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[Iituem]

After getting the plates in, convince the hunters to help. Offer coin if necessary. begin the search for the Iron Hound. Best to know the location beforehand. Return to the palace, eyes open for anyone suspicious

[1] The huntsmen flat out refuse to help in any way, shape or form, even for coin.  You learn that they are two of three brothers, and the third died when they foolishly went after a troll themselves.  The brothers, Mendelev and Dongalev, inform you that a troll's hide is as tough as steel, their tusks as hard as bronze and their brute strength alone matches what years of training might accomplish in a mere man.

The Iron Hound is about three streets from the central square by the Palace and easy to get directions to.  It seems quite popular, though apparently the taverness is away on business and her assistants are running the bar.

Order the Town Watch to search the town for a man armed with a rapier or similar weapon trying to hide his identity, and search suspiscious individuals trying to leave or enter the city for the following few weeks.

Karas
[4 vs 2+1] You are stopped upon entering the palace by the guards, who are on the lookout for a crazed murderer.  You assure them you are from the palace and say that the head of the king's personal guard, Aveline, can vouch for your presence.  They seem uncertain but detain you anyway, without chains.  [1 vs 1+1] As you are being led away you notice the king's secretary passing by.  You wave to him and ask him to confirm for these guards that 'Lee Blackstar' has an appointment with the king.  The secretary affirms this, putting some doubt into the guards' minds.  You are charismatic enough to convince them based on this to let you go, and they promise not to hassle you further, Saer Blackstar.

Tiakath
[1] Although you easily make it out of town before the guards clamp down on strangers leaving the city, the disappearance of a notable taverner immediately after such events comes to the news of the guard - especially when witnesses saw her buying armour and weaponry in the market.

Richard
[2] The guards have little luck finding the man they seek, even as obscure a weapon as a Ralkarian rapier is.  Either he has already left town, or he has gone to ground.  They report that the proprietor of the Iron Hound has left town the day after the slaughter, having made a purchase of armour and weaponry before her departure.  They report another man leaving town the same day, apparently off to hunt a troll, marking him as a potential suspect as well.  Mostly this just makes you chuckle.

Invite the Count's daughter to the palace to discuss with the Marshal, once she feels ready. Until then, warn her that anyone trying to marry her may have bad intents.

[6] The count's daughter responds within a few days, very eager to meet the prince.  A little too eager, perhaps.  You discover by rumour that she is apparently smitten by your reputation and owns several portraits of you.  [5] She agrees to hold off any offers to marry and decline male visitors - except, of course, the prince.  Should he ever wish to visit.  Ahem.

Countess Whitehaven arrives a week later to have dinner with the Prince, wearing a slightly out of fashion but absurdly ornate dress and bringing several foot-slaves to carry her baggage.  When you meet her, she has a slight look in her eyes, as if she wants to eat you.

[Kestrel_6]

Close call. Prince Conricht has sent the City Watch on him. Good thing they never checked his blade...

Taking his hood off, but not sweeping the cloak back, he began looking for the King's fencer

Look for Aveline

[Iituem]

Open my court allowing common folk to voice their opinions and allow them to share any problems.

You hold court on the first day of the new month in your throne room at War's End.  Your steward presents three groups of petitioners, all seeking court with you and redress to their issues.

The Harvest
[4] Last year's harvest was sufficient to tend to your people's needs, but unlike the rich grain belts near Lorvese the land by the Ironwood is hillier and not quite fertile enough to be easily farmed to capacity.  The best fields tend to be found near the Dragon's Mirror where the ground is wetter and flatter, so those in the higher vales hunt to sustain their living.

A group of farmers from the [1] least fertile parts of your estates have come seeking aid and respite.  Bad storms during winter broke open their grain stores and what water did not spoil, rats consumed.  [3] They are good huntsmen and foragers and have subsisted until now, but lack the food to survive until harvest.  The petitioners request your aid in their plight.

Steward's Comments: These petitioners are poor and come from a poor background, but they tend to serve as the best guides in the Ironwood because of their foraging.  The aid they seek would cost 20 crowns (0.2 ducats), and your treasury is already short.  Moreover, simply handing out food will not solve the greater problem of distribution - the best cropland is all at the lakeside, and these people have little to barter for food from their more affluent neighbours.


The Ironwoods
[5] The Ironwood is the best resource of War's End and also the key source of the pelts you now trade to the capital.  The woods are dangerous at their heart, but make for excellent hunting grounds near the edges of the forest.  [3] The woods are a source of low-grade lumber unsuitable for trade and so cutting is limited to small families recovering firewood and building materials for their own ends.

[6] A wealthy deputation of merchants have come with a business proposition.  They have taken note of the difficult lands near the Forest and wish to claim some of the lucrative trapping rights there.  To that end, they are willing to invest heavily in the marginal lands and offer you a deal; if you allow them to buy up the land from the peasants there and send their own trappers freely into the forests, they will work the marginal land and make it far more productive through the use of large private plantations.  You would receive greater yields from their fields and subsequently higher taxes and a greater treasury.

There is a catch, however.  Their business plan depends very heavily on slave labour and local sources are insufficient.  At the moment, Stormstead does not trade heavily enough in slaves to meet the number they would need (accounting for losses).  The merchants desire your political assistance; if you can get three trade routes of a specific resource set up to Stormstead, Windheath will be able to trade that resource on an international scale.  If you can then arrange it so that said trade route goes to one of the Dulukite or Ralkarian nations, they will easily be able to import enough slaves to do the work.

Steward's Comments: The merchants are very rich, part of a consortium from Saelradia.  If they set up business here, both you and the king will do very well off the improvements to the marginal land.  The political manoeuvering will be tricky, though - and of course, you'll need to accept the presence of many slaves.  Done right, you could get 2-4 ducats a year out of the deal.  In addition, depending on the deal the peasants get for their land they might not be happy about selling if they don't have anywhere else to go or work.


The Saers, or Lay Knights
[4] As a feudal Marquis, your contract of vassalage requires you to raise men in times of war.  By creating vassals of your own you can create a more reliable fighting force than mere peasant levies, which is why most lords (yourself included) have large numbers of lay-knights (sometimes referred to as Saers, also a title for an elder gentryman) who own plots of land that they sub-let to tenants in exchange for military service.  Your relationship with your vassals is comfortable, and there is mutual respect on both sides.

[4] A number of Saers have come to greet you on your return to the keep.  Like most of the Saers, they own and let the rich farmlands by the Dragon's Mirror.  These knights are amongst the bowmen you have recently had re-equipped (following the embarrassing shortages last winter where you had to burn their bows for warmth).  [5] One of their scouts has reported a pack of worgs in the outer forest - usually the beasts stick to the darker reaches where men do not venture.  So far, nobody has been injured and the scouts have a good idea of the worgs' route.  The knights would like your blessing to hunt the beasts and the aid of the rest of your regiment.

Steward's Comments: This will have little economic benefit to you and you risk casualties amongst your own men if they fail.  On the other hand, a successful hunt will bind their loyalty more strongly to you and may even help their training.  On the first hand, if you do nothing and the worgs start killing foresters you will likely be blamed.  A middle-road course of action would be to let the knights fight the worgs themselves, although they are some of your best warriors and you might never see them again.

[Dwarmin]

Close call. Prince Conricht has sent the City Watch on him. Good thing they never checked his blade...

Taking his hood off, but not sweeping the cloak back, he began looking for the King's fencer

Look for Aveline

In truth, she finds you-you feel a feminine hand take your shoulder, a blade pointed at your side, and a whisper. "Eight men without a scratch...impressive. Come with me."

She pulls you into a side passage of the castle, and you reluctantly follow her through the Labyrinth of the castle. Aveline eventually pulls away from you, knocking on a brick on the wall-which turns out to be a fake panel, revealing a lever, which she pulls-sliding away a portion of the wall you were just staring at...she beckons you to follow, and in a moment,the pair of you are sitting in some windowless room, deep in the castle. She leans against the wall, and throws you a bag of gold.

"You've earned 15 crowns for your work...and my respect." Her cold eyes warm to you a bit. But her hand never stays far from her blade.

"...The Nobles are calling you a crazed murderer. The Guards say you're the Ghost of Lord Dervish come back for his revenge. The Low-Born are calling you an idiot for meddling in the affairs of Nobles. The Slaves are Calling you a Freedom Fighter. If you care, the whores are calling you a Hero for ending that piece of shits life.

So tell me, what's the truth?" She leans against the wall, her intentions inscrutable.

Request an audience with Albert

Albert lets you in, after some delay. He's been very busy today...

He invites Richard into his quarters in the castle, favoring Albert with an at-ease look. Albert takes a seat, leaving across the table.

"...Well, I'm glad we can finally talk, brother. And it's a bit more comfortable in here, I think.

What is it you wished to speak about? I have heard many things going on lately..."

[King_of_the_weasels]

The Farmers-

  "I understand your strife, and I fear the times will only become more troublesome from here on out, we will need as many fit and able men as possible.  Expect a shipment of grain within the coming week."

Pay .2 Ducats for the grain.     3.6 ducats left

The Merchants-

  Cyril stood from his mahogany throne,"I refuse to offer you slaves, and I refuse to help you attain them." Cyril thought quickly for a moment, raised his hand to slow them from leaving,"However, it has come to my attention that the farmers in that area are in need.  They themselves survive now off of hunting, I'm sure they would be more then willing to trap for you."

Discuss possibility with the farmers and the merchants.

The Knights-

"Strange that they are still being spotted this late in the year, let alone on the outskirts of the woods." Cyril pondered and looked over towards his wife and son.  "This could be serious, I wish to check it out myself, give me and my men a few days to prepare, and we will meet you on the field."

Accompany my men to join the lay knights in the Worg hunt.

[Shootandrun]

"Indeed... Murder at the docks. Eight guards and a nobleman dead, no portrait of the killer, unknown reason of the crime... One of the worst types of assassinations. I don't think we'll find the bastard who did the thing, but I sent the guards after him, anyway."

Richard sighed, shaking his head at the thought. After a second or two, he sobered and looked up at his brother.

"But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I discussed with my generals a few days ago, and I made the Marquis of Northwatch my vassal. The reason of the decision was that I wanted to reduce his taxes, so we could field larger troops, and make it known to the other nobles that he was loyal to me. This was to give our family a stronger powerbase in the realm, in order to dissuade would be rebels and traitors. I thought you needed to know that."

[6] The count's daughter responds within a few days, very eager to meet the prince.  A little too eager, perhaps.  You discover by rumour that she is apparently smitten by your reputation and owns several portraits of you.  [5] She agrees to hold off any offers to marry and decline male visitors - except, of course, the prince.  Should he ever wish to visit.  Ahem.

Countess Whitehaven arrives a week later to have dinner with the Prince, wearing a slightly out of fashion but absurdly ornate dress and bringing several foot-slaves to carry her baggage.  When you meet her, she has a slight look in her eyes, as if she wants to eat you.

Richard was surprised by the Countess' expression, but he managed to hide it well enough. Instead he smiled politely and spoke with assurance.

"Ah, Lady Whitehaven. I am glad you could come so soon after what happened. I am sorry for your father, of course, but I had to meet you - after all, you knew him so well..."

Have a dinner with the Countess. Ask her (politely, of course) about the following things:
-Who could have wanted her father dead
-Why would someone do that
-What are her possessions (to help know if someone might have wanted to marry her in order to get them)

Also, attempt to charm her a little

[Dwarmin]

"Indeed... Murder at the docks. Eight guards and a nobleman dead, no portrait of the killer, unknown reason of the crime... One of the worst types of assassinations. I don't think we'll find the bastard who did the thing, but I sent the guards after him, anyway."

Richard sighed, shaking his head at the thought. After a second or two, he sobered and looked up at his brother.

"But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I discussed with my generals a few days ago, and I made the Marquis of Northwatch my vassal. The reason of the decision was that I wanted to reduce his taxes, so we could field larger troops, and make it known to the other nobles that he was loyal to me. This was to give our family a stronger powerbase in the realm, in order to dissuade would be rebels and traitors. I thought you needed to know that."

The King nodded, somberly. The smells of cooking food began to float through the room.

"Yes, a pity...I suppose it may have been someone seeking to free a family member or someone they knew from the slave ship, or avenge them. We've had a few Vigilante types spring up now and again, and they usually claim to have suffered some pain from the Slavers. I'd be happier if they just took it to court like rational persons, though.

Hmm. Then again, the Nobleman had his enemies, as we all do. Perhaps it was professional.

All the same, I would not expect such...ferocity...unless it was a personal attack. I would look into the murdered mans personal life and history, when tempers have perhaps cooled. Someone surely had to profit from his death, and have a grudge enough to seek it.

As for your vassalage, I trust in your judgement, brother-I know you'll do whats right for Windheath. Even if it's giving your older brother a kick in the shins, if his crown gets a bit tight his swelled head." He finished with a smile.

Ria walked in from the small Kitchen, expertly carrying three plates loaded with food-to Richards surprise, maybe, she set them each down and sat with the Royal siblings to eat with no fanfare, as if she might have been a close sister of his. She seems to be in a good mood.

"Good day to you, Prince Richard." She says politely, smiling. The King also smiles.

"Sorry if I caught you at a bad time for a family meal, brother-Ria heard you were coming and wanted to make us something to enjoy together. I feast often enough, but as they say, the soul needs food as well."

"Well, without me you'd probably enjoy a diet of nothing but meat and potatoes.

So, eat your Greens and rejoice, My King." Ria chirps brightly. The King grins, digging in.

"Well, speak on Richard, if you have more to tell. I'm ready for almost any news you could brings, aside from a Worgrise or Dragonstorm...

As for Worgs, Cyril has invited me and my entourage on a bit of a Hunt. I need to shake the dust off my spurs anyway...I know it's foolish, but I need to get up and do something, I feel. Spending too long in this castle, it's sapping my strength...."

[King_of_the_weasels]

After the meeting before the hunt.  Send out a runner carrying this letter for the King.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 Your Highness,

      It has come to my attention that some worgs have tread outside of their forest domain and may cause problems for the villages in the lands surrounding War's End.  We shall leave in a few days to begin the hunt, and I know how you fancy yourself a monster slayer, and thought you may wish to join in our hunt.  A worg pelt would make a fine trophy for one such as yourself.  On another note if your brother is visiting when and if you receive this letter he is more then welcome to join, a little competition would only drive them off even more.

   Sincerely, Cyril Rotwalden, Marquis of War's End

Mark the letter with the current date and date I am leaving for the hunt

[Iituem]

Pay .2 Ducats for the grain.     3.6 ducats left
Discuss possibility with the farmers and the merchants.
Accompany my men to join the lay knights in the Worg hunt.

[6] The merchants, after some discussions, prove perfectly willing to hire the locals to trap pelts for them.  Unfortunately, local trapping supplies are not to the quality needed to get the best pelts.  If you are willing to contribute another 20 crowns for purchase of supplies for the fringe peasants, you should have assured their long-term future and prosperity.  Sadly, this will only have a negligible effect on your own profits through the trade route, but the people at least will like you.

Because of your kindness to the locals, they offer to serve as guides through the forest.  This should negate the terrain advantage of any worgs during combat, giving your saers a more even footing.  You call the full complement of your archers together and ready them for what you sell as somewhere between a hunting party and a training exercise.  You delay for a week and a half (runners move quickly) and are nearly about to head out yourself when the King and his entourage arrive, geared for a monster hunt.

You reach the general area the worgs prowl in without too much difficulty, [2+1] but it is only with extreme care that your scouts pick up a trail.  [5-1] You and your archers stalk with practiced care, even for as great a number as there are of you.  The king and his men follow the tracks you leave, making a little more noise but still managing to stay quiet.  [5+1] At last, your scout waves you ahead of the rest of the group.  You move to follow him and just over a ridge you spot a more sparsely wooded spot covered in dirty white forms.  They all seem to be gathered in resting family groups, with pups by their sides.  It looks like they are resting until the day gets cooler to begin their hunts.

Mud streaks the coats of the worgs in spring, so unlike the gleaming white forms you've seen in winter.  Then again, you rarely see a worg outside of winter, so perhaps this is what they look like all the time.  [4] There are about four packs in total, a significant prize if taken.  Your archers could reasonably match two packs at once, so you mentally ascribe them to the strength of two individual regiments.

You are unseen by the worgs and can move the rest of your men into whatever position you wish.  The worgs are, from your experience, fast and disciplined with the strength of many men each and almost as large as shire horses.  On the other hand, you have the element of surprise and when the melee begins the king's experience will help your men fight more effectively.  How will you proceed?

[Ardas]

Edgard considered the infomration he got from his emmisaries. 4 potential brides, all to be taken at the same time. And with one single dowry, it seemed like a pathetic offer. On the other hand, certain lady, Countess Whitehaven, suddenly became available with a rather sizeable state going with it. But she completely fallen for the young prince Richard.

Should he battle for affection and lot of money, or should he take up the easy route and take the castle in Arendalis? His inner michevious side wanted to play around with Countess Whitehaven and Richard, but the immediate situation demanded that the Arendalis offer be taken up but four wives at the same time, a troublesome affair.

On the other hand, that would mean an alliance of 4 nobles under one roof. and perhaps all 4 in one bed too. Hehehe....

"Master, you have a guest. He styles himself as Lord Blackshiel.."

"I know the man, let him in."
----------------------------------------
Take up the offer of taking all 4 brides. Invite them and their families to my palace in Stormstead.

[Dwarmin]

The King's hunters-clad in leafy armor and camoflouged paint-silently took up positions, and he pointed out a large wolf that was standing in the brush.

 "That ones the Mother. Archers will concentrate on her, for her will holds the pack together. Leave the pups alone until we're done with the adults-not that they're not dangerous...well, it makes them mad if you do that. We need them predictable." He said to them earlier-right now, not a one of them will risk talking this close to the pack.

He made a series of hand signals to his men, who began assembling long wooden spears with casual haste. They resembled wide headed tridents, ostensibly used for arresting a Worgs charge, and weighted nets with barbs for entangling them. The Archers carried heavy crossbows-the only thing that could be counted on to reliably wound a Worg before he got you-to be fired and discarded once battle begun.

They waited for the signal, preparing to form a loose wedge shape-as the wolves charged in, the pickteers would draw back, and the inner ring with the spears would encircle and entrap the wolf, killing it. Things usually went to plan...

[Taricus]

In Atemheide.

Around midday, a small entourage approached the main door of the lord's manor, most following one prodigiously armoured figure, requesting a meeting with the Duc of the region...

[Tiruin]

As Renart looked over the lands near Northwatch keep, he knew that summer was drawing near, and if there was any changes to be done in the new reign of King Albert, it had to start when the year was young.

He asked his steward to voice out the state of affairs in Northwatch, including an open court to the common people and their concerns.

Reparations would be made, and if his dream of a Golden Age for the Adranic people would be met, it would start from it's foundations - the peasants.

[Dragor23]

Theor entered after the slave returned to tell him the message.
"I'm pleased that I'm still welcome in your hall, Duc Arbovent." said the Blackshield with lax voice
"But, oh well, I don't have time for fancy talking. The meeting with the marshal is done and I want to tell you what we discussed... You will be happy, or not, to hear that the Prince is not an idiot. His plan is... To unite the Arendal under Windheath. It sounds vaguely familiar to me..."

[King_of_the_weasels]

Before the hunt

"Then it is settled, the people of the high hills will allow you into their lands with the promise of sustainability, and they will lend their skills for your... cause."

Spend the .2 ducats on trapping supplies. 3.4 left.


*gonna wait for shoot's opinion on the hunt*