Upon This Sword of Fire (CKII Quest)

[universalperson]

It is not until later that you manage to get the full story out of Elita. It seemed that she did indeed tell Brice her plan. He was skeptical at first but after she showed him his cousin chained in the basement, and listen to his confessions he came around. They were married shortly afterwards in a private ceremony. All in preparation for turning the public ceremony into one massive trap. Elita apologized profusely for keeping you in the dark once again, she even gave you the amulet that was keeping Hans alive as a token of her gratitude. You suppose you forgive her.

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*claps* Well played!

Order of the Seven Knives discovered (and eliminated)

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GET REKED!

Illona gains +4 Intrigue, +2 Diplomacy.
Alina gains +4 Diplomacy

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YAY STAT BONUSES!

EDIT:

The Blood of Elves: Once more the mountains of Vana run red with blood as the fury of the Heiress-Queen is unleashed. This time it the elvish clans who feel her might. Fed up with their constant feuding, she has set out to end the problem...permanently. While initial skirmishes with the elves went well, and the raids into human territory have stopped after the raiders were completely slaughtered the elves have withdrawn. They still war amongst themselves, but now they do it in their remote mountain homes, far from any human settlements. Frustrating the Heiress-Queen's attempts to make them pay in blood for the toll their conflict had inflicted on her realm.

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Valda should just cut her losses and settle for the elves not raiding into human territory. The elves have already gotten the message - mess with us and we'll kick you out.

Fighting for Peace: The political turmoil in Runāja appears to be finally abating to some extent. The Heiress-Queen has managed to hold another meeting between the rival clans, and unlike the last of such meetings, it was not immediately upset unknown assailants sparking the violence once again. Instead an uneasy peace has developed, as both the sides take the time to re-examine what happened. It is tension-filled and extremely fragile, but it is peace, something that has been sorely lacking in Runāja for the last several years.

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Lucky!

An Uncivil War:

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Honestly, this is a clusterfuck. Interfering can cause as much problems as not interfering.

The Golden Years: Meanwhile in Väljad peace continues to reign. Gold flows in ever greater amounts throughout the kingdom, and the latest harvest has been especially bountiful. For everyone from the highest noble to the lowest peasant, this past year has been one of the best in living memory, and the ones that preceded it were certainly nothing to scoff at either. Many are whispering that this may be the dawn of a new golden age of peace and prosperity, though most still believe that it is far too early to tell, and some are simply waiting for the other shoe to drop.

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It's amusing how we're the happy, peaceful kingdom.

 

[pheonix89]

Holy shit Elita you magnificent bitch. That was a perfectly executed and extremely stylish counter-ambush.

 

[Alectai]

Nothing better than a well played trap that forces your enemy to incriminate themselves.

Much lower Tyranny malus if they actively worked against you when you imprisoned the lot of them.

 

[Tylonius]

Well that went well.

 

[pheonix89]

Nothing better than a well played trap that forces your enemy to incriminate themselves.

Much lower Tyranny malus if they actively worked against you when you imprisoned the lot of them.

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Hell, she did it with enough style that I'm not sure if she's taking a PR hit at all. The Rumor mill mentions whispers about tyranny, then comments that they are outweighed by respect.

 

[veekie]

The door opening interrupts you, but once you see it is only Asya munching on an apple you relax. She meanwhile stops suddenly when she glimpses you, you think you detect a hint of a blush on her face. "Wow, Illona, I know you like to heat the water, but it is like a sauna in here." Ah yes, the heat you…kinda forgot about that.

You twist around to look at her, the water and soap splashing slightly, "It doesn't bother me at all."

Asya rolls her eyes, "I know it does not bother you. But normal people do not bathe in boiling water Illona."

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But it's extra clean if you can handle the heat! It kills all the germs!

Of course, this could also be Illona's magic-madness starting.

With that you exit the room. One of the Flame Guards following close behind you, while the other remains besides the room to guard your possessions. You realize you might be a smidgen late, especially since you do not actually know where you're supposed to be going. Probably should have gotten that information earlier. But nevertheless, you're skilled at finding things. So it should be just around this corner!

It is not just around the corner, or for that matter the next several corners. Eventually you give up and just ask a passing servant for directions, only to find out that it was actually just around the next corner by the point. See that will teach you what happens when you doubt yourself.

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Illona x Dice intensifies

It's Asya, or at least…you think it's Asya. She's wearing a long white dress, that's cut slightly daring. Flowing ringlets of sandy blonde hair frame a deevic face, as the lady in the flowing white dress bows slightly in your direction. There's a twinkle in her eyes that reminds you very much of Asya immediately before embarrassing you in a training session, and the pointed ears are kinda a dead give-away but uh…um.

"So what do you think Illona?" She does a little twirl, and smiles. You decide you like it when she smiles.

You go to swallow but you find your mouth is completely and utterly dry. Then you try and saying something but your mouth doesn't appear to be working correctly because nothing is coming. Which I strange because you think you're telling it to say words, not that you're sure what those words are, haven't quite got that far, but you're pretty sure words should be coming out of your mouth.

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That ship's certainly set sail for sure.

They all bow, "Thank you M'lady. You've been a pleasure to work with." With that, Asya hustles you out of the room. But not before you hear one last snippet of conversation from them. Something about bedding. You can't fathom why they're talking about sheets after all that. Truly the minds of the smallfolk are sometimes an utter mystery to you.

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And the rumors go wild.

Something happy and bright and hot sparks inside you when you think about first seeing her in her dress, and briefly you consider-no. You banish the thought before it even fully-forms, surely not. She's your best friend and a woman. You chuckle slightly at the notion, like the few other times the image has popped into your mind, then push it aside. It would never work anyway, you need an heir, and Asya is a woman. And you know deep down, as appealing as an idea might be, you will not doom your kingdom to bloody succession crises for a flight of fancy. But that dark little voice re-emerges, asking why, even though you keep repressing the idea…why does it keep coming back?

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Hmm...she COULD have both!

Healing Amulet: New Research Options Unlocked

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Magical healing. Excellent!

Political Re-alignment in Ahervare. (Elita's reign much more secure)
Order of the Seven Knives discovered (and eliminated)

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Elita: "Illona dear, you're making me feel inadequate."

The Blood of Elves: Once more the mountains of Vana run red with blood as the fury of the Heiress-Queen is unleashed. This time it the elvish clans who feel her might. Fed up with their constant feuding, she has set out to end the problem...permanently. While initial skirmishes with the elves went well, and the raids into human territory have stopped after the raiders were completely slaughtered the elves have withdrawn. They still war amongst themselves, but now they do it in their remote mountain homes, far from any human settlements. Frustrating the Heiress-Queen's attempts to make them pay in blood for the toll their conflict had inflicted on her realm.

It remains to be seen how long she will continue to attempt such retribution. Especially with the conflict in Hastrijan continuing to escalate. The eldest Heiress-Queen's hatred for Hastrijan and especially Baraz the Black, one of the strongest contestants to the Throne are common knowledge. Whether she acts on this hatred though, remains to be seen.

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This will be a problem. How's Asya feel about it?

An Uncivil War: Hastrijan continues to tear itself apart in war. The undisputed victor of this years fighting was the Crown Prince, who managed to defeat several of the lesser claimants, securing his base of support around the capital and as well as a fair section of the valuable westerlands, the seat of Hastrijani agriculture. This advance came at the expense of the Twins, whose allies spent more time bickering then defending against the Crown Prince's armies. Their main army retreated further to the west to lick their wounds and reorganize. To the south Baraz the Black spent much of the year consolidating, securing the frontier before marching north. Finally the Bastard in the north scored a boon when two full regiments of Pikemen defected to his banner. The local governor, who rumors say was deeply unpopular, made the mistake of using local elements to attempt to quell the rebellion. A mistake he paid for with his life.

*Additional Note* - A letter arrives from the Hastrijani capital, from the princess Alina befriended. According to her, Kavan's mood has taken a turn drastically for the worse. He is cruel and paranoid, suspecting traitors and assassins behind every column of the palace. His temper has likewise been far inflamed. She doesn't say, but you get the sense that this is quite different from how he has acted in the past. She evidently fears for her life and the lives over everyone in the realm. Though an additional annotation in hasty scrawl mentions she was almost caught sending this letter, and will be forced to lie low for the foreseeable future.

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Context, linked with our own personality changes.

Kavan is a mage. MUST be. He's overusing his powers and growing steadily insane.

 

[Alectai]

Anyway, looking at the Hastrijan situation...

Baraz is going to win if things remain as it is--if the Crown Prince had managed to retain sanity, I'd have given it to him--but the fact that he's basically collapsing into a sudden bout of insanity for some inexplicable reason cements it--someone's trying to forge Hastrijan into a weapon against us.

And we now have precedent that it's possible to bind spells into trinkets--there's absolutely no reason why such a spell can't be used to enflame paranoia in him. I doubt this was a secret that was kept by merely one small assassination branch.

The Twins are getting wrecked, the Bastard was always an outlier (He'll lose on his own, and backing him is guaranteed to come out and pull everyone behind Baraz), and the Crown Prince is going increasingly crazy to the point where he's putting his palace on lockdown out of ultra paranoia. Someone's stirring the pot here, and the fact that the only one who seems to be having no issues at all is the one who absolutely hates us beyond all sense and reason suggests that it's against us.

Our best bet, I think, is to figure out what the fuck is going wrong with the Crown Prince and try to salvage him before it's too late. The Bastard is too much of a trap option, and the Twins are too unreliable to be counted on.

EDIT: The possibility also exists that Kavan is a newly awakened Mage--and can't control the power. I'm not sure what we could do about that, except somehow finagle ourselves to a state visit and get a meeting with him--somehow. Except he's being paranoid and thus, we can't count on it.

 

[veekie]

Nothing better than a well played trap that forces your enemy to incriminate themselves.

Much lower Tyranny malus if they actively worked against you when you imprisoned the lot of them.

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Basically none at all if they were trying to kill you at the time in fact.

Hell, she did it with enough style that I'm not sure if she's taking a PR hit at all. The Rumor mill mentions whispers about tyranny, then comments that they are outweighed by respect.

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Pretty sure the tyranny thing was already a given where the old nobility are concerned. Remember, we're conquerors.
But now she's established herself as a skilled player of games, and if you play, you WILL be eliminated.

 

[Alectai]

Actually, come to think of it.

@Crilltic

Are there any known Imperial Regalia for Hastrijan? Things that only the reigning Emperor are permitted to carry? Since we know there's precendent for magical artifacts, it might actually be that the Regalia are enchanted--and are driving Kavan to insanity because he didn't acquire the throne through "Legitimate Means". Or something. Either way, such an abrupt descent into madness--coupled with a colossal civil war that nonetheless seems to have all the breaks going in favor of the guy who hates us the most is... Pressing chance a bit too much.

 

[Citino]

Basically none at all if they were trying to kill you at the time in fact.

Pretty sure the tyranny thing was already a given where the old nobility are concerned. Remember, we're conquerors.
But now she's established herself as a skilled player of games, and if you play, you WILL be eliminated.

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I think it's more that if you cheat, then you get eliminated. Playing the game is fine, and Bryce will probably be a great help for Elita in keeping the nobles under control. It's when you try a Red Wedding thing like in GoT, that she cracks down. Even in GoT, the Red Wedding was considered waaaaay over the line, even by the enemies of the Starks, so it is probably viewed the same here. Indirect sabotage of your enemies is approved and even encouraged. Doing it in public, with no other reason other than 'I don't like her' is not.

 

[Omegahugger]

"I find them impractical for most occasions, but that does not mean I dislike wearing them." She finishes with an enigmatic smile, "Besides, I do believe you'll enjoy it as well."

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It's Asya, or at least…you think it's Asya. She's wearing a long white dress, that's cut slightly daring. Flowing ringlets of sandy blonde hair frame a deevic face, as the lady in the flowing white dress bows slightly in your direction.

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Though the white is traditionally the color of...*ahem* eligibility.

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Hmm... There's a connection between these posts, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

 

[Theunderbolt]

Wait Asya is an elf?!

 

[veekie]

Actually, come to think of it.

@Crilltic

Are there any known Imperial Regalia for Hastrijan? Things that only the reigning Emperor are permitted to carry? Since we know there's precendent for magical artifacts, it might actually be that the Regalia are enchanted--and are driving Kavan to insanity because he didn't acquire the throne through "Legitimate Means". Or something. Either way, such an abrupt descent into madness--coupled with a colossal civil war that nonetheless seems to have all the breaks going in favor of the guy who hates us the most is... Pressing chance a bit too much.

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And the princess helping us is lying low because he's too crazy now.
Hmm. This does call for an intervention, but HOW. If he really is a mage losing his marbles, or suffering some inherent derangement theres little that can be done for it. If he has a madness inducing artifact, or is being systematically poisoned(I'd point to a number of kings who were slowly poisoned and brain damaged in the process) we're still unlikely to be able to eliminate it.

Meanwhile military intervention would just consolidate all of them against us.

So we're going to need some kind of alliance stronger than what we have at the moment. It's not like we're politically fully in charge of our own land, we just have popular opinion in our favor from success(and as everyone knows, THAT only lasts as long as you're winning). And probably back some of their weaker factions covertly to reinforce a stalemate, since ideal scenario for us is that they spend long enough split between so many crowns that the empire simply breaks down into provinces.

So current list of possible actions:
-Martial operations via fortifying the border, assumes diplomacy has failed, and just prepares to shut it down
-Intrigue operations via princess, high risk, but may unfuck the prince if successful.
-Diplomatic operations, intending to play their factions against each other more or helping their weaker factions ally together. Drag it out.
-Piety, fuck it, just convert their country as we go so no matter who the winner, we win.
-Personally pay a visit and Illona it up. Pros: Nobody expects it. Cons: Nobody expects it, not even Illona.

 

[OneirosTheWriter]

Harsh, mocking laughter fills the room. "Oh my, here I was worried that this would be too difficult." You recognize the voice as Elita's, but it's not coming from the dais. All eyes turn to the entrance to the Church, your eyes widen as you see Elita, clad in armor and flanked by the several Flame Guard. "But here you are, practically confessing on the spot."

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[Stormseed]

Hmm...she COULD have both!

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Hmm... There's a connection between these posts, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

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Well, there would be no risk of illegitimate children.

 

[DarknessSmiles]

Well, that event went pretty darn well, and it seems like our sisters are stabilizing. now, we just need to see how the hastrijan war develops and hope basically anyone but the Black wins.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Get Shreked Fuckers

Now then, back to...wait a minute...

Of course, she could be lying to you. Just like she did before, a dark little voice whispers in the back of your mind. You push it down though, you trust your sister to be honest with you, or at least having a good motive for not doing

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Wait. A. Fucking. Minute.

But that dark little voice re-emerges, asking why, even though you keep repressing the idea…why does it keep coming back?

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....



GUYS! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!

 

[veekie]

We already know magic influences your thoughts after all.

 

[Omegahugger]

....



GUYS! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!

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At least the voices in our brain have proper taste in ships.

 

[Nevill]

The Blood of Elves: Once more the mountains of Vana run red with blood as the fury of the Heiress-Queen is unleashed. This time it the elvish clans who feel her might. Fed up with their constant feuding, she has set out to end the problem...permanently.

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Valda gets it right. No elf, no problem. Seeing how we managed to boost our relationship with the other two sisters, perhaps it is time to bond with the last one over spilling the blood of infidels, hmm?

The lives of slaughtered merchants call out for justice!

It's amusing how we're the happy, peaceful kingdom.

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While the rest of the world is on fire. Yeah, I wonder how long that'll last.

Elita: "Illona dear, you're making me feel inadequate."

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"It's the last time I invited my sister to an event. I laid down a carefully crafted trap, and not only her bodyguard casually kills everyone who was supposed to get ensnared without even knowing it, but she makes away with all the good loot, too! The nerve!"

Context, linked with our own personality changes.

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Wait, what personality changes? *flutters eyelashes*

I have a hard time distinguishing between genuine Illona-ness and magically affected one. A complete disregard for common sense and all things that are considered normal and sane is something we acquired naturally.

Baraz is going to win if things remain as it is--if the Crown Prince had managed to retain sanity, I'd have given it to him--but the fact that he's basically collapsing into a sudden bout of insanity for some inexplicable reason cements it--someone's trying to forge Hastrijan into a weapon against us.

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Is he? Or perhaps the Crown Prince is going to snuff him out with his powers, seing how he has been a confident victor so far. He could alienate enough of his supporters for a coup to happen, but it could just as easily secure his lead as people get too scared to dissent.

He is not collapsing in insanity, he is lashing out at everyone else. If he is indeed a mage, he should not get discounted - he might still be able to beat the others into submission.

And there is no telling if that'd be better for us than Baraz on the throne.

-Personally pay a visit and Illona it up. Pros: Nobody expects it. Cons: Nobody expects it, not even Illona.

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Ah, yes, Illoning it up with crits, the best kind of solutions. Let Asya acidentally conquer Hastrijan on the way to the capital and have us convert Baraz to the First Flame. What can ever go wrong?

 

[Omegahugger]

Valda gets it right. No elf, no problem. Seeing how we managed to boost our relationship with the other two siosters, perhaps it is time to bond with the last one over spilling the blood of infidels, hmm?

The lives of slaughtered merchants call out for justice!

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I have it on good authority that at least one elf has prevented many more problems than she caused. I therefore must object to the wholesale slaughter of them.

... Unless you are advocating a different kind of death, of course, but there are still many problems with that pairing that I am doing my best to avoid thinking about.

 

[Nevill]

I have it on good authority that at least one elf has prevented many more problems than she caused.

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And that's why she is an exile. See? They just have no appreciation for nice things. BURN ALL THE (heretical) ELVES, I SAY!

We should look into that Astrazi desert sometime, though a 25% success chance is surely intimidating.

 

[veekie]

Wait, what personality changes? *flutters eyelashes*

I have a hard time distinguishing between genuine Illona-ness and magically affected one. A complete disregard for common sense and all things that are considered normal and sane is something we acquired naturally.

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From what I can tell of magic so far, it reinforces whatever you are. Illona grows more careless of risks and blind to romance even as she grows more able to perceive everything. Elita is secretive and now she has a Problem with keeping secrets, even unnecessary ones.

The further it goes, the more extreme, likely.

 

[Nevill]

The further it goes, the more extreme, likely.

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Are you sure it's the magic's fault? It's not like a person sinking deeper into the pattern of thought that works for them does not happen in real life.

Meanwhile, the foreign princess reports something she describes as a rather noticeable personality shift. Granted, with all the rumors about being a patricide, Kavan could very well have been that kind of person all along, and his sister just never noticed it...

 

[Omegahugger]

From what I can tell of magic so far, it reinforces whatever you are. Illona grows more careless of risks and blind to romance even as she grows more able to perceive everything. Elita is secretive and now she has a Problem with keeping secrets, even unnecessary ones.

The further it goes, the more extreme, likely.

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Although we also had a dark voice that said "why is the well-being of your kingdom and the thousands of people that are in your care more important than that elf booty?", which doesn't really sound like Illona to me.