Martial
Hunting Party
DC: 20. Roll: 22 + 5 (Tax Cut) + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 8.1 = 37.1
Diplomacy
Requesting Barony Meetings II
DC: 25. Roll: 20 + 3 (Cooperation) + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 9.2 = 34.2
Intrigue
Hunting the Hunters
DC: 20. Roll: 22 + 2 (Tools of the Trade) + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 2.5 = 28.5
You had a lot of plans for how you were going to approach the situation, what would be best, who was the right figurehead.
Ophelia-Oskaria flared her presence, walked right into their camp, and politely requested an audience.
You find out rather quickly that many of these hunters are probably surveyors, or at least clerks - surely a real scout or hunter party would be less clingy to the roads. Strange, for what is effectively a small army on the move, less siege munitions. Although, some of those clerks did have suspiciously atrocious handwriting, so maybe they just replaced siege munitions with a really expensive artillery mage squad.
You figure that perhaps this survey group was meant to identify lands reserved for the baron in charge of the local region or something.
Ophelia-Oskaria asked them to explain themselves very nicely and politely with a hand on her glowing red stone.
The young baron Julio Serban quickly explains that yes, this is an armed force to survey the countryside, since he was supposedly receiving an endowment from the Coburn family of this land - the smoke plumes worried him, and while he was out he figured he may as well take a proper survey and mapping of his territories.
Ophelia politely asked for all of this in writing with his affirmation, and the baron and his servants nearly fall over in their rush to comply. She also tells them of what to expect - burned and exploited forests, along with bands of adventurers scouring the countryside for more Colonies established in the forests.
Oskaria then makes a decision for you. She tells the baron that these adventurers could be easily brought under his banner if he makes the right noises about cracking down on these colonies.
Implicitly, of course, these adventurers would receive no consequences for razing so many villages to the ground.
What terrifies you is that Justice has nothing to say on the matter, not even silence. The Justice you are supposed to be representing just...doesn't care.
Learning
Old Palmira
DC: 20. Roll: 20 + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 6.5 = 28.5
Old Palmira's house is a den of fragrant smoke, carrying tantalizing hints of everything and nothing at the same time. Her delicately patterned and gorgeously colored rug speaks to a wealth of time or money, and probably both.
"Old Palmira," Cormag respectfully says. "I'm afraid I need to ask you for your knowledge."
"Ah…" Old Palmira rasps, toddering with a cane in hand. "Ah, young Cormag! How you've grown! Come on in!"
You're somewhat surprised that Cormag somehow manages to act more reverential than he normally does, but he manages the act anyway. Probably something to do with respecting his teacher.
She glances at you, one eye opening slightly.
"I think you had better come in too, young spider." Despite how warmly she says it you know you have no choice but to follow her in. "Especially if you keep making earthshattering discoveries."
Your mind blanches at the implication, and you drift through the conversation, wondering just how much the old woman knows. Is she just talking about the time you figured out the dragon's nest was a poorly rigged spell? Or is she talking about the box? Can you tell?
Round and round it goes.
"Ah, old Aunt Nezhin would know better, but I think your mystery spirits might be the fae, tricky little devils they are. Adept at the arts of concealment by all means, restricted to the forests, yet separate from the forest likely fits the fae best."
"In dealing with the fae, ironically enough, act as you would with dwarves. Treat carefully, for the fae have long memories and exacting word choice, although much like with dwarves, you will find that the word choice binds them much more tightly then it does you."
"I'm afraid that's all the help I can give you for now. If you intend to come back, and I would strongly advise you to do so, I'll need to make some...special preparations."
You leave with a lot of advice on the fae, and a decision to make.
Stewardship
Registration of Updated Data
DC: 20. Roll: 24 + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 5.3 = 31.3
Meanwhile, you simply send along another packet of evidence along with a generous tip for all involved. You suppose that the postal service must be improving.
Piety
Requesting Spiritual Testimony
DC: 25. Roll: 25 + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 2.6 = 29.6
You speak with a headless spirit of the forest, seated upon the stump of an oak nearly as old as the entire post Calamity era.
It gently whispers to you of what it once was, before being clear cut. It softly sings of an era when there was a forest here, when the traditions were respected twenty rings ago, before fellers appeared one night, as if out of a mist, and the young and old fellows fell overnight, as though there had been nothing there to begin with.
You ask whether it would be willing to repeat this so that justice may be done.
The forest, withered and dying, whispers only that they wish to start new growth and regrow, and so you explain that this is taking a cutting so it might grow in a more fertile soil.
Spiritual Testimony and exact date identified!
Diplomacy
The Cooperatives
DC: 10. Roll: 20 + 2 (Enchanted Vestments) + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 3.3 = 27.3
Stewardship
Temporary Labor
DC: 20. Roll: 24 + 2 (Blessings of Oskaria) + 4.5 = 30.5
Random Event Roll: 98
The Second Great Reform
From the highest parapets to the lowest gutters, the decrees and promises of the Regent echo.
King Julius meant well, but the regime he had left behind was hopelessly corrupted by greed and evil alike. A thousand small interests carving out small exemptions and special rules has left Oskaria a hollow shell of your forefather's forefathers. Now, opportunity has come. From the heavens Oskaria's star shines, and the calamities that have swept the nation last year have demonstrated the inadequacy of the current state of affairs. It is time for Oskaria to restore itself to its past glories.
Thus, the Regent Coburn calls for a Second Great Reform. To this end, he calls upon not merely the official Sejm but a Greater Sejm, one including minor landowners and members of the clergy beyond the nobles themselves. Their first task will be to draft up grievance lists, so that the new order may better address long-standing ills.
In furtherance of this new Great Reform, the Regent furthermore proclaims freedom to publish and associate without royal interference. He claims this not from the temporary powers the Regency gives him, but rather a position of idealism and humility, that it is in the interests of a Great Reform to hear all ideas, no matter how inconvenient. It is only from such a vast swath of ideas, of course, that the choicest ideas may be refined into a new nation, and faithfully executed by its steward.
This hit at about the time you made yourself known as available for consulting and editing services.
Needless to say, you make a very handsome profit.
He also posted many other proposed reforms, or perhaps more accurately floated them in the court of public opinion through intermediary cutouts, and you start to see a pattern.
He intends to lead a Great Reform with him as the unquestioned king ruling over a population that feels heard and adores him, neatly sidelining the slighted aristocracy by promoting the church and the middle class.
Considering this was the man who you were sure conspired to violate his obligations and enact vast suffering for his benefit, you cannot allow his plan to succeed.
(But another quieter voice reminds you: reform was necessary. That much is patently obvious. Might not it be worth surviving a Tyrant to seize his gifts?)
That said, if the partying could pipe down for five seconds!
Service Revenue: 20 Budget.
Facilitation Expense: 8 Budget.
Spiritual Expense: 10 Budget.
Salaries and Wages Expense: 5 Budget.
Mercenary Expense: 5 Budget.
Travel Expense: 1 Budget.
Net Loss: 8 Budget.
Remaining Budget: 84 Budget.
You now have your spiritual testimony from the spirits of the forest.
It's time to petition the court of the fae.
You may spend as much money as you have available. The local economy seems to be buoyed by the recent talk of reforms - fingers crossed that tides people over as the market prices for lumber start to rise.
You have three [Free] Action that may be spent in any category.
You can cooperate with your teammates to add +3 Base Stat to an action you are cooperating on.
You have four more months to register evidence before you have to start tangling with the new Registrar of Evidence.
Ophelia carries a bright red glow in her role as Ophelia-Oskaria. You wonder how much still is Ophelia.
Martial (Choose 1) {Ophelia-Oskaria Action}
[] [Martial] Faerie Prep
You are fully aware that dealing with the fae could go badly. Best make sure you have a plan B ready. DC: 20. Cost: 5 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Diplomacy] High Society
Absolutely everyone is abuzz with the latest thinking, and you made quite the impression on the Antiguan nobility. They want your input, though of course there is an admissions fee… DC: 10. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Lawyer Up
If there has been any group of people as excited about the Second Great Reform as the lawyers, you have yet to meet them - especially since the lawyers are outright paying you to come to their meetings. DC: 10. Gain: 2 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] The Cooperatives II
The first people to start feeling the pinch is the cooperatives, and they're begging for you to hear them out and relay their concerns up the chain. DC: 10. Cost: 0 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Kerrie/Agueda Action}
[] [Intrigue] High Society Infiltration
Just because you're not invited into their meetings through the front door doesn't mean you can't get in another way. DC: 25. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Tap Tap
Hello, network? Now might be a good time to get to work. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Covering Your Tracks
If you plan on getting rid of the Box, you need to outright vanish. Make triply sure of it. DC: 30. Cost: 4 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Old Palmira II
You're thinking in circles about this. She might know about the Box. She might not. You need to find out. DC: 20. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Learning] Tossing the Box
You know what? Why do you even have this accursed thing? Toss it. Don't keep holding onto a dragon's tooth if you don't know whether you're in or out of the dragon's maw. DC: ??? Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Learning] Fey Aids
Now that you know that you're going to be trying to work with the fae, you can include certain things to make the process easier. DC: 25. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Ophelia-Oskaria Action}
[] [Stewardship] Registration of Updated Data
You have compiled some more reports, and you want this in public record earlier rather than later. Sealed, of course, to protect a lord's anonymity. DC: 20. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Temporary Labor
Ever since the Second Great Reform's announcement, absolutely everyone with a talent for writing and editing has been in high demand, and you can command a premium amount. DC: 10. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Law Review
You're not showing up to a law reform session half-baked. No, if you're wading in you're bringing in references. DC: Scaling. Cost: Scaling.
[] [Stewardship] Contract Drafting
Well, if you're going to be dealing with spiritual dwarves, better have your contracts ready and up to snuff. It might also give you a good opportunity to review the existing literature for them. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Ophelia-Oskaria Action}
[] [Piety] Into the Fae Court I
You know what you're looking for; a group of spirits independent of the Divine Gathering, skilled at illusionism, and absolutely dedicated to their contracts. This will be difficult. DC: 30. Cost: 2 Budget.
