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[Maldevious]

You invite the two inside out of the chill November evening. The young man hands you the letter, which you open up and scan. It reads:

Baronet Stone,

This young man goes by the name of Arthur. He is the son of one of the Count's favorite whores. Born 15 years ago nearly to the day. And, if I say so myself, not coincidentally similar to the late Count's appearance.

His mother is deceased now, unfortunately, but it is common knowledge among the ladies of that particular brothel that she was kept by the Count. The young woman, by the name of Ira, is here to corroborate that particular fact.

I have also uncovered records of gifts given to this boy by the Count's steward. Quite an interesting philanthropy for a noted penny pincher.

I look forward to my next payment.

The Rat

You tuck the letter into your vest, and tell Lady Marna to put some mulled wine over the fire. Instructing Luther to patrol the manor and ensure your privacy, you invite them into your study. What ever shall you say?

[Plato Play-Doh]

Start with small talk, try to get a feel for his character, and then get down to business and propose to make him Count.

"So, how are you? Kind weather we've been having, this close to Winter. Not that I've had as much time as I'd like to appreciate it, due to my... accident. What of you? What has been entertaining you for the past months?"

We want this kid to like us, so we should act as though this is nothing unusual, and be as amiable as possible, before getting down to business. The sooner he sees that we are not uncomfortable, the sooner he will stop being uncomfortable. (Also, try as hard as possible to avoid being even slightly patronizing, and we mustn't remind him of his age. 15 year olds hate that, in my experience.)

[Origami_Psycho]

Ask him about how he's doing, give him our condolences for his mothers passing, and ask him if he'd like to be a contender for the countship.
If he responds favourably to all this explain our relationship with the current contender for the county and why we'd like him to, at least, delay things for us at worst, and, at best, take charge of the county.

[Gervassen]

Uh, let's not burden him with our reasons. We can give him plenty of his reasons when it comes down to brass tacks. And let's take it slow as Playdoh suggests. The small talk is good. We surely don't say we are using him to delay, because that's not true. If this were merely to delay, there would be no point in angering an eventual Count by foisting a bastard up into his path. We're here for the main chance, winner take all. 

Let's also see his character in action, if he's true to his rakish look, then surely he likes a gamble. Break out the cards, or the dice, and test our luck as we're talking to him. See if he has a hunger for the main chance, too, as I think he must in order to play our real game.

"Let's play a game while we talk, Arthur. Cards or dice? Cards are all about knowing what you got, and judging what the other hasn't. Everyone is dealt a different hand, but winning is a matter of wit. Dice, on the other hand... well, the thing about the dice is, you just got to roll them to know your luck."

"But then again, if you never roll a die or draw a card, you're certain to get nothing, eh?"

[Origami_Psycho]

Uh, let's not burden him with our reasons. We can give him plenty of his reasons when it comes down to brass tacks. And let's take it slow as Playdoh suggests. The small talk is good. We surely don't say we are using him to delay, because that's not true. If this were merely to delay, there would be no point in angering an eventual Count by foisting a bastard up into his path. We're here for the main chance, winner take all. 

Let's also see his character in action, if he's true to his rakish look, then surely he likes a gamble. Break out the cards, or the dice, and test our luck as we're talking to him. See if he has a hunger for the main chance, too, as I think he must in order to play our real game.

"Let's play a game while we talk, Arthur. Cards or dice? Cards are all about knowing what you got, and judging what the other hasn't. Everyone is dealt a different hand, but winning is a matter of wit. Dice, on the other hand... well, the thing about the dice is, you just got to roll them to know your luck."

"But then again, if you never roll a die or draw a card, you're certain to get nothing, eh?"

Eh, sure, why the hell not.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Uh, let's not burden him with our reasons. We can give him plenty of his reasons when it comes down to brass tacks. And let's take it slow as Playdoh suggests. The small talk is good. We surely don't say we are using him to delay, because that's not true. If this were merely to delay, there would be no point in angering an eventual Count by foisting a bastard up into his path. We're here for the main chance, winner take all. 

Let's also see his character in action, if he's true to his rakish look, then surely he likes a gamble. Break out the cards, or the dice, and test our luck as we're talking to him. See if he has a hunger for the main chance, too, as I think he must in order to play our real game.

"Let's play a game while we talk, Arthur. Cards or dice? Cards are all about knowing what you got, and judging what the other hasn't. Everyone is dealt a different hand, but winning is a matter of wit. Dice, on the other hand... well, the thing about the dice is, you just got to roll them to know your luck."

"But then again, if you never roll a die or draw a card, you're certain to get nothing, eh?"

Eh, sure, why the hell not.

Gerv's idea sounds like a great way to exposit his general character.

[Maldevious]

As you enter the study, it is clear that Arthur is the focus of your attention. The woman sits quietly to one side of the study, seeming to enjoy the warmth of the fire, while you cordially offer a choice of games to the young man.

"I've always been fond of the dice, Sir Stone."

You give him a considered look, and grab a cup of dice off of a nearby table. Tossing them idly, they come up triple sixes. You smile at your luck, and young Arthur grins broadly.

"Always good to have luck on your side, M'Lord. But I have a suspicion that you sought me out for more than a game of chance..."

As he trails off, Marna enters with a pot of wine, hanging it over the fire. She glances at the woman sitting quietly to one side, sees you staring intently at Arthur, and then offers kindly to show Ira around the manor until you call for them.

Will you send Ira off with Marna, or would you like to keep her for the conversation? And what comes next?

[Origami_Psycho]

This may be best left to the men, as it were.

[Mlamlah]

Either way, we should thank our wife for her consideration.

[Gervassen]

I'd agree. The girl knows something of the matter already, and she seems to talk freely with Arthur, but there's nothing to lose in keeping our exact conversation private to her. I also like his answer. Not the kind that thinks he's crafty. A pure risk-taker. We don't need to play kingmaker to an over-clever schemer.

"Excellent suggestion, my love. Show her the bear skull, if you would. You know I can never tire of showing it off!"

As they're leaving. "Well, Arthur, let me allay your suspicions a little. Sometimes a dreary autumn evening is just as simple as wanting good company for a game of chance." The door shuts.

"After all, what isn't a roll of the die? When I was born a farmer's son, that was a low roll... though common enough, I suppose. Anything below straight sixes is a bad roll, as this life goes, and it's a harsh life on those that have no stomach for being down in the hole and still dicing their way out. So I kept at the dice. Left the farm. Kept at the dice. Went to war. Kept at the dice. Fought and killed, saved a king. And still I kept rolling. When I became a lord, that was an unexpected pair of sixes. And I keep rolling those dice. I've brought you here for a game of dice, Arthur, and the stakes are worth your entry, believe me. What do you know of your father?"

---

If he knows his father, tell him you also know. Together, you can let the world know and press his rightful claim. Later on, no one will care whose favorite his mother was, but now is that proverbial flood-tide in the affairs of men.

If not, I'd be surprised, but tell him he'll find out soon, and it'll be worth sticking around. In either case, he stays with us as a guest. Distant cousin, to those around us nosy enough to inquire.


--- Not rushing the close of the RP segment, but these things need to be put in motion before December ---

Get the Rat on the task of spreading whispers about Owen involved in the Count's murder, per Ebbor's suggestion. The Count's daughter was the star attraction of the party we attended earlier, with a ring of eager suitors around her that she positively enjoyed. She likely hasn't stopped her flirtatious man-eating ways, either. Whispers that she is unfaithful to walrus-faced Owen weaken his authority derived through her, and get a good chuckle among the common folk. Other whispers that the old Duke was murdered grow even better in soil first plowed by derision, and soon Owen is commonly known as a hostage to a young Lady MacBeth.

We could even get some players to perform some plays. Back the creation of a few songs of bawdry about the deal. Common people love a good rumor about a murder conspiracy within a powerful family. Hamlet, King Lear, etc. And they love a tale of people swyving each other outside the proper bounds of marriage. Basically all of Chaucer. If we could only add farting and slapstick to this tale somehow, it would become a medieval blockbuster.

We need more supporters and disgruntled people in Count Foles' old guard to back the bastard. Owen is probably bringing some carpet-baggers and reliable outside supporters into Curbiston from his home in the county ruled by Zanders, so surely some of the old guard appointees are getting nervous about their positions.

[kaian-a-coel]

I like this. It may be dangerous, but doing nothing is certainly more dangerous in the long term.
+1 all the way to infinity and beyond.

[Maldevious]

You nod your head, thanking Lady Marna for entertaining your other guest. The two women leave the room, and you turn your full attention to Arthur, talking of games of chance and segueing into a tale of your own rise from farmer to member of the nobility. You end by asking him what he knows of his father.

"Count Foles. The drunken loaf was my father. I imagine that has something to do with your choice of dice partners for the evening? Or was that just your prodigious luck striking once again?"

Giving a wry smile, you nod your head. You explain that you seek to help him press his rightful claim on the County.

"Why help me? After all, I've heard tell that you didn't get on too well with my departed father."

You are caught slightly off guard by the question, your mind already spinning ahead to rumors that need to be planted and contacts that need to be made. How shall you answer Arthur's question?

[Plato Play-Doh]

"Aye, but I have my... worries. About the new count. As I said, some don't like it when a bad roll gets followed by a good one. Some desire to set upstarts like me back to bad rolls."

[Gervassen]

"Your father made his mistakes in life, true, but he's dead now. God rest him. You know his flaws much better than I could recite to you, and that's an encouraging sign that it won't be repeated. I won't begrudge you a game chance to correct his errors as the new Count. I want to help you because it's the right thing to do, Arthur. I still care about that consideration, you know. What is right still means something to me. You are the rightful heir, and this is your patrimony at stake. If we don't press it now, we lose the moment."

"Beyond that, well... I have the same secondary reasons that you'd have to press your claim. Doing nothing during an opportune moment gets me nothing." Continuing breezily. "I'll be asking certain privileges and honors after the dust settles, and as a loyal vassal who gave you the boost, there's no harm in granting them. No need to speak of such things before the game's even begun, though. You have everything to gain, and I'd want a mere fraction of that everything as payment for my risk."

"Besides, this ridiculous Sir Owen fellow is from Zander's county with their odd ways and accent down there. I was born here and I want a proper native son of Folesden in charge. A true Foles."

[kahn1234]

(OOC: why do i have a feeling that Garv is going to eventually start this worlds version of the War of the Roses? (originally started out as feuding between the Nobles of Yorkshire and Lancashire))

"Your father made his mistakes in life, true, but he's dead now. God rest him. You know his flaws much better than I could recite to you, and that's an encouraging sign that it won't be repeated. I won't begrudge you a game chance to correct his errors as the new Count. I want to help you because it's the right thing to do, Arthur. I still care about that consideration, you know. What is right still means something to me. You are the rightful heir, and this is your patrimony at stake. If we don't press it now, we lose the moment."

"Beyond that, well... I have the same secondary reasons that you'd have to press your claim. Doing nothing during an opportune moment gets me nothing." Continuing breezily. "I'll be asking certain privileges and honors after the dust settles, and as a loyal vassal who gave you the boost, there's no harm in granting them. No need to speak of such things before the game's even begun, though. You have everything to gain, and I'd want a mere fraction of that everything as payment for my risk."

"Besides, this ridiculous Sir Owen fellow is from Zander's county with their odd ways and accent down there. I was born here and I want a proper native son of Folesden in charge. A true Foles."

+1

Try to tell him in a semi-roundabout way that we have our concerns with 'Count' Owen.