Horror in the Small Valley ic

[dangelo]

A letter from the baron:

To my ministers:

As planned, I intent to visit our neighbors during my upcoming campaign. I expect you to follow camp and participate in my strategy. Fifty warriors were called to join my forces.

Things have been calm and mostly peaceful between us and our neighbors for the past generation, but I'm not humbled by my family's legacy. We shall expand in the years to come, and for that to be possible we need strong allies, primarily House Zular. We have no reason to play against each other, but they usually refrain from following others in their campaigns and it can be hard convincing them to take my word as advice in warfarwe. Ideally we would join our houses, but if vassalage is not an option I plan to exchange boons.

We shall meet along with my other counselors to discuss our course of action. Approaching Lord Hotys will be a challenge and I'm willing to expend plenty of resources to make sure we succeed.

Our path is bright as Himself; Rejoice, for this is good.

Regards,
Lord Fyonor, baron of Branhill.
May 10th, 71sr day of Spring

---

May 14th, 75th day of spring.

You find yourself, as usual, in a chamber dedicated to such meetings. A large wooden table (of fine craftsmanship) displays a series of notes, documents and maps. A book describing the main noble lineages of the province, compiled by a monastery to the west; Some maps that are occasionaly contradictory about specific landmarks; Heraldic manuals, recieved letters, delicate letters crafted word by word. There is a modest fireplace that has been cold since the last days of winter.

You are in the presence of Lord Fyodor, his wife (who actively participates in the barony's warfare affairs) and four knights, each one responsible for a fraction of the 50 men and women who make up the army. The knights (who are only a part of these meetings when a campaign is coming) share their opinions but Fyodor listens to you, his counselors, first.

"We shall be welcomed in the Small Keep as guests, where me and my family will attend to their traditions and work on a bond, which could take up to several weeks until there is room for talking about war. But we should always be careful. Hotys will certainly ask for a major boon when we finally come to terms, and by that time I need to know as much as possible about the Valley so he won't take advantage of the situation. Instead, with the right information, we might end up gaining much more from such an agreement."

"However," Lady Thalia complements. "Managing this is our job. When we get to the Valley, we need you to visit Thoren. You don't need to introduce yourselves as our emissaries... in fact, the opposite might give you more or less options depending on your plans. Just remember that your arctions will drastically affect our ongoing diplomacy, for the better or for the worse. We need to know their struggles. Their weak points. Their inconsistencies."

Lady Thalia sounds assertive, even more than Fyodor. "Now we need to hear from you."

You know the drill. You shall state your name, your loyalty and your thoughts. Your lords are traditional, but not blindly. They appreciate the right words but wouldn't punish someone for not addressing them properly, and are open to a more informal way of speaking.

Consider that during this meeting you went over all this information point by point. It took the entire day and was rather exhausting; you already knew most of that, but never had to take in account in such detail.

"Right now we have only ideas and projects, and things will get more concrete as we near the Keep and the town. Either way, you are all wise and loyal, thus your opinions are appreciated. Rejoice, for this is good."

"This is good." is answered by the others in synchrony.

[Dimers]

"My Gracious and Incontestible Lady and Lord under the Sun, Thalia, Fyodor. Your humble servant Aranyel Chubidhim wishes to speak." The sun-touched priest's rote speech was until recently quite foreign, but by this time, it's been repeated enough that half the room's inhabitants could chant it along with him. "I know my role within Pelor's church but I don't know yet how I might apply it to meet your aims. What use is a social investigator and illusion-breaker in a small town with little magic?" Turning to face the larger part of the assembly, he nevertheless pitches his voice for the ears of the nobles. "I ask my fellow advisors to keep in mind, and to avail themselves of, my talent for shining light into dark places, just as I shall call upon them wherever their ready skill outstrips my own." The odd dwarf bows to the Lord and Lady, accepting their approval before resuming his seat.

Spoiler: the short version for allies

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If you see something an inquisitor might help with, let me know! 'Cuz in-character, I can't think of much my skillset might be good for in this situation.

[JNAProductions]

My lord and lady, Sasha begins, keeping the honorifics to a minimum in contrast to Aranyel, your faithful servant Sasha also wishes to speak.

The ruins of Ta'ah-while regarded by the locals as nothing more than superstition, they may provided valuable insights into the history of the world, and grant us knowledge on how to better be one with the grace and power of Bereus. As a scholar of many subjects, and a fighter besdies, I believe investigating these ruins would be a wise decision.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

As usual, the duke's butler stands by the door, still as a statue. On an end table next to him, a pitcher of water and a tray of hors d'oeuvres help the ministers get through long meetings like this one. While Anri Asighirs is a much a family friend as a servant to Lord Fyodor, he's more of a listener than a talker in the best of times and doesn't offer much from a strategic standpoint.

[Heavenblade]

Snowfang looks around the room uncomofortably. While he worked with the lord and lady in the past, being a much more...agreeable person than the official representative from the order of the green, it doesnt mean he feels comfortable without a roof abpve his head. He takes a deep breath and bares his tusks for a moment, folding his arms on top of his brown and white furs.


I have lived neqr the mountain which you call the old one for many years. While therr are some who wouldnt be happy to see me back so soon...I think it would be best to at least investigate the area. Many forces lurk there, both those who could hamper us or be our allies. While distant from the Zular's and their stone buildings, the tribes can be a force to be reckoned with - knowing where they currently stand is advised

[Niobaran]

Maxine

As Sasha speaks and mentions Bereus, Max slightly raises an eyebrow and smiles appreciative, happy to hear such an open acknowledgement by her best friend.

Max takes her stand next, starting off with a hint of kneeling. She is unarmored, wearing a tunic of strong, gray fabrics and a sword belt with a slightly curved blade in a sheath of well-made leather. Her appearance neat but not pompous, her hair cut short to not be in the way, she emanates an aura of confidence. Her loyalty however is well known to those in the area, as she is in the service of the baron for about twenty years, starting off as a page, then a squire, and then his agent.

"My lady, my lord. Since I swore my oath as a squire, it has been renewed subsequently. My left shall always be yours, my right that of Bereus." She bows her head for a moment, and then, continues. "As to the matter at hand... I believe Lord Hotys to be more receptive for an investment into a military campaign if he knows his own fief to be safe. Summer is on its way, and with it bandits who terrorize his lands. Ending this plague once and for all could reduce hesitation on his side." She pauses again for a moment, glancing at the sun-kissed dwarf for a moment. "His family is also deeply bonded with the Church of Pelor. Winning their favor could be valuable as well, one might even suspect it to be required." Another short pause, this time as if she is unsure for a moment how to phrase her next thought correctly. "Finally, I believe that it is important to investigate the specific relationships between Hotys, his Knights, and his cousin Lanuk, to see whether there are potential sources of ... instability. An investment into another lord's campaign, while not unusual if well compensated, might stir restless minds."

[Yas392]

Leif bows. He still retains his masked appearance since his majesty appointed him here as the right hand of Baron Fyodor as his body bent to show his respect to his Lord and Lady.

"Your excellencies, I believe it is imperative to strengthen ties with the royals of Zular first. Identify the ongoing problem they are facing and resolving it to gain their favor. We will need to keep up a good appearance so that Lord Hoyst know that we are reliable allies thus opening options for expansion. I second Maxine's advise to investigate the Houses but without drawing suspicions that the Baron think we are plotting against him. My explanation is a powerful, criminal necromancer remaining at large who can assume the face of the person he killed and usurp their position. He once usurped a lord, masquerading as him long ago before he was ousted. History may repeat. We must be vigilant for his activities so that he does not seek to interfere in this potential alliance or pose as Lord Hoyst. With an undead army abound, he is a terrific foe to face. I speak from experience."

[dangelo]

One of the knights, a tall woman with short hair and golden eyes, takes part in the discussion
"I'm Kendra of House Borrowhan, and I shall live and die by your name, Sire." She dutifully states.
"The family of three of my men come from the Valley. They say that the Red Shirts are probably not at their best right now. Those bandits even got one of our caravans in the Owl Heights a couple of years ago, but haven't dared to get any close again ever since. Some believe they lost some of their power."

Fyodor and Thalia pay close attention to your words, meditating on each one of the statements. After sipping from his glass of wine a few times, he replies:
"Solving the bandits problem certainly seems like something Lord Hotys should be grateful for. However I have two concerns: First, taking action and bringing a solution may hurt his pride; he may fear his reputation might be tainted for not being able to manage his own land, thus deteriorating our relationship. Second, I think he can declare he took it as an insult only so he can deny our alliance, having his land ridden from bandits while owing us no favors."

"House Zular believes in results." Lady Thalia says. "I would never speak ill of a fellow neighbor, but th at family never ceased to expand. Each generation since Lord Adhemar aims higher, to the point that some indeed suffered high falls."

"Very well. You shall find the bandit's hideout and capture them, but you must keep your mission a secret until Lord Hotys formally accepts our help. Do what you can for now." The baron takes another sip from the wine, clearing his throat, before going on.
"Now, moving to our next matter. All available sources tell us that the ruins are somewhere around the northern part of the Old One. At this point, most of the snow is vanishing from the top of the mountain, making way to the hordes, and the path to the temple might be dangerous. Those orcs might also have valuable information regarding the Red Shirts' hideout, if they know the mountain as well as we think they do, so do handle them carefully."

"Seems like you have three objectives so far, two of them which shall take you all the way across the valley to the Old One." Lady Thalia picks up. "Now for the last one, we need information on House Zular's low profile struggles. For that, I believe you must visit the town of Thoren. Hanuk is a key part of their internal affairs, and the Church of Pelor is a mighty presence there. It might be the perfect place for you to take a closer look on that people and their issues, giving your resources."

The baroness finishes writing a letter, closing it with sealing wax. She then handles it to the butler standing right beside them. "This is a presentation letter stating that we are politically responsible for your actions. You must hold on to his until the right time, since it will grant you privileges but will also limit your options. We trust you, our loyal counselors, with these tasks."

"I shall ask, then. How do you plan to proceed when we begin our march towards the Small Keep? We must keep in touch somehow, either by setting a meeting point where I can send a messenger or you visiting to the camp from time to time. I need updates on your progress so we can adjust our strategy or send you reinforcements if things go terribly wrong."

A second knight asks to speak and then face you all: "My Lady, me and my men are the best riders in your army. We volunteer to deliver your messages, and we shall ride as fast as a lightning falls from the sky when He screams."

And a third one: "But Sire! I feel like we don't need to go that far. If Lord Hotys never had a chance to deal with the bandits, what luck could we have? Instead, we should patrol his roads and secure his land. We could set up camp in the small outpost by the eastern road and prepare for harverst season, when they shall strike."

Despite his courageous tone and posture, both Leif and Aranyel picks up a glimpse of fright or hesitation in his voice. This is, you now notice, the youngest of the present knights, a sixteen years old lad. He looks full of energy and potential, but equally inexperienced even clad in full plate armor. [sense motive dc 14]

[Heavenblade]

Snowfang growls silently in response to the young knight's question - In a manner that could be similar to the way a loyal hound reacts around the children of his masters.
"We are not regular soldiers. We are a pack of hunters. Becauwe we are a small group we could hurt them right at the painful place, like a..." He stops for a moment, looking for a word, and then sighs "like that knife your healers use."

[JNAProductions]

Scalpel, Sasha adds. We would have to learn more before we could say with confidence that the situation is under our control, but it is certainly possible.

[Dimers]

"Nevertheless, your words of caution do not fall on deaf ears, young Sir Knight," Aranyel says diplomatically. "Proceed we must, for several reasons, but we will not unnecessarily throw ourselves into danger."

Spoiler: diplomacy

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I'm not actually saying I agree with the kid, but it sure sounds like it, huh? And sometimes people just want to know that their voice is heard.

On the off chance a Diplomacy check is called for:

Spoiler: roll

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(d20+6)[20]

[Yas392]

Unmoving, silent, Lief focuses on the conversation between the dwarven cleric and the young knight. He raises his gauntlet hand, he stop it mid-raise, letting it slump to his side. His mouth is lesser. Lips part littler than the distance the his hand achieves before they give up their strength and fall back to their natural formation without suspicion. Except the perceptive who can interpret his body language as someone who wants to say something but retracts the articulation of his speech in the last minute.

[dangelo]

"We might end up doing exactly that, Sir." the baron replies. "If Lord Hotys accepts our aid, our troops will patrol the eastern roads. But I also need an elite, small team operating on specific demands."

Lady Thalia nods in agreement with her husband. "But we do value spirit and tradition, and for that you shall have the privilege of scouting the roads as we travel. You'll ride a day ahead of us and will be able to warn the rest of us about potential danger."

The lad instantly switches back to a more "professional" stance, encouraged and just slightly embarrassed. He quietly bows in respect, saying a quick "by your name, Sire" and sits down. Lady Thalia gives the group a subtle thankful look for keeping morale high among the knights.

"Now, is there anything we're yet to decide? Our forcers should take the Narrow Route tomorrow by sunrise, for this is good." ("this is good", the others reply) "If one of you still have something to discuss, do it now. Then I ask you, father, to say our final prayer. The night falls and we should not extend this meeting longer than necessary."

[Heavenblade]

Snowfang shrugs "The earlier we move, the better. We would have more time to preapre. I suggest we go" He takes a step closer to the exit but waits to se ehow the rest of the team acts before fully going out

[Yas392]

"I believe our plans are in order. I have nothing to add. I will see you all in the morning."

Lief bows to the Lord and Lady before retiring for the night.

[JNAProductions]

Sasha sees if the lord needs any attending to, but assuming not, she retires to her chambers.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm good to move on.

[dangelo]

The castle wakes with the sun, blessed by a clear blue sky today. People go by the gates, in and out to the city, carrying goods and lords on their shoulders. This day it's specially crowded, with dozens of camp followers, soldiers and their families loading wagons, saying goodbyes and haggling pieces of equipment. Groups of knights are feeding or saddling their animals, loading them or finding them shade to wait for the departure. You see blacksmiths, soldiers, squires, horses, citizens, donkeys and courtesans getting ready with haste.

It takes at least two hours to the army to leaves the city. Thirteen knights (five of those who have already left a day before), 29 professional soldiers and 8 recruits make up Fyodor's forces, along with at least a dozen camp followers.
The first days ot travel will cover moslty settled land. You'll cross chunks of farmlands thriving between the hills, growing corn, beans and wheat or ducks, goose and pigs. The hills are covered in pine trees, but some areas of forest are yet to be settled. Fyodor usually sets camp less than a mile away from the villages by the road, but as you near the end of the week, the hills get rougher and chunks of settled land becomes more isolated from each other.
In the fifth night, Fyodor decides to stop for two full days. You'll take the Narrow Path, the soldiers will soon get tired of walking uphill in the cold, and this is also where you'll find the last tavern before the Valley. They will need the morale, so let them drink, party and rest for a while.

Journal:
This is day 6 of Fyodor's campaign, 81st day of Spring. The army's morale os high and resources are abundant. Fyodor is anxious but satisfied. Weather is good. You're camping in the woods next to Dew's Burgh.

Please declare your overall routine, how you've been spending your days and what you will be doing in the first day off. The soldiers have a lot of work to do, but the six of you don't really need to set up your own tents or prepare your own food. You're actually welcomed to settle by the cavalry and the Baron himself. Besides the soldiers' families, several craftsmen, artists and entertainers are also following camp, so the whole place is pretty hectic.

Today, however, since no one needs to get water, load wagons and retrieve chaveaux-de-frise from the field, most of the warriors are either out to the tavern in Dew's Burgh (80~ people, half a mile away) or spending time with their families. Some knights are also there though you're not sure which ones. Dew's Burgh tavern is humble and definitely won't deliver what most nobles expect of proper accommodations. The place is noisy and will be crowded these days.

Enjoy your daylight while you can.

[Heavenblade]

Snowfang is conflicted. On the one hand, he is in the wilds. He runs free, shifts into the form of a mountain eagle to scout ahead and then turns into a large wolf that follows the group from afar/ And yet, he is anchored. Not by physical chains but by his own duty. Duty to what, to whom? He doesn't know yet, but he does know that a true champion must be dutiful to something. This seems like a good start, so he does his job. Scouting, hunting, stalking, scounting, hunting....in these days he keeps his distance from his companions, but also studies them. Trying to assess how would they fair in battle, in danger, but always keeping his distance. After all, the lives of these civlized people are so fragile...getting attached to them would be akin to getting attached to a flower - pretty for now, gone with the dust and wind tommorow.

[JNAProductions]

Sasha spends her time near the lord, tending to his needs and making sure he stays safe. If and when she is dismissed, she spends time with the others of the elite, getting to know them better. While she knows Maxine well, the others are a little more mysterious to her for now.

During some of the time Snowfang isn't moving ahead, she talks to him. You've barely spent an hour among us. What's the matter?

[Dimers]

Aranyel's days swing between trudging boredom and happy engagement, generally trending toward the latter. He seems to really enjoy travel and novelty, and he makes fast friends with one of the camp followers, a young tinker able and eager to tell him about the local flora, fauna and sights. Nights tend to get the priest down a bit; dawn and noon both include rituals of sun worship, and the bulk of the day spent traveling keeps his spirits up. The Pelorite rituals are not well attended. Not too many here count themselves as Pelor's faithful.

As the group near Dew's Burgh on the sixth day of walking, Aranyel asks to make sure his absence won't be amiss. "I'd like to have some extra time to speak with burghers about any unusual sites they may know of. The location of that missing monument is so frustratingly uncertain, it could be almost anywhere in the Valley ..."

[Yas392]

Lief's time is well-spent on strengthening his mind and body. During daytime, he spars with the fighters as well as joking around with them to build solidarity. At night, he practices his binding circles. He leaves some time for the counselors but his contact with them is minimal with him devoting much his time to the first two activities. There is another reason he is working his butt off twice as hard; the necromancer. He needs to prepare for him. The last encounter taught him to not underestimate the dark creature that mowed down most of the last group he was in with utter ease.

[JNAProductions]

Another thing Sasha does is cast Endure Elements on anyone who she might fight alongside at the start of the day, and anyone who requests it (as it does help people stay comfortable in hot or cold weather). It's a simple gesture, but one she hopes will help the folk feel better about their situation and herself.

[dangelo]

Sir Abelard, one of the knights, quietly approaches the group and asks Sasha, trying to not make a big deal out of this.
"My lady, I'm sorry to bother you like that, but I couldn't help to hear you can make a soldier endure harsh conditions with your magic... you see, one of my men is just a recruit and is not used to our pacing. Weather is still good and most of us are okay, but if you'd be so kind to ease his pain... and, if possible... could we keep it between ourselves? I don't want the others to think I would bring underprepared soldiers to the campaign."

[JNAProductions]

I'm limited in what I can do-I can make the weather easier to handle, but I've nothing for being tired from a long march. That being said... Sasha says, thinking about the flora she's been encountering so far.

Spoiler: OOC

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Knowledge (Nature) Check, to see if I know if any of the plants have properties that could help a tired soldier.

(1d20+18)[24]

[dangelo]

OOC:
The soldier is struggling as if he was under harsh conditions, even though that's nor the problem. I'm okay with the spell making it easier for him but it's your call

And you do know some plants avaliable around - a couple of ones, actually. Wild Brightgrass tea is great for tired muscles.

Edit: I think I should've posted it in the ooc thread. Oopsie.

[JNAProductions]

Sasha asks Where is he now? I'll cast the spell, which should help him somewhat. Beyond that, there's some Wild Brightgrass in the area. That can make an excellent tea, for relieving weary muscles and general fatigue. She describes what it looks like, and where she spotted it.

And no worries-while I'd never lie to the Baron, I somehow doubt he'll be asking about one particular soldier, and even should he, he's not the kind of man to embarrass those under his command. Though there's no shame in being new-but all the same, I understand wanting to keep this private.

[Yas392]

Lief wakes up at the sixth day before the others and binds Tenebrous on a washable ground by drawing his sign on it. After the pact is made, he scrubs off the sign with a bit of water. This has been a repetitive routine since the journey to the valley.

Spoiler: OOC

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Binder check: (1d20+10)[23]

[Heavenblade]

Snowfang shrugs, and it seems like he would just stalk away as usual. And then he changes his mind, and walks near Sasha, switching between predator and human forms
"I....am not good with, you. You know...city people, flat land people. I am of the forest, my duty is from the wild. People that are not of the wild can bw hurt by it. When it happens?" He points to himself "My fault".

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

The crew quickly becomes familiar with Anri's daily routine, as he is effectively in charge of preparing the meals for the senior staff as well as Lord Fyodor himself. After lunch, when the baron has knights looking after him, Anri typically excuses himself to join his wife among the troops and dine with her. Being this close to your spouse is a rare treat for someone in Aergia's unit, as far from home as they have come under Aranyel's command.

As of day six, the matter of what happens when her mission is over has not come up yet. What has come up is a day in town partying with her mates, and with the baron's permission Aergia has dragged Anri to Dewy's Tavern behind her.

Anri's alcohol response is interesting. At one drink, he is bashfully waving and playing darts with silverware. At three drinks, he is skittish and uptight, constantly offering to clean up messes after the other partygoers. At five drinks and one kiss, he melts in his beloved's arms and proceeds to hang on her like a sloth for the rest of the night.

[JNAProductions]

Snowfang shrugs, and it seems like he would just stalk away as usual. And then he changes his mind, and walks near Sasha, switching between predator and human forms
"I....am not good with, you. You know...city people, flat land people. I am of the forest, my duty is from the wild. People that are not of the wild can bw hurt by it. When it happens?" He points to himself "My fault".

Understandable. But if you want to keep the wilds of the world safe from civilization's grasp, you'd be best off getting to know these people-and having them get to know you, Sasha advises. Teach people to see the good of nature-make them WANT to live with it. If all you do is fight, it'll never end.