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[Elephant Parade]

I assume water vs. flames will determine his replacement trait. Flames sounds like Martial, which hasn't done much for us, so B.

If this fails, it might make the people and our wife hate us; we can afford the former, but the latter would suck.

[ZBridges]

B

[Prophet]

B

[Haspen]

"Give him to the water, and may the spirits sort him out."

510 AD, Next Evening

The Archdruid leads the procession towards the nearby lake with the little Len in tow, who was given potent herbs, leaving him in dream-like state. Around his neck is a rope and a weighing stone is at its end.

Your wife, Dugda, huddles up against you as you watch from a distance, not allowed to come closer.

The procession ends at the shore, and the Archdruid leads Len into the water.

As the procession-goers start chanting and calling upon the spirits of the lake, the depths and the cold to cast away the spirits of fate from Len for a brief time, the Archdruid is calling fervently upon the Creator to save the body of the boy.

Then Len is pushed into the waters, the stone quickly sinking him. Guards have to restrain Dugda who gasps and tries to run toward the lake. Silence befalls the areas as the chanting and prayers end, and everyone is frozen in wait, watching as the surface of lake remains still.

And still...

And still...

Then, something bubbles on the surface of the water in front of the Archdruid. Moments later, a small, bloated body floats to the top. The procession-goers begin to wail, only partially muting the panicked, then despairing shrieks of your wife. Courtiers gasp and curse alike at this unfortunate omen as Archdruid fishes Len's body out of the water.

As he approches you with the boy's still body in his hands, his priests quickly put out torches so that the fire of the living is not spoiled by the coldness of death.

"The spirits of fate cannot go against the Creator, and it was Creator's will that Len is no more."

A small, single-chambered barrow is dug out for the underaged Len. Courtiers and priests mourn the boy's passing, but agree that maybe this is for the best.

Your wife, however, refuses to speak with you.

510 AD, Midsummer

Somehow, the enthusiastic reports of the Treasurer about the profits from sales of lumber do not instill joy in your heart.

510 AD, Late Summer

Your wife still avoids you and does not speak with you.

This has become such a drastic change in her behavior that even some of your courtiers began to take notice and murmur about the situation!

A) Everyone mourns, some for days, some for months - she just needs time.
B) I will have a heart-felt talk with her, try to instill some optimism in her, perhaps?
C) She needs a distraction, some lavish gifts, some young servants might be in order.

[Elephant Parade]

A

[Kashyyk]

A

[Haspen]

You tell concerned courtiers that Dugda just needs time to continue her life without Len at her side.

510 AD, Autumn

What's her name?

Ah yes. Runa.

A pleasant servant girl, with whom you had the occassion to talk lately, as Dugda continues her silent mourning. Runa has taken upon herself to keep you in high spirits, by little talks, little mentions of her life, her devotion to you, her satisfaction in serving the liberator of the kingdom from cluthes of evil Usurper. A little sob story about her parents being violated by Usurper's thugs has your heart soften over the day for the girl, younger than you by ten years or so.

And now, as she is helping you put a flowing robe on your back, her hands linger on your shoulders, and you turn your bearded face towards her.

She doesn't say anything, but in her eyes you see a certain sparkle...

A) And that is very, very lovely sparkle indeed.
B) Eye sparkle of a harlot! A snake!

[Elephant Parade]

B

Let's not

[Prophet]

B

[Kashyyk]

B

[King Zultan]

B

[brewer bob]

B

[Haspen]

You sternly tell Runa that her affection is not appropriate nor wanted, and the girl absconds a while later.

Just to be sure, you ask the servantmaster to find her a different job.

510 AD, Mid-Autumn

Your wife joins you in the audience chamber first time in the last four months. She doesn't say much, but her expression towards you have lessened, and the courtiers who were previously concerned about did notice.

510 AD, Winter

The arrival of the chests filled with copper crosses and spades, lead bars and strips, have made quite a commotion in the audience hall. The wealth of the mountains have finally arrived!

You life the heavy dark bars and the shiny, ruddy crosses, weighing them and checking their luster.

"My liege! My liege, a proposal!" The Treasurer leans towards you, his eyes sparkling.

"We ought to have artisans and craftsmen work the metals - then we can send them downriver to find buyers for even larger profits."

"This would be inadvisable, my liege, this early on in our work with the bounties of the earth." Says the Advisor. "It is an unproven ground, for our people were always people of the forest and river, not mountain and metal. Let us mint some coinage and sell the resources around so that the whole of the Kingdom becomes richer along the Treasury."

A) "Turn the metals into crafts and sell them abroad. The more money, the better!"
B) "Let us not make this supply of wealth unstable and unreliable. Sell the metals for a fair price!"

[Elephant Parade]

B. Maybe if we weren't at Economy 1.

[brewer bob]

B