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[Tiruin]

Pre-meeting, Cyril.

"That is called life, my friend. Nothing is certain but the end we all face. And I wish to meet her last, the mistress all men share. Death."

Renart pointed out the runner who was to summon them at Richard's side. "I think I owe you ten wolves for that bet."

Pre-meeting, Trent.

"Just take care my vassal, and watch your sides. We aren't sure what else would strike at us in this precarious meet, nor do we know if any of them have cards up their sleeves."

Renart clasped his ally by the shoulder before giving him an assuring nod. "I trust you'll do the right thing."

Meeting...

"Fellows." Renart said, addressing the general nobility, nodding to Edgard and Theor while riding up to the Prince's side. "We now walk on equal ground, ready to be turned into human pincushions at the sound of a blade."

The Marquis gestured at the rows of archers and crossbowmen right behind the defensive lines and kicked the bridge for good measure, hearing it's rough echo.

"Let's not do anything stupid."

[King_of_the_weasels]

-Pre-meeting-

"I know of this mistress, I've seen her kiss the last breath from many of my closest compatriots, and pet the fur of the animals I've slain.  I fear today we will see her do much flirting between friend and foe." Cyril paused and looked back at Renart as he made his way towards the meeting, turning his body and pointing with authority, "Don't tell my wife."

[Ghazkull]

Oh i do not intend to do something stupid Renart. But now that everybody is here we can begin can we? Due to the latest happenings I'd say we meet at a white peace. For the duration of the uncertainty of either the Regents or the Princes claims i'd say we form a Noble Council from which both the Prince and the Regent are closed out. Further i'D suggest we disband all levies and put the Crown Army under control of the Council of Nobles. This way we can prevent any backstabbing from any of you two.

Concerning your accusations Richard, due to you having no tangible proof for his guilt and Edgard having none to back his innocence i'd say we resolve that by Divine Judgement, an ordeal under the supervision of the Inquisitor or Jitpau or any religious instance.

This seems the most agreeable end to this disagreement in my eyes.





Hire the Merc Regiment. (i'm not sure if i read that correctly...3 Ducats price and 0,5 Ducats upkeep?

[Tiruin]

Oh i do not intend to do something stupid Renart. But now that everybody is here we can begin can we? Due to the latest happenings I'd say we meet at a white peace. For the duration of the uncertainty of either the Regents or the Princes claims i'd say we form a Noble Council from which both the Prince and the Regent are closed out. Further i'D suggest we disband all levies and put the Crown Army under control of the Council of Nobles. This way we can prevent any backstabbing from any of you two. [...]

This way we can prevent any backstabbing from any of you two. [...]

under [...]control of the Council of Nobles. This way we can prevent any backstabbing[...]

Renart whistled at the thought.

"Concerning the Royal Army, they answer to the King and to those he deemed worthy to control them -- the Marshal of the realm, who is Richard, if you may have forgotten. Next, we haven't heard any word from any of the Court Physicians or the High Priests about the King's status. We're being harried by our neighbors as we speak; Northwatch and her neighbor has been attacked by unscrupulous raiders and I fear more is to follow after...news is spread."

He pondered on what his fellowman meant by 'you two'.

"At this rate, we're losing much more than what we've recovered in the...oh, four months since the coronation due to the damned plague affecting our nation.

"Are you all sure our Albert wasn't taken ill by...someone who wished him ill and planned for this to happen? Turning our people against each other?"

[Ardas]

"You must admit Renart, the council without me or Richard on it will not work. We are not here to only judge, but also to discuss potential disarmament.

So lets start form the beginning. Do you, noble gentlemen, give faith to Prince's accusation that it was me who poisoned the prince? I can ask prophet Jitpau, who is an expert on Grey Death to give his testimony of our king's ilness. There is also an investigation going on now, and I await its results."

[King_of_the_weasels]

"Jitpau? Oh, yes, let us take the word of a mad man." Cyril shook his head, "I heard he's claiming to speak for the gods now? A prophet?  If you believe him on that no wonder you believe him an expert on such a sickness.  For all we know he could of poisoned Albert! Whether you knew or not doesn't matter, since you let him see the king but not even his own brother can."

[Dragor23]

Theor was slighty amused by the try of Cyril to undermine Jitpaus authority "As far as I know, Jitpau was an reowned expert of the Grey Death, studied this illness his whole lifetime. Also, the prince seems not to be very concerned about his brother... No one refused him to visit the king, but he rather rode with the royal army away, starting this whole disaster. Very fraternal of you, my dear Richard. With such relations, you don't need any enemy."

[Tiruin]

"Err, Jitpau? That's what we call him now?" Renart said, "Thinking along Richard's lines, we cannot be truly certain on the King's illness. If it was the Grey Death, deriving from memory, he should be dead now.

"Edgard, Ria...The suspects amount as I think of those who kept in contact with the King during the early Summer. All I wish to see is the King nursed back to health and the realm reunited."

[Azthor]

/deleted/

[Ardas]

"Actually king has seen more people than that, and the only people in close contact were Richard and Ria.
The prince lived and ate with in in the royal quarters in the keep and the concubine slept with him every night.
As for myself, I spent entire summer in my residence outside of the capital, seeing His Majersty only once, and briefly at that. Theor was with me at my estate when we got the news of king's illness."

Edgard looked at the gathered people.
"If you think that someone could evade Bravos and poison ther king somehow,, its quite unlikely. It is likely however that people already close to the king could have been infected or carried the ilness unknowingly. Maybe good questioning of that peasant woman, Ria will give us some answers."

[Tiruin]

"So you say the infection is like a carrier?" Renart said, staying by Richard's side. "Like it shows itself only in certain people? If so, then it must've spread unknowingly, and everyone who had talked to the King himself could already be infected.

"Though I don't believe Ria is a peasant."

[Ardas]

"I do not know if that is the case, but I find it hard to explain king's ilness otherwise.It is quite likely though that some dirt or unwashed food was given to Albert, or if he got ill unknowingly while hunting.
But Ria had the closest contact with king, she must be held suspect too."

[micelus]

Gather up every haegar loyal to the old regime and then ask them why exactly they still prefer the old regime.

[Shootandrun]

Richard ignored Theor throughout much of the meeting and remained somewhat uninvolved, but after a while he interrupted the nobles.

"My lords, all this talk about the investigation is interesting, but my time is running short. Parnoth is in Westwatch, and I will have to ride out to meet him as soon as possible. This can end in two ways - me burning down this bridge and leaving you to starve, or me taking my forces and lifting the siege. No matter what happens, Parnoth will be hanged - Charles is going to want his head for that, and I will be pleased to oblige him. However, I do not wish to spill Windlander blood.

If Jitpau is to testimony, he must do it on this bridge within the hour. I have no time to wait for the priesthood to organize a meeting and go through all the bloody procedures... As for the suspects, the time one spent with the king does not affect the likeliness of a poisoning - any man could have paid the cooks or hired so wine salesman, even if that man was half a kingdom away. Besides, Ria was in love with Albert - and I would appreciate if you stopped referring to her as a concubine, lord Edgard - and even though crimes for love are not unheard of, I doubt she would have attempted to kill him. I'd put her on top of the suspect list if, say, the Regent's sister had been poisoned, but she appears to be in perfect health.

Thing is, we don't have time for an investigation right now. Cutting to the chase and starting to discuss terms right away would be more productive. I personally reiterate mine - a council of nobles to take care of the regency instead of one man, with all of us possessing the right to vote, but only me, Renart, Cyril and Dechire to keep a veto right. That way we could ensure that whoever did poison the king will not be alone in power over the realm alone. If you surrender now, then you'll keep land and vassals, but I'll want you to send your troops back to your demesnes, with the double duty of defending them against Parnoth if things go awry on Westwatch and to stop being a constant threat once I start giving the Duc a merry chase. All these demands I am willing to talk over.

The one thing I will not discuss is that the raiders who went through Dechire and Northwatch - and I know perfectly well Stormstead sent them, Edgard, just like I knew of Parnoth's coming before you did - are to be surrendered to my forces, to be sold as slaves. I am well willing to give out pardons to you all, for this affair is clouded with intrigue and I myself am not absolutely sure that the traitor is amongst yours, but dishonorable scum who murder peasants and burn fields will get what they deserve. The nobles who were loyal to you will be expected to pay a compensation for the damages - barely two ducats, I believe, but still."

[adwarf]

Trent's force were small compared to the rest as they marched out of the camp of the Prince's army, the flag waved about lightly in the win nearly at the head of the column, in front of it was Trent himself and eight other men. Their rugged cloaks colored to blend into forest and marshland alike, the bows tipped in green metal on either end placed in the quivers on their backs, and the way they carried themselves as if ready to blend into the ground at any moment set them off as Rangers.

"The last of the Rangers, the end of an order I was charged with leading ...", Trent thought bitterly as he turned back to face the road ahead of them. After a few seconds Trent just shook his head, and kicked the horse into a trot as the men behind him picked up pace to keep up with him.

March for the bridge northwest of Lorese and set up camp there.

Send scouts out to Harald's Demise and Lorese as well as the land north of the two, have them bring me knews of enemy placement, numbers, and movement.

Send three men to watch the coast the river for sign of the ships from Shipbreaker Isle, have them bring me notice of their sighting as quick as they can if they do.