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[Origami_Psycho]

He doesn't just want to dishonor us, he intends to disland us. Removing us from the nobility, putting us "back in our place" as he sees it. There is NO WAY this will ever be a working relationship. He's going to have it out for us until either we're no longer lord of anything, or one of us is dead (he might have a better chance of accepting our son as nobility through Marna, not that that helps us much).

So we ARE going to have to "deal with" him eventually, one way or another. Now is the best time! He is weak, he claims the County, but he has little official power yet. He hasn't been recognized by his liege or vassals as far as we're aware. He is a landless noble, probably with little or no army of his own. If we can split the loyalties of the Curbiston military with a pretender, then we'll likely outmatch his followers, especially if we can get a couple of the other lords to recognize the bastard's claim. Best case scenario: the Duke decides to rule on the matter and sides with our bastard before any fighting even happens. This is our best chance to prevent him from being a constant thorn in our side, or worse, a real threat to our life!

We should also insert assets to dispose of him in other ways should we need to, and should this plan fail.
Whatever happened to putting the rat on a retainer?

[Maldevious]

He denied your request last time, stating that Feroshire was a bit too... rural for his tastes.

[Origami_Psycho]

He denied your request last time, stating that Feroshire was a bit too... rural for his tastes.

Ah.  Well in that case see if we can hook him up with some of our agents so they can get some proper training in how to do this sort of shit.

[intelligentmoron]

I believe he shot that down too, something about not wanting more people in his profession.

[Maldevious]

Correct. At the time, your Rangers were making a bit of a mockery of the "man of intrigue" profession.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Clever businessman, we need to use him.

Let's have the Rat search for bastards of the late Count. Did we already agree to that?
Past that, there's not much that we can, should, and may do about the count, except maybe make him realize that we are either A. not so bad or B. a bear-killing badass married to the duke's niece who saved the king's life and otherwise NOT a good guy to mess with.

[jaass]

All we can do is just shore up defense and prepare for a siege.

[GreatWyrmGold]

All we can do is just shore up defense and prepare for a siege.

-1
Way too early. We don't have any reason to expect one soon, it's a fool's move to start a campaign in the winter (cold weather, no food in the fields to take to bolster supplies, and a freshly-stocked larder in the town), and we have no official reason to expect a siege, ever. Not to mention that most siege preparations would impede normal operations...

[Gervassen]

-1*(-1)

For one thing, we're not leaving this unresolved, as Urist says. We have to stop our rival from becoming our liege lord. Nothing good comes of that. It may be acceptable to some that we should have a lord who "just wants to dishonor not kill us" but to me, even that circumstance is too untenable to patiently endure for years. If we have to go beyond the legal black and white and into the grey of power politics, then so be it. Come spring, it may well be us that marches on him with our claimant.

So, yeah, let's prepare for a siege, and hope that it doesn't happen. Let's prepare for a wide variety of possible options before Owen is firmly established as Count. Nothing is off the table yet. If we plan to get rid of him, now is the time. If we plan to spend decades having a Count that hates us and is not a drunk, then god have mercy on us.

Also, not sure I get the whole insistence on the "official" angle here. When is it ever possible to get official confirmation that you're about to be attacked? If you're deaf to whispers, then the next official announcement is usually rams battering the gates. And that's far too late to begin preparing wisely and judiciously.

[10ebbor10]

Just a note, how exactly are we preparing to the siege?

Military preparations would give Count Owen a nice excuse for the attack. Combined with us dredging up a bastard, it looks quite a bit like a rebellion*

Defensive fortifications are most likely not going to be completed before the winter falls. We could try finishing the gaps with icecubes though.

Food stocks are going to be stored anyway, though the construction of icecellars might help.*** Also, ensure that we have acces to water inside the walls.


Oh, and I think we might want to try and find a "witness" of how the New Count murdered the old one**. Or at least spread the rumour.

*Nevermind that it is.
** Unless it's absolutely impossible that he did it, but if the New count was in town while the old died, that might be a good start. Explains the rapid succesion:-.
***Dig some ponds too; in case the river doesn't freeze.

[Maldevious]

Happy 200 pages, and welcome to our new player. I finished my assignment late last night, and my dog deigned it necessary to wake me up at 6:30. So... turn!

Year 5, November

With winter fast approaching, you send your Steward to tour your holdings in search of those in need of assistance for the winter. Mr. Dent finds a group of drifters living in the northern woods, and is able to convince them to winter in the town, boosting your population slightly.

There is a small setback in the tower construction, with a newly constructed section collapsing. Damage is not too major, but it is a poor note to end the year on. The wall continues along nicely, and the river is nearly completely dredged. You figure that the river should be done as soon as spring has sprung next year, but the tower and wall will likely take into early summer to complete, barring setbacks.

After a conversation with Gunther, you divert a few workers to dig some communal cellars, to store ice in from the winter. While some scoff at the idea of storing ice in the warm soil, Gunther explains to you that the ground will help insulate the ice and allow it to last well into the spring.

As you go about these preparations, you notice that your ribs are finally starting to feel better. There is some residual aching, but you gingerly test your entire range of motion and find that you are now without pain.

Turning your eyes to defense, you send a letter to Silverhills allowing them permission to put up a wooden palisade, although this will likely not happen this fall. You also instruct your levies to bring shovels with them should they be called up, in the hopes of digging cavalry traps. Training of your militia continues as usual.

Near the end of the month, you are in your study one evening talking military strategy with Luther and trying to help young Isaac learn to crawl, Lady Marna enters the room. She looks flummoxed. "There's a... there's a whore and a young man here to see you."

Puzzled, you take your leave and enter the other room. Sure enough, there is an attractive young woman and a rakish looking young man standing in your entryway, talking quietly.

You open your mouth to ask the meaning of this, when you note that the young man is carrying a letter with a crude rat drawn on it. You wonder... could it be?

What will you do?

Roleplaying session before winter turn, expect long delays between replies due to family in town. Go!

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

Age: 24 - February birthday
Spouse: Lady Marna Stone - Age 21 - April Birthday
Children: Sir Isaac Stone - Nine Months Old - March Birthday

Average Health
Great Fitness

Literate
Natural Archer
Fine Man of the People
Fine Swordswman
Above Average Rider
Above Average Woodsman
Above Average Heroic Combatant (fighting against the odds)
Average Etiquette
Average Lancer
Average Shield User
Average Armor User
Average History
Poor Legal Mind
Poor Rhetoric

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

Weapons
Militia-grade Short Sword
Fine Longsword
Iron-tipped Lances

Armor
Steel Plate Armor
Mail Shirt
Brigandine Armor
Fur cloak and leggings
Iron Shield
Steel Barding for Destrier

Transport
Felucca
Mottled Grey Hunter
White Destrier

Housing
Brick and Lumber Manor
Fine Furniture
Stag Skull
Bear Skull
Bear Pelt Rug
Falconry Mews
Holes in ground (fish ponds without water or fish)

Misc.
Bear Claws
Average Clothing
Silver Sun Necklace with Gold Pendant
Bound New Testament
Book of Laws
Cask of Beer
Stone Weights
Draft of "The Incursion of the Sea Raiders and the Battle of Torchester"

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

Treasury - Low
290 Citizens

Services and Housing
Nice Communal Housing
Mix of Wood and Brick Housing
Nice Inn
Rowdy Inn
Small Courthouse
Small School and Scribe
Small Theatre
Communal Cellars

Defense
Wooden Palisade with watchtowers
Stone Tower (59% complete)
Stone Walls (60% complete)
Three longboats
Fake Town for river defense

Trade and Travel
Brick Roads
Medium Brick Paved Market
Medium Dockyard
Two-way Ferry
River Parlon (90% dredged)
Gravel Road to Carshire
Gravel Road to Silverhills

Industry
Large Clayworks
Smokehouse
Watermill (Lumber Mill and Grindstone)
Growing Medium Shipyard
Brewery
Stables - Large herd of horses
Medium Furniture Workshop

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

Medium (5x city size) population (Loyal)
River Parlon (fertile banks on both sides, light forest to the north)

Settlements
Feroshire - Your capital
Silverhills - Small hamlet by the mines

Farming
Nice parcel farms south of the river (four field crop rotation)
Crude parcel farms north of the river (four field crop rotation)
Fine Communal Farm (four field crop rotation)
Medium Vineyard - Ice wine experiment
Grand Flock of Sheep
Medium Flock of Cattle
Communal Grazing Land

Defense
Fortified Average Barracks, Armory, and Obstacle Course with Furnaces and Forges
Jousting practice field

Trade and Travel
Gravel Roads
Medium Warehouse

Industry
Medium Fishing Fleet
Fortified Mines near Silverhills (silver, copper, gold, iron, gems)
Metalworks in Silverhills

Misc.
Trash Pit
Graveyard

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

Ranged - Longbows, iron short swords, fur armor, mounts
Two elite Archers
Six veteran Rangers
Three green Rangers
Eight veteran Archers
Seven green Archers

Melee - Iron halberds, iron brigandine armor, iron short swords, mounts
Twelve veteran Halberdiers
Eight green Halberdiers

City Guard - Short bows / Iron short swords, fur armor, wooden shields
Seven Green Wall Archers
Ten regular Watchmen

Reserve
Mandatory Bow or Halberd Training for Able-bodied Men

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

Skilled Potters
Above Average Jewelers
Above Average Trappers
Above Average Miners
Average Metalworkers
Average Wine Makers
Journeymen Masons
Journeymen Furniture Builders
Journeymen Horse Breeders
Journeymen Weaponsmiths
Journeymen Armorers
Novice Siege Engineers

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

Market Town of Carshire - Gravel 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
   * Torchester - Duke Erran's Capital - Damaged metropolis with a bustling port located on a wide estuary

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 - Known

Duke Erran - Fond

Count Owen - Your Liege Lord - Antagonistic
Count Gorgan - A fine fighter - Introduced
Count Zanders - Introduced

Sir Derrick Denton - Slightly warm but distant
Sir Alan Percival - Close Friend
Sir Uriel Lope - Count's Marshall - Unsure
Sir Melvin - Lady Marna's brother, Duke Erran's nephew - Close Friend
Sir Ivanson - A renowned jouster - Acquaintance

Lady Marna - Wife - Loving
Lady Iris - Lady Marna's mother, Duke Erran's younger sister - Cordial

Isaac Stone - Your First Son - Infant

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

Luther Logan - Sword and Mace - Squire
Fin - Captain of the Militia
Oswald - Ranger Captain
William Dent - Steward, Mayor
Victor Irlof - Master of the Market, Treasurer
Curtis Stumpf - Miner, Councilman
Ian Wood - Carpenter, Councilman
Marge Kannity - Brewer
Gunther Agnacious - Philosopher

Shipwright
Architect
Armorer
Weaponsmith
Horse Breeder
Scribe
Healer
Wool Merchant

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

Sir Alan - Your first squire - Killed in the Battle of Torchester
Sir Blake Denton - Your good friend and confidant - Killed in the Battle of Torchester
Tor - Your first Captain - Killed by the brigand "Ox" in a forest skirmish
Count Aaron Foles - Fell drunkenly to his death from the balcony of a whorehouse

[Mlamlah]

((I think we may have found ourselves a bastard boys and girls))

Nod and politely ask both of their names while extending our hand for the letter. Immediately open and read it.

If it is cold i think we should invite them inside.

[GreatWyrmGold]

-1*(-1)

For one thing, we're not leaving this unresolved, as Urist says. We have to stop our rival from becoming our liege lord. Nothing good comes of that. It may be acceptable to some that we should have a lord who "just wants to dishonor not kill us" but to me, even that circumstance is too untenable to patiently endure for years. If we have to go beyond the legal black and white and into the grey of power politics, then so be it. Come spring, it may well be us that marches on him with our claimant.

Define "the gray". "Nothing illegal" is a good idea--illegal actions can easily be taken as "proof" that we are treasonous filth who need to be removed from our position, and don't expect them to not be found. There's more than one Rat in the sewers, you know...

So, yeah, let's prepare for a siege, and hope that it doesn't happen. Let's prepare for a wide variety of possible options before Owen is firmly established as Count. Nothing is off the table yet. If we plan to get rid of him, now is the time. If we plan to spend decades having a Count that hates us and is not a drunk, then god have mercy on us.

Thank you for acting like a politician. You set forth a vision that I can't attack because it's too vague. Everything you say is good, but you haven't said anything.

Also, not sure I get the whole insistence on the "official" angle here. When is it ever possible to get official confirmation that you're about to be attacked? If you're deaf to whispers, then the next official announcement is usually rams battering the gates. And that's far too late to begin preparing wisely and judiciously.

How about when we hear it from someone we wouldn't need to deny? Maybe if we hear that Owen is building up his forces or something.
And you also need to keep in mind, the Rat is not ours. The Rat is not on our side. The Rat is on the Rat's side. That's in line with ours...for now. Who knows when that could change?


I'd suggest inviting them in. Get them seated and explain to Marna that we were trying to find a proper heir to the county; I'd imagine Marna is more than a bit perplexed by this. Read the letter, ask their names, etc.

[Origami_Psycho]

Ask the man how old he is, and why he was sent here.

[Gervassen]

(Resume this argument after the roleplay.)

Read letter. "Hmm... I see. Come in from the cold, my good sir and madam, and let us drink a warm bit of mulled cider together in my study. This letter is one that I have been expecting. May I know your names?" Usher them into the study. "Luther, we will resume our discussion later. Patrol the manor and make sure my conversation with our new guests remains private."