Jacob's first verse, GMed by Tadeusz.  :)

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 1):

Given the prices of the newest, hottest laptops, you've decided to once again, build a computer.  As you explain to your friends, you will be able to get a top of the line, blazing fast PC for less than half the price.  And money does not grow on trees.

The most interesting bit of the work is the brand new chip.  Its a lot faster than the ones before it as it employs some sort of proprietary tech whose exact nature is closely held.  Indeed, there are some rumors by the whack a doos that it enables FTL transfer of data, which is impossible, and laughable.

But you're delicately lifting up the fragile Scriff Inside! chip, as its more fragile than lesser chips, with a pair of tweezers when suddenly you hear the blare of a semi horn outside.  You twitch, the chip falls and breaks open.  An arc of electricity leaps from a nearby battery, and then there is a blinding light....


You wake laying upon something soft, which smells of wool.  A faint scent of manure is in the air, and more immediately present is the smell of death.  You however, feel fine.

And then you hear a strangely, familiar, but odd voice, strained with pain.
"Is he awake?"
"Yes, my king." A gravelly male voice replies.

I glance around, forcing myself up from whatever it is I'm resting on. "Where am I? What happened?" I quietly ask.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 3):

You see an older, blue eyed man with a red velvet tunic and leggings in boots standing in front of you.  There is a hardness to his face.

You are laying on a four poster bed of a great size, in a stone blocked circular room.  Fresh air comes from a window to the left, as does light.

The man steps to the side, his hand on the dagger at his waist.

And then you see a man with a silver circlet with a pale gemstone inset in the front, sitting in a chair, with rich blankets all over him.  His face has black lines going under the skin and he is bloated looking and terribly unhealthy.

What's worse, he's you.

"What? How are you... Me?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 5):

Blow the World Horn.  And he that is torn.  From home forsworn. Will come at need.  If he is your blood indeed.

The other you says the words, and lifts from under the blankets a violently torn open golden horn.  And you feel a singing in your blood.

He feebly waves at the older man.

"I am Sir Raive, the King's bodyservant.  We know of at least seven worlds.  Tillony which is this, and Paradise, home of the Creator, and the Darkling Realm, home of the Defier, and Faranset, from which the Eldenhar fled after their Great War, and Dosinkater, where the Lords of Game live, and the Dreamlands, where the wizards go in their Wizardsleep to learn spells.  It is assumed there are more worlds, but we know not of them.  However, given your clothing, there must be an eighth.

I have heard tell there is a Lord of Game who is like me.  Such is not common, but not unheard of."

"Hold on... Lord of Game? What is that supposed to mean?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 7):

He waves his hand off to the side.  "Not important now.  Its in another dimension which you will likely never see.  What's important is that your King has summoned you to aid him in his direst need."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 8):

I glance around, confused at everything. "Why was I summoned? What aid does he need?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 9):

"King Javan took power a year ago.  Three days ago, he received a gift from Duke Brendt.  A leviathan hide armor.  He put it on, and that night was struck down with illness.  Frantic and quiet, very quiet searches revealed that the armor had krinkas juice, corrupted, smeared on the inside."  Sir Raive says.

"I am dying." Gasp. "Soon. But my people, they will be destroyed by war between my dukes, and by the invaders, and the Seakind."  He looks pleadingly at you.

"Alright. What am I doing, and how do I start?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 11):

The king nods, and Sir Raive bows to him, very deeply.

"My king. My oldest friend."

"One last service, Raive. One last."

Sir Raive takes off the circlet, and puts it on your head.

And with it, you feel a presence of something massive and slow.

"I abdicate." Javan says, and you see him die.  Instantly, you feel health and strength flow into you.

"My king." Sir Raive says, and bows to you.

I solemnly bow my head for a while, mourning the death of the old king. I start to panic on the inside as I realise that I am now the king. "What's the plan?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 13):

Sir Raive blinks.

"I am the King's right hand, his bodyservant. Command me."

He looks a bit frightened.  It seems he thought you'd know what to do.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 14):
"I don't know what to do. I woke up here, and just saw a man die in front of me. Do we go to war with Duke Brendt? Or figure out another way to get information?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 15):

"My king, that is your decision." And you find yourself remembering Truman's famous sign 'the buck stops here', and the saying 'lonely lies the head that wears the crown.'

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 16):

"We need to call a meeting between ourselves and Duke Brendt. But keep the men prepared for war."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 17):

"Do you want to meet him in  your private sitting room or in the throne room?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 18):


"The throne room. I don't trust the man, and I'd rather not be dead because of his antics."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 19):

You're sitting in the throne room.  Its forty feet long, and twenty feet wide.  In the right and left corners next to your dark wooden throne (which is uncomfortable) are standing screens.  Behind each is a crossbowman with a loaded crossbow.

The wooden doors at the end open, and the Doorman speaks loudly.

"Duke Brendt, Ruler of the Southern Wastes, and liege to his Majesty King Javan."

A short, stocky man with black hair, and green velvet vest and leggings trimmed with gold bustles in.  He walks right up to a point ten feet from you, and stops on the only white stone in the gray stone floor.

"Your Majesty, what means this summoning, and could it not have waited until the next day?  And what are these clothes you wear?"  He openly sneers at your Earth clothing.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 20):

"With all due respect, today has been a... weird day. I was somehow pulled from my world into here, and saw the old king pass away in front of me mere minutes later. Now, before he passed, I was told about an armor piece you gave Javan. I heard from him that he was ill the night he put on the armor. What did you do to the armor?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 21):

"Are you mad? You are King Javan?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 22):

"Am I mad? No. Right now, a lot of crazy things have happened. The king died in front of me and said I was the king now that he has died. I need answers, and I need them now."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 23):

"You look like him." He says cautiously.  And then he considers what else you said.  "I gave no armor to King Javan.  Why should I? I despised the man, as you should well know.  Why would I give him a gift?" He pauses.  "And you say the king, if you are not lying for some obscure reason now, became sick after he had this armor?  My armor maker left me a note four days past saying he was going to  visit his sick father."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 24):

I frown as I hear him claim he didn't give Javan the armor. "I am not lying, my lord. I need the name of this armorsmith and I need to know where he is, now."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 25):

"Master Blaise, and he should be in South-on-Ward village where his father lives or on the raised causeway between which passes through Rear-on-Ward and Declas-on-Temp and then comes to my mount, Brendt Mountain.  I can send my men to fetch him if you like."  You notice he does not say 'my king'.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 26):

I solemnly nod as he explains where to find the man. "No. I will seek him myself. I will head out as soon as possible."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 27):

Sir Raive gets you outfitted with chainmail, a gold washed helmet, demi-rhinoceros leather gloves, a two handed great sword, and a main gauche, demi-rhinoceros pants, and thigh high leviathan hide boots.  And then he drapes over this a tunic of blue with golden sea waves in four lines decorating it.

Eerily enough, it fits perfectly.

And the crown fits into the open faced helmet.

"Now, no one, except the King's own mother would know you were not the King." Sir Raive says.

He then takes you out to a red haired horse, a stallion, which seems skittish of you.

Now, you can see the outside.  You're on a rocky hill, a thousand feet high.  To your left are black ragged cliffs and the crashing cold sea.  To your right is a line of hills becoming mountains the further away they go.  In front of you is a descending field of a hundred feet which comes to a twenty foot tall stone wall, and then going down that is a medieval city, and beyond that is another wall.  And then farms, and in the distance a village, and then green haze, and a hill standing out of it.

"That is Mount Brendt.  The Duke rules a wasteland of water and trees in the water, connected by causeways.  Our fish and our medicines and our rice comes from his lands.  And he also offers quite a deal of resistance to southern intruders from the Matriarchy of Tamos who look with desire upon your lands, my king." Sir Raive says as he gives you a warm drink.  Its a cool and gusty land.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 28):

I nod. "Shall we be off, then?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 29):

The horse ride with Sir Raive is a test of endurance.  He does his best to make it as easy as possible for you, but for him, with his elegant riding style, and utter familiarity with horses, he has the time as you struggle onward.

The trip is across sheep pastures, and then on to a causeway through a chilly swamp.  Night is spent at a castle where you spot an unusual amount of Tanakian gold coin in the hands of the locals.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 30):

I quietly take note of the gold - in all of the classes I had taken and books I had read I assumed that peasants and servants would never have this much gold. Something to look into.

With that I head to sleep, getting ready for the next morning. I wince as I wake up, sore from the ride before.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 31):

You travel down to another hillock with a village, and then on to another causeway for an hour.  And then up ahead, you see a slumped but standing green skinned figure clothed in wet reeds.  He's standing, facing you two on the causeway.  He has a crooked staff in his hand.

"Swamp goblin." Sir Raive says as he looks to the right and to the left amongst the cold waters of the swamp on both sides of the causeway.  "My lord, this is strange.  They are not friendly to Man, but seldom would they challenge an armed knight."

"Shall we kill him? Or do we negotiate out, even though we are enemies?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 33):

"There are likely some more with him, hidden in the swamps to our right and left.  If we can get by without a fight, it would be good.  But we are both bigger and stronger and clad in armor with steel swords..."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 34):

"I guess we should go and try to get by, then."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 35):

You and Raive go forward.

The swamp goblin takes out a bolo, and begins to swing it over his head.  He throws it, and it wraps around the legs of Sir Raive's horse's front legs, bringing Sir Raive down.  You hear splashes to your right and left.  Raive is drawing his sword as he lands on his feet...

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 36):

I draw my sword and growl. They want a fight, they will get it. I help raive up as well.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 37):

Sir Raive comes up, and you and he charge the Swamp Goblin in the way.  A goblin on your right pitches a javelin at you, but it goes over your head, and slams into one on your left.  Another javelin flies over from the left and goes over everyone.

Raive and you both swing at the Swamp Goblin in your path, but he blocks with a cross block, and leaps backwards.  You're growling, and he looks frightened, and dives off the causeway and deep into the water.  You can see him swimming away under the water.  The other Goblins shake their weapons at you, and then sink as well.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 38):

"Let's go then, and quickly."

"Aye. My king." And you and he both mount and gallop on quickly.  It seems to you as you go that there are eyes in the swamp, unfriendly eyes.  But there are no more attacks as you pass through small village and by castle mount and onward until toward evening with your stomach pressing hard on your backbone you reach the village of the armorer's father.

The guards at the open gate look startled to see you.

As you come up, Sir Raive says quietly.

"They are in half armor.  This is unusual."


You have gained
+@3 to riding.
+@1 to swordfighting.

"Stay cautious, but be diplomatic," I whisper as I rode ahead.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 41):

You nod as you go past them and they bow.

"Sire."

You come to the Mayor's house, and he has two armed guards in front of his door as well.  They are startled as well.  One hurries inside to get the Mayor and the Mayor comes out, obviously in the middle of a meal with a napkin at his chin, and a bit of stained mustard on his tunic.

He's shocked to see you.

"My...king." He flutters his hands, and then goes to one knee.  "Guards." He mutters, and they belatedly go to one knee as well.

After seeing the man bow when he saw me, I said, "No need for formalities. I'm looking for someone here - the blacksmith who made the armor for the old king. Where is he?"

He blinks, and takes you to an old man who is just finishing up on fixing his roof.  He bows low, and tells you that he did indeed make the armor for the old king, some twenty years past.  His son works for the Duke of the Swamps.  Hopefully, he will be able to visit the old man sometime.

The old man is bald with a bushy white mustache, and clearly still agile, and he has some remnant of his muscles from his black smithing days.

The mayor is with you.

"Hello there. I realize that this is an extreme consequence for a meeting, but as it stands the kingdom is in an urgent situation. I am Jacob. I need to speak somewhere privately with you."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 45):

He brings you inside his house, and insists on getting you some bread and tea.  Sir Raive is guarding the door, and all the doors are locked.  There are some examples of swords and shields on his wall, and a couple delicate bits on ironwork that look decorative.  The table and stools are sturdy but plain and well made.  The light is a pair of candles.

I smile at him, looking for a place to sit. "Good sir, the kingdom finds itself in a dire situation - the old king is dead, supposedly from a suit of armor you created for him. What do you know of this?"

"That can't be."  He looks perplexed.  "I've been in this town fixing my home for the last two weeks.  I've never given the King armor, not that I would mind doing, I mean, I'd be honored, wait...the king is dead?  I thought you were the King?  You look like him."

There is a 'thunk' noise outside.  And then the door bursts open, and Sir Raive dives sideways into the room.  "Shut the door! Ambush!"

You slam the door shut, seeing one of the Mayor's men outside with an arrow through his chest.  An arrow goes by your face as you do the slamming burying itself into the door jam with another 'thunk'.  Two inches closer, and you'd have had a very open mind.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 48):

I dive to the ground, bringing the smith down with me. "Sir, we need to go. Now." I plan the door shut and lock it.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 49):

Its shut, and a second later you hear someone try to crash into the door, to force it, but its a sturdy door.  The smith nods fervently, and you and Sir Raive scurry on hands and knees across the floor to the back door.  An arrow comes through a window and skitters around the room.  Sir Raive peeks out a window next to the back door.

"That traitor!!" He hisses.  And then you hear the voice of your 'loyal' Duke.

"Throw the torches.  We'll burn them out." The Duke commands.

"Stay down. We will crawl out of here, on the ground. Kill the traitorous bastard, and figure it out from there. As for you, sir - I will help rebuild this, and make certain the men of the Duke pay for this. We have to go."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 51):

"Politics being what it is, always handy me grandpappy, put this in. And I'll hold you to that promise, my king."  And he yanks on a odd shaped brick in the wall which pulls out a door with a long unused screech.  Its truly a crawling door, as to fit in, Sir Raive has to take off his sheathe for his sword, and so do you.

After the door is closed behind you, the group crawls downward into darkness and damp.  Something slithers down here, but it decides to go away rather than contest your passage.  And then blessedly, finally you feel the inner doorknob, and open the stone that hides the exterior exit just outside the town, and but yards from the edge of the swamp.  Fresh air and starlight was never so wonderful.

"We have to go, and go now." I look for any method of fast transportation.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 53):

The locals tell you that they could take a flat bottomed fishing boat, suitable for eight, if one did not move much, or get to the main road either back up to the Capitol or further into the swamp.

"I was sure the Duke was not playing us false, but it seems he has sold out to the Matriarchs to the South of us." Sir Raive smacks his fist into his open hand.

"Sir Raive, what would you have me do?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 55):

"You are the King. Do we flee by land or water? Do we go back into the city and try to hunt down the traitor?"

"My  men should be loyal." The Mayor says, hopefully.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 56):

"Right now, we head back and prepare for war."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 57):

"Head back to the capital?"

OOC: That's what I think you are saying, but I'm not sure.

Ooc: yes

In reply to Jacob (msg # 59):

You head back to the Duke's island in the swamp...and its gates are closed to you and above it flies not your flag above the Duke's flag, but the Matriarchies flag above the Duke's flag.   The Matriarchy is to the south of the swamp and a rival power.  And it seems the Duke has sold you out to them.  This is a problem because to take a horse back on the road you have to go through the small walled town of the enemy.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 60):

"Damn it! I should have known... The bastard would have ratted us out. We need to keep a low profile, or offer an alliance."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 61):

"We could steal a boat and go around the town, but then we'd be on foot....or I know of a few men in town that I am sure are loyal to the King. We could sneak in, and contact them, or we could go back, and go the long way around, but that would take two weeks to take the Great Loop that would lead back to your castle."  Sir Raive says.

"Which route would you take?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 63):

"I don't know, my king."

"Let us be off, and quickly. We need to take the faster route."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 65):

He leads you around the outer edge of the town, sometimes in up to knee deep swamp water, which your horse does not like.  It balks a few times, but you get it to come on.

+@1 to horsemanship.

As you get close to some boats, you smell pipe smoke.  And looking ahead, you see two guards protecting a half-dozen rowboats from presumably people like you, or you in particular.  They are sitting and smoking pipes.

"Damn... we need to kill them or talk to them. What do you want to do?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 67):

"Your choice, o king."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 68):

"Just do whichever one is quickest."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 69):

You and he charge them, and swing your swords.  Both of you miss as they run back, and Sir Raive misses, but you nick yours on your second attack.  They fumble out their blades.  You continue to attack with Sir Raive as the grass slides spongily under your feet.

You get a solid stab in the chest on your foe, and Sir Raive stabs his through the neck.

The last guard panics and runs, beating feet faster than you can, at first, and you both swipe at air.  But then you chop him down.

The guards are dead.

+@2 to swords.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 70):

"Let's go."

You get back to your capitol with Sir Raive in tow.  News has reached them of 'strange disturbances' in the Southern Swamp.  Your Captain of Guards and King's Counsel which includes a Lord High Exchequer, High Judge, Arch Priest, and several others all want to know what happened, and why you look so beat up.

"We were betrayed by the Duke. We prepare for war. That's the plan. Diplomacy failed."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 73):

Two days later, you have a core of a hundred men at arms with halberds, forty archers, ten knights like Sir Raive, thirty servants with wagons and oxen and the Duke of the North who is gleefully planning to avenge insults from the Southern Duke is with you as well.

"Let's ride."

You arrive at the Duke of the Southern Swamp's capitol hill.  The gates of the small city are closed against you, and the flag of the Matriarchy hangs over the castle.  Getting closer, you see that there is a body hanging from the gate.  Getting closer, you realize its the Duke of the South, or was.  He's dead now.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 76):

OOC: How many troops do I have vs the Matriarchy?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 77):

The Matriarchy has more troops, but they are less trained, less armored, and less weaponed.  Its a slave army of men commanded by a small group of men called the Core, commanded by a female staff and female commander.

The chief problem you have is that of concentration, as all feudal lords have. It takes time to gather  your forces, days at least, and for some a week or two.  The Matriarchy presumably has already concentrated their forces.

You should expect four to five times as many troops as you currently  have. One question is what happened to the Duke's troops when the Matriarchy betrayed him.

We will rally north of the Duke's former lands. I will wait until the troops have arrived, and establish perimeter defenses.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 79):

An emmissary, with four honor guards comes to your camp.  The Emmissary is Countess Lucinda, and she has an arrogant and harsh look to her face, as well as high quality armor.  Her guards have much less armor.

"False King, we have freed the people of what you call the Southern Swamps from your tyranny.  Now you seek to bring war against us?  How dare you?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 80):

"First, let me say that this is an incredibly long story. Most recently, though, the duke tried to betray me and kill me, but when my troops returned, the Countess's troops had killed him. You were the one who initially brought war."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 81):

Are you speaking in private, or in a small group, or in front of your whole army?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 82):

I have my advisors and generals with me.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 83):

"The treacherous duke attacked us, so we attacked him.  In recompense for his unprovoked attack we will take his dukedom and you will give us a thousand gold marks.  Then we will have peace."

Your advisers looked shocked, irritated, and Sir Raive is rolling his eyes.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 84):

"Why do I owe you anything?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 85):

She raises her eyebrows.

"He was your vassal.  So his fault is your fault.  Now pay, or I'm afraid we will have to take more land from you in compensation for your misdeeds."

She smirks.

"Give me a minute."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 87):

She smirks, confident of her victory and says 'One minute, no longer, fake king."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 88):

I leave, approaching some of my best men. "What do we do?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 89):

They point out that the Matriarchy is abusive to men, and to women who don't agree with them.  Not likely to be popular in the town.  But on the other hand, quite willing to execute people to 'encourage loyalty among the soldiers'.  The walls are not that tall, but tall enough to make this a challenge, at the best.  It could be a disaster to attack.

And the Matriarchy is expansive and arrogant.  They might well take a deal as a sign of weakness, and press for more.  Or they might wait a year, manufacture an excuse as they did with the Duke, and attack again after they've built themselves up.

Their suggestions are 1)Make a deal to play for time and build up your forces.  2) Besiege the town, and call for more help.  3)Call for the citizens to rise with trumpets and attack the town.  4)Chop the head off the messenger, and send it back with a promise to do the same to the rest of the enemy forces unless they leave immediately.  Evidently her level of rudeness makes that legally acceptable.  Messengers are supposed to be minimally polite. 6) Send a messenger with a box of gold to the Yingtar Mountaineers who live on the southwest border of the Matriarchy.  Buy a war or at least raids and burnings from the Yingtar tribesmen who hate the Matriarchy with a passion and rarely need an excuse to burn their villages.

I ask very quietly what they would recommend.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 91):

OOC: This is YOUR game.  Take your chances, roll the dice, and see what happens.

OOC: Ok

"Then we make a deal for time."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 93):

The emmissary gloats and smirks in a quite annoying way.  The next day a treaty is signed supposedly 'for all time and..." and so on and so forth with many protestations of eternal friendship.  You sign it in front of your army, and it gets sealed with wax.

You get a copy and so do they.

About an hour of insincere speeches follow, and then you and your army are free of this nonsense.

As you walk back to your tent, you hear your generals taking bets on how soon the Matriarchy breaks the treaty.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 94):

"I'm.betting within a month they've broken it. Stay ready for war."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 95):

With the extra time, you're able to gather four times as many troops as the feudal levees activate, and the messages get passed down from Duke to Count to Mayor to Knight to Man at Arms.  The warriors, not soldiers, gather, and you have a substantial portion of the freeborn men of your kingdom crowding your capital.

Five weeks later, and the Matriarchy sends you an accusation of your planning to attack them with your army, and thus they are going to attack you now.  Their army moves up the thin road through the swamp.

Later that night, you're alone in the castle hallway with Sir Raive when one of your men, Billings walks up, and suddenly shoves Sir Raive down a flight of stone steps.  He then draws a poison dripping thin sword suited for stabbing, and speaks.

"I'm sorry, my liege, but they have my family."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 96):

I grab my blade and turn around to face the man. "We are already out umbered. I will get your family back. Stand down. I don't want to hurt you."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 97):

He pauses, unconvinced, but clearly not wanting to do a regicide.  You hear Sir Raive groan down the stairs.  Its a good thing he had on helmet and chainmail.  Billings has helmet, chainmail,and leather gauntlets and leggings of leather for armor.  You've bought yourself maybe fifteen seconds as he waits....

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 98):

"Billings, we are not your enemies. This position I have... It's a long and complex story, but the gist of it is that for some reason I was unconscious from... An injury, and when I woke up I was here. I need as much support as I can get. I will personally make certain to try and get your family out and alive."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 99):

He throws down his sword, and runs away.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 100):

I try to help up Raive, following the other man soon after.

You help up Raive who is grunting and wiping blood from his nose.

"Ow."

And you follow Billings with Sir Raive behind you.  And you come to a far out of the way internal storeroom in your castle.  You hear from around the corner of the doorway....

"So, Billings, did you kill the King?" You hear a harsh, demanding voice.
"Yes." Billings says.  "Now give me my family...."
"Do you know what the punishment is for regicide?  You have a few more jobs to do for me first."

I try to stay as hidden as I can, letting the scene play out. Once the other man leaves, I confront Billings. I whisper as quietly as I can in his ear, "I want to help you. Let me help you, and you will be rewarded."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 103):

"You're going to get your hands on the king's crown.  Its very valuable.  And then you're going to open the gates at midnight tonight."

Billings says nothing, and a moment later, a blandly normal looking man, slips smoothly out of the room with a basket of jams.  He's wearing a servant's uniform.  Except for the smooth grace of his moves, he's quite forgettable.

You slip up behind Billings who is weeping quietly.

He catches his breath.

"I don't care if you kill me, your majesty.  Just save my family.  If you can do this, I swear to serve you honestly."

"The word of a traitor." Sir Raive scoffs.

"You have my word, I will protect your family."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 105):

Sir Raive draws you aside after Billings clutches your arm desperately, but then lets go as Sir Raive harumphs.

"My king, do you want to send me to find his family?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 106):

"I will go with you. Let us be off."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 107):

"Yes, my king." You can see respect in his eyes.  He takes you to his room, and shows you a hidden compartment behind a bookcase.  In it are a variety of outfits and devices that might not win the approval of the above board and honor before all types.

He gets himself a ragged cloak.

"We need to disguise ourselves to go into the enemy camp.  Enemy soldiers, or beggars, or merchants with a wagon, or musicians....what do you say?"

"I believe musicians could work best. Let's do that."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 109):

He shows you a few cloaks ranging from the ragged dirty cloak in surprisingly good shape to a flamboyant but cheap yellow and green patches cloak with a black reverse side to a simple good quality gray cloak.


Drums you can carry, a flute, a small harp, and a trumpet are available.


"I can play them all, my liege. Choose one.  Or if need, we can visit the Chorister.  But the more people see us, the less safe."


Tunics are black and dull gold and dark green, and so with the pants.  Shoes range from tiny toe boots with knives in the end, to regular boots to glittery confections with bells.


He gives you a pair of daggers, one for your hip which looks like its a useless toe but is actually quite good.  And another hidden thats a throwing knife.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 110):

"I will play the drums. I am a drummer myself. I will take the gray cloak."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 111):

To compliment that, he adds the flute.

You slip out of the room by a hidden passage under his floor, down two long ladders, and across ten feet, and then belly crawl through a stone tube to arrive fifty yards outside the palace.  He has you memorize the secret exit.


Exiting the capital city is easier as their is a secret side gate, and now out in the dark, you hear the croak of frogs.


"Walk up on the enemy camp like honest musicians seeking work, or sneak around and blend in?" He asks you.  "Or if you have another plan...."

"We should try to blend in. I hope."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 113):

With a very good GE roll of ten...


You slip through the night, finding a side path that leads to a couple of tiny islets connected by bridges, and an abandoned small boat so that you're able to join the Matriarchy's Army beyond the sentries, and just blend in.

Men in light clothing, their armor set aside, are doing various tasks such as cooking food over charcoal fires.  More watchful and heavily armed men are keeping an eye on the unarmed men.  The way everyone acts is more like a prison with the officers as the guards, and the fighters as the inmates.  There is a splendid tent with music coming from it, in the center of the camp.

You see other musicians strolling about, playing for small coin, or a cup of mead offered by the men.  The officers accept them it seems.

I quietly just stroll around, playing the drum to the best of my ability.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 115):

One of the soldiers asks you to play 'Dream On Dancer' which you're not familar with but Sir Raive has you follow him as he leads off.

After you finish, the soldier spits.

"You're terrible."  You have to agree with him.  You barely kept up with Raive.

It seems your playing has caught the attention of one of the officers who drifts over.

"Play High Hills."

Again, its a tune you don't know, but for the chorus which you know from another song.

This time you do a decent job.  The officer's suspicions are quelled.

+@1 to drumming for new use as I'm pretty sure you have not had to play for your life.

I keep going around, playing with Sir Raive, listening in for any particular information relating to the plan.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 117):

After playing a bit more, you notice a small black tent next to the main tent.  This tent is guarded as well as the main tent, but these guards are focused inward.  If you were an evil overlord, this might be where you'd put your prisoners.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 118):

I try to sneak away and look into the tent.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 119):

You slip away as another bard plays some sort of rousing and loud music which has the officers looking nervous.  The men like it tho.

And looking into the tent from the back, you see three women, and eight children, and one old man.  He looks up at you, curiousity bright in his eyes, but not saying a word.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 120):

I sneak in as quietly as I can, cutting their bonds. "We need to go, and now. Stay low to the ground."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 121):

You slip in quietly, and cut their ropes with skill and speed.  They take a long moment while a child whines to decide to go with you.  They then follow you out of the tent in single file quiet as a church mouse.  As you're heading down toward the rowboat you hear a slow murmur from the old man behind them all.

Looking back, you see him facing the tent, and moving his hands oddly, and fog drifting up from the ground to subtly block the view of anyone who chanced to look that way.  Then you're too the boat, but you have a problem.  The boat was made for five a bit tight.

Is there anything I can use to help create a distraction to get everyone in the camp away? SO I can go get Reeve and then get out of here?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 123):

If you knock over one of the fiery torches on a pole next to the tent, you will be in full view of the guards in front of either tent, and anyone who looks that way.  But a tent going up in flame is pretty distracting.  Of course, there are two tents...

Can I try to sneak behind the guards and see if anyone else is in those tents? Or are those the tents of the soldiers?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 125):

There are just two tents.  The soldiers will be sleeping in bedrolls near campfires.

One tent is for the prisoners, and is smaller, and now, due to you, empty.  The other is larger, and far nicer, and seems from the voices inside to be the tent of the Matriarch female commanders.

Clearer?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 126):

Yeah. I'll sneak over to the smaller one an dtry to free the prisoners. If that doesn't work, I'll light the bigger and nicer tent up, free the prisoners, and go.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 127):

You've already freed the prisoners.  You light the bigger tent on fire, and WHOOSH....its spectacular.  The whole upper area of the tent is in flame.  You stumble back keeping your feet, and run into the fog.  The boat is leaving now, and you and Raive and the old man are alone while the heavily overburdened boat slips slowly away.

"time to run?" Raive asks.
"I can run for a bit." The old man says, and snaps his fingers.  "Twenty minutes to the dot.  Then you'll have to dump me somewhere to let me rest."

"I'll carry you. Come on."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 129):

You and Sir Raive and the old man run along the edge of the swamp looking for a shallow passage that might be marked by swamp dwellers.  You don't spot any, and you come around a bush to see an enemy guard sitting looking out over the water, fishing pole in hand.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 130):

I will sneak up behind the guard if I can, and try to backstab him.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 131):

Gurk.  He makes a bit of noise, but against the singing of the crickets its not much.  He's dead.

Backstab for additional damage skill.  1@2.

You still don't find any passages, and eventually, you just walk past a sleeping guard, and up to your city gates.  Halfway there, the old man drops to the ground, and you do have to carry him the rest of the way.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 132):

When the party arrives to the castle, I will tell them to get a healer to the man who collapsed. I will try to reunite the family.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 133):

The families are reunited with much joy.  Your forgiven traitor is ecstatically happy.  There is another of your men as well who was being pressured.  He responded not by outright treason but by getting and staying drunk.  Now he's weeping drunken tears of happiness to see his family again, while snatching glances of worry at you.

The healer checks the old man, and stares in surprise.

"Magic. A spell to burn up the day's energy in minutes.  I think, my king, I stress that this is a guess, he will be fine.  I am not used to the maladies of magicians."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 134):

"I understand. Keep an eye on him for now. I want to make sure everyone is okay." For now though, I'm glad that the families have been reunited.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 135):

After a bit, you have two men who were supposed to be loyal, but responded in different ways to this threat by the Southern Matriarchy against their families.  Sir Raive is with you.

"What should we do with these men, my king?"  And you know he in general wants to know what next.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 136):

"These two men were threatened by the Matriarchy - their families would be killed if they didn't commit these acts. While I still do not fully trust these men, I believe that they only acted out because of the threats. We need to keep an eye on them, and bring down the Matriarchy through whatever means necessary."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 137):

The partially drunk man speaks up..."I can leave a sign, a mark with chalk high on the wall above a certain tapestry.  That will mean that the spy who tried to force me will come to me.  Then you can burst in on her and capture her."

"I think that we could do that, though you will need to start sobering up."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 139):

He bows and agrees.

Then he climbs on a chair and makes a mark.  He then goes to his room and waits.  You and Sir Raive wait in another nearby room.  Then his door opens and shuts...

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 140):

I nod at raive. "We need to go, now."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 141):

You bust in to the room with Sir Raive right behind you, swords in hand.  A woman in a servant's uniform is talking to the guy.  She tries to leap back, but he catches her, so she does something, and he sags to the ground, pain in his face, clutching his bleeding arm.

"Stupid man." She snarls as you rush up...and you see she has a pair of very sharp and long needles dripping with gunk extending from the sleeves of her gown. "I'll kill you false king."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 142):

I grab my sword and shield. "I'm not a false king, damn it." I growl.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 143):

Your charging her gets her off balance as she tries to retreat you see that she needs space to move for her style of combat.  You, with your shield, if you are willing to risk it, can close in on her, hoping she doesn't get a poisoned needle around your shield.  She moves to the side, stabbing at you, but its a feint, and you slash at her, but she slides out of the way...One way or the other, this fight is going to be quick.

I try to parry her next swing and sneak around for a backstab.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 145):

You weakly push aside her needle to your left, and come in with a slow stab that she dances back from easily. She tries to get a good position to  your left, but you just turn to face her, and her right needle scrapes across your shield.

You bash her needle to the side, hitting her hand, and slicing into her back as she tries to spin away.  And she tumbles to the ground, unable it seems to rise.  The front half of your sword is bloody.

Plus one to parry, sword use and shield use.

"You!!" And she stabs herself in her own heart, and dies.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 146):

I look around for the man I was speaking to before. "It's done," I tell him when I find him. "Though she killed herself."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 147):

Sir Raive searches the body, but finds nothing but an iron key.

"I was hoping for some papers." He growls.  The other man speaks.

"She was very fearful of being discovered."  And then he bows to you.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 148):

"I understand. We must gather what information we can. We should call a council meeting as soon as we can."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 149):

An hour later you have your council meeting.  What can I say?  Its good to be the king.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 150):

I explain the situation that has happened with the woman who killed herself. I ask that all be cautious, and gather what more information they can.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 151):

"Do you have a plan more than trying to break them on our walls for the invading army of the Matriarchy?" Asks one of your minor lords after some looks at him by others.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 152):

"Gathering information about their weaknesses and strengths seems to be the best plan of action to me for now."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 153):

They bow and leave.

That day, you have a probing attack of several hundred men try to get to the gate, but they are driven off.  Sir Raive says it was not a serious attempt.

The other troops in the Matriarch's invasion force encircle your capital city with a line of scouts and pickets, but no major forces.  The major hammer is still in front of you, on the roadway.

The chief weakness is that you are facing an army of slaves.  The men, the front line soldiers, are forced to be here.

You seem to have cut off their infiltrators.

It is thought that they have two weeks of food, but they could have wagons coming to resupply.

You have a few magicians. They seem to have none.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 154):

Would these troops be willing to stand down if I could get them freedom?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 155):

Its definitely possible.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 156):

Then I will try to do that

In reply to Jacob (msg # 157):

How?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 158):

I was thinking a parley with the highest male leader in their group, but if not, then sending a group to try and kill the higher ranked women

In reply to Jacob (msg # 159):

If you want to sneak out, you can talk to the highest male leader.  But no official parley is possible.  The lowest ranked female has a higher rank than any of the men.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 160):

I will talk to the highest male leader then.

An hour later, you slip into a tiny tent by yourself.  Sir Raive is just outside the camp.  The tough looking man in his bedroll on the ground suddenly moves and comes at you with a dagger....but then stops.

He stares befuddled, and then sits up, crouching over.  There is not enough room in the tent for a man to sit up straight, and outside are guards and sentries.  Your magician helped you slip in.

"I thought one of my rivals was aiming to kill me, but instead I see before my eyes a King.  I should have known.  My rivals would have been more silent." He murmurs.  "What business do you have with me, foreign man king?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 162):

"You and I have similar goals in common, I believe. I want to avoid as much conflict as possible, but I realize that you and your men are slaves to the matriarchy. I offer you an alliance with my troops and I, if you are willing to turn."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 163):

HIs eyes widen, and then he nods.

"I wondered if the story they told us of your kingdom threatening theirs was true.  If we did this, how would we go about it?  And wh at would happen to us afterwards.  All any of us know is how to fight."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 164):

"Unfortunately, there is a long story to what happened that led to me being here. If you would like, you should meet with my men."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 165):

He consents to go with you, and the magician bends the attention of others so that you walk right past sentries who don't notice you.  And the Chief Fighter of this invading army meets Sir Raive, and then both of you are taken back to the castle.


Looking about in astonishment at people walking in the halls he blurts.  "You really are barbarians.  You don't plan out your days the weeks before."  And when a woman servant brings the three of you a platter with bread and hot tea, he pales in shock.

Sir Raive and I lead him to a meeting room, helping him after he pales in shock.

"We want to discuss an alliance with you. We are willing to help you with the matriarchy, to bring them down."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 167):

He waits bug eyed as the attractive servant girl walks out.  You and Sir Raive help  him calm down.

"I...I knew it in my mind, but seeing it is different.  I will help you.  Even if I die, just seeing a place, however strange where a man's life is worth more than a woman's whim to have him killed for any reason."

He laughs in shocked joy.

"I sat in my chair when a woman walked into the room."

After that, he begins by giving you detailed information about the army facing you.  Their weapons, skills, tactics, and even details about various of the fighting styles and command personalities of the leaders.  Sometimes he says something casually in passing which makes you and Sir Raive stare in shock with its terrible cruelty.  And then he goes on with other details of their situation including his best guess that this attack was a means of one of the Great Generals to strengthen her hand in internal politics against another rival back in the capital.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 168):

"We value all life equally, regardless of man or woman. At least, I personally do." I listen in and gather the information, and begin to discuss with them the battle plans.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 169):

You get a battle plan set up, and you realize that this newcomer is actually better trained in running an army than either you or Sir Raive.  Sir Raive is a better one on one combatant, especially with his superior armor, but for generalship the newcomer is better.

Of course, Sir Raive's job is to be the King's personal assistant/right hand man/bodyguard.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 170):

"I am glad we were able to set this up quite easily. Hopefully we will end this matriarchy."

The next day the general slips back in.  You lead your army forth to fight so that at dawn, when you blow the trumpet the camp is alarmed.

The sentries have been dealt with by orders from the general and dream magic from your wizard.

There is a great outcry from the camp as the female officers scream at their soldiers to rise and fight.  But then as planned, the general shouts back.

"My brothers! We fight not for the safety of our land or our honor.  We fight so that Lady Clarissa can get closer to the Pearl Throne.  Is she here with us?  NO!!  She is safe at home.  But the King of this land, a goodly man, a fair man he desires our friendship."

"Traitor! Kill him." Screams the female leader of the enemy army.....

An arrow thunks into his chest.  At this point, all is confusion.  You could ride in and attack.  The plan was for the general to lead his men to your side, but right now he's falling over face forward.....

I will rush forward and grab him, and will tell the archers to fire.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 173):

You run down the narrow road between the swamps a few paces,  dodge past a confused looking enemy soldier, and grab the general as he sags in your arms.

"If I die, I die free." He gasps, the arrow stabbed through his left side into his lung you think.

The snap of bowstrings and the hum of arrows stops with thunks into flesh.  Men scream.  The female officers yell to get the soldiers in order, and to fight back.  A few arrows launch from the enemy side, but you can hear Sir Raive bellow.

"Aim! Fire!" And another flight of arrows far more than the enemies still dissarrayed force can manage lands again.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 174):

As the archers fire, I will grab the general and carry him to safety.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 175):

Very good GE roll.

You're able to lift him, and you find new strength in your determination.  Nobody fires at you, perhaps its courtesy, perhaps its because they don't notice you.  And when you get to your lines, the magician is there, and he casts a spell of Dreaming.  It puts the blood seeping out to 'sleep' and thus coagulate.  Soon, the General is sleeping peacefully, and the magician says he should heal, if he rests.

Your arrows continue to pound the enemy, and some of them are beginning to run, and then like a tidal wave breaking a dam, the enemy begins to flee.  At first a little and then all at once.

+@1 to Charisma for rescuing a man from a battlefield.  Everyone on your side who sees you, and is not looking at the enemy, has a more sincere expression of respect instead of the more formal 'well he's the boss and we obey' respect they had before.

I can't help but smile as he heals. I hope he will pull through his injuries and recover well and quickly.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 177):

A week passes, and the forces of the Matriarchy have pulled back to the Southern Duke's city.  You have picked up two dozen deserters from the Matriarchy's invading force, and most of them want to join you, or join the General.  A couple want to go back.  And one wants to keep running to the North to get as far away as possible.

The General has been allowed to get out of bed this morning.  He is stiff and sore, but mobile.  Sir Raive is with you as always.

You have a city full of feudal levees who are chomping down your food.  Some of your leaders want to declare victory and go home.  Others want to attack the southern city and liberate it.  And others are not sure what to do.

And you've heard that there is a bardic ballad in the taverns about 'the Rescuing King'.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 178):

I will go and press my demands onto the Matriarchy's soldiers - that they leave and that their men be treated as equals.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 179):

They refuse to leave, and they laugh at your second demand.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 180):

"This war will continue until you meet the demands. You will be needlessly throwing away the lives of thousands of soldiers. You've lost."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 181):

The leader of the former Southern Duke's city laughs.

"Its just men.  They'r enot worth much anyways."

You also think that they have confidence in the city walls.  You've got them on the defensive as they do not seem eager to send an army into the roadway to attack you.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:49, Thu 25 July 2019.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 182):

"Do you not see the value of any person?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 183):

"Of course, but men are not persons, but beasts who can talk."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 184):

"They are not beasts," I snarl at her. "They are just as human as you are. Your ignorance is what has led you to believe that."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 185):

She looks startled and lunges back a few inches from fear.  You have not convinced her with logic, but you have brought anxiety to her soul.

She now regards you as a formidable and dangerous enemy.

You are now 2@1 or Level One Professional in Intimidation.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 186):

I calm down. "They're still people, regardless of what you may think of them. How is that so difficult to see?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 187):

She  laughs at you.  Its cold, nasty laughter.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 188):

"I see how it will be them. You are dooming your people because of your pride." I order them to leave.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 189):

They are led out, and your people come back in.

"You see why now I was so utterly shocked to see a woman servant helping a man?" The General says.

One of your feudal lords who has been quietly pushing to go home speaks.  "My king, given the madness on display, I am not sure we can live at peace with these.  As you know, I wanted to go home.  We need to get work done on our home lands.  A letter has come to tell me that wolves are attacking my sheep, and that a small bridge was washed away.  And yet, if I kill the wolf pack eating my sheep, will I then find two years from now an avenging army of insane people come to burn my small castle down?"

"I would agree - I am not certain that peace with this Matriarchy is possible at this point. We must figure out the quickest way possible to force them to surrender."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 191):

"The three traditional ways of overcoming a walled city are these: find someone inside to open the gates, starve them out, or go over the walls." Sir Raive said.

"Lord Chenildy, three centuries past, undermined the city mound of one of my ancestor's castles.  The whole thing fell within an hour." One lord mentions.

"You could find a plague stricken animal and toss it in." Says the northern duke who had ill will toward the now dead southern duke.

A grim mood of preparation sits on the room as your lords consider the problem.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 192):

"I don't want innocent people to starve. I will say that right now - I cannot agree with that. We might have to toss a plagued animal inside, or go over the walls."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 193):

"A quick death by drowning is kinder than the plague." One lord darkly observes.

"Indeed, it must be quick. I want no unnecessary suffering, but I want this Matriarchy to know that I will not be trifled with."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 195):

So you've decided on going over the wall.  The ladders are built.  The weapons are cleaned and sharpened.

And its a couple days' march to the southern city.

Several wagons break their axles and what should be a two day trip turns into three days.  And any hope of surprise is gone.

But you have arrived before the walls and the enemy looks down at you from the battlements.

I will meet with my generals to plan the best time to attack the city. I think at dawn would be best, but we need to make sure innocents are not harmed - or as few as possible.

And its over the wall at dawn...

Time for a General Events roll...

You're on top of the wall, swinging your sword, slicing into a defender as your other men that survived reach the wall top at the same time.  Part of the wall is held, but just barely.  Its a chaotic mess with dead everywhere.

I will help my men cut down the other defenders, so we can get more of our troops on the wall.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 199):

You got in a sword fight with one guy, and then didn't notice a spear come in on the side.  It took you down, but the wall is won.  And with the wall, the town is most in your hands although there are enemy female officers trying to escape.

You've been stabbed below the ribs, and apparently not in any major organ, but it hurts very badly.  You're in a mansion set up as a hospital for you and the other troops injured.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 200):

I grunt as I force myself up, wincing at the pain in my ribs. I will tell my men to capture as many of the remaining officers as they can, but not to kill them. I want to force them to surrender.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 201):

The doctor fusses over your wounds telling you its best not to move.  He checks  your bandage, and packs it with more of a dried root which stings lightly when it touches your skin.  He then gives you something to drink that tastes like pureed grass and rotten mushrooms.  After that, the pain recedes, and its like you're looking at the world through a glass pane, from a distance.

Your officers acknowledge your orders, and leave.  A couple officers come in and give you more detail on what is going on, and you work out details with them.  And then you feel sleepy.  After a nap, you feel a bit better, but stiff, and a quick glance at your arms reveals numerous bruises rising.  Your only real wound is the spear, but the midst of armed combat is more brutal than a mosh pit full of drunks.

Forcing yourself upright, you go to the palace of the former Southern Duke and his throne room.   Forty prisoners are led in, some wounded, others not at all.  Your men tell you that the leader and her assistant are both dead, but the third in command is still alive, and point her out.  She glares at you.

As I come into the old Duke's throne room, I nod at my men. "Now, we can do this one of two ways. The war can continue, and even more innocent people will die in the process, or we can negotiate the terms of surrender."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 203):

She sneers at you, and then spits in the eye of the soldier holding her arm.  He puts up his hand to wipe his face, and now free she charges at you, and trips over another soldier's foot which got put in front of her path.  From the thump on the ground, it takes her a couple seconds to start cussing you out.

Yes, that is a persuasion botch.  She tried to kill you in a room full of your soldiers.  A heavy hand slaps her on the side of the head.

"Shut up when his majesty is talking to you." Says one of your barons who administered the slap.  "Err, now answer his question."

"I surrender my army to you, the treasonous dogs they are." She says dully, defeat in her tone.  "I do not know if the Matriarchy will gather another army and a Lady and her officers and a General andhis men to come at you."

You remember that the attack on you was part of some Lady's desire to raise her status to top leader in the Matriarchy.  So....?

"Then that settles it. Tell your Matriarchy to remove their armies - and treat all people as equals in your realm."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 205):

She bows.  "I will tell them your message." She leaves under guard to the edge of the Matriarchy's lands to the South.

Your men ask if they can disperse their armies as the soldiers are needed back home to fight off bandits, kill wolves, build bridges, etc..

The Northern Count asks who you intend to put in charge of the Southern City that had been run by the rebellious and now dead duke.

What else are you trying to get done in your kingdom of half swamps and half mountains?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 206):

"I am not sure as to who I will put in charge of the lands in the South. As for disbanding, I believe that while we can disband our armies, we must stay ever vigilant. Be prepared to raise them if necessary."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 207):

He bows and agrees.  Still you know that you're going to need to put someone there.

Your army disbands, and people start picking up on problems that had been set aside.  About a month later, life is getting back to normal.

What do you want to do now?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 208):

Now I believe that figuring out the ruler of those lands is the best idea

(Ooc: so sorry I've been so swamped with work)

You consult with scholars and their learned texts.  Merchants visit your court and are happy to share a meal with THE KING, and drop all sorts of gossip in your ear.  Sir Raive sends in spies.

Over the next two months....(time to roll dice)....you build up a solid picture of the Matriarchy.

They  have more land that you do as much of your land is swamp.  You have a feudal system of Dukes and lower Lords and lower Knights and Men at Arms.  Their system at the bottom is somewhat similar as the tech needs drive similar social structures.

Instead of Lords and Knights, they have fully armed and armored Ladies who have better armor than your Knights.  Most of their military force is men, who wear poor armor of leather chosen more for looks and cynically for the Lady to be able to kill any rebels.  The men in an Army as they call them (you say Levee) have a higher status than serfs, but lot lower than your Men at Arms.

Unlike your setup where a Knight vows loyalty to a Lord for life or until released by mutual consent, or for misdeeds, the Ladies have much more political flux.  The Great Ladies which are somewhat like Dukes, but lesser as you have five and they have twenty can lose their position if much of their supporting Ladies join another Lady and elevate her.

And this flux goes all the way up to the Queen or Matriarch, which is currently Reyna.  Reyna seems to have been poisoned, which happens a lot.  And she is about to retire, so the most powerful of the Great Ladies are tryiing for Queen.  Which was the poiint of the invasion of y our country.  Gain status from kicking around the Swamp Kingdom.

They do have a military academy for high level Men leaders, which you lack anything of the kind.

Their capital city is much larger than  yours, but its because the capital draws in excess amounts of wealth from the country unlike your kingdom where the whole is healthy.

Any questions?

OOC: Real Life Takes Precedence is the Rule of Worldwalker, so no worries.

Jacob? You there?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 211):

ooc: yeah, sorry - working on catching up, will get a post up today or tomorrow

I will ask my advisors for their advice when it comes to what the next course of action should be - I want to send a message but I don't want needless violence at the same time.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 213):

Sir Raive says his spies have rumors of a dark horse candidate for the Great Lady that might be sympathetic to your views.

Some suggest raising taxes on various groups to pay for military fortifications on the two roads that go south to the Matriarchy at the border.

Some suggest an embargo of several  herbs that grow plentifully in the swamp, but not in th3e Matriarchy and are desired there as tea ingredients for two of them and another as a medicine for wounds.

I think the taxes should be raised only enough to pay for the fortifications, as well as the Great Lady candidate.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 215):

There is a bit of whining from some high level merchants, but it seems most of the people believe more fortifications are a  good expenditure, and so they bear up under the mild increase in taxation without much more than a few jokes.

A merchant comes to  your palace with a private message.  In private, he reveals that the Great Lady Doria is grateful for your gifts, and has been using them as bribes.  She requests more money as the situation is still quite difficult.

The message is strictly verbal as the merchant explains because doing as Doria is doing would earn her a one way trip to a room filled with alligators if she were discovered.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 216):

I ask how much more money the Lady will need.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 217):

About a third more than you've already given her.  Although if you give her two thirds more she's more confident.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 218):

I'll give her two thirds, but I'll expect results quickly.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 219):

"I will tell her, your Majesty." Says the merchant with a deep bow.

A few weeks later, and the fortifications are done.  You get a note from the Matriarchy '...Your fortifications indicate a lack of trust in our good word, and we find this an almost unbearable insult.  We suggest the path of wisdom is tear them down, and instead use them to create a wider meeting spot by dumping the refuse into the swamp.'

A few weeks later, and things are getting planted, and the bandits are (GE roll time) are finished.  However the wolf population is only slowly being beat down, and rumors of a giant mankilling wolf wise to teh ways of the swamp are spreading.

And then news comes from the Matriarchy...(GE roll).  The current Matriarch has retired, and there is news that suggests a three sided spate of sudden freak accidents among the elites while the peasants keep their heads down.  One of the sides is your candidate.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 220):

I will gather as much information as I can on her and the matriarchy to see what I should do.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 221):

You gather information, but its mostly a retread of what you already have.  Your people don't know that much about them actually.  Some favor sending in attackers, others  prefer a wait and see attitude.  Eventually you realize its not wholly in your control.  Even with the best will and the best plan things might not break your way.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 222):

In that case, I'll go directly to her to gather information.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 223):

Sir Raive comes with you, unless you yell at him to stay.  Anyone else you want to go with you? (you can invent reasonable jobs).

The ride down the border is swift along the road through the swamp.  You pass more carts, and you see the merchants are more cheerful and the peasants you pass seem happy.

When you arrive at your Southern city, you see repairs are still going on.  You may stop to talk to the City Regents Council, which is the temporary ruling force under you, or not.

Passing on, you reach the impressive fortification across the roadway.  The single wagon wide tunnel gate is forboding and claustophobic, and above you are a dozen murder holes from which can spill hot oil onto invaders. On the plus side, it gives a nice feeling of security on the northern side of the wall.  Unfortunately now you're on the southern side, and headding into Matriarchy territory.

You go a few miles, and began to see more solid land, and less swampland.  A day's journey on, and its mostly solid land with rice farmers.  You pass a dead man beside the road who is in stocks.  Below him is a sign 'Disrespect of a Lady.'

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 224):

I approach the man to show I'm not a threat and ask why he was forced in the stocks. I do my best to not seem aggressive or rude about it, but out of a genuine concern to help him.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 225):

"I...was dis dis respectful of a lady." He sways, and you can see his eyes are not tracking well.  "I did not get off the road in time. Not in time. Marty, I, who are you?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 226):

"My name is Jacob. Who put you in the stockade?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 227):

"Servants of the Great Lady Cynthia."  GLC is along with Doria and Karen, the three contenders for the Queen of the Matriarchy.  "She's enforcing the old rules, from two centuries ago."

Sir Raive asks.  "Did she not work for Adora?"
"Adora died.  Some say assasins hired by the Swamp Kingdom.  She fell off her horse in an open field."

"Water, good sir, water?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 228):

I offer him a drink from my flask. 'When the war was won, we demanded equality. To hear that they have rejected it is most disapointing. I will need to find out more. Come with me."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 229):

He, Lou, comes along with you, and in another five miles you reach a small village.  Its about two hours from nightfall.  The 'wall' is a weak wooden woven fence six feet high.  Rice fields surround the village.

The village has about fifty houses.  Your local says that there is an inn there as any 'small' village has to have one.  'Tiny' villages have to have a campground.

This village is Renrika.  Its his home.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 230):

"We'll need to set up camp, but I think we need to press on." With that I'll find a private spot, and set up a camp.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 231):

There is the noise of some animals outside the camp that night waking you.  In the morning, you find fox tracks and the tracks of a bear.

Travelling on, and out of rice fields into barley fields you come to another village.  Hanging up above the village is a green banner with a golden crown on it and a stylized 'D'.  This village is held by Great Lady Doria who you have sponsored.  Its name is Tamta.

"I think we can find a room at an inn tonight," I say as I take a sip of water.

ooc: I"m so sorry, I got stupidly busy

In reply to Jacob (msg # 233):

OOC: Real Life Takes Precedence.

You find an inn which is rather cutesy for your taste.  But its nice to have a hot bath, and barley soup with mutton roast and carrots (although they are more purple than orange) for dinner.  The drink is goat's milk, or wine, or mead.

When you come down for breakfast the next morning, you're sitting with your group waiting for the serving man to come and take your order when a Lady enters with eight men behind her, all Army types.

"Seize them for the murder of Lady Estail by poison." She points an accusing finger at you.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 234):

I reach for my blade. "What the hell are you talking about?" I snarl.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 235):

"A stranger, with weapons with friends, and an armed retainer, is in town the same time the Lady is poisoned.  Clearly a villain. Seize him."

She backs up, and the men with her spread out in a line, drawing their weapons.  Everyone else is scramblng for cover.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 236):

"I really don't have any idea what you're talking about, but if you want a fight, then so be it." I draw my blade.

And the fight is on.

A man swings a clumsy overhand attack at you, and you block it.  But when you lunge back, he beats it aside.  Some other clueless guy comes at Raive and he ducks it, and then nicks them on the arm just a bit.  And your other men draw their weapons, but no blows are exchanged  yet.

And then Sir Raive steps on a bit of spilled gravy, and he's down on the ground.

"Get them now!" Screams the Lady from behind her line of army soldiers.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 238):

"I don't think so," I snarl slashing at them.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 239):

You rip open a man's forearm, and they charge you.  Your blade goes into someone's gut, and a blade lays your head open, but its a glancing blow.  You stab the man back, and through his throat.  He falls.  Sir Raive and dthe others lay in, and the battle is fully on.

You have no idea who is going to win, but there are two men in front of you who are trying to kill you...

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 240):

I'm going to stab at the one that's closer to me.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 241):

You stab at the first guy, and in a panic he throws himself back, and falls, klonking his head on a heavy table edge.  He goes bonelessly to the ground.  But you have no time to pursue him as the second guy comes at you, and you slash at him, and he's just so slow that your blade parts his throat.

And then the battle is over.

Your side has won.

The Lady in charge of the other side is bolting out the front door.

+@2 to sword skill.  You are now a professional low grade swordsman.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 242):

How far way is the lady? Could I capture her?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 243):

Twenty feet.  But she's at teh doorway.  However, while you can capture her, she is going to be running for her life...so she might get away.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 244):

I'll run after her and try to bring her to the ground.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 245):

Rolling dice.  Good rolls for both GE and your attack.

You run after her, catching the door before it fully closes.  Outside is a wagon going down the street, and it gets in her way and slows her and distracts her so you are able to charge up behind her, and hit her with a hard blindside tackle that takes her down with her face in the mud.  She's struggling under you, but even with her armor, you heard the air go out of her lungs when you hit her.  Your right shoulder is sore from hitting the armor.  And her struggles don't seem to be doing that well.

The wagon driver continues on with a frightened look and  a clear determination not to be involved in anything.

Hard Tackle: May cause loss of wind and Stamina check on target.  Does potentially bone breaking damage. Fairly serious damage.  1@3.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 246):

"Stand down, and I will let you go." Even if she does stand down, I will tie her wrists together so she can't escape.

She surrenders, and you tie her wrists together.  Some others see this, but everyone quickly turns away.  You don't even have to explain or glare at anyone.  People are clearly frightened of something in this society.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 248):

I'll look for any more info I can while Sir Reeve sees her to the dungeon.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 249):

Sir Raive sets out and takes her to the town dungeon. (you are in an enemy country remember.  Sure you want to do this?).

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 250):

(I'm not totally sure, now.)

I will go with Raive to see her to the dungeon.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 251):

You take her to the city dungeon, and the two male guards outside look at you wide eyed.  A Lady with another guard comes out, and your prisoner shouts.

"He's the murderer of Lady Estail."

Weapons get drawn, but the Lady raises an eyebrow, and commands everyone to hold position.

"An odd thing to do for him to bring you to the dungeon, Lady Cilintra, if that is true."  She gives you a curious look.  And then studies Raeve.

"A northern knight, and an odd man, but not from the Matriarchy."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 252):

"She was the one who had attacked first. I simply responded accordingly."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 253):

"You should have surrendered." Your prisoner says.
The other lady nods her head contemplatively.  "It is true. Its the Law."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 254):

"Well, I'm not the type to surrender unless I have no other option." With that I'll leave with Raive and my other men.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 255):

You leave and make your way back to the inn.  The people there are surprised to see you, but happy as well.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 256):

Well, I guess I'll get a drink with them. If they want to celebrate I guess I will too.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 257):

The next morning you hear that the real murderess of Lady Estail has been caught trying to escape into the countryside last night.  From what people say, this is an expected part of politics in the Matriarchy.  Lots of poison and 'accidents' when there is a time of turmoil as in the time of the choosing of the new Great Lady.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 258):

Damn. I will alert any of my allies in the area to be alert for any information on who the real murderer is, and to keep an eye out for her.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 259):

One of your allies verifies that the real murderess has been caught, and passes on to you a question from the Lady you are sponsoring for the leadership of the Matriarchy.  She can come to you in  a week's time, she thinks, if you stay where you are, or you can go with your ally on a two day trip cross country to where she is.  Its up to you.  In any case, she 'extends warmest greetings to my noble ally from the Northern Swamps'.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 260):

I'll go to where she is.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 261):

Two GE rolls, one for opposing forces, and another for general trip hazards.

You make the trip without seeing any but a few farmers who show no signs of concern at  your passing.  But that night, it rains hard, and you get wet.  The next morning is miserable as you dry out but no one seems to have caught a cold or anything from the experience.

Late in the second day, you ride into a small town and find that the lady you sponsored is out meeting some officials at a farmhouse five miles away.  The plan is for her to return before dark.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 262):

OOC: What should I roll? I'm not sure what it is for GE

OOC: I suspect that he rolled the GEs on your behalf already, and has described the resulting events for your reaction.  :)

In reply to Oak (msg # 264):

Oak is correct.  In the future, if you want to roll GE rolls you can.  It is a 3d10 with the numbers added up to make the sum.  Just tell me if  you want to do it that way.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 265):

thanks

I guess the plan is to go to the farmhouse.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 267):

Roll 3d10.

20:58, Today: Jacob rolled 18 using 3d10 ((6,10,2)).

In reply to Jacob (msg # 269):

You're halfway to the farmhouse and have not seen anyone but your crew for the last hour when you hear a sort of hoarse snorting and wheezing from the high bushes around you.  And then twenty feet ahead of you on your narrow footpath a two hundred pound boar walks out, and he just stares at you a bit surprised you think.  Your men are behind you, some close, some spread out a bit.  Sir Raive takes up a post to your immediate left where he is halfway into a bush, and he has his sword out.

"Might be  just one, might be a whole sounder, my king.  Boars are dangerous."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 270):

I'll keep my blade close. "I understand. Keep your eyes peeled for anything."

The men take up posts, and a few more boars step out, and mill about, and everyone waits for about five minutes that feel like an hour.  Until finally one boar snorts, and they all charge off into the bush away from your group.

"The group was large enough, them few enough for us to scare them off. And as per your command we kept quiet instead of making noise which worked this time."  Sir Raive says.  The men are nerved up by the experience, and make quick time the rest of the way.

Upon arriving, you see a small farmhouse under some old trees, and fields extednging out behind the farmhouse along with a garden and a shed.  Some people are in the front yard as you emerge from the bush lined path, and at first they grab for their weapons, but a clear female voice among them rings out.

"Hold sisters, hold men of my army, do you not recognize the wise and generous king, our good friend?"

A striking blonde, tall, a bit horsefaced, with lively green eyes steps out from the group.  She stands as if its clear she's in charge.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 272):

I keep my blade by my side, but ease up as she holds her men back. I will ask about the murder and everything going on.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 273):

"I am the Great Lady Doria,  your majesty. Thanks to  your generous and wise gifts I have been able to hold much territory to the west of us.  But as we get closer to the Great Road you must have come down, I face the Great Lady Cynthia's forces.  She is enraged at your humiliation of one of her pawns which you had captured and then let go.  She is the one who wanted war with you.

But Great Lady Holly is in 'control' in the capital city, although such control is weak, and barely reaches past the gates.  She is trying to position herself as the 'go back to normal' candidate, and me as the 'wild reformer' and Cynthia as the 'bloodthirsty idiot'.

I of course, call her weak, but I can't attack her too much as Cynthia owns much of the ground near th ecapital, and if Cynthia can take the capital and that ground then I will be shut out.

But we are aided by several things.  One much of the Army of Men is restive, and some units have privately sworn not to fight you or me, so I hear.  So Cynthia cannot be sure of her own Army.  But then if she had a loyal unit with swords she could and would execute any open mutineers, so it is very touch and go.

Both sides are using assasins, poisons, arrows from behind trees.  I myself dodged an arrow attack yesterday.  But it is of course, not just me, but my supporters.  And I have to protect enough of them as well or  they will start to fear and go over to the other side.

Some of my people are genuinely loyal to me, or to my area of the country, and some are loyal to reform, but at least half are just heartsick at losing the war. So your strength has convinced many, even those who hate you, that it were better to seek peace.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 274):

"I can't agree more that we need to find peace. I will need to confer with my group to see what we should do about this."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 275):

She nods graciously, and offers you the use of a private gazebo with privacy screens in the back yard.  Its a very convenient thing for making sure no one is listening to you, and the fact that this house has one tells you more about this culture.  And one of your people asks, and yes, its a common thing at upper class houses.

Sir Raive and your others wait to hear your thoughts and questions once you are alone with your team.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 276):

I would ask them what their thoughts were - my thought is that we seek peace for now, but I want their input.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 277):

They, in general, think that the only way to get peace is to help your hostess.  There is some variation on that idea....some think that you should just toss the idea, go back home, raise an army and come back and burn some cities down.  Others point out that your hostess sounds very good, but she could change her mind once she gets power.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 278):

I feel like I wouldn't want to resort to violence unless needed. I will tell her I'm willing to work within reason with her.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 279):

"Your Majesty, the Great Lady Holly is in 'control' of the capital city.  Would you be willing to guarantee her rule of your southern city, as a Duchess, under  your authority of course, in exchange for her giving the capital city to me?  This might be enough for me to tilt the board in my favor, and force the Great Lady Cynthia to flee with her personal entourage."

In reply to Eric (msg # 280):

"I will need time to speak with my men regarding the matter. I will consider it, though." With that, I will speak with my men about it.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 281):

Your men think that the other nobles won't have too much of a problem with it....especially since you've made your feelings on equal treatment of men and women VERY clear.  Also, it won't put one group of your nobles above another group as the power will go to an outsider.

On the other hand, can you really trust the Great Lady Holly to be content to be a loyal to you and the Swamp Kingdom as the Duchess Holly?  Might she try to drag  you into a war to the South to regain her queendom?

They give you suggestions, but as always, lonely is the head that wears the crown. You're ultimately in charge, and win or lose its on you.  Your men though are loyal, and will follow your directions.  You've seen that they respect you more.  They won't complain whatever  you decide.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 282):

I will ask her to allow me a day or so to contemplate the decision, and I will return to her tomorrow.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 283):

"Of course, your majesty. Such matters are weighty indeed, and need due consideration.  If  there is anything you need, my people will only be too glad to get it for you or your men."  She bows, and walks out, leaving you with the hard job of deciding what now?

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 284):

We will decide if we go with her offer and refuse. I will speak with my men regarding the matter.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 285):

They give you a wide variety of options, and you get to decide.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 286):

How common was each type of response?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 287):

Smallest was 'let's go home now'.  Next highest was 'get a different deal'. Next higher up was a hybrid position of 'we probably can't trust her, but we can probably squish her when she inevitably betrays us.'  Next higher was 'just keep pushing and be patient.  Things will break out way.'

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 288):

I'll go with the "keep pushing" option.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 289):

Over the next two months....

Time for a GE Roll.

You do have a solid position, but it could go very bad.  Your hostess might decide her best chance is to poison you, or she might decide to trade you for her life if she gets sufficiently threatened by encircling armies.  But that's highly unlikely.

On the plus side, well, you might end up King of the Swamp Kingdom and the Soutehrn Kingdom, but that's also extremely unlikely.

GE Roll: 8. Ouch. Not the worst, but not that great either.

You've dodged two assasination attempts directed at you (poison in your wine, and a crossbow bolt from a bush as you ride your horse).  There have been four skirmishes with the enemy Great Lady who holds the field that you have participated in.  You're becoming a seasoned Army commander, and a decent cavalryman to boot.

One other 'skirmish' ended when Sir Raive killed the female Lady in charge in a sword duel, and the men of that small Army (about 50) threw down their weapons.  The male leader then spoke to  you.

"Great King. Some of my men would go with you, but most have to come back.  For if we all flee to your side, then our families will be put to the sword."  He waits on your decision.

  A tentative power sharing agreement between both enemy great ladies has arisen in the last week.  You can tell its naturally unstable as sweating dynamite.

Its like Stalin and Trotsky.  One man ain't going to die peacefully in bed.  But for now, they're making friendly noises and cursing your ally as a 'puppet of evil man king'....that would be you.

On the plus side, you've had a sizable amount of men from the Army desert to your side as your message of fairness for both sexes is quite liked by the men.  Most of these drift into the area, in ones and twos, and surrender to the first patrol that spots them.  And you've spotted a small number of Ladies who you are sure actually believe in what you are preaching.  Its a minority as smost on your Great Lady's side are in it for themselves or her or sound like they're there for your cause, but you're uncertain, but it is nice to meet a powerful noblewoman who does not have to restrain the urge to spit in your presence, or be stone faced, but actually honestly and openly respects you and is willing to stand up to her sisters and say so.  Your Great Lady is too good a politician to show her true feelings, but you think she's also good enough of a politician to not let things like prejudgices get in the way of her getting power.  And by now, she's tied to you.  For her, its win or die.  Her alliance with you has tainted her enough that she cannot surrender, and expect to live.

So, you are getting a hard core of supporters who can be relied on.

And the men in the Army of the Matriarchy, even your enemies on the field, all call you 'Great King' which aggravates any enemy female commander, but they do it anyways.

So, thats good...although mixed with the bad.

And Merry Christmas.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:21, Wed 29 Dec 2021.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 290):

Can I try to secure any alliances with anyone else?

In reply to Jacob (msg # 291):

Sure, absolutely.  There is a collection of different tribes of the same ethnicity in the mountains who generally hate the Matriarchy, and raid them at times.  Other times the Matriarchy does a 'punishment mission' and burns one of their villages.  Its a long standing hate-trade-hate relationship.

Three weeks travel south of you is the end of the Matriarchy, and a cow farming land in a river valley called the Vale of Nine Towns.  Your people don't know much about them except that they occasionally if infrequently fight the Matriarchy, have good cavalry, disdain the Matriarchies' men as 'rice eaters' which seems to be an insult meaning weak physically and cowardly mentally.

You can also call up your own troops in a feudal levee.  Or just call up your knights and men at arms who are much fewer in number but more professional.

ill head to Nine Towns then.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 293):

You set out, which does not endear you to your allies in the Matriarchy.  They're angry that you're not just relying on them.

The second day out, fogs roll in, and you're stuck travelling on horseback through fog dense enough that you can see the ass of the horse in front of you, but not the head.  After a bit, its clear the only thing to do is to wait and camp.  And then the alligators from the swamp show up.

Nobody is seriously injured, but its a full three days of triple watches, sudden attacks by hungry reptiles, and dew on everything including down your back, with weapons ready before the fog lifts and the alligators go back to the swamp.  Exhausted, you continue onward only to find out that while you are heading south, you somehow lost the main road. You're on a side road.

On the plus side, you increase your skills with sword and spear, kill a fourteen foot gator solo with a spear strike, and the men are more determined to stick together than ever.  Whatever soft edge there was to your men is now gone.

OOC: Bad dice rolls for skill and GE.

Is there anyone who looks like the leader here? If so I'll speak to them.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 295):

Another two weeks which are less harsh follow, and then you pass into plains land.  You are followed at a distance by a few men on horses, but they show no readiness to get close to y ou.

And then a crew of four dozen men on horses come over a hill in front of you after several days of being paced.  You ride out, and one in the middle with a black beard mixed with gray, and better weapons and fur trimmings than the others looks surprised, but then comes out to meet you in the middle.

"I am the Rancher Stefan. You ride on my grasslands for the last day."

He rides very well on his horse.

"I understand. THank you."

(ooc: tested positive for covid today, so I will likely have delays)

In reply to Jacob (msg # 297):

"Why do you come into my lands?  And who are you?"

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 298):

"MY name is Jacob. It's a... complex situation, but I can try to explain it." And with that I try to explain as best I can.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 299):

"Your Majesty, we are surprised to be visited by you, and your...." He eyes your group with respect and wariness.  And looking at his group, which is larger, you're not sure  your group would not win.  There is a hard edge of experienced veterans in all of your team. "Entourage.  I must say I find your proposal interesting.  We dislike the ways of the Matriarchy among the Rancher Lords with the way they refuse to speak to us, but require us to send out a female speaker.  We would be willing to set that aside however, if they were not inclined to send what they call 'taxing parties' and more honest folk would call raids for cattle into our lands.

The true border of our land is the River Tand which you crossed a day ago."

You remember it.  It was only a foot deep, and with plains on both sides.  But half a mile north of it was the last rice farm with a canal to the river, and good defenses.

"If you could get them to recognize the River Tand as our boundary we would be greatly pleased.  We burn their farms, and they send raids into our territory.  But I tell you truthfully, we have no desire to burn, not most of us.  We do it because if we did not they would keep moving south year after year.  We live on a free range, with each Lord being a minimum of one day's horse travel apart.  With their cities and farms, if we did not trim them back, they could just push us off the land.  I am content with my land.  I have two hundred Riders, and several villages, and a great Ranchhouse, and a ten thousands of free roaming cattle.  I don't want their barley or their rice.  My gardens grow enough herbs to put aside my steak that I am able to feed my people well."

He turns and makes a hand gesture, and all of his men suddenly rear their horses as one.

"We ride horses. We eat carrots and steak. We play music in the late evening and dance.  We want for little, but peace.  But warrior king, we are ready to fight if you can give us peace."

I nod at Stefan. "I understand. I would gladly speak to them about this, if you would allow me."

In reply to Jacob (msg # 301):

He pulls off a heavy silver bracelet engraved with horses, and hands it to you.

"They will know you speak for me if you show them this, Great King. I will send thirty Riders with you, if you wish it, to be commanded by you.  And I will send word of your words, bravery to cross the Matriarch's land to talk peace with us, and friendship to the other Rancher Lords, if you wish it."

He thinks for a few seconds.

"King, if you can secure peace, so that my sons do not grow up to war with the Matriarchy's poor men, I will pledge up to five thousand cattle to your cause. And I will ride to war if need be, at your side."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 302):

"Some riders would be helpful, and sending word would be as well. I will try my best to secure peace."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 302):

You now have thirty veteran riders to serve as scouts and pathfinders.  It makes the trip wherever you are going faster, safer, and smoother.  Your guys are good riders. These guys ride like they were born in the saddle.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 304):

I will ride to speak with the Matriarchy's leadership about the dilemma.

In reply to Jacob (msg # 305):

You speak to several other Rancher Lords, and get one other firm committment, and thirty more riders, and another silver bracelet.  But the other two are more skeptical.

However, you go on to the fourth, and come over the hill with your knights and riders and see the valley beyond filled with Riders.  Several dozen different bannners fly over different parts of the camp.

Your riders race up to you laughing.

"Its a Great Moot, my King.  We have these once every five years, or in an emergency."  As you stand on the hillside, you see riders with a new banner come over another hill, over a hundred of them.  They wave your way excitedly, and then pelt down the hillside in what looks like reckless speed with some of the Riders getting up on saddleback to stand while whooping out loud.

The Chief Rider smiles at you as he straightens up his own clothes.  "Best dress well, my King.  All the eligible young ladies of the Rancher Lords will be here as well."  You notice all the other Riders are doing the same to their gear.  This Moot is a big political thing, but trading, especially of horses, and marriages and parties are a big part of it as well.

OOC: I am SO sorry about life being so busy.

I nod to the men, straightening up my own gear as I take a swig from my flask. "I suppose you're right. When was the last one?"

In reply to Jacob (msg # 307):

OOC: No worries.

"Four years ago."

You ride into the 'town', and see that the ladies are out in their finest as well.  Brightly colored leather capes enamelled with various colors and patterns are over multi layered dresses, and everyone has their hair up in extravagant styles with silver rods stuck through their hair.  Everyone is smiling, and yelling, and chatting with old friends they haven't seen in years as they put up temporary tents for the Moot.

Going further, you hear horns and strings being played, and see a hundred dancers already getting in the first dance of the day as a half dozen players on drums, wood horns, and giant guitars play music for them.  They wave wildly at you as they keep on their dance moves with their multiple partners.  It involves a lot of jumping and kicking, and is partly between a jump off, a club scene, and a square dance.

On the other side, you see older men examining a bull of rather large size who is taking all the prodding and ear checking in stride.  Silver changes hands, and one of the men leaves with the bull on a rope, and the bull goes willingly along, which considering the size differential is the only way the bull would move.

I will try to join my men in some of the dancing - eventually things will be serious at the Moot, so might as well have fun now.

Given that you're a King (which ranks higher than a Rancher Lord or one of the Mayors of the Nine Vale Towns which are also in attendance---these towns are the market towns for the Ranchers and are a bit lower in status than the Rancher Lords), and a proven warrior, and unlike most of the Lords and Mayors you are not married, you find your dance card is full.  As in, there is a short line of girls wanting to dance who are waiting for you to stop dancing with one so you can move on to the next.  If you're up for it, you can dance for four hours straight with about sixty different girls.

Its a very vigorous dance style with lots of jumping and arm waving involved.  There is spinning about in place as well, and tap dancing as the partner watches, and even the horseriding part where the girls jumps on your back, or shoulder, and slaps the hand of another girl in similar situation.

It is a good thing you've had a lot of exercise because this is very energetic, and while the girl on your shoulders might be light, her five layers of decorated gowns and aprons add some weight.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Wed 01 Nov 2023.