Cyril sat in his study, going through the letters and missives that had arrived in his absence, his king bedridden from the grey death, his friend the prince preparing for war against the regent. The blauritter dead. Asked to choose between the "word" of his king and the word of the prince. The choice however was simple.
Raise any levies I may have and ride to join Richard.
[6+1] Your nobles are fully at your back, themselves being strong supporters of the Prince. They even rally support from the forest hunters to fill out their ranks. [Noble unrest +1, full + bonus levies raised.] The lay knights are not the best equipped, but what they lack in arms they make up in numbers. A full two infantry regiments are brought together from your levies and journey with your own tactical archer regiment to Altaregia to join the fight.
You are trapped at knife-point between two unreasonable people. How do you proceed?
Talinth spared a glance for Sahainn to prepare to attack to take down as fast as possible, but not kill, just in case.
"I really think you should calm down and take this knife out of my neck, miss." he said calmly. Of course, he still had chain mail to protect his neck and had somewhat quick reflexes, but it still was not a comfortable position. Mary had abused both his trust in the common folk and his moment of carelessness - since he wasn't expecting an attack in such a situation - to threaten his life.
"If your situation is bad, you're only making it worse by threatening me. Even if you did kill me, what do you think would happen? You would not be granted what you desire and would be hunted by law instead."
Try to convince her to give up and talk instead. If she as much as tenses for an attack, then try to move and make the knife blow hit armor or mail instead of flesh. Then both knight and worg should subdue her, nonlethally but with due force.
[5] Mary holds the knife at your neck for a few moments, then drops it. Within seconds, Sahainn has the knife safely in her jaws. Mary actually folds to the floor and bursts into tears. Almost without thinking, Barran kneels and takes her in his arms. Mary sobs quietly, while Barran speaks to you for the first time.
You hear the whole story, and it is sadly all that you expected. Barran and Mary were lovers. He had falsely promised to marry her, and fathered a daughter. Mary was of southern birth, and under old southern law a promise to marriage was as good as a marriage - and he had written to her in a letter of his promise. Barran had kept the girl as a hostage - he insists that she is safe and being cared for in a nunnery outside the city - and demanded the letter back to preserve his honour. If he had been found out to have fathered an illegitimate child he stood no chance of marrying into the low nobility as his family wished him to. Mary wanted him to marry her, then use the letter to claim that the girl had been born legitimately - preserving her own honour.
Things went wrong with his plan, though. Mary's brothers stole the letter and used it against Barran, blackmailing him with the threat of revealing it to the king or to his family and seeing him lose his position and honour both. He found himself forced to let them into the castle, initially just to pinch meat from the kitchens, but soon it ended up with stealing silver and valuables. Mary knew nothing of it, but her brothers were and are professional thieves - if Barran thought he could, he would have captured and hanged them all if he had any proof that didn't implicate himself directly. Proof of any other crimes they had committed.
Barran frowns. "One more thing, Saer. Last night, before you met with the king, I let them in again even though I swore I wouldn't. They carried a bundle in with them, though - normally they just take things out. It looked to be a cloak, some sort of rough southern wool. I think there might have been bread inside."
"So there you have it," says Barran. "We're at your mercy and your judgement. If you tell the king or the court, I'm done for, but her brothers won't be able to blackmail anyone with the letter. If not... I submit to your judgement instead, saer."
Two regiments...
Renart studied the composure of the men who served under him and decided that two regiments were enough. He wouldn't press his vassals for more, given their unwilling stupidity attitude. The people, were a more important factor.
While away, Renart entrusts the commonfolk [In secret] to keep Northwatch stable and not in the hands of those lesser lords. As well as keeping that Haegar ex-warchief safe, and the rest of the populace. Do not bring the Infantry Regiment loyal to my name that is guarding the Trade Route.
"Captain, ensure the levies are taken well cared off. We'd not like to lose our hunters ere the Winter falls. Make haste, we move for Dechire."
Move onto Dechire! Perhaps, raise any...more levies if possible?
Dechire: Ascertain their allegiance to Richard through finding out who currently is in charge. Hold a meeting with them and try to sway him/her over if not -- remind them of Richard's ancestry and of how he served loyally along with Albert. If successful, raise levies from there, as well as the past Duc's forces still loyal to him (for the glory of the realm) and march onwards to Richard's location, aiming to evade any enemies on the way if possible.
If they still resist, attempt to take the City by force and only the city -- not directly:
Attempt to Reveal and locations from ambush before the fight. Whichever goes, ensure that at least some portion of my troops are in the city before we make our attempt at taking it.
If Dechire is under control, request if I could gain ducats -- in the name of the protection of the realm, of course this is optional and for those who wish to contribute.
You arrive at Dechire and find out that a coalition of barons have already officially sided with Richard - they are sending three infantry regiments to Altaregia as they speak. Unfortunately, this has exhausted all of the levies available there, along with the money. It would appear everything they have is already at Richard's command - except for a very basic garrison, Dechire is defenceless.
Richard sends a call across the realm, asking his supporters to join him in Altaregia (interrupting whatever they are doing currently if possible).
Spiritusaer is defenceless and pacified now, but Dechire sends three regiments of infantry to Altaregia, having chosen their side.
"Of course my lord, of course. A leader should not be burdened with the crimes of what those below them commit, after all..."
Osir bowed, and said farewell. Being in the North was better than being in the middle of a civil war after all, and far better than being near the Prophet.
Head back to Osport and gather up my regiment and my court priest, Aki. Gather any news that has come out of the North as of late and then check with the clanlords on the current politics of the Haegari coast-tribes.
You head back to Osport, meeting briefly with some of Rakon's troops as you pass Spiritusaer. [3+1] Your clanlords are still feeling warm to you after the drake hunts, and four-fifths of them suggest sending their bondsmen with you to the fight, should you need to raise levies. Given how strong the clanlords are in Osport, that would equate to two regiments - one of them Berserker.
[6] The clanlords are very quiet about happenings up north - almost as if they don't know or are afraid to say. You press the issue to little avail, but wake up one morning to find a note outside your door.
If you would wake the Kraken and visit a storm upon your lands, find the Haegar that Lionel protects.
[1][No bonus, since Fust didn't get time to start acrobaticing] A firm hand is placed on your shoulder, preventing you to move. The guards firmly take your arms, preventing any movement. It would seem the "look over there" trick is very popular amongst the town's thieves, bandits and, perhaps, spies - and they are not pleased.
"I don't think so. You're coming with us no matter whether you want it or not... And if you try again I'll break your arm."
Fust is bodily moved along.
"You make a convincing argument, saer. I don't suppose I could convince you to forgot you saw me? There's a house on the waterfront where I keep a spot of gold for friends - and a spot of female company, if you gather my meaning."
Author
Topic: You are King III: Spring 938 AAL (Read 131394 times)