[WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

[LCP]

"Speak," said Sforza.

[LeSwordfish]

"We've found some of the vampire's weaknesses but we shouldn't underestimate him." Ludo said frankly. "Maybe he's a mad genius or maybe he just has a huge box of tricks, but every time we've faced him, he's brought out some new ability that we couldn't predict. We should assume that will happen every time."

He decided to push his luck a little further. "And regarding your dilemma. I think any man that marches into Nath will consider himself lucky if he ever comes out alive."

It was unusually forceful for him, and he coughed awkwardly. "Sorry."

[LCP]

"In war, that can be the way of things," said Sforza. "Though calling this a war still sticks in my throat."

Taking a moment to compose his thoughts, the Prince looked to Barbaro.

"Daniele. You have heard everything we have said here. Go with signor Stubbs and help him compose our message for the enemy. When the first draft is ready you can bring it to me." Barbaro nodded. "Esteban, I want you to make sure the men are ready for action, and make preparations to move the siege engines down the hill. I don't want to lose any time if this stratagem fails."

Sforza's eyes turned next to Sieghard. "Sieghard, I don't know where you've been hiding it until now," he said, "but from now on this spear stays here, under lock and key. I won't have our deadliest weapon against the enemy being carried around camp like a common soldier's trophy." His tone was firm and unyielding. "We'll speak more about this later."

[-Sentinel-]

"Sir!" Elsa blurted out. "What if the enemy surprises us? Will that really be the time to be fetching keys?"

She knew she was on thin ice already with Sforza, but she could not be silent on this matter. Keeping the spear out of convenient reach was a recipe for disaster. How could he not see it?

"I can assure you – we are well aware of how irreplaceable this spear is. We've been its keepers for a year and a half; we know better than to lug it around carelessly. And we also know from experience that whenever Nahorek deigns to show up in person... things tend to go to hell in a handbasket very, very fast. We've battled him three times already."

She left the 'And you, zero times' unspoken, but hoped it was loudly implied.


OOC

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Fellowship test failed in OOC thread.

I don't know if it's just confirmation bias or something, but Elsa has a seeming tendency to pass the unimportant tests and fail the important ones.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard met Sforza's gaze, undaunted. "She's right. What happens if the vampire sees us moving the trebuchet and decides to attack before we finish?" he said. "I've seen that monster tear a man in half with his bare hands. How many will he rip apart while we play with locks? I've beaten him twice before and I didn't need that spear to do it. Most folk don't even survive seeing him. I'm the best one to hold it."

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Kinda expecting it to not matter even if I do pass it, but here's an untrained charm attempt from Sieghard to convince him

(1d100)[2] vs 27
(1d100)[44] reroll

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo nodded. "It's the only thing we've positively seen to so much as scratch him. If we don't have it in the hands of one of our best fighters, it's useless - and just as vulnerable."

OOC

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Assisting Sieghard.

[LCP]

"A year and a half?" said Sforza, picking out Elsa's words like a hawk spots a mouse scurrying in the grass beneath it. "How long have you been bending my ear about this creature, Holt? When exactly were you intending to tell us?"

He stood up from his seat, and the other officers stood with him.

"There are three hundred yards of open ground between us and the enemy. If he can surprise us here, then I would say we had better give up soldiering and go back to Tobaro to grow apples." His tone was cold and forceful. "But one of his best reasons to try might be to take this weapon from us. And that is why it will stay here, to be used when we choose, not when he chooses." He gave Sieghard a long stare. "That is an end of it."

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo bit back some more earthy comments. "As I said, the Vampire keeps surprising us."

[-Sentinel-]

"A year and a half?" said Sforza, picking out Elsa's words like a hawk spots a mouse scurrying in the grass beneath it. "How long have you been bending my ear about this creature, Holt? When exactly were you intending to tell us?"

"We didn't know until recently that this spear had been forged for the sole purpose of killing the vampire," said Elsa defensively. "Though we did take good care of it."

On the matter of the vampire surprising them in spite of the open terrain, all she said was: "He can turn into a giant jackal."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard held Sforza's gaze and then, without saying anything, rose and turned to leave. His eyes met Elsa's as he left and she could tell that he hated leaving the spear behind. He didn't even look at Ludo.

[LeSwordfish]

"Your highness," Ludo said, taking Meskhenet's box carefully and leaving with it.

Welcome back ludo, so glad to see you, its so good you weren't stabbed to death by skeletons

[LCP]

Barbaro rose and followed Ludo out. Valdes followed shortly after - it was clear that the council was at an end.

Waiting outside the tent, Jarla watched each of Sforza's advisors leave in turn. She saw the red wizard among them, and was thinking of following her when one of the Iron Company guards caught her attention. "The Prince will see you now," said the man, in halting Reikspiel.

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla had almost fallen asleep on her feet while waiting until the appearance of the war council. It had been a very long, tiring journey and she was still travel sore and the last thing she particularly wanted to do was to face Sforza again after arriving at such a bad time the first time. Still, she didn't really have much choice and entered the tent at the officials instruction.

"Your highness," doffing her cap and bending in greeting before rising again and waiting for him to speak.

[Thragka]

Urgrim

After the painstaking process of drafting his report for the Rinn, Urgrim had sauntered over the umgi tents to await the conclusion of the war council. He'd noted the well-dressed woman also idling there, but not thought much of her until the guard demanded her presence before Sforza. That curiosity would have to wait.

With a docile wave of his hand, he approached Sieghard and Elsa and fell into step with them. "So. Was the princeling impressed?"

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Impressed enough to take my damn spear," Sieghard spat, not slowing his pace. Urgrim hadn't done anything to deserve his ire, but he was mad now and didn't care that he was being rude. "I'm sure it'll do him a lot of good under lock and key while Nahorek rips his men limb from limb."

[Thragka]

Urgrim accepted Sieghard's anger in silence, mulling on both the commander's reaction, and the order that was driving it, for a few moments. "Well," he retorted dryly, "you could always argue the Dwimmulson claim on it." The expression on his face showed that he was joking, but only just.

[LCP]

Jarla

The Prince did not acknowledge Jarla's greeting. Looking around the tent, Jarla noticed something that hadn't been here before - a golden-headed spear, resting on the camp table.

Approaching Jarla, Sforza studied her face, letting the silence yawn uncomfortably between them. Finally, he spoke.

"Tell me," he said, "how is it you came to know my wife?"

[RossN]

Jarla

Not for the first time Jarla found herself regretting her decision to come here. Still too late to turn back now.

"I approached her in Savonne, hoping to learn more of my brother's murder. La Principessa had no information to give, but we took a liking to each other and I joined her service," she explained. "Having heard of the vampire I came down here, partly to meet my brother's old friends to learn more about what happened here and partly because the priests in Savonne seemed to see the vampire as a great threat, as had my brother. I am not religious, at least not as my brother was, but they did seem to feel very strongly that the vampire be destroyed... and so did Adelbert."

Recalling the dead-from-the-inside chicken she'd nearly eaten Jarla shivered slightly. Maybe the priests were on to something.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard stopped suddenly, turned, and stared at Urgrim. "Clan Dwimmulson gave up their claim to damn thing thousands of years before even Skorgrund was born," he said. "They gave it away. What right do they have to demand it back now?"

[Thragka]

Urgrim set his hands on his hips. "Sieghard, our ways aren't your ways. I don't expect you to live by them, or even care about them. But I do expect you understand that that difference exists. Would I convince you that the spear's not yours by right, just by talking to you? Then don't think you'll convince a dwarf of your claim either."

He took a breath. "Anyway, I only meant to joke with you, wasn't really asking you to say that to the princeling. Going into those ruins was ... a nightmare. I lost a volunteer. I wanted to find out how things have been here, spend some time among the living. Not start a fight."

Spoiler: OOC

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Edited Urgrim's words slightly; the first pass was a bit too verbose for him.

[LCP]

Jarla

"And that was how you got it into your head to ask to join my army?" said Sforza, in the same tone that Jarla had heard many men use before - usually to say something more along the lines of 'this knife throwing contest is no place for a lady'. "You thought it's what your brother would have wanted."

[RossN]

Jarla

A flicker of annoyance flared in Jarla's eyes. "I can fire a pistol, throw a knife, handle a sabre and ride a horse and drink like a dwarf. Yes I've never served in the ranks but I can fight."

She took a moment, trying to quash any flare of true temper before it got the best of her. "Your highness, I admire your wife and I am happy to serve her but I think she is wrong about the threat this vampire poses. The priests think him a great threat, my brother Adelbert thought him a great threat and new as I am to your lands I think it too." She paused, hesitated, then decided to try the unconventional tactic of complete honesty: "I am broke and have fire in my veins. If there is fortune and excitement to be found here I think it is fighting under your standard."

[LCP]

Jarla

"You must know that to enlist in a regiment one doesn't go straight to the general," said Sforza. "Still less to a prince. And you don't have the look of a common soldier."

Seemingly satisfied with his examination, he walked back over to the camp table and began looking for something to drink. "I suppose if you did," he said, "Irene would never have given you the time of day. I find it hard to believe she received you as you say she did, but at the same time..." - he found the jar of wine he was looking for - "... it's almost too outrageous a lie not to be true."

Pouring out a cup only for himself, he fixed Jarla with a steady gaze. "Prove to me you're telling the truth. Tell me something only my wife could have told you."

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla blinked, but racked her brains trying to come up with something.

She remembered a spicy piece of Tilean court gossip that Irene had told her over a hand of cards and fine wine after Jarla had delivered a delightfully scandalising bon mot about the Countess and one of her shoe makers. Irene's story of lust and betrayal among her rivals was probably not strictly secret as such if one had been there at the place and time, but the views expressed by La Principessa and the way she expressed them - the body language, tone of voice, expression should be unmistakable to her husband. At least she hoped as she did her best to bring them back to life.

"...and Lady Sforza tells me they are singing of it still in Remas and Pavona," Jarla finished.

OOC:

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Performer (Actor): (1d100)[77] vs 64
Charm: (1d100)[79] vs 64

FP re-roll: (1d100)[95] vs 64

Edit: Okay seriously dice?

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"And you wondered why I wanted to keep it a secret," Sieghard grumbled.

"We lost a man when we escaped the ruins the first time... One of Elsa's bodyguards. I don't know what you and Ludo were thinking, taking that skull with you, but I hope it was worth the sacrifice."

[Thragka]

Urgrim stopped walking. Weren't thinking of looting as much gold as we could carry, Urgrim thought, but managed not to let that slip out. He frowned, and ground the heel of his hand against his brow.

He sighed. Taking his hand down from his face, he looked around to Elsa. "I'd ask you how you normally get through to him," he said, gesturing to Sieghard with an open hand, "but you were in the tent too. Did what we brought back make a difference to the princeling?"

[LCP]

Jarla

"Hm," said Sforza. He sat down in his chair, seeming a little less on guard. "Still talking about that, is she."

He still didn't invite Jarla to take a seat, or a drink.

"You're from the Empire, yes?" he said, arching an eyebrow at her over the rim of his cup as he took another sip. "You've come a long way. And now that you're here, you come straight to the top. First my lady wife, and now me." Finishing the wine, he set it down. "Irene doesn't have much patience for fools, unless they're amusing. So you knew what you were doing, coming into my council. More or less." He gave Jarla a searching look. "You didn't come here looking to join the ranks of the Iron Company, eh? You think you can aim a little higher than a common soldier's wage."

[RossN]

Jarla

Jara smiled. "That's true enough sir. I appreciate the finer things in life as much as anyone, more so perhaps. Nevertheless if I had only wanted a comfortable life I'd have poisoned my husband and lived as a wealthy widow in Nuln. I suppose that need for adventure is the same, ah, amusing foolishness Lady Sforza sees in me."

She flicked her blue-grey eyes around the war tent, taking it all in. "I would have offered my services as a spy or a brigand for hire against your rivals but I know you no longer have any rivals. I am a good rider and observer and a crack shot with a pistol so I could serve as a scout, messenger or herald. Or light cavalry of course."

Jarla raised an eyebrow. "What do you need in this war Prince Sforza?"

[LCP]

Jarla

"At the moment," said the Prince, "I need a messenger. One who's not afraid of danger." He kept his eyes on Jarla's. "Do you think you fit that description?"

[RossN]

Jarla

"Yes," Jarla said voice firm, as she resisted a natural urge to boast. "When and where your highness?"