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[Gamerlord]

Hearing a call from his first mate, Agnad slung himself up into the rigging and saw Kol'Thelos.
"Ready the ship to dock!"
"YES CAPTAIN!"
A grin clawed it's way onto Agnad's face. That would never get old.
 

"Right men, you deal with this. I'll go have a nice little chat with whoever owns this town."
As his cousins and brothers took care of the mundane business of securing the ship, Agnad climbed up onto the dock - though it was barely worth the name, the Forever Lost's home village had a bigger dock than this - and greeted a sentry who had arrived.
"Your lord. I want to speak to him."


What do you all think? Good, bad or tolerable?

[adwarf]

Samus stares at the man with deep scrutiny as he bows, but quickly returns to his usual half smile as he speaks,

"Stand straight, come tell me your name and why you would seek an audience with me."

[Elfeater]

Gregory stands, and speaks to the emperor.
"Hello, I am Gregory Montal, leader of a mercenary company who has recently arrived here. I have heard around town that you have recently began trading with nearby kingdoms, however, the roads can be dangerous, and would like to be considered as an option to help defend the trade routes."

[Patrick Hunt]

Escorted to the hall by a sentry a short time later Tsujochi stood quietly and observed what was going on whilst weighing up the king based on his reaction to the petitioner.

(( Never mind the PM rereading the last turns I spotted what was confusing me, sorry Adwarf. ))

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After a short break the Commander rapidly growing tired of doing nothing shrugged and then headed for the palace on his own followed by his company and waited outside the main doors for the sentry he had sent earlier to return for him.



(( This is to be in keeping with my peoples less civilized more impatient nature and not because I'm impatient. Thank you for pointing out how this appeared Elf I should have explained when I first posted it.

It felt fitting to have my people decide to let themselves in without waiting to be escorted and I wanted it to stand out so I placed it in a new post rather then editing it onto an old one where it might be missed since I didn't think of it until now. ))

[Ardas]

Detach a company from Raglan's bunch and send them west to scout the tribal territory.
Send an emissary to the city state on the coast and propose a sea trade route agreement.

[Shootandrun]

((The city has walls, Patrick, you can't just walk right up to the palace. I'll assume the commander would have gone to the city gate instead of the palace one))

At the docks...

After a short discussion with his superior, the sentry who had first stopped Agnad instructed the merchant to follow him before leading him directly through the palace. Along the way, he could see that the city was buzzing with activity, with horsemen riding down towards the palace, most of them either armored or in the process of putting their armor on. Strangely enough, there were very few citizens out in the streets, and those that were still outside seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere else. The horsemen paid them no mind.

Just as the pair arrived at the palace, the gate was pushed open and more horsemen started riding out. They were fully armored, and bore the Duke's standard. The most high ranking one - obviously a powerful noble, since unlike the others he was garbed in a full steel armor - exchanged a few words with the sentry and looked at the merchant. He spoke quickly, his voice obscured by his helmet.

"Go right in. There's trouble outside the walls, but the Duke will probably want to see you anyway."

Without letting Agnad answer, the sentry dashed towards the main building, indicating for you to follow, and opened the door, revealing a somewhat ornate interior. Once inside - interestingly enough, the sentry did not follow, instead being replaced by a knight of some kind - it is a straight walk to a great hall, where a few nobles can be seen standing around a table, discussing something about horse tribes. The one at the end of the table exchanges a few whispers with the knight, and clears his throat rather loudly. In under a minute, the room is emptied, leaving the merchant and the noble alone. The Duke - for only one man in the city could force Thelossi nobility to clear a room without even talking - speaks up, his voice smooth and calm.

"I'm told you're a merchant - good. I've been looking for one of your affiliation who is not serving for any of the large trading companies. There has been a disturbance outside the city walls, but I've already sent someone to deal with the problem. We should have at least half an hour before I receive a report, and I intend to use that time as much as possible."

Calmly, he took a bottle of wine from the table and filled a glass, which he handed to his guest after crossing the distance between them. He did not get anything for himself.

"What's your name, merchant, and what kind of affairs do you deal in?"


--------------------------------
Outside the city gates...

As the gates to the city groaned open, the commander of the Windborn company saw what was at least one company of cavalry standing ready to charge right beyond the wall, with more troops gathering by the minute. They did not, however, charge - instead, a steel armored knight rode out alone, bearing the ducal standard high above his head. He did not remove his helmet as he started speaking, making it hard to read his emotions.

"The Duke would like to inform you that he does not appreciate the gathering of troops outside of his city's walls, and has an even lower appreciation of men who show impatience. As such, he has refused to grant you an audience. However, he has sent me to discuss with you in his stead. I will act as his representative and I hold the full authority to strike deals with your tribe, should deals be sought and thought to be fair by both parties."

He stopped talking for a second, planting the standard on the ground next to him, signifying that "negotiations" had begun.

"So. What brings a hundred horse raiders at the gates of Kol'Thelos?"

[Patrick Hunt]

(( Fair enough, I was unsure so I simply took a guess. ))

The Commander flashed a predatory grin at the knight speaking to him before motioning to his men to move back.

" Better? Now down to business, firstly please inform your lord I'm sorry for startling his men but we are a people who respect strength. I could not make an offer without first knowing the caliber of those I make it to, I approve of your lords response.

I came for 3 purposes sent by the last living lord of the Windborn tribe.

Firstly, to deliver a warning. For many generations the tribes have been kept in check by us, we kept them weak and divided and so you have never faced the full might of a horse tribe riding down on you. Tribes that I should point out have trained to fight and ride far longer then any of you and have far better horses then those pore beasts your men ride on. They will need time to recover because I'm certain my people and my brothers made them pay dearly to destroy our home but they will recover and then they will come.
This brings me to my second point.

Secondly, I came to offer a deal to your lord. Your people once valued horses and maintained a large number of horses that were almost a match for our own. Almost.
If he is willing to make a deal with me then when your mares are ready to breed we will bring stallions of our own Windborn horses to improve your bloodlines and assist you in regaining the splendor your cavalry once held, for a price of course.

Finally, I came to offer our services. 5 companies of Windborn horse warriors, well armed, battle hardened and professional riding horses better then any that have been seen in these parts for generations. The Windborn bred horses that were accepted as superior even amongst the other tribes and those we ride are the least of them. We will help you to defend your lands, for a price.

You can tell your lord this, our horses are stronger, faster, smarter and can run those of any other species into the ground and keep going.
We can help him to regain the power his cavalry once possessed, or if he's happy with what we has we will leave and the offer will never be made again. "

[adwarf]

Samus smile turned to a grin as the man spoke, he had been planning on sending a call out to mercenaries looking for work and here one came forward of his own initiate looking for work. 'A good omen for things to come perhaps ...', Samus thought as he leaned forward, nodding at the man he started up,

"I was soon planning on putting up notices for just that, Sir Montal I would be glad to pay for your services though I will have need for you outside of just patrolling my lands. How does 250 Helta* a season sound for your services? Of course that doesn't include any extra pay I'll give for missions and battle you undertake."

* Helta = 1/1000th of a Ducat, so 250 is one fourth of a ducat.


-------

Much later ...

Eight soldiers march Tsujochi into the throne room, now empty except for two soldiers standing to either side of the throne and Samus himself standing before the ornate seat. Samus narrows his eyes as the tribe leader enters, he strides forward to a few feet in front of the Windborn and sets his hand on his sword as he observes the man before him. Clearing his throat he speaks,

"Explain to me why I should let you have an audience when from the moment you've arrived you'd did little else then scare my people, steal food from my lands, and then charge around in front of my city as if you were about to start a war."

[Patrick Hunt]

Tsujochi inclines his head slightly in a show of respect, something thats rare from the lord of a tribe.

" My people eat the food we brought with us and the animals have not been grazed since we entered into your lands. That is part of the reason for why I am here, before they are allowed to graze I came to request permission. The Windborn have a strict code of honor that we violate for nobody. We also respect strength, before I could speak with you I needed to take the measure of the warriors who serve you.

But as for why you should hear me out? If you don't then the gathering tide will sweep you away. I came to deliver a warning and make an offer. The choice is yours if you choose to hear it or not. "

With that Tsuchoji's faced hardened showing nothing as he waited for an answer.

[Shootandrun]

The knight seemed to shift in his saddle, looking at the commander with a newfound interest. He remained silent for a long time, apparently considering the offer, before replying with the same tone as before.

"A deal can be made, if we manage to settle on a specific arrangement. Since you named no price, I will present mine - make of it what you will. The Duke is willing to give you leave to let your horses graze on three parcels, of which you will have jurisdiction over for the duration of your service - note that such a jurisdiction would not be permanent and would not get your leader a nobility title, although we could reach an agreement on such matters if it is decided that a more long-term partnership is worthwhile. In addition to these parcels, any and all upkeep of your troops will be paid for by the state, so long as you do not expand your ranks. If you do, the Duke will continue to pay for your original numbers while you provide for the new ones."

He waited for a moment, letting the words sink in and shifting once again in his saddle. He seemed to speak from memory rather than to improvise - it was evident the lord had anticipated that the tribe might have been seeking to be hired.

"In exchange, you will be expected to breed horses - Windborn horses, to be precise, and to teach any other horse herder in the kingdom how to do the same. You will also be expected to keep the Thelossi roads clear of bandits and to deal with any horse tribe causing problem in our lands, although of course you may require the Ducal Army's aid if you should find yourselves outnumbered."

Another pause, another shifting. This time, the knight cleared his throat before resuming his speech.

"What do you say, horseman? Can an agreement be reached?"

[adwarf]

Samus broke into laughter, it takes almost a minute before him to stop but when he finishes he stares the man straight in the eyes as he speaks,

"Sweep me away? I'm afraid you're not aware of the situation, if you had taken a look outside you'd have realized you have no chance, you have your forces camped in front of my city where over a thousand men sit behind walls your men can't hope to get through. More importantly I rule an entire nation, there are thousands more just waiting to take up arms against our enemies and you have the audacity to come into my lands and threaten me.

I will give you two choices, and the fact that I give these to you is proof of my mercy.

The Windborn can bow down and swear fealty to me and all Emperors and Empresses of the Heltanian Empire to come, and you may stay in my lands in return for the service you pay to the Empire.

Or you can take your people, and leave my lands immediately, never to return again unless it is service to the Empire. It is your choice Windborn, choose wisely."

[Patrick Hunt]

@Shoot.

The commander shrugs and smiles inwardly.

"It is good to see that some beyond the tribes know the value of a good mount.

We will breed our horses with yours and in time they will develop to match our own though this will take many generations of selective breeding, but no man of the Windborn clan would turn over a pure bred Windborn horse to a man not of the tribe. They are as much a part of our family as our wives and we would die before we saw them rode by outsiders.

We will accept the land with gratitude to graze our herds, we will train your own breeders in how to select the best horses and how to choose which mares to breed with which stallions. It is doubtful they will be able to match the skill of those born to the saddle as we were but we can make them skilled after a fashion.

But in addition we will require 1 company of your own men to travel with each company of ours whenever we take the field for you. If we are to bleed and die for you then we expect your own men to share that burden, to compensate for this each of those companies will be trained by the company of us that it works along side. Your cavalry maintains some of it's former skill but we can make them better, they will also require training in how to ride the horses we will help you to breed. Our horses are somewhat more... willful then those you ride.

Oh and in addition, amongst the tribes it is the right of the victor to claim the loot, as we are to work along side you then we would request a 40/60 split with your lord receiving the higher portion, but we would claim the right of first choice of that loot.

If you can accept those terms then I will send word to my lord and my people will be here in a matter of days. "


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

@Adwarf.

Tsujochi shakes his head sadly.

"You hear but you do not listen.

We came to deliver a warning in advance of that tide. The tribes have come together and they number so many that the earth will rumble when they ride.

That is the tide that is coming and your 1000 men can not stand before it. If you take the field against them they will ride you down, if you remain behind your walls you will starve, if you surrender they will take your women as slaves and kill your men and your children and if you attempt to make peace they will refuse.

That is the warning I came to deliver, when they come remember this. We came to you in good faith and warned you what was coming.
We have fought them for generations beyond counting, before your empire was even considered we fought them, when your empire grew we fought them, when your empire invaded our lands, we repelled you and when your empire entered decline we fought them still, the people of these empires have come against us before, few of them survived to tell of it. When they come call for us and we will show you why the tribes fear us still.

We swear loyalty to no man, we could have worked with you but we will not work for you. "

With that Tsujochi bowed his head again and then turned to the door. "

[Shootandrun]

The knight hesitated, and spoke again, his mood seemingly improving.

"Most of those terms are acceptable. I wish to make only one change - the cavalry of Kol'Thelos is not kept in a military state at all times. The knights have families and estates to tend to. The very reason we would hire your riders is that we cannot maintain our forces on the field at all times. As such, I would suggest that your companies fight alone against all enemies they can handle. In repayment, of course, the battles which you win alone will see the loot going to your tribe alone, with no part going to the Duke. Others will see the loot split proportionally with the amount of forces each of us contributed to the battle. Do these terms strike you as fair?"

[Patrick Hunt]

(( My bad, I've edited in titles and will use them from now on to avoid this happening again. ))

" That is acceptable on the condition that each season we be allowed to recruit 1 additional company that will be supported by your lord. So that the increase in cost will be small each time up to a maximum of 1 complete regiment.

It will also allow us to take on more duties the longer we fight for you without needing to call on your own soldiers as frequently. Of course we will pay 40% of any loot we acquire in exchange for this. "

[Elfeater]

Gregory nods, "That will be excellent, however, would we be able to speak about this price range as my company grows in size?"