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[Gotdamnmiracle]

Reevluated. Hunt with a spear, ready for festival. Here are the contests we have so far:

Multiple crafts contests (crafter funded)
Hunters contest (biggest or most valuable nab wins be it a beautiful pelt or tons of meat donated to the festival)
Pugilism pit contest (padded staves, wrestling, groundfighting)
Athletic competitions (obstacle course completion fastest, swimming the river and back the fastest, completing a run with a large stone the fastest)

and for kicks let's have a Musician Competition with singing and instrument playing (we will not provide these but anyone can participate)

Improve our spear and riding skills, Complete a set of laws and build a separate building to see grievances and have a porch on it to perform outdoor trials (so anyone may see)

Look good? I fixed it a bit.

[Mlamlah]

Wasn't england noted for being one of the view european countries where skill with a bow wasn't neccecarilly looked down upon? I think we should hunt with a bow, but it's a small thing.

[GreatWyrmGold]

I remember reading that all English men were legally required to practice archery for at least an hour a week at one point. I'm pretty sure it wasn't looked down on much...

[Origami_Psycho]

If we're gonna hunt with a spear it's likely going to be boar, and if we are hunting boar, we should only do it with a good, sturdy hunting spear, because otherwise the boar can charge right up the length of the spear, and still seriously injure or kill us.  Which may actually be good for getting to know Marna better.

So why don't we go boar hunting with the incorrect weapon?

[Mlamlah]

We could probably bring a few things just in case.
Er, though when i think about it... we wern't invited to go hunting were we? The Duke never sent word to us.
Edit: or rather, her brother did not invite us. Perhaps he will when he gets here, but no guarantee.

[kaian-a-coel]

Reevluated. Hunt with a spear, ready for festival. Here are the contests we have so far:

Multiple crafts contests (crafter funded)
Hunters contest (biggest or most valuable nab wins be it a beautiful pelt or tons of meat donated to the festival)
Pugilism pit contest (padded staves, wrestling, groundfighting)
Athletic competitions (obstacle course completion fastest, swimming the river and back the fastest, completing a run with a large stone the fastest)

and for kicks let's have a Musician Competition with singing and instrument playing (we will not provide these but anyone can participate)

Improve our spear and riding skills, Complete a set of laws and build a separate building to see grievances and have a porch on it to perform outdoor trials (so anyone may see)

Look good? I fixed it a bit.

Instruments are expensive, so we may not have alot of contestants.
Last year a fairest maiden competition was held on the peasants initiative, let's do it again.
Let's also have various games of dexterity, such as throwing rings on sticks or whatever.

[10ebbor10]

1. Yeah, that had occurred to me, it seems the least important anyway.
2. They could wear eyepatches over their good eye, that way if they take it off while they are looking out then the eye will be adjusted to the dark, this may have actually been why pirates stereo-typically have eye patches.
3. That's perfectly fine, if we can force them to land outside of our palisade then that is a win for us, as we are better prepared for such an attack. If we add a bell or convert the idea into a signal fire sort of deal then we would have warning in case of attack at the very least. If they *do* come into range then at the very least they have to deal with highly competent archer fire, and the fire has the potential if not the guarantee to cause trouble. Either way, we've harried them and alerted the town to attack.

2. Depth vision tends to be rather essential for archery. Also, it doesn't take away that the fire provides an excellent outline to aim at, and that the archers need to be capable of seeing in the dark constantly, not just every so often. (However, as said above, it's unlikely they'll attack in the dark)
3. I was under the impression that there was a pallisade all around the town, and not just up to the river.

GM: About how far inland are we. Are there any major port cities downstream.

[Maldevious]

In my imagination, the palisade completely covers the main town, with an unexposed dock area nearby. Sorry for the confusion. Also, the next major port downstream would be Folesden, the Count's capital. I haven't specified how far inland you are, yet, but not too far. I'd rather not get too specific yet, lest I paint myself into a corner.

[kahn1234]

just something to think about:

If we are basing this off of Medieval England, then pretty much all bows would be longbows.....

they have, after all, been used since 2500BC (although not until the Medieval era were they used in a military setting).

And hunts were usually done using spears (so much so that spears used in hunts became known as 'Boar Spears').

Bows were seen as the weapons of commoners and were looked down upon (at least, until the 100 years war and the massacres they inflicted on the unlucky frenchmen).

Longbows... are difficult to use, i wouldn't go quite as far as to say they were the only bows ever used.

i didnt mean the only bows ever. I meant during the middle ages, starting in the later early period (roughly around 1100AD).

All non-noble men were required to at least do some archery practice every day.

However, Archery was still seen as a skill that was not for the nobility and, whilst not looked down upon by English Nobles, few took up the bow even as just a hobby.

However, skilled longbowmen were treated almost as equals to nobility. The Kings usually kept between 100-150 elite longbowmen in his personal guard (a role usually reserved for nobles of varying rank in most other kingdoms and nations).

[Maldevious]

Year 3, September

September arrives, and with it comes the book of laws from the royal court. You instruct wood to construct a small courthouse, with an outdoor hearing area, for when you begin your judiciary. You decide to hold off until you have some time to study it, though, before opening it (lest you render a poor verdict).

You focus on your riding this month, and you make some good progress. Your squire thinks that you have gotten about as good as you can riding an old mare like the one you possess. It can hardly canter anymore, let alone gallop.

You spend some time fretting about the societal implications of hunting with a bow versus a spear, but quickly realize that you were not in fact invited to go hunting with Marna and her brother.

With some time to kill, however, you spend a few days out in the woods, hunting with your bow and working on your woodsmanship. Despite your mediocre woodsmanship, by some incredible stroke of luck, you come upon a massive stag on your first day, and you notch an arrow. Your pull is clean, the release excellent, and the arrow sinks deeply into the majestic creatures neck, felling it immediately.

The creature is so large, that you have to go back to the town for help in bringing it back, and few can remember a stag of this size. You decree that the pelt will be the prize for the best hunter at the festival and the meat shall be cooked for feasting. You will use the antlers for decoration of your manor, but for now you display them in the inn to spur on hunters for the festival.

You also fashion your old fur vest into a majestic cloak, which you can wear in addition to your mail shirt. It makes you look quite awesome, and you are pleased.

Late in the month, the hunting party arrives. You greet them warmly, and host them in the inn. Lady Marna seems happy to see you, and you get along quite well with her brother, Sir Melvin. They goggle at the size of the antlers from the stag you took, and tell you that the hunting was acceptable on the Duke's land.

On the morrow, you start the festival. It is, simply put, a smashing success. The events go off perfectly: eating contests, tournaments for sparring, swimming, races, baking contests... the list goes on. Marge Kannity rolls out keg after keg of her beer. The people are delighted, many merchants set up shop (refilling your coffers a bit), and even the serfs from the mining town seem to be well received. Sir Denton and Sir Percival make an appearance, drawn by the tales of the merchants.

With the festival going on, you have the opportunity to interact with your guests and visitors. Who would you like to speak with, and what will you say?

Roleplaying, go!

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

Age: 21 (February birthday)
Good Health
Great Fitness
Moderately literate
Average Etiquette
Poor Rhetoric
Average Swordswman
Average Rider
Mediocre Shield User
Natural Archer
Mediocre Woodsman

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

Militia-grade Short Sword
Average Clothing
Mail Shirt
Fur cloak and leggings
Oak Shield
Old Brown Mare
Average Farmhouse
Bound New Testament
Book of Laws
Cask of Beer

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

Treasury - Low
88 Citizens
Wooden Palisade
New Arrival Barracks
Nice Inn
Small Courthouse
Growing Small Paved Market
Growing Small Trade
Modest Pottery Complex
Modest dockyard
Watermill (Lumber Mill)
Basic Shipyard - Under Construction
Brewery
Two nightly patrols
Two-way Ferry

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

Medium population (Loyal)
River Parlon (fertile banks on both sides, light forest to the north)
Modest parcel farms south of the river (two plantings per season)
Adequate Communal Farm
Small Vineyard
Crude Roads
Small Warehouse
Bare bones Barracks, Armory, and Obstacle Course
Shallow mines north of river (minerals are deeper)
   * Small community of miners in communal houses

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

Ten veteran archers
Ten veteran spearmen
Five regular axmen
Five regular archers

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

Skilled Potters
Average Trappers
Novice Masons
Journeymen Miners
Novice Mechanics

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

Market Town of Carshire - One day's ride on main road
Folesden - Land of Count Foles - Downstream
   * Curbiston - County Seat of Folesden
Land of Sir Denton - Upstream
Land of Sir Percival - Adjacent to Sir Denton's land, across the river
Hemswood Abbey - Far Upstream - Known for dark beer
Lands of Duke Erran - Across the river to the north - Used for hunting

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

King Edward Geronos IV, Lord of the Falls, Keeper of the Flame, Seer of the Dawn - Vaguely remembered

Duke Erran - Unknown

Count Aaron Foles - Your Liege Lord - An angry drunkard - Suspicious

Sir Blake Denton - Friendly
Sir Alan Percival - Friendly
Sir Uriel Lope - Count's Marshall - Unsure
Sir Melvin - Lady Marna's brother, Duke Erran's nephew - Polite

Lady Marna - Intrigued

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

Alan Alanson - Squire - Companionable
Fin - Captain - Happy
William Dent - Steward - Companionable
Ian Wood - Overseer of Construction- Devoted
Marge Kannity - Brewer - Happy
Victor Irlof - Master of the Market - Devoted
Curtis Stumpf - Miner - Happy
Morgan - Shipwright - Happy

[Talvara]

Well... I'd like to talk with Lord Melvin and Marna, about their family and how they like our town.

and also with Sir Percival and Sir Denton, about our Liege, Reflect on the events leading up to the rebellion. let our... concerns about the duke shine through a little.

[10ebbor10]

Well... I'd like to talk with Lord Melvin and Marna, about their family and how they like our town.

and also with Sir Percival and Sir Denton, about our Liege, Reflect on the events leading up to the rebellion. let our... concerns about the duke shine through a little.

We haven't even met the duke yet. Talking about the Count?

[Talvara]

Well... I'd like to talk with Lord Melvin and Marna, about their family and how they like our town.

and also with Sir Percival and Sir Denton, about our Liege, Reflect on the events leading up to the rebellion. let our... concerns about the duke shine through a little.

We haven't even met the duke yet. Talking about the Count?

I think so, sorry about the mixup, im talking about the drukard liegelord we share

[kaian-a-coel]

Well... I'd like to talk with Lord Melvin and Marna, about their family and how they like our town.

and also with Sir Percival and Sir Denton, about our Liege, Reflect on the events leading up to the rebellion. let our... concerns about the duke shine through a little.

We haven't even met the duke yet. Talking about the Count?

Most probably. I +1, as I can remember one or two rather cruel acts from our liege during the rebellion smashing (some quick decapitation notably). Nothing too much though. Maybe show you're glad to have been able to avoid a worse fate to the now-miners.

With Marna, be humble about yourself. Pride of our men is good. That stag was mostly luck, no bragging about it. Accept praising if there is (with polite humility). Praise her about... Whatever worth it. No overdoing it of course.

[Maldevious]

You approach Sir Denton and Sir Percival at one point, and talk of your recent campaign against the rebels. They express some relief at seeing the defeated rebels being accepted in your lands as miners. The Count, it seems, has reacted quite violently towards rebellious vassals in the past, wiping out a whole town at one point.

You also mention that you feel the Captain of the rebels was dealt with quite uncouthly, stating that a battlefield decapitation, with no trial, was perhaps worse than than the man deserved. On this point, they seem to agree that it was a bit cruel, but probably no worse than the leader of a rebellion deserved.

Sir Melvin has some brief bits of conversation with you, complimenting your hunting despite your demurring. He has spoken with the other Knights, and asks about what it was like in battle. He has never been called on by his uncle, the Duke, to fight, as he was still a page during the last major conflict. You speak briefly about their father, whom he adored. They have a small estate on the Duke's lands now, he tells you, but he is incredibly impressed at how you have created a vibrant town seemingly out of nothing. Your stewardship of the land has been supreme, in his estimation.

You approach Lady  Marna at one point, when she is showing off her falcon to a gathered group of townsfolk. You admire her easy way with them, and delight as the bird launches from her gloved arm, takes to the air, and then returns to her on command. She sees you approaching and smiles, and you talk a while of the festival. She loves how kindly you treat your people, and seems impressed with your marketplace. She notes the fine craftsmanship on the mill, as well. It seems that she has an eye for quality, and she deems Feroshire quite nice.

After you finish speaking with her, her brother approaches.

"I see the way you look at Marna. I have to say, I am quite glad to see it after the nastiness with her late fiance. She has spoken highly of you since the feast. I would be quite disappointed if you didn't ask our mother and uncle for permission to court her." He smiles at you rakishly, then claps you on the back.

Anything else you'd like to do at the festival?