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[Iituem]

Extracting information from Banquo

The king, having permitted you to take the spy into your own custody, ignores what you choose to do with him.  Thus, axe and other tools in hand, you force as much information out of Banquo as you can before he expires.

[4]  And what a trove it is.  He gives names and dates, the infiltration of half the regiments of the Royal Army at home and abroad, a plot to hire Weylander mercenaries to flank the kingdom and even the names of some of the spies in Preston's ranks.  It becomes apparent that his master is not working for Preston, but also that he has been operational much longer than Drua has been around.

Banquo is close to death by this point, but you press the issue regardless.

"N-not Drua.  H-her husband.  He- he has other names.  Ran a merchant h-house in - aaiaiegh! - Sh-sheepy Hollow.  But he's not... he's not what he seems..."

Terenos, endeavors to nonthreateningly raise his hands.

"Lets say I haven't. Which way do you want this to go?"

"My way, of course.  It hasn't all gone my way, thanks to you, but thanks to you I couldn't have gotten this far this cleanly."  The noble performs a very slight flourish with the crossbow, bowing a little but keeping his eyes on Terenos.

"Eight years.  Eight years I've been in hiding, planning my return.  Oh, the details don't matter.  A voyage, a shipwreck, terrible news and of course the body was never found.  Markan Drummel died six years ago, killed by a lifetime of drink and gambling, but it didn't take more than a few carefully placed bribes to replace him.  Who'd know, after all?  A fat, no-name noble with no land, barely a title and not a single heir.  The ministers didn't even recognise me, thought I was just some rich peasant buying my way into heredity.

"There was no money in that useless manor or that noble title, but it got me access to the palace again.  I set up another false name in a market where nobody would know me, a tiny little one-horse town called Sheepstead.  Money enough to keep an eye on things.  I kept an ear open too, and my purse.  Spent dozens of ducats over the years, slowly bringing people into line.  Preston's War Minister.  The nobles.  Suul.  I had this whole coup arranged... until you came into the picture."

Drummel's eyes narrow, then he snorts a short burst of laughter.

"But then, without you how could I have infiltrated Elbreth too?  Coming to meet you, who should I find but a young lady, bereft of support yet so very eager to make connections in a rival court.  My dearest, dearest Drua - safely hospitalised where she can be no threat.  You haven't the slightest idea how many weeks it took my spies to find that watering hole, or how hard it was to convince Preston to set up its camp there.  Ah, imagine my surprise when she came crawling back alive!

"And you, Terenos d'Avistral.  The great assassin.  The man with a penchant for killing every man under his command, sent to wear down my forces so your own could move in.  A man of great ambition.  How useful!  Yet how very, very dangerous.  I had hoped you might accompany the ships to sea, where my 'privateers' could sink you in safety.  Still, it was a weak bait at best.

"You might assume that my position is unfavourable.  After all you have the larger army, Preston's own forces are on the verge of falling into your trap, and you have reinforcements approaching.  You might think I had my back to the wall.  But you'd be wrong, because once they know who I am every force on this battlefield is going to answer to me, Preston and Miring alike."


"He's... he's..."


"You see, I am not Markan Drummel.  I am not some peasant, some mere spymaster or puppeteer.  I am Chicane von Trubaldsome, brother of Leuki, half-brother of Karl, and rightful heir to the thrones of Preston and Miring - and I will have your fealty, or I will have you in chains."

[filiusenox]

((Oh that wacky Terenos has done it again. On an entirely unrelated event, May i write the legends of the Old gods and such?))
 
"Damnit, we need a messenger to relay this information to The Diplomat, immediately!!!" Kain quickly calls in the semi-loyal messenger boy and hands him the message that Drua's husband is a traitor to the crown of Miring and spying on Elbereth and is going to try and hinder or harm the war effort.
"Get this message to the Diplomat by the name of Terenos in Miring's castle. HURRY! Tell him to arrest him immediately."
Kain stares at the man while the boy leaves.
"You know in older, more civilized cultures, when spies failed as utterly as you do, they killed themselves so as not to betray secrets. Unfortunately, your not going to send yourself to the Reaper, like those more honorable men. I am... After you tell me more. And don't worry if you give me enough info, I wont kill your family and publicly humiliate you as a traitor."
Interrogate Banquo furthur.

[Terenos]

((Dramatic music goes here, some kind of crashing overture, with a sort of nice underlying dramatic beat..
..Done what? I just kind of stumble around, let things happen..Iituem is doing this solely to taunt me, I am sure of it. He's damn well lured me into a position to impact this.))

Terenos smiles slowly. It looks like I'll get out of this yet.

"I had my suspicions that you were behind the spy ring that infiltrated Elbreth, upon meeting you.  You're a tad too pat, too prepared to be a simple country lordling. I had intended to have a chat with you, but in case you've failed to notice, I was operating under the assumption that everything was above-board. Saving this country from war and hardship.

I am quite interested in knowing what you know of my exploits around the land. But I can of course, confirm nothing."

Terenos pauses watching Chicane von Trubaldsome very closely.

"You do have an unfavorable position, as you -must- know. Elbrethian forces dwarf what you can call on. An army rides on Preston at this very moment, Reinforcements coming from the south. How the devil do you plan to survive? Conflict between Preston and Miring armies saps your resources. Do you intend to rely on Suulian mercenaries? Weyland rabble?

Elbrethian forces will not answer to you, but they might answer to me.
You need me alive and cooperative. If this were not the case, I would already be dead. You need me, to manuever Elbreth forces out of your lands so that your return to your crown will go cleanly. In truth I doubt you have anything more to draw on than what remains of Preston's and Miring's armies and navies. These may not prove sufficient.

So you need me. And I am rather attached to life. As such, I offer my fealty.
But I must know a few things. What acts will this entail? Who stands beside me with the dagger, ready to prevent me from rescinding my offer? Or shall I be a prisoner in all but name, confined to this castle?"
Terenos sits, still watching his new found adversary.
Damn arrogant fool. Does it run in the family..Or is it the snuff... I'll have to play this very carefully

((Edited as he didnt say anything about Weyland raiders. Thought he did. Meh.))

[Yoink]

At an indeterminate time, after Trubaldsome's flogging and before Elbreth's forces set off for Miring...

Trubaldsome was feeling rather poorly.
His back, despite its layers of soft, lightly-scented bandages, was very tender; his privates were itching horribly, and he was generally feeling terribly humiliated by the whole 'public flogging' affair. All in all, he would have much rather have been relaxing in the luxurious, if small, public quarters he'd become accustomed to since his move to Elbreth. But of course, he had to march, and besides, said quarters were left nothing more than a fire-blackened shell anyway. He cursed Taric's name for the seventh time in as many minutes, watching one of his men saddle his horse with increasing annoyance.
After some time and effort, the fine thoroughbred horse- Which was just about as pampered, irritable and lazy as its rider- was prepared, and Trubaldsome climbed up his specially-tailored step ladder and swung a leg over, doing his best to disguise a wince as he settled in the well-oiled, fine leather saddle.
Glancing about- He and his men were in a small tavern's stable yard in the city, temporary replacement for the palace's stables- He saw Waery had just about finished whipping the men into order, and kicked his horse into a trot, heading out to the street and glancing up and down the street.
He felt curiously detatched in this place he'd called home, for what felt like such a long time, as though he neither belonged here, or back in Miring where he was going. It was a very strange feeling, strange enough to warrant a quick pinch of snuff as he turned to shout for Waery to hurry up.
As he waited, he began muttering to himself, a habit he'd acquired only recently.
"Well, at last. Is what I've been waiting for so long, is it not?" He tapped his hand absently against his saddle-horn as he went on, his eyes gleaming. "That bastard Leuki will get what's coming to him, at last... He won't be so damn smug when I have my sword at his throat, I bet! Oh no!" A slightly crazed-looking grin split his features, and he once more fished out his travelling snuffbox (from a specially-tailored pocket on the side of his saddle) for a celebratory sniff. "I'll have what's rightfully mine, at last. Yes... Just because those incompetent fools were born before me, that's supposed to make them the heirs?!" He leaned over in the saddle to spit on the ground in distaste, and it was then that he abruptly realised his soldiers had been assembled around him for some time, watching his babbling in stunned bewilderment.
"What?! What are you waiting for?!" He shouted angrily, feeling defensive. "Ride! Ride, you morons!"
A few flecks of spittle shot from his lips, spraying across poor Waery who happened to be nearest.
As the apoplectic young reached for his riding-crop, Waery hurriedly sounded the advance and the troop advanced down the street towards the city gates.

Go with the rest of Elbreth's armies towards Miring, leaving most of the details to Waery.

((With the way the timeline's going, I don't know if this is even possible, so just tell me if so! ))
((EDIT: Oh, and also, with recent events I'll have to think up a first name for Trubaldsome... I think 'Percy' will do. With such an embarassing name, Trubalsome ensured it remains unspoked by his guards on pain of death, and thus, in Elbreth, none but perhaps the most dedicated scholars of Miring's royalty would know of it. And then they'd probably be wise enough not to mention it in his presence... ))

[Little]

((Good, something fun was finally done with the husband! ))
((Edit: Spelling mistakes.))

Drua curses angrily, her head feeling deeply fuzzy, her words floating a little. Looking around her comfy room, her gaze falls upon the flowers. Thoughts trudge through her mind for a few moments, slow but slowly warming up as they escape from the winding terrain of endless dreams. The flowers were wilted, which meant she'd been unconscious for...a few days, at least. A few days?! Damn! Memories flooded back to her, ones of agonizing pain, the low slow trek to Miring, the seemingly eternal suffering that journey had brought. She shudders, feeling aches and a deep throbbing pain in her guts. How she was alive, she wasn't quite sure. Everything felt weak and dim and her insides felt a bit painful. Goddess, she'd been lucky on that one. Her loving husband would have managed the affairs nicely, she hope-

Her thoughts cut off as she professionally turned her head to the side, bending over in pain. If she was going to die, it was going to be from her damn battle wounds, not from the eventuality of her own blood drowning her. She needed medical help, and to get help, she needed to either get back on her feet and fix herself(it wouldn't be the first time, but something this large and grievous, she'd probably end up killing herself...) or get someone to heal her. In order to get people to heal her, she needed to know where she was... Drua calls out for the nurse, demanding her to tell Drua how long she'd been unconscious for, where she was, and for a stack of paper and a quill. One she has the paper and quill, have the nurse go and get her the little book of contacts. Once the book has been retrieved for her, Drua will write to her friends and contacts in the Order of Thyme, updating them on her situation and asking for healing and help.

[filiusenox]

((I really wasn't expecting Lady Drua's husband , i thought it was just lady Drua trying to gain more power. That took me completly by surprise.))

[Terenos]

((Coming up soon, An elaborate battle between Terenos and Chicane, which ends with Terenos rappelling out a window, swearing his vengeance.
*Not actually canon. Yet.))

[Taricus]

((Can't you just kill him?))

[Terenos]

((But..But he's too interesting a villain to kill...Oh very well I'll kill him...Then i'll escape from a palace full of guards. Or shall I just murder them too.
Actually it goes without saying he's dead. No one, barring the legendary Thorn of Camorr gets the drop on a d'Avistral! NO ONE! So yes. Im honor bound to kill him brutally.))

[micelus]

((The story getting really good now)


Ah how the archives had grown since he had come. At the start there were a scattering of books, records, inks and quills. Now there was much more, records that were brought weekly, and even a few notes of research from the Elbrethian scientists and scholars (currently made up of two guys). Course this was still tiny. Very very tiny. He had spent his time teaching and thus the archive was still insignificant. That would be changed. He would request from the king funds to renovate the archives and and equip it with staff, books, writing materials, artworks, and whatever else was needed. It could also function as a classroom....
And now he wondered, why would Mahtan need a monkey? Useful servants and a nice delicacy, but men and pig could be used in their stead...Trying to prove a theory or create some kind of destructive plague? Locanil knew not.
Anyway he should get to teaching his class. He had relocated to the archives soon after the fire, for no other reason other than to make the setting more appropriate.

Action- Write a nice flowery letter to Erik requesting funds to upgrade the archives and hire staff to man it. Teach class

[filiusenox]

((How is Mahtan going to buy the monkey? I must cost aleast one ducat and he has zero.))

[billybobfred]

Silas considered the reply. That... doesn't really say much... but it doesn't seem to imply that this was a mistake... At worst, it wasn't necessarily the right idea.

Well, that's it. You're all out of ideas. Nothing to do now but... well, just nothing to do now.

>Isn't giving up bad?

Not really. If you give up on a lost cause, you can move on to something with a chance of success.

>But there's no plan B here! And it's not even a lost cause yet. Explicit divine decree, remember?

... Well, what do you have in mind?

Silas shivered. I'm all cold and wet, too. Hate rain, so much... "I got nothing. If someone you had every reason to trust told you that a certain course of action would end well (but failed to specify how), what would you do if you ran into a dead end?"

[King_of_the_weasels]

((How is Mahtan going to buy the monkey? I must cost aleast one ducat and he has zero.))

((I discovered gunpowder and invented the ballista on a whim, do you think I can't make a single ducat when I get to town?))

[NoahTophatz]

The Nahk of the Zimtar raider clan is glad.
Nahk state: very happy
The Nahk is the leader of my clan aka me

Use the two regiments to search the western surface of the mountains for resources.

Spoiler: Ztah (Zimtar raiders) (click to show/hide)

Lands:
Elspine +2 defense [Elspine regions have +1 defense against troops coming from Suul due to rock-slide traps][copper]
Elspine x1 [cave +1 defense][not improved][+3 defense total]
Elspine x1 [Goatherd]
Suul x1 [hunting lodge]
Troops:
Steppe raiders x1 [personal][infantry][Raider]
Steppe raiders x1 [infantry][Raider]
Tools available:
(Mining tools unusable, 1 ducat worth)
Treasury:
0 ducat
Important people:
The Nahk
Commander Zacmar

Commander Zacmar learning progress: not arrived

Commander Zacmar troop learning progress: not arrived

if i am not mistaken doesn't using 2 regiments for non military work add +1 to a roll?

has this been rolled yet?

[filiusenox]

((

((How is Mahtan going to buy the monkey? I must cost aleast one ducat and he has zero.))

((I discovered gunpowder and invented the ballista on a whim, do you think I can't make a single ducat when I get to town?))

[respectful]Touche[/respectful]. Remind me to kill you when I get the chance. Or hire you. Still undecided.))