- Pronouns
- He/Him
Just noticed. Your plan is missing the Justice section.
You're the Queen - Now What? [CK2ish Character-Focused Quest]
- Thread starter Kylia Quilor
- Start date
- Mature Fantasy
- Location
- Denmark
Thanks for noticing, that I forgot to add it to my plan.
I decided to add the action to investigate charges against former rebels, so that we will be done with dealing with cases from the civil war.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan: Let the Queen deal with the Miners
[X]Plan: Lighten Their Load
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Port Lest Land Tax
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Befost County Land Tax
-[X][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
--[X] Help the Keeper of Envoys
-[X][ROYAL VAULTS] Acquire Raw Materials To Mint New Gold and Silver Coins (Progress towards resolving Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda) (No Roll Required)
--[X] <15 Dureks>
-[X][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)*
-[X][SECRETS] Investigate Roland Arbolast Fredero, a noble who may be connected to both the ex-Countess Gramaire, and to Dorien and Vrel (Base Chance 62% + Intrigue)*
-[X][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Negotiate With the Striking Southmarch Miners
--[X]Offer them an additional concession (Base Chance 60%+Diplomacy)*
---[X][MINER DEMANDS] Decrease Quotas
----[X]Reduce Southmarch Mining Taxes income by .5 Dureks to cover the leaseholder's expenses
-[X][JUSTICE] Investigate charges as yet unproven against former rebels (Base Chance 68% + Intrigue + 1/2 Learning)*
-[X][ENVOYS] Begin Talks With All the Suitors and/or their Ambassadors About Treaty Terms (Gets a formal list of offer/demands from each suitor. Miss means you start in a very bad negotiating position, Weak success is a not ideal but not terrible position, Strong success means very good position. The better the position, the better the starting point for negotiations) (Base Chance 45% + Diplomacy)
-[X][QUEEN] Take Some time to investigate the magical gems that Rienne recovered from the Necrotic Temple (Base Chance 70% + Magic)
-[X][QUEEN] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
--[X] Sit in on the negotiations with the suitors and Ambassadors about treaty terms to have direct input on the negotiations and streamline the process. (Base Chance 50% + Diplomacy)
-[X][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
-[X][BANDITRY PLAN] Disperse to Cover Major Trade Caravans (Get Merchants to travel in caravan convoys, and disperse to guard them directly) (Medium Casualties at Most) (Base Chance: 65% + Martial)*
-[X][BANDITRY TARGET] The Trade Towns (Locked, Must continue what you started)
Been thinking on it for a while but only just getting it down in a plan now, but I agree with @BoSPaladin that getting the miners more money, less exploitation, and a social safety net are all Good Actually and would jump on it if I felt we were in a stronger position right now. Unfortunately we are an outsider compromise candidate for the throne that didn't come with much of our own bloc, judging by Vallefor there's a significant bloc that doesn't want to give them anything, and also our current spymaster who we need to help us coup proof and track down any remaining hidden loyalists of the old dynasty would hate it. So I don't think we're stable enough that I can get behind doing all of them right this minute, especially when we've got the more "progressive" nobles in our council only talked about doing one.
I don't think doing all four of the options right now would be enough to cause any problems just by itself, but it would be quite a number of straws added to the camel's back when it's not the strongest, and I expect that we'll be adding quite a few more in the future regardless for the sake of "not abusing the peasantry" and all the good that comes with.
So for the sake of trying to secure the miners additional concrete benefits instead of just sending someone more persuasive or giving them a bribe, I made a plan that just takes the 9/10ths quota with the tax reduction. Half a Durek will add up eventually, but it's still not a lot in the grand scheme of Halrun and we've been doing okay enough reducing our debts so far I don't expect it will be much of an issue.
Also I really wouldn't be that surprised if there were image issues among a bunch of the nobles we have to deal with to have the Queen herself go down and negotiate with "her" peasants, just because they were getting unruly and didn't want to accept the offer they had already been given. Noble politics, ugh.
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Port Lest Land Tax
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Befost County Land Tax
-[X][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
--[X] Help the Keeper of Envoys
-[X][ROYAL VAULTS] Acquire Raw Materials To Mint New Gold and Silver Coins (Progress towards resolving Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda) (No Roll Required)
--[X] <15 Dureks>
-[X][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)*
-[X][SECRETS] Investigate Roland Arbolast Fredero, a noble who may be connected to both the ex-Countess Gramaire, and to Dorien and Vrel (Base Chance 62% + Intrigue)*
-[X][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Negotiate With the Striking Southmarch Miners
--[X]Offer them an additional concession (Base Chance 60%+Diplomacy)*
---[X][MINER DEMANDS] Decrease Quotas
----[X]Reduce Southmarch Mining Taxes income by .5 Dureks to cover the leaseholder's expenses
-[X][JUSTICE] Investigate charges as yet unproven against former rebels (Base Chance 68% + Intrigue + 1/2 Learning)*
-[X][ENVOYS] Begin Talks With All the Suitors and/or their Ambassadors About Treaty Terms (Gets a formal list of offer/demands from each suitor. Miss means you start in a very bad negotiating position, Weak success is a not ideal but not terrible position, Strong success means very good position. The better the position, the better the starting point for negotiations) (Base Chance 45% + Diplomacy)
-[X][QUEEN] Take Some time to investigate the magical gems that Rienne recovered from the Necrotic Temple (Base Chance 70% + Magic)
-[X][QUEEN] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
--[X] Sit in on the negotiations with the suitors and Ambassadors about treaty terms to have direct input on the negotiations and streamline the process. (Base Chance 50% + Diplomacy)
-[X][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
-[X][BANDITRY PLAN] Disperse to Cover Major Trade Caravans (Get Merchants to travel in caravan convoys, and disperse to guard them directly) (Medium Casualties at Most) (Base Chance: 65% + Martial)*
-[X][BANDITRY TARGET] The Trade Towns (Locked, Must continue what you started)
Been thinking on it for a while but only just getting it down in a plan now, but I agree with @BoSPaladin that getting the miners more money, less exploitation, and a social safety net are all Good Actually and would jump on it if I felt we were in a stronger position right now. Unfortunately we are an outsider compromise candidate for the throne that didn't come with much of our own bloc, judging by Vallefor there's a significant bloc that doesn't want to give them anything, and also our current spymaster who we need to help us coup proof and track down any remaining hidden loyalists of the old dynasty would hate it. So I don't think we're stable enough that I can get behind doing all of them right this minute, especially when we've got the more "progressive" nobles in our council only talked about doing one.
I don't think doing all four of the options right now would be enough to cause any problems just by itself, but it would be quite a number of straws added to the camel's back when it's not the strongest, and I expect that we'll be adding quite a few more in the future regardless for the sake of "not abusing the peasantry" and all the good that comes with.
So for the sake of trying to secure the miners additional concrete benefits instead of just sending someone more persuasive or giving them a bribe, I made a plan that just takes the 9/10ths quota with the tax reduction. Half a Durek will add up eventually, but it's still not a lot in the grand scheme of Halrun and we've been doing okay enough reducing our debts so far I don't expect it will be much of an issue.
Also I really wouldn't be that surprised if there were image issues among a bunch of the nobles we have to deal with to have the Queen herself go down and negotiate with "her" peasants, just because they were getting unruly and didn't want to accept the offer they had already been given. Noble politics, ugh.
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BoSPaladin
The Paladin
Agreed. Mortenkam has talked about how giving into all the minors demands might make us look weak (I prefer to think it looks generous but nevermind) But the other side to that, is trying tell them to just accept the new offer, and them not accepting could also make us look weak.
I also don't want to be the ones to start violence since they've been peaceful so far, despite many of them having the experience and the skills to potentially get violent. Plus, with out military not being supportive of using violence against them. Well. Ultimately, I'd prefer to come to at least some sort of deal.
I'd like more for the miners, but well, discussion is pretty slow. So for now I'll give support to 7th Hex' plan.
[X]Plan: Lighten Their Load
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Port Lest Land Tax
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Befost County Land Tax
-[X][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
--[X] Help the Keeper of Envoys
-[X][ROYAL VAULTS] Acquire Raw Materials To Mint New Gold and Silver Coins (Progress towards resolving Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda) (No Roll Required)
--[X] <15 Dureks>
-[X][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)*
-[X][SECRETS] Investigate Roland Arbolast Fredero, a noble who may be connected to both the ex-Countess Gramaire, and to Dorien and Vrel (Base Chance 62% + Intrigue)*
-[X][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Negotiate With the Striking Southmarch Miners
--[X]Offer them an additional concession (Base Chance 60%+Diplomacy)*
---[X][MINER DEMANDS] Decrease Quotas
----[X]Reduce Southmarch Mining Taxes income by .5 Dureks to cover the leaseholder's expenses
-[X][JUSTICE] Investigate charges as yet unproven against former rebels (Base Chance 68% + Intrigue + 1/2 Learning)*
-[X][ENVOYS] Begin Talks With All the Suitors and/or their Ambassadors About Treaty Terms (Gets a formal list of offer/demands from each suitor. Miss means you start in a very bad negotiating position, Weak success is a not ideal but not terrible position, Strong success means very good position. The better the position, the better the starting point for negotiations) (Base Chance 45% + Diplomacy)
-[X][QUEEN] Take Some time to investigate the magical gems that Rienne recovered from the Necrotic Temple (Base Chance 70% + Magic)
-[X][QUEEN] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
--[X] Sit in on the negotiations with the suitors and Ambassadors about treaty terms to have direct input on the negotiations and streamline the process. (Base Chance 50% + Diplomacy)
-[X][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
-[X][BANDITRY PLAN] Disperse to Cover Major Trade Caravans (Get Merchants to travel in caravan convoys, and disperse to guard them directly) (Medium Casualties at Most) (Base Chance: 65% + Martial)*
-[X][BANDITRY TARGET] The Trade Towns (Locked, Must continue what you started)
Rockeye
Plausible Engineer
- Location
- Midwestern U.S.
I don't want to give the miners ALL concessions. Slow, steady gains are a point-- But slow, steady gains for labor are better than the conservative nobility making Problems when word of the "generous queen" gets around and they can decry her as populist.
We improve things slightly for the miners now. We have a whole country to worry about, and it makes decisions like this hard...
We improve things slightly for the miners now. We have a whole country to worry about, and it makes decisions like this hard...
BoSPaladin
The Paladin
7th Hexs plan Lighten the load gives one singular concession which is reduced quotas. Mind, technically that is added to the other concessions if we choose it.
But yeah, it's a plan which doesn't give them *all*
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Voting over, winning plan selected.
There will not be an update this weekend as would normally be scheduled. I am in the midst of several RL matters that are consuming actual time and mental bandwidth, so I won't have time to work on the quest. Hopefully by next weekend things will be improved and the update can come out sometime then. I do apologize.
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Voting Closure
Rolls for Council Meeting Turn 6
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
All things being equal, 🤞 the update should be coming on Monday. Here's the rolls for Turn 6.
[Correspondence] 50 (Base) + 6 (Stew) = 56% = MISS
[Royal Vaults] No Roll Required
[High Marshall] 50 (Base) + 10 (Mart) + 5 (Trait) = 65% = MISS
[Secrets] 62 (Base) + 7 (Int) + 5 (Trait) = 74% = STRONG HIT
[Sheriffs and Reeves] 53 % (Base) + 6 (Dip) + 3 (1/2 Stew) + 3 (Trait) = 65% = WEAK HIT
[Justice Trait] 57% (Base) + 9 (Magic) = 66% = WEAK HIT
[Justice] 68 (Base) + 6 (Intrigue) +4 (1/2 Learn) = 78% + 3 (Trait Roll) = 81% = STRONG HIT
[Envoys] 45 (Base) + 7 (Diplomacy) = 52% = MISS
[Queen 1] 70% (Base) + 11 (Magic) = 81% = STRONG HIT
[Queen 2] 54 (Base) + 9 (Diplomacy) = 63% = STRONG HIT
[Trins Bandit Plan] 53 (Base) + 9 (Martial) +5 (Trait) = 66% = WEAK HIT
[Correspondence] 50 (Base) + 6 (Stew) = 56% = MISS
[Royal Vaults] No Roll Required
[High Marshall] 50 (Base) + 10 (Mart) + 5 (Trait) = 65% = MISS
[Secrets] 62 (Base) + 7 (Int) + 5 (Trait) = 74% = STRONG HIT
[Sheriffs and Reeves] 53 % (Base) + 6 (Dip) + 3 (1/2 Stew) + 3 (Trait) = 65% = WEAK HIT
[Justice Trait] 57% (Base) + 9 (Magic) = 66% = WEAK HIT
[Justice] 68 (Base) + 6 (Intrigue) +4 (1/2 Learn) = 78% + 3 (Trait Roll) = 81% = STRONG HIT
[Envoys] 45 (Base) + 7 (Diplomacy) = 52% = MISS
[Queen 1] 70% (Base) + 11 (Magic) = 81% = STRONG HIT
[Queen 2] 54 (Base) + 9 (Diplomacy) = 63% = STRONG HIT
[Trins Bandit Plan] 53 (Base) + 9 (Martial) +5 (Trait) = 66% = WEAK HIT
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Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I suppose the other shoe had to drop sometimes, I think these are the worst rolls had yet 😅
That nat 1 hurts.
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
In this case Nat 1s are good. It's Nat 100s you'd need to look out for.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah, 3 whole misses is unpleasant, particularly on the marriage negotiations. One silver lining, Vanessa got the workers to shut up and go back to work. That'll strengthen her cred all right.
Eternal_0bserver
(Unverified Bookworm)
- Location
- Earth, Northern Europe
...How does he keep doing this?!
A weak negotiating position seems like a problem. Well, at least Justice is properly maintained.
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Well, if you believe the rumors
(Ftr, this is not canonically an in-universe rumor)
His explanation is probably that it's all down to superior breeding.Well, if you believe the rumorsthat totally didn't come from one of Lady Balmain's closest alliesVallefor sold his soul a long time ago to demons for temporal success.
(Ftr, this is not canonically an in-universe rumor)
Turn 6: Council Actions
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Well, that was a fucking lie. No real excuse, just... life.
The financial post should be coming tomorrow, and hopefully we'll be back on track then. 🤞
[X]Plan: Let the Queen deal with the Miners
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Eaglecrest Land Tax
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Port Lest Land Tax
-[X][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
--[X] Help the Keeper of Envoys
-[X][ROYAL VAULTS] Acquire Raw Materials To Mint New Gold and Silver Coins (Progress towards resolving Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda) (No Roll Required)
--[X] 15 Dureks
-[X][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)*
-[X][SECRETS] Investigate Roland Arbolast Fredero, a noble who may be connected to both the ex-Countess Gramaire, and to Dorien and Vrel (Base Chance 62% + Intrigue)*
-[X][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Appoint trustworthy and capable people to fill leadership positions in the Reeves to manage royal properties (Base Chance: 53% + Diplomacy + 1/2 Stewardship)*
-[X][JUSTICE] Investigate charges as yet unproven against former rebels (Base Chance 68% + Intrigue + 1/2 Learning)*
-[X][ENVOYS] Begin Talks With All the Suitors and/or their Ambassadors About Treaty Terms (Gets a formal list of offer/demands from each suitor. Miss means you start in a very bad negotiating position, Weak success is a not ideal but not terrible position, Strong success means very good position. The better the position, the better the starting point for negotiations) (Base Chance 45% + Diplomacy)
-[X][QUEEN] Take Some time to investigate the magical gems that Rienne recovered from the Necrotic Temple (Base Chance 70% + Magic)
-[X][QUEEN] Negotiate With the Striking Southmarch Miners
--[X]Offer them no additional concessions (Base Chance 54% + Diplomacy)
-[X][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
-[X][BANDITRY PLAN] Regular Trade Route Patrols (Patrol the main channels of trade to ward off bandit attacks) (Low Casualties at Most) (Base Chance 53% + Martial)*
-[X][BANDITRY TARGET] The Trade Towns (Locked, Must continue what you started)
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Eaglecrest Land Tax
-[X][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Port Lest Land Tax
-[X][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
--[X] Help the Keeper of Envoys
-[X][ROYAL VAULTS] Acquire Raw Materials To Mint New Gold and Silver Coins (Progress towards resolving Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda) (No Roll Required)
--[X] 15 Dureks
-[X][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)*
-[X][SECRETS] Investigate Roland Arbolast Fredero, a noble who may be connected to both the ex-Countess Gramaire, and to Dorien and Vrel (Base Chance 62% + Intrigue)*
-[X][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Appoint trustworthy and capable people to fill leadership positions in the Reeves to manage royal properties (Base Chance: 53% + Diplomacy + 1/2 Stewardship)*
-[X][JUSTICE] Investigate charges as yet unproven against former rebels (Base Chance 68% + Intrigue + 1/2 Learning)*
-[X][ENVOYS] Begin Talks With All the Suitors and/or their Ambassadors About Treaty Terms (Gets a formal list of offer/demands from each suitor. Miss means you start in a very bad negotiating position, Weak success is a not ideal but not terrible position, Strong success means very good position. The better the position, the better the starting point for negotiations) (Base Chance 45% + Diplomacy)
-[X][QUEEN] Take Some time to investigate the magical gems that Rienne recovered from the Necrotic Temple (Base Chance 70% + Magic)
-[X][QUEEN] Negotiate With the Striking Southmarch Miners
--[X]Offer them no additional concessions (Base Chance 54% + Diplomacy)
-[X][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
-[X][BANDITRY PLAN] Regular Trade Route Patrols (Patrol the main channels of trade to ward off bandit attacks) (Low Casualties at Most) (Base Chance 53% + Martial)*
-[X][BANDITRY TARGET] The Trade Towns (Locked, Must continue what you started)
Rienne was not a woman used to failure.
Even when she had lost battles – and she had lost her fair few even before the civil war, for all that she didn't advertise them (no successful mercenary did) – she was able to withdraw in good order, she'd always given as good as she'd gotten, and made a good showing for herself.
Even in the civil war, when she had been beaten in more thorough ways (though never to the point of destruction in detail, or a complete and total rout), she could rationalize that as long as she maintained an army in the field, she hadn't failed. Which was true – Rienne had long understood the value of an 'Army in Being', even if that hadn't been the term she'd used for the longest time.
But this time, looking at the latest plan she'd drawn up, and the results from the war games her staff officers had run with it -
The state of the Levies was poor, and she'd tried to work with that. And she had.
But every plan she'd drawn up for how to mobilize them quickly and effectively in the event of war with Morvak, the Kingdom of the Necromancers, or an invading Goblin Horde had resulted in unacceptable casualties, at least according to the war games – every scenario played out multiple times by various staff officers.
Obviously those were mere simulations of reality – no game, no matter how sophisticated, could match reality – but the results of them were still not promising.
Rienne could justify her failures by pointing out she was wholly unfamiliar with the logistics of the levies, which was true, but she'd also had top officers advising her on that, and she'd had months to learn the whole process.
But the truth was, while that was true, on both counts, she'd still failed.
"We'll have to revisit this again." Rienne sighed to her assembled staff officers. "In the meantime, I want each of you to develop suggested plans of your own, because clearly, for all my many successes, this is not going to be one of them. Not right now. Don't let the work get in the way of your regular duties, but," she paused, considering, "whoever submits the most workable plan, once they've all been tested, will be put at the top of the list for a promotion to logistical command, or field command, as suits their interests and abilities."
There were some hesitant looks from some of her staff, but others looked eager, one even rubbing his hands together with delight – the young Captain was an ambitious little bastard, but there was nothing wrong with that, as long as you bent a subordinate's ambition to useful ends.
"Dismissed," Rienne gestured to the officers, who saluted and departed. She looked over at General Darach, who was very carefully not smirking. "Don't say anything," she told the woman sternly.
"I wasn't going to," Darach assured her. The 'I did warn you' was hanging in the air nonetheless, and Rienne sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"You did warn me," Rienne admitted. Then she let out another breath. "While you're here… how are your fellow Knights taking the prospect of a Necromancer becoming Queen?"
"Fervently praying that Her Majesty picks anyone, anyone else, last I checked," Darach grimaced.
Rienne kept her expression careful. She couldn't really expect Darach to answer if she asked if her fellows where upset to the point of mutiny – the Knights couldn't expect to stand up to the entire Kingdom and the Necromancers, if such a marriage went through.
Then again, the Knights did have friends and allies and sympathizers, so there was the risk of it being not the entire Kingdom…
And if prolonged war did break out…
Rienne considered it unlikely, and she trusted Darach, as much as she could trust someone with dual loyalties, but the prospect concerned her, regardless.
"Understandable." She sighed, pushing the papers off to the side of her desk, and standing. "I haven't been in the sparring yard for three days now, working on these, and I have a great deal of frustration to work out. Interested in helping me with it?"
Now Darach did smirk. "I'm always happy to have an excuse to knock my superior officer on her ass, yes."
"Last time I checked, I've won the majority of our spars."
"Just barely, Rienne, just barely." Darach pointed out, and Rienne couldn't deny that.
"There's no doubt about it," the masked man in front of Vallefor said, dropping a written report on the spymaster's desk.
Not in his normal office in the palace, of course. A spymaster had to protect the secrecy of their agents and people coming in and out of the palace was noticeable. So for his best agents, Vallefor met them… elsewhere. Only his wife and a handful of his most important agents knew about this little secure office he'd set up, buried under a warehouse he owned under the name of one of his idiot cousins. That cousin would sign any papers Vallefor put in front of him as long as Vallefor kept him in enough money to keep himself doused in cheap wine, so he had his uses.
"Roland Arbolast Fredero is guilty?" Vallefor asked, picking up the report.
"He's been maintaining contact with Gramaire. I can't prove that he was linked to Dorien and Vrel, not enough to put it to the courts, but I heard him talking to his Majordomo about preparing more financing for Gramaire. As far as I can tell, none of the rest of his staff are in on it, they just think he's engaged in the usual quasi-legal financial shenanigans."
"Well, we can still use that, get them to build out the case. We have to make sure this doesn't look like a repeat of Syrokis's rigged courts." Vallefor's respect for the law extended as far as it was useful for him, but it was useful for the Queen – and by extension, her Council – to be seen as fair-minded and just in their legal rulings.
Made it easier when you had to… fudge things a little. Because there would likely be a time when that would be necessary. Sooner or later.
"What exactly is he doing, beyond slipping Gramire funding?"
"Nothing. If Gramire is running some sophisticated network in the Kingdom, Roland Arbolast is just a spoke, not a hub. All he's been doing is providing funds, with the promise that he's supporting the 'True King' in the form of 'Brunn II' and that when the time comes, he'll inherit Vaspiri County, as the only true loyalist in the Fredero family."
"Can we prove that?"
"He's not stupid enough to save his correspondence, unfortunately, but his Majordomo knows all of this. We just need to bring him in and make him talk."
"There are rules about that sort of thing. We can't just torture the man." Vallefor noted, then shrugged, "Torture doesn't work that well anyway."
"Depends on who you do it to, and how, but it's not reliable generally, true," the masked man equivocated.
Vallefor eyed the man. "Just remember you don't do anything without my approval."
"Of course, Keeper." The agent nodded. He knew where his bread was buttered, to use the appalling commoner phrase.
"We'll have Keeper Itrick's men start bringing in Roland Arbolast's people in relation to his financial shenanigans, starting with the Majordomo. You keep an eye on Roland and make sure he doesn't run – and if he does start to destroy paperwork, if more exists, I expect you to salvage as much as you can."
"Of course, Keeper."
"Obviously when the civil war ended and it was necessary to clear out much of the bureaucracy, we did replace the Syrokis loyalists with trustworthy people as much as we can, but when it came to administering Royal Properties, there were more loyalists than in say, the Treasury or the clerks that Rykall manages," Balmain explained. "So a lot of positions were left vacant, or had one person filling multiple roles while we got everything sorted."
"And now you've filled all those gaps?" Vanessa asked, the question rather obvious.
"We have, finally. I left as much as I could to subordinates, but as Keeper of Sheriffs and Reeves, I do have to be the one to approve the major positions – managers of the Crown Reserves, the castellans of various outposts..."
If Vanessa were a pedant, she'd point out that none of the 'castellans' actually managed any castles – castles as a whole were somewhat rare in Halrun, beyond the most basic forms – major nobles, Lords and Counts alike, did fortify their estates and manors, but unless they had lived near areas of major conflict in the days before unification, they generally didn't have castles. And Teran Halrun had forbidden the private construction of new castles. And since castles were expensive to maintain, those that the Crown hadn't ended up with had tended to be abandoned or at least neglected.
And yet, the term castellan, for someone who managed a fortified position or estate on behalf of another, had stuck around.
"Obviously they need to be paid, but I do believe that with more people providing direct oversight of some of your more… neglected properties, we will see an overall increase in revenue, and those regions will be more responsive to royal edicts."
"Because the people enacting them and overseeing that enactment will be able to focus on one area rather than three or four." Vanessa nodded. "I follow the logic. How much?"
"Less than I'd like – some of the people I really wanted to hire for this, very capable men and women were just… not interested. At least not at what we could afford to pay them." Balmain shrugged, "But we still have capable candidates across the board, and a number of quite promising people I think could rise up in your service quite well, once they've had some more experience."
"Good," people eying long-term career prospects were more likely to hard workers, in theory. And also in theory, they'd be more loyal, as they'd have to know that any coup would involve some degree of clearing out of the bureaucracy.
Some might stick around, but some would not be able to. She thought back to one of Cyril's lessons, not on magic, but on how mages could solve a lot of problems without magic, if they understood people. The first one, of course, had been that people were generally stupid in large groups and prone to believing things they wanted to believe in (or were afraid were true). But that wasn't the one relevant here.
'Let me tell you about what I call the Archmagi' s Third Rule: it's good to trust people's loyalty and general decency, as long as you have reason to. Most people are basically decent, all said and done. But the best way to be sure you have someone's loyalty is to appeal to both their decency and their self-interest.'
When Cyril had put his efforts into helping deal with region-wide threats, things that required people working together from multiple nations and the like, he'd appealed not just to the fact that there was a common interest at work, but found the best way to effectively bribe people into doing what was needed.
More than a few kings had acquired an item bearing a minor, but useful enchantment bearing Cyril's mark in exchange for help Cyril help them and their people.
"I also have some suggestions for long-term plans to perhaps settle parts of the Crown Reserves – Halrun isn't exactly hurting for empty land, but I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to encourage people looking to get a bit of land for themselves to get their land from you rather than another lord or just… taking some unclaimed land somewhere."
"And the fact that none of your estates have room for more laborers, but several of Vallefor's closest allies are experiencing labor shortages has nothing to do with it?" Vanessa asked, raising an eyebrow. She did try to stay abreast of things, and she'd read a report on what parts of the Kingdom had excess laborers and which parts of the Kingdom didn't in preparation for her trip south to speak with the Miners.
If they continued to be intransigent, it was good to know where to try to find more workers, even if they wouldn't be enough.
"Are you denying that it would be in the Crown's interest for some of the empty land in the Crown Reserves to be tilled and farmed?" Balmain asked, cocking her own eyebrow in turn.
"Hardly." Vanessa suppressed a chuckle. She was a little surprised Balmain was being so blatant. "Just be careful about how many people you poach, directly or indirectly, from the nobility. I do want them to be able to pay their taxes after all."
And I don't want to alienate all the conservatives. Or let Balmain think that she could make Vanessa dance according to her music.
"Of course, your majesty," Balmain nodded, sounding like she mostly meant it.
"What, are you expecting me to admit to… what, murder?" Marteen Rescon asked, glaring at Keeper Itrick.
"In my experience, dramatic confessions are usually more common on the stage or in fiction," Itrick noted, writing something down, his voice bland. "There have been many complaints about you, charges that you killed prisoners who surrendered -"
"The only prisoners I killed were ones who were lawfully executed – or as lawfully as anything was in the middle of a rebellion – or the ones that pretended to surrender only to try to strike!" Marteen snapped. "Just because I've never been afraid to get my hands dirty doesn't mean I'm a murderer!"
Itrick's other hand, the one not taking notes, was under the table, holding a small Icon of Askiran. The Icon pulsed gently in his hand, suggesting that Marteen wasn't lying. That didn't mean he was telling the truth – there was a great deal of distance between 'truth' and 'not lying', but…
"We have received claims to the contrary."
"Former Royalists unwilling to accept that they lost!" Marteen scoffed, dismissing them with a wave of his hand, leaning back in his chair. "My cousin won't stand for me being imprisoned when I'm innocent!"
"I wouldn't stand for you being imprisoned when you're innocent, Captain Rescon," Itrick emphasized. He momentarily debated making it known that Balmain had made it clear she wouldn't cover for her second cousin if he turned out he was guilty (though she had said she would not accept him being put to death. Itrick had decided a lifetime of imprisonment would be fine, if the charges turned out to be true. It was more politics than he was entirely comfortable with, but…)
But though a small part of the Keeper that was annoyed with Lady Balmain trying to put her thumb on the scales of justice at all, he decided it was not a useful thing to reveal, yet.
For one, between this interview now, and his face to face discussions with people who were passing on the reports of Marteen's murders – often, though not always, hearsay, as the supposed witnesses were either dead, out of the country or unwilling to step forward – he was starting to believe Marteen Rescon, though vicious, bloodthirsty and with little respect for life, was not actually a murderer.
Lady Balmain probably hit on a good way to put his impulses to good use by making him her headsman.
"Now, please, let's talk through some of these incidents, and you tell me what you remember of the events in question. I have no stake in anything but justice."
"...Justice is ephemeral at best," Marteen muttered. "People only understand something a little harsher." He inhaled. "But fine. Let's get this over with."
Arandel was not a man who let his ego get the better of him.
Not anymore, anyway. He'd gotten out of that by his 200th birthday. He wished he could say the same about some of his peers back home, but then, he credited some of his humility to living among humans. They were impatient, reckless and often uncouth (though there were exceptions, quite a few of them), but they were also vigorous, highly capable (sometimes) and their reckless gambles worked out just often enough, as a whole.
But Arandel did still have a degree of professional pride, and as he looked at the initial round of treaties in front of him, he could feel just how bruised that pride was now.
Vanessa represented a very good marriage candidate – that's why six different kingdoms were reaching out, even if one was doing so covertly, and one hadn't yet reached out – but Halrun was still in poor shape. Long-term, they still a lot going for them, and there wasn't that much risk of any internal threat, based on what Vallefor had said, and Arandel trusted the man's professional ego enough to believe him on that front.
But equally, Vanessa needed a marriage, and a marriage pact. It would stabilize their long-term financial projections, give Vanessa an heir to stabilize her claim to the throne, and an alliance should some kind of internal threat rise up.
After all, their new ally wouldn't want someone who launched a successful coup to be able to undo their alliance with Halrun once it actually started proving valuable.
Rather good for the rebels that Syrokis never showed much interest in looking outside of Halrun for a spouse, all things said and done.
And despite his best efforts, he hadn't been able to convince his opposite numbers that they needed Vanessa more than she needed them. He was fairly certain that at the end of the day, he could get these treaties to be more balanced, but…
Right now…
- Mutual defense against Morvak. If either nation was attacked by Morvak, the other was bound by treaty to declare war.
- Mutual offense against Morvak. If either nation attacked Morvak, the other was honor bound to declare war on Morvak, unless already at war with a third party. (Arandel had just barely managed to get that clause added in, pointing out that Halrun did have other potentially hostile neighbors)
- No separate peaces with Morvak in either case, and the treaty implicitly put Nerinthar in the dominant position in joint negotiations with Morvak, even if it didn't say it out loud.
- A limited access to Nerinthar's military Academies – 20 promising young officers per year, to be kept up at Halrun's expense.
- Halrun was, if the treaty was signed, expected to actually attack Morvak, not just lurk ominously on the border to tie down their resources. Halrun was not necessarily expected to take major fortifications or cities, but the treaty did bind Halrun to make a 'best reasonable effort' to fight on Morvakian soil or make efforts to get onto said soil.
Well…
None of the terms were slated in Halrun's favor, all things said and done.
- 85 Dureks up front.
- Selissa would intervene with their banks to give Halrun a 1% discount on interest rates (to a minimum of 8.5%) in peacetime, and a 2.5% discount on interest rates (to a minimum of 7%) on loans taken during war with Morvak.
- Halrun would be expected to, within a year of signing the treaty, double the number of soldiers in the Thornmarch Garrison
- In elaborate diplomatic language, Selissa was basically entitled to, at least once per ten years, all but order Halrun to declare war on Morvak. This wasn't quite what the relevant section of the treaty said, but in practice, that was what it meant, and if Halrun didn't comply, Selissa effectively did have the right to pull out of the treaty under the claim that Halrun was not meeting treaty obligations. Which would hurt Halrun's international standing and likely make Selissan banks raise their rates significantly.
- During times of active war with Morvak, Selissa would provide a monthly subsidy of 15 Dureks, on the condition it was spent on soldier pay and supply, or the hiring of mercenaries for the war effort with Morvak.
- Halrun was to officially recognize the North Zarsim side of the Zar Civil War as the legitimate one, and pledge financial, military and political support to North Zarsim. (There were no specified amounts here, but if Halrun openly pledged support, it needed to back that support up somewhat, or it would lose credibility)
Some were borderline insulting.
- Mutual defense, with joint peace treaties. More specifically, the Kingdom of the Necromancers pledged the services of two Bone Legions – approximately 3,000 undead soldiers each – to the defense of Halrun if the latter kingdom was attacked. (6,000 skeletons was impressive, but far less than they theoretically could draw on, and one undead soldier wasn't worth as much as one living soldier, all said and done. And there was nothing about reinforcing a Bone Legion during a conflict if it took losses)
- Halrun would drop all export tarrifs on food sales to Darkmoon Forest. This could cost the Crown at least 1 Durek a month.
- The Kingdom of the Necromancers offered to rent the services of undead laborers out to the Kingdom. (The costs per laborer were quite low, but still, a far cry from what Arandel had been hoping for, in terms of undead labor)
- Vanessa was expected to order the Knights of the Golden Throne to refrain from coming closer than five miles to the edge of Darkmoon Forest without invitation, unless they were traveling under diplomatic banner. (According to the Necromantic ambassador, the Knights constantly patrolling right at the edge of the forest made the Deathknights nervous, and their holy magics interfered with the dark magics protecting the Kingdom's borders, requiring time and resources to constantly fix. Arandel wasn't sure if that was true – though the latter seemed believable – or if it was just a power play. Possibly both)
- A secret clause of the treaty, nothing that would be formally presented to Basil (though Priscilla would certainly realize something like this had to exist) pledging that, upon Basil's death, Halrun would recognize Regara as rightful Queen and provide military and diplomatic support for her claim, including sending soldiers to fight alongside her own in Morvak.
- Mutual defense against all potential aggressors for both kingdoms, with shared treaty negotiations. (Arandel considered this a rare bright spot, as Morvak's diplomats were usually bad at their jobs – Regara was proving to be better than any of them – and so Halrun might manage to end up the dominant partner during talks). This did mean joining Morvak against Nerinthar, or Selissa, or Illegost or Hengri. Or threats further afield, though they were less likely. But it did also mean Morvak would help Halrun against the Red Spear or other goblin threats, or the Kingdom of the Necromancers (as unlikely as that was to be an issue right now))
- If Morvak declared offensive war on either Hengri or Illegost, Halrun was expected to provide 1,000 soldiers (at least 500 of which had to be Men at Arms or Pikemen) for the duration of the war, at a minimum. War with Nerinthar would necessitate 1,500 soldiers. Losses would need to be replaced 'within a reasonable span of time'. In the case of any other offensive war, Halrun was expected to 'provide all due consideration' when it came to providing help, but was not formally obligated to.
- Recognition of the independence of South Zarsim openly, and quiet recognition that South Zarsim was within Morvak's orbit, even if nominally independent. (Arandel suspected Morvak didn't want military or financial support to South Zarsim to keep King Gaius dependent on them)
- A small discount on arms exports from Morvak. Not much, but it could save the Army a small sum long-term, and movement could be made on that front.
- Mutual defense against Morvak. Both countries would be obligated to at least make 'aggressive raids in force' into Morvak's territory. Shared treaty negotiations, and Illegorst would take the lead in any of them.
- No open-ended mutual offense clause, as Illegorst had no real interest in taking territory from Morvak. There was however, a 'revanchism' clause, for lack of a better term. In essence, if Morvak did get the better of Illegorst and Morvak in a war, and take some small slice of Illegorst's existing territory at the time of the signing of this treaty, Halrun would be obligated to join Illegorst in a future offensive war to retake said land, including making an effort to put soldiers on Morvakian soil to tie down their armies more than just being a threat on the border.
- 40 Durek payment
- No more than once per year, the reigning monarch of Illegorst would pass a single question from the reigning monarch of Halrun on to the Aviseyan Seers. The seers would answer the question, and advise further on the answer in exchange for 'favors'. (Arandel suspected those favors would involve Halrun committing resources to whatever long-term issues the Seers sought to correct. Likely things that would seem oddly minor and unimportant to Queen Vanessa, but would have mattered more in a century or two. He respected the Seers greatly, but they could be maddeningly vague most of the time.)
All said and done, there was room for improvement across the board, and Arandel had good reason to hope he could get that done, but this was a poor position to be starting from, and there was only so much he could do so quickly.
If Vanessa could strengthen Halrun in the meantime, and improve the overall negotiating position…
That would make things easier, overall.
"These are..." Vanessa shook her head, running a current of magic through one of the gems, letting it come back around to her. She took a breath, the heady feeling of the charged magic returning to her one she as familiar with, and yet, remained an intensively pleasant experience.
The gems were potent magical batteries, of a sort, but even more than that, when full, they made any magic that passed through it temporarily more potent – to put it in blunt numerical terms, a mage would get back some 125% of the magic they put into it.
Vanessa let sparks fly off of her fingers, watching the purple and green light show she was creating for a moment.
On the other hand, taking in to much extra power at once had it's own risks, so it would be best to use it quickly.
If one wanted to drain the crystals empty, you could get a great deal of raw magical energy to do all sorts of things. Vanessa wasn't sure – she'd been hesitant to test that part – but she might be able to punch through even the greatest of anti-scrying wards, or even use her magic to peer years, or decades into the future, something largely beyond her efforts most of the time. Perhaps even centuries.
And though fireballs and lightning bolts were not where her primary talents laid, Vanessa was no slouch there, if she absolutely had to fight. With one of these crystals, though it might (might) drain the thing faster, she could even make a pretend show of standing up to Cyril himself at full power in a duel.
For about a minute. Probably. Maybe.
Regardless, they were extremely potent, and extremely dangerous. Vanessa was going to have them locked in a very, very secure vault under the Palace for the time being. In the short run, she might be able to use a few to build a demesne underneath the palace anyway – some experimental work suggested that they could actually allow her to fill a room with the requisite magical resonance where none had existed before. Indeed, if she understood this right, it might even slowly spread the space that counted as her demesne, theoretically encompassing the entire palace within a decade.
Short of the Archnecromancers themselves, Vanessa hadn't heard of a single mage who had a demesne that large – even Cyril's tower would be dwarfed by that. The Archnecromancers cheated because every successive Necrotic Emperor and then Archnecromancer had woven their magics into the palace and into the regalia of rule, in a remarkable show of…
well, not civic-mindednes, but at least… concern for the long-term health of their realm. Claiming a demesne from a mage one defeated was possible, but risky, resource intensive and usually damaged it in some form, because the demesne would always be keyed to the mage who created it until it could be altered.
The Archnecromancers, from what Vanessa had gathered from Cyril, like the Necrotic Emperors before them, had keyed the demesne that was their Palace to the regalia of their rule, so each successive Archnecromancer could just… claim the crown and scepter and gods knew what else from the body of their predecessor and claim the demesne for themselves.
Though I suspect it isn't quite that easy.
"I wonder if I could convince Cyril to provide more help than his usual advice in exchange for one or two of these?" Vanessa considered, looking at the crystal in her hand. He might not be interested, or he might prize his neutrality enough to refuse the offer anyway, but if nothing else, she could probably sell one or two to him for a pretty sum.
Selling more on the open market was… tempting (very, very, very tempting), but dangerous. Letting something like this loose into the world, where anyone could use it… well, put simply, if Dorien and Vrel had succeeded in harnessing these crystals (Vanessa had more work to be certain she had it all under control, but nothing intense, merely practice during free hours here and there) the potential prospects were quite concerning.
Still.
Intensely useful, and what a rush to use.
Vanessa blinked as that thought ran through her head, and set the crystal in her hand down, carefully.
She didn't think there was any real danger in the crystals, but… maybe hold back on the practice, just for a few days.[1]
Vanessa had debated coming to the miners in a more understate outfit, avoiding the pomp and ceremony of Queen, but – while she was hardly wearing the fanciest and nicest of garb – she had decided, on suggestion from some of her staff, and after some thought, that she couldn't afford to set aside too much of the regalia, the pomp, the ceremony.
She was Queen, and her best bet was to emphasize that. That she, the Queen, had come all this way to negotiate with them.
"I understand there's more you want. More demands you have – pensions and decreased quotas and increased wages." Vanessa said, standing before the assembled miners. She was of course, not without members of the Royal Guard, who were carefully arrayed next to and behind her, but she had ordered them to be as nonthreatening as they could be.
Unfortunately, the Royal Guard didn't exactly hire for 'nonthreatening', so the order could only be followed so much. So they were sort of looming over the whole thing. On the other hand, she was here giving a dialogue.
"Unfortunately, the Crown simply doesn't have the resources to provide them." Vanessa finished.
There were jeers and insults from the back of the crowd, shouts of 'Royal Bitch!' and 'As bad as Syrokis!' And that latter one was especially hurtful, Vanessa mused, because there was just no justifiable reason to suggest she was as bad as him.
None of the miners pushed towards her, or threw anything, at least, and then the leaders at the front turned to their people and started shouting them down.
"Shut up! Yes, you too you idiots!" One of them screamed, gesturing. Others were saying much the same, and then, the first one went on, "Now I'm not gonna sit here and say I like what Her Majesty is saying, but she's nowhere near as bad as Syrokis!"
"If nothing else, she's a lot nicer to look at!" A female miner somewhere in the middle of the group shouted, to guffaws and laughs from the assembled lot.
"Aye, there is that. And there's the fact that she even came down to talk to us filthy bastards!" The speaker pointed out. "Raise your hand if any of you think Syrokis would have bothered? Or any of the other fucking nobles who could have replaced him?"
Well, Balmain would likely have, as Queen. But Vanessa couldn't think of that many other nobles she knew of that would have, even progressive ones. She suspected Rienne might have, having gotten to know her well enough over the last six months.
Sasha…
Well, Sasha might just have started rounding up the leaseholders and waving her axe under their noses threateningly.
Vanessa suppressed a chuckle at the thought of her uncouth – but carefully so – friend.
None of the miners had raised their hands.
"Now," another one of the leaders said, "You've come all this way, and I suppose you've done enough to be worth hearing out, so why don't we have a proper sit down, your majesty, and you can tell us why you can't force the fucking leaseholders to do their part then?!"
Vanessa was curious why they jumped straight to the assumption she wasn't going to force the leaseholders to do something without compensation, but then, she supposed if she had been planning to do that,
"I think the more important matter is convincing you that I'm serious about the restrictions on evictions." Vanessa countered. "But please," She gestured to a large tent, more of a pavilion really, set up for this. With just enough elaborate décor and pomp inside, and in the makeup of the tent itself, she hoped.
Too much and they really might start the comparisons to Syrokis again, if only quietly. Too little, and they might not really respect her status as Queen, and the very fact of her presence here, the concession it represented.
She knew her standing among the conservatives was going to take a hit for this, even moderates likely. Not too much, since she was hardly folding and giving them everything, but still. Deigning to come to talk to these people, getting all the coal dust and dirt on her ceremonial garb, putting her ass on a mule for a day and a half, and so forth.
(None of this had been pleasant. At all).
It would make her lose just a little prestige, in the eyes of some. But hopefully, word of this would spread, and the common people would realize that she was willing to take them seriously.
The resulting negotiations took hours, and more than once one of the leaders among the miners would storm off, but in the end, she had succeeded in convincing them to return to work. She had been able to convince them that she was truly taking them seriously, that she really did want to improve their situations (which she did, though as much for practicality as for a desire to improve their lot for it's own sake. She did care about their well-being, as with all her subjects, but that really wouldn't have been enough on it's own, most days, to get her to wish she could afford provide them more concessions . And mean it.)[2]
But what had won them over was her making very clear that attempts to get around the eviction restriction would be punished quite severely, and that she meant that. The leaseholders of the mines had caused this problem in the first place, and while she could only afford to annoy them so much, if they did try to get around her edict regarding the evictions, she'd have a perfect excuse to nail them to the wall.
[1]The crystals are not addictive, but Vanessa is just being careful.
[2]What I'm trying to get across with this (I'm not sure I succeeded, hence this note) is that Vanessa cares, but she's also a bit greedy (as we know) and she's not a 'bleeding heart' (as it were) like Balmain or Rienne.
Well it seems like if we do pick the necromancer waifu we should expect a considerable amount of blow back.
- Location
- PA
Yeah…
Honestly given those crystals sound like POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!! Or at least an attempt at it?
I don't blame Vanessa…
That thing about Demenses though…
It makes me wonder…
Is that why Necromancy only extends as far as it does? Because every time the palace gets claimed the new guy has to power the thing hunting so expands the field, but all the infighting keeps it from growing but so large…?
Honestly given those crystals sound like POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!! Or at least an attempt at it?
I don't blame Vanessa…
That thing about Demenses though…
It makes me wonder…
Is that why Necromancy only extends as far as it does? Because every time the palace gets claimed the new guy has to power the thing hunting so expands the field, but all the infighting keeps it from growing but so large…?
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Not really. At this point the biggest reason the KoTN hasn't expanded is that the Knights of the Golden Throne are pretty perfectly built to fuck with necromancy, and the Deathknights (the counterpoint to the Golden Throne) don't generally support expansion - they technically work for the Archnecromancer, but their real mandate is to "protect the Necrotic Way of Life" and were founded in the aftermath of the fall of the Necrotic Empire. So most times Archnecromancers before Lyrus got it into the head to try to take shit over, they didn't have much Deathknight suppot, and the KotGT remain right there.
Granted, Necrotic infighting doesn't help, but that's more a function of infighting always being a downside for any war effort.
Turn 6 Income Expenditures and Debt Servicing
Kylia Quilor
I Have Two Moods, and Bitter is One of Them.
- Location
- Hiding in the corner of your vision.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Starting Treasury: 11 Dureks
Pre-Income Expenses: 15 Dureks
Final Treasury: 124.5
Outstanding Debts:
Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis: 41.25 Dureks (12% Monthly Interest) (5 Dureks)
Owed to the Axecavern Bank (Lortan Dwarves): 241.75 Dureks (10% Interest) (24.25 Dureks)
Owed to the Redhammer Bank (Lortan Dwarves): 126.5 Dureks (11% Interest) (14 Dureks)
Owed to Assorted Individual Wealthy Merchants/Etc based in Eaglecrest, Port Lest and Westcrown: 110.25 Dureks (8% Interest) (8.75 Dureks)
Owed to Assorted Individual Weathy Merchants Based in Zedarsh or Selissa: 168.5 Dureks (11% Interest) (18.5 Dureks)
Owed To The Goldaxe Bank: 109.5 Dureks (9.5% Interest) (10.5 Dureks)
Total Interest To Be Added If No Debts Are Paid Down This Turn: 81 Dureks
I'm not going to propose more than two sample plans this time, I think you guys have the idea.
[ ]Plan: Pay Off The Last of Syrokis (41.25 Dureks)
-[ ]Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
[ ]Plan: Syrokis Debts & Start on Axecavern (121.25 Dureks)
-[ ]Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
-[ ]Pay 80 Dureks to Axecavern Bank
Pre-Income Expenses: 15 Dureks
- 15 Dureks spent on acquiring metals for a second run of Coinage
- Crown Holdings: 124 Dureks
- Free Cities Taxes: 42.5 Dureks
- Counties Taxes & Dues: 43 Dureks
- Lordships & Towns Taxes and Dues: 39 Dureks
- Other Revenue Sources: 2 Dureks
- Royal Administration: 44 Dureks
- Wages & Supply of Royal Army: 68 Dureks
- Basic Maintinence of the Crown & Palace: 10 Dureks
Final Treasury: 124.5
Outstanding Debts:
Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis: 41.25 Dureks (12% Monthly Interest) (5 Dureks)
Owed to the Axecavern Bank (Lortan Dwarves): 241.75 Dureks (10% Interest) (24.25 Dureks)
Owed to the Redhammer Bank (Lortan Dwarves): 126.5 Dureks (11% Interest) (14 Dureks)
Owed to Assorted Individual Wealthy Merchants/Etc based in Eaglecrest, Port Lest and Westcrown: 110.25 Dureks (8% Interest) (8.75 Dureks)
Owed to Assorted Individual Weathy Merchants Based in Zedarsh or Selissa: 168.5 Dureks (11% Interest) (18.5 Dureks)
Owed To The Goldaxe Bank: 109.5 Dureks (9.5% Interest) (10.5 Dureks)
Total Interest To Be Added If No Debts Are Paid Down This Turn: 81 Dureks
I'm not going to propose more than two sample plans this time, I think you guys have the idea.
[ ]Plan: Pay Off The Last of Syrokis (41.25 Dureks)
-[ ]Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
[ ]Plan: Syrokis Debts & Start on Axecavern (121.25 Dureks)
-[ ]Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
-[ ]Pay 80 Dureks to Axecavern Bank
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Okay, I definitely think we should keep 50 Dureks on hand, to keep roadwork going and have more money left over after expenses. That means 74.5 Dureks to pay down stuff.
[] Plan: So Long Syrokis (74.5 Dureks)
-[] Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
-[] Pay 33.25 Dureks to Redhammer Bank or Assorted Individual Wealthy Merchants in Zedarsh and Selissa
I don't have a strong preference on which of the latter.
[] Plan: So Long Syrokis (74.5 Dureks)
-[] Pay 41.25 Dureks to Previous Debts Owed By Syrokis
-[] Pay 33.25 Dureks to Redhammer Bank or Assorted Individual Wealthy Merchants in Zedarsh and Selissa
I don't have a strong preference on which of the latter.