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You decide to take your mother up on her offer and return to the tavern with Aemelia. It’s a shorter walk than the Cuy Manse and less dull. You nearly snort aloud at the notion. Your lord uncle prides himself on his House’s reputation for lively feasts and the like. He’d be fit to gag if it were suggested that a common tavern was more entertaining than his hospitality, even if it is true.

“I feel… overdressed,” Aemelia comments while you toss another log onto the hearth’s fire. You took the table near the fire so she could better warm up.

“No one cares how you’re dressed here,” you tell her.

“But they do care that I am here,” she says with a look cast towards the bar. A trio of your father’s watchmen are having a round at the bar and working their usual routine of trying to flirt with Holly, your mother’s other barmaid. They’d taken to muttering at sight of Aemelia. It’s been a few days since Aemelia came to House Cuy’s notice and guards talk, so you’re hardly surprised that they’d know of her. Of course, it’s less that she’s here and more who she is. In this corner of the Reach, her family name is worse than having none at all.

“And they’ll be gone soon enough, but we won’t. I’d say they’re just waiting for Mother to break open that cask of ale when Terrence comes in,” you say. Your brother held back to speak with the Knight of Greengrove as well as the Dornishman he unhorsed. More coin to collect.

“That’s two potions now,” you mention to Yvetta when she plops down in a nearby chair after helping your mother in the kitchen.

“What?”

“I gave up a potion for the armor and another to you,” you point out.

“You’re the one making me drink it,” Yvetta protests.

“You are not curious? I would be,” Aemelia says. She’s back behind her mulled wine when you look at her. That could be… interesting. But then you don’t yet know the true effects, and Aemelia’s fragility at the tourney grounds was concerning…

“Your maniac husband still has another,” Yvetta suggests. Her heart isn’t in it, though. She’s busy drinking and glancing towards the door. “What’re these worth?”

“I’ve never made them before, so it’s hard to say. Healing draughts and salves are more of what I’ve leaned on,” you answer.

“Then we’ll see how well it works first,” Yvetta says. Your thoughts as well. She doesn’t have the coin to pay you a respectable sum. At least, not yet. If she bags your brother like she’s aiming for and the coming days bear fruit, then she may just find herself at least temporarily richer than you. Speaking of…

Your brother walks in the door and gets a cheery greeting from the guardsmen and Holly, either for his performance or for want of the ale cask. Everyone gets a horn of ale on the house to celebrate. Aemelia coughs at a sip of hers.

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>>4667433
“Are you well?” you ask her.

“It is just… different,” she replies.

“Different? Different from what? Wine? Have you never had ale before?” you gawk.

“No… not of this sort. It is more of a man’s drink, is it not?” Aemelia says. You shrug. The women around here drink it, but perhaps it’s seen differently in her circles.

“That whore,” Yvetta half growls. Holly is flirting with Terrence at the bar while he catches up with one of the guardsmen he knows.

“She does that with everyone,” you point out. Terrence begs off to set down his sword and satchel at a nearby table. “See? Harmless.”

“Yeah… you better not be wrong about this,” Yvetta mutters to you.

“When was the last time I was wrong about anything? It’s just that you all don’t lis—” you start, but she’s already making her move. You sigh and give Aemelia a look. “See?”

Yvetta pounces on him nearly the moment his arse hits the seat. Terrence is awfully surprised at first, but he seems to roll with it nicely enough once she’s in his lap. The guardsmen throw up a good laugh and cheer for it.

“That’s not quite what I meant. I’d assumed she would be a bit smoother about it,” you comment to Aemelia.

“More graceful,” she adds.

“Just so,” you nod.

“Like when we did it,” Aemelia whispers into your ear. Now you’re the one coughing on the ale.

“Something like that,” you allow.

Your mother brings out some freshly baked pies from the kitchen and stumbles upon Yvetta and Terrence. She just makes a couple of bawdy jokes about coming up for air and Yvetta miss taking what she meant on dessert, making the guardsmen roar all the louder at your brother’s embarrassment.

The guardsmen leave after they finish their round and grab a slice of pie each. A few other watchmen and sailors trickle in and out as the night winds on. Yvetta and Terrence go of… somewhere. You don’t know. Your attention is more on a rosy cheeked Aemelia. She’s taken to trading small, inane stories with you, slipping in some giggling flirting as she pleases.

You opt to take her upstairs when she’s clearly too tired to go for another round. She pushes you up against the wall of your room, kissing you deeply and hungrily. A fair bit of fumbling sees her out of her dress and you out of your doublet. She laughs when you fall over in your rush to get your boots off.

“They just need more breaking in, is all,” you say.

“Don’t we all. Come here,” she grabs your arm and pulls you into the bed, laughing again when you end up on top of her. The bed isn’t meant for two. You continue on kissing her like before until she pulls away. “I want more, but we must wait. I made a promise.”

She’s lightly snoring into your chest soon after her words. Confusing woman…

>>4667435
You’re awakened by loud banging upon the door. When you extricate yourself from Aemelia’s grasp and open the door, your mother passes off a sealed roll of parchment.

“I’ve heard her type like to do it with their clothes on, but I didn’t put much stake in it,” your mother says at sight of Aemelia sleeping in her shift.

“We haven’t yet,” you nudge her back from the door frame. “Who is this from?”

“What’s this? Your father’s started telling the truth? Some runner boy in fancy clothes brought that,” she says before you shut the door with a mumbled word of thanks.

Aemelia rolls over with a groan at the noise. “No more ale. Ever,” she says. She blinks and peers at the parchment. “That seal is of Lys.”

You open and unroll it over a better look. “It’s the bank you mentioned… they do know this is in the wrong language, right?”

“Let me see… it is addressed to Lady Haeliathas,” Aemelia smiles. “I like that.”

“What does that mean?” you ask.

“Sunflower, in a sense. It is a touch more stylized than your tongue allows… it implies that we are of a House Sunflower with a lady at its head… me. They see you as my consort,” Aemelia says, her smile only growing.

“That’s possible in Lys?” you ask.

“It is. Different families have different traditions there. Matriarchs are not uncommon. Sex is less important for lineage than it is for power. Only men may be magisters, and magisters rule the city,” she explains.

“So, magisters are lords,” you summarize.

“Not quite. A family may boast several magisters or none at all. My grandfather of Morelleon is a magister, but he is the only one of that name. Moraqos and Orlisis boast several magisters while some like Sathmantes have none,” she says.

“So, with this Haeliathas… they think of us as one of these houses or families?” you ask.

“They do not think of us as anything. They have been told this is what we are and so it is. This is from the Bank. The Bank is not like your banks. The Bank of Lys serves at the pleasure of the magisters, all of the magisters. They enter in pacts with this bank alone, so where one profits, all may profit. A magister would have told them to use this name…” she suddenly frowns.

>>4667437
“What is it?” you ask.

“It is an honor, but I did not ask for this. Sunflower. How could they know that unless…”

“They’re watching us,” you finish.

“And a magister must be here… I doubt it is my grandfather. An ally? I am not sure which. I hope Mama is not playing some sort of game with me,” she frowns.

“I guess we’ll know soon enough,” you shrug.

“There is more, the terms… oh. Commenda. That makes more sense… they will put up the full cost of the wine here, then they will want half of the profit in return,” she says.

“That’s a bad deal for them. Too bad. They’d put up 120 gold dragons and expect 120 dragons in return? We expected 240 from selling,” you scoff.

“No, there is more. Our proposed number of 240 was scratched out and replaced with 360… I do not know what the reasoning is for that. Still, this could be speculative. The terms would be for the length of the loan, so a split in profits with growing profits could eventually favor them. It also is expected in addition to the terms of the loan,” she points out.

“You are good with this,” you say.

“Father did not have a son,” she says, but seems pleased all the same.

“What are the terms of the loan?” you ask.

“They have two rates. One for 3 years and one for 5 years,” she points at the parchment.

You glance over the numbers. Quarterly rates, good. Fits with the trips. The 3-year rate would bump up awfully close to your expected profits, but it would ultimately cost you less overall. The 5-year rate affords you more breathing room, but it ends up amounting to nearly double your principle over the course of the loan.

“Both of these have their merits,” you say.

“As does this name. I do like it… it makes us seem less Westerosi,” she says.

“And that’s a good thing?”

“Our Westerosi names are marks against us, so yes,” she says.

“It seems to tie us to Lys, though,” you point out.

“So does a loan,” she says. “Either way, we should decide on how we are to approach them tonight…”

Fuck it's 1am for me, roll well anons, get us that money

Breakdown:

Option 1
Loan of 1000 gold dragons
5-year payment
30% interest
99.51 quarterly payment

Option 2
Loan of 1000 gold dragons
3-year payment
20% interest
113.36 quarterly payment

Commenda (Bank of Lys only)

The Bank will push up the price of your vintage in Lys by 50% (240gd to 360gd) and front the initial cost of the product with House Cuy. Profits are split 50/50 with the bank. Initially, this leads to no change in your personal profits of 120gd a quarter and nets them nothing (120gd for them, 120gd for you with them paying 120gd up front). However, they stand to gain from this if House Cuy expands production. (This is not optional with them. It is a condition for their patronage.

Loan vote
>You like the 5-year contract. It is the more comfortable rate. [Healer]
>You like the 3-year contract. It is the most efficient rate you could manage. [Alchemist]
>Pass. Now that you’ve seen their terms, you’d rather work with a Westerosi bank. [Rogue]
>Suggest something else. A different rate, something else to offer, etc, etc. [Rogue]

Name vote
>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]
>Stick with the Westerosi “Sunflower” instead. You don’t want to be that tied to Lys. [Rogue]

First for Terrence winning the Superb Owl

>Suggest something else. A different rate, something else to offer, etc, etc. [Rogue]
the bank has no idea if the vintage will be good or bad, it might not even be well received regardless of what they think, they benefit from expanding they will also lose if Cuy doesn't
How about a loan of 300-500 gold coins for one year with an interest of 10-20% percent and we make sure to prepare a proper wine for them to sample

>>4667447
I need to do some number crunching for the Loan vote
Name vote
>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]

>>4667471
The ship costs 800. That is before the costs for the crew and anything else that you might want such as alchemy supplies/equipment.

>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]
Incase we do end up making business, they probably know the customs here but they might be testing us or they just care about their people

>>4667475
My mistake, in that case... 800 is pretty tight compared to 1000 coins and a contract of 3 years might be worth it

We could always try to take two loans, one small from westerosi banks and a bigger one from lys bank

>>4667447
>>You like the 3-year contract. It is the most efficient rate you could manage. [Alchemist]
>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]

>>4667447
Good thing Tristan isn't the type who'll take offense for doing this, but I hope Aemilia recognizes and appreciates the deference we're showing her in this matter.
>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]

Can we hold off on making the decision for the loan for now while we browse the other banks? It's just a letter, right? They don't need an answer immediately.

>>4667480
You could.

>>4667823
If there is more consensus to go to the other bank before making a decision, then we can do that.

>>4667447
>Profits are split 50/50 with the bank
Only for the sales in Lys. Can we negotiate the fine print?

>>4667888
It's specifically for the wine (regardless of where it is sold) because that is what they are fronting the cost for.

One thing I should mention is that you're not locked into selling just wine. The wine is sold every 3 months, leaving you time to dive more into alchemy or to establish other routes. As it stands, this arrangement with the wine is the bare minimum you can manage and still effectively pay off a ship, but the maximum is up to you guys.

>negotiate the fine print

Yup. I put this out before the meeting so that there would be time to come up with ideas, but details such as deferring the first payment or two, etc. are open to negotiation.

>>4667887
>If there is more consensus to go to the other bank before making a decision, then we can do that.
Seconded

>>4667903
I would like to explore leasing the cog instead of outright purchasing it. It’s what the airlines do all around the world. Since wine is sold every 3 months leasing the cog is even more reasonable.

>>4667447
>>You like the 3-year contract. It is the most efficient rate you could manage. [Alchemist]
>>Stick with the Westerosi “Sunflower” instead. You don’t want to be that tied to Lys. [Rogue]

>>4667998
Instead of tying all our cash into a cog, we can instead increase our profit margins now that we’ve seen our wine’s Lys price tag. Diminishing returns and the time value of money.

>>4667998
>>4668012
Hmm. The concept should exist here in a sense. Rather than leasing an empty ship, it would be paying a crewed ship to transport your cargo for you. Not an unusual arrangement at all. That effectively makes you more of a middle man, but then it is your invention that we're dealing with here. House Cuy didn't want to bother with dealing with an outside merchant ship, hence the push for you to buy your own ship, but there could be some Lyseni who are more open to it. It's something we can explore.

>>4668103
Yes, I vote for exploring this option along with renegotiation with the Lyseni in this regard since they plan on cutting into our profits.

>>4668103
We can always purchase our ship once we’re above the breakeven point.

>>4667447
>Take the Lysene name of Haeliathas. This recognizes Aemelia as the technical head of your family by Lysene laws, as expected by her bloodline, and helps with social ties across the sea. [Healer]

>>4668103
>>4668146
Backing.

>>4667447
>You like the 3-year contract. It is the most efficient rate you could manage. [Alchemist]
>Stick with the Westerosi “Sunflower” instead. You don’t want to be that tied to Lys. [Rogue]

Haeliathas looks like a lock. As for the rest, I'm seeing...

3 for 3-year contract
2 for shop around
2 for holding off on buying a trade ship and middlemannning it

So, fairly split. Glad we fleshed this out before the actual meeting. Since there's not much to lose in taking another day or two, I'm going to set this up for exploring the alternative options suggested with write-ins with a preference towards more efficient loans. We'll decide from there on whether we are going to go for a trade ship with a Lys or Oldtown bank loan or if we are going to downsize this loan amount a bit.

>Can I please get 2 rolls of 5d6? The first is Knowledge (Education) and second is Cunning (Logic).

Rolled 2, 3, 2, 6, 1 = 14 (5d6)

>>4668748

Rolled 3, 3, 2, 1, 5 = 14 (5d6)

>>4668748

>>4668752
>>4668763
Oh boy.

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“I can see your point on Haeliathas. Why not?” you shrug.

She gives a surprisingly girlish cheer and pulls you back on top of her in the bed to shower your face with kisses. You about ready to replace the Archmaester of War with the iron rod straining at your breeches. She quickly takes notice as well, biting her lip in thought with her hand resting upon it.

“I made a promise to my father that I would not until I said my vows in a sept…” she finally says. “The temple was different. That was sacred… you looked at me at our meets.”

“I did…” you slowly repeat. She’s still on that from yesterday?

“Did you come back here and think of me more?” she asks while pulling at the laces of your breeches. It’s all you can do to nod. She pulls her shift over her head and gives you your first real glimpse of her pale teats while she goes back to her playful stroking. She plants small kisses on your lips once your seed is spent on her then leaves you to watch with half-lidded interest as she cleans with the cloth and water basin across the small room.

“What do you want to do? …Tristan?” she nudges you after she slips back into her shift and under the sheets for warmth.

“Hmm? Do what?” you ask.

“The loan.”

“Ah. The three-year is better than the five-year, but I’m still not sure on committing to them,” you say.

“What choice do we have? The terms are good. The Bank of Oldtown will be no better and will come with leveraging your father’s name…” Aemelia points out.

>Rolled 13 vs DC 12 for Knowledge. 1 Degree of Success.

She may be right. Banks of that sort are more for the nobility than anything, a way for those with the most land and power to gain more of both. Hells, the Bank is run by a branch of House Hightower. Past that, you’ve heard it said it’s near enough a crime for Reach lords to hoard their wealth. They’re always blowing it on tourneys and festivals to stay relevant with their peers. So, they turn to the Bank of Oldtown for the coin to start new projects when the whims take them.

>Rolled 14 vs DC 12 for Cunning. 1 Degree of Success.

“If I’m right about them, it’d depend on the amount…” you say as you mull it over. “There are other ways of going about this. A thousand dragons is a lord’s ransom. You’re right in that they’d want my lord uncle to make his rounds for that amount. We don’t rate that on our names alone. That’s about what they’d lend out for new mills or tourney fields. But what of say… four, five hundred? Or even less? That’s not so bad for them…”

“A cog is eight hundred. That is without the crew or any other expenses,” Aemelia points out.

“That’s the price of a cog. Why do we need a cog? Because my uncle’s maester wants to butter up an Arbor lord? Then that old goat can take out a loan instead. What’s stopping us from hiring a respectable ship to move our goods?” you ask.

>>4668877
Aemelia sits up as she thinks on it. “Nothing, aside from costs and connections… so perhaps everything.”

“You have a connections. By that letter, one’s here in this city. As for costs… let’s go off 20% port value. That’s standard fare in my experience. 20% off 240 leaves us with 72 dragons after the initial 120 investment. That’s not as great as moving it ourselves, but it leaves us with a good deal more coin if we’ve a smaller loan. For argument’s sake, let’s say we get that same three-year rate for 400 instead of 1000 dragons… that’s… what? 45 a quarter? That has us pocketing 27 dragons instead of the measly 6 or 10 or what have you,” you explain.

“And leaves us with no ship of our own,” she adds.

“Does it? Four hundred would buy a fairly nice sloop. I’m sure you’ve been on the sort,” you say.

“I have. They are pleasant… but I thought you were set on this merchanting,” she says.

“It’s a means. I’m set on my craft. I’ve spent years dreaming of traveling to gain what knowledge the Citadel lacks. If that means moving wine, then I will move wine… what do you want to do? I’ve never asked,” you realize.

“Travel. Not for sorcery like you. For religion. I learned as a little girl of the Lyseni gods. They were so different than the Seven. The Seven are served, there is no choice. They have their book of commands and all must follow. The Red God is worse. You either serve the Light or you are a demon. But in Lys, you get to pick and choose. The gods crave worship for what else is there to crave. Only mortals may worship, so the gods compete for our affections. When my mother told me this, it changed everything. It is all I asked her of. But it also had me craving for more. What if other lands have better gods? What if they worship my gods and do not know it? The Summer Isles have a goddess of Love just as we do. Your Warrior is just a more dour Bakkalon. But what else is there? I do not know yet,” she sighs the last.

“Well, we both can get what we want now. No more meddlings. It’s just a question of how we want to do it…”

>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]
>400 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]
>No loan past the initial 100 dragons you’re getting from House Cuy. You’ll leverage the Lyseni for the wine shipments then make your own way off of your cut of the profits. Whether it’s on a Swan Ship or a fat bellied Pentoshi carrack, you will have the means to seek comfortable passage to wherever and on whatever you please. You’ll revisit the matter of personal ships when you’re wealthy. [Rogue]
>Something else.

>>4668882
Can’t we get the 1000 dragon loan and not buy the cog?

>>4668893
Idea is to have as long as a runway we can have. This is a startup and we don’t even have a product ready. Extra cash could provide solvency in case things go awry.

>>4668893
Sure, I didn't structure it that way because I haven't seen any discussion or write-ins about alternative uses for such a large amount of coin. I'd be happy to take it as a write-in if a plan is put forth and gets support.

>>4668909
Also we need to start carrying weapons or a bodyguard if we collect the cash and not spend it. Unless we can keep it in the Lyseni bank account.

>>4668910
Plan is to get 1000 and do the Alchemist option:
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]

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Liquidity. Stay liquid my friends.

>>4668909
Ah, I see what you mean now with the need for solvency. House Cuy is responsible for funding the research portion of the project. They're putting up 100gd to start, which is about enough to float the cost of glass bottles for an entire year's worth of harvests. If you're still left without a passable product after all of that work, then you'd need to convince House Cuy to invest more. The main reason for the loan itself was to fund your own ship, but it's not strictly neccessary to do so.

>>4668882
>>400 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]

>>4668912
>Unless we can keep it in the Lyseni bank account.

You can.

>>4668921
I mean, what happens if a Free City gets wind out our product and there is a sales opportunity, only to find ourselves cash strapped because we took a loan to match our expenses? That’s a wasted opportunity right there. Extra money provides flexibility imo.

>>4668947
Taking a smaller loan works in this regard: the profit sharing is the equity you hand out as a startup. If you’re a quality startup that has a lot of user retention, you don’t want to hand out equities like candy or you won’t find investors.
That’s the bright side of the 400 loan if we can negotiate to 50/50 split down to 80/20. If we can do that, I’m all in. But 50/50 for 400 makes no sense.

>>4668882
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]
All this copper clipping is hurting my head.

>>4668961
>>4668947
Hmm. I guess I just had this set up a bit simpler than that. The amount traded to Lys is the full amount of what Cuy's vinyards are currently capable of producing. There shouldn't be any alternative sales opportunities until Cuy expands its operations or the seasons turn more favorable. Either could take years in this setting.

I do see what you mean, though. You're not limited to just wine, so if you wanted to have extra gold to invest in say... steel weapons to trade with the Summer Isles for spices to trade with... etc. then yeah, you have a point that the extra gold would help with that. It's just that I haven't seen any push for that sort of merchantilism yet, which I guess is perfectly reasonable this early in the quest.

>>4668961
Ah, the 50/50 part? That's actually considered a generous rate for Commenda under the circumstances. I ripped that right out of medieval Italy. I do this unashamedly because GRRM decided to use Gonfaloniere as the title for the commander of the Lysene army. It's only made difficult by your need to pay off a ship on top of it, but I guess that's why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor... outside of legwork and initiative.

>>4668882
I’m rewriting my proposals:
1. Protect equity: 80/20 profit share (equity plan)
>400 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]

2. Get ca$h for 50/50 split
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]

>>4668978
>GRRM decided to use Gonfaloniere as the title for the commander of the Lysene army
That’s gold, I didn’t know that. However if we don’t need to buy a ship, we don’t need to appear desperate. Is 80/20 for 400 too much? 20% is a huge seed investment in wageslave universe.

>>4668882
>No loan past the initial 100 dragons you’re getting from House Cuy. You’ll leverage the Lyseni for the wine shipments then make your own way off of your cut of the profits. Whether it’s on a Swan Ship or a fat bellied Pentoshi carrack, you will have the means to seek comfortable passage to wherever and on whatever you please. You’ll revisit the matter of personal ships when you’re wealthy. [Rogue]

Idc about copper clipping. I want to go explore. We can buy a ship without a loan when we see some returns.

>>4668988
I don't see why they would ever go for an 80/20 profit split because it has little to do with the loan amount and everything to do with you needing them as a finacial partner in the first place, for 2 reasons: Them paying for the product upfront, which they insist on doing to make it worth their while, would normally be a 75/25 in their favor. And 2, they are the ones leveraging their collective influence via the magisters they serve to artificially boost the vaule of the wine by 50% in the city of Lys. They are making sure it is bought at 360 rather than 240, then they are splitting the profits with you, meaning you're getting the same 120gd profit that you'd get if you didn't partner with them at all and stuck with the wholesale rate. You don't have the clout to do that on your own (yet).

The tricky thing is that this is a risky loan for them to give because it's overseas shipping. For all they know, you could wash up dead in a year and leave them holding the bag. That's why they're relying on playing games with the price to compensate for the potential investment lost. There's a bit more to it that we'll get to in the story as it becomes relevant, but that's the gist of it.

>>4669024
I understand. 1000 gold, Alchemist option is my call then.

>>4669030
Doesnt this put us even more in the hole? The story post says we will have 72 dragons profit if someone else ships it. The 1000 loan says we have to pay 113. We have lifestyle costs too. We will be -41 a quarter before everything else is factored in. Can we please not have the cunning 5 character laughed out of the bank?

This is why I want to skip the loan.

>>4668882
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]

>>4669061
Isn’t our money in the bank appreciate with interests? We won’t need to cash it out. Also bankers are a necessary means to sales since they hold monopoly over Lys.

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>>4668882
>400 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]
money makes me brain go woooosh

>>4669303
Hmm I’d like to raise one point: would we like to insure our cargo against piracy or not?

>>4669061
Also 1000 loan is 99.51 a quarter for 5 year plan. And yeah, would like to know if our account is available to term deposits and at what rate of interest?

Gotta see the rates of other banks

>>4667447
Wait, wait, wait.
>front the initial cost of the product with House Cuy.
Does this mean they alleviate the costs of House Cuy, or is it simply meaning loaning to us?

>>4669466
The local market value of House Cuy's wine every quarter is 120gd. They pay that up front every quarter, then rely on you (or whoever you're subcontracting to) for the rest of the process.

Alright. The count right now is:


2 for the 400gd sloop option
2 for the 1000gd with the cog
1 for write-in 1000gd with the sloop
1 for no loan

I'll check back in later to see if this stalemate gets broken. I'm not planning to drag this out any longer than neccessary.

>>4669334
I feel like pic related right now desu

>>4669480
I'll go for the 1000gd with the cog, because it's the only option I actually understand.

>>4668882
>>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]

>>4669480
400 gd sloop

>>4669521
>I'll go for the 1000gd with the cog, because it's the only option I actually understand
Based and same, I don't wanna think about money, just do simple option

>>4669521
>>4669535
Sorry about that. This is more in the weeds than I originally intended. If it helps, the Rogue option should be the simplest and most hands-off because there is no loan at play. All it requires of you is to meet with the Lyseni tonight and get them to ship the wine for you. Not trying to swing it any which way, but I'd like to help clarify where I can.

>>4668882
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]
Hope my ip is still the same

>>4669580
oh never mind it's a new thread

>>4669518
Makes two of us.
I guess Tristan got jack shit to show for his gold chain links?

>>4668882
After we vote now, do we get to hear other banks' offers?

>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]

>>4669610
>I guess Tristan got jack shit to show for his gold chain links?

He never went for any gold links. It wasn't a point of interest. So I guess that's fair, haha.

>After we vote now, do we get to hear other banks' offers?

Yup. Hopefully tonight.

>>4669480

First post of the thread, I'll tack on to this in the interest of keeping it moving.

Calling the vote in favor of the Healer option.

I got home late again. I'll have the post up tomorrow night. The two alternate options to the Lys bank will be included along with PLOT.

>>4670180
Ha ha Cog goes WOOSH

>>4668882 #
>1000 dragon loan. You’ll seek a loan for a cog and whatever else you need from one of the two banks. It’s what your family wanted. [Healer]

400 gd sloop

>>4668882
>400 dragon loan. You’ll use it to buy a sloop for the comfort of your travels, then leverage Aemelia’s Lysene connections to ship the wine on one of their trading ships at a fair rate. Whichever bank gives the better rate gets your coin in return. [Alchemist]

Hi,a powder quest fag here.
I quickly joined in after checking suptg as to not miss the boat (lol)
So if I am correct on the recap.
We hid in our mom's basement of her tavern after an Arbor wine smuggling operation we were part of got busted.
We have a sister and there was a tourney where we met Aemelia a Lyseni nun noble(?)
And now we plan to do legit wine trading to fund our scholary pursuits of alchemy. Did I miss anything?

Also what level of alchemist are we? Do we know how to do basic alchemy?
Because I got some crazy cash multiplier.

>>4671307
Welcome!
>We hid in our mom's basement of her tavern after an Arbor wine smuggling operation we were part of got busted.
Yup.
>We have a sister
Brother, but a fair mixup with their relationship.
>Aemelia a Lyseni nun noble
Not a nun, she just likes learning about religions. Also, her father (dead) happened to be a member of the noble family that orchestrated the smuggling ring.
>And now we plan to do legit wine trading to fund our scholary pursuits of alchemy.
Yup!
>Also what level of alchemist are we? Do we know how to do basic alchemy?
Basic, yeah. As in the non-magic brewing herbal potions sort. Gotta get away from the Grey Sheep and out into the world if you want to learn the good stuff. Good thing you're going to a city famous for less scupulous exploration of the art.

I should put up a recap in the next OP. There's an idea. Anyway, I'm writing the update right now.

>>4671365
oh goodie.
because our alchemy knowledge can in fact help us with booze trade. we just need some distillation devices.
The price hike on fruits due to winter (lemons) can be in our favor. I'm thining of using our mom's unsold inventory and contacts to cheap brewers to make some gin and brandy. if not to reduce weight of wine and increase shipping quantities.
Lets say that the cheap wines are in 18% alcohol volume and sells by the barrel. We just need to distill 3-4 barrels to get 50%+ barrel of brandy. We can also distill semi refine aqua vitae (80-90% pure alcohol) to sell as reagents and preservatives, also can be diluted to sell as vodka. the brandy and gin is perfect for sea captains who wants to give alcohol rations to their crew but fear spoilage. the liquor can be watered down into grog. the alcohol can be used to make alcohol pickled fruits, keeping their fresh fruity flavour unspoiled from drying and salting.

>>4671394
I see a problem with this, though. Tristan doesn't have this knowledge, you do. He's more of an alchemist than a winemaker. We'd have to dedicate significant time studying and learning about alcohol for him to gain the knowledge about this in-character.

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You both bounce your ideas back and forth, ultimately deciding the more adventurous notions are just that, notions. A sloop is little more than a glorified fisher’s boat and may not fare as well on the open sea… going shipless opens you up to same concerns of safety that have spurred the more discerning talks of crew choices. Contracting the shipping of the wine is another hassle neither of you truly wish to bother with…

The cog, then. That decided, you help Aemelia lace up her dress and go prowling for food downstairs. It’s only mildly surprising when you note your father finally stepping through the tavern door. You wave in greeting, your mouth occupied by a spoonful of blackberry porridge drizzled with honey.

“You’ve not run off, then,” he remarks with a look at Aemelia.

“Why would we do that?” you ask.

He just shakes his head. The man could stand to be a bit more trusting. “Where are you with this bank?” he asks instead.

“We meet them this evening, though we already have their terms,” you say before giving him a brief summary. He looks faintly lost on the numbers until you break them down more clearly.

“Hmm. I’ve had words with a Hightower of the Bank who owes me favors. A loan of 1000 dragons from them would come with a trading fee of 1500 due three years hence,” your father says.

“A trading fee…” you can’t help but smirk. The Faith of the Seven chafes at usury. As for why, you couldn’t say. It fits that the Bank of Oldtown with its own ties to the Faith would make some appearance at following the edict even if they still skirt it.

“Aye, a trading fee. What did you expect?” he grunts.

“To start with, a better deal. That’s going to be 140 dragons more than the Bank of Lys charges for three years. Although… you said it’s due in three years. That’s it? Nothing before then?” you ask.

“Nothing before then. Their loans are meant for lords and knights seeking to expand upon their holdings. They well know such work takes time to bear fruit. At least in name, this is seen as the same for House Cuy. Elsewise they’d not see you,” he explains.

“It may be a better deal…” Aemelia concedes. “But only if we are careful with saving the coin. Otherwise… what will happen if we do not pay?”

“They will levy a hefty fine. Their cousins of the High Tower will see it enforced which means I will see it enforced. If they deem you unable or unwilling to pay the fine, then your ship and other assets will be seized, and Tristan will be punished in some manner. A finger or a hand, depends on who sits in judgement,” your father answers.

“Always with the fingers and hands,” you mutter.

“Lyseni would do worse if it came to it, but only if lengthening the contract was not to bear fruit,” Aemelia says. “Even if we prefer this offer, we still need to attend tonight. To do less would be taken as a slight.”

>>4671508
“I don’t much care which you choose, only choose it soon. The ship is in port. Lord Portain’s men will want it handed over. Now, where’s your mother? I was looking for words with her,” he asks. You motion to the stairs. With no tourney she needs to be up for, you don’t doubt she’s back to her usual of rising with the midday sun. The life of a tavern proprietor.

“Gods do I see where you get your manners from,” she complains as soon as he passes up the stairs. “At least you are sweet underneath it. Him? No. And you are better looking. You got that from your mother.”

“I look nothing like her,” you say before returning to your bowl.

“Not in color but in face. You have a good nose and good cheeks as does she. She just has the curves. Motherhood does that,” she says as she idly glances at her chest for some reason. “He has a pig’s nose and a fleshy face, try as he might to hide it with that scruff. Had you not the same eyes as him, I would doubt your parentage,” she continues. You let her go on for a good while as your thoughts drift. You’ve your doubts over her and your father ever getting along. Neither seems to much like the other.

She switches to fretting over her appearance after some time passes, repeatedly asking if anything is astray. Apparently, Lyseni have an eye for details. As do you, but yours is of tastes and smells. Right now, that has you sampling the tavern’s best wines. They’re mostly bad, but they still give you vague notions of what flavor you should be going for with your own experiments… barely. A work in progress.

“Must you try all of them?” Aemelia asks.

“Yes.”

“We will need to leave soon. The sun has been setting earlier. You have my dirk?” she asks.

“I do, but I’m not sure how much use it’ll be if I’m being honest. Gods, this one is awful. Must be Dornish,” you comment.

“Have you never killed a man?” she asks as if she was speaking of the vintage.

“No. At least not on purpose… not accidentally either. Unlike a certain Tyrell I might name, I am good at what I do,” you shrug, taking her offered arm at the door. She huffs and readjusts so that you are leading instead.

“You should learn how. Or we will need to find swords we can trust and soon. We cannot sail without at least one,” she says.

“There is Elias…”

“Lady Evalaine may have words on that,” Aemelia smirks.

“She could’ve been more enthused of my plan, but she doesn’t much like him either,” you point out.

“You are right. She despises him,” she says.

“Then why care?” you ask.

“Because he is a simple husband. Her lady mother convinced her of this. He is an invalid. She need only say her vows and bed him at her leisure if at all. Her duty done, she will be free to enjoy Sunhouse and its comforts, perhaps take a lover if she wishes it,” Aemelia explains.

“Seems a bit… harsh, doesn’t it?” you frown.

>>4671510
“Is it? He may do the same. Do you think he so cherishes her? Do you know why they are to wed? I had it from her. She is quite the gossip,” Aemelia says, quite amused by whatever it is.

“It’s political. House Costayne borders House Cuy and it’s been a bit since there’s been a marriage between the two,” you answer.

“You are right, but there is more. Your other cousin, a Lady Barbara… no that was not it…”

“Beatrice? From my lord uncle’s first marriage,” you say.

“Just so, that is the one. She was to wed a Costayne. A good one, too. But a knight of Sunnyvale put a baby in her belly at Sunhouse,” Aemelia says.

“Sunnyvale… they are bannermen of Cuy,” you note. The house of a minor landed knight.

“They are, and the now Lady Cuy hails from there. Lady Evalaine’s mother. Your clumsier cousin had the baby, the betrothal was broken, words were had. It ended with Lord Cuy offering Lady Evalaine’s hand. I know not why. To make amends, to punish her mother, whichever. House Costayne comes back, not with the gallant second son but with the invalid cousin. A slight, to be sure, but one that had to be taken,” she concludes.

“Huh,” you comment. Honestly, it’s beneath your concern.

“You are sure you have Cuy blood? You have the look, but you may be the only one with wit that I have met,” she smirks.

“Call it a coin flip,” you shrug. “The oldest two are clever. Joslynn for certain. Branston as well, the heir. He’s been keeping up Sunflower Hall while my lord uncle is off having his fun. The others… you’ve met. Well, aside from that little shit Emmon. Count your luck there. Seven, to think they’re going to show him how to swing a sword…”

“Joslynn… Lady Joslynn, you mean,” she corrects. “… Lady Joslynn Bulwer?”

“Just the same,” you nod. “Her husband is the Lord Bulwer. Can’t say much past that. I was young when she was wed, never got to know her. I’ve just heard she’s competent.”

From there, you take the stone steps up a small hill to the Lysene villa. To your surprise, Aemelia is actually winded by the time you reach the top. You frown. It really wasn’t so bad—

“Welcome, welcome, Mistress Haeliathas. And her consort, Tristan, yes? I have the honor to be Bellas Pendaris, agent of the Bank of Lys,” an overplump man with a shock of white-blond hair and rosy cheeks comes rushing, rather waddling, up. You’ll grant he seems as spirited as he is overdressed in his silks and jewels.

He leads you through a courtyard littered with even more statues than the Cuy Manse, including a pair of running fountains. Two white marble women with lapis eyes alternate spitting water between their opened mouths. Fascinating. You could do with a closer look at them. It must be some sort of pump pushing the water up, but where?

“You may stare at the marble ladies later,” Aemelia tugs you along.

>>4671512
“Do you see how the water flows? It’s in perfect rhythm. I’ve never seen the like,” you tell her. She just keeps dragging you along. The interior is much the same, aside from the rather offensive amount of perfume upon the air. A harp and giggling echoes across the polished tiled floor. You soon come upon the source, a great room lined with potted plants and no less than a half dozen scantily clad women sprawled out upon purple velvet cushions.

“I am most pleased you have time to look at our illustrious Bank’s proposals, yes?” His hands produce a fleshy sound when he claps them together that you find obscener than the statues.

“We have,” Aemelia allows, taking on an airier tone.

“Please, I beg you take seat and we will have discussion of terms,” the banker bids, motioning to a sofa.

You take note of another man with strong Valyrian features lounging about on a pile of cushions with his head resting in a girl’s lap. He is dressed more casually than the banker but with a thin duelist’s sword resting on his hip. Aemelia takes note of him as well. She squeezes your hand rather forcefully and whispers, “say nothing, please.”

“Ah, this humble servant would be most remiss if he did not introduce our radiant Magister Zacarias of Orthos. My magister took a pleasure cruise here but recently. I am told you have met?” Bellas says with an elaborate bow before taking his own seat.

“Of course, we have,” the magister smiles. “Mistress Aemelia’s own mother are very well acquainted. Why, she is like the daughter I never had.”

Aemelia’s face could be made of marble. Magister Zacarias tuts. “Do you see this, Bellas? Do you see? Does the Mistress Aemelia not remind you of my sweet Lady Aelesendra? I assume you have met her mother. But one look and you would not forget her.”

“Just so, Magister. The mistress stirs the memory,” the banker bows his head.

“I had thought our representatives would be more discerning and less agreeable,” the magister says without his earlier warmth. By the larger man’s reaction, you’d think the words were a physical blow.

“My magister, I meant no—” Bellas hurriedly says.

“Be at ease,” Magister Zacarias silences him with a raised hand. “You meant no harm, no? I would speak with our honored guests in private… out, out, out,” he shoos the women and the banker away as if they were dockside cats upon his doorstep.

“Aemelia, Aemelia, Aemelia… what are we to do?” the magister continues when the others leave… all but two spearmen with the pointed helms standing in the far corners.

“I am not sure what you mean,” Aemelia says.

>>4671515
“I only mean that you seem to have found yourself in some trouble of late, no? How is my Aelesendra? She lost her dear brutish husband. Is she well? Is she eating? Not too much, I hope. And what of you? The mother loses a husband and the daughter gains one in such short time,” he comments. “A happy marriage?”

“We are happy, yes. I am sure you know where she resides. My Tristan’s father is of House Cuy,” Aemelia answers.

“But Tristan is not of House Cuy…? Ah, you are a bastard,” the magister laughs, longer and harder than even you’d consider appropriate. He holds up a placating hand after a while. “Please. Take no offense. I laugh at fate, not at you. If Ser Hector were here… my very favorite person in this whole world was a bastard as well. Did you know this, Aemelia?”

“I am not sure what you speak of,” she says rather tersely.

“Oh, come now… why this one? Whispers name him a clever one, yes, but you had no need to make him your consort… unless he is skilled in the bedroom? I have heard this of bastards,” the magister says, addressing Aemelia rather than you.

“What they say is true,” she lies, grip tightening upon your hand. “I have grown fond of him for it.”

He stares at you both in uncomfortable silence for a long moment before nodding and smiling again. “Good! Then I am glad for you! If only Aelesendra were here… that would make for a happy moment, would it not? Ah, there will be time. I have come to bring her back to Lys. Does she still speak of me often? I know she does.”

“That is between you and her,” Aemelia says.

“Just so,” he agrees. “But I have been gracious to you, have I not? I ordered the name. It is a good name. Much better than Morelleon, yes? You will tell Aelesendra. She will like that. I can be more gracious as well… this loan, what is it for? A ship, yes? I will gift it to you. And I will loan you the remaining two hundred of your dragons for your first trip. Without interest. You will sell this bubbling wine to me and me alone, and I will want my own gift of the thousand in two years’ time. Who knows? I may gift you a new sister by then. You may give it to her as a nameday gift.”

>>4671517
“Why would you do this? Would it not upset the other magisters?” Aemelia asks.

“You have me,” he grins. “I do not seek to play with prices like that pigboy banker. I would rather have something my good friends cannot have… and I want Aelesendra. You have luck in that she wants me too… and I want a favor. I know not what, but it feels right. I dreamt of Pantera and she had black eyes, do you know what this means?” he asks.

“No…” she frowns.

“Nor do I, but it is an omen, is it not? And you do have black eyes,” he says rather seriously. “What will it be? Do you accept my offer, or shall I call back pigboy?”

>This one seems half-mad, but it’s the right half of mad for you. And it’s the least amount of coin. (Pay 1000gd to Magister Zacarias Orthos in 2 years). [Alchemist]
>You would prefer to carry on with what the Bank of Lys has offered. You get the sense that it will lead to the least hurt feelings all around. (~113gd quarterly payment over 3 years for a total of 1360gd). [Healer]
>It will be neither. Truth be told, you find these Lyseni bothersome. You will take the Bank of Oldtown’s offer. (Pay 1500gd to Bank of Oldtown in 3 years). [Rogue]
>Something else.

>>4671518
Damn, that's a thicc update.

>You would prefer to carry on with what the Bank of Lys has offered. You get the sense that it will lead to the least hurt feelings all around. (~113gd quarterly payment over 3 years for a total of 1360gd). [Healer]
Is this guy for real? He gives me the creeps, best to stay as far away from his as possible. And I'd rather not owe a favor to him, or needlessly involve the mother-in-law just for the sake of the transaction.

>>4671518
>This one seems half-mad, but it’s the right half of mad for you. And it’s the least amount of coin. (Pay 1000gd to Magister Zacarias Orthos in 2 years). [Alchemist]

>>4671547
Meh. It sounds like she is involved either way.

>>4671480
true. quite sure he buys alcohol to make potions tho. maybe not the knowledge to distill his own aqua vitae.

>>4671518
>You would prefer to carry on with what the Bank of Lys has offered. You get the sense that it will lead to the least hurt feelings all around. (~113gd quarterly payment over 3 years for a total of 1360gd). [Healer]

Lys is also home to alchemist industry. Churning out makeups, perfumes and medicines to it's biggest tourist trap cash cows, prostitutes and whores. Lys is a pleasure island indeed, they even sell poisons and specially bred slaves. Yes,they have a human breeding industry due to their degeneracy for certain traits.
Like other Free Cities, they have shortages of lumber and cooking fuel. wink wink.

>>4671518
>This one seems half-mad, but it’s the right half of mad for you. And it’s the least amount of coin. (Pay 1000gd to Magister Zacarias Orthos in 2 years). [Alchemist]
I like the terms, but we need to discuss it with Aelesandra first.

i wonder what year is it? i suppose one of our end goals is to survive the next Long Night.

>>4671647
Read the quest instead of metagaming and you might find out

saw the year. whelp. 2 years before robert rebellion.
optional goals, get a dragon egg, maybe hatch it.

>>4671647
>>4671652
While I certainly don't appreciate your metagaming, I wonder if we can gain Aerys' favor if we branch out into reactive potions and develop a more potent and stable wildfire. Surely the king's interest into wildfire will reach the ears of our fellow alchemists, who might pass on the info to us.

>>4671697
I'm hated for less but yeah,good idea too.
Also there is other things I got in my mind, like using dragon eggs as an ingredient. Also Shade of the Evening leaves. It seems magicians drink that blue drank.

>>4671751
Dragon eggs are already so rare that they fetch a king's ransom though. In the first book I think it is mentioned that Dany can sell the eggs for so much that she can hire an army to invade Westeros by herself, or live lavishly for the rest of her life in a mansion.

>>4671510
>she says as she idly glances at her chest for some reason
>To your surprise, Aemelia is actually winded by the time you reach the top. You frown. It really wasn’t so bad—
Mighty suspicious! Along with certain other earlier warnings.

>>4671518
Our wife certainly is uncomfortable about dealing with this magister. Can we first discuss it with her? How agreeable her mother would be?

>>4671518
Let’s ask for a timeout to discuss with wife.

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>>4671827
Did we get cucked?!

>>4671518
>You would prefer to carry on with what the Bank of Lys has offered. You get the sense that it will lead to the least hurt feelings all around. (~113gd quarterly payment over 3 years for a total of 1360gd). [Healer]
I don't like nor trust this guy and don't want to prostitute our wife's mother for some money. Additionally if we're only allowed to sell the wine to him we might shoot ourself a in the foot if it turns out to be a success.
>>4671864
I think he didn't fuck our wife but her mother or am I misunderstanding it?

>>4671868
>I think he didn't fuck our wife but her mother or am I misunderstanding it?
Maybe not by this guy, but staring at her breasts and getting winded quickly are ominous signs, of what I'm not sure. We should give her some moon tea mixed with one of the bad batches of wine just to be sure.

>>4671518
>>You would prefer to carry on with what the Bank of Lys has offered. You get the sense that it will lead to the least hurt feelings all around. (~113gd quarterly payment over 3 years for a total of 1360gd). [Healer]

>>4671875
>She just has the curves. Motherhood does that,” she says as she idly glances at her chest for some reason.
Ah shit i think you're right. She's pregnant isn't she? Let's get some moontea

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>I wonder how the voting is going. I'll check the thread to find ou--

What in the world

>>4671518
>It will be neither. Truth be told, you find these Lyseni bothersome. You will take the Bank of Oldtown’s offer. (Pay 1500gd to Bank of Oldtown in 3 years). [Rogue]

>>4671934
Well you're the one sneaking in these references! Besides, this is a fandom in which genuine errors like Jeyne Westerling's hips being wide in one book and thin in the other spawn theories of conspiracy and body-switching.

Don't worry, I know you're not so cruel in this lighthearted quest as to cuck the MC. I hope

>>4671936
Yeah the hints were all for a purpose, but not this lol. Seeing it all put together like that, I totally get it, though. Whew.

On that, Tysha is the Sailor's wife, Tyrion's daughter is Lanna, Tywin's only child of his loins is Marei. ALL THREE Lannisters are Aerys spawn. There is strong evidence in support of all of this.

>>4671940
Looking forward to the reveal, then. Here's hoping it's something innocuous like she's having her periods or something.

I'll agree with you on the others, but not Tyrion. Tyrion is obviously the time traveling fetus born from Lyanna and Rhaegar. R+L = T. I don't know how anyone can still deny this, Martin has all but confirmed it multiple times.

>>4671953
>>4671940
Y’all forgetting about the lemon tree and the house with the red door

>>4671518

>Something else.

Discuss with Aemelia

My tally so far:

>Oh gods no, send in the fat one. [Healer]
4
>I'm disturbed but intrigued. [Alchemist]
2
>Nah, fuck this. I'm outta here. [Rogue]
1

And 2 votes mentioned discussing this further with Aemelia first. That's tricky. You could definitely get a better read on the situation from her, but you run the risk of causing a greater offense to him if you speak privately and then ultimately reject him. With that in mind, it's up to you to decide how to proceed.

>Ask to speak privately so that you can get a better sense of the situation before committing to a decision. [Alchemist]
>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

>>4672445
>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

>>4672445
>>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

>>4672445

>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

Thinking on it more, I have no faith that Magister Zacarias has any reason to give us a good deal.

Seems like he wants to shwoop in on our bright idea, shit on the bank, (re?)acquire Lady Aelesendra, and get a favor on top of everything. Fuck this guy

>>4672445
>>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

>>4672445
>>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]
Lmao even the meta votes are Healer Alchemist Rogue. Love this.

>>4672445
>>Stick with your gut on this one. (Take the results of the votes linked to the last update) [Rogue]

Can I get a roll of 2d6 for Will and a roll of 5d6+4 for Healing (diagnose)? First is in reaction to an opposing Incite test, second is to get a better read on the cues with Aemelia.

Rolled 1, 2 = 3 (2d6)

>>4672819

Rolled 4, 3, 3, 2, 6 + 4 = 22 (5d6 + 4)

>>4672819

Rolled 4, 4, 3 = 11 (3d6)

>>4672822
>Severe Failure
Safe to say Tristan will be in a bit of a mood. Aemelia's Mollify roll in this post. She will need a 12.

>>4672832
This is good. On the nose for a Great Success.

>>4672915
Oof

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The offer is tempting. It’s the best deal, and why should you care what the merchants and magisters do after you sell the wine? The only problem is the man offering it. He’s at least half mad, and you don’t care for the dramatics surrounding him.

“Call the banker in,” you say. “That is what we came here for.”

“I do not recall asking you anything,” Magister Zacarias tells you, no longer smiling.

“He speaks because he knows my mind on this. I am not here for games,” Aemelia says.

You see true anger writ upon him at her rejection. “I see you are as boring in business as you are in bed. You do not deserve my patronage. I rescind the offer,” he says before storming from the room.

As boring in business as you are in bed… It shouldn’t bother you. It shouldn’t. Should it? It does. You pull your hand away from hers.

“Tristan—” she starts. You get up and leave. Never mind the cold, you need some air that isn’t perfumed. You need to think. What did you expect? You’ve heard this about Lyseni, that they are debauched. She took you in her mouth the very first night. Gods know what else she’s done. She’s past twenty and clever in her way. Why would she wait for you to come along?

She said she made a promise to wait… but what does that mean, really? Why would she be compelled to make one when it should have been expected of her? Or is she simply lying? She lies easily and often. You’ve seen as much with the acts she puts on. You think back to the morrow you ran into her at the market, the contempt she held for you. Her remarks on Elias, the easy husband. Is that what you are? Does she think you are just her little fool to be played with on her whims?

“It is done. We have six moons until first payment.” You turn to her voice. She stands awkwardly upon the villa’s entranceway. A pair of guardsmen hang back with a chest between them.

“Good,” you nod, then leave them to follow you back to the Cuy Manse. You’re not about to leave this amount of gold at a tavern. Aemelia walks beside you for a time, but you’re in no mood for pleasantries. You leave her to break the silence.

“Tristan. Look at me. You will regret it if you don’t,” Aemelia finally says.

“Threats now, Mistress?” you mutter.

“No,” she hurriedly corrects. “You will regret it because whatever you are thinking must not be the truth.”

“He had you?” you ask.

“No. Never,” she says.

“Then who did?” you demand.

“Must we do this?” she sighs.

“No, not at all,” you answer, going on ahead of her and the spearmen. You pass through the manse’s gates without bothering to acknowledge the guards. There seems to be some entertainment upon the second floor. You hear the merriment echoing down the main staircase but opt to turn down the hall to the Lysene quarters instead. Even from outside the doors, you smell her mother’s perfume. Wonderful...

>>4673199
Later in the night, you’re awoken by the sounds of arguing from the next room over. You can’t make out the words, not that it matters. It’s not in the common tongue. Aemelia eventually barges in through the adjoining door. She notices your wakefulness.

“She wants to go back to him. She is so stupid. He is poison. Why can she not see it?” she rants.

“I really don’t care,” you tell her.

“Are you still ups—”

“I don’t care about magisters. I don’t care about what this one or that one thinks or who they want to rut with this moon. I certainly don’t care about whores. If I wanted for one, I would have wed my hand instead. That would have been far simpler. I just want to perfect my craft. That’s all. So, I’ll thank you to leave me to that,” you tell her.

“I see,” she tersely says. She slides down the wall to sit upon the carpet by the adjoining door. The candle left beside her casts her face in a pained expression. She makes no attempt to move herself.

“What? More mummery?” you scoff.

“No… don’t concern yourself with this whore. It will pass,” she mutters.

“I won’t have you sulking there all night,” you say as you slip on your undershirt and rise from the bed. “It’s your bed. I will find another.”

Aemelia makes to rise but sinks back down with a gasp. If this is another act… But it’s not. She’s deathly pale. Your first thoughts are poison or a miscarriage.

“When was your last moonblood?” you ask.

“I… three moons, I think…” she answers. It makes your blood run colder.

“You are with child?”

“What? No! How could you ask that? This is normal for me. I said it will pass…” she says.

“It’s normal for you to fall into great pains and miss your moon blood? It’s called moon blood for a reason. When did this start?” you ask.

“Years ago, with my flowering,” she answers.

“And you’ve just carried on like this?” you say incredulously.

“I have always been weak,” she mumbles. “What was one more problem?”

“Right…” You rub at the sides of your head to lessen your building headache. You reach down to help her up and end up half carrying her into the bed. Once she’s settled, you plop down in the cushioned armchair by the hearth and take a hearty pull from a wine carafe that was left in the room.

“Tristan,” she softly calls out.

“Yes?”

“Zacarias miss took a rumor for a truth, as have you,” she carefully starts. “He is poison. This is what he does. He plants seeds of doubt and turns families against each other.”

“That’s it?” you flatly ask. “You have nothing else to add?”

“Nothing you will want to hear or that I will want to speak of. It does not matter now. What matters now is us,” she says. “Remember that. Please.”

>>4673204
You don’t respond. There is truth in her words, you’re just not sure how much. You’re nearing the bottom of the carafe when the sound of her soft snoring is added to the crackling flames. Whatever she’s done in her past, however you feel about her, she’s to be your wife. She is your wife… you need to delve into this. Gods, has no one taken note of this before? Are you the only competent healer in the bloody Reach? No, that’s not fair. There are probably… two others… somewhere. She’s dealt with this for years, so it’s not some passing ailment. You’ve read of this. It’s moonsickness. For such cases as this, her humours would be out of balance, severely so. You don’t doubt it leaves her bedridden on occasion.

Teas could help. Something to bring her humours into balance. The cruel irony of it is that the herbs that come to mind for women’s troubles, which is essentially what moonsickness is, are the very same herbs that those maddened hedge witches use in brewing moon tea. Mere trial and error with a daily brew could see her pains subside. For you, that would be easier than this bubbling wine experiment… but a more nuanced approach may be required. You doubt her womb would bear fruit with a balancing tea. She’s a woman. That will matter to her. Does that matter to you?

>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]
>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]
>The dilemma is near enough a solution to you. You find children to be chaotic and dirty and distracting. [Rogue]
>Something else.

>>4673208
>“I don’t care about magisters. I don’t care about what this one or that one thinks or who they want to rut with this moon. I certainly don’t care about whores. If I wanted for one, I would have wed my hand instead. That would have been far simpler. I just want to perfect my craft. That’s all. So, I’ll thank you to leave me to that,” you tell her.

Uhh hello? BASED department?

>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]

Something else

Healer: To be sure, not an expected barrier, but to use your talents as an alchemist and healer to help her would be a matter of course, and would welcome the get of the relationship should the results be good

>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]

Really this I guess

>>4673208
Damn, so that's what a successful opposing incite test looks like. I think this is a first for your quests, we got really close with Ser Dustin Massey inciting Aurion in the Banquet Hall, iirc.

What does the first option mean? I get that picking Healer will mean working on a cure for her, and Rogue will mean accepting the situation as it is and remaining childless. But what does the Alchemist option do? Was this difficult for you to write?

>>4673208

>The dilemma is near enough a solution to you. You find children to be chaotic and dirty and distracting. [Rogue]

>>4673245
>Damn, so that's what a successful opposing incite test looks like.
Yeah, it was new.

>What do the options do
At the end of the day, all the options should lead to him trying to at least solve her health issues. Healing is a core part of his identity. It's more a question of how he personally views the situation and what sort of mitigating steps he might want to take down the line.

>Spoiler
Definitely. I've done more rewriting these past two updates than I've ever done before. I am satisfied with the result, though. It's not pretty, but sometimes that's what's needed to underscore the brighter moments.

>>4673279
Still not getting what the attitude is in the first option, though. Second option is hopeful for a kid, 3rd is hostile to a kid, 1st is.. ambivalent? Like if we get her babymaking machine working, it's fine, but if we don't, it's still no biggie?

>>4673329
>Still not getting what the attitude is in the first option, though. Second option is hopeful for a kid, 3rd is hostile to a kid, 1st is.. ambivalent? Like if we get her babymaking machine working, it's fine, but if we don't, it's still no biggie?

I guess I was seeing it as him more wanting a kid because he wants an apprentice than out of a desire to start a big family or what have you. For mood, perhaps ambivalence leaning towards some disappointment and slight anxiousness because he doubts Aemelia will be as relaxed about it. He'd work towards getting her to have one, but he might consider adopting one if it didn't seem feasible for her.

>>4673353
Alright, thanks for explaining it.

>>4673208
>>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]

>>4673208
>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]

When she’s pregnant there will be no moonblood, hence no moonsickness. Often female body restores herself after first childbirth. If not, we can apply the remedy after the childbirth because females with no children regret it more than males.


Can we consult with another Maester(s)?

>>4673208
>>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]

>>4673208
>>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]

>>4673208
>>You’ve long played with the notion of passing on your knowledge to an apprentice, of raising one in a sense. While there is an appeal to it, it’s not critical if the apprentice is of your blood. [Alchemist]
Tristan will do his best but will not bend over backwards and curse the gods if his treatment doesn't bear fruit.

>>4673208
>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]
Not having a child is the death of a dynasty as a rule, barring some exception and makes people who look for long term deals, especially in a world as relatively stable as a
Asoiaf somewhat leery of dealing with such impermanent people as those who can not have offspring.

also people without children tend as a rule to be kinda fucked up one way or another.

>>4673208
>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]

>>4673208
>There are probably… two others… somewhere.
Second opinion on moonsickness

>>4673441
>>4674120
>Consult a healing maester as well

That can be arranged. IC from your time studying, you should know at least one worth speaking to.

>>4674138
Voting for this

>>4673204
>>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]
Would like to start a noble house / dynasty with a focus on alchemy but we need children for that.

Just a heads-up, I'm not going to have the time to type up a post tonight, but I will have one up tomorrow.

>>4674144
I'm going to include that chance to speak with a healing maester either way. I was looking to give you guys an opportunity to purchase some books, and this is something I can wrap into the same scene.

Oh, that reminds me. Books. So, you know how the House Fortunes-based quests have Glory that can give you a +1b on tests? I'm going to do that but with books. If you buy and read through a book on Alchemy or Healing or Foraging, then you will bank a +1b that can be used on a test in the book's respective field.

And once you gain more unique knowledge yourself, you'll be able to write your own books to sell/trade. We will test Language on the quality of the writing.

Eh.. what the hell, I'll change from Alchemist >>4673376 to Healer

>>4673208
>>You find it bothers you quite a bit. You’ve seen how happy new parents get. You want that as well. [Healer]

>>4674434
I wonder if we can do a successful literature review on bubbly wines or if it’s going to be a hit or miss.

Can I get two separate rolls of 1d6 to see what sort of opponents I need to prepare for Terrence?

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>4675763

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>4675763
Roll low!

1: Some dumbass heir that shouldn’t be riding
2: Fat old lord
3: Competent lord
4: Skilled landed knight
5: Another natural rider
6: Woe to the Usurper if we had been

>2 and then 4

Dodged the bat there.

And while I'm at it, I'll take a second to explain how this jousting has been working for those that may not know. Jousting isn't the same as foot-based combat. The combat defense is actually the character's Animal Handling rank x4 with a +1 added for each bonus die in the Ride specialty. So, Terrence's 5 in Animal Handling starts him at 20 with +1 added from his 1b in Ride for a total CD of 21.

From there, it's a Fighting test with bonus dice from Spears being applicable. The rulebook says to take off -1D because it's technically a charge, but that's a bad rule here, so I dropped it. It would turn a decently balanced match into a slap fight. We've yet to see more than 2 degrees of success without applying the penalty.

The matches usually go for 3 rounds unless the two competitors are dead even on points. I set it up so points are awarded as follows:

Crit fail (5 under DC): 0 points
Fail: 1 point
Success: 2 points
Great success (5 over DC): 3 points
10 over DC: 4 points

Successfully hitting the Fighting test DC forces the opponent to take an Animal Handling (Ride) test to stop from being unhorsed. I use a base DC of 12 with 3 added to the DC for each additional degree of success. That's 3 over the base DC the book reccomends, but again I don't think they were doing a great job of accounting for the Animal Handling ranks that you should see in important competitive tournaments, so I bumped it up a little.

Rolled 6, 4, 4, 5, 5 = 24 (5d6)

I'm just sitting around here with free time in a place that's really not conducive for writing. Might as well just push on through and do the rolls as well. I'll break out the results in the story when Tristan gets around to finding out.

>Can I get 3 separate rolls of 6d6 for Ser Terrence Flowers' Fighting (Spears)? DC is 17. I'll open roll for the opponent starting with this post.

Rolled 1, 3, 3, 5, 3, 3 = 18 (6d6)

>>4675837

Rolled 3, 5, 5, 2, 4, 2 = 21 (6d6)

>>4675837
haha fuck

Rolled 2, 3, 3, 5, 4, 4 = 21 (6d6)

>>4675837
>that roll
yikes!

>>4675788
Really appreciate you going in detail and that's a great adjustment imo.

Rolled 4, 2, 5, 3, 4 = 18 (5d6)

>>4675840
1 degree of success, here's the lord's Animal Handling roll. He needs a 12 with 4D+1b.

Rolled 4, 2, 5, 4, 6 = 21 (5d6)

>>4675841
Another 1 degree, same deal with the opposing Ride in the post.

Ah, and can I get 1 more roll of 6d6 for Terrence's ride? Surprised the lord connected vs a DC of 21. DC 12.

Rolled 3, 3, 2, 5, 6 = 19 (5d6)

>>4675850
And the lord's Fighting for round 2 is here.

Rolled 6, 6, 1, 6, 2 = 21 (5d6)

>>4675843
1 degree again. Round 3's opposing Animal Handling test is here

Rolled 1, 6, 3, 3, 5, 2 = 20 (6d6)

>>4675850

Rolled 3, 6, 4, 6, 3 = 22 (5d6)

>>4675858
That's definitely a pass. Okay, here's the lord's last Fighting roll. He failed the 2nd roll, so you don't need to do a saving Animal Handling roll for that one.

>>4675864
...But you do for this one.

>Can I get 1 last roll of 6d6 for Animal Handling? You win the round if you beat the DC 12 here.

Rolled 6, 1, 5, 5, 6, 6 = 29 (6d6)

>>4675865

Rolled 1, 4, 2, 2, 3, 6, 1 = 19 (7d6)

>>4675866
Now there's a roll...

Alright, that'll put the total as 6 points for Terrence and 5 for his opponent with neither unhorsed. Honestly, that's probably the best this could've gone. Lets the lord salvage some honor from his almost improbably solid showing.

Okay, same deal as before.

>Can I get 3 separate rolls of 7d6 for Ser Terrence Flowers' Fighting (Spears)? I actually missed his +1b from his Superior Quality mount on that last round. DC is 18 now. I'll open roll for the opponent starting with this post.

Rolled 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 6, 3 = 21 (7d6)

>>4675876

Rolled 3, 3, 2, 4, 3, 1, 2 = 18 (7d6)

>>4675876

Rolled 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 4 = 25 (6d6)

>>4675884
Opposing Ride roll.

Rolled 2, 4, 1, 1, 2, 4, 4 = 18 (7d6)

>>4675887
Opposing Fighting roll for Round 2

Rolled 5, 5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 4 = 26 (7d6)

>>4675876

Rolled 6, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2 = 21 (6d6)

>>4675900
There's that second degree. Opposing knight needs a 15 here

Rolled 1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4, 5 = 26 (7d6)

>>4675902
Alright, then here's his Round 3 Fighting

>>4675904
>23

>Can I get one last roll of 6d6? DC 12

Rolled 3, 2, 2, 6, 4, 6 = 23 (6d6)

>>4675906

did Terrence just win? this shit is close...

That should be it. Surprised that the better opponent jobbed so hard.

Final tally is 6 to 4 in Terrence's favor. That puts him in the semifinals. His final opponents won't be easy, though. If he loses in the semifinals, then he will compete vs the other loser for 3rd place. That'll be in 2 days.

>>4675931


Terrence is the goat

>>4675931
TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE TERRENCE

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>Welcome to Inside the Tourney
>We are live from the Final Four
>My name is Ernie of House Johnson
>And joining me are my co-hosts
>Ser Shaquille of House O’Neal
>Say my new name Ernie!
>..of House Hall of Dragons, okay..
>And next are Kenneth of House Blacksmith, Ser Charles
>Brought to you by Bank of Oldtown

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>Ser Charles, I want to start with you: what do you think about the surprising run of Terrence Flowers so far?

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>I TOLD YOU ERNIE
>I GUA-RAN-TEE TERRENCE WILL WIN THE SUPERB OWL
>Wow. This kid, I knew he was good and he took us all by surprise, but to make the Final Four you gotta be more than a Cinderella.
>He got what it takes to be a knight.

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>So Kenneth, what do you think were the factors that brought Terrence to the Final Four?

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>Certainly not dice!
>He’s stepping up to the moment. I’m not an All-Westeros Kingsguard like Ser Shaq and Ser Charles, but when I was squiring for Ser Hakeem, I knew I had to be ready and wait for my moment to joust.

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>We the North! Tar Hills baby, we gonna hang a banner on the Wall!

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>Go Dogs of House Clegane!

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>Ser Shaq: what do you think?

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>I think the people, the Bastards people, made a statement here, that you don't have to be legitimately born to be a good Knight.

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>Two words: Championship mentality
>He’s a bastard
>He’s an hedge knight
>Nobody knew about him
>But he doesn’t make excuses. >Every day he comes out ready to joust.

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>COMES OUT
>WILDFIRES BLAZIN

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>You gonna get us thrown in a black cell Chuck!

Based commentator anon(s).

To update tonight?

>>4676869
Almost done. I'm still not home, but I've found some time to write.

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The room is still spinning when you awake. The fire is down to embers and the clay wine carafe lays empty and overturned at your feet. You don’t normally drink in such a way, but if this wasn’t a reasonable occasion then you don’t know what is. Sure, you’d always given more thought to shaping an apprentice, one that did not require your blood, but the prospect of keeping a marriage bed without experiencing the joy of giving life does sting quite a bit. At least someone threw a blanket on you at some point…

You eventually take note of Aemelia sitting in a chair in front of a polished silver mirror and fretting over her hair. She notices you too. “You are alive. You should get ready,” she says by way of greeting.

“For what...” you yawn.

“The tourney. We are going with Lady Evalaine and the rest. She invited me just a short while ago,” she says.

“Are you even well enough?” you ask.

“I will manage. As I said, I am used to this. You look worse off than I do,” Aemelia notes.

“About last night…” you start, thinking on how best to explain everything on her condition.

She turns away from the mirror to face you. “You called me a whore.”

“No, I think I called your mother a whore then made a general statement on the subject of whores and whorish behaviors,” you correct.

“By which you meant me,” she says.

“Does it apply to you?” you counter.

“I will leave you to decide,” Aemelia replies. Gods this woman can speak in circles…

“I was more looking to speak on your… condition…” you try again.

“My imaginary child?” she sarcastically asks.

“No. More of the opposite, really,” you start before diving into your explanation of moonsickness and what you think it means for her.

“Just last night you thought I was with child. Now you think I may be barren,” she states with a heap of skepticism.

“Not barren. It’s just… you have no true rhythm. Women have their days of fertility. You understand that much, yes?” you ask.

“Yes. Which lady doesn’t?” she says.

“Then can’t you see the issue? Your ripeness could be on the morrow or three moons from now. It could last a moon or a day,” you say.

“Then we need only do it more often to make sure it takes,” Aemelia tries.

“It’s not that simple,” you sigh, though a part of you certainly doesn’t mind that notion.

Then the tears start… it takes you a good while to soothe her. You don’t do much beyond hold her but then there isn’t much to be done. You’ve heard women just need to let their tears flow on occasion. At least you hadn’t yet donned your new doublet…

>>4676935
“How could you think I was pregnant? Do I look pregnant, you oaf?” she swats at you between sniffles when the worst of it has passed.

“Lots of reasons. All of that with the magister implying knowledge of you abed. Then you had been tiring easily, too easily. I saw you examining your teats at the tavern. Then the night prior I thought your nipples seemed a bit large and they darkened on the air…” you list out.

She just gawks at you as if you sprouted a second head. “I was not examining my teats and I have no more comment on the rest,” she says, the pitch of her voice going up as she speaks.

“Yes, you were. I saw it. It was plain enough. So I thought, ‘why would she do this?’ And with all of the other symptoms…” you explain. She buries her head in the pillow and lets out a muffled growl of frustration and embarrassment.

“This cannot be real. I am still dreaming. This is just a nightmare. I will wake up and none of this will come to pass,” Aemelia says as she stares at the ceiling.

“No, it’s real,” you absentmindedly correct.

“I just… Goddess… I wish they were bigger. That is all,” she huffs.

“But that doesn’t quite explain your nip—” you start, but she clamps her hand over your mouth.

“If you say that word again, I will scream,” she warns.

“Is there a better word? I am simply stating that I have observed much the same phenomena in laboring women. That’s all,” you assure.

“They are perfectly normal,” she hisses and pushes you back onto the bed.

“If you say so. I’ll admit my sample size could be a bit more robust…” you allow.

“Aemelia, are you read— oh! Good morrow, cousin! I did not know you had already arrived,” Evalaine says as she peeks her head into the room. “I see you are busy my apologies,” she hurriedly adds before shutting the door.

“When did she get shy?” you ask Aemelia.

“I am not sure, but I would hazard around the moment when she saw her rather attractive and mysterious cousin half-dressed and during an intimate moment in a lady’s private quarters,” Aemelia ponders.

“But we are married. What did she expect to see?” you ask.

“Oh? That detail may have slipped my mind in my conversations with her. How could I forget?” she gasps. You catch her smirk behind her hand.

“… I’m attractive and mysterious now? When did this happen?” you ask as you lead her down the hall to the main receiving room where any others may be waiting.

“Are you fishing for compliments? I thought that was my role,” Aemelia says by way of answer as Lady Evalaine and another lady vaguely of an age with her come into view.

>>4676936
“Is Elias not coming?” you ask. For some reason, that sends the other lady into a giggling fit. Why, you couldn’t say. It wasn’t funny.

“He attends my lord father in Lord Leyton’s box,” Lady Evalaine says, finding mention of her betrothed to be less amusing than her… friend?

“Oh, you have not been introduced. Tristan, this is Lady Cathlynn Sunnyvale. She is my handmaiden. Cathlynn, this is my cousin, Tristan…,” Evalaine searches for a name to describe you.

“Haeliathas,” Aemelia provides.

“Heely…” your cousin struggles.

“Haeliathas. It is his name as my consort,” Aemelia explains.

“I thought you were of House Clawwater…” Evalaine puzzles.

“My father was. My mother is Lyseni and I am titled accordingly as Mistress of House Haeliathas. Tristan and I have already wed in the Lysene fashion,” Aemelia explains.

“You have already— ohh. Oh, but I was so looking forward to a wedding,” your cousin says, taking on a pouty tone.

“Talk and walk,” you suggest, not for any rush to reach the tourney grounds but for your own increasingly fragile sanity. And talk and walk they do. The two ladies of Cuy, one of house name and the other of the town bearing the name, let loose a stream of questions on the way to the grounds. Despite their absolutely grating mannerisms, it turns out to be mildly informative. Aemelia is Mistress rather than Lady because she is the formal Head of House. It can’t be you because you have no Lysene blood. It is her right to choose her own heir, so long as it is of her blood. Standing is known to shift in families over time, ensuring only the best and most favored inherits a family’s fortune… or whichever has the wit to avoid being poisoned, you’d guess. At least you’ll make a point of teaching your child how to brew antidotes… assuming you have one.

That thought sours your mood again, just in time to plop down in a surprisingly uncushioned chair in House Cuy’s box. The ground looks a bit churned up out in the lists. Some lordlings have already been at it. You recall hearing that there would be some matches amongst that level of peerage, more of exhibition and friendly rivalry than anything. The best would be advanced and slotted into the brackets with the other competing knights, the worst would go on being lordlings, doing whatever it is lordlings do. You’d suppose drinking and breeding.

>>4676942
“Oh, there is Ser Terrence!” Lady Evalaine eventually spots out. And so it is. He’s riding against one of the lordlings. Well, that’s not quite right. Adding a “-ling” to the man’s description would border on mummery. The man must’ve been built like an ox in his earlier days. Now, he’s gone to fat. Somewhere there is an armorer either very tired or doubled over in stitches.

“Is that the Lord Westbrook?” Lady Cathlynn pipes up.

“I believe so,” Aemelia answers.

“By the Father, he means to joust?” Evalaine giggles.

But the Lord Westbrook makes a surprisingly good show of it. It’s almost uncanny. His poorly couched lance would wobble as he charged only to be righted at the last possible moment. Despite his seemingly drunken performance, he breaks lance for lance with Terrence and recovers smoothly from every battering he takes. His only failing was on his second pass in which his lance slid at an awkward angle off of Terrence’s shield, leaving it half-cracked. Your brother is awarded the victory on points by a fairly narrow margin. Even in defeat, the old lord seems to be having a time of it, raising a jolly salute to Terrence to the roar of the crowds.

The Knight of Gardenfast is up next, a more formidable contender by his reputation. You vaguely remember hearing the name called out on the prior day. To the disappointment of the crowds, he puts up a poorer showing. His first two passes were as lackluster as Terrence’s were solid. Perhaps he is simply tired after the grueling pace of the tourney? Oh well, it’s nearly over now. The knight seems to have a similar thought and opts to really dig in his spurs for the last pass. For a moment, you think his sudden burst of speed will take Terrence by surprise as it does the watching ladies, but your brother matches him in speed and has the knight rocking back in his saddle, very nearly unhorsing him for the trouble.

The crowd erupts in cheers yet again. Well, the smallfolk do. The reactions from the boxes are a bit more tepid. At least, from some boxes. The ladies of the Cuy box are less reserved. The handmaiden manages to spill a cup of wine over the side in her enthusiasm as they set to chattering about the rumored prowess of bastards and the like. The two Cuys in particular are red faced giggling over talk of lances and rings.

“Our lord grandfather was a fair hand at the joust as well. I heard it’s how he met his own lady wife,” you mention. That sets them deeper into fits. You frown at them. You thought it was a rather nice story.

>>4676946
“Hmm. And have you considered what will happen if he places in this?” Aemelia asks as she leans into you more. For warmth, she assures. She’s not as deep in her cups as the other two.

“I’d expect that will make him wealthier than me if nothing else. No more bedding down in stables,” you say.

“Just so. He may have stables of his own,” she says.

“You think so?”

“It is a strong possibility. I have never seen a tourney of this size before. Unless he embarrasses himself on the final day, he will surely attract some attention. It may be that he already has,” she says. “His name will be known throughout the Reach, at least for this moon. There is worth in having such a man as a bannerman.”

“Huh. Yvetta will like that,” you note.

Aemelia laughs then gives you another look. “Oh, you were serious… no.”

“No?”

“No. She is common. I do not mean to offend, but that will not do. Not here. A lord may offer him a plot of land with a tower, but you should expect it to come with a daughter’s hand… or a niece. That may be more fitting. In any case, it should be a lady of good breeding who may have been otherwise stuck with a court knight,” she explains.

“She’s not going to like that…” you say.

“It is not up to her… but we will have to see. He could be offered a captaincy instead. That may be more likely. No one cares who a captain weds. They can have a whole litter of little thieves together if they so wish… I am sure she could bear them,” she sighs. “The gods truly test us at times.”

“Yes, but when is the wedding?” Evalaine asks for the twentieth time as she drapes herself over both of your shoulders.

>As soon as you can arrange something simple. You’re tired of all the waiting. [Alchemist]
>Some time just a bit before you set sail. You’ve the coin to host a small feast on the ship to celebrate the future. [Rogue]
>You’d rather not set a date as of yet. You more or less like things the way they are, and you’d like to spend more time getting to know Aemelia. [Healer]
>Something else.

>>4676948
>>Some time just a bit before you set sail. You’ve the coin to host a small feast on the ship to celebrate the future. [Rogue]
>>Something else.
I want to let Yvetta know about what Terrence doing so well in the tourney means for his future marriage prospects. She should get a fighting chance of hooking him in.

Yvetta has an opportunity to strike. Terrence is def at an emotional high now that he's in the semis. If she takes the potion and fucks his brains out, she'll stand a better chance against any of the highborn that might pursue.

>>4676948
>>As soon as you can arrange something simple. You’re tired of all the waiting. [Alchemist]

>>4677057
What of not tiring him out before the the contest is over?

>Some time just a bit before you set sail. You’ve the coin to host a small feast on the ship to celebrate the future. [Rogue]
How different are #1 and #2 in terms of pomp? Will our father for example still attend?
How about a celebration in the tavern but with better refreshments than ale and cider for the guests?

>>4677123
The difference between Rogue and Alchemist is mostly cost. If you're not looking to spend anything and want to keep it to immediate family only, then Alchemist fits. I think you can count on someone opening up one of the better casks even if you go for Alchemist.

If you want to take a few extra days and put on something more impressive, then Rogue fits. That could entail inviting other minor nobles such as the Lyseni banker and extended family members on either side who may be interested in attending.

>>4677123
I'll switch to
>As soon as you can arrange something simple. You’re tired of all the waiting. [Alchemist]

>>4677219
Which would Aemilia prefer? Do an empathy check for her opinion on it first?

>>4677252
Would support this but if not:
>>4676948
>Some time just a bit before you set sail. You’ve the coin to host a small feast on the ship to celebrate the future. [Rogue]

>>4677252
Supporting empathy check

>>4677219
By the way, are the doors to Lyseni bank entirely closed? If so we might want to secure that Bank of Oldtown deal. Fast.

>>4677357
Huh? We got the money already from the bank, it was the Magister's personal offer we turned down.

>>4677357
Not sure what you mean. You already got the gold from the Bank of Lys, though it wasn't touched on in much detail after the magister Incited Tristan against Aemelia. The only one who got butthurt over the choice of loan was Magister Zacarias Orthos, but he was effectively fucking the bank over. In theory, the Bank of Lys should like you more for rejecting his offer.

>>4677252
>>4677273
>>4677349

We can do that. I'll type up a short post with the results with the above vote staying open until later.

>Can I get a roll of 5d6 for Awareness (Empathy)?

Rolled 1, 4, 3, 6, 1 = 15 (5d6)

>>4677365

Rolled 6, 1, 5, 1, 2 = 15 (5d6)

>>4677365
Roll mediocre!

>>4677361
>>4677365

Okay, I thought we got chased out, must have missed the money part.

>>4677366
>>4677367
Two equal 5d6 rolls lmao

>14 Needed a 16 here (Passive Deception). 2 more rolls left until your +2 booster is available.

You look to Aemelia after your cousin asks her favorite question. Despite the growing frequency in which it’s been asked, it's a question you've both deftly avoided answering. Aemelia only wrings her hands and looks away to the field when she notices your gaze. It looks like the burden of answering is left to you…

You wish she were more transparent. She’s obviously dealing with nerves over the subject, but that hardly helps you gain a sense of her personal preference or, better yet, the reason for her nerves. Does she still take issue with you… or is she taking issue with herself? Or is it just the wedding day butterflies on her belly that you’ve heard piss poor bards wax on about? Roland comes to mind on that account. The man liked his marcher ballads.

Either way, Evalaine awaits your answer with bated breath. Truly. You think she’s deliberately holding her breath…

>What will it be?

>>4677392
Feast but not on the ship, but with family. We can celebrate Terrence’s success together with our wedding.

>>4677392
>>4677423
Supporting Terrence wedding feast

Supporting Feast of the Bastards

>>4677123
the next tilt isn't for a couple days i thought?

>>4677657
Yup.

>>4677842
Yeah so, he'll have time to recover. If he needs it at all.

>>4677057
>>4677851
It's an interesting concept, at least to me, from a character perspective. I'm not sure whether or not Tristan would risk limiting his brother's advancement to give Terrence and Yvetta a chance at happiness together. There's a good case to be made either way. I could put it to a vote in the next couple days.

>>4677392

>As soon as you can arrange something simple. You’re tired of all the waiting. [Alchemist]

>>4677872
Yeah, I was thinking that Tristan would want to give his friend a chance. Yvetta doesn't seem built for courtly shit. But either way, it's a thought.

Rolled 6, 1, 2, 1, 4, 4, 6 = 24 (7d6)

Odd vote... 3 for Alchemist, 3 for Rogue, 3 for some sort of Feast of the Bastards. I'm inclined to lean towards the combined feast since it's basically the middle ground.

The roll is just Evalaine trying to be charming. Post will be up soon.

File: Lady Evalaine Cuy.jpg (110 KB, 564x980)

110 KB JPG

“You hadn’t heard? It’s in… two days, was it?” you tell your cousin. “It’s a smaller affair, but I suppose you could come if—”

“At tourney’s end? Oh, that is so perfect! Why, it is as if the whole event was for you and your sweet Aemelia,” Evalaine practically squeals.

“Right…” you respond, a bit more preoccupied with your bride-to-be-again. Aemelia looks pensive as she stares off out over the field. It’s as if she didn’t hear a word your cousin said. The tourney herald steps out amidst the blasting of a war horn and begins to announce the match ups for the final day. There is to be a team melee on the morrow, but you know Terrence won’t be bothering with it. The final rounds of the lists will be the day after.

Ser Raymund Risley unhorsed Ser Jonah Leygood on their second pass, settling a question of honor dating back half a century and advancing to the semifinals.

Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard defeated Ser Jason Mallister of Seaguard and will advance to the semifinals. Rumors already buzz that the tourney organizers unfairly pitted the favored Rivermen against each other.

Ser Terrence Flowers, a wildcard returning from errantry in the Riverlands, defeated Ser Robert Gardenfast, spurring rumors that the hedge knight is indeed a mystery knight of distinguished origins.

For the love he bears his betrothed, the fair maid Lady Alysanne Hightower, Ser Arthur Ambrose overcame Lord Gerold Redding after their fifth tilt. This one seems to garner the most applause when the herald makes his announcement.

“Those three are all renowned as tourney knights,” Lady Evalaine points out.

“Ser Arthur is so gallant,” Lady Cathlynn Sunnyvale gushes. “Do you. Do you think…” she trails off, shutting her eyes and leaning heavily onto your cousin’s shoulder.

“She is supposed to be taking care of me,” Evalaine pouts.

“Was that before or after you both drank enough Arbor Gold to ransom a knight’s armor?” you ask.

“Both. You will have to carry her, cousin. Mind your hands, she is ticklish,” Evalaine instructs.

“Shouldn’t you carry her? She’s your responsibility. Elsewise go get Elias to do it,” you shrug.

“I tire of hearing his name,” she sighs then redoubles her efforts on you, using her bright blue eyes and long eyelashes to great effect. “I know I can count on you, Tristan. Your lady wife speaks of how sweet you are. I know you would not leave poor Cathlynn in the hands of a less honorable man. Would you?”

“Fine,” you can’t help but sigh your agreement. “Take her to the privy first.” That one is dangerous. You’re starting to think they stuck her with a mute to reduce the damage she can could with honeyed words.

>>4678251
“In two days.” Aemelia finally speaks when the two Ladies of Cuy stumble out of earshot.

“Is that a problem?” you ask in face of her downcast mood.

“Is it for you?” she replies.

“Do you follow some sort of rule on not answering any questions?” you ask back. Oh gods, she’s looking weepy again…

“I did not think you would still want me…” she sniffs.

“Why?”

“I am not whole,” she says. “I am cursed.”

“Yes, I can see how cursed you must be,” you scoff. “Your husband is one of the only healers in the kingdoms allowed to wed and capable of curing you. That must be rough for you.”

“You will cure me? You swear it?” she takes your hands in hers.

“I will try. I’ve sound theory to work off of. There’s a maester I’d like to speak with on the morrow, assuming he hasn’t gotten himself executed since I was last in town,” you say. Aemelia wraps her arms around your neck, nearly falling from her seat. You pull her into your own creaky chair lest she loses her balance.

“I could take you inside of me right now,” she says against your neck. You feel it down your spine.

“Best not. Those two lushes will come stumbling in any moment now,” you point out.

“I think they would not mind…” she sighs and slides out of your lap. “Two days. When were you planning on telling me?”

“Just now. I figured with how well my brother is doing, we could make a bit of a feast out of it,” you tell her.

“We could… I think I would like that. It takes some of the pressure away. But for a stitching or two, my dress should be ready. I will see to it on the morrow while you see this maester,” Aemelia decides. “What I wonder is what you plan on doing about your brother.”

“What about him?” you shrug.

“You know what I mean.”

You do. Him and Yvetta. Whatever is going on there, you helped set it in motion. But you didn’t expect him to do half as well as he has. Now he may have other opportunities. Should that matter?

>Your brother has never expressed any real interest in gaining power for power’s sake. Acceptance is what he’s always craved. Yvetta can give that to him and he to her. Warn her so she can make that happen. [Healer]
>As much as you may like Yvetta, this is Terrence’s only realistic chance to see himself elevated to a title of his own. She should not get in his way. Explain that to her before she dives too deep into this. [Rogue]
>This isn’t your problem. You’ve done enough to help them already. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. If it does, then great. Let the cards fall as they will. [Alchemist]
>Something else.

>>4678251
>Rumors already buzz that the tourney organizers unfairly pitted the favored Rivermen against each other.
UEFA Champions League, ladies and gentlemen.

>>4678253
>This isn’t your problem. You’ve done enough to help them already. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. If it does, then great. Let the cards fall as they will. [Alchemist]

>>4678253
>>Your brother has never expressed any real interest in gaining power for power’s sake. Acceptance is what he’s always craved. Yvetta can give that to him and he to her. Warn her so she can make that happen. [Healer]
if he does well in the upcoming matches he might get some serious marriage prospects, this will at least give her a chance. probably still a longshot for her, but she deserves the chance.

>>4678253
>>This isn’t your problem. You’ve done enough to help them already. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. If it does, then great. Let the cards fall as they will. [Alchemist]
We've already done enough for them, and Yvetta moved on fast. If we were playing Terrence quest, I'd be wary of the brother interfering so much. Trust in Yvetta's ability to ensnare Terrence, and if she doesn't, he gets a good future out of it. This might be the most important decision of his life, I think we should trust him to make it for himself.

Btw Boggs I was reading your first quest (House Boggs) and I was laughing all the while at the retarded choices the players made, especially that attempt at polygamy. And I also noticed that you've grown much as a QM, and you're much more self-confident than the pure and innocent Boggs in the first quest whose smile I wanted to protect lol. I miss the frequency of updates, but we can't do anything about that, other than wishing you and yours the best.

>>4678348
Oh man. Lessons learned, I guess. A lot of the issue was just in my framing and was a result of a complete absence of prep. Should've pregenned that one, too. I had to dump nearly all of my ideas after the house gen. The polygamy bit was weird, though. I had even stated ooc that I hate contrived, zero-consequence harem shit. But again, framing. Shouldn't have made it a plot point. I wanted to give more opportunities to play with local alliances, but a bigger family to start with would've been a smarter substitute.

Thanks. The main reason I took a break is actually going on right now after some delays, but it's been going well.

>>4678253
>Your brother has never expressed any real interest in gaining power for power’s sake. Acceptance is what he’s always craved. Yvetta can give that to him and he to her. Warn her so she can make that happen. [Healer]

Also a missed opportunity. We could have gambled on the tourney for extra cash.

>>4678253
>This isn’t your problem. You’ve done enough to help them already. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. If it does, then great. Let the cards fall as they will. [Alchemist]
I agree, enough meddling.

>>4678253
>This isn’t your problem. You’ve done enough to help them already. If it doesn’t work out, then it wasn’t meant to. If it does, then great. Let the cards fall as they will. [Alchemist]

>>4678393
best wishes Boggs

>>4678253
>>Your brother has never expressed any real interest in gaining power for power’s sake. Acceptance is what he’s always craved. Yvetta can give that to him and he to her. Warn her so she can make that happen. [Healer]

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>4678421
I guess you do have 201gd to bet right now if you're feeling up to risking some of it.

Let's see who is going to be riding against Terrence in the next round first.

1: Ser Oswell Whent
2: Ser Raymund Risley
3: Ser Arthur Ambrose

That's basically the order in which they're favored to win. (Terrence is the least favored of the 4)

Meh not gonna gamble at this point, well set up for bright things. What time line are we looking at for the wine and voyage?

>>4679627
Oof. Well, you will end up getting some pretty great multipliers... but for good reason.

I'm not going to make it home tonight at all, so there's no loss in leaving it to a vote until tomorrow.

Bet on the match?

>Yes. The promise of extra coin and the excitement of the risk does appeal to you. [Rogue]
>No. You're all for a little experimentation, but this is too far from a certainty to risk your newly-borrowed coin. [Alchemist]

>>4679644
Can we bet on Whent?

>>4679652
Now there's a better Rogue option. Why not? It's your character.

File: westeroscurrency.png (41 KB, 991x460)

41 KB PNG

>>4679644
>Yes. The promise of extra coin and the excitement of the risk does appeal to you. [Rogue]

Just a small sprinkle of money to see if luck is on our side. Also isn't business a kind of a gamble?

Bet 2 Stags (112 pennies) on Terrence winning against the first rider in the semifinals only. Least favoured to win has the biggest odds.

I suppose the betting house board looks like this now

1: Ser Oswell Whent 2:1
2: Ser Raymund Risley 3:1
3: Ser Arthur Ambrose 4:1
4: Terrence 5:1

>>4679644
Well that depends on how much we're betting isn't it?

>>4679652
>support

Lol.if this is a metagame isekai shlock. we just need to head to harrenhal and bet.

>>4679632
Realistically, you could sail in a few days. You'll get to see the ship tomorrow. What we are looking at coming up is:

1. See your ship+talk to an old maester mentor
2. Final tourney rounds
3. Sept wedding+celebrating at the tavern
4. Getting ready to set sail.

Lys is 2 weeks away by sail. Myr (needed to set up the glass bottles) is another 10 days from Lys. You won't be needing to do the Myr trip every time, but you'll need to for this first leg.

From there, you sail back to Cuy lands just south of Oldtown. They'll have enough wine stocked up for you to do some experimenting. They do harvests every 3 months, so you need only make the trip every 3 months. That should leave some time for exploring other things. First payment on your loan is due in 6 months.

>>4679700
It certainly could. I'll put that to a vote later.

>>4679720
It's definitely not. I dislike metagaming about as much as samefagging.

>>4679644
>No. You're all for a little experimentation, but this is too far from a certainty to risk your newly-borrowed coin. [Alchemist]

>>4679644
Betting 2 stags on Whent because in either scenario we win, and I’m a huge jinx

Just read the 1st thread. So the wine we are selling is a Sparkling Rose and Red Port.
We should take up on brewer and vinter studies.

>>4679644
>No. You're all for a little experimentation, but this is too far from a certainty to risk your newly-borrowed coin. [Alchemist]