Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Shootandrun]

Summer 937 AAL: Winds of War

It is now Summer. Three months after the end of the Iron Queen's reign, the Kingdom of Windheath is awakening after nearly thirty dark years under the Queen's rule. Albert Conricht, First of His Name, now rules unchallenged over the nation. His vassals all agree on one thing: the kingdom must expand its border and use its formidable strength to get more lands from its neighbors. Massive recruitment of troops has started all across the kingdom, and the intrigue of the court has lead many powerful nobles to watch the west with greedy eyes. It seems that the reign of Albert is doomed to be marked by war very early on.

What happened this season:
-Albert Conricht takes the crown of Windheath, the richest kingdom of the north.
-His brother, Richard Conricht, is named Marshal. Renart Lionel and Theor Blackshield are made generals.
-Edgar of Arborvent is named treasurer of the crown.
-The Duc of Dechire receives the duty of admiral.
-The Count Whitehaven is murdered. His daughter becomes the Prince's unofficial bride.
-Duc Edgar makes alliance in the west, along the border of Arendalis. The nobles who agree to give him their daughters for marriage also wish to join the kingdom, if the King and the Duc can protect them from the vengeful attack that would follow from Arendalis as soon as they declared independence. Two of these nobles agree to become Edgar's vassals.
-Renart is made Richard's vassal in an effort to make the army stronger and create a larger power base loyal to the king. The other general, Theor, refuses Richard's offer.
-The captain of the Northwatch Rangers, a man called Trent, angers Edgar and Richard - the two most powerful men in the kingdom after the king. He is sent troll hunting, which is a means to say he is sent in exile and not expected to come back.
-Fust of Tumblestone attempts to marry the young heir to a titular title in order to get his nobility back.
-A plague, somewhat virulent, spreads to the kingdom. It is seen near Dechire and the Crown.
-Ursa Emanhild, Blauritter and Duc of Spirituaser, starts plotting against other nobles in an effort to get more lands to the king.
-I think that's it.

[2] The Grey Death continues to spread throughout the kingdom. It is now seen in the lands of Theor Blackshield, north of the Crown. Unrest rises throughout the commoners, who fear that they will be forced to act on their own against this new threat.

[Taricus]

Actions:
50 crowns are to be spent on the mine supports, as well as 10 crowns to dig the men out. Baron jool is to have his ownership of the mines stripped and rendered into Ursa's control. His fief and title are to divided up by the other nobles for their own taking.

The King seems a bit...annoyed.

"Duc Ursa..I am not a money lender, nor a bank for you to make withdrawls from-a King cannot show favoritism like this, lest his Vassals begin to clamor tyranny. Not even to Blauritter-as that is an honorific, and not a title to be pawned off for money.

Given your special relationship with the crown, though, you will be given special considerations...speak to Advisor Edgard on my account. You will not go home empty handed I hope, but my hand will not be in this...such a common matter. Just understand, I'm very busy these days. I can't be...fishing everyone out of the wells they've dug themselves into. The Plague may get worse, and that money may be needed for a true emergency.

I suppose you might be disappointed, but I am the King, and this is my decision. Now, if you feel Edgard does not treat you fairly and in accordance to your station, you may come back and tell me so. But honestly, Duc...I've got worse problems to deal with."

"Consider this less a common matter, one more intent of restoring Spirituaser's trust in the crown then. Because unlike the other "Wells" so to speak, this one was dug in most recently by your own mother when she sacked the city after the war of the hounds, Though I do understand the concern about the plague and such due to it spreading fairly quickly. Provided the areas infected have sufficient food to last a few years, we could quarantine them to stop it from spreading

And dissapointment? I am not at that stage yet Mi'lord. Regardless, I will accept your decision, but I shall not do so without complaint. And you may actually be dealing with a worse problem here..."

[NUKE9.13]

Plagues are dreary things. Dead line the streets, people fear to tread outside, mothers wail and children bawl.

And the priests?

The priests play music.

They play it loud, and cheerful, and quick. They ride through the streets, in a black cart, swinging incense and chanting praises and playing music. For a moment, children forget their worries, and dance along behind the cart, singing along to the joyous tunes.
An old priest and three assistants ride south from Stormstead, making their way across fields and rivers, through forests and hills, till they reach the Pact, where Harald Stonewood reigns. With a show of the royal seal they make their way past the gates, and request audience with the young lord.

Servus Kninh (and assistants) requests audience with Harald Stonewood

[adwarf]

Trent grabbed the woman's shoulder and shook his head before pointing to further back in the woods, nodding towards the other Rangers the group turns and heads deeper into the forest a little ways from the fortress. Sitting down with his back against a tree Trent spoke up, "We'll need to wait for nightfall before we go into the fortress and look around, Madam if you would I want you and Ardella to stay out here while me, Tellard, and Darnell get in and get a closer look at whats going on. While we're inside I want you, Madam, and Ardella to take this jar of pitch and set up a couple of fires in the forest behind the stronghold heading further into Haegar lands and if possible try to get a few started on the wall as well to burn it down, we'll use that as a distraction to escape but save a third of the pitch we'll need it for later. Is this plan acceptable Madam?"

[kingfisher1112]

" It is an acceptable plan, and bring me a runic haegar axe please."

[Dragor23]

Theor was not quite comfortable with the Grey Death in his lands and he also missed the occassion to have a open ear for his vassals and villens... Training a knight and raising an army were time consuming fun and laughter (until someone got hurt... Why happened quite often) .

The reports of the disease made one good thing... They woke up Theor to treat his lands better, so opened his court to listen to the problems of the great and little man in his demense.


Which means an open court. *cough*

[Ghazkull]

Led by a Guard, Servus is brought to the Court of the Old Castle.
The Pact had never been captured since it had been built and the Stonewoods had been proud on that fact. During the War of the Hounds the fortress had been sieged several times but nobody had managed to take it, in the end the Stonewoods had to surrender to prevent the surrounding Lands to be ransacked and due the futility of their Defence as most of the other Southern Lords had already given up. The Pact had never been an beautiful piece of Masonry but was built to withstand any attacker.
At least it looked like this till you enter the Feasting Hall. Back in the Days when the Stonewoods had been rich from Gem Trade, Jorun Stonewood, one of Haralds Ancestors, had the walls of the Feasting Hall chiseled into a Forest.
He must have put the best artisans of the time to work as the Masonry was truly the work of a Master. The roots artfully form complex patterns on the floor, while the pillars who carry the halls roof have been skillfully integrated as trees into the walls. And finally their Crowns meet and form the roofwork. As the Guard leads Servus through the room, he could propably spot a myriad of little details on the chiseled wall and if he touched it one could feel the irregularities of the stone worked into the bark of the trees.
But the Feasting Hall is not were the Guard leads him. Two small doors on the back left and right side of the Hall lead to another room with an open roof. It is more of an Atrium and at a closer look the Stone tree in the midst turns out to be a very old Stone Oak. In fact it turns out to be The Oak of the Pact! It is rumored to stand there since the Castle had been established and seeing from how big the tree is it is propably the truth. Harald is already awaiting the priest in the Court nervously pacing up and down, his face showing signs of sleeplessness. When he sees the Old Priest and his Retinue his face lights up.

Finally! I already thought you would never come. But were are my manners? I am Lord Harald Stonewood.

As he shakes Servus's hand the degree of Harald's insomnia becomes clear, he looks like he hasn't slept for days.

[adwarf]

Trent grinned at the woman, she was very interesting to say the least, and replied "I'll try, but you know the Haegar when there is one there are hundreds more somewhere nearby. Darnell, Tellard start getting ready, prep your bows, check your arrows, sharpen your knives, and cover up anything that will make noise with rags or the like, Ardella you take the pitch and keep your bow and sword at hand I don't need you dying on me just yet. Now it's time to wait, the Hunt is a patient event ..." With that he handed Ardella the jar of pitch and went silent as he began sorting a few items out before him, five throwing daggers, a whetstone, and an odd dagger about the length of a shortsword with a curved blade and a wolf-head pommel.

Have Darnell, and Tellard prepare to go into the Haegar fort, sharpen knives, dampen sound of clinking or stomping with rags, etc.
Sharpen my knives, and use the pitch jar to make two fire arrows for a just in case scenario. Also dampen my sound as well
Give the pitch jar to Ardella, and the Woman to prepare fires when it become nightfall.
Wait till night fall then examine the fortress from the forest once more.

[NUKE9.13]

Finally! I already thought you would never come. But were are my manners? I am Lord Harald Stonewood.

As he shakes Servus's hand the degree of Harald's insomnia becomes clear, he looks like he hasn't slept for days.

"Fear not, your lordship. I have sworn service to the king and his people, and I could not let plague ravage the land unchecked."

"I am Grand Reader Servus Kninh. I happen to be well read on the subject of the Grey Death. I can tell you how to treat those who have it, how to prevent it from spreading, and how to end it."

"Treatment is simple. Rest. Water. Prayer. Sometimes they recover, sometimes they do not. It is an unfortunate fact that once stricken, their fates are no longer in our hands, but those of the gods."

"Prevention is simple. Music, and prayer. The Grey Death is the domain of Ziamdaka, goddess of earth, death, and music. To soothe Ziamdaka, and slow the plague, you should have musicians wander the stricken villages, and play lively music that will lift the spirits. Donations to her temples, and feasts in her name, may also be of use.
I can tell you, though, that all other efforts are in vain. No quarantine can hold the Grey Death. It travels through the earth, below the reach of man, and rears up where one least expects it. Cremation will not help you, medicines will not help you, walls will not help you.
The Grey Death may strike mostly at farmers, who live in the earth through which it propagates, but noblemen, merchants, smiths- all can, will, and have fallen before it."

"The only way of lessening the risks is by ending the plague. For such a plague is no natural event; the gods may be distant, but they are not cruel. Only the mind of man could summon such evil. And for the plague to spread so fast, and so soon after the queen's abdication... my lord, you must keep this silent, but I fear that this may be the work of... Sorcerers."

[Ghazkull]

Harald's Eyes narrowed. Sorcerers. Damn it.

I will order a Witch Hunt then. While we play music.

[NUKE9.13]

I will order a Witch Hunt then. While we play music.

"It shall be done. Can you think of anyone who might wish harm to you, or your subjects? I suspect such powerful magics would require powerful backers."

[Shootandrun]

Which means an open court. *cough*

As soon as they hear of your proposal to hold an open court, your subjects rush at your gates to complain about dozens of different things. Most of them are minor, but you note a few that stand out of the lot.

The Commoners

[6] Your peasants live well. Very well, in fact. Most of them have slaves to tend to their farm animals, and they are quite wealthy for their level in the society. The trade of wool and cattle has made them particularly wealthy during these last few years, and they have not taken well to be infected by the Grey Death. Not well at all. This may be because it reminded them that they are, in the end, peasants, and that like all peasants they can die of petty diseases, but they expect you to do something, and to do it quickly. [Power: 4]

[6] A great many of them blame their misfortune on the local herbalist. You have met him multiple times: he is a competent and gentle man, well versed in the knowledge of herbs and biology (for an herbalist). His talent is, in your opinion, even greater than that of real doctors from Stormstead. And, because he is an herbalist and he cannot heal the disease, your peasants claim that he is a sorcerer, and want him on a pyre as soon as possible.

Steward's comments: It would be a damn shame to loose such a talented man, but the mob wants his head. You'll have to maneuver carefully to save him. You could also let him die, of course.

The Nobility

[2] There is next to no nobility to speak of in your lands. Most were wiped out during the War of the Hounds, more precisely during the Battle of Stormstead, where they were captured and, for the best part, hanged by the King in the North. Their families did not survive the subsequent looting of your lands. What remains now is a pale shadow of a nobility, with barely a handful of men landed under your rule. [Power: 1]

[3] These few men have nothing to suggest, except to perhaps burn the herbalist. They are too feeble to put any strength behind their demands, and anyway they do not lack anything - noblemen certainly aren't going to die of the plague!

Steward's comment: I was there, on the day that Godfrey of Normarck assembled the nobility of your lands to mount an assault on Stormstead. He was a brave, charismatic and audacious man, but he was also a fool and the worst general of the war. It was a massacre. The entire male nobility was wiped out along with their armies, which left your lands open for looting. I hear the King forbid his men to do it, but of course, that did not stop them. It takes more than the word of a king to stop soldiers after a battle to loot, and the few nobles who survived these few days were either children that had been spared by invaders or particularly ugly women. Now these few men and women are all that remains.

[Dragor23]

Theor didn't bother with the nobles... Manchilds and ugly old women married to them was not a matter of great interest. But the commoner were upset by the Grey Death and demanded blood... Narrowminded fools thought he and said then in an authoritive voice "Are there any evidence? A herbalist is not a sorcerer just because he cannot heal a disease. He helped you and me quite a lot in his life span.... Maybe this illness is beyond his capability." But he promised to care about the problem with the dread which burns out his subjects.


Seek advice from the priests.
Are there any other problems beside certain bloodlust against a particular herbalist?
Ask the squire what his opinion is.

[NUKE9.13]

Seek advice from the priests.

[6] The local priest confesses ignorance. He has consulted the omens, but they are hazy; whether the man is innocent or not depends on how one reads them. He suggests that this is a sign that the gods have placed judgement in your mortal hands.
Though, he could send for a more experienced oracle, who would be able to make a more precise judgement.

[micelus]

Ice Drake Hunt! Bring the priest.