuity about them. Joy abounds when you here Lady Shay is pregnant! Lady Shay + Lady Giselle You have a wonderful party. Much tea and crumpets are eaten and faces are fanned when face-reddening subjects come up. House Lohenholt Gregory Ninian arrived, and quickly took to his duties; some at first were a little perturbed about working next to a Ninian, as some of the memories run deep through the various families. Gregory brought his family with him, 2 daughters and a wife. Good news in that Lady Ariane is pregnant! Lord Conn Lohenholt The guard is sent with Sir Brian, and he and the princess meet; it appears your ties to loyalty have indeed facilitated this. When Sir Brian returns, he tells you of his visit; “The Princess is quite lovely, though very distant. We did have several meals together and discussed the Kingdom, and other random things. The Queen merely watched me and didn’t speak while I was there.” He leans in closer, and says, “But the King...he is feeble and old...I think he has gone senile. He did not speak, and while walking around with the Princess, I saw the Queen feeding him like a toddler.” House Podhorich A village of Podhol has been named. Lord Ladislau The villagers get sent to their villages; word has improved on your rule and judgement. When asking Giselle about daughters, you find out this: Every family essentially has many “side” members that exist outside of the main House; endless number of hangers-on that don’t fit into the player-controlled family tree that each player has as their focus. So long story short, yup, plenty of marriable daughters, though not necessarily very important ones. Also, Lady Giselle and Lady Shay have a splendid party together. Lady Giselle finds out that Lady Shay is expecting another child! House Guilgium A master of arms has been attracted. He is Mr. Eleven, a man of tin and iron, much like the fabled Royal Advisor (The Brass Man) himself. People around the House are quite apprehensive about his appearance. You also have a message from House Febrani (above) Lady Isabelle Guilgium Your spies report that the bandit threat is one of starvation; much of them are from Febrani lands, having departed when food and survival was at it’s bleakest. They are armed, but not that decent of fighters; this is no mercenary threat to be sure. They appear to be lead by a man named Jakkart, and the spies say that the bandits look up to him; he appears to be an inspiring, if short-tempered, leader. House Phokas Captain Eremias arrives; he has some new scars on his face since last time you spoke. Part of his cheek is missing, though it doesn’t stop him from grinning when he sees the Duke. “Long time, friend.” He gets down to business, and lets you know the news beyond the South. Barbarian lands are in an uproar; while no apparent threat to the north, there’s been some sort of civil war going on. The gifts being sent are from a group that want to cede to the Kingdom, though they do not know any of the politics and are just gift-giving to their nearest neighbor. Those are the Blue-Handed Tribe. No other news at this moment. I’ll use the info gathering as a noble action  You also have an unread letter from House Rivie (above)House Behr A Kennel Master has been attracted; interestingly, the man’s name is Bear. His parents were not the most creative type. He is a big man. Lady Mercia Behr Your hunt is successful...though one of the two that were with you fell of his bear and was mauled by it. The other, she shown great courage today. You felled three of the sickly beings that dwell in these forests; they were found gnawing on a donkey’s fallen form. Your House has always called them elves, but there are many names for them. They are short, sickly looking, gaunt arms and a green tint to their pale skin. House Styirik Lord Hoenholt arrives, as badass as his reputation speaks. He has sailed on many a warship in his time. Lady Erlika Styririk You quickly determine the best man among them, Gunther Angbad; he’s a man in his 40s with greying worn sea-hair, and a mighty beard. Out of all the candidates, he was the only one to disarm you through ingenuity. He is quiet, but his eyes are always taking in everything around him. House Rivie You secure a Maester, a man named Roger Ninian who was almost on his way to be sent to the North Wall, having sat in a dungeon for 2 years. He was guilty of theft from a noble, and now he is completely indebted to Rivie. Ostov Rivie Ostov tracked through much of the Shrouded Valley, and at one point was nearly accosted by something in the mists, but he returned home safely. His efforts to prepare the land for rapid mobilization went smoothly, all it takes is to send the message and the people of the Shrouded Valley would be eager to put up arms against a foe that means to strike them down. House Febrani The farmland is weak, and even the most meager crops strain to break the surface of the soil, but food is produced.
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 04:59 |
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House Lohenholt Gregory Ninian turns out to be a fine steward; the family has served in such a capacity for generations, after all, and it would appear that the grumbling doesn't bother him all that much. During the coming months he is sent to establish officially-recognized boundaries and assessments of one of the more prosperous villages. DC7, Name a Village within my Borders; I don't know if our Steward gives a mechanical bonus to the roll but hey, it's worth a shot. The village is (if I succeed the roll...) named Nentz and possesses the +0 Quality of Wool Production; it's a steading full of shepherds and flocks. Lord Conn Lohenholt "You will speak of the King's behavior to no one, Brian. Not the knights, not the squires, not the men-at-arms or the servants, no one. Do you understand?" Lord Conn looks stern, more serious than the boy was accustomed to seeing; truly, he had been doted on often enough in the past. "I understand, Father," young Brian answered, his voice subdued, and Conn nodded in satisfaction, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Good. I don't want to start any unsightly rumors - with the Kingdom still recovering from the last round of wars, the last thing we want to do is give anyone an excuse to start raising hell, as it were. Now, run and fetch--" "Do tell me there is food in here," a new voice broke in, and both Conn and his son smiled to see Lady Ariane walk in - though the Lord's smile faded fast. "Ariane, you should not be walking about without your ladies-in-waiting, not in your condition--" "Oh, do shut up, dearest husband," the Lady replied fondly. "I'm pregnant, not porcelain. I simply had a craving for mutton and cabbage, is all. Possibly with some honey drizzled on top..." She ignored the way the men's faces turned faintly green at the thought. "As I was saying, Brian, fetch Sir Gregory before he departs; I want to go over the details for the shipment of foodstuffs and goods being sent to relieve House Febrani. I hope we'll be receiving some of their excellent smith-work in exchange, but in truth, the good of the Realm demands it - their lands have been hit hard, and if there is to be unrest it will only be hardest on the smallfolk. They will need that food." Brian nodded, filing away the lesson as well as the instruction - as his Lord Father doubtless intended - before rushing off. Lady Ariane, meanwhile, made a mental note to speak with Sir Gregory Ninian herself, and to ensure that the prices being asked of House Febrani were generous to a fault. It would not be a bad thing to have friends and allies if unrest were to strike the land, and while her husband might concern himself largely with the good of the Realm, she must consider the good of the House, as well... Sending surplus food and wool and other assorted sundries to House Febrani for bargain-basement prices, because, well, they could use it (and I'd decided to do so back during character creation anyways). This is intended specifically as an aid shipment, and is not dependent on getting equal or even comparable value in return; this is strictly a political-slash-public-relations exercise. Also, it's suitably Noble for Lord Conn.
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 05:38 |
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House Rivie Watching from their high pavilion, the Lord and Lady of Rivie were pleased with the bloody combat. Three men yet stood locked in battle, the rest having yielded and fled the field or died upon it. One of the combatants, a red haired savage with an arming sword, had seemed determined to fight the other two on his own, and had taunted and goaded them into cooperating against him. Their agents had spread word, throughout certain disreputable segments of the population, of a special melee, to be held on the first day of summer inside the Shrouded Valley. It would be a single round, would indeed only last fifteen minutes – but the winner would be recognized as the Svael, the weapon-master and vanguard warrior of House Rivie’s forces. The thirty men that had gathered that day knew the risks, but likewise longed to be officially recognized as one of the foremost warriors in the realm. They’d cut each other to pieces for the privilege of leading their House’s forces into battle, and in doing so had slain those undeserving of the name Svael. Now only three formidable fighters remained, though that number looked to shrink soon. The two warriors – a mighty brute with an axe and a sellsword armed with a sword and shield – had managed to press the savage back, the man now looking to regret his earlier bravado. “He’s just drawing them towards the wall, protecting his back.” Ostov remarked, mostly to himself. Fayessa rolled her eyes at him and then went back to watching the fight, irritated to see he’d been exactly right. The man seemed to be wearing a giant grin, clearly delighted despite his grim situation. “I’ll give you that he’s brave, but we wouldn’t want a foolish…” before Fayessa had finished her sentence, the melee had come to a very violent and sudden conclusion. The savage fighter had suddenly darted forward, impaling the axe wielding man and then kicking him at the shield bearer. He’d used said shield to deflect his dying partner, and lost a fully armored arm in a single sword stroke for having done so. A lightning fast swing of the red haired savage's blade later, and the former shieldbearer lost his head as well. Ostov beamed at his wife, who smiled despite herself. She stood up and addressed the victorious warrior. “The title and name of Svael – the foremost warrior and soldier of the Shrouded Valley – is yours, should you want it. You have proved yourself worthy of the title, and are pronounced winner of the Melee. Do you accept that name, and your position at the forefront of my army?” DC 5, naming a Master of Arms. House Rivie’s Spy Network + 2 put out word in taverns and brothels frequented by mercenaries, sell swords and the occasional brigand about the strange melee and its prize. Svael is both a name and title, and replaces whoever holds the position’s first name. The winner happened to be one of the Albendroths, distant vassals in the south, and should he accept will be known as Svael Albendroth. Lady Fayessa Rivie, Ruler of the Shrouded Valley “How could they think sending letters to the other Great Lords would be acceptable? As if I wouldn’t find out. Are they trying to irritate me?” It was a midsummer midnight, and Fayessa was pacing about her study, occasionally staring off into the fire or glaring at the room’s only other inhabitant, her maester, Roger Ninian. He’d been doomed to the wall, like her brother, but she’d saved the twisted little hunchback and it’d immediately proved a wise action. He was from a fallen eastern house, and technically had a claim to holdings in Lohenholt’s domain. More importantly, he was an intelligent and learned man that was completely dependent on her to avoid his exile at the wall. He’d informed her of the Brass Man’s collusion with House Guilguim, and she was a bit cross. “What’s more, why would the king admit that he’s going to die soon but still choose to not name an heir for an entire year? Why isn’t he selecting his own daughter? This whole proclamation just seems to have been groundwork to establish legitimacy for whoever is currently plotting to seize the throne upon the King of Bone’s death.” Fayessa paused for a few moment, considering the idea. If one thought the proclamation to be a fabrication – perhaps by someone close to the king, presumably one of his advisers – the King’s letter made a lot more sense. Even if her theory was wrong, his courtiers were still the only ones likely to know the truth behind the king’s condition and health – a truth that could be very profitable were she to somehow learn it. Roger considered responding, but had learned by now she’d let him know if she wanted his input. For the most part, he was surprised by just how much she’d actually listened to his advice and guidance – given her House’s reputation, he’d half expected her to have him killed when he’d first dared disagree with her – but knew that, when pacing, anything she said aloud was almost certainly just for her own benefit. Still, he considered himself lucky – instead of manning the wall, he was serving one of the Great Lords of Westhold. Especially lucky, since Lady Fayessa was particularly pleasant to look at, and being her Maester meant being nearby essentially all day. Fayessa spun around suddenly, and grinned predatorily at her Maester. “Roger, before you retire for the evening, I’ll be needing you to write letters to everyone on this list.” She jotted down a quick list of twenty or so names, careful to note precisely what titles to use and general tacts to take. “All friends, admirers or operatives of mine in the capital, from the few years at the start of my reign I spent at the royal court. They’ll know what word from me about visiting the capital and talk of the King’s court means, and I’ll find out which of those schemers are talking to which Great Houses.” Doing his best to avoid protesting – this would take hours –Roger reached for the list in order to begin his work, but it was snatched back by Fayessa before he could grab it. She added an extra name to the bottom of the list. “And write to Lord Hugart – inquire about the possibility of us hosting a tournament on his lands. For whatever reason, people tend to regard invitations to my own territory with great suspicion, and he might well agree to it just to spend more time with me. Suggest that he’d get that wish. I’ll review your work in the morning, and you can rewrite and send them afterwards.” He reached for the list again, but she plucked it out of his hands and scratched Lord Hugart’s name off. “Nevermind, I’ll write this one, you’d mess it up. Write the rest though, what are you waiting on?” She threw the list at him in irritation and then stalked out of the room. Fayessa is using her Enchanting + 2 nature to try and get information from friends and agents in the capital about the King’s Advisors and their agendas, specifically who is sending / has sent messages to what great houses. If they can find out information about the King’s condition somehow or what was in the sent messages, so much the better. Also sending a letter to House Zyat inquiring about using their land to Host a Tournament in the winter. quote:To the Prodigious and Great Lord Hugart, Rauri fucked around with this message at Jan 4, 2013 around 21:17 |
| # ? Jan 4, 2013 11:32 |
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The Brass Man - Letter to House Febrani Dear Lord and Master of House Febrani, “I have been thinking of late that I would like to have a forgeworks built to supply the royal forces. As your Craftsmen are renowned throughout Westhold for their masterful work, your lands are naturally my first choice to build in. I would not be so bold as to begin such a project without your express permission and support, of course. Perhaps we could negotiate terms of such a project, I expect to be North to inspect the Wall either late Summer or early Fall should you wish to meet in person.” I want to build a holding in your lands. Due to the differences in DC listings for individuals/houses I'm not entirely certain how this would work out, but if somehow the use of craftsmen would work toward it I could assist you with a house problem or two.
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 15:45 |
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House Phokas Duke Iordanes was pleased that Eremias was alive and well, and the news he brought managed to calm him down. For the time being the Blue-Handed tribe would be ignored, Iordanes was not willing to involve his people in a foreign civil war when the situation was so unclear. Maybe in the future they could be absorbed in Phokas' realm and to keep that option open reciprocal gifts were sent to Blue-Handed tribe as well as an invitation to trade. While Iordanes kept his relatives out of the business, he encouraged merchants to engage in trade with the barbarians, in the hopes that increased trade would bring both wealth and news to House Phokas. The encouragement, a friendly tribe, safest location in the south and a proper road network soon led to the creation of a marketplace. Realm action: Construct marketplace DC5 With the barbarian situation settled, the Kingdom's affairs were still a concern. Duke Iordanes had thought long and hard about the suggestion from House Rivie. "Can you trust them?" Evanthia inquired. Phokas was her house as well, and she didn't want her husband to make any rash decisions. "This is an uncertain time, can't really trust anyone. But we need political allies, and Rivie is our neighbor. We fought in the war together. That has to count for something." Iordanes reasoned. "Rivie is not our neighbor. Just because the lands inbetween don't belong to a great house doesn't mean that you can ignore them. And House Zyat also fought in the war with us, and actually is a neighbour." "Bah, upstarts. Phokas sacrificed just as much in the war, yet everyone remembers only how many bodies Zyat gave to the war, a resource which Zyat is anything but lacking. A plague could kill hundreds of them and there would still be enough of them to man both Walls! They were recognised as a great house, I was given one crummy parade." "That is hardly their fault, but I understand your point." While many in house Phokas felt that the Throne had been dismissive of their efforts, there were some, Iordanes included, who felt that Zyat especially had gained in Phokas' expense. "Back to Rivie. Can you trust them?" "No. But they are masters of intrigue, and I prefer to have them with me than against me." "Ah, a knife in the back hurts less than a sword to the face. I'll go find a suitable messenger while you write the letter." quote:To the esteemed Lady Fayessa Rivie, Noble action, send a reply to Fayessa Rivie. Evanthia uses +2 Eye for Appearances to make sure a dashing messenger gives the best first impression.
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 16:26 |
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House Styirik The Lady Styirik and the new Captain of the Storm Guard, the Styirik's bodyguard, Gunthar Angbad were surveying a village that recently had a bandit raid. It wasn't often that the Styirik holdings were raided and often times the raiders wished they hadn't chosen a Styirik village when even the women and children had weapons and knew how to use them. This particular village, Sovngarde, was known for its masterful bronzecasting. "The Elder says the last of the bandits have been cashed down and slaughtered like the filth that they are," Gunthar told the Lady who, like himself, wore steel armor and carried a small arsenal. "Excellent, I expect nothing less. Have several suits of armor made available for the village here as a gift from the House." "Good idea Erlika," Gunthar replied. He rarely used titles unless ordered to or at formal events and Lady Styirik enjoyed his casual bluntness. "The Elder and a few men wearing armor is more than a match for any bandit troop." Naming a village in my lands. Sovngarde, known for its +0 Bronzeworking. DC5
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 16:39 |
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House Guilgium Lady Isabelle read through the various reports while her husband waited impatiently. Their son, Eric, and the new Maester, Mr Eleven, were also in attendance. “So they're cast-offs from House Febrani lands...” Lady Isabelle stated, more for Lord Amaury's benefit then her own. “Harsh times indeed. And the letter Lord Erik sent?” The letter was retrieved quickly and re-read by the Lady. “It seems our recent troubles are also Febrani troubles. You were right to think we might have needed to send some men to assist them, Amaury. And now they wish to speak to us about trade. We have to support them, both because of your misguided noble intentions and because they are important trade partners.” Lady Isabelle finished, looking pointedly at her husband. Thinking on the matter briefly, it was Lord Amaury who found the seasons course of actions. “Honey!? I think I have a solution. Now don't just stop me for no reason" he quickly stated, just as the Lady Isabelle was raising a finger. Insuring that he would be able to finish, he continued "I will go to House Febrani to talk with them about trade and I'll take little Eric with me, just for a little vacation.” “You stay here and watch over the levying of some Units, both to deal with the Bandits and to aid Febrani in the fight against the Undead. If we run out of money to equip them, we can exchange raw materials to the smiths in exchange for finished products.” “At the same time, see if you can negotiate with the bandits. They turned to banditry because of a lack of food, maybe we can turn them back. That, or they may be willing to take up arms for a legitimate cause!” “You want to take Eric to an Undead infested hell-hole?” “Hardly a hell-hole, dear, sweet Isabelle. Besides, you won't let me take him anywhere else.” “That's because you only want to take him to the Storm Isles” “He likes Lord Vincent, and for that matter so do I.” “He is a bad influence.” “Oh come on.” Lord Amaury yelled angrily. “One little accident and you ban him for life. That's hardly fair Isabelle.” “You were Jousting. Indoors.” Lady Isabelle responded calmly, clearly expecting the argument to end with that. And end it did, when Lord Amaury let loose a long sigh of defeat. He still had the gall to ask “So can I take him to see the Febrani?” All he got in response with a slammed door, as the Lady Isabelle stalked out of the chamber, calling for her various agents. “Well” continued Amaury. “She didn't say no!” House Action DC7; Levy 2 Units of Infantry using +2 Vast Mineral Wealth. Noble Action, Lady Isabelle; Try and negotiate with Jakkart and the other mercenaries, either to have them stand down or join up as proper troops, using Intricate Web-weaver +2. Send Lord Amaury and the Heir Eric to House Febrani to talk about trade.
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 17:05 |
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House Podhorich Lord Ladislau The Lord Podhorich could not believe his eyes or his ears. As Lady Shay whispered in her ear, Giselle giggled. She giggled! He had not heard her laugh in... gods know how long, but may they bless this woman. He had never liked music all that much, but now he understood what those who loved it so felt when they heard it. And with the news of the pregnancy coming in his court, he had to give a parting gift. He knew he should have had servants bring the presents in, but, well, there was never quite enough money for those. Keeping the castle running was fine, food served and all, but paying people just to strut in front of him and carry mundane items always seemed a little silly. Like he didn't have two perfectly good hands of his own. So there he stood in front of Lady Shay himself. "Your presence here has been a source of great joy for us, my Lady," he said. "You are welcome in our home at any time. To celebrate the occasion of the upcoming birth of your child, and in thanks for your visit, I give you these humble gifts to remember us by." He held out his hands - in one, a large, sturdy bow; in the other, a finely-painted wooden doll depicting a noble lady in unmistakably Marcher garb, with a wreath of flowers on her head. "Should the child be a boy, may this bow - one of those used by our best huntsmen, who, I'm sure you know, are the finest in all of Westhold - ensure his strength and prowess in battle. And accept this doll, as well, these are popular among Marcher children, you see the craftsmanship, I'm sure. Within is a smaller doll, and within that - another. Should the gods bless you with a girl, may her beauty overshadow it, and may it be a symbol of the fruitful line of descendants she gives you." He noticed Lady Shay hesitate for a moment. Was this a good idea? The Zyat were known for, ah, fecundity, so it seemed appropriate, but now that he looked at it, the symbolism seemed a little crass. It was a really pretty doll, though, as far as he could tell, but weren't those people known for having nice things anyway? drat it, he thought to himself. It's the thought that counts. I was never one for art anyway. --- Lady Giselle quote:To the Noble Lord Conn Lohenholt -- While his newly-replenished wife prepares for her journey, Ladislau, with a heavy heart at the thought of her absence, attended to matters of the realm. The news from the King meant troubled times ahead, and so he sent out messengers to the nobility of the March, stating that House Podhorich is seeking someone worthy of the post of Hetman to oversee its military. He will be chosen from among candidates from the nobility and the Lord's retinue. The village of Podhol is now renowned for +0 Hunters and Trappers. Lady Giselle is heading out to the Lohenholts, Vasily in tow, to scope out a match for him. She'll be using [+2] Beautiful and Charming here to mingle, make a good impression and find the best possible brides, and I suppose that Lady Shay's visit has alleviated her Depressed problem for this season. Vasily will, if they accept, spend the summer and autumn with House Lohenholt to learn a little more about governance and the obligations of nobility. Trying to attract a master-at-arms locally, DC5. Ladislau trusts his own judgment and will select from among his vassals and bodyguards based on pure competence
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| # ? Jan 4, 2013 23:24 |
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House Behr Looking down at the latest results of the kennels, Caradhog whistled in surprise at the sheer size of the beast. "That's quite a promising breed you've got there, Kennel Master. Well done." "Well, yes m'Lord. We've had some great results crossing our great browns with the northern breeds, they're much bigger for one thing and mature more quickly to boot. I'm a little worried about how aggressive he is compared to other bears his age, though that might just be a bit of distemper due to the heat..."  The door to the kennels slammed open with a mighty bang as Mercia kicked with an armored boot. "Elves! There's a son of a bastard Elf infestation out there!" "Yes, thank you Mercia. We've all heard you rattling around the keep, shouting about it since your return." "That's because I've been looking for THESE!" Motioning to a group of porters she smiles gleefully as they pile in a set of massive armor. Aged and ornate but still obviously deadly functional, the spiked plates gleamed dully in the morning's light. She held up the loricated helm, comparing it's size to the massive beast before her and not being displeased with the result. "Ullrs Behr's own drat armor itself. About the only thing I figure we'd have that would be the right size and it looks like it's in plenty good shape to boot. Gear him up, Bear. If we've got Elves crawling out of their holes there's likely a nest of the things out there that's ready to swarm. Someone's got to get out there and root them out, burn it clean." House Action DC 7 (Kennel Master)- Spawn non-sentient animal smaller than an elephant: WAR BEAR. +2 Bears: Bigger than a normal bear and more aggressive by far. Also with sturdy enough bones that it can be mounted with heavy armor and ridden into battle by more than one rider. It's rather young and still growing yet. Noble Action: gently caress some sorry bitches up with mah Warbear (or whatever other bears are on hand). gently caress those elf dudes, they're a lot like roaches. If you see four there's probably twenty hiding in out of sight crevices someplace. If not, well imma just take that Warbear and gently caress up whatever I find in the woods that needs doing. Bandits, random monsters, wild bears that don't know better than to stay the hell out of my way, meh. +2 Bears: My daddy din't raise no fools. What he did raise was a gal who's meaner'n a snake and twice as sharp to boot. Now I'm here to do two things, ride bears and gently caress sorry bitches up. So... (spits across your boot) you a bear or are you a sorry bitch?
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| # ? Jan 5, 2013 09:24 |
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House Febrani It was obvious even from the start that the meager lands that could be rebuilt from the destruction were not enough to feed the people of the Febrani. They were creating no more than a fraction of what the people of the Febrani needed and it was obvious now that the Febrani could not possibly be self-sufficient, and they wouldn't be for many years to come. It was painful for someone as proud as Lord Febrani to admit that he couldn't look after the needs of his people. It was time to invite the traders to the lands and in order to do that, it would be necessary to both build a new, larger marketplace somewhere near castle Febrani as well attracting a new Steward that knew his way around the regulations and trading customs of the southern lands. House Febrani almost never sold many of their weapons or armours outside of their holdings, except to House Guilgium who had long enabled House Febrani to keep their forges running. It was clear that the first order of business would be to hire the Steward, since he would be able to efficiently site the new marketplace and ensure that it was prosperous and attracting traders. Attract a Steward, DC5 Lord Febrani "This isn't trade, it's charity, how can I accept it? We are not beggers..." Lord Febrani cared much for pride, both his and the the pride of his house and although deep down he knew that Lord Lohenholt meant well, his pride couldn't see the 'gift' as anything more than an insult. His wife, however, thought otherwise: she had gotten bored of the privations that Erik Febrani had been forcing on himself in order for him to share the suffering of his people. Lady Febrani was used, after all, to lavish banquets and glorious feasts that would last for days, with stuffed bird roasts and huge wild roasted boars. Her protests at the lack of feasts had been heard outside the castle, something that hadn't increased the Lady's reputation with the people of the Febrani. "But dear, we must accept: look! The situation is hardly sustainable..." "I know, but what am I to do. We cannot appear weak like this...." "Then let me go South, my dear. I will bring our fine swords and armour to Lord Lohenholt and he will understand that this is a trade, not charity. Surely this should be enough to save face?" Lady Febrani had ulterior motives for wanting to go South: after all, the hospitality afforded by the Lohenholt would surely mean the kind of feasts that Lady Febrani so sorely missed. Lord Febrani knew that she was right, but sending her south would help cement the links with the Lohenholts as well. "Then make the preparations, Abigail. I'll make sure that a sizable escort is available. I'll compose a message to Lord Lohenholt to inform him of your coming." Having gotten what she wanted (which, in the Febrani household, seemed to happen often, Lady Febrani left the hall. Lord Febrani had now other things to worry about, foremost the coming of Lord Amaury. Lord Febrani had heard that the heir of the Guilgium was also coming, and that they shared a name. Hopefully he would get along with young Hector Febrani, Erik's younger brother and current heir to the house, unless Erik himself fathered a child, of course. A small feast had been prepared for Lord Amaury's coming, which Lady Febrani had judged too small after she had seen the details. Still, it wouldn't do to be seen living the good life when many peasants were starving. The only thing waiting was the coming of Lord Amaury himself. After checking that all the details had been accounted for, Lord Febrani set to his last task, a meeting with the Brass Man. Lord Febrani wasn't sure what of make of this strange being, but he couldn't see how it could hurt to meet him, even if he didn't accept his request. "Ask him in, we'll see what he has to say..." Lady Febrani to travel to the lands of the Lohenholt. Lord Febrani to discuss with the Brass Man and LOrd Amaury as they arrive/
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| # ? Jan 6, 2013 22:41 |
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House Zyat Lord Hugart gushed over the letter. He had a thing for Lady Rivie, though it could be said that he had a thing for all women. "Tournaments. Hrmgh. Yes. It -is- good to celebrate martial prowess, after all. Clerk! CLEERRRRRK!" Hugart bellowed into the scribe's administration room neighboring his own quarters, and he begins wiggling from his chair to make his way over towards his servant. The weasely man pokes his head out, a few scrolls billowing and flowing along the gust of wind which marks his fast movement, "M'lord? You c-called for me?" Beadlets of sweat sheen across his skin, though when he sees the smiling face of Lord Hugart the nervous tension on his brow is given some slack. "Yes! I need a tournament ground raised with accommodations appropriate for great and minor houses alike, and I need it done by next season! I'm sure you won't let me down." Hugart claps his meaty hands and rubs them together with excitement, "You've full access to the treasury to make sure it's done, of course. Make it happen!" The clerk's eyes widened. Accommodations for all the houses in a tournament? Don't they usually just stay in a tent? What the hell was this man thinking to ask him to put up a town in a season? At least he had the resources and contacts to get it started... In the mean time, Hugart composed a letter on his own: quote:To my Ever-Lovely, Beautiful Lady Rivie, "Ho oh." Hugart took a moment to spritz a tiny bit of cologne on the letter, before waving it through the air, "Clerk! CLEERRK! See this letter is sent immediately!" Bringing up the town of Tourn at DC 9, using Prolific Breeders +2 to make the town +2 Tournament Grounds, -2 Transient Residents. Lady Shay Genuine tears welled up in her eyes at the sentiment of the gifts, "Thank you so much for this. I'm sure it will mean much when he's of age." As the meeting draws to a close and the Podhorich house moves on its way Lady Shay is sent back home clutching onto the bow and doll. 'Teapot' Hugart II Boredom took the boy again. He was so bored he wasn't even hungry. His father was always off doing his own thing, as was his mother. His nanny was so old and decrepit that she would barely do anything except scold him if he so much as moved in the wrong way, though luckily she was asleep. He tip toes into his mother's quarters, where she has an easel and her paints set up. She always had them but never painted, he wasn't too sure why, but it was wasteful to have such a nice thing and not use it! With his pudgy fingers he reaches down into some water and wets the paints, and begins smearing them across the blank canvas. It would be the finest finger painting in all the land- Of rolling fields and strong mountains, and a castle with banners flowing in the wind. At least this is what he told himself. Teapot is going to make a painting. HE HAS NO SKILLS.
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| # ? Jan 6, 2013 23:55 |
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Fall, Year 1 A force of royaly-organized troops descended deep into Febrani lands, unexpected and unannounced, and captured a known bandit group, then departed with the group to presumably dole out justice. House Lohenholt Nentz’s wool production is properly tallied by Gregory Ninian...though he did suffer some amount of reluctance on the villager’s part due to his last name. Lady Giselle of House Podorich offers to send Vasily to your House for time to learn its ways and build diplomatic relations. Lady Giselle has also found a suitable lady for Vasily’s future wife among the members of House Lohenholt. I leave it to you to describe her. Lord Conn Lohenholt Your supplies are sent; only time will tell if House Febrani sends a gesture of thankfulness. House Rivie Svael is chosen, his previous name unimportant now. He’s an imposing figure, 7 feet tall, covered in tattoos and savage from the barbarian south. It’s obvious that he is no native to the Shrouded Valley, but fateful that he arrived on this day. A messenger arrived from House Phokas, carrying a response to your letter (see above). The messenger is a handsome soldier, and carries himself as a horseman long skilled in battle. You get the impression that House Phokas had hand-picked an appealing messenger as a gesture of good will. Fayessa Rivie Current advisors are: The Brass Man - A warforged that was a gift a long time ago to the Kingdom, his motivations are unknown; he controls much of the royal force to the King himself. You find out that he was behind the capture of the bandit group in House Febrani lands. Lord Stavros - If the King is the word of the land, he’s the coinpurse. Anything and everything dealing with the finances of the Kingdom travel through his hands. He’s not a naturally-born Westlander. His motivations are shrouded in endless piles of paperwork and coin-trails. There are other advisors but they have not yet made active posts. House Phokas The marketplace sees plenty of trade; even some of the barbarians come to trade, and thankfully few disturbances occur. Duchess Evanthia A messenger is picked, a handsome horseman from near the South Wall. No doubt Fayessa Rivie would appreciate the gesture. House Styirik Sovngarde’s hammers echo around the countryside; its skill in bronzeworking is fabled. (no really, it’s the only bronzeworking village in Westhold!) House Guilgium 2 units of infantry have been levied. Lady Febrani arrives to your court. Lady Isabelle The negotiations went well; the bandits looked half starved, and Jakkart was eager to have someone of authority speak to him, as he was seeking legitimacy. They had become accustomed to their lifestyle however. You have two options: They will either disperse of their bandit activities, and no longer be a thread, OR they will work for House Guilgium, as a poorly trained mercenary group. House Podhorich A Master-At-Arms is found from among your personal guard; one of Ladislau’s men who has been with the House since he was a boy is the finest candidtate one could ask for. Targh Behn, a man known for his organization and skill on the field, is the obvious choice. Lady Giselle Lady Giselle, in unusually good spirits, finds a fine choice among the girls of House Lohenholt. Word awaits if Lohenholt will accept Vasily’s company. I leave it to DCB to detail who the gal is. House Behr The Warbear is trained well; it’s used even better. It sniffs out and mauls several dozens of elves that were hiding out in the woods over the season. One elf corpse, with even fouler and more wicked appearance than most of his other brethren, bears signs of rot and ghoulage. There is no mistake, there is undead presence within these woods. House Febrani A suitable Steward has been found; it is said that Almen Feber, a man known for his skill in numbers, once remained in a village under raid from House Styirik hiding in a haypile, fastidiously counting the goods as the raiders took them one by one, scrawling the changing numbers into his ledger. I leave it to you and Jamez to work out a conversation between Febrani and the Brass Man, and with Oscar for Lord Amaury. House Zyat Tourne is one of the best and well known party destinations; outside of the major tournaments, the general happenings there are usually raunchy and low-class, perfect for members of House Zyat. Teapot After several hours of heavy breathing, and a couple of well placed naps, Teapot creates the most royal fingerpainting ever. Sycophants and people of poor judge in art alike claim it to be one of the finest artworks in all of the land.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 17:29 |
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House Styirik "Will it work?" "My Lord it isn't something the House has..." "I didn't ask if it's been done before, Chauncy, I asked it it would work." "Hoenholt, my Lord, and yes I believe it would." "Then empty the prisons and give every man a weapon and breastplate in exchange for their service to the House. Find someone particularly brutal and place them in charge." "Of course, my Lord." "And send in the Household Bubble Blowers, Chauncy, I wish to bath." "Hoenholt, my Lord, and I'll have it done." Raising a Penal Legion! You'll fight for your freedom you rat bastards! +2 Warriors Lady Erlika Styirik "He's turned the prisons out," Gunthar told the Lady Styirik as she practiced her weapons work with him. So far he was one of the few men in the keep to regularly defeat her. "He's giving each of them a spear and a breastplate and giving them the chance to die for the glory of the house, he says. What's going on?" "I don't don't pretend to know Vincent's plans," she replied as she narrowly avoided a spear thrust aimed at her neck. "He's got something devious up his sleeve, that's for sure. He always does. Once this legion is raised, lets go see how these criminals fight and maybe actually teach them a thing or two." Sending the Lady to train the Penal Legion if it gets raised. +2 Completely Clever.
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| # ? Jan 11, 2013 18:24 |
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House Febrani The Steward hired last season was one of notable skill and due to his experience, it was obvious that he understood in what dire situation that the realm found itself in. As directed by Lord Febrani, he would commence the building of a well-regulated marketplace: although it wasn't often that merchants dared venture up to the lands of the Febrani, knowledge that the Febrani were finally selling their prized weapon and armour in an open market would surely incite them to venture further north. Grain, of course, would be most of what they would bring, since the delicious fruits of the south would surely rot by the time that they arrived to the North. The Steward had already sent out various messenger birds in order to let the corners of Westhold about the new start of the Febrani marketplace. It was the hope of the Steward that hopefully the harvests in the other lands hadn't gone as disastrously as in Febrani lands and that they still had enough stores to make it worth trading them to the House. Only time would tell... Lord Febrani "And here they come!" said Lord Febrani as he sighted his outriders with Lord Amaury in tow. He had been looking forward to the coming of the Lord as Guilgium had been strong friends of the Febrani since they had managed to become a power within the lands of Westhold. Quickly stepping down staircase that lead down the walls of the walled town of Febrani (a bit too quickly for someone of the standing of Lord Febrani, he had to keep in mind that his youthful high spirits would have to be kept in check), Lord Febrani joined his guard, his Steward next to him and Hector also present, Erik's younger brother and the current heir of Febrani, until Erik and Abigail finally managed to get a child, that is. When the outriders, riding slightly ahead, finally approached the drawbridge, Lord Febrani hailed the guards to lower it and then stepped forward to greet Lord Amaury. "Lord Guilgium, I welcome you to my castle. I hope that your trip was without trouble? But you must be tired, please, come inside, we have refreshments aplenty!" Lady Febrani It had been a largely uneventful journey. Going South from the Peaks and through the Gap (after being stopped by the always-present guards from House Guilgium), Lady Febrani went through the lands of the Vislavski, where several casks of premium ale were bought, both to please the retinue of Lady Febrani and also as small gifts for Lord Lohenholt's retinue. No more than bandits were met on the road, and the heavy infantry of the Febrani easily scared them away, although a few required some quarrels from the heavy Febrani crossbows were necessary to dissuade some of them further. With her baggage of presents in tow, Lady Febrani then entered the Barrows, finally arriving within the lands of the Lohenholt. She was already happy to be South of those dreaded, dreaded peaks. The North was grim, the people within that land grimmer and feasts were rare to come by, something that Lady Febrani absolutely hated, although her hate was not restricted to the lack of feasts only. She hated the Febrani and although her husband was agreeable, it was obvious that the Febrani, with their sense of duty, were never going to get to the heights of other houses. A Lord Febrani on the Throne of Bones would be unthinkable and Lady Febrani knew that Lord Febrani had absolutely no interest in dealing with politics. All he seemed to want was to feed his people: how boring. It wasn't long before the keep of the Lohenholt was in sight in the distance. Hopefully outriders would become aware of their coming and could soon escort Lady Febrani and her retinue to Lord LOhenholt. Build Marketplace: DC5. Lady Febrani arrives in the Barrows.
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| # ? Jan 13, 2013 22:45 |
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House Lohenholt Castle Lohen was up in arms; such business! Such excitement! Visits by not one but two Great Houses in the span of a year? Inconceivable! The stewards and butlers had the hardest time of it, trying to keep the footmen in line - the Lady Eilene was a great favorite among the younger staff, for both her kind heart and her youthful beauty, and the Lady's betrothal to Vasily Podhorich had some of the more romantic (read: less realistic) lads singing the proverbial blues. Of course, Lady Eilene had been destined for political marriage; as the daughter of Lord Conn's sadly-departed younger sister, she was the highest-ranking eligible female in the House at present, and that Lord Conn was willing - even eager - to see her betrothed to Vasily was a clear sign that he views House Podhorich favorably. Lady Lohenholt was heard to approve of the pairing as well, which perhaps spoke to her approval of the political dimension of such a marriage... but this was not a subject discussed where others might overhear. As young Lord Vasily had been given leave to remain in Lohen for educational purposes, of course, the younger staffers had to be watched, lest they let their emotions get the better of them; Gregory Ninian found able assistance in this matter from one of the head butlers, and spoke highly of the man to Lord Conn; so it was that Alistair of Nentz found himself elevated to the rank of Castellan. As Lord Conn said at his investiture ceremony, "it would be unworthy of us not to allow this man's skill and talent lie fallow and unrecognized; let all know that the Castle Lohen is in his capable hands." (or, as young Sir Brian was heard to remark privately, "Well, 'Old Greyhair' virtually runs the place anyways; it harms no one to make it official.") Lord Conn, however, was not present for that particular discussion, as not long after Alistair's investiture ceremony he was on horseback, escorted by his Guardsmen, preparing to meet Lady Abigail Febrani. In his head he was already rehearsing the manner in which he could greet her, his insistence that the Lohenholt supplies sent to the Febrani were intended as a gesture of willingness to open trade and to support valiant warriors rather than as any sort of charitable endeavor, and how delighted he would be to introduce her to young Vasily Podhorich - he did, after all, agree to aid in the lad's education, and meeting with great Ladies is certainly a subject in which he will require instruction - and how Lady Ariane would be delighted to have someone to talk to, and so on and so forth... House Action: recruit a Court Member, Castellan, 'Old Greyhair,' Alistair of Nantz. DC5. Noble Action: Lord Conn meets Lady Abigail and escorts her to the castle, where she is welcome to stay for as long as she likes; Tekopo, I'll try and get into IRC soon if you want a detailed conversation, or if you would prefer to hammer things out via PM or whatever that's cool too. Some minor bookkeeping: Vasily Podhorich is free to remain at Castle Lohen as well, for as long as he wishes; if Lord Ladislau consents, Lord Conn will endeavor to teach the lad what he can about being a Lord of the Barrows, where the culture is a touch different from Podhorich's lands. In addition, he has offered the hand of his niece in marriage; as Lord Conn has no daughters, this is the highest-ranking marriage he can possibly offer, and is a clear indication to anyone who cares to notice of the esteem in which he holds his northern neighbors.
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| # ? Jan 14, 2013 04:35 |
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Lord Stavros A letter arrives at Tourne, addressed to the honorable Lord Hugart of House Zyat, written in an elegant hand and bearing the seal of the Master of Coin. It reads: "I have heard, as have all with an eye for talent and an ear for new movements, of your son's recent forays into the art world. You must be very proud to have such a gifted son. Such gifts, of course, must be nurtured, and to that end I have a certain proposal which we might both find beneficial. As you may or may not know, I have certain contacts outside of the Kingdom. An assortment of libertines, nobles, merchants, and other ne'er-do-wells who have two very important thing in common: a significant disposable income and boredom. It is simple, I will bring them and your son will paint and they will eat it up. Your fair Tourne becomes known as the center of a new wave in the art world in addition to hosting a number of wealthy individuals with loose purses; do you not agree that this is a fine arrangement? All I need is your seal and I shall bring countless admirers to gawk at your son's work." If Lord Hugart agrees, I'll use my Can Rub Two Coins Together and Make a Third [+2] to bring in foreign money to fawn over Teapot's "art". However, they will find that as they leave the country, a new art tax has been implemented.
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| # ? Jan 15, 2013 05:10 |
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House Rivie The autumn months saw storms of crows emerge from the dark towers crenelating the Lumspihr, issuing forth to deliver Lady Rivie’s words to many nobles throughout the land. Each house invited received a letter that was always individually tailored to suit the recipient and was much more dignified and eloquent, but more or less amounted to Letter posted:To the (positive lordly quality) Lord or Lady of Where They’re From, The same months also saw rise to an uncharacteristic number of visitors to the Rivie’s court. Most were merchants and tradesmen commissioned to prepare for the tournament or entertainers seeking patronage or a place performing before the lords and ladies that would be assembled. Many among them were responding to indirect and occasionally unsubtle commands or suggestions to do so, delivered via the Rivie’s expansive web of agents and spies. Setting up a tournament in a neighboring land was a logistics nightmare, but Fayessa was determined to see that it was a success and diligently and methodically went about procuring everything they’d need. By the time Autmun was over, much of the House was preparing to travel to Tourne for the tournament, with supplies being packed into wagons and harvests being brought in and prepared for transport. Organizing a Large Tournament, DC 9. To be held at the very beginning of Winter at Tourne. Getting quality decorations / food / entertainment all lined up for it by contacting or occasionally intimidating individuals known to be good at those things, so +2 Spy Network. Hoping Tourne adds to it too, since it’s designed to host Tournaments. Also crow-mailing a lot of Houses, and sending the invitation list / a thank you note to Zyat. Houses Invited To the tournament: Phokas, Zyat, Guilgium, Febrani, Podhorich, Styirik, Behr. The King’s Household is invited as well should they wish to attend. Vassal Houses invited: Belce, Vislavski, Drutta, Albendroth, Feldspur Lady Fayessa Rivie Fayessa was several glasses of wine drunk and was lazily reclining in a large chair near a fireplace. The letters earlier that day had brought very good news. House Phokas’s report about the slain messenger and barbarians along with Zyat’s cooperation about the Winter Tournament were both very pleasing to her, and she’d been tempted to offer the rather handsome messenger House Phokas sent a job working for her before thinking better of it. Sadly, there was still work to be done, diplomatically speaking, before the King named his heir. The old man still clung to life somehow, his decision hanging like a sword over the realm. For starters, she’d need suitably fashionable and new attire to wear at the tournament she was planning. The whole (well, main) point of the tournament was to look impressive in front of the nobility, and wearing clothing others had seen before would make her seem cheap. As such, she'd commissioned new attire just for the occasion. They were to be made from expensive materials and adorned with patterns and flowing scarves peculiar to the Shrouded Valley. She hoped the combination of slightly exotic and obviously expensive would make her the talk of the tourney. Fayessa had also ordered several smaller matching outfits be made, so Elyse could wear them to match her mom and almost certainly attract the attention of nobles looking to arrange a marriage for one of their sons. Fayessa is commissioning fancy new clothes. +2 Enchanting, since she’s particularly good at knowing how to present herself and how attire plays into that. Shrouded Valley fashion sensibilities call for clothes to respond well to and look impressive in the wind. Rauri fucked around with this message at Jan 15, 2013 around 13:06 |
| # ? Jan 15, 2013 12:56 |
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House Behr Rubbing his temples as he looks down at the smashed elven corpse before him, Caradhog sighs. "Thank you, Mercia. Clearly you were right that the elf nest presented a clear and pressing threat to the safety of the kingdom. But did you really need to drag it home to show us all so... urgently?" He makes a face as he brushes the spilled wine and ruined food from his lap, motioning towards the longhall's dinner table which now held the grisly trophy. "loving yeah I was right. Damned Alves harass livestock and eat children if they can catch them. This one in particular seems to have caught being Dead the wrong way before we found it and put it right. You're telling me that's not something important we need to get on top of immediately?" Picking up a fallen joint of meat, she blows on it to rid it of dust before taking a mighty bite and taking a seat at the table, settling into it despite her heavy and gore stained armour. "What you're going to need to do for me is give me more men. Oh and whatshername, girl from a few seasons back, knows her way around the woods? Call her out for me. We're going to have to go into the deep woods. The way I figure it if the wall had a hole in it we'd already be up to our asses in the Dead, so what we've probably got is some filthy bastard alf went digging too deep in the wrong hole. Might be there's a warren that turns up to connect to the other side, or maybe it dug too deep and dredged up some long-dead." "We're coming up on the Harvest Mercia, I can't have you up in arms and dragging the menfolk through a wild elf-chase through the woods when they need to be in the fields making sure we have enough food to get through the winter. Look, how about this. Take the rest of the castle guard and just make a wide circuit, patrol to see which particular area this thing may have come from and we'll deal with it later when we've got a proper plan and actual preparations. Please." Dropping the gnawed bone to the table with a clatter, Mercia glares at the old man. The nearby guards tense and hands slowly unclench and nudge towards weapons, but the moment passes as she shrugs and pushes away from the table. "Fine. Patrolling the area is a useful enough thing to do. We can never have too many patrols anyway." House Action: Spawn Court Member- Huntsmaster +2 Bears: Hey, you any good at hunting bears/hunting with bears across some dangerous as gently caress woods infested with bears and worse? Better be. Noble Action: Take some dudes, make a circuit, rattle some doorknobs, check for broken windows, do a general patrol of the province and hunt around for signs of where maybe the action is/will be. Lady Mercia will round up the lads and make a circuit of the inhabited areas of Behrendt, see if anybody has had problems with Elves lately or noticed strange signs and occurrences. The best way to find out where the infestation or hole is coming from is to just take a patrol and ask the dudes out there. +2 Bears: Gonna ride bears and be cool while riding bears for this patrol. Bears're cool, M'kay?
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| # ? Jan 15, 2013 16:06 |
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The Brass Man Before and after the negotiations with House Febrani, the Brass Man visited the Northern Wall. He spoke with the Captains, he polled the rank-and file. All men he treated with the same great respect, few men of the wall lived to old age. In a particular training room he found what he sought after. Shelves upon shelves of decapitated heads, still moving and wheezing and making faces, attempting to bite. Ever watching. Soldiers came here to study and to steel themselves against the undead. Those who panicked against the bodiless ones would be of no use against those more able and dangerous. He selected nine in all, having them sealed in wooden crates. With each came a letter, bearing the Seal of the Brass Man. (Going to link these as zombie heads could be graphic and NWS/NMS. Putting individual messages in the descriptions.) I’m hitting up the Major houses for aid on the North Wall. Troops will be put into use on the wall, aid will be shepherded by the esteemed Lord Stavros. You can interpret this as an an insult, a sincere dire warning, or sensationalist propaganda. Though for setting the mood: Each of these is a moving, animate, decapitated zombie head. It is horrible and hostile and foul smelling and likely the first undead thing each of you have ever seen. Except Febrani and Behr. You get yours mounted as trophies. House Guilgium House Podhoric House Lohenholt House Febrani House Styirik House Rivie House Behr House Phokas House Zyat
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| # ? Jan 15, 2013 16:14 |
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House Guilgium Lord Amaury “Greetings Lord Eric” Amaury booms out, as he and his son crossed the lowered drawbridge. “I must say that the journey has been a long, but not unpleasant one. However, we shall take what refreshment you kindly offer. But the reason I come here is more pressing then one of refreshment. I hear dire news of the undead threat and the horrors your House suffers under. Make no mistake, Guilgium understands your need most seriously which is why I am here. I assure you that even now, my lovely Wife, who unfortunately could not attend, will be ordering the clearing of much land. Farms aplenty will dot the Guilgium landscape, ready to bring great harvests to add to the regular trade between us.” “But before we get any further, you must meet my son. Say hello Eric!” Later, when the two Guilgium Nobles had rested themselves, and the various messages had reached them in Febrani territory, treated with their hosts. A long night of merriment had passed before Lord Amaury offers "...and of course, we have just levied a brace of good stout troops. Isabelle over worries sometimes but it seems it these dark times some stout men are necessary. They are mostly to defend our own lands from incursion, especially with those bandits that have popped up recently, but the undead threat is a threat to us all. If it were ever needed, you can be sure that I would personally lead the Army that would aid your own men if fighting back the incursions into your territory, have no worry for that. Even later into the night, when Isabelle's swiftest messengers arrived with their reports, Lord Amaury gleefully gives the news. "Ah, Isabelle has already begun land clearance. There shall be new farmland ready to be sowed for spring! And what's this? A Tournament! I love Tournaments!" Lady Isabelle “...blah blah blah... platitudes... nonse-! I'll be what? And how the hell does he expect me to know he wants farmland cleared?!” Isabelle fumed at her spies reports. The only thing they were capable of recently was head corralling; and that was only after the new Maester trapped it in a bucket. 'I shall be getting you an even more suitable gift for that one, Brassman'. She thought to herself ruefully, and with just a touch of humour. The other good thing about her horde of cut-throats and sneaks was that they were very good messengers as well. She quickly had a response penned to Jakkart, asking that he and his men disperse. Farmland would not be an issue. Much was said for Guilgium ore, but metals were only one part of the harvest of her Husbands lands. Stone, wood and metal would all be needed for land clearance and enclosure, all of which in easy reach. Within the hour, the new farmland had been decided, and appropriate resources adequately redirected to the necessary people. She would have her farms. When news of the letter from House Rivie arrived, her agents had not even finished the first sentence before she exclaimed, exasperated “Send it onto my Husband!” House Action; Construct Farmland DC5. Using +2 Vast Mineral Wealth. Noble Action; Lord Amaury will be taking part in the Tourney, using his +2 Noble Leader Quality. Jakkart is instructed to disperse.
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| # ? Jan 15, 2013 18:30 |
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House Phokas "Well, that certainly is something." Iordanes looked at the rotting head, pitifully clinging to life and making a mess on the floor of his hall, while a trembling servant was fearfully reading the accompanying letter to him. Duke Iordanes was the only one in his hall who hadn't flinched at the horrible present, and even he had to admit that this was one of the most peculiar things he had seen in his life. "He needs troops? There's a war going on just beyond my Wall, and the Brass Man demands troops?" While the wording of the letter was polite and neutral, the act of sending a separated head was not. It was a challenge. A challenge to act. A challenge to show that House Phokas was still formidable. "Captain Eremus! Compose yourself, it's just a severed head, certainly not the first one you've seen." Iordanes shouted, while crouching to pick up the decaying head by the few remaining strands of hair left. "Captain, it is time to act. Gather your riders and step up the patrols, I don't want royal agents operating in my lands without my knowledge." he ordered, while dragging the head towards a firepit, the centerpiece of his hall. Those gathered, especially Phokas' cook, watched with concern as Iordanes prepared to throw the head into the flames, when he suddenly stopped, and reconsidered. "Captain, one more thing. Send this thing to the Blue-Handed tribe, their shamans might find a use for it." he said and tossed it at Eremias, who barely caught it, and tried to hold the head so it wouldn't soil his clothes nor nibble on his fingers. "Wha... what would be the message, your grace?" "Let the Blue Hands know that I will meet them in the spring and offer them my protection. In the mean time," Iordanes said with a smirk, "Spar with me. I have a tournament to win!" House action: DC7 Levy cavalry Noble action: Send a message to the Blue Handed tribe, that Iordanes will meet them in the spring and discuss vassalage
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| # ? Jan 15, 2013 21:18 |
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House Zyat Teapot was bored once again in his room, casting aside letters of adoration and harsh criticisms of his artwork alike. He didn't think it would become such a large phenomenon, though- And then his father came rushing through the door, letter in hand, an impish glint in his eye, and words immediately pouring from his mouth, "My boy! Don't you know what this letter means!?" He shakes the letter about excitedly, mirth pouring from every pore in his skin. Teapot, of course, did not yet know what the letter was, though his father's excitement was probably about another woman that he has wooed through written letters alone. He always bragged to his son about his escapades, and Teapot knew that his father trusted him explicitly to keep his various 'man talks' private. "You're going to make me rich, and if I know one thing it's that women love rich men- And then when I die and you inherit my wealth you're going to be rich, and also covered with women!" His logic was infallible, his goal clear, and his motivation unlike anything Teapot had seen before. Perhaps his father also had pride in that he was finally doing something? "I'm going to support you to support me to support the King's financial advisor, my boy, and if we succeed only the moon and the sky will be out of our reach! quote:To the Financially Enlightened Advisor of Our King He made his way to his armory, continuing to bark out, "Prepare my coat! I have to make sure it fits correctly, or else I won't be able to win any lady's favor during the tournament!" 'Teapot' Hugart II His father left the room, immediately shouting at the servants to gather as many different art supplies as they could. Marble blocks, easels, paints, charcoals, ice blocks, chisels, hammers. So many people were sent scrambling to support the heir and his latest venture, and sooner than not he was in the middle of a brand new building in Tourne wearing a foppish outfit, surrounded by various advisers (mostly hired from the neighboring House Belce,) and chiseling away at a piece of marble. He never could have seen this coming, though at least it was something to do. A Zombie Head Arrives Lady Shay was usually the one to receive boxes, and this one was no exception. She thought it would perhaps be flowers or perhaps some sort of gift to try to sway them into supporting the Northern wall. Instead her servants popped the lid from the box and everyone in the room began screaming, crying, hopping atop of furniture, fleeing the room, and otherwise panicking. The event was so horrible that many of the stead's guards came running in, accompanied by a half-armored Lord Hugart holding a candelabra in his hands. The zombie's box had since been tipped over, and as it gibbered and maneuvered with what limited motion it had it was promptly surrounded, beaten into submission, and set on fire on the spot. It is said that no one has occupied the throne room for three days while servants have cleaned the room and repaired the damage caused by the fire. Creating an Artist's Guild in Tourne DC 5, using +2 Prolific Breeders to bring in all sorts of hopeful artists. Teapot is using his nonexistant skills to make art for the coming tournament to be displayed, gawked at, and hopefully not embarrass him. Lord Hugart is going to attend the tournament and enter it if possible. Commoners fucked around with this message at Jan 16, 2013 around 00:41 |
| # ? Jan 15, 2013 21:48 |
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| # ? May 22, 2013 14:59 |
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Lord Febrani "I can't even remember the last Joust that I took part in, but I will surely enter this one. House Rivie and Zyat honour us all by hosting..." Before Lord Erik could finish his sentence, a servant entered the room and whispered something in the Lord's ear, upon which Lord Febrani temporarily excused himself from the room and followed the Febrani into a nearby chamber. Lord Febrani, even though he had been forewarned, was still shocked when he saw the Brass Man's gift. The dead, milky eyes of the head stared at Erik as soon as he entered the room and the mouth of the undead head, still affixed to the trophy it had been nailed to, started to move rhythmically. Febrani, after getting over his shock, ordered the head to be permanently killed (for no Febrani could bear to keep any undead moving, even in a fashion such as this) and then asked the servant to store the head away from sight, but not before thanking the Brass Man for his 'gift'. It was clear that the Brass Man had intended to honour House Febrani, although his choice of trophy was bizarre to say the least. Returning to Lord Amaury, Lord Erik apologized for his delay before returning to his seat. "So, Lord Amaury, let us return to business. House Febrani is more than grateful for any assistance that House Guilgium can provide: although some undead remain in our lands, we have enough arms to hunt them and destroy them for now, but our people and soldiers need food more than anything. I am keen to hear that new farmlands are being created within your lands, as much of our land has been devastated and is unfit to grow crops. I am sure that we could come to an agreement that is amenable to both side for the trade of food. The lands of the Febrani are renowned for our smiths, and we could provide our finest weapons and armour if that is what you require" Lady Febrani Lady Abigail was delighted when, far in the distance, she spotted Lord Lohenholt and his retinue come down to meet him. Finally, she would be back into civilization, far from the barbaric lands of the North and closer to where true gentlemen and ladies lived. Telling her escort to pick up speed, her coach hurtled down the road, the Lady impatient to finally meet Lord Conn. As soon as her retinue got close, she hailed Lord Conn and, not wanting to get her dress dirty from the dusty road, nodded to Lord Conn as a form of respect. "Oh Lord Conn, I could not WAIT to see you. I am delighted to be a guest within your realm and hope that the humble gifts I have brought from the Peaks will be to your liking." I'll try to be on IRC but since I'm GMT it might be an issue. I'm currently having issues with PMs so maybe there's an alternative to them, let me know.
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| # ? Jan 16, 2013 00:00 |
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