The Kings' Patron

Game Master Mardavig

Turin calmly acknowledges that Lorald has a point... For the moment, "I concede the point to you Lorald but do not speak so easily concerning magic... It has limits, if it did not we would all be the pawns of wizard kings and sorcerer lords."

Turin's face seems to brighten at the prospect of Troll hunting...

"Who is up for the troll hunt? It both benefits are efforts in magical research and removes a threat to us... It is a win win proposition."

White eagle remained intent on learning what Zartana had learned from Grigori, He keeps tabs on Elangomat, that is overseeing the conversation.

on occasion he does give his attention to the people that present their problems. one in particular interests him.

Once the problems are all presented, White Eagle weighs each one to see where he would be most useful.

finally, I will lead an expedition to find Stas the lumberjack's spear from the Hodag.

Turin mulling over the the requests presents an idea, "while I am for dealing with the trolls myself if anyone wants to take a crack at "Crackjaw" I can make an item which should allow a form of rudimentary communication with the creature. Perhaps Crackjaw might be removed peacefully and relocated to a position more useful to us..."

Turin can provide a scroll of "Speak with Animals" for anyone who wants to try diplomacy with the turtle, something tells me attempting to kill him would not end well...

glad i missed that. Being a drow and all that...

Zartana finally enters the chaimbers. She still had the look of exhaustion on her face, but her expression was of a kinder note. She does enter with out her charge though

"Hope i didnt miss much. But we have to talk. Sealed court. Nothing of what i say next must leave these walls. So all non counsel memebers, staff and attendents need to leave" she was serious. And at this moment, if you knew her well, you knew not to test her. A tired, over worked, underslept and cranky drow is not to be messed with

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Turin looks at the disheveled Drow and speaks to the staff, his tone friendly but commanding.

"Everyone for your loyal and exemplary service to the Council have a cold one on me, your beloved treasurer bids you to enjoy the night."

With that Turin will pop a gold coin into every servants hand and promptly remove them from the premises...

To say that Drow slavers put Turin into a foul mood concerning the race is an understatement... GM how many gold coins have I spent on sending the servants out for a beer?

After the servants have vacated.

"After this everyone can have a beer on me, two for Zartana... She needs it."

Turin, you are under a MAJOR misconception! If we build a house or a library with BP we do not build ONE, we build a city square! And all the items you do take away a lot of time too. Building with BP is still the cheapest way to do so.
"My dear Turin, I sincerly doubt you will have the time to make magical items AND be in the council AND start a business! Also, magical research does not feed our people, educate our children, plows the fields!"

We do? Thanks for the heads up.

@Milyuki,"if you don't aim for the stars you won't hit anything my fellow councilor, ambition is the route to success in all things."

"Ambition is one thing, overestimation of one's own capabilities while forgetting the base is another. Sir Lorald, how many resources do we need to reach the main road to brevoy? Cancellor, what items do our citizen´s need? Treasurer, what resources are needed, do we need more timber, stone, iron?"

"What we need is a defence" she says as she takes a seat. Waiting for the rest to calm down so she can continue

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"I apologize. Zartana, please tell us what you learned! And what kind of defense do you have in mind? It seems we do need a core for our army sooner than we thought."

@Matsu,"We need everything... As Turin is about to complete his answer he hears Zartana and listens attentively, "speak quickly, if we need a defense then we need to get started as soon as possible."

"The reason i say this. Gregori was forced into doing what he did. By a rival, bordering kingdom. His family is in danger. His is threatened. Torture and death. So. We are being watched and people are being sent to undermine us. But what i ask. Help me rescue his family in return for him stepping up and telling us this info. And in doing so we gain a capable bard"

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Turin's voice is brisk and efficient as he considers the proposition before him.

"Which Kingdom? As for his family I would be willing to try but I make no promises... Hostage situations are by default a risky proposition, all matter of things could go wrong."

Lorald listened, his thoughts were moving about and it did not make sense.

"Intrigue between kingdoms is nothing new. Still I think this is more of a probing then anything. As I have stated already, we are in no position to deal with an army of any kind. Sending the bard was more cost effective for the enemy then sending an army. We are a cheap prize, unworthy of the effort and cost of mobilizing an army over."

Some catch a touch of amusement from him.

"We should find out who he is working for and help his family."

Turning the bard to their side and being on guard against the rival kingdom would help and show their rival that cheap as they were. They were no fools, that could buy them the pause they needed to grow and solidify the kingdom. He did not think that would deter the rival or cause them to give up.

Kyras' quiet mood had been disturbed by Zartana's mention of family being threatened.

Seriously, is dis some cycle? I'm seein' problems i've seen or went troo when i was little.

Without hesitation, he speaks up.
"Zartana, i'm in if you want to investigate dat, for de moment dere's no matter of disputes dat need settlin'."

"I think helping the man with his family is a good idea, but I think myself and maybe Etienne should not join this task. For political reasons. I propose Lorald and Zartana, you choose a few to do the rescue, while I will lead a few of ours to take care of the local problems. I would like to have chief white eagle with me, if he is fine with it, because with his connection to the wild, I think he can be invalueable."
In a nutshell Miyuki will do the turtle and troll quests and some others the infiltration. Sounds good?

Z did volenteer for the turtle. So will try to do that if i can

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Natalya considers for a moment then shrugs

Tell you what, whilst I am somewhat grumpy from having a previous run in with both a troll and a shambling mound, I don't actually mind which of those concerns I help with, so it makes sense for me to just go where I'm needed, depending on whoever is already on the teams. Happy to go with whoever needs me the most

she smiles

It's getting cold out so this should be our last expedition for the season.
Who's working against us? Where is Grigiori's family being held?

" Issians, employ of House Surtova of Brevoy" she says simply
"It's not that his family is being held, more like they are easy targets, the whole "We know where they live" kind of scenario. SO we need to get them out, and under our eyes, not the enemy's"

Turin broaches an idea for how to resolve this crisis effectively, although it is clear from his tone that he thinks other options are available. This one just leaped to mind.

"Well what I am thinking of might terrify the family but it also might just work, with the aid of magic a small band could become a band of jailers sent to make good on the threats of the Issians. With a jail cart you could transport the family and no one would be the wiser until it was too late to stop you. Any other ideas?"

Lorald's emotions seethed under his indifferent expression. The Issian scum seemed to be spreading. He had not forgotten the last one he encountered or his fate, not that he regretted it for a moment. Only that his family had chosen to avoid the issue. Now it had reappeared in these lands it seemed, but it was strange. The Issian did not fully control Brevoy, why would they risk making another possible enemy without a solid position of their own. He decided to deal with the problem at hand.

"The Issian are not so blatant. Making good on any threats would be subtle, without ties to them. The other noble houses as well as the people would not take well to such a display. It would bring attention on us all from Brevoy. Brevoy is our supporter and sponsor, it would be dangerous to Freewater to attempt that plan. I can contact my own house, they may be able to arrange for safe passage through Brevoy away from prying eyes. Once we get to Grigori's family we can bring them back with us. Once they are here with him, they will be outside their reach and realize their plot has been exposed. They will be unable to move so far without alerting the swordlords and other houses. Something they are not prepared to do. The Orlovsky may not choose to play the games of Brevoy's nobles but that does not mean they are not adapt players in it when they choose to be."

He nods towards Zartana.

If Lorald can get them out that would be good. We don't want to go invading Brevoy. We ain't big enough to cause diplomatic incidents and get away with it

"If Brevoy is unable or unwilling to get the family back either I or Carter could make a few potions which should aid in a rescue attempt."

If anyone wants them at cost Turin is willing to manufacture potions of invisibility, disguise self, alter self and others (including gaseous form) to aid in the rescue attempt.

I know this happened earlier, but for story reasons.

Raven saw Zartana come in and the look on her face told her everything she needed to know. She gave a nod to her as she left. Raven had to prepare for hunting anyway and she was sure she would be filled in if her services were required.

What thread for hunting down the creatures for the townsfolk?

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Surtova?

Natalya considers the information for a moment

Zartana, if you think I can be useful on the infiltration or exfiltration team then I'm happy to join you, otherwise I think I'll go hunting trolls and shambling mounds...

I think I'm better suited for hunting than spy stuff

Good job keeping the conversation going.

First Lady Miyuki, has there been any consensus among the Founders of Emmermmark about what is to be done?

Indeed.
We have decided that some of us will help the bard and rescue his family, and some of us, myself included will go on a hunting trip to safeguard the realm.

Dai Hu, the First Lady's scribe, notes that sending Founders of Emermark into Brevoy might be contentious. It may be easier to send a few discrete agents to simply invite the persons in question to come join their loved ones in Freewater.

Of course, if the Founders want to sortie to perform the exfiltration they are welcome to do so.

Zartana will make it happen. She will have a few people, with the necessary skills, extract the aforementioned people

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Not sure where in the timeline this would be, as in how long it takes her to get the Keep and back, but in the interest of keeping things moving...

Raven eventually returns to Freewater. After taking care of some other matters See PMs DM and seeing to her growing flock and field of flowers, she seeks out those going on the hunts to clear the land of dangers. "We are ready to serve our people further."

Getting Grigori's family out of Brevoy is no hardship. They're not actively being guarded, and no one knows about Grigori's betrayal yet. so it's as simple as sending them an invitation to come quickly and quietly to Emermark. Since these people are not well off, they are eager to pick up stakes and try for a new beginning in the burgeoning kingdom.

Good!

Which brings the topics of animal slaughter securing safety. I recall a certain 'matron' wants a shell on her wall.

=^^=

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Hi. :)

Kyras and Carter, glad to see you are with us. Here's the long and the short of it. Those are side quests which you can use to motivate your travels into the wilderness, but don't feel any rush. Turtles, even large ones, hibernate in the winter.