Topic: Lordship: A Suggestion Game (Read 329157 times)

Truean · « **Reply #2895 on:** April 07, 2013, 11:32:52 pm »

Quote from: Gervassen on April 07, 2013, 06:49:56 am

Quote from: Truean on April 06, 2013, 05:40:48 pm
c.) Cut Luther some slack but gently keep encouraging him with some lessons etc. Yes, keep on teaching him and having him practice, but see to it that he has someplace decent to live, etc. We want the best fighter in the land firmly on our side.

No slacking. It's not in his fiery nature to take well to slacking and indulgence. He owes us everything, and we owe him nothing. If he wishes to find a different lord that wants a peasant squire, let him try his luck, but we will not teach him well by being indulgent and acting as though we need his approval. His room should remain spartan, and even that is a blessing. Some squires slept in dog kennels!

He has, however, earned some of our time. Let's spar lightly with him as active recovery. Let him know to take it easy on us. Meanwhile, tell him our own story growing up, the chance that brought us here, and what skills helped us along the way. Combat and good capable administration of our lands have both been equally important in our and our people's advancement and protection; and as a squire, he should also plan for a day when he has a fief to administer. If he wishes to protect his people, he must learn both. Then continue to teach him basic skills of nobility and administration.

Other than our light training, rest and rehabilitation.

Oh, and send Sir Owen a personal challenge to attend the contest of arms.

Why ya gotta be like that to the guy? He worships the ground we walk on.... Loyalty and extreme usefulness, reward it. I mean, there are people gunning for us (the Count for one) and this guy is a massive meatshield if nothing else. Please don't take a modern "everybody is replacable" stance on this. Dude is a loyal retainer who can fight really well. We want more of those. Yeah, ok, let's say you're 110% right and he does owe us everything. I bet you one day he's going to save our life.... Nothing wrong with a down payment on that.... Not only that, but dude... I bet you he probably COULD enlist in the army or something: they'd take a big burly SoB who can fight if they have any eye for talent.

That said, we don't have to roll out the red carpet (I don't think we have one) for him, but ... make sure he's alright and stuff....

That said, have we reached any sort of consensus on what the heck we're doing with the labor and protection thing with the mines/silverhills? I dunno, I'm just trying to make the DM's job easier.

jaass · « **Reply #2896 on:** April 07, 2013, 11:53:53 pm »

The best thing for now is just build a better road for transportation of materials between Feroshire and Silverhills. We could also just give them permission to have a small standing militia and maybe build a palisade for defense.

Gervassen · « **Reply #2897 on:** April 08, 2013, 05:16:14 am »

Quote from: Truean on April 07, 2013, 11:32:52 pm

Why ya gotta be like that to the guy? He worships the ground we walk on.... Loyalty and extreme usefulness, reward it. I mean, there are people gunning for us (the Count for one) and this guy is a massive meatshield if nothing else. Please don't take a modern "everybody is replacable" stance on this. Dude is a loyal retainer who can fight really well. We want more of those. Yeah, ok, let's say you're 110% right and he does owe us everything. I bet you one day he's going to save our life.... Nothing wrong with a down payment on that.... Not only that, but dude... I bet you he probably COULD enlist in the army or something: they'd take a big burly SoB who can fight if they have any eye for talent.

This is boot camp, son. We're not here to be acclaimed world's best dad, because we let junior drink our beer out of the fridge and swear around us. We're here to get a serious job done by enforcing disciple and respect while teaching extremely useful things for his own good.

Put into medieval terms, we're here to train him and give him an opportunity. You know what the reward is? It isn't sitting on a purple cushion all day and being fed grapes by us. The reward is eventually becoming a knight, which outclasses being a simple soldier in the army by leagues. If he wants to be a common soldier, let him go rule the roost in some grimy barracks. I'd rather have him here, but it's going to be on our terms. He has to work to be the knight, and there has to be no slacking. Not in our squire.

During the sparring sessions, we're going to build a rapport with him and reward him with our trust and guidance, but we don't lighten up on his training, or make life easier for him. Marching out on campaign ain't no purple cushion, either.

Oh, and when we are having our sparring tête-a-tête, use our Fine Man of the People to establish a connection for guaranteed rapport success.

Maldevious · « **Reply #2898 on:** April 08, 2013, 07:18:37 am »

Year 5, September

At the start of the month, you begin to do some light sparring with Luther, as you feel your fitness beginning to slip. You attempt to push through the rib injury, but something is still not right; you wince when you lift the sword, and the first blow you take on your shield causes you to black out in pain.

Greatly deterred, you see the healer, who examines you closely and declares that while some of your ribs have healed, several are still broken. She wraps your torso in gauze for support, and tells you to absolutely engage in no further physical activity for the next two months. Reinforcing her point, she says specifically not to compete in the tournament next month.

You frown inwardly, knowing that you just had a letter sent off to Sir Owen personally challenging him to combat at the tournament. Something must be done about that... you just aren't sure what.

Work continues apace this month, with more progress being made on the tower than the wall. The tower is over half done now. The river is also closer to being fully dredged, although you suspect that it may need a bit of work early next summer to be fully finished.

The road between the two ferry stations that link Feroshire and Silverhills is defined and spread with gravel. A second branch of the road also runs upstream to the ford. You decide that it makes the most sense to move the metalworks to Silverhills, and inform the artisans of the move. They agree with your logic, and the move takes place during the month. However, you do keep the armory in Feroshire.

You send a letter to the troupe that performed the small play relating your slaying of the bear, asking them to perform at your fair next month and reenact some scenes from your history of the Sea Raider incursion. Unfortunately, they have already been retained for the next few months, and are unable to ascent to your request.

With your sparring with Luther unable to take place, you attempt to engage him in conversation during the times you see him about the manor. He seems a bit distant this month, and you press him for details. He is reluctant to go into much, simply explaining that it has been a year since his family was killed. You decide that it is not the best time to explain your story to him further, and give him some space.

At the end of the month, you receive a startling note from The Rat. The Count is dead, killed in a drunken fall from the balcony of a whorehouse. Sir Owen and his wife are taking residence in Curbiston as he writes, and he hears that Sir Owen is fishing about for a pretext to justify an assault on Feroshire, which he sees rightfully as stealing the thunder of the County seat. As of now, he has been unable to find one, but The Rat recommends preparing your defenses.

The tournament is next month, as are taxes and the harvest. How will you react to this portentous news?

Spoiler: "Baronet Samuel Stone" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Equipment and Possessions" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Feroshire (Capital Town)" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Your Land" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Your Forces" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Your people" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Nearby" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Known Lords by Rank and Relationship" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Important Citizens by Occupation" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "In Fond Remembrance" (click to show/hide)

tryrar · « **Reply #2899 on:** April 08, 2013, 07:30:56 am »

.....Well fuck, this flipped the entire table up

Edit: Would it be in bad taste to have a party celebrating the count's death?

Gervassen · « **Reply #2900 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:14:36 am »

I've had broken ribs from a slip on an obstacle course. They didn't take this long to heal, christ.

Maldevious · « **Reply #2901 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:34:36 am »

Broken ribs is the diagnosis by a medieval healer. There may be underlying issues that she is unable to detect given her diagnostic tools. It would seem likely, in fact, given the length of this injury.

Remember, a 9 foot tall bear body slammed you. It took a fortunate series of rolls to even survive.

Gervassen · « **Reply #2902 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:46:47 am »

In that case, our squire must fight our battles. We'd best get him fitted for plate armour, and find an ad hoc suit until the properly fitted one arrives. The duke seemed to have spare suits. It's an extraordinary step to armour a mere squire in expensive plate, but if we can't do battle, we need a champion to fight our cause if Owen presses us at the contest.

Let him go wild. As much training as he craves.

Truean · « **Reply #2903 on:** April 08, 2013, 11:58:23 am »

Actually, I expected the count to drink himself to death and this is drinking related so ... 6 of one ... 1/2 dozen of another.

Well, we aren't doing anything physical for a while at least. Train the squire.... Explain we will not be at the festival/tournament for now. We were mauled by a bear. This is sufficient excuse.

As for the count, dude, simply get the proper respects shown that are expected of us. Attend his funeral, letter of condolence, etc (with guards etc).

The count was an incompetent moron who drank himself to death. Owen is competent and has proven he can take us in a fight before we were injured.... Now, he most certainly could. I want my enemies to have the vice of stupidity, and it doesn't seem Owen has that. Hey, for all we know Owen was the one behind the count trying to take us out before and he may very well have shoved him to his death.

Pay the Rat something for once again saving our sorry butt. His information is invaluable. Continue building walls,etc.

I'm not sure how we would find out, but is OWEN even illegible to take the count's seat? Somebody around us must know. Heck, for all we know, we're next in line. Does Owen have any legitimate reason to take up residence in that place or is he just being a squatter? Truthfully, we're probably aiming more for the duke's throne once he dies of natural causes, than the Count's but eh.

Maldevious · « **Reply #2904 on:** April 08, 2013, 12:14:34 pm »

Owen married the Count's eldest and only daughter, which is how he has gained the position.

Ukrainian Ranger · « **Reply #2905 on:** April 08, 2013, 12:19:04 pm »

What do we know about count's forces? Numbers, composition, training level

Maldevious · « **Reply #2906 on:** April 08, 2013, 12:25:29 pm »

Nothing concrete, but you know that he supplied the heavy cavalry in the forces that were put together to crush the rebellion. Several years ago, at the time of that battle, he rode at the head of 35 of them. You don't know how many additional troops he possesses or has trained in the interim.

Mlamlah · « **Reply #2907 on:** April 08, 2013, 12:31:28 pm »

Did sir Owen properly participate in the sea raider invasion? Or did he follow the counts example and remain relatively absent from any battlefields?

Maldevious · « **Reply #2908 on:** April 08, 2013, 12:35:26 pm »

You did not see him personally, but he was a household knight of Count Zanders, whose banner you saw far down the battle line.

Gervassen · « **Reply #2909 on:** April 08, 2013, 01:18:11 pm »

A man like Foles, who even dies in a brothel, probably also had bastards in every brothel in Folesden and many from kept mistresses, too, all of which are ahead of legitimate women in the line of succession. Let's reward the Rat however he likes, and ask him to find a bastard or plausible male claimant. Two can play this game, Owen. We also need some dirt on Owen himself.

Have Gunther begin researching engines of war and teaching the principles of ballistics and range-finding to some clever townsmen.

Make a massive press for recruiting longbowmen at the fair, instruct Oswald to select some likely lads for his ranger outfit. We can't train ourselves, but we can start our men training. The levies must be seen to their training by Finn.

Also, let's get the troubadour who sung the best heroic song to compose something from our book specifically about local lords and their deeds in the battle. Try to get whatever talent we can for this. Just because one is booked doesn't stop the search. We had the arts festival precisely to make contacts in the world of the troubadour and playwright who drive popular opinion. We also want a play that mentions Sir Denton's death heroically, and gives a good light to the deeds of other local knights and lords. It should be heroic in appropriate parts, but not above using a bit of slapstick to leaven the mood.

We need to make any arriving knights feel welcome and impressed with our generosity. Let us have a feast each night of the tourney with all the knights, with beef from our cattle, our wines, Abbey beer, and other dishes prepared by our skilled cook, Ian Hermage. They can listen to the troubadors that we contacted as we feast. If the count wishes to wage war, let that be a war of hospitality to our shared neighbors.

Marna needs to be in on this revelation, and needs to help us work the local network of knights and ladies that attend. This feud will be won on networks of local allies established. We also need a bastard of Foles to weaken the authority of the new Count.

Anything else from the fellow militarists here? Tryrar and Gotdamn?

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Author Topic: Lordship: A Suggestion Game (Read 329157 times)

Truean

Re: Lordship: A Suggestion Game

jaass

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Gervassen

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Maldevious

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tryrar

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Gervassen

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Maldevious

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Gervassen

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Truean

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Maldevious

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Ukrainian Ranger

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Maldevious

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Mlamlah

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Maldevious

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Gervassen

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