Their status as a buffer state is the only reason they still exist. Neither Kingdom can annex them without kicking off a war with the other. As for the ruler of Wingbardy, here's what the diplomatic survey had to say about him and his subjects.
Garibaldi Talonuelli is the current Duke of Wingbardy, the territory you share the longest land border with. His lands are fertile, his army is half the size of your own, and his other neighbor is your main rival of Aquileia. Naturally, being the buffer state between two kingdoms that are much stronger than themselves is an uncomfortable position that Wingbardy's inhabitants aren't too pleased with, but they take comfort in the knowledge that neither kingdom can hope to assault them without enraging the other.
It is therefore in their own best interests to preserve the status quo and prevent either of their neighbors from becoming more powerful than the other. As for their leadership's view of you…well they're somewhat relieved you don't appear to be a war-like leader that might plunge their lands into conflict, but aside from that you're just another neighboring king they need to keep an eye on, albeit one they feel a bit more comfortable negotiating with.
And he's probably getting more and more nervous about the developing situation. Both inside and outside his country.
Omake: Between the Talon and Beak
To say that Duke Talonuelli had been having a bad few years was an understatement. On the upside Discord (may his name be cursed for all time) was somehow defeated. This meant that no-one had to worry anymore about the laws of reality being bent, broken and outright mangled daily for the monster's amusement. On the downside with the removal of said monster, Wingbardy's.....neighbors were beginning to flex their wings once again. He had already gotten word of Aquileia raising a naval force and Griffonia rapidly mobilizing the same in response. If things descended into outright war, his people would be ground between the two as they fought back and forth over the resulting ruins of Wingbardy.
Not to mention that by the kingdoms securing their lands, all the various monsters and raiders turned to a softer target; Wingbardy. Garibaldi and all his subjects knew that Wingbardy's only reason for existence was as a mere buffer state between the two powers; but it didn't mean that the fact didn't rankle in their crops. And because of said buffer state condition, he simply didn't have the standing forces to effectively defend his people as the sacked and burning villages across his land showed. Worse yet, all the good mercenaries had long term contracts with the Feathersians meaning he couldn't hire any talons that were worth the gold.
And so here he was, caught in the claws of an impossible choice: consolidate his forces to keep the most vital settlements and farms intact or spread their wings thin trying to stamp out all the fires. The former would be a betrayal of his people while the latter would likely lead to the destruction or maiming of the entire army. Asking the either of the two larger nations for help was right out of course because whichever said 'yes' would probably want to take as many beak-fulls of territory as possible without setting off their rival.
Maybe see if the Feathersians would be willing to lend some of their mercenary groups? Of course they would undoubtedly know the barrel he was over and squeeze every coin they could out of the deal, probably in the flavor of long-term 'loans'. Would probably near-bankrupt the kingdom but better that then being wiped out.
"M'lord?" A voice pried him from his ruminations. It seemed that lady Bronzebeak was trying to get his attention, a letter in her claw and a somewhat conflicted look on her face.
"More bad news I take it?" Not exactly the proper tone for a ruling duke but right now he didn't care for formality. Besides, Bronzebeak had been working for him for almost ten years now and most of the time they left formality aside when not in court.
"Potentially not sir. The missive is from Griffonia and if we play our cards correctly, not only should at least some of our raider problems get solved, Aquileia won't lose their minds over it."
"Sounds too good to be true, what's the catch?
"Well sir...."
Word count: 503
AN: As the action was labeled 'An Offer They Can't Refuse' and the rumor section, Windbardy is in a very bad spot right now. And they no doubt know they are the unclaimed gem sitting between two diamond dogs. Ergo they are going to be very careful about any deals they make with us/Aquileia.
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather is one of the most scarred Griffons you've ever seen. A former Troll hunter, he lost a wing, an eye, and a hind-leg to a particularly vicious Manticore. Despite his injuries, he's one of the most spirited people you've ever met, and can drink and brawl with the best of them. (One Action Per Turn) Choice Locked
-Establish a Navy: The one true advantage you have over Aquileia is your unrestricted access to the Sea. While Aquileia is not landlocked, any of its vessels must pass through your waters if they wish to reach the open ocean. Unfortunately, as of now your "Navy" is just a bunch of hastily re-purposed fishing vessels using civilian docks. This will never do. Build a few actual warships and dedicated military dockyards. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Navy established, first warships constructed. Will Finish this Turn
As throngs of citizens gathered on the shore cheer the achievement of a national milestone, the first vessels of the Griffonian navy launch from their newly-constructed dockyards to begin their sea-trials. Crafted of hardened and seasoned timber by the finest carpenters and shipwrights in your kingdom, the ten sailing ships are purpose-built for war. And none too soon, as your rival of Aquileia has also completed their own fleet of ships which even now sails just outside your territorial waters, a show of force in a time of great tensions. Now you have a means of defense against them. More importantly, now you have an actual shipbuilding infrastructure, which will make it much easier to construct additional vessels in the future. Navy established, military dockyards constructed, 10 ships (cogs) added to military forces
Diplomacy: Elva Von Cleef is a stern eyed and stiff necked old bird. But she's been negotiating deals between city-states since before you were born. Negotiating deals between kingdoms was the logical next step for her. (One Action Per Turn)
-An Offer They Can't Refuse: Wingbardy has a lot of fertile land and few Griffons to defend it. Were it not for its status as a buffer state, it would have been forcibly annexed by a stronger kingdom long ago. As it is, it has a difficult time handling numerous raids by brigands, hungry trolls, and Diamond Dog raiders seeking an easy and bountiful target. Offer a solution to their security troubles and propose a mutual defense pact against the creatures of the forests, allowing your army to intercede and support theirs if needed. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Closer Relations with Wingbardy, military access to Wingbardy. Chance of Success: 65%
Required: 35. Rolled: 44+10 (Talon and Beak Omake Bonus)+18=72
The Duke is…reluctant, but his lands are under siege and his army incapable of defending them. His people cry out for assistance and protection, and since he cannot provide it he accepts your offer. As soon as the proper documents are signed and authorization given, elements of your army cross the border and go to work. Rogue Manticores are hunted down and skewered with arrows, packs of Timberwolves are chopped into kindling, rampaging trolls are buried in artificial rockslides or bleed out from hundreds of sword wounds, and dens of Diamond Dogs are smoked out and their inhabitants run down by flocks of Griffon Spear-Bearers. Raids cease, captives are returned to their homes, field are replanted, and the people of Wingbardy breathe a sigh of relief. The Duke of Wingbardy offers you his thanks and reaffirms his commitment to the treaty. His subjects express their gratitude in heartfelt letters to you, and your troops serving in the Duchy are the recipients of countless gifts and invitations to celebrations in their honor.
Unfortunately it's not all good news. King Brochard is furious at the presence of Griffonian soldiers so close to Aquileia, and sends numerous angry and increasingly threatening letters to Duke Talonuelli for the duration of the campaign. His indignation is only partially soothed by the withdrawal of your forces from Wingbardy, and you get the sense that Aquileian-Wingbardian relations have just taken a serious blow. Still, the Duchy is secured against attack and you now have a better relationship with your closest neighbor. All in all you'd call this a win. Wingbardy monster population culled and pacified, gain military access to Wingbardy. +2 Wingbardy Relations, -1 Aquileia Relations
Stewardship: Claus Rosewing is, much like you, a former merchant. You'd actually done business with him a few times, and he always struck you as a fair and reasonable gryph. Good thing too, because now he'll be handling much of your finances. (One Action Per Turn)
-Mountain Minerals: You know that there is an abundance of minerals and resources buried beneath the mountains you call home. You just need to know exactly where they are so you can start to really harvest them. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Mineral survey throughout your territory.
You knew your lands were rich with minerals, but you didn't know they were this rich! The mountains are almost bursting at the seams with stores of Iron, Coal, Lead, Copper, and Tin. On more than one occasion your surveyors literally trip over pieces of ore sticking up out of the ground! It seems that building a mineshaft basically anywhere in your mountains will yield great quantities of metals and raw materials. Sadly, it's not all good news. There are precious few veins of gold or silver in your territory, and the less said about the scarcity of gemstones the better. Still, you now know where to dig. All that's left to do is actually start digging. Mineral Survey Results: Absurd amount of raw materials and non-precious metals, little gold or silver. Mines can now be constructed.
Learning: Archimedes is an almost comically small and scrawny Griffon, often mistaken for a teenager despite being middle-aged. What he lacks in physical stature, he more than makes up for with brainpower. He has authored numerous works on history, biology, and physics, making him an ideal choice for an advisor. (Two Actions Per Turn)
-Battlefield Communications: Your army relies mostly on banners and flags for communication. While this works fine under most conditions, it's not ideal for low-visibility situations like fighting in mist or the forest, to say nothing of when your troops are actually trying to stay hidden. Have your military thinkers come up with some new means of communication for your soldiers in the field. Time: One Year. Cost: 200. Reward: Easier communication between troops, +3 on certain combat rolls. Chance of Success: 90%
Required: 10. Rolled: 68+12=82
Bird calls. Really? Yes, really. Despite your skepticism, and that of the troops informed of the new doctrine, your thinkers tell you that, with your current resources and capabilities, this is the best you can hope for. True, the whistles and calls allow for communication in low-visibility conditions, and orders given via this method are indecipherable to those not familiar with the system, and can even pass as natural birdsong, but damnit it just feels weird doing this. Thankfully your troops have also developed a similar system that uses horns, drums, pipes and other musical instruments. It's not nearly as stealthy but it certainly feels more dignified than the primitive whistling of your genetic precursors. Easier communication between troops, +3 on certain combat rolls.
-Building Bigger Bows: The bows and arrows your archers use are good enough for fighting Diamond Dogs, Manticores, and Timberwolves, but when it comes to Trolls and Dragons they just aren't up for the job, to say nothing of their questionable effectiveness against other Griffons. Archimedes proposes a surprisingly simple solution: make them bigger. It's not actually as simple as he makes it sound, words like "torsion" and "tensile strength" are thrown around a lot, and his diagrams are so complex as to be of little help to you. Still, if he thinks it'll work… Time: One Year. Cost: 200. Reward: New Weapon?
When Archimedes said he would build bigger bows, you should have asked more questions. These bows are not just big, they are huge! The smallest arrows they fire are as long and as thick as your arm, and the weapon itself is larger than your whole body! How could a Griffon hope to even use such a weapon? Thankfully, Archimedes has answers for you, as he always does. These new "Bolt Throwers" are designed to be emplaced on the walls of fortifications or the decks of ships. Slightly smaller versions can be towed like carts by teams of Griffons to be used as mobile ranged weapons platforms. Once your advisor demonstrates their power by putting an arrow as thick as your leg through a tree trunk, you calm down a good bit. While these weapons are not as versatile or as easily used as bows, they are unquestionably powerful, and that's all you asked for. New Weapons: Bolt Throwers/Ballistae, Emplaced ranged weapon/field artillery. +5 Mobile Ballistae added to Army, Bolt-Throwers added to existing Naval Vessels
Intrigue: Lord Ravenburg is a stoic fellow with dark feathers and fur. He speaks only when spoken to and somehow manages to be both unassuming and mildly intimidating. You're not sure exactly how he became spymaster, but the fact that he seemed to know everything about you before you'd even met him indicates he is well-qualified. (One Action Per Turn)
-Spy School: If you're going to unite your people, you're going to need information. And to get information you'll need spies. Good ones. Have Ravenburg set up a recruitment and training program for infiltrators to operate beyond your borders. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Spies trained, can be sent on missions to other nations.
Ravenburg gets to work, gathering together thieves, courtesans, and other Griffons of dubious repute from across the Kingdom. Secretive meetings are held in the backrooms of taverns and isolated woodland shacks, bags of gold are exchanged in return for the names of potential recruits and valuable experience in the arts of subterfuge to be shared with future students. By the end of the year, Ravenburg has begun supervising the instruction of the first batch of Griffonian spies. It will be some time before they are ready to send out on missions, but Ravenburg assures you it will be worth the wait. Will Finish Next Turn
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as King take up every moment of your day. (One Action Per Turn)
-Marriage…yay?: You hadn't even really thought about marriage before this point. But as a King, you have a responsibility to…well, get married. It's not like you'll want for potential partners. Even as a brand new and untested King, you wield more power and influence than almost any other Griffon alive. Put out the call that you are looking for potential partners and you can be assured that you will receive many an option. You'll have your advisers look through them first to cull the list a bit of course. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Marriage Options.
Deciding that you've been putting it off for long enough and that it's best if you just get it over with, you put the word out that you are looking for an eligible bachelorette to become your Queen. You are immediately swamped under an avalanche of offers from families across your kingdom and beyond. Thankfully, your advisors volunteer to assist you in sorting through them all. In the end you manage to narrow the list down to three potential candidates. All that's left is picking one.
[ ] Candidate 1: Gabriella Montefeathertro
Gabriella is the recently rediscovered third child and only daughter of Federico Montefeathertro, ruler of the prosperous city-state of Urbirdo. She has connections with merchants, nobles, and scholars scattered across the Feathersian League. The "rediscovered" bit is due to the fact that she has been missing for the past four years. Apparently she didn't like being cooped up in her father's palatial estate all the time and, disguising herself as a landless peasant, joined up with one of the numerous mercenary companies frequently hired by the city-states. She's spent almost half a decade fighting everything from bandits to trolls to, in a particularly astonishing case, an actual dragon! Experienced to the extreme, if Gabriella's tales weren't backed up by her fellow mercenaries no one would have believed her. Now she's back, and while she's certainly proven more than capable of handling herself, her father is eager to ensure she won't run off again and try something even crazier, like picking a fight with an Ursa Major.
Trait: Strong - Born stronger than most. (+2 Martial) [This is a genetic trait. It may be passed on to children]
Trait: Experienced - Has been a mercenary for several years, ranging across the lands of the former Empire. Knows much about the world. (+1 All Stats)
[ ] Candidate 2: Frida Bronzeclaw
The heir to a noble house of Griffonia, Frida Bronzeclaw comes from a family of miners, merchants, and hunters. Raised to take control of the family business from an early age, she is an intelligent Griffon with a head for business and an eye for opportunity. This would surprise some people, as she is also what some would call a "Party Gryph". She loves to drink, dance and be merry, and never turns down a chance to take part in a celebration of any kind. She often uses her family's considerable fortune to fund grand and elaborate festivals for everything from the start of the New Year to the anniversary of Discord's disappearance. While her family may privately ruffle their feathers in annoyance at such "wasteful expense", everyone else adores her and her infectious confidence and good cheer.
Trait: Gregarious-Always knows exactly what to say to get people to like her. +2 Diplomacy
Trait: Fortune Builder-Good with money and possessing a keen business sense. +4 Stewardship
[ ] Candidate 3: Genevieve Talonuelli
The third candidate is somewhat unusual in that neither she nor her family sent in an offer to marry her. And yet, your advisors have insisted that she be considered an option. For Genevieve Talonuelli is the daughter of the current Duke of Wingbardy. Marriage to her could open up additional avenues to diplomacy with the neighboring buffer state, and might just bring you a step closer to uniting all Griffon-kind under a single banner. Of course, this is easier said than done. The Duke is notoriously protective of her, having practically locked her inside his personal residence for most of her life, leading to her developing a love of academics and the arts. To refuse a daughter's marriage to a king would be unthinkable…but Duke Talonuelli might just decide to do so. And of course, there's Aquileia to worry about. If King Brochard sees you trying to wed Genevieve he will likely see it as a plot to annex the land separating your borders. If he overreacts things could get ugly fast. Still, the potential rewards might just outweigh the risks. The fact that everyone who's ever met her can only describe her as beautiful is just icing on the cake, really.
Trait: Scholar-Loves learning whatever they can (+4 Learning, -2 Martial)
Trait: Attractive-Quite beautiful (+2 Diplomacy) [This is a genetic trait. It may be passed on to children]
Oddly enough the mystery Griffon you'd met at your inaugural ball didn't seem to be among the numerous applicants. You'd gone back and checked each letter to see if they had mentioned meeting you before, but nothing. Is she already married? Or is she simply not interested in the idea of marrying you?
Garrick couldn't stop himself from sighing for an umpteenth time as he waited for the caravan guards he had contracted to actually arrive.
His day had begun like normal: waking up in a in, finalizing the packaging of his caravan.
Then, the wait for the hired muscle.
Problem: The hired muscle were late. By two hours.
'Finally', Garrick scowled as a motley crew of mercenaries he had contracted approached his caravan. 'Maybe we can finally get... going...'
Twitch
Twitch twitch
"Hallo, booooss. When's we leaving?"
-----
At the root of at mountain, within a nearby mercenary camp, a griffon hen sharpening their claw squawked in alarm as a godly echo shattered the calm.
"WHY ARE YOU DRUNK?! - ARE YOU DRUNK?!- YOU DRUNK?! - DRUNK?!"
She blinked, shrugged and got back to the task at hand.
You newer knew when you needed to be ready for a scuffle, after all.
-----
Approximately half an hour later, Garrick was having a heart-to-heart with a local.
"Which is the nearest group of reliablecaravan guards available on a short notice, to replace your previous recommendations?" The irate merchant hissed through their peak at the innkeeper, who scowled back with only a slight quiver in their form.
If they were some other species, the owner of the establishment would be shaking in their boots - but both were griffons. He would do his best to hide his terror when looking at he bloodshot, crazed eyes of Garrick "I will make a necklace out of your plucked feathers" Golden-feather.
"Look, I already returned the full amount you gave me for the contract -"
"THAT..!"
Garrick began, but then seemed to reconsider.
Taking a deep breath, he calmly continued.
"That doesn't help me get my goods through Nonsense Country."
The mention caused both griffons to shudder.
While Discord had indeed brought things into total pandemonium, there were still areas that were either less or more dangerous to be in. If everything was equally dangerous after all, it would be all the same, the horror.
What this meant specifically was that certain areas were more dangerous to go through than others.
Of course, it wasn't chaotic enough to have different zones: they had to move all over the world on their own whims while they were at it.
A clear path with only a slight risk of migratory drop-bears could next morning be replaced by zones filled with homicidal, self-propelling lawn ornaments with soap bows. Or an area where the laws physics were only minimally affected could instead have such beautiful characteristics as inverted gravity, causing all of your belongings to rocket to the stratosphere while you desperately tried to untangle yourself from all that you owed.
Nonsense Country was one of such zones: a mobile sector which had one simple rule: never say anything that makes sense.
Whatever you did, you had to talk nonsense no matter the cost. Better yet would be to say nothing - a silent trip was the best outcome for any caravan, but Nonsense Country demanded it.
All were forced to ignore common sense there, in some cases even required to play stupid word games with discordian creatures.
The more sense you made, worse the retaliation.
This meant that all participants inside the zone had to be as professional as possible, able to react, prepare, defend and move forward with enough discipline to handle any of the normal challenges... without the ability to communicate.
Something a bunch of drunken or hangover guards could never achieve.
Unfortunately, Nonsense Country had just a few days ago relocated to block the only safe-ish path to his destination.
"I have an agreement to deliver these goods to Featherstone. I needed the guards hours ago - if I fail to deliver the goods on time, my reputation will suffer!
And believe me - if my reputation suffers, I will make certain every merchant I've ever worked with will know who to thank for it."
The innkeeper mulled at this, their mind going through a list of available mercenary companies and reliable freelancers.
The list was short.
"I know of one mercenary company that is currently available. Don't know much about them, came here from one of the merchant republics that-a-way," vague hand-waving ensued ,"about a week ago, give or take a day."
"Are they reliable?" Garrick slowly tok'd his table with his claw-tips.
"Honestly, they seem rough and tumble to me, like the kind that goes looking for good scraps instead of looking to minimize the risk of getting into them." The griffon sneered. "I wouldn't recommend them."
'The greatest endorsement ever given.'
Garrick gave a suffering smile to hide his thoughts.
"It seems I'm out of options."
-----
"You want to leave immediately?" Gabriella - or Greda as she was known by her current company - was baffled as the merchant she and her small detachment were currently working under immediately ushered them to make ready. "We need time to gather supplies -"
A sack of travel rations was thrown out of the trade cart.
"... other than food or drink. We need acquisition arrows from the rest of -"
Second sack.
"... bandages and other healing supplies?"
Third sack.
Greda stared at the merchant, who stared back and preempted her next question.
"Yes, the cost of these items was included in the contract, as was agreed with your captain."
The hen threw her claws to the heavens, huffed and turned around.
Garrick chuckled. That mercenary had been a funny diversion.
-----
The travel itself almost ended up being extremely anticlimactic, with almost nothing happening during the trap.
However, it all went to shit when one mercenary accidentally clonked another with their unslung helmet.
*Clang*
"OW ,be more careful!
Garrick and Greda were both within hearing range.
Both cursed loudly.
Multiple things happened at once:
The ground began to rumble.
Garrick gave a loud squawk as Greda practically rammed herself to his side, throwing both away from the rest of the caravan.
The mercenary that had accidentally hit his friend, turned and said, "sorry about tha-"
The ground burst upward, throwing griffons and merchandise all around as a demented mix of skunk, elephant and dictionary book hopped out and dropped right on top of the two mercenaries that had brought its ire, turning them into paper mannikins and stuffing them into its thesaurus mouth to the fanfare of loud paper shuffling noises.
'Oh, lucky: the mellowed out response. It should return to the ground after it has had it's fill.'
Garrick's thoughts were sidelined as the mercenary griffoness stood up, pulled her sword out and charged.
If this was a normal situation, maybe there would be a great story to describe the resulting battle as the griffoness threw herself at the monster - but this was a discordian creature with skunkin it.
As the caravan limped out of Nonsense Country, Greda turned toward the rest of the caravan who were currently standing very far away.
Also, upwind.
"You will tell no one of this."
Garrick had to cough to hide his smile.
-----
Present day:
To meet the hen that could end up becoming your lifelong partner was in a way very stressful.
Garrick wasn't certain if it was less or more so than most of his trips through Discordian wastes.
'At least the zones popped out for good when Discord disappeared.'
When the door opened, Garrick braced himself and...
You'd mulled over the decision for a few days. This wasn't a choice to be made lightly. It wasn't just a wife you were looking for, you were seeking a Queen, someone you could trust to rule over your Kingdom and its people, someone that could lead and inspire. Honestly, none of the candidates available were "Ideal". But then, you were hardly the ideal candidate for king before your coronation. In the end you'd decided to accept the offer from Federico Montefeathertro, the Count of Urbirdo, for his daughter's claw in marriage. It was the practical decision. The former-mercenary is highly skilled, particularly in the realm of combat, an area you don't have much experience in, and possesses connections with Griffons across the Feathersian League.
Still, even as you sit nervously in your throne, awaiting the arrival of your (hopefully) soon-to-be bride, you can't help but wonder if you've made the right choice. Finally, the doors to the great hall open and the Sergeant-at-arms announces the arrival of Federico and Gabriella Montefeathertro of Urbirdo. You stand to greet your future Father-in-Law.
He's more…flamboyant than you'd expected. And yet, despite his somewhat atypical manner of dress he still manages to be intimidating. Perhaps it's his missing eye and facial scar. Perhaps it's the utterly massive longsword strapped to his side. Either way, you're sure that if you weren't a King you'd soon be on the receiving end of a truly epic "overprotective father" speech. Honestly, you think he'd be wasting his breath. Even if you hadn't heard the stories about the young hen behind him you'd be able to tell just by looking at her that this was not some demure, frail lady of the court.
Like her father she is also wearing armor, though hers is far more conventional in its appearance. You can tell it's not just for show either, multiple faded scratches and the telltale signs of mended dents are visible across it, even though it's clearly been polished in preparation for this moment. As for the Griffon that wears the armor…well, there's no way to sugarcoat it, she looks like she could bench press a cave troll. Her physique can only be described as "sculpted", her muscles visibly flexing and shifting with every fluid movement. Still, even under all that muscle, her form is unmistakably feminine. You're not sure if you'd call her beautiful in the traditional sense, but she is undeniably attractive. And judging by the appraising looks she gives you and your carefully maintained appearance as you speak to her father, she thinks similarly of you.
At last, pleasantries and protocols finally dispensed with, you stand before your betrothed. She is the first to speak.
"So…you sure you want to marry me? Cause I gotta warn you, I'm no prim and proper noble lady."
You nod.
"I am well aware of your past, as well as your warrior's spirit. Rest assured, I do not desire some empty-headed trophy wife to parade round in front of the nobility. My people deserve a Queen worthy of the title, one that can command soldiers in battle as readily as she commands attention at court. I want a wife with spine, smarts and spirit, not just beauty."
You soften your tone.
"Though I must say you possess the latter in spades."
She actually blushes, grinning cockily.
"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself…Your Highness."
You smile.
"Please, call me Garrick."
Gain: Gabriella Montefeathertro, Daughter of Feathersian Prince Federico Montefeathertro, and an Experienced Former Mercenary. And now, your wife.
Questor Well I had hoped to get this out there before the obligatory first meeting chapter but I just wasn't fast enough. Still, I am not letting all this go to waste so here it is.
When Heron met Swift-y (Yes I did choose to go with a terrible bird pun)
Gabriella looked her husband to be over as if inspecting the form of a recruit as they fought in the training pit, to be honest she was a little disappointed. True there was nothing wrong with him, he carried himself well, his walk confident and his stride even, he carried a blade at his side of fine craftsmanship and while it was a bit ostentatious Gabriella could see that he had not sacrificed the weapons utility for the sake of aesthetics. That alone elevated him far above most nobility, and the fact that he wasn't wearing some ridiculous get up put him firmly in the top 1% of nobility, but he wasn't a warrior, he looked like he could fight if need be but there wasn't that tension to him that said he was ready to spring into action at a moments notice, he wasn't unconsciously sizing up everyone around him, seeing how to best take everyone in the room if need be. Finally, and she felt a bit silly for this even being a concern, he wasn't…. well he wasn't ripped, sure he was fitter than most, but he wasn't the Adonis she'd always fantasized about running off with. There was something familiar about him though, like she'd met him before but that was ridiculous, she'd never met any member of the royal family or their branch houses, but something wouldn't stop tickling at her brain.
And now she just felt silly, 'Oh no, poor Gabriella. Your betrothed is only conventionally attractive and isn't some heavily muscled dreamboat with legs like tree trunks. How will you ever survive?' She thought to herself sarcastically. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she very nearly missed his formal introduction, and hurriedly gave her own hoping that she hadn't made too much of an ass out of herself. There was a brief pause, oh ancestors what had she done wrong, had protocol changed while she'd been with the company? She'd never hear the end of this from her father, and other noble ladies would be ready with snippy little comments designed to be just tasteful enough that she wouldn't be able to punch them right in their smug little beaks. "So, would you like a tour of the castle? I wouldn't mind learning how to make it more defensible." She blinked rapidly for a moment, was he mocking her? She searched his tone for any sort of sarcasm, some hint that he was secretly making fun of her, like when the other noble daughters would invite her to watch a tournament and talk about how "manly" the participants were while knowing full well she intended to fight.
She was surprised when she couldn't find a single trace of anything but genuine interest in his voice, her eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure if he was being sincere, he might have been better at hiding his disdain than the others, but if he wasn't well, it would be nice to show off, just a little. Cracking her neck she took a good look around the room, pretending to only now have started really taking it in when in reality she'd been sizing the place up since she flew in, and with a smirk she began. "Well the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that I am seeing little in the way of spots where boiling oil or other similarly punishing substances can be poured from at strategic chock points, now I see that you've done that with the double gate at the front, they breach the first one and while they work to get through the second you scald them, but you'll want them spread throughout the castle. Second your guards here, I know mobility is important, but when you're in an enclosed space like this protection is more important so those wings need to go armored, a heavy blow from something like a hammer will still break the wing but it'll provide much needed protection from knives and if their lucky crossbow bolts, speaking of which." And so she continued for well over two hours, at times nearly forgetting that anyone else was there as she described in sometimes graphic detail, just how this castle was weak and how she would take it, going through numerous possibilities, collapsing part of the wall by tunneling underneath, starving them with a prolonged siege, diverting the river to make the population rely on wells that could be poisoned by infiltrators, catapulting the rotting dead in to spread plague. Anything and everything she could think of was mentioned.
Garrick stared at the griffon as he approached with his guards, unlike him she had come without an escort, a move that said as much about her confidence in her ability to defend herself, as it did about her desire to get away from the family who he suspected were pushing her into the marriage. She'd flown here a whole week early with a small group, including one very put upon lady in waiting who seemed to be there for the sole purpose of confirming Gabriella's identity and who seemed to want nothing to do with this whole mess or his bride to be from the look of things, and after that the rest or her coterie had gone into the first alehouse they could find. There was an air of confidence about her, like the Griffon he'd met at the party, but it seemed to originate from a different place, the one from the party had been confident in a way that spoke of total control over a situation, of knowing how everything worked and how to control it. Gabriella on the other talon projected an air that spoke of long hours fighting and spilling blood, of a complete assurance that if she wanted to she would be able to kill everyone in the room. Garrick wasn't quite sure what it said about him that the same part of him that had found the party goer's confidence so fascinating felt the same way about Gabriella's and, not wanting to think about it any more than he already had, forced that part of him to the back of his mind. There was something else about her though, something in the curve of her beak and the way her feathers were groomed, it was so damn familiar, but he just could not place it.
When the guard on his left began to speak, announcing who he was he forced himself to hold back a groan. He thought he'd made it clear that he didn't want them to do the stupidly long formal introduction, a short one worked just as well and didn't waste everyone's time, or maybe they could just count on people to realize he was the king, he wore a crown, and his face was on the coinage for crying out loud. He was surprised when she seemed to take it in stride, stoically listening to his guard and when his guard had finished she proceeded to give her own introduction, not nearly as long as his own but still including many impressive titles of her own. He was stunned for a minute by this, he hadn't actually expected proper formalities from this hen, and now he felt like an ass for assuming he would be marrying some sort of barbarian. He desperately wracked his brain for something to say that would go over well and after a moment he found it, "so would you like a tour of the castle? I wouldn't mind learning how to make it more defensible." Perfect, he would be able to engage her in a subject she knew well while using his own knowledge of- wait why was she cracking her neck like that, and just like that she took on an almost Archimedes like aspect as she started talking about how she would go about systematically killing everyone in the castle.
After about five minutes staring at Gabriella in shock Garrick managed to compose himself enough to send one of his guards out to get a quill and parchment, some of her suggestions weren't possible at this time due to resources being utilized for other projects but others like the altered armor for guards serving inside the castle could be implemented quickly and he wanted to take note of as many as possible. About two hours later as he walked behind her scribing everything she said he wondered how he had become the one getting a tour, part of him wanted to take back control of the tour, it was his castle after all, a larger part of him however was to enraptured with her legs as she walked detailed explanation of how to improve his castle. Walking outside the castle she made note of everything from the size of the individual stone blocks to the type of mortar used to seal them together before suddenly falling silent. Garrick strode forward to get a look at what had made Gabriella fall silent and say that she was looking at the range where further testing was being done of the bolt throwers, looking at her face he saw that her eyes were wide. "Garrick, what are those?"
Gabriella was having the most fun she'd had since she'd fought that Diamond Dog tribal chief in single combat a year ago, having spent so much time of the road and in encampments she'd forgotten how much fun assessing a fortress' defenses could be. Her mother had always had the guards take her back to whatever lesson she'd skipped or family event she'd ducked out of when she'd tried doing this at home. She had just finished analyzing the basic soil structure and was about to start listing off tips for maintaining the foundation of the wall during the rainy seasons to come when she say them, the most beautiful weapons she was sure hade ever existed. They resembled massive crossbows in shape but she could tell they were so much more, they sent bolts as thick as a support beams singing through the air before punching clean through a tree in a crescendo of wonderful destruction. These were siege weapons, artillery through and through, though a different sort than a catapult of trebuchet, those were war hammers, inaccurate but truly devastating when they hit, this miracle of engineering was a dagger, a knife to be driven right into the enemy's heart.
"Garrick, what are those?" He stood next to her, when had he moved there? No not important, focus on what he was saying. "These are our new Bolt Throwers, fresh from the workshops of our greatest minds. Over the next few months these will spread all over the kingdom, placed on fortresses, mobile artillery platforms to use against dangerous and difficult to put down foes like dragons, mounted to ships, providing us with accuracy far greater than any catapult, I've even heard talk of using them against gr-" She cut him off, her excitement carrying her away as she realized what he was about to say, "ground forces, they wouldn't be good against targeting anything specific, but they'd be perfect for breaking apart charging forces, making forces vulnerable for counter attacks, true it wouldn't be useful against griffon forces but if we came up against forces like the Earth Ponies, if Discord didn't turn them all to granite or something for a laugh, they could make all the difference."
She looked at him with new eyes, he wasn't an Adonis yes, but he was preparing for potential future foes, from the way he talked about the places the Bolt Throwers and the few comments he'd made during the castle inspection he was good with logistics, with just a little molding from her he had the makings of a good general. Plus he'd actually paid attention to what she had said, he'd actually been interested, had any other noble ever shown this sort of interest? No, no they had not. Well, if she was honest she hadn't expected this but it seemed that this was how it was going down. Turning to Garrick's guard she spoke in her best commanding officer voice to get him to obey. "Tell me where the nearest magistrate's office is." "On the corner of Feather Quill and Shatterstone ma'am!" Good, she'd spotted those streets on the way here, maybe five minutes away if she got him moving at a good marching pace, grabbing Garrick she said. "Come on then let's go get married now." "Wait what!"
The Warrior Queen: King Garrick Golden-Feather has surprised the entirety of Griffon-kind with his marriage to Gabriella Montefeathertro, the runaway Feathersian noble turned mercenary. With a self-described "unladylike" demeanor and a muscled figure that puts some of the King's bodyguards to shame, she is far from a conventional choice for a queen. But while some in the nobility may raise their eyebrows at the King's choice of partner, the common people of Griffonia adore the storybook past of their new Queen, and appreciate a ruler that has lived among the common-folk and faced their everyday problems. And while some are concerned by her "foreign" origins, few actually care for reasons other than jealousy. After all, she's Feathersian, not Aquileian.
Wingbardy Rescued, but at What Cost?: Wingbardy, under siege by feral Diamond Dogs, ravenous Trolls, rampaging Timberwolves and rabid Manticores for over a year, was finally relieved by the forces of neighboring Griffonia. The Duke of Wingbardy, desperate for assistance, signed a treaty of mutual defense against the "uncivilized and hostile creatures of the wilderness" with King Golden-Feather. However, while the initial threat has been dealt with, a new and even greater danger now threatens to devastate the duchy: war between the neighboring kingdoms. King Brochard of Aquileia is reported to be furious with the presence of potentially hostile soldiers so close to his borders, and has made his displeasure with both the Duke and his rival King clear via a series of strongly-worded and angrily-penned missives. While the withdrawal of Griffonia's army has calmed him somewhat, tensions are now higher than ever as the rival kingdoms square off over the fertile lands of Wingbardy.
Feathersians Divided: With conflict between Griffonia and Aquileia seeming to grow more inevitable by the day, the city-states of the Feathersian League are unsure of how to respond. Some call for the use of economic sanctions in hopes of preventing a conflict from erupting, others continue to cling to the doctrine of absolute neutrality, and a small but growing number quietly propose the idea of outright allying themselves with the side most likely to win. As in most things, the Council cannot reach an agreement on anything other than their mutual desire to survive such an event.
The sun shined down upon your palace, fluffy white clouds passing by peacefully on the wind. The warmth of the summer sun mixed with the cold drafts of the mountains sweep through the valley below and up towards your home. The window to a bedroom that had been cracked open slightly due to the heat within the building was pulled further open by the breeze, allowing the light to shine unfiltered upon the luxurious bed within.
Down in the kitchens, a chicken managed to escape from its cage. The cooks pursued the white feathered animal as it made a run for it. It managed, somehow, to get atop the walls, soldiers watching in amusement as an overweight cook struggled to keep up with it. It was, after all, just a chicken. But then the bird grew desperate, and began jumping along window sills.
Then it leapt onto the balcony of one very specific room, a room that had had its window slowly pried open by the wind over the course of the past hour.
The chicken clucked loudly, and was promptly beheaded by an expertly tossed throwing knife. You blearily raise your head from your pillow and gaze upon the other occupant of your bed, her talon still outstretched in a tossing pose, her eyes not even open. Gabriella sighs, anticipating your obvious question.
"Cockatrices. Safest way to kill them. Bit of a reflex I'm afraid."
There is a pause as she finally opens her eyes, blinking groggily before focusing her gaze upon you.
"Does this happen a lot? Cause if so, you really need to get better guards."
You roll out of bed, grumbling.
"It better not."
Alas, you are now both awake. As you go about your respective morning rituals, you find your eyes straying towards the deadly young hen you've found yourself married to. The past few weeks have been a blur of activity. Her arrival, the introductions (which went quite well now that you think of them), the wedding itself (a small, private affair. Neither of you were big on flashy ceremonies. She'd actually worn her armor instead of a dress!), her coronation as Queen…you've been busy.
Unfortunately, it comes with the territory of being King. Always more to do, always more problems that need solving. At least now you have someone by your side to help you through it.
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather is one of the most scarred Griffons you've ever seen. A former Troll hunter, he lost a wing, an eye, and a hind-leg to a particularly vicious Manticore. Despite his injuries, he's one of the most spirited people you've ever met, and can drink and brawl with the best of them. (Two Actions Per Turn)
Investigate the Smoky Mountains: You do not like large plumes of smoke in areas not under your control. Generally you just don't like large plumes of smoke. It usually means that a large number of Diamond Dogs have gathered together, or a Dragon has decided to take up residence. You don't like either possibility. So, as such, put together a few scouting parties to investigate, yes? Cost: 50. Time: 1 Year. Reward: ???
The Lion's Den: The Knights Lion are the last of the knightly orders, the militant brotherhoods that served the Emperor in the age before Discord. As the only known living descendant of the Imperial Family, the few remaining knights have sworn their service to you. But if they are to truly recapture the glory of their ancestors, they will need a base of operations. A citadel. You intend to give them one. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Citadel of the Knights Lion constructed. Knights Lion upgraded from bodyguards to battlefield unit.
Mountain Militia: As a result of living in such a dangerous region, many Griffons possess their own personal weapons to defend themselves, and will rally together to defend their homes should the creatures of the forests threaten them. Wouldn't it be nice if they did the same when the kingdom was faced with invasion by less beastly foes? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Village and town militias incorporated into military.
More Boats? More Boats: You now have a navy to defend your coasts and to serve as a counter to Aquileia's maritime ambitions, but as of now you're simply maintaining parity. If you want to truly ensure your control of the seas, you'll need to construct more ships. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: 10 Cogs added to Navy
Big Sticks: The mobile Ballistae show promise as new weapons, good for fighting larger monsters and breaking up masses of smaller enemies. They also have a significant range advantage over traditional bows. Build a few more. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: +5 mobile Ballistae added to army.
Diplomacy: Elva Von Cleef is a stern eyed and stiff necked old bird. But she's been negotiating deals between city-states since before you were born. Negotiating deals between kingdoms was the logical next step for her. (One Action Per Turn)
Extending an Olive Branch: Brochard doesn't like you, and you don't like him, but the last thing you want right now is a war between your kingdoms. You have enough problems to deal with as it is, and after decades of a unified front against Discord you can't say you're comfortable with the idea of Griffons fighting and killing each other. Propose a meeting with your fellow king to try and clear the air and smooth out any issues between the two of you. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance for Relations with Aquileia, meeting with Brochard. Chance of Success: 20%
Calling on Old Friends: Gabriella has numerous contacts throughout the Feathersian League, from nobles and scholars to mercenaries and merchants. You should try to leverage these connections for better relations and additional trade deals with the League. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Better Feathersian relations and additional trade income. Chance of Success: 50%
Throw a Dog a Bone: While none of the Diamond Dogs in your territory could be considered "civilized", not all of them are completely feral. Some have been known to use tools, wear clothes, and even speak your language to a certain extent. It might be worth trying to open a dialogue with some of the less aggressive packs, if for no other reason than to tell them that you know where they live and that you'll kill them if they don't stop raiding your territory. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic contact made with several Diamond Dog Packs. Chance of Success: 40%
Stewardship: Claus Rosewing is, much like you, a former merchant. You'd actually done business with him a few times, and he always struck you as a fair and reasonable gryph. Good thing too, because now he'll be handling much of your finances. (One Action Per Turn)
Tariff Time: Now that you've started trade with the Feathersians, you can institute a tax on any goods crossing your borders. This may give you some extra revenue, but your people might not like it, and the Feathersians definitely won't. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Tariff Revenue, Risk of Decreased Noble/Feathersian Opinion.
Diggy Diggy Hole: Now that you know where all the major mineral deposits in your kingdom are, it's time to start exploiting them. Subsidize the construction of several mines for the extraction of iron, coal, copper, and other metals suitable for industrial and military applications. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Mining Income, access to large supplies of raw materials.
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok: Where it not for the fact that they were infested with monsters, the forests of your kingdom would provide a nearly inexhaustible supply of lumber. That's not to say that your people don't cut down trees, it's just that they've never really done it on a large scale for fear of angering the things living in the woods. If your kingdom is going to grow and prosper, you'll need that timber. Gather some soldiers and have them assist with the construction of sawmills and woodcutting camps. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Logging income. Chance of Success: 70%
Learning: Archimedes is an almost comically small and scrawny Griffon, often mistaken for a teenager despite being middle-aged. What he lacks in physical stature, he more than makes up for with brainpower. He has authored numerous works on history, biology, and physics, making him an ideal choice for an advisor. (Two Actions Per Turn)
Fungus Farming: In a mountainous, forested land such as yours, arable land is in short supply. That, plus the threat of bandit raids and monster attacks makes the production of a reliable food supply a significant issue. Archimedes claims to have a solution: Mushrooms. They can grow places other foodstuffs can't, don't require sunlight, and are highly nutritious. You're skeptical, but are willing to give him some time and funds to explore the viability of his idea. Time: One Year. Cost: 100. Reward: Viability of Mushrooms as Food Crop investigated.
Aquaculture: One of Archimedes' assistants has proposed a strange new idea. Why don't we just farm fish the same way we farm other foodstuffs? After being accused of Discordian sympathies he hastily clarifies that he did not mean to invoke the memory of the horrific squid-plant hybrids created by the mad trickster god, but something much more mundane: "corralling" fish in artificial lakes and ponds, feeding and harvesting them in a similar manner to other livestock. Well…you've heard of crazier ideas. Time: Two Years. Cost: 400. Reward: Fish Farms
Selective Breeding: By carefully controlling the reproductive processes of crops and food animals, desirable traits such as pest resistance, stronger immune systems, and greater size can become widespread across farm populations. At least, that's what Archimedes tells you. The difficulty lies in getting farmers to go along with the plan. Time: Two Years. Cost: 100. Reward: Increased Farming Income due to greater yields. Chance of Success: 80%
Ocean Navigation Tools: As a traveling merchant who operated in Discord's era, you are familiar with the importance and difficulties of traveling over a constantly shifting and often dangerous landscape. You can therefore emphasize with those sailors that dare to venture beyond the sight of the coasts. Archimedes has a few ideas to improve ocean navigation, hopefully making the operation of your navy go much smoother. Time: One Year. Cost: 100. Reward: Better naval navigation, +5 on certain naval and exploration rolls
Intrigue: Lord Ravenburg is a stoic fellow with dark feathers and fur. He speaks only when spoken to and somehow manages to be both unassuming and mildly intimidating. You're not sure exactly how he became spymaster, but the fact that he seemed to know everything about you before you'd even met him indicates he is well-qualified. (One Action Per Turn) Choice Locked
-Spy School: If you're going to unite your people, you're going to need information. And to get information you'll need spies. Good ones. Have Ravenburg set up a recruitment and training program for infiltrators to operate beyond your borders. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Spies trained, can be sent on missions to other nations. Will Finish This Turn
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as King take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions Per Turn)
Painting the Forest Red: You need to make a statement. Despite how well things have been going under your rule there are still some who question your ability to lead. You may have once been a simple merchant, you may not have been raised to take the throne, but you are of the House of Gryphus! You are King! And now, with a blade worthy of your station, you shall silence your critics and prove it! Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Dead Diamond Dogs/Trolls/Timberwolves/Manticores, Boost to Public Opinion (Combat Interlude)
I Work Out: Your wife is…ok, there's no beating around the bush here, your wife could probably break you in half with her bare talons. And while that's not a bad thing at all, you have to admit that you feel a little…inadequate when standing next to her. She's intelligent and attractive, and most importantly, your Queen! You think she deserves a husband that can at least stand a chance against her in an arm wrestling match. There's only one solution to this: start exercising regularly. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to gain Strong Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 70%
Ingratiating the In-Laws: Your wife's father is Federico Montefeathertro, Duke of the city-state of Urbirdo. A veteran warrior, patron of the arts, and a major player in Feathersian politics, he's an extremely powerful and influential Gryph. It might be a good idea to meet with him in a more official capacity and discuss matters of state. It'd be nice to have a friend on the Feathersian council, and it's always a good idea to be on good terms with your Father-in-Law. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: ???
@Questor here's an omake for the 'I Work Out' personal action. Please put any bonus from this towards that action.
Training Day
Garrick stretched rigorously, he didn't know exactly what he and Gabriella would be doing out here beyond the fact that it would be rigorous exercise. It hadn't been easy to swallow his pride and ask for her help with this but there really wasn't any better option for a trainer than his wife, she'd been with a mercenary company for years, not only fighting but also getting new recruits into shape. Plus it would be nice to spend some time with his wife in a more casual setting, the past few months with her had been a whirlwind of military reorganization, the training of dedicated naval officers and the numerous logistical concerns behind getting the Lion's their own citadel and organizing recruits alone had generated a figurative mountain of paperwork and as you- "Stop your daydreaming maggot and drop and give me twenty." Garrick very nearly jumped out of his feathers as his wife started shouting right in his ear, turning to her with wide eyes he said. "Gabriella wha- urk." He was cut of again when Gabriella grabbed his beak and forced it shut, leering at him with a look that sent a tingle racing up his spine. "I said, drop and give me thirty."
"But you just said twenty." "Forty." "What is-" "Fifty." "Yes ma'am." Dropping to the ground he started doing push ups and started to think. From what he could tell his wife had fallen into training sergeant mode as soon as they'd gotten here, he supposed this was what he asked for, and if he was being honest he'd never seen Gabriella so at ease, in the court or even in closed chambers talking with generals she always seemed slightly uncomfortable, like there was an itch just faint enough that she couldn't justify scratching it. Out her with him though, she seemed entirely at ease, and that tiny shift just made her, well, glow for lack of a better term, very nearly forgot to go back down when he got caught up looking at her once. This really wasn't so bad, in fact he could see himself really growing to like these- oh dear sweet ancestors his back, craning his neck back he looked to see Gabriella sitting down on his back. "Don't worry sweetie I just saw that these were a little to easy for you so I decided to add a little extra weight." Nope never mind this was hell.
Finally, when he'd finished all fifty of his push-ups he stood right back up feeling his spire crack ominously as he did so. Turning to his wife with betrayal in his eyes, she met him with a beatific smile and said in a peppy voice, "okay now that the warm up is done let's get the real training started. There's two training swords over by that tree go get one and we'll get started sparring." Well okay that wasn't so bad, he'd done plenty of sparring with the Knight Lion and he'd managed to hold his own fairly well against them after a few months. So, he ambled over to the tree she'd indicated grabbed them and walked back, passing one over to Gabriella as he walked back, he took a proper stance and waited for the spar to begin, he grew slightly nervous however when he heard his wife tut. "What did I say, go grab a sword, not go get us a sword. Always do your best to make sure a fight isn't fair, because a fair fight is one where your opponent has fair odds of killing you, but don't worry sweetie I'll be sure to help break your bad habits." The next few hours were a whirlwind of pain, learning, and sarcastic quips, and he honestly could remember few things that made him as happy as seeing how much fun his wife was happening, sigh, well he supposed he'd have to make this a weekly thing then.
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather is one of the most scarred Griffons you've ever seen. A former Troll hunter, he lost a wing, an eye, and a hind-leg to a particularly vicious Manticore. Despite his injuries, he's one of the most spirited people you've ever met, and can drink and brawl with the best of them. (Two Actions Per Turn)
-Investigate the Smoky Mountains: You do not like large plumes of smoke in areas not under your control. Generally you just don't like large plumes of smoke. It usually means that a large number of Diamond Dogs have gathered together, or a Dragon has decided to take up residence. You don't like either possibility. So, as such, put together a few scouting parties to investigate, yes? Cost: 50. Time: 1 Year. Reward: ???
A few brave volunteers are selected to make the journey. The smoke has severely reduced visibility, so they have to make a detailed inspection on foot. They have no idea what they'll find. None expect to discover what they do.
It's a scene of carnage. The forest burns, entire trees set alight, acres of greenery turned to ash and smoking embers. There are great rents in the ground, the tell-tale signs of Draconic claws that have been scratching in the dirt. At the entrance to a massive cavern lie the corpses of four enormous mountain trolls, their skins charred black by dragonfire, their entrails scattered about them. The smell of burnt flesh and rotting corpses adds to the already naturally pungent stench of the trolls. Before them is the equally massive corpse of a fully grown dragon, it's ribcage crumpled inwards by a titanic blow, its face still twisted in a snarl of fury.
Inside the cavern, the scouts discover the reason the dragon did not simply flee, why it stayed and fought to the death to defend its home: a nest, carefully carved from the mountain's rock and surrounded by the few gems to be found nearby. Within it, shielded from the elements, sits a cluster of dragon eggs. Four are as cold as the stone they sit upon, the lives within them snuffed out before they could even breach their shells. But the fifth is still warm, still holding a spark of life within it. What now? Smoky Mountain Mystery Resolved, Gain 1 Dragon Egg.
-The Lion's Den: The Knights Lion are the last of the knightly orders, the militant brotherhoods that served the Emperor in the age before Discord. As the only known living descendant of the Imperial Family, the few remaining knights have sworn their service to you. But if they are to truly recapture the glory of their ancestors, they will need a base of operations. A citadel. You intend to give them one. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Citadel of the Knights Lion constructed. Knights Lion upgraded from bodyguards to battlefield unit.
A mountain peak with a commanding view of your territory is selected. Blocks of granite, marble, and limestone are carved from quarries and transported to the building site. The finest architects, masons, and builders are assembled with a single goal: build the greatest and most magnificent fortress since the Empire. A task they set to with gusto. The Knights themselves are not idle either, seeking out young Griffons worthy of becoming their apprentices, so that there will be enough knights to justify the creation of such a grand structure. The construction will take time, but you are one step closer to recapturing the glory of your ancestors. Will Finish Next Turn.
Diplomacy: Elva Von Cleef is a stern eyed and stiff necked old bird. But she's been negotiating deals between city-states since before you were born. Negotiating deals between kingdoms was the logical next step for her. (One Action Per Turn)
-Throw a Dog a Bone: While none of the Diamond Dogs in your territory could be considered "civilized", not all of them are completely feral. Some have been known to use tools, wear clothes, and even speak your language to a certain extent. It might be worth trying to open a dialogue with some of the less aggressive packs, if for no other reason than to tell them that you know where they live and that you'll kill them if they don't stop raiding your territory. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic contact made with several Diamond Dog Packs. Chance of Success: 40%
Diamond Dog packs often hang on the edge of survival. They must contend with the beasts of the forest, and compete with rival packs of their fellow dogs for scarce resources. The whole reason they raid Griffon territory is because they usually can't produce what they require on their own. They also possess an almost instinctual need to follow an alpha, a strong dog capable of leading them and providing for them. You knew this intellectually, but you'd never really considered the greater ramifications of it. Until today.
Because today, representatives from the Diamond Dog packs you'd sent envoys to came to present you with tribute. Chests and cloth pouches filled with shining nuggets of gold and silver ore, chunks of glistening marble, multifaceted crystals, even a talonful of rare and precious gemstones.
You know what this means, even before the Dogs presenting their bounty bow down before your throne in a gesture of submission. Diamond Dogs only willingly part with their gems for two reasons: for barter, or as a tax towards their alpha in exchange for protection. They want to become your subjects.
…What.
+100 Tax Income
Stewardship: Claus Rosewing is, much like you, a former merchant. You'd actually done business with him a few times, and he always struck you as a fair and reasonable gryph. Good thing too, because now he'll be handling much of your finances. (One Action Per Turn)
-Diggy Diggy Hole: Now that you know where all the major mineral deposits in your kingdom are, it's time to start exploiting them. Subsidize the construction of several mines for the extraction of iron, coal, copper, and other metals suitable for industrial and military applications. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Mining Income, access to large supplies of raw materials.
As a general rule, Griffons aren't very comfortable underground. The lack of sunlight, the stale air, the tight spaces…still, needs must. You need ore to make metal, and you need metal to make weapons, tools, and other products essential to the continued prosperity of the kingdom. Thus, shafts are dug, support pillars are installed, smelters are assembled, several of your non-sapient avian cousins are employed as makeshift gas warning systems, and the exploitation of your land's bountiful mineral wealth begins in earnest. Gain: +250 Mining Income
Learning: Archimedes is an almost comically small and scrawny Griffon, often mistaken for a teenager despite being middle-aged. What he lacks in physical stature, he more than makes up for with brainpower. He has authored numerous works on history, biology, and physics, making him an ideal choice for an advisor. (Two Actions Per Turn)
-Fungus Farming: In a mountainous, forested land such as yours, arable land is in short supply. That, plus the threat of bandit raids and monster attacks makes the production of a reliable food supply a significant issue. Archimedes claims to have a solution: Mushrooms. They can grow places other foodstuffs can't, don't require sunlight, and are highly nutritious. You're skeptical, but are willing to give him some time and funds to explore the viability of his idea. Time: One Year. Cost: 100. Reward: Viability of Mushrooms as Food Crop investigated.
Well, you were skeptical, but Archimedes delivered on his promises. His prototype fungus farm has done well, producing numerous species of edible mushrooms year-round. After much trial and error, the brainiest of your advisors has figured out how to reliably and efficiently plant, grow and harvest mushrooms like any other food crop. All that's left now is to construct more, larger farms for this new kind of produce. Mushroom Farms now available for construction.
-Ocean Navigation Tools: As a traveling merchant who operated in Discord's era, you are familiar with the importance and difficulties of traveling over a constantly shifting and often dangerous landscape. You can therefore emphasize with those sailors that dare to venture beyond the sight of the coasts. Archimedes has a few ideas to improve ocean navigation, hopefully making the operation of your navy go much smoother. Time: One Year. Cost: 100. Reward: Better naval navigation, +5 on certain naval and exploration rolls.
The Sextant. The Barometer. The astrolabe. Improved Telescopes. Standardized sea charts. All these and more are tools your thinkers have crafted for use by your navy to assist with navigating the frequently dangerous and often unpredictable seas. These new innovations are rapidly disseminated to sailors throughout your lands. This should give you an advantage over your rival seafarers in Aquillea. Gain Naval Navigation Tools, +5 on certain naval and exploration rolls.
Intrigue: Lord Ravenburg is a stoic fellow with dark feathers and fur. He speaks only when spoken to and somehow manages to be both unassuming and mildly intimidating. You're not sure exactly how he became spymaster, but the fact that he seemed to know everything about you before you'd even met him indicates he is well-qualified. (One Action Per Turn)
-Spy School: If you're going to unite your people, you're going to need information. And to get information you'll need spies. Good ones. Have Ravenburg set up a recruitment and training program for infiltrators to operate beyond your borders. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Spies trained, can be sent on missions to other nations.
Lord Ravenburg announces that his "infiltrator academy" is now up and running, and has produced its first "graduating class" of spies and saboteurs. He confidently states that you're as ready as you'll ever be to start sending spies out to Wingbardy, Aquillea, and the Feathersian League. Additional Intrigue Options now Available
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as King take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions Per Turn)
-I Work Out: Your wife is…ok, there's no beating around the bush here, your wife could probably break you in half with her bare talons. And while that's not a bad thing at all, you have to admit that you feel a little…inadequate when standing next to her. She's intelligent and attractive, and most importantly, your Queen! You think she deserves a husband that can at least stand a chance against her in an arm wrestling match. There's only one solution to this: start exercising regularly. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to gain Strong Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 70%
Required: 30. Rolled: 30+10 (Training Day Omake)+10(You?! Omake)=50
Gabriella's Training is brutal. At the end of each session you're left a pile of sore, strained flesh and matted feathers. As soon as you start to improve, Gabriella increases the weight load, or moves the finish line further away, or reveals that she's been holding back in your spars together. Still, though it is painful, exhausting, and at times humiliating, benefits are reaped.
By the end of the year you…well, you're not ripped, but you're definitely stronger and more fit than you were before you started training with your wife. Your musculature is a more toned and obvious, your body is a bit sharper around the edges, and you can now actually last a few seconds in an arm-wrestling match with her, though you still lose nine times out of ten. Speaking of which, Gabriella has really enjoyed your training sessions together, appreciating a chance to really relax and let loose, without having to worry about keeping up appearances. Her endless and amazing tales of her exploits as a wandering mercenary make her grueling workouts more bearable than they otherwise would have been. You can tell she…appreciates your gains, though you both think you can go further with a more intense regimen. Assuming you survive it.
Also, in…somewhat related news, Gabriella's Pregnant. Sooo…yeah. +1 Martial Stat, +1 Gabriella Opinion, Gabriella Gains "Pregnant" Status Modifier.
-Ingratiating the In-Laws: Your wife's father is Federico Montefeathertro, Duke of the city-state of Urbirdo. A veteran warrior, patron of the arts, and a major player in Feathersian politics, he's an extremely powerful and influential Gryph. It might be a good idea to meet with him in a more official capacity and discuss matters of state. It'd be nice to have a friend on the Feathersian council, and it's always a good idea to be on good terms with your Father-in-Law. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: ?
Federico might just be the friendliest Feathersian noble out there. You'd barely gotten out of your throne to greet him before you found him embracing you like you were his own flesh and blood. Apparently Gabriella's been sending him letters filled with nothing but good words about you, and he's pleased as can be that his daughter is settling in well. He's equally relieved that her wanderlust seems to have been sated for now, as he was terrified that she would disappear again on another perilous journey that she would never return from. It's not long before you find yourselves in the castle's wine cellar, sharing a bottle as he regales you with tales of your wife in her pampered youth. You in turn share stories of your own past, and you find yourselves bonding over the issues you both face as rulers of your respective realms.
It's not until you're on your second bottle of wine that you remember exactly why you'd invited him and try to gently broach the subject of Feathersian support of Griffonia. To your surprise, he casually promises Urbirdo's full support for your Kingdom in whatever form you may require. After all, with his daughter as your Queen, her health and happiness are tied to the fate of you and your kingdom. He also expresses his disdain for your rival, King Brochard, and complains of receiving a vaguely threatening letter from him in the aftermath of your wedding, warning him of "the dangers of abandoning his neutrality". Needless to say, he was not impressed, nor was he pleased. As such, he fully intends to back you and Griffonia, both as the Duke of Urbirdo and as a voice on the Feathersian Council. Though he warns you that, while he is powerful, he is merely a single ruler of a single city-state. But while he may not be able to rally the Feathersian's against Brochard, he should be able to prevent them from trying to hinder you in any potential future conflict.
This is the best you could have reasonably hoped for, and you raise another glass to your Father-in-Law in thanks. Not long afterward, as you tipsily assist the equally buzzed Federico into his sky-carriage, he reaches into a pocket of his jacket and removes a bundle of official-looking documents stamped with his personal seal. He thrusts them into your hands and tells you to "consider this a belated wedding gift" before cheerfully bidding you a goodnight and departing back to Urbirdo. You curiously inspect the documents, and are shocked to discover that your new friend has hired your wife's former band of mercenaries on your behalf! Not only that, he's agreed to pay them a retainer "for the foreseeable future", and has left you a note stating that he intends to keep them in your employ until "this whole Aquillean business is dealt with".
You think it's safe to say that he likes you. Federico Montefeathertro and Urbirdo are allied with Griffonia, gain upkeep-free Mercenary unit: "The Valkyries".
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Omake: Daily struggles of Aquileian diplomatic messengers (Semi-Canon)
Omake: Daily struggles of Aquileian diplomatic messengers
Art of inked feathers.
Battle of words.
Constant struggle of ideals.
The stepping stone between war and peace.
All of these things can be used to describe the delicate process of diplomatic outreach between realms.
Tact. Patience. Thought. Consideration.
Things that any competent leader should use when commencing on the subject.
But when your only tool-set was that of thousand hammers...
Well, everything might not look like a nail, but just trying to use a hammer like a screwdriver ends with accidental hammering.
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'Why?!' The poor messenger screamed internally as the doge read his missive, his feathers slowly turning red as their talons pierced it in ever-tightening grip.
The growing relations between the Griffonian pretender and the city state of Feathicia has been noted with growing distaste. As one of your most trusted trading partners, Aquileia expects understanding from their fellow griffons that amiable relations between us would be preferred over our rivals.
While feathesian neutrality is an accepted truth, it should be noted that certain acts shift the balance from power in sufficient ways to give question on if their involvement is strengthening a side.
As it is, your actions have noticeably aligned trade toward our opposition when we had grown to understand that our mutual trade agreement was made before the rise of the new monarch of Griffonia.
In this regard, we shall insist on naturalization of the status quo existing before the new Griffonian-Feathician agreements, be it in the form of immediate nullification of the trade agreement in question, or the offering of concessions on the equivalent Aquileian-Feathician agreements.
In that regard, we wish to offer the protection of trade routes via our newly expanded navy which even as we send our correspondence patrols the waters most Feathician shipping currently uses for trade. Good relations between our two people's is paramount for peaceful waters and we hope you realize this fact.
We shall be waiting for your swift response keenly,
King Brochard of Aquilea.
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'Why?!' The messenger stood before a Griffoness wearing a coat with dozens of dazzling diamonds and rubies woven across it, her eyes widening in disbelief at what she was reading.
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To Griffelda Diamond-Gleam of Ether-Peak,
We in the kingdom of Aquileia have grown to know of the riches of your beautiful settlement and the mineral veins giving it's wealth.
On that manner, we would also be willing to begin trade negotiations with your great city to open trade between us both.
However, we have also come to understand that you are currently trading much of your excess gemstones to the Griffonian Pretender - a sad state of events that we wish to rectify.
Before now, our well-equipped and masterfully trained griffons have been keeping away from your borders, leaving many beasts and bandits still roaming the countryside and remote hiding sport.
With put a single command, these forces could spread across the surrounding areas of Ether-Peak and shatter any resistance standing before civilized trade between our nations.
We hope that this will be taken as a sign of our decisiveness on dealing with all problems that may exist between us, showing that as closer neighbors we would be much prefered trading partners to the far away Griffonia.
We wish to soon meet you in person in effort to show our conviction for closer ties between our people,
King Brochard of Aquileia.
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Omake end: 569 words
OOC: Now, how much of this is King Brochard not knowing how to speak without eating his own boot instead of him trying to pressure the trade cities with thinly failed threats of force, is a question left for GM - and his for-now secret stats' interpretation.
