CK2 Animal World Let's Quest

[Marlin]

[X] Duchess Jaina of New Ivoria

 

[azatol]

Lindy

A few days after she sent Duke Baal across the channel to speak on her behalf with Duchess Jaina, more information was found on Countess Nyx's efforts against the Kingdom and herself.

She was not certain how to handle the situation, as the information was not completely aboveboard and foolproof. There was always the possibility that someone else wanted to take down Countess Nyx, but her agitation for Elective Succession was undeniable.



Though of somewhat dubious provenance Lindy has received information that Countess Nyx of Sens is plotting treason against her. How should she use this information?

[ ] Denounce her, giving Lindy reasons for arrest and revocation?

[ ] Threaten Nyx with exposure unless she stays out of all factions?

[ ] Keep this information to herself.

[ ] Stop spying on Countess Nyx

 

[SpacePaladin]

[X] Denounce her, giving Lindy reasons for arrest and revocation?

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Actions:
1. Denounce Countess Nyx of Sens
2. Try to Revoke Nyx' Sens County title
3. Nyx declares war
4. Nyx invites Countess of Lusignan into the war.
5. Lindy battling in Poiters - victory
6. Mayor Typhos battling in Sens
7. Fleets prepare to ferry troops from across the channel.
8. Follow on battle in tours
9. Small army in Tours is defeated.
10. Queen Lindy's army attacks and defeats the enemy at Tours.
11. Lindy pursues Moony revolt forces back to Poiters for battle 2.
12. Rebels flee back to Lusignan. Lindy pursues.
13. Mayor Typhos wins battle in Sens, begins siege.
14. Rebels evade pursuit at Lusignan, escaping to Limosin.
15. Lindy does not pursue, sieging Lusignan instead.
16. Baron Gladyr attacks Lindy's army in Lusignan. Gladyr's army is swiftly defeated.
17. Gladyr's army sieges tours.
18. Sieges of Lusignan and Sens ongoing.
19. Castle of Sens taken, but the barony of Sens is too heavily fortified to proceed without Lindy's army.
20. Mayor moves to rejoin the Queen's forces.
21. Lusignan's castle taken. Barony of Charroux is well defended. Queen Lindy rejoins the Mayor and attacks the siege at Tours.
22. Rebel faction defeated at Tours and concedes.
23. Countess Nyx and Ninian imprisoned.
24. Sens County revoked.
25. Lusignan County revoked.

War

As far as she was concerned, if Countess Nyx of Sens was willing to step down from her county title and accept a Barony, she would not imprison the treasonous whelp.

For that reason, when the Countess expected the Queen's flyers coming to arrest her, instead the Countess received a nice hand-written note. The reply was firm, she would die before she gave up the county.

Ryujin rallied their own banners and those of their vassals loyal to the cause. But before they could congregate, Countess Nyx's tongue had ensnared Countess Ninian of Lusignan to the cause. Evreaux, Sens and Lusignan were the three countess she was worried about, but she had sent Duchess Norberta to Evreaux county and there was no sign of uprising in that place at least.



The two counties opposing her forced a two army plan. In stories and drawings dragons fought in the air and manuevered across the sky for days and weeks, but Lindy knew they were merely fables. They had to conserve their energy for the actual battles. She made her way south with Chaplain Wyrm, gathering the dragons of the Lusignan salient while Mayor Typhos lead the Sens forces, and her husband (not to be confused with the mayor), lead the overall effort.

Chaplain Wyrm sacrificed a cow without blemish or illness to the effort, and told her there were good tidings for the effort.



Duke Baal's forces required the fleets of her vassals to be raised. The boats were larger than the Duke's own fleet, so there was confusion for a bit, but eventually a small force rejoined her own later.



Lindy had an easier fight in Poitier than Mayor Typhos in Sens, but he was able to immediately start sieging the Countess's castle holding.

Icefyre, an unlanded courtier of hers, arrived first in Poiter with forces from South of Poiter, while she arrived from the North. By the time she showed up, he had made an impressive showing against Countess Ninian and her Baron Gladyr who lead the opposing forces there. Though they still had dead to honor, the battle put her in firm control of the south. Countess Nyx's defeated army headed south as well, but even together the two enemy armies couldn't defeat them.

Gladyr proved he would not be defeated so simply when his routing dragons recovered enough to defeat a small barony force of a dozen dragons in Tours. Pursuing them to Tours, Lindy successfully defeated Gladyr again.



Trying to cut off any other tricks, she pursued his fleeing army back to Poiters and then to Lusignan, but she stopped when his dragons pushed further into Limosin. It was important to capture Countess Ninian's castles too.

Nyx's army didn't contribute much to the fight after fleeing far east of the Kingdom's borders, and so began the slow days of sieging the two county capitals.

Mayor Typhos' army was smaller but he was facing a smaller group of defenders. Gladyr was, if anything brave, though foolish and he again attacked, this time running right into Lindy's forces at a three to one dragon disadvantage.

Gladyr didn't give up however, and tried to siege Tours, joined by Nyx's army remnants.

Mayor Typhos succeeded in capturing the capital holding of Sens, but taking the City of Sens was not possible, so he manuevered to rejoin Queen Lindy, following her husbands' orders.

Soon after, she took the capital holding of Lusignan and joined with Mayor Typhos to attack the siege of Tours.



The rout there was decisive, and Countess Nyx decided it was time to negotiate. Countess Nyx had betrayed her through treacherous plans and then raised rebellion against her generous offer. Countess Ninian had joined a rebellious count seeking her own gain. She imprisoned both, and revoked their county titles, gaining control of Sens and Lusignan herself.



She would be more inclined to clemency towards Ninian that Nyx. Perhaps she would be worthy of a Barony after some time reflecting on her actions.


Duchess Norberta in Evreaux

Her initial steps were clumsy, but as intrigue turned to diplomacy, she spoke to the Countess as Duke Baal would, but with a weapon loaded.

Perhaps Countess Jessadess was wiser than the other two, as she raised her banners in support of the Queen's effort against Sens and Lusignan.

Norberta was not so foolish as that elephant Baal, nor these Countesses. The title of Duchess of Dunstanetaaiaa had been dormant, but it could be given life again by the Queen's efforts. Perhaps her own efforts would be considered when deciding who should become that Duke.

Vote 1:

Where should Duchess Norberta go next (spymaster)?
[ ] Auxerre county, whose Count is agitating for elective succession.

[ ] To Mediterranean, to covertly steal technologies.

[ ] Elsewhere (write in)

Vote 2:

Should the Duchy of Dunstanetaaiaa being created?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No

(Will decide whether to keep it or grant it in a later vote)

 

[SpacePaladin]

Vote 1:

Where should Duchess Norberta go next (spymaster)?
[X] To Mediterranean, to covertly steal technologies.
Vote 2:
Should the Duchy of Dunstanetaaiaa being created?
[X] Yes

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Creating the Duchy of Dunstanetaaiaa will cost 168 coin. Lindy will wait until she has a larger hoard, but she has included it among her goals.
Duke Ball impresses Duchess Jaina of Ivoria
Duchess Norberta heads to Rome, to procure technologies and processes advantageous to the Queen.
Queen Lindy makes a journey to spy on the spy. Is Duchess Norberta trustworthy?
Duchess Norberta is meeting with a co-conspirator to kill Duke Puff of New Kerokarvia.
Duchess Norberta's ambition is to seize the Kingdom of Moony.

Duke Baal

Jaina was a young Duchess, her trunk was still finding it's way, who had ruled under a regency for years, even since her father passed away. She was easily impressed as Duke Baal told her about his exploits amongst the dragons. He made sure to point out how Queen Lindwurm appointed him to the chancellorship, and none of the other vassals respected him, but Queen Lindy did.

"Perhaps I could go visit the queen once the regency is over? Maybe she's the only one that's not too scary."

He almost slipped. She was scary, when she wanted to be, intense too. He had no illusions that his position was for life. But perhaps he could convince the Queen of the importance of the Writs. The Goldclaw should not be merely an affiliation but a call.ing.

Lindy

The art and craft of spying was not a simple matter of fools and worldweary, no only those who had only progressed to the first stage of espionage would think so. Duchess Norberta was a good observer, and reliably found the common motivations for deceit and pursued them like an elephant.

Those who played at the first level in the game no longer followed these simple motivations. Their actions were inscrutable, unless you considered their effect in turn. Perhaps others could claim to model the second level sneaks such as themselves, but she found it almost impossible to account for such geniuses of espionage in her own studies.

Her knowledge and intuition was sufficient to know that Duchess Norberta was not headed straight to Rome, which was held by Duke Ursidea, the white bear. No, Duchess Norberta was headed west to her duchy first.

Following her target rather than her path, Lindy was positioned discretely within the dragon house where the Duchess often met her contacts. She had convinced the Duchess' own spymaster that it was appropriate for the Queen to know such places, and so she knew.

If the matter at hand was appropriate to the Duchess' purview, she would leave without commenting. But if the matter was foul or seditious towards her person or Kingdom, she would react.

What happened was not properly either of those two. The Duchess arrived and soon after was met by an unfamiliar contact. Duchess Norberta was plotting with the other dragon about how to kill her husband.



The subtext hinted that he was holding her back. Norberta feared that her husband liked Lindy more than her, and would not be supportive of any efforts to seize the Kingdom, or that was what Lindy surmised.




Vote:

[ ] Arrest Duchess Norberta immediately!

[ ] Hold off. I will deal with this later.

 

[SpacePaladin]

[X] Arrest Duchess Norberta immediately!

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Actions Summary

Imprisoned Duchess Norberta successfully.
Count Rathalos of Auxerre had dreams of becoming Spymaster, you send him to Rome, where Norberta should have gone.
Grant County of Sens to Icefyre, in reward of his excellent command, he deserves to be ennobled.
King Ryujin interrupt

Note
I'm trying to present some of the event popups as choices, but otherwise control Lindy based on the overall personality you've given her. Otherwise I'd be stopping every few weeks in game. Selecting the new Spymaster and giving Icefyre the County of Sens seem to fit. I think of Lindy as generous, not considering a person's position or stature as their right but as their responsibility. She is swift to give, but swift to take away at signs of corruption, and she is observant of the signs.

Lindy

"I'm so thankful, my dragon-queen, to have the opportunity to be your eyes... Uh, I mean my queen's eyes are legendary, but I can see in places that you can't, and I will," Count Rathalos was saying.

Lindy reclined in the circular golden bowl which was her throne. She could turn and spread wings in any direction in such a place. With swift movements she pointed her left wing at the Count.

"I was fond of Duchess Norberta. Truly fond of her, Elderborn Rathalos. Let your eyes aim upon your duties, not to look upon me as your step up. but as a sobering draught, with ice in your lungs steady yourself."

Rathalos cow-towed and lowered his entire dragon frame into a humiliating position.

"Go, to Rome as she should have. Perhaps they have learned nothing, but perhaps there is much to see, taste and touch. To hear in the land of the White Bears."

Concerning the next matter, King Ryujin spoke in her ear, his wings folded up so he might present his head within heat's distance.

"Are you sure you want to promote all your commanders to Lords and Ladies?" he whispered.

"Only the bravest, and those who disregard their own cause for the greater," she said.

The contradiction of Ice and Fire for those who can breath both creates a captivating and intriguing dragon. He carried a massive but crude Draconic great shield, bringing it even into her throne room.

"My queen, you called for me? Is there another who will spit in your face?" he said, with his rough deep voice.

"You led in my stead, Commander Icefyre. The honor and favor you acted with should be reflected in the circumstances which surround you. I expect you'll need many guides and advisors to learn, but fly to Sens. Ascend the battlements of Montagris, where the flags will wave in Ice and Fire in your honors."

It was fun to surprise others with pagentry and great gifts. Sure, it was nice to have a few more lands following your direct orders, but Icefyre would remember and honor her for this day.

There was a consequence unexpected. Ryujin was jealous that one of his commanders was elevated, while he remained landless. Had he not sacrificed the most of all for her.

Was he not husband of the Queen herself? When did the wife of a King demand her own holdings, and yet since he was a male, he demanded his own. Would he no longer go to her when he had his own name proclaimed by other women?

Ryujin did not jest, he was angry and insistent. But Lindy's shrewdness showed another possibility. It would not please him, but perhaps he would get over this. She could persuade him to devote his time to the Church. Did they not pursue something more divine than land in your own name?



Vote:

[ ] Arrange Ryujin to have a fief of his own

[ ] Suggest he pursues a career in the Church (Ryujin will be upset)

 

[SpacePaladin]

[X] Arrange Ryujin to have a fief of his own

 

[Marlin]

[X] Arrange Ryujin to have a fief of his own

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Granted King Ryujin the County of Lusignan
Taynnelf and Nagi egg-children go with Ryujin.
Count Rathalos ends the Elective Succession faction.
The Moon fortells a fourth child will be laid for Ryujin and Lindy.
Help Count Medeus fabricate a claim on the Duchy of New Kerokarvaria (Norberta's duchy) [She does not deserve it]
Duke Barney is leading a plot to claim the County of Maine from Duke Ryujin of Firesen, we could imprison him.
Duke Baal has impressed another leader in the Isles of your goodness: Grand Mayor Castor of New Habarriaa
Tintanglia, Ryujin and Lindwurm's fourth daughter is laid.
Queen Lindy's hoard has increased quickly, reaching 239 gold.

Lindy

It was with sorrow that she watched Ryujin take away the beautiful eggs of Taynnelf and Nagi. She had entrusted him with speaking to the laterborn while they were still growing inside. Whatever time she could spare she did the same for their firstlaid Libelle.

She would not see Ryujin for some days. He had much to learn and do to establish his court in Lusignan. It had been his dream before they were even married to gain a title of his own. Was not everything that was hers his as well?

She looked to the Moon for answers, and did not expect the response she got. Ryujin wanted a son, surely, but the Moon was enigmatic. She would laid another egg, whether daughter or son it was not clear.

It was with a weird perspective that she flew to her vassal's vassal the next day. Count Medeus was a vassal of the imprisoned Norberta. Lindy had tested the moon and the court on this. She could not strip even a single county from Duchess Norberta. She was imprisoned yet still liege over Count Medeus and others.

Many of Norberta's vassals were seeking to claim the Ducal title, but only Medeus was Goldclawist. Much of New Kerovarnia duchy still believed in the Kryptanist off-shoot of their faith, rather than Goldclaw.



She would help the Goldclawist count to gain a claim upon the Duchy. Chaplain Wyrm was nearby in Maine trying to persuade to locals of the follow of Kryptanism.

When she laid Tintanglia, she was basked in the gradually increasing hoard of gold and treasure. Without Ryujin there, it was the treasure and Libelle who witnessed Tintanglia's arrival. She would have a hoard someday that would impress even King Nyx.




Duke Baal

Grand Mayor Caster was looking at the moon in a new way, finally appreciating Queen Lindwurm of Moony in a new light. Baal had made it his quest to show everyone on the Island how great she was. This was both a fun challenge and his responsibility.

His homeland was not dotted with any great kingdoms but controlled by several independent Dukes as well as the Grand Mayor.


Vote on Lindy's actions

[ ] Pay 195 gold to finally create the Duchy of Lesser Dunstanettaaiaa.

[ ] Push for Low Crown Authority (currently Min)

[ ] Push for Low Centralization (currently Min)

[ ] Seek any local lords who would agree to be vassalized under you (there may be none, but possibly some)

[ ] Write In

 

[Marlin]

[X] Push for Low Crown Authority (currently Min)

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Not a lot of support for increasing crown authority
Gave Keeper of the Swans to Duke Rattleskins
Gave High Almoner to Duke Firesen
Gave Master of the Hunt to Duke Barney
Gave Senschal to Duke Baal
Wyrm reports Maine is Goldclawist
King Ryujin exiles Saphra
Peace warning (Goldclawist religion demands you raid or war on occasion or lose prestige)
Can Ransom Duchess Norberta (only -25 opinion), and Nyx (no title, hates your guts)

Lindy

Count Icefyre and Rathalos took council with her at the Moon stones. She wanted a little more power and responsibility, but most of her vassals were very against it. Only her husband and these two supported her. They were new rulers, ennobled by her action.



"There still is a Keeper of the Swans? That could be offensive to certain rulers," Count Icefyre said.

Rathalos mused, "There are Quacklords out there, far east of here perhaps, but none of our Queen's notice."

Lindy laughed, it came out as a low growl as she was eating. "I rejected that old idea of the Master of the Horse. They are very prideful beings, perhaps more than us even. Were unenlightened horses a thing in the past?"

"Duke Baal is your favorite these days, it seems," said her husband. "Senschal was, on occasion, granted by your mother. High Almoner to Duke Firesen? He is good with his hoard at least."

"There is at least some good news. Maine has become Goldclawist. And Duke Baal demanded one of his vassals become Goldclawist. Most of his neighbors in the isles are not, supporting the Elephant faiths instead," she said.

"That tidy war against the Countesses may have kept you in people's good books, but now it's been too long without any war or plunder," Count Rathalos said. "I'm fine with sticking to actual causes of war, but you may want to think about how other Lords perceive you."



King Ryujin pointed out something else, "You may find that Duchess Norberta's family is willing to pay a ransom. She at least, doesn't hate you. Countesses Nyx and Ninian loathe you, we had to keep from them burning their own food sources."




Vote 1: Should we Ransom Duchess Norberta, and/or others?

[ ] Do nothing with prisonrs.

[ ] Ransom Duchess Norberta

[ ] Ransom Nyx as well as ransoming Duchess Norberta

[ ] Exile Ninian as well as ransoming the other two.


Vote 2: Are we too peaceful?
(We will lose 2 prestige per month, once we have been at peace too long.)

[ ] Continue to be peaceful, despite the loss of prestige.

[ ] Plan a Raiding Party to take loot from promising targets.

[ ] Identify a cause of war and pursue it (either Create a Causi Belli, or invite a noble to court who has one).

 

[Marlin]

[X] Do nothing with prisonrs.
[X] Identify a cause of war and pursue it (either Create a Causi Belli, or invite a noble to court who has one).

 

[SpacePaladin]

Can we offer an alliance with anyone who is currently at war so we can have an excuse to send troops to whoever's head they want to kick in?

 

[azatol]

Can we offer an alliance with anyone who is currently at war so we can have an excuse to send troops to whoever's head they want to kick in?

Click to shrink...

The only alliance possible in CK2 is if Lindwurm's kids married another king or queen or their children. Even Libelle is only 9 years old I think.

We can help someone in our court to pursue their own claim on land but I didn't see anyone in our court now with claims so we would have to invite someone to our court who had a claim.

 

[azatol]

Note
I'll try to fight for someone else's claim, to reflect your comment Space Paladin.

Spoiler: Action Summary

Claim Dorset for Duke Baal, starting the Boopy war
Lindy's first exposure to Naval warfare, as Duchess Boopy sends out her galleys to drop an expeditionary force in her lands.
Lindy leaves some dragons home and sends others to reinforce the island
Reinforcements on mainland arrive just in time to save Teethless, and win the day.
Icefyre and Jessadess lead the Island force, sieging Dorset with no opposition.
Lindy, with Mayor Typhos, Teethless and Duke Rattleskin, pursues Duchess Boopy's army
Lindy finds herself alone on the battlefield, pursues the enemy commander for a duel but Duke Rattleskin pushes her aside and wins the duel against Yathra instead.
As small remnant of the enemy remains in Moony, but Lindy pushes her army to cross the channel and siege another of the enemy counties.
After the Castle of Dorset and the Barony of Corfe are taking, Duchess Boopy surrenders. Duke Baal gains the county of Dorset.
Religious penalty for long peacetime is removed.

Lindy

In the war of the Countesses, the most she had to know about ships was how to get Duke Baals forces to come help across the channel. In what her husband was calling the War of the Boops, she was rallying all her ships and the ships of her vassals her few ships and the many held by her vassals totaling 40 galleys.

Galleys


At first she planned to send all of her dragons across the channel, but when Duchess Boopy send a naval expedition of her own, she stayed on the mainland to defeat the arriving force. Count Icefyre and Countess Jessadess were closest to the combined fleet, so they went across with about 1500, while the remaining 1500 tried to consolidate while facing temporarily superior numbers, since Boopy's forces were combined leaving her 9 ships.

Two theaters


At first, the nearly 900 elephants of Boopy were overruning Commander Teethless, but she got there just in time with Duke Rattleskin and Mayor Typhos, and turned the battle back into a victory.


Chasing the fleeing Duchess, they joined in battle again in Bourbon. While the Duchess' army was much smaller than hers, a mistake in her communication with the other commanders meant that her own guard was wiped out, and she faced the prospect of battle alone. Flying high overhead, she dove down towards one of the Duchess' commanders Yathra. The tusks were the only part of an elephant fighter to worry about, and they used them well. She called out a cry to duel Yathra. Dragon to Elephant, on the ground, but Duke Rattleskin yelled louder, pushing her away and taking the honor himself.

Duel


Mixed feelings she had about that one, but at least Duke Rattleskin won the day, Yathra was defeated, and Duchess Boopy's forces on the mainland were barely worth mentioning.

When her own awful time on the galley was over and she had finished breathing fire and acid to clear her naseau, she lead her forces to siege Winchester.

Icefyre and Jessadess had dealt with barely any losses at all. Boopy had sent all of her elephants across to the mainland. Her own siege of Winchester Castle hadn't even finished before Duchess Boopy surrendered, giving Duke Baal the County of Dorset.

Icefyre reported the skirmish wherein 30 of Boop's elephants tried to land in Dorset while the siege of the Barony of Corfe was ongoing. They were cut down barely after they escaped their galleys.

Duke Baal had gained a nice piece, and she had another argument against those who would claim that she had despised war. Once again, Chaplain Wyrm had performed the ritual sacrifice of a cow, and portents were good.


Update on Goals and Focuses

Lindy's Goal: Amass a Treasury
Currently at 315 gold, need 500 gold for goal completion.

Vote on Lindy's Focus (currently Intrigue)
[ ] Business
[ ] Rulership
[ ] Intrigue
[ ] Seduction
[ ] Hunting
[ ] War
[ ] Carousing
[ ] Family
[ ] Theology
[ ] Scholarship

 

[Marlin]

[X] Business

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Lindy changes focus to business.
Steward collects a special tithe x2
Pope Marinus dies and Pope Urbanus
Play strategy game with Duke Baal, lose
Lindy completes Amass a Treasury goal

Lindy

It wasn't something she let be widely known but she loved games of strategy and war, and Duke Baal, among a few others in the Kingdom, had made his own wood pieces and board for the game of Kings. Baal had created the pieces for the Elephant kingdom, and she had, in the long hours of winter, crafted her own bone pieces of the Dragon kingdom.

She saw it as perfectly right than the Dragon king had to be protected while the Queen piece, representing her, was most powerful.

The dragon pieces moved faster, but Baal's elephants were solid and united as they battled over the board for six hours. In the end Ryujin's piece was toppled and Baal had defeated her again. That was three times in a row over the past few years.

"You have to be more aggressive with the Dragon pieces. Fast assaults, ganging up on my weakest pieces, capitalizing on any positional weakness," the Duke said.

"You don't make many mistakes," she retorted.

There was reason to celebrate, as the flagons of ale were passed around among the Duke's guests. Her goal of amassing 500 gold for her hoard had been completed.

What else would she aim for?

Vote on Lindy's new goal:

[ ] Create a Treasury (obtain 2 special items)
[ ] Become Exalted among Dragons
[ ] Make a Friend
[ ] Have a Son

 

[Marlin]

[X] Become Exalted among Dragons

 

[SpacePaladin]

[X] Become Exalted among Dragons

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Lindy doesn't like gardening, even when the castle is overgrown with weeds and disorderliness
Created the Duchy of Dunstanettaaia
Taynelth will inherit Goodboyelia Duchy under Gavelkind
Nagi will inherit Lesser Dunstanettaia Duchy under Gavelkind
Coins of the realm minted at a tiny profit and prestige for Lindy
Duke Baal ordered to fabricate claim on the last free county in the neighborhood, County Coen has no liege.
Duke Baal is confused and trying to make Duke Mannu of Caen like us instead of getting the claim
(this was a bug, I set fabricate claims but it gave me an Impress Nobles result. It fits Baal's character to be better at make people like Lindy than finding a cause for war)
Lindy Rejected Count Draco's offensive attempt at hitting on her.

Lindy

After a string of many strange events, she found a stillness in the land, as the vassals who had opposed her were now finding their own vassals scheming against them.

It was painful to her to create the Duchy of Lesser Dunstanettaia. The writings, and procedures to establish it as legitimate before the Pope and fellow lords were expensive. She stlll wanted to grow her hoard, but she was willing to spend for a good purpose. This new duchy would go to her third daughter Nagi. There was still Suvalkijaek Duchy which could be created for her fourth daughter.

Lesser Dunstanettaia


Her vassals already did not like that she held three duchies herself, so perhaps that should wait for her daughters growing up, when she could grant the title to them directly.

She barely saw her Ryujin anymore. No more Moonlit nights sitting with the dragon who had once considered her his everything. The years waiting for Libelle to break free were wearing on her.

And the blood cry was upon them again. She could ignore it, yet if she wanted to be exalted there were some good deeds that should be done.

The Line of Popes had no land to their own name. Their claim on Rome was ignored by Duke Koda. And her favorite, Duke Baal was seeking to envelope the last free county in the Kingdom's neighborhood. She could claim Caen, and convert it's Count to the ways of Goldclawism.

Papal War for Rome


Caen County


But peace had it's own reward, though she enjoyed the strategy of battles and wars. It was war that brought Count Icefyre and Mayor Teethless to her attention. It was the peace in between that paid for the exquisite sacrifices.

Count Draco thought he could slip in and woo her while Ryujin was away, but he was crass and unaware of her heart, guarded as it was under scales. What a fool he was!

Vote 1: Duchy Creation
[ ] Create Duchy of Suvalkijaek as soon as practicable.

[ ] Wait. Do not create it yet.

Vote 2: War Stance
[ ] Declare War for the Ancestral Lands of the Popes. Most have been White Bears, but they are respected elders of the Goldclawist faith.

[ ] Declare War on Caen county once Duke Baal obtains a legitimate claim for us.

[ ] Do not declare any wars.

 

[SpacePaladin]

[X] Create Duchy of Suvalkijaek as soon as practicable.


[X] Declare War on Caen county once Duke Baal obtains a legitimate claim for us.

 

[Marlin]

[X] Create Duchy of Suvalkijaek as soon as practicable.

[X] Declare War on Caen county once Duke Baal obtains a legitimate claim for us.

 

[azatol]

Spoiler: Action Summary

Queen Lindy is invited to another party by Duke Baal
Lindy and Baal become best friends.
Lindy creates Duchy of Suvalkijaek, grants it to Ryujin to placate her vassals.
Just what kind of relationship will she have with Duke Baal?

Note:
Another quiet update with more soap opera drama than medieval drama. It's amazing what interesting stories there are when you stop and pay attention to the details. Still no claim on Caen, and King Nyx is likely to take the county before we gain one.

Lindy

She had been to Cornwall, Duke Baal's capital county, more often than Lusignan and her husband's castle. Duke Baal seemed to spend half his time in Caen county researching claims that could be of relevance, and the other half hosting parties at home.

Of course she came every time after turning down the first one. It was quiet at home. When business needed to be done, she filled her time well, but in the other hours she was adrift. Ryujin's desire for a title of his own had torn their life apart. She gave him the new Duchy of Suvalkijaek until it would pass onto their children. How his eyes lit up at this, but they did not light up at her like they once had. Now he was consumed with the new joy of being a Duke and ignoring her completely.

Duke Baal was different. She didn't see Baal as an Elephant and think any differently about him, he was just fun. Any two people had strengths and weaknesses. Duke Baal could drink ale faster than any dragon, and he held his liquor well and remained a good host. He was charming and witty and an excellent strategist at games. In actual war-fighting, the stress was too much for him. She could see the effort of running his own duchy as well as the Chancellorship was wearing him down.

He was great at impressing people and persuading them to like her, maybe that was because he liked her after all. He hadn't been so great at procuring a cause in fact for her to invade.

The Moony Kingdom controlled some lands in the North that the old Dragons thought belonged to the Kingdom of Nyx. There was no old claim in favor of her Kingdom. No family connection that she could divine. The Colichir family seemed to have sprung into being a few generations ago, probably a creation of a powerful local at the time.

She was happy with the Kingdom's position even without drawn the heretical Caen in, but she wanted to have a family life again. She could only look forward to the days when her daughters were mobile.


Baal

Duke Baal made a point to invite the Queen to his parties again and again. Her loneliness was palpable. It was insane to think of his wife Dhriti demanding a castle and title of her own. He spent as much time with his wife as he could, but she was barely able to get out of bed and move around anymore. He hated that he felt this way, but she was so infirm there was little to still connect them to each other. He made sure she had plenty of doctors and food and whatever she needed, but the old days were gone.

Thinking on it, that's when he started partying and drinking more. It was common horseplay as a child to try to steal water, or other drinks from a shared trough. Such uncouth things were drubbed out of him as the occupation of common elephantkind. He supposed it was similar with the dragons. Their young, soon after the forever time as an egg, were wild ones. But Queen Lindwurm was gentle and controlled at most times. Her occasional ferocity was a surprise to him now, whereas her gentleness had once shocked him.

They were two people whose unusual situations intersected, and they could share much although the details were different. He had three sons, all young adults by now, in the stage where they think their old man is an idiot. She with four daughters who she had never actually seen. She could portend on the moon and dream about how they would become, but until they actually break out of the shell, she didn't know.

He wasn't sure if he could break a dragon egg by smashing his tusks into it at a full force run.

One evening, after another night of partying with friends, they ended up at the highest point of his keep, starting out at the night sky together. But he had endured tiredness and surpressed his yawns to get used to a more nocturnal schedule. Not all dragons were nocturnal, but he had noticed the dragons under Lindwurm's banner tended that way. It meant a lot to her that he was up here in the night, but maybe more to her than he realized.

King Ryujin was now also Duke Ryujin, and he might have something to say about this situation.

Situation Interrupt


Vote on what Lindy should do:

[ ] Make a Move

[ ] It's not appropriate.