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>>5314154

INTERLUDE : Somewhere in Briberopolis

The court of the Elven Queen was abnormally calm. Her personal Chancellor, Vile Wickedson was walking in the gardens, looking at a finely sculpted gazebo that shielded a party of elven courtiers from the sun. Elves dominated at court and humans, while making the majority of the population, were in minority at the high council. Some resented this and wanted to go back to the times before the marriage of King Duped III to the elven queen, because this childless marriage made her inherit the throne but the chancellor disagreed. They were arrogant fools who did not understand that elves simply ruled better.
There were no squabbles to know who took power, every usurper and would be traitor had it's treason predicted by queen's seers and they were executed or killed in advance by well paid men. Then the elves ruled with their own intrigues and had trouble distinguishing humans from others so they let some families like the Wickedsons do what they wanted on the land, as long as they reinforced the centralisation of power against stupid feudal lords. The great cities were allowed to rule themselves and were not taxed because a new king needed to wage war to add a castle or some villages to his lands. No, truly, direct rule by elves was, in Vile's opinion, a pathway to prosperity. Some called his opinion subservience but he called it an understanding of modernity.
The stable government of the elves was the best way, in his opinion, to avoid the vile squabbles of the landed nobility and to attain a stable, united Bifuria who would be able to influence the politics of the Empire and who knows, maybe normalise people with evil alignments and put them in power while good elves would be the front of their rule.
It was when he was plunged deep in this thoughts that the Chancellor was met with a voice that he did recognize instantly.

-Ah, Rogue, nice to see you here, I was trying to meet you in this very moment.

It was the voice of Fentanil, the Queen's personal Archmage and the most powerful magic user in Bifuria. His long blond hair was decorated by an enjeweled diadem, he was one of the rare non landed nobles that had the right to wear such attribute and it's eyes revealed his immense wisdom. The Chancellor answered.

-Your Wisdom, I am sorry but I am not Rogue, I am Vile Wickedson, Rogue was the name of...

-Your father I suppose, I remember him yes, sorry it is simply that you humans live so fast that we have trouble keeping track, he...

-It was my grandfather, my father was Backstabber Wickedson.

-Hum... well, it happens.

The elf, an high elf of more than 8000 years old tried to smile ankwardly before saying.

-Anyway, our friends at the Norin Surveillance Array have found a strange magical disturbance in the baronny where another member of your family rules. Try to send some men to investigate, I will send Lexomil, my apprentice, to help them.

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>>5314157

The Chancellor frowned, a magical disturbance, it was never something good. And he dared to ask.

-Isn't it something that the Mage's Guild needs to investigate instead of us ? I mean it is their craft after all, and I suppose you already know what this disturbance is since you are a skilled seer, O wise one.

It is when he saw something that truly afraid him, for a fraction of a second the epitome of arrogance that was this high elf seemed unsure of himself, he had never seen him lose his composure even for such a small time and he feared what it meant. After this instant the Archmage answered

-The Mage's Guild is... not always very wise in it's actions and it would be better to know the situation before them. Send some men to escort Lexomil. He will take care of the rest.

The chancellor bowed his head, it would be done, but before this he would need to write to his nephew, there was something Rotten in the Barony of Someplace, and he needed to know what had happened.

========================

MEANWHILE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE BETWEEN SOMEPLACE AND LOCAL

-Tell me where is your jewelry you ugly hag !

Told the voice of Ancel le purineur, your brave scout, when he was applying a hot poker to the behind of the witch who cried and repeated for a third time. She squeled like a pig that was butchered.

-Aaaaaah ! Nooo ! Please ! I already told you that it is in the room behind us, my sister had the key, you killed her...

-You are lying, hag ! I am sure there is more treasure that..

-Silence Ancel, tell me, vile crone, is there any other heretics in the area ? Do they change into wolves and worship demons too ? Should we purge everything around, are some local villagers in league with you ?

The distorted, fat and ugly hag sobbed a bit more when Ancel tried to poke her a new time with his red hot torture instrument. She was annoying you, you already were wounded and had a broken leg, you did not need her insupportable crying bothering you.

-Aaaah, yes, there is another coven, deeper in the hills but they are less numerous than us... It is to the east.. In a cave near a hollow tree...

At least it was factual information. You asked her a second time, to be sure, and then ordered.

-Father François, it is your turn.

The adipose priest was tired, he told her in a weary voice.

-Renounce your faith in Belzebuth and you will die in Christ's peace.

The hag seemed unimpressed.

-Christ who ? And Belzebuth what is this thing I... And I thought you will let me live ! Traitor !

You smiled and answered smugly.

-A word given to a serf, or a witch is worth nothing, only oaths taken between gentlemen have to be respected.

>>5314160

Her face turned even more ugly and while you were bothered by Cop, who said that Lady Sue wanted to assist to the questionnette, even if you told her that it was not a spectacle befitting a female, the hag screamed.

-Bastard ! I hate you ! I curse you in the name of the thirteen curses of Bar-Zalchot and Bar-Ometer, you and all your bloodline shall perish in shadows forgotten by all, I...

-Ancel, cut out her tongue before we burn her...

Ancel obliged and quickly she was no more able to curse you. You tried to sit while your men began to prepare wood for a pyre. New orders had to be given, what to do ?

>Talk to Lady Sue, and tell her about the other witches, she seems to want to kill them.
>Order your men to march to the east tomorrow, it is near your lands and you shall not tolerate witch covens here.
>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>Order to bury your man who was killed by the wolf-men and the hags.
>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.
>Order to leave the cave and go back to the grandmother's house were you came from.
>Burn all the place, and it's treasures, it is probably cursed.
>Other (write in)

You gain +2 mudcore and +2 piety

====

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: 35%

Piety : 32+2= 34

Mudcore : 30+2=32

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.

>>5314163
>Burn all the place, and it's treasures, it is probably cursed.

>>5314163
>Talk to Lady Sue, and tell her about the other witches, she seems to want to kill them.
>Order your men to march to the east tomorrow, it is near your lands and you shall not tolerate witch covens here.
>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.

>>5314163
>>Talk to Lady Sue, and tell her about the other witches, she seems to want to kill them.
>>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.

Welcome back!

>>5314163
>>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.

We should head back home and recuperate, we can launch an expedition against these other heretics in due time.

Welcome back!

>>5314163
>>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.
>>Talk to Lady Sue, and tell her about the other witches, she seems to want to kill them.
>>Order to leave the cave and go back to the grandmother's house were you came from.

>>5314163
>>Talk to Lady Sue, and tell her about the other witches, she seems to want to kill them.
>>Order your men to march to the east tomorrow, it is near your lands and you shall not tolerate witch covens here.
>>Order to loot the treasures of the witches, you need money after all.
>>Order to take the body of your man killed by the wolf-men and the hags, so his family could bury him.
These options seem reasonable.

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>>5314220
>>5314233
>>5314381
>>5314552
>>5314583

You had three things to do, first you ordered your men to plunder the vaults of the witches, it was taken back with fire and sword from those beasts. Since you had defeated them you had the right to honestly loot the place.

-Men, take everything of value here and pile it up, and take the body of Hunl Ucky, he was a good guard, we will give his body back to his family... I need to talk to Lady Sue, Father François, if you may help me move towards her...

The priest, who was as fat as he was strong, helped you quickly on your feet. You cursed silently thinking about all the good hunting that you will have to miss with your broken leg. You, and Lady Sue, were wounded, she was stuck by a sword in the flank and you had your ankle broken by the saxon wolf man that you slaughtered. She was carried downside with you while you limped towards a chest and you sat together on it. It was quite poetic, the lord and lady watching while the troopers were plundering and building a pyre. Before you could talk the lady said in an authoritative tone, her character being as fiery as her hair.

-Lord Charles, I am very disappointed that you haven't let me interrogate these hags, you are a stranger while I know the land and...

-The questionnette is not a spectacle for ladies, and besides, the hag could have cursed you. And she talked, she talked about another coven of these heretics nearby. In a cave near a hollow tree. I will try to marshal some men when I will be at local, we will assemble and strike those infidels down.

She rolled her eyes and said.

-You know, you are a backwards man, and a religious fanatic, two things that I hate. But... But I have to say that you are brave, and I have to thank you for saving me, even if I dislike feeling vulnerable and I... Regret that we ended up captured and then wounded. I was, maybe wrong to say that you are evil.

You smiled lightly, even if she was a strange lady dressed in leathers and carrying a sword you had to say that she was pretty, with fiery red hair and blue eyes full of character, pouty lips and let's not forget behind and legs not hidden by robes that she had not to be ashamed of. And the fact that she said this meant that she was not insensible to your charm. Well, you could not blame her, you were a true knight, noble, beautiful and sure of himself, of course women would like you. You decided to compliment her too, on something that she knows to do, a wise move.

-My lady, I must say that you are good with a sword too, I never saw a lady more skilled in this art, even if I disapprove of them being used by the fair sex. You shall not blame yourself for our wounds and our capture, we were outnumbered, these things may happen.

She answered abruptly, as if she was in middle of some thoughts.

-No they may not, I am a rank 20 adventurers, being beaten by crappy werevolves is not normal... And...

She told some other nonsense while Cop reported you.

>>5314587

-We found all the loot my lord. 74 gold coins, some silver bowls, your Ancel tried to steal some, I had to stop him. Some precious gems. And a strange glowing scale armor cuirass, we took the swords and weapons of the bastards too, there is eleven of them, five shorstwords, three axes and three maces. And...

Lady Sue interrupted him, seeing Ancel who was carrying loot like any normal man.

-Why are you carrying a sheaf of wheat ? And was there not any potions or poisons or scrolls or other magical items in this place ?

This woman was strange, Ancel answered obviously.

-To make bread ma dame. And no, I only found wine, disgusting wine, worse than what a breton could do ! So I broke the bottles, and some old parchments of no value that I wiped my ass with after...

You interrupted him.

-Ancel ! You are talking to a lady !

-Sorry messire ! Please messire, do not order me to be whipped.

-Be quiet, and go back to your occupations.

Lady Sue was watching you with big eyes, and watching Ancel, she watched with an amazed expression and you wondered why.
But you seemed to understand, of course, during all your captivity you saw barrels of food and your men did not think about keeping them. Food is food after all, even if taken from heretics and you needed to loot it, or maybe it was cursed or poisoned, who knows with witches, after all their wine was poor. You needed to decide before going watching the witch burn.

>Keep all the loot for yourself.
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Order to loot all the food, it must not be wasted, famines happen all the time.
>Burn the food, maybe it is poisoned.
>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Look more closely at the scale armor
>Other (write in)

>>5314233
>>5314381

Thank you good sirs, I am glad to be able to continue this quest.

About the continuation I see that you are divided so I will let you choose a second time after the witch burning.

>>5314588
>>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>>Look more closely at the scale armor

The food does sound risky, perhaps we should leave it. Concerning the armor, it may not be useful on us, but I expect it might fetch a fine price if our mudcore disables it.

>>5314588
>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Other : So if Ancel doesn't like vinasse which he tastes without permission, he tastes the food so that we know if it is toxic, the food can sometimes be too precious to be abandoned in this way.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314604
Sensible!

>>5314588
>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Other : So if Ancel doesn't like vinasse which he tastes without permission, he tastes the food so that we know if it is toxic, the food can sometimes be too precious to be abandoned in this way.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314588
>>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>>Order to loot all the food, it must not be wasted, famines happen all the time.
>>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314604
Ancel would be glad to test the food for us, I'm sure

>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Other : So if Ancel doesn't like vinasse which he tastes without permission, he tastes the food so that we know if it is toxic, the food can sometimes be too precious to be abandoned in this way.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314588
>>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Burn the food, maybe it is poisoned.
>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314588
>Ask Lady Sue why she is watching with such amazement at Ancel and you.
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.
>Other : So if Ancel doesn't like vinasse which he tastes without permission, he tastes the food so that we know if it is toxic, the food can sometimes be too precious to be abandoned in this way.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

>>5314588
>Give a share of the loot to all your men, including a share for the family of your dead soldier.

>Order to loot all the food, it must not be wasted, famines happen all the time.
>Look more closely at the scale armor

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>>5314591
>>5314604
>>5314634
>>5314857
>>5314995
>>5315028
>>5315205
>>5315494

You thought about the food, would it not be better to order Ancel to taste it ? You told him joyfully.

-Ancel, my brave Ancel, you were a loyal servant and I wish to reward you. You can take a bit of all the food, taste every barrel see what is the best one, and it will be yours. Taste everything and choose a barrel or two bags of victuailles.

He began to bow and thank you saying.

-Hosanna messire ! Hosanna ! You are generosity incarnate ! Like the good king Saint Louis !

And while he began to eat, saying "Oooh" when he found grain or spitting out some of the strange pautatoes saying "pouah". You told your men.

-Soldiers, I am proud of your loyalty and I will reward you with a share of the loot for each man. Bohémond, Father François you can take a part too, supervise the sharing of the loot between the men oh, and do not forget a share of the loot for the family of Hunl Ucky, may his soul find peace.

The men cheered for their lord and you decided to ask Lady Sue why she was watching you with big eyes.

-My lady, may I enquire why you seem so interested in mine and Ancel's actions...

She looked at you.

-You do not know why ?

-If I knew it I would not have asked my Lady.

-Because this imbecile destroyed magical potions, and scrolls, very valuable scrolls that he used to wipe... Well you know what... They could do magic like conjure a fireball by reading them and...

You did the sign of the cross, it was fortunate that Ancel acted that way to save your souls.

-Then it is good that such devilish things are destroyed ! These are parchments of Satan and they should be burned.

She looked disturbed.

-But, do you realise how much they are worth ? It is at least 2000 or 3000 gold coins for all this loot...

It was one third of your treasury ! By saint Denis ! People were really ready to pay this much for some heretical junk. You wanted to answer but the brave Ancel was eating a kind of white powder and saying.

-Messire ! Messire ! Look at this bag ! It is delicious ! This powder tastes like honey !

Since he seemed not to die you decided to taste it and agreed, it was sweet, you wondered what this mysterious white powder was and asked Cop.

-What is this ?

-It is sugar my lord, you never saw it ?

A strange indian dish this sugar... And Ancel choose to keep the bag, well, you will buy another one, it seemed to be a kind of sweet grain that could be eaten in dire situations, or maybe it was better cooked, you thought about asking your cooks about it.

>>5315651

After looting you saw that you nine barrels and twelves huge bags of different grains, salted meat or fish. It would be sufficient to feed your household for some time. Apparently they were not poisoned. You decided to look at the scale cuirass, it was apparently made of metal but it glowed with a strange red light, unfortunately when you took it you remarked that it was not glowing anymore. You released it and it was glowing a new time. You ordered a man to pick it up and it glowed anew. It seemed that it refused to glow only when you touched it. But it glowed in red, the color of the flames of hell, maybe it was heretical ? Any investigations about what it was was met with scepticism by Lady Sue and your men, they seemed to agree that it was magic but not know what it is. Should you keep it, maybe it had value and after all a lot of heroes in legends used enchanted weapons, or maybe you should burn it, because it's red color might indicate that it's power comes from the forces of hell.

It was at this moment that Bohémond came to you, the young knight was still a bit dizzy after the "healing potion" that saved him, but he seemed to recover fast.

-Monseigneur, the loot is shared between the men, but we will need more men to carry all of it.

-Tell some of the servants that stayed in the house to go back here and take a share of the loot, in the meantime we will burn the witch.

Effectively, a pyre was made and the hag was attached to it, without a tongue she could not curse you but she looked at you with hatred in her eyes. Father François approached the witch and asked.

-Do you repent ? If yes then nod your head !

She tried to spit on his face but it fell short. Then a man of your guard put a torch on her pyre and you had the pleasure of seeing the witch burn. Her tongue-less tentative of screaming was very strange, it was a gargled noise, but you were sure that she was dead at least. Lady Sue had questioned the pertinence of witch burnings but she was a red haired woman, so you thought that she feared that she would be the next one. But you were not a superstitious man so she had nothing to fear, even if by law she should have been burned for donning men's clothes. Then by law you would have to tell Baron Crook about your witch burnings on his lands and have his authorisation.
Once your servants were here you could finally continue your travels and go back to the grandmother's house for the night, the witches have been finally vainquished.

>Take all the food with you.
>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>Throw the scale cuirass into the fire, it is probably cursed
>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.
>Once in the grandmother's house ask Oldfossil about the scale cuirass
>Other (write in)

You gain +2 mudcore, +2 piety and +20 xp for your victory over the witches of the Hills of Nesse.

>>5315654

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 3
XP : 250+20= 270 (next level at 450)

Stats

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

Piety : 34+2=36

Mudcore : 32+2= 34

With 34 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.

>>5315654
>>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.
>>Once in the grandmother's house ask Oldfossil about the scale cuirass
>>Take all the food with you.

>>5315654
>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>Once in the grandmother's house ask Oldfossil about the scale cuirass

>>5315654
>>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>>Throw the scale cuirass into the fire, it is probably cursed
>>Once in the grandmother's house ask Oldfossil about the scale cuirass

Perhaps Oldfossil could be given a healing potion?

>>5315654
>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.
>Once in the grandmother's house ask Oldfossil about the scale cuirass
>Do not take the Khorne they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?

>>5315654
>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.

>>5315654
>Take all the food with you.
>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.

>>5315654
>>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.

>>5315654
>Do not take the Khorne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your realm, who knows what they can be ?
>Ask Father François about the scale cuirass, he is a priest and must know about what comes from hell.

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>>5315672
>>5315681
>>5315753

I fear that Ancel has broken all the stocks of this wonderful beverage.

>>5315779
>>5316099
>>5316134
>>5316376
>>5316382

You decided to order your men to take all the food excluding Kohrne and Pautatoes, they were cursed in your lands and would probably be here too. You then took the scale breastplate and asked Father François.

-Father François, tell me, see this strange cuirass, it glows and turns red when I am not holding it. What is this devilry ?

The priest took the thing, it seemed to stop to glow too when he touched it. He asked Bohémond, a guardsman and Ancel to touch it but it glowed when they held it. Everyone was now focused on the breastplate and the priest solemnly declared.

-It was found in the lair of vile witches and it glows strangely, without any explanation. It means that it is reinforced by unclean magic, I advise you to destroy this cursed object monseigneur.

You approved and added.

-Yes, and red is the colour of the flames of hell, the colour of blood and violence it is obviously devilish.

The priest, who knew about the signification of the colours (he was a wise man and even knew how to read) approved.

-Of course, the red has many bad properties, just like the yellow who is just an unpure white or gold. Even if the yellow is worse, but the worse is the orange colour, it has all the bad properties of the red and the yellow reunited. No wonder that witches and Judas Iscariot had orange hair. If it glowed in an orange colour I would have destroyed it now but with a glowing red armor we may ask a wiser man than me, I am not sure monseigneur.

You approved, the priest was wise. He knew the signification of different colours. Your men seemed impressed, especially the Indians who did not knew this. But lady Sue was not. When she approached you she said.

-You really believe this garbage ? Like "Orange man bad" and this kind of things ? Is it why you killed Hostil ?

You understood her concern.

-Judas Iscariot was a redhead, it is known, and redheads are often witches. But do not worry my lady, your hair is very charming and not all redheads are wizards and witches, I am not superstitious. But yes, when I saw him it was one of the reasons I disliked him, along with a territorial dispute and his practice of magic.

Damn, you forgot that she was close to him. She looked at you with contempt and asked with a shocked tone.

-And you really believe it, tell me, Lord Charles, your parents were cousins ?

-Of course, and yours were not ?

Then you remembered that she was a bastard and said.

-Mmmmh, sorry I didn't think about it.

She looked at you, and seemed to be astonished by your previous answers. She remained silent during the rest of your travels.

>>5316486

After three hours on your limping leg, when the sun was practically rising, you arrived at the grandmother's house. Here Oldfossil and the female servant that stayed with him were drinking something and the old councillor was coughing. Seeing Lady Sue he seemed disturbed but you explained the situation and he nodded. Then you asked him about the cuirass. His answer was interesting.

-I am not an expert my lord, this was the work of our court mage Rollarion McFumbles, may his soul rest in peace, but I think that this is an imitation of dragonscale armor with fire resistance magic added to it. It is made of steel but enchanted. I think it is worth maybe 1000 or 1500 gold coins instead of the 4000 of a true dragonscale cuirass.

1000 or 1500 ! By Saint Denis it would double your treasury ! With this horrible transmutation of your gold into silver you had only 1000 gold coins left. You needed to sell this, or maybe you should throw this heretical thing into the fire. It was a true dilemma. You decided to sleep before taking a decision the next day.

>Destroy the scale cuirass
>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
>Other (write in)

And what to do in two hours, when the sun will rise ? You feared assassins sent by baron Crook and his vassal Creepy Bitchson, it was why you travelled outside the roads. But with all your provisions, and the risks of the wilderness, maybe it would be better to take the road.

>Try to continue through the hills.
>Go back to the road that leads to Local.
>Other (write in)

>>5316487
>>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
>Go back to the road that leads to Local.

>>5316487
>Destroy the scale cuirass
Keeping this and passing it off on another is just as bad as doing the dark magic that made it this way

>Go back to the road that leads to Local.

We need to return to our demesne ASAP

>>5316487
>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
We need funds for the difficulties ahead. IS it not permitted to sell the crusade-plundered gold of a Moor, even when it is sanctified to their false faith? Sell it, and use the money to build a church!

>Go back to the road that leads to Local.
We are injured. We cannot go gallivanting over hills.

>>5316487
>Destroy the scale cuirass
No amount of money is can convince me to tolerate devilry
>Go back to the road that leads to Local.

Glad to see the quest back

>>5316487
>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
>Go back to the road that leads to Local.

>>5316487
Welcome back QM
>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
We should hunt more dens of heretics to gain that sweet money to hopefully expand our little fief.
>Go back to the road that leads to Local.
Is our friend back from attempting to get that loan

>>5316487
>Keep the scale cuirass to sell it
>Try to continue through the hills.

>>5316487
>>Destroy the scale cuirass
>Go back to the road that leads to Local
GET BACK SATAN

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>>5316580
>>5316582
>>5316587
>>5316591

Thank you.

>>5316659
>>5316663

Thank you good sir.

>>5316689
>>5316703

You thought longly about the cuirass, on one hand it needed to be destroyed, on the other hand you really needed money. And after all even if Saracens had their blades blessed by their priests it did not forbid rich Frenchmen to have daggers and swords of Damas steel. Yes, definitely you could sell this thing and build a church, even if it is tainted by magic. After all even heroes from the chansons de geste like Renaud de Montauban used magical weapons like his Floberge. Yes you could sell this artefact. So you declared.

-We will sell this thing, it will give us money to establish a church.

Then you ordered your men to continue the travels by road. After all you were wounded. You bode farewell to Lady Sue and continued in an uneventful travel. You only needed to borrow a chariot against a bag of grains to transport all your loot. According to your calculations and those of Oldfossil the brave Louis de Pierredargent, the Templar knight, should have arrived at Local with your loan before you will be back.

After two days of travelling, sometimes on horse, sometimes, because of your ankle, on a chariot, you finally saw Local and said to Father François, who had never seen it.

-Look ! Look at this ! My own fief ! Hah, if my lord father saw it he would be proud, and my older brothers, knowing them, jealous. See this castle, it is as strong as Villeroi.

Father François laughed a bit and answered, after seeing the powerful castle that dominated the Queste river and it's high dungeon.

-Do not judge your brothers harshly monseigneur, but I agree, monseigneur Eudes would be proud of you. You acquired a fief in faraway India like a lot of men from our lands did in the Crusades.

This made you think about some words of Charles de Valois, when you heard him at his hostel "The Crusades ! For more than fifty years we have done nothing great in Europe for Christianity since then !" He was right, the Crusades were things of the past, your father talked about them, well you fought in the crusade against the heretical king of Aragon when you were a squire but it has been more or less 14 years ago. No, you needed to bring back the crusades, here, in India. You have already begun to bring back serfdom, you will bring back the crusades. And all India will shine as an exemple of a good Christian kingdom. Yes ! All India, but you will begin by Bifuria.

But what to do first when you will be back in your fortress ?

>See if Brother Louis is here, to talk about the loan.
>Talk with Godefroi and Captain Crumbling, you need to know how they have ruled in your absence.
>Take a look around the village, your people must know that you are back.
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
>Ask for a healer for your ankle.
>Other (write in)

You loose 2 piety for keeping the cuirass.

>>5316587

Wise words indeed, thanks for the suggestion.

>>5316663

In theory he is back, but who knows, roads are dangerous.

>>5316783
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
>Talk with Godefroi and Captain Crumbling, you need to know how they have ruled in your absence.
>See if Brother Louis is here, to talk about the loan.
In that order of importance, if there's a limit to how many we can vote for

>>5316789
Glad to be of service.

>>5316783
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
We need to repent for our act of taking the cursed object.

>>5316783
>Ask for a healer for your ankle.
Should be first; we should try and stay in good health

>Talk with Godefroi and Captain Crumbling, you need to know how they have ruled in your absence.
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.

If Brother Louis is back already, he'll no doubt find us, so why not get these things done?

>>5316783
>Ask for a healer for your ankle.

>>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
>Take a look around the village, your people must know that you are back.

>>5316783
>>Talk with Godefroi and Captain Crumbling, you need to know how they have ruled in your absence.

If no limit>>5316794

Also, we need a healer for dear Oldfossil!

>>5316783
>Take a look around the village, your people must know that you are back.
>See if Brother Louis is here, to talk about the loan.

>>5316783
>See if Brother Louis is here, to talk about the loan.
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
With our newfound capital, the wealth we will soon create for our fief will be the envy of all! With more money comes more funds to support our future crusades.

>>5316783
>>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
>>Ask for a healer for your ankle.

>>5316783
>Show the heretical temple of Monsanto to Father François, ask him if we can convert it to a church.
>Talk with Godefroi and Captain Crumbling, you need to know how they have ruled in your absence.
>Ask for a healer for your ankle.

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>>5316794

Most of it will be done eventually but I will do it one thing by one.

>>5316819
>>5316821
>>5316916
>>5316919
>>5316979
>>5316983

Indeed, soon hundreds of armors will gleam under the sun under the banners of Saint Denis and Saint Michel.

>>5317035
>>5317824


You decided to begin by showing the heretical temple of Monsanto, the biggest stone structure of Local, to Father François. You wanted to transform it into a church after all and you needed his advice. While you rode towards the center of the village you ordered cop to bring the body of your fallen soldier, without his armour and equipment of course, to his family, with his share of the loot. You trusted cop, he was your best man and you thought about giving him some rank of sergeant one day.
Father François, like you the first time, seemed impressed by the richness and quite big windows of the indian houses. It was impressive, a kind of richer version of the houses of your native Champagne, and it was only a small village. The half timbered houses looked clean and well built, most of them being two floors high. Once before the temple you ordered the man posted here, who saluted you, to open the gates for your priest friend. The man asked.

-Is it the new priest of Monsanto that will replace the conmen my lord ?

Well, there will be a lot of work to explain the True Faith to your people. But before you could answer Father François told.

-No, I came to preach the words of Jesus Christ, who is arisen from the dead.

The man seemed impressed and you told.

-The clergy of Monsanto has proven to be unreliable.

The soldier nodded, and said enthusiastically.

-Glad to hear about a new god mylord.

You looked at Father François while you entered. Well, you already explained him on the road that the locals were polytheists. He seemed not to be worried. Once inside he looked at the place and the huge vaults under it. He explained.

-Well, monseigneur, it is a beautiful building, indeed, and you say there were golden idols inside.... I will need to consecrate it of course, and for this I will need tools, censers, a chalice for the Holy Communion, a huge cross, maybe some statues of saints but it will come later, we will now take only what is needed to celebrate the holy mass. I will need a chasuble, an alb and a stole too, I was travelling when I woke up in India.
And about the holy texts, our church back in Champagne lacked a Bible but we had the Missal and the Lectionnary, we have not...

You happily corrected him.

-Brother Louis was transporting a bible in a single volume when we travelled together. He may give you it.

The priest was impressed.

-A Bible ! It is a gift from Heavens ! I can recite the mass by hearth but this is wonderful news.

-Are you not worried, Father, that it is a heretical temple ? I mean isn't the structure unclean...

>>5317918

He simply laughed.

-Monseigneur the legend says that our church in Villeroi was built on a pagan temple from the time of the Roman Empire. Of course here it isn't built in the form of a cross, and the place lacks bells, but before building a new church it will be more than sufficient.

It was good, then you needed to ask.

-And how much should all your liturgical objects cost ?

-Hard to say my lord, they seem to pay everything in gold here... But if it is the same as in France it will cost as much as rebuilding the roof of the building, it is not cheap monseigneur.

By saint John's beard ! It will be costly, but necessary. You hoped that selling the cuirass will suffice to finance the project. Maybe your loan would be useful. You nodded while Father François asked.

-Monseigneur, I have only one question to ask, since you will "build" if we may say so, this church, I wish to let you choose it's name. In the name of whom shall we consecrate it ?

====

In terms of gameplay a church gives you +1 piety each week, and a small bonus if you pray here frequently, depending on the saint that it's consecrated too (you will try to emulate him of course).

>It will be consecrated to our good king Saint Louis, king and crusader, let it be known that we will be an example of Christan government (+2 rulership)
>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)
>It will be consecrated to Saint Georges, patron saint of Knighthood, for all faithful warriors who protect this land.(+2 combat)
>It will be consecrated to Saint John the Baptist, just like he was first of the Saints we will be the first Christians in this region (+2 piety per week)
>It will be consecrated to the Archangel Michael, Patron Saint of France and commander of the Holy Armies (+1 combat , +1 rulership)
>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)
>It will be consecrated to Saint Eloi, councillor and finance minister of king Dagobert, let's remember his wisdom, and he is the patron saint of farmers, it will make the transition from this temple blessing the harvest smoother for the people (+2 intrigue)
>It will be consecrated to Sainte Geneviève, who by prayer, saved Paris from the Huns, (+1 piety, +1 combat)
>It will be consecrated to Saint Nicaise, patron saint of Reims, who lost his head and continued walking to his tomb when the vandals sacked the city, his story should impress the locals and remind us of our homes while encouraging us to defend our new fief (+1 piety per week, +1 combat)
>It will be consecrated to Saint Maurice, martyr of the Theban Legion, a glorious warrior, and the fact that he was from the faraway lands of Egypt may encourage locals to become more pious (+1 combat, +1 intrigue)

>>5317919
Oh, this is a tough choice, a really tough one...

I'm going to go with
>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)

It was a hard choice between her and John, but the extra piety and rulership bonus are the best of both worlds

>>5317919
>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)

>>5317919
>>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)

>>5317919
>>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)

>>5317919
>>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)
Our Holy Mother deserves our priority.

>>5317919
>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)

>>5317919
>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)

>>5317919
>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)
The piety and help with ruling will be good.
Once we get more calvary and our men better equipped I believe we should go out on more of these witch hunts considering they are basically free money

>>5317919
>It will be consecrated to the Archangel Michael, Patron Saint of France and commander of the Holy Armies (+1 combat , +1 rulership)

>>5317919
>>It will be consecrated to Saint Denis, martyr and evangeliser of Gaul, like him we will try to adapt to the local customs to convert the people (+1 rulership, +1 intrigue)

>>5318119
Changing to
>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)

>>5317985
>>5317987
>>5317993
>>5317996
>>5318009
>>5318048
>>5318071
>>5318097
>>5318155
>>5318182

5 vs five it seems that we need a tie breaker good sirs.

>>5317919
>>5318601
>>It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection (+1 piety per week, +1 rulership)

>>5318605

Thank you good sir, currently writing.

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>>5317985
>>5317987
>>5317993
>>5317996
>>5318009
>>5318048
>>5318071
>>5318097
>>5318119
>>5318155
>>5318182
>>5318605

You thought about it, it was a difficult question, your first choice was a warrior saint, you always prayed for the intercession of Saint Georges or the Archangel Saint Michel. But it was not a good choice, you were raised to be a warrior, a knight, since you were the third son it was this or a religious education. But here you needed not to think as a warrior but as a ruler, and you needed a figure that will be closer to the hearths of your peasants. You thought about two names, Saint Denis, protector of France, evangeliser of your land, who lost his head and walked with it under his arm to the place where they built the basilica where the kings are buried. It was a powerful saint, but on the other side there was the Holy Virgin who was the Mother of God, she took care of the weak and was the most holy woman. Plus it was a female figure, just like the heathen goddess and if those strange people worshipped women it would be better to use the most holy one to convert them. The Holy Virgin represented kindness, mercy and purity, she gave birth to God, just like this church will give birth to Christendom in this part of India. So you answered.

-It will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary Mother of God and shall be known as Notre Dame de Local, I wish to put all the fiefdom under her protection.

The priest agreed, telling.

-A wise choice monseigneur. I am sure that she watches us with approval.

Once these questions done you decided to head back to your castle where all your servants and soldiers bowed to your venue. Ancel and Bohémond helped you walk on the stairs, with your injured leg, and you were glad to see Brother Louis, Captain Crumbling and Godefroi together. The three older men saluted you and asked if you travelled well, and if you needed a healer for your ankle. You said.

-Yes, of course, but before I wish to talk to you. And I wish to eat, give something to eat for my men and me. First, Godefroi, Crumbling, tell me more about what happened during my absence. Then we will talk about the loan dear brother Louis.

The two men bowed and once in the great hall, before a good beef stew, they began to talk. First was Godefroi.

-Monseigneur, not everything has been good, let us begin by the bad, I thing that leprosy has broken out amongst two of our peasants in Nearby. They were all covered by leprosy marks. I ordered them to be chased away but the people here seemed to think that it could be cured. Their wives came to try to feed them and when they came back they had rotting flesh too. I ordered soldiers to shoot at them with bows if they came and people to burn all their belongings.

>>5318643

You thanked Godefroi, he was an experienced knight and knew how to deal with this. Leprosy was a dangerous disease and lepers were not admitted in towns. But captain Crumbling told.

-But there is surely a mean to cure this rotting disease ! We never saw anything like that ! These poor people could eventually be cured by magic, I mean. The people will complain if we do such harsh things and my men were shocked at the idea of shooting arrows at these sick people.

Godefroi defended his position.

-They are contagious, and we have no cure, we only need to let them go away, they are lost. They will die eventually. When I saw lepers I thought about how they could have contracted this, if it was unknown and none of us was there I think the source of the illness must be because of strangers. Maybe they have poisoned the wells, like the jews do back in France. But no merchants passed by, but the two ill men contracted it outside of the village, in the wild fields to the east.

Crumbling said.

-There is only vagabonds and bandits there. Maybe they are responsible for bringing us this new illness, but I never saw something like that even amongst them.

They seemed to have managed to avoid an epidemic, but this leper thing risked to be dangerous. You needed to explain to the locals that it is very contagious.

>Congratulate Godefroi on his job, he avoided many deaths.
>Support Godefroi and explain to Crumbling that there is no cure to this illness.
>Explain to Godefroi that he should maybe have explained the dangerosity of the thing to the peasants before ordering soldiers to shoot at sight to kill the infected.
>Tell that we will maybe try to find a cure to appease Crumbling, but do not let the ill near a village before that.
>Tell that you will go to Nearby to talk to the people about the dangers of leprosy, they will hear their lord.
>Order some guardsmen who know how to ride to try to see if there is bands of vagabonds and bandits to the east.
>Order Bohémond, he is young, to lead a party of men towards the east to try to see if there is brigands and vagabonds here.
>Other (write in)

You asked then.

-Is there any other news ?

Crumbling answered.

-Yes my lord. Since you offered serfdom to Pauperus he found the deal very profitable. Some poor peasants proposed to become serfs, to pay their taxes in work and share of the harvest and not in gold. And some other, rich peasants choose to do so too. The Rabits for exemple. What shall we do ?

>>5318645

>The poor peasants can become serfs, we will need workers after all. But serfdom is not about dodging taxes, I need to see if I could trust those Rabits to accept them in serfdom.
>We do not need more serfs, serfdom is poorly seen around our lands. It is better to limit it, for the moment.
>Serfdom can be given to those Rabits if they prove their loyalty, we will wait for the poor peasants, we need money, not peasants attached to the land for the moment.
>Serfdom is a pillar of our right and proper feudal society. The fact that even commoners understand this shows that the Indians are, indeed, a wise people. Everyone is welcome to become a serf. They will pay less taxes but their lands will be ours once they die, if their descendants do not pay mainmorte. And we will help them if there is hunger, of course.
>Other (write in)

>>5318645
>Support Godefroi and explain to Crumbling that there is no known cure to this illness.
>Tell that we will maybe try to find a cure to appease Crumbling, but do not let the ill near a village before that.

This is India, there's no known cure yet, but there may be. So let's not keep hopes up, but keep our eyes open at least. Unless it's with devilry.

>The poor peasants can become serfs, we will need workers after all. But serfdom is not about dodging taxes, I need to see if I could trust those Rabits to accept them in serfdom.

Seems like a measured option

>>5318725
Support

>>5318645
>Support Godefroi and explain to Crumbling that there is no cure to this illness.
>Tell that we will maybe try to find a cure to appease Crumbling, but do not let the ill near a village before that.
>Order Bohémond, he is young, to lead a party of men towards the east to try to see if there is brigands and vagabonds here.

>>5318647
>The poor peasants can become serfs, we will need workers after all. But serfdom is not about dodging taxes, I need to see if I could trust those Rabits to accept them in serfdom.

>>5318645
>>Support Godefroi and explain to Crumbling that there is no cure to this illness.
>>Explain to Godefroi that he should maybe have explained the dangerosity of the thing to the peasants before ordering soldiers to shoot at sight to kill the infected.

>>5318647
>>Serfdom is a pillar of our right and proper feudal society. The fact that even commoners understand this shows that the Indians are, indeed, a wise people. Everyone is welcome to become a serf. They will pay less taxes but their lands will be ours once they die, if their descendants do not pay mainmorte. And we will help them if there is hunger, of course.

>>5318647
>Support Godefroi and explain to Crumbling that there is no known cure to this illness.
>Tell that we will maybe try to find a cure to appease Crumbling, but do not let the ill near a village before that.

>The poor peasants can become serfs, we will need workers after all. But serfdom is not about dodging taxes, I need to see if I could trust those Rabits to accept them in serfdom.

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>>5318725
>>5318739
>>5318789
>>5319041
>>5319138

You answered quickly to both men, they acted well.

-Thank you very much Godefroi, you have avoided us an epidemic of leprosy, you shall be rewarded. It can decimate entire villages and transform them in poor folks whose flesh rots a bit more each day. We shall not let them approach our people. But, dear Crumbling, you are maybe right, we are in India and it is possible that you will find a cure, try to talk about it to Local healers, if we have some. But no magic or devilry. We shall not curse the souls to save the bodies !

Both men nodded and you continued, seeing that at the same time Oldfossil, who was coughing, approved your words and retired to his chambers. You hoped that he only had a common cold. You then told.

-About serfdom, we will need workers that work for free, accept the poor peasants, but those Rabits will need to prove their loyalty to us before paying less taxes. Serfdom from rich peasants to pay less taxes is permitted only to trustworthy men in France. It will be like this here too. I remember that we sent them a representative about the case of the tanner and the shoemaker, accepting the fact that they will get their shoes after their feast would be a first step towards reaching such agreement.

It was a wise decision, you were glad that you remembered the cases when you delivered justice. Once done you called Brother Louis, who was speaking with Father François, and asked him.

-Tell me, how was the loan, did you managed to borrow us some money ? How was Podunk ? You travelled with four of our men yes ?

The templar nodded and told you.

-Well, Podunk was a charming little town, a quite rich town, it is not under the rule of Count Careless but is the closest town to us. Everything seemed right, I was asked some question about the new local lord but I managed to borrow 1200 gold coins to a short scotsman for only 15% interest rate after long negociations. It seemed to be a good deal. We have two years to give it back.

It was a good deal, compared to the usurers in France the Indians seemed to be less greedy, and Brother Louis was a good negociator. But he seemed worried, so you asked.

-Anything else ?

-Yes, I bought some medicine that Oldfossil indicated me to buy for him before my travel, and some other things like this. And during our travels we had to cross, with my men, the wild fields in the east. I saw enormous cow here, big as a house, it was impressive !

Captain Crumbling corrected him.

-Aurochs, it is how they are called, they are wild beast but one can feed an entire village for a month. There are a lot of them in the Cairns.

Brother Louis nodded, he had to cross a part of this plain after all.

>>5319247
Brother Louis nodded, he had to cross a part of this plain after all.

-Yes, it was how my men called them. But we had to cross only a small part of the Cairns to go to Podunk. But my worries come from another thing, after we left Podunk, and before we got to the cairns, we were accosted by two strange individuals dressed outrageously. Two young men, one of them being half naked and the other one a demon ! It was at an inn and I knew that these monsters were welcome outside of our lands so I kept being quiet. They said that they were "adventurers" and that I could give them a "quest" to escort me to my lands ! I told them I do not want any escort and that I have already four guardsmen, but they said that they are "trash" and that they needed to complete a "quest" for the "adventurer's guild". I told them that their burgher concerns and their deals with corporations do not interest me, and that I do not wish to speak with a demon.
They tried to provoke me into a fight, saying that I was an old man unable to carry a sword. I told them that I was not so old and that I was a knight of the Templar order, that I have sworn to never refuse a battle against three times my numbers and to not hunt other beasts than lions. They laughed and told me that lions are weak beasts and that true men hunt owls, bears and giant scorpions.

You cut him.

-And I suppose that your voices raised, a quarrel began, and you killed them ?

He answered defensively.

-No monseigneur ! I only cut both the hands of the first one and gravely wounded the demon. I do not know if he died of his wounds. But we were expelled from the roadside Inn, it was called the "Peaceful Meadow Inn"... And they told that they would complain to the adventurer's guild of Podunk.

You shrugged, if those idiot guilders came here you would boil two alive and these fat burghers will be disciplined. They will be no match for your men at arms. But Captain Crumbling said.

-My lord, it can be dangerous... I do not doubt the bravery of Brother Louis but I fear that they were low level adventurers and higher level adventurers will try to attack us or demand reparations. We need to try to explain the situation.

What do you answer ?

>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.
>We shall maybe send someone to discuss with the leaders of this corporation. It is better to be at peace with our neighbours, and if they have the support of the lord of Podunk it is better to negiotiate.
>Let them come to explain themselves, we will not lower ourselves to send them a delegation. It is better to wait for them to make the first move.
>Other (write in)

>>5319252
>They acted like brigands, and got the treatment they deserved. Send no delegation, but if they complain, this is our answer.

>>5319252
>>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.

>>5319252
>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us
Burn them all!

>>5319252
>>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.

>>5319252
>Let them come to explain themselves, we will not lower ourselves to send them a delegation. It is better to wait for them to make the first move.

>>5319252
>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.
100% gonna bite us in the ass in the future.

Now boys, we have money to spend, from our loan and the money from the cuirass (someone should go sell that now). We already have my idea about the riverboat but I doubt all this money will be needed for that so what other ventures can we invest in? Perhaps make an orchard or something?

>>5319252
>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us

They got what they deserved. Trying to strong-arm Godefroi? Screw em, their Guild should send us some sort of reparation

>>5319400
An orchard would be a nice idea, who doesn't like an apple? And we'll be gaining a surplus of new hands to work it.

>>5319252
>>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.

>>5319252
>They acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment. The next adventurers from Podunk will be hanged if they try to complain about us.
jumped up mercs making threats for protection money no different then the eastern huns

File: Always support your local(...).jpg (67 KB, 770x418)

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>>5319263
>>5319290
>>5319302
>>5319380
>>5319389
>>5319400

They are only peasants and they have no cavalry, no honor and no élan, there is no risks ! And yes, an orchard is a good idea. I added your suggestion to the list.

>>5319450

Yes, they tried to annoy Brother Louis, they need to die.

>>5320154
>>5320252

Well said good sir.

====

It was time to be severe so you declared.

-These men acted like brigands, they deserved a brigand's treatment ! The next adventurers from Podunk that come here will be hanged if they try to complain about us.

Crumbling tried to protest.

-But, my lord, adventurers are a respected caste of travellers and they can help us against monsters.

Your answer was firm.

-I shall not depend on some vagrants do defend my holdings and my people. I am the defender of Local, you and your men are those who help me captain. We have destroyed the Ghibellines lead by the spirit of Conradin together, I have just killed witches, wolf men and Saxons, I believe we are more than capable of taking care of ourselves.

This shut him up and he nodded his head like a disciplined soldier.

After this you continued to eat and talked about other less important subjects, especially women, food and tournaments. You tried to rest. There was a lack of an apothecary or a healer in Local so Oldfossil told you that they will send a messenger to an old woman who is a bonesetter and an herbalist. This looked like a witch but he assured you that it was not and that she was respected by the locals, she lived in the far north of your lordship. She should be there tomorrow. The description of the old woman as an herbalist and a bonesetter added to the suspicions of Father François and Brother Louis, who said that she should be a witch while Oldfossil assured that she was a respectable member of society even if she lived in isolation.
But once you all saw her you understood that she was not. Instead of a wild woman with a crooked nose and all the attributes of a witch you saw a very dignified old lady in clean white robes who saluted you and presented herself.

-My lord, it is an unfortunate honor but an honor nonetheless to be of use. I may not be a true diplomed doctor my lord but I learned how to heal.

-What is your name ? And how do you learned to heal ? Not by magic I hope ?

-I am Clinique, glad to serve you my lord, and I was helper of a doctor in the Imperial Legion for 30 years, then I left after seeing to much war and to live in isolation why my husband, who was from here, he was a soldier and inherited a part of the family farm. Now he his with the gods but the house that he built on the terrain that he inherited is still here.

-Sorry for your loss, and thank you for your help. You shall be rewarded greatly.

>>5320342

The old woman congratulated Father François on his work and said that he has done well to bandage your broken ankle, but she said that you will need to not leave your bed and have a cast for 3 weeks ! 3 weeks without moving to much... You needed to see lady Takable in 2 weeks. You would have to write her. And the fact that you will be unable to hunt or ride during these weeks was terrible. But you needed to be in good shape, you were a warrior after all and you had to be healed. You thanked her and gave her some gold but now you needed to choose what to do during those three weeks.

>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their pleads.
>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Write to Lord Swiss Neutralsson about your plot to try to kill Lord Creepy Bitchson.
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite shipbuilders and a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.
>Send some people to Pleasantville to try to recruit more guardsmen.
>Supervise the construction of your church.
>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.
>Consacrate a day or two to prayers.
>Other (write in)

Choose 3 choices please, and in the order that you want them done.

You gain 1 mudcore for standing up to adventurers, such arrogance, such hubris shall be punished !

====

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 3
XP : 250+20= 270 (next level at 450)

Stats

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

Piety : 36-2 = 34

Mudcore :34+1 = 35

With 35 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.

>>5320345
>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their pleads
>Send some people to Pleasantville to try to recruit more guardsmen.
>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.

i worry about man power
and think it is good to see justice is done to keep these sellswords off our lands no problems= no work
as for the orchard a new revue stream will be needed to make up for the loss of taxes

actually i wonder were the adventurous even capable of fighting in the inn or was that a non combat zone

>>5320345
>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Supervise the construction of your church.

>>5320345
>>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.

>>5320345
>Try to learn to read
>Write to Lady Takable
>Put out word for shipbuilders

>>5320345
>>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite shipbuilders and a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.

>>5320345
>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their pleads.
>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider

I hope whatever Demon confused my mind last night has left me

>>5320345
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite shipbuilders and a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it
>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.

>>5320345
>Write to Lady Takable to tell her that you will be unable to ride with her if she's as agreed, comes to Local in two weeks.
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite shipbuilders and a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.

>>5320345
>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their pleads.
>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.

>>5320345
>>Try to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>>Send some people to Pleasantville to try to recruit more guardsmen.
>>Order to build an orchard with apples, you will need cider.

>>5320347

Yes, we have currently 33, well 32 guardsmen with the loss of Hunl Ucky. Plus Bohémond, Ancel, Brother Louis and Godefroi and Crumbling. So 37 armed men, the Local lordship, today, might only probably feed and pay 40 armed men in peace time. So you are near your maximum. You will need more peasants to have more soldiers.

>>5320351

They are human beings, or demons, or strange things of course they can fight in an inn.


>>5320382
>>5320424
>>5320442
>>5320450
>>5320470

I hope too.

>>5320495
>>5320503
>>5320644
>>5320658

Currently writing, Lady Takable was the first choice.

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>>5320351
>>5320382
>>5320424
>>5320442
>>5320450
>>5320470
>>5320495
>>5320503
>>5320644
>>5320658

You decided first to write to Lady Takable to explain her that you will be unable to ride with her because of your injury and that you will be unable to ride with her if she comes in two weeks. You remembered the beautiful blonde lady fondly and wanted to impress her.
But then you needed to announce the news to her. You liked the lady and needed to not to disappoint her too much. You were illiterate and would need to have some help to write.
You had some choices, should you write a passionate love letter to Lady Takable, or be more factual. And should you invite her one week later or simply tell her that you are wounded and maintain the invitation.
If you choose to write a love letter you knew that you would need to have some Indian poetry read to you. You knew some pretty formulas from Thibaut of Champagne's poems and French poetry but showing that you were interested in local writings, coupled with the exoticism of poetry from your native land you were sure that you could dictate something "not too bad". Or maybe your illiteracy would play against you...

>Write a love letter.
>Write a factual letter.

>Ask Lady Takable how she had been
>Add some anecdotes about the beauty of Local and do some poetical comparisons

>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with Bohémond, Father François and Lady Sue
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with your companions, do not mention lady Sue.
>Do not say why you were wounded.
>Tell that you were wounded and invent a story (write in)

>Ask Oldfossil for some tips and clues about good Indian authors.
>Use formulas and some things borrowed from French poetry.
>Try to learn to read with some poetry books, if you have some, it would be a good base to learn to read, even if it will probably delay a bit the writing of the letter.

At the end of your choices please roll an intrigue roll, if you have enough good choices you will have bonuses, if not it would be maluses. I will take the average of the first three rolls but all the votes will be taken into consideration.

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>5320768
>Write a factual letter.
>Ask Lady Takable how she had been
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with your companions, do not mention lady Sue.
>Try to learn to read with some poetry books, if you have some, it would be a good base to learn to read, even if it will probably delay a bit the writing of the letter.

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>5320768
>Write a factual letter.
>Ask Lady Takable how she had been
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with Bohémond, Father François and Lady Sue
>Use formulas and some things borrowed from French poetry

We can't come on TOO strong, we'd look like a lovesick peasant

>>5320768
>>Write a factual letter.
>Ask Lady Takable how she had been
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with your companions, do not mention lady Sue.
>Try to learn to read with some poetry books, if you have some, it would be a good base to learn to read, even if it will probably delay a bit the writing of the letter.

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>5320863
Forgot roll

>>5320768
>Write a love letter.
>Add some anecdotes about the beauty of Local and do some poetical comparisons
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with Bohémond, Father François and Lady Sue
>Try to learn to read with some poetry books, if you have some, it would be a good base to learn to read, even if it will probably delay a bit the writing of the letter.

>>5320775
Support

>>5320768
>Write a love letter.
Be bold, for love's sake!

>Add some anecdotes about the beauty of Local and do some poetical comparisons
>Mention that you were wounded fighting witches with Bohémond, Father François and Lady Sue
>Try to learn to read with some poetry books, if you have some, it would be a good base to learn to read, even if it will probably delay a bit the writing of the letter.

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>>5320775
>>5320831
>>5320863
>>5320885
>>5320968
>>5320980
>>5321017

You decided to write a very factual letter, poetry was not your forte and you preferred to be seen as serious instead of ridiculous. You began with some polite formulas about how she had been during your absence. And then you dictated Oldfossil to write about your wound, telling about your battle against witches in a glorious way while omitting to write about Lady Sue, Lady Takable seemed to disliked her after all.
You then said to Lady Sue that she was welcome but that unfortunately you would be unable to ride with her because your wound forbade you to mount your horse. Once you read your letter you found that it was a good report to a lord about the number of crops grown this year, or a good account to the Constable of France about a battle but nowhere near a love letter. Well, it will do. You ordered one of your servants to take a horse and to ride towards Lady Takable's home to try to bring her this.

It was sad, you knew that she liked poetry but you were unable to write some of it. Every great knight who had many lovers (outside of girls like Stacy the maid that "conforted" you very well during your recovering), was a Troubadour. Thibaut de Champagne, who was said to be the lover of Queen Blanche de Castille and ancient ruler of your province was one of them. So you ordered Oldfossil, one afternoon.

-Oldfossil, I wish to learn to read, bring me some poetry books. If you have some.

The man seemed taken aback.

-My lord, books are rare, I am sure that I have one somewhere... It would be hard to learn... I mean, my eyes are not as sharp as they were. But I can try to help.

Well, you had poetry books here ! You already noted that books were more common in India than in France. But it was good news. It was a simple book, without a rich binding, the thing was called "Poems at the Shaken Spear", and it was apparently talking about poems told by a bard in a tavern of the same name. You had trouble with all those letters and you understood that learning to read would be a long process. A book was written by hand and the handwriting was not always good, but you studied, even if it was more worthy of a monk than of a lord. But after four days, and the teachings of Oldfossil, you managed to read some of the first poems. It was not bad, but of lower quality than true Chansons de Geste. It talked about love between merchants and other stupid commoner things. Who needed to talk about love between mercantile families ? They loved their gold, courtly love was the way of noblemen. It was in the middle of one of those reading sessions that you were disturbed by a man. It was one of your guardsmen.

-My lord. There is news in the village, they tell that a new family wants to move in. You need to agree to this.

You frowned.

-Well, let us see who they are. Help me to go to my throne room.

>>5321124

Once you were here, on your throne, with your leg on a cushion you ordered those people to enter. It seemed to be a family of normal people at least, not demons and not cagots, it was good. The father was in his fourties, an old man, he had a brown beard and his wife seemed to be of this age too but she was blonde. Then followed four young people in their twenties, a man and three women. And some children. Looking at them you deduced that they had a son and two daughters and that the son was married.

They bowed and you told them.

-Introduce yourselves. Who are you, where are you from and why do you want to move in our pleasant city.

The patriarch told you.

-I am Popeye, I was a sailor for twenty five long years in the port of Faraway in the Kingdom of Filia in the south of the Empire. My father Spinach, son of Green left Local to live in Faraway, his father had a farm here. I was married here, but we lost our home and decided to move back to Local. Here is my wife, Olive, and my sons, Primus, and his wife Secundia and children, and Violet and Rose my two daughters. Primus has two small sons as you can see and a daugther that is still a babe. I wish to get back my farm. It was never transmitted to my father, and I wish to work and pay taxes here. To you my Lord.

You looked at Oldfossil who told.

-Yes, I remember a man called Green, he died more than 40 years ago and his son left to live outside. But his farm was unoccupied and was bought by another family. It is in the south of the village of Local. According to our laws since nobody claimed the inheritance for 40 years you have no rights to it.

You decided to intervene to say.

>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
>Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?
>Do you know how to work in the fields ? You seem to have only sailed in your life.
>Tell me about Faraway, is there a lot of trade there ? Have you seen ships from the Christendom ?
>To the south of India ? Have you heard about a man called the Prester John ?
>Other (write in)

>I can give you a plot of land, if you accept to become serfs and to not move anymore.
>I can rent you a plot of land, but it will be impossible to take back your farm.
>I will try to see what I can do to give you your farm back.
>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)
>Other (write in)

>>5321127
>>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
>>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)

'Bout to have us a riverboat captain if I don't miss my guess

>>5321127
>Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?
To get some background
>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
to gauge his compatibility

>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)

QM, is the land alongside the river owned by anyone? If not I think we can kill two birds with one stone here

>>5321127
>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
>Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?

I hope Popeye the Sailor Man is a good man, his family is large and could definitely help us out

>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)

>>5321127
>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
>Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?

>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)

>>5321127
>Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?
>Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?
>To the south of India ? Have you heard about a man called the Prester John ?

>(Wait for them to answer your question before deciding about the plot of land)

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>>5321138
>>5321167
>>5321182
>>5321730
>>5321764

You decided to ask some questions about the past of the man and his skills.

-Tell me, why have you lost your home ? You are not a criminal I hope ?

The man shook his head but his tone made clear that it was a shameful story.

-No, my lord, I.. Well I was working on a ship you see the "Diane" it was called, we travelled from Faraway to the coasts of Smaug, for the Legion who is warrying there, we brought them arrows, weapons, armours, food, alcohol, magical ingredients everything that soldiers needed. But the voyage was long, several months long. One day after such travel I learned that the authorities of the city decided to destroy our home to build a new plaza, they paid for compensation, and they paid well. So I told that we will rent a home and I will invest the money in a ship, it was not enough, I had to borrow money too, I invested it with some other sailors, that decided that we would have our own ship, it was like a dream. We called it the "Enterprise" our captain was a good man, called Disastrus, we decided to bring spice from the dune people living in the east of the southern seas. We managed to do a voyage, but after a second one a storm hit us and the Enterprise was lost, only five men managed to survive. I had no more ships, and a lot of debts, from not very honest people. They said that if I would not be able to pay my family and me would be killed. I decided to flee the city, I could not do anything against them.

So he fled from debts, and from bandits. Well at least he was honest enough to admit it. You asked him.

-Tell me, Popeye the Sailor, have you sailed on rivers and not only on the sea ?

-Never my lord, never, I know some things about shipbuilding and sailing tough, and river boats are different from ships that sail on the high sea. To sail on the river you have to know it, and to know where there is sandbanks or hidden rocks. It is a difficult job and quite different than sailing on the seas. Even if we love to joke about those who sail on rivers I have to admit that it has it's particularities.

You nodded, ready to tell an answer.

>I can give you a plot of land, if you accept to become serfs and to not move anymore.
>I can rent you a plot of land, but it will be impossible to take back your farm.
>I will try to see what I can do to give you your farm back.
>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.
>(Other write in)

>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in helping build it ? I can pay well !
>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in being it's captain ? I can pay well !
>(Other write in)

>>5321792
>I can give you a plot of land, if you accept to become serfs and to not move anymore
>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.

>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in helping build it ? I can pay well !

>>5321792
>I can give you a plot of land, if you accept to become serfs and to not move anymore
>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.
>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in helping build it ? I can pay well !

>>5321792
>I can give you a plot of land, if you accept to become serfs and to not move anymore.
>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.
>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in being it's captain ? I can pay well !

>>5321792
>>I can rent you a plot of land, but it will be impossible to take back your farm.
>>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.

In time they can become serfs in anycase.

>>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in helping build it ? I can pay well !

>>5321792
>I can rent you a plot of land, but it will be impossible to take back your farm.
>I can protect you against debt collector if you embrace the cross and become Christians, you and your family.

>I am planning to build a river boat to transport goods and people around the Queste river. Would you be interested in helping build it ? I can pay well !

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>>5321798
>>5321858
>>5321898
>>5321901
>>5322150

After thinking a bit you decided to offer serfdom to the man, a plot of land near the river and to engage him to help build a riverboat. He seemed to be an honest man after all.

-I cannot give you your farm back, but I can give you a plot of land if you accept to be my serfs. And I promise you that I will protect you against debt collectors if you accept the cross and become Christians.

They seemed taken aback by this but you continued.

-And I want to build a river boat to sail on the Queste, would you agree to become it's captain.

The man answered, tentatively.

-My lord, serfdom is not very well seen and, I am a man who has sailed and travelled, it would be hard to condemn my family to remain on one place. Please, I beg you to reconsider.

He added.

-I would be able to help build a boat if you give us a home. I had to help supervise the building of the Enterprise, I know how to build boats and I can give instructions to local carpenters. But please, do not condemn us to servitude.

He the added.

-Aaaand, what's a Christian ?

-It is a fait, my faith, the one true faith.

-I am ready to convert my lord, it is not a problem, your lands, your religion, but about serfdom my lord, have pity of poor commoners who came to your lands...

>I am ready to reconsider about serfdom, but your home will be rented prove yourself to be useful and you will be rewarded.
>Serfdom is a sine qua non condition, I need specialists tied to the land that will not leave because the pay is better elsewhere. I cannot let you here (rulership test with a +20 bonus, if you manage to do it he will accept)

>>5322353
>Serfdom is a sine qua non condition, I need specialists tied to the land that will not leave because the pay is better elsewhere. I cannot let you here (rulership test with a +20 bonus, if you manage to do it he will accept)

Let's do it under the watch of Our Lady

Won't vote since I just started catching up, but Thread 1 is good stuff.

>>5322353
>>Serfdom is a sine qua non condition, I need specialists tied to the land that will not leave because the pay is better elsewhere. I cannot let you here (rulership test with a +20 bonus, if you manage to do it he will accept)

>>5322353
>Serfdom is a sine qua non condition, I need specialists tied to the land that will not leave because the pay is better elsewhere. I cannot let you here (rulership test with a +20 bonus, if you manage to do it he will accept)

>>5322464
>>5322474
>>5322364


Roll then good sirs, 1d100, I will take the average of the first three rolls when I will answer (probably in a few hours)

>>5322459

Glad to see new players good sir. Hope you join us soon.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>5322490

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>5322490

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>5322490

>>5322491
>>5322506
Anything special for dubs?

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>>5322491
>>5322503
>>5322951

No, not particularly, but in this case you rolled well with 49 of average and a Rulership+20 value of 55 you managed to convince the man.

>>5322951

You took your most serious tone and said.

-Serfdom is a sine qua non condition, I need specialists tied to the land that will not leave because the pay is better elsewhere. I cannot let you here without accepting serfdom.

The man seemed to hesitate, he looked at his family, the you saw his wife nodding and he seemed resigned to his fate. He told.

-Then we will accept my lord. We have travelled too far away to leave.

You smiled, it was excellent indeed, the man accepted. You then ordered to prepare the ceremony for their introduction and gave them a plot of land near the river. It was generous and the man bowed low. You were happy, with each serf you had less money to pay to your people, so you had no more risks of having your gold changed into silver and have financial problems. When you have no more money to pay your people stop paying them. This was your new modus operandi and you felt like a great administrator. Once this affair was set you decided to look into other projects.

You had recently an idea, the beer of the small scotsmen was excellent, but you lacked two things to make your life perfect : wine and cider. The climate seemed to be bad for wine but cider, you could make cider. For it you needed apples. You now will have serfs with Pauperus, who will have to work freely for you. With all the poor people that asked for Serfdom you had at least 30 serfs. And with Oldfossil, who fortunately had recovered from his illness you would have someone to command them in their work. You had land, lots of it, and too few people, so you had to choose the size of your orchard. You would have to send a corvée, or several, to plant it all. So you asked Oldfossil.

>A small Orchard would be fine, for personal consumption and for the castle, could you plant several apple trees nearby ?
>30 apple trees shall be enough for us all.
>100 apple trees will be needed to make enough cider, I am thirsty.
>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

According to the size of the thing you will have to plan where to build everything.

>>5322984
>>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

my cider brings all the maidens to the yard

honestly seems like a good thing to specialize in something early we need some monopoly to generate funds

>>5322984
>>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

>>5322984
>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.
Not only do we know how to maintain an Orchard but this seems like the best way to increase our revenue permanently

>>5322984
>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

I fucking love apples, and this is an investment with almost definite returns

>>5322984
>>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

>>5322984
>>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

I would also like to do something to expand the beer industry

>>5322984
>100 apple trees will bd needed to make enough cider

>>5322984
>>Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider in all the county, and I want to eat apples.

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>>5322997

It is cheap to make at least.

>>5323054
>>5323127

And with money you could engage mercenaries or other useful things.

>>5323157
>>5323214

I will add this as an option for the next week. You shall be able to contact the dwarves/short scotsmen who make it in your lands.

>>5323218
>>5323447

You ordered casually.

-Plant me 1000 apple trees, we will export cider to all the county and I want to eat apples.

Oldfossil looked at you, surprised.

-But my lord, it is feasible of course, we have the money but where would we do this ? I mean, we have many options my lord, we could plant them near the Queste or near a stream but most of them are already occupied by more important cultures, or we may plant them in more dry lands, but they will take more time to grow, a lot of our land is not good for crops or trees. Or, I think that as a third option my lord, we can try to build a canal to bring water near our new orchard and for the trees. We could deviate some water from the Queste. But it would be costly.

>We shall plant our apple trees near the river, even if they will replace other crops.
>We shall plant our apple trees in a more dry land, even if they will not grow as quickly and may lack water
>We will build a canal, send a corvée of serfs with shovels, and pay some villeins. We have great works to do !

>>5323566
>>We will build a canal, send a corvée of serfs with shovels, and pay some villeins. We have great works to do !

Mastering the waterways is simply human.

I would like to say that if our previous adventure was anything to go by, we could finance this and a number of other great works by hunting down heretics and villains dotting the countryside and raiding their lairs. Investing in some of these healing potions and some professional hired men would probably do wonders for us.

>>5323566
>We will build a canal, send a corvée of serfs with shovels, and pay some villeins. We have great works to do !
Nothing worth doing comes cheap
Plus our serfs will gain valuable experience making them quite good at work like this and thus increasing their worth and helping us in our future projects
>>5323620
I agree, we should rally some men and hunt more heretics and bandits

>>5323710
And in the future we must prevent our men spoiling the spoils!

We'll turn this backwater into a trade hub yet, shame vineyards would do poor here, beer and cider is well enough though.

>>5323727
Though we may not have vineyards we still have many industries we may start
Perhaps we should host a knightly tournament to attract merchants and such?

>>5323727
>>We'll turn this backwater into a trade hub yet, shame vineyards would do poor here, beer and cider is well enough though.

This is how the Normans must have felt after winning at Hastings...

>>5323755
I suggested that long ago, and still would support it, i think we could stand to gain from attempting to add a few local knights to our retinue.

I suppose getting our economy right should be a priority though.

>>5323768
We are become perfidious Albion

Horse breeding would be another thing we could go for

>>5323566
>>We will build a canal, send a corvée of serfs with shovels, and pay some villeins. We have great works to do !

I votes for 100 trees, but if we're going in on this, let's do it right!

>Fund it with a proftisble witch-hunt

This idea is sensible, too.

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>>5323611

Well said.

>>5323768

I laughed hard at this.

>>5323771

I added an option to check our finances.

>>5323774

It is a good idea, some of your subjects have already a stud but it has not a lot of horses so increasing it's scale would be profitable.

>>5323755

A tournament, at this point, would be costly but I am thinking that it will be possible to host one in a few threads. You must be known first before inviting some knights after all, and have some money or prise to give to the winners.

====

You decided to go big, a big project should be impressive after all and you said proudly.

-We will build a canal, send a corvée of serfs with shovels, and pay some villeins. We have great works to do !

Traditionnaly trees were planted during Saint Catherine's day in November so you asked the man.

-Could we get the works done before the next Saint Catherine ?

But Oldfossil simply raised an eyebrow. Of course, the Indians used another calendar since they were not Christians and you had to explain him that it was normally the day were we planted trees. You tried to explain that the end of november was the best period to plant trees but he never heard about this month ! Months had strange names here, Vendémiaire, Brumaire, Fructidor, you wondered what kind of dullards have invented them, so you decided to try to have him explain it. The old man told.

-See, each day has the name of a fruit, of a tool or of an animal. And we are already at the 10th of the Brumaire month, in autumn, so we will not be able to plant before next year. But if we work hard enough I am sure that we will be able to plant this orchard next year. I have made some calculus and I am sure that we will be able to produce, once the trees would have grown, something that 25 000 pints a year, or maybe a bit more. If we manage to sell it for 1 silver coin the pint we will have 2 500 gold coins at the end of each year. The last years taxes have been of 2500 gold coins.

By the heavens ! 1 silver coin for a parisian pint of cider... Ah yes, they paid in gold here so everything was more expensive but damn... After this project you would double your gains ! You will become a far more powerful lord ! If the boat gave you some money too you would be rich... And if it was not enough you would borrow some money to some jews or lombards and never pay it back. You were a better administrator than this scoundrel of Enguerrand de Marigny, you thought.

-Then build, dear Oldfossil, build. I want the serfs digging this canal every time they have a corvée and are not tending our fields !

>>5323989

The man as every good administrator that wanted his lord's demesne to prosper, seemed to like the project and his look said that he was a bit disappointed about having never thought about that. He told.

-I will try to procure every thing that we need to plant apple trees my lord. It will cost some money but I think that 300 gold coins will be enough. We will need equipment to make cider too, and it may cost far more, and generally apples begin to grow 2 to 4 years after plantation. With all the work with the canal and the equipment, and some buildings to host them, for the cider I think that we will have to spend more or less 2000 gold coins before it begins to turn into profit, it is an excellent investment my lord.

You agreed and looked at an ugly map were the location of the project was drawn, and you approved. This Oldfossil was truly an excellent steward and you needed to think about having him teach his craft to a successor. The work on this project took most of the next part of the week and when the first orders were given you were happy. But there was more. You still had two weeks of recovery left and you had to receive Lady Takable at the end of the week. The preparations for her venue should take some time so you will have only two actions that you will be able to do during this week. Your messenger shall return from Lady Takable's castle too.

>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their cases.
>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Write to Lord Swiss Neutralsson about the plot that you have to try to kill Lord Creepy Bitchson.
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.
>Send some people to Pleasantville to try to recruit more guardsmen.
>Supervise the management of your church.
>Receive the short scotsmen that do beer in your lands and ask them to increase production.
>Spend a day or two in prayer.
>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses.
>Ask about our food reserves, what do they look like after the new provisions that we have taken from the witches ?
>Other (write in)

====

And I forgot to give you +1 Mudcore for the fact that you have managed to make Popeye's family accept serfdom.

>>5323991

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 3
XP : 250+20= 270 (next level at 450)

Stats

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

Piety : 34

Mudcore : 35+1 = 36

With 35 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.

>>5323991
>Begin to send messengers to try to invite a captain to your lands to complete your boat project.
>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses.

>>5323991
>Supervise the management of your church.
>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses.

>>5323991
>>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their cases.
>>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.

>>5323991
>Supervise the management of your church.
>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses.

>>5323991
>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses

>>5323991
>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>Send some people to Pleasantville to try to recruit more guardsmen

>>5323991
>>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.
>>Try to manage the finances of your demesne by ordering Oldfossil to do an inventory of what you have in your coffers and what would be the next expenses

>>5323991
>>Give justice to your subjects, hearing their cases.
>>Continue to begin to learn to read, since you cannot ride outside you have time to do it.

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>>5323996
>>5324062
>>5324099
>>5324168
>>5324170
>>5324348
>>5324376
>>5324404

You decided to continue to improve your reading and you began to be able to begin to understand the basics of the letters and how they combined but it was painfully slow and your eyes hurt. You understood why few people learned to read, the benefit was small and the damages to the body were many. Oldfossil helped you, and Father François too, he decided to help you learn with the Bible, even if it was in latin and you understood nothing of this language. It was to see how letters may combine to find sounds. Oldfossil wondered why the Bible was not written in the common French language and Father François had to explain that every well read person knew latin. It made the old man curious, and he asked if he could try to learn the tongue. Wanting to learn at his advanced age was impressive you thought and it motivated you to continue.
It was in the middle of one of those reading sessions, in the morning because the sun was better at this time of the day, that a guardsman, one of Cop's sons, reported to you.

-My lord ! My lord ! Adventurers are in town ! Adventurers ! Four of them ! They are stopping at the Inn and the Innkeeper heard that they wanted to see you !

You frowned, maybe it was those men from Podunk, you were ready to order your soldiers to arrest them. So you asked.

-Where are they from ?

-They came from the western road my lord...

Then not Podunk. You quickly ordered.

-Bring me to my throneroom, and tell those vagrants that I request their presence, I want to know what they are doing on my lands.

Half an hour later you were in your throne room with your knights, Bohémond and Godefroi, your guard's captain crumbling, Father François and your steward Oldfossil. You ordered some guardsmen to be posted here, as a show of strength and you waited for those adventurers to come. You barely saw any of them, if you excluded Lady Sue, and you were, to be honest, quite curious.

>>5324550

It was when you saw them, four of them in total. One of them was a huge mountain of muscles, a blond haired man with a beard, who was half naked and wore furs. He carried a huge battle-axe with two blades that looked very heavy and impractical. The second one had a kind of decorated baton with a glowing crystal on top of it, and a pointy hat. He had a long brown beard and purple robes of fine quality. He looked like he was very serious. The third man had a black cloak and a cowl, you feared that it was one of those assassin's like the one you killed after a difficult duel at your halt in a Inn on the road to Someplace. With your injured leg you would be unable to fight him and would have to trust your men. But they were numerous and should be able to deal with this. The last man was smiling to one of your servant girls and exchanging some words with her, and she was blushing. He had quite long sandy hair and very fashionable clothes that would not be out of place in the court of Paris. He carried a lute and a thin sword. It was him wo spoke, he had a suave voice.

-My lord, I am glad to introduce you the renowned company of the golden star. This strong man is the brave Murd, a fierce warrior from the Northern barbarians that had to quit his homeland and adopted our culture...

The huge man with the axe nodded ankwardly.

-And next to him is the renowned enchanter and master of illusion magic Ehhr who after brilliant studies in the Imperial Academy of Magic decided to help the people of our lands by joining the adventurer's guild.

So this baton carrying man was a sorcerer, you wondered how you could burn him but remembered that unfortunately it was not legal with those pesky laws and the influence of this Mage's Guild on politics ! The entire realm, sorry, the entire Empire, should be cleansed from devilry !

-My quiet companion here is Hob, once from the Thieves' Guild of Briberopolis he now serves the law and has proven to be an invaluable asset for our guild.

The man nodded too, the three men did not kneel or bow very low, it displeased you. And he was a criminal, who will openly say that he was from a fraternity of bandits, he should have his hand cut off for stealing. If peasants began to forget to bow before their betters it was a lack of respect, and without respect no society could work. But you let the man continue. Waiting him to introduce himself.

-And your humble servant is Beau, once the delight of the court of our glorious Queen I decided to go to adventure to write an epic about this world.

He bowed very low, at least, he had some manners, good. You wanted to speak but he continued.

-But we must be already known here by the tales of our mighty deeds, our victory over the Brigands of Mean, our triumph in the Dungeon of Dar-Qest, and the destruction of the undead lord Ulcik.

>>5324555

You looked at Oldfossil and Crumbling, maybe the fame of these men made them arrogant. But the two old men shared the same look with you, a look meaning "never heard of them." You wanted to talk but the man continued, was he not tired of talking so much while his companions remained silent. The barbarian was even looking outside, absolutely not interested by what was happening.

-My lord, we have been sent to your lands to investigate about a strange magical phenomenon on behalf of the mage's guild. We walked from pleasantville and now we are here. Have you heard something about a strange magical phenomenon here ? Some people in town told that they saw a huge white explosion and others told that a plague has been sent here apparently by a lord called "Lord Hostil" and it made people ugly, hunchbacked or worse, and it killed some crops too.

You wondered if all those armed vagrants were so insolent. He asked you questions before you asked him, what kind of commoners dares to do this to a lord who has summoned him ? How dares he ! At least the people seemed to believe that the crop failures were because of Lord Hostil. So you looked at Murd, Ehhr, Hob and Beau and answered.

>>5324557


>Men, cut off the tongue of this insolent man for asking questions before being asked them.
>Men, cut off the tongue of this insolent man for asking questions before being asked them. Or maybe cut it if he doesn't answer mine.
>When in presence of a lord, it is customary to bow.
>Oldfossil, tell me, are all the adventurers a bunch of savages, magicians, common thieves and fops ?
>How dare you asking questions to a lord before he has asked some himself ! Such arrogance ! Such hubris ! Guards, seize these men and bring them to my dungeons, kill them if they resist.
>How dare you asking questions to a lord before he has asked some himself !
>You tell me that you took a dungeon ? I had to take some during my campaigns in Guyenne too, have you seen battle ? What do you used ? Ladders ? A battering ram ? What lord lead you ?
>I convoked you here to know why you were on my lands, but you tell me that you are from the Mage's Guild, what right do they have to send mercenaries on my land ! I am the only one to have the right of life and death on my land. If I need their help against magicians I would have called them. Now return to your lands.
>Yes, we had problems with a plague sent by Lord Hostil, but he is now dead, I killed him in single combat. There is no more magical anomalies here.
>There have been strange magical things there, yes, when I destroyed a group of Ghibellines it appeared that their leader, Schamann, was possessed by the spirit of Conradin von Hohenstaufen, ancient pretender king of Sicily. He is in my dungeons. You can interrogate Schamann if you want.
>A white explosion, yes, I heard many of my people talking about it, but it happened a short time before I became the Lord of Local. I was not here when it happened.
>Is it customary to send adventurers to deal with magical problems when you are the Mage's Guild ? Have they not some specialists to deal with it ? Or is there another reason to your presence at Local ?
>And I am Charles de Villeroi, Lord of Local, we had problems, yes, they were caused by Lord Hostil and a clique of corrupt priests of Monsanto, but we dealt with it.
>Tell me, I am from a faraway land where your guild do not exist. What will exactly be your investigation, how do you, adventurers, intend to work ?
>Other (Write in)

>>5324559
>How dare you asking questions to a lord before he has asked some himself !
>I am Charles de Villeroi, Lord of Local, we had problems, yes, they were caused by Lord Hostil and a clique of corrupt priests of Monsanto, but we dealt with it.
>>I convoked you here to know why you were on my lands, but you tell me that you are from the Mage's Guild, what right do they have to send mercenaries on my land ! I am the only one to have the right of life and death on my land. If I need their help against magicians I would have called them. Now return to your lands.

>>5324576
Support

>>5324576
Supporting

>>5324559
>You tell me that you took a dungeon ? I had to take some during my campaigns in Guyenne too, have you seen battle ? What do you used ? Ladders ? A battering ram ? What lord lead you ?
We must learn of Indian tactics
>>5324576
support for the rest of the questions

>>5324576
support

>>5324576
inb4
>right gang the local lord told us to leave he must be a necromancer trying to cover his tract a normal lord would of been so rude to our bard he has a 20 in charm
supporting btw

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>>5324559
>How dare you asking questions to a lord before he has asked some himself ! Such arrogance ! Such hubris ! Guards, seize these men and bring them to my dungeons, kill them if they resist.
>You tell me that you took a dungeon ? I had to take some during my campaigns in Guyenne too, have you seen battle ? What do you used ? Ladders ? A battering ram ? What lord lead you ?
>Yes, we had problems with a plague sent by Lord Hostil, but he is now dead, I killed him in single combat. There is no more magical anomalies here.
> Other : The Mages Guild are sending mercenaries and larceny to our lands? An immigrant barbarian and a thief who does not hide his talents? Let us therefore send an emissary to ask them for an official apology and compensation, or else they will receive the heads of their bandits so handsomely paid for disturbing the public order of the domain.

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>>5324576
>>5324667
>>5324691
>>5324702
>>5324812
>>5324844
>>5324933

You decided to be stern, and answered firmly.

-How dare you ask questions to a lord before he has asked some himself ?

And then you were completely astonished, you heard voices in your head. Yes, voices, like a saint, or a madman, but more like a madman. One was a cultured voice of a middle aged man, he seemed to want to laugh. It said "Ahahaha, he's pissed at you Beau.". The second voice, the same voice as the one of Beau the Bard, said clearly "Who does this prick thinks he is ? He is just ruling a backwater place and acts like he is king of everything." the third voice, the voice of a proletarian said "and d'is accent, by tha gods it's ridiculous". How dared he ! And what was this ? Was it some magic. Then a quite dumb and primitive voice said "Need to kill the cripple ?". You wondered what was this sorcery but remarked that everyone was looking shocked around you. Your guardsmen especially. Father François did the sign of the cross but before any other person could react the voice of Beau in your head continued "I will salvage this, let a professional act.".

-I am sorry, powerful lord of... Local, I am terribly sorry for my mistake, me and my companions have travelled and...

Captain Crumbling interrupted him, the old man was literally boiling with rage, you never saw him like that.

-How dare you, pitiful vermin, insult our lord in your telepathic communications and think that we will not manage to hear you. How dare you !

>>5324967

You did not knew what telepathic meant but the voices in your head continued. The voice of Beau to begin with "What ? So these idiots here everything we say ? What is this bullshit ! Ehhr have you cast a fumble once more ?" the cultured voice answered "No, not my fault, it is a high level spell, the most powerful I knew and it was casted perfectly, I do not know what is this bullshit !" the proletarian voice was just laughing and you saw Murd the Barbarian ready his battleaxe and the brutish voice in your head told "Need to smash ?". The voice of Beau continued "It's a dick move, Gehem, it must not happen like this, I refuse this !". You knew of Gehenna but you ignored about any Gehem, maybe it was an indian divinity ? And then you understood, these voices, they were all the voices of these men, and you were, somehow, reading their thoughts, and they were able to communicate by thoughts ! By Saint Denis ! What power ! Even if it was by heretical magic it was incredible ! Imagine being able to read the minds of your subjects and know what they thought about you. None that their opinion mattered, they were here to be quiet and pay taxes, but to know who was plotting against you or not paying taxes at all ! You wondered what it would be to know this and then did the sign of the cross. Satan was powerful in his temptations, he gave men what they desired, but virtue, and faith commanded to resist and not to fall into the tricks of the devil. You did the sign of the cross and remembered to tell this moment of weakness to Father François in confession and then answered.

>You really thought that you could dupe me ? Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, such arrogance, such hubris ! Your Gehem will not protect you ! Guards, throw these men into my cells, they will be executed tomorrow !
>You dare insult me ! Guards, kill them ! Kill them ! I want their heads !
>Laugh haughtily Hahaha, well, it seems that your tricks have not worked, and since you are able to speak without your tongues you do not need them, cut them off men.
>Laugh haughtily. It seems that your gods have abandoned you, adventurers, and that speaking poorly behind peoples back brings only sorrow. Apologies would be most welcome.
>Sorcery has no power here strangers. Guards, throw these men into the dungeons, kill those that resist. And by the way my accent is pure Champenois and very beautiful.
>Other (write in)

You then needed to ask about all the devilry of this magic but it would be later. You needed to take a decision now, you were the local lord after all.

>>5324969
>>You dare insult me ! Guards, kill them ! Kill them ! I want their heads !
>except Murd.
I bet there is a price on his head up north with the barbarians. If we give him to them, it would be a boon to us.

>>5324969
>Sorcery has no power here strangers. Guards, throw these men into the dungeons, kill those that resist. And by the way my accent is pure Champenois and very beautiful.
>You really thought that you could dupe me ? Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, such arrogance, such hubris ! Your Gehem will not protect you ! Guards, throw these men into my cells, they will be executed tomorrow !
>Other : These thefts dared to insult us before spitting on our hospitality, the immigrant barbarian was even preparing to attack a wounded lord by surprise! These men are representatives of the Mages Guild, their words, actions and thoughts are those of the Guild, so it cannot be ignored that the Mages Guild brought great harm to the domain. These Magi, in addition to brushing against constament heresy by selling their souls to the devil, they are monsters attacking honest Christians. This Guild must no longer be allowed to enter the lands of the domain, and each mage must be expelled from it until the guild master has not personally apologized to the Lord for this great offense and this attack against him. We must also expect great compensation, otherwise the mages must be persecuted.

>>5324969
>>Laugh haughtily. It seems that your gods have abandoned you, adventurers, and that speaking poorly behind peoples back brings only sorrow. Apologies would be most welcome.

Tempting to kill them, though I think we could do well to gather information from them.

>>5324969
>Sorcery has no power here strangers. Guards, throw these men into the dungeons, kill those that resist. And by the way my accent is pure Champenois and very beautiful.

Torture for our ego and any info, publicly execute them afterwards.

>>5324969
>Laugh haughtily. It seems that your gods have abandoned you, adventurers, and that speaking poorly behind peoples back brings only sorrow. Apologies would be most welcome.
I am sure our guys can handle them, they are within our SPHERE after all

>>5324969
>>Laugh haughtily. It seems that your gods have abandoned you, adventurers, and that speaking poorly behind peoples back brings only sorrow. Apologies would be most welcome.

honestly we can probably convert the barb one thing they hate most is mage bullshit

>>5324969
>>You really thought that you could dupe me ? Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, such arrogance, such hubris ! Your Gehem will not protect you ! Guards, throw these men into my cells, they will be executed tomorrow !

>>5324969
>>You really thought that you could dupe me ? Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, such arrogance, such hubris ! Your Gehem will not protect you ! Guards, throw these men into my cells, they will be executed tomorrow !
Yoke 'em up. We can interrogate them individually and decide their fates this evening, once they've been appropriately softened up.

>>5324985
>>5324989
>>5324990
>>5325025
>>5325030
>>5325047
>>5325279
>>5325416

3 votes for sparing them and making them apologise.

3 votes to throw them in the cells and execute them tommorow

1 vote to simply throw them in the cells

1 vote to kill them here (save one man) and now.

I will consider that the majority wants to throw them in the cells, I will let you vote a second time for eventual executions or punishment.

Currently writing

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>>5324990
>>5325025
>>5325030
>>5325047
>>5325279
>>5325416
>>5324985
>>5324989

You answered angrily, and your anger was terrible, even when you were wounded.

-You really thought that you could dupe me ? Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, such arrogance, such hubris ! Your Gehem will not protect you ! Guards, throw these men into my cells, they will be executed tomorrow if they have no other use !

They wanted to kill you after all, and insulted you before all your men, letting them go unscathed would be forgetting the respect that protects every nobleman. You needed to do an example. The adventurers exchanged looks between themselves and unsheathed their weapons. You heard the proletarian voice in your head saying "back gate unguarded, run there lads when I... Oh fuck". Two of your men moved there to protect the small gate when you heard the brutish voice "Do we have chances ? We can fight me thinks" and the cultured voice scolded him "Stop talking by telepathy you imbeciles, they can hear everything !" but Beau's voice answered "And how can we communicate ? If we whisper we will not m..."

-Surrender now ! Drop your weapons, impolite scum !

Cried your guard's captain while your men approached them. Bohémond, Brother Louis and Godefroi joining your guardsmen. The adventurers tightened their formation. Beau trying to tell you something while the wizard Ehhr whispered.

-Please, my lord, I am sure that we do not need to resort to violence. We are working for the Mage's Guild, the most powerful organisation in the Empire and even beyond. You do not want them to be your enemies ? And we are rank four adventurers, I mean, even if will be violence and your soldiers will prevail some of your men may die. Would it not be better for us to apologise, to part ways, and to be allowed to continue our inquiry. Or at least to be allowed to leave your lands peacefully ?

It was an interesting offer. Or maybe the man was trying to win time for the sorcerer to throw some curse at you. He was whispering suspiciously.

>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.
>Beware the wizard lads ! Kill them all ! They want to trick us !
>Your offer is... worth considering. You shall be banished from my lands though, if I see you again in my fief I shall not be so merciful.
>Your offer is... worth considering. I can let you work here, but after apologies for your misconduct.
>Your mage's guild is powerful ? So it is rich, good ! It seems that they will pay good ransoms for you. Capture them, soldiers !
>Other (write in)

>>5325556
>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.
>Beware the wizard lads ! Kill them all ! They want to trick us !

>>5325556
>>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.

>>5325556
>>Beware the wizard lads ! Kill them all ! They want to trick us !

>>5325556
>>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.

>>5325556
>>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.
Lodge the knaves in the nearest oubliette, should take the wind out of their sails until we decide their fate.

>>5325556
>>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.

>>5325556
>I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.
>Your mage's guild is powerful ? So it is rich, good ! It seems that they will pay good ransoms for you. Capture them, soldiers !

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>>5325600
>>5325607
>>5325648
>>5325671
>>5325731
>>5325772
>>5325879

You said haughtily.

-I will not have magicians and fat guildsmen dictate their will on those who carry chivalry in their blood for more than 400 years ! Guards, arrest this vermin.

And the bloodshed began, seeing that the mage was raising his baton two of your crossbowmen fired, one missed, the other got him in the chest. The adventurers panicked when their mage was hit and the thief tried to run. He dodged the spears of two of your men and threw a kind of smoke bomb that covered his location in smoke but when he moved out of the smoke Cop got him and pierced his leg. The bard immediately raised his hands yelling.

-I surrender ! I surrender !

While in the meantime Murd the Barbarian was another kind of problem. Even if his axe was impractical, and he seemed to be genuinely disturbed by his own difficulty using it, he managed, by pure skill, to keep at bay two of your spearmen. Unfortunately for him their long weapons were too fast for him to manage to find an opening in their guard and hit them. But your old knight Godefroi rushed into the melee, provoked the barbarian in single combat, and cried.

-Montjoie !

And began attacking with his sword. Even if his opponent must have been quicker because of his younger age he was slowed down by the weight of his double bladed battle axe who was too short and too heavy to be useful. Godefroi managed to skilfully redirect his hit towards the floor after a parry and to slash the barbarian with his blade. A stream of red blood poured down from the man's neck and Murd fell, slain by your retainer. It was beautiful battle against a dangerous enemy and you thought about rewarding your veteran. After this victory your men took the weapons and equipment of the adventurers, who seemed too disturbed by the death of two of their companions (it appeared that Ehhr was mortally wounded by the crossbow bolt) to do anything. You congratulated all your men who seemed to be proud to have defeated without losses this formidable opponents, their training had paid off it seemed. You gave them some of the gold that the adventurers carried and kept the rest, approximately 50 gold coins. You had to decide what to do next.

>>5325945

>Directly interrogate the two captured adventurers. No time to loose.
>Let the adventurers wait a bit in your oubliettes.

>Ask Oldfossil about what he thought of the situation. The Mage's Guild was powerful and they would probably send other henchmen. You needed to take mesures against this.
>Ask Oldfossil about the mind reading magic, what was this. You never heard the word "telepathy" before, whas it widely used, what was it exactly ?
>Order to confiscate the stuff that the adventurers left in the inn.
>Ask if we need to hide the bodies or if it would be better to publicly execute these insolent criminals. After all they were members of the Adventurers Guild and worked for the Mage's Guild, two powerful organisations.
>Order your men to prepare gallows/a pyre/a sharp axe
>Other (write in)

>>5325945
>>Let the adventurers wait a bit in your oubliettes.

>Ask Oldfossil about what he thought of the situation. The Mage's Guild was powerful and they would probably send other henchmen. You needed to take mesures against this

>>5325946
>Directly interrogate the two captured adventurers. No time to loose.
Get right at it

>Ask Oldfossil about what he thought of the situation. The Mage's Guild was powerful and they would probably send other henchmen. You needed to take mesures against this.
>Order to confiscate the stuff that the adventurers left in the inn.
>Ask if we need to hide the bodies or if it would be better to publicly execute these insolent criminals. After all they were members of the Adventurers Guild and worked for the Mage's Guild, two powerful organisations.

>>5325963
Support

>>5325946
>Intérroger les deux aventuriers capturés immédiatement. Pas de temps a perdre.

>Demander à Oldfossil ce qu'il pense de la situation. La Guilde des Mages était très puissante et ils enverraient probablement d'autres hommes de main. Vous deviez prendre des mesures contre ça
>Demander si nous devons cacher les corps ou si il serait mieux de publiquement exécuter ces criminels insolents. Après tout, ils étaient des membres de la Guilde d'Aventuriers et travaillais pour la Guilde des Mages, deux puissantes organisations.
>Ordonnez la confiscation des choses que les aventuriers ont laissées à l'auberge.

Loving the quest messire, the names have made me laugh a couple times.

>>5325946
>>Directly interrogate the two captured adventurers. No time to loose.
>Ask Oldfossil about the mind reading magic, what was this. You never heard the word "telepathy" before, whas it widely used, what was it exactly ?
>Order to confiscate the stuff that the adventurers left in the inn.
>Order your men to prepare a sharp axe

>>5325946
>Directly interrogate the two captured adventurers. No time to loose.

>Ask Oldfossil about what he thought of the situation. The Mage's Guild was powerful and they would probably send other henchmen. You needed to take mesures against this.
>Order to confiscate the stuff that the adventurers left in the inn.
>Order your men to prepare gallows

The swing-gurgle-kick thing is more entertaining

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>>5325961
>>5325963
>>5325985
>>5325990

Merci messire. Je ne fais que suivre la tradition de Goscinny et Uderzo.

>>5325999
>>5326071

You breathed the sweet air of victory and after ordering to confiscate the possessions of the adventurers still at the inn you asked Oldfossil.

-Dear councillor, now that these scoundrels have been vainquished what shall we do ? You said earlier that the Mage's Guild was very powerful and it may have the means to send other henchmen. What can we do against this ?

Oldfossil seemed to think, and answered firstly.

-Let me think my lord, let me think please.

He normally was able to find a solution to every problem but here he needed time to do it. It meant that it was probably a very sticky situation. You thought about trying to forbid the Guild to enter your lands or about other things but the old man cut your thought with a rather clever suggestion.

-They may do it my Lord, and they may say that they have an imperial monopoly on magical problems. So you must secure allies before them. You should try to obtain the support of your liege lord and petition not the Bifurian Tribunals, who are controlled by elves or wizards unfortunately, but directly the Imperial Court. You were insulted after all. But it will be hard, adventurers are well loved and mages are powerful, and all the authorities try to curtail the authority of the landed nobility. If you manage to win a trial at the Imperial Court, saying that you have the right to execute those who are deemed insolent, it could have great repercussions on the political system but it will be enforced. Mages have always insisted about the "rule of law" and they have the support of the Emperor, if they misbehave at his courts it would be bad. And they will not invest massively in a minor affair. They will probably try to avoid a trial and arrange a deal. You should simply be loud and say that your rights were violated by the Mage's Guild. Send them a protestation letter, tell of the lack of politeness of the adventurers. The mage that we killed was a registered mage too, so it is one of their members. We could all do a testimony...

But Crumbling interrupted him.

-Sorry, old friend but what if they refuse ? I mean, they will probably arrange a deal, but they might not. After all we all know how long the courts take to judge a case, even the opening of a case will not happen before one year. In the meantime they could send us other adventurers or a squad of hit wizards to kill us all.

Oldfossil nodded.

-We will need to defend ourselves and have the support of our liege lord for this.

>>5326340

-We will need to defend ourselves and have the support of our liege lord for this.

Your lips formed into a sad smile.

-With lord Crook Wickedson it is already a bad plan.

-I am not talking about him my lord. I am talking about Count Careless, he has friends at court and some of his friends were even elected on the Council of Many. They have the real power, the Emperor is just a figurehead. And they are able to name the judges. In a trial knowing the judge will be preferable to knowing the law unfortunately.

It was an interesting idea, but a trial was always a long thing. Some decisions of the Parliament of Paris took years, even dozens of years, to be made and you were never sure to win. But threatening to do a trial could work. If you had the support of your liege lord, who ruled from pleasantville, where the adventurers came from, you were sure that he could strike a deal with the local guilders. Crumbling proposed another solution.

-We could kill them and bury them secretly and not report it to anyone, it could make us win some time before they send others.

Oldfossil disagreed. He told.

-They will find out, it would be better to execute them publicly, someone who has nothing to hide can not be accused.

You nodded, but you were still furious. How, how could your power be limited by pesky guilds, by magicians, pagans, heretics and armed vagrants ! How could such disorder be tolerated. You stuck your throne's armrest and declared solemnly, like someone would have done at the Hotel of Valois. You had enough, enough of these knaves, these fat merchants and these upstart commoners who dared to insult everything that you held dear and who tried to destroy our right and proper feudal society. You understood that India was a tale, an horrible tale of warning in God's plan for us all. It showed what was looking like a land without Him, without His Church, without the good nobility that held the country together. It showed a land where all the novelties of Marigny and other awful people had won. And you were not ready to accept this without acting.

-Everything holds together, or rather, everything comes apart! Good minds, Marigny leading them, took it into his head to put down our good feudal law and make the knighthood kneel, and here it is even worse. How can we be surprised that now four armed and colorful peasants are enough to abduct our judicial system and take it by force making to the right of life and death of a lord on his lands wear horns ! We can clearly see the result of all these novelties, today the guild of mages, and tomorrow what, a guild of butchers or bakers who will explain to us who should wear the crown or inherit a title ! Worse, they will give it to a commoner or one of those vagrants called adventurers.

>>5326345

Oldfossil dared not to speak but the look on his face told that sometimes it must have happened in history that an indian adventurer has been crowned king. So you took a deep breath and continued.

-No my friends, such felony will not be tolerated under my reign! I swear on Christ's crown of thorns, brought back from the crusades, that I will dedicate my reign to the return of our good feudal customs, those of the time of Saint Louis that my grandfather knew ! Yes, we will see them again, and everyone shall rejoice ! Justice shall be restored in all Bifuria, and all the Empire ! Even if I have to dedicate all my life to it !

The young Bohémond cheered, Godefroi looked approvingly, Father François made the gesture to bless. All the indians looked at you, not even knowing these good customs. Brother Louis asked you.

-Monseigneur, do you mean... Do you mean that you will even try to bring back the right of a lord to mint his own money.

-Yes.

You answered confidently and Crumbling and Oldfossil looked at each-other, not even thinking that this was possible. And Brother Louis continued.

-And the right to wage private wars ?

-Of course.

There was some approval too. It would mean that there would be work for warriors. But Crumbling and Oldfossil looked at each-other, the old captain asking.

-My lord... But... Would it mean that my men could be mobilised to fight the neighbouring duchy ? Or for quarrels of honor without authorisation of the royal authorities to do so and...

The soldiers seemed worried but you looked at them, they were just fearful of war because they never knew it. They were just armoured civilians, once they will become soldiers they would learn to enjoy it. You looked at your soldiers, assembled in the great hall and told, cutting their captain.

-Yes ! And I promise to all of you, my men, that the holy laws of warfare would be upheld. There would be truce, on sundays, if we wage war against other Christians. And if I take a fort or a walled city I will always, my men, give you three days to ransack it to reward you for your efforts.

Here, you saw the soldiers instinct of your brave lads awaken. They talked between themselves. And Cop, the best guardsman you had, dared to ask.

-So you mean that we will be able to not wait three months of pay to buy our wife a dress but simply kill the damned merchant from Podunk who sells them for three time the price and take all his goods ?

-Of course, such is the right of the victor. The enemies goods and women will be yours men. I am a generous lord !

Enthusiastic cheers answered you. It was good to know that even in their pagan and degenerated state these men knew to recognise justice from evil. You now had an idea, you only needed to implement it. But you saw that talking about it pleased your councillors and retainers. It would probably please the entire realm. But now you had adventurers to interrogate and a decision to make.

>>5326347

>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>We will kill those men quietly, if other adventurers come we will do the same with them and deny that they were here roads are dangerous after all.

Then you had to interrogate the adventurers.

>Begin with the Bard.
>Begin with the Thief.

>>5326071

Of course, and they are peasants, beheading is a nobleman's death.

>>5326348
>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>Begin with the Bard.

>>5326348
>>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.

>>Begin with the Bard.

>>5326348
>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>Begin with the Bard.

Beginning with the Bard is a good choice, the theif's crimes are more numerous, so he should be kept as the finale

Man, I love this quest

>>5326348
>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>Begin with the Bard.

>>5326348
>We will kill those men quietly, if other adventurers come we will do the same with them and deny that they were here roads are dangerous after all.
>Begin with the Bard.

>>5326348
>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.

>Begin with the Bard.
It feels great knowing that our future is looking bright

>>5326348
>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>Begin with the Bard.

>>5326348
>>We will tell about the incident to Count Careless, and we menace the guild with a trial.
>Begin with the Thief.

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>>5326356
>>5326370
>>5326377

Thank you good sir.

>>5326582
>>5326587
>>5326907

All goes always according to God's plan.

>>5327018
>>5327026

You decided to be public about the incident and the punishment of the adventurers.

-We will act according to your plan, dear Oldfossil, let our brave Count know about such infamy. And knowing him would be better to balance against the influence of Baron Crook.

Oldfossil was glad that you accepted and you decided to begin to interrogate the bard. You were carried downstairs, and ordered the bard to be freed from his oubliette for the time to interrogate him.

Once that Beau the bard was before you you never needed to order him to kneel, he began kneeling and speaking.

-Please my lord spare me, please, even if I do not deserve it. I spoke quickly, now I see all your incommensurable power. I was wrong to speak ill of you, I was under the influence of my companions, they disliked the nobility, I deny them. If I can make amends I will do it, I can write a poem about your shining glory and your victory over your enemies. I can... Please spare my life !

He seemed to be terrified, and you did not even have to show him the tools of the questionnette to be talking like this. Were all the Indians so soft or this specimen a particular coward ? You told him.

-Was the magical anomaly the true reason of your coming ? Talk ! Vagrant !

The man shook a bit and said

-N..n...no my lord, apparently there were people sent before us. I will tell you everything, three paladins. We had to search for clues of their disappearance and to see if they were linked to the anomaly.

What, the three fools that you had killed and drowned in the river ! They produced new fools ! By the beard of Saint John the Baptist you will have to cover evidence of this. Fortunately nobody, outside of you, Ancel, Bohémond, Godefroi and Brother Louis knew of their demise. Oldfossil knew too, he had seen the bodies. You then told.

-And who, in this guild sent you ?

The man tried to answer.

-It, it was a contract that was given to us by our guild, we are not directly in contact with the quest givers and...

You hit your armrest with your fist and ordered Ancel le Purineur.

-Ancel, my good Ancel, bring us a hot poker and make this man talk.

Ancel laughed stupidly and, biting into an apple, he added.

-With joy messire !

The face of the bard became even more white and he said.

-I, I heard from the guild's lady that the quest was given by two young Mages. And that the girl was from your village. Hum sorry, the most beautiful holding of your fief.

>>5327160

You looked at Oldfossil, this man knew all your peasants by heart it seemed and he would probably know if there were magicians in your fief. He told.

-Let me check in the books that I keep my lord but we had only one people with magical talents born in our lordship for the last ten years and it was a girl. I think it was six or seven years ago. She must have graduated from the Imperial Academy of Magic now. I will try to find her name.

Well you still had to decide about the fate of the bard and maybe ask some other questions.

>I have still questions to ask you, how many adventurers are in the Guild at Pleasantville
>I still have questions, who were those dead "paladins" do you know their names ? Their description ? When have they disappeared ?
>Other questions (write in)

>You have wronged a lord by your words and your actions, tell me, what is the most precious to you, your fingers or your tongue ?
>You have shown contempt to our right and proper feudal society. You deserve death.
>You seem to have repented sincerely. And I think that you could prove to be useful. I will receive a lady this week, you said that you performed before the elven queen, entertain us and if you did well I will let you live.
>You seem to have repented sincerely. And I think that you could prove to be useful. I will receive a lady this week, you seem to know indian poetry, try to teach me a bit of it and I will let you live.
>You seem to have confessed honestly. I shall spare your life.
>Your offense against the people and lord of Local shall not go unpunished, but since you have confessed we shall not kill you. Men, bring this man into a pillory in the main place of the village. Let him think about the error of his ways.
>Men, throw this Bard into the oubliettes, again. We need him alive for the moment.
>Other (write in)

>>5327162
>I still have questions, who were those dead "paladins" do you know their names ? Their description ? When have they disappeared ?
Find out what thew know.

>You seem to have repented sincerely. And I think that you could prove to be useful. I will receive a lady this week, you seem to know indian poetry, try to teach me a bit of it and I will let you live.
We "1001 Arabian Nights" now.