Edward - quite reasonably disliking the idea of staying with just his apprentice - follows the Droht. "All in, then." he comments.
"Heh heh, yes Edward. All in. I am holding a pair of Aces and Eights."
As the group walks the 300 ft span from the gate to the beach, the barking and snarling cease and the area grows quiet.
A lightly build man in ill-kept furs approaches from behind one of the larger ruins, a smirk across his face as he holds out his hands to show he's unarmed. "You lost?"
In a voice too low to be heard by anyone - she hopes - Mircalla mutters "Not lost, just crazy."
The Doctor gives a Brogol a look as they approach within about 30' of the man. "Stay here, and pull your cloak tight."
To the man, he days, "Are we at Ascanor? If so, than no. What is your name?"
The Droht watches events unfold.
The man looks to Aldous, "What's left of it. Call me Jhon. What brings you to Ascanor? The hunting perhaps?"
"Hello Jhon. I'm Ky. We have come to attempt to restore Ascanor to its former glory. After that we plan on doing some hunting. Though not in the way you think. What brings you and your friends to good old Ascanor?"
Jhon can't help but chuckle, "Restore Ascanor? Why would you? It's a dangerous place this."
"Because its a symbol. A symbol of how great this country once was and what it has become. We will restore Ascanor to show what this empire could become again. We could use strong folk's like you and your friends, perhaps you should ask them to come out of the bushes and rubble so we can meet them properly."
Ky waives over to where some of the people/wolves are hiding.
to see what kind of attitude he has towards us currently and if he has plans to attack
Jhon raises his eyebrow at Ky, then looks off to the right quickly. After a moment, a large, wild-looking man emerges from the foliage, casually swinging his two-handed poleaxe onto his should. He rests both hands on the haft, and saunters toward the group. Six other woodsmen cautiously follow him, hands resting on their sheathed weapons.
"Eh," growls the large man, "Empire? Varisian empire. Puh. Too many dour folk around here already-taste like s+%*." His folk chuckle. "I don't lick nobody's boot-heel either, Meat."
Ky grins. "Finally my kind of people! Who said anything about boot licking? You help us, we help you. Rebuild Ascanor, reclaim the forest, and I'm sure we could work out some sort of agreement where you get a piece of the forest to call your own without fear of reprisal. I would have to ask that you stop eating people though. Its frowned on in polite society."
Edward is unable to hold himself back, and interjects.
"Reclaim the Shudderwood. Yes. To the north lies the Worldwound. A gate to the Abyss itself. Mendev barely holds it back, but slowly it's evil seeps south into the Shudderwood. I have heard stories of the northern reaches..."
"It is coming. It will drive the spiders before it. It will throw demon-tainted monster after demon-tainted monster at you. Every time you kill one the taint will seep into the ground, birthing plagues and nightmares. Eventually your children will be born warped, and you will be conquered."
"It needs to be stopped. Far enough away that your children are safe."
The large man is about to respond, negatively, to Ky's statement, but stops at mention of the Worldwound. He visibly pales, but it doesn't reach his stern gaze. "We've seen what demons and their ilk can do! We sent the demon-wolf pack back to the Abyss!" He raises his axe up in the air and the assembled pack cheers and howls. His wolfish grin recedes with the noise and he turns to Edward, "We took this forest from you soft-folk too, and we'll keep it...but of the northern forest-you speak the truth." He looks over the lot of you, then proclaims to all assembled: "The forest is mine! I am Merro of the Vollensag! The packs of the Shudderwood follow me!"
"And I am Ivan Zukarov, the Droht of Vacia. I have honored the peace and balance held for centuries in the Shudderwood. Those who you took this place from sought to upset that truce. They were soft, you took vengeance. Others like them have angered and awoken other powers by breaking pacts, I believe we share enemies."
"The forest might be yours for now, but can you keep it? I see in your eyes that you know what my associate says of the World Wound is true. You need allies. I feel we could use each other. What is your answer?"
Ky slips his hands nonchalantly into his pockets, one of which has a slit in the bottom where he can reach a dagger strapped to his leg. He is ready for a fight should one break out.
Merro slams the axe-head into the dirt, leaning forward on the haft toward Ky and thumbs at Ivan, "I like this one. What do you propose then, eh? Of course, keep in mind that it's bad manners to tell me my business." His sharp grin punctuates the sentiment.
"And I like that one, He smells better"
Ky says with a large grin and nods his head over at Jhon. Hi face then takes on a serious look as he says...
"We get Ascanor you get the woods. You agree not to accost anyone traveling the roads and in exchange can do what you wish with anyone who wanders off the roads. Aldous does this sound agreeable? You've been oddly quiet."
The Doctor packs his pipe, listening to the negotiations going on, his brow furrowed. Lighting his tobacco, the Doctor pulls on the pipe stem and waves Brogol over. "It sounds agreeable, Master Ky, with one kaveat. We also have right of passage - our little group here, and those that accompany us - through the woods. Likewise, your people are welcome at Ascanor. We show we can respect you, and vice versa, and we can work from there to build a future free of taint from the Worldwound."
"No, I am afraid we cannot simply hand over the woods as soverign territory - the Droht is of Vacia, and even Ravensholme is on the border. This need not be complex, however. We seek to bring back the feudal system that served Ustalav so well. Let us start as we mean to go on."
"I suggest Merro be given the woods, yes, as Baron. Those territories still held are then subject to vassalage to him or the Count. We agree to help Baron Merro defend his woods from both the Worldwound and others in Ustalav, and in turn he agrees to outfit and provide forces to us to help us do so."
"We will need a map to recognise the boundaries, of course."
"If Baron Merro wishes to grant free passage, he may. He may not attack his Count's men on official duty, but also he has rights to hold and own his lands."
He shrugs "Typically such a title would be passed on through inheritance, but the Baron can pass it on as he chooses."
He looks intently at Merro "Most importantly, those who do not know the Baron out in Ustalav suddenly have an easy way to understand his power. He could walk into the throne room itself and announce himself as Baron and all would understand his power. He could kill a poacher on his land and it would be a legal execution. Outsiders could come to the Baron for permission to cut wood in return for a tax to the Baron, and it would stand up in any court in the land."
Ky winces slightly as Edward talks, Oh boy, that's not going to go well. Lets hope this brute has political aspirations. Ky then looks to Ivan to speak since it is his territory.
Jhon looks even more confused than before. Merro seems intrigued, "A fancy title will save me a lot of trouble eh?" Merro licks his teeth, swaying idly on his axe as he considers the implications. "Send this Count to me then, if he can best me, we'll truck with you lot. You lose, you join the pack or die."
Aldous pinches the bridge of his nose, the beginnings of a headache coming on. "So we are clear... what lands would you want with your fancy title? As my colleague notes, there are some we cannot give away. However, there's more than enough to go around. Would five square miles to the east of Ascanor do?"
"Regardless, the Count is not available to fight battles with presumptive Barons. Will you accept a champion on his behalf?"
Merro's eyebrows twitch, "Too important to listen, eh? These lands are mine...already. Strength proves strength! Not titles, not smartly dressed soft-folk."
"Saw that coming. Well Merro what would you suggest."
"You know my terms." Merro swings the axe back over his shoulders, and looks over to the river. "Your boat yeah? Bring it in, stay the night. Maybe you'll grow a pair of balls between you in the morning, or maybe you s~*$ yourselves and leave." He shrugs and waits a moment before heading back to the riverbank.
"I seek a return to the old ways, the old alliances, those that have allowed our people to live side by side for centuries and despite the coming and going of Tyrants, the Shudderwood endured because of it."
"Me killing you, or vis versa, would only serve to make our common enemies stronger. I would serve little purpose."
"Not to worry Vacian, you're alright with me." Merro wags his finger at the rest of the group, "Don't let these types soften you up, heh."
As Merro starts to walk away, Mircalla starts to follow.
"Mircalla!" Edward calls out.
"Oh c'mon, boss!" Mircalla rolls her eyes at Edward "We've got a truce. When am I going to have a chance like this again?"
"It's very rare for me to want to resort to violence, but I think we should kill that 'man'"
"Heh heh heh, we sleep on solid ground tonight."
Once they're wolf-less, Edward asks quietly
"Do you think you can take him, Droht?"