[3.5] Scions of Antica

[Hyudra]

Scions of Antica
OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206224)
Game Ad, Description (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205262)
http://i53.tinypic.com/e0njr.jpg

It is a crowd of faces you vaguely recognize but cannot put a name to. Many of the faces belong to people you've seen in court, even exchanged brief words with at official functions, over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. Others are relatives of people you did know, their features a shadow of this Baroness or that Duke. Just a little more than a hundred gathered individuals, the decimated remains of the noble class of Antica.

It is just a week and a half since The Siege ended, and with it, the Horse War. Valham brought its armies to the gates of Antica's crown city. With magic and siege weaponry, they tore down the walls of Albatos, Antica's capitol and crown jewel, then marched through her streets. Enemy soldiers poured into Albatos' neighborhoods, killing any who resisted and many who didn't.

Prince Rechaud, commander of the victorious army and arguably the man who started the war, arrived with parade and fanfare from his people, welcoming him as he claimed Antica's throne for himself. From his seat, he ordered his soldiers to slay any highborn of Antica that they saw. Dozens of hostage nobles, including your King and Queen, died there in that throne room. Yet hundreds more died as the soldiers marched throughout the upper class districts of the city. Marquis, Lord, Knight and Guildmaster alike were dragged from their residences and places of business, brought to the streets and executed, their throats or stomachs opened and their blood spilled over Albatos' white cobblestones. They were more fortunate than some, for more than a few of Valham's rank and file took to exacting revenge for comrades they'd lost in the war, inflicting torture and prolonged deaths on the nobles they caught. Yet others, flush with vigor and victory from recent battle, dragged young noble lads and ladies into dark alleys or locked rooms.

By and large, though, Valham's soldiers were tired from the war and eager to put an end to it and celebrate. It is perhaps to your fortune that they did not try hard when it came to pursuing the remaining few Antica nobles, those who did not hold major positions or titles. For others among your number, it was wit, luck or circumstance that spared you from the predations of Valham's footsoldiers.

All that, only a week and a half ago. So far away, yet the memories of the sights, smells and sounds of the Siege still startlingly vivid.

The past week has been busy. At King Rechaud's order, all citizens of Antica that were unwilling to swear fealty to Valham were forced to leave, presumably to perish of exposure or violence in the wilderness or mountains. Innumerable citizens have gathered up their possessions and started their exodus from their homeland. More than ten thousand, but less than fifty thousand, if guesses are to be believed. You ride among them now, among those lowborn folk who were vassals in your baronies and laypeople within your temples. For a week and some days, you've answered issues as they came up, struggled to serve them as someone in your position should. But answers are scarce. For now, the best option, by mass consensus, seems to be travel to the Regan Peaks, a territory abandoned decades ago out of fear of the hauntings and predations of things that were not undead.

For a week, you were essentially on your own, dealing with your people and those troubled individuals who turned to you because you were the closest individual willing to help. That changed just hours ago. As the exodus drew to a stop so the people and their horses could rest for the night, all nobles were called to gather at a great tent at the head of the march, by invitation and word of mouth.

So you've arrived. A circular tent, more than a hundred feet in diameter, with tables and chairs placed throughout, rugs and blankets strewn underfoot so you are not walking on mud and dirt. To shed light in the evening gloom, candles and continual flames throughout the tent have been set out where they cast red and pale yellow lights, respectively, on your surroundings - a collection of barely recognizable faces and strangers, united in their recent memories of bloodshed and fire, in the circles under their eyes and the aches of days of riding.

Whoever organized this gathering is apparently still waiting for others to arrive before he speaks. One table nearby sits mostly empty.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

There's something to be said of Nobility; Fernando enjoyed the perks but rarely enjoyed the constraints. Even the best crafted silks could wear down on a man's shoulders, and become as stuffy as a wool tunic. It would surprise none that knew him that, even upon officially taking up his father's title, he remained very commonly dressed; Superbly dressed, but common still.

Few here were many years beyond him, he surmised, placing down his trusty knapsack and taking a seat at the empty table. No, maybe a few seasons older, some younger, but any who would have had grey or white hairs of wisdom had been culled.

And with that, a familiar feeling he somewhat dreaded returned; A weight on his shoulders that had been lifted when his father shifted favor to Eduardo. It manifested in his scavenging with others if food appeared scarce, listening to those who were under his father and mediating as best as he could, and other menial tasks that he used to only perform for himself.

Needs and wants did not change much from when it was a mostly solitary walk between towns; It was only multiplied by tens of thousands.

He rubbed his eyes, surprised at how much the weight seemed to multiply since he sat. Before, he had made commitments only to himself, and sometimes to his family. By returning, he had made a commitment to everyone who had been forcefully ejected from his father's- from his - barony.

He had imagined it would be a bitter taste to say the words "My barony." In truth it wasn't the taste that bothered him. It was the sheer size of what it meant to tie to his back.

"My barony." He rubbed his chin, looking towards the shrinking constraints of the tent, in the direction of where he had left his father's - left his - people.

[Gath]

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb183/BalefulPolymorph/GidoShushin.jpg

Gido Shushin opened the flap of the large tent and started to step in. Before he could make his way beyond the threshold of the temporary structure, a high pitched screech sounded as a large white headed black eagle folded its wings and dove into the tent, where it spread its wings and took flight just in time to avoid slamming into one of the men seated at the table near the door. He'd had a piece of meat in his hand, but no longer, it was clutched tightly in one of the eagle's large talons.

Gido had a sudden look of panic spread across his face as the eagle soared around the room, swooping down and terrorizing the patrons of nobility. After his moment of stun, he called out assertively, "Screech! Outside!" The eagle made a few more laps and plucked a larger piece of meat from the center of a table and made its way to the opening, where Gido stood waiting with the flap held open.

He felt the heat of embarrassment wash over his neck and down his back, and suddenly his clothing felt uncomfortably hot. He began to sweat, but there was not much to be done about it. The ranger tried to fight back the sting of heated blood flushing his face, but there was no use, so he resigned to finding a seat as quickly as possible.

Gido was not a tall man, not short by any means, but not particularly tall. He was strong and lean and it was somehow obvious that he lived an active lifestyle. Perhaps the eagle companion attested to a life out of doors. He was dressed for the weather, elk skin pants, sturdy boots, linen tunic with an elk skin jacket that matched his pants. A mithral chain shirt sat over top of all of that and he had a pair of metal bracers strapped to his forearms with a buckler fastened to his left. Over the chain shirt was a tan colored medium weight tunic that bore a symbol of an eagle with wings spread, talons flared, embroidered over a stylization of the sun and its shining rays. The image was captured in the shape of an oval and outlined by a thin line of red. The seal of House Shushin.

His baldric, bandoleer and weapons belt, a custom collage of straps, buckles and holsters, were filled with myriad weapons, from daggers to throwing axes, some vials of liquid, among other things. At his left hip he wore a battle axe with a blackened, unpolished head and a hefty, carved handle made of purple heart wood. Its twin resided at his right.

Gido hesitated at the table, uncertain about protocol regarding weapons and whatnot. Then he heard the other man at the table rubbing his chin say, 'My barony'. That struck a chord within the young ranger. It had been so long since he had seen his mother and father, and he never had a chance to say goodbye. All he had was old Fox tell him that there was nothing for him there, that he had to move on. He had done as was asked, though. Gido found his brother somewhere in the city and whisked him away to the trail of exiles. He was scared and confused, hell, so was Gido, but what could he tell his little brother about their parents? It would have to wait until he was older.

Realizing that he'd been standing there for an awkwardly lengthy period of time collecting himself and gathering his thoughts, he slipped both axes out of their scabbards with practiced grace and spun them in his hands so that the heads were facing downward. Then he set them on the ground at the end of the table and leaned the handles against the edge and took a seat at the end next to his weapons.

"Greetings," he said to Fernando. "My name is Gido, do you know what this gathering is about?" He ran his right hand through his shaggy brown hair to try and get it out of his face, but apparently his hair was having none of that and promptly fell back into place. He sighed, wiped his face and rubbed his eyes, then looked up and smiled. "It's just another day, right?"

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

"Eh?" Fernando glanced up as the stranger took his seat; Evident enough he wasn't someone who sat on his haunches; That much he could tell.

"Your guess is as good as mine. You may call me Fernando. However, if I were to wager a guess..." Fernando nods his head around. "The ones less attentive to who is arriving and who is not are not satisfied with the current number of us."

"But if the recent events of the past week and a half are any indication, it probably has to do with our current living arrangement." Fernando offers a slight smile with the light hearted response. "I suspect once the last of whoever else received this invitation arrives, they will answer our common question."

[Omeganaut]

Joanna steps out of the shadows of a corner of the tent, where she has been watching people file in, nervously wondering where her place would be. She arrived early in her caution, wanting to be as early as possible in order to try to figure out the correct actions in this new world of nobility. She stifles a giggle as the eagle flies in and takes a piece of meat away from one of her hated step-uncles, and watches with wonder as it soars around the tent. She also notices the nervous young man who apparently owns the bird. While he looks like a minor noble, his honest mistake makes her think he can be trusted. The other minor noble at the table looks concerned, as if he has a great weight upon his shoulders. Joanna looks around at the other nobles, most of which have sat down already, and decides her best bet is to sit with these newcomers.

Joanna carefully stumbles across the tent, avoiding even the servants that are walking around. She sits in the nearest chair, glad that it is one empty chair away from each of the men. The tension in her body causes her to twist a corner of her robes in each hand unconsciously. Pulling forth confidence, she smiles at each of the men, and introduces herself. "Hello, my name is Joanna, and I, um.., I am the high priestess of Pelor. And um, well, I am.., afraid my inexperience in noble matters has, well, kept me from knowing what this is. What I'm trying to say is; is a gathering like this normal in among the nobles?" she stammers, obviously having trouble speaking. Her long brown hair falls forward to hide her face, and she brushes it away, even though she wishes she could hide behind it.

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh Arevant moves with her head high. She is not used to this, cloaking herself in her rank like a warding cloak--it has always been her conceit in the past to play the silly girl no one could even think a threat--but it comes easily. Very, very easily. She walks with slow, easy steps, holding the hem of her dress above the dirt. It was not her best, before, but it is far better than what most here are wearing, and it is clean. Well-done hair and a clean dress make her feel positively regal after the last week, and she makes sure to keep the hem that way as she moves, surveying the tent as she enters with an air of elevated serenity that she very nearly feels. Mycah's hand is sweaty on her arm, but Vaesh is calm. This is exactly what she knows how to do.

She moves toward the half-full table. Baron Shushin, Baron Altatorra. The new high priestess, of course. Vaesh sees, overlaid across the scene of the tent, the old high priest, the one who'd doted on her like his own granddaughter, being dragged from the temple. She sees his head roll across the cobblestones toward her, trailing bright blood, and for once the sight does not scare or chill her. In a sense she feels fortified--she survived one high priest, after all, and his fate. What threat is this one to her?

By the time she reaches the table, she is more collected than she has felt not just in days but in months. Years, perhaps. She remembers the cool calm she felt the day after her mother's death, after the tears and the screaming were gone and it was nothing to do but go back to work.

Mycah doesn't speak, so she does. She smiles her best knowing smile and nods to those already at the table.

"Baron, Baron, Excellency," she says calmly, measuring them with ice blue eyes.

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing paused before entering the tent, knowing that as soon as he enters, people will begin scaring. Perhaps they will be comforted that he carries his weapon out in the open, and wears clunky armor that limits his mobility and alerts them to his location. They will definitely be confused, seeing a kenku who seemingly hides nothing, and maybe more that he's attending a noble's meeting.

If it wasn't his duty to Heironeous, and the Antican people, he wouldn't have come to this meeting at all; he'd have stayed with the few kenku of his family's acquaintance and their makeshift eyrie. "Well… better go in…" he mutters as he opens the flap of the tent and enters.

His armor glints in the sunlight as he enters, polished to perfection. His hand moves down to his sword's hilt for a moment out of nervous habit. He looks down at the weapon, admiring the rare gems embedded in the fine leather scabbard. The weapon had never been used in actual combat, but he had come to appreciate the nuances of wielding it.

His black feathers ruffled as he looked around at the gathering remnants of the noble class. He recognized none of them, and that was a huge disadvantage in political affairs, if his parents' lessons were to be believed.

Seeing a table with only 4 seats taken, he moves over and takes a seat, looking at his table mates quickly and nervously, flipping his head around to let each eye inspect them, like a crow investigating a fallen coin. Whenever anyone looks over at him to make eye contact, he quickly diverts his eyes.

After a while, he squawks. "Does anyone know why we were assembled?"

[Gath]

When Vaesh came in and addressed everyone by title, it took a moment for Gido to register that she was talking to him. When she hadn't said his name when she looked at him, he held up his hands in protest and said, "Oh, no, no, no. Don't start with that formality nonsense. My name is Gido, not Baron."

He immediately regretted his outburst. Not because of what he said, but how he said it. She was just honoring his new station after all, she didn't need to be slapped in the face for it. He put a hand palm down on the table, the other he held out to her in a pleading gesture. "Please, Lady Vaesh, accept my apology. I am not yet acclimated to these new customs. I am just a ranger, I grew up in the woods. These elders are fools to appoint me nobility and expect me to know what to do with it. Please, do me the honor of calling me by my given name. From your lips the song would warm my heart." His hand dropped to his knee and he maintained a pleasant smile, hoping that he had turned his blunder around for the better.

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh stares at Baron Shushin. She feels her eyes start to widen in surprise and fixes them fast. She has to draw on the centering aura of the trickster etched into her soul, but she keeps her face neutral until he finishes his explanation. Dear gods above and voidmarchers all, I might grow to like this one, she thinks to herself. Not fine with his words, not at all, but in Vaesh's experience there are too many of those anyway, herself included. She smiles, not too much but not too little, and nods.

"There is no need to apologize, Gido," she says smoothly. "I suspect many of us are out of our elements these days."

But not me, she thinks. Oh, no, I've just found mine.

Then she turns to the bird creature who has just appeared. Vaesh doesn't know where on earth he came from, but he certainly is a clanking mess. She regards him for another moment, blue eyes fixed on his face even as his dart back and forth.

"To plan, I imagine," she says. "We cannot simply keep walking and hope."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

"Almost certainly, but I would doubt a meeting of this size would be called if something wasn't already in mind." Fernando points out. "Given the circumstance, I imagine it will likely concern the most immediate needs."

[Omeganaut]

Joanna looks thoughtful, letting the conversation wash over her. She worries about the brother and sister, as the brother is definitively older, yet the sister seems to be doing all the talking. However, nodding to her is the polite thing to do, and everything she has heard about being noble teaches her to be polite, even if the other noble isn't. And what was with that kenku? She summons up her courage and re-engages the conversation. "That is a good point, sir Baron, but I feel as though we have already established most mundane routines, and have recovered quite well considering we are refugees. Forgive me, sir Kenku, but, um, I have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. Might I complement you on that nice suit of armor you have?" She says, looking at him with a stare that goes just a little to far into creepiness.

[GuyFawkes]

After half a day of riding, the young man finally arrived at the appointed place. From where he was, he could see the massive gathering of people that occupied a vast portion of the plain below that he could see. These were the people driven out from Albatos, he surmised, or more likely left by choice, trying to put as great a distance between themselves and the city they used to call home, a home now serving a different master - the vile and cruel Valham army.

These were Anticans. These are my people.

He had heard of the fall of the great city, and of the horrors of the crimes committed within its walls, of the nobles and those of higher ranks dragged out into the streets to be murdered in cold blood, their dead bodies beheaded and mutilated beyond recognition. Others who had worse luck were given slow, agonizing deaths by torture, others made sport of, others still, raped. But all shared a common fate of death.

He shook his head from the images that now flashed in his mind. He had not seen it in person, of what had happened in Albatos. But he had seen what evils the Valham soldiers could bring upon them. He had seen how they ravaged and pillaged the villages and killed its inhabitants, he had counted the number of dead bodies and how they looked like. He could only imagine the scale of the carnage in a big city such as the capital.

And the fall of Albatos affected him on a personal level as well, for in the loss of the city, he had lost his only blood related family left to him. He had lost his father.

If only I had moved sooner, he lamented, despite knowing it was in vain.

As he rode closer he met with some of the citizens acting as sentries. He got off his horse and stated his name and purpose. He was then pointed to a large tent propped up on one side of the sea of people, and after saying his thanks, proceeded to walk towards his destination.

The young man guided his horse and made his way through the maze created by small tents, wagons, caravans and other makeshift shelters, whatever could serve as a temporary protection from the elements. Others who weren't so lucky made do with the protective shade of trees, and others simply lied down wherever they found was available space. He saw the tired look in their faces, the dirt from all the days of walking. But what struck him was the look of despair in all of them, the look of someone who had just seen his world tumble down upon him. Some of them looked at him, and he looked back at them, trying to show a face that offered sympathy for their loss, and deep respect for their strong will to live.

Klaus was right. These people need someone to lead them. These people need someone to help them take back their homes and their lives. And whatever doubts and fears that still remained in him was all gone now.

Reaching the large circular tent, he went to tie his mount to a nearby tree. He patted the animal and whispered something to it, then checked his armor and gear under his cloak before proceeding to enter. Upon entering, he quickly scanned the interior, and noted that quite a number had already shown up - perhaps he was the only one they were waiting for.

"My apologies for my tardiness, Lords, Ladies," bowing low before them. "Even as I drove my steed to his limits, it took me half a day still to reach this place. Allow me to introduce myself. General Armand Tie...Armand Feralas of the 15th Division." In his mind, he cursed himself at his mental lapse. He had almost said Tierre, his real last name, the name of the House of his father, the House of the ruling Kings.

He had wondered why he was using it as his last name when his mother used a different one. When he asked about it, his mother would always give him a smile for an answer, and kiss him on the forehead. As he grew, he gave up on the matter, and had grown to ignore it as a matter-of-fact. It was the name his mother gave him, and he was proud to use it.

And it didn't matter. Nobody from the place he grew up in knew the name, and the power it possessed. Only when the young Armand met Klaus did he begin to understand the meaning of the name. When he went to serve under Taras, his mentor disallowed him to use the name of Tierre. Even more so now that the King is dead.

"It would be dangerous," he recalled him saying, "for even when Antica is no more, there will still be those who shall grab this opportunity to hold power for themselves. And you, the direct descendant of the House of Tierre, would serve them better dead." And thus he had been using the name of Feralas ever since.

After his self-introduction, Armand looked around at the tables, not knowing where to place himself among the nobles. Not wanting to embarrass himself by sitting at the wrong seat, he stood there and waited for the invitation to do so.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando's brow quirks, but almost as soon as it's raised, it relaxes back into a neutral position. Seeing that the General refuses to seat himself, Fernando gestures towards one of the empty chairs. "Take a seat, General. We're all more or less equals now."

Just keep smiling. It was a variation on what his father told him; That a noble should never give others indication of what they really think, or how they really feel. His father generally chose a face of passive neutrality.

Fernando preferred one of reassuring cheer.

[wuwuwu]

Joanna looks thoughtful, letting the conversation wash over her. She worries about the brother and sister, as the brother is definitively older, yet the sister seems to be doing all the talking. However, nodding to her is the polite thing to do, and everything she has heard about being noble teaches her to be polite, even if the other noble isn't. And what was with that kenku? She summons up her courage and re-engages the conversation. "That is a good point, sir Baron, but I feel as though we have already established most mundane routines, and have recovered quite well considering we are refugees. Forgive me, sir Kenku, but, um, I have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. Might I complement you on that nice suit of armor you have?" She says, looking at him with a stare that goes just a little to far into creepiness.
Valorwing, hearing the compliment, immediately eases up. If he were to be a proper noble, he would have to learn how to interact with the other nobles. Taking a deep breath before engaging in conversation, most of - but not all (the way that woman was staring at him...) - the nervousness in his demeanor either gone or suppressed. Realizing that his own squawky voice was ill-suited for talking with nobility. He speaks in the voice of a human knight that used to visit the Darkwing house, a properly deep and charismatic voice.
"Thank you! I worked very hard on making it shine. My name is -", he hesitated, "- was Swiftbeak. Inheritor of the Darkwing Estate." He shows his signet ring. "You may call me Valorwing. I'd like to distance myself from the names and occupation of my parents...
Maybe he made a mistake, mentioning his parents. They had probably heard of the treachery they had committed, selling Antican secrets in exchange for their lives, and when that didn't work they told more even as they were dragged into the streets to be executed.
It was necessary, though, to be completely open with these people, if he were to become a spiritual guide and leader. Maybe they too can be inspired to open themselves up, and the days of secrecy and backstabbing will be over, and the Anticans can once again build a kingdom.
"Anyways, I haven't met any of you before, due to my secluded early life."

[Kiyia Aeroth]

Selaea Vothress nee Kolesin sat quietly, watching those who made more of a spectacle of their entrance. Not that she was not a spectacle herself, seemingly immaculate despite the week of travel. She was in full makeup and wore a dress that seemed like it would stain or tear the moment she tried to take a step outside the tent- appearing every bit to be the vain noblewoman. Anyone trained in magic could discern how she kept her image; a few small magic items she had been wearing when she fled Albatos.

The look on her face was one of someone who did not understand the gravity of the situation- at least, to anyone not paying enough attention. If anyone looked closer they would her eyes darting about to see any activity, the tension she held in her arms. She glared with scorn at both birds to enter the tent- the eagle for making a mess of things, and the kenku, as she had heard of Darkwing's betrayal of Antica.

As she eavesdropped on the conversations of the newcomers, she sighed to herself. It seemed as though all of the surviving nobles were either useless or completely out of their element. While she wondered which category she fell into, she noticed what seemed to be the one exception- the general who had just entered. She wasn't familiar with him personally, but he had an earned position and didn't seem uncomfortable with the room.

She still kept quiet, continuing to pretend she was out of place in a strategy meeting. This facade was one of her best skills, and she wouldn't know what to do if she dropped it. So she waited for an opening, a chance to say something intelligent by 'accident'.

[GuyFawkes]

"Thank you," bowing again and proceeded to the seat pointed out to him.

After taking his seat, his eyes wandered around and examined the other people in attendance. He tried to note each and every minute detail and peculiarities of each one in the room. He had been taught that knowledge is the greatest weapon in battle, and this gathering could well be considered a battlefield.

He would have liked to inquire the purpose of the gathering, but seeing that he was late and the topic might have already been discussed - asking the question would just make him look stupid - he chose to listen and infer from the discussion.

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh regards the newcomers with the same cool stare, keeping her expression carefully neutral. A general with two names and the late Lord Volthress' opportunistic new wife. A pretty thing, to be sure, all made up and acting the fool. But Vaesh played the dimwitted beauty for years, and she knows it when she sees it. She nods to each in turn, not speaking, and watches the room.

[Hyudra]

With the arrival of the stragglers, it seems that business is underway. The murmur of conversation dies at the sound of a spoon tapping on a glass. All eyes turn to a man at the far end of the tent.

The individual in question wears the robes of a Magister, a man trained in the Universities to serve as scholar, arcanist, scientist and/or tutor for the Crown and the noble families. Tucked under his left arm is a tome, larger across than a dinner plate, and thicker than the span of your hand. The trademark of the Magisters, the tome serves as a place to keep notes, record spells or track appointments. Everything a Magister plans goes into his tome, and the tomes, in turn, go on shelves in their residence.

By appearance alone, however, he looks better fit to be the village idiot than a Magister. He has one of the weakest chins you've seen, his mouth just sloping back to his throat, and his hair is the sort of pale blond that you normally only see on children, so fine that it can't help but stick up as though he had just gotten out of bed. He's scrawny, virtually swimming in his robes and it seems he finds holding his tome awkward as he shifts it from one arm to the other every minute or so. It is only when he glances in your general direction that you see the glimmer of intelligence in his very blue eyes.

"My name is Magister Todren," he speaks to the assembled nobles, pausing to clear his throat before speaking again, "For the past four years, I served as assistant to Magister Breven, who was the administrator, secretary and manager of the day to day business of the King's court. I tell you who I am and where I come from because many of us are strangers here. I encourage anyone who speaks tonight to do the same.

"I am not a good public speaker, and as much as I would like to bolster the morale of those gathered here today, I fear I would do a poor job at it. Instead, I will cut straight to business. I have been checking in with various groups as we travel and some issues have raised their heads. The lowborn citizens of Antica have requested the chance to raise their concerns with you. I hope you'll forgive my impertinence "

Magister Todren pauses, and there is the low murmur of exchanged words in the crowd. The reason for Todren's break in his speaking becomes clear as a man, twenty five or so, with a close cropped beard and clothes like what a peasant might wear to church, steps forward. The man looks terribly intimidated by the crowd.

"He-hello, my lords, ladies. It was agreed that I would act as spokesman. Kind of without my consent," he laughs nervously, a little too high pitched, and there is a few moment's awkwardness when few of the crowd join him in his attempted joke. He continues, "We're hungry, milords. We've been walking and riding for ten days, and we're just about out of food. It disappears fast when the only meals you have are what you could carry with you.

"I would understand that, given the way things are, and I don't think anyone will starve to death if we have to go without meals before we arrive at the Peaks, assuming we can do something about the food shortage when we get there" he trails off, his leg jitters, and he shifts his posture to stop it from shaking, "It's just... there are Antica merchants who are traveling with us. They brought a good share of stock with them. They have the bread, fruit, meat and vegetables to spare, but they're seeing how hungry we're getting and raising prices. Twenty silver for a meal. Fifteen silver for a chicken. Ten silver for cheese. A silver for bread. It's... people can't pay that, so they're going hungry, and they're getting upset with the merchants."

He swallows hard, "If you'll forgive me for saying so, milords, people are getting mad at you too, for letting it happen."

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing stands up on his chair, and shouts out, retaining his knight's voice "That is ridiculous! These swindlers would help the Valham army finish Antica off? This is when we should be banding together, and restoring our people's faith in the guilds and nobles!".
He looks around the tent, trying to discern who inherited the merchant's guilds.
"Surely the merchants will listen to their guildmasters still? Tell them to cease this gross mistreatment of our people!"
Once again he looks around the tent, this time pleadingly.
"And if they refuse to lower the prices, then we nobles should pool our resources and buy their stock to redistribute amongst the people as needed. I will freely admit that those prices are meaningless to even what little wealth I could escape with."


Knowledge(nobility) to know the position of any attending nobles[roll0]

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando spends an Inspiration point to dig deep and hopefully deliver the Kenku's ideas in a less volatile manner.

Skill: Diplomacy
[roll0]

----------------------
Fernando taps his fingers together, somewhat shocked at the sudden change in temperament. A healthy temper is one thing, but coming from a Kenku it might not be received well; But the ideas were sound. He was somewhat skeptical of paying off the merchants and just distributing the stock, if only because that would not stop the merchants from doing it again.

"I commend your valor, friend." Fernando suddenly says, hoping to calm the kenku as he stands. A nod to those around him and he makes his way up to where the Magister and commoner spoke from. He politely bows his head to the commoner before turning to those in the tent.

"I am Fernando Altatorra, eldest son of the Altatorra family. You may or may not have heard of me, depending on how often you associated with my family or how close you were to them." Fernando says, keeping a calm demeanor even though suddenly feeling terribly under dressed.

"The Kenku has raised an excellent point. No matter the stations or occupations that divide us, we are all children of Antica. To your left and right, and all around you are your brothers and sisters. It doesn't change for those outside of this tent; If brother exploits brother, if sister robs sister, then there is no hope for Antica even should we arrive safely at our destination."

"But we cannot give in to the greed that arises from desperation. We will not allow this to continue, but we will not pat these merchants on the back and praise them for their keen ability to assess that starving people have a greater need of food than someone who feasts on mutton and wine." Fernando thwacks his fist into his other hand's palm. "We must show strength of will now, and in the coming days!"

"We are still one land, even if the only land we call home is the soil on the bottom of our boots. As was said, they must listen to the merchant guildmaster, so I ask that you stand and announce your intent. We cannot hope to stand together on a foundation riddled with those leeching from others and leaving at the first opportunity."

[Gath]

Gido raised his hand and spoke loud enough to be heard so that people would quiet down and listen. "Do we even need the merchants at this point? What good is coin out here in a time like this? Perhaps the good general could, upon successful vote among a committee, work to disband the merchants and perhaps place the remaining members of the Church in charge of food distribution. Just a thought." He concluded.

"It goes without saying that I would be honored to lead a team of hunters out ahead to harvest whatever game resides nearby. One buck may not feed everyone, but if there were a hunting party, perhaps we could come back with three or four. Such trips on a regular basis might also serve to quell this dilemma between the merchants and the populace."

[Gath]

Know nature: What kind of game is in the area? [roll0]

Sorry for the double post, the system wouldn't let me edit in the dice.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna is stunned by the violent protests erupting around her. Knowing that her voice would never be heard amongst all the others on the floor, she makes her way through the gesticulating crowds to the stage (if it could be called that). She makes her way to the podium almost unnoticed among the shouts, where she takes a minute to make sure the people's speaker was not scared by the uproar. "Thank you for bringing the matter to our attention. As you can see, opinions are divided, but I'm sure we will find a way to keep our people from starving. I'd suggest you go stand off to the side until we can calm things down." She then finds the Magister who spoke before and asks him if he would like assistance in handling the conversation on the matter.
just in case: [roll0]

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing listens intently, his head cocked so he could watch Fernando, and then Gido talk.
"Thank you for putting my sentiment into better words, Baron Altatorra. But I do not agree with Baron Gido's suggestion to remove the merchant's of their position and goods. It would only draw their ire, which is what we want to avoid. If we cease their goods, we need to at least compensate them, lest we find ourselves the victims of a revolt even as we escape a war! But I support your idea of sending out hunting parties."
Noticing he is still standing on his chair, he quickly jumps back into the seat, looking around the room in embarrassment.

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh does not bother to stand. She would not see above the din anyway, and does not want to look like a fool child weaving through the crowd or straining on her tip-toes. Instead she leans back in her chair, regal as a queen. She briefly lets the deep, booming gravel of the Naberius loose, and clears her throat. She suppresses the vestige again, and speaks calmly.

"We need everyone we have," she says in a perfectly calm voice. "And if you did disband the merchants, what next? Would you get rid of them somehow? Leave us with fewer hands and backs? Or would you strip them of everything, make them our enemies, and then waste resources feeding them while they plotted against us? "

She folds her hands and considers.

"Hunting and gathering will drive the prices down," she agrees. "The priests can make food. The two combined, along with freeing up some of our own reserves, could put the merchants out of their business entirely, if we focused on them. Perhaps if this was...explained to them, they would find themselves eager to prevent us from doing so."

Taking 10 via Naberius gives a 26 diplomacy.

[Hyudra]

@Gath (Private)
It's fairly common knowledge that the area hereabouts is sheep herding land. Wild goats and dire goats also live around the hills and cliffs, hunted by a population wildcats, dire and otherwise. Even accounting for the wildcats, though, it would be difficult to hunt far and wide enough around to feed two thousand people, let alone ten thousand.

In response to Vaesh's words, a voice speaks out, more powerful than her small size would indicate. To make herself better seen, she stands on a table. The woman in question is freckle-faced and no more than four feet tall, with brown curls on her head and feet. She wears a robe of dark brown and orange, and though she holds no weapon, she bears a shield with a cornucopia on it.

"Beg pardon, milady, but if things were so simple, we wouldn't be in this mess. I'll introduce myself. I'm Bronwyn Thistlehalf, and I'm taking care of the halflings of Yondalla's church until we have the time and resources to go about voting someone in.

"To put matters simply, madam, you can't go about hunting enough food to feed this many people. Even if you could, would you want to? You could argue we're still in the backyard of Valham's brand new kingdom, and poaching their wildlife to extinction as we make our exit may well be excuse enough to send an army after us.

"As for the clerics using prayer to make food and water, I think I'm fairly well qualified to speak on this matter," she taps the icon on her shield as if to clarify her point, "There's not many good prayin' folk around, and fewer still with the kind of whatchamacallit for the sort of prayer it takes to make food out of thin air. The few that we do have are occupied taking care of those good people who were hurt in the Siege. That isn't to say we aren't working at it, but one good prayer of that sort only feeds nine or twelve folks. We've got no less than ten thousand, if not three times that."

"Fact of the matter is, the merchants do have food enough. I've seen their wagons, I've seen the kind of stock they're packing. Either the merchants shell out or the people go hungry, I don't know any other way around it."

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh stands, spine straight, but does not climb onto a table. She turns to the halfling.

"Thank you, Madam Thistlehalf. And my name is Vaesh Arevant. I did not intend that every resource of the churches be turned toward producing food, nor that we should hunt every stag and fowl from here to the peaks, but that the suggestion of these things could be used in talks to convince the merchants to be more forthcoming. As you say, they have the food. They simply must be made to part with it. And if it can be done amicably, we will have far less to worry about afterward."

Don't know if Madam's the right title for her. Can it be assumed that I know what it is, if not? I can take ten for a 15 (edit: 16) on nobility, though I don't know if that works because I don't know if she's noble.

[Hyudra]

So long as it's polite, you're not likely to run into trouble in this instance. She hasn't declared any noble title or special function (she didn't explicitly say she was High Priestess of Yondalla) so it would be hard to commit a faux pas in regards to referring to her, here.

A man joins in the dialogue, intoning, "I suppose I can't just sit back and hope things come to a reasonable end."

As your eyes turn to him, you note a man who looks like a stone giant in miniature. A little over six feet tall, he has the same lanky build, pale skin, bald pate, long solemn face and deep set eyes that characterize the giants of the cliffs and mountains. His eyes are a pale blue, and his eyebrows are white, just giving accent to the almost undeniable comparison. He speaks with a deep, even voice, "I go by Lord Eudick Ponce, and I own the Stoneroad Company. In short, I'm a merchant lord and I - as well as the people working for me - are among the entrepreneurs that you lot are getting set to lynch.

"I'll have you know that I bought the food that I'm selling for twice it's nominal value, and I'm naturally having to sell it for more than that to turn a profit. The name of the game is supply and demand, ladies and gentlemen, and there's demand. I refuse to be penniless when all of this is over."

[PollyOliver]

"And when do you expect this to be over, precisely?" Vaesh asks. She is angry, but she keeps her tone smooth and hopefully reasonable. "We aren't on holiday. We aren't on a hunting trip. We are marching into wilderness. Gold is worth only what you can buy with it--what do you expect your pinched pennies will buy you there, if once we have put down roots every commoner and tradesman has the memory of being gouged and forced to watch his children go hungry fresh in his mind? Goodwill, though, goodwill buys even when gold is worthless." Vaesh pauses and considers him for a moment, then begins again.

"You say you want a reasonable end. Buying a meal worth pennies at twice cost and selling it for twenty silver when we most need to be united and strong is not reasonable. I for one want to see no disbanding and no lynching. But nor are hungry children and festering ill will the best way for us to start anew."

And...I think I'll stop there and let other people jump in too.

[Gath]

Gido, also not standing, spoke back in rebuttal to Vaesh. "Lady Vaesh, please, do not force words into my own mouth. I said nothing about getting rid of the merchants, or stripping them of everything or turning them into enemies that we waste resources on while they plot their vengeance.

On the contrary, I merely posed an option that we dismantle the merchant force for the time being, suspending their frenzy for the currently worthless coin in this time of need so that the foodstuffs can be redistributed amongst the population, where it is needed, until we can figure out ways to provide more. I never actually addressed what to do with the merchants, but now I shall. Perhaps they could be put to work like everyone else, tending to the needs of those in desperation. Or send them to me and I will gladly teach them to hunt and they may perhaps feel better about themselves for lending a hand in the betterment of our people's condition."

He shifted in his seat and put a hand on an axe handle for support. "This is not an assault on the merchants. We need no more war than we have already suffered. To threaten the merchants into changing their ways will breed just as much contempt as stripping them from everything and leaving them to fend for themselves.

We've got to let them see that what they are doing is wrong, but this cannot be accomplished by simply telling them so. If they are forced into service with the church or on the hunt, to help rather than to fester in their own greed, perhaps then their eyes would open to the understanding that there is more to life than circlets of metal."

He was silenced by Bronwyn Thistlehalf, and patiently sat back to allow the dialogue to proceed between the halfling and Vaesh. When Vaesh was finished, he spoke up once again. "Lady Vaesh, I am by no means an expert in the rules and ethics of court, but I can say that if we are the new age of the ruling class of Antica, let us at least make an effort in the beginning to solve our problems without deceit and deception. Scaring them into backing down for fear of making them obsolete when we have already decided that hunting and having the priests feed the hungry is not an option is far worse than simply instating a martial law and simply reallocating their goods and giving them something else to do... "

And then Lord Eudick Ponce piped in, a merchant trying to turn a profit. He listened to what Vaesh had to say about that one and concurred, nodding his head. "You've got the right of it there. I beg pardon for my previous comments. I meant no disrespect. I think we are all a little on edge."

[Hyudra]

It seems that Eudick Ponce has much the same attitude as Vaesh - anger restrained beneath civility - though he is much worse at hiding it than she is. He turns to her and states, "You ask me what my coin will buy? I expect my coin will buy trade with whoever or whomever we wind up being neighbors with, allowing us to acquire whatever our re-established settlements in the Regan Peaks end up needing. That is worth a little irritation and discomfort on the part of people too stupid to buy the food they needed before they left."

To Gido's words, Eudick Ponce gives a sardonic smile, "Yes, and what then? You 'reallocate' the merchants to hard labor, confiscate our goods, and when do we become merchants again? A week? A year? Trade is cutthroat, and I rely on it to keep my position among you nobility. Force me away from the markets for any length of time, and you might as well have thrown me in the dungeon, for all the freedoms and power you have stripped from me."

[Gath]

"Ah, the dungeon," Gido smiled as he locked eyes with Eudick. "A wonderful idea for an allegory. Consider this: Lord Ponce is trapped in the king's dungeon for crimes he did not commit. He has no coin, no possession, naught but a bucket and the clothes on his back. The days pass by and he becomes hungry, dreadfully so, and he becomes acutely aware of the food that he neglected to bring as the guards and soldiers were escorting him into the dungeon. But one of the guards is feeling generous one day and he fills up a plate with all manner of food and sets it on the floor outside Eudick's cell, just out of reach. Lord Ponce tries and tries, but his arms just aren't long enough, so he begs the guard for some of the food. But the guard looks down at him with a terrible smile and replies, "That'll be two silvers for the meal, love." Eudick says, "But I haven't got two silvers!" The guard smiles again and says, "Should have thought of that before you came here."

Gido looked away from Eudick and around the room. "Greed is not always the answer. Circumstances change, and in times of crisis, circumstances should inspire change in all of us. I understand you look to the future, Lord Ponce. But what future will you have if you and your brethren perish on the way to the mountains, where there may or may not be a neighboring settlement? But more importantly, what future will you have when the people you live amongst shun you because you left them to die in a time of great need?"

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh drops her voice low, so that only those at the table can hear. "I am sorry, baron, if I offended you. I did not intend to put words in your mouth, but rather to explain to you the two most logical outcomes of your proposal. Either we rid ourselves of them, which I have said I do not believe to be an option, or the slight festers. Forcing them with military might to bend themselves to work they have never been trained to will only make it fester worse." She lets the mask of her calmness slip for a moment, and flashes him a small grin. "A fine analogy, though not apt to make you many friends," she adds quietly.

Vaesh raises her voice back to a normal level, so it can be heard by the others again. "My Lord Ponce," she says, again trying to keep her frustration reigned in tightly. "When one's home is on fire and one's loved ones slain or dragged into back alleys for worse, it is not a mark of stupidity to takes one's children and leave quickly, even if there is little time to pack supplies. But that is beside the point.

"You say you were forced to buy this food for twice cost. And you are correct that there is demand here. When we get where we are going, do you believe the demand among our neighbors will be so high? If they are established enough for ready trade, as you hope, why would they need to spend their coin on fifteen-silver chickens when they can buy food in their own lands that their own merchants bought for cost? You would need to lower your prices then to compete with sellers who bought their goods for half what you bought yours, and without the climate of scarcity we have here. Is not your best chance to turn a profit on such expensively-purchased goods to sell here and now, before the demand dissipates? But your wagons bulge, and clearly common folk cannot afford fifteen silver for a chicken, or they would have bought already. If you were to lower your prices--not all the way to normal, you must after all recoup some profit, but to reasonable rates--such that your food actually sells before we reach our destination, would that not be advantageous to trying to compete with sellers not hindered by your constraints?"

[Omeganaut]

Joanna find she has let the conversation run father than she meant to. To those who had her in their line of sight, her hair begins to curl until it barely reaches her shoulders. Before the conversation goes down the road of accusations and counter accusations she pulls out a small piece of wood, and mutters a few words. Suddenly a blinding light fills the tent, before dimming into something that is bearable. Joanna's headband, adorned with a golden sun, begins emitting a constant glow that draws most of the attention in the tent. Her voice draws the rest.

Excuse me! ahem. Pardon my interruption, but it is obvious to me that this discussion has started to wander into an argument in which both sides are terrified of the consequences of not getting their way. We must not take away the merchants goods, as that would be destroying the basic rights of the people. At the same time this inflation must stop or the poor will starve, leading to mass discontent and the failure of our state. I wish to propose a compromise.

To stop the inflation, we must enact price controls. Food should be priced at somewhat above the normal price, due to the current conditions and costs for the merchants, but not too high. While I am no expert, I propose as a starting point in the negotiations; no more than twice the usual price for grains, meats, drinks, and any foods that can be obtained on the march. For vegetables, fruits, and other such foods that are impracticable to obtain, as well as salt, not more than three times the ordinary price. I also believe there should be no limit on luxury foods and seasonings, as most people will be more concerned with survival. The price controls will end when we either find a place to settle, or find a reliable food source that can easily feed all of our people.

Nos, can we please move this discussion along like reasonable adults. No one is threatening anyone else's life or liberty. Lets have the merchants choose a spokesperson, and the concerned party choose a spokesperson, so that the floor doesn't erupt into multiple arguments. Magistrate, if they misbehave again, please get them back in order" With her long speech finished, Joanna backs away, looking at the magistrate. When she arrives at a table, she leans against it, supporting her weight as her confidence leaves her with her curls.

[Hyudra]

Eudick looks set to argue further with Vaesh, but Joanna cuts him off. He sighs, rubs his chin, and states, "I'm willing to settle on a price limit, but I had to dicker with Valham merchants who were taking over the businesses in the market district. As I already said, they wouldn't let me get away with paying any less than twice the standard market value for the goods. Set a price limit of the same amount, and I'd lose money hand over fist. Perishable stock, stolen stock, theft. I'd be left in strange territory, without the coin or the goods to re-establish myself. I assure you, the other Merchant nobles are in similar straits."

He gestures over his shoulder at the people who were sitting at the same table as him.

[Gath]

An amused smile fell upon Gido's lips as his face slackened and his eyes glazed over. He had said his piece and it had meant nothing. These merchants would be just the same as this Lord Ponce fellow, selfish and harsh, just like the bloodthirsty Valham soldiers who cleaned out the heads of state.

Gido's mind wandered and he got lost in a dream. In it he stood up from his seat as a dagger appeared in the side of Ponce's throat. He reached for it, but blood had begun to spray all over his hands and his throat gurgled as he began to drown in his own blood. Within an instant, Gido's twin battle axes were twirling through the air as he made his way towards the merchant table. One blade severed an arm, the other a head. Someone tried to stand and confront him, but he kicked the man in the chest and his chair fell out from under him. The blade of an axe caught his left leg just at the knee where it dangled helplessly from the chair. Another man, portly fellow, got up and drew a short sword. Gido held both axes in his left hand briefly as he drew a hatchet from his belt and threw it across the table where it lodged firmly into the fat man's temple. He fell into a pool of blood and Gido took both axes in hand once more.

And none too soon, either. Looking to his left he saw a greatsword headed for his face just in time to duck and sidestep while twisting his body around to gain momentum. He finished his spin with axes swinging and both landed squarely in the swordman's torso, one under the right arm, the other below the ribs. He let go of his axes as the man fell to the ground, and pulled two more hatchets and threw them across the table into the chaos. One struck a stuffy middle aged woman in the sternum with a thud, the other went flying sideways, spinning end over end until it lodged into a man's neck, just behind the jaw. His body went limp almost immediately and he fell to the ground.

Two daggers flew across the room, one for the magistrate, cleverly lodging itself into his left eye socket, the other went to someone else, he'd stopped bothering to identify them by then. People started to rush towards him, so he grabbed up his axes and leaped into battle, batting away swords and daggers, slamming his axes into shoulders, necks, thighs and arms. Blood pooled all around, soaking the carpets and he remained standing, alive and equally covered in blood; some of it his, but most of it others.

Gido opened his eyes and released his grip on the butt of his battle axe. His knuckles had gone white, but it was over now. He looked up at Vaesh, the others, then to Lord Ponce and he chuckled as he saw the pompous merchant's expression as he'd imagined it would look with a knife in his throat. "Politics..." He thought. "Not my bag..."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Note to self; There's a minimum of two sides. Fernando pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought this. Perhaps he should have listened to his father a bit more when he was younger; Some of those odd kernels of wisdom he ignored in his youth might have yielded a better response.

He steps down from the stage to allow the next issue to be brought forth and strolls over to the Lord Ponce.

"I must apologize for that. The stress of recent events is affecting us all, and I did mean what I said of us all standing together." Fernando rubs his chin in thought, looking back over his shoulders at the gathered nobles. "That includes merchants, and in that brief moment I forgot that."

He turns to look back towards the stage, tapping his lip in thought. "If you could see past my short sightedness before, I would like to take part in finding a suitable compromise for everyone."

[GuyFawkes]

The young general sat in silence, taking in every single word from each person that had spoken. He did not dare interrupt nor put forth his suggestions. He did not know of the conditions these people are in, he has not been with them long enough to understand their current plight. Anything he would say would just be inappropriate words from an outsider. Now, is this a battlefield or what? And one he dared not enter, for he had neither the knowledge nor the expertise at the kind of warfare they were waging here.

But he knew their pain. He understood their dilemma. As he listened to the discussions, he heard a familiar song playing. He had seen these before, in the villages he and his mentor had saved from the clutches of Valham. After a disaster, there will always be those who will retain more resources than the others, and greed and self-preservation will be the first to kick in. Instinct.

As far as discussions should go though, he had something to say however. Discussions - like warfare, and even moreso - have standards and proper rules of engagement. Not bothering to stand, he spoke in an air of authority. Taras had always reminded him of this, especially so since he was now a general. "If I may be allowed to speak. General Armand Feralas of the 15th Division. As some of you may know, the designation implies that I have been stationed away from the capital, and thus I have no intimate knowledge of these situations you people are in. As it is, I deem myself and my viewpoints as not bearing enough weight to pass judgment. However, I do have some things to say on how this discussion has come to pass, and how it should be so. And if you Lords, Ladies, as well as our noble citizens, would be so kind as to hear the words of a stranger, I shall put forth my suggestion." He stopped and looked around for their approval to continue.

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh lowers herself back into her chair, thankful at least someone got through to Ponce, at least to get everyone on the same point, even if she doesn't understand the difference between the voluntary price lowering she suggested and the price controls the high priestess did. Maybe Mycah can explain it to her later--her head for people has never really extended to economics or anything of the sort.

She doesn't speak when the two-named general pauses, but she motions her support for him to continue with a quick turn of her hand.

[GuyFawkes]

"Thank you," and he proceeded to his topic. "Now, everyone here are sons and daughters of Antica, and as we gather here in this room to discuss the concerns for the future of Antica, we should not forget that in here, we are equals."

"The King is no more, as well as our kingdom. We hold stations by name only now. However, a massive congregation of people the size of what we have outside does need some sort of leadership, and that I suppose is placed upon your hands, noble Lords and Ladies. And as fitting to the responsibility placed upon you, upon us, discussions such as these should be done in an ordered fashion, both for civility and expedience of resolving the problems at hand."

Pausing a bit to look around the room, looking each listener in the eyes, he continued, "I propose a system of sorts. By means of votes. We are all equals here, and though our opinions may vary, they hold equal in importance. Let us select among us one to preside over this gathering, by votes of course. Then, he or she shall come to select a problem to be discussed, and the involved parties shall put forth one or two representatives each. All parties shall be given time to speak forth their opinions, and when finished, all present here are to put forth their proposed solution, if they have any, and an explanation of the rationality of said solution. Once all of the solutions have been put forward, we vote on which one to implement. Once done, we then move on to another problem and repeat the process. I believe in this manner, we shall be avoiding unnecessary waste of time in reacting to each speaker, as well as avoid confrontations to proceed to a personal level."

Gathering his thoughts, and thinking he had said all he needed to say, he ended. "That is all I have to say on the matter."

[Kiyia Aeroth]

Selaea had been watching the negotiations intently, seeing the barely restrained hostility between the various speakers. But at the general's suggestion, she was aghast. "But... general, we are not all equal. Unless you are suggesting that the Duke of a house with a long and proud history is equivalent to a count of a house that did not exist two decades ago. If we must vote, those of higher standing should have their opinions count for more, lest we destroy our heritage and descend into anarchy. If we must vote as equals, it should only be until we can work out a system to ensure that those of higher rank are heard more clearly."

Glancing between the active speakers, Selaea clears her throat and continues, speaking slowly, sounding as though she is carefully reasoning things out in her head as she goes. "But as for the topic at hand, I would suggest we choose a small number of negotiators- a guildmaster to speak for the good of the merchants, a high priest or priestess to speak for the starving masses, and a ranking duke or duchess to mediate. All of these negotiators should be chosen by their peers- the guildmaster will be selected by the relevant merchants, the high priest by the ranking clergy, and the duke by the ranking nobles. Once we agree on where to fix the prices, it should be mandated that any merchant who charges more will have their goods seized and distributed among the merchants who are still loyal. This will encourage the merchants to police themselves, as opposed to having to spend our strained resources making sure the law would be obeyed."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

((Ignore this post as it is screwy.))

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando attempts another "bring them together" and spends another inspiration point for Diplomacy.

[roll0]
-----------------
Assuming Fernando hasn't been asked to leave -

"While they decide how we should speak with one another..." Fernando pulls out some ink, a pen, and some parchment, placing it upon the table. "I would run some compromise ideas by you and your companions." He smiles reassuringly at the Lord Ponce and those gathered with him at his table.

"You are correct. We will require trade once we establish, and we will need the merchants for that. At the same time, disgruntled commoners who would leave us for greener pastures harms us as well." He taps his lip before penning the suggestions as he makes them.

"Option one as mentioned is simply reducing the prices; Enough that they can afford to eat, but also that you can still turn some profit and have something to work with."

"Option two is only reducing certain prices, the more mundane and perishable ones. Those do you no good if they expire because no one can afford to buy them."

Fernando nods at the merchant Ponce. "Any that you can think of would also be welcome. In return, the Kenku has expressed interest in investing his gold, and I could as well. I am sure there are other nobles who would see the value in ensuring our merchants are prime and ready to trade once we are settle, and would have some funds to invest as well."

"Perhaps we come to a compromise that, if enough of those with some funds to spare agree to, we could put gold into a merchant endeavor proportional to how much you can alleviate the pressure for the commoners?"

[wuwuwu]

Selaea had been watching the negotiations intently, seeing the barely restrained hostility between the various speakers. But at the general's suggestion, she was aghast. "But... general, we are not all equal. Unless you are suggesting that the Duke of a house with a long and proud history is equivalent to a count of a house that did not exist two decades ago. If we must vote, those of higher standing should have their opinions count for more, lest we destroy our heritage and descend into anarchy. If we must vote as equals, it should only be until we can work out a system to ensure that those of higher rank are heard more clearly."

Glancing between the active speakers, Selaea clears her throat and continues, speaking slowly, sounding as though she is carefully reasoning things out in her head as she goes. "But as for the topic at hand, I would suggest we choose a small number of negotiators- a guildmaster to speak for the good of the merchants, a high priest or priestess to speak for the starving masses, and a ranking duke or duchess to mediate. All of these negotiators should be chosen by their peers- the guildmaster will be selected by the relevant merchants, the high priest by the ranking clergy, and the duke by the ranking nobles. Once we agree on where to fix the prices, it should be mandated that any merchant who charges more will have their goods seized and distributed among the merchants who are still loyal. This will encourage the merchants to police themselves, as opposed to having to spend our strained resources making sure the law would be obeyed."

Valorwing is visibly excited, bobbing his head rapidly. In his distress, he forgets to use his 'human' voice and reverts to his natural squawk.
"How can you stand there and claim us not equal!? Antica is lost, our noble houses stand no longer! We all start anew, here, as we travel to the mountains! It does not matter how long our banners have flown, it does not matter how pure our house's bloodline is! Each man, woman, kenku, dwarf, halfling, even each orc, should have equal right to voice his opinion in this court! Nonono, I do not approve!"
He realizes that he has lost his cool, and takes a moment to calm down, taking several deep breaths. Composing himself, and returning to his human voice he continues, "But I do agree, that for simplicity, we should have several representatives to voice the needs of each sect. To give each and every citizen a vote, even if we kept it only to the remaining nobles, would require too much debate, and we need a decision as soon as possible. I would also like to apologize, Lady Vothress. I spoke from emotion earlier, and lashed maybe a bit too hard. Though I still disagree with your opinion that the older houses should hold more power, I stated such discontent improperly. Please forgive me."
He hoped that she would accept his apology, he did not need to make enemies this early. He should have never allowed himself to speak so aggressively, especially not in the company of the remaining noble court.

[GuyFawkes]

The young general listened to the rebuttals of the other nobles and sorted out his facts in his head before speaking. "Yes, I can see your point my Lady, but need I remind you two weeks ago Antica was a kingdom, ruled by a King. And all of us, regardless of titles or ranks, all weighed equally before him when it came to decision-making. None of our opinions mattered if the King said otherwise, regardless of whether you were a Duke from a House that has stood since the founding of Antica, or a Count of a House founded just a few decades ago."

"Again need I remind you as of now all of us here hold our titles by name only, and if I am correct, most of us only acquired our stations during the war, when the ones who held the positions before us were slain by the soldiers of Valham. That is not to say I do not recognize the power of your positions, I do. Truly this country, or what ever is left of it, needs you, my Lords and Ladies to lead them now more than ever. And what they need of you most in these trying times is to act on the problems at hand with haste, instead of arguing with each other. Hence my suggestion."

"But as such, it was merely a suggestion, and if you, my Lady, hold yourself in higher esteem than the rest of us here, and do not wish to compromise, then I am in no position to oppose and I will offer my apology for having thought of a preposterous idea."

[Omeganaut]

Joanna, recovered from her big speech, makes her way back to the table as the different factions begin arguing over representation. 'At least this discussion shouldn't end up with people at each others' throats. Although, I don't think I like that noble with delusions of priviledge. I don't really see how rank can be decided upon with all the chaos going on. still, I suppose her idea is somewhat sensible. I'd better go find the other religious leaders.' Just as she finished her train of thought, Joana bumped into a rather tall elf dressing in priests robes that she thought she recognized from somewhere. "Excuse me, it was my fault. Um, well, pardon me, but, um, aren't you from the church of Corellon? Hello, um, I'm Joanna, and I am head priestess of the church of Pelor. Can you by any chance see any other religious types around, I was just thinking that the suggestion we find a spokesperson was a good one." She asked as politely as her recovering nerves allow.
Just in case [roll0]

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh very nearly snorts with laughter, but she keeps her face impassive. An opportunistic girl from a family of up-jumped commoners, herself married over her head, insisting upon strict value of titles. She wishes she could afford to pound the table in laughter.

Still. "General, do you believe that were the lowliest of barons and the most powerful of dukes brought before the king's justice for a small crime or a land dispute, that the king would treat them both the same? Truly? But we have no longer a king, in any case."

"But both suggestions have merit. Perhaps we could combine them. Representatives from each group of interests--the merchant lords, the priests, and so on, would speak for each group. We have certainly already had enough talking over ourselves for one day. If you care to put forth our representative--those of us nobles who are not merchant lords--by vote, I would not object to that.

"In any case, we have already made progress, have we not? Lord Ponce has agreed that some form of price controls would be reasonable, so long as we take into account how extraordinary the prices were when the food was purchased. It seems we now debate details. Important details, but perhaps the better setting for those details would be a few representatives speaking without us all shouting over each other."

[Hyudra]

A woman speaks, and heads turn, "And what would the groups be, might I ask? It's a sound idea in theory, but I would not want the religious voice of Antica represented by a Pelorite, and I doubt a Pelorite would want me to speak for them."

The woman is tall, with black hair cut about as short as one could hope to manage while still calling it a head of hair. She wears ornamental armor in dark iron, sculpted into stern looking faces. Below the waist, the armor is more of a robe in style, with ornamented plates of iron linked by chain hanging over crimson cloth.

"I am Mathilda Stonewall, for those who do not know. When High Priest Claudio was slain, I ascended into office as head of the Church of Hextor. I would agree with the Lady there," she nods to Vaesh, "That our society is very much unequal and unfair, and while that is a good thing in many respects, it complicates a simple plan."

"So tell me, how many representatives would we have, and who would serve as such?"

[GuyFawkes]

Armand acknowledged that his debating was indeed adding to the impedance of the meeting's progress, but he had to go on. "A wise and just King would," and looked at the Lady who just talked to him a few seconds before continuing to address everyone.

"In any case, I was just adamant in the issue as I am under the impression that this is just the first of such gatherings, no? And having a systematic approach laid down would help ease the flow of this one, as well as the rest."

He then turned to the High Priestess of Hextor and answered her. "And I believe my suggestion - had it not been misunderstood - coupled with the ideas the Lords and Ladies have put forward would have answered your question, High Priestess."

[PollyOliver]

"Wisdom and justice," Vaesh says. She keeps her tone neutral, but in her head the words echo mockingly. She sees her mother burning for the briefest of instants, sees herself brush the ashes off her cheek as if she is floating above her own shoulder, and then pushes the memory away.

"Precious commodities, but in short supply. And if your proposal has been misunderstood, General, I apologize. I do not intend to mock, and I am curious--how would you deal with the question of Hextor representing Pelor or vice versa?"

[Gath]

"I would not have either pole rule in this predicament," said Gido, finally speaking up after an extended absence. "Our goal for the representatives is impartiality, neutrality. That one person from each group should hear all sides and choose the most appropriate path with as little bias as possible."

He paused briefly, considering. "Let Fharlanghn represent the religious sect." 'Better than the vile Hextorites... I thought their religion was disbanded long ago.'

[Hyudra]

@Kabooa (Private)
You exchange words with Eudick Ponce, and he nods.

"Now we have a starting point, young Altatorra. If my observations are correct, prices have settled at close to five times the standard rates. I'll admit that this is high, but one must understand the merchants are feeling insecure in the current situation, as much as anyone. If we perhaps spot opportunity and our instincts bid us to seize it, then we might wind up taking more than necessary.

"I'll settle for four times the standard rates. If you and your comrade are interested in covering the costs, I'll drop the asking price of the merchants to a flat three times the standard, and have the price of perishables adjusted to standard. That would put me - I presume it would be me - in the position of distributing the fifteen thousand gold you and your ally provide to me to the merchants of Antica. I have enough contacts and people looking for work that I could establish an oversight to ensure that only the merchants who drop their prices are getting repaid with that money."

@Omeganaut (Private)
The priestess of Corellon is a young elven girl who looks no older than sixteen.

"Quite so. I have been around some time, and I'll point them out. The lady who is speaking is Mathilda, onetime lieutenant of High Priest Claudio of the church of Hextor. The tyrant god." The priestess makes a face.

"They took their place in Antica a few decades ago when the King established free religion. After a tumultuous few years, they settled in, and the people came to respect them. There was a... coincidental shift of the darker elements of the city, where Hextor's temples and shrines took root. Less thieves and thugs, less robbery and vandalism. Those who made trouble just happened to be recruited by the temple, and became very, very well behaved. All initiates of their temple were trained as soldiers as well as priests, so I expect that woman has more than a small amount of military power right now.

"I admit, I see no faces of Boccob, but there's an elderly general over there who serves Heironeous. Tomas Aboltin. He retired two decades ago, but the man who took his place died in the Siege, so he's stepped in."

"The high priest of Wee Jas is not present. I talked to him earlier. He saw it as his duty to prepare the funerary rites for those who died in the Siege. He's collecting names of the known dead from the peasantry, and plans to sing the names of the known dead starting at midnight.

"Farlanghan's high priest is there, the plain looking man with the beard. Devid Houris. He's talking with Saphie Telmet, who as I understand it is expected to become the High Priestess of Kord.

"I hope that helps some names and faces to roles.

"Alsaeth Efael Ish," she says, touching two fingers to her heart.

"As milady said, good sir," Mathilda speaks, "I'll assure you I was answering her idea of representative rule. Is there a way you could have spokespeople for each broad category, without crushing the minority against the will of the many?"

Mathilda pauses, then speaks again, "If you're speaking of spokespeople for each small group, where does one draw the line? A group of the laborer peasants might have differing agreements with another group. Should each group have the chance to speak to us individually, or do we gather them together? This is just one point of confusion and contention, and I suspect that answering all of that would have us buried in bureaucracy before the problem was solved. You speak of simplicity and equality, but I fear bureaucracy and majority rule."


"I would not have either pole rule in this predicament," said Gido, finally speaking up after an extended absence. "Our goal for the representatives is impartiality, neutrality. That one person from each group should hear all sides and choose the most appropriate path with as little bias as possible."

He paused briefly, considering. "Let Fharlanghn represent the religious sect." 'Better than the vile Hextorites... I thought their religion was disbanded long ago.'

OOC: ((Knowledge religion to know more about the Hextorites in Antica)).

A man with light brown hair and light brown skin, with fawn colored robe and pale brown staff, stands from a seat at the far side of the room, "With all due respect, I refuse, my lord. My name is Devid Houris, High Priest of Farlanghan, and I fear I may be the third least impartial individual in this room when it comes to the evil gods."

[wuwuwu]

"The idea that the Church of Hextor would even get representation! Surely you'd vote to consort with fiends, or turn back to Antica and try to slaughter our way back into our homes?" Valorwing scoffs.
"If you believe us unequal, than you should be fine with not having your say. When I earlier said we all had a voice, I had, in my naivete, believe the majority of us good. I apologize for my hypocrisy, but I do not believe that we want evil to decide how we lead our people."

[Hyudra]

"I would not have either pole rule in this predicament," said Gido, finally speaking up after an extended absence. "Our goal for the representatives is impartiality, neutrality. That one person from each group should hear all sides and choose the most appropriate path with as little bias as possible."

He paused briefly, considering. "Let Fharlanghn represent the religious sect." 'Better than the vile Hextorites... I thought their religion was disbanded long ago.'

Mathilda's face turns a touch hard as Valorwing scoffs.

"Milord. Do not misconstrue this as a threat, but are you aware that the Church of Hextor trains its initiates as soldiers as well as holy men? When Antica's military fought bravely in the Siege, we requested permission to fight alongside them. We were refused. Soldiers died, we did not.

"Our temples are also fortified locations. It was our men and women who bought entire neighborhoods the chance to evacuate. Many gathered here in this tent know we are the reason they are alive today. Some may thank us with their support and alliances. We did this because we love this nation.

"I know that only eighteen of our soldiers died in the Siege, including the late High Priest Claudio. I have not had reason to check the state of Antica's remaining military forces, but I would venture to say that the devout of Hextor who are joining this exodus are at least half as many as they, if we do not equal or exceed their number entirely.

"With that in mind, I recommend rethinking your stance. Again, I say this not as a threat, but to make you aware that we are here, and while our number is not the greatest among the religions here, we are not weak enough to be mocked."

[wuwuwu]

IGNORE THISValorwing grows increasingly agitated. Breathing deeply, and speaking calmly despite his clear frustration, he speaks,"Did you save the citizens out of love of country, or to make sure you had some weak to lord over when this was all over? Line up some slaves for yourselves? Do not think I do not know Hextor; how he teaches cruelty, tyranny, and slavery."

"When you were told not to assist the soldiers, you just accepted it? You did not sally forth of your own volition to prove your valor and mettle? The strong must obey the weak, right? By protecting those people, you showed them who was strong, correct? And very conveniently, you placed yourself as the strongest military force, so we must obey you?"

"So, for any of those people who owe their lives to the Church of Hextor: when they collect, are you willing to be slaves to cruel overlords?"

He pauses for a moment to let his words sink in to the people.


"If you truly work from the love of our nation, then you would submit your soldiers to our general, where they would be used in the best interests of the nation, rather than a single church."

Valorwing takes note to introduce himself to the clergy of Heironeous after this gathering.

Diplomacy: [roll0], to make those who were protected by the Hextorites more friendly towards Valorwing and listen to his warnings

Valorwing grows increasingly agitated, but knowing that he wouldn't be able to sway the people that owe their lives to the Hextorites, decides not to further agitate them. Instead he tries the road of reason.


"If you truly work from the love of our nation, then you would submit your soldiers to our general, where they would be used in the best interests of the nation, rather than a single church."

Valorwing takes note to introduce himself to the clergy of Heironeous after this gathering.
Keeping my diplomacy roll of 2, total of 9, in case editing didn't keep the roll

[Hyudra]

Mathilda smiles, "Hextor teaches for everyone to know their place. The powerful rule over the weak, and what are we here, if not the most powerful individuals in Antica?

"Rest assured, my bird in shining armor, I will not fall for your trickery. If I ignored the orders of our Generals, you would be lambasting me for being disloyal or too hungry for glory. If I listen, you criticize me for not trying hard enough. One cannot win against you shining knights, short of being a knight ourselves. But if we were knights, then we would have died in an impossible battle and these people would have had nobody to protect them. It is good that we are who we are, and that things played out this way.

"So I do think I'll be keeping my devout soldiers, for without them, my church has nothing to offer, and nothing to ensure that we are not lynched by the overzealous and narrow minded."

"Now," she speaks, clasping her hands together in her lap, "shall we return to business? I do believe there are more pressing matters than moralistic debate."

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh stands up again. This is getting absurd.

"Indeed," she says. "Insults and threats do not help matters from either side. And that is true in general as well. Several possible solutions have been put forward from this table--not perfect ones, admittedly, but suggestions. And while constructive criticism is of course helpful, constantly finding fault and flaw without suggesting how to fix it is not. So what then do you suggest we do, in order to address the matter we were gathered here for in the first place? I believe the Lord Ponce has offered a proposal for pricing. Does anyone care to remark on it?"

[GuyFawkes]

"Lords, Ladies, hear my proposition," spoke Armand, taking the opportunity of a few seconds that nobody spoke to calm the situation down. "We will solve the problems by level. We would group together all groups of similar function. Each group would have its representative and have them convene by themselves on the needs or issues they have. This is the lowest level. If they fail to resolve them on their own, they would now raise said issues up to a Lord or Lady in charge of the particular group. This is the next level. The Lord or Lady in charge would meet together with the representatives and try to solve the issues, and again if some cannot be resolved at this level, the particular Lord or Lady will now raise the issue among his or her fellow nobles assigned to other groups when they convene."

"I believe in this way, all levels are held accountable and responsible for their own, as well as keeping the hierarchy in tact. Group together the different groups of merchants or the farmers and let them solve their own problems. If they cannot do it themselves, they ask the help of the noble in charge and so on. This also keeps the specific problems segregated, such that when it arrives at the top level, only the most pressing matters would be left to discuss and avoid things like this happening, where we are talking about different topics simultaneously."

And seeing the heated discussions might just be escalating, he added, "In fact, it would be wise to do this right now."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

"As I had thought; I did not, and I suspect the others did not as well, have an idea of to the actual amount we were speaking of here. The Knight means well, but you are a merchant, and I understand that sometimes we must use our heads instead of our hearts. I shall present this offer once they are done with..." Fernando eyes the somewhat heated looking debate. "Discussing whatever it is they are discussing."

Fernando nods to the Lord Ponce. "Again I will apologize for my rashness earlier, and I will stress that my first intention is keeping all of Antica, lord, merchant, and commoner alike, together." He takes a moment to clarify the stipulations. He presents the following to Lord Ponce, saying: "I believe this correctly states what we discussed? I will be honest and say I am not sure if all the others will agree to it, but it is a starting point, and it is information. If nothing else it will hopefully provide a more...reasonably amicable discussion."

The Agreement
In Regards to the Issues of Food and Pricing

The Lord Ponce has acknowledged that the prices are high; However taking into account his original procuring of the goods, and the rate of decay, the thefts that have happened, and other factors, the merchants cannot sell for below four times the normal price or they shall have little to rebuild with.

In a compromise, the following is discussed; The merchants could drop the price to three times the normal, which is only one step above what they paid, as well as dropping perishables to the standard price, half of what they originally paid.

This can be achieved if we, those of us with the coin to spare, collect our resources and invest in a sense in our people; Our followers to feed, and our merchants in order to have coin to trade and begin anew once we may settle, and even before then.

The Lord Ponce estimates that between all the merchants, and for those needing the goods, that a cumulative total of 15,000 gold pieces would provide food for the commoners and cover the costs for the merchants.

If the Lord ponce finds this an acceptable translation of what they agree to, Fernando will then scribe copies.

[Hyudra]

@Kabooa
Lord Ponce nods to Fernando, "Such would be satisfactory to me, and I suspect, the other merchants."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando finishes scribing his copies; He hands a copy each to the Magister, the Commoner, and divides those remaining (most likely about four) between the rest of the tables to allow them to look over it. He will then take his personal copy and await next to the stage to present it once the floor opens.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna sizes up each of the holy men and women, and makes a decision. "Okay, since you know these people better than I do, why don't you see if you can round as many of them up as you can. See if you can't find that Priestess of Yondalla who spoke up earlier as well. I'll go to the Priestess of Hextor, and talk to her. I was thinking that we could probably manage one representative if we all met and discussed the issue together before hand, so that each church has a say. The representative would have to try to avoid doing anything that would go against any religion's interests, but if it came to one way or another, I would think giving that priest or priestess a chance to speak their piece, but voting with the majority (not a plurality) would work. Of course, I would appreciate another perspective on it. Does that sound good to you?" After hearing her response, Joanna sets off to where the priestess of Hextor is being verbally attacked by the clanking bird Joanna had met earlier.

Her opinion of the Kenku is dimishing, as he is not only quick to anger, but almost eager to take an objectionable stance on the matter at hand. Maybe if he learned to think before he spoke, he could be influential as a possible leader of the Kenku, leader of the Thieves Guild, and also leader of the Paladins still alive.

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing reads over the agreement slowly, absorbing every word. His eyes widen as he nears the bottom. Under the table, he pulls out his coin purse and counts out what he has. With a worried expression, he looks around to the other nobles to see if any of them seem as taken aback by the sum as him. He puts his pouch back into his pocket and passes it to the next noble.

It would be very awkward for the noble who suggested the idea to be the first to bring up the sum. He only hoped that all together, the nobles could come up with the gold.

[Hyudra]

@Omeganaut:
"I think your chances slim, but I'll do as you request."

[Gath]

A copy of the Ponce Amendment landed on the table in front of Gido as he fretted over the butt end of an axe handle. His knuckles were not white this time, rather it seemed he was using the polished purple wood as a worry forge. The end of the handles had been carved into orbs nearly the size of a man’s fist. Sanded smooth and polished, he rubbed and fussed over the orb as though he was trying to quicken the aging process. The new weapons were spectacular gifts from his mentor, Fox, but the freshness made him nervous. It wasn’t that he couldn’t deal with something new, but he’d never had something so well crafted, he was used to the rawness of bare necessity.

His left thumb and forefinger touched the top corner and side edge of the page, pinning it to the wooden table beneath. As he read the terms, his jaw clenched fitfully. ’How dare they,’ he thought. ’In a time like this, to think about asking for such a sum from people who are just as if not worse off as him is nothing less than criminal.’ And so the thoughts became words. ”Fifteen thousand gold pieces between the merchants on top of a triple mark up in goods and supplies. That sounds about like what a thieves’ guild would try and parlay. Riddle me this, good Ponce, it says here that the funds are to come from the noble body, does that include you or the other merchants? Or are you exempt from your own amendment? After all, it is you who is to lose if you don’t pay.”

He pushed the parchment away in distaste. ”Your sniveling conniving concerning business ethics in the face of such a catastrophic massacre of our nation brings bile to my throat. It is with great moral dilemma that I do not take action on the disgusted ire that you have injected into my life and the others here today.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out five gold pieces and tossed them onto the parchment, where they scurried about the table before settling. ”There. Five gold is what I have to offer you. That’s all I can afford. Apparently there is to be no poaching and I am to be stuck paying triple mark up for food and supplies for the rest of this voyage. I should hope that one day your guilt outweighs your greed.”

Though he had no better solution, he was compelled to speak his mind. And then thoughts of the Hextorite came flooding in. ”And to the Hextorite leader who is so bold as to give us idle threats, telling us that half of our numbers are with her lord, yet she does not rule. What is to stop her from taking the throne should she not get her way? Would it not be only a command away to clear out the nobles and take the ‘nation’ yourself? What were your terms again my lady? Lest I offend thee and start a war.” He gave a small bow and pushed the parchment and the coins to the next person for review.

[Hyudra]

"So choleric of temper, milord," High Priestess Mathilda speaks, "I'll correct your numbers. My forces number half that of our military. One man to every two soldiers of Antica, unless I guess too high as to the strength of our remaining forces. I'll also correct your assumption. I am not your enemy. Banish that thought from your mind. I am a loyal citizen of Antica, and I have been since I was born. You may not like me or my religion, that is fine. But I have taken no hostile action against the crown and I have acted with far more civility than you and the armored Kenku, tonight. Neither of you have been even so kind as to announce their own names and titles to the assembly, so we might know who we are talking to.

"So know this. If my forces were ten times that of Antica's military, I would still not be striving to take the crown for myself. I might ask for more favors in exchange for my assistance, but such would be my perogative."

She pauses, then returns to her table and consults with a pair of men in dark armor. After a few moments, she turns around and throws a bag of coin to the ground at the center of the room, "Here. Four hundred and forty five gold. My contribution paid twice over, as an apology to the assembly for having to listen to others whine and argue over my presence here. I shall cover the amount our irate friend here refuses to pay as well. I do not have overmuch coin to spare, but there it is. If you renegotiate the terms to this arrangement with the merchants, I trust someone will put the coin to good use in the name of Antica.

"I'll be taking my leave now, as I see my presence is proving less than constructive."

With that she turns and strides from the tent. The two men in dark armor stand and follow her out. Lord Ponce stays quiet, watching the room with a cool gaze.

[Gath]

Gido cringed as his words hit home and came back around to land at his feet. As priestess Mathilda marched outside with her men, Gido stood and quickly holstered his axes and made his way for the exit. With a frustrated look at those within the tent, he opened the flap and went outside.


------

[GuyFawkes]

Seeing that there was no stopping the general outburst of tempers and emotions among those present, Armand sat back and observed, acknowledging his defeat at the hands of pompous, vainglorious politicians. Well played, ladies and gentlemen. Well played.

Having lost his interest at contributing to any of the discussions, he just ignored the written document being passed around and just sat on his seat and waited for the whole nonsense to finish, observing the others as they go about their 'business', in the light that maybe by observing them, he would get to know more about this game they played, and perhaps later he could play on more equal footing.

[Gath]

A few moments later, Gido returned with a troubled but somewhat detached expression. He made his way back to the table and replaced his axes on the ground and sat down.

"That woman is evil," he said, whispering to the group of nobles. "What she said, what she did, it's all a ruse to gain more power. I already thought that but now I know it for sure. And she thinks I helped her by challenging her. Through her display of benevolence she hopes to gain favor amongst the group. But apparently I am marked as an enemy now..."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando will yet again dig deep for inspiration towards diplomatic affairs!
[roll0]
--------------------------
Seeing the discussion dwindle down, Fernando gives a polite nod each to the Magister and the commoner, and takes up the stage again.

"Yet again I have to emphasize this is the time for us all to stand together. Before you, you see a rough estimation of what is needed to provide both for our people and to ensure our trade can start once we reach our destination. There are approximately one hundred of us in here; for a share of 150 gold pieces our followers can eat and our merchants primed to trade."

"I know we are all hurting. Our estates and the valuables that we could not drag with us are lost to us, likely forever. I do not ask you bankrupt yourself, only that you spare what you can." Fernando doesn't shoot a glare at anyone in particular. "So, with this gathered gold, the Lord Ponce, and I assume at least one representing the nobility and one representing the faith, will oversee the distribution of it towards merchants who adhere to the price lowering."

"If any have an outright objection, it would be now to raise such and counter it."

[wuwuwu]

A few moments later, Gido returned with a troubled but somewhat detached expression. He made his way back to the table and replaced his axes on the ground and sat down.

"That woman is evil," he said, whispering to the group of nobles. "What she said, what she did, it's all a ruse to gain more power. I already thought that but now I know it for sure. And she thinks I helped her by challenging her. Through her display of benevolence she hopes to gain favor amongst the group. But apparently I am marked as an enemy now..."

Keeping his voice low, Valorwing nods his head and agrees.
"Hextorites can never be trusted, especially in a position of power. Although it was a bit tactless to not give our names. She won this encounter, I think. We will have to be much more careful when dealing with her next time."

Speaking to the crowd, Valorwing tries to look as noble and knightly as possible, puffing out his chest and standing straight up.
"I", he hesitates for a moment, debating which name to provide. Associating with the Darkwings now would only do more damage to his representation, but giving the name Valorwing without explanation would be viewed as dishonest...
He shows his family seal as he continues, "Swiftbeak, Count of the Darkwing Flock, will contribute 300 gold pieces." He tosses a pouch of coins onto the table.
"I would also like to nominate Lord Altatorra to represent the nobility, as he has spoken the most calmly and reasonably among us so far."

He looks around the tent one more time, wondering how many people think him a fool.
"I believe that I am no longer required here? If so, than I too shall take my leave."
Valorwing clanks out of the tent, and heads over to where his group has their makeshift camp set up.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna is angry that she could not catch High Priestess Matilda before she left the tent, but since organizing the leaders of different faiths will be difficult, it might be better to talk with her one-on-one and not in this chaotic setting. Joanna heads over to where Alsaeth Efael Ish has started to gather the priests, meeting with Tomas Abolin on the way. "Excuse me sir, I am Joanna Suzanne, high priestess of Pelor, and I was hoping to try and organize the religious leaders of our outfit to act as a moral center for our band of refugees. Since the leaders of the churches of Corellon, Kord, and Farlanghan are over at that table, why don't we head over and hold a conference of the current heads of faith. I have heard great things about your years in the service of Hieroneous, and I hope your experience can help us younger leaders down the correct path."

When they reach the collected men and women of the cloth, Joanna is relieved to see Bronwyn Thistlehalf there as well. She greets everyone there, and proceeds through a polite round of introductions. Once the formalities have been properly observed, she tells the group of her proposal "Thank you all for gathering here. I wish to propose that we select one representative to represent religious leaders in open discussions. If we all met and discussed the issue together before hand,we would ensure that every church had a say through a spokesperson. The representative would try not to agree to anything that is against any churches view, but if it came to one way or another, I would think giving the dissenting priest or priestess a chance to speak their piece, but voting with the majority (not a plurality) would work. Of course we cannot make a final decision without speaking with the leader of every church, but for this current discussion I believe it would look good for us in general if we could agree on one spokesperson. Does anyone here wish to take that role? Also, does anyone have any strong opinions on the matter at hand?" With her piece said, Joanna backs up to allow the others to step up and say their piece, her hair catching the torchlight in waves down her back.

[Hyudra]

@Omeganaut (private)
OOC: ((Just a request - a few times now you've 'filled in the blanks' on my behalf. Like by describing the High Priest of Corellon as tall & male in post 46, and deciding that Bronwyn Thistlehalf is at the table when you arrive. I'll kindly ask that you not do that, as it puts me in an awkward position. I realize that I've left you hanging a few times, but I'm trying. Also, it breaks immersion when you describe stuff wrong, like by saying the sun is shining in Joanna's hair when it's night and you're indoors.)).

There are several exchanged glances between the assembled priests and priestesses.

The Farlanghan priest speaks, "Trouble is, high priestess Joanna, there's no such thing as impartiality when it comes to religion. Are you intending for us to nominate you for the role?"

"Might I venture to suggest that we have an agreement?" Magister Todren speaks, "If there are no more dissenting voices, then I trust Lord Merchant Ponce will give us a few days to gather the funds as he sets about putting the new trade into effect? If anyone else takes issue with the terms, I recommend they find one of the involved parties sooner than later and come to an agreement."

Eudick Ponce nods once to that. Reaffirmed, the Magister speaks, "Then given the fact that some people are departing already, I think we might call this a night, despite the fact that only one of the recent crises has been addressed."

"Tomorrow is another day. Be kind to yourselves and your people. Contact me if you have reason to call another meeting. Otherwise, I bid you the best on the last leg of your journey."

He retreats to a corner of the tent to talk to another two magisters, leaving the rest of the assembled nobles to depart or to gather into groups and discuss matters.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando heads over to his table, and sits, a somewhat dissatisfied look on his face. For all his attempts to try and encourage everyone to stick together, he appears to be creating more rifts than not.

He idly counts his remaining coins, seeing how much he can contribute.

[GuyFawkes]

After the meeting had been declared to be over, Armand quickly stood up and walked towards the Magister. Seeing that he was engaged in conversation with the other magisters, and Armand could not stand to delay his leaving any longer, he politely interrupted.

"Pardon me Magister. I just wish to inform you that I shall be going back to my camp for the night. There are things I have left to arrange, both for my men and myself, as I have not yet prepared for my extended stay here. I shall hopefully be back on the morrow."

"That is all. Good evening," he bowed and turned to leave, heading straight for the exit.

[Omeganaut]

I'm sorry. It's just that when I don't try and push things a little, I do tend to either get ignored, or get outspoken. I was just trying to avoid you having to give me one line responses. Then again, I guess when I do try and push the plot, I end up messing something up, so I will try not to advance to far. I can also go back and edit some of the small things if you want me to.

Joanna, while she wishes she could take the post, knows that she must refuse the offer as the person who started the meeting to decide the representation. "While I wouldn't mind such a position, I realize that since I called this gathering, I would be remiss in asking for such a post. I was thinking either Devid Houris of Farlanghan, or Tomas Abolin of Heironeous, although that is based mostly on their pre-existing status, and I would be welcome to hear other suggestions. And yes, we do have many differences, but at the same time, we are all trying to serve the people with the help of our god or goddess. And as you have seen, someone has to remind the nobles that the people are the ones who matter most. Besides, if we are seen working together, then it will be an example for these divisive, inexperienced nobles as well as the people," Joana finishes, flushed with her own hope that something great can be accomplished.

[Hyudra]

@Omeganaut:
"Mathilda will never accept Heironeous as our representative, and I think I would feel a uncomfortable if he were in such a role. No offense, good sir," the Farlanghan priest speaks.

The older man gives the High Priest of the Wandering God an impassive look, but does not speak.

"As for myself, my brother was er, 'recruited' into Mathilda's temple. When he was a criminal, I lay awake at nights wondering what his fate would be, but when I crossed paths with him," the Farlanghan High Priest makes the holy sign of the roads over his heart, "He was still my brother, for all his poor choices. Not so now, for there is no trace of the man he once was. He is only her soldier now. I'm sorry, but I cannot sit at a table and consider matters with an even hand and with that woman's concerns in mind."

He frowns, "Besides, once I have seen Antica re-established and my god's first shrine put into place, I intend to travel the region around our new land, gathering information and judging the roads for myself. A representative who is absent for months at a stretch is a poor representative indeed."

People begin to filter from the tent. Others, still present, from the High Priests sitting with Joanna Suzanna to the nobles and merchant lords at other tables, are beginning to show their fatigue from the long day's travel, with yawns and less than decorous stretching.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna looks carefully at the people around her. "But... It's for the good of the people! By working together we can fulfill our obligation as heads of our respective churches as leaders for our people and work together to build a future for our country. This crisis is more important than our immediate squabbles over minor differences."[roll0]

"In any case, i want to take a look at the bill before everyone leaves. Where is that paper, ah, thank you!" Joanna looks carefully at the document, especially at the part about investing 15,000 GP in the merchants without getting anything for it. I can deal with everything else in the document, but just giving away that much money seems excessive. I will not sign this until either the merchants must pay back the money through a stipend when we settle, or the nobles would get a share in the businesses. Perhaps a 20% stake would work. I wonder how I would go about proposing this amendment, or even if anyone would accept it.. She puts down the paper, angry that because of her efforts to solve problems she had no say on the major problem.
I will try to wrap it up by the end of the next post.

[Hyudra]

@ Joanna:
Devid Houris' expression turns hard, "Forgive me, High Priestess. I must have misheard you. My brother was kidnapped and brainwashed by the same church that Mathilda now runs, and it sounded to me like you called that a petty and minor cause for squabble. Forgive me, I'll be taking my leave before I say something I regret."

He stands and makes his way from the room.

OOC: If nobody else has anything to do or announce, I'll be moving things along shortly.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna turns to the rest of the priests still assembled. "I apologize if I have offended anyone. I supposed I am far more tired than I supposed. I guess tomorrow I will have another look at how our diverse churches could work together. For now, why don't we rest before I say something I will truly regret. Farewell" With this, she curtsies, and walks out of the tent, intending to get a good full night's sleep

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh suppresses a sigh. That did not go entirely as intended. At least something was worked out, but she's going to need to work at this more in the future. She meets Mycah's eyes across the tent so he knows she's not just wandering off without him and then goes outside to think in the fresh air.

[GuyFawkes]

Armand went to fetch his horse, and went back down the path he passed earlier. As he walked by, he noticed how these people had to endure living out there in the wilderness instead of sleeping comfortably in their homes back in Albatos, and the memory of what happened inside the tent, how those who should be leading these people chose to argue instead of finding a solution to these people's predicaments left a bad taste in his mouth.

As soon as he cleared the last of the tents, he mounted his horse and rode off into the night.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Seeing them all disperse, Fernando takes out a piece of parchment, and writes down the names of those who contributed so far; He then tears the parchment and attaches it to each bag of coin and marks down the amount. He then adds his own pouch of three hundred to the pile, labels it, and hands these pouches to the Magister for safe keeping.

He then leaves and returns to his family.

[Gath]

Seeing the tent emptying, Gido waited for Fernando to finish counting the coin and then collected his axes and followed him outside. The two split ways just outside the tent and Gido went to meet his brother just at the edge of the migrating city. Screech showed up with a dead rabbit and dropped it on the ground in front of the newly made baron. He knelt down and ran the backs of his fingers along the eagle's soft feathers a few times and picked up the rabbit.

"It isn't poaching if you do the hunting," he said with a smile and stood up and led his brother and animal companion just out of earshot of the remaining people of Antica. They gathered some bits of wood from the stunted trees and oversized bushes along the way. It wouldn't be much of a fire, but it would be enough to cook a rabbit.

Gido made short work of cleaning the rabbit and had it on the fire by the time his brother had his area established. They talked about easy stuff like the stars and the ways of nature, anything to avoid the topic of politics or the death of their family. The meal was quite satisfying and they were both laying down staring up at the stars as the fire died down. Finally it came out; Paror asked meekly, "Do you think they're up there?" There was little else for him to say. "I know they are." He pointed out a few stars and suggested that they represent their mother, father and brother, then told him to get some sleep. He was thankful that the darkness would hide the tears that streamed down the sides of his face and into his ears and that his brother didn't ask anymore questions, lest his voice break from sorrow. His family was dead and he was left to take care of his younger brother, play the part of nobility and deal with people like Mathilda, the evil Hextorite who played him for a fool and declared him an enemy. He didn't know the first thing about her or her power level, but he figured she had magic and thugs, so he was out of his league. He lay there and reflected on the lesson he learned today; keep your mouth shut in court meetings.

With that, he closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep. Strange dreams plagued him throughout the night. The witch Mathilda in her black iron armor casting spells that made his body wrack with pain. She had her thugs tie him to a stake and drain a goblet full of blood from a gash in his arm. She said some strange string of words and tossed a few bits of something into the thick fluid and a brief flash of flame sprung from the mouth of the cup. She cackled and raised the goblet high into the air in homage to a six armed obsidian demon in spiked full plate. Then she turned back to Gido and said, "You're mine now, fool boy!" And she brought the goblet to her mouth and tipped its end up as she drank from it. A stream of scorched red liquid trickled down the sides of her mouth and when she was finished she laughed maniacally once again and threw the goblet at the base of the stake he was tied to. It burst into flame which set the pyre beneath him alight. Flames licked his feet and he felt the soles of his boots begin to melt, and then his clothes caught fire and he began to scream and tried frantically to break free of his bonds. It was a useless struggle and it only made her laugh more as his flesh charred and muscle cooked. Darkness took him as his eyes melted, but the pain remained, agony, relentless agony.

He awoke with a scream as he threw his blanket off of him and started trying to put out the flames on his body. It was dark, but he could see. His eyes were not melted and he could see his clothed body in the faint white light. Moonlight. Night. Awake. Alive. Dream; it was a dream. A very real, horrible dream. He stood up and walked away from the small camp and relieved himself, thankful that he hadn't let it go in his nightmare. He paced around for a while and then made it back to his bedroll and found Screech nestled on his piled up blanket by his bedroll. The bird always seemed to know when to show up. He sat on his bedroll and grabbed for the remainder of the rabbit and began tearing off strips of the meat and handing them to the bald eagle. He only gave away his share of tomorrow's lunch. Paror would get to keep the rest. Gido petted his avian friend and lay back down and drifted off to sleep once more. Blissful, dreamless sleep...

[Hyudra]

The two days that follow are thankfully uneventful. There is grumbling among the lowborn at the high price of meat and cheese, but with perishables at a standard price, they have their soups and apples.

The way up into the Regan peaks is hard, uphill nearly the entire way, with the procession stopping regularly as wagons break down, horses grow too tired to move and boulders need to be cleared from the roadway. The view is spectacular - mountains as far as they eye can see, with plateaus of arable land. Rivers and narrow fields of grass are visible at the bases of the mountains you pass, giving a measure of hope to the lower class. It is just a question of whether they can produce the crops they need for the year, in the remaining growing season. Spirits lift for the first time in weeks, helped by the pleasant weather and the constant cool breeze.

As you reach your final destination, though, the mood takes a turn for the worse. The keep that was set in the midst of the Regan Peaks looms before you, the worse for the years of neglect. The bridge leading up to the front doors has collapsed, and it seems a good half of the keep that you can see was only under construction when it was abandoned. A host of gray feathered pigeons stirs as if at some unheard noise, taking leave of the keep en masse.

In Antica, it has long been tradition for a lord or lady to name their keep a year after they had assumed command of it. The keep of the Regan Peaks was never named, for no lord has yet held it for a year's time.

Picture:
http://i56.tinypic.com/40vnr.jpg

[Omeganaut]

Joanna looks up at the half-finished structure with a hint of despair. "Surely this cannot be the place. I was under the impression that we were traveling somewhere where our people actually have a chance to survive!" Luckily for her, she was not loud, and from the looks of the nearest people they didn't hear what she said. Such indiscretions would ruin her good reputation and moral authority.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

"I trust you did not expect to find a palace and servants ready to usher in the next to come along?" Fernando says, and though he tries to smile, his brow twitches slightly at the sight of the keep.

"If this is where we are to settle, then first we need shelter, however rudimentary. While this is done, perhaps scouting parties should be sent out to ensure that the land is fertile enough to begin cultivating." He rubs his chin, still gazing over the eyesore of a keep.

"Perhaps see if any stone and wood cutters remain and give them something of a side project with that, once shelter is established."

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh turns to Fernando.

"If we have any stone or woodcutters--or builders--perhaps we should first ask them to examine the structure? Almost any shelter is better than none, true, but only if it is sound. I don't want rocks falling on the people we've marched all this way."

[GuyFawkes]

Armand looked upon the structure of the keep, and though it looked like it had seen better times, he looked at it and saw hope. He had never experienced grandeur and extravagant living so for him, the keep was more of a gift than anything else. Perhaps here his people could make a shelter for themselves. It certainly isn't inhabitable at its current condition, but he knew there were lots of artisans among the people and it would not take much to finish the keep. If those vainglorious airheads stop thinking about themselves, that is.

Though he knew what had happened last time, he wanted to give the others another try before resorting to doing things by himself. He was just a general after all, he had less say in these sorts of affairs. But if they kept at their crap he didn't care what the others would say, he would not hesitate to do things without seeking first their approval. He served his people first before them.

He turned to the other nobles and spoke, "My Lords, it is best for the nobles to gather and plan on the course of action for developing the keep as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I shall send some of the men to scout the area for danger and for a suitable area where the people can settle. Preferably near the keep. The people could use the rest before we start on any building or whatever work that needs be done." He had learned to make his comments more authoritative than suggestive. And without waiting for their reply, he sent word to the scouts to do as he ordered.

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing's eyes glinted as a primal urge to make a nest within the decayed keep welled up inside him. He knew that the kenku would quickly construct their eyries, using valuable resources and perhaps damaging the structure even further. He turned to the nobles he had spent the last two days trying to get close to (his efforts were admittedly weak, he wasn't sure if he had even spoken with any besides the occasional greeting, or a nod of agreement).

"Somebody has got to speak to the kenku before we arrive. We have to explain to them that they cannot build eyries, too dangerous. They won't like it, though. Not at all."

Glancing in the direction of the largest kenku group, he sighed.

"It's going to have to be me, probably, even though I know little of their life. I'm afraid they might find me too human to have their best interests in mind."

Looking ahead to the keep, he wondered what beasts may lie inside. He chirped to his companions.

"After that, I say we nobles scout the keep, and slay any beasts within. The people will find it refreshing to see nobles willing to do dirty work. If we run into any danger, your men will be nearby to aid us, right General? Think about it while I'm gone!"

With that, he wanders off to address the kenku. He moves to the center of the encampment/head of the group (however they are currently organized), and as loud as he can, squawks out "Excuse me!"

OOC: I wanted to do an entire speech to them in this post and end with me going back to the noble's, but I didn't want to assume all the kenkus would even let me talk

[Hyudra]

Master Todren joins you in your gazing at the decrepit fortress.

"I imagine there's enough people looking for work out there. Should you be interested, I could send some of the junior magisters into the ranks to spread word and find them. Perhaps we could have a meeting later, and I would present the offers from different groups looking to take on jobs.

"As for the territory, I am under the impression this keep would house a fair portion of the nobility, even half complete as it is. The last ruler was the Duchess Zephen, who ruled the Peaks in the King's name. She had the surrounding area divided into two marches and five baronies. My expectation is that there are settlements representing these territories, quite possibly with some housing and a manor or tower for the lords ruling them.

"As for this particular keep, I believe that if we travel to the far side of it, we'll see it overlooks a plateau with a small city on it. Enough to house ten to fifteen thousand individuals, depending on the state of the accommodations. Not our full number, mind you, but a fair portion of it nonetheless."

He sighs, "The real test will be figuring who will go where."

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

"I agree with the Kenku and the General. First and foremost we need to insure that these lands are still uninhabited, by people or by animals." Fernando still winces at the keep. "But I shall refrain from saying much else until we can gather the others to discuss this."

[GuyFawkes]

Seeing that the general consensus among the others were to gather first the other nobles and discuss on the further course of action, Armand butted in. "Shall I send the summons, then? It would be best to meet as soon as possible."

Meanwhile he called for one of the soldiers. "Send out some of your scouts into the city the Magister spoke of. Check its condition, if there are people living there, or monsters. Find out if it we can use it immediately or not, and if the surrounding area could be usable for expansion. Look for a safe route to get there as well, see if there are paths where caravans and wagons would be able to pass. Avoid unnecessary confrontation. If is is not possible to settle the city immediately, scout the perimeter of the keep for a safe area that can accommodate our numbers. This is your priority. Report to me as soon as this is done.

"The rest of the scouts are to do a general reconnaissance of the area within a five-mile radius around the keep. Consolidate all your data and give me a detailed report on everything you can find - villages if any, the wildlife, what races are there, monsters, possible sources of resources, rivers, everything. If you can find someone who could draft a map, better. Again avoid unnecessary confrontations."

"Now go and make haste! I expect to hear from you as soon as possible," he concluded after making sure he forgot nothing.

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing returns to the nobles.

I guess diplomacy to see how it went with the Kenku? [roll0]

[Gath]

Gido had paid a family a few gold coins to take care of Paror when they reached the keep. As such he made his way to the gathering of young nobles in time to hear the last of the general's orders to the remaining forces of the army.

"Well, it looks as though there's nothing for us to do except wait for the general's men to come back then," he said, pushing a large stone over with the toe of his boot. A brief scurry of beetles ran out from under the rock and a few tails of earth worms disappeared frantically into the dirt. "Unless we go investigate the keep on our own..."

[Hyudra]

Valorwing's search for Kenku fails to turn up more than the occasional solitary Kenku child or older individual. If there's any collective groups, they must be somewhere in the body of migrating Anticans. It makes sense, really, for there are some twenty or forty thousand Anticans moving as a great migration, some still hours behind you in their journeys. Finding any specific group of Anticans would be like trying to seek out strangers in an unfamiliar city. Beyond your own individual contingents and families, your best bet seems to be to send a messenger looking on your behalf, to summon others to you.

A squad of Armand's soldiers leave for the city, while others depart to scout the terrain. It shouldn't be more than half an hour to an hour before they return.

[Omeganaut]

Joanna looks up at the keep, then back at the Ranger who made the suggestion. She thinks about going back to arguing with the other nobles as well as the other priests. After two days of trying to see if the priests could find a way to unite, she had given up on that hope as well before even trying to talk to Mathilda of Hextor. Not wanting to just get fed up with the politics and egos again, she speaks up in favor of the young ranger. "Lord Shushin, I would be happy to accompany you on searching the keep. If some supernatural monstrousity has taken up residence in there, you would probably want the help of Pelor's Light. Besides, maybe by doing something productive, we can set a good example for certain other leaders behind us." She finishes, waving back at the train of refugees still coming up behind.

[Gath]

Gido smiled, but not at Joanna, he was too busy looking at the tattered castle. "Or more to the point, if we go explore the keep, we might find something productive to do. All of the social posturing over political affairs over the past week has been enough to drive me quite mad. I rather fancy the idea of a little spelunking. Your presence would be most welcome, High Priestess. By the way, my given name is Gido, please, use it freely."

[GuyFawkes]

Armand was pleased to hear of the more proactive and rather cooperative tone of the other nobles now. He motioned to one of his remaining soldiers. "Send word to all the nobles to gather for a meeting. Coordinate with Magister Todren on the details of how you will set it up," then turned to the magister, "I shall leave further instructions to you , Magister. Instruct the men as you see fit."

Then stretching his body a bit and hoping for some excitement, he turned to the other nobles. "Well then, shall we? We have ample time to explore much of the keep before the rest of the nobles are gathered. By then the scouts would have also come back to give their report, so during the meeting we would already have information on the keep itself and its surroundings for planning. And besides, I am raring to see the young nobles of Antica in action!"

[Gath]

"No," interrupted Gido, "Don't send for a meeting. There's no need for another meeting. We don't need anyone's permission to do anything and I certainly don't want their attention, or their scrutiny. If anything, General, tell your men to steer clear of the keep while we get to work. The less fuss over this the better."

He shrugged his pack onto his shoulders and adjusted his weapons belt. "We'll wait a few minutes for the others to arrive, Vaesh, Fernando, Lady Vothress and the kenku. Then we can all head up to the keep."

[wuwuwu]

"No meeting! The less who know of our absence, the better."
Valorwing mimics High Priestess Mathilda's voice, adopting a mocking tone.
"Oh? Those pesky nobles are alone in the keep? Send my finest assassins! Hohoho!"

The small bird-man touches the hilt of his sword, and pulls it out of the sheath a little, just enough to see a glint of steel in the sunlight.
"Anyways. I'm ready to explore that keep!


Bluff to see how perfectly Valorwing mimic her voice :smallbiggrin: [roll0]

[GuyFawkes]

Armand looked at Gido and Valorwing with a smile. He was pleased with knowing some of these nobles had a mind similar to his own. "No no no, you have me mistaken, my Lords. What I meant was for the nobles to meet for planning our future course of action, like what we would do with the keep once we assessed its state, or how we would go about with the issue of settlement, and not to ask for their permission. Surely we don't need to ask their permission to go about on our own business, and I take it us taking a leisurely walk inside the keep is of our own business, no? And I am sure we would be back long before all of them have gathered anyway." he said with a wink. "Though I think it would be anywhere near leisurely," looking back at the keep with a smile. He was half hoping it was.

[Gath]

- What time of day is it? -
----------------------------

Looking to the sky, Gido smiled and rubbed the hair that had accumulated on his chin over the journey. It was not all that impressive a display, but he started the trip with a week's growth already, so it was more than just some whispy stubble belying the age of youth. His hair was a mix of shades of brown with strands of gold that shimmered when the sun hit them just right. His beard also had patches of light and dark brown with sprinkles of blond that glittered like gold in the light.

"Well, General, I believe our interests have collided once again. You seem to think that we will be returning from our journey to the keep this night. As a man of the wild it is my opinion that it will take us most of the day just to find a way to get safely to the keep. I have no intention of coming back all that way in the middle of the night just to have a strategy meeting with people who know nothing about what they are to discuss. The rambling chaos that would ensue, I cannot think to bear it."

He let go of his chin and pulled a thin leather glove onto his left hand that covered up to his elbow. Then he gave a high pitched whistle between his lips as they flattened out over his teeth. The sound was mocked by the screeching cry of a bird of prey as a massive bald eagle spiraled down from the sky and landed on Gido's arm. A treat of some kind was passed on to the majestic bird, who took whatever it was eagerly. "No, General, I do not intend to return tonight, so call your meeting if you must, but you will be finding your own way home to a meeting you'll know nothing about." He gave his bird another treat and continued. "Or, you could discourage the meeting in favor of gathering information and return with us tomorrow as heroes who conquered the keep and took first night. Like the warm breath of virginity, the glory would be ours, the seven young nobles. Then, then we will have something to discuss. If one thing my mentor impressed upon me the most, it is that patience is a virtue worth knowing. Now, as for the other virtues, as you may remember from the other night, temperance is not my cup of tea."

Gido looked to the sky once again as he pet Screech's head and wing; large, strong feathers so soft to the touch. "Do as you like, General. I only offer my advice, or rather, my opinion. It is up to you to decide with whom to seek council."

[GuyFawkes]

"Hmm. Well if you say that it will take the rest of the day and the night, then I will take your word for it. But I do not believe in going on inside and just abandon our people without giving them a safe place to rest for the night. I am interested in exploring this keep, I truly am. But I cannot just put off the responsibility I bear towards my people...I mean our people, to satiate my own curiosity and hunger for adventure."

He made a mental estimate of the time it would take for the scouts from the city to return, then continued. "You can leave now if you want. I shall follow suit as soon as the scouts return and I could have an idea of how to address the issue of settlement for the rest, at least for the night. As for the meeting, I still believe we need this, although I think it is better to move it tomorrow when we return and have more information on the keep."

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh nods. "I will stay with the general, for now. I will see my people housed before I go crawling around in a ruin for my own curiosity."

[Gath]

"Perhaps it is for that very reason you should go, Vaesh." Gido gave her a sidelong glance as he continued. "Our people have been traveling without shelter for a week if not more. What is one more night if we can find a safe passage to the keep and secure it as a safe shelter for so many? I'll admit that my interests are not entirely selfless, but I do believe that it will help the people in the long run the sooner we secure the keep. Knowing it is safe brings us one step closer to rebuilding it, one step closer to inhabiting it, one step closer to a new life..." He smiled politely. He was not a political man, but that did not mean he was dispassionate.

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

And I thought I went around everyone's head.

Fernando gives a quick once over his equipment, before giving one last look at the decrepit Keep; The mistrust sown over a slight misunderstanding was apparent and quite venomous.

He bit his tongue; He was about to point out the hypocrisy but decided against it. Instead, he'd look about it in another manner. "I shall aid in whatever manner I can. I can swing a sword, staunch some bleeding, and other things here and there that may prove useful."

[Omeganaut]

Joanna, thinking of a compromise, finds one. "If no-one else objects, I'd like to go scout the path to the keep. You can send a runner if you need me, but otherwise I should be able to meet you at the main gate. I will have a Light on me so I should be easy to see." With that, she does indeed conjure a light on her headband which is rather visible, and sets out for the nearest path to the keep.

just in case [roll0][roll=search]1d20[/roll

[GuyFawkes]

The good general knew the argument was pointless for he knew both sides had similar points anyway. He clapped Lord Gido's shoulders and spoke, "You have nothing to worry, Lord Gido. As we have said, Lady Vaesh and I are merely going to delay for a while if you so wish to leave now. My scouts will be arriving any moment now, and once I get the preliminay reports, I could just make a recommendation on what to do together with the Lady and leave the rest to the Magister and the other nobles. They can handle the rest. Magister?"

He looked at the Magister for confirmation, then he continued. "Though I'd appreciate if you wait at least for the scouts to arrive that we could go together, but if not, then I trust you will do a fine job of clearing the path so the Lady and I will have no problems catching up," finishing his words with a smile that showed he had confidence in the others' abilities.

Then he called upon his trusted soldier again and gave him instructions. "Reiterate the summons we just sent. Tell them the meeting is moved 'til the morrow, upon the victorious return of the young scions of Antica from the keep!"

[PollyOliver]

"Indeed." Vaesh turns to the others, Gido in particular. "I am sure that, if safe, the keep will house some of our people. But the town will likely house far more, and I would like to at least hear back about it and get things moving there before we disappear into the keep for only Pelor knows how long. But if you would like to go now, I will be happy to wait with the general."

[Gath]

Gido looked to the General and to Lady Vaesh and quickly said, "General, have you no sense of subtlety? If we announce our expedition to the keep, we run the risk of vengeance and ire from those such as the Hextorites who are already vying for power within the nobility. They very well may try to follow us and take their own victory with our blood." He stopped, let that thought sink in, then continued. "Very well, we shall wait, but please hurry. Every moment we spend waiting and politicking is another moment closer to darkness. Now, I shall go after Joanna and try to dissuade her from striking out on her own. I believe that there is safety in numbers, so if she cannot be persuaded, then I shall return to join you. Please, make haste."

He tipped his hat and then sent Screech into the sky, his large black wings flapping powerfully to send him aloft. "Find her," he whispered to the bird, who responded with a squawking shriek as he took to the sky. Gido searched briefly for her trail, followed it for a ways and then took off into the direction that it was leading, every once in a while looking down to catch up with the trail. She couldn't be too far ahead of him...

[roll0][roll1]

After he caught up to Joanna, Gido slowed his jog until he was at an even pace with her, slightly winded, but nonetheless in good shape. "Lady Joanna, if I may be so bold as to call you that. While your drive and initiative is commendable, I believe it may be a bit, well, foolhardy to go traipsing off into the keep on your own with naught but a glowing headband. The others, in spite of my plea bargaining, have decided to wait perhaps a half hour to an hour before joining us on our mission. Please, come back and join us so that we may travel as a group. There is safety in number..."

[GuyFawkes]

Armand looked at the young Lord with a smile in his face as the latter went on his way to follow Lady Joana. He shook his head and spoke, "The fellow worries too much," speaking to no one in particular. He understood his point though. He was did not know much of the intentions of the Hextorites, but he did not worry much if it's just about taking the glory of exploring the keep. Besides he was confident of himself if it came to a contest. If they ever tried to do something against them though, that would be another story.

He also noted the wariness of the young ranger of the ways of the nobles. He smiled again as he thought of this because he felt this particular wariness as well. He was uncomfortable in a battle of words, but he saw this as a necessary evil. Until no one claims the throne, he cannot do anything but follow protocol. Until I am ready to take that crown.

He looked again at the keep and felt its beckoning growing stronger. He gripped the hilt of his weapons hard. He truly wanted to dash towards it in reckless abandon and feel the familiar comfort of the battlefield for a change, but he knew he had his responsibilities. Then he silently reprimanded himself for wishing there be dangers lurking within it. But all the talking made him feel his senses have dulled, he reasoned. He stared at the keep and let his gaze linger there for a while.

Where the hell are those damn scouts?

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing kicks at a rock on the ground.

"We noble's spend a lot of time arguing, don't we?"

He notices the General's tight grip on the hilt of his weapon.

"What if life were as straight forward as sword-fighting? I'd like that."

[Omeganaut]

The forum ate my post, so I'm trying again

Joanna stops when she hears the young noble following her. "I Apologize for running off, its just I don't want to deal with more politics. Even Pelor himself couldn't get my fellow Holy ones to agree on the fact that grass is green. It's just been tough, and I guess I jumped at a chance to get away. I'm sorry... Actually, maybe your friend up there could help. I mean, aren't birds known for good eyesight, and he could probably get a better view than I ever could. Walk me back?" Joanna asks politely, looking carefully at Gido to try and figure out why he came after her, and not someone else or even no-one at all. 'They all seem so wrapped up in their own problems. I guess I can't do that either. I have to think of the group first. Maybe if.. No, when we get settled I could get back to what I want to do, but for now I have to represent my people...

[GuyFawkes]

Armand took his gaze off the keep and looked at the Kenku. He looked at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "Ah, if only life was that simple, my Lord. If only," the last two words coming out as a mere whisper of hoping.

He thought of the first sentence that Valorwing had spoken and noted the simple truth behind it. If only the King had lived, things would be much simpler. Yes the others could go on talking about their points of view, but at the end of the day the string of words that comes out of the King's mouth is all that would matter, just like the chain of command in the military. If only I were King. He stood for a bit staring blankly at the keep again. Then as if he awoke from a dream, he suddenly jerked back and hit his head with his fist at the absurdity of the thought.

[Hyudra]

You set off for the keep, and find that even though the bridge is in ruins, the ground it was based on slopes well enough that you can make your way to the front doors.

It seems that whoever abandoned the keep did so in a hurry, or perhaps it was the doing of the weather - the great wooden entry doors are ajar.

Peering inside, you find the interior free of obvious inhabitants, except for a smattering of pigeons. A small amount of light filters in through a hole in the entry hall's roof, made highly visible by the thick dust in the air.

The entry hall is stone, all of it, and two rusty statues stand on either side of the door. The area is fitting for defense - the stairway has a crenellated railing that would serve crossbowmen well for cover. That isn't to say it isn't fit for more ostentatious purposes, as the layout of the hall seems fit for balls and announcements. The room is long and wide, with pillars at regular intervals along either side. The stairway begins two thirds of the way into the room - starting at a round podium that would serve as a stage - and branching out into two sets of stairs on either side, that lead to a balcony. There are exits on the far side of the stage, the left and right sides of the room and on either side of the balcony.

Map:
Ok, it's a crummy drawing, I know, but this is just to help explain what's a fairly complicated design, in case words didn't fully convey.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2m3jyo6.jpg

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando taps his chin, looking around. "Creatures would probably prefer the darker reaches of the keep for a lair. Humanoids, the bedchambers. Those would be the best places to look for any unwelcome guests, I would say."

[Omeganaut]

Joanna keeps the light spell up, more afraid of something getting the jump on her than giving away her position. Looking around, she is impressed with the utility the architects gave the room, although she wished there was more direct protection at the entrance. "Why don't we take a look at all of the doors on this floor before we decide which way to go?" Willing to take her own advice, she walks over to the exit on the left to peer into what is beyond.
[roll0][roll1][roll2]

[Gath]

Gido followed Joanna further into the entry hall. When the light became too dim, he whispered, "Luminae" and an orb of light appeared at his left shoulder. He left Joanna to her door, obviously she had a need to do something on her own, so he gave her the space she so desired.

Instead, he went to the next door down on the left, by the stage.

If the door is closed, he will open it. If/when the door is open, he will look inside.

[roll0]

[wuwuwu]

Valorwing draws his sword, pecking at it and giving it a soft coo causing it to radiate light.

He quickly hops after Gido (rather heavily, due to his breastplate), peering through the door as the human opens it, keeping his sword and shield ready.

Cast a Light spell on his sword. 40 minute duration
Spot check [roll0]

[GuyFawkes]

Armand nodded in agreement to Lord Fernando's assessment and Lady Joanna's suggestion and before she went her way and the illumination of her headband with her, he rummaged his backpack for a sunrod and struck it against the doorway. Seeing that the others took charge of checking the left side of the hall, Armand went to cover the right side exit.

[roll0] [roll1] [roll2]

[PollyOliver]

Vaesh draws her morningstar from her belt and follows the others, sticking close to the general.

If needed [roll0], [roll1]

[Das Beeg Kabooa]

Fernando wrinkles his nose and decides someone should keep watch elsewhere; He directs his eyes more towards the balcony and keeps an eye for any suspicious movements; After all, by his own assessment, that's where he'd be if someone was invading his home, bow and arrow in hand.