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[Shadowclaw777]

First off, we should understand Imperial Religion law, because we should know whether having a harem is a plausible thing we could have. However I don’t think marrying the necromancer to us is a good idea, we should wait and seek all available options before hamstringing ourselves with the first option, however fine Anders can have his necromancer wife

Another thing is religious doctrine on whether priests can become married and it currently seems so?

Hindsight Bias: choosing to have our older brother become our regency would of seemed to be a way better option, because it seems the three siblings we have aren’t exactly as formidable as compared to being more militarily significant, and we even lost one of siblings due to assassinations. As well, we wouldn’t have to be dealing Orc raids or at least they would be way less scary and significant threat to deal with then what is happening currently

[mightymushroom]

Frigga/Texulchimum seems unlikely to advance a marriage proposal that is plainly illegal – only her necromancy will not be evident – and Anders is not hiding his training, so yes priests can marry. No Imperial in the story so far has had a harem – all men with multiple marriages have been made sequentially following the former wife's death.

[IronyOwl]

Hindsight Bias: choosing to have our older brother become our regency would of seemed to be a way better option, because it seems the three siblings we have aren’t exactly as formidable as compared to being more militarily significant, and we even lost one of siblings due to assassinations. As well, we wouldn’t have to be dealing Orc raids or at least they would be way less scary and significant threat to deal with then what is happening currently

I don't think we actually know any of this. Our mother is a good shot with a crossbow, Andre is a tough fighter for his age, and Anders is good with magic. I don't think we know anything about their actual leadership capabilities, or how effective our army might have been under better leadership.

That said, Anders intends to experiment on this matter shortly, so we should get some good data soon.

[mightymushroom]

I wrote earlier that I wasn't decided about the hunt ... now I am: Go on the Hunt.

Who to invite? +1 IronyOwl's suggestions

Preparations?
1) Talk to Pierre and/or Vishnu. Ask not just how to kill a sand daemon – Penteram should have that covered as a competent hunter – but also about any common links among those who survived an unsuccessful encounter. If the answer is something as simple as "be faster than the other guy" we can make sure our nearest and dearest have the best dire kangaroo rats in the nameless city (including presents for Mother and Penteram when they come down). Since we've mostly studied illusion, it would be good to know if daemons have any weakness in that area. Will an illusion help to hide us if things go badly? Do they have some sense of magic that will draw them right to it? ​

2) Talk to Penette, very discretely, about Pierre. She's the only other person in our group who is considered true royalty, that seemed to be important during our encounter. If she answers as we suspect she will, point out that Penteram's death during the expedition would reverse our kingdoms' relative position – as I understand Philip is ineligible due to bastardry but his infant child will need a regency and New Mahallo could become the "senior" partner. Of course, by the same token, our own death would make her a queen. Something for her to think about, what does she value and what will she sacrifice. We make no demands, we trust her. (Not trusting runs the exact same risk, after all.)

Not quite expedition preparation, but we can also tell Penette (in the same or a different conversation) that we would be fine if she continued to study here. However as the succession now stands, it might be best if she didn't completely isolate herself from the Imperials in the city. Look around, maybe ask a teacher, try to find one or two who are tolerable assholes instead of complete moron assholes.

[StrawBarrel]

My vote:
Do you accept Matriarch Mire's offer and allow her to hex you?
Yes

Do you help your brother get his book? If so, how?
Help Anders. Buy 1 of the 2 copies of Rites and Rituals of the 19 Demons. If that is not possible, then

You could also afford to be honorable and pay a scribe to make a cheap copy of the document on scrolls.

Do you accept the offer of an eventual court necromancer, and if so, is she to be your wife, Andre's, or Anders?
Accept the offer. Arrange Evie to marry Anders.

Do you join the hunt? If so, who if anyone from The Nameless City do you invite? What other preparations do you try to make?
Let's do it. Probably we won't even find one, but the prestige and camaraderie of giving it a shot will be invaluable to our relations with Penteram and his family (and Imperials in general). If we do find one, our hunting party will probably be among the more skilled and better equipped ones.

Worst case, we've got Pennete as an heir.

Preparations: Work with Pennete and the Vermant (and anyone else who'd know) to figure out how our new breed of mounts would do on the hunt. Ideally we want to use this as an opportunity to show off and advertise them, so if they're a good match anyone we invite should be furnished with one.

As for who to invite...
-It would be polite to extend an invitation to Apollo and Vishnu. I have no idea if they have any interest (I'd be surprised if Apollo did, but Vishnu at least likes the outdoors), nor do I know if the Nameless City has its own fancy murder parties. But if Imperial glory hunts are the only feasible way to try for it and they're invitation only, it's plausible that Vishnu would like to partake in such a hunt but typically isn't able to.
-I assume we should invite at least some of our hunting buddies. All of them? Just the named ones? I'm unclear on proper etiquette for Imperial suicide missions. Keanu was still a better hunter than us last we heard, so he's an obvious pick. Otherwise I think our only named goons are the twins, who are useful sycophants. I believe prestigious yet dangerous endeavors are exactly what you bring those along for.
-If we're going to buddy up with Matriarch Mire, we should take a vampire along.

+1

I wrote earlier that I wasn't decided about the hunt ... now I am: Go on the Hunt.

Who to invite? +1 IronyOwl's suggestions

Preparations?
1) Talk to Pierre and/or Vishnu. Ask not just how to kill a sand daemon – Penteram should have that covered as a competent hunter – but also about any common links among those who survived an unsuccessful encounter. If the answer is something as simple as "be faster than the other guy" we can make sure our nearest and dearest have the best dire kangaroo rats in the nameless city (including presents for Mother and Penteram when they come down). Since we've mostly studied illusion, it would be good to know if daemons have any weakness in that area. Will an illusion help to hide us if things go badly? Do they have some sense of magic that will draw them right to it? ​

2) Talk to Penette, very discretely, about Pierre. She's the only other person in our group who is considered true royalty, that seemed to be important during our encounter. If she answers as we suspect she will, point out that Penteram's death during the expedition would reverse our kingdoms' relative position – as I understand Philip is ineligible due to bastardry but his infant child will need a regency and New Mahallo could become the "senior" partner. Of course, by the same token, our own death would make her a queen. Something for her to think about, what does she value and what will she sacrifice. We make no demands, we trust her. (Not trusting runs the exact same risk, after all.)

Not quite expedition preparation, but we can also tell Penette (in the same or a different conversation) that we would be fine if she continued to study here. However as the succession now stands, it might be best if she didn't completely isolate herself from the Imperials in the city. Look around, maybe ask a teacher, try to find one or two who are tolerable assholes instead of complete moron assholes.

+1

[Naturegirl1999]

My vote:
Do you accept Matriarch Mire's offer and allow her to hex you?
Yes

Do you help your brother get his book? If so, how?
Help Anders. Buy 1 of the 2 copies of Rites and Rituals of the 19 Demons. If that is not possible, then

You could also afford to be honorable and pay a scribe to make a cheap copy of the document on scrolls.

Do you accept the offer of an eventual court necromancer, and if so, is she to be your wife, Andre's, or Anders?
Accept the offer. Arrange Evie to marry Anders.

Do you join the hunt? If so, who if anyone from The Nameless City do you invite? What other preparations do you try to make?
Let's do it. Probably we won't even find one, but the prestige and camaraderie of giving it a shot will be invaluable to our relations with Penteram and his family (and Imperials in general). If we do find one, our hunting party will probably be among the more skilled and better equipped ones.

Worst case, we've got Pennete as an heir.

Preparations: Work with Pennete and the Vermant (and anyone else who'd know) to figure out how our new breed of mounts would do on the hunt. Ideally we want to use this as an opportunity to show off and advertise them, so if they're a good match anyone we invite should be furnished with one.

As for who to invite...
-It would be polite to extend an invitation to Apollo and Vishnu. I have no idea if they have any interest (I'd be surprised if Apollo did, but Vishnu at least likes the outdoors), nor do I know if the Nameless City has its own fancy murder parties. But if Imperial glory hunts are the only feasible way to try for it and they're invitation only, it's plausible that Vishnu would like to partake in such a hunt but typically isn't able to.
-I assume we should invite at least some of our hunting buddies. All of them? Just the named ones? I'm unclear on proper etiquette for Imperial suicide missions. Keanu was still a better hunter than us last we heard, so he's an obvious pick. Otherwise I think our only named goons are the twins, who are useful sycophants. I believe prestigious yet dangerous endeavors are exactly what you bring those along for.
-If we're going to buddy up with Matriarch Mire, we should take a vampire along.

+1

I wrote earlier that I wasn't decided about the hunt ... now I am: Go on the Hunt.

Who to invite? +1 IronyOwl's suggestions

Preparations?
1) Talk to Pierre and/or Vishnu. Ask not just how to kill a sand daemon – Penteram should have that covered as a competent hunter – but also about any common links among those who survived an unsuccessful encounter. If the answer is something as simple as "be faster than the other guy" we can make sure our nearest and dearest have the best dire kangaroo rats in the nameless city (including presents for Mother and Penteram when they come down). Since we've mostly studied illusion, it would be good to know if daemons have any weakness in that area. Will an illusion help to hide us if things go badly? Do they have some sense of magic that will draw them right to it? ​

2) Talk to Penette, very discretely, about Pierre. She's the only other person in our group who is considered true royalty, that seemed to be important during our encounter. If she answers as we suspect she will, point out that Penteram's death during the expedition would reverse our kingdoms' relative position – as I understand Philip is ineligible due to bastardry but his infant child will need a regency and New Mahallo could become the "senior" partner. Of course, by the same token, our own death would make her a queen. Something for her to think about, what does she value and what will she sacrifice. We make no demands, we trust her. (Not trusting runs the exact same risk, after all.)

Not quite expedition preparation, but we can also tell Penette (in the same or a different conversation) that we would be fine if she continued to study here. However as the succession now stands, it might be best if she didn't completely isolate herself from the Imperials in the city. Look around, maybe ask a teacher, try to find one or two who are tolerable assholes instead of complete moron assholes.

+1

+1 to this plan

[King Zultan]

My vote:
Do you accept Matriarch Mire's offer and allow her to hex you?
Yes

Do you help your brother get his book? If so, how?
Help Anders. Buy 1 of the 2 copies of Rites and Rituals of the 19 Demons. If that is not possible, then

You could also afford to be honorable and pay a scribe to make a cheap copy of the document on scrolls.

Do you accept the offer of an eventual court necromancer, and if so, is she to be your wife, Andre's, or Anders?
Accept the offer. Arrange Evie to marry Anders.

Do you join the hunt? If so, who if anyone from The Nameless City do you invite? What other preparations do you try to make?
Let's do it. Probably we won't even find one, but the prestige and camaraderie of giving it a shot will be invaluable to our relations with Penteram and his family (and Imperials in general). If we do find one, our hunting party will probably be among the more skilled and better equipped ones.

Worst case, we've got Pennete as an heir.

Preparations: Work with Pennete and the Vermant (and anyone else who'd know) to figure out how our new breed of mounts would do on the hunt. Ideally we want to use this as an opportunity to show off and advertise them, so if they're a good match anyone we invite should be furnished with one.

As for who to invite...
-It would be polite to extend an invitation to Apollo and Vishnu. I have no idea if they have any interest (I'd be surprised if Apollo did, but Vishnu at least likes the outdoors), nor do I know if the Nameless City has its own fancy murder parties. But if Imperial glory hunts are the only feasible way to try for it and they're invitation only, it's plausible that Vishnu would like to partake in such a hunt but typically isn't able to.
-I assume we should invite at least some of our hunting buddies. All of them? Just the named ones? I'm unclear on proper etiquette for Imperial suicide missions. Keanu was still a better hunter than us last we heard, so he's an obvious pick. Otherwise I think our only named goons are the twins, who are useful sycophants. I believe prestigious yet dangerous endeavors are exactly what you bring those along for.
-If we're going to buddy up with Matriarch Mire, we should take a vampire along.

+1

I wrote earlier that I wasn't decided about the hunt ... now I am: Go on the Hunt.

Who to invite? +1 IronyOwl's suggestions

Preparations?
1) Talk to Pierre and/or Vishnu. Ask not just how to kill a sand daemon – Penteram should have that covered as a competent hunter – but also about any common links among those who survived an unsuccessful encounter. If the answer is something as simple as "be faster than the other guy" we can make sure our nearest and dearest have the best dire kangaroo rats in the nameless city (including presents for Mother and Penteram when they come down). Since we've mostly studied illusion, it would be good to know if daemons have any weakness in that area. Will an illusion help to hide us if things go badly? Do they have some sense of magic that will draw them right to it? ​

2) Talk to Penette, very discretely, about Pierre. She's the only other person in our group who is considered true royalty, that seemed to be important during our encounter. If she answers as we suspect she will, point out that Penteram's death during the expedition would reverse our kingdoms' relative position – as I understand Philip is ineligible due to bastardry but his infant child will need a regency and New Mahallo could become the "senior" partner. Of course, by the same token, our own death would make her a queen. Something for her to think about, what does she value and what will she sacrifice. We make no demands, we trust her. (Not trusting runs the exact same risk, after all.)

Not quite expedition preparation, but we can also tell Penette (in the same or a different conversation) that we would be fine if she continued to study here. However as the succession now stands, it might be best if she didn't completely isolate herself from the Imperials in the city. Look around, maybe ask a teacher, try to find one or two who are tolerable assholes instead of complete moron assholes.

+1

+1 to this plan

+1 to all these things.

[StrawBarrel]

Discussion and speculation stuff:

Frigga/Texulchimum seems unlikely to advance a marriage proposal that is plainly illegal – only her necromancy will not be evident – and Anders is not hiding his training, so yes priests can marry. No Imperial in the story so far has had a harem – all men with multiple marriages have been made sequentially following the former wife's death.

Yeah my guess is that the marriage laws are monogamy oriented. But at the same time it might be fine to have an unmarried partner since Phillip is openly a bastard. Maybe as hereditary dictator Arawn could just change the laws for poly.

If we are going to abandon the last year of training with the matriarch we should take the hex.

An underground network that we could work with is invaluable.  Even if we don't have control over the network, it just being friendly to us could really help with spy craft.

That's what I'm now hoping for from the hex deal. Hopefully we luck out and get some allies skilled in tradecraft to defend against the assassination plots. Maybe whoever killed Vera is the brother who would inherit New Mahallo if Arawn and Pennete die.

The crusade resolving as solidly as it did in what has turned out to be Felix's favor (what a chad) changes things IMMENSELY. It means, in my opinion, that focusing on traditional allies (except Penteram) and resources as our main insurances for power is going to be a bust - the Imperials have been sort of taken out of play for now. Instead, I would like for us to go full fucking bore into maximizing the strength of our bonds, alliances from the Court of the Lich and our magical power. We are NOT going to out-economy and sure as FUCK NOT going to out-military Gigachad Ass-Beater Prince Felix, but we can probably out-magic sideswipe him.

Accordingly:
Do you take Matriarch Mire's offer?
YES. Taking the vampires an alliance would be a damn nice asset for the sorts of espionage and intrigue that I think is our smartest route forwards for our sibling rivalry, AND it's probably the single best route currently at this moment visible to us that we have of any sort of continuation between our learning of magic in the Lich's Court and back home. WE WANT TO GET REALLY GOOD WITH MAGIC. WE WANT TO GET REALLY REALLY GOOD WITH MAGIC IF WE WANT TO COMPETE WITH THE BIG-BALLER NO-BALLER LEAGUE. YES.

I suppose magic could be the path forward. But I'm not certain yet. I feel like there's not enough information on the Volcanique Confederation, but that's not a bad guess though.

You also learn from the letter that some top secret negotiations are in place with the orc blooded people of the Bloodstone Plateau. Your brother is not privy to these discussions, but he speculates Penteram plans to pay them off to abstain from conducting raids should the Titan Pact get involved in the crusade. Andre writes that the leadership of the fortress is particularly cruel; They took many female captives during their great raid, violated them, and allowed them to return home with mixed-blooded children with the express intent of dividing families and communities over if said children should be allowed to live and how they should be treated. Fathers and husbands killing daughters and wives over the shame has become distressingly common.

It's good to know that the Bloodstone Plateau is willing to accept tribute. Cools the situation down a bit from ongoing threat to looming danger.
This world is brutal. They have war crimes are occurring just like in real life.

[BlackPaladin99]

I'll just throw up my initial positions. I'm not 100% committed on these suggestions yet, so hopefully there will be some good discussions to solidify some ideas.

Actions:
Do you accept Matriarch Mire's offer and allow her to hex you?
No
Do you help your brother get his book? If so, how?
Help Anders by stealing the book.
Do you accept the offer of an eventual court necromancer, and if so, is she to be your wife, Andre's, or Anders?
Accept the offer. Arrange Evie to marry Anders.
Do you join the hunt?
Yes
If so, who if anyone from The Nameless City do you invite?
Keanu, Pierre, Kane, Kaylee
What other preparations do you try to make?
IDK

+1

But we try to amass as many magical items first.  And I think we should send a letter to whichever sibling of ours that he can be regent. 

[Powder Miner]

Killing Penteram on the hunt would be a potentially suicidal move, by the way - with the amount of political high stakes around the Titanlands, there is absolutely no guarantee a succession goes cleanly and doesn’t get puppeted, challenged in an internal war, or usurped by Felix and gang. And while they can’t invade a Titanlands solidly controlled by Penteram, walking into a Titanlands half controlled by a faction friendly to them or opened up to them by manipulation of the succession is a LOT more viable. You risk turning the Titanlands from an area controlled by a king of fairly friendly terms that keeps us secure from the extremely powerful faction outside to an area that is none of these things. Sure, we have political problems with Penteram, but the murder-in-our-minority solution would be the solution with the absolute largest capability to blow up in our faces, and we really ought to be able to find another - such as building up our own power base and simply presenting a strong enough actor in fact that sidelining us doesn’t become possible.

The Pierre to Penteram murder plan in my eyes would leave us with many more problems than it would actually solve.

[mightymushroom]

I worded my proposal the way I did as a means to probe Penette's feelings on the matter, and how she handles her (presumed) snake demon alliance. Just having confirmation or denial of her resources friendship could be valuable later; I don't want Penteram dead per se. During the hunt we should help him if we can. Frankly the hunt itself sounds plenty dangerous and there will likely be forces besides ours with clandestine interests in the party.

murder-in-our-minority

We're practically guaranteed a time skip straight to our coronation after the hunt, so any danger specific to our minority is as low as can be. With so many traditional Imperials in the Titanlands I believe we would be as well positioned as anyone to take advantage of the chaos.

Yet it is quite correct that chaos would result, and it wouldn't hurt to make sure Penette understands all sides of the problem before committing to her decision.

We might want to go so far as to recommend Apollo's tutelage to her, and vice versa, before we leave. He's the best dude we know for lessons in practical politics, which she could use even if her long-term goal is to be that one batty aunt who lives abroad and sends wild and exotic gifts to her brother's children every cold season.

[Powder Miner]

I mostly worry that going “you know, Penette, if Penteram were to die this would happen and if I were to die this would happen - I trust you, though - anyway why doesn’t Pierre come with us?” may send a certain message to her.

[mightymushroom]

True.
Leave Pierre off our official guest list unless he or Penette asks for it?
If we agree that we're not leading Penteram to a specific sand daemon – and I reiterate that I don't want him dead per se – then there's little reason to invite Pierre, he's not exactly cozy with us.

I do want to encourage Penette to make her own decisions – though obviously we might appreciate some more than others – and that we trust her even if some of those decisions use unconventional methods. If she's living abroad we need her to reach independent conclusions rather than follow orders. We'll keep in touch, but letters will be limited by the travel season.

[Maximum Spin]

Do invite Pierre, and ask him what his intentions are toward Penette.

[IronyOwl]

Maybe whoever killed Vera is the brother who would inherit New Mahallo if Arawn and Pennete die.

That's Penteram, our hunt-happy brother who doesn't seem like he wants us killed. Could still have been him and he changed his mind, but he's also unambitious in general, and so arguably the least likely to murder our entire family for more land.

It's also not him directly that would inherit, but the children of his bastard son and our mother.

Killing Penteram on the hunt would be a potentially suicidal move, by the way - with the amount of political high stakes around the Titanlands, there is absolutely no guarantee a succession goes cleanly and doesn’t get puppeted, challenged in an internal war, or usurped by Felix and gang. And while they can’t invade a Titanlands solidly controlled by Penteram, walking into a Titanlands half controlled by a faction friendly to them or opened up to them by manipulation of the succession is a LOT more viable. You risk turning the Titanlands from an area controlled by a king of fairly friendly terms that keeps us secure from the extremely powerful faction outside to an area that is none of these things. Sure, we have political problems with Penteram, but the murder-in-our-minority solution would be the solution with the absolute largest capability to blow up in our faces, and we really ought to be able to find another - such as building up our own power base and simply presenting a strong enough actor in fact that sidelining us doesn’t become possible.

The Pierre to Penteram murder plan in my eyes would leave us with many more problems than it would actually solve.

These are more or less my thoughts. Scheming to kill King Penteram strikes me as the worst kind of opportunism, getting distracted by the how and forgetting if there's a decent why. I mean, he's literally our only ally and the brother we're least convinced is trying to murder us. Real shame if he had an accident...?

Do invite Pierre, and ask him what his intentions are toward Penette.

"Sir, do you intend to marry my sister?"


Unrelated: We should encourage trapped crusaders in Titan's Canyon to not only settle down here, but then rally against the orcish menace. We could get motivated veteran soldiers in exchange for land we weren't using anyway. Maybe even found a holy order or something.