King Alfred NegaQuest: Turn 538 Results 2.3
Sending a Message: 99 (+10: (Difference in Numbers) +10 (Detailed Intelligence), -15 (???), + 15 (???): 119, Critical Success!
You hadn't expected
that much when you sent the eager Halla Skyfire to solve your Problem with Tobias Belanger, but when you receive word that the
Wavedancer was on her way back up the River Itchen from the reports sent from the Fort at Hamwic, apparently no worse for wear from the adventurer. You'd admit to some curiosity as to how the whole business at Daw's Castle went--you were pretty sure that Serge Gagnon alone would likely take half their number down even if they came up with something Very Clever to take the castle in the first place, but the Norse have always been frustratingly capable of violence, especially when they have the most irritating tendency to just
not stay dead.
Still, you doubt she'd be coming back like this if she didn't have some kind of report to be made, so you send your man to check up on what your informants had sent ahead using their own methods.
The results were...
Could you call this a good result?
"My King,
the Danish woman has returned in victory, Tobias Belanger's head has been taken, she's reported that she's left the castle and the Knights in the garrison "Intact, though your castle will need a new gatehouse, and gates." Her words, not mine. Eight of the recalcitrant Thanes are dead, and the remainder taken prisoner. She's sent word to say that "You're their King, you've got first claim on their final fate, we'll take them if you want, but you're the one they've wronged here."
Headcount suggests that none suffered injuries that couldn't be mended on the field, and observations have shown their holds with sufficient added wealth to lay credence to their claims."
You think you could call this a good result? Certainly not what you were expecting--and you took a moment to ratchet the woman's threat level up several places in your consideration--but by all indications, she's adhered to the letter
and the spirit of your agreement, since you've not seen any of the general alert beacons be lit along those lines.
So, one of your headaches has just been aggressively solved at the cost of a mere 20 pounds, and now you even have 17 Thanes that you've got by the balls as an example of
why these Taxes are paid. You... Can probably make use of that, you'll just need a minute to work out the details.
Success? Halla Skyfire--through means that you're not entirely clear on yet--has somehow managed to sack Daw's Castle, killing Tobias Belanger and humbling the Knights he'd gathered to his side, killing 8 of the Thanes and taking 17 of them prisoner, pending your judgement. Furthermore, she stuck entirely to the agreement, and left the non-combatants and structure of the Castle intact for repossession--only requiring some relatively minor repairs to bring back to full effectiveness (200 pounds)
Orb said:
Meladon said:
Uh, apparently the Norse Lady is a terrifying killing machine? leading an army of blenders on a trading trip, just for a treat?
Republican Clubber said:
They're not that good, Halla's probably about on par with a Fifth Decade Knight, but most of her crew's below that--though still tougher on average than most of the Thanes who Belanger pulled to him. If you want to find out How The Fuck That Happened, you'll have to ask!
LivingmannappingY said:
But we're in AP hell and she'll be going home next turn!
Republican Clubber said:
If you're ever not in AP hell, then I'm not doing my job right
Sagely Hexagram said:
So, uh, which project are we going to have to dump to get some fucking answers?
LivingmannnappingY said:
None of them, our economy is redlining and our flex spot is spent knighting that Gabriel kid who came home, did you see that character sheet? It'll help us a lot, we'll just have to hope Halla comes back later I guess.
Meladon said:
AP hell is the darkest of all the hells...
