EVENT: The Red Knight V
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
[X] Tell him what you know
The hall stood before you, the guards standing by the great oaken doors to the throne room. Their full embroidered plate is flawless, the armor obviously custom made and with the slightest hint of enchantment and yet with a single uniform style - it must have cost a fortune to reserve the same smith master smith to tailor their equipment and maintain their equipment, you note.
Besides you, Vivien brushes her hair back and holds her palm to her face, as if to fix whatever defects she can in a few instants. The guards placid faces stare back with ramrod precision, awaiting your signal. Vivien's hands still, and you glance between her and the door.
It is more imposing than you think, than you objectively know it to be - the accumulated force of the power that kept your home safe, you supposed.
You glance at Vivien and she glances back, tension overwritten by resolve on your faces. You nod at each other, at the guards, and watch them nod back.
The two guards reach for the handle and swing open the heavy oaken doors without a sound, a statement of the maintenance that regularly went into this hall - or more properly, throne room.
It is a vast working of stone and lumbers, to shame any pretenders to such majesty. New and intricate tapestries decorate the banisters on the second floor, each one embroidered with all the nobles underneath its banner. Directly across the hall lies a simple one - nothing but a golden crown backed by three swords on a field of red. The royal banner, woven in the time of Second Wyvern War and ritually unspun and respun every year. Above, superior to, and larger than all other nobles and heraldry, it was the affirmation of the supremacy of the land and the king which represented it, seated directly underneath it.
The dais beneath it is no less impressive - seemingly a single slab of that most expensive material of marble, flawlessly carved and embossed. Upon the first steps to the throne, two rows of his advisors sit completely still behind gorgeous wooden desks, lacquered and carved with the symbols that represented their ministries. Inkwells and paper reserves are hidden from view by the slight tilt of the desks, and just hidden off-stage must be the staircases for the pages to quickly and discreetly resupply the advisors. You note the flashes of darkness that confirm your suspicions, just the same as you note the empty seat where the carved stacks of coin represents the Ministry of Finance.
All of this serves to draw your attention to the most important existence in the room. Seated upon the high dais is the King, whose presence fills every inch of the vast hall and dominates the attention of all present. His figure is gaunt and pale, age and stress drawing itself into stark relief even as his discipline forces him into a rigid upright stance. The crown upon his head is a simple golden crown, absent any decoration or flourishes save the peaks and the red ruby laid in the center. Across his lap is the scepter of the king, an undecorated golden rod that commands your attention with the weight of the King's authority.
His face wordlessly disapproves of reality with a hard stare and a slightly frown upon his lips.
You and Vivien stop at the base of the steps, awaiting his permission. He inclines his head only slightly, and the two of you advance up the steps. Vivien silently takes her seat, willfully ignoring Lilianne's smug placidity, even as she spares some of her attention to direct a level look at you.
With almost no sound, she takes her seat, and the King gestures at you with the scepter.
"Speak," he commands, and you nearly verbally fall over yourself to comply with the demand.
"Sire, I bring news of treachery," you state, the weight of his disapproving gaze setting into your being. "I have overheard a plot by Prince Danielsson of the Etrella and General Kirilov to seize the lands of your kingdom."
His stern face shows no signs of changing, as you feel the pressure on your being increase. Besides you, one of the nobles - Minister of Justice, you see - speaks up in his place. "And what proof do you bring?"
You present the recording of the meeting you had made.
Above all else, you focus on the King's expressions, even as you see out of your other eyes how the ministers shuffle and react to this recording.
The Minister of State speaks up first, high and cold. "You bring before the King gossip and expect anything other than a swift punishment?"
You feel a sense of burning shame, of a need to respond, to justify yourself - but you know that that would be a mistake, and say nothing beyond what you have direct evidence for.
The King closes his eyes, and leans his face against his fist. Three times his chest rises, and three times his chest falls before he opens his eyes and sits back up.
"I see," he says. "Leave the recording upon the dais. I request in my capacity as King that you investigate this matter further. I thank you for your loyalty, Agueda of the Colonies, and -"
Whatever he is about to say is interrupted by a hacking cough. It continues, long and hard, shattering the illusion of his absolute command. All that was left was a frail old man coughing blood into his fist. You were already feeling a complex mix of shame and guilt, but now you had to add something akin to pity and despair - for this was the man who was to protect your people. When it ends with a last great heave, he straightens, as if nothing ever happened - and so too did his advisors pretend as though nothing had happened.
"I thank you for your loyalty, Agueda of the Colonies, and I release you to your duties," he says, trembling all the while.
You bow and set down the recording with your face downcast to better conceal your emotions.
You're sure your face is still stormy as you exit the hall.
+1 Respect.
Achievement Get: Swift Justice: Close the Case within one year. +3 Minor Boons.
Achievement Get: The Ministry Funds Itself: In the course of normal operations, earn more than you spend. +2 Shinies.
Achievement Get: Now We're Adventurers: Acquire at high-tier items through looting. +1 Major Boon.
Achievement Get: Stocks Only Go Up: Acquire a stock that inflates more than 1000% in value, then cash out. +1 Stewardship party-wide, +3 Minor Boons.
Achievement Get: The Instrument of the Compact: Help enforce a decision of the Divine Gathering. +1 Major Boon.
Achievement Get: Authorial Fiat: Write a best-seller - and then sell it. +1 Minor Boon.
Well, now that things are at a head, you need to move quick - you have your orders from the King as well as your personal goal of moving your people. Given the timeframes, you might have just enough time to move your people before you absolutely run out of time to resolve the burning fuse of the traitorous nobility - so naturally, you will have to focus on that this year.
Hopefully, Vivien was being truthful when she said that the King actually approved of your message.
The alternative would be nightmarish.
-5 Cash Flow continues! Neighbors shifted to "In Crusades, In Discussions"! Military Strength at "Rebuilt".
Ophelia is now a full member of the team. As such, she no longer requires a full Free Action to train her each turn, and grants the +3 Cooperation Bonus when she works on a project.
[] [Case] Highway Robbery
Ever since the army was badly damaged in the fields - but if you're being honest, the uptick began right around the time of the levy's announcements - merchants have reported far more highway robbery in the southwest provinces, even as they report stories of someone straight out of a storybook giving money to the poor. Time to ask your team to investigate. Agueda will not be available for this Case absent high background rolls.
[] [Case] Log Jam
The production of pretty much every single manufactured good must inevitably track back to wood somehow, and you've noticed that the prices of wood spiked too sharply after the announcements. Best check out what's going on in that supply chain in those eastern provinces. Agueda will be available for only one Action per month, but will be available.
[] [Case] The Web of Treason
You have the words of a geassed servant about how some of the nobility are in talks with foreign nobles about betraying Oskaria. See if you can get your team to dig up some more proof of this across the nation. Agueda will not be available for this Case - he will be migrating the Colonies and conducting his own investigations in the eastern provinces.
In exchange for funding the Ministry through normal operations, you may spend up to two Shinies.
[] [Shiny] Cold Hard Coin
Money talks, and loudly. Best to start with more.
[] [Shiny] Archbishops' Authorization
Due to your hard work, you've impressed some among the archbishops. With a little bit of cash, you can impress them a little more for an official permit to investigate matters related to the cloth.
[] [Shiny] Wide Proliferation
Word of your deeds has spread far and wide - granting you more soft authority. +1 Respect.
Tier-1 Upgrades:
[] [Shiny] Well Organized
+1 Stewardship.
[] [Shiny] Well Spoken
+1 Diplomacy
[] [Shiny] Well Trained
+1 Martial
[] [Shiny] Inspired
+1 Learning
[] [Shiny] Unremarkable
+1 Intrigue
[] [Shiny] Faithful
+1 Piety
[] [Shiny] Party Upgrades I
Kerrie gains +1 Intrigue, +1 Martial, Cormag gains +1 Piety, +1 Diplomacy, Tekla gains +2 Learning, Ophelia gains +1 Diplomacy, +1 Stewardship.
Tier-2 Upgrades (Costs 2 Shinies):
[] [Shiny] Excellent Recall
+2 Stewardship, +2 Diplomacy.
[] [Shiny] Faith-Burnished
+2 Piety, +2 Martial
[] [Shiny] Secret Explorer
+2 Intrigue, +2 Learning
[] [Shiny] Enhanced Cooperation
Cooperation gives +4 for Cooperating rather than +3.
Tier-3 Upgrades (Costs 3 Shinies):
[] [Shiny] Genius
+2 to all stats.
[] [Shiny] Eidetic Memory
+3 Stewardship, +3 Intrigue, +3 Diplomacy, +3 Learning.
[] [Shiny] Miracle Worker
+3 Martial, +3 Stewardship, +3 Diplomacy, +3 Piety
[] [Shiny] Visionary
+3 Martial, +3 Intrigue, +3 Learning, +3 Piety.
[] [Shiny] Two As One
Cooperation gives +5 instead of +3.
Tier-2 Items (Costs 1 Shiny)
[] [Shiny] Magical Tools
A proper set of magical tools rather than the improvised set that Tekla has cobbled together out of what amounts to a box of scraps. +3 Learning.
Tier-1 Items (Costs 2 Shinies)
[] [Shiny] In the Beholder's Eye
A vestment that reshapes the impression any beholders will see based on the desires of the wielder. Grants +(Piety/10 + 1) to Diplomacy and +(Diplomacy/10 + 1) to Piety.
[] [Shiny] The Vanishing Greaves
A set of greaves with a spell that appears to remove all trace of the wielder from the world temporarily. Grants +Piety/5 to Intrigue and significantly increases opposed Martial DCs.
Costs 1 Shiny:
[] [Shiny] Reroll
Reroll any roll, including Random Event Rolls. Once.
[] [Shiny] Null
Save the Shiny for later.
As a result of your tier-1 equipment, you can give those up in exchange for one shiny each. Your Tier-1 Equipment: Tax Cut, The Eye Approaching Divinity. Tag the items you wish to give up with the tag [Item].
The hall stood before you, the guards standing by the great oaken doors to the throne room. Their full embroidered plate is flawless, the armor obviously custom made and with the slightest hint of enchantment and yet with a single uniform style - it must have cost a fortune to reserve the same smith master smith to tailor their equipment and maintain their equipment, you note.
Besides you, Vivien brushes her hair back and holds her palm to her face, as if to fix whatever defects she can in a few instants. The guards placid faces stare back with ramrod precision, awaiting your signal. Vivien's hands still, and you glance between her and the door.
It is more imposing than you think, than you objectively know it to be - the accumulated force of the power that kept your home safe, you supposed.
You glance at Vivien and she glances back, tension overwritten by resolve on your faces. You nod at each other, at the guards, and watch them nod back.
The two guards reach for the handle and swing open the heavy oaken doors without a sound, a statement of the maintenance that regularly went into this hall - or more properly, throne room.
It is a vast working of stone and lumbers, to shame any pretenders to such majesty. New and intricate tapestries decorate the banisters on the second floor, each one embroidered with all the nobles underneath its banner. Directly across the hall lies a simple one - nothing but a golden crown backed by three swords on a field of red. The royal banner, woven in the time of Second Wyvern War and ritually unspun and respun every year. Above, superior to, and larger than all other nobles and heraldry, it was the affirmation of the supremacy of the land and the king which represented it, seated directly underneath it.
The dais beneath it is no less impressive - seemingly a single slab of that most expensive material of marble, flawlessly carved and embossed. Upon the first steps to the throne, two rows of his advisors sit completely still behind gorgeous wooden desks, lacquered and carved with the symbols that represented their ministries. Inkwells and paper reserves are hidden from view by the slight tilt of the desks, and just hidden off-stage must be the staircases for the pages to quickly and discreetly resupply the advisors. You note the flashes of darkness that confirm your suspicions, just the same as you note the empty seat where the carved stacks of coin represents the Ministry of Finance.
All of this serves to draw your attention to the most important existence in the room. Seated upon the high dais is the King, whose presence fills every inch of the vast hall and dominates the attention of all present. His figure is gaunt and pale, age and stress drawing itself into stark relief even as his discipline forces him into a rigid upright stance. The crown upon his head is a simple golden crown, absent any decoration or flourishes save the peaks and the red ruby laid in the center. Across his lap is the scepter of the king, an undecorated golden rod that commands your attention with the weight of the King's authority.
His face wordlessly disapproves of reality with a hard stare and a slightly frown upon his lips.
You and Vivien stop at the base of the steps, awaiting his permission. He inclines his head only slightly, and the two of you advance up the steps. Vivien silently takes her seat, willfully ignoring Lilianne's smug placidity, even as she spares some of her attention to direct a level look at you.
With almost no sound, she takes her seat, and the King gestures at you with the scepter.
"Speak," he commands, and you nearly verbally fall over yourself to comply with the demand.
"Sire, I bring news of treachery," you state, the weight of his disapproving gaze setting into your being. "I have overheard a plot by Prince Danielsson of the Etrella and General Kirilov to seize the lands of your kingdom."
His stern face shows no signs of changing, as you feel the pressure on your being increase. Besides you, one of the nobles - Minister of Justice, you see - speaks up in his place. "And what proof do you bring?"
You present the recording of the meeting you had made.
Above all else, you focus on the King's expressions, even as you see out of your other eyes how the ministers shuffle and react to this recording.
The Minister of State speaks up first, high and cold. "You bring before the King gossip and expect anything other than a swift punishment?"
You feel a sense of burning shame, of a need to respond, to justify yourself - but you know that that would be a mistake, and say nothing beyond what you have direct evidence for.
The King closes his eyes, and leans his face against his fist. Three times his chest rises, and three times his chest falls before he opens his eyes and sits back up.
"I see," he says. "Leave the recording upon the dais. I request in my capacity as King that you investigate this matter further. I thank you for your loyalty, Agueda of the Colonies, and -"
Whatever he is about to say is interrupted by a hacking cough. It continues, long and hard, shattering the illusion of his absolute command. All that was left was a frail old man coughing blood into his fist. You were already feeling a complex mix of shame and guilt, but now you had to add something akin to pity and despair - for this was the man who was to protect your people. When it ends with a last great heave, he straightens, as if nothing ever happened - and so too did his advisors pretend as though nothing had happened.
"I thank you for your loyalty, Agueda of the Colonies, and I release you to your duties," he says, trembling all the while.
You bow and set down the recording with your face downcast to better conceal your emotions.
You're sure your face is still stormy as you exit the hall.
+1 Respect.
CASE:
THE ORIGIN OF SPECIE
RESOLVED
THE ORIGIN OF SPECIE
RESOLVED
Achievement Get: Swift Justice: Close the Case within one year. +3 Minor Boons.
Achievement Get: The Ministry Funds Itself: In the course of normal operations, earn more than you spend. +2 Shinies.
Achievement Get: Now We're Adventurers: Acquire at high-tier items through looting. +1 Major Boon.
Achievement Get: Stocks Only Go Up: Acquire a stock that inflates more than 1000% in value, then cash out. +1 Stewardship party-wide, +3 Minor Boons.
Achievement Get: The Instrument of the Compact: Help enforce a decision of the Divine Gathering. +1 Major Boon.
Achievement Get: Authorial Fiat: Write a best-seller - and then sell it. +1 Minor Boon.
Well, now that things are at a head, you need to move quick - you have your orders from the King as well as your personal goal of moving your people. Given the timeframes, you might have just enough time to move your people before you absolutely run out of time to resolve the burning fuse of the traitorous nobility - so naturally, you will have to focus on that this year.
Hopefully, Vivien was being truthful when she said that the King actually approved of your message.
The alternative would be nightmarish.
-5 Cash Flow continues! Neighbors shifted to "In Crusades, In Discussions"! Military Strength at "Rebuilt".
Ophelia is now a full member of the team. As such, she no longer requires a full Free Action to train her each turn, and grants the +3 Cooperation Bonus when she works on a project.
[] [Case] Highway Robbery
Ever since the army was badly damaged in the fields - but if you're being honest, the uptick began right around the time of the levy's announcements - merchants have reported far more highway robbery in the southwest provinces, even as they report stories of someone straight out of a storybook giving money to the poor. Time to ask your team to investigate. Agueda will not be available for this Case absent high background rolls.
[] [Case] Log Jam
The production of pretty much every single manufactured good must inevitably track back to wood somehow, and you've noticed that the prices of wood spiked too sharply after the announcements. Best check out what's going on in that supply chain in those eastern provinces. Agueda will be available for only one Action per month, but will be available.
[] [Case] The Web of Treason
You have the words of a geassed servant about how some of the nobility are in talks with foreign nobles about betraying Oskaria. See if you can get your team to dig up some more proof of this across the nation. Agueda will not be available for this Case - he will be migrating the Colonies and conducting his own investigations in the eastern provinces.
In exchange for funding the Ministry through normal operations, you may spend up to two Shinies.
[] [Shiny] Cold Hard Coin
Money talks, and loudly. Best to start with more.
[] [Shiny] Archbishops' Authorization
Due to your hard work, you've impressed some among the archbishops. With a little bit of cash, you can impress them a little more for an official permit to investigate matters related to the cloth.
[] [Shiny] Wide Proliferation
Word of your deeds has spread far and wide - granting you more soft authority. +1 Respect.
Tier-1 Upgrades:
[] [Shiny] Well Organized
+1 Stewardship.
[] [Shiny] Well Spoken
+1 Diplomacy
[] [Shiny] Well Trained
+1 Martial
[] [Shiny] Inspired
+1 Learning
[] [Shiny] Unremarkable
+1 Intrigue
[] [Shiny] Faithful
+1 Piety
[] [Shiny] Party Upgrades I
Kerrie gains +1 Intrigue, +1 Martial, Cormag gains +1 Piety, +1 Diplomacy, Tekla gains +2 Learning, Ophelia gains +1 Diplomacy, +1 Stewardship.
Tier-2 Upgrades (Costs 2 Shinies):
[] [Shiny] Excellent Recall
+2 Stewardship, +2 Diplomacy.
[] [Shiny] Faith-Burnished
+2 Piety, +2 Martial
[] [Shiny] Secret Explorer
+2 Intrigue, +2 Learning
[] [Shiny] Enhanced Cooperation
Cooperation gives +4 for Cooperating rather than +3.
Tier-3 Upgrades (Costs 3 Shinies):
[] [Shiny] Genius
+2 to all stats.
[] [Shiny] Eidetic Memory
+3 Stewardship, +3 Intrigue, +3 Diplomacy, +3 Learning.
[] [Shiny] Miracle Worker
+3 Martial, +3 Stewardship, +3 Diplomacy, +3 Piety
[] [Shiny] Visionary
+3 Martial, +3 Intrigue, +3 Learning, +3 Piety.
[] [Shiny] Two As One
Cooperation gives +5 instead of +3.
Tier-2 Items (Costs 1 Shiny)
[] [Shiny] Magical Tools
A proper set of magical tools rather than the improvised set that Tekla has cobbled together out of what amounts to a box of scraps. +3 Learning.
Tier-1 Items (Costs 2 Shinies)
[] [Shiny] In the Beholder's Eye
A vestment that reshapes the impression any beholders will see based on the desires of the wielder. Grants +(Piety/10 + 1) to Diplomacy and +(Diplomacy/10 + 1) to Piety.
[] [Shiny] The Vanishing Greaves
A set of greaves with a spell that appears to remove all trace of the wielder from the world temporarily. Grants +Piety/5 to Intrigue and significantly increases opposed Martial DCs.
Costs 1 Shiny:
[] [Shiny] Reroll
Reroll any roll, including Random Event Rolls. Once.
[] [Shiny] Null
Save the Shiny for later.
As a result of your tier-1 equipment, you can give those up in exchange for one shiny each. Your Tier-1 Equipment: Tax Cut, The Eye Approaching Divinity. Tag the items you wish to give up with the tag [Item].