Martial
Faerie Prep
DC: 20. Roll: 22 + 5 + 2 + 1.2 = 30.2
Learning
Fey Aids
DC: 25. Roll: 23 + 2 + 1.8 = 26.8
Stewardship
Contract Drafting
DC: 25. Roll: 24 + 2 + 3.3 = 29.3
Piety
Into the Fae Court I
DC: 30. Roll: 25 + 3 + 9.0 = 37.0
Random Event Roll: 20
Into the Melusine Commonwealth
Thevenet apparently takes his job seriously, and comes in the next day. Specifically, sometime just after three in the morning one of your triplines ring, but whoever was poking their nose into your scheme doesn't seem to have stuck around long enough for you to poke back.
When morning breaks and your office hours open, Thevenet arrives in slightly ruffled business attire. You make a note of his sloppiness - it may be a small personal choice, but people tend to be made up of all the little personal choices they add up along the way.
You, of course, greet him in perfect business formal, albeit somewhat….adjusted due to circumstances.
When you enter your business space, however, you notice a shift in register. His slouching form straightens, and his expression shifts from the smug grin of a good awakening to a narrow calculating focus. As you describe your plan, his focus wavers, but it is wavering between your map and the map in his own mind - he very clearly knows his stuff.
"You've got a good idea for most of your assembly, and getting Kerrie established as a noble is definitely a good way to disguise the more outrageous things you'll probably do. Most of your tools fall into place with the invention of Madam Kerrie - now your delegation looks like a nouveau riche trying to break in, which, in all honesty, it is. Two things stick out to me, though," Thevenet says, applying a razor sharp wit through the fuzzy imprecision of his own language.
"You've got to get Ophelia her own position in the group. Out here she's the Maiden of Light, but that's not actually an occupation - she never actually got a formal job with the King, so if she went she'd be treated as a separate group entirely. I assume that's not what you want, so I'd suggest using your new law firm to give her a formal position in the group. Remember, the fae are very literal - if you come in under the King's authority, you need to have formal positions given to you by the King."
Mm. Extremely reasonable and useful. So this was probably the good news.
"The other problem is that this means that your group has to have absolute discipline. You need to always be careful when you're doing things for fae; what grudges are to dwarves, favors are to the fae. You do a fairy a favor, they'll spend the rest of their lives trying to get out of debt to you. The fae do you a favor for free, they'll spend the rest of their lives trying to collect. In their domain, they get to collect."
You blanch. Thevenet nods.
"Mostly, though, things are at least workable. They're not quite as rigid as they used to be, and having me around means you can cut out a lot of the negotiations and counteroffers for the day to day affairs. The big problem I was thinking of was actually with the mercenaries. I trust you to keep your people in check; I do not trust your Etrellan mercenaries to successfully keep it in their pants," Thevenet says in a complete deadpan.
"Is sex such a huge problem?" you ask sceptically.
"There's a lot of taboos around sex, some of which I suspect is intentionally cultivated in order to create exactly this situation of forcing recompense," Thevenet shrugged. "Let's get the commander in before we discuss further, though."
The good captain, of course, asks the question in a rather distinctive manner.
"Are the Melusine girls so bad we need to threaten premature contract termination over it?" Captain Baroch immediately and distastefully punts over to Thevenet.
"Well, if your men decide to fuck the ladies of the lake, that's binding until death do them part. I hope that none of your men are married, because that one night stand is going to be the law of the land for them going forward," Thevenet casually shrugs.
"Well, mister diplomat. Is it worth it?" Captain Baroch asks, waggling his eyebrows.
Thevenet smirks.
"Captain, the same thing's true in reverse. They only get one shot too," he replies, eyebrows waggling.
Captain Baroch laughs uproariously. First his head leans precariously back, and then once he's rocked himself three times to the tipping point and no further, his body slams down and his arm descends, slapping his thigh mightily.
"Point taken, point taken," he says. "Sorry, buddy, but I'm gonna have to skip out on this. I don't think I would accept that deal for all the treasures under the hills, let alone all of my boys."
You look at him a little crossly.
He raises his arms innocently. "I know that I'm skipping out before our contract is up, and I'll pay out the early termination fee. I'm a man of my word, and fortune's always been my foremost friend; I won't hesitate to pay it forward now, you can rest assured of that."
Captain Baroch stands up, salutes you, and takes the Horns of Plenty with him out the door.
You look back at Thevenet very crossly.
"I'm truly sorry about this," Thevenet says, and you dearly wish that he was obviously lying, "but I thought it would be best to resolve this while you had the chance to make alternate arrangements, as opposed to discovering this imprudent fact far too late to do anything about it. As an apology, would you accept a recommendation for an alternate bodyguard group?"
You'd love to say no, but you probably can't.
Probably.
As you enter the Melusine Commonwealth, several things become clear. The cave system you had to enter through was dark and twisting - probably an intentional illusion that would help lose any would be pursuers, but the actual nation is a vast cavern underground, one that you cannot possibly fathom being the size that it appears to be.
Oh. Right. Illusions.
You very suddenly realize describing your surroundings as a lush array of farmlands and villages on a gentle rise leading to a high castle is futile to counterproductive; the vast majority of the landscape is probably illusory, and you can't be certain unless you start tossing rocks and finding out.
You hesitantly agree to let Thevenet speak your case to the queen first. When you enter the great crystal hall, it even seems like a good idea; you do not miss the shiver that passes through the honor guard when they see you, one that the queen apparently shares. Your image was unsettling to them? Something to investigate later.
Thevenet, meanwhile, presents your delegation as an investigation force into possible wrongdoings committed by the current King, against the case law without passing overriding legislation. Of course, there are multiple organizations behind the effort; he hopes the Queen understands when he says he speaks for them.
Besim, of course, is his usual self.
"Wh- but that's ridiculous! How can the King, who may I remind you, is force of law, conduct an investigation into the King for crimes against the King against the King's wishes?!" Besim whines.
"Quite easily," the Queen says in an exasperated monotone. Her hand raises, and the motion chokes off whatever sputtered retort Besim was about to make. That may actually be literal, you note.
"It has been a late night, and I understand our delegations are tired for tonight," and you notice her eyes are on Besim, "and there are still many arrangements we must all make," she says, glancing at Thevenet. "I invite our honored guests to enjoy our hospitality."
Wait, you suddenly realize.
Didn't Thevenet say that Ophelia would be counted as a separate group if she went alone? So if individuals could be counting as representing groups…
That rat bastard.
Service Revenue: 30 Budget
Salaries and Wages Expense: 5 Budget
Fee Revenue: 10 Budget
Spiritual Expense: 2 Budget
Equipment Expense: 5 Budget
Facilitation Expense: 4 Budget
Net Income: 25 Budget.
Remaining Budget: 109 Budget.
With the caveat that you want to be able to return to the Antiguan region with some frequency, there's only one place that will take you in; the honor guard's captain. When she removes her armor, however, you're somewhat surprised to see a ponytail and bone necklaces - orc heritage, perhaps?
Captain Sheona confirms as much; her father was an orc and her mother a fae, so she sympathized with the rough position you're in, and is willing to help you acclimate to the Melusine Commonwealth. Just tell her some good stories, and she'll call it even.
Thevenet, however, interjects with the actual negotiations, and soon you have your lease; by most measures, actually fairly reasonable. That done, Thevenet turns and leaves for elsewhere; he apparently has other lodgings in mind...and you can't really do anything to stop him, can you.
But with him gone, you can actually probe Captain Sheona. As a completely unprompted gift, you're giving her all the incense and crystals you had intended to use to get yourself entry into the Melusine Commonwealth.
Captain Sheona laughs, and takes it all without hesitation - the exact opposite of the behavior that Thevenet described as typifying the fae of the Melusine Commonwealth. Interesting.
You may spend as much money as you have available.
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 three 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, but in foreign lands the influence is much diminished. Her mind is no lesser, and her presence is still awe inspiring - but only to those who call themselves Oskarian, it appears.
Martial (Choose 1) {Ophelia-Oskaria}
[] [Martial] The Warrior Monks Hospitaller
If there was any group of mercenaries who'd fit your needs, it'd have to be this infamously strict monastic order of knights. On the other hand, they came recommended by Thevenet. DC: 25. Cost: 6 Budget
[] [Martial] Sizing Up the Melusine Captain
Know yourself, know your enemy, and definitely know the people keeping a spearpoint practically on your throat. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Martial] Walking the Streets
If you're going to be staying in the City of Illusions, you want to at least know the place. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Diplomacy] Court Reintroduction
Right, so since Thevenet has apparently usurped your primary mission for himself, you need to start jamming yourself back in, and try not to step on a landmine. DC: ??? Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Cards on the Table
You need to figure out what Thevenet's actual deal is, and whether you can't just buy him off or something, something to make him a less harmful ally. DC: ??? Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Making Friends
The Captain is apparently a friendly face, sympathizes with your position, and might have a different perspective. DC: 10. Cost: 0 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Intrigue] Thevenet Watch
You're not going to do anything to Thevenet, yet. On the other hand, Thevenet. You're certain he's hiding his capabilities and motives from you; this will certainly not be the last time you have to watch him carefully. DC: ??? Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Captain Watch
If the Captain is hosting you, you want to know whose payroll she's on. DC: 20. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Besim Watch
Besim, technically, has the most foreign authority. You want to watch him, and if the opportunity arises to give the hapless asshole a nice shove, you'll take it. DC: 15. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Castle Watch
Whoever goes in and out of the castle controls the vast majority of the Commonwealth, and as a bonus observing the castle will prepare you for later infiltration. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] More Shifts
You have way too many people who could intend harm and not enough people. You're going to need everyone to just pull more shifts. DC: 10. Cost: 3 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Behind the Castle
Something is lurking behind the Castle, something everyone else seems to know but is desperate to keep concealed. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Trade Goods
Everything is worth something, you say? Time for some profits, I say. DC: Scaling. Costs: 2 Budget.
[] [Learning] A Favor for the Mage-Smith
Thiemo has mentioned that he wants to get his hands on some specialty stones in a deeply magical place. This is probably pretty close. DC: 30. Cost: 20 Budget.
[] [Learning] Old Palmira II
You don't know anything about the faction behind Thevenet, and you intend to find out more. DC: 10. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Ophelia-Oskaria Action}
[] [Stewardship] Case Construction
Well, you're here. If you want to get your hands on the documents, you need to assemble your case and prepare for counterarguments, especially since Besim is also here. The more work you do before your presentation, the easier it gets. DC: Scaling. Costs: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Presentation
When your case is ready, present it before the Queen. DC: 35. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Personal Touch
Your law firm is mostly running itself, with a bit of advice here and there; with your personal touch, you could take on some of the more profitable jobs. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Piety] Spiritual Baseline
Every place has a spirit; it's simply how the spirits are. You don't know what they're like here, however. That is a deficiency worth rectifying post haste. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Piety] Ward Changing
You're not going to name names, but someone's already testing your warding scheme. You're going to make that considerably harder by changing it. DC: Scaling. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Piety] Ward Upgrades
On the one hand, you can't take it with you. On the other hand, you definitely don't want to cheap out on your wards now. DC: Scaling. Cost: 6 Budget.
