((The cellar seems the best and obvious bet, seeing as it's probably stone and moist. Also I'm confused as to why Lilith would be in love with a half blind mad scientist who was willing to bet her in a dice game for a monkey))
"Now this might come to a shock to all of you, but fire.. is hot. Fire bad. You want to get away from fire. So everyone make way to the cellar before you all burn to death as if you were on some cyclist's wheel.
Head to the cellar.
You descend into the cellar, which is full of heavy barrels of ale. [5] Normally, this would be a terrible idea and you can see why - smoke is descending here from above, making this the most lethal place in the entire house. Your luck holds however - there is a trapdoor at the far end of the cellar, presumably leading up to the street where barrels come in from. It has an iron padlock on it, though - you will have to figure out an ingenious (or perhaps just straightforward) way of getting it off before you can use the trapdoor to escape!
Send a diplomat to the McHales. Attempt to have them join us peacefully so we have their soldiers and we don't risk losing ours.
[5] Normally such negotiations would require heavy concessions, but as it is the McHales see which way the wind is blowing. They will agree to join, provided their leader receives full Hond and Hersir status
and you pay them a ducat in tribute.
Find Drua and politely ask her where Mahtan is..
Drua: A young man approaches you as you are busy preparing for your journey, asking you about Mahtan, the
unofficial Royal Alchemist.
Loot the Fallen...
There is precious little worth looting. The knights were penniless save for their arms (most of which were damaged or destroyed in the battle) and what was stolen from the villagers was barely worth noting. You just return them to the village and tell them justice was done. Sometimes, battles just don't result in any treasure worth taking.
Ask each peasent what each of these knight's crime was.Execute the murderers and rapists. Arrest the Vandals and theives. Help with the Lootage.
[5] Most of the knights are at least accused of murder and rape, and you don't have any inclination to bother with trials. Only three escape the accusations, so you take them as prisoners under theft and brigandage charges. The rest you dispose of in whatever manner you feel is most memorable.
Renard turned to his Harold, and said "Unload the tin, and take it to the markets to sell it then bring me the funds. Meanwhile I will go off, and gather information, and hopefully some more men, so we can set up our first safe haven for times of need. We will begin the raiding of trade ships afterwards, but we will need atleast someplace to hide in a time of need. Now go there is much to do, and little time to do it in." Renard then turned, and walked off towards the taverns hoping to find information on places where they could set up a haven, and some good pirates to guard it.
Look for info on safe places to grab land, and set up a Pirate Haven, and try to find sonme men who ar ewilling to join my crew for free.
[3-1] There aren't many places on the coast that are unclaimed. You fail to find any havens of worth. You have a more pressing concern, though, and that is funding - if you cannot get hold of at least
2.5 Ducats before the new year turns (or very soon thereafter), you will have a mutiny on your hands. This ship did take some damage during the last fight and you will seriously need to pay upkeep on it.
With most of the nobles taken care of, the Grand Master could turn his attention to the prosperity of the land. He had no doubt there was still many short tempers from the previous battles. Thankfully his spending had calmed te people of the city and the Nobles seemed more or less happy that they could keep their lands. Every single one had accepted. This might reduce the available land to be given out. But with Trubaldsome and yl Marchis on the run to Miring, he very much doubted they would be getting a cut anyways.
He bid the nobles to see him with a report of all their lands and their general prosperity. Hopefully this would give him (And the King when he arrived) a much better picture of what Preston could provide for the Kingdom and which lands were open.
He would also enquire about the catapults and engineers that had fled after the battle. He hoped that they would be returned under a prudent noble who wished to keep his lands. Or perhaps a minor noble looking to impress his new liege would be able to divulge their where abouts.
Ask the nobles of Preston to report on the status of their lands. Check on the status of Preston City as well.
Also ask the nobles if they knew the fate of the catapults and engineers who accompanied them.
Preston1 Settlement, Preston (8d/year)
No tax due to looting.1 Port, Port Preston (6d/year)
No tax due to looting.2 parcels open land - Crown (2d/year)
4 parcels open land - 4 Minor Vassals (2d/year @ 0.5d/parcel vassal tax)
1 parcel open land - 1 Minor Vassal
Tax-exemption status.The fate of the catapults and engineers is unknown.
By grain in Vasir, sell in miring
When the crew returns from leave, inform them we're going to go have some fun
Even though Vasir does technically produce grain, its high urban population, wine industry and the fact that it is
winter all make grain a rather scarce commodity right now. [2] You bargain hard, but the best offer you can get is still 1.6d/tonne. Unless you are particularly unlucky, though, the price is likely to be even higher at your destination. You buy two tonnes of grain (leaving you 4.8d) and set sail for the war-torn province of Miring. [3] You make fair time and encounter no dangers, but upon approaching Port Sleen you discover three light warships sailing towards the same destination. They are flying Preston's colours.
"God damn them." Hans was sitting in an armchair in front of a fireplace. The siege continued, although Hans wasn't really bothered with this. He deliberated on what might be done to get back at his enemies and how he will avoid future problems like that. If someone considered him important enough to have him killed that was a good sign. But he needs to be more careful what he says to whom next time. It was quite idiotic of him to spill everything to these two at the castle, and it seemed to Hans that it was the young scion of the yl Marchis house that ordered his men to kill him.
So far from home and yet so close to this old game. The game of princes and merchants.
Hans was stuck in the port until spring and still had the facilites to continue the trade, so that was no problem. The problem was whether or not the siege will end with victory for Elbreth. Whenever he thought about these two at the castle, he cursed them and promised a revenge in one breath. He might not be big now, but soon enough...
As Hans was sitting in his armchair he dictated various notes and trade schedule to Marvin, who was sitting at the pulpit nearby and scribbling down everything his master told him to. Well, almost everything. Elbreth, despite its size and population, wasn't producing a lot of processed goods. Raw matierals however were a good way of making money fairly quick. With demand for industrial input, Vasir will certainly buy up Elbrethian wool, with return journey bringing wine. With all these mercenaries and troopers roaming the country, demand for alcohol is assured, thought Hans.
Come spring go to Sheepstead and prepare a caravan with wool destined to go to Vasir. Return journey will be from Vasir to Miring with liquor to be sold there.
In preparation for spring, you send runners with notes of credit to an acquaintance in Sheepstead with orders for a purchase of two shipments of wool Wool. [3] It looks like the best available price is 0.75d/shipment, so you hire a pair of caravans for the year and purchase both shipments. (You are now 2.5d in debt.) The caravans bring the shipments to Miring, where your two ships are waiting for them. You can try and risk the midwinter seas or wait until Spring as originally intended.