As the others mount up and get ready to leave, Jasrella casts a simple spell called Detect Magic. She stares intently at the crater.
I will join you in a few moments your Majesty, I wish to study the magic in the area. I hope we can get some answers
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On the way back to camp, Hareth asks Rade, "THere are apparently folks who want to take the resources given your father and return them to whence they came. We simply cannot let that happen. To continue his good work and his vision until he returns, we have to have those resources. Can you tell me what they are and where they were being kept? I can't do anything to protect them unless I know what and where they are. That might have to be our first order of business... and I might have to ride with you if you would allow that, as speed may be of the essence. Arrow should be able to carry us both for a few miles."
Rade Surtova looks at Hareth.
"I know my uncle gave him gold and letters for setting up the new kingdom, but I don't know where they are..."As the others mount up and get ready to leave, Jasrella casts a simple spell called Detect Magic. She stares intently at the crater.
I will join you in a few moments your Majesty, I wish to study the magic in the area. I hope we can get some answers
There is a really strong evocation aura.
"Well let's get to that gold before your uncle's representatives come and take it... It will be needed to see your father's vision come to life. When he returns, he will be pleased to see your efforts."
"Excuse me, milady, no affront is intended but I must ride with you for speed." He mounts the horse as well, and urges Arrow to as much speed as the horse can manage with two riders.
Bachu sees Jasrella looking at the crater and goes and stands next to her and uses his detect evil on the crater.
When that is done he hurries back to the camp.
By preference, the first, most immediate goal would be to convince Kresten Garess to not follow his orders the instant Rudolf Surtova isn't right there in front of him. Ideally, Alysandra would push for a week, following Verisisi's directions in the meantime, and if she can get a distraction she'll use sow thought to try to plant the idea in his head for him to think it to be his own; failing that, this is, I think, the right time to use her 1/day use of Master of Rhetoric's 'Take 20' ability to max out the Diplomacy roll (20 + 22 = 44). Of particular persuasive use is the Restov contingent coming down the road, because trying to move money and goods while 'your opponents' are on the lookout for you to do so would be like trying to carry a bloody haunch of beef right through a hungry wolf pack.
Presuming this can be done, the group coming from Restov is the next most important issue - essentially, to spin their view on what happened. Yes, the King and most of those who were at the Mayor's party last night aren't there, but they are not dead, and that with Rade Surtova still here, everything remains in motion. Sir Rocknose, being present, can act as a third-party arbitrator with a pure and dispassionate interest in the process of law ...
... though that, of course, can only happen once he gets his son and his forces the hell away from Rade Surtova and stop trying to seize control of her. There is no way in hell that he and Burfoot can carry her off to his encampment and this remain even remotely peaceful; he very publically did not swear fealty last night. He might be able to join the royal encampment, but in order to maximize his leverage, he needs to remain independent, even independent of the rest of the Righteous Wanderers, as befits a third-party overseer of a transition. All of the others, as their leaders have sworn fealty to Rupert Surtova (first of his name), would be more than welcome to join their seperate encampments to the Royal Encampment, so long as they subsumed their authority to that of Rade's guards. Taking control of the queen-presumptive (not 'princess-regent') is a very bad and legally questionable idea.
However, if we can get the first step done, the rest is within reach, but Garess has to be brought over to our side first.
"Why yes Rookrose, we wouldn't want any Azata entering the camp now would we?" Ishana remarks sarcastically, before folding her arms slightly and staring at him. "Why would I or anyone go to your encampment? If I recall correctly, you were the only person not to swear fealty to the king? Heck, didn't think king ask you not to attend his secret meeting? In which case, what were you doing there after his request? Why were you the only person left behind? All of this and you want me to sit and play nice at your camp while you withhold information on what might have happened to our friends, instead of telling us now what happened!"
Ishana narrows her eyes in irritation. "You couldn't swear fealty to the king or his heirs, not even to give him basic support. Your excuses were such that you could not guarantee your presence in the nation, or guarantee that his heirs might not turn evil down the road and now the sheer irony of your adopted son, a hellknight like yourself, asking everyone to pledge support to the Crown, protecting her, the very thing you couldn't do barely a few hours ago!"
Pausing for a moment, Ishana brushes a stand of hair out of her eyes before shaking her head sadly, with a tone of disappointment. "You disappoint me Sir, I would have expected so much more from you, a Paladin of the Godclaw."
Jasrella dismisses her spell after she has gathered all the information she could. Hearing what the gnome has said and what the typical response was, she turns and mounts here horse.
Argent dracos mount up and head back to camp.
She gives a nod towards the skinny elf and he walks his horse off to the side to continue watching what the others are doing.
everyone is welcomed back at the courser's camp, we are set up for such a meeting already. All are welcomed to attend regardless of you views on the law.I will not dictate that you submit to a testing of your your origin or alignment towards the law.
She looks at the Hell knight
you sir for being one the promotes the law, you and your....son's actions are very..how should I say it...Chaotic...at best. If you wish to be part of this then you should work with us instead of against us. That is if her Majesty wants you to be part of this. If you do not then you have once again shown yourself to have nothing but your own agenda in mind. I suggest communing with your gods to give you direction for to me you seem to have lost your course. I could be wrong but your actions while not unlawful are erratic for a lawful man that you claim to be.
With out waiting for a rebuttal, she spurs her horse onward towards the camp.
Once she catches up to Kresten Garess, she will slow her horse down to ride beside him.
Garess, if you will give me some time to talk with you as we ride back to camp. I would like for you to hold off on leaving so soon with what we need to continue with the reclaiming of the Stolen Lands. It will take some time to make arrangements for the return of the resources anyway. I mean with Porter missing right now the baggage handlers are going to be hard pressed to move this day with all that you have. Give me a few days to learn what has happened and to confirm things. I can not deny you the right to fulfill your orders, I am just asking you to delay for a few days.
After talking with Kresten, she will ride hard and fast to catch up with the Hareth, the Queen and her guards.
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With the queen gone Axhammer shrugs and shouts his commands, the horses are used to draw trees that are felled close to the pit. A large boulder is also drawn close which will have the names of all of the Lawful people killed in the attack as well as his companions. These names are written in Gnome, Halfling, Elven, Dwarven, and Common.
Funeral songs and dirges go up into the air, as the crater is filled with earth, trees, and rubble.
Not a single Hellknight will answer any questions, if pressed they merely point to Axhammer and Alexander.
"Let her leave, its her right to side with Chaos, as is ours to Purge the Chaotic thing that destroyed our comrades. Until dawn we will work, haul, and cleanse this area of Chaos. Mourn now while you have a chance, when the sun rises, we will begin the hunt for whatever killed them.
Axhammer believes all of his freinds are dead, and that by closing over the crater he will appease them in the afterlife, so that they need not rise as angry shadows or other undead. He is devastated and enraged by what has happened.
Anyone coming up to him will see that the Rune for Vengeance has been drawn in blood on the front of his armor, with the names of his comrades written below that.
"Leave me to grieve, come back with the dawn"
"Why yes Rookrose, we wouldn't want any Azata entering the camp now would we?" Ishana remarks sarcastically, before folding her arms slightly and staring at him. "Why would I or anyone go to your encampment? If I recall correctly, you were the only person not to swear fealty to the king? Heck, didn't think king ask you not to attend his secret meeting? In which case, what were you doing there after his request? Why were you the only person left behind? All of this and you want me to sit and play nice at your camp while you withhold information on what might have happened to our friends, instead of telling us now what happened!"
Ishana narrows her eyes in irritation. "You couldn't swear fealty to the king or his heirs, not even to give him basic support. Your excuses were such that you could not guarantee your presence in the nation, or guarantee that his heirs might not turn evil down the road and now the sheer irony of your adopted son, a hellknight like yourself, asking everyone to pledge support to the Crown, protecting her, the very thing you couldn't do barely a few hours ago!"
Pausing for a moment, Ishana brushes a stand of hair out of her eyes before shaking her head sadly, with a tone of disappointment. "You disappoint me Sir, I would have expected so much more from you, a Paladin of the Godclaw."
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Bachu sees Jasrella looking at the crater and goes and stands next to her and uses his detect evil on the crater.
When that is done he hurries back to the camp.
No evil, per se.
Once she catches up to Kresten Garess, she will slow her horse down to ride beside him.
Garess, if you will give me some time to talk with you as we ride back to camp. I would like for you to hold off on leaving so soon with what we need to continue with the reclaiming of the Stolen Lands. It will take some time to make arrangements for the return of the resources anyway. I mean with Porter missing right now the baggage handlers are going to be hard pressed to move this day with all that you have. Give me a few days to learn what has happened and to confirm things. I can not deny you the right to fulfill your orders, I am just asking you to delay for a few days.
After talking with Kresten, she will ride hard...
Kresten rides fast, and hardly stops for her.
"I have orders, my lady. Sorry. And Restov's government won't wait, I can tell you that. And they won't be interested in settling the Stolen Lands, I can tell you that."Anyone coming up to him will see that the Rune for Vengeance has been drawn in blood on the front of his armor, with the names of his comrades written below that.
"Leave me to grieve, come back with the dawn"
So, if I got it right, Axhammer don't go back to camp, and will stay at the crater.
---We continue at night. You still have time to stay at the crater, or do something else.
Rade Surtova is going back to camp, as everybody except Axhammer and his people.
Porablum is going with Rade. She will also ask Alysandra to have the International Businessmen get Rade's belongings and King Rupert's from the King's camp and move them to the Coursers camp, since Kesten leading his guards away means the camp will no longer be safe for her.
If Jasrella and Hareth are okay with it, she will also extend an invitation to the IB camp to merge with the Coursers camp.
She will also ask Alysandra to have the International Businessmen get Rade's belongings and King Rupert's from the King's camp and move them to the Coursers camp, since Kesten leading his guards away means the camp will no longer be safe for her.
If Jasrella and Hareth are okay with it, she will also extend an invitation to the IB camp to merge with the Coursers camp.
Alysandra will counter by suggesting that instead of the Queen-Presumptive be seen to be succumbing to control by one party or another, the Coursers instead come to reinforce the King's encampment. "Because you don't make a queen join you," she makes sure to say within earshot of Rade, "YOU make sure you join her." The International Businessmen will not acquiesce to moving the the royal baggage or its train to the Coursers' camp.
Thinking for a moment over Alysandra's words, Porablum turns to Rade and says, "Alysandra brings up some valid points, your Highness. If you wish to return to your camp, we will have the Coursers move to your camp to replace the protection you are losing with Captain Garess returning to New Stetven. It is your decision, and we will obey."
"Aye, it might be better to protect you in your own camp... I have no desire to force you into any course of action, your majesty. I will take you wherever you wish to go, of course."
As Porablum talks with Queen-Presumptive Rade, Alysandra looks about for Anando Verisisi, finally moving to speak with him. "Master Verisisi, we never did manage to find out what the king's intentions were to be. Would you be so kind as to enlighten us?"
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Arriving at camp Kresten Garess starts giving orders.
"Close our camp. Nobody is allowed in or out. No exceptions."
The guards take position to prevent anyone from entering King's Rupert Camp, which now is closed to everyone.
Even Rade Surtova and Anando Verisisi.
Kresten goes into the main tent, not accepting to talk with anyone. Unless somebody tries to sneak in, or fight his way in, you seem unable to talk to him or enter the camp. Many guards go in and out, and they seem to start preparing to leave the place.
Rade, saddened, with a tear on her eye, answers you.
"I would thank you for your hospitality. Seems I am unable to go to my tent right now."
You all go to The Restov Coursers camp, where you are joined by the Four Swords, and the girl from the Cenobitic Order.
Anando Verisisi seems to wake off of this lethargy once Alysandra Janus talks to him.
"Yes, yes, of course. King Rupert wanted... well, he had some unusual ideas for Sloboda, his new kingdom. And the leaders of your groups had accepted them, and him as King. Here, see it for yourself."
He shows you the signed parchment from last night.
"You see? Read Article #6! And #8! We should be able to elect a new King! Or Queen!"
He turns to see Rade.
"And the treasury is for Sloboda! We should be allowed, by law, to use it!"
He looks at your questioning faces.
"Two carts! One has Gold, Silver, Platinum, Brevoy letters of credit. The other has vouchers for raw materials, wood, stone, work, which should be valid! Jewelry! The letters of transit and work for the workmen that will arrive to Sloboda soon! All that we need to settle up the new lands!"
He looks down.
"But we won't be able to get them. The Brevoy guards won't let us take them. He will take them back to Nikolai!"
He shows a sad smile.
"Well, if he is able to pass Restov. Restov government, Lord Sellenius, knows about the resources, and will try to claim them for Restov, by force if necessary. If Kresten is to get back to Brevoy alive, he should hurry up!"
He turns to see all of you.
"I loved Rupert. He was an idealist, a romantic fool. But he was honest. He was good. He was my friend, and the best man I have known."
Rade Surtova let a cry out at Anando talking about her father in a past tense.
"We can make his dream come true. His sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all of your leaders, worth it. We can try to build Sloboda in his place. Elect Rade as Queen. Let's show the document to Kresten, and make him reason! Let's take the treasury and escape south, not north, into Sloboda!"
Hi slams his small fist in the table, letting a yelp of pain.
"I think it is our only chance. Maybe we can outrun Restov, if we hurry."
He looks at you with pleading eyes.
"Do it for the honor of your leaders."
The four swords look at the others, unsure of what to do. The Oracle bows her head and starts to pray.
Rade is white, shaking, tears on her eyes.
Alysandra blinks at not being allowed into her own camp, but ... you know, that is almost a good thing, because it means that there is already a friendly force inside the camp of the opposition. Aware of the realpolitik of the situation, she gestures Ghent over. "How long would it take from how we left the place to break down, load up, and get moving?"
Ghent shrugs. "Hour, hour and a half? Two at the most. Patricia, Zeb, and the twins had orders to get everyone to start breaking down and loading up the back end. Probably not done, but should be close. Even so, most of what's necessary would be the front end." Meaning, of course, the royal portion of the encampments. Guards can handle their own stuff, but the royal pavilions and such would still need to be taken down and stowed.
Aly frowns, scratching at an itch on the inner fold of one ear. "Discount the most problematical of the royal luxuries."
That earns another shrug from Ghent. "Half hour, maybe? I'd have to see what's necessary to be sure, but forty-five minutes at the most."
Alysandra considers the information, then nods. "Take Caleb and Jocasta, see if you can't find a vantage to look inside, see what needs to be done. Make a plan for it - necessaries first."
Ghent nods and, corralling the two, goes out.
Once she has a chance to look at the document, Alysandra frowns. "Half?" she mutters to herself. "Two-thirds would be better." Looking up, she glances around at the assembled seconds-in-command, then straightens up. "I recommend," she emphasizes, "that everyone begin to break camp. I am entirely behind this document," she says, tapping it before letting whomever else study it, "and since all of our leaders - even yours," she says directly to the Khavortorov quartet, "have signed their names to it, I think it'd be best for us to follow through on their intentions."
"Now, Garess may not be letting anyone in, but if he wants to get out of Restov's reach, he's gotta get everything together - and he has to leave. There's almost a score of the International Businessmen on the inside, and while undoubtedly some of them are helping Garess break down and get ready to move, there are only so many options for him. Simply put, he HAS to actually move.
"One of the best ways of making someone make the decision you want is to leave them no other option. If we block his other options, leave him one way out, the way we want him to go - obviously we don't have to block the way into the city, he wouldn't take that if his life depended on it - then he'll take it. Once he gets moving on the road, I think we can make it obvious we need to talk ..."
She looks out of the pavilion and towards the royal encampment. "If only I could talk to him," she says, thinking for a moment. "I think ... I think I need to get a message to the IB members inside. Between a distraction inside and perhaps some assistance from you out here, I can slip inside, then go find a way to talk to him. I shouldn't be looked at twice, since I'm part of the encampment ..."
I told everyone this expedition wound be short, i supposed we would all die in some muddy pond, eaten by some little pest, but it seems it was shorter than i expected. chuckling at his own comments Emilio stand facing the rest of the small crowd of humans, half-elves and halflings. Well boys, start packing we are going back to the monastery.
No. Omarduk the only half-orc in the group stands, facing the cleric. We can´t go back like this, even if the paladin is gone, we can still go to the River Lands.
To pillage and steal from worthless people?, i am in no shape to chase you around, and without some guardian your actions would be totally my fault, as if the order needed more reasons to send me away.
We may be criminals, but we didn't join trying to return to that life, Ignatius promised us the chance to start anew, if this king´s daughter is still alive, she is our best chance to do so.
No, i don´t have anything against you kidnapping her, but a princess is more spoiled than you think, and i am definitely no nanny.
We will not kidnap her or anything like that, we will give her our support and help her build her kingdom, hopefully making a place for our self's in the process. Turning at the rest of the group Omarduk continues. What say you boys? feel like siding with the pretty good princess for once?
Hell Yea! So no stealing? We got this! Is she pretty? Lets get it done! Several voices of approval answered, deciding the next course of action for the group.
Fine fine that is enough, as long as you behave ill play along, now...do you even know were this princess is?
Entering swiftly to the tent the follower in guard duty enters in a hurryBrother Emilio the other camps sent notice, the princess will be meeting with representatives at The Restov Coursers camp.
ok now we know were she is, Omadurk i think you are the most suited one to represent us
Me? i am another penitent brother, as our "official" guardian you should...
There now, Ignatius trusted you, despite your past you are a good man...or half-orc whatever, and remember...life is meaning less so at least try to have fun, it is almost my nap time, good luck child. and with a smile Emilio leaves the tent.
Of all the priests... Very well boys, i´ll go to this meeting and make sure we get our lands and our chance to live free.
Arriving at the Restov Coursers camp Omarduk ungracefully presents himself to the guards, arriving with his full equipment.
Greetings..eh good men I am Omadurk the....representative of Ignatius the Digenes Akritas forces, i´m here to see the rest of the leaders and the princess, i was told i could find her here.
Entering the tent, to find the rest of the cohorts, he makes a small reverence before quickly addressing them, now with a planed speech.
Greetings fellow representatives of our leaders, I am Omadurk follower of Ignatius the Digenes Akritas, here to give our support to the missing king Rupert and his daughter.
Hearing Anando Verisisi words, Omadurk states his point.
The man is right we must approve this document and continue with the dream they all left behind, however only a fool would give away that kind of resources, i believe we will need both a strong front leader and the royal blood of your majesty to have any chance of getting them, since stealing and fighting for them against our larger neighbor is a bad way to start a country.
Turning to address the former princess For this, princess or rather queen, you would need to be strong now, for your father, and demand that which was given to him in the first place, or let another with a...stronger character take the lead until we can secure the resources
Alysandra rubs her thigh with one finger. "I think political appointments - prime minister and the like - should perhaps wait until we're clear of Restov and Rostland. That said, your Highness," she addresses the queen-presumptive, "Master Verisisi, it might indeed be best to establish some sort of chain of command."
Right now, the smartest in the group are (in descending order) Ishana, Jasrella, then Stefan and Sacha; the wisest are Selina, Hareth, and Father Ezekiel. Aly and Porablum are the most charismatic, with Micah a close third. Ishana, Jasrella, Hareth, Porablum, and Alysandra are establishing themselves (perhaps just due to activity) as Rade's foremost advisors and champions; Jasrella is clearly magic-focused, Hareth a combat sort, with Ishana splitting the difference; looking at Porablum's skills, she is easily a general advisor as well as swiftly becoming the girl's best friend.
Social situations - politics - are Aly's bread-and-butter; it's what she's built for. KS: Nobility, KS: Local, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Perception, Bluff, Intimidate - Aly's the only one who has all of them, and is front-runner or second in most. When it comes to Bluff and Diplomacy, nobody else is even close. That doesn't mean she should be 'leader'; I personally would put Hareth in overall command, with Ishana on combat strategy, Jasrella the mystic commander, Alysandra as political director, and either Stefan (should he join us) or Porablum as the scout leader.
But that's my opinion. ;)
Ishana considers Anando's offer. "I doubt anyone other than ourselves with support those documents - they would gain very little and lose so much more. Furthermore, in taking those resources, you risk provoking both parties, potentially turning the situation into a very dangerous one. I remark on this not to caution, but just so there would be no misunderstandings as to what we would be up against if we take this course of action"
Ishana lets the statement stand for a moment before shrugging slightly. "Personally, I can and would support Rade becoming Queen, or at least see the sense of it. She has a good heart, and I think she has some strong qualifies that might make her a good leader. My concern however, is the relative inexperience she currently has in political situations, and how easy it would be to unduly influence or manipulate. I think, in the interests of being fair, either all of us or none of us should be directly advising Rade on political matters, anything less is difficult to justify. I'd feel better if Anando tutored or provided advise to Rade on many of not all matters relating to the demands of leadership - it appears that he has served her father admirably and could probably do an equally good job here as well. As to the matter of the resources, if we truely want to get them, I'd rather turn both parties against each other, and then make a break for it, rather than just running for it now. I'd rather have any potential enemies wasting time fighting each other than chasing us".
"Possession is nine-tenths of the law," says Alysandra drily, "and we do not currently have possession; Kresten Garess does. My brother says the most parts a successful plan can have is three, and to plan for maximum complication is a fool's errand. Persuade him, eliminate his options, and going into the Stolen Lands - Sloboda-to-be - becomes his must-choose selection." She hesitates, and adds, "Persuasion is still our best choice, but we have to get into the camp. And all of us being ready to move is, I imagine, pretty important too."
As Rade shows clear signs of distress, Porablum immediately moves over to her and embraces her, giving her unspoken support. As the others discuss their next action, she remains silent giving support to Rade.
As her sobs grow quieter, Porablum holds Rade by the shoulders and looks her in the eyes. "Mister Verisisi is right that this document is the only way to ensure the nation of Sloboda rises. It is your father's dream, and he wants it fulfilled. The document is also written such that you do not need to permanently be Queen. If he is alive, as I believe him to be, then we could instill him as King when he returns. However, I do not wish to force you to this. If you do not want to do this, I will not support the document. There are many who will not acknowledge it, but perhaps enough will that it will hold. I do know that Restov wants those resources, and would be willing to fight for them. They will do the most good in the Stolen Lands, and if we get Kesten to support traveling there, we can maybe convince him to give us the resources. It is your decision, princess."
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Rade Surtova stands tall, tears in her eyes.
"My father was a good man. I can't let his dream die with... no... he is not dead. I must keep his dream alive in his absence. I am not worthy, but if by becoming queen, for now, can keep his dream going, I'll do it. And as such I can go to see Lord Kresten Garess. He will have to talk to me."
Anando Verisisi also stands tall.
"I don't have a vote. I am not a "Prince-Elector". And I think that makes me a suitable Prime Minister and adviser to the Queen, a task I am prepared to do, and I am willing to take in honor of King Rupert the First."
The girl from the Cenobitic Order kneels.
"I can talk for my brothers and sisters. We are going into the Stolen Lands to make a new home, and we'll do it with or without a treasury. I feel good in the Queen, and we will support her claim, even if we have nothing to give her, except our loyalty."
The Four Swords look at each other and smile.
"We came for a field trip, and we want it!"
They draw their swords, and kneel, putting them in front.
"Long live Queen Rade! Let's go and steal the treasury from those Issian bastards!"
Hareth gives Rade a warm smile, and kneels before Rade.
"If I may speak for the Coursers in the absence of Azrael and Lord Christian, we too pledge our support for Queen Rade! My bow and my blade are ever at your command, your majesty."
Then he rises. He turns to the girl from the Cenobitic order and smiles warmly at her as well. He walks over to her and stops before her, speaking low so as not to interrupt any other oaths to Queen Rade. "It seems we still support the same cause and have similar goals... May that ever be the case."
Porablum kneels and says, "I, too, pledge my support to the Queen. My bow, my blade, and all my skill are yours to command."
Standing, she gives Rade an encouraging smile, before moving off to one side to allow others to swear.
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5 minutes after the others leave, half a dozen riders from Restov arrive at the crater.
"Lord Rocknose! What happened here? Did King Rupert survived? Why the others leave?"
3 of them go towards the camps, with the other 3 remaining with you.
"The others leave me in peace so that I may mourn the dead, from here I will be going forth to destroy the Chaos godling, or whatever that is in the Lost Lands.
Pointing towards Filli, and Killi, he barked out an order in dwarven sending them to the queen to ask for a private audeance before he leaves for the lost lands to seek revenge.
"Will you not help my men bury the dead? Or whatever is left of our comrads, the king and those in the tent were killed."
Jasrella has been watching and listening to all that was being said.
Hold it, wait now...We have several problems to address before anyone tries to steal anything at all.
Her look is stern as if she does not approve of stealing.
Your Majesty...if i may
Having Anando as the Queen's Prime Minsters, Senechal, Major-Domo or what ever it may be, is a good start and one I agree with. Not that that matters...
She pauses and looks around those in attendance.
In my professional opinion..We need to secure the premises for the Queen, as this will be her camp for the foreseeable future if she wills it. Combine all our camps and become one large defensible army instead of several small camps. We need to united together NOW or fail as individuals. This would be a temporary camp as we are for the stolen lands soon. Breaking camp now would put all of us at a huge disadvantage should tempers rise. It is best to set our defenses and also start to break camp down. Not everything but the essentials should be stored if we are in need of retreating.
She continues on with out missing a beat, looking at Alysandra and giving her a nod of approval
We need to bring Garess over to our way of thinking. We need to convince him that what we know is true and factual. He is following lawful orders and those lawful orders are what he is following. I tried to talk to the man on the way here, He is concerned that those supplies are going to be taking from him before he can return with them. I feel that our best bet is to get him with us. Restov wants those supplies for themselves and if that happens there very well may be a civil war. If we acquire those supplies without Garess' blessing, then we may have some serious problems on our hands. One being that those supplies belong to the kingdom of Brevoy and that will not sit well with them. Two we have a extremist group of hell knight in our backyard.
She again scans the faces of what she is considering the council of Sloboda
Lord Christian had hoped that Rocknose would come around to our side on the matter of this new kingdom, but in my opinion...he is about himself and the law. His son is claiming loyalty to the queen but also was about to start a war with Restov in the name of the queen or so it appeared to me. If we steal those resource we will be at war on two fronts. Bevroy and the Hellknights. Not something I want to engage in.I think we should cut all ties with the hellknights, there is no benefits with them here...only discord, demands and an extreme case of righteous indignation that only Rocknose sees.
We also need to confirm that all at the meeting are alive and where they are. There are agents of the gods and other worldly being that can answer those questions. We need to be able to prove our case to get those resources. We also might want to find a way to buy us some time till we get those answers..maybe agree to help guard those resources for a few days or so.
I as it seems agree with Alysandra..we need Garess...
While Jasrella speaks Bachu reads over the charter that was signed. When Jasrella finishes, Bachu speaks up, "I have pledged myself to guard Princess Rade and I will not revoke that pledge. However there are a few issues we need to decide quickly. Unfortunately, we do not have the power to elect her or anyone else Queen or King. We are not Prince-Electors, our bosses are. Since all of them are missing, the Princess, in my opinion can assume command here. While, Garess, is following a proper order from his king, he is stealing from Sloboda. Unless you are aware of an agreement that King Rupert made regarding the material, Anando. In which case we have every right to secure the materiel for the new kingdom, being it's only loyal agents. Our taking what belongs to our kingdom will be seen by them as less of a provocation than those from Restov taking it as I am sure they will. I think our getting the material is best for all. While getting Garess on our side and doing this peacefully is preferred, I don't think he is going to disobey his orders short of someone charming him..." Bachu stops short and then looks at each of the magic users here.
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"No." Porablum looks at Bachu, an uncharacteristically stern look on her face. "It is one thing to ensnare the mind with magic to distract an enemy in battle, or to escape an aggressor, but using it to bend someone to your viewpoint is wrong. Taking away someone's free will is a vile act. Such things are never permanent, and they always breed resentment after they wear off. We would only set him against us in the end."
"Anando, don't. Not yet. We may be our leaders' heirs - though technically, Jocasta is Coalhouse's heir - but leaping to sign is a bad idea. It's morally and ethically and legally ... shaky, at best. We wait a minimum of two weeks. However, reminding Garess," Alysandra notes, "even if the reminding is done magically, that the goods that he is currently assembling to take back to Issia were a gift to Rupert from his cousin Noleski would not be ... a misuse, I think. Remind him that since Rade is Rupert's heir, and since she wants to continue to create Sloboda, the goal Noleski wants may well still take place - since, I would presume, he hasn't seen this document."
"Whether I'm completely right is ... well, not entirely likely, let's say," Alysandra says with a grim smile, "but I think I'm less wrong than I could be." Thumping her leg slightly with her fist, she adds, "Everyone, Garess could be on his way inside five minutes if he really wanted to get only the most valuable things out of the camp. We need to be able to talk to him or head him off now. Can we all agree that we're behind Rade on this? And if we are, we need to move, because everyone else will be. Hareth? The rest of you militant sorts?"
She then adds, "We need information, and I need to get word into my people. Can anyone perform a Sending on my behalf?" Glancing at the document, she frowns, then steps back to it to take a closer look. "And ... what was his name. Does anyone remember the name of the Lebeda fencer's second? Steven Tomato, or something like that, wasn't it? Merus Lebeda's name is on this, so Master Tomato should be made aware." She hesitates, then looks apologetically over at Anando Verisisi. "My apologies, Master Verisisi, but how quickly could you make a copy of this, that we might send it with someone to Master Tomato-whatever to show it to him?"
"I concur... I'm not good at all these political machinations myself, but Aly's thoughts and musings seem valid to me. We need to talk to Garess, before he leaves with the bulk of the resources. And I, too, think the Hellknight will be more a force for discord than harmony, and right now we need an accord and a clear path for us all, strict adherence to one person's code."
"I think either Hareth or myself should accompany you if you intend to speak to Garess, just in case negotiations go south," Ishana mentions to Alysandra, her eyebrows slightly raised, before shrugging her shoulders at Hareth's mention of the Hellknights.
"I tend to agree that its extremely concerning how the hellknights present fluctuate between two extremes. I find them unpredictable, occasionally chaotic in nature, hard to fathom and unfortunately, their temperament leaves a lot to be desired. Still, I'd rather be...diplomatic about cutting ties - if that is what we decide. We all know that knee jerk reactions are not unexpected when talking to them, and I'd like to avoid escalations. I do however, agree that talking directly with Garess immediately seems to be the best bet."
Hareth waits for Rade to speak before presuming to speak for her... though he has words on his mind. He stands protectively beside her...
Porablum gives her a nod and an encouraging smile before softly singing, words to increase Rade's confidence and to bolster her courage.
Alysandra eases to the front. "You mistake the Queen's words. While that was framed as a polite request, it was in the nature of instructions. Nor does Garess possess the authority to deny the camp to either its mistress," and here she gestures with one hand to Rade Surtova, "or to members of it," and she gestures with the other hand to indicate herself and the other six International Businessmen who are with or have just rejoined her, "without the express direction of the mistress of the camp unless, she being present, he should feel that her life is in danger. Since the Queen is here, and you are preventing her from entering her domain, your guard captain is coming very, very close to lèse-majesté, the penalty for which is to grow six inches shorter - on the top end."
Presuming this has even somewhat unnerved the man, Alysandra eases up to him and says as if confidentially, [b]"Now, I know you haven't any part in Garess's potential ... well, let's call it foolishness to be polite, because it might, after all, just be a misunderstanding on his part. In your case, though, it's a matter of people well above your pay grade having a discussion, and to prevent them from having that discussion when the reasons behind your refusal are so very unclear would be to ... make things very difficult for yourself.
"So what we're going to do," and here she gives a broad gesture of her arm to indicate not only Rade and herself, but also the dozen or more very survival-competent individuals present, who outnumber the guards present by at least two-to-one (and probably more), is to enter our home, however temporary a home it may be, and speak with Kresten about achieving his short-term goals as well as our long-term ones. All you have to do is to make certain that peole who are not authorised by the mistress of the camp - that would be the Queen, here," and she indicates Rade once again with an open-handed gesture and a slight bow, "are not allowed entrance, and to ensure that people she authorizes are permitted entrance."
"That may well be, but you're not in Noleski's camp, are you? And Noleski isn't here to back you up, is he? Lay down your weapons and you'll be released when we leave; resist, and pray to whatever god you expect to be seeing shortly."
Gentlemen, think hard on the next words that come out of your mouth. As you can see we are here now in front of you trying to handle a bad situation with some form of diplomacy. Now I am not sure about you, but I know a certain group of hell knights that may or may not take kindly to the unlawful removal of property that belongs to her Majesty. These Hell Knights may or may not know of such a situation but....IF or when they do find out.....It could complicate things badly.
She looks straight at the guard
It is your call, but as she has stated Jasrella motions to Alysandra it is a polite request, the Hell Knights...Well..do you even know what the Hell Knights will do if they found...WHEN they find out that your little group stole something that lawfully belongs to the Sovereignty of Sloboda
Jasrella shudders a bit
I would not want to be in your boots.
Looking at the buffons standing guard Ezekiel smiles. "Sooo you do deny your kings daughter entry. I hope your king is a nice chap! Or you will have to explain him... why. If you have enough breath left after all the cries of mercy!"