"It's not that I don't respect your authority, your Majesty, nor do I even disagree with your rationale for accepting King Gaius's offer, but as your Keeper of Envoys, advising you on these sorts of things is my duty, and my expertise." Arandel said carefully, inclining his head downward.
Vanessa leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers, "In practice, it wouldn't have done to put a hold on Gaius's offer until I'd spoken with my advisers. I am the Queen, and the leaders of other realms need to grasp that I, not my Council, makes these sorts of decisions."
She wasn't sure what Arandel was up to. Unlike someone like Balmain, or Vallefor, or even Rykall, Arandel didn't really have any specific agendas, as far as she knew. Nor did he represent some faction. He was, by everything she'd heard and now everything she'd seen, a fairly professional man who did his duty or tended to his own affairs as needed, without much in the way of long-term ambitions for power or position.
He hadn't turned down the offer to be Keeper of Envoys, so he didn't object to power or position, but that was a different matter entirely.
"And as I said, I do respect your final authority, but I can't exactly do my job of providing advice if you don't ask me for it." Arandel pointed out. "And there are the practical matters of this change in policy that required a reshuffling of priorities and responsibilities among staff – and I had very little time to get that done."
Ah. Professional pride and annoyance I created extra work for him and his by not warning him. Vanessa could work with that.
"You're more than capable of overseeing rapid changes in policy, Arandel. That said, you are right that it is rather difficult to advise me if I don't ask for advice. At the very least, you can be assured I won't be blaming you if I make a decision without even consulting you first." She smirked, chuckling slightly. "I am not that sort of woman, I assure you." She held up a finger, "While I do value your advice, I remain Queen, and my judgment was that delaying in a decision was not to the advantage of myself, or the realm."
"Of course." Arandel inclined his head again.
"We can speak regarding the impending negotiations after this meeting," Vanessa told him, and then she turned to the others. "From what I hear, we do have confirmation of loyalist conspiracies against my rule?"
Vallefor shook his head, "Not exactly. Yes, Roland Arbolast Fredero is providing financial support to Gramaire and thus presumably to the would-be 'Brunn II', but he's not proof of a wide-sweeping conspiracy to overthrow you, certainly not any time soon. The man's a lone traitor out on the edge of of what might be a broader network, but from what little my agents were able to determine, whatever Gramaire is planning, she's keeping things close to the chest, probably managing most things herself, rather than relying on any local planners on the ground."
"That seems… ill-advised." Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "Last you had word, Gramaire was in Menthura. That's rather far away to personally manage spies and agents."
"Is there anything we can do about Menthura harboring Gramaire?" Rykall cut in. "Harboring enemies of the realm is a hostile act, no?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," Arandel agreed. "But Menthura is rather far from Halrun, and has no real investment in us. Their ambassador to Halrun is a drunk ne'er-do-well who was sent here mostly to stop embarrassing his important and puritanical family. He spends more time at brothels than he does at the Menthuran Embassy. But many parties in Menthura do have a personal reason to be hostile to you."
"Because I'm too much of a 'wizard' for their tastes." Vanessa finished, and Arandel and Vallefor nodded.
The distinction between the different classifications of mage – wizard, sorcerer, warlock and more – were not actually as sharp or clear as nonmages sometimes believed, or even as some mages believed. Anyone with magical talent could become any of them, depending on how they learned to harness their power. Vanessa, having received a formalized education and learning to channel her magic through tightly controlled spells, was a 'wizard', and therefore, to the idiotic, superstitious and paranoid Menthurans (who were all basically illiterate fools anyway), she was 'too much' like the Wizard-Dukes of Iredos.
It was stupid, but then, so were people.
"Well, short of killing her, there's not much we can do to get her out of Menthura right now, then, and I'm not going to order her assassination at this point." Vanessa shook her head. "But that does still raise questions about who else is providing covert financing to Gramaire, and what she's doing with the money?"
"Financing a well-heeled lifestyle for herself and her son, but likely saving up a warchest for future schemes as well." Vallefor confirmed. "I don't have any real penetration of her inner circle at this time – not enough assets on the ground in Menthura or even near the country – so this is merely reasoned conjecture, but I doubt Gramaire will put any serious effort to unseat you into effect for at least a few years."
"Hard to get anyone to back a toddler for the throne," Balmain agreed.
"Quite. Still, if there's one man providing her funds, there are going to be more, and better to catch them now before they become hubs for more subversive activity. As for Roland Arbolast Fredero himself, there's not much information he can provide, but he might be able to give us some insight into the channels Gramaire is using to move money. So he might as well be arrested and interrogated sooner or later."
"Can a case be made against him?"
Itrick nodded, "I've looked over the information Vallefor's agents have been able to recover. The man's minor financial crimes are good enough reason to bring his people in for further questioning, and there's enough evidence of his treason to build a case on."
"While I agree he needs to be tried eventually, it may behoove us to bring him in for questioning quietly." Vallefor suggested in a quiet tone of his own. "He may not know much, but other traitors may know he's one of them, or at least know of his sympathies."
"I'm not sure we should get into the habit of quietly detaining enemies like that, when there are other choices." Vanessa's cautious words met echoed approval from Balmain, Rykall and Rienne, which didn't really surprise her, while Arandel seemed to be more inclined to Vallefor's suggestion.
"As long as no laws are broken in his interrogation, and he is remanded to a proper trial sooner rather than later, I have no principled objection to the notion," Itrick offered, "But it should be done very carefully, if it is to be done."
Itrick pulled out a scroll from among the several he had in front of him, and passed it over to Vanessa, who unrolled it, reading over the report as Itrick summarized his most recent high-profile investigation.
"In short," he concluded, "There were some charges of excessive force against some former rebels that bore out, and I have begun formal prosecutions of them, but Marteen Rescon, despite the charges laid against him, appears to be entirely innocent."
Balmain's expression was hard to read – the woman tried to school her expression carefully most of the time – but Vanessa imagined she could see a hint of relief in the wag her shoulder's sagged just a little and she closed her eyes for a moment.
"I find that difficult to believe, having served with him," Rienne cut in cautiously. "I never saw anything, but the man handles prisoners roughly and is… quite bloodthirsty." She grimaced, inhaling sharply as she said that, probably hiding the depth of her feelings regarding Balmain's cousin.
"Roughly, yes, but nothing that violates any laws or rules that he was bound by, and nothing that under our laws could truly be considered beyond the pale. And being bloodthirsty is not a crime."
"I'm gratified to know Marteen is innocent of the charges against him," Balmain murmured, "But I am worried how this will look."
"I intend to fully publish all the relevant details of my investigation into him. There was no political favoritism in my findings. The accusations against him were all second or thirdhand, from untrustworthy sources, and when chased down, often proved to be founded on nothing."
"A good plan," Vanessa nodded, "But I imagine someone in the Estates will want to raise a stink about it. If you could have one of your investigators ready to account to them so they don't get the chance to do more than grumble…?"
"Understood," Itrick accepted blandly.
Vanessa turned to Balamin, gesturing for her to speak:
"With the filling of people across the Crown's holdings, we have a much better idea of what sort of resources and assets we have to work with right now. It'll be a few months before all the audits and reports are in, but there are a number of possibilities for improvements across the board. The fixes and improvements to the roads in and around the Grand Duchy should be done soon as well. We did discuss the possibility of trying to get settlers into the Crown Reserves, and I have drawn up some more details on plans for that." She passed Vanessa assorted papers. Vanessa skimmed the first few over, and nodded, making a note to look over them in more detail later.
"Well, we still should focus on paying down the debts before doing anything more serious in terms of major expenses," Rucdorn suggested, perhaps predictably. "But things continue to look positive on that front. We haven't had any unexpected expenses, or at least nothing so serious it's driven us to unexpected borrowing, and financial projections continue to move upwards, but..." he shook his head, "Until we have our debts at a point where we could pay it all on one go, I think it's best for us to continue to be cautious with regards to our Dureks."
"There is merit in the argument that if one merely hoards money, they're a miser, not rich," Balmain pointed out.
"Granted," Rucdorn agreed. "But someone who spends money when they're in debt is a spendthrift."
"And among dwarves, the only thing more disgusting than a miser is a spendthrift," Balmain smirked, and Rucdorn nodded.
"Something like that, Lady Balmain." The man said with a chortle in his voice. Rucdorn ran his bejeweled fingers through his beard – which Vanessa noted had several small gemstones woven into it now – and went on: "I don't want to act as though things are dire, far from it, but all it would take is a month or two of careless spending to set us back. If we pay off all these debts, then letting interest accumulate on future loans wouldn't be the end of the world for a few months at a time, but we're still proving to international creditors that we're a solid investment. Any backsliding..."
"And all our progress means nothing?"
"All our progress will look like a fluke, your Majesty. Halrun had reasonable credit before you became Queen, and so far, your credit looks good, but it has only been a little over half a year."
"Bankers," Vanessa muttered under her breath. "Fine. We'll have to make sure they're happy enough then, I suppose. Rienne?"
"Drawing up the levies in a systemic manner that doesn't have them get defeated in detail has proven to be a difficult challenge. The levies were drawn up piecemeal during the civil war, which worked then, but we need to be able to mass them in the event of foreign invasion, and most scenarios my staff have been able to draw up leave too many openings for the enemy to use cavalry or other mobile forces to separate and defeat them."
"How was it done before? Syrokis had to be able to conquer the Thornmarch somehow."
"The roads were in better shape, and he built up a larger initial army than we currently have," Rienne said simply. "Once we get the roads resolved, and possibly build up some proper supply stores for the Levies, we might have a better chance, but as it stands – my staff are still trying to draw up plans, but it will be harder under present conditions."
"Well, then we'll have to change present conditions, sooner or later."
Tax Assessments (Pick 2 to get resolved this turn)
[ ][TAX ASSESSMENTS] County of Vaspiri Land Tax
[ ][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Befost County Land Tax
[ ][TAX ASSESSMENTS] Saphet County Land Tax
[ ][TAX ASSESSMENTS] County of Aloce Land Tax
Keeper of Correspondence Tasks (Pick 1)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Personally Oversee Tax Assessments (Up to 2 more Tax Assessments Will be Finished This Turn) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship + 1/2 Learning)*
-[ ] Pick Priority (Weak or Strong Success Required)
-[ ] Pick Secondary (Strong Success Required)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Gather Reports On Banditry (Improves Base Chance of future Anti-Banditry Tasks) (Base Chance 65% + Stewardship)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Reorganize the Clerks (Improves Base Chance of [CORRESPONDENCE] Tasks by 4% or 8% for the next 5 turns) (Base Chance 55% + Stewardship + Learning)*
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Lend Clerks to help another Keeper with their Task (+3/+6 to their Task on a Weak/Strong Success) (Base Chance 50% + Stewardship)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Audit The Royal Demesne (Phase 1 of ?) (Could increase Revenues from Personal Holdings) (Costs 5 Dureks)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Begin Internal Charm Offensive – Spread the Word About Vanessa's Accomplishments (Increase popularity)
-[ ]Work with the major broadsheets and circulars of the major cities of the realm (Free or otherwise) to put out a detailed list of Vanessa's successes. The broadsheets and circulars are read by the upper and middle classes of the cities and the trade towns, and many nobles.) (Base Chance 60% + Diplomacy) (Costs 2 Dureks)
-[ ]Hire Heralds to spread the word in announcements in town and village squares across the Kingdom (Will reach the lowest classes the most, but obviously others will hear) (Base Chance 67% + Diplomacy) (Costs 4 Dureks)
-[ ]Hire Bards and Minstrels to sing songs in praise of Vanessa across the realm (Has the highest reach, but if it misses, will backfire badly) (Base Chance 49% + Diplomacy) (Costs 3 Dureks)
-[ ]Write In Other Proposal (Subject to QM Veto) (Cost and Base Chance Set by QM)
[ ][CORRESPONDENCE] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Keeper of The Royal Vaults (Pick 1)
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Negotiate Bridge Loan of 100 Dureks To Help Pay Down Current Debts (Failure will mean no loan, Weak Success will mean the higher of the two offered interest rates, Strong Success will mean the lower of the two) (Must be Used To Pay Down Existing Debts)
-[ ] From The Goldaxe Bank (Lortan Dwarves) (9.5% or 8%) (Base Chance 56% + Stewardship)*
-[ ] From The Caragio Bank (Varaday Republic) (11% or 9.25%) (Base Chance 68% + Stewardship)*
-[ ] From the Veterger Bank (Selissa) (12.25% or 9.75%) (Base Chance 80% + Stewardship)*
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Negotiate Free-Standing Loan of 50 Dureks (Failure will mean no loan, Weak Success will mean the higher of the two offered interest rates, Strong Success will mean the lower of the two) (Can Be Used For Anything)
-[ ] From The Goldaxe Bank (Lortan Dwarves) (12.25% or 11%) (Base Chance 58% + Stewardship)*
-[ ] From The Caragio Bank (Varaday Republic) (13% or 11.5%) (Base Chance 71% + Stewardship)*
-[ ] From the Veterger Bank (Selissa) (13.5% or 12.5%) (Base Chance 81% + Stewardship)*
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Mint the 15 Dureks Worth of Gold and Silver into new Coins and Put them Into Circulation (Base Chance 70% + Stewardship) (Begins Resolution of Currency Contraction, Advances Royal Propaganda)
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Sell Tax-Farming Rights (Tax Farmers offer large sum of money up front and get full right to collect all taxes from a given source for a specified length of time) (Success of roll results on more money gained) (No matter what, you will get less money up front than you could get over that length of time) (Base Chance 60% + Stewardship + Diplomacy)
-[ ] Write In Tax Source And A Number of Turns
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Invest (Miss will result in only getting X% of investment back, Weak success will result in regaining investment +1 Durek, Strong Success will result in Y% of investment being regained) (Cannot invest more than 6 Dureks at once at this time)
-[ ]In Land Speculation [Write In Amount] Base Chance 53% + Stewardship (X = 75% Y = 125%)
-[ ]In Mining [Write In Amount] Base Chance 47% + Stewardship (X = 60%, Y = 140%)
-[ ]In Shipping [Write In Amount] Base Chance 42% + Stewardship (X = 50% Y =150%)
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Audit The Royal Demesne (Phase 1 of ?) (Could increase Revenues from Personal Holdings) (Costs 5 Dureks)
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Sell the Necrotic Artifacts delivered by Dorien and Vrel's man. (Base Chance 70% + Stewardship) (Max Sale Value, 4 Dureks)
[ ][ROYAL VAULTS] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
High Marshall of the Armies (Pick 1)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Recruit Additional Soldiers (Strong Success gets you all the soldiers you wanted. Weak Success or Failure gets you less soldiers) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)* (Costs Dureks Base on # of soldiers desired)
-[ ] Write in desired Types and Numbers of Soldiers
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Survey Border Defenses (Opens Options for Future Improvement of Border Defenses) (Base Chance: 75% + Martial)*
-[ ]Thornmarch
-[ ]Ashdan March
-[ ]Eaglecrest
-[ ] Write in (Suggest Other Border Area)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Stage War Games with the Mobile Reserve (Improves Army Readiness, increasing rolls for 3 Months) (Base Chance 50% + Martial)* (Costs 2 Dureks)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Expand The Logistics Base (Improves Army Morale, Adds Logistical Strategic Depth in case of War) (Base Chance 57% + Martial +1/2 Stewardship)* (Costs 5 Dureks)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Liaise with the Knights of the Golden Throne (No Roll, Improves future coordination with the Knights if they need to be called up)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw Up New Plans for Calling Up The Levies (Makes it easier to call up the levies if needed) (Base Chance 52% + Martial)*
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Draw up a Comprehensive Plan for Arming the Levies (Increase Levy effectiveness) (Base Chance 44% + Martial)* (Costs 3 Dureks)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Establish Mandatory Training for the Levies (Increase levy effectiveness) (Base Chance 37% + Diplomacy)* (Cost 18 Dureks)
[ ][HIGH MARSHALL] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Keeper of Secrets (Pick 1)
[ ][SECRETS] Rebuild Internal Spy Network (Phase 3 of ?) (No roll required. Each phase opens more [SECRETS] options down the line and improves chances of success of internal spy operations, as well as giving increased chance for intelligence to be 'passively' received)
-[ ]Provide Funds to Speed up/Improve Process. Write-in amount.
[ ][SECRETS] Plant Spies on the Nobility (Base Chance 39% +Intrigue)* (Costs 10 Dureks)
[ ][SECRETS] Plant Spies on the Merchants Outside of the Free Cities (Base Chance 44% + Intrigue) (Costs 5 Dureks)
[ ][SECRETS] Plant Spies on the Elites of the Free Cities (Base Chance 42% + Intrigue)* (Costs 7.5 Dureks)
[ ][SECRETS] Plant Spies on the Rural Gentry (Base Chance 47% + Intrigue) (Costs 5 Dureks)
[ ][SECRETS] Create false flag conspiracies against the Crown to lure out potential traitors. (Base Chance 37% + Intrigue) (Costs 10 Dureks)
[ ][SECRETS] Rebuild an External Spy Network (Costs 5 Dureks) (Provides passive intelligence and improves chances of spy operations inside a given state)
-[ ] In Veldros (Base Chance: 65% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] In Nerinthar (Base Chance 51% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] In Selissa (Base Chance: 53% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] In The Kingdom of the Necromancers (Base Chance: 40% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] In the Varaday Republic (Base Chance: 43% + Intrigue)
-[ ] In North Zarsim (Base Chance 52% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] In Menthura (Base Chance 45% + Intrigue)*
-[ ] Pick a Target (Base Chance and Trait applicability to be set by QM)
[ ][SECRETS]Assess Royal Security (Stage False Break In of The Palace, potentially improves Royal Security) (Base Chance 55% + Intrigue)
[ ][SECRETS] Quietly arrest Roland Arbolast Fredero for his financial support for ex-Countess Gramaire and interrogate him about the details of his financial transfers to the mother of Syrokis's son. (Base Chance 63% + Intrigue)*
[ ][SECRETS] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Keeper of the Sheriffs and Reeves (Pick 1)
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Repair War Damage (Strong Success means lower cost, Weak Success means higher cost) (Once done, it will take 2 Turns for the relevant modifier to be removed, but no additional costs) (Rebuilding the Roads will reduce this length and improve Base %)
-[ ]To the Coastal March (Costs 4 or 9 Dureks) (Base Chance: 66% + Stewardship)*
-[ ]To the Southmarch (Costs 2.5 or 6.5 Dureks) (Base Chance: 68% + Stewardship)*
-[ ]To the 3 Crown Reserves (Costs 1.25 or 2.75 Dureks) (Base Chance: 76% + Stewardship)*
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Personally oversee the Road Rebuilding Around the Capital (Strong Success will take an extra turn off the time. Miss will mean this turn leads to no progress.) (Base Chance 70% + Stewardship)*
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Start Rebuilding the Roads Between the Thornmarch and the Grand Duchy (Base Chance 60 % + Stewardship)* (Costs 35 Dureks) [Process will take Multiple Turns]
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Start Rebuilding the Roads Between the Grand Duchy and the Free Cities (Base Chance 54% +Stewardship)* (Costs 30 Dureks) [Process will take Multiple Turns]
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Start Rebuilding the Roads Between the Grand Duchy and Westcrown (Base Chance 62% + Stewardship)* (Costs 30 Dureks) [Process will take Multiple Turns]
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Call for settlers in the Crown Reserves (No Roll, Additional Scene. Could be expensive up front, but could increase value of Crown Reserves long term)
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Invest In The Crown Reserves (No Roll Required, Additional Scene, Could increase value of the Crown Reserves)
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Investigate New Infrastructure Project Possibilities (Opens Floor to Player Suggestions for up to 4 new major construction projects that I will assign costs, chances and values to) (No Roll Required)
[ ][SHERIFFS AND REEVES] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Keeper of Justice (Pick 1)
[ ][JUSTICE] Arrest Roland Arbolast Fredero for his financial support for ex-Countess Gramaire and interrogate him about the details of his financial transfers to the mother of Syrokis's son, and then try him publicly. (Base Chance 70% + 1/2 Intrigue)*
[ ][JUSTICE] Post Bounties on Leading Bandits (Permanently Improves chances of anti-bandit operations) (No roll)
-[ ]1 Durek Total (+2 to anti-bandit operations)
-[ ]2 Dureks Total (+3 to anti-bandit Operations
-[ ]Write in (Each point increase above +3 costs 1 more Dureks)
[ ][JUSTICE] Send the Judges on a circuit to the villages to hear complaints and cases (Base Chance 50% + 1/2 Diplomacy + 1/2 Stewardship)
[ ][JUSTICE] Investigate the sudden (and suspect) financial success of a previously beleaguered Shipping Magnate (Base Chance 40% + Intrigue + Learning)
[ ][JUSTICE] Open Long-Term Investigation of the finances of known ex-Loyalists, to watch for any signs of them providing financial support to ex-Countess Gramaire (No Roll Required) (Costs 4 Dureks)
[ ][JUSTICE] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Keeper of Envoys (Pick 1)
[ ][ENVOYS] Open Trade Negotiations (Could Produce Additional Durek Income)
-[ ]With Zedarsh (Base Chance 68% + Diplomacy)*
-[ ]With Kingdom of the Necromancers (Base Chance 74% + Diplomacy)* (Scrying the KoTN is more difficult)
-[ ]With Blerren (Base Chance 69% + Diplomacy)*
-[ ]With Gyptar (Base Chance 69% + Diplomacy)*
-[ ]With Restid (Base Chance 52% + Diplomacy)* (Scrying Restid is Harder) (May Be Unpopular)
-[ ]Write-in (Suggest realm, Base Chance will be set by QM)
[ ][ENVOYS] Announce to everyone that the Queen is looking for Suitors (No Roll Required)
[ ][ENVOYS] Quietly Investigate who else might be interested in Queen Vanessa's Hand (Gives more options for quietly reaching out in the future) (Base Chance 47% + Diplomacy + 1/2 Intrigue)
[ ][ENVOYS] Negotiate Non-Aggression Pact with Morvak (Weak Success means concessions may be required, followup vote will be taken to see if you approve said Concessions)
-[ ]For 3 Months (Base Chance 48% + Diplomacy)*
-[ ]For 6 Months (Base Chance 42% + Diplomacy)*
-[ ]For 12 Months (Base Chance 32% + Diplomacy)*
[ ][ENVOYS] Reach out to the Kingdom of the Red Spear to gauge Intentions (Base Chance 56% + Diplomacy)*
[ ][ENVOYS] Try to mediate a temporary truce in the Zar Civil War as a precursor to more permanent negotiations (Base Chance 25% + Diplomacy)*
[ ][ENVOYS] Negotiate Treaties/Improve Existing Treaties (Base Chance 50% + Diplomacy)* (Base Chance is Per Treaty) (Pick 3)
-[ ]Marriage Pact With Morvak
-[ ]Marriage Pact With Illegorst
-[ ]Marriage Pact With Selissa
-[ ]Marriage Pact With Nerinthar
-[ ]Marriage Pact With Darkmoon Forest
-[ ]Treaty of Alliance With South Zarsim
[ ][ENVOYS] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Queen Actions (Pick 2)
[ ][QUEEN] Scry on a Neighboring power to gather information on them. (Provides information, may increase odds of future [SECRETS] actions involving the country) (Base Chance: 55% + Magic)*
-[ ]Morvak
-[ ]The Red Spear
-[ ]The Kingdom of the Necromancers (Imposes 5% penalty on the base chance)
-[ ]North and South Zarsim
-[ ]Suggest Additional Target (Some realms may be harder to Scry)
[ ][QUEEN] Scry on Marriage Candidates to learn more about them as People (Base Chance 61% + Magic)*
-(Optional) Exclude Essinya from this, as she might actually catch Vanessa scrying on her (Improves base chance of above by 3%, avoids risk of annoying Essinya… if she would actually get annoyed)
[ ][QUEEN] Scry on the Status of the Border Defenses (Opens Options for Future Improvement of Border Defenses) (Base Chance: 51% + Magic + Martial)*
-[ ]Thornmarch
-[ ]Ashdan March
-[ ]Eaglecrest
-[ ] Write in (Suggest Other Border Area)
[ ][QUEEN] Scry On The Kingdom (Base Chance 45% + Magic)*
-[ ]The Lordships
-[ ]The Free Cities
-[ ]The Rural Gentry
-[ ]The Trade Towns
-[ ]The Counties
[ ][QUEEN] Try to get Cyril to be willing to provide direct assistance in some cases (Opens options in the future) (Base Chance 25% + Diplomacy)
-[ ]Offer Cyril One of the Crystals Recovered from the Necrotic Ruin (Improves Base Chance by 15%)
[ ][QUEEN] Build a Sanctum (Multi-Turn Prospect)
-[ ] Create a suitable chamber under the Palace (Base Chance: 70% + Magic) (Takes Three Turns) (-10 Dureks)†
-[ ] Find a Suitable Place elsewhere in the Grand Duchy (Will be less accessible, but cheaper to establish) (Takes Three Turns) (Base Chance 70% + Magic) (-7 Dureks)†
-[ ] Find a Suitable place in one of the Crown Reserves (Hard to access, but even cheaper and more secret) (Base Chance 60% + Magic) (-4 Dureks)†
-[ ]Use Several of the Crystals Recovered from the Necrotic Ruin To Make a room suitable for a Sanctum Under the Palace (No Roll Required) (Costs 4 Dureks)
[ ][QUEEN] Social Action (May use both Queen Actions on Social Action)
-[ ] Get To Know Your Staff Better
-[ ] Write-in Councilor you'd like to improve relations with.
-[ ] Catch Up With Cyril
-[ ] Spend time with a Suitor (Pick Two Per Use of This Choice)
-[ ] Write-in (Subject to QM Veto)
[ ][QUEEN] Recruit more mages to Royal Service (If successful, costs 10 Dureks. No expenditure if failure) (Base Chance: 70% + Diplomacy)†
[ ][QUEEN] Negotiate a One-time 20 Durek 'Tax': (Will upset the target, degree of upset depending on roll result. Miss means no money and middling degree of upset, Weak Success means all the money but the greatest degree of upset, Strong Success means all the money and the least degree of upset)
-[ ]Tax Lordly Estates (Base Chance 33% + Diplomacy)
-[ ]Tax The Counties (Base Chance 35% + Diplomacy)
-[ ]Tax the Free Cities Trade (Base Chance 35% + Diplomacy)
-[ ]Tax the Trade Towns Trade (Base Chance 40% + Diplomacy)
-[ ]Tax the Rural Gentry Estates (Base Chance 37% + Diplomacy)
[ ][QUEEN] Take a Royal Tour of the Grand Duchy and Nearby Lordships (Could improve popularity and loyalty in the region) (Base Chance 70% + Diplomacy + 1/2 Intrigue) (Costs 5 Dureks)†
[ ][QUEEN] Suggest additional task, subject to QM Veto (Base Chance Will be Set by QM If Approved)
Banditry Actions
[ ][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Trins (Rolls will use his Martial and Trait)
[ ][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send General Darach (Rolls will use her Martial and Trait)
[ ][BANDITRY GENERAL] Send High Marshall Rienne (Rolls will use her Martial and Trait) (Will impose a -7% Chance to her [HIGH MARSHALL] Action this turn)
[ ][BANDITRY PLAN] Show the Flag (Send the bulk of the Mobile reserves in a big, showy force to spook bandits and make them quit or at least reduce morale, win local support to prevent anyone supplying bandits from doing so, etc) (No Chance of Casualties) (Base Chance 35% + Martial)*
[ ][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)*
[ ][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)*
[ ][BANDITRY PLAN] Send Out The Cavalry On Hunting Expeditions (Send out the Light Cavalry off-road and have them try to drive out bandits root and branch) (High Casualties at Most) (Base Chance 71% + Martial)
[ ][BANDITRY TARGET] The Lordships (Locked, Only Remaining Target)
Voting Moratorium of 48 Hours
