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[evilcherry]

Why is everyone so gungho about taking over the county?

Because he is entitled to taxes from lesser lords. period.

What?

Its not really about taking over it. But rather to keep it out of the hands of other corrupt lords.

Dude. The only other two lords we know are cool guys. We'll be fine.

What about sub-lords, sub-sub-lords, and anything else? If we could have thought of installing Arthur onto it, somebody else would find someone else with the claim without the power. We need to secure that for ourselves, and finding a friendly heir is crucial.

[Gamerlord]

Why is everyone so gungho about taking over the county?

Because he is entitled to taxes from lesser lords. period.

What?

Its not really about taking over it. But rather to keep it out of the hands of other corrupt lords.

Dude. The only other two lords we know are cool guys. We'll be fine.

What about sub-lords, sub-sub-lords, and anything else? If we could have thought of installing Arthur onto it, somebody else would find someone else with the claim without the power. We need to secure that for ourselves, and finding a friendly heir is crucial.

You guys are going psychotic with paranoia... Let's just calm down and stick with our area. If we have a second son, we may be able to install him there when he comes of age anyway.

[Gervassen]

1. Because the strength of the county is ebbing away without proper leadership addressing the county-wide problems. Manpower takes decades to replenish, once it is allowed to be killed off, so we have to keep the county intact right now. It's not enough to save just Feroshire and forget all the other areas.

2. Additionally, you can see what trouble an unfriendly Count can give us by reading the earlier updates. I'm completing a kind of abridgement, so hopefully soon it will be easier than ever to go back and refresh your memory with things that happened in the past.

3. There's also the larger tax revenues, as evilcherry points out. And that means affording more soldiers with better weapons, which means being more formidable and respected.

4. Finally, advancement is kinda just desirable and fun in itself.

The real question is why you wouldn't to take over the county.

[Gamerlord]

I. C.

[Maldevious]

Year 7, April

At the start of April, you mobilize your resources towards stabilizing the County. You call up your levies again, and push your craftsmen to take on extra apprentices from among the newly arrived to bolster production of weapons, ships, and goods. The farmers are set to the fields, and the shipyards begin laying down hulls for longboats. You realize that the crisis facing you will take all of your ability and resources.

Your first step is to secure Curbiston against the possibility of Sea Raider or bandit occupation. That possession is de facto ownership is not lost on you either, but you have your reasons. You send your militia - leaving the levies to defend Feroshire - along with a few metalsmiths to restart the forges, and men who have knowledge of mechanics whose first order is to restore the river chain.

Concurrently, you send riders to do a full sweep of the County, checking on settlements, finding available soldiers, and seeing if there are any other food shortgages. There are some minor shortages, it appears, but the demand side of the equation has been lessened by the plague, and it seems most places will be fine with a decent planting this year. Soldiers are fewer and further between; Carshire has lost most of its standing militia, but Denton and Percival still maintain their levies. A few pockets of unsustainable settlements are told to disband and resettle in Curbiston, which they comply with.

Your riders do come upon an additional settlement, and bring word of it back to you. It is mostly hovels, and is rumored to be run by a man referred to as the Bandit King. Your men report seeing a lot of disaffected, shifty looking young adult males in the settlement, and don't spend too much time there. They glean that it is called Pigsend, seemingly referring to a large herd of pigs the village maintains.

After a week or so, you ride with Fin, Luther, The Rat, and Oswald to Curbiston. You are not sure yet whether you will move your court there, but decide to fly the Duke's flag over the city for the time being. The river chain has thankfully been repaired. Inspecting the city, it is clear that it could be fortified again within a month or so by rebuilding the gates and fixing a few damaged sections of wall. The forges are firing, and producing iron weapons and armor.

There are several messages waiting there for you. One is from the Duke. He sends word that the Capital is still holding out, as the Sea Raiders are just now beginning to build siege weaponry to attack the walls. The size of their host is great, though.

Another message takes you by surprise by naming you Count of Folesden, citing the vacuum in leadership and your proven record of success in managing fiefs. You blink twice when you read it, but the message stands. Without much fanfare or ornamentation, but there it is, simple as that.

One final message arrives after the other two, with dark news. The Duke explains that another force of Sea Raiders has landed in his demense, and are putting together another settlement. He is concerned that they will eventually lay siege to him, and asks you how quickly you can pull together a force of men to aid him.

You had planned on striking out at the bandits, but the existence of this "Pigsend" along with the Duke's request causes you to reconsider.

By the end of the month, Curbiston has swelled to a population of several hundred people come back in from the countryside. It is not back to its former glory, by any means, but it is functioning again and of a size on par with Feroshire, population-wise.

You must do some thinking on where you will base your court, Count Stone. The bustling Feroshire, upriver though it may be? Or the damaged but well positioned Curbiston? And what of this Bandit King? The Sea Raiders? And who will ride to rescue the King?

The bards will sing of this May, some day.

Spoiler: "Count Samuel Stone, Lord of Folesden" (click to show/hide)

Age: 26 - February birthday
Spouse: Countess Marna Stone - Age 23 - April Birthday (Five months pregnant)
Children: Sir Isaac Stone - Two Years Old - March Birthday

Good Health
Excellent Fitness

Literate
Natural Archer
Good Swordswman
Fine Man of the People
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
Poor Medical Mind

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
Fine Quarters in Tower
Brick and Lumber Manor
Fine Furniture
Stag Skull
Bear Skull
Bear Pelt Rug
Falconry Mews
Small Hunting Lodge in Northern Forest

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 - Medium
350 Citizens

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

Defense
Interior Wooden Palisade with watchtowers
Stone Tower
Stone Walls 
Three longboats
Two longboats under construction (one more month)
Fake Town for river defense

Trade and Travel
Brick Roads
Large Dockyard
Medium Brick Paved Market
Two-way Ferry
River Parlon (dredged to allow deep draft vessels)
Gravel Road to Carshire
Gravel Road to Silverhills

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

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

Folesden
Small (3x city size) population (Loyal)
River Parlon (fertile banks on both sides, light forest to the north)

Settlements
Pigsend - Hovels - Run by the Bandit King
Market Town of Carshire - Between Feroshire and Curbiston
Land of Sir Denton - Upstream of Feroshire
Land of Sir Percival - Adjacent to Sir Denton's land, across the river
Hemswood Abbey - Far Upstream - Known for dark beer
Curbiston - Former county capital
Feroshire - Your capital, Upstream of Curbiston
Silverhills - Small village by the mines - Palisade

Farming
Nice parcel farms south of the river (four field crop rotation)
Fair parcel farms north of the river (four field crop rotation)
Fine Communal Farm (four field crop rotation)
Medium Vineyard - Ice wine experiment
Communal Grazing Land
Muddy holes in ground (fish ponds without enough water or fish)

Animals
Large Flock of Sheep
Medium Herd of Cattle
Small Herd of Goats
Small Herd of Good Horses

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

Trade and Travel
Gravel Roads
Large Warehouse

Industry
Large 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
One elite Ranger
Six veteran Rangers
One regular Rangers
Nine veteran Archers
Four regular Archers

Melee - Iron halberds, iron brigandine armor, iron short swords, mounts
Two elite Halberdiers
Eleven veteran Halberdiers
Six regular Halberdiers

City Guard - Short bows / Iron short swords, fur armor, wooden shields
Seven regular 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
Above Average Horse Breeders
Average Metalworkers
Average Wine Makers
Average Masons
Journeymen Furniture Builders
Journeymen Weaponsmiths
Journeymen Armorers
Novice Siege Engineers

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

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
Sea Raider Lands - Adjacent to Duke Erran's lands on the coast
Lands of the King - Beyond the Sea Raider's lands
   * Fallsburg - National Capital - Grand metropolis by a massive waterfall

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 - Your Liege Lord - Fond

Count Gorgan - A fine fighter - Introduced
Count Zanders - Dislike
Countess Marna - Wife - Loving

Sir Derrick Denton - Your Vassal - Slightly warm but distant
Sir Alan Percival - Your Vasal - Close Friend
Sir Uriel Lope - Count's Marshall - Formal but respectful - Whereabouts unknown
Sir Melvin - Lady Marna's brother, Duke Erran's nephew - Close friend
Sir Ivanson - A renowned jouster - Acquaintance
SirIsaac Stone - Your First Son - Toddler

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

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
Ian Wood - Carpenter, Councilman
Marge Kannity - Brewer
The Rat - Man of Intrigue

Shipwright
Architect
Armorer
Weaponsmith
Horse Breeder
Scribe
Healer
Monk Healer
Wool Merchant

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

Tor - Your first Captain - Killed by the brigand "Ox" in a forest skirmish
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
Count Aaron Foles - Your first Liege Lord - Fell drunkenly to his death from the balcony of a whorehouse
"Count" Owen - Rival and claimant to the County - Executed for "murder"
"Countess" Foles - Daughter of Aaron Foles - Executed for "murder"
Curtis Stumpf - Miner, Councilman - Killed in the Sixth Year Plague
Count Arthur Foles - Your second Liege Lord - Killed in the Sixth Year Plague
Gunther Agnacious - Philosopher - Killed in a riot resulting from the Sixth Year Plague

[GreatWyrmGold]

Why is everyone so gungho about taking over the county?

Because he is entitled to taxes from lesser lords. period.

What?

Its not really about taking over it. But rather to keep it out of the hands of other corrupt lords.

Dude. The only other two lords we know are cool guys. We'll be fine.

Emphasis added.
I don't think I need to say more...except maybe "Owen" and "the first Foles".

I. C.

Is it IC to learn from experience that bad Counts are bad? The only (previous) Count we've gotten along with is the one we put there.

But now we're Count. We have been promoted three times. Ah ah ah.

Shouldn't Pigsend be in the "Nearby" spoiler?

In any case, let's consider our options before we go charging off to war. Firstly, Pigsend. How much of a chance do you think a messenger there would have of returning?

[swordsmith04]

With the combined forces of our levy, our militia, and Denton and Percival's forces, how likely are we to defeat the bandits?
If we have a good chance, I propose sending for Denton and Percival and then surrounding Pigsend, but keeping most of the soldiers out of view. A few go in with us, and we talk with this Bandit King. Best case scenario, we recruit him and his men for the Second Battle of Torchester. Worst case scenario, we fight our way out while Denton and Percival lead the troops outside in an attack on Pigsend. Whichever way it happens, we wait/rest a few days, then march to Torchester.

[Talvara]

A) first off lets make sure that we secure that letter of our appointment in a safe place.

B) I'm not quite sure about moving our court to Curbiston, while its the stronger location and has been the county seat for a long time, it will also be hit by the searaiders before Feroshire is. Having our family there doesn't sound like the ideal environment to raise kids.

C) We should get our vassals together and throw a sober celebration, impress on them the situation and the need for the lords of the land to actively bring the county back to prosperity and ready for war. We should also mourn the loss of Arthur and the Foles line.

D) about the Bandit king... Maybe we should parley before deciding upon eradicating them. The Rat should probably dig up some information about the man if he can, and I'm hopeful we can offer the bandits a career change rather than a bloody death. They have fended for themselves at the cost of others, but times have been dark indeed. Perhaps they could form a mercenary company, they may be a little too prone to corruption to incorporate into the military as is.

E) with all the war going on I'm sure there are refugees around. Perhaps we should keep some riders up to find these refugees and integrate them into the county in an orderly fashion.
if we don't tend to the refugees they'll just be food for the bandits or turn to banditry themselves.

[GreatWyrmGold]

A) first off lets make sure that we secure that letter of our appointment in a safe place.

Ooh, good point.

B) I'm not quite sure about moving our court to Curbiston, while its the stronger location and has been the county seat for a long time, it will also be hit by the searaiders before Feroshire is. Having our family there doesn't sound like the ideal environment to raise kids.

Again, chat with others who it affects before moving.

C) We should get our vassals together and throw a sober celebration, impress on them the situation and the need for the lords of the land to actively bring the county back to prosperity and ready for war. We should also mourn the loss of Arthur and the Foles line.

Sounds like a plan.

D) about the Bandit king... Maybe we should parley before deciding upon eradicating them. The Rat should probably dig up some information about the man if he can, and I'm hopeful we can offer the bandits a career change rather than a bloody death. They have fended for themselves at the cost of others, but times have been dark indeed. Perhaps they could form a mercenary company, they may be a little too prone to corruption to incorporate into the military as is.

My thoughts similarly.

E) with all the war going on I'm sure there are refugees around. Perhaps we should keep some riders up to find these refugees and integrate them into the county in an orderly fashion.
if we don't tend to the refugees they'll just be food for the bandits or turn to banditry themselves.

Sounds like a good idea, if we can spare the men. Maybe that could be a job for the rookie troops or something?

[Gamerlord]

I think we should stay in Feroshire. Mal, can you add a poll to let us vote on it?

[GreatWyrmGold]

I think we should stay in Feroshire. Mal, can you add a poll to let us vote on it?

Nah, once you do you can never take it off.

[Maldevious]

Regarding Pigsend, it is listed under "Your Lands," since it is technically in your county now, and not nearby.

Regarding polls, I prefer to just get a sense of the sentiment. That works 90% of the time. If things are close, I count. If things are tied, I am making it my new poloicy to just pick one, because I have found that asking players to argue it out at that point just leads to frustration.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Regarding Pigsend, it is listed under "Your Lands," since it is technically in your county now, and not nearby.

...Ah.

[kaian-a-coel]

Count Samuel Stone... Cool!
I say we stay in Feroshire. Otherwise I support Talvara ideas.

[Gamerlord]

I don't want to lose Feroshire after we spent so much time working on it...