The Torches Rise (RWBY/CKII, After The End)

...................

I'm going to need a drink. Just... Learn all the religion. Freaking SV Dice Luck infecting my personal dice. Well, at least it balanced out...

I might as well set my Omake Policy now. I'll be stealing Redshirt_Army's Omake Policy (which he himself stole from Sage_Of_Eyes), which is that accepted Omakes usually gives +10 to a single roll (only one omake bonus can be applied to a roll) when I'm writing up the results or before I roll the dice on them, or a reciprocated Omake (like the Journal Entry) or even a Character Sheet. Whatever I feel is more appropriate for the Omake/situation.

A good rule of thumb for a creative writing Omake is that it's well written and at least 500 words, but that restriction can be lowered if it's a suitably entertaining piece. Non-creative writing pieces don't apply to the word count restriction, so don't sweat that. Also, the bonus happens whether it's Canon or not.

You walked out of the council meeting feeling as if you had been talked around. For your twenty three summers, you've gotten through most of it by replacing your lack of people skills with your other skills. Well, you couldn't really challenge the other councilors to a duel when they said something you didn't like.

You know you're good at swordplay. Time to get just as good at talking.

Ambition Selected. When Diplomacy = 7, Ambition will end and you will gain +1 Diplomacy.

Before you can get good, there are a few things you need to do first. Namely, filling your cabinet.
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Replace Russet
31 + 5 (diplomacy) - 10 (Plague) + 7 (Alan) = 33
Minor Success.

The first thing on the list is to find someone to replace Russet. You've never seen the annoying braggart fight, but anyone with a paunch like his can't be as good as he makes himself up to be.

Your discrete inquiries have made some progress, not only in avoiding the gaze of Russet, but also finding a replacement. Ser Reinhardt of the Order of The Blazing Spear, an Order Militant of the Kingdom of Zulu, has grown weary of the rivalries between his sibling orders in the lead-up to a holy war. Though he is past his prime, he is a competent strategist with years of experience leading men, and most of all, he is not a proud man. Finding him was a stroke of luck, and you have managed to convince him to join your court. Unfortunately, he has matters that need attending, so his appointment will have to be delayed until he arrives during the rainy season.

You breathe a sigh of relief. Your days of listening to that blow hard in you council are numbered.

Replacement for Russet found, Ser Reinhardt will arrive next turn (at best), Russet has no idea you want to replace him.


Search for Huntsman Superior
4 + 5 (Diplomacy) -10 (Plague) +7 (Alan) = 9
Significant Failure

However, your attempts to find a Huntsman outside of your lands to become the new Huntsman Superior were... Less than successful.

The plague in your lands has hampered your prospects in hiring in the kingdom, so you turned your focus to the nearby tribes. Unfortunately, your discrete questions were not discrete enough. You realize this when Razz kicked in the door of your room and bolted in with her characteristic, almost seizure-like gait.

"Heyboss. Ihavesomethingtoaskyou." 'Oh, this is just going to be great.' You think to yourself as she begins to motormouth. "IheardthatyouwerelookingforanewHuntsmanSuperior. Sooooo... DoyoujustnottrustyourownHunters?" You try to get a word in but she's already continuing. "'Cuzitsureseemslikeit. We'rehere,sowhyareyoulookingforsomenewguy?"

The rest of the conversation is long and rushed, or rather the rest of the rant is long and rushed. It looks like finding a new Huntsman Superior outside of your lands is not in the cards.

Relation with own Hunters damaged, lose Huntsman Superior action this turn, must appoint one of your own Huntsmen, knowledge of motormouth-eze grows.

Select Huntsman Superior:
[] Henry Liddel
[] Razz

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Marry
47 + 5 (Diplomacy) -10 (Plague) + 7 (Alan) = 49
Success

Your family really has gotten smaller. With only your brother as family, the house of Ravenswood is in danger. It's your duty as a noble to keep it going, but that's not the only reason. Your father had been heartbroken when he heard that Princess Diana had passed, breaking your brother's betrothal. It was more than just the breaking of a politically useful marriage, it was like he was seeing the best chance of him holding his grandchildren die screaming. You think it went a bit deeper than that, since he didn't push you to find a partner after mom died. Maybe he wanted to keep the family together?

Well, you're going to resolve that bit of guilt. You tell yourself that as you search for nobles who would accept a matrilineal marriage. Despite the plague, you and Alan managed to find some rather decent suitors.

Marriage Options to follow after interlude.

Speech Practice
76 + 7 (Alan) = 83
Major Success

"..." You stare at yourself in the mirror. "Why did I think this would work?" You think out-loud. "It's been three weeks, and all I've done is make it seem like I'm going crazy." You sigh. "Screw it, let's just-" You notice something in the mirror, bringing your attention to it. You watch it more intently as you finish. "-just go back to looking at Marriage options."

There is it, an unconscious closing of the hand. It's enough for an idea to start forming. Intent on testing it, you leave the mirror.

Erika, your brother's nurse is the first of your test subjects, and you find her washing linens in the courtyard. "Hey, Erika." You announce your presence, "Do you have time to talk?"

Erika, for her credit, didn't jump that much. "L-lady Ravenswood. What do you want to talk about?"

Small talk has never been your forte, but you manage to do quite a bit of it while watching Erika's body language. It's small stuff, but it's more than you were getting before. Just...

"This might be a little personal, but what do you think of my brother?" You thought it would be just more small talk, but you see her turn her head away and start wringing the linens with her hands. Huh.

"W-hat ever do you mean by that, Lady Skye?" Maybe there is something more going on than you thought.

"It's nothing, sorry."

Diplomacy +1, You are now more conscious about body language, +5 to detecting lies.
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Personally Patrol
27 + 21 (Martial) + 6 (Russet) = 54
Significant Success

With the death of your father, the people of Yeqerta need to know that the Ravenswood haven't abandoned them. You gather your retinue, arm up and ride out to bring order to the land.

The first major incident that you nip in the bud are a small bandit clan that moved into the area to loot now empty buildings of their valuables. You spot them fleeing a burning farmhouse with their ill gotten gains in hand. You don't bother with capturing them for a later trial. Your retinue follows you as you put the bandits to the sword. Not a single one of their number escapes.

The second incident comes as your party rests after a chance encounter with a pack of Grimm attracts another. On the horizon, your scouts see a band of tribal raiders trying to gain glory and riches off your lands. You ride to meet them, and in the ensuing melee you were thrown off your horse, only to land on your feet in front of the raider's leader. The man was an exceptional fighter, even able to give you a run for your money with his axe, but you raised his head above the melee at the end. The raiders, now leaderless, routed and fled back to their lands.

So far you've crushed your enemies and seen them driven before you. Now you just need to hear the lamentations of their women.

Province morale improved, the people are starting to hope again, Grimm infestation slightly reduced, bandit clans discovered and driven out, stopped Raiders from pillaging your lands, +25 prestige from killing the raider's leader.

Personally Inspect Troops
48 + 21 (Martial) + 6 (Russet) -10 (Plague) = 71
Major Success

The plague really has done a number on your levy. Though the plague had passed over the majority of them, some of your levy didn't answer the call to assemble due to fears of the plague finding their family. Because it was you calling them and not Russet, you are sure that more answered the call than would have otherwise.

As it stands, your levy in this time of plague numbers 1,374 men and women, with the majority being Spear-riflers and normal Riflers (an inferior form of your Zouaves). In times of war, you can count on these citizen soldiers to come to your aid. As a side benefit, your appearance has inspired the levy to increase their training, and you are rather flattered when a war cry of "For Lady Skye!' is shouted through the ranks.

Plague-time Levy numbers known, morale in province improved, levy slowly improving their own skills and equipment. Russet is mildly miffed at you doing his job for him.

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Infrastructure Inspections
74 + 12 (Stewardship) = 86
Major Success

As you patrol with your retinue, you spend time looking into the infrastructure of your lands. Despite the plagues that run through Yeqerta, the basic infrastructure was almost zealously maintained by your father. The few roads in the province are well kept, especially the King's Road leading to Buhaw Castle. The farm lands, however, are less kept given that there are fewer farmers working the fields. With the rainy season coming up, these farms would fall further into disrepair, but there is little that can be done now. Ridding your home of the plague would go a long way to returning it to it's former glory.

You do, however, have a few ideas of your own. Surrounding your farmlands with walls would be costly, but it would protect the crops from the Grimm and give you another line of defense should war come to your province. Fish and seafood are a large part of how you are still running a slight surplus on food, and footing the bill for Ulrich would both expand that and might even put you in a better light for him.

Yeqerta's Dust production is maintained by a single mine, one which has been in your family for generations. However, new veins of Dust are not being found as quickly in the area, so it might be time to search for another. Then again, there is already an established mine in the Temple of Minno, and purging the Grimm nest in there would let you get more shiny crystals, as well as just more prestige and options. So many options.

There are many more plans that you've come up with, but those are some of the more practical ones at the moment.

Upgrades discovered: Wall-den, Fishing Expansion. Action unlocked: Reclaiming Minno.

Count Beans
75 + 12 (Stewardship) = 87
Major Success

A large part of your father's reign was his excellent stewardship and no clearer sign can be found than in his ledgers. The notes are meticulous, your father's handwriting clear. Just like you remembered, father kept track of every Lien... Including gifts and bribes. It's an interesting read, especially since you can see a bit of a narrative in those hefty tomes. You see many gifts from Ulrich around the times that he was pushing for his son to marry you, though they sharply cut off after you marred his son's face... You're still not sure if you regret that or not. On the one hand, you unknowingly cut off a rather regular source of Lien. On the other, Ulrich was being a total ass about it. On the other, other hand, the son does look better with a scar, and he wasn't that bad of a guy.

You shake your head before turning the next page. A single entry catches your eye. "Why the Pit was father still paying Atlas?!"

Figures of Lien, Dust and Food are accurate. Stewardship +1. Knowledge of former incomes. Strange Facts discovered.

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Gather Rumors
66 +7 (Intrigue) = 73
Major Success

Intrigue was never your specialty, but this isn't really cloak and dagger stuff, just a long series of social calls. You send letters out to your various friends, sparing partners, patrons, old soldier friends and even the odd rival or two, checking up on them and seeing just what the happenings in the nearby lands are.

This not-exactly-a-spy network (you might as well call it the Social Network) soon gives you a consistent, if not occasionally censored source of news of the nearby lands. Besides, it's always good to check up on acquaintances.

Social Network created, Rumor Mill unlocked, you get to feel good knowing that a lot of the people you know are not dead.

Personally Spy on Mayor Ulrich
60 + 7 (Intrigue) +10 (Agile) = 77
Major Success

You don't like Ulrich. He's a pushy, minor noble whose family bought their way into nobility, and he's only slightly less annoying than Russet with his passive aggressive loathing for you. You're pretty sure he's up to something, and the best way to find out is being a complete sneak about it.

For someone as agile as you, it's almost child's play for you to find a disused crawlspace near Ulrich's study. After that, it's simply a matter of waiting until you hear something interesting.

You must have been born under a lucky star, as not twenty minutes after you enter the crawlspace, you hear the door to the house open and a vigorous argument coming from the door. "I swear, it's like that bitch is trying to piss me off!" The angry shouting is obviously Ulrich, but you didn't expect the other voice.

"Come now father, it's not proper to talk about Lady Ravenswood that way." Huh, looks like his son is with him. "You need to let this feud die." You hear the door close and a pair of footsteps moving towards the study.

"Hmpf! You're the last person I expected to hear that from, Jove! You have every right to hate that feline murderer every time you look in the mirror! If I had half a mind, I'd kill her myself for what she did to you."

"I know that, father, and I know you've been paying people to get rid of her. I'm the one who was wounded, and I was also the one to pay those thugs to not get involved, and I'm telling you to let it go. Treason isn't good for business, and your head would be on the chopping block if those thugs talked."

Well... That's news.

Mayor Ulrich's Opinion of you revealed (-3/10), knowledge of Ulrich's attempts to have you killed, knowledge of Jove's sabotaging of those attempts, crawlspace hideout created (+5 to future spying attempts on the Ulrich House).
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Study Religion
97 + 6 (Learning) +8 (Sullivan) = 110
28 + 10 (Critical Success Overflow) = 138
Critical Success Success

QM Note: Oh boy, here we go...

Perhaps it was the knowledge that someone was trying to kill you, or your survivor's guilt over father, but you threw yourself into studying the faith of the Children of Remnant in your spare time. For a faith, the books are not as boring as you remember them being. Sure, there is the odd chapter built entirely around the reporting of a family and their various descendants creating ancient tribes, but there are a lot more of Blessed Huntsmen bringing the fear of Dust to Grimm. You even mark a few of those as new favorite stories.

Near the end of the dry season, you really burn the midnight oil to get through one of the books: a tale of the Before Times and a apocalyptic fight against a demonic figure. Your eyes feel heavy and maybe just a little rest will...


A knocking on the door wakes you, finding yourself almost drooling on the book. "What was that?"

Learning +2, a Strange Dream, +30 Piety.

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Survey
42 + 14 (Amity) - 10 (Large Grimm) = 46
Success

At the end of the dry season, Amity returns to Ravenswood Keep to give her report on what resources can be taken from your lands. Your friend's report gives you a few good leads on where to go next.

One interesting lead is that the area between the Cha-ha and Song-Tzu rivers is especially fertile, mostly due to the flooding that happens in that area during the rainy season. Expanding the farmlands in that direction would increase your food production, but you would have to be careful since the floods' strength can be unpredictable.

A second interesting find is that there is a good Dust vein on the eastern edge of your province... Or rather near your eastern edge. It seemed that while she was surveying, she had barely crossed over into the tribal lands of the Ekidnu tribe. The vein lies within their lands, but it is close enough to your lands that you could claim it even in a ceremonial war with the Ekidnu.

A find of less than good fortune is that Amity went to the Temple of Minno to see if it could be reclaimed. In doing so she attracted the strongest Grimm in that nest: a giant Tarenteli called Five Legs. The Grimm that had brought ruin to the temple was still living there. Taking it back would be a true ordeal.

Infrastructure plans unlocked: Flooded Farms, Ekidnu Dust Mine. Giant Tarenteli spotted in the Temple of Minno.
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Spy (Internal)
36 + ??? (Spymaster) + ??? (???) - 10 (Plague) = ???
???

You wake up one morning to find a letter on your desk. It reads: "We need to talk. Come to the crypt at midnight. Come alone."

Go to the crypt?
[] Yes.
-[] Go armed.
-[] Go unarmed.
[] Don't go to the crypt.
[] Write in.

QM Note: I wanted to spend more time on this, but then I blazed through this in a haze of inspiration. Have fun with all these implications. Also, the lack of spacing in Razz's speech is intentional. Also, I'm currently having a councilor who stays at hand give half their stat bonus to you. If you want that changed, make an argument for it.