A Game of Kingmaker

Game Master Wandering Wastrel

15 LAMASHAN 4719

Brigid gives Arianna a grin: "You'd best start believin' in faerie stories, me girl, cause yer livin' in one!"

Yes I have been waiting a long time to deploy that line. No I regret nothing.

She looks at the rest of you. "Seems to me that you've had your fill of knowledge. Best you be on your way, now."

Raquel nods. "Thank you, Brigid. May our paths cross again in the future."

She shoulders her pack, ready to depart.

Sasha stands as well, but she asks a question as well. "Is there aught we can do to slow or prevent this Queen from waking?"

Or do we simply leave these lands, and let her?

Tristan was momentarily ashamed. Always it seemed he advocated the retreat, the coward's path. Yet they had an entire town's worth of lives dependent on their good decisions now. He'd happily risk his own life to fight this deposed Queen of the Fey, but she wouldn't stop at taking only his.

Still, he said nothing. The decision was Aivar's, and the others were far better equipped to council him on it than a mere singer. He said his thanks to Brigid as well and made ready to depart.

Yes, listen to the bard! Flee, now fools!

(...only don't, because then we'd have no adventure)

Brigid crooks one eyebrow upwards at Sasha's question. "Well, you can stop referrin' to her as the Queen once you're out from under my protection, dearie! That's a start. As fer the rest of it...""

She ponders the matter for a few moments, clearly taking it seriously. "Mmmph. I think I've offered you a few mushrooms' worth of help already. Anything else, and I'd be takin' a side, so I would now. And that would be a-breaking of my oath to the Eldest, and they'd not take kindly to that."

She breathes out again. "On the other hand, you've returned my sisters' shears to me, so you have. Service unasked-for is powerful magic indeed. So."

"Truth be told, there's little you can do to prevent her stirrin' in her sleep, now. You've put cold iron to the land. Her land." She shudders, and wraps her gossamer shawl more tightly around her thin shoulders; her inhuman eyes look at you accusingly. "The plough and the sickle and I-know-not-what. You've got her attention, for good or ill, now. Mostly ill. You're involved, now." Her eyes brighten with mischief.

"But here's the thing. So is she. She's brought mortals under her sway, foolish creatures. She's raised her hand against you - oh, not directly, for sure, you'd not survive that even if she was capable of it. But those under her banner have struck at you. That's powerful magic too, and I bet she doesn't even realise what she's done, so she doesn't! But it gives you leave to strike at her, in time - oh not now, sure and you could barely handle that poor mindless thing that was guarding the toadstools! But like it or no, she has brought you into this story and if you survive then she will not, it's as simple as that."

"So stay alive, is my advice. And bide your time, what you have of it."

Listening intently to Brigid with a cautious look, Nariel finally let a weary sigh "So in other words, we should expect more life threatening encounters with monstrous plants, creatures and whatever else she can dream up to throw in our way."

Standing up with a shrug, Nariel smiled ruefully "Just another day in the Stolen Lands I suppose," pausing a moment, Nariel glanced over at Brigid with a genuine smile before adding "thank-you for your help Brigid. As Raquel has said, I do hope our paths cross again in better times."

Gathering her things, Nariel looks over at Aivar without a word, but a simple look that says ready when you are.

Aivar does not know how to respond to the fey and so he doesn't say a thing. Instead, he gives her a firm nod that spells out 'thank you' and then eyes his companions. "If knowledge is a shield, we now have something, flimsy as it might be, to protect us from immediate harm. Let us ride home and act on it. We have plans and weapons to forge."

Inside his core, the paladin does not feel fear even though they're seemingly up against impossible odds. That basic instinct for self-preservation is the first thing the Gods take away from their chosen ones once they travel down the path of the paladin, but there's a cold wind blowing down the well of Aivar's soul nonetheless. It isn't just his life that is resting on the scales of this war. The lives of his friends are in it as well and so too those of the people he as Graf swore to protect and care for. He'll have to figure out how to deal with that during the ride home.

But, and he knows this very well, thinking isn't how Aivar readies himself for tomorrow. He acts, and right now, he's aching to do. To set up meetings, procure materials and order weapons to be made, to get to people act so they can defend themself against what is to come.

It is just that the actual 'doing' will take gold and resources. Gods, where will we find the means to acquire cold iron weaponry not just for us, but for the soldiers and people as well? Arrows, polearms, and swords ...

Try as he might, worries linger above his head like black clouds.

Raquel fidgets in the doorway, eager to get a move on.

15-19 LAMASHAN 4719

Stepping from the ever-Summer of Brigid's home back into the Lamashan gales is a rude awakening. Your ride home is a slog of mud, sleet and hail, reminding you that Winter is approaching swiftly. The smell of woodsmoke greets you on the air long before you reach Thornhold - every house it seems has lit their fire to drive away the cold and damp.

20 LAMASHAN 4719

It is surely ironic that Aivar has been thinking of money, for the rest of the council have been doing the same: your fledgling province is - temporarily - bankrupt, or "financially embarrassed" as Karinna puts it somewhat primly, smoothing down her dark velvet dress as she does so.

Your consumption (7 BP) exceeds what you currently have in the treasury (6 BP) and you have to pay the consumption before you get the next round of income. The math is reasonably straightforward.

Karinna bites her lip: as the treasurer, she is technically responsible for this, although anyone with a mind to remember would recall that she advised against setting up the Graf's fund. "Nevertheless, my resignation, if you wish it my Lord Graf, is yours on request."

After her routine bath following weeks on the road, Nariel joins the others to review the state of the treasury. Looking over the ledger, Nariel scowls and sighs before setting it down. Picking up the balance sheet, Nariel suddenly shrugs, seemingly a lot less concerned than a moment before, and looks at Karinna with a dismissive smile "Resignation? I cannot imagine that would be necessary. Dornmark is not the first province to experience cash flow problems, neither will it be the last." Setting the balance sheet down, Nariel points to the assets "Lord Kurisyl, we have plenty of assets we could use to bolster the treasury. The gold we have amassed, the dwarven mithral that we discovered... it could be liquidated to loan the treasury the necessary funds to cover the short-fall. That being said, such a course of action takes time."

Crossing her arms, Nariel again looks towards the income statements and adds "Ultimately, Lady Karinna is right... we need to either reduce spending, build the treasury back up, or possibly both. This means a halt to capital expenditures for a time, or reducing our consumption. Neither is desirable, but some belt tightening will be necessary for the time being."

Aivar unclasps the straps holding his mithral gauntlet in place and then, with a clack, twists it and takes it off. He puts it on the table and, without a doubt to be found in his voice, tells Karinna what to do. "Karinna, with the storms hanging over the north, I am confident a buyer can be found for precious tools of war. We have mithral battleaxes, forged by dwarven craftsmen, that never dull. There is the adamantine warhammer that will crush through any armor. And, there is my set of mithral plate which, if we must, we can sell. I take full responsibility for what's going on and it is a sacrifice I am most willing to make. After all ...", and he eyes the opulence surrounding them with a sour face - or is it disgust? "Others have made sacrifices much greater than the one I am now suggesting."

He'd trade it all, the mansion, the armor, splendor, to hear that girl laughing again without a worry on her mind, or see the halfling stuff his pipe so that he can endure yet another day of boredom thanks to being on guard duty.

We can sell the weapons and/or the mithral fullplate in the hope that that will solve our immediate financial problems. I had a look at the previous pages of in-game content *and* the lootsheet, and nothing else comes to mind.

21 to 28 LAMASHAN 4719

Kingdom Turn Five

It takes the better part of a week to bring your province's finances under control, and there is a certain amount of discontented looks thrown your way: Raquel is jeered at when she enters the tavern, although it doesn't go any further than that - for now.

Karinna and Nariel work late into the evening for several consecutive nights, but when the harvest proves to be good and the gold mine brings its first cartload (hopefully the first of many) into town, it seems like the worst might have passed.

Your treasurer frowns as she inspects a minor paper-cut on her thumb. "This might seem counter-intuitive, but I suggest we use what we have just acquired to expand and build some farms. We are spending a fortune on bringing wagon-loads of food down from Oleg's. If we can feed ourselves a little more, that would cut our expenditure in future."

Jhod gives a nod of agreement. "Aye, makes sense to me: use what provision we have now to ensure we can feed ourselves tomorrow."

Eva grins: "What, like that old saying bout teaching a man to fish? All he'll do is sit in a boat all day and drink. Not that I ever done fishin, but if you hang over the side of a roof you can use the hooks on them rods to open a window catch." She coughs. "So I heard, anyways."

Karinna gives the street-girl a thoughtful look, but doesn't say anything.

Jhod gives Eva a quick smile, and covers the silence with another suggestion. "We could do with some more housing, if there's the funds for it. People are happier when there's a roof over their heads, and the weather will be getting a lot worse before it's any better."

Raquel weathers the jeers with good cheer, knowing that folks' good nature will return once the economy is better. She nods along with the advisors' suggestions, allowing the other members of the council to dictate policy.

Gold is like the weather in that it comes and goes. And sometimes, like the weather, there are periods where it refuses to rain. The seasons Aivar spent traveling the lands with his father to take care of their Lord's taxes taught him as much. Still, with all of the responsibility now falling on his shoulders, he can't shake off that nagging feeling of having failed.

But with the treasury now containing actual bags filled with gold and not just a stack of IOU papers, the plans to expand the Mark and give shape to their ambitions and promises return to the forefront. Like spring, the warmth of their hopes and dreams chase away the clouds of worry and fear. "The path seems obvious. We must acquire provisions and materials so that we can raise homesteads and clear grounds for farming. And, we must expand Thorn's housing capacity to ensure order and dignity."

Houses and a farm on grasslands/plains would eat up 5 BP if I'm correct and that will leave us with 6 BP. Is that enough to pass the next phase? Sorry, I've been completely scatterbrained the last couple of weeks and it might take a little while longer for my mental capacities to return to full speed.

Sasha can't help but smirk when Eva mentions an impractical way to open windows. The girl is certainly ingenuitive. She remains silent unless called upon, trusting the expertise of her peers and Aivar's intuition to carry the mark forward.

When her time comes, she clears her throat. "I've nothing to report on except that I'm using the resources available to better bolster the economy. If we predict that greater unrest could happen soon, I can focus on that." She leaves the exact methodology unsaid.

Aivar: that would leave your consumption at 6, meaning you would be at zero BP, but you wouldn't go into the negative so that's fine.

Can you tell me which hex you want to claim and which square to put the housing in?

29 LAMASHAN 4719

With a relieved sigh, Karinna pushes the last of the papers away from her and hands a series of official documents to Aivar, taking care not to smudge them with her ink-stained fingers. She gives a curtsey (her dress - crimson damask - is, of course, immaculate): "There, my lord. If you can sign here, and here... and also here. I think we have survived another month."

Jhod gives a broad grin, having just returned from inspecting - and giving a blessing to - the new foundations for the houses to be constructed. "Aye, tha has done well - back from the brink of bankruptcy and giving thought to housing our people ere Winter falls on us." He smiles at Raquel. "Perhaps Cayden's lady would like to open another barrel in celebration?"

He raises his tankard: "To our Graf, but also to the Lady Medvyed who keeps our reach within our grasp!"

There is general agreement at this sentiment, and if Eva mutters "But it's more fun takin' what ain't yours" then it's lost amid the general clamour.

Well done, guys. Crisis averted!

Raquel takes Jhod's suggestion to heart, tapping a fresh keg of ale. "To Aivar! To Thornmark! To Cayden Cailean!" She partakes heartily of the refreshments.

With steady hand, Aivar signs the documents and ends what has been a series of hectic and harrowing weeks. "No storm nor drought will lay to ruin what we're building here, my friends and companions. I thank you all for your effort and determination, now, let us drink! I've bored you all long enough as is!"

"You can say that again!" Raquel adds with a wink.

Though Nariel had spent many hours helping pour over the books and finances of the new Mark with Karinna, she was happy to recede from the spotlight. Raising her glass towards Karinna, she smiled and quietly congratulated the treasurer "Well done Master of Coin," and with a wink, she added more audibly "so, one crisis down, onto the next!"

Placing her glass down, Nariel appeared reflective "Lord Kurisyl, we should perhaps discuss our next several expansions some time soon. I have some ideas that I would like to bounce off the council. Give me but a day or two, and I will put together some proposals." Picking her glass up, Nariel took another sip before adding "Additionally, I think it might be a good time for me to produce some goods for us. I have space at the manse now to craft some wondrous items for our journeys."

Arianna raises a glass with the others but doesn't drink very much.

When Arianna gets time alone, she packages up a few letters she wrote during nights on watch. The first to her family, asking how things are and sending some money along; the second to Daniel and Clara, similarly asking how things are and how they are being treated by their masters in House Lodovka. The third letter goes to Lucille.

After the financial crisis and before anything else happens, she also goes to see Aivar when they're both free. "If you have a moment, Aivar, there's something I wanted to discuss with you."

29 LAMASHAN TO 1 NETH 4719

Nariel withdraws from the group and spends several days working intently on her enchantments.

Nariel: Do you have to make any skill checks? I can't remember the Item Crafting rules offhand

Arianna writes her letters and sends the, off, and spends some time in conversation with Aivar.

Use spoilers for this so it doesn't obstruct the next phase of play, please :)

The rest of you spend a few days getting some well-earned relaxation, and catch up on your lost sleep (in actual beds rather than the hard ground).

2-8 NETH 4719

Kingdom Turn Six

When you wake in the morning, you see that a hard frost has come down: the fields are wreathed in white, and ice has formed a skin over the puddles in the now iron-hard mud ruts that form Thornhold's streets.

For all that, the mood is more cheerful than of late and Karinna reports with satisfaction that this year's harvest has been safely gathered in and the mines that are being dug out are hitting rich seams of material wealth. In tune with the season, your treasurer is resplendent in ice-blue satin with white fur trim.

She looks at the map of the territory nearby. "Very well, what are your decisions on how we proceed this month?"

Murmuring a familiar prayer in the morning, Raquel wards herself against the chill weather. She passes out warm mugs of spiced cider to all of the council members before taking her seat. "Digging the look, Karinna! Blue suits you just fine."

She lets the others take charge of the planning.

Taking her seat with a cup of tea, Nariel appears relaxed and well rested once more. Like Karina, Nariel had been burning the candle at both ends for awhile, but was easing back into life at a more normal pace.

Standing up and moving in beside Karina, Nariel observed the map as she casually ran her hand down from the outpost to the Thornhold. Glancing up at Aivar, and then turning to Karina, Nariel responds "I think we ought to move cautiously for the time being. We had a good harvest, and the mines are producing... but we also have to tackle our consumption and rebuild the treasury a little."

Pausing a moment, Nariel collects her thoughts and adds "I think we should expand here, and meet up with the Brevoy border. We should construct roads connecting our city with our neighbors to the north. This will build some economic stability, and encourage trade with Brevoy. As soon as the treasury can handle it, we can return to some of the longer term projects we had in mind. That being said, I am open to other ideas if anybody has suggestions."

Tristan also voices his appreciation for Karinna's sense of style, even if there is a note of mournfulness to it. It has been some time since he'd been able to dress richly, and with the group constantly ranging about the land and getting cut up and whatnot it did not seem an especially auspicious time to contract a tailor for anything other than mending and replacing the clothing he already had.

When Tristan gets the chance to speak with Aivar, he'll say the following.

Kingdom Turn Six (cont)

9 NETH 4719

With the decisions made for another month, and the labour underway to construct another farm, you can relax - slightly; for events are always liable to overtake you. Still, the joining of your province's borders to Brevoy proper is cause for celebration, as is the undertaking of a road connecting (however tenuously) Thornhold with the South Rostland Road. It makes the import and export of goods easier, and allows for the passage of greater numbers of people, although only the hardiest of folk (or the desperate) would choose to travel in this season, when the frost has made the ground like iron and the cold chill seeps straight into your bones.

It is early evening when there is a knock on the door of your (still unnamed!) manor house; a few moments later, one of the servants brings in a young woman who from her garb is clearly a serving-girl. She curtsies. "Begging your pardon, m'Lords and Ladies, but Karl sent me cos there's a group of dwarves arrived at the Shrike. One of 'em, a Master Golka, is asking for the Lady Raquel here?"

She squints at you doubtfully. "Karl wants to know if he should send the little beggars packing, afore they steals all the gold we have."

”Golka! I know that guy!” Raquel declares, wiping some ale from her upper lip. ”You will tell Karl to do nothing of that sort! These dwarves are our friends. In fact, I shall make my way to greet them now.”

The cleric quickly makes herself presentable before heading to the Shrike.

Nariel: Do you have to make any skill checks? I can't remember the Item Crafting rules offhand

You're right, I just realized I missed doing this in my last post. The DC to craft since she has all the materials is 5 + 8 CL for the headband. Appearance wise Wastrel, can it look more like an elven circlet? Type elven circlet jewelry into google, and you'll see a million examples of what I'm thinking; that just seems very Nariel. The roll follows:

Craft Headband of Vast Intelligence, DC 13: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

Arriving downstairs, Nariel is fashioning a new circlet of silver that has a small gemstone embedded in it. Doing a quick pirouette, Nariel smiles with some satisfaction "Well, what do you think? Took a few days to fashion and enchant this."

Listening to serving girl, Nariel glances at Raquel with a smile "You want some company? I have been interned in my quarters for days now, I could stand for an evening out."

Couldn't we all right about now... XD

Raquel grins and offers Nariel her arm. "I'd be delighted!"

Sasha looks at the circlet in amazement. "Narièl, that's incredible! Did you craft it yourself? The metal appears so delicate." She turns to Raquel. "I hope you don't mind if I join you as well. I'm so bored tonight."

Raquel offers Sasha her other arm. "The more, the merrier, darling! And what a gorgeous trio we make!"

Karinna politely indicates that she has other things to do, and Eva has long since slipped away on errands of her own, but Yuri and Kesten join you on your walk to the tavern; although their individual reasons for doing so are very different.

The raucous noise emanating from the Swooping Shrike can be heard even before the tavern itself is in sight. Inside, one corner of the taproom has been effectively commandeered by a small party of dwarves - party being the operative word in this case. The table is piled high with empty tankards and the remains of several platters of food. Karl the Rostlander is keeping an eye on the proceedings warily; he spots your entry and gives you a stiff bow: "They're your problem now. Any damages, you're on the hook for it."

Kazgar the dwarf gives you a much warmer welcome, pushing back his chair and ordering several of his companions to make room for you all. He beams at Raquel: "Good to see you, lass! You're a few drinks behind us but I've no doubt you'll put a good effort in to honour that god of yours." He waves his arms imperiously for a moment to get his companions' attention. "This is the lass I was telling you about, lads: the one who found the tomb of our brave fallen from so long ago!"

The noise increases to a roar as the dwarves give a rousing cheer and bang their tankards on the table in salute. The few remaining people in the tavern choose this moment to make their exit; Karl's scowl increases.

Once the din subsides, Kazgar gives a smile. "So as it happens, we've got another business proposition to make. I heard you snagged a Baron for yourself? Some lordling, anyway. I trust you've got him suitably tamed?" He wraps a finger from one hand around his left pinkie suggestively. "I was hoping you could get us an audience with him."

Raquel greets Kazgar with a warm handshake. "It's good to see you too, my friend! Let's keep the ale coming, shall we? Karl! Another round, in Cayden's name!" She makes sure to give the bartender a large tip to help ameliorate his sour mood.

The cleric laughs at Kazgar's insinuation. "Alas, I've yet to 'snag' the graf--more's the pity! But I am his councilor, and it would be my honor to introduce you to him. What sort of business proposition did you have in mind?"

Taking a seat quietly alongside Raquel, Nariel smiles and nods towards their hosts. Having forgotten how loud a group of dwarves reveling in some ale and good company could be, Nariel sighs and turns to Sasha "Listen, I am going to get a bottle of wine; shall I get two glasses?"

Standing up, Nariel approached Karl and leaned against the bar "A bottle of wine Karl, and two glasses if you have them." Glancing back at the party, Nariel shook her head and laughed lightly "Sorry about this Karl. They mean well enough, and I will be sure that a nice tip is left."

Returning to the table, Nariel set the wine bottle down and poured some glasses. Looking at Kazgar, Nariel adds "As it so happens, you actually have the ear of three of his Councillors. Business propositions will always find a receptive audience here." Nariel meant that sincerely; any thing that might help restore the treasury was useful.

Karl shrugs at Nariel as he hands her the bottle and glasses. "Long as you pay for breakages, I'm good."

Kazgar gives the elf a quick look through narrowed eyes, before realising that she's sincere. "Hmmph. Very well then. As you know, since the - uh - Incident that shut us off from our holds in Brevoy, we've not had it that easy. There's probably more of our kin buried in that mound than I could muster from what's left of the clans of the Golushkin Mountains. Not that I could muster anyone right now, we're all scattered."

"So I see an opportunity here. You've reopened the old gold mine, and it seems you've got the numbers to hold this land, for now. We have the expertise in mining and tunnelling. Seems like we could be of use to you. In return, we'd want leave to settle here."

He reaches inside his leather jerkin and pulls out a piece of parchment which he hands across to you. It's a formal deed on behalf of the dwarf clans, renouncing any claims they may have to the mine, its contents or any other property that may once have been part of the old dwarven realm within the Stolen Lands.

He nods at you. "Gesture of goodwill. Not like we have the numbers to enforce a claim even if we wanted to. And gold is nice, but alliances are the better currency right now. Not everyone welcomes us on their lands. But we could make it worth your while."

Raquel studies the parchment before looking up and grinning at Kazgar. ”We’ll have to run it by the graf, but I, for one, am inclined to accept your offer. What do you ladies think?”

"It seems like a win-win. You'll hear no objections from me." Sasha grins and lifts her mug, toasting the miners in Dwarven.

"Mega skegg þín vaxa lengi og kviðurinn þinn þekkir aldrei hníf."

Nodding quietly, Nariel keeps her cards close as she takes the document from Kazgar. Glancing it over just briefly while Sasha and Raquel discuss the possibility of an alliance.

Profession, Barrister: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Looking up from the document, Nariel smiles lightly "On first glance, it appears in good order sir, and indeed a gesture of goodwill." Rolling it up, Nariel placed it in her scroll case. She found the din of revelry distracting, making it harder to concentrate on the legal aspects of the document; she would review it more closely from the serenity of her quarters at the manse.

Taking a sip from her wine glass, Nariel nods along with Sasha "I think that on the face of it, what you propose would be a mutually beneficial agreement. As such, I cannot imagine the Graf would reject such an offer; he is an eminently reasonable ruler." Leaning back in her chair, Nariel folds her hands in front of herself and adds "That being said, allow the three of us to present your proposal to him before we confirm anything here."

We are back up and running! Sincere apologies for the delay and I hope you are all still out there somewhere

10-30 NETH 4719

The decision to admit the Golushkin Mountain dwarves to your province proves to be a mixed blessing, but over the next few weeks the word goes out and some hundred or so stout, bearded folk answer the mustering call of Kazgar Golka. They bring their wealth and their expertise, all of which are gladly contributed to your cause; in addition they bring a certain amount of strife, both among themselves and with the townsfolk whose lives are disrupted by their arrival.

You are all kept very busy over the next few weeks, playing your part in making it a success. Ultimately, the consensus seems to be that it is a good thing that their Lord is open to accepting all who are willing to join.

In game terms, Stability goes down by 2 but Loyalty and Economy both go up by 1. In addition, the dwarves contribute 1d6 ⇒ 4 BP to your treasury by way of thanks.

1 KUTHONA 4719

It is snowing: not hard, but continuously: a seemingly endless parade of thick, downy flakes fall from the sky and swirl about in the howling wind that comes off the Kameland Hills.

So far, it hasn't settled: the frostbitten ground is hard and cold, but the snow dissolves as soon as it lands, leaving the earth part-covered in a sort of grey-brown mush. Soon enough, of course, it will settle: around here, they don't bother measuring the snow in inches. It will be a foot or two deep before Yuletide.

In the main room of your manor house, the fire crackles and spits as the occasional drifting flake finds its way down the chimney and finds its end in the blazing warmth of the hearth. Karinna, huddled in a thick woollen blanket, stifles a sneeze as she shuffles the papers in her hands and looks at you all. "So, what are our plans for this month's work?"

Sasha speaks first. "It seems that our new guests have stirred up some resentment among Aivar's subjects. I intend to devote my resources towards tracking down any particular troublemakers, dwarf or otherwise."

Arianna slides her letters aside as the meeting begins properly. "Is there enough housing to go around? It gets colder by the hour, and if everybody has a warm bed to return to it might help tamp down on any unrest."

Raquel distributes more cider to the council members. Seeing Karinna's discomfort, she prays to Cayden and touches the woman's shoulder, using a spell to help her ward off the chill.

Endure elements.

"I'll make the rounds with the people, try to convince them that having the dwarves around is a good thing."

Heading downstairs with ledgers, city plans and other various documents in hand, Nariel eventually joins the others. A heavy cloak about her shoulders, Nariel gathers her garments around herself in an attempt to ward of the cold. Still not accustomed to the winters in Brevoy, Nariel appears noticeably miserable, much like the previous winter.

Nodding lightly as the others speak, Nariel finally interjects plainly and to the point "We could do something for the town folk, that might help restore some good will after this change. Demographic shifts can lead to quarrels among the laymen, as they are not used to seeing those of varying ancestry. I would know; I still get the odd look from those living here."

Pausing, Nariel sneezed and then muttered something in elven before continuing "I do not know how you all handle this cold so well, it chills me to the bone." Pulling out her maps of the town, Nariel continued "In any event, I might recommend something to help constitute greater stability. A cistern would help manage the water supply, a waste disposal area would help us to keep the city clean and sanitary," pausing, looked up from her map and gave Raquel a knowing smirk "a brewery would help engender good will and loyalty from the new arrivals and the townsfolk already living here."

So an idea here; we lost stability, but all those items listed above are very cost effective ways of quickly regaining some stability.

"They do say that any place worth living will have its own ale. Or liquor. Or really any form of getting drunk, I suppose," Trisan muses. "Though perhaps ensuring that we have enough water might take precedence over having enough ale."

As usual, Raquel looks after Nariel, providing her with an endure elements spell as well. Her eyes light up at the mention of a brewery. ”I like this plan. I’m happy to be a part of it!”

1-7 KUTHONA 4719

Kingdom Turn 7

As it turns out, whether by good luck, good judgement, able advisers or some combination of the three, you end the year in a good state: people are generally happy, and there is a surplus in the treasury even once your taxes are paid.

What you choose to spend that surplus on, or whether to hold onto it for another day, is up to you of course.

The month brings one more surprise, this one actually pleasant: in re-opening the old dwarf gold-mine, your workers have excavated a shaft that is better-preserved than most and in doing so have uncovered a strange relic that they bring to you. Nariel is able to identify it as a weapon-sigil: made of the coldest of forged iron, it has great proof against the fey.

In game terms, it will add the Bane (fey) property to any weapon it is attached to

"That rune seems right up your alley, big guy," Raquel tells Aivar. "Slap it on your glaive and you'll wreck any evil faeries we face off against."

Having performed her magical identification, Nariel looked up from the sigil presented by the dwarves. Smiling lightly with a nod, Nariel responds "Indeed Raquel, this is good fortune. I think the Graf is the proper standard bearer for something such as this." Picking it up, she glances over at Aivar and adds "I will need your glaive Aivar, so that I can etch this sigil into it."

Looking over at Lady Karina, Nariel changes the topic as she stores the weapon sigil away for future use. "Lady Karina has completed the final tax assessments and payments, and we are actually in a stronger financial position than I had originally anticipated." Pulling out her city plans, Nariel adds "What this means is we can both expand the borders, prepare new farm lands and build either a brewery or a sistern, which would both provide some value to the community." Taking a deep breath, Nariel appears reflective "I think the brewery might be a sign of good will to both our newcomers and the local population. We can build the sistern in the next season."

On separate business, since we had some good fortune with our rolls, I say we go ahead with both the land acquisitions and build the brewery. Of all the options, it provides the most value, and I'm sure Raquel, the dwarves... hell everyone will enjoy it! (Except Nariel, she is definitely leans more towards wine)"