Travels amongst the Border Princes (WFRP 2e) IC

[dojango]

"Of course, I would expect no less. Cash up front." His son leaves the room, and comes back a few minutes later with a canvas sack. The two of them empty it out, count out 200 crowns, and hand the sack back to her.

[Ionbound]

Alyssa nods, surprised and confused at the ease of the transaction but replies, "Thank you then, sir," as she takes the 200 GC and begins to head back towards the castle.

[rax]

"Ale, friend. I'm not nearly drunk enough for an occasion like this," Severin smirks.

[Haval]

'Same.' Maybe it would relax her. Gabriele has borrowed a dress for the occasion and has left most of her things in Elodie's room. She looks uncomfortable.

She notes where they're sitting, 'I suppose I shouldn't take it personally.'

[dojango]

Alyssa nods, surprised and confused at the ease of the transaction but replies, "Thank you then, sir," as she takes the 200 GC and begins to head back towards the castle.

"Come back any time you have something you need to sell something... discretely."

Severin is eventually brought a mug of ale. Others arrive at your table as well; some tired looking men, scribes, probably, from their ink-stained hands. A very pretty young woman in a dress far finer than Elodie's. She very pointedly ignores everyone else at the table. Also Lena, the stablemistress shows up, followed shortly afterwards by Torendil, who is still mooning over her, or whatever the elvish equivalent is. Finally, the quartermaster comes by, and with a grin of surprise, sees Severin. He waves with his real hand, his fake hand having been replaced with one with a built-in fork. Unfortunately, he is seated near the head of the table, by the snobbish young woman, so he sits by her and starts yelling down the table at Severin about some of his war stories.

[Ionbound]

Alyssa nods and replies, "Thank you," as she returns.

[rax]

"I didn't think you knew how to wear a dress, Gabriele!" Severin chuckles when he sees her. "But you look very fetching. You too Miss Elodie," he says with a nod. "Did you get settled in alright?"

[dojango]

Elodie gives Severin a brief curtsy, and smiles. "I am staying at that 'inn' tonight. After that... I'm sure Jan and I can find something."

After a while, the herald comes in and bangs his staff loudly on the floor until silence descends. Once it is quiet, he shouts out, "Please welcome the noble knights, Sir Denis Bremcote and Sir Laurens Bremcote!" There are loud cheers for Denis, and a Sir Leclair does his best to start a loud cheer for Sir Laurens. The two brothers make their way to the head table. The herald taps his staff again, and shouts "Please welcome her ladyship Oriolda Bremcote!" There is some scattered applause as a gangly teenage girl makes her way to the table and sits at the end. Finally, he shouts out, "Please rise for his honorable lordship, Duke Radulf Bremcote and the lovely Duchess Heldeburgis Bremcote!" With that, everyone stands and begins cheering wildly for the Duke. The knights all kneel as the Duke passes them, remaining there until he finally reaches the table and inclines his head in recognition of his guests. "You may now be seated! Let the feast begin!" shouts the herald one last time.

Spoiler

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Without going into pages of excessive detail about the food being served, you may assume that the quality is fair, but the quantity is superb. At the feast, your 'task' is to talk up Sir Laurens amongst the guests, and subtly denigrate Sir Denis, but you can do or not do that as you please. You can also mingle with the guests; if there's anyone you want to make a connection with, let me know! But go ahead and do some RP of yourselves enjoying (or not) the feast, if you want. If you want to just move on to the next adventure, let me know as well.

[Haval]

'Doesn't mean I can't. Mum used to make me wear one for special occasions.' She'll gesture at herself, 'It's nice, but don't get used to it.' Although she could always pick up more clothes while they were staying here.

'I'll get a room after I see Le Hoeut. As Elodie has plans. By the way, how did you get on with Destiny?' she said trying to sound innocent.

Gabriele will applaud politely with the rest of the room. At some point, depending on which of their table mates seemed the friendliest, she'll ask them what the Duke was like to work for, and what they thought of his sons. Given that she was asking people about their noble patron, she wasn't entirely sure how honest an answer she'd get.

Spoiler: ooc

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Edited post because dojango updated

[Ionbound]

Alyssa applauds along with the rest when the Duke arrives. She wines and dines with the rest, talking up Laurens's valor and skill during the expedition to the Temple, even giving him credit for things she herself did like charging the undead skeletal abomination. Once she's spent a good deal of time regaling the party with tales Laurens's exploits, she asks the Duke's accompaniment, "So, what about his lordship Duke Bremcote? Surely he has had adventures in equal share and valor. This is the Border Reaches, after all."

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling Charm to manipulate the courtiers into speaking poorly of Duke Bremcote: (1d100)[95] vs 51 (41 Fel+10 Etiquette)

[rax]

To Gabriele
"Well, I, umm, she lent me these clothes," Severin mutters. "Don't know what her angle is, but that was nice of her, don't you think?"

Talking up Sir Laurens
During the feast, Severin does his best to brag subtly on behalf of Sir Laurens. He describes the cannibal mutants in the creepiest way possible, emphasizing how Sir Laurens never hesitated in pursuing them to their den and how he personally slew many of them. He also makes a point about how they discovered the secret lair of Magos Valens at the Red Temple, and how Sir Laurens fearlessly engaged the undead monstrosity protecting it. He even gives Sir Leclair a little extra credit for loyally standing by his friend at all times.

Since all the talk of Sir Denis seems to concern his skill in battle, Severin also makes a point of praising Sir Laurens' intelligence and good sense for how he handled the dispute in Courville - keeping peace between the factions while making good use of Severin and co's skills to locate and retrieve Elodie.

Spoiler: Gossip test?

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Although spreading a slightly redacted version of the truth isn't explicitly part of the Gossip skill, it does say it's useful for "informal conversation". So I'll test that if allowed. If not, I guess Charm is the way to go.

Gossip (1d100)[65] vs. 42
Fortune Point re-roll if needed (1d100)[40]

OR
Charm (1d100)[100] vs. 21
Fortune Point re-roll if needed (1d100)[80]

[dojango]

Over the meal everyone has a chance to enjoy themselves and mingle with the others. Gabrielle asks about how the Duke is to work for; the few knights she talks to sing his praises as a fine warrior and commander. "Stern, but fair. Have to be, to survive here." one says. The clerks aren't terribly interested in warfare, they just shrug and say that they just keep track of the taxes. As long as the Duke has the money to pay for his knights and his feasts, he leaves them alone. The only note of dissent she hears is the young pretty woman, her name is Laurette. She rolls her eyes when Gabrielle first asks about working for the Duke. "I don't," she responds. Later, though, after a few glasses of wine, she opens up. "He wants to be a proper Duke so badly, but he can't. Because this ain't a place for Dukes. This isn't Brettonia. And his son isn't going to be a.. a.. grail knight or whatever. He'll be a prince of these lands, which is so much better... but old Radulf is so obsessed with the old country. There ain't no Brettonian ladies here. Why can't he just get out of the way and let Denis be happy?"

Alyssa starts chatting with the courtiers. Most of them sing the Duke's praises whenever the conversation is steered that way. If they are honest or simply evasive, she can't tell, but she doesn't hear anyone denigrating the Duke. Certainly not at this victory party, where spirits are high and the Duke's table is open to all. The quartermaster talks about the Duke's accomplishments during the siege, while the knights talk about his campaigns across the mountains against the orcs. Sir Denis has taken up those campaigns, now. She does get some strange looks from Laurette, and at one point, the young woman roughly grabs Alyssa's sleeve and whispers, "Stay away from Denis. Laurens is more your type, anyway."

Near the end of the evening, an older woman approaches Alyssa and says "Welcome to Bremcote, young lady. I am Lady le Houet, Sir Denis's aunt. He is a fine lad, a true son of Brettonia, in case you wonder what type of man he is. I hear that you are engaged in some business for the younger son? Very good, I agree with him that selling the treasure is better than simply melting it down. I gather you had some success with that Tilean fence? The young lord and I would like to discuss this matter with you in private, after the feast. Bring your friends, if you like."

The knights listen politely to Severin talking up Laurens, but laugh and say, "He's still not ready to go up against the orcs, in my opinion", says one. "He's not battle-tested yet. Making peace between peasants is all well and good, but you can't do that with orcs. Only cold steel will do... and tricks. Sir Denis lured them into a trap and wiped the floor with them. Perhaps Denis can take him under his wing..." the knight says, than looks around. "Or perhaps not. Still, the Red Temple... that's something I'd like to see." When Severin mentions Leclair, though, the knight merely smirks. "Loyalty? I suppose that's one way to look at it."

Lena, the elven stablemistress seems the most receptive to tales of Laurens' bravery in the Red Temple. She nods, and simply says that she knew someone who was alive in those days, and it was a terrible time. Facing down the remnants of the past is a worthy task... Torendil mostly spends his time following Lena around, trying to impress her with his own abilities. She mostly seems bored with his anecdotes about magic and his studies, though.

[Haval]

To Severin, 'That is nice of her.'

As Laurette seemed willing to talk to her Gabriele will make sure she continues to have enough wine to drink. 'You mean because the Bretonnian King isn't around the Duke can act as he pleases? Seems like he's welcome to call himself whatever title he likes.' She has probably drunk enough herself by this point to loosen up a little. 'Frau Laurette, can I ask what is Sir Denis to you? Are you ...together?' The woman didn't seem like a servant.

Later she will ask Lena about the friend she had mentioned, 'Wasn't the Red Temple a thing a long time ago? How old is your friend? How old are you for that matter?' Gabriele didn't know Torendil well enough to get a sense of the wizard's age. She is mostly amused by his antics with Lena and judges that the elven woman could probably take care of herself.

[Ionbound]

Alyssa raises an eyebrow as Laurette pulls her aside and whispers, and replies at her own low whisper, "Oh? I mean I agree with you but what makes you say that? Some scandal or something?"

Alyssa frowns as she realizes that she was being watched on the way to sell the jewelry but nods diplomatically and replies, "Of course your ladyship. Please allow me to let my friends know about your generous offer and we'll be sure to meet you after the feast." Internally, Alyssa grits her teeth, unhappy about the arrangement but not wanting to rudely decline.

[rax]

Severin merely shrugs at the knights' comments. "Everyone has to start somewhere, right? And being able to wipe out orcs doesn't mean a body'll be any good at running a duchy. Sir Denis sounds like a mighty warrior and a good general, but what's he like as a lord?"

The comments about Sir Leclair also don't faze Severin particularly. They merely confirm something he'd been thinking for some time.

[dojango]

Laurette gives Alyssa a skeptical look and says, "He's the second son, perfect for someone who got here in second place..."
Madame le Houet smiles back at Alyssa. "It is good, to have a proper accounting. Bring your friends, so there are no questions about it. We will make sure everyone receives their fair share. And discuss how to profit from the remainder of the treasure." She thinks for a moment. "His lordship will probably leave shortly. When he does... well, the drunken revelry will really get going. I suppose if you wish to partake, you are welcome... but it might be best to do this sober? You can always return afterwards."

Laurette tells Gabrielle a few more details about her problem. She is Denis's lover, yes, they have been together for several years now. But the Duke wants his eldest son to marry a Brettonian noblewoman... something about their arcane and convoluted feudal rules. "But Brettonian noblewomen are in short supply here," Laurette concludes. "And besides, a Brettonian flower planted in this dry soil would wither and die... much like Denis's mother, poor lady."
Lena swirled around a glass of wine, before draining it. "I've forgotten what real wine tastes like, you know. It was a long time ago. Some explorer, at some dreadful party, was telling me about his exploits. He'd passed through here on the way to somewhere equally unpleasant an insignificant, no doubt, but had some narrow escapes from the cabal of sorcerers that ruled here. Human sacrifice, meddling with dark powers, the usual terrible things. Granted, it was a sideshow compared to what was happening in the north, but just as deadly to those caught up in it." Gabrielle notices that Lena deliberately avoids giving precise dates to when this acquaintanceship happened.

The knight scoffs a bit at Severin. "I suppose we'll see when it happens, eh?" There is a short silence as everyone realizes what that would mean. The knight quickly stammers out, "Of course, not for many years, eh? To his lordship's health!" he says, shouting out the toast. The rest of the guests join in, the Duke looking up from the head table. He raises his glass in acknowledgement, drains it, and then waves a farewell to the party-goers. He leaves, followed by his family. Down at the lower tables, there is a general relaxing, an unbuttoning of coats and a loosening of belts. A large keg is brought in and tapped, leaving the knights free to help themselves.

[Haval]

Gabriele is sympathetic. Laurette ought to be allowed to marry as she pleased. 'I imagine coming to live down here would be a big change for people like that.' Nobles certainly weren't like everyone else. 'And I hope for your sake the Duke stops looking.'

To Lena, 'Trouble in the north? Doesn't narrow it down. Unless you mean the actual Great War?' Some people didn't like talking about their age. Maybe Elves were the same way.

After Le Houet leaves will tap Alyssa on the shoulder and say quietly, 'I didn't have a chance to tell you. That one paid me for information. I think she might have more work for us but it might be better if you talk to her.' Alyssa was more at home here then Gabriele was.

[rax]

Severin grins quietly into his mug at having discomfited the knights, but refrains from needling them further.

So Denis can ambush Orcs? If that's what counts for brilliant tactical thinking around here, Sir Laurens should manage just fine, he thinks to himself.

Excusing himself, Severin slides down the benches to speak to Alyssa and Gabriele. "So who's the old girl you've been nattering with?"

[Haval]

Excusing himself, Severin slides down the benches to speak to Alyssa and Gabriele. "So who's the old girl you've been nattering with?"

'That was Madame Le Houet. The slightly scary lady who paid me earlier for passing on information. I get the feeling she does this a lot.'

[Ionbound]

Alyssa gives Laurette a dubious look back and replies at a low whisper, "I see. Well, enjoy Sir Denis while he lasts. I can't imagine a proper Duke like that slumming around here longer than he has to and when he goes, well..." She shakes her head sadly at Laurette and trails off.

Alyssa nods to Madame Le Houet and replies,"Of course. I'll meet you shortly after his Lordship departs. In the meantime, please allow me to take my leave to discuss with my comrades." With that, she stands to leave and discuss with Gabriele and Severin.

Later, with the others, Alyssa nods in response to Gabriele's affirmation of Le Houet's identity and adds, "Indeed. She seems to have work for us to do...Though it remains to be seen if she's trustworthy. Either way she wants to talk to me after the party and said you all can come. I'd appreciate that."

[rax]

"She's working for the Duke, I hope? Wouldn't want to find out you've been selling information to some local miscreant."

OOC: This was probably mentioned way back when, but I figure Severin's had other things on his mind, so he hasn't registered that we're talking about the Duke's spymaster.

[Haval]

"She's working for the Duke, I hope? Wouldn't want to find out you've been selling information to some local miscreant."

OOC: This was probably mentioned way back when, but I figure Severin's had other things on his mind, so he hasn't registered that we're talking about the Duke's spymaster.

Gabriele shrugged, 'Even if she is, she has rooms here and the kitchen servants take her orders. I'm not worried.'

Spoiler: ooc

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Gabriele just assumed that was the case. I think the fact that Le Houet's a Bremcote is new information though.

[dojango]

Lena picks up another glass of wine from a servant. She takes a sip. "The first glass is hard to swallow, but it improves dramatically by the fourth one. I believe the Imperial scholars call it 'The Great Chaos Incursion'. When the human emperor begged the elves for help, and the archmage Teclis was spared to help them. The sorcerer's cabal here was perhaps part of that overall war, I reckon, but a sideshow compared to the war in Ulthuan, against the renegades and their allies. If you want to hear the story direct from someone who was there, perhaps you can visit Mirello. There is a small colony of elves there." She finishes her glass, appears to be unsteady for a moment. "Torendil, would you be so kind as to escort me back to my quarters? I know you wanted to learn your courtly manners, so here's your chance." She tries to give Gabrielle a playful punch on the arm, but puts a bit too much force into it. She heads off, leaning on Torendil.

A little later, after the Duke and his family have left, a servant catches up to the group. "The Duke will see you now," he says, indicating that you should follow him. He leads you up a flight of stairs, down a hallway, through some double doors into the Duke's study. The tableaux is immediately familiar to Alyssa; the liege lord at home in his inner sanctum. Where the business of the realm is decided. The Duke is seated behind a massive desk. His wife and daughter are in the back, tending to their sewing, while his two sons are seated to the side, so they can watch the lord ruling his lands. A few other courtiers are also in the corner, Madame le Houet and another older man, very severe, dressed in black. The servant ushers the three of you in, bows to the lord, and backs out, closing the door behind him.

The Duke looks at the three of you and nods. "Welcome to my lands, travelers. My son has spoken well of you. I give you leave to travel my lands freely, so long as you keep my peace. Lady le Houet has informed me that you have sold some of the treasure my son recovered. And that you had some adventures in the east. Please. Tell me how that went."

[Haval]

Gabriele is briefly surprised into silence while listening to Lena. 'Thats the one.' She is only 20, but has a hazy idea of how long ago the reign of Emperor Magnus had been. 'If I'm ever in Mirello perhaps I'll buy one of those Elves a drink.' She'll clink her own glass against Lena's before the Elf leaves. 'I have no idea what you're doing working here but I'm glad to meet you.'

In the Duke's rooms Gabriele will answer first. 'Well we brought Elodie back unharmed and no one got hurt. Considering we didn't know about the volcano when we set out it could have been worse.'

[rax]

"Thank you kindly, m'lord," Severin answers the duke. "As for our adventures in the east, well, firstly Gabriele is being too modest. Without her we'd never have tracked down the kidnappers and maybe we wouldn't have gotten back to Courville either. Secondly, she's omitting how hairy things were over there in the badlands. We tracked the kidnappers to what seemed to be a seasonal market for the locals. There were a surprising number of them and their leader also mentioned that more people would be coming in from outlying homesteads for the celebrations."

"As for the purpose of the celebrations, it seems they worship that big volcano - Azariah, they called it - and apparently they see a need to sacrifice a maid to their volcano lord about once a year. Seems like they got tired of sacrificing their own, though, so this time they tried for an outsider. Anyway, our first try at getting Elodie out didn't work so well, but we managed to talk down the cultists so they let us stay with another group of outsiders that had turned up. Chap by the name of Vorgrimler - said he worked for the Imperator and that he was there to learn about the locals."

"The second try went better, courtesy of Miss Alyssa here. We hightailed it out of there and eventually made it back to Courville in one piece."

[Haval]

Gabriele looks awkward after being complimented. 'You just have to pay attention.'

After Severin finishes, 'And there was the Red Temple before that my lord.' She's not completely sure how you were supposed to address a Duke. 'I'm told it's a big deal down here. Sir Laurens cleaned the place out but I'm not sure how long it'll stay that way.'

[Ionbound]

Alyssa nods as she lets the others describe their exploits in detail, smiling at Severin's credit to her for getting Elodie out of the clutches of the mad cult. After that she adds, "Indeed. Before saving Elodie, we explored the depths of a dark temple and fought off what guardians remained. That's where the jewelry came from. At dinner, though, you mentioned you might have work?" Alyssa ends the question hopefully, hoping to impart that, while the group was more than just mercenaries, they weren't concerned with higher political ambitions.

[dojango]

The Duke listens politely to your version of events. "Yes, 'the Red Temple'. Supposedly Heraklon the Great fought a battle there. I would like to see the place myself. Laurens says that there still are some valuables there that you were unable to carry away. I will take a some men there to finish removing those items, as well as determining whether it is suitable for an outpost. I spoke with the elf earlier, he will accompany us to make sure that any... unnatural residue... is no longer a factor. Heraklon was 'a big deal' in these lands." The Duke points to two large oil pantings on the walls of his study. One of them is "Heraklon and the Crown of Glory". It features a young, well-built man in shepherd's garb reclining on a grassy hill, while three very scantily clad goddesses (Verena, Myrmidia and Shallya) are offering him presents. The other painting is "Heraklon and the Giant-King" and it depicts a warrior with a flaming sword standing atop the corpse of a giant, while two pretty women hang on his shoulders. In the background there is a dwarf and a halfling peeking out of an overturned cauldron. "There was a series of nine paintings commissioned by Heraklon's son that illustrate some of the tales about him. Supposedly they also contain clues to a treasure map, but that seems fanciful to me."

Madame le Houet speaks up at that. "Yes, well, if you want to see some other paintings of that, they are in Monteche. Including the painting of 'Heraklon and the Red Temple'. Which gives me an idea. The so-called Imperator de Calvenzano has expensive tastes. Someone with a silver tongue and a gift for flair might be able to convince him to buy some of the recovered treasure at an inflated price. We get more gold, and he has less. Win-win. In addition, I am curious to know what the Imperator is plotting. Why does he have agents poking around the ruins? Which side is he on in the brewing conflict? I would like to have a few trustworthy and clever friends try to find some answers for me..."

Suddenly, Sir Laurens bursts up. "I'm sure you can find someone else to do that? These fellows want to be where the action is. Severin the warrior isn't going to skulk around in the shadows, he wants to go blade to blade with the enemy! I told that halfling emissary the other day that I'd go down to Stralwald and help root out the bandits harassing them. Make the land safe for our halfling subjects. Don't you want to come with me to do that?"

[rax]

Severin chuckles at Sir Laurens intervention. "My thanks for your faith in my bravery, Sir Laurens, but I am a halfling, and a wise halfling doesn't go toe to toe with anyone bigger than himself unless the situation is desperate. If it's all the same to you, I'll do my fighting from a distance whenever possible."

"That aside, m'lord and young sir, a noble man's word should be his bond, or so I've been told. If you've given your word to help your father's subjects, then surely you were speaking for him when you did so, eh? If going to Monteche can wait a bit, then with all due respect it seems proper to me to give precedence to upholding your promise to the halfling community."

[Ionbound]

Alyssa looks to the left and right shiftily for a moment before she adds to Severin's explanation, "That is the truth isn't it..." She shakes her head and adds, "Frankly I'm not much use on the front line as a fighter either. But my loyalty is to Sir Laurens first. While I'd love to accompany you to deal with the Imperator, if he needs me to help with bandits, then it is there I will go."