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>>5194246

INTERLUDE :

Seeing the elegant spires and impressive halls of the building before her Ava was living her dream. The elegant grass beds were people in robes spoke between them and manipulated magical energies to form columns of light, fire, water were so different than those that she knew during her youth and her academy years. She walked slowly and practically bumped on someone who was levitating an enormous pile of paperwork. She apologized before continuing towards a great hall lit by crystals and strangely coloured fires that burned without any need for wood or coal.
Here she marvelled at the sight, magicians of all races were doing their daily activities, maybe two thousands of them were inside this enormous room. Birdmen were flying from balcony to balcony while some others climbed stairs towards different floors. She stopped in the middle of the room to see how a water elemental was cleaning a part of the room when she heard behind her the voice of a young man, with the characteristic accent of the capital, talking to her.

-First time here ?

She managed to answer, stammering a bit. She looked at the young man who had short brown hair and very elegant purple robes with a gold trim. He smiled and she was practically blinded by his white teeth.

-Y...Yes... I just graduated and...

-I was like you when I came here first, not a long time ago. I looked at everything like it was surreal. Have you seen the the Council Halls ? Or the floating islands of the Air Mages ? Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself. I am Zoomer. Zoomer Brushcutson.

He held out his hand and she shook it. Trying to smile too. He seemed nice.

-Ava... I am Ava. And no. I have not yet seen this.

-Then I can show you everything.

He took her hand and they began to go through a lot of corridors and passages. The young man explained.

-You know, I invented a spell to see secret passageways and I know one to go directly on the floating island, do not show it anyone, but you will see it is the most beautiful view of all the Mage's Guild Headquarters.

He smiled a second time and Ava instinctively tried to comb her hair a bit. She then followed him. She was quite shy in contrast to this lad who liked to brag a bit too much for her taste. But he seemed sympathetic. It was when being in one of the corners of a smaller hall that she saw a very old man with a baton and a long white beard, the most typical of all the typical wizards, saying to an assembly of men in the red robes of the battlemages.

-And woe the day when we taught magic to women ! Impure each month, fat each year they are unable to control the emotions due to their nature ! Truly my brothers, magic is a too noble art to be taught to women !

Ava frowned and asked Zoomer.

-Who is this bigot ?

He answered, a bit ashamed.

-It is the head of the battlemages division, Boomer Grillwanter, unfortunately not all mages are progressive minded persons.

>>5194248

She was dumbstruck by this news and asked the man.

-The boomer Grillwanter ? The hero who blew up the city of Sand ? I... I thought he was better than this... We talked about him at the academy.

Zoomer smiled and said her.

-Yes, yes, sometimes people are not what they seem. But come. It is behind this door, I only have to say the word of power and you will see.

He said something in an ancient language and she saw the door opening into nothing ! The door was in fact a window and they were maybe on the fifth floor ! This window had a beautiful view on the floating island. Ava was afraid of heights and recoiled seeing this but Zoomer simply walked towards it and began to walk outside, on the air. And quickly he was suspended on it, she gasped seeing him walking in the sky, with the gardens of the Mage's guild under him and said.

-B.. B... But you didn't use a levitating spell how can....

-Pretty impressive isn't it ! It is an invisible stairway ! It leads directly towards the floating islands without any need for levitation.

-But everyone will see us walking there, we are over the gardens where there is...

-Do not worry, we are invisible once on this stairway, it is invisible for those who are outside and we see through it when we are inside ! I saw the great magician, Gather Ing, use it once... I had to search a bit to find the word of power but now I can use it when nobody sees. Look, you will see, the view of the capitol is impressive from the floating island.

Ava nodded and began to walk, a bit afraid of the height. After all, even if you were a magician, walking without seeing on what you walk and being more than thirty meters over the ground can be scary. She closed her eyes and regretted it because she almost fell on the stairs. Yes, a stairway without any visual indication on the height of each stair was not very practical. Fortunately, after more than twenty minutes of walking they managed to go on the floating island, or more exactly the biggest floating island of a small archipelago of five "islands" floating in the air. Here some air mages relaxed near a pond and animated statues guarded three towers relied by bridges. It was the headquarters of the Air Mages. Some smaller pavilions and monuments were around the three towers and it was towards one of them, built right at the edge of the island, that Zoomer decided to guide Ava. He explained her.

-The most beautiful view is here. And there is the infinity cube inside too. It is always deserted, no risk of being caught by some higher ups who will begin to berate us for not being at work. Heh. I know the word of power to open it too.

>>5194250

-The most beautiful view is here. And there is the infinity cube inside too. It is always deserted, no risk of being caught by some higher ups who will begin to berate us for not being at work. Heh. I know the word of power to open it too.

She was tired by climbing the stairs but followed the young lad, trying to remain hidden from the people who worked here. Too winded to answer she simply nodded. She was from a flat place and a peasant family so she was not used to climb. Finally they managed to get inside. It was a beautiful pavilion and at it's second floor she could see the most beautiful view that she ever saw. The spires of the capital shined under the sun and all it's monuments were visible, the great arena, the imperial palace, the temple of all the gods, the House of the Council of Many, she delighted in seeing all it's architecture and did not hear particularly how Zoomer bragged about knowing everything here and showed her "good places to drink by". She simply thanked him and nodded.

She did not even looked more carefully at the Infinity Cube, the giant bronze cube higher than a man that was engraved with strange circular patterns that was in the middle of the room, the beauty of the urban landscape was too great. Unfortunately this moment of bliss was short, because she heard something behind her and had to turn around. Someone was coming here, and this someone was not alone. She could hear male and female voices climbing the stairs and quickly she saw a purple shield around the building ! They were throwing protection charms ! She couldn't flee. Zoomer saw this too, and proclaimed...

-Shit... Shit... Shit ! What to do !

She answered quickly, pointing at the cube.

-I read something about it, we can enter in it in an hour of need if we have a pure hearth and...

-Cut this bullshit, we need to get out of here !

She frowned seeing him use this language and continued to go to the cube, studying the patterns while she saw the voices approaching. It was gnomish and fortunately she had studied gnomish magic at the academy. She knew that she had not to speak a word of power but to think, round patterns, infinity cube, it was a number that she had to think about, what was unending, the one, the... No, the zero it was the number she had to... She thought about it and saw herself disappear ! In horror she saw that she was absorbed by the cube, just like Zoomer who exclaimed.

-What the...

>>5194250

But it was too late, their bodies were transferred by the flux of magic and they ceased to exist, entering entirely into the object. But their minds, their minds worked and they could communicate. Communicate and see what was around the cube and what was around was very interesting. Maybe twenty persons entered, all in elaborate robes and most of them with batons. She recognised some of them who were living legends, Gather Ing the elementalist, a dark skinned man very regal looking, Plotharmor the Prophet a dignified light elf, Jikey Rowling the famous witch who ruled the academy of Magic and who was more or less her role model and Boomer Grillwanter. The others she did not recognise but they were humans, Tieflings, elves of all sorts, gnomes and some beastmen. They all sat on freshly conjured benches and one of them, an half-elf with blond hair and the robes of an Alterationist.

-Ladies, Gentlemen, we are all united for this secret council because we have had bad news. Our friends at the Norin Security Array detected an unauthorized and unexplained phenomenon of magic more than one week ago in Bifuria. They immediately transmitted this to our security department and our dear Cia decided to send paladins here to investigate by giving the news to the cult of Edos. After more than a week, very unfortunately, it seems that the paladins have not came back into a city and have not communicated with anyone. If the prospect of loosing them is possible, even if they were pretty high ranking, we must inform you about the fact that Elliana Purefyre was amongst them.

Ava did not knew any Elliana Purefyre but when she heard the whispers of the room after this announcement she understood that she must have been someone very important. A blue Jinn asked then.

-Are we sure that she is lost ? Maybe she could have been teleported somewhere, or maybe she did not managed to find a horse to travel back towards a place where she could communicate with her order ?

-It can be the case, but we must investigate, we cannot allow her to not be monitored, you all know the prophecies.

The Battlemage Boomer Grillwanter answered to the half elf, he raised from his bench, even if it was not very impressive because he was short and fat, stroked his beard and said.

-Didn't that pansy elf said that the wench could not die because of a Prophecy ? So why are we all crying and assembling this council ? She is probably alive....

The "pansy elf" being Plotharmor the Prophet, head of the Prophecies Department, answered with a venomous voice.

-Listen, you peanut-sized brain, I have said that she could not die, but she could be lost, or taken prisoner by B'beg the Terrible or a creature of huge power. We know that she was supported by a paladin of rank 12 and one of rank 10, it could have killed them. Or this anomaly could have sent her anywhere and we will need to find her ! She is our only hope against...

>>5194251

The battlemage cut him off.

-I understood, you know what, where is this place where she disappeared ? I will go there with the boys and cast enough columns of living fire to change it to a damned lava field ! We will then divert a comet and crash it on the spot, if she could not die it will spare your chosen one. And it will kill every dangerous thing coming from here. You see, problem solved, civilian casualties estimated at ten thousands, or maybe more.... Whatever...

Gather Ing tried to answer him.

-I disagree, we cannot kill ten thousand people without any reason, we are the forces of good, even if non magicals breed like rabbits and are too stupid to govern themselves they are numerous and dangerous. They will begin to ask questions if we do this openly. Of course we could pretend that it is a magical accident but even then they will hold the Guild as responsible and we do not need it. I prefer to stick to the plan of controlling all the society in two hundred years written by our friend Illumi Nati.

People seemed to agree and Ava admitted that he was right. People will give all the power to the mages if they understood that they were the most responsible members of society and the protectors of freedom. They taught this at the academy after all, and if some people did not understood it we could always throw them enough fireballs at them to make them love it. But Boomer disagreed.

-What a bunch of nonsense ! Back in my days we did not looked on collateral damage ! It is not with this weak policies of "no more than 2000 collateral kills in an operation" that magic will advance. Great problems require radical solutions. We are the Mages Guild, the protectors of goodness, freedom and democracy, we should be allowed to act to counter any magical threats on our Empire. And saying that collateral damage is not "good enough" is the epitome of stupidity, what are we paladins ? And some of those who agree do experiments on babies and try to say that they have the moral high ground ! Back in my day we did not allow people who were of evil alignment into the guild and there were not ex...

A witch with pink hair began to object, screeching.

-Those experiments are purely defensive in nature and peasants are compensated for their loss, or they have their memories wiped even if it is costly so...

The voice of the half elf cut her off.

-Silence ! We are not here to squabble about morality, we are here to find solutions ! We have lost the chosen one ! We need to send someone to find her, at a small village in the middle of Bifuria. And we need to do it subtly, we are the most competent people here so we better try to deal with the problem cleverly.

Boomer was not impressed, he rose and began to walk towards the exterior saying.

-Boring, back in my day we besieged cities. It is late and in this assembly women and elves talk too much ! I will let you sort it out with "subtlety".

>>5194257

They let him go but most of them cried in outrage and soon everyone was at each other's throat. Unfortunately this chaos was ended when a quiet lady mage with brown hair said.

-There is two persons inside the cube !

Everyone stopped at this moment and Ava began to panic, then Gather Ing turned towards the cube and said.

-Is it true Cia... Yes it is...

He then said some words of power and the two young wizards were "reconstructed" from the cube and all the assembly looked at them with happy faces. Ava did not like this happiness. Gather Ing said finally in a tone full of joy.

-Aaaah, it is a good time to apply our old traditions... You heard everything isn't it ?

The two nodded and Zoomer began to talk but was cut of by the elementalist.

-Then it is your mission. Tradition is that when young and enthusiastic mages hear something that they are not supposed to hear they must take care of the problem themselves. I suggest you to send adventurers first before going there, they have small brains and are easily manipulated.

Zoomer was panicking said...

-But Bifuria, and in a village ? But there isn't even a spectroscope to communicate at distance, and no good taverns ! No theatres ! And there is mud ! And dirt ! And no new magical gadgets ! And it will be full of smelly peasants and inbred nobles ! We can't leave the city, you are not serious ! What if we are not connected to the magical communications network ! And I have...

-No, you are going to Lorcal, or Local lad, stop complaining...

Answered the Half Elf.

The young man wanted to speak but it was Ava who gasped and said.

-Lorcal ? Local... I... I was born here.. The village of Lord Random... Is.. Is it in danger ?

Then all the mages seemed to talk between themselves and the light elf, Plotharmor, said solemnly.

-Then it is a sign of Destiny, a girl from the village where the disaster happened ! Truly I tell you, your mission will be successful !

And everyone was happy, the task has just been given to inferiors that could take the blame if half a province disappeared.

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>>5194260

BACK TO US :

You were still at the castle of Baron Crook, and you awaited your councillors and your scout. Oldfossil, the old man who lead you here and explained you the strange customs of India, Bohémond the young knight that followed you from France and Ancel le Purineur, your experienced scout and tracker. You were playing with the light crystal when your men entered. Oldfossil seemed to find it amusing but Bohémond unsheated his sword and Ancel did the sign of the cross and tried to hide. You then told.

-This strange magical thing lits the room, if I remove this from it's pedestal it stops glowing.

They both looked at it impressed and Oldfossil explained.

-Yes, this kind of enchanted crystals are costly but some nobles like to have them to show their wealth. Why have you called us my lord ?

You told them everything about the night.

-I defended the honor of Lady Takable and defied Lord Hostil in a duel. I will have to fight him tomorrow, you said he was a magician Oldfossil, and some people believe that I would not be able to vanquish him. Do you have some advice ?

Oldfossil seemed terrified and said.

-B... But he is a wizard ! We must immediately try to arrange the things out ! He can throw fire from his hands ! Or we must try to find an obscure law forbidding honour duels ! My lord, I do not doubt your courage but it will be suicidal to fight a mage in a duel !

You did not understood the old man, everyone seemed to fear magicians. Of course they could turn someone into a frog but a true Christian knight has nothing to fear from magic ? Isn't it ? And the old man was not a knight anyway, he was a councillor knowledgeable in ruling, not in war. The young Bohémond said.

-You should fight him and show these people that you will not be messed with ! And even if you die it will by in honor monseigneur ! With the help of God you shall triumph !

Ancel told you in a low voice.

-Messire, maybe we can arrange for something... If on his way to the duel this Hostil lord, who is worse than a burgundian, would receive some dung on his robes before the duel he could catch fire if he throws fire ! Or we could throw a brick at him from the battlements while he will be walking to the yard where you will fight. It could kill him in an accident...

You looked at him, he was a peasant so he was not very honourable, but maybe such methods could be necessary. What do you decide ?

>We will have to arrange something to not have to fight this duel Oldfossil, find something, it will be a reputation loss but it will be better.
>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !
>Killing him may be a good idea, if he is so dangerous we could eliminate him in an "accident" but it would be risky because we are on hostile grounds.
>Other (write in)

>>5194248
>>5194250
>>5194251
>>5194254
>>5194257
>>5194260

Sorry, I seem to have messed up in the links to each post, probably because I was confused by those numbers that were higher than the interest rates of a Lombard banker. Simply read them one after the other.

>>5194261
>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

>>5194261
>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

However...

>If something flammable was to make its way onto his robes, and to force him to fight honourably and without satanic witchcraft, that would not be so bad

>>5194261

>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

>>5194261
>>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

>>5194261
>>Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

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>>5194386
>>5194461
>>5194639
>>5194801
>>5195184

You were not a coward who would try to cheat in an honourable single combat. Inspired by the example of centuries of chivalry and bravery you said.

-Treachery ? Never ! This man insulted my honor and he will die by my sword ! I provoked him, and I will not make peace with him until he will be totally submitted, or dead !

Bohémond cheered when he heard this and the two others understood that you will win fairly. They understood too that it was not the time to contradict you and Oldfossil simply said that you would need to try to dodge the fire that your enemy will throw and close in with your sword. You agreed with this and dismissed your men, you needed to rest after this long day. Having done your prayers you got to sleep, ordering Ancel to keep watch at your door. Yous slept quite well, a curiously dreamless sleep. Even in face of death you seemed strangely calm, maybe it was because you were accustomed to it ? Or maybe because everything happened so quickly that you had no time to process what was happening ?

The next day you ordered your servants to bring you your clothes and once clothed you decided to go to the great hall to break your fast. Once there you were met by the Baron who told you.

-Ah, you are here ! You slept well ? And, before I forget, about the duel, I decided that it will be with swords and shields, like in the old days that you seem to like so much. You will fight in an hour, if you do not want to do it I shall suggest you to apologize to Lord Hostil. I will send some servants to escort you towards the arena.

He smiled, satisfied with it's options and you frowned, normally the two duellists and not the liege lord agreed on weapons. And you preferred it when you were given three axes and two shields to replace those that would be lost during the struggle but if it will be with the sword you will fight with the sword. You thanked the baron saying.

-I slept very well my liege, and I hope that you did too. About Lord Hostil I shall not apologise to this blackguard, he has to apologise if he doesn't want to face death and defeat. I will fight as you wish, after I will have eaten a bit and readied for battle.

He nodded and you ate something before fighting. Some people would say that it may be bad if you were wounded at the stomach but let's be honest, if you are wounded at the stomach you will probably be dead. So better take some strenght. You now had a choice.

>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.
>Order yours servants to only bring a padded gambeson, you need to be lightly armoured to dodge better the flames of your opponent.
>Other (write in)

====

You gain +2 piety for deciding to fight honourably, trusting God for your victory, against the vile witch.

>>5195571

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 2
XP : 160 (next level at 250)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 38+2 = 40

Mudcore : 26

With 26 Mudcore you have a small field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. Next level at 30.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

>>5195571
>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.
We do not know how good he is with a sword so it's best to behave like he is a skilled enemy just in case.

>>5195575
>>5195571
>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.

>>5195571
>>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.

>>5195571
>>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.

>>5195571
>>Order your servants to bring your chainmail armor and your helmet, it would be suicidal to fight unarmored.

>>5195571
>Order yours servants to only bring a padded gambeson, you need to be lightly armoured to dodge better the flames of your opponent.

Metal conducts heat, friends. https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/heatMetal.htm

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>>5194254

Truly in this accursed age of untruth and treachery one knows not upon whom to place one's trust. In the ancient empire ruled by dynasties that inherited power from father to son there was once a great warlord named after a plant, a briar or perhaps a Bush. The Warlord Father was mocked for peace but his son was venerated for war. The Forgotten Father once gave a speech to the land of Rukh, which may have been a mythical bird like the Roc, a Chicken, or perhaps it had another even deeper hidden meaning?

Alas, the terrible prophecy and warning of the Forgotten Father was lost, cast aside by those that followed, including the malevolent Elder Horror known as The One That Bides.

Consequently we must greatly fear this Norin Security Array and indeed also this Jikey of Rowling. I heard they now spit upon her name within the realm of Diver City because of a great witchcraft she wrought which turned many men into women or perhaps the other way around.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Kiev_speech

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>>5195585
>>5195589
>>5195602
>>5195703
>>5195862
>>5196018

Thank you good sir you are a true jester skilled in what we call in France "the wooden tongue art". I laughed out loud. The Gender Bending Trebuchet must truly be a relic of Diver City.

>>5195869

You decided to don your armor because even if you heard that this Hostil Lord was a poor swordsman the skill gap to bridge between fighting an unarmored fighter and an armoured warrior was too great. Against an unarmoured man you could slash and thrust anywhere and you will probably wound your enemy while against an armoured man you would have to thrust your sword to expect piercing his chainmail. Any battle between armoured an unarmoured men could only end in slaughter. So you ordered Ancel and some servants to help you with the process once you would have finished to eat.

Once armoured you were escorted by two servants of the baron to the arena. You put your gambeson under your hauberk. You put on your ailettes too to protect you against any blow that will be deviated by your helmet and would maybe wound your shoulders. You attached to your arm the small coloured ribbon that Lady Takable gave you as a token of her favour.

You entered into the arena and saw that it was a quite big wooden structure with a pit full of sand and benches on the sides where spectators could watch the battles.

Once inside you saw that Lord Hostil was unarmored ! Such arrogance ! Such hubris ! How could he think that he will be a match against a knight in full mail ? But he was there, without any helmet and any armor, playing with his sword. All the nobility, the baron’s councillors and many others watched from the tribunes and tried to bet on the victor. You heard a man tell to Ancel.

-A knight against a mage ? He will get roasted !

But your brave scout answered.

-Haha, no ! I saw my master fighting against Flemish at the siege of Bruges, believe me he will strike true against this man and kill him.

Bohémond agreed, saying.

-Yes, and the other man fights unarmored like a villein, it will not even be a challenge. I bet 5 livres tournois on my liege.

You were encouraged by these words of your men but they were clearly in the minority. But you decided to walk towards the middle of the arena and you heard the awful Baron speak as per tradition.

-Fors Hostil, Lord of Hostil, do you want to apologise to lady Rose Takable and Lord Charles de Villeroi before this assembly to avoid this bloodshed.

-I shall not apologise, it is I who was unjustly insulted and I demand apologies.

The baron, hearing this answer told you.

-Charles de Villeroi, Lord of Local, do you want to apologise to Lord Fors Hostil for accusing him of laughing at lady Takable to avoid this bloodshed ?

-Never ! I am on my right and this felon is wrong ! I will defend my honour and the honour of Lady Rose with my sword.

>>5196366

The baron nodded, impressed by such boldness and Lord Hostil had a smile full of contempt. Lady Rose seemed to grip her sit so strongly that her knuckles became white. The baron continued.

-Then you shall fight with swords, magic and shields to wash the stain on your honor. I shall throw this handkerchief from my tribune and when it will fall on the sand your battle may begin.

Before he had the time to drop the thing Lord Hostil threw his shield away, what ? Did he thought so low of you that he decided to throw his shield away ? Was he mad ? Without shield and armor he will be dead quite quickly.

>Throw away your shield too, it is fair play and that it what a true knight would do.
>Do not throw your shield, let's keep an advantage against the foul sorcery of your opponent.

Now once the handkerchief will fall you will have to adopt a tactic.

>Charge, élan and quickness are paramount, you need to close the distance and kill the enemy.
>Advance carefully and try to dodge the flames of your enemy, caution will be your way to win.
>Run towards your opponent in zigzags, it will be the best of both tactics.
>Other (write in)

And roll a d100 for combat please.

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>5196367
>Throw away your shield too, it is fair play and that it what a true knight would do.
>Advance carefully and try to dodge the flames of your enemy, caution will be your way to win.

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>5196367
>>Do not throw your shield, let's keep an advantage against the foul sorcery of your opponent.

He has his sorcerous tricks, we are right in keeping our shield.

>>Advance carefully and try to dodge the flames of your enemy, caution will be your way to win.

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5196367
>Throw away your shield too, it is fair play and that it what a true knight would do.

>Advance carefully and try to dodge the flames of your enemy, caution will be your way to win.

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>>5196375
>>5196379
>>5196395

You threw away your shield, like a true knight would, and people gasped seeing this display of chivalry. You did not understood why. You decided to advance slowly and carefully, ready to dodge, and your opponent simply closed his eyes and began to speak in a tongue that you did not understood and that was definitely not Flemish, Spanish, English, Occitan or Latin. You never heard it. He then pointed his hand towards you and a great cone of flames went out of his fingers. Quickly you moved towards your left to dodge it, even if you were terrified ! It was witchcraft like you never saw ! It had nothing to do with the gipsies trying to do some tricks with cards to the gullible Parisians or the maledictions of witches that killed someone six months after being said. No, here the work of the devil was direct and terrifying !

You prayed the Lord to be spared by this flames of hell and dodged. Unfortunately he simply moved his hand and you were engulfed in flames. Was it your last day ? Will you die killed by witchcraft, engulfed in flames and burning like a witch or a heretic ? Will it be the end, you closed your eyes because everything around you was bright and glowing, was it what death looked like ? You continued to advance and did not felt anything. You thought that it was because your soul was out of your corpse but you didn't saw the angels of the Lord carrying you to the last Judgment.
You gripped your sword and hoped to see the Lord and to hear him say "Come here Charles, you always fought to protect my church, you never betrayed your liege lord, and you were always pious. Sit at my side, you deserved it." but you were afraid to not be forgiven for your sins.

But strangely death did not came, and when you opened your eyes you saw that Lord Hostil was before you, and his face had an expression of fear. While you heard the gasps of everyone on the grandstands. It seemed to astonish them as much as you. You only heard Ancel proclaim.

-Such is the power of the intercession of Saint Urbain !

You did not understood why Ancel invoked the patron saint of the drunkards whose relics were kept at Auxerre but it was probably a saint that he invoked a lot. But enough thinking, you were alive, and your enemy was recoiling in fear. He even said.

-W.. What... How ?


But enough of this, you had to act. He was trying to speak another language a second time.

>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.
>Try to dodge his next witchcraft.
>Taunt him and say that he has no power here.
>Let your opponent a last chance to apologise and surrender.
>Other (write in)

>>5196429

I forgot to add it but you lose 5 piety to resist the flames.

>>5196429
>>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.

>>5196429
>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.

>>5196429
>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.
behead the heathen

>>5196429
>>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.

>>5196429
>>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.
The Divine Will has made itself known. Surely Mon Dieu has seen fit to spare us that we might send this heretic to his eternal punishment. Let him dwell among the flames which he has sold his soul to cast at others. Avance!

>>5196429
>>Charge the enemy, no time to wait.

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>>5196475
>>5196489
>>5196494

Well said !

>>5196496
>>5196526

Montjoie ! Saint Denis ! If we are alive it means that God wills it !

>>5196527

You decided to charge at the enemy, sword raised, ready to strike and with a battlecry on your lips. Let this degenerate know fear while you will smite him down. You cried.

-Surrender, satanic !

And you charged the man, ready to behead him once and for all. But will you be quick enough to kill him ? Or will he engulf you a second time in the fires of hell ? Around you you heard some people screaming like Lady Sue whose voice told.

-How did he did this ?

And the Rival Lord who was saying.

-He cheated ! We cannot resist magic like that !

But you had no time to hear them complain, you had a duel to win ! For God, glory and the honor of a lady !

>Roll 1d100 for combat please. I will take as always the average of the 3 first rolls, if you do less than 50 you will manage to avoid his flames and not pay another time 5 points of piety and if you do less than 70 you will manage to kill him.

====

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 2
XP : 160 (next level at 250)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 40-5 = 35

Mudcore : 26

With 26 Mudcore you have a small field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. Next level at 30.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

====

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5196543
In the name of God!

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5196543

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>5196543
Deus vult!

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>5196543

>>5196549
I'm suddenly very glad I rolled what I did.

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>>5196545
>>5196546
>>5196548
>>5196549
>>5196553

Unfortunately flames engulfed you a second time but their effect was the same, they did nothing against your righteous advance and the pathetic honourless rascal who tried to oppose began to recoil. Unfortunately for him it was too late, you were upon him and he had nowhere to run. He tried to raise his sword but his grip was poor and he was clearly not a good swordsman. Sad for him.
You feinted towards the right and attacked at the left, slashing the torso of your ennemy. You probably broke a rib and cut a great chunk of meat out of him. Hah, he probably regretted having spent so much time reading and doing other unnecessary activities instead of sparring at the training yard. It will serve him well. You striked a second time, this time beheading your opponent without any kind of mercy, and his vile red head rolled on the ground. He had the hair colour of Judas Iscariot so he deserved his fate, oh, and he was a witch of course but unfortunately you couldn't burn him.
He had no time to call for mercy and you would not have given him any. There was shocked gasps from some ladies in the tribunes when they saw the head being severed but for the rest everything was normal. You even heard Ancel say.

-Hosanna messire ! Hosanna ! You cut his head like we behead a chicken !

He was right to be happy, his master was alive, and it was in your opinion the most important thing in any commoner's life, and he was rich because he had probably betted on you. Bohémond had done this too and he cheered for you while others remained deadly silent. Why ? Have you not won fairly ? It was your opponent who threw flames, and you were sure that it was not permitted in a duel between gentlemen. The fact that you did not burn was not cheating on your part, of course it was unbelievable, but it was as unbelievable as someone who threw fire from his fingers !

You removed your helmet and told.

-I am thirsty, Ancel, bring me my flask !

-Yes messire !

He said while fetching it. You then looked at Lady Takable and smiled, and she seemed to have cried a bit, she had cried tears of joy. You understood it, she was a woman and prone to great shows of emotion. She had seen her champion practically burn alive two times and then triumphant, her weak womanly heart must be turned upside down by so many reversals of fate.

>>5196586

You then looked at the tribunes to see the reactions of the nobility. The Baron and he seemed displeased, he was whispering to his blonde woman who had a dress that let her cleavage exposed. You knew that she was an "Ice Witch" and that Elsa was her name if you remembered well. You promised yourself that you will burn them both. Lord Rival was practically screaming that you were a cheater and Lord Neutral was looking at you, very surprised, just like his son. The lord of Darkplace had his habitual unreadable expression and Lady Sue was proclaiming out loud.

-It is impossible to do it !

The Rival lord added.

-Yes it is treachery ! He cheated !

A kind of rich merchant, who was very thin and looked like he was sick seemed to agree saying.

-Yes, it does not count ! He had protection against magic.

Then the Baron, who had finished to talk with his councillor, raised his hand and said in an authoritative voice.

-Silence ! Lord Rival, and you too Master Cope, I was as surprised as you were but I will let our winner explain how he did it. Tell me, Lord Charles, how did you managed to not burn ? Elsa says that she detected no magical defences on you given by a shield charm, nor she has seen amulets !

>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.
>I was in my right, those in the right always triumph my liege, and this man had stained a lady's honor ! The power of truth can overcome any magic. If winners were not those who were honest we would not use duels in the judicial system.
>I will be honest my liege, I do not know...
>Other (write in)

>>5196590

>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.

>>5196590

>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.

>>5196590
>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.

>>5196590
>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.
>I was in my right, those in the right always triumph my liege, and this man had stained a lady's honor ! The power of truth can overcome any magic. If winners were not those who were honest we would not use duels in the judicial system.

I just find the second option too hilarious not to pick

>>5196603
that is true
>>5196590
>>5196600
also add in:
>I was in my right, those in the right always triumph my liege, and this man had stained a lady's honor ! The power of truth can overcome any magic. If winners were not those who were honest we would not use duels in the judicial system.

>>5196590
>I will be honest my liege, I do not know...
Wonder how this is an option.

>>5196590
>>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.

>>5196603
If allowed, i fully agree and support using both options.

>>5196603
+1
I also agree

Also I just wanted to say, thank you for the dedicated session QM.

>>5196603
+1

>>5196590
>>The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.
>>I was in my right, those in the right always triumph my liege, and this man had stained a lady's honor ! The power of truth can overcome any magic. If winners were not those who were honest we would not use duels in the judicial system

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>>5196595
>>5196597
>>5196600
>>5196603
>>5196608
>>5196622

Frankly your character has no idea how he managed to resist magic.

>>5196647
>>5196706
>>5197023

Thank you very much for your warm words. I will try to answer a second time this night.

>>5197057
>>5197427

To be honest you had absolutely no idea how it happened. But you supposed that it was God’s will. You decided to explain.

-The Holy Spirit must have protected me my lord, my prayers have been answered. We must thank the Lord for my victory.

The baron seemed not to be impressed and he snapped at you after some word to his councillor Elsa. At the same time some people in the grandstands speculated about this "Holy Spirit" that they never heard of. Poor heathens, they were far away from the lights of Christ.

-My court wizard says that no magic or no benedictions have been sent towards you. How do you explain your victory !

He seemed furious, but he could not tell that you cheated because he had no proofs of it. And after all you were innocent. So you said.

-I was in my right. Those in their right always triumph my liege, and this man has stained a lady’s honor. The power of truth can overcome any magic. If winners were not those who were honest we would not use duels in the judicial system.

The answer was silence. A long silence and a sight and the man nodded to let you go. You deduced that he was paralysed by your display of logic and common sense. He then decided to tell the crowd.

-I, baron Crook of Someplace announce that Lord Charles of Local was victorious. His dead opponent shall be buried in three days.

You were happy, it was a great victory and you were now a hero. You managed to best a mage and to triumph against the odds. You decided to bow before your liege and lady Takable who seemed to cry tears of joy.

After your victory and after you had removed your armor you were visited by the lady who said in a very joyful tone.

-My Lord... You... You were magnificent ! You bested a mage and were protected against magic... I do not know what you used but it was brilliant. I am so happy that you won this battle.

You smiled and answered to the beautiful blonde.

-Do not worry, my victory was inevitable. I am happy enough that you were avenged.

She answered while kindly stroking your face with her hand, it was smooth and you reddened a bit at this contact.

-I... Yes... But... But the baron trusted Lord Hostil... And he will probably be unhappy with his death.

>>5198421

You thought about this and deduced that she was right. The baron will be angry at you that you killed his loyal bannerman and he will try to avenge himself. You needed to be clever. Better play the role of the loyal vassal and wait until his wrath would be sent on another person. While you were speaking at your quarters you heard someone knocking at the door. It was the black guelph, Crueail Degeneret, who was the baron's councillor. He told you in a polite voice.

-The baron will be ready for the ceremony of homage this afternoon. But I am afraid that since we mourn one of his bannermen it will be impossible to feast this evening or to hunt tomorrow.

He then nodded, it was a polite way to tell you that you were not welcome anymore at someplace, at least on the short term. You looked at Lady Takable who seemed to want to say something but awaited the departure of the councillor. What shall you do ?

>Tell Crueail that you understood and let him go. Talk with Lady Takable after this.
>Tell Crueail that you understood this but ask him for an audience with the baron, you need to talk to him.
>Tell Crueail that you understood and ask one of your servants to fetch your councillors, you need to talk to them.
>Take it as an insult, how dare the baron accuse you of defending a lady's honor.
>Tell Crueail that you understood and ask one of your servants to contact one of the other noblemen present at the castle. You want to speak with them in private (write the name of the nobleman in question)
>Other (write in)

>>5198423
>>Tell Crueail that you understood and let him go. Talk with Lady Takable after this.

>>5198423
>Tell Crueail that you understood and let him go. Talk with Lady Takable after this.

We can talk to our council on the way back to our lordship.

>>5198423
>Tell Crueail that you understood and let him go. Talk with Lady Takable after this.
At long last, a heathen has taken the lords L. Wonder what we should do when we get back. Maybe we can get the riverboat idea I talked about last thread up and running?

>>5198423
>Tell Crueail that you understood and let him go. Talk with Lady Takable after this.

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>>5198429
>>5198442

Of course, of course.

>>5198448

Yes, the riverboat, I wrote about it seeing your answer. Great projects await.

>>5198459

You quickly told Crueail.

-If course, it is understood. I shall be ready.

And he nodded and left through the door. You disliked the way that he looked at you and Lady Takable and you were glad that he was going away. You decided to talk to the Lady but she was quicker and said in her high-pitched voice.

-The baron is furious... Be careful. He might have planned to kill you. Be very careful... Please, I do not want you to die because of me my lord. I know that you have something to protect you from magic but they could use other, fouler means, to kill you.

She thought too that it was not God's protection. Well, heathens were unfortunately sceptical even after seeing God's Work. It happens.

-Do not worry fair lady, feeling the smoothness of your hand on my skin is enough reason for a man to die. And those who try to murder me had the bad habit of failing every time they tried.

You had the right to brag a bit after your double victory. Her cheeks became red in an adorable display of youthful modesty. And you deduced that she was charming, her blue dress was modest but she smelled of strawberries and had some innocent and at the same time mischievous expression that you liked. She was of course far younger than you but quite old for an unmarried lady, being seventeen if you remembered well the words of your councillors. If you had to fight to the death a second time for her you would only need to look at her blue eyes and deduce that you must do this. She told you politely in a somewhat worried tone.

-Maybe you could go towards my castle, instead of yours, or take another road. I fear that they will set up an ambush at the road or something like this....

It was a true possibility, but your lordship needed you so you tried to reassure her. You took note of her wish to invite you, it was good to know that you could charm noble fair maidens even in India.

-No, do not fear for this.

You thought deeply time about this. You could of course go to the castle of lady Takable and pass good time with her but maybe it would be wiser to go back to your lands first. You were needed there and Brother Louis would be back with the loaned gold that you needed for your projects. You had a river boat to build and a guard to equip after all. What will you decide ?

>It would be a pleasure my lady, spending some time on your castle would be lovely.
>Why not coming to Local instead, I am sure you saw it before but maybe we could travel there.
>Do not worry my lady, I will visit you latter, but I have urgent matters to attend to in my lands. I am well defended, I could defend myself without any problem.
>Other (write in)

Regardless of your answer she seemed to be worried and added.

And with the death of Lord Hostil the baron will take his lands, he had no heirs.

You agreed with this, and said.

>>5198516

You agreed with this, and said.

-Well, this magician was not even of noble blood, no wonder he fought so badly. And so if he is heirless his lands will revert to the baron...

She answered in a sad tone full of nostalgy for days long time past.

-Yes... These lands belonged to my father before... Now they have been confiscated after his assassination... The baron judged him after his death... And he gave the lands to his retainers...

You saw a flash of hatred in her eyes and you saw what seemed to be an unbreakable determination for vengeance. The silk robes of the young lady seemed to hide an iron personality. She has not finished her sentence but you understood what she thought about them. You wanted to add something.

>Stay strong my lady, truth always prevails.
>We could go to Pleasantville and try to obtain justice with Count Careless. I can accompany you on the road if you wish so ?
>I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.
>It is better to wait before acting. But your lands shall be restored back eventually.
>Other (write in)

====

You gain 3 piety for vanquishing a foe in a chivalric manner and defending the truth. You gain 1 mudcore for besting a mage at single combat and reminding them that swords and power and not magic wins battles.

You gain 20 xp for your victory against the awful Lord Hostil and 30 xp for putting an end to the territorial dispute with him by the only manner that a man like you likes : brute force.

====

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 2
XP : 160+50 = 210 (next level at 250)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 35-5 (lost against the second flaming spell) +3 = 33

Mudcore : 26+1 = 27

With 27 Mudcore you have a small field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. Next level at 30.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

>>5198516
>Why not coming to Local instead, I am sure you saw it before but maybe we could travel there.
Worry not, the time when we get to burn the Baron will come soon (hopefully)
>Stay strong my lady, truth always prevails.
It is best not to swear anything right now but we got her back.
Also should we start converting our populace soon?

>>5198516
>Do not worry my lady, I will visit you latter, but I have urgent matters to attend to in my lands. I am well defended, I could defend myself without any problem.

>>5198518
>I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.

>>5198516
>>Why not coming to Local instead, I am sure you saw it before but maybe we could travel there.

I'm sure with her guards and retinue we would have a large enough party to deter attacks. Maybe old fossil and the lady can recommend some extra men we could hire as well?

>>I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.

Perhaps there are some more people we can bring into our plot, another noble or two would be a necessity, but even some influential commoners would be good to have.

I'm sure there are plenty of people that are not satisfied with this mans rule, perhaps we could replace him.

>>5198516
>>Do not worry my lady, I will visit you latter, but I have urgent matters to attend to in my lands. I am well defended, I could defend myself without any problem.
>>5198518

>I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.

>>5198516
>It would be a pleasure my lady, spending some time on your castle would be lovely.
>I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.

>>5198521

Converting your subjects would be a glorious endeavour that would take time but be very useful in the long term.

>>5198522
>>5198562

This is a good idea, you will have some occasions to learn more about what the nobility thinks of him by speaking with the lords. And of course you could always contact the commoners or even Count Careless, the liege lord of Baron Crook.

>>5198726
>>5198842

It seems that we have a clear majority in favor of the alliance but we have a tie about where to go.

>>5198518
>Stay strong my lady, truth always prevails.
>We could go to Pleasantville and try to obtain justice with Count Careless. I can accompany you on the road if you wish so ?

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>>5198521
>>5198522
>>5198562
>>5198726
>>5198726
>>5198842
>>5199045

Since we were in a draw I answered shortly, you have now the choice between the two most popular options.

====

You were not sure about her proposition to come to her lands and you answered with a grunt, you needed more time to think about it. When she talked about her lands stolen and given to commoners you were moved by her words. How much nobles were forced to live in poverty in France too because vile intendants of the central power, who were commoners and taxed the populace, and strangled them with royal taxes. There were no such taxes in the good old days of Saint Louis. Everything was better in our right and proper feudal society, the nobles ruled and the commoners obeyed and paid taxes, and the king lived only with his money. Uppity commoners could not receive lands without a good reasons and sorcerers were burned alive. This was the foundation of a happy society were everybody wants to live. Or everybody that matters anyway. You decided to answer.

-I shall help you my lady, you have my sword. Lord Random was an ally of your father, it is just that we shall be allies too.

She smiled and squeezed your hand with hers. And thanked you sincerely.

-Thank you my lord. You... You gave me hope were all was lost. We shall be allies. Even if together we will not be strong enough to take back these lands we would be stronger than alone.

You agreed, she was speaking well, you needed more people with you, she was the least powerful lord on the land while you were in the middle and the baron himself had as much men as every other nobles of his barony put together. Lord Neutral was his most powerful vassal and an old friend of Lord Random, even if he was afraid he would maybe make a good ally.

-We should expand our alliances... But not here, it is better to speak while we are in our lands.

She agreed and asked.

-Yes, and about where to go ? You will not return to your castle by the same way would you ? I am sorry to disturb you with this but I know some of those who have power here and I fear an ambush...

She was thinking well but in your opinion you needed to go back to local. But maybe you could propose her to come to your lands. It would be a good way to arrange an alliance. And for her to speak freely. But maybe you didn't needed her, after all you were a busy man. And maybe it would be better to wait before inviting her to impress her with a feast.

>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.
>I have to go back to local, having urgent matters to attend to. But why not coming together, we could speak more freely about our projects there after all.
>Other (write in)

>>5199249
>>I have to go back to local, having urgent matters to attend to. But why not coming together, we could speak more freely about our projects there after all

>>5199249
>I have to go back to local, having urgent matters to attend to. But why not coming together, we could speak more freely about our projects there after all.

>>5199249
>>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

>>5199249
>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

>>5199249

>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

>>5199249
>>I have to go back to local, having urgent matters to attend to. But why not coming together, we could speak more freely about our projects there after all.

>>5199249
>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

>>5199249
>>I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

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>>5199255
>>5199282
>>5199471
>>5199499
>>5199573
>>5199807
>>5199872
>>5200341

You preferred seeing her later, you had a lordship to organise after all. So you tried to reassure her.

-I have to go back to Local, having urgent matters to attend to. But I will be careful, do not worry.

She, of course, was probably not believing you. But you knew women, they loved to talk about all the danger that you will face and say that you have to be careful while they expected you to run into it. She looked at you with a sceptical air and answered biting adorably her lips.

-I hope so... I was so worried for you during the battle you know. I didn't expect you to win the day like a knight in shining armor from a fairy tale.

You smiled at this, a knight from a fairy tale. You thought yourself that you were in a fairy tale land sometimes but now you had the impression that you were the hero of some Chanson de Geste. After all you have just beaten an evil wizard, restored serfdom and beaten the spirit of a dead Ghibelline king. Those were deeds of heroes that would be sung for a long time to come. What else could you do ? Maybe kill a dragon ? It would be glorious to hunt down such a beast and bring back it's skull at the court of France. You told Lady Takable, thinking about that.

-A knight would win anything for his lady. Isn't it what happens in the songs ?

She smiled at this and said you.

-I always loved songs of love. Even if some ordered me to stop hearing minstrels.

You frowned, why would someone be so hostile to music. Of course maybe some monks that you knew were opposed to music but it was a good pastime for women, and you heard that Lady Takable was very good with the harp.

-Why would they deprive you of songs of fin amor ?

She looked at you and said in a sad tone.

-My mother used to like them, and then father let me hear the minstrels singing about it. I loved the stories of knights servants and of ladies and the old tales of love. I used to love even some songs about the conquests of Emperor Innocent Genocide against the barbarians. But after they passed away the new tutors that the Baron gave me were from Diver City and said that these songs perpetuate gender stereotypes and a culture of conquest and oppression.

You looked at her, like if you understood what she did. What did she meant by it ? Ladies not hearing songs of love ? But what could they do instead of it ? Was it not in their feminine nature to enjoy this kind of stories. And what was bad about conquest ? It was glorious, and an honest way to live. Truly those who tried to tell this to her were wicked. And she was seventeen, normally she should not have tutors anymore. About the "gender stereotypes" you ignored the meaning of the word "stereotypes" so you preferred to ignore them, maybe they were a kind of illness.

>>5200436

>Would you like me to invite some of the best minstrels of the realm at Local when you will come ?
>Depriving you of songs ? How can tutors be so cruel ? Are they from a very strict religious order ?
>Stereotypes ? What do you mean ?
>Tutors ? But you are seventeen ! What is this nonsense ?
>You know a lot about the barbarians ? I was always curious about them.
>I know a lot of French songs but not some of yours, tell me some of India's love stories ?
>Maybe you have heard some songs of Thibaut de Champagne ? They are very popular in my lands.
>Other (write in)

>>5200439
>>Would you like me to invite some of the best minstrels of the realm at Local when you will come ?
>Tutors ? But you are seventeen ! What is this nonsense ?

>>5200439
>I know a lot of French songs but not some of yours, tell me some of India's love stories ?
>Tutors ? But you are seventeen ! What is this nonsense ?

>>5200480
Support

>>5200439
>You know a lot about the barbarians ? I was always curious about them.
>I know a lot of French songs but not some of yours, tell me some of India's love stories ?

>>5200439
>I know a lot of French songs but not some of yours, tell me some of India's love stories ?
>Maybe you have heard some songs of Thibaut de Champagne ? They are very popular in my lands.

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>>5200480
>>5200484
>>5200487
>>5200488
>>5200640

You were intrigued by some of her words and decided to ask her about them. After all she said that she had a tutor at seventeen and it was quite strange, normally she was considered old enough and she seemed not to have a brother or an uncle since she inherited the fief. Girls matured at twelve according to canon law, earlier than boys that matured at fourteen. So you asked.

-Tutors ? But you are seventeen ! What is this nonsense ?

She with a strange smile and answered quickly.

-Well, technically I am not able to rule until I am eighteen... So I had tutors given by the baron, but they are dead anyway so you do not need to bother about them.

She spoke of their deaths with a great deal of flippancy and you preferred not to investigate it anymore. After all her revelations were strange, it was a strange land where people were able to rule at only eighteen years old ! You were practically a knight at this age. You thought about your youth and remembered that you killed your first man at twelve, well it was not a very chivalric deed, he was a fleeing bandit and you speared him in the back but it meant that you were already a warrior, a squire. But enough remembering, you had a beautiful woman to entertain and you decided to ask her.

-I see, it is different in my land. But tell me, you said you liked love stories but I ignore absolutely everything of your love songs. I know ours but what do your poets sing ? About whom do they play their harps ?

Her face seemed to brighten, she enjoyed this greatly and she giggled lightly. She seemed excited and happy to talk to you about this and lost a bit of her ladylike manners, leading you to the bed to sit on it with you.

-You have your priorities straight my lord, a land is always known by his poetry. And you need to know about a lot of songs. I would sing you them if I had my harp but I preferred not to bring it here...

-Tell me the stories then.. I will be glad to hear you when we will meet again.

-Well, I would have loved to tell them in verses but they Bifurian songs are generally sung in elvish or in Archaic Imperial and I suppose that you don't understand it since you are a stranger. But... Well, I can tell you about the story of Nicolae and Elena ?

You nodded, signifying her to continue, it seemed to be an interesting story, they had practically Christian names after all, maybe they were from your lands too. So she continued.

>>5201601

-They were both from poor families, he was the son of a poor landowner and she was the daughter of a coffee merchant. Their families were from Bifuria but their ancestors travelled to Daria, the easternmost kingdom when it was colonised. At this time the Emperor was a cruel man who decided to wage war on the eastern barbarians, barbarians far more dangerous and better organised than those of the North. They were against the war so the brave knight Nicolae was imprisoned in the citadel of Doftana, there is a very beautiful song about Elena waiting him and embroidering a portrait of him like she tried to remember. But the war was lost and the eastern barbarians won, they invaded Daria and installed a puppet ruler for a time.
Since he was against the war he was appointed as commander of the palace guard but he did not forget his wife and since she was very wise he appointed her as court savant. The puppet ruler died and he took his place. He was a wise king and Elena was a wise queen, they ruled together for the people.
But he was still a vassal of the eastern barbarians and their ruler, the Big Eyebrowed One, a dark lord and a despot, ordered him and his army to crush a rebellion in his demesne. But Nicolae refused and so he was supported by the Empire. The Big Eyebrowed One said that finally he did not needed him and so Daria was not invaded. For this the dwarves of Daria called him "the genius of the mountains". In this time his wife invented a lot of useful alchemical potions and received all learned men at their court.

You did not liked this Nicolae, why was he so soft ? And why not waging war against a man with big eyebrows, he did not seemed to be a good vassal or a good man. And a woman savant ? What was this... And a simple landowner becoming king, and marrying a commoner woman ! This land was accursed and full of heretics. But you saw the perfect white teeth of Lady Takable when she was smiling and the glint in her blue eyes and you decided to remain silent. Women could definitely lead you by the nose. So she continued.

-Then they decided to assert their independence by receiving the Emperor, a new Emperor, better than the one who was mad, he waged war too but it was against kobolds so it was all good. They organised a great feast and there is very beautiful verses about how after the feast our king and queen kissed passionately and celebrated the prosperity that they brought to their land. They then decided to travel to the Far East where an ancient civilisation lives, there they saw dragons, but not like ours, they saw monkeys that talked like men and flying warriors. They saw thousands of lanterns in the cities and great pagodas, there is a beautiful song about the eastern landscapes too. There the Eastern Emperor gave them gifts, and the wise king Kim gave them a book about wisdom and how to live a virtuous life. They thanked him and he bought their ideas to the people of Daria who were impressed and accepted them.

>>5201610

She continued in her beautiful voice.

-He decided to build monuments to the kings of Daria of old and bring back it's proudness to the people, and he decided to build a marvel, with the help of the knowledge of his wife and her savants they decided to build the biggest and most beautiful palace of the world and give it to the rulers but let the poor enter here to feed them. It was beautiful and we sing a lot about the construction, sometimes we sing in chorus. The palace still exists by the way.
But the warriors disliked their reign of peace and the captain of the palace guard defected towards the Empire and said that with money he could excite the people against the two kind rulers, saying that they were corrupt and lived in opulence. After ten years their plots managed to create a revolt and the King and Queen of Daria tried to send their soldiers to put it down, but the soldiers betrayed them and declared Daria part of the Empire again.
So they killed them, near a school that they had built, and both of them embraced each other a last time before dying. It is a very sad song at the end.

You were not impressed. They seemed to be great builders but weak rulers and they deserved to be killed. Sad for them but they were commoners or low nobility and people without noble background dating back to the franks were not fit to rule in your opinion. These soldiers and guards seemed to be virtuous and sympathetic people. You thanked Lady Takable and hesitated to ask about another story but you heard someone knocking of the door. It was an old balding man with eyeglasses, this new Italian invention, appeared. He told you.

-May I disturb you my lord ?

>No, I am speaking with a lady, wait until I am finished.
>Yes, what do you want old man ?
>Other (write in)

>>5201619
>>No, I am speaking with a lady, wait until I am finished.

Such impertinence! Her stories may be displeasing but blaming a fair lady for the teachings she was given is the height of cadery! We will show her better! And this KNAVE stands against that!.

>>5201619
>>No, I am speaking with a lady, wait until I am finished.

>>5201619
>>Yes, what do you want old man ?

>>5201619
>Yes, what do you want old man ?

>>5201619
>>Yes, what do you want old man ?

>>5201619
>Yes, what do you want old man ?

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>>5201999
>>5202063
>>5202158
>>5202260
>>5202497
>>5202575

You wanted to punish this impertinent knave that disturbed you but you thought that maybe he has something important to say. So you told.

-Yes, what do you want old man ?

The man bowed before you and answered in a somewhat tired tone, he seemed to be very busy.

-I am Uni Maginative my lord. I am a civil servant serving in the Imperial College of Heraldry. I have to register all the heraldry of the imperial nobility in our archives and their titles. I heard that you were a very removed relative of Lord Random of Local and I saw that you didn't have his banner on your tabard. I suppose your branch of the family have their own emblems. I must draw your crest on the armorial to register your feudal homage.

It was true, at the duel you had your old tabard with your old emblem of the family. Of course you were a third son so you had a cadency on the emblem of your father but it was the old arms of the house de Villeroi that you carried. It was not the emblems of lord Random who had a Griffin on a Muddy field as the sigil of his house that you carried now. To be honest you thought that the emblem of Lord Random violated the rules of heraldry but maybe they were different in India than in your lands. But before deciding you asked.

-Your organisation is some kind of legists if I understood well. And you register the coats of arms of all the nobility ?

He corrected you kindly.

-Only of the feudal landowners, the Emperor, it's Vassal Kings, their Dukes and Marquesses, the Counts, the Barons and the Lords. The simple knights and second sons are not registered by us.

It was probably to make you pay taxes or for the Emperor to know how much he has vassals and who was related to whom. And you deduced that it was useful to recognise to whom belong some troops during military campaigns were every man at arms is equipped with the tabard of his liege lord. You asked then.

-I can have my family's crest, or take back the crest of Lord Random.

He nodded with enthusiasm.

-Exactly my lord. May you describe me what will be your banner ?

You decided to answer by choosing.

>I will take my family's crest (Describe the crest)
>The Griffin on a muddy field of Lord Random will mark me as his heir.
>We will do an "écartelé" between the two (Describe your crest)
>We will do a party with the two crests on each side (Describe your crest)
>Other (write in)

>>5202758
>>I will take my family's crest (Describe the crest)
Knight slaying a heretic

>>5202758
>We will do a party with the two crests on each side (Describe your crest)
A horse at the bottom with the Fleur-de-lys at the top. Colours are blue and yellow

>>5202842
Support, unless any anons have a better idea?

>>5202842
Supporting.

>>5202758

>Other (write in)
Cross of Jesus Christ (white) with a green background

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>>5202826
>>5202842
>>5202910
>>5202936
>>5203185

You decided to do a party between your crest and the coat of arms of the old lord Random so you decided to describe your new crest. Since French is the language of heraldry you had no trouble describing it. Of course the absence of translation in english is not due to your narrator's inability to traduce it properly. Those who report such rumours deserve only to be beaten up on a breaking wheel and flayed alive, emasculated, to have boiling sulphur-lead sprinkled on them, then to be decapitated, dragged through the streets, and hung on the gibbet of Montfaucon like the d'Aunay brothers. So you explained.

-Parti, d'Azur au cheval d'or sommé d'une fleur de lys d'or et de carnation sombre au griffon d'or.

You used "carnation sombre" to describe the colour of mud because it was what was the closest to it. You did not even knew if it was considered a metal or a colour. The man seemed to smile at your description and said.

-I see you are a learned man my lord, but we call "carnation sombre" , "tenné" some use orange for it but in Bifuria we use brown. So it would be "Parti, d'Azur au cheval d'or sommé d'une fleur de lys d'or et de carnation sombre au griffon d'or." to be more precise.

You nodded, it was excellent, and you told the man to draw quickly so you would be ready for the ceremony. But you were satisfied of yourself. You needed to change clothes for the ceremony and finish your very interesting conversation with Lady Takable. Speaking of her you returned towards her and she had seemed to hear you ordering the man and she said.

-You seem to be well versed in heraldry, and you like poetry. You are not only a brave knight but a well read man ! You must have read a lot....

Well, the problem was here, and you had to find an answer. And what to do ? Say the truth ? You knew that in France illiteracy was common amongst the nobility, after all books were overrated and you preferred to let them to women and monks. Plus not knowing to read was excellent when you falsified the will of a dead relative or you fabricated claims on the lands of your neighbours. You could blame your subordinates who knew how to read and say that you thought that the documents were genuine since you couldn't read them ! But in India they seemed to all be literate, it was maybe because they were at peace for so much time that they had only books as interesting activities. So you needed to answer wisely.

>>5203904

>I will be honest my lady, I do not know how to read. Knowing how to read is not common in my land, it is more the work of the priests instead of the nobility.
>Yes, yes, I read a lot of course, the song of Roland and the manuscripts of Chrétien de Troyes about King Arthur and his court. (Lie, pretend that you read what you heard thanks to minstrels and trouvères)
>Not so much in fact, I prefer hearing poetry be declaimed by the voice of a singer, or better, the beautiful voice of a lady. It helps giving life to the text.
>Other (write in)

====

>>5202842


PS : By the way does the coat of arms is what you imagined ? I can change it if needed.

>>5203909
Yup looks pretty good, deserving for such a nobleman that is us. But I thought the Griffon from random was red? When I said blue and yellow I was only talking about our part.
>I will be honest my lady, I do not know how to read. Knowing how to read is not common in my land, it is more the work of the priests instead of the nobility.
Yeah, we don't know how to read, why do so when we can instead be in blessed melee combat?

>>5203909
>By the way does the coat of arms is what you imagined ?
I like it!

>So you needed to answer wisely.
"Not so much in fact, I prefer hearing poetry be declaimed by the voice of a singer, or better, the beautiful voice of a lady. It helps giving life to the text."

>>5203983
>But I thought the Griffon from random was red?
Looks better in gold, though. I say keep it as-is.

>>5203909
>>I will be honest my lady, I do not know how to read. Knowing how to read is not common in my land, it is more the work of the priests instead of the nobility.

>>5203909
>>I will be honest my lady, I do not know how to read. Knowing how to read is not common in my land, it is more the work of the priests instead of the nobility.

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>>5203983

Oh, I never precised the color of the Griffin but I saw it in gold, to respect the rule about metals and colors. And glad that you like it.

>>5203992

Happy that you like it, soon this banner will fly everywhere !

>>5204014
>>5204273

You were an honest man and a good Christian, or at least you tried to be. So you said directly to Lady Takable.

-I will be honest my lady, I do not know how to read. Knowing how to read is not common in my land, it is more the work of the priests instead of the nobility.

She seemed to be taken aback, opening her eyes. She didn't understood this and opened her mouth a little. She then said.

-Ah... Hum... It is a kind of.. Oh you clever jokester !

She smiled and laughed a little bit with her adorable girlish laugh, it was clear as crystal and sweet. But it was humiliating, she didn't even believed that you were illiterate, maybe the locals lost too much time with books and thought that it was glorious. You then said, more seriously.

-I am sorry, but, it was not. I fear that...

She then stopped laughing and blushed, she seemed to be afraid. Well, at least she seemed afraid to upset you. She put her hand on yours and told you in her high pitched voice.

-I... Oh... I am sorry, I thought... You seemed so well read.. I... Didn't imagined. I... I must have sounded very mean. You defended me and I mocked you like this. I am terribly sorry. I..

You put your second hand on hers and you reassured her.

-Do not worry my lady. You didn't mean anything bad. I can understand that lands and customs vary.

She answered after nodding, and told you in a very kind tone.

-My lord, you are too kind. But if I can repair my misdeed I can propose you to teach you to read. You told that we can be allies, and as you helped you with your sword I can help you by teaching you how to read our poems !

She smiled at you and looked at you with very hopeful eyes. She had a kind of innocent beauty that pleased you, and her proposition was adorable. In fact more women learned how to read than men, after all they stayed inside all day long and they had to verify the work of the castle intendants while their husbands waged war. So learning embroidery, musical arts and reading was how they were occupied when they were not into church or praying. You had no choice but to agree to her proposal.

-My lady, you are too kind. And I accept your proposal with glee, but we will need to see each-other often for it to be effective.

She seemed to agree and you had to do a proposal, before begging your leave because you needed to prepare for the ceremony.

>>5204832

>Why not coming to my lands in three weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !
>Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !
>Why not coming to my lands in a month my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !
>Why not going together to Pleansantville, to the court of the Count, I will need to introduce myself there and I am sure that going to a city could be a good activity ? Is there any feast or any fair in this town in the coming weeks ?
>Other (write in)

>>5204833
>>Why not going together to Pleansantville, to the court of the Count
I feel like if we want to be more low-key about our closeness with Lady Takable in court, perhaps we should see her another time. Maybe it is for the best after making such a fuss here.

>Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !

>>5204833
>>Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !

>>5204833
>>Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !

>>5204833
>Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !

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>>5204869

Wise words indeed.

>>5204878
>>5204898
>>5204997

You wanted to see the lady in a short time so you asked her kindly.

-Why not coming to my lands in two weeks my Lady ? I am sure we could enjoy the beauty of Local together !

She looked at you and smiled, seeming to agree.

-I have not returned to Local since I was a little girl. Thank you very much.

And so it was done. Unfortunately you had to cut short your conversation. Because Oldfossil told you that you had to hurry up. The baron would be ready in an hour and you needed to get prepared. To be honest you were happy to have the occasion to remove your chainmail and dress in a doublet, even if you could wear it for some days it could be painful, especially when you had to court a lady and not wage war. You chose a fancy doublet and your most impressive chaperon and once dressed and armed with your sword you decided to go towards the great hall.
You were flanked by the brave Oldfossil who was always ready to help and the young Bohémond. Of course your other servants were of low birth and of a too uncouth company to be allowed there. The simple fact of imagining Ancel eating at a lord's table and not being thrown some things by you to eat was funny enough. You wanted to be a bit in advance and you walked in the corridors of the keep when you stumbled upon the other lady of the barony, Lady Sue. She was wearing men's clothes that would have her burned at the stake in more civilised lands and she had her sword sheathed not at her side but at her back. It was a one handed sword and you wondered why she would have her sword at her back ? Of course most of the people during the homage would stand still but after this, during the feast, she would have to sit. How did she planned to do it ? Lords and Ladies had seats and were not on benches during the feast if what said Oldfossil was to be believed. But after all she was a red headed woman so she was probably stubborn like a peasant from Brittany. You wanted to excuse yourself and pass by but she stopped you and began to talk. Your first reaction was self-satisfaction, after all it was beautiful women who stopped you on your tracks. Then it was fear, you hoped that she would not pronounce another rant about the goodness of "Marignesques" politics if you could call like that her attacks against our good and right feudal society. Fortunately you were relieved when she spoke shortly, even if she was frowning at you and looking intensely at you when she spoke.

-Lord de Villeroi, I have seen you fighting, and even if I did not discovered your trick to beat lord Hostil you can be sure that I will learn what it is.

You recoiled, shocked, she thought that you had cheated ! You, Charles de Villeroi, a cheater ! Tonnerre ! You only fought with faith, good steel and your legendary skill with the blade ! But, being before a lady, you preferred to remain polite.

>>5205063

-My lady, I am not a cheater, I won, as I said, because my cause was just and that God was on my side. It is the only thing that matters.

She snapped at you.

-You fooled nobody with your talk about a godly benedictions, I talked with the wizards and priests present, they detected no magical or divine protection on you !

You looked at her like a father looks at his "slower" child... To detect divine protection ? Even amongst Christians it was impossible without witnessing it... And to think that heathens could see it... If God didn't sent his light on them like at the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus it was normal that they saw nothing. So you answered by laughing.

-My lady... Hahahaha.. I do not want to sound contemptuous but it is improbable that pagan priests and witches could see the power of the Lord. Well... Lord Hostil did, it was why he was afraid.

She was not impressed and answered in the same tone.

-Do not take us for fools ! You know nothing about magic, or no, you play the part of someone knowing nothing but you have a trick to escape it ! I saw hundreds of people like you, arrogant knights thinking that they could take on a mage and who died in flames or in ice, or by electricity. I know that you would have died without a trick, and even with a trick you must have a very good one for it not to be detected. I know that you play the fool. Before I had beaten, with my group, the Hydras of the Smelly swamp I saw a lot of fools in shining armour thinking that they could attack the beast on horse in a swamp and drowning... And you tried to pass for a man like this by provoking the mage and killing him when...

You interrupted her, she was going beyond the pale, how dared she say that you used ruses like an Italian "gentleman" who used poisoned weapons. You knew that force and skill at arms were the only things that you needed to win in the most pure tradition of chivalry, she dared paint you as a cheater. If she hadn't been a woman you would have already drawn steel.

-My lady it is enough, I will not tolerate...

-Stop interrupting me ! You are thinking that you can interrupt me because you are a man ?

-Yes, of course.

That shut her up. She looked at you agape, completely bewildered by the wisdom of your words. She lacked a proper education, and she was a bastard child, it was why her character was impure, and instead of sending their daughter to a convent her parents gave her a lordship. It was a crime not only against the people but against all the nobility of the barony too. But you continued in a stern but not furious tone.

>>5205067

-Of course, I am a man, and a man older than you, even if you are from a princely line I am of pure Frankish blood and we are related to Charlemagne by the women. So behave yourself like a lady and not a milkmaid and do not throw accusations at me. I am not a coward who tries to use "ruses" or "tricks" to win his duels. I fight fairly with skill, faith and steel. I would NEVER, on my honour, try to cheat on a chivalric duel, even against a creature of the devil like this wizard. It would be a stain on my honour, you understand ?

You maybe embelished the truth with this familial legend about Charlemagne but the man had 300 concubines according to legend so it was maybe true. But she was an heathen, and knew probably next to nothing about chivalry. So she answered furiously.

-I do not care about your Charlething, you are just a chauvinistic idiot who talk incessantly about "honour" and "chivalry" like a paladin and knows nothing of it and applies it only to his peers ! I saw Fors killing hundreds of armored fools, even paladins in armor, or antipaladins, some had their godly protections, others amulets to resist magic, he burned them all ! I saw him burning twelve armoured men at once on the road to Poltard and you pretend that you could beat him without any otherworldly help ! You are not even a high ranked adventurer !

What will be your answer ? (choose one choice and roll intrigue please)

>Well, I was simply not here at the road to Poltard. In the arena I was here ! It is why he is dead.
>Fors ? You knew him well ?
>My lady, skill at arms does not measures itself by travelling like a beggar and killing things that are deemed too insignificant for a Local Lord and it's men at arms to take care of.
>Enough ! Do not insult honour and chivalry ! You understand nothing of it ! Heathen woman who wears breeches ! Parading with as sword is ridiculous enough, keep your opinions for yourself ! In France you would have been burned for what you do, and it would have been great justice !
>Sometimes I wonder how a barony can have a very well mannered and kind lady like Lady Takable and a screaming witch like yourself ! I explained you all, I have not to repeat myself.
>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.
>Other (write in)

>>5205070
>My lady, skill at arms does not measures itself by travelling like a beggar and killing things that are deemed too insignificant for a Local Lord and it's men at arms to take care of.
If she continues:
>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.

>>5205070
>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.

>>5205070
>>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.

>>5205070
>>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.

>>5205070
>Let her rant and walk away, she is prone to emotions.

>>5205094
>>5205098
>>5205109
>>5205339
>>5205605

Could you roll intrigue please, passive intrigue, only one roll will suffice, I have written it on my last post. I am currently writing the next one.

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>5205749

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>>5205094
>>5205098
>>5205109
>>5205339
>>5205605
>>5205755

You preferred not to continue antagonising her. She was a powerful figure of the local politics and you did not needed more enemies. It was quite annoying that when you removed a problem with brute force another one arose directly after, but such was the life of a lord. It was harder than you thought. You simply walked away and heard her reproaches.

-So you will not even answer me ! How dare you ignoring me ! You... You awful person !

Once she was far away you looked at Oldfossil and Bohémond and both of them looked at you, approving. Oldfossil told you.

-Wise choice my lord. It is better not to antagonise this lady, she has more soldiers at her disposal than us. And it will pass, she can sometimes have fits of rage.

You approved, quoting someone that you knew and that was wise in science.

-Yes, she is a typical bastard child. Bastard children are always mad or evil, it is why they are not allowed to inherit and that we should keep them into monasteries.

Bohémond approved, saying.

-Yes Monseigneur, if the bastard of Lord de Tocard was put in a monastery he would not have caused so much trouble !

You laughed at it, the bastard was the son of the neighbour of your father and he poisoned two of his legitimate brothers to inherit. Then he tried to intrigue with the Barrois to try to take back his father's lands. A real nuisance, Lady Sue was an angel near him. Fortunately his father managed to catch him and to hang him by his bowels, it was well deserved. You wondered how many bastards you had ? You preferred not to think about it, it was always better not to let them know that they had noble blood, they would not cause trouble in the future. It would be sad to hang your own child by his bowels because he had thought he had rights to your inheritance. You remembered Manfred of Sicily who was a bastard who usurped Conradin, his nephew, that was still in your dungeons because he was legitimated, heh, Manfred even assassinated his father and his brother. Bastard blood meant bad news even if you were a bastard of an Emperor. Even two centuries ago it was a bastard who was responsible for the greatest crime in the world, the conquest of England and it's transformation into a powerful kingdom. So you answered.

-Yes, people not born out of a proper Christian wedlock are unstable.

Bohémond approved but Oldfossil seemed to be more reserved about it, he said carefully.

-Mmmmh... My lord, you know there is some positive characters that can be bastards, for example Jo...

-No, I am sure that historians who wrote about this person are born out of wedlock themselves. There is maybe a vast bastard conspiracy to try to rob legitimate children of their rights to inherit. I woe the day when they will manage to obtain satisfaction.

>>5205819

Oldfossil understood and preferred to remain silent. After all you were practically in the great hall and you had to begin the ceremony. All the nobility was here, some of them, like the baron, wearing all black for lord Hostil. Lady Sue wore all black too, you hadn't remarked it in the corridor but now you saw it when she was in the middle of this assembly. Lady Takable, on the contrary, wore a very beautiful and well dyed pink dress she slightly smiled at you, you smiled too and you heard the baron begin the ceremony. Fortunately the ceremony was more or less the same than in France. The baron told you.

-Charles de Villeroi, do you want to become my man without reserve and serve me with loyalty, give me counsel when I ask for it and fulfill your service of host for forty days of the year if it is necessary or more if I have to defend my domain ?

-I want it.

After your answer he took your hands in his and said.

-Will you serve me with loyalty.

-Yes I will.

Then came the moment of the "osculum", the kiss of peace. A moment of the ceremony that would have been more preferable if it implied lady Takable or even lady Sue. Once done you had to swear officially on holy relics.

The clergy attending to the ceremony seemed composed of a strange man in black robes with a mask in the form of the head of a reptile, he seemed to be half man half lizard because he had a long scaly tail coming from behind his robes, there were some people like this at Local ! Was this creature like the cow-man that you saw at the temple of Monsanto ? Speaking about Monsanto you saw another priest of this god near the masked Lizardman. He had his robes covered in vines and seemed to be a quite young man with a small beard. Next to the priest of Monsanto was a man with a huge hammer, strange breeches and a yellow helmet, why would a priest use yellow when it was simply an impure perversion of the golden colour of light remained a mystery. Then there was a very small jew with strange spiked hair probably fixed with animal grease that seemed to carry a small box. They must be members of the local clergy of the many Indian gods.

The baron began by requesting the crossbreed between man and lizard to advance. This Lizard-man gave him what must have been the finger of a huge beast and told him in an otherworldly voice.

-Baron Crook Wickedson, do you swear, on the finger of Threepointfiv the Dragon of the Dungeon that your ancestors bested in the past and who is still spoken about with awe in our lands, that you will be a just lord, and give justice and protection to your vassal ?

-I swear it on the holy relics of Threepointfiv.

>>5205824

Answered the baron while touching the holy relic. Now it seemed that it was your time to swear fealty. It was an interesting dilemma, you did not wanted to swear on heathen relics who were those of false gods probably invented by the devil to trick men. But on the other side swearing on pagan relics were like swearing to a serf, it had absolutely no value. What to do ?

>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.
>Choose to swear on the finger of the dragon, Saint Georges bested one of them just like the Archangel Michael after all.
>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.
>Choose to swear on the relics of the hammer man with a yellow hat. Maybe it is a jew ? They wear yellow hats and even if they killed Christ they are not exactly heathens.
>Choose to swear on the relics of the small jew with a spiky hair, maybe you will swear on his ridiculous haircut, it could be amusing.
>Other (write in)

>>5205826
>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.

>>5205826
>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.

>>5205826
>>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.
Piety Intensifies...

>>5205826
>>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.

>>5205826
>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.

We plan to break this vow, do we not? This should not be a Christian vow that we now make...

>>5205960
You raise a good point, swapping to support you

>>5205960
Oh well fuck, Hm.

>>5205826
Changing this vote here >>5205831 which is mine too

>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.

>>5205826
>>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.

>>5205826
>Tell that you are a Christian man, a defender of the church, and that you will swear only on a Christian Holy Relic, you must have still some blessed water from the Archbishop of Reims, it could do the job even if technically not a relic.

>>5205826
>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.
>Swear on a Christian Holy Relic to uphold Christian values, by the grace of God.

>>5205826
>Choose to swear on the relics of Monsanto, after killing three of their clergymen it would be funny to do it.

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>>5205831
>>5205852
>>5205947
>>5205948
>>5205960
>>5205999
>>5206692
>>5206694
>>5206980
>>5207514
>>5207621
>>5208802


Your first thought was to swear on a Christian relic or something true and not some strange heathen talisman that was a blasphemy against God. But then you thought for a moment, after all you were pledgint loyalty to a vile man, an heathen, a sorcerer who spoke with the devil and with spirits ! How could you, in your honest consciousness as a Christian, accept this ? You were born and baptised, you knew what was right and what was wrong and choosing to forfeit your soul and defiling a holy relic by giving your loyalty to a known devil worshipper was definitely wrong. Then you planned on betraying him, so probably swearing on something without any spiritual value must be better. You knew that you were sent by God on a trial after all, and death was always nearby, what if you caught a cold, or an arrow, and died without receiving confession from a priest ? You feared the eternal Gehenna.

So you decided to swear on the relics of Monsanto, at least you knew the name of the deity that this priest served. And you had already fought the heathens worshipping this demon. You ordered the priest of Monsanto to come nearby and he said in his youthful voice while presenting you a piece of cloth.

-Charles de Villeroi, do you swear, on this part of the robes of the Holy Man Arbeestee who made the cows produce more milk, that you will be a loyal vassal, and to keep against all your loyalty with good faith and no treachery ?

-I swear it on the relics of the holy man Arbeestee.

It was like a promise done to a serf, it was worth nothing, only promises made between noblemen were worth something. But the Baron gave you some dirt, probably from local, and you bowed, taking it in your hands. He then said.

-Then let it be known that you will be the new Lord of Local, you will hold the fief in my name, I will protect you against any menace and you will serve in my host if I call you. If you betray me I will take back the land but if you serve me loyally I will provide you justice.

>>5209495

And so it was, you were now a true lord ! You were legally the lord of Local ! Even if the ceremony was quite cold and the feast will probably be quite dull. Everyone congratulated you, some, like lord Rival, only to respect the custom, and others more warmly. There were maybe sixty guests, the local nobility and many councillors, priests and important commoners. Per custom the baron choose you to sit at his right side on this day. You were between him and his guard Captain, the huge man with white hair and a scarred cheek. You remembered that his name was Brutus Enforcer. He must have been a knight or a man of noble blood to be allowed on the lord's table in such a great feast, or he had served him really well as a guard's captain. You saw that food came quickly, the baron seemed to want to end this early. He must have been upset about the death of Lord Hostil. What do you do ?

>Speak with the baron about Lord Hostil, say that you understand that he lost a loyal bannerman but that you want to be loyal too.
>Speak with the baron about his projects for the barony in the future.
>Speak with the baron about your project of building a boat to travel from Local to his lands.
>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about his campaigns, maybe he has known war
>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about his job, what is it like to lead the guard of the Baron ?
>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about the kobolds in the Hills of Nesse about whom the wise Oldfossil talked.
>Speak to another person about another subject (precise please)
>Remain silent, better let it pass quickly.
>Other (write in)

====

You lose 2 piety for swearing on a pagan relic and you gain 30 xp for finally having managed to gain your title.

>>5209497

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 2
XP : 210+30 = 240 (next level at 250)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 33-2 = 31

Mudcore : 27

With 27 Mudcore you have a small field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. Next level at 30.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

>>5209497
>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about his campaigns, maybe he has known war
Perhaps this man has some experience?

>>5209497
>>Speak with the baron about his projects for the barony in the future

It would be good to know his plans

>>5209497
>Speak with the baron about your project of building a boat to travel from Local to his lands.
To make sure he provides no obstacle.
>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about his job, what is it like to lead the guard of the Baron ?
To learn of the baron's defences, so we know how to circumvent them.

>>5209497
>>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about the kobolds in the Hills of Nesse about whom the wise Oldfossil talked

>>5209497
>>Speak with the baron about your project of building a boat to travel from Local to his lands.
>>Speak with Brutus Enforcer about his campaigns, maybe he has known war

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>>5209511
>>5209546
>>5209732
>>5210295
>>5210456

You decided to begin by speaking with Brutus Enforcer, the baron seemed to be in a sour mood and it was better to wait for him to drink some wine before asking him about your project of a river boat. You needed the agreement of the Lords on both sides of the river for this and fortunately if the Baron was one of them Lord Hostil was the other, and since he was dead you needed only the baron's consent. A new proof, if you needed one, that every problem had a name and a surname and could be dealt with with the help of brute force. So you decided to speak with another man who seemed to like brute force, the huge mountain of muscles that was on your right. You told him.

-Excuse me messire, you are... Brutus Enforcer if I remember well...

The man had a cheerful voice.

-Yes, I'm the guard's captain ! And nice swordplay by the way, you gutted the mage well !

You were surprised by this compliment and thanked him.

-Thank you very much. Some years of war have taught me how to use a sword, even if I prefer the axe !

The man laughed like some mercenaries that you knew back in the Christendom, the kind of men who just had broken the gates of a city and that have been allowed to rape and plunder for three days as per custom.

-You are an axe man, it means that you are wise. I use an enchanted sword personally, looted it on a poor bastard in Chityneighbour during a border skirmish. The bastard was the son of a Duke, it didn't help him ! At least I got a shiny new sword !

You said then.

-You waged war too ? I thought I was the only one here ! It is good to see a fellow knight who fought in foreign lands. I heard that there was fighting against the barbarians in the north and in Smaug ?

He approved and said.

-Yes, in Smaug, I was there, killing saurians all day, but the scalies are tough, we need to kill them all, they are a threat to our way of life... And it is hot... And their women... I served 10 years in the legion, I then decided to not enlist for 10 more years. Smaug was really a bad place to be. I never fought barbarians, only Chityneighbourgians, at the western border, their ladies are beautiful at least and their cities are rich. And they are weak, they fear us and never commit more than a few men to the border skirmishes. And you, your lordship, where you have fought ?

-Flanders, Guyenne and Aragon. Great campaigns too, last time it was in Flanders, to be honest those flemish are more peasants than soldiers, they hide behind a pikewall like it will help against heavy cavalry.. Hah ! Liars ! It is worthless ! We smash through them or we storm their cities, and it is not their spiky clubs that could threaten a French Knight, I will tell you, we will never be beaten. I got seven of them at Bruges, once two were killed the others tried to flee the walls and I had only to pursue. They were no noblemen so no quarters were given.

>>5210715

The man seemed to agree, he answered.

-Yes, I myself am a Knight, well, I was knighted by my officer, I enlisted as a simple soldier, but even before I agreed. Why letting live someone who cannot pay a ransom ? He is not useful to anyone ! But I am happy to share war stories, let us drink to our past, you as a knight and me as a defender of the Empire and freedom.

You laughed and drank some wine, he was a fine lad, you exchanged some stories. He told you how he took the village of "Tumblr" during a raid and after plundering the place and taking the women he ordered his men to shit everywhere. Soldier's humor, crude but playful. You told him how you took an English supply caravan in Guyenne and how Ancel was so much charged with sausages that it deflected an arrow when you had to flee because the Englishmen counterattacked.

He then said.

-You know, my lord, when you talk about cavalry charges, it is quite daring to do it today !

-Why ? It is the only true tactic !

-Because my lord mages would simply burn you alive or curse your cavalry with too many spells ! People fight in dispersed order. To survive AOE Spells.

You did not understood.

-Aoe ? What does this mean ?

-Area of Effect Spells, fog clouds, poison clouds, fireballs, lighting storms, comets and all this sorceries ! You saw yourself, if you had not been protected by what I did not knew the mage would have roasted you. It is hard to be a fighter in times of caster supremacy ! Today closing ranks is only good against barbarians.

You dismissed his objections.

-Dispersed order is a death warrant against a cavalry charge ! And your mages, they do tricks, I do not believe they can stop a charge. God protects !

The man seemed to not be convinced and shook his head. He said how he saw some villages destroyed by a single spell and you began to be quite worried. You knew this kind of men, they loved plundering, killing and raping and they often embellished their deeds on the field of battle but they rarely underestimated threats. It was why they were inferior to knights, they feared death while you did not, but even there, if the mages of this land were so powerful you needed to be careful. Even if God protected you you did not knew why, and you did not knew if this protection will be given to your heathen soldiers... But more practically you had to decide what to do.

>Continue to speak with Brutus Enforcer about military tactics
>Talk to the Guard's Captain about his enchanted sword
>Ask Brutus Enforcer about how he ended here as a guard's captain
>Talk with the Baron about your boat project
>Other (write in)

====

I choose the first most popular option but you will definetely be able to speak with the baron about the boat, you voted for it (it was simply a bit too long to write the two conversations in one answer so I gave you this new option to choose).

>>5210716
>>Talk with the Baron about your boat project

Brutus seems like a good lad, shame he's under the Barons employ

>>5210716
>Continue to speak with Brutus Enforcer about military tactics
>Talk to the Guard's Captain about his enchanted sword
>Ask Brutus Enforcer about how he ended here as a guard's captain

Brutus is a good lad, if he's ever looking for a new job or some fun I'd be happy to have him.

>>5210716
>Talk with the Baron about your boat project

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>>5210728
>>5210745
>>5210774

You turned towards the Baron and decided to speak to him about your boat project. After all if he agreed to your idea it would be good. You decided to explain to the baron the problems of some of your subjects. He was speaking with his court mage, you waited for him to finish and asked.

-My lord, may I bring to your attention some complains that I have heard from my subjects ?

He nodded, saying in an uninterested tone.

-Go ahead...

You decided to explain your project to him.

-Some of my subjects are complaining about the lack of travel down the queste. It would help them travel faster and I have thought about equipping, at my expense, a boat to travel down the Queste, towards your lands, so Local will be less isolated. And why not even make it travel further away on the river. I will of course need to find a captain, and receive your authorization, and build the boat of course.

He seemed to think about it but was upset about the death of Lord Hostil, he said simply.

-Dear bannerman, we will see it later, when we will see each other for business and not at a feast.

You understood that you will need to try to convince him to make your project happen, and you needed to do it fast. You will not have much time to talk. What do you do ?

>Do as he says, stay silent. End the conversation.
>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.
>Tell him that you will give him a part of the money that you will gain with the fees paid by the travellers.
>Tell him that this boat will help you meet together faster.
>Tell him that travelling by boat is safer than travelling on a road.
>Other (write in)

And roll intrigue if you have chosen to try to convince him please, your roll will depend of the bonus that your choice will give you. I will take the average of three rolls.

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>5211846
>Tell him the boat will help bring taxes faster
Wicked men enjoy taxes more than righteous ones, is it not so?

>>5211846
>>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5211846
>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.
Its going to be a nat 1 won't it?

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>5211846
>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>5211846
>>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.

>>5211846
>>Tell him that the boat will help bring your taxes in grain faster.

>>5212225
Thank the Lord you rolled late

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>>5211874
>>5211875
>>5211890
>>5212132
>>5212225

Jesus, it is good that you were the fourth one to roll !

>>5213052

You tried to tell something and began to say.

-My lord, but... The boat will help me bring your taxes faster and...

He looked at you and said in a harsh tone.

-I said, next time.

Well, no discussion then, it was annoying, and he probably would be building his own boat. You were not a diplomat, maybe you could have turned this request in a more interesting way but you were not a man of words but a man of action. You tried to drink quietly while the dishes passed by. At least you ate well and if those "Aurochs" tasted so good you promised yourself that you will need to hunt one of them when you will be back at local. It was at this moment, while you were giving your goblet to the servant behind you that filled your cup (it was strange, instead of a servant per person these people preferred to have one or two servants alternatively serving everyone, was the baron short on personal ? Or were the customs of India in favor of unemployment at the lord's table ?) that a small piece of parchment with a note appeared under your goblet. It was stuck on it with a bit of wax and you decided to drink it quickly before looking at it.

Unfortunately, being illiterate, you understood nothing. Well, you tried at least and the mysterious stranger that tried to contact you was probably unaware of this. You decided to wait for the end of the feast, wich was quick, before retiring to your chambers and calling Oldfossil. You showed him the small note and he raised a white eyebrow and muttered.

-Strange... Very strange my lord...

You answered him.

-Probably, but we will debate about it's strangeness once I know what is written on it.

-Hum... Yes, of course your lordship, it is written "Maybe a trip to the dragon temple could be worth it, I heard that the back door is open at night."

You frowned, clearly it was not to see the ribcage of the dead dragon that Oldfossil has told you about. No, clearly it was to meet someone but who ? It was not Lady Takable, she knew that you couldn't read. Was it an ally ? Or an enemy ? A nobleman ? A priest perhaps ? Maybe they wanted you in this place to kill you ? The author of the note probably hasn't thought about saying you to come alone, but if he used this method to communicate with you it probably meant that he preferred your meeting to be kept secret. Was it a test of the Baron, it was one of it's servants that must have given it to you after all, or was the unknown servant paid by someone else. What to do ?

>Ask Oldfossil for advice.
>Do not go there, it must be a trap.
>Go alone, if it is an ally it is better to look like to trust him.
>Go with Bohémond, he is good with a sword and could protect you.
>Go and be followed at distance by Ancel, he is crafty and could help you.
>Other (write in)

>>5214253
>>Go and be followed at distance by Ancel, he is crafty and could help you

Have Bohemond stand watch over our quarters.

>>5214253
>Ask Oldfossil for advice.
>Go with Bohémond, he is good with a sword and could protect you.
>Go and be followed at distance by Ancel, he is crafty and could help you.

>>5214253
>Ask Oldfossil for advice.
>Go with Bohémond, he is good with a sword and could protect you

>>5214253
>Go and be followed at distance by Ancel, he is crafty and could help you.
>Have Bohemond stand watch over our quarters.

>>5214253
>>Do not go there, it must be a trap.

File: Bad taste heathens.png (1.58 MB, 964x970)

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>>5214265
>>5214311
>>5214313
>>5214342
>>5214407

You needed to take some dispositions to ensure that you would not be killed, after all one of the other vassals of the Baron had assassin's at his service. You needed to thread carefully. You decided to go there with Ancel, he was not very gracious or well behaved but he was crafty and smelled tracks well, he could be useful. You ordered Oldfossil.

-I will go with Ancel, he will follow me at distance. Send a servant to fetch him. Knowing him well he must be playing dice or trying to steal something.

The old man agreed, he seemed to be of your opinion and say.

-It is a wise idea indeed. Good luck my lord.

And he came to fetch one of your servants. You decided to take your sword with you and your dagger, and of course you took a hood and a cowl, nights could be cold and you didn't wanted to be recognised. Once Ancel was there you ordered him to follow you and to put his hood on. He agreed and quickly you were walking no more in the corridors of the castle but on the streets of the small borough of Someplace. You told Ancel.

-Follow me at a certain distance. I must be alone.

-Yes messire, I will watch for any miscreants trying to cut you down.

He was pessimistic, but after all you already were practically killed on the road towards the baron's castle so you walked carefully on the streets. You saw some drunk people near a tavern, some of them being demons, and your hand instinctively moved towards your sword. But you preferred to not create yourself more trouble. So you continued on the poorly lit streets, bypassing a beggar and a crying child, what did this child had done to be alone at night ? He tried to ask you for money and you gave him something. Then you saw the child coming towards Ancel, who was twenty paces behind you, and try to ask for his charity. He only got a slap and cried even more. At least Ancel hasn't stolen from him and asked him to share his meagre gain. But enough talking, you were near a building, an important one with closed doors.
It was a huge round tower made of a black stone that you didn't recognise. It's gates were decorated with bronze engravings representing dragons and lizardmen kneeling before them. It was closed of course so you began to go around the building, who was strangely windowless, and saw a small back door on the other side of the building. You tried to open it's handle in the form of a dragon head and you were happy that it was open. But then penetrating alone in a black building, some days after an assassination attempt, was it a good idea ? And it was an heathen temple, and without any colours or paintings, only black stone, maybe they would try to sacrifice you to their gods !

>Yes, it is better to be bold.
>Make Ancel go there first.
>Tell Ancel to stay near the gate to help you if you are attacked.
>Other (write in)

>>5215385
>>Yes, it is better to be bold.

I trust Ancels initiative.

>>5215385
>Tell Ancel to stay near the gate

>>5215385
>>Yes, it is better to be bold.

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>>5215418
>>5215519
>>5215739

You decided to enter alone, end found the place quite eerie. The tower had all black walls and was lightly lighted by a small red crystal that produced light, just like the one you saw on your chambers. It lit a terrifying sight. The skeleton of a dragon whose ribcage took all the tower and was hung on the wall, under it it’s tail was impressive. You saw only the head of the beast at the baron’s castle, and constated that it could have eaten a knight and his steed in one bite but now you understood the majesty of this beast, it was the size of a building ! A black stone altar was near the spinal column of the beast and a candle lit it. You saw a cowled figure near the altar and decided to meet it. It was when you heard.

-Lord Charles, a pleasure to meet you in this place. Praying to the dragon god is always a wise choice, he grants strength.

You answered, recognising the voice.

-Lord Neutralsson ? You... Here ! It was unexpected !

-A man should never be obvious that he is up to something. Too much audacity, is death of safety. But enough talk... We are here for prayers after all.

-I doubt that you have called me for a prayer, I suppose that you have another thing in mind.

Your answer was motivated as much by curiosity than by a zealous anti pagan sentiment. The man nodded in answer, and proposed.

-Well, I had all the time to pray after all. What about going near a small pond, I love going near this place when I am in my glorious liege lord’s castle. You will see it is very beautiful by moonlight.

You nodded, not trusting him very much, but he was historically an ally of Lord Random even if according to Oldfossil he was afraid of the baron. You told him.

-You could have contacted me in a more conventional way. We look like two plotters.

You tried to smile and the man, who was a bit shorter than you, took a lantern and led the way.

-Speaking together for too long and learning to know you would be unwise. I needed to know you more before making my mind about the mysterious man that had killed Lord Hostil and upset the balance of power. But as wise men say in the story of the three genies, « Your thoughts you must hide until you decide ». I couldn’t have spoken to you for long at the castle and a little learning is a dangerous thing.

Decidedly he liked to talk in proverbs. You agreed to his words and let the man continue to advance. Finally, when you were going out of the temple you saw that Ancel was trying to menace someone with a dagger, the other man did the same. You heard Ancel say.

-I will cut you like a bacon you calf head !

The other man had none of it and he striked, your man slipped fell, saying "Mortecouille" in the process. But this battle was stopped by the voice of Lord Neutral.

>>5216604

-Dirt stop ! He is the man of lord Charles.

You then understood that the man that had menaced Ancel was one of the servants of Lord Neutral, they probably decided that their masters were betrayed. The lord explained him.

-Sorry for your man lord Charles, this is Dirt Ywork, he his very loyal and probably wanted to protect me, you were wise to bring your man too. He has had his tongue cut out so he doesn't speak very much. But in our case speech is silver, silence is golden, let's wait to be at the pond.

You simply answered.

-And this is Ancel le Purineur, he his not very gracious or civilised but he is crafty and follows tracks well. Come Ancel, follow us.

You walked with Lord Neutral, silently at first, even if you heard Ancel trying to sneakily call the man of Lord Neutral a "Calf Head". Once you were there, on a small meadow near a quite big pond with some trees you decided to ask.

>Lord Neutralsson, you were an ally of Lord Random, what was your alliance like ?
>You seem to not trust the baron very much to choose to hide from him for even speaking to me.
>You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?
>"The story of three genies" is it a local tale ?
>You said that you are up to something ? After all you want to speak with another vassal on a secluded place. So tell me.
>Other (write in)

>>5216606
>You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?
>"The story of three genies" is it a local tale ?

>>5216606
>>You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?
>>You said that you are up to something ? After all you want to speak with another vassal on a secluded place. So tell me.

>>5216702
Support

>>5216606
>You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?
>You seem to not trust the baron very much to choose to hide from him for even speaking to me.
>You said that you are up to something ? After all you want to speak with another vassal on a secluded place. So tell me.

>>5216606
>>You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?
>"The story of three genies" is it a local tale ?

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>>5216680
>>5216702
>>5217112
>>5217140
>>5217476

You decided to ask a direct question. One that you were thinking about while you walked.

-You told about the balance of power that I have upset. What was it ?

The most powerful vassal of Lord Random answered in a strangely cheerful tone.

-Mmmmh, you see, my lord, a balance of powers is always required to administrate any entity, without a balance of power everything would fall to chaos. When the father of baron Crook reigned we, the most powerful vassals, knew that his son was a man with a questionable reputation. So we decided to form an alliance with Lord Random, Lord Takable and myself. Officially it was directed in case of an attack from Lord Rival, who was an enemy of Lord Random and who had territorial disputes with me too. But it could be interpreted as a pledge of support against any tyranny from our future liege lord. The old Baron died a short time after this and his son proved to be... We will say "enthusiastic" about torturing people. Lord Takable was always favourable to the cause of his peasantry and he began to complain, he was joined by the Special Lord whose bastard child has been tortured for sport. In reprisal the lordship of Special was confiscated and the baron imprisoned Lord Takable. But Lord Random managed to tell this to the Count and he judged on the matter, ordering the Baron to release his prisoners.
Unfortunately the baron had killed Lord Special, who had no heir. Count Careless wanted to punish him for it but the fact that the Baron's uncle is the Personal Chancellor of the Queen made the court intervene. The Queen decided that Baron Crook would not be punished but that he would not inherit the land of Lord Special, so he decided to sell it to a Princely Family from the capital who gave it to Lady Sue. We tried to invite her in our alliance but she was not interested in politics.
After this we had clearly two camps, a balance of power, between Baron Crook and his loyal Lord Rival against us three, even if I was officially Neutral and I was the less vehement in my opposition, prudence is the mother of safety after all. Baron Crook gave lands to new men like lord Hostil and Lord Creepy Bitchson to win their loyalty. Then Lord Takable, that the baron still called "a traitor" even if he was proven innocent, "disappeared" during a hunting trip. And the baron decided to use the influence of his uncle to take practically all his lands by condemning him posthumously. Count Careless intervened but he could only save one village and a tower for the daughter of Lady Takable, and the most powerful vassal of the baron was destroyed. His lands were shared between Baron Crook and his loyal retainers. Clearly the balance of power was in our disadvantage. Some said that he planned to marry forcibly Lady Takable when she will be eighteen to take her lands.

>>5218214

He continued after looking at the pond.

-Then Lord Random died, unfortunately, and without an heir apparent the Baron would have inherited his lands. I do not know what was the exact cause of his death, maybe it was old age, or maybe.. I prefer not to speculate further... I preferred to make peace with the Baron and shower him with gifts, after all I was alone after this. But then you came, and you made his plan fail, worse than that, you came and you visibly befriended the daughter of his "traitor" vassal and you killed one of his loyal retainers ! You have just given the other side a win. It's first victory since a long time.

You thought about the words of Lord Neutral, and even if he seemed to exaggerate, Oldfossil told clearly that Lord Random died of old age which was possible since he was very old. You understood too why the Baron wanted you dead, and why he was so powerful, he had gradually destroyed all opposition to his rule, and you came as an unexpected obstacle to his final victory. He had a pacified Lord Neutral, the lands of Lord Random, practically all the lands of Lord Takable and a future marriage with the daughter of the later to secure the rest. But you stopped all this with your actions.
Your appearance was clearly a setback, and you understood why he accepted the duel, he thought that you will lose and he would have managed to remove this last obstacle to his reign if he had succeeded. You decided to answer.

-Very interesting, but you do not seem to want to be at peace anymore since I am here. Are you preparing something ? After all you want to speak with another vassal on a secluded place.

The man smiled and said simply.

-I only want to chat a little bit, to know more about you. You seem to be interested by the balance of power. But tell me, when you killed Lord Hostil, did you knew some of all this ? And did you knew that you will win by this secret trick that you used ?

What do you answer to his two questions ?

>Yes, I acted to weaken the baron.
>I had a territorial dispute with him, now he will not look greedily on my lands since his head is buried.
>I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry.
>Other (Write in)

>Yes, God was on my side and I was right, I knew that I would win.
>Yes, I had a trick, I always ensure that I win before going to battle.
>A pious man has nothing to fear from enchanters and mages, my victory was inevitable.
>I did not knew who would win, and I had no trick, I think it was a divine sign that I have been victorious.
>Other (write in)

>>5218216
>I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry.

>A pious man has nothing to fear from enchanters and mages, my victory was inevitable.

>>5218216
>>I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry.

>>Yes, God was on my side and I was right, I knew that I would win.

>>5218216
>I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry.

>A pious man has nothing to fear from enchanters and mages, my victory was inevitable.

>>5218216
>>I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry.
>Yes, God was on my side and I was right, I knew that I would win.

>>5218389
>>5218396
>>5218414
>>5218417

It seems that we need a tie breaker on the second vote.

>>5218216
>All of the above
>Yes, God was on my side and I was right, I knew that I would win.

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>>5218389
>>5218396
>>5218414
>>5218417
>>5219283

You answered honestly, you disliked lying and did it only when it was necessary.

-I saw a damsel in distress, and I defended her, I acted only by chivalry. God was on my side and I was right, I knew that I would win.

The man seemed not to be impressed. He said, quite incredulously.

-Do you... Really believe in that ?

-Yes.

Of course yes ! You were a true knight after all and a believer. Why not believing in God’s plan ! It is foolishness. But the nobleman answered.

-You are a fool then... A naive gallant and pious fool... But a fool nonetheless.

You wanted to cut him down but the lord of Neutral continued.

-But sometimes it takes a fool to see the truth, when everyone has it’s eyes obscured by lies only the naive fool can see the truth and put back order where there is disorder. I did not mean it as an offense my lord.

You thought about it and, strangely, it seemed to make sense. Of course you were seen as a fool because you were from a land who knew God, they saw the apostles as fools too, and the first Christians. And the romans threw those "fools" into pits with lions to be eaten alive, you remembered how your mother's family still had a relic, a tooth of Sainte Blandine whom the lions refused to eat and that was martyred before the eyes of Caesar by being whipped and roasted on a grill before the executioner's cut her throat. You always thought that her tooth was big, as big as an horse's but you would not doubt the veracity of the holy relic. But enough about relics. This man was right. You had a mission from God and you began to understand it.

>>5220375

The land where you were was a kind of parody of our right and proper feudal society. Here strange men called adventurers roamed the lands instead of the brave men at arms of the local lords, mages counselled noblemen instead of priests and there were many gods, worse, you were ruled by a witch and a weak emperor who was hostage to a council composed of peddler, burghers, magicians and other lowborn. By Saint Denis even the people were not right, cagots and demons walked freely and men laid in bed with beasts to produce repugnant hybrids ! People openly attacked chivalry, and honest institutions of serfdom in the name of shallow principles like "Justice" and "practicality". How can there be justice when the servant disobeys his master ? And practicality ? What did that meant ! Another term invented by some monk copying books somewhere in the royal demesne who had nothing better to do than inventing incomprehensible words. Mortecouille ! Even the nobility was compromised, full of women dressed in armor, of commoners elevated from the unwashed masses and magicians conspiring with the devil ! You shall show them than instead of doing such stupid things they should rule their lands and made their peasants, that loved and admired them, plough the fields. Yes, you needed to be the shining beacon of light that will reduce those magicians, beasts, uppity commoners and false knights to dust, no, better than dust, you will reduce them to mud. Like you reduced this magic stone to mud by touching it you will drown them in rivers of mud. You will bring true, feudal order and Christendom to this land by the sword and by the spear if it is needed.
But will you need Lord Neutral for your crusade ? What do you answer ?

>Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?
>I am not a plotter my lord, I shall not try to plot against my liege lord.
>You called me a fool, even if you did not meant that I demand apologies !
>Other (write in)

You gain +1 piety for your pious words

>>5220378
>Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?

>>5220378
>>Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?

>>5220378
>>Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?

>>5220378
>Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?

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>>5220378
>ruled by a witch and a weak emperor who was hostage to a council composed of peddler, burghers, magicians and other lowborn

>Even the nobility was compromised, full of women dressed in armor

Reminiscent of the tale of King Macaroon, once a humble Jesuit apprentice and student of the obscure symbolist and hermeneutic magician Ricoeur, but who later became bewitched by the elderly enchantress of Amiens Trogneux Auziere, after she ensorcelled the innocent apprentice Emmanuel by suckling him with her confections, sweetmeats and macaroons.

Now King Macaroon can only achieve victorious conquest when he fights against a woman in battle, he will literally say and do anything, adopt any political position or intrigue, so long as he is assured of facing only a woman in the final round of combat. It is said however that the fiscal position of the realm of King Macaroon is stronger than that of the Exchequer of Angleterre, under the Buffoon King John'son, who is rumoured to be of peculiar ancestry. Some say he is a Turk but others remember he was actually a sauvage born in the Lands Of Red Neck, now fallen under the swollen, growing and inflating shadow of the demon legions of Gonflement and the eldritch horror The One That Bides. Perhaps this is where the path of neutrality inevitably leads.

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>>5220383
>>5220424
>>5220427
>>5220563

You agreed, after all you needed to find a plan to act against your enemies, they were stronger than you and you needed as much allies as you could. You asked.

-Yes, there is disorder, and we need to work to put everything back in order. Do you have a plan about what to do ?

The man nodded, he then explained.

-You see, my lord, it is better to never be seen as someone too dangerous, and to act indirectly, Lord Takable and Lord Random tried to act directly, and they are now dead. We need to be more careful. I think that we shall first try to seek the support of some nearby nobility. But I can deal with that.
The problem was that, if I understood well and my informers were not misinformed, that you were the victim of an assassination attempt by a professional.

You approved vigorously.

-Yes, I was attacked in a Inn on the road, the High Mandol-Inn, and who are your informers ?

-Some people that work for me, but if you were attacked it is very interesting, and if we are to believe who was the man we can be practically sure that he was a man of the Lord of Darkplace. And even if the lord of Darkplace is not the one who has formed him, I cannot confirm who engaged the man but if Lord Creepy Bitchson learns that it was his man that was killed he will send another one, and then another one until you are dead, he hates failure. He is not...

The look on your face said it all, you told him who has done the act. You even showed him the dagger that you had taken. So Lord Neutral continued.

-Well, he knows. It means that everything is in jeopardy until we have neutralized his killers. We cannot do this directly, or march to war against them, or even provoke the man to a duel. The baron would take his defence. No... We need to create something, an external event that would force his assassins to disperse, or who would destroy his school of the Assassin's Guild, or who would remove him from the game.

You thought about proposing something. You had talked a bit about this organisation with the lord of Darkplace after all.

>>5221351

>Maybe we could have "bandits" or something raid their village and burn the school to the ground, killing everyone !
>Is it near a river with a dam ? Or something like this, can we provoke some natural disaster that would destroy it and inflict heavy losses upon them.
>We could try to create some quarrel between the higher authorities of this Guild and the lord of Darkplace. They would probably close the school or deviate his anger towards another enemy for some time.
>We could try to create another conflict that would dedicate some of the resources of the Lord of Darkplace. Like a conflict with a nearby nobleman.
>We can try to kill him first, there is maybe killers that would do it here.
>We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.
>Why not trying to buy some of the men of the Lord of Darkplace to know about his plans in advance ?
>Other (write in)

You gain +2 Mudcore for your decision to plot directly after having sworn loyalty.

====

====

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 2
XP : 210+30 = 240 (next level at 250)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 31+1 = 32

Mudcore : 27+2 = 29

With 27 Mudcore you have a small field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. Next level at 30.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

>>5221028

My lord, you are a man of wisdom knowing in advance what will happen, truly you must be an enchanter or a prophet of some sorts.
But let us wait and see, the villeins, manants and other marauds will be assembled in the great places of the realm and we will see if king Macaroon will be supported by enough Communal Militias to vainquish the traitors who try to usurp his throne.

>>5221359
>>We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.

An ambush would be quite satisfactory.

>>5221359
>We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.

>>5221359
>Is it near a river with a dam ? Or something like this, can we provoke some natural disaster that would destroy it and inflict heavy losses upon them.
>We could try to create some quarrel between the higher authorities of this Guild and the lord of Darkplace. They would probably close the school or deviate his anger towards another enemy for some time.
>We could try to create another conflict that would dedicate some of the resources of the Lord of Darkplace. Like a conflict with a nearby nobleman.
>We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.

>>5221408
+1

>>5221408
Idk i dont know if I can agree to this, how about

>>5221359
>>Maybe we could have "bandits" or something raid their village and burn the school to the ground, killing everyone !
>>Is it near a river with a dam ? Or something like this, can we provoke some natural disaster that would destroy it and inflict heavy losses upon them.
>>We could try to create some quarrel between the higher authorities of this Guild and the lord of Darkplace. They would probably close the school or deviate his anger towards another enemy for some time.
>>We could try to create another conflict that would dedicate some of the resources of the Lord of Darkplace. Like a conflict with a nearby nobleman.
>>We can try to kill him first, there is maybe killers that would do it here.
>>We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.
>>Why not trying to buy some of the men of the Lord of Darkplace to know about his plans in advance ?
>>Other (write in)

>>5221372
>>5221405
>>5221408
>>5221409
>>5221416

Please choose only one choice good sirs. And you can roll for passive intrigue of course if you want.

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>5221447
I was joking, of course.

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>>5221372
>>5221405
>>5221408
>>5221409
>>5221416
>>5221466

Of course, I was more referring to the gentlemen >>5221408 and >>5221409 but I made the error of calling everyone.

>>5221447


You decided to propose something. You needed to act and murdering a murderer was an amusing irony.

-We can try to assassinate the Lord of Darkplace, but in the ways of France. By ambushing him, poisoning him, or making the school blow up with a pile of manure.

The man seemed impressed.

-A pile of manure ? By the heavens ! I pity the man. When you have failed at life better to not fail at death. I will let you organising it while I will give you logistical support. I will give you all the logistical support that you need, money, horses, weapons. During this time I will try to gain some supports amongst our neighbours. They are powerful and could be useful against Baron Crook Wickedson.

You approved of this plan and after a few words you felt some rain falling in your head, more and more rain, a true downpour that began very quickly in the night. You decided to go back to the castle, fleeing into the muddy roads and followed by Ancel. You stopped under a porch and saw that lightning streaked the sky. At least you had a deal and an objective. You continued to run under the rain and you entered back to the castle, you were cold and returned to your chambers, ordering a servant to light the fire in your chimney.
You had decided to eliminate Lord Creepy Bitchson, you knew only the theory about plotting and decided to trust Lord Neutral even if he probably has an agenda, but once on the path to plot there is no turning back. You needed some help, maybe you could engage 20 bandits and try to make them kill the man ? It would be effective, no man could kill 20 men when ambushed.

You thought about it before sleeping and after a prayer you decided to go to bed. Outside you heard the thunder of the storm. The next day you decided to say farewell to Lady Takable, the baron, and the rest of the nobility and to return to your fief, the celebrations having been cut short by the death of Lord Hostil. They cut the festivities like you had cut down the magician. Hah ! It was a good word. You remembered that you would maybe need to change your path to avoid ambushes, or not ? Lady Takable has said you that she feared that the Baron would try to ambush you. You had a hard choice on your hands when Oldfossil asked you.

-My lord, what road shall we take ?

>We shall take the same road as before, let's go towards our lands by the shortest road.
>Maybe it would be better to take a longer road, like the one near the river.
>Is there a boat that we can take ? Maybe we could pay someone to make us travel by the river.
>We shall go by the hills, no need for a road, nobody will await us there I am sure.
>Other (write in)

>>5221483

You gain +1 Mudcore for deciding to kill a man directly. And you gain +10 xp for managing to ally with Lord Neutral and have a plan. You now have a new profile.

====

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 3
XP : 240+10 = 250 (next level at 450)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 30%

Piety : 32

Mudcore : 29+1=30

With 30 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. New illnesses will appear too around you, but the Mudcore that you have brought upon this world will make a new companion appear.
Next level at 40, at 40 mudcore you would be able to "specialise" this ability and choose one of the three paths proposed.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

====

Level Up choices :

Since you are now at Level 3 you may chose to gain 5 points in one of your three major characteristics.

>+5 Combat
>+5 Intrigue
>+5 Rulership

Since you have reached 30 Mudcore a new companion from the beginning choice will appear in the vicinity. Note that it will be the only companion that will appear only by having reached a certain level of Mudcore so choose wisely.

>Enguerrand Lefourbe : a legist from the Sorbonne in Paris and a man knowledgeable in both Law and Theology. He is unfortunately quite soporific when he speaks and you pity his students.
>Tolomeo Pelagatti : a fat Lombard banker who you would trust only has far as you can throw him. But he is knowledgeable about money and knows more about economics than your simple formula “more taxes equal more soldiers”.
>Father François : Your confessor, a brave and pious priest who would do better to eat less and not to sleep with young maidens. But he is a cheerful fellow and a loyal man of your father, and the only one who could give you the holy Sacraments.
>Brother Ponce : an overzealous Dominican who is a member of the fairly recently created Holy Inquisition. He was travelling in Champagne and has no loyalty to you but this kind of man can always be useful.

>>5221483
>We shall go by the hills, no need for a road, nobody will await us there I am sure.

I have no clue for the 2 other options, So I'll let the rest pick

>>5221485
>>Father François : Your confessor, a brave and pious priest who would do better to eat less and not to sleep with young maidens. But he is a cheerful fellow and a loyal man of your father, and the only one who could give you the holy Sacraments.
>+5 Rulership

>>5221483
>We shall take the same road as before, let's go towards our lands by the shortest road.

>>5221483
>We shall go by the hills

>>5221483
>>We shall go by the hills, no need for a road, nobody will await us there I am sure.

A lack of roads means adventure and opportunity I would think.

>>5221485
>>+5 Rulership
>>Father François : Your confessor, a brave and pious priest who would do better to eat less and not to sleep with young maidens. But he is a cheerful fellow and a loyal man of your father, and the only one who could give you the holy Sacraments.

I'm sad that we can't have the banker also, I can see a lot of potential for hilarity there. Someone loyal and a holy man are much more useful to us, sadly.

Shame we haven't managed to recruit any new fighting men so far, perhaps we could take a look around town before leaving?

>>5221582
Oh, right, forgot the companion. Uhh...
>Father François : Your confessor, a brave and pious priest who would do better to eat less and not to sleep with young maidens. But he is a cheerful fellow and a loyal man of your father, and the only one who could give you the holy Sacraments.

Adding to the above mobile vote.
>>5221485

>>5221483
>We shall take the same road as before, let's go towards our lands by the shortest road.

>>5221485
>+5 Intrigue

Now before anyone just chooses our loyal confessor, think for a minute on who would be more useful. We have

A man well studied in Lawfare, who we can use for legal shenanigans such as getting more land and bringing serfdom back.

A banker that can get our economy roaring so we can pay for more soldiers, more horses, and better equipment.

A loyal pious man to help us gain more piety and who we can trust implicitly.

And an inquisitior who will help us root out heresy, restore Christianity to the land, and can be an effective tool against our political enemies such as the pagans and mages.

Just some food for thought.

>>5221631
The lawman is of questionable use, considering we are not even in Europe.

I would be willing to switch to the banker if there was support for it, some sketchy Italian lardass has plenty of potential for humor, not to mention the economic benefits.

I think a holy man useful, but a zealous inquisitor would be liable to bring us a lot of trouble I would think.

I am about to go to bed, but if there are any anons who favor the banker consider my vote swapped to support that.

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>>5221498
>>5221505
>>5221507
>>5221582
>>5221611
>>5221622
>>5221626
>>5221631

Wise words, a majority has chosen Father François it seems, but all the choices could be good.

>>5221635

You had no time to do most of what you wanted to do when coming to Someplace. But you had no time to talk to a captain for the ship or to talk to some warriors to engage them. You were more or less expelled towards your lands by the baron and you needed to go. When Oldfossil asked you.

-What road shall we take my lord ?

You answered in a serious tone.

-We will follow the road for two hours then we will go by the plain and by the hills, we shall not be ambushed if we go by this way.

The old man protested.

-But, my lord, we have no tents, and we do not know if there will be a place were we could sleep, and with the rain of yesterday evening all the plains shall be muddy, it will take...

-Silence ! I shall be obeyed, I understand that you are old but you have a horse, and we are not afraid of mud. Forward, march !

And with this glorious order you ordered your grumbling followers to go to the road and then to turn to the north on the plains. Walking on the plains seemed to be hard, more rain fell on your heads, a lighter rain, and everything was muddy. Everyone had his cloak on his head and you remarked that you advanced very slowly with your company. It would maybe be better to stop somewhere to camp during the night. Or to stop in a village, there is maybe a village or a farmstead in the plains were you could probably stop. Fortunately the terrain was flat, you had a good view of your surroundings and you could see a small farm were you could stop for a good lunch.It was made of wood and was quite spacious. You decided to go there. But before you maybe had the occasion to talk with some of your followers. You were wet, your horse was tired, you needed some rest and a good conversation could maybe raise morale, and raise morale better than the pleasantries of Cop who, if he was a good soldier, was a poor jokester.

>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.
>Talk with Ancel about yesterday's meeting, could we trust lord Neutral ?
>Talk with Bohémond about how was yesterday, maybe he managed to know some men in the retinue of the Baron or of other men.
>Other (write in)

>>5222281

====

Your new stats since you have chosen +5 rulership (it will be useful for the boat for exemple) :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 3
XP : 240+10 = 250 (next level at 450)

Stats

Combat : 50%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 35%

Piety : 32

Mudcore : 29+1=30

With 30 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. New illnesses will appear too around you, but the Mudcore that you have brought upon this world will make a new companion appear.
Next level at 40, at 40 mudcore you would be able to "specialise" this ability and choose one of the three paths proposed.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.

>>5222281

>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.

>>5222281
>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.

>>5222281
>>Talk with Bohémond about how was yesterday, maybe he managed to know some men in the retinue of the Baron or of other men.

>>5222281
>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.

>>5222281
>>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.

>>Talk with Bohémond about how was yesterday, maybe he managed to know some men in the retinue of the Baron or of other men.

History lesson first, then see how the lads got on amongst themselves.

>>5222281
>>Talk with Oldfossil and tell him about your meeting with lord Neutral, you see that the old man is curious about who had written you the note. Maybe you could even ask him about the old alliance between Lord Neutral and Lord Random.