Jacob's Job
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.